Julian was a man on the edge. He had successfully navigated the rugged mountain paths of Sinnoh, dodged the prying eyes of Gym apprentices, and made it back to Solaceon Town just in time for the "Great Hatching." But now, standing in the middle of a familiar hotel room, he faced a much more terrifying adversary: his own guilty conscience and a very inquisitive Sylveon.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I promise I will make you a huge feast tomorrow to properly make it up to you!" Julian said for the tenth time, his hands clasped together in a posture of deep prayer.
He had just retrieved his team from the Pokémon Center. They were currently a whirlwind of noise and energy, circling his legs as they walked the short distance to the inn.
"Floette-flo! (Just hurry up and serve the food! My stomach is touching my spine!)" 🌸 Floette cried out, dramatically rubbing her belly while hovering near Julian's shoulder.
"Fly ah~ (It's okay. Julian was just worried about the egg,)" Togetic chirped, ever the peacemaker.
"Woof! (Besides the feast, don't forget the extra spicy jerky you promised me for drying your hair!)" 🐶
"Alright, alright! We're going to the same room as last time. But for tonight, we have to settle for high-grade Pokéblocks and some takeout noodles. I didn't have time to grocery shop!"
Seeing that the four of them weren't actually angry about his lateness, the heavy knot of anxiety in Julian's chest began to loosen.
Chapter 116: The Entanglement and Unexpected Exposure
As they walked, Sylveon narrowed her big, soulful blue eyes and shot a sideways glance at Floette.
"Sylveon-fly! (You little glutton, I heard Growlithe say you sat on Julian's head again today and made a huge mess with your juice!)" 🎀
"Floette-flo... (Well, I washed it! It's cleaner now than it was before!)" Floette's gaze darted around nervously. She quickly tried to redirect the heat. "Anyway! Growlithe! Why are you telling Sylveon my business? I thought we were food buddies!"
"Woof, woof! (It's the truth, isn't it? Besides, Big Sister Head, I need to clarify: you eat anything that fits in your mouth. I am a connoisseur of flavor. We are fundamentally different.)"
"Sylveon-fly! (And don't forget, Growlithe and I have been getting those amazing morning and evening massages from Julian lately. If we're talking about who has the better relationship with the Trainer, it's clearly us,)" Sylveon added with a smug flick of her ribbons.
"Floette-flo?! (Hmph! You two are detestable! Julian, what have you been doing anyway? Why are they getting rubbed down every day while I'm just sitting on your hat?)"
The conversation suddenly swung toward Julian like a runaway train. A drop of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He stared straight ahead, walking with the stiff, robotic gait of a man who was definitely hiding a body.
"Ah, nothing! Nothing much! I'm just... practicing some energy flow while massaging them. I told you this! Your bodies are too tiny. If I try to give you a deep-tissue Aura massage, it wouldn't be effective. It's for their own good!"
"Sylveon-fly! (Floette, stop changing the subject! We were talking about your sticky juice feet on Julian's head!)"
"Floette-flo! (I said I'd try to stop! Mostly!)"
Julian sighed in relief as the two small Pokémon went back to bickering. He reached down and picked up the pouting Sylveon, tucking her into his arm and stroking her soft fur to keep the peace.
"Alright, everyone is a partner, stop the fighting. Look at Togetic; she's being so quiet because she's practicing her new Aura focus. Sylveon, be nice to Floette. You know she's a lost cause when it comes to snacks. At least she tries to fly when she drinks now."
Sylveon felt the familiar, warm touch of Julian's hand. Her ribbons instinctively coiled around his arm, sensing the wave of affection he felt for her. She relaxed, closing her eyes in bliss.
"Jia gei! (That's right! And Julian! Besides the new moves from my evolution, I actually learned something special while training with Master Lucario!)" Togetic chimed in, riding on Growlithe's back like it was a fluffy chariot.
"Oh? What move is that?" Julian asked, genuinely curious.
"Togekiss! (It's Baton Pass!)"
"Baton Pass?" Julian's eyes widened. "That's incredible! That opens up so many tactical doors. You can pass your speed or defensive boosts to Growlithe or Sylveon in the middle of a fight. Good job, Togetic!"
