Chapter 11

Miss Joy took the ID card that Tetsuya handed over and swiped it on the computer.

"Okay, Trainer Tamaki, please fill out this form truthfully."

She typed for a moment before printing out a document and handing it to Tetsuya.

He picked up a pen and began filling in his basic information:

Name: Tetsuya Tamaki

Gender: Male

Birthplace: Viridian City, Viridian Orphanage

Age: 16 years, 8 months

Current Pokémon and time of capture:

Pidgeot (One year, six months)

Combusken (Three months)

Travel Area: Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands

Planned Travel Duration: Three years

Will Attend the Pokémon League Conference? Yes

Bounty Hunter Level (if applicable): C-Level

Trainer Level (if untested, leave blank): Normal

Tetsuya had no reason to falsify the capture dates. There were records for everything—from the Luxury Ball he had used for Pidgeot to every visit he had made to a Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy likely had those timestamps on file.

After a quick glance at the completed form, Nurse Joy filed it away.

"This is mostly a formality," she explained. "The information is already in our database, but we need physical records as well."

She turned back to her screen. "You've applied for a three-year travel pass covering the Kanto region. Your qualifications check out, and..."

Her eyes flicked to a special notation in Tetsuya's profile.

"You're eligible for a higher-tier service package. Your total fee is 350,000 PokéDollars."

Tetsuya blinked, momentarily surprised, but didn't question it. Without hesitation, he paid the fee and thanked Nurse Joy before leaving the desk.

Back in his room, he sat on the bed, deep in thought.

Understanding the Travel Pass System

The cost of a travel pass depended on three factors: region, duration, and service level.

The first two were determined by the applicant. Most trainers applied for two- to three-year passes rather than ten-year, world-spanning ones. As long as their qualifications were in order, approval was almost guaranteed.

The price was also affected by these factors, though it rarely exceeded 100,000 PokéDollars.

Service level, however, was assigned at the discretion of the Pokémon Center, specifically Nurse Joy. There were four tiers: Basic (100,000 PokéDollars), Intermediate (200,000), Advanced (300,000), and Top-Tier (500,000).

Each tier provided different benefits.

For instance, Tetsuya had just been granted Advanced status. The most immediate perks? Priority access to private rooms in all Pokémon Centers within his registered travel zone, as well as fast-track medical treatment for his Pokémon.

Additionally, he would receive a 30% discount on various Center services.

By contrast, the Basic and Intermediate tiers only provided dormitory-style accommodations—shared between eight and four trainers, respectively. Waiting times were longer, and service fees were only discounted by 10–20%.

In short, the benefits between the first two tiers and the last two were worlds apart.

Why the Special Treatment?

Normally, only trainers with official Pokédexes—those directly sponsored by the Pokémon League—were eligible for Advanced or Top-Tier benefits.

For independent trainers like Tetsuya, this was almost unheard of. He had expected Intermediate at best.

His original plan was to rely on cheap lodging to keep his training private, which would have added to his expenses.

Now? That worry was gone.

It was obvious—the Joy family was investing in him.

A calculated move, but not one Tetsuya minded.

If there was any group in the world with the most up-to-date knowledge on trainers and their Pokémon, it was the Joy family. No one—not even the League itself—had access to as much raw data.

Every trainer, at some point, relied on Pokémon Centers for healing and treatment. The Joys had a front-row seat to track potential and progress.

The fact that they had chosen to invest in him this early was surprising. He had expected such recognition only after earning at least four Gym Badges.

Still, he wasn't complaining.

From a business standpoint, the Joy family's strategy made perfect sense. They cast a wide net, backing promising trainers without forcing loyalty. In return, they built relationships with future high-ranking trainers, ensuring goodwill without demanding allegiance.

A win-win.

With that thought, Tetsuya set his worries aside. He took a quick shower and went to bed, knowing that tomorrow, he would begin his journey to Pewter City.

The Next Morning

After washing up, Tetsuya prepared to depart.

His Devon Corporation vehicle—marketed as an "electric car"—looked more like a compact motorcycle.

A better, flashier ride would have been nice, but he simply couldn't afford it.

These vehicles weren't just for transportation. Designed for the wild, each model contained cutting-edge Devon tech, making them far more than just a mode of travel.

If he weren't a little afraid of heights, and if Pidgeot were steadier while flying, he would have relied on his Pokémon instead.

Eventually, he'd need to get a Pokémon specialized in transportation. Something like a Salamence or Dragonite—fast, stable fliers—would be ideal.

But for now, this would do.

After all, part of the journey as a trainer was traveling from city to city, enjoying the sights along the way.

Tetsuya released Pidgeot to follow from the skies while Combusken hopped onto the back seat, securing its helmet.

Twisting the throttle, the electric motor hummed to life, and the bike took off.

The road through Viridian Forest was as quiet as ever.

Tetsuya took in the fresh, crisp air, savoring the taste of freedom.

But after a while, the endless scenery became monotonous. Setting the vehicle to auto-drive, he activated the windshield's built-in holo-screen and started watching a movie.

From behind, Combusken stretched its neck, eager to watch along with him.

"Huh~" Tetsuya let out a long breath.

He had just finished watching a heartfelt, emotional movie, and it left him feeling a little heavy.

Combusken, unable to handle the sentimentality, had opted out halfway through and retreated into its Poké Ball for some rest.

Glancing at the navigation screen, Tetsuya saw that there were less than twenty minutes left until he arrived.

Switching off autopilot, he sped up.

Overhead, Pidgeot flapped its wings lazily, keeping pace effortlessly.

For it, this speed was nothing more than a casual stroll. If it went full speed, it could fly from Viridian City to Pewter City in just over three minutes.

