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"Hahaha, Little Dratini, you're such a good girl! Come on, open wide! Aah~~~ Haha! Delicious, right? Oh? Little Squirtle, you want some too? And you, Little Cleffa? Alright, alright, there's enough for everyone! One at a time!"
Liam watched with a slightly stiff smile as Delia played joyfully with the three adorable Pokémon on the table. She was so absorbed in feeding them that she had completely forgotten about him.
Watching this scene, Liam suddenly felt that maybe he shouldn't have brought Squirtle and Dratini out… These two were totally competing for affection!
Now, Delia was entirely focused on feeding the three little Pokémon with tasty Pokémon food, not even sparing a glance at him.
Just then…
Screech!!!
The sharp sound of tires screeching against the ground came from outside. The moment Liam heard it, he knew that Professor Oak had returned. He quickly got up and walked toward the door to greet him.
"Welcome back, Professor Oak."
Liam opened the door, smiling as he greeted the professor, who was already standing at the entrance.
"You brat! At least you still know to come home! If you hadn't come back soon, I would've gone out to find you myself! Now, hurry, hurry! Show me those ancient Pokémon already!"
Professor Oak was as enthusiastic about research as ever. His first reaction upon seeing Liam was exactly what he had expected—the professor's focus was always on Pokémon. But that was precisely what made him so great.
Liam chuckled, about to respond, when suddenly, Auntie Fumiko stormed out of the kitchen, her face filled with fury.
"Samuel Oak! What do you think you're doing?! Liam just got back, and the first thing you talk about is research?! Is that all that matters to you?! You—you—you're going to drive me crazy! Waaaah~~~"
As she spoke, her furious expression quickly transformed, and in an instant, she entered full-on thunderstorm mode. Heavy "rain" poured down her face, accompanied by rumbling sobs.
"Fumiko! Fumiko! Ahhh! I was wrong, I was wrong, okay? Please don't cry! Liam and Delia are still here, don't embarrass me in front of the kids! Alright, alright, today is a happy day because Liam is back. Let's not cry, okay? I won't bring up research anymore. Today, we'll just enjoy being together as a family. How about that?"
The moment Professor Oak saw Auntie Fumiko's tearful face, his own expression changed drastically. He hurriedly tossed his briefcase into Liam's hands and rushed to her side, soothing her with gentle words.
Seeing this familiar scene unfold, Liam couldn't help but smile warmly. He walked back to the sofa, tossed the briefcase onto it, and pulled Delia into a gentle embrace.
Together, they watched the affectionate bickering of the old couple, silently appreciating the beauty of love.
By the time noon arrived, Auntie Fumiko had prepared a feast to celebrate Liam's return. Both he and Delia helped out quite a bit, and in the end, the family enjoyed a meal that—while not entirely a reunion dinner—was filled with warmth and joy.
During the meal, Liam briefly recounted his recent experiences to Professor Oak. He didn't hide much, mentioning Team Rocket and the Hunting group, though he left out many dangerous details.
Even so, Delia still held onto Liam's arm tightly, her face filled with worry and a hint of blame in her gaze. Liam, of course, understood what she was upset about.
He quickly gave her an apologetic smile, silently promising that he would be more careful in the future.
Professor Oak didn't say much either. He simply reminded Liam to be cautious when traveling and assured him that if he ever needed help, he could always count on him. Liam felt nothing but deep gratitude for that.
After lunch, however, the professor's curiosity finally got the better of him. As he sat on the sofa, he subtly glanced toward the kitchen, where Auntie Fumiko was busy cleaning up. Then, he leaned in toward Liam and whispered,
"Liam, you still have those ancient Pokémon with you, right? Come on, take them out for me to see—just for a quick look! I've never seen ancient Pokémon before!"
Liam was speechless. The way Professor Oak was acting all sneaky, as if they were engaging in some kind of underground deal… Was that really necessary?
Still, Liam didn't refuse. Just as he reached for his bag, preparing to take out the PokéBalls, Delia walked over and sat beside him.
The moment Professor Oak saw Delia, he immediately turned back around, pretending to watch TV with a serious expression, as if he had done absolutely nothing.
Liam: "..."
"Hehe, Professor," Delia giggled, holding onto Liam's arm. "Auntie Fumiko said that since lunch is over and there's nothing else to do, if you want to go back to the lab, that's totally fine. Liam and I can go with you, okay?"
"Huh? Really?" Professor Oak was stunned for a second. Then, his face lit up with happiness and excitement. "Fumiko, I love you! Hahaha! What are we waiting for?! Let's go! I'll drive you to the lab right now!"
Overjoyed, Professor Oak sprang to his feet, hurriedly packing his things while urging Liam and Delia to hurry up as well.
Liam turned to Delia with a smile, then quickly gathered his own belongings. In the end, Delia carried Little Cleffa in her arms, while Dratini rested on her shoulder.
Squirtle, meanwhile, jumped onto Liam's shoulder, settling into his familiar spot and tugging at Liam's hair playfully.
With everything ready, the three of them stepped out the door and got into Professor Oak's sports car. As the professor hit the gas, the car sped off like a rocket toward the research lab.
After the car left, Auntie Fumiko stood at the doorway, watching as it disappeared around the corner. A slight blush colored her cheeks as she mumbled softly to herself,
"Honestly… We've been married for so long, and he still says things like that. And in front of Liam and Delia too! How embarrassing!"
Her tone carried a hint of annoyance, but the happiness on her face was impossible to hide.
Meanwhile, as the sports car sped along the winding roads, Liam finally understood why Gary was always driving one around in the anime. Clearly, it ran in the family!
Upon arriving at the Oak Research Lab, Professor Oak wasted no time. The moment he got out of the car, he snatched the PokéBalls containing Omanyte, Kabuto, Kabutops, and Omastar from Liam and dashed straight into his research room, eager to begin his long-awaited study of ancient Pokémon.
Liam and Delia, on the other hand, walked hand in hand into the lab's backyard. The once vibrant grassland had begun to wither slightly, yet the feeling of familiarity remained unchanged.
"Come on out, everyone!"
Since he was home, Liam naturally wanted to let all of his Pokémon out to reunite with their old friends.
"Roar!"
"Nido!"
"Chaarbok!"
"Muk?"
"Jynx!"
"Woof!!"
Seven flashes of light burst forth, accompanied by distinct cries echoing across the area. The moment Garchomp, Nidoking, and Arbok took in their surroundings, they immediately recognized where they were and let out excited roars, calling for their old companions.
Sure enough, their calls were quickly answered. From the grasslands, the small grove, and the pond, Pokémon began emerging one after another, quickly gathering around them.
As the Pokémon crowded around, they soon realized that while some of the voices sounded familiar, only Liam and Arbok were immediately recognizable.
Garchomp and Nidoking had evolved, their appearances having changed significantly, making them harder to recognize at first.
But the moment Garchomp and Nidoking cheerfully greeted their old friends, the lab's Pokémon quickly caught on. In an instant, they all happily pounced forward, playing together in a joyous reunion.
Watching the scene unfold, Liam felt a deep sense of happiness. Seeing that everyone at the lab was doing well put his heart at ease.
With a smile, he pulled Delia along and dove into the crowd of Pokémon, warmly greeting his long-lost friends.