Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

Even now, if he wanted to, he could easily take advantage of the situation and subdue himself, but he didn't do so.

As for why Xia Chen was so good to her, the intelligent Jeraora knew perfectly well.

If I had to say, it doesn't reject that feeling.

So what's wrong with staying at his place for a while?

…………

On a rainy night, Xia Chen returned to Haole City, now with a Zeraora by his side, unlike before he left.

The elves, who were staying at home, were not surprised at all; it was just part of the Sea King's usual routine.

Despite their playful banter, they still warmly welcomed Zeraora's visit.

Zeraora was quite curious about her first deep encounter with human society, but she was also somewhat unaccustomed to the living conditions, whether it was the soft bed or the clean and tidy environment.

But overall, you won't dislike it after experiencing it.

After all, cats naturally have a fondness for soft, plush things.

Xia Chen didn't try to be overly attentive, as some things can be too much or too little. So he asked Gardevoir to help take care of Zeraora's daily life while she was injured.

Both Pokémon are female, and Gardevoir healed the old dragon's injuries when they first met, so Zeraora has a good impression of the gentle Gardevoir.

Gardevoir gave her a hot bath and dried her fur with her help. Afterwards, she enjoyed the late-night snack Xia Chen had prepared...

This was the first time Zeraora had received such meticulous care, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

Having friends around seems nice...

Zeraora, who had always considered himself a lone traveler, suddenly had this idea.

By the time all the miscellaneous tasks were finished, it was already late at night.

Zeraora lay on the soft bed, which felt completely different from the stone house, her thoughts a jumble of complex emotions.

From nearly being abducted by some treacherous humans while trapped in a damp, cold swamp, to now living in such a warm and comfortable environment...

The transformation still seems somewhat surreal when I think about it now.

Zeraora is indeed a legendary Pokémon, but it is just a wild Pokémon with no special experiences. For it, whose life experiences are relatively simple and thin, the series of events that happened today have a greater impact than the previous ten years combined.

No matter how turbulent her thoughts were, a special figure lingered in Zeraora's mind, never leaving.

Xia Chen...

It silently recited the name of this human, whom it had only recently met, yet whose name was already deeply imprinted in its heart.

Unbeknownst to her, Zeraora drifted off to sleep enveloped in a soft embrace.

The previous few hours had already taken a toll on its body and mind.

Zeraora was really exhausted.

Outside the door, a pair of clear, crimson eyes suddenly lit up in the darkness. Gardevoir, who was leaning against the door, had her white dress fluttering as she quietly left.

It rained all night.

…………

The next day, the rain hadn't stopped, but the intensity had weakened slightly.

Looking at the gloomy and desolate scene outside, Xia Chen, who had gotten up early, stretched.

"Ibu, how about making breakfast a little sweeter today? Caramel almond cookies, palmiers, and ginger milk pudding? The weather outside is so bad, we need something sweet to replenish our pent-up energy."

Xianbu, who was leaning against the windowsill watching the rain, yawned, indicating that he didn't care.

However, she secretly thought to herself, "What do you mean by 'because the weather is too bad'? The real reason is that Zeraora likes to eat sweets!"

No one understands Xia Chen better than her.

Xia Chen ordered a lot of ingredients before the rain last night. The villa was also fully equipped with an oven and other appliances, so Xia Chen quickly prepared breakfast for today.

"Xianbu, go wake them up."

Xia Chen casually took off her apron and hung it on the chair, then began to carefully arrange the caramel almond cookies and butterfly cookies that had just been taken out of the oven at the dining table.

"As you can see, I'm a bit busy right now, please help me!"

Xianbu pouted. "I've never seen you pay so much attention to plating before."

(ˉ▽￣～) Tsk~

Xia Chen smiled helplessly, walked over and patted her head, "Okay, I secretly steamed a basket of your favorite xiaolongbao for you. Go get it yourself in a bit, but don't tell Duolong and the others."

Xianbu immediately performed a traditional folk art of Donghuang—Sichuan Opera face-changing.

"Bu-ee~ (Okay~ (oωo)?)"

Watching Xianbu hop and skip upstairs, Xia Chen shook his head and chuckled.

It seems that the most important thing for trainers is to master the art of balance...

With Fairy's attentive wake-up call, the elves soon came downstairs in twos and threes, still half-asleep.

Zeraora and Gardevoir are also among them.

Good morning, Zeraora. How did you sleep last night? Are you getting used to it?

