Chapter 105 - Home Sweet Home

Before long, Andrew arrived at the entrance of Munchlax's House with Pawmi.

"This is our home!" Andrew told Pawmi.

As he spoke, he took out a Pokéball and released Metagross.

"Metagross, we're home."

"Metaaaa~" Metagross curiously observed the house in front of it.

"Paw~ Paw~"

Pawmi jumped out of Andrew's hood, landing lightly on Metagross's head. It tugged at Andrew's sleeve, urging him to go inside, eager to see what the new home looked like.

"Alright, alright, I'm opening the door now." Andrew said as he took out a key and unlocked the door.

It was the afternoon, and Munchlax's House was empty, with not a single customer in sight, making it very quiet.

The shop was spotless, as if it had been meticulously cleaned. The tables and chairs were neatly arranged.

"Paw~~"

Pawmi leaped down from Metagross, dashing excitedly around the room, occasionally jumping up onto tables and leaving little paw prints behind.

"Pawmi, if you keep doing that, Meowstic and the others will get upset!" Andrew said, pretending to scold it.

"Paw~ Paw~~"

Hearing this, Pawmi quickly ran back to Andrew with a guilty expression, as if asking who Meowstic was.

Andrew replied, "Meowstic is one of our partners from Nebel Plateau and also helps out here in the shop. I'll introduce you later."

"Paw~"

Pawmi nodded and jumped back onto Metagross's head.

Leading the two Pokémon inside, Andrew said with satisfaction, "It looks like Munchlax and the others have been managing the shop really well."

However, just then, he sensed something strange. Why did he feel the presence of a Pokémon's aura in the corner of the wall?

"Who's there?" Andrew asked, looking towards the corner.

Pawmi and Metagross also looked in the same direction, but no Pokémon made a sound. The shop fell into silence.

"Who's there?" Andrew asked again.

Still no response.

Curious, Andrew cautiously walked towards the corner. When he got there, he didn't see anything.

Strange! He couldn't have been wrong about sensing a Pokémon's aura!

"Metaaaa~"

Suddenly, Metagross called out, its eyes glowing with a powerful purple light from its psychic abilities. A Haunter was pulled out of the wall by its psychic power.

"Haun~ Haun~"

Haunter struggled hard, but it was no match for Metagross's psychic hold.

Andrew took a closer look at Haunter and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you!"

He recognized the shiny Haunter, the same one that Levi and Cherie had previously been chasing.

"Haun~ Haunter~"

Seeing that Andrew had recognized it, Haunter nodded eagerly.

Andrew smiled and said, "Metagross, let Haunter go."

"Metaaaa~"

Metagross nodded, releasing Haunter from its psychic grip. Haunter, now free, gasped for air, clearly shaken.

Andrew asked, "Haunter, have you been staying at my house this whole time?"

"Haunteer~"

Haunter nodded.

Andrew continued, "How long have you been here?"

"Haun~ Haun~"

Haunter began counting on its fingers, but after a few tries, it became confused and lost count.

Seeing Haunter's bewildered expression, Andrew laughed and said, "Alright, no need to count." It didn't seem like an important detail anyway.

Andrew then asked, "Since you've been staying here, do you have any plans for the future?"

Haunter shook its head, unsure. It liked the peace and comfort of staying at Munchlax House, with no worries about weather, finding leftover buns and dumplings every day, and no one chasing it. It was a peaceful, stable life.

"Okay," Andrew nodded. "You can take your time to think about it and let me know when you've made up your mind."

Haunter nodded gently, then disappeared back into the wall.

Once Haunter was gone, Andrew turned to Pawmi and Metagross. "Let's go."

"Paw~"

"Metaaaa~"

The two Pokémon responded and followed Andrew up to the third floor, where they used a spatial passage to return to their home at Nebel Plateau.

After Andrew and the others left, Haunter quietly reappeared from the wall, holding a small cloth to wipe away the paw prints Pawmi had left behind.

After cleaning, Haunter smiled in satisfaction at the sparkling table before retreating back into the shadows of the wall.

Meanwhile, Andrew and his team...

Sure,

Andrew stepped out of the room and said to Pawmi and Metagross, "Pawmi, Metagross, this is our real home! From now on, you'll both be living here!"

The two Pokémon looked around the house curiously, while Pawmi was carried around on Metagross's back as they explored the room.

At that moment, Robert-2, sensing Metagross's presence, automatically approached and stood beside Metagross.

Andrew took a quick tour of the house. He didn't see Munchlax or Drizzile, nor did he see Diancie. "Looks like no one's home," he said.

"Come on, I'll show you around outside," he called to Pawmi and Metagross.

"Paw~~mi!"

Pawmi excitedly jumped off Metagross's head and ran outside, full of energy, with Metagross and Robert-2 close behind.

As they made their way downstairs, Andrew noticed some new items around the shop's front desk and tables. A white mat with a Munchlax pattern was now under the vase on the counter.

The tables had several mats that looked similar but featured different designs—one with a Komala, one with a Drizzile, and another with a vaguely drawn figure.

Andrew thought to himself: Is that supposed to be me?

