In a room on the sed floor, Natsume and a group of Pokémon from the farm huddled around the incubator, watg nervously.

  Ever since Zorua had brought this egg back, it had shown ion for a long time.

  At one point, they even wondered if it was a dead egg.

  However, the life energy pulsing from within indicated that it was growing steadily.

  Not just Natsume—every other Pokémon was equally puzzled.

  Did Togepi take this long to hatch back then?

  "Toki?"

  No way, it just popped out instantly.

  Togepi, pag around Natsume’s feet, looked at its panions with fusion.

  In its memory, its earliest moments were hazy.

  It felt like it had only taken a short nap, and the hing it knew, it was looking at Natsume.

  It didn’t feel like much time had passed at all.

  Hmm… Not much of a reference point.

  "Audino."

  Audino pushed open the door, holding two bottles of warm milk.

  Aside from the milk, it had also prepared a variety of items to care for the newborn Pokémon.

  towels, toys to catch attention, soothing inse to rex the atmosphere—

  Anything that might be useful, Audino had prepared it.

  It was a much more thh setup than what Natsume had arranged when Togepi hatched.

  "Hoo~"

  Testing the temperature of the MooMoo Milk against the back of its hand, Audino jured tiny fmes on its fiips.

  These flickering fmes hovered around the bottle, gently warming the milk.

  As a Normal-type Pokémon, Audino had quite a versatile skill set.

  If not for its widespread use in the medical field, it could have been a formidable support Pokémon in double battles.

  "Audino."

  After preparing the milk bottle, Audino turo the gathered Pokémon watg the se unfold.

  Too many onlookers could put pressure on the newborn.

  Its soft voice, like a feather brushing against the heart, made everyone feel slightly ticklish inside.

  Despite their curiosity, under Persian’s leadership, the Pokémon obediently left the room.

  "Uumah!"

  At the back of the group, Ogerpon made a cheering motion toward Natsume, as if encing him.

  Natsume couldn't help but ugh.

  Why does it feel like I'm the one giving birth?

  Now, only Natsume, Audino, and Zorua—who was busy pying with a ball—remained in the room.

  Truly pying with a ball.

  Somehow, Zorua had found a Poké Ball and was rolling it around.

  It looked simir to the one used to catch Ting-Lu earlier.

  The difference was that this one was entirely water-blue—

  Kind of like a Dive Ball.

  "You little troublemaker, yht it bad then pletely ig."

  "Suosuo!"

  Who says I ig?! I pyed with it, okay?!

  Zorua immediately protested.

  Natsume, you ’t snder me like this!

  I used to cuddle with the egg whenever I had nothing to do!

  How is that ign it?!

  Zorua refused to take the bme for this.

  "That’s even worse than ign it."

  Natsume ruffled Zorua’s head before turning his attention back to the incubator.

  The egg inside wobbled occasionally, as if eager to ehe world.

  Natsume had sidered taking it out, but Audino stopped him.

  Audino expihat it wasn’t quite time yet—this was just the Pokémon ihering strength aing the moment.

  The real hatg would begihe shaking became much more intense.

  That would be the right time to take it out.

  Natsume had always been good at listening to advice.

  He knew he wasn’t an expert in every field, so he ubbornly insisted on doing things his way.

  Trying tue against professionals with half-baked knowledge was just pin foolish.

  Seeing Natsume accept its guidance, Audi a sense of relief.

  Back when it was an intern at the Pokémoer, it had entered all sorts of frustrating cases—

  People who didn’t follow medical advice, those who used home remedies instead of proper treatment, those who stopped medie without permission, and those who ht refused professional help.

  Every day, those patients had given Audino endless headaches.

  When it first arrived at the farm, it had seemed rexed oside, but i was anxious—

  Worried that its rainer might be one of those people who refused to listen.

  That would have made life really difficult.

  Luckily, Natsume was a good person.

  Humming a light tune, Audino took some of Natsume’s worn clothes and pced them around the room.

