Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Lucas speaks with Mew and gains a new employee who is immediately put in danger.

Chapter 45

Mew's eyes glowed briefly, and Lucas looked up as he heard his bedroom window slide open. The next moment, Mew flew into the room and poked its head back out, gazing at him expectantly.

"I'm coming," Lucas sighed, acknowledging the Pokemon's silent request.

This encounter with Mew felt markedly different from his interactions with other legendary Pokemon he ran into. It was a rare opportunity, a chance to learn and understand more about these extraordinary beings. Lucas felt a sense of privilege at this moment because he didn't think he would get the same chance with the other legendaries.

As he made his way to the front door, Salem materialised beside him, his silent presence offering support.

"I will be alright," Lucas reassured him. "It seems Mew only wishes to speak with me."

Salem nodded and vanished without speaking.

Lucas entered the house and made his way upstairs. He entered his bedroom and halted in surprise. Mew was seated on the bed next to Meowth, who appeared oddly still, almost entranced.

"What have you done to him?" Lucas demanded.

Meowth's mouth opened, and a monotonous voice emerged. "I needed to borrow his body to communicate with you. There are other methods, but this was the simplest."

"Am I speaking to Mew right now? It's rude to take control of someone without asking permission."

"I will return him unharmed once our conversation is finished," Mew/Meowth said.

The disconcerting sight of Mew's voice emerging from Meowth's mouth had Lucas feeling dizzy, so he sat down at his desk. "What did you wish to discuss with me?"

Meowth tilted his head. "I desired to connect with my younger sibling. My relationships with my other siblings are distant so I wished to see if we could be different."

Lucas paused, incredulous. "How am I your younger sibling?"

"You are Arceus' creation. He bestowed life and power on you. I sense it within you. A legendary in your own right—the first legendary human. Your power may not match mine or that of my siblings, but you are uniquely blessed with a reality-bending power."

A whirlwind of emotions stirred within Lucas. The concept of being viewed as a sibling to these legendary Pokemon felt surreal. He had always perceived himself as an outsider, granted a second chance after a tragic demise in his past life. He expected to quietly live his life without ever interacting with Arceus again.

"I don't feel like I belong to this family," Lucas quipped. "The last sibling I encountered tried to kill me."

Mew turned his head in embarrassment. "You can't choose your family."

Lucas chuckled. "I was under the impression that I would never cross paths with Arceus."

"You probably will never meet Arceus," Mew said. "Although I expect him to keep an eye on his experiment."

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Do you believe your demise was accidental?" Mew posed. "That Arceus permitted Palkia to travel to another world and claim some of the residents' lives?"

"Are you saying I was a deliberate target?"

Mew shrugged through Meowth. "It's a theory. Arceus gave birth to his children for different reasons. Perhaps you were part of an experiment."

"Well, I don't think there is some grand conspiracy," Lucas said, returning to a topic Mew had mentioned earlier. "You know that I have powers?"

"Arceus told me about you."

"But he didn't tell the others," Lucas speculated. "Is that why Articuno was so jealous of you? Do your other siblings feel the same?"

"That is part of the reason."

Lucas rubbed his face wearily. "Right. Should I expect more visits from our other siblings? I don't think I can handle another encounter with one."

Mew paused thoughtfully, his tail lashing against the mattress. "I can put a psychic shield on you. It will prevent my siblings from seeking you out. But if you were to encounter them by chance, they will see through it."

"That's good enough for me."

Mew raised a finger, and a bead of energy coalesced on it. Lucas felt something wash over him, but the sensation was so brief that he almost doubted it was real.

"Done," Mew declared.

Lucas had countless questions churning in his mind about Mew's psychic shield—how long would it last? Could other Pokemon sense it? Why had the legendary chosen to protect him? But his thoughts were interrupted by one of his Pokemon.

"Lucas. Where are you?" Max sent him a telepathic message.

"I'm in my bedroom. I'll be down in a minute."

"I'm coming up."

"No! I'm busy with something. Just give me a minute."

There was a pause. "What is going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sound suspicious. But I will wait." Max's voice faded from his mind.

