It seemed the time for new Gym challenges had begun. Over the next few days, many ten-year-old youngsters, accompanied by family or friends, or even alone, came to the Breeding House to purchase pokémon eggs.
In just three days, Lucas sold twelve pokémon eggs.
These included eggs of powerful Pokémon like Rhyhorn and Gligar, as well as Wurmple.
Lucas was currently sitting in the lounge area, editing a video he had taken at the festival, preparing to post it online.
Just then, Swampert walked over, and Lucas looked up at it.
He saw that it was holding a pokémon egg in its hand.
This was—an egg?
Lucas stood up and took the pokémon egg from Swampert's hand.
He called out to Gengar, asking it to bring over the stethoscope.
With the stethoscope in place, Lucas began to check the health of the pokémon egg.
[Mudkip's Egg] [Hatching Progress: 1/30]
[As the first egg laid in the Breeding House, it seems to have been influenced by the Breeding House.]
[Excellent Quality]
Lucas closed his eyes, feeling the small life inside the egg, watching its unformed little hand seem to move, as if waving at him.
Lucas put away the stethoscope and looked at the text that appeared.
This time, there was an introduction, and also 'Excellent Quality'.
What did that mean?
Lucas suddenly frowned.
Did this mean the Mudkip hatched from this egg would have better aptitude?
Next to him, Swampert saw Lucas frown and panicked.
Then it quickly asked Lucas a question.
Lucas came back to his senses and, looking at the worried Swampert, shook his head and said with a smile, "It's very healthy, and I believe its aptitude will be excellent."
Taking the egg, Swampert listened to Lucas's words, looked at the assertive Lucas, then lowered its head to glance at the egg in its hand, and happily returned to the backyard with the egg.
Lucas then called the teenager who had left Swampert and Quagsire at the Breeding House to lay eggs.
The teenager said he would come to pick them up tomorrow.
After finishing all of this, Lucas lay back in his chair.
The next second, his phone rang. Lucas took it out and saw it was a video call from Professor Rowan.
After Lucas answered, Professor Rowan's serious face filled the entire screen.
"Hello, is this Lucas?"
"Yes, Professor Rowan, is there something you need my help with?"
Professor Rowan on the other side of the screen nodded, "It's like this: isn't it time to choose Starter Pokemon recently? In previous years, some Starter Pokemon would escape from the research lab around this time, and today is no different; a few have run out. However, the research lab is a bit short-staffed right now, and there are also quite a few children coming to choose, so I wanted to ask if you have time to come and lend me a hand."
Lucas nodded after listening.
"Okay, I'll head over to the research lab in a bit."
"That fast? Alright, do you need me to send a Pokémon to pick you up?"
Lucas shook his head. The Breeding House had Rapidash, so he could just ride it over.
Professor Rowan indicated he understood, and then Lucas heard someone on the other end say that another Piplup had escaped, after which the call was disconnected.
Lucas looked at the disconnected call and stood up.
"Lilligant, go bring the sign back in."
Lilligant nodded and ran out.
"What's wrong, Uncle? Are you going out again?"
Shauna, who had just returned from the backyard, saw Lilligant bringing in the 'Open' sign from outside and asked curiously.
"Yes, Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town needs my help, so I'm going to help him."
Shauna rolled her eyes.
"Am I going too?"
"Yes."
Shauna remembered how many customers had come in the past few days. If they closed today, wouldn't they lose a lot of money, and many people would be sad if they couldn't buy a pokémon egg?
Therefore, she made a decision: "Uncle."
"What's wrong?"
Lucas was a little confused and turned to look at her.
Shauna said clearly, "Can I not go?"
Lucas was stunned for a moment, nodded, and then asked, "Yes, you can, but can I know why you don't want to go?"
"Because the Breeding House has been very busy lately, and many people who want to buy pokémon eggs will come to buy them. If we close, they will be very sad if they come and can't buy any."
Lucas laughed and then said, "We're not not coming back; we can open again tomorrow."
"No, many people will be very uncomfortable waiting another day."
Looking at Shauna's serious expression, Lucas was stunned.
"So, Shauna wants to stay and look after the shop for Uncle?"
"Yes!"
Lucas thought for a while. It was understandable for Shauna to have such an idea.
However, he was still a little worried about her being alone in the Breeding House.
Sensing Lucas's concerns, Shauna sweetly said, "It's okay, Uncle, Pinsir and the others will protect me."
Pinsir, whose name was mentioned, immediately puffed out its chest.
"Heri!"
Yes, that's right!
Lucas thought about it and finally nodded.
"Alright then, I'll make you dinner before I leave."
"Oh, no need! Mime Jr. and I can cook."
