The roaring cheers of the audience still thundered through the vast dome of the Indigo Stadium as Tharion stepped out of the battle tunnel — Charizard's Pokéball clipped firmly back to his belt. His expression remained calm, but the faint heat still rolling off his body made it clear the battle had been no small effort.
Behind him, Nina came running, waving from the side path, her hair swaying and her Luxray's Pokéball shining faintly at her hip.
"Tharion!" she called out.
Before she could reach him, however, a swarm of reporters surged forward like a human tide — cameras flashing, microphones thrust forward, lights blinding in their intensity.
"Tharion! You've just swept two consecutive rounds using only one Pokémon! What's your strategy for the upcoming matches?"
"Is Charizard your strongest partner, or are you hiding other secret weapons?"
"Rumors say you've been training in the mountains for months — can you confirm that?"
"Who's the girl with you? Your assistant? Your student?"
The chaos was almost deafening.
Tharion didn't speak at first. He shifted Nina gently into his arms — one arm supporting her back, the other under her knees. She blinked up at him, startled for a moment before realizing he was doing it to protect her from the crowd.
"Careful, they'll crush you in this madness," he muttered quietly, his tone protective but calm.
The crowd gasped again as cameras clicked furiously.
He turned toward them with his usual composed look, his voice cutting clearly through the overlapping noise.
"She's not my assistant," he said evenly. "She's my little sister."
The murmuring crowd immediately hushed for a second, then erupted in a chorus of whispers and speculation.
"Little sister?!""I didn't know he had family with him!""She's adorable!""Does she travel with him?"
Nina's face flushed pink as she glanced down shyly, hiding her expression against Tharion's shoulder.
He continued walking, expression unbothered, eyes sharp and focused. "If there are no questions regarding the match itself, I'll be taking my Pokémon for recovery. Charizard's been through two full matches back-to-back. That's enough for today."
Security finally stepped in, forming a protective barrier to hold back the reporters as Tharion passed through the corridor leading toward the Pokémon Center inside the League complex.
The interior was quieter — the smell of antiseptic herbs and faint ozone filled the air. Nurse Joy smiled warmly as Tharion approached the counter, his Charizard's Pokéball resting in his hand.
"Another back-to-back match, I see," she said kindly. "You really push your team, don't you?"
Tharion nodded slightly. "He asked for it. He wanted to go all out."
Joy chuckled. "Your Charizard's as proud as his trainer, I suppose. Don't worry, I'll give him the best treatment available. He just needs a short rest in the recovery pod — no visible damage, but a bit of energy fatigue."
She took the Pokéball and placed it into the healing console. The screen pulsed with soft light as Charizard's vitals appeared — stable, but the aura readings flickered from the aftermath of the double Blast Burn.
Nina stood beside Tharion, clutching the strap of her small bag. "He'll be fine, right?"
Tharion placed his hand gently atop her head, smiling faintly. "He's stronger than ever. Just tired."
Nurse Joy returned the ball after a few minutes, giving a reassuring nod. "He'll need a few hours before full activity, but he's already recovering quickly. Whatever you've been doing in your training, it's working wonders."
"Thank you," Tharion replied, taking the Pokéball back and clipping it to his belt once again.
As they left the Center, the muffled sounds of the ongoing League matches echoed from the main arena. Tharion walked down the long hallway with Nina still beside him, the crowd mostly dispersed now.
Nina looked up. "Tharion… you don't really have to call me your little sister, you know. People might—"
He cut her off with a small smirk. "Do you want reporters following you around asking who you are, or worse, assuming something else?"
She froze for a second, cheeks glowing faintly red. "...No. You're right."
"Then it's settled."
They both laughed softly, the tension easing between them.
Just as they neared the exit doors, Tharion paused — his aura flaring faintly. A presence brushed against his senses — familiar, yet distant.
He turned his head slightly, scanning the corridor.
And there she was — standing at the far end near the glass doors leading to the outside garden, the girl from before.
Black hair. Glasses. Crescent moon necklace.
She was staring at him again, her eyes unreadable. When she noticed his gaze, she smiled faintly — that same calm, knowing smile — before turning and disappearing into the evening light beyond the corridor.
Nina followed his gaze. "Who was that?"
Tharion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Someone I've met before… I just don't remember where."
The aura around him flickered — faint, like a whisper of something ancient stirring.
"Let's head back," he said finally. "Tomorrow, we train again. The quarter-finals will be tougher — and we'll need Charizard in top shape."
As they stepped out into the twilight-lit courtyard, a gentle wind swept through the city. The League's massive stadium towered in the background, glowing gold beneath the setting sun.
Tharion looked at the sky, silently wondering if the next opponent would finally force him to reveal what he had been holding back — the true strength of his team.
The night deepened, and somewhere far above, a single star shimmered faintly — as if watching him from beyond.
