[This is a growth-focused story about growing alongside Pokémon. The protagonist does not start with a pseudo-legendary or a legendary Pokémon.]
…
It was a late June afternoon, and the classroom felt like a giant steamer.
The ceiling fan creaked as it turned overhead, but the air it pushed down was just as hot. All it really did was spread the stuffy heat around more evenly.
Outside the windows, cicadas screamed without pause.
Most of the students in Class 2-3 were fighting to stay awake.
Only Mr. Fujimoto at the podium remained as passionate as ever, energetically lecturing on basic Pokémon theory.
"Eevee, a Normal-type Pokémon, is currently recognized as one of the species with the most unstable genetic structure."
Pointing at Eevee's image on the projector, Mr. Fujimoto spoke in a loud, ringing voice.
"It can evolve into different forms depending on environmental influences. The evolution types currently known are…"
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the students.
By the window, Hayato Shimizu was scribbling on a sheet of scratch paper, completely unaware of the danger approaching.
He was not daydreaming.
He was planning.
Written on the paper were the names of Pokémon and rough prices.
Geodude, around 40,000. Tough body and great defense, but way too slow.
Pidgey, around 20,000. Cheap. Flying-type is useful early on, but average potential.
Later on it pretty much ends up becoming a glorified delivery bird.
Psyduck, around 70,000. Over budget, but maybe worth borrowing money for if the traits are good…
Shellder, around 80,000. Good base stats after evolution. If I grit my teeth, maybe I can manage it…
Only problem is that it looks kind of hard to love, and evolving it means spending extra on a Water Stone.
Shellder evolved into Cloyster, with a base stat total of 525.
Its physical defense shot all the way up to 180.
And if it had the Skill Link Ability, then using Icicle Spear would be like firing a Gatling gun.
Ugly? Sure.
But strong.
This was a victory for the stats-first crowd.
Hayato's budget for buying a Pokémon was only 60,000 yen, which narrowed his choices down to a pitifully small range.
Right then, an angry shout exploded through the classroom.
"Hayato Shimizu! You're about to become a third-year student and a future trainer. Could you at least show some ambition?"
Hayato jerked his head up.
In an instant, the whole class turned to look at him, accompanied by a wave of suppressed snickering.
"You seem to be listening very carefully."
Mr. Fujimoto pushed up his glasses, a trace of displeasure on his face.
"Then answer this. What are Eevee's currently known evolutionary forms?"
Seated beside Hayato, his best friend Kaito Mori nudged him with an elbow, wearing the kind of expression that said, Brother, you're on your own.
Hayato stood up and answered smoothly, almost without thinking.
"Vaporeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon…"
He paused for a beat, then added:
"Oh, and Sylveon too."
The moment he finished, the classroom went dead silent.
Then it erupted in laughter.
"Hahahaha! Hayato's at it again!"
"Espeon? Umbreon? Did he not wake up properly this morning?"
"Sylveon? That name sounds way too chuuni!"
"Hayato, that's a pretty complete list you made up. Next time the Pokémon Encyclopedia updates, I'm counting on you!"
Mr. Fujimoto's face had gone dark. He slammed his hand against the lectern.
"Hayato! What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"
Hayato frowned, but said nothing.
His gaze shifted back to the Eevee on the teacher's desk.
It belonged to one of the faculty members and had been brought in today as a demonstration specimen.
In Hayato's vision, a translucent panel that only he could see floated above the Eevee's head.
[Pokémon: Eevee]
[Type: Normal]
[Ability: Adaptability]
[Traits: None]
That was Hayato's cheat ability.
He could inspect a Pokémon's status panel anytime, anywhere.
That included special traits.
He was, and wasn't, a transmigrator.
This felt more like a parallel world.
A few days ago, he had gone to sleep, and when he woke up, Pokémon had suddenly become part of the world.
The global order, the level of technology, even his personal relationships had remained almost entirely unchanged.
And this world had not always had Pokémon either.
A hundred years ago, enormous spatial rifts began appearing all over the world without warning. They came to be known as mystic realms.
Soon after that, all kinds of strange creatures poured out from those realms.
Pokémon entered this world that way.
"Hayato!"
Mr. Fujimoto's voice snapped him back to reality.
"The only officially recognized Eevee evolutions at present are five: Vaporeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Leafeon, and Glaceon! Did you invent the others yourself?"
He pointed his ruler straight at Hayato.
"And Fairy type? The League only recognizes seventeen types. Where exactly did you hear about this so-called Fairy type?"
"I…"
Hayato opened his mouth, then chose silence in the end.
There was no way to explain it.
He could hardly say, I know because I came from another world.
If he did, he would probably be sent straight to a psychiatric clinic.
