Lucas stayed for dinner at Professor Oak's Research Institute.
Lucas personally cooked, with Mr. Mime and Gothitelle assisting him.
Initially, Delia was skeptical of Lucas's culinary skills, but after assurances from Gengar and the others, she felt comfortable handing the kitchen over to him.
Gothitelle watched Mr. Mime assisting skillfully beside her.
She thought of Mime Jr. back at the Breeding House.
Would her younger brother also become a Mr. Mime after evolving?
Thinking of her mischievous brother, who, since getting his own cafeteria, has been busy nonstop yet still thoroughly enjoys it, she couldn't help but let a slight smile touch her lips.
"Mime?"
Mr. Mime looked at Gothitelle and asked curiously.
Gothitelle's voice was gentle.
"Goth."
"Seeing you reminds me of my younger brother, a Mime Jr. He also loves doing chores, especially cooking."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Mime's eyes lit up.
"Mime?"
"He must be very cute, right?"
Gothitelle smiled and nodded.
"Goth."
"Very mischievous. Before he had his cafeteria, he spent all day bouncing around with Shauna and Vulpix, causing trouble everywhere."
Mr. Mime listened to Gothitelle talk about Mime Jr. while continuing to assist.
Mr. Mime also thought of his own younger brother, with his carefree personality, especially after becoming friends with Pikachu, and shook his head with a smile.
He then began sharing stories about Ash's daily life with Gothitelle.
The conclusion they reached was that boys are truly mischievous when they're young.
At that moment, Lucas called Gengar into the kitchen to taste the soup and said with a smile, "Haven't you heard the saying? If there's a boy in the house, for a long time, the house will almost be torn down by him."
Gengar looked puzzled, unable to figure out who he was talking about.
"Definitely not me."
Gengar grinned and drank the soup Lucas served him.
"Gengar~"
(^▽^*)
"So delicious!"
"I'm talking about you, always showing off."
Lucas pinched its cheek and said fiercely.
Gothitelle and Mr. Mime agreed with Lucas. Seeing him pinch Gengar's cheek, they both laughed.
After Gengar left the kitchen, Gothitelle continued telling Mr. Mime about Mime Jr., and the conversation extended to matters of the Breeding House.
Mr. Mime listened, occasionally speaking up to share stories from his own life, about working at the Research Institute.
Because Ash had left too many Pokémon at Professor Oak's Research Institute, Delia had to bring Mr. Mime along to help care for the Pokémon Ash had entrusted there.
Gothitelle said that taking care of Pokémon was even more tiring than doing housework. Mr. Mime and Lucas nodded in agreement.
Thinking of Ash's Pokémon gave Mr. Mime a headache; they were exactly like Ash, always causing trouble.
Gothitelle quickly became fast friends with Mr. Mime.
Gothitelle was mature, and Mr. Mime had experienced many things, so they became very close friends.
They chatted all evening.
During dinner, Professor Oak, Delia, and Tracey, after trying Lucas's cooking, were full of praise.
Especially Professor Oak, "Now I finally understand why Dash is so strong and healthy under your care."
Hearing his name, Dash flexed his muscles again.
This made everyone burst into laughter.
Even Erika was extremely surprised. So Lucas's cooking skills were this good?
After dinner, the task of cleaning up was left to Gothitelle and the others, while Lucas sat inside the Research Institute, waiting for Gothitelle to finish before leaving.
While chatting with Professor Oak, Tracey, and Delia, he suddenly remembered something, took out his phone, and made a call.
The call connected, and Gary's face appeared on the screen.
"Manager, what's up?"
Gary, wearing a white lab coat, looked at Lucas, Vulpix, and the large, round-cheeked figure behind him on the screen.
Why did the background behind the Manager look so familiar?
It looked like his family's Research Institute.
Then Lucas turned the camera, and Gary saw his grandfather.
"Grandpa, why are you at the Breeding House?"
Gary asked in surprise. Then, seeing Kangaskhan, Dragonite, Delia, and Mr. Mime nearby, he realized why the background had puzzled him earlier.
"Manager, you went to the Kanto Region?"
Lucas's voice came through, "I came on a commission to handle a Pokémon's psychological issue and took the opportunity to interview Professor Oak."
After chatting with Gary for a while, Gary had to go take care of Shieldon, and coincidentally, Gothitelle also finished the housework.
Lucas stood up, ended the call, said goodbye to Professor Oak, Delia, and the others, and prepared to leave, but couldn't find Vulpix.
Lucas went to the backyard and found Vulpix lying next to a Charizard, chatting with it.
Feeling the Charizard's scorching aura, Lucas was taken aback.
Then Delia exclaimed in surprise beside him, "Oh! Why is Charizard back?"
Lucas knew this was the Charizard Ash had left in Charicific Valley, and it had somehow returned to the Research Institute's backyard.
It was currently chatting with Vulpix.
"Roar."
"The energy within you seems to have reached a critical point."
