Every day since the incident, Hugh never failed to show face at the Pokemon Center to check on his prized egg. His interest in pokemon was well known as it was the first thing that had brought him and Nate together as young children, but the level of enthusiasm and care he showed for the egg was unprecedented.
In his room, Hugh had even gathered a pillow and some blankets to keep the egg warm when it was returned to him. He was determined to take his first steps into the pokemon-training world with this egg.
"Good morning, boys," Nate's mother said when Nate and Hugh entered the Pokemon Center. "What can I do for you today?"
"Mom, I told you not to talk like that to us," Nate complained. "It's embarrassing."
"Alright. Alright. Come to the back room," she chuckled.
She took the two boys behind the counter and into the incubation room where the egg sat inside of a small machine. There were various dials on the back which indicated the egg's vitals, and thus the health of the growing pokemon inside. Hugh ogled the egg with awe and excitement.
"Is it doing better?" he asked.
"Its vitals have been improving today. If it keeps this up, maybe I'll be able to give it back to you later."
Hugh's face lit up almost as much as his eyes widened. "Really?"
"We'll see. You both better head to school now."
"Bye mom," Nate said. "I'll see you after school."
Before leaving the Pokemon Center, the boys noticed a bunch of adults gathered around one of the TV's in the lobby. Curious as to what it was, they decided to head over and check it out. A news broadcast was playing, specifically an interview between the celebrity idol, Nancy, and a group of strangely dressed individuals. All save for one wore the exact same outfit, almost as if they were larping as the knights of Old Unova. They wore gray hoods over their heads and displayed a large emblem on their chests complete with a large "P", representing their name, Team Plasma. The other man who stood with them was much older than the rest, complete with a white, wispy beard. He wore mostly brown robes and a necklace displaying the same "P" emblem as his cohorts.
"Good morning, Unova," the woman on TV said. "Today, I'm here with Team Plasma, an up-and-coming pokemon activist group. I'm Nancy and I'll be your host for today. Would you guys like to introduce yourselves?"
"I am Rood, one of the Seven Sages of Team Plasma," the old man said. "Those behind me are fellow members of our organization. We strive for one goal: to liberate pokemon from the hands of selfish people."
The host briefly turned towards the camera with an uncomfortable look before going back into character, "Wow, that's definitely a bold statement. It's no secret that you guys have been very divisive lately. Is there anything you have to say to your critics?"
Without hesitation, Rood took the microphone and sneered coldly, "Superior men understand what is right. Inferior men understand what will sell. They seek comfort and to keep the world the same. We seek to change it, to create a better future for all."
If not for the start of the school day looming over their heads, the boys would have had their eyes and ears glued to that interview. Since both of them dreamed of becoming the Champion one day, the idea of a group dedicated to separating people from pokemon was terrifying to them. Nate felt bad watching Hugh's excitement from just a few minutes ago get sapped away by the weird strangers on TV, so he decided to cheer him up any way he could.
"Hey, don't worry about what they were saying. That old guy seemed senile anyway," Nate said.
"Yeah, you're right," Hugh replied, trying to convince himself of his friend's words.
"Come on, we have to get to school."
The excitement that Hugh had when he arrived at the Pokemon Center was lost as soon as they left. He was much quieter than usual, a sign that he was still shaken by the interview. Back in the forest, he briefly debated whether he should take the egg but judged that it was the right decision in the end. But now, he grappled with the consequences of his choice. He was excited at the prospect of becoming a pokemon trainer sooner than his peers, so it could have impacted his choice more than he realized.
Did I do something wrong?Hugh thought.
"Hey, how about after school, you come over to my place and we can play more Pokemon Battle Simulator? I still can't beat your Ferrothorn and Tentacruel combo," Nate urged, trying to life Hugh's spirits.
"I'm not in the mood," Hugh muttered.
"Oh… ok."
Hugh spoke very little for the remainder of the school day and spent most of his free time lost in thought. Nate struggled to watch his friend suffer while being unable to help in any way. He felt he was failing as a friend, losing Hugh in the forest due to his arrogance and then being unable to understand how to comfort him earlier. At some point, he was unable to think about anything else and decided to find an empty room during his lunch period to call his mother.
