Chapter 145: Zapdos?
"Your skills are quite impressive to be invited by Axel as an external aid. However, there are several strong students in the Intermediate Class who will soon advance to the Advanced Class next semester," the short-haired boy remarked.
"Do all the classes compete against each other within the academy?" Kalia asked, sensing from his words that the Pokemon Academy seemed to have only primary, intermediate, and advanced classes.
"Absolutely! This is an internal competition organized by the academy. Apart from external aids, it's exclusively between the academy's students."
"So, which side do the external aids support?" Kalia curiously inquired. The purpose of external aids should be to assist students in winning, but given this is solely a competition among academy members, it felt unnecessary.
"Of course, the Sebas region's team," the short-haired boy responded matter-of-factly. "Axel, being a Trainer from the Sebas region, wouldn't invite you to help Ellie region's students, now would he?"
Kalia instantly understood. The Ruby Pokémon Academy wasn't limited to students from the Sebas region; it also included those from the Ellie Region.
With students representing different regions, they naturally formed two distinct factions. Consequently, the academy's competitions were not just intra-academic battles but also contests between learners from the Sebas and Ellie Regions.
"What's your name? I'm Kalia."
Feeling more acquainted with the short-haired boy, Kalia thought it was appropriate to learn his name.
"I'm Sean," replied the young man.
Kalia paused, surprised by how similar this name sounded to Sia's. Could there be any connection between them? It seemed quite possible upon reflection.
"How are you related to Sia?" Kalia curiously asked. Although their names hinted at a potential relationship, Sia had purple hair, while the short-haired boy had black hair.
"Ah, you know that guy Sia? We're not related; it's just a coincidence our names sound alike." Sean shook his head, seemingly dismissive of Sia.
"Oh," Kalia nodded, but couldn't help wondering if it truly was such a coincidence. Both attending the same academy and having remarkably similar names—one with 'Yao' meaning brilliance, and the other with 'An' implying dimness.
As Julian observed Kalia and Sean chatting happily, he continued gently stroking the Pokemon egg, muttering under his breath, "Hatch quickly, hatch quickly."
Julian eagerly anticipated the revelation of the Pokemon inside the egg. The mystery surrounding its identity brought immense excitement—though, admittedly, discovering a Raticate would likely leave him devastated.
Inside the Poké Ball, Lian trembled with anxiety. He recognized the voice of the youth chatting with Kalia as the same one he had defeated at Steel Fire Mountain - there was no mistaking it.
"Should I come out and enjoy some sun? This is quite a dilemma." Lian hesitated, knowing that stepping outside would definitely reveal his presence.
"Well, might as well go for it." Feeling somewhat helpless, Lian realized his luck couldn't get any worse; encountering this situation again seemed almost improbable. However, staying inside the Poké Ball indefinitely wasn't an option; he'd suffocate eventually.
Pop!
The Poké Ball automatically opened, releasing Lian onto the deck. Looking around, he found himself basking in the warm sunlight over the ocean, perfect for soaking up some rays.
Sean immediately noticed Lian's appearance. Upon seeing the size of this Charmeleon, he knew instantly that it was the same one they encountered at Steel Fire Mountain.
As expected, it wasn't wild. Sean understood when he saw the Charmeleon emerge from the Poké Ball, but he hadn't anticipated it to be Kalia's Pokémon.
At the volcano crater, this Charmeleon's performance was truly astonishing. Despite being a student from the advanced class at the Pokemon Academy, even he felt the urge to capture such a formidable creature.
"This Charmeleon, is it yours?" Sean asked softly, gazing at Lian.
"Yes," Kalia nodded.
Sean sighed inwardly; it made sense that such a powerful Charmeleon couldn't be wild. His previous search was futile from the start.
"Does your Charmeleon have an Everstone?" Sean asked, suspecting that the Charmeleon might possess an Everstone, preventing its evolution and allowing it to become so formidable.
"No, not at all." Kalia shook her head, knowing well that equipping an Everstone would suppress a Pokemon's ability to evolve, rendering it unable to advance further.
"Really? Then your Charmeleon is truly exceptional," Sean said enviously. Who could believe a Charmeleon without an Everstone could unleash Fire Blasts?
