Pokémon: Starting as a Farmer Instead of a Trainer

Chapter 215 Why is the chocolate alive? (Seeking monthly votes)

That noon, after picking up the package in Cui Lv Town, Ponpo was full of anticipation as she carried the chocolate-making materials and molds she had bought to the kitchen.

It brought over a stool to stand on, letting its Rotom phone float beside it, watching the chocolate-making steps in the video, gradually getting familiar with the process.

Mingyou stood aside and quietly observed. Seeing that it didn't make any mistakes, he nodded slightly. Since he knew how to make chocolate himself, he didn't need to watch any video tutorials; he only needed to prepare the molds himself.

"Let me think about what kind of mold I should use and what shape of chocolate I should make..."

Thinking about these things, Mingyou strolled out of the kitchen, while Ponpo continued to work diligently on the chocolate, crushing cocoa blocks, melting them in a double boiler... After completing all the steps, she put it into a silicone mold to shape it.

It was the simplest kind, because it was its first time trying it and it was worried that it would fail, especially since it required a large quantity to be made.

After waiting for the chocolate to cool completely, it picked up a star-shaped chocolate, put it in its mouth, and gently sipped it, savoring the silky texture and rich, lingering flavor. It immediately showed a regretful expression.

"Hmm..."

It's a little bitter, although I can totally accept it, but since this is a gift for everyone, it's better to make it a little sweeter.

So it continued its work...

Time flies, and another day has passed in the blink of an eye.

Mingyou brought her custom-made molds and fruit picked from the manor to the kitchen.

Ponpo isn't here right now; it's resting upstairs. It worked overtime last night, managing to make all the chocolates and wrap them in colorful bags. Now, all the chocolates are hidden in its upstairs room.

"Get some rest~"

Mingyou muttered to herself, picked up a piece of chocolate left on the stove with her fingers, put it in her mouth, and nodded in satisfaction. She had made great progress.

He then placed the two handmade molds on the baking tray and began his creation...

Just then, the Queen of the Crowns, who had noticed him entering the kitchen, suddenly slipped over, looking for something delicious, anything but shredded cabbage.

Approaching Mingyou, it looked at the chocolate cooling on one of the molds and couldn't help but mutter, "What an abstract thing, it looks like a herd of fat alpacas."

"It's better to say less."

"I only care about whether it's edible."

The Crowned King, full of self-righteousness, reached out to grab it, but before it knew it, its hand touched the kettle next to it, knocking it over and pouring the hot water all over itself. Scalded, it ran away in a panic.

"It's so hot! It's so hot! It's burning!"

"Shouldn't hot water have little effect?"

Mingyou muttered under her breath, "Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut, or you might get your comeuppance soon."

Soon the chocolates on both molds cooled completely. One of them was made especially for Xiaozhao, using a small Arceus shape similar to a gashapon toy.

They're round and cute, and inside they're filled with jams from several different fruits. The chocolate also uses honey extracted from big honey apples, so it tastes sweet and sour.

He packed the chocolates in a pinkish-white gift box, a package he had bought specifically for this purpose.

As for the remaining chocolate from the mold, he packed it in a colorful bag, then took both of them upstairs and placed them there, waiting...

Valentine's Day arrived in the blink of an eye. Ponpo got up early, hid all the chocolates in her cloak, and started going to each of them one by one.

"Mmm~"

"Wuwu?"

As Latias was pondering what to do today, Ponpo suddenly appeared in front of her and handed her a bag of packaged chocolates, which made her momentarily at a loss, before she smiled happily.

Then Ponpo ran over to Snorlax, who was still sleeping. Smelling the chocolate, it sat up abruptly, reached out and took the chocolate. Although the amount was small, it was still very happy.

"Kirby~"

"Mmm~"

Ponpo continues her gift-giving journey.

Riolu is training in the orchard, Smoke is helping to repair the sofa that was broken, Garchomp is eating squash in the vegetable garden, and Ralts is teaching its sister how to play games...

Ponpo remembers every friend in the manor, whether it's the fruit-eating worms hanging on the trees or the huddled bear cubs, and prepares chocolates for them all.

It practically ran all over the manor, and even secretly went to Green Town to deliver chocolates to Electabuzz and Night Demon.

The Calycanthus, which hadn't been able to eat chocolate yesterday because of the burn, watched all of this calmly until Ponpo ran towards it with a piece of chocolate, at which point its expression finally became unsettled.

"Am I included too?"

"Mmm~"

Ponpo handed the chocolate to the other person with a slight smile, then left. The Queen of the Bejeweled stared blankly, finally looking at the chocolate in her hand, and smiled calmly: "This place is truly unique..."

It wasn't until noon that Ponpo finished delivering all the chocolates... No! There was still one last one left!

It arrived at the villa entrance, and Mingyou watched it deliver the gift without disturbing it.

