The school parking lot at this hour was the usual end-of-week chaos: idling cars, gossiping parents leaning on open trunks, a few teachers waving goodbye to departing students, and the occasional Pokémon trotting about like they had important appointments of their own. The air was warm and fragrant with spring, petals falling lazily from a line of flowering trees planted by the PTA years ago in an attempt to make the school look less like a budget-constrained fortress.
Eva Lindenberg sat slouched in the driver's seat of a dented, pastel-yellow delivery van that was entirely too large for the job of picking up a handful of children. The top coat paint looked sun-bleached and was peeling at many irregular patterns, unveiling red primer underneath. She'd borrowed the van from her mother, who used it to haul thermoses of soup and lunch boxes to the hungry field workers out at the far edges of the Battle Ranch. Today, however, the van was being repurposed to carry a much rowdier, less disciplined cargo: schoolkids.
Jake had invited five of his classmates to spend the weekend at the Ranch—something he'd been talking about for weeks, ever since life had returned to something resembling normal. Eva thought it was a great idea. Mostly.
She leaned her head against the window, eyes half-lidded, watching a Meowth sneak into someone's open convertible and immediately curl up in the passenger seat. Its owner, still chatting on the phone, was none the wiser. A Psyduck waddled past with a backpack in its bill, likely stolen from a first-grader. Several Flabebes were playing around in the tall grass. The Friday energy was infectious. Even two Pokémon chilling on her passenger seat, her Venomoth and the small Charmander were looking quite enthusiastic.
But Eva's thoughts couldn't quite settle into the lightness of the afternoon.
Her mind wandered, uninvited, to the damp, echoing caverns of the poacher base. She could still hear the unholy shriek of Spiritomb, and the dark and twisted hum of the portal. She could still smell the wet, disturbing stench of the grey miasma as it swept over them all like a dying breath. Sure, they'd helped dismantle a horrifying network that abducted people and brainwashed Pokémon—but the fact that many of the Sleepers had slipped away still gnawed at her. At least, the police managed to capture the poacher boss.
And then, there was the video. The damn video.
She hadn't seen it firsthand, but Joe had shown them the transcript. A masked figure, addressing the camera with the calm of someone issuing a weather report, blamed David for the collapse of their plans. And made a vow—simple, blunt, and terrifying: "Wherever you are, David Lindenberg… we will find you."
Eva exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel.
You're safe, she reminded herself. Jake is safe. David is safe—for now.
A tap on the window snapped her out of it. She turned, startled, and found herself face-to-face with a uniformed police officer and a very serious-looking Linoone standing beside him like a four-legged drill sergeant. The Linoone's eyes squinted at her through the glass. Eva could immediately feel powerful aura emerging from the ferret Pokémon. Lenny the Venomoth perked up and watched the Linoone with careful gaze.
"Ma'am," the officer said, giving the van a once-over like it had personally offended him. "I'm going to need you to step out of the vehicle and show me your ID."
Eva blinked. "What?"
He gestured vaguely at the van. "We've had complaints about an unfamiliar vehicle loitering out front. The condition of your, uh, transportation and its lack of visible school affiliation gave some people pause. You understand."
Realization dawned—and with it, a horrified gasp. "Wait—you think I'm—?! This is a lunch van! I mean—it's my mother's lunch van! I'm not luring kids in with bonbons, for Arceus' sake!"
The officer's expression remained politely impassive, but Eva swore to herself that Linoone raised a brow. Probably judging her.
She quickly fumbled through her purse and handed over her ID. "I'm here to pick up my son. And his friends. All very legal. Nothing sinister. No candy."
The officer glanced at the card, and then did a double take. "Lindenberg?"
"Yup," she said flatly and leant against the van.
A long pause. The officer looked her up and down with new recognition. "As in… the Lindenbergs? From the Ranch behind town? Your family's been all over the police reports lately. With very positive tone, I have to say."
"Yup," she repeated, even flatter this time.
The tension evaporated. The officer scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Ah, sorry. Thought you were a weirdo in a rusty van, not, you know, a member of gang which dismantled that poacher's group. Please carry on. Great to have people like you… um… around."
"Thanks," Eva muttered.
The officer gave an awkward wave and continued on his way, Linoone pausing only to give her a final, skeptical glance before trotting off with a snort.
Eva let out a sigh and slumped against the van, muttering under her breath. "Next time, I'm slapping a giant 'NOT A KIDNAPPER' decal on the side of this ancient thing."
She let out a long, theatrical sigh as she climbed back into the van, the faded seat groaning beneath her. She rubbed her belly absentmindedly. It had finally started to show—a soft, undeniable curve beneath her shirt. Not enough for strangers to ask awkward or stupid questions, but just enough for her to glare at every waistband in her closet and declare war on zippers.
She shifted in her seat and frowned.
"Alright," she muttered to herself, pulling out her mental checklist.
"No more crawling through underground death-caves. That one's done. No sparring. No rock climbing. No wine nights with Rachel. No 'just one beer' with my brother. And," she remembered with a frown, "definitely no more chemical labs."
A particularly unstable solvent bottle had exploded near her last week when their team tried to make new patented protein-potion-for-Pokémon. The smell had clung to their lab coats for days.
Then, as she adjusted the rearview mirror, something on her chest caught her eye—something rounder. Plumper. Suspiciously more… buoyant.
Eva grinned at her own reflection. "Well, hello there, my beauties," she chuckled, tilting her head and admiring the very specific changes pregnancy had gifted her. "I see you two showed up early to the party."
With all the seriousness of a scientist conducting an important experiment, she whipped out her phone and began taking selfies—each one slightly more daring than the last. She shifted her angle, fluffed her hair, puckered a little. Then, tugged her T-shirt down just a tad. Then a bit more. Her round boobs were almost out.
"Oops. There's the line. Let's step right over it," she grinned, snapping one final shot with full commitment to the cause.
Pleased with the result—a tasteful-yet-clearly-thirsty cleavage-heavy glam shot—she tapped Share and fired it off to her husband with a short message of winking and kissing smiley face.
Within seconds, David replied with: "HOT!!" and many fire emojis.
Eva laughed, cheeks a little flushed. "Exactly. Hot and sexy," she grinned again, sliding her phone back into her bag.
And that's exactly when the school bell rang.
Distant doors slammed open like someone had kicked a beehive. Children erupted from the building in a chaotic wave, backpacks swinging, lunchboxes flailing, and even two Pikachus sprinting after a screaming kids who had apparently stolen their Poffins.
Eva adjusted her sunglasses and took a deep breath, the van rumbling to life once more.
"Alright, Team Mom," she said under her breath, "showtime."
Eva stepped out of the van after quickly straightening her cleavage in order not to shock the kids with her almost exposed boobs. The borrowed van—her mother's well-worn lunch delivery vehicle—rattled gently as its suspension groaned in protest to the door's opening. Lenny the Venomoth fluttered out right after her, buzzing lazily above her head with a trill. From the passenger seat, a small shiny Charmander woke up and scrambled up onto the dashboard to stare longingly at the open window.
