We go to the dojo. It is a kantonian dojo. It has wooden floors and wood folding walls. A girl in ninja clothing is standing at the end of a line of trainers.

"Hi, young man, she says. Looks like you're looking for one of these."

She pulls out a badge.

"You're just in time. Get in line."

So these are all trainers.

"The best one gets to fight me. Go on."

The fights are rough there 12, 14 and even 17 year old with strong pokemon. Our first fight was against a kirlia. The hammer really helps us out. We took a psychic, but a few consecutive hits of an electrified hammer and she was no more. A chansey comes and gives an egg that heals Hero. We went up the ranks, until we arrive to a carkol. A hit causes a piece of the hammer to fall off. Hero comes to me with a worried expression and hands me the hammer. He turns back aggressively and seems to be going for a quick attack, but jumps in the air and does a high jump kick. A combination we've been practicing for a while. It lands and the carkol who falls off and faints. I clap my partner's hand as he eats an egg.

"So you finally arrive to me. I'm psyched, I love the way you fight."

"Wait!"

An old man with a cane that was in the corner walks to me. He is wearing a black suit jacket and a blue sweater. He discards the cane.

"You know him?"

"No, I'm just curious. He reminds me of someone. Will you let me fight him?"

"Fine, only because seeing you moving is nostalgic. I knew bringing you on this trip was a good idea."

"Thank you Janine, Now will you fight me kid."

"We'll fight anyone, right Hero?"

"Prrrrrrti!"

Janine cites the rules of the fight

"…If a pokemon faints it is the end. Don't go too hard okay?"

"Don't worry, says the old man."

He turns to me.

"My Nidoking had a kid. Hope you're ready for it. Go girl!"

A nidoran comes out.

"Alright riolu, last battle."

Riolu moves forward.

"Use quick kick."

This one's a little different. He runs to gain enough speed to do a lateral kick. Nidoran just tanks it.

"Nidoran, horn drill."

He moves the foot that kicked him to the side and uses the imbalance and pierces into his chest. My friend backs off to lower the impact, but Nidoran perseveres. He pushes the fighting type to the wall.

"Hero, don't try to stop it, use it."

Hero grabs and pushes him towards the wall.

"Nidoran stand your ground."

Nidoran, in a crazy jump, gets on Ze. Hero tries to move Nidoran, but it's no use. He is pinned to the floor.

"Now use peck."

He starts pecking away at the young riolu. Again, again...

"Hero endure."

He gets hit again and again. I'm sorry, just hold on. Nidoran gets tired and slows down his pecks.

"Now reversal."

He collects all his energy and does a punch that makes the poison type fly and crashes away. Hero gets up. With that I think that we've won, but Hero falls on the floor and faints. Nidoran gets back and seem to smile.

"Not bad, kiddo." says Janine.

"Thanks!" I gromel.

"You must not understand why you lost." says the old man.

"He endured the hit!"

I pick up Hero.

"He did, but between those pecks were some poison stings. You see, you can't say everything in a pokemon battle. You have to be able to catch the opponent off guard. To tell your pokemon things without saying it. They have to be able to tell when you mean something and when you don't. That's what training is for. That's what the bond with your pokemon is for. I use to forget that…"

He flatters his Nidoran softly and gives it berry. The blue pokemon eats it cheerfully.

"I see…"

"Why didn't you use thunder punch?"

"Nidoran is a ground type, it wouldn't h…"

"No. He is a pure poison type. You're an okay trainer. Rare to see well executed mix moves, but your Riolu is outstanding. Are you sure you'll be able to bring out his full potential?"

"I…"

"If pokemon take their duties to us seriously, so must we."

This hits me like a ton of bricks. It has never occured to me that I might be too weak for Riolu. Chansey arrives and heals Riolu.

"Good job, buddy. I'm sorry, I lost."

I swallow my tears. Can't let Riolu feel guilty. Janine looks at me sadly.

"You did well you two." She says.

I can hear in her voice more pity than belief.

"Thank you. Let's go, buddy. You earned your time at Haircut Brothers."

"Prrrrrrti!"

We arrive to the Haircut brothers. A host comes to take care of Hero as soon as she sees our VIP passes.

"Ze, we have a problem!, whispers my father."

"What is it?"

"The egg! The egg has hatched!"

"Is it sick? Did it fall? What's going on?"

"It's gone the shell is here, but the pup is gone!"

My heart sinks into my chest.

"Does Berry know?"

"No, he was sleeping and getting a massage."

"Alright, we gotta find it before any of them find out."

We started asking around if they had seen a little eevee around. The machoke security guard scurried everywhere. Flocks of pidgeys were sent to look from airborne positions. I can't believe that I let it happened. I supposed to be responsible of them. They trust me. Why do I suck so bad? I totally could've kept the egg. Why didn't keep the egg?!?

After 20 minute of frantic search, everyone comes empty handed. Some guy went to fetch a slurpuff to track it down. I am sitting face in knees when I feel a soft touch on my back comforting me. I breath easier. When I finally look up, I see B. She is softly smiling at me. I know what she is asking.

"We can't find the egg. Well, we can't find the baby. I messed up."

She starts to laugh and pulls me towards the Haircut Bros. I arrive to a room which is lightly lit by candles there Hero is admiring Berry who's tail is wrapped around a newly born eevee. I start beaming. I start flattering Berry. A masseuse arrive. She starts explaining what happened. A girl heard screams in the locker room so she went in to investigate. She opened the locker to see a baby eevee. She washed it, but it was still crying. The young lady then came and asked her where the other Eevee was. The masseuse brought her here. Eevee came down instantly snuggle next to Berry. She's been keeping an eye on them ever since. As she finishes her story Berry wakes up. He slowly looks at everyone in the room then finishes on the newborn. He smiles and hugging tight. Eevee happily receives the hug. They all scream with excitement. Maj comes running.

"Omg, I've been looking all over for you."

"We take a pause to look at them."

"I really got worried. We only found the shell and no baby. I thought it was lost or poa… or worse. Thank you so much."

"Of course, they're my friends too."

I see them playing around with Hero and B.

"Yeah, nothing to worry about."

My dad is warned and he comes to play with us. We pass by the nursery zone of the Haircut Brothers. Eevee receives her first ever full body treatment. Oh, we learn she's a girl too. They asked us what's her name. I have no Idea.

"How about Joy, says Maj."

With all that happened we can all agree that misery has been following us. Having her being so joyous and playful and her wrapping a happy ending is very stunning.

"That's perfect."

She comes out looking pristine. Her fur shining and expertly combed with a complementary white scarf with her name embroidered in pink.

After doing most of the activities, we take an ice cream and leave. Just at the gate, a gliscor drops me a letter.

It was brought to my attention that I was harsh. I apologize. Sometimes my old habits come back. So I will offer those words instead. Some pokemon are born stronger. They evolve and their potential grows with them. So is a Pikachu doomed to lose to a Raichu. No, with the belief of its trainer and the right preparation even a pachirisu can be undefeated in a sea of dragons. So I give you this eviolite in that spirit so that you can remember that even the littlest potential can be brought to incredible heights. -

The old man from the dojo.

I smile as I look at the pokemons. B is merrily floating around carrying Aviva who seems to love flying. Berry is walking by Hero's side who's holding our little eater's many ice creams while keeping a watchful eye on Maj. She is holding Joy and feeding her milk. Joy finishes the bottle in three seconds.

Beggsy, Berry, Hero and now Joy, I won't let you down. I promise.