Chapter 285: And You!
Xiu hadn't initially considered this situation a major crisis, which was why he had been reluctant to use his personal stash of Stun Stem powder— but now, facing an immediate threat to Pallet Town, holding back was no longer an option.
Abra, guided by Xiu's telepathic instructions, descended slightly.
Xiu threw the small bag from his own supply, and as he did, he closed his eyes, focusing his psychic energy. The moment the small bag left his hand, it exploded mid-air.
Under Abra's precise psychic control, the potent dark green powder instantly formed a concentrated cloud of light green smoke that billowed downwards, enveloping the advancing herd of beasts.
The Pokémon, which moments before had been fearless, pain-resistant, and driven by a frenzied energy, collapsed to the ground without exception as soon as they came into contact with the Stun Stem cloud. Their limbs stiffened, and they became motionless.
Seeing the immediate and overwhelming effect, Xiu finally let out a breath of relief.
If it works this effectively here, it means the similar methods being employed against the beast tide in Viridian Forest should also be successful. Enough time has passed; hopefully, that situation has been resolved by now.
Xiu remained suspended in the air. After all the rampaging Pokémon had fallen, he raised his hand. The mist-like powder, still lingering, gathered and condensed, reforming into a small, tightly packed ball of residual Stun Stem in his palm, glowing faintly with psychic energy.
He noted with a pang of distress that subduing just a few dozen Pokémon had consumed nearly a third of his personal, high-grade supply.
But there was no time for regrets. He took out a container and carefully stored the recovered powder. Then, Xiu descended to inspect the fallen Pokémon.
The Stun Stem cultivated by Rinko was indeed exceptionally potent. It had directly suppressed the abnormal, aggressive state of these Pokémon. Creatures that had been full of manic energy just moments ago now lay inert on the ground.
Xiu put on a mask and gloves and began to check the physical condition of several Pokémon. He quickly found something unusual.
"It's not hypnosis or simple mental stimulation," he murmured, mostly to himself. "This is most likely the effect of a drug. And for its effects to last this long… it must be quite strong." The strangeness of their unified, directed aggression still puzzled him.
Abra, naturally understanding Xiu's line of thought, directly mobilized its psychic powers, focusing on the brain of one of the incapacitated Rattata, and forcibly invaded its memories.
Xiu, in turn, closed his eyes, linking with Abra to experience the playback.
What came into view was a forest: an ordinary, quiet, and harmonious forest, untouched by human disturbance. The little Rattata was foraging in the grass when it was attracted by something on the ground emitting a peculiar, enticing scent.
The Rattata, driven by simple hunger, didn't hesitate. If it seemed edible, it dug the thing up and swallowed it.
At first, nothing happened. But soon, its body grew hotter and hotter, its emotions becoming increasingly manic. Gnawing on tree roots in its burrow did nothing to alleviate this agitating internal conflict; instead, the feeling intensified.
Then, it caught another whiff of that enticing fragrance and darted out of its burrow to pursue it.
Ah! Xiu's eyes snapped open. He had initially thought it was a one-time dose of some aggression-inducing drug. But now, it seemed the principle was more akin to addiction, compelling the Pokémon to constantly seek out more of whatever substance they had ingested.
No wonder natural enemies like Rattata and Arbok were present in the same group, yet they weren't fighting each other. Instead, they were all moving in the same direction, driven by the same need.
According to this, any Pokémon that consumed that substance would react the same way. If someone strategically placed more of it along a path, couldn't they effectively guide the addicted Pokémon wherever they pointed?
Moreover, in this process, the group itself would likely fight over limited sources of the substance. New Pokémon accidentally consuming it would continuously join the ranks, replacing the weak, injured, or old.
It was a brutal process of selection, and the overall strength and aggression of the herd would likely increase over time.
Team Rocket's methods are quite formidable, Xiu thought with a grimace, a fresh wave of concern washing over him regarding the situation in Viridian Forest.
A gust of wind brought Xiu back to the present. Looking up, he saw Rinko's Fearow landing nearby. Rinko quickly dismounted and trotted towards him.
