"Alright, regardless of the reason, it doesn't have much to do with you right now!"
Ms. Nina said, "For you two, it's enough to prepare diligently and strive for a good result when the competition begins."
Owen and Lynnea nodded; she was right.
However, Owen quickly realized that this tournament wouldn't be a walk in the park. If Eevee continued training at her current pace, they would likely be crushed by the teams from other schools.
The Provincial High School League wouldn't start until next semester, meaning the students from wealthy families had half a year to rapidly boost their strength.
Relying solely on Eevee's reaction speed to win was no longer realistic.
I need to pick up the pace...
Once the three of them returned to the teaching building, Ms. Nina went to her office. Owen stopped abruptly in front of his classroom and turned to Lynnea. "You go on ahead."
"What about you?" Lynnea asked, surprised.
"I have some business with Mr. Lee. If the teacher asks, just tell them the truth," Owen said.
"Oh... okay."
Owen hurried to the Psychology Office in the General Building and found Mr. Lee quietly reviewing some documents. Seeing Owen, Mr. Lee looked up in surprise. "Is something the matter?"
"I need a favor..."
Owen approached with a cheeky, familiar grin. "Mr. Lee, didn't you teach Senior Tiffany a massage technique for her Persian? Could you teach me one too?"
"Oh?" Mr. Lee looked at Owen with renewed curiosity. "I thought you always looked down on these 'soft' Breeder tasks."
"No way!" Owen's eyes widened. Slander! Pure slander! "An excellent trainer might not need to specialize in breeding, but they should understand the basics to train their Pokémon better.
Eevee's been exhausted from training lately, and I want to help her recover. It's my duty as her trainer."
Mr. Lee pondered for a moment. "I know you're part of the Rising Star Project; a week of that intensity is indeed a lot. Fine, I'll teach you a few basic techniques. Where is Eevee?"
"In the club room!"
"Let's go then."
The Art of the Rubdown
Owen followed Mr. Lee to the Psychology Club room. Inside, Eevee was striking a hanging sandbag with her tail. Her movements were somewhat soft, making it look more like she was acting cute than training.
"Vee... Vee... Vee...!" Eevee chirped, softly cheering herself on with every swing.
"She's training quite seriously," Mr. Lee remarked. It was no wonder Owen and Eevee had won the Young Ho-Oh Cup. For a pair from an average background to reach this level, hard work was clearly the secret ingredient.
Owen scratched his head, smiling.
"Vee?!" Sensing Owen and Mr. Lee, Eevee stopped and looked at them, confused. She trotted over to the desk to check the schedule Owen had left behind. It isn't time for outdoor practice yet. I haven't finished my hour of training!
Once Owen explained the situation, Eevee breathed a sigh of relief and lay flat on the table, ready to be a test subject.
"To massage an Eevee, you have to focus on the neck area beneath that cream-colored ruff," Mr. Lee explained, gesturing for Owen to watch his fingers closely. "The motions are easy to mimic, but the pressure requires practice to get right."
As Mr. Lee's fingers pressed down, Eevee's body twitched. There was a brief sting of pressure, followed immediately by pure bliss. It felt like soaking in a hot bath—relaxing, warm, and soothing. Within moments, even her breathing became smoother.
"I see..." Owen watched with intense focus.
Over the next twenty minutes, Mr. Lee taught Owen five distinct movements, each targeting a different part of Eevee's body. Each technique provided a different sensation, but the overall effect was immediate: the fatigue from her training session seemed to vanish instantly.
"Eevee, how about I massage you for an hour every day from now on?" Owen asked.
"Vee!!" Eevee nodded vigorously. She was starting to like Owen more and more. The thought of binge-watching shows while enjoying a massage like this made her break into a silly grin.
"By the way... You attended that meeting earlier, right?" Mr. Lee asked as he stopped.
"Yes," Owen confirmed.
"Work hard," Mr. Lee said seriously. "This competition is different from the Young Ho-Oh Cup. That was a civilian tournament sponsored by the Aurora Group.
This High School League is an official event organized by the Provincial Association, the Provincial Government, and the Department of Education. Every educational institution and local association will be watching.
The prize money is great, but the impact a good result will have on your future career is the real reward."
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Lee," Owen replied.
Different from the Young Ho-oh Cup... obviously. Just look at the prize money!
Owen's mind raced. He realized the two remaining spots for the Rising Star Project would likely be chosen from the school team members. After all, the Team Battle required a five-person roster.
"Did you catch all that? Your turn to try," Mr. Lee said, stepping aside.
Owen, eager to start, reached out his "evil claws" and placed them on Eevee's neck.
The next second...
"VEEEEEE—!" "YEEEEEE—!"
Eevee's shrill cry echoed through the entire room. Clearly, mastering the right amount of pressure was going to take some time.
The Selection Begins
That afternoon, during Training Class, the atmosphere across the school was electric. With the emergency meeting over, every class began the intense selection process.
There were sixteen classes in the senior year. With each class recommending one or two candidates, the initial school team would consist of about twenty people. Naturally, they couldn't all be starters. Only seven would make the final cut as official members.
Compared to the tension in other classes, Class 12 was relatively peaceful. On the training grounds, Owen's Eevee stood as a daunting deterrent.
"For the school team selection, our class's two spots are tentatively assigned to Owen and Lynnea," Ms. Nina announced.
"However, I encourage everyone to challenge them. The team roster will be fluid throughout the semester. Only those who persist to the end will stay, so don't give up too early."
As Ms. Nina finished speaking, the rest of the class looked at Eevee—who was currently in a very foul mood after Owen's "massage" attempt—and shook their heads in unison. They all ran off to challenge Lynnea instead.
It was a wise choice. Eevee was currently looking for someone to take her frustrations out on!
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