Chapter Summaries

Yushu and Cynthia went out for dinner and found an alley ramen shop where the Champion drew attention from the customers. As their meals arrived, Cynthia eyed Yushu’s chashu ramen with interest.

• Yushu’s stomach rumbled, and he invited Cynthia to eat with him; she agreed.
• Cynthia struggled to choose a restaurant, so Yushu led her to Ichiraku Ramen in a nearby alley.
• Customers recognized Cynthia, and she politely greeted them and posed for photos with a few fans.
• Yushu ordered signature chashu ramen, while Cynthia chose tonkotsu ramen after his recommendation.
• Yushu told Cynthia he discovered the shop while exploring the city, though he privately credited Uxie’s nose for finding it.
• The owner brought out Yushu’s steaming bowl of chashu ramen, and Cynthia thought it looked delicious.

Yushu and Cynthia shared ramen, walked back to his inn, and wished each other well before the breeder exam. The next morning, Yushu arrived at the Pokémon Breeder Association headquarters in Jubilife City.

• Yushu and Cynthia ate ramen together, quietly enjoying the meal.
• Cynthia offered to arrange accommodation for Yushu in other cities, and Yushu said he felt fairly confident about his breeder exam.
• Yushu and Cynthia said goodbye at the inn, and Yushu went to bed thinking about their dinner.
• Cynthia relaxed at her hotel with Glaceon and reflected that spending time with Yushu felt easy.
• The following morning, Yushu arrived at the Pokémon Breeder Association headquarters in Jubilife City.

Yushu arrived for the breeder assessment, listened to invigilator Joy Mei explain the rules, and began the computer-based exam. He answered the early questions confidently and reached the final multiple-choice question, which asked him to identify an abnormal sign of illness in Bronzor.

• Yushu checked his admission ticket, found his seat in exam room 4, and waited for the assessment to begin.
• Joy Mei introduced herself as the invigilator and warned candidates that cheating would result in a lifetime ban from Pokémon Breeder Association assessments.
• The breeder assessment began with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and written argument questions, with sixty points required to pass.
• Yushu answered questions about Budew and Shinx, selecting the correct options based on their behavior.
• After more than half an hour, Yushu reached question 40 about abnormal signs of illness in Bronzor.

Yushu rapidly answered the breeder exam’s increasingly difficult questions, demonstrating his extensive Pokémon knowledge. As Cynthia watched his progress, he moved on to essay questions about treating Gligar and Cranidos.

• Yushu correctly answered questions about Bronzor, Relicanth, and Chingling before racing through the exam and surprising nearby candidates.
• Joy Mei monitored the candidates on camera as Cynthia arrived and quietly watched Yushu answer at exceptional speed.
• Yushu analyzed a Gligar’s powdery shell, identifying possible causes and outlining treatment and ongoing care.
• Yushu began an essay about a Cranidos that suffered head pain and shaking after ramming rocks, describing possible hidden injuries and protective care.

Yushu finished the Pokémon Breeder Association’s breeder exam an hour early and met Reggie, who was also taking the exam as he prepared to open a Pokémon Day Care. After discussing their plans and exam answers at a café, they returned to the headquarters to check the results.

• Yushu submitted his exam early, while Cynthia watched him leave and Joy Mei noted his name and candidate number.
• Yushu ran into Reggie at the headquarters, and they shared that they had both chosen new paths away from battling.
• Yushu and Reggie went to a nearby café, where they discussed their ranch and Pokémon Day Care plans and compared their knowledge of the exam material.
• At one thirty, Reggie suggested they return to the headquarters to check the results, and Yushu went with him.

Reggie and Yushu passed the written exam for the Pokémon Breeder assessment, placing sixth and second, while Joy Ling ranked first. They proceeded to the practical exam venue, where Yushu inspected the breeding equipment and Berries awaiting the candidates.

