Chapter 795: I'm Home
Four Island.
Just by stepping onto the sandy beach by the coast.
Kazuya's lips couldn't help but curl up uncontrollably.
Even though.
There had long been no one here waiting for him to return.
But.
This was his home.
This fact would not change no matter how much time passed.
However, what Kazuya found strange was...
"Why are you guys even more nervous than I am?"
Kazuya looked at his companions beside him in confusion.
Except for Mewtwo, whose Aura was relatively normal, mostly just showing increased curiosity, the Auras of the others were complex, mixed with heavy nervousness.
"This is Master's hometown! It is the holy land of our sect!"
Scizor raised his arms, almost moved to tears.
With a thud, he directly fell to his knees on the sandy beach.
"..."
Kazuya scratched his head with a dark expression.
He didn't remember establishing any sect.
Before he could pull this idiotic disciple up.
Thud!
Another sound rang out.
The dog beside him also knelt down and said with a tone and expression resembling a pilgrimage: "That's right, this is the hometown of the Eternal Aura Hero, it can be called the legendary Holy Land of Aura! We must show our respect!"
"Meow meow meow!!"
The kitten nearby was laughing so hard she almost lost her mind.
She kept swatting Kazuya's calf with her tail, laughing until she was out of breath.
"It's my first time visiting your home as a guest, and I didn't even bring a gift..."
Dragonite scratched her cheek somewhat embarrassedly.
"It's fine. There's no one home anyway, and I won't be staying here for long."
Kazuya casually waved his hand, signaling her not to worry about it.
With that said.
He stepped forward and gave the bug and the dog a punch each.
The two Pokémon instantly calmed down quite a bit.
The group followed Kazuya as they headed toward his home. Every time they passed a spot, they could hear his explanations.
"When I was still a Piplup, I used to train on this beach with Lorelei. At that time, my talent wasn't very good, but luckily I had the power of Aura..."
"The uncles and aunties on this street were familiar with me. As long as I let them touch my tail, I could get the freshest vegetables every day..."
"The folks at the Pokémon Center are basically all familiar faces. They would often see Mom chasing Lorelei all the way here to beat her up. I would occasionally hide behind Nurse Joy and Chansey to avoid the danger..."
"Following this road to the end is the Icefall Cave, a place covered in ice year-round. Back then, Lorelei insisted on carrying me to that dangerous place. But fortunately, the outcome was good; Lorelei and I met our first companion there, Lapras..."
With every detail Kazuya shared.
The image of Four Island and Kazuya's past became fuller in everyone's hearts.
At the same time, their feelings also became complicated.
They didn't expect Kazuya to remember trivial things from so long ago so clearly.
To Kazuya, this place.
Must be a place holding countless precious memories.
Returning here.
For Kazuya, it might bring some nostalgia and happiness, but it was also inevitable to feel sorrow and pain.
They couldn't do much else but quietly accompany Kazuya.
Continuing along the way.
They arrived at the northernmost edge of the town.
Finally stopping in front of an ordinary two-story Western-style house.
"Is this the place where Lord Kazuya and Elite Four Lorelei once lived? It's much simpler than I imagined."
Lucario looked up at the small house in front of him.
Based on what he had seen along the way.
Although Four Island wasn't large in scale, it wasn't a poor island either.
It was, after all, the hometown of the first batch of Elite Four members of the Indigo League, so it should have received some investment and vigorous development.
Therefore, the buildings on Four Island around League Calendar Year 248 were basically all four or five stories high or more.
And this made the small house in front of them stand out exceptionally.
"What do you know? This is called returning to simplicity, 'a small hermit hides in the wild, a great hermit hides in the city.' You just go and meditate on this level of enlightenment."
Scizor bumped Lucario aside with his shoulder.
"Hehe, it's nothing. Mainly... there was no need to rebuild the house at that time."
Kazuya smiled forcedly, walked forward, and pushed open the front door.
League Calendar Year 248.
This small home had already been deserted for thirty years.
Moreover.
A few years later.
This home would completely lose all its family members.
There was indeed no need for any further construction.
Creak...
The old wooden door was gently pushed open, emitting a somewhat strained sound.
Kazuya stepped into the house and softly murmured, "I'm home."
The words echoed in the quiet hallway.
Receiving no response.
Kazuya stood in the doorway, momentarily losing the desire to step further inside.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"I apologize for the hasty visit and for forgetting to prepare a gift~"
"Meow meow~"
The voices of his companions suddenly rang in his ears.
Kazuya was groggily ushered into the house by everyone.
He smiled knowingly.
His somewhat disappointed mood recovered slightly.
Arriving in the living room.
Kazuya let his companions sit down casually.
He took the ingredients and seasonings he had picked up on the way, preparing to cook a meal for his companions to taste his culinary skills.
