Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [46]
"So cute~"
A red-haired girl cradled a tiny baby in her arms, her heart swelling with satisfaction.
She had only run off into the forest to vent after a spat with her brother, never expecting to stumble upon such a treasure.
As she inhaled the milky scent lingering on the baby's skin, Latias' stomach let out a pitiful growl—she hadn't eaten all day.
"Latí~"
She pursed her lips, hesitating.
The baby's scent was incredibly enticing, making her want to take a little taste. But... her brother had warned her to stay away from humans.
Latias wrestled with the dilemma for a long moment before cautiously glancing around.
Once she was sure there was no one else nearby, she parted her small mouth and gave the baby's soft, plump cheek a gentle lick.
It was like licking a piece of jelly. A faint, sweet fragrance melted on her tongue, and her expression instantly brightened with satisfaction.
"Latí~ (Delicious! I should take it back and let my brother have a taste too.)"
With that thought, Latias wrapped her small arms securely around the baby and took off toward a distant island.
---
[After half a day of being tossed around, Latias finally brought you back to her nest.]
Seeing how things had unfolded, Elias fell silent.
He had been prepared to wait years before encountering Latias—after all, he hadn't met Gardevoir until he was seven.
But things had gone too smoothly. He had been snatched up right after birth.
However, one major concern nagged at him...
With Latias' personality, can she even take care of me properly?
---
[After flying at full speed, Latias brought you home—half-dead from the harsh winds.]
"Latí? (Where did that come from?)"
Latios stared at the baby his sister was holding, his voice laced with exasperation.
He suddenly realized he had once again underestimated Latias' talent for causing trouble.
"Latí~ (I picked it up!)," Latias answered honestly.
"Latí latí. (It was crying in the forest to the east, so I went over and found it.)"
As he looked at Latias, who showed zero signs of remorse, Latios' forehead twitched in irritation.
Just this morning, he had repeatedly warned her to be more careful and avoid unnecessary trouble.
They had even argued about it.
Yet here she was, bringing home a human baby.
Latios was so frustrated he almost laughed.
Latias, seemingly oblivious to her brother's darkening expression, continued to nuzzle the baby affectionately.
Rubbing her forehead against its small body, she eagerly asked, "Can I keep it?"
She really wanted to keep one.
"Latí. (No. Put it back.)"
Latios crushed her unrealistic dream without hesitation.
However, the moment he finished speaking, he saw Latias' big amber eyes well up with tears, shimmering pitifully.
Her adorably sorrowful expression made his head throb.
He knew this was not the time to give in, but… for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to say no.
With a sigh, Latios glanced at the baby in her arms.
"If you don't treat its injuries soon, it won't survive much longer," he reminded her.
At his words, Latias' tears instantly vanished, replaced by a radiant smile—she knew that meant he was giving in.
But when she processed the rest of what he had said, her face twisted in horror.
"Latí!"
---
[Due to a series of coincidences, you were ultimately adopted by the passing Latias.]
[However, Latios has only agreed to keep you until you turn two. Your future remains uncertain.]
"Only two years?"
Elias, who had just clawed his way back from the brink of death, stiffened again.
But after thinking it through, he understood why.
To Latios and Latias, humans were dangerous and untrustworthy.
Even raising one from infancy didn't guarantee that they could be fully trusted.
No matter how much Latias resisted, on this point, she had no choice but to compromise.
Elias sighed lightly. It wasn't too concerning.
Latios and Latias were kind-hearted Pokémon. If nothing else, they would at least find him a good place to go.
These two years were just an opportunity to strengthen their bond in advance.
[Age 0: Under Latias' devoted care, you successfully reached the brink of death as an infant.]
[Achievement Unlocked—Struggle Against Death. (Effect: After sustaining a fatal injury, you have a chance to survive for a limited time).]
"Latí~"
Latias anxiously hovered over the small bed of leaves where her tiny human lay, his fever refusing to subside.
Since that morning, she had noticed that her pet was sluggish and flushed red.
From what she had read in human books, this condition was called a "fever."
She had tried splashing water on him with [Water Sport], only to panic when his temperature rose even higher.
"Should I use [Ice Beam]?"
As Latias debated whether to try a colder attack, Latios, unable to watch any longer, floated over.
He said nothing—just tossed her a book he had specially gone out to buy.
A childcare manual.
Curious, Latias flipped it open.
Upon finding a section on treating human illnesses, her amber eyes lit up.
"Latí~!"
---
[Following the book's guidance, Latias barely managed to pull you back from the edge of death.]
[After this experience, Latias came to an important realization—humans are fragile and require meticulous care.]
[Once you recovered, your strength gradually returned.]
[During this time, Latias frequently snuck into the city to steal Miltank milk to feed you, ensuring that, despite many hardships, you slowly grew up.]
[Age 1: After a year of care, Latias no longer makes basic mistakes.]
[However, one thing still troubles her—how to train her pet.]
"Sit."
Deep in the forest, Latias—now in her human form—pointed a finger at the baby before her and issued a command through telepathy.
One-year-old Elias tilted his head in confusion, then tentatively grabbed her extended finger.
"Mm~"
Seeing this, Latias let out a disappointed sigh.
According to her books, Pokémon like Growlithe could follow simple commands by the time they were a year old.
Her pet wasn't a Growlithe, but humans were supposed to be even smarter, right?
Why couldn't he even learn sit?
Feeling a bit disheartened, Latias gently picked up the baby and held him close.
Her amber eyes gleamed with a hint of menace.
"If you don't learn to sit, shake hands, or roll over soon… I'll throw you away."
As she spoke, she took a playful bite of the baby's chubby cheek.
The familiar sweet scent spread across her tongue, easing her frustration slightly.
Well, aside from being a bit dumb…
He would at least make a good emergency food supply.
---
T/N: gg