August 8th, Saturday.
Today, Eevee was sulking.
It refused to sleep in Lu Ye's bed and curled up in its cat bed with its back facing him.
Lu Ye thought for a moment.
It was probably because he gave Haunter a Toxic Orb but didn't buy a gift for Eevee.
"I can't get something too cheap for Eevee," Lu Ye murmured.
"I'll buy one when I have more money."
But without cuddling Eevee, Lu Ye felt something was missing.
He remembered buying a discounted head massager recently, also known as the "Soul Extractor."
It looked like an octopus you could wear on your head.
The seller said it worked on Meowths, so Lu Ye figured Eevee would enjoy it, too.
Lu Ye crept up to the cat bed and, with lightning speed, grabbed Eevee by the scruff of its neck.
The little creature kicked its tiny legs, face flushing red.
"Eevee!!ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ"
Lu Ye ruffled its soft fur and laughed:
"Okay, I'll get you a gift next time, don't be mad."
"Ee…Eevee."
Seeing Eevee stop struggling, Lu Ye grinned and plopped the "octopus" onto Eevee's head.
"Eevee?!"
Eevee: ◐▽◑
Eevee shivered, eyes closed, kicking its little legs as it rubbed against Lu Ye's hand.
Lu Ye's expression turned odd.
Does it really feel that good?
You just rolled your eyes, Eevee!
"Eevee! ♪(´∇`*)"
Eevee let out a soft cry, eyed the "octopus" in Lu Ye's hand, and glanced at the treadmill in the living room.
Lu Ye nodded in satisfaction.
Another treasure for Eevee!
Haunter loved the Toxic Orb, but under Lu Ye's strict orders, it didn't dare train with it alone.
Instead, it took out the orb, sticking out its crimson tongue to lick it occasionally.
"Haunter (*⊙~⊙)"
This Toxic Orb isn't smooth at all.
Lick it!
Meanwhile, Squirtle was inside its shell, soaking in the fish tank and blowing bubbles.
Lu Ye sighed.
If every day could be this laid-back, life would be perfect!
He glanced at the ORAS platform data — about 1,000,000 Pokedollars would be credited by the end of the month.
Still, that wasn't enough to buy Eevee a gift.
"I need to keep streaming," Lu Ye muttered.
"If I don't work a few more jobs, I can't afford these little ones..."
Hugging a grumpy Eevee, Teacher Lu turned on the camera and started today's livestream.
As soon as he went live, the chat exploded with comments:
"Class is in session!"
"Teacher Lu, your games are seriously fun!"
"Been a fan for ten years; Teacher Lu's games are always top-notch."
"Thanks for the plane from 'One Slide Tackle to Solve Tauros'!"
Teacher Lu smiled: "Today, we're skipping single-player commentary and doing a double-battle with a try hard Trick Room team."
"???"
"Teacher Lu is going full tryhard!"
"Hope the opponent survives this…"
"Teach all you want; if I learn anything, I lose!"
Opening the team editor, Lu Ye dragged a Rhyperior into the team.
"Today, we're playing Trick Room."
Lu Ye explained, "Trick Room teams rely on a slow-paced strategy where the whole team hits hard."
"If we ignore Gravity plus Hypnosis, just using Trick Room, Heavy Hitter Rhyperior is still top-tier…"
The chat filled with question marks.
"No idea what you're saying, but it sounds impressive!"
"Damn, isn't that the strategy used by Viridian Gym?"
"You got stomped by that Rhyperior too?"
"Viridian Gym is brutal! A retired Champion as a Gym Leader? Come on!"
Lu Ye looked to the sky.
Honestly, the Kanto League really is nightmare difficulty...
"Thanks for the rocket from 'Request for a Viridian Gym Guide'."
Lu Ye paused.
Giving a guide was fine, but… wouldn't Blue blacklist him?
That smug guy might be watching the stream!
"Ahem, it's complicated. You wouldn't understand."
Lu Ye cleared his throat. "But the one setting up Trick Room in Viridian Gym is likely Alakazam..."
"If you can counter Alakazam, you're good to go."
"Got it! I'm challenging Blue!"
"Don't! His methods are ruthless!"
Lu Ye smirked.
"If you want a Viridian Gym guide, send more gifts. I might hook you up."
"???"
"I've never seen such shamelessness!"
"Last time, Teacher Lu said he was dating Cynthia. What a liar."
Lu Ye raised an eyebrow.
I'm telling the truth, and you still don't believe me!
"Anyway… This is a double-battle team, so commanding will be more complex."
He chose the classic Trick Room setup.
For the 6v4 double battle, his Pokémon were: Dusknoir, Torkoal, Rhyperior, Venusaur, Indeedee, and Hatterene.
In the parallel world, this Trick Room team was so simple it earned the nickname, "Even My Grandma Could Reach Master Rank."
But in real-time battles, it required exponentially more skill.
Even Lu Ye wasn't fully confident in mastering it.
But he was preparing for Modu University's collegiate tournament.
This tutorial would be invaluable for Modu's players.
Rubbing Eevee's head, Lu Ye clicked the matchmaking button.
"Eevee!" It waved its paw, expressing dissatisfaction.
But seeing Lu Ye so focused, Eevee puffed its cheeks and quieted down.
"Eevee. (○｀ 3′○)"
The matchmaking wheel spun, and the opponent's team appeared: Alakazam, Mr. Mime, Wobbuffet, Gothitelle, Hatterene, Indeedee.
"A whole team of traps…"
Lu Ye's expression turned weird.
This team with Destiny Bond and Shadow Tag really countered Trick Room!
"Opponent is so dirty!"
"This is a filthy setup!"
Lu Ye nodded.
"Indeedee and Hatterene… classic combo."
"Also, Hatterene's Hidden Ability is Magic Bounce, so Sleep Powder won't work."
"But Rhyperior's Rock Slide is still a huge threat."
The chat erupted:
"Wake up, Teacher Lu! Your Rock Slide never hits!"
"You don't even have Rock Slide!"
Lu Ye smirked coldly.
"Under Gravity and Trick Room, I refuse to believe Rock Slide can miss!"
The opponent's avatar appeared, and Lu Ye froze.
"Wait, she's adorable!"
Long, straight black hair cascading like a waterfall, bangs covering her forehead, a slender figure, and a crimson blouse.
The chat went wild:
"Teacher Lu matched with a movie star!"
"That's Sabrina, right? The Saffron Gym Leader?"
"Yeah, she starred in a recent movie!"
Lu Ye's expression was complicated.
In Black & White 2, Sabrina became a famous actress.
Her long black hair turned into shoulder-length blue, and she became more lively.
But to Lu Ye, the best version was still her cold, long-haired look.
For some reason, Lu Ye sighed in relief, smiled, and said: "I'm gonna wreck her!"