"If you came here after watching the video on my little, half-broken website, then you should already be mentally prepared."
Ren looked at Ava and spoke calmly.
"The pets here are quite special. Not only are they highly intelligent, but they also possess powers that would seem strange—almost magical—to ordinary people."
"You can think of it as something similar to elemental magic," he continued, "though a more accurate term would be attribute power."
"So the video of Charmander and Vulpix fighting… that was real?"
Liam frowned slightly as he asked.
"Of course it was," Ren replied naturally, without the slightest hesitation.
"…I see."
Liam fell silent.
He actually had decent technical skills. When Ava first showed him those videos, his instinct had been to doubt them. But after carefully examining them frame by frame, he hadn't been able to find any signs of CGI or post-processing.
And now, with a living Diancie standing right in front of him…
Being stubborn at this point was meaningless.
"I'm really looking forward to this!"
Unlike her brother, Ava didn't think that deeply. To her, the idea that creatures like Pokémon truly existed was simply exciting.
"So, ladies," Ren said with a smile, extending the store manager's illustrated book toward Ava, "would you like to see what kind of partner fate has prepared for you?"
Ava's delicate face remained bright with anticipation, though there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. She reached out and tapped the confirmation button on the illustrated book.
The black silhouettes began to spin rapidly across the screen.
Leaning in close, Liam stared intently.
"There are so many…"
After watching the shadows cycle endlessly for a while, Ava couldn't help but sigh.
If these silhouettes really represented different Pokémon… just how many of them were there?
Gradually, the image slowed.
The black shadow became clearer, its outline sharpening—
"Huh? Is that a frog?" Ava blinked. "And… is that a bud? Or seeds on its back?"
She stared at the image in surprise.
"You're quite lucky," Ren said after glancing at the screen, smiling slightly. "That's Bulbasaur, a Grass-type Pokémon. It's very suitable for beginners."
The garlic boy finally appeared.
Bulbasaur—the Grass-type starter of Kanto.
"It looks really cute…"
Ava's clear eyes sparkled as she studied the image.
"It is," Liam nodded in agreement.
"Boss," Ava asked after a moment of thought, "how does it compare to Charmander or Vulpix?"
"What do you mean by that?" Ren asked.
"If they fought… who would be stronger?"
"Mm," Ren pondered briefly before answering, "that's hard to say. A Pokémon's strength depends on many factors. Battles are influenced by environment, training, and strategy."
He paused, then added, "If you decide to buy Bulbasaur, I can give you a beginner trainer's handbook as a bonus. I wrote it myself—it answers most questions new trainers usually have."
Ava glanced back at Bulbasaur's image, clearly tempted.
"Can I see Bulbasaur in person first?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Ren nodded. "That's every customer's right. Please wait a moment."
He turned and walked toward the partition.
"Sis," Liam said quietly once Ren was gone, "you're not actually planning to buy it, are you?"
"You know Dad doesn't like pets. And the comments said the Pokémon here are expensive."
"He knows you well—there's no way he'd agree."
"Relax," Ava waved him off casually. "I just want to take a look first."
"…Fine." Liam shook his head helplessly.
"Bulbasaur is here."
The partition door opened again, and Ren's voice sounded.
Ava immediately looked over—and her eyes lit up.
A small head peeked out from behind the door, followed by a squat, green Pokémon hopping forward.
It looked delighted, its red eyes filled with curiosity and joy.
"Ahhhh—so cute!!"
Ava covered her mouth in shock as the little Pokémon trotted around happily.
"Bulba~saur?"
Hearing her voice, Bulbasaur stopped and looked at her curiously, tilting its head.
"Liam! It's trying to charm me!"
Ava grabbed her brother's sleeve, eyes shining.
Liam: "..."
"Looks like our guest really likes Bulbasaur," Ren said with a chuckle.
He walked over, picked Bulbasaur up, and gently rubbed its head.
Bulbasaur didn't resist at all. Instead, it squinted its eyes comfortably, looking even more obedient.
"I love it!" Ava nodded vigorously. "Boss, can I touch it?"
"Of course," Ren replied with a smile. "Bulbasaur's very gentle."
Ava carefully reached out, her fingers brushing Bulbasaur's cheek.
"Bulba~"
Not only did it not resist—it even raised its chin slightly, letting out a soft, content sound.
"How can you be this obedient?!"
Ava stared at the little garlic Pokémon with shining eyes.
This was cheating.
Absolute cheating.