"Mmm~"

Ponpo handed the last piece of chocolate to Mingyou with a smile. Of course, she couldn't forget this!

Mingyou reached out and took it, then squatted down, bringing her eyes to the same height as Pengpeng.

Then, smiling, she reached out and patted the other person: "Haha, you're just like me, you never think of yourself. That's not a good habit. If Xiao Zhao knew, she would definitely blame me for not teaching him well."

As she spoke, Mingyou placed a bag of chocolates that she had hidden behind her back into Ponpo's hand and said softly, "It can't be that everyone else gets a gift but you don't. Take this~"

"Hmm..."

Ponpo stared blankly, completely unaware that Mingyou had also made chocolate for it.

So it opened the packaging and saw the chocolates inside, each shaped like a different mask, emitting the aroma of mandarin oranges. Its face instantly lit up with surprise.

Do you like it?

"Mmm~"

Ponpo hugged the other person tightly, almost knocking Mingyou to the ground. Mingyou gently hugged it, feeling the same way as it did when it saw how happy it was.

That's why he prepared two molds...

Just then, Mingyou's phone rang. He pulled Pengpeng up and they stood up together to answer the call. It was Bigmouth Logistics calling.

"Hey sir, your package is here."

"Huh? I didn't buy anything..."

A moment later, Mingyou signed for a package from Blueberry Academy, sent by Xiaozhao.

So I brought it inside, opened the package, and there it was—a gift box with a very familiar design, along with a note.

"Everyone is giving chocolates, so I made one for you too... I really tried my best. If you don't want to eat it, don't force yourself."

P.S.: If you want to eat it, eat it as soon as possible, because the chocolate will melt and disappear.

"???"

Mingyou didn't quite understand the meaning of the last sentence, but she didn't pay it any mind. Her heart was filled with joy and warmth. She hadn't expected Xiaozhao to make chocolates and bring them over, especially on Valentine's Day...

"This is the first time in my two lives that I've received a gift from a girl on Valentine's Day..."

A smile spread across his face, and he couldn't wait to taste it. So he reached out to open the gift box, but the moment his fingers touched the gift box, the box suddenly shook!

"???"

Mingyou was full of questions, so she tried again, and sure enough, the box was moving, as if something was struggling to escape.

Recalling the contents of the note, his expression became quite unsettled.

Someone tell me why this thing is moving... and whose chocolate is alive?!

Mustering his courage, he opened the package and found a dark, chocolate-like lump inside that was wriggling.

"Kirby!"

Snorlax was so frightened by the sight that it ran away on the spot.

"Oh My God……"

Mingyou was filled with fear, yet also with deep respect.

He couldn't imagine who could make a chocolate like this. You can't melt and cool chocolate and it still turn out like this. Maybe he was too conservative with the sticky rice cake last time.

"Hmm..."

Is this really edible? Ponpo was very skeptical.

So it reached out and gently touched it, and suddenly it shook violently, as if trying to break free of the sealed chocolate, scaring it so much that it hid behind Mingyou. It was terrifying...

But since Xiao Zhao made it herself, Mingyou took a deep breath, believing that the other party would not harm her. So she mustered up her courage again, scooped up a piece of chocolate with a spoon, closed her eyes, and put it in her mouth.

"Let's go all out!"

He gently tasted it, and it felt like he had bitten into some kind of octopus tentacle. He didn't know why there would be such a thing in chocolate, but...

"Surprisingly good!"

Mingyou opened her eyes in surprise, then looked at the lump of chocolate on the table, quickly devoured it, and sat on the sofa with a look of unfinished enjoyment.

"Maybe I've developed antibodies?"

Watching the Snorlax and the others run away in fright, he muttered to himself. Just then, he noticed a note under the empty chocolate bar, so he picked it up...

Some time later, Blueberry Academy, far away in the Unova region, also celebrates Valentine's Day today.

Teenage students are often the ones who care the most about and enjoy participating in these kinds of holidays. I imagine that everyone hopes that on this day, the boy or girl they like will accept their gift.

But if the other party doesn't accept it, that's a different story!

Xiao Zhao didn't dare to eat lunch in the cafeteria. A bunch of students chased after her, giving her chocolates. The worst part was that both boys and girls were there, so she had to hide to eat. She had never hated a holiday like this before.

She refused to accept any chocolates and eventually ran to hide at the Alliance Club.

This is the largest battle club in Blueberry Academy. Usually, only the club officers stay here, while the members are outside battling.

"Phew... this should be safe now, right?"

She sat down at the table, patted her chest to catch her breath, but the next second a mournful laugh suddenly came from the corner of the room, startling her.

"Ha ha……"

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Startled, Xiao Zhao stood up and looked at Dan Yu, who was crouching in the corner with her legs drawn up to her chest. She had completely blended into the shadows; who could possibly notice her?

