After finishing his shower, Lin Feng climbed into bed, his hair still faintly damp. Beside him, his little Ice Vulpix and the Eevee called Nine were completely absorbed in an anime playing on his phone.
The other two Eevee, who had only recently joined them, shuffled a little to make space when they saw Lin Feng approach. They were polite and well-mannered, though still a bit reserved in front of him.
On the screen, Pikachu was the star of the story. The series told of a quiet little town of Pikachu, threatened by an evil organization. Among them lived one Pikachu who kept its true identity hidden. No one knew that it was actually the hero destined to save them all.
To be honest, if Lin Feng compared it to the animated shows he remembered from his previous life on Blue Star, this kind of storytelling would have felt outdated, maybe even childish. But here, in this world, entertainment was limited. Pokémon battles and the grand performance festivals known as Contests were the main attractions. A narrative-driven anime like this was already considered rich and exciting.
At least his Pokémon seemed to think so. Ice Vulpix and Nine had been hooked on the series these past few days, watching each episode with rapt attention.
Especially Ice Vulpix. The little fox had become so invested that it had begun imitating Pikachu's heroic poses. It would rise up on its hind legs, spread its front paws wide in a cross-like gesture, and shout out dramatic cries. The movements were oddly reminiscent of the "beam attack" poses from Ultraman in Lin Feng's past life.
"Yiiiing! Yiiiing! Yiiiing!" Ice Vulpix squealed, its voice brimming with enthusiasm. Transform! Witness my Thunderbolt!
And then, instead of lightning, a small clump of ice shot out of its mouth and landed with a soft plop on the floor.
Lin Feng had to stifle a laugh every time.
What made it even funnier was that Ice Vulpix would never dare to strike such poses outside the room. Only when they were safe at night, tucked away in Lin Feng's bedroom, would it practice with such earnestness. Maybe the little fox was embarrassed to be seen… or maybe it just wanted to keep its heroic fantasies private.
Either way, Lin Feng found it endearing. At least the anime it was imitating carried a wholesome message, with no warped morals or dangerous lessons.
Perhaps he should ask Mewtwo to sit down with Goodra one of these evenings to watch as well.
Goodra, after all, was still painfully shy. Lin Feng had noticed it since the day the dragon arrived. It avoided both people and Pokémon, always shrinking away when faced with unfamiliar company. Earlier that day, Lin Feng had tried to coax it into joining the others in the garden for a shared meal. But as soon as it stepped outside, it bolted behind Mewtwo's tall frame, peeking out nervously from the psychic's shoulder, refusing to interact at all.
It would only eat when Mewtwo stayed beside it. Otherwise, the timid dragon would simply hide, curling into itself.
At first, Lin Feng had thought about letting Goodra live in the stable, where the larger Pokémon slept. But that idea proved impossible. Goodra would never stay there alone, and Mewtwo obviously couldn't be expected to take up residence in a barn. In the end, Goodra just found quiet corners of the house to occupy at night.
Even Kirlia's little sister, Ralts, was worried. She had proudly introduced herself when she first arrived, promising that one of her strongest skills was "babysitting younger Pokémon." But now, faced with Goodra's anxiety, she felt like she had failed. The poor little Ralts was so disheartened she almost cried.
That night, Lin Feng found himself comforting both of them Goodra first, then Ralts. He crouched down and stroked the little psychic's head gently.
"Don't give up just because of one setback. Think of it as a challenge instead of a failure. You'll figure it out. Believe me."
Encouraged by his words, Ralts sniffled, then puffed out her chest and nodded, her confidence slowly returning.
Watching the scene made Lin Feng smile. It was almost funny in its own way Ralts was still just a child herself, smaller even than Goodra in some ways. Like any child, she would face setbacks, get discouraged, and doubt herself. That was natural. What mattered was helping her stand up again.
Yes. He thought. No matter how young or old, no one should abandon their goals because of temporary difficulties.
