Eeveelutions [367]

In the first half of May, under the clear skies of the 199th year of the Alliance Calendar, the weather was sunny and vibrant. A warm breeze swept across Naoki's ranch, carrying the fragrant scents of ripened fruits and freshly cut grass.

Summer had fully arrived, and it was harvest season on the ranch. Naoki, donning a straw hat and holding an electric clipper, prepared to tackle the wool trimming of his Wooloo. Nearly two weeks had passed since they had arrived, and their wool had grown thick and dense, leaving the Wooloo feeling sluggish and overheated under the summer sun.

Naoki opened the gate to the Wooloo pen and got to work, carefully shearing the sheep one by one. At first, his shearing technique had been clumsy. He'd even visited a neighboring rancher who specialized in raising Wooloo to learn the proper method of wool clipping. After dedicated practice, Naoki finally mastered the art.

The process required careful attention. First, he prepared a special electric clipper. He would then position the Wooloo and begin trimming, starting from the heel of a front leg, moving up along the thigh to the belly, and then working down to the hind legs. From there, he continued trimming across the back, carefully working from the lower spine to the neck. This method ensured that the wool could be removed in one complete piece, making it far more valuable.

Naoki vividly remembered the rancher's advice: "The more intact the wool is, the higher its value. If it's cut unevenly, it won't sell for much."

Despite the process seeming straightforward, it was labor-intensive and required a steady hand. After shearing all eight Wooloo, Naoki stretched his back, feeling the strain of bending over for nearly two hours.

Looking at the freshly groomed Wooloo, Naoki felt a deep sense of accomplishment. Freed from their dense coats, the Wooloo appeared much livelier, their energy restored.

"Alright, all done. Go ahead and play!" Naoki said, smiling at them.

The eight Wooloo trotted out in an orderly line, their movements synchronized like a regiment of soldiers. This behavior was characteristic of Wooloo, known for their instinct to move as a group and mimic the actions of their leader.

The sight of the green fields dotted with flowers, butterflies fluttering in the air, and Wooloo grazing contentedly filled Naoki with pride. "What a picturesque scene," he murmured.

Carrying the collected wool, Naoki headed back to the storage shed. Wool from Pokémon like Wooloo was a sought-after material in the Paldea region. Although handmade items like wool carpets or scarves fetched higher prices in the market, Naoki wasn't skilled in crafting. For now, selling the raw wool provided a steady income for the ranch.

After securing the wool in the warehouse, Naoki returned to the house for a well-deserved break. He grabbed a bottle of chilled soda from the refrigerator and took a refreshing sip, enjoying the coolness as he relaxed on the sofa.

Almost immediately, Eevee jumped onto his shoulder, purring affectionately. Naoki laughed and lifted Eevee by its front paws, playfully holding it aloft. The little Pokémon wagged its fluffy tail happily.

Unbeknownst to Naoki, Glaceon stood behind the wall, peeking around the corner with a conflicted expression. Seeing Naoki dote on the new Eevee stirred a strange feeling within Glaceon. It had never sought attention in such a way before—after all, it prided itself on being composed and mature. But now, it found itself yearning for the same affection.

However, Glaceon couldn't bring itself to act. It wasn't a young Eevee anymore; wouldn't it be embarrassing to behave like one? With a quiet sigh, Glaceon retreated further into the shadows.

Meanwhile, Naoki was oblivious to the internal struggle of his Glaceon. Pokémon often scattered across the ranch to play in hidden spots, so he was accustomed to their temporary absences unless they skipped mealtime.

Naoki picked up a book titled The Eevee Guide from his bookshelf. It was written by an Eevee enthusiast who went by the pseudonym "Eevee Lover" and detailed everything about Eevee and its evolutions.

Sitting down with Eevee nestled in his lap, Naoki opened the book and pointed to the various evolutions illustrated within. "Take a look. Which one would you like to evolve into someday?" he asked.

Eevee tilted its head curiously, its large brown eyes blinking in confusion. "Buyi?" (Evolve?)

Naoki thought for a moment and explained, "It's like deciding how you want to grow up. After you choose, I'll help guide you toward that goal. Or, if you prefer, you can stay just as you are now and not evolve."

Hearing this, Eevee immediately shook its head. "Eevee!" It definitely wanted to evolve into a stronger form.

Naoki chuckled, amused by Eevee's enthusiasm. "Alright then, let's take a look at your options! So far, you have eight possible evolution paths."

Eevee lowered its head curiously, glancing at the book.

Naoki began pointing at the images of the eight Eeveelutions and introducing each one in turn. "This is Flareon, a Fire-type Pokémon. It can breathe scorching flames from its mouth to take down opponents."

"Bu-ee?" Eevee tilted its head, clearly intrigued by Flareon.

