Three weeks later, it was time for Rosaria to lead her one hundred trusted subjects into Rastor's Safari Zone, where they would choose their destined Pokémon eggs.
Hector's Scyther—a mantis-like Pokémon—had hatched two days earlier, becoming the first hatchling to emerge at an unusually large size. The unexpected development of its size piqued Arthur interest, prompting him to begin recording its growth data in detail.
It had been nothing short of a miraculous sight.
The moment Scyther cracked open its egg, it appeared small—but within minutes, its body expanded rapidly, growing into a nearly meter-tall mantis with an unnatural swiftness. Two days had passed since then, and its growth hadn't yet plateaued. According to the Pokédex, Scyther could grow up to 1.5 meters, but that was merely a standard benchmark. Arthur had never imposed any growth limitations on his Pokémon, so theoretically, it could reach as much as three meters in height—though how, he couldn't begin to guess.
Since Beedrill was his first Pokémon, Hector had always been fond of menacing ones like Scyther. It shared a similar vibe with Beedrill—cool, edgy, and intense—and the two Pokémon seemed to get along well.
As for evolution, Arthur wasn't in a rush. Although he needed more data on trade-based evolution, it wasn't urgent. He preferred to let Scyther mature naturally before even considering a forced evolution. Given how long its incubation took, its body was still stabilizing. Rushing to evolve Scyther before it could mature could lead to complications—or worse.
Also, his Misdreavus, known for its high base stats—totaling 435—was expected to hatch today, after a long gestation period of roughly three weeks.
Coincidentally, by his calculations, Lena's Lapras egg was also expected to hatch on the same day.
If possible, Arthur hoped they would hatch at night, as he'd be tied up most of the day managing activities inside the Safari Zone.
Fortunately, having shifted from personally handing out each egg to allowing participants to choose their own from within the Safari Zone, Arthur now had plenty of free time to focus on caring for Misdreavus' egg without constantly needing to watch over it.
At the moment, he was at the Pokémon Battle Dome, holding the trembling Misdreavus egg—clearly close to hatching—in his arms.
Across from him stood a female Trainer, also holding a trembling egg. His sister, Lena.
Even as the creator of these eggs, he still couldn't fathom how something as large as a Lapras could hatch from such a small shell—nearly identical in size to his Misdreavus egg.
However, after witnessing Scyther's rapid growth firsthand, he suspected he would likely see the same phenomenon unfold with Lapras.
For now, they were in the midst of a Pokémon battle.
"Pikachu! Thunder Wave!"
"Wartortle! Rapid Spin!"
Wartortle tucked in its vulnerable limbs, retreating into the safety of its shell as it began to spin forward at high speed.
Pikachu unleashed its Thunder Wave, sending a crackling wave of energy racing toward Wartortle. But the sturdy shell served as an effective barrier, deflecting the electric current and preventing it from reaching the vulnerable Pokémon within.
The paralysis effect was nullified, rendering the attack useless.
If Arthur had opted for a damaging move, Lena wouldn't have dared attempt this strategy.
But Arthur had anticipated Lena's Rapid Spin. Without hesitation, he shouted, "Pikachu! Rush in!"
"Pika!" Pikachu cried in agreement, charging forward toward the spinning, dark red shell.
Lena smirked to herself, knowing exactly what Arthur might be planning. Planning to use Spark, are you?
Both their Pikachu and Wartortle had reached level 20, but despite this, neither had shown more progress. It seemed as though they were stuck at this level, with no clear sign of moving forward anytime soon.
Progress couldn't be rushed, leaving them with little choice but to continue training and ensuring their Pokémon received plenty of good food.
Arthur knew that Lena had trained Wartortle with a focus on its Defense and Special Defense, embracing a slow but sturdy, turtle-like strategy. It made her Pokémon a tough nut to crack, but it also meant Arthur's Pokémon would suffer less damage from Lena's attacks.
Rain stall team... He winced at the thought. The mere possibility of Lena adopting a rain stall strategy in the future left him conflicted—he wasn't sure how he felt about it.
As Pikachu closed in—just a fraction of an inch from Wartortle—Arthur seized the moment. "Pikachu! Feint!"
"Wartortle! Protec—eh?"
