(Time: December 31 - 10 Years Before Ash's Journey)

With Trapinch joining the team, Tyson and his Pokémon returned home to celebrate New Year's and welcome a new member to their family. "Well, well, I didn't expect you to acquire a new Pokémon in my absence," Bertha remarked as she observed Tyson feeding Trapinch some roasted Pidgey. She had returned earlier from her Exhibition Match and was taken aback by the additional Pokémon in the house. "Trapinch deserves a loving home, and he's quite strong. With the right training, I'm confident he'll become a formidable Pokémon," Tyson replied as the ant Pokémon munched happily on its meal. Perched on his shoulder, Gligar expressed jealousy with a "Gli, Gli, Gli," [You don't feed me like that] puffing up her cheeks in protest.

Tyson chuckled at the girl's jealousy and quickly offered her a slice of Pidgey meat. Observing Tyson's gesture, Gligar tried to turn away with a frustrated huff. However, before she could, Trapinch leaped up, grabbing the meat from Tyson's hand, and mumbled with a mouthful, "Trap, trap, trap," implying, [If you don't want it, sister, I'll have it]. Witnessing this, Gligar jumped from Tyson's shoulder, aiming to attack Trapinch, but Tyson intervened, presenting another piece of meat. "No fighting; you're a team," he said firmly. "This one's for you, little miss." Gligar hesitated, then accepted the meat from Tyson. Bertha and Shane, watching from the side, nodded in approval of Tyson's handling. Maintaining harmony among his Pokémon was a crucial aspect of being a trainer.

As the family enjoyed their time together, the hours slipped away, and soon it was nearing midnight. Tyson, surrounded by his Pokemon in the living room, discussed future training strategies with his grandparents. "Your time is running short, Tyson. With graduation in July and the addition of a new Pokemon, we need to finalize your training for Coronet Academy," Bertha remarked, to which Tyson nodded. Turning to Trapinch, Bertha inquired, "You intend for this one to be the powerhouse of your team, to handle multiple Pokemon or to weaken troublesome ones, correct?" Tyson confirmed with another nod. "In that case, I'll entrust this little one's training to you, dear," Bertha said as she looked at Shane, who responded with a smile, puzzling Trapinch. Noticing Trapinch's bewilderment, Tyson explained, "Grandpa is a specialist with your kind, so I'm confident his training will make you much stronger" Trapinch, understanding the plan, nodded with a resolute expression.

"But before that—" Shane began, reaching behind the couch where he and Bertha were sitting. In one swift movement, he produced a large pack of fireworks, his smile beaming. "Let's set these babies off," he declared, turning to Bertha and Tyson. The family congregated in the front yard, armed with an array of small fireworks. Trapinch, seasoned in New Year's festivities, helped with the setup. Tyson watched in amazement as others in the vicinity also prepared fireworks. 'It must be a Celestic tradition,' he mused. As midnight approached, the family completed their preparations. "Alright, it's almost time. Let's count down together. This is our first New Year's together, and it'll be some time before we can do this again," Shane remarked. Tyson replied, "Don't worry, I'll visit you, Grandpa." "You better, or this old man will get bored and embark on another expedition," Bertha teased, eliciting laughter from Shane.

Together the family counted down as the clock struck midnight setting off the small fireworks in a display of light and color. Seeing this Tyson and his Pokemon gazed up, watching the various fireworks set off across town. Feeling an arm on his should Tyson turned to look at Shane who had a content smile on his face and he spoke "Happy new year son" followed by Bertha who spoke "Happy new year, Tyson". As the lights from the various fireworks painted the sky and soon died down the family retired for the night and Tyson and his Pokemon prepared for the training tomorrow.

(Time: January 1 - 9 Years Before Ash's Journey)

Assembled in the backyard at dawn, Tyson and his Pokémon commenced their daily workout, with Trapinch donning a set of weights to train alongside Tyson and Gligar. Following Shane's guidance, Tyson aimed to enhance Trapinch's physical prowess, knowing that upon its evolution into Vibrava, its speed would significantly surpass that of Pupitar. Nevertheless, it would still require time for it to rival Gligar's velocity in flight. Though, minding Bertha's first lesion, Tyson decided to train Trapinch's endurance first by using the same method as Pupitar. The ant gave no complaints and although its speed was low, began running. In order to boost Trapinch's morale Tyson lowered his speed and ran alongside the ant cheering him on.

