Wutong Town, the breeding house.
The sky was dim with early morning light.
Clouds hung across the horizon.
It was Tuesday, a day when the breeding house didn't host Sky Challenges, so Audino wasn't particularly busy.
At this moment, it was checking the time on Rotom.
AM 11:30
Half an hour to go.
Audino silently calculated the time in its mind, then relayed it to the waiting Alcremie.
"Shuang Shuang…"
Alcremie responded faintly, then slumped down in resignation again, only perking up with a bright smile whenever a guest arrived to recommend its cakes.
But after each sale, it returned to its bowl, quietly counting the minutes.
Lin Feng had promised to return before noon.
So they had been waiting since early morning.
Every minute before the agreed-upon time was filled with anticipation.
A rustle of wind sounded outside, and Alcremie's eyes brightened.
A voice followed: "Brother Feng, I'll go back and eat first."
Lin Feng entered the breeding house.
"Shuang Shuang~"
The Alcremie perked up at the sight of him, greeting him enthusiastically.
"ヾ(≧▽≦*)o: Shuang Shuang~" (Missed you, missed you~)
"All right, all right, I'm back."
Lin Feng smiled, picking up the bowl-hugging Alcremie and nuzzling its face. Seeing it regain its full energy brought a contented smile to his own lips.
He suddenly realized that every time he returned home, the Pokémon at the breeding house always looked genuinely happy.
Did that mean they weren't as cheerful when he was away?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, it was interrupted.
"Shuang Shuang~" (I want some too…)
One Alcremie had been hugged, and the others immediately began clamoring for attention.
Only when Lin Feng returned did they regain the motivation to work.
With no other choice, Lin Feng hugged each Alcremie in turn, giving them all affection before finally turning to Audino.
"Anything happen today?"
"Ah~"
Audino shook its head, though the corners of its normally stern mouth lifted slightly upon seeing Lin Feng.
It had thought it could manage everything at the front of the breeding house.
But in truth, Lin Feng had only been gone two days, and it had already started worrying.
What if a guest became difficult?
What if a Pokémon got hurt and it couldn't handle it?
All those worries vanished the instant Lin Feng returned, replaced entirely by a sense of safety.
Lin Feng nodded, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen. He smiled. "I'll help Gardevoir with lunch. You keep an eye on the front, okay?"
"Ah~"
"Shuang Shuang~"
After their replies, Lin Feng entered the kitchen.
It was just the right time for lunch.
Although he had promised to return to cook in the morning, if he hadn't arrived on time, the Pokémon wouldn't be left hungry.
Inside, Gardevoir and another Audino were preparing the meal for the day.
Lin Feng glanced around.
The main dishes were steamed buns and various energy blocks, accompanied by vegetables from the plantation.
And… some fish.
Fried fish.
Gardevoir deftly used telekinesis to remove all the bones from a cleaned grass carp, coated it in flour, and tossed it into the hot oil to fry.
It was slightly unusual.
In the past, they hadn't had so many fish. But recently, more and more fish were arriving via the irrigation channels. Even when they encountered Milotic and Dewgong in the reservoirs, they didn't leave.
Perhaps the cooler temperatures or the strong energy from the planted S-Rank Water Stones attracted them.
What else could they do but accept them?
Occasionally, some would be steamed or braised, welcomed as part of the meal.
But the main star was always the Pokémon.
"Shana?" (Back already?)
Gardevoir sensed Lin Feng behind it and turned around.
"Why not cook in the new kitchen?"
Lin Feng asked curiously.
"Shana~" (I'm used to this place,) Gardevoir replied while controlling the heat.
It simply felt more comfortable to work here.
Nearby, the other Audino were placing steamed buns into storage balls.
Seeing Lin Feng, they softly greeted him.
"Shana…" (You go there. The worker's meal isn't ready yet.)
Gardevoir didn't chat further or let him help, simply making its instructions clear.
"Okay." Lin Feng nodded.
Stepping out of the kitchen, he crossed the area between the plantation and the cow shed, releasing all the Pokémon he had brought with him.
"Yip yip~" (Haha, we're home~)
Glaceon immediately dashed to him. Once he released the Eevee and Milcery, it ran gleefully across the garden grass, clearly delighted.
Serperior returned to the plantation, activating its daily Grassy Terrain buff.
Meanwhile, Blaziken, drawn by the aroma of cooking, peered into the kitchen.
"Mmm…" (Smells so good~)
Lin Feng chuckled and followed Glaceon to the far end of the garden.
At this moment, Diglett were loosening soil and moving stones.
After all these days, a large portion of the new plantation land had been prepped.
Seeing Lin Feng, they gave a simple, goofy smile before diving back into work.
At the edge of the forest and the cobblestone path, the Hooligan construction team and their Fighting-type Pokémon were building houses.
"Bzz bzz bzz…"
Nearby, Combee were collecting nectar.
Observing all this, Lin Feng felt a quiet calm settle over him.
Then he stepped into the new kitchen…