"Don't even try it, little guy," Eva warned. "Use the door like a civil—"
Whoosh.
Before she could finish, Lenny's eyes flashed blue, and Charmander was gently lifted by a light psychic shimmer. With a surprised squeak, the tiny fire lizard zipped upward and out through the open window, flailing briefly before letting out a delighted chirp.
"You just had to do it, right?" Eva rolled her eyes jokingly at her Venomoth.
But it was too late. Venomoth seemed rather proud of herself. She twirled mid-air and continue using Confusion again to guide Charmander in a loop-de-loop through the air like a sentient balloon animal. Charmander was thrilled. It giggled—a high, excited chirping noise—and held its tiny arms out as though it was flying like a full evolved Charizard.
The kids exiting the schoolyard stopped and stared, then burst into laughter and cheers. A few shouted "Look! A flying Charmander!" while some fumbled for their phones to record the spectacle.
Jake pushed his way out of the crowd, looking both shocked and overjoyed. "Hey, buddy!" he called, raising his arms.
Venomoth gently spun Charmander one more time before floating him directly into Jake's waiting embrace. The boy caught his little friend and spun around with him in his arms, laughing together like two friends reunited after a long day of pretending to pay attention in class.
Eva couldn't help but smile. The stress of recent weeks felt, for a moment, far away.
Around Jake, several familiar faces were gathering—Emily, Petra, Lukas, Marta, Tomas—and a few other kids from their class. Most of them were chatting excitedly about the sleepover at the Ranch.
One boy named Andrew sighed loudly. "My dad said we have a family dinner, and I can't go!"
A girl next to him groaned. "Same! My grandma's coming over. She always talks about how she saw Zapdos during the war in Kanto. Every time."
"Forget Zapdos, what about a flying Charmander? That's something you don't see everyday!"
And everybody laughed.
Then, cutting through the joy like a dull knife, came a nasal, smug voice.
"For a weakling like that," the voice said, "flying like that is the only chance it'll ever get. There's no way it evolves into a real Charizard. Not while it lives on the loser Ranch."
The laughter died.
Jake's arms tightened around Charmander. He stepped forward. "He's not weak! He's my friend. He plays with me and listens to me. He even helped us when we were stuck underground!"
Mark Vranitzky stepped out from behind a group of kids, wearing his signature smirk. His oversized jacket made him look like he was playing dress-up in his dad's closet, but his sneering expression carried way too much confidence for a six-year-old. "Yeah, well, maybe if you had a real trainer for a dad, you wouldn't need to make up stories."
Jake's ears turned red. "At least I actually like Pokémon. You only talk about yours, but we've never seen any!"
Mark rolled his eyes. "That's because my family trains them. Not babies them."
Lukas turned to Petra and snorted. "Mark's just jealous, because Jake didn't invite him."
The tension was rising fast.
Eva saw it all unfolding from a few feet away. Her smile faded. She clapped her hands loudly and called, "Alright, kids! Who's ready for the ranch weekend?"
Jake turned to her immediately. "We are!"
"Then hop in, all of you!" she said, her tone bright again. She motioned toward the van's sliding rusty door, and the five invited kids who had their parents approval clambered inside, already buzzing with energy.
Mark, lingering near the back of the group, muttered again under his breath. "Losers."
Eva's head turned, slow as a Persian tracking prey.
She shut the van door.
Then, calmly but deliberately, she turned to face him.
Mark stood near the school gate with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face. But as Eva approached, his shoulders twitched, and he shifted one foot behind the other.
"I heard that, young man," she said, her voice calm, but unmistakably firm.
Mark flinched, not expecting to be called out. "I didn't say anything."
Eva stopped a few steps away from him and crouched down to his eye level. "It's okay to have an opinion, Mark. But when you say things to hurt people, that's not just your opinion—that's bullying."
Mark's jaw tightened. "Jake's just a weak loser. My dad says you people at the ranch don't know anything about real training."
Eva clenched her fist, but nodded slowly, almost studying him. "Do you even know what makes someone a strong trainer?"
Mark rolled his eyes like she was stupid. "Duh. Winning battles. Owning strong Pokémon. Not flying baby lizards through the air like balloons."
Behind Eva, the van's windows slid open slightly, a few curious kid-faces peeking through.
Eva stayed calm. "Do you want to come to the ranch this weekend too? Jake and the others will be there. You could see what it's really like."
Mark wrinkled his nose. "No. I don't hang out with losers."
She tilted her head. "Why do you think we're losers? Because your dad beat Jake's dad in a battle once?"
Mark crossed his arms again. "So what if it was once. My dad's clearly stronger. And he says the gym is the strongest in the region. He says you Battle Ranch people are just farmers pretending to be trainers."
Eva's expression didn't change, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you know about the kidnapping incident last month? It happened in the gym while your father's team was supposed to handle security?"
Mark shrugged. "Yeah. That Prochazka girl. She was poking around where she shouldn't have been. My dad says it was her own fault."
That did it. Lenny the Venomoth who was up until now only flying around Eva's shoulders released its aura.
Mark who expected that all Pokémon from the Lindenbergs were weak was shocked when he felt the raw tension from the moth Pokémon.
Eva's voice was still even, but now it had a quiet, dangerous edge
"First of all," she said, "Monika Prochazka is my niece. And second, while she was kidnapped, the other kids were there to see. I spoke to the parents of those. They were terrified. And you know what else? Your father's team was in charge of security at the gym that day. And they failed to stop the kidnapping."
Mark's smug look faltered. "That's not true."
"It is," Eva said simply. "Moreover, you keep calling my son a loser, but he didn't hesitate and jumped into the unknown portal just to save his cousin. Meanwhile your father argued with the royal guards. Imagine what would happen if the cards were turned and you were the one being taken away."
"But that girl was fine in the end, it must have been a trick or something. I bet there was no portal at all!" Mark replied with a frown.
"Okay. Then tell me, Mark—if everything went 'just fine,' why was your dad's team suddenly replaced in their position in the gym after that?"
For the first time, Mark didn't answer immediately. He looked to the side, then scowled. "Because the gym leader is jealous. My dad said so."
Eva exhaled through her nose. There it was—parroted opinion, straight from the dinner table.
"And where was your father," she asked gently, "when the poachers were being fought underground by the gym trainers, and us from Battle Ranch?"
Mark snapped back, "He had more important things to do than rescue some astray losers."
Eva blinked, then gave him a sad smile. "Mark, do you know what gyms are meant to be? They're not just for battles. They're there to protect people. To stop wild Pokémon from hurting civilians. And yes, to stand against criminals like the poachers. That's not a 'favor.' That's their duty."
Mark looked up at her. His confidence was cracking. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. His fingers clenched into small fists at his sides.
