《Pokemon: Successors of The Forgotten》


 Chapter 1: Fresh off the bus

    It has been two years since The Pokemon League¡¯s revival. While protests were still on-going, many of the anti-League policies have been overturned over the years. The Johto region was the first to reopen its gyms for the public. It was only a matter of time before the other regions would follow suit. Only Hoenn had yet to fully repeal the ban on competitive battling.


    As of now, The Kanto region has twelve gyms in service. Out of all the gym leaders from the region, only Lt. Surge returned as a gym leader. However, the people of Fuchsia city were more than proud of Janine accepting a position among the elite four, assuming the role her late father held so many years ago.


    As of today, only 20,000 men and women across the regions have registered and received their Pokemon licenses. While this number is certainly well below the glory days of The League, it was a good start.


    Today five young new trainers are riding comfortably on a chartered bus with Celadon City as their destination. These young trainers are complete strangers to each other, but they are each connected by one thing in common. Three months prior, they each received a letter from a Mrs. Amelie Friedrich. Each letter contained a ticket needed to travel to Celadon as well as an invitation to assist Mrs. Friedrich with a task. There was also a promise of a great reward should the task be completed.


    A young lady of thirteen years of age sits towards the back of the bus. Her choice in seating was strategic for the purpose of observing the others. She periodically steals glances from the others but spends the majority of the trip staring at the invitation that she received in the mail.


    She sighs as she brushes her red hair bangs away from her eyes, unveiling more of her Ransei features. Her name is Sylvia Rosesong, a ninja in training and heir to the Rosesong Clan. She rereads the letter once more, careful not to disturb the six tail fox sleeping peacefully on her lap.


    Her thoughts go back when she had received the letter in the mail. She recalled her surprise and confusion, having received such an offer from a stranger. Her parents, on the other hand, were not as surprised. They had explained to her that Mrs. Friedrich had been a friend of the family. However, when she questioned her father how exactly they knew each other, he had only gotten embarrassed and refused to answer the question.


    Sylvia would later find out from another member of her clan about the truth of Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s relationship to her family. It would seem that years ago, Mrs. Friedrich had paid a visit to the clan. During said visit, Sylvia¡¯s father had challenged her to a drinking contest. The two had bonded over the competition. However, to his shame, he had lost the contest and hasn¡¯t lived it down since.


    The story of the drinking contest conflicted with the image of a refined and respectable lady that Sylvia had previously built up in her mind. Even now, on the bus ride, she struggled to settle on a mental image of who Amelie Friedrich was. In truth, she had been hesitant to accept the invitation and had only done so because of her grandfather¡¯s advisement. He had told her it was an opportunity for her to serve the clan.


    ¡°To serve the clan¡­¡± She absent-mindedly muttered under her breath, just audible enough to disturb the six tailed fox¡¯s sleep. ¡°Apologies Amelia. I didn¡¯t mean to wake you.¡± She caressed the vulpix as it repositioned itself on Sylvia¡¯s lap.


    Sylvia continued with her routinely observance of the other passengers. Most of the others were boys that appeared roughly around her age. There was only one other girl among them. She had been sound asleep for the duration of the ride thus far, and Sylvia didn¡¯t think much about her but still kept an eye on the girl.


    The girl was about a year older than Sylvia. Like Sylvia, she also had red hair, but it was kept short in a more tomboyish style. Her skin was tanned golden brown and her clothing was of the fashion trends from Sinnoh with a theme of colors of autumn. She had chosen this color scheme deliberately for her name sake.


    Her name was Autumn Mikon. She had traveled a long way from home to by accepting this invitation. Her connection to Mrs. Friedrich was a simple one. Her grandparents were simply close friends.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Autumn¡¯s grandfather was a globe trotter and she always wanted to follow in the old man¡¯s footsteps. So when she received the invite, she jumped at the chance to travel without hesitation.


    Sylvia, having decided the sleeping girl wasn¡¯t an exciting watch, shifted her attention to the boys. It seemed that each of them kept to themselves during the trip. Out of the three boys, one, in particular, caught the ninja¡¯s attention.


    The boy had a very young and boyish appearance. In fact, he looked to be the youngest one among the passengers. But it wasn¡¯t the boy¡¯s age that held Sylvia¡¯s attention, there was something special about him that she couldn¡¯t put her finger on.


    Every so often, the boy appeared to be saying something. No one else seemed to be able to hear him, but Sylvia noticed the distinct movements of his lips that indicated that he was indeed talking. To who or what, she couldn¡¯t be certain.


    The boy suddenly looked over towards Sylvia, which caused her to instinctively to avert her eyes from him.


    Had he noticed me watching them this whole time, Sylvia wondered.


    The Truth had was linked to her suspicion of the boy¡¯s uniqueness. Unbeknownst to the other passengers, the boy was accompanied with ghost candle Pokemon. The Litwick had turned itself invisible to everyone save for its master, Damien Black. It was the litwick that had noticed Sylvia watching its master and informed him of it.


    Damien was from Lavender Town and a member of a long line of mystics that kept and maintained Lavender tower. Decades ago the tower was bought out and converted to a radio station. It was Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s financial contributions that allowed the tower to be restored to its former glory. Which was why the young boy was making this journey now. It was an opportunity to repay the debt his family had owed.


    Damien shrugged when he looked back to find Sylvia looking elsewhere. He reassured his litwick that it was likely just being paranoid before taking a glance around at the others. His eyes fixed on one of the other boys, curious as to what he had been doing.


    This boy, like Autumn, was also dressed in clothing of Sinnoh¡¯s fashion. For the majority of the bus ride, he had been tinkering with some of his pokeballs, modifying them in some way to improve the success rate of capture.


    His name is Liam Watt. Like Autumn, he had traveled from a great deal to accept the invitation. Prior to his journey to Kanto, he had been working as a messenger in Hearthome. However, since the League¡¯s revival, he had a desire to join a group of specialized rangers stationed in Kanto. It¡¯s not entirely clear of Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s connection to Liam, but she provided him the opportunity to pursue this goal.


    While Liam seemed to be completely focused on this task, both Damien and Sylvia turned their attention to the remaining passenger. He was an older boy with a scar that ran down his face. This was a remnant of his first encounter with wild pokemon. This encounter left him hospitalized for a few days, but when he woke he had discovered that the same accident left both his parents in a coma.


    With uncertainty in his future, the boy had no idea what to do or how to pay for his parents¡¯ treatments. He managed to gain the sympathy of a breeder who helped support him. During this time he would gain a fascination for steel type pokemon. The timing was right, for when the League started to come back, he saw an opportunity to save his parents by competing.


    Now this boy, Drake Daggeri, is staring out the window, watching the scenery go by as the bus makes a turn into Celadon¡¯s wealthy residential district. A smile is ever-present on his face as he dreams of his future as the next Pokemon champion.


    These flight of fancy is interrupted as the bus comes to a sudden stop in front of a large mansion. All the passengers turn their attention to the mansion, with the exception of Autumn who was still asleep in her seat.


    ¡°This is your stop kids.¡± The bus driver opened the doors. ¡°Good luck to you in there.¡±


    With that cue, the young trainers began to disembark from the bus. Again with the exception of Autumn, who is then awoken with a loud smack upside her head. Her Petilil had been sitting quietly next to her this whole time was the one who smacked her awake.


    Autumn¡¯s cheek was still red with the tiny hand print as she hastily tried to keep up with the others who had already left the bus.


    Now the youths found themselves standing before the grandest building in all of Celadon, The front gates were flanked by two Machokes dressed in butler outfits. They appeared to be exceptionally well behaved, for Machokes. They seemed to have been expecting the arrival of the young trainers who now stood in a group with questions of who exactly their host was and who were the other trainers? Were they to become friends, colleagues, or even rivals?

