The Bell Tower was a sacred place for believers and the people of Kanto. Incense smoke curled through the air as an endless stream of pilgrims arrived. They pressed their palms together, raised them to their chests, foreheads, and heads, then prostrated themselves on the ground. They did this every day, until many spots in front of the temple had been worn into hollows.
"This is where you'll be living. Oh, right! I haven't given you a name yet." The old monk carried the baby Pokémon, newly freed from the breeding facility, into the temple. After gazing into his eyes for several seconds, the old monk smiled kindly again.
"You have bright, beautiful eyes, clearer than the blue sky and deeper than the sea. Your name will be Hao." Sparks of joy danced in Hao's eyes, clear and sparkling as a stream.
"Muu~" Two little Clefairy about Hao's age approached and circled him curiously, seemingly quite interested in him.
"These are Rong and Leia. From now on, you'll be companions, so get along. It's all right to argue, but you must always make up afterward." The lionlike one with reddish-brown fur was Rong, while the tigerlike one with tawny fur was Leia.
We etched the old monk's words into our hearts. No matter where we went or what happened, we would never forget them. We lived together in that temple.
Twenty years passed in a flash...
Throughout those years, we stayed by the Bell Tower's entrance, protecting the monks and worshippers. They came to regard us as the Bell Tower's guardian beasts. I enjoyed being respected like that, but there were losses in my heart that nothing could replace, such as the old monk's kindly smile.
"Even if the road ahead is covered in thorns, as long as the three