It took almost half a day of walking and letting Flapple adjust to its new moves before they finally found the wild Eevee that Yuri had been talking about.
Apparently, the two had grown quite familiar over the past few days. Despite how exposed the resting spot was, the Eevee hadn't moved, and even greeted them cheerfully. Whether that was due to trust or just a complete lack of self-preservation instinct was anyone's guess.
"Vee~! (Morning, human. You're a bit late today.)"
"Hmph! I'm definitely winning today. You're coming with me whether you like it or not!"
"Haaah... Vee... (Suuure...)"
The Eevee let out an exaggerated yawn and scratched one of its ears, deliberately putting on an air of lazy indifference. The effect was immediate Yuri, clearly provoked, raised both arms and tossed Flapple high into the air.
"Let's go, Flapple! Today, we're taking her down!"
"Squeak... (I'll do my best...)"
Marie stood to the side, watching the match unfold with interest. Although Flapple had evolved, it had barely received any training yet. Relying purely on instinct, it could probably only fight at a limited level.
And judging by the fact that this wild Eevee had already beaten both Sobble and Eldegoss, Marie figured its strength wasn't anything to scoff at. Truthfully, Yuri's chances weren't great.
What intrigued Marie even more was that Eldegoss was known to use Sleep Powder quite effectively. Normally, a pre-evolved Eevee would have trouble dodging powder-based moves like that.
But Yuri had still failed to capture it. That alone made this Eevee worth observing.
"Flapple, Wing Attack!"
"Screee-!"
At Yuri's command, Flapple flapped its wings and dove down toward Eevee, using its aerial advantage and elevation to strike from above. If it had a broader move pool, it would have been even more effective.
Unfortunately, having just evolved, Flapple only knew a few Flying and Dragon-type moves and couldn't fully capitalize on its position.
"Vee-!"
Eevee dodged with impressive speed and precision, as if it had already calculated Flapple's attack trajectory. Right as the dragon-type swooped in, Eevee slipped past the strike at the last second with Quick Attack, retreating out of danger.
Not only that, it twisted mid-air and launched a Swift attack directly at Flapple.
"Use Twister to disrupt its movements!"
Lacking any solid defensive techniques, Flapple responded immediately to Yuri's voice. It braked in mid-air, tanked the Swift, and spun its wings to conjure its only Dragon-type move.
Though not powerful, the swirling energy came together in a wind-heavy Twister. It wasn't strong, but it had decent range, and the turbulent wind howled straight toward Eevee.
Yuri understood this move wouldn't deal heavy damage, so she quickly called out another order while Eevee was still off guard.
"Acrobatics! Flapple, close in and strike!"
Eevee, who normally relied on its battle intuition, had misread the situation. The Twister might not have hit hard, but the chaotic wind currents disrupted its usual fluid motion, throwing off its dodging rhythm.
"Vee-! (Back off already!)"
"Screee-!"
Knowing it couldn't avoid the hit in time, Eevee braced itself and took the blow head-on. Then, spotting a narrow opening, it suddenly sprang up with a sharp cry.
Its tiny, fluffy paws aimed straight for Flapple's head with a swift double kick. But Flapple reacted just in time. Before Yuri could even speak, it curled into an apple-shaped ball to defend itself, absorbing the impact before tumbling away, unable to stay airborne.
The Twister, having lost its caster's control, vanished mid-air.
Marie raised an eyebrow at Eevee's response and glanced at her Rotom Phone, which had been recording the battle. According to a quick scan, that last move was most likely the Fighting-type Double Kick.
"Vee! (Heh! That all you've got?)"
"Flapple, are you okay?"
"Squeak squeak! (I'm fine! Still good to go!)"
Flapple flapped its wings and got airborne again. Its defenses had noticeably improved after evolving, and the Double Kick hadn't done too much damage.
"Flapple, use Twister again!"
Yuri called out once more. After what she'd just seen, she knew Twister was her best shot at disrupting Eevee's rhythm. That wild Pokémon wasn't just skilled it was hyper-aware, almost like it could predict attacks in advance.
That was the real reason why neither Sobble nor Eldegoss had managed to beat it.
Every time Yuri had tried using Sleep Powder, Eevee would counter with Sand Attack or something like it, scattering the powder before it could take effect.
Flapple had observed these previous battles and knew this Eevee was a tough opponent. Determined, it flew higher and summoned an even more powerful Twister.
Unconsciously, the little dragon had blended Flying-type energy into the Dragon-type move, reducing its direct damage but amplifying the wind power. The goal was clear: disturb Eevee's movements so much that it couldn't dodge properly.
"Wing Attack, now!"
"Screech!"
"Vee!"
The intensified wind made it even harder for Eevee to maintain its balance. It could no longer perform those razor-sharp evasions from earlier. Flapple, naturally faster than Eevee, now had the edge thanks to the added pressure of the windstorm.
Eevee was forced to rely on Quick Attack repeatedly just to keep up with the onslaught, barely staying in the game.
Then, just as Flapple closed in for another attack, Eevee suddenly let out a high-pitched cry and widened its eyes. Two strange energy pulses shot from its gaze, locking onto Flapple mid-charge.
The moment of hesitation cost Flapple dearly.
In that brief window, Eevee's body flared with a brilliant light, and with a sharp thud, it rammed into Flapple, knocking it out of the sky.
"Squeak..."
Flapple fluttered back up, shaken and a little dazed. That unexpected interference had thrown off its entire rhythm, and it had taken a clean hit as a result.
The reversal had happened so quickly that Yuri was still trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"..."
"It was Baby-Doll Eyes combined with Tickle," Marie said, narrowing her eyes. "This Eevee's kind of impressive. Where'd you find it?"
Even Marie was starting to feel intrigued. This Eevee had solid potential good move synergy, excellent control, and even a Fighting-type move in its arsenal.
Plus, its evasive instincts were practically superhuman. Marie suspected it might have the Anticipation ability.
A tricky one to deal with. If a timid Pokémon had that ability, it would probably be terrified all the time, constantly on edge and easy to bully.
But in the hands of a bold, naturally combative wild Pokémon like this Eevee, it became a terrifying weapon razor-sharp instincts and a sixth sense for danger.
No wonder it was so hard to catch.
____________________
NEXT CHAPTER : Even Pokémon Can Be Perverts
(Yuri finally catches Eevee after a hard-fought battle, and while everyone's settling in for a relaxing meal, a surprise aerial attack disrupts their peace. Moonlight swiftly intercepts the threat a bold and incredibly flirtatious Rookidee with zero shame and a beak full of pickup lines aimed at Marie. But Moonlight doesn't tolerate nonsense. With one psychic slam, the little pervert is buried back in the dirt where he came from.
What was supposed to be a peaceful evening turns into a reminder:Even in the world of Pokémon… creeps exist.
Next Chapter: Will this bizarre bird come back for more? Or was that the last they'll see of him?)
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