Gible Hatched

"Allen, can you tell us what the Pokémon Ranger you saw looked like?" Officer Jenny asked.

"I-I—" Allen's mind went blank. Before he could finish his thought, a sharp headache struck, blurring his vision for a moment.

He rubbed his temples, feeling disoriented, when Grandma Dracelia stepped in. "It seems he's forgotten. Let's not force him to recall such a traumatic event," she said with concern.

Officer Jenny let out a quiet sigh, her expression softening as she looked at him.

Allen kept rubbing his temples, confusion swirling inside him. 'Why couldn't he remember?'

Something didn't feel right. With his photographic memory, he should have been able to piece it together, but the harder he tried, the more the memory slipped away—like sand through his fingers.

'What happened?'

But before he could dwell on it any longer, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Cynthia walking toward him, her expression full of determination.

The moment she spotted him, she rushed over, her usual calm demeanor completely replaced by frantic energy.

"Allen! You're okay!" she exclaimed, wrapping him in a big, tight hug, almost knocking him off his feet.

Allen blinked, still trying to catch his breath, but before he could say anything, a sudden, dramatic "Wuu wuu!" came from behind her.

He turned around, even more confused, only to see another kid—Cynthia's little "sidekick"—wailing dramatically.

She sniffled loudly, her big eyes blinking up at him as if he'd committed some unforgivable crime.

Allen's eye twitched. 'What is up with this watermelon-headed girl?'

She wailed again, even louder this time, making his confusion multiply by ten.

He scratched his head. "Uh…"

Cynthia, still hugging Allen like a lifeline, looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Caitlin is very worried about you!" she explained proudly, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "She's such a good girl!"

"Ah… is that so?" Allen muttered, still trying to process everything.

Before he had time to ask any more questions, his Aunt Drasna, Uncle Haaland, and the other guardians of the "professors' base" in Celestic Town arrived to check on him.

When they heard what had actually happened, they were stunned.

Something like this happened in Celestic Town?

It could very well be the first time in decades.

Just as Drasna was about to say something, a loud "Thwop-thwop-thwop" echoed through the air. Everyone's eyes turned toward the sky.

A helicopter. The problem?

Plastered across the side of the helicopter in bold letters were the words "Jubilife TV."

That's when it hit Allen. He knew exactly why they had come.

And he knew, without a doubt…He had messed up.

Half a day passed since the incident, and Celestic Town had returned to its usual liveliness.

And Allen?

He stood in the middle of the town square, a massive "Celestic Town Hero" banner hanging around his neck, while Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy flanked him on either side, smiling brightly as they posed for pictures.

Oh, and to top it all off?

Along with the "Celestic Town Hero" title, there was also a cash prize.

A 10,000 PokéDollar reward.

At least something good came out of this mess.

Cynthia was acting like the little idiot, clapping her hands mechanically, clapping her hands as hard as she could, and shouting, "Allen is amazing!"

She was so excited that she didn't even notice the Pokémon Egg in her backpack twitch slightly—almost as if it had been contaminated by her overwhelming happiness.

After the award ceremony ended, the crowd gradually dispersed, though the town remained lively.

It didn't take long for Professor Magnolia to arrange the purchase of a fluid incubator from Eterna City, personally overseeing the process before handing it over to Allen.

The incubator must be filled with a carefully balanced nutrient-rich fluid, designed to mimic the conditions of a Pokémon Egg's natural environment.

The temperature and pH levels are adjusted according to the Pokémon species, ensuring optimal embryonic development.

The fluid is oxygenated to allow proper gas exchange, preventing suffocation of the developing Pokémon inside the egg.

That was how the incubation chamber was prepared.

As Allen read through the manual, he watched as Professor Magnolia carefully followed each step.

Wearing sterile gloves to avoid contaminating the egg with bacteria or foreign particles, she carefully examined it for any cracks, abnormalities, or signs of distress before placing it inside.

A soft scanning device was used to check the internal status of the embryo. As the results appeared on the screen, Professor Magnolia's eyes widened slightly. 'Dead?' she thought, momentarily taken aback.

She glanced toward Professor Oak, Professor Rowan, and Professor Carolina.

The three of them exchanged brief looks before shaking their heads.

That was all it took for her to understand. This wasn't the first time.

With a quiet sigh, she cast a pitying glance at Allen.

Still, the process continued. The egg was gently cradled with both hands and carefully placed into a specialized support frame to avoid any sudden shocks. It was slowly submerged into the fluid, allowing it to settle naturally without abrupt pressure changes.

Sensors inside the incubator immediately activated, continuously monitoring temperature, humidity, and fluid composition.

Allen watched in amazement. 'Pokémon technology is incredible.'

This was his first time witnessing something like this, and without thinking, he nudged Cynthia beside him. "Hey, was your Gible incubated like this at home too?"

"Gible?" Cynthia blinked in confusion.

Allen froze. 'Oops.'

He had completely forgotten that Professor Carolina was still keeping the identity of Cynthia's Pokémon Egg a secret.

Before Cynthia could ask more questions, someone else unexpectedly spoke up.

"My Gothita was incubated like this!"

Allen turned in surprise.

It was Caitlin.

She had answered his question—on her own. This was the first time Caitlin had ever taken the initiative to speak to him, let alone respond directly.

Allen gives her a thumbs up. 

Once the egg was properly positioned, the incubator's lid sealed shut, ensuring sterility and optimal environmental conditions.

And now, the wait began.

From the manual he read, Allen knew that this incubation chamber—and the fluid inside—was of the highest grade.

The entire incubation process was logged into the system, with the estimated hatching time calculated based on species data.

