"Rrrgh—"
Covered in white frost, Dragapult lay sprawled across an artificial hill, panting so hard it seemed ready to cough up its lungs.
In the distance,
Walrein's eyes swam as its massive head rocked back and forth.
Its opponent had moved so fast that trying to follow it with its eyes had nearly made Walrein dizzy.
This was Dragapult's eighth battle in recent days. But—
It had not won a single one.
At first, Baimu and Dragapult had lacked coordination, and Wallace had repeatedly found openings when Dragapult fought alone. Later, Wallace had begun choosing stronger Pokémon.
Dragapult had faced everyone from Pokémon Contest regulars to members of Wallace's Champion team.
None could take Dragapult down easily, but they were all difficult for it to beat.
Even though he had won a few battles afterward with other Pokémon, the experience these past few days had left Baimu questioning his life choices.
Why was winning just one battle so hard?
Stranger still, the more Dragapult lost, the steadier its mood became.
It no longer hid in corners at mealtimes. It even smiled occasionally, and Baimu could spot its shadow nearby in the middle of the night. Anyone watching would think nothing had ever happened.
Of course,
Baimu had specifically asked Hydreigon and the others not to keep bringing up Dragapult's running away from home. He did not want the thin-skinned Pokémon to remember it and get upset.
Still, it had moved on remarkably fast.
Had it given up?
That did not seem right.
It eagerly took the field every day and gave its all when attacking and dodging.
It still did not dare respond loudly to his occasional declarations of attack, but that had nothing to do with its state of mind. It was simply embarrassed.
Baimu had consulted Juan and