"Thank you for your guidance, Gym Leader Roxanne," Sieg said respectfully after receiving the badge.
Once he finished touring the final section of the Trainer School, he took his leave. The official procedures and the battle recording could be handled later.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Sieg handed his two Pokémon over to Nurse Joy one after the other.
Ding dong~
"Trainer Sieg, your Pokémon have been fully healed. Please double-check everything," Nurse Joy said with a gentle smile, her delicate hands presenting the Poké Balls with practiced grace.
Sieg gave her a polite nod of gratitude before stepping away from the counter.
What he didn't notice, however, was the curious glint in Nurse Joy's eyes as she watched him leave.
"Sieg… could he be the Trainer that Lin mentioned? The one we were told to keep an eye on?" she murmured softly to herself.
With swift and silent precision, she recorded Sieg's Pokémon data and uploaded the file to the family database. She'd done this kind of thing countless times before, it was practically second nature by now.
Exhausted, Sieg returned to his room at the Pokémon Center and collapsed onto the bed. Sleep overcame him almost instantly. The day's tours and battles had drained every last bit of energy from him.
As night blanketed the sky and the moon cast its gentle glow from above, something stirred at Sieg's waist.
One of his Poké Balls began to tremble.
With a quiet pop, a cute little Eevee hopped out, glancing nervously around the unfamiliar room. Its eyes were full of caution, and perhaps a touch of fear. The darkness was clearly not to its liking.
Without hesitation, Eevee darted into Sieg's bed and wriggled its way under the covers.
Its fluffy tail poked out from the blanket, trembling slightly. Then a chill breeze whispered through the room, and as if realizing the danger, Eevee quickly tucked its tail inside too.
Only then did it curl into a little ball and burrow around for a cozy spot, finally settling down and drifting into peaceful slumber.
By morning, Sieg slowly stirred awake, only to find the Eevee nestled in his arms.
"Eevee-vee~" it murmured sleepily, blinking up at him with half-lidded eyes.
"Eevee, you can't just come out on your own like that," Sieg said gently but firmly. "You have to be obedient."
"Vee-vee..." Eevee's ears drooped as it gave him the most pitiful look imaginable. Its tiny paws rested limply in front, and its soft ears gave a sorrowful twitch.
"You don't like staying inside the Poké Ball, do you?" Sieg suddenly asked, as a thought struck him.
"Eevee-vee-vee!!" At that, Eevee perked up instantly, nodding its little head with excitement.
Sieg tried explaining a bit more, but his words were clearly going in one ear and out the other. Eevee's teary eyes looked ready to burst at any moment.
"Alright, alright," he sighed, helpless. "You win. From now on, you can stay by my side."
"Vee~!" The little Eevee leapt for joy, hopping around the room in pure delight.
Watching the lively Mon dance around, even Sieg couldn't help but smile softly.
After a hearty breakfast, Sieg made his way to the shop to restock on berries. He couldn't afford to fall behind on Pokéblock crafting.
"Today, I'll make some Pokéblocks that boost beauty and coat softness. That means it's time for Smooth!"
Smooth, named for its effect, was a basic Pokéblock formula from Metako's notes. It enhanced a Pokémon's beauty and kept its fur sleek and silky.
It was a favorite among performance Pokémon, especially those starring in movies. Production crews often bought up large quantities of "Smooth" Pokéblocks for their prized performers.
"Mushroom spores from Shroomish, fur from a Spring patterned Deerling, and petals from Roselia."
Sieg carefully lined up each ingredient on the table, then summoned the Shroomish he had captured in Petalburg Forest.
The other two had already been sold off through the black market the day before. This one remained because it had the Poison Heal ability and had inherited Drain Punch.
After a bit of "friendly negotiation," the Shroomish "willingly" shed some of its spores.
Sieg began by placing a blue berry into the crushing machine, blending it into juice, then poured the liquid into the mixing unit. He measured and added the ingredients one by one with exact precision.
The resulting Pokéblock mixture was thick and paste-like. He poured it into a mold to shape it into neat cubes. At this stage, he added a bit of spice, enhancing its appeal to Pokémon.
Finally, he placed the mold into the baking unit.
"Phew... Seventeenth success," Sieg muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "Looks like these lifestyle-type Pokéblocks really are easier to make."
The Pokéblock glistened under the sunlight, a golden hue tinged with violet. Sieg held it between his fingers, warm and smooth to the touch.
He pinched off a tiny piece and tasted it. The flavor spread across his tongue, mildly sweet.
"Hm... it's sweet, but lacks that slight bitterness. Not quite right," he evaluated calmly. "Needs to be just a touch sweeter, with a hint of bitterness to balance it out."
But it was his first attempt at this specific formula, so a bit of imperfection was expected. With practice, his precision would only improve.
Riding the momentum of success, Sieg continued crafting, keeping the feel of the process fresh in his hands. By the end of the afternoon, he had produced over twenty finished Pokéblocks.
Arranged into boxes, eight per box, he ended up with three full sets and one extra cube.
"Come here, Eevee," Sieg called softly, noticing the it sulking in the corner.
The moment she heard his voice, Eevee perked up. She leapt into the air with pinpoint accuracy, catching the Pokéblock cube mid-flight and nibbling it joyfully.
"There now, don't be upset," Sieg said, kneeling down beside her, while gently stroking her soft fur. "I've just been a bit too busy today, haven't had time to play with you. But I do now."
Eevee snuggled against his chest, her tiny body twisting playfully as she searched for a comfortable position. She let out a joyful cry.
"Vee~!"
Outside the window, the sun had already begun its descent, casting long golden shadows. Twilight was upon them.
Sieg stood up with a smile and turned to Eevee.
"Let's take a walk, Evee. The evening scenery's beautiful."
Carefully cradling her in his arms, he moved toward the door. Before leaving, Sieg didn't forget to pack up the Pokéblock equipment on the desk, tucking everything neatly into his spatial backpack. Everything had to be tidy, just the way he liked it.
As he stepped outside the Pokémon Center, the streets, earlier almost empty, had grown lively. Office workers now surged onto the sidewalks like a tide, the day's work behind them, eager to return home for rest.
Shops lit up one by one, welcoming the night.
Sieg strolled along the roadside, Eevee tucked safely in his arms. Her big, curious eyes darted from place to place, taking in the vibrant world around her.
It was her first time walking the city streets. Everything felt new and thrilling.
Suddenly, a car sped past with a loud whoosh, sending a gust of wind rippling through the air.
"Vee!!"
Startled, Eevee panicked and leapt into the air, frantically scurrying behind Sieg. Her tiny paws gripped his pant leg tightly, as if clinging to the only safety she knew.
"Hahaha, it's alright, Eevee. Nothing to be scared of. Just make sure you never run onto the road, okay?"
It were just him and his Eevee, playing under the evening sky.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, their laughter echoed across the street, echoing far and wide.