Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [209]

Ho-Oh, as a Legendary Pokémon, had an imposing frame.

Unlike the Pokédex entry, which put it at under four meters tall, the Ho-Oh standing before August now was nearly twenty meters in height, with a wingspan stretching close to a hundred meters.

Its sheer size was over ten times that of August’s current baby Lugia.

And yet, despite its massive form, Ho-Oh had just been pecked bald in one spot by Pryce’s Delibird.

August glanced at the patch of missing feathers on Ho-Oh’s body, faintly catching a glimpse of pink flesh beneath the plumes.

Noticing August’s gaze, Ho-Oh subtly shifted its posture, covering the bare spot with its wings.

Ho-Oh stared at August and once again said, “Thank you.”

Through [Viridan Power], August could sense the shift in Ho-Oh’s emotions and respectfully averted his eyes.

It’d be rude to keep staring.

In response to Ho-Oh’s gratitude, August waved his hand, signaling it was no big deal. “That masked guy’s my enemy too.”

“But… Ho-Oh, you did scare my friend.”

He took hold of Blue’s hand and turned to Ho-Oh as he spoke.

Clearly unfamiliar with August’s usual antics, Ho-Oh froze for a moment, then finally took notice of the girl standing quietly beside him. Sensing her aura, old memories stirred.

Ten years ago, when it was still under the control of the Masked Man, it had followed orders to abduct six children from different parts of the world. The girl before it now… seemed to be one of them...

Realization dawned, and a look of guilt flickered in Ho-Oh’s eyes.

Then, Ho-Oh flapped its wings. Instantly, August and Blue were enveloped in shimmering rainbow-colored light.

Blue fell into a deep slumber under the glow.

Meanwhile, August felt a surge of vitality course through his body.

What is this? Ho-Oh’s blessing...?

As the light faded, August lingered in the afterglow of the sensation. Compared to Celebi’s blessing—whose effects were still a mystery—Ho-Oh’s gift was immediate and unmistakable.

He felt recharged, overflowing with energy... I could knock out a Slowpoke with one punch!

Come to think of it, in the original storyline, Ash got completely vaporized in the crossfire between Mew and Mewtwo, yet somehow came back to life. Maybe that was thanks to Ho-Oh’s blessing too?

August couldn’t help but speculate.

Shaking off those random thoughts, he turned to Ho-Oh. “Why are you here, anyway?”

Ho-Oh’s sudden appearance, and the fact that Pryce caught it right on the spot—everything felt way too coincidental.

At his question, Ho-Oh pointed its beak toward the clouds, down toward Bell Tower.

Only then did August notice—the Bell Tower had somehow been more than half-encased in ice, sparkling dangerously in the sunlight.

He understood now. Pryce must have threatened to tear down Ho-Oh’s home, forcing it to show itself.

“What about your escort?” August glanced around but saw no sign of Suicune, Entei, or Raikou.

If the three beasts had been around, Ho-Oh probably wouldn’t have been in such a tight spot facing Pryce.

Ho-Oh shook its head.

Through [Viridian Power], August grasped its meaning. “They’re not in Johto right now…”

Just then, Ho-Oh’s gaze finally landed on Mewtwo.

Under Ho-Oh’s intense stare, Mewtwo showed no hint of nervousness.

Not because it was fearless, but because—honestly—after watching Ho-Oh get its feathers plucked by a Delibird, it was hard to take the majestic bird too seriously.

Ho-Oh let out a cry: “Screee~”

Which roughly translated to: “Who are you, and what’s your connection to Mew?”

From Ho-Oh’s perspective, Mewtwo’s strength was easily on par with its own. It should’ve known this one.

But here Mewtwo was, standing right in front of it, radiating Mew’s energy. The connection was obvious.

Without hesitation, Mewtwo replied: “Mew is my mother!”

Ho-Oh was floored.

And then Mewtwo dropped an even bigger bombshell.

“August is my dad!”

Ho-Oh: “?”

August: “??”

…………

As a Legendary Pokémon that had existed for ages, Ho-Oh had never been this stunned.

Not even the time that masked lunatic showed up with a Swinub and a Delibird, defeated and forcibly controlled it—that didn’t compare to the sheer absurdity of today.

Ho-Oh staggered off in a daze. Even when August, before it left, brazenly asked for a feather to make a Poké Ball, it didn’t refuse.

So they bid farewell to Ho-Oh—who may or may not have returned to Kanto to resume its role as a glorified surveillance drone.

August looked down at the bundle of [Rainbow Feathers] in his hand...

He got what he wanted, sure, but he couldn’t feel happy at all.

He really wasn’t Mewtwo’s dad.

That dumb joke he once made to tease Mew... had come back like a boomerang to smack him in the face.

Is this the fate of a jokester, to become the joke himself...?

Still, there was one piece of good news—Blue was asleep. The only ones present were Mewtwo, Gardevoir, and Salamence.

