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Blastoise didn't dare to speak another word and quickly retreated, trying to make itself as inconspicuous as possible.
Eddie had actually released it mainly for convenience. If a real fight had broken out earlier, Blastoise would have been forced to hide in the back and provide long-range support.
After all, Blastoise was a pure Water-type Pokemon facing a group of Electric-type Pikachu...
There was no way it could engage in close combat, so it would have been relegated to staying behind cover and attacking from a distance.
But now that it seemed there would be no battle, there was no need for it to remain on the field.
This mischievous Pokemon had actually found a comfortable spot against a nearby tree, casually eating berries it had picked while watching the Pikachu with a completely nonchalant expression.
"Next time, unless it's absolutely necessary, I'm not releasing this shameless troublemaker," Eddie said while covering his face in embarrassment.
He felt completely helpless when dealing with such a roguish Pokemon.
"Garde, Gardevoir!" (Eddie, we've reached an agreement. You can recall your Pokemon now.) Gardevoir returned at that moment, reporting that the negotiations had been successful.
The Psychic-type explained that both sides had come to an understanding, and there was no longer any need for such an intimidating confrontation.
"As expected from Gardevoir, you're completely different from that lazy troublemaker over there," Eddie said with genuine appreciation.
When Eddie made this comment, he pointedly looked toward Blastoise, but the Water-type didn't care in the slightest and continued munching on its stolen berries.
Eddie silently recalled the thick-skinned Pokemon along with most of his other team members back into their Poke Balls.
However, he kept Sceptile and Garchomp out, not to mention Eevee and Gardevoir who remained by his side.
Although Sceptile and Garchomp had returned to their normal forms from Mega Evolution, they could still easily handle the other Pikachu if necessary.
Eddie had ordered the mass Mega Evolution not because they couldn't defeat their opponents without it, but purely to create psychological pressure and protect Gardevoir during the negotiations.
"Pika pika! Pika pika!" (Human, I've heard what Gardevoir explained. I apologize for my rudeness earlier.) the lead Pikachu said as it approached.
The Electric-type leader now understood that Eddie wasn't there to harm them and had come to offer a proper apology.
"I don't know why you're so wary of humans, but this kind of behavior will only increase the distance between you and people. How you handle things in the future is up to you," Eddie replied with a simple warning.
Whether they listened to his advice or not was entirely their choice.
At this moment, Eddie finally remembered to check this exceptional Pikachu's stats and quickly pulled out his Pokedex, pointing it at the colony's leader.
Name: Pikachu (Partner Pokemon)
Type: Electric
Ability: Lightning Rod (Immune to Electric-type moves; when hit by Electric-type attacks, Special Attack increases)
Level: 49 (Peak)
Potential: Champion Level
Held Items: Light Ball (Doubles Pikachu's Attack and Special Attack) + Pikanium Z
Moves: Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Agility... Thunderbolt, Light Screen, Volt Tackle, Zippy Zap, Splishy Splash, Floaty Fall, Pika Papow
"Holy cow! Thank goodness Gardevoir managed to negotiate with them, otherwise I would have lost an incredible team member," Eddie thought in amazement.
Eddie had suspected this Pikachu was special, but he hadn't expected it to be this extraordinary.
This Pokemon wasn't just a Partner Pokemon - it was also a creature with Champion-level potential, just like Ash's famous partner.
Apart from Ash's Pikachu, this was the first time Eddie had encountered a Pokemon with Champion-level potential. He couldn't help but marvel at how much the world seemed to favor Pikachu as a species.
Under these circumstances, it even possessed its own Light Ball and Pikanium Z, plus it had mastered the ultimate Electric-type move Volt Tackle.
Moreover, Pikachu's exclusive Z-Move could only be used by Pikachu that knew Volt Tackle.
This Pikachu possessed virtually every advantage that the species could offer, which explained its incredible power.
"This is practically a second Ash's Pikachu, and it has the Lightning Rod ability to boot. I bet if Ash battled this one, this Pikachu would actually win," Eddie mused with excitement.
Eddie was absolutely thrilled. He had previously stated that he wouldn't recruit a Pikachu as a main team member, but this particular Pokemon had completely exceeded his expectations.
