Chapter 248: Unsettling Night
Daisy immediately noticed the changes in the familiar greenhouse. It wasn't just the new, vibrant purple plants flourishing in their dedicated enclosure; there thin plastic pipes snaked along the planting beds and strange, metallic devices were mounted at various points.
"Rinko," Daisy exclaimed, pointing, "what are all these new things? I don't remember seeing them before!"
"Ah, those," Rinko said, a proud smile gracing her features. "That's the new environmental monitoring equipment and a custom-designed drip irrigation system. Xiu here," she gestured towards him, "engineered them for me."
Xiu was an engineer in his past life, and as a token of gratitude for Rinko's invaluable assistance in cultivating the purple flower, he had designed and helped install these systems. The drip irrigation, with its network of valves controlling water flow to different zones, had significantly reduced Rinko's daily workload.
The environmental monitoring system provided precise data on temperature, humidity, and soil conditions, allowing for more accurate adjustments. He'd even considered replacing the old manual ventilation hatches in the greenhouse dome with an automated regulator system, but this world's level technology couldn't quite meet the specifications.
Still, even these relatively simple upgrades had drastically improved the greenhouse environment, making it easier for Rinko to cultivate her diverse and often demanding collection of rare plants.
Daisy, however, seemed less interested in the technical details, her attention quickly shifting to other, more colorful topics. Rinko, clearly happy to have a visitor and especially one as vivacious as Daisy, readily abandoned any further discussion of the purple flower and led them both back to the villa.
The afternoon passed pleasantly. Tea and Rinko's surprisingly good cookies were served.
Daisy chattered animatedly about her school life, her friends, her recent Pokémon encounters, and her stories often accompanied by Rinko's soft, appreciative laughter. Xiu, observing them, was struck by Daisy's skills as a social butterfly.
She possessed a natural charm, an intuitive understanding of how to engage a conversation and draw her out of her usual quiet reserve. Though still young and quite eccentric as an extrovert, Daisy was undeniably intelligent and surprisingly empathetic.
A far cry from her arrogant younger brother, Xiu mused. He found himself re-evaluating his initial, somewhat dismissive impression of her. Perhaps her earlier, persistent questioning hadn't been mere idle curiosity, but a more deliberate attempt to understand him.
He, however, had achieved his primary objective: Daisy was thoroughly occupied, her attention successfully diverted from him. He excused himself, retrieved Rinko's research notes on the purple flower from the previous day, and settled into a quiet corner.
By mid-afternoon, Daisy showed no inclination to leave, clearly enjoying Rinko's company. For Xiu, this was excellent news.
He returned to the institute, relieved to find the backyard peaceful, his Pokémon and Xiaochun coexisting harmoniously. This… this is what I prefer.
"So," he said to Xiaochun later, as they prepared their simple evening meal, "I suppose they won't be back for dinner. What should we make?"
Xiaochun, as usual, offered no verbal opinion. She merely looked at him, then gestured vaguely towards the direction of the villa, a questioning look in her eyes.
"Professor Oak's granddaughter," Xiu explained. "And if you see anyone else, that must be her younger brother. Best to just be polite and avoid any trouble. If they bother you, or if you have any problems, you come to me, understand?" He was still a little concerned that Xiaochun's unpredictable nature might lead to an unfortunate incident.
Xiaochun nodded silently, then returned to her task of stirring the pot. Her indifference to status and social hierarchy was almost refreshing. Xiu couldn't help a wry, bitter smile.
It wasn't until late evening that Professor Oak finally returned to the institute with Gary trailing wearily behind him in exhaustion, as if they'd endured a long, trying day. Gary, in particular, seemed drained, his usual arrogance replaced by a sullen fatigue.
"Where's Daisy?" Oak asked, looking around the dimly lit lab as he entered.
"She visited this morning and was heading over to the Murasame Botanical Garden.," Xiu replied.
Oak grunted, accepting the explanation without further comment. Gary, however, shot Xiu a look of distinct displeasure, though he remained silent.
"Professor, you must be hungry," Xiu said, smoothly changing the subject. "You too, Gary.
I'll prepare some food for us to eat." He made a hasty retreat to the kitchen, eager to avoid any family drama. Daisy, I can tolerate. She's… manageable, but this spoiled brat… He found dealing with Gary far more taxing than negotiating with Team Rocket grunts.
At least with criminals, the motivations are usually straightforward. With family… it's always more complicated.
Dinner was a simple, quickly prepared affair. Oak and Xiu ate with their usual casual indifference to the menu. Surprisingly, Gary, despite his earlier sullenness, ate quietly and without complaint. Perhaps a long day with his grandfather has mellowed him out, Xiu mused, observing the boy. Or maybe he's just too tired.
After the meal, Oak announced he was taking Gary back to the house in Pallet Town for the night and Xiu was more than happy to have the institute to himself. He settled into his usual evening routine: reviewing his research notes, meditating with Abra, and overseeing Scizor's late-night training drills.
Later, as the moon cast long, eerie shadows across the backyard, Daisy finally returned. The institute was dark, silent. Without lights, the remote hilltop relied solely on the stars for illumination. The faint moonlight, filtered through the trees, created a patchwork of light and deep shadow.
As Daisy made her way cautiously up the path towards the warehouse, she noticed most of the Pokémon in the backyard were asleep, only a few nocturnal species stirring quietly in the darkness. Then, with the aid of the pale moonlight, she spotted Xiu.
His behavior, however, struck her as profoundly strange.
He was sitting casually at the base of the withered, skeletal tree near the warehouse, posture relaxed like a monk. His eyes were closed, breathing deep and even. Is he… sleeping? Sitting up? But then she saw Abra, hovering silently beside him, eyes closed with a faint, almost imperceptible psychic aura shimmering around them both.
Curiosity overriding caution, Daisy began to walk towards them. But before she could get close, a small figure detached itself from the deeper shadows near the warehouse entrance, silently blocking her path.
Daisy stopped, peering through the gloom. It was Xiaochun, the silent girl. And beside her, a shadowy, indistinct shape that resolved itself into the Pidgey, its one good wing held tight against its body, watching Daisy with unblinking, intelligent eyes.
"Hm?" Daisy whispered. "What is it?"
Xiaochun remained expressionless. She raised a small hand, pointing first towards Xiu and Abra, then drawing a finger across her own throat in a clear, unmistakable gesture. She then waved a dismissive hand at Daisy. Do not approach. Do not disturb.
Daisy looked into Xiaochun's dark, unwavering eyes and felt an unexpected shiver of unease, a sense of pressure that had nothing to do with the girl's small stature. The smile froze on her face.
The quiet, intense atmosphere, the girl's silent warning, the eerie stillness of the night… it all felt suddenly, deeply unsettling. The pressure emanating from the small girl seemed to intensify with each passing second, solidifying the very air around them.
"Xiaochun."
A soft voice, barely a whisper, cut through the stillness. Daisy's head snapped up, her gaze darting towards the sound. Xiu. His eyes were slowly opening. And in that instant, as his eyelids lifted, Daisy saw it – a fleeting, almost subliminal flash of golden light within his pupils, starkly visible in the dim moonlight— then gone as he blinked, as if it had been nothing more than a trick of the light, an illusion born of shadows and fear.