 Chapter 2: The Lady of the house

    The group of five trainers stood before the mansion, unsure of what exactly to do next. They stared at the Machoke butlers with the sense that the muscle-bound Pokemon could have easily snapped any of them in half. It was fortunate that they had no desire to do so.


    Drake was the first one to move towards the pair of butler''s before stopping and patting down his hair to making himself more presentable. ¡°Alright, let''s do this.¡± He made his approach again. The pair of Machoke didn¡¯t react to him and the gate remained closed. ¡°Hey what gives?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they need to see this before they let us pass?¡± Sylvia had walked passed Drake and flashed her invitation at the pair. Upon seeing the golden seal at the bottom of the invitation, they both nodded with approval before looking at the rest of the group expectantly.


    This prompted the others to dig out their invitations to present them. Satisfied, the Machoke turned and each grabbed a handle on the gate and began pulling the gate to the side. The pair effortlessly opened the gate, although the sound of metal grinding would imply that there was a great deal of weight behind the gates. Once the gate was open, the pair beckoned the group to enter.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s one way to keep unwanted guests out, I suppose,¡± Autumn commented as she marveled at the sight of the muscle-bound butlers opening the gate.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sylvia absentmindedly responded before making her way towards the entrance. ¡°Come along Amelia!¡± The small vulpix proudly trotted behind her mistress, leading the way for the rest of the group to follow.


    One of the Machoke made its way to the front of the group and opened the door to the proper mansion. Inside was a massive foyer with twin staircases and spotless marble flooring. Moments after entering, the group is greeted with the sight of a skulk of Eevees running wild from one of the side rooms. The Eevees were playfully roughhousing with each other in a carefree manner. It was evident that they were close to each other.


    ¡°Such adorable Pokemon,¡± Sylvia commented, her voice betraying cool and collected demeanor.


    ¡°Are they all wearing diamond collars?¡± Damien¡¯s shocked voice seemed to disturb the peaceful mood within the foyer.


    This brought everyone¡¯s attention to the collars that hung from the Eevee necks. They did appear to have been made with diamonds. The group stood in awe at the display of wealth Mrs. Friedrich had flaunted.


    ¡°The Eevee are indeed wearing diamond collars.¡± An elderly gentleman, carrying a large covered silver platter, entered the room. By the way he was dressed, it was easy to assume that he was a part of the staff. ¡°The collars also serve as a tracking device. In the event that an Eevee goes missing or, heavens forbid, are stolen the rangers are able to track them down within minutes.¡±


    ¡°Do they all belong to Mrs. Friedrich?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°The Madam is the world¡¯s largest Eevee breeder, as they are her favorite Pokemon. These, however, are not her¡¯s. They were bred specifically for friends of hers.¡± The gentleman answered the young ninja¡¯s question before he continued on. ¡°The Madam has a rather particular Eevee and the young mistress has an even more special one.


    In the days of old, The Madam¡¯s family would give Eevees as gifts to worthy passing trainers. This was of course before competitive battling went into a decline. Which was a shame. Without battling, few Eevees ever had the chance to evolve since there was no longer a reason. They were kept as pets since their smaller unevolved forms were cuter.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope that these Eevees go to good trainers. I would like a jolteon if I ever had the chance.¡± Drake said while flashing a cocky smile.


    ¡°I prefer leafeons, personally.¡± Autumn chimed in.


    ¡°I could see how they would make good pets,¡± Sylvia commented before picking up Amelia and cradling the small fire fox. ¡°But it would be a great disservice to deny such potential.¡±


    ¡°I am glad, and I¡¯m sure the Madam will be as well, that you see that the strength of a Pokemon is not always abhorred as it once was.¡± The gentleman gave the group a nod of approval. ¡°A Pokemon''s cuteness isn¡¯t everything.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at the at the last comment. While she agreed that a Pokemon''s physical cuteness isn¡¯t everything. She also knew of the deception that the perceived cuteness could afford.


    ¡°Anyway, we shouldn¡¯t keep The Madam waiting much longer. If you would please follow me, I shall escort you to the sitting room.¡± He gave the group a slight bow while gesturing to the staircase with his free hand.


    ¡°Lead the way, mister!¡± Drake quickly crossed the room before the gentleman proceeded up the stairs. The rest of the group quickly followed suit, quietly trailing behind the man as he leads them up the stairs.


    Before she began her climb up the stairs, Autumn took another glance at the Eevees. She was still captivated by their playful roughhousing. Only in that moment that she noticed each of the Eevees had a small name tag hanging from their diamond collars. Straining her eyes she could only make out the name on one of the tags that read,¡° Mr. Daggeri.¡± She wondered for a moment if that was the name of the Eevee or if it was the name of the owner, though she didn¡¯t have time to think on the subject lest she fell behind the group.


    When she caught up with the group, they were being led down a long hallway that would split off into diverging paths. The layout of the mansion was becoming more maze-like with each turn they took. The walls were tastefully decorated with the occasional portrait you would expect to find in a wealthy mansion. There were also vases filled with fresh flowers that stood on small tables along the walls.


    The vases had a priceless look to them, but none in the group save for Sylvia could guess at their value. The hallways were decorated to maintain an imagery of refined elegance, all the while careful not to appear gaudy.


    As the group rounded another corner, they are greeted with an unusual sight. At least it was unusual for the young trainers to see a small Snorlax in a maid uniform dusting.


    ¡°Beatrice, be sure to vacuum in the east wing when you are done here.¡± The man paused only for a moment to address the maid-lax before continuing on.


    The maid-lax grunted something could be akin to an acknowledgment before it resumed its dusting duties. The group, on the other hand, had to take a moment to recompose themselves before following the man again.


    Shortly after, they are brought to a grand door that silently glides open with ease. Just through it was an inviting room with a low table sitting in the center. The wallpaper was a calming shade of light blue that complemented the white drapes lightly blowing in the wind that passed through the half-opened windows. Standing by one of the windows was an elegant figure. She appeared to have been staring off into the distance, lost in her thoughts.


    ¡°Your guests have arrived Madam.¡± The man announced his presence to the woman.


    His voice had brought her back from where her mind was wandering. ¡°Very Good, Sebastian.¡± She turned her attention away from the window to face her invited guests. She carefully examined each member of the group before stepping away from the window. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± She motioned to a long couch that flanked one end of the low table while she made her way to her own seat.


    The children all hastily sat on the couch, which was comforting to the touch. Drake practically allowed his body to sink into the cushions. The others would have likely done the same, if not for their self-restraint. Sylvia, in particular, kept a straight posture with her vulpix sitting in her lap. Damien, on the other hand, seemed to be rather uncomfortable as he actively fought himself on whether to sit straight or to give into the comfort.


    Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s seat flanked the opposite side of the table. The chair looked even more comfortable than the couch, as the back and armrests appeared to be extra fluffy, with a fur-like texture. The older lady sat in a very refined manner. She was the very picture of grace and elegance. Her light golden blonde hair had some gray streaks but they did little to harm her image. No doubt her wealth played a large role in how she had aged so gracefully.


    Even now, Sylvia struggled to reconcile the image of the woman sitting before her and one of the woman who had bested her father in a drinking contest. She began to doubt the story of the drinking contest and thought it might have been a rumor that her clansmen started. She felt rather foolish for believing such rumors at face value.


    ¡°Will this be all Ma¡¯am?¡± Sebastian placed the covered platter on the table.


    ¡°Some tea for the ladies, if you would.¡± Mrs. Friedrich looked over to Autumn and Sylvia for their approval. Which the two girls give by silently nodding. ¡°And perhaps a lemonade and colas for the young gentlemen?¡± Again, she was met with no protest, though it left the group wondering how she had known of their preference of drink.


