It was the next day.
The group was traveling once again, packed inside one of the Hermonia family's cars—or rather, a replacement. The previous one had mysteriously become unusable after Kitsu insisted that "testing acceleration" was a perfectly reasonable idea.
No one had let her drive since.
The countryside rolled past outside the windows as they headed toward the next town.
Falkner, sitting beside Ethan, glanced at the incubator case resting securely on his lap.
"So... about that Egg Steven gave you?"
Ethan looked down at it.
The Pokémon Egg sat quietly inside the portable incubator, its shell giving off a faint warmth.
He shook his head.
"Yeah... I honestly have no idea what's inside."
Whitney leaned forward from the back seat, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Do you think it's one of Hoenn's pseudo-legendaries?"
Everyone paused.
Bugsy tilted his head.
"Bagon?"
Lyra nodded.
"Or maybe Beldum?"
Sabrina calmly added another possibility.
"Or Gible."
Everyone looked at her.
Sabrina blinked.
"...What?"
Ethan laughed.
"Gible isn't native to Hoenn."
"Oh."
She went back to reading her book as if nothing had happened.
Erika smiled softly.
"Steven is known for Steel-types."
Whitney snapped her fingers.
"Then maybe Aron!"
"Possible."
"Or Beldum," Falkner said. "Steven's family is famous for studying rare Steel Pokémon."
Ethan gently adjusted the incubator.
"I've thought about it..."
He smiled wryly.
"...which is exactly why I'm not making any guesses."
Everyone looked at him.
"Steven Stone isn't exactly predictable."
The others couldn't argue with that.
Giving someone an incredibly rare Pokémon while acting like it was perfectly normal sounded exactly like something Steven would do.
For all they knew...
The Egg could contain something nobody was expecting.
Ethan rested a hand on the incubator.
'Whatever's inside... we'll find out when you're ready.'
The Egg remained still.
Almost as if it were listening.
Erika closed her eyes, letting Aura flow through her fingertips as they rested lightly against the Egg's shell.
A faint silver glow surrounded it.
"...The energy inside is incredible."
Kitsu leaned forward from the seat beside her.
"You think it could be a Delta Steel-type?"
Everyone in the car paused.
Ethan rubbed his chin.
"...Maybe."
He looked down at the Egg.
"Delta Pokémon come in all kinds of typings. Steel isn't exactly rare among them."
Falkner tilted his head.
"So what could it be?"
Whitney immediately began counting on her fingers.
"Delta Aron?"
"Delta Noibat?"
"Delta Shinx?"
"Delta Combee?"
"...Or something completely different?"
Ethan smiled wryly.
"That's the problem."
"Steven only said it was a rare Pokémon."
"He never told me which one."
Erika gently smiled as she continued sensing the Egg.
"...Whatever it is..."
"It feels healthy."
"And..."
She paused.
"...Very calm."
Kitsu blinked.
"So not something that wants to headbutt Ethan the moment it hatches?"
Everyone immediately thought about Gible.
Ethan coughed.
"...That happened exactly once."
Whitney deadpanned.
"It happened the first five seconds after you met it again."
Falkner nodded.
"And then it looked proud of itself."
Bugsy added quietly,
"I still think Gible believed biting you was a greeting."
The entire car burst into laughter.
Even Ethan couldn't argue with that.
"...Yeah."
"...Probably."
Ethan blinked as a memory surfaced.
"Oh, right."
He looked across the car at Kitsu.
"Since we're talking about your team..."
"You have five Pokémon, not four."
Kitsu looked up.
"Hm?"
Ethan pointed toward her belt.
"Why aren't you using your Ekans?"
"The one you caught before getting your first Badge."
Kitsu's expression immediately became complicated.
"...That's the problem."
She pulled out the Poké Ball and stared at it for a moment.
"Manda won't come out."
The car went quiet.
Whitney blinked.
"Like... at all?"
Kitsu nodded.
"At all."
"I've tried calling her out during training, during meals, even when we were resting."
"Nothing."
Bugsy frowned.
"...Did she get injured?"
"No," Kitsu said. "The Poké Ball scanner says she's healthy."
Sabrina looked thoughtful.
"Has she responded to your voice?"
Kitsu hesitated.
"...A little."
"When I talk to her, the ball moves sometimes."
"But the moment I try to release her, she goes completely still."
Ethan leaned back in his seat.
"'That's not fear of battle.'"
"'That's fear of leaving the Poké Ball.'"
Erika nodded slowly.
"Ekans are naturally cautious Pokémon."
"They're predators, but they're also very aware of their surroundings."
"Something may have frightened her when you first caught her."
Kitsu looked down at the ball.
"...I caught her near a road."
"She was hiding under a broken sign."
"She looked really thin."
Lyra's expression softened.
"So she was already struggling before you met her."
Kitsu nodded.
"I thought giving her food and a Poké Ball would help."
Whitney smiled gently.
"It probably did."
