Note: Is there a mention of the end of the off-season in the novel? Can someone tell me the month? My notes has been erased.
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Anthony looked at the slowly sinking Pokemons in front of him, both looking at him either with a nasty grin or an intense, soul-piercing glare as if they wanted to snatch their souls away. It was a good thing that Gengar and Banette immediately melded to the environment, silently easing the tense heart of Anthony.
He swear that in his previous life, he knew that a Ghost type is the most dangerous Pokemon type if he ever became a real trainer as evident of one wanting to kidnap babies, or the other having grudge to any human because they were allegedly abandoned when they were still a doll, it was understandable that Anthony grew tense and checked if he have fallen into any kind of illusion or trance. However, even though Anthony already confirmed that his condition is fine, his rather neutral face is still in a frown.
_What in the world was that? Why are there runaway ghost types in a public space? Isn't this going against safety protocols? Should I report it?_
Anthony renumerated over the matter; however, in his mind, he rejected his own idea and own conjecture of the lab's and the town government's lapse on public security measures. It was a gut feeling, or perhaps a keen observation on how wild and tamed ghost type Pokemons drastically differ in their attitudes towards humans. The Gengar and Banette before didn't look at him with hostility but rather a neutral look relative to their aggressive selves, for Anthony, who has a sufficient amount of eyebrow-burning research on Pokemons, knew immediately that the Gengar and Banette have owner or perhaps, owners.
_Someone with a Gengar and a Banette... or perhaps two separate people..._
Suddenly, Anthony's mind has 3 people as suspect as the owner of the two Pokemons.
_There is a possibility that mom and dad might have these ghost types, after all, to be a trainer is to be flexible; they can use ghost types at some point in their career, even just as a substitute unit. Furthermore, dad is a very strategic person, the best example is his presence of mind in using the denser footing of Blastoise to make Charizard who was at the air at that time flew higher than mom intended to be... however, there is a problem, no public record of them nor personal talks with the previous or current Anthony indicates that they have ghost types at any point of their careers..._
Anthony also remembered the old rival of Prof. Oak, a certain old woman; however, he also didn't see anything that could make this elite 4 personality waste her time on a children's tournament.
_Unless there is somehow an undercurrent in this low-level assessment activity disguised as a tournament... No, this is extremely possible and not something far-fetched just because it's a game for kids... or at least that's what they advertise it as, and not some anime about wizards pretending to be ninjas... Team Rocket and other teams, despite the cringey name, are sure to be dangerous..._
There is also Lilie's mom, but that should be a story from a faraway future; thus, Anthony doesn't feel like she's worth considering as of now. Anthony still wanted to consider what might be the reason for this alleged appearance of Elite 4 Agatha's Gengar and her (?) Banette, however, at this moment, Glen is already back in the public comfort room, which is bizarrely vacant enough as if the people there can't wait to see such low level tournament.
Anthony forced himself to look neutral and have his face seem to be ever unmoving as before in front of his friend, not to make him worry. In any case, Prof. Oak and Elite 4 Agatha are strong trainers themselves, while Karen and Hana, his mom, are also the bastions of their own generation.
"Here are the autographs. In return, you should give me one that's signed by Prof. Oak."
Anthony, temporarily trashing his thoughts out of the window of his brain, nodded slowly before opening his mouth as he flipped over and arranged the autographs from Karen and Hana whilst also being regretful that he was too scared to ask the Gengar or the Banette of Agatha's signature, if she's really here.
"Where should I make him sign?"
As if forgetting the importance of such consideration, Glen made a 'Ha!' sound of realization before starting to rummage through his pants and clothes, and he finally fetched his still newly ironed handkerchief.
"I'll have to give this to you a little bit during the fights, Prof. Oak is at the front of the battlefield, probably making a speech."
Anthony tersely replied whilst he flipped through the autographs rather casually, while Glen nodded and bade his farewell. Anthony, upon remembering the ghost types he had just heard, suddenly doesn't feel like waiting at the comfort room anymore; he immediately dashed away after putting the thin wad of paper in his baggy pockets.
What can Anthony say? Ghost types are scary in real life.
Upon going back to the competitor's seat that is in front of the place where Anthony's mother, future Elite 4 Karen, and Glen's mom were seated. Anthony slipped the papers of his two close friends without the other interns noticing, whilst looking at Hana, his mom, and one of his admired Pokémon characters talking rather casually, closely even.
_I wonder what they are talking about._
Anthony remembered that his mom is full of whims, and, in retrospect, opponents that might implicate her child.
For a moment, he suspected that she may have a hand in all of this, but he just can't prove it.
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After a while, Karen and Hana quit, as if losing a topic to talk about. They actually also wanted to add Glen's Mom to their chat; however, she seemed to be more keen on playing with her son's Treecko and with her son himself that she practically ignores suppose popular and phenomenal trainers beside her.
Well, the two women can't blame a person for not looking at them on a pedestal. Instead, they focused on Anthony, Hana's son, who started to look at the two of them intently as if he had learned of something they did.
"Don't you think your son will notice that something might happen to him in this tournament?"