"Sit down. Pay attention in class. Stop wasting your time reading those unreliable web novels every day!"
Mr. Fujimoto spoke with the frustration of a teacher angry that his student refused to live up to his potential.
Amid the class's quiet laughter, Hayato sat back down and expressionlessly picked up his pen again.
He knew "correct answers" that nobody else in this world knew.
And here, those answers had become "nonsense."
When the bell rang, Kaito leaned over and slapped him on the shoulder.
"It's fine, man. Old Fujimoto's always like that. He's a total fossil. If it's not in the textbook, he won't believe it."
"But seriously, that list you gave was impressive. You had me half convinced for a second, hahaha!"
"I'm fine."
Hayato shook his head and slipped the scratch paper into his bag.
He looked calm on the surface, but inwardly he had already made up his mind.
One day, he would prove that he was right.
"My dad pulled some strings and reserved me a Geodude hatchling. I heard both its parents are level 50. Cost us eighty grand!"
Kaito puffed out his chest, unable to hide his excitement.
"Hayato, what nursery are you going to tomorrow?"
Hayato replied, "Haven't decided yet. I'll check out Starlight Nursery first."
The two of them left the classroom side by side.
Traffic flowed steadily along the streets outside, and every now and then, someone could be seen walking with a Pokémon by their side.
After the initial chaos of Pokémon appearing in the world, society had adapted with remarkable speed.
Trainer, Breeder, Researcher, Pokémon Doctor.
Any profession related to Pokémon had become one of the hottest career paths around.
At a street corner, two police officers were patrolling with a Growlithe beside each of them.
Growlithe's orange fur, exposed fangs, and flame-like tail made it look both fierce and striking.
Hayato's gaze swept over them almost instinctively.
[Pokémon: Growlithe]
[Type: Fire]
[Ability: Intimidate]
[Traits:]
[Scorching Body: Increases the power of Fire-type moves by 10%.]
Hayato understood immediately.
Growlithe was the top choice for police-use Pokémon.
And precisely because of that, the price of a Growlithe puppy had been driven above 200,000 yen on the market, and even then, demand far exceeded supply.
"Don't even look. We could never afford that."
Following his gaze, Kaito let out a sigh.
"I heard the starter Pokémon are even more expensive. Prices start at 500,000. I seriously don't know what kind of family can afford that."
"And pseudo-legendary hatchlings? Those are all under League control."
Hayato nodded silently, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
Species and bloodline mattered, yes.
But what truly determined a Pokémon's ceiling were those invisible traits.
A good trait could completely transform an ordinary Pokémon.
Take Ash's Pikachu, for example. That thing probably had several gold-tier traits stacked on top of each other.
Otherwise, how could it go toe-to-toe with legendary Pokémon?
With traits, you could call it a god-tier Pikachu.
Without them, it was just an electric mouse with yellow fur.
Of course, Hayato did not deny the power of the bond between Ash and Pikachu either. No matter how strong a Pokémon was, without the bond between partners, that strength could never be brought out to its fullest.
After parting ways with Kaito at the intersection, Hayato returned home alone.
…
It was an old apartment building.
The moment he pushed open the door, the aroma of freshly cooked food greeted him.
"You're back? Go wash your hands. Dinner's ready."
His mother, Yukari Shimizu, poked her head out from the kitchen, still wearing an apron.
His father, Takeshi Shimizu, also rose from the sofa and took his schoolbag from him.
At the dinner table, his parents did not ask about school.
Instead, his father slid a bank card across the table.
"Hayato, there's 60,000 yen on this card."
His voice was a little hoarse, carrying a trace of exhaustion.
"It's what your mother and I have managed to save over the years. If it's still not enough, we can borrow some more from relatives."
"Tomorrow, we'll go to the nursery with you and pick out a Pokémon you like."
His mother's eyes were slightly red.
"Don't pressure yourself too much. Just choose one that feels right to you."
"Even if you don't become a trainer in the end, being a Breeder or a Researcher would still be a good path."
Holding that weighty bank card in his hand, Hayato felt warmth surge through his chest.
He knew what that 60,000 yen meant to this family.
Ordinary people did not make much.
To save that amount of money was already a major feat.
"Dad. Mom."
He lifted his head, his eyes filled with determination.
"I'm going to become a trainer. I swear it."
That night, Hayato lay in bed, wide awake.
With his eyes closed, he replayed tomorrow's possibilities over and over in his mind.
He was not going to the elite section lined with outrageously expensive young Pokémon.
What he needed was an ordinary Pokémon with powerful traits.
A Pokémon like that…
might have more potential than a pseudo-legendary with mediocre traits.