"T Trainer, is it okay if I go now?"
After a long moment, Lopunny's cheeks were pink and her voice was as soft as steam. Having her ears rubbed always made her overly sensitive.
"All right. Go on."
Noah chuckled and stopped teasing the timid girl. Unlike the unabashedly flirty Gardevoir, Lopunny was an honest soul. She looked like a glamorous bunny girl when transformed, but inside she was shy and easily flustered. The slightest boldness from her Trainer could send her into a tizzy.
A bashful bunny had its own special charm.
I wonder what kind of Trait might drop if I deepen my bond with Lopunny, he thought, watching her sashay toward the bath.
From many sessions with Gardevoir, he had only drawn three so far, Body of Restoration, Psychic Amplifier, and Fairy Form. What would a Lopunny drop be like?
A familiar warmth pressed against his back.
"Trainer."
Noah did not need to turn around. That voice could only belong to one little minx.
"Ah. Nine o'clock already," he said, glancing at the Pidgey wall clock.
He had promised Gardevoir a make up reward after forgetting to give her a Rare Candy in the afternoon. Apparently she had kept perfect time.
"Trainer, give me my reward," she murmured, lifting the hem of her white chiffon with a teasing look.
The lights in the living room dimmed in his mind to a soft blur as the two of them drew close. The rest was the quiet of breath and the warmth of familiar arms.
In the bathroom, water pattered down as Lopunny stood on tiptoe under the shower. After a day of using Rototiller to turn the fields, she felt grimy and sticky, and the warm water felt like a fresh breeze.
She wrung out her hair and reached for a towel hanging on the wall hook. It was one Noah had used before.
She paused, caught off guard by the faint, clean scent, and then shook herself back to focus with a little scold. Stop daydreaming and finish up.
Steam curled around her. She dried off, cheeks still hot for reasons she did not quite understand. Her heart kept skipping in strange little bursts whenever she thought of her Trainer. It felt like a tiny spark had been lit somewhere inside.
Outside, a muffled sound made her blink. She turned off the shower to listen and padded carefully to the door. Voices filtered in.
"That is Trainer and Gardevoir," she whispered, ears glowing at the tips.
She cracked the door an inch and then shut it at once, face burning, telling herself sternly to mind her own business. She finished quickly, wrapped herself snugly, and stepped out.
Half an hour later, Noah found her leaning on the doorframe, knees a little wobbly and cheeks flushed.
"Is the water too hot?" he asked, concerned.
"N no, Trainer," Lopunny said, flustered. "Maybe I stayed in too long."
"I see," Noah said, choosing not to press. He was a bit tired himself after his intense bonding session with Gardevoir, though he had been rewarded for it.
[Supple Form (Blue): If equipped to a Pokémon, improves body control, increases the speed of Fighting-type techniques by 15%, and their power by 10%. If equipped to the Trainer, overall athletic ability improves, and stamina during bonding increases by 25%.]
Reading the description, Noah glanced at Lopunny. It was a perfect match. Lopunny was Normal type, and after Mega Evolution she gained Fighting. Her movepool already included plenty of Fighting techniques like High Jump Kick, Power-Up Punch, and Play Rough's mêlée style. Supple Form would fit her to a T.
Better to equip it to her than keep it for myself.
"System, equip Supple Form to Lopunny."
A soft white glow flowed into her body.
On the surface, nothing changed. Only the panel updated. When Gardevoir had equipped Fairy Form, her presence had grown noticeably more enchanting. With Lopunny, this one seemed like a battle focused boost.
Probably a passive effect, Noah thought, and let it be.
Lopunny, the recipient, felt a flutter all the same. Her breath quickened and her heartbeat turned light and quick. She pressed a hand to her chest, surprised.
W why is my body reacting like this?
She steadied herself and took another breath, cheeks still warm, telling herself to behave.