    ¡°Very good Ma¡¯am.¡± Sebastian offered a slight bow. ¡°I shall return shortly, with your beverages.¡± He made a sharp turn and proceeded to exit the room. However, before taking more than three steps he is stopped by Mrs. Friedrich.


    ¡°Also, if it wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble, would you mind checking on Emma?¡± There was a noticeable shift in her facial expression. Her serene grace was momentarily disrupted with a look of worry.


    ¡°Of course Ma¡¯am.¡± Sebastian bowed again. ¡°No trouble at all.¡± He continued out of the room and closed the door behind himself.


    ¡°I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to accept the invitation.¡± Mrs. Friedrich turned her attention back to the group, the serenity returned to her face. ¡°I understand that coming here might have been an inconvenience for some of you. Please know that you have my deepest gratitude.¡±


    Sylvia gave a deep bow from her seated position, allowing her long hair to cascade down from her back to and lightly touch the floor. The others in the group gave Sylvia a slightly puzzled look at her behavior. ¡°It was no trouble at all, Lady Friedrich. On behalf of the Rosesong clan, I offer you their greetings.¡± She Brought herself up from her bow and fixed her hair with a fluid practiced motion of her hands. However, the young ninja was meet with the sound of chortles coming from Mrs. Friedrich, who had brought a hand up to her mouth to cover her laugh.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Sylvia, dear, there is no need to stand on ceremony here.¡± She lowered her hand and shot Sylvia a warm smile. The ninja felt her cheeks flush red from embarrassment but since she had no means to hide it she simply sat and endured. ¡°Though, I¡¯m surprised.¡± The lady continues, snapping Sylvia out of her embarrassment. ¡°I figured that your father would attempt to company you.¡±


    Sylvia was only able to let out what could barely pass as an awkward chuckle before regaining the ability to speak. ¡°Actually...my father did make an attempt to trail me...before mother caught him¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah. Overprotective as ever I see. Hardly a surprise considering how much of a doting father he was when I last saw him.¡±


    Sylvia raised a brow towards the older lady. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my father behave like that?¡± The young ninja made efforts to conceal her embarrassment.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I doubt you would remember since you were only a baby when I last visited your clan.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Drake interjected as he inspected Sylvia¡¯s appearance, taking note of her Ransei features. ¡°Clan? Are you like a Samurai or something?¡±


    ¡°Ninja actually,¡± Sylvia replied with an in a matter of fact tone.


    Everyone in the room, save for Mrs. Friedrich, gave the girl a quizzical stare. ¡°A ninja?¡± Drake spoke up again. ¡°But you don¡¯t look like a ninja.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sylvia raised a brow. ¡°And how should ninja look?¡± Her expression was neutral as her eyes bored into Drake¡¯s, awaiting his reply.


    The young man shifted uncomfortably in his sitting position. ¡°Well...you know¡­¡± He stumbled over his words for a moment under Sylvia¡¯s stare, feeling everyone¡¯s eyes upon him as well, even though no one else had been staring directly at him. After a few moments, he managed string words together more confidently. ¡°They¡¯re supposed to be wearing masks?¡±


    At this point, Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted to a more pleased one as Drake continued to talk. ¡°And dressed in all black pajama suits¡­¡± Her smile began to transition to her mouthing the words Drake were saying as if she was able to predict every word.


    ¡°Well I wouldn¡¯t be an effective Ninja if I go around in broad daylight in ninja garb, now would I?¡± She brought her hand up to cup her chin with her middle finger and thumb, leaving her index finger touching her cheek. She did her best to keep a practiced expression to hide the fact that she had been insulted by the exchanged.


    In truth, the reason Sylvia had been insulted was that, for the early part of her training, she had been forced to wear the ninja garb. Even for training missions where the outfit would have been a liability. It was a lesson that had been ingrained in her mind by embarrassment. Now she is free to wear whatever she felt like. Though she understood that there is a time and place for the ninja garb, part of her had grown to detest the iconic outfit.


    There was a long silence in the room. Drake was at a lost for words as he was unsure as to how to respond while still under Sylvia¡¯s gaze.


    Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s chortle broke the silence. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to see that you¡¯ve taken after your mother, Sylvia. I admit I was concerned that your father¡¯s brashness would rub off on you.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s practiced expression faltered as she returned her focus to her host. ¡°Well...yes, mother was very involved in my upbringing.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± A smile began to form on the Lady¡¯s lips. ¡°Does your father still insist that I cheated him in that contest of ours?¡±


    The young ninja¡¯s eyes widen in surprise with the realization that the drinking contest had, in fact, occurred. ¡°I..i um¡­¡± It was now Sylvia¡¯s turn to stumble with her words.


    ¡°Just between us ladies, having a stomach full of bread can greatly assist in slowing the effect of alcohol.¡± She added a wink as she finished. ¡°Don¡¯t tell your father.¡±


    Sylvia simply nodded, still unsure of the image of the refine woman sitting before her.


    Mrs. Friedrich turned her attention to another guest.¡±Damien, how is your family?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doing great, Ma¡¯am,¡± Damien spoke in a polite and meek tone. ¡°They send their gratitude for your contribution in reviving the Pokemon tower.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to thank me, child.¡± She raised her hand as if to silence him. ¡°I was merely acting to restore and preserve a vital part of Kanto¡¯s culture.¡±


    Damien¡¯s eyes lit up with pride upon hearing the lady¡¯s words. ¡°In any case, I would still like to repay the kindness if I am able.¡±


    The Lady seemed pleased with the response. ¡°Good to hear. You may yet have your opportunity.¡± Her eyes shifted slightly as if noticing something to the right of Damien¡¯s head.


    The young boy caught the shift in the lady¡¯s focus. He sight shifted to his peripheral to spy at the candle ghost Pokemon that floated by his head. Damien was startled, having previously believed that Aden had cloaked himself from everyone save for his master. Even Aden seemed to have caught off guard, having sensed Damien¡¯s distress.


    However the moment passed and Mrs. Friedrich quickly turned away to the remaining guests, leaving the boy and his ghost left to wonder if she could truly see the latter of the pair. ¡°I trust the flight from Sinnoh was comfortable?¡±


    Both Autumn and Liam nodded their heads. ¡°It was an awesome flight!¡± The Sinnoh girl spoke up. ¡°I had never flown first class before!¡± She had never actually been on a plane before either.


    ¡°Agreed. It was a very enjoyable flight.¡± Liam chimed in.


    Mrs. Friedrich smiled. ¡°Very good to know that money was well spent to provide a comfortable trip for you two.¡± She then looked to the remaining boy on the couch. ¡°Mr. Daggeri.¡± Her face shifted to a somber expression. ¡°I am sorry to hear about your parents.¡±


    Drake was silent for a moment as thoughts of his parents rushed through his mind. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I apologize.¡± Mrs. Friedrich picked up on the boy¡¯s feelings. ¡°I did not mean to reopen any wounds.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He managed to resume control of his voice. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Did you know them?¡±


    The lady only gave a single nod. ¡°I knew them well. It pained me when news of their accident reached me.¡± Drake was silent again. ¡°But shall we continue onwards?¡± Her tone became more uplifting as her focused was returned to the group as a whole. ¡°I am sure you are all wondering why I have invited all of you here today.¡±


    Each of the youths straightened their postures as their curiosities peaked. Mrs. Friedrich took a pause, which must have been practiced to build dramatic tension because it was certainly working. With graceful movements, she reached for the covered platter on the table before them and moved the lid aside. Underneath were a set of five devices, jet black with a gold engraved rose on the front cover.


