Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
As usual, Icarus hastily finished his breakfast and stayed by the Pokémon Egg.
Over the past two days, the egg's movements had become more frequent. He knew this was a clear sign that hatching was imminent, so he had simply quit his part-time job and stayed home every day to guard it.
It was worth mentioning that when the butcher shop owner learned that Icarus was about to risk his life and leave town, not only did he pay him in full, he even gave him an extra 300 Poké Dollars.
With the money he already had and the wages from the past few days, Icarus still had around 800 Poké Dollars left.
Once a Pokémon Egg shows signs of change, it no longer needs to be kept in an incubator. Leaving it there could cause fragments of the eggshell to scratch the newborn Pokémon when it breaks out.
Because of that, for the past two days Icarus had placed the egg on a chair, padding it carefully with several layers of his old clothes.
"It should be today," Icarus murmured.
He recalled what he had learned in school's general Pokémon education class: once an egg starts showing movement, it usually hatches within two days. Today was the second day.
This egg clearly wasn't from a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, nor was it Dragon-type or Psychic-type—those rare and precious species took much longer to hatch.
"So it has to be today."
"I wonder what kind of Pokémon it is…" Icarus said softly. "Could it be a Bulbasaur? Picking up a League starter for free?"
He laughed at himself even as he said it, knowing full well how unrealistic that hope was.
As far as he knew, the League kept an extremely tight grip on the Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle lines. Even if small clans existed in the wild, news of them would spread quickly.
Since Greenveil Town was founded, there had never been any reports of a Bulbasaur family nearby.
In small towns like this, black market Pokémon almost always came from the surrounding area. Only major cities like Cerulean City or Saffron City ever saw Pokémon from other regions appear.
"More likely it's Oddish, Bellsprout, or Paras," Icarus muttered. "Those show up often around the forest. I really hope it's Paras."
Paras couldn't evolve in three stages, but its final evolution didn't require any Evolution Stones. More importantly, the mushrooms growing on its body were extremely valuable.
"Heh heh…" Icarus chuckled as he imagined it.
"Compared to that, evolving Oddish into Bellossom or Vileplume requires a Leaf Stone. Even the cheapest low-grade ones cost 20 Poké Dollars, mid-grade are 40, high-grade 80, and top-quality ones are basically priceless!"
After all, a high-quality Evolution Stone could significantly improve a Pokémon's aptitude during evolution.
Icarus shuddered at the thought of being stuck with a Vileplume forever simply because he couldn't afford the stone.
"Leaf Stones are already this bad… Sun Stones are even worse. They're several times more expensive at the same grade."
He recalled seeing Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City, on television before. She had both a Vileplume and a Bellossom—powerful, elegant, and terrifyingly wealthy.
"Just the cost of those Evolution Stones alone would be enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for a lifetime…"
Icarus sighed.
"Forget Bellossom. That's not meant for someone like me. Bellsprout would be good too—easy to raise."
He suddenly remembered a section from a book and rushed over to his bookshelf, digging out The Encyclopedia of Common Pokémon.
This book had been compiled under the guidance of Professor Oak, with data collected by outstanding Trainers during their journeys. It covered almost every Pokémon commonly seen in Kanto, along with their habits and dangers.
It was practically required reading for everyone.
Icarus flipped skillfully to the Grass-type section and turned to the Bellsprout page.
---
Pokémon Name: Bellsprout
Type: Grass / Poison
Description:
Its flexible body can bend freely, allowing it to evade attacks. It sprays a corrosive fluid from its mouth capable of dissolving even iron. When using its vines to catch small insects, its movements are extremely fast.
Notes:
Be cautious of its corrosive fluid. In the wild, its sweet scent may cause confusion.
---
"So it prefers insects," Icarus muttered. "There are plenty of Caterpie and Weedle around the forest. If it's Bellsprout, I could save a lot on food."
After comparing the three possibilities, Icarus felt that Paras suited his current situation best. It could help him earn money quickly and was strong in battlefield control.
Oddish had incredible late-game potential, but the Evolution Stone problem was too big. Without energy-rich food, relying solely on absorbing nutrients from the soil would slow its growth to a crawl—and he wasn't here to raise a decorative plant.
Bellsprout fell somewhere in the middle. It was carnivorous and could hunt Caterpie and Weedle around the forest outskirts, saving food costs. It could also learn status powders early on, making it strong at controlling battles. Its biggest drawback was still the Leaf Stone required for its final evolution.
As for Paras… income mattered.
Money had always mattered to Icarus—whether in his previous life or in this one.
Suddenly—
Crack. Crack.
The sound snapped him out of his thoughts.
He rushed over and saw several thin cracks spreading across the Pokémon Egg. Through the gaps, he could already see hints of green.
His emotions surged.
"Green leaves… then it's either Oddish or Bellsprout," Icarus whispered. "No matter which one it is, I'll walk this road with you. Come on, little guy."
As if responding to his encouragement, the Pokémon inside struggled harder.
With a soft cry of "Saa… sprout!", the eggshell finally shattered completely.
Standing before Icarus was a small Pokémon about thirty centimeters tall. Roots that looked like tiny feet supported a slender brown stem. Two green leaves extended from its sides like arms.
At the top was a bright yellow bud—and on that bud were two round, gentle eyes.
Icarus looked at the newborn Pokémon and smiled softly.
"Welcome to the world," he said quietly.
"Bellsprout."
---
(End of Chapter 5)