After seeing Nurse Joy off, Victor felt a bit restless.
He had a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right.
Perhaps sensing Victor's worry, Lilligant walked over and hugged him.
The flower on her head emitted a soothing fragrance.
"Thank you, Sister Lilligant."
Smelling the reassuring scent, Victor's heart instantly calmed down.
Lilligant smiled gently.
It's just a common cold; I'm making too much of a fuss.
Thinking this, Victor stood up from the rest area.
He prepared to go to the kitchen to make himself some snacks.
Just yesterday, the forest Pokémon had sent him some cashew nuts, so he decided to make some fondant cashews to taste.
The kitchen was crowded with Pokémon. Victor turned off the heat and poured out the cashews.
"Gengar."
"Geng~"
Present!
"Open your mouth."
Gengar opened his big mouth wide.
Victor fed him a spoonful.
Chew, chew, chew.
"Geng ('O')"
This is delicious too!
Seeing stars in Gengar's eyes, Victor pulled at the corners of his mouth and tasted one himself.
Sweet and crispy, perfect for a snack.
"Not bad, eh."
Gengar stood aside, constantly shoving them into his mouth with his hands, and nodded.
Victor took out a jar to pack the fondant cashews. He gave some to Gengar, placed the rest on the kitchen counter, and the unpackaged ones were for him and Lilligant to eat.
Carrying the snacks back to the rest area, Victor sat down heavily. Gothita didn't brew tea but instead chose iced sparkling water, which paired best with snacks.
Victor sat in the rest area with a group of Pokémon watching cartoons.
Not gonna lie, the special effects in the Pokémon world's cartoons were better than many in his previous life.
After all, these were real moves.
At night, Victor was sound asleep with Vulpix in his arms.
Gengar poked his head out of the ceiling and made a funny face at Lilligant in the room.
Not to be outdone, Lilligant made a funny face back.
Lilligant was afraid Victor was in a bad mood and couldn't sleep, so she came specifically to stay with him in the room tonight.
Victor's room was filled with a soothing fragrance.
This atmosphere was interrupted by the sudden ringing of the phone.
Victor sat up abruptly, and Gengar turned on the light for him.
He nodded thanks to Gengar and Victor, then took the phone Lilligant handed over.
He accepted the video call.
"Hello, Sister Water."
"Victor, something big has happened in Twinleaf Town."
Nurse Joy's eyes on the screen were red, and her voice was a bit hoarse.
"What happened? Sister Water."
"The Pokémon Center is now packed with people and Pokémon, all with high fevers. Officer Jenny felt something was wrong and went to investigate. She found out it's some kind of highly contagious disease, but as for what it is, the investigation didn't reveal anything."
Nurse Joy quickly explained the situation.
Victor was stunned. Contagious disease? High fever?!
Is it that serious?!
"Then what about Sister Jenny? Is she okay?!"
Nurse Joy on the other side paused, then turned the camera.
Arcanine was lying weakly on the ground, and Officer Jenny was lying on top of Arcanine.
Her face was flushed red.
"What do we do, Victor? The medicine sent by the League hasn't arrived yet."
Nurse Joy asked with a crying tone.
Seeing this, Victor hurriedly said:
"Don't worry, Sister, I'll come over to take a look right now."
"You can't come."
Nurse Joy hurriedly interrupted Victor.
"What if you get infected too!"
Hearing Nurse Joy's words, Victor was suddenly stunned.
Right, there's a possibility I could get infected too.
But looking at the people and Pokémon on the screen lying uncomfortably on hospital beds, and even groaning on the floor because there weren't enough beds, and the two sisters who had treated him so well since he arrived here, Victor made up his mind.
"It's fine, Sister. You forgot, I have Chinese medicine to drink."
Victor comforted Nurse Joy and continued:
"I'll go over and check the situation first. If it's a fever, I can use the Breeding House's cold medicine to bring down the fever first, then plan for what comes next."
"You've tried the effect of the cold medicine yourself; it's very effective for reducing fever."
Hearing Victor's words, Nurse Joy finally nodded.
Agreeing to let Victor come over.
Victor stood up from the bed and took the clothes Lilligant handed him.
He rushed downstairs, the noise waking up the entire Breeding House.
Shana, wearing pajamas and holding Mime Jr. and Chingling, stood on the stairs rubbing her eyes as she watched Victor, dressed and ready to go out.
"What's wrong, Uncle? Are you going out?"
"Yeah, Sister Water has something she needs my help with. You take Mime Jr. and the others back to your room to sleep and wait for me to come back, okay?"
Victor looked up and said gently.
Shana nodded and replied crisply, "Okay."
"Don't go out of the Breeding House for now, just stay inside."
"Mm."
After speaking, Victor nodded to Gothita.
Gothita took Shana back to her room to sleep. "Gengar, Lilligant, let's—"
Victor opened the door and was about to say "let's go," when he suddenly remembered it was a highly contagious fever, meaning Gengar and the others might also— "Never mind, I'll go by myself."
He shook his head, looked back at them with a smile, and said.
But he found the Pokémon standing behind him.
Gengar, Lilligant, Machamp, Machoke, Machop, Gothita, Vulpix, Vespiquen, Staravia, Marill, Heracross, Pinsir, Luxray, Roselia—
All looking at him.
Suddenly feeling their intentions, Victor laughed.
"Is that so?"
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Geng—"
Hehe, I'm not afraid. With Victor, I'm not afraid of anything.
Gengar pressed close.
"Lil~"
As long as I'm with Victor, I'm not afraid~
"Goth~"
What is there to be afraid of?
Vespiquen turned her head away.
"Ves."
I'm afraid you won't come back.
As tsundere as ever, Vespiquen.
Victor smiled, tears coming to his eyes from laughter.
"Alright then. Gengar, Sister Lilligant, and Gothita, come with me. The rest wait at home for orders."
"Geng!"
Yes, sir!
"Lil~"
"Goth~"
"Ma!"
"Rapidash, I'm counting on you."
Rapidash shook its head gently, then bent down.
Mounting Rapidash, Victor looked back at the Breeding House entrance one more time.
"Everyone, watch the house, take good care of Shana, and wait for my orders."
At this moment, Victor felt his chest heat up.
"?!"
All the Pokémon looked at their small wooden tags.
Victor also took his out to look.
[You Have to Grow Up Healthy: Victor injected his blessings for the Pokémon. Pokémon wearing this will have a significantly reduced probability of illness.]
[This is my most sincere blessing to you — Victor]
Seeing the text that suddenly popped up, Victor was stunned.
Almost forgot, the wooden tags I carved for them have the effect of greatly reducing the probability of getting sick.
[You Have to Grow Up with Us: The Pokémon returned Victor's blessing. The Pokémon will help Victor ward off certain highly contagious diseases, greatly reducing Victor's probability of illness.]
Victor laughed heartily.
"Thank you all. Rapidash, let's go!"
The flames turned into a shooting star in the night sky, rushing straight ahead.
Wherever it passed, decayed branches and leaves were burned to ashes.
In the distant night sky, Cynthia looked at the wooden tag on her wrist and frowned.
A spiky-haired young man in the forest took out a wooden tag, looking puzzled.
In a distant palace in a distant time, Celebi held a wooden tag and placed it gently against its forehead.
In the abyss of the sea, a massive white body gently flapped its wings.
...
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