Hatching

Compared to Wang Yao's Treecko, Huo Mengyao's Pokémon came as something of a surprise to Ye Qing: an adorably dopey Growlithe. Still, getting a Growlithe was hardly difficult for a family like hers. He had heard that one of her relatives worked at the Public Security Bureau.

Looking at the incubator, which had already drained all its hatching fluid, Ye Qing murmured, "Chimchar, oh, Chimchar, hurry up and hatch for your dad."

That night, Ye Qing sat on the couch with the incubator in his arms and switched the TV to the Pokémon Tournament to watch the matches.

After watching a few matches, Ye Qing realized that Pokémon battle tactics were still fairly crude. Strategies involving Substitute, Protect, and Toxic, or sun and sandstorm teams, were out of the question. In the real world, weather moves were extraordinarily rare. Pokémon with less talent simply couldn't learn them. Calling them one in ten thousand was no exaggeration!

Still, that was only natural. TMs had only been developed a little over a decade ago, and many moves remained insufficiently explored.

"Son, call your sister and ask where she is. Dinner's almost ready!" Mom kept urging him as she bustled around the kitchen.

Ye Qing rolled his eyes. "Mom, you've already told me five times!"

Knock, knock, knock.

He was just about to pick up his phone and ask where his sister was when he heard a knock at the door.

Ye Qing hurried over. As long as someone was home, his sister would never use her own key to open the door.

He opened it to find a petite young girl with twin ponytails standing outside.

"Wow! I missed you so much, big brother!"

Delighted, the girl spread her arms and threw herself into Ye Qing's embrace.

"Huh? Where's your Pokémon? Let me see!"

Just as Ye Qing was about to enjoy a little bonding time with his sister, she ruthlessly shoved him aside.

Ye Menghan changed her shoes and looked around, her gaze immediately drawn to the incubator on the couch!

"You're home, Hanhan! Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner."

Seeing her daughter safely home, Mom quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, okay!"

Ye Menghan answered promptly, but didn't budge. She swung her long, slender legs, her big eyes sparkling as she gazed at the incubator in her arms.

"Do well on your exams, and I'll pay for you to attend the Pokémon Academy!"

Ye Qing ruffled his sister's hair, his gaze resolute.

Ye Menghan stroked the incubator with her slender fingers and answered without looking up, "All right, big brother. Honestly, it doesn't really matter whether I go to the Pokémon Academy."

Ye Qing smiled. "I know you don't believe me. You'll see when you take your high school entrance exams in a few months."

"Mm."

Ye Menghan nodded, but didn't take it too seriously. She knew the family's money had all gone toward her brother's schooling. How could they afford to send her too?

Still, she didn't resent her parents, and she believed her brother would make it up to her someday.

Two more days passed. While eating breakfast that morning, Ye Qing suddenly noticed the Pokémon Egg inside the incubator rocking back and forth.

Crack.

A crisp sound rang out. Numerous cracks appeared across the orange Pokémon Egg, and brilliant light poured through them.

"Chimchar's hatching!"

Ye Qing stared intently at the incubator, his heart in his throat.

The incubator's warning light flashed, then it came apart with a bang. Under Ye Qing's anxious gaze, the white light dispersed, revealing a Chimchar just over thirty centimeters tall on the table!

His fur was mostly orange, and a small red flame burned on his rear. Supposedly, that flame was fueled by gas inside his body and wouldn't go out even in water.

Pokémon of his species could also change the temperature of the flames on their bodies. If he wanted, his trainer could touch them without feeling any heat at all.

"Ooh-ah."

Chimchar stared motionlessly at Ye Qing with his big, bright eyes. By scent, he could tell that Ye Qing was the person who had been keeping him company lately.

Pokémon: Chimchar (Level 1)

Potential: B+

Status: Healthy

Gender: Male

Type: Fire

Ability: Blaze

Held item: None

Egg moves: Fire Punch, Encore, Fake Out, Quick Guard

Basic moves: Scratch

Tutored moves: None

TMs: None

Notes: Chimchar is mischievous and intensely curious, but he also possesses a fierce fighting spirit and an indomitable will.

"Hello, Chimchar."

Suppressing his excitement, Ye Qing held out his right hand and tried to make his smile as warm and friendly as possible.

"Ooh!"

Chimchar blinked, then suddenly pointed his rear at Ye Qing and turned his head to pull a face.

"Holy shit, you're this cheeky? You've only just hatched, and you're already calling me your son? That's not what you called me a moment ago!"

Ye Qing reached out to catch him, but Chimchar easily dodged with a backward hop.

"Ooh-ah-ah!"

The newborn Chimchar couldn't walk yet, but within five minutes, he had adapted to his body and begun bounding around the house, getting into everything.

Looking at the mess the house had become, Ye Qing thought, Thank goodness everyone's gone to work or school. Otherwise, I'd really be in for it.

Watching the energetic Chimchar, Ye Qing took out the basic Fire-type Pokéblocks he had prepared earlier.

The marble-sized, fiery-red Pokéblock gave off a peculiar fragrance, instantly catching the attention of Chimchar, who was making a mess on top of a cabinet.

Chimchar twitched his nose, his big eyes swiveling toward the Pokéblock in Ye Qing's hand.

"Ooh!"

Chimchar turned around, opened his mouth wide, and leaped with all his might, making a monkey's grab for the prize as he lunged at Ye Qing.

Fortunately, Ye Qing reacted quickly and closed his hand, leaving Chimchar grasping at thin air.

Chimchar paced anxiously in circles. He wanted to pry open Ye Qing's hand but didn't quite dare, so he could only look up at him and whine.

Watching Chimchar scratch his head and tug at his ears on the table, Ye Qing tried putting the advice he had gathered earlier into practice and began teaching him a lesson. After a whole lot of blah, blah, blah, the gist was simple: if he wanted food, he had to behave.

Pokémon weren't like other animals. They were highly intelligent, able to understand not only the languages of different Pokémon species with ease, but any human language as well.

Chimchar nodded so furiously that he looked like he was dancing at a club. His eyes remained fixed on Ye Qing's palm, and he was even drooling.

Seeing how desperate he was for a taste, Ye Qing opened his hand, unable to bear teasing him any longer.

"Ooh-ah!"

Staring at the Pokéblock in his palm, Chimchar's big eyes filled with wild delight. He snatched it up with both hands and stuffed it into his mouth.

He covered his mouth with his little hands and watched Ye Qing as warily as he would a thief, as though afraid Ye Qing might steal the Pokéblock right out of his mouth.

Amused by his adorable behavior, Ye Qing smiled and ruffled his head. I'll give Mom and Dad a surprise tonight!

Chimchar enjoyed being petted. He narrowed his eyes and kept rubbing his cheek against Ye Qing's arm.

As the saying went, youth was wasted if you never showed off. Carrying Chimchar, Ye Qing deliberately walked to school. The number of heads they turned was impressive, and he basked in it the whole way.

"Chimchar?"

The moment he entered the classroom, Ye Qing's Chimchar drew everyone's attention.

There were fifty students in the class, and only three of them had Starter Pokémon. With Ye Qing included, that made four!

None of them had ever imagined that the least remarkable person in their class would actually own a Chimchar!