[Over the next few days, your time is split between aura training, exploring ruins with Cynthia, and helping Cogita tend her flowers.]
[It feels like everyone's taken a piece of your schedule, and yet… when you finally sit down and do the math, somehow you've still spent the most time with Zoroark.]
"How do you even manage that?"
Elias set down his pen and paper, turning to Zoroark with a baffled look.
He was starting to suspect he might've fallen under one of her illusions.
"Hmph."
Zoroark huffed and flicked her tail as she padded away.
She wasn't doing anything special—just following Elias wherever he went.
Naturally, that meant they ended up spending more time together.
Idiot. Can't even figure that out on his own.
---
[With this kind of rhythm, each day felt full and satisfying.]
[Before you knew it, the day before the Pokémon battle tournament had arrived.]
[The event would be held in the Obsidian Fieldlands.]
[Why? Compared to the swampy Crimson Mirelands or the freezing Alabaster Icelands, the plains here made it far easier to build a stadium.]
[By the time you dragged a reluctant Cogita and an overly excited Cynthia to the venue, the site was already surrounded by a circle of wooden bleachers.]
[The center field had been cleared of grass, leaving a wide, open area ready for battle.]
"Uhh..."
From behind Elias, Zoroark—still cloaked in illusion—let out a nervous whimper.
She'd already been anxious about this.
But now, seeing how open and exposed the battlefield was, with clear views from every side, her nerves spiked.
She couldn't even imagine what kind of scene it would cause if she were suddenly thrown into a match here.
"It's alright."
Sensing her tension, Elias reached back and gently tugged on her paw in reassurance.
Zoroark's heart settled a little at his touch.
Lucario's still going up first, she reminded herself. I might not have to battle at all.
And even if she did…
Elias had told her—promised her—that he had a way to make everyone accept her.
After the past few days of gentle coaxing, her mindset had shifted, even if just slightly.
"So this is the arena, huh? Pretty primitive."
Cynthia spoke up beside them, her tone intrigued.
The arenas she was used to—back in her own time—were sleek, purpose-built, standardized battle stadiums, all steel and reinforced concrete.
Those were good, sure. But after a while, they could feel a bit sterile.
Standing here now, in front of this centuries-old dirt-and-wood arena, Cynthia couldn't help but feel a sense of novelty.
"You're seriously entering?"
Elias asked, raising a brow.
"Mhm. Of course."
Cynthia nodded.
It had been a while, but the fire of battle had returned to her eyes.
She'd already decided—not only would she be Champion of Sinnoh, she'd become Champion of Hisui, too.
While Elias and Cynthia were chatting, Irida spotted them from a short distance and came walking over.
"Cynthia...?"
"You're entering the tournament too? Wait, you have Pokémon?"
Irida looked at the traveler—whom she'd only met a handful of times—with clear skepticism.
To her, Cynthia was just some clueless outsider who could barely navigate her way around the village. The idea that she could even afford to raise a Pokémon was laughable.
Her own Eevee, for example, ate more than she did some days.
"You'll see soon enough."
Cynthia gave a relaxed smile, offering no further details.
Irida frowned but didn't press.
Instead, she turned her gaze to Elias.
He had his hand at his neck, clearly stroking someone hidden by illusion.
She didn't even need to ask—he was definitely petting that annoying Zoroark again.
With narrowed eyes, she said, "Elias, you're not seriously thinking about putting her on stage, are you?"
She pointed straight behind him, making her meaning unmistakable.
"That depends on Lucario."
"If he goes down, then Zoroark's up next."
"Besides," Elias added with a grin, "there's no limit on how many Pokémon we can use, right?"
He wasn't wrong. This was the first tournament of its kind—there weren't even rules about team size.
In theory, a trainer could capture a whole army of Pokémon and rotate through them in a drawn-out war of attrition.
But realistically? No one would.
Because the cost of feeding and training that many Pokémon far outweighed the tournament's prize money. Not to mention, it'd be a bad look even if you won.
Irida clenched her teeth slightly.
Elias was clearly hiding behind the rules—but there was nothing she could say to counter it.
Frustrated, she let out a sigh.
"You should really think this through..."
---
[After parting ways with Irida, you took Zoroark and Lucario to enjoy the scenery for a while.]
[As the sun dipped and night fell, you returned to your assigned tent to rest.]
"Here's the list of your opponents for tomorrow. Please get a good night's sleep."
A member of the Pearl Clan handed Elias a slip of paper as he passed by.
Elias thanked him and took it.
The page included a few basic guidelines—but more importantly, it listed his first-round opponent.
As Elias's eyes drifted to the name, he blinked in surprise.
"Cogita?"
He read it again, just to be sure.
He hadn't misread.
When he'd dragged her here earlier today, she'd looked like she couldn't be less interested.
And now... she was competing?
Thinking of that Pokémon she called Enamorus, Elias couldn't help but smile.
As a Legendary, Enamorus was no slouch.
Not to mention—he'd even given her Tornadus.
With a lineup like that, Lucario was going to have a very hard time.
Turning to the side, Elias glanced at Zoroark, who was staring at the list too.
Sure enough, the color had drained from her fox-like face.
"Y-You're cheating!"
"How could you let her enter?!"
Zoroark's voice trembled as she protested.
No one told her Cogita was entering!
"She decided that on her own," Elias shrugged. "Had nothing to do with me."
"Face it, little fox—this is happening."
He chuckled and nudged her playfully.
Cogita just saved me a ton of trouble.
As long as she didn't screw up, Lucario losing was practically guaranteed.
Off to the side, Lucario—who had been listening to the two of them casually discuss his defeat—felt his fists clench involuntarily.
He let out a low snort and reached into his travel pack.
Regigigas hadn't trained him for nothing.
No, his potential hadn't been boosted... but he had been given something useful.
With that in mind, Lucario pulled out two round, polished stones.