Seeing Froakie moving freely through the water, several of the Eevee began to take notice.
Unlike the Vaporeon, they did not remain at a distance for long. The younger ones were the first to react, their natural curiosity overcoming any hesitation as they moved closer in small, cautious steps. Their ears twitched constantly, and their eyes remained locked on Froakie as they observed its movements, clearly trying to understand what they were looking at.
Froakie noticed them almost immediately.
It slowed its movement and floated in place for a brief moment, watching them just as intently. There was a noticeable shift in its behavior, as the initial excitement of being in the water gave way to curiosity of its own.
For a short time, neither side made the first move.
Then one of the Eevee stepped forward.
The moment that small gap closed, Froakie responded, paddling toward it with a light splash. The tension dissolved almost instantly, replaced by a natural interaction that neither side seemed to question. Within moments, they were circling each other, splashing lightly and darting through the shallows, their movements growing more energetic as they became comfortable.
What began as cautious observation quickly turned into play.
The adult Vaporeon watched from a distance.
They remained alert, their attention never fully leaving the interaction, but they made no attempt to intervene. Their posture suggested vigilance rather than hostility, as if they were evaluating the situation and finding no immediate threat.
Silas observed the exchange quietly.
For Froakie, this was likely the most active it had ever been, and more importantly, the most at ease. Its movements were no longer restrained by fatigue or instability, and there was a clear sense of freedom in the way it navigated the water.
That alone made the environment valuable beyond its obvious benefits.
When it was time to eat, Silas and Madam began setting up their portable kitchen near the edge of the shore, choosing a position that maintained distance from the Vaporeon while still allowing them to monitor the surrounding area.
They released Ursaring to assist with preparation, while the rest of their captured Pokémon remained inside their Pokéballs. Madam had no intention of introducing unnecessary tension into the situation, especially given how easily misunderstandings could escalate when dealing with wild Pokémon.
Dragonair moved smoothly above the surface of the water, summoning a controlled Twister that lifted several fish from the lake before guiding them toward the shore. The movement was precise, minimizing waste while ensuring efficiency, and the fish were quickly handled by Ursaring once they landed.
Despite its size, Ursaring worked with surprising care, cleaning and preparing the fish with practiced movements that suggested familiarity with the task.
Madam took over once the preparation was complete.
As the fish touched the heated surface, a sharp sizzling sound filled the air, followed almost immediately by the rich aroma of seasoned meat. The scent carried easily through the humid environment, spreading outward in a way that made it impossible to ignore.
It did not take long for the nearby Eevee to react.
They approached cautiously at first, their bodies lowered slightly as they tested the boundary between curiosity and caution. Soft hisses and low growls escaped them, but the sounds lacked aggression and instead carried a sense of uncertainty, as if they were unsure whether they were allowed to approach.
Silas remained still, allowing Madam to handle the interaction.
Madam did not hesitate.
She placed small portions of fish in front of them without making any sudden movements, allowing the Eevee to approach on their own terms.
The response was immediate.
The Eevee devoured the food quickly, their earlier hesitation replaced by clear enjoyment. Their posture shifted almost instantly, tension leaving their bodies as they focused entirely on the meal.
Within minutes, they returned.
This time, there was no hesitation.
Their approach was direct, their expectations obvious.
Silas couldn't help but notice the change.
The nearby Vaporeon had begun to lower their guard.
One of them stepped slightly closer to the shoreline, its gaze settling on Silas for a brief moment before shifting toward the Eevee. There was no aggression in its posture, only observation, as if it were confirming that there was no threat present.
Trust, even in small amounts, had begun to form.
Silas chose not to waste the opportunity.
He returned his focus to the cooking setup and began working with Hermes, using the moment of relative calm to experiment with something more complex.
Using the ingredients he had brought with him, combined with the properties of the lake water, he began attempting to create Pokéblocks and poffins that could take advantage of the environment's unique characteristics.
The first few attempts were unsuccessful.
Hermes provided constant feedback, presenting probability estimates for each variation while suggesting adjustments to ingredient ratios and preparation methods. The guidance was precise, but not absolute, requiring Silas to interpret and apply the information rather than follow it blindly.
At first, he relied heavily on Hermes' calculations.
