"Char~!" came the cry of the Pokémon that had just hatched from the fiery red egg resting on Rosaria's lap.
The Pokémon's name was Charmander—a small, orange, lizard-like creature with bright blue eyes, a pale cream-colored belly, and a tiny flame flickering at the tip of its tail. It had short arms, three claws on each hand and foot, and a wide, friendly face full of innocent curiosity.
"Ouch!" Rosaria winced as the warmth of the flame on its tail brushed her hand.
It didn't burn—this flame, like its owner, was still new to the world. Its warmth was gentle, harmless. It had only startled her.
Her surprise soon turned to delight as she lifted Charmander up with sparkling eyes, hugging it tightly.
"So cute!" she exclaimed.
Charmander stared at her, its own eyes full of wonder.
"Char~!" it cried again, happily. The flame at the tip of its tail flared a little brighter—not hotter—glowing with excitement as it studied Rosaria's face.
Still too young to fully understand gestures, instead of hugging her back, it began playfully scratching at her arms. Rosaria laughed and welcomed the affectionate flurry of claws without flinching. A princess of the Krosia Family bested by a newborn's baby scratches? Never!
Not far from her, another cry rang out.
"Bulbasaur~!"
From Wentia's lap, a Pokémon hatched from a plant-like pale green egg. Just as its voice hinted, its name was Bulbasaur—a small, quadruped creature with blue-green, dappled skin, red eyes, pointed ears, and a thick green bulb on its back.
Wentia simply stared down at the newborn.
Bulbasaur stared back, its cry fading into silence.
The two locked eyes without a word or expression.
After a long moment, Wentia was the first to soften. A quiet smile tugged at her lips, and she reached out to gently rub the top of Bulbasaur's head, her movements tender despite the seasoned strength of a battle-hardened warrior.
Bulbasaur closed its eyes in contentment, leaning into her touch. In that quiet moment, they seemed to recognize something in each other—a shared calm, a kindred spirit.
Arthur watched the scene unfold, his eyes sharp with observation. So far, both Pokémon appeared healthy. More importantly, they showed no signs of adverse effects from the Harmonite. Their healthy behavior matched that of the three Pokémon he had previously hatched as if there's no different.
He would need to test the earlier version of Poké Ball on them eventually—but not today. Capturing them in a Poké Ball too soon, especially his own homemade design—untested and unapproved by the League of the Pokémon World—could put the newborns at risk.
Just then, Rosaria and Wentia turned toward him, almost in unison, their eyes filled with concern.
Guessing their thoughts, Arthur offered a reassuring smile, "So far, no problems. They seem perfectly healthy—but remember, they're still newborns. So, for at least the next week, keep a close eye on them."
Rosaria and Wentia both nodded at once before turning their attention back to admire their new partners.
After cautioning Rosaria and Wentia to wait at least a week before attempting to use a Poké Ball on them, Arthur gave permission for the others to approach.
The rest of the group gathered around with curiosity, but respected the moment—watching, not touching, as the two Pokémon adjusted to the world around them.
Smiling at the sight, Arthur turned to Reden, who had already shifted her focus from the newborns to staring intensely at her own Pokémon egg—almost as if she believed sheer willpower alone could make it hatch faster.
"You've prepared milk for them, right?" he asked.
His voice snapped her out of her focused trance. She blinked, then gave a quick nod. "Yes."
"Good. Get the milk ready—and make sure they've got somewhere warm to sleep. For about a week, they'll mostly just eat and rest," Arthur advised.
As if on cue, both Charmander and Bulbasaur started crying—soft, high-pitched wails that could only mean one thing: food.
Without missing a beat, Rosaria and Wentia reached into Reden's spatial bag and pulled out the milk bottles, gently beginning to feed their baby Pokémon.
Arthur watched curiously, wondering what kind of milk they were using. It looked like ordinary cow's milk—but given this magical world, it could just as easily have come from some kind of monster.
Whatever it was, neither Pokémon showed any resistance. They drank greedily, tiny eyes closing in bliss as if it were the best thing they'd ever tasted.
