After seeing that the house was mostly renovated, Lucas called the furniture store owner and asked him to deliver all the furniture he had purchased yesterday.
Then, under Lucas's direction, the Machamp from the furniture store installed all the appliances, tables, chairs, and benches in the positions Lucas indicated.
"Gengar, look, now you can watch TV on a big screen."
Lucas pointed at the large TV and said to Gengar.
He re-divided the first floor: the L-shaped counter faced the main door, the overhead chandelier was replaced with a simpler one, and the back wall had some wooden bases added for displaying items for sale. To the left of the counter were some chairs and small round tables, and on the right wall was a large TV. When there were no customers, he could sit here and watch TV, and if customers arrived, they could also sit here to rest.
The original two rooms on the first floor were converted by Lucas into an incubation room and a warehouse.
To the back right of the counter was a door that opened into the kitchen, and the kitchen also had a door leading to the open space behind.
"Koujie—"
Hearing Lucas's voice, Gengar responded.
Noticing that Gengar seemed to be in a bad mood, Lucas was a bit puzzled. Just as he was about to ask, he was called out to supervise the fence work.
Watching Machamp pull out the damaged fences one by one and install the new ones, this task actually took the longest time.
Because the area in the back was quite large.
So Lucas divided it into several sections: a Lake area, a Grassland area, a Forest area, some bare Rocky areas, and some fertile Planting areas, as well as a spot reserved for his afternoon tea. The Lake area would be for Pokémon like Magikarp, Feebas, and Shellos; the Grassland area for Pokémon like Budew and Buneary; the Forest area for Pokémon like Turtwig, Aipom, and Starly; and the Planting area would be used for cultivating herbs or Berries.
Gengar floated around, looking at the optimized and improved Breeding House, feeling increasingly sad. Then, he returned to Lucas's room, packed some items Lucas had given him, along with the toothbrush Lucas had given him this morning, into a small bag, and floated out towards the main door.
After paying, Lucas sighed, looking at his dwindling balance.
It was like going back to square one overnight.
He then returned to the house and, seeing Nina and Jenny sitting on chairs eating snacks, said, "Sister Nina, you and Sister Reese should stay for dinner tonight. I'll cook to treat you."
They had been busy with him all day and hadn't eaten lunch, so he planned to cook dinner himself as a token of his gratitude.
Nina and Jenny nodded, indicating they could stay.
"It's my day off today. Oh, Joy should be off work too. How about I call her over? Since you're opening a Breeding House, you'll inevitably deal with the Pokémon Center, so it's good for you to meet her beforehand."
Jenny said with a smile.
"Alright, what do you all want to eat?"
Lucas asked, and after getting a casual answer, he shouted up to the second floor, "Gengar, what do you want to eat?"
Gengar did not respond.
Lucas called out twice more, but still received no response.
"Strange, where's Gengar?"
Lucas was a bit puzzled, then looked at Nina and the others, "Sister Nina, have you seen Gengar?"
Nina gestured towards the doorway behind Lucas.
Lucas turned his head in confusion and saw Gengar carrying a small bag, head bowed, leaving the Breeding House.
Recalling that Gengar had been in a bad mood all day, Lucas looked at Gengar's retreating figure.
[Gengar]
[Type: Ghost, Poison]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Cursed Body]
[Known Moves: Mean Look, Shadow Punch, Shadow Ball, Confuse Ray, Psychic, Lick, Hypnosis, Hex, Destiny Bond, Phantom Force, Double Team.]
[Mood: Sad, Upset, Reluctant]
[Status: Uncomfortable, on the verge of emotional collapse]
[Friendship: 99 (Really reluctant to leave Lucas)]
[Description: The desire to accompany someone has reached its peak. After learning that the Breeding House is built, he will look for his own Pokémon to accompany him. He knows he should leave, even if he is extremely reluctant in his heart.]
"Koujie—"
He will probably find some obedient Pokémon, right? Lucas looked at the status bar, then glanced at his lonely back, feeling a pang in his heart.
"Hey, Gengar."
Gengar turned around and saw Lucas leaning against the doorway, looking at him, his eyes still smiling.
"Koujie?"
"Could you do me a favor before you leave? It's very important to me."
Hearing that it was very important to Lucas, Gengar nodded heavily.
"You know, after the Breeding House is built, I'll need a Pokémon to accompany me. And I've met a Pokémon I really like; I want it to help me."
Upon hearing this, Gengar felt a pang in his heart.
"Koujie..."
He must be very happy, right? "But," Lucas continued, "I thought that after all this was done, I would ask him if he could stay and help me. But when I finished, and I wanted to ask him, he thought I was looking for another Pokémon and planned to leave silently on his own."
"I really like him. Can you help me ask him? Ask him if he can stay and help me, and together we can run this Breeding House well."
"Koujie?"
Gengar looked at Lucas with tears in his eyes.
Lucas smiled, his emotions sincere, and his gaze towards Gengar was incredibly gentle.
He nodded at Gengar.
"Koujie!!!"
Gengar immediately rushed towards Lucas.
This time, Lucas knew Gengar's meaning without the system.
He said, he was willing.
"Oh, stop licking me, it's all drool, stop licking."
Lucas's face was covered in drool from the licking; unable to stand it, he tugged Gengar's small tail.
"Whoosh~"
Watching Gengar float away like a balloon again, Lucas burst into laughter.
This was their shared playful understanding.
Then Lucas pulled out the red and white Poké Ball he had won from the lottery, held it in his hand, and looked at Gengar, who had returned to his original state.
They looked at each other in silence.
Gengar flew over, then his small hand tapped the Poké Ball, and he transformed into a red light, entering the Poké Ball.
Lucas looked at the Poké Ball in his hand.
"Ding-dong~"
Perfect capture!
"Is this... the feeling of catching a Pokémon?"
Lucas smiled, then struck a chuunibyo pose.
"Gengar, Get ☆ Gaze!"
"Koujie!"
Gengar popped out of the ball and gave Lucas another frantic licking.
"Alright, alright, stop licking, I get it!"
Lucas finally managed to pull Gengar off his face.
At this moment, Nina and Jenny watched Lucas and Gengar's interaction with gentle and relieved expressions.
He told Gengar to go play with Nina and the others, then apologized to Nina and the others, saying his face was covered in drool from being licked, and he was going to take a shower before coming down to entertain them.
Watching Gengar quickly playing happily with Nina, the others, and Growlithe, Lucas smiled cheerfully, then returned to his bedroom to shower.
After showering and coming downstairs, he found a familiar figure among those playing with Gengar.
A figure in a familiar nurse's uniform, with pink hair.
Miss Joy.