CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX
"Welcome to the Indigo League quarter finals!" boomed the announcer. "Our third of four matches will be Trainer Daniel vs Trainer Melanie!"
Polite applause rang out for the two Trainers as they took their positions atop the podiums which stood opposite each other in the large stadium. Daniel looked pale and gripped his podium for comfort, aware that cameras were televising his movements to his family in Pallet Town and all of Kanto. Meanwhile, Melanie looked just as peaky.
"Each Trainer will use three Pokemon! The first Trainer to defeat the other Trainer's Pokemon will advance to the semi finals! Are you ready?"
Daniel glanced to his podium where he had managed to choose three of his four Pokeballs for today's match. He could not see Amy or Natalie in the stands among the thousands who had flocked for today's entertainment. He glanced across the field of green to where Melanie consulted her Pokeball line-up.
"Good luck, Melanie," Daniel depressed the buzzer on his microphone, so that his voice rang out clear throughout the stadium.
"Thanks," Melanie added, in a quiet voice. She was a Trainer of few words, making her a mystery as she aced through the preliminary rounds. Unlike other mean-spirited Trainers, she did not antagonize and focused on battle strategy.
"Let's begin the match!" boomed the announcer, to fanfare and applause.
Gravely, Daniel selected his first Pokeball but Melanie had already thrown hers into the battlefield, erupting with red light.
"Go, Vaporeon!" Melanie cried.
The crowd collectively sighed as Vaporeon made its foray into the battlefield. Sleek and blue with a long tail, Vaporeon was one of Eevee's three evolutions, using a Water Stone. Daniel had been fascinated to see that Melanie had made it her goal to have one each of the 'eeveelutions'.
Throwing his first Pokeball of three into the battlefield, Daniel cried,
"Go, Weepinbell!"
Weepinbell waved its leaf arms in the gentle breeze, staring down Vaporeon who sleeky rose on all fours.
"Weepinbell, Stun Spore!" Daniel shouted.
"Vaporeon, Ice Beam!" Melanie cried.
Weepinbell released glittering powder from its mouth as Vaporeon shot an icy beam towards Weepinbell. Vaporeon succumbed to paralysis, while Weepinbell was quite damaged from the frigid blast, but not frozen solid.
As Melanie reached for a Full Heal, Daniel cried,
"Weepinbell, Mega Drain!"
Weepinbell glowed green and absorbed Vaporeon's energy while it was paralysed, healing in equal measure as Melanie sprayed the Full Heal. Back to full health, Weepinbell was raring to go as Vaporeon stiffened in pain, no longer paralysed.
"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf!" Daniel cried.
"Vaporeon, Blizzard!" Melanie shouted.
Weepinbell spun about in the air, directing razor sharp leaves at Vaporeon, while Vaporeon whipped up an arctic wind, icy shards shooting forth to damage the plant Pokemon's tender flesh.
"Weepinbell!" Daniel cried, shocked. The Blizzard had frozen Weepinbell solid.
"Vaporeon, now's our chance!" Melanie cried. "Take Down!"
Reaching for his Full Heal, Daniel knew it was too late as Vaporeon charged into Weepinbell, shattering the frigid prison and knocking Weepinbell back several paces. Though Vaporeon took slight recoil, Weepinbell was too injured to move.
"Weepinbell, return!" Daniel held out his Pokeball, as the crowd began to cheer for Melanie. Forehead damp with sweat, he wiped his brow and selected his second of three Pokeballs, hands slippery.
"Good job, Vaporeon," Melanie called to her Water-type Pokemon.
Daniel threw his second Pokeball into the field. "Come out, Meowth!"
Meowth sprang with a growl into the field, landing on all fours as it watched Vaporeon with caution. Unaffected, Vaporeon's tail moved with the breeze.
"Vaporeon, Ice Beam!"
"Meowth, Swift!"
Vaporeon shot an icy beam towards Meowth, who evaded the frigid blight and tossed shining stars towards Vaporeon, hitting their mark on point. Stumbling, Vaporeon was suffering from its injuries, on its last legs. The crowd gasped in shock for Melanie's situation.
Daniel paid the crowd no mind. He was not here to please them, only to win the battle. He may have lost his Weepinbell, but he had two Pokemon remaining with which to pull through.
"Meowth, Pay Day!"
"Vaporeon, Hydro Pump!"
