Two metallic blades clashed in the center, the friction generating sparks until both retracted. Both Evan and Hana were a short distance from each other with weapons in hand. Hana held her Iron Katana, while Evan held his Killing Edge with his right hand, his shield strapped to his left arm.
For a few moments, Evan panted, but bounced back in for a thrust that Hana had anticipated. The swordswoman easily deflected the shot with her own blade; the action made Evan immediately go on defense and put up his shield to avoid her counter strike. The force was strong enough to send him stumbling back until he caught himself.
Nearby, another battle was taking place.
"(Here I come!)" Hana's Machop charged straight for Evan's Butterfree, her forearms glowing bright purple as he crossed them. A poisonous purple X formed that she fired at Butterfree, but the butterfly's wings glowed bright blue and flapped, unleashing a flurry of wind blades that met the Cross Poison in midair. An explosion of compressed air and poison exploded between them that turned into a smokescreen.
Machop waited for the smoke to clear, but she changed her mind the moment she saw an electrical energy web extend through the smoke towards her. She brought up her forearms and braced for the electrical impact that the net brought with it, as well as the blue energy descending down her body that reduced her Speed stat.
"(Gnnngh…this…isn't over yet!)" With a pained grunt, a white outline surrounded Machop. The Electroweb diminished around her as energy spheres enlarged into immense stones in the shape of a ring. With a hardy grunt, she threw her arms forward and directed Rock Tomb at Butterfree.
His eyes widening, Butterfree instinctively pulled away. He knew what happened the last time he was hit with a Rock-type move. Suffice it to say he learned his lesson.
Hana charged again with a swift diagonal slash across. Evan used his Killing Edge to deflect the blow to the side, but the force behind her swing almost knocked the Killing Edge out of his grip. He pulled back and adjusted his footing, holding his blade tight.
Hana scoffed and eased her stance. "Not bad. You're a quick learner."
"I've been told that before." Evan panted, easing up his stance. He looked over at Butterfree and Machop's battle. "Alright Butterfree, you're good for now!"
"(Phew! Thank Arceus!)" Butterfree chimed happily as he relaxed.
Machop crossed her arms, pouting. "(C'mon, I was just getting warned-up there.)"
Sakura hurried over, her Audino right beside her as they went up to check on the two in training. "A-are you okay, Evan?"
Unlike his opponent, Evan had a few scrapes and small cuts. Not enough to draw large amounts of blood, but enough that they stung him. "Yeah, I'll manage."
"Here, let me help you." Sakura reached her staff out. Her healing powers activated, coursing a soothing energy through Evan's entire body. Slowly, the fatigue in his body began to diminish as the healing spell closed up his cuts.
Once the spell alleviated, Evan gazed down and inspected his body. Aside from his clothing partially dirtied up, he looked bright as rain. 'Boy, having spells that recover you sure comes in handy.' He turned and smiled at Sakura. "Thanks for that, Sakura."
Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yeah, my pleasure!"
A loud huff came from Hana. "You should be more grateful that Lady Sakura has given the time of day to tend to you. If it were up to me, I'd take those scars home to remind you of your mistakes."
"Hana, don't be so mean." Sakura pleaded. "He's trying his best…"
Hana sighed. "Yes, Milady. I know. I'm just saying that he could stand to heal from his own wounds. If he doesn't heal from his last mistake, he'll be bound to make it again."
"I mean, that's a good point…" Evan muttered lowly.
Sakura sheathed her blade. "Anyways, for now, I think that should cover it. I'm heading out to the fields now in search of Pokémon to battle against. Come, Machop!"
"(Ah~…eh?)" Machop, who was currently in a warm embrace by Audino, snapped back at her. "(Uh, r-right. Sorry, fluffy!)" She pulled herself away and started to follow Hana, leaving Audino with a frown.
"Hey, Hana!" Evan called out. "Make sure you heal Machop first!"
"Right, we were just heading there. Thanks for the reminder." She responded curtly.
Once the swordswoman was out of ear's reach, Sakura sighed aloud. "I-I'm sorry about her. She can be rather brash at times…"
Evan dismissed her worries. "I mean, it's not a big deal once you're around her." He turned in Hana's direction. "And she's definitely getting better with Pokémon battling, especially with those TM moves I suggested for her Machop. I think she's to hold her own in a Pokémon battle."
"Y-yeah…she can…" Even though Sakura was happy for her friend and retainer's growth the past couple days, she still couldn't help but feel troubled with her lack of skills improvement.
This didn't go unnoticed by Evan. "Hey, Sakura, it's okay. There's more to fighting than just the fighting itself, you know."
She looked up. "You mean it?"
"Yeah. I mean if it wasn't for you and Felicia's healing, we'd have some tough spots. And Audino's Heal Pulse helps a lot, too. So thanks."
Tat seemed to have lifted her spirits some as her smile returned, her grip tightening on her staff. "Right! Then we'll keep doing our best!"
"(Awww, that's so sweet!)" Audino, overjoyed by her praise, walked up and embraced Evan in a warm, furry hug.
"Uh, yeah, yeah. I know. You're welcome, too." He responded awkwardly towards her pushy hugs, but otherwise didn't refute the affection of their huggable healer.
"So what are you going to do now? You've been practicing all morning. Are you perhaps hungry?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, guess I can eat." Evan managed to break free from Audino's grasp and held a Poké Ball up towards Butterfree. "That was some good battling, Butterfree. Return."
The butterfly chirped modestly before he withdrew back into his capsule for a good rest.
"Okay, let's see what Chef DK's cooking up this time." Evan started walking with Sakura and Audino towards the mess hall area.
"Okay, there we go…yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Fresh as a flower blooming in spring." Chef DK was in the middle of plucking the freshly grown berries from the fields. He was currently on the Sitrus Berries, with the one tree having four freshly grown from their flowers.
"Hey, Chef DK." Walking up to him was Evan and Sakura, the latter's Audino attaching herself to her in a gentle embrace.
Chef DK looked mildly surprised. "H-huh? Oh, hey Evan. What's up?" He scanned the Trainer up and down. "Boy, you look like you've been working hard, haven't you?"
Evan shrugged. "Yeah. I've been working out a little…anyways, I was wondering what's cooking today."
The chef's gaze fell towards the ground. "Oh, right. Makes sense. Working out requires energy…well, I don't have anything ready yet." He sighed. "But for now, I guess you can help yourself to some of these…hey, Munchlax! I see you over there! I wasn't talking to you, dummy!"
In the corner of their eyes, they all turned and saw Chef DK's Munchlax about to lay a hand on a Pecha Berry plant when he froze up.
"Uh, does that happen often?" Evan worriedly asked.
Chef DK shook his head. "I swear, every damn time…" he muttered. "But don't worry about that. Here, you can start with some of these Sitrus Berries to recover your strength." He offered Evan a Sitrus Berry, to which the Trainer accepted.
"Thanks."
"Yeah, no problem. I'll get to cooking as soon as we're done harvesting and planting a fresh round. If you're worried about status ailments, we have plenty of Chesto, Cheri, Pecha, and Rawst Berries all stocked up if you'd like some."
"I mean, sure. Those'll help either way." Evan generously accepted the offer.
"Um…excuse me." Sakura meekly intervened. "I-I couldn't help but hear…do these berries have healing effects too?"
Evan turned towards her, realizing the fault in the matter. "Right, guess no one told you, didn't they. Yeah, a lot of these berries from our world can help recover some of your strength and heal effects like poison and paralysis."
"I see…"
"And from what I've learned, there's even berries that give you extra strength in a pinch, too. But I haven't seen any like those before."
"Yeah, they're rare, even from where I'm from." Chef DK admitted, chuckling. "But when I do get my hands on'em, I can make some real dishes that'll knock your socks off."
Evan paused at the notion. He knew that the chef had been delving into mixing berries into his "special cooking" recently. That felt like an improvement at least…though he was certain he wasn't going to be tasting anything for a while from Tamato Berry Eggs Benedict he had for breakfast.
"What's going on here?" Walking into the picture was Freya, getting Evan's attention.
"Huh? Oh, hey Freya. How did your training go?"
The ebony young woman grinned at his concerns. "It went fine, thanks to a certain someone's tips and advice. Drizzile and everyone's just tired, so we were heading over to heal."
Evan nodded. "That's good. At least it looks like everyone's getting the hang of it." He looked in another direction, noticing Corrin, Azura, and Gunter walking close by. "Oh hey guys!"
Corrin offered his close friend a smile. "Hello Evan, looks like you've been busy."
Evan looked down at his attire, realizing Corrin's point. "Yeah, you can say that."
"Seems to me that everyone's been pretty rural." Azura analyzed. "But it seems like they're all at least understanding how to battle. I assume it has to do with the examples that were set by you, Evan."
"I mean…maybe?" He shook his head. He didn't think too much about it until it was pointed out. And even then, he felt like he was being buttered up. Though he did appreciate the gratitude.
"Incidentally," Gunter cut in, "Have any of you seen Lady Felicia around?"
"Still? Hasn't it been like three days?" Evan inquired.
"Is she okay?" Freya wondered.
Sakura looked uneasy. "I hope that she's alright…"
"She looked fine this morning. I doubt that she's ill." Gunter informed, frowning. "Still, it feels like she's being rather…vague, is the word?"
Corrin showed the most worry out of everyone. "Perhaps we should check on her. I'm getting worried."
Felicia was hanging around Poopenschmir's lab, her hand fairly close to her apron, as if she was hiding something from view. The maid seemed very hesitant about something. That something had to do with the large egg that was in her possession.
'Should I…? But I have no idea who else to turn to.' She thought about her options for consultation. 'I guess I could ask Sir Evan, but he's more of a Pokémon expert. And I worry that Chef DK might make this thing into an omelet…' She looked at the door to the demented doctor's lab and sighed. "…I guess I really have no choice, do I? Alright then…"
The debate in her head finally settled, she walked up towards the front door. She took a quick glance around to check if anyone was watching. When she saw the coast was clear, she moved closer and swallowed a lump.
'Here goes nothing…' She knocked on the door. "Excuse me, good doctor? Are you in there?"
Inside his laboratory, Poopenschmir's desk was filled to the brim with flasks of various colored liquids, with heat going under one and making the contents bubble and release gas into a tube connecting to another glass. More junk and various parts covered his workplace up to where he was tinkering with something that looked like a helmet with small antennae on them.
"Yes. Yes, this is coming along nicely…" He chuckled eerily. "With this, this'll make the human brainwaves fluctuate, making them think more complex! Ha! Take that Metagross! Think that you're a supercomputer, hm? Well can a supercomputer build this!?"
A loud knock came from his lab's door, immediately irking him.
"What is it?! I am busy!"
"Excuse me, Doctor? It's me, Felicia. Do you have some time?"
Poopenschmir looked down at his helmet-like mechanism, eventually choosing to shelve it and sulk his shoulders with a sigh. He got up from his seat and went over to the door. He reached up and adjusted his glasses before breathing into his hand and gave it a sniff. Cringing at his own breath, he rebounded and opened the numerous locks to greet his guest.
"Yes? Hello?" He greeted the maid. "Oh, it's you. The maid girl, yes?"
Felicia nodded. "Um, yes. Is this perhaps a bad time?"
"No, no. Come right in!" The doctor moved off to the side to allow Felicia passage into his domain.
Now that Felicia realized it, this was the first time she was in this facility. She always wondered what the building looked on the inside. The chrome-like plating and the various metals and glass everywhere made it seem like an unnatural environment to her.
"So…this is what a 'laboratory' is like…" Her eyes glazed around until she saw the strange-looking helmet on his desk. "Oh, what's this-?"
"Do not touch that!"
"Yeep!" Felicia immediately backed away in fright, almost slipping on her heel as she took a step away from the device.
"Just ignore all that stuff. So, anyways, what brings you here?"
"Er, right. Well, you see, good Doctor. I have…something that I'm not sure what it is. So, I was hoping that I you could shed some light on it…?" Felicia nervously asked, her tone trailing off in worries of her answer.
However, the doctor fiddled his fingers together and tilted his head. "Hnnnngh…" He mumbled low. "I suppose a quick look won't hurt. Show me."
"R-right, here." She reached into her apron and brought out the large egg that she held in both her hands.
The doctor's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! What's this? And egg?""
"Yes. Do you know what it might belong to?"
"Hmmmm…" He leaned into the egg, his fingers rubbing his chin. "Well…" He leaned a little closer, flicking his tongue against the egg's surface, much to Felicia's shock and disgust. He hummed and nodded to himself as he scrutinized the flavor of the egg.
"Lemme see here…" He went over and reached for something. When he came back, he had a stethoscope around his ears. He placed the sensitive flat metal against the egg's warm surface and listened for anything inside.
A minute passed as Felicia looked worried and curious at the same time.
"Hmmm…yes, got it!" Finally pulling away, the doctor's jovial mood returned. "Good news! You have found not just any egg! But a Pokémon egg!" He clapped his hands and hopped between his heels left and right. "Oh, goodie! A new discovery! One that will affect the population of Pokémon no doubt." He added the last fact with an index finger towards the ceiling.
Felicia blinked with surprise. "W-wait…you mean an actual egg of a…" Her eyes widened. "Pokémon?!"
"Correct! You see, believe it or not, all Pokmon come from eggs. But these eggs are unique, because unlike regular eggs that you can find under a chicken or put into a pan, these ones don't go bad."
"Really?"
"Yes. And from the sounds of it, that one in particular might be on the verge of hatching."
She gasped in shock. "R-really?! Then what do we do?!"
"Well, from what I understand about these particular sorts of eggs, they require heat and being around particular people. What I suggest is, if you've been running around with this little one, you might as well…uh…do it again, y'know."
Felicia tilted her head, confused. "So I just…keep holding onto it?"
"Yes! Exactly!"
The maid looked down at her newly discovered egg with a renewed sense of interest. Not only was this a unique egg, but one that had a Pokémon inside. It was fairly warm already, and now that she was paying attention, she felt a shift in weight that she assumed was the fetus. It was as exciting as it was nerve-racking. Yet for some reason, the maid felt overjoyed with this revelation.
"Then…I'll do whatever it is I can to help make this little one be brought into the world!" She bashfully declared.
"Good, good! Now…shoo."
"Eh…what?"
"Shoo, shoo! Get out! Now!" He ushered Felicia towards the exit.
"O-okay…!" Felicia hurriedly rushed for the exit, making sure not to trip or lose her firm grip on the egg as she exited the lab.
Poopenschmir huffed and adjusted his lab coat. "Now, where was I…? Oh yes! Supercomputer brain." With a skip in his step, he pranced back to work at his desk.
Felicia stood outside the lab's door, catching her breath from that sudden exit. "Well, he's certainly a character, as always…"
"Felicia?"
Felicia couldn't suppress the squeal that she unintentionally let out. Caught completely off guard, she jumped, minding her hold on her apron, and turned to find Corrin, Gunter, Azura, Freya, and Sakura accounted for. The maid straightened herself and gave a nod towards her company. "O-oh! Hello, Milord!"
Corrin frowned, realizing he had startled her. "Oh, sorry about that Felicia. Didn't mean to startle you."
Felicia put on a bright smile. "Oh, no. It's quite alright. I just didn't see you there, that's all, hehehe…" She immediately tried to change the subject. "Oh, are you perhaps hungry? Shall I assist Chef DK in a meal to your fancy?"
Corrin shook his head. "No, no, it's fine. We just wanted to see how you were doing. Is everything alright, Felicia?"
Though she hid it with her smile, her body language showed uneasiness. "O-oh. Yes, I'm well, see? I'm not sick."
BZZZZZZTTTT!
"AGAGAGAGAGAH~!"
Everyone stopped and flinched when they heard a loud buzz from behind the lab's door. The sounds of Poopenschmir's cringing cries made them all put their thoughts on hold and turn to hear crackling electricity.
