Inside the study.
Matsuba was busy sorting through the past year's Challenger records and the badge data for Ecruteak Gym.
Morty brought the other three to report on how they cleared the fifth floor of Brass Tower.
Seeing how much the four had improved, Matsuba wasn't surprised anymore. But now he was too busy dealing with Pryce to prepare any kind of special reward for them. He said, "You've all completed the five-floor challenge of Brass Tower ahead of schedule. I'm pleased!
However, in three days, Elite Four Pryce will arrive to evaluate the Gym. I haven't prepared any rewards for you, so I've given each of you a card with 10,000 Pokédollars. Enjoy yourselves here in Ecruteak City for the next three days. Once Pryce arrives, I'll need your help in receiving him."
After speaking, Matsuba handed out four bank cards. The four looked at their names and each took theirs.
"Oh, right! Tetsuya, Raine, your salaries for the past three months are also in the card. After Pryce leaves, I'll formally accept you as my pupils."
"Thank you, Leader Matsuba," Tetsuya said, just as a formality.
He really couldn't bring himself to call him "sensei."
…Raine, on the other hand, immediately blurted it out: "Sensei!"
"Good! Go on now. Becoming an official pupil is very different from being a Gym Trainee. We'll talk more once things settle down."
Matsuba lowered his head again and returned to the data in front of him.
"Leader Matsuba," Tetsuya called out.
Matsuba looked up. "Hmm? Tetsuya, is there something else?"
"I'd like to apply for the graduation exam at Ecruteak School," Tetsuya said.
Recalling Tetsuya's perfect score on the test during the first round of Gym Trainee selection, Matsuba nodded. "You're certainly capable. I'll speak to the school principal and have him arrange it for you. That certificate will be very useful if you plan to work for the League in the future."
It was just one extra sentence with Matsuba, but by the time Tetsuya walked out of the Gym, Morty and the others were already gone.
Holding the card Matsuba had given him, Tetsuya stepped out of Ecruteak Gym.
'Three months…'
His rebirth hadn't been in vain. This time, Tetsuya didn't ride his Bicycle. He walked slowly through the streets of Ecruteak City.
'Hmm… the orphanage?'
Tetsuya had unknowingly arrived in front of the orphanage. The familiar sight made him pause.
"…Leaf, from now on, this will be your home. The ojisans and obasans at the orphanage will take care of your daily life, and you'll receive a proper education here. Even after you enter society, if you face hardships, you can always come back. We, as your guardians, will help you however we can."
How familiar those words were.
Tetsuya had just happened to see a staff member from the orphanage bringing in a small boy.
'So it's him.'
Tetsuya let out a cold laugh. A boy who had suffered the same fate as he did in his past life, he actually had a decent inheritance waiting, but was coaxed into the orphanage. He used to throw his weight around with a Murkrow at his side.
At age ten, he and Tetsuya were kicked out of the orphanage at the same time. He once had grand dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master… and that was the last anyone ever heard of him.
Fate must be changed by one's own hand. Unfortunately, Leaf wasn't a transmigrator. He didn't have a cheat code.
Tetsuya had no intention of meddling in the affairs of someone so irrelevant. He passed the orphanage. His destination this time was his home.
There was still over 30,000 in cash at home. With the 10,000 Matsuba gave him, it was enough to pay a visit to the Black Market.
---◓---
At six in the evening, the Black Market had just opened. Tetsuya was the first to enter.
Naturally, what Tetsuya needed was a strong Poison-type Pokémon to push Gastly and see if it would evolve.
But in a market like this, fully evolved Pokémon were rare. Poison-types were especially dangerous -one careless mistake could get someone poisoned- so they were even less welcome. Finding a decent Poison-type here would be a real challenge.
After searching the entire Black Market, Tetsuya could only find a Weezing, which was fairly common in Kanto and Johto. It looked weak and listless, clearly it hadn't been fed properly in a long time.
Even so, that one Weezing still cost him 10,000 Pokédollars…
After buying the Weezing, Tetsuya also bought a pile of food meant for Poison-type Pokémon. In its current state, this half-dead Weezing had little toxic value. It would need to be raised for a while to restore its normal toxicity before it could be put to use.
Back at Ecruteak Gym.
Tetsuya placed the Pokéfood in front of the Weezing. "Eat up… Eat as much as you want…"
Starving for days, Weezing could hardly believe its eyes. It had never tasted food like this before. With tears welling up in all four of its eyes, it looked at Tetsuya with heartfelt emotion and silently vowed to follow this Trainer to the end!
'…'
Weezing, absolutely famished, devoured what would normally be three full meals in one go.
Just as it was about to express its gratitude to Tetsuya, it was instantly recalled into its Poké Ball.
The next day, Tetsuya received a message from Matsuba. He could go take the graduation exam at the school. There was no denying that Matsuba's status in Ecruteak City was unparalleled. Even the mayor would show him respect, so a school principal was more than happy to have ties with Matsuba.
After receiving the notification, Tetsuya immediately hopped on his Bicycle ¹[1]and headed for the school.
Since it was still vacation period, the school was nearly empty except for the security guard. Upon arrival, Tetsuya simply flashed his Ecruteak Gym Trainee ID at the guard.
"Oh, so you're Tetsuya-kun? The dean is already waiting for you in the academic office. Come on, I'll take you there."
The old security guard was surprisingly warm and friendly, striking up conversation with Tetsuya along the way.
Even a mere Gym Trainee could demand such deference… it really showed how much influence a Gym held in a city.
In the dean's office, a man in his fifties sat upright, waiting.
When he saw Tetsuya arrive with the guard, he said, "I'm Minamoto Kyo, the dean of this school. I'll be supervising your exam today. The exam paper is already prepared, it's right on the desk."
---◓---
Tetsuya felt slightly puzzled. Since when were graduation exams conducted in the dean's office?
He picked up the test and flipped through the questions. They were all basic knowledge questions. He finished the so-called "graduation exam" in under twenty minutes.
The dean graded it on the spot.
"Hmm… Perfect score. Congratulations on passing the graduation exam!"
Then he pulled a graduation certificate from the drawer. It was already stamped, registered with Tetsuya's academic records, and even labeled him as an outstanding graduate.
How to describe this…?
It all felt too scripted.
The exam paper, the pre-prepared certificate… it all felt staged.
Tetsuya examined the certificate front and back, even wondering if it was fake.
"Well, Tetsuya, your performance really is excellent~ You fully deserve to graduate! When you return to Ecruteak Gym, make sure to let Leader Matsuba know that it was Minamoto Kyo who arranged everything for you."
Hearing that, Tetsuya immediately put away the certificate.
It was definitely real.
Tetsuya looked at Minamoto and gave a knowing, flattering smile. "Don't worry. I'll be sure to pass along your message!"
"Mihahaha! Good! And once you're working for the League, don't forget your alma mater~"
Tetsuya gave a cold laugh. That he truly wouldn't forget. But in the end, it was all mutual exploitation. In his past life, the first thing he did after becoming a Gym Leader was donate to the school. In return, the school helped promote him, and his public image was built from there.
These were all classic tactics used by the newly successful.
"Fame" and "fortune" were inseparable… because one always reinforced the other. Once you gained profit, you craved recognition. And once you earned recognition, it naturally brought even greater profit.
•.
•.
¹. Bicycle instead of bike cause its a pokemon world "Item".
[1] Bicycle instead of bike cause its a pokemon world "Item"