After the chaotic morning of "Venonat" pranks and high-speed chases, Julian had finally settled his heart. He had treated everyone to a quick but hearty lunch—mostly to appease the still-grumbling Growlithe—and then rushed toward the Solaceon Town Nursery.
The air in the lobby was cool, smelling faintly of disinfectant and Oran Berry cider. Julian walked up to the counter, his excitement barely contained behind a polite smile.
"Hello, I'm Julian. I checked in a couple of days ago. I was told my egg was expected to hatch this afternoon."
As he spoke, he laid his Pokédex and the official Nursery record card on the counter. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a friendly face, took the items and began typing.
"Let's see... Ah, Master Miller's station, right? He's been expecting you. Please follow the assistant down that hallway." She made a polite 'please' gesture toward a young woman in a lab coat who was already waiting by an arched doorway.
Julian followed her through a labyrinth of clean, white corridors that eventually opened up into a lush, indoor grassland. It was a beautiful sight—a micro-ecosystem protected by glass domes. Finally, they reached a massive, reinforced steel door embedded into a rocky cave wall.
The assistant swiped a magnetic card and leaned toward the intercom. "Master Miller, the Trainer for the project egg has arrived."
A gruff, yet warm voice crackled through the speakers. "I know, I know. Bring the boy in."
Shu-la-la~~~
The steel door hissed open, revealing a high-tech laboratory that looked more like a geophysics lab than a Pokémon nursery. Master Miller was hunched over a flickering computer screen, his eyes fixed on a series of scrolling graphs.
"Hello, Master Miller! How is the little one doing?" Julian blurted out as soon as he crossed the threshold.
"You're just in time," Miller said without looking up, though there was a hint of a smile in his voice. "I estimate that in about half an hour, we can pull the egg from the chamber and wait for the Shell Smash. It's reached peak stability."
Julian stepped closer to look at the monitor. He saw the live data and felt his eye twitch involuntarily.
"Master Miller... are you sure about these readings?" Julian pointed at the display, which showed an internal chamber temperature of 1800°C and a pressure reading of 8Gpa. "Does a baby really need to be cooked at 'inner-mantle-of-the-earth' levels just to hatch?"
"No problem at all!" Miller waved a hand dismissively. "I increased the intensity little by little. Based on the shell density and the energy output of the lifeform inside, this is the sweet spot. But I have to say, this is the most interesting egg I've handled in forty years. Most eggs would have turned into an omelet at 50°C. If I were twenty years younger, I'd travel to the Hoenn or Alola volcanoes just to see where this species originates."
Julian rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "I see... so it really is that kind of Pokémon."
He turned back to the old man. "Master Miller, would it be alright if I released my other Pokémon? I want them to witness the birth of their new teammate. It's a big moment for our family."
Miller glanced at the four Poké Balls clipped to Julian's belt and nodded. "As long as they don't treat my expensive monitors as chew toys or run into the high-pressure zones, go ahead."
"Thank you! Everyone, come on out!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four bursts of white light filled the room. In an instant, Floette was hovering near the ceiling, Togetic was fluttering curiously toward a bubbling beaker, Sylveon was stretching her ribbons, and Growlithe was sniffing the floor for any stray treats.
"Listen up, everyone," Julian said, his tone shifting to 'Team Captain' mode. "This child is about to hatch. Master Miller is letting us stay, but you have to be on your best behavior. No running, no touching the buttons, and absolutely stay away from the big glass chamber. Understood?"
"Floette-flo! (Finally! It's been forever!)" 🌸
"Sylveon-fly! (This egg is a slow-poke. I remember Togetic only took three days once we got her to the right temperature!)" 🎀
"Jia gei? (Was I born in a pressure cooker too?)" Togetic asked, tilting her head.
"Woof! (I just hope this one doesn't like riding on my back like a saddle!)" Growlithe barked, remembering the 'Venonat' incident from earlier.
Julian laughed, crouching down to their level. "Togetic, you were a much gentler hatch. We just kept you in a cozy incubator for a few days. This one is different—it's a 'hardcore' hatcher. It needs the heat and pressure of the deep earth to feel at home. That's why it's been so quiet until now."
"Fly ah? (So it's a legendary dragon or something?)" Sylveon asked, her eyes wide.
"No, it's just a trait of their family tree," Julian shook his head. "I'm fairly certain I know what it is now."
"Woof? (Which one? Tell us!)" Growlithe nudged Julian's hand with his wet nose.
"Well... let's keep it a surprise. I'll give you one hint: it's not a furry type like you or Sylveon. It's got a much... tougher exterior." Julian couldn't resist. He reached out and vigorously rubbed Growlithe's head, teasing the curious puppy.
"Wait a minute," Master Miller interrupted, sounding genuinely surprised. "Young man... can you actually understand what they're saying?"
Julian froze for a split second, then offered his well-rehearsed, 'safe' explanation. "Ah, this? No, not exactly. We've just lived together for so long that I can read their body language and tone. It's like how a parent knows what a baby wants before it can speak. Most Trainers get there eventually, right?"
Miller shook his head, looking skeptical. "Many Trainers get the 'general gist' of their partner's feelings after a decade. But you're carrying on a full-blown debate with four different species at once. That's a rare gift, kid. Don't undersell it."
"Well... I guess we just have a really great connection! Right, Growlithe?"
To emphasize his point—and to indulge in his favorite hobby now that he was 'out of the closet' with his Pokémon—Julian sat cross-legged on the lab floor. He scooped the orange puppy into his arms, bringing him up to eye level. He rubbed his nose against Growlithe's forehead, then pinned him to his lap and started stroking his side fur with long, rhythmic motions.
"Woof?! (Hey! Julian! Weren't you terrified of people seeing you do this? Why are you being a 'fur-maniac' in front of this old man! Have you lost your shame?!)"
Growlithe was mortified. He struggled for a second, but Julian's 'Full-Power Grooming' was too effective. His legs went limp.
"Alright, Growlithe, don't be a drama queen," Julian whispered, his hands never stopping. "I'm just smoothing your coat. Look how messy you are. It's embarrassing to be in a professional lab with bedhead."
[Hehe~ To a stranger, this just looks like a dedicated Trainer grooming his dog. They don't know I'm secretly huffing the scent of shampoo and enjoying every second of this fluff-overload!]
"Woof! Woof! (My fur is messy because YOU used me as a pillow last night! And then you rushed us out the door before I could lick myself clean! You're the reason I look like a stray!)" Growlithe barked indignantly, though his tail was betrayed him by wagging against Julian's leg.
"Oh dear, you're right. It was my fault for rushing," Julian said aloud, maintaining the facade for Master Miller. "Let me make it up to you with a good brushing right now."
[It's precisely because you're a mess that I have a valid excuse to touch you for the next twenty minutes! Mwahaha!]
Master Miller watched the scene and nodded approvingly. "Look at that. Pure harmony. No matter how many years I spend in this business, it always warms my old heart to see a Trainer who truly loves his Pokémon. You've got a good soul, Julian."