Chapter 2: Alex and Entei
The sun had already set. The Pokémon who had taken shelter from the rain in the cave had long since departed, leaving only one human and one Pokémon in the vast cavern.
Entei gazed at the little cub, deep in thought.
The sleeping baby seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes. His clear, crystal-like pupils reflected the world around him. When he saw the enormous figure beside him, instead of crying in fear, he suddenly let out a cheerful laugh.
The child wasn't afraid of him at all.
For some reason, seeing the cub's smile greatly improved Entei's mood.
With his spirits lifted, his thoughts became clearer. Since he had decided to raise this human child, certain matters had to be settled quickly.
First — a name.
While many Pokémon share their species name — even he himself was simply called Entei, just like others of his kind — this cub was a human, not a Pokémon. Naturally, he required a proper name.
Since the child had been found in the rain, Entei initially considered calling him Xiao Yu.
He called out the name toward the baby, only to realize that the cub could not understand Pokémon speech. To him, it probably sounded like nothing more than the roar of a wild beast.
Yet the cub's reaction was unexpected.
Upon hearing the name "Xiao Yu," the child became visibly displeased, crying loudly and shaking his head as if rejecting it entirely.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Entei was slightly surprised.
But when the cub showed no further reaction, Entei assumed it was merely coincidence. Still, because of the strong rejection, that name was clearly unsuitable.
The rain had stopped just after he had rescued the child… perhaps a name related to the clear sky would be more fitting.
How about Xiao Yang?
However, from this moment on — this child would be known as Alex.
When Entei spoke the name, the baby immediately giggled with delight, as if deeply satisfied.
The name was decided.
Next came the issue of food.
Fortunately, the basket contained a bottle of milk. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to find nourishment now that night had fallen.
Although this was Entei's first time caring for a child — especially a human one — he somehow knew certain basics. Perhaps he had observed other Pokémon caring for their young while rescuing them in the past.
Still, how was a human baby's bottle supposed to be used?
Entei picked up the bottle with his mouth and examined it carefully. Seeing the large creature holding his milk, Alex began to cry in protest, as if afraid it would be taken away.
Naturally, Entei had no intention of stealing a baby's milk.
After observing the bottle for a while, he figured out what to do. Using his control over flames, he gently warmed the milk. As a powerful Fire-type Pokémon, manipulating fire was effortless for him.
Once the milk reached a suitable temperature, Entei carefully placed the bottle near Alex's mouth.
Alex immediately began drinking desperately, as if still worried that the giant in front of him might take it away.
After finishing the milk, he quickly fell asleep again. Human infants, like young Pokémon, required long periods of sleep — often more than ten hours a day.
Entei also prepared to rest. Although Legendary Pokémon could go without food, water, or sleep, they still followed rhythms similar to living creatures.
Active by day, resting at night — most Pokémon lived by such habits.
As he lay there, Entei began planning for the future.
His duties would inevitably be affected. After all, he now had a child to care for and might need to slow down his activities.
His responsibilities mainly involved assisting Pokémon in distress and searching for the Rainbow Hero chosen by Ho-Oh.
The Rainbow Hero had not appeared for a long time, so his workload had been light recently. That meant he should have enough time to care for Alex.
If he ever needed to leave temporarily, he could entrust the child to other trustworthy Pokémon.
As for food, he would need to find a Miltank. At present, Alex could only drink milk, and Miltank were renowned for producing nutritious milk.
Humans also consumed Miltank milk, so it would certainly suit Alex. He had even heard that Miltank milk helped young creatures grow strong and healthy.
As for illness, there was little need for concern. If the child became sick, Entei could simply use Sacred Fire — the signature technique of Ho-Oh, which he had learned after long years of following his master.
This flame had no harmful side effects and could even strengthen the body. Most harmful bacteria would be purified by its power, naturally keeping the body in peak condition.
Then there were his companions.
If he encountered Raikou or Suicune, how should he introduce the child? As comrades who had faced life and death together, they might even help him raise the boy.
Raikou… perhaps not. His temper was even fiercer than Entei's.
The gentle Suicune, however, might be more suitable for caring for a baby.
Thinking about such matters, Entei gradually fell asleep.
That night, he dreamed.
In his dream, another Entei had been summoned by a little girl, becoming her father and helping fulfill her wishes. That Entei loved the girl deeply and was even willing to sacrifice himself for her sake.
The dream stirred complex emotions within him.
They were similar — both caring for a child — yet he did not believe he would become like that Entei, offering unconditional devotion.
Adopting Alex might simply have been a momentary impulse. Perhaps one day he would grow tired of the responsibility and entrust the child to other Pokémon.
Father…
Could he truly be considered Alex's father?
Probably not. He was merely a Pokémon who had taken the child in. Their species were different — once the boy understood this, he might even come to resent him.
The Entei in the dream was an exception.
And dreams were merely dreams.
How could a human child truly call a Pokémon "father"? In his hundreds of years of existence, Entei had never witnessed such a thing.
When Alex grew up, he would have to return to human society. That was where he belonged.
Whether he could let go when that time came… he did not know.
He was not a Pokémon who hesitated.
"Wah—wah—wah!"
Suddenly, Alex's loud crying woke him.
At the same time, a strange odor reached Entei's senses.
The child had soiled himself.
Entei quickly carried Alex to the riverbank to clean him. Using his power, he warmed the river water to a comfortable temperature before carefully bathing the child.
Once cleaned, Alex soon fell asleep again.
Looking at the removed clothes and the child's bare body, Entei sighed. It seemed he also had to resolve the problem of clothing.
Pokémon did not need clothes — but humans did. Not only for warmth, but also for modesty.
Even though Entei could easily dry clothes with his heat, he would still need to prepare several spare sets. After all, children grew quickly, and larger clothes would soon be necessary.
Carrying Alex, Entei returned to the cave.
The midnight sky stretched endlessly above, deep blue and filled with brilliant stars. A curved crescent moon drifted like a silver boat across a river of light, while meteors occasionally streaked past, leaving glowing trails.
A gentle night breeze carried a faint chill, yet the warmth inside the cave remained unaffected.
Alex slept soundly on Entei's back. Since dressing him while asleep was difficult and Entei feared the child might catch a cold, he allowed him to rest there instead.
Entei's back was covered in a cloud-like white mane — incredibly soft and warm. The cub occasionally rubbed against it or rolled over in his sleep, revealing his lively nature.
Entei, however, did not dare move.
He feared waking the child — and even more, he feared the boy might fall.
Thus, he remained perfectly still, resting with the small human sleeping safely upon his back.
A fragile child and a mighty Legendary Beast.
A striking contrast — yet strangely harmonious.