Dragapult and the Dragon's Breath Potion
After leaving the laboratory, David walked slowly to the kitchen. He took a few sandwiches out of the fridge and poured himself a glass of Moomoo Milk for breakfast.
Although his cooking skills had improved a lot, David was still too lazy to actually cook unless he needed to feed his Pokémon.
After breakfast, he went back to the laboratory. The moment he pushed open the door, he froze at the sight inside.
"What the... Dragapult! What are you doing?"
A Dragapult was lying lazily across what used to be his workbench.
David's vacation had technically ended, but because of the ongoing conflict with the Supreme Organization and the so-called End Church, his father had decided not to recall Dragapult just yet, in case it was needed.
So Dragapult had been staying with David for a while now. Because of Derren's instructions, and simply because of its naturally laid-back nature, it usually stayed inside its Poké Ball, barely making its presence known.
The only times Dragapult came out on its own were during outdoor barbecues in the back mountains, like the one they had yesterday, anytime there was a feast to enjoy. Otherwise, it rarely appeared unless David called for it.
Dragapult's Poké Ball was a custom-made one, far sturdier than the standard models David normally used for his other Pokémon.
If the regular Poké Balls David's Pokémon lived in were like simple studio apartments, then Dragapult's custom ball was more like a private villa with its own garden.
No wonder Dragapult was happy to stay inside it all day.
If it weren't for the League's rules requiring Pokémon to spend time outside their Poké Balls now and then, David might have wanted to switch over to one like it long ago.
Because Dragapult so rarely came out by itself, David was honestly surprised to find it lying right there on the laboratory table.
Looking closer, he realized the lazy Dragapult was clutching a bottle of the Dragon's Breath Potion he had just finished brewing, holding it with its short little arms.
It was even licking the bottle in a rather undignified way, though David was not sure if Dragapult had actually learned a move like Lick.
By now, the liquid that had once glowed with a bright crystal-red light was completely gone.
"Oh no, I haven't even tested this potion yet! Dragapult, why did you drink it? Were you trying to test it for me? Do you feel okay?"
Seeing the empty bottle, David's expression changed in an instant, and he rushed over to check on Dragapult.
It was not that he was overreacting. Even with good ingredients, different materials and methods could sometimes cause unexpected reactions. Without proper testing, there was no telling what might go wrong.
Even Elite-level Pokémon were not supposed to just drink untested potions like that! Sure, an Elite-level Pokémon's body was strong enough to handle most side effects, but that did not mean it was safe.
"Dragapult~ (David, it's really good! Just a little too strong. It would be nicer if it were a bit milder. Do you have any more?)"
Dragapult did not seem the least bit worried by David's panic. Instead, it darted right up to him, tongue hanging out lazily, looking for all the world like it had just had one drink too many.
"There isn't any more. You drank the whole batch. Never mind that right now! Dragapult, does anything feel wrong after drinking it? If you're not feeling well, we need to get to a Pokémon Center immediately."
"Actually, never mind the Pokémon Center. They probably won't know what to do with this on such short notice. Let's just head to Mom's place instead."
David caught himself talking out loud and quickly remembered this was not the time to think it over. He grabbed a nearby Poké Ball, planning to send Dragapult straight to the laboratory at the Imperial Capital Research Institute for a checkup.
"Dragapult!"
Before he could, Dragapult wrapped its tail around David's arm and stopped him.
"Dragapult~ Dragapult... (I'm fine, really. After drinking it, my whole body feels warm and comfortable.)"
After Dragapult insisted several times that it was fine, David finally held off on taking it in for a checkup.
According to Dragapult, the potion's smell had drifted out because David had forgotten to seal the bottle after making it at home.
While resting inside its Poké Ball, Dragapult had caught the scent right away. Somehow, it could just tell the potion would be good for Dragon-type Pokémon.
After sniffing it carefully, Dragapult had swallowed the whole thing in one gulp. A warm, pleasant feeling had spread through its body right after, comfortable enough to make it close its eyes in satisfaction.
That explained the rather embarrassing sight David had walked in on: Dragapult happily licking the empty bottle clean.
"So you're saying this potion is something Dragon-type Pokémon really like, and it's actually good for them?"
David immediately latched onto that detail.
Dragapult nodded firmly in agreement.
"Dragapult~ (It's just a bit too strong. A milder taste would be nicer.)"
That comment reminded David that the recipe for the Dragon's Breath Potion had originally come from a larger formula meant to strengthen Dragon-type Pokémon.
He hurried back to the table, picked up the notebook that Dragapult's tail had knocked aside earlier, and started flipping through the pages.
As for the strong taste, that made sense. The potion had been designed to boost breath-based moves in Dragon-type Pokémon, especially ones with a Fire-type element.
When David first perfected the recipe, he had used his own Salamence as the test subject.
He had added plenty of Fire Stone shavings and Fire-type energy gem powder while brewing it, so it was no surprise that a Ghost-type Pokémon like Dragapult found the taste so intense.
It was only because Dragapult's level was so high that it could handle the potion this well. A weaker Ghost-type Pokémon probably would not have just felt the taste was "strong." It would have felt like it was on fire.
After all, in any world, ghosts and flames other than Will-O-Wisp simply do not mix well.
"Found it! Here it is!"
David stopped flipping through the notebook and stared at the page in surprise.
"Dragon-type Pokémon All-Around Enhancement Potion: Experiment Plan."
Reading the title slowly, he smiled. This was exactly what he had been looking for.
According to the notes, this had been one of the notebook's original owner's pet projects: an attempt to create a potion that could fully enhance Dragon-type Pokémon in every way.
But the planned effects had been so ambitious that, after countless tests, the alchemist had found it nearly impossible to achieve everything at once. So the project had eventually been split into three separate potions, each focused on a different area: energy, spirit, and physical strength.
The Dragon's Breath Potion that David had successfully recreated was just the energy-focused piece of that larger plan.
It honestly surprised David to realize that something as effective as the Dragon's Breath Potion was only a small fraction of the original project.
He had skimmed through the notebook the day before, but he clearly had not appreciated just how valuable this knowledge really was.
Setting aside everything else in the notebook, this one systematic study on enhancing Dragon-type Pokémon was enough on its own to turn anyone who mastered it into a renowned potion master.
"It seems the Pokémon world is way ahead of us when it comes to medicine."
Still, David was not all that surprised. Every world had its own areas of expertise.
Even back in the world he remembered, Team Rocket's genetic research and bio-engineering had reached an almost unbelievable level.
There was Eevee, capable of evolving and reverting at will, the three-headed bird formed by combining the genes of the three Legendary birds, and of course Mewtwo, created mainly from Mew's genes mixed with DNA collected from many other Pokémon.
If scientists could practically build a Legendary Pokémon from scratch, then advanced potion-making did not seem so impossible.
David murmured to himself, looking down at the notebook in his hands.