Ethan was awake before his alarm.
That almost never happened.
He stared at the ceiling for several seconds before remembering why.
The Secret Realm.
He immediately sat up.
Houndour lifted his head from the rug beside Ethan’s bed.
“Hound?”
“We’re going back.”
Houndour stood immediately.
Delcatty, sleeping at the foot of the bed, showed considerably less enthusiasm — she opened one eye, looked at Ethan, then closed it again.
“At least someone appreciates adventure.”
“Hound!”
“I meant you.”
Ethan got dressed quickly and headed downstairs, Houndour following.
By the time they entered the kitchen, Arthur was already preparing breakfast.
A large backpack sat beside the table — water, food, rope, flashlights, first-aid supplies, a compass, radios, an environmental detector, empty Poké Balls, sample containers.
“Are we exploring for a day or moving there?”
“We’re entering an unmapped Secret Realm.” Arthur poured coffee into a thermos.
“We prepare accordingly.”
Ethan picked up the environmental detector.
“You had one of these?”
“Yes.”
“Could’ve used it yesterday.”
“You weren’t supposed to go through yesterday.”
“Right.” Ethan put it back.
Houndour stuck his nose into the backpack.
Arthur pushed his head away.
“Out.”
Houndour sniffed again.
“Some of that is food,” Ethan pointed out.
“You’re not helping.”
Delcatty wandered in and jumped onto an empty chair.
“You’re staying here.”
“Del.”
“Someone has to protect the house.”
Delcatty started cleaning her paw.
Arthur zipped the backpack.
“I’m bringing Stoutland and Machoke.”
“Houndour’s coming.”
Arthur looked down at the Dark-type.
“Houndour stays close.”
“He will.”
“No chasing wild Pokémon.”
“I know.”
“No wandering off.”
“I know.”
“And if I tell you to return him, you do it.”
Ethan nodded.
“Okay.”
Arthur pointed at Ethan’s breakfast.
“Eat.”
Ethan sat, and Houndour settled beside his chair.
The northern section of Bennett Orchards was quiet that early.
Houndour followed Ethan along the old paths — there was no reason for him to stay in his Poké Ball on private property, where he’d become a normal sight: sleeping beside Ethan’s bed, training in the fields, occasionally stealing a sock.
That was different from Grayhaven, where public handling rules kept him in his Ball most of the time.
Here, he could simply be Ethan’s partner.
When they reached the rocky slope, Arthur unlocked the temporary barrier he’d built over the cave entrance.
“You did all this yesterday?”
“I don’t want one of the workers accidentally finding another world.”
“Fair.”
They entered.
The portal remained open, warm light passing through the stone arch and illuminating the cavern.
Ethan felt the same excitement he’d felt yesterday.
It was real.
Arthur lowered the backpack.
“First.” He removed the environmental detector and carefully extended the sensor through the portal.
Numbers appeared on its screen.
He waited.
“Well?”
“Give it time.”
Three seconds passed.
“Now?”
Arthur ignored him.
Houndour sat beside Ethan.
After about a minute, Arthur checked the readings.
“Oxygen is normal.”
Ethan smiled.
“See?
Houndour was right.”
“Houndour is not scientific equipment.”
“We could buy him a lab coat.”
“Hound.”
“No.”
Arthur crossed first.
As soon as he reached the other side, he released Stoutland.
The Elite-grade Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.
“Stout.” Stoutland immediately surveyed their surroundings.
Arthur waited several seconds, then looked back through the portal.
“Come.”
Ethan and Houndour crossed together.
Warm air surrounded them.
Arthur immediately checked his watch.
“Head?”
“Fine.”
“Dizzy?
Nauseous?
Vision?”
“No.
No.
Normal.”
“Anything unusual?”
Ethan looked at Houndour.
The familiar information appeared.
Species: Houndour Type: Dark / Fire Grade: Beginner Potential: Yellow Ability: Flash Fire Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Smog, Bite
“Appraisal still works.”
