Chapter 120:
"Buzz..."
Beedrill flapped its wings wearily, glancing at its Trainer, then at Hayashi Kaede across from it.
It stood still, breathing a shallow sigh. Hayashi Kaede didn't know whether to speak or not.
Finally, he said, "If you trust me, you can leave it with me. I'm confident I can heal it."
After all, he possessed the power of a Legendary's blessing. With the assistance of that divine-level energy, successful treatment was almost certain.
Seeing Hayashi Kaede say this, the man smiled and shook his head. "Forget it, Brother Kaede, I'll spare you the trouble. I'd like to stay with it for a while longer."
"Before, I always thought it was young, and its body was strong, so it could tough it out. But some injuries dragged on and ended up like this. It also likes to show off, battling even when it shouldn't." A self-deprecating smile lingered between his words. "Come to think of it, I'm a poor Trainer. I can't even tell what my Pokémon is truly feeling."
"It likes sweet things. Actually, the doctor said to avoid them as much as possible, but at this point, the sugar doesn't matter. Brother Kaede, just do what it likes."
Hayashi Kaede respected his choice and nodded solemnly. "Okay, I understand."
Then, he pulled out another Energy Cube from his storage bag.
This was an SSS-grade aptitude-development Energy Cube, a rare commodity in his reserves. One of its effects was to heal old wounds and repair deficiencies—the perfect remedy for Beedrill's current condition.
While precious, Hayashi Kaede felt no regret giving it away. Even if Beedrill's hidden injuries were healed, its lifespan was the real concern. It had already lived through most of its life... It was a mystery what willpower had allowed it to endure such severe pain until now.
Hayashi Kaede instructed, "This Energy Cube can clear hidden injuries. Take it home and give it a try. It should feel much better."
"Hmm... Is that so? Thank you, Brother Kaede..." Ryō Fū accepted the Energy Cube but wasn't overly excited. Over the years, he had taken Beedrill to various regions, seeking out many renowned doctors and breeders, but most only managed to temporarily alleviate its pain. Later, he even resorted to hypnosis from Psychic-type Pokémon to help it sleep through the worst of it. Therefore, he didn't truly believe a breeder from a small town could effectively heal Beedrill's chronic injuries.
Seeing the man's expression, Hayashi Kaede reminded him again, "Remember to make sure it eats this."
"Okay," Ryō Fū nodded, then grabbed a few bottles of Bounsweet Juice from the store. Without stopping, he led Beedrill out of town, disappearing from view.
"..."
"Alcremiee..."
The Alcremie standing near the counter at the entrance had witnessed the entire process, their faces sad as Ryō Fū left.
Finally, one of them couldn't help but speak, "Alcremie ..." (Will it die?)
"..." Hayashi Kaede was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Probably." Even if his Energy Cube could heal Beedrill's injuries, its time was still short.
"Alcremie," (How pitiful... Will it have to leave its Trainer if it dies?)
"Alcre..." (Don't say goodbye, it's so painful...)
"Al..." (...)
The scene stirred up a wave of emotion. The Alcremie, having been rehomed themselves once, suddenly thought of their previous Trainers. They had been so young when they were separated, and their new Trainers were so kind, so they weren't normally so sad. But Beedrill was different. It was going to die, and it would never be with its Trainer again.
With this thought, the Alcremie even began to think about the distant future. What if their own Trainer died too? Wouldn't that mean they wouldn't be able to be together anymore? The more they thought about it, the sadder they became, looking at Hayashi Kaede with tears in their eyes.
"I'm only eighteen..."
Looking at the Alcremie, who were already worrying about a future decades away, Hayashi Kaede felt a sense of absurdity and helplessness.
But he still tried to comfort them, "Don't worry, we still have a lot of time together. Besides... I've heard that when people die, they can become Ghost-type Pokémon. So, if I die, I'll definitely become a Ghost-type and come find you, and then I'll keep making treats for you..."
"Alcremie ?!" (Really?)
"Really, really..."
After comforting them one by one, Hayashi Kaede breathed a sigh of relief. A heavy feeling inevitably settled over him.
He finally closed up the shop, returned to his room with the Alcremie, and then headed to the shed to check on the Metapod that hadn't evolved yet.
Its shell had been moving more frequently recently and felt slightly soft to the touch. It must be evolving within the next few days.
"It's almost time to evolve, huh..."
"Puff?"
The Metapod shifted its body, indicating *yes*.
"Once you evolve, you can eat delicious food and become stronger. Are you happy?"
"Puff!"
The Metapod swayed violently. It had been stuck like this for so long and had been craving Wild Grass Dumplings for ages. It heard the Miltank had recently added a new Honey-infused Wild Grass Dumpling; it wondered what that tasted like. Just thinking about it made it wish it could salivate. Too bad it was just a Metapod now, without a mouth.
Seeing it like this, Hayashi Kaede couldn't help but laugh. "Look at you! Once you evolve, I'll make you all sorts of delicious things."
The Metapod became even more excited. "Puff!"
Hayashi Kaede smiled. After giving Metapod another pat, he went to the Combee hive, collected the Honey, and brought the Alcremie to the kitchen.
He had originally thought it was just a simple birthday cake, something he could throw together. But now, he planned to make it with all his heart.
"Gardevoir."
In the kitchen, Gardevoir was wrapped in a white apron, making ordinary Energy Cubes for the next day. There was actually no need to wear an apron at all, because its Psychic power could prevent all impurities from sticking to its body. But Hayashi Kaede had said it looked nice this way, so it wore it.
"Alright, everyone, come and help experiment. Let's make a few more test cakes tonight. Maybe we can create something that helps that Beedrill stay with its Trainer a little longer!"
"Alcremie ~!" (Help Beedrill?)
"Alcremie!" (Let's do it!)
The Alcremie, hearing they could help Beedrill, immediately became excited. They gathered around the table, all looking at Hayashi Kaede, each one eager to contribute.
Hayashi Kaede, on the other hand, began searching inside his storage bag...
Finally, he placed some restorative Berries on the table.
That's right...
He wanted to try... to see if he could create a dish that could extend a Pokémon's lifespan.