The Clefairy danced around the giant Moon Stone in the center, and the one who had led them there happily leapt into the circle, joining the ritual.
Although this was deep inside Mt. Moon, the chamber's ceiling opened to the sky. Through the gap, the stars shimmered brightly, and a crescent moon cast down its soft, gentle glow.
As the Clefairy continued their ritual dance, the Moon Stones in their hands began to shine even brighter, as though answering the moonlight itself.
Then, in the next moment, a dazzling column of light poured down from above, bathing the enormous Moon Stone at the center of the chamber.
The Clefairy stopped mid-dance and turned their eyes toward the glowing stone in reverence.
Ash, Misty, and Brock stared wide-eyed. From where they stood, it looked as if the light itself had come directly from the moon.
Could it be? Had Clefairy's prayer truly worked? Had a god answered their call?
In the Pokémon world, gods usually referred to Legendary Pokémon. But as for a Legendary connected to the moon… neither Ash nor his friends had any idea. Even Brock and Misty, who had Gym experience, weren't walking encyclopedias. They'd never seen anything like this before.
The radiant light lasted for nearly half a minute before it slowly dimmed. The giant Moon Stone looked unchanged, at least at first glance.
But Ash, with his sharp eyes, suddenly pointed forward. "Brock, Misty, look! Isn't that… a Pokémon Egg?"
Following Ash's gaze, the others spotted it too. Resting on top of the massive Moon Stone was a round, greenish-white Egg.
It was impossible to tell what Pokémon it belonged to from appearance alone, most Eggs looked similar. But why had it appeared there, of all places?
Could this Egg be connected to the light just now? Was it possible… this Pokémon truly came from the moon?
The three slowly approached, questions piling in their minds.
Maybe it was the peaceful aura Ash carried with his Aura, or maybe it was the Clefairy who had guided them here vouching for them. Whatever the case, the other Clefairy showed no hostility, allowing the group to come closer.
But just as they reached the base of the giant Moon Stone, it suddenly erupted in a blinding flash!
The cavern lit up brighter than noon, forcing Ash and the others to shield their eyes. A few seconds later, the glow faded.
Yet this time, the giant Moon Stone did not return to normal. Its luster was gone, and thin cracks had begun to spread across its surface.
Then, under their stunned gazes, the Moon Stone split apart with a sharp, echoing crash!
"What's going on?! Why did the Moon Stone just break apart?!" Ash exclaimed.
"The radiance fading means its energy was completely drained," Brock explained quickly, his voice filled with awe. "When the energy inside a Moon Stone is used up, it shatters on its own."
But Ash wasn't even listening anymore. His focus was fixed on the Egg perched where the stone had broken apart. Without hesitation, he dashed forward.
As the Moon Stone shattered, the Pokémon Egg perched on top tumbled downward.
Thankfully, Ash reacted instantly, catching the Egg safely in his arms. He exhaled in relief, disaster averted.
But before he could even speak, the Egg let out a faint crack.
Under the stunned gazes of Ash, Misty, Brock, and the surrounding Clefairy, fine fractures spread quickly across its shell.
"Why is it cracking?! Did it get damaged when it fell? Brock, Misty, should we head back to the Pokémon Center in Pewter City right now?" Ash asked anxiously, clutching the fragile Egg.
"Wait, Ash. This doesn't look like it's breaking, it's…" Misty started to reassure him, but she didn't get to finish.
The Egg burst into dazzling light once more, brighter than anything they'd seen so far. In less than ten minutes, the night sky had already been lit three separate times. If not for their strong eyes, they might have been blinded by the brilliance.
Ash squeezed his eyes shut. Beside him, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock all raised their hands to shield their faces. Ash couldn't, he needed both hands to hold the Egg.
Then, the light finally faded.
Ash carefully peeked, slowly opening his eyes… only to see a tiny blue "mushroom cap" poking out of the Egg. A small fragment of shell clung to the top of the newborn's head.
When the glow faded completely, the Pokémon's full form was revealed.
A small Pokémon with a blue head shaped like a helmet, two red horns pointing forward and back to part its hair, and no visible eyes beneath the fringe. Its mouth opened slightly as it breathed, tiny pink body shifting clumsily. Bits of shell clung to its head and feet, giving it a comical yet adorable look.
[Species: Ralts]
[Gender: Female]
[Level: Novice Beginner]
[Ability: Synchronize]
[Moves: Tackle, XXXX]
[Base Stat Potential: Attack E (S), Special Attack E (S), Defense E (S), Special Defense E (S), HP E (S), Speed E (S)]
Ash: !!!
He froze, unable to believe what he was seeing. His Insight Eye isn't broken, is it?!
Six. S-rank. Limits.
He remembered what the Ashes in the chat group had said: a single S-rank stat limit was already a one-in-ten-thousand chance among ordinary Pokémon. But six? Six perfect S-rank limits? That wasn't luck, it was something else entirely.
They had hinted at a greater meaning behind it, something beyond mere talent, but none of them had gone into detail. They only said, "Ask when you meet an S-ranked Pokémon yourself."
But surely they never imagined that in less than half a month after leaving Pallet, he'd not only meet one, but an all-S Pokémon!
This wasn't just luck anymore. This was absurd.
"Ralts?"
The newborn tilted her head, finally turning toward Ash. Though her eyes were hidden, Ash felt her gaze meet his.
"Uh… hello?" Ash blurted, giving a sheepish grin. It wasn't exactly the perfect greeting for a miracle.
"Ralts!!"
Without hesitation, the little Psychic-type hopped from the remains of her Egg and flung herself forward. Her tiny arms wrapped snugly around Ash's neck, her body pressing against his chest.
She was so light that Ash hardly felt her weight.