Chương 66: Chapter 66: Caitlin vs. Lance - Part 1
At the Indigo Plateau Stadium, the highest standard competition venue in the Kanto League, the annual Kanto Championship and Indigo League events are held here. Moreover, the Indigo Plateau is also the headquarters of the Pokémon League. The Pokémon Center was not too crowded, allowing Gary to release all his Pokémon without issue. Watching the Master Class matches serves as a learning experience for his Pokémon. Eevee comfortably nestled in Gary's arms, claiming the center position. The Galarian Ponyta lay on Gary's left, while Arcanine rested on his right. Sneasel perched atop Arcanine's head. Electabuzz and Golduck each grabbed an energy drink and settled in the back to enjoy the show. Scizor squatted to one side, secretly hiding two Pomelo Berries, munching while watching the television. The two big guys, Charizard and Nidoking, could only sit at the back, poking their heads out. Meanwhile, Gengar floated calmly on the ceiling, enjoying the best view.
Nearby trainers glanced over at Gary, subtly moving a few steps away. Gary calmly sipped his sweet rice wine; having a large family made him intimidating—there was no helping it. On the screen, Lance, draped in a red cape, made his entrance! Wow~ The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause. Lance was a pride of Kanto; his popularity rivaled that of even Lorelei, especially in Kanto and Johto. With today being a Master Class match, it was undoubtedly an adrenaline-pumping showdown between top Pokémon trainers. The shouts of commentators and screams from the audience created a grand atmosphere that allowed Gary's Pokémon to witness the spectacle of a major event. Pokémon battles, especially in tournaments, test not only combat skills but also how trainers handle overwhelming crowds and enthusiastic cheers—factors that must be considered as well. It wasn't uncommon for high-level trainers to lose to those of lower skill due to temporary stage fright.
Watching the sea of spectators, Arcanine's tail wagged excitedly. This Pokémon surely thrived in front of crowds! Eevee, with a disdainful huff, nudged Gary's right hand, its expression pleading for attention: "Pet me! Pet me!" As for the other Pokémon, while they didn't exhibit excessive excitement, Gary was pleased that none showed signs of fear. That alone was quite remarkable.
The scene shifted to another passageway at Indigo Stadium where Caitlin made her entrance! "Let's welcome our challenger! The Psychic Queen from Unova, Elite Four—Miss Caitlin!" The commentator passionately introduced her. Wow!! This time, the applause was even louder than for Lance. Gary smiled; who could resist a beautiful, elegant blonde like her? With a lazy demeanor, Caitlin walked into the arena, casting disdainful glances at the cheering men in attendance. Dressed in a pink dress with long wavy golden hair and her signature aloof expression… The cheers from the crowd intensified! "Ah!! That look! Our Queen!!" "Kill me, sister!!" "Don't just use your eyes; use a whip!!" In a VIP box, Agatha, Lorelei, and Caitlin were also present to watch the match.
Listening to the audience's wild screams, Agatha rolled her eyes. "Kids these days really don't know how to hold back." "Everyone has their vanity~" Lorelei smiled slightly; as one of Kanto's Elite Four flowers, she received even bolder cheers than this regularly... "But ultimately, it's about strength. After all, we are Pokémon trainers," Caitlin commented casually while sipping on a luxurious sundae without concern. "Lance's strength is formidable; I wonder if this young girl can withstand him," Agatha shook her head skeptically regarding Caitlin's chances.
Raising an eyebrow confidently, Caitlin smiled. "I think it's uncertain who will win or lose. After all, when she goes all out—I'm not sure I can beat her either." Bruno, sitting at the edge enjoying tea, discreetly muted himself and kept his distance. He couldn't afford to offend these three women... Especially not Caitlin, who had engaged in an unrestricted outdoor battle with Lance on her very first day at Indigo Plateau. Although it was said that neither side emerged victorious—later when cleaning up after them, Bruno discovered that the mountain they fought on had been lowered by five centimeters and surrounding areas were scorched earth... From that day on, Bruno resolved to keep a low profile while working hard; he would focus on being a diligent worker from now on!
"Ah~ My sundae is finished~" said Caitlin, tilting her head slightly. "My red tea is also gone~" coughed Agatha, clearing her throat twice. "I really want some 100% pure fruit juice~" pouted Lorelei, recalling a certain boy in her mind. Unable to hold back any longer, Bruno slammed his hand on the table. "What are you all doing?! This is what you should be considering—leave it to me…"
Rolling her eyes at Bruno, she thought thankfully that she had four hands... In the arena, Lance raised his head solemnly. "Come on; I'm looking forward to seeing what tricks you have up your sleeve as Unova's Psychic King." Caitlin's expression remained cool as she curled a finger around her long hair. She wasn't easy to deal with when it came to unfamiliar opponents. "You'll find out soon enough."
With a wave of the referee's flag—the match officially began! Gary sat upright with focused attention as he gently stroked Eevee's fur while concentrating on the television screen. Though he often teased Lance, calling him "the Dodo Bird," he knew this man was indeed a champion-level trainer. Despite being unaccustomed to new battle formats, he had managed to retrain his second ace—Gyarados—into top-tier fighting power! He could even hold his own against Lorelei!
Having missed out on both Mega Evolution and Dynamax advantages due to version changes—this didn't stop him from becoming one of the world's top Pokémon trainers. That's who Lance was! As for Caitlin, while she ranked among the top ten in Master Class matches currently—her Psychic abilities certainly gave her an edge over others.
Who would ultimately prevail? Even Gary couldn't confidently predict an outcome between these two formidable trainers. "Everyone pay close attention! This match is bound to be intense!" Gary exhaled deeply as he prepared himself for what was about to unfold.
Out of nowhere—Psyduck produced a pair of glasses and nodded seriously as if getting ready for an important lecture. Meanwhile, Eevee's eyes were glued to the screen; even sleepy-looking Charizard puffed out two jets of white smoke as it focused intently on watching the match unfold.
"The contestants are ready! Who will shine at Indigo Stadium? Let's wait and see!" The commentator shouted excitedly. Cheers from the audience rose higher and higher until with a decisive motion from the referee's right hand—two Poké Balls were simultaneously thrown into the arena!
Bang! Red lights flashed as both Caitlin and Lance sent out their first Pokémon!
"Roar!!" With gray skin and fierce teeth along with sharp wing membranes—Lance's Aerodactyl made its appearance! As one of the top predators—the bite force of Aerodactyl was undoubtedly a nightmare for Psychic-type Pokémon!
On Caitlin's side stood an unexpected powerhouse—a towering Metagross! With heavy metallic arms and supercomputing speed within its brain alongside an incredibly tough body...
"The first Pokémon from contestant Caitlin is indeed Metagross!" The commentator exclaimed in surprise. As Champion from Hoenn—the name Metagross certainly carried weight among Pokémon! No one expected that Caitlin would have one as well!
"She has another ace up her sleeve; Caitlin is impressive~" Gary smiled slightly from his seat. In Indigo Stadium—Caitlin also revealed a smile. "You guessed it~"
"Although Lance's ace is Dragonite, before that—both Aerodactyl and Charizard are also weak against Psychic types. It all depends on how Caitlin handles this." With one hand stroking Eevee and another rubbing Arcanine's head—Gary speculated aloud.
Currently lacking any second ace in Lance's lineup—it could be said that his team composition left much to be desired. Due to not having good alternatives—he had even stuffed two Dragonair into his first lineup along with two Dragonites! Having dragon nests at home certainly allowed such indulgence…
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