The Underdome of Pyrite Town was comprised of numerous subterranean sectors.
Among them were many neutral districts where foreign merchants peddled various items unseen elsewhere in Pyrite. Trading Pokémon was merely one of their primary business ventures.
Otsuka seemed well-acquainted with the area, but he didn't lead Kashiwagi to some shady hole-in-the-wall. Instead, he pinpointed a very ordinary-looking, mid-sized shop right in the middle of a bustling Pokémon trade street.
"My dad is on good terms with the owner here. The prices might not be dirt cheap, but the quality is guaranteed to be high. They're also relatively 'clean'—not the stolen kind. I bought my Sandshrew here."
A Sandshrew?
As Otsuka chatted away, Kashiwagi recalled that rather large Ground-type. While size wasn't the ultimate metric for a Pokémon's strength, within the same species, a larger specimen was usually sturdier and more capable.
"Ho! A rare guest! Otsuka, what brings you here today?"
A short, stout man had just finished a conversation with another customer. Seeing the two enter, he greeted them with a beaming smile.
Otsuka replied, "Uncle Maruyama, I brought you a big client today. You've got new stock in, right?"
"Of course! Your Uncle Maruyama never lets a customer down... and this young man must be the buyer?" Maruyama looked toward Kashiwagi.
Kashiwagi gave a slight nod. "Hello."
"Hahaha, how polite! I like young men like you," Maruyama laughed heartily. "Do you want to browse around first, or—"
"Take us straight to the warehouse!" Otsuka cut in hurriedly, then turned to whisper an explanation to Kashiwagi. The Pokémon displayed out front looked decent, but most were just "window dressing."
Kashiwagi glanced around, feeling as though he had walked into a pet shop. However, unlike the dazed cats and dogs of his previous life that would bark incessantly at any passerby, the eyes of these Pokémon looked far more spirited and intelligent.
He withdrew his gaze.
Shortly after, Maruyama led them to the back of the shop into a warehouse-like space. As the owner flipped the overhead lights on, the large cages—mostly draped in black cloth—immediately erupted with the sounds of thumping and cries.
"Hear that? They're full of energy!"
Maruyama gave a sly grin and turned around. "So, young man, what are you looking for? Any preferred types? Price range?"
"...What's the most valuable thing you have here?"
Kashiwagi fixed his eyes on him. "Can I ask?"
"Of course! We accept any inquiries regarding business!"
Maruyama led the way, and the two followed until they stopped before a massive cage.
He lifted a corner of the black cloth. Kashiwagi peered into the darkness, only to see a gaping maw reeking of sulfur lunge forward.
Bang!
The cage rattled.
Kashiwagi's expression didn't flicker. He saw an Arcanine inside, its face full of ferocity. With its fluffy golden fur and vivid tiger-stripe patterns, it looked exceptionally majestic and intimidating.
"This Arcanine's level isn't low, you know. That's why it's worth ten million!" Maruyama chuckled as he let the cloth fall back into place.
Ten million!
Even if Poké-dollars were valued similarly to Yen, that was a staggering figure.
"...What about something around one million?" Kashiwagi glanced at Otsuka as he spoke. Seeing that Otsuka was merely surprised rather than panicked, observing the Arcanine with a casual air, Kashiwagi felt a bit more at ease.
This guy is actually willing to lend me that much. How unexpected.
In fact, Otsuka probably had at least two million stuffed in his pockets; otherwise, he wouldn't be this calm.
Maruyama smiled and led them to another section. "In the one-million range, your options open up significantly. If you want my personal recommendation..."
He pulled back a cloth to reveal a large, brown-skinned mole with red markings, sharp claws, and a massive, drill-like horn on its head.
"An Excadrill! Level 43! It might be a bit of a handful to control, but this species is top-tier. Its Sand Rush ability lets it feel right at home in the desert. They're very popular in Team Snagem!"
Maruyama suddenly gestured with exaggerated flair.
"And it knows seventeen different moves! High Horsepower! Do you know how strong High Horsepower is? It's a beast! Only 1.4 million! A fair price for a fair deal!"
Kashiwagi: "Level 43... do you have anything at a slightly lower level?"
"You prefer lower levels?"
Maruyama looked at him in surprise. Most customers wanted the strongest Pokémon possible—the higher the level and the more moves known, the more popular they were, and the higher the price tag.
Those asking for lower levels were usually trainers who enjoyed raising them from scratch.
But to train one to such a level and teach it so many moves required immense effort... it wasn't easy.
"I wouldn't personally recommend it, but if that's your preference..."
Maruyama walked a few meters further and lifted the edge of another cloth. "This Pokémon is considered perfect for rookie trainers in other regions. It should be right up your alley."
Kashiwagi looked inside to see a blue-skinned amphibian with a perpetually vacant expression.
