As the time drew near, Victor called Shana back.
"Dad! Mom!"
Shana saw Mr. and Mrs. Fujino standing at the Breeding House gate and ran into their arms.
Mrs. Fujino bent down, picked her up, and then took her back to her room to get changed.
Victor, meanwhile, went back to the kitchen to prepare that night's dinner.
After calling Jenny, Joy, and the others in for a simple meal, Victor led the group outside.
They found a relatively open spot and quietly waited for the fireworks.
Shana, full of excitement, kept asking Victor, "Uncle, uncle, when are the fireworks going to start?"
Victor looked down. Mrs. Fujino had done her hair beautifully, and she was wearing a magnificent, high-quality princess dress. Her eyes were shining brightly, and she looked utterly adorable.
"Soon. They'll be starting very soon," Victor replied with a smile.
Shana nodded, then ran back to her parents and began to tell them all about her past few days at the Breeding House, gesturing with her hands as she spoke.
Victor turned to the Gengar beside him.
"Gengar, have you ever seen fireworks?"
"Gengar?"
"Gengar." (I've seen them from far away before.)
"Is that so? What about you, Petilil? And Dali?"
Hearing the responses from the Pokémon around him, Victor nodded.
"Tonight, let's all enjoy them together. These hard-earned fireworks."
Nearby, Gary was also speaking softly with his own Pokémon, occasionally reaching out to stroke his Arcanine.
Victor: There are fireworks at the Breeding House tonight.
Cynthia: Really? What a shame, I can't see them.
Victor explained the cause and effect of the festival.
Cynthia: That's just like you, Owner Victor. If I had known, I would have come over to do an exhibition match.
Victor: Hahaha, if you had come, they probably would have been too traumatized to ever battle again.
Cynthia: Fireworks... It's been so long since I've seen them.
Seeing this message, Victor thought to himself that the Champion of Sinnoh really was one of the busiest. All sorts of exhibition matches and commercial events required her presence.
It was different from the Hoenn region, where Steven had passed the championship to Wallace. One was off finding stones, the other was opening Contests, forcing Hoenn to bring in Lance from Kanto as foreign aid. In Unova, Alder seemed to have lost heart after his Pokémon's death. In Kalos, Diantha seemed to be filming movies all the time. Alola's "little fool" hadn't even reached Sinnoh yet. Galar's Leon seemed to stay only in Galar, and as for Paldea's Geeta... he wasn't familiar with her.
So, all things considered, Sinnoh's Cynthia was truly running herself ragged.
Victor: You'll see them.
Cynthia: ?
Victor: Just wait.
Putting his phone away, Victor ran back to the Breeding House, grabbed his camera and a tripod, and set it up, adjusting all the settings to their best.
He started recording, and a large, purple, chubby face immediately filled the screen.
"Gengar."
"Gengar."
Hehe.
Gengar gave a peace sign, then moved out of the way.
Victor walked in front of Gengar and gently pulled at the corners of its mouth.
Just as they were playing around, a streak of light shot across the sky.
It exploded at its zenith.
BOOM~
Then, more and more lights streaked across the sky.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!~
The sky was illuminated by the fireworks.
"Wooooow—" Shana gasped in awe.
Victor didn't speak. He just quietly admired the magnificent display.
For a moment, the only sound was the explosion of the fireworks. Everyone else, human and Pokémon, was watching, mesmerized.
Victor looked down and saw that the Petilil and the others were also staring up at the fireworks, completely transfixed.
The first fireworks show of the "Breeding House Day" lasted for more than half an hour.
"It's a shame it's not spring. We'd be able to smell flowers, too," Victor murmured to himself.
The Petilil looked up at Victor.
"Lili~"
But Victor didn't hear it.
His chest suddenly felt intensely hot.
He reached into his shirt and pulled out the wooden tag carved with his name.
The other Pokémon, as well as Gary and Shana, felt it too, and they all looked at their own tags.
[In the Name of Love: Perhaps in the past, or perhaps in the future, Celebi has also passed through this place. It gently waves its small hand.]
In an instant, the surrounding bushes burst into bloom.
[This is its blessing to you, sent across time.]
[Victor, you must live happily with all your friends at the Breeding House! —Celebi]
"They're blooming!"
"Everyone, look! The flowers are blooming!"
Someone in the crowd was the first to notice and shouted.
Everyone else looked, and they saw that the bushes, the roadsides, and even the trees were covered in fresh flowers.
It was unbelievable.
A gentle breeze blew, carrying the rich fragrance of the flowers.
"This is truly..."
The crowd was still in shock, unable to process what had happened.
The melody of "Night of the Fireflies" began to play.
The forest's Kricketune were playing the tune that Victor had whistled that night.