Arthur nodded.
“We wait.”
“How long?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Grandpa.”
“You were unconscious for forty minutes yesterday.”
“I feel fine.”
“And I’d like to keep it that way.”
Ethan sighed.
Arthur released Machoke, the Advanced-grade Fighting-type appearing beside them.
Ethan felt much safer with both of them present — Houndour was still only Beginner Grade.
Ten minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Arthur checked Ethan again.
“Still fine?
Headache?”
“Yes.
No.”
“Good.” Ethan smiled.
“Now we explore.”
“Map.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Arthur tied bright survey tape around a tree near the portal.
“We can see it.”
“Right now.”
“We’re not going far.”
“Exactly.”
Arthur opened a notebook and checked his compass.
“Paper?”
“Batteries die.”
“Phones exist.”
“Batteries die.”
“You sound ancient.”
“I am ancient.”
Arthur marked their starting position.
“Stoutland takes point.
Machoke watches the rear.
Nobody separates.” He looked directly at Ethan.
“That includes Houndour.”
“I know.”
They started.
The first hundred meters were peaceful, but Ethan couldn’t stop looking around — a Weedle, a Pidgey, a Sentret, most Beginner Grade.
He Appraised them as they passed: White, Green, White.
Then he stopped.
A Caterpie was crawling along a branch.
Species: Caterpie Type: Bug Grade: Beginner Potential: Blue Ability: Shield Dust Moves: Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite
“Blue.”
Arthur stopped.
“What?”
“That Caterpie.
Blue Potential.”
Arthur studied the Pokémon.
It looked completely ordinary — small, green, eating a leaf.
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.”
“How much would something like that be worth?”
“I don’t know.”
“Neither do I.”
“You don’t?”
“I don’t sell Caterpie for a living.”
Ethan laughed.
Arthur looked back at the Pokémon.
“But Blue Potential would increase the price.”
“Definitely.”
“Then remember where it is.”
“You want to catch it?
But it’s a Caterpie.”
Arthur shrugged.
“Money doesn’t care whether you think Caterpie is exciting.”
“Should I catch it, then?”
“Do you want to train a Caterpie?”
Ethan thought.
“No.”
“Then don’t build your team by grabbing everything your ability says is valuable.
That’s years of food, medicine and time for a Pokémon you don’t actually want.”
“For selling, though…”
“That’s a different question.”
They continued walking.
Ethan looked back once — the Caterpie kept eating, completely unaware it had just been evaluated as a potential business opportunity.
The forest gradually opened, more sunlight reaching the ground.
Berry bushes appeared — Oran, Pecha, Cheri, several Ethan didn’t recognize — and Arthur grew much more interested, photographing plants and collecting samples.
Ethan tried Appraisal on a berry, a flower, a rock.
Nothing.
Arthur held up a strange reddish stone.
“Anything?”
Ethan concentrated.
Nothing appeared.
“No.”
Arthur placed it into a sample bag.
“So Pokémon only.”
“Looks like it.”
“Good to know.”
A noise came from ahead.
Stoutland stopped, Machoke turned, Houndour growled.
Something pushed through the bushes — brown fur, large front teeth.
Raticate.
Ethan focused.
Species: Raticate Type: Normal Grade: Normal Potential: Green Ability: Guts Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy, Bite, Hyper Fang
“Normal Grade.
Green Potential.”
Arthur nodded.
Stoutland stepped forward.
He didn’t attack — he simply stared, a low growl rising in his throat.
The Raticate froze, looked at Stoutland, then at the humans, and a few seconds later backed into the vegetation and disappeared.
“Why didn’t it attack?”
“It isn’t stupid.” Arthur scratched Stoutland’s neck.
“Most wild Pokémon don’t want an unnecessary fight.”
“Neither do you?”
“There’s nothing I want from that Raticate.”
Ethan laughed.
They continued for almost another hour before Arthur stopped.
