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Mai gave the Pokémon egg a full inspection and concluded that there was nothing wrong with it. It was still in the process of hatching; it wasn't a dead egg.
As for why it was taking so long to hatch, there could be many reasons. As for exactly which reason this particular egg was affected by, Mai couldn't determine that either.
Luther let out a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a dead egg, a longer incubation time was fine.
Half a month ago, after Mai had carefully looked after and observed it, Kleia finally felt reassured enough to take Poliwag back.
At the end of summer, she scored high marks in her theoretical courses. After being evaluated by her school and family, and completing a month-long field training program, Kleia was set to shoulder her backpack and begin her own journey.
However, with winter approaching, and winters in Sinnoh being especially harsh, both Luther and Mai suggested she wait until the snow had melted before traveling.
"Winter has its own scenery, and you can encounter Pokémon that are completely different from those in summer."
That one sentence was enough to stop Luther and Mai from trying to talk her out of it.
Everyone's journey through life follows a different path. Luther liked the blazing heat of summer and the bleak winds of autumn. Kleia, however, adored the winter snow.
Watching her figure fade into the distance, Luther smiled. Maybe… she'll become a powerful Ice-type Trainer someday?
With Poliwag gone, Luther and Mai no longer had a reason to remain in Eterna City.
Luther had been waiting for Musharna to rejoin the team so she could train alongside the other Pokémon. But today, during a call with Professor Rowan, Luther heard a piece of news that took him from shock… to clenched-teeth frustration… to helpless resignation.
Musharna had fallen in love.
During her physical exam at Professor Rowan's Research Lab, Musharna had apparently sparked with a Flaaffy being raised there. Flaaffy helped the researchers with lab work and had assisted in taking care of Musharna throughout her stay.
Maybe it was the long years without encountering other Pokémon, or maybe Flaaffy was simply that much to her liking, but as Professor Rowan put it, it was love at first sight.
Now, wherever Flaaffy went, Musharna followed. Flaaffy's free time, which used to be his alone, now included Musharna too.
At first, Flaaffy was very troubled. He didn't know how to deal with Musharna's affection and tried to hide behind the researchers to avoid her. But now, he seemed to have accepted that Musharna was part of his personal space.
Flaaffy had even personally brought Musharna snacks she liked, and would search for things she enjoyed to make her happy.
Luther's first reaction was:
Flaaffy, who do you think you are, daring to hit on my little cabbage? Oh... Musharna was the one who made the first move…
'She made the first move, and you still played hard to get? Still acted shy? Are you saying my Musharna isn't cute enough?'
'Wait a minute, my cabbage's been taken? That's not right. I only just got her back, and I've always treated her like a daughter!'
No, no, this can't happen. They're not even the same species!
Oh, but in this world we go by egg groups… and sometimes cross-group breeding even works…
No! They're not even in the same, wait. Aren't they both in the Field egg group...?
Whatever! I object to this relationship!
But when Musharna appeared in the video call, all the words Luther had prepared vanished from his mouth.
Musharna looked genuinely happy. She was in great shape, playfully floating around behind Flaaffy on the screen. Flaaffy also seemed to treat her well, the two of them even took turns offering food to each other.
Luther's urge to protect Musharna came from the guilt he felt toward her. She had spent more than twenty years alone in that house, day after day, year after year, waiting for two people who would never return. Behind her sealed heart, she had always longed for someone, anyone, human or Pokémon, who could stay with her.
That twenty-year-long dream had finally ended. Upon returning to the real world, Musharna found everything unfamiliar. Even the way she expressed affection toward people had to be corrected by Cynthia and Luther.
The two decades she had lost left her with an intense yearning for love, a deep desire for companionship.
Luther really wanted to say: 'Come back to me. I'll make up for the twenty years you lost, little by little.'
But Musharna's cheerful smile pressed against the screen made his nose sting with emotion.
"Do you love that Flaaffy?"
Musharna thought for a long while, then shook her head. She sniffed the air, as if trying to catch a familiar scent.
Then, she picked up a feeding bowl and mimed a motion as if offering it.
She reached toward the screen with her small forelimbs and made a hugging gesture.
Flaaffy had the scent she liked. He gave her lots of delicious things. His touch was gentle. He had hugged her.
Such simple reasons. Nothing complicated. So pure it was terrifying. So pure that Luther couldn't help but feel envious.
The reasons Pokémon fall in love and stay together for life often come down to just that, something so simple it defies logic.
Love, at its origin, is never really complicated. Sometimes, you can't even explain why you love someone.
I just like her smile. The way she spun in her dress, clutching the hem, stole my breath away. The faint fragrance she carried when she was near. The way her long, silky black hair flowed.
But when you get down to it, those aren't reasons. They're just results.
There are so many people in the world who smile beautifully, who dress well, who carry lovely scents, whose long hair flows gracefully down the street, so why her?
Musharna gave Luther an answer. A very pure one.
Then she pushed Flaaffy in front of the screen.
The same Flaaffy who had just been chasing her now looked awkward and uneasy, waving his little hands about with nowhere to put them.
Luther originally wanted to say something intimidating, like, "If you hurt Musharna, I'll grind your bones to ash." But when he saw Flaaffy like this, he couldn't help but chuckle instead.
"She likes sweet food, but not cakes with cream. She doesn't really like cream. Maple syrup's good, though."
"Sometimes she'll sleep for a long time. She might ignore you for days. Don't take it personally, it's just her habit. You'll have to get used to it."
"Her battle strength has dropped a lot for… reasons. She's not much of a fighter anymore. You don't need me to say it, but… take care of her, alright?"
Luther rambled on for a long time. Seeing Flaaffy nod along with a dazed look, he smiled, said a quick goodbye to Professor Rowan, and ended the call.
Just before the screen went dark, he caught a glimpse of Musharna joyfully pouncing on Flaaffy.
After the call ended, Luther sat on his stool for a long while, thinking silently. He didn't get up until the late autumn sun faded bit by bit, and the cool breath of early winter began to seep in through the window.
"Love… liking someone… It's really hard to explain, isn't it?"
He chuckled, as if mocking himself.
Just then, Mai came in, carrying a bag of food that was past its "best taste" date, changing shoes by the door.
Luther thought for a moment, then said:
"Mai, let's head out. It's time to start a new journey."
"Kleia was right. Winter has its own scenery, too beautiful to miss."
(End of Chapter)