Vulpix dreamed it was swimming in an ocean of bubble milk tea, only to be lifted by the scruff of its neck by a giant, evil hand.
"Yip?"
It blearily opened its eyes and saw another Vulpix looking back at it, just as drowsy.
"Yip?"
It tilted its head curiously. The Vulpix opposite it tilted its head too.
Vulpix was astonished.
Then, a damp towel blocked its vision.
It steadied itself and closed its eyes, resigning itself to the large hand rubbing the towel all over its face.
A moment later, the towel was removed, and Vulpix could see again.
Its first thought was to find that other Vulpix.
Is it a new friend Victor found for me?
But it found that the Vulpix opposite was also just sitting there, staring straight at it.
"Yip."
Oh, it's a mirror.
It shook its head, then hopped down from the sink and ran out of the room.
"Remember to eat breakfast first!"
"Yip~" Vulpix called back without turning, and then disappeared.
Victor turned his head and continued brushing his teeth alongside Gengar.
After washing up, he went downstairs to enjoy the breakfast that Gothita and Mime Jr. had prepared for him.
When he finished, he went to the backyard. The Breeding House's Pokémon, seeing Victor, all gathered around.
They knew he was going fishing today.
"I'm planning on going out to have some fun today, so I need a few Pokémon to stay home and look after our house."
The moment he finished speaking, Dali gave a thumbs-up.
"Machoke!"
We'll stay.
They weren't particularly interested in fishing anyway; it was too boring.
They would rather stay behind, guard the Breeding House, and get in some training.
Victor smiled. "Then I'll be counting on you. Dali, you take Erli and Sanli, and together with Vespiquen, look after our Breeding House and the forest Pokémon."
"Machoke!" the three Machoke saluted.
"I'll make you all something delicious when I get back!"
"Machoke!"
No one will get past us!
He then looked for the Vespiquen and found it by the flower garden.
It was a strange and wonderful sight.
Even though it was autumn, the flowers in the garden were still in full bloom.
Victor picked a flower that suited the Vespiquen.
"May I ask, Queen Vespiquen, if you would be willing to guard this Breeding House for me?"
Victor presented the flower to the Vespiquen and gave a slight bow.
The Vespiquen, seeing the flower, blushed.
It then turned its head away.
"Ves!"
Victor placed the flower in the Vespiquen's hand.
The Vespiquen fled as if escaping.
"Let me know if anything happens!"
The Vespiquen didn't respond.
Victor watched its retreating figure and smiled to himself.
Vespiquen is so cute.
But he didn't dare say that out loud.
The (hive) walls have ears.
He then looked at Gengar and the others.
"Alright everyone, let's head out!"
"Gengar—"
"Lili~"
"Mime~"
"Goth~"
"Yip~"
"Roselia~"
"Marill~"
Just then, a Pokémon's cry stopped him.
Victor turned and saw it was a Marill.
He remembered this Marill. It was the one that had bravely used Play Rough on the Salamence during the battle with Hunter J.
"What is it, Marill?" Victor asked with a smile.
Ever since the forest had been restored, this Marill and its family had moved into the Breeding House's lake area, living alongside the Golduck family.
"Marill~"
Can I go with you?
The Marill ran up to Victor's side and chirped shyly.
Victor didn't understand.
He focused his attention on the Marill.
[Marill]
[Type: Water, Fairy]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Huge Power]
[Known Moves: Defense Curl, Water Gun, Bubble Beam, Play Rough, Charm, Aqua Tail, Superpower, Double-Edge, Rain Dance, Ice Punch.]
[Mood: Anxious]
[Status: Scared, Anxious]
[Friendship: 100]
[Introduction: It fought alongside you against Pokémon Hunter J. It followed its small family to live at the Breeding House to prevent the bad guys who destroyed the forest from returning to take revenge on you. They are protecting your Breeding House along with the Golduck family. However, it seems to like you a lot, or perhaps all of you? Every time you all play, it watches from a distance, but perhaps due to its personality, it doesn't dare to approach.]
[We will protect the one who protects the forest. —Marill]
Victor was surprised.
So the Marill and Golduck families moved here to protect me?
Victor looked at the last sentence of the introduction.
It likes me? It wants to play with us but is too shy?
Victor smiled.
I see.
"Marill—"
Seeing Victor not responding, the Marill's blue face instantly turned red.
So it's a no?
I finally worked up the courage to ask if I could join, and I got rejected?
Just as the Marill was about to leave, dejected...
"Of course," Victor's voice came.
It turned its head in disbelief and looked at Victor.
Victor crouched down and patted its small head. A different kind of texture.
Cool and smooth.
He gently flicked its round ears.
"Let's go together, Marill. Let's go play."
"Marill~"
Looking at his gentle smile, the Marill cried tears of joy.
It quickly wiped its tears and then looked at Victor's side.
Lilligant gave it a gentle smile. Dali and the others gave a thumbs-up. The Vulpix happily ran circles around it. Mime Jr. ran over and took its hand. Gothita and Roselia clapped softly.
Finally, Gengar held out a Cat's Ear crisp—it was round, a bit like Marill's ears.
"Gengar?!!! ( ´ ▽ ` )/"
The Marill happily took it and took a bite.
"Marill~"
...
Arriving at the Twinleaf Town port, Victor looked out at the sea.
The water rose and fell, and from time to time, a few Magikarp would leap out of the water.
A number of Tentacool were also drifting on the surface.
On the nearby beach, there were many Shellos.
There were also quite a few trainers playing on the beach with their Pokémon.
A horn blew.
A massive passenger ship was docking at the port.
A large crowd of people disembarked.
Many of them were accompanied by their own Pokémon.
Trainers from different regions.
All had come to the Sinnoh region to travel, find different Pokémon, and make their teams stronger.
Many of them had Pokémon with unique charm, and even the trainers themselves were dressed elegantly.
Victor stood to the side, quietly watching the people get off the ship, identifying the Pokémon that walked with them.
Serperior, Blastoise, Krookodile, Pikachu, Delphox...
As he was watching them, others were watching him, sensing the powerful auras of the Pokémon accompanying him.
Their gazes were appraising.
Victor didn't mind.
Occasionally, when he met someone's gaze, he would give a slight smile and a nod.
During this time, a few hot-blooded trainers came up and invited Victor to a battle.
Victor declined, saying he wasn't a trainer.
The trainer clearly didn't believe him but left politely and found another trainer to challenge.
Victor smiled as he watched a crowd gather to see the battle.
He then looked at his own Pokémon around him.
He was filled with emotion.
Without even realizing it, I have so many family members with me now.
"Haaa..."
A sharp inhale came from beside him.
Victor turned his head.
Gengar was sticking its tongue out, clearly having been burned by the spicy strips.
"..."
"Don't lick me until you've rinsed your mouth out."
"You reek of spicy strips."
Hearing this, Gengar thought for a moment, put the spicy strips away, and then took out a bubble milk tea, which it had apparently had Marill chill with an Ice Punch.
"Where did you even get that milk tea?"
Victor's head was starting to hurt.
"Slurp~"
You got a problem?
Victor shook his head.
As long as you're happy.
He then looked at Marill. Its personality made it a bit reserved, but its moveset was anything but.
Other than Defense Curl, it was all-out offense.
Victor smiled, then looked into the distance.
The sun was shining.
Since it was just the beginning of autumn, it wasn't particularly cold yet.
"The weather is perfect today. It really is a great day for fishing," Victor said, inspired.
"Owner~"
...
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