Chapter 106 106: And Lorze’s Choice is...
"This Charmander has already mastered Dragon Breath; its Dragon-type affinity is exceptional."
"And this Scyther has the Technician Ability and has already learned Swords Dance. Once it sets up, it can sweep an entire team."
"We also have a Misdreavus egg. They're rare finds in the wild. If you're looking for a Ghost-type, I highly recommend it."
The manager led Lorze and Xue Yi through the massive facility. It was the size of a shopping mall; seeing everything was impossible, so she focused on the high-end, popular choices.
She certainly wasn't going to take the Young Miss's boyfriend to look at Caterpies.
But much to her shock, the "Young Master" seemed interested in exactly that level of Pokémon.
Lorze's gaze was suddenly captured by a Pokémon in a distant corner. He hurried toward it.
Unlike the other Pokémon who sat obediently on pedestals to interact with customers, this one was in the back, secretly practicing its punches against a ragged sandbag.
At first glance, Lorze thought it belonged to another customer.
Until he saw the price tag hanging around its neck, identifying it as "Store Merchandise."
"This one is for sale too?" Lorze squatted down, curious.
"Oh, her..." The manager sighed when she saw the Pokémon practicing again.
Following protocol, she began to explain the creature's background.
Though she doubted a wealthy man like Lorze would choose her. Why pick this when you can have a Torchic?
"That is a Mawile. She's been here for over three years now..." the manager began.
According to her, this Mawile started as a laboratory subject, used to test whether Steel-types could maintain absolute immunity to new strains of hyper-toxins.
Once the data was collected, she was sent to the breeding center to be sold, just like all the other "retired" lab Pokémon.
It sounded tragic.
But in reality, the process was standard. Rather than dumping lab animals into the wild or letting them rot in a cage, finding them a Trainer was the responsible thing to do.
Most Trainers treated their partners like family.
If a Pokémon was bought, its future was basically secured.
For a lab Pokémon, finding a Trainer was the ultimate happy ending.
Mawile had thought so too. She arrived with a batch of other test subjects, waiting patiently for her "Chosen One" to appear.
But she had been waiting for three years.
Thousands of Trainers had walked past her, but none had stopped.
One by one, her companions were adopted. Only she remained, the permanent "leftover."
The rejection had crushed her spirit, leaving her with a crippling sense of inferiority. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She didn't know why no one wanted to take her home.
Every time she saw another Pokémon being lifted into a Trainer's arms, her heart ached with envy and sorrow.
Eventually, the manager told her the truth: no one wanted her because she couldn't evolve. To this day, no one had ever discovered an evolution for Mawile.
A Mawile's Base Stat Total (BST) couldn't even compete with a second-stage evolution, let alone a fully evolved three-stage Pokémon. She had zero competitive value.
Faced with such a weak creature, no matter how "cute" she was, no Trainer would waste a slot on her.
It was the same reason people ignored Feebas before they knew about Milotic.
An unevolvable Mawile was just "trash."
When she learned the truth, Mawile's brain stalled. So my dream is just a fairy tale? I'll never get that hug?
The tears began to fall, and she wept openly.
Luckily, the manager was kind. She slashed Mawile's price and allowed her to use the training equipment for free. She hoped that if Mawile learned a powerful move, someone might take a chance on her.
That was why Mawile was in the corner, throwing punches while everyone else was being "cute."
"Does she have any special moves?" Lorze asked.
"She's mastered Power-Up Punch. It's useful, but..." The manager shrugged.
The move was good, and it drew some eyes, but the "No Evolution" label was a death sentence.
Unless she could master something like Focus Punch, she could never overcome her naturally low attack power.
And that wasn't even her biggest weakness. Her speed was a disaster.
The massive, steel-jawed "horn" on the back of her head wasn't for show—it was a heavy, biological weight that dragged her down.
No Trainer had the confidence to make her viable.
Except maybe a billionaire who could brute-force her growth with money.
But billionaires weren't idiots; if they were spending that much, they'd spend it on a Pseudo-Legendary.
"I see. You've been working hard, haven't you?" Lorze reached out and rubbed Mawile's head.
The Pokémon didn't pull away. She just looked at him with a mix of fear and hope.
She didn't understand the touch. Is he taking me home?
Or is he just pitying the pathetic spider-girl?
Mawile didn't dare to hope. She had felt the pain of hope failing too many times.
"Shall we look at the others, or...?" The manager wasn't sure what Lorze was thinking. He was Miss Xue's man; surely he wouldn't sink to picking a Mawile?
Personally, she hoped she was wrong. She wanted the little steel-girl to find a home.
"The day is young. Let's finish the tour." Lorze stood up after the pat, acting as if he had no intention of choosing her.
Mawile's head drooped in disappointment. Of course. He's not the one either.
The manager let out a silent sigh and shot Mawile a firm look of encouragement. At least someone stopped to appreciate your effort, right?
For the next hour, Lorze seemed to forget Mawile existed. He meticulously inspected every Pokémon in the facility.
But only he knew the truth: he wasn't checking for "talent." He was checking their colors against the DNA-helix patterns in his seven Mega Stones.
After a full circuit, combined with his personal aesthetic, only one choice remained.
"Alright. I'm done looking." Lorze stopped.
"Have you decided? Which one?" The manager's heart tightened. Lorze had spent a long time staring at a Torchic earlier; she assumed that was the one.
Who could say no to a Starter?
In the corner, Mawile heard his voice. She stopped punching the bag and looked over with a gaze full of raw, unadulterated longing.
I want to go... but I know I won't.
The man had only complimented her effort. He hadn't looked back once.
What's the point of working hard if no one loves you?
Mawile bowed her head, preparing to resume her lonely practice.
But as she raised her fist, she heard her name.
"Yes. I've decided. I'll take that Mawile. I have a soft spot for hard workers." Lorze said suddenly.
The manager and Xue Yi both froze, their faces masks of pure bewilderment.
Wait. You were just staring at the Torchic!
Why the sudden pivot? Are all men this fickle?
Xue Yi frowned. She saw Lorze as the next superstar of the circuit. Picking a Mawile is just handicapping yourself!
Why ignore a perfect Starter for a laboratory reject?!
Mawile herself was paralyzed with disbelief. She looked at Lorze, and when she saw him looking back at her, a tidal wave of emotion crashed over her. She sprinted across the floor and grabbed Lorze's finger, her face full of frantic, desperate questioning.
"Maw! Maw-ile!" (Really? Really?! I can actually go with you?!)
Her eyes were wide with terror—terror that he was playing a cruel joke.
Lorze picked up the little creature, who was roughly the same height as his Kirlia. He cradled her gently. "It's real. From today on, you're my partner. No objections, right?"
"MAW~!" (NO OBJECTIONS!) Mawile wailed, bursting into tears of pure gratitude. She hugged him tight, refusing to let go, terrified he might change his mind.
Lorze wouldn't change his mind, but Xue Yi was fuming. You actually picked it!