It was a foggy morning as I walked up the steps to the Fuchsia Gym. The old Kantonian mansion out in the forests of Fuchsia was my current destination.

It was time to face another challenge.

As I approached a door opened, and to my surprise Koga was waiting for me. I stopped for a few seconds as we sized each other up.

“You recognize me.” He offered in a calm tone.

“I have heard about Fuchsia Gym.”

“Good. Come.” He offered quickly, turning back inside the mansion and led me away. I expected to have to deal with weird traps and rooms and things but none of that came, instead I was led to the courtyard where a small table had been set out on the walkway.

“It is a chilly morning. Tea?” He offered taking a seat, I hesitated before shrugging. I wasn’t a fan, but it was cold. Something warm would be nice.

He accepted my nonverbal reply and poured me a drink. As he did I noticed that atop the table was a folder with papers inside.

“Yes I thought you might notice that. You see, one of the jobs of my Gym is to face trainers while understanding their strengths and weaknesses. My ninja investigate all who would come to challenge me.” He opened up the folder, inside was a picture of me from my Trainer license, but then a much larger candid shot from when I was stepping off Arcanine.

It was from yesterday night.

Yikes.

“Yes it does tend to cause some discomfort to trainers who I explain this to, but we are Pokemon trainers. A momentary discomfort to have a true third party speak of our weaknesses? That is more valuable than any discomfort… If you will listen.”

“I will.” I could see what Koga’s schtick was. He gathered a bunch of information on trainers, and used it against them. Honestly it would be helpful. The same thing would happen in the Indigo Tournament. Every match I had, more of my Pokemons skills, strengths and weaknesses would be seen by my competition.

“Victoria Ferrous. A name I am familiar with, although you are no longer of the Clan… Yet that might change.”

“Not sure yet. It’s kinda weird. The Clan thing.”

“I see.” He offered simply with a shrug. “You have an advantage that few trainers receive. Powerful Pokemon attained a few years before you even begin your Journey. Oddly, most that do receive their Pokemon early receive them already trained. You captured and trained your Pokemon yourself. Impressive.”

“Thanks.”

“But it has also created a weakness in your methods. You have powerful Pokemon, you have always had powerful Pokemon to battle with. You don’t know the feeling of being outmatched, of being forced to strategize to your fullest in order to create that small sliver of a chance for victory.”

“You’re saying I’ve never been the underdog?”

“Exactly. You Victoria have always had the advantage. How will you fare I wonder in defeat? In being pressured to the fullest and yet not being able to rise to the occasion?”

“I can’t say.”

“Wise. Most would argue, bluff themselves pretend they would be fine and it would not shame them. It takes wisdom to know what you do not know.” The Shinobi offered with a small grin. “There is much else I would wish to share with you, but hearing it verbally will not truly teach you. I offer you this instead. A match. I will use the greatest of my Pokemon. The team I am preparing to claim a position within the Elite Four. My team will push you harder than any trainer you have faced, it wi-.”

“I accept.” I cut him off instantly. He really didn’t need to push me for this. I’ve been wanting to battle someone on the absolute pinnacle for a while now!

“So quickly? You will not earn a badge if you fail, and you will fail. I have studied every match you have taken part in. I know all the tricks you have developed so far.”

“Good. Defeat me Koga of Fuchsia Gym.” I felt excited! A challenge! A real challenge!

He smiled. “I was not wrong about you.” He offered, standing and closing the file leaving it on the table as he walks out into the courtyard.

A poison type Gym. This could be a real mess, but it could also be super fun! I felt myself grinning. This was so interesting! I had faced kids, and Gym Leaders. But a man that planned on joining the Elite Four? Not just planned on, but I knew would eventually do so?

Yeah I wanted to face that. To see how far above me the ceiling was.

My hand fell to my Pokeballs ready to throw when a voice called out startling me.

