After breakfast, Reiji took out the incubator again, topped up the charge, and gently wiped the shell with a soft towel.
Today was day twenty of incubation. Five days had flashed by in a blink—time really did fly.
He'd already missed the hatching windows for plenty of "dumb birds." Now the cycle lined up with Pokémon like Growlithe, Cubone, Swinub, Teddiursa, and Kangaskhan. He still had no idea what would come out of this brown, mottled egg.
But there was still no movement today—no sign of hatching.
All he could do was let it take its time. If not in twenty days, then a month; if not a month, then two; if not two, then half a year… a year…
If it still didn't hatch after a year, then it really was a bad egg—and he'd crack it and fry it.
No Pokémon had a one-year hatch cycle. From what he'd read, even a mythical topped out around three months.
Forget it—whatever comes out, let fate decide.
He set the polished egg back into the incubator, then stowed the fully charged unit in his pack. He and Shun headed out to catch a cab to the Water Club.
Today was Round 2 of the Club League prelims. Shun, who had advanced, went on before him. There were still over four thousand contestants in the prelims; Reiji's number was near the front as well, and he also had a Round-2 match today.
They had just reached Rest Room No. 8 when the big screen called Shun to the field. Talk about timing—they'd nearly missed his bout.
The instant Reiji saw Shun's opponent on the screen, he cursed under his breath. The organizers were shameless. This one was absolutely rigged.
Out of more than four thousand entrants, Shun just happened to draw the pay-to-win fatso—the youngest of the "spending-whale trio," Jiro.
If that wasn't fixed, what was? Two trainers with beef, meeting by "coincidence" in a 4,000-plus bracket—please. And on raw strength, Shun was clearly outgunned.
No matter which Pokémon Shun sent, none would outmatch the whale's Jolteon. Even if Shun used his Elekid and absorbed Electric moves, it wouldn't help.
After getting hard-countered by Kingler last time, that Jolteon had gone to learn Agility. Now that it could run, it was far faster than Shun's Elekid.
Shun's Elekid just couldn't keep up. Jolteon rode its speed edge and beat it. Shun lost his prelim match.
He recalled Elekid with a sigh and turned back down the player tunnel. After so long with Reiji, he'd picked up plenty about the ugly, unspoken "rules."
He knew the opponent had been hand-picked—to target him. That was the kind of filthy fix Reiji had warned about—the reason an outsider couldn't take the title.
Even so, the loss didn't crush him. Getting targeted sucked, sure. Mostly, he just felt disappointed—in the clubs.
There would be plenty of tomorrows. One win meant nothing; only winning consistently mattered. He'd learned not to sweat the small stuff.
"How'd it go?" Reiji was leaning by the tunnel mouth when Shun walked out, calm as ever. Reiji had half-expected a string of curses.
"Lost to that fat bastard," Shun muttered, sighing and waving it off. He wasn't in the mood to talk.
Being singled out stung—and the whale's smug, swaggering face after the win made him want to walk over and slap him hard. But you can't hit people in a match, so he swallowed it.
"Haha, don't let it get to you. Take your time. His Jolteon's had more years in the oven. Raise yours right and you'll catch up," Reiji said, looping an arm around Shun's neck with an easy grin.
Shun wasn't as hot-headed as at the start. He'd stopped clinging to absolutes, learned to read the room, and bend when needed.
Seeing him like this, Reiji felt easier about leaving. Shun probably wouldn't go do something stupid—he'd make it to adulthood.
"I'll work hard, Reiji." Thinking of Reiji's imminent departure, Shun found the loss wasn't the worst of it. What hurt more was knowing Reiji would be gone soon.
"Don't worry—they're targeting you already. No way they'll let me off. Wonder if the whale's big brother is the one they'll send to block me," Reiji said as they leaned under the corridor screen, watching the queue of matches.
Reiji was numbered in the three-thousands; Shun in the three-hundreds. Both were scheduled for today's Round 2. With a long wait ahead, they decided to grab lunch first.
They went to the Sailor Bar's canteen and mooched another meal. The chef here was a real pro—it was almost a waste to have him cooking for them.
Compared to the homestyle stuff Reiji had mastered in his last life, this was better—and pricier.
If not for riding the grace of Shun being the owner's grandson, they wouldn't have gotten this spread.
They also snagged a private room to let their Pokémon out and eat together. Once everyone was fed, they recalled the team.
After a short rest, they returned to the Water Club. On the TV, the numbers just ahead of Reiji were finishing up—it was almost his turn.
By the time they arrived, the screen was calling him to the field. His opponent had been waiting.
The trainer he faced was another familiar face—not to Reiji himself, but he knew the guy's girlfriend all too well.
The moment he saw the man, he thought of Shun drawing the fat whale. These two opponents were almost certainly assigned by Taro—by the clubs.
Rigged matches weren't worth playing. After this bout, he'd be done.
He was a living person, not a pawn. Continuing in a meaningless bracket like this was just pain for no gain—a waste of time.
Tomorrow he'd leave Kinnow City—take a cruise ship, this time. Riding Pelipper had been a necessity; now that he had options, there was no need to camp in the wind and rain.
Either way—withdraw or move on—he'd still finish this one. He sent out Rhyhorn; Ren, Keiko's boyfriend, sent out Magnezone.
Against Rhyhorn, Electric moves were a non-starter. Half of Magnezone's kit was basically blanked.
The result wasn't a surprise: once Rhyhorn ramped up speed, it slammed into Magnezone and knocked it cold. Reiji won the match.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/BellAshelia]
[Thanks for your support!]