Chapter 286: A Newborn
Chapter 286: A Newborn
Upon returning to the shop, Yuga collapsed into a chair, feeling exhausted and unwilling to move. Rescuing those people had been a taxing experience, and it had also put a strain on his heart.
Seeing Yuga looking tired and out of breath, Suzuki Koen chuckled and asked, "What's wrong with you? Did someone rob you?"
Yuga sighed and replied, "Perhaps getting robbed would be less exhausting."
Not understanding what Yuga meant, Suzuki Koen just shook her head and walked away.
At that moment, Chatot suddenly fluttered over, landed on Yuga's arm, and awkwardly said, "Darling, it seems like our baby has hatched. Could you go take a look?"
Surprised by Chatot's words, Yuga raised his head to look at the bird. Already hatched? That was quite fast.
Yuga teasingly said to Chatot, "I didn't expect you to care about your child. I thought you didn't care at all, especially with Noctowl around."
Chatot blushed and said with embarrassment, "What are you talking about? Of course, I care!"
Yuga stood up, shook his head with a smile, and then headed towards the direction of the Ecopark to check on Chatot's baby.
Yuga had previously observed that Chatot often wandered outside and didn't seem to care much about its child. He had thought Chatot was a complete deadbeat, but it turned out it did pay some attention to its offspring, which surprised Yuga.
Of course, this didn't change the fact that Chatot was still a bit of a deadbeat. It just showed that it wasn't entirely neglectful.
Upon arriving at the Ecopark, Yuga headed straight for the area where Pokémon eggs were usually placed. However, there were no more eggs there, as Noctowl's child had been the last one to hatch.
Yuga quickly spotted Noctowl standing on the ground, its head lowered as it looked down. Its child should be right there.
Noctowl typically perched on the branches of the Weather Tree, keeping a watchful eye on its child from above. But today, it had come down from the tree, indicating that its child had indeed hatched.
Approaching, Yuga saw the newborn child at Noctowl's feet. A Hoothoot had just hatched, and this was probably Noctowl's offspring.
Before the egg had hatched, Yuga had already determined that this child would be a Hoothoot based on the patterns on the egg. It was not a Chatot like its father but a Hoothoot.
Hoothoot had a brown body with a beige belly, red irises, and its eyes were surrounded by black "glasses," giving it an oddly cute appearance.
What made Hoothoot unique was its spherical body, one large leg that supported its entire body, and small wings that surprisingly allowed it to fly freely.
Hoothoot had an unusual look, but upon closer inspection, it had a certain charm.
Noctowl acknowledged Yuga's presence with a slight nod of its head.
"Congratulations, Noctowl," Yuga said.
As for the newly hatched Hoothoot, it saw Yuga, blinked its curious eyes, and hopped over to him. It had an innocent and friendly demeanor, and upon reaching Yuga, it rubbed its round body against his hand.
Yuga couldn't help but smile and gently pet Hoothoot's small body. It was soft and felt nice to touch.
Observing this scene, Noctowl seemed a little jealous. It used its wing to nudge Hoothoot away from Yuga, creating some distance between them.
Yuga chuckled at the sight, surprised that Noctowl would behave this way.
In Yuga's memory, since he had met Noctowl, it had always been distant and reserved, speaking very little.
Even in front of its beloved Chatot, Noctowl was restrained and composed, displaying an extraordinary level of self-control. It had the demeanor of a stoic and disciplined executive, despite being female.
It's hard to imagine that Noctowl would feel jealous because of its own child. Motherly love is truly remarkable.
Hoothoot, who had been pushed aside by Noctowl, gazed at its mother with big, puzzled eyes. It didn't understand why Noctowl prevented it from getting closer to the person in front of them, especially when that person emitted such a comforting aura.
Yuga carried the residual scent of Celebi, making him naturally approachable to Pokémon, particularly to Hoothoot, who had just been born and had a simple nature.
Due to Hoothoot being freshly hatched, Yuga's discerning eye couldn't provide much information about its potential or abilities. He could only tell that this was a female Hoothoot, inheriting both characteristics and traits from its mother.
Yuga thought Hoothoot's potential might not be high, but like its father, it could be a great mascot for the Day Care in the future.
After all, they already had Noctowl as the boss there.
Perhaps unable to bear the pitiful gaze of its daughter any longer, Noctowl finally stopped preventing Hoothoot from approaching Yuga.
Yuga took the opportunity to perform a thorough examination of Hoothoot, confirming that it was in excellent health, which relieved him.
As Yuga left the Ecopark, he made a point to find the leader of the Miltanks and asked him to pay attention to the newborn Hoothoot.
The leader of the Miltanks had cared for many newborn Pokémon and was very familiar with the precautions and care required. There was no need for Yuga to give special instructions.
Just as Yuga exited the Ecopark, he saw Chatot flying over in a hurry.
"How is it? How is it? Is the child okay?" Chatot eagerly asked.
Yuga stood still, gazing at Chatot for a moment, making Chatot uncomfortable. Unable to bear the silence, Chatot asked, "Why are you staring at me? Why aren't you answering my question?"
Yuga replied, "Since you care so much, why don't you go see for yourself?"
Chatot awkwardly responded, "I'm not really in a convenient position to do so."
"Are you afraid of Noctowl?" Yuga asked.
Upon hearing this, Chatot immediately puffed out its chest and said with a fierce tone, "Of course not!" It seemed like this bravado was meant to boost its confidence.
Yuga retorted, "Then what's stopping you?" He didn't sound pleased.
Chatot couldn't quite explain what was stopping it. While Noctowl treated it well, it still felt uneasy whenever it saw Noctowl.
Their relationship hadn't started out of love, and now they were dealing with the complexities of raising their child together.
"The child is perfectly fine, a healthy and lively Hoothoot," Yuga finally reassured Chatot and left, leaving behind a relieved Chatot.