"Huh?" Abigail looked at Ron in confusion.
"Nothing. I'll take it to Ginger Island first." Ron said, picking up the visibly unyielding Indeedee. After escorting the girls out of the cave and waving goodbye to them, he headed straight toward the beach.
"What did Ron mean by that?" Abigail was still frowning in thought. "Is there really no one to dance with him? No way."
"Maybe?" Serena beside her couldn't help but chime in. "So he has no choice but to ask Indeedee?"
Their brainwaves reached a bizarre consensus at that moment. After discussing it, they went back to the farm to get a change of clothes and headed to the hot springs together.
"Then let's invite him tomorrow?" Serena said. "If this is really causing him so much distress—"
"Yeah." Abigail leaned back in the hot springs, recalling the sight of Bellossom jumping down into the cave.
Meowth was scrubbing its fur on the side. Although it felt the truth was probably quite different from what everyone was thinking, it had no intention of interrupting. After all, it wasn't Indeedee; it didn't know exactly how human psychology worked.
"What exactly are you thinking?" Ron asked, carrying the still-struggling Indeedee. "Are you still throwing a tantrum because Magearna joined the family?"
"Indeedee, indeedee, in." Indeedee turned its head away angrily.
Ron looked at the back of Indeedee's head, having no intention of listening to what it was actually thinking. He simply started the boat, confirmed the direction to Ginger Island with Willy, and set off.
"Take this time to rest up properly for the next couple of days," Ron said. "In a few days, I'll send a few Rattata over. Bellossom and Froakie will come too, so you can look after them."
"In." Indeedee kept its head turned, sulking on its own.
Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if Indeedee was truly at fault, it was only a Pokémon! What fault could a Pokémon have? Pokémon just wanted everyone to be happy!
Thinking this, Indeedee glanced at Ron while feeling the sea breeze.
Ron was still planning the upcoming trip to Kalos, so it couldn't read his emotions. Was he actually angry?
Indeedee took another peek at Ron, then turned its head away again.
"Once the farm preparations are done at the beginning of summer, I'll come pick you up," Ron said. "You haven't been to Kalos with me yet, have you?"
"Indeed?" Indeedee turned its head to look at Ron.
"We can look around Kalos properly. We'll probably stay for a while this time," Ron continued.
"Indeedee!"
Indeedee's anger vanished in an instant. It then asked, "Indeedee?"
Are we bringing Shaymin, Bellossom, and Froakie?
"We'll bring Shaymin, Bellossom, and Froakie," Ron replied. "No one else. The farm will be left in Magearna's hands."
"Indeedee."
Indeedee turned its gaze back to the sea. The grievance of being forced to miss the Flower Dance instantly evaporated, leaving only anticipation for the trip to Kalos.
"Did I not say I was going to take you before?" Ron asked.
Could it be that Indeedee was just finding things to do because Magearna had stolen its sense of purpose on the farm?
Ron looked in disbelief at Indeedee's stiff back.
"Indeedee... Indeedee."
You didn't say it, right? Did you? Did you really?
Indeedee chimed, playing dumb.
Ron fell silent for a moment. After accompanying Indeedee off the boat, he sent out Bellossom.
Among all the Pokémon, aside from Rotom at the Day-Care, Bellossom was the only one uninterested in the Flower Dance. Bellossom's mind was solely focused on getting stronger.
Ron wasn't sure if such competitiveness was a good or bad thing, but with the system's buffs, as long as it was willing to put in the effort, it would yield results.
"Bellossom~" Bellossom waved at Ron, then enthusiastically led Indeedee toward the Volcano Dungeon.
Ron, on his way, exchanged for two Ginger Island Warp Totems before sailing away from the islands.
Although the warp totem pole from Ginger Island to Pelican Town was already activated, the other one required a visit to the Wizard to create, and Ron was currently making preparations for that. Currently, Team Rocket was still maintaining their commute between the islands and the farm by using the totem pole to return, and then having Willy ferry them over.
Once the farm's warp totem pole to Ginger Island was also activated, traveling back and forth would be much more convenient. Team Rocket or other Pokémon could even spend the nights at the farm.
With this in mind, Ron sailed all the way back to Pelican Town.
As soon as he reached Pelican Town, Ron saw Abigail, Serena, and the others walking over after their hot spring soak, chatting along the way. Spotting Ron from a distance, Bonnie waved enthusiastically at him.
"Are you done talking with Indeedee?"
"We're done." Ron said, just about to ask everyone what they wanted for dinner, when he learned from Abigail that Caroline had invited them all for dinner.
Since Indeedee wasn't around, Ron thought about it and agreed.
Returning to the farm, he directed the Rattata to carry a large batch of ingredients, and the group marched grandly toward the Grocery Store.
Meanwhile, on Ginger Island.
This was the first time Indeedee was all alone in an unfamiliar place. Sitting by the sea and looking out at the water, it let out a long sigh.
"In, indeedee."
What was it even thinking? Indeedee didn't know either.
——
"Bellossom?" Bellossom, dragging its sword, sat down beside Indeedee.
"Bellossom."
"Indeed." Indeedee rested its chin on its hand, used its psychic power to ignite the campfire beside them, and shook two coconuts down from a nearby tree, offering them to Bellossom.
Bellossom immediately sliced the coconuts open with its sword, and then sat side-by-side with Indeedee, holding its coconut.
Usually, Indeedee could always hear a lot of voices. Staying in that big family at the farm, it knew what this Rattata wanted to eat, what that Rattata was craving, what kind of tasty ore this Geodude had found, what game that Miltank played with the Deerling today...
Those complex voices, mixed with all sorts of requests, made Indeedee involuntarily want to cater to everyone's needs, and it took pride in doing so.
It had been a long time since it had experienced such silence.
The Bellossom beside it had nothing on its mind. Its head was completely empty; its thoughts only fluctuated slightly when it was slashing at monsters.
"Bellossom." Bellossom called out to Indeedee.
Hearing this, Indeedee held up its coconut and clinked it against Bellossom's.
"Bellossom?"
Do you feel lonely?
"Indeedee."
A little.
Indeedee said, looking up at the stars.
What was it really thinking?
Indeedee wondered in confusion.
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