The breakfast plates were licked clean, and the air in the hotel suite was thick with the scent of honey, spicy meat, and that distinct, contented hum of a team that had actually managed to start their day on the right foot. Julian stood up, brushing a few stray breadcrumbs off his jeans, and gave a sharp clap-clap to gather the troops.
"Alright, settle down, you bunch of gluttons," Julian said with a grin, looking at the five pairs of eyes—four familiar ones and the curious sapphire spark of Carbink—now fixed on him. "The sun is up, the bags are packed, and I need to head to the Pokémon Center to meet Reggie. The question is: who's coming for the walk, and who's staying behind to hold down the fort?"
Floette was the first to zip into the air, her petals fluttering with renewed energy. "Floette-flo! (Count me in! I need a high-quality sunbeam and some fresh prairie air to wash out the memory of that granite snack from yesterday!)"
Sylveon was right behind her, her ribbons already winding around Julian's wrist like living bracelets. "Fly-ah! (Out! Definitely out! I'm not spending another minute staring at these four walls when there are people to impress and parks to walk through!)"
Togetic fluttered up, her wings beating a frantic, excited rhythm. "Jia-gei-gu! (I'm going too! I have a scientific mission! I still need to find out if 'Normal People Food' actually tastes like sadness and cardboard!)"
Then, there was Growlithe.
The puppy was still sprawled on the bed, his head resting heavily on a pillow. Usually, he was the first to the door, but today his eyelids looked like they were made of lead. His fur, while fluffy, seemed a bit disheveled, and there was a certain... weary sag to his shoulders.
"Woof... (I'm staying. I am officially on strike,)" Growlithe grumbled, his voice a low, tired huff. "I feel like I've spent the last forty-eight hours being used as a sentient heating pad. Between the sniffing, the ear-tugging, and the midnight cuddling, my beauty sleep has been compromised. I need eight hours of uninterrupted silence where no one tries to bite my ears or use my belly as a pillow.)"
He shot a very pointed, very exhausted look at Julian.
"Cough, cough... ah, right. Well," Julian said, his face heating up as he avoided Growlithe's judging gaze. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and held it out with a sheepish expression. "In that case, buddy, you should probably get some real rest. Do you want to stay here in the room, or do you want the quiet of the Poké Ball?"
Growlithe didn't hesitate. He stood up, stretched his stiff limbs, and trotted toward the black-and-gold ball.
"Woof, woof. (The Ball. Definitely the Ball. In there, you can't reach me. And listen, Sister Floette... Sister Sylveon... you have a job. Watch him. If he tries to release me just because he 'misses the fluff,' use whatever Status move is necessary. Don't let him interrupt my recovery.)"
With a final, weary wag of his tail, Growlithe booped the button with his nose. A beam of red light enveloped him, and with a soft shlurp sound, the puppy vanished into the sanctuary of the Poké Ball.
Julian stood there for a second, staring at the Poké Ball in his hand. He felt a sudden, sharp pang of guilt, mixed with the slight embarrassment of a man whose secret obsession had finally backfired.
"Hmph. That rascal," Julian muttered, his ears turning a bright shade of pink. "Honestly. Am I really that much of a menace? Telling everyone to watch me like I'm some kind of fluff-thief? I have self-control, you know!"
The three remaining Pokémon—Floette, Sylveon, and Togetic—all turned their heads in unison. The silence in the room became incredibly loud.
( ￢ _ ￢ ) Ding. ( ￢ _ ￢ ) Ding. ( ￢ _ ￢ ) Ding.
"Hey! What's with the synchronized judgment?!" Julian squawked, his face going from pink to a full-blown crimson. "I'm your Trainer! Have some faith!"
"Floette-flo! (Faith is earned, Julian, and your track record is currently buried in Growlithe's fur!)" Floette crossed her tiny arms, floating at eye level with him. "Usually, I'd defend your honor, but Growlithe's dark circles don't lie. You were 'handsy' even in your sleep last night!"
"Fly-ah, sylveon-fly. (She's right,)" Sylveon added, her ribbons giving Julian's arm a light, teasing squeeze. "Look, it's only been a few days since you stopped hiding your 'Pet-the-Pokémon' addiction, but you've been making up for lost time at a frantic pace. If you aren't brushing us, you're hugging us. If you aren't hugging us, you're sniffing us. It's a full-time job being your partner lately."
She paused, a small blush dusting her own cheeks. [Though, admittedly, the extra attention isn't entirely terrible. It's just... a lot.]
"Jia-gei-gu! (We've all been taking notes, Boss!)" Togetic chirped, her tone more playful but no less incriminating. "Every time we stop moving for more than five seconds, your hand just... wanders. You're like a Magneton and we're the iron filings. You seize every single opportunity to get a 'fix' of the fluff!"
