By the time that Ace and Canis emerged from the secret tunnel out of Esther, they found themselves inside of a lush green forest. Ace dribbled his tiny Pyro Ball out of the hole and gently kicked it into a nearby stream, putting the flame out. He then turned and helped Canis out of the hole. Once they both made it out of there, Canis soon hid the hole well with some nearby shrubbery so nobody could find it.
Once the deed was done, Ace asked "So, we just locate Zeraora next, right?"
Canis groaned a bit, before asking "Must you always ask unnecessary questions?"
"Hey, I told you I'm sorry, didn't I?" Ace stated meekly. "I honestly had no idea they became Team Inferno of all things."
Canis turned to face Ace with a huff and soon gripped him by the scruff of fur on his chest to pull him closer. "Look, I've been knocked unconscious, captured against my will, got told that Josh and Adam are Team Inferno, learned that they are going to take part in a battle with Team Delta tomorrow, and had to crawl through a dark and claustrophobic tunnel for half an hour, all within a short period of time. I am not in the mood to be given such obvious questions, especially since you've been nothing but a bumbling fool these past few years because you thought you were not going to see your former teammate after the old team name was stripped from the records. I do not need to be reminded about those two boys at the moment, because you yourself kept on reminding me at every opportunity since we first met."
"Duly noted…" Ace said with a sheepish smile. "It's just that Jos- AH! I mean 'you know who' was the only thing on my mind since Zach died. I worried for him, and he told me the team was disbanded and that I was a fool if I was to follow him to Zero Isles, saying that I was only going to get in the way!"
Canis soon let go of Ace, shoving him aside as he took a moment to breathe and collect his thoughts. Crossing his arms, he averted his gaze and stared at the stars above. He didn't even bother saying a word, looking up at the sky and noticing a trio of bird Pokémon (an Altaria and two Swablu) fly from the direction of the mountains. He trembled, lowered his arms, and soon looked into one of the trees to see a Primeape and a pair of Mankey swing onto the branches before he then snuggled with the pair on one of the branches to rest their eyes. Canis then turned towards the stream, walking towards it, and seeing a school of Goldeen and Seaking swimming deep in the water.
The Lucario fell to his knees, staring at his reflection, made clear thanks to the moonlight overhead. As he looked at himself, he mentioned "For three years, I thought I had lost them. So naturally, I came here to find them. I didn't ask to log into this game under a new account. Nor did I even mean to stay here long. I was beginning to lose hope after searching for so long. The moment that I saw Zeraora's wanted poster, all that I wanted was to pray that those boys didn't get themselves killed. I needed time to think things over, especially since I've heard of the attack coming from Mount Ebott, and that two people died that day. I was afraid I had lost them for good." Tears began to form in his eyes as he stared at his reflection in the water. "I thought I failed them as a father, and that they were as good as dead. The reason why I didn't log in for a good while was because I needed to know for sure that those boys were alright. I feared the worst happened and I couldn't save them, but as soon as I got to see them and their atrophied bodies in those hospital beds, I swear I could feel my heart leap for joy knowing that they were alive. I did not want to leave their side."
Ace felt sorry for his partner, and sat down next to him by the stream. "Canis… I know you think you're responsible for them, and I get it. You helped raise them. They are your pride and joy. To lose them so suddenly…" He sighed, looking at his reflection in the water as well. "I wonder if I would feel the same way if my own father died on me suddenly. We hardly ever connected, so ever since Mom died, the only people I seemed to really rely on were my friends. I figured I had made the greatest friend ever with Josh when we met in-game." He then turned to Canis, and with a smile, added "Remember when you told me that you were his father? The day when we first met? And not only that, you were willing to do anything just to speak to him again. Even enter the very game the both of them got trapped in just to get the chance to run across them. Call me a fool, but I think the real fool is the one who has his heart set in the right place, and is willing to risk anything to return to his two children."
Canis grunted, slashing at the water with his paw, before turning his back towards Ace again as he quietly started sobbing. "They're alive… Josh and Adam are alive, waiting for me. I want to see them again, more than anything. However, growing stronger to try and find them made me realize something."
"What's that?" Ace asked.
Canis held his legs in his arms as tears fell from his face. "That my own goal of rescuing two people was just too selfish of me. I was so desperate. I wanted to hear their voices again. Just once, I wanted to see their smiles as we all embrace in a hug and catch up on lost time. And then…I met you." He stared up at the sky, and he looked at the bright moon and stars above them. "You and I have been through a lot together as Team Alpha. We climbed mountains. Trekked across desserts. Sailed across vast oceans. Even sharing simpler times together before we got roped up into the mess regarding trapped players. Two years ago, today, if I can remember correctly."
"Yeah," Ace mentioned with a smirk. "You always were rather serious back then. You even risked your life to save mine, despite the attack being a Ground-type move that could've destroyed you."
"Hey, I was still a Riolu at the time I got to take that attack," Canis said smugly. "I only evolved when I used Quick Attack on that Swampert and we both fell over the edge of that cliff."
"Into a river of lava, which could've killed you and sent you out of the dungeon," Ace pointed out. "Luckily, you grabbed that ledge and evolved."
"Only because you didn't want to leave a trapped player in danger in that dungeon because he was being hunted down," Canis said with a smile.
"Heh, yeah. I guess that's just who I am, right?" Ace stated.
"Yeah." Canis then looked at his paw, recalling the feeling of a heartbeat inside of Ryutori. He then clenched his paw into a fist and stood up onto his feet. He looked down at Ace with a smile, mentioning "As much as having to spend my days in the very game that took my children away pains me, I'm glad you managed to meet with me, Ace. I couldn't have made it this far without you."
"Same here, buddy," Ace said, as he was soon helped up by Canis. As they both locked their paws together out of kindness and respect for one another, they both smiled with renewed confidence. "You still wish to see Josh and Adam, and I'm going to still do what I can to help, David. Say the word, I'll be there in a flash."
"I know I can always rely on you, Ace," Canis said. "You'd pretty much be lost without me anyways."
They both started to laugh as they no longer felt any sort of emotional problems holding them both down. As a matter of fact, they both felt like a massive weight had been lifted. They took the time to stare out into the stream, and they felt a new sense of meaning flow into their bodies. Canis, his real name being David Benson, our father, no longer felt like he should worry about us.
After all, he now had a single goal in mind: to find and capture Zeraora. Not just for us, but for all of the trapped players.
Looking back at Ace, he patted the Cinderace on the back. "What do you say we check out Mount Sanda, Ace?" he asked. "That Zeraora is bound to still be there if we search that mountain from top to bottom."
Ace nodded. "I like the sound of that. But what if he's not up there?"
