Passing the billboard, Kai and Sabrina reached the entrance of the arena.
Calling it a "stadium" might've been a stretch. It was more of a floating, rectangular platform built over the sea, with seating for maybe four or five hundred people. At its center sat a deep, Olympic-style pool.
The arena was minimal—stone steps, a few large floodlights, and little else. Judging from the layout and the position of the entrance, it seemed there was an underwater facility beneath the surface.
At the front sat a teenage boy, probably around seventeen or eighteen, wearing a red-and-white T-shirt and a straw hat. He looked thoroughly bored, slouched behind a small table.
But when he saw Kai and Sabrina approaching, his demeanor changed instantly. He perked up and offered a friendly smile.
"You two look like Trainers. Are you here for the water ballet performance or maybe to challenge the Gym?"
Kai raised an eyebrow and looked past him at the so-called "Gym." "We were just passing through. I saw the building and got curious. Wait—this place is a Pokémon Gym?"
"Of course!" the boy nodded confidently. "It's both a ballet stage and a battle facility. And I'm Dorian, the Leader of the Ryugu Gym!"
Kai and Sabrina exchanged puzzled glances. Neither had ever heard of it before—not in any official League listings, at least.
Reading their expressions, Dorian quickly added, "Yeah, I figured you wouldn't have heard of it. It's an unofficial Gym—just something I started myself."
Kai gave a small "ah" of understanding.
A private Gym just like the one he'd encountered before in Kanto, run by that wild-animal trainer. It wasn't recognized by the League, but it served as a personal training ground and stage.
Before Kai could say more, Dorian stood up and gestured toward the stands.
"You're just in time. The performance is about to begin! Please, grab a seat."
Without waiting for a response, he dashed off into the building, leaving Kai and Sabrina standing there, mildly baffled.
No admission fee? That was unexpected. It seemed like the show was open to the public—though, strangely, there was no public.
His eagerness to usher them in almost felt… desperate. Like he was afraid they might turn around and leave at any second.
This isn't one of those tourist traps, is it? Kai wondered.
Maybe after the show, Dorian would change his tone, and a bunch of bulky guys would jump out and demand thousands of credits in "ticket fees."
They were just killing time anyway. And if anything sketchy did happen, he and Sabrina could handle it. His Pokémon alone would make anyone reconsider their life choices.
So the two of them walked in and found seats midway up the stone bleachers.
A soft breeze swept across the open arena. Sabrina's hair danced in the wind, a few strands brushing against Kai's cheek, tickling him.
Moments later, the arena came alive with upbeat music. The pool churned with motion. Then, from beneath the water, Qwilfish, Mantine, and Lanturn shot into the air in perfect synchronization. Next, a pair of rather muscular legs emerged from the water, executing a series of coordinated movements.
A standard opening… except…
Those weren't the toned, elegant legs of a female dancer. They were—well—decidedly masculine.
Sure enough, the swimmer surfaced, wearing a diving mask and a grin.
So this was a male water ballet show.
To be fair, Kai hadn't seen many water ballet performances in his life. He knew men could be performers too and had no problem with that in theory but he definitely preferred watching graceful girls with flowing moves, delicate expressions, and dazzling charm.
Watching a guy twirl through the water just didn't give him the same kind of aesthetic satisfaction.
Still, the show went on.
Dorian danced across the surface and dove beneath it with practiced ease. His coordination with his Pokémon was nearly flawless their timing, formations, and transitions were clearly the product of hard work and rehearsals.
Kai had to admit that Dorian was good.
Even if it wasn't his thing, he respected the effort, the execution, and the dedication it took to pull off a performance like that.
Still… he made a mental note: next time, skip the male ballet shows.
Not out of disrespect it just wasn't his vibe. Watching a guy twist and turn in a swimsuit didn't appeal to him, and he was happy to leave it at that.
Roughly fifteen minutes later, the performance ended. Dorian and his Pokémon surfaced together and bowed toward Kai and Sabrina.
Kai offered polite applause in return.
The trio then dipped beneath the surface again, and a few moments later, Dorian reappeared in the stands, towel around his neck, dripping wet.
He approached Kai with a hopeful look. "So… what did you think of the show?"
"It was great," Kai answered honestly. "I could tell you put a lot of effort into it."
Dorian smiled wide genuinely proud.
Kai looked around. "You run this whole place by yourself? No staff?"
"Nope." Dorian laughed. "It's just me and my Pokémon. We've got everything covered."
"You ever think about moving to a bigger city? With a crowd, you'd be a hit."
"Maybe someday," Dorian replied. "But for now, I want to stay here and build experience on my own stage. When I'm ready, I'll take the show to the big leagues. Anyway since the performance is over, would you like to challenge my Gym?"
Kai grinned. "Absolutely. I can't just walk away from a Gym challenge."
With that, Dorian led them into the lower levels of the stadium, descending a staircase to the underwater portion of the facility.
Unlike the plain upper deck, the area below had stunning plush red carpets, elegant lighting, and potted greenery lining the corners. Large glass walls looked out into the sea like an aquarium.
It was clear Dorian came from money. A setup built over water, with no admission fees wasn't something a teenage boy could pull off on his own.
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