Meowth's forehead glowed as Vaporeon released a powerful surge of water towards Meowth. Agile, Meowth dodged the torrent but Vaporeon directed it so that Meowth was somewhat buffeted, just as Meowth blasted Vaporeon was blasted backwards by the Pay Day attack, glittering coins scattering upon the ground.
"Return, Vaporeon!" Melanie held out her Pokeball, red light flashing as Vaporeon returned inside the Pokeball. The crowd made noises of sympathy.
"Nice work, Meowth," Daniel smiled at his cat Pokemon, who began licking himself.
Melanie selected her second of three Pokeballs, tossing it into the battlefield. "Go, Jolteon!"
Jolteon evolved from Eevee using a Thunder Stone and was an Electric-type Pokemon, evidence by the electricity charging around its body. Jolteon raised its hackles, growling as the spikes on its back protruded sharply.
"We can do this, Meowth!" Daniel cried.
"Jolteon!" Melanie called. "Double Kick!"
"Meowth, Swift!" Daniel shouted, worried. Double Kick was a Fighting-type move, which Meowth was susceptible to.
Jolteon raced ahead, unable to evade the shining stars thrown by Meowth which caused it to stumble, breaking pace. Meowth sprinted forward, leaping onto Jolteon for a Bite attack but greatly harmed by the spikes upon Jolteon's back, springing backwards in pain.
"Jolteon, Thunderbolt!"
"Meowth, Slash!"
Meowth leapt out and slashed Jolteon around the face, earning boos from the crowd in Daniel's direction as Jolteon electrified Meowth with a bolt of thunder. Injured, Meowth spun on its heels as Jolteon cringed, backing away.
"Don't give up now!" Melanie cried shrilly. "Jolteon, Pin Missile!"
"Meowth, Pay Day!" Daniel shouted.
Meowth's forehead glowed brightly as Jolteon released what seemed like endless missiles from its body, all sharply stabbing into Meowth's body. Stumbling back, Meowth was in great pain, his Pay Day attack blasting at random into the sky.
"Meowth!" Daniel shouted in horror, holding out his Pokeball. "Return!"
Red light flashed to return Meowth inside. He knew he should've been more prepared. Weepinbell would've made a better choice to defend against Jolteon's Electric-type attacks.
"Trainer Daniel is down to his final Pokemon!" boomed the announcer. "Can he make a comeback?"
Selecting his third and final Pokeball, Daniel tossed it into the battlefield. "Go, Arbok!"
Arbok uncoiled and glared at Jolteon menacingly. Jolteon tensed, ready to attack.
"Jolteon, Thunderbolt!" Melanie cried.
"Arbok, Dig!" Daniel yelled.
Jolteon released a bolt of thunder just as Arbok burrowed underground, evading the electricity. Glancing askance, Jolteon surveyed the ground under which minute rumblings indicated Arbok could be anywhere.
"Now!" Daniel cried.
Jolteon leapt out of the way, but Arbok anticipated this and tackled Jolteon from underneath, knocking the Electric-type sprawled upon the ground. Mid-air, Arbok thought better of a Bite attack when it saw Jolteon's spiky body and landed cleanly beside Melanie's Pokemon.
"Arbok, Toxic!"
"Jolteon, Thunderbolt!"
Arbok spat poisonous liquid at Jolteon, who recoiled from the impact but discharged electricity towards Arbok, who flailed in agony. Jolteon suffered under Toxic's poisonous detriments. The crowd was going wild at these two savage Pokemon duking it out.
"Arbok, Dig!" Daniel shouted.
"Jolteon, Thunder!" Melanie yelled, but Arbok had already dug underneath the ground, where Jolteon's bolt of thunder had missed.
Tackling Jolteon from underneath, Arbok rose into the air and landed cleanly once again, glaring at Jolteon who lay both greatly injured and badly poisoned. Relenting, Melanie held out her Pokeball.
"Jolteon, return!"
Arbok slithered back to Daniel's side of the field, wheezing from the earlier Thunderbolt attack, injured. Melanie selected her third and final Pokeball.
"Who will Trainer Melanie send out, folks?" boomed the announcer, though the crowd knew her Pokemon party lineup off by heart.
"I choose Flareon!" Melanie shouted, red light flashing to form the crimson hide and plush fur of Flareon, on all fours.