There was a moment of silence as they all worried what might have happened. Before they were going to answer their inquiries, the door opened, revealing a disheveled Poopenschmir with a burnt helmet with the antennae all but destroyed. From the way that he looked, he looked pretty dazed.
"Uh…D-Doctor? You good?" Evan questioned cautiously.
"Yes…yes, I am good. I assure you." Poopenschmir chimed, his crossed eyes betraying his self-analysis. "Just another…hiccup. Oi…but all that charge has left me tired…" His eyes rolled back as he dropped straight to the ground onto his side, unconscious.
Everyone's gazes fell with him as they stared blankly before the confusion and worry started to accumulate. Even Evan, who was always good with ideas on the fly, was found at a loss.
"Uh…should we get Sakura and Audino to help?" he suggested.
"Right! Audino!" Sakura ushered her beloved Audino, who chirped and went straight to work.
Gunter frowned and shook his head. "I fear that leaving the doctor to his devices will prove unhealthy for all of us."
"Yeah, maybe…" Freya agreed, staring down with wonder.
Felicia sighed in relief. At least for now she was in the clear. She clutched her apron tight, knowing it would only be a matter of time.
Little did it show, the egg gave off a faint glow that faded away before anybody saw.
With everyone else doing their own thing, be it recreational or proactive, or perhaps both, Nathan was that very exception as he was out at the outskirts of the fortress. Just at the base of the hills, he found himself engaged with his Nidoran against a wild Venonat.
Nidoran's ears were standing up, his barbs prickling as he was ready to charge. "(Lemme at'em! I say lemme at'em now!)"
"Focus Energy!" Nathan commanded. Nidoran spread his legs, heightening his neck as an orange glow surfaced from his feet and traveled up his body, increasing his critical-hit ratio.
The wild Venonat eyed his opponent as the huge red lenses shined bright blue. That same aura enveloped Nidoran and stiffened him briefly, immediately cutting off his use of the attack.
'Disable? That won't be effective now that we used Focus Energy once.' Nathan evaluated, but he knew to be careful. "Now Nidoran, Leer!"
"(You think your eyes are scary? Try a look at mine!)" Nidoran leaned forward, his eyes glowing red as he stared directly at Venonat. As he did, a blue aura encased his fuzzy opponent, reducing his Defense.
The wild Venonat hummed again before he bristled and jumped. He aimed his antennae down at Nidoran as soundwaves began to expand after him. Nidoran, however, had the wits to run around the range of the soundwaves and rush in an arch towards Venonat.
"Now use Peck!"
Nidoran's small, sharp horn gave off a glow and extended before he used his hindlegs and leaped into the air after Venonat. The horn shot directly in his face with a strong burst of energy that immediately grounded the oversized bug. The proven critical hit left the Venonat damaged, but not enough to deter him as he shook his head and glared at Nidoran before expelling a poisonous pollen from his body that traveled towards his foe.
Nathan didn't ask Nidoran to dodge. The Poison Pin Pokémon wasn't affected by it at all.
"Alright, use Peck!" he ordered.
"(You think a little powder's gonna stop me?!)" Nidoran tucked his head in and spurred across the ground, jabbing his glowing horn straight into Venonat again. The lowered Defense and the increased critical hit ratio were two massive blows that felt like a gut punch to the Venonat that sent him fumbling back onto his back, fainted.
Nidoran snorted, raising his head proudly. "(That's how it's done!)"
Nathan put his hands into his pockets and walked up towards his Pokémon. "Not bad at all. How're you feeling now, Nidoran?"
Nidoran turned back and gave him a smirk. "(Not bad at all. In fact, I feel better than ever with all these battles…hold on.)" He felt a surge of energy rushing through him. "(I-I think…it's happening-!)"
Suddenly, Nidoran's body was enveloped in a strong light. Nathan took a step back and covered his eyes with a forearm from the sudden light flux, but managed to adjust and witness his Nidoran's glowing frame. Suffice to say he looked surprised.
"Hang on, are you actually…?"
Nidoran's body grew to almost twice the size he was before. The barbs on his back became more ridges, and his legs began to take studier, upright shapes towards them.
When the glow dispersed, what stood in Nidoran's place was a light-purple, quadruped Pokémon. He had several dark purple spots all over his solid purple color. Three small claws were on each foot with tiny hinges at the joints where they looked like shoulders. His face became sterner and more ridged, with darker, narrower eyes and two sharp fangs that were protruding from the upper jaw. The horn on his head grew longer with a sharper end to it.
The newly-evolved Pokémon tussled his head back and forth before letting out a cry. "(Now that's what I call a rush!)" His voice was deeper, but more mature.
"You evolved into Nidorino." Nathan realized. "How do you feel now?"
Nidorino stomped on the ground once with a foreleg, snorting. "(Like I can skewer a mountain!)"
Getting an idea of what he said, Nathan smirked. "I'll take that as a good sign. As much as I wanna keep the pace going, why don't we take a breather and get some food and water."
Nidorino scoffed. "(Yeah, guess you're right. Fine, I'll tag along.)" He turned to follow his Trainer back towards the fortress, when he felt something off. His ears stood up as his sensitive heard something familiar, yet unpleasant.
He immediately got on guard as he glared back towards the underbrush and plains surrounding them.
"What's wrong?" Nathan took notice of his disposition and glared out. He didn't see anything, but he felt what Nidorino was sensing. It felt like they were being watched. He furrowed his brow. As much as he wanted to get rid of the feeling, he didn't want to push his luck. "Keep your ears open…let's hurry back for now."
"(…right.)" Nidorino acquiesced, but neither he nor Nathan didn't take it easy until they were within the castle walls again.
Unbeknownst to them, the shrubs nearby bristled, the figment's purple snout sticking out with a forked tongue at them. It watched as they withdrew, but the gleam in its eyes was deeply threatening.
"Alright Keith, you ready to do this thing?!" Chef DK called from the other side of the arena. He had his Cutiefly and Munchlax out, while Keith was standing with his Ditto and newly caught Bronzor ready for battle.
Keith nodded. "Whenever you are, Chef DK. Ready, Ditto? Bronzor?"
Ditto morphed its body into a human arm with the fingers making an "ok" sign. Bronzor's eyes lit up as it turned on its axis and harrumphed. They were ready.
The energetic chef weaved about in place. "Alright, it's time to stretch our legs and show'em our stuff!"
"(Okey dokey!)" Cutiefly buzzed.
"(Munchlax hungry…floating disc looks like a plate.)" Munchlax licked his lips with a dreamy smile towards Bronzor, who was a little more than disturbed from the way he was looking at it.
"(Wouldn't that be cannibalism?)" Cutiefly wondered.
"Okay, we'll start off first!" Chef DK pointed at Ditto. "Alright Cutiefly, use Stun Spore on Ditto!"
Cutiefly hummed as she whisked closer towards Ditto. The pile of pink gelatin had a blank expression and didn't bother moving when the small fly unleashed yellow pollen that scattered across Ditto.
"Boom! Bull's eye!" Chef DK showboated.
Even though Keith couldn't see, he didn't need to look to know what happened.
As the pollen dispersed, Ditto emerged from the cloud unscathed. All that pollen did was leave a thick coat that it shriveled off by wiggling around like brushing off snow.
Chef DK's eyes widened. "Wait, what just happened?!"
Keith smirked. "Suppose you didn't realize sooner."
"What?"
"That my Ditto's Ability is Limber. Sorry, but he's immune to paralysis."
Chef DK's shoulders slumped forward. "You've gotta be kidding me. That means it won't work?!"
"Nope, sorry." Keith reached his arm forward. "Now Ditto, Transform into Munchlax!"
Ditto snickered before its body shined and transformed. The fluids morphed and solidified into an exact copy of Chef DK's Munchlax. It stretched its arms up and let out a loud yawn, seemingly mocking the original version.
"(Huh? Why did gelatin turn into me?)" Munchlax questioned, before gasping. "(Is Munchlax actually…gelatin?!)"