After completing their morning workout, Tyson and his Pokémon had breakfast and then headed back to the backyard resume their practice. Tyson was determined to devise a training regimen for Trapinch's moves, and this time, Shane joined him. As they stood together, Tyson asked Trapinch to demonstrate all its moves. To both Shane's and Tyson's astonishment, Trapinch knew a wide variety of moves. Having observed all its capabilities, Tyson turned to Shane, who advised, "Its move set is ideal for now, but it lacks a long-range attack. To remedy this, Pupitar should teach it Rock Slide. With Rock Slide, Trapinch will be equipped to inflict damage on any opponent, regardless of type, with its current array of moves. Moreover, it will provide a defense against ice-type Pokémon," Shane concluded.

Tyson nodded at Pupitar, who was practicing Sandstorm at a distance from the group, and called out, "Hey Pupitar, can you come here for a moment?" As the Sandstorm subsided, Pupitar approached the group. "Hey buddy, can you teach Trapinch the basics of Rock Slide?" Tyson inquired. Pupitar agreed with a nod and a cheerful "Tar" [No problem], while Trapinch expressed gratitude with a series of "Trap Trap Trap" [Thanks brother, I owe you one for this]. Together, the two Pokémon headed to Pupitar's training area, where Pupitar started teaching Trapinch how to execute Rock Slide. Observing them, Tyson reflected, 'Being a Type Specialist has its perks. Teaching the same move to different Pokémon takes less time and effort.'

(Time: January 7 - 9 Years Before Ash's Journey)

As days passed, Tyson returned to his routine of school, training, and study. After class, he and Eric were chatting when Sophia walked in and joined them, asking, "Hey Tyson, Eric, how was class?" Eric replied, "The usual, Mr. Mathews discussed Trainer Ranks and their role in society," prompting a puzzled look from Sophia. "Trainer Ranks?" she asked. Tyson joined in, "Years ago, the Pokemon League established a ranking system for trainers based on the number of badges, ribbons, or merit points they've earned from various tasks. The ranks range from one to ten, with ten being the Champions."

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"What rank is your grandmother?" Sophia asked again, prompting Eric to respond this time, "Members of the Elite Four are usually rank nine trainers. Rank matters because many companies and businesses prefer to hire trainers, coordinators, or adventurers of a certain rank." Sophia, appearing contemplative, was brought back to the moment by Tyson's question, "What brings you here today, Sophia? I hadn't planned on visiting the battlefield." Startled by Tyson's inquiry, Sophia answered, "Oh, it's your birthday today, so I wanted to visit you and your grandparents." "That's right," Eric interjected, "it's your thirteenth birthday today. Happy birthday, buddy," which earned a grateful smile from Tyson as he said, "Thanks, buddy."

The trio engaged in conversation for a while before Tyson and Sophia departed from the school and made their way to Tyson's house. "So, Tyson, do you think your grandparents have planned a party for you?" Sophia inquired. Tyson responded, "Maybe, I'm not sure; they've never mentioned any birthday plans." 'Ever since I arrived in Celestic, my circle of friends has remained small. My grandparents have only introduced me to Professor Carolina, and then there are the parents of Sophia and Eric, along with a few teachers and rangers I've met. Most of them are merely acquaintances at best, so I'm skeptical that the surprise will involve many people' Tyson thought.

Shortly, Tyson and Sophia arrived at Tyson's house. As Tyson took a step forward and slowly opened the door, popping sounds erupted. Peering inside, they saw a few people gathered in the living room, with Shane standing at the doorway. Together, the group exclaimed, "Happy Birthday, Tyson!" Shane then beckoned, "Come on in, son, it's your special day," guiding Tyson and Sophia inside. Surveying the living room, Tyson wasn't surprised to find Sophia's parents, Hogan and Teressa; however, seeing Professor Carolina at the celebration caught him off guard. "It's good to see you again, Professor Carolina; it's been a while," Tyson remarked, only to be met with a stern look from Professor Carolina, who retorted, "You haven't visited me since young Cynthia left. They say, like grandfather, like grandson—both skirt chasers," which drew a light chuckle from Hogan and a sheepish laugh from Shane.

"I'm sorry, Professor Carolina, but with school and training, I haven't had much free time," Tyson apologized, his head bowed. "Well, at least you recognize your mistake, unlike your father," Carolina remarked, prompting Shane to interject, "Hey, that's not fair." "Now, now, let's not argue; today is Tyson's special day," Teresa said, calming the situation before it escalated. Approaching Tyson, Teresa said, "Happy birthday," and enveloped him in a warm hug, while Hogan added, "Yes, happy birthday." Tyson looked at them and said, "I'm surprised you two came. Is anyone watching the daycare?" Hogan replied, "Ah, don't worry about that. I've got one of my Pokémon overseeing the store until we return. For now, let's celebrate—haha!"

