Metagross Moves the Cabinet, Bibi Dong Understands

Bibi Dong looked at the red X.

Rotom silently drifted back a little.

"Reason," she said.

"Once you're done, it might be noon, or midnight, or there might not be an 'once you're done' for several days, Rotom."

"My schedule often changes."

"Pokémon mealtimes would change too much. They'd go hungry."

Bibi Dong held the pen without continuing the argument.

She crossed out the original four words and wrote another line: While remaining in Spirit City, every day half an hour after dinner. If leaving the city, arrange for a trustworthy person to care for them in advance.

Rotom circled that line once, and the red X turned into a yellow thinking face.

"What does this mean now?"

"You may continue looking. There are no suitable meeting candidates for now, Rotom."

Yue Guan lowered his head and sipped his tea.

He knew very well that Bibi Dong had not waited years to hear the words "for now."

Bibi Dong set down her pen. "I did not come today solely to take one away."

"Then that works out," Xia Che said.

Hu Liena gave a soft cough.

Bibi Dong ignored his attitude and merely raised her eyes toward the Pokémon in the shop. "How are they different from soul beasts?"

"They come from different places and grow in different ways," Xia Che said. "They don't need soul rings, and when willing, they'll go with people."

"What about their strength?"

"Each has their own."

That answer was clearly far too effortless.

Bibi Dong looked toward Metagross. That silver-gray figure stood as steady as a small mountain. It lacked the distinctive aura of a soul beast, yet its red eyes kept everyone in the front hall within sight.

"Let me see."

"See what?"

"What it can do."

Before Xia Che could answer, a shout sounded from outside.

"One more new cabinet! Who can lend a hand?"

The storage cabinet ordered yesterday had arrived.

Two carpenters were carrying a long cabinet half a man tall, but it was jammed outside the door. Its legs were fitted with iron hoops; the left side struck the doorframe while the right was blocked by the stone step. They tried turning it several times, sweating profusely with anxiety.

Pancham had already moved beside the yellow line, staring intently at the cabinet's two legs.

It was not worried about the people. It was worried about the door.

Xia Che raised a hand and pointed. "Watch that."

Bibi Dong's brow shifted slightly. "Moving a cabinet?"

But Metagross had already turned around.

Its red eyes swept rapidly over the cabinet doors, iron hoops, doorframe, and steps. A moment later, the left cabinet leg rose three inches on its own, and the entire long cabinet tilted its way through the door. At its closest, it was only a hair's breadth from the frame.

The two carpenters still held their carrying poses, but their hands were already empty.

"This..."

The long cabinet landed steadily in the center of the front hall.

The older carpenter came back to his senses and hurriedly pulled a delivery receipt from his clothes. "The cabinet has been delivered. Please settle the moving fee as well."

Xia Che took the paper. "Who moved it inside?"

The carpenter looked at Metagross.

Metagross looked back at him.

"We carried it to the door," the carpenter amended.

Pancham trotted over and held up half a paw at the moving-fee column. It could not calculate copper coins, but it knew exactly how much belonged outside the door and how much belonged inside.

Indeedee brought out an abacus, flicked the beads twice, and set aside half the fee and the remaining payment for the cabinet separately.

The carpenter opened his mouth, but in the end, he accepted it anyway.

"If this big fellow has time, he could come help at our shop too," he asked tentatively. "We'll provide two meals a day."

"It just found a job," Xia Che said.

"Three meals?"

The golden pattern on Metagross's front flashed once.

The carpenter immediately put away his money pouch. "I was only asking."

Pancham ran to the doorframe and felt along it from top to bottom. Only after confirming there was no new damage did it give Metagross a thumbs-up.

A red glint flashed in Metagross's eyes in response.

"Just telekinesis?" Bibi Dong asked.

"It also has four brains," Xia Che said.

"Four?"

Rotom was about to explain when Indeedee had already opened the cabinet. Inside were a jumbled batch of newly delivered cup racks, metal boxes, and ceramic plates. Clearly, the carpenters had been in a hurry and had not sorted them when packing.

She took out a measuring ruler, preparing to organize them herself.

Metagross floated forward half a step.

Every metal object in the cabinet rose into the air at once. The cup racks settled onto the top shelf, the boxes arranged themselves into two rows by size, and the scissors and clips hung along the side. More than a dozen items crossed paths in midair without making a single clink.

The remaining ceramic plates still lay at the bottom of the cabinet.

Seeing this, Zorua's tail swayed slightly, and twenty identical white plates instantly appeared inside the cabinet. Real and fake mixed together, leaving the two carpenters dazzled.

Metagross's eyes lit up one after the other.

The next instant, all the genuine ceramic plates floated up. The illusions remained where they were and were soon withdrawn by Zorua.

