Will followed Leaf into the drawing room of the mansion.
"Find a place to sit, Sceptile. I got a call from Uncle Tom a month ago," Leaf said, flopping onto a sofa. "I just didn't expect you to arrive so late. He called so many tis during that period; he was worried sick."
He then waved at a butler standing in the corner. The butler bowed and left the room. A minute later, he returned, holding a black-and-gold Poké Ball. Will recognized it at a glance: a Luxury Ball.
The Luxury Ball, the rich man's ball. Although its manufacturing cost was no different from other Poké Balls, and the success rate of crafting one was twenty tis higher than Floragato's Friend Ball, it was still expensive. The reason was that the interior of a Luxury Ball was extrely comfortable, and a Pokémon caught with it would beco friendly with its trainer much more easily.
"Blastoise, co on out and be our translator," Leaf said, tapping the ball.
A large creature was released. A 1.8-ter-tall Blastoise.
"Very strong," Will noted, giving the Blastoise a second look. Its level was likely upwards of 50. It seed the townspeople didn't know the true strength of this "fisherman."
"Blastoise... to be precise, he's not my Pokémon, but my brother. His mother and my mother were partners, and we were both born on the sa day," Leaf explained, noticing Will's gaze.
Will was stunned. It was the first ti he had heard of such a relationship. But in the world of Pokémon, it seed to be a relatively normal thing.
"Born on the sa day... then this Blastoise must be in its twenties," Will thought, looking at Leaf. He looked to be about twenty-six, so the Blastoise had also lived for over twenty years. In the Blastoise family, that was still just a child.
"This," Will said, not wasting any more words. He took out the letter Tom had written from his backpack and handed it to Leaf. Leaf only glanced at it before handing it back. Tom had already told him everything on the phone.
"Over the past month, I've had my people in other cities ask around about a Grovyle, thinking you might have gotten lost. Half a month ago, my people found Azalea Town and learned from Nurse Joy that you had already left. You were on the right track. So I had them search the route a few more tis, and finally got news from a Pichu that you had left with a Lapras. A few days ago, a Lapras herd passed by the western coast of Johto. I had Officer Jenny ask them, and learned that you were all on the Gligar island. These past two days, I had people stake out the island's periter. They didn't find a Grovyle... but they did just miss a Sceptile."
Leaf spread his hands, a helpless look on his face.
"Sorry," Will said, his face turning red as he scratched his head. He hadn't expected Tom to have contacted Leaf a month in advance. He had thought Leaf didn't even know they were coming, which was why he had taken his sweet ti. He didn't think he had made soone worry for so long.
"It's fine. It's a small matter. My Master only chewed out for half a month, that's all," Leaf said with a casual wave, though his tone was full of委屈. The "Master" he was talking about was, of course, Corphish, not Tom.
Next, Leaf and Will began to discuss the trip to Blackthorn City. At the sa ti, Will borrowed Leaf's landline phone to call Granny Sola and Captain Tom to let them know he was safe.
With Blastoise and Leaf translating, Will could communicate with them normally. The rapport between Leaf and his Blastoise was off the charts. Sotis, for simple phrases, Blastoise only needed to exchange a look with Leaf, and the latter would understand. Will had no doubt that if they had a ga Stone and a Key Stone, they could ga Evolve on the spot.
"In that case, you and the kitten can rest here for a day. We'll set out tomorrow!" Leaf was a man of action. Once he confird Will's destination, he imdiately had his people prepare a yacht and supplies. Yes, a yacht.
From Cherrygrove to Blackthorn, there were three routes: two by land, one by water. One land route was a long detour, the other was narrow and difficult. So the sea route was undoubtedly the best choice. Besides, Leaf wanted to do so fishing along the way.
"Thank you for the trouble," Will nodded and stood up to go find Floragato. Since evolving, she hadn't been as unreasonable as before, but she had picked up other traits, like imitating him. From her posture, to her fighting style, to her habits, she copied him from head to toe.
"I'll go with you. I'm pretty bored anyway," Leaf said, calling his Blastoise to follow. He was very curious about a Pokémon like Floragato.
They walked out of the mansion. Standing on the steps, they could see most of the garden. Floragato was standing in one spot, not moving, her face bright red, as if she were frozen.
As Will and Leaf got closer, they saw what was happening. On either side of her stood a Chikorita and a Skiploom.
"That Chikorita's trainer had an accident. After becoming holess, it wandered into my yard. The other one is a wild Skiploom," Leaf explained casually.
"You're quite concerned about them," Will noted. If Leaf didn't care about them, he wouldn't know the Chikorita's story, nor that the Skiploom was wild. He must have had his people investigate them.
"Floragato~ made so new friends?" Will asked, walking up and tweaking her ear.
Two small flowers, one red and one yellow, were tucked behind her ears. With her habit of imitating him, she would never have put them there herself. They must have been a gift from the Chikorita and Skiploom. This was probably why she was blushing and frozen.
"ow!" Floragato swatted his hand away. She liked it when he petted her head, but not when other people were watching. It made her look like a child.
"Chiko," the Chikorita, seeing the giant Sceptile approach, quickly hid behind Floragato. The Skiploom, however, just looked dazed.
"ow," Floragato glanced at Will and was about to take the flowers off. She felt they made her look too delicate.
"Hey, what are you doing? You're a girl. There's nothing wrong with dressing up a bit. Don't copy everything I do," Will said, stopping her. He then pointed to the two Pokémon beside her. "If you take them off, your friends might get sad."
Looking at her, Will felt a bit of a headache. Most Pokémon don't have a strong sense of gender; so species are almost completely sexually monomorphic. Unless you deliberately check, you can only roughly judge by subtle interests and behaviors. For example, Ash's Dragonite was gentle and loved to hug, but was male. His Aipom was mischievous but loved to perform, and was female. But his Torkoal and Gligar were also crybabies, and they were male.
Floragato didn't have a clear concept of herself as a "girl." By constantly imitating Will, she had beco a bit of a tomboy. Will was genuinely afraid that one day, she might fall for a female Pokémon. He still wanted to experience the feeling of being a grandpa one day.
"...ow," Floragato looked at the Chikorita and Skiploom, then lowered her paws. She still didn't want to wear the flowers, but she didn't want to hurt her new little sisters' feelings either.
"Haha, if you hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have even known the cat was a little girl. She's got such a difficult personality," Leaf laughed.
"...Be careful she doesn't scratch you. Floragato is very smart. She can probably understand what you're saying," Will warned.
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