It was warm, peaceful, and beautiful.
The forest Pokémon spontaneously began to dance.
The flying Pokémon above danced along with them.
A Pachirisu went up to a young girl and held out its hand.
The girl took its hand, and the Pachirisu led her to the center.
They began to dance to the music.
More and more people took the hands of their spouses, friends, or Pokémon and joined the dance.
"Owner—" Gary walked over, holding his own wooden tag.
"Shh!" Victor placed a finger gently to his lips.
Gary paused.
Seeing the gentle smile on Victor's face, Gary smiled too.
That's just like you, Owner.
He had seen Celebi before, so he knew this was its power. He could also clearly feel the emotion coming from the wooden tag.
Gengar had been about to dive into the crowd and start its own happy dance, but the Petilil stopped it.
"Lili~"
Gengar stopped and looked at it, listening to what it had to say.
"Gengar?" Are you sure?
"Lili~" The Petilil nodded.
Gengar glanced at Victor's back, who was talking with Gary, then nodded and floated towards the room.
A moment later, Gengar returned, holding a stone, and floated to the Petilil's side.
Mime Jr., Gothita, and Vulpix all watched the Petilil.
The Roselia watched it, too.
So did the Staravia and the Vespiquen from the trees.
The Petilil looked at the Sun Stone in Gengar's hand.
"It's okay, Petilil. It's okay."
The words Victor had said when he first met it suddenly flashed in its mind.
"Lili~"
It's okay, Petilil. It's okay.
It placed its hand on the stone.
Immediately, a dazzling white light flashed.
Victor sensed it and turned his head sharply.
He saw that the Petilil was already enveloped in white light.
"Petilil, you—"
In the white light, the Petilil's form began to slowly change and grow.
"Lili~"
Shana and Gary, standing nearby, also noticed.
Hearing the Petilil's cry, a thousand thoughts rushed through Victor's mind.
Until the white light faded.
A Pokémon with a bright red flower decoration on its head appeared before him. The flower's petals had white spots, and its center was made of golden filaments and red anthers, resembling a crown.
Below the flower were long, dark green leaves, and further down were lighter green leaves. One of them draped down its back like hair, while two others hung loosely from its head. Its head and torso were white, and its eyes were bright red. It used the long, dark green leaves as arms, and had a golden calyx around its neck. Its lower body was wrapped in light green, tulip-shaped leaves, like a dress. Two more long, dark green leaves grew from its back, extending to the bottom of its "skirt."
Lilligant made its shining debut.
"Petilil, oh no, Lilligant, is this your choice?"
Victor looked at the Lilligant before him, his expression instantly softening as he asked.
Lilligant bowed slightly, indicating that this was indeed its choice.
Then, the flower on its head began to emit an exceptionally sweet fragrance.
Everyone and every Pokémon nearby could smell the blissful aroma.
"Wow, what a wonderful smell—"
"Where is that fragrance coming from? It's so nice—"
Voices from the crowd rose up as people searched for the source of the scent.
Victor crouched down, looked at the Lilligant, and gently patted its head.
"You're all grown up now, Lilligant."
A thousand thoughts rushed through Victor's mind.
So this is what it feels like to watch a Pokémon you raised evolve.
It's like the little girl you were just playing with has suddenly grown up.
"Lili~"
"Welcome, Lilligant," Victor said with a smile.
Grown up is grown up. She's still my good girl.
"Lili~"
"It's a shame I can't carry you around anymore."
Lilligant exuded its sweet fragrance again and then rushed into Victor's arms.
"Lili~"
"Hahaha, alright, alright, I know. Goodness, you're all grown up and you're still a cuddler, just like Gengar."
"Lili~ Lili~"
"Gengar?"
Who likes to cuddle?!
Well, seeing as my little sister just evolved, I'll let it slide today.
Gengar floated over, pushed Victor aside, and looked at Lilligant.
"Gengar~"
My little sister is so pretty.
"Lili~" Lilligant said with a smile to Gengar.
Gengar's face turned red, and it started hissing like a pressure cooker.
Victor seized the opportunity and gave its tail a tug.
Psssssshhhh~
Shana, Mime Jr., and the others also crowded around.
"Wow, Petilil, how did you suddenly get so beautiful? You were cute before, but now you're so pretty!"
Lilligant opened its arms and gave Shana a hug.
"Hehe," Shana laughed happily.
The other Pokémon indicated that they also needed hugs, and Lilligant hugged them one by one.
"Shana, she's not called Petilil anymore. Her name is Lilligant now."
"Lilligant?"
"That's right."
"Lilligant, hello! I'm Shana, and this is my good partner, Tinkerbell, and these are—"
After Lilligant had listened seriously, it replied.
