c2 – Self-Cultivation of Wild Pokémon
Xia Mu never dreamed of becoming a Champion or the next great Pokémon Master.
He only wished for a peaceful, steady life — one where he could raise Pokémon, get married, and maybe, someday, find his missing parents.
He had already completed advanced breeding coursework at Shenshan Middle's affiliated university program and was simply waiting for the Pokémon Breeding Entrance Examination, a critical test that determined who could attend the Imperial Capital Pokémon Academy, the most prestigious school for breeders in the Yanhuang Region.
There, the art of Pokémon cultivation thrived blending the techniques of Kalos-style nutritional theory with Kanto's medicinal tradition.
After classes ended, Xia Mu returned to the modest breeding shop near the school gates.
The wooden plaque above the doorway displayed five gold-painted characters:
"Fang Yuan Breeding House."
It was the legacy of his parents both former Gym Leader–level trainers renowned for their teamwork and mastery of dual-type coordination.
They had disappeared years ago during a classified mission commissioned by the Yanhuang League, leaving behind only their loyal companion: Aipom.
At that moment, Aipom, wearing a tiny apron tied around its waist, waved its long, dexterous tail-hand as it saw off a customer who had come to buy a batch of recovery potions.
When it spotted Xia Mu, its eyes lit up, and it leapt into his arms, chittering affectionately.
"Aipom~! Aipooom!"
(Welcome back!)
The purple-furred Normal-type Pokémon wrapped both tails around him, its fur smelling faintly of sweet Oran Berry jam.
Ever since Xia Mu's parents vanished, Aipom had been both guardian and family and the one who inspired his dream to become a breeder.
Under Aipom's patient guidance, Xia Mu had learned to brew status-curing potions, mix nutritional cubes, and treat mild Pokémon injuries.
He could now identify dozens of berry types at a glance, from Pecha and Cheri to the rarer Lum and Sitrus.
The Fang Yuan Breeding House was two stories tall.
The first floor about a hundred square meters was packed with shelves displaying polished Poké Balls, specialized tools, Berry extract bottles, and homemade potions.
The shop's best-selling products were the classic Paralyze Heal, Burn Heal, and Standard Potions, crafted using diluted Cheri, Rawst, and Oran Berry essences respectively.
Though not luxurious, the business thrived steadily thanks to Aipom's cheerful service and Xia Mu's skill.
Upstairs, the second floor served as their living quarters cozy, about eighty square meters, with a terrace where Aipom had planted a miniature orchard of berry trees:
Cheri, Leppa, Sitrus, and even a rare Mago Berry sapling.
The trees were in full bloom, attracting wild Butterfree, Beautifly, and occasionally the buzzing patrol of a few curious Beedrill.
Aipom always offered visiting wild Pokémon a few berries or pieces of sweet bread it had baked itself.
In return, they brought honey and pollen the Beedrill's honey, in particular, shimmered gold and carried a faint rose fragrance.
From outside the window, a wild Pichu peeked in playfully, its tiny paws pressed to the glass as it played tag with other Pichu among the berry trees.
Smiling, Xia Mu stepped onto the balcony and unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt.
"Come out, Houndour."
A burst of red light materialized into the black canine Pokémon.
Houndour shook its sleek fur, revealing the distinct flame-shaped marking on its brow and the bone-like ridges along its back and ankles classic traits of its species.
Its orange underbelly gleamed faintly under the afternoon sun.
Known in the Pokédex as the Dark Pokémon, Houndour were highly intelligent and loyal.
They lived in cooperative packs and used a variety of howls and barks to coordinate hunting a social instinct that made them excellent partners for experienced trainers.
This particular Houndour stretched its limbs with audible pops, sniffing the flower-scented air, its crimson eyes narrowing with satisfaction.
It had spent too long in its Poké Ball and was thrilled to run free again.
"Welcome to the team, Houndour," Xia Mu said warmly, stroking its smooth head.
