173 Trial and Error
AN: Let me explain why I didn't post any chapters yesterday. On December 19, my family went on vacation, but my father had to stay back for work and had an event that would keep him out late. Consequently, I was left alone in the house. I felt scared, as though someone was watching me whenever I typed. This might have been a hallucination, likely because I frequently watch horror and paranormal documentaries. Overwhelmed by fear, I left the house and spent 18 hours playing Valorant at an internet cafe. On December 20, after returning home exhausted, I didn't manage to write any chapters and simply went straight to sleep.
...
Upon their return, Kanraku, Tetsuya, and Floyd were brimming with excitement and anticipation. They made a beeline for the laboratory, where Tetsuya wasted no time and immediately commenced his forging.
Meanwhile, Kanraku and his disciples beckoned several Pokémon to join them in the lab, and Floyd's Pokémon also made their presence known, adding to the bustling atmosphere.
After an hour of focused work, Tetsuya successfully recreated the metal he had previously forged. A sense of eagerness enveloped the room as Kanraku, the disciples, Floyd, and all the Pokémon gathered around to witness the next phase of the experiment.
Holding the cooled-down metal, Tetsuya suggested, "Try it again."
"Certainly. Blastoise, if you may?" Kanraku directed his request towards Blastoise.
"Blastoise~," Blastoise nodded, albeit with a hint of hesitation as he eyed the mysterious metal that had previously enveloped it. Carefully, Blastoise reached out and touched the metal, and once again, he was swiftly absorbed into the object.
"Whoa~" The collective exclamation filled the lab, echoing the surprise and fascination of everyone, including the Pokémon, as they watched Blastoise disappear.
CRASH! BANG!
In just a second, the metal shattered, and Blastoise re-emerged, surrounded by a shower of metal fragments.
"That's incredible!" Kanraku couldn't contain his excitement at witnessing such an extraordinary phenomenon firsthand.
Eager for insights, Kanraku turned to Blastoise. "Partner, can you share with us what you experienced? Where did you go? What was it like inside the metal?"
"Blastoise~," Blastoise responded, conveying that the experience inside the metal was like being in a void – dark, yet oddly, Blastoise was still able to perceive Kanraku and the others outside.
"This… This is a groundbreaking discovery! It's sure to be remembered in history," Kanraku declared, his voice filled with thrill and newfound energy.
Floyd, however, interjected with a note of caution, "But it's unstable. The metal breaks too easily." He had anticipated this, given that the forging recipe in his mind was somewhat different.
"True, but even so, Floyd-san, this is a remarkable breakthrough. It's one of the most significant research projects I've been part of in my entire career!" Kanraku exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the scattered metal fragments.
Floyd pondered the implications, "The question now is, why does it seem to work effectively with Blastoise but not humans?"
Kanraku, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, speculated, "Could it perhaps also apply to other beasts?"
"Let's try this with my Fraxure," Floyd suggested, turning his attention to his Fraxure.
Fraxure nodded in agreement, understanding the task at hand. He had a sense of familiarity with the process, having previously experienced being inside a pokeball. Though he wondered why Floyd seemed to feign ignorance about the experiment, he trusted Floyd's judgment and readied himself.
Kanraku expressed concern, "This could be dangerous."
Floyd reassured him, "It's riskier to test on weaker Pokémon. Fraxure is strong; I trust his resilience."
"Fraxure!" The Pokémon confidently echoed his agreement.
"I see," Kanraku then looked towards Tetsuya, "Kurogane-kun, if you may?"
"Of course, I'm on it!" Tetsuya responded with determination, fueled by his previous success. He began forging again, this time with even greater speed and efficiency, having memorized the necessary pattern.
After more than half an hour of intense work, Tetsuya successfully crafted another metal piece.
Kanraku then presented the newly forged metal to Floyd's Fraxure. With a touch, Fraxure vanished into the metal, much like Blastoise had earlier. However, Fraxure's stay inside the metal was slightly longer - approximately 0.5 seconds longer than Blastoise - before he managed to break free.
