The Eggs Are Alive!

They were carefully placed inside what looked like a specialized containment unit—something straight out of a lab.

The device cradling them was reinforced, covered in protective layers similar to the insulation used in high-end scientific equipment. But what caught his attention the most was the built-in monitor attached to the casing.

It resembled the kind used in hospitals to track a patient's vitals, displaying a heartbeat or other signs of life. But right now, the screen showed only a flat, unbroken line.

No movement. No activity.

No signs of life.

Allen frowned at this. As a former medical expert, he knew they had likely already conducted experiments with eggs, possibly attempting to revive them.

The idea of bringing life back wasn't unfamiliar in the Pokémon world, especially after the discovery of many Pokémon fossils. However, he never knew that there were Pokémon fossils resurrected from an egg

'It didn't matter, though. Hadn't they said before that these eggs were expensive?' Allen grinned

If they were worth that much, then they were worth taking. Without hesitation, he reached for the cables connecting the containment unit to its power source. One by one, he yanked them free, ignoring the faint flicker of the monitor as it lost power.

The hum of the device faded into silence.

Wasting no time, he carefully lifted each egg and placed them inside the bag he had picked up earlier. The moment the last egg was secured, he slung the bag over his shoulder and stood up.

It was time to go.

However, just as he was about to take a step, the bag on his back twitched.

Allen's foot froze midair

"That's...!"

Life inside an egg typically moves due to the developing embryo. As the embryo grows, it becomes more active, with small twitches or shifts as it prepares for hatching. This movement is the result of growing cells, muscles, and a nervous system functioning as the organism matures.

Allen quickly unstrapped the bag from his back and pulled out the eggs. He lined them up with before reconnecting the cable he had previously unplugged. He looked closely at the monitor, watching for any sign of change.

"Nothing...?"

He frowned at this. It had clearly twitched earlier. He rubbed his chin, thinking through every possible scenario that could explain what was happening.

Step one: the eggs might have entered a state of dormancy due to extreme conditions. In this state, their metabolic processes would slow down or even come to a near halt, allowing them to survive for extended periods without active biological processes.

Step two: whatever the grave diggers had done to these eggs, it's possible they were tampered with—maybe synthetic or engineered materials had been introduced to mimic life processes. External contamination could have caused unexpected biological reactions.

Step three: finally, the life inside the eggs may have stirred, but it was extremely weak. In this state, their metabolic processes slow down drastically or even stop altogether.

It's just like some sort of suspended animation. However, once the conditions become favorable, the egg can reawaken. This is why, despite appearing dormant or inactive, a twitch or small movement can occur.

Allen's eyes lit up!

They didn't know the eggs were alive because they kept them in a container and never held them. Now, either the machine couldn't detect life because it was too weak, or it was just a coincidence that when he picked up the egg, the jolt caused it to awaken.

These eggs are alive!

He instinctively turned around to look at the dark vast chamber behind him.

Who knows?

Maybe these two eggs are just small pieces of the larger batch still waiting to be discovered.

"But first things first," he muttered under his breath as he reached for the radio sitting nearby. He twisted the knob further, the low hum growing louder until, finally, he hit a channel with a clear, steady signal.

[...Welcome, welcome to Jubilife TV Poké-Quiz Hour—the show where trivia meets... well, questionable prizes! Answer the questions correctly, and you could win the ultimate Pokémon doll... yep, you heard that right, folks, a doll! Let's dive right in... and with that, shall we begin?]

"Uh... hello?"

[...Yes, yes, hello, who am I speaking with?...]

[...Oh, from the voice... A kid? ...? Seems like we've got a shy caller here, heh heh...]

Another voice came through the radio, a woman, making Allen roll his eyes at her comment.

"Hello, I'm sorry, I'm kind of in a tough situation..."

[Yes, yes, what is it, dear...?]

A vein popped in Allen's forehead, but he took a deep breath and switched to a serious tone. "There are some really weird people who like digging graves here. You've got to call the police—like, right now!"

"..."

There was a long pause.

[...Who is this? Is this a prank or what...?]

"You mother—"

[...Where are you? We'll send help...]

Thankfully, one of them seemed to take him seriously, cutting off his chance to be famous. Before he could say more, the radio crackled, the signal wavering.

The voice on the other side began to distort, the words breaking up as static filled the air.

"What?" Allen said, confused, as he looked at the radio, gently knocking it.

[...All... llo... hear? llen!...]

The static intensified before Allen could hear it more clearly this time.

[...Allen, do you hear me?!...]

"Eh...?"

[...Allen, is that you? This is Professor Rowan!...]

Allen was dumbfounded. How could Professor Rowan suddenly pop into this conversation? Signal overlap?

But, well, this was actually good.

In fact, everyone had already been listening to Allen's conversation with the radio host, having intercepted his signal. However, since they were the ones doing the intercepting, they needed to be in close proximity to Allen for a better signal-to-noise ratio.

"Professor Rowan, this is Allen! Come quickly! There are criminals here! In the cave... the one where I was trapped with Grandma Wilma and Cynthia!"

[...Yeah, we're on our way. Are you hurt? Find a safe place and stay there, don't move! Safety first!...]

Grandma Dracelia's voice was heard worriedly. Even though the immediate threats had been neutralized, Allen nodded. "Understood, and no Grandma! By the way, we have another emergency."

[...What is it?...]

The radio emitted a swoosh sound, indicating they were likely on the move.

Allen continued, "There's a dam here, a very large one. Absol led me here and wanted to warn me. It's about to collapse and flood everything between here and the Grand Marsh. These people here are using explosives, which is making the situation even worse."