Eva sighed and softened her voice. "Sometimes, adults make mistakes. Sometimes, even parents don't make the best choices for their kids. That's not your fault. But repeating those same words, hurting people because you think it's the truth—that's a choice."
Mark's eyes widened just a little. "Maybe it's you making the mistake," he muttered, though there was no heat in it.
Eva stood slowly. Her calm dropped just a hair as she shifted from compassion to resolve. "Listen. I know your family doesn't like mine. Maybe you even hate us. I can't change that. But I will not let you bully my son. Not here, not anywhere. He's not weak for fighting back. We are telling him repeatedly to stay away from fighting you."
He stared up at her, his face flushing with a mix of confusion and perplexity.
"There are a lot of parents around the Ranch who send their kids to this school. Some of them are quite older than you," Eva continued with even quieter voice. "If something should happens to Jakey, the other kids would be there to help him. And so will I. Loudly. To the teachers. To the headmistress. And yes, to your parents."
Mark's voice wavered. "Are you threatening me?"
"No," Eva said. "I'm reminding you. Reminding you that every action has consequences. And that this town knows very well who the Lindenbergs are. Your family only just moved here. And from what I understood the Red and Yellow teams of the gym don't have exactly friendly relationship with your family. And the kids of those trainers are going to this school, too."
She let that settle before she added:
"If you don't want those opinions to be about bullying, or bad behavior, or rumors from adults who couldn't protect a group of children, then maybe think twice before you call someone a loser again."
Mark's lower lip trembled, just barely. He crossed his arms tighter, then huffed. "I'm gonna tell my dad everything you said."
Eva smiled, not unkindly. "Please do. I'd love him to hear every word."
With that, she turned and walked back to the van. Behind her, Mark stood frozen. For the first time in a long while, he stayed quiet. He always heard from his father that Jake's mother was just a useless bug lady, but now this lady challenged his entire view on life and Mark was not sure how to proceed.
As Eva walked back to the van, she felt quietly triumphant. She'd stayed calm, made her point, and shut down a miniature storm of six-year-old drama like a champ. Her shoulders were back, her stride was full of that no-nonsense mom energy, and she was already halfway to giving herself a mental gold star.
What she didn't know was that a trio of ninth-graders loitering behind the bike racks had just witnessed the exchange—and were now hypnotized, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.
"Dude…" one of them whispered, lowering his sunglasses like he couldn't believe his own eyes. "That's Jake's mom?! That's one bad-ass MILF!"
"Bad-ass? More like hot-ass."
"Dude," another one croaked. "She's total twelve, on a range from one to ten."
"Man, forget Dragonite. I just found my new dream evolution," the third one muttered, eyes glued to her swaying butt in yoga pants like she was walking in slow motion.
The tallest of them silently pulled off his cap and held it reverently to his chest. "I would volunteer for detention if she were the one to pick me up."
"She's got that 'I'll ground you and you'll thank me for it' vibe," one added with a dazed grin.
"Bro, I'm definitely thinking about her tonight!"
Meanwhile, Eva opened the van door and started preparing to take-off, completely oblivious to the hormonal storm she'd just left in her wake.
The van rumbled gently as Eva pulled away from the school parking lot, her fingers tapping the wheel in a relaxed rhythm. Her borrowed vehicle—a beaten-up delivery van with fading paint and a lingering scent of Tupperware lunches—was packed with eager young passengers. Jake sat directly behind her, a beaming grin on his face and a small shiny Charmander nestled comfortably on his lap, tail flame flickering safely out the open window. Beside Eva in the passenger seat, her Venomoth, Lenny, flitted its wings lazily, peering curiously out at the road ahead.
Behind Jake, the other kids were chattering non-stop: Emily and Petra were giggling about something Tomas had said, while Lukas and Marta stared out the windows, pointing excitedly at a group of wild Stantler grazing by the roadside.
Then Lukas raised his voice. "Hey, remember what that big kid said at lunch? About, uh, silver stage Pokémon?"
"Yeah!" Marta piped in. "He said his cousin has a gold stage one. But… what's a stage?"
Jake tapped the back of Eva's seat. "Mom, do you know what that means? Like… Pokémon stages?"
Eva glanced into the rearview mirror with a smile. "Oh, that. Yeah, I do. Some people don't like using just the numbers for Pokémon levels—like Level 10, 20, 30—and instead, they break them up into stages."
"Why?" Tomas asked, already frowning.
"Well," Eva said, carefully navigating around a pothole, "because Pokémon usually get a noticeable power boost every ten levels. That means a Pokémon at Level 30 is likely to be much stronger than one at 29, and a Pokémon at 30 and 35 can usually take on one another with a pretty even fight. So those tens become a kind of milestone. That's what a 'stage' is."
"Ooooh," several kids said in unison, eyes widening in sudden understanding.
"That's why that big Gengar knocked out that other guy's Arcanine so fast!" Emily exclaimed refering to video they were watching at the lunch. "It must've been, like, a thousand stages higher!"
Eva chuckled. "Not that many stages. But yes, that's the idea."
They hit the edge of town, where traffic thickened as other weekend travelers joined the road. Brake lights flashed ahead, and the van slowly came to a crawl.
"Well," Eva said, glancing at the line of cars, "I guess now's a good time to show you the chart."
She reached into her purse, pulled out her phone, and tapped a few times. Then she turned it slightly toward the backseat. "Here's the popular scale you kids were talking about. It's based on metals."
The kids all leaned in (except for Jake, still cuddling his very smug-looking Charmander).
"It goes like this: Iron for 0–9, Aluminum for 10–19, Nickel for 20–29, Chromium for 30–39, Titanium for 40–49, Bronze for 50–59, Silver for 60–69, Gold for 70–79, Platinum for 80–89, and Palladium for 90–99."
There was a long pause.
"…What's a… chromium?" Petra asked slowly.
"Or a palla…palladoo?" Tomas blinked.
"Isn't aluminum that stuff my mom wraps sandwiches in?" Marta added.
Eva laughed. "Yes. That's the one. And to be honest, I don't think kids were meant to memorize it all. Some of these are super rare metals. I guess whoever made this chart thought it sounded cool."
"It doesn't," Lukas muttered.
"Yeah!" Emily agreed. "I've only heard of gold, silver, and bronze from the medals on TV. The rest are like… fake science words."
"My guess is that the author of this scale simply didn't like math." Eva chuckled.
The kids started to talk about how math was hard for them as well and Charmander squeaked supportively from Jake's lap.
The van rolled forward again, picking up speed—until more brake lights appeared and the traffic jam resumed.
The kids were still focused on the metallic scale and were trying to guess which stage was better than which. But because they didn't see the actual scale, they were lost.
"Mrs. Lindenberg, how was it on your phone? Was bronze better than silver? Or the other way?" Emily asked.
"Silver is better. It's like in any sport or championship." Lucas was quick to answer that question.
"Well," Eva said as the car slowed down one more time, shrugging, "there's also a color scale. Maybe you'll like that one more."
