Paul heard Lucas's words and looked at Staravia.
He fell silent.
Seeing this, Lucas sighed softly and said,
"Actually, there's nothing wrong with only choosing powerful Pokémon."
Paul looked up at Lucas.
"There's no right or wrong between choosing powerful Pokémon and raising weak Pokémon."
"It all depends on the feelings the Trainer invests in their Pokémon."
Paul remained silent.
But he seemed to be lost in thought.
Lucas chuckled, looking at his constipated expression.
Then he looked at Staravia.
Staravia nodded gently.
"Go."
Paul looked at Staravia in confusion.
Staravia nodded at him.
It indicated that it accepted him.
He took out a Poké Ball and recalled Staravia into it.
Ding dong~
There was no extra resistance.
Paul looked at the Poké Ball in his hand, which now held a powerful Staravia.
He smiled.
Then, in front of everyone, he released a Starly.
Gary frowned at this.
Paul then bowed to Lucas.
"Thank you for your guidance."
Then he turned and left.
Gary looked at his retreating back, wanting to speak but holding back.
At this moment, Lucas spoke again.
"One day you will understand."
"Perhaps then you can come back again."
Paul paused, then continued to walk away.
Lucas shook his head.
At this point, Gary said,
"Manager, can his strength really match Staravia?"
Gary subtly questioned his strength.
But what bothered him most was Paul's attitude towards Pokémon.
Lucas explained the whole situation to him.
Gary nodded.
So, he was influenced by his brother and began seeking powerful Pokémon to achieve his goals.
"But Staravia—"
Lucas smiled.
"Gary."
"Yes."
"What do you think will happen if such a proud person is one day abandoned by a Pokémon?"
Gary remembered his past self, until he was finally defeated by Ash.
He smiled and replied to Lucas:
"Manager, are you saying…"
Lucas nodded.
"You forgot, the Pokémon at our Breeding House look for Trainers through a two-way process. Just like him, he can release weak Pokémon, so the Pokémon at the Breeding House can also dislike his weakness and leave him."
"After all, a bond without emotion as a tie is probably as fragile as a piece of paper."
"Then why did the Manager still let him take Staravia?"
Gary seemed to understand Lucas's meaning.
Lucas returned to the lounge and sat down. Vulpix bounced into his arms and found a comfortable position to lie down.
Lilligant stood on Lucas's left and right, accompanied by Roselia.
Gengar, however, looked resentful and didn't want to talk to Lucas.
It squatted in the corner, drawing circles.
Mime Jr. and Gothorita were comforting Gengar.
Lucas glanced at Gary.
As expected of Professor Oak's grandson.
He understood with a single hint.
Then he looked at Gengar.
"Alright, I know I was wrong. I'll make you a different snack tonight, okay?"
The next second, Gengar disappeared directly from Mime Jr., Gothorita, and Misdreavus's sight.
Then Lucas felt a comfortable sensation on his shoulder.
Looking at Gengar, who was standing behind him and massaging his shoulders, Lucas rolled his eyes.
It's really you, glutton.
He closed his eyes and began to enjoy Gengar's massage.
Gengar just wanted to act a little spoiled and be comforted. What could it have done wrong?
"Gen gar—"
What are we eating tonight?
"It's a secret!"
"Uncle, I don't like that big brother. He abandoned a Pokémon."
Shauna's voice came over, and after speaking, she glanced at Lilligant.
Lucas opened his eyes and gently pinched her little cheek.
"Actually, there's still a difference. There was almost no emotion between him and that Starly, so releasing it didn't have much impact on Starly."
"And he even told Starly beforehand; he didn't abandon it suddenly."
Lilligant listened quietly from the side.
Now it could face this topic calmly.
"And, Shauna."
"Hmm?"
"Perhaps in a few years, when you want to travel, you'll understand."
"Different Trainers choose Pokémon differently. Some might be like him, preferring to seek powerful Pokémon. Some might be like Gary's friends, starting from scratch to train their team every time they go to a new region."
