"If your journey takes you through Twinleaf Town, you're welcome to visit the Breeding House."
Lucas climbed onto Dragonite, sitting behind Lance.
"I will definitely go, Lucas."
Ash clenched his fists and continued, "I will definitely come with Pikachu to challenge you, Lucas."
Lucas: ——
"Then I'll be waiting for you to come."
Lucas finally smiled.
Finally, Lucas looked at Brock and Dawn. "I look forward to your arrival as well."
Dawn bowed politely, while Brock's eyes widened.
"I will definitely come to learn some breeding techniques from the Lucas."
Lucas nodded, and Dragonite began to take flight.
"Goodbye, everyone! Keep it up!"
"Goodbye, Lucas!"
"And goodbye, Champion Lance."
Cynthia had already left on Arcanine to report back to the League.
"Study hard, and remember to find me if anything happens."
Lucas said one last thing to Gary.
"Mm."
Gary watched Lucas's departing back and smoothed his spiky hair with his hand.
He looked at Ash and the others. "Well, I should start my journey too."
"Alright, let's battle again next time we meet. I won't lose next time."
Ash said confidently.
Gary smiled. "It's a deal."
With that, Gary turned and set off on his journey with Umbreon.
Ash pumped himself up and then looked at the Pikachu on his shoulder.
"Let's go too, Pikachu, and everyone."
"Pika~"
"Okay."
"Next stop is the Jubilife City Pokemon Contest!"
Back at the Breeding House, Lance collapsed directly onto the armchair in the backyard garden.
"I'm exhausted."
While complaining, he took the honey water Lucas brought over and started drinking.
"You didn't actually catch The Legendary Birds, did you?"
Lance asked, looking at The Legendary Birds resting in the Breeding House's backyard.
Lucas shook his head. "How is that possible? I just invited them over to rest for a bit and have some dinner."
Lucas finished his honey water while standing, then noticed Lance was staring straight at him.
"What is it?"
Lucas asked, puzzled.
"The water's gone, so go cook! I'm starving to death."
Lucas: ——
Helpless, Lucas had no choice but to take Gothitelle to the kitchen to cook.
In the kitchen, Sana ran in.
"Uncle, are those three Pokémon coming to live at the Breeding House too?"
Sana whispered beside Lucas.
Lucas gave a kind smile and said, "No, they are just friends visiting."
Sana gave an 'oh' and nodded.
"Then can I go play with them?"
Lucas glanced through the window at The Legendary Birds in the backyard; not a single Pokémon dared to go near them.
Except for Gengar and Dragonite.
Lucas thought for a moment. "Then go tell Gengar and stay by Gengar's side."
Sana hummed in agreement and then turned, pitter-pattering out.
Lucas turned back to continue making dinner.
Sana went to Gengar's side, sticking close to Gengar and Dragonite, looking at The Legendary Birds a bit shyly.
The aura coming from The Legendary Birds felt a bit scary to her.
But remembering Lucas said they were friends visiting the Breeding House, she spoke up clearly, "Hello, can I play with you?"
Zapdos was about to get angry but was glared back by Gengar and Dragonite.
Seeing a Shadow Ball being kneaded in one hand, and a Twister starting to whip up in the sky.
Zapdos hesitated and shrank back.
Articuno looked at Zapdos, remembered what happened today, and felt a lingering pain in its body; it decisively landed on the ground and extended a wing to greet Sana.
Perhaps because of Sana's Pokémon affinity, when Articuno touched her, it was moved by the emotions within her and began to play with her.
Articuno, the Babysitter, was officially online.
Moltres glanced at Lance in the garden and Lucas in the kitchen, mocked Zapdos, and then also landed to start eating snacks with Gengar and Dragonite.
It lowered its head and ate the snack from Gengar's hand.
??? The taste was actually pretty good.
It then decisively joined Gengar and Dragonite.
Zapdos watched them from the side, but Gengar and the others ignored it.
Dinner was ready soon, and Lucas came out to call everyone in the backyard.
Articuno landed in front of Lucas, and Sana slid down from its back.
Seeing Lucas, she gave a healthy smile.
Then she sniffled.
"It's a bit cold on Articuno's back."
Lucas was about to criticize Sana, but she spoke up first: "I was wrong, Uncle, don't scold Sana. Sana will definitely change next time."
Lucas: ——
You say that every time, but I've never seen you change.
"Hurry up and go put on some clothes."
