In a building, several people were seated as if in the middle of a meeting. A middle-aged man broke the silence.
"What's the plan for turning our city into a mid-level city, so it can grow and have its own gym?"
No one answered.
The man sighed. It was proving extremely difficult to develop Arca and get approval for a gym. As someone born and raised here, he naturally wanted to see it thrive. That's why, ever since becoming mayor, he had been searching for ways to make it happen.
"Is there some kind of business we can promote to make our city stand out? Something that could become our icon?" he asked. Arca was primarily an agricultural town, which made it hard to find a draw that could attract outsiders and boost the population.
At that moment, a man in his mid-twenties spoke up, hesitantly at first."Mr. Mayor, I know of a shop that sells a yellow-tier Pokémon every month without fail. I think it could be promoted. If people from other regions knew about it, many might consider moving here."
"Selling yellow-tier Pokémon? That's interesting," the mayor said, "but it's not enough. While yellow-tier Pokémon can be tricky to find, they're not exactly rare—there are still plenty roaming in the wild."
Several older members of the meeting nodded in agreement.
"But sir," the young man pressed on, "this isn't just any yellow-tier Pokémon. It's a Gyarados. You know what that means. Even if it's only yellow-tier, it can go toe-to-toe with an early Gym-level Pokémon."
The mayor's eyes widened. "Oh, Gyarados? Wait—Gyarados? Why didn't you say so earlier? If it's a Gyarados, that could draw a huge crowd. Which shop sells it?"
"The shop's name is MoonBlue, sir—the one on the southern outskirts of town."
"MoonBlue? Not Blue Moon? Hmmm… I think I've heard that name before," said the mayor.
"Sir, you might remember it from when Miss Bella spoke to you," the secretary behind him added.
"Oh, right! I remember now. That's the shop that sells green Pokémon eggs—Bella mentioned it, if I'm not mistaken."
"Yes, sir. Miss Bella also asked me to keep an eye on that shop. If more green eggs appear, she wants me to go there myself to buy them," the secretary confirmed.
After thinking for a moment, the mayor turned to the young man. He ordered him to travel to Light City and invite the official Orange Region media to cover Brian's shop. With proper publicity, MoonBlue would gain more attention and customers. If people from outside the city started flocking to the shop, Arca City would benefit as well. It would be a win–win situation—Brian's business would grow, and the city's economy would get a much–needed boost, helping many other local businesses thrive.
Meanwhile, Brian, his father Leon, and Jeremy were busy tending to vegetables in their little world. The crops were growing in abundance, and they tasted so good that Brian couldn't help but wonder if they might even have life–extending properties—just like the miraculous plants in the fantasy novels from his previous world.
"Brian, tomorrow some vegetables will be ready for harvest. Your mother wants you to take them to your grandparents," Leon said.
"Which grandparents? Your father's side?" Brian asked.
"Yes, of course. Do you have other grandparents?—oh, right, you do. Send some to your mother's side as well. Even though your maternal grandfather owns a farm, I'm sure our vegetables taste better," Leon replied with a hint of pride.
"Alright, then," Brian agreed.
...
The next day, after the harvest, Brian set off from Arca City toward Solok City. Nestled in a valley, Solok City boasted soil so fertile that it was known as the largest agricultural city in the world. Almost all of its residents had been farmers and ranchers even before Pokémon appeared.
The Orange Region produces half of the world's food supply, with Solok City alone contributing a remarkable 15%. That alone speaks volumes about just how rich and fertile its land truly is.
Brian didn't take a vehicle—he chose to walk. Once he had left the settlement behind, he stopped and pulled out a Pokéball, releasing a Pidgey.
This was one of the Pidgey he and Jeremy had caught, and it was a green–quality one.
Brian had long since sold the Normal-Type Cube and exchanged it for a Normal-Type Rare Candy. Over time, he'd gathered quite a lot of them. He had never used any on Eevee, worried it might evolve into an Umbreon or Espeon instead of the Sylveon he was aiming for. But now, he was ready to give them to Pidgey.
"Come on, Pidgey—eat this. You'll get stronger in no time," Brian encouraged.
As Pidgey ate, Brian pulled up its data:
PidgeyType: Normal/FlyingGender: MaleAbility: Keen EyeQualification: GreenLevel: 15Skills: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack
He watched the level number skyrocket from 15 all the way to 65—the peak level for the Gym tier.
"Pidgey… no, I guess it's Pidgeot now," Brian said with a grin as the bird Pokémon evolved. "And you look even bigger than a normal Pidgeot."
Pidgeot glanced down at his body and gave a satisfied nod. Out in the wild, he had never seen another Pidgeot as large as himself.
"Alright, take me to Solok City," Brian said as he swung onto Pidgeot's back.
After a swift fifteen–minute flight, they arrived above Solok City. From the air, Brian could see its majestic city gate—an intricate structure woven entirely from living plants. It was an iconic sight, and such a stark contrast to Arca City, which didn't even have a gate at all.
Landing and walking along the main road, Brian eventually reached a sprawling farm. The gate bore the sign Arden Farm. Arden was his grandfather's family name.
Just as Brian was about to step inside, a security guard stopped him. A Raticate stood alertly by the man's side.
Brian's eyes instinctively flicked to its data—Senior level. That gave him pause. For a moment, he wondered if he had come to the wrong place. As far as he remembered, this farm belonged to his family, but he certainly didn't recall them employing guards with such powerful Pokémon.