"Don't block the way. I'm heading to the cafeteria," Lin Hao replied listlessly. With that, he walked around him and went straight on.
Lance watched Lin Hao walk away. "Your Charizard isn't the only impressive thing about you. You've got guts, too."
"I'm a coward," Lin Hao said without looking back. "That's why I never cut in line for food. If I'm late, there won't be any braised pork left."
May stood beside them, her temples throbbing. She hurriedly bent into a bow. "Champion Lance! He... he has low blood sugar! He's not thinking straight!"
Lance took out his Communicator. "Have you checked his background?"
"No." Lorelei's voice came through the Communicator. "His record is a completely blank slate. There's no trace of his past."
"Keep a close eye on him," Lance said.
In the Competitors' Village cafeteria, Lin Hao held his plate and frantically stuffed rice and braised pork into his mouth, while Pikachu sat on the table gnawing on an apple.
May propped her chin on her hand and sighed repeatedly. "I can't believe you dared to ignore Champion Lance. One word from him could get you kicked out of the tournament!"
"That would be perfect," Lin Hao said, swallowing a mouthful of rice. "I'd pack my bags and go back to Pallet Town to sleep. If I can't get the five-million prize, I'll sell cabbages to pay off my debts."
May rolled her eyes. She took out her tablet and pulled up the afternoon's match list. "The quarterfinals are this afternoon. Your opponent is called James."
Lin Hao paused with his chopsticks in hand. James? The blue-haired James from Team Rocket? "An ordinary trainer?"
"Yes." May read through his profile. "According to this, he's an ordinary trainer and very poor, but he made it all the way to the quarterfinals through his bond with his Pokémon. He's something of an inspirational contestant." Lin Hao sighed. For five million, even villains were showing up disguised as ordinary trainers.
At three that afternoon, the arena buzzed with voices, and sunlight shone down on the battlefield.
With both hands in his pockets, Lin Hao slowly walked onto the trainer's platform. Across from him stood a blue-haired young man in an old tracksuit washed almost white.
"Hello." James bowed deeply. "My name is James. I look forward to our match!"
"Lin Hao." Lin Hao yawned.
The referee raised his flag. "Let the match begin! Each side may use only one Pokémon!" With that, he brought the flag down.
"Go! Victreebel!" James threw his Poké Ball.
A flash of red streaked past, and a Victreebel appeared on the field. It opened its huge mouth and clamped down on James's head. "Mmph! Mmph! This isn't the time for affection!" James desperately pulled Victreebel off.
Laughter erupted in the stands, and even the commentator laughed. "It seems contestant James's Pokémon really loves him!"
Lin Hao set Pikachu on the ground. "Pikachu, just take it easy."
"Pika." Pikachu rubbed its cheeks.
James finally managed to pull Victreebel off. Panting heavily, he shouted, "Victreebel! Use Razor Leaf!" Victreebel shook its body, sending dozens of sharp leaves shooting straight at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, no need to dodge," Lin Hao said.
Pikachu stayed where it was. The leaves struck its body with a series of smacks, then shattered. Pikachu didn't lose so much as a hair. It even reached out to scratch its belly.
The stands fell silent. "It took Razor Leaf head-on?!" the commentator shouted. "Contestant Lin Hao's Pikachu has incredible defense!"
James held his breath and focused. "Victreebel! Use Acid!" Victreebel sprayed out a great mass of purple acid.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt," Lin Hao said.
Pikachu flicked its little paw, and a bolt of electricity shot out, blasting the acid apart. The current struck Victreebel. Bam! Victreebel stumbled back several steps, its body scorched black. It shook its head and steadied itself again.
"Victreebel! Well done! Get up!" James clenched his fists. "We can't give up here! For the prize money!"
For the prize money. Lin Hao froze when he heard that. A kindred spirit. We're all here to make money.
Victreebel forced itself to take a step forward. "Use Poison Powder!" James shouted. A vast cloud of purple powder spread from the top of Victreebel's head, shrouding half the battlefield.
"Pikachu, blow it back," Lin Hao said.
"Pika!" Pikachu drew in a deep breath, puffed out its cheeks, and exhaled hard. A fierce gust swept up, sending all the purple Poison Powder surging back and straight into Victreebel's face. Victreebel's eyes rolled upward. It crashed heavily into the dirt and passed out.
The arena went so quiet that a pin drop would have been audible.
"Victreebel is unable to battle!" The referee raised his flag. "Lin Hao wins!"
James knelt on the ground, took out his Poké Ball, and recalled Victreebel. "I'm sorry. You already did your best."
Applause erupted from the audience. Though Victreebel had lost, it hadn't been knocked out instantly, and everyone could see it had put up a brave fight.
Lin Hao turned and headed toward the passageway. He had barely entered the dim corridor when footsteps sounded behind him.
"Contestant Lin Hao! Wait!" James called.
Lin Hao stopped. James caught up with him and bowed again. "Thank you for going easy on me. I could tell how strong you were," James said. "You deliberately avoided seriously injuring Victreebel back there. Thank you."
"It's too weak. I don't like picking on the weak," Lin Hao said.
James straightened and looked around. "Actually, I lied to everyone."
May happened to approach from the other direction and heard him. "You lied to everyone? You're not an ordinary trainer?"
"I'm a member of Team Rocket," James said, lowering his voice.
May reached back toward the Poké Ball at her waist. "Team Rocket?"
Lin Hao held May's hand down. "You're a villain, and you came to compete in the League Tournament?"
"For the five-million prize." James lowered his head. "Headquarters cut our funding. We can't even afford instant noodles anymore, so I had to hide my identity and enter the tournament to earn some money to live on."
Lin Hao sighed. A villain reduced to this was really something else. "Then why are you telling me now?"
"I came to warn you. Headquarters has set its sights on you. Be careful tonight," James said.
Before you continue