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At 9 o'clock in the morning, Chris enjoys tea at the Breeders Association in Dragon City.
The person he was going to meet was Theodore's cousin, Denver.
As for the reason for coming here, Chris was pursuing his long-standing goal: to open a breeding hut.
"It's not difficult for you to open a breeding hut, but the premise is that you have a ranch that can raise Pokémon. This is the most important rigid standard! No one can change it!" Denver said, placing a watch in front of Chris.
"When you have a ranch, I suggest you find a professional agent because even with my help, there are still many procedures to go through. The information required for the form, field inspections, and so on need to be handled by a specialist..."
"Stop, let's talk about the professional agent matter later. Let's discuss the ranch matter first," Chris interrupted Denver. The unresolved ranch issue made any other discussions pointless.
"I remember, the Breeders Association should sell ranches, right?"
"What's the price?"
Denver raised an eyebrow. "You want to buy one directly?"
"Starting at one billion. Confident enough to see?" he asked.
"So expensive?" Chris exclaimed in disbelief.
Was it because he was too poor before to understand the world of the wealthy? A ranch starting at a billion pokédollars? He recalled that a large ranch in a certain foreign country cost only tens of millions.
After all, isn't it just a mountain top? Buying an island wouldn't even cost that much!
Perhaps... the world had indeed changed with Pokémon. Anything involving them had become extraordinarily expensive.
"They're all ready-made ranches with complete facilities, even some wild Pokémon already living in them. A billion is just the starting price. The best ranches cost over three billion, but without exception, they're great value for money," Denver explained.
"If you don't have the confidence, it's okay not to look."
"Besides, don't you want to challenge the Gym? Gyms have their own ranches. If you secure a position as a Gym Trainer, you'll already have one. Buying a ranch would be a waste of money if you plan to open a breeding hut," Denver suggested.
"Since we're here, show me the options. Maybe I'll find something I like," Chris said, waving his hand.
Chris had already tested the effectiveness of his treasure, Landorus's Treasure, on the plants in this region. His income from tree fruits alone reached 700 million pokédollars per month. For the next period, as he wandered around the Kalos Region reclaiming fruit fields, he could potentially double his income.
The most expensive three-billion pokédollar ranch? That's only three months of income for him.
However, just as Denver had said, Chris considered the position of Gym Trainer as good as his. He would become one sooner or later, so he wasn't overly concerned about the ranch.
For now, Chris wanted to browse. But if he found a ranch that called to him, he wouldn't hesitate to buy another. After all, no ranch could accommodate every Pokémon.
Volcanic terrain suited Fire-types; snowy areas were perfect for Ice-types; and ocean ranches were ideal for Water-types. To properly raise Pokémon, their environment mattered.
Of course, Chris didn't need too many. He could send the others to Professor Birch. All he needed to manage were his main Pokémon.
Professor Birch: ?
Seeing Chris insist, Denver retrieved a tablet and handed it to him.
"There are currently 32 ranches in China that are vacant. Take your time and let me know after you've looked through them."
"Thanks," Chris said, taking the tablet to examine it carefully.
Through the device, he could view all 32 ranches at once. Each included a detailed introduction, a bird's-eye view, and even satellite images that allowed him to zoom in and observe every inch of the ranch.
Chris scrolled through the list of ranches, dragging and dropping to examine names and prices until one name caught his eye: Meadowbrook Ranch, 1.335 billion pokédollars. Intrigued, he clicked on it for more details.
Meadowbrook Ranch is situated near the Meadowbrook Mountains in an E-level dangerous area, spanning an area of approximately 165 Acres. Its location piqued Chris's curiosity. The ranch sat in a small bay with mountains on one side, the sea on two sides, and a city to the north.
Going further north led to Oakwood Village, where Chris's family lived. Beyond that was Stoneclaw Mountain, home to the Shiny Steelix, and the junction between Oakwood Village and the Meadowbrook Mountains. The area also connected with Meadowbrook Ranch.
Chris's mind raced as he recalled the region. "When did the area south of my house become a ranch?" he wondered aloud.
While the ranch itself seemed promising, Chris's true interest lay beneath Stoneclaw Mountain, specifically in the Tomb of Onix. If the tomb's vast size extended into Meadowbrook Ranch's territory, it might hold untapped treasures. Many Pokémon items of treasure-level rarity from that tomb remained unclaimed, and Chris felt the mystery surrounding it wasn't entirely unraveled. Why had Onix and Steelix chosen this place to die together? Was it merely the influence of the Rock Horn, or was there something more?
Another advantage of owning the ranch was clear: Steelix, as a native to the area, could live in comfort. Most importantly, the ranch was close to home, which made it all the more appealing.
Turning his thoughts to expansion, Chris pondered incorporating Stoneclaw Mountain into Meadowbrook Ranch's territory. He raised the question with Denver.
Surprised, Denver explained, "That depends on whether the land you want to expand into is inhabited. If no one lives there, you'd need to consult local officials to check for any construction plans or layouts and ensure everything aligns with regulations. Once it's approved, you'd need to purchase the land and pay a ranch expansion tax based on the area you're expanding into. It's quite a hassle!"
Chris nodded thoughtfully. "Troublesome or not, it's manageable. If money can solve it, then it's not a problem."
With his decision made, Chris pointed at the tablet and declared, "This one is called Meadowbrook Ranch. I want it!"