Ten more days passed in the blink of an eye.
Headquarters of the Hoenn League, in the grand stadium.
The stands, which had been empty at first, were now completely packed with people.
They were all spectators who had come expressly to witness this confrontation.
The Hoenn League didn't organize a tournament like the Kanto League, nor did it send out special invitations to geniuses or high-ranking members from other regions. All they did was an intensive one-month TV advertising campaign throughout Hoenn.
That's why most of the people in the stands were residents of Hoenn, though many had also come from other regions.
Even high-ranking officials from different regional leagues were present.
Although they hadn't been invited, they still came anyway.
Today's match would be broadcast live throughout the Hoenn region, so those who couldn't come to the League headquarters could watch it from home.
Because this was the first clash between the famous "Twin Stars of Hoenn": Steven and Cain. Many were fans of Steven, and just as many were fans of Cain. Everyone wanted to see who was truly the strongest.
The winner... would be recognized as one of the Hoenn region's Elite Four!
Nothing could be more exciting than such a battle!
However, the two main figures were calmly in the waiting room, chatting in a relaxed manner.
There was no hostility, no tension, no sharp words. They were even talking with laughter.
Of course, they weren't alone: Phoebe and Wallace were also there.
And interestingly, their conversation wasn't about the battle at all.
The topic was... Cain's appearance.
"Hey, do you have a different face every day? It's only been twenty days, and you somehow got even more handsome," Steven said in surprise.
Without hesitation, Phoebe leaned in and started inspecting Cain's face from side to side, as if looking for surgery scars.
"Alright, Phoebe, that's enough. I didn't get any surgery, and I don't use makeup. It's just that I'm at a normal stage of development, and some of my facial features are changing. Up close you can't tell much, but overall the difference looks bigger," Cain replied helplessly.
Lately, everyone who saw him kept asking if he'd had cosmetic surgery, since the change was quite noticeable.
"Besides, we already asked a Nurse Joy. Although it's uncommon, it's not impossible. And there are indeed no surgical alterations on my face," Cain added.
"That's true," Steven interjected. "Twenty days ago you didn't look like this, and now you do. It's unfair, isn't it?"
The change hadn't been sudden, so although it surprised people, they eventually accepted it.
Wallace, meanwhile, was holding his harp and seemed deep in thought.
Phoebe, a bit annoyed, nudged him with her elbow.
She knew that guy was probably thinking again about who was the most attractive among them.
And indeed, Wallace gently slid his long white fingers across the strings of his harp and said lightly, "I used to think Cain lowered our group's average attractiveness, but now I'm glad to see our level has finally gone up."
He said it as if Cain had done a great service to the group.
"Then why don't the three of you form a music group? You could even release an album. It could be called..." Phoebe suggested mockingly.
"The Handsome Training Manual!" Wallace immediately blurted out.
Pff!
Cain spat water right onto Wallace's face.
The conversation was getting more and more ridiculous. Would that group end up being called a "boyband"? Just the thought made his skin crawl.
"Ahem," Steven cleared his throat from the side.
The three of them looked at him.
"I think it's feasible," Steven continued with full seriousness. "I'd be the face of the group, Wallace the musician, and Cain... can you dance?"
Cain stared at him, seeing that utterly confident expression on Steven's face, and felt they were no longer on the same wavelength.
"You're still chatting here! It's time to head out!" Drake's voice rang as he entered the room, looking at the four with mild reproach.
Outside, the audience was already growing impatient.
Cain and Steven stood up at the same time. Their smiles disappeared, replaced by firm, battle-ready expressions.
They had been waiting for this duel for a long time, preparing and longing for it. The time had finally come.
"Give it your all. And if you lose, don't cry," Steven said with a grin.
"Same to you," Cain replied, smiling as well.
Both walked out of the room in opposite directions.
Phoebe and Wallace returned to their seats in the stands.
Today, all the great figures of the Hoenn League were present. Soon it would be known who would rise as the new Elite Four member of the Hoenn region.
Steven was the first to emerge from his corridor. On his face was an elegant, confident smile. The nobility cultivated by the Stone family was fully evident in him.
"Steven! Steven! Steven!"
The cheers were deafening.
Shortly after, Cain appeared from the opposite corridor. His face bore a faint smile, but his eyes shone with determination. Today, he had to win!
"Cain! Cain! Cain!"
"He's even more handsome in person than on TV or in photos!"
"It's true! I supported Steven, but now I'm torn!"
"Cain is so handsome!"
"Cain may be, but our Steven is even more so!"
In the main VIP box, Juan and Drake were talking.
"Cain's face has changed quite a bit, hasn't it?" Juan said with a smile.
"I noticed that too at first. But after living together for ten days, you stop noticing. Youth... it's a wonderful thing," Drake said with a hint of nostalgia.
"Look who's talking. You take advantage of the discovery and still boast. If Takashi were here, he'd definitely challenge you to a duel."
"You exaggerate. Takashi and I have no conflict. Each of us fulfills our role. It would be a waste to squander such talent. And besides... I'm not afraid of him."
Both laughed as they talked.
Meanwhile, Cain and Steven entered the stadium amid the deafening cheers, each taking their place on opposite ends. The battle could begin at any moment.
A great number of people were watching on television—not only in the Hoenn region. In Kanto, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos, acquaintances of Cain were also watching the broadcast.
The duel between Cain and Steven represented the clash of the Hoenn League's strongest new generation.
Lance's battle against Master Seiji had marked a generational shift, but this one was different: it was a battle between the best newcomers of the region.
The champion of the Sinnoh Tournament against one of the top four of the same tournament. The difference wasn't that big.
"The battle begins! Trainers, send out your Pokémon in turns!" announced the head referee.
That was the rule for a full battle. Each trainer released their Pokémon alternately: the first sent out one, the next sent out two, and then they alternated, adding up. In the end, the one who started had a final card up their sleeve, being able to choose the last summon according to the situation.
It was a very fair system: victory would depend solely on the true strength of both sides.
(End of Chapter)