Cynthia's beautiful eyes suddenly widened upon hearing Lucas's words.
"Dinner—"
"It's going to take some time to make dinner now, but by my estimate, dinner should be ready by the time you all get back from the hot spring."
Lucas interrupted Cynthia and said with a smile.
Cynthia looked tempted and turned toward Diantha and the others.
Diantha and the others were equally moved.
"Hot spring."
Caitlin said softly.
Cynthia nodded, "Let's go to the hot spring first."
Lucas hummed in agreement, "I'll have Lilligant and the others take you there."
"Only you girls should go, since there's only one hot spring. Gengar, Mime Jr., and I will stay home to cook, so there'll be food waiting when you get back."
"Thank you for your hard work."
Cynthia said with a faint smile.
Lucas blinked. Hard work? Not hard at all!
"Lilligant, you, Roserade, Gothitelle, and Ninetales should go soak in the hot spring too. Relax properly, and remember to bring Dash along; he loves the hot spring."
"La-ji~"
Lilligant gave a sweet smile.
"Gengar, Mime Jr., Snorunt, it's time for us to get to work."
Watching Cynthia and the others follow Lilligant into the depths of the forest with their clothes, Lucas called out.
Reasonably speaking, nothing unexpected should happen while they're at the hot spring, right?
Like being attacked by Pokémon, or running into bad guys like Team Galactic or Pokémon Hunters?
Lucas shuddered at the thought.
With two Champions and two Elite Fours, if Team Galactic or Pokémon Hunters thought they were strong enough, they were welcome to come and try.
"Our mission is to make sure they can enjoy a delicious and hearty dinner when they return!"
"Do we have confidence?!"
"gengar gar!"
"Mime Jr.!"
"Sno Sno~"
Afterward, Lucas took them to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables.
Lucario and the others were with them as well.
Since tonight was the women's session at the hot spring, Lucario and the rest were all left behind.
At the hot spring.
Because of the powerful aura emanating from Garchomp and the others, no Pokémon in the vicinity dared to approach the hot spring.
Furthermore, since they knew Lilligant and the others, they wouldn't come to disturb Cynthia and her group during their soak.
"I didn't expect there to be such a comfortable hot spring here."
Diantha leaned beautifully against the edge, soaking in the steaming natural spring, and spoke comfortably.
Lucas had tidied up the area around the spring with some pebbles, making it look more aesthetic.
"I suddenly feel a great surge of inspiration for my novel."
Shauntal leaned against Diantha and murmured.
She had already gained some inspiration after seeing Shauna earlier, and now, soaking in the hot spring, ideas were flowing into her mind like a stream.
Cynthia was scrubbing Garchomp's back. After a while, she patted Garchomp; Garchomp nodded and moved behind Cynthia to start scrubbing her back in return.
Cynthia rested her arms on the edge and leaned her face on the back of her hands, feeling Garchomp scrub her back.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
So comfortable~
Beside her were Caitlin and Shauna. Shauna was using a water basin to rinse Dash and the others.
Caitlin was enjoying the service of her Gothitelle.
"Cynthia, how did you meet Lucas?"
Diantha asked while massaging her Diantha.
Caitlin fixed her gaze on Cynthia, her eyes wide with curiosity.
And while Shauntal had her eyes closed, she shifted closer to Cynthia, her ears twitching slightly.
Cynthia suddenly laughed as she recalled her first meeting with Lucas.
Diantha and Shauntal exchanged a glance.
There's a story here.
Cynthia recounted what happened when she first met Lucas, as well as things that occurred during her subsequent visits to the Breeding House, selecting a few trivial details to share.
"Oh~"
Diantha intentionally elongated her voice.
Bang!
A large splash suddenly erupted in the hot spring.
Soaking everyone's hair.
Caitlin apologized and then pouted her lips.
Cynthia moved to her side; Caitlin looked a bit upset.
"Cynthia."
"Hmm?"
Cynthia responded gently.
"Am I very useless? I can't control my power every time."
Cynthia smiled and patted her small head.
This action made her daze for a moment. It seemed Lucas always liked to pat Shauna, Lilligant, and the others on the head. When did she get used to doing this too?
Feeling the hand on her head stop moving, Caitlin looked up at Cynthia in confusion.
Cynthia snapped back to her senses, smiled again as she stroked Caitlin's blonde hair, and then lowered her hand.
"How could that be? You're an Elite Four of the Unova region. You're the person who wants to defeat me; how could you be useless?"
Cynthia paused before continuing, "It's just that you're still young. Perhaps in a few more years, you'll be able to control your power. Don't worry, we will always be by your side."
Caitlin hummed in response and then quietly continued soaking in the hot spring.
Seeing this, Cynthia went over to Shauna and the others to play with them.
Garchomp and the others had already joined Shauna to play; they liked Shauna and her friends very much, as they were cute and well-behaved.
By the time Diantha approached Cynthia, Cynthia was grooming Ninetales' fur.
Diantha suddenly asked, "So? Are you feeling it?"
Cynthia's exquisite face was flushed red from the steam. She lowered her eyes and, after a moment, said, "A little bit."
Diantha was thrilled and then helped Cynthia groom Ninetales.
A Pachirisu scurried onto a branch, looked at the group and the Pokémon who were all squinting and enjoying the comfort of the hot spring, and gave a cry.
Cynthia opened her eyes and saw the Pachirisu in the tree.
She recognized this Pachirisu; it was the one Lucas often picked up and cuddled intensely.
She nodded, then led the group and the Pokémon behind it as they walked back toward the Breeding House together.
The hot spring behind them continued to steam, bubbling occasionally.
The level in the hot spring fell and rose, steaming hot.
"You're back?"
Back at the Breeding House, Lucas happened to be walking out with the last dish. Seeing Cynthia and the others, he asked with a smile.
Cynthia nodded and then looked at the food on the table.
It was all her favorite food.
However, she took a look and didn't seem to find something, feeling a bit sad.
The next second, Lucas's voice rang out.
"It's in the kitchen. Eat dinner first."
Cynthia looked up, meeting Lucas's brownish-black eyes.
She smiled knowingly and gave a soft "Mm."
Diantha and Shauntal, standing nearby, exchanged another glance.
"Wow~"
Shauna didn't know what was happening, but she followed along with a "wow" anyway.
Crash!
Lucas didn't even need to look to know what happened.
Heh, blonde loser.
Lucas muttered silently in his heart.
But he wasn't worried; he had prepared dozens of bowls tonight, enough for Caitlin to break.
Looking at the group and the Pokémon whose eyes were all fixed on the food on the table, Lucas smiled with satisfaction.
Then he clapped his hands together!
"Well then, everyone, let's eat!"
"Thanks for the food~"
"gengar gar—"
"Then I won't be polite~"
"Gengar, you stole the meat from my bowl again."
"gengar gen—"
Hmph, who cares about you.
"La-ji~"
You can have mine.
"Lucas, I'm finally eating your cooking again, boohoo."
"Why is it so delicious, Lucas!"
"Eat more; it's all stuff you like."
"Mm, you still remember."
"Of course, I remember all your preferences."
"Ooh~"
"Crash!"
"Gengar! Where's my chicken leg!"
"Gengar—Gengar gar"
I, I don't know—slurp
"Hey, give me back my leg!"
"gengar gen—"
Help me—
"Stop bullying Gengar, you can have mine."
"You've bitten it—"
"Hmm?"
"Bang bang bang!"
Tonight's Breeding House was exceptionally lively, exceptionally happy, and exceptionally... full of bowls?
Click~
A beautiful group photo was hung on the wall behind the counter by a large purple chubby hand.