"Well…we can always search for him tomorrow, right?" Canis said. "If we don't find him, we'll camp out near the river, and if we're lucky, we'll even gather some supplies and watch Josh and Adam in the competition tomorrow."
Ace beamed brightly at the suggestion. "I like the sound of that. But first, we have a mountain to revisit."
"Right." Canis then led the two of them through the forest, and followed the stream upriver until they soon adjusted and traveled east. East towards Mount Sanda.
Josh and I could wait. He just had one loose end that needed to be taken care of first. That's our dad for you. Placing other's needs above his own. No wonder Josh yearned to be just like him.
Chapter 36: The Tournament
Saturday, June 8th. Today was the day where everything was to be put on the line. Spectators from all over the world were gathering around the Talis Stadium, anticipating the match between Team Inferno and Team Delta. The competition was labeled as "Delta Match: Team Inferno vs Team Delta" on a massive billboard, as crowds flocked into the stadium, whether by air, land, or water. The sponsor of the tournament being Infernick, one of the Top 5, seemed to also be one of intrigue, which from name recognition alone, attracted a rather large crowd into the stadium itself.
Username: Eccho Species: Loudred
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" Eccho announced. "Welcome to the Talis Stadium for what is considered a first within our five years of competitions. Today only, we are about to witness what many folks are considering history in the making, as two teams from our local Solace Guild are gathering here to compete in a series of 1-v-1 battles. As always, I am your humble announcer, Eccho, coming at you live at the stadium to provide you with coverage over today's activities. Joining me today on this fine day is my co-announcer, Yamatochi."
Username: Yamatochi Species: Hydreigon
"Yes, and I must say, today is turning into quite the busy crowd," Yamatochi said after his partner. "This is likely due to the fact that the legendary player, Infernick, is the one to be the host of this battle competition. A first for this stadium, if memory serves me correctly."
"That it is, Yamatochi. Not to mention that both of the teams competing were trained under him, with Team Delta in particular being the stars of several competitions in the past. However, many players are here mainly because some of them are rooting for the underdogs in this competition, Team Inferno."
"Careful now, Eccho. I've heard that the Lucario of Team Inferno, LucarioTrainerJ, is rather picky with regards to being labeled as a dog in front of his peers. However, I'm sure he'll have plenty of bite to back up his bark with the big show-stopping final bout between him and Team Delta's leader, D-Volt. Ironically, a first for the both of them, since this is technically their first tournament."
"Not by the purest definition, but that's true. However, I'm sure plenty of Team Delta fans are here to root for the likes of Rinekai and Wulfrock to make their appearances once again on the field of battle, since they've proven their capabilities and then some in many of our competitions, earning a whopping 17 victories between the two of them combined. I'm sure they're bound to show their capabilities once again in full force with today's lineup, since the both of them seem to be given a bit of a surprise, as their opponents are to be voted through a poll that's determined by the audience attending the stadium as we speak, or by those of you watching this tournament through a livestream in another town, or back home. Place your votes down on the menu if you're playing the game and viewing this experience, or if you can't log in, be sure to vote in the Tournament Bracket on who you think should battle first, and we'll give you the results starting at 12:00 Noon Central, 1:00 PM Eastern, or 10:00 AM Pacific. Be sure to vote for your favorite matchup!"
As the two announcers were continuing on with their usual drivel about the tournament, Chris and Nolan were already sitting in the audience in the third-row seats. They both looked at the poll in front of them, and on their menus, they were presented with four options: Rinekai vs BlazeTiger; Rinekai vs BlossumBelle; Wulfrock vs BlossumBelle; Wulfrock vs BlazeTiger. The pair mulled over their options over who gets to go first, and as they did, Chris was quick to take notice over how many people were entering into the seats. There were plenty of Flying-types or levitating Pokémon that could simply spectate over the battles from high above the stadium, perching over the ledge, or even having to come in from above to find seats with their friends.
Speaking of, Chris looked to his left, finding that Cross has yet to arrive at the Stadium, and they even reserved a seat specifically for him for when he arrives. Chris grimaced, before asking Nolan "How long until the tournament starts?"
"Eine Stunde," Nolan answered, looking at Chris. "We have time. Just be patient."
"You expect me to sit here for an hour to wait for Cross to arrive?" Chris asked nervously. "Normally, he doesn't take this long."
"Maybe he overslept?" Nolan guessed.
"Sleep isn't the problem, my friend," a familiar voice said to Nolan's right. The pair soon looked at the seats on their right, and found that suddenly, they were filled by the two Meowstic, Lucian and Sabrina. Sabrina was messing around with a marionette in front of her while Lucian sat there, his eyes glued to a book that was titled "Firestarter."
Chris scowled as he glared at the pair of them. "What are you doing here?"
"We're going to watch a tournament, obviously," Sabrina pointed out. "We live here, after all. Not to mention, we have nothing better to do because we can't run teleportation services."
"So naturally, Kaido's Legends Guild was kind enough to offer services just for today by allowing a random Hatterenne named WickenWitch to provide services," Lucian added. "Obviously, she got some help from other Psychic-types in that guild, but their lack of practice with services such as this left a lot to be desired."
"Thankfully, we have express air taxis from the Corviknight Unit in Oina to help with escorts and deliveries. Unfortunately, those busses get crowded, and size does matter in the long run."
"I blame myself."
"I blame Team Inferno."
"I thought you got over that?"
"I did. That doesn't mean I forgave them for what they did, though."
Chris sighed, sitting down and keeping quiet. He stared at the options he had on the menu, and he asked Nolan "What do you think we should vote for?"
"Well, for starters, they're still taking baby steps," Nolan said. "I'd say we pick the one battle that we both agree is geared to guarantee a win."
Chris nodded in response, and the two of them placed their votes on the one battle they thought would be the easiest: Wulfrock vs BlossumBelle. Once the vote was over, Chris sighed with relief as he sat there, waiting for Cross to show up.
"Choosing the easy route, eh?" Lucian said, giving them both a look. "Very interesting…"
"You know, if you want, you could tell us who goes first instead of sitting there reading a book," Chris remarked.
"I would, but that would be cheating," Lucian stated bluntly. "I'd rather leave the element of surprise."
"Of course you would…" Chris chose not to argue any further and got up from his seat. Turning to Lucian, he asked him "I'm going to wait for Cross by the entrance. Want me to pick up something on the way back?"
"Ja. Want to grab some ice cream and bring it over?" Nolan suggested.
"I'll see what I can do," Chris answered. He then fluttered his wings and took off towards the stadium exit, leaving the Aegislash alone with the two Meowstic.
