Immediately after, cracks began to spread across the other Pokémon Egg with light green patterns.
*Crack*
A crisp crack echoed through the room, and a tiny, green Larvitar with shiny black eyes blinked open from within its shell.
Caleb's heart leapt in joy at this welcome surprise.
"Lar lar?" Larvitar let out a tender cry.
Dark Lugia, drawn by the sound, responded with its own high-pitched, delicate cry.
'So adorable!' After waiting so many days, finally seeing these two newborns melted Caleb's heart completely.
"Lar lar?" he mimicked Larvitar, gently scratching the little one under its chin.
Larvitar immediately let out a happy, contented hum.
Nearby, the little Lugia watched with wide, curious eyes; first at Larvitar, then at Caleb.
Caleb realized he shouldn't play favorites with his Pokémon, so he reached out his other hand and stroked the shiny Lugia's tiny head.
He didn't play with them for long, however. Newly hatched Pokémon were still in their fragile infant stage. They were tiny and fragile.
Depending on the species, it could take anywhere from a few months to years to reach full maturity.
Breaking out of their shells had already taken a lot of their energy. After playing for a while, little Larvitar fell asleep right inside the eggshell.
Lugia hadn't fallen asleep yet, but it was blinking drowsily. Caleb whispered, "Rest now, little one."
Its breathing slowed, and it dozed off, limbs sprawled in its shell.
Caleb didn't move them. He had done his research... Larvitar hatchlings instinctively ate their eggshells to replenish energy.
As for a Lugia, he wasn't sure... so he placed them together, adjusted the room's temperature to the ideal setting, and assigned Mew2 as their full-time babysitter.
Then he stepped outside...
...
Cynthia was already waiting in the yard.
Caleb looked at her and asked with a strange expression, "Did Lance really tell everyone what I did?"
A few days ago, he'd seen news reports about himself on TV and couldn't believe it.
Cynthia nodded. After a pause, she asked, "Do you dislike being interviewed? If you do, we don't have to go."
Indeed, the story had spread worldwide in just two days. Everyone now knew of a Trainer named Caleb, who'd been silently fighting villainous organizations behind the scenes.
Caleb scratched his head, "It's not that I dislike it… it's just kind of embarrassing."
After all, the evaluations of him in the newspapers had gone way overboard.
Phrases like 'Hero of a New Era', 'The Embodiment of Justice', 'Knight Who Guards the World', and even some chuunibyou-sounding phrases that made one's heart race and face flush.
It was even more absurd than Infinite World's achievement titles!
Caleb felt like he didn't recognize the 'heroic' person the articles kept describing. He just couldn't link that figure to himself.
Cynthia burst out laughing and said, "Don't worry. They all really like you."
When Caleb and Cynthia arrived at the interview site, the reporters were watching a pre-recorded segment. It featured a little girl clutching an Eevee plush, alongside her parents.
<...It's true! The big brother's Pokémon saved me!...>
Caleb recognized her instantly. She was the girl Mewtwo had rescued at Castelia Arena.
Other survivors from the town frozen by Kyurem added: <...We saw him too! When our town was buried in ice, he brought us food from outside, which kept us alive until help arrived!...>
The moment the reporters spotted Caleb, they swarmed over, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
Faced with so many cameras for the first time, Caleb felt awkward. Unsure how to act, he just offered a polite smile.
Staff responsible for maintaining order stepped forward and had them line up to ask questions one at a time.
"Excuse me, are the reports about you on TV really true?"
Caleb: "They're exaggerated. Actually, I'm just an ordinary person, really."
"We heard you've been traveling through various regions alone, dealing with local evil organizations. Were you ever afraid when facing them?"
Caleb: "I wasn't entirely alone. The local Officer Jennies and the Elite Four members provided me with a lot of help."
"We heard you are currently on vacation. May I ask what your plans are for the future?"
Caleb: "Maybe I'll try entering a League tournament someday."
…
By the time the interview ended, Caleb was utterly drained.
He took the water Cynthia handed him and decided right then that he would never accept interviews again.
Cynthia chuckled, saying, "Then get some proper rest for a while."
Caleb nodded, but reality gave him no such luxury...
Three days later, while playing house dad to little Larvitar and Dark Lugia, Caleb received a call from Alola. It was Lillie asking for help.
From her account, Caleb learned that Lusamine hadn't escaped the original storyline's fate after all. To save Lillie, she was seized by Nihilego and dragged into Ultra Space. Cosmog had also fallen into a deep sleep, evolving into a Cosmoem.
Caleb: "…"
'How did we end up back in the Anime plot again?'
In the show, Ash and the others later helped Lillie enter Ultra Space and rescue Lusamine, who had fused with Nihilego.
But right now, Caleb only had two battle-ready Pokémon: Mew2; and Zapdos, the freeloader who refused to leave.
Ironically, Dragonite and the others had just departed that morning to help Zygarde clear Negative Energy Cores.
Caleb thought it over: 'If it's just Lusamine who's merely controlled by Nihilego, then Mew2 and Zapdos should be enough to handle it.'
He said, "Alright. I'll come. Meet me on Poni Island."
Since Lillie's group had already found the Sun Flute, Caleb could go straight to Poni Island, awaken Cosmog at the Altar of the Sunne, and open the Ultra Wormhole.
Without his Warp Beacon, he'd have to ride Zapdos. At bird bro's speed, the trip from Sinnoh to Alola would take at least five hours.
Caleb quickly informed Cynthia and entrusted the little Dark Lugia and Larvitar to her care.
Before leaving, he knelt to the two clinging babies and said gently, "Be good at home. I'll bring you new toys when I get back."
As the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized he had inadvertently set a flag.
'But with Mew2 and Zapdos, defeating Nihilego and rescuing Lusamine should be doable… right?'