The crowd applauded politely. Flareon was the third of Eevee's evolutions, evolved using a Fire Stone and was a Fire-type Pokemon.
"This is it, folks!" the announcer boomed. "Each Trainer has only one Pokemon remaining to decide the match!"
"Arbok!" Daniel shouted. "Glare!"
"Flareon, Fire Spin!" Melanie cried.
Flareon shot hot flame towards Arbok, as Arbok shot a piercing glare through the heat towards Flareon. Though Flareon was paralysed immediately, Arbok was sucked up in the fiery vortex which came to life of its own, a swirling heat tornado which injured Arbok and tossed it upon the ground for further insult.
Wheezing, Arbok came to life as Melanie reached out to administer her Full Heal to her paralysed Flareon.
"Arbok, are you OK?" Daniel shouted. "Use Earthquake!"
Arbok leapt into the air, crashing upon the ground as Flareon seemed to come to life. The crowd gasped as the stadium began to shake, crevices shooting towards Flareon who leapt to avoid the incoming cracks -
"Toxic, Arbok!" Daniel cried.
"Flareon, dodge it!" Melanie shrieked.
Distracted by the wad of poison which Arbok shot forth, Flareon toppled over from the earthquake which struck it for heavy damage, narrowly avoiding the Toxic attack. Panting on the ground, Flareon was a stationary target for Arbok who slithered forth, to gasps from the crowd.
"Go, Arbok!" Daniel yelled, pent up with adrenaline. "Bite!"
"Flareon, Flamethrower!" Melanie commanded.
Flareon shot forth a stream of fire which Arbok narrowly avoided, partly burned on the side as Daniel's Poison-type Pokemon bared its fangs and leapt for Flareon, sinking teeth in deep. Flareon let out a strangled cry to match that of the crowd's concern.
"Flareon!" Melanie shouted. Flareon made no reply.
"Trainer Melanie's Flareon has fainted!" the announcer boomed. "Trainer Daniel has won the match!"
Cameras swarmed and lights flashed and cheers rose, however hesitantly for the boy from Pallet who had made it into the semi finals. Their polite applause was more than enough, though their favourite had been Melanie with her three sleek evolutions of Eevee.
Daniel found it within his rigid anxiety to depress the microphone, noticing Melanie return Flareon to its Pokeball and walk off the podium.
"Thank you, Melanie. It was good battle," Daniel added, realising that he should've made the effort to walk out and shake her hand. As it was, he was seeing stars he was so dizzy from the unexpected attention, faint from the thrill of victory.
Somewhat shy herself, Melanie nodded in his direction but picked up the pace as she headed towards the connecting passage, which would take her back to her apartment suite in peace. Daniel wondered if his mother and sister were watching, almost wanting to give them a wave but deciding against it.
"Mum!" Beth shouted, to where her mother was cleaning the dishes without help. Beth was lazy on chores. "Daniel looks odd on TV!"
"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Mary called, rushing into the living room with her pink gloves covered with soapy water. "Is it over already?"
"Yes!" Beth huffed. "I hope for my tournament you'll be watching! And if you don't, I'll have them recorded and that can be your birthday present!"
Used to her daughter's ramblings, Mary gave a little laugh. "Your tournament? I thought you didn't want to battle Vulpix?"
Beth turned to Vulpix, who was fast asleep on the rug. Thinking hard, Beth replied, "Not with Vulpix. She's special. Maybe another Pokemon."
Glancing up, Beth noticed her mother had returned to the kitchen in the lapse in conversation. "Mum! I'm talking!"
"And I'm listening!" Mary called. "Now call your brother and wish him congratulations."
Daniel was glad to have won his match against Melanie. Although the call with Beth was brief and dealt largely with "how are Amy and Natalie doing?", he reminded himself that he was in the semi finals, one of four remaining with the chance to take on the Champion, Lance.
The next day, he along with Natalie and Amy found seats in the stadium so that they could watch the fourth and final match of the quarter finals. The view from atop the stands was dizzying. The three of them had managed to secure seats together, bought a large container of popcorn and munched happily as they watched Joshua and Hunter take their positions upon podiums at either end of the large stadium.
"Welcome to the Indigo League quarter finals!" boomed the announcer.
Amy was among those who clapped politely, the stands erupted with cheers. Their seats were in the middle, so they could watch the action unfold perfectly. Amy watched Joshua, who so far had managed to climb the preliminaries only using three of his four Pokemon. Amy worried she might be obsessing.
