With the help of his Pokémon, Cole quickly prepared the flower field for planting.
The baby Larvitar used its small claws to dig holes. Despite its tiny size, it worked with impressive strength, creating perfectly sized holes with just a few swipes.
Helioptile carefully placed flower seedlings one by one into the holes Larvitar had dug, while Cole and Daisy filled in the soil around them.
Brionne handled the watering duties.
Chikorita, having no specific task, cheerfully encouraged everyone from the edge of the field.
"Chiko~ Chiko~ Chiko~"
With its melodious singing in the background, Cole and the others spent half the afternoon planting seedlings.
"Phew~ Finally done!" He said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Suddenly, Chikorita bounded into the flower field. As it hopped about, a green light rippled across its body, spreading outward to envelop several flower seedlings.
"Chiko~ Chiko ko~ Chiko~ Chiko ko~"
Its clear calls rang through the flower field.
Is this Grassy Terrain? Cole watched in surprise.
Though he knew his Chikorita had inherited this rare move, he hadn't expected it to use it now.
The Chikorita from Blaziken Mask was truly special, possessing not only Grassy Terrain and Heal Pulse — two rare healing moves — but also Synthesis.
When Cole had tested Chikorita's abilities the day after receiving it, he discovered it knew these three healing moves plus two attacking moves: Tackle and Razor Leaf.
While the attacking moves were standard, this didn't matter since Cole wasn't raising Chikorita primarily for battle. Attack moves could be learned anytime, but Heal Pulse and Grassy Terrain were rare breeding-only moves.
Heal Pulse was especially uncommon — it couldn't even be passed down through first-generation breeding, highlighting its rarity for the species.
Being young, Chikorita's Grassy Terrain had limited range, covering only a few nearby seedlings.
As Cole watched, the seedlings within the glowing area grew more vigorous, their previously wilting leaves now standing tall.
Chikorita truly lived up to its reputation. While it couldn't bring plants back to life with a single breath as legends claimed, its Grassy Terrain ability helped plants regain their vitality.
Though regular Grassy Terrain could promote plant growth, Chikorita's version showed remarkably quick results.
Still, being young and inexperienced, it managed to help only ten seedlings before collapsing from exhaustion.
Cole walked into the flower field and scooped up the tired Pokémon, "Well done, that was amazing. When you grow bigger, you'll definitely become even more powerful!"
He knew Chikorita had immense potential and would need careful nurturing.
At his praise, Chikorita's face brightened with a smile.
Just then, Floette led a line of Flabébé as they returned from the orchard. Cole waved to them from afar.
As they approached, he gestured proudly toward the flower field, "Look what I've planted for you!"
Though still seedlings, the Fairy Flowers were instantly recognizable to Floette and the Flabébé. They flew joyfully into the field, cheering with excitement.
"Flabé bé~ Flabé bé~"
"Flabé bé~ Flabé bé~"
...
The Flabébé formed an aerial circle around Floette, joining hands to perform a mysterious dance while singing an enchanting melody.
As their dance quickened, emerald points of light descended from their bodies onto the Fairy Flower seedlings. The seedlings responded by slowly unfurling their leaves, their colors growing more vibrant and lush.
Cole watched in amazement, his mouth agape. In his arms, Chikorita observed Floette and the Flabébé with sparkling eyes.
The little Pokémon marveled at how effortlessly the fairies accomplished what had left it exhausted after achieving only a fraction of the same effect.
After completing their mysterious dance, Floette led the Flabébé in thanking Cole for finding their precious Fairy Flowers.
Cole responded with characteristic modesty.
He then asked, "What were you just doing? How did you make the Fairy Flower seedlings revive so quickly?"
Floette explained that it was a Prayer Dance passed down through generations of Flabébé, Floette, and Florges. It was developed specifically for cultivating Fairy Flowers using their species' natural talents, but had little effect on other plants.
Cole felt disappointed — it would have been amazing if it could work on other plants too.
Chikorita shared his disappointment. It had hoped to learn from Floette and the Flabébé, but this exclusive Prayer Dance required the Floette species' natural talents — something it could never learn.
That evening, it was time for the regular hidden energy circuit activation, so after dinner, Cole led his mother and the Pokémon into the room.
This was the first time activating hidden energy circuits for both Larvitar and Chikorita, so the two little ones were nervous.
{T/N: Remember, this refers to the hidden part of the energy circuits, not the normal treatment. This is the one that hurts and requires anesthesia.}
Cole comforted them, "Don't be afraid, there's anesthetic, it won't hurt. You two watch how your seniors do it first, then we'll help you."
The two little ones nodded and stood together to one side.
Cole tried using his Psychic Powers on Helioptile and Brionne simultaneously, and the process went smoothly, saving him considerable time.
Helioptile's energy circuits were almost completely lit up, and soon it would be able to evolve into a Heliolisk using a Sun Stone. Cole knew he needed to prepare one, but its purity couldn't be too low, or it would greatly affect Helioptile's future growth.
After evolution, Brionne's hidden energy circuits had changed significantly. His decision not to rush its evolution had proven correct.
Brionne's new hidden energy circuits had developed from the original ones. If any part hadn't been activated before evolution, that section wouldn't have developed new hidden energy circuits, wasting much of its potential.
This made Cole think of his mother.
Daisy had evolved into Gardevoir early on, indicating that much of its potential had been wasted before being developed. Compared to Pokémon like Brionne that Cole had raised from their initial forms, it had faced a significant disadvantage.
Brionne's new hidden energy circuits had grown much larger, no longer limited to just its throat area but extending to its abdomen and lungs. Their complexity had also greatly increased, and it took him quite a while to sort them out and activate them one by one.
After finishing the hidden energy circuit activation for Helioptile, Brionne, and Daisy, Larvitar and Chikorita lay down on the bed.
Cole worked on both Pokémon simultaneously.
Larvitar's hidden energy circuits were located in its abdomen. As expected of a pseudo-legendary's initial form, these circuits were far more intricate and densely packed than those of Helioptile and Brionne, demanding Cole's complete focus.
Chikorita's circuits, found in its neck, matched Brionne's in complexity but differed in arrangement.
As Cole's Special Ability and Psychic Powers had grown stronger, he worked with increasing efficiency. Both Larvitar and Chikorita regained consciousness with their hidden energy circuits fully activated.
Cole smiled and asked, "See? I told you there was nothing to worry about."
Still groggy from the anesthetic, Larvitar attempted to roll over on the bed but lost control and tumbled off.
"Ah—careful..."
Before Cole could finish speaking, Larvitar hit the floor with a thud.
Despite its considerable weight making quite an impact, Larvitar seemed unfazed. It calmly stood up and wobbled around the room, apparently adjusting to the lingering effects of the anesthetic.
Chikorita also wanted to get down from the bed. It tried pushing off with its four legs but lacked the strength, eventually settling back down and giving Cole a pleading look.
He shook his head with a smile and went to pick it up.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
The next morning, while Cole was fertilizing the Fairy Flower garden, Officer Jenny called and asked him to come to the police station.
Suspecting it concerned the Excadrill incident, he immediately rode Captain Talonflame there.
At the station, Officer Jenny shared disturbing news: the Excadrill had been hunting other Pokémon, likely responsible for the disappearance of the ranch's Gogoat and Skiddo.
Cole recalled his elementary school lessons about Pokémon history, particularly the Pokémon Domestication Era.
In ancient times, Pokémon commonly preyed on one another. However, as humans and Pokémon grew closer, human influence gradually changed Pokémon behavior.
Over time, humans and Pokémon developed a true symbiotic relationship. Through domestication, many Pokémon stopped preying on others.
Today, Pokémon in human territories subsist mainly on berries, no longer hunting each other. Without this evolution in behavior, young trainers wouldn't be allowed to travel alone.
Wild areas untouched by humans still harbor Pokémon with ancient hunting instincts, but these regions remain inaccessible to ordinary trainers, and their inhabitants rarely venture into civilized areas.
Finding a predatory Pokémon in Coumarine City — a developed urban area — was deeply concerning.
Even more troubling, Officer Jenny revealed they'd found drug residue in the Excadrill's body — substances designed to heighten aggression and stimulate its nervous system.
In other words, the Excadrill's appearance wasn't accidental — someone had deliberately trained it.
Only then did Cole understand why Ramos and Officer Jenny had exchanged such strange looks when they saw the Excadrill yesterday. Being experienced and a police officer respectively, they had likely already suspected the truth about this Pokémon.
She asked him to inform Ramos that given the Excadrill's suspicious nature, they should increase surveillance at the ranch.
After returning, Cole went straight to the Coumarine Gym and delivered Officer Jenny's message to Ramos, who merely smiled, unsurprised, "I understand. Don't worry about the rest — leave it all to me."
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
What Cole didn't know was that a day later, two men in black uniforms visited the outskirts of Bianca and Roman's ranch, carefully examining the area where Cole had fought the Excadrill.
"The Excadrill disappeared right here." One of them said.
"It probably couldn't resist preying on the ranch's Pokémon." The other speculated.
"So it was captured by someone from the ranch? Could this be a problem?" The first one asked worriedly.
The second one dismissed it irritably, "What problem could there be? It's just a crazed Pokémon. Being caught is being caught — it won't trace back to us."
"Maybe... we should try to get it back?" The first one hesitated, "Otherwise, it'll be hard to explain to the captain."
The second one glared at him in annoyance, "Do you know whose ranch this is?"
"Whose?" The first one asked foolishly.
"Coumarine Gym Leader — Ra! Mos!" The second one emphasized each syllable.
Hearing this name, the first one shrank back, "Then forget it, pretend I never said anything. I'd rather just get scolded."
The second one sighed, "That's all we can do."
The first one said irritably, "Why did that Excadrill go through all the trouble to escape? In the end, it still got caught! What's the difference between falling into the League's hands and staying with us?"
The second one replied, "It took the boss's special drug and probably lost its mind at the end, otherwise it wouldn't have been caught so easily..."
These two didn't stay at the ranch for long, leaving quietly after a while. No one ever discovered they had been there.
✲✲✲
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