Chapter 51:
"Okay, okay, I'll play with you later. Just be quiet for now."
Hayashi Kaede gently pinched the little Vulpix's nose, stopping it from wriggling restlessly in his arms.
(´.＿.｀): "Vul…"
Hearing his words, Vulpix let out a soft, aggrieved whimper but soon settled down.
Little did they know that this adorable scene was already causing quite a stir in the livestream chat.
Watching the broadcast, Akira grumbled inwardly about how his viewers were all hopelessly obsessed with cuteness. Then, with a practiced smile, he aimed his phone at the social media account QR code Hayashi Kaede had hung by the counter.
"By the way, I've got my own account too, so go ahead and follow me."
That sign was something Hayashi Kaede had specifically placed at the entrance, so customers could easily follow his social media account. In the future, important updates would be posted there first.
As the [Followed] notification flashed across the screen, Hayashi Kaede was about to thank Luan Ming when a particular comment caught his eye:
[Aogiri Town? This place sounds familiar.]
[Oh, right—I heard from my classmate that someone spotted a Gardevoir in the forest here, and it was a different color! Not sure if it's true though.]
The mention of a rare Pokémon—Gardevoir—immediately drew the attention of most viewers.
"Come on, that forest outside Aogiri Town was explored thoroughly ten years ago. If a Gardevoir really lived there, it would've been caught or left long ago."
[Shiny Gardevoir? Seriously?]
[Probably just bragging. My classmate always exaggerates.]
[Tch, boring. I thought there was a real chance of meeting one.]
"Guess it's fake, huh?"
As the stream of messages rolled past, a faint sense of disappointment tugged at Hayashi Kaede's chest.
He had allowed himself a brief spark of hope—that maybe, just maybe, he could meet the Psychic-type Pokémon he'd always dreamed of.
But it seemed it was nothing more than idle talk.
After thanking the regular customer, Hayashi Kaede returned to the Plantation, carrying the Alolan Vulpix.
The shed construction was in full swing. Milotic was busy summoning rain over various sections of the Plantation. Dark clouds formed overhead, and soon, a light drizzle fell, making the soil rich and fragrant while cooling the air.
When the drizzle faded, Servine began casting Grassy Terrain, boosting the growth of the crops still in development.
After eating the green dumplings yesterday, Servine seemed noticeably better at using the move—the area covered by Grassy Terrain was visibly larger.
Looks like I'll need to prepare more green dumplings in the future, Hayashi Kaede thought. The more terrain covered, the better.
Overhead, Pidgeotto perched on a branch, scanning the surroundings with sharp vigilance.
Taking in the peaceful scene, Hayashi Kaede couldn't help but sigh softly. "This is great."
Then his gaze shifted to Pidgeotto.
He had promised it that he would help it grow stronger and reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to its kind.
A promise was a promise. If Pidgeotto was going to stand guard over the Plantation with such dedication, Hayashi Kaede needed to be equally committed.
And besides…
Of all his Pokémon, Pidgeotto was the only one that could fly.
One day, he wanted to see it evolve into Pidgeot and carry him high into the skies.
"Hey, Pidgeotto!"
"Pidgeotto!"
Hearing his call, Pidgeotto spread its wings, swooped down gracefully, and landed on his shoulder.
"You're getting more and more impressive," Hayashi Kaede said, running his hand over its sleek feathers.
The golden-brown plumage, the red-and-orange tail feathers, the elegant crest, the sharp talons, and pointed beak—all spoke of a Pokémon raised with exceptional care.
"Pidgeotto~!"
Pidgeotto gave a quick shake of its head, as if to say everything was fine.
"You can't eat any more Rare Candies for now. It's time to start skill training."
There was an old saying among Trainers: a strong Pokémon might be raised well, but breeding alone doesn't make it powerful.
They needed to battle.
It was simple enough—just like flowers in a greenhouse. No matter how vibrant they looked inside, once exposed to wind and rain in the wild, they would wither quickly.
"Pidgeotto?"
Pidgeotto tensed, ready for anything.
"Yes," Hayashi Kaede confirmed. "We're going to test your skills."
He led Pidgeotto to the area behind the half-built cowshed, where weeds and saplings grew thick. He began thinking over the best way to clear it.
Green dumplings only boosted the skill mastery and power of Grass-types.
Maybe it was time to think from another angle.
Those dumplings were made from berries, Moomoo Milk, flour, and fragrant Pink Scent Perfume.
The key ingredients were likely the Moomoo Milk and the perfume.
If I combine Moomoo Milk, Pink Scent Perfume, and other ingredients… maybe I can create a dish that boosts Flying-type moves, or even all-around skill growth.
[Pokémon: Pidgeotto]
[Gender: Male]
[Ability: Keen Eye]
[Aptitude: Blue]
[Stats: HP (21), Atk (21), SpA (20), Def (17), SpD (17), Spd (25)]
[Level: 21–24]
[Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Agility, Whirlwind, Air Slash, Steel Wing, Hurricane, Twister, Defog]
[Intimacy: 87 (It thinks you are very reliable!)]
[Motivation: 70 (Become stronger! Become stronger!)]
After two Rare Candies, Pidgeotto had reached elite-level status.
It had also learned Defog from a TM Hayashi Kaede had given it.
"You can try using Hurricane over an area, then see if you can layer one Hurricane inside another."
For Pidgeotto's energy control, he decided to use the same method Snivy had used for mastering Leaf Tornado.
"Pidgeotto?!"
Pidgeotto seemed surprised—was that even possible?
"Give it a try. This is your first stage of skill practice. Keep the range small."
Pidgeotto nodded, took to the skies, and began flapping its wings.
Whoosh—!
A fierce gale roared, sweeping across the weeds and saplings. The first wave of wind was fine, but as the second followed, its energy quickly destabilized.
The two gales collided, canceling each other out and leaving only a weak breeze.
Hovering in the air, Pidgeotto looked down at Hayashi Kaede apologetically.
Its control still wasn't as sharp as Servine's.
It couldn't stack the move yet.
"It's fine—just take your time," Hayashi Kaede said, though his mind was already turning over new ideas.
Looks like I'll have to rely on cooking after all.