Background:
I collected cards as a kid, got to travel extensively and would trade 10 non holos for a holo all around the world. Got to over 100 holos and had the best collection out of every kid in my small town.
Went to high school, sold and bought, won and lost, forgot and picked back up again, Pokémon. The thing that made me feel like a kid forever, the thing I was the best at out of everyone I knew.
Played the game, had the best team, fell in love with Dragonite. Favorite Pokémon for 15 years now.
Traded in high school, Traded in college. Bought cards. Sold cards. Made my collection grow.
Played Pokémon showdown, Gen 1 OU for 3 years, aimed to have the top spot so at least once I could tell myself that I, for a moment, was the best Gen 1 Pokémon player in the world. Got it 3 different times.
Now here I am, about to go to medical school, door dashing and studying chemistry, getting married in a month, a late bloomer at 28.
And last year I started paying attention to people on the internet that are part of the Pokémon community and realized: My 180-card holo rare Japanese-exclusive collection, my 1000 English playing cards and my 2000+ non holo Japanese cards amounts to but a fraction of Scott Pratt, Pokémon king and a huge 3000 person long list of people who have been buying and selling and wheeling and dealing their way to having the most elaborate and stunning Pokémon collections in the world.
But there’s a problem: I have to be the best. Like no one ever was. I’m the Gary of the Pokémon world. I’m arrogant and self righteous and want to be the best, to have the number one spot at Pokémon whatever it means, I want it. Why? Because I love them. I love them so much. They’re beautiful, and rare and exotic and expensive and they keep me a kid. By God through Pokémon I have been kept a child and I want it. I have to be the Lance. I have to be the Gary. I have to be the Prof. Oak when I’m old.
So here’s the question???
How do I be the best? Like no one ever was? Do I have the most expensive cards? The rarest cards? I am prepared to flip cards on ebay for the next 25 years until I have 10,000 Beckett 9, 9.5 and 10’s in every Pokémon card I have ever loved. From squirtle deck squirtle to shining gyarados to topsun nidoking to no rarity charizard.
What does it enatail? To be the Best, the world champion at Pokemon Card Collecting and who is it? Who is my opponent? So far up the peak of mount silver? Is it smpratte? is it King Pokemon?
Advice. Direction. Love. Relation.
All are accepted to help me in this quest. This quest to be what we all truly, deeply want in our hearts:
To be the Pokémon Champion of the World.