"Now Bronzor, Hypnosis!" Keith followed up his chain of commands with Bronzor floating in front, its eyes glowing bright purple. Psychic energy waves emanated from its eyes and radiated towards Munchlax, who was far too slow – physically and mentally – to react. In a matter of seconds, Munchlax yawned loudly and fell backwards with a thud.
Chef DK facepalmed. "God! Damnit, Munchlax! What's with you taking a nap like that!" He sighed annoyingly. "Guess it's up to you, Cutiefly. Ready?!"
"(Yup!)" She jumped in the air.
"Perfect! Well Stun Spore didn't work on Ditto, but Bronzor's open! So use Stun Spore on Bronzor!"
Cutiefly flapped her wings again, releasing another wave of yellow pollen that rushed after Bronzor this time. However, unlike before, Bronzor was affected as static crackled around its body, making its already stagnant body even more stiff in midair.
Chef DK mockingly laughed. "That's what I'm talking about, Cutiefly! Now, show'em your offense! Use Energy Ball!"
Cutiefly's body was outlined in bright green energy. The energy condensed into a green sphere of energy that was roughly the same size as her. She lifted her proboscis and launched the sphere towards Bronzor, landing a clean hit that exploded into green smoke. The metal mirror buffered back from the impact.
"So, you taught your Pokémon new tricks while we were out." Keith hummed.
"Yeah, something like that. It was mostly food, but I found a few diamonds in the rough."
Keith smirked. "I see. Then I say we return fire. Ditto, Body Slam!"
The Munchlax lookalike let out a hum before leaning forward. With strength that betrayed its physique, it sprung into the air over its original copy and descended. Like a bomb whistling down from its descent, a heavy thud followed by a loud shudder on the sleeping Munchlax caused Chef DK to stumble.
"And thanks for reducing our Speed so we can do this." Keith politely chimed. "Bronzor, Gyro Ball!"
"(Copy.)" Bronzor began spinning in place like a top. With how its body was in symmetrical proportions, it had the perfect shape for a high-spinning sphere with bright blue rings around the spherical ends. It leaned into Cutiefly's direction and barreled right after her.
"S-stop that damn thing with your Fairy Wind, Cutiefly!" Chef DK panicked as he called his command.
"(Okay!)" She expelled a bright pink gust at Bronzor, but to her surprise, the winds were torn apart by the Gyro Ball's incoming rotation speed. "(Oh dear!)"
Bronzor's spinning body met Cutiefly, sending her towards the ground, literally dropping like a…fly. She laid on the ground, legs twitching as she had swirls in her eyes.
The thud and the lack of buzzing was all Keith needed to know what happened. "That's one."
"Cutiefly!?" Chef DK panicked. "Are you okay…? Oh god, just my luck! Why'd it have to be a stupid Steel-type!"
"I'd be wise to watch who you insult, Chef DK. Ditto, Body Slam! Bronzor, Payback!"
The despairing chef didn't catch his comeback before it was too late. As Munchlax was sound asleep, his carbon copy dropped from the air in a huge leap and crashed down on top with a loud thud. Bronzor added insult to injury by collecting purple energy and drifting closer and sharply pivoted, hitting Munchlax with the double-powered Dark-type move.
The collective force left Munchlax still asleep. However, a green energy wave enveloped him thanks to his Leftovers.
"(Gnnngh…eh?)" Munchlax slowly fluttered his eyes open, sitting back up. "(Why Munchlax not feel good all over…?)"
"Finally!" Chef DK groaned. "Hurry and use your Body Slam!"
This time, it was the real Munchlax who took action. He leaped into the air above his carbon copy. When Ditto looked up, Munchlax came crashing down on it with an intense thud. The force floored the copy instantly, dealing intense damage as well as rattling the ground.
"That's payback for my Cutiefly!" Chef DK cried out.
"That' isn't what I would call payback, my friend." Keith countered. "This is a Payback!"
When Chef DK's Munchlax got back up, Bronzor was right beside him, its body shining purple. The big eater blinked and tilted his head. "Shiny plate?"
"(Not quite.)" Bronzor spun its body, expelling the energy at point-blank into Munchlax. The force of the attack proved to be too strong for him as he was flung onto his back with a thud, this time not getting up. He laid on the ground, his eyes brimming in swirls.
Bronzor backed away, its eyes glowing briefly. Ditto-Munchlax was up on its feet as well, looking sound despite the blow it took.
From the silence that followed, Keith knew what happened. "So then…that's game?"
Chef DK hung his head low, sighing dejectedly. "Yes…"
Ditto smiled brightly at their victory. In a display of celebration, its body morphed again, this time turning into Chef DK. The chef expected it to come up and do something like shake hands with him or something sportive, but instead he watched Ditto do a fake sob and deflate to the ground.
"Hey, I am not a crybaby like that!" Chef DK protested.
Keith stumbled in the direction towards the chef. Ditto hastily morphed into a cane to help him reach his destination. "That was a good battle, Chef DK. You've definitely improved yourself." He commended, holding out his hand.
Chef DK accepted the fairer sportsmanship. "Yeah, thanks anyways. Been needing a workout anyways." He brought up his Poké Balls towards his defeated Pokémon. "Alright Cutiefly, Munchlax, return!"
The two fainted Pokémon withdrew from view and were put back into the chef's pockets.
"Thank you for the fine battling, Bronzor. Return for now." Keith turned and recalled his Bronzor.
Ditto remained a cane, with it being only bruised some to show the damage it took.
"Well, now that we got our exercise, shall we go and heal up?"
"Yeah, you're right." Chef DK nodded and walked out of the stadium, Keith not too far behind. "Hopefully cooking something after this loss will cheer me up."
It was getting close to dusk in the Astral Plains, which was supper time for the majority of everyone. With all their daily training and activities done for the day, they all grouped together in the mess hall to enjoy their meal. In Chef DK's case, it was a plate of fish that was seasoned in pepper, salt, with a touch of grinded up Chesto Berry and Cheri Berry powder for some spice. The ensemble was joined by a serving of rice and freshly cut Sitrus Berries.
"Everybody eat up now! There should be enough for just about everybody!" Chef DK chimed from the kitchen counter towards the bustling mess hall. Seeing everyone talk and having their plates gradually dwindle made the chef nod to himself in pride. This definitely made his day better!
Evan was eating his fillet of fish while sitting next to Freya. "So Freya, how did that suggestion work out for you?"
Freya turned towards him, tossing a lock behind her shoulder. "Mm? You mean teaching my Trapinch Rock Tomb? Yeah, it worked great. Especially against Subaki's Corvisquire." She could still remember the distasteful yet dignified look he gave her when he lost to her.
"Yeah, even so, it was still a good fight." Evan praised, before turning towards Corrin. "Let's say you, Corrin?"
Corrin, who was sitting on his other side, gave him a simple nod. "Yeah, don't worry. Riolu and I have been working hard. We should probably get some more practice together after supper if possible."
Evan shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not. Freya, you want in?"
Freya took a bite of her fish and waited until she swallowed her fill. "Sure, okay."
"Well, if she's getting in on this, so will I!" Hayato, who was a short distance away, beamed immediately from his seat. "I'll show you how much better I got with my Hawlucha! Especially you, Evan!"
"Uh…okay?" Evan felt a little awkward with how he was being glared at by him. For some reason, he felt like he was supposed to take offense to the declaration, but he didn't have it in him to hold hostility towards him. Instead, he just resumed his meal while trying to avoid eye contact.
"Milord, with all do respect, I do believe that we should organize ourselves soon." Gunter advised, sitting across from Corrin.
Corrin upheld a frown. "You sure? You don't want to give it another few days?"
"Fo', I'm bored as hell here!" Damon shouted. "Duh sooner we get back and shoot some freaky-ass hitmen or whatevs, the sooner we can get on with our lives!"
"Yeah, I wouldn't really phrase it like that…but he has a point." Keith agreed.
"See? Even the blind cop agrees with me! Wow, what has this world come to?"
