In the prep room, Baimu returned with Shiny Gengar and found Lisia and the others there too.
"Why come all this way when there's only a five-minute break?" he asked with a smile. He thanked Wally for handing him water, gulped down half the bottle, then turned and gave some to Gengar, who was already waiting with its mouth wide open.
"Geng!"
Gengar licked its lips in satisfaction.
"To cheer you on in the second half, of course!" Lisia declared.
She and Dawn wore pink cheerleading outfits, with Altaria and Piplup dressed to match. They even pulled Iris in to perform a cheer routine for him.
"Why do I have to dance too?" Iris asked, bewildered.
Dawn smiled. "Didn't you rehearse with us earlier? It'd be a shame not to show off what you practiced! Don't worry! You've got this!"
Iris nodded, though she only half understood.
Baimu's mouth twitched. These girls were less interested in cheering him on than in having fun together.
Brock and Wally watched the dance with broad smiles.
"Geng!"
Gengar was especially excited. It jumped in among them and copied their moves, twisting nimbly left and right despite its stubby limbs. Lisia and the others beamed at the sight.
After only a few moves, though, it could barely keep going. Its tongue lolled out as it panted.
It had, after all, fought two of Ilima's exceptionally tricky Pokémon with everything it had. It had taken hits from Stealth Rock and Sucker Punch, suffered the blast's aftershock, and worn itself out mentally.
Fatigue was beginning to show.
Lisia and the others stopped dancing.
"Are you okay, Gengar?"
"Those first two battles must have taken a lot out of it."
"Just relax and watch us dance, Gengar!"
Everyone looked at it with concern.
Gengar waved a chubby