• Reggie found his name in sixth place with 88 points and celebrated passing the written exam.
• Yushu found his result in second place with 94 points, behind Joy Ling, who scored 96.
• The association announced that the forty-three candidates who passed had fifteen minutes to reach the second assessment venue.
• Reggie and Yushu joined the other candidates on the third floor for the practical exam.
• Yushu inspected the Berry Blender and assortment of Berries at a workstation, admiring the equipment.

Yushu and the other candidates began the practical breeder examination, making Pokéblocks from the provided Berries while Cynthia observed. Cynthia stopped behind Yushu to watch him work, leaving the other candidates wondering why he had drawn her attention.

• The chief examiner announced that candidates had forty minutes to make high-quality Pokéblocks using only the provided Berries and equipment.
• Yushu carefully selected ripe Berries and chose a recipe he had made for Vespiquen, while Reggie hurried to begin his own preparation.
• Cynthia arrived at the examination hall and began observing the candidates, whose nervous mistakes caused the room to descend into chaos.
• Cynthia stopped behind Yushu and watched as he calmly processed his Berries, prompting speculation among the candidates and making Reggie jealous.

Yushu made a batch of Pokéblocks during the examination while Cynthia watched, then waited as the examiners tested the contestants’ work. His Pokéblocks earned the highest quality grade, securing an automatic pass.

• Reggie resumed making Pokéblocks while Yushu noticed Cynthia watching him and tried to stay composed.
• After Cynthia left, Yushu carefully blended Lum, Hondew, and Nanab Berries and made neat, fragrant green Pokéblocks.
• Reggie chose Oran, Pecha, and Razz Berries for his restorative Pokéblocks as the examinees finished before time ran out.
• The examiners tested the contestants’ Pokéblocks, failing many and passing a girl whose scanner showed grade B.
• Yushu handed his Pokéblocks to the head examiner, and the scanner showed grade A, giving him an automatic pass.

Yushu passed the breeder examination with an A-grade Pokéblock and later received his beginner breeder certificate alongside Reggie. With both officially certified in the Sinnoh Region, Yushu began his new career as a breeder.

• The chief examiner rated Yushu’s Pokéblock A-grade, and Reggie passed the practical exam with a B-grade result.
• Yushu learned that he was among the fifteen candidates who passed and joked with a candidate who asked him to teach Pokéblock-making.
• Three days later, Yushu and Reggie returned to the Pokémon Breeder Association headquarters to collect their certificates.
• Joy Ling processed their paperwork and congratulated them on becoming beginner breeders certified by the Sinnoh Region.

Yushu and Reggie celebrated receiving their Breeder licenses over lunch and discussed their plans for returning home. Their conversation turned to Reggie’s feelings for Maylene, which Yushu teased him about as they parted ways still denying anything was going on.

• Reggie invited Yushu to celebrate, and Yushu convinced him to pay because he was older.
• Yushu said he planned to return to his ranch, while Reggie planned to finish preparing his Pokémon Day Care in Veilstone City.
• Reggie said he would take most of his Pokémon home and release some that wanted to battle, then expressed concern about Paul becoming colder and more single-minded.
• Reggie asked whether Maylene ordered Pokéblocks from Yushu, prompting Yushu to ask if Reggie had feelings for her.
• Reggie denied liking Maylene, blamed his blushing on hot soup, and Yushu advised him to pursue her if he did.

Yushu challenged Reggie to a battle at a Pokémon Center, where Reggie recalled how Brandon’s overwhelming strength had ended his career as a trainer and shaped Paul’s outlook. Yushu revealed Rotom’s ability to transform into Mow Rotom, but Reggie’s Bibarel powered through its electric attack and launched a Waterfall strike at Rotom in midair.

• Yushu persuaded Reggie to battle at the nearby Pokémon Center, and Reggie recalled how Brandon had crushed him at the Battle Frontier and influenced Paul.
• Reggie sent out his Bibarel, and Yushu revealed that his Rotom could transform into Mow Rotom without possessing an appliance.
• Bibarel charged with Aqua Jet, but Rotom dodged and then attacked with Discharge.
• Reggie used Bibarel’s Simple ability to power through Discharge with Amnesia’s stat boosts, then unleashed Surf.
• Rotom returned to its base form and rose out of Surf’s reach, but Bibarel leaped after it with Waterfall.

