"I can't get it any larger!" the Eevee exclaims in frustration as he watches the tiny white spec of energy hovering in front of him to fade. Eye twitching, he slams a paw on the ground. "Why can't I do it?!"
The Nickit flinches, hiding her face behind her bushy tail.
The Pangoro sighs as he scratches his head. "No one can perfect something in one day, kid."
The Miltank approaches the small normal-type and gives him a pat on his head. "There, there. Progress is still progress, no?"
He sighs as he pushes her hand away. "I guess..." He slowly lifts his gaze up at the evening sky full of twinkling stars.
The Miltank nods, smiling down at him. "You should call it a night for now, dear. Dinner's almost ready."
Another sigh escapes his mouth as he lamely nods.
The two large Pokemon go back inside the kitchen through the back door, leaving behind the two smaller Pokemon in the backyard.
Shaking his head, he slowly looks at the frightened Nickit, and offers her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you had to see that." His ears droop as his smile fades. "I'm just...really disappointed in myself," he says as he hangs his head.
"You shouldn't be," the Nickit quietly and carefully says as she slowly approaches him. She sits in front of him, leans down on the ground and smiles up at him. "I can't even do more than one."
"At least yours is actually a star."
She smiles brightly at him. "Like I said, if I can do it, then so can you! And besides," she continues as they both sit upright, "you're a rescuer! So you're stronger than me!" She hops in place, her tail wagging. "That means you get to perfect it soon! And other cool moves, too!"
He manages a small smile as he puts his paw on her head. "You give me too much credit." He chuckles as she bats his paw away. As his mirth dies down, a frown forms on his mouth as he slowly gazes at the half moon in the evening sky. "I wonder how my sister is doing."
"What is she like?" Plu asks, blinking in genuine curiosity.
He looks back at her and manages a small smile. "You remind me a lot of her, to be honest." He grins as he suddenly grabs the startled dark-type and furiously ruffles her head. "And I really love doing this to her just to annoy her!"
Struggling to set herself free from his onslaught, she bites his paw.
He winces as he lets her go, and laughs after she tearfully glares at him with a pout.
"Meanie!" she yells at him, smiling a bit. Rearing up, she suddenly tackle-hugs him to the ground.
The two large Pokemon watch them laugh through the door's window in amusement.
A Boltund lets out a very long yawn.
The Cyndaquil frowns as she passes him the clipboard. "You could have just called for the landlord, you know?"
"I could..." the electric dog quietly says as he lies down on the apartment's front lawn. He lets out yet another yawn and puts his head on his paws.
The fire-type's frown goes further down. "Dude, are you seriously going to sleep here?" She looks at the packages in the wagon the dog is attached to. "And what about these deliveries?"
"The recipients will go out eventually," the Boltund quiet says, and soon starts snoring.
The Cyndaquil shakes her head, places the clipboard on his head, walks toward the gate and closes it behind her. Sighing, she looks at the busy streets and watches the many Pokemon starting their days. Walking on the busy sidewalk, she smiles, as something new is happening, and she is excited to the upcoming days as she stops to watch a few flying-types attaching strings of colorful banners on street lamps and on grills of balconies.
"Put it up higher!" a booming voice suddenly erupts from behind her.
Turning around, she sees a large Onix glaring at a few grounded Pokemon attaching the banners on top of street lamps with the help of a ladder.
"Just crawl, you big-ass snake!" one of the workers shout back at the large rock-type.
The Onix turns to glare at him. "And what? Consume a large space of traffic?!"
The Breloom crosses his arms. "Well, that's a good point, actually."
The Cyndaquil chuckles as she turns around and continues on her way.
"Someone's in a happy mood," a Sentret calls, sitting on a bench and waving at the passing Cyndaquil.
She stops in front of him. "Oh, hi. Linik, right?"
He pounds his chest with a paw. "The one and only!" His display of masculinity over, he smiles at the fire-type. "Are you and Shino going steady?"
She shrugs. "I think so. How about you?" she asks, grinning. "Found a girl yet?"
He blushes as he chuckles awkwardly. "M-maybe."
"Oooooooooh."
"Hey, back off," he pleads, trying his best to control his blushing cheeks. "It's not like I asked her out yet or anything!"
"Planning to do it during the festival?"
