Chapter 144: Bruno
As Kenji made his selection, Giovanni's gaze also swept across the incubators, his power assessing the potential of each Pokémon Egg and calculating its time to hatch.
Kenji's hand came to rest on the counter. Behind it, a single egg in an incubator wobbled slightly. The boy's eyes lit up for a second before dimming again. After a moment of thought, however, he pointed to that very egg.
A gleam flashed in Giovanni's eyes. He could sense that the potential within this egg was indeed strong, even greater than that of his own Nidorino or Machoke. "This one?" he asked, noting the slow rate of nutrient absorption.
Kenji nodded silently. "Mm."
Mr. Silas, standing nearby, seized the opportunity. "The young master certainly has a keen eye," he said smoothly. "This Machop egg is the finest of my current stock." While there were methods to pre-screen eggs, and he had access to the parents' data, such pronouncements were simply good for business.
Giovanni didn't waste time. "How much?"
Mr. Silas held up five fingers. "With your discount, two hundred and forty thousand."
Hearing the price, Kenji quickly interjected. "Brother Giovanni, I just picked that one randomly! Let's choose another. That is far too expensive."
Giovanni waved him off. "This one is fine." He turned back to Mr. Silas. "I will also be placing an order for two years' worth of high-quality Pokémon food."
At this, Mr. Silas dropped the act. He did a quick calculation. "If you are serious about the food order, I can give you the egg for a minimum of two hundred and ten thousand. The food for two years will be two hundred and twenty thousand. I can offer you a further discount... a total of four hundred thousand."
It was still a considerable profit, but it was clear he would go no lower. The purchase would nearly empty Giovanni's current liquid funds. He didn't hesitate. He pulled out a bank card and placed it in Mr. Silas's hand, then pointed to Kenji. "He will be picking up the food orders. Is that a problem?"
Mr. Silas confirmed the balance on the card, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling from his smile. "No problem at all." He even brought the incubator over and placed it in Kenji's arms.
The boy stared at Giovanni, completely bewildered. "Why do I need to pick it up?"
Mr. Silas, ever the salesman, smiled warmly. "Young master, is this Pokémon Egg not for you? If you are not the one to pick up its food, then who is?"
Kenji was stunned into silence. He looked at the incubator in his hands, then at Giovanni, his eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't comprehend why this stranger would spend so much money on someone he had known for only a day.
Giovanni did not deny it. He simply nodded. "Where else would I find another younger brother, and one of the same age as you?"
Kenji's heart pounded. The bitterness he had felt earlier evaporated completely, replaced by a sense of profound shock. "No... I cannot accept this!"
"What I give," Giovanni said coolly, "I do not take back."
As if on cue, just as Kenji was about to vehemently refuse again, a crack appeared on the egg in the incubator. The machine's lid popped open. .
Amidst Kenji's frantic movements, a tiny, newly hatched Machop emerged. It looked at the boy, let out a soft coo, and affectionately rubbed against him before starting to gnaw on its own eggshell.
"It seems it truly likes you," Mr. Silas explained. "The first creature a newborn Pokémon sees, it forms a strong bond of dependence. If you were to push it away now, it would feel abandoned. It might not even survive."
The words were a complete lip service, but they had their intended effect. Even if Kenji wanted to push the Machop away now, he found he couldn't.
"But..." he stammered, still feeling the gift was too valuable.
"I know you are wondering why I am doing this," Giovanni said softly. "But everything has a reason. I will explain it to you before I leave."
Though he didn't know if Giovanni was just trying to placate him, Kenji had no other choice.
Mr. Silas, belying his age, moved quickly. "Here is a week's worth of specially selected food, and a complimentary Poké Ball." He then produced two official-looking forms. "I have contacts at the Saffron City League Registration Center.
This is a form for early Pokémon claim." It was a minor loophole, one the league had yet to close. "Once he turns ten, he can register as a Trainer without issue. If there are any problems, you come find me."
"Thank you, Mr. Silas," Giovanni nodded.
"It is nothing," the old man chuckled. "You are a distinguished guest."
"Try to catch it," Giovanni told Kenji.
The boy clutched the Poké Ball, never imagining that the one thing he had longed for his entire life would be obtained so easily. "Machop," he asked softly, holding the ball out. "Are you willing to be my Pokémon?"
The innocent Machop gently touched the ball. It was instantly absorbed inside without any resistance.
Kenji still felt as if he were dreaming. "I have a Pokémon... I have my own Pokémon..."
"Come, young master," Mr. Silas smiled, stepping forward. "Time to sign."
Kenji snapped back to reality. He took the offered pen and signed his name on both forms. To prevent any tampering, Giovanni took the forms and inspected them himself. He wasn't looking for a discrepancy in the content, but the crookedly scrawled name at the bottom made him freeze.
Bruno.
"Mm, that's my real name," the boy explained innocently. "however, I've always been called Katsu so the name kind of stuck."
Giovanni's eyes flickered. Was this aiding a future enemy? Was this what Bruno was like as a child? He shook his head. It doesn't matter.
Whether he was Bruno or not, he was his little brother now.