The next morning, at dawn.
Sieg woke up early. After preparing simple meals for his Pokémon, he began grooming himself.
Standing in front of the mirror, he carefully combed his messy hair. Through the reflection, he studied his own face.
At 1.78 meters tall, he stood above average for a seventeen-year-old, with clear signs that he hadn't finished growing yet.
Though he wasn't handsome in a classical sense, his clean and youthful appearance carried a quiet charm. The combination of gentle features and a fresh, boyish look made him quite likable at first glance.
When he smiled, he seemed no different from an ordinary young trainer. But the moment his face grew blank, there was a cold sharpness in his eyes, a kind of ruthless edge that sent chills down one's spine.
On Sieg's face, there was none of the impulsive recklessness typical for boys his age. No hot-blooded fire, no wild ambition, only calm focus.
"Come on, Eevee, let's go~"
He called softly, and Eevee leapt onto his shoulder with practiced ease. After one final check of his belongings, Sieg stepped out of the room.
He made his way to the Pokémon Center's cafeteria, since it was close to his hotel, and quickly finished his breakfast. As he passed the front desk, he smiled politely and greeted Chloé, noticing the slight gloom in her expression.
Sieg pretended not to see it, maintaining his calm demeanor as he left the Pokémon Center.
Walking toward the trainer academy, he greeted a few enthusiastic townsfolk along the way. Sieg responded to each one, never rude, yet keeping an invisible distance.
When he arrived once again at the gates of the extravagant academy, he couldn't help but feel a moment of dissonance.
It wasn't the grandeur of the school that unsettled him, but rather what he had just passed. Only half an hour's walk away, the slums still lingered in his mind.
How could a majestic academy like this and a dirty, chaotic slum exist in the same city, so close to each other?
The contrast between the two scenes lingered in his heart, stirring a complicated feeling deep inside.
But there was no time to dwell on it. A staff member soon came to escort him inside.
As Sieg entered the school grounds, the students took notice. Curiosity filled their eyes as they looked at him, especially the girls who seemed rather fond of what they saw.
He even caught some ridiculous comments floating through the air.
"Wow, that Eevee is so cute!"
"Right? I think it's adorable too! I'm gonna ask my grandpa to get me one just like it!"
"Don't worry, you two. My family owns a breeding facility. After class, swing by and pick whichever you like. I'll gift you each two Pokémon, free of charge!"
Hearing the students casually treat valuable Pokémon as if they were worthless Caterpie crawling by the roadside, Sieg couldn't help but feel a little disgusted.
This world was twisted, far more than it let on.
In this world, children began studying Pokémon knowledge at the age of twelve, once their minds had matured enough.
Then at sixteen, if they came from rich families, they would receive their first Pokémon. From there, their paths diverged, some joined the traveler's path, others took the academic route.
The academic types, like these students around Sieg, usually preferred not to take risks. Many of them could rely on status or simply pay a hefty sum to attend elite schools like this one.
As long as they graduated successfully, they could obtain a recommendation letter from the school and attend the League Conference without ever needing to collect badges.
The traveler's path, on the other hand, consisted of both elite adventurers and common folk, like the classic shorts-wearing boys and bug-catchers trying their luck.
Among these mud-splattered trainers, only a rare few managed to claw their way up, rising above the masses and standing out in the crowd.
Most would perish in the wild, lost in the unforgiving terrain. And even those who survived, after wasting away years of their youth, would eventually be forced to face reality.
Sure, there were tons of jobs that weren't related to Pokémon breeding and battling, but even then, you still needed Pokémon.
Working at a Construction site wasn't possible without an Onix, Gurdurr or Conkeldurr.
Same goes for an office job, which you can't get without at least having any Electro- or Fairy-Type.
This world relied too heavily on Pokémon, which resulted in an existential crisis for anyone who couldnt nurture and raise a Pokémon necessary for a specific job.
Of course, a small number refused to accept the rules set in stone by the League.
Some would turn toward the shadows, joining underground organizations. Others would become smugglers, crossing between cities and regions as Pokémon hunters, risking everything for a chance to escape their fate.
In this twisted world, the path of darkness was sometimes the only ladder left that allowed one to break through the chains of their class.
After all, the vast majority of people simply couldn't afford to raise a Pokémon.
Purchasing the lowest-tier Caterpie only cost a few Pokédollars.
But it was the long-term cost of raising and nurturing them that became the real burden, often several times the value of the Pokémon itself.
Being able to buy a Pokémon didn't mean much, only those who could afford to raise one truly counted.
Was this world truly fair?
If one looked at the League's structure, the answer became painfully clear.
Trainers from influential families had their paths laid out long before they even knew how to walk.
Starting from the age of six, their parents paid an annual deposit of 200,000 Pokédollars until they turned sixteen. In return, they earned official League status and the privilege of receiving a starter Pokémon from the League's mainline.
These individuals would either study in prestigious schools or embark on carefully arranged journeys. No matter the route, they would eventually become the backbone of the League, each of them another nail hammered tightly into the unshakeable system the League had built.
Sieg looked at the bright, eager smiles of the academy students, his thoughts drifting back to the starving child he had seen earlier on the way here, huddled in the slums and on the verge of death.
There was no pity in Sieg's heart, and no envy either.
All he felt was gratitude.
Gratitude for having crossed into this world with memories of a past life, and for being literate.
Gratitude for being able to become a pirate, rather than living a dull, oppressed life under the League's rule.
Gratitude for meeting the enigmatic Metako, who took him in as a disciple and gave him something more precious than any treasure in this world, knowledge.
Gratitude for saving May, which earned him the favor of Mr. Norman and brought investment from the Petalburg Gym, breaking the League's information lockdown on him.
Gratitude for catching the attention of the Joy family and receiving their support, climbing aboard the League's massive, crumbling ship.
Even if that ship was clearly rotting at the edges, it still sailed with a shocking stability, steadily cutting through the ocean's waves.
"Eevee ee~!"
Eevee's cheerful cry snapped Sieg out of his thoughts, and he quickened his pace to follow the staff member leading the way.
As they walked deeper into the academy, buildings previously restricted to visitors began appearing in his view.
A long path stretched out before them, with flowerbeds flanking both sides, filled with blossoms that gave off strange, exotic scents.
Sieg even spotted one or two rare medicinal herbs among them, and for a moment, a strong urge to pluck them surged in his chest.
At the center of the path stood a wide, ornate fountain. A grand statue of a Ludicolo stood in the middle, joyfully spouting water from its mouth, and beneath the surface of the pool, several Luvdisc swam lazily about.
Eventually, Sieg was brought to a lavishly decorated academic building. The overall design leaned toward a somber, darker palette, clearly reflecting Rustboro City's architectural style.
Eevee, cradled comfortably in Sieg's arms, looked around with curious eyes, its small head peeking out and its bright gaze darting around the surroundings.
"Sir, your Eevee has been raised wonderfully!"
The walk had felt unusually long, with no end in sight.
The staff member leading him seemed to sense the lull in conversation and turned around, striking up a chat with Sieg.
Sieg glanced up, mildly surprised.
"I hadn't expected a school staff member to be knowledgeable about Pokémon care. Well, what else should I have expected from a trainer academy?"
"Not at all, you're too kind," the man said with a humble chuckle. "I've worked here for over ten years, so I've picked up a few things by being around it all the time. Just know a little here and there."
Sieg gave a small nod, thoughtful as they neared the end of the corridor. Something deeper stirring within his heart.