Danyu slowly stood up, turned around with a look of utter despair, and muttered, "Why doesn't anyone give me any? Even A-Li received a lot of chocolates, and even Nali secretly gave him some..."

"There's no need to compare ourselves in this kind of thing, is there?"

"But... Waaah—"

Danyu ran forward crying and hugged Xiaozhao tightly, sobbing with a wronged tone, "But I've lost all my living expenses for half a month! Ziyu... she received so many chocolates, but I didn't get a single one. I'm not any less attractive than her, so why?!"

"..."

Xiao Zhao hesitated for a moment, then gently patted his back to comfort him: "Okay, okay, I should have made one for you too."

"Never mind then, I want to live a few more years."

"..."

After some comforting words, Danyu's mood finally improved a little. This lousy school is really unbearable. Why does there have to be a holiday like Valentine's Day?!

"Thank goodness I had you with me, Sister Zhao~"

"Let's eat first..."

Xiao Zhao shared half of her lunch with the other person. Just then, the door of the Alliance Club was pushed open, and a girl with short pink hair walked in carrying two express delivery boxes.

She wore a pink long coat, with blue gemstone headdresses on both sides of her hair. Her thick brown eyebrows did not detract from her appearance at all, but instead added to her cuteness, making her look very adorable and likable.

She was Zi Yu, one of the four kings of the Blueberry Alliance. When Dan Yu saw her, she gritted her teeth and showed a jealous expression, but she was too ashamed to say anything.

Zi Yu ignored her and instead placed a package in front of Xiao Zhao, smiling as she said, "Teacher Xiao Zhao, here's your package."

"Um?"

Xiao Zhao paused for a moment, then looked at the sender's name on the package and smiled faintly. It seemed that someone else had the same idea.

The package was opened, and inside were chocolates that Mingyou had carefully packaged. There seemed to be quite a lot of them, along with a note.

But before she could even look, Danyu, trembling, clenched her fists and raised them, shouting, "Sister Xiaozhao, you betrayed the organization!"

"Haha... After all, it was him who sent it, so I can't refuse it, right?"

Xiao Zhao smiled awkwardly. Zi Yu, who was unpacking her own package, asked with interest, "Is he the teacher's boyfriend? When are you bringing him to school so we can meet him?"

"this……"

Just as she was about to explain, Danyu channeled her grief and anger into her appetite, exclaiming, "Can I eat this chocolate?"

"etc!"

Xiao Zhao quickly stopped them, saying that she should do this herself. So, under Dan Yu and Zi Yu's curiosity, she opened the packaging box.

As the aroma of chocolate and honey wafts through the air, what comes into view are neatly arranged capsule-shaped chocolates in the shape of Arceus, each one plump and coated with jam.

"So cute~"

Ziyu was amazed. Although she didn't know what kind of Pokémon it was, she could tell that the person who made the chocolate must be just as good at cute things as she was.

Danyu felt even more hopeless... Everyone else has someone who likes them, but she doesn't.

Just as she had this thought, the door to the Alliance Club was pushed open again, and Wu Li, wearing a school uniform, walked in carrying a large pile of chocolates given to her by others, and then placed them all on the table.

"It feels like we can't finish all of this."

Danyu: "..."

I'm completely devastated.

But Wu Li didn't seem to notice his sister's condition. He walked over nervously and took out a bag of chocolates from his coat pocket before Dan Yu could lie down and calm down.

"This is... chocolate for my family. I've been looking for you for ages. Um... I made this myself. I don't know if you'll like it."

"..."

Tears welled in Danyu's eyes. She opened her mouth slightly, staring at the scene before her in disbelief. Then she took the chocolate and hugged Wuli tightly.

"Ah Li~ You're so good to me!"

"Huh?"

Wu Li looked completely bewildered. What was wrong?

Zi Yu stood not far away, watching this scene, and smiled as she gently clapped her hands: "Great! We finally got the first one."

"..."

"Ha ha."

Xiao Zhao smiled and looked away from them, glancing at Mingyou's note in the gift box. She paused slightly, gently brushing aside a stray strand of hair, and chuckled softly, "Idiot... always making up lame excuses, though I don't really have the right to say that to you."

"Would you like some chocolate I made next time?"

She put down the note, murmured its contents, picked up a chocolate, put it in her mouth, and gently sipped it. A sweet torrent burst in her mouth, slowly flowing down, and a blissful smile spread across her face.

Meanwhile, in the manor shrouded in night, Mingyou was wrapped in a blanket, fast asleep like a baby, with a note lying quietly beside her pillow.

Moonlight streamed through the curtains, gently illuminating the bedside table and the note: "Let me try your chocolate next time~"

"Mmm~"

Ponpon lay on its side on the Magikarp plushie, holding the chocolate that Mingyou had given it but hadn't finished eating, lost in a sweet dream, quietly welcoming a new day.

……

(End of this chapter)