After dinner, Lucas and Gengar tidied up their things, then he brought Machamp and the others to a free room on the first floor.
However, Machamp and the others expressed that they didn't like staying in rooms; they preferred the outdoor environment and wanted to live outside, where they could also protect the Breeding House and prevent thieves.
Lucas could only agree, and he also promised that he would build them better living quarters there in the future.
"Niko!"
The female Machamp gave a thumbs-up with one hand.
After settling Machamp and the others, Lucas took Gengar upstairs to shower.
Seeing Lucas and Gengar go upstairs, the female Machamp looked at the other two Machamp, then they all nodded simultaneously, put on the safety helmets Lucas had given them, and walked from the back door of the kitchen to the Breeding ground in the backyard.
They began their first patrol; even though nothing was planted and no Pokémon were boarded yet, they still diligently patrolled.
When Lucas came out after showering, he found Gengar wearing the white lab coat it had won from a lottery, with a stethoscope around its ears, just missing a pair of glasses to become Dr. Gengar.
"Why are you wearing that outfit again?"
Lucas had no use for the white lab coat and stethoscope now, so he gave them to Gengar to play with.
Hearing Lucas's words, Gengar handed him its phone to look at, and he saw that Gengar was binge-watching a show.
The protagonist was a Ditto, and the story was about how Ditto would transform into a different Pokémon every day upon waking up, then encounter different crises based on the Pokémon it became, but in the end, Ditto always resolved the crises and protected many Pokémon.
Ditto Martin?!
Goodness.
Lucas glanced at the serious-looking Gengar and said with a straight face:
"Is Ditto Gengar a doctor today? It just so happens that I'm feeling a bit unwell."
Hearing this, Gengar pressed the stethoscope to Lucas's chest, listening intently to his heartbeat with a serious expression.
After playing with Gengar for a while, Lucas yawned, did a fadeaway jump shot, and lay down on the bed.
"Goodnight, Gengar."
Lucas said, and then the room lights dimmed.
"Koujie."
The Machamp on patrol saw the room lights go out, exchanged glances, and then patrolled even more carefully... Upon opening his eyes, Lucas found Gengar floating in mid-air, controlling its phone with psychic power, following the person on the phone to learn yoga.
It tried to reach its hands from above its head backwards to grasp its raised foot, just like the person in the video, but found that it couldn't do it no matter how hard it tried.
"Koujie?! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ"
Lucas couldn't help but laugh, then stood up and pulled open the curtains; the weather was clear today.
He stretched, then washed up and went downstairs to make breakfast.
After breakfast, Machamp and the others returned to the backyard to rest, while Lucas meticulously wrote down the Breeding House's services at the counter.
[Gengar's Happy Paradise (Breeding House)]
[Service 1: Pokémon Boarding.]
[Service 2: Pokémon Egg Sales. (Currently unavailable, pre-orders accepted)]
[Service 3: Rare Item Sales (Currently unavailable)]
[Service 4: Small Item Sales: Custom Wood Carvings]
Lucas picked up the large wooden board and carried it out the door. Just as he set it down, he saw Joy walking towards him, holding a Grass-type Pokémon in her arms.
"Sister Linnea."
Lucas walked over and greeted her.
"Is this... Petilil?"
Looking at the Petilil in Joy's arms, Lucas was a little surprised. Wasn't Petilil a Pokémon from the Unova region? How did it end up in the Sinnoh region?
However, Petilil didn't look well.
After ushering Joy inside, Joy also glanced at the wooden board at the entrance before following Lucas into the Breeding House.
"It looks like the Breeding House will be open for business soon."
"Actually, it can be now. Pokémon can already be boarded."
Lucas replied. Joy nodded, then continued, "I came to see you because of this Pokémon."
Joy said, looking at the Petilil in her arms.
Then she mouthed a word: "Abandoned."
Lucas nodded, carefully observing the Petilil in her arms; its condition was visibly poor.
[Petilil]
[Type: Grass]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Chlorophyll]
[Known Moves: Absorb, Growth, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, Synthesis.]
[Mood: Extremely Sad]
[Status: Lost Hope, On the verge of collapse]
[Friendship: -50 (Doesn't want to see anyone)]
[Description: A partner of a trainer from the Unova League. Due to constant battle losses, the trainer cruelly abandoned her at the Twinleaf Town Pokémon Center. Upon learning she was abandoned, she experienced a severe breakdown in her sense of self-worth, making her afraid of darkness. She is currently on the verge of collapse.]
Seeing Petilil's condition, Lucas couldn't help but frown.
This was not just bad; losing hope and being on the verge of collapse meant the situation was as serious as it could get.
Gengar floated over with a cup of water at this moment and handed it to Joy.