“Fuchsia Gym Leader Koga accepts the challenge. No switch outs. Six on Six battle. Begin.”

“Venomoth.” Koga calls out simply summoning one of the smallest Venomoth I had ever seen. It was about half the size of a normal butterfree I estimated.

Were they always that small? My hand threw out Milotic.

“Safeguard!” I called out instantly. No way was I fighting a Poison Type master without that to help.

“Shadow Clone.” Koga spoke quietly with no heat or urgency, and his Venomoth went from one, to twenty in an instant. I blinked. Wasn’t Shadow Clone just the name of the Japanese version of Double team? What the heck?

“Milotic! Water Pulse!”

“Shadow fog.” Koga offered and I blinked. What was Shadow Fog? Ghost type move? I shook my head, no I watched in awe as the Venomoth cloud that were being ripped apart by Milotics Water Pulse began vanishing into a cloud of Poison Powder that ballooned up.

Soon the whole side of the field was covered, and despite Milotics Water Pulse shooting holes through the cloud, it didn’t seem to make a dent. It roiled, growing thicker and thicker.

“Rain Dance! Let’s wash that cloud away!” I responded with the first thing that came to my mind.

But Koga was silent. I figured he was somehow communicating without me knowing. Even as the clouds above opened up and began pouring rain onto the field, the poison cloud didn’t seem to be stopped. I narrowed my eyes.

That wasn’t right. No way that a cloud of spores doesn’t at least get dented by rain. What the hell was Koga doing?

“Now.” Koga said simply, and Milotic and I both prepared as something shifted in the cloud suddenly, Venomoth appeared, Just one.

“Extreme Aqua Tail!” I called out, as Milotic suddenly blurred. The static noise of an Extreme speed overpowering the rain as suddenly Milotic was there.

And then Venomoth was in two pieces…

I blinked.

Milotic Blinked.

That was when the real Venomoth behind the substitute appeared right in front of Milotics face.

“Flash.” Koga said simply, and suddenly the whole field was bright a sun descending on the field.

Milotic and I both cried out. That was bright! Way way too bright!

“Milotic Surf! Push everything away!” I called out even as I couldn’t see. And a few moments later I felt the flood of water roll past my ankles.

But nothing else. I blinked the stars out of my eyes. I could barely see, but Milotic was still standing.

But he was waving around.

“If you just permanently blinded my Pokemon Koga!” I growled as I realized Milotic wasn’t just waving, he was stumbling, unable to see.

“Your Pokemon will recover its vision, Venomoth. Finish it.” I flinched. “Protect!” I called out, but nothing happened, despite Milotic using the move. I couldn’t see Venomoth. Just the stupid cloud of Poison that kept me from seeing what was going on.

“Milotic. Safeguard. Then Aqua Ring.” I called out. Wanting to make sure Poison continued to be off the table. My Partner despite not being able to see did just that. His scales glowing once more with a fresh Safeguard and then a ring of healing water appearing around him.

“You have prepared enough Venomoth.” Koga offered simply, and then in a burst of speed the cloud of Poison burst out in an eruption as Venomoth and its many clones suddenly rushed forward.

“Milotic Ice beam the ground! Create a barrier!” But It was too slow. Venomoth simply buzzed around the ice shield and Milotic couldn’t see to react fast enough.

“Sludge Bomb.” I couldn’t even say anything to retaliate, because Koga had said that long after the attack had launched and struck.

He wasn’t calling out the attack, simply informing me of what it was.

I winced as Milotic. My partner. A pokemon that had taken hits from super effective moves and shook them off, was launched away. Rolling and tumbling across the muddy yard from the blast of purple sludge that exploded against his face.

Critical hit.

I flinched. “Recover!” I cried out, and as Milotic was pulling himself back up out of the mud he did just that. His injuries vanishing in a flood of power.

“Again.” Koga offered, but again, it was for my benefit. As Venomoth had raced across the field, his entire swarm of clones surrounded him as he once more blew Milotic across the field.

