Crack! Crack!
Not long after they finished eating, a strange sound came from the room.
It was very faint, like an eggshell cracking.
"It's the Pokémon Egg!"
Yushu's heart stirred, and he caught the sound at once.
He quickly set down his bowl and chopsticks and hurried into the room.
Aili and Shuren exchanged a glance, then followed curiously.
A crack had appeared in the Pokémon Egg inside the incubator, with a faint light seeping through.
"It's the Pokémon Egg."
"That's right, and it's about to hatch."
Their attention was immediately drawn to the Pokémon Egg.
Yushu stared at it without blinking.
He had seen Pokémon hatch countless times in the anime in his previous life, but this was his first time witnessing it in person.
Crack!
The shell shattered completely, and light burst forth.
Aili clutched Shuren's arm excitedly beside him. Shuren grimaced in pain but dared not make a sound, afraid of ruining this sacred moment.
The light gradually faded, and a tiny Pokémon appeared, letting out a soft little cry.
"Ralts~~"
Yushu's gaze settled on it.
It was a petite Pokémon whose pale green head made it look like a sprout that had just broken through the soil.
Its lower body formed a seamless whole, draped in a membrane like a long white gauze dress. Two slender white arms hung in front of it, and its overall posture was quiet and shy.
[Ralts] [Type: Psychic type + Fairy] [Ability: Telepathy] [Moves: Growl, Disarming Voice, Double Team, Confusion, Mystical Fire, Calm Mind, Teleport] [Status: An exceptionally gifted Ralts, blessed by Uxie. Its Psychic aptitude far surpasses others its age. A promising future awaits.]
Yushu's brow twitched.
It already knows this many moves right after hatching? Including Teleport?
With talent like this, no wonder it says a promising future awaits.
"Wow! It's so cute!"
Aili couldn't take it at all. She cupped her cheeks, her eyes sparkling with little stars.
Shuren looked just as shocked. "It's actually a Ralts! That's an incredibly rare Pokémon."
Ralts looked around blankly, its gaze passing over Aili and Shuren before finally settling on Yushu.
"Ralts~"
It tilted its head and let out a soft little cry.
"Gasp!"
Yushu felt as though something had struck his heart. He carefully reached out, wanting to try touching it.
Ralts tilted its head as it looked at him, the eyes beneath its hair filled with curiosity.
Rather than shying away, it toddled over to Yushu's hand and rubbed the little pink horn on its head against his fingers.
"Ralts~"
That soft little cry melted the hearts of everyone present.
Aili covered her mouth beside them.
"It's so cute!!!"
Shuren said nothing, but his expression said it all. The corners of his mouth kept rising.
It's over, it's over. My soul's been soothed.
Uxie floated nearby, sensing the traces of its own psychic power lingering on Ralts.
This little one... absorbed it quite thoroughly.
"You need something to eat first, right?"
Remembering what needed to be done, Yushu quickly took out the Pokéblocks he had prepared in advance.
He had prepared these Pokéblocks specifically for Ralts.
They were smaller and softer, with nutrients better suited to a young Pokémon's digestive system.
He placed a Pokéblock in his palm and held it out to Ralts.
Ralts sniffed it curiously, then carefully took a bite, chewing gently with its little mouth.
"Ralts~" (It smells so good~)
The next second, its eyes lit up, and it picked up speed, its cheeks puffed out like a little hamster stocking up on food.
After finishing one, it raised its head to look at Yushu and said softly:
"Ralts~" (It wants more~)
Beside them, Aili was screaming inwardly:
Boss! Hurry up and give it more! How could you hesitate over such an adorable request?!
Don't you know it's a crime to turn down such an adorable request?!
She wanted to rush over and feed it herself.
Shuren quickly held her back. "Calm down! Calm down! That's the boss's Pokémon!"
Girl, stop those bold thoughts of yours!
"Just one more. You won't be able to digest it if you eat too much."
Yushu gave it another one.
Ralts held the Pokéblock and nibbled at it.
The sight overwhelmed everyone present with its cuteness.
A palm-sized little creature hugged a Pokéblock bigger than its own fist, earnestly nibbling away and occasionally letting out satisfied little hums.
At any rate, Aili had completely fallen for it. "Boss! Let me hold it! Just for a moment!"
"Wait until it finishes eating." Yushu mercilessly rejected her request.
He was afraid Aili might get too excited and frighten Ralts.
The little one had only just hatched and was still timid. It couldn't handle being fussed over.
After finishing its second Pokéblock, Ralts let out a burp, then looked at Yushu as light flashed over its body.
Teleport!
Whoosh!
It blinked straight into Yushu's arms, found a comfortable spot to lie down, and its breathing gradually steadied.
I can't, I can't. I'm too sleepy.
Ralts's body was soft and warm, like a little ball of cotton.
But Yushu wasn't in the mood to take that in. Something else concerned him more.
Holy crap! It can already use moves properly? Is that Uxie's psychic blessing really this powerful?
It can use Teleport right after hatching. What'll it be like when it grows up?
Still invisible, Uxie smiled confidently.
Who are you looking down on? It's a bona fide Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon, after all. Giving a blessing was a piece of cake.
Although it really had been exhausted that day, the results were right here. It had been worth it.
Clearly, Uxie had already forgotten what it had looked like when it burned itself out.
Ralts soon fell asleep in Yushu's arms, nuzzling his hand contentedly.
Newly hatched Pokémon needed plenty of sleep to promote growth and development.
Yushu placed it in the little bed he had prepared and took the wistfully staring Aili away with him.
She didn't want to leave! She wanted to stay there and watch Ralts sleep!
That would definitely be adorable too!
Yushu smiled disdainfully.
So what? Cute or not, it's not yours. You can't even look!
As soon as they left the room, Aili asked impatiently:
"Boss, where'd you get that Ralts Pokémon Egg? Got any connections?"
"Where'd you learn to talk like a ticket scalper?" Yushu looked at her speechlessly.
Refusing to give up, Aili pressed him. "But where did you get it?"
Shuren raised his hand beside her. "Boss, I'd like to know too."
That was a Ralts, a Pokémon that could evolve into Gardevoir!
Owning a Gardevoir was the ultimate dream of countless male Trainers!
Thoroughly pestered by the two, Yushu replied, "From that competition a few days ago. It was the first-place prize. Didn't you know?"
"What?! That competition they hold once a year? The prizes are that good?"
Aili's voice shot up an octave.
She had watched a similar competition last year, and the champion's prize had clearly only been an ordinary Pokémon Egg. How had it become a Ralts this year?