Chapter 169: N's Ideal

N and his two older sisters had all brought Pokémon with them.

Only none of them used Poké Balls, so they kept their Pokémon by their side at all times.

Fortunately, none of them were very large.

"I wouldn't recommend you go messing with its doll."

Standing in the room, Baimu said to another "Baimu": "This little trick of framing and shifting blame won't fool Mawile."

"Hee-hee-hee-hee!"

"Baimu" let out an eerie laugh, red light flickering between its eyes, then suddenly leaped down and transformed into a black fox with patches of red fur.

"Hee-hee-hee-hee!"

Zorua let out a strange laugh at Baimu, seemingly trying to escape through the window.

Unfortunately, it rather underestimated someone's explosive speed.

Just as the former jumped onto the windowsill, a violent gust of wind suddenly sounded from behind; Zorua's heart clenched and it leaped outward, but soon found itself being held in someone's arms.

"Do all Dark-type Pokémon really love playing pranks?"

Baimu held the struggling Zorua and turned to look at Baberina standing at the doorway. "Or is it that because they love playing pranks, they get classified as Dark-type?"

"That's one reason, but it's not the whole of type classification—there are other considerations."

Baberina showed a gentle smile. "For example, in Unova there's a Pokémon called Pumpkaboo; although it also loves playing pranks, it's genuinely a Grass- and Fairy-type Pokémon."

"I see…"

Baimu nodded. "Uh, lunch is already ready—shall we eat? Or is it not to your taste?"

"No, the food is delicious. I'm mainly worried that Zorua did something out of line—it's still very young and can't fully understand certain things."

Baberina slightly lowered her head. "Regarding this afternoon's matter, I must apologize to you once again."

"No need, no need—it wasn't intentional in the first place, and the lawn has already been repaired. Let's just let this matter pass." Baimu smiled and pinched Zorua's nose; the latter glared.

Three new guests had arrived.

Baimu naturally needed to introduce the various circumstances of his home.

And the Zorua N had brought, being far too mischievous, had torn a one-meter-long gash in the front lawn while roughhousing with Axew.

Since it wasn't intentional.

Aggron naturally wouldn't lose its temper at Zorua and Axew—besides, the lawn was meant for play in the first place, and a little wear and tear from roughhousing was perfectly normal.

Still, it was hard not to feel a bit sullen.

Others might not have noticed, but Baimu certainly could, so he comforted it a little. And for N and his two older sisters, a Pokémon's emotions were crystal clear, so they apologized again and again.

In truth, Baimu was well aware that this was actually his own responsibility.

Aggron wasn't wrong to protect the fruits of its labor, but that protectiveness seemed to be trending toward excess—to an outsider, this big lug even seemed a touch petty.

He didn't know what other people's Aggron were like, but Baimu knew that as long as he could give it a mountain—or even a mountain range—it surely wouldn't feel sullen over a one-meter gash in the lawn.

In the end, it was simply that its territory wasn't big enough.

Aggron's craving for territory might contain other deeper meanings. For instance, having tasted the flavor of being abandoned, it now longed boundlessly to have a home; or perhaps a will inherited from its parents.

Even among the same species, one Pokémon differs from another.

Ash's Pikachu is the strongest proof of that.

——

Backyard.

Baimu and Chansey, carrying food in a super-large washbasin, brought it before the gathered Pokémon.

Ever since Steelix became a partner, they usually ate outdoors.

Because the former couldn't enter the house, and eating together was the best way to quicken intimacy. Sleeping in each other's arms was harder to arrange, so Baimu chose to recall Steelix into its Poké Ball and place it by the bed.

And at this moment.

Responding to N and the others' strong request, Baimu had no choice but to move the dining table out of the house, ensuring the trainers could dine together with their Pokémon.

To keep dust from flying up, he also lightly dampened the ground with water.

N, helping out while watching Chansey run back and forth for Baimu, couldn't help but say: "Baimu, it's obvious your Chansey really likes you."

"Is that so? Thank you. Hearing that makes me very happy."

The latter returned a bright smile.

As someone who can communicate with Pokémon, N's presence is like the in-game appraiser who checks a Pokémon's affection level.