On the night of the 9th, Owen spoke with his parents about his upcoming trip. Though they were naturally worried, hearing that a teacher from the school would be accompanying him eased their anxiety. They simply reminded Owen and Eevee to stay safe on the road.
Identification... wound medicine... water... changes of clothes...
Mr. Lee hadn't specified exactly how many days they would be gone, but he advised Owen to pack as if he were going on a long-term tour. Owen complied, packing everything necessary.
On Eevee's side, the packing was simpler: the Silk Scarf, the Soothe Bell, and two smartphones. Magnemite, meanwhile, packed several disposable batteries to serve as "dry rations" for emergencies.
The Next Day.
"Mr. Lee," Owen called out as he met the teacher.
This time, he and Magnemite were incredibly lucky. To put it in perspective, the amount of money Leo spent to hire a Professional Breeder to teach Munchlax a single move was usually measured in tens of thousands of dollars.
"This opportunity was secured for you by the Fairview Trainer Association, and the provincial headquarters approved it," Mr. Lee explained with a smile.
He was carrying a large backpack and led Owen toward the interior of the Pokémon Center. "I will serve as your Training guide and draft the evolution plan for your Magnemite."
"By the way, the Fairview Trainer Association is providing a private vehicle for the entire trip. We'll go register first, but before we leave, let me see how much progress your Magnemite has made lately."
"Alright," Owen nodded.
Inside the association building, Mr. Lee and Owen handled some paperwork and gave Magnemite a comprehensive physical examination.
Holding the report, Mr. Lee took Owen to a backyard room and asked him to demonstrate some of Magnemite's moves.
Thunderbolt, Reflect, Light Screen, Gravity, Magnet Bomb, Electromagnetic Wave, Hidden Power...
"This is better than I expected!" Mr. Lee remarked, looking at the move performance and the medical report. "There's a very high probability that Magnemite will evolve during this trip."
"Mag-neee?!" Magnemite's eye sparkled.
Evolution...
The image of a Magneton flashed through its mind. Once it evolved, there would be three of it. Even with a Substitute, Eevee would only be two. No matter how you looked at it, it would be the superior one!
"Your Magnemite's body can handle much more electricity than its current limit, which might be related to its high mental energy," Mr. Lee noted. "In fact, it might even grasp the Thunder move during this process!"
Actually... I think it's because it eats those appetizer Grey Poké-blocks like they're candy, Owen thought privately.
According to the medical results, Magnemite's current condition was perfect for absorbing electricity beyond its limits to boost its strength.
While this could be done in a regular charging room, Mr. Lee insisted that the Electric Wilderness would yield better results. Challenging natural lightning was a key step in the evolution plan.
"It's essentially the difference between a flower in a greenhouse and a poplar tree that has weathered wind and rain," Mr. Lee said seriously.
"It's like the legend of the 'Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate.' Have you heard of it? It represents striving and forging ahead.
When a Magikarp challenges the waterfall's current, it's a challenge to itself. When a weak body challenges nature, its will, energy activity, and even life fluctuations are affected.
Failing the challenge means heavy injury, but succeeding leads to an elevation of its life stage—evolution."
"Charging rooms are gentle because businesses prioritize the Pokémon's comfort, so the results are inevitably weaker. That's fine for daily training, but if you want to stimulate a Pokémon's potential for evolution, you have to face some risks."
Mr. Lee spoke sternly, looking for any sign of hesitation in Owen or Magnemite. But both were ready. Especially Magnemite—its past experiences of being unable to fly and being rejected by its own kind had given it an extraordinary resolve.
It wanted to be the strongest Magnemite, Magneton, and eventually, Magnezone!
"If I want to be a Professional Trainer, I'll definitely face risks in the future," Owen said.
"That's for sure... the Professional Trainer exam will be far more dangerous than this," Mr. Lee replied.
Though he hadn't taken the exam himself, as a Professional Breeder, he had dealt with many who had. "So, if we don't even dare to accept this challenge, we can forget about being professionals."
"Magnemite, are you scared?"
"Mag-neee!!" Magnemite nodded. It was scared.
"..." Owen.
"Mag-neee! Mag-neee!" Magnemite added. Even if I'm scared, I'm going to do it.
Mr. Lee saw they were truly prepared and stopped his warnings. He was mostly testing them; he wouldn't have recommended this if the danger were truly excessive.
This area is known by trainers as the Electric Wilderness. Lightning strikes here almost constantly, and rainstorms occur frequently. The environment is harsh.
Fortunately for trainers, the lightning strikes here follow a very predictable pattern. Moreover, the different intensities of lightning are distributed quite evenly.
As long as one understands the pattern, it isn't a "Danger Zone," but a "Treasure Land"—the ultimate location for nurturing Electric-type Pokémon.
Plain City.
Owen and Mr. Lee arrived here the following day. After registering at the local Pokémon Center, they contacted the administrators of the Electric Wilderness.
Because it was a border region, it wasn't guarded by the Trainer Association's Ranger Line, but rather by trainers from the military and police systems.
"I'm Syrox." Since the Fairview Association had applied for them, the local office had been notified and assigned them a guide. Syrox was one of the administrators—not a Professional Trainer, but a veteran who had been tempered by countless battles.
His tanned skin and the sharp, steady gaze in his eyes made it clear he was a man with stories to tell.
"I'm Mr. Lee." Mr. Lee shook his hand and handed over their credentials.
"Hello. Welcome to Plain City." Syrox forced a slight smile; he seemed like the type who didn't smile often. He looked at Owen. "So, young man, you're the primary trainer entering the Wilderness? What kind of Pokémon do you have?"
"A Magnemite," Owen replied.
"Magnemite... I see. Well, good luck." Syrox nodded. "I'll go over the safety precautions with you, prepare your insulated suits and equipment, and grant you access, but I won't be entering with you."
"Understood," Mr. Lee said. He had entered the Electric Wilderness before and knew the protocol. With him along, Owen didn't even need to hire a bodyguard.
As for the safety inside, there wasn't much to worry about. Some of the powerful Electric Pokémon there were released by Professional Trainers; they wouldn't attack unprovoked and often helped people. Other than that, the wild Pokémon were mostly around the same level as Magnemite.
Furthermore, there were special outposts and patrolling trainers inside.
"When can we leave?" Owen asked.
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