"I say — everyone, I've been hanging here for so long, it's about time you let me down, right?"
Lucas was wrapped in bug silk, hanging from the ceiling and swaying in the breeze. He looked at the group who had finished eating and couldn't help but ask.
After finishing, he glanced at Gengar, who was hanging next to him just like him.
As it turned out, Gengar only needed its long tongue to pull out many snacks stored in its four-dimensional pocket and eat them with relish. As long as it wanted to eat, there was always a way.
"Share some with me."
"Gengar gen —"
No.
After saying that, Gengar even twisted its butt inside the bug cocoon, turning its face away from Lucas.
Lucas: ————
"Lilligant, help me. Gothitelle, help me. Ninetales, help me ———— "
The Pokémon below all pretended not to hear.
"I really know I was wrong. I won't jump off the building next time. Please let me down."
Still no reaction.
Lucas thought for a moment and said: "There are a lot of things that need to be done today. We still need to transplant the things in the planting area. This matter cannot be delayed."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gothitelle and Lilligant looked at each other. Lilligant thought for a moment and then nodded.
Plop.
Lucas fell to the ground like a Calabash brother, and then crawled out of the bug cocoon with the help of Gothitelle.
"Uncle, I'm going to school."
Little Shauna ran past Lucas with her schoolbag on her back and shouted.
"Okay, be safe."
Lucas stood up, watching Shauna skillfully mount the Rapidash and leave with today's Moomoo Milk.
"Gengar gen?"
Can I not go down yet?
Gengar was hanging from the ceiling, looking at the released Lucas, full of shock.
Why was he the one who made the mistake, but I had to be punished along with him? He was forgiven, but I still have to be hung up?
"You just stay hanging there. That's for not sharing your food with me."
Lucas stood on the floor and made a face at Gengar hanging from the ceiling.
Gengar: ( . — . : )
The next second, Gengar also fell down.
"Gengar gen!"
Lucas, you go die!
"I'm not afraid of you!"
Seeing Lucas and Gengar fighting again, the people at the Breeding House were accustomed to doing their own work.
With a face full of saliva, Lucas went to the backyard and stood near the planting area. He took the tissue handed over by Gothitelle to wipe his face, thinking about how to transplant the planting area.
"I feel like we don't need to transplant the vegetables, right? We can eat all these vegetables in the next few days. We can plant new vegetables in the new planting area. Anyway, the growth cycle of vegetables is quite fast."
Lucas made a suggestion.
Lilligant looked at the vegetables in the vegetable area and nodded in agreement.
The vegetables here should last for a week or two.
"Then all the berry trees will be transplanted, as well as the herbal medicine. As for the plant tea leaves, let's plant them on the spot. It is estimated that they can be harvested soon. The new land has also been planned for planting tea leaves."
Speaking of this, Lucas turned his head and looked at Gengar, "Gengar, do we still have tea leaf seeds?"
Gengar floated back to the Breeding House, walked through the wall, came to the counter, asked Female to move aside, and then sat on the ground and started rummaging through boxes and cabinets.
After rummaging for a long time, there were all kinds of seeds, but there were no tea leaf seeds.
It floated back to Lucas's side and shook its head.
"Gengar gen —"
Gone.
"Gone?"
Lucas gently tugged at the corner of its mouth, "It's okay, we'll try to see if we can cultivate new seeds ourselves."
"Gengar gen?"
New seeds?
"Yes, when the tea grows for a while longer, it will almost bear fruit. Then we can try to cultivate seeds ourselves."
Lucas nodded.
"Then Gothitelle, the herbal medicine area is up to you. You and Lilligant, take some clever Pokémon to transplant them?"
"Gothitelle."
No problem.
Gothitelle made an OK sign, indicating no problem.
Then Lucas clapped his hands.
"Dash, come here and gather."
Dash brought Er Li, Vex, Rhyperior, Golem, and Graveler over.
Lucas told Dash about his arrangements, letting them wait for other Pokémon to dig out the berry trees, take them to the new area, and then plant them again.
Lucas looked at the large number of berry trees and thought, "Female."
"Meow?"
What's the matter?
Female ran to the backyard, looked at Lucas, and asked.
"Help me make a phone call and ask Pinsir and Heracross to come back?"
