Victor watched the video call from Cynthia. After connecting, Cynthia's exquisite face appeared on the screen.
Cynthia on the screen was sitting on a chair, with a bookshelf filled with various books behind her.
She leaned back against the chair, looking at Victor on the screen.
She revealed a faint smile.
"What's up?"
It was the first time Victor had seen Cynthia at work, and he was stunned for a moment.
It wasn't until Cynthia asked again that he snapped back to reality.
"I want to show you something."
Cynthia on the other side of the screen showed a look of anticipation.
Victor turned the camera around.
Cynthia saw the liveliness of the festival, people and Pokémon everywhere.
But what attracted her attention more were the trees full of pink flowers.
That is—cherry blossoms?
How can there be cherry blossoms in this season?
"Cherry blossoms are blooming?"
She voiced the doubt in her heart.
"Why are there cherry blossoms in this season?"
"How is it? Beautiful, right? Thanks to Celebi."
"Celebi?"
Cynthia recalled Victor telling her about Celebi for the first time.
It seems Celebi likes him very much.
Cynthia thought silently in her heart.
"For you, cherry blossoms blooming in autumn."
Victor's gentle voice traveled from the phone into her ears. She looked at the phone screen; in it, many people and Pokémon were sitting under the blooming cherry trees, chatting and eating.
At this moment, a gust of wind blew past, and the cherry blossoms on the trees were blown off, flying towards Victor.
The cherry blossoms passed through Victor, Gengar, and the others, heading into the distance.
Feeling the sound of petals hitting the phone, Cynthia suddenly smelled the fragrance of cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms...
I really wish...
"I really wish you could be here, so we could watch the cherry blossoms together."
Victor's voice came again. Cynthia paused, then her gaze softened.
"Next time for sure."
"Next time for sure!"
Victor said decisively.
After cyber-viewing the cherry blossoms with Cynthia for a while, just as Victor was about to hang up, he heard Cynthia on the other end say: "If Lucian is there too, tell him to come back early. League affairs have piled up and need him to handle them."
Victor looked ahead at Lucian, who was holding snacks and happily offering him a portion.
Lucian: "..."
Just as Lucian wanted to retract his hand, Victor quickly took the snacks.
He took a bite.
"Okay, he's right next to me. He heard what you said."
Lucian: "..."
Thinking about having to go back to work, Lucian turned completely gray.
"Mm."
Cynthia hummed in acknowledgement and hung up the phone.
Victor looked at the grayed-out Lucian in front of him and shrugged.
What a pity, your fun vacation ends here.
Lucian, slowly regaining his color, shook his head painfully. He had been out for so long; he really should go back to work.
By the way, why do League affairs have to pile up and wait for me to handle them?!
Where's Flint?! Where's Aaron?! Where's Grandma Bertha?!
After complaining in his heart for a while, Lucian sighed painfully, threw this matter to the back of his mind, and concentrated on enjoying the last bit of his leisurely vacation.
Watching Lucian turn and leave without any lingering attachment, Victor and Gengar looked at each other and smiled, then snickered secretly.
Being one of the Sinnoh Elite Four is just that busy.
Victor put his phone back in his pocket, stretched, and looked at Breeding Road, bustling with people coming and going.
"Let's go, everyone. Let's look around and have some fun too."
"Geng~"
"Lil~"
Arriving in front of a punching power testing machine, Victor threw a punch first.
Average data.
Next was Gengar. Gengar mimicked what he saw on TV.
He stepped out a footwork swaying left, right, front, and back in the air, then threw a punch with all his might.
Even weaker than Victor.
Victor pointed at Gengar's nose and laughed heartily.
Unconvinced, Gengar tried again, even lower than the first time.
"Geng— Geng (T_T)"
Lowering his head and walking silently to the side, Gengar digested his sorrow alone.
Next, Lilligant and the others took turns trying.