    ¡°These are Pokedexes.¡± The lady leaned comfortably back into her seat. ¡°Their design is exclusively unique. Only three others currently exist.¡± She reached into her pocket and produced a device identical to the ones on the platter. ¡°I have one and the other two are in the possession of my daughter and granddaughter respectively. Please accept these. They will be required on your journey as trainers.¡±


    The youths sat staring at the Pokedexes, some confused.


    ¡°Allow me to explain. I invited you all here with the intention of sponsoring all of you in the Pokemon league.¡± Mrs. Friedrich slid her Pokedex back into her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve made all the necessary preparations. You need only accept.¡±


    Damien was the first to break out of his surprised silence. ¡°But, why would you sponsor us?¡±


    ¡°Why indeed?¡± Mrs. Friedrich was confident in her mature tone as she spoke. ¡°The newly restored league is still young. It needs good trainers to partake if this restoration is to succeed. I wish to do my part in helping other than just throwing my wealth around and I am willing to take the risk of sponsoring you kids.¡±


    Sylvia was the next one to speak up. ¡°I am honored but forgive me for asking. How would you benefit from sponsoring us? I don¡¯t wish to sound ungrateful but this generosity must come with a price. ¡±


    Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Observant, Sylvia. True there is another reason I invited you all here. There is a rare egg that I need to be transported to Pewter City. It absolutely must get there before it hatches. Fortunately, the egg is about three weeks away from hatching, so you all have plenty of time go sightseeing and catch Pokemon along the way.¡±


    ¡°You want us to deliver an egg and in return, you¡¯ll sponsor us?¡± Liam gave the lady a quizzical look. ¡°Why not hire someone more professional to deliver the egg? Why us?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mrs. Friedrich began with a sigh. ¡°Truth be told, my granddaughter has taken quite the shine to the egg. She would never forgive me for being so...impersonal with handling the matter. And as for why I choose you over one of my employees to see this matter through? I wish to give you a chance. I believe each of you have what it takes to become excellent trainers, though you might need a bit of a push in the right direction. Consider this my push.¡± She added a giggle as she finished.


    The group of youth didn¡¯t waste much time thinking about the choice as each quickly reached out and took up their Pokedexes.


    ¡°I will be honored to accept this task.¡± Sylvia bowed low towards her sponsor.


    ¡°We¡¯ll certainly try to meet your expectations,¡± Liam added while the other followed up with similar sentiments.


    ¡°Good. Very good.¡± Mrs. Friedrich nodded approvingly before a gentle knock came from the door. ¡°Enter!¡± The door opened with the Sebastian holding a tray with the beverages that had been previously ordered.


    Sebastian moves effortlessly across the room placing the drinks before their intended recipients. Once the drinks have been distributed, the gentleman takes a position behind the lady and her seat. ¡°Is there anything else you require ma''am?¡±


    ¡°No, not at the moment. I was just finishing up business here. Which reminds me, your Pokedexes will double as your IDs and Passports for travel. As part of the sponsorship, your passports will permit free travel passage on any SS Cruise line and Skyla Airlines. You may travel as you please, once this task is settled.¡± As she finished speaking, the back of her seat started to move. At First, it was subtle but then the whole back piece moved altogether as giant paws stretched out onto the ground and the fur shook and settled into a form that took all the youths by complete shook.


    Not believing her eyes, Autumn popped open her new Pokedex and pointed it at the large brown creature that had previously been mistaken for furniture. The Pokedex dinged before a digital voice began to read out the Pokemon''s name description, but still, none of the youths could believe what they were seeing.


    The Eevee was massive in size, closer to the size of a full grown Arcanine at roughly five feet in height than that of a typical tiny Eevee.


    ¡°Oh right.¡± Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s voice broke the enchantment the giant Eevee held over the youths. ¡°How could I have forgotten? As with tradition in sponsorships, the sponsor usually gifts a Pokemon to the new trainer before they start their journey. Normally these Pokemon are considered ¡®starters¡¯ but seeing how each of you already have your own Pokemon that wouldn¡¯t be the case for you all. Still, those Eevees downstairs are eager to accompany each of you on your travels. You¡¯ll find that each of them has already been preselected for you.¡± She placed her hand on the giant Eevee¡¯s head, sinking it into a layer of fluff before stroking the massive mane.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Autumn blurted out loudly, startling Amelia enough to nearly fall off of Sylvia¡¯s lap. Everyone in the room gave the girl a quizzical look, causing her cheeks to flush red when she realized how loud her outburst was. ¡°Um¡­¡± She coughed nervously as she corrected her volume. ¡°What I mean noticed that one of the Eevee¡¯s name tags had the name ¡®Mr. Daggeri¡¯¡± She then pointed over to Drake. ¡°And when she called you by that name earlier, I started putting two and two together.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­what do you know¡­¡± Drake seemed pleasantly surprised. ¡°And by the way, the name¡¯s Drake. Don¡¯t go around callin me ¡®Mr. Daggeri.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Wow. A sponsorship and a free Eevee for each of us?¡± Damien sounded overwhelmed. ¡°Your generosity might be a little too much for us.¡±


    ¡°Come now. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re all overacting a bit.¡± A cold voice entered the room from the doorway. Everyone turned their heads to spot the source of the voice and was first greeted by the sight of an Eevee stepping into the room. This Eevee was different from all the ones that had been seen before. While it was about the average size of its species, its fur had an odd coloration. The brown of its fur was a silver that seemed to glisten as the light moved across its body. Moments following the Eevee¡¯s entrance, a girl appeared in the doorway. She moved with a practiced grace that must have become second nature to her after years. She held a large cylinder  close to her chest with both arms.¡°You don¡¯t have to act amazed every time a rich person give you a gift.¡±


    With a flick of her wrist, the girl pushes her golden blond bangs away from her blue eye as she scans the room. She examines each of the new trainers as if looking for something specific. ¡°So, are these the trainers you were telling me about, Grandmother? They Don¡¯t look like much¡­¡±

 Chapter 3: Eggs

    The blond girl continued to stare at the trainers past the point where some began to avert their gaze from her to avoid awkward eye contact. Autumn and Sylvia, however, continued to examine the girl¡¯s appearance. Her hair was long and curly. It is surprisingly well groomed for its length, considering her hair reached down to her thigh. It would have likely touched the ground if it was straightened. From what Autumn and Sylvia were able to see, the girl¡¯s skin was very fair, almost pale.


    Sylvia drew the conclusion that the girl must spend most of her time indoors, or the very least away from the sun. She then proceeded to examine the girl¡¯s face, noting a delicate porcelain-like quality. The ninja girl found herself staring more intently than she should have, for when she began to look into the girl¡¯s eye she quickly turned her head away and faced Mrs. Friedrich.


    ¡°Emma?¡± Mrs. Friedrich seemed to be surprised by the girl¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    Emma took another glance at the group of new trainers, although she seemed to refuse to actually face them and only looked from the corner of her eyes. ¡°These trainers don¡¯t look like much.¡± She clutched the cylinder closer to herself, as if afraid that an unseen hand would take it from her. ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re up to the task?¡±


    ¡°Emma¡­¡± Mrs. Friedrich sighed with a hint of frustration in her face. It would seem that this wouldn¡¯t be the first time this conversation was had. ¡°I have every bit of confidence that they will see this task through.¡± Emma didn¡¯t seem to be swayed by the elder¡¯s words.


    ¡°Hey girl!¡± Drake¡¯s voice erupted from the couch as he sprang to his feet and pointed a confident finger towards Emma. ¡°It¡¯s rude for you to be talking down to us like that! Don¡¯t you underestimate us! Just who are you, anyway?¡±


    The outburst had come to a surprise for everyone, especially to the young trainers. Although they shared Drake¡¯s opinions, none would have voiced it in such a boisterous manner. The seated trainers shifted awkwardly in their seats, not entirely sure how to react in the wake of Drake¡¯s actions. Damien would avert his gaze from the situation in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. Sylvia would also look away for a moment before her eyes found her way back towards Emma, curious about the girl¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know anything do you?¡± Emma stared down her nose at Drake. Her voice gave away her impatience but still carried a tone of superiority.


