Move Tutors and TMs also called Skill Discs were some of the most prized tools a Trainer or Breeder could get their hands on. Each disc was single-use, and once activated, it burned out forever. For that reason, every disc was worth a fortune.
"Nurse Joy, I've made my selections. These are the ones." Silas handed the filled-out redemption form back to Nurse Joy.
Joy glanced over his choices and frowned slightly Seeing how casually Silas had ticked off every disc the Joy family had invested for him. "Silas, are you sure about this? Using up all five Skill Discs so quickly… you never know what you might need later. Perhaps you'll raise other Pokémon in the future."
Her words were gentle, but the meaning was clear: these discs are far too precious to waste.
Silas only smiled, unshaken. "Don't worry, Sister Joy. Just help me make sure they don't run out of stock. That's all I ask."
Silas spoke with quiet determination. He wasn't changing his mind. Still, he softened the edge by affectionately calling her Sister Joy. After all, she was now his only link to the Joy family, and he needed to keep a good relationship.
Joy's lips pursed into a pout. "Hmph, clever little rascal. Now you know how to call me sister, huh?" She still hadn't entirely forgiven him for turning down her earlier proposal.
With a roll of her eyes, she sighed. "I'll see what I can do. But I can't guarantee Protect will be in stock. You know how popular that move is-even the Joy family can't fully keep with enough Demands."
When she flipped through the list, her brows arched in surprise. 'Three Protect discs? This kid is greedier than I thought…'
Silas only chuckled. "If Protect isn't available, Substitute works just as well."
After a light exchange of jokes, they left the hall.
....
Later, lying back on his bed, Silas stared up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression.
'The Joy family really doesn't hold back. Protect, Hyper Beam, even Giga Impact… they're willing to invest these in an outsider like me.'
The exchange catalog contained nearly every move disc available on the market.
Only a few weather techniques, like Rain Dance, Sunny Day, or Sandstorm, and certain terrain moves like Grassy Terrain were absent. Shockingly, even Outrage was listed.
But Silas didn't get greedy. He had chosen three Protect discs, one Tailwind, and one Substitute.Crawdaunt was already compatible with Protect, so Silas didn't waste an extra disc on it and swapped for Substitute.
As for Joy's suggestion to save some for the future? Silas scoffed at the thought.
In his eyes, only what was in his hands could be trusted. Empty promises meant nothing; real combat power meant everything.
Protect was a move every Pokémon could learn, and one of the strongest defensive techniques. On the black market, a single disc often sold for upwards of 800,000 Pokédollars, sometimes even reaching a million and even then, supply was scarce.
Tailwind, meanwhile, was meant for Murkrow. Combined with its Prankster ability, it would cover his team's greatest weakness: speed.
Of all his Pokémon, Murkrow had the brightest future-even brighter than his gifted Eevee. Leaving Tailwind for Murkrow was his small way of showing preference.
With those thoughts, Silas let his mind drift. He folded his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
...
The next morning, he was jolted awake by hurried knocking.
"Ugh… this early?" he muttered, stumbling toward the door.
When he opened it, his eyes widened. "Sister Joy? Why are you here?"
He quickly buttoned his pajamas, hiding his exposed chest.
Joy's face flushed slightly, though she covered it with a composed smile. "The Skill Discs you requested have arrived. The family really values you… they even sent three Protect discs!"
Her voice carried a touch of amazement. When she glanced back at him, Her gaze flicked, almost involuntarily, toward his chest before she quickly looked away. Silas, flustered, hurriedly grabbed his slippers and dashed downstairs.
Joy trailed behind, shaking her head with a soft sigh. "Such a child… always rushing."
The lobby was nearly empty at this hour, save for a few staff members. In one corner stood a large, intricate machine-one of the Pokémon Learning Machines.
"Here," Joy said, pointing to it. "The instructions are right there. With your brains, you won't have trouble."
The machine was state-of-the-art technology, able to transfer the data from Skill Discs directly into a Pokémon's mind.
This advanced technology, first developed by Silph Co. in Kanto, allowed Pokémon to instantly learn the move recorded on a disc.
Not long after its creation, the League had purchased the patent outright-rumor had it they'd even taken the entire research team under their wing. The event had made Silph Co. famous overnight.
Following the manual, Silas inserted Murkrow's Poké Ball into the slot. then He loaded the first disc into the storage chamber and pressed Start.
Vrrrrr… The machine hummed with a low roar as it activated.
Good thing it was early morning. If anyone else had seen him using five Skill Discs at once, their jaws would've hit the floor. For most Trainers, just teaching one move and mastering it was already an uphill battle.
But Silas was different. Murkrow's talent was exceptional, and with the Alliance's training manuals, Joy family resources, and Petalburg Gym's knowledge, mastering these skills wouldn't be an issue.
Finally, after inserting the Substitute disc for Crawdaunt, Silas leaned back with a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
"Now this," he murmured, "is power I can use."
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(End of chapter)