Chapter 18: Heading To Day Care Center
Yuga retrieved the newly obtained Poké Ball from the system space.
This Poké Ball had an aura of sophistication.
It was split into two halves - the upper half was silver, and the lower half was white.
The silver half bore intricate black patterns that seemed irregular yet exuded a mysterious and enigmatic vibe.
Conversely, the white half remained pure and flawless, resembling a fine piece of jade.
The entire Poké Ball felt weighty, yet it was as light as a feather when held in hand.
"To celebrate the addition of a new member to our family, I've prepared a new home for you. Let's give it a try."
Yuga shook the Poké Ball in his hand, then took out the Poké Balls containing Floette and Absol and released them, crushing them underfoot.
Floette and Absol each pressed the button on the new Poké Ball with their paw and claw, respectively, and transformed into red light before being absorbed into the new Poké Ball.
Following that, Yuga released Floette and Absol again and asked, "How is it? How does the new home feel?"
"Floette, Floette, Floette."
Floette joyfully fluttered around Yuga, clearly satisfied with the new accommodations.
Although Absol didn't make any sound, its expression conveyed its contentment with its new dwelling.
Seeing both of them happy, Yuga thought, "Indeed, products from the system are top-notch. If only the system personality were better; a change would be nice."
While Yuga was in good spirits after successfully taming Absol, he didn't forget his purpose for coming to Lavaridge Town.
Later, Yuga took Floette and Absol to the Pokémon Center for breakfast.
He didn't indulge in biscuits again this morning; he had no reason to be harsh on himself today, unlike yesterday when he was ravenous.
So, Yuga, accompanied by Floette and Absol, enjoyed a hearty meal. Especially Absol, who hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, was famished.
After breakfast, Yuga headed to Day Care Center.
He knew the address of Day Care Center. His family Day Care and Day Care Center had been in cooperation for a long time. While Yuga original self didn't typically handle these matters, he still knew what he needed to know from hearing about it over time.
Day Care Center was a subsidiary of the League Research Institute. Legitimate research institutes of the League were established by renowned Pokémon professors, and the Pokémon and eggs at Day Care Center were also from their hands.
Due to its role in Day Care Pokémon and eggs, Day Care Center had a large area. It was located on the eastern outskirts of Lavaridge Town, adjacent to Jagged Pass, in the same direction as Mt. Chimey.
There weren't many buildings in the suburbs of the town, and Lavaridge Town was no exception. Yuga easily found the location of Day Care Center.
With its red roof and white walls, Day Care Center stood out amidst the green grass and trees.
When Yuga arrived at the entrance of Day Care Center, he noticed a young man in a white lab coat on the adjacent lawn. He was holding a hose, watering three Lotad.
The young man soon noticed Yuga standing at the entrance. Setting down the hose, he approached Yuga and politely inquired, "Can I help you?"
Yuga replied courteously, "Hello, I'm from Yoyo Day Care. I've come today to collect the promised Pokémon eggs from your Day Care Center. I made a reservation over the phone yesterday."
The young man in the lab coat suddenly realized.
"Oh, I see. The director informed me about this. I've been waiting for you. Please come in; I'll take you to meet our director."
"Sure, thank you."
"You're welcome, it's my duty."
With that, the young man called out to the three Lotad, "You three, come over here with me. Don't wander off."
The three Lotad then bounced over to the young man and followed him and Yuga into Day Care Center.
As they walked, the young man introduced himself to Yuga, "I'm Kerry, a caregiver at Day Care Center. My job is to take care of young Pokémon, just like these three adorable little ones."
As he spoke, Kerry pointed to the three Lotad walking at his feet.
"I'm Shimizu Yuga, the newly inherited owner of Yoyo Day Care."
Kerry had recently started working at Day Care Center, so he was unaware of the incident involving Yuga parents. He only thought it was impressive for someone as young as Yuga to already be the owner of a Day Care.
Yuga realized Kerry was uninformed, but he didn't feel angry. Moreover, as he wasn't his original self and hadn't met the Shimizu couple, there was no deep emotional attachment. At most, he was influenced by his original self memories, making him feel a bit uneasy.
Guided by Kerry, Yuga reached the entrance of a room and saw the director of Day Care Center inside. This room was likely the director office.
The director of Day Care Center was a burly man with a chin and cheeks covered in a full beard.
At this moment, he was wearing a white lab coat and holding a magnifying glass, carefully observing a Pokémon egg.
Kerry knocked on the door of the director office and then spoke, "Director, the people from Yoyo Day Care have arrived."
Upon hearing Kerry voice, the director set down what he was holding.
"I understand. You can go back to your work; I'll take care of the rest."
"Alright, then I'll leave."
After Kerry finished speaking, he led the three Lotad and left.
Now the director turned his attention to Yuga.
"Hello, I'm the director of Day Care Center, Mond. You can call me Director Mond, or if you prefer, Uncle Mond. Whatever suits you."
Director Mond had a cheerful expression; despite his full beard, he seemed very approachable.
"Hello, Director Mond. I'm Shimizu Yuga, the current owner of Yoyo Day Care. I'm sorry, I can't just casually call someone 'uncle' upon our first meeting."
Yuga couldn't bring himself to address someone as "uncle" so easily.
"I'm sorry about your parents. We've known each other for a long time. We go way back to when they first became owners of your family Day Care. We're old acquaintances. It's just that I never expected such a tragedy to occur."
Director Mond expression turned sorrowful, showing that he was genuinely saddened by the passing of the Shimizu couple.
Yuga shook his head. "It's not your fault. No one could have foreseen such an incident."
Indeed, Day Care Center was not at fault for this accident.
Even though the vehicle that the Shimizu couple was traveling in belonged to Day Care Center, and the driver was from there as well, the responsibility didn't lie on their side. The police investigation had already determined this.
Day Care Center wasn't responsible, yet they were willing to provide compensation. They had done all they could.
"Alright, let's not dwell on these sad matters. Speaking of which, you came here with your parents when you were young. I've seen you before, but back then, you were just a little child. It's surprising how you've grown up so quickly."
Director Mond laughed heartily and patted Yuga shoulder.
Yuga hadn't anticipated this revelation, although his original self memories didn't contain these details. He could only awkwardly reply, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember."
"No problem, no problem. You were so young back then; it's normal not to remember. Come on, let me take you to choose a Pokémon egg."
Director Mond chuckled and walked out of the office, motioning for Yuga to follow him.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone