Holding Minccino in his arms, Silas sat down on the sofa and opened the Pokédex, flipping to page 573.
"Look, this little gray mouse is your evolved form, Minccino."
Compared to Minccino's pre evolved form, the changes were not particularly drastic. The most noticeable difference was that two long, soft tufts of fur extended from the top of its head, which it used like a scarf. Its originally gray and white tail had also turned completely white.
Was it because it cleaned every day that the color gradually faded?
Minccino leaned closer, its large round eyes filled with curiosity as it examined the image. It reached a small paw behind its own big ears, as if imagining what it would look like after evolving.
"Min~ Min?"
"Your evolved form is very cute too." Silas smiled and gave an affirmative answer. "And after evolving, you will be able to produce a special kind of extremely smooth oil from your white fur. Not only is it the best helper for keeping your nest clean, it is also an excellent body lotion that could sell for a high price outside."
There was one more thing Silas did not mention, or rather did not need to mention.
A Cinccino had zero tolerance for dust.
After observing for quite a while, Minccino suddenly dashed into the kitchen and dragged the younger sister Indeedee and Alcremie over, asking for their opinions.
The two of them had been making small desserts.
"Indee!"
"Cremi~"
"Morpe!"
All three Pokémon gave enthusiastic approval. Minccino was the cutest Pokémon of all.
Why was Morpeko there? Because it had been sneaking snacks in the kitchen.
Catching the Minccino that leapt back into his arms, Silas naturally began kneading its big ears. "Have you decided? Do you want to evolve?"
This time Minccino did not hesitate. It clenched its tiny fists and nodded vigorously.
"Min! Min!"
(Silas, Silas, I want to evolve!)
"Alright."
He laid Minccino flat, pressed his cheek against its little belly, and rubbed his head against it. Minccino giggled and hugged him tightly.
"Tomorrow you will come with me. I will buy you a Shiny Stone in Lumiose City."
Thinking about it, he realized he had quite a few things to do tomorrow.
Fortunately, Diantha would be going along. She could help look after the Pokémon, giving him time to challenge the Lumiose Gym.
Minccino, seeing Silas lost in thought, quietly slipped away and ran outside to play with baby Kangaskhan.
Meanwhile, Silas began considering his lineup for the Lumiose Gym battle.
The current Lumiose Gym was not yet run by that future inventor who liked to proclaim that technology was amazing.
It was still under the veteran Gym Leader and Clemont's and Bonnie's father, Meyer.
This Gym Leader had also a double identity. During the day he was the Lumiose Gym Leader, and at night he was the Blaziken Mask, maintaining order and fighting crime in Lumiose.
Challenging the Lumiose Gym meant not only being wary of Electric type Pokémon, but also being cautious of sudden Fire type appearances.
Should he bring baby Kangaskhan this time?
After some thought, Silas shook his head.
It would be better to wait until the little one passed its infancy stage before participating in battles. Right now it was still just a baby without even a defined level.
Cyclizar was definitely going, as a safeguard to prevent any unexpected mishaps.
If pushed, he might even end up recreating the classic scene of a legendary level Pokémon battling a Gym.
One of the Mudsdale would also be necessary, since it was immune to Electric type moves. That left one final slot.
Just as Silas was about to get up to find Noivern, Diancie and Popplio ran toward him.
"You want to go to the concert too?"
"Of course you can."
Silas happily agreed, then focused his gaze on Diancie. "Diancie, would you like to have a Pokémon battle? We can test the results of your training these past few days."
"Really?" Diancie's ruby like eyes sparkled.
"Of course."
"Then I will inform the Carbink Minister. Wait for me, Silas."
Since Diancie was going to join, there was no need to deliberate over Noivern anymore.
He just wondered how the three Noivern would react when they found out.
He soon learned the answer. As expected, another round of so called brotherly harmony began.
This time it was not limited to cave wrestling. They even added aerial combat.
The three of them were getting more and more creative with their scuffles.
With that, the lineup for challenging the Lumiose Gym was decided.
Diancie, the eldest Mudsdale, and Cyclizar.
The rest of the day passed in playful chaos. Early the next morning, to avoid being late, Silas finished breakfast ahead of time.
He picked up a half asleep Jigglypuff and Popplio, brought along Diancie and Mudsdale, and hurried toward Lumiose City at top speed.
Lumiose City truly deserved its reputation as a metropolis. Every visit brought visible changes.
It was obvious that there were more Pokémon along both sides of the streets.
The most numerous were Gogoat.
They stood in designated parking spots, and from time to time people would insert League Coins into the coin boxes hanging on their chests. At the Gogoat's invitation, they would then climb onto their backs.
These large goats did not follow ordinary roads. They leapt and ran across the uneven rooftops of the city, using paths that belonged exclusively to them.
"Minccino, do you want to try riding a Gogoat?"
"Min!"
Minccino's eyes sparkled, as if asking whether it was really possible.
"Cyc!"
Cyclizar beneath him flicked its tail in dissatisfaction, dropping its usual playful expression. It sensed a crisis.
"Ah choo!"
Seven or eight Gogoat taxis parked by the roadside sneezed simultaneously, unknowingly drawing the hostility of a legendary level Pokémon.
Sensing Cyclizar's jealousy, Silas placed a hand on its head and changed the topic. "It is getting late. We cannot keep Diantha waiting. Cyclizar, you remember the location, right?"
"Cyc!"
Before leaving, Cyclizar shot a sideways glance at the Gogoat.
Hmph. They can't even fly!
Passing through Autumn Boulevard and walking by the Pokémon Arena and the Looker Detective Agency, they arrived at the central plaza.
From afar, they could see Diantha and Gardevoir standing by the fountain, waving at them.
Today Diantha was dressed casually. She wore a white turtleneck sweater on top and jeans that accentuated her perfectly shaped legs. Her glossy black hair was neatly tied up, and her makeup was light and elegant.
"Over here, Silas."
"Garde~"
Silas gestured for Cyclizar to approach. "Dian…tha…"
Before he could finish speaking, Diantha quickly stepped forward and covered his mouth, making a soft shushing sound.
Lowering her voice, she glanced toward a corner of the plaza. "Do not call out. There are fans and paparazzi over there."
Silas followed her gaze and indeed saw several people holding cameras wandering nearby, as if searching for something.
He nodded in understanding.
Only then did Diantha release him and casually lift Minccino from his shoulder.
"Let us leave first. The concert has not started yet. We can go to my home and sit for a while."
The two of them quietly departed from the central plaza.
The paparazzi exchanged confused looks.
They had previously received insider news that Kalos's rising new star, Diantha, would be meeting her mysterious boyfriend at the central plaza.
That was precisely why they had been secretly staking out the area, hoping to capture a major headline.
Now it seemed that the tip had been nothing more than complete fake news.
(End of Chapter)