"I wonder if Joshua will win," Natalie added vaguely. "Hunter's pretty good."
"The crowd likes him best," Daniel noted. Where Hunter was good looking and authentic, Joshua was grim and sour faced.
The announcer continued, "We have covered three of four battles in the quarter finals these past few days, and we are now onto the final match! Trainer Joshua vs Trainer Hunter!"
Breaking into fresh applause once again, the crowd chanted Hunter's name where others politely applauded for Joshua, respecting his battle acumen though he lacked entertainment value, considering his only strength to be that of his Pokemon than mugging for the cameras.
"Each Trainer will use three Pokemon! The first Trainer to defeat the other Trainer's Pokemon will advance to the semi finals! Are you ready?"
Joshua selected his first Pokeball, while Hunter did the same. Both threw their Pokeballs into the battlefield, red light flashing bright.
"Gastly, I choose you!" Hunter shouted.
"Golbat, go!" Joshua commanded.
Golbat flew up above the battlefield, wings flapping and teeth gnashing while Gastly appeared, shifting haze but for the corporeal face which grinned back. Gastly was a Ghost/Poison-type Pokemon.
"Gastly, Night Shade!" Hunter shouted.
"Golbat, Confuse Ray!" Joshua yelled.
Golbat released a eerie wave from its body as Gastly fired a dark beam towards Golbat. Golbat was briefly knocked out of the air, somewhat damaged while Gastly became confused, spinning around in circles and crashing into the ground to minor damage.
"Golbat, Double Team!"
"Gastly, Psywave!"
Shaking itself out of confusion, Gastly released a psychic wave just as Golbat split itself into three copies. The triplicate Golbat dove for Gastly as the Psywave obliterated two of the copies into nothingness.
"Razor Wind!" Joshua ordered.
Golbat directed bright scythes of energy through the air, razor sharp and cutting into Gastly, who became quite injured.
"Golbat, Double Team!" Joshua shouted.
"Gastly, Hypnosis!" Hunter yelled.
Gastly released a hypnotic wave as Golbat split into three copies. The hypnotic wave blasted one of the copies to no avail, as Golbat dove for Gastly.
"Razor Wind, Golbat!" Joshua shouted.
Golbat sent scythes of energy through the air again, so that Gastly fell upon the ground, growing fainter by the second.
"Return, Gastly!" Hunter held out his Pokeball.
"Trainer Hunter's Gastly is down!" boomed the announcer. "Who will he choose next to take on Trainer Joshua's Golbat?"
Hunter selected his second Pokeball of three, throwing it into the battlefield. "Go, Kabutops!"
The crowd roared in approval as Kabutops stepped onto the field, amid bright red light. Kabutops was the evolved form of Kabuto, a prehistoric Pokemon which Hunter had revived back to life with the use of a Dome Fossil. Skeletal with scythes for arms, Kabutops was a dangerous Rock/Water Pokemon.
Joshua didn't flinch at this considerable asset to Hunter's Pokemon party, as the two Golbat copies soared overhead.
"Kabutops!" Hunter shouted, to the crowd's applause. "Ice Beam!"
"Golbat, Confuse Ray!" Joshua shouted.
Both Golbat copies released an eerie wave from their bodies as Kabutops directed an icy beam which struck the correct Golbat copy, dissipating the other into thin air. Quite injured, Golbat plummeted to the ground but managed to stay airborne at the last second. Meanwhile, Kabutops suffered confusion from Golbat's Confuse Ray.
"Kabutops, Ice Beam!" Hunter shouted, as Kabutops tripped over.
"Golbat, Mega Drain!" Joshua yelled in triumph.
Hunter watched, aghast as Golbat glowed green and absorbed Kabutops' energy, healing accordingly in response. Kabutops could barely breathe, for the Grass-type attack was especially effective against Kabutops, who was a Rock/Water Pokemon.
"Kabutops, return!" Hunter held out his Pokeball, as half the crowd clapped appreciately for Joshua's tactics, the other booing him as Hunter began to lose.
Meanwhile, in the stands, Natalie commented, "Joshua's good."
"No doubt," Daniel replied quietly. "I couldn't have the patience to train a Pokemon so annoying as a Golbat."
Down in the stadium, Hunter selected his third and final Pokeball. Joshua tensed; he knew what to expect.
