Your finger trembles as you give the Monsuta Stop a spin, and just as the man promised, one solid golden egg appears, shimmering and magnificent in color. In awe, you glance up with wide eyes.

Before speaking, the man gives you a moment, as if allowing his unusual proposal to sink in. "Would you like to hatch it?" he finally asks, his voice tender. Coaxing. "You should have one hatching apparatus left."

You open your mouth to say something and then close it again, disbelief flooding through you. You swipe to the next screen and find you do have an incubator available, which is weird because you could have sworn you were out. "Do I have to walk to hatch it?" you ask. "Just like all the other eggs?"

The man gives you a slow nod. "That's right. The same rules apply—as far as incubation is concerned. You must walk a distance of ten kilometers for the Loknes to complete its cycle." His lips gradually curl up at one corner. "But allowing this particular egg to hatch is where the guidelines change."

Ten kilometers. You can do that no problem. It should take you no more than five days. Three if you really bust your butt. Skipping lunches to eat, and walking the neighborhood as soon as you finish your homework. Maybe you can even sneak out a few more times? You've got this. Before long, that Loknes could be yours.

Your gaze shifts from him to the mysterious golden object, then back again, and you nearly stop breathing. Every cell inside of you screams this isn't possible, that for a moment its all you can hear.

But ... what if? Already, the unimaginable has happened. This strange, little, tuxedo-wearing man has appeared out of nowhere, promising you a golden-hued gift from a Monsuta Stop that doesn't actually exist. What if he's telling the truth now? What if there is a Loknes inside, and all you have to do is trade him something you take for granted? That's not too much to ask, is it?

"Who are you?" you challenge, the query suddenly dawning in your head. You can't keep the excitement from your voice. "Do you work for Monsuta GO?"

The man looks taken aback. "I'm sorry; it's not my place to say. But I can tell you that I work for an institution near and dear to my heart. A very well-known one, too."

You press your lips together and stare at the unusual egg. This man must work for the developer, and golden eggs must be part of some new top-secret promotion; one more desperate attempt to bring players back to the game.

"And all you want is something I take for granted? That's it? I don't have to promise you my first born or anything?" you ask, not even looking up from your phone.

"Oh no, nothing like that. We're not interested in said future children. We only want to rid you of an inconvenience that's taking up too much space. Something that you, yourself, have given up long ago. Something you were too busy to realize you'd abandoned."

Biting the inside of your cheek, a slow acceptance germinates inside of you. Why not? you ask yourself. How difficult could it be to give up something you apparently already have? Something you didn't even miss?

A grin spreads across your face as a vision of your completed Monsuta catalog flashes across your mind. "You have yourself a deal."

The man gives another nod. "Excellent choice. Once your egg is ready to hatch, I'll make another appearance, just to make certain you still agree with our arrangement."

Still agree with our arrangement ...?

Is it just you, or did that have an ominous tone to it? Maybe not. You're probably just reading too much into it. You should lay off of the Creepypasta for awhile. It's polluting your brain.

You shrug one shoulder, unconcerned. There's not one reason you can think of that would make you change your mind. You're finally going to own that Loknes and complete your collection of mythical creatures! And once the obsession is cured, maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to move on with your life.

Giddy with excitement, you transfer the golden egg to the hatching apparatus. But when you look up, the little man is gone.