Boss Xia, Your Tea Hasn't Gone Cold Yet

The day Cen Zhi took Ponyta back to the saddlery, Xia Che went too.

The reason was simple.

She had made him a soft cushion for his recliner, and after trying it out, she only had the final edge left to finish.

Xia Che looked at the sky and felt the trip had been worth it.

When Yan heard about it, he came along too, carrying Magby in his arms. The colorful saddle pad was wrapped in insulating lining and spread perfectly flat by the little fellow, its two short legs resting comfortably over the edge.

"Now that we're here, aren't you getting down?"

Magby lifted its head and looked at several brighter-colored cushions inside the saddlery.

Yan immediately drew it a little closer into his arms.

"Forget it. Holding you is fine too."

Xie Yue followed behind, grinning without restraint.

The saddlery's storefront was small, but the back courtyard was spacious. The owner often handled commissions from Spirit Hall and knew the identities of these young Soul Masters, so he came out personally to greet them. He even gave Xia Che the table where he usually drank tea.

Metagross tucked in its limbs in the courtyard, its massive body slowly floating beneath the shade of a tree.

A clerk carrying leather nearly walked straight into the doorframe.

He had heard the shop's rumors and seen a few small Pokémon, but seeing such a heavy steel body hanging in midair with his own eyes still made him stare twice.

"Can it... stop here?"

After asking, the owner looked down at the ground.

Xia Che was already sitting back against the new cushion.

"It won't crush your bricks."

Metagross turned its red eyes toward him.

The owner hurriedly smiled and nodded. "Plenty of room. Stop wherever you like."

When Ponyta entered,