    Drake opened his mouth and was likely about to retaliate with another unrestrained comment when Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s voice cut him off.


    ¡°That will be enough!¡± The older lady stood and made her way over to Emma until they stood side by side. ¡°May I introduce my Granddaughter, Emma Friedrich.¡± The family resemblance became more obvious once they stood next to each other. Emma had clearly been a product of good lineage and wealthy society. ¡°And Emma shall I introduce each of our guests-¡±


    ¡°I already know who they all are.¡± Emma coldly interrupted her grandmother. ¡°Unlike some people, I made an effort to know something about the people who would be here.¡±


    The verbal jab was meant for Drake, and it struck him as evidenced by how he tensed his stance. However, jab also stuck another target, perhaps unintentionally, but still stung. Sylvia mentally cursed and bit her lower lip. The young ninja was embarrassed that she hadn¡¯t done more to learn about this meeting.


    ¡°Emma,¡± Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s voice snapped both Drake and Sylvia out of their thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m sure you had another reason for coming here, other than to trade barbs with our guests.¡±


    Emma glanced over at her grandmother. ¡°I wanted to tell you that the other guests are beginning to arrive.¡±


    The Senior Friedrich gave the younger a quizzical look. ¡°You could have had Sebastian announce this.¡±


    ¡°He was busy.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ In any case, I mustn¡¯t keep our guests waiting.¡± Mrs. Friedrich looked down at the cylinder clutched in her granddaughter''s arms. ¡°You need to trust them, Emma.¡± She said in a low voice, barely above a whisper.


    ¡°I trust you gran gran,¡± Emma replied in an equally low voice before she was gently patted on the head by her grandmother.


    ¡°Then trust in my decision.¡±Mrs.Friedrich offered a warm smile to her granddaughter before turning back towards the group of trainers. ¡°As some of you may have gathered, this is the egg I would like for you to deliver.¡± She placed her hand on Emma¡¯s shoulder which prompted the younger Friedrich to loosen her arms around the cylinder enough for the group of trainers to have a clear view of what was inside.


    An egg was housed in the Cylinder container. It looked like was supported by a device of some sort which kept the egg upright. The egg itself was a solid light pink color, almost appeared completely white from the distance between the trainers and Emma. Some of the trainers tried to discern what kind of egg it was but unfortunately, none of them had the knowledge required.


    ¡°Now as I said, I must tend to my other guests.¡± Mrs.Friedrich continued. ¡°Please feel free to make yourselves at home whilst you are here. Perhaps you should try some sightseeing while you¡¯re in Celadon?¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea,¡± Damien commented as he pried his eyes away from the egg.


    ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind exploring the city for a while,¡± Sylvia added, although her eyes didn¡¯t seem to stray from egg or Emma.


    ¡°Well, I am less interested in sightseeing.¡± Liam stood up from his seat. ¡°But couldn¡¯t hurt to look for some trainers to battle, now that we¡¯re official trainers.¡±


    A smile spread across Mrs. Friedrich¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± There was a joyful pride in her voice. ¡°Now don¡¯t forget your pokedexes and your eevees. I¡¯ll let you spend the rest of the day as you see fit. Just be back before dark if you¡¯re heading out.¡± She gave each of the young trainers a stern look before she turned sharply towards the door and exited the room. The giant mass of brown fur that was her Eevee followed after her, leaving the room with only Emma and the new trainers.


    There was a nervous tension in the room as Emma¡¯s examined each of the trainers. She didn¡¯t seem like she was willing to talk to them but she was clearly waiting for something by the way she watched them.


    ¡°So!¡± The silence was finally broken by Autumn who sprung to her feet with her petilil. Both had been aching to stand even though the couch was comfy. ¡°I suppose if we¡¯re to deliver that egg, then we can take it off your hands now.¡± She started to motion towards Emma but the girl had taken a step back away.


    Everyone in the group looked at each other, startled and confused at Emma¡¯s behavior. ¡°Mrs. Friedrich did say her granddaughter had grown fond of the egg,¡± Damien whispered to the group.


    ¡°Right¡­ it may take some convincing to get her to lease it into our care.¡± Sylvia replied in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about me like I''m not standing here!¡± Emma yelled at the group, which caused the whispering pair to wince from embarrassment.


    ¡°Apologies, Emma.¡± Sylvia offered a deep apologetic bow. When she raised her head, she found Emma giving her a cold stare that sent a chill down her spine.


    ¡°Guys I think we might be overwhelming her a bit,¡± Autumn stated as she half turned to the group. ¡°Why don''t the rest of you guys go on ahead and I¡¯ll stay to have a one on one chat?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a good idea.¡± Damien nodded with approval.


    ¡°No arguments here.¡± Liam shrugged knowing he likely lacked diplomatic skills needed to handle the situation. So he wasn''t even going to try.


    Sylvia was more hesitant on agreeing. She would have preferred to be the one to stay and talk to Emma. The young ninja felt she should start personally handling matters rather than relying on someone else to take care of it for her. But there was something else. She wanted to try to stay behind and apologize to Emma, although she wasn''t quite sure why. Was it because Emma was the granddaughter of a family friend and she wanted to try and maintain good relations? It was the only conclusion that made sense to her at that moment.


    ¡°Actually I..¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Drake interrupted Sylvia just as she began to voice her opinion.


    ¡°I don''t think that''s necessary,¡± Autumn protested. ¡°I don''t want to overwhelm her.¡±


    ¡°Two people shouldn¡¯t be too much.¡± Drake waved away Autumn¡¯s concern. ¡°You might need someone to back up your argument. Besides, there''s a few things I¡¯d like to discuss with her.¡±


    ¡°There you go again,¡± Emma sighed impatiently. ¡°Talking about me like I''m not here¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sweetie. We¡¯ll get to the point now.¡± Drake spoke with what could be described as self-absorbed confidence. So much so that he failed to realize Emma¡¯s cold stare was on him while Sylvia was staring daggers at the back of the boy¡¯s head.


    Picking on the tension quickly building in the room, Liam begins his exit after he grabbed his Pokedex off the platter. ¡°I believe that¡¯s our cue to leave.¡± He paused at the door to look back at Damien and Sylvia, waiting for them to join him. Damien was quick to follow suit, making sure to take his Pokedex as he moved to join Liam, pausing only briefly before crossing Emma.


    ¡°It.. was a pleasure to meet you.¡± The young boy had been sincere with his words, though he had to admit that the young Friedrich made him nervous with just her presence.


    Sylvia hesitated for a moment, still wanting to stay behind, but ultimately gave a defeated sigh as she reached for her Pokedex. She silently crossed the room with her vulpix trotting alongside her. Like Damien, she paused before she crossed Emma, but offered no words. Only a deep bow from her waist before she turned on her heels and exited.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet up with you guys later,¡± Autumn called out the departing members of the group.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Liam tossed a thumbs up at Autumn and Drake¡¯s direction before turning and leading the other two back through the hallways they originally took when they arrived. The three trainers walked in silence for a good distance until they were sure they were out of earshot. ¡°Do you think those two can get the egg away from her?¡± Liam figured he¡¯d try to start a conversation with the other two.


