Chapter 392:
"Serperior?"
Serperior remained coiled in place. Hearing this topic, it lost interest again and lowered its head. "Serperior..."
It meant, whenever is fine.
It wasn't very interested in this.
Although Kaede really wanted to talk with Serperior, seeing its lack of interest, he could only helplessly sit on the bed and watch the anime with the Eeveelutions.
He also took the opportunity to organize his thoughts on what needed to be done next.
1. Take Salamence to destroy the Team Rocket research facility experimenting on Pokémon.
He needed to ask Mewtwo for the location. This was a serious matter requiring caution. To prevent Team Rocket's various high-tech countermeasures, he needed not only Mewtwo but also secretly ask Giratina for help. If possible, getting Mew involved would be best.
Furthermore, he should have Mew wait in the Reverse World as backup and for an ambush. Hayashi Kaede thought this to himself. Better safe than sorry.
2. The Tree of Beginning.
He was a bit worried about this. It had been over twenty days, and Mew still hadn't returned. That's why he suggested taking Serperior to the Tree of Beginning to check if something was wrong. But he wasn't excessively worried.
Because Jirachi hadn't entered his dreams yet, which probably meant Mew and it were having fun somewhere and had just gotten carried away. Otherwise, Jirachi would have told him by now.
3. Finally, there was Happiny!
That girl... what was her name again?
Hayashi Kaede's mind blanked for a moment; he couldn't remember the girl's name. But he remembered her Pokémon clearly: a Delphox and a Larvitar that Little Nine had enraged so much it seemed to "overheat."
He wondered if it had evolved yet.
"Happiny, when will the Happiny be born?"
Hayashi Kaede picked up his phone to check.
Since Happiny are born when Blissey holds a Luck Incense, and the Luck Incense plant matures in spring...
A quick search revealed that the Luck Incense ripens around this time, specifically from mid-March to April in the Eastova region.
After gathering this information, Hayashi Kaede was about to send a message to the Larvitar's trainer when Alolan Ninetales and the Eeveelutions finished the last episode and came over to pester him.
They started telling him about the final episode's plot.
They said that Captain Pikachu, in the end, to protect his kin, unleashed a "Ten Million Volts Thunderbolt" and defeated the Onix and Nidoking helpers that the bad Pikachu had called upon.
But under the power of the Ten Million Volts Thunderbolt, Captain Pikachu's own mask shattered.
Then came the much-anticipated reunion scene.
Everyone was incredulous. The worst Pikachu in the village, the one always absent during enemy attacks, was actually the legendary Captain Pikachu?
For a moment, gratitude, disbelief, regret—all sorts of emotions appeared on everyone's faces.
This plot twist provided immense emotional satisfaction for the inexperienced Eeveelutions and Alolan Ninetales.
To be honest, although the plot was cliché, the "coward turns out to be the hero" trope really tugs at the heartstrings.
Kaede could only put away his phone, play along with them for a while, and just as he was about to tell them it was time for bed,
Little Three suddenly jumped off the bed. It stealthily padded over, moving very quietly, and approached Serperior.
But for Serperior, who possessed Aura abilities and was the strongest in the household, even without actively sensing, it could detect someone approaching.
"Serperior..."
Serperior lifted its serpentine eyes to look at the Eeveelution before it, seemingly asking Little Three what it wanted.
But this startled the already cautious Little Three.
It hurriedly waved its leaf-like appendages, flustered and speaking incoherently, "Eevee!"
Then, seeing Kaede sitting nearby, it immediately ran behind him, not daring to look up.
This sudden scene made him freeze for a moment too.
But then, a faint, subtle, elegant grassy fragrance seemed to burst forth.
Hayashi Kaede looked down; this scent was emanating from Leafeon.
"What's wrong, still feeling shy?" Kaede asked, puzzled, as he picked up Little Three from behind him.
Now that it had evolved, the Eeveelution was much larger. Before, he could lift it easily, but now holding it was like holding a large dog, having to place it on his lap.
Hayashi Kaede held it, making it face Serperior.
Unexpectedly, Little Three became even shyer, using its two front paws and ears to cover its face, not daring to look at Serperior at all.
"Eevee..."
Even its vocalizations sounded somewhat panicked.
This made Kaede's expression stiffen, and a bad thought crossed his mind.
*No way...*
*It can't be...*
*Did Leafeon develop a crush on Serperior?*
Although most Pokémon have simple personalities, they can still form romantic attachments and produce offspring.
A clear example is Oshawott, which Ash caught in the Unova region.
During its travels with Ash, it developed feelings for three different Pokémon at various points: Emolga, Purrloin, and Meloetta.
This gave Kaede a huge fright. He subconsciously checked Leafeon's gender again.
Female.
But that wouldn't work!
Serperior was also female.
Hayashi Kaede hurriedly pulled Little Three's paws away from its eyes, about to tell it this wasn't possible, when he suddenly realized that his earlier thought was just his own speculation.
He couldn't just assign meaning to Leafeon's actions; if he was wrong, it would be a huge misunderstanding.
Thinking this, Hayashi Kaede looked into Leafeon's eyes.
Its amber eyes showed unease and anxiety.
Hayashi Kaede patiently asked, "Little Three, why do you feel shy when you see Serperior?"
"Eevee?"
Leafeon froze for a moment, then its light yellow face actually visibly blushed.
It mumbled something in a tone Hayashi Kaede could barely make out, "Eevee..."
Hayashi Kaede: "???"
As Serperior also curiously leaned closer, Leafeon became even more restless.
Hayashi Kaede looked carefully into its eyes.
*Shyness, admiration, expectation, but most of all—worship.*
He suddenly understood!
"Serperior..."
Serperior cautiously extended a vine. "Serperior?" (What's wrong with you?)
Unexpectedly, Leafeon directly shouted out loud, "Eevee!" (I will definitely learn properly from Big Sister Serperior!)
Its demeanor was as pious as a young devotee seeing their revered senior.
Serperior: "???"
"Ninetales?"
Alolan Ninetales also came over. Upon hearing Leafeon's statement,
its face immediately changed.
*Aren't you my little sister?*
*Why are you suddenly wanting to learn from Serperior?*
But Alolan Ninetales looked at Serperior, and a bunch of words got stuck in its throat.
Thinking back to when it was small, it had even been held by Serperior.
Back then, Serperior still had arms....
Seeing this, Hayashi Kaede breathed a sigh of relief.
This outcome, while a bit "passionate", was still acceptable...
Serperior, however, remained frozen in place, unsure how to respond.