Nolan sat there in silence for a good moment, before he then leaned towards Lucian, looking at the title of the book, and asking "Isn't that a Stephen King novel?"
"Ah, so you've read it," Lucian said with a smile.
"Ah…no. I haven't. I'm just saying…isn't that book…you know…"
Lucian stifled a laugh before he said "Not to worry! The pages are blank. See?" Lucian then turned the book towards Nolan's direction, and like he said, the pages on the book were completely empty.
Nolan was just absolutely perplexed by this, and was unable to come up with the right words to describe how confused he is. Sensing his confusion, Lucian admitted "I'm not allowed to bring any adult books into the game. So, I just predict when I can read them in the future, and read the blank pages like they were actually full of words."
"That makes no sense," Nolan said in confusion.
"Don't think about it too hard. You'll hurt yourself," Lucian pointed out, going back to his book. "The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma."
"Oy vey…" Nolan muttered, choosing to listen to Nolan's advice and not think about it. "By the way, I don't think I've read Firestarter. Is it any good?"
"It depends on who you ask," Lucian answered.
"Right. So, what is it about, anyways?" Nolan asked curiously.
"A young girl with fire powers that's running away from terrifying government officials," Lucian summarized. "I'd go into more details, but…spoilers. You know."
Nolan understood that, at least. "So…what's the significance?"
"One of the futures I see is engulfed in flames conjured by a girl with pyrokinetic abilities," Lucian answered bluntly. "I'm sure you know what that entails."
"Ah, right," Nolan nodded. "Fräulein Rinekai, I take it?"
Lucian adjusted his glasses before turning the page of his book. "Bingo."
"And how many futures have you seen that Team Inferno wins, perchance?" Nolan asked curiously.
"At least 19 Million. But most of them lead to a bad future afterwards."
"A bad future?" Nolan stated with worry.
"He means the one future where everyone can escape from being trapped here is one out of 19 Million outcomes," Sabrina described to him. "He's like Clearsight in a way."
"I'm sorry, who's Clearsight?" Nolan asked, feeling slightly more confused.
Lucian adjusted his glasses at the statement made by his sister. "Told you not to mention Wings of Fire."
Meanwhile, Chris was walking around the outside of the stadium, pacing back and forth as he waited for the arrival of Cross. As he looked out into the crowd, all he could see were hundreds of random players scattered about, chatting to each other over who they think is going to win, who the best fighters are, rumors regarding the fighters, et cetera. The busy crowds themselves made it difficult to see if there were any signs of a Gallade walking about.
Resorting to using his badge for communications, he groaned in irritation. He pushed a button on the badge that was attached to his scarf, and began talking. "Cross, are you there? It's literally past 11:00. Where are you?" No response after a little while. Frustrated, he tried again. "Cross! This is serious! Where are you?" Still no response. Once more, he tried again, only this time, he took a deep breath, and upon pushing the button, he yelled at the top of his lungs "CROSS! WHERE ARE YOU!?"
This no doubt caused several wayward glances down his direction, as he ultimately disturbed quite the number of players from his yelling alone. Thankfully, he heard some static on the other side of the badge, and recognized Cross's voice. "Alright, Chris! I read you loud and clear! Jeez! Were you trying to make me deaf?"
Chris sighed with relief as he was glad to hear Cross's voice once again. "Sorry about that. Nolan and I are already at the stadium waiting for you. What's your location?"
"I'm still at the Solace Guild," Cross mentioned. "Josh, Adam and I are already having breakfast. I chose to gather plenty of apples for them."
"Yeah, well, if you don't get here within the next half-hour, the tournament is going to start without them, so please pick up the pace!" Chris requested.
"Roger that!" Cross replied. "We'll get there as fast as we can! Over and out!"
Chris sighed, turning look towards the stadium. He obviously can't force Cross to move faster. So instead, he looked and found a nearby stall that was run by a Vanillish. He did promise to get some ice cream, after all.
As he stepped into line, he was directly behind an Ursaring and a Poliwhirl. It took him a few minutes of his time until he finally made it to the stall after stepping in line, but the moment he started walking forward, the Vanillish greeted him with a friendly smile. "Hi! How can I help you?"
"Um…this is the stall for ice cream, right?" Chris asked curiously.
"Duh! Isn't it obvious?" the Vanillish said. "How can I help you?"
Looking up the menu of the stall, he figured he should get something else for Cross while he was at it. And, as much as he didn't want to, he also decided it was best to order some ice cream for the Meowstic siblings, too, since he technically owed them after what happened at Mount Ebott. "I will have a Frosty Pecha Smoothie, one Tropius Fruit Pop, a Gummi Shake, and two Sea Salt Supremes."
"Wow! A full house, I take it?" the Vanillish asked with joy.
"You don't know the half of it," Chris pointed out. "How much?"
"Alright, let's see…" The Vanillish summed up his order, and said "Would you like me to send somebody to deliver it to your seats? It'll only cost about an extra 500 Poké."
Chris shrugged and gave a smile. "Eh, why not? Me and my friends are seated in Row 3, seats 17 to 21."
"Alright, perfect! Your total then is 2,700 Poké." Chris paid the Vanillish the cash for the ice cream, and the Vanillish twirled around in delight after placing the money away. "Thanks for coming! We'll have your ice cream ready for you in about 20 minutes. Enjoy the festivities!"
Chris nodded in kind. "Thank you." As he was on his way back to the stadium, he was then shocked to see that Wulfrock was there by the entrance, eating one of the Tropius Fruit Pops as he sat there. He apparently was also wearing a trenchcoat and fedora combo, which looked practically comical for Chris to witness. "Oh my God…"
As Chris approached the Lycanroc, the wolf Pokémon averted his gaze, trying to blend in with the crowd. Chris struggled to contain his laughter, asking "What are you wearing?"
"A coat and hat, obviously," Wulfrock answered. "I wanted some ice cream, and I didn't want to grab anyone's attention."
"Why? You're practically famous here," Chris pointed out. "You and Rin are the stars of this arena, aren't you?"
"Look, just try to get some ice cream before a big tournament and you yourself are a regional champion," Wulfrock stated towards Chris with a smirk. "Fame is one thing, but not being able to enjoy the finer things in life because of that fame, that's a different story."
Chris nodded. "Yeah, I guess you have a point. I've only seen Cross compete in maybe five or six tournaments, and even then, he wasn't really strong enough to make it to the finals."
"No kidding," Wulfrock said with a grin, taking a bite of his ice cream. "Didn't he mention he won a few tournaments in the past, though?"
"When he was with EbonySol, yes," Chris mentioned. "Unfortunately, shortly after being trapped in this world and separated from his best friend, I guess he didn't last too long because he worried he might end up in critical condition."