    Sylvia shrugged. ¡°Mr.Daggeri wouldn¡¯t be my first choice to have speak on our behalf.¡± She made some effort to keep an annoyed expression off her face, though the tone of her voice was a different matter. The other two seemed to agree with her, simply nodding their heads. ¡°That other girl though. She seems capable and respectable enough.¡±


    ¡°Ah yeah.¡± Liam agreed. ¡°I believe her name was Autumn. I spoke to her briefly while we waited for the bus at the airport. She seems nice, I guess.¡±


    ¡°H-hey, Sylvia was it?¡± Damien spoke up.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Sylvia looked over to the shy boy. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my name. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Was it true what you said back there?¡± Damien almost felt very foolish having to ask. ¡°Are you really a Ninja?¡± He chuckled nervously realizing he didn¡¯t think he ever had to ask someone that question in a serious context.


    ¡°I admit, I am also quite curious about that,¡± Liam added. Suddenly Damien didn¡¯t feel quite as foolish for asking.


    ¡°Oh, that.¡± A proud smile began to form on Sylvia¡¯s lips. ¡°I was being quite honest when I said that I was a ninja.¡±


    Both boys gave Sylvia¡¯s appearance a look over. ¡°I would have thought a ninja would be more secretive with her identity? Or is that not how it actually works?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it''s complicated. I mean, take Janine for example. Pretty much everyone in Kanto knows that she and her father are ninja but it¡¯s not a big deal since Janine is kinda in the spotlight, with her position in the Elite Four.¡± Sylvia explained. ¡°As for why I didn¡¯t bother to keep it a secret here? Mrs. Friedrich is clearly aware of my family. I figured that I could trust her and her other guests if you guys were also personally invited by her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Makes sense, I suppose.¡± Liam was satisfied with the explanation.


    ¡°So cool to have a ninja traveling with us.¡± Damien seemed a little confident for the mission ahead of them.


    ¡°So do you have any special ninja gadgets?¡± Liam inquired as he pulled a Pokeball from his bag and continued to fiddle with it like he was on the bus ride. ¡°I would be really interested in learning how they actually work if you don¡¯t mind me taking a look.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­¡± Sylvia hesitated with her response. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t actually use any gadgets. My clan still prefers to use traditional methods. And I wouldn¡¯t too excited just yet about having me along.¡± She turned her face away from the boys to hide her embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m kind of ashamed to admit that I have very little experience with the actual world. There¡¯s a lot of training I still need to complete.¡±


    ¡°Hey, no worries.¡± Damien continued to speak with the same confident tone. ¡°I think all of us are in need of experience. I mean isn¡¯t that the point of going on a pokemon journey?¡¯


    Sylvia looked back over to Damien with a small smile forming. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± At this moment the trio finds their way back to the foyer. The Eevees from before were still there. A few appeared to have stopped playing and were trying to rest while most were still pretty active. As the trio descended the stairs, Sylvia spoke with an inquisitive brow raised to Damien. ¡°So what about yourself? From the sounds of it, your family has ties to the Pokemon Tower in Lavender town?¡±


    ¡°Pokemon Tower? What¡¯s that? It sounds like an attraction.¡± Liam asked, unsure of the local spots in Kanto.


    ¡°It kinda was for a while, unintentionally,¡±  Damien answered Liam¡¯s question with a sigh. ¡°The Pokemon Tower is a sacred place here in Kanto. People from all over the region would bury their deceased pokemon there and it was a place meant for trainers to pay their respects to the departed. My family is the caretakers of the tower, so to speak...¡± The boy grew silent for a moment when they reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°But then, years ago, people converted the tower to a radio tower. Their reasoning was to ¡®modernize¡¯ the region.¡±


    ¡°Tch!¡± There was an audible sound of disgust that came from Sylvia. ¡°Modernization doesn¡¯t have to come with blatant disrespect.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Damien replied. ¡°But thankfully Mrs. Friedrich was kind enough to purchase to the tower and allow us to convert it back.¡±


    ¡°So I hear that the caretakers of the Pokemon Tower usually have special abilities.¡± Sylvia continued to step forward, looking for the Eevee with her name. She spoke in a tone that seemed to infer that she was leading Damien somewhere. In truth she wanted to follow up on the hunch she felt when she observed Damien while on the bus. Now knowing that his family is connected to the Pokemon Tower.


    ¡°I see¡­ so maybe Aden wasn¡¯t so paranoid then.¡± Damien paused and looked at Sylvia.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Aden?¡± Sylvia turned and looked up from a sleeping Eevee to face the boy.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Aden said he saw you watching me back on the bus but I thought he was just being overly cautious.¡± He then looked over to an empty space of air beside him. ¡°Well, I suppose you can show yourself now.¡±


    In the following moments, the empty air began to shimmer as a candle started to manifest itself. The little candle had a blue flame on top of its head. Along its body, it had a face that was looking between each of the trainers. ¡°Lit?¡±


    ¡°This is Aden,¡± Damien took the candle pokemon into his hand. ¡°He¡¯s my best friend,¡± He then petted the candle with his index finger. It clearly appreciated the affection. ¡°But you are right.  My family does share a special ability.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sylvia waited patiently for more information.


    ¡°But I think it can wait until later for a better demonstration.¡± The boy shrugged and looked around the room for his Eevee. ¡°It''s difficult to explain in words and it does require a bit of effort to perform since I¡¯m fairly inexperienced.¡±


    Sylvia nodded knowingly. ¡°I understand.¡± She was slightly disappointed that she couldn¡¯t see the abilities just yet but still, she revealed in her joy that she was right about her hunch.


    ¡°Found my Eevee!¡± Liam popped up from the other side of the room. He held up the little brown fox in his hands. The pokemon wagged its tail happily as if it knew his new trainer had found him. The name tag on the collar read ¡°Watt.¡±


    Shortly after Damien and Sylvia found their respective Eevees baring their Surnames. Sylvia¡¯s was one of the ones that had stopped playing and was now resting comfortably in the corner of the room. Amelia trotted up to the sleeping Eevee and gently nudged it with her nose. The Eevee stirred from its sleep but remained calm, only lightly wagging its tail upon seeing Sylvia.


    Damien¡¯s, on the other hand, was one of the ones that was still playing with its siblings. It took the boy a couple of tries before he was able to pick up the Eevee since it was more interested in playing at that moment than meeting its new trainer.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with this blue dot on next my name on the tag?¡± Liam asked while he inspected the collar, apparently trying to get a look at the previously mentioned tracking devices.


    ¡°Huh. Mine has one as well.¡± Damien looked at his Eevee''s collar.


    This also prompted Sylvia to inspect her Eevee''s tag, out of curiosity. However, instead of a blue dot like she had expected to find, there was a pink dot. ¡°Strange. I have a pink dot.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it''s because you¡¯re a girl?¡± Liam shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it,¡± Damien spoke up. ¡°She appears to be the only one with a pink dot. If it¡¯s because Sylvia¡¯s a girl then there should be another one for Autumn right?¡± This got the other two to glance around the room at the remaining unclaimed Eevees. Sure enough from what they were able to see, none of the other name tags had a pink dot.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s strange¡­¡± Sylvia raised her brow in confusion but before she could put more thought into the matter, the scraping sounds of the front gates opening faintly filled the air and alerted the trio towards the door.


    Moments later, the door was opened by one of the machoke butlers who held the door open for a man to enter. He walked in with a limp but had a cane which he shifted most of his weight to with each step. From what was visible from his exposed skin, from where his clothing cut off, most of his body was covered in scars. But despite all of that the man sported a sincere smile on his face as he passed through the threshold. Judging from his appearance, the trio concluded that he must have been in his mid to late fifties. After entering the foyer, the man runs his free hand through his greying hair and takes a look at the three trainers before him.


