A/N: Happy Thanksgiving from Maine! The format of the League message was messed up when posting on RoyalRoad. If it happens again here, I'll eventually get to it. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys time with loved ones, or, if not possible, a moment of peace and love for themselves. There are many tragedies every day, so we should always think of the good in our lives and enjoy it while we can.
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Details about Professor Sycamore's tournament were scarce until the day before. I, and I assumed everyone who signed up for the tournament as well, received a message from the Pokémon League. It read:
Hello Trainers
We appreciate the interest in the Lumiose New Trainer Tournament, sponsored by the esteemed Professor Augustine Sycamore.
With the number of participants exceeding 1,000 total, the tournament's format has been changed.
Each participant will receive a notification from their Profile app with details of their match. These details include opponent's name, number of Pokémon, their location, and how long participants have to start the battle until it is forfeit.
Each battle has a 10 minute limit and will be refereed by the nearest Sycamore Labs staff.
Battles will be randomly assigned throughout the day. Participants that lose a battle will be immediately removed from the selection pool. Battle winners will have a minimum of 20 minutes rest before their names can be pulled from the selection pool.
Battles will begin tomorrow at 4AM and continue until 5PM. The tournament lasts for 1 week or until all battles have been completed, whichever is sooner.
Enjoy your time in Lumiose City, and good luck!
I read the message a few times over. A bracket system would have been a mess and getting everything organized in one central location would have been a hassle too. Some people could get unlucky and have to fight back to back all day, though I'm sure they had the resources to keep it organized. Which meant I could basically do whatever I wanted the whole time, as long as I made it to my battles in time.
'I hope they factor location into this. I don't want to have to run or get a cab to the other side of town for a battle.'
It wasn't under my control, though, so all I could do was wait until it started. I walked to a pub I found along Estival Avenue while on the way to meet Mitchel yesterday. They didn't allow Pokémon, but that was fine with me because they needed to rest after the sparring session Mitchel and I had.
The bar was dingy, but there were several occupied booths with people eating and talking at their tables. A few dudes were playing pool in front of the bar, drinks lining the pool table and traveling its perimeter each turn. The energy seemed pretty relaxed. I walked up to the bar and sat, waiting for the bartender to finish what he was doing.
"What can get for you?" he asked as he leaned on the counter, his pale skin contrasting against the dark wood.
"Yes, can I get a blonde lager, please," I answered. "Oh, do you have a menu?"
"Yes, monsieur." The bartender grabbed a menu from under the counter and slid it over. As he poured me the beer, I looked at their food options. He set the drink down and helped another person before coming back to take my order. "Is there anything you would like?"
"Yes, can I have a small cheese board and steak-frites, please?"
"Oui, I'll put the order in for you. You can stay here or sit at a booth. Food is picked up at the other end of the bar. Give them about fifteen minutes. Pay before you leave."
"Okay, thank you." I walked to the end of the bar, finding the booth right next to the food window free. As I sat, I thought about the tournament. If I wanted to win, I'd need to go through at least ten rounds of battles. Well, that assumed I didn't get a lucky pass. Nova and Nautilus were ready. They could carry me the whole way, but it would get hard with only two Pokémon. Especially after knowing most had three Pokémon they trained equally for far longer.
It was time to focus on Tetsu's growth, but the tournament wasn't the place if I wanted to win. She had great manipulation of her moves, but battle instincts and reaction times weren't trained with meditation and using the same move repeatedly.
Her starting move pool was fantastic, and I wanted to capitalize on her natural bulk. Leech Seed and Harden to keep her on the field, while using Gravity with Stealth Rocks and Spikes to ensure every opponent suffered hazard damage made her the perfect opener. Pin Missile for ranged attacks, Metal Claw for close quarters, and Acid Spray for physical tanks built a foundation most could only envy.
My musing was cut short by a clattering at the window and a younger woman calling out, "Plateau de fromages et steak frites!"
Before I stood up, the woman from the Team Flux protest, the admin, sat in front of me. A Flux grunt sat next to me and set my food on the table. He grabbed a piece of brie and popped it into his mouth. The woman stared at me for a minute before sinking into the booth and eating a fry.
"You're messing up our plans," she stated. She ate another fry and stared at me, expecting a response she never received. "I was hoping you would understand notre position, given your background. It seems we were wrong about you."
I picked up my fork and started eating as well. She confirmed they'd been watching me, and it sounded like they had access to League databases.
"Well, any organization that bullies kids and kills wild Pokémon to create an 'opportunity' needs to be stopped," I said simply between bites. "Besides, it's pretty fun to beat your grunts in battle. I'll never miss the chance to kick some ass."
"Miss Ada, show this gobshite how we be having a bit o' craic," the grunt muttered, his hazel eyes narrowing murderously.
"Crack? Isn't that illegal?" I asked. I knew Rare Candies and PP Ups were considered drugs, so it made sense that illicit ones existed. But I wasn't expecting crack of all things.
"Isn't he a fierce eejit, altogether?"
Ada looked me over. "I thought you were from Paldea, not Unova."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I asked. "But here's where our conversation ends, unless you want a public disturbance in the middle of Lumiose City with an active Pokémon League event occurring."
I continued eating my steak frites, enjoying the sauce topping the slices of steak. I stared at Ada as I ate, hoping to Arceus my bravado was enough to get them away from me. She smirked and stood.
"Pray we don't cross paths in the wilds. I don't hold back on enemies of Team Flux."
With that, they left the bar. I looked at the door after they left and chugged my beer. "I'm gonna need another beer after that."
I stood up and walked to the bar. The bartender looked at me warily. "Are you…?"
"Oh, Arceus, no," I answered. "I just happen to stumble across them… A lot."
He looked at me with pity. "Je me souviens when Calem came in here and said the same about Team Flare. Do you want another lager?"
"I think I'll take another three after that conversation."
"Ha! Bring your food here. I've more stories of Calem if you will listen."