"What were you two talking about?" Victor asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
Nurse Joy tilted her head at him and shrugged, then got up and walked over to the Pinsir.
"Lilligant," Victor prompted.
"Lili~"
I'm not telling you.
"You've learned some bad habits, Lilligant."
"Lili~" Lilligant did a little spin and then gave Victor a small bow, her voice as sweet as it was when she was a Petilil.
Victor looked at the Lilligant curtsying to him.
"I was just curious. Your girls' talk is your own business. But you can't be talking bad about me, okay?"
"Lili~"
Who knows?
Lilligant gave him a noncommittal look.
Victor's heart ached. It's over. My little girl is starting to rebel.
"This is all Gengar's fault. He's not setting a good example as the eldest brother."
Gengar, who was busy eating snacks, had a giant question mark appear over its head.
"Gengar?!"
What did I do now?!
Lilligant covered her mouth and giggled.
"Roselia, don't you learn from them, okay?"
"Roselia?" Roselia looked at Victor, then at her good friend Lilligant.
"Roselia~" She went and stood by Lilligant's side.
Victor sighed internally, then picked up Vulpix and walked over to Nurse Joy.
At least Vulpix is obedient.
Unbeknownst to him, the Vulpix in his arms was currently exchanging glances with Lilligant and the others.
"The injuries aren't serious, but it will need to rest for a few days," Nurse Joy said after finishing her examination of Pinsir.
"But... has Lilligant gotten this strong already?"
Victor looked at Lilligant and smiled fondly.
"She has. I'm at the point where I have to rely on her for protection now," Victor joked.
"Lili~" Lilligant ran over, took Victor's hand, and shook it.
Seeing Lilligant acting this way, the Pinsir, who had been watching, was mesmerized... until it remembered the beating it had just received.
It quickly shook its head.
"Lili?"
Seeing Lilligant look at it, Pinsir immediately hid behind the Blissey.
"Where did this one come from?" Victor asked, looking at the cowering Pinsir.
Nurse Joy nodded towards Lilligant. She was always so considerate, always mindful of the feelings of both Pokémon and people.
Victor nodded, but he was still confused.
Pinsir was a relatively strong Pokémon, and this one looked like it had been well-raised. Why would it be abandoned?
"Well, how do I put it... its personality is a bit..." Nurse Joy began, seeing the confusion on Victor's face, but she trailed off, looking troubled.
Just then, Gothita and Mime Jr. ran in.
Mime Jr. saw the Pinsir. Seeing that it wasn't dangerous, it curiously ran over.
"Mime~"
Are you okay?
The Pinsir looked down at the cute Mime Jr.
"Mime~"
Hello!
The Pinsir was so moved it almost burst into tears, and it responded to Mime Jr.
Gothita floated nearby, listening to their conversation.
"Pinsir."
That Lilligant is so fierce, not like you, so weak.
"Pinsir!"
But don't worry, I'll protect you! I won't let you get hurt! As long as you let me be the big brother!
"Mime?" Mime Jr. tilted its head, confused.
Protect me?
It looked at Gothita, Gengar, Lilligant, and Victor, then back at the Pinsir.
It was even more confused now.
"Mime?"
Seeing the look in Mime Jr.'s eyes, the Pinsir grew anxious, wanting to prove itself. But just then, it found itself flying into the air.
"Pinsir?"
I can fly?
Then it was thrown across the room, expertly avoiding all the furniture.
It landed on the floor and finally noticed the Gothita standing next to Mime Jr.
"Pinsir?"
Are there any normal Pokémon here at all?
G..." Gothita had been listening for a while and couldn't help but toss it with Psychic.
"Goth?"
You're the one who scared my sister, and you're talking bad about her behind her back? And you're calling my little brother weak?
Victor and Nurse Joy, seeing the Pinsir get thrown, were momentarily stunned.
"Gothita," Victor called out.
Gothita looked at him.
"Goth."
Hmph!
Lilligant went over, took Gothita's small hand, and spoke to it softly.
