Half an hour had passed since the Great Solaceon Feast began, and the hotel room currently looked like a berry-themed disaster zone. Julian leaned against the doorframe, looking at his four partners. They weren't just full; they were "round."
Floette was tilted slightly to the left on her cushion, her belly looking like a small balloon. Growlithe had abandoned all dignity and was lying flat on his back, his legs splayed out, a single smear of purple jam on his nose. Even Sylveon and Togetic, usually the most refined of the group, were leaning against each other, breathing in slow, heavy rhythms.
"I'm telling you... that's enough, isn't it?" Julian said, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and parental concern. "We had an agreement, remember? You rest for a bit, and then everyone helps clean up the battlefield."
"..." x4
The response was a collective, muffled groan. Not a single one of them had the lung capacity to bark or chirp.
"It seems I'll have to make less of these big meals in the future," Julian teased, crossing his arms. "Although it's delicious, eating like this isn't exactly 'Peak Performance' for a journey, is it?"
"...?!!!" x4
The protest was silent but violent. Four sets of eyes snapped open, filled with betrayal. They wanted to argue, they wanted to demand more feasts, but the sheer weight of the Hundred-Berry Pancakes and the Marinated Bone kept them pinned to the floor. They had to admit, just this once, Julian was right—they were currently as mobile as a pair of Slowpokes in a blizzard.
Another half hour passed. Julian, who had already prepped the kitchen for dinner, emerged to find his team finally regaining some motor function.
"Alright, digestion period is over! If you can stand up, you can help. Let's make this place sparkle."
The squad stood up, albeit a bit shakily. Togetic took to the air, using her small hands to wipe down the dining table, while Floette used a gentle Psychic field to levitate the empty bowls and plates into the sink. The floor was the responsibility of the "Ground Team." Growlithe and Sylveon worked in tandem, clearing away the stray crumbs and sauce spills with a level of efficiency that suggested they really wanted that second meal later.
In no time, the hotel room was back to its pristine state. Julian nodded, genuinely impressed.
"Great job, everyone! And since you worked so hard cleaning up... I have a confession. I bought way too many ingredients at the market. There's still plenty left for a massive dinner tonight!"
"Woof!" (Yes!) "Fly ah!" (More!) "Floette-flo!" (Heaven!) "Jia gei!" (Hooray!)
"Of course! I'm a man of my word," Julian said, his voice dropping into a slightly more... mischievous tone. "But... look at you four. The table is clean, the floor is clean, but you are absolutely filthy. You're covered in syrup, oil, and berry stains."
Julian's eyes began to sparkle with a light that hadn't been there before.
"Based on the level of difficulty... Floette, Togetic, you're up first! You're small and easy to dry. Then, Sylveon, it's your turn. And finally..." Julian turned his gaze toward Growlithe, who was currently matted with dark jam and grease. "Finally, the hardest one. Long fur, matted belly, oil stains everywhere. Growlithe, you're going to need a very thorough scrubbing."
ヽ(^Д^*)/
Julian, who had been acting like a professional Trainer just a second ago, now had a grin on his face that was borderline lewd.
"Floette-flo... (Julian, wipe that look off your face. You're not even trying to hide it anymore,)" Floette complained, floating toward the bathroom.
"Sylveon-fly! (And don't pretend this is just about 'hygiene.' We know you just want to get your hands in the fur,)" Sylveon added, squinting her aqua eyes at him.
⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄
"So what if I do?!" Julian shouted, his face turning a brilliant shade of crimson. "The secret is out! I don't have to pretend! You guys are dirty, and I have the soap! Especially Growlithe—I slept on his belly all night, so his fur is already a mess, and now he's a sticky mess! It's my duty to clean every... single... inch."
(￢_￢)
Growlithe, currently licking a patch of jam off his leg, looked up and gave a short, resigned nod.
"Hehe~ Then Floette, Togetic, let's go!" Julian scooped up the two smaller Pokémon and practically sprinted into the bathroom.
