"Gengar—"
Victor opened his eyes, his throat feeling incredibly sore.
He had tried to call for Gengar, but what came out was a hoarse croak.
His head felt groggy.
Gengar floated in from the balcony, looking at Victor.
"Gengar?"
What's wrong?
Victor shook his head, threw off the covers, and sat up.
His whole body ached.
The backs of his knees were killing him.
He touched his forehead. As he expected, he had a cold and a fever.
He had cold medicine in the house.
He had Gengar find the medicine for him, and then pour him a cup of hot water.
Victor took the medicine and burrowed back under the covers.
"Gengar, you can just eat breakfast by yourself today. I'm going to sleep a little longer," he said, his voice weak.
He pulled the covers over his head, muffling himself completely.
Following the habit from his past life, Victor planned to sweat out the fever.
Tucked under the blanket, perhaps because the medicine was starting to work, or perhaps just from exhaustion, Victor groggily fell back asleep.
Gengar looked at the lump under the covers, worried.
After a moment, it phased through the wall, out the balcony, and towards the backyard.
...
In his daze, Victor felt the bedroom door open.
Someone walked into his room, the movement stirring the air.
Victor, feeling too hot, had kicked the blankets off.
He tried to open his eyes to see who it was, but he couldn't.
He managed to crack them open just a sliver and vaguely saw a flash of gold.
Then he fell back asleep.
The visitor gently pulled the covers back over Victor, then felt his forehead. They said something to Gengar and Lilligant, who were now at the door.
A moment later, Lilligant ran in with a bowl of water.
Victor then felt something cool on his forehead.
Leaving Gengar behind, the visitor led Lilligant and the others out of the room.
...
When Victor opened his eyes again, a purple, chubby Pokémon was floating in the air, holding the tablet he had bought for it, watching cartoons.
Seeing Victor was awake, it tossed the tablet onto the bed, where it bounced a few times.
"Gengar—"
You're awake?
Gengar floated closer.
Victor sat up, and something fell from his forehead.
He looked down. It was a washcloth.
He picked it up.
"Did you do this, Gengar?"
Gengar shook its head.
Victor smiled. Then it must have been Lilligant and Gothita.
After taking the medicine and sleeping it off, Victor felt much better, though his throat was still dry.
He was about to ask Gengar to get him some hot water, but saw that Gengar had already brought a thermos, and was pouring a steaming cup.
It gently placed the thermos on the floor by the bed, then floated over with the cup and handed it to Victor.
He took it, blew on it twice, and then slowly drank.
Gengar's eyes never left him, filled with worry and care.
Victor handed the cup back.
"Don't worry, Gengar. I'm much better. I'll make you something delicious tonight. Sorry for worrying you."
Gengar broke into a wide grin, its white teeth flashing.
It shook its head.
"Gengar—"
Victor needs to rest well.
Victor nodded, then threw off the covers to get out of bed.
The moment he did, a visible cloud of steam rose from his body towards the ceiling.
Gengar was dumbfounded.
Is Victor using a Fire-type move?!
Seeing its shocked expression, Victor explained, "That's just my immune system doing its job."
"Gengar?"
What's that?
Victor didn't explain further and went to the bathroom to get ready.
Why does the air smell so sweet?
He sniffed.
A familiar fragrance filled his nose.
He was puzzled, then shook his head. It must be my stuffy nose playing tricks on me.
He went downstairs with Gengar. The Breeding House wasn't open today, so he didn't see Lilligant and Roselia at the counter.
They probably saw I was sick and decided not to open, he thought.
He saw the lunch Gothita had left for him, but after a few half-hearted bites, he found he had no appetite.
He then took Gengar and headed to the backyard, putting on a jacket before he went.
He opened the door and walked out.
He immediately saw a familiar, beautiful figure sitting in the afternoon tea area by the flower garden.
Surrounding her were Garchomp, Lilligant, Dali, Gothita, Roselia, Vulpix, and the Vespiquen.
They were all drinking the milk tea Gothita had prepared for them.
Shana wasn't there. She was in the rock area with her Tinkerbell, Mime Jr., and Heracross, building sandcastles, with a few Gligar nearby.
As for Pinsir? It was strictly forbidden from going near Shana's sandcastle. And as for Dali...
The aura from Garchomp was making it tremble.
Victor was confused.
According to Pinsir's personality, shouldn't it be infatuated with Garchomp?
Victor couldn't figure it out. He walked over with Gengar.
The only one who knew the truth was Pinsir. It was amorous, but it wasn't suicidal.
Vulpix, seeing Victor, jumped down from Cynthia's lap, ran to his side, and leaped into his arms. It nuzzled its cute little head against his chest, and its six beautiful tails wrapped around his arm, providing a nice warmth.
Victor, sensing Vulpix's small gesture, gently stroked its head with his other hand.
"Yip~" Vulpix closed its eyes, enjoying it.
"Lili~"
Are you feeling better?
Feeling the concern from Lilligant and the others, Victor's heart warmed.
They really are my sweet little darlings.
Unlike a certain one... (crossed out)
Gengar is also super reliable and super cute.
He glanced at Gengar, who was secretly drinking Vulpix's milk tea.
He glanced at Victor.
"Gengar?"
What are you looking at?
He walked over to Cynthia and sat down in the chair Gothita pulled out for him.
Gothita then poured him a cup of medicinal tea.
He smelled the familiar aroma.
His brow furrowed, and he discreetly looked at Cynthia.
"When did you get here?"
Cynthia didn't answer, just looked quietly at him, and then at Gothita.
Her eyes were signaling him.
Victor turned his head and saw Gothita squinting at him.
When it saw him look, its gaze flicked down to the cup of tea he had pushed away.
Seeing its "about to get angry" expression, Victor had no choice but to pick up the cup and bring it to his lips.
He desperately tried to signal Gengar with his eyes, begging it to help him drink it. Gengar just turned in another direction to steal Vulpix's milk tea, turning its big butt towards Victor.
I'm not stupid. That stuff is bitter as heck.
Gritting his teeth, Victor took two sips, then tried to put the cup down.
A small purple hand shot out, blocking his arm.
The sudden movement caused a few drops to spill onto the Vulpix in his lap.
Vulpix curiously licked it.
"Yip—"
Vulpix's eyes rolled back, and it fainted.
So... bitter...
When it came to, it wanted to drink some milk tea to wash the taste away, but its cup on the table was already empty.
"Yip?"
Where's my milk tea? Did I drink it all?
Vulpix tilted its head, confused.
At this point, under Gothita's coercion, Victor had downed the entire cup of herbal tea.
He put the cup down, feeling like his soul was leaving his body.
The Vespiquen took out some Sweet Honey and let Victor and Vulpix have some to recover.
Victor took a spoonful and put it in his mouth.
So sweet. Sweet, but not cloying.
He also gave some to Vulpix, who closed its eyes in bliss.
The Vespiquen was just about to put the Sweet Honey away...
When a purple shadow moved faster.
"Gengar~"
Thank you~
The Vespiquen froze for two seconds.
It finally processed what had happened and immediately shot after Gengar.
"VES!!!"
"Gengar—"
Watching the enraged Vespiquen chase after the fleeing Gengar, Victor shook his head.
You were doing it for my sake, but you dared to take out Sweet Honey in front of Gengar.
I'm afraid I can't help you.
Watching the familiar, chaotic scene, Cynthia's eyes curved into a smile, and she took a sip of her milk tea.
The Breeding House... it's just as I remember.
...
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