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By the time Kai and Erika returned to the Athlete's Village dorms, it was already 9 p.m.
After showering together, they curled up in bed. For once, Kai didn't push for any late-night training. Instead, he decided to rest up, holding Erika's soft body against him while he replayed the day's battles in his head.
Overall, he was satisfied. His Pokémon had performed brilliantly exactly as he'd hoped and expected before the tournament began.
With her cheek resting on his chest, Erika listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Seeing him lost in thought, she asked softly:
"What's on your mind?"
"The day after tomorrow's battle."
Breathing in the sweet fragrance of her hair, Kai smiled. "After tomorrow's opening ceremony, the real matches begin. Every opponent from then on will be strong battle-hardened trainers who've fought their way through the group stages. It won't be easy like today."
"What's this? Are you worried about what's ahead?"
"Not at all." He traced a hand down Erika's smooth back, his expression resolute. "My goal is the championship. No matter how strong the opponent, or what round I face them in, I'll fight with everything I have. It's just a matter of sooner or later."
That kind of confidence came only from believing completely in his Pokémon.
---
While Kai drifted off to sleep with Erika in his arms, his dreams filled with hopes of the future, the Pokémon League headquarters across town was still ablaze with light. Heated debates echoed through its halls.
Inside the League, officials had split into factions over how to handle the tournament.
Some, led by Broadcast Director John, were eager to repeat the success of the Indigo Plateau Conference.
Back then, Kai's popularity had skyrocketed, and the League had reaped huge profits from the coverage.
Now, John argued for pushing Kai as the face of the tournament stacking promotional resources behind him, and ensuring his matches would be against strong but marketable opponents. Every battle would be must-see television.
Others, led by League President Goodshow, insisted the tournament should remain fair.
They warned that manipulating matchups or funneling attention onto a single trainer was dangerous for the League's reputation.
"No one trainer should be made the permanent champion," Goodshow argued. "That would hurt the League's future. Everyone deserves equal attention."
The two sides clashed fiercely, voices rising, neither willing to back down.
When the meeting recessed, John lit a cigarette with his allies, grumbling in the smoking area.
"That old man needs to retire. Ratings are everything! Kai is strong, charismatic, and has star power. Who are we supposed to market instead of those forgettable kids with no chance at the title?"
Somehow, his words found their way back to Goodshow. The President merely sighed and shook his head. Ideological differences couldn't be reasoned away.
When the meeting reconvened, a compromise was struck. John's team would be allowed to slant promotional resources in Kai's favor, but the League would not under any circumstances interfere with the actual match schedules. Fairness in battle was non-negotiable.
Kai, of course, knew nothing of these backroom debates. But he could feel the effects soon enough.
---
The next morning, after breakfast, League staff arrived at his dorm. They invited him to shoot promotional material.
Kai thought nothing of it several Johto trainers with rising popularity were also invited.
But the difference was obvious. His makeup was done more carefully, his recording time stretched longer, and he cycled through more set pieces than the others.
Even during group photos, Kai was always placed in the center.
It wasn't in his nature to seek the spotlight, but these were League orders, and he could only comply.
By noon, exhausted from all the media duties, Kai managed to slip away only to be ambushed by a horde of reporters. They swarmed like Sharpedo that had scented blood, their microphones thrust inches from his face.
"Kai, what's your goal this tournament?"
Keeping his composure, Kai answered in a measured, official tone. "To battle my way to the next round. Of course, reaching the finals would be even better."
"Any opponents that stand out to you so far?"
"Everyone who made it through qualifiers is strong and worthy of respect."
"What message would you like to send your fellow competitors?"
"I only hope that we can all bring out our best and give the audience the most exciting battles possible."
His replies were polite but airtight, leaving no room for the press to twist his words.
Sensing they were about to push further, Kai quickly waved over League staff, who shielded him as he made his escape.
But he hadn't gone far when his phone buzzed.
To his surprise, the call was from a familiar name, the glamorous reporter who had interviewed him during the Indigo Conference.
"Hello, Kai. Do you still remember me?"
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