Wanderer of the Pokémon World

Chapter 276: Processing

"Don't be so pessimistic, Rinko," Xiu said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

He saw the fear and worry in her eyes. "With this batch of Stun Stem, we have a chance to control the situation in Viridian Forest. This disaster… it might not happen as we fear."

Though I know, Xiu thought grimly, even this much Stun Stem might not be enough to stop the beast tide completely.

It can help with the major concentrations, but the smaller, scattered groups… those will be a problem. And there are countless small towns and villages bordering Viridian Forest, all vulnerable.

The Alliance wouldn't have the resources to evacuate them all. His efforts here, however significant, were just one part of a much larger, more desperate struggle. All I can do is my best. The rest… is up to fate.

"Alright," Xiu said, shaking off the dark thoughts. "Let's not waste any more time."

He quickly assessed the task. "We can skip the cleaning and drying stages," he announced. "directly to crushing and powdering."

But the sheer volume… Rinko's old machines, however well-maintained, wouldn't be able to process this much material quickly enough. This is where Abra comes in.

"Abra," Xiu called. The small psychic Pokémon materialized at his side. A familiar telepathic link snapped into place.

Rinko watched, fascinated, as a shimmering blue psychic aura spread from Abra, enveloping the entire laboratory. The locked door to the Stun Stem storage room creaked open on its own.

A shimmering pathway of blue energy formed, connecting the storage room to the lab. One by one, the heavy burlap sacks of dried Stun Stem leaves floated from the storage room, along the psychic pathway, and into the laboratory.

But that wasn't the most astonishing part. The sacks, suspended in mid-air, untied themselves.

The dried leaves within floated upwards, converging above the central workbench, forming a swirling vortex.

Then, they began to pour downwards, into a large, pulsating sphere of concentrated blue psychic energy that had materialized just above the workbench.

Rinko stared, dumbfounded. She could see the Stun Stem leaves entering the blue sphere and disintegrating, breaking down into a fine powder at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Xiu… what is that?" she finally managed to ask, her voice filled with awe.

"A makeshift psychic pulverizer," Xiu explained, his own brow furrowed with concentration. "Crude, but effective. It still needs a final pass through your mechanical grinder for consistency, but this speeds up the initial breakdown immensely."

This wasn't Abra's power alone. This was a combined effort, a way for Xiu to directly channel his own latent psychic potential through Abra, amplifying its abilities and allowing for more complex feats.

Rinko, understanding her role, quickly started her mechanical grinder, preparing for the second-stage refinement. She then began packaging the fine, psychically pulverized Stun Stem powder into large, sealed bags as it emerged from her machine.

The process was remarkably efficient. The "snowfall" of powdered Stun Stem from Abra's psychic pulverizer was perfectly contained, flowing directly into Rinko's grinder, no dust or particles escaping into the lab.

"Just use these large sacks for now, Rinko," Xiu instructed, noticing her meticulously labeling smaller packets. "No need for detailed packaging. Director Bao Ba's people can handle the final distribution. We just need to get it processed and bundled."

With Xiu and Abra handling the initial, large-scale pulverization, and Rinko managing the final grinding and bagging, they worked with incredible speed.

What would have taken days, perhaps even weeks, using conventional methods was completed in just over two hours.

Bags of potent Stun Stem powder now filled the storage room, replacing the bulky sacks of raw leaves. Rinko did a quick inventory count.

"Alright, that's everything," Xiu said, signaling Abra to release its psychic hold. The shimmering blue aura that had filled the lab slowly subsided, Abra visibly slumping with fatigue.

Xiu quickly counted the bags. Twenty-eight. Not quite the thirty I'd hoped for, but close enough. It'll have to do. The rest is up to Bao Ba and his people. "Okay, Rinko. We're done here. You should get some rest."

"Thank you, Xiu," Rinko said, removing her mask. Her face was pale with exhaustion, but her eyes shone with a mixture of relief and lingering worry. "I… I hope this is enough. I hope it helps."

"Come on," Xiu said, noticing her fatigue. He skillfully retrieved a vial of his green, energy-restoring potion from his pack. "Drink this."

He'd been immersed in Abra's psychic field for hours. Even with his own resistances, he felt the drain. Rinko, unshielded, must be feeling it even more acutely. A full dose will help her recover.

Before Rinko could react, Xiu had uncapped a second vial for himself and downed its contents in two quick gulps. He then offered the first vial to her again.

Seeing him drink it without ill effect, Rinko took the vial, a curious expression on her face. "What is this?" she asked, taking a cautious sip. The taste was surprisingly pleasant, slightly tart, not at all medicinal. She drank the rest.

"A potion to counteract psychic energy exposure," Xiu explained casually, already moving towards the door. "Helps with fatigue too. I drink it all the time."

He walked out of the lab. "I need to use your study computer again, if you don't mind." He needed to contact Bao Ba immediately and arrange for pickup.

He sent the urgent, encrypted message, then leaned back in Rinko's antique desk chair, a wave of profound exhaustion washing over him. The psychic exertion, the mental strain of the past few days… it was catching up.

The next second, he tensed, every nerve ending screaming. He fumbled for a Poké Ball, his body already moving, reacting, but before he could press the release, an invisible force clamped down, paralyzing him.

Astonishment, then a flicker of fear, crossed his face. His eyes, wide and trembling, darted towards the figure that had suddenly materialized before him.

Then, recognition. Relief washed over him, so potent it almost made him sag. The paralysis instantly released.

"Director!" Xiu gasped, slumping back in the chair, his heart still pounding. "Instead of using the front door, you teleport right into a private study? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" His voice was a mixture of complaint and genuine relief.

"Hahaha! Long time no see, boy!" Director Bao Ba grinned, waving a casual hand. An imposing Alakazam stood silently beside him, its expression as blank and unreadable.

"Time is of the essence, Xiu. No time for pleasantries. The transfer team is already en route, waiting for coordinates."

Xiu didn't waste any more words. "The material is downstairs. Come with me."

As long as I get this delivered, my part in this particular mess is done. Then, all I have to do is defend Pallet Town and wait for Professor Oak's return. The thought made his steps feel surprisingly lighter.

"Miss Rinko," Xiu said, as they descended the stairs, Rinko looking up in surprise as Bao Ba and his Alakazam followed Xiu, "allow me to introduce Director Bao Ba, of the Fuchsia City Safari Zone. An old… associate."

Rinko, who had been meticulously checking and recording the inventory of Stun Stem bags, stood and offered a polite nod. "Director Bao Ba. A pleasure to meet you."