The entire afternoon, Minato and Eevee watched battles with great interest.
After returning home, Eevee remained preoccupied with what they had seen, though having Eevee battle now would be far too forced.
Growl, Tackle, Tail Whip... these were all the moves Eevee currently knew.
Eevee was indeed unsuited for battle. For example, the Nidoran they saw earlier had poisonous bodily fluids. Eevee, knowing only Tackle, would be no match and would only put itself in danger.
While Eevee's gentle temperament brought Minato the convenience of easy care, wanting Eevee to possess outstanding strength without evolving would not be easy. This was a challenge for Minato.
That evening, Father and Mother returned from work. By then, Eevee had finished its final milk of the day, absorbing sufficient nutrition. Because it had slept again upon returning home, Eevee was still somewhat energetic.
Upon entering, Mother immediately picked up Eevee and affectionately examined it, calling it "good baby" and "precious darling," leaving Minato speechless.
Facing his parents' "theft of affection," Minato admitted he... had no countermeasures.
However, having parents who liked Eevee was something worth celebrating. After learning they were Minato's relatives, Eevee also behaved very obediently.
Seeing Eevee so well-behaved, Minato finally realized what he should do next.
As the saying goes, interest is the best teacher. Although Eevee wasn't naturally aggressive like Spearow or Beedrill, whose violent tempers made them belligerent, if he cultivated appropriate interests and hobbies, perhaps the same effect could be achieved!
Based on the afternoon's experience, little Eevee didn't reject battles and was actually very curious about them. This point might be an opening.
The next day.
Minato decisively chose to stay home, holing up with Eevee... watching shows while drinking milk!
This was the life.
However, this wasn't simply wasting time.
Minato's movie selections were deliberate. The first film they watched was called "Eevee's Adventure."
Due to the arrival of Pokémon, film themes worldwide had changed significantly. This movie was a typical example—a very famous adventure film about a stray Eevee who met a passionate Trainer. The two formed a partnership and accidentally entered a Special Zone. In the story, Eevee and the Trainer encountered numerous dangers, but through Eevee's repeated battles of wits and courage against ferocious Pokémon, the two protagonists escaped unscathed and built a deep friendship.
Being a film production, this Eevee demonstrated excellent battle literacy, nimbly outplaying countless powerful Pokémon, incredibly cool. While watching, Minato noticed that his own Eevee was indeed drawn in, showing an expression of longing.
Like this: ㄟ（≧◇≦）ㄏ
Seeing Eevee's expression, Minato knew he had done the right thing. Starting training immediately, while Eevee wouldn't refuse, would certainly be extremely inefficient. It was better to first cultivate Eevee's interest, letting Eevee itself desire to become stronger.
From "Eevee's Adventure" and "Mystery Dungeon: Pikachu Rescue Team"—these启蒙 films aimed at human children—to rebroadcasts of the World Pokémon League Tournament, the two tried various genres throughout the day.
Compared to the initial "Eevee's Adventure," the League Tournament battles were more intense, higher stakes, and more realistic. These classic battles made even Minato's blood boil, let alone Eevee, who had just been influenced by the films.
"Eevee~ Eevee~"
Minato leaned on the sofa. Eevee occasionally lay in his arms,s watching, occasionally wrapped in the Silk Scarf, watching while lying down. Thus, another day passed...
Another new day. After a simple morning jog, Minato and Eevee chose to stay home again.
The number of films worldwide was impossible to calculate. The two couldn't possibly watch them all.
Although Minato actively selected suitable ones, they still faced a massive quantity of videos.
Ding...
While watching, a system notification sound came from his phone. Minato checked—it was Upperclassman Yukari.
Yukari: "Still watching movies with Eevee?"
Reply to Yukari: "Yeah... Eevee seems to have fallen in love with this feeling."
Yukari: "Pfft, alright. But remember to take Eevee out for fresh air, too. By the way, are you free on the 1st? Our Psychology Club is planning an outing together. Once school starts, we probably won't have many chances to gather."
Reply to Yukari: "I'm free. Where to?"
Yukari: "The Metropolis resort destination, West Coast Resort Area."
Minato thought it sounded good and immediately made plans with her. There were still four days until the appointed date. Taking Eevee to play at the beach then wouldn't be bad.
After all, they couldn't always stay home. Yukari had a point.
"Eevee?" Eevee called out.
"Oh... the movie ended... Next one, next one."
"Forget it, I'll teach you how to use the remote control."
You're a mature Eevee now. You should learn to use the remote control yourself.
Eevee: "..."
...
Speaking of which, little Eevee had been born for three days now. In four days, it would be about time to transition from the newborn stage to the growth stage.
Pokémon have an extremely short newborn stage, a very long growth stage, and after aging, they quickly approach death.
After entering the growth stage, little Eevee could begin training. Minato already had certain plans. He decided to start after returning from the trip.
Although Yukari advised Minato to wait until school started and follow the school's training schedule, Minato felt this would put him behind.
Following the majority, training hard... at best, he could rank among the top at Heiwa First Academy. And Heiwa First Academy, not to mention nationally, wasn't even top-tier compared to elite high schools within the province. Minato wanted to try his own approach.
Although the new Trainers at Heiwa First Academy were elites from Heiwa City and surrounding towns, Heiwa City wasn't a major metropolis after all. Resources and conditions still lagged behind major cities like Metropolis or the Capital. This could be seen from the number of Professional Trainers produced. Around Metropolis, not only were Trainer clubs abundant, but there were various ancient dojos, battle tournaments, and private Breeding Centers. These could help local new Trainers grow quickly. If Minato limited his vision to just Heiwa City, it would be a waste of the knowledge in his head.
After making his decision, Minato first told Father about traveling with Eevee, then discussed future arrangements with Eevee.
Father agreed quickly and transferred a sum for food, accommodation, travel, and entertainment expenses. Honestly, Father and Mother really weren't comfortable letting Minato travel far alone. Fortunately, he had classmates accompanying him. Otherwise, Minato and Eevee would probably only be able to wander around near Heiwa City.