Pat, pat, pat.
The sound of slippers on the ground made Moltres's already quickened heartbeat pound like a drum.
Oh no, I accidentally made a sound!
What should I do? Should I destroy the evidence?
But even if I did, I'd still get a good beating.
Just as Moltres's movements completely froze, Luo Mu arrived with his Pokémon. When he clearly saw Moltres, stiff as a flamingo doing a "golden rooster stands on one leg," its face showing visible fear, and the Pokémon Egg beneath Moltres, flashing like a flashbang in the incubator, he understood everything.
His wildly beating heart gradually returned to a normal speed. Luo Mu's entire gathered aura suddenly dissipated, and only then did he feel his back soaked with cold sweat.
"What was that? You scared me." Luo Mu let out a long breath, looked at the stiff Moltres, and chuckled, "Don't be nervous. The Pokémon Egg is fine. It's just a sign that it's about to hatch."
Hearing Luo Mu's words, the five fierce-looking Pokémon also dropped their battle stances. Knowing there was nothing wrong, they all came closer to peek at the Pokémon Egg. Then, with wishes for the Pokémon Egg to hatch successfully, they yawned and went back inside for more sleep.
The misunderstanding came quickly and left just as quickly.
Only Luo Mu and the relieved Moltres remained, looking at each other. After a few breaths, Luo Mu was the first to break the awkward silence, saying, "Moltres, weren't you hatched from a Pokémon Egg? Why are you making such a fuss about this?"
Luo Mu was a little curious whether these genderless legendary Pokémon were hatched from Pokémon Eggs or naturally conceived by nature itself.
Moltres was silent for a while, as if recalling past memories. After a moment, it gave a definitive answer.
"When I gained consciousness and opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the surrounding lava. I have no impression at all of what you call a Pokémon Egg hatching or glowing."
Luo Mu nodded thoughtfully. Analyzing Moltres's meaning, it should have been born in a volcano, and it was very likely naturally conceived.
Walking in front of Moltres, Luo Mu squatted down and picked up the incubator. He found that the third bottle of nutrient solution had also turned transparent. In just over a week, this Pokémon Egg had completely absorbed almost all the nutrient solution that a normal Pokémon Egg would need twenty-one days to absorb.
Looking at the rhythmically glowing Pokémon Egg, Luo Mu was very curious about which Pokémon would hatch from it.
Luo Mu suggested, "Before the Pokémon Egg hatches, let's move inside and wait slowly."
The weather hadn't warmed up yet, so it was best to provide a warm environment for the new life before it was born.
Moltres had no objection to this. Moving its body, which hadn't budged for many days and had only eaten and slept, it slowly followed Luo Mu's steps.
At the main entrance, Luo Mu opened both doors as wide as possible, just barely allowing Moltres, with its wings folded, to pass through.
Before Moltres entered, Luo Mu had asked it. The flames burning on its body were like those of Ponyta and Rapidash; as long as it intentionally restrained them, they wouldn't burn the surrounding environment.
Otherwise, with the wooden furniture and floors in the small house, which are highly flammable, Luo Mu wouldn't dare let it in.
Leading Moltres to the fireplace in the living room, Luo Mu threw in some firewood, then looked at Moltres.
Moltres: "?"
Why was he looking at it like that?
Luo Mu said helplessly, "Light the fire! You're the only Fire-type Pokémon here, and I can't use Eruption."
"Also, just a few small flames will do. Don't set the house on fire."
Moltres: "."
Moltres never thought it would one day be reduced to the same use as a lighter or matches. After holding it in for a long time, it ultimately didn't get angry. It only felt that during its time on this farm, its temper and emotions were stabilizing at an extremely rapid rate.
Rolling its eyes at Luo Mu, Moltres opened its long beak. Three orange-red flames, under its control, fell into the fireplace, instantly igniting the firewood. Centered on the fireplace, a bright yellow warm light illuminated the room.
"Good control ability." Luo Mu applauded in admiration. Moltres lifted its head, clearly pleased with Luo Mu's praise.
The Pokémon Egg was moved near the fireplace, next to Moltres, which radiated warmth like a small sun. The first step in Pokémon hatching, creating a warm hatching environment, was achieved.
Luo Mu also prepared several bottles of room-temperature Moomoo Milk, which he had specifically bought during his last shopping trip, along with hot water and a large towel.
Generally, at a Pokémon Center, when Nurse Joy assists with birth, besides some monitoring equipment, these are the conditions.
Luo Mu and Moltres stayed by the fireplace, adding firewood occasionally, guarding the Pokémon Egg.
They guarded it for an entire day.
It wasn't until all the Pokémon who had been tending the farm returned indoors, surrounding the Pokémon Egg three layers deep, that the sky gradually turned dim yellow, and the flashing frequency of the Pokémon Egg finally reached its peak.
The almost continuous flashing made the Pokémon Egg look like a constantly glowing light bulb.
At this moment, the air in the room was filled with tension. Even the usually lively and playful two Gossifleur sensed this and sat very obediently beside Eldegoss.
Finally, as the light reached an extreme point, the crisp sound of cracking eggshell invigorated everyone and every Pokémon present.
Crack, crack—
The eggshell cracked faster and faster. The small life inside the Pokémon Egg also understood that this was its only chance to leave the Pokémon Egg. The nutrient solution Luo Mu bought had restored strength to its originally weak body. The small life inside the Pokémon Egg exerted all its might, using the small horn on its head to push against the inner shell of the Pokémon Egg.
In the silent environment, even Moltres couldn't help but, like Luo Mu and the others, silently cheer on the small life inside the Pokémon Egg with encouraging gazes.
Moltres didn't know whether it was infected by Luo Mu and the others, or if, during this extremely short period in its life, it had developed unique emotions due to its inseparable presence with the Pokémon Egg.
Moltres, who once regarded all weak beings as ants, now sincerely hoped that the incredibly weak life within the Pokémon Egg could be born into this world.
The hatching of the Pokémon Egg lasted only a short three minutes, yet these three minutes felt as long as an entire year.
"Woooo~~~"
At the moment the sky completely transitioned from dusk to darkness, a short, loud Growl, yet like dawn, brought new life.
Luo Mu's face showed a relieved smile as he softly said, "Little one, welcome to this beautiful world!"