The afternoon sun cast gentle shadows across Mondstadt's plaza as Shinzō finished his preliminary discussions with Jean. The meeting had gone better than expected—the Acting Grand Master was cautiously optimistic about establishing a Pokémon House branch in the City of Freedom.
"We'll need to review the proper permits and discuss security arrangements," Jean had said. "But the concept aligns with Mondstadt's values of freedom and discovery."
Now Shinzō walked through the city streets with Blaziken at his side, taking in the sights and sounds of Mondstadt. The Fire-type drew curious stares from citizens, but the panic from their arrival had settled into fascinated whispers and pointing.
"The people here seem more accepting than I expected," Shinzō murmured to his partner.
Blaziken nodded, flames dancing gently around his wrists as children peeked out from behind their parents to get a better look.
As they rounded a corner near the cathedral, a figure stumbled directly into Shinzō's path.
"Oops! Sorry about that!" The young man who'd bumped into him had an apologetic smile and the distinct scent of dandelion wine on his breath. "Didn't see you there. The name's Venti!"
Shinzō steadied himself, noting the bard's lyre and the small wings adorning his outfit. "No harm done. I'm Shinzō."
Venti's green eyes immediately locked onto Blaziken, who had tensed slightly at the unexpected contact. "Oh my... and who's this magnificent creature?"
"This is Blaziken, my partner. He's what we call a Pokémon."
"A Pokémon..." Venti repeated the word slowly, as if tasting it. "I've heard whispers on the wind about strange creatures from Liyue. May I?"
At Shinzō's nod, Venti approached Blaziken with surprising grace for someone who appeared intoxicated. The Fire-type studied the bard with intelligent eyes, then let out a series of melodic chirps and trills.
Venti's expression transformed entirely. The playful drunk act vanished, replaced by something ancient and deeply attentive.
"That sound..." he whispered. "It's not just communication. There's music in it. Harmony. Like... like the songs of creation itself."
Shinzō raised an eyebrow. "You have good ears. Pokémon do communicate through complex vocalizations. Some can even learn to mimic human speech."
"Mimic?" Venti shook his head slowly. "No, this is something else entirely. This is pure expression. Emotion given voice."
Blaziken tilted his head, then performed a longer sequence of calls—some deep and resonant, others high and clear. To most people, it would sound like animal noises. But Venti's eyes widened with each note.
"He's... he's telling a story," the bard breathed. "About loyalty. About finding his place in the world. About..." He paused, looking directly at Shinzō. "About following someone who understands the true nature of freedom."
"That's... actually quite accurate," Shinzō admitted, surprised by the bard's interpretation.
Venti straightened, and suddenly the air around them seemed to shift. The playful breeze that always danced through Mondstadt's streets stilled, as if the very wind was listening.
"Forgive the deception, but I am not merely a bard." His voice carried a resonance that hadn't been there before. "I am Barbatos, Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. And I have never heard anything quite like your Pokémon's song."
Shinzō felt his breath catch. He'd suspected, of course—Venti's appearance and mannerisms matched the game perfectly. But having an Archon reveal himself so directly was unexpected.
"Lord Barbatos," he began, but Venti waved him off.
"Just Venti, please. Titles make me feel old." The god's smile was genuine now, without the theatrical drunkenness. "But I must ask—what manner of beings are these Pokémon? Their songs carry power, but not the kind I recognize."
Shinzō glanced around, noting they were still in a public area. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private?"
"Ah, good point." Venti gestured, and a gentle breeze surrounded them. "Don't worry, I've made sure our conversation won't be overheard."
"Pokémon are creatures from another world entirely," Shinzō began carefully. "They possess abilities that might seem similar to elemental powers in Teyvat, but they're fundamentally different."
"Different how?"
"They don't draw power from the elements directly. Instead, they generate their own energy through biological processes we don't fully understand. A Fire-type like Blaziken creates flames through specialized organs, not by channeling Pyro energy from the world around them."
Venti's eyes gleamed with fascination. "So they're completely self-contained systems. No need for external elemental sources."
"Exactly. And unlike the creatures of Teyvat, Pokémon form deep emotional bonds with their trainers. It's not domestication—it's genuine partnership."
As if to demonstrate, Blaziken moved closer to Shinzō, resting a clawed hand on his shoulder with obvious affection.
"Remarkable," Venti murmured. "And you mentioned there are others?"
"Many others. Each species has unique abilities and characteristics. Some are as intelligent as humans, others operate on pure instinct. But all of them have the capacity for growth and learning."
"And some are... legendary, I assume?" There was something knowing in Venti's tone.
Shinzō hesitated. "Yes. There are Pokémon whose power rivals that of gods. But they're still fundamentally different from Archons like yourself."
"How so?"
"Legendary Pokémon are incredibly powerful, but they're still bound by natural laws—just very different natural laws than what exists in Teyvat. Archons like you derive power from faith, worship, and your connection to Celestia. Legendaries are more like... forces of nature that happen to be intelligent."
Venti nodded thoughtfully. "So they're not gods in the traditional sense, but beings of such power that the distinction becomes academic."
"That's a good way to put it."
The Anemo Archon studied Blaziken again, who had begun practicing small flame techniques while they talked. Each movement was precise, controlled, beautiful in its own way.
"I can hear it in his flames," Venti said suddenly. "There's a rhythm to them. A song. All of your Pokémon must have their own unique melodies."
"You can actually hear that?"
"Wind carries all sounds, all songs. And as the god of freedom and music..." Venti's smile turned wistful. "I've always been drawn to new forms of expression. Your Pokémon represent something unprecedented—creatures whose very existence is a form of art."
Shinzō felt a warmth that had nothing to do with Blaziken's flames. "That's... that's exactly how I see them. Not as tools or weapons, but as individuals with their own beauty and worth."
"Which is why you're so protective of them," Venti observed. "You understand that true freedom isn't just about the absence of constraints—it's about the ability to be authentically yourself."
"Something like that."
Venti raised his lyre, plucking a few experimental notes. To Shinzō's amazement, Blaziken responded with his own vocalizations, creating an impromptu duet between Archon and Pokémon.
The music that resulted was unlike anything Shinzō had ever heard—ethereal wind melodies intertwining with Blaziken's rhythmic calls, creating something that spoke to the soul rather than just the ears.
When the song ended, Venti was grinning like a child who'd discovered a new toy.
"Oh, this is wonderful! Each of your partners must have their own musical signature. I simply must meet them all!"
"That... might be complicated," Shinzō said carefully. "Some of them are quite large. And powerful."
"Ah, the legendary ones." Venti's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Don't worry, I have ways of ensuring privacy. Besides, what's the point of being an Archon if you can't bend a few rules for the sake of art?"
Shinzō looked at Blaziken, who seemed as charmed by the wind god as Venti was by him. The Fire-type nodded encouragingly.
"Alright," Shinzō decided. "But not here in the city. And you have to promise—they're my partners, not subjects for experimentation."
"Of course! I would never dream of treating such magnificent beings as mere curiosities." Venti's expression grew serious for a moment. "True art cannot be forced or constrained. It must be freely given."
"Then welcome to the world of Pokémon, Lord Barbatos."
"Just Venti," the god corrected with a laugh. "After all, between friends, titles are just noise in the wind."
As they walked deeper into the city, planning their next meeting, neither noticed the figure watching from the shadows—someone whose interest in Pokémon was far less benevolent than an Archon's curiosity about their songs.