"What were you guys chatting about? So, how was it—was your brother cool just now?" Tim came bounding over and slung his arm around Jace's shoulder.
"Cool my foot. I could do that just as well." Jace shrugged Tim's arm right off.
"Tch. Who's up in round 2?"
"As it happens, we're all in round 3. Nobody has round 2." Peter laughed.
It really was quite the coincidence. Apart from Tim being in round 1, everyone else was scheduled for round 3.
And Jace and Simon had come remarkably close to being matched against each other. Jace was at Arena 27 in round 3, and Simon was at Arena 28—one slot apart. Had either of them drawn just a little further in, they would have had to fight each other.
Since none of them had a round 2 match, they stayed put on the grounds and didn't move. They chatted among themselves and played with their Pokémon at their leisure.
"Little Dratini... do you want to come out? But if you do, you'll draw a lot of attention."
Auron smiled warmly at Dratini, who had her back turned to him inside the backpack.
"How about this—we just peek a little head out, yeah?"
Dratini's two small ears twitched ever so slightly at this, but she still didn't turn around.
"Not coming out? Alright then, I guess." Auron spread his hands, deliberately saying this to Dratini.
"Myu!"
The instant Dratini heard this, she whipped around—but still wouldn't look directly at Auron. Her gaze drifted off to the side, and she poked at the zipper above her with her tail.
"Hmm? What do you mean? Do you want to come out, or not?" Watching Dratini's haughty little act, Auron laughed despite himself, but kept teasing her all the same.
Dratini paused, glanced back at Auron for one brief moment, then promptly ignored him again and turned back to lie flat inside the backpack.
This time Auron panicked. Just now, when Dratini had turned to look at him, he could have sworn he'd seen the faintest glimmer of tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry—let me get you out right now. I was just trying to tease you a little."
Auron quickly opened the backpack and lifted Dratini out, cradling her in his arms as he murmured soothingly.
"Auron! What did you do to Dratini?!"
Serena, who had also caught sight of Dratini's pitiful, teary-eyed expression, immediately flared up. How could someone do that to such an adorable Dratini?!
Serena's outburst successfully drew everyone's attention.
"Ah—I went a bit too far with the teasing. Made her mad." Auron said sheepishly, one hand still gently stroking Dratini's back in an attempt to calm her down.
Serena let out an exasperated laugh and swatted Auron across the back. "Who treats a girl like that?"
"Myu!"
Dratini, still nestled in Auron's arms, lifted her head and let out a dissatisfied little cry at him.
Then, mimicking Serena's example, she swatted Auron's thigh lightly with her tail.
The adorable little gesture had everyone laughing in an instant.
Even so, none of them caught the faintest glimmer of smugness tucked away in Dratini's eyes.
Auron continued to whisper gentle words of apology and comfort for a good while longer. Only after that did Dratini finally accept his contrition.
And when Serena watched Dratini generously give Auron's shoulder a little pat with her tail—as if to say "we're even"—she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Like that, Dratini settled quietly in Auron's lap, while Auron dutifully played the role of servant, occasionally slipping a small round cookie into her mouth.
"Good?"
"Myu~"
"Then next time I'll make you a bunch more, and put them in your backpack for you. Sound good?"
"Myu!"
The instant Dratini heard the word "backpack," she bristled immediately. She shot up from Auron's lap, all puffed up and indignant, fixing him with a tiny, fierce glare.
"Awww, that's adorable." Tim wore a dopey auntie-smile watching the whole scene unfold. Dragonair beside him was grinning just as stupidly at Dratini and Auron—not a shred of pseudo-legendary dignity about him.
Auron hastily soothed Dratini. "The cookies go in the backpack—not you. I'm not putting you in the backpack."
Only then did Dratini settle back into Auron's lap with a satisfied air, enjoying his attentions.
"I'm so jealous. I want a Dratini too!"
Jace and Peter spoke at the exact same time, the exact same words tumbling out in perfect unison.
After saying it, the two locked eyes, then high-fived each other in celebration of their shared taste.
Simon and Lena over there also had starry eyes as they gazed at Dratini—but before they could get a proper look, both of their Dragon Messiahs moved in and blocked their line of sight.
(Jealous!)
This patch of grass, lively as it was and teeming with pseudo-legendaries, eventually drew the attention of passersby.
"Look, look—so many pseudo-legendaries, holy crap."
"Vibrava, Dragonair, Dragon Messiah—and is that a Milotic? That's gorgeous!"
"Milotic? Look at that guy's arms—is that a SHINY Dratini?!"
"Life really isn't fair. They're not even that good-looking, so why do they have pseudo-legendaries and I don't?"
One person dropped straight to their knees and looked up at the sky, raging at its injustice.
The person standing beside them glanced at the kneeling guy, opened their mouth to say something, and immediately choked on their own words.
"Bro... with a face like yours, I think the universe actually got it right. It's pretty fair, all things considered."
They quickly turned their gaze back to Auron and the others. Not for any particular reason—just to rest their eyes. Afraid of going blind otherwise.
"A shiny Dratini? That's nothing—he's got a shiny Charizard too."
"How do you know that?"
"You guys didn't see that post on the forum? It blew up on opening day."
"I'm checking right now!"
Peter watched all the onlookers gawking, snapping photos, and buzzing with excitement. His own excitement swelled to match. "Ha! Me—Peter—" he caught himself— "I mean, Wang Quan, even I get to be famous one day! Tsk tsk, I've gotta tell my brother when I get back. I'm a known figure now!"
Peter beamed at everyone around him—but what he didn't know was that when he went back later to search through the photos to show his brother, not a single one on the entire forum had his face clearly visible. In fact, even his Vibrava had more presence in the shots than he did.
"Dratini, should we put you back in the backpack for now? Our match is about to start."
After checking the info on his phone, Auron stood up, cradling Dratini, and prepared to tuck her back inside.
"Myu!!"
"But Dratini, I still have to compete..."
"Myu! Myu!"
Dratini shook her head firmly, coiled herself around Auron's leg, and flat-out refused to go back in the backpack no matter what.
"Ah, just bring her with you. She's not going on the field anyway—she can just stay by your side."
Even Tim couldn't stand watching this anymore. Dratini was so adorable—how could you stuff her into a backpack? If he had a shiny Dratini, he'd do whatever she said without question.
"Fine, fine. But you have to stay right next to me, okay? Don't wander too far."
"Myu, myu~"
"OK. Let's go. Time to get ready."
"Let's go—we're going to win!"
"We're going to win!"
Peter led the charge, striding forward with all the swagger and spirit in the world. Jace, showing full respect for Peter's entrance, played along perfectly and shouted his encouragement loud and clear.
Simon and the others laughed as they rose to their feet and headed toward the arenas indicated on their phones.
In the end, only poor Tim was left behind, all alone, keeping watch over their backpacks and belongings.
Auron's arena was No. 31—not far at all from where they'd been sitting. He made it there quickly and stepped onto the field.
After waiting just a short while, his opponent arrived as well—a stocky little guy roughly Peter's build.
"Both sides, take your positions. Release your Pokémon."
"Go, Clawitzer!"
"Go, ..."