Ash hadn't actually known that the Masked Royal's matches were televised, but Professor Burnet put one on in the middle of the afternoon during the weekend and that was sort of a big hint.
"Do you enjoy watching these?" she asked. "I don't want to distract you if you're working on something."
"It's fine!" Ash replied. "Hmm, maybe I should let Hawlucha know about these… maybe Heracross too?"
The Pokémon Ash was most sure would be interested was Torracat, but she was already watching.
"Hmm," she said, tilting her head on one side as they watched Incineroar battle an Electivire. "Something doesn't seem right about that guy."
"You mean the Electric-type, right?" Lycanroc checked. "What's so not right about him?"
"No, not the Electivire, actually," Torracat replied, pointing. "It's that Mr. Electric guy there. His body language isn't right – whoa!"
The gasp was entirely appropriate, because Incineroar had backed away close to the ropes and Mr. Electric had grabbed at Incineroar's leg.
"Now, the question is-" Torracat began, then her ears went flat as Incineroar freed himself but then got hit by a ball of fire from a Magmortar.
And Electivire was disqualified.
"That probably means it wasn't kayfabe, right?" Ash asked, glancing at Torracat as the expert. "Because if it was part of the match, they'd just have said that it was a terrible shame but let it keep going."
"Exactly," Torracat nodded.
Then, compounding the drama, the Magmortar's trainer challenged the Masked Royal to a Single Battle – the next day, if not sooner – for the title of Strongest Fighter.
"Well, at least it'll fit into his schedule," Pikachu observed, as the Masked Royal declared his acceptance. "Do you think this was planned?"
"Hmm," Torracat considered. "Actually, now that that's happened, I'm not actually sure. I never did get a firm answer from Incineroar about whether or not it was kayfabe."
"How do you get a straight answer?" Ash asked.
"They say yes," Torracat explained. "If they say no, saying no could just be part of the kayfabe."
Zygarde raised their head. "Call me a simple countryside dog, but I suspect that there's a bit of a flaw in your reasoning there," they said. "What you're saying is that there's no answer which would actually convince you that there isn't kayfabe."
"Well, no straight answer, no," Torracat agreed. "But it's a balance of probability thing. The more absurd things and plotlines happen, the more likely it is to be kayfabe. The more that kind of thing doesn't happen, the more likely it is to not be kayfabe."
She spread her paws. "Yes, it's confusing. Well noticed."
Professor Kukui got home half an hour or so later, and Professor Burnet greeted her husband at the door.
"Alola!" she said. "Were you watching the TV? There was an amazing Masked Royal match!"
"I managed to catch it, yes," Kukui confirmed.
"Then you know about the challenge match tomorrow!" Burnet replied. "We should all go and see it! Are you busy tomorrow?"
"Uh, well, there isn't anything else on my schedule?" Kukui said, a little nervously.
Ash raised his hand.
"Professor Kukui?" he began. "Is this kayfabe?"
"Huh?" Burnet asked. "What does that word mean? I heard you using it earlier a couple of times but I'm not familiar with it."
"It's complicated," Ash said. "Hey, Professor, can I have a word with you about a lesson plan?"
After Kukui had properly greeted his wife, and apologized for being busy, he went outside to speak to Ash.
"What is it?" he asked. "Before I forget, I'm probably going to need your help to slip away for the match-"
"That's actually what I was getting at," Ash replied.
He sat down on the sand. "I guess I just assumed you'd already told her? And you don't have to, I mean, if you really think you can keep getting away with it then you can try and I'll help, but is there a good reason why you haven't told Burnet about the Masked Royal?"
"...er," Kukui said. "It's… honestly, I think it's because by the time I was sure enough we were serious that I might have told her, it had become too awkward to just tell her. And that's just kept getting worse."
"But there's only really… four ways that can end, right?" Ash asked, counting on his fingers to emphasize. "Firstly, it just works out. You never let it slip, but you have to keep sneaking around until the Masked Royal hangs up his mask, and that sounds like it's something you should only do if you're sure that keeping it a secret is actually a good thing. It can work, Mew does that kind of thing a lot and so does Zoroark, but you need to decide that it's what you want to do because you want to hide rather than because you don't want to do anything else."
A tick. "Secondly, there's the one where she finds out by accident. And that's kind of… really bad? Because it means you were hiding something from her."
Another tick. "Thirdly, you could tell her, and sure, it's embarrassing once, but then you don't have to worry about it any more."
"...what's the fourth option?" Kukui asked.
"That's the kayfabe one," Ash said. "It's where she knows, but acts like she doesn't, because you both find it fun that way. You can still do all the sneaking around if you enjoy that, but if you make a mistake it's okay."
He waved his hand. "And, well, I guess it's up to you which one you choose, but you should really choose one instead of just trying to muddle along."
"Professor Burnet?" Ash said, some minutes later. "Is it okay if you take Professor Kukui's class to that Masked Royal match tomorrow?"
He grinned, and pulled out a wrestling mask. "Both their teachers are going to be ready to take part in the battle!"
Burnet looked over at the nervous Kukui standing in the doorway, then back at Ash.
"That does explain how fit he is," she said. "I thought it was a one-on-one match, though?"
"Yeah, it should be," Ash agreed. "But they tried having someone interfere with the match we saw on TV, so I'm bringing my own backup team! Torracat, because she's a wrestler, Hawlucha for the same reason, and King Dragonite because he's Royal and I think he can handle the rest well enough."
For the battle the next day, Ash and Kukui's whole class was in attendance – along with Professor Burnet, who sat them all down together as that way it was easier.
"Where's Mr. Ketchum?" Kiawe asked.
"He said he was busy," Burnet explained. "So is Kukui, he's handling something with his Pokémon."