Houndour's tail wagged, and its lips curved in what could only be described as a canine grin.
Its friendliness made bonding easy within minutes, it was chasing the wild Pichu around the terrace.
The little Electric-type climbed onto Houndour's back, giggling as they dashed between the berry trees.
As the sun sank behind the hills, soft twilight filled the air.
Soon, the moon rose silver and luminous casting pale light across the Fang Yuan Breeding House.
In the kitchen, Xia Mu prepared dinner.
With practiced skill, he cut soft tofu into thumb-sized cubes. After checking the oil temperature with chopsticks, he dropped the tofu into the pot.
Crackle crackle!
Tiny bubbles filled the oil as the tofu floated, turning golden brown.
The savory aroma spread through the entire house, catching the attention of both Pichu and Houndour.
The scent made their noses twitch.
Their mouths watered uncontrollably saliva gathering faster than they could swallow.
The wild Pichu, a regular visitor and self-proclaimed "food inspector," crept closer.
Its light-yellow fur and black-tipped ears quivered with anticipation.
It was still young and couldn't control its electricity well; static crackled faintly from its cheeks whenever it got too excited.
The mischievous mouse Pokémon was infamous in the neighborhood for sneaking into Xia Mu's breeding house at night to "borrow food."
On rainy days, it even slept inside, curled up in a tiny bed that Xia Mu had made using Pelipper feathers soft and warm, the perfect nest.
Steam rose from the freshly fried tofu as Xia Mu laid them out on oil-absorbing paper.
The fragrance was irresistible.
Pichu tiptoed toward the counter, tiny hands trembling as it reached out for the tofu only for a sharp smack! to land on its paw.
"Pichu!"
(Ouch!)
Pichu froze, clutching its hand as it looked up at Xia Mu with teary eyes.
He held his chopsticks like a whip, expression calm.
"Pichu, it's not ready yet. You have to wait a little longer. Good food deserves patience, right?"
Pichu puffed its cheeks, arms crossed, glaring with mock anger.
A faint spark danced across its pink cheek pouches, as if threatening to zap Xia Mu if the tofu wasn't worth waiting for.
Meanwhile, Houndour ever the polite newcomer quietly looked away, pretending not to drool.
It didn't want to appear greedy in front of its trainer.
Finally, Xia Mu mixed Kalos-style tomato purée, a spoon of Lum Berry syrup, sesame oil, white sugar, and cornstarch into a thin glaze.
He poured the sauce over the crisp tofu, releasing a burst of sweet, tangy aroma that filled the room.
The scent drifted across the terrace, blending with the night air and both Houndour and Pichu couldn't hold back a synchronized gulp.
"Alright," Xia Mu chuckled, placing two small dishes on the floor. "Dinner's ready."
The two Pokémon's eyes lit up instantly.
For Xia Mu, it wasn't just a meal, it was the beginning of a bond forged through warmth, trust, and the gentle rhythm of everyday life.
Pichu, who had originally turned its back in defiance, couldn't resist the irresistible fragrance drifting through the air. Its round, black-tipped ears twitched rhythmically, and its tiny pink cheeks sparked faintly as it repeatedly slurped up the saliva gathering in its mouth.
That firm vow it had made moments ago to stay mad no matter what was shattered instantly by the mouth-watering aroma that filled the room like a sweet, electric mist.
It couldn't wait any longer.
Xia Mu, seeing this, smiled knowingly. He also made a fried meat patty, its surface golden and crisp, blanched some fresh lettuce from the terrace garden, and drizzled it lightly with aromatic oil and berry sauce. Finally, he turned and called out, "Dinner's ready!"
"This one's for Houndour."
"This one's for Pichu."
He placed several small dishes into two lunch boxes, specially designed for Pokémon meals a practice Xia Mu had learned from the Fang Yuan Region Breeder's Handbook. Each portion was balanced with energy value, nutrient ratio, and elemental affinity. The tofu contained Fire-type essence oil to enhance flame potential, while the lettuce's natural chlorophyll purified minor toxins from the body.
