The sun had barely begun to crest the horizon when I stepped out into the crisp morning air of Celadon. I headed for the outskirts, finding a secluded clearing where the grass was still heavy with dew. It was time to push the team.

  I called out Axew first and handed him the HM for Strength. In this world, an HM isn't just a move; it's a physical modification of how a Pokémon channels its internal power. Strength gives a Pokémon the literal force to shift massive boulders, but in a real fight, it translates to brutal, raw grappling power. I watched as Axew absorbed the data, his muscles rippling as the energy settled.

  "Abuse that power, Axew," I told him. "I want you to learn how to wrestle, how to pummel your way through close-range encounters. Combine it with your slashes." He let out a low, guttural growl, his stance widening. He was already a close-range menace; now, he was becoming a juggernaut.

  For Shellder, the mission was precision. I told him to work on Icy Wind, pushing him to drop the temperature until the air itself crystalized. We spent an hour refining the Ice Counter Shield, trying to make the rotation tighter and the freezing effect more instantaneous. Across the clearing, Exeggcute was focused on Confusion, lifting larger and larger stones, straining its psychic muscles until the air shimmered with pink energy.

  After two hours of drilling, I called for a break. I pulled out my phone to scroll through the Pokénet and nearly choked on my water. A forum thread about my match with Erika was trending. I had dozens of friend requests and notifications. People were debating Erika's use of "foreign Pokémon" and speculating on who I was. I wasn't thrilled about being famous this early—anonymity is a tool, and I'd just lost it. The Pokénet is a terrifyingly efficient place.

  I fed the team their new specialized food, mixing one spoon of the concentrated nutrients into their regular kibble. Exeggcute got a double serving of the Grass and Psychic blends. They seemed to love the taste, eating with a fervor I hadn't seen before. I didn't expect instant results, but I knew that within a few days, their energy circulation would start to improve.

  A chime from my phone signaled a message from Erika. I headed back to the gym, where the receptionist led me directly to the Leader's private quarters.

  "I cannot train him personally," Erika explained as we met. "Between the gym and the clan elders, my time is occupied. However, I've arranged for one of my main-team Pokémon to guide your Exeggcute."

  She looked at the six-seeded Pokémon. "It will learn Mega Drain at the very least. If it shows enough hunger, my Pokémon might teach it more. It depends on your partner's speed of learning."

  I knelt down to Exeggcute's level. "You're going to be here for four days. You'll be training with an Elite. Don't just learn the moves—devour the experience. Learn how a high-level Grass-type thinks, how it moves, and how it survives. Stay hungry."

  Exeggcute's eyes flashed with a competitive smirk. It was ready. I handed Erika its Pokéball and told her I'd be back by evening.

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  With my heavy hitter in training, I turned my sights toward the Celadon suburbs to initiate Project M.

  The suburbs were a maze of narrow alleyways and crowded market stalls. It was the perfect environment for what I was looking for. As I navigated the streets, I passed a dusty curiosity shop selling "collectible stones." Most were junk, but my eyes caught a peculiar, iridescent marble tucked in a corner. My heart skipped. It was a Mega Stone.

  The shopkeeper, thinking he was swindling me, sold it for a measly 100 Poké-dollars. I tucked it away safely. Sycamore hadn't published his thesis on Mega Evolution yet, so to the rest of the world, this was just a pretty rock. To me, it was a future fortune or a trump card.

  I kept moving until I saw a flash of white. A cat-like Pokémon had just swiped a fish from a grocery stall, the angry seller giving chase before eventually giving up. I followed the white blur, jumping over crates and sliding through narrow gaps. It knew it was being followed, leading me deep into a dead-end alley.

  Suddenly, I was surrounded. A dozen Meowth prowled the rooftops and trash cans, led by a battle-scarred Persian with a deep cut over its eye. I released Axew and Shellder immediately.

  "I want to end this peacefully," I said, my voice steady. "I'm looking for a Meowth. One that is a thief by trade but a warrior by heart. Give me one from your pack and I'll walk away. If you fight, I'll still take one—I'll just have to beat all of you first."

  The Persian hissed, and the alley exploded into motion.

  "Shellder, rain down Icicle Spear! Axew, mow through them! Get to the boss!"

  Axew charged. The Persian was fast, using Quick Attack to weave through the alley before slamming into Axew with a Shadow Claw. Axew's instincts held; he blocked the dark energy with his own bolstered arms, but the momentum sent him skidding back. He didn't look hurt—he looked thrilled. He smirked and lunged back into the fray.

  On the other side, Shellder was a turret of ice, knocking Meowth out of the air. A group of them coordinated, pelting him with a shimmering gold Pay Day barrage. Shellder retreated into his Counter Shield, the coins pinging harmlessly off his shell.

  I noticed one Meowth in particular. It wasn't just blindly attacking; it was barking orders. It waited for Shellder to stop spinning before calling for the next strike. It was analyzing us.

  "Shellder, offensive spin! Rapid Spin combined with Icicle Spear!"

  Shellder became a centrifugal force of jagged ice. A tornado of spears launched in every direction, shredding the coordination of the pack. The "leader" Meowth used the alley walls like a gymnast, "Spiderman-ing" over the projectiles with incredible agility.

  Eventually, the pack was scattered. Only the tactical Meowth remained. The moment Shellder stopped, the Meowth leaped from the wall for a Slash, following up with a dark-pulsing Pursuit. Shellder barely caught the hit with a Withdraw.

  "You have real talent," I called out to the Meowth. "But here, following a Persian in the shadows, you'll never reach your peak. Join me, and I'll give you the world to steal from."

  The Meowth hesitated, looking back at its wounded leader. Nearby, Axew had cornered the Persian. Using the raw power of Strength-boosted grappling, Axew had landed a devastating Cross Slash that ended the fight.

  "Stop!" I commanded. "Persian, your pack is done. You fought well, but Axew won't lose."

  The Persian looked at its fallen kin and hissed a retreat. The remaining Meowth backed off, but the tactical one I had been fighting stood its ground. It chirped something to the Persian, who looked surprised but eventually nodded.

  The Meowth didn't want to leave with the pack. It wanted to fight the one who beat its leader. It wanted Axew.

  The two faced off. The Meowth lunged with a Quick Attack, but Axew, now fully adjusted to the close-range brawl, dodged the strike with a predatory grace. He caught the Meowth mid-air and slammed a point-blank Cross Slash into its gut, sending it tumbling into the brick wall.

  The Meowth lay there, gasping but satisfied. I stepped forward. "Had enough? Or do you want to see what else we can do?"

  The Meowth gave a weak, respectful nod. I tossed the Pokéball. It clicked instantly.

  I left a pile of Oran berries for the Persian and the rest of the pack—I wasn't a monster—and headed back to the Center. After Joy healed the team, I checked the newcomer's data.

  Meowth's Known Moves:

  Ability: Pickup, Hidden ability(Locked): Technician

  Scratch

  Leer

  Pursuit

  Pay Day

  Slash

  Quick Attack

  Thief

  Fury swipes

  Project M was officially online.