"Come on, I'll introduce you to my grandparents. Dreepy's already disappeared somewhere."
"Swamp~"
"Flor~"
"Vee~"
The Pokémon answered cheerfully. Only Togepi's little eyes darted around, plotting who knew what mischief.
"Let's hurry. Grandpa and Grandma are feeding the other Pokémon right now. If we get there early, we might score something tasty too."
"My grandparents' food tastes even better than mine!"
Leafeon and Togepi's eyes lit up. Even better than Chen Shi's cooking?
Before meeting Chen Shi, those two country bumpkins had lived in the wild, never knowing where their next meal would come from. They had been lucky to find anything to eat, let alone be picky.
Only after meeting Chen Shi had they learned that such delicious food existed, along with all kinds of specially tailored Pokéblocks.
Now Chen Shi was telling them that his grandparents' cooking tasted even better than his.
The leafy one and the egg couldn't take it anymore and impatiently urged Chen Shi to hurry.
Swampert looked just as eager. He had lived at the family home when he was little, so he knew Chen Shi was telling the truth, not pulling a fish's leg.
Only Florges remained mature and composed, tending to her flowers as she walked.
Chen Shi smiled, then changed the subject. "Florges, with a farm this big, how about I set aside an area for you to grow a flower garden?"
"Flor!!!"
"Flor~"
Florges forgot all about maintaining her composure.
She had wanted a flower garden for ages, but she had been traveling with her Pokémon Trainer and never had the chance to fulfill that wish. How could she stay composed after hearing that?
"Of course I mean it. When have I ever lied to you? I'll find you a nice spot tomorrow."
"Flor~"
Florges bowed gracefully in thanks.
Chen Shi gently stroked her head. Before he could speak, a pair of huge hands grabbed him and tossed him onto a shoulder, then their owner ran deeper into the farm.
"Shit, Swampert! Be gentle! What's the rush?"
Swampert rolled his eyes at Chen Shi and kept running. He couldn't wait any longer, yet his Pokémon Trainer was still yammering away. Didn't he know that nothing in the world mattered more than mealtime?
Whatever it was, couldn't it wait until tomorrow?
"Toge-toge-prii~"
Togepi cheered happily in Chen Shi's arms. Behind them, Florges and Leafeon exchanged a look and hurried after them.
"Dear, look. This Combee honey keeps getting better and better. Let's save some for when Chen Shi comes home. He and Dreepy love it."
On the hill behind the farm lived the Combee colony his grandparents raised, and today was harvest day.
Grandpa Chen nodded. "Just save some of the best-quality honey. We'll use the rest to make potions and Pokémon food."
"That young girl from the Jenny family had her Arcanine badly injured during a mission. She asked me to make a top-grade Revival Potion, and I happen to be short of some top-grade Combee honey."
Grandma Chen looked worried. "That young girl from the Jenny family is almost at Elite Four level, isn't she?
"Even her main Pokémon, Arcanine, was badly injured on a mission. I wonder how Chen Shi is doing, and whether he's run into any danger."
Grandpa Chen smiled. "You worry too much. Didn't Chen Shi contact us just a little while ago?"
"A boy needs to get out there and make his own way. Seeing the world will be good for his future."
"Besides, things are unsettled everywhere these days. We can't protect him forever."
"You're right. We can't protect him forever." Grandma Chen couldn't help sighing.
Seeing his wife's worried expression, Grandpa Chen was about to offer a few words of comfort when an excited cry interrupted him.
"Dree~ Dree-dree~"
The two elderly people froze, then turned to look. A Shiny Dreepy flew happily toward them and dove straight onto Grandma Chen's head.
"Dree~ Dree-dree~"
"Oh my, it's Dreepy!"
Coming to her senses, Grandma Chen quickly lifted Dreepy off her head and asked, "Did you come home with Chen Shi?"
Dreepy nodded happily, then flew in front of her and nuzzled her.
Grandpa Chen grew excited too and hurriedly said, "Good, good, wonderful! It's wonderful to have you home.
"Let's head back, then. I'll have my old pals carry this honey back."
At the mention of honey, Dreepy immediately perked up, flew over to a honey jar, and tugged at it with all his might.
"Dree-dree~ Dree~"
Unable to open it, Dreepy cried out impatiently. Grandma Chen chuckled. "Don't worry. We're saving it all for you and Chen Shi. Let's go home first. I'll make you something delicious tonight."
Dreepy's eyes lit up, and he couldn't stop himself from drooling. He nodded eagerly, then flew onto Grandma Chen's head and settled there.
The two grandparents exchanged a smile, said goodbye to the Vespiquen who lived there, and headed out.
On the way, Grandma Chen couldn't resist teasing him. "Dreepy, it's been a whole year. How come you still haven't evolved? Can you beat a Caterpie yet?"
Dreepy was indignant. He patted Grandma Chen's head with his little claws, then shut his eyes, refusing to speak.
Being unable to beat a Caterpie was the great shame of his life.
Grandpa Chen rubbed salt in the wound from the side. "That won't do. I remember you and Chen Shi making some bold declaration a year ago. Something about crushing all rivals beneath you."
"After all this time, don't tell me you still can't even crush a Caterpie?"
"Dree-dree~ Dree~"
Dreepy immediately protested, thumping his chest with his little claws to show that he was plenty capable.
"Oh, is that so?" Grandpa Chen asked with another chuckle. "What about Mudkip, then?
"He should be a Swampert by now, right? Can you beat him?"
"You're Chen Shi's Starter Pokémon, the boss of the team. Surely you can at least beat the number two!"
Looking at Grandpa Chen's teasing expression, Dreepy opened his mouth but couldn't think of a comeback.
Could I beat Swampert?
Definitely not.
That big guy could turn me into Dreepy paste with one punch.
He could only just manage to beat Togepi now.
At that thought, Dreepy felt deeply wounded. He wobbled back onto Grandma Chen's head, questioning his life as a dragon.
Grandma Chen reached up and patted Dreepy comfortingly. "It's all right, Dreepy."
"I think you're on the verge of evolving. Once you evolve, you'll be strong. Then you can go crush all rivals beneath you."
By the last sentence, even Grandma Chen couldn't help laughing.
Dreepy's eyes filled with longing. Chen Shi had also said he would evolve soon, and that he would be powerful once he did.
Dreepy believed it without a shred of doubt.
After all, his Pokémon Trainer had told him so. He certainly wouldn't lie to a dragon.
Togepi
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