"Goth."
Fine, I'll listen to you. I'll forgive it.
"Lili~"
Seeing this, Victor couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.
Such sisterly love.
Gengar, who was eating snacks nearby, shot a glance at the tossed Pinsir and shook its head disdainfully.
Rookie.
Even I don't dare to provoke those sisters in this Breeding House. How dare you talk bad about them to their faces?
Gengar shook its head again, then stuffed the rest of its snacks into its mouth.
"Mime~"
Mime Jr. ran over and helped the Pinsir up.
"Mime~"
Are you okay?
"Pinsir—"
You're the nice one, Mime Jr.
"Mime~"
But you shouldn't talk badly about people behind their backs, Mime Jr. told it.
The Pinsir nodded, its eyes full of tears.
...
Over at the side, Victor was discussing the Pinsir with Nurse Joy.
"Its personality is actually quite good. It's optimistic and upbeat. But it does have a few... flaws," Joy sighed.
"It's just... too flirtatious. And too... enthusiastic."
It took her a moment to land on the word "enthusiastic."
Hearing "flirtatious," Victor remembered the introduction saying it was "captivated by Lilligant."
He turned and looked at the Pinsir, who was now talking with Mime Jr.
His eyes narrowed.
The Pinsir felt a chill.
It looked up and saw Victor squinting at it.
"Pin... sir?"
H-hello?
It raised a pincer and waved weakly.
Seeing this, Victor suddenly laughed.
When Lilligant looked at it, it still trembled.
Clearly, it's been traumatized by that beating.
Victor shook his head, then looked at Nurse Joy.
"So, you're saying you want it to stay at the Breeding House for a while?"
Nurse Joy nodded.
Victor thought for a moment, then nodded as well.
Fine by me.
After all, the main principle of this Breeding House is to take care of Pokémon until they're ready to leave on their own or with a new trainer.
"Pinsir, come on. Let me show you around," Victor called out.
Mime Jr. took Pinsir's pincer and followed Victor and Nurse Joy.
When they got to the backyard, Pinsir felt the unique atmosphere and was pleasantly surprised.
"Pinsir?"
What's going on? Why does my heart feel so... warm?
Seeing the Pinsir's suddenly reddening eyes, Victor smiled softly.
This kid... it's a tough little guy, isn't it?
He gently patted its large horn.
"Why don't you go look around? This is where you'll be staying for now."
"Pinsir?"
You mean, I can stay here?
"Go on. But it's best not to think about trying to sneak off. Or else... you know."
Lilligant's hand began to glow green.
"Pinsir!"
Pinsir shivered and ran off.
Mime Jr. followed after it.
Hearing Mime Jr. call, it stopped and waited for it to catch up.
Victor and Joy followed behind them.
Suddenly, Pinsir saw a yellow figure in the distance.
It was exuding a queenly majesty, patrolling its territory and directing its Combee to gather nectar.
"Pinsir~"
It ran up and started talking to the Vespiquen.
"Ves!"
An Air Cutter slammed into the grass right next to it.
The Vespiquen stared at it.
"Pin... Pinsir—"
So... so scary.
The Vespiquen looked over at Victor.
Victor sighed.
Joy, beside him, rubbed her temples.
After the Vespiquen left, Pinsir went to the swing set tree, its spirits low.
Suddenly, it noticed a blue, single-horned Pokémon hiding behind the tree.
"Pinsir!"
What are you doing here? You scared me!
"Hera... Heracross..."
S-sorry...
The Pinsir finally got a good look at it. It was a Heracross.
Its eyes lit up.
"Pinsir!"
Hey, buddy! How's it going? My name's Pinsir!
"Hera..."
My name is... Heracross, it said in a low voice.
The Pinsir laughed.
"Pinsir!"
Let's be best friends!
"Heracross?"
Huh?
Victor, watching this, couldn't help but laugh.
Well, this is a classic case of a social butterfly meeting social anxiety.
The introvert's nightmare has arrived.
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"