Chapter 78:
"Hello?"
A young woman's voice came over the line — tired, but polite.
Hayashi Kaede asked politely, "Hello — is this the Frosty Cake Shop?"
"Yes. I'm sorry — if you've called about leasing the storefront, I have to tell you it was just taken by a company."
"Ah?" Kaede felt as if a stone dropped into his chest. "What about the Alcremie? The Alcremie inside?"
"They weren't for sale. I'm planning to take them back to Hoenn… Wait — you want the Alcremie?"
Kaede breathed out in relief. "Yes — yes, I want the Alcremie. I don't need the shop."
There was a short silence, then the woman seemed to relax. "Okay, understood. I have thirteen Alcremie here. How many do you want?"
"Thirteen?"
Kaede's eyes brightened. "Can I take them all?"
"All of them? I'm a bit worried — can you tell me your address? We should meet in person."
Kaede gave her the address at once.
"Neighbor Breeding House in Aogiri Town, right? Once the rain stops I'll bring them over."
She left those final words and hung up.
"Wahoo~!" Kaede cheered in place. The Alolan Vulpix in his lap startled, bumped the cup, and splashed juice down his thigh with a cool, wet shock.
Kaede: ...
Vulpix: "Vulpix!?"
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ — "I didn't mean to — Trainer!"
…
After the rain, the woman arrived sooner than he expected. Half an hour after the shower ended, a small car pulled up in front of the Breeding House.
A young woman in a white coat — about twenty-six or twenty-seven — stepped out. She smoothed her coat and looked at the Breeding House.
Her name was Koli. She wasn't from this region — she was from Kanto, and a few years ago she'd moved here with her grandfather to care for him while he was ill. Recently, though, her grandfather had passed.
With his passing, she'd lost much of her reason to stay here. What she worried about most was the Alcremie she'd raised — shipping delicate Pokémon across the sea posed a real risk.
She'd tried for days to find good homes online and had managed to rehome seven or eight Alcremie. Most prospective buyers only wanted their cream for a short time, which made Koli uneasy. She needed someone who would truly care for them.
Thirteen remained. She was about to grit her teeth and bring them back to Hoenn herself when Kaede's call had come.
Before coming, Koli had looked the Breeding House up online. She'd found the Breeding Network account and, after watching the videos, was even more surprised. A small, quiet Breeding House tucked away on the edge of town held such rare Pokémon: the Milotic that danced in the water, a powerful Psychic Gardevoir, and a Servine whose Grassy Terrain reached so wide.
She hadn't seen a single bad comment under the videos — only praise for value and for how beautiful the Pokémon looked.
Hearing the car pull off, Kaede hurried out of the Breeding House, "Hello~"
Koli paused. "You're the owner?"
The boy looked barely eighteen, yet had the Breeding House running so neatly. She was impressed.
"Please come in — let's talk." Kaede said with a smile.
Koli stepped inside and, at the doorway, her eyes immediately took in the floating energy blocks sorted by type — each placed neatly on the counters. In the middle of them a Gardevoir hovered, using Telekinesis to arrange the blocks.
Even though she'd seen it on the Breeding Network, Koli still felt surprised. The precise psychic control showed this Gardevoir was powerful.
Kaede guided her into the living area. "You really are as young as your videos make you out to be!" Koli remarked.
"Uh?" Kaede blinked and laughed. "Would you like something to drink? Juice or fresh milk? I recommend the juice — it's sweet."
"Juice, please."
Kaede took a sealed cup of Bounsweet-brand juice from the fridge and handed it over. Koli intended only a sip, but the juice did something unexpected: it eased the tightness she'd been carrying.
Since childhood she'd been raised by her grandfather, and his recent death had left her sleepless and grief-struck. But the juice — lightly sweetened Bounsweet juice — lifted her mood a touch.
"This juice is amazing," she said softly.
Kaede smiled. "Food made by Pokémon often heals the heart."
He'd noticed the sorrow on her brow the moment she'd walked in, which was why he'd offered the juice.
Just then a small figure padded out of the kitchen — Bounsweet, its white fruit flesh visible beneath green leaves. It trotted over on tiny feet, slowed when it saw Koli, and called in a careful tone, "Bounsweet?"
"Bounsweet~" (I finished bathing. I want to find Brionne.)
"Go on, go on." Kaede waved it off and warned, "Don't fall into the reservoir, okay?"
"Bounsweet~!"
Koli blinked at that sight, then smiled. "So this is Bounsweet juice?"
"Yes. I love cooking, so I keep food-producing Pokémon. I'll take good care of them," Kaede said.
Koli nodded — she'd seen the Miltank milking outside and sensed Kaede did make good use of the Alcremie's cream. The worry left her face, replaced by a relieved smile.
She took the Poké Ball pouch from her waist and began taking out the balls one by one. "These are their Poké Balls. I haven't had them long; they're all lovely kids. If you take them in, could you film them and post the videos on the Breeding Network? That way, when I miss them later, I can see them."