After bidding farewell to the Elite Four Glacia, I rushed to the Mauville City Pokémon Center to place Torchic and Mawile under Nurse Joy's care. Even though we lost to Glacia, the defeat had been constructive; I had gained priceless knowledge, and Torchic had gained a powerful new move.
Torchic's desire to become stronger was palpable. I noticed its battle stance now had a slight but distinct difference—a low, aggressive posture that suggested it was actively trying to channel the energy for Flamethrower. The effort of learning the move mid-battle was a clear sign of its spirit.
I decided that before heading to the next Gym, my priority was to help Torchic master this new skill. A powerful move like Flamethrower, when handled clumsily, could endanger us or the environment. It needed control and precision.
"We'll find a training ground outside the city," I promised Torchic's Poké Ball. "We won't move until you can control the output and aim of every single flame."
Just as I finished checking Torchic's status with Nurse Joy, she approached me with a small, unusually patterned object cradled in her arms.
"Stephen," she said, her voice warm, "this delivery just arrived for you. It's quite rare; you should take great care of it."
She gently placed the item in my hands. It was a Pokémon Egg, smooth and cool to the touch, with distinct colors—a rich pattern suggesting its unique lineage.
"An Egg?" I murmured, surprised. "I haven't been expecting any..."
Before I could finish, the main video communication machine in the Pokémon Center chirped loudly.
"That will be the sender," Nurse Joy smiled, gesturing toward the screen.
I quickly took the call. The screen flickered, and the familiar, friendly face of Professor Birch appeared.
"Stephen! Ah, excellent! You received the package safely!" Professor Birch beamed. "I hope you like the design!"
"Professor, this is incredible!" I held up the Egg. "But I haven't done anything recently to earn this."
"Nonsense!" he chuckled. "This is a reward for your swift action and responsibility during the Petalburg Woods incident and the affair near the Petalburg Trees. That area is critical to Hoenn's ecosystem, and your intervention saved several wild Pokémon and preserved the integrity of the habitat."
He leaned closer to the camera, his tone becoming more insightful. "And beyond that, I've been following your progress through the Gym challenges. I see the intelligence behind your team selections, Stephen. Your use of that tricky Sableye in Mauville and the resilience of your Mawile—you aren't just relying on brute force."
He continued, nodding seriously. "That Egg is from a Pokémon family known for their resilience and unconventional strategies. It will only hatch for a trainer who values hidden potential and shows true compassion. Keep it close to you; travel with it and let it feel your energy. Good luck!"
I thanked Professor Birch profusely for his generosity. After hanging up, I looked at the Egg nestled in my arms. It felt both fragile and strangely heavy with potential.
The Egg was unlike any common Pokémon Egg I had ever seen. Instead of the typical smooth shell or simple patterns, this Egg had a distinct, slightly metallic sheen to its surface. The shell was primarily a cool, deep blue-green color, with faint, irregular grey bands wrapped around the center like subtle armor plating. It was unusually dense and felt heavier than its size suggested, giving it a solid, almost industrial quality.
The idea of adding a new, unknown member to the team filled me with anticipation. What Pokémon was inside? Would it be a powerhouse, a rare utility type, or something completely unexpected? The mystery was almost too much to bear.
I checked into the small rest room provided by the Pokémon Center. Torchic and Mawile were safely resting in their Balls, but I let Lotad, Wingull, and Sableye out to stretch and settle down for the night.
I carefully placed the patterned Beldum Egg beside me on the clean white sheets. Though my exhaustion from the day—the Gym battle, the Elite Four encounter, and now this gift—was immense, I couldn't ignore the atmosphere in the small room.
I looked over at my active team members. Lotad had curled up near the window, but its six eyes kept flicking toward the Egg, seemingly calculating its density. Wingull rested its head on the corner of the small table, but its gaze was fixed on the new arrival, its usual attention to external noise forgotten. Sableye, the most intrigued of all, hovered slightly off the ground, tilting its head back and forth, its gemstone eyes glowing softly as it analyzed the Egg's metallic, deep blue-green aura.
They weren't just curious; there was a silent, shared excitement among them. They knew this Egg meant a new member, a new dynamic, and a new adventure.
"Just rest," I murmured, gently pulling a blanket over myself. "We'll all know in the future."
The curiosity sight from every Pokémon was the last thing I saw. I allowed myself to drift off, excited for the morning when the next stage of my journey, the mastery of fire and the hatching of a new life, would begin.