Wave, Strive to Become the Fastest-Flying Pidgeot in the World!

Night.

The bright moon hung high in the pitch-black sky, its moonlight spilling over thousands of homes.

But with Electroweb widely adopted, every household seemed brighter than the moon itself.

Where was this? Why was it so bright?

Was this the Pidgeot Heaven that Old Pidgeot had talked about?

Pidgey slowly opened his eyes. The bright lights made his vision somewhat blurry.

Wasn't I dead? Why does my head feel so heavy that I can barely lift it...?

"You're awake, Pidgey."

Suddenly, a familiar yet gentle voice sounded beside him. It was the voice he wanted to hear every day!

Sure enough, I really made it to Pidgeot Heaven!

"If you're awake, come eat. Xiao Du, don't press down on Pidgey's head anymore. His injuries just healed, so he needs to move around and stretch his muscles properly."

The gentle voice rang out again.

At the same time, the weight on his head suddenly vanished. He lifted his head and saw a Big Bug with brown skin, its body seemingly made of connected spheres, crawling past him.

That Big Bug...

"Pidgey?"

Pidgey tilted his head, seemingly pondering whether a bug could even make it to Pidgeot Heaven...

No, Big Bug isn't dead. How could it have gone to heaven?

Wait, if Big Bug can't go to heaven, then where am I?

Could it be that I didn't die?

Pidgey abruptly raised his head and twisted around to look at his surroundings.

It was not a very large space. There were many objects he did not recognize, yet they gave him an inexplicable sense of security.

Because among those objects was someone he desperately wanted to see...

He was a tall, handsome, warm, and gentle human male. At that moment, he was wearing an apron and busying himself by the stove.

"Pidgey!?"

Pidgey instinctively wanted to flap his wings and fly over, but he was afraid this was a dream that would shatter at the slightest touch, so he did not dare move.

Until...

"Beedrill? Beedrill!!"

(What are you standing around for? Come eat, you late, crybaby, gluttonous idiot bird!!)

Before, I was only a crybaby, a glutton, and an idiot. Why did he add "late" now?

No, none of those labels apply to me!

Pidgey shook his head and glared unhappily at Weedle.

"Pidgey!!"

(I'm not!!)

"Beedrill."

(Stupid idiot bird.)

Weedle did not care in the slightest. After tossing out that remark, he wriggled away, not giving Pidgey any chance to retort.

"All right, stop bickering and come eat."

Although he could not understand exactly what the two Pokémon were saying, judging from their expressions, they were probably good friends bickering with each other.

How youthful~~

When Mu Yun spoke, Pidgey could not be bothered to argue with Weedle. He glanced at his left wing and found that the wound had actually healed. After testing it and confirming that he could still move it, he immediately took flight.

A few meters was more than ten wriggles for Weedle, but for Pidgey, it only took one flap of his wings.

"Pidgey~~"

Pidgey overtook Weedle and arrived at the table first. He looked down at Weedle from above, then casually raised his head, as if he had said something—or perhaps nothing at all.

In any case, Mu Yun saw Weedle wriggling a little faster.

He had to admit, they really did look even more like affectionate best friends!

Soon, one human and two Pokémon were all seated at the dining table.

Mu Yun sat at the head, while Weedle and Pidgey took either side of him. One stood at the corner of the table, while the other stood upright close to Mu Yun's arm.

The dishes on the table were plentiful. There was Weedle's favorite stir-fried pork with chili peppers, along with mapo tofu, stir-fried pork strips, and assorted eggplant, potatoes, and green peppers, all kinds of colorful and delicious dishes.

To welcome Pidgey's arrival, he had put in quite a bit of effort.

The staple foods were rice and the sandwich he had not had time to give Pidgey at noon.

Mu Yun took a large bottle of iced black tea from the refrigerator. After opening it, he solemnly poured it into a glass and two ceramic plates. He raised the cup in front of him and looked at the two little fellows beside him with a smile.

"Today is the great day our Mu family has gone from a family of two to a family of three. To welcome our new member, Pidgey, I propose we drain our cups!"

With that, Mu Yun gulped down his drink.

Ah~~ On a scorching summer day, a sip of sweet-and-sour iced black tea really hit the spot!

"Beedrill!!"

(Welcome!!)

Weedle did not tease Pidgey as it usually did. Instead, it shook its head and shouted before imitating Mu Yun, lowering its head curiously to take a sip of the drink.

It was cold and refreshing, and not spicy at all. It wasn't tasty...

"Pidgey!?"

Only Pidgey seemed unable to process what had happened, standing there in a daze.

What is going on? What happened while I was asleep? How did I suddenly become part of a family?

Although this is exactly what I wanted...

But this is so sudden. I haven't prepared a gift. Old Pidgey said that when courting a female Pidgey, he needed to prepare a Berry. Do I need to do the same to become a family member? Should I go outside and find one now...?

"What are you thinking about? You don't want to?"

As Pidgey's brain raced, a large hand rested on his little head. The warm palm felt like the afternoon sun, radiating gentle warmth~~

"Pidgey!!"

(No, I really want to!!)

Pidgey shook his head wildly, then seemed to realize that was the wrong answer and began nodding frantically instead. Even Weedle, watching him from the side, could not help laughing.

And you still say you're not a stupid idiot bird?

"That's right. From now on, you're one of my people, Pidgey. I spent quite a lot of money saving you, so for the rest of your life, you'd better be ready to work hard for me~~!!"

"Work 007 every day. I'll provide three meals, but no wages~~"

Mu Yun cheerfully uttered the words most feared by "human cattle and horse laborers."

But to Pidgey, they sounded like the pure, ringing hymns of Pidgeot Heaven.

Pidgey shook his head and nodded desperately again. In the end, he seemed to realize how foolish his movements looked, so he abruptly raised his right wing and imitated a security officer he had once seen, giving a salute.

His form was far from standard, but his gaze was incomparably resolute.

So resolute that even if a sea of lightning and flames lay ahead, Mu Yun felt Pidgey would not retreat an inch!

"Pidgey, Pidgey!!"

(Pidgey the worker, on duty at all times!!)

Pidgey shouted his response to Mu Yun. He was so excited that his voice turned hoarse.

People were not made of grass or wood; how could anyone be without feelings?

At first, Mu Yun had merely treated Pidgey as a free sparring partner. But as time passed, he came to admire Pidgey's combat talent. Unfortunately, Pidgey's mediocre aptitude dragged down his future prospects.

Later, after personally witnessing Pidgey silently pushing himself for the sake of sparring and even nearly losing his life because of it, a powerful thought suddenly rose in Mu Yun's heart.

He wanted to see just how high this little fellow could fly and how far he could go in the future!

"Excellent. As expected of the great Great Pidge General—no, you're still too young to be called Great Pidge. Let me think. What should I call you...?"

Mu Yun glanced at Pidgey, who was not even as long as his arm. After thinking for a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up as an idea came to him.

"From now on, your name will be Wave. I hope that one day, you'll become the fastest-flying Pidgeot in the world!"

"Pidgey, Pidgey!!"

Wave was very satisfied with his new name.

It's decided. I will become the fastest-flying Pidgeot in the world!

I'll always be able to follow behind him!!

"Oh, right. My name is Mu Yun, and Xiao Du's full name is Dugu. His dream is to become the world's strongest Beedrill."

After naming Wave, Mu Yun finally remembered to introduce himself and Xiao Du.

Come to think of it, it was strange. They had known each other for so long and grown so close, yet they had never even exchanged names.

Is this the legendary lofty state of finding a kindred spirit through mountains and flowing water, caring only about the person and not their name...?

As expected of me!