Luke gently placed the withdrawn Squirtle into the fish tank.
He then picked up Eevee and nestled it in the cat litter before tucking the quilt securely around it.
"Vui~…"
Eevee, still half-asleep, shifted restlessly on the mat and kicked the quilt away with a dissatisfied expression.
Luke couldn't help but smile. "Good night."
He turned off the light, enveloping the room in a soft darkness. A somewhat excited Haunter emerged slowly.
"Let's go, be quiet, and make sure not to wake them up."
"Jie jie~!"
With a soft 'ka-cha,' Luke locked the door, and in the stillness of the room, bubbles began to swirl within the fish tank.
Inside Squirtle's shell, a pair of eyes gleamed with an eerie light.
"Uirt~."
Squirtle rose slowly from the fish tank and powered up Luke's laptop. It entered the password 'Sakurajima Mai,' grinned, and inserted Yellow's USB drive.
"Uirt~…"
As Squirtle watched the instructional video, it couldn't help but sink into deep thought. Since this move was considered a hidden technique, it was crucial to keep it concealed. An ability unknown to anyone else would make for the most stable move.
Suddenly, Aura issued a warning, and Squirtle's heart filled with a sense of danger. It turned its head stiffly.
In the darkness, a small Eevee gazed quietly at Squirtle with bright eyes.
"Uirt~!!!"
Squirtle cried out in alarm. Its hidden training ability had been discovered by its elder sister!
"Vui~?" Eevee approached Squirtle step by step.
Squirtle clenched its teeth and pointed to the video.
"Uirt~? ◑▽◐" (Big sister, want to train together?)
Eevee was momentarily surprised but nodded, her eyes filled with determination.
"For the sake of the master…I must become stronger!"
...
Magic City shone with a brilliant night view, adorned with gold and jade. The city's large-scale power plants were powered by Magnemites, providing clean energy. Unfortunately, their wages were spent on electricity bills, which left Luke feeling like he was always losing.
But this was a part of life for both humans and Pokémon.
Luke bought grilled squid skewers for Haunter and then headed to the Tauros Club. Many people were still training late into the night.
However, as soon as Haunter arrived, it became evident that it was familiar with the place.
"Ah, Coach Haunter, you're here!" greeted the receptionist with a sweet smile.
"Jie jie~!" Haunter pushed up its sunglasses and gestured towards the keys hanging on the wall, a routine gesture.
"Alright, here's the key to Venue 7. You can keep it!" the receptionist said.
Luke found this quite odd. It seemed like Haunter was more acquainted with this place than he was. Were they training him or was he training them?
Xena, dressed in a cap and leggings, was about to greet Haunter but was halted by the receptionist.
"Coach Xena," she said with seriousness. "Challengers have arrived at other clubs. If we lose again, we might be delisted!"
Acquiring a training club certificate was a strict process with a limited number available. While the fights with malice was banned by the club, inter-club challenges were still allowed. Each month, there was a challenge indicator, and if a club lost too severely, it could be disallowed by the association.
The Tauros Club had been losing for several months and couldn't afford to lose any more.
Xena sighed, "I doubt the Boss cares. It might be a blessing to close down early."
"But we can't afford that! I'll be unemployed if we close down!" the receptionist lamented.
Xena replied irritably, "Anyway, the manager has resigned, and once I finish this task, the old lady won't do it either."
The receptionist let out a sigh.
"If Coach Haunter is willing to play…"
...
"Is this the training venue?" Luke looked around and remarked, "It doesn't seem to have changed since last time."
"Jie jie~!"
Haunter levitated to the nearby vending machine and reached into the glass window to grab two bottles of Coke.
"Jie jie~?" Haunter cheerfully handed the ice-cold bottles to Luke.
Luke accepted them with a strange expression. He wondered if Haunter could fetch two more bottles.
Pushing that thought aside, he cleared his throat and said, "Let's start training."
Luke himself was exhausted from training, but the primary reason for this visit was to assist Haunter's training. Though Haunter responded to Luke's commands, it was clear that it regarded him with a hint of disdain. Nevertheless, Haunter was indeed proficient in its training.
Observing Haunter's contemptuous demeanor, Luke felt a bit worn out.
He thought to himself, "Maybe I should just be a lazy Trainer."
However, his Pokémon were exceptionally strong.
Luke sat in the audience, propping his cheeks on his hands, watching Haunter's training with a quiet intensity. Under Koga's "Toxic Experience" guidance and equipped with the Toxic Orb, Haunter began training in earnest, starting with [Venomshock]. It was like an accelerating bullet, progressing at an extreme speed.
Purple venom hissed and condensed on the fingertips with a distinct 'zi zi' sound. With a swift tap of the finger, the toxic substance was propelled towards the Ring Target.
Bah!
Suddenly, the Ring Target emitted a burst of mist, causing Luke's heart to skip a beat.
It seems like Trainer's risk factor is steadily increasing!
"Jie jie~! o(*≧▽≦)ツ"
The first training attempt was a success, and Haunter burst into triumphant laughter.
Luke raised an eyebrow. Haunter's cheeky personality was quite something.
However, the progress Haunter was making left Luke pleasantly surprised. Teacher Luke rubbed his chin, patted Haunter on the shoulder, and commented, "You're truly a training genius!"
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the room. The receptionist rushed into the training area, her eyes filled with tears.
"Coach Haunter, our club is relying on you alone!" she exclaimed, a desperate look in her eyes. "Hurry!"
Luke and Haunter shared a bewildered glance.
This plot felt strangely familiar. Why was Haunter chosen over him? Was Haunter a special case?
Luke blinked as he attempted to explain, "Actually, I—"
But before he could finish, the receptionist grabbed Haunter's hand and said urgently, "No time to explain, come with me!"
And with that, Haunter was dragged away.
Luke stood still, contemplating the situation. It seemed that Haunter's control over toxins was quite reliable, and there was no immediate concern for his safety. After all, wasn't he the commander here?
With determination, Teacher Luke followed suit.
"Wait for me, Haunter! I'll be there to assist you!"
...
The challengers were from the Stag Club, a group of burly men striking dramatic Bulk Up poses and acting flirtatiously. McCann, sporting a floral shirt and sunglasses, greeted them with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Hello! Is there no one else? How disappointing!"
Xena, who had wanted to leave the club long ago, added, "Quick, win this match and the club can finally go bankrupt!"
McCann was taken aback for a moment. He couldn't help but wonder why Xena seemed even more eager than they were for the club to fail.
At that moment, the receptionist hurriedly led Haunter to the scene.
"Come on, catch up!" she urged.
McCann glanced at Luke, then shook hands with him. "So, you're the coach," he remarked, "Nice to meet you."
Luke chuckled and scratched his head modestly. "Sorry, I'm just passing through with a group of friends and relatives."
"The challenger for this match is..."
"Jie jie~! (￣▽￣)/"
...Haunter!
McCann's expression turned peculiar. The handsome young man he'd thought was the coach was, in fact, just a passerby. Meanwhile, Haunter was the real coach. It felt like he was being played like a puppet.
"Enough with the chit-chat," McCann retorted, feeling a bit humiliated. "Let's meet in the ring."
The receptionist, now acting as a commentator, walked nervously to the microphone and announced, "Next up is the duel between Haunter and McCann. It's a singles match, and let the battle begin!"