Capítulo 6: There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [6]
Lu Cheng specially searched for pictures of Vulpix. In this altered world, he was worried that Vulpix might have been drastically changed too. However, he had already made up his mind—no matter how Vulpix looked, he was definitely going to choose it as his starter Pokémon.
When he took the egg from his grandfather, his heart skipped a beat—this was a feeling he had never experienced before. The Pokémon egg he held in his hands was a living, breathing life form. It was moving inside the shell, seemingly trying to sense the warmth from his palms. Lu Cheng's heart melted instantly, and he held the egg in his arms throughout the entire ride in his dad's jeep.
Luckily, Vulpix's appearance hadn't changed too much in this world. It still resembled its original look, retaining most of its features—though its brown fur was stiffer, its teeth sharper, and its body leaner, giving it more realistic, fox-like traits.
Lu Cheng carefully placed the Pokémon egg on the soft cushion inside the incubator. The incubator was a specially designed machine made to hatch Pokémon eggs, using infrared light to maintain the correct temperature. There were both home and factory versions; the latter was larger and could hatch several eggs simultaneously. The one Lu Cheng had was a small home version, borrowed from his grandfather, just big enough for one egg at a time.
After setting the egg inside and powering it on, Lu Cheng felt like he had accomplished something important. Now, all he could do was wait for the egg to hatch. In the meantime, he needed to visit the local center to collect a Pokéball and order fire-type supplies and food online. Thinking about tomorrow's tasks, Lu Cheng felt overwhelmingly tired and turned off the lights to sleep early.
Tomorrow would be Lu Cheng's 18th birthday, the day he could finally obtain a Pokéball and officially become a Pokémon Trainer. His first Pokémon was quietly lying in the incubator, sleeping alongside him.
In the darkness, Lu Cheng's phone suddenly lit up, its faint glow mixing with the red light of the incubator.
"00:00"
Senior: Happy birthday.
Lu Cheng, fast asleep, was unaware of this.
---
The next morning, Lu Cheng woke to see a message on his phone.
Lu Cheng: Senior! I went to bed too early last night and missed your message!
Lu Cheng: Thanks so much, Senior! Haha, I can't believe you remembered my birthday!
Sunlight streamed into the room, illuminating a large, lace-covered princess bed. A drowsy girl with messy hair yawned, squinting at her phone. Seeing Lu Cheng's message, a faint smile appeared on her face.
Senior: No worries. Good luck with your entrance exams.
After replying, she glanced over at her Mawile, snoring peacefully with a snot bubble growing and shrinking with each breath. She couldn't help but smile wryly.
There was a knock at the door. "Miss, you need to practice Pokémon battles with Madam today," came the composed voice of a maid dressed in a black lace gown.
"I know. I'll be there in a minute," the girl replied calmly, her expression suddenly cooling. "And don't come into my room without permission next time."
"Madam was worried you wouldn't—"
"You can leave now."
"Understood."
After the maid left, the room grew quiet again. The girl sighed, gently picked up the Mawile, and said softly, "Marveil, we've got to work hard too."
---
Ten minutes later, the freshly groomed senior walked downstairs. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a tailored black short dress that was both practical and accentuated her figure. Clipped to a white thigh strap was a gleaming Luxury Ball.
"The car is ready, Miss," the maid informed her respectfully. The senior nodded silently.
A black stretch limousine drove out from the grand estate, heading towards the famous Jitian Gym in Jiang City.
Jitian Gym was a privately-owned gym that had risen to prominence over the past decade, surpassing many long-established national gyms and earning a license from the Pokémon Association. The gym was founded by a Chinese trainer from R Country, surnamed Kawashima. The current gym leader, however, was Kawashima's only daughter, Lin Yuan, who had taken her mother's surname.
Though Lin Yuan was a woman, her skills as a gym leader were exceptional. She ranked seventh in the Nation's Toughest Gyms list, which was based on the challenge level of the 34 gyms across the country. Her strength was undeniable.
Few people knew that Lin Yuan was the wife of Jiang City businessman Mu Chen, and together they had a daughter named Mu Mei Lin Yuan had always hoped her daughter would follow in her footsteps as a Pokémon trainer, but when it became clear Mu Mei wasn't interested in battling, she reluctantly allowed her to pursue a more traditional education. Still, Lin Yuan didn't slack in training her daughter. The Mawile by Mu Mei's side had top-notch potential and had been specially prepared for her.
---
Carrying her Luxury Ball, Mu Mei arrived at the gym hall. The sounds of an intense battle greeted her.
Someone was already challenging the gym!
Mu Mei's curiosity piqued. Jitian Gym was famous for its high difficulty, and anyone brave enough to challenge it had to be a powerful trainer. Watching such matches would be a valuable learning experience for a new trainer like her.
As she entered the battle hall, the sound of metal clashing echoed. On the battlefield, two Pokémon were locked in a fierce struggle. One was Lin Yuan's Bisharp, its blade-like arms glinting from careful maintenance. The other was a majestic Ninetales, though covered in wounds, its eyes still glowed with a blue light.
The two trainers stood on opposite platforms, staring each other down. Although Lin Yuan seemed to have the upper hand, her expression was serious. Her opponent was a burly man wearing a military vest.
The man laughed heartily, "Gym Leader Lin, your Bisharp's as sharp as ever! Just like in the old days."
His words implied Lin Yuan hadn't improved over the years. For a gym leader, this was a clear provocation.
Lin Yuan frowned but didn't respond. "Bisharp, use Stealth Rock!" she commanded.
With that order, jagged rocks appeared on the battlefield, making it nearly impossible to move without getting hurt. Though Bisharp wasn't known for its speed, the Stealth Rock would hamper Ninetales' mobility, giving Bisharp a chance to strike.
The man looked surprised, knowing that moving through the rocks would come at a cost.
"Ninetales, use Fire Spin!" he ordered.
Flames erupted from Ninetales, creating a fiery vortex that made it dangerous for Bisharp to approach. Lin Yuan had restricted Ninetales' movement, but the flames and its Flash Fire ability made a direct attack risky.
The battle reached a tense stalemate. But as the fire vortex began to fade, Lin Yuan shouted, "Bisharp, use Slash!"
Bisharp moved with startling speed, closing in on Ninetales in an instant—far faster than expected. It was using a "Surprise Attack" technique to strike when least expected.
But as Bisharp's blade came down, it sliced through nothing but an illusion.
The man had anticipated her move!
"Ninetales, Flamethrower!"
At such close range, Bisharp had no time to dodge. The Flamethrower hit it head-on, leaving Bisharp charred and unconscious on the battlefield.
---
T/N: Changed the senior's name from Mu Wen to Mu Mei. Simply because if you switched the first letters around... Mu Wen becomes Wu Men. Women.
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