"Meow~"
Okay~
For the remaining work, Lucas fully mobilized the other Pokémon in the Breeding House. Aipom, Ambipom, Pachirisu, and other Pokémon all ran to the new area. According to Gothitelle's instructions, they dug one small hole after another. Then Lilligant, Zoroark, Vespiquen, Golduck, and Lopunny carefully took the dug-out herbal medicine to the new area, then carefully planted them, covered them with soil, and watered them a little.
herbal medicine is a delicate crop itself, and Gothitelle did not allow her herbal medicine to suffer any loss, so Gothitelle was directing a group of Pokémon throughout the process.
Compared with the gentleness of the herbal medicine area, the berry area on the other side was simply a contest of strength.
Dash uprooted the fruit tree like a weeping willow, carried the fruit tree to the new area, put it into the dug hole, and covered it with soil.
Because Gothitelle was watching the herbal medicine area, Lucas took Gengar to the berry area with peace of mind.
"These roots are too long, we can cut them shorter appropriately."
Lucas looked at the long and thick roots and said.
Then he directed Dash to cut off the roots.
"Keep the roots first, and we will deal with them uniformly later."
"Ma machamp."
Okay.
"Who is that ———— Munchlax, come over and help me."
Lucas took the straw hat handed by Gengar, put it on his head, and called Munchlax, who was standing in the distance wanting to help.
Munchlax ran over happily.
"Ka?"
What do you need me to do?
"Go to the Breeding House and ask Mr. Fujino for a few large baskets. We are going to pick all these berries. Let's have a berry feast tonight."
"Ka."
No problem.
"Dash, go and guide Golem and the others. They have already ruined three or four of my berry trees."
Looking at the berry trees broken in the middle, Lucas's heart was bleeding.
"Gogoat, wait a moment, those are rare berries. Be gentle. Just use Vine Whip to pull them out, and then Miltank, you are responsible for moving those rare fruit trees."
Lucas directed all the Pokémon present. After Munchlax brought a few large baskets, Lucas let it put the baskets on the ground.
"Combee, come over and help me pick the berries."
The Combee flew over and began to pick the berries from the trees.
[Vespiquen] effect triggered.
Bug-type Pokémon will obey Lucas's instructions without violating principles.
Vespiquen didn't mind her subordinates being called by Lucas to work.
As long as they weren't asked to steal sweet honey, it was fine.
Kricketot, Kricketune, Shinx, Skitty, and other Pokémon picked up the berries that fell on the ground, then ran to the baskets and put all the picked berries into the baskets.
Soon the baskets were full. Lucas took a look, then looked at Munchlax, who was standing by and dazed, "Munchlax, please move these full baskets to the Lake and wash the berries."
"Ka."
Coming.
Munchlax lifted the basket above its head and ran towards the Lake.
It poured all the berries into the Lake, then ran back to the planting area, and moved new baskets over.
"Gengar gen —"
Here you go.
Gengar handed Lucas a large pair of scissors, which was what he asked it to find in the warehouse just now.
"Very good, are you ready, Gengar? Today our identity is gardeners. Our job is to prune the branches and leaves for these newly planted berry trees to prevent them from losing water too quickly."
"Gengar —"
Leave it to me! Gardener Gengar, officially online!
Lucas walked to the new planting area, looked at the newly planted fruit trees, raised the scissors, and kept pruning the branches and leaves of the berry trees. He didn't stop until he had pruned a fruit tree until it was almost bare.
"Prune it like I did, understand?"
Gengar looked at the bald and ugly-looking fruit tree and was a little confused.
"Gengar gen?"
Why cut so much? So ugly.
"Because the newly planted berry trees have also had their roots pruned, they need a certain amount of time to adapt to the new soil. During the time it adapts to the new soil, we must minimize its water loss to ensure their survival rate to the greatest extent. Understand?"
Gengar suddenly realized and nodded.
Then it floated to a fruit tree, and the scissors in its hand were merciless.
Snap.
Snap.
Snap.
Lucas looked at Gengar, who was holding big scissors and becoming more and more proficient, and suddenly thought of a character in a certain game.
Also a pair of big scissors.
But that one is a cute girl.
And mine ————
Eww~
Little fatty.
Gengar stared back at Lucas.
"Gengar gen?"
Are you bad-mouthing me in your heart again?
Lucas: (o_o)
Can you even sense this?
