Chapter 14 - Baby Wearing a Bib...

The vote has been made, and I shall focus on this novel until it is done! I thank you all for the comments and hope you enjoy this chapter (:

If you're wondering about the title, just read onward and you shall see...

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As Quinn thought this, Gardevoir suddenly teleported into the room with a flash of blue light. Ralts stiffened, and quickly hid behind Quinn, not daring to look at her.

Quinn saw Ralts's movements and looked at Gardevoir with a serious face. For a moment he felt like he was kidnapping someone's daughter...

'No, I don't want to kidnap Ralts!' he corrected himself.

Gardevoir did not speak, and Quinn guessed that it should be talking to Ralts through telepathy. He didn't know what she said, but Quinn could see Ralt's emotions were getting worse and worse.

Gardevoir paused for a moment seeing this, her eyes showing an unbearable hesitation. It then began to stare directly at Quinn. Seeing this, he immediately stood up straight.

A soft voice spoke in front of Quinn, "Do you want to take my daughter?"

Quinn was stunned for a moment, and then realized that Gardevoir was talking to him.

Remembering that in the anime the Pokédex introduces Ralts as such...

[Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. Ralts is the pre-evolved form of Kirlia. It can use the horns on its head to read human emotions. Ralts rarely shows itself to humans, but may occasionally approach when it senses positive or happy feelings.

It's final evolution is Gardevoir, the Embrace Pokémon. Gardevoir will use all of its psychic energy to protect a Trainer it has made a deep connection with.]

(E/N -- The author mentioned both Ralts and Gardevoir's Pokédex entries, so I just merged them with the copy/paste entry from the anime.)

A Pokémon that has high potential, and later on will even use it's life to protect it's trainer? Who wouldn't want to catch one! Therefore, honestly said out loud, "Yes."

Gardevoir stared at him for a while, and finally said, "You are too weak to protect her."

She is saying the truth, and Quinn couldn't say anything to counter it. He felt that if he and Gardevoir switched roles, he wouldn't trust her with his daughter.

After seeing Quinn didn't respond, Gardevoir looked at Ralts again, and spoke out loud, "Do you really want to leave with this human?"

"Ralts..." Ralts hesitated. It could feel Gardevoir's emotions: the reluctance, sadness, and intense worry.

Gardevoir sighed and whispered, "Then do what you want."

After that, she turned and left alone.

"Ralts..." She let go of her hand that had been holding the corner of Quinn's shirt, standing still- lost at what had just happened.

Quinn felt like a villain, even though he hadn't done anything!

He sighed helplessly, knelt down and said to Ralts, "Your mother is very worried about you, so she can't help but worry about letting you go."

Thinking about it carefully, Gardevoir should know that if she lets Ralts go with Quinn- there's a good chance she'll never see her daughter again. Compared with the paternal love of the Braviary to Rufflet, Gardevoir's love for Ralts is on a different level. It protects and raises Ralts very well. She doesn't want her hurt at all, and is even willing to spend the rest of her life living with Ralts.

"Ralts..." Ralts was very sad at the moment.

Quinn comforted her saying, "Go chase her, and accompany your mother. As for me, I live here. If you ever want to find me, you can come over anytime."

"Ralts..." She thought for a while, and began walking forward. After a few steps, she looked back at Quinn with resolute eyes, and teleported away.

Quinn rubbed the bridge of his nose, picked up Cramorant and started walking to the river.

"Gah!" Cramorant gave a dazed cry.

Quinn just wanted to cry a bit. If Cramorant could understand him, he wouldn't have to worry about his starter Pokémon as much as he did now. Maybe Cramorant heard his thoughts, and that night, as Quinn sat by the river- he brought over a much easier to catch Pokémon. Quinn immediately used [Pokémon Identification].

[Budew♀]

Typing: Grass, Poison

Ability: Leaf Guard

Base Stats: 280 (HP: 40, Attack: 30, Defense: 35, Sp. Atk: 50, Sp. Def: 70, Speed: 55)

Known Moves: Absorb, Growth, Stun Spore, Seed Bomb

Current Mood: Fearful, Nervous

Physical State: Squished (Held by the Bringer of Doom, Cramorant!)

Favorability: 0 (Doesn't know you.)

Looking at the budding Pokémon making itself as small as possible on the ground nearby, he tried to reach out and touch it while thinking, 'Budew, the Bud Pokémon, the final evolution is Roserade- a Pokémon with a high base Sp. Atk of 125....'

The Budew was terrified. Looking at Cramorant standing nearby, all he could do was tremble.

"..."

He wanted to ask what Cramorant did to scare it this much.

In order to calm down the Budew and try to convince it to follow him, he gave friendly smile and hugged her. Budew before it evolves is a small, only about 8" tall- petite and cute.

(E/N -- A strange description Quinn, a strange description indeed...)

It has two small yellow-green feet, the body is connected to the buds on the head that have not yet opened, and currently has squinted eyes- looking something like a baby who didn't want to wear it's bib.

"Gah?" Cramorant just stared blankly.

Quinn suddenly realized something, thinking, 'This Budew isn't someone else's Pokémon again, right?'

Waiting for a few minutes, seeing no one coming for the Budew, he knew this little one had no trainer. Seeing that she had calmed down a bit, he carried Budew back to his room and got a pot with soil ready, placing her inside.

In one of the books he read from the library, before Budew evolve they need to absorb nutrients form the soil as food. They also need direct sunlight and water, as such Quinn started watering the Budew.

Being watered, the Budew had finally totally relaxed, and even seemed to be enjoying it- swaying the bud on it's head from side to side. Quinn checked her status with [Pokémon Identification] and saw that her favorability has risen by 5!

'Can the favorability be increased this way?' Quinn thought with raised brows.

"Budew~" The Budew, realizing that the human in front of her wouldn't hurt her made a cute sound.

'It really is cute...' he thought.

But sadly, like most Pokémon, he couldn't understand the Budew. And wanting to really make sure she had no trainer, he asked Maya if anyone had lost their Budew.

By the time Maya had gotten back to him, it was already tomorrow morning. She sat on the sofa, drinking hot tea made by Quinn, and said while watching the Budew basking in the sunlight sitting in the windowsill, "Your dormitory has changed a lot since you came here, it feels much more lively."

"Really?" Quinn looked around for a while, all he had done was move around the furniture...

"Really." Maya responded, then said with a smile, "I asked around, and no one has lost a Budew. Are you trying to catch that one?"

After hearing this, he finally confirmed that Budew had no trainer!

Quinn said with excitement in his eyes, "Yes! I want to become a trainer!"

(E/N -- Ey yo, Quinn's acting like he doesn't have the God of Destruction literally riding on his shoulder half the time...)