After preparing a large amount of delicious food and desserts for Officer Jenny to take away, Lucas returned to the Breeding House to put away the batch of pokémon eggs. He adjusted the temperature of the incubation room and then went back to the Breeding House's lounge area to lie down.
Then, he took the seeds that Officer Jenny had brought over from Gengar.
He examined them carefully.
After looking at them for a long time, he handed them back to Gengar.
Lucas gently rocked in his chair, "Gengar, I'm already starting to look forward to spring."
"Gengar gargar?"
Lucas smiled softly: "Once spring arrives, we can plant all these seeds. Then we'll have even more berries to eat, and we can make them into more flavors of delicacies and desserts. Most importantly, if our Breeding House can grow tea leaves, I'll never run out of tea to brew again."
Lucas said to himself: "When spring comes, perhaps the Breeding House's business will pick up again, and the pokémon eggs in the incubation room can be sold. We'll have money to continue improving our Breeding House. Maybe we'll even have the chance to go on a trip together—take everyone from the Breeding House and all the Pokémon, take a few days off, and go travel for a bit."
"At that time, we can have a picnic on a prairie full of blooming flowers, and count the stars by a Lake full of fireflies—"
Gengar listened quietly and carefully.
"Siu."
Ninetales's tail gently covered Lucas's body. Lucas smiled and reached out to rub its fox-like head as it squinted its eyes.
"Gengar gargar~"
Really looking forward to it.
"Right? I'm also really looking forward to it, looking forward to a future with all of you."
Lucas lay gently on the lounge chair, his palm constantly stroking Ninetales's smooth and warm tail.
After a while, Lucas took out his phone and sent two messages to Lance.
Lucas: Thanks.
Lance: ?
Lucas: Thanks for trusting me enough to hand over the Dratini egg.
Lance: Oh, you mean that. I happened to be there at the time, so I put in a word with them.
Lance: Actually, they were already thinking of giving it to you; I just sped up their decision.
Lucas: You are the Dragon-type Elite, after all.
Lance: Just mentioning that gives me a headache. Everyone outside says I'm a Flying-type Elite. When I met Wallace a few days ago, he actually said I was a Flying-type Elite too, and even called me—
Lucas: Dodo-bird?
Lance: How did you know?! Did you see Wallace too? Wait, that's not right, I only mentioned you to him a few days ago?
Lucas: So it really is Dodo-bird?
Lance: Want to spar next time?
Lucas: [Image.]
Lance clicked on the image and saw it was a chat history between Lucas and Cynthia.
Lucas: Elite Lance said he wants to battle me and use his ace to spar with me.
Cynthia: ?
Cynthia: [Garchomp sharpening its scythes.jpg]
Cynthia: Tell him to come find me. My hands have been feeling a bit itchy lately too.
Lance: ?!
Lance: Wait.
Lance: [Dragonite is speechless.]
Lucas: I found you an opponent of equal caliber, isn't that great?
Lance: Do I also need to say thank you to you?
Lucas: Oh, come on, look at our relationship, why be so polite.
Lance: ——
Lance: Once I'm done with my work, I'll go have a battle with Champion Cynthia.
Lance: Being idle all the time, I feel like I'm getting a bit rusty when it comes to battling.
Lance: I can't find Steven anywhere, Wallace is obsessed with Pokémon Contests all day, Champion Alder has had some issues recently, Champion Diantha is obsessed with acting, and I'm not used to Dynamax over on Leon's side. The Alola region doesn't have a Champion, and Paldea is too far. Thinking it over, only Champion Cynthia is relatively free.
Lucas: You could look for Elite Bruno and the others.
Lance: Forget it, they're all people who love wild battles.
Lucas: Since you're idle, why not come help me work? Room and board included, plus a salary.
Lance: You're asking a Champion to come work for you?!
Lucas: Is there something wrong with that? [Gengar winking.]
Lance: Goodbye.
After saying that, Lance's avatar went dark. Lucas couldn't help but laugh; you really are a Dodo-bird.
Lucas: Don't go yet, what did you mean by mentioning me to Champion Wallace?
Lucas: Are you still there?
Lucas: I even prepared some delicious food to send to you.
Lance: Really? What is it? Desserts? I've heard recently that the desserts from your Breeding House are very delicious.
Lucas: ——
Lucas: Guess? [Gothitelle smiling.]
Lance: I was suddenly busy just now. When I found Wallace, he had just finished a Pokémon Contest. He heard from the winning contestant of that contest that it was a Breeding House owner who taught her how to develop a Pokémon's unique charm.
Lance: He happened to show me a photo then, and I remembered it seemed to be a girl you had coached at the Breeding House.
Lance: I think her name was Anzie, so I mentioned you to him.
Lance: Wallace seems very interested in your theories and plans to visit the Breeding House soon to specifically ask for your views on Pokémon Contests.
Looking at Lance's message, the image of an Elegant Man with long hair instantly appeared in Lucas's mind.
Wallace? Interested in my theories? Coming to visit me? And coming to ask for my views on Pokémon Contests?
