Zoroark led Zorua toward Twinleaf Town. Although it had slowed its pace, given Zoroark's way of traveling, it still didn't take much time to reach the town.
Standing on the streets of Twinleaf Town, Zoroark noticed that all the pedestrians walking by were looking at it.
Zorua poked its head out from the mane and saw that all the people on the road were staring at it and Zoroark, whispering something among themselves.
Zoroark remembered how the people of Crown City had misunderstood them and pressed Zorua back into its mane. Its body trembled slightly, but it still opened the delivery box to check. Relieved to see that the food inside hadn't spilled, it closed the lid securely.
It took out the map Lucas had prepared for it, but after looking at it for a long time, it couldn't understand it.
So, it looked up at the Staraptor resting on a nearby rooftop. Staraptor gestured in a certain direction with its head. Zoroark nodded, bent its legs, and leaped onto the roof.
It had just jumped onto the roof and was about to head in the direction Staraptor had pointed when it heard someone calling out from below.
It looked down and saw an auntie calling to it, waving her hand to signal for it to come down.
Unsure of what was happening, Zoroark jumped down.
When the auntie saw Zoroark jump down from the roof, she approached it and said, "You can't do that. You shouldn't be running around on the rooftops; it would be bad if an accident happened."
Zoroark looked at the auntie and tilted its head.
"You look quite unfamiliar. Are you a new employee at the Breeding House?"
The auntie asked.
"Do you even need to ask? Isn't that the Breeding House uniform it's wearing?"
Another person nearby chimed in.
"Right, it's probably a new employee, though I've never seen this kind of Pokémon before."
Staraptor stood on the roof, silently watching what was happening below.
Lucas's instructions echoed in its mind.
"Staraptor, show them the enthusiasm of the Twinleaf Town residents, and take them to the Cottage after they're done with the deliveries."
Staraptor looked at Zoroark, who was clearly overwhelmed in the middle of the crowd. It pretended not to see the pleading look Zoroark sent its way and lowered its head to preen its feathers.
"Hey, what are you all doing? This one still has deliveries to make. You're blocking the way. Be careful, or the Breeding House might stop taking your orders in the future."
The auntie, sensing Zoroark's helplessness, waved her hand to disperse the crowd. She then looked at Zoroark and said with a smile, "It's alright. They mean no harm. We won't keep you from your deliveries any longer. Go on now."
The auntie nodded to Zoroark, and Zorua, hidden in the mane, poked its head out.
"Oh, you're even bringing a little one along for deliveries? How hardworking."
The auntie said in surprise when she saw Zorua.
"Did Lucas give you extra wages?"
Another voice came from the roadside: "Lucas is so kind; he definitely won't mistreat them."
"Go on with you, you think you know everything."
The auntie scolded the Trainer who had just spoken.
"But it's true."
Ignoring him, the auntie looked at Zorua in Zoroark's mane, took a piece of Candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and held it out.
Zorua looked at the Candy, then at the auntie, and finally up at Zoroark.
"Oh, it's fine. We always prepare some snacks for the Pokémon that come to Twinleaf Town for deliveries. These were originally meant for Little Shauna—she loves this kind of Candy—but she hasn't been around much lately."
Hearing Shauna's name, Zorua was tempted, but it still looked to Zoroark for permission.
Zoroark nodded, and Zorua instantly snatched the Candy with its mouth.
It was sweet and delicious.
Zorua squinted its eyes and looked at the auntie. "Thank you."
The auntie was visibly stunned.
"That's strange. Could I be getting old and having hallucinations? I thought I just heard it say thank you."
Hehe.
Zorua covered its mouth and giggled.
Zoroark glanced at it, and Zorua quickly hid back in the mane.
"Forget it, forget it. You'd better hurry along; don't keep them waiting."
The auntie shook her head and said to Zoroark.
Zoroark nodded and then turned to leave.
"Don't go on the roofs anymore. They're covered in snow and very slippery. Be careful on the road, there's no need to rush. Stay safe!"
The auntie's voice trailed after them as Zoroark waved its hand without looking back.
After Zoroark left, the auntie and the others also dispersed to go about their business.