She reached for her phone again, flicked to another image and passed the device back to the kids. "Same idea. Every ten levels is a different color. So it's something like this…"
"Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, then Black, White, and Grey." Jake read the colors from his mom's phone screen.
"Ooooh, like a rainbow!" Petra exclaimed.
"I want to be on Rainbow stage!" Tomas said immediately.
"There's no rainbow stage," Eva replied, grinning.
"There should be!" Lukas declared with his arms crossed.
Jake leaned toward the screen. "But which color beats which? Is Blue better than Green? Or is Indigo the strongest?"
"See," Eva replied, "that's the tricky part. It looks cool, but if you forget the order, you're lost again."
"Yeah, this one's still kinda dumb," Marta concluded, plopping back in her seat.
Charmander chirped like it agreed.
"Well," Eva said, as traffic slowed to a stop again, "there is another one. It's the one I like best: the star scale."
That got their attention.
"Star? Like, in the sky?" Emily asked.
"Sort of," Eva said.
"You mean that they are named after star constellation?" Lucas asked with a frown.
"Fortunately no. It's actually very easy. Pokémon between 0 and 9 are zero-star. Then 10–19 is one-star. Then two-star, three-star, all the way up to as many stars as you need."
All the kids nodded instantly.
"That's the best one!" Lukas announced.
"Why don't they just use that one always?" Petra asked.
"I think they should," Eva said. "But people love making things more complicated than they need to be."
"Just like Miss Newman makes our math homeworks," Jake muttered.
They all laughed.
Charmander leaned back into Jake's arms, tail swaying, and let out a warm contented trill.
Venomoth gave a slow blink and clicked softly, as if seconding the motion.
Outside the window, a Fearow soared lazily overhead as the traffic finally began to clear, the road to the Ranch opening up before them.
The van rolled over the familiar gravel road as the sun dipped lower toward the horizon, casting long golden shadows over the vast fields of the Battle Ranch. Lenny, the Venomoth, buzzed lightly on the passenger seat, wings gently pulsing with the rhythm of the road. In the back, the kids were pressed up against the windows, pointing and gasping as they caught glimpses of Pokémon in the fields.
"Look! Was that a Buneary?" Marta shouted.
"I saw a Tauros!" Lukas chimed in, his voice echoing with excitement.
Jake laughed. "You'll see way more once we get past the main gate. The place is huge."
Charmander squeaked softly from his spot on Jake's lap, tail flame flickering with excitement as it watched the scenery with wide, eager eyes.
The van passed a large sign welcoming them to the Battle Ranch. Ahead, nestled against the low hills, several buildings came into view—storage barns, Pokémon pens, maintenance buildings, and finally, the red-roofed Pokémon Center. The distinct Pokéball logo gleamed in the afternoon sun.
"Is Aunt Rachel working today?" Jake asked, sitting up straighter.
Eva glanced into the rearview mirror. "Not today, honey. She left this morning with Frank and Monika—they're out for the weekend."
The van turned toward the largest building on the property—a grand villa surrounded by trees and with a wide porch wrapping around it. This was where Jake's grandparents lived. Eva eased the vehicle to a stop and turned off the engine. The kids were already unbuckling and piling out, brimming with anticipation.
Jake helped Charmander down carefully while Lenny fluttered out of the passenger side, hovering like a soft lantern overhead.
Eva walked up the villa steps and rang the bell. Moments later, the door opened to reveal a bald and old man. It was Joe, her father-in-law. He had a phone pressed to one ear and looked mid-conversation, his brow furrowed. Without skipping a beat, he pulled a Pokéball from his belt and handed it to Eva, gave the group a brief wave, and then disappeared back inside.
Jake blinked. "Why'd Grandpa give you a Pokéball?"
Eva smiled and turned to the kids. "Some of your parents were a little worried about safety. I promised them I'd make sure you're all protected, so I asked your Grandpa Joe if I could borrow a strong Pokémon to help keep watch."
"Which one is it?" Tomas asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Well…" Eva smiled, recalling the late-night conversation earlier in the week.
===
She and Joe had stood in the kitchen while Anna leaned against the counter sipping whiskey.
"We need something strong, but not scary," Eva had said.
Joe rubbed his chin and joked. "Arbok? Pinsir? Granbull?"
"Absolutely not," Eva and Anna said at the same time.
Joe raised an eyebrow.
"Crabominable's out too," Anna added.
"Why? He's hilarious."
"He's a walking nightmare to a six-year-old," Anna replied dryly.
Joe looked to Eva for backup. "Exploud?"
"Too loud," she rhymed and then snickered.
"Drednaw?"
Anna raised her eyebrows. "Joe. You're doing this on purpose. You want to traumatize the children?"
Joe muttered something about kids these days being too soft, but eventually relented.
"What about Trevenant?"
Both women frowned and shook their heads. Scary ghost-type watching over little kids? Bad idea.
After more brainstorming, they landed on three candidates: Braviary, Ludicolo, and Togekiss.
"They're all good," Joe said.
"And children-friendly," Eva agreed.
"But Togekiss is perfect," Anna finished. "It's fairy-type, brings luck, and just look at that smile."
===
Back in the present, Eva smiled and pressed the Pokéball's button. "Let's meet our guardian."
With a burst of light, the graceful form of Togekiss emerged. Its wings arched upward like angelic sails, and its white body shimmered with calm energy. The Pokémon hovered slightly above the ground, its gentle eyes blinking at the group.
===
Togekiss
Level: 99
Name: Lucky
Gender: Male
Type: Fairy / Flying
Affinity: Fairy (Full), Flying (Full), Normal (Expert)
Moves: Air Slash (95), Fairy Wind (96), Sky Attack (87), Play Rough (90), Aura Sphere (72), Aerial Ace (70), Charm (68), Ancient Power (52), Metronome (62), Safeguard (51), Baton Pass (58), Life Dew (47), Calm Mind (56), Psyshock (43), Magical Leaf (95), Hyper Beam (63), Giga Impact (94), Light Screen (44), Mystical Fire (51), Smart Strike (41), Aromatherapy (49)
Abilities:
Hustle – Togekiss' attack is boosted, but accuracy is lowered
Serene Grace – Boosts likelihood of additional effects when using moves
Super Luck – Heightens the critical-hit ratios of Togekiss' moves
Weak to: Poison, Rock, (Steel, Electric, Ice)
Immune to: Ground, Dragon
Resistant to: Fighting (double), Bug (double), Grass, Dark
Weakness removed: Steel, Electric, Ice
===
"Whoa…" Petra whispered. "It's so pretty."
"That's Lucky," Jake announced proudly. "He's amazing."
Jake stepped forward. "Hey Lucky, can we pet you?"
Togekiss gave a soft, melodic chirp and floated down to rest gently on the lawn. The kids surrounded him, their small hands reaching out with wonder. Lucky seemed to enjoy the attention, nuzzling gently into their touch and cooing.
