Squirtle knew Meownei's look all too well.
Whenever he spotted something he wanted to take away, he wore that same look.
"Squirtle. (Looks like my charm hasn't faded one bit. All these years of keeping myself looking good were worth it.)"
"Squirtle, Squirtle! (Give it up, little girl. A cat and a turtle could never work out. Besides, there's at least a two-hundred-year age gap between us!)"
If certain things could take visible form, several little symbols of anger would have appeared over Meownei's head.
"Meow. (You're pretty full of yourself. I'm just planning to make you repay your debt another way.)"
At first, Meownei had only come to catch a thief, but after finding her target, she had another idea.
When choosing between Pokémon of the same species, anyone would naturally catch the stronger one, barring emotional attachments or special sentimental reasons.
After all, talent mattered in many things. Excellent battle instincts could save a lot of trouble during later training.
This Squirtle could use Hydro Pump and Dig, had a decent level, and had plenty of ideas rattling around in his head. He would probably be very useful once caught.
Although he was rather narcissistic and shameless, this Squirtle was male, which sent his rating in Meownei's eyes soaring.
"Squirtle? (Repay my debt? Don't tell me you're planning to help a human catch me?)"
"Meow~ (Very clever. That's exactly what I'm thinking.)"
"Squirtle! (Not a chance! I'll never submit to a human. See you later!)"
Squirtle drew his head partway into his shell, then suddenly spat out a string of mud bombs. This Squirtle had even learned Mud Shot.
Although most of the mud bombs missed, those that struck the beach sent sand flying everywhere. Meownei could distinctly feel grains of sand lodged in her fur.
Squirtle, however,