Lucas sighed, realising that if he didn't go downstairs soon, Max would probably come up to investigate.

"Your companion is worried about you," Mew remarked.

Lucas froze. "You can listen in on my conversations in my head."

"Yes. It's one of several abilities I possess."

"Don't do that," Lucas scowled. "How would you like it if I invaded your privacy by probing you with my skills?"

"You can try."

Lucas promptly accepted the challenge, attempting to use Insight on Mew but to no avail. He half-expected it not to work, considering Mew showed no information above his head derived from the passive aspect of his skill.

"You can block my ability as well? Why doesn't Articuno possess the same skill? Do the others have the ability?"

"Arceus taught me how to."

Lucas chuckled. "I'm beginning to see why your siblings are envious of you. You receive special treatment."

"I'm the baby of the family," Mew replied.

"According to you, I'm the baby sibling. You owe me eighteen years' worth of birthday presents to make up for. What are you going to give me?"

Lucas gasped as the chair was yanked from under him, sending him sprawling on the floor.

Mew's voice held a hint of amusement. "I can't let my baby brother become spoiled. You have already received more than enough with your power. It will continue to bestow more fortune upon you as you work at it."

Lucas rubbed his posterior as he glared at the mischievous Pokemon. "Well, if you aren't going to give me any presents, how about you answer my questions instead?"

"I thought I was already doing that." Mew glanced towards the window, hinting that time was running short.

He stood up and began pacing across the room, his mind racing with questions he wanted to ask, but he knew he needed to be selective. Fortunately, one question was already at the top of his mind.

"Why aren't you addressing the Mewtwo situation?" Lucas asked.

"You know about him?" Mew sat up, intrigued. "What do you mean by 'doing something'?"

"Isn't he a threat to the world? If a human can control a legendary Pokemon, they can cause significant damage…"

Lucas paused as he saw Meowth rolling across the bed, holding his stomach in silent laughter.

He huffed. "Whenever you're ready."

Mew ceased and sat back up. "Humans are all the same. Consumed by an unhealthy amount of hubris. Do you truly want to know why I'm not intervening?"

Lucas shook his head.

"It's punishment. Humans will unleash Mewtwo on the world, and I shall watch them face the consequences. Though I suspect Mewtwo is just another victim of the circumstances surrounding his creation. He carries my genes—perhaps he won't choose destruction."

"But Giovanni is going to control him!"

"Ridiculous!" Mew scoffed. "What makes that man think he can control a legendary? Even one that was created in some laboratory? That Gio dude is going to be in for a rude awakening. He may think he's in control, but it won't last long."

Lucas grinned at Mew's choice of words. "I don't understand. Why did you engage with humans if you hold such disdain for them?"

"Curiosity? Amusement? Does it truly matter?"

"I know you revisited Cinnabar Island for the legendary stone. Why didn't you continue the search?"

"I can only sense the stone when it's extremely close," Mew explained. "I could have pursued the humans involved in the project, but I lacked the motivation to do so."

"I assume Zapdos now possesses his legendary stone," Lucas remarked, frowning. "Should I be concerned about a potential rampage? Do the other legendaries have stones that empower them as well?"

"Indeed. Arceus created them, after all."

"For what purpose?"

Mew tapped his chin. "Likely assuming humans would one day seek to level the playing field. It's a trump card to grant his children the means to balance the odds."

"Then why create Mega Stones?"

"He didn't. They are part of the world's natural progression. He merely copied the concept."

"And Mewtwo? Is Arceus going to create legendary stones for it?"

"Only Arceus holds the answer to that question."

Lucas regarded him with confusion. "Can't you ask him?"

Mew abruptly rose off the bed and flew to the window.

"Wait! Aren't you going to answer my question?" Lucas demanded.

"Arceus no longer communicates with his children. He has withdrawn from worldly affairs," Mew said. "Even we legendaries haven't heard from him in some time. I suspect he wants humans to chart their own course now, without divine intervention. The war changed him. He felt forced to punish humanity severely, but the cost of that decision weighs on him still."