“Surf! Try to flood around you!” I called out, and Milotic did so, but it wasn’t working. He couldn’t see Venomoth. And the clones were buzzing just as loud as the real thing.

His surge of water missed flooding through empty space, as Milotic blindly searched around.

“Venomoth.”

And with that one word, the match ended to my shock.

A sleep powder was blasted into Milotics face, and he slumped to the ground.

Safeguard had just run out. Koga had been timing it perfectly.

“Return.” I call out quickly, seeing Venomoth preparing another attack.

What a monster. Is this what Brock had felt when facing me? Seeing his Pokemon get trampled over?

It was… It was fun. But I couldn’t enjoy it. Injuring my partner? That was not okay.

“Arcanine!” I threw her ball out. Letting her land in the muddy water and roar out a challenge against the bug.

“As I predicted. Begin.”

“Extreme Flame Wheel! Smash the Venomoth!”

But even as Arcanine vanished in a blurr, Venomoth began its own attack. Arcanines flames burst through a Shadow clone. And then another.

But that only gave Venomoth the time to set up. Even as more Shadow clones appeared around the field meaning Arcanines exertion wasn’t working.

“Okay Arcanine! Fire spin! Let's start creating hazards!” I call out shifting strategies.

A moment later though Arcanine was hammered by something. I growled as another Sludge Bomb hit.

“Interrupt her attack.” Koga offered again long after the attack had gone through.

Arcanine wasn’t blinded, so unlike Milotic she leapt back to her feet in a moment, even if the hit had obviously hurt. “Double Team. Keep the fire going! Don’t let Venomoth catch you again!”

My dog burst into action, rushing around the field, her copies jumping and leaping as they left trails of fire at her speed.

“Fire Spin. Let’s put the heat on the Venomoth! Just like with the Beedrill!” I called out, and Arcanine did just that rushing around the field, as she activated a fire spin, a tornado of flame rising up, causing the light rain to burn away. Venomoths cloud of Poison burst up in an explosion, but Arcanine didn’t care.

She only cared about running.

“Good. I was hoping you would not be defeated at the first step. Venomoth. Supersonic.” He called out, this time the attack came after. The noise was overpowering. I winced covering my ears. And even Arcanine slowed as the noise struck her ears, causing her run to stutter to a stop as she struggled to overcome the noise.

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It was overpowering. I attempted to shout out. To tell Arcanine to move to do something.

But my voice literally couldn’t reach her.

Then it was over. My ears ringing, I called out, telling Arcanine to attack.

But she stumbled. Arcanine shook her head, as she sort of stumbled as if she was drunk.

Fuck.

“Confusion… Arcanine! Fire Spin yourself! Don’t let Venomoth close!”

But that wasn’t enough. Arcanine looked around as if she couldn’t understand what I said.

“Sludge Bomb.” Koga called out, speaking louder since I was still wincing at my ears and even then I barely heard him.

Arcanine cried out as she was struck. Sent rolling and tumbling across the arena.

“Arcanine!” I waited with my heart in my throat. As the mud covered form didn’t move. Then with a twitch she stood. Slowly clambering to her feet.

Then like a dog, she shook. Her mud covered coat was suddenly moving like a whirlwind. The mud she was coated flinging across the field. Koga would probably have to have his ninjas clean the roof, the mud had been flung so far.

But to my shock I realized Arcanine hadn’t done it just to clear the mud away.

Her confusion was over, and she had done it to mark the Venomoth clones!

Only one Venomoth had mud on it!

“Extreme Fire Fang!” I roared out, and Arcanine did the same. Our spirits in tune as she blitzed across the field, nothing but eruptions of mud trailing behind her as her paws ripped the muddy field apart.

And then Venomoth squealed as it was ripped out of the sky.

