Andrew descended the stairs of Hotel Z the next morning, Yuto trotting beside him. The orange and blue gi drew immediate attention from the few early-morning guests in the lobby, but he kept his chin up, confidence growing with each step.
"There he is!" Taunie's voice rang out from near the front desk. She wasn't alone.
Two people stood with her a young woman with dancer's posture and graceful movements, and a young man whose sharp eyes were already assessing Andrew's outfit with clear interest.
"Andrew, meet the rest of Team MZ!" Taunie gestured enthusiastically. "This is Lida and Naveen."
Lida stepped forward first, her smile warm and welcoming. A Staryu floated beside her, its gem core pulsing with soft light. "Nice to meet you! Taunie told us about your battle yesterday—
very impressive for a first timer." Her eyes drifted to his gi. "And that outfit is… certainly bold. I like the color coordination."
"It's more than bold," Naveen interrupted, circling Andrew with an appraising look. His Scraggy waddled along behind him, mimicking its trainer's scrutinizing gaze. "The construction is fascinating. I've never seen this style before—the cut of the gi, the way the obi is designed to sit… Where did you get this commissioned?"
Andrew Smiled . "It was… a gift. From someone who knows my tastes."
"Well, they have excellent intuition." Naveen touched the fabric of the sleeve, his designer's eye cataloging every detail. "The material is high quality, and the mobility it allows would be perfect for active trainers. The orange is unconventional, but it makes a statement. You won't blend into any crowd wearing this."
"That's kind of the point, I think," Andrew said quietly.
"Tepig!" Yuto squeaked proudly, as if taking credit for the outfit choice.
Lida laughed, crouching down to greet the small Fire-type. "And you must be Yuto. Taunie couldn't stop talking about how synchronized you two were. That's the kind of bond every dancer understands moving as one, knowing each other's rhythm."
"Star-yu!" Her Staryu spun in agreement.
"So you're really joining Team MZ?" Naveen asked, straightening up. "We could use another serious trainer. Taunie's good, but she's stretched thin with all her hotel duties. Lida and I help where we can, but we've got our own commitments—my fashion studio, her dance school."
"I'm in," Andrew confirmed. "Hotel Z deserves more recognition, and AZ…" t He deserves support
Taunie beamed. "Perfect! And speaking of support, we've got a busy day. First stop getting you registered for the ZA Royale."
The group made their way through Lumiose's morning streets. The city was already bustling with activityconstruction crews heading to work sites, trainers preparing for battles, street vendors setting up their stalls.
"So the ZA Royale uses an app on your Rotom Phone," Taunie explained as they walked. "It tracks your rank, matches you with opponents, records your wins and losses. You start at Rank Z and work your way up through the alphabet to Rank A. The higher you climb, the tougher the competition."
"And the better the rewards," Naveen added. "Prize money, rare items, reputation. Fashion designers notice trainers who make it to the higher ranks—I've gotten commissions just from people seeing my battles."
"Plus, the Promotion Matches are incredible," Lida said, her eyes lighting up. "Special battles against trainers who use Mega Evolution. But that's not till you've reached a higher rank sadly Watching those transformations is like witnessing the most beautiful performance."
Andrew's mind raced. Mega Evolution. He knew about it from playing, but experiencing it firsthand would be completely different. And his team eventually, Midori could Mega Evolve into Mega Venusaur. The thought sent a thrill through him. Same with Yuto ace and Izumi
(I sadly never bothered paying for online to get the greninjaite
"Here we go," Taunie said, pulling out her Rotom Phone. "Pull up your phone, Andrew. The app should already be installed."
Andrew retrieved his Rotom Phone. Sure enough, an icon labeled "Z-A Royale" sat prominently on the screen. He tapped it.
WELCOME TO THE Z-A ROYALEPlease register to begin your journey.
The interface was clean and intuitive. Andrew entered his information name, Hotel Z as his residence, Yuto as his partner Pokémon.
REGISTRATION COMPLETECurrent Rank: ZWins: 0 | Losses: 0Next Promotion Match: Reach 5 wins to qualify
"That's it?" Andrew asked.
"That's it," Taunie confirmed. "Now you can challenge other trainers, accept challenges, and work your way up. But before we throw you into ranked battles, there's someone you should meet. She handles a lot of the city's… let's call them 'special situations.'"
They arrived at a building marked with a distinctive logo a stylized magnifying glass. The Looker Bureau.
Inside, the office was organized chaos. Case files covered cork boards, maps of Lumiose marked with various pins, and a large desk sat in the center of it all. Behind that desk sat a woman with sharp, intelligent eyes and an air of quiet authority.
"Emma," Taunie greeted warmly. "Got a new recruit for you."
Emma looked up, her gaze immediately assessing Andrew with the practiced eye of a detective. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, professional but approachable, with the bearing of someone who'd climbed from difficult circumstances through sheer determination.
"Andrew, right? Taunie mentioned you." Emma stood, extending her hand. "I'm Emma, head detective of the Looker Bureau. i investigate unusual occurrences in this city rings, rogue Pokémon, and lately, some concerning incidents involving Mega Evolution."
Andrew shook her hand, noting her firm grip. "Nice to meet you."