  These clothes carried Natsume’s st, which would help the newborn Pokémon feel more fortable with him.

  A chaotic mix of unfamiliar sts could fuse or ule a newly hatched Pokémon.

  This method wasn’t guarao work, but at the very least, it wouldn’t hurt.

  A lot of things beled as “unnecessary” were, at their core, simply acts of goodwill.

  "Audino."

  After a brief observation, Audino told Natsume it was time to take the egg out.

  By its estimation, in just a minute or two, new life would arrive.

  Sinewborn Pokémohe first creature they see as their closest panion, Audino gave Natsume a few simple instrus before leaving.

  Before stepping out, it also scooped up Zorua and carried it out the door.

  "Suosuo!"

  Let me go! I wanna watch!

  "Audino."

  Alright, alright, we’ll check ter.

  Like coaxing a child, Audily patted Zorua’s back while walking outside.

  Having inter a hospital, Audino had mastered just the right amount of force to hold Zorua securely—

  No matter how much Zorua struggled, it couldn’t escape.

  The first Pokémon on the farm, aside from Natsume, to successfully restrain Zorua had appeared.

  Though, to be fair, Zorua hadn’t been trying that hard to escape.

  Still, it was a victory.

  When Audino emerged carrying Zorua, the other Pokémon outside looked at it with wide eyes—

  Awe-struck at the sight.

  As expected of a Pokémon from the big city, it had effortlessly aplished what none of them could.

  Baside the room, Natsume pced the egg on a cushion and sat down on the couch.

  For some reason, he felt oddly nervous.

  Uh Togepi, this time, the Pokémon about to hatch was definitely not ordinary.

  Zorua had hi this multiple times before.

  See? I brought you a huge surprise!

  Shouldn’t you reward me with ara meal or something?

  To whiatsume had firmly refused.

  Your appetite is already as big as Corviknight’s.

  If you keep eating like this, won’t you turn into a little piglet?

  Natsume was highly skeptical.

  Ba the room, the egg's movements grew more intense.

  A blinding white light seeped through the shell.

  At that moment, Natsume felt like he was sitting in front of a bomb about to explode.

  Finally, a crisp crag sound echoed through the room.

  The glow of life burst forth in its brightest form.

  "Nyaa!"

  (A very ayle cry—crossed out)

  As the light faded, a small Pokémon appeared on the cushion.

  Its water-blue body looked almost liquid.

  It had a tiny frame and a rge, round head adorned with ft flotation sad ribbon-like feelers.

  Above its eyes were two blue circur markings, ected by a thin bck line.

  A red gem was embedded in its chest.

  Even though he had already anticipated it, seeing this Pokémon in person still left Natsume deeply shaken.

  "Hello, Phione."

  Steadying his emotions, Natsume reached out and greeted it softly.

  That’s right—

  The Pokémon that hatched from the egg was her thahical Pokémon, Phione.

  To be ho, Phione was a rather aokémon in many ways.

  It carried the title of a mythical Pokémon,

  But many people were relut t as one.

  First of all, Phione is the child of Manaphy, the Prince of the Sea.

  From a title standpoint, you could say this child is...

  A oner of the sea?

  From a stat perspective, this little one is a cssic jack-of-all-trades.

  High EQ: Well-rounded, no weaknesses.

  Low EQ: Nothing special, all weaknesses.

  Phione’s base stats are a perfectly banced 80 across the board, totaling 480.

  What does that mean in parison?

  Slowking: 490.

  Corviknight: 495.

  Gardevoir: 518.

  Yeah… not great.

  You could say it ied Manaphy’s bance, but not its strength.

  Manaphy’s stats are all 100, with a total of 600.

  Of course, we knookémon’s strength isn’t just about base stats.

  Abilities and move pools matter too.

  As for its ability, Hydration allows it to recover from status ditions when it rains.

  Its move pool is det, and it shares an exclusive move with Manaphy—Heart S, which heals status ditions while boosting Special Attad Special Defense.

  All in all, it’s a fairly solid Pokémon.