"Ooh… Not exactly a good vote of confidence," Wulfrock admitted. "If he's that worried about his own safety, he likely shouldn't be competing in any tournaments to begin with."
"Yeah. I heard they can get pretty brutal," Chris mentioned.
"All the more reason why I think this tournament setup is a bad idea," Wulfrock said, finishing up his ice cream. "But apparently, Nick insisted that we go through with it, so there's no going back." He then tossed the stick aside, before it disintegrated into pixels. "Frankly speaking, Rin and I were planning to stage a coup in case Volt didn't change his mind on this setup. It's funny how life works that way, right?"
Chris stifled a laugh at the lengths that Wulfrock was willing to go with this. "You really care about Josh and Adam, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Wulfrock said with a smile. "I've been looking out for them for years, after all."
Chris nodded, and once again gave a slight chuckle. "Well, here's hoping today goes smoothly, right?"
"Oh, I sure hope so," Wulfrock said, turning as he started walking into the stadium. "Because unfortunately, we were ordered by Nick to give it our all out there. No hesitation, either. He convinced us to treat this like any regular tournament battle. Either you win, or fail trying your best." He then waved back at the Scyther as he kept walking. "Here's hoping your training paid off."
Once Wulfrock entered into the stadium, Chris was left with a newfound feeling of dread. He was nervous, as he remembered his battle with me the other day, and recalled how I hesitated to defeat him. He even remembered what I said to him.
"I promised I wouldn't go off the rails during training, otherwise I could lose myself to the Incineroar I've been labeled to be. If I'm being honest, I'd much rather be who I think I should be, not what a game tells me to be."
Chris started to feel rather worried. He looked towards the direction of the Solace Guild, and thought about the training we all went through. All the while, questions started piling on in his head.
What if the training wasn't good enough?
What if we were going to be trapped here forever?
What if we don't win?
"Come on! Hurry!" I yelled as I shuffled my feet near the doorway. "Rose is already waiting for us at the stadium! We don't want to keep her waiting!"
"I'm going as fast as I can here!" Josh yelled back as he was close to finishing up his breakfast. "It's not my fault that my mouth isn't as large as yours."
"I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS, YOU KNOW!" I yelled back. "Now hurry! Cross already went ahead!"
"Alright, already!" Josh exclaimed finishing up his breakfast, before picking up a glass of juice and guzzling it down. Once he finished, he wiped his lip, set the glass down, and rushed towards the door to meet me. "Come on! Let's go!"
We both ran as fast as we possibly could as we raced to the stadium further north. We were already running pretty close to when the events of the tournament were to properly take place, so naturally, we were in a panic as we kept on doing what we can to pick up the pace.
We technically overslept a little last night, due to the fact that Josh was having constant nightmares regarding Chris likely killing him in his sleep. Nightmares were nothing new for Josh, since he usually gets tormented on occasion by them regarding the past. This time, however, was different.
Last Night…
Josh was flailing about as he was constantly having a difficult time trying to get some sleep. His constant panic attacks were enough to keep me awake for a few hours, because he felt like he was going to get ambushed at a moment's notice and get himself into trouble.
I groaned as I sat up in my bed, watching how Josh was able to wake up in a cold sweat for what felt like the seventh time that night. "Why don't you play that one song that soothed your soul?" I suggested groggily. "Oración, I think it was called."
Josh shuddered as he clutched his head. "I can see them now… They're out to get me…"
"Which one is it this time?" I guessed. "Zeraora? Snipeard? Chris? Volt? …You?"
Josh sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "All of them," he admitted. "Is it just me, or am I just given the worst deck of cards in life?"
"Hey, Josh, it's going to be okay," I reassured. "Nobody's going to kill you, I promise."
Josh smiled as his eyes with wide awake. A sign he was still partially unhinged. "I don't know if I can do this… Today's bombshell of information is more than enough to destroy whatever comfort I have left! I'm on the verge of a panic attack here!"
"Already too late for that one…" I pointed out in annoyance.
Just then, the door knocked, and I got up to answer it. Once I opened the door, Cross was standing there, his eyes all droopy and puffy. "Is he still having nightmares?" he asked in annoyance.
"Sadly, yes," I answered. "Can you help, please? I'm trying to get some sleep."
Cross sighed, and groggily walked into our room. As he approached Josh's bed, he rested a hand over Josh's arm, and said "You seriously need to get some sleep. It's literally 1:00 in the morning, and your constant screaming isn't helping much."
Josh sighed, and crossed his arms. "I'm sorry. It's just that today was pretty rough… Living in fear, knowing that I'm on the brink of near-death… I just want it to end."
"We all do," Cross said, kneeling down to look at Josh closely. "But you can't be dwelling in the past, Josh. What happened today is not leaving this room."
Josh smirked at Cross. "You know, 1:00 AM means it's a new day."
Cross was getting partially annoyed. "Is that a joke, or are you being serious?"
Josh sighed, a look of concern on his face. "I miss home…"
It took him three years for him to say it, but here we are. At long last, he finally admits it. Granted, I think the sleep deprivation helped in that regard. But yeah… I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. And that maybe he just needs some time to feel better about himself. But judging from his near panicked state, I could tell that kind words could only help so much.
Groaning, realizing what I had to do, I walked over to Josh's bed, and said "Scooch over. I'm sleeping with you tonight."
Josh and Cross were both equally surprised to hear about this from me. Thankfully, they allowed me to lay down in bed next to my brother. Because of my larger size, Josh ended up feeling nearly squished near the wall, all the while I wrapped my arm around him in an act of comfort. Almost instantly, Josh started to feel less tense, and as I shushed him to sleep, he conked out like a light. A smile soon showed on his face, as he was once again at peace.
I sighed with relief, amazed over how this actually worked. All the while, I heard Cross trying desperately to hold back his laughter. I turned to face him, and as he barely kept it in, he admitted "You two are adorable together."
"Say a word of this to anybody, and I'll wring your neck," I threatened (not that would follow through on that threat anyways).
"Okay! Okay!" Cross said with a few chuckles in between. "Now, good night you two." And just like that, he left and returned to his own room.
I could then hear faint snoring coming from Josh as he was fast asleep in my arms. He then wrapped his arms around my torso, cautious of the chest spike he had on him, which he seemed to create a sort of small protective bubble of aura to prevent himself from impaling me. He seemed so peaceful like this. It was almost hard to imagine that he was still my older brother at times.
I sighed, gently wrapping my arms around Josh, petting at his back as I closed my eyes. I muttered to myself "What am I going to do with you?" It didn't take long for sleep to take hold of me, as I started having dreams about life back at home.
