Chapter 109: Hometown Folks Don't Fight Hometown Folks
"She won?" Basalt was taken aback. The tide of the battle had turned so quickly, no one had been prepared for it. But Luna's Delibird was undeniably strong, far stronger than a newly raised Pokémon should be.
"Is that really a Delibird? It's so powerful!"
"Luna is on another level. She can even make a weak Pokémon like Delibird this strong."
"Didn't you know? She trained under Granny Shu in Seaside County. With her family's resources, she could probably make a pig fly."
"That's true. And now she's moving up to Group B. I'm so jealous!"
The crowd murmured, their expressions a mixture of awe, envy, and admiration.
Only Basalt shivered. He saw Luna smiling at him again.
Is she really going to challenge me? We're on the same side, milady! Basalt's head throbbed. He clearly remembered what she had said before his placement battles. She was out for revenge.
He casually started to stroll towards the Group C section, pretending to be nonchalant.
"Chen, you really kept that one under wraps," Mr. Leo said, his expression serious as he looked at Luna.
"It has nothing to do with me, Leo," Mr. Chen said with an awkward laugh. "I only found out about her Delibird last Friday. And she doesn't need my guidance in her daily training." He was getting a bonus for her promotion, but he hadn't actually taught her anything. When he found out she was being mentored by Granny Shu, he knew better than to interfere.
"Is that so?" Mr. Leo frowned. He had heard rumors about Luna. Having her in his group might be a handful.
The second match began: Finch versus Donovan.
Donovan, as a top trainer from the Terra Club, was no slouch. His Machop was not only strong but also surprisingly agile. Combined with Focus Energy to increase its critical-hit ratio, Bulk Up to boost its Attack and Defense, and Foresight to ensure it could always see its opponent, it was a tough nut to crack. The battle between Houndour and Machop was a back-and-forth affair, with neither able to gain a decisive advantage.
Meanwhile, Basalt had sidled up to Luna. "Luna, you're going to challenge the upper tier next, right?" he asked, blinking innocently.
She shot him a look. "Yes."
"You're not... going to choose me, are you?" he asked tentatively, scratching his cheek.
"Yes." Her gaze was fixed on the battle.
"Don't!" Basalt cried, his face a mask of despair. "We're on the same side, milady! As the ancient proverb goes: 'Hometown folks don't fight hometown folks.' Please don't choose me!"
Luna ignored him. What stupid ancient proverb? I've never heard of it. Who are you trying to fool?
Seeing that his appeal to their shared heritage had failed, he tried another tack. "Luna, don't be rash! If you lose, you'll be wasting resources and an opportunity. Why would you want to do that?" He genuinely didn't want to fight her. She had helped him out, and besides, she could just challenge Forrest.
"So, you're saying I'm destined to lose to you again?" Luna's teeth itched with anger. That's what he was implying, wasn't it?
"Uh..." Basalt was speechless. While her Delibird was strong, his Bronzor was a prodigy. After learning Gravity and Bulldoze, it was on a completely different level. And it still hadn't used Dream Eater or Flash. In his heart, he was confident he would win. But he couldn't say that out loud. If he did, she'd probably explode. And he couldn't just throw the match; he couldn't afford to lose the resources. He was aiming for Group A.
"And don't talk to me about opportunities and resources," Luna said with a cold smile, trying to contain her anger. "I can afford to miss one opportunity. And as for resources... do you really think I care?"
She stormed off, leaving Basalt standing there, looking awkward and out of place.
The other members of Groups B and C watched the exchange, a strange feeling in the air.
"Wow, that Basalt is a real piece of work. He's afraid of Luna challenging him, so he's trying to harass her beforehand to throw her off her game."
"Definitely! He must have said something awful to make her that angry."
"Is he crazy? Everyone in the camp knows who Luna is. He's messing with the wrong person."
"He probably thinks that since they're from the same hometown and he's good-looking, he has a shot. But she's clearly not interested. How embarrassing!"
"That Basalt... he's skilled, but his character is questionable."
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, a sense of collective outrage building. Luna was the flower of their C group, beautiful and strong. And now, she was about to be promoted to B.
Basalt wanted to go after her and try to explain, but the hateful glares from the Group C boys stopped him in his tracks. "What are you guys...?" He didn't know what was going on, but he knew they weren't joking. For his own safety, he scurried back to the B group section.
"Basalt, you've got some serious guts," Forrest said, giving him a thumbs-up. "Even going after Luna... tsk, tsk."
"Huh? What did I do?" Basalt asked, scratching his head.
Just then, a burst of flames erupted from the battlefield. After inflicting a burn on Machop with Will-O-Wisp, Houndour had finally gained the upper hand and finished the match with an Incinerate. Finch had successfully defended his spot.
The third match was Luna versus the stern-faced boy from Group C's upper tier. His Pokémon was a Girafarig, the Psychic/Normal-type. It was a strong Pokémon, but it was no match for Luna's Delibird. After taking a hit from Ice Shard, it countered with Psybeam, but it was easily overpowered by Delibird's Icy Wind. The freezing blast encased it in ice, and a single Drill Peck ended the match. Luna had won again, solidifying her position in Group B.
The fourth match was Houndour versus Totodile, and Houndour managed a narrow victory.
"Luna, as a newly promoted member, you have one more opportunity to challenge. Who do you choose?" Mr. Leo asked after the matches were over.
"I challenge Basalt!" she said without a moment's hesitation.
"Sigh..." Basalt slapped his forehead, a massive headache building. She had chosen him after all.
The rest of the crowd looked on with an "I knew it" expression on their faces. The pot-stirrer Basalt was finally getting his comeuppance.
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