Family Happiness

Sinnoh, Route 208, in the middle of some woods

A stocky man in black hiking clothes, with a dark green vest over it, and a belt around his waist with six Pokéballs on it. There was a scar on his face, and his face was cold and hard. Followed by an Absol's uncle, he was commanding a Zangoose to cleave the large tree in front of him that was in the way.

"Absol, Cut."

As soon as the man's words fell, the Absol's sharp claws swung, and the large tree in front of him was lazily cut off in response.

Then the man touched up and stroked Absol's head, and proceeded to walk ahead.

Ahead of him was a vibrant scene, an orchard of berries, Nanab Berry, Razz Berry, Wiki Berry, Aguav Berry... some were ripe, others had already ripened.

Some of the berries were already ripe, while others were still growing.

A rare look of relaxation appeared on the man's face.

But before he could enjoy this rare peace and quiet, the sound of a faintly undetectable breaking wind came from his side.

His eyes steeped in severity before he sidestepped and dodged away from the attack. And behind him Absol blocked his trainer's side with a flash, then a guttural low growl came from his throat.

But after a moment Absol returned to calm.

And as if the man had suddenly reacted to something, he let out a soft breath of relief before resuming his normal standing position. The cold, hard look on his face also became rather helpless.

He saw clearly in that instant what had attacked him. It was a Pecha Berry.

Before he could say anything, an old, but middle-aged voice came out from the middle of the sheltered berry forest.

"So what good is it for you to then become a hunter? It would be better to wash your hands in gold like me, and then go sell berries with your younger siblings!"

The old man's tone carried a bit of hateful resentment.

"And, judging from your reaction speed just now, you're slow, Malkin. you're only 28 years old..."

Malkin looked at this old man in front of him and shook his head helplessly, "Grandpa, it's you who's not yet old."

Kumas said, "I'm not old enough? If I'm not old enough, why would I need that youngster Oak to take the lead?"

Malkin was also helpless. Nowadays, there were quite a few people who could say that Professor Oak was a youngster. But there were not many people who were qualified to say that Professor Oak was a youngster.

And the old man in front of him happened to have that qualification.

"It seems that little Uta's death has affected you..."

"Grandpa! I don't want to talk about it!"

The scowl on Malkin's face couldn't even be described as ugly. Rather, it stinks...

Kumas looked deeply at the still young grandson in front of him. Silently, he shook his head.

"I'm almost eighty. There isn't much time left to talk about you... just, since you don't want to mention it, forget it. But I still want you to seriously consider going home and selling berries."

Kumas, or Berry Master, touched his long white beard and said helplessly.

"I will."

Malkin said so, but looked like he had no intention of doing so.

Knowing he had nothing else to say, Kumas sat down on the ground, then plucked another Nanab Berry and handed it to the sinful grandson in front of him, then plucked and peeled another one for himself and filled his mouth.

And Malkin made the same gesture.

"What are you doing here? Don't expect me to give you any help. You can't expect an eighty-something year old man to help you go toe-to-toe. Or get you some friends who are as old and undead as yourself..."

Kumas was the first to speak up.

"Since we hunters tend to practice at a young age and are forced to retire at a young age, people like the old man don't have old friends like their peers anymore."

Malkin's face was serious and lifeless, baring what Kumas was about to say next as if he were reciting a eulogy.

"You've been saying these things since the day I became a hunter. You know, I became a hunter when you were still bragging about your goal."

Although this person's words were rather helpless, there were also a few hints of whining. However, no emotion could be seen at all in the expression.

This guy's face was as dark and ugly as the bottom of a pot.

Kumas didn't care, instead, he had a few moments of anger in his heart.

"If you had listened to me earlier, Uta wouldn't have died!"

"If I had listened to you earlier Uta would have died along with his father!"

It was obvious that this was not the first or second time such an argument had been made. That's why the two showed a tacit understanding formed from long practice while going toe-to-toe.

And after saying this. The grandfather and grandson once again fell into silence.

It was hard to imagine an old man who was almost eighty years old still being able to throw fast, accurate and vicious hidden weapons. It was also hard to think of a man who was not yet 30 years old but had already lost a son.

"We wouldn't be so sad if you hadn't adopted Uta."

Despite Kumas' words, there was no hint of remorse in his eyes, just heavy mourning.

And Malkin, whose face was growing stale, didn't speak, just shook his head.

A long silence fell in the melon-scented berry forest. Judging from Absol's accustomed look on one side. Such an outcome should be the norm for the grandparents and grandchildren to get along with each other.

"Alright. Let's not chat about these old things. What did you come here for? Don't say it's to see my old bones. Though your grandmother did miss you quite a bit."

Kumas asked as he got up and grabbed the basket beside him, picking berries as he went.

And Malkin got up right after him, then helped Kumas pick the berries with skillful hands and feet.

"It's nothing. I told you before that I joined an organization."

"I also said that it wasn't good."

It was still a rather topsy-turvy remark, but Malkin had long since grown accustomed to it. His parents had died early and he had grown up with this exasperating style of speech from his grandfather.

"But they do give a lot." Malkin unscrewed a Pecha Berry with his right hand and tossed it into Kumas' carrier before continuing, "I'm a hunter, and a hunter can't turn down a high level of pay!"

Kumas just shook his head and then spoke.

"So now that you're in trouble, you remember your poor grandfather? Your parents left early, and after they left your grandmother and I raised the five of you siblings. At the end of the day you only remember your poor grandfather when you're in trouble.Malkin, you're so ungrateful..."

Malkin's head grew big as he listened.

But he also knew that it was just a habit of his grandfather's, and it was fine for him to continue talking. The old man could hear him anyway.

So he continued regardless, "But there's a very dangerous mission scheduled over there right now, and I don't want to go myself."

