Watching his Manectric struggle to get up, swaying as if drunk, the young man's mouth fell open.
Eevee had already lightly jumped back onto Xinhai's shoulder and begun licking the fur on her right forepaw.
Xinhai looked at the young man. "Finished?"
The young man struggled to close his mouth, then opened it again, letting out a meaningless sound.
"Then we'll be going."
Xinhai politely nodded and turned to continue down the dirt road.
Only after he had walked a dozen or so steps did the young man's belated shout come from behind him:
"Hey—what's your name?!"
Xinhai did not turn around or answer the question. He merely raised a hand and waved.
Eevee lay on his shoulder, her tail gently swaying in contentment.
"Vee." (He said he wanted to use me for practice.)
"Mm."
"Vee." (He also said I'd been raised pretty well.)
Xinhai stroked Eevee's head, laughter in his voice. "You should be a little more modest, Eevee."
Eevee smiled, immediately burying her face in the crook of his neck and rubbing against him. The tip of her tail curled happily back and forth.
Xinhai ran his hand through Eevee's fur and gently scratched beneath her chin.
The little one comfortably narrowed her eyes, a soft purr rumbling from her throat.
"Vee~" (Xinhai is the best.)
Feeling so good after being petted, Eevee jumped back down and lightly landed beside Axew.
Axew, who had been looking at Eevee with worship in his eyes, had sparkling violet-red eyes. "Axew! Axew, Axew!" (Eevee is amazing! You won in one move!)
"Vee~" (It was all right.) Eevee proudly raised her little head, her fluffy tail swaying with a reserved Qi. "Vee, vee." (If you train hard from now on, you can do it too.)
"Axew!" (I'll work hard!) Axew nodded vigorously,