"I mean, it sounds like mostly everyone's ready." Evan pointed out. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to give it at least a few more days. He knew that he still needed to polish up on his new skills with the Killing Edge and managing a blade in general, but he wasn't selfish like that. At the very least, he could handle himself better than before. Suppose that will have to suffice for now.
Corrin nodded. "Then it sounds like we're in agreement. Tomorrow it is."
Overhearing this, Chef DK popped his head from out of the kitchen. "Oh, you guys are leaving already? Well, just make sure you take what you need. Got a good amount of berries saved up if you need 'em."
Corrin nodded. "Got it, thanks again Chef DK."
As Kaze was enjoying his meal in quaint silence, he couldn't help but notice something off. It wasn't the food…this time. It was actually easy to eat, even if the rice was undercooked somewhat. His attention fell upon the gathering. He looked around and saw everyone mingling…or rather, almost everyone.
His attention fell towards the mess hall doors, where he saw a faint glimpse of a maid outfit vanish. "Hmmm…"
"Something wrong?" Rinkah asked.
Kaze paused before he decided to respond. "…it's nothing."
At another table, farther away from the rest of everyone, Nathan had just finished his meal, his eyes studying the scene carefully. It didn't miss him when he watched the maid walk out of the mess hall.
With the light across the sky all but faded, dusk brewed along the grassy hillside of the castle's immense walls. Felicia found herself walking around idly, making sure that she was all alone. Once the saw that the coast was clear, she reached into her apron and carefully pulled out the egg and held it close.
"The doctor said that it should hatch if it moves around a little…" Taking another look around, Felicia cautiously started walking.
One could way that she was being rather sneaky, while others may be calling her weird. But if anyone aside from Gunter and Corrin knew her well enough, it was taking every ounce of caution in her not to trip or fall over. One small trip and the egg could get cracked, or worse. And unlike numerous plates and glassware she dropped, something as precious as this was not easy to replace.
She had to give herself a little pat on the back for managing to preserve it this long. This had to be a personal record for not breaking something in her care. She really wanted to tell Corrin about this personal accomplishment. Yet something in the back of her mind telling him would only cause a hindrance. After all, they were all on a mission.
Lost in her thoughts, Felicia found herself walking aimlessly along the perimeter without much of a goal. She just wanted to…get some fresh air? "Maybe I should head ba-AGH!" In her numerous train of worries, she tripped over a large root and found herself falling forward, feeling the egg slip out of her reaches.
Her whole world spun so fast as she felt an incline and grass cushion her spiraling vision. She didn't know how long she tumbled for, but she knew she stopped when the world stopped.
"Owww…" The maid felt a dizzy spell as she was trying to stand back up. "Oh, my white apron's gonna stain…"
"Are you alright, Lady Felicia?" A voice called up beside her.
"Y-yes, I'm fine…" It took Felicia only a second before she registered the voice. Turning towards her left, she saw Kaze standing up, holding the egg in his hands. "K-Kaze!"
"I believe that you almost dropped this." He stated, handing the egg back to her.
"T-thanks…" Though she was flustered, the bubbly maid managed to compose herself and accepted the egg with steady hands. She looked over it and felt her beating heart drop by several levels when it didn't have a scratch on it, "Thank goodness…"
"Are you alright as well? You took quite a tumble down the hill."
"I did?" Felicia blinked. When she looked up, she realized what the ninja meant and saw the hill ascending towards the fortress. Suffice to say that she was surprised by this. 'Wow, I really need to watch my surroundings more…' She almost forgot Kaze's inquiry and mustered an innocent smile. "Y-yes, I'm fine. Just a few stains of grass was all. Hehehe…"
Kaze nodded, smiling. "That's good."
A shirt, uneasy silence fell between the two. Felicia naturally felt awkward about it, especially since Kaze was here and didn't seem to be prying into her business. Though she appreciated the assistance, she couldn't help but feel like she should be on her toes, considering she almost lost the egg.
After what felt like an eternity to her, the maid cleared her throat. "U-um…so, what brings you out here, Kaze?"
The ninja crossed his arms. "I was about to ask you that same inquiry. You wouldn't just casually take a stroll while everyone else was eating, so naturally I followed."
"Oh…so I wasn't being conspicuous then…" Her shoulders slumped in defeat.
"I wouldn't say that being hidden is one of your strongest points. I should know. I am a ninja…but that's besides the point. That egg you are carrying, I assume that's the reason behind your status?"
Felicia looked down with guilt. "You could say that."
"You know, it would be a lot safer to tell Lord Corrin. He's been worried about you as of late."
Her frown deepened. "I know…I just…didn't want to burden him, that's all."
Kaze raised a brow. "Burden, you say?"
Felicia hung her head with her frown becoming more emphasized. It was hard to press the matter that was going on inside her head onto somebody else, but she felt like if she didn't say anything to anyone, she'd be walking in circles. So with Kaze and them being out of reach of Corrin's ears, she felt like she could ease that pressure right now.
"Lord Corrin's been working really hard alongside Evan and the others. Everyone is in fact. And because of…this." She gestured towards the egg. "I didn't want to feel like I would be holding him back. I have a habit of messing up a lot…but I always try to do my best. I'm just not sure what to do?"
Kaze kept his arms crossed as he heard her worries. To a certain extent, he could empathize with what she was saying, though not as personal. If he were honest, he was indebted towards Corrin as well for helping him evade death back on Nohr. Plus, he was a good person at heart.
The same could be said about Evan, and even though they met in a dungeon, the time the ninja spent learning about him and Pokémon helped him see his own merits.
But he pushed those thoughts to the side and returned to Felicia with a caring smile. "I see…then let me voice my opinion on the matter."
Felicia blinked, confused. "O…kay?"
"I find it admirable that you think highly of Lord Corrin. That kind of loyalty and concerns over his well-being is nothing short of upmost respect." He paused as his grin fell some. "But still, if I must say, he worries about you and your well-being as well."
Felicia cringed. She recalled when she was confronted earlier in front of Poopenschmir's laboratory. She didn't know what would happen if they found out about the egg.
"If it's any consolidation, taking care of such a valuable thing shows how caring you are of others. I'm sure the little one would agree. I'm certain Lord Corrin would be very understanding and not upset if this was explained."
Felicia looked down at the egg, contemplating her ally's words. It didn't take long for her to empathize with his points. "You really think so?"
He nodded. "Of course."
The maid convinced, a soft smiled crept onto her face. "Right…alright then. Let's head back. I need to make a proper apology before anything else!"
Kaze agreed, but just when they were about to head out, the egg flashed brightly again.
"Miss Felicia, did you notice that?" Kaze vocalized the observation.
She gasped. "The egg! Did it just…glow? Is it normal for eggs to do this?"
Kaze frowned. "Your guess is as good as mine…" Suddenly, something felt off. In a moment, he immediately pivoted and took out his knuckle knives and faced the surroundings.
"W-what's wrong?" Felicia worried.
Kaze furrowed his brow. "We're being watched…"
Felicia fell silent as she looked around at her surroundings. She had her eyes fixed on her surroundings as the nighttime sky made everything much darker than it did a few minutes ago.
An eerie silence fell between them as the maid and ninja cautiously looked around, unaware of something slowly moving closer towards the former from the underbrush.
…
…
…
In a moment, Kaze's reflexes kicked in. "Miss Felicia, on your left!"
Felicia gasped before she caught onto Kaze's warning. She sidestepped just before something huge spurred out with jaws that barely missed the egg in Felicia's arms. The maid stumbled away and fell onto her butt, all while hanging onto the egg securely.
"Owww…" When she regained her composure, she gasped and saw the enormous Pokémon that almost rushed her. To her horror and slight shock, it was a massive purple cobra with a peculiar yet intimidating facial pattern on her hood.
It was an Arbok. And it looked hungry.
"A-A Pokémon…!" Felicia was quick to scramble to her feet out of fear for her life. Kaze was quick to rush to her side with his weapon of choice ready.
