"A Gardevoir? And not just that, a shiny Gardevoir?"
George Fang's eyes widened in disbelief the moment he saw the elegant figure step forward.
A regular Gardevoir was already considered rare and precious, but a shiny one? That was the rarest of the rare.
Yet the Pokémon in question paid him no mind. Gardevoir moved gracefully to Lin Feng's side, her crimson eyes fixed firmly on him, a silent message clear in her gaze: Don't let him sway you.
Truthfully, she was worried.
From everything she had seen in her years traveling with Lin Feng and observing humans, it was undeniable most young people longed to become traveling trainers. They dreamed of leaving their homes, challenging gyms, and carving out a name for themselves across the regions.
It was the natural current of the times. League competitions had become increasingly common, their prestige rising with every passing year. To many, being a trainer meant recognition, adventure, even glory.
"Relax," Lin Feng reassured softly. He reached out, resting his hand over Gardevoir's delicate one and patting it gently. A calm smile curved his lips. "I'm not giving up the nursery."
The words were steady, almost casual, but they carried weight. This nursery was something he had built from the ground up, with sweat, patience, and care. How could he possibly abandon it just because of a few persuasive words from George Fang?
Besides, as George himself had said, nothing stopped him from occasionally joining a tournament for fun. That didn't mean he had to walk away from everything else.
The biggest tournament in Eastwood, the Grand Convergence Cup, lasted only three days. If you added the Champion Challenge at the end, it might stretch to four. That was hardly enough time to disrupt his responsibilities. And if Dragonite returned on schedule, he could even fly back and forth every evening.
"Voir…"
Gardevoir finally let out a quiet breath of relief. She had been tense, preparing to fend off more persuasion, but now she simply lowered herself gracefully beside Lin Feng. Her eyes grew sharper as she glanced across the room at George Fang.
The faint glow of her red pupils turned fierce, carrying an unspoken warning.
"What the…?"
George froze. A sudden chill prickled across his skin as if an invisible hand pressed down on him. Just seconds ago, he had been marveling at the sight of a shiny Gardevoir. Now, he found himself shrinking back, his confidence faltering.
His instinct screamed at him to call for his Psychic-type partner, Jynx. But when he turned, his heart sank Jynx was cowering behind the sofa, trembling like a child hiding from a storm.
Even his Flareon, usually the boldest of his Pokémon, stood rigid with unease. The others refused to meet Gardevoir's gaze at all.
What on earth is going on?
George felt rattled. He and his team had traveled across regions, battled countless opponents, even encountered elite trainers. They had seen a lot. Yet here they were, unable to withstand a single look from one Pokémon.
Not even when he faced that trainer named Red had he felt this level of suffocating pressure.
What he didn't know was that Gardevoir wasn't an ordinary partner. She had grown up in the wild, honed by hardship, and on top of that, she carried traces of Darkrai's nightmare energy. For those who meant harm toward Lin Feng, her very presence could be suffocating, her gaze alone heavy with enough ill intent to crush spirits.
"Alright, that's enough," Lin Feng finally cut in, his voice light but steady. "Trainers don't have to be only trainers. Breeders don't have to be only breeders. You focus on preparing for the Grand Convergence. Do your best and bring home a good result."
He stood and clapped George on the shoulder.
They had been close when they were younger. Lin Feng understood that George's urging came from a place of goodwill. But childhood dreams were one thing, and adulthood choices another.
Just because you promised something as a child, did that mean you had to fulfill it as an adult?
When he was three or four, just old enough to run around on his own, Lin Feng had once declared he would ride Arceus itself. Did that mean he should still be chasing that goal now?
Hardly realistic.
After the little episode with Gardevoir's intimidation, George's persistence waned. He agreed to handle the matter of the three Eevee soon, promising to deliver the two companions to Lin Feng's nursery in a few days. With that, he excused himself and left.
The door closed, and Lin Feng let out a long breath. He turned to find Gardevoir standing close behind him.
She wasn't watching him, though. Her eyes lingered on the direction George had gone, calm but unyielding. Only when she noticed Lin Feng's gaze did she shift her focus back to him.
The pale blue hem of her gown swayed gently in the breeze, her crimson eyes softened with an emotion that hadn't been there when he first met her.
Lin Feng tilted his head, faintly surprised. "I don't think I've ever seen you look at someone that way before."
"Voir…"
She didn't bother to hide her feelings. "Voir…" (Because I was afraid he'd talk you into leaving, into traveling like so many others.)
She loved Lin Feng, yes, but more than that, she loved the version of him who stayed at the nursery, tending every Pokémon with patience and devotion.
After a pause, she lowered her voice, her tone tinged with worry. "Voir…?" (Did my glare scare you just now?)
Lin Feng shook his head with a chuckle. "Not at all. Don't worry. I'm not leaving the nursery. If I did, I wouldn't feel at ease about them."
He stretched his arms above his head in a lazy yawn. "I'll head to the kitchen later. For now, let's check on Steward, see how she's doing."
"Voir."
Gardevoir nodded, finally relaxing.
September 27th.
Three more days slipped by in a flash.
The first two were quiet. George hadn't returned with the Eevee yet, and neither Mewtwo nor Dragonite had come back from their tasks.
But today brought new developments.
The long-awaited roadwork had been officially confirmed. Grandpa Han had managed to secure approval from both the League and a proper construction crew. Even better, someone high up had apparently spoken on their behalf, which meant the League would cover most of the costs.
All the townsfolk had to provide was a token amount of one million. And if they contributed manpower during the construction, even that cost could shrink further.
For Lin Feng, it was hardly a concern. That sum was only a tenth of his assets. He would gladly cover it himself if it meant sparing the elderly townsfolk unnecessary labor.
But Grandpa Han was enthusiastic. He insisted that every household should have a say, each contributing what they could. "Those with money give money, those with strength lend a hand. Even those with neither can help with meals," he had declared.
Today marked the surveying stage. Once complete, construction would begin.
According to the crew, the road wasn't in terrible shape. It only needed widening and a layer of shock-absorbing asphalt. If all went smoothly, the project would take no more than two weeks, all while keeping traffic open.
Lin Feng couldn't help but marvel. "That's fast."
Inside the orchard, Steward's younger sister was busy planting flowers, while Lin Feng stood by her side, watching.
With the change of seasons, some of the earliest blooms had already begun to wither. Now was the time to replace them with new seeds, ensuring the garden stayed vibrant.
As he observed the little helper's diligence, Lin Feng felt a quiet satisfaction.
Having Steward and her sister around made everything easier. Without them, he would have to juggle the nursery, the orchard, and countless other chores all on his own.
"Chime!" (All done!)
The small Pokémon's face lit up with joy as she admired the neat rows of freshly planted flowers.
Lin Feng smiled warmly. "Excellent work. You learned that so quickly." He reached down and gently patted her head.
The compliment made Steward's sister duck her head shyly, her cheeks flushing faintly.
In the days they'd spent together, she had realized that Lin Feng often praised both her and her brother.
Her father had once told her that helping trainers with chores was nothing special, nothing worth expecting praise for.
And yet… every time Lin Feng said "good job," her little heart swelled with warmth.
Maybe it's silly, she thought, but being praised really does make you happy.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Love the story? Show your support and unlock early access to new chapters by joining me on Patreon! and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.