Chapter 307:
Hayashi Kaede nodded. "I should head back. There are many Pokémon at home, and Tsareena can't wait any longer."
"That makes sense. Then I wish you a smooth journey, Mr. Hayashi, and I hope Bounsweet can see her mother soon."
Mallow, thinking of Bounsweet's situation yesterday, agreed understandingly.
Hayashi Kaede didn't summon Dragonite immediately. Instead, he looked at Mallow.
When he watched the anime before, he always thought Mallow was a very warm-hearted person.
At the beginning of the Sun & Moon anime, she showed Ash around the Pokémon School.
She also actively helped Lillie overcome her "fear of touching Pokémon."
A child like this shouldn't lose her mother at such a young age.
"Staying the night and eating that delicious stew... I feel quite bad. These are some Energy Cubes my Bounsweet likes. Please take them as payment for the meal and lodging."
Hayashi Kaede opened his storage capsule and took out all the remaining Bounsweet Energy Cubes he had brought this time.
There were about five or six bags left.
"This..."
Mallow was both surprised and embarrassed.
But the Bounsweet on her shoulder was already spinning in joy.
"Bounsweet! Bounsweet~" (Take it, take it...)
Yesterday, this person gave it delicious Energy Cubes.
It nudged its Trainer, urgently urging her to accept them.
"Alright."
Since Bounsweet was so eager, Mallow could only accept.
"Also... besides being a Breeder, I'm also a doctor and a Pokémon doctor..."
Hayashi Kaede chose his words carefully. "If, in the future, there are any difficult or complicated illnesses, you can contact me. I'm in the Eastova region, at a place called the Hayashi Family Breeding House. If it's really urgent... you can call me, preferably with a Rotom Phone."
"Ah?"
Mallow stared blankly at Hayashi Kaede, not understanding why he would suddenly say this.
"Just mentioning it. I'll leave my phone number for you."
Hayashi Kaede took a piece of paper from his storage capsule, wrote down his number, and handed it to the still somewhat confused Mallow.
Then he took out Dragonite's Poké Ball, summoned Dragonite, and flew into the sky with Mewtwo.
He left only Mallow standing there, holding the paper, puzzled.
After a good while, she shook her head and put the paper away.
....
Over the ocean.
Hayashi Kaede sat on Dragonite's back, while Mewtwo, flying beside him, couldn't help but speak up, "Is that girl going to have an accident?"
Having been around Hayashi Kaede for a while now, Mewtwo was well aware that he usually had a reason for doing such peculiar things.
Hayashi Kaede looked at Mewtwo with slight surprise.
It was hard to imagine Mewtwo caring about such things.
But he still explained, "No, it's her mother who will fall ill. If not treated in time, she might die."
"Oh."
Mewtwo fell silent.
It didn't have a mother and couldn't understand the significance.
But it suddenly realized that every Pokémon, every person, actually had parents.
Unlike it, which was created by humans.
The only somewhat related being was that Mew who was always who-knows-where.
But it seemed it had never seen Hayashi Kaede's parents?
It couldn't help but ask curiously, "What about your mother? I don't think I've ever seen your mother?"
"..."
Hayashi Kaede was silent for a moment before replying,
"They went missing a long time ago."
He knew Mewtwo asked out of genuine curiosity, without any ulterior motive.
"Missing? Haven't you thought about looking for them?" Mewtwo continued.
"I did. Couldn't find them."
He had even asked Champion Kazephyr to search, but there was no information.
That Apricot Hill—after gaining Aura abilities, Hayashi Kaede had also taken Serperior and Pidgeot to explore it once.
But there were still no discoveries.
Then again, while Aura users were rare, the Eastova League was vast; there must be Lucario out there too.
"Oh..."
Mewtwo responded again and didn't ask further.
For the rest of the journey back, only the sea wind howled.
After who knows how long, Mewtwo asked another question, "So that's why you were so eager to help Bounsweet find its mother, and also help that girl?"
"Uh... You're talking a lot today..."
Hayashi Kaede shot it a look and chose not to answer.
Mewtwo was taken aback, then began to reflect.
"A lot? Hm... I guess I have spoken more than usual today."
The amount it had spoken these two days probably equaled what it usually said in half a month.
It paused for a moment, then spoke again, "I still want to know..."
Hayashi Kaede: "Yes."
After giving this reply, Hayashi Kaede became amused. "Looks like you really enjoyed yesterday's battles, huh?"
"They were good. Pity they were still a bit too weak." Mewtwo sounded somewhat reminiscent.
"I think there are Pokémon that could give you a good fight, a really satisfying one."
"Hm? Who?" Mewtwo became interested.
Hayashi Kaede smiled, a strange light in his eyes. "There's a very strong Pokémon at the Breeding House. But you might not be able to beat it just yet."
"The Breeding House? At home?"
Mewtwo was stunned. It thought hard but couldn't figure out who at the Breeding House could fight it.
That Gardevoir?
Although strong, it was still far below itself.
"You'll know when we get back." Hayashi Kaede kept it a mystery.
"Why wait until we're back?" Mewtwo didn't understand.
"Because I don't really feel like talking to you right now."
After saying this, Hayashi Kaede sat on Dragonite's back and closed his eyes. No matter how much Mewtwo asked, he ignored it.
Mewtwo: (〃＞＜)!
Damn Hayashi Kaede!
Teasing it like that!
"Hahaha..."
Only after Mewtwo grew tired of asking did Hayashi Kaede finally burst into laughter!
In this atmosphere, Dragonite gradually spotted the land of the Eastova League region.
...
Around noon on November 24th,
Inside the Breeding House.
The Breeding House was quiet just after lunch.
Serperior was tending its plantation, Indeedee was harvesting berries, Gardevoir was making Energy Cubes in the kitchen, and Steenee was following Serperior, learning how to use Grassy Terrain.
It felt it had grown up and should learn from Sister Serperior how to properly care for the plantation.