Chapter 117:
"Stop, stop, stop!" Hayashi Kaede called out, quickly halting the commotion. He then explained the effects of the Energy Cube: after consumption, each Pokémon could randomly unleash a special move, but they shouldn't use it recklessly.
He found it somewhat absurd.
With just one Finger Wave, it had unexpectedly triggered Reshiram's signature move—Blue Flare.
And with such intensity!
It was unmistakably that Legendary's technique.
Fortunately, this Alcremie wasn't particularly strong. If Gardevoir hadn't reacted swiftly, things could have gotten messy.
Gardevoir slowly descended from the sky, staring at the Alcremie on the ground in disbelief. Those flames had even given it trouble. It was hard to believe a Alcremie had unleashed them.
The Alcremie now looked timid and uneasy.
"Hey, it's not your fault. I didn't explain clearly enough," Hayashi Kaede said, patting the Alcremie's head. Noticing the curious eyes of the other Pokémon, he added, "If you want to try, line up and take turns later."
Speaking of which, the probability of permanently learning the move was highest the first time the Energy Cube was used. So, it was fine to let them try once.
"Alcremie ?" the Alcremie that had just used Blue Flare murmured uncertainly. It was a small, pinkish fairy with a strawberry-like pattern on its head.
It closed its eyes, as if trying to recapture the feeling. But when it opened them again, the move it used was different this time—a soft, multicolored glow radiated from its body.
"Hmm?" Hayashi Kaede frowned.
This wasn't Blue Flare but Dazzling Gleam.
But didn't the Legendary Mew Energy Cube description say that consuming it only offered a chance to comprehend the first move unleashed via Metronome? Now, with Blue Flare and Dazzling Gleam, that meant two moves—and this Alcremie hadn't even taken a second bite of the Cube.
"Alcremie ?" The Alcremie also looked surprised at the light emanating from its body. The sensation was the same, so why was the effect different?
*Could it be that Metronome randomly triggers a move, and that move can then randomly trigger another, ultimately allowing the Pokémon to comprehend Metronome itself?*
(Note: Metronome uses a random move chosen from nearly all existing moves)
Considering this possibility, Hayashi Kaede's eyes widened.
[Pokémon: Alcremie]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Sweet Veil]
[Aptitude: Purple]
[IVs: HP (27) | Attack (14) | Sp. Atk (23) | Defense (29) | Sp. Def (27) | Speed (10)]
[Level: 18-19]
[Moves: Decorate, Sweet Scent, Aromatherapy, Attract, Metronome...]
[Affection: 94 (Really likes you!)]
[Mood: 40 (What's wrong…?)]
"Oh my god, is that really how it works?!"
Seeing Metronome listed in its moveset, Hayashi Kaede was stunned.
He'd never considered this possibility. The odds were beyond outrageous!
Noticing its trainer's shock, the Alcremie grew anxious. "Alcremie?" (Am I sick?)
"No, no, don't overthink it," Hayashi Kaede reassured quickly. "You're just exhausted from using a new move. You'll be fine after resting."
"You're still too weak right now, so try not to use this move. Once you're stronger, it'll be much easier, okay?"
After recovering from his surprise, Hayashi Kaede warned all the Alcremie. Their average level was only in the teens, and a move like Metronome —completely luck-based with unpredictable outcomes—could be dangerous. What if one of them accidentally triggered Judgment or Precipice Blades? Wouldn't that drain them completely?
"Alcremie!" The Alcremie all nodded in agreement.
"Combusken!" The usually laid-back Combusken now looked at Hayashi Kaede eagerly. The Blue Flare earlier had made it envious—it wanted to try that move too.
"Alright, everyone, give it a try!" Hayashi Kaede grew interested himself, curious if any other Pokémon could learn a new move.
"Combusken!" A determined glow lit up Combusken's face. If a Alcremie could unleash such a powerful flame, surely it could do even better!
It used Metronome.
A small spark flew from its beak.
"Combusken?!" It stared at the feeble ember in disbelief.
"Looks like your luck isn't so great," Hayashi Kaede chuckled, amused by Combusken's anticlimactic result.
He then turned to Serperior. Serperior understood and summoned a surge of green energy that enveloped the entire plantation.
"Uh… Metronome triggering Grassy Terrain?" Hayashi Kaede murmured, then glanced at Milotic…
After all the Pokémon had tried, Hayashi Kaede shook his head. Aside from the Miltank's initial Blue Flare, the rest had mostly used ordinary moves. The only notable one was a Pidgey that unleashed Brave Bird—unfortunately, it didn't learn it permanently.
It seemed the odds of permanently mastering such moves were incredibly low.
But this also indirectly showed how exceptionally lucky that Alcremie was.
"Alright, alright, play among yourselves. I need to open the shop."
By the time the experiments concluded, it was already 8 AM.
Hayashi Kaede hurriedly brought the Alcremie to the breeding house and opened the doors.
The customers waiting outside immediately complained:
"Mr. Kaede, since your cashier left, you've been opening later and later!"
"Yeah, when that girl was here, the shop opened around 6. Now it's almost 8…"
"Ahem…" Hayashi Kaede coughed awkwardly in defense. "It's not easy managing alone! I have to milk the Miltank, collect Honey, craft Energy Cubes, tend the plantation, and care for all the Pokémon…"
Someone nodded sympathetically. "True. Aren't you planning to hire help? I've been wondering when you'll add new services."
Hayashi Kaede sighed. "I've been considering it, but I'd prefer a Pokémon that can help manage the shop—like a Rotom. If anyone has leads on one, please let me know…"
Upon hearing "Rotom," the entering customers all shook their heads.
Hayashi Kaede wasn't too disappointed. Even though he'd found no listings for Rotom online, he figured he could post a video on his channel—now with hundreds of thousands of followers—to see if anyone had information.