After a full day of battles, the Top 64 had been decided. The rest of the time would be spent slowly whittling them down until the League Conference champion was crowned.
Victor stretched. He had to admit, the skill level of the trainers in a real-life League Conference was all over the place.
Some had just started their journey and had smoothly passed all their Gym challenges to enter the tournament, while others were veterans who were constantly challenging, reconfiguring their teams, and participating again.
The battles from here on out would likely be much more intense and exciting.
As he thought this, he found himself looking forward to the moment Ash would meet his Sinnoh rivals.
He wasn't an Ash fanatic, but he believed that Ash's team in the Sinnoh region was undeniably impressive. Especially his ace, Infernape—its Blaze ability going wild was just too cool.
Victor lay on the chair, his mind replaying the original plot.
Ash could have won in Sinnoh, but then the guy with the legendaries showed up out of nowhere. He could have won in the Kalos region, too, but then he ran into that Charizard that seemed to absorb water.
He skipped over the Unova region. That was his "baby team."
The more Victor thought about it, the more he looked forward to the moment he might meet Ash. When that happened, he was definitely going to ask him when he planned to go back and get his Pidgeot.
"Uncle."
Just as Victor was lost in thought, Shana's voice pulled him back.
"What is it, Shana?"
"Uncle, their battles are so cool. They're so exciting."
"Aren't they? We'll watch again tomorrow, then. If you like it, we'll watch a lot," Victor said, patting her small head with a smile.
"Uncle, what if we held a competition, too? I remember there are a lot of trainers like the ones on TV living near my house. We could hold a competition for them, and then we could make money. What do you think?" Shana asked, looking at Victor with a clear, bright voice.
She now considered the Breeding House her own home. She had seen how happy Victor and Gengar were whenever they collected money, so when she saw the tournament on TV and thought of the trainers near her home, she had an idea. If the Breeding House held a competition, wouldn't they be able to make money?
She's right. Shana's words were a wake-up call.
If he used the Breeding House's reputation and organized a friendship cup with Jenny and Joy, he could help trainers who had lost get back in the game, allow them to test out new team compositions, and get the Breeding House's name out there. At the same time, he could charge for drinks and food.
It was a win-win-win situation.
"Shana, you're a little genius," Victor said, playfully flicking her nose.
"You think it's a good idea too, uncle?"
"Of course! We can set a prize for the winner, and while they're battling, we can sell drinks and food. We'll be able to make a lot of money to buy you all delicious things," Victor said with a laugh.
"Yay! Then I can take the drinks and sell them! If they see how cute I am, they probably won't be able to say no," Shana said, clapping her hands happily, excited that her suggestion was being taken seriously.
"No!"
Victor immediately shut it down. On one hand, Shana's condition had only recently improved, and he didn't dare let her face so many strangers at once. Even now, he only let her deliver tea to people she knew. On the other hand, he wanted her to have a happy childhood without having to think about making money. He and Gengar would handle that.
All Shana needed to do was play happily at the Breeding House with the Petilil and the others, and just slowly grow up.
Shana's little face instantly fell.
Seeing this, Victor's heart ached, and he gently explained his reasons to her. In the end, Shana reluctantly agreed.
"I'll discuss it with Jenny and the others over the next few days. When we make money, I'll buy you a pretty new dress, how about that?"
Shana's face lit up, and she threw herself into Victor's arms, her clever eyes darting around.
"Don't learn Gengar's bad habits."
Gengar, who was happily finishing the leftover Cat's Ear crisps, taking a bite and then a sip of soda, was suddenly stabbed in the back.
"Gengar?! ((ᵒꈊᵒ᷅ू‖))՞"
What did I do now?!
"Never mind, never mind. You just eat."
Gengar shot Victor a look, huffed, and then turned its back on him to continue eating its snack.
"By the way, uncle, can I stay here for the next few days?" Shana suddenly asked.
"Of course. Why the sudden desire to stay here?"
"Because Grandpa is sick, and Mom and Dad have to go take care of him. I see them running back and forth all the time, and I'm afraid they'll get too tired. I don't want them to be so tired," Shana replied, sniffling as she looked at Victor.
"And I also want to play with Petilil and the others more," she added, a big smile on her face.
Hearing her explanation, Victor's face broke into a wide grin, and he agreed.
"You're so thoughtful. How about I call your parents and have them bring over some of your clothes?"
"Okay! Thank you, uncle!" Shana said, then gave him a peck on the cheek.
Victor's heart melted. He took out his phone and called Mrs. Fujino.
Not long after, Mr. and Mrs. Fujino arrived with Shana's clothes.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Victor," Mr. Fujino said, tightly gripping Victor's hand.
Victor shook his head and said it was Shana's own idea.
Mr. Fujino looked over at his daughter, who was playing with his wife, her Chingling, and the other Pokémon.
He wiped his reddened eyes. "Really... thank you so much."
Mr. Fujino was not a man of many words, but Victor understood everything he meant.
There was nothing better than seeing Shana recover. No one could dislike such a thoughtful little girl.
After a brief chat, Mrs. Fujino brought Shana over.
"Little Shana, you have to listen to Uncle Victor, okay? Mom and Dad will come back for you in a few days when we're done," Mrs. Fujino said, crouching down and straightening her daughter's hair.
Uncle... A pang shot through Victor's heart, but he quickly comforted himself.
It's fine, it's fine. Uncle is fine.
"Okay. Mom and Dad, you have to rest well, too. I'll be good and listen to uncle," Shana said with a clear voice, then gave each of her parents a kiss on the cheek.
After another round of thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Fujino drove away.
Watching them leave, Victor looked down at Shana. There was a hint of reluctance in her watery eyes. He smiled and patted her small head.
"You're an employee of my Breeding House now. You have to help me work, understand? Otherwise, I won't give you any food."
Shana looked up at the mock-stern Victor, and a brilliant smile spread across her face.
"Yes, uncle!" she said, snapping a salute that was identical to the one the Machoke used.
"Very good, Little Shana. I now command you to go and play with Petilil, Mime Jr., and the others. I need to go upstairs and get your room ready."
Shana gave another picture-perfect salute, then took her Chingling and ran off to find the other Pokémon.
Watching the clever and cute side of her slowly return, Victor exchanged a knowing smile with Gengar.
A child should be carefree.
He carried Shana's luggage upstairs, opened the door to the room next to his, and went inside. He chose a set of pink bedsheets for her, put away her clothes, made the bed, and then placed the Eevee doll that Mrs. Fujino had brought on the pillow.
Looking at the doll, Victor nodded.
I'll have to find some time to make a few more for Shana.
He then closed the door and went back downstairs.
Cynthia's room and Shana's room were on either side of his own.
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