Chapter 123:
The Beedrill that appeared this time was completely different from its last appearance.
Although the long stingers on its arms were still nicked, its spirit was clearly better than before, and the exoskeleton on its abdomen seemed much smoother and firmer.
The change was unbelievable.
Such a drastic transformation in just a few days.
"Buzz?"
Beedrill glanced at Hayashi Kaede, then at its Trainer, and hesitantly looked at the cake on the table. "Buzz." (Didn't you say it was a sweet cake? Are you sure it's sweet?)
Why did it look so... bitter?
"It's bitter. Just tell me if you want to eat it or not."
Seeing Beedrill in better condition seemed to have rejuvenated Ryō Fū's spirit. He patted Beedrill's abdomen and said with a smile, "This is a cake made by Brother Kaede. Are you sure you don't want to try it?"
"Buzz?"
Beedrill looked at Hayashi Kaede, respect evident in its single good eye.
"It's okay. Eat this cake and you'll be fine. Then you can have sweet treats when you go home," Hayashi Kaede soothed.
The cake was made from the bitter melon and the cabbage, the two mutated vegetables.
Don't be fooled by its vibrant green color; its name was quite elegant.
It was called the Dream Cake.
[S-Rank Dream Cake—A cream cake made from Bitter Melon of Finding Joy, Emerald Green Cabbage, and Sitrus Berry, possessing unique effects.
Cooking Effect 1: Colorful Dreams. Consuming a large portion of Dream Cake causes the Pokémon to instantly enter a dream state, where they encounter their deepest desires. The creator can view the dreamer's dreams by consuming a piece of the same Dream Cake.
Cooking Effect 2: Heals all injuries of the Pokémon.]
"Buzz..."
Hearing Hayashi Kaede's words, Beedrill was stunned for a moment, then looked down at the cake in front of it.
If any other breeder had said this, it would never have believed it.
But having consumed Hayashi Kaede's Energy Cube days ago, it wasn't completely skeptical, but still a bit uncertain.
It just seemed too far-fetched.
Eating this cake would heal all its injuries?
Then what was the point of all its years of enduring silently?
What about its already dulled stingers?
It tried to scoop a bit of the cream with its stinger and put it in its mouth, immediately frowning.
This was definitely the bitterest thing it had ever tasted, so bitter its entire mouth felt cleansed.
But the next moment, Beedrill was stunned.
It could clearly feel its long-standing injuries rapidly healing.
A warm current surged from its abdomen, spreading outward. Even its broken stingers became scorching hot.
Layers of dead exoskeleton flaked off the stingers like rusted iron, rapidly replaced by new growth, sharp and strong like fine steel.
The changes didn't stop there. Its blinded right eye grew blurry and hazy.
But this blurriness made it shake its head,
its face filled with disbelief.
It even felt like it had returned to its youth.
Wherever its spear pointed, it would strike!
Its blood boiled within.
"Eat quickly, you'll feel better once you finish it,"
Hayashi Kaede's voice sounded beside it.
Finally, Beedrill snapped out of its excitement and turned to look at its Trainer.
The message was clear:
*Feed me. Quickly.*
*My stingers are growing.*
Ryō Fū was speechless, stunned by the scene, but upon hearing his Beedrill's urging, he snapped back to reality, picked up the cake, and began feeding it spoonful after spoonful.
As he watched its wings grow more nimble and its stingers sharpen, tears welled in his eyes. His emotions swelled.
How many years had it been since he'd seen such a dashing and formidable Beedrill?
After most of the cake was finished, the Beedrill before him, compared to the previous wounded, dim-eyed Beedrill, now exuded a powerful aura. Its eyes shone with a sharp light, as if it had the courage to challenge any Pokémon before it.
The few Combee that had been curiously gathering nectar nearby now dared not approach.
"Buzz!"
Beedrill flapped its wings, sensing the energy around it, and soon detected a presence in the sky. It looked towards the Dragonite soaring high above and immediately beat its wings, ready to charge into battle.
"Beedrill!"
Ryō Fū also sensed Beedrill's fighting spirit, but before he could even speak, Beedrill, which had seemed so full of vigor, suddenly had its eyelids droop, and the next moment, it collapsed to the ground.
"Beedrill?!"
"Don't worry, cellular restructuring causes drowsiness. Now it's time to dream. Do you want to see what it dreams of?"
Hayashi Kaede soothed, then cut a small piece from the Dream Cake on the table.
"You can even see Beedrill's dreams?" Ryō Fū looked incredulous.
Hayashi Kaede, as usual, offered his convincing explanation: "Of course, my special power can shape its dreams, because it ate the food I made."
As he spoke, he tasted a bit of the Dream Cake, and an inexplicable connection formed in his mind.
His hands, following this connection, began to move as if blowing bubbles. A colorful, cloud-like mist began to form between his palms.
Within the mist, a clear image emerged.
It was a strangely colored Weedle...
It gazed bewildered at its surroundings, seemingly unsure why it had returned to the past.
But the next moment, a Caterpie appeared beside it and its Trainer called out, "Weedle, stop staring blankly! Use Poison Sting!"
It glanced back and saw the young Trainer, Ryō Fū, looking at it with excitement.
Suddenly, a String Shot shot past it, landing beside it.
"Weedle" instantly recalled this moment.
This was its first battle after being captured.
Back then, this human had quietly approached it from behind, bonked it on the head, and captured it while it was dazed.
But how could it possibly obey Ryō Fū's orders after being captured like that?
So, in their first battle, it was defeated by the opponent's Caterpie.
But now...
"Weedle's" vision sharpened.
Even though its physical fitness was far inferior to its days as a Beedrill, it now possessed a wealth of combat experience!
Back in the "starter zone" again!
Shouldn't it dominate?
Help Ryō Fū win every battle?
"Caterpie, use Tackle!"
Hearing the voice of the opponent's Trainer, now hazy in its memory, and seeing the Caterpie charging at it in a daze, "Weedle" grew excited.
To the bewilderment of the opposing Caterpie, it simply leaned sideways with impeccable timing, letting the attack whistle past.
Then, Ryō Fū's voice cheered, "Alright, Weedle, use Poison Sting!"