Chapter 102: Tiana: Dad, Drop the Act
The video continued playing.
The stage lights converged on Salamence and Kricketune.
Tiana raised her hand first.
"Salamence, use Flamethrower!"
Salamence threw back its head and released a scorching pillar of fire from its throat, sending it directly toward Kricketune.
"Dodge."
Kricketune lightly tapped its feet against the stage. Its entire body drifted sideways past the edge of the flames like a fallen leaf carried by the wind.
"So fast!"
Tiana’s eyes lit up.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Salamence opened its mouth and fired a purple wave of energy toward Kricketune.
"Fury Cutter."
White light surrounded Kricketune’s right arm.
It swung its forearm and precisely sliced into the side of Dragon Pulse.
The purple wave of energy split cleanly in two, exploding behind Kricketune like a pair of violet fireworks.
A chorus of astonished cries erupted from the audience.
Tiana bit her lower lip, but the corner of her mouth soon lifted.
"Now this is getting interesting."
Tiana pressed her hand against the Key Stone in her hair clip.
"Salamence, Mega Evolve!"
Rainbow-colored light erupted simultaneously from the Key Stone and Salamencite, countless ribbons of brilliance intertwining through the air.
Mega Salamence spread its even broader wings and released a deafening roar.
"Dragon Rush!"
Dark-blue Dragon-type energy enveloped Mega Salamence’s entire body as it descended from the air like a blazing meteor.
"Kricketune, use Bug Buzz!"
Kricketune rapidly rubbed its arms together, producing a piercing, high-frequency sound wave.
Visible rings of sound rippled through the air and met Mega Salamence’s descending trajectory head-on.
The two forces collided in midair.
Dark-blue Dragon-type energy intertwined with transparent waves of sound. The air at the point of impact was compressed to its limit before suddenly exploding outward.
The smoke gradually dispersed.
Mega Salamence hovered above the stage, its chest rising and falling slightly.
Kricketune landed in the center of the stage without a single injury.
At the same moment, the countdown reached zero.
The scores on the enormous screen froze, and the difference between them was obvious at a glance.
However, the Kricketune Man raised one hand and gestured toward the judges.
"There is no need to decide a winner."
His voice emerged through the mask, calm and gentle.
"The purpose of a friendly match is not victory or defeat, but the exchange of experience."
Mr. Sukizo applauded cheerfully from the side, while Nurse Joy nodded in agreement.
Tiana recalled Salamence, walked to the center of the stage, and bowed toward the Kricketune Man.
"Thank you."
The Kricketune Man tilted his head slightly.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Your Kricketune followed Salamence’s rhythm from beginning to end."
Tiana raised her head.
"That’s why I should thank you."
The Kricketune Man lowered his hand and studied Tiana again.
"Other than Wallace, it has been a long time since anyone pushed me this far during an exhibition match."
He paused briefly.
"As your senior, I should give you a small reward."
Tiana tilted her head.
"What kind of reward?"
"What would you like?"
Tiana thought for a moment, and her mismatched eyes lit up.
"A Dragonite."
The Kricketune Man’s movements stopped for an instant.
"A Dragonite?"
"Yes."
Tiana nodded.
"Daddy has a Dragonite. I’ve wanted one of my own ever since I was little, but Daddy said Dragonite isn’t something you can simply obtain because you want one. You have to wait for fate to bring you together."
The Kricketune Man remained silent for a long time.
Then he turned around, his cape tracing a golden arc beneath the stage lights.
"Meet me at the harbor tomorrow morning."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: We can’t find any records of Asher, and we can’t find any records of the Kricketune Man either. That seems far too convenient to be a coincidence.
[Steven]: Come one, come all! Place your bets! Anyone who thinks Brother Asher is the Kricketune Man can place their wager with me!
[Asher]: Steven, I suggest you learn when to stop.
[Steven]: First explain why the Kricketune Man can casually give someone a Dragonite.
[Asher]: That happened in a parallel world. How would I know?
[Steven]: Have the words "parallel world" become your universal shield against every accusation?
[Asher]: Yes.
[Wallace]: There. He admitted it.
[Lorelei]: That single "yes" from Asher was more infuriating than all his previous explanations combined.
[Glacia]: Agreed.
The video continued playing.
Canalave City Harbor, early morning.
When Tiana arrived, only a handful of sailors were unloading cargo around the harbor.
"You’re very punctual."
The Kricketune Man turned toward her.
"Daddy says arriving late is the greatest form of disrespect toward another person."
Tiana walked over with her hands clasped behind her back.
"Of course, he often oversleeps himself. Mommy says that makes him a hypocrite."
The Kricketune Man fell silent for a moment.
"Your father sounds like a very interesting person."
"Oh?"
Tiana tilted her head and looked at him.
"Do you know my daddy?"
"...No."
"Oh."
Tiana nodded and blinked her mismatched eyes but didn’t pursue the subject.
The Kricketune Man walked ahead, while Tiana followed behind him.
They continued along the docks until they reached the very end, where a small speedboat was waiting.
"Get aboard."
The speedboat cut across the water, traveling toward the sea north of Canalave City.
After approximately forty minutes, it stopped beside a small island.
"We’re here."
Tiana looked around.
There was nothing but rocks and seawater. She couldn’t even see a single Wingull.
"There’s nothing here."
"Be patient."
Another ten minutes passed.
"Rooooar～～～～"
A deep and prolonged cry traveled through the sea breeze, carrying a sense of casual laziness.
A round and plump Dragonite flew into view.
It reached the air above the island and looked down at the three figures below before landing in front of Tiana.
Dragonite lowered its head and studied Tiana, then turned toward the Kricketune Man.
At that moment, the corner of Dragonite’s mouth twitched.
It seemed to want to make some kind of expression but forcibly restrained itself.
Tiana removed a Poké Ball from her waist and held it out toward Dragonite with both hands.
"Dragonite, would you be willing to come with me?"
Dragonite extended one claw and pressed the Poké Ball’s button itself, transforming into red light and entering the ball.
The Poké Ball shook three times.
Click.
The capture was successful.
Tiana raised the Poké Ball above her head and examined it against the sunlight for quite some time.
"Mr. Kricketune Man, my daddy prepared this Dragonite, didn’t he?"
"Oh?"
The Kricketune Man looked at her.
"Why would you think that?"
"Dad, how much longer are you going to keep this act up?"
"..."
"You just admitted it."
"I didn’t say anything."
"You went silent."
Tiana raised one finger.
"Daddy once said that silence means agreement."
The Kricketune Man’s—or rather, Asher’s—shoulders finally slumped.
He reached up, grasped the edge of the Kricketune mask, and removed it from his face.
Beneath the mask was a familiar face with black hair and golden eyes.
Tiana wore an expression that clearly said she had known all along.
"Daddy, does Mommy know?"
"She doesn’t."
Asher paused.
"Don’t tell her."
"Why?"
"Because I don’t want your mother to know that I entered Pokémon Contests under the alias of the Kricketune Man."
Tiana nodded solemnly.
"Okay. I won’t tell her."
"Good girl."
...
TL: Whaaaaaaaaat? Asher was the Kricketune Man?