He looks away as he scratches his head. "Eheheh..."
She chuckles. "Well, good luck to ya!"
"Thanks," he says, smiling back at her. "I'll need it, I think."
"Here you go," the Nickit says with a smile as she places two steaming hot bowls of coffee on the table. "Please enjoy."
The white Vulpix nods, smiling down at her. "Thanks. We will." She watches the Nickit walk towards the next table to take their orders.
"I still find it weird how...normal she is now," the yellow Shinx says as he takes ahold of his bowl of coffee. He blinks down at it. "Oh, wrong bowl." He pushes it towards the ice-type and pulls the other one towards him.
"I think it's great," Vixie says as she grabs her bowl. "She's able to get over her shyness." She sighs. "And at a young age, too."
"Yeah," Shino agrees as Vixie starts blowing cool air on her hot coffee. Lifting his bowl, he takes a sip—
"Why do I have to do the dishes again anyway?!"
The two rescuers blink as their ears twitch to the familiar voice. They turn and see the Pangoro walking down the steps with a struggling Eevee on his grip.
"And let go of me already!"
"Not until you wear your apron, kid!"
"And stop calling me a kid, damn it!"
The duo enter the kitchen as chuckles erupt in the room.
"Huh..." Vixie says, blinking at the Pangoro crossing his arms as the Eevee begrudgingly wears a yellow apron. "So he really does work here."
"Told you," Shino says with a smirk. He then continues sipping his coffee.
"I'm gonna wash them, sheesh! Stop watching me already, you creep!"
"Who are you calling a creep?!"
"TAKE A GUESS YOU FAT PANDA!"
"ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU AND YOU'RE FIRED!"
"YOU NEVER EVEN HIRED ME!"
As the restaurant erupts into laughter, the Nickit enters the kitchen and says something to the Eevee. His ears droop as he lamely starts washing the dishes.
The Nickit then comes out of the kitchen and delivers the two rescuers' foods to their table. "Here you go."
"Sweet," Shino says as he pulls his plate towards him.
"Say uh..."
"Hm?" the Nickit hums in attention, smiling at the white Vulpix. "Do you need something else, miss?"
"That Eevee... How long has he been working here?"
"Not long." She taps her chin in thought. "I think less than a week?"
Vixie blinks. "Huh... And what is working with him like?"
The Nickit smiles at her. "He's great." She looks down and shows her the pink badge on her fluffy chest. "He bought me this, too." She looks back at her with a pout. "He can be a meanie sometimes though, but," she smiles once again, "he's good. He says I'm like a sister to him, so maybe he's like a big brother to me, too."
"I see," the ice-type says as the restaurant's door opens, ringing the bell hanging above it.
The Nickit then leaves the duo be.
She watches her leave for a few before returning to her food, but then her companion's sly smirk catches her attention. She looks up at her with a confused frown. "What?"
"Oh, nothing," he says before throwing a slice of food in his mouth.
She glares at him. "I'm just curious, okay?"
"I never said anything," he replies in between chewing.
"You don't have to," she says before rolling her eyes. "Your smirk says it all."
"If you say so."
"I hate hanging out with you sometimes," she says as she stabs a slice of her food with a spork.
"You guys ready to head out?" Shino asks.
The late morning sun hangs above him and his two friends as they sit on the wide steps of the large guild building, reviewing the latest mission they took the day before.
"As ready as we'll ever be!" Cindy says. "Let's go rescue this Sandshrew's ass and return to enjoy the festival!"
Vixie chuckles and shakes her head. A paw then wraps around her neck, startling her.
Grinning, Cindy pulls the ice-type towards her. "And don't worry, Vixie! The festival will be full of hotties! Shino and I will help you pick someone!"
"Cindy, let go of me," Vixie says, trying but failing to pull herself from her friend's grip.
"I'll make sure you're no longer single before the festival ends!"
Vixie finally pulls herself away from her, and throws her smiling friend a glare as she blindly fixes the curls on her head.
"I don't think you'll need to worry about that," Shino suddenly says, winking at the ice-type.
The Vulpix groans in frustration as the Cyndaquil gasps in surprise.
"Spill, Shino! Who is it?!"
"Why didn't that Sneasel kill me when she had the chance?" Vixie grumbles under her breath as Shino flees from Cindy's attempts of grabbing him.