“Turn around.”
“Already?”
“We’ve traveled almost a kilometer.”
“That’s nothing.”
“In an unmapped Secret Realm?
We don’t know how large this place is.
We don’t know what lives deeper inside.
We don’t know the terrain.” He pointed back toward their markers.
“Today we’re establishing a safe route.”
Ethan sighed.
“Fine.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
“What?”
“I said fine.”
“That was suspiciously easy.”
“I can complain.”
“No.”
They started back.
Then Houndour stopped, nose lifting.
“Houndour?”
He turned toward the trees.
Arthur stopped too.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.”
Houndour started forward.
“Houndour, stop.”
He stopped.
Ethan smiled slightly — training was working.
Stoutland moved beside Houndour and sniffed, ears rising.
“Stoutland smells it too.”
“Can we check?”
Arthur considered it.
“Close formation.” Stoutland went first, Ethan and Houndour followed, Arthur and Machoke came behind.
They pushed through the vegetation and stopped.
A small clearing opened ahead.
At its center stood a tree, branches covered with dark purple berries.
“I don’t recognize those.”
Arthur did.
His expression changed immediately.
“Lansat.”
“Lansat Berries?”
Arthur approached carefully and examined one without touching it.
“Looks like it.” Rare berries could be worth serious money to Trainers and pharmaceutical companies alike.
“How much?”
“Enough that we’re marking this location.”
“So we’re rich?”
“No.
Finding something valuable and turning it into money are two different things.” Arthur photographed the tree.
“First we confirm what they are.
Then whether they can be harvested sustainably.
Then we find buyers without explaining where we got them.”
Ethan’s smile faded slightly.
“Oh.”
“That’s business.”
“Can we take some now?”
“Wait.”
“Why?”
Arthur’s eyes moved toward the branches.
“Because something has been feeding around here.”
A hiss came from above.
Ethan froze.
Red eyes stared down at them, a long purple body uncoiling from the branches.
Houndour growled.
“Arbok.”
The Pokémon dropped from the tree.
Machoke immediately moved forward, Stoutland stepping beside him, Houndour positioning himself in front of Ethan.
Ethan focused.
Species: Arbok Type: Poison Grade: Advanced Potential: Blue Ability: Intimidate Moves: Bite, Leer, Poison Sting, Glare, Screech, Acid, Stockpile, Swallow, Spit Up
“Advanced Grade.”
Arthur didn’t look away from Arbok.
“Potential?”
“Blue.”
That got his attention.
Arthur studied the Arbok differently now — not fearfully, evaluating.
“Interesting.”
Arbok raised the front of its body, its hood spreading.
Houndour stiffened.
This wasn’t school — no Instructor Reyes, no referee waiting to call stop.
Arthur stepped slightly in front of Ethan.
“Machoke.” The Fighting-type moved forward.
Arbok hissed.
Arthur didn’t command an attack.
“Hold.” Machoke stopped, Stoutland ready.
Several seconds passed.
Arbok’s eyes moved between them, and it seemed to realize it was outmatched.
The snake slowly lowered its body.
“Slowly.” Arthur began backing away.
Ethan followed, Houndour close beside him.
Arbok retreated toward the tree but continued watching them.
Nobody attacked.
They returned through the bushes.
Only after putting some distance between themselves and the clearing did Ethan speak.
“Why didn’t we fight?”
“Because we’re mapping.”
“But Stoutland could beat it.”
“The tree will still be there tomorrow.” Arthur continued walking.
“You said Blue Potential?
Then preferably we capture it.
It’s an Advanced-grade Arbok — that’s valuable.
Why would I kill something I can sell?”
Ethan smiled.
That sounded more like Grandpa.
“What if we can’t catch it?”
“Drive it out of the area.”
“And if it keeps coming back?”
“We decide whether protecting the berry tree is worth the trouble.”
“And if it attacks us?”
“Then we fight.”
“What if it doesn’t stop?”
