In the days that followed, Luther and Mai stayed in Featherfall Town, stocking up on travel supplies while giving their Pokémon a well-deserved chance to rest and unwind.
After two days of fruitless shouting into the canyon, Joy took a more assertive approach on the third day. She loaded a tape recorder into her vehicle and drove straight to the cliffs.
Just as Luther was preparing to continue his journey, Joy returned, with none other than Pidgeot and Fearow riding in her car.
The struggle leading up to their return hadn't been easy.
Pidgeot and Fearow had heard Joy's voice echoing through the canyon, of course, but pride and stubbornness had made them pretend they hadn't. A part of them longed to go to her. But reason told them not to get involved, not to burden her with their presence.
They had assumed that after being ignored two or three times, Joy would give up and stop trying.
But they hadn't expected her to come back with… a tape recorder.
Joy's voice, while usually warm and commanding, was like a soft breeze compared to what came next. With the recorder in place, her words thundered through the canyon, sharp, clear, and impossible to ignore. Every sentence seemed to vibrate against the cliff walls, rattling the feathers of the Flying-type Pokémon.
Each morning, she'd return to the canyon to set up the recorder, letting it play her recorded messages. Each evening, she came back to swap out the batteries, ready to begin the process again the next day.
To protect the recorder from being tampered with, Joy stationed her Pokémon nearby. Scyther and Frogadier stood vigilant guard, intercepting every one of Pidgeot and Fearow's stealthy attempts to destroy the device.
The two veteran Pokémon were no match for the young and battle-hardened Scyther and Frogadier, especially with Joy having told them to be careful not to overexert themselves.
Realizing they couldn't win, Pidgeot and Fearow considered hiding in the rock wall forever and waiting for all this nonsense to pass.
A noble thought, perhaps, but…
The rock wall where they roosted had long been a hub for other Flying-types.
Swellow, nesting nearby, politely suggested, "Why not just move to town? It wouldn't hurt to give it a try."
Since the arrival of the tape recorder, Swellow's life had become unbearable.
Her nest sat quite low on the cliffside, far too close to where the recorder had been set.
With the recorder echoing Joy's voice throughout the canyon, Swellow trembled each morning. Every time she tried to carry hay home for her nest, she'd be surrounded by the overlapping waves of sound. Her feathers bristled from stress, and she was close to breaking down in tears.
"When will this nightmare end?!"
Staraptor, whose young ones hadn't yet grown strong enough to migrate, went into a frenzy right in front of Fearow.
She had been busy preparing them for winter, teaching essential skills, stockpiling food, and gathering nesting materials. Now, with the recorder blaring, her chicks refused to stay put, crying out loudly whenever they heard Joy's recorded voice. Staraptor was utterly exhausted.
"You were offered a peaceful retirement," she yelled while flapping wildly in Fearow's cave, "and now you're acting all high and mighty while we suffer?!"
Fearow bristled at her tone but had no defense. Deep down, she knew Staraptor was right.
She and Pidgeot were long past the age of solving problems with sharp beaks and quick tempers. And so, with no further protest, the two aging Pokémon were gently escorted out of the canyon, courtesy of a fed-up coalition of Flying-types.
As Joy returned to town, the Pokémon of the canyon waved their wings in farewell, pointing toward the tape recorder she'd forgotten to take.
With Fearow and Pidgeot gone, the recorder vanished, and the canyon finally returned to silence.
The pair moved into a newly built little home on the outskirts of town, not far from the local Day Care where newly hatched Pokémon played and learned.
Old age didn't mean uselessness. If they could look after Chikorita, they could certainly help guide younger Pokémon. Their wisdom and presence offered the kind of companionship only elder Pokémon could provide, and it gave them purpose.
Never in their lives did Pidgeot and Fearow imagine that after so many battles and rivalries, they'd end up sharing a house. The situation was strange, awkward even… but gradually, they adapted.
Luther brought Chikorita by to thank them, and Joy made a habit of stopping in each evening after work to check on their health and well-being.
The nearby Pokémon babies started visiting daily. At first, Pidgeot and Fearow were completely overwhelmed. The slightest gust from their wings made the tiny Pokémon cry out in fear.