Lucas stared at the ground, processing this revelation. The world's religions taught that Arceus watched over everything, guiding both humans and Pokemon toward prosperity. Some would lose faith entirely if they learned he'd stepped back. Others might celebrate their freedom from divine oversight.

"Is that why we are seeing more sightings of the legendaries?"

"This is merely the beginning," Mew cautioned. "Now liberated from their constraints, my siblings will appear in the world more frequently. They may even establish their territories. Be cautious, for most aren't as benevolent as I am."

With that foreboding warning, Mew vanished out the window.

"What's going on?" Meowth awoke from his trance and looked around. "Why am I here?"

Lucas grinned. "You've been touched by a legendary Pokémon."

"What?" Meowth ran his hands over his body. "I feel so violated. Did they put anything in my body? Do I look any different?"

"Relax. Mew only used your body so he could communicate with me."

Meowth disregarded what he said. "I'll never be the same again!"

Lucas watched Meowth flee the room in a panic. Why did he need to be so dramatic? Although he could understand how Meowth felt. Learning that someone had taken over your body without permission wasn't an easy thought to swallow.

Lucas opened his menu. He was curious to see if whatever Mew did to him was reflected somewhere in his parameters. He noticed he had a new skill called 'Mew's Touch'. The naming convention caused him to shudder, considering how he had just teased Meowth about it.

He retrieved his guidebook to see what the skill was about, but there was no information listed.

"As long as the skill works as advertised, there is no need to question it," Lucas murmured.

With a shrug, Lucas decided to head downstairs to join Max, leaving the mystery of the new skill for another time. He wondered what would happen now that legendary Pokémon were becoming more active in the world. The implications were unsettling, but there was nothing he could do about it, so why worry needlessly?

Lucas checked on his Eevees and Datto later that afternoon. So far, only one pair had successfully produced an egg. Given that it had only been a week since he began this breeding process, he tempered his expectations, knowing that such endeavours often required patience. Nonetheless, he made a mental note to have them spend more time in the Pokémon Habitat, where they could benefit from the egg production bonuses.

He looked in on the Eevee parents last, who were cuddling their egg. They had lost three levels, so he would have to replenish them before considering having them produce another egg. He would probably go a step further and level them up to at least level thirty, given that the lower their level, the less capable they were of reproducing.

He examined the egg. He gained access to additional information after upgrading his Egg Insight skill.

Pokemon Egg: Eevee

Gender: Female

Parents: Eevee (female), Eevee (male).

Potential Inherited: 70%

- Stats: 80% Moves: 60% Inherited Traits: 70%

Quality: High

Initial Level: 5 Next Level (1%)

Can Pokemon evolve inside the egg? No

Time until hatching: 38 days

Bonded? No.

Favorability: -

Condition: Perfect

Experience: (0/70000)

Special Conditions

Evolution Preference: 10000 exp; Nest with associated evolution stone.

Level Up: (15) Spend experience to level up Pokemon in egg.

Affinity: 10000 exp; 20% affinity with all possible evolution types.

Trait Capsule: 10000 exp; add one of the ordinary traits (Expert)

Increased Stats: The remaining experience is used to randomly increase stats.

Sex Change: 5000 exp; change the sex of the Pokemon.

Pause Hatching: 10 exp.

After reading the guidebook, he understood the new information presented to him. The potential inherited had been divided into three categories.

When a Pokemon hatched from the egg at base level five, each species had a maximum achievable limit for its stats. The amount they inherited depended on their parents' stats and the quality of the egg. In this case, the Eevee would inherit 80% of the maximum stats available.

Moves were much simpler. It would randomly inherit 60% of its parents' moves if it met the necessary affinity requirements. If they didn't, they would be locked away until the conditions were met. He was certain that this feature was only available to him because he hadn't come across it before.

The inherited traits were the same as the moves. The Pokemon would inherit a combination of their parents' traits. So far, he hadn't seen a way to manipulate it to select the traits he desired, but it could change in the future. Even if it wasn't possible, he would always have some say because he could buy trait capsules to give the Pokemon specific traits that targeted their strengths.

