After reminding them to be careful, Lucas returned to the kitchen with a small basket, preparing the afternoon tea to celebrate Mime Jr. joining the Breeding House.
After afternoon tea, Lucas took Shauna home, then secluded himself in the kitchen, researching other herbal tea making methods.
He let Gengar try some, and seeing Gengar frown in distress, Lucas tasted it himself.
After waiting a while, he found that it was just a bit bitter, everything else was normal.
He just needed to send it to Joy for testing and get a certificate.
Handing the rest to Gengar to deal with, Lucas clapped his hands and went to his room for a shower.
Gengar looked at the several pots of herbal tea in front of him and fell into a dilemma.
He was reluctant to pour it away, but the other Pokémon didn't like drinking it either.
Finally, he pinched his nose and poured all of it into his mouth.
"Gengar—"
Burp~
Then he staggered back to his room.
Over the next few days, it seemed the news of the Breeding House's reopening had spread throughout Twinleaf Town, and people came to the Breeding House in droves.
Lucas was incredibly busy, mainly because a large portion of the visitors weren't there to buy Pokémon eggs or board Pokémon; they just came to look around and chat.
However, he still sold seven Pokémon eggs and that Miracle Seed.
He also made time to discuss the herbal tea business with Jenny and Joy. After Joy's verification and Jenny's assurance, he successfully obtained the certificate, and the herbal tea business could officially begin.
Throughout the process, Mime Jr. began to Mimic Lucas, helping him alleviate pressure. Although he was still young, he shared a lot of the burden with Lucas and Gengar, such as greeting guests. He and Petilil standing in the lounge area were enough to keep the visiting guests settled.
Shauna also slowly began to learn to help Lucas, watering the herb garden and vegetable patch in the backyard, cleaning Torterra, and attempting to greet guests for the first time. Although it ended in failure, these were all huge improvements.
"At this rate, we really won't have enough manpower."
Lucas saw off the first batch of morning guests, took the towel Shauna handed him, and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he spoke.
"Gengar—"
Gengar nodded weakly. After several days of delivering herbal tea and helping to greet guests at the Breeding House, if not for Gengar's help, Lucas felt he truly would have been overwhelmed.
"Mime Jr.~"
Mime Jr. hugged Lucas's leg and cried out.
"Thank you, Mime Jr., and also Shauna and Petilil. If it weren't for you all, Gengar and I really wouldn't know what to do."
Lucas picked up Mime Jr. and Petilil and said with a smile.
"La ji~"
"Mime Jr.~"
Listening to their voices, Lucas's tense mood relaxed.
However, he saw Shauna holding her Pokémon egg, motionless.
"Shauna, congratulations. It's finally about to hatch."
Lucas put Mime Jr. and Petilil down, came in front of her, squatted down, and said with a smile as he looked at the gently swaying Pokémon egg in her arms.
"?!"
Shauna looked up at him, then handed him the Pokémon egg in her arms.
Lucas took it, then placed it on the table, and he, Shauna, and Gengar stared at the Pokémon egg.
Before long, the eggshell was covered in cracks.
Immediately after, a Pokémon poked its head out from inside.
It had a bell-like body, yellow, with short limbs, and red and white ribbons on its head.
"Chingling~"
As the sound rang out, Lucas nudged Shauna, who was silently staring intently at Chingling, signaling her to go forward.
Watching Shauna walk forward, Lucas focused his attention.
[Chingling]
[Attribute: Psychic]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Levitate]
[Known Moves: Wrap, Growl]
[Mood: Confused]
[Status: A little scared (Where's mommy?)]
[Friendship: 30 (You've met)]
[Introduction: The hatched Chingling, Shauna's first Pokémon. It seems to have mistaken Shauna for its mother?]
"H-hello, Chingling."
Looking back at Lucas, and receiving his affirmative gaze, Shauna turned her head and said earnestly to Chingling.
"Chingling?"
"Chingling~"
Chingling gently Bounced into Shauna's arms.
"Chingling~"
Mommy~
Shauna didn't know what its Growl meant; she only knew that Chingling liked her very much, so she hugged Chingling, listening to its pleasant sounds.
Her Growl was filled with happy smiles.
Lucas seized the opportunity and pressed the shutter.
Afterward, Shauna introduced Lucas and Gengar to Chingling, and then, imitating Lucas, she earnestly introduced Chingling to them.
"Hello there, Chingling."
"Gengar—"
"La ji~"
"Ni heh."
"Mime Jr.~"
Chingling's dark eyes looked at these older siblings, Bouncing ceaselessly and making pleasant sounds.
"Chingling~"
Finally, Shauna hugged Chingling and looked at it earnestly.
"My name is Shauna. From now on, I'll call you Little Bell, okay?"
Chingling nodded happily.
Shauna smiled happily again.
Lucas tapped her shoulder. She looked back and saw that Lucas had a shrunken Poké Ball in his hand.
Shauna was stunned, and Lucas encouraged her with his eyes.
Shauna nodded earnestly, then took the Poké Ball and looked at Chingling.
"Little Bell, will you come with me?"
"Chingling~"
Lucas helped her enlarge the Poké Ball, then held her hand and gently pressed the Poké Ball against Chingling's body.
Ding-dong~
Perfect capture.
It was then that he noticed the expression in Mime Jr.'s eyes, then he also pulled out a Poké Ball, squatted down, and placed it in front of Mime Jr.
"Mime Jr., will you come with me?"
Mime Jr. looked at Lucas in front of him, then glanced at the other Pokémon around him; his older siblings were all looking at him expectantly.
Then he nodded and lightly pressed the Poké Ball with his small hand.
Ding-dong!
It was also a perfect capture.
Lucas felt the Poké Ball in his hand. Although it wasn't his first time catching a Pokémon, his emotions were still complex. Finally, he laughed, stood up, and struck a chuunibyou pose.
"Mime Jr., Get ☆ Gaze!"
"Gengar—"
Gengar, biting a white cloth he pulled out from who knows where, floated beside Lucas, tears streaming down his face.
The other Pokémon classmates cheered happily.
Shauna was stunned by Lucas's actions, then imitated him, striking the same pose.
"L-Little Bell, Get ☆ Gaze!"
Patting her little head, Lucas released Mime Jr. and told Shauna to take them to the lounge area to watch TV.
He, meanwhile, answered the phone and then tallied the number of people who needed petilil herbal tea today.
Shauna was in the lounge area, Chingling leaning on her shoulder, Petilil held in her arms, and Mime Jr. sat beside her, hugging the energy cubes Lucas had prepared for them, eating while watching TV.
However, Shauna kept looking towards Lucas.
After Lucas finished tallying, he found some herbal tea lists that he had asked someone to make two days ago, stuffed them into Gengar's small bag, and finally put the herbal tea in as well.
"Uncle."
Shauna called out.
"What is it, Shauna?"
Lucas stopped what he was doing, turned to Shauna, and asked.
"Um, today's herbal tea... c-can I go deliver it?"
Shauna seemed to have made a huge decision and continued, "Because I also want to help you and Gengar. Now I also have Little Bell, so can I go help you deliver the herbal tea?"
Lucas looked at Shauna in surprise. On her delicate little face, there was some fear and worry about delivering herbal tea, but also a genuine desire to help.
Lucas smiled, "Of course, then I'll trouble Shauna and Little Bell."
Shauna looked at Lucas, whose face wore a gentle smile, and her eyes immediately filled with tears. Then she nodded heavily.
"Mm, I'll do my best!"