"Put it down, Victreebel. It looks pretty miserable."
Ace glanced at the Pokémon, reaching out to touch its smooth tail, and said with a curious expression, "So this is what a Vulpix's tail looks like, huh? I really want to cut it open and see its internal structure."
This smooth-tailed Pokémon, the Vulpix, understood his words instantly. Its body was suddenly covered in goosebumps. If it still had fur, it would probably be bristling right now.
Victreebel lowered the Vulpix, then released its Vine Whip.
But perhaps it was too scared, as the Vulpix didn't run. Instead, it lay motionless on the ground.
If Vulpix knew what Ace was thinking right now, it would probably be swearing furiously, and it wasn't motionless out of fear either.
It was because it had no fur left on its body right now, which was incredibly embarrassing. It simply couldn't run back like this; it had no face to show other Pokémon.
"Victreebel, tell me, what happened?"
Ace looked at the motionless Vulpix and asked Victreebel, simultaneously releasing Mewtwo to act as a translator.
Mewtwo rolled its eyes but still translated for Ace, explaining the situation telepathically.
Through Mewtwo's explanation, Ace understood everything.
It turned out this Vulpix had come to the Berry farm many times. Its purpose wasn't to occupy the Berry farm at all, but to challenge Victreebel.
This was the fundamental reason why Victreebel hadn't killed it. Otherwise, this Vulpix would have long since become dried jerky hanging on a vine.
However, Victreebel was initially too lazy to fight such a weak Pokémon. One Acid attack almost took Vulpix's life.
Although Vulpix desperately dodged, some of the splattering Acid landed on Vulpix's fur, corroding a large patch of it.
This was utterly unacceptable to Vulpix, which valued the beauty of its fur, and thus a grudge was formed.
In the following days, Vulpix would occasionally come to bother Victreebel, exchanging a few blows, leaving a "just you wait," and then running off.
The constant visits every few days from the opponent gave Victreebel a headache.
It had thought about just ending it once and for all, but this guy was indeed a cunning fox.
The moment it sensed Victreebel's killing intent, it would immediately flee, not getting close at all. Victreebel was exasperated by it.
This time, seizing the opportunity, it naturally vented its anger, and Vulpix, due to its youthful ignorance, paid a painful price!
After hearing the story, Ace became interested in this Vulpix. The Ninetales he had seen in the Silver Mountains previously also made Ace feel a bit longing.
Ace squatted in front of Vulpix and said to it, "Why do you keep coming to challenge my Victreebel?"
"I want to become stronger." (Mewtwo translating)
"And after you become stronger?"
"To become even stronger!"
Ace smiled. Faced with a Pokémon with such a pure goal, Ace was momentarily at a loss for words.
"My team currently doesn't have a Fire-type Pokémon. If you're willing, I can catch you and help you become stronger. If not, I'll release you now, and don't come here again next time."
Vulpix's eyes widened, not in surprise, but in terror!
What does "release you now" mean?!
Didn't he see that it had no fur?!
If it were released now, Vulpix felt it might as well jump off a cliff.
It couldn't bear the shame!
At this moment, Ace's face appeared incredibly ferocious in Vulpix's eyes. He looked at it "viciously," roaring, "Either surrender, or die!"
Vulpix trembled, shakily raising a paw.
Compared to death, it still wanted to live.
Ace smiled, took out an empty Poké Ball from his pouch, and placed it in front of Vulpix.
Vulpix unhesitatingly entered the Poké Ball. The Poké Ball didn't even shake once before falling silent.
Pokémon: Vulpix
Gender: Female
Level: 24
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Lax
Potential: Superior
Egg Moves: Psyshock
Moves: Ember, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Confuse Ray...
(Fold)
"Its potential is actually Superior, that's pretty good."
Ace picked up the Poké Ball, thought for a moment, and decided to spend five mission points to help Vulpix recover first.
This was an exclusive benefit once a Pokémon joined Ace's team: removing hidden ailments within its body.
Also, a furless Vulpix was indeed a bit too ugly. A fluffy Vulpix was much more aesthetically pleasing.
Victreebel looked at Ace, somewhat bewildered, as if to say: This guy just joined us?
Ace nodded at Victreebel, recalled the Poké Ball, and said to Victreebel and the others, "Let's go home. I'll make you something delicious."
Victreebel nodded. It hadn't tasted Ace's cooking in a long time. At the same time, Victreebel secretly swore to itself that next time they needed someone to guard the house, it would absolutely not stay behind. Let whoever wants to stay, stay.
After a night's rest, Ace woke up early the next morning, yawning as he prepared breakfast for his Pokémon, also thinking about how to train Vulpix next.
"Its Egg Move is Psyshock, meaning Vulpix has Psychic-type genes. As for the Fire-type aspect, stripping away all the fancy stuff, it's about absolute high temperature, incinerating everything."
Ace had a rough idea. He had even hurriedly bought Vulpix and Ninetales training manuals the previous night, giving him a bit more confidence.
With breakfast ready, Ace released his Pokémon, signaling that it was time to eat.
The other Pokémon buried their heads in their food, but the newly arrived Vulpix stared at its fur in disbelief.
After the perfect Body Repair, all of Vulpix's latent injuries and hidden ailments were gone. The fur that grew back was far softer and silkier than its previous fur. Vulpix happily started grooming itself.
"Stop licking, focus on eating."
Ace walked up to Vulpix and said, "No matter how silky you make it, once special training begins, you won't have any time to worry about your fur."
"???"
Vulpix looked on with a bewildered expression. It had no idea what kind of special training it was about to face.
However, Ace was its Trainer now. Faced with its Trainer's words, Vulpix could only suppress the urge to groom and began to eat.
It took a bite of Pokémon food, and then...
There was no "then."
Vulpix transformed into a ruthless eating machine, gobbling down its breakfast. Its eyes happily narrowed, clearly won over by this meal.
"Eat more."
Ace stroked Vulpix's silky fur. "Otherwise, you won't be able to handle the upcoming training."
Vulpix focused on eating and didn't pay attention to Ace's words. Otherwise, hearing Ace say that, it would definitely try to eat less.
But there's no going back in this world. When the intensive training began, Vulpix regretted it...