The Snivy hadn't shown aggression like the Minccino, nor had it turned and fled in fear like the Deerling and other Pokémon.
It simply stood quietly behind the snow-covered tree, its golden eyes locked on Lucien's.
Only when Lucien opened his mouth, as though about to speak, did Snivy finally stir.
It gave him one last, long look, then silently turned and slipped away into the forest, vanishing with remarkable speed.
"Wait!"
Lucien's hand froze in mid-air.
But Snivy was too fast. In the blink of an eye, it had disappeared.
Lucien: "..."
Snivy!
He hadn't expected such a Pokémon to appear here of all places.
Dratini's growth was too slow, and Lucien had been considering raising another Pokémon, something that matured faster, like Ash's Butterfree in the anime, to help him through these early stages. But he hadn't found a suitable candidate.
The local Cryogonal and Piloswine, while powerful, were not beginner-friendly companions.
And now, the perfect option had revealed itself!
Snivy, one of Unova's Grass-type starters, was gentle yet proud, with a moderate growth rate and an evolutionary line that culminated in the mighty Serperior. Its ceiling was extremely high.
In other words, it was the ideal partner for him!
But there was a problem.
Snivy had escaped…
Lucien walked to the spot where Snivy had been standing, staring into the depths of the forest.
That was where it had gone.
He knew charging into the deep forest alone in search of Snivy would be reckless.
But Pokémon rarely left their home ranges. Unless forced, they usually remained within their own territory, wandering too far meant intruding into another Pokémon's domain, risking a fight.
That meant Snivy was still nearby.
Sooner or later, their paths would cross again.
"Perhaps I can ask the Minccino for information," Lucien thought, turning back toward his tent.
But when he stepped inside, he stopped dead in his tracks.
The once-dusty tent was now spotless, almost gleaming.
The five Minccino were hard at work, scurrying about and polishing every corner with their tails.
"W-What's going on?" Lucien blurted.
"Ugh…" Dratini lay curled up on the freshly cleaned table, looking utterly miserable.
Lucien: "...?"
Why was Dratini acting like it had been exiled?
He quickly understood when one of the Minccino marched over, spotted a stain he had left on the carpet, and squeaked disapprovingly:
"Chini!"
It shoved Lucien gently out of the way, then set to work with its tail.
Only when the carpet shone did the little Pokémon sigh with relief, wiping its brow with one tiny paw.
"Chini~!"
All clean!
If this tent was going to be their winter den, it had to be spotless.
Lucien: "..."
So… the Minccino had been disgusted by the mess?
Still, he couldn't deny it, the place had never looked better.
The five Minccino then scrambled onto Lucien's bed, claiming the warmest, softest spot as their new home.
Lucien glanced at their status panel:
[Pokémon: Minccino]
[Type: Normal]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Technician]
[Moves: Tail Whip, Pound, Baby-Doll Eyes, Swift, Helping Hand, Tidy Up]
[Friendship: 30 (max 100, can exceed under special conditions)]
[Background: Born in Year 145 of the Royal Calendar. In Year 148, invited to temporarily join Lucien's territory.]
With these five Minccino, plus the six Magikarp he had stocked earlier, his Pokémon subjects now totaled eighteen.
An unexpectedly impressive number.
"Chini?"
The Minccino looked up at Lucien with their round, curious eyes.
Lucien cleared his throat, sat down beside the bed, and said with a smile,
"By the way, Minccino, I have something to ask you."
The five little Pokémon tilted their heads in unison, puzzled expressions on their faces.
"Chini?"
"Do you know a Pokémon called Snivy? It's green, small, and shaped a bit like a snake," Lucien asked.
"Chini…?"
At his words, the Minccino exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with memory.
A moment later, one of them squeaked, "Chini!"
"You've seen it?" Lucien's brows rose. "Does it live around here, like you?"
The Minccino nodded eagerly. "Chini!"
So Snivy's home must have been destroyed as well.
Lucien's heart sank slightly. Different Pokémon reacted to the loss of their homes in different ways.
The Minccino had fought bravely to protect their trees.
The Patrat and Deerling had fled in fear.
But Snivy… how would it respond?
Lucien felt a pang of guilt. At the very least, he would do everything he could to make amends. If Snivy was willing, he would welcome it into the territory and, come next spring, rebuild a fruit forest for it to call home.
That night, the Minccino experienced their first sleep inside human dwellings.
The orange glow of charcoal filled the tent, banishing the wind and snow. For the first time in a long while, there were no threats, no hunger, only warmth and peace.
All five Minccino piled onto Lucien's bed, nestling around him and Dratini.
One curled up on his head, one on his blanket, one by his feet, one against his stomach, and one nestled at his side.
Lucien's mouth twitched.
"Are you sure you don't mind being crowded?"
"Chini~?" 'Not at all!'
The Minccino wriggled comfortably into place. After all, back in their tree hollow, they always huddled together to keep warm.
Lucien: "…"
Never mind. Since they'd cleaned the tent spotless, he would allow them this indulgence.
And truthfully, surrounded by the warmth of their fluffy little bodies, it was hard not to feel at ease.
"Dratini, time to sleep," Lucien whispered, stroking the little dragon's head.
Nestled in his arms, Dratini let out a soft hum and soon drifted into peaceful slumber.
"Swish!"
Elsewhere in the night, two green vines lashed upward, coiling around a sturdy branch.
From below, the Snivy vaulted gracefully into the treetop.
It perched high above, gazing down at the human settlement below, where flickering flames glowed softly against the snow.
"Viiine…"
...
STONES PLEASE. 5 Bonus Chapters @ top 50 this week