Feeling curious, he wondered if Diancie had bought them.

Without dwelling on it, Andrew continued outside with Pawmi and Metagross. As he reached the door, he discovered that Diancie had been home all along.

Diancie was sitting on the steps by the door, holding two needles and knitting something. Beside her were two Spinarak, and the silk Diancie was using came entirely from them.

Most impressively, the needles Diancie was using were made of diamonds she had created herself.

At that moment, Andrew realized where the mats in the house had come from—they were all handwoven by Diancie! What luxurious needles!

Hearing the commotion, Diancie turned around. When she saw Andrew, she gave him a sweet smile.

"Andrew, you're back!"

Andrew had called Diancie before returning, which is why she was waiting at the door. She had kept it a secret from Munchlax and Drizzile, though.

After all, those two always stole Andrew's attention! Hmph!

"Yeah, I'm back," Andrew said with a smile, then looked at the two Spinarak beside her in surprise. "Where did these little guys come from?"

Diancie proudly held up the two Spinarak and said, "I found them! Aren't they cute?"

The two Spinarak were Pokémon Diancie had picked up from a trash bin on the streets of Azoth Kingdom when Andrew had sent her there to buy supplies.

After bringing them home, Diancie bought a "Crafts Handbook" from the system store and taught herself to knit.

She even planned to knit a sweater for Andrew once she got good enough.

"Spina~rak!"

"Spina~rak!"

The two tiny Spinarak waved their front legs at Andrew in greeting as they rested in Diancie's hands.

Andrew patted them on the head and said, "They're definitely cute."

Although, once they evolve into Ariados, they might not be as cute.

Ariados may not appeal to most people's tastes, but Andrew thought they had a certain rugged charm.

Diancie was clearly very fond of the Spinarak. She had even bought a special bag to carry them in, carefully placing the two Pokémon inside.

The Spinarak perched at the edge of the bag, poking their heads and front legs out while continuing to produce silk for Diancie's knitting.

Turning his attention back to Diancie, Andrew asked, "Where are Munchlax, Drizzile, and Komala?"

Diancie replied, "Munchlax and Drizzile are down by the riverbank, helping plant trees. As for Komala... it's probably off visiting its drinking buddy again!"

Andrew nodded. "Let's head over to the riverbank and check things out."

He hadn't been home for days and was curious about how the tree planting was going. Even though Diancie sent him daily updates, it was still worth seeing it for himself.

Diancie nodded and gently tapped her bag. The two Spinarak immediately stopped producing silk. Diancie rewarded each of them with a Pokémon cookie, and the satisfied Spinarak retreated into the bag for a nap.

With that, Andrew, Diancie, Pawmi, and Metagross set off towards the riverbank.

As they passed the walls of the estate, Andrew noticed two Dollivs standing on the wall, spreading their arms wide to soak up the sunlight.

"Dol~liv!"

"Dol~liv!"

The two Dollivs greeted Andrew happily as soon as they saw him.

Andrew smiled and asked, "Dolliv, how's life here?"

"Dol~liv!"

"Dol~liv!"

The Dollivs enthusiastically gestured to explain. They loved it here—the Pokémon were friendly, the food was plentiful, and, most importantly, the sunlight was much better than in Area Zero. They could bask in it as much as they wanted.

"Good to hear," Andrew nodded with a smile. "Enjoy your sunbathing."

The Dolliv nodded cheerfully.

Since Diancie had already told the Pokémon about Andrew's ability to communicate with them, the Dolliv weren't surprised by it.

On the stone plaza, a Garganacl was playing with two Nacli. The two Nacli were climbing up the Garganacl's legs, though they always slipped and fell halfway up.

Each time they fell, Garganacl would gently catch them in its hand.

Seeing how much fun they were having, Andrew decided not to interrupt.

At the foot of the wall, The Scovillain couple lay sunbathing quietly, surrounded by three lively Capsakids.

The usually calm Scovillains would rest peacefully, but the energetic Capsakids couldn't sit still for long. Soon after settling down, they'd start running around and playing with each other again.

Whenever this happened, their parents would intervene, giving them a few gentle but firm pats to settle them back down, scolding them loudly to behave.

For a short while, the Capsakids would obediently sit still beside their parents, basking in the sun. However, it wouldn't be long before they were off playing again.

Before reaching the riverbank, Andrew noticed rows of wooden houses in the distance and asked excitedly, "Are the Gogoat houses finally completed?"

Diancie nodded, "Yes, thanks to Robot No. 1."

Contrary to expectations, it wasn't Robot No. 2.

Even though Robot No. 1 was a bit clumsy, it worked together with the Pokémon while Andrew was away, and they managed to finish building the wooden houses.

"Let's go check them out!" Andrew said eagerly, heading toward the houses.

Diancie, Pawmi, and Metagross quickly followed behind.

When they arrived at the houses, Andrew carefully inspected them, nodding in approval.

"They look fantastic!"

The houses, built specifically for the Gogoats, were just over two meters high. They had been thoughtfully designed with plenty of natural light and ventilation.

"Have the Gogoats moved in yet?" Andrew asked, noticing the dried leaves and straw inside the houses.