"Weight," Ghost said.

"Air currents, sound, and where Zorua looked just now," Rotom said. "It calculated all of it, Rotom."

Zorua immediately turned its gaze toward the ceiling.

Indeedee examined the neatly arranged cabinet, pulled open the first drawer, then pushed it shut again. Every item was exactly where she liked it.

Just as she was about to nod, a Berry pit that Zorua had gnawed clean suddenly rolled off the edge of the table and slowly made its way toward the cabinet's left side.

The floor in the front hall sloped a little.

Indeedee's gaze followed the pit until it stopped on the two carpenters preparing to leave.

The carpenters stiffened.

"Old houses all have floors like this."

Indeedee placed the measuring ruler atop the cabinet.

Sure enough, the cabinet leaned half a finger-width to the left.

Metagross extended two arms and lifted the cabinet along with everything inside it. The other carpenter hurriedly dug thin wooden shims from his tool bag and knelt down to wedge them beneath the cabinet leg.

Pancham picked up the Berry pit and placed it atop the cabinet again.

This time, the pit stayed firmly in the middle.

It nodded at Indeedee. Only then did Indeedee stamp the little confirmation seal onto the receipt.

As the two carpenters wiped away sweat and left, their eyes toward Metagross had changed from fear to admiration. After stepping outside, the older one was still discussing with his companion whether they should add iron hoops to the legs of their own cabinets too.

"To make it easier for it to move them next time," Ghost heard.

Yue Guan said, "They're thinking quite far ahead."

She took out a small piece of dried Berry and held it out to Metagross.

Metagross did not take it.

Its eyes turned toward Xia Che.

"What are you looking at me for?"

Rotom guessed, "It may be waiting for your evaluation."

Leaning against the window, Xia Che gave it a serious once-over. "The cabinets are yours from now on."

Metagross fell silent.

Indeedee withdrew half the dried Berry.

Only then did Xia Che add, "You arranged them very well."

Metagross extended one arm and accepted the remaining half of the dried Berry.

Hu Liena could not hold back a laugh.

Bibi Dong watched that enormous figure. It could manipulate weight and metal without a soul ring appearing, and it could distinguish real objects amid a field of illusions. More importantly, it had not grown angry at a little fox's prank, nor had it taken control away from Indeedee when she made the arrangements.

Using such power to move cabinets seemed wasteful, but that was precisely why its control was so clear to see.

Bibi Dong asked, "What if it were sent into battle?"

"If it wants to go, then it goes," Xia Che said. "It just started work today. Let it get acquainted with the cabinets first."

Metagross slowly turned its head, its eyes falling on him again.

"See? It agreed with the first half."

"And the second half?"

"It's still calculating."

Holding his teacup, Yue Guan finally turned his face aside and smiled.

Bibi Dong did not request another demonstration. She rose and walked to Hu Liena. This time, Eevee did not hide, though it watched her warily.

"You must not be late for daily training," Bibi Dong said.

"Yes, Teacher."

"If it goes with you, inform the instructors in charge first."

Hu Liena's eyes lit up. "You agree to let me keep bringing it?"

"It's already in your arms. Would it matter if I disagreed?"

Hearing her tone, Eevee gave a soft cry.

Bibi Dong extended a hand, then stopped midway.

This time, Eevee took the initiative to lean closer and sniff her fingertips. Though it still did not allow her to pet it, at least it no longer hid its face away.

"Very cautious," Bibi Dong assessed.

"Just like Nana," Xie Yue said.

Yan nodded in rare agreement.

Hu Liena gave each of them a look, and the two immediately returned to silence.

After Bibi Dong left with Yue Guan and Ghost, the atmosphere in the shop suddenly relaxed.

Yan pushed the last schedule card toward Rotom. "Can mine continue now?"

The front of the card listed training and rest, while its back was finally completely blank.

Rotom scanned it back and forth twice, and a green circle lit up on its screen.

"Approved, Rotom."

Yan had waited all morning for those words. He immediately walked to the selection device and pressed down his palm.

Fiery red light spun rapidly.

He stared at those tall silhouettes, even softening his breathing.

A moment later, the light stopped.

A tiny sneeze came from the Fireproof Encounter Room.

Pfft.

A thin wisp of white smoke emerged from beneath the door.

Yan stared at that wisp. "Fire type?"

"The result only gives the meeting direction. Go inside and see for yourself, Rotom."

Another sneeze sounded behind the door.

This time, the white smoke rolled into a small ball along the floor, dispersing once it rose to Yan's knees.

Hu Liena glanced at its height. "It sounds young."

"Sound cannot determine strength," Yan answered quickly.

Xie Yue nodded. "Nor can it determine height."

Yan's hand paused on the door. He turned back to look at him.