Rosaria looked like an overjoyed teenager holding a pet hamster for the first time, practically glowing with excitement. Wentia, on the other hand, had the calm, practiced demeanor of a mother who'd raised children before—gentle, patient, and attentive.
Once fed, both Pokémon yawned and curled up on the small, plush beds Reden had prepared. Within moments, they were fast asleep.
"I expected them to be cute, but this? This is next-level adorable!" Rosaria squealed, earning a jealous snort from Ponyta, who had been quietly watching from the side.
"Of course you're cute too, Ponyta!" Rosaria quickly added. That seemed good enough to satisfy the little fiery horse.
Wentia, meanwhile, was completely tuned out of the conversation. She'd crouched beside the sleeping Bulbasaur, eyes soft and alert, watching every subtle movement like a protective guardian. It was as if the world around her had gone silent—nothing else mattered.
"Wentia really loves that Pokémon, huh?" Rosaria said with a giggle, glancing down fondly at her own sleeping Charmander.
Arthur suddenly remembered something important—something he couldn't afford to forget. He turned to Rosaria with a serious expression. "I need to warn you about something first. Your Pokémon, Charmander, has a major weakness. The flame on its tail… it's not just for show. It's tied directly to its life force. If that flame goes out, Charmander will die."
His words hung heavy in the air.
To be honest, Arthur had agonized over this trait while designing the template for Charmander. He had debated with himself countless times whether to remove it entirely. In his eyes, it felt unnecessarily cruel for the entire evolutionary line to hinge on something so fragile. But in the end, he decided to keep it. That flame wasn't a design flaw—it was part of what made Charmander Charmander. It was central to its identity.
Besides, it wasn't as fragile as it sounded. If that flame could be extinguished so easily, Charmander would've never survived in the wild, let alone be considered one of the most recommended starter Pokémon.
"What?" Rosaria's eyes widened in shock. Even Wentia, who had been quiet and composed, trembled slightly, slowly turning to face Arthur.
He gave a small nod and repeated. "The flame reflects its life force. A strong, burning flame means a healthy Charmander."
"I see…" Rosaria murmured, her brows furrowing. A quiet determination settled over her expression. She silently vowed, No rain will ever touch that flame!When we return to Kross, I'll have Reden invent something to protect Charmander's flame at all times!
Then a cold voice spoke from just behind Arthur. "What about my Pokémon?"
A chill ran down his spine. Slowly, he turned to find Wentia staring at him—eyes intense, unwavering, as if she refused to leave without an answer.
Arthur smiled nervously, pausing for a moment before answering. "Your Pokémon is called Bulbasaur. It doesn't have a critical weakness like Charmander, but… it's similar to a plant. It needs regular sunlight. Be sure to let it soak in the sun often, especially while it's still growing."
Wentia studied him in silence for a few seconds longer, her piercing gaze gradually softening. Finally, she nodded. "Thank you."
Wanting to ease his own tension, Arthur offered a suggestion. "Why not scan your Pokémon with the Pokédex? It should give you more detailed information about your Pokémon"
He had only given them one Pokédex to share, and now he was down to a single one for himself. He'd need to craft more soon—every Pokémon Trainer should have one.
"Ah! That's right, I forgot!" Rosaria exclaimed, quickly pulling the Pokédex out of her spatial bag. She pointed it at both Charmander and Bulbasaur with eager excitement.
---
[Charmander]
[Types: Fire]
[Ability: Blaze]
[Level: 1]
[Charmander is easily the most mild-mannered and well-behaved of its evolution line. Its feelings and emotions can be read by the flame on the tip of its tail. The flame flares up in a fury when Charmander is angry, while it flickers and dims if it's sick or hurt. It is said that Charmander dies if its flame goes out. It is extremely loyal to its loved ones.]