Vulpix nodded, "Vul."
"Yes, because I've fully absorbed the moltres feather."
Charizard nodded. No wonder.
It was no stranger to The Legendary Birds; it had personally defeated an Articuno before.
Sensing Lucas approaching, along with the auras of the Pokémon behind him.
Such a powerful Trainer defeating Moltres and plucking a feather seemed acceptable.
Seeing Lucas approach, Vulpix happily ran to his feet.
"Vul~"
"Lucas, I've made a new friend."
Lucas smiled, bent down to pick up Vulpix, but Vulpix dodged.
Lucas looked puzzled. Then Charizard walked over.
"Roar."
"It says it wants me to help it completely digest the fire energy within its body."
Lucas was stunned and looked at Vulpix, who nodded eagerly.
Lucas then laughed.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Charizard."
Charizard liked this Vulpix very much and shook its head, indicating it was no problem.
"Roar."
"It carries the aura of one of my teachers."
Lucas's eyes widened, "Ninetales?"
"Roar." Charizard nodded.
"Yes. Not long ago, I met that senior outside the valley. Its strength is truly impressive. I trained under it for a while."
"Is it still here?"
Charizard shook its head.
"It left."
Lucas sighed. His feelings towards Ninetales were also complex.
After all, before he came to the Breeding House, it was Ninetales who had been guarding the place.
"Roar?"
"Is this its child?"
Lucas nodded. Charizard's gaze grew even gentler.
It had just bid farewell to Ninetales and was flying back to Charicific Valley when it passed the Research Institute and sensed an aura similar to Ninetales', so it came to investigate.
It turned out to be its child.
"Then I'll trouble you."
Lucas collected his thoughts and smiled at Charizard.
Charizard nodded.
Professor Oak led Delia and the others to step back, clearing the area for Lucas.
"Vulpix, let's do this together."
"Vul!"
Vulpix stood before Lucas, its small body facing Charizard.
Charizard roared and shot a flame skyward, its aura continuously rising.
Then it unleashed a Flamethrower at Vulpix.
Thanks to its Flash Fire ability, Vulpix absorbed the Flamethrower, making the fire energy within its body even more abundant.
Sparks began to flicker continuously over its body.
"Heat Wave."
Vulpix's body erupted with a fierce and scorching storm. Charizard also used Heat Wave.
Two powerful auras collided.
Gothitelle erected a barrier in front of everyone, blocking all the Heat Wave.
Its formidable psychic power made Mr. Mime gaze intently.
"Flame Charge."
Charizard didn't attack excessively; it was mainly helping Vulpix vent the energy within its body.
Steel Wing sent Vulpix flying. Vulpix got up from the ground, shaking its body.
It looked at Charizard and roared.
"Vul!"
"I've long been prepared to grow stronger."
Then, an even more scorching storm erupted once more.
A Heat Wave enhanced by the moltres feather. By releasing all the fire energy within its body, Vulpix created this incredibly powerful Heat Wave.
Lucas felt his hair getting singed.
Gothitelle's eyes began to glow with a bewitching purple light.
"Goth————!"
Its psychic power poured forth completely.
The storm was confined within a certain range.
Charizard's gaze intensified.
No one said the power would be this great?!
It could only grit its teeth, unleash Blaze under the Heat Wave, and withstand the onslaught.
The intense fluctuations generated by the collision of the two powerful energies vanished completely within Gothitelle's focused and bewitching gaze.
The smoke cleared. Only the area where Lucas and the others stood was charred black; everywhere else remained untouched.
Seeing this, Lucas couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Gothitelle, it's so good to have you!
Lucas almost blurted out those two words.
Mom~
Gengar came to Lucas's side, stuck out its tongue, and a red stone appeared in Lucas's hand.
Lucas took the stone, paused for a second, then threw it without hesitation.
"Vulpix."
Vulpix saw it and leaped high.
"Vul~"
Its forehead touched the Fire Stone, and its entire body erupted with intense light.
Its body grew continuously, its tail split and multiplied.
Finally, an elegant, beautiful, and slender Ninetales appeared before everyone.
Vulpix had successfully evolved into Ninetales.
Unlike its father, its fur was beige, not the golden color of longevity.
Its crimson eyes were full of gentleness.
Lucas opened his arms.
"Please take care of me, Ninetales."
Ninetales pounced on Lucas.
"Vul!"
"Please take care of me!"
Thump————
Lucas couldn't help but let out a grunt.
He was knocked to the ground by Ninetales.
It felt like being hit by a heavy tank.
Why did it feel so much more...
solid than a regular Ninetales?!
Feeling Ninetales' weighty affection.
Lucas couldn't help but complain inwardly.
I really need to control your diets.
And Dash, don't you pile on too, hey!
Help!!!
Is anyone going to save me?!
"Gengar!!!"
"I'm coming!!!"
Gengar leaped high and then crashed down onto the pile with Ninetales.
Lucas: [Soul Leaving Body].jpg