By the time I woke up, Josh was still fast asleep on top of my chest, resting his weary head over my pecs. I felt partially embarrassed to have to go through with something like this, but I had my limits, obviously. I placed my hand on Josh's shoulder, gently shaking him, and saying "Get up, Josh. Hey! Wake up."
Josh groggily got up as he opened his eyes, letting out a massive yawn. As he rubbed at his eyes as he was about to wake up, he looked down a bit and saw that he ended up sleeping on my torso. This instantly shot him awake like he was suddenly given a big cup of coffee all at once, and as he looked at me in the face, he said "Did we…?"
"It's not what it looks like, Josh," I reassured him. "We're brothers, after all."
"Uh…right," Josh said, already climbing off of me as he started doing morning stretches.
I yawned as I sat up on the bed, doing some stretches as well to loosen up the muscles. The moment we were both done with our stretches, I asked him "What time is it?"
Josh looked out the window to verify the time, and as he looked at the streets, he could see dozens upon dozens of Pokémon making their moves north to the stadium. Josh then looked up to the sky, and saw that the sky was light blue, and there were a few tiny clouds moving gently in the wind.
Josh then made an immediate beeline to Cross's room across the hall, all the while I got up on my feet. I then took a look at Josh's shelf, where I looked down at the framed photo of the two of us. The picture was of the both of us sitting down, with Josh sitting in my lap. I rested my head on top of his and gave the biggest smile I could, while Josh looked up at me and seemed like he was a little embarrassed to be beneath me. I couldn't help but smile at the picture, thinking back to simpler times before we got ourselves involved with a ton of crazy shenanigans.
I soon set the picture down, where Josh slammed open the bedroom door, his eyes wide with panic. "WE OVERSLEPT!" he yelled.
All at once, adrenaline started to rush through me as I too began to panic. "WHAAAAAAT!?"
We both rushed downstairs as we made our way to the dining hall. Cross was already there, finishing up his breakfast as he saw us rushing to the door. "Hey!" he yelled, stopping us in our tracks. "Why don't you guys eat something before going to the stadium! You can't fight on an empty stomach, you know."
"Uh…uh…uh…" Josh then grabbed my arm and dragged me to the table Cross was sitting at, where he then asked "Is Rose up?"
"I contacted Chris earlier as soon as I woke up," Cross mentioned. "Rose is waiting for you at the stadium."
Josh sighed with relief, turning his attention to me, and shouting "Get some eggs, bacon, and toast! We're eating light!"
"UH, ROGER!" I yelled as I made my way towards the buffet stand, and gathering up the eggs and bacon onto plates. I rushed the plates towards the table a Josh was starting to pour some juice from a pitcher into some glasses.
Josh noticed the lack of toast, yelling "GET SOME FREAKING TOAST ALREADY! HURRY!"
"AAAAHHHH…" I ran back to the buffet stand, and I ended up grabbing some toast. As I rushed back to the table, I gave Josh his toast, and he began to guzzle it down. I sat down next to him, ultimately digging into my breakfast at a record pace.
Suddenly, we heard a voice call out "CROSS! WHERE ARE YOU!?" rather loudly, almost making me and Josh panic. Cross groaned, getting up onto his feet, and telling us "Eat some fruit as well, while you're at it. I'll see you at the stadium." He then pulled out his badge and started calling back to Chris on the other end. He left the dining hall, allowing us both to eat the rest of our breakfast in peace.
I think we all know what happens from here.
Josh and I ran all the way to the stadium entrance, with Cross already standing there patiently for us. We both slowed down to a stop, panting as we were both out of breath. Having difficulty breathing, I asked "Did we…make…it?"
"The tournament doesn't start for another 10 minutes," Cross said. "You're on time."
"Good…" Josh panted. "Because…I'm going…to rest…my legs…" Instantly, he fell to his knees, exhausted just as much as I was.
Cross shook his head at us and gave a cheeky smile. "You two truly are something else. Well, I'll be seeing you after this is over. Good luck!" And just like that, he walked inside, making his way towards the bleachers to be with his team.
Josh and I took a minute to catch our breath, but soon, we entered the stadium as well. And sure enough, already there to greet us was D-Volt and Infernick. Volt crossed his arms in disappointment, scowling at us. "You're late," he said.
"We overslept…" Josh admitted. "It happens sometimes."
"Well maybe next time, I'll set an alarm clock," Volt retorted. "That way, we know for certain you won't be late again!"
"Mike… Remember what we talked about," Nick said with a slight glare to his former teammate. "Save your frustrations for the battlefield."
Mike groaned, and took a deep breath. Now that he was partially calmed down, he looked at me and Josh, and mentioned "Remember, it's best two out of three. In case you score one win and I score one win, the deciding match will be between the two of us. However, if you and your team score two victories, it might not even get to that point. Of course, it all depends on what the audience polls say."
"Audience polls?" I asked. "On what?"
"We left it up to the audience on which battle gets to go first," Nick said. "I wanted to test the waters on a new kind of system at play when we do tournaments in the future. Vote for your favorites, and they will be the ones who will fight. It's that simple."
"Well, in that case, I'm pretty much looking forward to the results," Josh quipped.
Volt sneered at Josh, but gave a rather cocky grin shortly afterwards. "I think you overestimated yourself, Mutt," he said. "Because Team Delta is not going down easy. We're giving you everything that we've got out there. So, I'm expecting your team to do the same."
Josh returned that grin right back at him. "In that case, may the best 'mon win!" He soon held out his paw, expecting Volt to shake it in return.
Volt, however, did not. He just stared at the paw for a bit, before looking at Josh directly in the eye. "You will earn the privilege to shake my hand if you win." He slapped Josh's paw aside, and turned around to enter into the waiting room with the rest of his team.
Josh stood there in relative silence, taking into account the way Volt rejected his handshake. Feeling a little sorry for my brother, I patted his shoulder, and I mentioned "I'm sure he'll come around eventually."
Josh scoffed, lowering his paw as he stared at the direction Volt walked off to. "Doesn't he know anything about sportsmanship?"
Nick sighed as he walked towards me and Josh and rested his hands over our shoulders. "Look, Volt is just being stubborn. That's all." As he gave us both a smile, I could see that he was rather nervous, much like we were about all of this. "Well, in a few minutes, we'll see whether or not your training paid off. If I'm being honest, I'm pretty anxious."
"Hey, we'll be fine," Josh said with reassurance. "After all, now that you're here watching, I'm feeling like we have every opportunity to prove ourselves. We're both your students. Might as well show Volt what that entails."