Kumas's hand that was picking berries paused, then he turned his head and looked at his grandson with a stoic face and asked, "So what kind of handle of yours has fallen into the other side's hands?"

Malkin was silent for a moment, then said, "They know about Uta...but it's something I haven't told anyone."

"The Uta thing is over. They can't threaten you with a dead child."

A hint of ferocity flashed under Kumas's eyes, but his analysis and expression remained remarkably calm.

"So... it was us who were exposed?"

Kumas asked so as he stared at Malkin.

Malkin was silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

"Slap!"

Kumas slapped Malkin directly on the face.

The place on Malkin's face where he was hit swelled up at a speed visible to the naked eye. It was evident that Kumas' slap was really not light.

"Are you really going to be the next me! A white-haired man sending off a black-haired man? Woe to your family?!"

Kumas's breathing became ragged, looking at Kumas like an aging lion king. It seemed like at any moment he would fight to bite Malkin's throat.

Malkin lowered his head and didn't say anything until after Kumas's breathing had returned to a calm state, then he spoke, "Grandpa, lend me the Flaming Lion and the Circle Bear. That way I can be sure of completing this quest. As soon as I finish this quest...I'll stop doing it..."

He lowered his head somewhat feebly, his cold, hard expression still not loosening, and what was clearly a plea and a promise was hardened to bring out a flavor of threat.

But how could Kumas, who knew this child best, not hear the true meaning in his words?

"...If that is your hope, I will fulfill it."

Kumas once again resumed his berry-picking state, then said in a muffled voice.

Then picking up the already filled basket, he then spoke, "You are my grandson after all..."

After saying that, he lifted his feet and walked towards that hut in the distance.

And as Malkin eyed the back of this old man in front of him, his cold, hard face seemed to be a bit taut.

He had always considered himself self-reliant. But when relying on your family, the happiness of your family being able to give you help is incomparable to anything else.

He followed the old man step by step. Reaching out, he helped the old man hold the bottom of the basket.

Where Malkin couldn't see, Kumas smiled a somewhat pleased smile.

Sometimes, the happiness that the old people asked for was just as simple as that.

The two soon walked near the hut. An old woman who was washing and scrubbing the berries asked without raising her head after hearing the footsteps, ''Back? Did some little guy come here to steal berries again. You shouldn't be so mean to the little ones all the time."

Kumas gave a 'humph' and then said, "I didn't see any little guys stealing berries, but there was one ungrateful grandson who caused trouble!"

Hearing the old man's words, the old woman's movements paused for a moment, then raised her head to look in the direction from which the voice came.

Malkin just wanted to say something, but his body involuntarily trembled when he saw the tears in the corners of the old lady's eyes. His lips trembled, wanting to say something, but he couldn't seem to get it out.

The cold and hard expression instantly melted away like ice being poured with hot water.

"Grandma, I'm back."

"It's good to be back, it's good to be back..."

The old lady wiped her hands on her clothes with her hands in a frenzy, and then quickly walked forward to shake this dear grandson's hand and said, "It's good to be back, it's good to be back."

Malkin looked at his grandmother's tearful smile and hated to give himself another two slaps on the spot.

He hadn't been back to this hut since Uta's accident. It had been four or five years by his reckoning.

His own grandson was not at home, and only the name of the 'Legendary Thief', still active on the news, proved that their grandson was still alive.

The loneliness in the hearts of the old people who had already lost their sons was simply visible to the naked eye. If it wasn't for those adopted grandsons and granddaughters who came back to visit from time to time even though they were all over the world, then the two old men's lives would have been filled with loneliness.

"Grandpa, Grandma, what happened?"

A milky voice came out from the doorway of the hut.

A little girl somewhat timidly peeked her head out from the edge of the door frame to take a look.

The old man just smiled at the little girl and waved. The little girl hesitated a bit, but her body couldn't help but poke out more.

"Come over here, Kelly. this is your big brother."

The old lady smiled and beckoned towards the little girl, who then hugged her own little rag doll and ran to the old lady's side in three steps, still half-hiding her body behind the old lady's back, before timidly calling out, "Big brother!"

Malkin answered in a panic, and then subconsciously began to feel all over his body, looking for something that could be used as a gift.

But to his surprise, he found nothing...

He didn't know why he had been a hunter for such a long time, but he didn't have a single gift to show for it.

Finally, he rummaged through his pockets and found a feather, then handed it to the little girl and said, "This is Lunar Feather, an amulet that can bring luck and beautiful dreams."

The little girl collected the gift, then smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you big brother, I will treasure it."

Malkin stroked Kelly's head and nodded with a smile.

This Lunar Feather was certainly not a real one. It was just an imitation copy.

But even if the Lunar Feather that could really summon the God of Beauty and Dreams was in his hands what use would it be?

He had never been a kind person. Even Darkrai, the Nightmare God, would spit on him when he felt his heart, not to mention the Beauty Dream God.

After all, according to the words of a certain doctor's theory. Gods are gods, there are no evil gods, gods may not care if mortals live or die, but they are by no means evil.

"Go go go, Grandma will go back and make you your favorite food Nanab Berry Pie."

With that, she took Little Kelly's hand and said, "Come on, Little Kelly, how about we go home and make the pie for big brother first?"

Little Kelly nodded vigorously and then said seriously, "I want to learn from Grandma and make it myself for my grandparents and siblings in the future."

Saying that, this old and young group had already walked towards the house.

Malkin looked at the scene in front of him. The cold hardness on his face gradually returned.

"Grandpa, I won't let the tragedy repeat itself again."

And just as this side was enjoying the joy of heaven.

In the forest, a youth who was also carrying a hiking bag sighed helplessly.

"When will I walk out of this forest!!!"