Finally, Jessie took a piece of candy and put it in her mouth.
It was sweet.
Moved, she once again burst into tears.
James and Meowth did the same.
"Uncle says we shouldn't cry all the time. See? Shana isn't crying, so you can't cry either. You have to be happy. You ate Shana's candy, so you have to be happy now," Shana said, pumping her little fist to cheer them on.
The trio was instantly filled with motivation.
Shana then joined them, helping them with their work.
But after just a little while, the trio sent her away.
"No, no, we can handle this!" they waved their hands frantically.
Seeing this, Shana went and brought back a small stool and sat there, watching them.
Victor, having returned to his senses, looked at Cynthia, and then at Shana and the trio.
He walked over.
Cynthia looked up for a moment, then glanced at her Garchomp and the others.
Garchomp was sleeping under a tree. Lucario sat beside it, sensing Aura with its eyes closed. Glaceon, Gastrodon, and Milotic were relaxing and playing in the lake area. Spiritomb was sunbathing by the flower garden. Togekiss was playing with the kids, having a grand time.
It seems they really like it here, Cynthia thought, a small smile on her lips.
She looked at Victor's retreating back, spaced out for a moment, and then stood up happily and went to the swing set.
Victor arrived at the planting area and found Shana sitting on her little stool, watching Jessie, James, and Meowth work.
He was speechless.
Shana, if you just sit there and watch them, people are going to think this is a sweatshop.
But he continued to walk forward.
Hearing footsteps, Shana turned her head.
Mime Jr. ran up to him, and Victor instinctively picked it up.
He nodded at Shana, then looked at the trio, who were buried in the vegetable patch.
He walked into the garden, holding Mime Jr.
Just as they were carefully picking vegetables, Victor's voice rang out.
"Actually, you can eat these vegetables right now."
The trio looked up and saw Victor holding Mime Jr., smiling at them.
Victor bent down, plucked a leaf, and put it in his mouth.
He had to admit, with the blessings of so many Pokémon, the vegetables from this garden tasted absolutely incredible.
I bet you can't buy vegetables this good in any market, he thought.
He gestured for the trio to try.
James, copying Victor, also put a leaf in his mouth.
He chewed.
A green fragrance and a burst of sweetness instantly filled his mouth.
This... is this a vegetable?!
James's eyes went wide.
Jessie and Meowth tried one too.
Mmm!
So delicious!
Victor smiled. "It's all thanks to the Pokémon of the Breeding House. They're the ones who watered these vegetables with love and joy."
The trio exchanged a look and nodded.
They all loved Pokémon very much.
After all, it was often said that every single one of James's Pokémon had a full friendship bond with him.
And while Jessie could be aggressive at times, her love for Pokémon was no less than James's.
"They also last a long time in the ground," Victor continued. "But... you've picked a few too many."
The trio looked at each other and quickly apologized.
Victor smiled. "It's fine. Since you've already picked so many, let's have a barbecue tonight."
"Huh?"
Under their astonished gazes, Victor turned and left with Mime Jr.
Shana followed him.
After a few steps, she turned back to the trio. "Big Sister Jessie, Big Brother James, Meowth, why aren't you coming?"
The three of them looked at each other again, then followed.
Back in the afternoon tea area, Victor put Mime Jr. down.
"Alright, you've all been working hard. Take a break. Have some afternoon tea," he said.
"Oh! N-no, we couldn't," the trio quickly refused.
Victor ignored them and had Gothita serve them tea anyway.
"You don't have to be so formal," he said with a smile. "Even though you're working here, you can relax, too."
He then left them and walked over to the swings under the tree.
Cynthia was sitting quietly on one.
Victor came up behind her.
"Give me a push."
Cynthia's soft voice drifted back.
Victor paused, then smiled. "Okay."
Garchomp, who had been pushing, gave him a squint-eyed look, then reluctantly moved aside.
Victor took his place and gently pushed the swing.
Cynthia swung lightly, her golden hair flying in the breeze.
"How about a barbecue tonight?"
"Sounds good to me," she said, her eyes closed as she held the ropes.
"Your cooking is always delicious."
Cynthia seemed to be in a very good mood.
Victor grunted in acknowledgment and continued to push the swing.
Shana also ran over and climbed onto her own small swing, looking up at him expectantly, her eyes sparkling.
Victor smiled and reached out his other hand.
