):**
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# Chapter 3
The air was heavy with anticipation.
Adrian sat cross-legged in his room, the egg resting in his lap. The shell glowed faintly, its warmth pulsing in steady rhythm like a heartbeat. For years, he had cared for it, whispering words of comfort, feeding it energy through touch and thought. Now, at last, the system's voice confirmed what his heart already knew.
> \[Pokémon Egg: Estimated time until hatching — 3 days.]
Three days.
He ran his hand over the smooth surface, his small fingers tracing the strange patterns etched across it. Even at six years old, the excitement in his chest felt almost too big to contain. This was no ordinary egg. The system had given it to him at birth, its origins unknown. Not even his parents knew where it had come from.
The door creaked open. His mother, Selene, entered, her elegant dress swaying as she moved. She smiled at the sight of her son with the egg.
"You're still watching over it," she said softly, approaching the bed. Gardevoir followed close behind her, eyes glowing faintly as if curious.
Adrian looked up, his expression innocent. "It's important."
Selene chuckled lightly and brushed a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "You care for it as if it were already alive."
*It is alive,* Adrian thought, but he only nodded.
That night, as moonlight spilled through his window, he felt it again—the presence within the egg. Stronger this time. It wasn't just a faint hum anymore. It was… reaching out. His Affinity Sense flared, emotions surging into him. Excitement. Curiosity. A playful eagerness that tugged at his heart.
He pressed his forehead against the shell, whispering, "I'm here. I'll be with you when you hatch."
The egg pulsed warmly in response.
The next morning, Adrian rose before dawn. He didn't tell anyone, but he knew. Today, it would happen. The egg vibrated softly as he held it, faint cracks beginning to spread across its surface.
By midday, he couldn't take his eyes off it. Every few minutes, the shell shuddered, the glow brightening. His heart pounded with each pulse. The system's voice chimed again.
> \[Pokémon Egg: Hatching sequence initiated.]
The first crack split across the shell, followed by another. His breath hitched. Tiny shards fell away, glowing faintly before dissolving into motes of light. From within came a small sound—a soft cry, weak but filled with life.
Piece by piece, the shell crumbled, until finally, a tiny creature pushed free, stumbling into Adrian's waiting hands.
Its body was small, covered in soft white fur with faint blue markings. A pair of glowing red eyes blinked up at him, full of innocence and curiosity. Two horn-like protrusions adorned its head, one longer than the other.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"An… Absol?" he whispered.
The Pokémon blinked at him, tilting its head. Then it let out a small cry, nuzzling against his chest.
Not just any Absol. This one's fur shimmered faintly, silver-blue under the light. His system confirmed it.
> \[Congratulations! Pokémon Hatched: Shiny Absol (♀).]
> \[Affinity: Perfect.]
> \[Bond Level: S.]
Adrian's hands trembled as he held her closer. His first partner. His very first real Pokémon, entrusted to him by the system, and it was a Shiny Absol—a rare and powerful partner, known as the Disaster Pokémon, feared by many and respected by few.
But as her small body curled against him, warmth radiating from her tiny frame, he felt none of the ominous aura her species was known for. Only trust. Only bond.
Tears pricked his eyes. "Welcome," he whispered. "You're mine. And I'm yours."
The Absol purred softly, pressing her head into his chest. The system chimed again.
> \[Quest Complete: Raise and bond with Pokémon Egg.]
> \[Reward: Unlock System Shop.]
A new window unfolded before his eyes.
—
**System Shop (Basic Tier):**
* Pokéblock (Basic) – 10 points
* Potion – 20 points
* Rare Candy Fragment (1/5) – 50 points
* Training Manual (Beginner) – 30 points
Points available: 100
—
Adrian's heart raced. The shop was here. This was no longer just preparation—his journey had truly begun.
He glanced back at Absol, who blinked up at him with trusting red eyes. He reached out, stroking her soft fur. "I'll make you strong," he whispered. "Stronger than anyone could ever imagine."
That evening, when Selene entered his room, her steps froze. Her eyes widened at the sight of the tiny Absol curled in her son's arms.
"Adrian…" she breathed. "Is that—?"
Absol stirred, glancing at Selene with wary eyes, but made no move to leave Adrian's side. Gardevoir stepped forward, tilting its head curiously at the newborn Pokémon.
Selene's lips curved into a smile, though her eyes shimmered with something more complicated. "So this is the partner you've chosen."
Adrian hugged Absol tighter. "She chose me."
Selene studied the two of them for a long moment before finally nodding. "Then so be it. Take care of her, Adrian. Bonds like these are rare."
When his father, Damien, returned that night and learned of the hatchling, his reaction was quieter but no less intense. His golden eyes flickered with approval as he knelt before his son.
"Absol," he murmured. "A Pokémon of omens. Many fear them, but few understand their truth. To appear as your first partner…" His gaze shifted to Adrian. "You are destined for greatness, my son."
Adrian met his father's gaze with quiet determination. He already knew.
That night, as Absol slept beside him, curled tightly against his side, Adrian lay awake, staring at the ceiling. His small hand rested on her soft fur, and the system's notifications echoed faintly in his mind.
The path ahead was still long. He was only six years old, with years to go before he could legally begin his journey as a trainer. But with Absol at his side, with the system guiding him, and with the legacy of the Liora family behind him, he knew one thing with absolute certainty.
This was just the beginning.
And he would not waste this life.
---
**