"Go!" Hunter threw his Pokeball. "Alakazam!"
Bright red light flashed and Hunter's best Pokemon appeared on the battlefield. The evolved form of Kadabra, Alakazam was larger and with a longer mustache, holding two spoons where Kadabra only held one.
"This is Trainer Hunter's last stand, folks!" the announcer boomed. "Will Trainer Joshua manage to take out all three Pokemon with just his Golbat?"
"Golbat, Double Team!" Joshua shouted.
"Alakazam, Psychic!" Hunter yelled.
Alakazam released a blast of psychic energy towards Golbat, while Golbat split into three copies. Alakazam's psychic blast hit two copies; one of which was the real Golbat, dissipating the other copy. Greatly injured, Golbat plummeted and crashed upon the ground.
"Psybeam, Alakazam!" Hunter shouted, to applause.
"Golbat, evade!"
Alakazam focused with its two spoons, releasing a psychic beam which shot out and caused Golbat to faint on impact. The crowds chanted Hunter's name as Joshua held up Golbat's Pokeball, reddening under the exertion of holding his temper.
"It looks like Trainer Joshua will have to choose another Pokemon with which to battle Alakazam!" blared the announcer. "Who will he choose?"
Joshua threw his second Pokeball onto the battlefield, where it burst open with red light.
"Go, Scyther!"
Polite applause and cheers broke out as Scyther entered the battlefield. A winged insect Pokemon, Scyther's body was green and it wielded sharp scythes on each arm. It looked vicious and was a Bug/Flying Pokemon.
"Trainer Joshua has chosen Scyther for his second Pokemon! Will he make the cut?"
Joshua rolled his eyes at the announcer's cheesy lingo and shouted, "Scyther, Double Team!"
"Alakazam, Disable!" Hunter yelled.
As Scyther split into three copies, Alakazam picked the copy on the left. It glowed blue, fading away as the two copies remained.
"Scyther, Agility!" Joshua ordered.
"Alakazam, Psychic!" Hunter shouted.
The two Scyther copies moved so fast that the crowd could barely keep watch of them, while Alakazam released a psychic blast to no avail.
"Slash!" Joshua yelled.
Both Scyther copies appeared out of thin air, flanking Alakazam and delivering sharp cuts with their scythes. Injured, Alakazam suffered a wound as the two copies danced circles around Alakazam -
"Scyther, Double Team!" Joshua shouted in triumph.
"Alakazam, Flash!" Hunter roared.
The two Scyther copies split into two more each, zooming towards Alakazam like all four points of a compass. Alakazam released a blinding flash which made the crowd wince and all four Scyther copies stumble, but remain intact as they tried to recover -
"Alakazam, Mega Punch!" Hunter shouted. "Wait for the right moment!"
Nodding, Alakazam watched and waited as the four Scyther copies flew forth. Colliding with one another, only one Scyther remained, scythes whirling upon Alakazam who seemed to be insubstantial, cutting through air.
"Incredible!" the announcer boomed. "Alakazam's teleported in the nick of time!"
"Scyther, Agility!" Joshua roared, losing his temper.
Materializing behind Scyther, Alakazam delivered a hefty punch which sent the Bug/Flying Pokemon sprawling to the ground. The crowd gasped and applauded for Alakazam, who had pulled off this tricky maneuver.
"Alakazam, Psychic!" Hunter shouted, as the crowd chanted his name.
Alakazam glowed bright and released a psychic blast upon the injured Scyther, but the Substitute disappeared into bright light as the real Scyther loomed behind Alakazam.
"Unbelievable!" the announcer cried. "Scyther's Substitute took the brunt of Alakazam's Psychic!"
"Watch out!" Hunter cried, but it was too late.
"Double Edge, Scyther!" Joshua yelled.
Scyther tackled Alakazam in the back, knocking it over several paces as the Bug/Flying type took sharp recoil, having already taken damage for creating a substitute. Scyther panted heavily.
"No way!" Hunter cried. "Alakazam, Teleport!"
But Alakazam was exhausted from its injuries, unable to lift a finger or levitate as Scyther pounced upon Hunter's Psychic-type with its scythes. The crowd cringed as red light shot out and returned Alakazam inside Hunter's Pokeball.
"Trainer Hunter's Alakazam has been defeated! Trainer Joshua wins the match!"