I had learned from Surges fight. Arcanine and I had been training on our grapple move. Grabbing with her jaws Fire fang active, and then if she got her actual jaws on the target, not letting go. Turning it into either another Fire Fang, or a Bite.

Or just doing what she was doing now.

Flamethrower erupted out from her jaws as she held her head towards the sky, Venomoth clutched between her fangs. Causing the flames to erupt sideways as Venomoth blocked the line of fire.

And then it was over.

Arcanine dropped the unconscious Venomoth.

I held my breath for a moment. My heart was pounding. My eyes burned. My ears run. But we had done it. Taken out the Venomoth.

“Return.” Koga called out simply, Venomoth disappearing, and I returned my focus towards Koga as he grabbed his second Pokeball.

“Muk.” He called out revealing his second choice.

Where Venomoth was tiny. Muk was huge. A mountain of sludge and a smell that made me instantly gag ripped through the area.

Arcanine instantly yelped at the stink flinching back despite her previous battle spirit.

“Extreme Flame Wheel!”

“Minimize.” Koga informs me again only after the move begins. The mountain of poison and horrible gunk practically vanished, as it dropped in size suddenly.

Arcanine still hit though. Blasting the pile of sludge with a wall of fire as she plowed through it.

But Muk wasn’t ending it there.

Suddenly its arm shot out of its back, and slapped Arcanine across her face causing her to yelp as she flinched her front legs completely leaving the ground as she struggled to control herself.

I noticed why a moment later. She had mud in her eyes. I flinched. Seriously Koga? You asshole.

“Toxic Mud Slap. I found the normal Mud Slap to be a good move to adapt into a stronger move. And Muks Toxic makes using mud a good transfer method.”

I grit my teeth. Before I could even call out an attack. Muk had moved first. Exploding in a sludge bomb point blank, Arcanine having flinched at Muks horrible stench attack meaning she couldn’t even dodge.

I winced as she hit the ground and rolled.

This time she didn’t rise up.

“Return.” I called out, knowing she was done.

“Your Pokemon are strong. You focus on Evasion and Poison… If my Pokemon gets poisoned early on in the fight, I bet the rest of the battle would be me just chasing after your retreating Pokemon.”

“Correct. I am Koga, and my specialty in Poison types isn’t my only ability. Evasion moves are my strongest tool. It does not matter how powerful your Pokemon is, if they can not land a hit.”

I nodded. Made sense. I mean, they usually banned evasive moves in some tournaments, that’s how broken they were in Pokemon games.

I gripped my next Pokeball. “Go Dragonite!”

She appeared, a single flap of her wings landed her on the ground with a rumble. She was quiet. Suspiciously so, until I got a look at her face.

Ooooh she mad. She looked like Iris’s Dragonite at that moment. As she slowly worked her hands as if just hoping to get her hands on her enemy to rip them apart.

“I had seen a single picture of your Dragonite from afar, I will admit seeing a Dragonite from this close is always an impressive view. Are you ready?”

“I am.”

“Muk Acid Armor.”

“Dragonite! Extreme Dragon Rush!”

The two Pokemon moved. Muks tiny form suddenly glowing as it seemed to have a flowing stream of something coating it, but that was all I could see because a heartbeat later Muk was an explosion of poison as Dragonite smashed into where Muk used to be.

I quickly put my goggles on.

I was well within the splash zone.

But to my shock Muk wasn’t knocked out.

“Substitute!” I gasped. Realizing that Muk was still unharmed, it had replaced itself with a substitute!

Damn ninjas!

“Dragonite! Fly!”

I called out just as a sludge bomb roared towards her. She just managed to slip past the attack as she burst into the air. Her natural space now as a flying type, meant the attacks completely missed as she disappeared into the air.

Fuck. How do you handle evasive Pokemon?

Step 1: Don’t fight them.

Damn fucked up on step one.

Okay how else?

Have a move that always hits like swift… fuck. Okay don’t have that. How else!?

