"Miss," Miles sighed, pointing at the startled Munchlax looking around in confusion behind him. "Look at this. My Munchlax usually sleeps through thunderstorms, but your voice almost sent it straight to the afterlife. Is your mic busted, or did you plant C-4 in there?"
"Ah? I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I rarely do voice calls, so I'm not really sure how this equipment works," a frantic female voice replied. "How about now? Is it better?"
A rustling sound followed, grating like sandpaper against glass, before the lethal static finally faded into a tolerable, human-friendly audio quality.
[Viewer "Raging Raichu": I seriously suspect she didn't even adjust her settings. She just used that ear-piercing static to baptize our souls. It's still a bit noisy, but at least it's within a carbon-based lifeform's tolerance range now.]
[Viewer "Broke Office Worker": As long as you tweaked it, it's fine. Just start the consultation. My ears are ringing so hard I can't even hear the traffic outside. Who knew you needed tactical noise-canceling earmuffs just to watch an appraisal stream these days?]
[Viewer "Dodrio Drifter": That mic explosion was ridiculous—almost took half my life—but she sounds like a young girl. Her tone has that clear, unadulterated stupidity of someone who hasn't been beaten down by society yet. You can't just rely on acting cute to raise a Pokémon, though. I hope her poor Pokémon hasn't suffered too much from her clumsiness.]
[Viewer "Veteran Breeder Old Wang": Phew... my old bones finally caught a breath. Master Miles, let's get straight to the point. In my years of experience, novice trainers who can't even figure out a basic microphone usually end up giving their Pokémon all sorts of bizarre, hilarious issues. I reckon today's going to be another eye-opener.]
[Viewer "Simp Down": Stop flaming her, guys! She was super polite and apologized. Honestly, though, that intro was explosive content. Master Miles's stream really attracts the absolute best and brightest!]
[Viewer "Just Want to Play With Squirtle": Hurry up! I already dug out my double-layered industrial earmuffs. No matter what apocalyptic noise comes next, my ears are safe. Please, begin your performance, Miss Anti-Leek!]
[Viewer "Wilderness Survivor": The lethal force of this woman's voice is worse than running into a Loudred in heat in the rainforest. If we don't change the subject soon, my PTSD is going to act up.]
[Viewer "Frontline Melon Eater": Selling sunflower seeds, cola, and sausages in the front row! Hurry up and bring out your Pokémon, Miss! Let the Master see if your microphone gave it internal bleeding!]
Once the audio stabilized, Miles took a deep breath and slipped his headphones back on.
He waved reassuringly at Munchlax, signaling it to go back to sleep, and cut straight to the chase. "Alright, the equipment is fine now. Tell me, since we finally connected, what rare Pokémon do you need me to appraise? Or did you run into some incurable disease while raising it?"
"It's like this, Master Miles," the Anti-Leek Crusader began, her voice tinged with distress and a hint of grievance.
Instead of pointing her camera at a Pokémon, she immediately started venting. "I have a Poochyena at home. But recently, I don't know what got into it. Its temper has become extremely violent, especially when it comes to resource guarding! It's incredibly protective of its food!"
"I posted online asking for help, and those so-called famous pet influencers gave me advice. They said if a Pokémon shows severe food aggression, I absolutely cannot spoil it. I have to lay down the law and feed it 'dragon fruit' to cure it."
The Anti-Leek Crusader sounded even more wronged as she continued. "So, I specifically went to an imported fruit supermarket and bought several of the most expensive, red-fleshed dragon fruits. I sliced them up and offered them, but it didn't even sniff them!"
"Worse, when I was holding its bowl to give it food yesterday, it bared its terrifying fangs and almost bit right through my wrist! Master, please help me check it. Is it genetically predisposed to violence and rebellion?"
Hearing the words "dragon fruit," Miles frowned, the creases on his forehead forming a deep knot.
"Feeding it dragon fruit to cure food aggression?" he repeated, catching the absurd phrasing.
Disbelief colored his tone. "What kind of quack remedy is that? Poochyena is a carnivorous Dark-type Pokémon. Its digestive system isn't meant to process large amounts of fruit. Who gave you such a lethal prescription?"
Before Miles could fully process the sheer absurdity of the situation, the viewers—always surfing the absolute frontline of internet gossip—began spamming hardcore facts in the live chat.
[Viewer "Canyon's Top Troll": Pfft hahaha! Feeding it dragon fruit?! Master Miles, do you seriously not know the "dragon fruit" meme?! It's the most infamous, hellish dog-training technique trending on short video platforms right now! Did this lady actually go to a fruit stand and buy literal red dragon fruit for a Poochyena?! Her thought process is unmatched!]
