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...
In the evening, Caleb brought Felix back to Oldale Town... The two parted ways at the intersection...
Caleb pushed open his front door to find Lily feeding berries to two rabbit-like Pokémon.
They were small in size, with tall perky blue and red ears, each cheek marked with positive and negative electrode patterns. Tiny sparks of electricity occasionally crackled between them.
Upon hearing someone enter, the two little creatures immediately turned alert. The red one protectively shielded its companion with its tiny paws, its face crackling with intense electricity.
"Little Blue, Little Red, it's okay! He's my brother, not a bad guy!" Lily quickly explained.
The Plusle (red one) dispersed the electricity from its cheeks.
Caleb observed the brave Plusle and the Minun (blue one) behind it... Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Are they your friends?"
Lily nodded, scooping both Pokémon into her arms. The Plusle and Minun immediately snuggled their cheeks against her affectionately...
"This afternoon, Uncle Morris took me to play in the forest, and we happened to see them being attacked by a Dustox. Uncle Morris saved them."
"Alright, then. Get along well." Caleb nodded and headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner...
Earlier that day, he had spotted fresh, tender mushrooms in the wild and decided to "skip work" temporarily, taking Mimikyu and Dragonite to forage in the forest.
Tired of instant noodles, Caleb wanted to try something new... He planned on creating his own dish.
He washed the mushrooms, poured water into a pot, and once it boiled, added the mushrooms.
Mimikyu and Dragonite watched the entire process intently.
Caleb wiped his hands and turned to Dragonite, "Want to go out for some fresh air?" he asked.
Under the warm orange light, Dragonite leaned lazily against the doorframe and shook its head.
It found its trainer's clumsy cooking attempts amusing.
Mimikyu, however, eyed the pot with concern...
Back in the wild, it had once eaten a mushroom that knocked it unconscious for hours, causing it to hallucinate countless Pikachus dancing before its eyes.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Caleb glanced through the kitchen window to see a woman with long blue hair standing at his doorstep, holding a bag.
Before he could react, Lily had already dashed to open the door.
"Aunt Reiko, you're here!"
The woman's voice sounded, "Ah, Lily-chan! Is your brother home?"
Caleb stepped out of the kitchen with Dragonite and Mimikyu in tow...
Up close, he could see the woman clearly. She appeared to be in her thirties, and though faint wrinkles framed her eyes, they only enhanced her graceful, mature charm.
Unfamiliar with her, Caleb followed Lily's lead and asked, "Aunt Reiko, what brings you here so late?"
Reiko handed him a box with both hands and replied, "I made some pastries. Thank you so much for looking after our little Felix these past couple of days. It's been a long time since I've seen him smile so brightly!"
So this was Felix's mother. Caleb understood now. He accepted the box with a polite smile.
A delicate floral fragrance wafted from inside. Through the transparent lid, he could see the exquisitely crafted pastries.
"They look delicious. Thank you, Auntie!" Caleb said.
"I won't disturb you any longer." Reiko smiled shyly and left.
Caleb set the box on the table, telling Lily to snack on the pastries while he returned to the kitchen.
The pot was now simmering, releasing a rich mouthwatering aroma... the kind that made one's stomach growl on instinct.
He lifted the lid and scooped a spoonful of broth, then offered it to Mimikyu, "Want to try?"
Mimikyu hesitated, afraid of passing out again, but the thought that its trainer had made this personally made it steel itself like a soldier heading into battle.
Noticing his Pokémon's struggle, Caleb rolled his eyes... As someone from Yunnan, he could generally distinguish poisonous mushrooms from edible ones.
He patted his chest confidently and assured, "Relax, these aren't toxic. Here, I'll try it first!"
He took a sip... It was delicious. He even speared a mushroom with his fork and popped it into his mouth.
The perfect texture, rich broth, and tender flesh melded together in an explosion of flavor.
"See? It's totally fine!" Caleb ladled the soup into bowls as he spoke.
But soon, his vision blurred, and his body felt oddly weightless. A terrible realization dawned on him...
'Damn! Even a seasoned veteran like me could get it wrong sometimes...'
Dragonite and Mimikyu noticed their trainer's odd state and let out alarmed cries.
Dragonite reacted swiftly, rushing over to steady Caleb with its claws.
Caleb: "...I'm fine. The toxicity isn't severe. Just let me lie down for a bit."
Hearing the commotion, Lily hurried in with Plusle and Minun.
Caleb clung to Dragonite's round arm, keeping a straight face as he told Lily, "Our pot suddenly broke. The soup isn't ready yet. Go have dinner at Uncle Morris' place for now."
Lily might be young, but she wasn't stupid. She asked hesitantly, "Onii-chan, are you really okay? You don't look so good..."
Caleb: "..."
Dragonite thoughtfully covered his face with its paw, preserving the last shred of dignity for this self-proclaimed mushroom expert.
Then, the doorbell rang again.
Lily went to answer it while Caleb, now under the effects of a poison debuff, leaned on Dragonite and made his way to the living room.
The door opened. It was Morris...
Morris sniffed the air and said m, "What's that smell? It's so fragrant!"
Caleb deadpanned, replying, "Oh, that's my new cologne. Pretty nice, right?"
Morris looked skeptical, "There's cologne that smells like this?" he asked.
"Dunno. Maybe the manufacturer messed up the ingredients. What's up?" Caleb shrugged.
Hearing this, Morris sat down, then he answered, "Well, I noticed you've recovered a lot compared to a few years ago. How about it? Ever thought about enrolling in the Pokémon School for further studies?"
This wasn't part of Caleb's current main mission. He glanced at Lily and asked, "What about her?"
Morris: "The Pokémon School has a children's division. You two can go together." Then he sighed nostalgically, "Time sure flies... I still remember when I first met you. You were only this tall, "
He gestured to his thigh, "Now you're even taller than me!"
Feeling slightly better, Caleb seized the chance to ask, "Did you know our father?"
Morris nodded, "Of course. I never mentioned it before, but since you asked, I'll tell you everything today!"