Xia Chen gave a polite smile and greeted Zeraora.

After a night, Zeraora looked much better, but because of the lightning strike she had suffered the day before, she walked a little unsteadily.

It seemed a little uncomfortable with "cohabitation," and said somewhat awkwardly, "Good morning—I slept very well last night, thank you for your concern.)"

Xia Chen smiled slightly, "That's good. Come sit down here. We can start eating once everyone arrives."

The third key point of the strategy is to bring the lone traveler into a peaceful and warm daily life, making it unforgettable.

Chapter 494 Alolan Leisurely Home Life

A gloomy, rainy day is enough to kill any thought of outdoor activities.

Rotom said the sky wouldn't clear up until at least tomorrow afternoon, so Xia Chen naturally decided to stay home with the elves today.

The activities available to those who stay at home are very limited. If you don't want to train hard in battles, then electronic entertainment is the only option left.

Xia Chen usually schedules training sessions after dinner during the holidays, otherwise wouldn't it be a waste of the precious daytime hours?

As for what to do with this precious time, Xia Chen's answer was—of course, to waste it.

After breakfast, Xia Chen lay on the sofa and played a battle match with the Pokémon in "Pokémon Duel".

Apart from Milotic and Volcarona, which are a few creatures without arms, all the other Pokémon got involved.

These kinds of fighting games test your skills and reflexes the most, and in this respect, even Xia Chen, who has superpowers, is no match for the elves.

In ten matches, Xia Chen lost nine. The only time he won was when the gentle Gardevoir went easy on him out of pity for Gege.

Soon, unable to enjoy the game, he angrily threw down the controller and left this heartbreaking battlefield, finding Zeraora sitting to the side, staring blankly out the window, seemingly enjoying the rain.

"Zeraora, what do you usually do on rainy days?"

He handed over a glass of tree juice laced with a secret medicinal powder and struck up a conversation.

"Thank you...."

Zeraora took the cup with both paws, first thanking him, then thinking for a moment and saying, "Ora... (If you're going to do anything... like this.)"

Xia Chen nodded. "I understand. Just space out."

Zeraora's slender cat eyes narrowed slightly. There seemed to be nothing wrong with what he said, but coming from this guy, there was something strange about it...

"Well, what I mean is, since we're in a new place, why not try something new?"

Xia Chen declared eloquently, "For example, try playing the Nine Regions Climbing to the Top, the world's greatest open-world...fighting game, Pokémon Duel!"

Zeraora glanced at the noisy living room. At that moment, Draco and Sylveon were battling each other. On the screen, two cartoonish little elves were running around, seemingly fighting.

Off-screen, Sinbu and Dorombalo were also exchanging barbs, making for a fierce battle both on and off the field.

The elves watching from the sidelines would occasionally point fingers at the situation with a tone of disappointment and a self-righteous expression.

Although I don't understand what they're doing, they seem quite interesting.

Zeraora thought to himself.

"Go, join them."

Xia Chen laughed and said, "Or are you afraid of losing to them in the game?"

Ha, what a poor attempt at provocation.

Jeraora glanced at Xia Chen, but still carried the juice towards the living room.

Xia Chen smiled slightly. Cats are such easy creatures to handle.

…………

Sitting in the spot where Zeraora had just been, Xia Chen scrolled through his phone for a while, checking the news—

My main concern is whether what happened last night has been exposed.

Although it's a veil of justice, it still doesn't comply with the League's legal procedures, and if it's discovered, it might cause some trouble.

Fortunately, these Pokémon poachers were actually Rattata from the sewers. They had been concealing their whereabouts on their way from Unova to Alola, so the League had no idea that they had come to Alola, let alone that they had disappeared.

In addition, the rain was heavy last night, and Deoxys cleaned things up very well, so the Dragon Poaching Gang disappeared from the world without a trace.

Xia Chen investigated and found nothing unusual, so he was relieved.

Just as he was about to put down his phone and go to the living room, a local news item from Alora caught his attention—

A massive explosion occurred at Etherland last night, resulting in the deaths and injuries of 15 people and 32 elves. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

What the heck? A massive explosion at Etherland?

Xia Chen was momentarily stunned, then quickly summoned his Rotom phone.

"Quick, help me find information related to this news... Wait, let's call Lillie first."

"Okay, Loto!"

The dial tone of a waiting phone call came through his ear, and Xia Chen unconsciously tapped the windowsill as he pondered this sudden event.