Sana took the hot milk handed to her by Lilligant, drank it in one gulp, responded, and then pitter-pattered up to her room with chimecho to change.
During dinner, the group of people and Pokémon were all gathered in the backyard.
As winter approached, the weather was getting a bit chilly.
Lucas, wearing a long-sleeved vest, still felt a bit cold.
It wasn't that he didn't want to eat in the kitchen, but because there wasn't enough space there.
Lucas suddenly looked at Moltres. "Moltres, make your flames a bit bigger."
Moltres: ——
In the end, the flames on Moltres's body still burned a bit brighter.
Dispelling the surrounding cold air, Lucas and the others exhaled in relief.
Then they began to focus on eating.
After dinner, The Legendary Birds flapped their wings and left the backyard.
Lucas watched their three silhouettes; truth be told, Articuno was quite beautiful.
Perhaps Ice-type Pokémon naturally possess a noble temperament.
It seemed like very few Ice-type Pokémon were ugly?
Lucas thought to himself.
For the after-dinner activity, Lucas watched Gengar playing Role Play on the side and suddenly remembered the Mega Stone he got today.
"Gengar."
Lucas called out, and Gengar instantly appeared by his side.
Lucas pulled Gengar's Mega Stone out of his pocket. Lance:???
Is that——a Mega Stone?
Gengar recognized the stone; it had seen one on Lance's Gyarados.
It looked at Lucas with an inquiring gaze, and Lucas nodded.
It happily took it, and Lucas examined it closely under the moonlight.
Lucas then went back to his room to get the key stone.
Returning to the backyard, Lucas stood with Gengar, looking at the key stone and the Mega Stone.
"So, how do you use this thing?"
"gengar gen—"
I don't know either.
Lance called Sana over to him, and then Dragonair, Gothitelle, and the others also gathered around them.
"I remember Lance just shouted it out at the time. Could it be that we just shout it out too?"
"Gengar, Mega Evolve!"
Lucas suddenly shouted these words, and then the two stones burst forth with an extremely intense light.
Lucas felt his physical strength draining very rapidly.
The air current generated by the contact of the two beams of light blew Lucas's hair straight up. At the same time, the surrounding vegetation was all pressed low. Lance stood by Sana, while Gothitelle and the others opened up Light Screen and Reflect.
The swing was tossed violently by the air current.
Gengar was covered in light. As the light dissipated, the form of Mega Gengar appeared before everyone.
It had changed from standing on two legs to four legs.
And its four feet seemed to be stepping in a different dimension; the hollows on its feet were somewhat eerie and terrifying.
A yellow third eye had also grown on its forehead, and its mouth was split wide.
"Wow—"
Sana let out a shocked sound upon seeing Gengar.
Gengar felt its new appearance and felt some thoughts.
"gengar gengen"
Got stronger again, hee hee.
Lucas was very satisfied with Gengar's Mega Evolution; it was incredibly cool, wasn't it?
It's just that he got tired very easily.
Before long, with a "bang," Gengar reverted to its original form and seemed to fall to the ground.
"gengar gar?"
What happened?
Lucas wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Taking a breath, he said, "So tiring."
"Uncle Lance, why did Gengar transform just now?"
"Because a strong bond was formed between Gengar and Lucas just now, which caused Gengar to achieve Mega Evolution."
"Oh, then why can Gengar change back after evolving?"
Lance explained again: "Because this kind of evolution begins due to the strong bond of mutual trust between the Trainer and the Pokémon. It's not evolution in the traditional sense, so it can change back."
Sana nodded with a look of not quite understanding.
"It's okay, you'll know when you grow up. Also, you should call me Big Brother."
Sana looked up at Lance with a confused expression: "But you're Uncle's friend? You're even older than Uncle, so why should I call you Big Brother?"
Lance: ——
At this time, Lucas came back with Gengar. Hearing Sana's words, he couldn't help but laugh.
Well, you thick-browed, big-eyed Lance, still wanting to be a 'Big Brother,' are you?
Don't even look at your hairline.
Still wanting to be a 'Big Brother'? Come and be an 'Uncle' with me.
"You have an opinion? Want to practice?"
Lance narrowed his eyes.
Lucas groaned, "So tired, today was too exhausting. Sleep, sleep."
With that, Lucas headed towards his room without looking back.
Lance shook his head helplessly and then also returned to his own room.
He had to go back to work tomorrow, so he needed a good night's sleep tonight.