[Viewer "Wild Pokémon Breeder": Oh no, she's definitely one of those girls who grew up smart but severely lacks a brain stem. When the internet says to feed it "dragon fruit," they don't mean actual fruit! It's slang! It's a dark code for brutal corporal punishment!]
[Viewer "Late Night No Drinking": Time for a quick lesson: This comes from an extreme pet-training influencer called "Pang Hong Loves to Clown." He claims to cure all disobedient, vicious dogs and aggressive Pokémon. "Eating dragon fruit" means taking a thick wooden club and smashing the Pokémon in the mouth until it's a bloody mess—making it look like it just ate red-fleshed dragon fruit!]
[Viewer "Outlaw John Doe": Exactly! Besides the "dragon fruit," Pang Hong's signature moves include the "Heart-Warming Dumpling" (jumping up and kicking the Pokémon square in the chest so it can't breathe) and the "Artificial Cooling Fan" (slapping the Pokémon's face relentlessly)! This poor girl really didn't understand the gore behind the joke!]
[Viewer "Just Want to Play With Squirtle": People in the circle jokingly call Pang Hong's training base the "Scam Compound" of the Pokémon world! Any Pokémon that goes in there, no matter how fierce, gets beaten into absolute submission until all it knows is how to wag its tail and beg for mercy. I can't believe this girl took that dark slang literally and went fruit shopping! I'm dying of laughter!]
[Viewer "Hardcore Data Analyst": Pure, dark comedy. Poochyena is a bloodthirsty Dark-type beast. If you feed it a vegetarian dragon fruit diet, who else is it going to bite but you? It was probably thinking: 'I'm a majestic Dark-type hound, and you want me to eat this sweet garbage?! Are you insulting my canine dignity?!']
[Viewer "Golden Instructor": This is a ruthless insult to a Pokémon's intelligence and a total desecration of modern scientific pet training! I can't believe someone actually took that hellish meme literally. But then again, while Pang Hong's extreme violence might get results, it definitely shouldn't be promoted. It treats Pokémon like objects, not independent living beings.]
[Viewer "Frontline Melon Eater": Hahaha! I can't take it, my stomach hurts from laughing! Miss, your crystal-clear stupidity is the absolute peak comedy material of tonight's stream! The fact that your Poochyena didn't just chew your hand off and treat that like a dragon fruit means it was already showing you an immense amount of mercy!]
Watching the horrifyingly educational comments flood the screen, Miles suddenly understood.
So that was it.
For genuinely vicious Pokémon, strict physical discipline was indeed a method used by some.
But using it on a non-aggressive Pokémon was pure abuse.
This world was never short of abusive trainers; otherwise, the Pokémon Protection Laws wouldn't exist in the first place.
Behind every regulation was an outrageous trainer who had crossed the line.
Miles shook his head, choosing not to pass judgment aloud.
After all, the world also wasn't short of "death row Pokémon"—creatures that had bitten humans, refused to change, and were eventually euthanized by League officials.
But for the most part, Pokémon were friendly.
The world might be broken, but there were always people and Pokémon willing to patch it up together.
"Alright, Miss," Miles finally spoke up, cutting through the noise. "No more nonsense. Take your phone, switch the camera, and show me that Poochyena. I need to see exactly why it's baring its fangs at you."
"O-oh, right away, Master!" The Anti-Leek Crusader's voice turned timid, seemingly intimidated by Miles's sudden shift in aura. "I... I'll go feed it right now, so you can see how fierce it gets."
Accompanied by the sound of chaotic footsteps, the camera shook violently.
She stepped out of her bedroom, carrying a bag of specialized dry Pokémon kibble, and walked straight into a brightly lit living room.
In the corner, next to an oversized dog bed, a Pokémon appeared before the eyes of tens of thousands of viewers.
It was a Poochyena—a creature resembling a cross between a wolf pup and a vicious hound.
It wasn't particularly large, but its slender and elegant body radiated explosive power.
A layer of fluffy, silver-gray fur covered its body, contrasting with the deep, almost pitch-black gray on its face, underbelly, lower paws, and the insides of its ears.
The most striking features were its sharply erect ears and its eyes—pale yellow scleras surrounding eerie, red-and-black pupils.
Right now, those eyes burned with a frantic, almost bloodthirsty ferocity!
Coupled with its dark red nose and the two incredibly sharp fangs protruding awkwardly from its lower jaw, a single glance was enough to convince any normal person that this Pokémon was highly aggressive and dangerous.
As the Anti-Leek Crusader approached with the bag of food, the Poochyena didn't wag its tail to greet her like a normal pet.
Instead, it aggressively lowered its front half, its silver-gray fur standing on end like steel needles!
