The Rainbow Wing—just like Ho-Oh itself—was an object of myth.
Its exact function remained unknown,
But one thing was widely believed:
Those who possess it can inherit Ho-Oh's power.
Some legends even claim that those who hold it can be resurrected from death!
The Rainbow Wing was both a powerful item and the key to Ho-Oh's trial.
Where did these myths originate? No one really knows.
But Ash had heard whispers of these tales back when he first joined Professor Oak's research team.
Still… he never thought he would be the one to receive it.
Seeing Ho-Oh was already a miracle.
But this? This was definitely a butterfly effect!
The Ho-Oh from his previous life's timeline never gave him the Rainbow Wing!
Ash quickly pulled out his Pokédex to snap a photo of Ho-Oh's side profile.
Serena, still recovering from awe, asked curiously:
"Ash, what is that? A feather? It's so beautiful!"
Ash chuckled. "This is called the Rainbow Wing—and it's really something special."
"Something special…? Ash, do you know that Pokémon from earlier?"
He smirked. "Didn't you call it a 'Shiny Fearow'?"
"Hey—!"
Serena blushed and gave Ash a light punch on the shoulder.
Even though it had only been half a day since they reunited,
They both felt the distance between them shrinking rapidly.
After all, when young people shared common interests,
Friendship blossomed fast.
Especially when you're childhood acquaintances with chemistry.
Even if they hadn't spent that much time together yet—
Not even Ho-Oh could deny their bond.
Their closeness had already reached the "good friends" level.
So this kind of playful banter came naturally.
Once they were done teasing each other, Ash properly explained:
"That was Ho-Oh. The God of Life in legend."
"WHAT?!"
Serena's mouth dropped open, her blue eyes wide with shock.
"That was Ho-Oh?! The actual legendary God of Life?!"
She had just called Ho-Oh a shiny Fearow…
She nearly died of embarrassment on the spot.
In her defense, very few people had ever seen Ho-Oh in person.
Even among researchers, those who had seen its statues or illustrations were rare.
Ho-Oh's myths were mostly passed down in Kanto and Johto.
So someone from Kalos, like Serena, knowing Ho-Oh's name was already impressive.
She just hadn't recognized it on sight.
"Do you think… Ho-Oh heard what I said earlier…?"
"Who knows~"
"AHHH!! Noooo! My first impression with Ho-Oh is ruined forever!"
Ash chuckled.
"Relax, it's not like we can chase after it and apologize. Let's get dinner started."
With that, Ash pulled out his cooking gear.
His backpack was made with cutting-edge spatial tech—
It looked like a standard double-strap bag, but it could store an entire room's worth of items!
Tents, cooking sets—you name it.
"Oh! Dinner time! Did you bring ingredients? I can cook!"
"I've been practicing my cooking skills for ages just for this journey!"
Serena proudly flexed her fair arms, full of confidence.
Ash just smiled. "It's okay, I'll handle it."
"…You can cook?!"
Serena blinked, stunned.
Was there anything this guy couldn't do?
He could cook, spoke gently, had extensive Pokémon knowledge,
And even had a good reputation in the academic community…
Plus, he was handsome.
If I could marry him…
No! Bad Serena! I'm only ten years old!!
She violently shook her head to banish those dangerous thoughts.
Why was I thinking about marriage?! It's way too early!!
At most… maybe just think about dating?
"Serena? Serena!"
"Huh?! What?!"
Ash's voice snapped her out of her daydream.
Her cheeks were completely red.
She prayed Ash hadn't noticed what she was just thinking about.
"Can you help me chop some vegetables?"
Ash had already laid out the cooking equipment and ingredients—carrots, beef, and other staples.
He had always emphasized a balanced diet.
Ash firmly believed: if you eat well, you train well.
Training better meant becoming stronger faster!
So yes—food was critical.
That's why he'd gone so far as to develop and upgrade his chef trait all the way to Red rank!
And yes, Ash himself could use traits, too…
---
[Name]: Ash Ketchum
[Gender]: Male
[Affinity]: Fighting
[Current Pokémon]: Pikachu, Froakie
[Level]: Entry Elite Four Tier
[Skills]: Aura Sphere, Close Combat, Sonic Punch...
[Special Skill]: "The Aura is With Me"
[Traits]:
Aura Fusion (Gold)
Diamond Body (Gold)
Strength of Legends (Gold)
Master Trainer (Red)
Culinary Expert (Red)
Combat Instinct (Orange)
---
[Aura Fusion – Gold]:
You possess immense aura power and can fuse your energy with your Pokémon, unleashing power beyond your current level!
[Diamond Body – Gold]:
Your physical durability far exceeds normal limits. Attacks from below Champion level deal 50% less damage; attacks from below Elite Four level are reduced by 80%.
[Strength of Legends – Gold]:
You possess abnormal strength and attack power, vastly exceeding those of the same level.
[Master Trainer – Red]:
You train Pokémon 80% faster. Fatigue and physical wear are reduced by 30%.
[Culinary Expert – Red]:
Your meals are top-tier cuisine. After eating, Pokémon and humans gain 80% better training results and 100% mental and physical recovery for 8 hours.
[Combat Instinct – Orange]:
You have an exceptional instinct for battle. Whether in Pokémon or personal combat, your perception and reaction are increased by 50%.