Karen continued to stare at the interns, waving her hand when a child mustered the courage to do so first. Hana replied.
"If Anthony really noticed something, then it's probably because of Agatha; that woman is really, really vain despite her age."
Karen chuckled, once again waving her hand at a young boy.
"Yes, when I talked to her to submit my official challenge and negotiate its date, she was fishing near your city while floating atop the water using her Gengar. I was surprised when I had to travel from Indigo Plateau to the Bridge between Fuchsia City and Lavender Town to submit a folder of requirements."
Hana suddenly snapped her head.
"So that's why you disrupted our sales that day."
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The minutes turned to an hour as the anticipation of parents about how their child would fair to other interns slowly intensified. Some of the parents are knowledgeable in terms of battles, maybe some of them were trainers themselves, not just as popular as Hana Dover, or at least relative to her; some are active, who went on a vacation, some are coordinators, and some are totally clueless to the real intensity of battles and are just pure enthusiasts.
In any case, nothing is wrong with their participation on the battlefield; they are parents, and thus it's normal for them to support their children. Similarly, their children are also excited to showcase to their moms and dads their abilities and have trained hard for it, throwing their worries on the interns they have identified as opponents of great difficulty and just vowed to do their best to win it all.
Of course, the interns also have to make sure that they would do well in the assessment, it would be an embarrassment if a 'sure pass' as the historical graph on their computer of the failing rate of 0.9% of the bond assessment would end up become 1% because of them focusing on being flashy and winning and not looking out for their Pokemon. It's common sense to stop the fight and forfeit once their Pokemons started showing signs of extreme fatigue despite receiving care every battle it went through.
In the middle of this excited atmosphere, the Kanto Pokémon Professor, Samuel Oak, with his graying hair and iconic lab coat, started walking in the middle of the battlefield with a wireless microphone in hand. And after taking on the scenery of the interns, their parents, and the front-seated famous figures, Hana Dover and Karen, as well as looking deeply at his lab as if also acknowledging someone inside it, Prof. Oak opened his mouth.
"Good day, everyone, parents, guardians, older or younger brothers and sisters. As well as you, the target of the assessment and tournament of the day, interns, and of course, the panel of judges that you would need to impress, which are besides the cottage, welcome to the first observation of the interns in the position of associate field researcher."
Prof. Oak's voice, despite trying his best to hype up everyone, seems like it can only solicit a round of applause due to his rather calm voice. This made Prof. Oak sigh inwardly before continuing.
"Now, now, I know some parents here have a rather long lineage of researchers, or at least have their child here seemingly wanting to take on their footsteps as one and all of you already know of this speech, but I won't be tired of repeating this every year, over and over again."
Prof. Oak saw some of his former students, as they call them, including Hana, his most successful as of yet, nod in acknowledgement. After smiling at them, he continued.
"To be an associate field researcher is not about being a 'researcher', it's about being in a 'field' all the time, filled with danger. With 'cute' Pokemons that will attack you with little provocation or worse, on-site. This sounds exaggerated, but sometimes you have to go in the middle of a desert, in a lifeless tundra in the middle of a whirlpool-surrounded part of the oceans... or what might be the most famous example: going on top of a volcano to count Slugma, Magcargo, and other lava-dwelling Pokémon."
At this moment, it was the turn of the interns to turn solemn and make serious nods, as if to reinforce their willingness to go inside these dangerous and life-threatening jobs. Similarly, the parents made serious looks, yet none of them shook their heads in disagreement with their children's choice of profession.
The Professor continued.
"Thus, the strength of the associate field researcher is an essential part of their profession. One can even say that you can't become a field researcher if you can't raise strong Pokemons that will follow your command and will assist you in your endeavors that seem to juggle with your life. This is the goal of this tournament: to assess how well you have raised your Pokémon and how well you have bonded with them."
For a moment, Prof. Oak heaved a big sigh.
"With this, let the tournament begin."
As Prof. Oak finished the sentence, he once again garnered a round of applause; however, he seemed to be unable to solicit any roaring shouts unless he announced these tournaments to the interns every year. Prof. Oak gave the microphone to an associate field researcher, smiled at him without a word, which the researcher politely gave back. The field researcher had a copy of the ramifications that were decided beforehand when they were given a lecture on what not to do during the tournament, and a board with wheels that had a cloth draped over it.
The researcher then spoke.
"Before this, we, alongside the interns, have already made probability-based identification on how to ramify the matches. They already knew who they would fight. This board in my hand has the arrangement of the battles that would transpire..."
The field researcher succinctly said before clutching the white cloth and pulling it with some force, revealing a single round elimination where the interns will only have a chance to advance through the finals. Meaning that if they lose once, they would be out of the whole tournament. This arrangement is because, first, the number of participants is small, and second, the main goal of the tournament is to assess the bond of the trainers and their long-term project, Pokémon.
The mothers and fathers talked while some explained to the other what the ramifications meant and who would be first, second, and such. Anthony looked over his name, which is at the very top of the ramification.
The researcher then announced.
"First fight, Mary Hane and Anthony Dover."