Outside the Pokémon Center–
Kai and Eevee emerged.
After some time, everything was finally settled.
Kai now held a standard red and white Poké Ball in his hand.
He had purchased it after activating his Trainer ID. Like Pokémon themselves, Poké Ball sales were regulated. Though not expensive, the number each Trainer could buy was limited, similar to the restriction on how many Pokémon one could officially register.
Of course, where there was light, shadows existed—black markets, smuggling, and other illegal activities persisted, but those caught faced severe penalties, including revocation of Trainer status.
This Poké Ball's information had been registered to Eevee, serving as the little one's "official home." In the future, during security checks at subways or airports, personnel could scan the ball to connect with the Pokémon Center network and verify its legality.
Although all important tasks were complete, Kai felt a tinge of disappointment.
"Unfortunately, it seems only standard Poké Balls are available on the open market." Kai looked at little Eevee with a sigh.
"Vee…" little Eevee replied in a similarly dispirited tone.
Currently, Eevee's mindset was: I don't know why my Trainer is sad, but if he's not happy, I'm not happy either.
Kai put away the Poké Ball with a hint of regret. He hadn't forgotten Eevee's evolution branches—Espeon and Umbreon evolved based on friendship. There were specific types of Poké Balls highly effective at increasing friendship levels.
In the games and anime, two types served this purpose:
The Friend Ball—its effect made a captured Pokémon immediately friendly with the Trainer.
The Luxury Ball—extremely comfortable to live in, it helped a captured Pokémon build friendship with the Trainer more quickly.
These special balls were fascinating, and exactly what Kai wished he could use for Eevee.
But, sadly, they didn't seem to exist in this world, or if researched, weren't available for public sale.
Poké Balls were truly miraculous items. They could change size—large as a baseball for easy throwing, small as a ping-pong ball for carrying. Their primary function was allowing even Pokémon larger than humans to be contained within, enabling Trainers to develop.
"Never mind. Eevee, let's go." After wrestling with the thought, Kai spoke helplessly. There would be opportunities in the future.
Ordinary people might not know what Poké Balls were made of, but Kai recalled they were crafted from differently colored Apricorns or special alloys. Balls made from different Apricorns had unique effects. The common red and white ball in his hand had the most basic function.
If he remembered correctly, the core material for a Friend Ball was the Green Apricorn.
As for the Luxury Ball, he wasn't as sure—he hadn't paid it much attention.
He had a general understanding of the materials for various special balls.
Moreover, Berries and Apricorns, initially only found in Secret Realms, were now mass-cultivated for profit. Kai felt there would be opportunities to obtain them eventually.
"It's just not easy to explain, and I don't know the full manufacturing process. If only I could collaborate with someone I trust… It's complicated." Kai realized much of his knowledge was restricted, hard to convert into immediate resources for strengthening himself. The cultural gap between worlds meant these advantages might only be usable after he achieved a certain status.
"Don't worry, I'll get you a more comfortable Poké Ball sooner or later." As they walked, Kai rubbed Eevee's head.
Next, Kai planned to take Eevee for a stroll.
Many new Trainers didn't immediately start training or battling after their Pokémon hatched, and Kai was no exception. He felt training and battling should begin after the newborn period, once the Pokémon's physical functions were more developed.
Although Kai had no plans for Eevee to train or battle in the coming days, it didn't stop him from watching others fight.
Before they knew it, they arrived at the public battlefield in Viridian City.
Kai stood at the front-row railing near a battlefield, watching with interest. Eevee, equally curious, stared with wide eyes.
Since new Trainer registrations had just finished, the place was crowded with newcomers, some already battling.
Though these battles were clumsy, they captivated the new Trainers.
Kai, as a registered Trainer showing his ID, could watch for free. Non-Trainers had to pay an entrance fee.
However, if Kai wanted to battle, he'd have to pay to rent a battlefield.
It was worth noting that if Trainers wanted to battle within the city, they could only do so at official public battlefields, battle halls, or Association-recognized clubs. Fighting on the street without justification or allowing Pokémon to use moves recklessly led to penalties, including potential loss of Trainer status in serious cases.
Of course, you couldn't battle casually in the wild either. Every Trainer battle had to be registered with Trainer IDs, so most occurred in official venues. These laws, though cumbersome, helped maintain social stability.
"Vee~"
On the battlefield, after a Bellsprout defeated a Nidoran, Eevee suddenly showed a happy expression, as if it had won.
Huh… Is Eevee interested in battling?
"Did you like that?"
Kai rubbed Eevee's forehead again—he enjoyed this gesture, and Eevee clearly found it comforting too.
"Vee~~" Eevee nodded, then showed a slightly worried expression, perhaps imagining its own future battles.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it, but you are clever." Kai smiled wryly.
"It doesn't matter. When you're bigger, I'll make a detailed training plan for you, and then we'll defeat everyone."
"Vee!" Eevee nodded expectantly and continued watching the arena battles.
Kai glanced at the sky, then back at the battles. He might spend the afternoon here.
However, he wasn't particularly impressed by the new Trainers' skill.
They couldn't even shout basic commands like "Dodge!", "I believe in you!", "Don't give up!", "Get up!", or "Hang in there!"
Those phrases were almost magical skills in themselves…
Kai smiled inwardly. Of course, such commands only worked with a Pokémon's innate quality and strong bond with its Trainer.
Watching the battles, Kai began thinking about how to design a training plan for little Eevee…
If he could conceive a training plan for Grass-types, there was no reason to be stumped by one for Eevee.