"You have to trust me!"
Everette looked at Gabriel helplessly. However, Gabriell was still cautious around him. After all, if it weren't for Everette, Little Mu and he wouldn't have been injured. Little Mu was still in recovery, making it difficult for Gabriel to let her guard down.
Everette could tell Gabriel didn't trust him. But since he decided to meet him, it meant there was still hope for reconciliation. He took a deep breath and tried his best to explain.
"Enough. Stop talking," Gabriel interrupted.
"Does that mean you trust me now?" Everette asked hopefully.
"How could I? Little Mu is still in the hospital recovering. Even if you have the means to protect me, it didn't work. That's why things ended up this way."
"Then why did you come to find me?" Everette asked, confused.
Gabriel smiled, his eyes sharp as they met his. "I want Dynamax energy—the kind that Little Mu can control."
A large part of the reason Gabriel sought out Everette was for the power of Dynamax. If Little Mu could harness it, his strength would improve significantly.
"Dynamax energy? You already know about it?" Everette was stunned. He hadn't expected Gabriel to approach him despite knowing about the risks of Dynamax energy. Did he not understand its dangers?
Once a Pokémon gains this power, it could potentially break free of its trainer's control. Many trainers avoided it like the plague for that very reason.
"You don't need to worry about that. All I care about is Little Mu mastering Dynamax energy. Do you have a way?" Gabriel pressed.
"There is a way," Everette admitted as he pulled out a shimmering Dragonite scale.
"This scale has been sealed with Dynamax energy. It's just the right amount for Little Mu to handle. If you're willing, take it."
Surprisingly, their long, winding interactions had come full circle back to this Dragonite scale. After accepting it, Gabriel left the Jindu Gym without a word.
Everette watched him retreating figure alongside his Vespiquen. His earlier embarrassment was gone, replaced by a calculating expression.
"Who'd have thought he'd come to me so quickly? Perhaps our experiment can succeed with him as the subject," Everette muttered.
"Vesp... Vespi!" (Great! More Pokéblocks for me!)
Unlike Everette, Vespiquen was much simpler in its desires. For it, nothing mattered more than its beloved Pokéblocks.
A few days later, in the forest behind a secluded villa, Little Mu and Gabriel were training intensely. Gabriel glanced at his stopwatch, eagerly awaiting the results.
"Sixty-three seconds. Well done, Little Mu!" Gabriel praised.
He was genuinely impressed. Dynamax energy had given Little Mu a significant boost. Although the energy had injured Little Mu before, his recovery left him stronger than ever. His mastery of Extreme Speed had reached a new level, allowing him to dart flawlessly through the dense forest.
"Mu!" Little Mu cheered as he rushed to Gabriel's side. The injuries had been painful, but his recovery had made him faster, stronger, and more confident in his abilities.
Nearby, Elle watched the training session with admiration. Little Mu's progress was remarkable.
"Impressive. Little Mu has grown quickly," Elle remarked.
"How about it, Elle? Want to have a battle?" Gabriel teased, grinning mischievously.
"Hmm?" Elle raised an eyebrow, unsure where this was going.
"Battling is the only way I can find Little Mu's weaknesses. Training alone isn't enough," Gabriel explained.
Elle sighed, then grabbed a black Poké Ball from her belt. "If you insist, I guess I'll humor you. Come out, Squirtle!"
A small, blue turtle Pokémon appeared on the grass, its large eyes glinting with determination as it faced Little Mu.
"This Squirtle is a recent addition to my team. Let's see how it fares against your Little Mu," Elle said.
Gabriel's heart stirred with nostalgia at the sight of Squirtle. Growing up, he had loved watching Pokémon battles, and the three Kanto starters held a special place in his heart.
But nostalgia wouldn't hold him back in a battle. "Little Mu, use Thunder Wave to paralyze it!"
"Squirtle, withdraw into your shell and use Rapid Spin to evade!" Elle commanded.
Squirtle spun like a top, skillfully dodging Little Mu's Thunder Wave. Its speed rivaled Little Mu's Extreme Speed.
This isn't good, Gabriel thought. If Squirtle keeps spinning, its defense will increase, making it harder to defeat later.
"Little Mu, intercept Squirtle with Extreme Speed! Don't let it keep spinning!" Gabriel ordered.
Little Mu reacted instantly, its speed increasing as it collided with Squirtle. However, Squirtle's Withdraw had bolstered its defenses, leaving Little Mu dazed from the impact.
"Impressive. I didn't expect you to act so decisively," Elle admitted. "If you'd hesitated, the battle would've ended quickly."
Gabriel glanced worriedly at Little Mu, realizing he had underestimated Elle. Even a single Squirtle could be this challenging under her command.
"Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Elle called out.
The blue turtle unleashed a powerful stream of water at Little Mu. If it landed, the battle would be all but over.
"Dodge it, Little Mu!" Gabriel shouted.
Little Mu barely avoided the Water Gun, the force of the attack leaving a small crater in the ground. Gabriel and Little Mu exhaled in relief.
"Looks like we'll need to go all out, Little Mu!" Gabriel declared.
"Mu!" (Let's do it!)
"Little Mu, close in with Extreme Speed! Don't give Squirtle a chance to counter!"
"Squirtle, Withdraw again!" Elle responded.
While effective, Squirtle's defensive strategy also left it vulnerable. Gabriel seized the opportunity.
"Little Mu, use Dragon Tail to launch it into the air!"
"Squirtle, dodge!" Elle called, but it was too late.
Little Mu's tail struck true, sending Squirtle flying. Before it could recover, Little Mu unleashed a powerful Dragon Rage, striking Squirtle mid-air.
"Let's finish this! Little Mu, use Dragon Rush!"
With blue flames enveloping its body, Little Mu dove toward Squirtle with incredible speed. The impact knocked Squirtle out cold.
KO!
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