Pokémon: Above the Top

"You… you can make it hatch early?"

Mark was holding the still-sleeping Manaphy. Though surprised, his voice involuntarily softened as he spoke.

"We are the People of the Water. We've cared for Manaphy for generations, so naturally we have our own special way of communicating with it." Meredith's eyes curved into a smile that was impossible to dislike.

Mark nodded, temporarily believing what she said. Just as he was about to ask something else, he suddenly felt the little cutie in his arms move slightly.

"Mana~?"

"…It's awake~" Mark said excitedly, though still in a whisper. He raised Manaphy a little higher so he could get a better look.

"Manaaaphy~"

The newly hatched Manaphy let out a soft, sticky-sounding cry, then instinctively wrapped its little arms around Mark, revealing its clingy nature.

Sato, Joseph, and even Kyle and Meredith came over with curiosity written all over their faces.

Though they were the ones who had guarded the Sea Temple and Manaphy for generations, not every generation actually got to see Manaphy.

When it came to this long-rumored Mythical Pokémon, their curiosity was no different.

"Mana!"

Suddenly seeing so many people around, the just-born Manaphy was clearly startled. It dove into Mark's chest, too flustered to come out.

"Back off, back off!" Mark's maternal- uh, paternal instincts flared. He took two sharp steps back, holding Manaphy tightly like a bristling creature about to bite if anyone got closer.

"Mana~"

Mark's reaction clearly gave Manaphy a huge sense of security, so it rubbed affectionately against him again, making him grin from ear to ear like a total goofball.

Watching this scene, Sato found it amusing, but it also reminded him that they would eventually have to part ways…

"…It's better if they never got close in the first place," Joseph said quietly beside Sato. Clearly, both of them had the same thought.

The happier they were now, the more it would hurt later…

---

Not long after, Manaphy looked up at Mark with a pitiful expression, softly patting its own little belly with its hand.

"Hungry, huh? Daddy- uh, aniki will get you something to eat right away!" Mark, hit by sudden inspiration, was ready to fulfill Manaphy's every wish.

…But when he turned to look at Joseph, he found that they were already a dozen meters apart.

Joseph narrowed his eyes with an unusually "gentle" smile, then lifted a finger and beckoned softly.

"Come here."

Mark took a deep breath, suddenly realizing he might have done something wrong.

But when he glanced sideways at the ever-watchful Manaphy, a wave of heroic resolve rose in his chest…

"I WAS WRONG!"

Mark bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, using the most "arrogant heroic" stance to say the most humble words.

Joseph's smile didn't change at all. He silently took out the Sweet Milk he had prepared earlier, specially made for newborn Pokémon.

"Come get it~"

"Thanks, Joseph~"

Mark giggled, thinking to himself what a clever little guy he was. Even if he still didn't know what he did wrong, apologizing first was never a bad idea!

After Mark returned with the Sweet Milk and focused wholeheartedly on feeding Manaphy, Sato suddenly turned to Joseph. "Did Mark actually do something wrong just now?"

"Nope," Joseph blinked and replied with an "innocent" look.

Sato: "…Oh."

---

On the other side, Kyle and Meredith watched the scene with great interest. Then they looked at each other and exchanged a subtle nod, as if they had confirmed something.

"Sorry to be abrupt, but may I ask your names?" Meredith stepped forward and asked politely.

"Sato."

"I'm Joseph. The one holding Manaphy is Mark," Joseph added, far more polite and also helping out the completely Manaphy-obsessed Mark.

"Nice to meet you all. I wonder… have you heard the legend about Manaphy?" Meredith got straight to the point, coming across as open and direct.

Sato and Joseph both felt a jolt in their hearts; they hadn't expected it to come this soon.

"So it seems you already know. Perhaps we can travel together. If Manaphy wants to reach the Sea Temple, it will also need the power of the People of the Water."

Sato and Joseph both chose silence. This wasn't something they should be answering, the final say belonged to Mark.

Meredith was sharp. Seeing their silence, her eyes naturally turned toward Mark, and she immediately understood that the decision rested with that spiky-haired boy.

"Mark's situation is a bit special. You can come with us for now, but don't bring this matter up again," Sato stepped forward, staring seriously at Meredith.

"But…" Kyle frowned slightly, as if wanting to argue.

"Either leave now, or do as I say," Sato didn't bother being polite. At the same time, the pressure from Zoroark behind him exploded.

Mid Ace strength unleashed without reservation!

"Kyle!" Meredith quickly stepped forward and stopped her husband, gently shaking her head to signal him not to act rashly.

When she looked back at Sato and the others, a flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.

'Such a young Ace level Trainer…' this was the first time in her life she had seen one.

Of course, Meredith and Kyle had just gotten married. They weren't old either.

"Thank you very much for allowing Kyle and me to join you temporarily. But I still have to say, Manaphy can't stay away from the sea for too long. The longer it stays, the stronger the call from the Sea Temple will grow. Parting is inevitable. When the time comes…"

As she spoke, Meredith turned toward Mark. Her meaning was clear.

"Just get his agreement. The rest is none of your concern," Sato shook his head and walked off with Zoroark, ignoring them completely.

Sea Temple, Manaphy… none of it was in Sato's consideration.

Joseph smiled and stayed behind to chat with them, helping to ease the couple's emotions a bit.

When it came to dealing with strangers, Sato's style of going straight to threats didn't sit well with most people.

---

At that moment, Mark slowly walked over, still holding Manaphy. His destination was -of course- Joseph.

During the conversation earlier, the four of them hadn't spoken loudly, and Zoroark's aura had only been released in a small radius for a brief moment.

So Mark only knew they were chatting, completely unaware that a conflict had nearly erupted on his behalf.

"Joseph, Manaphy says she's still hungry," Mark said shamelessly as he extended his hand again.

'She?'

"…Half a bottle more will do. It's just been born, and too much might be hard for it to handle." Joseph handed over another bottle of Sweet Milk while offering a gentle reminder.

"Got it, Joseph."

---

Two minutes later…

"Mana~! Mana~!"

"Alright, alright~ It's all yours…"

Mark muttered helplessly, then handed the remaining half bottle of Sweet Milk back to Manaphy.

"Mana!"

A smile immediately bloomed on Manaphy's face, no trace left of its earlier crying.