Lena, caught off guard by Arthur's prediction, was too late to halt her command. Wartortle, fully trusting in her, ceased its spinning and emerged from its shell just in time to attempt Protect as soon as it heard the first syllable of its Trainer's command, "Pro-."
A shimmering, blue barrier materialized in front of Wartortle, its surface a mosaic of hexagonal shapes resembling a beehive. Pikachu, with its determined yellow forehead, charged straight toward it, its tiny body nearly crashing into the barrier.
But just as the Protect shield flickered with energy, Wartortle and Lena's expressions shifted to one of shock. Pikachu, surrounded by a faint aura of purple, seemed to slip right through the shimmering barrier.
With a swift movement, it slapped Wartortle square in the face.
The move Feint could bypass defenses like Protect and Detect, temporarily disabling any attempts to use them, allowing Pikachu to land a solid hit.
Wartortle, with its high Defense, didn't suffer much damage. While Feint couldn't induce confusion, the shock had left Wartortle temporarily disoriented. It had always believed the barrier created by Protect was invincible, but today, that belief had been shattered.
"Pikachu! Spark!"
"Oh no! Wartortle, Withdraw!"
In a state of shock and confusion, Wartortle was slow to respond to Lena's command. Before it could react, Pikachu had already seized its shoulder, its shadowed face almost devilish as deadly sparks crackled at the tips of its cheeks.
"Pika~ CHU~!"
Chzzzhhh!
Electricity erupted in a violent flash as Spark hit its mark, sending arcs of energy tearing through the battlefield with a deafening crackle.
"Grrnngh!" Wartortle cried out as the high-voltage surge coursed through its body, sparks dancing across its shell and limbs. Despite its defensive training, the direct hit and Spark's type advantage caused heavy damage.
"Wartortle!" Lena shouted, biting her lip. The earlier Feint had left a bigger mental dent than she expected—Wartortle was struggling to recalibrate its reaction to quickly follow her order and lessened the damage.
Smoke billowed from the point of impact, and Pikachu leapt back, panting lightly but still full of energy.
Arthur's gaze remained sharp, eyes fixed on Wartortle's condition like a hawk eyeing its prey.
He knew that, with all its defense-focused training, Lena's Wartortle wouldn't go down from just a single Spark.
But to his delight—and Lena's despair—Wartortle struggled to rise, its limbs trembling and its movements sluggish.
Lady Luck had smiled upon Pikachu, and the paralysis from Spark took effect.
Wartortle had been paralyzed!
"Pikachu! Electro Ball!" Not wasting the opportunity, Arthur pressed the attack relentlessly.
Seeing Pikachu begin gathering lightning energy between its small hands, shaping it into a crackling sphere above its head, Lena gritted her teeth. She knew defense wouldn't win this fight—not now.
Her only chance was to strike back.
"Wartortle! Water Pulse!"
"Pika!"
With a sharp cry, Pikachu spun to build momentum, then struck the Electro Ball with its tail, launching it forward like a cannon shot. The crackling orb blazed through the air, zeroing in on the trembling Wartortle—still coursing with electricity from its earlier paralysis.
Yet somehow, Wartortle pushed through the paralysis, drawing water energy into its mouth before firing off multiple concentric rings of pulsing water toward the incoming attack.
Electric-type moves were super effective against Water-types. And even with Water Pulse's layered rings, there was no way it could stop Electro Ball.
At least, that's what Arthur believed.
SKR-CHMMM!
"What?!" Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief.
The first ring of Water Pulse collided head-on with Electro Ball—and to his shock, it completely deflected the electric sphere. Sparks burst in all directions as the energy scattered violently upon impact.
"Pika?!" Pikachu, just as stunned, didn't have time to dodge the remaining rings of Water Pulse. The attack struck it full force, soaking it and knocking it back.
Its eyes slightly dazed, Pikachu struggled to regain its footing, legs wobbling under its soaked frame.
Lady Luck had shifted sides. Not only had Wartortle stopped Electro Ball, but the Water Pulse had also inflicted confusion on Pikachu!
"How...?" Arthur muttered instinctively, eyes still fixed on the battlefield as Lena flashed him a confident grin.
Lena, unwilling to answer just yet, seized the moment. "Wartortle! Water Gun!"
Wartortle wobbled slightly, its body still affected by paralysis, but it obeyed. Puffing up its cheeks, it fired a small yet forceful jet of pressurized water toward the disoriented Pikachu.
The stream was narrower and faster than Water Pulse, a straight shot aimed to catch Pikachu off guard.
"Pikachu, dodge—!"
Pikachu blinked, eyes spinning as it staggered from side to side, struggling to focus through the haze of confusion. But just in time, it shook off the disorientation and narrowly evaded the incoming blast.
"Tch..." Lena clicked her tongue, frustrated. She hadn't expected Pikachu to recover from confusion so quickly.
Deep down, she knew she had lost.
There was no fooling Arthur and his Pikachu a second time using the same trick. The element of surprise was gone.
Even so, she clung to hope—that the paralysis wouldn't completely cripple Wartortle's movement.
"Pikachu! Quick Attack—then follow up with Spark!"
"Wartortle! Keep firing Water Gun!"
Pikachu darted forward in a zigzag, its movement sharp and unpredictable. The streams of water shot toward it were easily dodged—some didn't even launch at all as Wartortle's body occasionally stiffened, frozen mid-command by paralysis.
Arthur had originally planned to use another Electro Ball, but after witnessing how Lena's Water Pulse completely deflected it, he changed tactics. Instead of risking another long-range counter, he chose the safer, close-quarters option: Spark.
In the end, a miracle didn't come for Lena.
Another point-blank Spark sent Wartortle's eyes spinning before it collapsed in defeat.
Lena pouted as she pulled out a bottle of Paralyze Heal—specially mass-produced by Arthur and gifted to her, just in case her Pokémon ended up paralyzed by his Pikachu. She helped Wartortle drink it, easing the lingering effects of paralysis, then brought out several Potions to tend to its other injuries.
Unfortunately, unlike in the games, these healing items couldn't take effect instantly. It would still take time for Wartortle to fully recover.
Arthur had once considered developing an instant-acting potion, but for now, that idea remained out of reach.
"Congrats, bro…" Lena said, her voice tinged with disappointment as she watched Arthur and his Pikachu approach.
I should've saved that trump card for the next battle… she sighed, inwardly regretting using her carefully planned strategy while Wartortle was paralyzed.
Still, even though the loss stung, Lena took solace in the fact that her painstaking training plan for Wartortle had worked as intended, which brought her a sense of satisfaction. It meant her Water-type team now had a reliable way to counter Electric-type Pokémon!
Pikachu stepped in front of Wartortle—its friend—and its ears drooped slightly, concern written all over its face.
Even though it took every battle seriously, Pikachu knew Wartortle didn't like being hit by its Electric-type moves.
"Pika…" If the sound could be translated, it would mean: Sorry…
Wartortle shook its head slowly. "Tor~" A gentle response: It was fun. Thanks.
"Pika~!" Pikachu's ears perked up instantly. It leapt forward, tackling Wartortle affectionately and nuzzling its friend with joy.
Smiling at the camaraderie between the two Pokémon, Arthur turned to Lena, who was also watching them with a soft expression. "Sis, what was that? How did you deflect my Pikachu's Electro Ball?"
In Arthur's experience, the only way a Water-type move could overpower an Electric-type move in a head-on clash was if there was a massive level difference. But both Pokémon were at level 20, and Wartortle had focused on defensive EV training—so what had happened?
"You wanna know, bro?" Lena teased, flashing him a cheeky grin that seemed to say, Come beg for it if you want the answer!
Arthur, not one to back down from a challenge, immediately ordered Pikachu to use Double Team, filling the air with afterimages. Each one 'attacked' Lena with a series of Play Nice moves.
Play Nice had long been forgotten by Pikachu, but since it had once learned the move, it could still mimic the gesture. Of course, the move lacked any real effect—it was all fluff.
"Ahaha! Stop!" Lena laughed, trying to catch the real Pikachu among the afterimages. She could only feel the fluffiness, but the speedy mouse eluded her entirely.
"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!" Lena pouted in surrender as she started petting the real Pikachu, who had stopped using Double Team and was now lounging contentedly in her lap, a playful smile on its face.
