Pokémon: I’m Really Not a Team Rocket Spy

Maki had noticed an issue with Charmander during his battle against Lance. Its move pool was too limited—both Crunch and Fire Fang required close proximity to the opponent, making them less versatile. Furthermore, they weren't particularly useful for defensive maneuvers.

As for Scratch, there was little reason to train it, as it would inevitably be replaced.

While Ember had been upgraded to Flame Burst, it still struggled against Dratini, which resisted Fire-type moves. Maki knew he needed to diversify his strategy.

At the same time, he had already decided to obtain a second Pokémon. His journey through Saffron Forest had given him a clear idea of what he wanted. If he couldn't find a suitable Pokémon in Saffron City's forest, he would visit the League's official daycare. Money wasn't an issue, and the Pokémon he had in mind wasn't particularly rare. Finding one with high potential shouldn't be a problem.

If that didn't work, Maki was willing to wait—he understood the importance of quality over quantity. He didn't want a situation where one of his Pokémon fell behind the rest.

Even though the Pokémon he wanted wasn't considered rare, it wasn't weak either. It simply wasn't a species that people talked about often. But Maki was about to change that. He was ready to make people take notice.

Agatha had already arrived in Saffron City. But the closer he got to executing his plan, the more Maki felt like he had nothing to do. Most of what lay ahead depended on his own improvisation tomorrow. Life was a stage, after all—acting skills were everything.

After some thought, he decided there was no point in just waiting around. He might as well check out the daycare. If he found the Pokémon he wanted there, he wouldn't have to make a separate trip to the forest.

Just as Maki was about to leave, Charmander let out a yawn.

"Tired? You can rest in your Poké Ball if you want."

He unclipped Charmander's Poké Ball from his belt. The little Fire-type had been woken up early by Lance's call and had exhausted itself in battle against Lance's Dratini. It was natural for it to be tired.

Charmander hesitated for a moment, then shook its head and pointed toward Maki's backpack.

"You mean… you want me to carry you in that?"

Maki's expression twitched slightly.

Charmander nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, alright. Just be careful not to burn the bag with your tail."

Charmander wasn't too heavy, so carrying it would be good training in itself. Besides, it reminded Maki of his school days when his backpack had felt just as heavy.

The little Pokémon hopped off and started clearing out the bag, setting aside several boxes of Pokéblocks before settling inside. Only its head peeked out from the top.

The Pokéblocks and other supplies were left in the room—after all, this was a Pokémon Center. No one would dare steal from here… except maybe those three idiots.

Even if someone did try, they wouldn't get far.

Thankfully, Maki's backpack was large enough to fit Charmander comfortably.

"Alright, let's go."

He zipped the sides of the bag slightly so it wouldn't look too loose, then slung it over his shoulders.

Charmander let out a satisfied hum.

Arriving at the League's official daycare, Maki glanced over his shoulder and grinned at Charmander.

The little Fire-type let out a questioning sound, adjusting its position. It felt something at the bottom of the bag—probably something left over from when it emptied the pack earlier. It shifted to the side to get comfortable.

The daycare was enormous. Given the number of Pokémon and Pokémon Eggs housed here, security was even tighter than at a Pokémon Center.

Although Saffron City also had privately owned daycares, they were far less reliable. The Pokémon available there were hit-or-miss, making it a gamble.

For most families, the League daycare was still expensive, but compared to the high fees required to officially receive a Starter Pokémon, it was a more affordable option. As a result, the daycare was always crowded.

That said, it was still primarily frequented by the wealthy. Even a single Pokémon Egg could cost hundreds of thousands of League coins, making it unattainable for the average person.

"Hello, how can I assist you?"

The receptionist's eyes immediately landed on Maki—more specifically, on the Charmander behind him.

A Trainer with a Starter Pokémon was never short on money. A top-tier customer!

"I want a Cottonee."

Maki got straight to the point.

"A… Cottonee?"

The receptionist was briefly taken aback, looking a bit disappointed.

Cottonee wasn't exactly a common Pokémon, but it wasn't particularly valuable either. Given Maki's age, the receptionist had expected him to be a hot-blooded young Trainer, the kind who would make a difficult request like, Do you have a Dratini? or How about a Larvitar?

Instead, he asked for that?

"We do have Cottonee. Would you prefer an Egg or a hatched Pokémon?"

Though slightly let down, the receptionist still followed protocol. Every sale mattered, even small ones.

"I'd like to see the hatched ones first."

Maki took a moment to think. Hatched Pokémon had observable traits, while Eggs were a gamble.

After all, even if an Egg was bred under ideal conditions, there was no guarantee it would have the right Ability or inherit good moves.

"Understood. Please follow me."

The receptionist didn't try to upsell him on other Pokémon—this was a rich kid, after all. As long as he bought something, it was a win.

Leading Maki deeper into the daycare, they took several turns before reaching their destination.

"This is the place. Please, step inside."

The receptionist scanned their ID card at the door, which unlocked with a soft click. They stepped into the room together.

It was massive. Special lighting simulated sunlight, and the floor was covered in soft grass.

"Newly hatched Pokémon can't stay in Poké Balls all the time, so we keep them in an environment as close to nature as possible," the receptionist explained.

-----------------------

Want to read ahead of schedule?

Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON