Qiqi come home

The residents of Pokemon Studio gathered around Qiqi and conversed happily. Even the usually inactive members like Aegis, Gus, and Tomb took part in the conversation.

Everyone was happy to receive a new family member and accepted her with bright smiles. The most happy was probably Mimi.

"I adopted Mimi several decades ago. She is your older sister so you should call her sister from now on."

Loki informed with a smile. Qiqi turned to Mimi with a deep look in her eyes and softly called out. "Sister."

Mimi was over the moon as she happily used her shadowy limbs and patted Qiqi. She couldn't speak or express her joy like others but she silently vowed to dote on Qiqi and spoil her as the big sister.

All the ghost pokemon talked for several hours, sharing all of their grand adventures and memorable events that happened in the course of their long life. Most of them were about Loki since Qiqi showed the most interest in this subject.

Voir and Rene, also listened to these story about Loki and the others with keen interest. The two psychic type pokemon were mere helpers Loki brought from Paradis so this was their first time knowing of their ancient tales.

On the other hand, the last psychic type pokemon had a radiant smile as he listened to these tales. He even rang his bell during several moments, as if to show his joy.

Voir and Rene looked at their fellow psychic type with confusion. Wasn't Chime like them, a helper Loki brought from Paradis?

"Chime was once a Ghost type pokemon like us. He died during our battle with Giratina but Lord Arceus put his soul in a bell and gave him a new life as a Chingling." It was Magica who revealed this secret.

Voir and Rene could only widen their eyes in shock. During their last tea party, Magica had said a similar thing but refused to reveal his identity. Now that they know, the way the two psychic type pokemon looked at their fellow psychic type changed considerably.

The conversation lasted well past midnight until Loki stopped it with the lame excuse that Qiqi still needed some time to grow used to the new environment. Many protested but he habitually ignored their protest.

_____

It was nearly 2 am when Loki took Qiqi to the bedroom upstairs.

This room was quite large but empty, with a single bed, a closet and a soft fluffy carpet.

Even though this bedroom was technically his, he had never used it even once. Voir and Rene were the one to sleep in this room till now. Frost, Magica and Mimi usually rested here as well.

Now that he thought about it, his room had, at some point, turned into a gathering place for the ladies. Even a guest, Ganyu, once slept here.

Where did Loki sleep then? One might wonder. The answer was very simple. He didn't sleep at all.

During night, when the store was closed, Loki will devote himself to games and animes in the lounge alongside his friends. Occasionally, he would go back to Paradis to complete some job. There had never been a need for him to use this room till now.

"This will be your room from now on." Loki spoke.

Qiqi quitely nodded to show that she understood. Loki then gave her a small tour of her room even though it was empty.

Qiqi seemed to especially like the view of the ocean. The ocean currently showed the reflection of the night sky full of stars. The sight was breathtaking. Qiqi stared at it for a good amount of time.

Loki waited for her with a gentle smile on his face. Who knew the arrangements he made for his bedroom just because he thought it would be cool will bear fruit like this?

When Qiqi turned to him a while later, he patted her head and guided her to the bed.

"A lot has happened today. You should go to sleep now."

He ushered her with a soft voice. Qiqi was confused. As a zombie, she didn't need to sleep. In fact, she had not slept since she was freed from her seal. The most she did was lie on the bed and close her eyes, pretending to sleep.

Of course, Qiqi didn't voice her confusion. She obediently lied on the bed as she pondered if she should pretend to sleep like before. She closed her eyes and stayed still.

Loki was amused seeing her small antics. He had a small smile as he began to caress her head with gentle motions.

"Don't think about anything. Empty your mind."

Qiqi quickly relaxed under his touch but he knew words alone will not be enough to make his daughter sleep. He soon began to hum a soft melodic tune, slowly but surely luring his daughter into a deep sleep.

_____

(At 8 am)

For the first time in forever, Qiqi had a good relaxing sleep. She also had a dream where she, her father and her older sister exercised together. It was really fun.

When she woke up from her dream, she suddenly felt a strange sensation in her body. It was as if her own body became a stranger to her overnight.

Confused, she placed her hand on her chest and felt a rythmic beating. She had worked as an assitant for Doctor Baizhu for several years, so she knew what that beating was.

It was a beating of a heart.

Was she alive? She curiously raised her hand to her nose and realized she was not breathing. She tilted her head and thought about the strangeness of her situation.

As she was lost in her thoughts, the door opened and Loki walked into the room. She turned to him as he approached her with a gentle smile.

"Did you have a good sleep?" He asked.

"My heart. It is beating?"

Qiqi informed him with an unsure tone. Loki sat beside her and placed his hand on her chest. He felt the beating of her heart for a few seconds before he nodded with satisfaction.

"Indeed. Your heart is doing its job perfectly."

"How?"

"I transplanted a heart inside you. Currently, blood is flowing through your blood vessels and all of your cells and organs are revitalized. In simple terms, my cute daughter, you are no longer 'dead'. You are 'alive'."

Qiqi remained confused. She was a zombie, a dead corpse. How can she be alive suddenly? Loki knew that she was still confused and intended to explain everything.

"My lovely daughter. What do you think is the source of life?" He asked.

Qiqi shook her head. "I don't know."

Seeing her giving up so easily, Loki could only smile helplessly and answer for her.