Grrr—Bark!!!
A deep, threatening growl rumbled from the back of its throat.
Its slitted, red-and-black eyes locked onto the camera, looking ready to lunge and tear flesh like an arrow released from a bowstring.
[Viewer "Midnight Heartbreak Club": Holy crap! What a fierce glare! The sheer oppressive aura coming through the screen is insane! I feel like it wants to crawl through the internet cable and rip my throat out! That's not a pet dog; that's a starving wild wolf!]
[Viewer "Just Want to Play With Squirtle": Oh my god, it really lives up to the Dark-type name! Look at those huge fangs sticking out, and that defensive, bristled posture. It looks way too intimidating! Who would dare keep a beast like that casually in their house?]
[Viewer "Wild Pokémon Breeder": Something's not right, guys! I've bred Poochyenas before. They might look fierce, but if they're raised indoors from a young age, they're actually incredibly docile, clingy, and extremely loyal to their owners! Why is this one showing such massive hostility and vigilance toward its own master?!]
[Viewer "Golden Instructor": When things are this abnormal, there must be a hidden reason! Look at how its tail is tucked and its front legs are lowered. That is the textbook posture of a creature severely lacking a sense of security, currently in an extreme state of resource guarding and self-defense! Miss, are you sure you haven't been abusing it behind closed doors?]
[Viewer "Canyon's Top Troll": Its fur is as dry and dull as dead weeds! And even though its eyes look fierce, why does it give off this vibe of being tough on the outside but completely hollow on the inside—like it could collapse at any second? There's definitely something seriously wrong with this dog's physical condition. Master Miles, hurry up and scan it for the root cause!]
[Viewer "Outlaw John Doe": Danger warning! According to the Federal Domestic Pokémon Safety Regulations, a Dark-type Pokémon showing such obvious pre-attack signs poses an irreversible threat to its owner's life. I strongly suggest the lady take two steps back and maintain an absolute safe distance!]
[Viewer "Late Night No Drinking": If that were me, I would've been so scared I'd tie it up and ship it off to the Pokémon Center's quarantine zone ages ago! This lady actually has the guts to walk up and feed it right now? Is she really not afraid of having her carotid artery severed on the spot?]
[Viewer "Hardcore Data Analyst": Pay attention to its breathing rate! Its chest is heaving violently, and its abdomen is severely sunken in. This isn't just simple resource guarding or throwing a temper tantrum. It looks more like a stress response born from an extreme deficit of basic physiological needs. I bet there's a massive misunderstanding here that hasn't been cleared up!]
Sitting in front of his computer screen, Miles frowned slightly as he stared at the snarling, rabid-looking Poochyena.
Without a second of hesitation, a faint, ghostly blue light swirled in the depths of his eyes.
He activated the [Eye of Pokémon Insight]!
Hum—
A highly detailed data panel, visible only to Miles, instantly materialized over the Poochyena's figure:
[Target: Poochyena]
[Type: Dark]
[Gender: Male]
[Level: LV.7 (Juvenile Growth Spurt Phase)]
[Ability: Quick Feet (Speed is terrifyingly boosted when suffering from a status condition)]
[Nature: Gentle (Sp. Def ↑, Defense ↓. Naturally affectionate toward humans, not easily angered)]
[Base Stats Rating: D-Grade (220, Bottom-tier mediocre aptitude)]
[IVs Overall Rating: B-Grade (109, Outstanding physical development, strong bone structure)]
[Current Lethal Status: Extremely Starving! On the verge of starving to death! / Intense craving for caloric intake / Severe stress and aggression induced by severe malnutrition!]
"Huh?!"
When Miles clearly read the shocking lines of data on the system panel, his brow shot up.
A strong wave of astonishment and bewilderment flashed through his deep eyes.
This was... incredibly wrong!
Very, exceptionally wrong!
The panel clearly stated that this Poochyena's innate nature was [Gentle]!
A Pokémon with this nature, even if beaten by its owner, would only whimper in grievance.
It would absolutely never bare its fangs or violently attempt to bite its owner's wrist!
But the most unbelievable part was the glaring, blood-red warning under its [Current Lethal Status]!
Extremely starving?!
On the verge of starving to death?!
A domestic Pokémon, living in a bright, spacious apartment with a dedicated bed and an owner, was actually starving to the point of near death, triggering a severe stress response?!
Was this so-called Anti-Leek Crusader trying to make it survive on nothing or was she seriously feeding it nothing but air every day?!
Miles was utterly speechless.
In an instant, he figured out exactly who the real culprit behind this farce was.
The problem wasn't the dog at all; it was this owner whose intelligence was severely lacking!
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