Magic City.
"If I remember correctly, it should be right here, but..."
Wearing blue shorts, Lily White, a young girl with two long, slender legs, tilted her head as she examined the store in front of her.
Checking the address on her phone, the location seemed right.
The store's decor was upscale, suggesting it was quite high-end.
However, the name her friend mentioned was "Maya Pet Store," but this one read "Pokémon House Pet Store."
What was that about?
And she had never seen the white-gold alpaca cartoon logo next to the store's name before.
"Oh well, might as well check it out."
Determined, Lily stepped into the store called Pokémon.
"Welcome."
As soon as she walked in, a clear male voice greeted her.
"Hello."
Lily curiously glanced around, spotting a young man with a handsome face and simple attire. He seemed to be about twenty years old.
She quickly surveyed the store. The space was ample and clean, with simple decor.
But this...
This didn't look like a typical pet store.
A question mark popped into Lily's mind. Although it was her first visit to a pet store, even the cleanest ones usually had pets visible, right?
"Excuse me, is this really a pet store?" Lily asked the young man curiously.
"Yes, ma'am," Chris replied with a smile.
"Please, have a seat."
Chris led Lily to the lounge area. She was his first customer of the day!
"Thank you, but in your shop..."
Lily thanked him politely, then added with a hint of suspicion.
"Yes, our store has only been open for two days, and it's quite unique, as are the pets we offer."
Chris understood Lily's doubts and explained patiently.
"Unique pets?"
Lily paused. Common pets were usually cats, dogs, birds, and fish. What did he mean by unique?
She immediately thought of exotic or even dangerous pets, which made her a bit uncomfortable. She wasn't interested in those at all!
"Sorry, but I don't think I'm interested in getting a pet. I'll check out other stores," Lily said, apologizing to Chris.
"Please, don't rush off! You might have the wrong idea. The pets here aren't what you're thinking."
Chris quickly reassured Lily. He hadn't sold a single Pokémon in the past two days!
Despite her youth, Chris observed that Lily's bracelet and necklace were quite expensive, indicating she came from a wealthy family.
Lily hesitated and turned to look at Chris.
"When I say unique, I mean pets that have never been seen on the market before."
"Would you like to take a look? I promise it won't waste your time."
Chris spoke earnestly to Lily.
"Umm..."
Lily blinked a couple of times. Maybe it was Chris's clean, honest demeanor that left a good first impression.
"Alright, but just so you know, I'll only look. If I don't like it, I won't buy anything."
"Of course! I believe you'll make the right choice."
Chris felt relieved.
"Haha, you don't have to be so formal. We are about the same age. It feels odd when you use honorifics."
Lily chuckled, covering her mouth.
"The customer is always right. Here, you can try this."
Chris handed Lily a tablet-like device from the table.
"This is a Pokémon Pokédex. While our store isn't large, we offer a wide variety of pets."
"For now, you can't select directly but instead make a random choice. I believe fate plays a role in these things."
"Pets are sincere companions and friends. So, who will be your friend? Give it a try."
Chris explained to the confused Lily.
Though it sounded grand, it simply meant that you could only choose randomly.
"Hmm, that sounds interesting."
Lily was intrigued by Chris's words.
She took the Pokédex and tapped the big 'Go' button on the screen.
The screen began to flicker rapidly, with silhouettes flashing by. Although they were all black, their varied shapes and outlines piqued Lily's curiosity.
Some even seemed fantastical, like the winged silhouette resembling a Western mythological dragon.
After a few moments, the silhouette stopped.
Both Lily and Chris eagerly peered at the screen.
He hoped for a cute creature, not a Rattata or Ekans...
Chris silently prayed, knowing Lily had expressed her dislike for crawling creatures.
If it turned out to be a snake-like Ekans or a cobra-like Arbok, she'd leave for sure.
"Is it this one?"
The image gradually cleared, and Lily asked Chris curiously.
The screen displayed a turtle-like creature with a big bald head, a blue body, and a red shell. It looked adorable.
Chris breathed a sigh of relief, thankful it wasn't a snake.
"Yes, ma'am, you're quite lucky. This is Squirtle, a perfect and reliable partner for beginners like you."
Chris smiled at Lily.
"It looks so cute! Can I see it now?"
"Of course, just a moment."
Chris gave a slight bow and went to fetch Squirtle.
A minute later, he returned with the little blue creature.
"Is this it?"
Lily's eyes lit up in surprise.
It was far cuter than the picture, with a round head and big, watery eyes full of curiosity.
"Yes, Squirtle, do you like this young lady?"
Chris gently rubbed Squirtle's head and asked with a smile.
"Squirtle! Squirtle!"
Squirtle blinked and waved its small paws to greet Lily, expressing its fondness with a cheerful cry.
"Huh? Is that how a turtle sounds?"
Lily was momentarily stunned, but her eyes quickly brightened, forgetting her doubts.
"Wow, does it understand you?"
Lily looked at Squirtle in amazement and joy, impressed by its intelligence.
"Yes, Squirtle is a very intelligent creature. While it can't speak human language, it understands you."
"And Squirtle has a special skill."
Chris handed Squirtle to Lily, who accepted it happily.
She gently poked its head and cheeks, surprised by how smooth its skin felt.
"What special skill?"
"Squirtle, show the lady your Water Gun."
Chris picked up a disposable paper cup and tossed it into the air.
"Squirtle!"
Squirtle's cheeks puffed up before it shot a jet of water, hitting the cup mid-air.
It was a perfect Water Gun!
Lily was stunned!
This little creature could actually shoot water!