Chapter 34 Ho-Oh's Feather!

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"..."

After obtaining the feather, Hu Yang suddenly felt a suffocating sensation.

Could it be that this was the feather Cramorant forcibly took from Ho-Oh?

"Ka!"

Cramorant, appearing somewhat weary, let out a big yawn.

Hu Yang recalled Cramorant to its Poké Ball and returned to the cabin, holding the iridescent feather, a perplexed expression on his face.

But it's just a feather. Ho-Oh wouldn't bear any grudges, would it?

He pondered the legend of Ho-Oh. Rumor has it that Ho-Oh possesses the power to resurrect the dead. Wherever it soars, it leaves a vibrant rainbow in its wake, granting eternal happiness to those who lay eyes on it.

According to the Johto Region's legends, Ho-Oh once dwelled in the Bell Tower of Ecruteak City. After an adjacent tower burnt down, Ho-Oh took to the skies, seeking pure-hearted Pokémon Trainers all over the world.

There's very little information on Ho-Oh in the anime. The only dedicated Ho-Oh movie is titled Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!. In this movie, Ho-Oh gifted Ash a feather, setting him and Pikachu on a grand adventure, eventually earning them the title of Rainbow Heroes.

Yet, when you think about it, this title might not be particularly useful. After all, no one but Ash and Pikachu will ever know that they are the Rainbow Heroes. The rainbow feather's role, upon closer examination, seems limited to bidding farewell to Ho-Oh.

Hu Yang currently has no inkling about meeting Ho-Oh again. He's more likely to starve on his journey due to lack of funds. It might be more practical to sell the feather for money. If it's valuable, he could acquire more Pokémon with it.

Besides serving as a means to summon Ho-Oh, the iridescent feather may also symbolize Ho-Oh's appreciation and bring good luck.

More importantly, Ho-Oh didn't just leave feathers for one person. In addition to Ash's, in the Johto region, it also left feathers for a man in Ecruteak City named "Zhiwei," who never showed up until he was near death.

Although he's aware that these two may exist in parallel worlds, Hu Yang can't help but think that Ho-Oh is a rather unpredictable Pokémon.

"What do you think?" he asked Gengar and Roselia after some contemplation.

"Ralili..." Roselia appeared bewildered. She had never heard of Ho-Oh.

Hu Yang then turned to Gengar, who just shrugged, saying, "Don't look at me, I have no clue."

Hu Yang inquired, "I'm asking if you think this feather could have been taken from Ho-Oh by Cramorant?"

"Raleley..." Roselia and Gengar exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. Gengar chimed in with a sly smile, "You could ask that silly bird to pluck a few more feathers, they'd make for excellent dusters."

Hu Yang was left flabbergasted. How dare the cheeky Gengar be so irreverent toward the divine Ho-Oh? Wasn't it afraid that Ho-Oh would incinerate it with Sacred Fire?

However, in the Pokémon world, there is no concept of reverence like humans have. For instance, Roselia, if not caught and trained by him, might never see the sea in its entire lifetime, thus never learning about the existence of legendary Pokémon.

Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that Ho-Oh's feathers are genuinely stunning. They never come into contact with water and radiate a vibrant rainbow under the light.

Hu Yang's anxiety eased as he noticed Roselia's shadow moving. He wondered if it was Marshadow, the shadow that guided the Rainbow Hero. But it was just a light-attracted moth fluttering near the lamp. He heaved a sigh of relief.

Ho-Oh's messengers extend beyond the three from Johto Region. Even Marshadow, who guides the trainer that receives the feather to meet Ho-Oh, could be counted among them. Some internet users humorously dubbed them "Ho-Oh's dogs."

He was worried that Marshadow might attack those who didn't listen to Ho-Oh, but it wasn't present here.

As he considered this, he realized he was ignorant about this world's reality. He wasn't sure if it was based on the anime, special chapters, or the game's lore.

"I need to find out the name of Professor Oak's grandson," Hu Yang decided. This was vital information that could indicate whether he had entered one of the more perilous special worlds.

Yet, in his experience over the past few months, this world didn't appear to be overly dangerous.

...

The passenger ship arrived at its destination just as Hu Yang began to ponder what might await him in this new world.

As he stood on the deck, gazing at a massive volcano in the dense jungle, the words "Mt. Chimney" came to mind.

"Mt. Chimney... Groudon might be in that volcano, right?" Hu Yang thought to himself.

He wasn't certain, given that Groudon was said to inhabit volcanoes worldwide. Mt. Chimney wasn't the only volcano in the Hoenn Region.

Regarding Kyogre and Rayquaza, one was likely slumbering in the Seafloor Cavern, while the other patrolled the ozone layer.

Upon disembarking, Hu Yang and Gengar made their way to the station, the weather having grown increasingly frigid. They were faced with two options: walking or taking a car to reach Napro Gym, a considerable distance away.

Given the bitter winter weather, Hu Yang didn't want to spend a second outside. Inside the heated car, he could appreciate the stark contrast with the frigid outdoors.

Sitting in the comfy seat, he exhaled a contented breath.

As he opened his eyes after a moment, he saw Gengar clambering into his lap.

Gengar protested, "So many humans! They're squeezing me to death!"

Hu Yang was speechless. He could just return Gengar to its Poké Ball; then, no one would be able to touch it. But Gengar, without a second thought, refused, stating, "No!"

Hu Yang sighed and looked out the window, resuming his journey.

Fifty minutes later, they disembarked at the Napro Gym platform.

The snow was falling heavily in Napro Gym. The entire town was blanketed in a thick layer of white.

This wasn't the weather for venturing out, so Hu Yang decided to head directly to a nearby hotel and booked a single room for 60 Alliance coins.

The hotel had a Japanese theme. Inside the room, a warm kotatsu was set up. Seated on the tatami floor, he could look outside through the transparent, floor-to-ceiling windows and enjoy the serene snowfall.

A considerate waiter brought complimentary refreshments. Hu Yang expressed his gratitude and left his Pokémon to amuse themselves.

He shed his coat, enveloped himself in the warm quilt, and settled in for a comfortable rest. This weather was perfect for snuggling under the covers.

Gengar, surprised by this, inquired, "Are you here to rest? Can't you sleep at home?"

Hu Yang merely ignored Gengar, turned away, and settled into his warm cocoon of blankets.

Gengar was left fuming.

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