I had some time to kill whether or not the rain continued through until lunch, but I wasn't entirely sure what to do with myself at the moment. After being kept so busy with the high-energy incidents at the Pokémon Center, I felt like I still was ready to leap into action and do something. Anything, really. I hadn't ever really been one to just sit around and do nothing, after all. There just didn't seem to be anything for me to do! Once I had wrapped up my conversation with Bibarel, I hopped around the house with an aimless energy.

Had I been spoiled by the constant action and attention over the past couple days? It had been a constant stream of one event into the next, and I hadn't really had to spend any time just by myself. Bibarel wandered off after Mable as he often did, shadowing her through the house. I didn't really feel like going outside in the rain, especially if everyone else was liable to be hunkering down or sleeping off the poor weather. There wasn't going to be much to keep my attention out there at the moment.

Just as I was about to resign myself to being bored, I heard a squeaking voice call out to me. "You're back!" A yellow flash of fur flitted past in a near-blur, before slamming into my side with such force that it nearly felt like I was getting attacked. Nubby little arms hugged against my side, and I peeked slightly downward to stare at Dedenne as they hugged my blobby figure. "I was worried that you had wound up hurt after hearing you had to stay in the Pokémon Center after the battle! That's twice you've covered for me already, and you even convinced your trainer to let me come along back with you... I don't know how to thank you!"

I reached out and patted atop the Dedenne's head in a reassuring gesture... and definitely not simply because of the novelty of there actually being a Pokémon around that was smaller than me and the right size for me to pat. "Good to see you too, Dedenne. I didn't really do as much as you might think. Mable might have brought you along even if I hadn't suggested it to her. I'm starting to think that the whole pasture had been started just as an excuse for her to help out Pokémon in need she stumbles across. She took me in without a second thought when Bibarel showed up with me alongside him one day. Glad to hear you've been happy the past couple days."

The electric mouse nodded his head in short, rapid-fire nods that left him looking like a bobble-headed doll. "Oh absolutely! Mable even gave me a little spot of my own! Come on, I'll show you!" Dedenne grabbed at my hand and gave a few pulling tugs as if trying to drag me away, unsuccessfully, with all the energy of a kid that wanted to show off a new present. He was looking in the direction of the kitchen, and I allowed myself to be led along with a little grin.

"Take it easy, I'll follow! It's not like I'm gonna run off and vanish on you!" I laughed at the sheer abundance of energy the little mouse was showing, and the enthusiasm was a little bit infectious. Into the kitchen, straight toward the back door.

Dedenne released his grasp against my hand and scampered toward the door, and began to scamper straight up toward the handle without even a bit of difficulty. A sparkling, sparking trail appeared behind him as he seemed to simply speed upward and latch his tiny hands against the handle, before losing his momentum and letting gravity tug the handle downward, the door opening a crack as he dropped back to the tiled floor below.

"Nice trick!" I called out with an interested voice. I hadn't had the chance to get acquainted properly with electric-type moves thus far, and the back of my mind was idly wondering if that was a usage of an attacking move for mobility purposes. Could it be Volt Switch, or maybe Wild Charge? I gave a short shake of my head to stop myself from roaming off into random thoughts, peering at the expectant face of Dedenne waiting at me by the cracked-open door. "Wait, we're going outside?"

The mouse tipped his head aside and looked at me with an expression of confusion, tail twitching in swaying motions from side to side. "Yeah? At least for just a second. What's wrong?"

"But it's raining." I argued, simply, not wanting to go out and get wet and cold unless I absolutely needed to.

"So what?" Dedenne looked positively baffled by my aversion to the rain, squinting his eyes at me. "It's not like you're a fire-type or anything, what's wrong with a little rain? Heck, I like it when it storms. When the clouds are all crackling with lightning, you can feel the energy in the air! It's refreshing!"

That... was actually a good point. So what about the rain? Was I starting to get too pampered? It's just some water, and I can dry off later. I was a little worried about getting sick if I was out in the wet and cold, but wild Pokémon were out in the weather all the time and usually seemed healthy and fine. To a city-roaming stray like Dedenne, a little rain wasn't even worth considering as bad weather, they were just used to it.

I briefly felt a little silly about having hesitated. Look at how adventurous I am, I mused with self-derision. I'll go on an adventure! As long as it isn't, you know, raining outside or anything. "Yeah, okay. Well, let's go see what you wanted to show me then."

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We both slipped through the slightly-open door, though I made sure to drag it closed behind me as I passed. Even under the rear awning of the house, the wind was blowing right in this direction and pushing the raindrops into our faces, and I didn't want Mable to be annoyed later. I knew I'd have to sit through some scolding if she wandered into the kitchen and saw rain coming in the open door, and I wasn't raised in a barn.