"The house is very clean, it looks like someone has been cleaning it."
Skitty curled her paws and tucked herself into a corner of the sofa, feeling very comfortable.
With everyone around.
It was warm and cozy.
"Ah, when I left, I asked a housekeeping company to send someone to clean up every week. Of course, it could also be that Lorelei occasionally came back to clean."
Kazuya, standing in the kitchen, operated everything skillfully.
In reality.
Until his fourth life when he evolved into Empoleon.
He wasn't very good at cooking with a Pokémon's body.
The vast majority of the reason was that he didn't need to.
His first three lives were basically spent in the wild; there was no need for him to cook at all.
Until his fourth life.
Lorelei's father passed away, and her mother had trouble walking.
Kazuya took on all the household chores and cooked for Lorelei's mother every day. From then on, he became a Pokémon proficient in housework.
However.
He was truly a bit rusty now.
After all, the era of his sixth and seventh lives was relatively special, and he had no way to cook. Calculating it, it had been over a hundred years since he properly cooked a meal.
Fortunately, it landed perfectly in the end.
Not to say how incredibly delicious it was, but at least it was definitely food that wouldn't give everyone diarrhea.
The dining table at home couldn't accommodate six large Pokémon.
So everyone just gathered around the living room to eat.
The food Kazuya prepared was a seafood feast.
This was a specialty of the entire Sevii Islands region; since they were here, they had to try it.
Moreover.
For Pokémon.
Eating seafood wasn't as troublesome as it was for humans.
There was no need to pick out bones.
There was no need to peel shells.
Given the hardness of these things, they couldn't cause any harm to the mouths of these Pokémon.
In fact, for a dog like Lucario, these things were excellent for grinding his teeth.
Scizor couldn't wait and threw a Sea Mantis into his mouth first. After chewing casually a couple of times, he immediately scrambled to praise: "Oh my goodness! This is the first time I've eaten such delicious food. It can practically stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Arceus!"
"..."
The five Pokémon, including Kazuya, almost couldn't hold back their expressions.
You praise it before you even taste it.
The dog beside him was an honest child and basically wouldn't lie. After tasting it, he immediately commented: "Umm, the flavor seems a bit bland..."
"What did you say?! What can that dog mouth of yours taste between salty and bland?! Here, my iron pincer has flavor, eat this!"
Before Lucario could finish speaking, Scizor grabbed Lucario's snout and started hollering.
"..."
A drop of cold sweat slid down Lucario's forehead. He blinked and looked at Kazuya for help.
Similar scenes occurred frequently in the past.
Scizor and Lucario were like a pair of frenemies. From their first meeting until now, they often produced such farces.
Of course.
It was basically always Scizor picking on the dog.
Regardless.
Everyone enjoyed this meal very much.
After dinner.
It was almost time for bed.
Everyone leisurely scattered around the living room, finding places they felt comfortable to sleep.
Kazuya's eyes curved into crescents as he smiled and walked upstairs.
Opening the bedroom door.
He saw a Dive Ball gently swaying by the window.
Kazuya's smile quietly faded.
After standing in a daze for two seconds.
He finally walked to the closet, took out a few quilts, and was about to leave.
Before stepping out of the bedroom door.
Kazuya turned his head and softly said to the bed: "I'm home, Lorelei."
The Dive Ball by the window swayed again.
Kazuya smiled faintly, carried the quilts downstairs, and covered his sleeping companions one by one.
Afterward.
Kazuya took a broom from the corner of the living room and went out the door.
Step by step, he headed towards the mountain behind the house.
"Piplup~"
"Piplup~"
Childish calls echoed from the mountain behind.
"Hm?"
Kazuya froze for a moment, thinking he was having auditory hallucinations.
But when the voice continued incessantly.
Kazuya realized it wasn't a hallucination; there really was a Piplup calling out on the mountain behind.
He stopped walking slowly and decisively flew up, rushing to the destination at top speed.
Arriving at that pit from back then.
A Piplup infected by shadow energy entered his sight.
"Piplup!"
The cute little penguin glared with red eyes and headbutted toward Kazuya.
Kazuya sighed, raised the broom in his hand, and gently tapped that round head.
Thud.
Piplup lost its ability to battle.
"I thought it was a surviving Pokémon."
Kazuya shook his head helplessly.
Turning around.
He looked at the several tombstones erected in the pit.
"Mom, Dad, I'm home."
A touch of sorrow appeared on Kazuya's face. He then used the broom in his hand to start clearing the fallen leaves and dust around the tombstones.
Actually, this was unnecessary.
Because the place would change back to how it was every day.
But Kazuya still did it.
Sweeping a tomb.
The act itself holds meaning.
At this moment.
The relaxed Kazuya did not notice.
In the shadows behind the tombstone.
A pair of crimson eyes was actually hiding.
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