Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

"Whoa—Flame Wheel?! Are you kidding me?!"

"How the heck does something shaped like a horse jump that high?!"

Ding Yue was more than familiar with that move. Her Talonflame didn't know Flame Wheel, but Liu Yunlan Infernape certainly did!

Every time that fiery monkey used Flame Wheel on the battlefield, something ended up flattened and scorched. It wasn't just powerful—it also came with a nasty burn chance!

And now, this horse-shaped wild Pokémon wasn't just using it—it was throwing its whole body into the attack!

And seriously, what kind of horse jumped higher than a frog?! This was just plain outrageous!

As the blazing silhouette hurtled toward them like a mini sun, Ding Yue and Li Xiaoyu stood frozen, completely overwhelmed.

But before the attack could land—

A wave of heat surged past their side.

A sharp cry rang out.

Then, like a streak of lightning, a crimson blur shot across the low air—

And slammed directly into the descending fireball!

Without waiting for a command, Talonflame had charged forward, unleashing a Flare Blitz head-on!

"No—Talonflame, don't!!"

Ding Yue instinctively reached out, shouting in panic.

Flare Blitz was a devastating move with 120 base power, one of Talonflame's signature attacks!

Even trained Pokémon often couldn't withstand its full force.

How could a wild Pokémon possibly survive it?

Sure, maybe she was a little mad earlier, but the moment she saw this beautiful creature, she was hooked.

A pure white body, flowing flames for its mane, tail, and limbs—this horse Pokémon wasn't just "handsome," it was majestic.

Talonflame was certainly cool too, but in terms of looks, it got utterly outclassed.

That's why she had made up her mind: she had to catch it!

If Flare Blitz ended up killing it, not only would she be heartbroken—she'd lose all motivation to continue exploring.

After all, the Pokémon had only attacked because it was startled.

If this really ended badly… wouldn't that make her the villain?

But Ding Yue's reaction came far too late.

Her Talonflame, seasoned by battle, was lightning-fast—literally and figuratively.

Before her words left her mouth, Talonflame had already collided with the fiery steed midair!

BOOM!

Two blazing figures crashed into each other in an explosion of heat and light.

A moment later, Talonflame was flung backward, slammed into the ground by its own recoil.

Flare Blitz was a double-edged sword—it inflicted serious damage to the enemy, but it also took a toll on the user.

Talonflame hadn't hesitated for a second.

To protect its Trainer, it had thrown caution aside, sacrificing its own health in a desperate move.

"No—please no…"

Ding Yue's voice trembled, heart pounding in anguish.

Her Talonflame had clearly taken major damage. With the force of that Flame Wheel, plus the recoil from Flare Blitz, even it couldn't stay on its feet after just one hit.

But what about the wild Pokémon?

If even Talonflame ended up like this… wasn't the wild one as good as dead?

Ding Yue's lip quivered, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

She was the dignified daughter of the powerful Ding Group—but right now, she looked like she was about to cry like a little kid.

But just when everyone thought the wild Pokémon had met its fiery end...

The "mini sun" that had lit up the sky slowly dimmed.

Then—with a graceful flip—the snowy-white horse Pokémon landed perfectly on all fours, flames dancing softly along its mane.

It didn't look badly hurt at all.

Instead, it looked even angrier than before.

Its front hooves scraped the ground, eyes burning with renewed fury.

It was ready for round two.

"W-What… WHAT?!"

Ding Yue and Li Xiaoyu were completely dumbfounded.

Talonflame wasn't weak—it was a beast, even among elite Trainers!

When it used Flare Blitz, even Water-types had a tough time staying upright.

And yet…

This wild Pokémon barely looked scratched?

Back in the Pokémon Center, the crowd watching the broadcast erupted into stunned murmurs.

Talonflame held legendary status in their eyes.

Its bold aerial assaults, smooth flight, and history of dominating the Battle Center had made it a fan favorite.

For many, it was second only to Su Bai's mysterious team.

And now?

That same mighty Talonflame was floored after a single move… while its opponent walked away unscathed?

What kind of monster were they looking at?

Just then, Su Bai's voice rang out across the room and through the team communicators.

Everyone fell silent.

"Phew… thank Arceus that didn't go horribly wrong," Su Bai said with clear relief.

"Looks like that Ponyta has the Flash Fire ability… If it had one of the other two, this might've ended in disaster."

His tone wasn't scolding—but it was obvious he'd been concerned.

Ding Yue had really messed up this time.

Throwing a Poké Ball at a wild Pokémon out of nowhere was basically a slap in the face.

This wasn't a game. In the real world, that was considered a challenge—sometimes even a declaration of war.

If you ran into a hot-headed Pokémon, things could spiral fast.

"Ding Yue, you got lucky this time. But don't pull something like that again."

Su Bai paused, then softened slightly.

"That said… Ponyta is an amazing Pokémon."

He began to explain.

"Ponyta's category is the Fire Horse Pokémon. Normally, they live in herds across vast grasslands. I'd bet this one just got separated while heading toward a water source."

That, Su Bai said, was why Ding Yue was lucky.

Ponyta lived in tightly knit groups and traveled together in search of water and fresh grazing grounds.

There was likely a river or stream nearby—some distance from their current spot—and this one had simply wandered off.

If they'd run into a herd of Ponyta and Rapidash?

Even elite Trainers like Ding Yue and Li Xiaoyu would've been overwhelmed in seconds.

"Despite its delicate appearance, Ponyta's body is light and built for agility. Its hooves are incredibly tough and can support high-speed movement across almost any terrain."

"That insane leap you just saw? Totally normal for it."

In fact, in almost every Pokédex entry, Ponyta's ridiculous jumping ability was highlighted.

It could leap over buildings—some even said it could fly based on how high it got.

"As for why Talonflame looked worse off after the clash…"

Su Bai chuckled softly as he glanced at the screen.

There, Ding Yue was frantically treating her injured Talonflame, while the wild Ponyta glared warily at them from a distance.

"…The ability Flash Fire," Su Bai said, "is a natural counter to Fire-types."