The Egg Pokemon had an experience cache with a limit on how much it could hold. It could be spent to level up the Pokemon and unlock any special conditions it may have. If any remain unspent, they will be used to randomly increase a Pokemon's stats.

Pokemon can only gain a certain number of levels inside the egg, as stated in the special conditions section. They would receive stats automatically at each level up rather than having to train them, so it was always best to level them up as much as possible while they were in the egg.

Another addition to the information provided revealed that evolution could occur inside the egg, which would excite Professor Oak's interest since he was researching the subject. Unfortunately, this wasn't possible in Eevee's case.

The egg would take thirty-eight days to hatch. The length of time it took varied depending on the species, but an Eevee egg typically took around fifty days, which was on the shorter end of the spectrum when compared to other Pokemon. It alluded to the Eevee's biological history, in which it used to breed prolifically. That number had been significantly reduced thanks to his Skilled Breeder skill.

More importantly, he had the option of pausing the egg's hatching. This was critical if he intended to sell the eggs in the future. It meant they would have a longer shelf life, and it cost him almost nothing to activate.

"The preferred evolution special condition is a lifesaver," Lucas murmured.

He would have control over what the Eevee evolved into. In the beginning, this would be a huge advantage because he could create pairings for each Pokemon. He could even control the sex of the Pokemon, ensuring an ideal pairing. A Pokemon's sex had nothing to do with biology but more to do with compatibility.

Lucas stepped outside the Pokemon Den and took in the fresh air, gathering his thoughts. He was beginning to realise how unprepared he was for his budding Pokemon breeding business. Several pressing issues loomed large, demanding his attention and action.

His primary concern was the need for a comprehensive business plan. It wasn't an immediate priority given his focus on increasing his breeding Pokemon first, but Lucas recognised the value of long-term planning. He considered appointing a business manager to handle the commercial aspects. Perhaps he could call in the favour Gloria owed him and see if she knew anyone.

That thought prompted him to think about the location of his business. Should he open a shop in Viridian City, potentially competing with Gloria, or explore other cities in the United Kanto Region? Travel was not a constraint for him thanks to Dante's teleportation abilities.

However, the most pressing challenge was the shortage of manpower. With a significant influx of thirty Pokemon imminent, Lucas recognised the need for additional staff to ensure proper care and management. Brock's assistance was invaluable but insufficient for the impending workload, prompting Lucas to contemplate hiring at least one more full-time employee.

Lucas grinned when he suddenly thought of an easy solution. Without hesitation, he reached for his phone and dialled a number.

"Hello?"

"Daisy. How's it going?"

"This is a surprise," Daisy replied. "I thought you were too busy to think about little old me. How is Sabrina?"

"She's moving into the house in a few days."

"That's great. You better treat the princess well."

Lucas overheard someone speaking to Daisy on the other end, and a faint argument ensued between them. It seemed like it might be her grandfather

"Sorry," Daisy said a moment later. "My grandpa is getting on my nerves. I don't know how much more of it I can take."

"That's why I'm calling," Lucas told her. "I remember you complaining about your overbearing grandfather the last time I saw you. How about a change in scenery?"

"What are you proposing?"

"I'm about to receive a large influx of Pokemon for my business," Lucas said. "But I only have one employee to assist me. I need more help. Interested in a job?"

There was a thoughtful pause on the other end of the line.

"It's seriously tempting. Give me a day to think about it," Daisy replied.

"Alright."

Lucas hung up. Before he headed back inside, he opened Arceus' Emporium. He had discovered an item buried in the unique category that he had missed previously. It would solve another problem he had. He spent one hundred thousand experience points to acquire the skill capsule.

Skill: Transfer Experience | Level: 1/1 | Next: - | Type: Active | Charges: -

Description: A skill that allows the player to share his and his team's experience points among other Pokemon and Pokemon Eggs. It's a one-to-one conversion without any restrictions.

The skill could be useful for gaining experience points for his Pokemon Eggs. While he could use his spare ExpShare patches, they were in short supply. The number of eggs produced would increase dramatically in the future, and the patches would be unable to keep up. It was easier to farm experience with his team and distribute it to those who needed it.

