Takashi thought carefully. Currently, the people in Mondstadt who had bought a Pokémon were Mr.Takumi, Klee, and Lumine.
Previously, Captain Jean had come to the shop with Klee, and it seemed like she was quite interested in Charmander. However, her financial situation seemed tight.
Perhaps he could take Charmander to her office and try selling it in person. "Captain Jean, you wouldn't want Charmander to keep waiting for you every day, would you?"
If Charmander gave her an innocent look, Jean might soften up, sell her dowry, and decide to keep Charmander no matter what.
But that didn't feel quite right.
Xerneas seemed to see through Takashi's thoughts and gently said, "That Captain Jean you mentioned will surely come to find you within three days."
Upon hearing this, Takashi decided to wait patiently for good news.
...
"Hmm..." Klee opened her eyes, and the Oshawott in her arms was fast asleep. She smiled and gently petted the golden scallop on its belly.
"Hmm? It can come off!" Klee curiously played with it. The scallop felt hard, and its sharp edge could easily cut through tough berries.
Klee tapped it against the tea table in front of her. With a loud "snap," one of the table legs was sliced horizontally, causing the table to lose balance.
The teapot and cups on the table fell to the floor.
Jean, who had stayed up all night and was finally getting a little bit of sleep at dawn, was suddenly awoken by a racket coming from the adjacent room.
She angrily slammed the table and got up. "Klee!"
She stormed into Klee's room and pushed open the door. Klee tilted her head, looking innocently at Jean.
"You're causing trouble again," Jean said, her hands on her hips, barely containing her irritation.
"No, I didn't!" Klee shook her head vehemently. It wasn't her fault; it was the scallop that was too sharp.
"I spent two million Mora to get you a Pokémon to play with, and you're still making a mess..." Jean sighed in exasperation, dragging Klee by her feet, pulling her away as she protested.
"I don't want to leave Oshawott!" Klee struggled as she cried.
The commotion woke Oshawott, who rubbed its eyes. When it saw its owner being dragged away, it got angry.
"Osha! (I'm mad!)" Oshawott clenched its small hands, wanting to grab its scallop before a fight. But when it reached for its chest, the scallop was gone. "Osha! (Where's my scallop?)"
"Osha..." Oshawott, whose precious item was missing, started crying, tears streaming down its face.
Jean and Klee, who had been arguing, paused when they heard Oshawott's loud cries.
Oshawott, who always looked cute and silly, was crying in a way that broke their hearts.
Jean had only ever seen Klee cry, usually when she threw tantrums, which was quite common for a child, so it didn't faze her.
But Oshawott's crying was so sorrowful that it tore at her heart, making her feel like she wanted to open up her heart to prove her innocence.
Jean and Klee gathered around. "What's wrong, Oshawott?"
Oshawott pointed to its belly and mimicked the shape of a scallop, crying "Osha" repeatedly, while putting its hands over its eyes and crying.
Jean had handled many urgent situations before, and although she wouldn't panic easily, seeing Oshawott so sad made her anxious. Was it sick, hungry, or thirsty?
Klee, seeing Oshawott's teary eyes, thought it might have a stomachache like she sometimes did. She picked it up and gently rubbed its belly, trying to relieve its pain.
But Oshawott continued to cry, kicking its little legs in distress.
Jean rubbed her chin and remembered that the shopkeeper had given her a Pokédex, two Pokéblocks, and a Trainer Handbook.
She went to the cabinet and took out an advanced Pokéblock. Originally, she planned to let Oshawott eat a beginner Pokéblock to save money.
Seeing how upset it was, she decided to use the advanced one to calm it down.
She poured the Pokéblock into a special Pokémon dish and brought it to Oshawott, speaking gently, "Here, Oshawott, are you hungry? Have some food."
Oshawott opened its eyes, saw it was a Pokéblock, and not its precious scallop, and continued to kick and cry.
Jean thought she had brought back a budget-friendly babysitter, but instead, it felt like she had brought back another little master.
Jean rubbed her forehead, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
She quickly grabbed the Pokédex and scanned Oshawott to see if there were any useful suggestions.
"Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokémon. The scallop on its belly can be used in battle and to cut tough berries. Its specialty is the Water Gun attack."
The mechanical voice offered little help, leaving Jean frustrated. She went through the Trainer Handbook but couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Oshawott kept crying, its tears almost flooding the entire bedroom.
"Klee, let's take Oshawott to the Pokémon shop."
"Okay."
Jean held Oshawott in one arm and held Klee's hand in the other, rushing through Mondstadt's streets.
Lisa, leisurely enjoying her carrot and vegetable soup at the Good Hunter restaurant, saw Jean and Klee running by, not even sparing her a greeting. She was stunned for a moment. Could it be that Jean had to sell her dowry again?
Lisa finished her soup, paid her bill with Sara, and quietly followed Jean.
Jean arrived at the Pokémon shop and barged in. "Shopkeeper! Shopkeeper!"
Takashi was lounging on the sofa, enjoying a cozy moment with Xerneas, but Jean's sudden entrance startled him.
Jean noticed the antlered Pokémon, resembling a deer, and felt an ancient, mysterious aura radiating from it. Realizing she had barged in uninvited, she spoke apologetically, "I'm sorry, it seems I've come at a bad time."
"No, you've come at just the right time." Takashi straightened up, noticing she was holding Oshawott, matching Xerneas's prediction that she would visit within three days.
Klee ran in, panting, with her little backpack. "Oshawott, it..."
Takashi nodded slightly. "Don't worry, leave it to me."
Takashi took Oshawott from her, seeing its frantic crying, assuming it must be ill.
Luckily, he had already established a Pokémon health center, capable of treating all sorts of Pokémon ailments, so there was no need to worry.
Jean handed Oshawott to Takashi, arms crossed, her expression serious. "It got sick on the second day after I got it. As the shopkeeper, shouldn't you be responsible for this? (Three words omitted here) Refund!"
Takashi smiled. "A refund is impossible. Once Oshawott recovers, we'll have a more in-depth discussion on how to care for its daily needs."
Jean frowned slightly as Takashi shifted the blame back to her. Had she really made a mistake in taking care of Oshawott?