Chapter 13: Thunderbolt Town, and the Agreement with Tatsuo  

Leaving the Pokémon Center, Kane said, "Let's go back." 

He didn't visit the black market today. Instead, he went straight home with the Ditto. Along the way, the ditto kept its head low, avoiding any eye contact with Kane. The atmosphere was tense and suffocating. 

"We're skipping dinner today," Kane stated firmly. 

Back at home, Kane sat down in a chair, watching as the confused ditto blinked at him. 

"Remember this: I'm your trainer, you're my Pokémon. We share honor and disgrace. If you make a mistake, I suffer with you. So, we also share punishment," Kane's words were strong and decisive. 

The ditto seemed to understand the meaning behind Kane's words. 

"Go get some Rest." 

This was the first time Kane rested this early, but he couldn't fall asleep in bed, his stomach reminding him of its emptiness. Still, it was worth it. From the look in the Ditto's eyes, Kane knew that this Pokémon would be loyal to him in the future. 

He fell asleep in a daze, waking up several times due to hunger, but his resolve remained firm. In his previous life as a Pokémon hunter, it was normal to sleep in the wild and sometimes go without food for days while tracking prey. However, in his current body, he still struggled with hunger due to his youthful physical limitations. 

By morning, Kane followed his normal routine—brushing his teeth and washing his face. 

"Come out, Ditto. You can eat now." 

He offered three bottles of milk no more. Despite skipping dinner, the punishment he gave ditto was meant to teach a lesson, not extend more food out of pity. 

He then made his way downstairs to the ATM. 

On his third attempt to guess the bank card password, he failed again. Kane was beginning to see that this strategy might not pan out as he'd hoped. He still had four more tries tomorrow, but his expectations were beginning to hit rock bottom. 

Next, he was headed back to Thunderbolt Town to visit the breeding house. 

This time, Kane arrived at Tatsuo's breeding house just as it was opening. 

Kane entered and greeted Tatsuo, who welcomed him with a cheerful expression. 

"Well, isn't it the young fellow from a few days ago? Kane, right? How's it going? Have you settled the work permit situation?" Tatsuo asked. 

"Not yet," Kane replied, shaking his head. 

"So, does that mean you're accepting my offer to take you in?" Tatsuo inquired, still smiling. 

"Mr. Tatsuo, I can tell you're a man of character, so I'd like to propose a deal," Kane said, cutting straight to the point. 

"A deal?" Tatsuo was puzzled. A child talking about deals seemed odd. 

"Yes, I have a method for matching Pokémon genomes that might be of interest. Would you take a look at it and see if it holds any value?" 

With that, Kane handed over the genetic compatibility chart he had prepared. 

It outlined a method where Venomoth and ariados could learn the move Fixate through inheritance. Beedrill and Ariados could inherit Twinneedle and Toxic Spikes through genetics, while Scolipede and Ariados could inherit Baton Pass and Superpower. 

Three generations of Ariados would inherit all these skills. 

"This is incredible! Ariados bred like this would be in high demand, possibly even catching the eye of the Pokémon League!" Tatsuo exclaimed in amazement. But then he gave Kane a questioning look. 

How could a child so young know something like this? It seemed unusual, maybe even suspicious. 

"Kane, where did you get this information? Is it reliable?" Tatsuo asked, now more cautious. 

"It's reliable. My father conducted research in this area before he passed away. Fulfilling his last wish to breed three generations of Ariados is my goal." Kane's explanation was confident and clear. 

Tatsuo was starting to waver, and Kane sensed the opportunity. 

"Mr. Tatsuo, you can verify the reliability of this yourself. Just try the pair and see. You won't lose anything. Even if it doesn't work, the worst-case scenario is you don't get those specific moves," Kane reasoned. 

"You're right. There's no harm in trying. But what do you want in exchange for this genetic method of breeding?" Tatsuo asked, intrigued. 

"All I'm asking for is three-generation of Ariados, one male and one female," Kane replied. 

Tatsuo chuckled. "But it'll take more than two years to breed them. Aren't you worried about me going back on my word?" 

"We can sign a contract, Mr. Tatsuo. That way, both of us are protected." Kane proposed, not leaving anything to chance. 

Though Tatsuo was a man of integrity, Kane knew better than to trust anyone blindly. 

"That sounds fair," Tatsuo agreed, drafting an agreement that both of them signed and pressed their fingerprints on. 

Kane carefully stowed the agreement away, his face unreadable as he presented Tatsuo with one of the more complex combinations involving Scolipede and Ariados. 

"But, Scolipede isn't common in the Johto region," Tatsuo pointed out. 

"It's abundant in Unova. I'm sure sourcing it won't be too difficult for you, Mr. Tatsuo," Kane responded, ensuring the arrangement worked in his favor. 

"Smart kid. You sure know how to handle things," Tatsuo said with a smile, impressed by the boy's sharpness. 

Kane and Tatsuo had both gotten what they needed—a win-win situation. However, Kane kept one crucial part to himself. 

That crucial step involved the Skorupi and Tentacool lines, which required a special breeding strategy from his knowledge of poison type pokemon. The breeding of Poison-type Pokémon through these two would remain under Kane's control and only he would breed them. 

However this process would take years, but Kane already knew what to expect. With the male Skorupi and the third-generation female Ariados, the Poison-type Aridos lifeline would soon be set. 

By the end of their meeting, Tatsuo even treated Kane to lunch and gave him 10,000 poke dollars as a parting gift, knowing full well that this genetic breeding method's value far exceeded that sum. 

Kane gratefully accepted the money, knowing it was just the beginning of his plan. In his past life, he had relied on the Pokémon Encyclopedia to publish theories on genetics, but this time, he intended to turn that knowledge into wealth. 

At present, there were no scholars specializing in Pokémon genetics, which meant many rare cross-regional genetic lines remained untapped. This was Kane's breakthrough point, and it would eventually establish a lasting legacy in the Pokémon League's future. 

Once home, Kane carefully stored away the agreement with Tatsuo and the deed to his property. These were valuable but wouldn't be needed for a while. 

He kept the 10,000 poke dollars in an easy-to-access spot, bringing his total cash to 37,400 poke dollars. 

Taking 400 poke dollars with him, Kane headed out. A child shouldn't carry too much money, and it's always wise not to flaunt wealth—a truth that holds no matter where one goes. 

His next destination: the Eastern Grasslands for more special training with the Ditto.