Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [51]

"Why would you ask that?"

Hearing Tias' question, Elias paused what he was doing and cast her a puzzled look.

"You… said you didn't want to choose a Pokémon, right?" Latias asked, her voice tense.

She maintained a composed expression, but beneath the surface, her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

She could accept any of Elias's preferences—except when it came to Pokémon.

Because if Elias hated Pokémon…

Then the day her true identity was exposed, would he come to hate her as well?

That terrifying thought sent a wave of unease crashing over her.

Watching the anxious look in Tias' eyes, Elias felt even more confused.

He quickly reviewed his recent words and actions, yet he still couldn't figure out what had triggered her reaction.

But while he didn't know the reason, he had plenty of experience comforting Tias.

He stood up, sat beside her, and gently took her soft hand in his own before explaining,

"I just don't want to pick a Pokémon from the school. It's not that I dislike Pokémon."

The moment Elias's hand touched hers, Latias' entire body stiffened, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

Even after living together for years, she still got flustered by sudden physical contact.

But despite her embarrassment, she resisted the urge to pull away.

Instead, she pressed further.

"You don't like the school's Pokémon? Why?"

"Maybe because they don't fit what I'm looking for."

Elias shook his head.

At his young age, he struggled to articulate why, exactly, he felt that way.

But if there was one thing he did know—

He didn't just want a Pokémon.

He wanted a partner. A family member.

Latias wanted to ask more—what exactly were his "requirements"?

But before she could speak, she caught a fleeting moment of hesitation in Elias's eyes.

And in that instant, she understood.

Even he didn't have a clear answer yet.

She clenched her fingers around his hand.

More than ever, she feared him discovering the truth.

For the past two years, her brother had suggested subtly hinting at her Pokémon identity, to test how Elias might react.

At the time, she had considered it.

But now, knowing that Elias didn't like all Pokémon…

She made up her mind.

I can never tell him.

She would rather spend her life as a human by his side than risk being rejected.

Her decision was final.

Elias glanced at his own hand, now slightly pale from how tightly Tias was gripping it.

His instincts told him that she was hiding something.

---

[You keenly sensed that your mother was keeping a secret from you. But your considerate nature made you decide not to pry.]

[Instead, you chose to remember this moment—if Tias never brought it up, you would never ask.]

[Age 6: The school's assigned starter Pokémon had finally arrived. Among the excited students, you and Steven were the odd ones out.]

"Eh? Steven and Elias, you're not picking a starter Pokémon?"

The teacher blinked in disbelief.

Pokémon were universally beloved—practically irresistible.

She couldn't fathom anyone turning them down.

"Yep. None of these Pokémon are what Elias and I are looking for," Steven said, shrugging with a certain smugness.

Recently, he had finally decided on the perfect Pokémon.

Its sleek metallic frame, flawless symmetry, and the cool, refreshing sensation it gave off—

He was obsessed.

If he could, he would sleep with it at night.

Compared to that, the school's Mudkip and Treecko were utterly boring.

What could they do? Run around in the dirt?

They would never understand the technological beauty of Beldum.

"Right, Elias?"

With a grin, Steven patted his friend on the back.

To him, Elias was a kindred spirit.

He couldn't wait to see which Steel-type Pokémon Elias would choose.

Would it be the ever-stoic Bronzong? The elegant Probopass?

Or perhaps—

Would Elias join him in choosing Beldum?

The thought alone filled Steven with excitement.

But then—

He noticed something.

Elias was way too quiet today.

"Elias?"

Steven turned his head—

And saw him staring intently at a water tank nearby.

Inside, several Water-type Pokémon swam around—

Mudkip, Lotad, Carvanha… even a few Squirtle from Kanto.

Steven's heart dropped.

No way.

He wouldn't… betray me for some Water-type, right?

Unaware of Steven's inner crisis, Elias remained fixated on one particular Pokémon.

Feebas.

Even he was surprised.

Of all the Pokémon here, he hadn't expected to be drawn to this one.

Maybe it was the way its dull, tired eyes reminded him of a sulking Tias.

Or maybe it was just a simple, instinctual sympathy.

Either way, he abandoned his original plan to catch a Pokémon himself—

And instead, he turned to the teacher and requested to adopt it.

"You… you're choosing Feebas?"

Steven's expression twisted with disbelief.

It wasn't that he looked down on Feebas—

But let's be real.

A Pokémon with zero combat ability was not the best choice for a first partner.

Not to mention—

He had so been looking forward to recruiting Elias into the glorious world of Steel-types.

Elias, of course, had already considered all of this.

But with his psychic abilities progressing well, his first Pokémon's combat strength didn't really matter.

In fact, if he really wanted to, he could probably take on any of the students' starters himself.

Being a humanoid Pokémon had its advantages.

Steven fell into silence.

Damn it. I wish I had psychic powers too.

While the two chatted, the teacher approached Elias, holding a small fish tank.

Inside was the Feebas he had chosen.

It blinked up at him, looking a little dazed.

Elias smiled and pulled out a Poké Ball.

Pointing it toward the Feebas, he asked,

"Would you like to be my first Pokémon?"

For a brief moment, the usually lifeless Feebas' eyes gleamed.

Then, to Steven's utter shock—

The fish jumped out of the water, smacked the Poké Ball's button, and willingly turned into a beam of red light.

The ball shook twice—

And then stilled.

Elias had caught his first Pokémon.

Perfectly reasonable.jpg

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T/N: sorry Steven... you're gonna have to convince Elias when you're older in a more... different kind of way show him how hard steel can be