Thanks to learning Sand Attack, Eevee was finally able to build the sandcastle it desired.
Beyond its specific battle effect, Sand Attack also helped Eevee control sand more easily, making the beach sand more "obedient."
For this trip, aside from deepening their bond, learning Sand Attack was the biggest gain.
Thus far, little Eevee—just "nine days old"—had mastered four moves: Tackle, Growl, Tail Whip, and Sand Attack.
Though Growl and Tail Whip had little visible effect, Kai wasn't concerned. When Eevee used them a few times, they seemed completely harmless.
However, Kai was grateful he'd managed to cultivate Eevee's interest in battling. How long this enthusiasm would last was uncertain, but currently, Eevee was in excellent spirits, looking forward to the training methods Kai had mentioned that could make it stronger.
Eevee also wanted to be strong, like the protagonists in the movies and battle videos, becoming the focus of attention on the battlefield.
Vee~~
After a full day on the beach, Kai and Eevee returned to their room and immediately showered to refresh.
Don't be fooled by a day of "just playing"—they were both dog-tired, especially Eevee. Using Sand Attack to manipulate sand for extended periods was energy-draining.
At dinner, Eevee drank two big bowls of warm milk and hiccuped contentedly. Being in its growth stage meant it ate more!
Knock… Knock… Knock.
Just as they finished and considered watching another movie, a knock came at the door.
"Hey, Kai, Eevee, want to play cards?" Luis called from outside.
"Vee?" Eevee wondered what that meant.
"Let's go see." Kai said to Eevee.
Eevee nodded.
"Coming!" Kai called out. Eevee hopped onto his shoulder, and they followed Luis to the opposite room.
"What did you and Eevee do all day? You both look exhausted."
"You might not believe it…" Kai smiled.
In the other room, the remaining three were already there. Kai explained the day's experience, and everyone's eyes widened.
"So… it learned Sand Attack?" Senior Sister Maya said in astonishment.
"If my Graveler hears this, it might want to thump me. I remember it took special training for it to learn that move," Maxwell said.
"You got lucky," Dawn said.
"I didn't expect… a guy aiming to be a Professional Trainer really has some skill," Luis sighed. He saw that although Kai and Eevee had been together only a few days, their bond was remarkably strong.
"You water the flowers, but the willow sprouts instead," Kai said.
"Maybe Eevee and I just have a good mutual understanding."
"Vee!" Eevee nodded proudly.
"Show-off."
"Now you're both bragging. You've corrupted little Eevee," Dawn said. "Oh, Maya, show him the flyer we found today."
"Huh? What flyer?" Kai asked.
"The Rising Star Cup Novice Trainer Competition," Maya said.
Novice trainer… Competition?
The Rising Star Cup?!
"It's a local competition here in Vermilion City for upcoming high school students like you. All participants are newcomers who just got their starter Pokémon. It's sponsored by the Dawn Group, and the prizes are rich," Luis explained.
"What he means is, they want you to enter so they can watch you get thrashed," Maxwell laughed.
Kai: "…"
"Participate in a novice competition? I think we should forget it. Eevee and I haven't even started training…"
But after taking the promotional flyer Maya handed over, Kai's eyes changed.
"Whoa, the championship prize is actually a Soothe Bell."
A Soothe Bell, with its comforting chime, was a Pokémon-related item. A Pokémon holding it would feel soothed, its spirit calm and at ease.
Most importantly, this bell made it easier for a Pokémon to become friendlier with its Trainer.
"Do you know about this bell?" Maya asked.
"As far as I remember, the chime seems to calm Pokémon, right? The internet jokingly calls it a sleep aid for Pokémon."
What do you all know?…
Kai decided then and there: he had to win that bell for Eevee.
"Championship prize: Soothe Bell, 100,000 yuan cash, and a Dawn Group membership card."
"The Rising Star Cup is one of Vermilion City's most famous events. The number of participants will be far greater than all the students at Viridian No. 1 High. Even the preliminaries won't be easy to pass."
Kai calmed down.
Right… This was a metropolitan competition. You couldn't just casually win the championship.
But…
He wanted that Soothe Bell.
He needed the 100,000 yuan cash, too.
The Dawn Group membership card offered discounts on their products. Buying Moomoo Milk would be cheaper in the future.
This group was really something, tempting him with the Rising Star Cup. The key was, it worked.
"It's held in mid-August, before school starts. We have about a month and a half to prepare…" Kai mused. "If Eevee and I train hard, could we achieve something? Even second place gets 50,000 yuan cash. The top ten all get bonuses."
The Psychology Club members had almost forgotten Kai's family wasn't well-off. After a moment, Luis said, "It's not impossible, but everyone else signing up will be training hard too. If you really want to try, you have to use your time well."
Kai nodded. He was ready to return and train with Eevee. With a clear goal in sight, he had more motivation.
"Vee!"
Meanwhile, Eevee looked at the silver bell pendant on the flyer, thought it looked nice, and called out, agreeing to give it a try.
"So it's decided?" Kai said to Eevee.
"Wait a minute, I think… we got off topic. Weren't we going to play cards?"
Dawn said blankly.
"Play cards? We have to help Kai figure out how to train Eevee. He's a Psychology Club member. It'd be embarrassing if he got eliminated in the preliminaries."