Eating a Legendary Pokemon?!!

"Huh?" Professor Elm looked terrified at the suggestion. "That… that… Yes, that might work."

-/I am just joking, professor,/- Kai said, laughing. -/There are other ways to replicate the effects of the results of that statement./-

If there were, Professor Elm surely didn't know, for he said nothing in reply to Kai's joke.

"-/I must say,/- Kai said, reminiscing, -/these last few days have made me recall many old memories. I am honored to assist you in this research, Elm./-

Kai extended his hand and shook Elm's hand.

"You say you are much older than you look, Desmond," Professor Elm said, zooming out of the screen. "Well, it might be true. But I am not sure who assisted whom in this research."

The two scientists laughed, sharing a smile between them.

*

*

Morning, June 25

Professor's Elm Laboratory

After a much-needed sleep, both found themselves again in the same old lab.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer, Professor Desmond?" Elm asked, frowning.

Kai chuckled. -/It has been fun, working alongside you, professor,/- he said. -/But if it wasn't for the ancient Pokemon's unusual state and the eggs, I wouldn't have come out of retirement. The next adventure is calling me. I even dreamt about it./-

Professor Elm shook his head.

By now, Kai and Elm had already experimented on the two eggs rigorously, trying to incubate them.

The answer they had found was to put them in a solution that would break their stony outer layer, gradually, and resume the embryos' development. The only problem was, that the contents of the solution were based on the rare minerals and bacteria found in the Pokemon World. Not to mention that they needed to change the solution every other week.

So, even if he wanted to, Kai couldn't take away two solutions' tanks with him.

Behind him, Meg looked more haggard than either of him and Elm. The constant vigilance she had shown in the last 5 five days was not something a mere 1st-Set Contestant could replicate.

Kai exchanged a look with her. They had discussed the problem and had already come to a solution.

Now, it was time to take care of the prime reasons for his visit.

-/Before leaving, professor,/- Kai said, smiling, -/I have a piece of good and bad news for you, and a request if you would grant me the honor to ask it./-

Usually, Professor Elm would have never cared about this much talk. But Kai had left such an imprint in his memory that the young professor couldn't help but weigh each of his words carefully.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"What could be worse than you not continuing this research with me?" Professor Elm said, his eyes reflecting deep sadness. "Still, let's hear the bad one first, Professor Desmond."

Kai felt a tinge of pity for Elm. It would be a lie to say that he didn't like the professor. Their area of expertise overlapped, and so did their thought process. Like Kai, Elm cared little about the consequences if it could benefit the research, and their personalities matched their ambitions.

If I wasn't a Contestant, then we could have been friends, Kai bitterly thought. But now, I must use you, and for that, Professor Elm, you must know a little about despair.

Kai's breath rattled as he sucked out Professor Elm's happiness and the sadness on the Character's face spread even more.

-/I must take the Ghost Serpent away with me,/- Kai said, as Elm gasped. -/Hear me out first, Elm. We both know she needs a potent stimulant, which we have no means to give to her. Not in the ethical ways possible.

-/I travel all over the planet, searching for ruins and Pokemon history. So, who knows, I might stumble upon something more extraordinary that could help her. Last, but not least, she has bonded with me. And… I have with her. I hope you would understand my concerns, professor./-

If Kai hadn't needed Elm's help in getting the Pokemon, he would have never explained this much to him.

Elm went into a stunned silence. But the lack of happiness within him prevented him from reacting too much against it. "I understand," he told Kai. "It's your good nature that you didn't add your ability to talk to people through her in your reasoning."

Oh, I forgot that, Kai thought, recalling the telepathic ability. I must be careful to not let it develop into an issue. He had become so used to it, that with his inability to talk without hissing, he kept forgetting that it wasn't natural for all to talk into others' minds.

-/Now the good news,/- Kai said, beaming. -/Here, eat this chocolate, professor. It would cheer you up./-

After the bulk of info dumped on him by Meg, it would have been foolish to not add chocolates to his arsenal. Professor Elm's sadness prevented an angry and ecstatic reaction to the bad news. Now Kai wanted him to react with joy instead.

As Kai saw Elm's eyes gaining some life upon eating the chocolate, he pointed at the two eggs. -/I have talked to Priestess Shae,/- he said, -/and she has permitted me to leave the eggs with you for incubation./-

Professor Elm snapped his head up towards Meg. "Is it true?" he asked incredulously. "Oh! That's wonderful. I agree to watch over them, only if I get to keep the Pokemon."

"That's out of…"

Meg almost refused the offer, but one look from Kai shut her up.

He could see the stubbornness on Elm's face. The look wasn't unlike his own when he used to see a potential benefit.

He won't change his mind, Kai concluded. And I can't attack him, either. A higher floor Contestant would always be here watching over him. We are alive not only because of Petyr's fiasco and the mention of the Temple but also because the old butler has sensed no danger to Elm.

-/I agree./- Kai said. -/I agree to let you have one egg, Professor Elm. The golden egg was the most secure of the three, so I guess it's also the most valuable. Am I right, Priestess Shae?/-

Kai did not know that the Goblin, Snaglok, had also shown the most interest in the golden egg.

The only thing he knew was that Selene had shown an interest in the egg with colorful stripes, making it the egg he wanted the most now.

Meg wasn't some naive bimbo to not take the hint. Her shrewdness outmatched most of the top Contestants. Not just anyone could have hoodwinked Kai and got the better of him. "Yes," she said solemnly. "The golden egg represents the birth of the cosmos. The other one represents the cycle of emotions. I wasn't with Professor Desmond when he took the egg, but it makes sense that the golden egg was the most secure one."

Professor Elm ate the chocolate and mulled over the hogwash fed to him by Meg. At last, he smiled at Kai and nodded.

The notification came up then.

…

[

A Magical Contract is established between Contestant Kai Stormborn and Professor Elm of the New Bark Town.

The terms of the contract are:

1. Professor Elm will incubate the two eggs, keeping the magical beast from the golden egg for himself upon hatching. The Contestant will get the magical beast from the other egg

2. The Contestant can request to teleport to this World Timeline once in three months, paying no Mission Credits for 3 hours

Warning:

1. Failing the contract will be deemed unworthy and will have serious consequences

2. The Time Limit of visitation is unchangeable

]