"Those of you who chose evolved Pokémon, you may leave through this door. A more 'experienced' instructor will take over your training," Instructor Viper said, coughing twice as he addressed the crowd.
"Haha! See? I told you choosing the stronger Pokémon would get us special treatment," one candidate bragged, puffing out his chest.
"You only thought about potential and ignored whether you could actually handle them in a fight," the braggart continued, sneering at those left behind. "Don't be too terrified when you see how powerful our teams are later."
Clutching his Poké Ball, he followed the group through the side door.
Feng Che watched him go, thinking the man was a complete idiot. It was one thing to worry about immediate combat power, but quite another to assume you could even control such a creature. His ego is as high as the sky, but his luck is as thin as paper, Feng Che thought. Mocking others without any real ability... typical.
Once that group departed, the training ground was suddenly half-empty. It seemed that over half the recruits lacked basic common sense.
Viper waited until the door clicked shut before continuing. "You are the lucky ones. You stayed true to yourselves and didn't overreach for power you cannot yet control. Evolved Pokémon would have backlashed against you. Therefore, those who just left have officially lost their chance to become Team Rocket members."
"For the next three days, you will bond with your partners. We will reconvene here in three days' time. I will be staying here throughout the duration. Any member who fails to show up will be automatically demoted to menial labor."
Viper's words were heavy with implication.
Three days to train and tame our Pokémon, Feng Che mused. Viper mentioned he'd be here the whole time... does that mean if you tame them early, you can report back for a reward? There was a reward for being the first to the base and the first in academics. It stands to reason the first to tame their Pokémon gets one, too.
[Ditto: Oh, kill me now... out of all the people, this guy chose me.][Ditto: Why does he have such weird taste?][Ditto: Sob, sob... Farewell, my beautiful life of luxury.][Ditto: Farewell, high-quality energy cubes I only got once a month.][Ditto: Farewell, easy street.]
Feng Che listened to the Ditto's internal whining all the way to the Trading Market. He needed supplies: more Poké Balls and some high-quality Berries.
As soon as he entered the market, he saw a large crowd gathered. Squeezing through, he spotted a powerful-looking Charmander. It was slamming itself against the bars of a metal cage, occasional sparks flying from its mouth. It looked incredibly fierce.
"I heard the seller wants 20,000 credits. He'll take a trade-in of equal value, too." "20,000? I might as well go to Logistics and pick a Pokémon with a guaranteed potential rating for that price." "Yeah, and this one has no official history. The seller won't go to Logistics for an appraisal—it's probably a scam."
The onlookers whispered and speculated. Feng Che glanced at the Charmander. It was robust, likely a newborn. Its skeletal structure wasn't fully developed, and its flame sac hadn't matured, yet it was already proficient with the Ember move.
He triggered his System scan:
Pokémon: Charmander Gender: Male Potential: Excellence (Green) Ability: Blaze Level: 8 Type: Fire Moves: Growl, Scratch, Ember, Fire Fang Status: Irritable
An 'Excellence' rank Charmander. Not bad, Feng Che thought. Usually, Starter Pokémon fell within the Elite to Excellence range. If he weren't short on funds, he'd consider taking it.
"A pity," he sighed. I wonder if this Ditto can transform into a Charmander.
He deliberately brought the Ditto's Poké Ball closer to the cage.
[Ditto: This human really likes Charmander, doesn't he? So childish.][Ditto: I'm certainly not going to tell him I can turn into any of the Kanto starters.][Ditto: Since my body contains cells from all three lines, I can switch between them at will.]
Feng Che's eyes widened. Hearing that, he realized he had truly hit the jackpot with this Ditto. He lost interest in the crowd and shoved his way out. He needed to tame this slacker Ditto as quickly as possible to claim whatever reward Team Rocket had waiting.
He noticed most sellers in the market wore masks and cloaks to hide their identities, preventing disgruntled customers from tracking them down. Feng Che followed suit, spending 5 credits at a small stall for a Pikachu mask and a black cloak. Once his face was hidden, he felt much more secure. Veteran players had always warned: Never reveal your true identity in Team Rocket.
He stopped at a stall selling fishing gear.
"Prices are firm. If you want to buy, we talk. If not, move on," the stall owner said, his voice weary as if he'd dealt with one too many hagglers.
Feng Che inspected the rods. Though expensive and old-fashioned, they were sturdy with high-tensile lines. They came with a spare line and pre-made bait. In the Pokémon world, the oceans were teeming with life—and wild fish. If a mission ever left him stranded on an island, a good rod could keep him alive.
Standard Rod: 50 CreditsGood Rod: 100 CreditsSuper Rod: 400 Credits
In a world where breakfast was 1 credit, 400 credits for a rod was a steep investment most Rockets couldn't justify.
"That Super Rod is carbon fiber—incredibly light," the owner said, seeing Feng Che's interest. "Even if you hook something with the power of a Gyarados, it'll pull it to the surface without snapping. It also has a built-in electrical stunner that can discharge a 100,000-volt shock."
"Even a vicious Tentacruel will be paralyzed, giving you the chance to capture it. And it's even more effective against Water/Flying types like Gyarados."
Feng Che was sold. He knew taming a wild beast in the middle of the ocean was nearly impossible with just a rod, but the stun feature made it a viable tool. If it were easy, the seller wouldn't be selling it; they'd be out catching and selling Gyarados themselves.
The alert seller noticed Feng Che glancing around. He quickly wrapped the rod in a protective sleeve.
"I'll scan you. Bring up your payment QR code on your wristband."
The red light swept over Feng Che's display. "400 credits deducted. Tell you what—I'll throw in this Standard Rod for free."
Feng Che declined the freebie. To him, the Standard Rod was just extra weight he didn't need.
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