The rain made me shiver, as it was still cold against my body even if it wasn't particularly icy. Dedenne seemed to be taking it in stride, but he had his fur to help keep him warm. Then I promptly slapped myself on the forehead, sighing explosively. If the rain is bothering you so much, dummy, then change forms! Stop forgetting you can do something that simple to deal with your problems!

A light shone across my form as I changed into a new one, for me, that I had spotted in the city but hadn't had the chance to make use of just yet: Bellossom. Leaves grew out across my body, and flowers perched atop my head. Once I had taken on the grass-type's appearance, the rain was no longer even the slightest hindrance to me. Honestly, now it felt rather refreshing and enjoyable.

"So where are we going?" I asked, after adjusting to the new form.

"Oh, just over here!" Dedenne followed along the edge of the house, moving toward another door that I recognized. I'd been in here a few times with Mable when I was helping out. It was a little storage area, and I thought that she had just had boxes and other miscellaneous things stashed away in here. There was even a stack of chairs near one corner that were brought out every time the kids came over.

Dedenne drew my attention to a specific spot tucked away in one of the further corners. It was an almost adorably home-made little 'bed', practically hidden from casual view behind a small pile of boxes. In reality, it looked like someone had taken a shoebox and tucked a blanket and a small pillow into it, but Dedenne seemed extremely pleased with it. "See? I've got my own little bed and everything, and it's right near the outlet, and Mable said she won't be upset if I have to siphon a little electricity to recharge...!" He was speaking a mile a minute, rambling happily, but I was feeling a little confused.

It wasn't that he had a little spot like this, or that amusingly adorable impromptu bed he had been given, but... Mable put him out here in the storage area? That didn't seem like her at all! When I asked, though, Dedenne rubbed at its neck in a bashful, embarrassed fashion.

"Actually..." He began, trailing off into silence and tapping his hands against each other, bumping fingertips together, "She wanted to let me stay in the main house, like Bibarel, but I told her that it was so nice I actually felt a little bit uncomfortable..." The mouse muttered in an embarrassed fashion. "Plus, this feels more like 'home' to me, in a cozy little storage area with a tucked-away spot for me to hide away in."

Ah. That made sense. Mable wanting to let him stay in the house, but him not being used to such a thing after spending so much time finding his own little hidden corners in the city... that sounded more reasonable. I had almost been worried Mable was annoyed with him or something, putting him in this storage area!

"As long as you're happy with it! Nobody wants to try and make you feel uncomfortable, and where you sleep needs to be a place you can relax." I agreed with him, my body twisting back and forth on the spot in a swaying, dance-like pattern I wasn't even aware I was doing at first. Once I noticed, I forced myself to stop, but I felt really... odd about it. Sort of like how when you hold a slightly different-than-usual posture, and it's not difficult, but it feels almost foreign to you.

My instincts weren't happy, and tickled at the back of my mind, so I gave in and resumed the slow, side-to-side twisting motion. It must be a Bellossom thing... they did look like little dancers. I couldn't remember much about Bellossom... did they have a habit of dancing in the rain or something like that? I don't remember the one that I originally copied doing any dancing when it was out and about watering plants in the city.

Dedenne seemed amused by my swaying, watching the flowers and leaves swaying back and forth, and it was my turn to be a little embarrassed. It felt weird to be just... dancing in place and having someone watching, so I tried to change the subject, even if I didn't stop the idle motion again. "You said Mable didn't mind if you had to siphon electricity to recharge... but don't electric types produce their own electricity?" I asked, confused.

The mouse nodded and put on a pouting expression, "Yeah, and I do make my own electricity, but I can use a lot more than I can produce by myself. If I have a big battle or something, and I just have to sit around and wait to generate all the electricity I used by myself, it would take a lot longer than just being able to plug my tail in and absorb the electricity from the socket."

"You stick your tail in an electrical socket!?" I exclaimed, eyes going wide. That sounded like a terrible idea, akin to the old stories of people poking forks into sockets. I couldn't begin to imagine that would go well! "How do you avoid getting stunned? Isn't there a whole lot of power flowing through a house circuit!?"

Dedenne made a 'calm down' gesture with both hands, waving downward in an attempt to sooth my agitation. "Relax! I'm an electric type, after all, I can control how much power I want at once. Well, to an extent. I'm not going to go trying to chew on power lines to recharge or anything, but I can handle a house outlet just fine!"

"If you say so." I resolved to myself that if I ever- okay, when, not if- decided to try and take on a Dedenne form, there was no way I was going to be plugging myself directly into a power socket! That was stupid! Even if the annoying voice in the back of my mind is telling me that I should try it, just to see what it's like. I won't be listening to it! Not even a little bit! ... Okay, I might briefly entertain the idea, but only if there was someone nearby who could watch over me and help out if I zapped myself silly.