I closed my eyes Dragonite was up in the sky waiting for a response, and Muk was definitely not going to hit her from up there.

Although he was definitely getting time to prep more nonsense.

There was a move that increased accuracy… I know there was. I remembered seeing someone mess with an evasion team using it. I also knew Dragonite could learn it, but right now with my ears ringing and my eyes still showing stars from Flash. I wasn’t able to think.

Fine.

“Dragon Dance!” I called out as loud as I could.

If Koga wanted to turn this into a buff fest? I would give him just that.

Koga continued to say nothing, but that didn’t matter to his Muk, who was continuing to do buff moves after buff moves.

It had even gotten smaller. But that didn’t matter. If I couldn’t catch him with skill just use power.

It was quiet for a minute. Both of our Pokemon simply taking the time to do what they wanted. Before finally Dragonite Roared.

“Extreme Dragon Rush!” I yelled out in response, causing Dragonite to go from high in the sky to on the floor in an instant.

She might as well have teleported.

The next moment the ground exploded. The purple aura of angry dragon energy slamming into the mud had caused a massive explosion.

Dragonite was as buffed up as Dragon Dance could go. That meant not only was her speed and strength out of this world. But she was also using Extreme speed to go even faster.

Straight down.

Did she use Dragon Rush, or Earthquake? I had to question as the ground beneath me rumbled as something like five hundred pounds of angry dragon hit the ground.

I rolled and struggled to get back to my feet after the strike.

I was really glad I was a 100% Verified super genius… for putting on my goggles. I wiped the mud from my face to see what happened. Dragonite was upright, and Muk? Well he was a splatter… Mostly there… And over there, oh and there was a piece of him over there.

“Gunk shot.” Koga simply replied, and all those pieces of Muk that we had just smashed? They weren’t actually Muk.

Substitute again. Motherfucker.

“Protect!” I called out just in time as chunks of filthy… something shot from multiple locations around the field. How?

I kept my eye out watching as the Protect shield blocked multiple hits, but it took a few moments before I got it.

Only one of the hits was real.

“Dragonite! Most of the attacks are illusions! It’s Muk using Double Team! Find the one that is hitting for real!”

“Drag!” She roared out, instantly her head shooting towards her left. Her eyes tracking.

She blitzed without a word. She knew what to do. Once again the static noise of Extreme Speed echoed out, as mud literally burst from where she was from the shockwave of her launch she rushed towards where the mini Muk was hiding.

The shattering of the ground at her hit once again caused the mud to splatter across the area and once again when it cleared Dragonite was on watch.

So was I.

I didn’t believe for a second that would be it.

“Again.”

“Protect!” I called out just in time. Once again a barrage of Gunk Shot slammed into Dragonites shield, and once again only one of the attacks was real.

Dragonite didn’t need to be told this time. She shot off. Once more in a burst of speed searching.

The game of cat and mouse continued but I was watching Koga.

He wasn’t ruffled at all. His Muk continued to play cat and mouse.

“I thank you Victoria. It is not often one gets to battle a Dragonite. The experience will help me greatly against Lance.” Koga offered, finally breaking his silent vigil.

I just scoffed. “I doubt Lance and I will fight much alike.”

“No you don’t. But it is valuable all the same.”

“Do you have time to talk? Your Muk is getting close to being smashed.”

“Oh? Is that what you believe to be happening? Muk has already won this battle.”

I blinked. What was that supposed to mean? His words made me double check, my eyes roving around the battleground trying to catch what Koga had noticed.

When I finally realized it as a protect once more blocked an attack.

Dragonite was breathing hard.

And her skin was turning purple.

“What? When!? None of your attacks hit!”

“Muk poisoned her on her first aerial strike. When she hit the ground she landed in a patch of Toxic, that Muk had left on his substitute.” He answered simply.

I flinched. I had missed it. Too focused on trying to keep an eye on the tiny ninja Muk.

