Chapter 14: 'Tears'

"So, you were mocking those two battling Pokémon just now, and Axew misunderstood?"

Eevee nodded but didn't dare admit that it had deliberately provoked the Axew, even going so far as to taunt it with phrases like, "Can you even do it, little dragon?"

Ethan, lacking the ability to understand Pokémon speech, took Eevee's explanation at face value.

"Alright then, what's done is done. Do you want to battle? If not, I'll just go over and apologize."

Though the situation was a misunderstanding, the other trainer had been polite. Offering an apology wouldn't be a problem.

Ethan assumed Eevee wouldn't want to battle—after all, Axew seemed aggressive, and most Eevee, known for their gentle nature, would typically choose to avoid conflict in such situations.

But after a brief moment of internal struggle, Eevee lifted its head and looked up at Ethan with resolute determination.

"Eevee!"

It actually wanted to fight? Ethan was a bit surprised but quickly entertained a possibility.

"You don't want me to apologize over something like this? It's okay; you're more important than that."

Warmth filled Ethan's heart. "When you're stronger in the future, then you can protect me."

Ethan didn't want Eevee to rush into its first battle unprepared. If it ended in a crushing defeat, it might affect Eevee's growth in the long term.

"Eevee!"

Yet, Eevee's resolve didn't waver. Its bright, determined eyes reflected an unshakable will.

Faced with Eevee's insistence, Ethan had no choice but to relent. While Eevee seemed more combative than he had expected, perhaps a loss might toughen its spirit.

The battle was set. Ethan and the red-haired boy moved to an open, shaded area in the park.

Although this was an informal, casual battle with no referee or records, both trainers followed the unwritten rule of introducing themselves.

"Ethan Blakes. This is my partner, Eevee. Please guide us."

"Eevee!"

"Kai Draken. My starter is Axew. Let's do our best."

"Axew!"

Kai Draken? Ethan's heart skipped a beat. Could this surname, 'Draken,' have some connection to Lance, the Champion of both the Kanto and Johto regions in his previous world? (Though Lance wasn't explicitly given a surname in official lore, 'Draken' is often associated with him in fan theories.)

Setting his curiosity aside for now, Ethan refocused on the battle at hand.

After all, this was Eevee's first real match—he didn't want to leave any room for regrets.

"Eevee, are you ready?"

"Eevee!"

One thing the park never lacked was spectators. A new battle quickly drew the attention of nearby onlookers.

"Hey, look, that's an Axew. Pretty rare!"

"Yeah, dragon-type Pokémon with pure bloodlines like that don't come cheap. Even the most affordable ones start at over a million! That guy's got some serious backing."

"Not just that, look at Axew's trademark tusks—smooth, shiny, and white. It's clearly been raised exceptionally well."

While the crowd marveled at Axew, Eevee received little attention. As the most commonly bred Pokémon, Eevee was practically ubiquitous. There wasn't much to discuss about it.

If anything stood out, it was how this Eevee seemed feistier than most of its kind.

Still, no one was optimistic about its chances.

The trainers stood ready, their Pokémon in position.

"Eevee, use Baby-Doll Eyes!"

"Axew, use Focus Energy!"

Both trainers started with status-altering moves. Baby-Doll Eyes would lower Axew's attack, while Focus Energy increased its critical-hit rate.

The choices revealed a shared mindset: go all in!

Ethan opted against using Eevee's Yawn move. While effective in theory, the lack of turn-based mechanics in real-life battles made it unreliable. With Axew's fiery temperament, it seemed unlikely to fall asleep willingly.

Baby-Doll Eyes, which sharply reduced the opponent's attack power, was a much more practical choice in this situation.

Legend has it that Baby-Doll Eyes works by disarming the opponent with a pitiful, teary gaze, reducing their combat effectiveness. However, Eevee's current menacing expression made Ethan suspect it was scaring Axew into submission instead.

Sure enough, Axew, concentrating on gathering its energy, seemed momentarily shaken as the intimidating energy from Eevee's "tears" hit it. It shivered slightly before finishing its move.

"Eevee, follow up with Swift!"

Without hesitation, Ethan pressed the attack. Swift was a long-range special move that perfectly complemented Baby-Doll Eyes.

With the gap between the two Pokémon still wide, now was the ideal time to keep Axew under pressure.

"Axew, charge in with Assurance!"

Kai Draken wasn't about to back down. While Axew's legs were short, its bite packed a punch.

Those sharp tusks could make most Pokémon of the same level think twice before engaging.

"Axew!"

The command thrilled Axew, who charged forward with its claws extended and its tusks glowing faintly with dark energy.

Once close enough, Assurance would undoubtedly land a solid hit on Eevee.

The clash of tactics—long-range versus close-range—was shaping up to be a thrilling spectacle, drawing more and more spectators to the scene.

"Wow, that Eevee isn't just a cute face. Its move execution speed is top-tier for a beginner-level Pokémon!"

"Yeah, both Pokémon used status moves to start, but Eevee's activation was noticeably faster. Maybe... it has a chance to win?"

"With Baby-Doll Eyes lowering Axew's attack and Swift as a follow-up, it's a solid strategy. Eevee might actually pull this off!"

Just as the crowd started shifting their opinions, a boy about Ethan's age scoffed.

"A chance to win? You must not know how terrifying that Axew's attack power is."

(Stay tuned for the next chapter!)