"Nathan, is everything okay? Why are you calling me during school?" she asked.
"I don't know what to do," he sniffled. "Hugh hasn't been himself today and I can't make him feel any better."
"Slow down Nathan. What happened?"
"When we were leaving the Pokemon Center, we saw the Team Plasma interview. I mean, I thought they were weird, but Hugh seemed really upset after. He won't talk to me and nothing I say helps at all. And then I think about what happened in the forest and I'm just really worried that I'm being a bad friend."
She sighed, "I was hoping you guys didn't see that. But those people have been making a buzz lately, so I guess it was only a matter of time. First of all, don't listen to them. The only thing they know is how to divide people. They don't know the first thing about being a pokemon trainer and it shows. Second, I know things have been off with Hugh lately, but you need to remember that he's been through a lot recently and he has a lot of things to figure out."
"I know, mom, but I feel like I have to do something to help."
"The thing is you don't always have to do something. Sometimes, people need time to sort things out on their own. You're not being a bad friend if you give someone the space they need."
"I… I guess so."
"I'll check in on Hugh when I see him later, so don't worry about it anymore for today and just focus on school. Everything will be fine."
"Okay, I'll try. Thanks mom."
"Of course, honey. Now, get back to school. I'll see you when I'm done with work."
"Alright, see you later," he said as he hung up the phone. "I guess she's right," he then said to himself. "I'm sure Hugh will come around soon."
When Hugh finally got home after the school day, he felt deeply conflicted. On one hand, he was still excited to get the egg back and to see what would hatch from it, but on the other, he wondered if it was right for him to keep it. After all, he did take it from its home in the forest. Maybe its parents were searching for the egg, and they'll never find it now. He did not have much time to think before his mother called him down from his room, telling him that Nate's mother was at the door. She wore a gentle smile and clasped the egg gently in her arms.
"Here is your egg back," she said kindly, handing it over to Hugh. "Make sure to keep it warm. It seems like it's ready to hatch soon."
"Thanks," he responded quietly. "But I don't know if I should take this."
"What's wrong? You seemed so excited about it earlier."
"I-I am, but maybe since the egg's doing better now, we should bring it back to the forest. Its parents are probably worried about it."
She knelt down to his level and looked him directly in the eyes. "Hugh, I understand why you're confused. You want to do right by this egg, but it's not obvious what the right thing to do is. There's a reason why the egg was so cold when you found it in the forest and that's probably because it was abandoned. What that means is that when it hatches, it's going to look to you to raise it. To take care of it. To train it. It's a big responsibility, but I think the egg will do much better in your hands than it would have done all alone in the forest. You have an opportunity that very few kids your age ever get. So, what doyouwant to do?"
That was a question Hugh seldom had to answer. He was comfortable enough going with the flow, but now he had a choice to make, one that would impact the life of the pokemon inside the egg forever. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Though the future was uncertain, he knew the choice he wanted to make.
"I'll take it," he said confidently.
"Well, the egg is officially yours now. Take good care of it and feel free to come to the Pokemon Center if you have any questions."
Hugh's smile from earlier that morning returned as he rushed upstairs to his room to wrap the egg in his blankets.
"He's going to make a great trainer when he's older," she said to Hugh's mom.
"I'm sure he will. Would you like something to drink before you go?" the other mom asked.
"I guess I have some time before I go home."
"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Hugh's egg all this time. I've never seen him so passionately excited about anything before. He'll remember this forever."
"Oh, don't mention it. After that stunt the boys pulled in the forest, the least I could do was take care of that egg."
"How is Nathan doing anyway?"
"He's got some growing up to do and he knows it, but otherwise, he's doing well. And how's little Isabella been?"
"She's about as excited as Hugh about that egg, let me tell you. She looks up to Hugh and wants to be just like him. You know, ever since he started talking about becoming a pokemon trainer, she decided that's what she wanted to do too? She's been spending a lot more time with my father's Purrloin, lately."
"I guess they both take after their grandfather."
"I only wish he could see the kids right now," she said, teary-eyed. "He would be so proud of them."
