Kapitel 7: Chapter 7: Flying Higher
"I'm not." Hayato was momentarily stunned by the question before realizing what the other person meant.
This world had given birth to numerous professions centered around Pokémon. Besides Trainers aiming for the League Championships, there were also Coordinator Trainers focused on Contests, Breeders, Pokémon Doctors, Researchers, Rangers, and more.
A Trainer's job was simply to train Pokémon and engage in constant battles with them.
In comparison, a Breeder's work was much more complex.
As the name suggested, Breeders primarily aimed to nurture the finest Pokémon, considering not just feeding but also their daily living conditions.
Therefore, compared to Trainers, this specialized profession of Breeders was far more challenging.
In the anime, Brock once said that the Breeder profession involved many fields.
Making Pokémon food was just the most basic part of it.
Taking the game's Breeder settings as an example, they were individuals who could discern a Pokémon's innate talents and maximize each Pokémon's potential through careful nurturing.
This was also the main reason why this profession was so popular and respected.
However, behind this seemingly all-around capability lay fields like nutrition, medicine, botany, and pharmacology.
If an ordinary person started learning from scratch, they'd be lucky to earn the title of Novice Breeder.
Not to mention those elite Breeders who ran Day Cares and provided breeding services for Trainers.
Of course, this didn't mean Breeders were better than Trainers.
Human energy was limited—those specializing in breeding might lack in battle command, while those specializing in training might not be as professional in raising Pokémon.
But one thing was certain: those who became top-tier Trainers were often exceptionally skilled at raising Pokémon too.
After hearing Hayato's answer, the examiner was greatly disappointed. Had he expected too much?
As the first applicant to complete the second assessment, Hayato naturally became the first to enter the final test room.
The last item was an interview.
Upon entering, Hayato saw three people already seated at the podium.
The one in the middle was a white-haired, bespectacled old man. Seeing such a young child enter first, his face showed surprise.
A female teacher in professional attire beside him froze, then asked, "Little one, did you enter the wrong classroom?"
Hayato replied speechlessly, "...I didn't."
The female teacher hesitated, glancing at the elder beside her. "Principal, what should we do?"
Kiriyama Hideki, the principal of this Pokémon Elementary School, studied the boy standing before him and said, "Proceed as normal."
The female teacher nodded and explained the interview rules to Hayato: "For this test, you'll draw a question from this lottery box and share your perspective on it. We'll assess whether you're suitable to be a teacher at our school based on your response."
This primarily evaluated the applicant's logical thinking and improvisational skills.
Hayato had no objections. He stepped forward, reached into the box, and soon pulled out a red ball.
Opening it revealed a slip of paper with a question:
What are your thoughts on wild Braviary letting young Rufflet train alone in the forest?
Hayato paused.
He remembered a similar scene in the latest movie Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle.
In it, an injured Rufflet was treated by Koko and Zarude, only for Braviary to scold them afterward.
That segment mainly contrasted Zarude's paternal love for Koko.
Two completely different types of paternal love.
One was gentle protection, shielding the child from storms.
The other was deep and restrained, hoping the child would grow up quickly and fly higher.
With this in mind, Hayato organized his thoughts and spoke slowly: "I believe this is an expression of Braviary's paternal love for Rufflet."
The female teacher nodded thoughtfully. "Continue."
From the movie's plot, Hayato could roughly deduce the ecological behavior of Braviary in this world. He said:
"For wild Pokémon, danger can emerge in nature at any moment."
"If danger arises when Braviary isn't by Rufflet's side, the consequences are unimaginable."
"Therefore, Braviary uses this method to train Rufflet—to get accustomed to pain and grow stronger quickly."
"In nature, it's survival of the fittest. So Braviary has no choice but to do this."
Hearing this, the three examiners showed different reactions.
The female teacher on the left frowned. The principal Kiriyama in the middle looked approving. The male teacher on the right fell into deep thought.
The female teacher was the first to question: "Don't you find this reasoning cruel?"
Hayato smiled sheepishly. "But they have no other choice. Only this way can Rufflet fly higher and farther in the future."
The female teacher couldn't refute this.
Hayato added appropriately: "Of course, this is the adult perspective. For children, such words might seem harsh, so we should emphasize the paternal love element when explaining."
This needed no further elaboration—those present understood.
The female teacher looked at him strangely. "You seem very young."
Hayato: "..."
He said, "I just look young. I'm actually twelve."
Was there a difference?
The female teacher nearly asked but held back.
Then, Principal Kiriyama repeated, "'Survival of the fittest.'" He looked up with a satisfied smile. "A perfect answer. Congratulations—you've passed. If your first two tests are fine, you'll be hired."
"Principal..." The female teacher looked at the old man in shock. She wanted to say this violated rules and his age was unsuitable, but she was interrupted before speaking.
As if guessing her thoughts, Principal Kiriyama said, "Age isn't an issue. Education isn't an issue. I only know he has the capability and kindness toward children. These two qualities alone make him more suitable than those outside."
Then he turned to Hayato. "May I ask why you chose our school?"
Hayato hesitated before answering uncertainly, "To make a living?"
Female/Male Teacher: "???"
Principal Kiriyama, however, frowned. Noticing the boy's rough, cheap-looking clothes, he asked, "Do you have no family?"
Hayato awkwardly replied, "They passed away."
Without changing his expression, he repeated the story he'd told Officer Jenny, adding some details.
For instance, his nonexistent parents were actually knowledgeable Pokémon researchers, and he'd learned all this from accompanying them since childhood.
The three listeners were deeply moved. The female teacher angrily said, "What irresponsible parents!"
Principal Kiriyama sighed sympathetically.
(End of Chapter)
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein