Chapter 34 - Chapter 31: Rookie Tournament

Having calmed the two youngsters, Tyson, Leo, and Alice set out from Solaceon Town towards Hearthome City. Their initial stop was at Emeragrove Town, where they intended to replenish their supplies before proceeding with their journey.

"Glad you two stopped fighting," Tyson said, his gaze shifting between Leo and Alice, the latter still pouting with her cheeks puffed out. 

"Not my fault someone is insensitive" Alice commented causing Leo to frown

"Now, no more arguing; you two sound like toddlers," Tyson remarked, prompting the two youths to turn away in embarrassment. Although they were older than Tyson, they had displayed such a childish moment before him.

"S-sorry," Alice stammered, glancing at Leo.

"Yeah, sorry," Leo responded, his expression a mix of emotions.

"At least you know when to stop. But let's change the subject to something more intriguing. It's my first visit to Emeragrove Town; what can I expect? My knowledge is only based on books," Tyson asked.

Seizing the opportunity to redeem his earlier poor performance, Leo said, "It's a rural town, quite similar to Solaceon Town. While it doesn't boast any particular specialties, it primarily functions as a venue for tournaments and League events. To my knowledge, rookie tournaments are typically held there once a month, serving as a means for the League to discover and nurture promising new talents."

"A town focused on tournaments. That's interesting," Tyson remarked. "So, apart from being a venue for the Sinnoh League, its only other function is to serve as a rest stop for travelers?" His question was met with a nod from Leo.

"Isn't there a tournament being held there in five days?" Alice asked, turning her gaze towards Leo.

"Yes, the tournament prizes include rare TMs and items, but trainer points are just as important," Leo confirmed.

Upon hearing Leo's explanation, Tyson grew interested in joining the rookie tournament. 'It would be a good opportunity to gain more battle experience for my Pokémon, and the TMs could be beneficial depending on the moves they offer.'

"You should participate Tyson; it would be good training" Alice recommended 

"That's true, plus the limit for participants is to have one gym badge or fewer or to be a rank one trainer, so the likelihood of encountering seasoned trainers isn't that high, not to mention this would be a good chance to experience official battles" Leo added.

After careful consideration, Tyson decided to enter the Emeragrove Tournament to acquire more battle experience for his Pokemon. The group proceeded on their journey, engaging in light conversation as their main pastime while traversing a small hill, from which they could discern the outlines of their destination. They faced three more hours of walking to bridge the gap, but after a relatively tranquil journey, they reached their destination.

- Emeragrove Town

The group arrived in the town after a day's journey, grateful that the trek from Solaceon Town to Emeragrove Town was relatively brief, taking only twelve hours to complete. They had to pause for rest once during their journey; however, as the sun set, the distance proved manageable, with the evening soon giving way to the night's darkness. Tyson surveyed the town, which, in contrast to Solaceon Town, resembled more of a city than a town, with its numerous tall buildings at various street corners, adorned with signs promoting the forthcoming Rookie Tournament.

Navigating to the front of the group, Leo suggested, "Tyson you can register for the tournament at the local Pokémon Center. We should also reserve our rooms for the night there." 

Agreeing with Leo's advice, the trio commenced their journey to the local Pokémon Center so that Tyson could register for the competition. Soon they arrived at the Pokémon Center, which was understandably crowded with trainers of various ages. With the tournament approaching, many young trainers seeking fame or an opportunity to improve had made their way. Upon seeing the Pokémon Center, Tyson was astonished. In front of the Pokémon Center, a line had formed leading to the front desk. To the side, two police officers were observed monitoring the entrance to ensure that no one cut in line.

"It appears that were late in making a room reservation. Given the length of the line, it is likely that no rooms are available for the night," Leo remarked with a sigh.

"Ah, I had been looking forward to taking a bath and sleeping in a bed tonight," Alice groaned, her shoulders sagging in disappointment.

"This is to be expected, given that the tournament is only five days away. At least we're not late for sign-up," Leo remarked, following Alice's outburst.

"So, is it always like this? You know, when a tournament is approaching?" Tyson asked, shifting his gaze towards Leo.

