Steward Qi, Bigger Is Better

Steward Qi came early in the morning.

The shop door had only been opened halfway when he was already waiting outside, carrying two portions of hot breakfast.

Xia Che looked at the food, then at him.

"Did you sleep?"

"I did."

"How long?"

Steward Qi set the paper-wrapped food on the counter, avoiding his gaze.

"Long enough."

Xia Che chuckled without exposing him and reached for a sesame flatbread.

After returning home last night, Steward Qi had first walked around the courtyard, then moved aside the clutter piled beneath the eaves. Once he was done and finally lay down, he remembered that he did not even know what the Pokémon that would accompany him looked like.

Yet he had already cleaned up a place for it to live.

Naturally, he could not say that aloud.

"When are we leaving?"

"After I finish eating."

Xia Che had only taken two bites when a small black-and-white paw reached up over the counter.

He placed the other half of the flatbread in front of it.

Pancham caught it, sat beside the threshold, and ate even more slowly than he did.

Steward Qi glanced over and simply sat down as well.

As they waited, the wild thoughts filling his mind gradually faded beneath the growing bustle of voices outside.

By the time they reached the training ground, Yan had just led Magby through a lap. Seeing them, he immediately came over.

"You really came? I thought you'd go home and spend a few more days thinking about it."

"With Boss Xia here, what was there to think so much about?"

Steward Qi answered steadily.

Xia Che looked toward the open space nearby and lightly tossed the Poké Ball in his hand.

Red light flashed down.

A tall figure appeared in the morning light. Its