Lin Feng's thoughts drifted again to Salamence, the one Pokémon who still resisted him the most.
During the day, he had asked Mewtwo to take Salamence high above the road construction site. Together they watched the workers repairing the cracked streets, the rhythmic pounding of tools echoing from below. It was a simple exercise, meant to calm the dragon's restless heart and keep it busy within safe boundaries. Later, at mealtime, he had coaxed it into the garden.
But even then, Salamence refused to eat.
Lin Feng sighed as he remembered how he had resorted to asking Mewtwo to apply gentle psychic pressure, forcing Salamence to take a few reluctant bites. Only after Lin Feng spoke directly did the dragon's resistance soften slightly.
"You already hate humans so much," he told it calmly. "But your body still needs strength. What good does it do to make yourself sick with anger? Do you think anyone will pay the price if you collapse? If you really want to keep resenting humanity, then all the more reason to stay alive, to eat well, to stay strong."
Those words seemed to reach Salamence, if only a little.
"Yiiiing!" Ice Vulpix's sudden battle cry snapped Lin Feng out of his thoughts.
He looked down at the phone screen just in time to see Pikachu unleashing its ultimate move, its body blazing with sparks as it struck down the villain. All his little ones were watching, utterly absorbed, their eyes wide with excitement. Even the two newer Eevee, usually shy, were trembling with energy.
Ice Vulpix leapt onto the bed, threw its tiny paws into the air, and struck its practiced hero pose. Then it turned its eyes on Lin Feng with mock ferocity, pretending he was the villain Pikachu.
Playing along, Lin Feng clutched his chest dramatically and toppled backward. "Argh! I've been defeated! I'll be back!"
"Yiiiing!" Ice Vulpix squealed with triumph, bouncing with laughter. I hit Lin Feng! Victory!
The little fox practically glowed with happiness.
From the corner, Serperior slithered closer, giving the scene a long, weary glance. With a flick of its tail, it tapped Lin Feng's hand, speaking in its soft voice. "Ssshhhooo… Sleep now."
Lin Feng chuckled. Serperior always knew when it was bedtime.
He looked back at Ice Vulpix, who was already reaching to play the next episode. With a firm but gentle hand, he took the phone away.
"That's enough. The episode just ended, which makes it the perfect time to sleep."
Ice Vulpix pouted for a moment but soon curled up obediently at its usual spot, the right side of Lin Feng's pillow. Its snowy tail wrapped neatly around its body, and it closed its eyes with a content sigh.
Lin Feng turned his gaze to the three Eevee. His eyes lingered on Nine, the smallest, and he asked softly, "You're Nine, right? And the others are Three and Five? How did you all end up with names like that?"
"Eevee?" Nine blinked in confusion, unsure how to answer.
Before it could speak, another Eevee piped up with cheerful certainty. "Eevee, eevee!" (I'm Three, the eldest. Five is the second oldest, and Nine's the youngest.)
"I see."
Lin Feng nodded, smiling as he realized the truth. It did make sense the biggest one was indeed Three, while Nine was clearly the smallest.
Satisfied, he lifted each Eevee one by one and placed them gently on the left side of his pillow. "Alright. That's enough for today. Time to sleep."
The room fell into a peaceful hush, the only sound the steady hum of the night outside.
For the next few days, life slipped into a quieter rhythm. Perhaps it was because of the road repairs and nearby construction, the nursery was less crowded than usual. Most visitors preferred to place orders by delivery, which meant the Pidgey courier team was busier than ever.
Lin Feng didn't mind. In fact, he enjoyed the calm. He would sometimes wander to watch Dragonite assisting the workers, its massive wings carrying supplies with ease. Other times he stayed near Salamence, sitting silently beside the dragon, lending it comfort with his aura.
The days may have been ordinary, but within that ordinary rhythm, Lin Feng found a gentle contentment.
And yet…
As he sat there, stroking Ice Vulpix's snowy fur one evening, he couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity flicker in his heart once more.
What came next?
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