"Ma, they're quite nice people."
Zoroark nodded in agreement.
They soon found the first house marked on the map. Zoroark stood in front of the house, double-checking the map several times before looking around for Staraptor. It found Staraptor perched on a tree laden with snow.
Zoroark looked to it for confirmation, and Staraptor nodded.
This was the place; just go and knock on the door.
Zoroark walked to the entrance and knocked gently on the door.
Soon, the door opened, and a young boy stepped out.
The boy opened the door to find a Pokémon he had never seen before, with another small Pokémon hiding in its fur.
Although he didn't recognize the Pokémon, he recognized the clothes it was wearing—the symbol of the Breeding House delivery service.
He turned back and shouted into the house, "Mom, the delivery is here!"
Footsteps sounded, and the lady of the house came running out. Seeing an unfamiliar Pokémon at the door, she asked curiously, "Are you new?"
Zoroark nodded and then took out the food ordered by the household from the box.
The lady took the food and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Please wait a moment for me."
With that, she hurried back inside with the food, while the boy remained at the entrance, staring at Zoroark and Zorua.
"You guys are so cool and cute!"
The boy's eyes were full of stars.
He thought the Zoroark before him was truly magnificent.
And that Pokémon hiding in the fur...
It was so adorable.
Zoroark gave him a gentle smile.
"Thank you."
A voice suddenly echoed in the boy's mind.
Instantly, his small eyes widened into circles.
"You—you can talk?!"
The boy swallowed hard and stammered.
Zoroark looked down at Zorua hiding in its mane, feeling helpless.
Seeing that Zoroark wasn't scolding it, Zorua boldly spoke to the boy.
"That's right."
The boy's face instantly turned bright red. "You, you, you—"
Suddenly, he forgot what he wanted to say and finally just asked, "What are you called?"
"I didn't call for anything."
Zorua tilted its head.
"No, no, I mean—you are—"
The boy grew more excited, and his words became increasingly incoherent.
Zorua giggled mischievously behind its hand and then said, "I'm a human! My name is Zorua."
"Zorua?"
The boy kept muttering the name. "My name is—"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
The lady of the house came back out, interrupting the boy. She was carrying a pile of snacks, which she handed to Zoroark at the door.
Recalling what the auntie had said about residents preparing snacks for delivery Pokémon, Zoroark accepted them without hesitation and placed them in the box.
Zoroark nodded in thanks, then pushed the gate open and left the house. After saying goodbye to the lady and the boy, it headed for the next house.
"Zorua, my name is Xavior!"
The boy rushed out the door and shouted at Zoroark's retreating back.
"Thank you, Xavior, and Xavior's mother."
Hearing the voice in his head, Xavior giggled foolishly.
A gust of wind blew, making Xavior shiver. His mother quickly pulled him back into the house and closed the door.
"You child, running out with so little clothing on. What if you catch a cold?"
Xavior didn't hear his mother's scolding; he was still grinning happily.
"I'm going to find a Zorua as my partner in the future, and then we'll reach the top together!"
Hearing Xavior's words, the woman patted his head. "Then you'll have to work hard so you can be as amazing as Lucas."
"Mm, I will!"
Xavior clenched his fists.
The woman smiled and tapped his little head. "Let's eat first. You have to eat well to grow up."
On the road, Zorua opened the box Zoroark was carrying, picked out two pieces of Candy, peeled one and popped it into its own mouth, then peeled another and held it to Zoroark's mouth.
Zoroark ate it in one bite, savoring the sweetness spreading through its mouth.
"Ma, the people here don't seem to be afraid of us."
"Because we work at the Breeding House."
Zoroark softly answered Zorua's question.
"Why?"
Zorua didn't understand the reason.
Zoroark didn't explain further, only saying, "Because Lucas is a good person."
With Staraptor's nod of confirmation, it knocked on the door of the second house.
After finishing all the food deliveries, Staraptor took off from the ground, flying ahead of Zoroark and Zorua, and signaled for them to follow.
Zoroark followed Staraptor to a shop. Looking inside, it saw Gothitelle, Roserade, Snorunt, Heracross, and Pinsir busy at work. It walked inside, carrying the box on its back.
