However, more than the move Frustration, Owen was far more intrigued by the Lopunny's second offensive technique.
The strike the Lopunny had unleashed to protect its young was no weaker than Frustration, but the two attacks felt worlds apart.
This strike, imbued with a powerful protective instinct, was what Owen suspected to be the move Return.
Opposite to Frustration, Return grows more powerful the higher the Pokémon's friendship with its trainer. It is an application of a completely different kind of emotional energy.
Very few Pokémon species can navigate these two diametrically opposed emotional energies so freely—the Buneary line being perhaps the most notable.
In fact, in the entire National Pokédex, the Buneary and Lopunny are the only ones capable of learning both Frustration and Return naturally through growth. This is their unique biological gift.
"Return, huh..." Owen's interest was piqued.
This move is tied directly to friendship, which is also one of the requirements for Eevee to evolve into Espeon or Umbreon. Friendship—this ethereal, vague concept—is difficult to visualize or quantify.
No one on Earth had researched whether it was a form of energy, but Owen was certain that it was.
In more common terms, friendship is the bond between a trainer and their Pokémon. A bond encompasses a vast spectrum of concepts! It can be friendship, or it can be other deep-seated emotions.
While this bond isn't always mechanically obvious in most game versions, in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, friendship can directly influence a Pokémon's stats, potentially boosting overall combat strength by up to 10%. The additive power is incredible.
Furthermore, it manifests on a higher level: Mega Evolution.
Mega Evolution is a transformation that surpasses the limits of standard evolution. A Mega-Evolved Pokémon temporarily releases hidden power, gaining abilities that cannot be attained through normal growth.
In both the games and the anime, Mega Evolution is the pinnacle of a trainer's tactical arsenal!
For a trainer to master Mega Evolution, two conditions are generally required:
The trainer must possess a special item called a Key Stone that resonates with the Mega Stone held by the Pokémon.
There must be a deep bond between the trainer and the Pokémon. The power of that bond is the essential catalyst that allows the two stones to resonate.
Clearly, the bond between trainer and Pokémon can directly impact the Pokémon's capabilities. Owen's interest in the move was driven by a sudden ambition to research the "Power of Bonds."
So far, I haven't heard of any trainer mastering Mega Evolution—neither domestically nor abroad.
This suggests that Mega Evolution has not yet entered the public consciousness of trainers in this world.
So... have Mega Stones and Key Stones even been discovered?
Owen didn't know the answer to that, but he did know that human research into the emotional power between trainers and Pokémon was still in its infancy.
In the entire Pokémon franchise, the theme emphasized more than any other is the "bond," and there has to be a scientific reason for that.
Yet, many trainers overlook this.
If Eevee has the chance to learn Return, I have to study it meticulously. I'll center my own custom 'Move Manual' around Return—the move that most closely links trainer and Pokémon! This path seems promising.
Thinking it through, the move was potentially explosive. Using the power of the bond to enhance a Pokémon's abilities sounded prestigious and high-level.
A Rough Night
"Let's rest here for the night."
Before the sun set completely, Owen found a relatively hospitable spot to roll out his sleeping bag. Honestly, he wasn't a fan of sleeping bags; in the event of a sudden emergency, it's difficult to scramble out of one quickly.
After half a day of trekking, Owen and Eevee had stamina to spare, but their mental energy was flagging. Moreover, they had lived on nothing but dry biscuits, and their stomachs were feeling the lack of a proper meal.
Having grown accustomed to hot milk and warm food every day, eating dry crackers and drinking room-temperature water felt like falling from heaven to hell.
"Eevee?" "What are you looking for?"
As Owen finished setting up, Eevee began rummaging through the survival backpack. She soon pulled out the fire starter and signaled for Owen to light a fire.
"Setting a fire in the mountains is a one-way ticket to a jail cell, you know?" "Vee!!" Eevee shook her head. "A fire on the hill means a trip to the police station below?"
Eevee looked annoyed.
"Oh... you mean a campfire next to us?"
Eevee nodded. Her survival shows taught her that a campfire effectively wards off pests.
"Right, I almost forgot. Even though the mountain is taken over by Pokémon, the annoying little bugs haven't gone extinct yet..." Owen realized. "That's actually very thoughtful of you."
Owen praised Eevee, feeling that his Pokémon was truly becoming reliable. Furthermore, he realized the campfire provided much-needed warmth.
As darkness fell, the heat of the day vanished, replaced by a surprising chill. The temperature swing of the wilderness was unforgiving.
"Actually... a Flareon would be nice right now," Owen said, looking at Eevee. Sleeping while hugging a Flareon must be incredibly cozy, right?
"Vee?!" Eevee stared at him, stunned. Seriously? It's only been one afternoon, and I've gone from a Glaceon to a Flareon?
The night was destined to be a long one.
The Return of the Lopunny
The next morning.
Eevee lay listlessly on Owen's shoulder. Without a soft bed, neither Owen nor Eevee had slept well. To put it simply, they both had a bout of insomnia. However, they had been lucky—they hadn't encountered any nocturnal predators, and the night had been peaceful.
"Let's get up the mountain as fast as possible," Owen sighed. This place wasn't nearly as fun as he'd imagined. He was done with "roughing it." Eevee felt the same; being disconnected from the internet for a day had made her exceptionally grumpy.
They continued their ascent.
Rustle... rustle...
A sudden sound put them on high alert. Another Pokémon looking for trouble?
Wait!
As the Pokémon emerged, they hesitated. Isn't this the Lopunny from yesterday? Was it back for revenge?
Owen quickly realized he was overthinking. The Lopunny stood across from them, clutching four or five blue berries, looking profoundly apologetic. It had no hostile intent; it looked more like it had come to bring them food.
"Lopunny, yesterday was just a misunderstanding. Did the Buneary explain everything?" Owen asked tentatively.
Across from them, the Lopunny nodded. It gently placed several Oran Berries on the ground, intending to use them to repay the debt for saving its young. Seeing the pile of berries, Eevee was delighted—her hard work had finally paid off.
Owen, however, didn't care about the berries. He hurriedly called out to the Lopunny as it turned to leave.
"Lopunny, wait!"
An important idea had struck him.
"Um... that move you used yesterday to protect the Buneary... could you teach it to us? Even just a brief explanation is fine.
Just tell Eevee what it felt like—the sensation and the technique." Owen spoke nervously, terrified that the Lopunny would refuse.
This was a rare opportunity. Lopunny is the only species that masters Return through natural growth. If Eevee wanted to learn it, the best way was to learn from a Lopunny.
Owen hadn't expected to see her again, and since she was clearly in an apologetic mood, the timing was perfect.
Requesting a favor in exchange for a debt might not be the most "gentlemanly" thing to do, but Owen wasn't a gentleman.
He could do without the berries, but if Eevee could learn Return from this Lopunny, the entire trip would be more than worth it.
Faced with Owen's request, the Lopunny looked confused for a moment, but she quickly grasped what he meant.
Learn a move?
Considering that Owen and Eevee had saved her child, the Lopunny didn't hesitate. She nodded her head, agreeing to the request.
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