Eva watched with a content smile. She stepped back a little and pulled out her phone, dialing her mom.
"Hey Mom, we made it. The van's back at the ranch—come grab it whenever."
On the other end of the line, Lucy responded with a chuckle. "No rush. Did it behave?"
"Sort of," Eva replied, eyeing the scuff on the front bumper. "But uh… you might want to repaint it. Or burn it."
"Why?"
"A cop stopped me in front of the school and asked for my ID. Apparently, your van gives off strong 'creepy guy handing out candy' vibes."
Lucy burst out laughing.
Eva rolled her eyes fondly. "Thanks again, though. Really. It got us here."
She ended the call and looked up to see the kids giggling around Togekiss, already forming their little circle of trust.
While Eva stood off to the side, phone pressed to her ear, the kids were gathered around Togekiss, completely enchanted. The soft, radiant Pokémon hovered just above the ground, wings spread like cushions of cloud, letting the children gently pet its silky feathers. Jake sat cross-legged on the grass, his Charmander curled in his lap, tail flame flickering gently in the breeze. The rest of the group clustered around—Marta running her hands reverently over Togekiss's wing, Lukas staring wide-eyed at its rosy face, and Emily whispering to Petra that it looked like a big flying dumpling.
"Do you think we'll get to see more Pokémon like this?" Tomas asked, glancing around the open space of the ranch yard.
"I hope we do," Petra said. "I want to see a Gardevoir. Or a big, fluffy Wigglytuff!"
"I wanna brush one," Marta added. "Like, with the fancy brushes. My mom watches that in contests on TV."
Lukas stretched his arms. "I don't care what we do. I just wanna see some Pokémon fight!"
"What do you think we're doing this weekend?" Tomas asked Jake. "You live here, so you must know, right?"
Jake shrugged, resting his chin on Charmander's head. "I dunno. My mom said she's planned something, but didn't tell me what."
"Ugh, that probably means something with rules," Lukas groaned. "I hope it's not boring."
"Yeah, like school in nature," Emily added, scrunching her nose. "No offense to your mom, Jake."
Jake just grinned. "None taken. But I don't think it's school-y."
Just then, Eva ended her call and turned toward them, slipping her phone into her jacket pocket. "Hey, I heard that last part," she said with a teasing look as she approached. "And for the record—no, this isn't school. But I am going to be with you all weekend."
That drew a few small sighs, but none of them serious. Marta quietly whispered, "At least your mom's kinda cool," to Jake, which made him smile even more.
Eva squated a little so she was eye level with the group. "I promised all your parents I'd keep you safe. And besides... I think you'll like what I've prepared."
They all perked up at once.
Eva's eyes twinkled. "Have any of you ever heard the story... of the Lucky Star?"
The kids looked at one another, shaking their heads.
"No?" she said, lowering her voice just a little, as if she were letting them in on a secret. "Well then, let me tell you. A long time ago, right here on the ranch, a very special young Pidgey flew up into the night sky, carrying a wish. A really big, important one. So important, that it turned into a glowing star. But on its way to deliver the wish to the heavens, the wind blew strong... and the star fell and shattered."
The kids leaned in closer, wide-eyed.
"The pieces of the Lucky Star scattered all across the lands of the ranch," Eva continued. "They say the wish still hasn't been granted—because the pieces were never found. Some say it's waiting for brave little adventurers... smart ones... clever ones... to find all the pieces and bring them back together."
"What happens when they find them all?" Lukas asked, eyes wide.
Eva stood up, brushing her hands off. "Well, no one knows for sure. But I do know this—there's a reward. A sweet one, for anyone who can piece together the star again."
The kids immediately started buzzing.
"Wait, are we going to find it?" Emily asked and pointed at herself.
Petra grabbed her friend's sleeve. "Oh my gosh. Are we, like, treasure hunters?"
Jake looked up at his mom. "Is this why you didn't tell me what we're doing?"
Eva winked. "Maybe."
Marta raised her hand like she was in school. "Do we go in teams?"
"You'll all work together," Eva said. "Each of you has different strengths. Some of you notice things others don't. Some of you are great with Pokémon. Some of you are brave, or clever, or patient. You'll need all of that."
Tomas frowned. "What do we look for first?"
Eva stepped back, her eyes gleaming. "I won't say more than this—look around. Watch closely. I have a feeling the first piece of the star is somewhere very near."
The kids turned in place, puzzled, exchanging glances. "Like... right here?" Emily asked, glancing at the ground.
"In the middle of the buildings?" Lukas added, already scanning the gravel driveway.
"Yes," Eva said with a mischievous smile. "Stay in this clearing between the houses. I think the star dropped a piece nearby."
"What does the piece look like?" Petra asked.
Eva grinned. "You'll know when you find it."
They all started moving at once. Marta checked the flowerbed under the window, Lukas popped his head into a tipped-over wheelbarrow. Emily peeked under the porch steps while Tomas opened the trash bin lid and winced at the smell.
Jake crouched beside his Charmander and whispered, "Keep your eyes open, buddy. You're small—you might see something we don't."
Meanwhile, behind them and unseen by the kids, Eva made a subtle gesture with one hand behind her back.
From the shade of a bush, a glimmering Ribombee fluttered up—its wings delicate and translucent like stained glass. Obeying the silent command, it focused its tiny body and cast a Psychic. A shiny, rounded stone, hidden among the leaves, slowly lifted into the air and began to float upward—glistening as it caught the sun.
The kids continued their search, getting more frantic and noisy.
"I don't see anything!" Marta groaned, looking under a garden bench.
"Is this a trick?" Lukas called. "There's nothing here!"
Eva said nothing more—her arms crossed, watching them with a twinkle in her eye.
The Ribombee raised the stone a bit higher, now shimmering a meter above the bushes, wobbling slightly with the breeze.
Suddenly, Petra gasped. "There! What's that?"
She pointed up, her finger trembling with excitement.
The others followed her gaze—there it was: a floating, radiant object spinning gently in the air just above a hedge.
They all shouted at once and ran toward it, nearly tripping over each other in their hurry. The shiny object hovered for another moment—and as Petra reached out with both hands and touched it, the levitation ceased. The smooth, pale gold stone fell right into her palms.
She looked down, breathless. "I got it!"
The kids formed a circle around her, peering over shoulders and between arms. The stone wasn't large—about the size of a Pokéball—but it sparkled like it held something magical inside. Its surface was warm and smooth, and on one side was a small, engraved symbol.
"Hey!" Tomas said, pointing. "It's like a horseshoe."
"What does it mean?" Emily asked, her eyes wide.
Jake squinted at it. Then his eyes lit up. "That symbol—it's on the door of one of the barns!"
They all spun around. Sure enough, across the clearing, a large, weathered barn stood quietly under the morning sun, its arched entrance marked with a faded but clear horseshoe symbol above the doorframe.
