c4: It's Up to You
"Xiaoqing, take her inside."
Grandpa Yi nodded and gave instructions to the girl who had been serving tea clearly a junior Breeder or assistant.
Following Xiaoqing, Chen Xiaoxiao's heartbeat quickened the moment she stepped into the Breeder Park beyond the reception room.
This was the first time she had seen living Eevee in this world with her own eyes!
Clusters of Eevee fluffy, nimble, and full of life frolicked on the grass. A few were drinking beside a small artificial stream, while others playfully chased each other or tried to leap into the air, reaching for a Butterfree fluttering just out of reach.
It was so cute, she counted more than ten Eevee!
"Can I go in?"
Chen Xiaoxiao asked eagerly, her eyes practically glowing.
"Yes. These Eevee have been raised in a domesticated environment. They're friendly and used to strangers. Just don't scare or startle them."
Xiaoqing opened the wooden gate and handed her a pack of certified Pokémon Breeder brand Pokémon food specifically marked with the Pokémon League's Domestic Training Seal, a detail Chen Xiaoxiao noted with her sharp eyes. She followed her into the enclosure.
"Buey! Buey!"
Attracted by the familiar scent of treats and perhaps the energy of a new person, several Eevee immediately bounded over. The rest followed in a wave, forming a fluffy brown circle around her.
Chen Xiaoxiao laughed and crouched down, distributing food while casually activating her system interface, scanning each individual Pokémon's profile using the concealed system's visual overlay:
Eevee
Gender: ♀
Level: 5
Type: Normal
Nature: Timid (Speed↑ / Attack↓)
Ability: Run Away – ensures escape from wild Pokémon.
Hidden Ability: Anticipation – senses dangerous moves.
Potential: Elite
Eevee
Gender: ♂
Level: 6
Type: Normal
Nature: Rash (Special Attack↑ / Special Defense↓)
Ability: Adaptability – same-type attack bonus increases from 1.5× to 2×
Hidden Ability: Anticipation
Potential: Quasi-Elite
She quickly went through all the ones nearby. Most were Elite-level potential, and only two reached Quasi-Elite.
A flicker of disappointment passed through her heart though she immediately chided herself for being greedy. In this world, over 90% of Pokémon had only Elite or below potential. Quasi-Elite was already top-tier for the average Trainer.
Moreover, she knew that potential wasn't fixed.
It could increase through evolution (especially when using high-grade Evolution Stones like Premium Leaf Stones or Dawn Shards) or be improved via rigorous scientific Breeder care and tailored training regimens. The first method relied on luck and item quality, while the second could take 5, 10, or even 20 years.
Still counting the surrounding Eevee, she noticed one was missing.
Her eyes scanned the enclosure and then spotted it.
A lone Eevee was resting beneath a tall Citrus Berry tree near the back of the park, half-hidden by clover and shade. Unlike the others, it lay curled, still and quiet.
Activating her system again, she targeted it:
Eevee
Gender: ♀
Level: 10
Type: Normal
Nature: Calm (Special Defense↑ / Attack↓)
Ability: Adaptability
Hidden Ability: Anticipation
Potential: Elite
Genetic Move Detected: Confusion
Her pulse jumped. The Level was higher, and it had inherited a Psychic-type move Confusion. Even more curious was its behavior and isolation.
"Sister Xiaoqing, why doesn't that Eevee come over?"
Chen Xiaoxiao asked with innocent curiosity, gesturing subtly toward the one under the tree.
"That one... doesn't socialize much," Xiaoqing said gently. "She eats very little, keeps to herself. Not very popular. Most people think something's wrong with her."
In Xiaoqing's eyes, Chen Xiaoxiao looked like a delicate fairy tale princess and she'd already developed a maternal fondness for her. It was why she'd handed over an entire pack of Pokémon food in the first place, hoping it would help build better rapport.
Hearing Xiaoqing's almost apologetic tone, Chen Xiaoxiao's lips curled up slightly.
If Xiaoqing had looked closer, she might've seen a faint blue glow flicker in her eyes.
Chen Xiaoxiao wasn't looking at the Eevee at all. She was using telepathy the passive form she had learned by mimicking Kirlia's aura sensing ability to scan Xiaoqing's emotional resonance. The emotions were sincere: only concern and no sign of hidden bias.
Satisfied that Xiaoqing wasn't manipulating her, Chen Xiaoxiao turned back toward the resting Eevee.
She took one piece of regular Pokémon food and returned the rest of the pack.
Then she slowly walked over to the tree and knelt in front of the resting Eevee.
"Buey."
The Eevee opened one eye, glanced at the food, then closed it again with a huff.
Chen Xiaoxiao's heart skipped. Without hesitation, she reached into her pocket and discreetly swapped the plain treat for an Apex-grade Psychic Energy Cube a system-issued cube packed with nutrients optimized for Psychic-type users.
"Buey?"
This time, the Eevee opened both eyes.
It sniffed. Its nose twitched. Then it sat up, looked at Chen Xiaoxiao, and slowly gracefully began nibbling.
Victory!
Earlier, when she had first scanned this Eevee and saw the move Confusion, she'd made a leap in reasoning. Psychic-type genetic skills in an unevolved Eevee were rare, and that aligned with the behavior Xiaoqing mentioned: low appetite and frequent resting likely signaled intense mental activity, not lethargy. The Pokémon wasn't anti-social it was psychically sensitive.
The regular food likely didn't match its dietary needs, so it ignored it.
Smiling faintly, Chen Xiaoxiao extended her hand, filled with calm, friendly thoughts.
Eevee flinched slightly at first, eyes wary but when her fingers touched its forehead and the faint psychic aura channeled from her palm to it, the creature visibly relaxed.