"(Damn…misssssed.)" Arbok hissed on the lack of a successful attempt at the egg. Ever since she heard the rumblings from earlier, her forked tongue picked up the scents of more humans, which drew her curiosity. But rather than the humans from before that brought her here, her vindictive nature was brushed aside for the egg that was in the maid's arms. It looked awfully satisfying to eat, more so than anything else that was around.
"(I'll be taking that…and you as well if you don't get out of my way!)" The cobra opened her mouth, threatening her would-be adversaries.
"Look out, it's threatening us!" Kaze shouted, readying himself.
Arbok didn't hesitate to strike. She opened her mouth, expelling a volume of purple acid at Kaze and Felicia. This forced the two to duck in opposite directions to avoid the acidic liquid that ended up melting the grass where they stood. Kaze picked up a kunai and threw it at the offensive snake, only for the projectile to be avoided by her serpentine dodge.
'It's fast!'
Arbok turned and slithered towards Felicia's direction, darting right for the egg. With her hands full, Felicia could only muster a single arm to quickly fling a Steel Dagger at the oncoming predator. Again, to no avail.
Arbok bared her sharp fangs at the maid, only to be intercepted by Kaze suddenly appearing between them with his hand knives ready. "(Out of my way!)" Having no patience, her fangs all glowed bright white as she lunged for the ninja.
Kaze interjected by using his quick reflexes to jut his weapons forward, meeting Arbok's jaws head-on. To his surprise, the snake was a lot tougher than he gave her credit for. He felt his weapons lodged in her fangs' ironclad grip that did little to support him.
'It's strong as well…'
Arbok vehemently hissed in the stalemate. "(Ssso you wanna play it like that, huh? Fine.)" The pattern on her stomach suddenly began glowing.
"What is…gngh!" Kaze didn't finish as he felt everything in his body suddenly cringe and tense up. Static crackled around his body as he felt paralysis begin taking effect. 'Paralysis?!'
With the ninja momentarily stunned, Arbok used her impressive jaw power and lifted Kaze up a couple feet off the ground. She threw him off to the side, slamming on the ground with a thud.
"No! Kaze!" Felicia panicked.
Arbok sneered before turning back towards Felicia. "(Now, where were we?)"
Felicia took a couple steps back, biting her bottom lip out of worry. She was so anxious and worried that her breathing was starting to pick up.
In her increasing worries, she failed to realize the egg was glowing more rapidly than before.
Kaze strained to get up, but managed to get his arms beneath to support him as he stood up. The static around his body shocked his nerves, making him realize that he was slow. 'My movements are too slow…I won't be able to keep up at this rate!'
Arbok slithered closer towards his comrade. While he was incapacitated, he still had something he could use. He quickly pulled out a Poké Ball.
"(Now, wanna gimme my dinner? Or am I gonna have sssink my fangs into you as well?)" Arbok threatened the maid.
"Go! Frogadier!"
A cry followed by a lethargic throw caught their attention. They all saw a sphere launch into the air and pop out Frogadier. The frog dropped between Felicia and the cobra, his eyes wide open.
"(Your fight shall be with me now, reptile fiend!)" Frogadier greeted his opponent with opposition.
"(Great…I get to have the egg as an entrée, and the frog as my main courssse.)" Arbok snarked, flickering her tongue.
Frogadier spread his legs, ready to subdue his opponent upon command.
"(I'll tenderize you first!)" Arbok declared her assault as she expelled another round of Acid directly at Frogadier.
"Frogadier, use your Water Pulse!" Kaze commanded as Frogadier brought his hands together and created a sphere of water that he tossed at the acid. The attack diluted the liquid and caused a splutter of water and acid that fell like rain between them.
Arbok didn't like that. Flicking her tongue, she opened her mouth and bared her fangs as they glowed, via Bite.
"Smokescreen, now!" Kaze ordered.
Frogadier brought up his frubble scarf and opened his mouth, releasing a thick wave of black smoke that Arbok lunged into. The impatient predator immediately felt the smoke get into her eyes and a blue aura enveloped her body, reducing her accuracy. But persistence won over as she dove through, only to snap at thin air.
"(Where did he…?)" Surprised, Arbok flicked her tongue again. She caught the scent above, but it was too late as Frogadier was in midair, holding a hemisphere of water between his palms again.
"Once more! Water Pulse!" Kaze shouted.
"(Take this as penance for your impatience!)" Frogadier came down, throwing the sphere just when he was a few feet away from Arbok's head. The blow landed square on her snout, erupting in a large blue explosion that sprayed water everywhere. From the force and volume of the attack, it was a critical hit.
As Frogadier landed safely on the ground, Arbok careened backwards with a loud thud. She was going to feel that for a while.
'What amazing skills.' Felicia was impressed with the display. A part of her was actually jealous seeing how quickly Kaze became adapted to training Frogadier. It made her realize how far behind she felt. 'Why do I feel so uneased about this?'
Arbok slowly got back up, shaking her head to get rid of the numbing pain in her snout. From her expression alone, she was not amused. "(Okay…that one hurt.)" She admitted. "(But thanksss for that. I needed to cool down after all.)"
"(Tenacious, aren't we?)" Frogadier spread his legs, ready for what came next.
"Attack with Lick!" Frogadier opened his mouth and launched his long, sticky tongue in an attempt to lick Arbok.
Arbok, however, smirked. True she wasn't the most patient of Pokémon, but that didn't mean she wasn't clever. Waiting as the tongue drew closer, she opened her mouth and exposed another Bite that snapped down on the tongue. Not only did the Dark-type move overpower the Ghost-type offense, but it hurt like hell.
"(GAH!)" Frogadier gawked at the sharp pain in his tongue. Before he could recover, Arbok lifted her head and dragged Frogadier by his tongue up and around. She whirled her head around and dragged him in circles before eventually letting go, sending him flying into a nearby tree trunk with a loud thud.
Again, the force sent a shock through him that indicated a critical hit. He fell to the ground in pain, croaking weakly.
"(Now, be a good little frog and stop hopping.)" Arbok insisted, her pattern on her stomach shining. "(Glare!)"
Frogadier was still too stunned from the pain in both his swollen tongue and back to react. His body tensing up, a wave of paralysis overcame him that made static crackle along his skin.
"Paralysis again…!" Kaze grimaced. He made an attempt to stand up once more, but a wave of static struck yet again, grounding him in place.
Arbok slithered over towards Frogadier, her stature large and glaring. "(I've changed my mind. I'll eat you first, then have the egg assss my dessssert.)" She opened her mouth, readying broiling acid that smoked on the sides of her mouth. "(I'll make thisss quick.)"
Kaze and Felicia were both in a bind, but none more than the former's Frogadier. Kaze reached for a kunai, ready to throw and protect his Pokémon from any further harm, but something beat him to it.
Arbok readied to spit her Acid, only for a sharp projectile to stab her face's right side, effectively causing her to stop her attack. Though she coughed out a small gag of acid that melted the ground a few inches from Frogadier's right.
"What was…?" Kaze trailed off, seeing who their help was.
"(Who the hell did that?!)" Arbok snapped back towards her attacker, her eyes briefly widening when she recognized the familiar purple barbs and four legs. "(You…!)"
Nidorino snorted, digging his claws into the ground. Walking up beside him was Nathan, who looked serious. "So that's what's been watching our backs, huh?" he nonchalantly chimed. "Thought we were done with you."
"Nathan!" Felicia gasped, her voice hinting relief.
Upon recognizing the human and Nidorino, Arbok's disposition immediately soured. She was not happy. "(I've been waiting for thisss…you won't get off so easily like before!)"
"(Go ahead and try, you oversized leather belt! I'll stab your guts from the inside if you do.)" Nidorino threatened.
"Nathan…what are you doing here?" Kaze inquired.
Nathan kept his focus on Arbok, but responded to Kaze's inquiry. "We were out on a run before hitting the showers. Guess it's a good thing we did after all."
Kaze wasn't sure if that was his real intentions or not, but he appreciated the timely arrival either way. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Keep your guard up. This thing's strong." He remembered the last time he fought this behemoth of a cobra. It took everything he and Keith had to subdue her that time, and even then it was still a hassle. "Stay sharp, Nidorino!"