Nick chuckled as he leaned closely and gave us both a hug. Once that was over, he started walking off and mentioned "Well, I'm going to be referee in this tournament, so in case something is being objected by either side, know this. I'm expecting both sides to give their everything out there." He says that, however, I was just nervous about what that would mean for some of us entering the arena. I wondered if I could even live up to expectations, given I'm still nervous about my own true strength.
Nick soon waved goodbye as he walked off, ready to enter into the arena to take his position as referee. Once he was out of sight, Josh looked at me thinking things over carefully. My own thoughts were racing. I have to give it my all, but what if it isn't enough? Will I lose myself in the battle once I use my full strength? What if Josh looks at me as a savage? Oh man… I don't even want to think about it anymore. Maybe Rose will go first and I could be given an easy out? That would be nice. Oh, I sure hope Rose goes first and wins.
Josh soon patted my arm, grabbing my attention. Without saying a word, he signaled for me to follow him into the waiting lobby where Rose was waiting for us. While we were walking, Josh mumbled "I'm sorry, Adam…"
"Hmm?" What's this one about?
"I've been putting you under a ton of pressure these past three years," Josh admitted. "As team leader, I hold myself responsible for the way I've been leading the both of us. All of these years of training, and you've been holding yourself back on purpose. I kind of feel like a failure as a leader as a result."
"Josh, I don't think you're a failure," I said. "You were just trying to protect me."
"Because I know for a fact that you blame yourself for placing me in danger," Josh said, catching me by surprise. He sighed, mentioning "After we got trapped here, and after Zero Isles, I kept on shouldering the burden of leading us back home. Unfortunately, all of these years of searching for a way out takes its toll on me. I can't help but think that you're holding yourself back for my sake."
"Well…" Anxiously, I gave a concerned gaze towards him. "You're not wrong."
Josh nodded, sulking a bit once we reached the door to the waiting lobby. After he took a deep breath, he said to me "I'm counting on you, Adam."
I crossed my arms and replied "I know."
"No, you don't," Josh said.
This made me a little confused. "What do you mean?" I asked.
Josh felt afraid to mention it, standing there and leaving me in suspense. He averted his gaze, making me wish to demand answers. "Josh. What do you mean?"
Josh sighed deeply. He looked at me, a pained expression on his face, and he said "If we fail today, then all the hope I have been shouldering will die out."
Oh, now he tells me! Moments before we're going into battle! I was frustrated that he held that back for a while. I looked away for a bit, and I took a moment to really think about what he said. Josh is the hero here. He saved my life on numerous occasions. He's kind. He's supportive. He seems to know what it takes to be a leader. I can't help but really admire that about him. Although… The moment I gave a look back towards Josh, his expression looked so melancholic, like he was on his last legs, and this was a make it or break it kind of situation he put himself in. I always thought he was trying to fight back against his insecurities to put on a brave face. He seems so cool and confident. I never really believed he was losing hope for so long.
Feeling a little guilty for myself, I lowered my arms and mentioned "Don't lose hope, Josh. We're doing our best, after all."
"Adam, this is going to be our last chance," Josh admitted. "We only need two victories to win this one. And if I'm being honest here, I'd rather have it that one of the victories was from you. I just want to know that what we've been doing these past three years hasn't been a waste of time."
I placed a hand on Josh's shoulder, giving my best attempt to cheer him up. "You really miss home, don't you?"
Josh nodded with a sad look on his face. "I want to see Mom and Dad again. To let them know that we're safe. I want to see you as a human again so that I can no longer be mistaken as a younger brother from height alone."
I stifled a laugh as Josh mentioned that, and I gave him a big hug, which he returned in kind. We just stood there for a good minute as I comforted him. "You really are a mess, Josh," I muttered.
"Yeah… I guess you're right," Josh said with a smile. "And I'm sorry if I made you feel bad for yourself."
I returned the smile, and after a few more seconds, we stopped hugging with renewed faith in ourselves. As I patted Josh's shoulder, I held up a confident fist and said "I promise you, we're going to win this. I won't let the flame of Team Inferno die off."
Josh chuckled and patted my hand. "In that case, give it everything you've got, Adam."
"I will." At least, I hope I will without pushing myself too far…
We both soon entered the waiting lobby, and there to greet us was Rose, who instantly leapt up with joy towards Josh, giving him a massive hug. "You made it!" Rose said with excitement.
"Yeah. Yeah, we did," Josh said with a laugh as he and Rose stopped hugging. As Josh stopped hugging and looked at her, however, he soon saw how concerned she really was. "Are you alright? You're shaking."
Rose's smile slowly faded as she gave Josh a worried look. "Cross mentioned how you were feeling a little under the weather last night. I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to compete, and we would have to forfeit."
Josh soon gave her a confident smirk. "Me? Forfeit a match with D-Volt? Now where would you get that idea?" He then patted her shoulder and made his way over to a nearby table, where he sat down and exhaled from exhaustion. "Well, my match won't be until after the both of yours, so don't let up out there."
"Josh, shouldn't you give any advice, or a motivating speech, or whatever?" I asked nervously while rubbing my elbow.
Josh smiled, turning to face the both of us, and giving his best confident expression. "Alright. Now…" He cleared his throat, and stood up on his feet as he looked over at us with a sense of commanding authority. "It should come as no surprise that over the past three years, I never anticipated that I would find myself inside of this stadium as one of the very competitors everyone is rooting for."
Understatement of the century, I thought with a smirk.
"But no matter what happens in that arena, the one thing that you guys need to depend on is your own confidence and dexterity with your abilities," Josh continued. "This is our final chance to prove that Team Inferno can burn brightly and inspire others. I stand here in this room, and what do I see?" Josh then took a look at me as he gestured to my direction. "I see a tiger whose flames are scarlet red like the depths of hell itself." He then gestured to Rose. "A bouquet of roses whose flames are a vivid green like the very thorns of her stems." He then placed his paw to his own chest. "And a jackal whose flames are as blue as the sky, fighting for the freedom of his allies." He lowered his head down, and continued his speech as he thought about what led them to this place. "These three flames represent who Team Inferno truly are at their core. They represent our drives. Our raison d'être. If they go out, then the very confidence and core of our very beings will let down everyone around us." He took a breath, and with renewed vigor and motivation, he confidently gave the impression of a fearless leader as he looked at the both of us. "That is why we are going to give our all in this stadium, and carry on our story and legacy to those around us. We will rise and burn brighter like a phoenix who rises up from the ashes that birthed it. That is who we are, Team Inferno! We are the flames that will inspire hope in others, and carry our legacy into the history books of this virtual plain! No more doubts! No more suffering! No more insecurities! THIS is our day! A day that will long be remembered as the day where our flames are allowed to spread forth and inspire others the way we were meant to do! We've been through rough times. We've seen the hardships of others. But we will never lose faith in ourselves. Today, the whole world will know our names! In the end, our union of friendship will burn brightly, and light this world ablaze with the fires of the mighty phoenix!" He then clutched his chest, and with burning passion in his eyes, he shouted "FIND YOUR FLAMES, TEAM INFERNO! LET THEM BURN BRIGHTER FOR ALL TO SEE!" He then raised his fist up into the air, and with feeling, he shouted "LET US FIGHT ON IN THIS WORLD AND INSPIRE HOPE IN OTHERS! FOR WE WON'T BACK DOWN!"
