Shauna skipped into the Breeding House holding the little hands of Lilligant and Gothitelle, humming a little song.
After putting away her backpack and heading to the backyard, she was even happier to see familiar figures there.
What's going on today? Why are there so many happy things?
Shauna murmured to herself in her heart, then ran into the garden.
"Uncle Lance."
Shauna called out sweetly to Lance.
"Little Shauna~"
Lance, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, suddenly put on a cutesy voice. Beside him, Clair looked as if she had seen something unbelievable, her eyes wide.
This—is this something her powerful and domineering cousin could actually say?!
Clair looked at Shauna curiously, only to see Shauna ask: "Uncle Lance, is there something you came to the Breeding House for?"
Lance pinched her little cheek and nodded, "I came to find your Uncle Lucas for something."
Shauna nodded sensibly, then looked behind Lance. Finding nothing, she puffed out her cheeks.
"Uncle Lance, what about the doll you promised me?"
Lance: ———
Oh no! I forgot!
Just as Lance was thinking about how to explain, Shauna suddenly spoke up, "You must remember next time!"
Seeing Shauna's stern little face, Lance burst into laughter.
Sensible children are truly likable.
Lance promised again and again that he would definitely bring it next time. Only then did Shauna happily give Lance a hug, then ran to the chair next to Clair and sat down, saying crisply: "Hello, Sister. You're so beautiful! Oh, right, my name is Shauna, and this is little chimecho, my best friend."
Ling ling~
Looking at the cute and clever Shauna, Clair couldn't help but laugh. She finally understood why Lance liked this little girl so much.
"My name is Clair, I'm your Uncle Lance's cousin."
Hearing Clair's words, Shauna took the Candy out of her pocket and handed it to Clair.
"Sister Clair, I'll share this with you. It's sweet."
Clair took it with a smile, peeled off the wrapper, and put it in her mouth.
Seeing this, Shauna also happily ate one herself, gave one to chimecho, and then lay back comfortably in the chair.
Lucas brought Lilligant to the backyard. Seeing this, Lance and Clair stood up.
"Loke."
Lucas called out. Loke, who was doing his best to comfort Dragonite, pulled Dragonite over upon hearing him.
Lucas nodded to him, signaling him not to worry.
Looking at the impatient Dragonite who looked down on everyone, for this kind of situation, nothing was more suitable than giving it a beating.
Lucas led them to an open space, then reached out to touch Dragonite's big belly.
Dragonite slapped Lucas's hand away and clenched its fist as a warning.
Beside them, Gengar, Gothitelle, and Lilligant narrowed their eyes.
"You're very unhappy with me?"
Lucas asked Dragonite. Dragonite's nostrils flared, and then it looked at Lucas with disdain.
Lucas shook his head and smiled, "Lilligant."
A simple phrase.
Not only was this Dragonite confused, but even Lance and the others wondered what Lucas was going to do.
Lucas's next sentence caught them completely off guard.
"It's bullying me."
Lucas smiled kindly, righteously complaining to Lilligant.
No reason to hit you? Then create a reason. You slapped my hand, that's the reason!
"Lilli."
Lilligant's voice was cold as she stared intently at Dragonite.
Dragonite:?!
Sensing Lilligant's hostility, Dragonite showed a wary expression.
"Use your full strength, give it a beating first."
Lucas whispered softly into Lilligant's ear.
Lilligant nodded.
"Lilli."
Don't worry, I'm very good at this sort of thing.
With a zero-frame startup, Lilligant threw an Energy Ball directly at Dragonite.
Dragonite blocked it, fuming. It had been tolerating this Breeding House for a long time.
Being forced to come here for no good reason, and to a place full of ordinary Pokémon at that.
If it weren't for Lance being there, it would have leveled this place long ago.
Lucas had also sensed this emotion and simply let it release it, while also giving it a beating before starting the follow-up treatment.
Dragonite launched a Flamethrower towards Lilligant.
Lilligant used Petal Blizzard to block it.
Dragonite flew into the air, gathering a storm into the shape of a Twister.
"Roar!"
I don't believe you can block this too!
Looking at the massive Twister coming towards her, Lilligant remembered what Lucas had just said to her.
Lilligant, use your full strength.
"La!!!!"
Lilligant began to charge up.
Beside them, Clair saw the massive Twister unleashed by Dragonite. Seeing her cousin and Lucas looking so relaxed, she silently pulled out a Poké Ball.
It seemed Lucas wasn't good at battling. A Flying-type Hurricane is super effective against Grass-type Pokémon.
She was prepared to block it for Lilligant, but in the next second, her movement was stopped by Lance.
Gothitelle and Lance's Dragonite came to their side.
While Clair was still confused, Gothitelle's powerful Psychic energy erupted, unfolding a Protective shield.
"Ji!!!!"
