The Beautifly Effect

Chapter Five -- Round Two

The next day...

If the previous day's battles were good, the next day's were better. Trainer upon trainer pitted their skills and the skills of their monsters against each other in shows of strategy, strength and stamina.

Ash saw Misty and Richie sitting together waving at him and cheering him on during his second battle. He found the encouragement satisfying, although he would have won without it in any case. His conscience was pricking him about how he had treated Misty, and when he stopped to think about it, it wasn't surprising that she hadn't spoken to him since. Maybe he ought to take some action to rectify the situation. However, for the moment, he had to concentrate on winning.

Needless to say, Ash won easily.

When Richie's match was on that afternoon, Ash was there, both as a friend to cheer him, and as a competitor to assess his skills and to observe his strategies. He thought it strange when he noticed Misty sitting in the arena behind Richie. The rules permitted a trainer to bring one or two friends for moral support, but why would Richie need that sort of thing?

The excitement of the ensuing battle took Misty off Ash's mind once more. Richie won by a landslide using only one Pokémon.