Chapter 65:
"Yes, it was successfully manufactured on the first try."
Hayashi Kaede stared at the energy cube sitting on the workbench with a satisfied, almost proud smile. The shape and finish were right — the color, the faint hum of stored energy — all the small details lined up. The process hadn't been identical to his previous attempts, but the result was close enough that only a trained eye would notice the difference. That, he suspected, was the cultivator profession bonus quietly nudging the quality upward.
Gardevoir watched the cube with a soft, dazed look. When Kaede had first invited her over to learn how to make energy cubes, she'd thought it was a demonstration — a trick or a curiosity. She hadn't expected him to teach the whole process, patiently and without holding anything back.
"Great." Kaede's grin broadened. "With you helping, we can scale up production. But we'll need more equipment first."
He began listing off items on his fingers: extra molds for cubes, a small processor to stabilize the mix, a few spare batteries, and—so many thought came as naturally as it did logically—a lawn mower. If he fitted a Rotom to it, the machine could keep the grass plains behind the cowshed trimmed without him wasting time on manual mowing. The plantation was large; chores multiplied fast without automation.
"Gardevoir?" Kaede glanced up at the psychic Pokémon when a soft sound touched his mind.
Gardevoir's reply rose like a small, gentle cry. "Gardevoir." (If it's not my child, would you accept it?)
Kaede blinked. The phrasing made him frown in puzzlement for a second. Gardevoir's question wasn't about blood or ownership — it was the kind of careful worry only a Pokémon who had taken in strays would voice. Wild Pokémon, or those rescued from harsh circumstances, often carried scars of distrust toward humans. Letting them roam the forest forever wasn't a real solution, but inviting them in required trust and care.
Since she'd begun taking in strays, Gardevoir had been the one to feed and tend them. The daily routine of caring had grown into something more protective, more tender. She'd become attached.
"It's not your child?" Kaede repeated slowly, a rueful lift to his mouth. The exact phrase had a human awkwardness to it that made him briefly imagine absurd scenarios, then chuckle and shake the thought away. "Don't worry, I didn't take it that way."
Gardevoir's mental tone steadied. "Gardevoir." (They're all Pokémon taken in from outside — one abandoned outright, one left when its mother was captured, and one rescued alone.)
Understanding softened Kaede's expression. "So we have a Popplio, a Torchic, and a Bounsweet?" The possibilities unfurled in his head like quick, useful notes. Popplio could live near the reservoir and keep Milotic company; Torchic would fill the plantation's Fire-type gap and help with chores that needed a flame; Bounsweet could produce juice and be a small blessing for the household larder.
His smile hardened with annoyance. "Those trainers… outrageous. They abandoned their Pokémon, and they even captured Bounsweet's mother and left the child behind?" He spat the words out as if they were unpleasant bites.
If it were Kaede, he thought, the mother and child would never have been separated.
"And the two abandoned ones — were they left because of poor aptitudes?" he asked, already forming plans in his head.
Gardevoir shook her head. "Gardevoir." (The Popplio was left because of aptitude issues, but Torchic's case is different…)
"Gardevoir." (Torchic eats like a furnace. Its trainer couldn't afford it anymore.)
Kaede's eyebrows shot up. "It eats that much?"
He tried to imagine the appetite of a hatchling. Most newborn Pokémon could stretch a single bottle of energy cubes over several days. Kaede had carefully rationed what he gave Gardevoir so none of her wards ever went hungry — but the idea of one little Torchic devouring most of the supply was staggering.
Gardevoir answered with a low, resigned chirr. "Gardevoir." (Nine out of ten of the energy cubes you've been giving me lately were eaten by it.)
"Nine out of ten?" Kaede stared, incredulous. The numbers didn't add up in his head at first — ten bottles in less than five days, and one Torchic was responsible for almost everything?
He couldn't help the thought that followed with an embarrassingly human practicality. If it ate that much… how much did it produce? Was there a digestive problem? The mental image made him wince and then laugh at himself.
"Alright," he said finally, voice steady. "Bring them over. I want to see for myself. Don't worry — the plantation's big. One greedy Torchic isn't going to ruin it."
Gardevoir's mental voice lifted in a relieved trill. "Gardevoir!" (Thank you!)
Kaede waved his hand as if dismissing the thanks. "It's nothing. You're part of the plantation now. If anything comes up, tell me directly. I'll handle it."
"Gardevoir." (Okay.)
In a shimmer of psychic light, Gardevoir vanished and reappeared moments later at the plantation gate, three small figures huddled close behind her. One was a tiny Torchic whose orange feathers flickered nervously; another was a round, playful Popplio whose big eyes took in the new surroundings with wary curiosity; the third — wrapped in a soft red body with green leaf-like petals sprouting from its top and a small patch of tender white flesh showing between them — peeked shyly from behind Gardevoir.
The trio was obviously wary. Bounsweet tucked itself close, trembling; Popplio bobbed tentatively; Torchic peeped and shuffled its feet.
"Torchic!" the little Fire-type called, half-question, half-cry.
"Popplio!" the water Pokémon answered with a cautious splash.
"Bounsweet!" the plant Pokémon squeaked, clinging to Gardevoir's side.
Kaede crouched and offered a calm smile. "Okay, okay. Easy there."
[Pokémon: Bounsweet]
[Gender: Female]
[Characteristic: Tender]
[Aptitude: Green]
[Level: 11–12]
[Individual Value: …]
[Moves: Tackle, Sweet Scent, Leafage, Play Nice]
[Description: Appears timid.]
[Friendship: -5 (wariness toward humans)]
[Happiness: 0 (disoriented — new environment)]
Kaede scanned the panel and nodded. The sheet didn't look impressive on paper, but potential wasn't measured only in stats. For his purposes, the ability to produce juice and the gentle temperament were the real draws. Even timid Pokémon could thrive with the right care, and that was exactly what the plantation offered.