Otherwise, he’d have been publicly executed by shame.

Gardevoir was trustworthy. As for Salamence—he’d already extorted it with half its future food supply to make sure it kept its mouth shut.

August turned to Mewtwo and sighed, “You had a good line this time, but don’t say that again.”

Mewtwo nodded solemnly on the surface, but deep down, it completely disagreed.

Because from its perspective, August wasn’t wrong—whether it was the close bond he had with Mew, or the visceral feeling of connection Mewtwo sensed from him—it all pointed to one truth.

Back on the ground, August descended gently with Blue in his arms.

The moment they landed, a group of monks surrounded them, eyeing August warily.

“So you're the one who attacked the Bell Tower? And Ho-Oh?” one of them accused.

“You're surrounded. Surrender now! Gym Leader Morty from Ecruteak is on his way!”

“...” August pulled out his credentials. “International Police. Case closed—the perpetrator has been dealt with.”

But the monks didn’t back off. Their eyes stayed fixed on August’s hand… and the bundle of [Rainbow Feathers] he held.

You said the enemy’s been taken care of… then what’s with all the Ho-Oh feathers?

And you’re carrying an unconscious girl in your arms… you sure don’t look like the good guy here.

Following their gaze, August finally realized the problem.

He smacked his forehead—he’d been too focused on avoiding social death earlier and completely forgot to stash the feathers.

“…If I said Ho-Oh gave them to me, would you believe it?” August asked, genuinely for once.

No one did.

According to legend, only trainers recognized by Ho-Oh could receive a single [Rainbow Feather] as a blessing.

You’ve got a whole handful—clearly yanked straight off its body!

With a shared look, the monks released their Pokémon, preparing to subdue August.

Seeing no way to explain, August let out a weary sigh. “Why is it that no one ever believes me when I’m telling the truth... so hard being a good guy…”

Left with no choice, August gave Gardevoir and Mewtwo a subtle signal.

Their eyes glowed simultaneously, and a crushing wave of psychic energy swept through the area.

In mere seconds, only August and his Pokémon were still standing.

Recalling Mewtwo and Salamence back into their Poké Balls, August glanced down at the fallen monks and muttered, “You really had to push such a kind-hearted guy like me to this…”

Gardevoir rolled her eyes.

---

As the Gym Leader of Ecruteak City, Morty had always carried a wish deep in his heart—to one day witness the legendary Ho-Oh with his own eyes.

But Ho-Oh's appearances were fleeting and unpredictable, and for many years, it hadn't shown itself in Ecruteak. That wish had remained unfulfilled.

Today, however, while Morty was tending to his Gym, he received an emergency call from the Bell Tower.

Someone had attacked the tower… and Ho-Oh had appeared in response. The report left Morty both angry and—admittedly—a little excited.

Am I finally going to see Ho-Oh for real?

But when Morty arrived at the Bell Tower, filled with anticipation, he didn’t see the majestic Ho-Oh he'd longed to meet.

What he did see unsettled even a Ghost-type specialist like him.

A young man was calmly sitting atop a large rock. Laid out before him in unnervingly neat rows were the monks of the Bell Tower—and all of their Pokémon.

Neat enough… that the whole scene looked like a morgue.

If it weren’t for his Gengar assuring him that they were all still alive—just unconscious—Morty might’ve thought they were dead.

As Morty cautiously observed the young man, the latter spotted him and let out a relieved breath. “Finally, you’re here...”

The man didn’t sound like an enemy, which only confused Morty further. “You are... and what happened here...?”

The young man held out his credentials. “August. International Police. Also the official inspector for this year’s Gym evaluations. As for what happened here… it’s kind of a misunderstanding.”

---

August gave Morty a quick rundown of the events.

He explained how he’d stumbled upon Ho-Oh under attack while passing through, stepped in to drive the enemy off, and was later given a bundle of Ho-Oh’s feathers in gratitude.

The story was tight, consistent, and entirely plausible.

After hearing it, Morty... well, let’s just say he fully understood why the monks had assumed August was the attacker.

If he hadn’t personally verified the authenticity of August’s badge—and hadn’t heard about the rising star of the International Police from the Kanto region—he might’ve come to the same conclusion.

Now reassured that August was an ally, Morty relaxed and asked, “Who attacked Ho-Oh?”

Who could be bold—and powerful—enough to strike at a Legendary Pokémon?

“The leader of the Masked Corps. Actually, that’s part of why I’m here.” August said. “The Gym evaluations are just a cover. My real mission in Johto is to stop them.”

“We’ve already contacted Jasmine in Olivine and Whitney in Goldenrod... but we need your help too.”

“I see...” Morty paused briefly, then nodded. “Count me in.”

The Johto Gym Leaders were known for their dedication.

He had no reason to refuse a League mission—and more than that, he’d always revered Ho-Oh. Knowing that August had fought to protect it while the Masked Man tried to harm it, that alone earned Morty’s trust.

