“Well, the tea has gone cold.”

An awkward mood has settled between Sabrina and Comfey, which also affects Oddish.

Readying herself to apologize for the mishap, Comfey looks up to Sabrina.

Only to find her drinking the cold tea at once, not changing her face one bit.

A little dumbfounded, she momentarily forgets about the apology.

”Let’s go. I want to see what kind of progress the others made.”

Not facing her, Sabrina walks away after saying so.

Somewhere in between, she already scooped up Oddish, even though Comfey would swear she was just next to her.

Hurriedly following after, she decides that apologizing doesn’t seem to be high on priority.

”Hey, does someone want to show the progress he made?”

At her shout, Vulpix, which didn’t train too far from the front of the house, scoffs.

She doesn’t fool Sabrina with that one bit, knowing she trained initially before the field instead.

The position change was an indirect show-off of her progress.

Too bad that Sabrina didn’t see her previous attempt, and she now feels awkward trying to use Sunny Day after her arrogant display.

Bulbasaur comes out with more energy, wanting to show his progress.

Already three leaves came flying her way. Harmless, but progress.

Abra seems to have languidly teleported to her, being later than Bulbasaur.

But what he does is quite a surprise to Sabrina, as a mirror-like square appears in the air, then getting transparent.

”Oh, I believe I know that one! That was to reverse Defense and Special Defense, right? Wonder Room.”

Only Abra’s gaze wanders in her direction, not getting any better reaction.

After the mirror seemed to have completely vanished, Exeggcute came over to her.

However it moves, it probably has either to do with psychic powers or another different Pokémon shenanigans.

It doesn’t roll or wobble or something similar. it just moves.

Seemingly having decided that it’s near enough, it shows off its newest attempt at Psybeam.

By now, it’s clearly recognizable what it tries to do.

Around five to four meters can the energy travel before it completely flickers out of existence.

”Good, you seem to have made progress. But though it may look like this, I guess you will need more time."

Exeggcute gave a visible nod, while Vulpix’s tail dropped a bit.

Abra didn’t give any discernible reaction.

”The first 90% need 10% of the effort, and the last 10% need 90% of it, or similar.

Anyone a rough estimation until you can at least reliable use it?”

Three fingers. Abra is the only one giving a Number, but Exeggcute seems to agree, at least.

”Vulpix, I need your help to test a care taking set.

It’s specialised for Pokémon who don’t want to get wet, so I thought you were the best to judge it.”

I can’t just saw I want to clean her.

Even though she shows such a proud demeanor, as if opposed to me being her trainer, she still complies when it doesn’t go in the way of her pride.

Sometimes, I wonder what her real problem is.

Someone taking care of her? Or ordering her?

And it’s not that she isn’t smart enough to read between the lines. It’s more like she wants to keep up the illusion of it.

Or I am just blind guessing things and am wrong. Could also be.

It’s hard to say. One could think I would understand her pretty well with all my interpretations and interactions, but there is a fog of obscurity around her.

Well, only for my ‘Pokemon Sense’ or whatever, which allows me to communicate so fluidly with Comfey.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

To interpret her behavior is still possible, like acting a bit embarrassed when lifting her head proudly or the rigid movement when acting proud, but then suddenly shifting her demeanor when the ‘act’ is over.

…

Is it creepy when I watch so closely?

Maybe I am just too overexcited about having Pokémon that I unconsciously am overattentive.

It should wear down with time. Probably. Hopefully.

”There are two kinds of brittle brushes, please tell me which one you think is better.”

Actually, for proper cleaning, both brushes should be used.

The ‘rough’ parts with processed Sandslash spikes, which preemptively fell off.

Mostly because of damage in battle, it seems.

On the other, Tauros hairs were used.

Fine dust gathers on it, and natural oils get better distributed.

Not that I know how important that is.

Just wanting to know which feels better for her.

Ouch, the Sandshlash one doesn’t seem to draw blood until a lot of force is used, but it still hurts a bit.

”Vuuuuuuuuuuu. piiixxxxxx.”

Seems to be well received.

Now the Tauros Brush.

Doesn’t sting but feels a bit like sandpaper.

It’s from the tail of a Tauros, I believe.

Are they really that hard and stiff? Couldn’t it potentially use tail attacks like that?

”vuuuuu.”

Hmmm, the reaction isn’t as intense.

She neither fully relaxes nor seems to be as happy as before.

Is the Sandslash one better?

”Vuuulpix!”

”Ahem, your tail needs to be cleaned too.”

”Vuu!”

”We could end it here, but then only your tail would be dirty.”

Wordlessly, Vulpix seats herself on Sabrina’s lap again.

It seems to be a bit embarrassing for her, but she doesn’t interrupt it.

Sabrina is a bit tempted to give her a little star mark, like a doctor who applauds her bravery for sitting still when examined.

Not that she has any.

”So, your tail did take longer than anything else, but I guess it was well worth it.”

Again, wordlessly, Vulpix walks away with a swagger that made her nearly laugh.

Like a peacock. Upon thinking of that comparison, Sabrina can’t hold it anymore.

Vulpix obviously noticed, her ears moving irritated, but she chose to go down with Style, ignoring the laughter behind her.

Sabrina burst out in laughter again.

But as she sensed something amiss, she noticed a shadow looming over her.

”You look like a delicate, soft-spoken girl, even though you are completely different.”

Jerome somehow got near her without getting noticed by Sabrina.

Well, when she was so distracted by laughing, it should be natural to miss him.

Wait, why is everyone else also looking astonished at him?

”Did you come alone?”

”No. Vanessa is playing with Poliwag’s a bit further upwards the stream.”

”With Arcanine?”

”Yes. She wanted to visit you and dragged me with her.”

”Well, I guess you are the second person around my age I know, and I and your mother are business partners, kind of.”

”I am pretty sure she didn’t think of any of these points.”

”… what a vote of confidence.”

”What did you just do to laugh like that?”

”Compared a prideful walking Vulpix with its tail puffed out to another creature, which made it even funnier.”

”Vuuuu!”

”Ahh, why did it tackle me?”

”Maybe because you are the easier target?”

”Guys, look what I found!”

Tangela Vines. Some bluish vines soaked wet.

A bit of a surprise, honestly, as Tangela doesn’t need a big body of water, even when the appearance might suggest otherwise.

Which doesn’t exclude it from being near them, I guess.

”I heard they decompose fast, so you might get fertilizer pretty quick with them.”

”Thanks. But it’s a bit doubtful how much nutrients they would really have, considering they regrow at a rapid pace.”

”But it’s better than nothing, fast, and the Pokémon might even be near here.”

”I guess? When I don’t meet it, then there isn’t much of a point to it. But I would like to meet it.”

Vanessa began to pout, seemingly dissatisfied and about to say something.

Jerome smoothly inserted himself, or rather, both of us were surprised by him, so we gave him our attention.

”Anyway, you seem to have Grass Pokémon in pretty high regard, it seems.”

”Yes, I do. But Comfey isn’t actually a Grass Type when you think it is.

Pure Fairy, even when it can learn a wide array of Grass Moves.”

”Fairy? Isn’t that super strong against dragons?”

”Yes, or rather, I guess it’s the counter type.

Especially by being a pure type, it won’t have any vulnerability to moves of other types that Dragons could typically learn.

Mostly. There are always exceptions.”

”Could I borrow Comfey when I would really need to?”

”No, not for battling dragons, at least.”

”Awww.”