"Not always; low-level competitions tend to be crowded most of the time, while high-level competitions are very organized," Leo explained as the group waited. "The last one I participated in was extremely orderly, though the entry requirement was to have four or more gym badges, or to be a rank four trainer based on points." After a moment's thought, Leo suggested, "Alice, you stay here with Tyson; I'll look for a camping spot in the nearby forest. Since we're probably not booking a room, it's best we secure a camping spot as soon as possible."

Tyson and Alice concurred and observed Leo heading towards the city's edge. Left to themselves, they passed the time with casual chatter. When they reached the front desk, it was 8:00 PM (they arrived at 6:00 PM). Standing before the counter, Tyson and Alice lowered their heads and exhaled sighs of relief.

With a chuckle at their expressions, Nurse Joy asked, "Is this your first time entering a tournament?"

Hearing her words Tyson raised his head and responded "Ah-Yes this is my first official tournament, and I didn't expect the Pokemon Center to be this packed"

Upon hearing this, Nurse Joy smiled and shook her head, responding, "It's not usually like this. Unfortunately, the special prize for this tournament has attracted many trainers to participate."

"Special prize?" Tyson repeated, his interest piqued by the mention of a special prize, a sentiment shared by Alice.

"Oh, you weren't aware? The tournament prizes are determined by ranking. The third-place finisher will be awarded 100,000 Pokédollars and 100 trainer points. The runner-up receives three TMs of their choice. And the first-place winner will be awarded a rare Pokémon Egg by the tournament organizers as well as the prizes for third and second," Nurse Joy explained, much to the duo's astonishment. 

"All this for a rookie tournament?" Alice asked incredulously. "Are you certain this isn't a standard or high-level tournament?"

It was well-known that rare Pokémon eggs and rewards exceeding 50,000 Pokedollars are usually distributed in standard tournaments to those who are at least a rank five trainer or possess five or more badges. While Alice found this hard to believe, Tyson was ecstatic; winning the tournament could mean acquiring crucial TMs for his team and extra funds. However, the rare egg was less enticing to him. The resources required to nurture a baby Pokémon were substantial, and with a Mudkip egg about to hatch, the challenge of raising two baby Pokémon simultaneously would be significant. 

'Adelia mentioned that the egg has been in the daycare for nearly a month. Considering it hasn't hatched yet, and the fact that it's been shaking since I received it, suggests it's close to hatching. It's likely that the egg will hatch before the tournament, but Mudkip won't be ready to battle. Baby Pokémon usually need two weeks to a month to develop the muscles required for intense physical activity, so it's not feasible for it to participate in the tournament. Therefore, I'll be entering the tournament with Gligar, Pupitar, and Trapinch,' Tyson mused while Nurse Joy helped him register for the event.

Signing up was straightforward; Tyson just needed to register his name and specify the Pokémon he would use in the competition. The limit was six Pokémon, suggesting that some trainers would enter with a complete team. This detail added pressure for Tyson; despite his confidence in securing a strong position in the tournament, contending against a full team with just three Pokémon would be challenging. To triumph in the rookie tournament, Tyson knew he had to strategize carefully.

Having completed his signup process for the tournament, Tyson turned to Alice and said, "Well, since we're done here, let's go find Leo to help set up camp."

Upon hearing this, Alice groaned and said, "Yeah, camping. Hey, why don't we visit the local battlefield on the way? You know, to scout out the potential competition."

Upon hearing Alice's suggestion, Tyson pondered the idea: 'It's on the way, and it could be an effective use of time, as well as a chance to learn about the tournament participants.' After some thought, Tyson decided to accompany Alice to the battlefield to observe the ongoing battles.

Leaving the Pokemon Center, Tyson and Alice headed to the local battlefield. Upon arrival, they observed three battles in progress. On the leftmost battlefield, two youths were engaged in a battle between a Murkrow and a Magby. The central battlefield featured a teenage boy and a young girl commanding a Sneasel and a Geodude, respectively. However, it was the third battlefield that stopped Tyson in his tracks. There, a young man with green eyes and hair, dressed in a black shirt and orange shorts, stood out. Although his attire was typical for a fourteen-year-old, the prominent cowlick on his head was unmistakably familiar to Tyson from his time playing Pokemon Diamond.