Rose and I were practically blown away by the sudden boost in confidence that Josh seemed to be giving off with his speech. I even felt like Josh motivated himself with his own speech, he was that confident. Rose and I joined as we raised our arms in newfound confidence and all three of us screamed in cacophony as we showed just how much we were motivated to fight on and give it our all.
The whole speech and our screams of motivation practically gave me goosebumps. And for a moment, I felt as though I was starting to feel like myself, being given a confidence boost by my older brother to keep going. Give Josh credit for this: he knows how to give a good speech if he puts his heart and soul into it. And this was a good speech in my books.
The moment passed, of course. But I was at least excited for the first time in a long while. My only question now was whether or not I was going to be given a decent match. Josh was counting on me and Rose. If we get a bad matchup, I don't even know what may happen.
Chris and Cross arrived into the bleachers as the crowd cheered upon the arrival of Nick entering the field. While they were sitting down in their seats, Nolan was still busy in a bizarre discussion with Lucian. Nolan seemed puzzled, but Lucian looked at his own book without a care in the world.
"I'm just saying, if you spend more time reading, your brain will improve so that you can understand how some of the subtle intricacies of why these book's connections make sense," Lucian said as he turned the page of his book.
"That's because you're spouting nonsense!" Nolan said in annoyance. "What in the world are the differences between Warriors and Wings of Fire anyways? They're practically the same thing!"
"Amateur," Lucian said with a blank expression. "They're not the same thing. One series was written by Erin Hunter, which in itself is actually a pseudonym for a group of women named Victoria Holmes, Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Clarissa Hutton…"
"Just stop…" Nolan stammered, holding his sash hands to his head. "I'm begging you…"
"You were the one who brought this up to begin with," Lucian commented. "You only have yourself to blame."
"Maybe next time, don't lecture him on the subtle differences between Warrior Cats and Wings of Fire," Sabrina told her brother. "I'm surprised he took the time to read Warrior Cats."
"Same here," Lucian admitted as he adjusted his glasses.
Cross felt like he was missing out, and mentioned "I'm getting the impression I'm missing something here. What happened?"
"Don't bother," Chris uttered for the sake of Nolan's sanity. "I don't want to be directly involved with the terrible twins and their insane ramblings."
"Hey, Lucian's the crazy one here," Sabrina mentioned out of slight offense.
"More like philosophically puzzling," Lucian commented, giving a slight smile to his sister. "It takes one to know one, after all."
Sabrina then held up a marionette by Lucian's face, and muttered "I could very much turn you into my puppet, if you try to sass me again."
"Noted," Lucian said, closing his book. He then adjusted his glasses, saying "Ice cream should make you feel better, right?"
As if on cue, a trio of Vanillite showed up and handed a large order to Chris and Cross. "One Gummi Shake and one Frosty Pecha Smoothie," one of them said handing the two beverages to Cross and Chris respectively.
Another Vanillite handed a banana pop to Nolan, saying "One Tropius Fruit Pop. Here you go."
"Danke," Nolan said with relief.
The third Vanillite then handed a pair of sky blue popsicles to Sabrina and Lucian. "And for you two, a pair of Sea Salt Supremes. Enjoy!"
Once all of them got their ice cream, the trio of Vanillite left to go and tend to other patrons in the stadium. As Lucian held his popsicle, he gave a cheerful grin to Chris. "Thanks for this, Chris. How did you know these were my favorite?"
"I ordered sea salt ice cream as a message to you," Chris said with a glare to the Meowstic. "Listen carefully, because I won't repeat myself." He leaned close to Lucian, and used his blade arms to slowly draw a square to spell it out. "I hate you. Notice how I said it slowly so it will go through that thick skull of yours."
"Ah, so you were feeling salty," Lucian said while completely unphased by Chris's remark. "I got my favorite ice cream out of it, though, so I'm not complaining."
"That's not the…!" Chris groaned, before he then turned to Cross in anger. "Can you believe this? He's not even remotely ticked off!"
"Hey, I'm not the one who tried to make a declaration of war with ice cream," Cross stated as he took a sip of his shake.
Chris huffed as he got to take a sip of his smoothie with his attention brought to the arena. Defeated, unable to get a single reaction of spite from Lucian, he chose to shut up and just watch the show.
As Nick took the arena, camera footage of the Charizard was broadcast to various parts of the game. At Hotel Soprano, the various patrons were watching the tournament on display in the main lobby of the hotel.
Hotel Chimney was watching with bated breath as they saw the Charizard stretch out his wings to silence the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," Nick announced. "Today will mark the day where my own allies are to be put to the test. This is not a competition to show who's better, but rather, it is a contest of strength to show how far both teams have come since I began taking them under my wing."
Spectro was watching the tournament alongside Cerefleur and IsoShogun in the main hall of their own guild as Nick continued. "The mighty Team Delta, for whom I have passed the duty of looking over the Solace Guild to, have been friends of mine since before I even first logged into this game. I can still remember all of the great memories we cherished together before I ended up departing to Galassenheit, under orders to find and discover more secrets that lied in wait within this world."
EmperorBlue, Kaido, and Tenkaichi were sitting in lobby of Hotel Starfall in Oina as they listened carefully to Nick's speech. "And then there's Team Inferno, who started from almost nothing, but thanks to some intense training and determination, they've been given the chance to prove to me that they were willing to stop at nothing to achieve their goals."
Team Requiem sat down in the lobby of Casa del Suicune in Talis, working over their arrangements for the music ceremony later tonight after the battles are done. As they were preparing, the quartet of players were listening in on Nick's speech as audiences were flocking into the hotel to watch the screen. "Today, I have arranged this tournament and broadcasting it live to the rest of the world because I have one thing that I wish to announce," Nick said. "And I would appreciate a moment of your time to listen carefully to what I have to say."
Over in a small camp set up by Team Alpha, both Canis and Ace were sitting in a cave, monitoring the activities of the tournament live on a tiny monitor that Ace brought over from Esther after gathering supplies. On the monitor, Nick took a deep breath, and continued his speech. "Three years ago, when I first met Team Inferno, I was shocked to discover that they were unfortunate victims of this game's cruelty. They were trapped in this world, and for the past three years, they both stayed that way."
