"Whoosh-"
The reddish-brown Vulpix, with her one big white tail, looked at them a little shyly.
"Wow..."
Shauna could not help exclaiming, "So cute."
[Vulpix] [Type: Fire] [Gender: Female] [Ability: Flash Fire] [Known moves: Tail Whip, Ember, Baby-Doll Eyes, Heat Wave.] [Mood: Happy] [Status: Puzzled, lost, shy] [Friendship: 70 (you were the first one she saw when she opened her eyes)] [Description: The child of a powerful Ninetales, having inherited some of her parents' strength.] [I'm really strong-Vulpix]
Looking at the shy Vulpix hiding in her shell, Fang Yan smiled and reached out to lift her out. Then he took the milk bottle Gengar handed him and held it to her mouth.
Vulpix soon began sucking.
Feeling the pleasant softness in his hands, Fang Yan could not help narrowing his eyes.
Wonderful! I finally have a fluffy little one of my own.
Fang Yan shouted inwardly through tears.
Finally, he checked her moves. She already knew Baby-Doll Eyes and Heat Wave.
Just what you'd expect from a Ninetales's offspring. Two inherited moves, and one of them a powerful Fire-type move. So strong.
Once Vulpix finished her Moomoo Milk, Fang Yan rubbed her fluffy fur, then introduced her to the other people and Pokémon at the Pokémon Day Care.
Finally, he said, "Everyone, our Pokémon Day Care has another little sister."
"Yay!"
"Geng-"
"Lili~"
"Champ ×3."
"Mime~"
"Ching~"
"Welcome to our big family, Vulpix."
Fang Yan slowly brushed her fur with his hand as he spoke with a smile.
Feeling the sincere warmth coming from everyone around her, Vulpix narrowed her eyes and gave a soft little cry.
"Vul~"
Hello, everyone~
That brought another wave of cheers.
Finally, at Gengar's urging, Fang Yan looked at the camera set up ahead of them. Before he could strike a pose, the camera snapped their group photo.
He reached up to rub his hair where Gengar had tugged it painfully, then pulled Gengar's tail in retaliation. Gengar drifted around like a deflating balloon for a while, after which Fang Yan handed Vulpix to Shauna and let her take Chingling, Petilil, and Mime Jr. off to play together.
In the night sky, a Garchomp flew through the clouds.
Cynthia opened the message and found a group photo. Gengar floated above a young man's head, probably having drifted too fast to brake, leaving him no choice but to grab the hair on top of the young man's head to force himself to stop, his tongue sticking out all the while. The young man in the photo looked a little pained, holding an unfamiliar Vulpix in his arms, with Shauna and the Pokémon from the Pokémon Day Care around him.
Fang Yan: The Pokémon Day Care has another new member.
Attached was a photo of Vulpix playing with Shauna and the others.
Cynthia stood on Garchomp's back, on her way back to the League from the tournament venue.
The corner of her mouth lifted, and her fingers began tapping the screen.
"Vulpix? As a newborn Vulpix grows up, its tail gradually splits and gains color, forming six beautiful tails."
Fang Yan: Yep, I'm already looking forward to seeing what she looks like when she grows up. Come to think of it, Mime Jr. hasn't been born for very long either.
Cynthia remembered the Mime Jr. who always handed her sparkling water and ice cream at just the right moment.
"They're all adorable."
Fang Yan: I think so too. Next time you come, you might get to see a cute Vulpix. Good luck, Lady Cynthia.
After sending the message, Fang Yan slipped his phone into his pocket and stopped disturbing Cynthia, then went to play with Shauna and the others.
Looking at the message on her phone, Cynthia murmured, "Lady Cynthia, huh? Hmph."
Then her gaze sharpened, becoming commanding and cold.
"Garchomp, let's crush them!"
"Garch!"
Then they vanished into the night sky like a jet plane.
Back at the Pokémon Day Care, Fang Yan checked the time, peeled the paper strips off his face, and prepared to take Shauna home.
In their card game, Fang Yan and Gengar had ended up with the most paper strips stuck to them, followed by Mime Jr. and Shauna. Petilil and Vulpix had come last, without a single strip.
Looking at Gengar's face covered entirely in paper strips, Fang Yan could not help bursting into laughter. He teased Gengar while taking out his phone to snap a photo.
"Geng?! (ﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾂ"
No pictures!
After some horsing around, Fang Yan and Gengar personally took Shauna home. Then Fang Yan returned, took a shower, and carried Vulpix onto the bed. Tonight, he could finally sleep holding something fluffy.
Fang Yan happily picked Vulpix up, buried his face in her creamy-white belly, and took a deep sniff.
