Chapter 100. The Center-parted's Dream Shield
The first round of matches ended, and dusk was falling.
"Dear viewers, see you tomorrow!"
After a whole day of commentary, the host's voice carried a hint of fatigue.
But soon, before everyone's eyes, the host took off his suit, revealing a promotional shirt underneath.
On the shirt was printed an Ursaring and a tent.
Soon after, the host's voice rang out with renewed passion:
"Friends who live far away, don't worry. Tents at the venue are free courtesy of our sponsor!"
"Ursaring Tents, encircle the starry sky, bear-hug sweet dreams, and help you sleep sound and safe!"
"Ursaring Tents, round-mark night watch, bear-guard your adventures, a must-have for travel and exploration!"
In the preparation area, Misty looked up at the stage, puzzled.
"What's with that? Even the host is taking the lead on ads now?"
"After all, this is a privately organized tournament without official funding to cover costs. It's normal to pull in sponsors," Brock replied as he polished Geodude's body.
"This host is pretty all-purpose," Ash said, looking toward the sky, where the big screen began playing a Pokémon Short Theater.
Every ten minutes there was a short, followed by one minute of ads.
During that one minute, the screen only showed a single logo, and everything else was explained by the host standing on a Magnezone.
He was a model worker through and through.
"Heh-heh-heh, that's why, compared to serious League matches, these private tournaments have their own flavor," Honora said as she came over carrying a big stack of boxed meals.
"When I went to rent a tent, I found they were selling curry boxed meals on-site. Come eat."
With that, Honora handed them out.
"Thanks, Honora," Misty said, taking a box and cocking her head.
"But I still like League matches more. At least no competitor does something as ridiculous as using the match to run ads."
"That's not necessarily true, Misty," Natsume said, looking over.
"In the Galar region, a certain Champion's cape is covered in sponsor logos."
"Galar region?" Ash leaned in.
"When you become Champion in the future, you can wear a battle cloak I'll custom-make for you!" Natsume ruffled Ash's hair.
"Heh-heh, really? Natsume, you believe I can be Champion too?" Ash grinned.
"Yeah, right. Not with him like that," Misty said, unconvinced.
"Hey, hey, I've got five Badges already!" Ash shot back.
Watching the two of them bicker as usual, Natsume shifted his gaze to center-parted.
"Pi—"
Center-parted felt a chill down its back and jerked its face up from the boxed meal.
Its face was smeared with curry, mixed with a few grains of rice.
"Pika—ka."
Pikachu took a tissue and, speechless, wiped him clean.
Center-parted was much smaller than Pikachu, and Pikachu always treated him like a kid brother.
"Don't worry. There are more matches tomorrow," Natsume said, patting center-parted's little head.
"Pi!"
Center-parted let out a breath of relief, but before he could bury his face back into the food, Natsume's voice drifted over.
"So tonight: surprise training."
"Ash, can you drive a jeep?" Natsume turned his head.
"Huh? How could I possibly know how?"
"You can't? Perfect. Let center-parted teach you."
"How's center-parted supposed to teach me?" Ash scratched his head and looked at center-parted.
"Pi—"
Center-parted collapsed in despair.
Nighttime, in center-parted's mental world, Ash's shout boomed.
"Center-parted, don't run away. Face your fear head-on!"
A wobbly jeep barreled along, and a Pikachu fled frantically.
When he heard Natsume's training plan, Ash couldn't bear to do it at first.
But once Natsume explained the principle behind how center-parted had exhausted its opponent by sleeping during the day, Ash felt happy for center-parted.
Training in dreams, and still getting stronger!
"Center-parted, isn't this the way you've dreamed of getting stronger?"
Ash's shout continued to echo.
Natsume ignored center-parted's laziness.
But Ash saw it and worried over it.
He even had Pikachu try a lot of pep talks.
But there was only one answer—"Unless it can get stronger by sleeping, it absolutely won't train."
"Center-parted, don't be afraid. Be brave and face your fear!"
Ash stood on the jeep, let go of the steering wheel, and cheered center-parted on.
"Pika, pika!"
Center-parted glanced back and nearly lost his soul from fright.
Unlike Natsume, who was skilled at driving, Ash's jeep moved purely on impulse.
Center-parted couldn't predict where it would land at all.
So much so that, even without a second person, just Ash in one jeep was already almost too much for center-parted to dodge.
"Maybe I should just bring Ash in here for special training from now on?"
In another jeep that wasn't running, Natsume leaned back in the seat, watching center-parted flee for his life.
Faced with nightmares, Natsume had given center-parted two choices—evade them, or shatter them.
"At this rate, instead of fortifying its will, center-parted's evasion skills might max out first," Natsume muttered, feeling this wasn't a solution.
One nightmare can be dodged, but two?
Three?
What if its mental world was blanketed by nightmares?
After all, you're just lying there, and your opponent's attacks won't stop.
Endless attacks would be converted into endless nightmares.
To keep the Land of Eternal Sleep going long enough, Natsume favored training center-parted's willpower so it could shatter nightmares.
Only then could the Land of Eternal Sleep be maintained for the maximum duration.
But as things stood, his training was making center-parted prefer dodging even more.
So Natsume could only use a method of forcibly shattering its will, to reconsolidate center-parted's will and make it more resolute.
After trying it these past few days, it worked at first, but now the effect had grown faint.
"Pika—"
Not far away, the wobbly jeep was about to slam into center-parted.
Natsume looked up.
Azure particles gathered, ready at any moment to repair the coming "hash brown."
"Pika!"
With the jeep's headlights right in his face, center-parted was terrified.
A burst of milky-white heat billowed from the top of his head, and that heat quickly condensed in his hands into a small shield.
"Huh?"
Natsume shot to his feet.
Center-parted raised the shield on instinct and held it out in front.
"Thump—"
The little shield smashed into the jeep with a dull bang.
The shield in center-parted's hands shattered, and he flew off like a kite with its string cut.
"Pika!"
After rolling along the ground several times, center-parted lay motionless.
"Pi."
A weak sound came from center-parted.
In his vision, the will-forms of Natsume and Ash appeared.
"Center-parted, you okay?" Ash asked, looking curiously at the Pikachu who had just been sent flying.
This didn't quite match the grim scene Natsume had described.
"Pi."
Center-parted's breath was faint.
Strange.
Why wasn't his Trainer taking him out?
"Don't just lie there. You didn't turn into a mouse pancake this time," Natsume said, his telekinesis sweeping back and forth over center-parted's will-form.
"Pika?"
Center-parted stood up, baffled.
That was odd.
Shouldn't he have turned into a two-dimensional creature at a time like this?
Center-parted stared down, dumbfounded.
To his amazement, he was actually still alive.
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