Chapter Eleven: The Phenomenon of the Insect-catching Boy

Early the next morning, Xia hurried to prepare breakfast of her own accord. Having realized her mistake in direction, she decided to head to Maple Leaf Town for a bit of rest and thus set out alongside Am. As companions, it was only natural to share in the duties.

“Let me introduce myself properly! My name is Xia, a Water-type Pokémon Trainer. My main Pokémon are Starmie, Staryu... and a Goldeen, though I rarely bring it out on land,” Xia explained to Am.

Goldeen and similar fish-shaped Pokémon are, without question, among the least suited for battle on land; outside of their “moves,” they are almost powerless when out of water. Tentacool, at least, can use its tentacles as legs, but for fish Pokémon, coming ashore is nothing short of “stranding.”

Am was a little surprised that Xia didn’t have any of the starter Pokémon. Although not every rookie trainer owns one, Xia didn’t seem to fit the profile of someone lacking resources.

“I’m Am. I studied potion-making for a few years, and only started traveling this year.” Am didn’t mention any attribute inclination, but introduced his Pokémon: “These are the two I’m currently training.”

Xia was surprised when she saw Am’s Exeggcute. “Oh? Exeggcute... Apart from the Grass type, it’s also Psychic, right? That’s not an easy type to train.”

Upon hearing “potion-making,” Xia naturally assumed Am was a Grass-type trainer.

“I’m the kind who doesn’t invite dislike from any attribute, I suppose... Speaking of secondary types, your Starmie is Psychic as well, isn’t it?” Am explained.

Starmie is indeed Water and Psychic. Psychic is considered one of the four most difficult and rare types to train, and most Psychic-type trainers have some innate psychic abilities themselves.

Officially, there’s no hierarchy among types; the right fit is always the best... Yet among trainers, rarity tends to be prized, and the four rarest types—Psychic, Ghost, Dragon, Fairy—are called the “Upper Four.” The most common types—Water, Fire, Grass, Ground, Bug, Normal—are the “Basic Six,” and Pokémon of these types don’t generally dislike their trainers for attribute incompatibility.

“There’s still a difference, though. I’m only training Starmie using my Water-type talent. If you want to shift from Grass to Psychic, it might be difficult. However, Bulbasaur’s Poison type should allow for a smooth transition,” Xia said. Though two years younger than Am, she considered herself a “senior” in the trainer field.

“Transition? Do you mean ‘evolution’?” Am asked, intrigued.

“Huh? How do you not know about this?” Xia looked at him in surprise.

“I’ve mostly been self-taught from books and haven’t really read anything outside official guidebooks,” Am replied, understanding the importance of a solid foundation.

Official guidebooks rarely mention this phenomenon, mostly because it’s “unknown.” Their content is simple but precise and foundational; what isn’t certain isn’t written, so there’s little risk of learning the wrong thing. Pokémon training, by contrast, is still full of mysteries, leaving room for countless schools of thought—different explanations for the same phenomenon or theory. The League’s official books steer clear of these unknowns.

What Xia now referred to as “transition,” officially called “evolution,” is a widespread concept among trainers, though rarely discussed in official sources. The theory’s core is the trainer’s attribute inclination, which can be innate or developed through self-evolution.

“Wait, you only studied at the academy? No, people at the academy always talk about this,” Xia mused, confused.

“I learned in a somewhat isolated small town, from my grandmother and sister,” Am explained.

Xia, who loved to teach, perked up at this and eagerly began to “impart wisdom.” Although not officially recognized, the “transition” concept is popular among trainers, and the phenomenon is real—its mechanics are simply unclear, so it’s not included in official textbooks.

“For example, Fire-type trainers who grasp the wildness within fire may awaken Electric-type talents. Water-type trainers who understand the serenity within flow might shift to Ice-type. Grass-type trainers, upon comprehending the link between vitality and death, can awaken Poison-type powers!”

In Xia’s view, since Am already possessed Grass-type talent and Bulbasaur is both Grass and Poison, he should easily gain Poison-type abilities as well, becoming a dual-type trainer. By contrast, trainers who only match one attribute of a dual-type Pokémon can train them if their bond is strong enough, but the results are less ideal. For example, Xia finds it difficult to teach Starmie Psychic-type moves.

“There’s more. Ground-type trainers who learn the heaviness of earth may awaken Rock-type skills; those who grasp its unbreakable nature awaken Steel-type. Bug-type trainers who master the secret of fear within bugs can shift to Dark-type, and those who specialize in flying insects may transition to Flying-type. Normal-type trainers... once capable in battle, can handle Fighting-type! These eight types that can transition are called the ‘Advanced Eight.’”

Of course, the “Basic Six,” “Advanced Eight,” and “Upper Four” are all informal terms; the official stance always emphasizes that no attribute is superior.

“As for the Upper Four, there are more ways to transition, but few proven cases. The mainstream view is that by further understanding the cycle of life and death through Poison-type, one might awaken Ghost-type. Dark-type, another mental attribute, can transition to Psychic-type. The sum of Water, Fire, Grass, and Electric—the four natural energies—is said to make up Dragon-type. Some also claim Flying-type can transition to Dragon-type,” Xia explained.

Fairy-type, however, is almost always innate. Fairy-type trainers generally find it easy to transition to Psychic-type.

What’s certain is that these transitions do occur; Grass-type trainers often gain Poison-type talents later on, but the underlying principle is only speculation. Whether it’s truly linked to “insight” is unclear.

“Of course, there’s no need to pursue attribute transitions; the Basic Six are not weak!” Xia said, her tone tinged with emotion.

Indeed, some trainers become Flying-type champions without ever developing Dragon-type talents. And talent aside, the most important factor in training Pokémon is “bond”—that is, closeness.

The most obvious effect of this transition theory is the surge in popularity of Bug-types among young trainers! Theoretically, Bug-type trainers could eventually become rare Dragon-type or Psychic-type trainers. Though the odds are very low, the League always teaches new trainers not to chase rare attributes, insisting there’s no hierarchy. But...

Young people rarely listen—they’re drawn to the allure of rarity, convinced they're “chosen ones.” Thus, Bug-type trainers abound, a phenomenon dubbed the “Bug Catcher Craze.”

Am had noticed this before...

Traveling trainers, especially beginners near towns, are often bothered by Bug Catchers!