"But neither of these approaches is right or wrong."
"Then is he not wrong either?"
"I don't know if he's wrong, but I do know that he will correct himself eventually."
The bond without emotion as a tie, and the bond with emotions like "stand up" and "I believe in you" as a tie, often see more miracles displayed by the latter.
"Oh, then I know. He was still wrong, just in one aspect."
Lucas and Gary exchanged glances, then both laughed, "So smart, Shauna."
After lunch, Lucas packed the herbal tea for Shauna.
Looking at Petilil, who had evolved into Lilligant, he wrote some notes.
It said that Petilil had evolved into Lilligant, and petilil herbal tea might be discontinued in a few days.
Then he put it into Shauna's small bag and patted her little head.
"Let's go. Be careful."
Shauna nodded, then imitated Lucas and patted Arcanine's head.
Arcanine barked loudly.
They set off.
Mr. and Mrs. Fujino also went back to pack their things.
Back in the lounge, Lucas planned the Breeding House's next steps.
After a while, Gary finished his matters.
Shauna also returned after delivering the herbal tea.
Lucas took out Shauna's small bag from yesterday's snack sales; it was bulging.
He poured out all the money inside, and then the three of them counted it.
Throughout the process, Shauna's mouth couldn't stop smiling.
After counting, Lucas was a bit shocked.
Earned so much?!
However, he looked at Shauna.
"Uncle, isn't Shauna amazing?"
"Very amazing. You earned so much, even more amazing than Uncle."
"Hehe, actually, it's also thanks to Little Ding-Dong, Petilil, oh no, Lilligant, and them."
Lucas followed her words, praising them one by one.
Then he also praised Gengar.
"Gen gar—"
Gengar stuck out its Lickitung and leaned in.
"Uncle will keep this money for you, as your startup fund for when you turn ten. Whether you want to be a Trainer, a Coordinator, or even a Breeder, you can use this fund to travel."
"But Uncle, this is money earned for the Breeding House."
"That's right, you're also a member of the Breeding House."
"That's not how it's calculated."
"That is how it's calculated."
"Oh, Uncle, you, oh, that's not how it's calculated."
Looking at Shauna's puffed-up cheeks, Lucas couldn't help but burst into laughter. Then he pinched her little nose.
"Uncle also has this much money. How about this, Uncle takes half, and the other half is saved for you, okay? If not, Uncle won't take a single cent."
Shauna's eyes darted around, and then she reluctantly agreed.
Seeing this, the Breeding House was once again filled with laughter.
After dinner, Gary watched Lucas, who was sitting on the grass watching Dash, Bolt, and Vex wrestle, and walked over to him and Shauna, sitting down.
"Manager…"
"Leaving?"
Gary was stunned, looking at Lucas, who was still looking straight ahead, without turning his head.
"Yes, it's time to go back. I also want to see my good friends."
Lucas smiled, then turned his head to look at Gary.
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Is Big Brother Gary leaving too?"
Shauna came to Gary's side and asked him.
"Yes, Big Brother Gary is also going home."
Gary had also started to become gentle.
"Then, Big Brother Gary, will you still come here to play with Shauna?"
Gary smiled, "Definitely, after all, the Manager is Big Brother Gary's teacher."
"Then you must remember to come back and play with Shauna."
Shauna held out her pinky finger.
"Pinky promise."
"Pinky promise."
Looking at the two, one big and one small, making a pinky promise, Lucas couldn't help but laugh.
How heartwarming, this scene.
Then Gary looked at Lucas.
"Manager, I have a request."
"Hmm?"
"Let's have a battle, please, a full-power one."
2
Lucas was a bit dazed, then reacted.
"Okay."
As soon as he spoke, the Pokémon of the Breeding House immediately gathered around.
The Pokémon behind Lucas, the Pokémon behind Gary, and the Pokémon standing behind Shauna.