Two days flew by. During that time, Lorelei and Gary spent an entire day shut up in the house.
Afterward, Lorelei took Starmie and Slowbro off for special training with a strange look on her face.
In Lorelei's words, Gary's tactical talent was among the very best the Pokémon League had seen since its founding...
His tactics were just a little dirty~
Gary proudly declared, "It's called tactical thinking... Who ever played tactics with clean hands?"
The day of the Masters Tournament arrived~
Gary and Lorelei reached the Battle Tower in Vermilion City half an hour early.
Looking at the building towering into the clouds, Gary couldn't help marveling. "Vermilion City really spares no expense on its battle facilities~"
"It's a port city, after all. Inland cities can't compete with its economy," Lorelei explained calmly.
Gary looked at Lorelei and encouraged her. "Well then~ Good luck in your match, Lorelei. I'll be waiting to see you win."
Lorelei smiled faintly and adjusted her glasses. "I never intended to lose~"
A cold, piercing look suddenly transformed her presence. The click of her heels against the ground sounded like war drums.
Smoothing her wine-red hair, Lorelei handed Gary the VIP seating pass she had prepared in advance-commonly known as a friends-and-family pass. "Let's get seafood after the match."
"Sure~" Gary took the pass and watched Lorelei put on her sunglasses and enter the Battle Tower through the competitors' entrance on the other side.
Looking at the sea of people lining up at the other entrance, Gary raised an eyebrow. "So this is the perk of friends-and-family seating~"
With his golden VIP pass in hand, Gary entered the venue through the VIP Entrance without any trouble.
As soon as he entered the Battle Tower, a hostess in a qipao approached and politely led him down the corridor to a private box in the VIP Lounge.
There was a spacious sofa, a quiet atmosphere, and floor-to-ceiling glass surrounding the entire room. Positioned directly above the battlefield, the box offered a perfect overhead view of the entire match.
Not only that, it also came equipped with a refrigerator and a liquor cabinet, while fresh seasonal fruit sat on the table.
Gary nodded and sat down, satisfied.
The hostess wheeled a serving cart into the box. "Coffee or tea? Chilled juice and other drinks are in the refrigerator, and there's beer and whiskey in the liquor cabinet~"
"A cup of black tea, please. Thank you." Gary held the tea and took an elegant sip. His air of refinement instantly made the hostess blush, her heart racing.
He waved to dismiss the staff, then took out his Poké Balls and released all his Pokémon.
The whole Pokémon family looked at Gary curiously.
"Watch the match closely. This is an Elite Four-level battle, so all of you can learn something from it," Gary explained as he drank his black tea.
Eevee, Growlithe, and Rhydon-the well-behaved trio-nodded in unison. [I didn't notice this before, so I'm changing the setup here. Eevee is so cute; let's make her a girl after all.]
Scyther stared at the fresh fruit on the table, wiped his mouth, and looked at Gary. "Scy~?" (What did you say, boss?)
Ever since evolving, Charmeleon had become rather aloof. The guy took a bottle of bourbon whiskey from the liquor cabinet-a single malt, no less.
He sat on the floor against the window, reclining comfortably as he took a couple of swigs. Then he half closed his eyes and began to doze...
Gary had wanted to make a few comments about Charmeleon, but after thinking it over, he decided to let him be. After all, the kid followed Gary's commands without question in battle.
Besides, strong liquor really could accelerate the burning of flames. For Fire-type Pokémon, it amounted to a form of inner and outer training.
Compared with a certain someone's Charmeleon, who had stopped trying altogether after evolving, his own was at most a "rebellious kid going through a phase"...
A roar erupted from the battlefield... Even inside the private box, Gary could feel the crowd's excitement. It looked like the match was about to begin.
After all, the Masters Tournament was a contest between top trainers. Its excitement spoke for itself.
Practically every Masters Tournament match drew countless Pokémon enthusiasts scrambling to watch. Calling it a party for die-hard battle fans was hardly an exaggeration.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Pokémon fans, this Masters Challenge is about to begin! Next up, our competitors will make their entrance. Let me hear you scream!"
At the host's shout, the crowd's cheers rang into the sky, sending the atmosphere in the arena exploding!
"Now, please welcome our first competitor: Kanto's Fighting-type Elite Four member, testosterone on legs, the fighter Bruno!"
Gary rose slightly from his seat and stared down at the competitors' entrance.
A muscular man in a training uniform, with a black belt tied around his waist, emerged with steady steps.
"Oh? Master Bruno actually put on a shirt today?" Gary joked with a smile.
This musclebound hulk was famously rough around the edges. He often attended all kinds of high-level matches bare-chested, showing off his powerful physique.
He had actually worn a top this time. What a rare sight...
As Gary watched Bruno, Lorelei's assessment of him echoed in his mind: He's an oddball who can't do anything right except battle-a muscle monster who's worked out so much that even his brain is made of muscle...
"Hey, man~ Whose family are you? How'd you end up in the friends-and-family seats?" A brash voice suddenly interrupted Gary's thoughts.
Gary turned toward the neighboring box and spoke in surprise. "Lt. Surge, the Vermilion Gym Leader?"
The VIP boxes were separated by waist-high partitions, with glass windows above them that allowed people to talk to each other.
The burly man in the neighboring box, standing six foot three in camouflage combat gear, was none other than Vermilion Gym's leader, the soldier Lt. Surge.
"Oh~ You know me, kid?" Lt. Surge lifted his chin.
"You're Vermilion City's Gym Leader. I did my research." The corner of Gary's mouth twitched. This guy seemed to be a classic hardliner. Apparently, even the Vermilion Gym's battle platform had once been electrified.
Anyone who lost a match against Lt. Surge's Pokémon would receive a high-voltage electric shock. Of course, if he lost, he would accept the punishment himself.
Later, too many trainers complained that Lt. Surge's battle rules were downright Spartan and that he was brutalizing the Pokémon League's promising youngsters. Only then had the Vermilion Gym been forced to use a normal battlefield...
This guy was ruthless~
"Hey, man~ You still haven't answered my question." Lt. Surge pursed his lips in displeasure and asked again.
"Oh, I am family... No, wait, a friend. Lorelei personally invited me." Gary lifted his chin. "Look, she's coming out now!"
"Next, please welcome the Kanto Region's Ice-type Elite Four member, the ice queen of the Sevii Islands-Lorelei!" the host announced excitedly.
The cheers suddenly rose an octave, far louder than they had been for Bruno.
After all, given a choice between a musclebound hulk and a glamorous woman in black stockings, the audience knew what to pick.
When the icy beauty with long, wine-red hair stepped onto the field in her high heels, the crowd's cheers reached their peak.
Lorelei's unique blend of flowing gentleness and icy aloofness left everyone enthralled.
Those two conflicting qualities were somehow perfectly embodied in her.
Arms folded, Lorelei slowly walked onto the battlefield. She adjusted her glasses with one hand and looked at Bruno across from her. "Sorry for the wait~"
Bruno nodded. "It's been six months since we last fought. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Lorelei covered her mouth and chuckled. "I hope you'll still be this calm after the match~"
The referee checked that both sides were ready, then swept down the flag in his right hand. "The match officially begins!"
Before you continue