If one were to judge only by the base color of this Pokémon Egg, then many possible species came to mind.
For example, Cleffa and Igglybuff—whose final forms were the pink demons Clefable and Wigglytuff.
Or perhaps Slowpoke and Lickitung.
And even the least likely option: Happiny, the pre-evolution of Chansey, which itself could eventually evolve into Blissey.
But the patterns on this Egg didn't quite match the appearance of any of those five Pokémon.
In general, when determining the species of an unknown Pokémon Egg, one relied primarily on its color and markings, as those usually reflected the traits of the Pokémon inside.
This particular Egg had a pink body, yellow-and-black stripes circling it, and scattered blue speckles.
None of those features seemed to correspond exactly to any Pokémon Silas knew.
His gaze fell to the Egg's base, which bore a cloud-like white pattern, and he sank into thought.
There was a Pokémon Egg that resembled this one, but the colors were off—quite a bit off, in fact.
Silas found it difficult to believe.
"Uh… Senior, this is… a Mareep Egg?" he asked, full of uncertainty.
"Hahaha! See? I told you your uncle would figure it out, Gary. You've still got a lot to learn."
Bruno laughed heartily at Silas's deduction after only a brief moment of thought, and of course didn't forget to lecture Gary on the spot.
Gary secretly pouted, grumbling in his heart.
"This is just… a Shiny Pokémon, isn't it, Senior? This gift is way too valuable."
Silas gave a helpless smile this time. He had never expected Bruno to prepare such an extravagant gift.
Mareep was the first stage of Ampharos. Thanks to its various uses, it was bred in large numbers on farms—especially in its native Johto region.
Even so, within such massive numbers, Mareep with the potential to evolve into Ampharos weren't that common.
Most ranches raised Mareep for wool and milk. They actually preferred if Mareep didn't evolve, since evolved forms lost commercial value.
And since Pokémon Eggs had long been prohibited from being traded, specialized breeding for Egg production yielded little profit.
If large batches of Mareep Eggs ever flooded the black market, the League would immediately take action—otherwise it would mean they were asleep at the wheel.
But of course, that wasn't realistic.
Moreover, both Mareep and its evolution Flaaffy were far too gentle and docile, making them unsuitable as early battle partners.
Ampharos only secured a place in the Electric-type roster because there were so few truly powerful Electric-types overall.
In terms of Pokémon as a whole, considering how difficult they were to train, Ampharos—even with decent strength—wasn't exactly a popular choice.
But all of this assumed the Pokémon had average potential.
This Mareep Egg, however, according to Unit Zero's scan, carried Elite Four–level potential.
Any Pokémon with the aptitude to reach Elite Four standards would be fought over like treasure.
That alone proved Bruno had gone to great lengths.
And this wasn't just an Ampharos. This was a Shiny pink Ampharos.
The value of that green Shiny Rattata with average potential was still fresh in Silas's memory. Compared to that, a pink Shiny Ampharos with Elite Four potential was on a completely different level.
Even setting aside the ambitions of trainers, the wealthy ladies obsessed with aesthetics would never let such a beautiful Pokémon slip through their fingers.
"Senior… how can I possibly accept this?" Silas sighed, overwhelmed.
"It's nothing. This sort of thing isn't a problem for me," Bruno said generously.
And he wasn't boasting.
As the current Gym Leader of Cianwood Gym—one of Johto's oldest and most respected Gyms—and the holder of the Knuckle Badge, Bruno was an incredibly wealthy man.
Even without considering his family's vast enterprises, his own strength earned him astonishing income.
Unlike Flint, he didn't have ten children to support either.
"This Egg, I actually got it from the Olivine Gym. Don't worry, I didn't pay a single cent. I swear I'm not lying to you."
Seeing the love and hesitation in Silas's eyes, Bruno chuckled warmly, trying to reassure him.
Kids really are easy to read.
"Really?" Silas's expression softened slightly.
"Absolutely. You know the Olivine Gym's Shining Lighthouse? It's powered by an Ampharos.
That family specializes in breeding these Pokémon. Forget one Shiny—they've probably got three or four more sitting in storage.
This year, they were renewing their contract with my Gym for special medical supplies. I just mentioned it in passing, and they handed me this Egg."
Bruno shoved the pink Egg into Silas's arms with a grin.
He wasn't lying. The Olivine Lighthouse family and the Cianwood Gym had been close partners for generations—even before the League was founded.
Given their relationship, this Egg truly wasn't a big deal.
The only thing Bruno exaggerated was the number. Three or four might've been stretching it—but one or two extra was almost certainly true.
"Well… in that case, I won't be polite."
Silas hugged the pink Mareep Egg tightly, unable to hide the joy tugging at the corners of his lips.
He really did lack a solid Electric-type, and Ampharos was a powerhouse when it came to energy-based attacks. It would fill a crucial gap in his lineup.
"That's better." Bruno nodded in satisfaction.
"I was even planning to ask Professor Hina about Electivire earlier," Silas thought to himself. "But looks like that won't be necessary anymore."
At that moment, he felt someone tugging at his clothes.
He turned and saw Gary.
"Um, Uncle Silas… it's our first time meeting, right? Don't I get a gift too?"
The eight-year-old tilted his head up with puppy-dog eyes, feigning pitifulness.
Silas couldn't help but chuckle.
After a moment of thought, he pulled a bell from his bag and handed it over.
"This is… a Soothe Bell?" Gary examined it carefully, recognizing it immediately.
His education in the Lab had given him a remarkable foundation of knowledge. Though held items weren't common, the researchers there always used real examples, so Gary was quite familiar with them.
"Thank you, Uncle Silas!"
This time, he called out smoothly, his face lighting up with joy as he fiddled with the bell.
It was his very first held item.
Of course, to an adult's eyes, it might seem silly: a child without even a Pokémon has no need for held items.
"Make sure not to lose it. When you get your first Pokémon, use this. It'll help it grow close to you." Silas advised warmly.
"I'm going to show this to Ash, that blockhead!
Uncle Silas, Master Bruno, you guys keep talking—I'm off!
Oh, and let Grandpa know I'll be eating at Auntie Delia's tonight, so don't wait for me."
Gary shouted all this in one breath before dashing out of the room.
The two men exchanged a smile.
"Gary's been training well under your guidance, Senior," Silas remarked. From the boy's natural movements earlier, it was obvious how much practice he'd put in.
"This kid's hardworking," Bruno said thoughtfully. "He admits his mistakes and learns quickly. The only issues are that he's a bit flighty and sometimes arrogant.
But, he's still a child. Once he grows up, that'll smooth out. A little hardship, a few setbacks, and he'll learn what he needs."
Silas nodded in agreement. From what he remembered of Gary in the anime, that was exactly how it went.
"Come on, let's get dinner. After we eat, I'll test your and your Blaziken's Fighting ability."
Bruno slung an arm around Silas's shoulder and led him toward the cafeteria.
.....
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