After dinner was cleaned up, Victor lay back on a lounge chair, holding the Petilil in his arms. In his hand, he held the Sun Stone he had received as a gift from Shana.
The Vulpix egg was being held by Gengar.
"Gengar?"
"What's this?"
"Lili?"
Gengar floated closer, curiously looking at the Sun Stone in Victor's hand. The Petilil in his lap also looked at it with curiosity.
The energy contained within the stone attracted it.
"Petilil, this is a stone that can make you evolve," Victor said, gently brushing the leaves on its head.
"Lili?" The Petilil held its breath. Gengar's eyes also widened in surprise.
"Gengar?"
Evolve?
"It's okay. I'll respect your decision," Victor said with a smile.
The Petilil looked up at him and then let out a sweet cry.
"Petilil is just too cute," Victor praised, then noticed a certain chubby Pokémon squatting on the ground, drawing circles.
"And Gengar, too! How can a Pokémon like Gengar be so cute? Right, Petilil?"
"Lili~"
"Gengar—"
Cuddle~
After playing with them for a while, Victor followed the Petilil's wishes, deciding to give it the Sun Stone only when it was ready to evolve.
He took it to the lake to let it spend the night with the Torterra, then gave the Sun Stone to Gengar for safekeeping before heading back to his room to shower.
When he came out of the shower, Victor found Gengar putting money into a piggy bank. It was taking a few bills from Victor's earnings and placing them into the Miltank-shaped piggy bank he had bought for it, humming an unknown tune.
Victor walked over and reached out to touch the piggy bank.
Smack!
"Gengar—"
"What do you think you're doing?"
Gengar slapped Victor's hand away and watched him with a wary expression.
Seeing Gengar hugging the Miltank piggy bank for dear life, Victor rolled his eyes. "You little miser."
Ignoring the funny face Gengar made at him, Victor went to the incubator room and used the stethoscope to check the Pokémon Egg the Ninetales had given him.
[Vulpix Egg][Hatching Progress: 27/30]
"It really is a Vulpix."
Victor then carried the egg back to his room, lay down on the bed, and used his own body heat to incubate it, feeling the egg up close.
After counting its money, Gengar put Victor's earnings in a drawer, pressed it down with a book, and then placed its own Miltank piggy bank on the dressing table. It looked at it for a moment, dissatisfied, and then rearranged it. Still not right.
It frowned in thought for a long time before realizing the dressing table was too empty. It looked at Victor with an expression full of disdain.
"?!"
Victor, who had been scrolling through his phone, was suddenly hit with Gengar's look of contempt. He was just about to say something.
Gengar waved a hand, telling him to keep looking at his phone, then turned back to fussing with its Miltank piggy bank.
"..." Victor shook his head helplessly.
Finally, Gengar found a spot it was happy with and gave a reluctant nod.
It looked back at Victor and saw that he had already fallen asleep. Gengar carefully changed the room's lighting to a warmer tone, then flew out from the balcony and headed deep into the forest.
After Gengar left, Victor turned over in his sleep, a slight smile on his lips.
[The Old Friend's Watch: The Ninetales guarded this place in your absence. Now that you have arrived, it is time for it to leave. It thanks you for letting it see its old friend one last time.]
[Received the Ninetales' Gift: Professional Guidance.]
[Guidance Target: Gengar]
[Ninetales: I will train Gengar well before I depart for good.]
...
Elsewhere in Twinleaf Town, in the villa.
Shana finished her bath, ran out of the bathroom, and stood by the window, looking out at the dark night sky.
After a moment, she turned to look at her small bed, where a Pokémon Egg lay quietly.
She stared at it, a little lost in thought and still a bit scared, but then she remembered the Petilil she had met that day.
A smile appeared on her face. She hopped onto her bed, tucked herself and the Chingling egg under the covers, held it in her arms, and quietly fell asleep.
Her parents, seeing this, quietly backed out of the room and closed the door.
They did not turn off the light.
The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Shana's mother opened the door and found that Shana was already awake, sitting quietly on her bed and holding the egg. A beautiful little dress was spread out on the bed, and next to the bed, her little shoes and socks were already neatly arranged.
She had woken up early but hadn't disturbed her parents. She had simply picked out her clothes and sat on the bed with the egg, waiting for them to wake up.
Seeing this, Shana's mother hurried over, took her to the bathroom to get ready, helped her change, and styled her hair into a cute fashion.
After putting on her little shoes, she took her hand and led her downstairs for breakfast. Today, her mother would take her to the Breeding House and stay with her to observe the situation.
When her mother was ready and came to the door, she found Shana already waiting there, holding the egg. She smiled helplessly and led her towards the Breeding House.
In her bag, she carried a gift from her and her husband to express their gratitude. Thanks to him, Shana had slept peacefully through the night for the first time.
"I hope he likes this gift," the mother thought to herself.
Arriving at the Breeding House, she held Shana's hand. The door was still closed, and she wasn't sure if the owner was awake yet.
Just as she was steeling herself to knock, the door opened. The first thing she saw was a chubby face in the middle of a yawn.
"Gengar—"
"Mornin'."
"Good morning," she said, greeting the Gengar with Shana. Gengar then led them inside, where they saw the owner just coming down the stairs.
"Good morning, Owner Victor. I'm so sorry to bother you this early," she said politely.
"Good morning, ma'am. And good morning to you, Shana," Victor said, shaking his head to indicate it was no bother. He then looked at Shana. Today, she was wearing a light green dress, and her silver hair was tied up in cute little buns. From a distance, she looked like a little rice ball, utterly adorable.
She was looking at him, and although her face was still a bit thin, the spirit in her eyes was much brighter than yesterday.
"Goo... good morning, uncle."
"..."
Kids will be kids. Kids will be kids.
Victor comforted himself internally, then sent Gengar on an errand to the Vespiquen's nest.
"Remember to be polite!" Victor called after Gengar's retreating back.
"Gengar—"
"You can count on me."
Gengar gave an "OK" sign without looking back.
Ignoring Gengar, Victor walked over to Shana, bent down, gently pinched her small cheek, and said, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Shana looked up at her mother, and after receiving an encouraging smile, she looked back at Victor and nodded.
"Alright then. How about I take you to the backyard to play with Petilil first?"
Victor then stood up and looked at Shana's mother. "I'm going to make some breakfast for Gengar and the others first. Would you mind accompanying Shana in the backyard for a little while?"
He then led them to the backyard.
Looking at the spacious yard, the Machoke gave them a greeting. Shana spotted the Petilil by the lake in the distance and, holding her Chingling egg, ran towards it.
Victor placed the Vulpix egg next to the Mime Jr. egg, then went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Taking the Sweet Honey that Gengar had "borrowed" from the Vespiquen, Victor used it to make some handmade Honey Fizz soda, and then mixed a cup of warm honey water for Shana.
He had Gengar help take the breakfast out to the yard, while he carried the honey water and walked towards the lake.
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