"The juice fermentation time for this Shuckle has gone overboard; don't you two find the taste a bit strong?"
Shuckle and turtles have some differences. Its body is a type of soft-bodied creature, with limbs and neck that are very flexible.
Externally, it is protected by a hard shell, mostly red, with a few individuals having a light purple color. The shell has several holes, with some reserved for limbs, and the remaining ones have significant uses.
For instance, Berries can be stuffed inside. The shell of Shuckle has a large reserved space, used for storing Berries.
Over time, as Berries ferment inside, they gradually mix with Shuckle's body fluids, unknowingly turning into a sticky delicious juice.
Moreover, the type of juice will differ depending on fermentation time and Berry type. Once it exceeds a certain limit, the liquid inside transforms from juice to fruit wine. The alcohol content isn't high, but it has a strong kick.
If fermentation continues after it becomes fruit wine, it turns into a liquid capable of eroding rocks, which is their means of survival in the wild.
Wild Shuckles, to avoid attacks, mostly hide motionless under rocks until they've consumed all stored Berries.
This internal liquid is an ability they evolved to build nests more conveniently on rocks.
"Really? We put in a Spicy Cheri Berry; is that alcohol then?"
Wolf didn't take Queen's words to heart, as he picked up the jug with juice and continued drinking. Then he even performed an Eruption, clearly showing signs of drunkenness.
"These kiddos are really willful. Aren't you two almost 10? Don't make such mistakes like rookies, you two! Can't they even tell the difference? Don't you think that's strange!"
Seeing Miaona and Wolf clearly drunk and ignoring him, Queen's gaze landed on Bepo and Carrot.
"I'm sorry..."
"I didn't mean for you to apologize! Could you have a bit of backbone for a fur-covered bear! Isn't there muscle beneath that fur?! Don't just apologize so easily!"
"Yes, sorry, ah, I shouldn't be saying sorry..."
"This bear is hopeless..."
Bepo's personality hadn't changed much; his first response to anything was still to apologize, so Queen's gaze shifted to the last rabbit.
"Actually, it has nothing to do with me, but when your Duke returns after work, make sure to tell her this matter has nothing to do with me."
Without Hawkins' comment about bad luck, Queen wouldn't have thought so much. But after being divined, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had appeared at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The two kids experiencing first-time drunkenness probably couldn't figure out the situation themselves. If they only remember encountering him, he might end up taking the blame again.
"I recently cultivated a batch of fruity carrots; I'll let you try them. I don't have any other requests, just don't talk nonsense."
To prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings, Queen even resorted to bribing with food.
"No problem, Uncle Queen. I'll report everything truthfully to the Duke, including what you said."
Upon hearing carrot, Carrot's ears perked up. Queen held different roles in different people's minds: scapegoat, punching bag, villain, misnomer, etc. But to most of the Fur Race, he was just someone who made delicious fruit.
Carrot wasn't planning to say anything irresponsible; Queen's condition was almost a freebie. But there was no help for Queen's persecution paranoia, which hadn't healed and made him overly cautious.
"No need to be so detailed... just talk about the earlier matter... Hey, hey! Don't use Shuckle's shell as a chew toy! Watch out for your teeth!"
People will never know what outrageous things they might do in a drunken state. Some drink and end up marrying a lamppost, while others might climb a mountain to prove they can beat a tiger.
Miaona seemed to imagine something strange, and she started biting Shuckle's shell.
The Shuckle wasn't angry; instead, it tapped Miaona's head helplessly.
The biting didn't even feel, just like Queen said, Shuckle's shell was tough enough to break her teeth.
This Pokemon's Species Value is very special, investing all its limited ability into double defense.
Its speed is slow, HP bar very short, attack negligible, but it's just tough enough.
...
"Mr. Apoo, you seem to know this leader is quite gentle."
"Yeah, he's playing with the kids over there; perhaps our future won't be too difficult."
The messing around between Queen and Miaona and Wolf made them mistakenly believe this person was easy to get along with since they hadn't interacted with Queen before. Their first encounter was seeing Queen dance.
Additionally, Queen handed them a learning manual to prevent trouble, making them think he's someone who cares about his subordinates.
"Don't be foolish, that guy is Plague Disaster, a super monster with a 3.2 billion bounty. He's taking us out only because he finds us useful. If we want to survive in a pirate world, we must show our value.
Make sure to practice the music scores I've given you, the best way is to make this person rely on us. Otherwise, unless you want to go back mining like the Drake Pirates, don't have such fantasies."
Compared to his naive subordinates, Apoo was more clear-headed. Those small Fur Race duo clearly had their parents to thank for Queen's kind attitude, and Apoo didn't think he had this privilege.
While Apoo educated his subordinates, Queen had already "bribed" Bepo and Carrot with honey and carrots and left with Shuckle and Ludicolo.
After showing Apoo and the others Ludicolo's dance moves, he loaded them onto a ship and handed them over to Hawkins, while he began researching new drugs.
Shuckle's abilities aren't limited to brewing wine and juice. Its shell's space is a special pharmaceutical site, coupled with Diancie's decomposition capability, Queen had just the right new formula to manufacture an upgraded Plague Bomb.
The mysterious attack in the war at the top gave him a heightened sense of crisis; the weapon he crafted was nothing more than a toy against such things. Even if he couldn't match it, he couldn't remain stagnant.
But as soon as he walked into the lab, he was greeted with a Hydro Pump right in his face.
"Queen! You idiot haven't been here for a week; are you going to look at the summarized news here!"
Omastar smacked the stack of files beside it, questioning Queen. There was nothing major included, otherwise, it would have notified someone long ago.
But having the files piled up uncared for was a hassle; it was just a Radio Snail, yet had to sort through the papers daily, which exceeded its work scope.
"Queen? Queen, did this guy get knocked silly? Can't be, you've long had resistance to Hydro Pump, right?"
"Mwahahaha, I understand now! So this is what retrograde means; now I can rest easy! Well done, wait for me to reward you with extra Berries."
Seeing Queen laughing heartily instead of getting angry, Omastar confusedly smacked itself with a tentacle.
"It's over... this guy's probably gone completely insane...."