Two days later.
"I'm heading back to the Imperial Capital." Jacob looked at Raya, something reluctant flickering in his eyes. "Once I've finished what I need to do, I'll come back. I'm planning to head to the South Sea soon to meet with Champion Meyer."
"Already?" Raya looked at him. "Can't you wait a little longer — at least until I'm more stable? I could come with you."
"Your body isn't ready for anything intense right now." Jacob shook his head, his tone gentle but firm. "Stay here, rest properly. I can manage this on my own."
"Then at least take Gigantamax Hatterene with you." Raya met his eyes. "Meyer isn't just any Champion. He's a long-standing Champion from the Galar region — experienced, well-known, and very strong. I'd feel better knowing you had her with you. Besides, she's not much use to me while I'm like this."
"No, you hold on to her." Jacob smiled. "I'll call Zion back. Between him and the Gigantamax Grimmsnarl, we'll be fine." He paused, then reached into his bag. "Oh — and this is for you."
He held out a Pokémon Egg, and Raya reached for it carefully, turning it over in her hands. Her eyes traced the markings on the shell.
"This is... a Beldum Egg?" She looked up at him. "Where did you get it?"
"I have my ways." A hint of smugness crept into his expression.
"Jacob." Raya gave him a flat look, though there was warmth underneath it. "The child isn't even born yet. You should keep the Beldum — it would only add to your own strength."
She was right, practically speaking. A pseudo-legendary Pokémon was wasted sitting idle.
"That's the thing," Jacob said. "I already have around twenty Beldum, Metang, and Metagross between them. And I have a Metagross of my own."
Raya's hand stilled. She looked at him, then slowly raised her other hand to cover her mouth. "You have — twenty?"
"Ahem." Jacob cleared his throat. "The details aren't important. What matters is that they're in good hands now. I'm still working out how to settle them all, but once that's sorted, I'll set aside one for you and one for the child."
Raya was quiet for a moment, then nodded. She didn't argue further.
"One more thing — don't mention this Egg to anyone." Jacob's voice dropped slightly. "Its potential should be exceptional."
What he had given her was, in fact, a Shiny Beldum Egg — one with Champion-level potential. He already had a Metagross of Champion caliber, so there was no pressing need to raise another. Better to set this one aside as a starter Pokémon for their child when the time came.
"Speaking of Pokémon," Raya said, glancing at the Egg still cradled in her hands, "I have something to tell you as well — about the Gimmighoul you mentioned before." She shifted to a more comfortable position. "I've located a few Gimmighoul with strong potential in a nearby Secret Realm. You're welcome to take a look when you have time. The problem is that removing them right now isn't an option."
She paused. "The Pokémon Association has logged every Gimmighoul in the region. After word got out that Giovanni stole 999 Gimmighoul Coins, they deployed people to watch the Secret Realms — hoping to trace any activity back to him. Since Giovanni is the only one with that many Coins right now, anyone trying to acquire Gimmighoul at this point would immediately raise suspicion."
Jacob listened and nodded slowly. "There's no rush then. Take your time choosing. If I don't end up needing them myself, they can always become another starter Pokémon for the child." He glanced at the Egg, then back at Raya. "A Metagross and a Gholdengo — not a bad foundation for a Steel-type Trainer."
The thought settled pleasantly in his mind. His own ambition to become a Steel-type Master had taken a different turn somewhere along the way — but perhaps his child would be the one to see it through. With those two Pokémon as a base, reaching the level of a Heavenly King wouldn't be out of the question. Champion wasn't impossible either.
"I'll teach him myself," Jacob said, smiling. "Our child is going to be a Steel Master."
Raya laughed softly at that. "You're already planning his whole career, and he hasn't been born yet." She tilted her head. "Besides — Gimmighoul is a Ghost-type, and Beldum is known for being difficult and aggressive. Neither is really a gentle starter for a young child. It might be better to find something more approachable first."
"Fair point." Jacob nodded, conceding easily. "I'll look for a Piplup then. It's a proper starter, and its final form has the Steel-type as well."
"Jacob." Raya's smile turned teasing. "Do you really love Steel-types that much? I never noticed before. Aren't you supposed to be a Dragon-type Trainer?"
"It's complicated," Jacob said, with the air of someone recounting a quiet tragedy. "My dream was always to walk the path of a Steel-type Master. But fate had other ideas, and somehow I ended up as a Dragon-type Trainer instead." He shook his head slowly. "If I had the chance to start over, I wouldn't hesitate for a second."
"You seem perfectly happy with Dragon-types," Raya said, clearly unconvinced.
"I've made peace with it." He sighed dramatically, which only made her laugh again.
"Well," she said, after a moment, "if our child is a boy, I think a Steel-type path would suit him. But if it's a girl — I think Fairy-type might be better."
Jacob considered this seriously. "That's also a valid strategy."
Imperial Capital.
The streets were cold and overcast, the sky a flat grey. A light dusting of snow drifted down without much conviction, settling on the pavement and the shoulders of passers-by before melting away.
Jacob walked with his hands in his pockets, eyes on his phone.
The message was brief, but the contents gave him pause.
Erick, head of the Qi Family, had turned himself in voluntarily. He had been taken into custody by the Pokémon Association on charges including the illegal smuggling and sale of Pokémon, as well as suspected involvement in multiple counts of homicide. He had confessed fully and taken responsibility for everything himself.
Simultaneously, the remainder of the Qi Family — every member except Erick — had relocated entirely to the Imperial Capital. The Qi Family, once an established force in the Southwest region, had effectively collapsed.
Jacob stared at the screen for a moment, then slipped the phone away.
Something about it felt off. Two days. That was all it had taken.
"Master." He called Maximus, keeping his voice even. "Have you heard about the Qi Family situation?"
"I have." Maximus's voice came through with the same composed authority it always carried. Jacob had noticed it again recently — the way his master's presence had grown heavier, more assured. It suited someone who was destined to become a Champion.
"What actually happened?" Jacob asked.
"You're too hasty." Maximus's tone didn't shift. "Have you been putting in the work lately? You've been a little too confident since the match against Dawson."
"Master." Jacob kept his voice respectful. "My concern is that Team Zero has ongoing business connected to Jadestone City. That's why I'm asking."
"Focus on getting stronger first." A pause. "You're too invested in the Qi Family's situation. I'll tell you this much — stop worrying about them and about Jadestone City for now. The Qi Family, the Tao Family, and the Lu Family have come to a three-way arrangement. The Qi Family has surrendered its share of the Underground Black Market and withdrawn from the Southwest region entirely, in exchange for being left to carry on. The matter is closed."
Maximus gave it a beat, then shifted tack. "Why haven't you been entering any Gym Leader-level competitions recently?"
"I'm trying to make a clean jump in rank all at once," Jacob said. "I'll register when my strength is ready for it." He paused. "By the way, Master — how are you finding Magic City?"
"Now you're keeping tabs on me?" There was a dry edge to Maximus's voice. Then his tone changed, dropping into something more pointed. "Jacob. How is Nina lately? I heard you've been staying with her recently."