At the town of Hongshui to the northeast part of the region, the Inteleon player, Snipeard, leaned against the wall of Hotel Fuji, watching as the crowd was brought to attention of how Josh and I were trapped in this virtual world. He crossed his arms as he scoffed at the crowd's stunned reactions, before he soon started walking out of the hotel as Nick continued. "What I'm trying to say is that the rumors of this game, the ones regarding players suddenly getting trapped with no escape, they're true. And for the past three years, Team Inferno have risked their lives to find a means to escape from this place. A luxury that I wish I could enjoy for myself, if I'm being honest with you all."
Deep in the unknown parts of this game, Senbo, the Zoroark player from Team Kage, sat down at his desk as he eyed the monitor with good attention and focus. "Yes, it's true," Nick confessed. "I am only bringing this up because I also am trapped in this world just like them. But that doesn't mean that I am giving up. Despite the risks, I want to do whatever I can to guarantee that Josh and Adam, my students, can return home and live the best lives they possibly can. I've trained them well. LucarioTrainerJ and BlazeTiger are excellent fighters, but more importantly, they are the closest things I have to a family in this world."
Ryutori stood tall on top of the Moon Guild, watching on a massive screen in the center of Esther all of the goings on that taking place in Talis. He smiled as he listened closely to Nick's speech. "But just because they're important to me, that doesn't mean I want to let them die in this world. My old team, Team Delta, believes that Team Inferno doesn't have what it takes to make a change. I'm here to say I strongly disagree. People can make a change, even despite the apparent circumstances. Just because they're players that are trapped in this world doesn't make them any different from anyone else. I treat Team Inferno like I treat just about anybody I can trust. They are my passion. They are my allies. And more importantly, they are a spark of hope that could inspire others to make a change if they so choose to follow in their footsteps."
In the town of Nohr, the Lopunny named Fleetfut and the Gardevoir named Serenaide were moved at Nick's words as they saw the event take place as they were passing by in the markets. "I don't know the outcome of this tournament, but I am definitely going to go through with it to raise awareness of this situation," Nick added. "I know that Team Delta will only go so far until Team Inferno are knocked out in these upcoming battles. And Team Inferno are going to give it their all in an effort to rise up and meet the challenge. It's a crazy plan, yes. But naturally, if Team Inferno can win, then you will all do whatever you can to show your support. This isn't just a test of resolve. This is a way to make the world realize what's at stake. And I will stop at nothing to prevent further incidents like this in the future."
Team Calibur and Team ESP were stunned into silence as Nick spoke to the crowd. He knew how to give them a speech, and the whole crowd was touched by Nick's words. Nick took a breath, and with a determined expression, he declared "Spread your wings, ladies and gentlemen. Raise your voices, and spread my words to anybody you can. Give them a drive, a mission to save those that are left behind in this world. Once this is over, help out in whatever way you can. Give them all a reason to feel like they have a place where they can belong." He then spread out his wings and roared out "LET'S GIVE THEM OUR SUPPORT!" He then breathed a plume of flames into the air, and all at once, the crowd stood from their seats and gave loud cheers and applause, giving a standing ovation that was unlike anything I think anybody had ever experienced before.
Meanwhile, in Mount Sanda's depths, Zeraora sat there surrounded by crystals, hearing the echoes of tens of thousands of players crying out in unison as he clutched at his chest. He took a deep breath, and he opened his eyes, which glowed red briefly before returning to a blue color. Zeraora stood up, staring high up at the crystals in the caverns, and clenched his fists. He shook a little, before he then turned to look towards the exit of the cavern that only he knew about. His thoughts went back to his mission. Only now, he shuddered to think about what could happen if he stepped back out so soon. With so many players as riled up as they were, he couldn't risk being seen.
Team Delta sat in their waiting lobby as they listened to Nick's words, and the crowd roaring after his moving speech. Rin and Wulfrock stood there as they were impressed with how much Nick was able to impress himself upon others and be so selfless in raising the awareness of the present danger. Volt, meanwhile, listened closely, noticing how impressive Nick seemed like as a leader figure, and he immediately looked at his clasped hands on the table. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth for a good moment in silence, before taking a deep breath, and sulking. I'm not like Nick at all, he thought. He's already won the audience in Team Inferno's favor. Sighing deeply, he knew he was facing an uphill battle. He turned to face the monitor again, and Nick flew off towards the referee stand of the arena as the crowd died down.
"Wow! Talk about a great speech from the one and only Infernick of the Blue Flame!" Eccho announced. "I got goosebumps just listening to that."
"Yeah, I agree," Yamatochi nodded to his partner. "However, with the crowd all riled up, I'd say it's now going to be an uphill battle for both sides."
"That's right, Yamatochi. After all, Team Inferno are facing their first tournament bout despite the apparent risks involved with their current conditions."
"On the other hand, Team Delta are a trio of respectable fighters. Well, at least Rinekai and Wulfrock are."
"Speaking of, I think it's about time to determine what the first battle is supposed to be. Based on our audience polls, the first battle is an interesting one, ladies and gentlemen. As it turns out, the crowd wants to see the veteran fighter of Team Inferno, BlazeTiger, to take the stage first with roughly 67% of the votes."
Yamatochi then presented the poll results of the 33% who wanted to see Rose in battle in comparison to me, which ultimately made me start sweating and my heart start racing in my chest. Nervously, I muttered out "Oh boy…"
"Well, it's to be expected," Josh mentioned. "You're the more recognizable fighter. The real question is who you are going against."
Rose patted my arm as she looked at me with nervous anticipation. I smiled at her, and patted her head. "At least we tried to give you more attention, right Rose?"
"Yeah. Well, I guess whatever happens next, I'm wishing you the best of luck." Rose's smile back at me helped to alleviate some of the tension for me. However, the moment I returned my attention to the monitor in our lobby, I could feel like I was sweating from just how nervous I was.
"And now, to announce our first match," Eccho said. "The winning result of our first battle, with 42% of our votes, is…"
Suddenly, two slot wheels were shown on the "versus" screen. The first wheel ended with my picture, complete with the name "BlazeTiger." As for my opponent, I was left standing there, feeling my heart continue to race in my chest as I saw the wheel spin round and round before slowing down until it eventually came to a stop.
Once it did, my heart stopped. My hands were shaking. My eyes were wide with fear. I had this urge like I was close to vomiting as my stomach twisted into knots. I was at a loss for words, because I was afraid of this result.
The first battle was between me…and Wulfrock.