[Base stats: -Redacted-]
[Moves: Growl, Scratch, Bite, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, empty-, -empty-]
---
[Bulbasaur]
[Types: Grass, Poison]
[Ability: Chrolophyll (Hidden Ability)]
[Level: 1]
[A Bulbasaur often rests in bright places so its bulb can absorb sunlight. It's usually seen napping in the sunlight. While it sleeps, the seed on its back absorbs energy, helping it grow. Bulbasaur is a shy creature, preferring the company of its own kind. In the wild, they are rare but are generally very docile and loyal to those they trust. For this reason, they are one of the Pokémon most commonly given to new trainers]
[Base stats: -Redacted-]
[Moves: Growl, Tackle, Ingrain, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, empty-, -empty-]
---
Oh, what luck... Arthur thought, surprised.
Both Charmander and Bulbasaur had obtained an egg move. That was incredibly rare.
Since it would be a while before Pokémon could normally breed, Arthur decided to introduce a chance for summoned Pokémon to inherit egg moves. However, he kept the probability low—just a 5% chance to randomly select an egg move from the egg movelist. If a Pokémon received an egg move, the process would roll again at the same 5% chance to see if they could learn another, continuing until no more egg moves were available for that Pokémon. However, the likelihood of getting multiple egg moves was extremely low—getting a second one, for example, would only have a 0.25% chance.
So, for both of them to already have an egg move was a stroke of luck. And on top of that, Bulbasaur had received a hidden ability, which also had a 5% chance. Wentia must have been incredibly lucky—or perhaps she was fated to have Bulbasaur as her partner.
He glanced over at Wentia, who, after reading the Pokédex, had turned her attention to the night sky. With a focused expression, she conjured a miniature 'sun', which hovered gently above the sleeping Bulbasaur. The warm light radiated over the Pokémon, offering it the sunlight it needed to thrive.
Magic is so convenient... Arthur thought with admiration. As he observed, both Bulbasaur and Charmander seemed more comfortable in their sleep, visibly more at ease. While Charmander couldn't absorb the 'sunlight' like Bulbasaur, it still seemed to enjoy being bathed in the warmth, content in its own way as a Fire-type Pokémon.
Are they not going to ask about 'Hidden Ability'? Arthur wondered, just as someone called out to him.
"Tomorrow, let's battle again!" Rosaria announced, her voice full of excitement. Ponyta also seemed eager for a rematch.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Are you really that free?"
Rosaria nodded eagerly. "I'll be staying here for a week!"
Is that really okay for royalty like her? Arthur thought, but he quickly shrugged it off. He'd love to stay close to observe these newly hatched Pokémon, so having her around for a week would actually be great for him.
"Well then, you might be disappointed," he said with a pitiful smile.
"Why?" Rosaria asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Arthur pointed toward Butterfree and Beedrill, who were both avoiding eye contact, clearly feeling guilty. "Well, just like your Ponyta, both of my Pokémon decided to leave me..." He exaggerated his tone to make it sound even more pitiful.
Rosaria's eyes shifted as she realized that Butterfree now belonged to Anna, who was sitting nearby with a stiff smile, and Beedrill had clearly transferred to Hector, who was scratching the back of his neck with an awkward look.
Rosaria frowned. "They're still your Pokémon, right? Can't you just borrow them for battle?"
Arthur shook his head, "Instead of me, why don't you try battling my mom or dad instead?" He grinned. "You're all new to Pokémon battles, so it would be much more fair and exciting!"
He was eager to see how they would command their Pokémon in a battle.
Hearing that, Rosaria's eyes immediately lit up as she began to imagine how she could claim an easy win against inexperience opponents!
Anna and Hector, however, were a bit confused. They had heard the word "battle," so they assumed it was something like sparring—though using only Pokémon for battle was a different matter entirely.
Lena, who could only quench her thirst for Pokémon battles by acting as a referee for now, excitedly began explaining the concept to their parents.
Meanwhile, Arthur continued his conversation with Rosaria. "So, what's the reaction to Ponyta?"
Rosaria understood what he was implying. She smiled, her gaze drifting joyfully toward the sleeping Charmander. "It caused quite a stir. No noble could resist the idea of having a fiery horse as a personal mount. Even my father, the King, showed interest. But mostly, he's just happy that I managed to tame such a rare creature."