"You're here?"
A voice echoed in Zoroark's mind. Zoroark looked around and found a red and white figure appearing before it.
Latias.
So she had been here all these days.
No wonder it hadn't seen her at the Breeding House during the day.
Gothitelle floated over and handed Zoroark a cup of hot honey water.
"Are you out delivering food?"
Zoroark took the honey water, gave Zorua a few sips, and then took a few sips itself. It nodded in response to Gothitelle's question.
"The people here are very friendly."
Gothitelle laughed.
"Right?"
Zoroark looked around the Cottage and found many things here were similar to the Breeding House, except there were more loaves of bread and such on the shelves.
"Is this also a Breeding House?"
Gothitelle shook her head.
"It's not a Breeding House. This is Miss Gothitelle's Time Cabin; it's a shop Lucas opened for me."
Zoroark was a bit puzzled.
"Because I like researching herbal medicine and herbal tea, he opened a shop for me in Twinleaf Town so I can sell herbal tea and herbal medicine here, along with other desserts made by Alcremie."
As Zoroark listened to Gothitelle's explanation and watched her attend to a customer who had just entered, it suddenly heard laughter coming from a door on the wall.
"That place is—"
After Gothitelle finished the transaction and saw the customer out, she floated back into the Cottage. Hearing Zoroark's question, she saw it was pointing to the door on the wall.
She floated straight to the door and gave it a gentle push, and a group of children appeared in Zoroark's view.
"This is a place where working parents can leave their children. Lucas calls it the daycare."
"An daycare?"
Gothitelle nodded and stepped through the doorway into the midst of the children, instantly being surrounded by them.
"Gothitelle, are you done with work?"
"Gothitelle, want to play on the seesaw with us?"
"Gothitelle—"
After smiling and playing with them for a while, Gothitelle looked at Zoroark.
"This is a place for children to make friends and do their homework, so they don't have to stay home alone."
Zorua looked at Gothitelle. "Can I play with them?"
Gothitelle nodded.
Zorua jumped out from the mane. A group of children watched it until it reached a seesaw and called out to them.
The children all gathered around, and it didn't take long for Zorua to fit right in with them.
"It seems like this kind of life isn't bad either."
Listening to the laughter of these human children and Zorua, Zoroark said.
"Then why not stay and live here?"
—
Zoroark looked at Gothitelle.
It fell into hesitation.
But Gothitelle didn't say anything more, but floated back to the Cottage to attend to new customers.
"By the way, if you're free, could you help pick up Shauna from school?"
At Gothitelle's request, Zoroark nodded.
After helping out at the Cottage for a while, with Gothitelle's reminder, once Zorua had jumped into its mane, Zoroark headed toward the school.
Since the school wasn't far from the Cottage, Zoroark could find its way on its own without Staraptor's guidance.
Zoroark stood at the school gate. The parents there were momentarily stunned upon seeing Zoroark, but they quickly realized who it was.
Because the Breeding House often sent Pokémon to pick up or drop off children, though it used to be Gothitelle, Roserade, and the others, but today it was a new Pokémon.
But looking at its outfit, they knew it was a Pokémon from the Day Care.
Zoroark curiously looked around the school, and Zorua also peered out from the mane, observing the school with curiosity.
"Zoroark, Zorua, are you here to pick me up?"
Shauna's voice rang out. Zoroark looked at Shauna and then nodded gently.
It really liked this quirky little girl from the Breeding House.
It reminded it of its own childhood.
After Shauna said goodbye to Tomoyo, she ran to Zoroark's side.
"Zorua, you came too."
"Yup, Zorua is here to pick up Little Shauna from school."
"You can't call me Little Shauna. Only uncles and such can call me that. You're even younger than me!"
"Shauna?"
"Big Sister Shauna!"
"Big Sister Shauna."
"~"
Zoroark held Shauna's small hand, listening to the conversation between Zorua and Shauna, with a jingling Chingling following beside them.
Up ahead, Gothitelle and the others had already finished tidying up the Cottage and were standing at the door waiting for them.
"Let's go home."
Zoroark said.