Just as the charging Eevee was about to collide with the braced Vulpix, Shirley darted forward, positioning herself protectively beside her Pokémon, her small face flushed with undisguised anger.
"Stop it, Chanel!" She yelled, her voice sharp. "He's my guest!"
The visiting girl, Chanel, halted Eevee's attack with a casual hand gesture. The bright, malicious smile didn't leave her face; if anything, it widened. "Oh, relax, Shirley," She drawled dismissively. "Just a little joke. Why so serious?"
She shifted her gaze from Shirley to the tense Vulpix, her eyes briefly assessing the small Fire-type Pokémon. "Come back, Eevee," She called sweetly.
Eevee immediately broke off its aggressive stance, trotting back obediently to Chanel's side, its earlier ferocity vanishing instantly, replaced by a placid, almost vacant expression.
Only then did Chanel deign to look properly at Xiu, her eyes sweeping over him with blatant disinterest, the same way one might glance at a particularly uninteresting weed growing by the roadside. After that single, dismissive glance, she turned her attention back to Shirley. "So," She asked brightly, "where's Brother Yuto?"
"He's not here!" Shirley snapped back, disgust and dislike heavy in her tone. "You should leave."
"What about Grandpa Bao Ba?" Chanel ignored Shirley's hostility, stepping closer, invading her personal space.
"None of your business!" Shirley retorted, holding her ground. "Don't bother us, I'm trying to study."
"Studying?" Chanel repeated the word, her smile turning venomous, dripping with mockery. "Really, Shirley? Need some help with that? Maybe I could tutor you? After all, your grades are..." She let the implication hang, twisting the verbal knife.
Shirley's face contorted, her fists clenching at her sides. She glared at Chanel, eyes wide with fury, clearly struggling to maintain control.
Chanel, seeing she'd hit a nerve, didn't press the academic point further. Instead, she turned her attention back to Xiu, circling him slowly, looking him up and down with exaggerated scrutiny. "So," She purred, addressing Shirley but looking at Xiu, "is this the new gardener Grandpa Bao Ba hired? He's… adequately presentable, I suppose." She stopped, turning back to Xiu directly. "Interested in working at my family's estate? The pay is probably much better."
The deliberate insult, implying Xiu was nothing more than hired help and simultaneously flaunting her family's wealth, made Shirley's breath hitch. Veins stood out on her neck as she visibly fought back a furious retort.
The conversation, or rather, Chanel's monologue of thinly veiled insults and provocations directed at Shirley, continued for several minutes. Xiu listened silently, recognizing the pattern: Chanel was deliberately trying to provoke a reaction, to humiliate Shirley. But Shirley, despite her obvious anger, refused to take the bait, mostly remaining stony-faced, offering only curt, dismissive replies.
Meanwhile, Chanel's Eevee kept darting playfully (or perhaps menacingly) towards Vulpix, forcing the smaller Pokémon to remain constantly vigilant, clearly uncomfortable.
Finally, seeming bored with Shirley's lack of reaction, Chanel delivered a parting shot. "Well, do drop by my place sometime if you need real tutoring," She trilled sweetly. "You're always welcome!" With a final, dismissive wave, she turned and sauntered out of the house, Eevee trotting happily behind her.
Silence descended, thick with residual anger. Shirley stood trembling slightly, fists still clenched, while Vulpix let out a small, aggrieved whine.
Xiu, who had remained impassive throughout the exchange, finally lowered the hand that had been hovering near his Poké Balls. He turned slowly towards Shirley, his expression calm, thoughtful.
"So," He asked quietly, his voice cutting through the tense silence, "is she the one you want to defeat?"
Shirley whipped her head around, seemingly startled to remember Xiu was still there. The fight seemed to drain out of her, replaced by weary resentment. "Yes," She admitted bitterly, the single word heavy with frustration.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Xiu's lips. "Interesting," He murmured. "Tell me about her. About this… rivalry. Maybe," He added casually, "I can help."
Shirley stared at him, momentarily stunned. 'Help? Didn't he just say he didn't know anything about battling?' But the offer… combined with her lingering anger, it was too tempting to refuse. The dam finally broke. Words poured out of her, a torrent of accumulated resentment and frustration directed at Chanel.
