"I've gone bankrupt..."
"Sigh... The more Pokémon I raise, the more resources they consume... and I even had to bulk-buy materials just to practice making Pokéblocks."
Sieg stared at his account balance, less than 100,000 Pokédollars, and seriously considered whether it was time to sell off a batch of his Pokéblocks.
With every new addition to his team, expenses skyrocketed. His transaction history was packed with purchases made solely for his Pokémon.
Weighted gear for training Murkrow's flying endurance.
Sandbags for Crawdaunt to practice with its pincers.
A portable auto-deployable water basin for Sharpedo.
Even Eevee, the one who should've been relatively cheap to care for, had a long list of expenses. Snacks, Poké Puffs, biscuits, plushies... all of it added up quickly.
"I've got quite a hoard of Pokéblocks stockpiled," Sieg muttered to himself. "Maybe it's time to unload a batch."
Recently, he had been practicing a variety of new Pokéblock recipes, most with strange and unique effects. Aside from the ones he used daily, the rest were definitely worth considering for sale.
Sieg packed them neatly into exquisite boxes and murmured, "But this time, I can't go to the black market. Better stick to official shops or the Breeders' Guild."
Sure, black market prices were higher, but frequenting it too often wasn't a wise long-term strategy.
On the outside, Sieg's main sources of income came from the Petalburg Gym and an investment from the Joy family. But anyone who dug even a little deeper would notice the discrepancy between his spending and reported earnings.
It had become urgent to forge a clean, legitimate transaction record.
Rustboro was a massive city, and without following the navigation from the Pokédex, it would've been nearly impossible to find the Pokémon store he was looking for.
He entered a bustling department building.
Immediately, his eyes locked onto the most eye-catching store on the first floor. A brilliant blue storefront with a Poké Ball symbol stood out like a lighthouse.
Looking around at the crowds bustling within the building, Sieg couldn't help but exclaim, "The owner of this place must be making a fortune every single day..."
A flicker of envy stirred in his heart.
He walked toward the shop, and as he approached, the door automatically slid open, a sign of just how technologically advanced and lively Rustboro truly was.
Inside, the store was rather calm. Only a few staff members in uniform were arranging merchandise.
The shelves were filled with a dizzying variety of items. Sieg quickly spotted the latest model of Dream Balls from the Devon Corporation.
"Welcome!" a staff member greeted as they walked over to offer assistance.
Sieg politely declined, stating that he was just browsing and wasn't in a rush to sell his Pokéblocks.
He wandered through the shop, examining all the products and getting a rough idea of current Pokéblock prices and market trends.
Only after his reconnaissance did he approach the counter and spoke to the clerk on duty. "I'm a breeder. I wonder if your shop is interested in purchasing Pokéblocks?"
He pulled out his bronze breeder's badge and presented it to the clerk.
Of course, an ordinary employee couldn't make decisions of that scale, so they quickly `called for the shop owner.
A tall, lean man with a well-groomed beard stepped out.
"Thank you, esteemed breeder, for placing your trust in our store. Would you mind if I called for an appraiser?"
The shop owner was warm and respectful, clearly holding breeders in high regard.
Sieg nodded. Before long, an elderly man wearing bifocals walked in. Judging by his demeanor, he was clearly a professional appraiser.
"There's nothing wrong with these Pokéblocks," the man said after careful inspection. "The energy content is full, the color is rich and vibrant... Whoever made these, even among junior breeders, is clearly elite."
His sharp gaze betrayed a hint of admiration as he set his tools down.
With the appraisal complete, the shop owner no longer had any doubts and began negotiating the price with Sieg.
"Let's say... 1.4 million. And I'll also spend some of it here buying supplies."
Sieg made his final offer. These Pokéblocks, originally valued at around 1.3 million, had now gone up in price again.
"Deal!" the owner agreed, gritting his teeth.
A haul of this quality was rare. Even if they sold it off piece by piece, they would still make a hefty profit.
What truly impressed him, though, was the sheer variety of Pokéblocks and their unique effects.
Most breeders typically specialized in only two or three Pokéblock types to refine their skills.
But Sieg's Pokéblocks had all sorts of quirky, unconventional functions, which could give the shop a massive boost in reputation.
Some could help Pokémon groom and thicken their fur.
Some could make Pokémon gain weight and bulk up rapidly.
Some enhanced physical flexibility.
They were niche, sure, but for specific species, their benefits were invaluable.
After signing the contract and confirming everything with the bank, Sieg walked out with a massive pile of Pokédollars in his account.
"I'll take that pair of Black Glasses, please. Could you wrap it for me?"
Sieg had finally made his choice: a rare accessory that increased Dark-type moves by 8%.
It even came with an official certificate from a trusted appraisal agency.
Typically, basic items had power boosts ranging from 5% to 15%. Anything under 5% was considered defective, prone to breaking, or losing its effect entirely.
Anything above 15% was deemed a rare item, and with every 1% increase, its price would double.
The former were generally unpopular in the market, while the latter were practically monopolized by elite families and collectors.
However, there had been a curious exception reported in the news recently. A piece of gear with only 0.1% boost hadn't broken and could still be used by a Pokémon.
Eventually, an anonymous tycoon bought it at a mind-blowing price, reportedly for their private collection.
Sieg bought some additional basic materials, nutrient solutions and standard ingredients, totaling more than a million Pokédollars.
The newly-acquired funds had once again been halved, and his account balance dropped below 500,000.
Back at his room in the Pokémon Center, Sieg released his team one by one.
Little Eevee had already been dying to taste the newest Poké Puff flavors. Her tiny fuzzy paws tugged at Sieg's pants, begging for snacks.
"Alright, alright, don't rush, here you go~" Sieg said fondly.
Smiling helplessly, he reached into his spatial backpack and handed the treats to Eevee.
These specially cooked Poké Puffs were not only edible for humans but were beloved by Pokémon too.
Sieg himself wasn't too into gourmet food, so most of the Puffs he bought from the bakery were for Eevee alone.
Even the usually aloof Murkrow knew by now, Eevee was an insatiable little glutton.
"Here, Sharpedo. Absorb this into your body."
Carefully, Sieg took out the Black Glasses and brought them close to Sharpedo.
As the item neared the Pokémon, a mysterious energy stirred.
Sharpedo's body resonated with the glasses, and in a flash of light, the item slipped from Sieg's fingers and flew directly into Sharpedo's mouth.
He swallowed it whole!
Sieg flinched in shock, thank goodness this was an intended method of use for such special items.
Moments later, Sharpedo's body trembled slightly, and a thread of sinister Dark-type energy leaked from his razor-sharp teeth.
Behind him, a ghostly projection of the Black Glasses shimmered into view.
Like a true tyrant of the seas.