The Eastern Battle Tower serves as a premier battle facility here in the Orient region. Its status roughly matches Kalos's Battle Chateau or Alola's Battle Tree. According to the official description these facilities exist for Trainers to test and refine their skills against genuinely strong opposition. Even in the anime's Battle Frontier arc a challenger once subdued all three Legendary Regis there, which says plenty about the difficulty on offer.
The Eastern Battle Tower also doubles as a full competitive arena, and this year's Master League showdown between Cynthia and Lance was set to take place there.
Luke studied the venue description on his phone with a strange expression. "So they actually renovated the Oriental Pearl Tower into this."
"Makes sense, honestly. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, so I guess the world just needed its own version of the Prism Tower."
"What was that?" Cynthia asked.
"I said I'll be upset if you lose today, so give it your best."
Cynthia's mouth curved upward, her expression settling into quiet resolve. "I won't lose."
In this world bonds between Trainer and Pokémon were something real and tangible. Charizard belonged to Leon the same way Garchomp belonged to Cynthia. Genuine love returned in kind.
Luke nodded thoughtfully and murmured, "Bonds, huh. Why does it feel like every Pokémon I've ever raised just shows up to betray me instead?"
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To dodge reporters, Luke and Cynthia rode straight in through the event organizers' vehicle. Once they reached the packed grounds of the Eastern Battle Tower, Cynthia paused in the player tunnel, sunglasses on.
"You'll need to go through the front entrance and clear security separately," she said, frowning. "Here, take this." She handed him a card. "Don't leave without me after the match."
Luke's heart skipped, though he kept his composure. "Don't worry. The bill's still unpaid."
Cynthia smiled, waved, and walked off toward the players' tunnel in her heels. Something in her shifted almost instantly as she went, her posture straightening and even her footsteps taking on a crisp, businesslike rhythm.
Watching that blonde hair disappear into the crowd Luke scratched his head. "Well. Guess I should head in too."
He turned the VIP card over in his hand, its gold foil pattern still carrying a faint lingering scent, and suddenly froze.
"Wait. Didn't I still owe Coach Whitman a ticket pickup?"
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Whitman had brought the entire school team along for the trip. With Luke folded into the group it wasn't an exaggeration to call this crowd the effective starting lineup for this year's College League.
"Coach, match is about to start. Has the assistant coach shown up yet?"
"Should've handed him the ticket earlier," Whitman muttered, before his eyes lit up. "There he is!"
"Sorry, Coach, running late!" Luke called out.
"Glad you made it. Let's head in," Whitman said, holding out a ticket.
Luke laughed, a little awkward. "Actually came to explain something first. I won't be sitting with the group today."
"Wait, you're not watching the match?"
Whitman blinked, his gaze catching on the gold-embossed card in Luke's other hand, eyes widening instantly. A VIP ticket running well over $14,000, and you're still after our team's comped seats too?
Elena, whose family ran a luxury goods empire, paused and pressed her lips together. This had nothing to do with money at all. Some things simply couldn't be bought regardless of budget. Unless Luke had a direct personal connection to the organizers there was no legitimate way he'd have landed an invitation like that.
Whitman elbowed him. "You know someone on the organizing side?"
Luke shook his head.
"Don't tell me one of the actual competitors invited you?" Whitman said, laughing heartily.
Luke coughed. "Coach, I'll reimburse you for the tickets later, promise. Go ahead and lead everyone in!"
Whitman watched him bolt off with a genuinely baffled expression. Could this kid actually know one of the competitors personally? Both finalists were Champion-tier Trainers. Lance out of Kanto. Cynthia out of Sinnoh. To count either of them as a close friend, or something more, this kid had to be operating on a whole different level than anyone realized.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Whitman muttered to himself, "This assistant coach hire is turning out to be something else entirely."
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After presenting Cynthia's card Luke was escorted by a hostess through the VIP entrance into a private box overlooking the entire arena. The room was quiet and offered a full panoramic view, with dew-fresh fruit already laid out on the table.
Luke released Eevee and Haunter from their balls and both took in the room with obvious curiosity.
A deafening roar rose from both sides of the stadium, the crowd's energy already at full volume. This was Master Rank. The genuine top tier of competitive battling. Every seat in the house was screaming, and the announcer's voice only pushed the crowd higher.
"Please welcome the Champion of Kanto — LANCE!!"
Luke leaned forward, curious, watching the player tunnel. In Pokémon Adventures canon Lance had a reputation for arrogance early on, though he'd clearly matured with time. A red-haired man with a stern expression walked out in a deep crimson cloak over blue Champion attire, waving to both sides of the crowd.
Luke recalled a line from the games describing him: "A man with an unshakable sense of justice."
While he was still turning that over a sharp, pointed voice cut in from the neighboring box.
"You were invited by him too?"
The VIP boxes were separated by railings but conversation still carried easily between them. Luke glanced over and blinked in surprise.
"...Clair?"
Light blue hair, a form-fitting bodysuit that showed off an athletic frame. Clair ran the Dragon-type Gym over in Blackthorn City, Johto, and happened to be Lance's cousin. She wore matching light blue gloves, boots, and a cape, a dragon-taming whip resting on the seat beside her — which made Luke's eyebrow twitch involuntarily.
"You know who I am?" Clair asked, frowning.
"Heard of the Dragon Rider bloodline before," Luke said.
Unfortunate, though — always living somewhat in Lance's shadow, Luke thought privately, and Lance himself seems to carry some kind of intense cousin-complex energy back at her, whatever's going on there. He rubbed his temples. Honestly the character web in this world is a genuine mess.
Clair's frown deepened. "You still haven't answered. Did Lance invite you?"
"No. I'm here supporting family." Luke coughed. "Well — close friends. Basically family."
He lifted his chin, an easy smile settling on his face as his eyes drifted back to the arena, tone verging on smug. "She's here."
The announcer's voice thundered through the venue. "And now — please welcome the Champion of Sinnoh — CYNTHIA!!"
The cheers that followed dwarfed even the reception Lance had gotten. The moment the striking blonde stepped into view the entire crowd erupted in applause. Cynthia's presence carried an almost regal weight, black trench coat trailing behind her as she crossed onto the field with total, effortless composure.
"Sorry for the wait," Cynthia said, nodding once.
"I've been looking forward to this match for a long time," Lance said, voice low and even.
"I'll try not to disappoint," Cynthia said, a faint smile forming.
The referee's flag dropped. A sharp whistle cut through the noise.
"Let the match begin!"