Not only that, but the fluid itself was top-tier, emitting a soft bioluminescent glow and gentle pulsations to simulate natural warmth and care—mimicking the presence of a nurturing parent.

Allen glanced at the screen, to see a countdown for the egg's hatching time.

Instead, what he saw was:

"—"

No estimate.

None.

Allen shrugged, deciding to trust his instincts more than the manual. He remembered how the egg had twitched earlier.

Turning to Cynthia, he asked, "Don't you want the fluid and the incubator? You can place your Pokémon egg inside."

Cynthia's eyes lit up with excitement. "For me?"

"Yes," Allen replied.

"Allen, you're the best!" Cynthia exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

With a wide grin, Cynthia hurriedly pulled the Pokémon Egg from her backpack, eager to place it in the incubator. But just as she was about to do so, the egg in her hands gave a slight shake.

Before either of them could react, a small crack appeared on the surface of the egg, followed by a soft, rhythmic tapping.

Cynthia gasped as the egg in her hands began to wobble more intensely. With a soft crack, the top of the shell finally broke open.

She set the egg on the ground, her heart racing. The egg shook again, and another crack began to form.

"Come on, little one, you can do it!" she encouraged the newborn.

Suddenly, Caitlin, holding her Gothita, squealed in surprise, drawing everyone's attention. "Oh, the Pokémon!" she shouted, alerting everyone nearby that the egg was about to hatch.

"Oh, Cynthia, the egg is about to hatch!" Professor Carolina happily joined her granddaughter, a proud smile on her face.

'In the movies, at a moment like this, the egg would glow and then the Pokémon would emerge,' Allen thought, eagerly awaiting the familiar scene.

But to his surprise, what he saw wasn't what he expected.

Instead of the bright glow he had imagined, a small, round, shark-like Pokémon with blue scales emerged, blinking up at her. It had a large head, a prominent fin on top, and sharp, pointed teeth that gave it a mischievous grin.

"Gib, gib," it muttered, tilting its head as it looked around with wide, curious eyes, clearly confused by its new surroundings.

It was Gible.

"Wait, that's it? That felt so anticlimactic..." Allen said, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

Cynthia's eyes widened in awe. "It's truly Gible...!"

The little Pokémon gave a happy chirp and wobbled toward Cynthia, who smiled, her heart swelling with joy.

Professor Carolina chuckled softly, watching the scene unfold. However, before Cynthia could react, the little Gible let out a delighted cry, its small body wiggling with excitement.

It lunged at her, its small but sharp teeth latching onto her head in a playful bite.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Cynthia screamed in surprise and mild pain, her hands flying up to try and dislodge the biting Pokémon, a comical look of shock on her face.

Allen's eyes widened at the sight. "Wait, there's also one like this?!"

Instinctively, he patted his hand on his pocket, only to realize… "Ah, I didn't bring my phone!"

He quickly turned his head toward Caitlin, who was looking just as stunned as he had been earlier.

"Hey, Caitlin, can I borrow your phone?" he asked, eyes wide with urgency.

"Uh? Oh," she answered, completely oblivious to the situation, and handed him the phone she used to contact her father.

Caitlin froze, a confused expression crossing her face. She tilted her head, suddenly realizing what Allen was doing. She lowered her head and charged at him.

Meanwhile, Cynthia, still trying to pry the Gible off her head, heard her grandmother's voice.

Professor Carolina covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter, but a giggle escaped nonetheless, her melodious voice ringing through the forest. "Looks like it likes you, dear."

"Ah, Grandma, really?" Cynthia groaned, her face red with embarrassment—though still smiling despite the little Pokémon still nibbling on her head.

Even with Gible's playful bite, Cynthia couldn't help but feel joy, especially with her grandmother's teasing. The whole scene was too funny to ignore, and despite the mild pain, Cynthia was enjoying every moment.

"Of course," Professor Carolina said with conviction, "but, well, dear, it's important to know how to discipline your Pokémon, especially when they're being playful."

Cynthia blinked, still trying to shake the little Gible off her head. "Discipline? But it's just playing, right?"

"No, no," Professor Carolina replied, her tone becoming more serious but still warm. "A Pokémon needs to understand boundaries, even when it's young. You can't let them think it's okay to bite or act out of control, even if it's in fun."

Cynthia nodded seriously, focusing on Gible, who was still happily nibbling at her hair. "So, how do I... discipline it?"

Professor Carolina smiled gently. "You start with a calm, firm voice. Say 'No' clearly, and show them what behavior is acceptable. Gible needs to learn that playtime has limits. Just like how grandma tells you not to do dangerous things, right?"

Cynthia nodded, feeling more determined. She finally managed to gently pull Gible off her head and held it in front of her, looking into its big, curious eyes.

"No biting, Gible," she said, her voice firm but caring. "We don't bite people, okay?"

The little Pokémon blinked at her, tilting its head as if considering the words. Then, it let out a small, confused "Gib?"

Cynthia couldn't help herself and burst out laughing, "Hahaha, you're so cute!" She hugged Gible tightly, causing the little Pokémon to make a happy cry of "Gib! Gib!"

Cynthia then pulled back, looking at Gible seriously. "There we go. You're still cute, but let's stick to the cuddles, alright?"

Gible gave a small chirp, clearly content, though it still looked a bit confused. Despite that, it nuzzled Cynthia's cheek, making her heart swell with joy.

'This is my Pokémon, Gible!'

"Gib, Gible!" it chirped excitedly, its small body quivering with anticipation as it sensed Cynthia's happiness. Its sharp teeth flashed in what looked like a mischievous grin, and it bounced on its little feet, eager to continue playing.