"But that doesn't mean she trusts the outside world yet."
Ethan held out his hand.
"Can I see the Poké Ball?"
Kitsu handed it over.
Ethan didn't press the release button.
He simply held the ball and spoke calmly.
"Hey, Manda."
"We're not trying to force you out."
The Poké Ball twitched.
Everyone noticed.
Ethan smiled.
"See? You're listening."
Another small twitch.
Kitsu stared.
"She never responds that quickly to me."
Ethan handed the ball back.
"Because you're trying to solve the problem."
He smiled at his sister.
"Sometimes you just need to sit with the Pokémon and let them decide when they're ready."
Kitsu looked at the Poké Ball for a long moment.
Then she rested it on her lap instead of clipping it back onto her belt.
"...Okay."
She leaned back in her seat.
"We'll take it slow, Manda."
A faint movement came from inside the ball.
Tiny.
But unmistakable.
Whitney grinned.
"I think she heard that."
Kitsu smiled for the first time since the topic came up.
"...Yeah."
"I think she did too."
Bugsy thought for a moment, arms folded as he looked at the Poké Ball resting on Kitsu's lap.
"...I think we should go back to where you caught her."
Kitsu looked up immediately.
"Why?"
Falkner answered before Bugsy could.
"Route 32 is known for having several wild Ekans nests."
Bugsy nodded.
"Ekans are very territorial, but they're also social around their nesting grounds. If Manda was separated from her nest too early..."
He shrugged.
"...the Poké Ball might feel safer than an unfamiliar environment."
Lyra tilted her head.
"So you think she's homesick?"
"Maybe," Bugsy said. "Or maybe she's waiting to see if the place she came from is still there."
Sabrina added quietly,
"Some Pokémon form location-based bonds, especially when they spend their early growth period in one territory."
Ethan looked at Kitsu.
"'That actually makes sense.'"
Kitsu frowned slightly.
"But if we go back there and she decides she wants to stay?"
The car became quiet for a moment.
Whitney gave a small smile.
"Then you'd know what she wants."
Kitsu looked down at the Poké Ball.
"...I don't want to lose her."
Ethan reached over and gently tapped the ball.
"If she didn't want you, she wouldn't respond when you talk to her."
The Poké Ball twitched faintly, as if agreeing.
Bugsy smiled.
"Exactly."
"We're not talking about releasing her."
"We're talking about giving her a chance to feel safe enough to come out."
Falkner glanced out the window.
"We'll pass near Route 32 again before heading deeper toward Azalea."
Kitsu took a slow breath.
"...Okay."
She nodded.
"We'll try it."
Then, after a brief pause, she looked at the Poké Ball and spoke softly.
"What do you think, Manda?"
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
Tap.
A small bump came from inside the ball.
Whitney's eyes widened.
"That was definitely a yes."
Kitsu couldn't help but smile.
"...Guess we're taking a detour."
The Hermonia car left the main road and turned onto Route 32.
The scenery changed almost immediately.
Tall grass swayed in the wind, and clusters of rocks lined the roadside. The area was quiet except for the distant cries of wild Pokémon and the rustling of grass.
After a few minutes, the car slowed to a stop near a weathered signpost.
Kitsu stepped out first.
Ethan followed, the others watching from inside the car.
Kitsu looked down at the Poké Ball in her hands.
"...We're back."
She took a breath and pressed the release button.
"Come on out, Manda."
A flash of white light appeared.
An Ekans materialized on the grass.
For a heartbeat, Manda remained completely still.
Then her head lifted.
Her tongue flicked through the air.
She looked around rapidly—left, right, toward the rocks, toward the tall grass.
Ethan stayed several steps back and didn't speak.
Kitsu crouched down.
"It's okay," she said softly. "I just wanted to bring you here."
Manda slowly slid forward, leaving the safety of the spot where she had appeared.
She moved toward the broken roadside sign Kitsu had mentioned earlier.
The wood was still cracked.
The grass beneath it had been flattened by time and weather.
Manda stopped beside it.
Her body tensed.
For a moment, Ethan thought she might disappear back into the Poké Ball.
Instead, she lifted her head and let out a soft hiss.
Not aggressive.
Calling.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Rustle.
The tall grass nearby moved.
One wild Ekans appeared.
Then another.
And another.
Three wild Ekans emerged cautiously from the grass, watching Manda from a distance.
Kitsu held her breath.
Manda's body relaxed slightly.
She slithered forward a little, exchanging quiet hisses with the wild Ekans.
Ethan smiled faintly.
"'She recognizes them.'"
One of the wild Ekans moved closer and gently bumped its head against Manda's.
Manda froze for a second...
Then returned the gesture.
Kitsu's expression softened.
"So this was your home."
The wild Ekans looked toward Kitsu.
Not hostile.
Just wary.
Manda turned back toward Kitsu and flicked her tongue in her direction.
Then, slowly...
She slithered back toward her trainer.
Kitsu's eyes widened slightly.