Yushu defeated Reggie with Rotom by exploiting Bibarel’s paralysis and striking with Leaf Storm and Thunder, helping Reggie regain his confidence. The next morning, Cynthia came to see Yushu off, and she asked what he planned to do after returning home.

• Yushu used Rotom’s Substitute to trick Reggie, then struck Bibarel with Leaf Storm while it was paralyzed by Thunder Wave.
• Bibarel climbed toward Rotom with Rock Climb, but Rotom’s Thunder knocked it out and gave Yushu the victory.
• Reggie admitted that he had fallen for Yushu’s trap, praised his growth, and thanked him for renewing his confidence.
• Yushu packed to leave and decided he had no way to contact Cynthia to say goodbye.
• Cynthia waited outside Yushu’s inn, explained that her assistant had found his travel ticket, and asked about his plans after he returned.

Yushu planned to return to his ranch and pursue a career as a breeder, and Cynthia gave him Flint’s Shiny Torchic after Yushu won their bet. Before leaving, Yushu got Cynthia’s contact information and learned she considered him a friend, leaving him dazed as he traveled home.

• Yushu told Cynthia he planned to expand his ranch and become an intermediate or advanced breeder, and he confidently defended his choice.
• Cynthia gave Yushu Flint’s exceptionally gifted Shiny Torchic, which had the Speed Boost ability, as the prize from her bet with Flint.
• Yushu introduced himself to Torchic and won its affection by offering it his homemade Pokéblocks.
• Yushu asked Cynthia for her contact information, and she gave him her number and invited him to contact her even when he did not need Torchic advice.
• Cynthia told Yushu they were friends and encouraged him to call her by her name, leaving him dazed as he departed while Uxie wondered if he had gone stupid.

Yushu returned to Freewill Ranch and revealed that he had passed the breeder exam after fooling Aili and Shuren into thinking he had failed. The next morning, he brought Torchic home, where the ranch Pokémon welcomed the newcomer and Torchic decided Kirlia was the only normal one.

• Yushu acted dejected when Aili and Shuren asked about his breeder exam, leading them to comfort him and Aili to insist they would all take it next year.
• Yushu revealed his Breeder Qualification Certificate and told Aili and Shuren that he had passed, then promised a celebration with extra dishes.
• The next morning, Yushu released Torchic at Freewill Ranch and introduced it to the ranch’s Pokémon.
• Rotom eagerly proposed forming a Fire-type duo with Torchic, while Uxie noticed Torchic’s Speed Boost and good talent.
• Torchic sized up its new companions and edged closer to Kirlia, whom it judged to be the only normal Pokémon.

Yushu chose Luxray to mentor the newly arrived Shiny Torchic and began training it to master Ember. When Luxray made Torchic run laps, Torchic accidentally triggered Flame Charge and Speed Boost together, sending it careening uncontrollably across the ranch.

• Aili and Shuren noticed Torchic's unusual pale coloring, and Yushu confirmed it was the ranch's newest arrival without convincing them he knew the Sinnoh Champion.
• Yushu decided Pokémon should train one another and selected Luxray to mentor Torchic, offering it a Magnet to secure its agreement.
• Yushu gave Torchic Razz Berries and assigned it to practice Ember with Luxray, but its flames barely left a mark on the wooden target.
• Luxray switched the lesson to stamina training and made Torchic run laps around the ranch.
• Torchic tried to imitate Luxray's speedy Charge, accidentally combined Flame Charge with its Speed Boost Ability, and became an uncontrollable fireball.

Yushu discovered that becoming an intermediate breeder required publishing original research papers, a challenge he had never faced before. He asked Cynthia for advice and learned that she had qualified with a study of ancient Pokémon fossils from the Sinnoh Region.