The night after his back-to-back victories fell silent and heavy over the Indigo Plateau. The moon hung high, veiled by drifting clouds, while the crowd's roars faded into distant echoes.
Tharion and Nina walked side by side through the polished marble walkway that led away from the League complex. The quiet hum of the evening lights reflected softly on the glass panels. A League official met them halfway — an older man in a dark-blue coat adorned with a silver League insignia.
"Tharion," the man greeted, handing over a small card and a silver key. "For your performance in today's qualifiers, the League provides this house — a resting space for all advancing competitors. It's fully furnished and has an internal training zone for Pokémon recovery and preparation."
Tharion took the key with a polite nod. "Appreciated."
Nina's eyes widened in wonder as they approached their assigned residence — a small yet elegant two-story villa situated at the slope of the plateau, its veranda overlooking the glowing lights of the League arena.
Inside, the space radiated quiet comfort. A long sofa stretched across the living room, with a glass wall revealing a moonlit view of the surrounding cliffs. To the side, open doors led to a courtyard where Pokéballs could automatically release their partners into open rest mode.
One by one, Tharion pressed the switches on his belt.
Charizard, still radiating faint embers from his fierce battle, settled near the edge of the courtyard.Lucario, calm and meditative, crossed his arms beside him.Tyranitar leaned against a boulder that materialized from its own energy, silent and powerful.Ferrothorn anchored itself near the stone wall, faint light blinking between its thorns.Noivern perched along a wooden beam under the open roof, eyes half closed.And finally— Black Gyarados coiled in the small water section that stretched into a pool carved into the rock surface, letting out a low growl of satisfaction.
The power gathered in one place was immense, yet serene — each of them breathing slowly, harmoniously.
Nina watched, amazed. "They're so strong… but calm."
"They've earned that calm," Tharion replied softly. "Tomorrow's match will be Gyarados's turn. He hasn't seen League combat yet."
She smiled faintly. "He'll crush them."
"Maybe," Tharion murmured with a small smirk. "But the League is full of surprises."
After checking that each of his Pokémon had food and enough space to rest, he retired to his room. The villa was quiet, save for the faint chirping of nocturnal Pokémon outside and the rhythmic sound of waves against the cliffside below.
Nina fell asleep quickly in the next room, curled up with her Luxray beside the bed.
Tharion lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment — the faint glint of the crescent moonlight brushing across his face. His hand unconsciously reached for the pendant tied around his own neck — an old charm of unknown metal, shaped like two intertwining arcs.
As his eyes closed, the world of the League faded away.
Smoke.Fire.The sky split apart with flashes of gunfire and magic-infused artillery.
He stood amidst the ruins of his old world, where the sky burned crimson and the once-living cities were nothing more than skeletal silhouettes. The cries of soldiers echoed faintly through the dust-filled wind.
And in the center of that storm — she stood.
A woman with long black hair, her glasses cracked, her face smudged with ash and tears. Around her neck hung a crescent moon pendant — glowing faintly amidst the destruction.
Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with both love and fear."Tharion… when this ends… we'll build our home again… together."
He remembered — his hands on hers, the engagement band glinting faintly between the smoke. The warmth of her touch. The scent of rain on scorched earth.
Then — the explosion.A blinding flash.A shockwave that ripped through everything.
Her scream echoed through his soul, fading into silence as everything turned white.
He woke abruptly.
Breathing sharply, eyes wide open, sweat dampening his forehead. The faint sound of waves outside replaced the screams of his memory.
For a long moment, he didn't move — only staring at the ceiling, his heart pounding against his ribs.
Then slowly, his hand moved to his chest — touching the pendant resting there. The same crescent-shaped mark, faintly glowing under the moonlight filtering through the window.
He exhaled.That same necklace…The same shape as the girl's pendant he had seen earlier at the League — the one worn by the mysterious woman with glasses.
His chest tightened, thoughts racing.
It can't be…
Could she have been—?
He sat up, eyes narrowing with conflicted disbelief.
"No," he whispered to himself after a moment, shaking his head. "That's… impossible."
He pushed the thought aside, forcing calm into his breathing. "Just a coincidence," he muttered, though his voice betrayed the unease behind it.
The faint glow of dawn began to filter into the room. Gyarados's rumbling breath echoed faintly from outside as the giant rested in the villa pool.
Tharion rose, splashing cold water on his face. The reflection in the mirror stared back — eyes shadowed, jaw set, the faint glimmer of an old pain buried deep.
"Tomorrow," he whispered, tightening his pendant in his fist, "we move forward."
No matter what ghosts came back to haunt him, the path ahead remained the same — the League, his team, and the promise of strength he had sworn long ago.
Outside, the crescent moon lingered faintly in the fading night sky — watching, silent and knowing.