"Floette-flo! (And don't even get me started on last night! The room was basically a symphony of Growlithe complaining and you making weird cooing sounds! We weren't even asleep yet; we just stayed quiet because we didn't want to get involved in whatever 'ear-biting' drama was happening!)"
Julian's brain practically short-circuited. He covered his face with both hands, his voice coming out as a strangled groan. "You... you all heard that? I thought you were out cold! Oh, man, I'm never showing my face in public again..."
"Jia-gei! (Of course we heard! You two weren't exactly being subtle toward the end! We just decided it was safer to let you get it out of your system.)"
"I... I was just holding it in for too long!" Julian defended himself, his voice muffled by his palms. "Before, I had to act like a 'Serious Trainer' who only cared about stats and moves! I had years of repressed petting to work through! Once I finish this week, I'll be back to normal. And since Growlithe wants to sleep, I'm not a monster! I won't wake him up!"
"Sylveon-fly~ (We believe you, Julian. But we're still going to watch you. Just in case your hands develop a mind of their own.)"
"Mishimishi? (So... what are we actually talking about? Is it a secret technique?)"
The tiny voice of Carbink drifted up from the floor. The newest member of the team had been watching the exchange with wide, sapphire eyes, looking thoroughly confused by the human's red face and the Pokémon's accusations.
"No! Nothing! It's nothing at all!" Julian blurted out, his eyes darting around the room as he looked for a way to change the subject. "Just a... very minor, very unimportant hobby."
"Jia-gei-gu~ (It's nothing to worry about, Carbink,)" Togetic flew down and patted the top of Carbink's rocky head, giggling behind her wing. "It's just a little 'interest' Julian was shy about. You'll experience it soon enough. Just consider it an extreme form of bonding~"
"Floette-flo! (Yeah, it's a 'Special Obsession' that almost gave him a nervous breakdown while he was hiding it!)" Floette added, landing on Julian's hat and giving it a sharp, playful tug. "You'll learn the true meaning of 'Rua' soon, little rock."
"Enough! You two are talking way too much!" Julian grumbled, gently swatting Floette away. He looked down at the silent, shimmering Carbink. "Anyway, Carbink, do you want to come with us to the Center? It's a good chance to see the town."
"Mishi? Mishimishi~ (Going out sounds fun... but I think the 'food coma' is winning. Carbink is very sleepy...)"
The little Pokémon's eyes were already half-closed. It was barely twenty-four hours old, after all; the world was still a very taxing place to be awake in.
"Fair enough," Julian said, his voice softening. "You're still a baby. You need your rest to grow those diamonds. But I can't leave you alone here. How about you join Growlithe in a Pokéball? It's safe, quiet, and you can sleep as much as you want."
"Mishi~ (Okay... Carbink is going to the dream world now...)"
Carbink leaned forward, mimicking the move it had seen Growlithe perform earlier. It booped the button of its ball, and in a flash of light, it was gone.
Julian looked at the two Poké Balls on his belt. "Rest well, you two. We're going to have a lot of work to do once we hit the road."
"Togekiss-gu? (Hey, Julian! Focus! Aren't we leaving? The clock is ticking!)" Togetic reminded him, pointing a wing at the wall.
"I know, I know! We're going," Julian said, finally regaining some of his composure. He checked his bag one last time, ensuring the heavy, carefully wrapped package for Reggie was secure. "I just need to hand this over to Reggie and pick up some specialty spices for the next leg of the trip."
"Jia-gei! (And the food! Don't forget my snack tour!)"
Julian paused at the door, looking back at Togetic with a puzzled expression. "I'm still surprised by this, Togetic. Is my cooking really not cutting it? Do I need to upgrade my recipes?"
"Jia-gei! (No, no! That's not it at all!)" Togetic waved her wings frantically. "Julian's food is the best! But Sylveon and Growlithe keep talking about 'Normal Food' like it's some kind of ancient, mysterious tragedy. I've lived my whole life on the 'Good Stuff.' I want to know what the rest of the world is dealing with! I want to taste the mediocrity!"
Julian let out a genuine laugh, the last of his embarrassment fading away. "Well, when you put it that way, I can't say no. Fine. Today, we go on a culinary adventure into the mundane. We'll try the street food, the café snacks—the works!"
He reached out and turned the handle. "Let's go, team! Reggie's waiting!"
Bang! The door swung open, and Julian stepped out into the crisp Solaceon morning, three Pokémon in tow and a mission of delivery—and disappointing snacks—ahead of him.