c3 – City or Not?
Pichu wobbled as it stood up, its tiny body swaying like a rubber ball on the floorboards.
It waved eagerly at Houndour. "Pichu, pichu! (Come on, hurry up!)"
Pichu neatly tied on its small apron and slipped its little gloves onto its round paws the ones Aipom had stitched from old towels. With an athletic hop, it climbed onto the table, its short legs stepping on the stool with adorable determination.
It grabbed a paper towel, wiped a dish roughly until the grease was gone, and then with sparkling eyes lifted the plate high.
"Pichu, pichu! (Catch it, quick!)"
Houndour's heart nearly stopped.
Wait, are we playing this kind of game?!
If it didn't catch it, the plate would shatter into shards!
Wouldn't Xia Mu throw him out of the Fang Yuan Breeding House that very day to "reflect on his actions" under the moonlight?
Houndour's pupils contracted to pinpoints. Its muscles tensed, ears flicking back as its hunter instincts kicked in.
It lunged forward in one fluid motion, the same agility that once earned it the nickname Black Flash among its clan. Its jaws snapped shut and caught the falling plate cleanly!
Success!
But Pichu wasn't done.
"Pichu, pichu!!" it squeaked excitedly, clapping its hands. It tossed down not one, not two but several plates in rapid succession like it was using Double Team (Agility Form).
Houndour's eyes widened. Its body became a blur, its paws and tail moving at lightning speed. One after another, it caught the plates, stacking them desperately.
By the end, it looked like an acrobat balancing dishes in a Pokémon Contest.
Left paw: two plates.
Right paw: three plates.
Head: two plates.
Left leg: one plate.
Mouth: one plate.
If there had been one more, the whole tower would've come crashing down like a Rock Slide.
Before Houndour could even breathe a sigh of relief, Pichu suddenly leapt into the air face full of joy, as if to perform a "two-way rush" reunion jump.
But Houndour panicked and hopped aside on one leg to protect the plates.
With a crisp paji! Pichu landed face-first on the wooden floor.
Everything froze for a second.
"Oh no…"
Pichu's inner voice wailed dramatically, My cute face is ruined!
It covered its cheeks with both paws, a red mark forming on its forehead, and then glared furiously at Houndour.
"Pichu, pichu!! (Why didn't you catch me?!)" it demanded, pointing accusingly at its small bump.
"Pichu, pichu, pichu! (I could've been disfigured, you know?!)"
Houndour silently placed the stack of plates into the sink, finally exhaling deeply.
Thank Arceus. If he'd broken them, he'd probably be banned from the breeding house and forced to sleep in the wild eating dry Pokéblocks.
But then a new problem struck how to wash the dishes.
Houndour's expression stiffened. As a Fire-type Pokémon, its instinctive aversion to water made its tail droop.
Every bath back at the Yanhuang Region Breeding Center had been a battle literally. It wailed louder than a Miltank during milking, and it always took three staff members and a Machoke to hold it down.
Still, that aversion had trained Houndour's reflexes. Its sprint speed had far surpassed the average for its species. Among the pack it was once part of, its nickname was Black Flash, a nod to its explosive bursts of speed and fiery maneuvers.
Now, that same Black Flash stared nervously at the sink full of suds.
Its gaze turned toward Pichu, who was still humming cheerfully, cleaning up the garbage on the table.
Golden arcs began to flicker around Pichu's tail, crackling softly. The nearby fork rattled against the table with a sharp metallic de-de-de! sound.
Then, under the influence of Pichu's magnetic discharge, the fork slowly lifted off the table and floated through the air toward the sink.
With a final spark, it dropped neatly into the basin. Pichu turned the faucet with both paws, and clear water gushed out.
Despite its earlier anger, Pichu wasn't one to hold grudges. It poured a bit of Oran-berry–scented detergent on the plates and let them soak.
Then, grabbing a plate nearly bigger than itself, it started scrubbing with a rag demonstrating the process to Houndour.
After a few moments, Pichu turned and beckoned.
"Pichu, pi! (Your turn, come on!)"
Houndour froze. Its fur bristled slightly. The instinctive restraint between Fire and Water surged up, a biological reaction every Fire-type had a reminder of the elemental balance.
But under Pichu's encouraging squeaks and glowing smile, Houndour sighed deeply.
Fine. A real partner never backs down.
It stepped on the stool, wobbling a little, and stretched its front paws to reach the sink. The basin was filled with shining foam and right then, Pichu giggled mischievously, scooped up a handful of bubbles, and blew them toward Houndour.
The transparent bubbles floated slowly, glittering under the sunlight.