Over time, however, he began to understand the underlying patterns.
Each failure provided new data, and each adjustment brought him closer to a stable result.
Eventually, he succeeded.
The poffins he created enhanced the restorative effects of the lake water, allowing Pokémon to retain more of the absorbed energy during consumption. The Pokéblocks, on the other hand, functioned differently, directly stimulating cellular activity and forcing the body to convert typeless energy more efficiently.
Under normal conditions, the process of absorbing natural energy was highly inefficient, with nearly 80%of the energy being lost during conversion.
With his current results, Silas had reduced that loss to approximately 50%. It was not perfect but it was a significant improvement. Poffins were normally for healing but with the lakewater energy infused, it had an all encompassing effect.
Hermes estimated that with further refinement and higher-grade ingredients, the loss could be reduced even further, potentially reaching a point where energy conversion became nearly complete.
That possibility alone made this location invaluable. What made it even more remarkable was the nature of the energy itself. It was typeless, which meant there were no compatibility restrictions. Every Pokémon could benefit from it equally.
Silas decided to test the results and Madam wanted to participate. A few minutes after eating 2 poffins each, they felt the effects.
A lingering ache in his chest, the result of an internal injury from the Beedrill attack, began to fade. The tightness loosened gradually, and the discomfort that had persisted for so long began to diminish at a noticeable rate.
Nearby, Madam adjusted her posture slightly before blinking several times.
"My vision…" she said quietly.
Her eyesight, which had deteriorated over time, was improving rapidly, the clarity returning in a way that felt almost unnatural.
For a brief moment, everything seemed perfect.
The environment provided healing, growth, and stability in a way that defied expectation.
Then something shifted.
Silas felt a sudden heaviness in his chest, subtle at first but growing more pronounced with each passing second. The sensation was unfamiliar, not pain exactly, but pressure, as if something was building internally without a clear source.
Madam reacted at nearly the same moment, her posture stiffening as she recognized a similar change.
Silas's breathing hitched slightly as he felt something rise in his throat. He bent forward instinctively and coughed up a thick, dark liquid forced its way upward. Pitch-black blood spilled from his mouth, staining the ground beneath him.
Madam experienced the same reaction, her body responding in nearly the same exact way. The benefits of the lake were undeniable.
Silas steadied himself, wiping the remaining traces of blood from his mouth as he forced his breathing to stabilize. The heaviness in his chest had already begun to fade, replaced by an unfamiliar lightness that spread through his body.
Madam straightened as well, her expression composed despite what had just happened. She glanced down briefly at the dark blood on the ground before shifting her attention back to Silas.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
"Hermes," Silas said quietly, his voice steady but focused. "Report."
There was a brief pause before the response came.
"Analysis complete. The phenomenon observed is consistent with full assimilation of the typeless energy present within the lake environment."
Silas narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Please elaborate further."
"Your bodies have reached a temporary saturation point. The typeless energy has been fully integrated into your biological systems rather than remaining in a passive or circulating state. The expulsion of foreign material was a byproduct of this process."
Silas's gaze shifted briefly to the ground.
"The blood?"
"Correct. The expelled substance contains accumulated impurities, damaged cellular material, and remnants of prior internal injuries. This includes residual damage sustained during earlier combat encounters."
Silas processed the information quickly.
"So the damage… is gone?"
"Partially corrected. While structural limitations remain, overall bodily condition has improved significantly. Efficiency, recovery rate, and baseline stability have all increased."
Silas explained Hermes' conjecture to Madam, presenting it as his own.
She nodded in agreement and let out a slow breath.
The energy hadn't just been healing them, it had been rebuilding them, and what their bodies could not integrate had been forcibly expelled.
He flexed his hand slightly, testing the sensation. The difference was subtle, but undeniable.
Madam adjusted her stance again, her gaze sharpening as she took in her surroundings with improved clarity.
"For a place like this…" she said quietly, "this seems too good to be true. I assume there has to be a limit to using this miraculous water otherwise it just wouldn't make sense."
Silas agreed, there was no limitless resource out there and if there were, it certainly wouldn't be so easily accessed. The Vaporeon might be far more violent if that was the case.
Silas and Madam simply enjoyed their good fortune.