Pokémon Court

Chapter 26: Getting Along

Outside the residence Terrance chose, there was a large sturdy tree stump that he happened to come across in the forest and happily brought back with him.

At the moment, Swablu was nestled in Terrance’s palm, quietly allowing Terrance to observe it. To train a Pokémon, understanding is the first step for both Trainers and Breeders. They must have a clear understanding of their Pokémon’s future role and growth.

Once Swablu grows up, relying solely on the move “Peck” to conquer the world is not feasible. “Peck” is at best a catalyst for Swablu’s development at the moment and a transitional move during the process of enhancing its current strength. It is destined to be phased out for Swablu in future.

Before that, Terrance consulted a lot of information about Swablu. Currently, newly hatched Swablu only knows a few moves it can successfully use.

“Peck,” “Growl,” and “Feather Dance.” Like most newly hatched Pokémon, the repertoire of moves is pathetically limited.

Therefore, for now, Terrance can only begin training with the move “Peck.”

Prior to that, Terrance helped Swablu with flight training. As a Pokémon capable of flying, it must quickly become proficient in flying. Although it will become instinctual as Swablu grows, time is of the essence now, so Terrance has no choice but to make it one of the main tasks.

Additionally, physical training is also essential. This training plays a crucial role for the majority of Pokémon and cannot be neglected.

Currently, Swablu has just hatched, and the best form of physical training for it is to continuously flap its wings and fly around, which will greatly aid in its growth.

Furthermore, as for the training of the move “Peck,” the large tree stump that Terrance brought back was for this purpose.

In the beginning, Swablu’s fledgling beak could only leave a small white mark on the stump, lacking any destructive power.

However, with continued use, the glow emanating from its beak gradually strengthened, giving Terrance hope.

Swablu truly did not disappoint Master Victor, who gave its potential excellent evaluation. After using the simple move “Peck” a dozen or so times, noticeable progress could already be seen. Although it was still far from being able to use it flawlessly, it indirectly indicates that Swablu’s rate of improvement is quite good.

After training for a certain period of time, Swablu needs to replenish its nutrition in order to keep up with this rapid pace of progress…

“No need to be anxious. Relax and carefully feel the changes in energy,” Terrance reassured Swablu, who looked at him with a wronged expression after failing to successfully use the move “Peck” and crashing into the tree stump.

…

…

Because Swablu had only recently hatched and couldn’t endure high-intensity training, Terrance stopped the training after it made some progress. 

It was still the first day of Swablu’s training, and although time was limited, he shouldn’t put too much load on its body.

Apart from training, Terrance would also have heart-to-heart conversations with Swablu.

Lying on the ground, gazing at the blue sky, Swablu was perched on Terrance’s body. They stayed like that, peacefully indulging in a fleeting moment of relaxation.

As they chatted, Terrance began recounting his own experiences to Swablu.

“… And so, Grandma Arlan brought me to the Old Green House.”

“… And a year ago, I encountered Beautifly. It started as a Wurmple, much like the little fellow you just battled…”

“….What do you think everyone is doing now?”

“It has been quite a while since I left the Old Green House…”

“But right now, it’s not yet time to return. If there’s a chance, I will definitely introduce you to everyone at the Old Green House.”

Terrance recounted his experiences to Swablu, sharing every detail, with Swablu earnestly listening. Sometimes, Terrance would discuss their future, and no matter how difficult it sounded, Swablu would respond confidently, whether it understood or not.

“Ah, it’s getting late. It’s time to prepare something to eat.”

After chatting for a long time, both of them were still not satisfied and wanted to talk more. However, Terrance’s rumbling stomach reminded him that he needed to prepare food.

Terrance felt that the food he cooked was quite good. He wondered if it was the result of his cooking practice in previous life or the experience gained from taking care of the children at the Old Green House or it could also be due to the high-quality ingredients in this world.

After he was done with everything, night was already approaching. It was the third night since Terrance arrived on Mt. Chimney, and this marked the end of their first day together.

After a day of getting to know Swablu, Terrance had a general understanding of its situation. In preparation for tomorrow’s special training, Terrance planned to be even more thorough and meticulous, with more intense tasks than today.

For the initial training, Terrance intended to have Swablu focus on training, while delaying actual battles for later.

Moreover, Terrance also had no intention of relaxing. He had some books prepared by Master Victor, which would help him make good use of his spare time.

From now on, Terrance had begun preparing for the Intermediate Breeder exam. The Intermediate Breeder exam was also held once a year, but compared to the Junior Breeder exam, the Intermediate exam did not introduce any new content. Instead, it imposes restrictions or provides further extensions to the existing material for the examinee. In other words, if a newly passed Junior Breeder participated in the Intermediate exam, it wouldn’t end in a miserable failure. However, the core of the Intermediate exam was to select the best among the best. If they weren’t outstanding, the quota would not be relaxed under any circumstances.

With the Intermediate Breeder qualification, Terrance could apply to the League to run a Day Care. The most important requirement for running a Day Care was to possess knowledge at the Intermediate Breeder level or higher.

Of course, there were also some “unofficial” Day Care centers in the community, mostly privately run. Although it didn’t affect them from operating, they lacked the trust that came with having legal credentials from the League. In terms of reputation, standards, and choice of trust, Day Care centers without legitimate League certification were not considered reliable.

Furthermore, as Trainers increased in number, there were often Day Care centers established for the purpose of defrauding Pokémon, causing severe damage to the reputation of the industry. Therefore, the League was considering raising the threshold for running a Day Care, making it an exclusive work for Breeders.

If Junior Breeder was just a starting point, then Intermediate Breeder has the capital to monetize their knowledge.

“Let’s rest.” Closing his notebook, Terrance smiled at Swablu, who was still by his side. He could tell that Swablu was tired after a day of training, but it couldn’t fall asleep peacefully due to him.

So, Terrance put down his notebook and lay down as well.