After some thought, Lu Ze helplessly tilted his head and kept looking.
Pokémon: …
Pokémon: …
Pokémon: …
After going through most of them, there still wasn't anything particularly ideal or striking.
But he already had several backup candidates.
Macargo, Bouffalant, Ferroseed, Gible with Poison Heal, and Staryu.
Once he finished looking everything over, he'd picked two more backups, but neither was the optimal solution — though that was still pretty good.
"Seen everything. I've got a rough idea. No perfect pick, but go ahead and make your choice."
Sui Yan nodded back. "Alright, who's in the running?"
"Macargo, Bouffalant, Ferroseed, Gible, Staryu, Ralts, and Floette."
"Ralts?!"
Sui Yan's eyes lit up. "Ralts is amazing."
"Male."
"Ah, never mind then."
Sui Yan scratched his head. "But why would there even be a Ralts? And besides Macargo, how do you even use the rest of these?"
"Macargo — strong attacker. Bouffalant — strong physical attacker, covers your blind spots. Ferroseed — sets Spikes, resists Water, though it overlaps somewhat with Bulbasaur."
"Spikes?"
Lu Ze nodded. "Rock Spikes, Toxic Spikes — both a huge threat to your Sun team."
"Okay, go on."
Lu Ze nodded and continued. "Gible — wide coverage. With Poison Heal and a Toxic Orb, it shrugs off status conditions while hitting and taking hits."
"Staryu — does roughly the same thing as Ferroseed, but it also has a Water-type STAB move, and it's fast. Water wall."
"Floette — Solar Power ability. Works perfectly in your Sun team, hits Water-types, can learn Surf to counter Ground- and Rock-types."
"As for Ralts — once it evolves into Gallade, with Steadfast and Mega Evolution, it can use Taunt, doesn't fear Tyranitar, has a rich movepool, and can take out the opponent's weather setter."
"Ralts!"
Lu Ze gave Sui Yan a puzzled look.
"That decisive?"
"Yeah." Sui Yan grinned at Lu Ze's confusion. "Because you spent the most time talking about it."
Lu Ze was speechless. "Be serious."
Only then did Sui Yan put on a正经 expression. "Spikes-setter outlasts Staryu and Ferroseed, the attack side is covered by Bouffalant, all that's left is Gible for status immunity — but I go for speed, so I just end the fight before status even matters."
Lu Ze crossed his arms and watched Sui Yan with interest. "That makes sense. So what about Floette?"
"Because Ralts and its evolutions are prettier than Floette." Sui Yan's face flipped instantly, grinning again.
"God, this really is a superficial world."
Lu Ze patted Sui Yan's shoulder and pointed to the center of the last row on the left. "That one — the Ralts. Grab it, let's go."
"On it!"
Sui Yan scurried over and cradled the Ralts egg in his arms.
"Let's go."
"Go."
Lu Ze turned and walked out.
Since they were already here, he might as well claim his own reward too.
"Ready to register your choice?"
"Yeah."
Sui Yan handed the Ralts egg to the young woman at the desk.
She gave Sui Yan a strange look, a bit puzzled as to why he hadn't picked an egg with confirmed quality, opting instead for one of uncertain outcomes.
But she said nothing. It was his own choice — none of her business.
So after registration, the woman handed the egg back to Sui Yan.
"Could you take me to the school's treasure vault too? I'd like to claim my reward."
"Alright, please follow me."
The woman smiled and led the two of them toward the vault.
A short while later, Lu Ze walked out with a face split in a huge grin. Sui Yan walked out behind him looking completely bewildered.
After registering with the woman, Lu Ze finally couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing as they stepped outside.
"Ha ha ha ha~ What an unexpected windfall!"
Sui Yan was speechless. "Is it really that big a deal? You've been acting like a lump of coal ever since we walked in. What the hell did you get?"
Lu Ze waved his hand. "With this thing, my biggest cheat is about to come online! Ha ha ha~"
"Cheat?" Sui Yan blinked. "What cheat?"
Lu Ze smiled mysteriously, hands clasped behind his back, and strode forward. "Can't say, can't say~"
"Fuck's sake, you're keeping secrets from me too?!"
Sui Yan lunged forward and clamped Lu Ze in a headlock with his arm.
"Jyu~"
Dratini flashed to mid-air in an instant, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.
"Spill it! Don't keep me hanging!"
"Hey, if I told you, you wouldn't know what it is anyway. Telling you is useless."
"How do you know I don't know if you don't tell me?"
"Hm?" Lu Ze paused. That phrasing was a bit convoluted.
"Deoxys? Do you even know what that is?"
"Yours? A cheat?"
Lu Ze rolled his eyes. "Obviously, I literally just said it was a cheat."
"What cheat? Is it good?"
Now Sui Yan finally loosened his grip and asked Lu Ze excitedly.
"Does it change Pokémon abilities? Boost their stats? Or let them learn any move?"
"None of those."
Lu Ze shook his head. Was that a cheat? No — that was a game editor.
"Then what IS it?! Come on, just tell me!"
Sui Yan was thoroughly driven mad. Keeping someone in suspense like this was a great way to get beaten up!
Lu Ze checked the time. "Come on, come with me. Let's go witness the birth of a cheat together!"
"Let's go!"
Sui Yan grabbed Lu Ze's wrist impatiently and tried to pull him outside.
Lu Ze was helpless. "Do you even know where we're going? You're already dragging me?"
"Fine, you lead the way."
Sui Yan promptly released Lu Ze's wrist and gestured for Lu Ze to take point.
Lu Ze shook his head ruefully and headed toward home.
"Jyu~"
"You pick now to want me to carry you? After dodging so neatly just now?"
Lu Ze poked Dratini's little head in disapproval.
"Jyu~"
"Alright, alright, no more sulking. I'll carry you."
Looking at how coyly Dratini rubbed against his cheek, Lu Ze found it easy to forgive.
"Sigh, I really wish my Larvesta wasn't so people-shy. I want to hold Larvesta out in the open too."
Sui Yan watched Lu Ze with genuine envy — envying that Lu Ze could cuddle with Dratini anytime, while he and Larvesta couldn't do that.
"That's just how personalities work, I guess. Right, Dratini?"
"Jyu~"
Lu Ze rubbed Dratini's head. Dratini obligingly didn't dodge — instead, it nuzzled into Lu Ze's palm.
"Get lost!"
That made Sui Yan even more sulky. Since he already knew their destination, he ran ahead.
(End of Chapter)