As Tyson settled on the couch, he was encircled by friends and family, each bearing a gift. "This is from me and the missus," Hogan declared, presenting Tyson with a package. Upon opening it, Tyson discovered two notebooks and a Miltank brand pen, which left him perplexed. "Open the first book, Tyson," urged Hogan, and Tyson complied, revealing its contents slowly. The book was filled with various Pokemon care techniques and even tips and tricks not taught by his grandfather. Tyson looked up at Hogan, realizing the value of such a gift. Breeders often guarded their methods closely, making Hogan's shared secrets a genuine surprise.

"Don't be surprised, boy. I promised to repay you for saving my daughter. Did you really think I'd forgotten?" Hogan asked with a chuckle. Beside him, Teressa nodded in agreement, the daycare couple eager to express their gratitude. "I'll accept your thanks," Tyson replied, tucking away the gift and smiling at the couple. "Now it's my turn," Professor Carolina interjected, approaching with a letter in hand. Tyson observed her seal and signature on the letter. "This is a letter of recommendation from me. Present it when you apply to the academy; they'll surely treat you well," Professor Carolina assured. Tyson was taken aback by the generous gesture; the letter would certainly secure him a strong start at the academy. "Thank you, Professor," Tyson said, to which Carolina quickly retorted, "Call me grandma, kid. There's no need for formality," making Tyson blush at her words.

To the side, Shane chuckled, receiving an elbow nudge from Bertha. It was finally his grandparents' turn, and each held a box. "I'll go first," Shane declared, handing his box to Tyson. "You're going to like this one," he remarked as Tyson started to unwrap his gift. Inside was a medium-sized Tyranitar-shaped backpack with various pockets. Tyson looked up at Shane in astonishment. "No way," he exclaimed, to which Shane replied, "Yes way, I had it custom-made by a colleague of mine in Hoenn, just for you, son." Tyson set the box aside and embraced Shane tightly, expressing his gratitude. 'Yes, my very own special backpack; this will make carrying things so much easier,' Tyson thought to himself.

"Well, my gift might as well be chopped liver with that reaction," Bertha remarked, prompting Tyson to release Shane and reassure her, "Don't worry, Grandma, I'm sure your gift will be just as wonderful." Upon receiving Bertha's gift, Tyson unwrapped it to find two items. The first was a high-tech device resembling a flip phone, which Tyson recognized immediately. 'A Pokégear, perfect! I was hoping to get one for my travels,' Tyson thought as Bertha explained, "With your graduation coming up later this year, I wanted to ensure you could keep in touch with us." Tyson looked at his grandmother gratefully and was about to express his thanks when Bertha interjected, "But that's not the only gift I have for you; take a look inside the box."

Heeding his grandmother's counsel, Tyson refocused on the contents of the box, discovering a small necklace shaped like a star. It immediately drew his attention, and he carefully lifted it out. Upon closer inspection, Tyson noticed a slit along the edge, which he opened to reveal a hidden photograph. The photo depicted a young Tyson flanked by two figures he recognized as his parents. To his left stood his father, a man with brown hair similar to Tyson's and a neatly trimmed beard, clad in a blue business suit and sporting a broad smile that reflected Shane's easygoing demeanor. On Tyson's right was his mother, her black hair and hazel eyes mirroring his own. She was dressed in a white skirt and blue blouse, exuding an air of grace. Engraved at the bottom of the image were the words "We miss you." A sad smile spread across Tyson's face, and a tear welled up in his eyes. He gazed at his grandmother and said, "Thank you, Grandma," as he stood up and wrapped Bertha in a warm hug.

The celebration continued for a while before Tyson and his grandparents bid farewell to each family member and friend. Alone in his room, Tyson gazed at the necklace, his Pokémon gathered around him. He showed Gligar and Trapinch a picture, saying, "These were my parents. They're not with us right now, but I'm sure they're watching over us," earning a solemn nod from Pupitar and a hug and nuzzle from Gligar and Trapinch. "Thanks, guys. No need to be sad. We have time before we head to Mt. Coronet. Until then, let's make mom and dad proud and become strong enough to take on anyone," Tyson said, eliciting a spirited cheer from his team.

A/N: Next chapter will be the final chapter of the Trainer School Arc