The Rapidash's speed was incredible.
Victor arrived back at the Breeding House gate with Shana just before dark.
Lilligant, hearing the noise, ran out the door with Roselia and the others.
She saw Victor dismounting from a shiny Rapidash, and then reaching up to help Shana down.
"Lili~" Lilligant gave a slight bow.
Welcome home~
"Lilligant~"
Shana wriggled out of Victor's arms and ran to throw her arms around Lilligant.
Lilligant smiled and hugged her back.
Mime Jr. and Vulpix ran to Victor's side, and he bent down to pick them up.
The Luxio beside them was panting heavily.
Gengar popped out of Victor's shadow.
"Gengar—"
Grand entrance!
After nuzzling Lilligant's cheek, Shana pulled away and, standing next to the Rapidash, introduced it to the others.
"Everyone, this is my new friend, Rapidash!"
Lilligant looked at the Rapidash, which had its head lowered to let Shana stroke it, and smiled.
"Lili~"
Shana then introduced all the Breeding House members to the Rapidash.
The Rapidash looked at them, sensing the powerful auras coming from a few of them, and its body trembled slightly. Under Victor's welcoming gesture, it followed Shana into the Breeding House and towards the backyard.
It looked at all the Pokémon living in the yard. It saw the Heracross, Pinsir, and Misdreavus playing in the distance, and felt the emotions—the deep attachment—that all the Pokémon here radiated for the Breeding House. The Rapidash was deeply moved.
It stepped into the backyard, and the scent of flowers instantly washed over it.
It took a gentle sniff and felt as if it were in a blissful garden, its entire body enveloped in happiness.
The Rapidash, enjoying the comfortable environment, walked to the grass area and found a secluded spot near the forest to lie down.
It understood that its different color would attract strange looks and make other Pokémon uncomfortable, so it found a place out of the way.
But the Breeding House's Pokémon didn't care about that.
They saw the different-colored Rapidash and, realizing it was a new partner, swarmed it.
The Aipom chattered, asking it questions, their mouths never stopping.
A few daring Pachirisu climbed onto the Rapidash's back, using its body heat to ward off the autumn chill.
Just then, a Pinsir, dragging a Heracross, pushed its way through. It looked at the Rapidash, who was lying on the ground answering the Aipom's questions, and walked right up to it.
It asked the Rapidash if it wanted to come play with them.
In the Rapidash's confused gaze, the Pinsir told it that they had heard from Misdreavus about a place in the forest that was great for exploring, and that the Rapidash's flames could help them light the way.
Also, as a new member, its strength had earned Pinsir's approval.
Under the Pinsir's half-insistent, half-inviting pressure, the Rapidash agreed. They would set out tonight.
...
Meanwhile, Victor took Shana back to her room and helped her get settled.
He then went downstairs to prepare dinner with Gothita, leaving Shana to take a bath.
Lilligant handed Victor a note.
On it were a few phone numbers and some questions about the Breeding House.
Victor took out his phone, checked the time, and then called them one by one, answering their questions about his services.
After hanging up, he gently patted Lilligant's small head, telling her she had done a good job.
Roselia, at her side, looked a little jealous.
Victor smiled and patted its small head too, praising it and Lilligant for working so well together.
Roselia closed its eyes and smiled happily.
He then went back to the kitchen, and with Gothita's help, Victor finished making dinner.
After her bath, Shana and her Tinkerbell ran from upstairs straight into the backyard.
When Victor went to call her for dinner, he found her on the swing, with a Pinsir obsequiously pushing her.
She was surrounded by her Pokémon friends.
At Victor's signal, Shana jumped off the swing and led the crowd of Pokémon back to the kitchen to eat.
Shana held a large bowl, her head down as she shoveled rice into her mouth.
She had been at her grandparents' house for the past few days, and she had sorely missed the food made by the Owner, Gothita, and Mime Jr.
The Rapidash, after trying one of the Poffins, closed its eyes and began to eat intently, its speed astonishing.
The other Pokémon were also engrossed in the dinner Victor had made for them.
Gothita, Lilligant, and Roselia ate with extreme elegance.
Dali, Erli, and Sanli ate with extreme gusto.
Vulpix, Mime Jr., Tinkerbell, and Marill ate like... well, like children.
And Gengar?
Victor glanced at Gengar.
It was eating slowly, savoring every bite.
"Gengar— (chew chew chew)"
Gulp.
It swallowed the food in its mouth.
Good food must be enjoyed properly. One cannot rush.
With that, Gengar shoveled another mouthful of rice in, then picked up a pork trotter and began to gnaw on it.
Chew chew chew.
"Gengar~ ( ´ ▽ ` )"
So... good!
For dessert, Victor personally made them all bubble milk tea, as well as several tiramisus with different berry flavors.
Gengar took out the Golden Fruit Sticks and Cat's Ear crisps it had hidden, took a bite, and then a sip of milk tea.
A warm feeling spread through its body.
"Gengar?"
[Gengar has triggered a Culinary Crit.]
[Culinary Crit 1: Golden Fruit Sticks & Cat's Ears. Physical Attack and Physical Defense have been slightly increased.]
[Culinary Crit 2: Bubble Milk Tea. Gengar's understanding and use of its same-type moves and energy have been greatly enhanced.]
[Snack and Dessert: Berry Tiramisu.]
[It seems you have developed a new snack? Berry Tiramisu, the fifth dessert you have personally developed, has acquired a Culinary Crit effect.]
[Culinary Crit: This effect can only be triggered once per Pokémon. The Pokémon will randomly learn one move that is suitable for it.]
[No Pokémon can refuse your Tiramisu. You are an excellent dessert chef. —Great-Aunt]
[Gengar has triggered the Tiramisu's Culinary Crit effect: It learned Perish Song.]
Gengar chewed, then coughed twice.
It then pulled a microphone from somewhere and began to sing at the top of its lungs.
"LILI!"
"GOTH!"
"MACHOKE!"
Victor felt as if his ears were being assaulted. He instantly clapped his hands over them.
The kitchen, and indeed the entire backyard, erupted into chaos.
The flower on Lilligant's head instantly released a cloud of powder.
Soon, the kitchen fell silent.
Everyone and every Pokémon... except for Lilligant... had fallen fast asleep.
Lilligant looked at the figures slumped over the table, on the chairs, and on the floor, and felt a little embarrassed.
[Vulpix has triggered a Culinary Crit: Spicy Strips—]
Victor didn't see the rest of the text.
He was now sleeping very, very soundly.
That night, the Breeding House experienced a Culinary Crit explosion.
...
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