"No, am I that kind of person!"
Lucas denied it three times.
Gengar frowned and stared at Lucas.
It realized that Lucas didn't look like he was lying.
"Gengar gen—" Strange, then why did my rear suddenly clench just now?
"Alright, you guessed wrong. You just like to be suspicious. Hurry up and get to work; there's still a lot of work to do today."
Oh right, work first.
Gengar turned its head, wearing a straw hat, and continued its work.
Lucas looked at Gengar's back.
The more he looked, the more it resembled someone.
Miss Gothitelle.
???
Miss Gengar?!
(°△°)
Lucas shook his head quickly, driving this cursed image out of his mind.
Then, he started pruning the branches and leaves of the fruit trees with Gengar.
He pruned the low places, and left the high places he couldn't reach to Gengar.
"Heracross sound." We're back.
Pinsir ran in with Heracross and the others.
"Just in time."
Lucas leaned on the large shears, catching his breath.
Why are these shears so heavy—
"You guys help Mrs. Fujino plant the vegetable seeds. By the way, insert the wooden plaques in the vegetable area, the medicinal herb area, and all the other zones, then fence them off. Don't mess it up."
"Heracross sound."
"Pinsir sound."
Heracross and Pinsir ran over to Mrs. Fujino and started helping.
Looking at Heracross and Pinsir, who had become the pillars of the Breeding House, directing some Kricketot to sow seeds, Lucas couldn't help but smile.
"Vespiquen Ves ves?" What are you smiling at?
Lucas snapped out of it, looked at Vespiquen who had appeared beside him, and answered with a smile, "Look, Heracross, who used to be a bit autistic, can now speak normally and even shows signs of being an older brother. And Pinsir, who was so fickle at the beginning—who would have thought it could focus on liking Dash for so long."
Lucas couldn't help but sigh when he said this.
He still couldn't understand why Pinsir would fall for Dash.
It wasn't just that they weren't the same species; their builds were so different, too.
It was a headache.
"Vespiquen Ves ves." Because everyone loves this place just the same.
Listening to Vespiquen's words, Lucas nodded in deep agreement.
"Me too."
"Gengar gen!" You're slacking off again!
"Alright, alright, I'm coming. Can't even take a break? You Gengar-skinflint!"
Lake area.
Munchlax jumped into the Lake, floated on the surface, and focused on washing the berries.
"Munchlax lax." One for the basket, one for me.
Munchlax tossed a berry into its mouth.
"Munchlax lax~" So delicious.
Lucas, who was pruning branches, felt like he had forgotten something.
"Gengar, why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"
Gengar threw away the branch that had hit its face, turned around, and looked at Lucas with a suspicious face.
"Gengar gen?" You aren't just making up an excuse because you don't want to work, are you?
Lucas frowned, shook his head, and then watched the Combee picking berries from the trees.
"berries—" Oh no!
Lucas and Gengar looked at each other at the same time.
My berries! Munchlax!
Lucas hurried toward the Lake area, with Gengar following closely behind.
"Golem sound?" Are you guys still coming home for dinner?
Golem spun around holding a large tree, avoided Lucas and Gengar, looked at their backs, and asked.
Arriving at the Lake area.
Lucas saw Munchlax lying on the water, belly up, with berries floating everywhere around it. It was holding one in each hand, and its mouth was stuffed full.
The Lapras Siblings were also eating to their heart's content.
"Munchlax!!!"
Munchlax, who was enjoying a good time, opened its eyes.
Oh no!
It looked toward the shore.
Lucas and Gengar were looking at it angrily.
"Munchlax lax—" Hee hee—I couldn't help it, oops—
Staraptor on the tree took a look and shook its head.
"Staraptor sound—" How did you think of letting Munchlax wash the berries by itself— Did you forget why it came to the Breeding House?
Lucas: ————
"Now, immediately, right now, finish washing the berries and scoop them up for me! Otherwise, you'll go hungry tonight!"
"Munchlax lax!" No! I don't want to go without food!
Munchlax nimbly scooped up all the berries in the water and tossed them into the basket.
It was so fast, not at all like Munchlax.
Lucas looked at the Lapras Siblings on the side, "Don't you laugh, either. You're in on this too."
Lapras Siblings: ————
Lapras Brother: We're already full.
Lapras Sister: That's right, we're very full.