"The answer is heart. A heart produce vitality and shares it with all parts of the body through blood. In case of lifeforms that do not possess a heart, they have some other organ that function like a heart."

Loki pointed at her chest.

"You also have a beating heart now. It is the best proof that you are 'alive'. But looks like you will need to learn to instinctly breathe again."

Qiqi placed her hand on her chest and felt the rhythmic beating of her heart again. Although she somewhat understood the explanation, she was still confused about a lot of things.

She suddenly noticed something else. She didn't notice it before because everything happened so suddenly. But as she felt the beating of her heart again, she realized that the rhythm was very familiar to her.

When her father carried her in his arms yesterday, she had leaned into his chest and found comfort listening to the beating of his heart. The same beating was now being relayed from her own heart.

She then remembered what her father just said. (I transplanted a heart inside you.) She hurriedly placed her hand on his chest. Just like she expected, she could not feel the beat of his heart.

"Your heart?"

She asked, her deadpan expression changing into one of worry and desperation. Loki quickly hugged her and patted her head reassuringly.

"Don't worry. It is but a minor hindrace. My heart will regenerate in a matter of time. You need it more than me."

"No! Take it back."

Qiqi immediately retorted and tried to claw her own chest to take out his heart. Loki had no choice but to restrain her with a strong hug.

_____

It took a few minutes for Qiqi to calm down. She finally accepted the fact that this heart will remain with her from now on.

"Think of it this way. Before we were just father and daughter in name. But now, we are a genuine family. You have my blood flowing through you."

Qiqi remained quiet but Loki knew she was listening. He took this time to inform her of other things.

"I have also removed the adeptal energy inside you and replaced it with Ghost Type energy. I will teach you how to use it later. For now, we will start with your breathing."

Loki seperated the hug and looked at Qiqi. "What do you say?"

She nodded her head in response. "Okay."

"Focus on my breathing and try to imitate it."

Seeing that she was fully focused on him, Loki slowly took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, then he exhaled.

Qiqi slowly imitated his actions, breathing in and exhaling out. The basics were there but her breathing seemed forced.

Loki didn't say anything and demonstrated it a second time. Qiqi followed soon after. This process went on for nearly an hour until she was finally able to breathe somewhat normally.

After Qiqi managed to successfully breath for a whole minute, Loki nodded his head with pride and rewarded her with a pat.

"Good girl. You are really talented."

Qiqi leaned into his hands with a beaming smile. Loki spoiled her for a while until he was satisfied.

"Technically, you don't need to breathe but you should still learn to breath instinctively. Breathing gives your heart oxygen and that in turn helps produce your vitality. It is a important process for every living."

Qiqi nodded her head obediently. Loki patted her head one last time before deciding this was enough training for today.

He now had to teach Qiqi another important aspect of 'living', that was eating delicious food. Fortunately, he just so happened to know the perfect place to eat.

_____

Everyone greeted Qiqi happily as she entered the lounge with Loki. The new youngest was soon caught in a maelstorm of questioning.

Yesterday, Loki had kept the ghost pokemon at arm's length to not overwhelm Qiqi. They also understood his concerns and only shared stories about themselves. But today, they wanted to know more about her.

It was a difficult situation for Qiqi, who was introverted and emotionally awkward.

This went on for a nearly an hour before Loki interrupted.

"Alright, you can get to know Qiqi more later. I have to take her to eat some food since her body is technically 'alive' now."

Hearing his reminder, the ghost pokemon quickly backed away. Qiqi felt relieved as she held hands with Loki and turned to Mimi.

"Sister, will you come with us?"

She remembered her dream in which she exercised together with her father and sister. Although they will not be exercising, she still wanted to spend more time with her new sister.

How could Mimi deny the request of her cute little sister. She happily floated beside Qiqi and used her shadowy hands to pat her small head.

'Your big sister is always free for you.'

Mimi relayed these words through her touch. Whether Qiqi understood or not didn't matter for her as she felt extremely happy when Qiqi leaned into her touch with a small smile.

Like this, Loki took his two daughters to have a feast. A certain pokemon looked at their departing figures with deep eyes that betrayed her emotions of jealousy.

_____

As they walked towards Wanmin Restaurant, Loki took the time to think of the new arrangements he had to make for Qiqi, as well as Voir, Rene and Chime. Unfortunately, the last 3 were not ghost or undead like the rest of them and needed to sleep.

Chime did not need any special arrangement as he always slept, perched on the ceiling. But Voir and Rene had to sleep in the living room yesterday. They didn't want to disturb Qiqi, or so they said.

'Should I change the living room into bedrooms for them? Or should I add a new floor?'

Loki pondered for a while and made a decision.

'A new floor it is. I should also include a kitchen while I am at it.'

The food requirements of every pokemon in the Studio were relatively easy to fulfill as their storeroom on the first floor had an abundant amount of fruits and pokeblocks stored at cold temperatures.

Those were staples for pokemon. Loki was not going to feed the same thing to a 'human' like Qiqi. He was sure his daughter would not complain about such trivial things but eating fruits for every meal will surely be repetitive and boring.

His daughter deserved the best dishes for every meal. There was also no problem about cooking the dishes because they already had an excellent chef in their home.

'Frost was not happy when I said we were going to Wanmin Restaurant. This should also make her happy.'