The kids turned to Eva, who stood near the villa with a proud grin and gave them a big thumbs-up.
Jake pumped his fist in the air. "Follow me!"
With cheers and giggles, the group broke into a sprint across the gravel, Charmander racing alongside them with fiery determination and Lucky the Togekiss gliding just overhead like a soft guardian cloud. The first piece had been found—the adventure had truly begun.
The kids burst into the barn, their sneakers skidding across the dusty floor. The scent of hay, wood, and the faint musk of Pokémon filled the warm air. Pokémon stirred in their stalls—Wooloo blinked curiously, a Tauros snorted in its corner, and a sleepy Miltank lifted its head, chewing lazily.
Marta was the first to point up. "Hey! Look up there!"
Near the rafters, glinting with the same soft shimmer as the first, floated another piece of the shattered star.
"It's up by the ceiling!" Tomas gasped.
"How are we supposed to get up there?" Lukas asked, already darting toward a stack of crates. "Maybe we can climb!"
Jake was looking around for a ladder when Eva's voice came from the doorway.
"I wouldn't try that," she said with a light chuckle, stepping inside with a familiar warmth in her voice. She held a small paper in one hand and her backpack slung over one shoulder. "You found the next piece. Good work. But if you want to actually get it, you'll have to earn it."
Petra tilted her head. "Earn it how?"
Eva grinned and waved the paper in the air. "With knowledge. This barn is home to some hardworking Pokémon, and your task is to figure out who helps with what."
The kids looked at each other, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling in the group.
"Ready?" Eva asked.
They nodded.
"First question," Eva began. "Which Pokémon here keeps the barn warm with its wool?"
"Wooloo!" Emily said immediately.
"Correct."
Above them, hidden among the rafters, Britney the Ribombee gave the star piece a tiny psychic tug. It floated a little lower.
"Nice!" Tomas grinned. "What's next?"
"Which Pokémon helps pull the heavier carts of hay?"
They huddled quickly, whispering.
"Maybe... Skiddo?" Petra guessed.
"Hmm," Eva said.
The stone wobbled—then rose back a little.
"Tauros," Tomas said confidently.
"Correct."
Another downward nudge. The kids clapped quietly.
"Next: Which Pokémon picks up the berries the other Pokémon drop after feeding time?"
"Trubbish?" Lukas said, grinning.
The star piece wobbled—then began rising again.
"Nooo!" Emily groaned.
Jake's eyes widened. "It's Grandma's Zigzagoon! I've seen it scurry around picking up berries!"
Eva nodded. "Correct. And good save, Jake."
The star dipped back down.
Eva continued, "Which Pokémon with three heads can be working as an alarm clock?"
"That's Dodrio!" Tomas blurted.
"Correct."
The piece floated a little closer now, practically within arm's reach.
"Which Pokémon guards the barn at night, watching from above?"
They all looked around—and then Lukas spotted it. "Look, up there!"
On a thick support beam, a Noctowl snoozed, its feathers puffed.
"Noctowl," Emily squealed.
"Correct."
The star lowered again.
Eva raised her next question. "Which Pokémon always alerts the others if something seems off, barking at intruders?"
"Herdier," Petra said. "My uncle has one—it barks at everything."
"Correct."
The stone lowered again, now just above their heads.
"But be careful," Eva warned playfully. "A few more wrong answers and it'll float away again."
"Which Pokémon makes the wool which is SHOCKINGLY nice?"
"Shockingly? It must be Mareep," Emily said.
"Yep!"
"And which one flies so fast it delivers letters from town to the Ranch?"
"Swellow!" Jake said, eyes bright.
"Correct."
The star almost touched the tips of their fingers.
"Which Pokémon hides various, often shiny things in the hay?"
"Lechonk," Marta guessed.
The star piece lifted.
"Oh no!" she gasped. "Is that wrong?"
Jake nodded. "I think it's Meowth. Felix has many things hidden all around here!"
Eva smiled. "Meowth, that's right."
The Psychic pull corrected course and gently guided the stone lower once more.
"One more," Eva said. "Which Pokémon once stole Grandpa's sandwich when he wasn't looking?"
They all laughed—Jake answered between giggles. "Meowth again!"
The star piece dropped the final inch and landed softly in Jake's hands. He held it up triumphantly.
"Look!" Petra said. "There's another symbol!"
On the back of the star piece, engraved faintly, was the outline of an apple.
"That's our next clue!" Lukas said excitedly.
Jake turned and pointed. "There are apple trees in the orchard!"
Eva gave them a proud nod and a thumbs-up. "Looks like you're on the right track."
Jake called over his shoulder, "Follow me!" and led the charge toward the next biome, their laughter trailing behind like sunlight through the barn rafters.
The children dashed out from the barn, laughter echoing as they ran downhill into the orchard, where rows of trees basked in the mid-afternoon sun. Jake led the group, his small red hoodie flapping behind him like a cape, with Charmander bounding at his side. The orchard stretched wide—open paths between fruit-laden trees, flowerbeds tucked beneath the branches, and berry bushes weaving through the grass like a painter's brush strokes.
The kids quickly fanned out among the trees. Marta and Emily stopped near a row of apple trees, pointing and whispering as a Cherrim peeked from the branches, its pink petals twitching shyly. Lukas knelt beside a Lechonk, who was snorting curiously at the fallen leaves, nudging one toward him as if in offering. Petra stood in awe beneath a tall Meganium-shaped bush, unaware that it was anything more than a perfectly trimmed hedge. Tomas tried to climb a crooked tree before nearly toppling off, saved only by Jake grabbing his sleeve and laughing, "Told you it's too bendy!"
Up above them, Togekiss hovered silently with a graceful flutter of its wings, circling lazily over the orchard to keep watch. Its serene presence reassured the children, even if they weren't aware of it. Nearby, Charmander chased the shadow of his tail, spinning in dizzy circles that made Marta laugh until she almost dropped her water bottle.
They were only there for a few minutes before Eva arrived, strolling calmly through the orchard path with a faint smirk. The blond woman stopped just a few feet away from the group and called out:
"Alright, star-hunters. Time to slow down."
The kids gathered, brushing grass from their knees and leaves from their hair.
Eva folded her arms beneath her ample bosom and gestured at the orchard around them. "This part," she said with a tone just mysterious enough to hush their chatter, "is a bit more magical than the others."
She let her eyes linger on each of them. "This orchard doesn't give up its secrets unless you listen. Not with your ears," she tapped her temple, "but with your eyes and your patience."
The kids glanced around, puzzled. Even Charmander tilted his head.
With a subtle movement behind her back, Eva waved once—barely a flick of her wrist.
Hidden deep in a patch of flowering bushes, Ribombee stirred.
And then, the first leaf rose.
It lifted from the ground gently, glowing faintly with a shimmer of soft purple, and floated silently through the air in a slow curve.
A moment later, a green one followed, rising higher, then a yellow, and then a red.
