The performance of the wine waiter was nothing short of captivating. With eloquence, he spoke about the deep bond between Trainer and Pokemon, likening it to the smoothness of fine wine. His descriptions of their mutual understanding were rich and layered, like the complex textures of chocolate, while the intensity of their battles was compared to dry wood catching fire. His flowery rhetoric seemed to come straight from the pages of a Contest handbook, leaving some to wonder whether he had spent as much time studying language as he had the art of Pokemon sommeliering.
As the audience pondered the sommelier's poetic comparisons, Zane, sat next to his Jynx, lost in thought. The crowd, however, remained captivated, their attention divided between the performer's vivid metaphors and the brewing excitement for the upcoming battle.
As for the wine prepared by the waiter, the participants seemed to enjoy it, but the thousands of spectators in the audience had no way of knowing what it tasted like. What they did know, however, was that many of the freshmen were now intrigued by the profession, wondering if they should consider joining the Pokemon sommelier field as sophomores. There was even talk of a Pokemon bartender who had recently opened a small bar by the east gate of Riverstone University, with rumors circulating that business was booming thanks to the evening's party.
The performance ended swiftly, and he cleared away the debris from the battlefield, leaving the area spotless. The spotlight shifted to the center of the arena, where the final showdown of the evening would take place. The host hadn't even stepped onto the stage yet, but the anticipation among the crowd was palpable.
Everyone had been waiting for this—the highly anticipated finale of the welcome party. A thrilling battle between freshman John and Zane. Some were eager to see a great fight unfold, while others were hoping to see John, the handsome newcomer, get knocked down a peg. After all, his good looks and reputation as a strong battler had made him a target for envy. A few freshmen still held out hope that John would pull off an unexpected victory, which would be a massive morale boost for the underclassmen.
The host, a stunning woman with flowing black hair and a graceful appearance, stepped onto the stage. Her bare shoulders gleamed under the lights as she took the microphone.
"Let's give another round of applause for Senior Charlie and their wonderful presentation of the Pokemon sommelier!" she announced, prompting the audience to respond with enthusiastic clapping.
"Thank you all for your enthusiasm," she continued with a smile. "As we wrap up tonight's event, we have a special tradition. The winners of the freshman military training competition will get a chance to challenge one of the seniors." She paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension build. "So, let's welcome freshman John and senior Zane to the stage for the most exciting battle of the night!"
The applause was mixed, with only the freshmen cheering loudly. Many in the audience appeared confused by the mention of Zane's name.
"Wait, Zane's figthing? Isn't this supposed to be a friendly match?" one freshman whispered.
"I guess they were forced to bring him out. It's been years since the freshman military competition, and this time, the Breeding Department won. The Battle Department must be embarrassed," another muttered.
"But letting a freshman face Zane? Isn't that a little unfair?" someone else added. "The battle's over before it starts!"
"I'm used to it," another sighed. "The Battle Department can't handle losing to the Breeding Department. They can't win in the national league, so now they're picking on freshmen."
The murmurs of discontent grew louder, but Zane and John, undeterred by the whispers, walked to their respective trainer seats. Both were determined to face each other, no matter what the crowd thought.
Zane looked at John with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "I hope your good looks don't make the loss any harder to watch," he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with sarcasm.
John, unaware of how Zane viewed him, stood confidently. He had no idea that Zane was the strongest of the Battle Club—the strongest in the department, an experienced trainer, and a formidable opponent. But John wasn't worried. He'd been training hard with his Gameboy for the past month, and he wasn't intimidated by someone who had just one more year of experience than him.
The referee stepped forward, signaling that both trainers were ready. "Now, we begin the performance battle of the welcome party. Trainer John will face Trainer Zane. Both sides will use four Pokemon, and the battle will end when two Pokemon from either team are unable to continue fighting."
The rules were different from the rookie militarycompetition John had won earlier. In this battle, each trainer would choose four Pokemon, with unlimited substitutions allowed until two Pokemon were knocked out.
John and Zane each reached for their Pokeballs. With a swift motion, they tossed the spheres into the air, releasing their Pokemon onto the battlefield.
Zane's first choice was Throh, a massive humanoid Pokemon with a body as tough as granite, renowned for its wrestling skills. A pure Fighting-type, Throh was a powerhouse that would be a tough first opponent.
John, however, had a different plan. He sent out his trusted Hariyama, the Pokemon he had been training diligently with. This would be his opening move, one he hoped would give him a strong start.
The referee waved his flag and called out, "Battle begins!"