"Ash?"
Cynthia put a piece of Berry into her mouth with a skewer and shook her head.
"But that name sounds so familiar."
Cynthia swallowed the Berry in her mouth and began to recall.
"Oh, I know!"
Cynthia clapped her hand, "During the last exchange match, Steven mentioned to me that he met a very promising trainer, whose name seemed to be Ash."
So he hasn't reached the Sinnoh region yet? Lucas was already looking forward to meeting him, if he had the chance.
"What's wrong? Do you know him?"
Hearing Cynthia's words, Lucas hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sort of... know him?"
"He'll probably be traveling to the Sinnoh region soon too."
Cynthia nodded. Since both Steven and Lucas knew him, it meant he must be a good trainer.
It seemed she would have to pay more attention in the future.
Lucas didn't know that he was already on par with Steven in Cynthia's mind.
After all, in Cynthia's heart, she had deeply recognized Lucas's breeding abilities. From his methods of caring for Pokémon, the strength of the Pokémon he trained, and the high-quality energy cubes he made for Pokémon, everything indicated that Lucas was already a powerful breeder.
Among the breeders Cynthia had met so far, only a few, including Wallace, gave her a feeling of being a cut above Lucas.
However, she believed that Lucas would take that step one day.
Cynthia thought silently to herself.
Then she looked towards the counter and found that Lucas had already lowered his head, carving the wood in his hand.
A smile tugged at her lips, and she turned her head back, eating the Berry platter Lucas had brought over, drinking the sparkling water Lucas had brought over, and watching Lucas's TV with Shauna, feeling quite content.
"Whew..."
Lucas blew away the sawdust from the last wooden tag in his hand, then carved names on them and strung them together with red string.
[Lucas's Special Small Wooden Tag: An artifact made according to Grandma's item list.]
[Giving it to a Pokémon seems to slightly increase its intimacy.]
[Accumulate over time: This is a wooden tag carefully made by a trainer for their Pokémon, symbolizing a member of the Breeding House family. Although it only slightly increases intimacy, water flows eastward, and love continues. It is believed that with time, the love contained within will only grow.]
[This is My Wooden Tag: After a Pokémon wears it, it will never forget its home, and no matter how far away it is, it will be able to find its way back home.]
[May You Grow Up Healthy: Lucas has instilled his blessings for the Pokémon. Pokémon wearing it will significantly reduce the probability of illness.]
[Grandma: Your craftsmanship is really good!]
[Grandma: Pokémon are very simple creatures. They will not let down the love their trainers have for them.]
Lucas looked at the popping messages and couldn't help but smile, then raised his hand and shook it.
The wooden tags in his hand clinked, instantly attracting everyone and all the Pokémon.
They curiously looked at the wooden tags in Lucas's hand.
Lucas walked over and then put the wooden tags on Shauna, Gengar, and the others one by one.
"After wearing it, you won't forget our home."
Lucas put the wooden tag on Gengar's neck, or rather, where its neck should be?
Gengar's crimson eyes stared intently at Lucas.
"It looks very suitable, do you like it, Gengar?"
Gengar lowered its head and cupped the wooden tag in its hand. The words "Gengar" were written on it, along with a Q-version Gengar.
Lucas's love was conveyed to its hand through the wooden tag.
"Kou Jie! (*꒦ິ ⌓ ꒦ິ)"
Gengar cried in front of Lucas for the first time.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it? Then we'll take it off, no more crying, no more crying."
Lucas was startled, thinking Gengar didn't like it, and quickly reached out to take off the wooden tag.
Gengar wiped its tears, then dodged Lucas's outstretched hand, and the next second, directly licked him.
The wandering child finally stopped wandering.
Lucas let it lick him, and after it stopped, he reached out and wiped the tears from its eyes.
"You're such a big Pokémon now, still crying, aren't you afraid Shauna and Cynthia will laugh at you?"
"Kou Jie—o(´^｀)o"
Gengar made a funny face, then floated to Cynthia's side, still holding the wooden tag in its hand, its mouth still grinning, and its tongue still licking the wooden tag.
Lucas rolled his eyes, then wiped the drool Gengar had left on his face, and then put the small wooden tags on Shauna and Chingling.
"Do you like it, Shauna, Chingling?"
Ling Ling~
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Shauna happily held the wooden tag, which also had a Q-version Shauna on it.
Cynthia, who was beside them, saw this scene, and her eyes were a little red, but the smile on her lips never faded.