"Are you okay?" Rinko's slightly nervous voice sounded.
"Why did you come here? It's very dangerous!" Xiu said, his tone serious.
"I couldn't see what was happening from over there on the other hill," Rinko explained, looking a little flustered under Xiu's stern gaze. "I was worried…"
"I'm fine, don't worry," Xiu said. He had intended to reprimand her further, but seeing her genuine concern, his tone softened. "Thanks a lot for your help."
"I'm glad I could," Rinko replied with a gentle smile, reaching out to stroke the Fearow beside her. "It's all thanks to this one. It was Fearow who told me you were in trouble."
The Fearow leaned into her touch cooperatively, looking quite content, displaying none of the irritability and aggression it had shown when Xiu had first encountered it.
As expected, Xiu mused, Rinko has a high affinity with Pokémon; she's become familiar with this Fearow in just a few days.
"Did you pick those Stun Stems from the botanical garden?" Xiu asked, already knowing the answer.
"It seemed useless to just leave them there," Rinko admitted. "And I saw you were always worried about something, so I prepared some."
She knew what Xiu was concerned about and added with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, I kept some healthy plants aside. They can be cultivated again quickly if needed."
Xiu let out a long breath and didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he gave her a brief account of what he had discovered about the Pokémon.
"What do we do now?" Rinko asked.
"Two things," Xiu stated, his mind already working on a plan. "First, study the composition of this substance and find a way to prepare an antidote or at least a counteragent.
Second, find the source of this substance's spread. Cutting that off will naturally ensure Pallet Town isn't further affected." Xiu seemed particularly calm as he spoke to Rinko.
"Go back to the garden and wait for me. I still need to deal with the situation here." Rinko knew she couldn't offer much more direct help in the field, so she didn't argue, simply nodding before mounting the Fearow and flying back.
Xiu looked at the dozens of unconscious Pokémon on the ground. With a slight mental command, a cluster of empty Poké Balls flew out of his backpack and, one by one, collected the subdued creatures.
After securing them all, he and Abra, along with the recalled Scizor, flew from the site and headed towards the botanical garden.
As soon as he landed, Xiu turned to Rinko's Fearow and his own Noctowl, which had returned. "You two will take turns monitoring the surrounding area from the air. Report to me immediately if you find any problems or any more groups of agitated Pokémon."
Xiu took out a bag of high-quality Pokémon food. "This is your reward. If you do a good job, there will be more benefits."
He wasn't sure if the Fearow fully understood, but it, along with Noctowl, took to the sky, one departing on a patrol route while the other remained closer.
The door to the botanical garden was unlocked. Xiu hurried in and found Rinko in the laboratory area. He then released one of the captured Rattata and quickly, efficiently, tied it to a dissection tray on the workbench.
"What are you doing?" Rinko asked, somewhat puzzled by Xiu's actions, watching him from the side.
"I need to dissect it," Xiu stated calmly, "and see what's physically wrong with its body, what changes this substance has caused."
While speaking, he had already laid out a set of sterile tools and was deftly handling a scalpel, making a practice motion near the unconscious Rattata.
Rinko had clearly never witnessed such a scene. For a moment, she didn't know how to react, but her slightly wide-eyed, conflicted expression revealed her inner turmoil.
Xiu, however, was perfectly composed, even able to speak to Rinko while he prepared.
"In the parts of the world unknown to most of us, Rinko, a great deal of fighting happens every day.
Some of it is between predators and prey. Some for territory – invaders and the invaded. Some fight just because they want to fight, without any discernible reason at all."
He paused, his hands steady. "Fighting and death happen all the time, and the loss of any life is indeed a pity. I am willing to save a life when I can, but before that, I advise anyone to consider their own situation, their own responsibilities, or what burdens they carry."
He continued, his voice even. "I have to figure out how this substance works, where its effects are centered, and then find a way to solve this problem. Because behind me, responsible for their safety, are all the residents of Pallet Town…"
Xiu paused in his preparations, turning his head to look directly at Rinko, his gaze intense as he slowly added, "And you."