Daisy Oak called the next morning, accepting the job. She arrived at Lucas's house in the early afternoon with a carriage full of her belongings. Her grandfather must have annoyed her so much that she arrived the same day.

"Are you moving in?" Lucas joked as he greeted her at the door.

"Don't be ridiculous," Daisy replied, briskly pushing past him into the house. "Your girlfriend is about to move in. How would she feel if another girl moved in before she could even settle in?"

Lucas thought about the people close to Sabrina, who felt overly protective of her. Specifically, one homicidal doll. "Something really bad would happen to me. And you."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Sabrina might show you the door, but I doubt she would physically harm you."

Lucas shuddered. "I'm not worried about Sabrina."

He led her into the kitchen and put the kettle on.

"I'll be staying at my grandfather's house in the city," Daisy told him. "It's not too far from here, so I can commute every day for work."

"How did he react to you quitting your job at the lab?"

"He was furious. Why do you think I left so quickly?"

"Yet, he still allows you to use his house."

Delia smirked. "I told him I would move in with you if he didn't agree to let me use it."

Lucas set the tea tray down and sat across from Daisy. "Is he afraid the hired help will lead his innocent daughter astray?"

"Did he give you a warning to stay away from me?"

"That's right."

"Don't take it too personally. He gives the same speech to any man who comes within twenty feet of me."

"And here I thought I was special."

Brock entered the kitchen and his expression changed as soon as he spotted the attractive female sitting at the table. Lucas watched in amusement as Brock introduced himself and began flirting with Daisy, who shot him an aggrieved look.

"Let me give you a tour of the place," Brock suggested. "If you are going to be working here, you need to know where everything is."

"We still need to discuss the terms of employment," Lucas reminded him.

Brock dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "That can wait for later."

Daisy was whisked away for the tour, leaving Lucas to resume what he had been doing before she arrived. He returned to the office and settled in front of the computer, where an open-word document was waiting for him. He resumed from where he left off, quickly becoming absorbed in his task.

Unlocking a Pokemon's true potential

By Enigma

It's a well-known fact that Pokemon battling each other can help them grow stronger. This is a major reason why Pokemon gyms, competitions, and leagues exist. It began as a way to protect ourselves from danger but has since evolved into a competitive sport that encompasses a significant part of our lives. Pokemon battling has become so professional that we have several professions that support its existence. Scientists and trainers are constantly finding ways to get more out of their Pokemon to gain an edge over others.

But what happens when two Pokemon engage in combat? How does defeating a Pokemon increase their power? The purpose of this article is to reveal the truth behind a secondary outcome of a battle, which I call effort values.

There is a deeper interaction going on between Pokemon when they battle that we cannot see or understand. Each time they defeat a certain amount of Pokemon, they grow stronger. We measure this progression of strength by assigning Pokemon a level based on their energy reserves. We know that it also increases a Pokemon's capacity to become stronger through training.

It has already been established that there are five stats (which I disagree with, but more on that later) that can be trained frequently to improve a Pokemon's overall ability. Whilst we cannot accurately measure stats, we can make educated guesses based on the type of training and various tests. Through training, we can focus on stats that are important to the specific Pokemon's or the trainer's strategy.

Through extensive testing, I discovered that Pokemon can gain up to a hundred stat points by battling other Pokemon. Now, this happens automatically, but because it is not understood, it loses its effectiveness in directing where the stats go. An effort value is a numerical value that I created to facilitate understanding of the entire process.

Essentially, a victorious Pokemon will earn an effort value point for defeating its opponent. Ten of them will become one stat. The type of stat earned depends on the species of Pokemon defeated. A Magikarp, for example, will reward you with a speed EV point after a battle. Defeat ten Magikarps to obtain a speed stat. (I have included a list of all the species and effort values I have discovered so far.)

During my research, I discovered a sixth stat. I call it luck for lack of a better term. Luck influences a variety of factors, the most significant of which are the likelihood of inflicting critical hits, inflicting status effects, and resisting status effects. The existence of the luck stat may explain some of the disparities some trainers have noticed when training their Pokemon.

