The dust had not fully settled after the battle when a young voice suddenly broke through from the stands…
"No way… daddy lost?!"
A small girl dropped down from the viewing area and ran straight toward Brock with a fierce, offended pout, like the result itself didn't make sense to her.
"Daddy!"
She didn't slow down at all.
As Brock crouched, he caught her easily as she reached him, lifting her into his arms. He held her close as she immediately buried her face into his shoulder, still grumbling about his loss.
He spoke to her gently while holding her, explaining how me and my Pokémon had worked together and how the fight had shifted back and forth…
As he spoke, her grip on his shirt slowly loosened.
"…Hmph," she muttered, turning her face away slightly. The pout was already gone.
She didn't complain anymore. Instead, she gave a small, reluctant nod, glancing toward me with a quiet, curious look.
I watched that quietly.
In every version of Pokémon I knew, Brock was never shown with his own child. Not even a wife. Just the same running jokes about him being alone, always chasing after every pretty woman and never really being chosen…
But here, it was different. He wasn't alone in that way anymore. He had a cute little daughter who clearly looked up to him, and probably a loving wife as well, something I had never seen in any version I remembered.
Still, I pushed those thoughts aside. Right now, what mattered was that Eevee had won… and she looked exhausted, her little legs trembling as if they might give out any second.
I quickly crossed the battlefield as she stood there waiting for me.
Her ears immediately perked up the moment she saw me coming, and her tail gave a small, weak wag. That tiny movement sent a familiar warmth in my chest…
As I reached her, I knelt down and gently lifted her into my arms.
She didn't resist at all.
She just melted into me the moment I held her, as if she had been waiting for this all along. All the tension from the battle faded out of her small body as she pressed closer, her head resting under my chin.
Her breathing was soft and uneven at first, warm against my neck, but it gradually steadied as she settled in. I could feel her heartbeat through her fur, slowing as she relaxed against me.
"You did so well, Eevee," I whispered softly.
"Vee…" she murmured faintly, her voice warm and drowsy, already slipping toward sleep as she stayed close to me.
A quiet warmth spread through my chest as I held her closer, one hand gently stroking down her back.
She had fought so hard for me, pushing herself to the edge, and now she was here in my arms, soft and spent.
"Just rest now," I murmured as I lowered my head and pressed a soft kiss between her ears.
As she heard my words, her body relaxed completely against me… and then she finally drifted into sleep, safe in my arms.
I stayed still for a moment longer, not wanting to break that peace.
When I finally moved, it was slow and careful, so I wouldn't disturb her.
Brock handed me the Boulder Badge with his usual calm smile. His daughter peeked at Eevee in my arms and asked if she was okay. I nodded once, telling her she just needed rest.
After a short goodbye, I left…
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I wanted to explore more about the daughter and other related parts, but I felt it would be too much of an info dump, and people might not like it. Since I didn't get any reaction from the Patreon readers, I decided to skip it.