Kai decided to buy the Training Vest.
"That'll be 3999. Here's your receipt; please keep it safe as it includes a one-year warranty," the clerk said after processing the payment. "Would you like the Training Vest properly wrapped, or should I put it on your Pokémon?"
"No need for wrapping. Just give me the packaging and instructions," Kai replied.
"Alright."
Kai recalled Charmander into his Poké Ball and placed it in his pocket.
Poké Balls, which could both contain and shrink Pokémon for easy carrying, had evolved into over a dozen types over the years, making them an essential tool for trainers.
"Are you planning to have Charmander wear this during training?" Mira asked, glancing at the bag in Kai's hand.
"I'll let him get used to it first," Kai replied, not denying it.
After browsing a bit more and finding nothing noteworthy, they headed home.
After dinner, Kai studied Pokémon knowledge in his study for a while and went to bed promptly at midnight.
He slept soundly through the night, without even dreaming, and woke up refreshed.
In the morning, he went downstairs to find Mira already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast.
"Good morning, Kai," she greeted, tasting the soup with a ladle. "You could have slept a bit longer. It's not time yet."
"I'm well-rested," Kai said, then noticed the apron Mira was wearing and took a closer look.
Seeing Kai's gaze, Mira tugged at the sides of her apron and asked with a smile, "Do you like the Alcremie pattern? It's so cute, right?"
Alcremie, an adorable Pokémon resembling whipped cream, evolved from Milcery. Due to its various forms, there were currently nine known flavors of Alcremie, and they were quite popular among male trainers.
The reason for its popularity among males? Kai didn't know. It was a contrast to the typical tough-guy image.
Seeing Mira asking about her apron's cuteness, Kai stroked his chin and replied, "You look even cuter without anything covering you."
"Without anything covering me?" Mira looked stunned, then instinctively covered her backside, her face turning as red as an apple. "Pervert Kai!"
"I'm just being honest," Kai said seriously.
"It's exactly because you look so honest that it's concerning!" Mira huffed.
With the teasing successful, Kai summoned Charmander from his Poké Ball. After a night of adjustment, Charmander moved more easily, though running and jumping still required effort.
"Do you need to rest for a while, Charmander?" Kai asked.
Charmander shook his head, reluctant to take off the Training Vest just yet.
Seeing this, Kai nodded. "Alright then."
"Kai, breakfast is ready," Mira called out.
"Coming."
While eating breakfast, Kai heard a cooing sound from outside the window. He turned to see a Pidgey flapping its wings outside.
"Is it delivering something?" Mira asked, noticing that the Pidgey was not wild.
"Probably," Kai said, walking to the window to retrieve an envelope from the Pidgey's mail pouch.
The Pidgey looked at him expectantly, holding a piece of paper with a QR code in its beak.
Seeing the QR code, Kai was momentarily confused but scanned it with his phone, revealing an e-feedback form.
"Do we really need to scan QR codes for reviews now?" Kai muttered, tapping a few times on his phone. "Pidgey #8, I've given you a 5-star rating."
The Pidgey bowed politely, flapped its wings, and flew away.
Returning to the breakfast table, Mira asked, "I've noticed Pidgeys frequently deliver letters to your house. Are they from your parents?"
"Not all of them," Kai replied, opening the envelope to find a bank card, a postcard, and a note that read:
"Training Pokémon can be expensive. If you need more, let Mom know!"
"Why not just transfer the money online?" Kai sighed.
The postcard featured a scenic view from an unknown region, with a beautiful blue sea and sky.
"Maybe your parents are in a region where they don't have access to such services," Mira suggested. "If you need more, I have some here."
She pulled out her card—a limited-edition Eevee card from Pokémon Bank, one of only a thousand issued worldwide.
"I have enough for now, and my mom just sent me this card," Kai said, shaking his head.
After breakfast, Kai went to the sports center to train. Instead of jogging, he adjusted the exercise to walking due to Charmander's Training Vest. Despite this, the effort required was still much higher than jogging.
After just an hour, Charmander was exhausted and sat down.
Kai crouched next to him and fed him a few energy cubes for recovery. He initially thought one box would last a long time, but with the current consumption rate, it would only last about a week.
'Looks like I'll have to look for channels to buy berries and seek Mira's help to make more energy cubes sooner than anticipated,' Kai thought.
After a brief rest, Charmander stood up, showing his strong spirit, and continued walking. Kai smiled and joined him in the training.
After two hours, Kai and Charmander moved on to combat practice in the training room. The resistance from the Training Vest made attacking the wooden posts significantly more challenging.
Even with Charmander's efforts, it took over a minute to release his Metal Claw, and the power was quite low.
However, the pressure from the vest helped Charmander channel his impulsive energy, and his excitement was evident as he repeatedly used Metal Claw on a wooden post.
Kai scratched his chin, watching Charmander's fierce determination.
After ten minutes, Charmander finally destroyed the wooden post, panting and letting out a triumphant cry: "Gah!"