Regarding Owen's choice of Eevee, his parents didn't have much to say; they respected his decision.
In fact, they rarely interfered with his choices unless he was making a severe mistake. This was a level of freedom that many of his peers would undoubtedly envy.
Back to the matter at hand: Eevee itself wasn't expensive, but the Evolution Stones were. Combined, they would cost more than pre-ordering a rare Pokémon species.
White, the Breeding House employee, wore a professional smile. To him, this looked like another big sale. Even if the commission wasn't massive, he wasn't one to turn down extra money.
"I'll stick with Eevee. However," Owen said suddenly, "I think I'll hold off on buying an Evolution Stone for now. I haven't decided which path to take yet."
Looking at the smiling White, Owen knew exactly what the man was thinking.
Commission? Sorry, not today.
"Mm, that makes sense. It requires careful consideration," Owen's father nodded. Honestly, if they bought it now, they wouldn't be able to produce that much cash immediately.
Though he had talked a big game earlier, if they actually made the purchase, they would likely have to take out a bank loan. After that... the family would have to live very frugally for a long time.
Fortunately, while Evolution Stones were expensive, they were still cheaper than real estate. In recent years, to encourage the training of more citizens, the government had made Pokémon-related items much more accessible.
In the last century, such stones wouldn't even be on the open market—they were "priceless" items with no sellers.
"No need to worry about that. As long as you leave a small deposit, we always keep them in stock.
You can pay the remaining balance late,r depending on which stone you choose, and you'll still enjoy the 5% discount," White said, his smile never wavering.
Hearing this, Owen's parents were instantly moved. Sounds like a good deal?
But Owen was stunned. The traps in this city are deep!
Now, how was he supposed to explain to his parents that he didn't need an Evolution Stone at all? A 5% discount on something that expensive meant saving a lot of money; most people wouldn't dream of passing it up.
But if they paid the deposit and didn't buy the stone, the deposit would be non-refundable.
The atmosphere grew tense. Owen quickly tugged at his father's sleeve.
"How about... Have you all thought it over? You can go handle the paperwork first," White suggested, sensing their hesitation.
He stopped pushing and added, "By the way, once the paperwork is done and you return, we'll give you a Guiding Manual.
It contains data on Eevee and key points for hatching. Keep it safe. If you run into any trouble during the process, you can find me here or call me."
"No problem, no problem," Owen nodded.
The Red Tape
With Eevee selected, White began helping them fill out the Husbandry Certificate. This certificate was vital; they needed it to go to the Pokémon Center for the next step: registering Owen as a Trainer and paying the fees.
This total covered the cost of the egg and the Trainer's tax. Only after completing these steps could they return to the Breeding House to pick up the egg.
On the way to the Pokémon Center, Owen's father asked, "Why did you pull me back there? We could have just let Mr. White open the deposit slip for the stone and paid at the Mart."
"We don't need to buy it here. Did you forget? My advisor at the Psychology Club is a Breeder. He has connections and can get them for much cheaper," Owen lied through his teeth.
"Really?" His father was shocked.
"Mr. Lee and I are close, so don't mention this to anyone else. When we go back to the Breeding House, just decline the offer," Owen said seriously.
"Heh, you little rascal! I guess those club connections weren't for nothing," his father said, patting Owen's shoulder with a satisfied grin. His mother agreed.
"Heh..." Owen felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. I wish that were true. Regardless, he'd hide it as long as he could. He didn't need a stone anytime soon, so he could find a new excuse when the time came.
A deposit? Not a chance.
In this system, buying an egg and registering as a Trainer required running between the Breeding House and the Pokémon Center.
Buying an Evolution Stone required running between the Poké Mart and the Breeding House.
The public Breeding House, the Pokémon Center, and the Poké Mart were all subordinate industries of the Trainer Association.
They worked in partnership; if a Breeding House sold related items, the customer usually paid at the Mart and picked up the goods at the House.
These institutions—the Pokémon Center (administrative and medical) and the Poké Mart (commercial)—were located in the same building: Fairview Tower, the largest and tallest building in the city.
It also served as the regional headquarters for the Trainer Association. Concentrating these facilities made security easier, which was necessary given that crime rates involving Pokémon remained high in this world.
It didn't take long. Since today was a peak day for registration, the Center was crowded, but the staff was efficient. Within an hour, Owen's family had finished the paperwork.
A New Beginning
"From today on, I'm a Trainer?"
Walking out of Fairview Tower, Owen's heart hadn't quite settled. He told himself not to get too excited until the egg was in his hands, but he couldn't help a small surge of adrenaline.
His only disappointment was that "Amateur Trainer" status was simply linked to his ID card and registered online; they didn't issue a physical certificate. The thing Owen really wanted was a Professional Trainer's License.
When they returned to the Breeding House, White greeted them again. However, Owen's parents didn't bring up the Evolution Stone, causing White's smile to stiffen slightly.
Under White's subtle hints, Owen's father politely and awkwardly brushed the topic aside, making it clear the deal wasn't happening.
Plan successful. Owen gave a mental thumbs-up. He wouldn't touch those luxury items if his life depended on it—including the Moss Rock for Leafeon. Not unless he could get them for free.
At last, Owen had obtained his first Pokémon... egg.
Cradling the transparent incubation device White had prepared, Owen gripped it tightly, terrified of dropping it. Inside, the white-and-brown-patterned egg bobbed gently in a thick, viscous nutrient solution.
"This is the Guiding Manual. Pokémon are much hardier than ordinary animals, so don't worry too much about the hatching.
Just follow the instructions," White said. Most Pokémon are capable of fighting a tiger or leopard shortly after birth, unlike the fragile newborns of ordinary animals.
"Got it," Owen nodded.
Owen and his parents thanked White for his help throughout the day. White didn't dwell on the lost stone sale and smiled as he saw them out.
Now, Owen had only one thought: Go home and hatch the egg.
Every second until it hatched would be an agonizing wait. According to White, the egg would hatch within a week once the nutrient solution was drained, but no one could say exactly when.
"Come to think of it, this paste-like nutrient solution actually has the effect of delaying the hatching and strengthening the newborn's immunity... truly magical. I wonder who researched it," Owen mused.
Whatever. I just wish for an instant hatch.