But it was intercepted by a small, chubby, purple hand.
"Gengar—"
I'll do it!
Gengar grinned at Victor and blinked.
Victor smiled. You're really something, Gengar.
"Gengar, push me higher!" Shana's laughter rang out.
"Gengar—"
Here we go!
"Gegegegege!"
Hearing Shana's laughter, Victor and Cynthia both smiled.
Victor suddenly remembered that Gengar was the one who had pushed Shana on the swing when she first arrived.
He sensed Cynthia's gaze.
He looked over and saw her leaning her head back, looking up at him.
Her white neck stretched down to—
Victor quickly looked away.
"What is it?"
"Uncle, I want to go higher, too," Cynthia said, a mischievous smile on her face.
Hearing her call him "uncle," Victor rolled his eyes.
"Alright."
He sighed in resignation and pushed a little harder.
Cynthia's smile brightened.
...
In the tea area, the Team Rocket trio was enjoying their dessert.
Hearing Shana's laughter, they all looked over.
Under the autumn sunset, two swings, one large and one small, swayed at different speeds. On them sat a large and a small girl. The small one's laughter was bright and innocent; the large one's smile was radiant and stunning. Behind them stood a man and a ghost, and leaning against the tree were a dragon and a dog.
"What a beautiful... feeling," Jessie said, stunned, swallowing a bite of tiramisu.
"You said it, meow."
"Wobbuffet~"
...
After pushing the swing for a while, Victor led them back to the tea area.
Gothita and the others had already prepped the ingredients.
Victor noticed James staring at his Mime Jr.
He suddenly remembered that James also had a Mime Jr.
"It's fine, you can let your Pokémon out while you're here. They can all play together."
Shana looked at them with anticipation.
Jessie and James exchanged a look, then released their Pokémon.
Victor glanced over. As expected, all familiar faces.
Victor's Mime Jr., seeing the other Mime Jr., happily ran over and took its hand. James's Mime Jr. happily took its hand back.
They came over.
"Mime, Mime."
Guess which one of us is which!
Victor put a hand on his chin and pretended to think.
"Who could it be? James, can you tell them apart?"
James looked at Victor, and they both smiled.
They each pointed to one of the Mime Jr.s.
The two Pokémon happily ran to their respective trainers for a hug.
After playing for a bit, Victor started the barbecue.
"James, can you give me a hand?" Victor asked, remembering James's cooking skills were pretty good.
"Sure." James nodded and came over.
"Gengar, light it up."
Poof!
An eerie flame ignited, heating the charcoal. Victor placed the grill on top and put on the meat.
Before long, it was sizzling.
James, Gothita, and Mime Jr. watched him, learning.
After sprinkling on some seasoning, Victor wrapped the cooked meat in lettuce leaves he had picked, made several wraps, and gave them to Gengar, Cynthia, Shana, and the others.
Gengar ate it in one bite.
(*≧▽≦) !
Gengar's eyes squeezed shut in delight.
Cynthia took a small bite. As expected of Victor.
She quickly finished her portion.
The aroma soon summoned all the other Pokémon.
Victor looked around.
"Alright, James, Gothita, Mime Jr.... are you ready to get serious?"
"Roger!"
"Goth~"
"Mime~"
Everyone was very satisfied with dinner.
Especially Meowth.
He was in heaven.
They all lay on the grass in the Breeding House, feeling the powerful auras of the Pokémon gathered nearby.
"The owner's Pokémon are terrifying, meow," Meowth whispered.
"You said it," Jessie and James nodded.
"And the Champion's, too," James added.
"But Champion Cynthia is so beautiful... and little Shana is so cute!" Jessie said with a lovesick laugh.
"Wobbuffet~"
"Alright, the cleanup is all yours: Jessie, James, and Meowth."
"Yes, sir!"
"Please, leave it to us!"
"That's right, meow!"
Seeing their enthusiasm, Victor left them to it and went inside with Gengar and the others.
The trio rested for a bit, then stood up and began to clean up the mess.
When they finished and went into the kitchen, they found several cups of honey water on the counter.
Gengar's head poked down from the ceiling.
"Gengar."
"It says the owner prepared this for us, meow. To thank us for our hard work," Meowth translated.
The trio, moved, huddled together in a group hug, then each picked up a cup and drank.
"So... so good..."
Uwaaah~
...
Get 10+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"