How to put it? Xiao Zhi, who was initially interested in the lottery, now regretted it. These prizes seemed useless to him...
pokeball stickers? He doesn't participate in Grand Festivals. Ketchup and Banana Fruit? They would only bring him trouble.
The remaining items were slightly useful, and among them, the best for Xiao Zhi should have been the restaurant's invitation ticket.
Although Pokémon Trainers can enjoy discounts at various restaurants, it's still not as cost-effective as a Pokémon Center.
If he could win an invitation ticket, Xiao Zhi would definitely feast there.
However...
“OKI! OKI!”
“Pika Pika!!”
Because the prizes included things Pikachu and Aipom liked most, both of them volunteered to draw. But was it really that easy?
Looking at the hand-cranked lottery machine on the counter, Xiao Zhi walked up and weighed it slightly.
There were at least 50 or 60 balls inside, right? To draw those few colored balls that represented winning tickets from so many small balls...
Forget it, you always have to try everything.
“Since you two want to draw so much, I'll leave it to you. You two each draw twice, and I'll draw the last one. Is that okay?”
“Pika~!”
“OKI!”
Pikachu and Aipom replied happily, looking like they really wanted those two prizes.
Xiao Zhi shook his head, first picked up Pikachu, and let his hand grip the lottery machine's crank.
Then Pikachu began to frantically spin the lottery machine in front of him.
“Click, click, click~~”
Countless small balls continuously collided inside the lottery machine, making ping-pong sounds.
Pikachu confidently stopped, and a small ball fell out of the machine due to inertia, landing on the prize tray below.
“White!”
The uncle clapped his hands and, under Pikachu's surprised gaze, handed them...
“Congratulations, a pack of tissues.”
“Pika?!”
Is that all?
Pikachu couldn't help but think that.
He had tried so hard to draw, and he had been praying the whole time. Even if it wasn't ketchup, at least some other prize, right?
“...Uh, there's still one more time, don't give up so soon. What if it comes out next time?”
“Pika!”
After hearing Xiao Zhi's comfort, Pikachu's spirits lifted again.
Indeed, just as Xiao Zhi said, even if it didn't come out the first time, there was still another chance! As long as there was still a chance and he hadn't given up, the god of luck would surely favor him!
Pikachu took a deep breath and, under everyone's watchful eyes, shook the lottery machine again.
.......
“A pack of tissues! Thank you for your patronage!”
“Pika~ka......”
With the same result again, Pikachu was already curled up in a ball, slumped in the shadows.
There was nothing more painful than having a year's supply of ketchup in front of you, yet being unable to get it.
If he had known this, perhaps not drawing would have been better...
Looking at Pikachu's dejected appearance, Xiao Zhi momentarily regretted letting Pikachu draw.
His mood had initially been boosted by buying two more bottles of ketchup, but now... it was better not to mention it.
“OKI~KI~!”
Although Aipom was Pikachu's companion, he was the happiest when he saw Pikachu's bad luck.
His personality, enjoying a good show without making trouble, suited him perfectly.
After 'disdaining' Pikachu's luck in his heart, Aipom jumped directly onto the lottery stand without Xiao Zhi's help. He wanted to get what he wanted with his own strength.
The goal was the blue bead! A month's supply of Banana Fruit!
“OKIIII!” (Charge!)
.......
“Thank you for your patronage, two packs of napkins!”
Xiao Zhi: “......”
Watching the curled-up figure in the corner change from one to two, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
It was bad enough that Pikachu said he was unlucky, but Aipom's situation could only be called well-deserved, right?
Who told him to be so arrogant before? It was good for him to learn a lesson from this experience.
“Forget it, let's see if I can draw something...”
No matter how strict his thoughts were, Pikachu and Aipom were still his companions. Although one ticket couldn't win two prizes, if he could at least get one thing they wanted, it should make the atmosphere a little livelier, right?
He should have eaten first.
Xiao Zhi sighed inwardly.
After messing around with the two of them for a while, his stomach was truly hungry. It was better to finish early and call it a day.
With that thought, Xiao Zhi reached out and began to gently shake the lottery machine. The clicking sounds of the pillars colliding echoed through the supermarket.
The residents who had seen Xiao Zhi and Pikachu arguing earlier were still silently watching Xiao Zhi. They were also curious if Xiao Zhi could draw what Pikachu and Aipom wanted, or perhaps other prizes?
Time slowly passed. After about ten seconds, Xiao Zhi finally took his hand off the crank. With a flash of golden light, a golden bead appeared on the tray below the lottery machine.
“This, this is!!!”
“Oh!”
“It actually...”
“Congratula—tions—!”
The uncle picked up the bell on the table and began to frantically shake it, announcing in a lively manner that the grand prize had been won.
“Congratulations on winning the first prize! This is this time's prize! A complete set of pokeball stickers currently on sale! Congratulations!”
As the uncle handed the prize to Xiao Zhi, a round of celebratory applause erupted.
How to put it, he just couldn't feel happy...
Xiao Zhi felt the resentful gazes from Pikachu and Aipom in the corner, and for a moment, he felt that this first prize he won was a hot potato.
He understood that Aipom and Pikachu weren't resenting him for not getting them the prizes they wanted, but rather complaining about why his luck was so good.
Seeing him win was even more painful than losing himself!
Perhaps this was the inevitable mindset of someone with bad luck facing someone with good luck?
Just as Xiao Zhi was about to put away the prize and leave, a familiar voice from his memory suddenly came from behind him.
“Eh—am I too late? The prize has already been drawn?”
Xiao Guang...
Xiao Zhi's pupils flickered. And the one bending over in front of him, panting and showing a regrettable expression, was Xiao Guang, his companion from his journey in the Sinnoh Region.
Xiao Zhi watched her, and she was watching the prize in Xiao Zhi's hand.
Blue strands of hair slipped from her ear, and faint beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. One strap of the yellow backpack on her shoulder had slipped down to her elbow.
Xiao Guang's appearance at this moment, while not disheveled, was not very presentable either. It was clear that she had been in a hurry on her way here.
Could it really be for... this?
Now Xiao Zhi's gaze also fell on the prize in his hand. After roughly guessing the whole story, he suddenly felt a bit troubled.
......