Telepathic comfort.
Chen Xiaoxiao seized the moment, gently scooped the small Pokémon into her arms and cradled it, continuing to project waves of soothing emotion.
"Eevee, do you want to come with me?" she whispered. "This kind of cube? You'll get one every day. As many as you want."
Shameless bribe? Maybe. But in Chen Xiaoxiao's mind, all's fair in love, war, and Pokémon bonding.
And unlike Ditto, this Eevee didn't need to mimic to win her heart.
"Which Eevee is that?" Xiaoqing asked aloud, her voice full of surprise as she watched the anti-social fox cuddle up to the girl like it had known her forever.
Chen Xiaoxiao just smiled.
"It's the one I've been waiting for."
Grandma Chen Xiaoxiao observed the situation from a distance and, noticing her granddaughter's interaction with a particular Eevee, seemed to realize she had already made her choice. She turned to her longtime friend, Grandpa Yi, and asked softly:
"That child seems to have decided. What's the story behind that particular Eevee?"
Grandpa Yi sighed and gave an honest answer. "That one's always been a little odd quiet, reserved, and not keen on socializing. To be honest, she's the only one of her clutch left unchosen. I'm not surprised your granddaughter picked her."
He didn't try to hide the details. After all, in a world where Trainers routinely check breeding records and behavioral history, any past incident would eventually come to light. Better to be upfront. Still, he hesitated mid-sentence, letting the weight of the past linger.
"Oh? Sounds like there's a story behind her," Grandma Chen said casually, though her curiosity was clearly piqued. She knew Yi well he didn't leave things hanging without a reason.
"Mm… it was a few years ago. Ice-type Elite Four member Leng Xin brought her daughter, Leng Yue, to visit. Leng Yue entered the enclosure, and wouldn't you know it? That quiet Eevee caught her attention right away probably because of her soft coat and that calm demeanor. You know how Ice-type Trainers are: they prefer serenity over chaos. I assume that's why Leng Yue liked her. Is your granddaughter the same way? Drawn to peace?"
"Hardly," Grandma Chen said, feigning solemnity. "That girl's a whirlwind. If she's quiet, it's only because she's scheming. What happened afterward? Why didn't the Eevee go with them?"
Inwardly, she muttered, That girl's about as "Stephanie" as a Sandile in a tutu.
Yi chuckled and continued. "Leng Yue tried to bond with her. Leng Xin even gifted her daughter a top-grade Ice Stone, hoping Eevee would evolve into an Ice-type what the League now calls Glaceon. She placed the stone gently on Eevee's forehead. And guess what? That Eevee leapt away like she'd been burned total rejection. So they tried again, this time with a high-purity Water Stone, thinking a Vaporeon might suit her better."
Grandma Chen raised an eyebrow. "And…?"
"She still refused. Ran right back into the enclosure. Wouldn't have anything to do with either stone. Leng Yue eventually gave up and chose a more cooperative Eevee, which evolved into Glaceon right after. You know how it is Eevee's adorable, but without evolution, there's not much competitive value. Leng Xin wasn't going to let her daughter build her team around a base-form Normal-type."
Yi grew more serious and lowered his voice slightly.
"I'm telling you, old friend, that Eevee clearly doesn't want to evolve. If your granddaughter plans to be a professional Trainer, she might want to reconsider."
He realized he might have overstepped, but there was no malice in his tone. Just the quiet concern of someone who'd seen too many young Trainers get attached to incompatible Pokémon.
(Note: Since evolution via location-based methods like the Ice Rock doesn't exist in this fanverse, elemental stone evolutions replace them. "Leaf Pokémon" uses the Leaf Stone, while other evolutions like Espeon and Umbreon are still tied to affinity, time, or unique circumstances, but terminology such as "Sun Pokémon" is retained for flavor.)
Later, Chen Xiaoxiao returned triumphantly, carrying the elusive Eevee in her arms. Grandma Chen recounted the story she had just heard from Yi. Chen Xiaoxiao, without hesitation, declared, "It's fine if she stays unevolved. I'd still raise her like family." That firm declaration won her another approving look from Eevee, whose ears twitched slightly in acknowledgment.
Grandpa Yi stayed silent after that. He could see the determination in Chen Xiaoxiao's eyes. Grandma didn't press further either. Despite knowing her granddaughter's cunning, she chose to trust her instincts. Everyone seemed satisfied in the end.
As they left Grandpa Yi's breeder facility and walked for some distance, Grandma Chen took out a sleek Pokédex. Opening an app with a familiar Pidgeot icon titled "Didi Pidgeot," she tapped it and turned to her granddaughter.
"Alright, talk. What are you hiding?"
Chen Xiaoxiao grinned. "You're too sharp, Grandma! Nothing gets past you."
Of course, after receiving such a thoughtful New Year's present, some flattery was due.
"Hmph. So you are hiding something. Spill it. I may be old, but I'm not out of touch."
"Of course, of course!" Chen Xiaoxiao nodded, shifting into explanation mode. "I suspect one of Eevee's parents was Psychic-type. She's got the inherited move Confusion, and she reacts to psychic wavelengths differently from the others. She's sensitive too much mental energy maybe so she rests more often, and it turns out she's picky with food. She didn't like the standard kibble, but she adored the Apex-grade Psychic energy cube I gave her."
Grandma nodded slowly, absorbing the logic. "Makes sense. As long as she's stable, that's all that matters."
Even though she herself was an Apex-tier Breeder, she knew her limitations. Psychic-type Pokémon were an anomaly volatile and mysterious. Even with years of experience, she would trust the judgment of her own granddaughter, especially one blessed with natural Psychic affinity.
Even if that granddaughter was barely seven years old.
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