Pokemon: Skybound

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Gary Oak left triumphantly, his cheerleaders trailing behind him. At this moment, he was still the arrogant, self-assured rich young master he had always been.

Despite both advancing to the fourth round of the tournament, Gary didn't take Kai seriously.

On the contrary, he was visibly annoyed by the attention Kai had received after his previous match.

"Defeating a weak girl, that's all it was!" Gary muttered under his breath.

"If it were me, I would have ended the battle much more cleanly!"

In his mind, Gary believed his status as Professor Oak's grandson and his popularity as the most prominent competitor in the conference should have kept the spotlight squarely on him.

"Why is Kai getting so much attention?!" he fumed.

He snorted disdainfully. "I'll teach him a lesson soon enough and show everyone who's truly better!"

As Gary walked away, his haughty demeanour left an impression. Among the group watching him leave, only Chloe, meeting him for the first time, could see his provocation for what it was. Her first impression of him soured immediately.

With the drawing of lots complete, the final round of the qualifiers was set.

Ash's match was scheduled for 10:00 AM, while Kai's would take place at 3:00 PM. Although 3:00 wasn't a prime viewing time, it wasn't too obscure either.

With only 32 competitors remaining, each field hosted just four matches, and the schedule left little room for adjustments.

After leaving the venue, the group found a place to rest. As the clock approached match time, Ash entered the players' lounge while Kai and the others headed to the Grass Field's stands.

The stadium was packed, but thanks to some reserved seating, they found spots near the front.

As they sat down, Brock's sharp eyes noticed two familiar faces seated nearby: an older man with short, silver-grey hair in a white lab coat and a kind-looking woman.

"Dr. Oak? Aunt Delia? What are you doing here?" Brock exclaimed.

Surprised, Professor Oak turned to them. "Ah, it's you all!"

Delia smiled warmly. "Hello! Thank you for taking care of my son, Ash. It must be a lot of work!"

"It's no trouble at all," Brock assured her. "After all, we're his companions. But weren't you both in Pallet Town yesterday? Did you come all this way just to cheer for Ash?"

Professor Oak chuckled. "Watching the matches on TV is fine, but nothing beats the atmosphere of being here in person."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Kai. Though age had dulled his memory, the professor recalled meeting Kai earlier in the tournament.

"You must be Kai, right? I've watched your matches. You've done an excellent job beating so many opponents!"

Kai greeted him politely before turning his attention to Delia. It was his first time meeting Ash's mother, and he couldn't help but wonder about her close companionship with Professor Oak. Shaking off the thought, he introduced Chloe to them.

"This is Chloe, Professor Cerise's daughter."

"Oh?" Professor Oak raised an eyebrow, taking a closer look at her. "I remember attending your full moon celebration. I even held you as a baby! You've grown so much!"

Chloe nodded politely, though she had no memory of the event and had never heard her mother mention it.

Professor Oak reminisced fondly about old times, sharing stories about Professor Cerise's youth. Chloe, however, wasn't particularly interested in hearing them.

By then, Ash's match had begun. The group turned their attention to the field as Ash took the green side, while his opponent, Jeanette from Maiden Peak, took the red.

Unlike Ash, who walked onto the field casually, Jeanette's entrance was grand. A red carpet unfurled as she emerged in an elegant traditional red dress, surrounded by attendants scattering flower petals. Her dignified appearance captivated many in the audience, including Brock.

Meanwhile, in the stands, a group of supporters beat gongs and drums rhythmically, chanting.

"Miss Jeanette wins! Miss Jeanette wins!" Their enthusiasm drowned out the rest of the crowd, making Ash's presence seem almost negligible by comparison.

"Wow, what a display," Misty murmured. "She must be another popular competitor. Should we cheer for Ash?"

Brock shook his head. "Don't bother. With their numbers, anything we say will be drowned out immediately."

When the referee signalled the start of the match, Ash sent out his Bulbasaur, while Jeanette chose Beedrill.

Despite Beedrill's Bug/Poison typing giving it an edge against Bulbasaur's Grass/Poison typing, Ash's tactical prowess shone.

He first used Leech Seed to drain Beedrill's stamina and then finished the battle with a well-placed Tackle.

Oddly, Jeanette's supporters didn't seem discouraged by her loss. Instead, they cheered louder, chanting, "There's still one!"

Undeterred, the match continued. Jeanette recalled Beedrill and sent out Scyther. Her Scyther's strength became apparent as it utilized Double Team, creating illusions that mirrored its movements perfectly.

This strategy pushed Bulbasaur to its limits. However, with a Vine Whip attack, Bulbasaur managed to hit all the clones simultaneously, revealing the real Scyther and securing victory.

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