Lilligant's voice was cold and sharp. A Twister also gathered in front of her, a Twister composed of countless leaves.
"This is—"
Clair was stunned. Such powerful Grass-type energy—
Could this be Leaf Storm?
The two Twisters collided, generating a powerful energy current. Since Gothitelle was prepared, Lucas and the others were not affected.
Lance's Dragonite dispersed the smoke, and Clair found the other Dragonite covered in wounds and swaying on its feet.
Dragonite looked at the Lilligant before it with a face full of unwillingness.
How could she be so powerful—
Seeing that Dragonite hadn't fallen yet, Lilligant reached out a hand, and an Energy Ball began to appear in her palm.
It was just that this Energy Ball seemed a bit... large?
Looking at the Energy Ball that was as big as Lilligant herself, Clair couldn't help but look at Lucas.
No wonder her cousin said he was a powerful Breeder.
"Ahem."
Lilligant looked at Lucas. Seeing Lucas signal her, she nodded.
The Energy Ball flew straight towards Dragonite.
Boom!
Dragonite lost consciousness.
Lucas: ———
I told you to know when to stop... oh well, this works too.
Lucas came to Lilligant's side and patted her little head.
"Thanks for the hard work, you did great."
Lilligant narrowed her eyes and gave a sweet smile.
She returned to being that gentle, elegant, beautiful, and kind Lilligant, as if the Lilligant from just now wasn't her.
Bringing Lilligant to Dragonite's side, Loke was distressfully treating it.
"Do you yield?"
Lucas knelt down and asked softly.
Dragonite turned its head away.
"Gen Gengar?!"
Looking at the Shadow Ball that was even larger than the previous Energy Ball, Dragonite lay on the ground, swallowed hard, and then nodded.
It hurts too much—
Only then did Gengar cancel the Shadow Ball, then smiled and exchanged a look with Lance's Dragonite.
As expected of you, brother.
Gengar nodded.
Of course!
Seeing this, Lucas continued, "You're already so powerful, why don't you go back? Go back... for revenge."
Dragonite looked at Lucas in surprise.
How did he know?!
Lucas knelt down, took the Potion prepared by Gothitelle, and began to wipe it on.
"You must know, only by defeating them yourself and stepping on them can you overcome the fear in your heart and return to your original self."
Hearing Lucas's words, Lance seemed to feel something.
So that was it?
He really hadn't thought of it from this perspective. As expected of you, Lucas.
Loke also seemed to realize something.
"Dragonite, could it be that your injuries back then were—"
Dragonite hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Lucas gently patted its big belly.
"You have someone who loves you very much, and you have someone you love very much. I can tell. But I don't want you to regret it later—regret that because of how you are now, he gets hurt or you are separated from him."
It really feels good to touch—
Lucas thought this to himself, but his words didn't stop. "Between a Trainer and a Pokémon, it's always been a two-way street, hasn't it? Talk to him; maybe he's willing to face all of this with you."
"Don't always keep things hidden. Look at me and Gengar, Lilligant, Gothitelle, Vulpix, and the other Pokémon. Everything we've experienced, we've gone through together. So, occasionally trusting your Trainer is also a very good thing, isn't it?"
After hearing Lucas's words, Loke, standing nearby, burst into tears. "I'll be with you. Let's go back together and knock them all down, okay?"
Dragonite looked at the tearful Loke, hesitated, then reached out a palm to wipe away Loke's tears. Then it sat up and nodded.
"Roar!"
Help me, Loke, let's go back together!
Loke wiped away his tears and gave a big smile.
"Yeah!"
Seeing this, Lucas stood up and nodded with satisfaction.
Done, work's finished.
At this time, Mime Jr. also ran over.
"Ni Ni~"
It's time to eat~
"Let's go, let's go eat. We'll decide the rest after we've eaten."
Lucas looked at Lance and the others and said.
Lance nodded, casually took Clair's hand, and walked toward the dining table.
Clair looked at Lucas, who was leading Lilligant; he hadn't noticed this side. Looking at her hand being held, her face turned red.
She didn't pull away.
At the dining table, that Dragonite returned to its original self.
Actually, it's quite normal. People who have been hurt will use another way to hide themselves, let alone Pokémon.
"I knew I wasn't wrong to look for you, Lucas."
Lance took a sip of honey water and said with a smile.
The Breeding House's honey water still tastes the best.
After he returned to the Johto Region, he had also bought some sweet honey to make honey water, but none were as good as the Breeding House's.
Lucas shrugged. "Solving Pokémon's problems and keeping them in a happy state of mind is one of my original intentions for opening this Breeding House."
"One of them? Does Lucas have other original intentions?"
Clair asked curiously.
"Ahem."
Lance interrupted Clair's curiosity. Based on his understanding of Lucas—
Lucas also skipped the topic.
A dinner full of laughter and conversation.
Truly pleasant.
...
Power Stones PLZZZZZ
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