The kids gasped, all eyes on the glowing trail of leaves, drifting one by one across the orchard's open space before vanishing in bursts of soft glitter.
Then… silence.
Lukas squinted up at the sky. "Are we supposed to catch them?"
"I think we missed them," Petra said, running toward a nearby bush. "Maybe they dropped something?"
"They just flew away," Emily said, staring where the purple one vanished. "Do we follow them?"
Eva only smiled and sat down on a low bench beneath a lemon tree, pretending to examine her red-colored nails.
"Well," the blond mom said vaguely with a smile on her lips, "the orchard already showed you what to do."
Tomas scowled. "That doesn't help!"
Still, they scattered—touching trees, running to the spot where the purple leaf floated, poking at flowerbeds and vines.
Marta, who had stayed unusually quiet, paced slowly beneath the apple trees. She pointed toward the ferns where the green leaf had floated. "It went purple… then green… then yellow, then red. It's the same order."
"That's the order of the plants!" Emily yelled. "Maybe we touch them in that order?"
They tried it. One by one, the kids ran from lavender bush to green fern to lemon tree to apple tree, each giving a branch a tap or a gentle pat.
Nothing happened. At first...
Up in the branches, Ribombee raised the next leaf slightly higher, just enough to be noticed.
Eva said nothing—but gave Britney a very faint nod.
The kids tried again. Petra insisted they all touch the flowers instead of the branches this time. Again, nothing. The leaves appeared once more—this time floating wider, drifting more erratically.
"I don't think it's just the colors," Lukas muttered.
Jake suddenly froze mid-step, eyes tracking an invisible line in the sky. "Wait," he said, pointing. "They always float in the same path. Like the purple one—didn't it float right above the lavender bush over there?"
Marta's eyes lit up. "And the green one always floats above the path where the ferns are!"
Emily gasped. "We're not supposed to touch the trees… we're supposed to stand where the leaves floated!"
With excited shouting, the group scrambled. One by one, they tried to remember where each leaf hovered before disappearing. Jake stood on the lavender patch, Emily near the green fern, Petra on the path by the lemon tree, and Tomas hesitated before settling beneath the apple tree.
Then, Ribombee released the leaf-falling sequence again.
This time, each leaf floated above a child.
Glowing brighter. Slower.
And finally—bursting into a glimmer of golden sparkles.
Just beyond the trees, a low rustle echoed from the flowering hedge.
It unfolded—slowly, like something blooming—and revealed the gentle face of a towering Meganium, vines coiled softly around its neck like garlands. The Pokémon took a few slow steps toward the children, then leaned down and lowered its head.
Resting atop a curled leaf was the next star piece, shimmering with soft light.
The kids surrounded it, eyes wide in wonder.
"Whoa," Tomas whispered. "It really worked."
Jake picked up the stone and turned it in his hand. The engraving was a big head with details of brain.
Eva stood and clapped lightly. "Nicely done," she said. "Took you a little while, but that's what makes it count."
Charmander clapped his tiny paws. Togekiss let out a soft chirp of approval above.
Eva clapped her hands together, catching the kids' attention.
"Alright, everyone! You've done great so far. Now, follow me — there's one more secret waiting for you in here."
Gathered in a cheerful little crowd, with Jake at the head and Charmander trotting proudly by his side, the children followed Eva past the orchard trees.
She led them toward a narrow, almost invisible path hidden between two old apple trees, their twisting trunks heavy with moss. The entrance was so slim and shaded by leaves that anyone could have walked right by without noticing.
"Stay close!" Eva called, her voice playful but firm. Togekiss floated gently overhead, keeping a protective watch, its white wings glowing in the filtered sunlight.
The path wound between tall grass and berry bushes, until it finally opened into a small, secret glade, tucked between gentle hills.
The clearing seemed almost magical: the grass was a rich emerald green, scattered with dandelions, and in the middle floated a strange, otherworldly creature.
It looked like a translucent green bubble at first — but inside the shimmering jelly floated a small, chubby body with stubby arms and legs.
Its arms were surrounded by large blobs of liquid, each one holding tiny fingers that danced in the air. Its round head had button-like black eyes and a small, determined mouth, framed by faint, pulsing lines of psychic energy that curled and twisted like delicate smoke.
Despite its odd, squishy appearance, the Pokémon radiated a powerful aura — a feeling of calm strength and deep intelligence.
The kids immediately stopped and stared, enchanted.
Eva smiled warmly at the creature and said, "This is Reuniclus."
As the children whispered excitedly among themselves, Eva allowed herself a quick moment of reflection.
She remembered a conversation she'd had just a few days ago.
===
David was sitting at the veranda of their home, polishing Pokéballs, when Eva joined him with two mugs of hot coffee.
He looked up and smiled at her.
"You should have seen it," David said, shaking his head with a chuckle. "That guy — the challenger — had a Reuniclus that totally wrecked Fluffy."
Eva arched an eyebrow. "Fluffy? But Houndemon with her Dark and Fire typing should have advantage over Psychic Pokémon!"
"I know," David said, laughing. "Type advantage and all. But this Reuniclus had techniques that hit through Fluffy's defenses. Psychic waves that felt like they were vibrating the battlefield itself. Fluffy got rattled. Badly."
Eva sipped her tea, intrigued. "So... did you win?"
"Barely," David admitted. "Only because Marcel (the Ambipom) was fast and tricky enough to break the rhythm. And because — lucky me — the guy didn't have a second Pokémon quite as strong as that Reuniclus. Otherwise, the guy would already have our frontier symbol in his pocket."
Eva tapped her fingers against her mug thoughtfully. "Is he still here?"
David nodded. "Yeah. Said he wanted to explore the property, relax a little before a rematch. I think he liked the quieter spots near the lakes."
Eva grinned, already formulating a plan. "Perfect. I might have a favor to ask him."
===
Standing in the glade, Eva watched with quiet satisfaction as Reuniclus floated closer, its liquid arms swaying gently, almost like underwater plants.
The air around it shimmered slightly with psychic energy, and a faint tingle brushed against the children's skin, making them shiver with awe.
Jake looked at Eva, suspicious.
"Mom! You made some deal with this thing, didn't you?"
Eva winked at him mischievously.
"Maybe," she said. "You'll see."
Charmander gave a soft, curious growl at the strange floating Pokémon, his tiny claws tapping at Jake's boots, but he stayed close — sensing that whatever was coming next was something special.
The glade grew silent.
Even Togekiss descended slightly, folding her wings and landing gracefully nearby to watch.
The air seemed to thicken with anticipation — as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for Reuniclus to act.
The glade was silent, except for the faint hum of psychic energy crackling gently in the air.
Reuniclus floated forward, its jelly-like arms rippling slightly as it focused its energy. A soft pulse radiated outward, brushing over the children's foreheads like a summer breeze.
"Hello, young ones."
At once, they all flinched — some gasping aloud — their hands flying up to cover their heads.
