Read up to 30 advanced chapters exclusively on my Patreon at - patreon.com/LoverrBoy
---------------------------------
The Kanto region's main harbor was located on the outskirts of Fuchsia City. Even riding Aerodactyl, it would take Liam one to two days of flight to get there. The distance was considerable, so the time Lance had given him wasn't exactly generous—he still needed to hurry.
But before that, there was one place he had to visit first.
The Team Rocket headquarters in Viridian City.
The day after Liam told Delia that he would be leaving soon, he departed Pallet Town atop Aerodactyl amid everyone's farewells.
This time, aside from Aerodactyl beneath him, his ace Garchomp, and the ever-adorable Elekid, Liam didn't bring any of his other Pokemon.
Oh—and one more thing.
A Pokemon Egg.
It was one of the two eggs he had redeemed before—the purple-black one.
Sitting on Aerodactyl's back, Liam held the egg Delia had stuffed into his arms before he left. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Then he reached into his personal space and took out a massive feather glowing with white light.
[Ding.]
[Hatching Feather: Wrap a Pokemon Egg in this feather, and it will rapidly hatch.]
[Evaluation: Extremely precious!]
This feather had been one of the rewards after resolving the Lugia incident. He had never found a chance to use it—until now. This was the perfect opportunity to test its effect.
Carefully, Liam wrapped the Pokemon Egg in the large, soft feather. It was more than big enough to completely envelop the egg. Once finished, he cradled it in his arms and quietly waited for the feather's power to activate.
The moment the egg settled against his chest—
"Bzzzzzt!!"
A sound like surging electricity crackled from within the white glow!
In only a few seconds—the Pokemon Egg that should have taken much longer to hatch completed the process within mere breaths!
"Chi-chi-chi~"
As the white light faded, a small fox appeared in Liam's arms.
Its body was grayish-purple, with black fur around its neck. Red, flame-like tufts adorned its eyebrows, limbs, and head. It lay quietly on its back, belly exposed, tiny paws raised in the air.
"Hi there, little one. Nice to meet you~"
Seeing the newborn healthy and lively, Liam smiled warmly and gently teased it with his finger.
"Chi-chi-chi you hi~"
The little fox clearly liked Liam. After a few playful taps from his finger, it giggled in a high-pitched voice—
—and replied, "Hello."
Liam: "…"
'A Pokemon that just hatched… can talk.'
'What do I do?'
Liam stared in astonishment at the tiny fox now gnawing on his finger. Fortunately, the newborn didn't have much strength—it didn't hurt at all.
[Ding!]
Pokemon: Zorua. Dark-type
Species: Tricky Fox Pokemon Resembles a small fox. Loves pranks and uses its natural gift to create illusions, often causing unnecessary trouble for innocent passersby. However, Zorua is deeply emotional and highly intelligent. A rare few exceptionally gifted individuals can even learn to speak human language.
Ability: Illusion
Nature: Cheerful
Gender: Female
Base Stats: Total 348/330
HP: 44/40
Attack: 67/65
Defense: 43/40
Sp. Atk: 84/80
Sp. Def: 40/40
Speed: 70/65
Moves Learned:Scratch, Leer
Egg Move:Copycat
TM Compatibility: None
Evaluation: Exceptional! Extremely intelligent! Possesses excellent illusion abilities and tremendous potential! Highly recommended for training!
....
Yes. The little one in his arms was Zorua—a Dark-type fox Pokemon.
"Are you hungry, little one? I've got some delicious Pokemon food here. Come try some."
Liam gently pulled his finger from Zorua's mouth.
The moment she lost her "chew toy," her expression turned pitiful. Her big eyes quickly welled up with tears.
Seeing that, Liam hurriedly lifted her and retrieved Pokemon food from his bag, carefully feeding it to her.
The moment her sharp nose caught the scent, she stopped crying instantly. Hugging a piece of Pokemon food with her tiny paws, she happily munched away.
Only after seeing her eat contentedly did Liam relax. He gently stroked her pointed ears.
"Zorua, from now on we're partners. Let me give you a nickname… hmm… how about 'Lily'?"
"Chi-chi Lily? Li…ly… Lily! Chi-chi"
After finishing her bite, Zorua tilted her head thoughtfully, ears twitching to avoid Liam's finger. A few seconds later, she nodded happily.
"Haha Then from now on, you're nickname is Lily Zorua, remember—don't speak in front of other people, okay?"
Liam stroked her head and reminded her seriously.
A talking Pokemon would be far too shocking to outsiders. Better to keep it secret.
She nodded without hesitation.
But seeing how readily she agreed… Liam couldn't quite feel reassured.
"Sigh… I'll just have to keep an eye on you. Lily, are you full? If so, go rest inside your PokeBall for now~"
Liam took out a PokeBall and placed it before her.
"Chi-chi!!"
The instant the PokeBall appeared—
Zorua suddenly slapped it away with her paw!
Liam hadn't expected it and failed to catch it. The PokeBall tumbled downward, disappearing into the forest below.
"Chi-chi! Not pretty! Don't want it! Want a pretty one!"
She wriggled stubbornly in Liam's arms, clearly dissatisfied.
"…Pretty?"
A vein nearly popped on Liam's forehead. How does something this small even know what "pretty" means?!
"Wait… I've got it! Zorua, how about this one? Is this pretty? Satisfied?"
Suddenly remembering, Liam pulled out a Love Ball that Mr. Kurt had given him and presented it to her with a grin.
"Chi~ So pretty!"
This time, Zorua was clearly captivated. Her eyes reflected the heart-shaped design on the Love Ball.
She tapped it lightly with her nose—
A red light flashed.
She was instantly drawn inside.
The Love Ball didn't even wobble once.
"Ding~"
But the very next second, it popped open again. Zorua dropped back into Liam's arms.
Apparently tired from all the excitement, she let out a long yawn, curled into a small circle, hugged her own tail—
—and fell fast asleep.
With a helpless smile, Liam put the Love Ball away and carefully held the sleeping Zorua. Glancing down, he realized they had already reached Viridian City without noticing.
He gently patted Aerodactyl.
Aerodactyl gave a low growl and nodded before tilting its body downward, carrying Liam and the sleeping Zorua toward Viridian City within the forest.