"My Charmeleon indeed is outstanding," Kalia agreed wholeheartedly with Sean's admiration, as she knew just how strong her Charmeleon truly was.
Seeing the boy relaxed now, Lian felt assured and lay back on the deck, squinting contentedly under the sun.
Crackling sounds echoed through the air as time passed, signaling something akin to breaking glass.
"The Pokemon egg is about to hatch!" Julian exclaimed excitedly. He had been gently caressing the egg continuously, surprised when sudden movements indicated signs of hatching.
Lian's attention was also drawn to the commotion. He observed that cracks were indeed appearing on the Pokemon egg, though still minimal, indicating signs of hatching.
"It's hatching?"
The anticipation of a Pokemon egg hatching captivates every Trainer, as the unknown outcome fuels their curiosity and eagerness to witness the result.
Crackling sounds intensified.
The fissures on the egg grew larger, and Lian sensed an increasing presence of electric energy emanating from within.
An Electric-type Pokemon?
Zap! Crack!
"Whoa!" Julian nearly lost his grip as sudden sparks erupted from the egg, startling him momentarily.
"Could it be an Electric-type Pokemon?" Kalia exclaimed, surprised. While not rare, an Electric-type Pokemon capable of generating sparks even before birth likely indicated considerable strength.
At this moment, Sean turned her gaze towards them, intrigued to see which Pokemon it might be. Several Electric-type Pokemon possess notable potential.
"Is it possibly an Electrike?" Julian suggested, knowing that Electrikes are quite common in the Sebas region, making it a likely candidate for an Electric-type hatchling.
"That could be."
Electrike seemed the most probable, given its abundance in the Sebas region.
As the egg shell continued to crack, releasing more electric energy, Julian eventually had to set it down, unable to withstand the increasing electrical shocks.
It wasn't an Electrike.
Lian could sense the electric energy within the Pokemon egg, which far exceeded what an ordinary Electric-type Pokemon like Electrike would possess.
A faint chirping sound emerged from the egg, resembling that of a bird-like creature.
"A bird-type Electric Pokemon?" Kalia questioned, puzzled. Bird-type Electric Pokemon were quite rare, and the sound clearly indicated it was avian.
"Impossible," Sean interjected, having never heard of such a species before.
"It's hatching."
Quickly, a small head broke through the shell, surrounded by flickering electricity. First visible was a slender beak, followed by sharp yellow feathers encircling its head, shimmering with electrical currents.
"What...kind of Pokemon is this?" Julian exclaimed in surprise. It seemed to be an unfamiliar Electric-type Pokemon, appearing remarkably powerful with its striking feathered head reminiscent of Jolteon's mane.
"That can't be... Zapdos?" Kalia spoke hesitantly, as the resemblance was uncanny. Although miniature, just looking at the head, it strongly resembled the Legendary Pokemon Zapdos.
But how could this be? Can Legendary Pokemon hatch from eggs?
"Zapdos!" Julian's eyes widened, his voice rising several decibels, as if startled.
A peculiar expression crossed Sean's face before he produced a red Pokédex and said, "I have a Pokédex; let's see if it confirms whether this is indeed Zapdos."
With that, Sean pointed the Pokédex at Zapdos. In the next moment, the device flashed and emitted a robotic-like introduction:
"Zapdos, the Legendary Pokémon controlling lightning, typically resides within thunderclouds, wielding control over electricity effortlessly."
As the Pokédex spoke, all three trainers were left stunned. The Pokédex, created by the League, contains records of most known Pokémon, including Legendaries, and rarely provides incorrect information.
Lian was equally astonished. Aren't Legendary Pokémon unable to lay eggs? How could there be a Zapdos egg?
Wait, although they couldn't breed in the game, it was still just a game with limitations. If Legendary Pokémon could produce eggs, it would disrupt the game's balance.
However, in the anime series, some Legendary Pokémon appear not as solitary individuals but rather part of distinct tribes or groups.
So where did these Legendary Pokémon originate from? It couldn't simply be out of thin air. Even Mewtwo, a human-made Pokémon, has multiple instances, and Lugia has offspring. Why couldn't Zapdos hatch from an egg then?