"It's always a shame when something like that comes up," Kiawe admitted. "So far you guys have been great about schedules, but it sucks when I have a delivery to do on a day I'm hoping to do something else…"
"We're friends," Lillie pointed out. "So of course we do our best to allow for your schedule!"
"Plus, we're superheroes together, or… however you'd describe that," Lana added. "Wait, look, I think they're ready to start!"
The Revengers appeared first. Mr. Electric, Mad Magmar, Water-Wrath, Mucks, and Rock Steady.
"There's a lot of them," Mallow frowned. "I wonder why they've got so many-"
"Look!" Kiawe interrupted, pointing, and started simmering. "That's that Viren guy, he's the one running the team! How come he's here? Didn't he get arrested?"
"He's on bail before his trial, I think?" Sophocles muttered, opening his laptop. "Um… yeah, the bail amount is… big? I guess he really likes wrestling?"
Then the announcer said they were going to see the Masked Royal, and a surprise guest as the Double Royals, and everyone leaned forward in their seats.
The Masked Royal and his Incineroar posed together, and then so did his surprise guest – Ash Royal, complete with mask.
"...that's Ash, isn't it?" Lana asked. "Well, I guess he is busy!"
Ash's Pokémon for the battle appeared in a flash, and Viren immediately stood up out of his seat.
"That's not fair!" he said. "Battles have the same number of Pokémon per side!"
"Yeah!" Ash Royal agreed. "Which is why we've got the option to bring in more fighters if you bring in more fighters!"
He indicated them. "What do you think, Alola?"
"Is… is that a pun?" Kiawe asked. "Because what that looks like… is a Totem Pokémon."
The other students stared.
"...now you've said it, I agree with you," Lillie admitted.
King Dragonite was stood with his arms folded, a mask on his face, and his King's Rock crown on top of the mask.
On top of that was Torracat, sitting in the middle of the crown, with a domino mask on her muzzle.
And perched on top of her was Hawlucha, who didn't really need a mask of his own but had one anyway.
"The Double Royals bring to the arena Incineroar, Torracat by Royal Appointment, and backup Pokémon the Actual Royal King Dragonite and the Royally Masked Hawlucha!" the announcer said. "Let's get ready for the battle!"
"And when my team wins, I'll buy the Battle Dome and turn it into part of Rainbow Happy Resorts!" Viren added, to widespread boos.
"Wow," Sophocles said, exchanging a glance with Togedemaru. "That guy cannot stop himself, can he?"
The announcer said that it was a two-on-two tag battle, with one Pokémon allowed in the ring at a time, and Torracat jumped down from her spot in order to be ready to switch in.
The Masked Royal's Incineroar began the battle, going up against Magmortar, and the two Pokémon began slamming attacks into each other – Cross Chop against Karate Chop, Flamethrower against Throat Chop, neither Pokémon giving an inch.
At least, until the Masked Royal signalled, and Ash Royal ordered Torracat into the arena to replace Incineroar.
"Aerial Ace!" Ash Royal called, and Torracat sprang off the ropes. She hung in the air for at least a second, confusing Magmortar, then plunged down with a wham that knocked the Revenger Fire-type staggering backwards.
"Switch out!" Viren called.
Magmortar switched out with Electivire, and the Electric-type darted in to use Thunderpunch.
"Light yourself up!" Ash Royal instructed, prompting Torracat to set herself on fire.
Electivire's punch collided with the flaming Torracat and made the Revenger Pokémon flinch, shaking his hand, then at a word from Water-Wrath the Revengers' Poliwrath doused Torracat in water and produced a hiss of steam.
That didn't actually quench the fire, but Kiawe stood up and pointed. "Hey, that's not fair! They're cheating!"
"I'll allow it!" the referee said.
"What the-!" Kiawe seethed, then Mallow urgently got his attention and pointed.
Ash Royal's Hawlucha had jumped into the arena. And Torracat hadn't left.
"What's going on here?" Viren demanded. "This is one Pokémon at a time!"
"It was!" the referee agreed. "But your Poliwrath was involved at the same time as your Electivire, so now it's two Pokémon at a time."
"Rrrgh!" Viren growled. "One of you send your Pokémon in to help Electivire!"
Water-Wrath and Rock Steady tried to send their Pokémon in to join in at the same time, meaning the Poliwrath and Alolan Golem got jammed up against one another, then Mucks and his Alolan Muk hauled Poliwrath back to allow Golem in instead.
"I take it back," Kiawe decided, belatedly sitting back down. "This is amazing suddenly."
Now working together, Torracat and Hawlucha – then Torracat and Incineroar, then Hawlucha and Incineroar – kept on their toes, wings or assorted delicate movement systems, making sure the Revengers were pressured heavily and trading around moves like Darkest Lariat, Double Clothesline or Flying Press.
It was especially noteworthy when both Torracat and Hawlucha used Flying Press at the exact same time, slamming Poliwrath from both sides.
Then, hopping mad with how the five Pokémon in his team were losing out to three opponents, Viren committed a terrible mistake.
He had Mucks' Muk grab at Torracat's paw as she prepared to pounce.
"DragonITE!" King Dragonite cheered, swooping into the ring so fast it sent a ripple of wind around the whole Battle Dome, and grabbed Poliwrath and Magmortar in an extremely enthusiastic hug.
"Is that a bear hug?" Lana asked.
"I think it's a dragon hug," Kiawe replied, as Dragonite demonstrated that rather than do more conventional attacks he was just going to stick with Bind, thank you very much.
Viren was very cross about the Revengers' defeat, and sent out his Pangoro to attack, but he was more cross when Pangoro insisted that he wasn't going to get involved because unlike his trainer he'd actually listened to the parole terms.
Kiawe announced that it had been the best evening.
AN:
Pangoro isn't sure if the terms would mean prison for him too, but he's not willing to try...