Lucas looked up at Gengar and the Pokémon coming in and out.
That's right, I'm a Breeding House owner, and I've opened a few small shops, barely considered entering the catering industry. Why would a League Champion think of coming to consult me?
Lucas: I'm just a Breeding House owner—
Lance: [Gengar winking.]
Lucas: Stealing my sticker?
Lance: I don't know what you're talking about.
Lucas: You thick-eyebrowed, big-eyed Dodo-bird!
Lance: If you call me that again, we're through!
Lucas: Send me your address, do you still want to eat or not?
Lance: Just kidding, how could we possibly end our friendship, right?
Lance: [A long string of address.]
Lucas: Arrogant at first and humble later, thinking of it makes one laugh.
Lance: [Gengar winking.]
Lucas: There's a lot, remember to pay for the shipping on delivery. Part of it is what I prepared for Dragonite and the others, don't you dare eat their share.
Lance: OK.
After that, the avatar went dark at light speed.
Ending the conversation with Lance, Lucas opened the chat box with Cynthia.
Lucas: I didn't expect Lance to be such a fickle man too.
Cynthia: Oh? [Togekiss tilting its head.]
Lucas: What a cute Togekiss, just like Miss Cynthia.
Cynthia's ears turned red. She looked up at her surroundings and, seeing no one was around, lowered her head to quickly tap on the keyboard.
Cynthia: Then do I look better, or does Togekiss look better?
Lucas: Cynthia.
Cynthia: Does Cynthia look better, or does Cynthia look better?
Lucas: Both look good!
Lucas: Trying to trick me? No way.
Cynthia: Does Cynthia look better, or does Garchomp look better?
Lucas: Cynthia.
Cynthia: [Video]
Lucas clicked it open to see Garchomp constantly wiping the scythes on its hands, then looking at the camera with a "kind" expression.
"Gen—Gengar."
"Gengar gargar?"
Lucas wiped his cold sweat, "If, I'm saying if, if it's like, Cynthia's Garchomp wanted to kill me, would you protect me?"
Gengar: ?! /
Who? Who's fighting Garchomp? Me? Σ(°д°|||)
Gengar looked down at its own thin little body. Although it had become a bit rounder and sturdier from eating at the Breeding House, against Garchomp?
"Gengar gargar!"
Gengar chose righteousness over life and patted its chest.
Only then did Lucas breathe a sigh of relief.
Lucas: Gengar says it will protect me.
Cynthia: [Video Call]
After connecting, Cynthia's voice came through, "Gengar, I heard you'll protect him—protect someone who bullies me, is that right?"
Her tone actually carried a hint of grievance.
I'm reporting this, someone's using cheats!
"Gengar gargar!"
I didn't!
Gengar leaned into the screen, shaking its head frantically. Then, to express its "loyalty," it gave Lucas's face a Lick.
"Gen—Gengar—you—you—traitor—I'm, I'm numb."
After watching Lucas and Gengar play around for a while, Cynthia finally smiled and said, "I heard you want a Pokémon that can help with housework?"
Lucas swallowed a Cheri Berry, looked at the center of the screen, and nodded, "Yeah, I'm planning to find a few Pokémon like that, for example, Meowstic, Indeedee, Bewear, those would all work."
Cynthia nodded, "I happen to know someone who wants to help find a new Trainer for their Meowstic, I can ask for you. As for Indeedee, I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Thank you, Cynthia."
Hearing Lucas's thanks, Cynthia rested her cheek on the office desk in front of her.
"Just take it as payment for me freeloading food and drinks at the Breeding House."
"Don't worry, you can freeload for a lifetime if you want."
"In your dreams."
"Not as beautiful as you."
Cynthia's ears turned red again.
"Garchomp has something to say to you."
Then Lucas saw Garchomp appear on the screen.
"kao!?"
I heard you say I am not beautiful enough?
Lucas: Oh no! What should I say? Waiting online, urgent.
Lucas swallowed and put on a face full of smiles, "How is that possible, Garchomp? What I meant was, you and Cynthia each have your own beauty."
Garchomp squinted its eyes, staring at Lucas with a suspicious look.
"I'm telling you, Garchomp, an Alcremie recently came to the Breeding House. The desserts it makes are beyond even my reach. Next time you come over, you definitely won't be disappointed."
Only then did Garchomp nod and hand the phone back to Cynthia.
Then it seemed to realize something.
"kao!?"
Wait, did that guy just change the subject?
Cynthia said a few words with a smile and then hung up the phone.
"Garchomp, it's been a long time since we've seen Grandma. How about we go home for a visit?"
Garchomp looked at Cynthia, a gentle expression appearing on its face.
"kao."
Okay.
After hanging up the phone, Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.
Luckily I was quick-witted and changed the subject.
Then he looked at Gengar.
"You traitor!"
Then he lunged forward and pulled at the corners of Gengar's mouth. Not to be outdone, Gengar stuck out its tongue and kept licking Lucas's face.
Ninetales opened its eyes to take a look, then shook its head and closed its eyes again.
"Siu."
Here they go again—