"Time sure flies, my friends."
Watching Ethan Chen and Mr. King disappear side by side into the player tunnel, the host's voice was filled with emotion.
"It's hard to believe... It's been nearly two months since the qualifiers for the Magic City Tournament began, and now we're finally approaching the grand finale."
"During this time, every player has fought hard for glory, and we owe them for all the excitement and unforgettable moments their dedication has brought us."
"The final will be held at 10 a.m., three days from now! At that time, the Magic City Tournament Champion will be crowned!"
"Everyone is welcome to come witness the birth of the champion at Magic City Center Stadium! See you there!"
The host's warm smile lingered as his voice echoed through the arena.
Hearing this, many spectators couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
"Wow... once the finals are over, there won't be any more matches to watch..."
"We need another Magic City Tournament! Don't stop at the top eight — let's do a 'Magic City Heroes Tournament' or something!"
"You're a genius!"
"Why wait three days?! I want to see the finals NOW!"
"With all due respect, Bella Quinn is unstoppable! My girl's taking the championship for sure!"
"Don't count out Ethan! He's pulled off some insane plays before. Besides, he still has that brutal Ursaring!"
The crowd quickly split into two camps — Team Bella and Team Ethan — both sides fiercely defending their favorites.
At Pokémon House...
"Congratulations! You won TM84 — Scald!"
Bella Quinn's eyes widened as she stared at the message flashing on the store's Pokédex screen.
"Boss?"
"This move is great — a powerful Water-type attack," Alex explained with a smile.
"While it's not as powerful as Surf, Scald can burn your opponent, making it an amazing tactical move."
"Perfect! Milotic's been needing another strong move!"
Bella's eyes gleamed with excitement. Her Milotic had powerful defensive abilities but lacked strong offensive coverage aside from Surf.
Now with Scald, Milotic's versatility was boosted — a perfect addition right before the finals.
Meanwhile, Charlotte slumped dramatically over the table nearby.
"Why... why do you always get lucky?"
Her face was full of exaggerated despair as she stared at Bella's victorious grin.
She couldn't believe it.
She had drawn five Bug-types in a row when she tried her luck — and even her TM draw ended with a disappointing "Thank you for participating."
Yet here was Bella… scoring a powerful Water-type move that perfectly suited her Pokémon.
So unfair...
"Milotic, how do you feel~?"
Bella beamed as she used the TM to teach Milotic Scald.
Milotic flicked its elegant tail and let out a soft, melodic cry.
"Woo~!"
"That's my girl! We're winning this!" Bella declared with a confident smile as she affectionately stroked Milotic's scales.
"Woo!!"
Milotic nuzzled Bella's cheek, clearly sharing her excitement and determination.
"We've got this, Milotic! We're one step away from the championship!"
"Hmph."
Charlotte shot Bella a sour look.
"Ethan's lineup is a bit rough, but don't underestimate him," Alex warned.
"His tactics are always on point, and even if his Pokémon are at a type disadvantage, he knows how to turn the tide."
"I know," Bella replied seriously.
"Brother Yun's strong, but I'm not weak either! I'll take him down just like I did Charlotte!"
She grinned smugly at Charlotte.
"Even if it's for Charlotte's legacy, I have to win!"
"...???"
Charlotte, still sulking, shot her head up in disbelief.
"Excuse me?! What legacy?!"
"I'm fighting for you, Chu Chu! For your honor!" Bella declared dramatically.
"You — you —" Charlotte stammered, her face turning red with frustration.
"I curse you! I hope you get an upset stomach before the finals and spend the whole day in the bathroom!"
She jabbed her finger at Bella furiously.
"Heh~! That's how you treat your dearest friend?" Bella teased with a smirk.
"I'M SERIOUS!"
Charlotte leaned closer, glaring daggers at Bella.
"I curse you to have stomach problems starting the night before the finals!"
"You're so mean!" Bella gasped in mock outrage.
"I'M PETTY AND I DON'T CARE!"
The two continued bickering like sisters, drawing laughs from everyone nearby.
"Chirp~"
At that moment, Zapdos stumbled in from the backyard, waddling awkwardly as if it was about to collapse.
"Huh? Why does Zapdos look so exhausted?"
Charlotte blinked, noticing the bird's sluggish steps and dimmed feathers.
"It's fine," Alex chuckled.
"Zapdos has just been doing some extra work lately... and by 'extra work,' I mean I put him on delivery duty."
"Delivery?" Bella asked curiously.
"Yeah. He's been hauling crates of fruit to nearby suppliers — a little strength training never hurt anyone!"
As if on cue, Zapdos suddenly perked up, snatching a box of energy cubes from the counter. It dashed back to the backyard with surprising speed — far from the sluggish state it had shown earlier.
Bella and Charlotte stared, dumbfounded.
"This bird's seriously something else…" Charlotte muttered.
"Yeah," Alex grinned.
"Lazy, greedy, sneaky… but oddly charming."
"Boss, are you coming to the finals?" Bella asked.
"Of course! And I'll be doing a small job while I'm there."
"A small job?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
Jingle~
The doorbell chimed, and in walked Logan, Rachel, and the rest of the crew.
"Knew you two would be here!" Rachel grinned, spotting Bella and Charlotte.
"Poor Chu, did you draw anything good after your loss?" Lily asked, curious.
Charlotte's face darkened instantly.
"...Don't ask."
"Boss, let me try my luck!" Logan declared eagerly.
In high spirits from Ethan's victory, Logan grabbed the Pokédex to take a shot at drawing his next Pokémon.
The shadow on the screen slowly revealed a shape…
"Ohhh! It's another fox!"
Charlotte's eyes widened as a sleek, black fox-like Pokémon with red markings appeared.
"I love it!" Logan grinned.
"Wow, even its red eyeshadow looks cool," Charlotte muttered.
"Looks like luck's on your side today, Logan!" Bella teased.
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