"This can't be right!" Pidgeot protested, panicking after accidentally startling a Togepi into tears. "That silly Noctowl managed to calm Chikorita down, why can't we do the same?"
They had a long way to go, but their journey wasn't over yet.
To learn how to control their strength, the two Pokémon began practicing with small objects inside their cozy little house.
Now, Luther often saw Pidgeot and Fearow each leading a group of baby Pokémon, flapping about the yard together. The once-weary birds who had struggled to stay airborne now seemed to brim with vitality once again.
The townspeople considered it a blessing to witness Pidgeot and Fearow still so full of life despite their age. Every so often, someone would stop by to share snacks with them.
As the days passed, the two Pokémon developed a fondness for soft, creamy treats, especially sponge cakes topped with whipped cream. So when Luther and Mai came by to take a photo with them, they brought cream cakes as a special gift.
Joy grumbled that such a diet wasn't good for their health, but when it came to sweets, Pidgeot and Fearow always turned a deaf ear. They listened to Joy about everything else, but on this, they held their ground.
They'd accepted Joy's unwavering kindness and the affection of the townsfolk. In the twilight of their lives, they wanted nothing more than to enjoy each day in comfort.
Unhealthy? Perhaps. But they didn't have many days left anyway, why not make them sweet?
Today was the day Luther and Mai would finally leave Featherfall Town. After a few days of rest, Luther and his Pokémon were re-energized, and Mai had finished gathering all her supplies.
With their backpacks packed full, the trio, Luther, Mai, and Joy, arrived at the doorstep of the little house.
That morning, the baby Pokémon had been taken for health check-ups, so Pidgeot and Fearow, without their usual companions, lounged lazily on the rooftop. Their wings were spread wide to catch the rays of sunlight that peeked through the clouds.
Upon hearing Chikorita's cheerful call, the two Pokémon swooped down from the roof.
Chikorita obediently offered them the cream cake she held delicately in her mouth. Pidgeot and Fearow gently brushed her with their wings in return, then turned to face Luther and Mai.
"We're heading out to continue our journey," Luther said with a smile.
The two Pokémon grew quiet. They exchanged a glance, then looked down at Chikorita, their instincts urging them to pluck a few feathers to give her a parting gift.
Their feathers were already shedding faster than before, a simple shake would send several drifting to the ground.
But Luther quickly stepped forward to stop them.
"There's no need. Whether it's falling feathers or symbolic blessings, it's all about the feeling behind it. People assign meaning to these gestures after they succeed. But in truth, there are things in life you have to fight for yourself. Without the will to move forward, no amount of feathers can bring you happiness."
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a handmade fan crafted from their feathers.
"I made this from your feathers. When the weather gets hot, I'll use it to keep cool. And on a sweltering day, nothing feels better than a gentle breeze."
Pidgeot and Fearow let out raspy cries, laughter rumbling in their throats as they nodded in understanding.
Chikorita gave them both a soft pat with her leaf, promising to return and visit them again one day.
The two Pokémon immediately agreed, their eyes gleaming.
Joy walked with Luther as he made his way out of town.
"Thank you for giving them a chance to experience the love of this town," she said quietly.
"Everyone has their own path," Luther replied. "At first, I thought the best end for Pokémon like them was to pass away high in the sky, soaring until their final breath. That felt true to who they were."
He paused, glancing back toward the little house.
"But after watching them these past few days, spending time with the baby Pokémon, enjoying the sunshine and the treats, I realized that was just my idea. What really matters is living each day with joy."
Joy didn't reply right away. She simply kept walking beside him. When they reached the edge of town, Luther gave her a gentle nudge, and she finally stopped, waving him goodbye.
Two piercing bird cries rang out across the sky.
Luther looked up and saw two silhouettes cutting through the clouds, golden sunlight streaming around them.
Startled, the Flying-type Pokémon in the surrounding forest all took to the air, flapping and circling, confused by the sudden movement.
But Pidgeot and Fearow paid no attention to the little ones. They soared freely overhead, only descending once Luther had vanished into the trees.
When they finally landed beside Joy, she scolded them for being late, but her eyes sparkled with warmth.
(End of Chapter)
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