"A Marshtomp. Level 21. Don't let the blank stare fool you; its physique is superior. It's got great strength and stands twenty centimeters taller than the species average. It knows ten moves. A bit on the lower side, but it has useful ones like Rock Slide and Water Pulse. I'll give it to you for 620,000."
Hmm... 620,000 for a Marshtomp...
Seeing Kashiwagi's neutral expression, Maruyama moved on, showcasing other Pokémon.
One had to admit the man was a silver-tongued salesman. He made every Pokémon sound so amazing that one would be tempted to empty their wallet on the spot. However, each seemed to have some hidden drawback.
For instance, the Excadrill's high level made it likely to be disobedient; the Marshtomp required frequent skin hydration, making it ill-suited for the harsh outdoors of Pyrite Town...
But the fundamental reason was that Kashiwagi simply didn't feel a "spark."
He didn't want to settle. This was a partner he would spend the rest of his life with; it was better to find one that felt right.
Otsuka, watching Kashiwagi's contemplative look, was reminded of his own indecisiveness when he bought his first Pokémon. He felt a bit nostalgic, though his budget back then certainly hadn't been this generous.
A million!
Even though it was his own money being spent, he couldn't help but feel a bit of heart-palpitation.
Just then.
Kashiwagi, who had been deep in thought with his head bowed, suddenly snapped his head up. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Otsuka looked bewildered. He hadn't heard a thing.
"No."
Kashiwagi suddenly walked toward a specific corner. Under Maruyama's stunned gaze, he pointed to a large iron cage. "What Pokémon is in there? How much?"
"How did you... ah, you must have heard its voice."
Maruyama pulled back the cloth to reveal a pink, oval-shaped creature sitting slumped inside, with a single egg tucked into its belly pouch.
"A Chansey. A Normal-type, level 30. It has excellent healing capabilities and is quite rare; in other regions, they are the exclusive assistants for Pokémon Centers. However, I wouldn't suggest buying this one."
"Why not?"
"Because it's completely unsuited for battle. It had already been returned twice by the time I took it in. It's proof that it's almost impossible to use in a fight."
"It's fine as a decorative pet... but you're with Team Snagem, right? Entering the match next week?" Maruyama gave a knowing smile. "Buying a rare Pokémon that can't fight isn't very cost-effective."
Kashiwagi looked into the cage and locked eyes with the slightly sorrowful-looking Chansey.
"Lucky..."
After a few seconds.
"I'll take it. How much?" He tapped the cage, causing the Chansey to jump up in a fright, looking at him with trepidation.
Otsuka: "Eh? Wait a second, are you sure you don't want to think about it?"
"Think about what? I like its cry, and I need a Pokémon like this," Kashiwagi waved him off.
In truth, getting a strange Pokémon to drop its guard and follow orders perfectly in just a few days was incredibly difficult—even his Aron couldn't manage that yet. It was better to consider other factors.
Besides, he had a few "special" ideas in mind.
"Ho! How decisive! This Chansey was priced at 1.1 million—don't think it's expensive, that's already a steal! But I admire a young man with your spirit. I'll give you a 20% discount. 880,000 and it's yours!"
Maruyama marveled as he whipped a calculator out of his pocket, frantically tapping away at simple multiplication and division. "Do you need anything else? Specialized Pokémon food, nutritional supplements, that sort of thing?"
"No need. Otsuka, pay the man!" Kashiwagi patted Otsuka, who dazedly pulled an envelope from his pocket and started counting out bills.
Nearly a million! Just like that!
Otsuka felt a pang of sympathy for Kashiwagi's wallet. He had assumed a Pokémon would cost 300,000 at most, but they had nearly hit the million mark.
Thankfully, his sister had told him to bring extra.
Clutching the cash, he saw Maruyama turn to go fetch some items and tried one last time to persuade his friend. "You won't have any combat power this way. What are you going to do on the day of the match? It's going to be dangerous!"
"Would having combat power make it less dangerous?" Kashiwagi glanced back at him. Seeing Otsuka fall silent, he turned his gaze back to Chansey. "Don't worry. I'll have you out of there in a second."
"Lucky..."
Chansey placed its small, stubby hands in front of the egg on its belly. It didn't look particularly happy. There was no telling how long it had been stuck in that cramped cage or what it had been through.
A few moments later.
Maruyama returned with a Poké Ball in one hand and various receipts and a health report in the other.
According to the stout merchant, selling a sick or weak Pokémon was unethical, and he "never" did such a thing.
Kashiwagi took his word for it and recalled the Chansey into the Poké Ball. He gave the ball two light taps. "Don't worry. I won't mistreat you. Just relax."
The two stepped out of the Pokémon shop.
"Anything else you want to buy? They have everything here. How about a game console?" Otsuka seemed to have a shopping addiction, constantly pitching various items.
Kashiwagi declined each one. What he wanted most right now was to find a safe place to check on his new Chansey and the Pokémon Ryuka had lent him.