"But—"
"Uncle, you don't have to worry about me! Go help quickly, someone needs you to save the world!"
Shauna pushed Lucas out, then imitated the movements of Ultraman from the anime.
Lucas smiled helplessly and could only give up.
Standing at the entrance of the Breeding House, Lucas looked at the group of Pokémon. This time, he only brought Gengar, Vex, Gothorita, and Luxray, plus a Staraptor. Lilligant, Machoke, Vex, Vulpix, Mime Jr., Vespiquen, Roselia, Pinsir, Heracross, Marill, Gliscor, and Misdreavus remained in the Breeding House to maintain its normal operation and protect Shauna.
"Shauna, if anyone comes to buy pokémon eggs, call me. Also, if anything happens, you must call me."
Shauna nodded in understanding.
Afterward, Lucas, looking worried, mounted Rapidash.
Under Shauna's wave, he headed towards Sandgem Town.
Watching Lucas disappear, Shauna picked up Vulpix and sat down in the lounge area.
Her expression was serious.
She quietly waited for customers to arrive.
Soon after Lucas left, a middle-aged woman entered the Breeding House with a young boy.
Shauna stood up and, with Lilligant, went to greet them.
"Hello, welcome to Uncle's Breeding House."
Lilligant, hearing Shauna speak, silently moved to the side.
It picked up Lucas's phone, which he had left in the Breeding House, and secretly called him.
Lucas, sitting on Rapidash's back, answered the video call. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Lilligant on the other side of the screen shush him.
Immediately after, he heard Shauna's voice coming through.
"Uncle isn't here right now; he went to help Professor Rowan. He entrusted the shop-watching duty to me. I'm his little assistant, Shauna. May I ask if you need any help?"
Listening to Shauna using phrases she had learned from him, combined with sales tactics she had picked up from watching TV, and hearing her pretend to be an adult, he couldn't help but smile.
"Oh, I see. It's like this. I want to buy a pokémon egg for Quiana. Do you have any recommendations?"
Shauna recalled Lucas's previous conversations in her mind.
"What type does he need?"
"What types are there?"
"If it's for battling, choose a stronger one. If it's for a pet, choose a cuter one."
Shauna recalled and spoke, using her own words.
The young boy suddenly spoke, "Do you have Shinx here?"
Shauna froze.
Shinx?
She led them into the incubation room, looking at the pokémon eggs, wondering which one was Shinx's.
Just as she was at a loss, Lilligant, under Lucas's guidance, silently walked to a pokémon egg.
"Cough, cough—"
Shauna turned her head, glanced at the coughing Lilligant, and ran over.
Found it! The Shinx egg!
Then she put on the stethoscope, mimicking Lucas as she checked the egg's health.
"That's great! This egg is very healthy!"
Shauna handed the stethoscope to Lilligant and, with Heracross's help, took down the egg.
"Would you like it?"
The little boy nodded.
"How much is it?"
Shauna pulled out a small notebook from her small backpack. It contained the prices of different pokémon eggs that she had secretly recorded while following Lucas around.
"For Shinx—I found it, 120,000 League Coins!"
The little boy took the pokémon egg. The aunt, while paying, suddenly said,
"You're selling it too expensively. Other places only sell it for 90,000. How about this, I'll give you 100,000."
After saying that, she gave 100,000 and, taking the boy, turned to leave.
Shauna ran to the door, spread her arms, and blocked them.
"One! Hundred! Twenty! Thousand! League! Coins!"
She puffed out her cheeks and said each word distinctly.
The aunt wanted to push Shauna away but found themselves surrounded by Pokémon.
"You little girl, I've already given you more money, why are you still chattering?"
"I said, One! Hundred! Twenty! Thousand!"
Shauna ignored her and continued to speak.
Lilligant's eyes narrowed slightly, and grass-type energy began to gather in its hands.
"What? You want to bully a little girl?"
A soft laugh came from outside the door. Nina, dressed in casual clothes, walked in, accompanied by Jenny.
"Sister Nina, Sister Reese."
Shauna happily called out, then pouted and complained to them.
Jenny's eyes narrowed slightly.
The aunt quickly pulled out the money.
"I've decided, I'm not selling it to you!"
After saying that, she snatched the pokémon egg back.
The boy immediately burst into tears.
The aunt continued to say something.
"Aren't you afraid the owner of this Breeding House will come back and find out you ruined his business, then scold you?"
Shauna was stunned.
"Shauna's meaning is my meaning."
Hearing Lucas's voice coming from the phone, Shauna's eyes reddened.
"Get out. I'm not selling to you!"
After saying that, Shauna hugged the pokémon egg and placed it back in the incubation room.
....
Power Stones PLZZZZZ
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