Celebi was stunned for a moment.
It only came back to its senses when Victor gently placed the small wooden tag around its neck.
"It looks great. This is our gift to you. We hope you like it."
Victor admired it for a moment, nodded, and continued:
"I hope that wherever you are, whenever it is, you'll always be happy and carefree, just like now."
Celebi sniffled, then looked at the people and Pokémon of the Breeding House. They were all watching it, with reluctance and sadness in their eyes, but no one asked it to stay, because they knew it was free.
It liked Shana, liked building the flower garden with her. It liked the Petilil, who would whisper secrets to it. It liked... so many things. It liked everyone and every Pokémon at the Breeding House.
It gave a happy cry, then flapped its small wings and came before the Petilil.
"Lili?"
Celebi covered its mouth and giggled, then gently touched its forehead to the Petilil's.
A green light emanated from its body, flowing continuously into the Petilil.
After a while, Celebi tiredly lifted its head, flapped its wings, gave high-fives to everyone from the Breeding House, humans and Pokémon alike, and finally came to Victor's side.
"Cele~" Its voice was filled with reluctance.
"Go on. If you have time, remember to come home often."
Victor used the word "home," not just "back."
Celebi covered its mouth and giggled again.
In its long life, it seemed it had found a place where it could feel truly at ease.
Finally, under the moonlight, it gave Victor a kiss on the cheek.
And then, it shot high into the sky and, bathed in moonlight, flew off into the distance.
Victor watched Celebi disappear. It would be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed, but he also understood that Celebi was inherently free.
Victor pursed his lips and couldn't help but start whistling a tune.
Everyone, human and Pokémon, listened to the tune. Although it was just a whistle, it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet forest.
Even though it was a farewell, on a summer night, beside a forest lake, under the moon, a song like "Night of the Fireflies" felt quite fitting, didn't it?!
When the tune finished, Shana's voice reached his ears. "Uncle, will Celebi come back again?"
Victor looked down at Shana. She seemed truly reluctant to part with her little friend, even though they had only known each other for a few days.
He smiled, then bent down and picked Shana up. After Gengar and the others packed everything up, the group said their goodbyes to the forest Pokémon.
Then they started on the path back to the Breeding House.
"Shana."
"Hmm?"
"Parting is for the sake of meeting again."
"Shana doesn't understand."
"What I mean is, we will meet again."
Under the moonlight, Victor's and the others' shadows stretched long. He said to Shana in his arms.
After all, the anchor point in time had been set. "This is the beauty of encounters between people and Pokémon—parting."
Shana just shook her small head, her silver pigtails flapping against Victor's face in the moonlight.
"You'll understand when you grow up."
"Oh. Then Shana wants to grow up quickly."
"That won't do."
"Why can't I grow up quickly?"
"Because Uncle wants Shana to grow up slowly. Having Uncle, Big Sister Laura, Big Sister Jenny, and Big Sister Joy as adults is enough."
"I still don't understand."
"But Shana understands one thing: I'll understand when I grow up, right?"
"Hahahaha, Shana is amazing."
Laura held the Petilil, Jenny held the Vulpix, and Joy held Mime Jr., with Gothita following beside Joy.
Looking at Victor talking with Shana, Laura couldn't help but smile.
She then gently fiddled with the leaves of the Petilil in her arms.
"That's just like you, Victor."
Just like Grandma Jasmine.
Meanwhile, Celebi suddenly stopped. The melody Victor was whistling seemed to reach its ears. It looked down and realized it was hovering above the Breeding House. Then, under the moonlight, it held the small wooden tag around its neck in both hands, paused for a moment, and then covered its mouth and giggled.
Immediately after, it flew several circles around the Breeding House.
Berries reappeared on the bushes, herbs began to grow faster, vegetables started to ripen, and Shana's flower garden, which she had been working on for days...
Was suddenly covered in brilliant red blossoms.
Seeing the blooming garden, Celebi nodded in satisfaction. Using the energy given back to it by the Breeding House and the forest, its body shot straight up and dove into a suddenly appearing ring of light.
Back with Victor, seeing the text that appeared before him, his heart warmed.
[Parting: Parting is for the sake of meeting again. Celebi is very fond of the people, Pokémon, and affairs of the Breeding House. Therefore, it has left behind a small gift and blessing.]
[Gift: Celebi shared its internal energy with the Petilil. The Petilil's control over its own type energy and the power of its same-type moves have been greatly enhanced.]
[Blessing: Things planted at the Breeding House will now grow at a faster rate. Berry yields will increase and become more delicious and juicy, vegetables will become more tender and juicy, and the potency of herbs will be slightly enhanced.]
[In the Name of Love: Celebi accepted the small wooden tag you gave it. No matter when or where it is, it can accurately sense the presence of the Breeding House. It will spread the love of the Breeding House across different times. Also, it seems to have sent you an unknown gift?]
[The beauty of encounters between people and Pokémon, parting —Victor]
"Thank you, Celebi."
Looking at Celebi's blessings and gifts, Victor said softly.
Returning to the Breeding House, Victor and the others saw the flower garden and were all stunned.
"How did it bloom?" Shana was puzzled.
"I just planted the seeds with Big Sister Laura and the others this afternoon. How did they bloom overnight?"
Shana was confused, but she quickly slid down from Victor's arms and ran towards the flower garden.
Under the moonlight, Victor looked at the flowers in the garden, silent for a long moment, then took out his phone and snapped a picture.
"Uncle, this flower is for you."
Victor looked down and saw that Shana had picked a few flowers and run over. She gave one to him, then gave others to Laura, the others, and Gengar and its friends.
"Thank you, Shana."
"From now on, we can't just pick the flowers randomly. We have to leave them," Shana said, looking at the slightly emptier spot in the garden with a pang of regret.
Victor, Laura, and the others exchanged a look, then all burst into laughter.
Later, a photo of everyone, human and Pokémon, holding the flowers left behind by Celebi—flowers of love and blessing—taken in front of the moonlit garden, was hung by Gengar on the wall by the stairs.
Although Celebi wasn't in the photo, the love it left behind represented it.
In the name of love, the flowers bloomed.
Thank you, Celebi.
Victor gently placed his flower in the vase, thinking silently.
...
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