Trying to Provoke Me?

"Big brother, you're so strong. You must have earned lots of badges, right?"

The boy in shorts crouched on the ground and asked curiously.

"No, I don't have a single badge yet. I'm heading to Petalburg City for my first one."

Baimu shook his head. He took Poochyena's paw and gave it a little shake, rubbed its head, then rolled it over and scratched its belly.

The boy looked surprised, then envious. "With your strength, big brother, I bet you'll beat the Gym Leader easily."

Baimu smiled. "Not necessarily."

"I'm sure you will!"

Lost in envy, the boy failed to notice Poochyena's pleading gaze.

"Whimper..."

Poochyena let out a pitiful whine. It wanted to fight back and give Baimu a good bite, but one glance at Chansey stopped it. All it could do was stick out its tongue and look aggrieved.

Baimu found the way its little tongue trembled rather amusing. He reached out to pinch it—

"Lucky!"

"Ahem. Poochyena really is an adorable Pokémon."

Chansey's warning made him pull his hand back in time. He knew better than to push his luck. Corner a dog, and it really would bite.

The boy took another look and finally realized Poochyena's predicament. He hurriedly scooped up the limp Pokémon. "Of course it is! If you're interested, there's a place over that way where—"

"Oh! Come to think of it, big brother, I bet you could catch that one!"

"Huh?"

The boy seemed to have remembered something exciting, and Baimu looked at him in confusion.

"There's a really big Azumarill in the nearby forest. It usually lives in a pond, but sometimes it comes out to look for Berries. It's strong! It's driven off tons of Trainers!"

The boy set Poochyena down and gestured with both hands, describing an Azumarill about as