Chapter 123: Preparing for the Tokiwamatsuri Festival

"It seems like a few energy cube fillings were stuffed inside—I wonder if they can even eat it or like the taste," Bamboo Suihan mused as he glanced at the large cooking station he had set up in the courtyard, scratching his white fur.

He had hastily tossed everything in. Although the ingredients seemed like a carbohydrate bomb, the Three Sacred Beasts should have no trouble handling the energy with their level of activity.

“Uu?”

Are you ready?

“Milou!”

Always prepared, big boss!

Dragonite and Alcremie eyed the small cup of fruit wine before them as if it were an enemy.

They had already finished their midnight snack; even if they drank this beverage, no scheming trainer would snatch their late-night meal!

Bamboo Suihan: ?

“Why would I steal from you when I don’t even know how to make it myself?”

“Uu!”

Dragonite shook its head solemnly. Things that are fought over taste better, trainer—you understand that principle, right?

“Milou!”

The big boss is right!

“Alright, you two win.”

Bamboo Suihan poured himself a large cup. “Take a sip and see how it tastes. If you don’t like it, just give it back to me.”

Dragonite licked a taste and its eyes lit up.

Alcremie stirred the liquid with her hand before tasting it; her eyes brightened as well.

A deep bond—they drank it down in one gulp!

Trainer, we’re done. Drink up as you please!

Silently, Bamboo Suihan raised the Poké Balls of the two little ones.

The red light flickered as Dragonite and Alcremie were recalled inside, to be released once they entered a deep sleep.

“The alcohol content is purely from stacking nutrients, isn’t it?”

Bamboo Suihan began tidying up the battlefield, attaching a hose to wash away grease and other traces.

He had initially intended to observe if there were any special energy reactions where Entei had rested—like increased soil fertility.

“No luck. Seems the constraints of Authority are indeed quite strict.”

After cleaning up, Bamboo Suihan slipped the energy detector back into his pocket.

Legendary Pokémon aside from their varied skill pools and unique abilities like Intimidate, Authority granted them another special trait.

For example, Suicune’s ability to purify water, or Alolan Miltank’s capacity to accelerate plant growth.

What was Entei’s legendary ability again?

Volcanic Eruption?

Forget it; Groudon would probably appreciate that.

Setting Alcremie on the table, the white-furred monkey temporarily took on the role of the older brother, massaging Alcremie to help digest the accumulated nutrients.

Afterward, he placed Alcremie by the pillow and went to the water basin to release Dragonite, repeating the process.

“Uu?”

“Sleep well; this will relax your muscles and promote blood circulation.”

In a way, Bamboo Suihan was now playing the role of the dreaded fascia knife that every athlete despised.

“Uu.”

Dragonite closed its eyes in contentment.

Good night, white-furred monkey.

“Don’t learn bad habits from Nasi.”

Bamboo Suihan chuckled. Next time he visits Goldenrod City, he’d make sure to give Nasi a tough lesson—no psychics left for her!

My Dragonite is never wrong; any mistakes come from that mischievous kid Nasi, who keeps giving people strange nicknames!

“But right now, I seem only able to passively endure rather than actively absorb. I wonder what powers I can still revive later.”

Pulling up the covers, Bamboo Suihan closed his eyes.

System, allocate points!

A flood of knowledge surged in again. The beautiful sister in his dreams and various Pokémon transformed into academic symbols once more.

One must say, endurance is truly built through training. Bamboo Suihan’s capacity to absorb knowledge grew daily, and his learning speed increased in tandem.

The howls of the wolfdogs running around Joy Academy served as the best alarm clock. Opening his eyes, Bamboo Suihan got up, placed Alcremie on his head, brushed his teeth, and called Dragonite to wake up.

“Dragonite, come wash your face and brush your teeth. Remember to let Alcremie apply your skincare products. Don’t mix up your creams.”

One’s main ingredient was fairy energy, the other water and ice—mixing them might reduce their effectiveness.

Picking up the frying pan Entei had sent, Bamboo Suihan examined it and decided to test what this legendary cooking tool could do.

He quickly made some egg dishes. Both Dragonite and Alcremie responded positively—the flavor improved significantly, and they felt warm and comfortable after eating.

“It works, but not much.”

Bamboo Suihan looked at the flame patterns below: “If I catch a partner who can eat metal in the future, I’ll have them gnaw on this.”

This morning was battle class, but the monkey with a get-out-of-jail-free card could skip class.

“So, we’re going to have a serious family meeting today.”

Dragonite, Alcremie: ?