If the dam's collapse is true, given the speed of the water coming down the mountain, the lack of warning would undoubtedly lead to catastrophic flooding. Absol sensed the disaster, which is why it led him here.

The faces of Professor Rowan, Professor Oak, Professor Carolina, and Grandma Wilma turned pale with concern as they processed the information.

[... Allen, can you give us more details about the situation there? We'll contact the Sinnoh Association first to handle it, but the more information we have, the better. Also, tell me about the people you mentioned...]

"Professor, don't worry. Absol has already dealt with all the criminals here. It's safe now, but I'm not sure what to do about the dam."

[... That Absol... the one with you previously?...]

"Yes."

[...But still, be careful...]

Since there were no immediate threats, Allen had already started heading toward the dam, his mind racing. He tried to think of anything he could do to delay the inevitable.

He walked and walked, his steps growing more deliberate until he suddenly stopped in confusion. He knelt down, picking up a fallen petal and muttering, "Flowers? Were there flowers here before?"

He frowned, his eyes scanning the rocky path ahead.

The cave stretched before him, its towering walls rising from every crack, with delicate blooms in shades of green and blue sprouting from the it. 

Their petals stood out like bursts of color against the otherwise muted landscape, bringing a sense of life to an otherwise desolate environment, defying all sense of logic.

"What the hell...?"

[...Allen?...]

CREAAK... CLICK~!

The radio crackled and distorted as the signal faltered before cutting off. Allen stared at it for a moment before his attention was grabbed by a sound. His gaze shifted to the spillway. The water was already forming small pools at the base, seeping through the weakened sections of the dam.

"That was..."

But it wasn't the dam that caught his attention.

A wave of grass had sprouted from the spot where it had landed, lush and vibrant, as if the ground itself had come alive. The figure behind it was barely half a meter tall, not even a foot in height—small, yet exuding authority.

That was because, in front of it, Allen could see Geodude, Graveler, Bidoof, and Bibarel, all saluting in the direction before them, toward the Pokémon who had somehow caused all the grass and plants to sprout.

The figure, though tiny, seemed to command respect from the Pokémon around it, as if its presence alone could bend nature to its will.

The very little Pokémon, standing shyly in front of the worksite, gave a quick glance at all the Pokémon present. Soon, those whose attention had been drawn by its majestic arrival knelt, going down on one knee in respect to the legendary.

The Pokémon then nodded at them.

At the gesture, the Pokémon quickly sprang into action.

The Graveler straightened up, letting out a deep, rumbling sound—almost like rocks scraping against each other. The noise was a clear affirmation, as if it was giving the all-clear for the next steps.

Other Gravelers carefully inspected the dam's weakened base, identifying the most fragile sections. Using their powerful arms, they rolled large stones into place to reinforce the dam's foundation, stacking them in a staggered pattern to provide maximum support.

Geodude assisted by pushing smaller rocks into gaps and compacting the gravel to ensure the stones didn't shift under pressure.

The commander Pokémon then stepped forward, and a green aura flared around it. The aura divided into small orbs that condensed into smaller brown spheres, gathering around the legendary like an orrery.

Allen didn't have to wait long. As he watched, the orbs suddenly streaked away from the Pokémon, angled themselves down, and shot into the ground at the base of the dam. Allen winced, expecting the dam to collapse immediately, but it didn't.

There was a great creaking, the sound of shattering stone, and shifting dirt. Allen watched in awe as branches exploded from the depths of the ravine, and the other side of the ground meshed itself with the wood already present in the dam, wrapping itself around it.

At this signal, Bibarel and Bidoof began their roles.

Bibarel started working on the dam's surface, gathering thick mud and clay from nearby banks. Using its sharp incisors, it cut up branches and roots that had sprouted from the mysterious Pokémon, breaking them down into smaller pieces and mixing them with the clay to create a thick, malleable paste.

Bidoof worked alongside, gathering additional materials like reeds, grasses, and large twigs to mix into the mud. The mixture was applied by Bibarel as a plaster to seal cracks and reinforce weak sections of the dam. They carefully spread the mud-plaster onto the surface.

With the little Pokémon's presence, materials were gathered quickly, and the branches were woven over the plastered sections to add extra strength and stability against the water pressure.

Bidoof and Bibarel worked together to create a network of interwoven branches and twigs, building a sturdy framework along the dam's length.

Graveler and Geodude worked together to further compact the surrounding earth and fill in any remaining gaps in the dam's foundation. Using their strength, they added a final layer of stones around the perimeter.

After the surface of the dam was sealed and reinforced with the wooden framework, Graveler used its hands to press the earth and plaster down further, ensuring everything was tightly packed and secure.

Finally, Bidoof and Bibarel added the finishing touches by digging small channels to redirect the flow of water away from the most vulnerable parts of the dam. They carefully placed stones in these channels to prevent erosion from the current.

The last step, Graveler and Geodude inspected the dam once again, ensuring everything was stable before backing away from the structure.

Finally, the little Pokémon moved forward, conducting its inspection. As it stepped ahead, a wave of grass and small plants seemed to follow, growing into the clay and fortifying the dam against the relentless wear of the stream.

The branches reached the top of the dam, then continued upward, weaving into a great trunk and splitting back off into branches that reached toward the sky. Leaves sprouted quickly, and what had once been bare wood, now covered in a lush carpet of green, stretched toward the sun.

The plant life spread from the dam, taking root in the surrounding land, defying the rocky, tough environment.

The little Pokémon relaxed, surveying what it had accomplished, then gave a satisfied nod. It turned away and bowed its head in the direction to the left.

When Allen followed its gaze, he saw that it was toward the two Absol.

From start to finish, Allen could only gape in amazement.