"Hey? Where's your grandfather?"
After getting in the car, Jace Rowan suddenly asked, as if just remembering.
"He flew back on Salamence while you all were resting."
Auron Vale's grandfather was getting up there in years — couldn't handle late nights — and with the military already on site, there wasn't much point in him staying.
So after Auron Vale had talked Jace Rowan and Su Tingxi into going to sleep, he'd also persuaded Lu Xingguo to head back.
He'd given his word that he'd definitely come back the moment he woke up the next day.
Only then had Lu Xingguo nodded and ridden Salamence back to Vantora.
"Tch. When do you think I'll get the privilege of flying over cities without filing a flight plan in emergencies?"
Jace Rowan stared out the window at the sky, face full of longing.
"A researcher? Fat chance with that pig brain of yours. As for a Master seat — pffft, not happening either."
Before Jace Rowan had even finished speaking, Su Tingxi, who was driving, cut in derisively.
"Tch! Drive the car! And when I do get a Master seat, the first thing I'm doing is circling above your head on Charizard!"
The Dragon Kingdom had pretty strict regulations on aerial travel.
Out in the wild, no problem. But if you wanted to fly over a city, you either had to have made major national contributions — like Lu Xingguo — or be one of the Four Masters, the top-tier national assets.
Everyone else, even Hall Masters, had to file a report after the fact in non-emergency situations.
But Lu Xingguo didn't have to. No flight plan, no post-flight reporting required.
Though in practice, Lu Xingguo would still submit a report after returning — the nation gave him face, and he'd give the nation face in return.
"You? Hah."
Su Tingxi laughed mockingly, letting out an ambiguous chuckle at the same time.
Jace Rowan's anger flared instantly. "Screw this — I'm sleeping. Drive yourself."
"Ah, no! I was wrong!"
Su Tingxi wailed, glancing over at Jace Rowan — but Jace Rowan wasn't having any of it.
As for Auron Vale and the rest, they were so exhausted that by the time Su Tingxi and Jace Rowan had been bickering, they'd already slipped into sleep.
When the car fell quiet, Su Tingxi exchanged a glance with the Rotom on the center console, shrugged, and kept driving.
What was there to worry about? Young people weren't afraid of an all-nighter.
Sleep at five, wake at seven — even the King of Death would commend your constitution.
And they had slept earlier, so what was there to fear?
And so, to the accompaniment of the car's audio system and Su Tingxi's humming, the entire vehicle fell into slumber.
Only Su Tingxi at the wheel, Rotom on the center console, and Deoxys flying alongside outside remained awake.
Deoxys either didn't need sleep or needed very little of it — it hadn't shown a trace of drowsiness all night.
But then again, it was a DNA Pokémon, so perhaps that wasn't so strange.
......
"Let's just sleep here. The dorms probably aren't even open yet at this hour."
The car stopped in front of Auron Vale's cottage. After getting out, Auron Vale yawned and said to everyone.
"Will it even fit everyone?"
Auron Vale's house had two rooms downstairs, one large room upstairs, plus a bathroom, kitchen, and the like.
Not many rooms, but they were all spacious — especially the second floor, which was one big room.
"Su Tingxi and Jace Rowan take the sofa. Tang Yunqin and Yin Hanling share a room. Fugui and You Yu You share the other."
With that, Auron Vale went inside. He was done. Absolutely wrecked.
Outside, Jace Rowan and Su Tingxi exchanged a glance. It was workable — they were full of energy; they just needed somewhere horizontal.
Besides, the sofa was one they'd helped Auron Vale pick out. Comfortable was an understatement.
"Fine, or we'd have to sleep in the car."
Jace Rowan made his decision quickly and walked inside, immediately collapsing onto the sofa.
Upstairs, Auron Vale had already headed up, but he still called down to the others.
"Tang Yunqin and Yin Hanling, take the inner room — that one has its own bathroom. Fugui and You Yu You, take the outer room. Toiletries and towels are in the bathroom, and there are new ones. That's about it — no need to wake me when you get up."
"Sure~"
Everyone chorused their agreement and filed into their assigned rooms.
Auron Vale went to his room and prepared to sleep.
He hadn't released his Pokémon, though. At this hour, they'd all been asleep for a while, and he didn't want to wake them.
Besides, the Poké Balls weren't locked — the Pokémon could let themselves out when they woke up.
"Haaah~ Finally home. Feels weird not having Snorlax around."
Auron Vale lay on his bed, stretched lazily, and murmured to himself.
Then he gathered Mini Dragon close and drifted off to sleep. The house fell silent once more.
......
"Morning, you guys are up."
"Morning, Auron Vale."
Tang Yunqin's face flushed slightly — it was the first time she'd slept at Auron Vale's place, and waking up to see him first thing left her a little flustered.
"It's not morning — it's almost one. Sit tight, lunch will be ready soon."
"Pik~"
Auron Vale was in the kitchen with Mini Dragon, preparing lunch. Jace Rowan and Su Tingxi were on the sofa, controllers in hand, battling it out.
On the carpet nearby, Snorlax lay on the floor, endlessly tossing berries into its mouth — its eyes darting toward the kitchen every so often.
Beside Snorlax, a Marowak was desperately guarding its stash of berries, terrified Snorlax would annex those too.
Outside the window, two Charizard were locked in a sparring match. Coalossal and Crawdaunt, unexpectedly compatible, leaned against the sofa alongside the two humans, watching Jace Rowan and Su Tingxi's match with the calm air of two old men enjoying the shade.
The hardest worker was Farfetch'd, who was in a corner of the living room, tirelessly practicing its sword-strike drills.
It was still punishing itself over not being able to help Auron Vale in the Dark Mystery Zone yesterday. Even though Auron Vale had already comforted it this morning, it felt its strength had been insufficient to protect Auron Vale.
On the sofa, Su Tingxi's Hacklon coiled at his side was gazing dreamily at Mini Dragon in the kitchen — unaware that Deoxys, off to the side, was watching Hacklon with increasingly dark eyes.
Tang Yunqin looked at the "harmonious" chaos of the living room and couldn't help but let a heart-fluttering smile cross her face.
Once upon a time, she too had dreamed of spring — a girl in love with the idea of love. A few close friends, some Pokémon, just spending time together at home, playing and laughing.
The most important thing was having the most important person by your side. That mattered more than anything.
Tang Yunqin's gaze drifted to the figure in the kitchen, and she wore a lovestruck smile.
———
Please give me Power Stones!
Support me on Patreon @ patreon(dot)com/SorenEclipse
Read 15 Chapters Ahead on Patreon!