Barbara brought Amber and Larvitar back to her villa. The spacious living room, brightly lit, seemed somewhat empty and a bit lonely.
Barbara's father, Simon, had gone on an expedition with the Knights of Favonius, leaving Barbara as the sole resident of the villa for the time being. Living alone felt isolating, so she often stayed at the church dormitory with Victoria and the other nuns, sharing meals and rooms. It was convenient for handling church matters, and it also kept her fanatical fans from crowding her doorstep. After all, the church and the Knights of Favonius were stationed nearby, and even the most die-hard fans had to think twice before approaching.
Of course, there were still those like Albert, whose thick-skinned persistence led him to injure himself every few days just to have a reason to visit the church and receive treatment from Barbara.
"Make yourself comfortable," Barbara said casually to Amber.
"Comfortable?" Amber glanced around at the dusty room, not quite sure where to sit down.
"Ah, sorry, I haven't cleaned in a while. I rarely come back here these past six months," Barbara said, finally realizing the situation. She told Amber to place their things on the long table and went off to find a cleaning cloth.
"Larvitar..."
Seeing the dirty floor, Larvitar didn't seem bothered. In fact, it looked delighted as it rolled around on the ground like a little mud-loving creature.
Amber put her hands on her hips. "Let me help you clean up."
Barbara looked embarrassed. "You're a guest. I can't let you do that. Besides, I have a secret weapon."
With that, Barbara took out her blue-gold book and used the Vision at her waist, summoning the power of the water element. A small stream swirled around her, and Barbara moved gracefully, directing the water around the room, washing every corner of the living room.
In no time, the dusty space was sparkling clean.
"Shining Miracle!" Barbara spun around like a top, her puffy skirt swirling like lily pads as the water element dispersed into the air. Under the light, it shimmered like a rainbow.
Amber clapped with a smile. "As expected of you, Barbara."
"Larvitar! Larvitar!"
Barbara snapped out of her daze to see Larvitar running around in a panic. She was confused. "What's going on with Larvitar?"
Amber thought for a moment. "I think it's hungry."
"Larvitar..."
Larvitar ran back and forth across the living room, trying to find a spot that wasn't wet, but everything was damp. To Larvitar, it was like being in some devilish realm. It shrank into a corner, trembling.
Barbara and Amber hurried over, one holding the box of Pokéblocks and the other holding the trainer's manual.
Barbara took out a Pokéblock and offered it to Larvitar. "Are you hungry, Larvitar? Here, have some food."
"Larvitar..."
Larvitar's tiny hands couldn't quite reach its head, so it pulled its head down to its chest, covering its face with its hands and keeping its eyes closed, not daring to move.
Amber calmly flipped through the trainer's manual. Other than some basic feeding guidelines and battle concepts, there wasn't much helpful information.
Free manuals, it seemed, couldn't be too reliable.
Amber took out the Pokédex and scanned Larvitar. "Larvitar, Rock-type Pokémon..."
The description was no different from what they already knew. It wasn't much help—was Larvitar really just hungry?
Barbara gently petted Larvitar's head. "Come on, Larvitar."
Amber spoke up. "I think it's more than just hunger. It seemed to start running around after you used your water element."
"Really?" Barbara looked at Amber, puzzled. The two beginner trainers started thinking it over together. "Isn't Larvitar a Rock-type? Why would it be afraid of water?"
Amber also wanted to know the answer to that question. But the store owner had already explained to them back at Cider Lake—Pokémon have type advantages and disadvantages, and they all have things they're naturally weak against.
Like how Amber loved Jean's coffee but hated iced Jueyun Chili juice.
"Right, that must be it. Larvitar is a Rock-type Pokémon, so it's afraid of Water-types and water in general. To it, water is a nightmare," Amber said, slapping her thigh, immediately drawing her conclusion.
"Is that so?" Barbara pressed a finger to her cheek, still puzzled.
"Alright, you need to dry the floor immediately," Amber instructed.
"Oh, okay." As a complete newbie, Barbara could only follow Amber's suggestion.
Amber shook her head. "Never mind, I'll handle it."
"Ponyta, use Ember."
Ponyta opened its mouth, releasing a burst of flames that quickly dried the damp floor.
As Larvitar sensed the water element around it fading, it slowly opened its eyes and cautiously tested the floor with its feet. It was dry. Instantly, Larvitar beamed, rolling onto the floor and kicking its feet in the air like an exuberant little pup.
Amber stood confidently with her hands on her hips. "See? I told you I was right."
Barbara clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "That was amazing, Amber. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known what to do. You're so smart!"
"Oh, it's nothing. Just experience talking, hehe." Amber felt flattered and a bit smug.
"So, we can't let Larvitar touch water. I understand now." Barbara quickly pulled out her notebook, jotting down the important details about raising Larvitar, determined to remember it.
Amber crossed her arms. "Alright, I've delivered what I needed. I should head home now."
"Don't go! Stay with me tonight. I have so many questions about raising Pokémon that I need to ask you," Barbara pleaded.
"You should just ask the shop owner..." Amber felt a bit embarrassed. After all, she was also just a beginner.
"Please, just for tonight?" Barbara clung to Amber's arm, swaying left and right, her eyes full of hope.
Amber sighed. "You really leave me no choice... Fine, I was planning to visit Eula, but I guess that can wait."
Barbara pulled Amber to sit down. "Eula? What for?"
"Well, she's been on an expedition to Dragonspine for a while. She should be back soon," Amber explained.
Barbara knew Dragonspine was the most dangerous area for adventurers near Mondstadt. She'd heard about it but never dared to go herself. Only those with a Vision, professional geologists, or fearless adventurers would set foot there.
"Why do you need to see Eula?" Barbara asked. Her impression of Eula was that she was aloof, like Rosaria the nun who enjoyed her drinks—a bit of an oddball. They rarely met, and Barbara didn't know her well. Amber, however, was close to her, always addressing her as "sis."
Amber gave a mischievous smile. "Of course, I want to introduce her to the Pokémon store. We can't be the only ones spending money there—I want to drag Eula in, too. That way, our Pokémon will have more friends to play with."
Barbara lit up at the thought of a bigger group. "That sounds like so much fun!"