Chapter 223:
Aogiri Town, Breeding House
The sky was only just beginning to lighten.
Clouds hung low.
It was Tuesday—a day when the Breeding House didn't host any Sky Challenges—so the older brother Indeedee wasn't too busy.
At the moment, it was checking the time on a Rotom device.
AM: 11:30.
Half an hour left.
The older brother Indeedee did a quick calculation in its head, then turned to inform the waiting Alcremie.
"Alcremie…"
Alcremie responded softly, then slumped back down dejectedly. Each time a customer entered, it forced a bright smile to recommend its cakes, but as soon as a sale was made, it would sink back into its bowl, quietly counting down the minutes.
Hayashi Kaede had promised to return before noon today.
So, they had been waiting since early morning.
Every second before the promised time was filled with anticipation.
Whoosh~
A gust of wind swept past outside. Alcremie's eyes brightened just as a familiar voice sounded, "Big Brother Kaede, I'm heading back for lunch first!"
Hayashi Kaede stepped into the Breeding House.
"Alcremie~!"
The Alcremies instantly perked up, greeting him with uncontainable excitement.
ヾ(≧▽≦*)o: "Alcremie~!" (We missed you! Missed you so much~!)
"Alright, alright, I'm back."
Hayashi Kaede chuckled, scooping up the bowl that held the nearest Alcremie and gently nuzzling its face. Seeing it regain its spark and energy again brought a natural smile to his lips.
He realized that every time he came home, his Pokémon would show such joyful expressions.
Did that mean… they weren't as happy when he wasn't around?
The thought flickered briefly before fading.
"Alcremie~" (Me too…)
The Alcremie in his arms cried out affectionately—and immediately, the others began to clamor too.
"Alcremie!!!"
It seemed they all only felt truly motivated once Hayashi Kaede was back.
Helplessly, he picked up each Alcremie one by one, giving them all a gentle pat and a quick nuzzle before turning to the older brother Indeedee.
"Did anything happen today?"
"Indeedee~."
The older brother Indeedee shook its head, the corners of its normally serious mouth lifting slightly as it watched him return.
It had believed it could manage the front of the Breeding House alone, but after just two days without Hayashi Kaede, a quiet worry had crept in.
What if a customer came with a request it couldn't handle?
What if a Pokémon got injured and it couldn't respond quickly enough?
All those concerns disappeared the moment Hayashi Kaede returned—replaced by a deep sense of relief.
Hayashi Kaede nodded. Hearing faint noises from the kitchen, he smiled. "Alright, I'll go help Gardevoir with the cooking. You guys keep an eye on the front, okay?"
"Indeedee~!"
"Alcremie~!"
After they responded, Hayashi Kaede headed toward the kitchen.
It was lunchtime.
He had said earlier that he'd be back to cook, but if he hadn't made it, the Pokémon couldn't be left hungry.
When he entered the kitchen, Gardevoir and Younger Sister Indeedee were already preparing lunch.
Hayashi Kaede glanced around.
The main dishes were steamed buns and Energy Cubes, with a variety of fresh vegetables from the plantation—
and also some fried fish.
Gardevoir skillfully used its psychic power to debone a carp, coat it in flour, and gently drop it into the sizzling oil.
It was a little unusual.
They hadn't had this much fish before, but recently, more and more had appeared in the reservoir through the water channels. Even after encountering Milotic and Brionne there—and being chased off by them—they still wouldn't leave.
Maybe it was because of the recent drop in temperature, or perhaps the abundant energy radiating from the buried A-grade Water Stone.
What could they do?
In the end, they could only accept them—sometimes welcoming them with a bit of steaming or braising…
Though, admittedly, those "welcomes" often involved cooking them.
"Gardevoir~?" (You're back?)
Sensing Hayashi Kaede behind her, Gardevoir glanced over her shoulder.
"Why not use the new kitchen for the cooking?"
Hayashi Kaede found it a bit strange.
"Gardevoir~" (I've gotten used to this one.)
Gardevoir replied while maintaining the heat of the oil with her psychic energy. She felt more comfortable here in this familiar space.
Nearby, the younger sister Indeedee was carefully packing freshly steamed buns into storage balls.
When she noticed Hayashi Kaede, she gave a soft greeting.
"Gardevoir~…" (You should go over there. The workers' meal for the construction site isn't ready yet.)
Gardevoir didn't chat much, nor did she let him help in the kitchen. Instead, she stated her request plainly.
"Alright." Hayashi Kaede nodded.
Leaving the kitchen, he crossed the open area between the plantation and the barn and released the Pokémon traveling with him.
"Vulpix~!" (Haha, we are back home~!)
The moment Alolan Vulpix appeared, it looked up at him with sparkling eyes. After he released Eevee and Goodra as well, Vulpix bounded off toward the garden, joyfully rolling on the grass.
Serperior returned to the plantation and activated its usual Grassy Terrain buff.
As for Blaziken, the instant it appeared, it caught the aroma of Gardevoir's cooking and couldn't resist sneaking a peek toward the kitchen.
"Blaziken…" (Smells amazing~)
Hayashi Kaede smiled and followed Alolan Vulpix toward the end of the garden.
There, Sandshrew was busy loosening the soil and breaking up rocks.
After days of work, about half of the large new plantation had already been prepared, with the ground sand and stones properly processed.
When it noticed Hayashi Kaede, Sandshrew gave him a simple, earnest smile before quickly returning to work.
Near the edge—where the plantation met the forest and the Bluestone Trail—members of the Construction Team and their Fighting-type Pokémon were building the new house.
Buzz buzz buzz…
The air hummed with the sound of nearby Combee collecting nectar.
Watching the scene, Hayashi Kaede felt a quiet calm settle over his heart.
Then, he stepped into the new kitchen.