After finishing the phone call, Owen wasn't stopped by security and entered the facility directly. At the same time, his father came rushing toward him from across the yard.
"Here." Owen handed over the ID card.
"Haha, you're a lifesaver." Taking the ID, Owen's dad chuckled. "Wait for me here a second."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Owen and Eevee staring at each other.
What a waste of a trip...
Fortunately, his dad wasn't gone long. He returned quickly, wiping sweat from his forehead, and addressed the two. "Alright, all done. I'm off the clock soon. Just hang tight, and we'll go home together."
"Sure," Owen nodded.
His dad added, "Go sit in my office for a bit. It's got AC, nice and cool. Or... do you want me to give you a tour?"
"Hmm..." Owen thought for a moment. "I'll skip the office. Let's take a look around."
He was genuinely curious about how a power plant raised Electric-type Pokémon. He'd heard his dad talk about it at home, but seeing it was different.
In the games, power plants were hotspots for Electric types. In fact, in a certain Power Plant of legend... There dwelt a mythical bird.
Zapdos, the legendary bird of lightning.
Owen's dad began the tour. The variety of Pokémon here wasn't vast—mostly Voltorb and Magnemite. The electrical infrastructure had been modified into structures suitable for these Pokémon to charge, which looked quite different from what Owen had imagined.
As they passed a cylindrical generator, several Pokémon resembling Poké Balls suddenly hopped down. Seeing newcomers, three Voltorbs tracked Owen and Eevee with their gaze, giving Owen a start.
Voltorbs were widely considered hazardous due to their unstable temperaments and their habit of exploding when angry. Having watched too much anime, Owen had a bit of a lingering fear that one might "self-destruct" at any moment.
However, he soon realized his worry was unnecessary.
"This is the Damp Device," his dad explained, pointing to a machine. "It fills the plant with suppression energy. This energy not only keeps the Voltorbs' moods stable but also inhibits their Self-Destruct moves."
"Impressive... whoever invented this must be a genius," Owen remarked, looking at the AC-like unit with admiration.
Damp was originally a Pokémon ability. Pokémon with this ability could nullify moves like Self-Destruct or Explosion by creating a specific humid environment.
This device was inspired by that ability. Remarkably, the modified version didn't make Owen feel damp at all, yet it retained the explosion-suppressant effect.
It was said that Damp Devices were now used in various industries as a vital safety measure for human workers. Owen found himself thinking... the person who invented this must be swimming in money by now.
It was similar to the "Gloom Perfume" the girls in his class raved about—another stroke of genius.
Everyone knew Gloom's pollen smelled like old sneakers, trash, and rotting eggs mixed with skunk spray. Yet, someone discovered that its extract was a top-tier ingredient for high-end perfume.
Then there were the medicinal toxic spores from Parasect.
Many people were already "carving out their slice of the cake" using Pokémon biology to become winners in life. Owen would be lying if he said he wasn't envious.
I'm lucky that Pokémon research only started a few decades ago. There are still many unknown benefits to be claimed.
Discovering a new ability brings in a lump sum, but if I want consistent wealth, I need to find something that provides practical value—like the Damp Device or Gloom Perfume.
Next time I publish a paper or apply for a patent, I should pick something that can be converted into a real industry...
Owen stood there, lost in thought. His father turned around and looked at him with concern. Is this kid... studying himself into a stupor? Why is he spacing out every five seconds?
"Vee!" Seeing this, Eevee smacked Owen's head with her tail to remind him to keep moving. Thankfully, she hadn't started her tail-weight training yet.
Owen snapped back to reality. His dad led him around for a bit longer, but Owen's mind was elsewhere until he suddenly paused.
"Hey, what's up with that Magnemite?"
In a corner of the electrical facility, a grey, mechanical Pokémon was leaning against a wall, watching them in solitude.
"That one..." His dad sighed and walked over, squatting down. He gently scooped the Magnemite from the corner into his palms.
"This Magnemite has been here for a long time. The senior staff says it might have a physical defect. Its side components can't emit the electromagnetic waves needed to negate gravity. Because of that, this little one can't fly."
"Didn't you call a Pokémon doctor?"
"The Pokémon here get regular checkups. The doctor said it's likely a natural defect. The main issue is that there are too many Magnemites here; the higher-ups aren't going to spend a fortune on one 'faulty' unit.
If it doesn't recover before this batch is shipped out, it might be released back into the wild."
The Magnemite in his dad's hands wore a look of profound loneliness. It was precisely because it couldn't hover that it was an outcast among its kind.
Unable to integrate into the group, it was constantly ostracized and left to sit here alone.
"Can't emit electromagnetic waves to negate gravity..." Owen had never heard of such a case.
As they left the plant, Owen couldn't help but ask, "The power plant is huge; it shouldn't be hard to just keep one Magnemite, right? If it can't fly, it'll have a very hard time surviving in the wild."
"It's not hard, but it's not a long-term solution. It simply doesn't belong here."
"A few of the old-timers and I discussed its future. The best idea we had was to apply to keep its registration at the plant, but have an employee take it home as a pet. We'd all pitch in a bit of money for its care," his dad said.
"That would be good. If all else fails, I could look after it. Magnemites don't eat much, and electricity is cheap. Any household can afford to keep one as a companion."
His father's heart was clearly soft. Owen could see it in the way he held the Pokémon. It seemed "Father King's" mind was already made up.
Owen nodded. "Alright. If our family is going to raise it, I'm cool with it. Mom shouldn't have a problem either."
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