If my calculations are correct, it should take a thousand battles to unlock all of the bonus stats. By focusing on defeating specific Pokemon, you can control which stats they gain. There is no need to take my word for it. Try it out for yourself, but I recommend starting with a newly hatched Pokemon for the best data. Effort values accumulate from the first battle after all.

After saving the document, Lucas reclined in his chair, his arms folded behind his head.

He decided to share his knowledge of effort values with the rest of the world after debating the matter for some time.

He came across a science forum where researchers could post their findings and saw an opportunity to shed light on this obscure aspect of Pokemon training. While the forum usually only attracted hobbyists and amateur scientists, Lucas was confident that his message would get out to the wider Pokemon community.

He decided to use Enigma as his username to conceal his identity. It made him laugh, thinking about the chaos that would ensue if people began associating the alchemist with the person who posted the article.

Lucas stood up. He planned to have Dante take him to another city so he could use a free computer in one of its libraries. He was concerned that a hacker could trace his IP address back to his home address, revealing his identity as Enigma and causing him a lot of trouble.

The next morning, Lucas set aside time to work with Ashe. He had spent the least amount of time training her of any of his Pokemon, aside from Meowth. For the first hour, he had her engage in mock duels with Saphira to get a feel for fighting. Although Pokemon had an instinct for fighting, it needed to be refined. Once he had built up her confidence, he planned to take her outside the city to have her battle some wild Pokemon.

Since all of his team members had plenty of experience, they only had to focus on training their stats, as well as their affinities and move masteries.

Now that Max had evolved, his focus shifted to Saphira. Once she had attained the necessary affinities, he planned to evolve her into Dragonair. With Lance having already sent him a dragon scale, that evolutionary requirement was no longer a concern.

Lucas recognised that Ashe needed to expand her move repertoire, so he started teaching her a new move after the mock duels were completed.

He decided to teach her Incinerate, one of her inherent moves. It was a powerful offensive technique, markedly different from how it worked in the games. While it dealt fire damage like Ember, Incinerate could burn any target that had taken battle enhancers and strip away those artificial boosts simultaneously. The strategic value was clear—it could counter trainers who relied heavily on stat enhancers.

The attack shared its initial form with Ember—a concentrated burst of flame. With practice, though, it could spread into a devastating wave of fire. The trade-off was significant: while Incinerate hit harder than Ember, it drained far more energy. He'd need to help her build up the stamina to use it effectively.

Since both moves stemmed from similar principles, teaching Incinerate through Ember made sense. He planned their training in two parts: first, helping her grasp the new move's foundations, and second, improving her accuracy.

"Are you ready?"

"Vulpix!"

Lucas tossed a frisbee, prompting Ashe to release a fireball. The attack narrowly missed the target and landed on the grass.

"Don't worry," Lucas reassured Ashe, noticing her disappointment. "Practice makes perfect. Imagine the frisbee is Meowth."

That suggestion seemed to ignite a fire in her belly. Her eyes narrowed as if she were picturing Meowth in her mind.

"I heard that!" Meowth called out.

Just as Lucas was about to toss the frisbee again, Brock came outside.

"Have you seen Daisy?" Brock asked. "She's late for work."

Lucas checked his watch. "That's unusual. I wonder what's delayed her."

His concern was tempered by the fact that it was Daisy's first day. Perhaps she had underestimated the time it took to get here. At that moment, Lucas received a call from an unknown number.

"Listen carefully," a distorted voice commanded. "Do not hang up, or Daisy Oak will be harmed."

Adrenaline surged through his veins. "Who are you? What have you done with her?"

"She's safe for now. Follow my instructions precisely. Do not tell anyone. Neither the police nor your friend, Brock Harrison, or else she dies."

Lucas swallowed heavily. "I understand."

Lucas's stomach churned as the kidnapper outlined further demands. The gravity of the situation hit him hard. If he made the wrong move, Daisy's life could be at stake. Who would dare to target Professor Oak's granddaughter, and what was their motive? Why were they contacting him? Was he also a target?

What was he supposed to do?

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas confronts the kidnapper. Who could it be?

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Thanks for reading.