Lucky Pudding

Naoki really wanted to buy it, but he was a little short on money right now, and it would take a few days to save enough for a Miltank.

So, he shook his head and said, "I'd better come back in a few days. I can use this time to prepare a new home for Miltank."

The old man smiled gently: "Okay, then I'll be here waiting for you to pick them up."

Naoki nodded and didn't stay long. After confirming that the Miltank had arrived, he turned around and left.

The food at home was running low, so he needed to buy some before heading back.

Naoki went to the town's grocery shop.

Looking at the array of goods, he selected some steaks and seasonal vegetables, then turned his attention to the dessert section.

Since the ranch work wasn't too busy, he thought he might use his free time to experiment with some dessert recipes.

They already had milk, eggs, and cream at home, so he only needed a few more basics.

Naoki reached out and grabbed some molds and materials for making desserts from the shelf.

After buying everything, he returned to his ranch with his purchases.

Meanwhile, in the lush green hills behind the ranch, Butterfree successfully found Teddiursa resting under a tree.

It seemed that Teddiursa had run too fast. Now, it was leaning against the big tree, panting and catching its breath.

Butterfree flapped its wings and slowly approached.

Soon, Teddiursa noticed Butterfree following it.

It immediately thought that Butterfree had discovered its true intentions and was chasing it to teach it a lesson.

The images of the three Skiddo on the ranch flashed in Teddiursa's mind, and it immediately became alert.

It looked at Butterfree nervously and asked warily, "Teddi?!"

"Butterfree..."

Butterfree sighed. It landed lightly on the big tree above and looked down at the Teddiursa below.

At this moment, Teddiursa also noticed the jar of honey in Butterfree's grasp.

And that Butterfree didn't seem to be planning an attack.

A big question mark formed in Teddiursa's mind.

"Teddi?"

"Butterfree."

Seeing that Teddiursa didn't make any aggressive moves, Butterfree flew down, handed over the jar of honey, and relayed Naoki's message.

"Eeyee, eyeeeeee!"

After hearing this, Teddiursa was shocked.

'He knew! He actually knew I was trying to steal the honey!'

Soon, Teddiursa was confused again.

'How did he know? Was I exposed?'

'No, something didn't add up! Why had that human given it a jar of honey'?

Teddiursa stood there, frozen in disbelief, staring at the honey jar that Butterfree had handed over. After delivering the honey, Butterfree flapped its wings and flew away, leaving Teddiursa alone to ponder the unexpected gift.

As Butterfree's figure disappeared into the distance, Teddiursa finally began to relax. The sweet aroma wafting from the jar was irresistible, and soon enough, it was sitting down by a large tree, dipping its paw into the jar and scooping out a handful of honey. It licked its paw with delight, savoring the rich sweetness as the honey seeped into its fur.

Gradually, the tension in its small body eased, and the worries that had been clouding its mind melted away. In that moment, Teddiursa felt pure happiness. The honey was delicious—so sweet and satisfying that it seemed to wash away all its concerns.

Before long, the honey jar was empty. Teddiursa set it down and continued to lick the remnants from its paw, reflecting on what had just happened.

Suddenly, a thought struck it. Hadn't Butterfree mentioned that stealing honey was wrong? And that if it wanted honey, it could trade something for it?

Could that really be true? Teddiursa hesitated, unsure if it could trust what the human had said. After all, it had fooled almost all the ranchers in the area before. If it tried to trick them again, they surely wouldn't fall for it a second time.

But if trading was possible, it would be much easier than trying to deceive someone for more honey. The more it thought about it, the more Teddiursa considered giving it a shot. After all, what did it have to lose?

With newfound determination, Teddiursa got up and headed towards its nest. Halfway there, it turned back to retrieve the empty jar it had left behind.

Teddiursa's nest was hidden away in the back mountain, a small, inconspicuous cave nestled among thick bushes where no one—not even other Pokémon—would notice it. Inside, Teddiursa crawled to the deepest part of the cave where it kept its most prized possessions.

This was its "treasure trove."

Carefully, it placed the empty jar among the other items, then paused to think. After a moment, it picked up a small, plain stone from the pile.

Teddiursa examined the stone in its paw, wondering if such a simple object could really be traded for honey. It hesitated for a long time, but eventually, it decided to give it a try.

It was worth a shot!

...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Naoki had returned home. He unpacked his things and stored the seeds in a lower cabinet. Before he knew it, it was already noon.

The weather outside was a bit gloomy, with the sun hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. Naoki glanced at the time, then turned to look out the window.

On the lawn, the Pokémon he raised were playing joyfully. They seemed completely oblivious to any troubles, always so carefree, innocent, and happy.

Naoki took a deep breath, feeling content as he looked out at the lively Pokémon on his ranch. He stretched his wrists, and a satisfying crackle came from his joints.

"It's time to prepare lunch for everyone!" he thought to himself.

Today, Naoki wanted to try something new for lunch. Along with the bag of soil he had bought from the market, he had also picked up some honey made by a trio of hardworking Combee.

Without an oven, making elaborate desserts like cakes was out of the question, but Naoki had something simpler in mind—pudding.

Pudding was a dessert that required only a refrigerator and some gelatin powder to achieve a cool, smooth, and chewy texture. He was confident that everyone would enjoy it.

As he imagined the Pokémon happily eating pudding, a smile spread across Naoki's face. As a chef, nothing was more rewarding than seeing others enjoy his creations.

With this in mind, Naoki got to work. He began by adding the Moo Moo Milk he had bought in town to the gelatin powder he had prepared earlier, letting it sit for a moment before mixing in the Combee honey. He then placed the mixture in a pot and cooked it on low heat until the gelatin powder completely dissolved. Once ready, he poured the mixture into pudding molds, covered them with plastic wrap, and placed them in the refrigerator to set.

While the pudding was chilling, Naoki turned his attention to preparing lunch for the many Pokémon on the ranch.

After lunch, with nothing pressing to do, Naoki relaxed at home and watched some TV Shows.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the old-fashioned pendulum clock on the wall chimed, reminding him it was time. He quickly stood up and retrieved the pudding from the refrigerator.

After removing the plastic wrap, he was greeted by a dozen portions of pudding, each with a cool, enticing aroma, a crystal-clear appearance, a chewy texture, and a rich brown color.

Naoki gazed at his creations, and a small notification appeared in his mind, detailing the properties of the dessert:

[Lucky Pudding (A): A dessert made with a happy mood, crafted with whipped cream, Moo Moo Milk, and sweetness.

Dish Effect: Brings good luck. When eaten by humans, it slightly improves their luck for a short period of time. When eaten by Pokémon, it increases their chances of picking up rare items while traveling.

Comment: A delicious dessert that not only makes people feel happy but also brings good fortune.]

Naoki smiled, pleased with the outcome. The thought of his Pokémon enjoying the pudding, with the added bonus of good luck, made him even more eager to share it with them.