"Welcome!"
After finishing their work, the three secretaries of Yuehai Pavilion—Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi—came directly to *Pokémon House* in Chihu Rock, only to be startled by the sight of the talking Landorus.
"Aah!!! Y-you can talk?!" Baishi shrieked in shock.
Talking animals weren't unheard of in Liyue, but those who could speak were invariably referred to by a single title—Adeptus.
Could it be that the store's staff included an Adeptus?
Baishi's scalp prickled at the thought. Who could possibly employ an Adeptus as a mere shop assistant?
Since the time of Morax, the Geo Archon, who had subjugated countless gods and stabilized Liyue, only one entity had ever been able to command Adepti—the Geo Archon himself.
Could this shop owner be Rex Lapis?!
The realization nearly made Baishi faint.
On the other side, Landorus tilted its head in confusion as it stared at the girl clutching her head.
"Girl, are you alright? Feeling unwell?" Landorus's deep, gravelly voice asked with concern.
"No, no, I'm fine," Baishi stammered, struggling to steady herself. "Elder… I mean, Adeptus, are you working here?"
Landorus scratched its head, its expression puzzled. "Adeptus? What's that?"
"You're… not an Adeptus?" Baishi's eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the humanoid creature.
"It's called Landorus, and it's one of my Pokémon," a warm voice interjected from inside. Li Pan stepped out of the back room, smiling as he greeted his customers.
"Welcome to Pokémon House, honored guests. Are you here to purchase Pokémon?"
Li Pan immediately recognized the three women: Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi, the trusted secretaries of Ningguang, the Tianquan of Liyue Qixing. But he quickly pushed any unnecessary thoughts aside—he was just a humble shopkeeper running a legitimate business, after all.
---
Baishi suspiciously eyed the cheerful Landorus. "Shopkeeper, can all Pokémon talk?"
"No, not all of them," Li Pan explained. "Landorus can speak due to its unique nature. Some Pokémon might learn to communicate through speech, but that comes at a cost—using their potential for battle to focus on language skills instead. However, Psychic-type Pokémon can use telepathy to communicate without affecting their combat abilities."
The three women exchanged glances, feeling that their earlier assumptions were slightly off the mark.
---
"So… Shopkeeper, how do we buy a Pokémon?" Baiwen asked, glancing around the store but seeing no other Pokémon in sight besides Landorus.
Li Pan smiled and brought out the Pokédex.
"Simply press this button here to start the draw. The Pokémon you draw is the one you'll have the option to purchase. Each person can draw up to five times per day, and the first draw is free."
Baiwen was the first to step forward, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "Let me try!"
She pressed the draw button, and the screen began cycling through silhouettes of various Pokémon.
Some were shapes she vaguely recognized, while others were completely unfamiliar.
The spinning slowed, and with a soft *ding*, the machine settled on a green, bipedal gecko.
"What Pokémon is this?" Baiwen asked, handing the Pokédex to Li Pan.
Li Pan glanced at the screen and nodded in approval. "You're quite lucky! This is Treecko, a Grass-type Pokémon and one of the starter Pokémon from the Hoenn region."
"Hoenn region? Starter Pokémon?" Baiwen's professional instincts kicked in, immediately picking up on the key terms.
"The Hoenn region is where Treecko originates. As for starters, they're Pokémon specifically chosen from the Water, Fire, and Grass types for their balance and suitability for beginners."
"So, Treecko has excellent potential?" Baiwen asked, her eyes lighting up.
Li Pan nodded, and Baiwen made up her mind immediately. "I'll buy it. Can I see it first?"
"Of course. One moment, please."
Li Pan disappeared into the back and returned shortly with a small, curious green gecko peeking around his legs.
"It's… so cute…" Baiwen's resolve solidified the instant she laid eyes on Treecko.
"Shopkeeper, how much? I'm buying it!" she declared, slamming a pouch of Mora onto the counter.
"Treecko costs 530,000 Mora," Li Pan said calmly.
"Sold!"
"Would you like to purchase energy cubes as well? While Pokémon can eat human food, for optimal health and nutrition, I recommend Grass-type energy cubes."
"Of course! I'll take the best ones you have!"
Without missing a beat, Li Pan quickly packaged the requested items, lest Baiwen change her mind.
---
"Tree…"
The sudden enthusiasm startled Treecko, which darted behind Li Pan for cover. Seeing this, Baiwen quickly softened her demeanor, crouching to Treecko's level and extending a hand.
"Sorry, Treecko. I didn't mean to scare you. Will you come with me?"
Treecko studied Baiwen for a moment before hesitantly placing its small paw in her hand.
An overwhelming sense of joy swept over Baiwen as she scooped up Treecko and spun it around in the air.
"Ahh… Treecko, you're just too adorable~!"
Li Pan chuckled at the sight, handing Baiwen a red-and-white Pokédex after she had calmed down.
"This is your Pokédex. Simply aim its camera at your Pokémon to view its information."
Baiwen immediately tried it, pointing the device at her new companion.
---
[Treecko]
- Type: Grass
- Level: 5
- Ability: Overgrow – Boosts the power of Grass-type moves when HP is low.
- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb.
---
"This is amazing!" Baiwen exclaimed, marveling at the device. Baixiao and Baishi quickly gathered around to look at the screen, equally fascinated by the details displayed.
"Alright, my turn next!" Baixiao said eagerly, stepping forward and pressing the draw button.
The screen flickered through silhouettes before stopping with another *ding*. The image that appeared next left Baixiao's eyes sparkling.