Sandgem Town, Professor Rowan's Lab.
Jenny dismounted from her Arcanine and was surprised to find her best friend, Joy, also at the research facility.
"Joy? What are you doing here?" she asked, confused.
"Oh, Jenny! My counterpart in Sandgem Town called me over to help. You and Victor caught a lot of Pokémon hunters, didn't you? All the Pokémon they captured have been brought to Professor Rowan's lab, but some of them are not in good health, so she called me over to assist," Nurse Joy explained, standing up.
Jenny nodded and walked into the lab with her Arcanine.
"Professor Rowan, these are the Pokémon Eggs we brought."
Professor Rowan and his assistants were currently examining the condition of the Pokémon rescued from the hunters.
He had a few assistants help bring in the eggs, and after he finished his examination, Jenny asked, "Professor, their condition... how is it?"
Professor Rowan sighed. "Some of them were only captured for a short time, so they weren't harmed much. They can be healed easily, and we can help them find their trainers."
"But the most troublesome ones are those that were held captive for a long time. And because they aren't overly rare Pokémon, the physical and psychological damage they've suffered is difficult to heal quickly."
Jenny frowned. There was nothing she could do. Looking at the terrified, trembling Pokémon, her heart ached.
Suddenly, she thought of something and called out to her friend.
"Joy."
The Nurse Joy from Twinleaf Town came to her side. "What do you think about having Victor come over to help?" Jenny asked. "He should be quite good at comforting Pokémon, right? The Petilil and Shana are both..."
Before she could finish, the Nurse Joy's eyes lit up with understanding, and she nodded repeatedly.
Professor Rowan, standing nearby, was puzzled. "Victor? Who is he?"
"He's the owner of a new Breeding House that opened between Sandgem and Twinleaf Town. He's also a very skilled Breeder. We've had Pokémon with similar emotional trauma recover successfully with his help before," Jenny explained.
"A Breeding House... is it that one?"
Jenny nodded.
"Then quickly, ask him to come over and help."
Jenny took out her phone and called Victor.
When the call connected, she got straight to the point.
"Victor, we need your help here."
Victor's gentle voice came from the other end of the line:
"What do you need me to do, Jenny?"
After she explained the situation at the lab, there was a moment of silence, and then his voice came through again:
"Okay, Jenny. You and Joy wait for me. I'll have Dali and the others bring some things over first. I'll prepare a few more things and be there right away."
Then, his voice continued, "But could you arrange for a car to pick me up?"
"No need for all that trouble. I'll have Charizard and Garchomp come get you," a male voice suddenly interjected on the other end of the line.
Victor was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
After hanging up, he looked at everyone in the Breeding House.
"Everyone, we have a job to do."
Shana and the others stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
"At Professor Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town, they are treating the Pokémon we rescued from the bad guys. But some of them are emotionally hurt, and they need my help."
He paused, then looked at the Petilil and Shana. "But I think I'm going to need your help, too."
"Okay," Shana replied with a clear, crisp voice.
Gengar and the others also voiced their agreement.
"Shana and Petilil..."
"It's okay, uncle. I'm all better now. I want to help other people and Pokémon, just like you," she said.
"Lili~" The Petilil let out a sweet cry and swayed its body, indicating it felt the same.
Victor smiled and began to assign tasks:
"The Breeding House will be closed for today. Gengar, go take down the sign and hang up the 'Closed for Rest' one."
"Gengar—" After putting two jars into its dimensional stomach, Gengar floated out.
"Dali, you take Erli and Sanli and head to Sandgem Town first. Do you know the way?"
"Machoke." Dali nodded. Victor then handed them the Breeding House photo album he had put together a few days ago, along with some food supplies.
"Be careful on the road," he said, patting their shoulders.
They gave a salute and then ran off towards Sandgem Town.
"Staravia, could you please tell the Vespiquen? Can you two watch over our home together?"
The Staravia nodded.
"I'll make you all something delicious when I get back."
The Staravia flew through the kitchen to the backyard, spread its wings, and headed for the forest.
"Celebi, do you want to come along?"
Celebi nodded repeatedly.
"Cele~"
I want to help them, too.
"Okay. Then I'm counting on you." Victor reached out and stroked its small head. Celebi closed its eyes and rubbed its head comfortably against his hand.
"Gengar and Mime Jr., let's go to the kitchen and prepare the rest of the things."
"Gengar—"
"Mime Jr.~"
"Shana and Petilil, you all wait here for a moment. If the Pokémon coming to pick us up arrive, please greet them for us."
"Okay, uncle."
"Lili~"
"Ching~"
"Yip~"
Back in the kitchen, Victor walked over to the jar where he stored the Sweet Honey, glanced at it, and then looked at Gengar.
"Gengar..."
Gengar broke into a wide grin, its white teeth flashing.
"Gengar—"
It's okay.
Victor smiled and gently pulled at the corners of its mouth.
That's my Gengar. Even though it's a glutton, it will always support me unconditionally at critical moments.
How can a Pokémon like Gengar be so cute~
He, Gengar, and Mime Jr. then began to prepare some desserts that they might need later.
Victor felt that when it came to soothing a wounded heart, good food was essential.
Just as he planned to bring the Sweet Honey along.
You've been scared for a long time. Have something sweet. From now on, everything will be much better.
Knock, knock~
Victor looked up and saw the Vespiquen at the kitchen window, holding a jar and tapping on the glass.
"What is it, Vespiquen?" Victor asked, opening the window.
"Ves." The Vespiquen's crimson eyes flashed, and it pushed the jar of Sweet Honey into Victor's hands.
"This is..."
[Sweet Honey (Special Edition)]
[This is a rare honey brewed in a place full of love and happiness. Although the brewing process is the same as for normal Sweet Honey, because it has collected the love and happiness of the Breeding House, the success rate is extremely low. Even the Vespiquen itself doesn't have much of it.]
[When one consumes food made with this Sweet Honey, they will feel as though they are surrounded by love and happiness. This feeling will last for a period of time.]
[I love the Breeding House, so I collected the love and happiness here and brewed it into honey. —Vespiquen]
Looking at the half-full jar of Sweet Honey in his hands, Victor's heart warmed.
"Thank you..."
Before he could finish, the Vespiquen turned its head away and then flew off.
Watching it leave, Victor shouted, "Thank you, Vespiquen! We love you, too!"
The Vespiquen paused for a moment, then flapped its wings and flew away even faster, as if it were fleeing.
"Gengar, from now on, you can't go robbing it of its Sweet Honey so often, you understand?"
"Gengar—" Gengar nodded.
"Let's reduce the frequency. From once every ten days to once every fifteen days."
"Gengar?! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ"
"VES!!!"
"Uncle, they're here!"
Hearing Shana's call, Victor quickly grabbed the prepared items and left with Gengar and Mime Jr., lest the Vespiquen change its mind.
He and Shana were now on the back of a Charizard, flying through the air.
The wind blew Shana's hair into Victor's face, and he gently pushed it aside.
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind.
Healing emotional problems? When did I gain such a skill?
Victor smiled and shook his head.
Then he thought of everyone at the Breeding House: the Gengar who had given up the Sweet Honey without hesitation; the Shana and Petilil who were no longer afraid to face the past; the Mime Jr. who worked so hard to make delicious food; the Dali and the others who had rushed ahead in a hurry; the Vulpix who wanted to do its best to help; the Vespiquen who had given him its most precious honey; the Staravia who was guarding their home; and the Celebi who had helped him after knowing him for only a day.
He finally understood why.
Pokémon will always do everything in their power to repay the love their trainer gives them.
...
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