"He is, I know it."
Up in Hugh's bedroom, he sat on the ground, staring at the egg in awe. He ran his hand across the smooth, warm surface of the egg's shell and traced all the green splotches with his finger. His imagination ran wild as he pictured what type of pokemon was inside. Anything was possible, and that was the most exciting part. Could it be a fighting-type? Maybe it's a water-type. Would he even be able to handle a dragon-type pokemon if that's what hatched?
He did not have much time to himself before his curious little sister knocked on his door, eager to see the egg for herself. By her side was their grandfather's Purrloin, who immediately took great interest in the egg. The curious cat sniffed nearly every inch of its surface before rubbing its head against it.
"Aw, she likes it," Bella said happily.
"Maybe they'll be friends," Hugh added.
The two kids sat by the egg for hours, fantasizing over what could be inside. Bella also asked Hugh what seemed like a million questions, soaking up every detail like a sponge. Hugh indulged himself some, offering his sister a more dramatic version of the events that transpired.
"And then, Unfezant started chasing us," he gasped dramatically. "We almost didn't make it out, but I juked it out by running behind some trees. That bird didn't know who it was messing with."
"Dumb bird," Bella said, laughing. "What happened next?"
"I was lost in the woods and I didn't know if I would get out. But then, a teeny-tiny Sewaddle found me," Hugh added, gesturing with his hands to show how small the pokemon was. "It was freaking out and led me to the egg. And that's how I found it."
"Wow, that's so cool. I want to go to the forest too."
"I don't know about that, Bella. Maybe when you're older."
After hanging out with her brother for another couple hours, Bella went back to her room to take a nap. Hugh however, continued to take care of the egg, keeping track of its temperature and making sure to keep it wrapped in blankets. On his desk, he had an empty pokeball that he bought with his own allowance. He held it in his hand, knowing that soon, he was going to become a real pokemon trainer and be much closer to achieving his dream than ever before.
Suddenly, he began to hear some shuffling sounds coming from the pile of blankets in his room. Hugh zipped over to it and immediately unwrapped the egg and was amazed when he heard sounds coming from inside. His heart began pounding in his chest as exhilaration took over his body. After all this time, he was finally going to see what pokemon was inside. When the shell finally cracked, the newborn pokemon emerged. It was a small, pig pokemon with primarily orange and black skin, complete with a small, red nose and a curly black tail. Standing at only a foot tall, Hugh was easily able to hold it and cradle it in his arms.
"Welcome to the world little guy," he said warmly.
Hugh and the small pig pokemon looked into each other's eyes. It was in that moment that he realized this pokemon was going to be his partner for life. Everything just felt right, even if he had no idea what species of pokemon it was. He felt it must have been fate that led him to find this pokemon's egg in the forest. The pig pokemon then began panting lightly before letting out a huge sneeze which produced a dense cloud of smoke all around Hugh's face.
"I guess you're *cough* a fire type *cough," he wheezed.
Hugh then set the pokemon on the ground so it could explore his room while he wiped his face. It was barely able to walk on its own, but it managed to get itself into a few nooks and crannies after a few minutes. He quickly called his mother up to his room to look at the newly hatched pokemon.
"What is it dear?" she asked, opening his bedroom door. "Oh, the egg hatched already?! What a cute pokemon."
She entered the room and approached the pokemon. At first, it was skittish around her, but once she returned with a snack, the pokemon happily approached her and rubbed its face against her hand.
"Don't hog all the attention," Hugh complained. "Do you know what kind of pokemon it is anyway?"
"Hm, I've never seen one like this before. Maybe Nate's mom would know. Ask her on your way to school tomorrow."
"Okay, I will."
"Dinner's almost ready, so you should have your new friend here meet Bella and Purrloin."
The new pokemon fit in with the rest of Hugh's family quite nicely. Bella especially loved it, holding it in her arms like one of her plushies. The pig pokemon especially found Purrloin to be interesting and kept trying to play with it. If not for its younger age, the cat would have surely smacked the pig multiple times by then. Just like before, everything felt right to Hugh, and any second thoughts he had before about keeping the pokemon melted away. But there was one more thing Hugh wanted. His ultimate goal was for this pokemon to become his starter, the first pokemon in his party as a trainer. It would take hard work and effort to train a newly hatched pokemon to be battle ready, and even more to hone its skills further. But, if he were to become the Champion, he would need an ace, and he believed this pokemon could fulfill that role.