He couldn't help but be genuinely tempted now. If he didn't capture such a remarkable Pikachu, he would definitely regret missing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Ahem, Gardevoir, did you mention to them that I came here simply to enjoy the scenery and meet you adorable Pokemon?" Eddie asked tactfully, clearing his throat.
"Pika pika!" (Yes, it told me that.) the Pikachu nodded in response, though it seemed somewhat puzzled about why Eddie was bringing this up now.
"Originally, I was planning to come here just to spend time with all of you, but the incredible strength you demonstrated has captured my attention. So I've decided I'd like to invite you to join my team," Eddie explained honestly.
"Pikachu! Pika pika chu!" (No, you could choose other members of my colony, but I'm the strongest here and must stay to protect this place.) the Pikachu immediately shook its head.
The Electric-type leader understood Eddie's meaning perfectly. It wasn't angry about the proposal, but it explained that it couldn't abandon its responsibilities.
As the strongest Pokemon in the colony, it had always served as the protector and leader of its fellow Pikachu and Pichu. If it left, the safety of these vulnerable Pokemon couldn't be guaranteed.
"Are you worried about their wellbeing? That's completely understandable. I can arrange for you and your entire colony to be relocated to Professor Oak's ranch in Pallet Town. It's an ideal place for Pokemon to live peacefully," Eddie offered.
"There, you won't need to worry about anyone trying to capture your family members. The people there are wonderful. Not only do they treat Pokemon with great kindness, but Professor Oak personally prepares nutritious Pokemon food for everyone daily."
Eddie presented this enticing option, using the same strategy he had employed with Blastoise. Pallet Town truly was an ideal location for Pokemon to live comfortably.
After relocating to Professor Oak's ranch, Pikachu and Pichu would not only have their peaceful lifestyle preserved, but they would also receive delicious, professionally prepared meals.
This would be a life without any worries - the perfect environment for a species like Pikachu that had obviously been mistreated by humans in the past.
As for whether Professor Oak might feel overwhelmed by the food costs when he saw all these additional Pikachu and Pichu arriving, that wasn't Eddie's immediate concern. At worst, he could send some money back to Professor Oak to cover Pokemon food expenses.
"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!" Professor Oak suddenly sneezed three times in a row at his laboratory in Pallet Town.
"What's wrong, Grandpa? Are you catching a cold?" Daisy Oak asked with concern as she noticed her grandfather's sudden sneezing fit.
"It's fine, Daisy. It must be some troublemaker talking about me..." Professor Oak muttered knowingly.
The last time Professor Oak had experienced such sneezing was when Eddie had sent back the Pokemon he had confiscated from Team Rocket operatives just a few days earlier.
Including all the Pokemon that Eddie had captured during his journey, Eddie now had more than 200 Pokemon residing at the Oak Laboratory.
Although Eddie was working on completing his Pokedex, he had also captured multiple specimens of the same species, so while Eddie's Pokedex contained records of only about 130 different Pokemon, his actual collection exceeded 200 individuals.
"Eddie's Pokemon collection is larger than Ash's and Gary's combined, and it's becoming quite challenging to care for them all properly," Professor Oak observed.
"Besides, my sneezing just now seemed like a premonition that this troublemaker is about to send back another large group of Pokemon."
Professor Oak felt genuinely overwhelmed. While he was dedicated to Pokemon care and the laboratory employed many assistants to help with the Pokemon, Eddie's rate of capture was simply too rapid and the numbers too substantial. He was already feeling stretched thin in terms of available staff.
"Then Grandpa, would you like to hire more people? Many residents of Pallet Town would be thrilled to work with you," Daisy suggested gently.
"Go ahead and do that. My intuition is usually correct. Hire two more people... no, make that three more. That boy is really something else..." Professor Oak sighed in resignation.
Daisy smiled at her grandfather's predicament and then left the laboratory to head into Pallet Town to recruit additional staff.
Of course, Eddie, who had been the subject of her grandfather's frequent complaints over the past few weeks, had naturally left a strong impression on her. Although the two had only met once, she could piece together a clear picture of Eddie's personality from her grandfather's detailed descriptions.
"As for Eddie, perhaps I should learn more about him when we meet again..." Daisy mused thoughtfully.