— — — — — — —
"I want to visit the Kanto region."
Eevee transmitted telepathically, sounding a bit helpless.
As much as it didn't want to be treated like a plush toy, it couldn't deny the sheer comfort of being cuddled. (～￣▽￣)～
Besides, Cynthia smelled really nice. 😊
"Huh?"
Cynthia raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Kanto? Why do you want to go there? Weren't you born in Sinnoh? Do you have some old friends there?"
Then, as if making up her mind instantly, she added with a smile, "Of course, if that's where you want to go, I'm totally on board! Our next stop is Kanto!"
"I've heard it's the headquarters of the Pokémon League, and there are tons of Pokémon species there that we don't have in Sinnoh. It'll be fun to explore!"
Kanto was definitely an interesting travel destination.
And since it was the first time Eevee had expressed a strong desire to go somewhere, Cynthia naturally supported it wholeheartedly.
"Thank you, Cynthia!"
Eevee was genuinely touched and quickly explained telepathically, "The main reason is that I recently received news about a special Eevee in Kanto—one that can evolve and devolve freely between Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon. I want to track it down!"
"What?!"
Cynthia's eyes widened in shock. "An Eevee like that actually exists? Do you know where it is?"
She clearly remembered how much Eevee had been obsessed with researching the concept of controlled evolution and devolution, hoping to unlock new evolution forms.
Eevee had even discussed and partially researched the topic with her grandmother, Professor Carolina, but they had made little progress.
And now, an actual Eevee with this ability had appeared?
She felt genuinely happy for Eevee.
If they could find that special Eevee, with her Eevee's intelligence, it might just crack the mystery behind this phenomenon!
"I don't have exact coordinates yet, which is why we'll need to search for it."
Eevee shook its head, then continued, "From what I've gathered, this Eevee seems to be an experimental subject created by Team Rocket in Kanto."
"It has clear signs of scientific experimentation. A trainer found it injured in the wild and took it to a Pokémon Center in Celadon City for treatment."
"Coincidentally, there was a recently dismantled Team Rocket research facility nearby, leading to speculation that this Eevee had escaped from there."
"However, the Eevee later disappeared without a trace."
Eevee then gave Cynthia a serious look and transmitted, "I'm telling you all this because we may end up clashing with Team Rocket. This journey could be dangerous. Are you sure you want to go?"
"Honestly, I could go alone…"
"Stop right there."
Before it could finish, Cynthia cupped Eevee's face in her hands, bringing it close to hers. She looked straight into its eyes, her expression unwavering.
"Listen up, Eevee! You're my best friend, and in many ways, my mentor. There's no way I'm letting you go alone!"
"If we're going, we're going together!"
"As for the danger? I don't care! As long as we're together, we can protect each other! Isn't that right?"
She playfully winked at Eevee.
"Cynthia! 😄 You're the best! Thank you! Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to keep you safe!"
Eevee's eyes shimmered with emotion.
A companion like this… what more could one ask for?
"Hehe! I know! Me too!"
Cynthia hugged Eevee tightly, smiling brightly.
Meanwhile, nearby…
"Garchaaa!" (Damn it! The boss position is mine! Eevee, you damn showoff! This is infuriating!)
"Leo!" (Garchomp! Don't talk bad about the boss! Also, I suggest you be kind! If the boss hears you, you're getting your ass kicked again!)
"Hana!" (Don't bother with it. It never learns. The boss is unbeatable!)
"Rose~~!" (The boss is the coolest!)
"Moo!" (Long live the boss!)
"Milooo!" (Quit chatting and train! The tournament is coming up! Don't embarrass yourselves!)
Cynthia's six main Pokémon cast envious, admiring, and jealous glances at Eevee.
"Hmm?"
Eevee suddenly turned and gave them a calm, knowing look.
"!!!"
The group immediately refocused and trained with newfound intensity.
"Good."
Eevee nodded in satisfaction and transmitted, "Work hard! The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss!" x6 (Garchomp, Lucario, Roserade, Spiritomb, Milotic, Togekiss!)
They all responded in unison before continuing their training.
Meanwhile, Garchomp, Spiritomb, and Milotic secretly thought to themselves:
(Boss lounges around all day like a lazy fish while we train like mad… and now it's talking about hard work? Easy to say when you're lying down!)
"Hmm?"
Eevee, being telepathic, immediately read their thoughts and smirked as it transmitted, "If you guys had my talent, you could be lazy too. But can you?"
Garchomp: "....."
Spiritomb: "..."
Milotic: "Hmph! ╭(╯^╰)╮"
That cut deep.
Too deep.
They were not happy.
It hurt. It really hurt.
"What were you talking to them about? They don't look too happy, but they're training harder than ever."
Cynthia glanced at her Pokémon, then at Eevee, before asking curiously.
She could sense faint telepathic waves—proof that Eevee was communicating with them.
Of course, that was only because Eevee wasn't deliberately hiding it. Otherwise, Cynthia's beginner-level psychic abilities wouldn't have picked up a thing.
"Eevee!"
Eevee grinned and transmitted, "Oh, nothing much! They were just saying how they felt unworthy of you and were determined to train even harder so they wouldn't let you down."
Eevee's transmission was public, meaning Cynthia and the entire team heard it.
"Is that so?"
At the end of its statement, Eevee turned to look at Garchomp and the others with a knowing gaze.
"This jerk is the worst!"
"Seriously!"
Although that's what they were thinking, Garchomp and the rest still nodded vigorously.
(Arceus above, please smite this smug little fox! There shouldn't be a Pokémon this obnoxious!) x3
Of course, it was all in good fun.
Eevee wasn't actually a tyrant—it only teased them occasionally. Their training routines were customized to their physical limits, ensuring they progressed efficiently.
Deep down, the six Pokémon did respect Eevee.
If only it wasn't such a smug showoff…
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