Blastoise once again pulled off a one-against-two victory, securing Kai's spot in the finals with its brilliant performance.
While the defeated trainers walked off the field in silence, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. Among the cheers, one voice rang out the loudest Misty's. Even from a distance, Kai could hear her excited shouts.
Turning to look, he spotted her waving her pale arms above the crowd, nearly tearing her voice box in the process.
But what caught his eye next was the girl standing beside Misty, Erika who gazed at him with gentle, shimmering eyes.
The moment their eyes met, both of them quickly looked away.
They could feel clearly that unspoken tension had grown between them. The longer they traveled together, the stronger that quiet connection became.
Kai shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, then raised his Poké Ball and returned Blastoise.
With one foot already in the championship match, he knew what came next: defeat the winner between Trinity and that other female trainer and the trophy would be his.
But there was a problem.
Blastoise, though victorious, looked worse for wear.
From the qualifiers to now, it had been fighting almost non-stop. After that brutal clash with Feraligatr, despite blocking most of the attacks, its body bore the toll of countless wounds.
With the finals scheduled for the afternoon, even emergency treatment at the Pokémon Center might not restore Blastoise to full strength.
"Looks like I might have to bring out Gyarados after all," Kai muttered.
As they exited the arena, Kai met up with Erika, Ash, and Brock. Hearing his concerns about Blastoise, the three of them actually looked... excited.
Blastoise being out was great news to them.
They were dying to see Kai's red Gyarados in action and just how far it had come.
Watching their eager faces, Kai couldn't help but let out a helpless laugh.
These guys just love drama, don't they?
That said, even if Blastoise could battle, it likely wouldn't last another two full fights.
He sighed. "Guess it's time to prep Gyarados…"
At the Pokémon Center, Kai handed Blastoise's Poké Ball to Nurse Joy.
As she disappeared into the treatment wing, the group took seats in the lounge, where a wall-mounted TV was broadcasting the ongoing matches. They watched as Trinity completed her semifinal battle.
Just like her previous match against Misty, Trinity used two different Pokémon across her two fights, and once again, she won 2-0. Clean. Flawless.
Her opponent clearly wasn't on the same level.
Kai chuckled. "Looks like I'll be up against Trinity next. I figured she was strong from the moment she challenged me…. I didn't expect her to make it all the way here, though."
Erika nodded thoughtfully. "Judging by her performance, I'd say she and Zane are pretty evenly matched. But her Chinchou thrives in this water-themed arena. It's got a clear edge against most water types. Be careful."
"I will. Thanks for the heads-up."
Just then, Misty leaned in close, whispering playfully into Kai's ear, "She beat me to get here, so you've got to get revenge for me, okay?"
Before Kai could respond, Ash cut in with a pout.
"Come on, Misty! If you lost to Trinity, you should win it back yourself. Why ask someone else to settle your score?"
Of course, Ash completely missed the obvious Misty's teasing words were less about revenge and more about being sweet on Kai.
Misty's face turned bright red as the moment got ruined.
Whipping her head toward Ash, she shot him a glare so fierce it could melt ice. Whatever sweetness she had toward Kai a moment ago was replaced with full-on fury at Ash.
"Oh shut it, loser! Don't forget I beat you in the round of sixteen. If you're so bitter about it, come fight me again next time!"
"Argh! Misty, you little—!!"
Ash fumed, but the fact was, she had beaten him. He had no comeback.
"You just wait! Next time we're in a tournament, I'm not gonna lose!"
Misty tilted her head smugly. "Can't wait to see you try."
With Misty and Ash bickering, the mood lightened. They grabbed lunch in the Center's café, and just as they were finishing, Nurse Joy's voice echoed over the speakers.
"Kai, please come to the front desk. Your Pokémon is ready for pickup."
The announcement repeated twice more before Kai reached the counter.
Nurse Joy stepped out holding a tray, gently handing him Blastoise's Poké Ball.
"It's healed, but I need to be honest—your Blastoise is completely exhausted. Its injuries are treated, but it really needs proper rest. I wouldn't recommend using it in another battle today."
"…Got it. Thanks for the advice."
As he took back the Poké Ball, Kai let out a quiet sigh.
There was no avoiding it. He would have to use Gyarados and he just hoped the upcoming battle wouldn't traumatize Trinity the way it had with Aya.
He really didn't like hurting trainers, especially not in the name of victory.
At 1:30 PM, Kai parted ways with the others and entered the stadium's prep room alone.
And there she was Trinity.
She was seated on a sofa, eyes closed, resting. But when she heard his footsteps, she opened them slowly.
Meeting your opponent right before a match was awkward enough, especially when you weren't exactly close—and when you were about to win in a potentially violent fashion, the tension doubled.
Kai gave a polite nod, mentally cursing the organizers. Any decent league would've kept the finalists in separate rooms. What kind of setup was this?
Fortunately, Trinity didn't seem to mind.
She stood up, walked over, and flashed him a confident smile.
"Just like we agreed—I beat Misty and made it to the finals. Looks like it's you and me now."
Kai had gone from challenger to the one being challenged. It was a sign of how far he'd come… and honestly, being a target wasn't a bad thing. The more he was challenged, the stronger he became.
As he met her friendly gaze, Kai let out another silent sigh.
The nicer Trinity acted now, the worse he'd feel after.
'You have no idea what's coming' he thought. 'Really hope you can still smile like that after the match…'
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