Pidgeot didn't understand why its trainer insisted on taking three hours to reach their destination—it was incredibly boring.

Unaware of Pidgeot's silent complaints, Tetsuya simply enjoyed the thrill of high-speed travel.

Of course, if there had been any other travelers on the main road, the way he was driving would've certainly caused some problems.

With a soft hum, the electric bike slowed to a stop.

Tetsuya dismounted, stored the bike back in his space backpack, then whistled for Pidgeot to land. He recalled it into its Poké Ball to avoid any misunderstandings—if it got too close to the city, the Gym's security team might mistake it for a wild Pokémon and engage it on sight.

With everything in order, he strolled toward the entrance of Pewter City.

Pewter City, also known as the "Dark Gray City," "Rock City," and "Space City," sat at the crossroads of Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon.

The surrounding terrain resembled a basin, encircled by mountains on three sides with a dense forest on the fourth.

Thanks to its unique geography, Pewter City was rich in geological resources, boasting the largest rock deposits in the Kanto region.

But rocks weren't the only valuable finds here—Mt. Moon was famous for its ancient Pokémon fossils. Collectors and researchers alike were drawn to these rare relics.

For collectors, complete fossils were prized treasures worth unimaginable sums.

For researchers, even fragments were valuable. Genetic extraction technology allowed for a broad range of studies, making the completeness of the fossil irrelevant.

Currently, no one had developed a method to revive fossils, but Tetsuya figured it was only a matter of time. When that day came, the value of fossils would skyrocket.

And then there was Granite Cave—still undiscovered and undeveloped. If he played his cards right, there was a serious fortune to be made.

For trainers, however, the biggest draw of Pewter City was Mt. Moon—not just for the Pokémon living there, but for the ultra-rare Moon Stone hidden within.

Mt. Moon was home to large numbers of Clefairy. Legend said that Clefairy were creatures from the moon, and the Moon Stone—a suspected meteorite—was the key to their evolution.

Most trainers who explored the mountain did so in hopes of finding one and striking it rich.

Tetsuya, on the other hand, knew something most didn't.

Deep within Mt. Moon, a Clefairy tribe protected a colossal Moon Stone capable of triggering mass evolution.

Of course, that was nothing more than a fantasy. Even if he could locate the tribe, they were bound to be fiercely protective. On top of that, the League had likely already classified the area as off-limits.

Pewter City was also known for its contributions to aerospace technology. The Pewter City Science Museum, the only museum of its kind in Kanto, preserved records of the city's past achievements in space exploration.

However, as economic centers shifted and Hoenn's Mossdeep City took the lead in aerospace research, Pewter gradually abandoned the field.

Today, only the museum remained as a reminder of Pewter City's former glory.

After grabbing lunch, Tetsuya wandered the streets, taking in his surroundings. The cityscape was entirely dark gray, matching its name.

Compared to Viridian City, Pewter felt younger and more energetic.

Tetsuya had several objectives for this trip, but his main priority was simple: making money.

Other goals included challenging Gyms, capturing and refining his main Pokémon team, and preparing for regional tournaments.

Trainer Certification & Ranking System

One major goal was to increase his trainer rank.

Becoming a Normal-ranked trainer was straightforward—he simply needed to own either:

One Pokémon at Elite level or above, or

Two Pokémon at Normal level.

Tetsuya had met this requirement when Pidgeot reached Elite level, securing his Normal Trainer status.

However, advancing to Elite Trainer status was a different story.

To qualify, he needed:

At least three Pokémon at Elite level or higher, and

A strong performance in a regional tournament's main bracket.

For Ace Trainer (Quasi-Champion) rank, he had to place Top Four in a regional tournament.

As for Champion-level Trainers, six Pokémon at Champion-level were required, but there was no tournament placement requirement.

Beyond that? Tetsuya wasn't sure, but he imagined the process would only get tougher.

Higher-ranked trainers enjoyed better perks and were far more likely to earn official League positions.

That meant Gym battles and regional tournaments were non-negotiable steps in his journey.

The Search for Investment

Regional tournaments weren't just about competition—they were also a platform for independent trainers to attract investors.

Every year, talented trainers secured sponsorships based on their tournament performances, making their journeys significantly easier.

Tetsuya planned to take full advantage of this system.

While he would participate in Kanto's Indigo League (Quartz Conference), his real focus was on Johto's Silver Conference two years later.

By then, he hoped to have a fully developed team. For Indigo League, he was prepared to be flexible—if his main team wasn't ready, he might have to temporarily catch wild Pokémon to fill in the gaps.

Booking His First Gym Battle

Tetsuya entered the Pewter City Pokémon Center, heading straight for the service desk to schedule a Gym battle.

Unlike in the old Pokémon anime, Gym Leaders weren't just waiting around all day for challengers.

Gym Leaders had far more responsibilities—securing their city's perimeter, overseeing business ventures, and developing local infrastructure. Their schedules were packed.

While battling trainers was part of their role, it wasn't something they could do on demand.

The first step was to register and book an appointment.

This also allowed the Gym to assess the challenger's Pokémon strength and select an appropriate opponent.

After all, every official Gym Leader was required to be at least Champion-rank—meaning their primary team consisted of six Champion-level Pokémon.

Obviously, they weren't going to send out their strongest Pokémon against a beginner.

Instead, Gym apprentices would battle challengers, scaling difficulty based on the trainer's level.

After completing the reservation, Tetsuya used his high-tier travel pass to book a private room in the Pokémon Center, then stored his belongings inside.

With time to kill before his battle, he decided to explore Pewter City and experience the completely different atmosphere from Viridian City, the place he had always called home.

After locking up his things, Tetsuya stepped outside, ready to take in the sights.