Is the family about to starve?

“Of course not. If that happened, I’d just go pressure Wataru in Cianwood City. It’d be crazy if we didn’t empty the Dragon Clan’s stock.”

Bamboo Suihan tapped the edge of the table. “We need a brand-new research breakthrough.”

“Uu?”

There’s no way Alcremie and I can help with that.

“It’s brainstorming. After all, I don’t know what valuable research project to undertake.”

Bamboo Suihan pulled out the invitation Nasi had given him.

“In short, the Tokiwa Festival is important—it’s related to our new family member.”

Mewtwo was definitely the target.

This naive, uneducated little flower should be seriously mentored by a socially elite scholar like himself.

“Milou?”

We have a social elite at home? Trainer, are you talking about yourself?

“Yes, that’s me.”

The white-furred monkey shamelessly admitted, “These Pokémon revived through fossil technology and nurtured naturally by Tokiwa Forest have a shaky grasp of the world.”

“Such times call for a person with correct values to guide them.”

Mewtwo was no longer just a battle tool. Not even if Sakaki stood before Mewtwo would there be a special reaction.

Or perhaps, under the nurturing of Tokiwa Forest, a new Mewtwo might even develop a personality like little Huang’s by chance.

“As for the Pokémon itself, I’m not worried. But I’m concerned the League will put pressure on me.”

Like mandatory weekly reports on Mewtwo’s physical condition, or monitoring for any mental changes.

The League respects life, but they won’t ignore such semi-technological Pokémon.

“These are not conflicting points, so I plan to open another research topic—something so advanced the League won’t dare mention it.”

To the extent that even semi-surveillance demands won’t be brought up; if they do, various parties would question the League.

“Milou?”

Trainer, have you considered medical items?

“As for medical items, I heard liquid healing pods that store healing pulses and Life Drops simultaneously have already been developed. Researching that is pointless.”

“Uu?”

What about your various types of Poké Balls?

Bamboo Suihan shook his head. “From a modern perspective, only the Dive Ball has some value, but it’s still not enough.”

Dragonite and Alcremie were momentarily stumped. As semi-illiterates, they struggled to provide useful information on this.

“Uu?”

Dragonite suddenly had an idea. How about we visit more places with historical legends and try to recruit those history-loving professors?

“The director probably wouldn’t agree.”

Don’t think I don’t see what the director wants from me. It’s not just the Joy family; even the League is under pressure.

I maintain regional stability daily and have tons of official duties. If you keep making big news every few days, who’s paying the overtime?

Seal him up—seal him tightly!

Better if he never leaves the academy!

“But Poké Balls might be a good direction.”

Bamboo Suihan stroked his chin. Given his current abilities, requesting two Dark Balls for study should be no problem.

And if this ties into a project he plans to use personally…

“For now, the research target is Poké Balls, with the primary goal to decipher the energy logic behind Dark Balls—see if I can solve it once and for all.”

No need to question the Pokélantis line. Or if I did, it wouldn’t help much. Such critical info would be crushed in my hands as long as my brain isn’t kicked like a Mudsdale.

“Can’t possibly build a mind control device. I plan to keep that for myself.”

My controller’s output surpasses yours—just surrender!

“Let’s go. Thinking here won’t get us anywhere. I’ll take you two to the Great Lake.”

To the white-furred monkey, he was the parent sending the two little ones to daycare by the lake.

To Dragonite and Alcremie, Bamboo Suihan was the one attending cram school, while they were just killing time waiting for class to end.

No morning classes, but that didn’t stop Bamboo Suihan from glancing at the upper-level class schedule, intending to seek inspiration.

Like special treatment plans related to Poké Balls.

After battles, Poké Balls passively suspend time, preventing injured Pokémon from worsening.

In reality, this time suspension has limits and exceptions.

For example, if your Pokémon is poisoned, burned, frozen, or pricked by stealth rocks.

If time stretches too long, their condition deteriorates—in games, this shows as continuous HP loss.

“At the Pokémon Center, if the trainer hands you a Poké Ball directly, don’t rush to open it.”

If they carry the Pokémon on their back, Joy graduates can judge injury severity, so this isn’t considered.

Today’s teacher was a middle-aged Joy staffer exuding a scholarly aura, likely a major researcher at the academy.

“Place the Poké Ball on the scanner to assess the Pokémon’s condition before deciding.”

“Minor injuries follow standard treatment. If life energy is weak, the Poké Ball should be fitted onto treatment devices for preliminary care.”

In other words, using technology to heal and sustain life.

(End of chapter)