The stadium noise was still washing over the arena when Tokiko recalled Emboar and stood quietly for a moment, staring at the Poké Ball in her hand.
In the VIP section, Delia Ketchum pressed both hands to her cheeks and exhaled in deep relief.
"That's my boy," she said softly.
Professor Oak, seated beside her, smiled. "He keeps getting harder to watch, in the best possible way. I can barely follow what he's doing."
"I never could," Delia said warmly. "Even when he was ten."
...
"He just keeps getting stronger," Ferb said in the stands, more to himself than anyone.
"Every time I see him fight I have to recalibrate," Blake agreed. "And I saw him fight two months ago."
Sam leaned back in his seat. "He's our benchmark now, whether we like it or not. Every time any of us improves, we're just closing the gap a little."
Nobody argued with that.
...
On the arena floor, Ash walked toward the center line while Tokiko stood at her position, still holding Emboar's Poké Ball, her expression doing several things at once.
"You said something about Kami," Ash said.
Tokiko looked up at him sharply. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"I genuinely don't."
"Kami," she said, with the emphasis of someone who found it inconceivable that this name would mean nothing. "She talks about you constantly. Constantly. I came all the way from Unova because she made you sound worth seeing." She folded her arms. "She's too good for someone who doesn't even remember her name."
Ash thought about it for a real three seconds. "...Still nothing. Do you have a full name?"
Tokiko looked like she wanted to throw her hat at him.
"I'll give her your regards," Ash said.
"I'm not telling her you forgot her!"
"Then don't bring it up."
"That's not how this works!"
The referee between them cleared his throat pointedly.
Tokiko snapped her mouth shut, straightened her cap, and turned on her heel with as much dignity as the situation allowed.
"One day," she said over her shoulder, "someone's going to beat you. And I hope I'm there to see it."
"So do I," Ash said. "It'd mean I finally found someone interesting."
Tokiko stopped walking for exactly one step.
Then she kept going, and Ash was fairly sure he'd seen the corner of her mouth move.
...
Sam Blackstone was waiting when Ash reached the stands.
"Do you actually not know who Kami is?" Sam asked.
"No idea," Ash said.
"Really."
"Really."
Sam looked at him for a long moment. "Somehow that's more impressive than the battle."