Pokémon Home Store - Living Room.
Jirachi sat comfortably on Hiroshi's lap. It happily accepted the square, colorful snacks—special Energy Cubes—that Hiroshi had retrieved from the shelf, eating them one delicate bite at a time.
"Yummy~"
"It's exactly my favorite taste, Hiroshi~" A pure, sweet voice echoed directly in Hiroshi's mind through telepathy.
Hiroshi gently scratched Jirachi's chin, much like one would a cat, and the little creature let out a comfortable purring sound. As it chewed, it squinted its starry eyes in sheer bliss. Within the System's authority, every Mythical Pokémon drawn by the Store Manager possessed the highest possible intimacy level with him.
Furthermore, Jirachi had been in a slumbering state in the shop for some time. As it neared its awakening, its consciousness had gradually expanded, allowing it to perceive the warmth and safety of the store and its manager. Thus, upon fully waking, Jirachi didn't feel like a stranger at all.
"Hiroshi, give me a hug~"
"Hug me~"
Jirachi finished the box of Energy Cubes and stood up unsteadily on Hiroshi's lap. It stretched out its small, white hands, a child-like expectation radiating from its soft, cute face. Its voice, heard mentally, was as innocent as a young human girl's.
Hiroshi looked at the small being with a sense of protective sympathy. This Pokémon was destined to wake for only seven days every thousand years, spending the vast majority of its existence in deep sleep. Though Jirachi had existed since ancient times, its actual lived experience—the time spent laughing, playing, and seeing the world—likely didn't equal that of a human toddler.
"Well!" Hiroshi smiled, picking up the small beast and nestling it in his arms. "Hug!"
Jirachi turned its head to look at the other guests on the sofa—Signora and Yelan. It cast a timid, curious look their way.
"Jirachi, say hello to the guests too," Hiroshi prompted.
Like a well-behaved child, Jirachi mustered its courage. "Hello... hello... My name is Jirachi..."
The sheer aura of cuteness was overwhelming. Even Signora, who usually maintained a cold, arrogant facade, felt the corners of her lips twitch into a faint, involuntary smile.
Yelan, however, was already focused on her Pokédex, scanning the small creature.
Pokémon Data: Jirachi
Type: Steel / Psychic
Classification: Wishing Pokémon
Ability: Serene Grace
Level: 120 (Tier 1 Legendary)
Skills: Doom Desire, Psychic, Rest, Healing Wish...
Description: A legend from the distant past states that Jirachi will realize the wishes written on the "notes" on its head when it awakens.
Yelan gasped. She didn't have access to the Manager's detailed system logs, but the Pokédex was clear: Level 120.
She thought back to the arena. Hu Tao's Gabite, which had seemed so fierce and powerful, was only Level 25. Yelan, who hadn't officially adopted a Pokémon yet, didn't understand the concepts of "level caps" or "bottlenecks" that made the Champion rank (Lv. 80) a wall of despair for most Trainers. To see a Level 120 Tier 1 Legendary sitting in a man's lap like a plush toy was a shock to her intelligence-gathering mind.
As a Tier 1 Legendary, Jirachi's authority over "Prayer" and "Wishes" was nearly absolute within the confines of Teyvat. For Hiroshi, having a "Universal Wishing Machine" that was also incredibly loyal was the ultimate strategic reserve.
"Jirachi," Hiroshi said with a subtle, mischievous smile.
Yelan felt a sudden prickle of danger.
"Miss Yelan just mentioned she wanted a very specific kind of tea..." Hiroshi repeated her casual, joking remarks word for word: "Dried Jueyun Chilis. The stamens of Glaze Lilies. Yunlai Pekoe."
Jirachi took on a serious expression, tilting its head as if processing a complex request. After a moment, it nodded heavily.
"A very simple wish~" Jirachi chimed. "Do you want it right now?"
Its eyes, as black as the midnight sky, fixed on Yelan. The Pokémon looked innocent, yet Yelan found herself inexplicably nervous, her legs tensing as she sat on the sofa.
