Three days later, the tournament took place as scheduled.
Solaceon Town had no Gym, and it rarely held such a formal Pokémon battle tournament. A temporary battlefield had been set up in the town square, with the standard red-and-blue color scheme and fencing all around.
A display screen stood in the center of the field to show battle information and Pokémon.
Although it couldn't compare to the high-tech venues of the League Conference, it was already quite an impressive setup for a small town.
Both sides of the square were lined with all sorts of stalls, some selling food and others selling various little accessories.
"Moomoo Milk ice cream! Cool off and beat the heat!"
"Energy drinks! Give your Pokémon a drink, and they'll win!"
"Grilled Slowpoke Tails! Freshly grilled Slowpoke Tails!"
"Holy crap, isn't grilling that illegal?"
"What's illegal about it? Never had grilled fish?"
"Huh? Didn't you say it was Slowpoke or something?"
"It's called attracting attention, get it? Would you have come over if I hadn't said that?"
"...You really know your marketing."
Standing on the edge of the crowd, Yushu looked at the bustling scene before him and couldn't help remarking:
"So many people~~"
He really hadn't expected a town-level tournament to draw so many spectators.
"Of course."
A familiar voice came from behind him.
Yushu turned to see Kaixin walking toward him with a smile.
Today, she wore a fresh-looking white short-sleeved top and light blue jeans, with her hair tied in a high ponytail.
"Solaceon Town might not have a Gym, but we have sponsorship from the Devon Corporation."
Kaixin came to his side and folded her arms as she looked at the battlefield in the square:
"The Devon Corporation holds tournaments like this in various towns every year. For one thing, they promote Pokémon battling culture and advertise their products."
"For another, they scout promising rookie Trainers, so they're always generous. The prize money and prizes are all pretty substantial."
"No wonder there are so many people."
Yushu understood now.
"But I didn't expect you to enter."
Kaixin turned and looked him up and down, a hint of teasing in her eyes:
"Didn't someone say he wasn't going to be a Trainer anymore? What, saw the prizes and decided it wasn't so bad after all?"
"Ahem..."
Feeling a little embarrassed by her words, Yushu gave a couple of dry coughs:
"Well... the prizes really are generous. Besides, my Pokémon keep clamoring for fights every day. I have to meet their needs."
"Really?"
Kaixin drew the word out, clearly not quite believing his excuse, but rather than pressing him, she changed the subject:
"Since you're competing too, I'd better let you know in advance that I'm entering as well."
"Huh?"
Yushu paused. "You're entering too, Kaixin?"
"What, looking down on Breeders?"
Kaixin gave him a look of feigned anger:
"I'm a proper junior Breeder. Raising Pokémon might be my main job, but battling is a basic skill too, you know.
"Besides, if I'm lucky enough to face you, I can pretend I'm no match for you and let you win. That'll make haggling with you a lot easier afterward."
"Kaixin, I could hear you scheming all the way from the ranch."
Yushu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
While the two were chatting, another familiar voice cut in:
"Ah! The rancher's here~"
Yushu turned to see Kurokawa striding toward them.
Kurokawa was dressed as casually as ever: a T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops, and sunglasses. He looked just like a tourist on vacation.
"Kurokawa? You're here to watch too?"
Yushu was a little surprised.
"Of course. How could I miss something going on?"
Kurokawa spoke as though it were only natural. "I'm one of the sponsors. Just a minor one, sure, but I still have to come enjoy the excitement, don't I?"
"A sponsor?"
Yushu was a little taken aback. "Don't you run a shop? Since when do you sponsor tournaments too?"
"Heh, that's what you don't understand."
Kurokawa lifted his chin smugly. "It's called business sense. A tournament like this might be small, but it brings together all the potential customers in town."
"I sponsor a few prizes so everyone remembers my shop's name. Next time they need to buy something, the first place they'll think of is my Field Shop. That's called casting a long line to catch a big fish."
"So what did you sponsor?"
"Poké Balls. All kinds."
Kurokawa said, "Regular Poké Balls, Great Balls, Great Balls, and a few Premier Balls. It's all stock from the shop anyway, at cost price. Two birds with one stone."
"...You're a real business genius."
"You bet."
Kaixin asked, "Then, oh great genius, do you know what Pokémon is in that Pokémon Egg?"
"You've asked the right person."
Kurokawa pushed up his sunglasses. "Let me tell you two, that Pokémon Egg is supposedly really rare!"
"Just get to the point. You're so long-winded." Kaixin rolled her eyes at him.
Kurokawa chuckled. "I don't know either."
Kaixin said, "I knew it."
She shouldn't have expected anything from this guy.
"Really rare? Could it be a pseudo-legendary? Beldum or Bagon?"
Yushu's interest, however, was piqued.
Devon was a company from Hoenn, so the odds of either of those turning up really weren't low, and both were firmly in the pseudo-legendary category.
"Keep dreaming. Dream a little more, and you can have anything." Kurokawa ruthlessly threw cold water on the idea.
A pseudo-legendary? Why not say a Legendary Pokémon while you're at it? Were those things something ordinary people could ever see?
Uxie was floating beside Yushu, holding a Pokéblock and nibbling at it.
Isn't this Legendary Pokémon right beside you? You just can't see me.
As he was thinking, the loudspeakers in the center of the square suddenly came to life:
"Attention, contestants! Attention, contestants! All contestants, please assemble at the battlefield!"
"We'll head over, then!"
The two nodded to Kurokawa.
Kurokawa waved them off. "Go on, go on. Don't get knocked out in the first round. That would be embarrassing."
Ten minutes later.
The host was, naturally, Mayor Zongping. Dressed in a crisp suit, he held a microphone:
"Residents of Solaceon Town, friends who have come from afar, good morning!"
"Today marks the fifth Solaceon Battle Tournament! Thank you all for your enthusiastic participation, and thank you to the Devon Corporation and our local businesses for their generous support!"
Another round of applause rose from the crowd.
Yushu saw Kurokawa waving smugly among the crowd, clearly enjoying his moment of glory as a sponsor.
"Without further ado, contestants, please proceed to the drawing station to draw your match assignments! The tournament will officially begin in half an hour!"
The contestants headed to the drawing station one after another, drawing their opponent numbers from a box.
Yushu drew the fourth match, while Kaixin drew the sixth. Neither would have their turn for a little while.
"The first match is about to start!"
"Quick, quick! Grab a good spot!"
Curious, Yushu and Kaixin also went over to see what it was all about.