FSE

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Within a forest was a hidden village. A smeargle named Lapis, the current leader, was doing what he did best, having his ladies fawn over him. Lapis had a delcatty under his right arm and under his left, a weavile was feeding him fruit from a bowl. He ate it with a gusto that he had perfected through years of him spoiling himself, with the constant exercise he went through keeping him fit.

It was easy to assume the smeargle was royalty since he had a throne and a harem of Pokémon (only two today) whom he decorated with jewelry and trinkets. The walls had paintings that he had made for him by others, but above his 'throne' was a rhydon skull that had hung in the same spot for over a hundred years. A grey towel that was white until years of use as a cleaning rag took its toll covered the skull. His "decoration" clashed with how much everything else he owned radiated wealth.

Other servants, all smeargle, were trying to catch his attention for matters that bored him. He was inside a hut twice the size of any other. It doubled as a meeting area and as his home, so it made sense. Despite the building having multiple uses, the building still managed to give off an air of wealth. All this was because he appointed professionals to decorate the outside walls. The smeargle's home was in the center of town, on a hill, and impossible to miss.

Lapis snacked on another fruit, paying more attention to his harem than what his attendant said concerning the day's duties.

"...and so the rock nation's leader would greatly appreciate us sending someone to replace the last move tutor who passed away recently. We have some of our own we can send over, but you're the only one who knows meteor beam right now so..."

The attendant trailed off, waiting for a response. Finally, the weavile took pity on the poor guy and nudged at Lapis' side. With a grunt, he sat up, and his two playmates backed off to give him some room as he fixed his gaze on the attendant bothering him.

"Pardon, a bit distracted, so I may have missed what you said. The rock nation lost another tutor, huh? Maybe if they didn't get in so many fights, that wouldn't happen."

Lapis launched into a discussion with his attendant. They made plans for who Lapis would teach the skill "meteor beam" to, what time to do it, and the other responsibilities that came with his job. He was that generation's Prodigy, and unlike every other smeargle, he could surpass the four move limit. Thus, he could retain every move that the village would ever need when handling jobs. Smeargle could learn the attack 'sketch' without anyone teaching it to them. It was a move they learned over time without trying. That fact was common knowledge. However, the Prodigy could use sketch to its full potential.

The main reason Lapis and his village could amass the wealth and influence that they had was all due to the moves they stored. Smeargle, willing to risk everything, would go to every kingdom hungry for any knowledge they could gather. When they returned, they protected the techniques and skills they learned and taught them to the current Prodigy.

Gathering some abilities, like "Meteor Beam" required spies. The rock nation found out, though with the agreement all kingdoms made to protect said village, it couldn't lift a finger. This put the smeargle in position to influence what happened in nations they copied moves from.

Afterall, when the one person a nation had who taught an ability couldn't work, the smeargle were there to help... for a price.

Lapis waved off the attendant when they finished and three smeargle clamored for his attention to solve other issues in neighboring kingdoms. These constant meetings happened daily, so he wasn't shocked. What did surprise him, though, was how darkness misted into the room from the ground without warning, and the temperature droped enough for him to notice.

No one except Lapis reacted to what was happening. He caught everyone's attention by standing up and gave his brightest smile while waiting a few seconds for silence.

"Everyone, I'd love to entertain you further, but I need to prepare for the evening. I'll be free soon, though." He motioned for his two ladies to head to his room in the back. The attendants shuffled through the front door, leaving Lapis alone.

He plopped into his chair and picked up one of the fruits from the bowl the Weavile had been using to feed him. Lapis' body was starting to freeze up. Instinct took over, though, and he had enough time to raise the fruit into the air. While the fruit hung suspended, he forced himself into his seat and tried to look like he wasn't surprised in the slightest. An instant later, the wall behind him shuddered. The skull he had hidden under the cleaning rag snapped its jaws open and shut and rocketed from the wall to land a few feet from where the smeargle sat. Lapis couldn't help but enjoy how the blanket covered up the spectral Rhydon that appeared seconds later.