"(Right.)" Nidorino separated his front legs, ready to strike upon the given word.
Arbok scoffed at their boldness. "(Pleassse. You have gotten bigger, but I can ssstill eat you whole.)" She opened her mouth and unleashed another round of Acid.
"Nidorino, Smart Strike!" Nathan shouted.
Nidorino let out a roar as his horn glowed bright white. He was so glad that he and Nathan took a stop by the Accessory Shop to browse the TMs and TRs everyone stocked up on. The quadruped mammal charged straight into the volume of acid horn-first.
Thanks to the move being a Steel-type, the Acid had no effect. The results were instantaneous as Nidorino charged into Arbok's hood, striking the middle with a ferocious stab that buffered her.
"(You little…!)" She opened her mouth and unleashed a loud-earsplitting screech with red soundwaves pouring outwards. "(Screech!)"
She unleashed the soundwaves, but Nidorino's ears were sensitive. He immediately pulled away and avoided the soundwaves, though the echo effect did make him ruffle his head around some.
Arbok followed up with a ferocious lunge, her fangs opening wide with Bite ready. However, her vision blurred only briefly, causing her to plant her snout into the ground just in front. The effects of Smokescreen affected her accuracy.
"Peck!" Nidorino lowered his horn, which glowed again, but a weaker, less solid shade that he stabbed Arbok's head with. This led to Arbok careening back in pain and hissing in contempt.
"(You damn…GRAAAAAAW!)" Arbok let out a vile roar that had a shrilled hiss instilled into it. She was mad that her prey was putting up a resistance like this.
Felicia clutched the glowing egg tighter towards her body. She watched as they were all struggling to subdue this foe. She bit her bottom lip, feelings of her recent actions making her antsy on her toes.
She couldn't hold anyone back anymore. She just couldn't!
"I have to help…no matter what! Lord Corrin and my comrades…they need me at my best! I have to do that!"
As if by sheer timing, or if the egg somehow resonated with her pleas, the egg's constant glowing finally came to a continual, bright glow that enveloped it. Felicia looked down as the egg's shell began to crack apart, much to her shock.
'The egg! Is it…?!'
The shell of the egg shattered into light fragments, causing the emergence of something that was in the shape of an egg as well. To her complete shock, inside the egg was…another egg with blue and red triangular patterns along the surface. But the egg had two stubby, cream-colored hands and feet. The top was off, revealing a closed bud of sorts.
When the bud opened, it had a round head around a spiked crown. In the center were two small dark eyes and a small smile that spelled the word cute.
The newly hatched individual let out a loud yawn before blinking. "(I'm awake! Finally!)"
"The egg…it finally hatched!" Felicia looked down at the new Pokémon in her hands. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. "Hello, little one…"
The newly hatched individual looked up towards her. "(Oh, are you my current caretaker? Pleasure to meet you! I am an agent of the God of all Pokémon. I have been through countless lifetimes, reincarnated into numerous Pokémon. I went by many names in my many reincarnations in my never-ending mission to instill the faith of our dear God upon all. But in this form, you can call me Togepi.)"
While the humans didn't understand, Nidorino and Frogadier heard loud and clear.
"(…did that fucking baby just talk like it's a sentient?)" Nidorino deadpanned.
"(It appears so…)" Frogadier muttered.
"(Eh?)" Arbok turned towards the newly hatched Togepi, her meal ticket finally hatched. "(Well that's a drag, guess I'm having my eggs raw!)" She made a sudden beeline after Felicia and Togepi, taking everyone by surprise.
"Lady Felicia!" Kaze shouted.
Arbok slithered on closer as Felicia prepared to defend the newly hatched Pokémon with all her might. However, Togepi had other ideas.
"(Fear not! For this form has moves as well! I'll save you, fair maiden!)" Using his tiny feet, he sprung out of Felicia's arms and onto the ground.
"Hey! Look out!" Felicia panicked.
Togepi faced the oncoming serpent without a hint of reprehension. He sprung into the air as his stub glowed bright white and he smacked Arbok on the nose. The Pound did nothing more than feel like a tap that stopped Arbok, but only out of confusion.
Togepi landed, looking down at himself. "(Hm, seems this greenhorn form is still too fresh against such a foe.)"
Arbok blinked several times and looked down. "(…really? That's it, now you're definitely scrambled eggs-GAH!)" A sudden harsh stab from behind made her almost double over, revealing Nidorino with his glowing horn.
"(Forgot about us, leather belt!)" The Poison Pin Pokémon snorted.
Arbok's eyes were hazy. She bitterly hissed before snapping back around to unleash another wave of Acid, but the attack was off its mark from her blurred vision. It was then that Frogadier opened his mouth, firing his long tongue at her yet again.
This time, the Lick met its mark. Arbok's face was smeared with the paralyzing saliva and felt the damage even more. The serpent cringed in agony, not just from the accumulated damage nearly making her pass out, but her body crackled in static.
She was paralyzed. "(D-damnit…!)"
"It's paralyzed!" Nathan shouted. "Whatever you're gonna do, do it now!"
Kaze nodded in understanding. He considered the possibility of finishing her off, but then he remembered how strong this one was. He knew they were on a mission, and that they needed as many allies as possible. So rather than call for a finishing move, he came to an ultimatum.
Instead, he pulled out a Great Ball that he had won just the other day at the Lottery Shop. "My apologies…but please bear with me!" With fluent motions no different than throwing a kunai, the Great Ball was chucked at the temporarily stunned cobra.
With her health just a sliver near empty and her Shed Skin Ability not activated to rid the paralysis yet, Arbok begrudgingly cursed underneath her tongue as the capsule hit her head and sucked her inside. The ball dropped onto the grass beneath and began rattling back and forth as everyone watched in anticipation.
The Great Ball rattled once, then twice, then a third time…and ultimately gave a loud click, signaling the voracious cobra's capture.
Kaze walked up and bent down to grab his newly acquired Pokémon. "I've secured our newest ally." He turned towards his fellow peers. "Is everyone else alright?" To his relief, both Felicia and Nathan looked unharmed by the incident.
"Y-yes…we're just fine." Felicia confirmed. She was still in shock, but not enough to make her pass out…though it almost did.
"Yeah, just fine." Nathan grunted. "You really gonna keep that thing?"
Kaze looked down at the Great Ball once more, this time with serious thought. "Yes. It wouldn't do justice to do anymore harm…it doesn't deserve to suffer, despite its actions." He straightened up. "Though if it did harm you all any further, then I'll do what I must and take responsibility for it. But rest assured, I'll make sure that doesn't happen."
Nathan didn't offer any words against it. He could understand Kaze's point of view. Maybe the Arbok was just hungry, but even so, he knew it wasn't in his place to say when Kaze was this willing. He chose to let the matter be.
"(Hmm, a fine showing from all of you.)" Togepi spoke up with a sage-like nod. "(Very astute battling you've all shown me. I shall make it my current goal to make this form more adequate for my services.)"
Nidorino blinked, his expression gobsmacked. "(Okay, for real, are you like some reincarnation of some old Ninetales or something?)"
"(Hmm, well, so far, I haven't had any incarnations as a Vulpix or Ninetales. At least from what I recall…but I do believe that I was a Gardevoir, perhaps that's close enough?)"
Neither Nidorino nor Frogadier had the words to say. Instead, they just had the same thought. '(The hell is this thing…?)'
"Are you alright?" Felicia asked, dropping to her knees to pick up the Togepi. "You had me worried there! Don't do something as reckless as that again!"
"(My apologies, caretaker. I merely wanted to test my current abilities against the current adversary. It would seem that I have a ways to go…though I'm certain that battle gave me an ideal amount of strength.)" Togepi responded.
Felicia held the Togepi close to her chest, making sure to be as gentle but also mindful not to drop him. It was still a newborn, but she treasured it like it was her own child. As strange as the feeling was to her, a small, warm smile crept on her face as she felt genuinely relieved to be happy.
