A few of the Clefairy remained cautious.
They looked at the warm-hearted human before them and asked, "Clef?"
What exactly would they have to do?
Kawaki couldn't understand Pokémon-speak, but the Bewear beside him stepped forward and answered for him.
"Guu… ha!" (The work's easy! Cleaning, helping cook, picking herbs, feeding the other Pokémon at the daycare—just simple stuff like that!)
"Clefairy!"
That doesn't sound so bad—if everyone does a different job, it should be manageable!
Faced with no other option, the Clefairy quickly agreed.
But they had one condition—they had to bring the spaceship with them!
What if some bad guys came along and flew off with it?
Kawaki looked at the group clustered protectively around the ship and blinked. "You want… to bring that spaceship back with us?"
"Clef!" The Clefairy all nodded vigorously.
Kawaki: "…"
Well, sure… but that thing's huge! Even if he wanted to, how was he supposed to move it?
As if reading his thoughts, Bewear stepped forward.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, it reached down, grabbed the base of the spaceship, and—with a mighty heave—lifted it above its head.
The Clefairy: "!!!"
Kawaki: "!!!"
Growlithe: "Woof woof woof!" (So cool!)
Then Bewear leapt high, soaring right out the top of Meteor Falls with the ship held aloft.
Gone in a blink.
The next moment, it reappeared, scooped Kawaki and Growlithe under each arm, and sprang out of the cave once more.
Kawaki felt the rush of air and dizziness as the world blurred past.
When he opened his eyes again—they were already at the entrance of Meteor Falls.
The spaceship sat beside them, intact.
And Bewear wasn't done yet.
After a few more trips, all twelve Clefairy had been safely brought out too.
Kawaki:
His Bewear was starting to look more and more like a real Tapu Bulu.
Just needed the cloak now.
Their mission accomplished, it was time to head back.
Bewear slung the spaceship over its shoulder—but as it moved, several stones tumbled out from within the hull.
Kawaki glanced over—each one faintly glowing.
"What's this…?"
The Clefairy looked over too, then beamed and ran to scoop them up.
"Clef~!"
They were decorations—rocks they'd used to adorn the ship.
But Kawaki could already see the system reading:
[Meteorite: A radiant cosmic rock filled with dangerous energy, emitting prismatic light. Warm to the touch. Incredibly rare on Earth—a priceless treasure. May have other uses.]
Six in total.
Kawaki's expression grew strange.
These couldn't be the same kind of meteorites Team Magma once collected in the Hoenn storyline, right? The ones used to stir up Mount Chimney and awaken Groudon?
"You'd better take good care of these," Kawaki told them.
But the Clefairy he had saved just ran up, smiling, and handed one over to him.
Kawaki paused. "You're giving this… to me?"
"Clef!" the Clefairy nodded enthusiastically.
It was just a rock, after all! Back on their home planet, those things were everywhere. And this nice human had saved it from that scary dragon, so why not?
The others followed suit, happily tossing him the rest of the "decorative" rocks.
Kawaki:
He had no doubt that if he didn't accept them, the Clefairy would've tossed them into a ditch.
He gathered the stones and cleared his throat. "Alright, let's head home."
Meteor Falls was a fair distance from the daycare—walking would take half a day at least.
On the way there, they'd relied on Bewear to carry them.
But now that it was hauling a spaceship, they had to walk.
Kawaki was also worried about tiring Bewear out, so they rested often.
Along the way, they passed a few trainers, who stared at them with wide, frozen eyes.
By the time they returned to the daycare, it was already two in the afternoon.
At Kawaki's direction, Bewear set the Clefairy's spaceship down in a spacious corner of the backyard—perfect for building their own little space base.
The ship provided shelter, scenery, and sleeping quarters. It was ideal.
"All done!"
Satisfied, Kawaki clapped his hands and turned to the Clefairy.
"This is the daycare. It's where we live. You'll be staying here from now on. While you work on fixing the ship and gathering more Moon Stones, I'll provide food, and Bewear and I will help too."
"But first, I need to make lunch. Bewear, Growlithe, show our guests around."
"Guu~"
"Woof!"
The two Pokémon responded together.
Clefairy were a cheerful bunch by nature. Though it was their first time at the daycare, they weren't nervous at all. Instead, they looked around with eager curiosity.
Guided by Bewear and Growlithe, they began to explore their new home.
Meanwhile, Kawaki headed to the kitchen to prepare their meal.
But before that, he walked to the chalkboard out front and added a new notice:
[Now Buying: Moon Stones – High Price]
The Clefairy had agreed to work in exchange for Moon Stones and meals.
This was a proper employment arrangement, and as the boss, Kawaki began thinking about what jobs best suited them.
Chef Clefairy. Mechanic Clefairy. Repair Clefairy. Janitor Clefairy. Harvest Clefairy. Feeder Clefairy. Medic Clefairy. Server Clefairy…
Complicated? Sure.
But Pokémon were flexible creatures.
Just like how some Chansey evolved into perfect nurse Blissey in Pokémon Centers, Kawaki believed these Clefairy could master any role with the right training.
They just needed the chance.