Hong Meiling Sleepwalks Through the Heavens

The five remaining Swablus were petrified seeing the two Altarias trapped in Hong Meiling’s palm. Only four of them mustered up the courage and flew towards Meiling, desperately pecking at her skin one after another.

The final one, however, seemed a little more timid. It spun circles around the air, as if it was anxious.

Peck is the most basic ability of Flying-types, and as the name suggests, the user pecks the target with their beak.

These Swablus were entirely too weak. Meiling simply breathed in and out, causing a light gust of wind to be formed around her, sweeping away the birds.

In that tiny gust of wind, the four birds were thrown all over the air. Then, they skittered around each other in the air, afraid to continuing the attempt to save the Altarias.

Meiling sighed, and looked to the two Altarias in her hands, “I’ll let the two of you go, but promise me that you won’t attack me, got it?”

She let go of her iron grip, allowing the two birds to regain their freedom. They fully understood how powerful the strange person in front of them was, and ceased their aggressive behavior.

“Again,” Meiling continued. “I’m not asking for much. I just want either one of you to become my Pokémon. Why don’t the two of you discuss amongst yourselves?”

The two Altarias, seemingly understanding Meiling, looked incredibly sad and gloomy when she said this. They stretched their wings out and hugged each other as they chirped at each other miserably.

Damn it. I feel like some kind of villain, she thought, scratching her head. No! I should be considered as graceful! Most Trainers would’ve probably just knocked them out and capture them! I’m giving them time to discuss!

Again, ordinary Trainers are unable to fly.

Judging from their sorrowful chirps, Meiling deduced that the two were probably a couple, and the five Swablus were their children.

The two birds hugged each other and twirled around the air for what seemed like an eternity, unwilling to let each other ago.

Meiling sighed. I’m not a bad person. I’m not a bad person. I’m not a bad person. I’m not a bad person…

She couldn’t let the Swablus lose their parents, but if she couldn’t capture them all as a family, since she had limited Poké Balls.

“…forget it, I’ll lower my requirements. Pick one of your children to follow me – rest assured, your child will receive the best possible treatment under my care,” she said, flashing a confident smile.

And, if I start with a Swablu and evolve it into an Altaria, it’ll give me a greater sense of accomplishment!

She just wasn’t sure how long it’ll take for her to do so. After all, she had limited time here.

The two Altarias glanced and chirped continuously at each other, as if to discuss something.

After, they flew to one of the Swablus and nudged it closer towards Meiling.

Although they were very reluctant to part with their child, they knew that she wasn’t leaving without something. Better to lose one child than have the entire family lose a parent.

Meiling took a closer look – the Swablu’s feathers were not as ruffled, which meant that this was the one Swablu that refrained from attacking her.

They gave me their weakest chil- whatever. I can train it! Yes!

In game, Timid Pokémon are able to increase their speed, but decrease their attack stat. In the ‘real’ world, she guessed that there probably won’t be a setting like this.

Meiling nodded, taking out her Poké Ball and patted the Swablu that was pushed in front of her.

A blinding light flashed, and the Swablu was captured. The Poké Ball barely struggled.

At the same time, her Pokédex sounded, “Swablu has been added into the Pokédex.”

She tapped through her Pokédex as it spoke, “The Swablu is a Normal and Flying-type Pokémon with cotton-like wings and the tendency to keep itself clean. In the event that it becomes dirty, it wipes itself down with its wings; if its wings, in turn, are dirty, they will rinse it in water. Your Swablu is 0.34 meters tall and weighs 0.99 kg. It is female. It possesses Natural Cure, and its abilities are Peck and Growl.”

The average height and weight of a Swablu is 0.4 meters and 1.2kg, which means that this Swablu is far below average in terms of both attributes. Looking closer, she did seem thinner than her siblings.

And it only knows the two most basic abilities: Peck and Growl.

…training this Swablu will be an uphill battle.

