Monday. Clear skies.
After spending one more night at the trainers' village, Johan boarded Steven's private jet alongside Flannery and Roxanne. They were headed back to Kanaz City in Hoenn.
Unlike Johan, who was enjoying the relaxed ride, the other three were in a rush — exams were waiting for them.
Watching them scramble off toward their exam rooms upon landing, Johan couldn't help but grin.
"Ah, the joy of watching soone else panic."
This must be what it feels like to be a "veteran" who's already been through it all.
Since Johan had participated in the Indigo League Tournant, the academy had graciously exempted him from monitoring exams.
So, he took his Pokémon and headed straight back to his café.
The café was bustling with life.
Walking through the alley leading to the café's front entrance, Johan was startled to see nearly every seat taken. A long line stretched from the counter to the door.
He blinked.
For a mont, he wondered if he had the wrong place.
"Now that the tournant's over, do you think we'll et Johan?"
"I hope so! Maybe we'll even get an autograph."
"I heard he's really kind and often helps out trainers and Pokémon for free."
Johan, crouching by the corner, overheard the custors' chatter.
With a sigh, he murmured, "Being famous isn't all it's cracked up to be."
Gengar popped out of his shadow and crouched next to him, mimicking his stance.
"Ka-kah?"
Why not just go in?
Johan shot the chubby ghost a glance.
"If I go in now, people will crowd around us, and no one will buy coffee."
Gengar nodded in understanding, then casually phased through the wall.
Monts later, his head popped back out.
"Ka-kah?"
Why are you still out there?
Johan gave the wall a firm pat.
"You're a ghost. I'm not. I can't walk through walls without risking my life."
Gengar scratched his head sheepishly, caught red-handed.
Instead of the front entrance, Johan made his way to the back garden.
Unlocking the door, he stepped into the courtyard.
"Hm?"
He noticed two faint auras emanating from the flowerbeds on either side of the garden.
The Ice Radish and Shadow Radish seeds he had planted before leaving for the tournant had sprouted.
Over the past ten days, the tiny buds had grown into healthy stalks, standing about five or six centiters tall.
"They're growing well," Johan said with satisfaction.
"Maybe soon, you'll have so fresh radishes to eat."
He glanced at Gengar and Ninetales. These radishes were said to be the favorite food of Glastrier and Spectrier — feeding them to his Pokémon might yield so unique benefits.
Suddenly, a sharp, angry voice rang out from inside the café.
"Ei-yaaa!"
Before Johan could react, Indeedee ca storming into the courtyard, her psychic energy spreading like a tidal wave.
"Ka-kaah?!"
Both Johan and Gengar broke into a cold sweat.
What a terrifying psychic presence!
But as soon as Indeedee saw who it was, her stern deanor softened into an innocent, doll-like expression.
"Eii~"
Her eyes sparkled as she hugged Gengar, then Johan.
Neither dared move.
So this is why she managed to escape those poachers in Galar.
Her psychic power was astonishing.
Even compared to Ice Ninetales, who had been trained in psychic moves by Sabrina, Indeedee's psychic abilities were stronger.
After the warm reunion, Johan took a look around the back garden.
"Did you two keep this place tidy?"
"Ei~!"
Indeedee nodded proudly.
"And you looked after the radishes too?"
She nodded again but pouted slightly.
"Ei, ei."
She complained that the radishes were tough to care for and grew too slowly.
Johan smiled.
"Maybe we should expand the garden a bit."
Upstairs in the café's private lounge, Johan admired Indeedee and her brother in their new clothes.
"I have to say, you both look great."
The outfits were gifts Johan had picked up in Indigo Plateau — a pink dress for the sister and a light blue suit for the brother.
Both Pokémon bead with pride.
"Ka-kah~~"
Gengar and the others nodded in agreent.
Indeedee twirled in delight. "Ei~!"
Her brother, however, shyly fidgeted. "Ei... ei..."
That evening, Johan cooked a grand feast to celebrate their return ho.
With help from the Indeedee siblings, he prepared a table full of mouth-watering dishes.
There was sothing for everyone:
Gengar's favorite braised pork belly Ninetales's requested mousse cake Tinkaton's roast pigeon Dragonair's seaweed and seafood soup Kubfu's enormous stead buns
And more.
Even Rotom's bizarre request for Battery Stir-Fry made the nu.
As everyone gathered around the table, the warm aroma of food filled the room. Laughter echoed throughout the café.
Gengar suddenly stood up, holding a glass of MooMoo Milk as if it were a wine glass.
"Ka-kah~~"
Everyone turned to him, curious.
With a mischievous grin, he declared,
"Ka-kah! Here's to Johan — may he live a long life!"
Clink!
The Pokémon clinked their glasses together in celebration.
"To long life!"
Johan chuckled at first, touched by Gengar's growing sense of leadership.
But slowly, he realized sothing was off.
Wait... Long life?
Why did that sound like a funeral toast?
After dinner, Gengar approached Johan.
"Ka-kah~~"
Can you buy this outfit?
He handed Johan his phone, showing a picture.
It was a ridiculous costu — Gengar and Pikachu dressed as superheroes.
Johan stared at the image for a long ti, struggling to find words.
Gengar, smugly puffing his chest, struck a heroic pose.
"Ka-kah?"
Cool, right?
"...Have you been watching Haiku's Hero Chronicles?"
"Ka-kah?!"
How did you know?
Johan sighed.
"It's entertaining, but maybe... tone it down."
Gengar tilted his head, confused.
As he lay in bed that night, Johan felt a deep sense of contentnt.
"Ah... there's no bed like your own."
The Fire Feather from Moltres had kept him warm throughout the chilly night.
If Moltres knew its precious feather was being used as a glorified heating pad, it might co storming back for revenge.
"Still... this feels like a good on. Maybe I'll et a new Pokémon partner tomorrow."
The next morning, Johan woke feeling refreshed.
After breakfast with his Pokémon, he made his way to the Kanaz Pokémon Academy.
This ti, he didn't go to the main building.
Instead, he headed toward the academy's second daycare facility — a place nestled at the foot of a nearby hill.
"Let's see what fate has in store today."
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Hey guys, for the past few days I've been sick and all I want to say is thank you. I would have never imagined that I would get this big when I began translating.
This is my main source of inco and patreon is the reason I'm able to pay for my living expenses so I thank you very much for the support.
I check all of the comnts and replies that are left under all of my fics so if you think that I'm simply ignoring you guys, I'm not. The comnts an a lot to .
Anyways, I want to thank you guys for reading and please do let know if you're reading this just by comnting. The comnts on webnovel remind that people still look forward to what I upload and that gives the motivation to do this daily.
Sincerely,
michael.
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