Looking at the text box that had popped up, Victor was a little curious about what good thing would happen tomorrow, but he quickly dismissed it and turned his attention to the still-laughing Gengar.
Victor gave Gengar's tail a playful tug, then looked at Joy and Jenny.
"Jenny, Joy, are you two free in a few days? The Eastern Alliance's Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up, and I'd like to invite you to dinner."
"The Mid-Autumn Festival?" Jenny asked, puzzled.
Joy chimed in, "I know that one. In the Eastern Alliance, it's a holiday that means family reunion, right?"
"That's a good way to put it. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for helping me so much."
Victor had come to this world alone, and after spending this time with them, he had already come to see them as his family.
"Family reunion, huh? Sounds great. When is it?" Jenny asked with a smile.
"Three days from now."
"Okay. I'll have my colleague cover my shift," Jenny said with a clap.
"That's right when my vacation starts, so I'd love to," Joy said with her usual gentle smile. "Laura should be able to make it too."
"Great, I'll let Laura know," Victor continued. "I'll prepare some of our unique traditional foods, like mooncakes, for you all."
"Gengar?"
Mooncakes? Are they tasty?
Gengar recovered from its dizzy spell, floated in front of Victor, and stared at him intently.
"I'll make some for you to try ahead of time," Victor said with a sigh, pushing the big, chubby face away.
"Gengar—"
Hehe.
After seeing Jenny and Joy off with Shana's family, Victor took out his phone to check with Laura. After getting a definite "yes," he went to the backyard, called Dali over, and asked it to watch the shop. He then picked up the Petilil and went back to the yard with Gengar.
He took the Petilil to the lake to let it play with the Torterra, then went for a walk with Gengar.
Since Shana was coming over tomorrow, Victor planned to add some decorations to the backyard suitable for a child to play with, like a swing or a slide.
That way, some of the smaller Pokémon could play too, and Shana could have fun and relax, creating a win-win situation.
Victor went to the pile of wood planks he'd had cut from the fallen tree and chose a sturdy one. He then found two strong ropes in the warehouse. He picked a solid tree near the afternoon tea area, had Gengar tie the ropes to a branch, and then did some finishing touches with his tools. A nice swing was now complete.
Victor sat on it and pushed down a few times with his bottom. It felt quite sturdy.
Just then, Gengar came up behind him and gave the swing a push with its chubby hands. The swing began to move gently.
As the arc grew wider, Gengar started to get tired. Its eyes lit up, and a purple light enveloped both the swing and Victor.
The next thing Victor knew, he was on the Breeding House version of a pirate ship ride.
"HEEEELP—"
His scream startled a few Starly resting in the forest.
By the time the evening sun cast its glow over the Breeding House's backyard, Victor was now gently pushing the swing, with Gengar sitting on it.
Not far away, a fox-like Pokémon watched Victor and Gengar intently. In the sunset, their shadows were stretched infinitely long. A flash of memory crossed its eyes, and it began to walk towards the Breeding House.
Looking at the happy Gengar on the swing, and then at the other Pokémon in the yard, each doing their own thing, everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful.
Victor sighed. He was growing more and more fond of this life. He glanced at the never-used afternoon tea area and decided that when Shana came over tomorrow, they would have the Breeding House's very first afternoon tea time.
"Gengar, what do you think about having an afternoon tea time tomorrow?"
"Gengar?" Gengar turned its head and looked at him, confused.
"It means we'll eat delicious snacks and drink yummy drinks."
"Gengar—" Hearing this, Gengar started drooling all over the ground again.
"Alright, it's getting late. Time to make dinner."
Gengar slurped back its drool, then pushed off the swing, landing steadily on its two short legs. It clapped its hands and nodded in satisfaction.
"Gengar—"
"I'm so cool."
Just as Victor was about to take Gengar back to the kitchen to cook, another Pokémon caught his attention.
It was covered in beige fur, and its nine tails swayed gently in the evening breeze. The tips of its tails were tinged with gold. It walked with an elegant gait to the fence in front of Victor, then bent down slightly and leaped over, landing right in front of him and Gengar.
"..." Victor glanced at the fence and was silent for a long time.
The Ninetales before him sized up both Victor and Gengar with its crimson eyes.
"Gengar?" Gengar stepped in front of Victor, warily watching the Ninetales.
From a distance, Dali and the others also gathered around.
[Ninetales]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Fire]
[Ability: Flash Fire]
[Known Moves: Flamethrower, Disable, Fire Spin, Confuse Ray, Fire Blast, Safeguard, Will-O-Wisp, Imprison, Extrasensory, Nasty Plot, Psyshock, Heat Wave, Substitute, Overheat.]
[Mood: Slightly excited]
[Status: Lost in memories]
[Friendship: 99 (Descendant of an old friend)]
[Introduction: The descendant of an old friend, who also possesses the same qualities. I see the shadow of my old friend in you.]
"..."
Descendant of an old friend?
Reading the introduction in the status window, Victor fell silent.
This must have been a friend of my great-aunt's.
Victor patted Gengar's shoulder, signaling that it was okay, and then walked forward.
"Hello."
"Victor."
Just as Victor spoke, a voice entered his mind.
"Don't worry. This is telepathy."
The Ninetales' mature and gentle voice echoed in his head.
Looking at the Ninetales sitting before him, Victor came back to his senses and replied in his mind, "Are... are you here to see my great-aunt?"
"Great-aunt? So, she was your great-aunt."