Arthur’s answer was immediate.
“Then Stoutland kills it.”
Ethan went quiet.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve seen Pokémon battles.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s sport.” Arthur continued walking.
“Wild Pokémon aren’t following league rules.
Some run.
Some surrender.
Some fight until they can’t.” Ethan looked toward Stoutland, walking ahead calmly.
“Have you killed wild Pokémon before?”
“Of course.”
“How many?”
“I don’t count.”
That silenced him.
“I’ve run this orchard for decades,” Arthur said.
“You don’t kill something because you can — but if one’s trying to kill you or somebody else, you don’t stand there worrying about hurting it.”
“And if it’s valuable?”
“Then alive is usually worth more than dead.”
Ethan laughed.
Arthur smiled slightly.
They reached the portal without another problem, Arthur collecting most of the temporary markers but leaving discreet ones at important points.
Ethan stopped before crossing.
Less than a kilometer explored, and already a Blue-Potential Caterpie, rare berries, and an Advanced-grade Arbok worth capturing.
“How big do you think this place is?”
“No idea.”
“Could be huge.”
“Could.”
“Could have hundreds of Pokémon species.”
“Could.”
“Could have Mega Stones.”
“Maybe.”
“Key Stones?”
“Maybe.”
“Rare evolution items?”
“Maybe.”
Ethan grinned.
Arthur sighed.
“You’ve already spent imaginary money, haven’t you?”
“A little.”
“We haven’t earned anything.”
“Yet.”
Arthur looked deeper into the forest, his expression turning more thoughtful.
“We need to be careful about selling things.
Suppose I sell one unusual Pokémon — nobody cares.
Suppose I start selling ten.”
“People ask questions.”
“Exactly.
If too much starts coming out of Bennett Orchards, somebody eventually asks where it’s coming from.”
Ethan’s excitement cooled slightly.
“What about the black market?”
Ethan shrugged.
“It exists.”
“It does.”
“You know people?”
Arthur stared at him.
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“You do.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You definitely do.”
Arthur started toward the portal.
“Grandpa.”
“No.”
“Come on.”
Arthur crossed.
Ethan laughed and followed with Houndour.
Cold cave air replaced the warmth of the Realm.
Arthur immediately checked him again — headache, dizzy, nauseous, all clear.
“Anything unusual?”
Ethan focused on Houndour.
The information appeared normally.
“Appraisal still works.”
Arthur nodded.
Two crossings, no unconsciousness, no pain.
Whatever had happened during Ethan’s first entry hadn’t repeated.
That was good.
They still had no idea why it happened.
That was less good.
Arthur recalled Stoutland and Machoke before the narrower passage; Houndour stayed out, since there was no reason to recall him here.
He walked beside Ethan back through the cave.
Once Arthur had locked the concealed entrance, Ethan looked toward him.
“So.”
“No.”
“I haven’t asked anything.”
“You were going to.”
“Tomorrow?”
“We’ll see.”
“That’s basically yes.”
“It isn’t.”
Ethan looked down at Houndour.
“He wants to go back.”
“Hound!”
Arthur stared at the Pokémon.
“Traitor.”
Ethan laughed, and they started toward the house.
Yesterday, Bennett Orchards had been Grandpa’s farm.
Now an entire hidden ecosystem existed beneath it — Pokémon, rare resources, maybe Mega Stones somewhere deeper inside.
And Ethan possessed Appraisal.
Arthur had already made one thing clear.
None of it was free — they couldn’t flood the market without attracting attention, couldn’t assume every wild Pokémon was harmless, couldn’t assume every expedition would be safe.
And Appraisal didn’t automatically make Ethan a strong Trainer.
He was still twelve, still Beginner Grade himself in every way that mattered, and Houndour hadn’t even made the Junior Battle Team.
Ethan looked down at his partner, walking happily beside him.
Neither of them was ready for any of it yet.
But they had a whole Realm to grow into.