Naoki smiled and continued. "Next is Vaporeon, a Water-type Pokémon that can blend seamlessly into water, making itself almost invisible. However, once it evolves, its fur disappears entirely, and its body becomes sleek and smooth like a fish."

Eevee visibly shivered, the idea of losing its fluffy fur clearly unappealing. It immediately shook its head in rejection.

"Alright, moving on. This is Jolteon, an Electric-type Pokémon. It can unleash powerful electric currents to attack its enemies. But," Naoki added with a small laugh, "because of the electric charge running through its body, Jolteon can become a bit moody and erratic."

Eevee looked uncertain and didn't seem particularly interested in Jolteon either.

"Then there's Leafeon, a Grass-type Pokémon. After evolving, it can photosynthesize to replenish its energy, which means it wouldn't need to look for food anymore."

Eevee's eyes lit up momentarily, intrigued by the idea. But then it seemed to remember all the delicious food it loved, and shook its head again.

Naoki couldn't help but laugh at Eevee's reactions. "Fair enough. Next, we have Glaceon, an Ice-type Pokémon. Its body is as cold as ice, and it can freeze enemies with ease. Actually," he added thoughtfully, "there's already a Glaceon here at the ranch. You've seen it, right?"

Eevee perked up, recalling the aloof Glaceon it had encountered. "Bu-ee…" Its voice carried a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

Naoki nodded knowingly. "It's a bit reserved but has a very kind heart. It lives in that little igloo near the back of the ranch."

At that moment, Naoki suddenly glanced upward and caught sight of Glaceon peeking around the corner. Their eyes met, and Glaceon froze before quickly ducking out of sight.

But Naoki wasn't going to let it hide. Standing up, he walked over and scooped up Glaceon, carrying it back to the sofa. He placed the Ice-type Pokémon next to Eevee.

The two Pokémon stared at each other.

The little Eevee blinked innocently and chirped, "Eevee!" in a cheerful greeting.

Glaceon, maintaining its usual cold demeanor, looked away and refused to respond.

"Bu-ee…" The little Eevee's ears drooped in disappointment.

Hearing the sad cry, Glaceon hesitated. Deep down, it wondered if it had been too harsh. The young Eevee looked so small and hopeful. Wasn't it cruel to be so cold to it?

After a brief moment of internal conflict, Glaceon turned back and softly responded, "Bu-ee."

Eevee's eyes sparkled with joy, and it immediately bounded forward to nuzzle against Glaceon's fur. The unexpected warmth of the gesture left Glaceon momentarily stunned.

This Eevee's enthusiasm reminded Glaceon of Alcremie's cheerful antics. From this perspective, perhaps this little Eevee wasn't so bad.

Seeing the interaction between the two, Naoki smiled and gently stroked both Pokémon's heads. "Did you know," he began, addressing Glaceon, "this Eevee survived a forest fire last year. It lost its home and ended up living in town before coming here."

Glaceon's expression softened as it recalled the devastation of the fire it had once witnessed. It had seen the charred remains of forests and the loss of many Pokémon. Thinking of how much this Eevee had endured, Glaceon felt a surge of sympathy.

Oblivious to Glaceon's thoughts, the little Eevee tilted its head and barked happily, as if sensing that Glaceon was warming up to it.

"Bu-ee!"

Naoki smiled at the heartwarming scene. "Alright," he said, patting both Pokémon gently, "let's continue exploring the book!"

Naoki smiled and pointed to the next Eeveelution in the book. "Now, let me introduce you to Espeon. Unlike the ones we've covered so far, Espeon uses psychic powers to battle. The red gem on its forehead absorbs sunlight, converting it into psychic energy. However, Espeon isn't as effective in battles at night."

Eevee and Glaceon both leaned closer, their eyes fixed on the book. They'd never heard of Espeon before, and their curiosity was evident.

"The one below Espeon is the opposite in many ways," Naoki continued. "This is Umbreon, a Dark-type Eevee that evolves at night. It draws strength from the moonlight."

"Bu-yi…" Eevee murmured, tilting its head. It didn't seem to care much for Umbreon's sleek fur and decided it wasn't the look it wanted.

Glaceon, already having evolved, showed no particular reaction to the description.

Suddenly, Eevee's attention was drawn to an image further down the page. Its paw pads tapped at the picture excitedly.

"Bu-ee? Bu-ee?"

Naoki followed its gaze and grinned. "Ah, that's Sylveon, the Fairy-type evolution. Isn't it adorable? You know, there's even a fairy tale based on Sylveon that's quite popular."

Hearing this, both Eevee and Glaceon perked up. Their interest was piqued, and they chirped in unison, "Bu-yi?"

"You two want to hear the story?" Naoki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Buyi!" they both nodded eagerly.

.....

Bonus Chapter @1200 PS