Kanto Master Group Chat
[Caleb: Is Bruno not in this group? I looked all over and couldn't find him.]
[Lorelei: Bruno can't use smartphones. As for Agatha, she just refuses to. So neither of them are in the group.]
[Lorelei: Why? You need Bruno for something? (Slowpoke confused.jpg)]
[Caleb: I want to sign up for the Fighting-type Expert Tournament the day after tomorrow, but I think the deadline passed, so I was hoping... (poke poke fingers.jpg)]
[Lance: Trying to sneak in?! (Dragonite blasting Hyper Beam.jpg)]
Lance, still undercover with Team Rocket, trembled in rage as he read Caleb's message.
How could someone like this exist in the chat?
Lance had zero tolerance for rule-benders, and he especially loathed people like Caleb who always tried to cut corners.
[Caleb: Don't say that, it's not sneaking in — it's just a little friendly help between friends.]
[Lorelei: Well said. Bruno's not here, but as the event's organizer, I can still quietly slip someone in. No big deal.]
[Red: The Fighting-type Expert Tournament... I think I participated in that one before.]
[Lorelei: ...]
[Lorelei: I still feel bad about that. You plowed through everyone with Snorlax — how were the other participants supposed to play?]
[Caleb: Wait, Snorlax? Wasn't it Politoed?]
Staring at the screen, Caleb was confused. You could use non-Fighting Pokémon in a Fighting-type tournament?
[Lorelei: Yep. The Fighting-type Expert Tournament isn't about strict typing. As long as a Pokémon knows some fighting moves, it can enter.]
Hmm... so any Pokémon with fighting skills can join?
That was when a bold idea suddenly formed in Caleb's mind.
Right.
[Caleb: Uh, Red-senpai, you're not entering again this year... right? (Gengar shivering.jpg)]
If Red joined... well, what was even the point of competing?
[Red: ...]
[Lorelei: Don't worry. Ever since then, the organizers banned him. (Jynx sneaky laugh.jpg)]
[Caleb: ...]
Good. Good ban. Beautiful ban!
...
January 1, Wednesday
Veilstone City, Fighting-type Expert Tournament Venue
"A new year, a fresh start — and once again, it's time for the annual Expert Tournament!"
"This year is the Year of Fighting, and the Fighting-type Expert Tournament is being held right here with great fanfare!"
"Besides Fighting-type gym leaders, many seasoned martial artists are also competing."
"We're sure this much-anticipated tournament will showcase the diverse styles and indomitable spirit of these fighting masters!"
The tour guide cheerfully introduced the grand event to the crowd of tourists, Caleb among them.
To save money, Caleb had joined a tour group to Veilstone City for the tournament.
He turned to Fiona Joy, who stood beside him in casual attire, and asked curiously, "Didn't expect you to tag along this time, Fiona. You always said you were too busy before."
Fiona Joy chuckled. "Well, I've got an exam coming up…"
"An exam? Don't you already have your nurse license?" Caleb asked, puzzled.
"Not that kind of license. Just wait — you'll see when I pass it." Fiona grinned mysteriously.
"Alright then, good luck."
After that, Caleb, Fiona, and Green went their separate ways. With such a huge event going on, Green naturally had to go make some money — it was her sacred duty as a top-tier capitalist.
With his luggage sorted, Caleb headed to the nearby Pokémon Center to register.
He'd already notified Lorelei two days ago, so he just needed to check in and confirm.
"Haunter, stop staring at that tanned, barefoot girl in the karate gi."
Caleb sighed.
"Gwaaah ( ??e?? )"
Haunter groaned begrudgingly and floated back behind Caleb, though his eyes kept sneaking glances in that direction. My eyes, my rules. I'll look where I want.
At the Pokémon Center, as expected, Nurse Joy was handling registrations.
But this Joy looked… a little older.
"Mom?" Fiona, who'd followed Caleb, suddenly called out.
Caleb: "?"
"Fiona?" The older Joy was just as surprised.
The girl in front of her, who looked like a human Miltank with how similar they were, was clearly her daughter.
They hadn't seen each other in years due to work, so the moment they reunited, tears welled up and they embraced tightly.
The scene made a spiky-haired, bronze-skinned boy nearby nosebleed on the spot. "So much chest… so stimulating."
BAM—
"M-my face... it's numb—!" the boy suddenly cried out.
Caleb turned curiously toward the commotion. Wasn't that Brock and his Croagunk?
If that was the case...
Sure enough, behind Brock was a boy wearing a cap, with a Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
And beside the boy stood a girl in a white knit hat, holding a Piplup in her arms.
Caleb recognized them immediately and blurted out, "Ash, Dawn!"
...Oops.
Hearing someone call their names, Ash turned around and asked in confusion, "Sorry, do we know you?"
Dawn wore the same puzzled expression. Clearly, neither of them recognized Caleb, and they were wondering how he knew who they were.
Caleb's brain spun at top speed, and he casually replied, "Aren't you Ash, who competed in the Indigo League, the Silver Conference, and the Lily of the Valley Conference? And Dawn — the rising star of the recent Pokémon Contests?"
"Aw, come on now... (?′?`?) heh heh" x2
Both of them scratched their heads in the exact same way, clearly a little flustered by the praise.
That identical pose and expression... how should one describe it...
At that moment, Brock finally recovered from Croagunk's Poison Jab and stood up, squinting as he said, "Isn't that Caleb?"
?
"You know me?" Caleb was now the one confused.
"Someone you know, Brock?" Ash asked.
"Not personally. But Caleb's kind of famous online. He even beat Paul once," Brock explained.
"He beat Paul?!" Ash's eyes lit up with determination. "Then you must be really strong!"
In Ash's mind, Paul had defeated him, and now Caleb had defeated Paul — which meant Caleb had technically beaten him too.
And Ash always made it a point to challenge anyone who'd beaten him, directly or indirectly.
"Caleb, I'll win next time we battle!"
Caleb: ?
Did we skip a battle somewhere?
Even though he didn't quite follow Ash's logic, Caleb was never one to turn down a challenge. "Sure, I'll be waiting."
Brock coughed lightly. "Caleb, you're entering the Fighting-type Expert Tournament too?"
"If that's the case, then we're rivals!" Ash shouted excitedly. "I won't lose!"
Ash's competitive flame ignited once more, right on schedule.
Watching him randomly hype himself up reminded Caleb of Gold. The two would probably get along great.
Brock crossed his arms and explained, "Actually, both Ash and I are participating in this tournament."
Then he looked at Caleb and asked, "You'll probably use your Riolu, right?"
Anyone with some experience as a breeder could tell Caleb's Riolu was exceptional.
And if Caleb trained such a Riolu, he had to be an outstanding fighting-type trainer too.
After all, Pokémon mirrored their trainer.
Caleb: "...Actually, I wasn't planning to use Riolu."