Hearing Victor's words, Paul looked at the Staravia.
He fell silent.
Seeing this, Victor sighed gently and said, "Actually, there's nothing wrong with only choosing powerful Pokémon."
Paul looked up at Victor.
"Choosing strong Pokémon versus raising weak ones—neither approach is right or wrong," Victor continued. "It all depends on the feelings the trainer invests in their Pokémon."
Paul remained silent, but he seemed to be deep in thought.
Victor looked at his pained expression and chuckled. He then looked at the Staravia.
The Staravia nodded gently.
"Go on."
Paul looked at the Staravia, confused.
The Staravia nodded at him, indicating its approval.
He took out a Poké Ball and captured the Staravia.
Ding!
There was no resistance.
Paul looked at the Poké Ball in his hand, which now held a powerful Staravia.
He smiled.
Then, in front of everyone, he released a Starly.
Gary, seeing this, frowned.
Paul then bowed to Victor. "Thank you for your guidance."
He then turned and walked away.
Gary watched his back, wanting to say something but holding back.
Just then, Victor spoke again. "One day, you'll understand."
"Perhaps then, you can come back for another visit."
Paul paused for a moment, then continued walking.
Victor shook his head.
At this point, Gary spoke up. "Owner, is his strength really a match for that Staravia?"
Gary was subtly questioning his skill, but what really bothered him was Paul's attitude toward his Pokémon.
Victor explained the Staravia's backstory to him.
Gary nodded. So, he was influenced by his brother, and that's why he started seeking out strong Pokémon to follow his own path.
"But the Staravia—"
Victor smiled. "Gary."
"Yes?"
"Tell me, if such a proud person were to one day be abandoned by his own Pokémon, what do you think would happen?"
Gary thought of his old self, before he was finally defeated by Ash.
He smiled, understanding Victor's point. "Owner, are you saying..."
Victor nodded.
"You forgot. When Pokémon from our Breeding House find a trainer, it's a mutual choice. Just like him, he can release a Pokémon he deems weak, but a Pokémon from our Breeding House can also decide he's too weak and leave him."
"After all, a bond without emotion as its foundation is as fragile as paper."
"Then why did you let him take the Staravia?"
Gary seemed to understand what Victor was getting at.
Victor returned to the lounge area and sat down. The Vulpix immediately leaped into his lap and found a comfortable position.
Lilligant and Roselia stood on either side of him.
Gengar, however, was in a corner, drawing circles on the ground, clearly upset and not wanting to talk to Victor.
Mime Jr. and Gothita were trying to comfort it.
Victor glanced at Gary.
As expected of Professor Oak's grandson. He catches on quick.
He then looked at Gengar.
"Alright, alright, I know I was wrong. I'll make you a different kind of snack tonight, okay?"
In the next second, Gengar vanished from in front of Mime Jr., Gothita, and Misdreavus.
Victor then felt a comfortable sensation on his shoulders.
Looking at the Gengar now massaging his shoulders, Victor rolled his eyes.
That's you all over, you glutton.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage.
Gengar just wanted to be coaxed a little. What's wrong with that?
"Gengar—"
What are we eating tonight?
"It's a secret!"
"Uncle, I don't like that big brother. He abandoned his Pokémon," Shana's voice came. She also glanced at Lilligant.
Victor opened his eyes and gently pinched her small cheek.
"Actually, it's a bit different. He had almost no bond with that Starly, so releasing it didn't have much of an impact on it."
"Besides, he told the Starly what he was doing beforehand. He didn't just suddenly abandon it."
Lilligant listened quietly at his side. It was now able to face this topic calmly.
"And, Shana."
"Hmm?"
"Perhaps when you're older and want to go on your own journey, you'll understand."
"Different trainers choose Pokémon differently. Some, like him, prefer to find Pokémon that are already strong. Others, like Gary's friend, will start from scratch with a new team every time they go to a new region."
"But neither way is right or wrong."
"So he wasn't wrong?"
"I don't know if he was wrong or not. But I do know that, sooner or later, he will change."
A bond without emotion, versus a bond built on feelings like "Get up!" and "I believe in you!"... it's usually the latter that produces more miracles.
"Oh. Then I get it. He's still wrong, just in a different way."
Victor and Gary exchanged a look, then both smiled. "So smart, Shana."
...
After lunch, Victor packed the herbal tea for Shana.
Looking at the now-evolved Lilligant, he wrote a few notes.
They said that Petilil had evolved into Lilligant, and that the "Petilil Herbal Tea" would probably be discontinued in a few days.
He tucked the notes into Shana's small bag and patted her head.
"Go on. Be safe."
Shana nodded, then copied Victor, patting Arcanine's head.
The Arcanine let out a loud bark and set off.
Mr. and Mrs. Fujino had also gone home to pack.
...
Back in the lounge area, Victor was planning the Breeding House's next steps.
After a while, Gary finished his tasks.
Shana also returned from her deliveries.
Victor took Shana's small bag, which was bulging, and poured all the money out onto the counter. The three of them began to count it.
Throughout the entire process, Shana couldn't stop grinning.
When they finished, Victor was stunned.
She made this much?!
He looked at Shana.
"Uncle, am I amazing or what?"
"You're amazing! You made so much, even more than uncle!"
"Hehe, well, Tinkerbell, Peti—I mean, Lilligant, and the others helped a lot, too!"
Victor went along with her, praising each of them one by one, and also threw in a compliment for Gengar.
"Gengar—" Gengar, tongue out, leaned in for affection.
"How about this: I'll hold onto this money for you, as your startup fund for when you turn ten. Whether you want to be a trainer, a coordinator, or a breeder, you can use this money for your journey."
"But uncle, this is money I earned for the Breeding House."
"That's right. And you're a member of the Breeding House, aren't you?"
"It doesn't work like that."
"Yes, it does."
"Uncle, you... That's not how it works!"
Seeing Shana's puffed-up cheeks, Victor burst out laughing and pinched her small nose.
"Uncle has money, too. How about this: I'll take half, and I'll save the other half for you. Okay? If not, then I won't take a single coin."
Shana's eyes darted back and forth, and she finally, reluctantly, agreed.
At this, the Breeding House was once again filled with laughter.
...
After dinner, Gary watched Victor, who was sitting on the grass watching Dali, Erli, and Sanli wrestle. He walked over and sat down beside him and Shana.
"Owner..."
"Leaving?"
Gary was startled. He looked at Victor, who was still staring straight ahead.
"Mhm. It's time to go back. I want to go see my good friend, too."
Victor smiled, then turned to look at Gary.
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Is Big Brother Gary leaving too?" Shana came over and asked him.
"That's right. It's time for me to go home, too."
Gary has really softened up, Victor thought.
"Then... will you come back to play with Shana again, Big Brother Gary?"
Gary smiled. "I definitely will. After all, the owner is my teacher."
"Then you have to promise you'll come back and play with Shana!"
Shana held out her pinky.
"Pinky swear."
"Pinky swear."
Watching the big one and the little one link their fingers, Victor couldn't help but smile.
What a heartwarming scene.
Gary then looked at Victor.
"Owner, I have a request."
"Hmm?"
"Let's have a battle. Please. An all-out one."
Victor was stunned for a moment, then he understood.
"Alright."
The moment he spoke, the Breeding House's Pokémon instantly surrounded them.
Victor's Pokémon stood behind him, Gary's Pokémon stood behind him, and the rest stood behind Shana.
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"