'Aaron, the Bug-type specialist and member of the Elite Four... What is he doing here?' Tyson wondered as he watched the young man. After a moment of reflection, he reasoned, 'Well, he's not currently a member of the Elite Four, so perhaps this is a tournament he joined to increase his fame or to strengthen his skills. Additionally, judging by his appearance, he seems to be only a year older than me at most, although I could be mistaken. From what I recall of the Elite Four during Cynthia's tenure as champion, the only member who clearly appeared older than Cynthia was either Lucian or Grandma Bertha, which is evident considering her age.'

Noticing Tyson's hesitation, Alice turned to him and inquired, "Are you alright, Tyson? Have you spotted any formidable competitors?"

"Ah, it's nothing; I'm just evaluating each person," Tyson replied, shifting his focus back to Aaron's field. At the moment, Aaron was commanding a bipedal beetle Pokémon clad in a blue exoskeleton. 'A Heracross, huh? That's quite rare, and judging by the shine of its shell, it's very well-trained and cared for,' Tyson thought.

Tyson shifted his gaze to Aaron's adversary, a young boy with dark red hair. They commanded a plant Pokémon resembling a yellow pitcher with a bell-like appearance. It featured an expansive mouth edged with pink and was flanked by large, green leaves on either side. 'His opponent is a Weepinbell, not as rare but still a formidable foe,' Tyson mused.

"The boy commanded, 'Weepinbell, use Vine Whip to wrap it up!' as Weepinbell conjured long vines from its sides that lashed out towards Heracross."

"Heracross, use Dig!" Aaron commanded. In response, Heracross swung its long arms and quickly burrowed underground, dodging the incoming vines.

Upon noticing that Heracross had disappeared beneath the ground, the young boy was taken aback. As he scanned the surroundings, he tried to locate Heracross while instructing, "Weepingbell, be on guard for when it reemerges."

Across the field, Aaron smiled as he commanded, "Megahorn, aim for the center of its body." Shortly after the command was given, Heracross emerged from the ground below Weepingbell, its horn glowing bright green as it charged toward Weepingbell. Heracross crashed into Weepingbell's stomach, sending it flying backward and onto its back. After a brief time period Weepingbell failed to rise, and Aaron was declared the winner. Observing this, Tyson thought, "That Heracross is quite fast and possesses considerable power; it will be a formidable opponent during the tournament."

"That was an interesting battle, though there are a few more battles going on. Let's watch some of the others" Alice advised as Tyson nodded before taking one more glance at Aaron.

The two observed a few more battles, however most of the people Tyson saw were about average for those who were starting out. After spending an hour observing the battles both Tyson and Alice began making their way to the outskirts in search of Leo. 

"So, Tyson what do you think? Got any chance of winning?" Alice questioned 

"I don't know, though with what we saw it's not going to be an easy win" Tyson commented. The power and speed of Aaron's Heracross reminded him of his Trapinch who could match Pupitar with a boost from Dragon Dance. Still, he held a smile and continued "Regardless, as long as my Pokemon can build some battle experience I'll be fine with it"

Soon after travelling for ten minutes the duo found Leo at a clearing nearby the town. Having set up his tent and marking the area with a rope tied to a nearby tree he had already begun preparing the pots and plates for cooking. After Alice and Tyson arrived the group began working together to finish the camp set up as Tyson and Alice still need to raise their tents.

"So, what took you two so long?" Leo asked. The group had separated for quite some time and although he assumed it would take a while for Tyson to register the two were still gone for a little over three hours. 

"Oh, we were scouting out the competition" Alice announced 

"Ok, and did you see any strong trainers?" Leo commented over the cooking pot

"A few, but it's nothing to worry about. Tyson's got this," Alice replied. She had witnessed Tyson's battle against the wild Skarmory in the Michina Tunnels, and she felt confident in his abilities.

"Well even so, it seems that I should probably get some more practice in these four days. Its best I make sure that all my Pokemon are at their best for the competition" Tyson remarked as he dismissed his three team members for dinner. The additional knowledge that Aaron may participate in the tournament placed a certain degree of pressure on him.

Alice commented, "I would love to assist in the training.'"

With a nod, Tyson agreed to Alice's assistance, feeling excited for the upcoming tournament. This would be his first official tournament and an opportunity to witness the competitive side of the Pokémon League. There were only four days remaining until the commencement of the Emeragrove Rookie Tournament.