"What is this?"
"It looks a bit like an ant, but its eyes look like stars..."
Seeing this Pokémon's pitiful little face wrinkle slightly, Lily also poked her head in curiously.
"Not so pretty..."
"Boss, can you help me see this?" Hannah asked Alex, who was deep in thought.
"Let me see," Alex said, coming back to his senses. He took the Pokédex from Hannah's hand, glanced at it, and was momentarily stunned.
"This is Trapinch, a Ground-type Pokémon," Alex announced, giving Hannah a look that said she was quite lucky.
"Ground? Can I draw again?" Hannah's face wrinkled even tighter. She had been hoping for a dragon-type Pokémon. Although Trapinch looked cute, it didn't quite fit her aesthetic preferences.
Hannah pouted, unsure of what to do next.
"Yes, yes, that's the guest's right, and of course, I won't stop you," Alex said, shaking his head.
"However, as a competent boss, I must remind you that Trapinch has very high potential, and its evolved form is a dragon type," Alex reminded Hannah. He wasn't about to exploit the current customers' unfamiliarity with Pokémon for profit. That would be out of character.
"This big-headed ant will be a dragon in the future?" Hannah was momentarily surprised, then her eyes lit up, and her previous indecision and distress vanished.
Lily and Ethan were also shocked. Another dragon?
"Yes, Pokémon undergo a process called evolution as they grow. After evolution, a Pokémon's abilities are significantly enhanced, and its appearance, attributes, and even abilities can change."
"And when Trapinch evolves, it will become a Dragon-type Pokémon," Alex explained in detail, noting that Trapinch's final evolution is Flygon.
Flygon is a powerful dragon-type Pokémon, and although it's not as exceptional as a dragon-type pseudo-legendary, its strength is undoubtedly ranked in the top tier of Pokémon.
Well, that doesn't count Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
"Then which one is better than Charmander?" Hannah asked, so absorbed in the explanation that she was more attentive than she ever had been in school.
And she was curious about which would be stronger between this big ant and Charmander in the future.
"Uh...this..." Alex was taken aback. How to answer that?
"If you compare the strength of their final evolutionary forms, they're actually quite similar," Alex said. "However, if you have a Mega Evolution stone and can Mega Evolve Charmander in the future, then, in terms of Pokémon's inherent strength, Charmander should be stronger... right?"
Alex pondered for a while, glancing at Charmander in Hannah's arms.
Yes, it's hard to say if Flygon or Charizard is stronger since their strengths lie in different areas. But if you just compare the two, Flygon has an attribute advantage since dragon-type resists fire-type.
However, Charizard has two Mega Evolution forms and a Gigantamax form. In terms of strategic significance, cultivation value, and potential, Charmander naturally has the edge.
"But what I want to emphasize is that whether a Pokémon is strong or not depends more on the Trainer's nurturing than on its inherent talent and type."
"To simply compare Pokémon's combat power without considering their Trainers is unfair. A Pokémon might have two completely different performances in the hands of different Trainers."
"Do you understand what I mean?" Alex asked earnestly, wanting Hannah to grasp the broader picture.
He didn't mind people's pursuit of stronger Pokémon because seeking strength is a natural instinct. But he didn't want people to blindly chase powerful Pokémon, as it could be too goal-oriented.
And Pokémon strength isn't solely defined by base stats.
"There are no weak Pokémon, only weak Trainers. I hope the three of you remember this."
"Every Pokémon is a creature with feelings, life, and thoughts. Often, when a Pokémon doesn't shine, it's due to the Trainer's incompetence," Alex whispered, knowing his words were somewhat idealistic, but that's what he wanted to convey.
Hearing this, Hannah, Lily, and Ethan's expressions changed slightly, feeling touched.
"But I believe the three of you will become very famous Trainers in the future, because you're my first guests," Alex teased them, lightening the mood.
The topic had gotten a bit heavy, so Alex smiled and changed the subject. After all, he was just a store manager, and he could only guide as much as possible. If he pushed too hard, it might backfire.
However, it seemed that the three of them, including Lily, were genuinely good people who listened to what Alex said.
"Of course! Boss, when you hold that competition in the future, I will definitely win the championship!" Hannah proclaimed, raising her chin confidently, her voice full of vitality.
This lady is a force to be reckoned with!
"Then I'm looking forward to it, but I'm afraid the competition won't be held anytime soon. Of course, I need more customers to introduce me."
"Let more people know about Pokémon and support my business," Alex said with a laugh, not wanting to dampen the young girl's enthusiasm.
"Don't worry, boss, we'll spread the word," Lily promised.
"That's right, I'll post about it on social media when I get back. I see them idle every day, either playing games or doing nothing productive," Hannah added.
"..."
Ethan, who was about to speak, heard Hannah's remark and silently closed his mouth.
Did playing games offend you? How annoying!
But Ethan also decided to help promote the Pokémon House once he returned. The boss was right; to hold a Pokémon competition, they needed more Trainers!
Otherwise, it would just be the three of them competing for first, second, and third place, which would be rather silly.
Moreover, the more people with Pokémon, the more diverse the battles would be, making it all the more interesting.
"Boss, give me the Trapinch first! I want to see what my big ant looks like," Hannah urged Alex, eager to meet her new Trapinch, knowing it would eventually become a Dragon-type Pokémon.
Yes, Trapinch would be her little cutie from now on.
Please drop some power stone to motivate meeeeeeeee 🙂