"Because your age is close to that of our Academy students, your presence will naturally inspire them to compete harder," Chairwoman Geeta explained with her usual calm smile. "That kind of inspiration is invaluable, and you're a perfect fit for the role."
Gary crossed his arms thoughtfully. "And how would my schedule even work?"
"You'd only need to come once every quarter and stay for seven days," Geeta replied. "During that week, you'd battle with our students directly."
"Seven days, huh?" he echoed. "How many students do you even have here?"
"There are quite a few," Geeta admitted. "Naranja Academy has close to a thousand enrolled Trainers—perhaps eight hundred at minimum."
Gary's eyes widened. "Eight hundred? Even if I did one‑on‑one matches, I'd never finish unless I stopped sleeping and eating!"
Geeta chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. I won't make you battle every student. Only the top twenty will spar with you, the academy's elite group."
"That's still plenty," Gary muttered, doing the math in his head. "How many battles per day are you talking?"
"Three‑on‑three matches," Geeta answered. "That way, both you and your Pokémon can rest between bouts."
Gary nodded. "Makes sense. If it was full‑scale six‑on‑six battles, I'd barely survive the week."
"Indeed," she said with a knowing smirk. "Most of our students don't yet have full teams. Two or three Pokémon are common, four if they're experienced. Even reaching a full team of six is rare before graduation."
He considered that. "Alright. So roughly sixty opponents in total—manageable."
"Ms. Geeta," Gary said, "you realize my battle power will completely overwhelm the students. If I go all out, they won't learn much besides despair."
"You make a fair point," Geeta said, her violet eyes glinting. "But consider this—a spar isn't only about winning or losing. Even a short fight against a strong Trainer can spark new ideas. They'll learn far more than you think."
Gary sighed. "Maybe, but if I flatten them on the first move, that's not much of a lesson."
"Then," she said smoothly, "choose your teams accordingly. You may use weaker Pokémon or even newly captured ones for training. That, too, is a good experience for you as a trainer."
Gary smiled slightly at her perceptiveness. "Fair enough. I've got a few quasi‑Elite species I'm raising—they'll do nicely."
"Those should work," he murmured. "And maybe I'll let the big guns sit this one out."
Gary leaned back in his chair. "And for scheduling—how flexible is this?"
"Entirely up to you," Geeta said. "Simply notify my office before each quarterly session, and we'll align class timetables around your visit. As long as you arrive on time, everything else can be arranged."
"Alright," Gary said, relaxing a bit. "I can handle that."
"Good. Now, let's discuss your compensation."
Gary blinked. "Compensation?"
"Of course. Every instructor at Naranja Academy receives something equivalent to their value." Geeta tilted her head. "What would you like as your reward, Mr. Oak?"
Gary thought for a long moment. "There's something in Paldea I've been curious about—the Great Crater of Paldea, or as you call it, the Area Zero Cavern. Could you authorize me to explore it?"
Geeta's expression turned serious but intrigued. "Area Zero, hm? You've heard of the Pokémon that dwell there?"
Gary nodded. "Paradox Pokémon—ancient species adapted by unique energy. I've captured one from the Hoenn Region before—Great Tusk—and I want to study how others evolve."
Geeta crossed her arms thoughtfully. "That's not an easy request. Area Zero lies beneath the Paldea Crater, and its ecosystem is still under restricted research. But," she said finally, "for Professor Oak's grandson, I can make arrangements."
"You mean it?" Gary asked, eyes shining.
"Yes," Geeta replied. "But anything you discover must be recorded for the League's research team. Our scientists—and Professor Sada's legacy—would greatly appreciate any new data."
"Deal," Gary said immediately. "Transparency's fine by me."
He had no problem sharing findings; after all, it was their region. "So I just report anything unusual to your researchers and stay within the safe perimeter, right?"
"Exactly," she said. "The Great Crater's lower zones still resonate with Tera Energy we don't fully understand. It's the same energy responsible for Terastallization—a process that grants Pokémon their jewel‑like Tera forms."
"Tera Energy, huh," Gary mused. "Fascinating stuff. It's like evolution and crystallization combined."
"Indeed," Geeta said softly. "The deepest part, sometimes called Zero Lab, holds the source of that crystal power—what some call the Star Crystal Attribute. No type, yet encompassing all. An energy beyond standard typing."
Gary nodded thoughtfully. "So that's the connection to the 'Zero Area'. Sounds like a perfect study field."
"Then we're agreed," she said. "When you're ready, contact me directly, and we'll grant you clearance."
Gary smiled. "Perfect. Thank you, Chairwoman Geeta."
Actually, the Great Crater of Paldea is quite close to Mesagoza City, but Gary doesn't plan to enter it now; he has to hurry back to the Sinnoh region.
After all, there are still a few Legendary Pokémon in Sinnoh that he's planning to capture, and if he detours into the crater now, he'll regret it later if he misses the chance.
As their conversation drew to a close, Geeta extended her hand. "Then I won't keep you. Thank you for indulging my request."
"See you next time," Gary said warmly, shaking her hand.
Geeta smiled. "I'll look forward to our next sparring session."
After leaving Naranja Academy, Gary took a leisurely walk through Mesagoza's cobbled streets. The sun hung high overhead, casting warm light across the colorful market stalls. After the week's chaos, simply breathing the salty Paldean air felt refreshing.
As he crossed an intersection toward the Pokémon Center, he noticed a peculiar storefront nearby. A glossy sign above the entrance read:
"Cyclizar Hub—Authorized Distributor of Paldea's Living Motorcycles!"
Gary blinked. "Cyclizar…? Oh! Right, that's the native Dragon Pokémon here."
He stepped closer to watch a video playing on a display screen in the shop window. The footage featured a sleek, green, reptilian Pokémon with wheels forming naturally at its midsection. It accelerated across a hillside in a burst of joyous energy.
"Cyyy‑clizaaaar!" the creature cried, voice crisp like the wind rushing past.
"Not bad," Gary muttered. "That's one stylish ride."
Another clip showed the Cyclizar effortlessly scaling a rocky slope, its claws gripping stone as it used Rock Climb— just like a motorcycle for mountains, Gary mused. The video proudly advertised:
"Fast! Reliable! Eco‑friendly! Your Paldean Partner— Cyclizar!"
Reading further, Gary realized almost every household in Paldea kept a Cyclizar. Families used them as both transportation and companions.
"They're like living scooters," he said under his breath. "And cheaper than gas money."
According to the commercial, Cyclizar's body naturally absorbed sunlight, storing energy to maintain body temperature and speed. Because it disliked cold weather, it preferred to carry humans on its back—sharing warmth while running long distances.
What really surprised Gary was the adaptability it displayed: if food were ever scarce, Cyclizar could regenerate part of its tail. Historically, travelers supposedly cooked small shed tail pieces for sustenance during emergencies—though Gary grimaced at the thought. "I'll take sandwiches, thanks."
Another part of the demonstration showed a Cyclizar zipping through the city at full speed, then braking sharply before a crowd. Its claws dug into the ground with such precision that not even a pebble rolled out of place.