"Manda?"
The Ekans stopped beside her and curled loosely around her ankle—not tightly, just enough to make contact.
Ethan chuckled.
"'I think she made her choice.'"
Kitsu carefully knelt down and held out her arms.
Manda looked at the wild Ekans one last time.
They watched quietly from the grass.
Then Manda climbed into Kitsu's arms and rested there, body finally relaxed.
Kitsu smiled, relief flooding her face.
"Welcome back."
For the first time since she had been caught...
Manda didn't return to the Poké Ball.
Ethan's expression changed.
He looked past Manda and toward the wild Ekans still hiding in the grass.
"Hey, Kitsu."
Kitsu immediately noticed the shift in his voice.
"What's wrong?"
Ethan crouched down beside the nearest wild Ekans.
At first glance it looked fine.
Then he saw it.
Dark bruises beneath the scales.
A fresh scrape near its side.
And drag marks in the dirt leading away from the nesting area.
His eyes narrowed.
"...These aren't battle injuries."
Kitsu's smile disappeared.
"What do you mean?"
Ethan stood up slowly, following the disturbed trail with his eyes.
The marks led deeper into the grasslands, toward a cluster of trees and rocky outcroppings.
He looked back at the others.
"Let's move."
Without another word, he released Marshtomp.
"Marsh!"
Kitsu immediately understood and threw out her own Pokémon.
"Torrent, come on out!"
Grotle appeared beside her with a heavy thud, vines already twitching.
The two siblings followed the trail through the tall grass.
Broken branches.
Boot prints.
And the faint metallic smell of machinery.
The further they went, the more obvious it became that someone had been here recently.
Then they heard voices.
"...Hurry up!"
"We've got at least four more nests to clear before sunset."
"These Ekans sell well in Goldenrod."
Ethan and Kitsu stopped behind a large boulder.
Marshtomp crouched low.
Torrent's vines curled around the rock.
Ethan carefully peeked around the edge—
And his stomach tightened.
Three men were in a small clearing.
Cages were stacked beside a truck.
Inside them were frightened Ekans and a few Sandshrew.
One poacher held a capture net crackling with electricity.
Another was forcing an Ekans into a transport crate.
The third was checking a list.
Kitsu's hands clenched into fists.
"...Poachers."
Her voice shook with anger.
Ethan's expression hardened.
The wild Ekans behind them hissed quietly, but none dared enter the clearing.
That told him everything.
These Pokémon had already tried to fight back.
And lost.
One of the poachers laughed.
"Relax. By the time the League hears about this, we'll be halfway to another route."
Ethan slowly reached for a Poké Ball.
His purple Dragon Force eyes flickered to life.
"Yeah..."
He looked at Kitsu.
"...I don't think they're leaving at all."
Kitsu grinned, fury burning behind it.
"Good."
She pointed toward the clearing.
"Torrent."
"Vine Whip."
Ethan stepped out from behind the boulder.
"Marshtomp."
"Mud Shot."
The poachers looked up just in time to see vines and a wave of mud crashing toward them.
The ambush had begun.
At the car, the others waited.
Minutes had passed since Ethan and Kitsu had followed the Ekans trail into the grasslands.
Bugsy leaned against the window, looking out toward the fields.
"...So what's taking them so long?"
Falkner shrugged.
"Don't know."
"Maybe Manda decided to stay with the wild Ekans."
Whitney nodded.
"That would make sense."
Lyra, however, kept glancing toward the distant tree line.
"...I don't know."
She hugged her arms.
"Something doesn't feel right."
The air had changed.
The wild Pokémon sounds were quieter now.
Too quiet.
Sabrina's head lifted.
Her crimson eyes began to glow.
Psychic energy rippled through the car, making the windows vibrate faintly.
Everyone turned toward her.
"Sabrina?"
Erika asked.
Sabrina didn't answer.
Her gaze was fixed on a point far beyond the road.
Her expression changed instantly.
Shock.
Then anger.
Her eyes widened.
"...Poachers."
Before anyone could react—
FLASH!
Sabrina vanished in a burst of psychic light.
The seat she had been sitting in was suddenly empty.
Silence.
Everyone stared.
Whitney blinked.
"...What just happened?"
Bugsy looked between the empty seat and the open field.
"Did she just—"
Falkner finished the sentence.
"Teleport."
Lyra shot upright.
"Wait, if she teleported, that means she found Ethan and Kitsu!"
Erika was already opening the car door.
"And if she reacted like that..."
Her Aura flared around her.
"...they're in trouble."
Whitney immediately grabbed her Poké Balls.
"Oh, we're not sitting here anymore."
Bugsy pulled his bike helmet on.
"Finally, something I understand."
Falkner released Pidgeotto in one smooth motion.
"We move now."
The group burst out of the car and ran toward the grasslands.
Ahead of them, a distant explosion of mud and psychic energy rose above the trees.
And somewhere beyond that—
Sabrina had already arrived.
To be continue
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