The specter immediately grunted and tossed the cloth towards the floor, revealing a face with missing eyes. Instead, two pits of darkness glared down at the seated smeargle.

The ghost growled, "You do realize I can still see everything here even if you cover my skull, or perhaps you just enjoy trying to make a fool of me?" To punctuate his annoyance, the sheet burst into flames. Lapis didn't worry. He could find another grimy rag since the village had dozens.

Like countless times before, how much power the ghost had made Lapis worry. The smeargle attempted to shrug, but his shoulders couldn't move. His mouth could, though, so he replied with, "Don't take it personally, Fence, it's about the only fun I get to have when you Blades show up to stress me out. Now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way, what brings you here? I thought you guys only showed up when there was some rare skill somewhere you wanted us to pick up."

Lapis couldn't read Fence's face, but the smugness coming from the ghost was impossible to miss, "Why, I'm here to congratulate you. You prodigies are special, but you've proven to be really something. You've managed to shake things up and make things VERY interesting..."

The silence stretched on as the smeargle tried to understand what Fence meant. Lapis enjoyed getting praise, but the way Fence talked sent alarm bells through his head, so he couldn't resist asking, "What? What is it? I can tell you want to ruin my day. You're oddly talkative today..."

"Fine, fine," the ghost replied, enjoying himself, "I'll spill it then. You're about to be a father. Just found out from the others. So I figured congratulations were in order! That, and since you've been such a wonderful friend, I figured I'd let you know before the village suddenly went up into an uproar. You're welcome, by the way."

Lapis's eyes widened, and he tried to stand, but his body still wouldn't move, another one of the ghost's tricks. He hated how much control the shade had, but his focus was on something else. "What, so I have a kid? That shouldn't be an issue unless..." He didn't finish what he was saying. Blades showed up when it was Prodigy business, they wouldn't care if he had a child with someone of another species. Lapis avoided smeargle, to spice things up, but he was with one the other day.

That meant one thing, and he didn't like where the logic took him, "Don't tell me, it was that elder's daughter, wasn't it?"

Fence's smile grew wider as horror crept into Lapis, and he replied with a simple, "See for yourself," and faded from view in an instant. The cold from Fence's entry vanished along with the darkness. Regardless, Lapis waited for the fruit he suspended to fall into the bowl. There had been a few times where he was free to move, but he didn't notice everything was still frozen. Having to explain why he appeared without warning in places was annoying.

The fruit made a thump when it landed in the bowl. Lapis sprung from his chair and dashed towards the door. He reached the door in seconds, and the uproar from outside had him worried. On the other side of the door that he cracked open, over a hundred smeargle were waiting in the town square. Their noise was deafening, but that was the least of his concerns. In the middle of the swelling crowd was a smeargle that he recognized.

That didn't surprise him. Every inch of her was familiar after their last time together.

What had him using every ounce of his focus to stay calm was the egg she held over her, like a trophy. Smeargle eggs from the village had spots that matched the newborn. This one had electric blue dots, a color unique to prodigies.

The female managed to shake herself free and made her way to Lapis' hut. One of his bodyguards, a smeargle with their tail tipped with red, jumped in to stop her when she got close enough to talk. "Red-tails" handled defending the village, though Lapis dismissed them with a wave. He wouldn't need them.

As the guard stepped back, she gushed her news, and it was what Lapis expected. After they were enjoying some alone time, one thing led to another, and she had an egg. It was so simple that he had to put in extra effort to stay serene in front of everyone. Getting what he wanted was his style, and he had his reasons for wanting to remain childless.

He cut her off when she took a breath to go into another story, ignoring the surprise on her face. Lapis needed to find a way to work this in his favor, and he was starting to come up with a plan. With a paw on her back, he brought the expecting mother into the hut and took care to look polite to the crowd. When she went inside, he waved at everyone watching and followed her. After the two went inside, the guards blocked the entrance to the hut.