The Bathroom Chronicles
"Sylveon-fly... (I finally understand why Julian was so worried about us finding out,)" Sylveon whispered, watching the bathroom door close.
"Woof? (Why? I think he's hilarious like this. At least he's not acting like a stiff researcher anymore,)" Growlithe replied, still trying to untangle a knot in his fur.
"Sylveon-fly! (I didn't mean it was bad! I just meant he's... intense. Though, to be honest, I'd rather sleep in his arms every night than go back to the way it was,)" she admitted, her ribbons curling shyly.
"Woof! (Exactly! And his massages are getting better. If I have to be a 'plushie' for him to be happy, it's a small price to pay for that steak bone!)"
Inside the bathroom, the sounds of splashing water and Julian's frantic giggling echoed through the door. Soon, the door creaked open, and a fluffy, sparkling Floette and a fresh-smelling Togetic emerged, looking slightly dazed but very clean.
Then, Julian's voice drifted out, sounding like a villain from a cheesy movie.
"Syl~ve~on~~~ Time for a bathie-wathie~~~"
"Fly ah! (Tsk! He's completely let himself go!)" Sylveon complained, though she was blushing as she scurried into the bathroom.
Click.
Strange sounds immediately followed.
"Hehe~ Sylveon, you're in my hands now! Let's get all this sticky jam off those ribbons... oh, so soft..."
"Fly ah! (Julian! Watch the ticklish spots!)"
"Hehe~ You said you wanted more hugs! This is a 360-degree water hug! Let me get your belly... slurp... I mean, scrub-scrub!"
Outside, Floette lay on her pillow, staring at the door. "(Is she... is she going to be okay?)"
"Jia gei? (Probably?)" Togetic replied, sounding uncertain.
"Woof! (Don't worry,)" Growlithe said confidently. "(Julian knows his limits. Besides, Sylveon actually likes the attention. She's probably purring in there.)"
"Fly ah~~~ (Soooo goooood~~~)" a muffled, dreamy voice drifted through the door.
Floette looked at Growlithe. "(Are you sure?)"
"Woof. (...Probably?)"
The Final Boss: The Fluff King
The door opened again. Julian stepped out, wearing only his shorts, his skin glistening with water droplets. In his arms, he held a limp, rosy-cheeked Sylveon. She looked like she had just spent a week at a luxury spa. He placed her gently on the bed, his hand lingering for one last pet on her stomach.
Then, Julian turned. His eyes locked onto Growlithe.
"Gro~wlithe~ It's~ your~ turn~" (*＾3＾)／～☆
Before Growlithe could even think about running, Julian launched himself with the speed of an Extremespeed Arcanine. He scooped up the sticky, jam-covered dog, the oil and syrup transferring directly onto Julian's bare chest. Julian didn't care. He sprinted back into the bathroom.
BANG.
The door slammed shut.
"Hehe~ Little puppy! You can't escape now! Look at you! You're a disaster! Watch me give you a cleaning you'll never forget!"
"Woof! (Ugh! Julian! Too much soap!)"
"Look at this belly! Oh, it's so matted... let me just... sniff... I mean, scrub it clean! You promised you wouldn't leave me, Growlithe! You had your fun with the bone, now it's my turn to have fun with the fluff!"
"Woof! (You guy! Let go of my paws!)"
"No! These paws are dirty! They need a deep, deep massage! Be a good boy and let me bury my face in—I mean, let me check the water temperature!"
Outside, the three cleaned Pokémon sat in a row on the bed, listening to the chaotic splashes and Growlithe's indignant barks.
"Floette-flo? (Is he... still okay?)" A drop of cold sweat ran down Floette's head.
"Jia gei... (Probably... he's a Fire-type, he can handle the heat... maybe...?)"
Sylveon, still limp and blissfully dazed on the pillow, let out a tiny, happy sigh. "Fly ah~ (So good... best bath ever...)"
Julian's lewd, joyful laughter continued to leak through the bathroom tiles, a testament to a Trainer who had finally found true peace—and a lot of shampoo.