Austin had mentioned before that he would be competing in the 24th Youth Breeder Competition, but he hadn't expected Cynthia to remember the exact date.
He nodded.
"That's right. It's in Hearthome City. The preliminary round starts at nine in the morning."
The competition Austin was entering was one of the regional qualifying tournaments. Similar preliminary events were being held across multiple regions at the same time.
Qualification spots would be distributed according to the number of entrants in each region. Only after the field narrowed to the final thirty-two would the tournament become truly fierce.
The official live broadcast would begin from the Round of Sixteen onward, with the finals also taking place in Hearthome City.
"My fifth Emerald League match is also in Hearthome that afternoon," Cynthia said. "Would you like to come watch?"
"Absolutely."
Austin answered without hesitation.
It would be the perfect opportunity to bring Ryu, Zenith, Agni, and the others to cheer her on.
Ever since the Emerald League began, Cynthia had been traveling every other week.
Because of that hectic schedule, they had not seen each other in person since the attack on the Breeding House.
"There is one problem," Austin admitted. "I couldn't get tickets."
He had tried the instant sales the moment they opened.
They disappeared within seconds.
"I'm convinced somebody's using a bot."
A faint smile appeared on Cynthia's face.
"You won't need a ticket. Just come"
"Oh...See you there, then."
"Deal."
Her next opponent would be none other than Wallace, the Champion of Hoenn.
That was the appeal of the Emerald League.
Every participant was at least Gym Leader caliber. Every battle was fought under full six-on-six rules, and every match featured elite trainers at the peak of the Pokémon world.
While the Pokémon World Championships showcased incredible talent, the overall quality of battles still fell slightly short of the Emerald League.
Since the league's opening in early February, public interest had remained consistently high.
"What about Milotic?" Austin asked. "Should I send her back?"
Cynthia gently shook her head.
"Not yet. She can stay with you for now."
At the moment, both Cynthia's Braviary and Milotic were practically living at Austin's place.
. . .
The following morning, the Breeding House welcomed an important delivery.
"We're here with the Pokémon shipment."
After presenting their identification, a transport vehicle rolled through the front gates. The delivery staff unloaded a three-tier transport crate. Each shelf held eight Poké Balls.
"Eight Turtwig, eight Piplup, and eight Eevee. Please verify the count."
The Turtwig and Piplup had been supplied at Alliance cost as part of the official starter breeding program.
The Eevee, however, were sold at standard breeder pricing.
Although all twenty-four Pokémon were still in their basic evolutionary stages, each had already reached breeding maturity.
Healthy, mature Pokémon naturally became more receptive to breeding when they felt safe, well-fed, and comfortable in their environment.
A breeder's job was to create those conditions by providing proper nutrition, spacious habitats, and carefully matched partners.
Even then, success was never guaranteed.
Temperament, compatibility, habitat preferences, health, and countless other factors could determine whether a pair accepted one another.
That was where a skilled breeder truly proved their worth.
"Austin, Dai Yui, Mizuki, come take a look!"
Leon and Amanda handled the paperwork with the delivery staff while Austin and the others checked each Pokémon individually.
"Got it."
Since he knew nothing about their personalities yet, Austin released them one at a time.
"Come on out, Piplup."
"Piplup!"
The little penguin immediately puffed out its chest, planted its flippers on its hips, and looked proudly at Austin.
Austin couldn't help smiling.
Confident already, huh?
Most Piplup possessed an unusually strong sense of pride.
It reminded him of Dawn's famous partner.
One well-placed Aura Sphere would probably knock that pride down a peg.
Austin activated his appraisal ability.
Name: Piplup
Type: Water
Ability: Torrent (Boosts the power of Water-type moves when HP is low.)
Moves: Water Gun, Pound, Growl
Strength Rating: Iron (Intermediate)
Overall, the Piplup was fairly ordinary, aside from one obvious trait.
It was overflowing with confidence.
Austin smiled as he watched the little Penguin Pokémon puff out its chest with unmistakable pride.
Healthy confidence was actually a good sign for Piplup.
Most Piplup were naturally proud Pokémon. They disliked relying on others and preferred accomplishing things through their own efforts, even if accepting help would have been easier.
Of course, that was only a general tendency.
Just like humans, every Pokémon has its own personality. Even two Piplup raised under identical conditions could grow into completely different individuals.
Nearby, Dai Yui was enthusiastically inspecting a Turtwig.
Rather than examining it, however, he had lifted the poor Pokémon high above his head, causing all four of its legs to paddle frantically through the air.
Austin pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Dai Yui... you're supposed to inspect it, not show it off."
"Huh?"
"The important things are its overall physique, shell condition, coloration, muscle development, vitality, and general health."
"...Right."
Reluctantly, Dai Yui lowered the Turtwig back onto the ground, earning an indignant glare from the Grass-type Pokémon.
A short distance away, Mizuki worked with practiced efficiency.
She had already prepared a detailed inspection sheet and was checking each Pokémon methodically.
Unlike Austin, who examined them individually, she released the Eevee in pairs to observe how they interacted with one another.
"Eevee!"
"Eevee!"
The breeding area quickly filled with cheerful cries.
Some approached each other with playful curiosity, while others immediately began exploring their surroundings.
Mizuki crouched beside them, offering Pokémon food from her palm.
The Eevee accepted it calmly, showing neither fear nor aggression.
She made another note.
Temperament: Excellent.
Social behavior: Stable.
Not far away, several customers watched the inspection with interest.
One woman couldn't help smiling.
"They're so adorable."
"I want an Eevee too."
Despite the excited voices around them, none of the Eevee became startled.
They continued eating peacefully, occasionally rubbing against Mizuki's hand.
She nodded in satisfaction.
Another checkmark went onto her clipboard.
Near the viewing area, one curious customer asked Daniella,
"What are you all doing?"
Daniella offered her usual welcoming smile.
"We're beginning our official breeding program. At the moment, we're starting with Eevee, Piplup, and Turtwig."
The customer nodded thoughtfully.
"Eevee makes sense."
His companion added,
"They're expensive, though. Why not breed something like Cherubi or Sunkern instead? Those are much more affordable."
Daniella kept her professional smile.
"Thank you for the suggestion. I'll be sure to pass it along to the boss."
In reality, that had never been part of the plan.
The Black Crest specialized in producing healthy, carefully raised Pokémon with excellent temperaments and breeding potential.
Species like Cherubi and Sunkern were already plentiful throughout Sinnoh's forests and fields. Trainers who wanted one could often find them without much difficulty.
A licensed breeding house offered something different.
Every Pokémon was carefully selected, medically examined, properly socialized, and raised by parents with stable temperaments and desirable traits.
Provided, of course, it was a reputable breeding house.
That was also why the Pokémon League partnered with trusted breeders when supplying starter Pokémon to new Trainers.
Most ten-year-olds beginning their journeys had no experience evaluating a Pokémon's health, temperament, or breeding quality.
Not everyone could be someone like Red or Blue.
After completing the final inspection, Austin looked toward his dad and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Everything checks out."
"Great work."
Leon smiled, signed the delivery documents, and shook hands with the League representative.
The transfer was complete.
From this moment onward, all twenty-four Pokémon officially belonged to the Black Crest.
The Piplup, Eevee, and Turtwig would all be raised in spacious free-range habitats designed to encourage natural behavior.
Of course, "free-range" did not mean unrestricted freedom.
Each species had its own secure section within the ranch, allowing them plenty of room to roam while ensuring they remained safe and comfortable.
Austin clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone."
"Let's help our newest residents settle into their new homes."
. . .
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