Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

Read up to 30 advanced chapters exclusively on my Patreon at - patreon.com/LoverrBoy

---------------------------------

Liam stepped out of the Pewter City Police Station once again, making this his second visit. The poachers he had encountered had been severely injured and were now sent to the hospital. 

It would likely take some time before they regained consciousness.

Liam briefly explained his encounter with the poachers to the police but chose not to mention anything about meeting Clefairy and Clefable. However, he knew this detail wouldn't stay hidden for long. 

Once the remaining poachers woke up, the authorities would probably piece it together. 

Still, with the road to the mountaintop now cut off and Clefairy's group having some ability to protect themselves, Liam felt less concerned about their safety.

With an apologetic look on his face, Liam reclaimed his room key from a visibly perplexed Nurse Joy. After handing over five PokéBalls for healing, he returned to his room to rest.

The next morning, Liam checked out of the Pokémon Center, retrieved his PokéBalls, and headed to a nearby videophone to contact Professor Oak's lab.

"Beep... beep... beep..."

"Hello? Who's this?"

Before the video connected, the familiar voice Liam had missed so much came through.

"Uh, Delia? Is that you?" Liam asked, his heart racing with excitement.

The image finally appeared. On the screen, Delia was staring at him in surprise, holding the phone in her hand, too shocked to speak.

For a moment, the two simply looked at each other. A gentle warmth filled the space between them, and though they were far apart, it felt as if their hearts were tightly connected.

"Hmm? Delia? Who's on the phone? Is it Samuel forgetting something agai—?"

Auntie Fumiko peeked her head out from the kitchen, curious. When her gaze fell on Liam's face on the screen, she immediately covered her mouth, smiled knowingly, and retreated with a chuckle.

"Delia? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you so stunned you can't speak?" Liam teased as he watched her flustered expression.

Delia rolled her eyes at him but then broke into a giggle.

"Liam! Where are you now? Last time you called, I wasn't home, and Auntie Fumiko told me afterward. It was so frustrating! Can't you call when I'm actually here?" Delia pouted, but her sparkling eyes betrayed a hint of mischief.

Liam, oblivious to her teasing, scratched his head awkwardly and laughed. "Hehe... sorry about that. I'll definitely do better next time!"

"Hmph! You'd better! From now on, you need to call me more often, okay?" Delia said, barely containing her laughter as she watched Liam squirm.

"Of course! I promise I'll call you regularly!" Liam, now realizing she was joking, relaxed and nodded earnestly.

"By the way, Liam, were you trying to reach Professor Oak today? He left not too long ago. If you'd called earlier, you might've caught him. Do you need me to pass along a message?" Delia offered, concerned she might delay something important.

"Actually, this has to do with you, Delia. And now that I've run into you directly, it's even better!" Liam replied, a mysterious smile spreading across his face.

"Me? What's this about?" Delia tilted her head in confusion.

"Ta-da!" Liam held up a PokéBall in front of the screen with a triumphant grin.

"A PokéBall? What's so special about it?" Delia asked, still puzzled.

"Piii~"

The PokéBall opened with a soft click, and out popped a round, adorable Pokémon. The little Cleffa, looking drowsy, glanced around in confusion before spotting Liam. 

Its face lit up, and it happily hopped from his arm to his head, bouncing playfully like it was on a spring.

"Waahhhh! It's so cute! Is this a Pokémon too, Liam?" Delia's eyes sparkled with delight as she watched the Cleffa's antics, completely enchanted.

"Ahem... my hair! My hair's getting messy!" Liam carefully grabbed the Cleffa off his head, holding it in front of him. 

Straightening up, he proudly said, "This little one is called Cleffa. I recently came across it under unique circumstances. It's incredibly rare, especially here in Kanto."

"Wow! I'm so jealous! With such a cute Pokémon, your journey must be amazing..." Delia gazed at Liam, her eyes filled with admiration and a touch of longing.

"Heh, well, this little one isn't mine, actually. When I caught it, I promised to find it a kind and beautiful big sister to take care of it. So, it's only with me temporarily," Liam explained, sneaking a glance at Delia to gauge her reaction.

To his surprise, Delia's expression turned strange.

"Oh... so you want to give this adorable little one as a gift to some kind and beautiful lady? It seems like your travels have been full of good fortune. I'm so happy for you," she said, her tone flat but accompanied by a forced smile.

Suddenly, Liam felt a chill in the air. Sweat began to bead on his forehead despite the cold.

"Oh no! Did Delia misunderstand? Is she about to snap? I never realized she had this potential….. The ancient's were right… Behind every innocent face hides a dark side!" Liam thought, wiping his sweat nervously.

"Delia, no, no! You misunderstood! By 'kind and beautiful big sister,' I meant you! I was calling Professor Oak to arrange for this Cleffa to be sent to you. I wanted you to take care of it!" Liam hurriedly explained, his words tumbling out.

Delia's face instantly flushed red. "Oh! I... I misunderstood... This is so embarrassing!"

Unable to face him any longer, she set the phone down and ran off, covering her face.

"Delia! Wait! Don't run!" Liam called after her, but she was already gone. He sighed and ended the call.

Afterward, Liam contacted Professor Oak's lab again. After a long wait, Professor Oak finally picked up.

"Oh, Liam! You're still in Pewter City? And wait—is that a Cleffa you're holding?!" Professor Oak's eyes lit up with excitement as he recognized the Pokémon.

"Heh, yes, Professor. I found it recently. I'm about to send it over to you. Please pass it along to Delia for her to take care of," Liam said.

"Oh, of course! But can I collect some data on it first? A Cleffa sighting in the wild is almost unheard of!" Professor Oak asked eagerly.

"Just the basics, Professor. It's still very young, so don't scare it," Liam cautioned.

"Understood! I promise it'll be safe," Professor Oak assured him.

After some final instructions, Liam placed the Cleffa back in its PokéBall and sent it via the Pokémon Center's transfer system, feeling both relieved and amused as he left Pewter City, ready to continue his journey.