  But as a Mythical…

  It could probably pete for the title of “Most Disappointing Mythical.”

  That aside, Phione is one of the rare Mythical that actually exists in rge numbers.

  The Pokédex describes them as living in warm seas, infting the float sa their heads to drift on the o’s surface. Wheer temperature rises, you see them floatihe coast.

  Yes, them.

  Phione isn’t rare.

  After all, Manaphy breed with Ditto to produce Phione eggs.

  (Someone should probably iigate Manaphy’s private life—redacted.)

  Also, the Pokédex has this to say:

  "Its azure blue body blends in with the sea, allowing it to avoid predators."

  Excuse me, what kind of Mythical has predators?!

  A flood of thoughts fshed through Natsume’s mind before he quickly adjusted his mood.

  Regardless of whether Phione ts as a Mythical, it was born on the farm.

  Maybe one day, it would follohy back to the o.

  But for now, it was his responsibility to take care of this child.

  “Phi?”

  Sitting on the cushion, Phione bli Natsume in fusion, as if it hadn’t quite figured out the situation.

  This human’s st, the atmosphere around him… it all felt familiar.

  Like it had sehem back when it was still in the egg.

  That made Phione feel at ease.

  And this human had a warmth about him that was… f.

  Sleep-indug, even.

  “Phi.”

  Under Natsume’s astonished gaze, Phione wobbled forward a couple of steps before flopping right into his arms, eyes half-closed.

  Like a sleepwalker, it reached out and hugged him, mumbling softly.

  Natsume instinctively held Phioly, pausing for a moment before realizing what had just happened.

  Looking down at the tiny, sleeping Pokémon in his arms, he couldn’t help but smile.

  It was both the joy of witnessing new life and the realization of Phione’s affeate nature.

  Finally, a well-behaved child on the farm.

  It had been a long time sihey’d had one like this—ever since o.

  For some reason, the farm hadn’t seen a gentle, gy Pokémon in ages.

  Hisuian Zorua? A socially withdrawn little girl.

  Always lurking in dark ers, whispering to Ogerpon.

  Togepi? A little troublemaker.

  Spends all day scheming, only to get chased around by o.

  Emolga? A little schemer.

  By now, the number of fish it’s been h could probably field a full soccer team.

  With substitutes. And a coag staff.

  Kirlia? A hardcore Corviknight fangirl.

  Enough said.

  Natsume just hoped the farm wouldn’t end up with a deli Gardevoir. That would truly be a nightmare.

  Gazing at the adorable Phione, Natsume picked up a bottle of Moomoo Milk, fitted with a pacifier, and offered it to the little Pokémon.

  “Phi?”

  Half-asleep, Phione caught the sweet st in the air and struggled to open its eyes.

  Not by much, but it was clearly trying.

  Like a student desperately trying to stay awake in css.

  O saw what was in front of it, Phione instinctively tched onto the bottle and started drinking.

  This was the highest-quality Moomoo Milk avaible on the market.

  Specially formuted for newborn Pokémon.

  The price per bottle would be a financial gut punost families.

  If Natsume had any expertise in dairy farming, he wouldn’t be giving his money away like this.

  Maybe I should get some Miltank iure.

  Watg Phione drink tentedly, Natsume mused.

  He already had Ampharos and a herd of Wooloo—adding a Miltank herd wouldn’t be a stretch.

  Raising a few was raising a few. Raising a lot was still just raising a few.

  Besides, with the Pokémon popution on the farm growing, Natsume could already foresee the iable baby boom spring.

  Hormones would ki, instincts would take over, and before long, Pokémon eggs would be everywhere.

  There would be plenty of newborns to care for then.

  “Audino?”

  As Natsume was mulling over his pns for year, a voice came from the doorway.

  It was Audino.

  Maybe it was an instiched into its very being.

  Or maybe it was the training it received back at the Pokémoer.

  Either way, when it came t for newborn Pokémon, Audino had an unwavering sense of duty.

  Gcell