"Staraptor, help me keep an eye on it. Don't let Munchlax sneak any more."
Staraptor on the tree nodded, indicating it would watch.
Lucas could still trust Staraptor.
So Lucas took Gengar back to the new planting area and continued pruning the branches and leaves.
After Lucas left.
Staraptor: Munchlax, toss me a Salac Berry.
Munchlax: Huh? But didn't Lucas say—
Staraptor: It doesn't know, one for you and one for me.
Munchlax: That seems right, hehe.
While Lucas and the Pokémon of the Breeding House started working, on the other side in Sandgem Town, at Professor Rowan's Research Institute.
"Professor, did you find any reason?"
Jenny walked into the Research Institute and asked Professor Rowan.
"No."
Professor Rowan shook his head.
"Now everyone in town is saying that the place is haunted. Many Trainers have already gone over there, and then disappeared."
Jenny said, frowning.
"It's hard to say right now. Whether it's a strange phenomenon or the cause of a Pokémon, we need to understand it in depth."
As a famous professor in the Sinnoh region, Professor Rowan was a staunch materialist; he didn't believe the world had ghosts or gods. If they existed, they were just Pokémon.
"But the problem is that we can't get in. I tried, but was forced back by a sandstorm."
Jenny sighed and said.
"I sent the Research Institute's Pokémon to go there once, but when they came back, they were all full of fear. It seems like there is something very terrifying inside."
Professor Rowan also frowned.
"Could it be that ghosts really exist in this world?"
"I reported it to the League. Elite Four Lucian is on vacation and can't be reached. Grandma Bertha is at Mt. Coronet handling matters. Aaron needs to stay at the League. Elite Four Flint and Gym Leader Volkner are training overseas and are on their way back. Champion Cynthia has gone to another region for exchange studies."
Jenny said: "I uploaded the data. The person in charge at the League speculates that it's best to have someone with Elite-level strength or above to solve it. But currently, our region's Champion and Elite Four are not here. Elite Four Flint and Gym Leader Volkner need some time to return. What should we do now?"
"Professor, the longer we delay, the more dangerous it is for those missing Trainers."
"Wait, did you contact Lucas?"
Professor Rowan hadn't heard Lucas's name; he looked at Jenny and asked.
"Lucas? Why call him? Didn't the person in charge at the League say it's best to have a Trainer with Elite-level strength or above?"
Jenny was puzzled.
Professor Rowan said something that shocked Jenny, "Lucas defeated Cynthia, so he counts as a Sinnoh Champion too!"
"Huh?!"
"After the Lily of the Valley Conference, Lucas challenged Cynthia and ended up winning. It's just that few people know about it. I thought the League had already reported this matter to both your Jenny and Joy families."
Jenny of Sandgem Town just remembered that it seemed like she had received news a while ago that a new Champion had appeared in the Sinnoh region, but it wasn't a Sinnoh Champion in the true sense.
At the time, she saw that Cynthia was still acting as the Champion, so she didn't look into it much.
So that person was Lucas?
"So is Lucas the Champion now?"
"No, to be precise, the Champion is still Cynthia."
"Sigh, whoever the Champion is, it doesn't matter. Does that mean he has the ability to solve it?"
"He should. Let me contact him and see."
"Okay, please."
"What? Sandgem Town is haunted?"
Lucas looked at Gengar, who was waving the large shears, and shouted in shock.
"Aren't the ghosts here with me?"
Professor Rowan on the other side widened his eyes.
"What? Is it haunted there too?!"
Lucas knew Professor Rowan had misunderstood.
"No, no, I was talking about Gengar."
"Anyway, are you free now? Can you come over to Sandgem Town?"
Jenny's voice rang out.
"No problem, right away."
Lucas nodded, nodded at Ninetales who was looking over, then handed the shears to Machoke on the side and walked outside the Breeding House.
Gothitelle, Lilligant, and Gengar followed closely behind.
Dash gave Machoke and Vex some instructions and followed too.
"Staraptor, you, Vespiquen, Heracross, Pinsir, and the Meowstic siblings coordinate with Mrs. Fujino and wait for us to return."
"I'll go help you."
Zoroark's voice rang out.
"Okay, please."
Lucas rode on Ninetales's back and rushed toward Sandgem Town.
It wouldn't really be haunted, right?
***************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