Togetic danced in the air with joy, and even Growlithe barked a compliment. The atmosphere was light, happy, and full of the simple joy of being back together.
The Bathroom Interlude
They finally reached the room. The moment the key turned in the lock, Floette was a green-and-white blur. She used her Psychic power to flip the light switches and drag the chairs out from the table before Julian could even set his bag down.
"Honestly, you lot," Julian chuckled. "Growlithe, Sylveon, come wash your paws with me before you touch the food. Togetic, you can start on your blocks since you fly."
Julian led the two "fluffballs" into the bathroom. As he knelt on the tiled floor, scrubbing the dust from Growlithe's pads and cleaning the white fur of Sylveon's paws, the silence of the room started to feed his inner turmoil.
Face your heart, Lucario's voice echoed in his mind. There should be no secrets between partners.
Julian's hands trembled slightly as he rubbed a particularly soft patch of fur on Sylveon's leg. "Right... Growlithe, Sylveon. I... I have something I need to tell you guys."
"Woof? (What is it?)" "Fly? (Is there more jerky?)"
Julian looked at their innocent, trusting faces and his courage dissolved like sugar in rain. "...Nothing. Just... remember to always ask me to wash your paws. Hygiene is important. Yeah."
He finished the wash quickly—uncharacteristically quickly—and stood up to wash his own hands. The two Pokémon, sensing nothing but a bit of weirdness, bounded out to the dining table.
Julian stared at himself in the mirror. He looked pale. He leaned over the sink and started pounding the porcelain with his fists in a silent, agonizing scream.
I am a coward! I am a social disaster! How do I tell them I want to sniff them?! 'Excuse me, Sylveon, may I bury my face in your neck because you smell like strawberry shortcake?' NO! NEVER!
He splashed cold water on his face, trying to erase the image of Lucario's "tsundere" face from his mind. He took a deep breath, straightened his shirt, and walked out to join them at the table.
Julian sat down and started eating his fried noodles, but he was staring at the wall, his mind a thousand miles away.
Sylveon stopped mid-bite. Her feelers were still wrapped loosely around Julian's wrist, a habit she'd picked up months ago. Suddenly, her ribbons tightened.
"Fly...? (Julian? Your heart is beating like a drum. Is something wrong?)"
"N-nothing! Just hungry!" Julian replied, but his cheeks were glowing like a pair of red lanterns.
"Sylveon-fly! (Something is definitely wrong. You're not just hungry—you're... scared? No, you're embarrassed. Really embarrassed.)"
Unlike a human who might miss the signs, a Sylveon is a biological lie detector. Her ribbons don't just feel touch; they read the soul. She could feel the chaotic swirl of emotions inside Julian: the intense desire to reach out and pet her, the crushing weight of shame, and a weirdly specific "shyness" that was becoming more intense by the second.
Julian's Aura, still untrained and volatile, began to leak. It amplified his feelings, broadcasting them to the room like a radio signal.
"Fly-fly? (Julian, what are you afraid of? Is it us? Did we do something bad?)"
CLANG!
Julian jumped so hard his chair flipped backward, clattering onto the floor. He stood there, trembling, looking at Sylveon's concerned aqua eyes. He felt like a criminal caught in the act.
"Ha... ha... don't be silly, Sylveon! Why would I be embarrassed? I'm the Trainer! I'm the boss! Let's just... eat! Eat the noodles before they get cold!"
He reached for his plate, but a pink-and-white ribbon shot out, gently coiling around the dish and pulling it away from him.
"Sylveon-fly... (You're a terrible liar. I can feel everything through my ribbons. You're hiding something big.)"
The other Pokémon stopped eating. Growlithe tilted his head, Floette hovered closer, and Togetic landed on the table, looking between the two of them. The air in the room grew heavy with the weight of Julian's secret.
Togetic, who had spent the most time with Julian and Lucario lately, suddenly got a look of realization. She remembered the way Julian had looked at Lucario's fur... the way he'd talked about "spiritual touch."
"Jia gei... (Wait... is it the 'fluff' thing again?)"
Julian's heart skipped a beat. His knees felt weak. He looked at his four partners—his family—and realized the walls were closing in. He was about to be exposed.