Finally, just as Victor took the prize and was about to pay and leave, Machamp walked over and touched her four fists together.
The resulting air wave blew Victor's hair up.
"Shop—Shopkeeper, does—does she want to try too?!"
The owner swallowed his saliva watching Machamp doing warm-up movements.
He asked Victor stammeringly.
Seeing this, Victor quickly grabbed Machamp.
"You don't need to go up, Machamp."
"Ma!"
I also want to test how strong my fist is.
Victor pulled Machamp desperately, but was still dragged forward by her.
No, Machamp! One punch from you and the Breeding House will go bankrupt paying for damages!
Gengar also ran over, grabbed Machamp's arm, and braked hard in the air.
The two weaklings were dragged forward by Machamp effortlessly.
Machamp was very interested in this machine that could test fist power. Even with Victor and Gengar blocking, she still lowered her waist, took a deep breath, and then threw a punch.
"Ma!!!"
Boom!
Victor closed his eyes.
The powerful airflow and sound wave blew Victor's hair back again.
Even without opening his eyes, Victor knew how fierce the power of this strike—which would shatter the Breeding House's finances—was.
The owner of this shop gently moved his head away from Machamp's extended fist, then swallowed.
He glanced at the machine.
Only half of it remained; the other half had flown away without a trace along with the tent behind it.
Should—should I just refund the money to them?!
The owner swallowed again.
Gengar quickly dragged Machamp away, then heartbrokenly took out his wallet to compensate the owner.
Victor, weeping silently while paying, took all the prizes away.
Leaving behind the owner happily counting money on the spot. After counting, he didn't forget to thank Victor.
Great, earned a whole day's money in one morning. What should I do next—
The owner looked left and right.
Going for a drink~
On the other side, Machamp complained to Lilligant beside her about the machine.
Not practical at all.
Lilligant looked at Victor and Gengar, who didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and Machamp, who looked like "I clearly didn't use my full strength, it just broke." She couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker.
Leading them around for a while, Victor suddenly noticed a big antenna appearing ahead.
What is that? Teletubbies?!
Victor looked curiously at that antenna, getting closer and closer.
Until the antenna appeared completely in front of him.
Looking at Shana in front of him, covered all over with snacks and toys.
So it was you, Teletubby · Little Shana.
Needless to say, Victor knew whose masterpiece this outfit and backpack made of snacks and toys were.
Victor's fan club · older version's masterpiece.
"Uncle, look! Are these things Grandpa and the others made for me nice?"
Shana, biting on a stick-like snack, saw Victor appear in front of her, spun around happily, and showed Victor the backpack and clothes made of snacks and toys on her body.
Asking happily.
The backpack made of lollipops and other things was taken off by Shana and given to Gengar.
Gengar put it on with difficulty and turned his head to look.
Oh, can't turn my head.
Let Shana help look.
"Looks good!"
Shana said crisply.
Gengar nodded in satisfaction, then pulled Shana along to continue asking the grandpas and grandmas for snacks.
He wanted a schoolbag like this too.
A schoolbag full of snacks; carrying it, he could eat snacks whenever he wanted.
Thinking of this, Gengar slurped his drool.
Then he held Shana's hand and jumped into the crowd.
Watching Gengar and Shana leave hand in hand, Victor looked down at Lilligant.
Lilligant looked up at him, then turned her head away.
Victor was heartbroken.
Then a huge palm appeared in front of him.
Victor looked up. Machamp!
Victor shook his head. Machamp wasn't angry either.
She only did it because she saw Victor was in a bad mood.
Shrugging, she continued to gnaw on the bun Shana had just shared with her.
"Lil~"
His palm was touched gently. Victor looked down.
He found Lilligant covering her mouth and extending a hand towards him.
Seeing this, Victor placed his right hand on his left chest, bent down to take Lilligant's hand, and then, amidst Lilligant's smile, held her hand and continued walking forward.
...
Get 10+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"