"Eevee!" the little Pokémon exclaimed as she was released. She looked around with the usual curiosity of her species, and her one eye made contact with her trainer "Vee?"
Seeing the little fox Pokémon's confusion and tentative expression, Horthy immediately crouched down to her level, offering a reassuring smile. "Hello, little one..." he said, his voice gentle and soothing. "How did you rest in the Poké Ball? Are you feeling better now that you're out?" Slowly, he reached out a hand, palm up, allowing her to approach at her own pace. When she seemed comfortable, Horthy gently caressed the top of her head, his touch light and careful.
"You seem to be in much better condition than when we first met," Horthy continued, his voice full of relief. "And I'm glad you can see that I have no ill intentions towards you, Eevee. I only want to help." He knew trust would take time, but seeing her relaxed posture was encouraging.
One significant problem Horthy initially faced when caring for Eevee was her deep-seated lack of trust and inherent fear of humans. He could only speculate about the causes. Who knew if a human was responsible for her partial loss of sight or the faded scars that marred her fur? Her previous malnutrition was almost certainly a result of her mistreatment while being confined to a cage, neglected and starved.
But fortunately, Nurse Joy is an expert in dealing with traumatized Pokémon, and she has her faithful partner Chansey to assist in the healing process. Together, they fed Eevee nutritious meals, healed her wounds with gentle care, and provided her with the comfort and attention she desperately needed, helping her recover at an impressive rate. But despite her physical recovery, it's only natural that she still harbors a level of distrust towards humans, so Horthy makes sure to approach her with patience and understanding, allowing her to set the pace of their interactions.
"Good," Horthy murmured under his breath. He stood and turned to his bed, grabbing his 'Rocket dev' and switching it on.
This device isn't just for communicating with an admin or other rocket members, or for buying restricted items. It also analyzes a Pokémon's status, age, and general strength. Its advanced recognition system helps the user understand the condition of their own Pokémon, as well as those of opponents or wild Pokémon.
It's similar to the Pokédex, which the Pokémon League provides to legal, registered trainers, but without the illegal aspects. And to camouflage the fact that it is a pirate version, the outside same appearence as the Pokédex.
Horthy hasn't had the opportunity to thoroughly test the device on Eevee just yet. He'd performed an initial scan in the infirmary with Joy assisting him a week ago, but now he finally had the chance to explore the system further, delving into its hidden capabilities and better understanding its full functionality.
"Be still, Eevee." He carefully pointed the device at Eevee, and a thin red laser projected from the camera, landing as a small dot on Eevee's forehead. Eevee, curious as always, barely resisted the urge to reach up with a paw and try to grab at the intriguing red dot.
While Eevee was distracted, Horthy analyzed the device and its system.
Eevee: Approximate age: 6-8 months - Female - Normal type - Slightly malnourished - Movements: Unknown, very probably knows Tackle, Quick Attack and Bite.
Estimated strength level: Rookie
"Mmm... I was hoping for something else, but I guess this will work for now." Horthy turned off the device and put it inside his pocket without rambling further, having already explored the other options.
Eevee got disappointed when the dot disappeared and pouted tenderly, only to be picked up by Horthy without caring much about her childish reaction and finally leave the room.
A few minutes later, Horthy found himself having breakfast with Nurse Joy and Chansey in the brightly lit cafeteria of the Pokemon Center, while Eevee played with a small Charizard doll, jumping on it, biting and moving it to the sides just as when a Sharkpedo finds a prey.
The sound of porcelain against glass resonated softly as Nurse Joy stired her coffee, followed by the almost imperceptible clicking of a tongue—a habit she has when she's contemplating something. The atmosphere was calm, a brief respite before the day's activities begin.
"So, you plan to be a Pokemon trainer, right?" Joy asked skeptically, her tone laced with a mix of curiosity and concern. She gives Horthy an uncertain and doubtful look, as if questioning the feasibility of his aspirations. Her cup is filled with more coffee by Chansey, who offered a cheerful chirp, and she took more sips again, perhaps needing the caffeine to brace herself for Horthy's answer.