But Houndour's pupils shrank in terror. To it, those bubbles weren't harmless they were like a sudden Hydro Pump incoming from a Gyarados.
The Black Flash froze.
The foam splashed against Houndour's nostrils, and it let out a miserable howl that echoed through the kitchen like a faint Ember misfire.
Pichu was startled by the sudden roar and dove headfirst into the foam, creating a huge puff of bubbles that floated across the sink like drifting Oran Berries in a pond.
Yet after a few seconds, Houndour realized there was no pain, no burning sensation.
It blinked in confusion, sniffed the air, and then looked down at its soaked paws.
This foam… it doesn't hurt me at all?
It stared blankly for a moment, its mind flashing back to the time at the Pokémon Breeding House, when it had to be restrained by three staff members and an Aipom holding a towel just to take a single bath. But this time, the soap bubbles felt gentle warm, not threatening.
It was as if a brand new door to the world had opened for Houndour.
Pichu popped up from the sink, bubbles covering its head like a mountain of whipped cream. Its resentful, watery eyes glared fiercely at Houndour.
The embarrassed Fire-type awkwardly stuck out its tongue.only for Pichu to retaliate by pouring a mouthful of bubble water right into its face.
( へ ╬ )
That did it.
Flustered and furious, Houndour lost all composure. Forgetting its Fire-type instincts and fear of water entirely, it plunged its paw into the sink and sent a massive wave of bubbles splashing back at Pichu.
The Electric Mouse Pokémon yelped as the suds hit its face, its cheeks sparking faint golden arcs that fizzled out instantly in the moisture. It tried to curse back, but all that came out were foamy bubbles popping one by one"Pffft! Pfft!" until even it had to laugh.
Houndour's tail wagged slightly, and the corners of its mouth curled upward. For the first time since it arrived at Xia Mu's care, it forgot its fears and simply played.
The two Pokémon traded splash after splash, bubbles flying through the air like snow.
From the doorway, Xia Mu and Aipom watched quietly. The young trainer's lips curved into a soft smile.
"They did it," Xia Mu whispered. "They finally broke that wall."
Aipom nodded, its tail-hand giving a small thumbs-up before catching a stray bubble midair and popping it with a giggle.
By the time the kitchen fell silent again, foam covered every corner. Houndour's once-dark fur was dripping, and Pichu was sitting in the sink, panting with exhaustion.
Both Pokémon looked around at the disaster they'd caused the counters were soaked, the floor glistened, and the utensils looked like they had been through a small water battle.
But for all their exhaustion, both smiled faintly. Together, they cleaned the mess, pushing the mop and towels around until the kitchen sparkled once again.
"Houndour, Pichu," Xia Mu said with genuine warmth, "thank you for your hard work today."
He patted their heads gently. "Take a nice warm bath later. You've both earned it."
Houndour's fur was still heavy with foam, making it squirm uncomfortably. But when the warm water from the shower rained down on its back, its reaction wasn't fea, it was pure relaxation.
Its crimson eyes softened. For the first time, bathing didn't feel like punishment. It felt… peaceful.
Under Xia Mu's careful drying with a towel, Houndour's coat regained its natural luster, darker and smoother than before. Then, Xia Mu guided it up the stairs to the second floor.
There, in a cozy corner beside a window, was a small nest woven with Pelipper feathers soft, warm, and slightly salty from the sea breeze.
The name "Houndour" was written neatly on the wooden frame.
"Houndour," Xia Mu said gently, "welcome to my home. This is your bed for now try it out. If it's not comfortable, I'll adjust it tomorrow."
He grinned. "City or not city?"
Houndour's eyes shimmered. It had never been treated like this before not as a tool, not as a stray but as family.
Its heart burned with a different kind of flame, one that had nothing to do with Ember or Fire Fang.
With a soft yawn, Houndour curled into the feathered nest, tail tucked beneath its chin. Within moments, it drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Downstairs, Xia Mu changed into casual clothes and prepared to head out.
"Aipom," he said, "I'm going to the supermarket to check for discounted ingredients. Watch the house while I'm gone, okay?"
Aipom saluted, tail-hand raised.
Xia Mu smiled, adjusting the small satchel where he carried Pokéballs and tools.
"I'll also pick up that Great Ball and a few Garchomp Berries before the Skitty Supermarket closes. We can't miss those deals."
As he stepped outside under the dim Rustboro streetlights, a gentle wind brushed past.
Inside the house, Pichu and Houndour slept soundly one on the sofa, one in the feather nest each dreaming of tomorrow's adventures.
Learning from the lessons of the previous volume, this story now deepens the bonds between trainer and Pokémon—showing not just battle power, but warmth, growth, and the heart of companionship.
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