"That outfit's memorable," Emma observed with a slight smile. "You'll be easy to spot if I need to find you." Her expression turned serious. "Taunie says you're joining Team MZ and entering the ZA Royale. Good. We need capable trainers in the city right now. I'll be reaching out with investigation requests as they come up. Think of them as side missions help us solve problems, and you'll be compensated with items, information, and sometimes rare Pokémon."
"I'm happy to help," Andrew said.
"We'll see if you still say that after your first stakeout in the rain," Emma said dryly, but there was warmth beneath the professional exterior. "For now, focus on building your team and ranking up. The stronger you get, the more you can assist with serious cases."
Yuto snorted determinedly, embers puffing from his snout.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Your Tepig's got spirit. That'll take you far."
"Alright," Taunie said once they'd left the Bureau. "One more stop before we turn you loose on Route 1. The Research Lab."
The Pokémon Research Lab was a modern facility on the edge of central Lumiose. Inside, researchers bustled about with various Pokémon, taking notes and conducting observations.
A woman with distinctive magenta hair approached them
her white lab coat pristine, her expression focused but not unfriendly.
"Taunie," she acknowledged. "And you must be the new trainer everyone's been mentioning. I'm Mable, director of this facility."
Andrew tried not to react. Mable. Former Team Flare scientist.. now turned good guy with a tight leash on her from the mayor
"We conduct Pokémon research for the benefit of Lumiose and the Kalos region," Mable explained. "I'm always looking for capable trainers to assist with field research. Complete tasks observe Pokémon behaviors, catch specific species, document rare phenomena—and I'll reward you with TMs and other valuable items. Your Mable Research level will increase as you contribute more."
A notification appeared on Andrew's Rotom Phone.
RESEARCH TASKS AVAILABLEComplete tasks to increase Research LevelCurrent Level: 0
"I'd be interested in helping," Andrew said. This would be perfect for encountering different Pokémon maybe even finding his future team members.
"Excellent. Check your phone regularly for new assignments." Mable's expression softened slightly. "And take care of your Pokémon. The bond between trainer and partner is the foundation of all our research here."
Route 1 stretched out before them as they exited the city proper. The path was well-maintained but bordered by wild grass and scattered trees perfect habitat for various Pokémon.
"This is where most new trainers get their feet wet," Naveen explained. "Common Pokémon, but don't underestimate them. Even a Pidgey can be formidable with the right training."
"Speaking of which," Lida pointed ahead. "Looks like you've got company."
A Pidgey stood in the middle of the path—but this was no ordinary Pidgey. It was massive, easily twice the size of a normal one, with a proud, almost aggressive stance. Its eyes locked onto Andrew and Yuto with clear challenge.
ALPHA PIDGEYLevel: 8
"An alpha," Taunie breathed. "On Route 1? Those are rare. They're bigger, stronger, and way more aggressive than normal Pokémon."
Andrew's heart raced. Ace. This had to be him—the alpha Pidgey that would eventually become his powerful Pidgeot.
"Yuto," Andrew said quietly. "Think you can handle this?"
"Tepig!" Yuto stepped forward, flames beginning to dance around his body. Despite being smaller and lower level, his determination was absolute.
The alpha Pidgey screeched—a sound far more intimidating than any normal Pidgey should make—and dove toward them.
"Yuto, Ember!"
Small fireballs shot from Yuto's snout. The Pidgey dodged with surprising agility for its size, coming in with a Tackle that sent Yuto tumbling.
"Hang in there! Defense Curl, then Fire Pledge when it comes back around!"
Andrew called moves he knew Yuto would learn, banking on their bond to make it work. Yuto curled up, taking reduced damage from the next strike, then—impossibly—flames erupted around the alpha Pidgey as Yuto released energy he shouldn't have access to yet.
The team watching gasped.
"That's not possible," Naveen whispered. "That Tepig shouldn't know that move."
But Andrew and Yuto weren't following normal rules. Their bond transcended typical trainer-Pokémon relationships. They'd fought together before, in another version of this journey, and that connection remained.
The alpha Pidgey staggered, singed and surprised.
Andrew pulled out a Pokeball and Thought to himself). "Join us, Ace. We'll re gain our lost power.
He threw the ball.
It struck the alpha Pidgey, drawing it inside. The ball shook once, twice, three times—
Click.
"You caught it," Lida said, awe in her voice. "An alpha Pidgey. On your first day."
Andrew picked up the ball, feeling its weight. Inside was Ace one of his six. Found again.
But something else caught his attention. In the grass nearby, a flash of golden-white wool. A Mareep, but not like any typical Mareep. This one shimmered with the telltale signs of a shiny Pokémon.
"Rajan," Andrew breathed.
The shiny Mareep looked at him with curious eyes, as if it had been waiting.
Yuto, TE-pig shouted the Pokemon exhausted from the alpha battle, still stood protectively in front of Andrew. The Mareep approached slowly, cautiously, then bumped its head gently against Andrew's leg.
No battle needed. Just recognition.
Andrew knelt down, pulling out another Pokéball. "I know , buddy. And I promise I'll take care of you."
The shiny Mareep touched its nose to the ball's button, allowing itself to be caught.
Two members of his team. Found in one day.
Team MZ stared at Andrew with newfound respect.
"Okay," Taunie said slowly. "I think we made a very good decision recruiting you."
Andrew looked down at his three Pokéballs—Yuto, Ace, Rajan and smiled.
Three down. Three to go.