Chapter 27: Enhancement
"Slippery." Naoki mused, "What a strange effect."
He set the dishes on the table and brought Alcremie over to join the others. The tiny Pokémon happily ate the cake Naoki had cut for them, their little faces smeared with cream.
"How is it?" Naoki asked, curious about their reaction.
"Alcremie~"
"Smoliv~"
Both Alcremie and Smoliv responded with cheerful chirps and satisfied smiles.
"Good, good," Naoki nodded. He knew the cake would be delicious, given the quality of Alcremie's cream. Koraidon and Cyclizar would surely enjoy it as well.
He turned to check on the two larger Pokémon and found them eagerly devouring their meals, their paws and faces covered in food like two overgrown kittens.
Naoki shook his head, chuckling. More like two overgrown geckos, he thought.
"I wonder how the 'Sweet Dreams' effect will manifest," he pondered. He decided to stay up later to observe their sleep patterns.
As for the Slippery Steamed Eggs.
Cyclizar had already snatched up the bowl, the smooth egg mixture sliding effortlessly into its mouth.
"Gulp!"
It swallowed the entire serving in one go, barely taking the time to savor the flavor.
Cyclizar blinked, looking puzzled. It felt like it hadn't eaten anything at all. It looked down at the empty bowl, then at the other servings of steamed eggs.
Alcremie and Smoliv were still enjoying their cake, their portions untouched. Koraidon's bowl was also empty, but it had eaten more slowly, seeming to appreciate the taste.
Cyclizar felt a pang of embarrassment. Why do I feel so silly?
Naoki remembered the mayor's words. This Cyclizar wasn't fully grown yet, and its mind was still immature. That would explain why it was easily distracted by butterflies and so eager to chase after them.
Naoki pushed his own bowl towards Cyclizar. "Here, have mine," he offered.
Cyclizar's eyes lit up, but before it could accept the offering, it felt a burning gaze from its side.
Koraidon: Stare!
"Grrr..." Cyclizar looked a bit intimidated by Koraidon's intense gaze.
Naoki raised an eyebrow, sensing the tension.
"Kora!" Koraidon let out a warning growl, then pushed Naoki's plate towards Cyclizar with its large paw.
Naoki was taken aback. "Koraidon," he said gently, "don't scare Cyclizar. It's still young."
"Kora!" Koraidon's crest drooped, its expression crestfallen.
Naoki sighed. "That's not what I meant," he clarified, feeling a bit like a parent caught in a sibling rivalry.
Cyclizar, though not the sharpest tool in the shed, finally understood the situation. Koraidon had made it clear - there were only five servings of steamed eggs, one for each Pokémon, and if it ate Naoki's, he wouldn't have any.
Cyclizar looked down at its bowl, then shook its head at Naoki. "Graaaah!" It wouldn't take his share.
Naoki, relieved, stood up and made four more bowls of steamed eggs.
"Alright, now everyone can eat!" he announced, handing Koraidon a glass of berry juice. "I was wrong, Koraidon. I shouldn't have scolded you. Don't be upset."
Koraidon looked at him, then accepted the juice with a happy chirp.
Naoki sighed, realizing that raising Pokémon was a lot like raising children. Koraidon was the eldest, Cyclizar the middle child, and Alcremie and Smoliv were the babies in the stroller.
After the harmonious dinner, darkness fell upon the ranch.
Naoki washed the dishes, then stood at the door, gazing at the chicken coop. A sudden worry crossed his mind - had he closed the coop door?
He grabbed a flashlight and went to check, sighing in relief when he confirmed the door was indeed secured.
Back inside, Naoki fetched a basin of water and gently cleaned the cream off his Pokémon companions. After settling them in for the night, he stepped outside for a quick, refreshing cold shower.
Life on the ranch was certainly tiring, but it was infinitely better than the endless overtime he had endured in his previous life. The joy of watching his crops grow and the companionship of his Pokémon filled him with a sense of fulfillment he had never known before.
As he reminisced about the past few days, the initial confusion and helplessness faded away. He had found a new purpose, a new life.
After drying himself off, Naoki changed into his pajamas and went back inside. His Pokémon were already fast asleep, and as he watched them, he noticed something peculiar - bubbles floating above their heads, each displaying different scenes, as if they were dreaming.
Naoki, witnessing the Pokémon's dream-like states, was taken aback.
"Is this the effect of Sweet Dreams?" he wondered.
He suddenly recalled a similar feature in the game he used to work on. The food would induce dreams in the characters, and as the player and developer, he could view those dreams on screen. It was a feature designed to deepen the player's connection with their characters, making them more invested in their well-being and more likely to spend money on in-game items.
So, as the food's creator, he could also see the dreams of his Pokémon.
Naoki's curiosity piqued, he watched the dreams of his companions as he dried his hair.
Koraidon's dream was simple and straightforward. It soared through a clear blue sky, its head frills unfurled into majestic wings. There were no other Pokémon present, just Naoki and Koraidon, flying together in the endless expanse.
Koraidon's expression in the dream was one of pure joy, as if carrying Naoki through the heavens was its greatest happiness.