Pichu, unable to hold back, picked up its small silver fork a gift from Aipom and eagerly speared a piece of golden tofu. It popped it into its mouth, only to jolt upright a second later, cheeks puffed, waving its arms in panic.
"Pichu pi!!"
It was hot! Steam poured from its little mouth as its tongue lolled out dramatically. Pichu's species, as Xia Mu knew from the Trainer's Manual, were prone to temperature sensitivity commonly called "cat tongue syndrome" among breeders. Though the tofu had been out of the oil for a while, its core still trapped the sizzling heat inside.
But even through the burn, the taste conquered all.
The golden crust crackled crisply between Pichu's tiny teeth, and the inner tofu melted instantly into a silky, savory warmth that mixed with the tangy tomato sauce. Every bite released a fragrant cloud of flavor. It wasn't just food , it was a festival inside its mouth.
Pichu's eyes grew misty. It clasped its cheeks tightly in bliss. If a Ghost-type Pokémon like Gengar had been watching, it might've seen Pichu's tiny soul floating above its body, basking in pure happiness.
Seeing that, Houndour sniffed curiously before taking a careful bite of its own portion. The moment the tofu touched its tongue, its eyes widened sharply.
"This... this is tofu?"
The outer layer was crisp, the inside tender and airy firm yet soft, just like the discipline of a perfect Fire-type flame. Every chew released bursts of flavor that seemed to awaken something deep within it. Houndour's body trembled slightly. All the cells in its body felt alive, as if cheering.
Then, faint embers flickered along its jawline. Sparks escaped from the corners of its mouth, but instead of scattering wildly, they twisted and danced into delicate shapes in midair a heart, a ring, a flame mark.
The control was astonishing.
Xia Mu's eyes flashed. His Spirit Intelligence System automatically scanned Houndour's condition.
If he were to appraise it again now, the data would have changed drastically:
[Skill Proficiency: Ember → Proficient]
In the Pokémon System, skill mastery was categorized as:
Beginner → Apprentice → Proficient → Adept (Minor Mastery) → Mastery (Major Mastery) → Perfection.
This meal had somehow triggered a real combat improvement an effect similar to "Nutritional Resonance," a phenomenon occasionally seen in the Pokémon Adventures manga when trainers used food or emotions to deepen a Pokémon's move comprehension.
At that moment, Houndour truly realized that everything it had eaten before the dull feed from the school's storage, the tasteless energy pellets had been nothing but pig feed in comparison.
Its loyalty and affection for Xia Mu surged to a new height.
After the feast, both Pichu and Houndour were lying flat on their backs, bellies round like balloons. Their eyes drooped lazily, and both looked as if they were about to evolve into Snorlax.
"Houndour, Pichu," Xia Mu said with a grin, "washing the dishes and mopping the floor are now your tasks."
He tapped their heads gently with the chopsticks. "Remember, these aren't chores they're training techniques. Controlling balance, coordination, and timing are key to developing battle instincts."
His tone was solemn, but his smirk gave him away.
The funny thing was they believed him.
Houndour sat upright immediately, tail wagging in obedience, while Pichu saluted with its tiny paw and squeaked proudly.
Both Pokémon climbed to their feet with determined faces. Under Xia Mu's direction, they waddled toward the sink and began their "training."
Pichu grabbed a towel nearly its own size, rubbing the plates with exaggerated seriousness. Its cheeks sparked occasionally, giving the towel a faint static charge.
Houndour, meanwhile, balanced a mop in its mouth and swayed its body left and right, accidentally wagging muddy streaks across the tiles.
It was chaotic, but it was their chaos.
Watching them, Xia Mu couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Pichu, who had once lived by scavenging for food and sneaking into the breeding house at night, was now learning how to live and grow this was its own form of self-cultivation as a wild Pokémon.
And under the quiet moonlight filtering through the window, the small breeding house once again felt like a home.
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