With the serious matters handled, Morty’s curiosity got the better of him. “So August… you’ve actually seen Ho-Oh—and even fought alongside it. Can you describe what it looked like?”

The murals in the Bell Tower were vague and abstract. Hearing it from someone who’d seen Ho-Oh up close would be far more vivid.

August thought for a moment. “How do I put this... Have you seen a Fearow before? It’s kinda like a shiny Fearow.”

“A... shiny Fearow?”

Hearing that, Morty’s image of Ho-Oh shattered instantly.

“Of course, Ho-Oh is way more beautiful than a Fearow…” August added, trying to patch it up. “But this time, it got part of its feathers pecked out by the Masked Man’s Delibird. It'll probably take a while to recover.”

Morty’s remaining reverence for the legend cracked further. “It... got bald?”

A shiny Fearow—bald.

Morty felt like a dream he’d held since childhood had just collapsed.

...

After successfully recruiting Morty to the anti-Masked Corps task force, August left the monk situation to the local expert and headed off with Blue in tow.

Blue had just regained consciousness and was still a bit dazed as they wandered around Ecruteak, eventually arriving at one of the city’s most iconic landmarks: the Burned Tower.

“This is the place where Suicune, Entei, and Raikou were reborn, right?” Blue asked, gazing up at the charred remains.

“Yeah... How are you feeling?”

August was far more concerned about her condition. She’d passed out cold right after receiving Ho-Oh’s blessing.

Ho-Oh wouldn’t have harmed her, he was sure of that—but August still couldn’t help worrying.

“I feel great!” Blue grinned playfully. “I feel totally full of life!”

As she stretched out her hand, August caught a brief shimmer of rainbow light flickering along her fingertips.

It lasted only a moment, but with his aura sensitivity, August clearly sensed that Ho-Oh’s blessing on Blue was stronger than his own—by about 50%.

Did Ho-Oh seriously hold a grudge because I stared at its bald patch...?

August muttered to himself.

But he quickly shook the thought off. Ho-Oh wasn’t the petty type.

It’s probably just Ho-Oh trying to make up for what it did to her years ago.

Once he was sure Blue was alright, and they’d wrapped up their tour of Ecruteak’s sights, August called out his Salamence again.

“Let’s move on. Next stop—Olivine City!”

Salamence: “??”

Again?

It had barely had any rest today... Can I at least get a break?

August knew this pace was rough on his dragon partner, but—

He pulled out two boxes of Poké Puffs and handed them over. “Special circumstances. Tough it out.”

Straight to the point: more food = more loyalty.

Salamence crunched down on the Poké Puffs, then lowered itself without complaint.

Say no more. I’m in.

---

August and Blue soared toward Olivine.

Meanwhile—rewind time slightly—

Back at a Team Rocket base…

Giovanni was reviewing recent intel on the organization’s activities in Johto.

“Two of our facilities have already been hit by the Masked Corps?” he asked.

Petrel nodded. “Yes, boss. Commanders Ichi and Rika led the assault.”

After multiple clashes between the two factions, both Team Rocket and the Masked Corps had gathered intel on each other. Team Rocket had now identified four key lieutenants.

Two strong ones, nearly at Elite Four level: Ichi and Rika. And two weaker ones: Sham and Kaz.

Still no sign of Silver.

Giovanni’s face remained unmoved. “That just confirms we’re heading in the right direction… there’s something near Azalea Town they desperately need.”

The bases that were attacked? Bait. Deliberate decoys.

They held nothing of real value.

In fact, Giovanni hadn’t even tried hiding their locations—any decent investigation would have uncovered them.

The fact that the Masked Corps waited until now to strike them could only mean one thing:

They were desperate.

“Intensify the search around Azalea. Find out what they’re hiding.” Giovanni’s voice dropped to a cold command.

“Yes, sir.”

Just as Giovanni was preparing to give further operational orders, his tablet lit up with a new notification.

He picked it up. An email alert blinked on the screen.

He opened it.

The Masked Man appeared in Ecruteak. Fought Ho-Oh. Took its feathers. —August

Giovanni’s expression darkened.

It wasn’t even the content that bothered him the most.

It was the fact that August had sent him this message.

Was this a “thank you” for that intel I sent him before?

The idea crossed Giovanni’s mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

From what he knew of August, there was no way he’d be that sentimental.

Then there was the actual content.

The Masked Man fought Ho-Oh? And took its feathers?

Why fight Ho-Oh instead of trying to capture it?

Why steal feathers, not the bird itself?

Was August there when it happened? Or did he hear it from an informant?

So many questions, and no clear answers.

Giovanni’s brows furrowed deeper.

A fog of confusion settled over his thoughts—and none of it sat well with him.

---

This is a fan translation of 人在实教，一之濑你会后悔的 by 作者：白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!