Floyd commented, half to himself and half-truth to the others, "As I suspected, the weaker the Pokémon, the longer they remain inside the metal." While he appeared to be speculating, he knew internally that this was the case, subtly guiding the others to this conclusion.
"Should we try with a weaker Pokémon next?" Kanraku asked, intrigued by the pattern emerging from their tests.
Turning to Tetsuya, he inquired, "Kurogane-kun, can you continue, or would you prefer a break?"
"I'm not stopping now! Let's keep going," Tetsuya declared, eager to contribute to this groundbreaking research.
More than hours had passed as they conducted further tests. Several Pokémon, varying in strength, were subjected to the metal's effects. Consistently, the metal absorbed them and then shattered, with the duration inside varying based on their strength. Remarkably, a Rookie-level Caterpie remained inside for a full three seconds before the metal broke apart.
The problem, however, became increasingly apparent. The metal was unstable, breaking mere seconds after encapsulating a Pokémon. This instability posed a significant challenge, leaving Kanraku, Floyd, Tetsuya, and the rest pondering their next steps.
"How are things progressing with the research?" Kanraku inquired, turning to his disciples.
"Kyouju, we are putting in our utmost effort, but these new properties are still unfamiliar to us. It might take considerable time to fully understand," Yamada explained, his focus unyielding as he continued to monitor the peculiar metal.
"Well, considering this metal was only forged earlier today, it's understandable that it's a long process. Don't worry, I'm prepared to be patient," Kanraku responded with a reassuring nod.
At that moment, Floyd approached Kanraku with a thoughtful expression. "Professor, I have a suggestion. I've noticed that the focus has been primarily on quadrilateral shapes. Perhaps trying different shapes might yield some unexpected results."
Kanraku paused, absorbing Floyd's suggestion. After a moment of contemplation, he responded, "Thank you, Floyd-san, that's an excellent idea. Let's explore that avenue." He then approached Tetsuya to relay Floyd's suggestion.
Tetsuya, upon hearing this new perspective, nodded in agreement and promptly resumed his forging, this time with a renewed focus on exploring different shapes.
As they delved into this new approach, Suzuki Akiko approached Kanraku. "Professor, there's a meeting scheduled for 5:30 pm," she informed him.
Kanraku, his mind still partly on the research, met Suzuki's gaze earnestly. "Suzuki-san, could I ask you a favor this time?"
Suzuki, slightly taken aback by his intense look, felt her cheeks reddened. "Wha-what is it?" she stammered.
"Would you be able to organize the meeting on my behalf? I'm deeply engrossed in this project, and it's of great importance to me," Kanraku requested, bowing his head respectfully.
"No, no, Professor, you don't need to bow. I understand the significance of this work. I'll handle the meeting," Suzuki responded, waving her hands dismissively, only to be interrupted by Kanraku, who excitedly grasped her hand in gratitude. "Really? Thank you so much, Suzuki-san!"
Suzuki's face turned a deeper shade of red, spreading from her cheeks to her ears and neck. "Pro-professor~" she managed to utter.
Kanraku, noticing her discomfort, chuckled lightly. "Actually, Suzuki-san, there's no need for formalities. We're close in age, so feel free to call me Kanraku," he suggested but then paused turning to Suzuki, he noticed her reddened face and then realized that he was still holding her hand.
He looked around and noticed some of his disciples and Floyd watching the exchange, quickly averting their gazes when they saw him looking. Kanraku, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks, hastily released Suzuki's hands and stuttered an apology, "Suzuki-san, I…I'm sorry. That was not intentional."
But when he looked up again, hoping to gauge Suzuki's reaction, he realized she was nowhere to be seen. Suzuki Akiko had quietly slipped away, leaving Kanraku standing there, slightly bewildered and embarrassed.
Floyd, who had been watching the scene with a mixture of amusement, he couldn't help but let out a suppressed snicker. His teasing smile only intensified Kanraku's embarrassment, making him wish for a momentary escape from the spotlight.
Feeling the need to redirect the focus, Kanraku cleared his throat and addressed everyone in the room. "Ehem~ Let's continue our research!" he declared with newfound determination, eager to shift the attention back to the task at hand.
