Chapter 241:
AM – 7:30
Breakfast time.
At this hour, aside from Elder Brother Indeedee, the Combee, and the Miltank, nearly all the other Pokémon were present.
Today, there were also a few extra guests—Sprigatito, Wartortle, and Takagi Megumi.
She was currently surrounded by Sandshrew, who was joyfully rolling in the dirt. Today marked its final day of "work."
After weeks of effort, the stone-clearing across the entire plantation was finally complete.
Breakfast consisted of bone-broth noodles served with steamed buns.
The dish's main benefit was to strengthen the Pokémon's resistance to cold.
It was a meal Hayashi Kaede had specially prepared, considering that winter was approaching and several Dragon-type and cold-sensitive Pokémon lived in the plantation.
(TSL note: for simplicity sprigatito belonging to hayashi Kaede will have bracket Kaede while belonging to Takagi Megumi will be bracketed Megumi)
Sprigatito (Kaede) was happily lapping up warm MooMoo Milk beside Hayashi Kaede.
Still being a newborn, it naturally drank milk—but that would stop once it reached the typical size of a grown Sprigatito.
Meanwhile, Sprigatito (Megumi) was curled up in front of Takagi Megumi, staring unblinkingly at its fellow Sprigatito drinking milk.
The autumn MooMoo Milk had a particularly rich, fresh aroma, tasting faintly sweet and tangy.
It was both appetizing and nutritious—one of the most popular milks for baby Pokémon across the Pokémon Infant Network.
So Sprigatito (Kaede) drank eagerly, milk dripping from its whiskers as it enjoyed every sip, completely oblivious.
The sight made Sprigatito (Megumi) crave it intensely.
How could milk look so delicious when drunk by another Sprigatito?
It licked the corner of its mouth, glanced at its trainer, and finally walked over to the smaller Sprigatito's side, watching it drink up close.
"Sprigatito?" (Is… is it good?)
"Sprigatito?"
Sprigatito (Kaede) turned its head. "Sprigatito? Sprigatito…"
Sprigatito (Megumi) couldn't understand a word, but judging by its sibling's delighted expression, it had to be delicious.
Its craving grew even stronger—but it was too shy to ask its trainer, and even more embarrassed to request milk from a younger Sprigatito.
So it simply sat there, watching longingly as Sprigatito (Kaede) drank with contentment.
Finally, Younger Sister Indeedee noticed and kindly brought Sprigatito (Megumi) a bowl of warm milk as well.
"Dragonite~" (So comfy… feels like my whole body's warming up~)
Nearby, Dragonite gulped down hot noodle soup straight from a large iron bucket. It wasn't afraid of the heat and drank the broth as if it were water, visibly content.
Salamence wasn't far behind, dunking its entire head into a basin of noodles.
To be fair, it was the most practical way. When eating Energy Cubes, they could use their claws, but noodles were a different story—and delicate bowls or chopsticks weren't exactly made for dragons.
So this direct method suited them best, even if it meant having to wipe their faces afterward.
At the dining table, Hayashi Kaede watched Takagi Megumi, who had cried miserably that morning but was now devouring noodles with gusto.
"When are you planning to set off?" he asked.
"Huh? Mmm…" Takagi Megumi mumbled, cheeks puffed out as she slurped her noodles. She held up two fingers. "Probably two days later…"
After swallowing, she added brightly, "After two days! My parents have a five-day monthly holiday. Once they leave, I'll set off too!"
"Do you have a plan?" Hayashi Kaede asked.
"A plan? Of course I do!"
Her eyes sparkled. "Last time, I went from school toward Nagisuna City, right? But this time, I'm going along the coast! I heard they're hosting the Maritime Piplup Cup there! You need eight Water-type badges to enter!"
"It's good that you have a plan."
Hayashi Kaede nodded slightly.
The Maritime Piplup Cup took place on the open sea—any Pokémon capable of ocean battles could participate, as long as the trainer had collected eight Water-type badges.
The timing of the tournament was a bit unusual, though.
It was held twice a year: once in summer, once in winter.
Summer made perfect sense—battles over the waves under bright sunshine captured the spirit of youthful energy.
But winter? That was another story.
Fighting on the freezing sea with icy winds biting your face—it was certainly not for the faint-hearted.
Perhaps that was the very reason the organizers held it then.
After all, a true trainer fears neither wind nor cold.
Hayashi Kaede, however, kept that thought to himself.
"Jirachi, do you want to come with me?"
Takagi Megumi looked over at Jirachi.
Jirachi was currently experimenting with Victini, testing how long one energy transfer could keep their shared cycle going.
Their conclusion so far: about six hours—roughly half a night.
"Jirachi?"
Jirachi turned its head. At first, it seemed intrigued by the idea of traveling, but when it heard "two days later," hesitation crossed its face.
Takagi Megumi misunderstood, assuming it simply didn't like traveling and preferred staying at the Breeding House.
She smiled and patted its head. "That's fine. Staying with Big Brother Kaede is even better—there's so much yummy food here."
Then her curious gaze shifted to Victini.
She'd noticed the unfamiliar Pokémon but hadn't asked until now.
Taking out her phone, she tried scanning it.
The screen flashed a single message:
"Information on this Pokémon is unknown. No records found within the Eastova League database."
Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up.
"Big Brother Kaede… what kind of Pokémon is this?"