Victor nodded.
"I know she is already gone. Don't worry, I came here today to see you."
"To see me?"
"Yes. This house has been abandoned for a long time. I have been watching over it. Until the day you arrived, I saw her shadow in you. So I have been watching you ever since."
"Was that you Gengar saw in the forest the other day?"
"It's not bad," the Ninetales said, glancing at the Gengar beside Victor and nodding. "Its strength is acceptable."
Victor glanced at Gengar. It was a good thing it couldn't hear their conversation, or it would definitely be indignant.
"Gengar? Σ(°Д°; "
"Why aren't you guys talking? Why are you all looking at me?"
Victor shook his head, signaling that it was nothing, then continued his telepathic conversation. "So, is there something you wanted to tell me today?"
"Yes." The Ninetales nodded, turned its head to look at the other parts of the yard, then stood up and began to walk.
Victor signaled for Gengar to go back to the room and get that thing, while he followed behind the Ninetales.
"It used to be very lively here," the Ninetales' voice echoed. "Many, many Pokémon would come here. She would care for them all equally, playing with them."
Victor listened quietly.
"How I miss those days. Watching her come here as a little girl, put down roots, and then slowly grow old."
The Ninetales walked to the afternoon tea area, stopped, and sat down.
"Your human lifespans are so short."
Victor smiled. "It's because they're short that they are so precious. In a limited time, we form different bonds, make different friends. Like a beautiful Floette, we let our lives bloom with a beautiful and unique color in that limited time."
The Ninetales looked at Victor. "That's what she used to say, too. She said that as long as we remember her, she will always exist."
"Alright, that's enough reminiscing. I only came today to see if you, like her, could inherit this Breeding House."
"And what is the verdict?"
"Not bad."
Gengar flew down from upstairs, handing Victor a photo frame, and then giving the Ninetales a cup of berry juice.
The Ninetales glanced at Gengar, then lowered its head and drank the juice.
"I came today to ask a favor of you."
As the Ninetales spoke, one of its tails brought forth a Pokémon Egg.
"I plan to entrust my child to you."
Hearing this, Victor was stunned.
He had seen the Ninetales' moveset in the status window; he didn't need to guess to know how strong it was.
"Entrust?"
The Ninetales nodded.
"You have returned, so it is time for me to leave."
Victor was silent for a long time.
He then reached out and accepted the Pokémon Egg. He knew the Ninetales was entrusting this egg to him.
"Are you... leaving?" he asked, holding the egg.
The Ninetales nodded. "I only stayed to look after the house she left behind. Now, there is you."
A strange emotion welled up in Victor's chest, making it feel tight.
"Heh. We've only just met, and you're already sad for me?" the voice in his head chuckled.
"You really are just like her. As you said, we form bonds. Each generation has its own bonds to form. Haven't you also met the one destined for you?"
Victor looked at Gengar and smiled fondly.
That's right. I've met the one I was meant to meet.
"Alright. Take good care of my child. This one is my favorite." The Ninetales shook its head, stood up, and prepared to leave.
"Where... will you go?"
"She always used to say she wanted to see more Pokémon, but she never got the chance. Now, I will carry her wish with me and wander far and wide."
Looking at the Ninetales, Victor held out the photo frame.
"She is always in our hearts."
The Ninetales froze, then looked down at the frame in Victor's hand.
The smile of the girl in the photo was just as he remembered it. He gently brushed a tail over the glass, his eyes full of tenderness.
"Yes. Always in our hearts."
The Ninetales then looked at Gengar for a long moment, without speaking.
Victor saw Gengar nod, and then the Ninetales turned and left.
"Farewell, Victor."
"Goodbye, Ninetales. I hope we can meet again."
He received no reply. The Ninetales leaped and vanished from his sight.
Victor looked down at the Pokémon Egg in his arms, then at the photo frame, and finally up at the cup the Ninetales had just used.
Suddenly, an image floated into his mind.
A young girl sat in a chair, holding a Glameow. Beside her sat an elegant Ninetales. In the open space not far away, all sorts of Pokémon were playing, while she just lay back in her chair, quietly watching them.
"So this is the most important thing you left for me? Thank you, my... great-aunt," Victor murmured. He then looked up at the Gengar beside him. The Petilil had, at some point, come to his feet, not daring to disturb him while he was lost in thought. Dali and the others were also watching him quietly from a distance.
"Gengar, the meeting between people and Pokémon... it truly is a beautiful thing, isn't it?" Victor sighed with emotion.
"Gengar? Gengar—"
"I like Victor the most."
"From now on, I'll be in your care, everyone."
"Gengar—"
"Lili~"
"Machoke."
"Gengar, what did it say to you just now? Come on, tell me."
"Gengar—"
No way.
"Come on, tell me. Don't be so stingy."
"Gengar—"
I! Said! No!
"Why is your face turning red? Come on, tell me, I'm so curious! I'll make you something delicious tonight."
"Gengar—"
You can't bribe me.
"Don't run away! Dali, grab it!"
"Machoke."
"Gengar Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ"
"Lili~"
At the entrance to the forest, the Ninetales sat quietly, watching the playful scene, just as it had in days long past.
It suddenly remembered something she had said all those years ago.
The Ninetales shook its head, then stood up and walked deeper into the forest.
The old friend was just like this.
"Thank you, Victor, for letting me see her again."
From behind, Victor's voice reached its ears.
"It was great to meet you, Gengar."
"Gengar~"
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