[Poor challenger, his Pokémon's too scared to even come out!][I get it. If it was me, I wouldn't dare either. One hit from Primeape could send Kadabra back to an egg!]
[Who teaches Primeape Encore? I'm seriously suspicious this streamer picked that move just to troll people.]
The chat buzzed with comments, followed by a flood of gifts.
Primeape's Encore left a lasting impression.
Li Xuan decided to edit the battle footage later, turning it into a highlight video to post online, showcasing just how "honest" his Primeape was.
"Gary, if your Pokémon won't come out, I'll have to call the match," Li Xuan said, watching Gary fiddle with his Poké Ball.
"…"
Gary glanced at the Poké Ball, then at Primeape, whose casual punches sent gusts tearing through the air. He raised a white flag.
"I surrender," Gary muttered.
"Wahh, Young Master Gary lost!" "Come on, Gary, we didn't even get to see Kadabra's shining moment!" The cheerleaders' wails snapped Gary out of his daze. He ran a hand through his spiky hair, striking a positive note. "Sweethearts, this loss is just a stepping stone to my comeback. I'll be back stronger!"
The girls sobbed harder, rushing to surround Gary, creating a vibrant scene in the Fighting Dojo.
Li Xuan quietly slipped back to the stream, subtly aiming the camera at Gary.
[That smug little lord!][Justice served by the streamer! For rich kids like him, especially with a posse of girls, Primeape's heavy fist is the answer!][Kanto Gym Leaders, remember this cocky face. Teach him a lesson if you see him!][This kid's an embarrassment to me. Losing a match and flirting in someone else's dojo!]
Johto Region, Mt. Silver
Green, about to climb the mountain with Red, nearly crushed his phone in frustration.
Watching Gary's antics on the stream, he gritted his teeth, seething. "Family disgrace!"
"…" Red stayed silent, sighing repeatedly.
"Ugh, fine, whatever," Green said, rubbing his chin. "This Gym Leader did me a favor by humbling him. Should I send him something?"
"…" Red tilted his head, puzzled.
"Guess you're clueless too," Green said, pausing. "Since it's a Fighting Dojo, how about some tips on training Fighting-types?"
"…" Red nodded, giving a thumbs-up.
After the stream ended, Li Xuan saw Gary and his cheerleaders off.
Before they left, he stopped Gary. "Mind filling out a quick survey?"
It was the same familiar three questions.
Gary thought for a moment before responding: "The Gym Leader treats his Pokémon well—so well my Pokémon refused to leave their Poké Balls to face him. Highly recommend picking Primeape; the power's unreal. You'll get it."
With that, Gary gave a glowing review and left the dojo with his cheerleaders, not looking back.
"Gary, come back for a rematch anytime!" Li Xuan called, waving.
"Sure, I'll be back!" Gary shouted, speeding up. He hopped into his sports car and peeled out of Saffron City.
Saffron's Fighting Dojo? Couldn't beat it, but he could sure outrun it!
"See ya! No rematch for me!" Gary laughed, his voice echoing through the city, startling Growlithe in the streets.
"What's up with Young Master Gary?" a shy cheerleader asked from the backseat.
"Probably had his ego crushed by that cute Gym Leader," another whispered.
"Pfft—!" Gary nearly choked, feeling the sting of defeat.
Tonight was one for tears.
Saffron City, Fighting Dojo
Back in his room, Li Xuan dove into editing, quickly producing two highlight videos: [The Most Honorable Gym Battle 01: Heracross's Debut][The Most Honorable Gym Battle 02: Primeape's Encore]
After posting, he noticed a private message in his inbox.
GreenTheGreat: Add me on Line. Got something good for you.
"Huh? A gift from Green? Gotta check this out," Li Xuan said, instantly following back and sending his Line ID.
It was Green, after all—whatever he sent had to be top-notch.
Minutes later, Green sent four messages: [Green: Machamp Training Guide.pdf][Green: Poliwrath Training Guide.pdf][Green: Master-Level Fighting-Type Training Techniques.pdf][Green: Hope it's useful.]
Li Xuan: …
Staring at the first two files, he fell into thought.
Why were they for Pokémon he didn't have?
If not for the massive 20GB master guide, he'd have thought Green was either clueless or getting revenge for Gary.
[Li Xuan: Thanks, super helpful! ^_^]
After sending the reply, Li Xuan pocketed his phone and headed to Sabrina's room.
Knock, knock, knock…
Knocking before entering was a habit of his.
"Come in," Sabrina called.
Creak—
Li Xuan pushed the door open.
Sabrina sat on a tatami mat, her boots neatly placed aside. Her long legs, clad in black stockings, rested on the bedding, her toes subtly visible.
But what caught his eye most was the trembling, adorable Pokémon beside her.
A cream-colored body, green hair covering most of its face, parted by two red horns.
It was… Ralts!
The adorable (not lolita) emotion Pokémon!
"What a cute Ralts," Li Xuan said, crouching down. Like a magician, he pulled out a bottle of Moomoo Milk, opened it, and offered it to Ralts. "Here, have some milk."
"Ralts?"
Ralts shrank toward Sabrina, wary of Li Xuan.
"Huh? That's odd," Li Xuan said, frowning. He'd used his Aura to project goodwill—why was Ralts still scared?
Sensing his confusion, Sabrina used her psychic powers to gently stroke Ralts's head.
"This one was trafficked. It's got some health issues," she explained.
Li Xuan blinked. "What kind of issues?"
Sabrina spoke slowly…