After the initial greetings, only Natsui and Alexa remained in the living room.
Ash and his friends had returned to their own dorm, Koharu had voluntarily gone upstairs to give them privacy, and Misa, Masa, and the others stood guard outside to prevent any other reporters from disturbing them.
Natsui sat properly on the sofa as Alexa adjusted her equipment and set up a spotlight. The exclusive interview then began.
"Mr. Natsui, could you please start with a brief self-introduction?"
Seeing Natsui nod, Alexa held a recording pen out to him.
"My name is Natsui, I'm twenty years old, and I'm from Vaniville Town in the Kalos region. I've just finished my training journey in the Kanto region and am currently challenging the Indigo League."
Alexa took out a notebook and, referencing her notes, asked a few more questions.
Natsui answered each one. Her questions weren't difficult or invasive, which showed that she had done her homework before coming.
Alexa then asked, "Since the beginning of the competition, you seem to have won all your matches quite easily. Is there some kind of secret to your success?"
Natsui shook his head. "How could there be a secret to something like this? It's just a matter of taking every match seriously and using type advantages effectively. Plus, I haven't faced any truly strong opponents yet, which is why it's been so smooth."
"Then could you tell us what motivated you to become a Pokémon Trainer?"
After thinking for a moment, Natsui said, "There are many reasons. For instance, ever since I was a child, I've loved the Pokémon ani—er... I've loved Pokémon. But ultimately, the reason I became a trainer is that I have one person to sincerely thank."
"Oh?" Alexa's curiosity was piqued. "And who might that be? A parent? A friend? Or a lover?"
"None of the above," Natsui said with a smile. "It's our Kalos region Champion, Ms. Diantha!"
"Her?" Hearing that name, Alexa showed immense interest. "Why do you thank her?"
"She was the one who encouraged me to follow this path. She even gave me my very first Pokémon. I also received some training from her, including how to care for Pokémon and how to battle. Without the knowledge she imparted, I don't think I could have made it this far."
Alexa's eyes sparkled.
This was a major scoop. She never expected Natsui to know Diantha, let alone have such a deep connection with her!
As a superstar who was always in the spotlight, Diantha's every move was closely watched. If this story were published, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation!
She had even thought of a headline!
'The Man Favored by Diantha, Crossing the Ocean to Challenge the Indigo League for Her Recognition!!'
With that in mind, she excitedly asked a few more related questions. Finally, when the interview was over, she reached out and pulled Natsui to his feet.
"Quick, quick, just one last thing left. Let's take a picture!"
"Do we have to take a picture?"
"Of course," Alexa said, taking out her camera and pushing Natsui in front of a white wall. "Since this is an exclusive interview, besides the video and article, your photo is crucial. You have a great look, and I'm sure many girls will love it when the pictures are released!"
"That sort of thing doesn't matter to me," Natsui said, waving his hand dismissively. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "I was just wondering, where will this report be broadcast?"
"It will be sent back to Kalos to be reported there, of course," Alexa said with a smile. "But in addition to the online video, our publisher's newspapers and magazines will also feature the story."
Adjusting the focus, Alexa first took a few solo shots of Natsui. After nodding in satisfaction, she had him bring out his Pokémon.
Because the living room was small, Natsui didn't release his larger Pokémon like Gyarados, Blastoise, or Charizard. Instead, he posed for a few group photos with Gardevoir, Haunter, and Jolteon under Alexa's direction.
It had to be said that Alexa was truly a multi-talented reporter. Her photography skills were excellent, and although they were just a few simple poses, she still managed to make Natsui look incredibly handsome!
...
The next morning, Natsui, Ash, and the others arrived at the drawing venue for the fourth time.
This time, they returned to the very first counter where they had registered.
"Welcome back."
The smiling staff member congratulated them once again for advancing.
Natsui exchanged a few pleasantries with her before Ash eagerly stepped up to draw his opponent.
As this was the final match of the preliminary rounds, everyone had already guessed which field they would be on. The only remaining variable was who their opponent would be.
Sure enough, Ash was assigned to the Grass Field, and his opponent was a trainer named Kaoruko from Maiden's Peak!
When Brock saw Kaoruko's photo, he was instantly captivated by her beauty.
He swooned for a moment before turning to Natsui and the others like a connoisseur of treasures. "Did you know? Maiden's Peak is an incredible place. It didn't originally have that name, but since ancient times, the town has been known for producing beautiful women. Over time, that's how it got its name."
"Is that so..." Misty shot him a sideways glance. "I don't get it. You're a Gym Leader, yet you seem to know more about this kind of gossip than you do about Pokémon."
After Ash got his result, it was Natsui's turn.
Natsui pressed the button. As the light stopped, the Ice Field appeared on the screen, and at the same time, Gary's face was displayed before them.
It was Gary!?
Everyone was stunned. Although they knew that battles between acquaintances were inevitable, the reality of it happening was still a shock.
What they didn't know was that Natsui's opponent had already been designated by John the director, so no matter when he pressed the button, the outcome would have been the same.
The sound of many footsteps filled the hall, and a boy's voice came from behind them.
"Looks like I've finally got a decent opponent!"
The group turned to see that the newcomer was none other than Gary!
Beside him were a dozen cute girls dressed in matching cheerleader outfits and holding pom-poms. They were clearly his supporters!
Compared to his cheer squad, Natsui's group of tattooed, oddly-dressed bikers looked completely outclassed.
Looking at Natsui, Gary smiled confidently. "I still remember when we first met in the wild outside Saffron City, you challenged me to a battle. It seems that even though I turned you down back then, this fight was unavoidable. Now I just wonder, between the two of us, who is stronger!
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