Clearly, the previous farm owner had given everyone the same story—likely to spare them the truth that these animals were raised for meat.
Ron nodded slightly, a flicker of guilt passing through him.
After breakfast, he set up the teleport totem, collected the machines from Clint, and headed to Emily's house with Froakie perched on his shoulder.
True to their arrangement, Emily waited on the sofa, clutching a garment box. At Ron's knock, she sprang up and opened the door.
"Morning," Ron greeted, eyeing the box. "Is this it?"
"Mm." Emily nodded. She'd stayed up late crafting it—a sleek, practical gown without trailing skirts, tailored to Abigail's taste.
Ron accepted it and tucked it into his pack.
Then he noticed Haley standing by her bedroom door, Sunkern nestled in her arms.
"Morning," Haley said. Sunkern chirped a greeting.
"Morning."
"You're off to Kalos today? When are you back?"
"Not sure. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe the day after." Ron shrugged. With so much to handle there, timing was fluid.
Haley glanced at Sunkern, then smiled playfully. "What if I came with you?"
"Haley?!" Emily's eyes widened. 'Did sleep deprivation from sewing make me hallucinate?'
Haley met her sister's gaze, then winked at Ron. "Just kidding. I heard Kalos is gorgeous—full of trendy things. If you don't mind… could you bring me something back?"
"No problem." Ron paused. "If you really want to go… you can come with me this winter."
Unlike Abigail, Haley wouldn't enjoy wilderness battling. Sunkern couldn't work, and Ron wouldn't force it. But city travel? He trusted her.
Haley's sea-blue eyes crinkled into a radiant smile—warm as summer sun glinting off ocean waves.
"Then winter it is," she said, flashing Emily a reassuring glance.
After Ron left, Emily hurried to Haley. "You're serious? You'd actually go adventuring in Kalos?"
Haley pinched Emily's cheek gently. "I just want to see it. Are you worried I'll vanish like Mom and Dad—leaving you here while I tour Kalos?"
Emily stayed silent. Her expression said everything.
She'd never complained about their parents abandoning them in Pelican Town for endless travels. But she'd never approved, either. To Emily, family was everything. She'd shelved her seamstress dreams, worked tirelessly at Gus's saloon, and raised Haley alone—all without resentment. Haley, in turn, had become her anchor.
"I won't," Haley murmured, pressing her forehead to Emily's. "I'm just going to look."
A hot tear traced Emily's cheek. Haley wiped it away.
"If I ever move somewhere… we go together. I promise." Haley's voice softened. "You need a model, right? What's a model without her seamstress?"
Emily buried her face in Haley's shoulder.
---
At the harbor, Ron found Willy fishing outside the Fish Shop—his daily ritual since dawn, continuing until the shop opened at nine. If business was slow, he'd fish longer.
Willy merely waved without looking up. Ron didn't disturb him, boarded the boat, and sailed toward the horizon.
---
In Kalos, Ron went straight to the factory site. Workers and Machoke crews were putting final touches on the structure. The foreman approached.
"It'll be finished by tonight," he confirmed. "Built exactly to your blueprint."
Ron surveyed the building and nodded.
"Just out of curiosity—what's this factory for?"
"Food packaging." Ron recited the prepared line.
The foreman eyed the windowless structure, skepticism flickering across his face. But paid to build, not to pry, he let it go. If Ron ran a shady operation, that wasn't his concern.
Turning back to his crew, he announced, "Work hard today! Tonight—dinner at the new restaurant near Lumiose. They've got limited specials from that hot new food company."
Cheers erupted. The crew redoubled their efforts.
Ron stepped inside, unpacked Clint's machines—designed for processing poultry and livestock—and arranged them carefully. No risk of suspicion here; the purpose wasn't obvious.
He'd hire human workers for the butchering. It was too grim a task for Pokémon, whose minds were still childlike and innocent.
As he planned, he pulled out the Zubats' Poké Balls.
Time to put the security team to work.
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