"I'm your trump card?" Gengar looked at Xia You skeptically and asked in confusion, "Weren't you always saying your trump cards were those three stupid birds!? Since when did it become me?"
Naturally, Xia You had to lavish praise on the Pokémon that had just won him a victory, so he pulled Gengar into his arms and laughed. "Nonsense! That was all for show. How could they be as thoughtful and reliable as you? You're my real trump card. No one else comes close!"
Unfortunately, Gengar knew nothing of how a man's mouth could spin a web of lies.
Hearing this, Gengar felt delighted and grinned broadly. What he failed to see, however, was the three Great Balls on Xia You's belt shaking wildly to express their displeasure!
As the shaking grew more violent, Xia You hurriedly reached down with his large hand to soothe them in secret while Gengar wasn't looking!
Just then, the referee standing on the field crossed his red and green flags in front of his chest, signaling a pause in the match.
"We will now change the field!"
Now that one side had lost three Pokémon, Orange League rules called for the battlefield to be changed, both to make the match more entertaining and to give the losing competitor a chance to turn things around by trying different tactics.
During this interval, the two Pokémon Trainers could take a short rest on the chairs to the side.
Feeling relatively relaxed, Xia You walked over to a chair beneath the sunshade.
Since he was closer to the stands, the spectators could see him more clearly. For a time, those near Xia You all focused their attention on him, their gazes filled with a mixture of hostility, curiosity, awe, and other feelings.
Xia You could seemingly hear