Chapter 41:
Bluestone Trail – Continued
The girl and her Fletchinder embraced happily after their win, and the crowd burst into cheers. Around them, other Pokémon looked eager to join the fun.
By now, Mewtwo had forgotten all about why Hayashi Kaede's Viridian Power was so strong.
Instead, Mewtwo focused on using his power to scan every human and Pokémon in sight—searching for even a single creature that seemed resistant, fearful, or unwilling to be guided.
But all it found was the defeated Chespin, momentarily discouraged—only to light up again as its trainer knelt and gently consoled it.
Such simple, warm emotions… They had never existed in the Team Rocket facility.
There, Pokémon were merely resources—tools to be conquered and exploited.
A wave of confusion washed across Mewtwo's face.
Had I misunderstood everything…?
"Hey, everyone, look who I found—it's Brother Kaede, the owner of the Breeding House!"
As the crowd started to disperse after the battle, someone shouted from the side.
Dozens of heads turned.
"No way! I heard he's a high-level breeder. The Energy Cubes at his place are incredible—delicious, berry effective and cheaper than what the League sells!"
"Yeah! My Pokémon can't get enough of them. Ever since they started eating those Cubes, they've been doing training they used to avoid!"
"Hey, bro, you're here watching battles—how about having one yourself?"
Surrounded by eager voices, Hayashi Kaede waved his hands and smiled awkwardly. "No, no thanks."
Because in this kind of crowd, if you agreed to one battle, more would surely follow.
"Aww, that's too bad…" said the girl with the Fletchinder. She had spotted the Pidgeotto on his shoulder and was clearly itching for a challenge.
Seeing that he wasn't interested, the other trainers quickly lost interest and turned to organize another match among themselves.
But the whole moment sparked an idea in Hayashi Kaede's mind.
Maybe I should build a small battle site here.
After all, the more people gathered, the more visibility he gained—and the more Energy Cubes he could sell.
There were many ways to make Pokémon happy. Food was just one of them.
After leaving the crowd, he gave Pidgeotto a gentle stroke and let it return to its perch in the tall pine tree. Then, he turned to look for Mewtwo.
But the pink-haired boy was gone.
Instead, a pale envelope drifted down from the sky and landed softly in Hayashi Kaede's hand.
The moment he caught it, an ethereal figure emerged from the envelope—a shimmering projection of Mewtwo's true form.
Its fists clenched. Its voice rang clear, steady, and filled with quiet authority.
"You were right… I did carry too many prejudices about the bond between humans and Pokémon."
"So now, I'll begin exploring the relationships between them myself."
"I'll create a special game and invite selected trainers to take part in this trial…"
"Inside this envelope is a fragment of my psychic power. If you ever need help, just tear it open—I'll come immediately."
Mewtwo's projection lingered, waiting as if expecting a reply.
Hayashi Kaede smiled at the last line.
He thought for a moment, then spoke gently:
"When you arrived here, you were full of hostility toward humans. So when you design your game, make it your own. But if the day ever comes when darkness clouds your judgment again… I hope you'll remember this town."
He paused, then added, "And of course, if you ever miss the food here—just drop by. I'll cook something up anytime."
The projection flickered.
Then, in silence, it dissolved into light and disappeared.
High above Aogiri Town, hidden in the mist, Mewtwo floated in midair and stared down in a daze.
Did he know who I was all along…?
It hovered there for a long time.
Then it reached for a Poké Ball on its waist and murmured:
"Whatever. This town really is beautiful."
The ball burst open, and a Goodra slowly drifted into the air beside it.
"Use Rain Dance… over the whole town."
"Gooo…"
Three days later — July 24th
The weather had cooled significantly. Even the weeds by the Bluestone Trail were still damp from lingering dew.
It all began three days ago, when a dark cloud rolled in out of nowhere.
Within moments, heavy rain poured down, forming a curtain of water that quickly refilled the town's only river.
It was the first real rainfall in over a month—an enormous relief for Aogiri Town.
On the plantation…
Near the breeding house, two plots of land brimmed with life. The tomatoes had ripened into glossy, blood-red fruit, each the size of an apple, their vines supported with forked sticks to keep them upright.
The freshly planted turnips had already pushed up snow-white roots.
The watermelons… in just three days, they had ballooned to the size of basketballs, rich green with pale stripes. They'd probably be ready to harvest in a day or two.
The second wave of grass had grown in, a lush green blanket. Its reflection shimmered in the reservoir like a painting.
Aside from the reservoir and paddy fields, the entire plantation buzzed with life.
But Hayashi Kaede stood in the fields with a bitter look on his face, picking vegetables by hand alongside Servine.
They placed the harvest directly into a storage capsule.
He sighed to himself.
We should've stayed here and kept working…
Having once experienced the joy of harvesting crops with Psychic-type Pokémon, it was hard to go back to manual labor.
About half an hour later, Hayashi Kaede wiped his forehead, glanced at Servine, and noticed its Vine Whip retracting.
It had been three or four days since Servine's evolution—its power should have stabilized by now.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a single Medium Rare Candy.
"Here, have some candy."
"Servine?" Servine tilted its head in confusion as it accepted the treat with a Vine Whip.
Hadn't the trainer told it that candy didn't work anymore?
"This one's new," Hayashi Kaede explained.
He then waved toward the sky and tossed a Basic Rare Candy to Pidgeotto. It caught it mid-air and let out a cheerful cry.
Hmm…
Pidgeotto needed to get stronger to reclaim its territory. Besides improving its stats, they'd also have to help it learn better moves.
That would take some time.
Eventually, Hayashi Kaede planned to explore the entire Wilderness Area near his home anyway.
Ding-ling-ling~
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden ringtone.
A call from an unfamiliar number.
He picked up. "Hello?"
"Hi! Is this Mr. Hayashi Kaede? The Starter Pokémon Eggs you ordered at HappyMart just arrived. You can come pick them up anytime—"
His eyes lit up.
Looks like we're about to have some new helpers on the plantation.