Up in the stands, Amy and Natalie clapped while Daniel watched in awe.
"I don't believe it," Daniel remembered to clap, deafened by a fan's cheer which almost blew his eardrums. "Scyther is one fast Pokemon."
"Joshua didn't even have to use his last Pokemon!" Natalie said, surprised. "No wonder. Primeape would've been a sitting Psyduck for a Psychic-type like Alakazam."
Amy glanced away from Hunter, who was modestly accepting the sympathy of the crowd and towards Joshua, whose fan base was less substantial and didn't look back as he walked off the podium. If she wanted to, she could contrive the circumstances of a conversation so that she could get the answer she needed:
Joshua, I am looking to evolve my Nidorina with a Moon Stone. Do you know of anybody who might have one?
Joshua! What a surprise to run into you. Let's grab some lunch - oh my! My Moon Stone has been stolen! I think I last saw it on Cycling Road...
Joshua. You were at the scene of the accident when I lost my Moon Stone, you own a Nidorino I haven't seen once in the tournament and you've been avoiding my eye for no good reason. C'mon, 'fess up. Why did you befriend me in Mt. Moon?
If Amy was wrong in her accusations, she would slide back down the Ekans on the board to square one. He might have an explanation, or he might have an excuse. Either way, she had to find out.
"Semi finalists!" boomed the announcer, to the departing crowd in a riotous frenzy of conversation. "Please present yourself at the announcer's podium at nine sharp in the morning!"
Daniel was relieved to have entered the semi finals. He congratulated his Pokemon on a stunning win, thought briefly of Melanie who would be going back to Lavender Town and hoped she would be OK. With Meowth curled up on his bed, Daniel went to bed early to rest for tomorrow's semi finals ceremony.
Natalie called her mother, confirming that she had won against Alesha. The conversation was short, but Natalie promised she would be home soon to help sort things out. Natalie repeated that she did not know how much the prize money was, to her mother's chagrin.
Amy poured Pokefood into the bowls separated for her three Pokemon, patting each of them in turn as she laid out her outfit for tomorrow. She had a long soak in the bath and wondered what Liam was doing at this moment, what journey he had ahead of him. Amy wasn't worried Liam would get hurt; rather, the people who he would hurt along the way.
"Beth! Time to get up!" Mary shouted, her voice filtering throughout the small house. "You don't want to miss your brother on TV!"
Beth nudged the covers, blearily glancing at her pink Jigglypuff alarm clock. Tossing the blankets off with such force that Vulpix was deluged underneath, Beth tripped in her haste to see Amy and Natalie live on TV. Vulpix tried to scramble free, picking up the scent of bacon which she sometimes snuck from her Trainer's plate.
Beth plopped on the rug in front of the TV, clutching the stained Ponyta Pokedoll which Natalie had bought for her. Although the Pokedoll no longer stank and remained dry, it had blue-grey patches in places but Beth refused to throw it out.
"Stay back from the TV, you'll get square eyes," Mary admonished. "Where's Vulpix?"
"Sleeping," Beth turned up the volume, watching on screen as the Indigo League logo flashed on. "Shush."
"Welcome to the Indigo League! For all those who are joining us, we are entering the semi finals of our Pokemon tournament!"
The camera zoomed in to show the podium where the announcer stood proud and confident, unlike the four nervous Trainers who stood in a row behind him. Daniel looked pale, Amy kept her posture straight, Natalie attempted a weak smile and Joshua's cool facade was undermined as he shuffled back and forth on his feet.
Meanwhile, Daniel looked out from the podium where the stands were packed to bursting. He averted his eyes from the cameras, knowing his mother and sister would want him watching but he was already so full of nerves he might hurl right then and there on live TV.
"We have our four semi finalists! Let's reveal the tournament bracket to see who will battle first," the announcer held his breath in a parody of anticipation.
The large screen descended to reveal the eight quarter finalists, of which four remained. The screen contracted to reveal which among the remaining four would battle each other.
"We have our result!" the announcer boomed. "The first of two battles in the semi finals is Trainer Amy vs. Trainer Natalie!"
Amy went pale. Natalie stared fixedly at the ground. Joshua folded his arms, grim. Daniel stared at the camera, at a loss for what to say.
"Well?" Beth snarled at the TV screen, safe and cozy at her home in Pallet. "Say something!"