"Do you remember our first battle at the village square?" she asked, starting the story with a nostalgic question.
Arthur fell into deep thought for a moment, trying to recall something significant about the battle at the village square but couldn't quite place it.
He nodded slowly. "Yes, what about it?"
Lena smirked, clearly amused. "It seems you don't remember… Maybe you should drink a Memora Potion and try to recall a lesson you once taught me." She sighed, clearly teasing him.
Arthur narrowed his eyes, a playful but threatening edge to his voice. "Out with it, or I'll have Pikachu 'attack' you again!"
Lena laughed, giving in. "Fine! You once taught me that pure water doesn't conduct electricity very well."
Arthur froze, his mind racing as he finally pieced it together. He vaguely remembered explaining that concept using food to illustrate how pure water doesn't allow electricity to flow easily. But beyond that, the memory was hazy.
Suddenly, realization struck. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait… D-don't tell me you…" He stammered, his eyelid twitching as he tried to process what he had just thought of.
"Yep! Me and Wartortle went through some intense training to learn how to shoot pure water!" Lena said, puffing out her chest with pride—not only for herself but also for Arthur, who had taught her such a valuable lesson about the Water Element, and to some extent, the Lightning Element.
Then, with a slightly downcast expression, she added, "But... it drained a lot of stamina from Wartortle. Before it can create pure water as an attack, Wartortle has to concentrate, clearing all the food from the water's path to prevent the lightning from traveling through it..."
Arthur was left completely dumbfounded.
The only question left in his mind was simple: How the f*ck?
---
Arthur stood in front of his house, his mind in a swirl of conplicated thoughts. He couldn't shake the image of Lena's Wartortle unleashing that flawless rings of pure water.
Logically, it seemed plausible—if it trained hard enough, it should be able to do that.
Though it could block Electric-type moves, a Pokémon move was still a Pokémon move, and no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't completely neutralize his Pikachu's attack. As proven earlier, instead of being nullified, the Electro Ball exploded and scattered the moment it made contact with the first ring of Water Pulse.
But that's what made Water Pulse so effective—it fired multiple rings at once, making it harder to fully counter unless he ordered Pikachu to launch multiple Electro Balls at once, which would be too taxing on its body. Dodging was the better option.
After a moment of reflection, he sighed contentedly and smiled. Lena had come so far, evolving rapidly both as a Water-type Trainer and as a Water Elemental Mage.
In his arms, the Misdreavus egg remained nestled, waiting to hatch at any moment. But for now, his focus was on receiving Rosaria's group.
The sun hung high in the sky, nearing two o'clock in the afternoon. There was still plenty of time to distribute all one hundred eggs before dinner.
"Hey, Arthur!"
He lifted his gaze from the egg, spotting the familiar faces of Rosaria, Wentia, and Reden in the distance.
"Good afternoon, Rosaria, Wentia, and... uh... Reden..." Arthur's expression shifted to one of confusion as he looked at the eccentric researcher, who appeared to have lost all semblance of her usual energy.
Reden, her eyes welling up with tears, was holding a shaky Poké Ball in an outstretched hand. On her shoulder, her Eevee, mirroring its Trainer's somber expression, was also crying, its big eyes fixed on the sky.
"Uh... what happened?" Arthur couldn't help but ask, curiosity getting the better of him.
Rosaria blushed slightly and cleared her throat before responding, "Well... the newest Pokémon she got from you... ate her research paper—the one about your magic circle. She spent months writing it, hardly taking any breaks..."
"..." Arthur was left speechless, his gaze softening with sympathy.
If I remember correctly, she got a Slowpoke, right? Arthur pondered, recalling the dumb-looking face of the Pokémon that appeared in his mind.
Attempting to lighten the mood, he joked, "Some say eating books makes one wiser. Maybe this Pokémon will become a genius, just like its Trainer."
But Reden didn't seem to hear him, her mind seemingly elsewhere as she stared off, lost in her own world. Meanwhile, the culprit—Slowpoke—sat inside the Poké Ball in her hand, trembling slightly with downcast eyes that mirrored its Trainer's sorrow.
Even the usually lazy Slowpoke seemed to feel guilty for causing its Trainer so much distress.