Icarus packed up everything he owned and hurried toward Second-Hand Street. As he thought about the long road ahead as a Pokémon Trainer, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
When he reached the intersection, Icarus didn't hesitate. He headed straight for the second-hand Pokémon goods shop with the largest crowd and the widest selection.
Despite being a second-hand store, the range of items inside was surprisingly complete. There were travel backpacks in small, medium, and large sizes, single-person tents, cooking utensils, quilts—and even a second-generation Pokédex produced by the Pokémon League.
Icarus forced himself to look away from the Pokédex with great difficulty. The price—50 Poké Dollars—was far beyond what he could afford right now. Moreover, second-hand Pokédexes couldn't be bound to the League account of a new owner, meaning they didn't come with the welfare benefits enjoyed by officially issued devices.
"Still… it's incredibly tempting," Icarus muttered inwardly. "A Pokédex like that won't stay here for long."
He knew it would sell quickly. After all, a Pokédex allows Trainers to check their Pokémon's condition and strength anytime, and even provides basic training suggestions based on their current state.
While it couldn't compare to guidance from a professional Trainer, for rookies, having a Pokédex was practically equivalent to having half a mentor. It could save countless detours during training.
Not to mention the detailed Kanto region map stored inside. While the so-called "safe routes" weren't truly safe, they were still paths officially recognized by the League as relatively less dangerous.
It was said that the annual League subsidy and the massive investment made over centuries weren't just to provide elite starter Pokémon. The Pokédex itself was one of the greatest gifts to Trainers.
Once bound, it marked the user as an officially recognized League Trainer. It was an identity that carried weight everywhere.
Thinking back to the anime from his previous life, Icarus finally understood why rookies like Ash were so often favored by Gym Leaders and Elite-level Trainers—free lodging at Pokémon Centers, free meals, and countless hidden benefits.
The more he thought about it, the more envious he became.
"Of course," Icarus sighed inwardly, "that's because Professor Oak gave him one. Ordinary Trainers don't have that kind of luck."
Shaking his head, Icarus pulled his gaze away and went straight to the travel supplies section. He carefully selected a small travel backpack, a single-person tent, cooking tools, bedding, and other essentials.
The items he chose were visibly worn—far rougher than the brand-new goods displayed outside—but he tested every function one by one. Everything still worked perfectly.
Though it took quite a while, Icarus was very satisfied with the final pile.
"It seems all those years of experience weren't wasted," he muttered with a nod.
As an orphan with no relatives, he had survived to the age of fifteen on the League's meager living allowance—and still managed to save money. Second-Hand Street was practically familiar ground to him.
Carrying the stack of goods, Icarus walked up to the counter and placed 2,896 Poké Dollars down neatly.
"Uncle Li, please ring this up," he said calmly. He had already calculated the total while picking out the items.
The old man behind the counter looked up in surprise.
"So it's you, Icarus. Planning to head out on a journey?" Uncle Li asked. "You've really made up your mind."
A trace of pain flashed through Icarus's eyes, but it quickly hardened into resolve.
"Yes. I'm not willing to stay like this," he replied firmly. "I still can't forget the day Greenveil Town was destroyed by the Pokémon tide."
He had lived there for many years. People weren't made of wood or stone—how could he feel nothing?
Uncle Li sighed deeply and shook his head.
"You're a regular here. I won't charge you extra," he said. "Go pick up two more bottles of Repel, some wound medicine, and a couple of warning bells. I've watched you grow up. I hope you become a real Trainer—rather than having your supplies brought back here someday by the town guards."
"Thank you, Uncle Li," Icarus said seriously. "I will become a Trainer."
He quickly fetched two bottles of Repel, two bottles of wound medicine, and two warning bells.
Originally, he'd planned to buy four warning bells—enough to fully secure a tent overnight in the wild. But money was tight, and he still needed to save for Moomoo Milk. Since Uncle Li was offering them for free, Icarus accepted without false modesty.
After all, this was a matter of survival.
"Thank you—for everything, all these years," Icarus said, bowing deeply.
Uncle Li waved him off, pretending not to notice.
Icarus packed everything into his space backpack, which was now more than half full. After that, he headed to the department store in town and went straight to the Pokémon supplies section on the second floor.
The sight of brand-new equipment made his eyes linger for a moment.
No one was born liking second-hand goods. Poverty was the only reason.
He forced himself to ignore the flashy, multifunctional items and went straight to the Poké Ball display case, picking up two standard Poké Balls. Then he grabbed seven bottles of Moomoo Milk and paid quickly at the counter.
He left without lingering—afraid that if he stayed any longer, his hands might betray him.
After all, he only had 750 Poké Dollars left, and he still needed food for himself. That money had to last him at least ten days.
Pokémon couldn't battle during their infancy period. After the seven-day infancy stage ended and they entered the growth stage, Trainers could register at a Pokémon Center as rookie Trainers.
The Center would then:
Test the Pokémon's aptitude and physical condition for free
Issue three free treatment vouchers
Civilian Trainers made up the majority of the population, and the League didn't want them eliminated at the very start.
Those vouchers were critical—they prevented hidden injuries caused by overtraining or reckless battles during the early stages.
After the vouchers were used, each treatment would cost 500 Poké Dollars, but as long as they were used wisely, surviving the rookie phase wasn't difficult.
Finally, Icarus went to the street market and bought ingredients for the next few days, spending a little over 300 Poké Dollars.
By the time he returned home, night had fallen.
He stored the food in the refrigerator, then turned to look at the Pokémon Egg resting quietly nearby.
"I'm ready," he said softly. "Now I'm just waiting for you, little one. I hope you hatch soon."