"Lili~"
I am Lilligant.
Seeing them all getting along so well, the smile never left Victor's face.
He then began to check Lilligant's status.
(The following status information is garbled/fragmented in the original text, but has been translated as-is.)
[Lilligant]
[Type: Grass]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Cold Green Penguin]
[Known Moves: Petal Dance, Quiver Dance, Flying Cold Storm, Energy Ball, Teeter Dance, Helping Hand, Sunny Day, Synthesis, Charm, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Leech Seed, Mega Drain, Magic Cold, Hate Beam.]
[Mood: Happy, Joyful]
[Status: Excited, Happy]
[Friendship: 100 (Loves Victor the most)]
[Introduction: As a Petilil, it was abandoned, then it met people who adored it, and it also received Celebi's gift. It has an abundance of Grass-type energy within its body, its power is not to be underestimated, and its spirit is even stronger.]
[I will help Victor take good care of the Breeding House —Lilligant]
Victor was shocked looking at the moves Lilligant now knew.
It even knows Quiver Dance?
Geez, after evolving, Lilligant's strength seems to be second only to Gengar's, Victor noted inwardly.
He then walked forward and held out his hand to Lilligant.
Lilligant smiled, covered its mouth, and then placed its "hand" in Victor's.
He led it, along with Shana and the others, and joined the post-fireworks dance.
...
Elsewhere, Cynthia, having just finished a product endorsement, felt a warmth on her wrist.
She looked at her fair, jade-like wrist, where the wooden tag Victor had given her was tied with a red string.
It had "Cynthia" carved on it, along with a Q-version of her face.
She was wondering why the tag was suddenly warm when she felt the emotional pulse coming from it.
She smiled.
Her smile was as radiant and beautiful as the bright moon.
Her Garchomp, sensing the change in the tag, walked over.
"It looks like something else has happened over at Victor's place," she said.
"Grawr?"
"Something good, it seems? It's a shame we still have to work. I really want to retire, Garchomp."
"Grawr."
"We'll just have to wait. We'll see if anyone can defeat me at this League Conference." After speaking, she took out her phone and saw that Victor had sent her several videos.
She opened the first one. Her entire screen was filled by a large, purple, chubby cheek.
"Gengar."
Hearing the familiar voice, Gengar grinned and gave her a peace sign.
Cynthia laughed. The screen then went dark for a moment.
Until a streak of light shot across the sky.
She watched the fireworks filling the screen.
Cynthia's stressful, busy day suddenly felt much better.
The other video was of the large group dance.
Cynthia: Thank you for sharing these with me.
Victor: I hope it brings a little happiness to your day.
Cynthia thought for a moment, resting a finger on her chin as she tapped the screen with her other hand.
Cynthia: Then why didn't you video call me to watch it live?
Victor, who was lying in the Breeding House lounge, was stunned when he saw this message.
Oh, right. Why didn't I?
He was about to reply that he had forgotten, but by a strange twist of fate, he accidentally hit the video call button.
He tried to hang up, but she picked up instantly.
He saw the golden hair and exquisite features on the screen, and the exhaustion in her eyes.
Victor suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.
"I apologize."
"I'm sorry," Victor said directly.
The Cynthia on the other end laughed.
"So, can you forgive me?"
"Emmm—" Cynthia pursed her lips, pretending to think.
Watching Cynthia's foul-play gesture, Victor's heart skipped a beat.
"We'll see how you behave. Next time, I want to eat even more delicious ice cream."
"Okay."
Victor quickly turned the camera away.
"Let me show you a Pokémon."
Cynthia then saw the Lilligant appear on the screen.
"Lili~"
"Petilil evolved? How beautiful. Lilligant."
Lilligant nodded shyly, before Shana snatched the phone.
"Big Sister Cynthia~"
"Shana~"
After letting Shana talk with Cynthia for a bit, Victor took the phone back and told Cynthia to get some rest.
"You're always welcome here."
Cynthia hung up, smiling, and then hopped onto Garchomp's back.
"I'm all fired up now. Garchomp, let's go!"
...
Victor hung up, stood, and told Shana to go with Mr. and Mrs. Fujino back to her room to rest.
Gary, who had been nearby, had had a "knew it" expression on his face ever since he heard Cynthia's voice.
...
Elsewhere, at an unknown time, in the wild. Celebi was darting through a forest.
The wooden tag Victor had given it was tied around its neck.
It looked around, a sense of familiarity washing over it.
It tilted its head, thinking for a moment, then began to flap its wings rapidly.
It remembered. This was the location of the Breeding House.
It looked at the tag around its neck, holding it in both hands.
"Cele~"
The flowers at the Breeding House are blooming, and their fragrance is spreading.
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"