Agent Zhou was a bit too enthusiastic for Basalt's liking. I don't even know what your organization is called, and you're already asking to join? And who said I wanted to join? Is this even a legitimate organization? Do you offer benefits?
He tried to pull his hand back, but Agent Zhou's grip was like iron. He shot a desperate look at Director Sterling.
"Agent Zhou, you're scaring him," Director Sterling said with a laugh, stepping in to rescue him.
"Oh, right. My apologies. I was a bit forward," Agent Zhou said with an embarrassed smile, though his eyes never left Basalt. "A Novice-Rank Pokémon that can use a weather move... if I hadn't seen the video you sent, Director, I would have thought you were pulling my leg."
Seeing Basalt's continued confusion, Agent Zhou straightened his suit. "Allow to properly introduce myself. I'm Agent Zhou, from the National Alliance's Strategic Weather Research Administration. After seeing the video of your Drilbur using Sandstorm, I ca here from Saffron City specifically to extend a sincere invitation for you to join our organization."
"Strategic... Weather... Research Administration?" The na was a mouthful.
Sensing his hesitation, Agent Zhou added, "Don't worry, we're an official organization, with governnt backing. We're an independent departnt that doesn't usually interact with the public, which is why most people don't know we exist."
Basalt believed him. After all, Director Sterling was the one who had brought him here. But joining an organization was a big decision. And from the na, he could tell this was no ordinary weather bureau.
"What does your... bureau... do?" Basalt asked.
"We're the Strategic Weather Research Administration, or the 'Weather Bureau' for short. Our mission is twofold. First, weather managent. All trainers and Pokémon that can use weather-changing moves must be registered with us. This is to prevent anyone from disrupting the normal weather and causing natural disasters. We also deal with extre weather events."
"Second, weather research. Our bureau is dedicated to studying and developing weather-based moves. We invite talented trainers and Pokémon to join us. We support their growth, and in return, they provide us with data to aid our research."
Basalt's ears perked up. He didn't care much about the weather managent or research. But the part about the bureau supporting his growth... that was interesting.
"If I join, how would you help grow? And what would I have to do in return?"
Agent Zhou and Director Sterling exchanged a smile. The Weather Bureau might sound like a simple governnt agency, but as an independent departnt, it had imnse power and resources, far more than tro City.
"Actually, our organization is quite relaxed," Agent Zhou began, wanting to put him at ease. "We don't have a lot of day-to-day work, so there are very few restrictions on our mbers. You can continue to train and grow as you normally would, compete in tournants, go to university, whatever you want. All you have to do is submit a weekly report on your Pokémon's progress with their weather-based moves and any new developnts you discover. The organization will occasionally post missions, but they're completely voluntary. Sa with our events. Everything is optional."
"That's it?" Basalt was stunned. The obligations were practically non-existent. "And the... benefits?"
Agent Zhou grinned. He knew he had him. "If you join, we can provide the special super-alloy your Drilbur needs to evolve. Evolving with this alloy will make the resulting Excadrill's defenses much higher than normal."
Basalt was confused. "Drilbur needs a special alloy to evolve? I didn't know that."
"Theoretically, a Drilbur can evolve through energy accumulation alone," Director Sterling explained. "But its evolved form, Excadrill, gains the Steel typing. Without a special tal to supplent its evolution, the Steel-type energy within its body will be weak, resulting in lower defenses."
"So if you want your Drilbur to be as strong as it can be, I would recomnd using an alloy," Agent Sterling added with a mysterious smile. "And we can provide the latest military-grade research."
A Novice-Rank Pokémon that could use a weather move was a rare treasure. The Weather Bureau would spare no expense in nurturing such a talent. Agent Zhou even told him that when his Drilbur was ready to evolve, he would personally oversee the process, and the bureau would cover all the costs.
Basalt smiled and nodded. Sign up!
But he was still too young, too naive. The bureau's real treasures were yet to co.
"Because your Drilbur's Sandstorm affinity is what we would classify as S-rank, if you join, we can also give you two Smooth Rocks. One to be consud, to increase the power of its Sandstorm, and one to be held, to extend its duration."
Basalt's mind reeled. The city was struggling to get him just one Smooth Rock, and these guys were just handing out two?
"Oh, and by the way," Agent Zhou added with a smug look, "as a new mber, you're entitled to receive one Pokémon to raise. Is there anything you'd like?"
"We can get most Pokémon, and we guarantee their lineage will be exceptional. The parents of the Pokémon we provide are at least Gym Leader level. If you're lucky, you might even get the offspring of a Master-Class Pokémon."
"I want... a Larvitar!" Basalt's eyes turned into stars. He had been saving his Smooth Rock Crystal for this very mont. This Weather Bureau was the real deal.
But at his request, Agent Zhou's smile twitched. "Young people these days really dare to ask for anything." Pseudo-legendaries were incredibly rare. And Larvitar, a weather-based pseudo-legendary, was practically a strategic asset.
"Uh... pick sothing else."
"What? Sothing else?" Basalt was devastated. "If you didn't have one, you should have just said so! You made it sound like you could get anything!"
"How about... a Jangmo-o?" he asked tentatively.
"Pick again." Agent Zhou's face was getting dark.
"A Gible?"
"Are you doing this on purpose? Do you know how valuable a pseudo-legendary is? Do you know how many resources it takes to raise one to its final form? Even if I gave you one, could you even afford to raise it?" Agent Zhou finally snapped.
"You're the one who asked what I wanted," Basalt grumbled, feeling wronged.
"It's not that we don't have any," Agent Zhou said, trying to save face. "It's just that the requirents for raising one are extrely high. Even with your S-rank potential, you're not quite there yet."
"Unless... you can win the provincial tournant. If you can do that, and prove you have even greater potential, then I swear on my life, I'll get you a pseudo-legendary." The implication was clear: he wasn't good enough.
"Really?" But Basalt didn't hear the subtext. He was overjoyed. Winning the provincial tournant... was it that hard? He didn't know. All he knew was that Tyranitar was his dream Pokémon. He wouldn't give up, not even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance.
"Of course it's real! Do I look like a liar?" Agent Zhou huffed.
"Alright, it's a deal!" Basalt said with a wide, sincere grin.
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