The tension of the "Disciplinary Hearing" had officially dissolved into the comfortable, chaotic warmth that defined Julian's travel life. He sat on the edge of the bed, Growlithe draped across his lap like a heavy, breathing orange rug. Julian's hand moved rhythmically, scratching the base of Growlithe's ears, his face radiating a sense of utter peace.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Luxury Ball, the sleek black-and-gold casing catching the light of the hotel lamp.
"Speaking of which," Julian said, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur to avoid breaking the quiet, "Carbink is quite the sleepyhead. It hasn't stirred once since we got back. It reminds me exactly of when Togetic first hatched; it was like the world could end and she'd still be dreaming of triangles."
"Floette-flo! (It's true! Togetic was a total narcoleptic back then!)" Floette agreed, floating over to hover near the Poké Ball. She nudged it with the stem of her flower. "Maybe it's a 'Fairy-type newborn' thing?"
"Well, since the drama is over for tonight, Carbink, why don't you come join us?"
Julian gently tossed the ball. With a soft pop and a shower of white light, the small, diamond-encrusted Rock-type appeared on the plush hotel carpet. Its eyes remained tightly shut, its little white whiskers twitching ever so slightly as it emitted a soft, rhythmic hum.
"What a sleepy little gem. I haven't even been able to let it try the new flavor of Pokéblock I spent three hours perfecting," Julian chuckled, leaning over to poke one of Carbink's soft whiskers.
"Floette-flo! Flo-flo! (Let me try it! I'll be the judge! I don't mind being the guinea pig!)"
As soon as the word 'food' left Julian's mouth, Floette's sulking vanished. She zipped down from Julian's hat and landed on his knee, her emerald eyes sparkling with a familiar, greedy light.
Julian shot her a flat look. He reached out and poked her belly, which was still noticeably rounded from the dinner she'd just finished. "You just finished eating and you're already volunteering for seconds? And it's baby food at that. Aren't you a bit embarrassed, you little glutton?"
He sighed, shaking his head. "Besides, the blocks I made for Carbink are Rock-flavored. The texture is dense, and the taste... well, let's just say it won't be a five-star experience for a Floette."
"Floette-flo! Flo-flo! (I haven't tried 'Rock-flavored' yet! You said I had to eat Pokéblocks as punishment, and this is a Pokéblock! You can't deny me my legal punishment food!)"
Floette draped herself over Julian's shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his in a display of tactical cuteness.
"...You're impossible," Julian groaned, though a smirk was tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Fine, fine. You win. But don't come crying to me when you realize why I warned you. This is on you."
Julian reached into his bag and pulled out two small, airtight containers. He'd meticulously labeled them 'Carbink - Alpha Recipe'. He pulled out two small, greyish-pink cubes and handed them to Floette.
"Here. I can't give you any more because I only made a small batch to see if Carbink even likes it. But seriously, Floette... this isn't going to suit you."
"Floette-flo! (No problem! Nom~!)" 🌸
Without a second thought, Floette snatched the blocks and shoved them both into her mouth at once.
For three seconds, there was silence.
Then, Floette's eyes went wide. Her face turned a sickly shade of chartreuse.
"FLOWER—! (PTOOEY~!)"
She barely managed two chews before she spat the remains across the room, her wings buzzing in a frantic, panicked blur. She dove for the nearby water cup on the nightstand, dunking her entire face into it to rinse the taste out.
The room was silent for a heartbeat. Then, the dam broke.
"Pffft—hahaha! That's what you get for being greedy!" Julian exploded into laughter, his left hand repeatedly slamming the bedside table. Bang! Bang! Bang! "I told you! I literally told you it would be bad! You swallowed a rock-flavored brick whole! Hahaha!"
"Jia gei! (Seriously, Sister Floette!)" Togetic was laughing so hard she lost her buoyancy, falling onto the bed and rolling around while clutching her stomach. Her small wings flapped weakly as she pounded the mattress. "Lin Jing warned you... haha... but you... you actually ate a rock! Hahaha!"
Growlithe, who was currently lying belly-up after being flipped over by Julian, watched Floette's desperate struggle with the water cup. His entire body began to tremble with suppressed mirth, his belly fur rippling like waves. His tail twitched uncontrollably, sweeping back and forth across Julian's face.
Julian didn't even push the tail away. He plunged his face back into Growlithe's soft stomach fur, muffled "snorts" of laughter erupting from the orange fluff.
"Fly-ah ah ah! Sylveon-fly! (Pffthahaha! The great gourmet Floette... defeated by a pebble! Hahahaha!)"
Sylveon, who was supposed to be in "grumpy mode" in her corner, completely forgot her anger. She was rolling on the carpet, clapping her front paws together while tears of laughter leaked from her eyes.
"Floette-flo... (Ptooey, ptooey! What the heck was that? It felt like chewing on a handful of sand and old gravel! Julian, are you sure this is edible and not just a failed science experiment?)"
After what felt like a gallon of water, Floette finally pulled her head out of the cup, looking thoroughly disheveled. She glared at Julian, who was still vibrating against Growlithe's ribs.
"Pffft—woo woo—" Julian couldn't even form words. He was in that stage of laughter where breathing becomes optional.
"Woof~ woof! (Julian, she's talking to you! Stop sniffing my belly for a second and answer her!)" Growlithe barked, though he was also struggling to stay composed. He pushed Julian's head with a paw pad. "Pffthaha~ explain yourself before she tries to 'pollen puff' the whole room in revenge!"
Julian tremblingly sat up, his hair a mess of static and dog fur. He pointed a shaky, accusing finger at Floette, whose cheeks were puffed out like a steamed bun.
"I... I told you... pffthaha! I told you it wouldn't... haha!"
"Floette-flo! (Stop laughing! Explain! Now!)" Floette zipped over, flipped Julian's hat off his head, and began tugging on his hair with all her might.
"Okay, okay! I'm stopping! Hahaha—no, I'm not—okay, I'm done!" Julian wiped his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Listen... Carbink is a Rock/Fairy dual-type. But its primary biology is Rock. Do you know what Rock Pokémon eat in the wild?"
Floette paused, her hands still tangled in Julian's hair.
"They eat minerals, Floette. Rocks. Rare earths. Most Rock-types don't even have the digestive enzymes for normal 'soft' food. They can eat Berries as a treat, but their main diet is hard minerals. So, when I made that Pokéblock, I used a base of crushed Iron Ore and Hard Stone powder mixed with Pecha Berry extract for the Fairy side."
Julian started chuckling again. "You're a pure Fairy-type. Your palate is designed for nectar, pollen, and sweet juices. You just tried to eat a concentrated cube of strawberry-flavored granite! Hahaha! Of course it felt like sand!"
"Fly-ah ah ah! (Pffthahaha! She ate a granite cube! Sister Floette is a Geodude now!)" Sylveon mocked, rolling onto her back.