Downstairs, Victor saw Shana, the Petilil, and the others all leaning over the counter, staring intently at the flowers in the vase.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he walked over.
Shana looked away from the flowers and up at Victor.
"Uncle, do you like flowers?"
Victor was a bit confused, then looked at the flowers Shana had given him and nodded.
"I do."
Shana thought for a moment, then asked, "Then... uncle, can I plant some flowers in the backyard? Just a small spot is fine."
She made a tiny gesture with her small hands.
Seeing her careful, small gesture, Victor couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright. You can pick a spot, and I'll plant them with you."
"No!" Shana immediately refused.
Victor was stunned, his eyes wide. "Wh-why?"
"Because I want to do it myself. That way, I can give the flowers that I grow to the people and Pokémon I like," Shana said with a serious expression. "When they bloom, I want to give them to Mom and Dad, you, Big Sister Cynthia, Big Sister Jenny, Big Sister Joy, Big Sister Laura, and Gengar and everyone."
"That's why I want to do it myself. Can I, uncle?" Shana looked up at him, pulling on his hands and shaking them back and forth.
Seeing her like this, how could he possibly refuse? "You have to let Gengar and the others help you. Only then will I agree," he said.
Shana thought for a moment, then nodded and replied with a clear, crisp voice.
"Okay."
He then took Shana to the backyard and, according to her request, marked out a piece of land for her, right near the afternoon tea area.
According to her, she planned to build a small border with stones and then plant beautiful flowers inside.
Hearing that it would involve moving stones, Victor glanced at Gengar and the others, then nodded.
Even if she won't let me help, as long as Gengar and the others are here, it shouldn't be a problem.
Victor marked out the area for her, so she could start on her own later.
After getting that settled and playing with Shana for a bit, Victor saw that no more customers were coming, so he closed the shop for the day and started preparing dinner.
After dinner, and after Shana had taken her own shower and put her clothes in the washing machine by herself, Victor used a hairdryer to dry her hair. He then let her play with her Chingling and the others in her room.
But tonight, her room had her Chingling, the Petilil, Mime Jr., and the Vulpix. They would all be sleeping with Shana.
Victor's room once again had only him and Gengar.
Lying in bed, Victor opened his message chat.
Victor: You were so cool today!
Cynthia: I am the Champion.
Victor: Okay, Champion Cynthia.
Cynthia: Shirona.
Victor: Okay, Champion Shirona.
After chatting a bit more, Victor stopped disturbing her work and started scrolling through short videos on his phone.
"Gengar?" Gengar poked its upper body out from the ceiling and looked into the distance through the balcony.
"What's wrong, Gengar?"
Victor looked in the direction Gengar was staring. The distant sky was glowing a fiery red.
"What's this?" Victor walked out onto the balcony.
"VES!!"
The Vespiquen's cry echoed throughout the backyard.
Dali and the others rushed over immediately.
Victor hurried to Shana's room and knocked on the door.
The moment Shana opened it, Victor said with a serious expression, "Shana, I need you to hide in your room. Stay with your Chingling and the others and hide. Something has happened outside, and I'm going to check it out. Remember, don't open the door unless you hear my voice. Do you understand?"
Seeing his serious face, Shana nodded obediently.
As Victor turned to leave, her voice called out, "Uncle, be careful."
Victor looked back and smiled, then went downstairs with Gengar and ran towards the Vespiquen's nest.
Just now, from the balcony, he had seen people trespassing in the backyard.
In the forest area, two men in uniforms were commanding their Golbat to engage the Vespiquen, while Dali and the others were tied up fighting a Skuntank and a Toxicroak.
The Vespiquen was struggling under the attacks of the two Golbat.
Dali sent the Toxicroak flying back with a punch, but then took a surprise Wing Attack from a Golbat and cried out in pain.
"Vespiquen, dodge! Air Cutter!"
The Vespiquen dodged an incoming Fire Fang, then launched an Air Cutter at the Golbat.
With lightning speed, Gengar afflicted both the Skuntank and the Toxicroak with Will-O-Wisp.
After a brief exchange, the Vespiquen and the others gathered in front of Victor, staring intently at the two men.
Seeing Victor, the two men frowned.
"Are you the owner of this place?" one of them shouted.
Victor didn't answer, just stared at them and their familiar uniforms.
"Pokémon hunters."
An organization that captures Pokémon on commission to sell.
Now he knew what the glass dome that had fallen from the sky was. It was a device they used to capture Pokémon.
He looked at the distant forest. A fire was beginning to spread.
"Did you start this fire?"
Hearing his question, the two men exchanged a look, then immediately commanded their Pokémon to attack.
Dali and the others charged forward to meet them.
Watching the fire grow larger, Victor cursed inwardly.
Useless damn system! You could have just said it outright!
The Staravia flew over from the distance.
"Staravia, help me out! Brave Bird!"
The Staravia soared high, its body enveloped in light, then dove straight for the Toxicroak. Boosted by its Reckless ability, the Toxicroak was instantly knocked out.
The remaining Skuntank was also quickly defeated by Dali and the others.
Victor gave Gengar a look. Gengar's body vanished.
As the two Pokémon hunters tried to flee, Gengar appeared in front of them, its eyes glowing with a strange light.
A point-blank Hypnosis. It was a perfect hit.
The two Pokémon hunters collapsed to the ground, fast asleep.
Victor took out the thick rope the system had given him and tied them to a tree, then took all their Poké Balls. After all that, he looked at the distant forest.
The fire was burning fiercely.
He checked his pockets but hadn't brought his phone. He asked Sanli to go back to the Breeding House, then gritted his teeth.
"Gengar, let's go take a look."
He then ran towards the forest with Gengar and the others.
Back at the Breeding House, in Shana's room, she sat on the bed holding the Petilil, trembling.
"Ching~"
Shana turned and saw her Chingling letting Sanli into the room. It was holding Victor's phone.
Shana's eyes lit up. She took the phone and dialed Officer Jenny's number.
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the forest, Victor stared at the woman on the Salamence in the sky, his face frozen.
"You've got to be kidding me."
She wore glasses, rode a Salamence, and had short, silver hair.
Pokémon Hunter J.
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