Professions

When Dian took it, he immediately looked surprised. It was an enrollment certificate, and his name was on it.

"An enrollment certificate for the Pokémon Ranger School?"

After reading it, he looked up in surprise. "You want me to become a Pokémon Ranger?"

He knew of the profession. It was popular in Fiore, Almia, and Oblivia, and many Rangers had come from its ranks. But they were different from Rangers who had started out as conventional Trainers.

They belonged to different organizations. Rangers with conventional Trainer backgrounds answered directly to their regional Leagues, while Pokémon Rangers answered to the Pokémon Ranger Union.

One might be tied to a single area; the other had almost no geographical restrictions.

"No, that's not quite it. You need to become a Pokémon Ranger first. Then, once you've become a Chief Pokémon Ranger, you'll enter Johto's Mt. Silver Conference, win the tournament, and enter the Hall. Only then will you qualify for the support of the entire Pokémon Ranger community and have a shot at an Elite's seat."

Lorelai took a sip of coffee. "Of course, you could take your time challenging tournaments, moving on to the next if one doesn't work out. But Dian, how old are you now?

"If you were a ten-year-old just setting out on his journey, that would be fine. But some of today's Rising Star Trainers already have the strength of Veteran Trainers. How long would it take you to follow their path?"

She set down her cup. "Besides, you already have quite a few Pokémon, don't you? You must know how hard—and expensive—it is to raise them. Do you have a substantial source of funding behind you? Or someone suitable who can keep training your Pokémon and maintain their strength?"

Lorelai kept pouring cold water on his hopes.