"Vul~!"
Satisfied, Fang Yan put Vulpix down, and she shyly burrowed under the covers.
"Geng?! ¬_¬｀"
Gengar looked at Fang Yan with disgust.
"What's wrong with that?"
Fang Yan smugly made a face at Gengar, then crawled under the covers too.
"Good night, everyone."
"Geng-"
"Lili~"
"Mime~"
"Vul... vul..."
Once Fang Yan fell asleep, Gengar drifted out of the ceiling and changed the room's lighting to a warm glow rather than switching it off. Petilil was sleeping soundly in the flowerpot outside the window. Gengar also tucked Mime Jr., who had kicked off the covers in the little bed nearby, back in before drifting into the ceiling again.
"Geng-"
Good night. (Quietly)
In the second half of the night, a group of unidentified Pokémon flew toward the Pokémon Day Care, and a battle broke out.
"Lili!"
Petilil opened her eyes and looked at several hazy figures in the distant moonlight.
A scarlet gaze lit up in the ceiling, then passed through the wall to Petilil's side and gently patted her little head.
"Geng-"
Then Gengar looked into the distance. Dali and the others had already rushed over.
Awakened by the noise, Fang Yan went to the balcony, comforted Petilil, and carried her back into the room. He closed the balcony door and told Petilil to look after Mime Jr. and Vulpix in the room, then went downstairs and ran toward the forest area.
Gengar floated behind him.
When he reached the forest area, he found Dali and the other two helping Vespiquen drive away the intruding Pokémon.
Outnumbered, Vespiquen kept dodging attacks and striking back.
Dali and the others attacked several Teddiursa.
Looking at the Beautifly and Mothim, Fang Yan gritted his teeth.
"You dare come here to steal my Honey again? Gengar, get them."
At his words, Gengar immediately rose above all the Pokémon, his eyes glowing. All the Pokémon dropped to the ground, flapping their wings but unable to get airborne no matter how hard they tried.
"Geng!"
You want to steal our Honey?! You actually want to steal our delicious Honey!!
Gengar used Double Team, creating many Gengar, each holding a Shadow Ball.
Noticing a familiar yellow Pokémon among those on the ground, Fang Yan hurriedly called for Gengar to stop.
"Gengar, wait! Vespiquen's in there too."
Gengar hurriedly released Gravity, and all the Pokémon regained their ability to fly.
Vespiquen rose slowly from the ground, her scarlet gaze fixed on Gengar and Fang Yan. Considering that they had come to help her, she brushed off her body and moved to Fang Yan's side, facing the Beautifly, Mothim, and Teddiursa.
The Beautifly and the others did not leave either.
"Everyone, don't you know this is my territory? Leave now, and we can still settle this peacefully. Otherwise... Gengar, Dali, Er Li, San Li."
Gengar moved in front of Fang Yan, his eyes glowing as he watched the Beautifly and the others opposite them. His three Machamp also stood around Fang Yan, looking at the bruised and battered Teddiursa.
Feeling the pressure coming from them, one Beautifly cried out and left first, flying deeper into the forest.
Then all the Beautifly, Mothim, and Teddiursa left.
"If I catch you coming here again, don't blame us for showing no mercy."
Fang Yan shouted after their retreating figures.
Watching them leave, Vespiquen waved a claw, then turned to Fang Yan, Gengar, and the others.
"Vesp."
"You're welcome. Since you're living here with us, we have a duty to keep you safe."
Fang Yan smiled as he spoke.
Beside him, Gengar approached Vespiquen with a cheeky grin.
"Geng-"
His large red eyes narrowed slyly.
Vespiquen stared hard at him, then cried out and flew deeper into the forest area. She returned with a jar of Honey, handed it to Gengar, and hurried away.
"Geng-"
Remember to come to us again next time you need anything.
At the sight, Fang Yan could not help slapping his forehead.
"You big dummy, you..."
Gengar glanced at him.
"Did a brilliant job."
"Geng-"
Hehe.
"Vesp!"
A scarlet gaze lit up deep in the forest area.
"I was joking!"
Fang Yan shouted, then whispered, "Let's get out of here."
Then he hurried away.
After having Gengar put away the Honey, Fang Yan patted Dali and the others on the shoulders.
"Good work. You're getting extra chicken drumsticks tomorrow."
"Champ!"
They gave him a thumbs-up, showing their silvery-white teeth.
Back in the room, he signaled to Petilil and the others that everything was all right, then carried Petilil onto the balcony and set her beneath the flowerpot. After returning to the room and saying good night again,
he drifted off to sleep.