• Torchic’s uncontrolled Flame Charge sent the Mareep fleeing and threatened the ranch’s haystack, until Kirlia stopped Torchic with a Psychic barrier and Miltank blocked Luxray.
• Yushu praised Torchic and Luxray, gave Torchic a Razz Berry, and ended training for the day.
• Over the following days, Torchic mastered Flame Charge under Luxray’s strict guidance.
• Yushu learned that intermediate breeder certification required original research papers, an oral defense, and approval from the Pokémon Breeder Association.
• Yushu asked Cynthia how to approach the paper requirement, and she explained that she had studied ancient Pokémon fossils from the Sinnoh Region using archaeology.

Yushu realized he could study Eevee’s evolutions and proposed helping Aili’s Eevee evolve into Sylveon. After Kirlia began teaching Eevee the Fairy-type move Charm, Eevee still needed to learn to channel Fairy energy.

• Yushu decided to research whether Eevee had an undiscovered evolution and identified Sylveon as a possible topic.
• Aili said she had not chosen between Espeon and Umbreon for Eevee, and confirmed that their bond was very strong.
• Yushu showed Aili a sketch of Sylveon and explained that Eevee needed high friendship and a Fairy-type move to evolve into it.
• Eevee saw the sketch and eagerly chose Sylveon, so Aili agreed to help her pursue that evolution.
• Yushu asked Kirlia to teach Eevee Charm, and Kirlia demonstrated the move before guiding Eevee to sense Fairy-type energy.

Yushu tried to trigger Eevee’s evolution into Sylveon through training and a battle, but Eevee still did not evolve. He arranged a staged threat with Ursaring to make Eevee believe Aili was in danger, and sent Aili to the mountains to set the plan in motion.

• Kirlia coached Eevee until it learned to use Charm, but Eevee did not evolve afterward.
• Yushu had Eevee battle Kirlia, and Eevee briefly showed signs of evolving before losing strength and failing to evolve.
• Yushu suspected Eevee needed a convincing crisis to awaken its protective instincts and chose Ursaring to play the attacker.
• Vespiquen and the Combee formation frightened Ursaring into following Vespiquen to the ranch, where Yushu recruited it for the plan.
• Yushu asked Aili to gather Persim Berries in the mountains, while Shuren stayed quiet about Yushu’s suspicious request.

Aili’s Eevee evolved into Sylveon while protecting her from Ursaring, confirming Yushu’s theory about the evolution trigger. After Aili discovered that Yushu had arranged the encounter, she demanded double pay, and Yushu later wrote a paper documenting Sylveon and its evolution requirements.

• Aili found Persim Berries, but Ursaring attacked her and Eevee, overpowering Eevee with its strength.
• As Ursaring lunged toward Aili, Eevee evolved into Sylveon and fought back with Fairy Wind and Double-Edge.
• Yushu appeared with Kirlia and used Psychic to defeat Ursaring, which fled into the woods.
• Aili realized Yushu had staged the encounter, confronted him, and agreed to let it go if he doubled her salary for the month.
• Yushu spent three days writing a paper on Sylveon’s discovery, evolution requirements, Ability, and capabilities.

Yushu’s paper revealed Sylveon as a new evolution of Eevee, prompting Cynthia to seek Professor Rowan’s assessment. After Rowan asked to meet Yushu, Yushu agreed to travel to Sandgem Town, while Aili and Shuren offered to mind the ranch.

• Yushu sent his paper on Sylveon to Cynthia, who was astonished by its detailed account of Eevee’s new evolution and called him to confirm the findings.
• Cynthia contacted her teacher, Professor Rowan, and sent him Yushu’s paper; Rowan reviewed it twice and asked to meet Yushu at his ranch in Solaceon Town.
• Professor Carolina teased Cynthia about her unusual attention to Yushu, and Cynthia later messaged him that Professor Rowan wanted to meet.
• Yushu agreed to meet Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town within the next couple of days and told Aili and Shuren he would be leaving the ranch.
• Aili and Shuren agreed to look after the ranch, and Aili told Yushu to bring back gifts.