I hate ninjas.

“Dragonite! No more Protect! Hurricane!” And at my call Dragonite did just that. Her wings flapped once. Then twice, and then the entire area suddenly started being blasted with heavy wind.

I hadn’t really done much training with this move. After her evolution we had mostly focused on adapting to her new body, over working with moves.

But all Dragonite could use Hurricane, it was their evolution move. Just like Extreme Speed was Arcanines.

So while it was definitely not as strong as it could be. Dragonites training had focused on the physical, I pulled a Surge.

If I couldn’t hit Muk then I would just hit everything, and I had been watching.

Muk had powered up his Def, but not his SpDef.

The sound of the wind was all I could hear for a while before it finally died down. Dragonites wings were beating weakly as she hunched over gasping for breath.

“Return!” I called out instantly. She was done.

“Return.” Koga spoke not too long after, as I noticed that Muk wasn’t minimized anymore, but full size and unconscious.

I was a little surprised to see Muk unconscious already.

We had only hit it… Once? I wasn’t even sure to be honest. Koga must have noticed my confusion.

“Substitute.” He replied to my confusion which filled me in. Substitute took the Pokemons health to make, that’s right. Muk had probably used it three times, leaving him with only a quarter of his normal health.

“Wait.” I called out as he reached for his next Pokeball. My own hands were hovering over mine, rubbing each ball. I had a decision here. I sighed. Closing my eyes as I nodded. “I forfeit.” I call out surprising the ninja.

“Are you sure?”

“I am. I have three other Pokemon, but none of them are prepared for this sort of battle.” Chansey would do it, I know she would. She was strong, and more than willing to help out, but it would hurt her every time she was forced to attack.

Dratini was just outright not an option. The baby was a baby.

And Gyarados? Well… He still needed a lot of training to catch up. He had only evolved two days before. He wasn’t ready for this level of battle either.

Besides, I shivered. I was still a bit hesitant to release him.

“I see.” Koga offered with a simple nod. He steps away from where he had been standing this whole time turning towards the house that was utterly covered in mud…

Oops.

My hand grasped the plastic of Dragonites Pokeball. I had lost. Finally, truly lost. Honestly? When my ears stop ringing and my eyes stop flashing, maybe I would get a little depressed but right now, I am just wet, cold, and muddy.

“Please join me.” He offers startling me from my attention towards the mess. I eeped a bit as I broke out into a jog to catch up.

“Umm Sorry about the mess?”

“Oh? Ah, it is no matter. The Genin will have a new task to work on, nothing more.” He offered with a shrug, and continued to lead me inside. A moment after entering, a woman dressed in an expensive Kimono approached, offering towels, and assistance in wiping the mud off the both of us.

My apology didn’t faze her, as she simply pushed a towel into my face and started wiping.

Ack! Her Mom power was stronk!

When we were clean enough not to make a disaster I was led into a nice little tea room that was warmed up.

I hesitated because I was more worried about my Pokemon. But Koga waved me forward. “There is a transporter here that will take your team to the Fuchsia Pokemon Center. A minor benefit of a Gym Leader.” He spoke softly waving me over and after a few moments I confirmed the machine hidden in a small hutch was just that.

I placed my Pokeballs inside watching as they teleported away.

“Come sit. Victoria Ferrous.” He added taking a seat in Seiza, which I did sort of copy. I was never good at it though.

He took a moment to sip at the tea, which I copied. Blegh. But at least it was warm.

“Your battle today, are you proud of it?”

I blinked at the sudden question taking another sip of warm tea as I considered it. Am I proud of the battle? How it went?

“Not entirely. I could have done better.”

Koga nodded. “I once fought Lance Wataru, years before he became the Champion.” Koga offered simply, taking a sip. “In that early battle I lost. Although he was fighting my eight badge team, and not a team I was preparing to take a challenge to the Elite Four. That day I knew he would become the Champion. That Johto had once more defeated us.”