"Let's go, Gengar, let's put them on the other partners too. Shauna, do you want to come along?"
"Kou Jie—"
I'm coming!
"Okay, Uncle."
"What about Cynthia?"
"Okay, Uncle."
"..."
Looking at Cynthia's playful expression, he was about to say something, but seeing that she seemed very happy, he could only sigh helplessly.
Forget it, let her be, as long as she's happy.
Passing by the counter, he also picked up a large wooden board carved with beautiful patterns and tucked it under his armpit.
He came to the kitchen, put its small wooden tag on Mime Jr., and then let it happily jump onto his head and sit there.
Returning to the backyard, he looked at the other Pokémon, then went to find them one by one.
After putting it on Petilil, as expected, Petilil also cried. This time, the crying was even louder than when Lucas first met her, but Lucas and Cynthia could hear the hope and happiness in her voice.
He gently flicked Petilil's forehead. His head was really heavy due to Mime Jr.'s presence, so he called over Machoke and the others, while he sat under the tree.
After Machoke and the others came over, Lucas also put their small wooden tags on them.
They shed tears and gave him a thumbs-up.
Cynthia leaned against the tree, watching quietly, then glanced at the Garchomp beside her, and reached out to stroke Garchomp's lowered head.
She knew why Garchomp and Lucario liked it here; an environment full of love, even she couldn't resist it.
After comforting them, Lucas stood up and walked to Cynthia's side, extending his clenched fist to her.
Cynthia looked down in confusion, two red strings hanging from his palm.
His palm opened, and two wooden tags lay quietly in Lucas's palm.
One read "Cynthia," and the other read "Lucas."
"I have one too?"
Cynthia was a little shocked.
"If you don't mind."
Lucas showed a bright smile.
"Thank you, I like it very much."
Cynthia reached out and took her wooden tag, gently shaking it in front of her eyes, her eyes following the swaying wooden tag tightly, and finally looking at the face behind the wooden tag.
She smiled knowingly, then tied the wooden tag to her fair wrist.
"If Garchomp and the others don't mind, I can also help make them. I just need to carve their names."
Listening to Lucas's words, Cynthia turned to look at her Pokémon.
Garchomp's crimson eyes had been staring intently at Lucas. Hearing his words, it reluctantly nodded, then turned away.
"Kao."
Then this Grandma will reluctantly accept it.
Lucario nodded proudly.
Spiritomb and the others, on the other hand, laughed happily.
Lucas nodded at the sight.
Another wave of goodwill, a huge profit!
Afterward, Lucas asked Gengar to go to the warehouse to get the swing ropes, while he carried the wooden board and came to the swing under the tree.
Cynthia was a little curious, watching Lucas gesturing at something.
"What are you doing?"
"It's a secret."
Finally, with Gengar's help, a large swing was successfully set up next to the small swing.
He tried it, and it was very safe.
Lucas got off the swing.
"Now you each have one."
Lucas said with a smile, looking at Cynthia and Shauna.
"I'm not a child."
"Huh? You don't need one?"
"Hmm..."
"That's a pity, only Gengar and I can play then, right, Gengar?"
"Kou Jie?! Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ"
Me, me?!
"I didn't say I wouldn't play."
"But didn't you say you weren't a child?"
"Mind your own business, get down!"
"No, you said you wouldn't play."
"No, get down quickly."
"I won't!"
"Get down!"
Cynthia forcefully pulled Lucas off the swing, then sat on it herself, while also having Shauna sit on the small swing next to her. One held Chingling, and the other held Petilil and Mime Jr.
Lucas shook his head helplessly. He was about to go behind them to push the swings, but then he found that a certain short-legged little fatty had already floated behind them.
"Kou Jie—"
I'll push the swings for you!
"Traitor!"
Lucas bared his teeth and cursed, then went behind Shauna.
Gengar stuck out its tongue at him, making a funny face, then helped Cynthia push the swing, while Lucas helped Shauna push the swing.
A gust of wind blew, rustling the leaves overhead. Under the tree, a large and a small swing, with two girls, one large and one small, sitting on them. Behind the swings stood one person and one Pokémon, gently pushing them.
Around them were many, many Pokémon.
Garchomp looked at Cynthia, watching her swing gently sway into its heart with the wind.
Cynthia sensed it, turned to look at it, and gave it a sweet smile, her eyes gentle.
"Kao."
He doesn't seem so bad.