The two Altarias, seeing Meiling in such deep thought, were afraid that she would go back on her word and kidnap the entire family, so they quickly flew away into the distance.

Immediately, she looked up, and couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Am I that terrible?

“I will never go back on my word,” she put her fist to her chest. “Even if you gave me your weakest child, I will not replace her!”

She slowly descended back onto the grass, but as soon as she landed, she spotted a six or seven-year-old girl looking at her, blinking with her big, watery eyes.

She had pink hair, and her eyes displayed confusion. She blinked, not understanding how this lady had just descended from the sky.

Meiling blinked back. She didn’t expect that somebody would notice her flying.

Although she doesn’t necessarily have to keep it a secret.

Is she alone? Meiling thought. It’s dangerous out here!

At this moment, a young man wearing a karate uniform ran over and panted, “Maylene! It’s dangerous to run around alone!”

Ah, sneaking off on your own. Wait, Maylene? The Maylene? Veilstone Gym’s future Gym Leader?

In the original work, Maylene is a teenager, but now, she is a child. They both have pink hair, so this must truly be Maylene.

The young man grabbed Maylene’s hand and saw Meiling. He guessed that she was probably a Trainer looking for wild Pokémon, and dipped Maylene’s head to nod at Meiling as a greeting.

The young man then crouched to Maylene’s height, “Maylene, if you want to go out and catch Pokémon, fine, but don’t go running around on your own. If something happens to you, my mentor might beat me to death!”

Meiling listened to his words carefully and analyzed them. She guessed that this ‘mentor’ is probably Maylene’s father, who is most likely Veilstone Gym’s current Gym Leader.

Their gym is a Fighting-type gym, so Maylene’s father must also be a Trainer who utilizes Fighting-type Pokémon. Besides, many Trainers who utilize Fighting-type Pokémon conduct additional classes related to fighting, and judging by this young man’s karate uniform, she guessed that she was correct.

The Pokémon League sets the minimum age of Pokémon Trainers to ten years old, and they do not encourage children under the age of ten to train Pokémon, though it is not strictly enforced. Some parents warm their children up with gentler, friendlier Pokémon, allowing them to grow up together.

Hence, Maylene’s father should be relatively strict in terms of this, disallowing his child from owning any Pokémon early on. Of course, Maylene wanted a Pokémon of her own, so she asked one of her father’s students to take her to catch Pokémon. In the end, the student felt bad for her and agreed to her request.

Maylene blinked at the young man. Instead of answering him, she pointed at Meiling and said, “She can fly.”

“Ah, what are you saying?” he hushed at her, turning to Meiling. “Sorry, I have no idea what she’s talking about. Please don’t take it to heart – you know how children are.”

“What do you mean by fly? How can a human being fly? You must have seen it wrong,” he told Maylene.

…I’m afraid she’s right. I can, indeed, fly.

“I’m telling the truth!” Maylene pouted and turned to Meiling. “You can fly, can’t you?”

…what do I do now?!

Although she didn’t care about people knowing she has the ability to fly, it didn’t mean that she would want to display it to everyone around her vicinity. If something like this leaked, it would cause nothing but chaos.

Professor Carolina and Cynthia knows that she possesses many miraculous abilities, but with their personalities, they would not reveal it to the public and keep it to themselves. She couldn’t say the same for the two people in front of her. If news spread, many people might coming looking for her. Even though she wouldn’t remain in this world for long, she didn’t want to cause unnecessary inconveniences.

“That’s rude, Maylene,” the young man reprimanded, and then apologized to Meiling oh her behalf.

Maylene huffed and became sulky. Seeing this, the young man tried cheering her up, “Don’t be sad – come, let us go catch some Pokémon.”

Her eyes immediately glimmered, and she instantly forgot that she was brushed away with the prospects of getting her very first Pokémon.

“But, you have to stick with me! I don’t want you in danger!” the young man said. He then exchanged pleasantries with Meiling, and left alongside Maylene.