Arthur waited for more details, but Rosaria fell silent.
With an arched eyebrow, he asked, "That's it?"
"Yes," she replied. "Ponyta is indeed rare, but to others, she's just a unique monster that's unusually friendly toward humans. Besides, the profession of Monster Tamer was popular for a time—until Summoners took over because of the high death rate from trying to tame wild aggressive monsters."
"So, you haven't said anything about Pokémon yet?"
"Nope! And honestly, I think it's better that way, don't you?"
"Hmm." Arthur nodded thoughtfully. Keeping things quiet for now had its advantages. It allowed him to work in peace, avoiding unnecessary attention, and gave him more time to create more Pokémon's templates, offering more options in the future. If the King ever asked for a Pokémon Egg, he would have to comply—and it would have to be a Pokémon worthy of royalty, at least to keep him in the King's favor.
If I give him a Rattata egg... I'd be executed for sure... He shuddered at the thought.
Giving another Ponyta was also an option, but that would overlap with Rosaria's. If he went down that path, he'd have to give a Ponyta to all the royals to avoid favoring anyone, or else it could easily lead to resentment—and potentially endanger his life.
Rosaria then added with a smile, "Also, I've already secured the research materials you requested. Reden!"
"Yes, Your Highness." Reden nodded and handed Arthur a spatial storage ring that contained the abundance of research materials he'd requested a week earlier.
"Thank you!" Arthur was ecstatic, eager to dive back into a sleepless night of research.
Reden, however, seemed upset at the mention of research materials, her eyes brimming with tears as she lamented, "What are those magic runes... How am I supposed to crack your magic circles, Arthur? I know I'm a genius researcher, and yet..."
Before Arthur could respond, his mom, Anna, exclaimed in surprise, "Another egg is hatching, the light brown one!"
Her words instantly grabbed Reden's attention. She completely forgot about the magic circles, excitedly pulling the cracking egg out of its incubator and holding it in her embrace, a crazed look in her eyes.
"Finally! Mine is about to hatch! It's definitely going to be cuter and more talented than both of yours!" Reden exclaimed, using magic to push her round glasses up as she sat down in a chair, her face filled with hopeful madness.
Wentia shot her a glare. How dare she say her Pokémon would be better than Her Highness the Princess's? But when she saw Rosaria just smile silently, Wentia turned her attention back to caring for her Bulbasaur, completely uninterested in what might hatch from Reden's light brown egg.
After a moment of holding their breath, the egg finally cracked open, light enveloping it before blinding their eyes.
As the light dimmed, a small, fox-like Pokémon appeared, its large brown eyes sparkling with energy. It had a fluffy cream-colored collar and a bushy tail tipped in white. Its fur was mostly brown, and its large, pointed ears stood out.
"Eevee~!" the Pokémon cried energetically, immediately nuzzling into Reden's warm embrace.
"So cute!" Reden's eyes turned heart-shaped as she pulled a brush from her spatial storage and began grooming Eevee's fur like a doting mother.
At that moment, the thought of dissecting or experimenting on this Pokémon vanished completely from her mind, replaced only by a protective instinct.
However, being both a mage and a researcher, she still couldn't resist her thirst for knowledge. Once Eevee seemed comfortable in her arms, she eagerly demanded a Pokédex to scan it, thrilled to learn more about her own Pokémon.
---
[Eevee]
[Types: Normal]
[Ability: Anticipation (Hidden Ability)]
[Level: 1]
[Eevee is generally known for being cautious yet friendly towards humans, often fleeing when it senses danger. Eevee are adaptive Pokémon with unstable genetic codes, which allows them to evolve into various forms. Their evolution can be triggered by several factors, including the environment, time of day, levels of friendship, or the use of elemental stones.]
[Base stats: -Redacted-]
[Moves: Covet, Growl, Helping Hand, Tackle, Tail Whip, Detect, Tickle, empty-, -empty-]
---
A hidden ability and two egg moves? What kind of insane luck is this? Arthur stared at both Eevee and Reden in disbelief.