He gave Joy a reassuring look, then said something to Gengar. Gengar nodded, then phased through the wall to the warehouse, where it found a pair of pruning shears.
Petilil was currently closing her eyes, burying her head deeply in Joy's arms and trembling, but she suddenly felt movement from the leaves on her head.
"La ji?"
She tremblingly raised her head, then saw that the leaves on top of her head were being slowly and neatly trimmed by a hand holding scissors.
She turned her body to face the human in front of her.
His eyes held a glimmer, a gentle smile played on his lips, and he quietly watched her, then softly said, "Such a cute Petilil, of course, you should always be cute and beautiful like a little princess."
Hearing this, Petilil seemed to recall something, and then the Breeding House was filled with heart-wrenching cries.
"La ji..."
The Machamp in the backyard heard the crying and all came to the front to see what was happening.
Lucas ignored the "Currently Collapsing" notification that popped up in the status bar and simply watched Petilil gently.
Only when the crying subsided did he continue, "It's okay, Petilil, it's okay, it's good to cry it out."
He handed the scissors to Gengar, then picked up Petilil, took the Gengar spray bottle Gengar handed him, and gently dripped water onto her head. The water soaked through the leaves and onto his clothes.
"You know, there used to be a mischievous Pokémon here, also misunderstood by others. Actually, it just wanted someone to play with it. Later, it found someone willing to play with it, and then it broke other people's perceptions of it. It helped that person open a Breeding House."
Lucas said softly, holding Petilil.
Gengar, hearing this, licked Lucas affectionately.
Then Lucas continued, "At the same time, there were also a few Machamp who earned their pay by helping others. Because very few people hired them, they often went hungry. Later, they also found a Breeding House, protecting its safety, and they proved their worth to others."
"Niko~" (Tears streaming down.)
At this point, Lucas lifted Petilil, his gaze meeting her no-longer-despairing small eyes.
"That Breeding House is right here. What I want to say is, every Pokémon has its own reason for existence. Gengar is like this, Machamp are like this, and so are you."
Lucas's smile warmed Petilil. "It's just that he didn't know."
"There are also many people, many Pokémon who love you, after all, you are so cute. If you don't believe me, look."
Lucas held Petilil and turned around.
She saw Joy smiling and nodding, and Gengar making a funny face at her. She looked at the scary face, but felt no malice from it, only concern, as well as three Machamp giving her thumbs-up and showing healthy smiles.
Finally, there was a smile like early spring, and eyes that flowed into her heart, as Lucas smiled at her.
"La... La ji."
Petilil cried again.
Only after Petilil finished crying did Lucas look at Joy: "Sister Linnea, I'm too busy here. Could I trouble you to let Petilil help me for a while?"
Joy was stunned for a moment, then reacted and looked at Petilil: "Are you willing to help him?"
Lucas also looked at her and said, "I'm really so busy. It would be great if Petilil could help me out."
Petilil, hearing that she could help him, hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
At this time, the status bar also updated:
[Petilil]
[Type: Grass]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Chlorophyll]
[Known Moves: Absorb, Growth, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, Synthesis.]
[Mood: Sad]
[Status: Out of collapse, Self-doubt]
[Friendship: 20-40 (He said I could help him?)]
[Description: He said I could help him. Can I really help him? If I don't do well, will he...]
Lucas glanced at it, then said, "Thank you, Petilil, you've really helped me a lot."
He didn't say anything else; in this situation, only actions could heal her inner pain.
"Let me introduce you. This is Gengar, and these are Machamp."
"Everyone, say hello to our cute Petilil."
"Koujie~"
Gengar pulled out a small toy and handed it to Petilil, realizing the toy was as big as Petilil.
"Koujie?! Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ"
Seeing Gengar looking sad, Petilil comforted him.
Immediately after, Gengar fully recovered, pulling its mouth open with both hands to make a funny face.
Feeling Gengar's mood, Petilil's mood also improved considerably.
"Niko~"
Machamp and the others were still the same, giving a thumbs-up and a healthy smile.
Seeing Lucas resolve Petilil's problem, Joy breathed a sigh of relief, then said goodbye to Lucas and Petilil, preparing to leave, as the Pokémon Center was very busy.
"Vex, please take Sister Linnea back to the Pokémon Center."
Lucas said to one of the Machamp.
"Niko! ∠(｀ω´*) "
One of the Machamp wearing a hard hat responded and saluted.
"?!"
Yesterday they were fighting with four arms, and today they can salute?
Surely there aren't any Pokémon who can't salute, right?!
Lucas secretly glanced at Gengar.
"Gengar?! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ"
"It's nothing, nothing."
Was it already discovered? So sharp.
Watching Joy and Vex leave, Lucas carried Petilil towards the backyard.