    <hr>


    Once the trio of trainers rounded the corner and are out of view, Autumn relaxes her shoulders a bit more. She was confident that with fewer people in the room Emma would have been more receptive to the idea of trusting her with the egg. Although she still wished that Drake had left with the others. She still believed the task would have been easier to handle in a one on one conversation and she didn¡¯t like the vibe she was getting from the boy. He seemed ready to start an argument but she ignored that feeling for now and gave Emma her full attention.


    Emma seemed to have relaxed a little as well when the others departed, though she still held the cylinder tightly. Her eyes were fixed on the two trainers, judging them.


    ¡°Just hand over the egg.¡± Drake bluntly said. This caused both Emma and Autumn to tense up. ¡°Your gran hired us to deliver the egg and we can''t do that unless you hand it over.¡±


    He sounds like he''s trying to mug her, Autumn thought. ¡°As crudely as he''s putting it, he does have a point.¡± She hoped that the situation could be salvaged.


    ¡°I am well aware that Gran gran hired you to deliver the egg.¡± Emma¡¯s tone had become firm and defensive.


    ¡°Then what gives?¡± Drake¡¯s raised his voice, causing Autumn to resist the urge to slap the boy. He then crossed his arms. ¡°We can¡¯t do the job if you don¡¯t let us!¡±


    ¡°Gran gran may believe you¡¯re up to the job but I still have my doubts!¡± Emma raised her voice to match Drake¡¯s. The difference being that her¡¯s carried more of an authoritative tone. It was enough to send a chill down the duo¡¯s spines. ¡°To be frank, all I¡¯ve seen is a bunch of idiots that have no idea what they¡¯re getting themselves into! Honestly, I have no idea what gran is thinking, trusting such an important task to a bunch of inexperienced saps!¡±


    Her words had hit home with the duo. Autumn reflected on what was said for a moment, letting them sink in. Her partner, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t going to let his wounded pride go without retaliation.


    ¡°Now listen here you spoiled rich girl!¡± He took a few steps towards the girl, unsure what he was going to do when he reached her. However, he didn¡¯t get the chance to find out. Autumn had placed a firm hand on his shoulder and managed to pull the boy back with some effort.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you!¡± Autumn glared at the boy. ¡°You¡¯re proving her point¡­¡± She then sighed and stepped between Drake and Emma. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ I can¡¯t really speak for the three others that left, but we are inexperienced. But, nevertheless, we¡¯ll certainly do everything that we can to see that egg safely delivered.¡±


    Emma seemed to have calmed a little but still, her arms held the cylinder tight. Autumn was beginning to believe getting her to part with the egg would be an impossible task.


    ¡°How about this then,¡± Autumn tried to put on her best smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with us then?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± A look of surprise overwhelmed Emma¡¯s face. She hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of joining the trainers on their mission.


    ¡°What?!¡± Drake was surprised as well by the suggestion, although he was far from pleased.


    ¡°I mean yeah. It makes perfect sense doesn¡¯t it?¡± Autumn looked to and fro between the two. ¡°If this job is as important as everyone is making it out to be, then we can use the extra help along the way. Also, Emma can keep an eye on the egg the along the way to make sure it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Kind of defeats the purpose of hiring you guys to deliver the egg if I¡¯m also coming along¡­¡± Emma mumbled under her breath.


    ¡°Then think about it this way then,¡± Autumn smiled brighter with an ever growing positive tone in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re the VIP carrying the egg and we¡¯re your hired escorts.¡±


    Drake mumbled something under his breath, but the other two didn¡¯t seem to hear it or they elected to ignore it.


    Emma was silent for a long moment. Her face showed signs that she was giving the idea a good amount of thought before she simply nodded. ¡°Very well. Your deal is acceptable. You and the others are to see me safely escorted to Pewter city, so that I may see to it this egg is safely delivered.¡± She spoke in a lighter tone now, although still possessing an air of superiority. ¡°I shall discuss this change of plans with Gran gran before dinner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for trusting us.¡± Autumn smiled sincerely as she and Emma began walking out of the room together.


    ¡°Great¡­ now we have to babysit the princess..¡± Drake continued to mumble as he lagged behind the two girls. ¡°Just make sure to change out of that Sunday dress. That¡¯s not an outfit for traveling!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that!¡± Emma sharply turns head to the boy just as she and Autumn had stepped out of the room. ¡°And whatever I¡¯ve got to wear is certainly going to be more fashionable and functional than those rags you call an outfit!¡± Just as she finished the doors to the room slammed shut by an unseen force right before Drake¡¯s face, nearly hitting his nose.


    ¡°Geeze¡­ She¡¯s just like my little sister¡­¡± Drake jumped back from the door that had come so close to breaking his nose. He would then stand and observe the door, wondering if there was a hidden mechanism that opened and closed the door.


    <hr>


    ¡°So you must be the babyfaces that Amelie decided to sponsor.¡± The man spoke with a gruff but his voice was oddly pleasing to the ear.


    Before Sylvia or the boys could answer the man, another figure appeared in the doorway behind him. The creature had bright red and orange scales with a flame lit on the tip of his tail. Its face sported a puckered beak, resembling that of a duckbill. Like the man, its appearance had clear signs of its age. Much of its scales were scared and it seemed to also walk with a bit of a limp, although that could be attributed to large pouch it had strapped to its torso.


    ¡°Ah, Pyrocast. Maybe we should have brought some of your brood along to help. Our old bones can¡¯t keep making trips like this without some help.¡± The older man turned towards the pokemon and helped it readjust the pouch.


    ¡°Mag,¡± was all the fire type replied with before it turned its attention to three young trainers.


    ¡°Oh of course. Where are my manners?¡± The old man turns his gaze back towards the trio. ¡°Name¡¯s Matt,¡± he pounded his chest twice with his free hand. ¡°Amelie and I go back a ways.¡± He then paused to examine each of the trainers, noting that the two boys were each holding an Eevee while Sylvia was kneeling next to her¡¯s. ¡°I see that she''s already gifted you the Eevees.¡±


    Unsure what to make of the old man the trio was hesitant at first to reply to him. ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± Damien was first to be bold enough to speak up. ¡°I¡¯m Damien Black.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of who you are.¡± Matt moved towards the trio. ¡°Amelie spoke highly of you lot when she asked me to help breed those Eevees.¡±


    Are we the only ones not informed about everything about this gathering? Sylvia internalized an annoyed grunt before a question surfaced to the forefront of her mind. ¡°Wait I thought Mrs. Friedrich breed these Eevees herself?¡± She then reached out her arms towards her Eevee, beckoning the small creature to come closer. The pokemon eagerly hopped into her arms and nuzzled its head into Sylvia''s cradling arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re not entirely mistaken. Those Eevees are bred from her stock,¡± A prideful grin stretched across his face. ¡°But she did ask for my assistance. She wanted this batch to have...a little something extra for you lot. And not to toot my own horn, but I am one of the most leading breeding experts in Kanto.¡± He then walks up to Sylvia and holds out an extended finger towards her Eevee, to which the small creature takes a moment to sniff it before nuzzling it affectionately.


    ¡°Ah, I see that you¡¯re the lucky one that gone the only female from the litter,¡± Matt commented as he pulled his hand away.


    So that¡¯s what the pink dot meant, the trio each had similar thoughts of realization.


    ¡°You said that these Eevees were bred to have something extra special about them?¡± Liam examined his own Eevee quizzically. ¡°What exactly does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Sorry kid, can¡¯t tell ya,¡± Matt replied with a chuckle. ¡°If you¡¯re a trainer worth your salt, you¡¯ll figure it out in your own time soon enough. And ¡®sides, I can¡¯t go around telling people my trade secrets. Got my reputation to think of.¡±


    Liam was disappointed by the lack of an answer to his question but he wasn¡¯t going to push it any further. Instead, it simply stroked his Eevee¡¯s fur and started to contemplate a name to give it all while still determined to piece together the secrets later.


