"Alakazam is unable to battle! The match is over!"
"Let us congratulate Mr. Hisoka and his Weavile for achieving ultimate victory!" The announcer, whose slicked-back hair looked like it could kill a fly if one landed on it, shouted into his microphone with excitement.
"The S.S. Anne Pokémon Tournament, which has lasted for eight hours, finally comes to a close! Please give a round of applause for Mr. Hisoka and his Weavile as they come forward to receive their championship prizes!"
"Congratulations, Mr. Hisoka!" Maggie winked at Hisoka as he approached the stage. She had been the referee for the final match and was now the prize presenter.
Hisoka's opponent in the finals had been a researcher from Saffron City. He wasn't a professional trainer, but Hisoka had to admit his Alakazam was incredibly strong.
To win sixteen consecutive matches and stand out from 320 participants was proof enough of his skill. If Weavile's Dark-type hadn't completely countered Alakazam's Psychic-type, the outcome might have been different.
Alakazam's most powerful offensive move, Psychic, was completely ineffective against the Dark-type Weavile. Even with that disadvantage, the Alakazam had put up a fierce fight using a combination of Teleport, Recover, and the Normal-type Tri Attack, giving Weavile a difficult time.
There was a bit of luck involved, Hisoka thought. Despite winning the championship, he felt no arrogance. This shipboard tournament wasn't entirely fair for many trainers; he had simply been a beneficiary of the rules. To keep moving forward, one had to recognize their own limits and see reality for what it was.
Maggie held an Egg Incubator in both hands, while the Mystic Water necklace hung around her neck. She stepped forward with a smile and handed the incubator to Hisoka.
Hisoka took it. Inside, a blue Pokémon egg with black patterns rested quietly. The cover of the incubator was made of specialized synthetic glass, and the base was shock-absorbent. Even if it fell from a four or five-story building, the egg inside would remain unharmed.
Maggie then unclasped the necklace and placed it into Hisoka's hand with a beaming smile.
"I actually knew you would win," Maggie whispered into Hisoka's ear. "You didn't disappoint me. How about a hug? Consider it a bonus for that ticket I gave you!"
Maggie still didn't know that Hisoka hadn't used her ticket to board the S.S. Anne; he had boarded for free as an external security hire.
With a beautiful woman making such a request, Hisoka wasn't about to be a spoilsport. After tucking away the Mystic Water, he gently put his arms around Maggie's shoulders. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two shared a brief hug.
Instantly, applause, cheers, and whistles erupted throughout the central hall. People always loved seeing a hero win the girl. As the man of the hourand a handsome one at thatit seemed only natural for a beautiful hostess to request a hug.
As for the more "wicked" thoughts some might have had, Hisoka would have told them they were overthinking it. After the ceremony, he and Maggie had simply shared a few drinks at the cruise bar, exchanged contact information, and headed back to their respective rooms to rest.
Hisoka was physically and mentally drained after sixteen matches. Most of the exhaustion was mental; after all, Weavile did the fighting while he provided the direction.
Once he sank into a warm bath, he didn't want to get out. If Lulu hadn't used her Psychic powers to move him to the bed, he probably would have fallen asleep in the tub.
Hisoka was very satisfied with the two championship prizes. As for the Pokémon egg, he hoped for high potential above all else; rarity didn't matter as much, because rarity didn't always equate to talent. The Mystic Water would increase the power of Water-type moves. Once Feebas evolved into Milotic, it would be the perfect item for her.
Thump! Thump!
At midnight, when nearly everyone on the ship had fallen asleep, Hisoka's door was knocked upon.
"Can't a guy sleep?"
Startled awake, Hisoka bolted upright. He was already exhausted, and being woken up during a deep sleep left him in a foul mood.
He didn't open the door immediately. He wasn't sure who would come looking for him in the middle of the night. Vigilance was a necessity. Looking through the peephole, he saw a woman wearing a camisole and black stockings. Her face was heavily made up, but he could still make out her features. It was Lisa, the bounty hunter who had applied for the security position alongside him.
Is this woman out of her mind? Hisoka laughed inwardly. Who gets dressed like that to knock on a teenage boy's door at midnight? A fool could see what she was after.
His mind quickly calculated the possibilities. He suspected Mundo, the Team Rocket executive, had seen his matches and decided Hisoka was a threat to their upcoming operation.
"Looking to pull me out by the roots before the real work begins?"
Hisoka let out a cold sneer. He had seen this routine many times before. Did they really take him for some naive, sunny youth? Back in Viridian Forest, he had dealt with plenty of backstabbing and treachery while on bounty missions. Furthermore, having lived two lives and being a business elite in his past, he viewed the world as a battlefield. He had seen it all.
If he didn't open the door, they would suspect he was on to them and cook up a different scheme. It was better to play along for now and see exactly how they planned to deal with him.
He opened the door. Lisa leaned against the frame with a seductive smile and cooed, "Won't you invite a big sister in for a chat, handsome?"
Before Hisoka could even respond, she had already stepped halfway into the room.
Hisoka stepped forward, blocking her path. Lisa immediately placed a hand on his chest, even giving it a playful squeeze. Her eyes widened in feigned surprise. "My, your chest is quite firm. Let me in, won't you? It's a long night... why don't I teach you something fun?"
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