Later that evening, Hugh spent hours in his bedroom, playing with his new pokemon and of course, dodging a few clouds of smoke in the process. Despite having only known it for a few hours, he felt like they had bonded and that the pokemon was officially part of his family. When the day was coming to an end and his bedtime approached, Hugh looked at his desk, noting the empty pokeball sitting on it and wondering if it was time to make his offer. He grabbed it and knelt down to meet the pokemon at eye level.
He held the pokeball out in his hand and said, "Hey, little guy, I know we've only known each other for a few hours and well, maybe you don't even understand me, but I want you to be my pokemon."
The pig pokemon turned its head in confusion as it sniffed the pokeball.
"Hm, sorry, let me try again," he sighed, trying to sound more personable. "I've dreamed of being a pokemon trainer almost all my life. I really want to be the Champion one day. When I was lost in the woods and I found you, I felt like there was a reason for it, you know? So, if you want, I want you to be my ace. You have good instincts, I can tell. You and me, we'll be unstoppable together. What do you say?"
The pokemon took a few moments to ponder his offer. Hugh was not sure whether the pokemon actually understood his words or not, but he hoped, at the very least, that it understood his sentiment. After a happy yip, the pokemon touched its head on the white button on the front of the pokeball. A beam of bright, red energy emerged and enveloped the pig, transporting it into the inside of the sphere. It was official. The hatchling that Hugh discovered was now his first pokemon. Hugh just became a pokemon trainer.
"Thanks, little guy," he whispered. "We're going to be an amazing team."
The next morning, Hugh hurried over to Nate's house. Not only was he excited to show off the pokemon to his best friend, but he was also curious about what species it was. When he finally got to Nate's house, he realized that his friend was not his normal self. He carried himself with much less confidence than normal and did not attempt to crack even a single joke.
"Are you ok?" Hugh asked out of concern. "You seem a little down."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. "Just a little tired. So, what's up?"
"Ok, so yesterday, the egg hatched. Take a look at this."
Hugh grabbed the pokeball attached to his belt and let out the pokemon contained inside. Even Nate's bad mood from that morning could not stop excitement from building. He had never seen a pokemon like that before, which spoke volumes considering his mother has had many pokemon come and go through the Pokemon Center.
"That's awesome," Nate said. "How'd you get it to go into that pokeball already?"
"Honestly, I just talked to it last night and it went in on its own."
"Don't you boys have to leave for school soon?" Nate's mother chimed in.
"Wait, before we go," Hugh said to her. "I wanted to know if you knew what type of pokemon this is?"
"A Tepig?!" she gasped. "That pokemon was really inside the egg? You're a lucky boy, Hugh."
"Tepig, so that's your name," he said happily, picking up the pokemon. Tepig let out a happy yip in response.
"Apparently he's rare too," Nate added, trying to mask his jealousy. "I guess it's a good thing you got lost the forest."
"I guess so," Hugh replied awkwardly.
"Alright boys, don't be late for school," Nate's mother ordered. "Nathan, I'll see you later."
On their way to school, Nate struggled to fend off his negative emotions. Though he was happy for his friend and that his good mood returned, he felt that their situation was left without any closure on his part. All he wanted to know was if he was being a good friend or not. He feared that Hugh's new pokemon was going to become his priority, and thus their friendship would be sidelined. They were supposed to be best friends, but this situation did not sit right with him.
Should I be the one to say something?Nate asked himself.
"Hey Hugh," he said, tapping him on the shoulder. "I want to ask you something."
"Yeah?"
"Um… I wanted to ask… what happened last night when Tepig's egg hatched?" Nate asked, unable to ask what he really wanted.
"Oh, it was awesome. Where do I even start?"
Nate put a smile on his face as Hugh explained the entire story to him, hoping that this weird feeling would just blow over.
