Chapter 69:
Barbecue, green dumplings, fruit smoothies, energy cubes, fresh raw vegetables, and an array of chilled drinks… together they formed the heart of the night's celebration.
Above, the summer sky glittered. Stars shimmered like curious guests, watching the gathering below with quiet joy.
Because the Plantation's Pokémon came in all shapes and appetites, Hayashi Kaede had prepared a spread to suit every taste. The grilled dishes skewed toward Fire-type preferences, so naturally most of them ended up in the eager bellies of Charmeleon and Pidgeot.
But what truly stunned Kaede was Torchic's bottomless appetite.
He'd bought five pounds of pork belly. Four pounds disappeared into Torchic alone—alongside a generous helping of roasted vegetables.
*Hiss…* The pile looked massive even before cooking. Kaede couldn't fathom where Torchic had stored it all.
And yet, Torchic looked as if it could still eat more.
Fueled by the lingering buffs of the barbecue feast, the little Fire-type became almost giddy, as if tipsy on pure energy. Sparks danced at its wingtips as it dashed back and forth across the open ground, alternating bursts of Quick Attack and Flame Charge.
With Gardevoir keeping a close eye on things, Kaede wasn't worried about stray embers igniting the nearby forest. Under the pale moonlight, Torchic's flickering silhouette traced brief, fire-bright streaks through the night—like small fireworks in motion.
Bounsweet, by contrast, spent the evening in gentler company. Because of her tiny size—more like a newborn than a battle-ready Pokémon—she was scooped up by Miltank and perched on a low stool beside the cowshed.
"Moo?" (Is my milk tasty?) one Miltank asked warmly.
"Moo~" (And mine too\~)
Bounsweet sipped fresh Moomoo Milk through a straw and let out a content little chirp. "Bounsweet?" (Is this really yours?)
"Moo!" (That's right!)
Another Miltank leaned in. "Moo?" (Want some right from the source?)
"Bounsweet?" (Haven't I already finished a cup?)
"Moo…" (Well, since I've been eating more here, my milk output's improved…)
The others didn't sound disappointed—if anything, they started chatting amongst themselves.
"Moo~" (I produce two buckets a day now—feels like the quality's gone up too.)
"Moo~" (This rancher is so kind… I could give him milk for the rest of my life.)
"Moo~" (Count me in for that!)
Bounsweet drained her cup in silence after that, though a faint crease of puzzlement lingered in her expression.
"Is it… really that good here?" she wondered.
---
When the dinner finally wound down, Kaede began assigning sleeping arrangements. There wasn't much to decide: the cabins and nests for Torchic and Bounsweet hadn't been built yet, so they would spend the night in the cowshed with Miltank and Caterpie.
Kaede did, however, remind Torchic firmly not to sneak a midnight snack involving Caterpie.
Brionne returned to the Reservoir with Milotic, their silhouettes vanishing into the moonlit water.
Once everyone was settled, Kaede exhaled in relief and turned to clean up the litter from the meal. Before he could begin, Gardevoir floated down from above, a glass of iced drink in hand.
"Gardevoir?" (What about me?)
"…Hm?"
Kaede blinked. Then he realized—Gardevoir had spent the past days shuttling between Aogiri Forest and the Plantation to care for the three newcomers. Now that Torchic, Bounsweet, and Brionne lived here, there was no need for that daily commute.
And he had been dropping hints—more than once—that he wanted Gardevoir to join him formally.
His heartbeat quickened as the possibility crystallized. Slowly, he drew a Poké Ball from his pocket. "I have a good Poké Ball here. What do you think?"
Gardevoir drifted closer, gaze steady. "Gardevoir…" (You planned to capture me from the start, didn't you?)
Looking at her slender form, Kaede didn't bother denying it. "Of course. But it still depends on your choice. You've grown this strong—you must've had many offers from other trainers."
His voice was plain, his eyes direct. He had always carried a deep fascination with Psychic-type Pokémon.
"Gardevoir"
Gardevoir studied him for a long moment. Then, without another word, she floated to the Poké Ball and tapped it with a single finger.
A chime of red light enveloped her. The ball shook once… twice… then stilled.
She did not emerge immediately. Only after a pause did she release herself, stepping back into the night air.
"Gardevoir~" (The curse on me hasn't been lifted yet, so I won't stay here at night. I'll come back during the day.)
With a sweep of telekinesis, she gathered the garbage into neat piles, sorted by type. Then she began to prepare a teleport.
"Wait!" Kaede called.
"Gardevoir?"
"Take this. Master the curse's power as soon as you can."
He tossed her a bottle of assimilation energy cubes. Gardevoir caught it mid-air with psychic light. Her eyes softened, a pink shimmer flickering across them, before she vanished into the night.
Kaede stood alone, turning the Poké Ball over in his hand. The corners of his mouth curved into an irrepressible grin.
"Yeah~ I caught Gardevoir!"
---
The next morning
Dawned clear and cool, with a light breeze stirring the leaves along the main street of town.
In the kitchen, Kaede rubbed his eyes. After the party, he'd stayed up until 1 a.m. finishing a batch of energy cubes—despite the help of his psychic powers.
Now, Gardevoir floated beside the counter, learning the craft for herself. Watching her, Kaede's fatigue vanished into a foolish, proud smile. Once she mastered a few basic recipes, the Plantation could start producing energy cubes on a large scale.
Recently, someone on breeder net work had even suggested offering express delivery: Gardevoir could teleport orders directly to customers… or perhaps Pidgeotto could handle the flying routes. The idea kept buzzing in his head.
"Gardevoir?" (Like this?)
A defensive-type energy cube hovered in mid-air, spinning gently before settling into shape. Gardevoir's eyes glimmered with interest—she hadn't expected Kaede to teach a Pokémon the process so seriously.
And, she had to admit, he was a good teacher… and she, a quick learner.
That said, the faintly mischievous smile on his face made her temples throb.
This human definitely had thoughts about her. Improper ones.
She just couldn't find the proof.
Still… she was already his Pokémon now. So what else could he possibly be plotting?
Gardevoir drifted into uneasy thought.