The streets of Moonwood Town was filled with life as Lance walked into the town.
Lance thought to himself as he observed the scene. 'It looks like the townspeople benefit from every event that their gym leader hosts in some way or other. Whether it is a gym battle, an ace battle, or even just an auction.'
He noticed how the local shops had put up bright signs announcing huge discounts for the day of the auction. Even the Vortex Emporium, Gladion's flagship store, displayed banners offering twenty to fifty percent off on everything from Poke Balls to rare candies.
People who could not get into the auction ticket still came to enjoy the sales.
'Well, calling it a town now would be an understatement. It has expanded quite a lot since Gym Leader Gladion took over,' Lance thought.
The population of the town had grown fast. Gladion's businesses created hundreds of jobs. The gym needed staff for training programs. Vortex Industries hired researchers, security teams, and office workers.
Supporting businesses opened one after another. Restaurants, hotels, repair shops, and supply stores all benefited from the increased demand.
People moved here because jobs paid well and the area felt safe. Gladion donated generously to public projects. New schools, hospitals, Parks, training fields, and community centers had been built.
The natural surroundings helped too. Moonwood town had a beach, mountains and even forests. Tourists arrived for them.
Gladion's reputation as a protector added to the appeal. People knew they would be safe here. He had defended the town and the region various times. The last being his battle against Moltres to defend Kanto.
Lance felt genuine happiness as he walked. 'I am happy to see the development of a town into a city. It means good for Indigo. I hope that other towns and cities will also have similar development.'
The new auction house came into his view at the end of the main street.
As soon as Lance approached, reporters spotted him.
"Champion Lance! What item are you going to bid for today?"
"Champion, is it unfair that only rich trainers can attend the auction? What about other talented trainers who cannot afford something like this?"
"We have heard that mega evolution stones would be sold. What does it mean for the future of Pokemon battles? Will mega evolution be allowed in league battles?"
Lance kept walking without slowing down. He gave a polite nod to the cameras but did not stop to answer.
Inside the auction house, Soft music was being played in the background. Lance scanned the room and immediately recognized many faces.
Various gym leaders had arrived. The presence of so many gym leaders showed the auction's importance and how each of them can improve as a trainer even after reaching the pinnacle with the help of mega evolution.
Influential figures were there. Lance noticed Professor Oak talking quietly with an assistant.
David Sylph, co-owner of Silph Co. was also present. Silph ranked as one of the three largest companies alongside Devon Corporation and Vortex Industries. They produced Poke Balls, trainer gear, and many TMs.
Lance quickly filtered out the people he did not think would compete against him for dragon-type items. There were very few dragon specialists.
But competition still looked heavy. Clair sat in the front row with another representative from the Blackthorn Clan.
Lance recognized the man as one of the elders who had pushed hardest at the last clan meeting.
Clair avoided eye contact with him. She had not spoken to him much since he walked out. She believed he ignored clan duties too often. She thought he took his Champion role too seriously at the expense of family tradition.
Lance knew the elders had lost confidence in him after that meeting. They would try to bid against him on dragon-type mega stones just to prove a point. They did not care if it showed a public rift. Pride and ego mattered more to them than unity.
Then Lance saw Drake from Hoenn. The former Champion sat near the back with his arms crossed. His presence made Lance grimace. 'The competition for the dragon-type mega evolution stones would be tough. Very tough.'
A strong dragon aura suddenly brushed against Lance's senses. It felt equal to his and Drake's own. He turned and spotted two figures in the shadows near the side entrance.
One was a woman in a dark cloak that covered most of her face. Beside her stood a younger girl with bright black hair and red eyes. Both carried powerful dragon type aura.
'Who are these people? They are definitely not someone I know and definitely not from the Blackthorn Clan,' Lance thought.
'They would be bidding against me too from the looks of things,' Lance thought as he assessed his other competitors. The Salamencite and Altarianite suddenly felt much harder to win.
What Lance did not know was that the two women belonged to the Draconid Tribe from Meteor Village.
The woman in the cloak was Aster, the lorekeeper of the clan. She carried the ancient knowledge of dragons passed down through generations.
The young girl beside her was Zinnia, her apprentice. Someone who might one day become a legendary dragon trainer in the future.
-----Author Notes------
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