"It's okay, it's okay!" Eva quickly stepped in, raising her arms to calm them down. She smiled warmly, waiting a moment for them to settle.
"It's just Reuniclus. It's saying hello to you guys — through thoughts instead of words. That's all. It doesn't see into your head, so don't worry about your secrets or your memories."
The kids shifted uncomfortably for a few more seconds, but Charmander's curious chirp and Eva's steady presence soon helped them relax.
Tomas crossed his arms, giving Reuniclus a skeptical glance.
"If it tries to take over my brain, I'm running," he muttered, loud enough for a few snickers from the others.
Eva laughed softly. "Don't worry, buddy. Reuniclus is here to help tell a story."
At her nod, the strange Pokémon floated higher, its green liquid body shimmering as if soaking up the sunlight. A glow gathered between its stubby fingers, and then — with a faint pop — a swirl of images burst into existence in the air before them.
It was like watching a living painting: translucent and made of shimmering, pale green light, the shapes floating weightlessly in the air.
The children gasped, their eyes wide.
Eva stepped forward, her voice calm and steady, weaving the beginning of the story:
"Long ago, near a frozen lake far in the north, there lived a proud and wild Rapidash."
As she spoke, the psychic images shifted — and a majestic Rapidash formed in the air. Its mane and tail blazed with a ghostly, fire-like glow, yet the rest of its body looked battered and weary.
The spectral horse paced in tight circles along the icy lake's edge, nostrils flaring.
"It was the heart of winter, colder than anyone could remember. The ice stretched for miles, thick and treacherous. Rapidash, desperate to find food and shelter, stepped out onto the frozen lake… and the ice cracked beneath its hooves."
The kids leaned in closer, their mouths open. In the glowing image, cracks spiderwebbed under the Rapidash, the sound of splintering ice almost real in their ears.
"Trapped by the cold and the unforgiving night, the Rapidash fought to stay above the ice," Eva continued, her voice growing softer. "But as the hours dragged on, and the night grew colder and darker, the poor creature began to lose hope."
The spectral Rapidash thrashed and slipped, its movements slowing, the fire of its mane dimming until only embers remained.
Petra clutched Emily's hand tightly.
"Is it... gonna die?" she whispered.
Eva gave a tiny nod, her face grave. "It grew weaker... and weaker."
Suddenly, the psychic projection shifted again.
A strange shadow — small and swift — darted across the ice.
It had a compact, nimble shape, with two sharp, horn-like ears and a faint V-shaped glow on its forehead, but no clear features could be made out.
The kids gasped.
"What was that?!" Lukas blurted, his voice trembling with excitement.
Eva shook her head gently, playing into the mystery. "Something… ancient. And when that something appears, victory is achieved. And this time, it was victory over death."
The shadow raced toward the sinking Rapidash.
As it touched the frozen lake, a brilliant flash of light erupted from the psychic theater, forcing the children to blink and shield their eyes.
When the light faded, the scene had changed entirely.
Two figures now lay where Rapidash had fallen: one dark and smoky, the other pale and heavy with frost.
Both began to stir.
"From the fallen Rapidash," Eva narrated, her voice a soft, haunting whisper, "two new beings were born."
The figures slowly solidified in the psychic image.
One was Spectrier — tall and lean, with wispy, flowing mane and tail that seemed to melt into the very air. It shimmered like a ghost, its eyes burning with wild, restless spirit.
The other was Glastrier — broad and solid, its body armored with plates of ice. Its breath steamed in heavy clouds, and its hooves struck the earth with slow, thunderous power.
"They shared the same origin... but they didn't know about each other," Eva said.
The two spectral figures turned their heads in opposite directions.
"Spectrier, the spirit of freedom and the wild wind, galloped away into the forests and mists.
Glastrier, the force of strength and endurance, marched into the mountains, leaving a trail of frost behind."
The children stood utterly still, eyes locked on the floating visions.
Marta tugged at Jake's sleeve. "Did that really happen? Or is it just a story?"
Jake didn't answer. He was too focused on the swirling scene above them.
Eva let the images slowly fade to soft glowing embers, hanging weightlessly in the air. Then she smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"And so their separate journeys began. But one day... one day, they would meet again."
She turned back to the kids, hands resting on her hips.
"Both Pokémon," Eva continued, "carried pieces of the Rapidash's soul. And because of the strange being's gift, they had won over death. That is why, even today, they are known as legendaries."
The kids murmured, looking at each other with round eyes.
"Glastrier," Eva said, "became a protector of a frozen kingdom, helping Pokémon survive the cruel winters. But it demanded strict obedience, no room for mistakes."
In the images, they saw Glastrier smash open ice to free trapped Pokémon, but also stomp the ground when they wandered from the path.
"Spectrier," Eva continued, "ran free across mists and fields. It helped guide lost Pokémon — but refused to stay, always chasing the next sunrise."
They saw Spectrier race through a foggy forest, little Pokémon following it with wide smiles... only for it to vanish again, leaving them confused.
The air shifted. Now, ghostly images showed Pokémon migrating from one territory to another: small, lost souls crossing frozen rivers or wandering misty valleys.
"And slowly," Eva said, "both legends grew agitated."
Spectrier's mists spread into Glastrier's mountains. Glastrier's blizzards crushed the creatures Spectrier tried to guide. Each saw the other as a danger to what they protected.
"They didn't know," Eva said softly, "that they were still pieces of the same soul."
The spectral images whirled into a final scene: the frozen lake where it all began.
Two figures — Glastrier and Spectrier — now fully grown into mighty beings, faced each other across the ice, mist and frost clashing in the air between them.
The children held their breath.
"And then," Eva said, voice hushed, "they met."
At that moment, Reuniclus' voice gently echoed in their minds:
"Who won that fight?"
The kids burst into chatter immediately.
"I bet Glastrier won!" Lukas said, pumping a fist. "It's way stronger! Ice beats ghosts, right?"
"No way," Marta argued, "Spectrier's faster! It could just run circles around it!"
Jake frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe... maybe they both remembered Rapidash. They wouldn't want to fight."
Petra tapped her chin. "Maybe... but it sounded like they were really angry."
They debated back and forth. Even Charmander gave a little "Char!" when Jake tried to explain his idea again.
Finally, Tomas threw up his hands and said, "Let's just do rock-paper-scissors for it!"
Eva couldn't help but laugh — a real, bright laugh — and nodded approvingly. "Seems fair to me."
The kids gathered, faced each other, and after a few rounds of giggling and pushing, Spectrier won.
At once, Reuniclus raised its arms, and a glittering star piece with a snowflake engraving shimmered into existence, floating down before them like a gentle falling leaf.
Tomas picked it up, wide-eyed.
"But... but what if Glastrier was supposed to win?" he asked.
Reuniclus' voice, warm and slow, answered inside their heads:
"Both answers would have been right."
The kids exchanged amazed, incredulous looks, the weight of the story sinking into them.