"Miss Yelan, if I were you, I'd turn on the video recording function," Hiroshi advised. "A video of Jirachi fulfilling a wish is a piece of history. Not even the Seven Archons possess this specific kind of divine authority."
Realizing the intelligence value, Yelan immediately activated her Pokédex.
"I'll add you to the celebrity customer group now," Hiroshi added. "Post the video there. I guarantee you'll become the most talked-about person in the chat."
Ding-dong.
[System: Yelan has joined the Group Chat.]
Yelan's eyes scanned the list of famous names from Mondstadt and Liyue. A mysterious, satisfied smile bloomed on her face. She loved the thrill of danger and the sense of accomplishment that came with possessing unique information. Following Hiroshi's lead, she uploaded the clip of Jirachi.
The Group Chat exploded.
Hu Tao: What's going on?! This Director just left for five minutes!
Xiangling: Wow! The Wishing Star finally woke up! Look at those tags!
Ningguang: It's the beast that appeared alongside Cresselia! We finally have the data!
Klee: It's so small, like a puppy!
Venti: Hey, look at the level! Tier 1 God!
Zhongli: A wishing Pokémon... Such power and divine authority is theoretically closer to the primordial laws of time and space than elemental ones.
Tartaglia: Level 120?! You mortals are obsessed with "cute." You've never been hit by a Level 120 move! You don't know the terror!
Yelan: @Tartaglia, I see you. Listening to your tone, it sounds like you've already been "educated" by a Legendary...
Lisa: Manager Hiroshi, if Jirachi can grant any wish... I'm willing to provide "bed-warming" services to the Store Manager in exchange for a wish...
[System: Lisa has been banned by Administrator Mona for 30 minutes.]
Reason: Escort services are prohibited!
Yanfei: Good guy! If you want to climb into the Manager's bed, do it in private! Don't pollute the panel!
Hu Tao: @Ganyu @Yanfei... Serious academic question: You are half-adepti. If you had a child with the Manager, would the next generation be Quarter-Pokémon-Human-Adepti?
Ganyu: !!!
The dangerous topic Hu Tao raised silenced the chat momentarily. Back in the room, Jirachi began to release its power. Its soft body floated out of Hiroshi's arms, levitating in the center of the room. A trace of starlight began to project onto the ceiling, creating a miniature galaxy.
If Mona were there, she would have fainted from the astronomical clarity. Directly above the store, in broad daylight, a shooting star streaked across the sky.
In the Research Institute, Zhongli and Venti paused their game of Auto Chess.
"Did a wish just get granted?" Venti asked, looking at the sky.
Zhongli didn't answer. He checked the group chat. "A meteor just crossed Liyue. It carries the weight of prayer."
Back in the Store.
Yelan stood in shock. On the coffee table, a pot of steaming tea had appeared out of thin air. The aroma was exactly what she had described—the rare, fragrant Yunlai Pekoe. Beside the teapot were two small plates containing perfectly ground Jueyun Chili powder and Glaze Lily stamen powder.
Bloop.
The "Eye of Reality" on Jirachi's belly—its third eye—slowly opened for a brief second before closing again as the Pokémon drifted back into Hiroshi's arms.
"Are you okay, Jirachi?" Hiroshi asked.
"This wish was very simple," Jirachi yawned. "It didn't cost me any energy at all. Easy~"
Yelan couldn't wait. She poured a cup, mixed in the powders, and took a sip. Her eyes widened. It was the highest quality she had ever tasted. The water temperature, the leaf quality—it was perfect.
Hiroshi turned to Signora, who had been watching the display with narrowed eyes. "Now then, Madam. Since the Wishing Star has blessed our meeting... shall we proceed to your draw? Or are you afraid your ideals won't match the partner the System has in store for you?"
Signora stood up, her crimson dress trailing on the floor. "A wish-granting star is impressive, but I prefer power I can hold in my own hands. Let us see what this 'Fate' of yours provides."
Hiroshi handed her a Pokédex. "Register here. Let's see if the Snezhnayan winter follows you to Liyue."