Chapter 17: The Booth Is Small And The Audience Is Large!

"Pichu… Pichu…"

The little ones stirred in their enclosure. Hidden behind the curtain, most had been sound asleep. Now, with the curtain lifted and the crowd bustling around, they blinked their sleepy eyes open, gazing out with a mix of curiosity and wonder at the world beyond.

Gradually, as they grew comfortable with their surroundings, the little Pichus settled, scanning the unfamiliar faces just as they had done back in the lab.

"Oh my goodness, they're adorable!"

"They're even cuter than in the video!"

A few young women gathered eagerly at the front, enchanted by the sight of these tiny, curious creatures. Soon, more onlookers from neighboring booths started drifting over, their attention drawn by the growing crowd around Booth 068.

"Is this… Pichu?" One visitor reached out a tentative finger, glancing up at Ethan Grave and his team for confirmation.

"Yes, they're Pichu. They're only about a month old," Ethan replied with a welcoming smile. "We'll be letting them out shortly, so if you'd like a closer look, stay nearby."

His words cast a spell over the crowd, drawing in more people eager to witness this rare opportunity firsthand. In no time, Booth 068 was buzzing with its first wave of spectators.

As more people filed into the exhibition, the crowd around Booth 068 continued to grow. Some had come out of curiosity, others drawn by the online mockery, expecting to scoff. But they soon found themselves captivated by Pichu's undeniable charm.

"Alright, let's let them stretch their legs," Ethan instructed with a subtle smile, watching the crowd fall under Pichu's spell.

At his signal, the team carefully opened the enclosure, and the little Pichus sprang out, tilting their heads in awe at the sea of faces before them.

"Wow! So cute! Can we touch them?" a girl near the front asked eagerly.

"Of course," Ethan replied, "but please be gentle. They're young and may get a bit nervous with you touching them."

With his approval, the crowd leaned in closer, each person enchanted by the tiny creatures and melting under Pichu's playful curiosity. The Pichus looked back, wide-eyed and brimming with an innocent delight that was impossible to resist.

"Oh my gosh, I need one of these!" one girl whispered.

"Same here! I'd buy one right now if I could," her friend agreed, though she added quietly, "but aren't they, like… three hundred thousand?"

The figure brought a gasp, especially to those cradling a Pichu. None of them could afford to mishandle such a valuable creature.

But amidst the coos and laughter, a sneering voice cut through the excitement.

"What's so special about being cute? Three hundred thousand for one of these? Who'd pay that? Where's Ethan? He claims his genetic creatures can actually discharge electricity, let's see some proof. No point deceiving the people!"

Ethan's gaze hardened as he scanned the crowd, locating the speaker. A stranger, backed by several others, was grinning smugly.

"Yeah, that's right!" his companion chimed in. "You say these things have an electrical ability? That's a patented feature of Grand Duke's biotech inc. Let's see if this little thing can really pull it off."

"If not, don't blame us for calling you out on your scam," another added, smirking as a few skeptical murmurs spread through the crowd.

Ethan met the challengers with a calm smile. "Of course," he replied smoothly. "Thunder Shock is one of Pichu's basic abilities."

He reached over to one of the young girls holding a Pichu and gently lifted the tiny creature from her hands, setting it on the table.

"Alright, Timmy," he coaxed with a warm tone, "can you show us a little Thunder Shock? Right over there." He pointed toward a spot where the heckler had been standing.

"Pichu?" Timmy tilted his head, looking up at Ethan with mild reluctance. Another demonstration?

Ethan chuckled and patted Timmy's head. "I'll give you some strawberry cream afterwards. Your favorite."

At the mention of his treat, Timmy's eyes brightened. "Pichu!" With a cheerful squeak, sparks began crackling along his cheeks.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd as they instinctively took a step back, wide-eyed.

It could actually generate electricity!

The smirk on the heckler's face vanished as he instinctively stepped back, his bravado fading as a spark shot toward the ground right where he had been standing moments before.

"It's true! It can really generate electricity!" someone exclaimed, stunned.

"This is amazing! I thought it was just a marketing gimmick, but it's real! And it's so smart, that it actually follows commands. And it's only a month old?"

The crowd buzzed with excitement, and those who had come to mock found themselves speechless, faces flushing in embarrassment.

The heckler's mouth opened, then closed, lips trembling as he struggled to respond. What was meant to humiliate Ethan had completely backfired.

Some onlookers recalled the comments they had posted online and felt a pang of regret. A few quietly took out their phones, hurriedly deleting the snide remarks they had left on Jerry's Weibo post.

One user mumbled to themselves, "I did say I'd do a handstand if it could actually discharge electricity… yeah, let's pretend I didn't say that." The sound of fingers tapping as they edited their comments could be heard as others in the crowd followed suit, each one deleting their hasty, now-embarrassing critiques.

And it wasn't just comments. Some had recorded the demonstration, intending to post it as a joke. But now, they could only rephrase their captions, acknowledging Pokémon Biotech's genuine breakthrough.

"Pokémon Biotech's new species Pichu can actually discharge electricity! We seriously underestimated Mr. Ethan Grave."

In minutes, videos of the demonstration flooded social media, spreading excitement across major platforms and drawing even more visitors to Booth 068. Ethan didn't disappoint; he had Timmy and the other Pichus perform their Thunder Shock occasionally, stoking the crowd's excitement with each display.

As the day went on, it became clear that Booth 068 was the star of the exhibition. Ciguli's Spirit Dog, though once the main attraction, was now overshadowed, its grand setup paling in comparison to the undeniable charm and talent of Pichu.

The neighboring booths weren't as fortunate either. At first, their owners had seen Pokémon Biotech's modest display as a mere supporting act to their own. But now, they found themselves playing second fiddle, their pets and displays blending into the background while Pichu stole the whole show.

...

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