About ten minutes passed and Lapis exited again and addressed the villagers. He raised his paws into the air to get everyone's attention. Despite the excitement, affecting everyone, a hush rolled over his audience, everyone respecting his unspoken command for silence. Though he still needed to hurry to hold their attention.

He allowed them a minute to settle down and spoke, letting his other attendants relay his message to those trying to listen, "Everyone! Thank you so much for coming today. As I'm sure you now know, today is cause for celebration! Not only has the next Prodigy been found, but they're my son!"

He let the chatter go on for a few seconds and continued, "Yes, yes, this is huge news, I know. Believe me I'm just as surprised as you are..." Everyone assumed he meant that his child being the next prodigy surprised him.

He wasn't going to correct them.

"In any case, I will be watching over him and making sure he's ready for his new position, as is our custom. I just hope you will support him as much as you have supported me. Once he is of age, he will have full authority, and I will be enjoying an early retirement! Thanks again, everyone!"

He let the applause wash over him. Everyone was talking and offering cheers over the birth of a new Prodigy and the old one being so humble and willing to give up his position of authority at a young age. When Lapis finished, he nodded at the guards and village elders, who came to usher the gathering to disperse. A new Prodigy meant a celebration, so many of the smeargle were ready to leave and get ready to party and for things to get festive.

After a few minutes, he went back inside to meet the female smeargle, still holding the egg protectively near his throne. The two harem girls he sent to his room were talking to her. He didn't catch what they were saying and didn't notice how all three went silent when he walked in and plopped on his throne. Lapis spent a few minutes brooding, and it would have gone longer, but the weavile cleared her throat to get his attention and placed her paws on her hips.

"So, what will you do now? I thought the rules said there was only one Prodigy at a time or something."

Lapis collected his thoughts and leaned back in his chair with a sigh, "Yes and no," he replied, glancing at the egg, "there can be two Prodigies, but not for long. As soon as a second shows up, the first one usually helps with the transition. In time, this new one will take my spot, and then he'll have my title. That is natural. What's unnatural is it being my own child."

He slid out of his chair and walked over to the three females, still gazing at the weavile. "You weren't around when I got the title. My predecessor was ancient. There was concern that he would die before the next 'chosen one,' but I showed up just in time. He trained me and then... passed on. Now it'll be my turn soon."

He said the last part with enough bitterness to make the weavile flinch. Throughout the conversation, the female smeargle had kept quiet. The mother-to-be raised her voice though when he finished, "Your turn? Is something going to happen to you?"

"Nothing you need to worry about. You've done enough, thanks."

He glared at her, which made her bristle and fire back, "Why are you treating me like this!? You're acting like you don't even like seeing me. Why did you ev-"

"Even acknowledge you existed? You want the truth?" He flashed a grin that lacked any warmth. His shift in attitude startled her enough that she stepped back, "You want to know why I even bothered spending time with you? Your father, a fool who still thinks he's better than me, said I couldn't just have what I wanted... so I took you."

The room went silent, except for him chuckling at his comment, "What, not what you were hoping to hear? Don't worry, you're mine now either way, and I always take care of what's mine."

The next couple of days, the town was bustling with energy. It somehow slipped that the egg would be hatching in a few days. Some rumors said that the mother took advantage of the Prodigy. The gossipers theorized that she could have done this by using a move like charm or attract to snag herself a chance in the spotlight. To make matters for the mother worse, she didn't defend herself. After going into Lapis' hut the day she presented the egg, she stayed in her new home. Theories cropped up to explain why, some saying that she was unwell.

When the newest Prodigy was born, Lapis presented him to the village and introduced his child as "Azure." The villagers gave thunderous applause, and celebrations lasted for a week. Everyone had their expectations of their newest leader. Most assumed that, with Lapis guiding him, Azure would be more influential than his father. They had no idea just how right they were.