To Togepi, even though this was the first time seeing a human (in this lifetime), this one was surprisingly warm and was brimming with positivity. He didn't see any reason to object the affection. In fact, he welcomed it from her. So for now, he would have to settle with this woman wearing maid clothing.
'(Suppose this incarnation is in great care after all.)'
That evening was briefer than what was warranted for everyone. After returning and healing their Pokémon, Kaze and Felicia explained the events that transpired. They told of how the egg that Felicia had been secretly harboring out of worries had hatched into Togepi, earning mixed reactions from her peers.
She was especially worried about Corrin, but despite how she apologized, she was more than relieved with how he forgave her. In fact, he looked surprised if not proud of her handling the egg as long as she did, which said a lot about her reputation.
Kaze even introduced their newest addition Arbok to the party, though their reactions were in less coos and more awes.
Other than that, Corrin made it at point that tomorrow they would be heading out once more. The next morning after Chef DK's breakfast and gathering the necessary supplies needed, everyone stood in front of Lilith's shrine.
"Alright, is everyone set?" Corrin announced towards everyone present.
"You guys make sure that you put those berries I gave you to good use!" Chef DK announced. "I'll be farming more, so don't worry, there'll be plenty for when you get back."
"Yes! And I have something for you as well!" Poopenschmir announced, earning shock from the chef.
"Wait…Poopenschmir? The hell have you been? I haven't seen you leave that damn lab in forever!"
"Yes, I know. I should be getting my sun, but that is for later!" The eccentric doctor reached over, pulling something from the dolly that he brought with him. On it was the transporter ray. On the surface, it didn't look any different than it did before, but they all knew better.
He reached for it and presented it to Evan. "Here, take this."
"Okay." Evan accepted.
"Now, with this Astral Transporter, I've made some modifications to it. This time, whenever you send out a charge, it will automatically restore. Which means, you can fire it without a recharge!"
"Oh, that so? That's very convenient, doc." Keith smirked.
"Yes! Also, I have these." On the dolly beside him was a whole selection of Full Heals and Great Balls. "Now, there should be enough for all of you. Take five of the Full Heals, and three Great Balls. Please and thank you."
Everyone obliged, taking the recommended amount of items they needed.
"That should be everything then." Corrin looked around at his peers. "Is everyone ready?" The majority of the party gave their respective nods. Well, all but two.
Gunter turned towards Felicia, a serious frown on his face. "Lady Felicia, are you sure about this decision of yours? You understand your duties as Lord Corrin's retainer, don't you?"
Felicia nodded somberly. She knew well what it meant, but she nodded with full understanding, her Togepi in hands. "Yes, I know. But I want to be as much help as I can to Lord Corrin as well. To do that, I need to work hard and get stronger."
"(Need not to worry. I understand the objective, and this vessel shall do its best to ensure strength when the time is needed.)" Togepi assured, even though the humans didn't understand.
Kaze stepped beside her, arms folded. "And I shall stay behind as well to look after everyone. It pains me to admit, but after yesterday, I believe that I will have to hone my skills to be of adequate service."
"And that Arbok's gonna need a good handle." Nathan chimed in.
Kaze nodded. "Yes. That as well. I assure you, we'll be in full form upon your return."
Felicia stepped up. "Gunter…"
Gunter nodded back. "I understand completely. Rest assured, I won't leave Lord Corrin's side. On my honor and sworn duty as his retainer."
"Felicia." Corrin stepped up towards his maid/retainer. Even though she understood why she was staying behind with Chef DK and Poopenschmir, that didn't mean he didn't care for the best of her. "I promise, we'll be back as soon as possible."
Felicia dutifully nodded. "Got it."
"Fo', can we get dis show on duh road or what?!" Damon exasperated.
"Yes, afraid time is of the essence. We'll be crossing to the original realm once more, so time will be moving more gradually. We'll need to be immediate with our mission to Izumo." Azura informed the party.
Corrin nodded, fully understanding. "Got it." He looked over at Lilith. "Lilith, we're all set."
The little dragon nodded. "Safe travels, Lord Corrin. We'll be wishing you well on your endeavors!"
"Thanks."
Lilith activated her powers. As the orb and her shined brightly, the coalition of the army vanished in a sphere of light. Once it was once, that left Chef DK, Poopenschmir, Felicia, and Kaze behind.
Chef DK sighed. "Well, there they go again. At least it's quiet and peaceful again…" He turned towards Felicia. "So, Felicia, how good are you in the kitchen exactly?"
The maid turned with a perky smile. "Oh! I'm adequate enough! Is there any recipes you want me to teach you?"
"Well, I just need help with the dishes for now, that okay with you?"
"Sure thing!" With quick taps, the maid hustled over towards the mess hall.
Chef DK turned towards Kaze, "So Kaze, what are you gonna do?"
The ninja had a serious expression, as if he already knew the answer. "I believe that I'll assess my newly caught ally. Pardon me if I ask for a battle in your spare time." He apologized in advance.
"Well, we've got plenty of that here, and we've got a maid now. What's the worse that could happen?
The sound of shattering porcelain and a small yelp came from the mess hall. Both Kaze and Chef DK turned towards the scene, not realizing the many messes that the chef would have to clean up.
"(Seems that my caretaker will need to be taken cared of after all.)" Togepi chimed.
Party Data
Nathan
-Shelgon (Male)
Lv: 33
Item: Dragon Fang
Nature: Calm
Ability: Rock Head
Moves: Dragon Claw, Hydro Pump, Protect, Dragon Breath
-Wimpod (Male)
Lv: 29
Item: None
Nature: Bashful
Ability: Wimp Out
Moves: Struggle Bug, Sand Attack, Defense Curl, Screech
-Nidorino (Male)
Lv: 21
Item: Poison Barb
Nature: Rash
Ability: Poison Point
Moves: Leer, Smart Strike, Peck, Focus Energy
Keith
-Ditto
Lv: 28
Item: Quick Powder
Nature: Quirky
Ability: Limber
Moves: Transform
-Zorua (Female)
Lv: 24
Item: Wise Glasses
Nature: Sassy
Ability: Illusion
Moves: Fake Tears, Extrasensory, Knock Off, Pursuit
-Mightyena (Female)
Lv: 25
Item: Black Glasses
Nature: Rash
Ability: Quick Feet
Moves: Snarl, Fire Fang, Assurance, Thunder Fang
-Bronzor
Lv: 25
Item: Metal Coat
Nature: Docile
Ability: Levitate
Moves: Payback, Safeguard, Gyro Ball, Hypnosis
Chef DK
-Farfetch'd (Male)
Lv: 29
Item: Stick
Nature: Hardy
Ability: Keen Eye
Moves: Fury Cutter, Cut, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace
-Cutiefly (Female)
Lv: 24
Item: Honey
Nature: Relaxed
Ability: Honey Gather
Moves: Silver Wind, Fairy Wind, Stun Spore, Energy Ball
-Munchlax (Male)
Lv: 28
Item: Leftovers
Nature: Docile
Ability: Pickup
Moves: Psychic, Bite, Screech, Body Slam
Kaze
-Frogadier (Male)
Lv: 25
Item: None
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Torrent
Moves: Quick Attack, Lick, Water Pulse, Smokescreen
-Arbok (Female)
Lv: 26
Item: None
Nature: Bold
Ability: Shed Skin
Moves: Bite, Acid, Screech, Glare
Hana
-Machop (Female)
Lv: 25
Item: None
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Guts
Moves: Rock Tomb, Cross Poison, Low Sweep, Knock Off
Felicia
-Togepi (Male)
Lv: 7
Item: None
Nature: Serious
Ability: Super Luck
Moves: Pound, Growl, Sweet Kiss
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! So Felicia's egg finally hatched into a Togepi. As for the ending feeling a little rushed, that was completely intentional. I didn't want to add more to what was already conveyed, and I figured I'd get things moving with the destination and party in mind. I made sure to look at the Chapter 10 script of Fire Emblem Fates Revelation just to make sure they didn't have any dialogue just to be safe. As always, constructive criticism is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! XD