“Lance is the Indigo Champion. He is the Champion for both regions.”

“Yes, and yet still he is a Johtan. If a war once more broke out. Everyone knows what side he would be on… Even with every other member of the Elite Four on our side. Lance, ‘our’ Champion is nothing of the sort.”

I waited, quietly I didn’t have anything to say, and while I was pretty sure I was picking up on what he was saying ‘underneath’ what he was actually saying. I wanted him to actually say it.

“When I fought you today, I felt the same thing I faced when I fought Lance. If you had been fighting my Eight Badge team, you would have won your Soul Badge. With Star.”

"I don’t think I’m at the same level as Lance.”

“No. Not yet. He has years of experience you don’t. A Clan that honed him into a Champion. Yet even so you challenged him.”

“Yeah. I did.”

“At your current rate. Despite your explosive growth. You will not reach Lance. You may be capable of taking the League. But even the weakest of the Elite Four would put a halt to your path.”

I shrug. “I’ll grow a lot between then and now. I don’t even have a full team yet.”

“Indeed. You still have time. Your Journey is not yet complete… Which is why I wish to offer you a choice.” He looked up. Koga’s eyes sharp, the eyes of a man that was very much capable of murdering someone if he must.

I had a realization that Koga being a Ninja meant that during the last war he very likely terrorized Johtan trainers.

And probably put an end to many.

“Stay and train under me for a few months. You nearly embody the ideal of a Kantonian trainer. No tricks that some other Regions use, but simply overwhelming power used exactly where it needs to be. Over the next few months I will train you and your team every day. We will sharpen each other iron on iron.”

I honestly hadn’t expected that. I had walked into this room expecting maybe some advice, and an offer to challenge again. Maybe an offer to show me where I needed to improve.

“You want me to become a Gym Trainer?”

“No. A Gym Trainer is similar, but I have no desire in wasting your time on petty chores. I want to hone you to the edge, so that when you hit the Indigo League. Johto is reminded why Kanto stands on its own. Why no matter how many Dragons they send over Mount Silver. It is Kanto they fear above all other regions.”

“Why me? I know I’m not the only talented Kanto girl. I mean. I bet there are trainers a year or two older than me that would probably send me packing.”

“It is because they are older than you that weakens the statement. Did you know that Lance was fifteen when he finally defeated the Indigo League? That it took an additional year afterwards to make him ready to challenge Champion Blaine? Did you know that the League he competed in before that final match was the Kantonian circuit? He traveled through our Gyms. Defeating every Challenger.”

“Ah, he made everyone afraid that even at fifteen he was scary. So you want me to do the same thing but at ten.”

“Exactly. I almost wish we had sent you to the Johtan circuit. The impact would be all the greater, but make no mistake. I want you to defeat Wataru. I want you to crush the confidence of the Johtans.”

I considered what Koga was really saying. The heavy heavy politics that were in play. The fact that there was tension between the two countries, the fact that Lance was Johtan, and in essence had no peer?

I could see why someone like Koga, a ninja, might want to ensure Lance was humbled.

“One question. Do you want Lance defeated because you want to prevent the Johtan side of the League from thinking they could beat us in a war. Or because you want the Kanto side to feel confident that they could beat Johto?” I asked fiercely. Daring the man to lie to me. As I struck at the true question.

If I defeated Lance. Would I cause a fucking war?

Koga blinked a single motion across his face before he was blank.

Surprise.

“You are more aware than you let on.” He replied. “I will be clear then. I wish to ensure that the Johtans do not grow confident enough to start another war. Nor do I want Kanto to fight once more on the battlefield with Johto. The last war left us only devastation. Even winning would only lead to our own destruction.”

“In that case Gym Leader Koga. I accept! Let’s train hard!”

He nodded, smiling as he finished off his tea. “Indeed.”

Oh that was a sinister smile, there goes all my confidence.