"Certainly, Joy. This just an amazing oportunity with such a young Pokemon as Eevee, which species hold a lot of potencial inside." Horthy patiently reached to his cup and took a deep sip, when he put it down again, he followed with determination. "I also have the confidence to do so."
Joy scratched her cheek in doubt and gave Horthy a doubtful look, momentarily ignoring her coffe as she explained the risks of being a trainer.
"You know what it truly means to be a Pokémon Trainer, right? You see it every day with the daily coaches who arrive here, eager to heal their companions and rest. They spend a good amount of money just asking for a room, sometimes for weeks, and while the Pokémon Center's treatment for their Pokémon is free—a service we're happy to provide—the specialized medicine and food they must carry are not. In fact, that expense is the most significant investment a trainer makes on their journey. It's an ongoing cost, and you need to keep a variety of items depending on where you travel.
Not to mention how they risk their lives just to catch Pokémon, often Pokémon of low potential and some that are extremely dangerous," she continued, thinking of the countless trainers who returned with bumps, bruises, and Pokémon with volatile temperaments. "It's not all glory and adventure; there's a lot of hardship and potential danger involved."
Horhy knows all these details perfectly, but Joy does not know that there is a certain group that is willing to sponsor him. Of course he still has to assert himself and show some loyalty, but it shouldn't be that hard if Horthy has always put his survival on everything else.
Horthy smiles and barely nods, acknowledging Joy's concerns with a quiet confidence. Then, he makes it clear to Joy that he is totally determined to follow the path of a Pokémon Trainer, that his mind is made up. Of course, he won't rush into things without a plan; he intends to work diligently to accumulate enough profits with which to comfortably start his adventure.
"Of course, but I'm not so foolish as to immediately venture into the wilderness without prior information, the necessary money, or the strength required to survive," Horthy explained calmly. "I plan to work at the center for longer, saving up to cover all the inevitable expenses that come with traveling and training."
"Not only will I work here at the center, but I will also train Eevee properly," Horthy added, thinking about the many hours of careful training ahead of them. "I want to ensure he's well-prepared so as not to take unnecessary risks when venturing into any environment, be it a forest, a desert, or even a cave."
Joy sighed and finally nodded her head in surrender, understanding that Horthy was not easily dissuaded. Finally, she stood up to prepare for the workday ahead, accepting that she had done what she could to warn him, and now it was up to him to forge his own path.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later that day
As Horthy explained to Joy, he was fully committed to training Eevee and making sure he reached his full potential. He wanted to ensure Eevee was strong enough, both mentally and physically, so that when Horthy began his career as trainer, it would start off in the best way possible. He saw Eevee as a key part of his own success, and he didn't want to leave any stone unturned in preparing her.
And as soon as he had some free time where the center did not receive any trainers at lunchtime, Horhy took the opportunity to see what Eevee is made of by asking Joy some dummies to train with at the little battle arena at the back of the Poke Center.
"Use quick attack Eevee!" "Vee!"
Eevee ran and jumped between the dummies as fast as she could, a faint white trail behind her as she did. This was a test Horthy decided to make to test her agility speed and resistance, which... wasn´t going as smooth as he would like, but he wasn´t delusional. Eevee is after all, young and unexperienced.
"Again Eevee, it is okay, just try again! Again, Quick attack."
He encouraged her constantly to keep running, it didn´t matter if she fell or failed to react in time to avoid the static dummies on the field constanly, practice makes the master.
Eevee fell. "Again"
Eevee tripped. "Again"
Eevee failed to dodge. "Again."
An hour passed in which Horthy continued to gently encourage and pressure Eevee not to give up on their training. He used a soft tone and reassuring words, careful not to overwhelm her. There weren't many noticeable results for the day's efforts, with only small improvements in her responsiveness, but it was to be expected at this early stage.
Horthy is just beginning to get to know his new partner, understanding her strengths and weaknesses, and working to give her the experience she needs to grow. He knew that building a strong foundation now would pay off in the long run, even if the progress seemed slow at first.
"It is enough Eevee, you did a good job..."