Damn, Kalos?

Character Development?, Yes

The enthusiasm was high at first, but quickly, reality hit hard. I had no idea where to even begin. Sure, Larvitar managed to master Rock Smash, but teaching him the more advanced techniques? That's a whole different story. Not to mention, without the funds to buy TMs, we were pretty much stuck. And yep, you guessed it—I'm dead broke.

Just as I was lamenting over my sorry state, Sophie popped up behind me like a stealthy ninja. "What are you sulking about?" she asked, startling me so much that I let out a yelp that would put a Skitty to shame. Immediately, I felt the embarrassment surge through me. Great, just great. Maybe daily doses of humiliation will cure this?

I coughed awkwardly and straightened myself. "Nothing, nothing at all," I managed to say, quickly shifting the conversation. "I was just wondering how to train Larvitar further. I don't have the funds to buy TMs, and I'm running out of ideas on how to teach him new moves."

Sophie rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips. "For someone like you to be stumped over something like this... I guess we can't help it, huh? Did it ever cross your mind that you might've received some sort of payment for that delivery mission to the gym leader? And if you're desperate for cash, why not head to the Pokémon Center and battle some trainers? Alain's been doing that all week, you know."

And just like that, she drifted back into the lab, leaving me standing there, blinking like a Slowpoke.

Stupid. Yep, I was an absolute idiot. I completely forgot that trainers can battle for prize money and experience. Alain's been at it for a whole week, and he didn't even bother to mention it to me?! He's definitely not leaving me in the dust, not if I have anything to say about it.

The streets of Lumiose City were bustling with the usual energy. Warm greetings echoed from vendors, and I returned each one with a nod. But my mind was racing. If I wanted to compete seriously, I'd need a solid team. Catching strong Pokémon was crucial, but how should I approach it?

There are generally two schools of thought. The Ash Method: Catch whatever comes your way and build up a bond over time. Then there's the Paul Method: Find the strongest Pokémon in the wild and catch them, ensuring a powerful lineup from the get-go. I've always been a fan of pseudo-legendaries, but there's a catch—most of them are Dragon-types. Out of the ten identified pseudo-legendaries, eight are part-Dragon, making my team an easy target for Ice and Fairy-types. And training them? It's a massive time sink.

Still, if someone like Sawyer managed to evolve a Bagon into a Salamence in record time during Ash's Gym Challenge, then maybe... just maybe, I can pull it off too. But for now, it's a distant concern. I'll worry about team-building later.

I arrived at the training grounds behind the Pokémon Center and spotted Alain mid-battle. His Charmander faced off against a Furfrou, and from the way things looked, Alain had the upper hand.

"Charmander, finish this with Scratch!" he commanded, and with a swift motion, his Charmander slashed through the Furfrou's defense, sending the Normal-type crumbling to the ground.

The opposing trainer sighed in defeat, handing over the prize money before dashing off to heal their Pokémon.

Huh, looks like Alain's got a serious head start on me. I need to catch up—fast.

Scanning the field, I noticed several other trainers eyeing each other, sizing up their competition. The atmosphere was thick with tension. I decided to break the ice and stepped into one of the marked battle squares.

They hesitated for a moment, silently debating who would take me on. Finally, a girl stepped forward. She had striking green eyes, pink hair, and a confident smile that radiated self-assurance. She was no pushover, that much was clear.