"She's awful! Always has been…"
Xiu listened patiently as Shirley vented, piecing together the story. Chanel's family lived nearby, apparently long-time acquaintances or business associates of Bao Ba. The children – Chanel, Yuto, and Shirley – had grown up playing together, though it sounded like Shirley was often the 'tag-along' third wheel to Chanel and Yuto's games.
Chanel, even as a child, had apparently delighted in teasing and bullying the quieter, younger Shirley. This dynamic only worsened after they both received their first Pokémon – Chanel's Eevee and Shirley's Vulpix. Chanel, naturally competitive and apparently quite talented as a Trainer, excelled, using her Eevee's strength to further dominate and humiliate Shirley in casual battles or training sessions.
"…and she's always acting so sweet and perfect around Grandpa Bao Ba and her own parents!" Shirley complained bitterly. "They never believe me when I tell them how mean she really is!" She then launched into a fresh tirade about Yuto. "And my own brother! He always takes her side! Sometimes he even joins in teasing me! It's like he's completely under her spell!"
Xiu listened sympathetically, occasionally murmuring agreement or offering a well-timed "She sounds terrible," letting Shirley vent, occasionally steering the conversation back when it strayed too far.
"So," He interjected gently after Shirley's complaints finally started winding down, "your main goal… is to beat her? In a proper Pokémon battle? To finally prove yourself?"
"Yes!" Shirley confirmed, her voice regaining some of its earlier fire. Then, her confidence seemed to waver again. "But… like I said… she's really good. Her grades are top of the class, and that Eevee… it's strong and fast. Not many Pokémon at school can actually beat it."
"Your Vulpix isn't bad either," Xiu countered smoothly, offering encouragement. "Just lacks… refinement. Maybe the right strategy." In truth, Yuto's earlier comments about Shirley neglecting her studies and rarely training Vulpix probably explained a lot. Talent without effort rarely succeeded. No wonder she can't beat Chanel.
"Strategy? A trick?" Shirley looked at him curiously, latching onto the idea.
"Exactly," Xiu nodded, confirming her hope. "Tricks. Strategy. Proper training." He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Listen carefully, Shirley. Do exactly what I tell you… and I guarantee, you can defeat her."
Shirley's eyes lit up with renewed excitement. "Really? How? Tell me! Quick!"
"First…" Xiu began, outlining the initial steps of a rigorous, tailored training plan for Vulpix.
— — —
Later that evening, Yuto returned home from his training session with Growlithe. Entering the living room, he was surprised to find it empty. Shirley, who usually camped out in front of the television immediately after school, was nowhere to be seen.
"Shirley? Where'd she go?" Yuto wondered aloud, glancing at Growlithe beside him.
Growlithe seemed to understand the question. It sniffed the air, then let out a soft bark and trotted purposefully towards the back door leading to the yard. Curious, Yuto followed.
He found them sitting together on the grass near the stream – Xiu and Shirley. They seemed to be deep in conversation, surrounded by scattered papers that looked like training notes and diagrams. A few half-eaten snacks lay nearby. The scene looked surprisingly… amicable.
"Hey! What are you two talking about?" Yuto walked over, intrigued.
Xiu looked up, unsurprised. Growlithe had already bounded over, happily joining the group. "Just discussing Vulpix," Xiu replied easily, gesturing for Yuto to sit down, pushing aside some papers to make room.
"Vulpix?" Yuto repeated, surprised again. He glanced back and forth between Xiu and his sister, then sat down. 'Since when is Shirley interested in serious Pokémon training?' Usually, getting her to even do her basic homework was a struggle.
Xiu didn't elaborate on the 'why', simply resuming the previous topic – Vulpix's potential development – and skillfully pulling Yuto into the discussion. While Xiu admitted his own knowledge of Vulpix was limited primarily to books, Yuto, having trained Growlithe, possessed practical insights into managing fire-based abilities, temperature regulation, and common Fire-type weaknesses.
Shirley, initially quiet, gradually got drawn back into the conversation as they debated Vulpix's strengths, weaknesses, potential move sets, and tailored training regimens.
For a while, an impromptu seminar about Vulpix unfolded in the quiet backyard, fueled by Xiu's theoretical framework, Yuto's practical experience, and Shirley's newfound, intense motivation.