Diancie nodded, "Yes, they moved in as soon as the houses were finished. They seem to love their new homes."

"As long as they're happy," Andrew smiled.

After inspecting the houses, Andrew and the Pokémon continued their journey toward the riverbank.

On the way, they encountered an Espathra running freely across the grassy plains.

Spotting Andrew from afar, the Espathra let out an excited cry and sprinted toward him, reaching his side in moments.

Andrew gently stroked Espathra's head. "How are you enjoying it here? Have you settled in?"

"Espath~~"

Espathra nuzzled its head against Andrew's neck, clearly happy with the wide, open grasslands where it could run to its heart's content.

"I'm glad you're adjusting well," Andrew said, giving Espathra's long neck a friendly pat. "Go on, enjoy your run."

"Espathra~~"

With a nod, Espathra happily dashed away again.

Suddenly, Andrew thought of something and asked Diancie, puzzled, "Where are the Oinkologne couple and Charcadets?"

Diancie shrugged, "I'm not sure. Since we arrived, they've been wandering off during the day and only return at night. Who knows what they're up to?"

"That sounds about right for them," Andrew chuckled, knowing the Oinkolognes and Charcadets were prone to wandering.

As they reached their destination, Fletchinder was the first to spot them.

"Fletch~ Fletch~~"

It flapped its wings excitedly and swooped down from the sky.

Its joyful cry drew the attention of the other Pokémon, and they quickly abandoned their tasks to rush toward Andrew.

Andrew is back! Andrew is back!

Naturally, the first to arrive were the flying Spritzee and Swablu, who perched on his shoulders, one on each side.

"Spritzee~ zee~"

"Swablu~ Swablu~"

The two little birds chirped happily, nuzzling their heads against Andrew's cheeks, showing how much they had missed him.

Soon, Meowstic, Espurr, Floette, Bunnelby, Gulpin, Ralts, Pancham, Litleo, and Zigzagoon all gathered around Andrew, forming a large circle of excited Pokémon.

"Munch~ Munch~" Master! Master!

The Munchlax waddled over last, a bit slower than the others. By the time it arrived, Andrew was already surrounded, so it anxiously circled the crowd, looking for a way in.

Meanwhile, Diancie, Pawmi, and Metagross, who had been walking beside Andrew, were pushed to the side by the energetic Pokémon.

Pawmi looked confused: What just happened?

"Metta~ Metta~" Andrew sure is popular!

Metagross remarked to Diancie.

Diancie smiled with pride. "Of course. All the Pokémon here rely on Andrew to provide them with food, shelter, and clean, cozy homes."

Metagross had heard about the situation in the Nebel Plateau, but seeing Andrew so loved by so many Pokémon made it feel admiration. It understood why the Pokémon depended on him.

Initially, Metagross had joined Andrew in hopes of growing stronger. But now, it was also deeply impressed by Andrew's kindness and leadership.

Surrounded by Pokémon, Andrew petted one after another, trying to give each some attention.

"Meowstic, stop licking me—it tickles!"

"Litleo, no fire-breathing! It's too hot!"

"Ralts, don't tug on my clothes! You'll tear them!"

...

Lost in the affection of his Pokémon, Andrew was beaming with happiness.

"I missed all of you too. You've all been working so hard!"

At last, after much effort, the Munchlax managed to squeeze its way to Andrew and gave him a tight hug, looking pitiful.

"Alright, alright," Andrew chuckled, patting the little Pokémon on the back. "You've worked hard too, Munchlax."

Hearing these words, the Munchlax perked up instantly, rubbing its head against Andrew in joy.

Standing up from the ground, Andrew addressed the group, "Tonight, we're having a feast! Once your work is done, head back home!"

He decided to celebrate with a hotpot dinner. It had been a while since they all gathered like this, and what better way to enjoy the occasion than with a hotpot feast? After all, the Pokémon had never experienced a hotpot before.

The Pokémon cheered with enthusiasm and eagerly returned to work, determined to finish quickly so they could enjoy the feast!

As Andrew surveyed the newly planted trees by the riverbank, he felt immensely satisfied. His Pokémon had truly been reliable in his absence.

Before Andrew had left, the riverbank had already been planted with Sitrus Berries, Oran Berries, Mago Berries, Occa Berries and Babiri Berries. While he was gone, the Pokémon had also planted Pecha Berries, Aspear Berries, Leppa Berries, Apicot Berries, Nanab Berries, and Pomeg Berries.

Though space was limited along the riverbank, and Andrew hadn't planted too many of each tree, the area was now nearly full.

As the planting work neared completion, Andrew began thinking about what new tasks to assign to the Pokémon next.

Suddenly, Andrew noticed some changes. He stared at three Weepinbell hard at work in the distance and exclaimed, "The Bellsprout siblings evolved?"

Diancie nodded, "Yes, they evolved just a few days ago."

Andrew then spotted another change, "And the Aron evolved too?"

Now it was a Lairon!

Diancie added, "Yes, it trains diligently every day with Croconaw, Drillbur, and the two Farfetch'd, so it evolved earlier than Bellsprout!"

(End of Chapter)

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