“The internet is booming; sticking to the old-fashioned way of waiting for customers to come in naturally? That's going to take forever,” muttered Gu Xin, lounging in the front desk chair of Pokémon Home while scrolling through his phone.
Meanwhile, Diancie was quietly and obediently watching Tom and Jerry.
As expected, the video of Diancie dancing to Gokuraku Jodo had gone viral, much faster than Gu Xin had anticipated.
Indeed, few could resist Diancie's overwhelming cuteness, let alone a Diancie that could perform otaku dances.
Using a video for promotion was just a small trick, but judging by the video's overwhelming popularity, it seemed highly effective.
“Let's see if any locals in Magic City will actually visit the shop,” Gu Xin thought to himself.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the bell hanging above the door jingled softly.
Ding-ding~
A clear and melodious chime echoed through the shop.
A customer!
Gu Xin instantly sprang to his feet and turned toward the door. Sure enough, the door opened, and a bespectacled young man, looking polite and refined, walked in slowly.
“Welcome!” Gu Xin patted his face lightly and put on his trademark professional smile as he approached the visitor.
“Boss, do you really have… Diancie!”
The visitor was none other than Lin Sheng, who, after glancing around curiously, locked his eyes on Diancie.
Hearing her name called, Diancie turned her head, looking at Lin Sheng with a curious expression.
“It's really alive!”
Seeing Diancie move in person, Lin Sheng couldn't hold back his excitement—so the video was real!
A live Diancie!
“Um… Sir, that's a rather rude thing to say,” Gu Xin said, his eyelid twitching as he maintained an awkward but polite smile.
What do you mean, “It's really alive”? Was it supposed to be dead?
“Sorry, I got a little too excited after seeing the video you posted on Bilibili,” Lin Sheng said sheepishly, rubbing his nose in embarrassment.
“I understand. So, are you here to purchase a pet?” Gu Xin asked, not taking it to heart. After all, Lin Sheng's reaction only proved how awe-inspiring Diancie was.
“Yes, I'd like to take a look, but…” Lin Sheng adjusted his glasses and hesitated as he glanced around the shop.
Where are the pets?
It was his first time feeling an urge to own a pet, but only if what Gu Xin said in the video was true.
“Our shop operates a bit differently from typical pet stores,” Gu Xin explained. “I believe that pets and humans are connected by their unique fates.”
“So, which pet you're destined for depends on you.”
Gu Xin led Lin Sheng to the seating area and handed him the Pokédex.
“This is the Pokédex. Please tap it to see which partner you're matched with,” Gu Xin said with a smile, noticing Lin Sheng's puzzled expression.
“Oh, alright. Let's give it a try,” Lin Sheng replied, momentarily stunned but intrigued. He tapped the ‘GO' button on the Pokédex.
The screen flashed with silhouettes of various creatures. Lin Sheng focused intently, captivated by the idea of finding a pet as beautiful and extraordinary as Diancie.
The silhouettes gradually stopped, revealing a clear image.
“Boss, this is it!” Lin Sheng's eyes lit up as he showed the screen to Gu Xin.
“Congratulations, sir. Your luck is exceptional,” Gu Xin said with raised brows, glancing at the image: Vulpix in its standard form.
Although the standard Vulpix wasn't as strikingly beautiful as its Alolan variant, its charm as a cute little fox was undeniable.
“Boss, do you really have this one?” Lin Sheng asked eagerly, growing more fond of the fox the longer he looked at the image.
A fox!
While this world had plenty of pet foxes, none had as many tails as the one in the picture.
“Of course, please wait a moment,” Gu Xin replied with a smile.
He stepped into the back room to retrieve Vulpix from the system. It wouldn't be wrong to call it magic, but… well, it worked.
“Sir, here's your Vulpix. What do you think?”
A minute later, Gu Xin returned, a small, six-tailed fox following at his feet.
Lin Sheng's eyes sparkled as he gazed at the Vulpix.
Small and delicate, it had reddish-brown fur, large brown eyes without pupils, pointed ears, a little black nose, and six fluffy, curled orange tails.
“There's actually a fox with six tails in this world.”
Lin Sheng stared at the adorable, soft-looking fox, his admiration evident.
“Mew~?”
The Vulpix tilted its head, looking at Lin Sheng curiously with its large brown eyes.
“Vulpix starts with a single white tail at birth. As it grows, the tail splits and becomes increasingly beautiful,” Gu Xin explained.
“But it's so small right now,” Lin Sheng said, noting the fox's petite size.
“Yes, strictly speaking, this Vulpix is still in its juvenile stage,” Gu Xin replied with a nod.
“Boss, does that mean it can grow more tails in the future?” Lin Sheng asked curiously.
“You're asking if Vulpix can eventually become a Ninetales, right?” Gu Xin chuckled, easily guessing Lin Sheng's thoughts.
After all, stories of nine-tailed foxes were deeply rooted in Daxia's myths and folklore.
“I can confirm that Vulpix can indeed evolve into Ninetales, but it requires a special method. However, since it's still young, it's not suitable for evolution just yet,” Gu Xin explained thoughtfully.
Vulpix required a Fire Stone to evolve into Ninetales, but this one was too young for such a transformation.
“Can I hold it?” Lin Sheng asked, no longer pressing the matter. After all, Gu Xin was the expert.
Besides, knowing that Vulpix could one day become a Ninetales was already thrilling. For now, he just wanted to get closer to the adorable fox.
“Of course. Vulpix has a very gentle temperament,” Gu Xin replied with a smile.
Lin Sheng crouched down, carefully extending his hand. Vulpix tilted its head, still curious but sensing no malice from Lin Sheng, so it didn't back away.
“So soft and comfy!”
Gently stroking Vulpix's fluffy head, Lin Sheng couldn't help but smile as the little fox closed its eyes in contentment.
Its expression of comfort was so endearing that Lin Sheng's eyes practically turned into heart shapes.
Mom, this little fox is seducing me!
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]