Ashford Vale stopped Flint Jonas and Auron Vale in their tracks, asking in puzzlement,
"You two already made your picks?"
Auron and Flint nodded in unison.
"Mm-hm, yeah."
Ashford glanced at the blue gemstone in Auron's hands, then at Flint, and teased,
"That's what you let him choose?"
Flint looked a bit awkward. "Uh… Auron picked it himself."
"Yeah, Grandpa, I chose it," Auron echoed with a nod. He was a little nervous—he could not afford to let the Mythical baby he'd finally gotten slip away.
Ashford gave Auron a look and sent a message by Aura:
Don't say a word. Watch your grandpa work.
"Uh."
Obediently, Auron shut his mouth. Besides, he couldn't exactly tell his grandpa, This is a Mythical's infant core. Even if he said it, Grandpa probably wouldn't believe him.
"You expect us to swallow that?" Ashford said aloud once he saw Auron had fallen silent, nodding inwardly with satisfaction. He knew what Auron's Aura trait was; he didn't know why Auron had chosen this thing, but Auron must have his reasons. As a grandpa, his job was simply to wring out as much as he could from this old codger. After all, Flint had never missed a chance to "borrow" things from him—today was payback.
"Well… what do you suggest, then?" Flint conceded, a bit sheepish. To be fair, Auron had done him a big favor and untied the knot that had dogged him for years. And though the kid had indeed chosen the item himself, it did look rather useless. Giving only that would be hard to justify.
"How about this," Ashford said with righteous dignity. "Call this one a freebie. You didn't have a use for it anyway. Let Little Ze pick another item—how about that?"
"Fine by me."
Flint was generous; he waved broadly. Go on—pick.
A smile tugged at the corner of Ashford's mouth, then he smoothed his expression. With hands clasped behind him, he extended one palm and said to Flint,
"Great. In that case, we'll pick this next. How about it?"
Flint blinked. Auron blinked too.
Flint hadn't expected Ashford to have something in mind already.
As for Auron, he was stunned because the thing in Grandpa's hand was just an Electric Gem.
(Electric Gem: when held, boosts the power of an Electric-type move once.)
Auron didn't understand. Why would Grandpa take a plain Electric Gem—and why would an Electric Gem even be in a treasure vault?
"What, does it hurt to part with it?" Ashford prodded.
"Of course not. I, Flint Jonas, keep my word!" Flint replied crisply, though the pain did show for a second.
Auron still didn't get it. Why treat a mere Electric Gem like a rare treasure? Or… was it not an Electric Gem?
Puzzled, Auron checked the information on the stone in Ashford's hand.
Item: Electric Gem
Function: By absorbing the Gem's Electric-type energy, an Electric-type Pokémon can strengthen the Electric energy within its body. Each Pokémon can use only one.
Auron was genuinely floored now. Same name—Electric Gem—but a completely different effect.
Seeing his confusion, Ashford took the initiative to explain:
"This is an Electric Gem that increases the Electric-type energy within an Electric-type Pokémon. A Pokémon can only use one in its lifetime. These only appear in Secret Realms, and the yield is tiny. You can't count on encountering one—they're incredibly rare."
"I honestly didn't expect this old codger to have one in his stash," he added, turning to look at Flint with a raised brow. "Isn't that right, Brother Mo?"
"Scram, scram—cheap and smug," Flint huffed, shoving Ashford, telling him to get lost and stop being an eyesore.
Ashford didn't mind in the least. Laughing heartily, he led Auron out.
At the doorway, Ashford pointed to the slab propping up the table leg.
"Hey, Brother Mo—look at this. You're not even using it for anything. Why not let us take it off your hands?"
Flint's eyes bulged.
"Get lost! Can't you see it's propping up the table? How is that 'not using it'?"
Ashford laughed and continued on.
Ashford might not care, but Auron was salivating. It might be useless right now, but if he ever ran into Arceus, offering this thing could buy a bit of favor, couldn't it?
"Um, Grandpa Flint, this one is useful, but those two in the room aren't. Could I take those two?"
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Both Ashford and Flint turned to look at Auron.
"Er… is that not okay?" Auron asked, feeling a bit guilty under their eyes.
"Okay? Why wouldn't it be okay? I'll agree on your Grandpa Flint's behalf," Ashford laughed, clapping Flint on the shoulder. He hadn't expected it—the kid outdid the master. Worthy of being my grandson.
"…Alright, go ahead," Flint said with a wry smile and a shake of the head. When Ashford asked, he could still snap at him and refuse. But when Auron asked—well, that grandparent's soft spot flared up all at once.
"Thank you, Grandpa Flint!"
Auron threw his arms around Flint in a quick hug, then went back in and gathered the Water Drop Plate and the Azure Sky Plate into his arms.
"Tsk, tsk—now that's a windfall."
Beaming, Auron hugged the Plates and Deoxys's energy core and headed out in high spirits.
He didn't notice that the Deoxys energy core had begun quietly drawing energy from the Water Drop Plate and Azure Sky Plate.
Joyful Auron and Ashford emerged from the room, with an exasperated Flint trailing behind.
"You might as well take the one propping my table while you're at it," Flint muttered helplessly.
"Eh?—Whoa!"
Flint reached out on reflex, but Ashford moved too fast and slipped past his grip.
In the blink of an eye, Ashford strode out grinning, now carrying the table-propping Earth Plate.
"Tsk, tsk—really now… the shamelessness," he said, though his tone was all mischief.
"You—!"
Flint blew his top. He rolled up his sleeves and lunged to give Ashford a pounding.
"Hey! The youngsters are watching—maintain your image," Ashford chided.
"Maintain your —!"
Flint ignored him and hooked an arm around Ashford's neck.
"Why don't you just empty the whole vault while you're at it!"
Ashford chuckled, trapped in the headlock.
"Are you serious?"
"Scram."
Flint couldn't help but laugh too. He let go, then gave Ashford a thump between the shoulders.
"Out. If I let you in here again, I'm a dog."
"Haha!"
Still laughing, Ashford walked up to Auron and handed him the Earth Plate as well.
"Ha! Today's a good day."
After passing everything to Auron, Ashford clasped his hands behind his back and sauntered out in jaunty, splayed steps.
Auron happily followed at his side.
"You're just in time," said Ashen Vale, who at some point had changed into a white lab coat. He swiveled around in his chair. "I've sorted the data. Come on—let's take a look."
"Hm? What data?" Ashford and Flint asked at the same time, both crowding in.
Ashen smiled mysteriously, made a little space, and said,
"Come see for yourselves."
(End of this chapter)