Naoki smiled, touched by the depth of Koraidon's affection after such a short time together. He gently reached out and stroked the sleeping Pokémon's head without waking it.
He then turned his attention to Cyclizar.
Cyclizar's dream was set not in the sky, but in the familiar cabin. However, it was a winter scene. Snow blanketed the roof and windowsills, and a roaring fire crackled in the fireplace. A thick carpet covered the wooden floor, a few books scattered on top.
Naoki was sitting on the carpet, reading, with Cyclizar curled up behind him, serving as a warm cushion. Its expression was peaceful, devoid of any worry or sadness.
"Is this what Cyclizar desires most?" Naoki wondered.
It seemed simple enough. When winter arrived, he could make this dream a reality.
Naoki moved to the windowsill where Smoliv slept curled up in its flower pot. Its dream unfolded in the ranch's pasture.
But in the dream, Smoliv had evolved into Dolliv, diligently producing nutritious and delicious oil for Naoki. It was a gesture of gratitude for Naoki's kindness - the delicious food, the prime location in the house, the cozy flower pot. Smoliv wanted to repay him by evolving and working hard to produce more oil.
Naoki was touched. Pokémon were simple creatures. If you treated them well, they would return the favor tenfold.
Naoki, moved by the sight of Smoliv's dream, reached out to pet it gently. He then moved to the cupboard and opened the door, peering into Alcremie's dream.
The dream was set in a bustling kitchen. Alcremie, now a master pastry chef, was busy creating delectable desserts alongside Naoki. Alcremie provided the fresh cream, while Naoki skillfully crafted the confections.
In a matter of minutes, they had produced an array of cream cakes, pies, puddings, and berry milk, filling every corner of the room. They were both immersed in a sea of sweets.
The scene shifted, and they fell from the kitchen into a land composed entirely of desserts and chocolates. Alcremie basked on a giant cake, while Naoki indulged in the surrounding treats with abandon.
Naoki chuckled. Perhaps this was why Alcremie had been so eager to share its cream with him. But the dream scene was a bit extreme. If he ate like that in real life, he'd develop diabetes in no time.
After witnessing the effect of the Cream Berry Shortcake, Naoki had a better understanding of its power. This was just the lowest level, Lv1. He couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen at Lv3.
Lying in bed that night, Naoki reflected on the dreams he had seen. It was clear that he, a newcomer to this world, had become an important figure in the lives of his Pokémon companions.
He took a deep breath, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. This wasn't just about running a ranch for a leisurely life; it was about creating a better life for his Pokémon and for himself.
He would work hard to build a home for them all.
The next morning, Naoki awoke with newfound energy. He went to the chicken coop to feed the hens and found three eggs of varying sizes lying on the floor.
He carefully collected the eggs, refilled the water trough, and added fresh feed to the feeding trough.
The so-called "chicken feed" was a blend of various grains, resembling kibble. As Naoki held a handful, an idea struck him, inspired by the steamed grass and spicy iron nugget experiments.
Could he process chicken feed in the same way?
While he was human, Naoki reasoned that his culinary creativity shouldn't be limited to ingredients humans typically ate. He should open his mind and try cooking with other things.
With this newfound resolve, Naoki took a handful of chicken feed back to the cabin. He stared at it in a bowl, pondering his options.
Steaming, boiling, frying.
Chickens were omnivores, known to eat vegetables, grains, and even meat. But those methods seemed no different than simply melting store-bought chocolate and pouring it into a mold.
"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!" Naoki decided to start with steaming.
Since chicken feed was made of grains, it would fall apart if steamed for too long. He settled on three minutes and then carefully removed the bowl.
The steamed feed was soft, emitting a grainy aroma, but its appearance was less than appetizing.
Naoki glanced at the information that appeared:
[Steamed Chicken Feed (F): This dish cannot be evaluated. It is not suitable for human consumption, but perhaps some other creatures might enjoy it.]
Cooking Effect: Induces mass egg-laying. When fed to roosters, it accelerates egg fertilization. When fed to hens, it causes them to lay a large number of eggs in a short period.
However, after laying, the hen will enter a 15-day cooldown period during which it cannot lay eggs or consume this dish again. It will also need to consume large amounts of food to regain its strength.
Evaluation: A truly imaginative creation!
"What the—?!"
It actually worked?!
Naoki was utterly shocked. Eager to test its effects, he took the bowl to the chicken coop, followed by Koraidon and Cyclizar.
He chose a hen at random and placed the steamed feed before it.
The hen tilted its head, studied the food, and then pecked at it tentatively.
One second, two seconds, three seconds. At the five-second mark, the hen suddenly squawked, flapped its wings and took off from the spot.
Eyes wide, it rushed to a pile of hay, its body tensing as it began to lay eggs at an alarming rate.
Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!
One after another, the eggs dropped onto the hay like bullets from a machine gun. Naoki, Cyclizar, and Koraidon watched in stunned silence.
The frenzied egg-laying continued for about a minute. As the last egg fell, the hen let out a relieved sigh, as if a great burden had been lifted. It staggered to the side, exhausted.
The hay pile was now a mountain of eggs.
...
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