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Facing Bugsy's first Pokémon, Kai didn't hesitate. He immediately sent out Eevee.
Three days ago, when he had first visited the Azalea Gym, Kai had already decided to let Eevee participate in this match. His goal was simple: help it grow stronger through real battles.
Since joining Kai, Eevee had seen much of the world. While it hadn't taken part in many formal one-on-one battles, it had been through its fair share of scuffles earning it some decent battle experience.
It wasn't particularly powerful yet, but it definitely had potential.
With a flash of light, Eevee appeared on the field in front of Bugsy's Spinarak, its tail twitching and ears perked with excitement. It looked around, eager and full of energy.
Bugsy, however, didn't seem the least bit surprised.
As a long-time Gym Leader, he had encountered more Eevee and its evolutions like Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon than he could count. He had even seen stranger, rarer Pokémon.
Seeing an unevolved Eevee didn't impress him. In fact, it made him wonder about the challenger standing across from him.
Why hasn't it evolved yet? Bugsy thought.
Eevee could evolve into Espeon or Umbreon through close friendship alone no stones required. So if it was still in its base form, it likely meant one of two things: either the Eevee didn't want to evolve… or the bond between it and its trainer wasn't strong enough yet.
To be fair, Bugsy wasn't wrong.
What he didn't know, though, was that Kai had only recently received Eevee from the Kimono Sisters. Their trust hadn't had time to fully develop.
The referee signaled the start of the match with a wave of the flag and the battle began.
Before Kai could even give a command, Eevee darted forward, charging toward Spinarak with reckless enthusiasm.
Kai sighed softly.
Still not used to following commands… he thought.
Eevee had spent too long in a laid-back environment with the Kimono Sisters. It had grown up spoiled and carefree, making it hard to break those habits so quickly.
He'd definitely have to find time to properly train it.
Across the field, Spinarak stood its ground. Its black eyes, with pale white irises, tracked Eevee's every move. When Eevee closed the gap, Spinarak abruptly fired a thick strand of white String Shot straight at its attacker.
"Eevee, dodge it!" Kai called out.
Even without the command, Eevee reacted on instinct. With agile reflexes, it rolled to the side, the string passing so close that it brushed the tips of its fur with a sharp whoosh.
Narrow escape.
Startled, Eevee hesitated for a second. The near miss made it realize this wasn't a game.
Kai seized the moment. "Eevee! No more charging in. Follow my lead!"
Chastened by the close call, Eevee finally paused—and listened.
"Use Sand Attack!"
Eevee spun around, kicking its hind legs into the ground and flinging up a wave of dust and pebbles toward Spinarak.
Bugsy didn't flinch. "Spinarak, Agility!"
With a blur of motion, Spinarak dashed sideways with sudden speed, becoming a ghostly blur. It escaped the dust cloud entirely—vanishing from its previous position before a single grain of sand could hit it.
Eevee was left attacking nothing but air.
In this opening round, not only had Eevee failed to land a hit, but it had nearly been trapped. Bugsy's Spinarak was clearly no ordinary specimen.
Kai was beginning to see the difference.
Statistically, Eevee had the advantage in agility and endurance. On paper, this match-up should have favored Eevee. That was why Kai had confidently chosen it.
But Spinarak wasn't an ordinary wild Pokémon. As a Gym Leader's ace, it had been trained to face dozens of challengers. It was quick, tactical, and efficient—far from the average Spinarak found in the wild.
The battle resumed.
Eevee went for a Tackle, hoping to close the distance and land a direct blow.
But Spinarak had a trick up its eight little legs.
It shot a web line to a nearby tree and swung out of the way, much like a spider on a thread. With elegant precision, it avoided Eevee's charge and glided to the opposite side of the field.
In a flash, the two Pokémon were separated again.
Even Erika, sitting quietly on the bench, noticed something was off.
Despite not having a direct type disadvantage, Eevee was clearly outmatched. Between Spinarak's mobility and battlefield control, Kai's partner was fighting an uphill battle.
How is he going to handle this? Erika glanced toward Kai, her eyes filled with concern.
Back on the trainer's platform, Kai remained calm. He took a deep breath, then reached for Eevee's Poké Ball.
A beam of red light brought Eevee back.
Bugsy raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Giving up already?"
Arms crossed, he didn't seem surprised.
Kai shook his head. "Eevee's not ready for this opponent yet. It still needs more training. No shame in admitting that."
With a practiced motion, Kai tossed out another Poké Ball.
Blue light burst forth and a towering Pupitar emerged.
"Pupitar, huh?" Bugsy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Now that's more serious."
The next battle began without delay.
Spinarak tried to repeat its earlier strategy swinging away with its web to gain distance.
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