    ¡°Magmar!¡± The fire type limped to Matt¡¯s side.


    ¡°Right, speaking of my reputation as a breeder.¡± Matt turned to acknowledge his fiery companion, lifting his cane and using it to point at the pouch strapped to the creature. ¡°Lately I¡¯ve been doing a bit of a service for new trainers. I call it the egg roulette.¡±


    ¡°Roulette?¡± Damien questioned. ¡°You mean like gambling?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Matt''s voice was still gruff but it sounded more reassuring. ¡°Gambling would imply that there''s a chance you¡¯d lose something. What I offer, you¡¯d only stand to gain.¡±


    ¡°Okay, how exactly does this service work?¡± Sylvia was becoming curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. You offer one of your pokemon for me to borrow for one night.¡± Matt then coughed as he added, ¡°For breeding purposes.¡± He seemed to get Sylvia and Damien to blush, despite the attempt at discretion. ¡°And in return, you will receive an egg my stock.¡±


    ¡°I take it from the fact that you call it a roulette that the egg is random then?¡± Liam asked plainly.


    ¡°Random enough,¡± Matt replied with a shrug. ¡°I do have a knack for pairing the right egg with the right trainer.¡± The proud grin appeared on his face again. ¡°So interested?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Liam spoke plainly. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve already gotten enough gifts for today and I don¡¯t think.¡±


    ¡°Very well, your choice kid.¡± Matt then looked over at Sylvia and Damien. ¡°How about you two?¡±


    ¡°Sounds interesting.¡± Sylvia nodded. ¡°I guess I can offer Amelia to you for the night.¡± She gestured to the vulpix resting by her feet.


    ¡°I can offer Aiden if that¡¯s alright,¡± Damien added while the ghostly candle revolved around his head. ¡°They¡¯re not going to get hurt are they?¡±


    ¡°Course not,¡± Matt breathed out a puff of air that was a single laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll take proper care of them but I don¡¯t need them right at this moment. I¡¯ll come around to collect them later tonight. But for now,¡± he shifted his weight and braced himself on his cane as he lowered himself to Damien¡¯s eye level. ¡°Let¡¯s have a good look at ya.¡±


    Matt stared deeply into Damien¡¯s eyes as if to study his very soul. The moment felt like an eternity to the young boy as he started to feel awkward having an older man stare silently into his face for so long.


    ¡°Right,¡± Matt finally spoke, breaking Damien out of the trance he wasn¡¯t even aware he was in. He then reached over into the pouch next to him and produced a single light brown egg. ¡°You,¡± He then held the egg before the boy. ¡°A kind-hearted boy would be a good parent for this cubone.¡± He handed the egg over to Damien, who had to take it with both hands to have a firm grasp.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Damien took a second to feel the weight of the egg. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°See that you do, boy.¡± Matt¡¯s gruff voice grew stern and with the change, in his tone, Damien felt another weight in his hands. The weight of responsibility for the life growing within the shell.


    The boy took a deep breath as he began to process what he had been given before he carefully placed the egg into his bag. While the boy was busy making room for the egg to sit safely, without the threat of one of his other items damaging it, Matt turned his gaze to Sylvia.


    ¡°Now for you princess.¡± Matt smiled at the girl before he repeated his strange ritual. When he finished his reading he let out a laugh. ¡°You are a very strong-willed child. Under your calm exterior lies a storm.¡± He reached into the pouch again and produced another egg. However, this egg seemed very different. The color of the egg was cloudy and appeared to have been moving like a cloud in the sky. ¡°I think a castform would be a perfect fit for you.¡± He grinned as he extended the egg to Sylvia.


    However, she did not reach out to accept it. She only looked at the egg, the expression on her face was one that wanted to pose a question and Matt saw it.


    ¡°Something wrong, Princess?¡± He pulled the egg back, seeing that it wasn¡¯t going to be accepted.


    Sylvia opened her mouth as if to speak but then closed it before she could get a word out. Her mind raced for the correct words for what she wanted to say. ¡°If¡­¡± she started speaking, hoping the words would fall into place as she went along. ¡°If I were to be bold, might I make a request for my Egg?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that defeat the point of the roulette?¡± Liam commented as he observed the ritual happening before him.


    ¡°The boy has a point.¡± Matt nodded. ¡°A request isn¡¯t much in the spirit of how this works.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand.¡± She then reached her hands out ready to accept the castform egg but Matt did not extend it again. Her eyes widen with the fear that she might have offended the elderly man with her request.


    ¡°However,¡± Matt placed the castform egg back into the pouch. ¡°If you were to make a request, what would it be?¡± He then raised a brow at the girl and awaited an answer.


    Sylvia was quiet, unsure of what was happening. ¡°My request..?¡± she managed to will up the nerve to answer. ¡°I was hoping for a seviper egg¡­ if you had one of course.¡±


    ¡°Seviper?¡± Matt echoed before smacking his lips a few times and scratching his chin as he looked over at his companion. ¡°That¡¯s a tall request princess.¡±


    ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want to-¡± Sylvia bows towards Matt apologetically but was cut off before she could finish.


    ¡°Now hold on. I didn¡¯t say no.¡± He then rose back to his full height with the assistance of the cane. ¡°It''s just not for me to decided.¡± He reached for his belt and pulled out a Pokeball. ¡°Let''s see what Jormungand has to say about this.¡± He dropped the ball to his side and with a bright flash, a large serpent manifested itself in the room. The creature as massive in size with his body and tail coiling around Matt and his Magmar and could have easily encircled the trio as well if it had a mind to.


    The seviper was old as well, like its trainer. The look of its scales told a story of past glory in battle with scars. It looked around the room with one good eye while the other had gone a milky white, likely having gone blind in that eye when it acquired the scar near it.


    ¡°Jormungand,¡± Matt spoke loudly to the serpent, gaining its attention. ¡°This little girl wants to know if she¡¯s worthy of one of your brood.¡±


    With that, the massive serpent turned its eye towards Sylvia. It hissed its forked tongue at the girl a few times and slithered closer to her for a good look all the while exerting an aura of intimidation on the girl. Sylvia could feel the serpent judging her worth as its gaze penetrated her like a spear. It was becoming harder for the girl to breath the longer the serpent stared at her.


    Finally, Jormungand pulled its massive head away from Sylvia. Its tail made its way around the group where it raised its razor tail, which had become serrated with age, and it gently patted the ninja girl on the head with the flat side of the blade.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be¡­¡± Matt¡¯s grin graced his face again. ¡°Jormungand likes you, Princess. And he doesn¡¯t like anyone ¡®sides me.¡± He then reached into the pouch again, digging a little deeper this time, before producing a purple egg. ¡°Here you go.¡± He handed the egg over.


    When the egg was placed in the palm of her hand Sylvia found herself able to breathe normally again as the weight of Jormungand¡¯s intimidating aura lifted from her. ¡°Domo arigato,¡± She bowed deeply towards the Serpent and its trainer. ¡°I am honored that you believe me worthy of this egg.¡±


    Jormungand hissed a forked tongue at Sylvia in response before retracting its tail.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s it for now,¡± Matt stretched his back, just now feeling the effects of having to bend down to eye level. ¡°Least until the others in your group show up. So what do you kids have planned?¡±


    Liam and Damien were both still in silent awe at what had just happened with the large serpent and Sylvia. It wasn¡¯t until Matt feigned a cough that the boys snapped out of it.


    ¡°O-oh,¡± Liam cleared his throat. ¡°We were planning to check out the city while we were here. Maybe check out the local battle scene?¡±


    ¡°Ah in that case then why don¡¯t you pay a visit to the battle hall?¡± The older man suggested with an ever-widening grin.