Pokémon: I’m Really Not a Team Rocket Spy

After showing the badge obtained from Luca to the front desk receptionist and confirming its authenticity, Maki was officially recognized as a Poké Ball level trainer.

Reluctantly bidding farewell to the cheerful receptionist, Maki prepared to return to the Pokémon Center.

As he mentally reviewed what Luca had said earlier, he decided not to dwell on it too much. After all, with Giovanni overseeing Team Rocket, there was no chance of anything going wrong.

Meanwhile, a few familiar figures briefly appeared in Maki's peripheral vision. But when he looked up, they were gone.

Did I see that wrong?

Shaking his head, he attributed it to his imagination and continued his way back to the Pokémon Center.

…

"Hey, hey, hey! Leave some for me, you two idiots!"

On the streets of Viridian City, a pair of individuals dressed as mall staff strolled along, trailed by what appeared to be a child-like figure.

The pair voraciously devoured a can of food, completely ignoring the "child" behind them.

"How could that tiny amount possibly fill me up?!" complained the red-haired woman, shaking the empty can to ensure there wasn't a single morsel left before tossing it backward. The "child" behind them leapt up to catch it.

"Why did you eat all of it, nya!" exclaimed Meowth, glaring at the empty can before angrily throwing it into a corner, where it clattered loudly.

A talking Meowth—something rare even in the Pokémon world. If Maki had looked up earlier, he would've immediately recognized these three buffoons.

Team Rocket's iconic trio. Comparable to cartoon wolves that never catch their prey, these three had been chasing Pikachu unsuccessfully for over twenty years.

"Relax! When we get paid tonight, we'll have a big feast," James reassured, playing his usual role as the group's mediator—despite having shared the can with Jessie moments earlier.

"But I'm so hungry I can't even walk, nya…" Meowth's stomach growled as he staggered along.

"Grumble~"

Two more stomachs joined in the chorus. Jessie and James clutched their own bellies, sighing deeply.

"Sigh~"

The single can of food hadn't been enough for any of them. If anything, it had only made them hungrier.

Although they had managed to find temporary work at the mall, they wouldn't be paid until the evening.

"Don't worry! Once we get paid, we'll finally have enough money to buy the last components for our plan. Then we'll storm the Pokémon Center, snatch up all the Pokémon, and hand them over to the boss. Getting more funding will be a breeze!" James declared confidently, trying to inspire the dejected Jessie and Meowth.

"Wait, weren't we going to use the money for a big meal?" Jessie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Big meals can wait! Once we deliver the Pokémon, we'll be able to eat whatever we want. Trust me, with the machine I've built, infiltrating the Pokémon Center will be a piece of cake!" James boasted, puffing out his chest.

As he gestured dramatically, a small black-wrapped object fell from his pocket. Jessie caught it with swift reflexes. James immediately lunged for it, only to be blocked by Jessie's outstretched arm.

It was a chocolate bar.

"Wait, wait, wait! That's my emergency stash! I bought it with my hard-earned secret savings!" James wailed, his voice filled with despair. But Jessie was unmoved. Ignoring his pleas, she tore open the wrapper and shoved the chocolate into her mouth in one swift motion.

"Jessie, you're hogging all the food again, nya!" Meowth exclaimed, rushing forward—only to realize it was already too late.

Somehow, Jessie had managed to unwrap the chocolate in her mouth. She triumphantly tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash can while chewing contentedly.

James stood frozen, his precious emergency ration gone, looking as though he'd turned to stone.

"Oh, come on, it's just a chocolate bar! Once we make Giovanni happy, we'll have all the feasts we could ever want!" Jessie said nonchalantly.

"But…" James's eyes were fixed on the chocolate crumbs clinging to Jessie's lips.

"Back to work! If we don't finish our shift, we won't even get paid!"

And with that, Jessie dragged James and Meowth away.

…

At the Pokémon Center, Maki handed his Charmander over to Nurse Joy for a quick checkup. Once assured that everything was fine, he returned the Pokémon to its Poké Ball.

"You did well today, but there's still room for improvement. Training can't be neglected," Maki said, patting Charmander's head with a smile before handing it a Pokéblock.

The two headed to a training ground behind the Pokémon Center. Unlike the public facilities, this area was a private rental costing 100 League coins per hour—an exorbitant fee, even with the League discount Maki received as a League affiliate.

However, Maki only rented the space for an hour. Real battles were the best way to train Pokémon, and although the earlier fight with Nidorino had been interrupted, it had highlighted Charmander's weaknesses.

Charmander's move pool was too limited. Although Scratch, Ember, and Crunch were decent moves—luxurious, even, for a starter Pokémon—it was still insufficient. A Caterpie, for example, might only have Tackle.

But three moves weren't enough, especially with only one Fire-type move: Ember.

Maki knew that Charmander had a wide learning curve for Fire-type moves, from Flamethrower and Heat Wave to Fire Punch, Fire Fang, and Flare Blitz.

Not utilizing Charmander's potential would be a waste of its exceptional talent.

Of course, Maki wasn't expecting Charmander to master Flare Blitz at this stage. He wasn't like Ash, who constantly interrupted evolution by mashing the B button.

Instead, Maki set his sights on teaching Charmander Fire Fang.

The choice of a physical move was deliberate. Without a teammate to set up Sunny Day, Charmander's Solar Power ability was less effective. A physical attack strategy with Dragon Dance was more practical.

Additionally, Fire Fang's lower power compared to Fire Punch made it easier to learn. Since Charmander was already familiar with controlling Fire-type energy in its mouth via Ember, transitioning to Fire Fang would be a natural next step.

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