Franklin, determined to put his Sanctuary failures behind him, jabs his finger at the lottery tablet, a surge of hope coursing through him. The screen whirs to life, a kaleidoscope of Pokémon silhouettes flashing before his eyes. Finally, the images slow, the tension building with each agonizing rotation, until the screen settles on a final image: a rather plump, segmented creature with a pointed head.
It was a Bug-type Pokémon: Wurmple.
Franklin's face fell. He turned to Orion, his voice laced with disappointment. "What's this thing? Is it even strong?"
Orion cleared his throat, searching for the most diplomatic way to describe Wurmple. "Well, Franklin, Wurmple isn't exactly known for its raw power, I won't lie to you. But it has potential. All Pokémon do, with the right training."
Orion continued, "What makes Wurmple unique is its evolutionary path. Unlike most Pokémon, Wurmple has two different paths it can take. It can evolve into either a Silcoon or a Cascoon, and from there, it can evolve into either a Beautifly or a Dustox. It's all a matter of luck and how you raise it."
Franklin considered this for a moment, his expression thoughtful. The idea of a Pokémon with multiple evolutionary paths was intriguing, but the word "weak" kept echoing in his mind.
"Nah, I'm good," Franklin said, shaking his head. "I want something a little more... impressive."
He tapped the lottery tablet again, hoping for better luck this time. Again, the screen blurred with images, only to land on another Bug-type Pokémon: Kricketot.
Franklin groaned, his shoulders slumping. Valeria snorted beside him, earning a glare from her brother.
"Seriously?" Franklin complained, his voice rising in frustration. "Another bug? Is my luck really this bad?"
He tried again, and again, and again. Each time, the lottery spat out another Bug-type Pokémon: Nincada, then Sewaddle.
After the third bug, Valeria struggled to stifle her laughter, a giggle escaping her lips. Franklin shot her a withering glare, his face reddening with frustration.
"This is rigged!" Franklin exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "There's no way I'm this unlucky!"
Discouraged but still determined, Franklin steeled himself for one final attempt. This was it, his last chance to avoid the dreaded Bug-type curse. He closed his eyes, picturing a powerful, impressive Pokémon, anything but another segmented insect.
"Please, please, please," he muttered under his breath as he tapped the lottery tablet one last time.
The screen whirled, the images flashing by in a dizzying blur. The tension in the room was palpable, even Pikachu seemed to be holding its breath. Finally, with a dramatic flourish, the lottery settled on a final silhouette, one that was both delicate and mysterious.
It was Ralts.
Orion's eyes widened with surprise and excitement. "Franklin, your luck has turned around!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. "You've drawn a Ralts!"
Franklin's face lit up, his previous frustration instantly forgotten. "A Ralts? What's that?"
Orion beamed, launching into an explanation. "Ralts is a rare and highly sought-after Pokémon, Franklin. It's prized for its potential and unique abilities. It's not quite as powerful as the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon but something any Trainer would be lucky to have."
Franklin, now filled with anticipation, could barely contain his excitement. "Can I see it? Can I see it now?"
Orion chuckled, nodding his head. "Of course, Franklin. Patience, young Trainer."
He turned to Latias, exchanging a knowing glance. "Latias, would you mind retrieving Ralts for Franklin?"
Latias nodded, her expression warm and encouraging. She disappeared into the back room, returning moments later with a small, cradled figure in her arms.
It was Ralts. A small, humanoid Pokémon with a white body, a green, helmet-like head with two red horns, and large, expressive eyes that seemed to radiate kindness and curiosity.
Valeria leaned forward, studying the Pokémon with a critical eye. That's kind of cute, she thought. Suddenly, both Franklin and Valeria heard a small, polite voice echoing in their minds. "H-hello."
They looked around, confused, searching for the source of the voice. Orion chuckled, anticipating their confusion.
"Ah, yes, I forgot to mention," Orion said, his eyes twinkling. "Ralts is a Psychic and Fairy type of Pokémon and has the ability of telepathy, allowing it to communicate directly into your minds. It's quite a remarkable ability, wouldn't you agree?"
Franklin's eyes widened in amazement. "Whoa! That's so cool!" He turned his attention back to Ralts, his voice filled with newfound respect. "So, uh, you can read my mind?"
"N-not without your permission," Ralts replied, its voice gentle and reassuring. "I-I only wanted to say h-hi…"
Franklin now understands that Ralts was friendly and intelligent, and quite shy. "Hey, uh, Ralts, right? Would you, uh, like to be my partner? You know, like, come with me and battle and stuff?"
Ralts tilted its head slightly, its large eyes studying Franklin with an intensity that belied its small size. It paused for a moment, sensing Franklin's genuine kindness and lack of malice. Finally, it reached a decision.
Ralts nodded its head slightly, a small, almost imperceptible gesture. Then, it extended its tiny hand out to Franklin, a silent offer of partnership.
Franklin's face erupted in a wide, beaming smile. "Yes! Yes, I would love that!"
He carefully took Ralts's hand, his heart swelling with joy and gratitude. He finally had a Pokémon, a real partner, and he couldn't wait to start their adventures together.
"Alright!" Franklin said, "How much does this fella cost?"
"Ah, yes," Orion replied, his smile unwavering. "Ralts, being as rare as he is, comes at a price. He is in the same price range as a starter Pokémon, which will be one million dollars."
Franklin's face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered, remembering the unlimited credit card he had in his pocket.
Orion continued, "Since the grand opening discount is still ongoing, it will bring the total down to seven hundred thousand dollars."
Franklin pulls out the Fantastic Four's credit card. It is a black card with a large '4' on it. "Alright! That's no problem! Use this one!"
With a flourish, Orion swiped the card through the terminal, the screen flashing a confirmation message. "Excellent! The transaction is complete, Franklin! Ralts is officially yours."
With the Ralts now officially his, Franklin also requested a Pokédex to learn more about his new partner. Orion happily obliged, swiping the card once more and completing the transaction.
Franklin also buys a Pokedex and immediately pulls it out and scans his new Pokémon. The screen lit up, displaying a wealth of information.
Species: Ralts — The Feeling Pokémon
Type: Psychic / Fairy
Height: 0.4 m (1'04")
Weight: 6.6 kg (14.6 lbs)
Sex: Male
Ability: Trace
Moves: Growl, Disarming Voice, Double Team, Confusion, Confuse Ray.
Ralts is extremely sensitive to the emotions around it. The red sensory organs on its head allow it to read the emotional "aura" of both people and Pokémon. If it senses kindness, it will come closer and relax in that presence. But if it detects hostility, anxiety, or malice, it will tremble and use its psychic power to disappear from sight or teleport away. Ralts is rarely seen in the wild because it only reveals itself to those whose hearts are calm and gentle. It is drawn to lonely individuals and will sometimes appear specifically to offer silent comfort and companionship.
Franklin read the information aloud, his voice filled with excitement and wonder. "Psychic and Fairy-type? Cool!"
Franklin looks at the move list. "What do all those do?"
Orion smiled, seeing Franklin's genuine enthusiasm. "Those are Ralts's moves, Franklin. They're like special abilities that Ralts can use in battle."
Franklin looked back at Ralts, his eyes shining with admiration. "This is so awesome! I can't believe I finally have a Pokémon!"
He gently scooped Ralts up into his arms, hugging it tightly. "Thank you for choosing me, Ralts. I promise I'll be the best Trainer you've ever seen!"
Ralts communicated telepathically, its voice gentle and a little shy. "I... I hope I can be a good partner, too, Franklin."
***
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