Home Makeover

"Did you make this?"

As soon as Raikou asked, he already knew the answer.

Dongshu replied with a single word.

"Home!"

He kept it short and to the point.

Raikou immediately understood. In this human child's eyes, this cave was home to him and Fire Emperor.

So he had used the incredible power he was born with to create all of this, turning what had once been a rough, crude, cold, hard cave into a "home" fit to live in.

Raikou was stunned.

As far as he knew, not all humans had the sort of incredible power this human child possessed.

For some reason, a sentence Fire Emperor had once said to him came to mind.

[Little One is different!]

The way Dongshu had created a floor on the spot seemed to surprise Raikou, too. Seeing Raikou provide another 20 Shock Points, Dongshu grinned and continued browsing the System Store.

The renovation wasn't over yet.

1065-500+20=585

Next, should he buy a crib? Or a big door? Or maybe a set of tableware for meals?

Dongshu looked up at the top of the cave.

Lighting was important, too.

As a human, he didn't have the night vision Fire Emperor, Raikou, and Marshadow possessed. When night fell, he'd be completely in the dark and unable to see a thing.

[Chandelier: An indoor light fixture that hangs from the ceiling. Requires a generator. Exchange cost: 500 Shock Points.]

[Generator: A device used to supply electricity. Requires an Electric-type Pokémon to power it. Can store up to one year's worth of electricity. Exchange cost: 1000 Shock Points.]

Dongshu: "..."

He couldn't afford either one.

He kept scrolling, and soon another item caught his attention.

[Mushroom Night Light: A light fixture that can illuminate a 40-square-meter space. Rechargeable; must be charged by an Electric-type Pokémon before use. One full charge lasts three months. Exchange cost: 300 Shock Points.]

Dongshu's eyes lit up. This was great!

He immediately exchanged for it!

The next second, a mushroom-shaped night light about twenty centimeters tall appeared out of thin air in his hands.

Its shape reminded Dongshu of a Pokémon called Lamp Shade Night Mushroom.

"That leaves 285 Shock Points."

He couldn't afford a crib, but he could use a thick carpet in its place.

[Cashmere Carpet: A warm, soft, and comfortable cashmere carpet, made from Wooloo's wool in the Galar Region. For laying on the floor. Exchange cost: 200 Shock Points.]

Bought!

The 200 Shock Points were automatically deducted, and the next second, a cashmere carpet about 4 x 4 meters appeared beneath Dongshu.

It was so thick, so soft, so warm. Sitting on it felt like sitting on the softest cloud in the world.

Worth every point!

When Fire Emperor came back, he could sleep together with him on this big, soft carpet!

Only, the Mushroom Night Light still needed an Electric-type Pokémon to charge it.

Speaking of Electric-type Pokémon, he happened to have one right in front of him.

Dongshu couldn't help glancing at Raikou nearby.

Raikou had been quietly watching him the whole time.

"Raikou~" Dongshu called.

Raikou immediately lifted his head, shifting his gaze from the carpet to Dongshu.

For the sake of making his home more comfortable and lovely, Dongshu shamelessly started to act cute and sweet-talk Raikou.

Then Raikou watched the human child clutch the strange mushroom-shaped thing and patter over to him, asking in a babyish voice:

"Help me, please!"

Raikou: "...With what?"

Dongshu held up the Mushroom Night Light. "This needs electricity!"

That was easy.

Raikou silently extended a paw and sent a stream of electricity into the mushroom.

The next second, something amazing happened.

The ordinary-looking mushroom suddenly lit up with a warm, golden glow!

Its light instantly illuminated the whole cave, draping everything in a soft veil. In a flash, the cave that had been so cold and gloomy felt warm.

At least, it looked much more like a home.

"Thank you, Raikou!"

Raikou heard the human child say happily.

He watched as Dongshu set the mushroom down beside the carpet, then took a piece of candy from the big leaf and offered it to him as a present.

Under normal circumstances, Raikou thought he might have been happy.

But when he remembered that all the candy had originally belonged to Fire Emperor, he couldn't help feeling a little annoyed.

Dongshu had no idea how Raikou felt.

At that moment, he was looking at Raikou up close: his smooth, golden fur, his strong limbs, his sharp fangs.

Unlike the majestic Fire Emperor, Raikou looked like a saber-toothed tiger, giving off an impression of fierce, cold aloofness that warned strangers to keep their distance.

But... up close, Raikou was just a big tiger!

What would a real baby do?

Dongshu thought it over, then leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Raikou's big head, and planted a kiss on it—just like a cat owner who couldn't resist kissing their adorable kitten on the head.

At the human child's sudden gesture, Raikou's pupils trembled in shock.

Before he could react, the child sweetly added, "Thank you!"

"..."

Raikou's feelings were complicated as he watched the human child run off to play with the big mushroom. He knew exactly what that gesture had meant.

It was a way for humans to show affection to one another.

This... this human child had already become so affectionate toward him!

Raikou's heart was in turmoil.

He should have bristled as he always did, raised his tail, and let terrifying sparks crackle from it, powerful enough to change the weather.

Then he should have leapt up and scolded the child, warning him not to do that again.

That was what he should have done.

But then Raikou suddenly remembered the night the human child had found him injured and offered to treat him.

At that moment, Raikou's heart was thrown into complete disarray.

Meanwhile, in Pallet Town.

Fire Emperor was passing through. He had planned to cross the small town in the countryside and continue on his way, but his attention was suddenly drawn to a human mother and child in the distance.

The young mother was playing with her child, who was a little over a year old, in the backyard.

She held a Pikachu plush toy and played with the human child.

Her face was gentle, and she radiated a natural maternal warmth. Her red lips parted as if she were saying something to the child.

Fire Emperor had excellent hearing.

Even from far away, he could clearly hear her words.

"Ash, you have to grow up healthy!"

But Fire Emperor's attention was on the Pikachu plush toy in the human child's hands.

"Maybe Little One would like a toy like that," Fire Emperor thought.

Once he finished what he was doing, he'd bring one back for Little One to play with.