I was eating breakfast with Inoru as he read off the news at the table.

"Whispers of the return of Team Rocket have appeared from Azalea Town. The usually peaceful and Slowpoke themed town was suddenly changed when strange men were caught selling Slowpoke tails." Inoru went on. "Themes reminiscent of old Team Rocket bases taking over old Game Corners, with the same equipment and Pokémon used to take over Slowpoke Well were present. Is this the return of dark forces to the Kanto and Johto region?"

I kept eating my cereal in silence.

"The authorities declined to comment any further as to how exactly the men were apprehended, and if in fact, Team Rocket has returned to operation. Heads of Team Galactic and others around the world remain at large, as organized crime, appears to continue to grow globally."

I could practically feel the disapproving look on Inoru's face as he looked at me.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

"Nope." I said calmly.

"You mysteriously wander out of our room last night, and today a bunch of criminals are arrested?"

I looked up at Inoru tiredly. "What do you want me to tell you? So I wanted to get Growlithe used to better battles, what's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?" Inoru sighed longly, passing a hand over his bald head. "Protecting the lives of innocent Pokémon was one thing, but needlessly putting yourself in danger was another."

"I was looking for a serious challenge. Rocket didn't give it to me, but the night didn't end up being a complete waste."

"Then who did give you a challenge?"

There was no point in not telling Ino if I'd already told Professor Oak.

"Someone named Silver. He's a very strange and mysterious guy but-"

Ino looked up from my PokéNav, handing it back to me. "But?"

"He's hands down the best Trainer I've met, except for Clair and Blue of course."

"How so?"

I explained. "His Bayleef is super well trained, as well as naturally quick and strong. There's just something off about him, it's hard to put into words."

"I'd say to try to face him the next chance you get, never fear defeat. But always seek to improve."

"Thanks Ino, I will."

He nodded back to me slightly.

I cleared my throat, standing up. "Well, better get to it as soon as I can. Have to sign up for the tournament to challenge Bugsy's Gym."

"Want me to come with you?"

"We already finished all our studies together for things for the Order. Unless you really want to, I don't see the point."

Inoru calmly accepted this and walked off back to our room in the Pokémon center upstairs.

"Here you go." Azalea Town's Nurse Joy said with a smile.

"Thank you Nurse."

I smiled back to her after I finished my breakfast. She had returned my three Pokémon on a plastic tray, all of whom had been through a very decent fight after battling Silver last night.

I put all three Pokéballs back into my belt, and walked off towards Bugsy's Gym.

It was easily less impressive than any of the other Gyms I'd visited so far, but it was still pretty. Bugsy's Gym was simple, it was a large rectangular one story building. All the galleries for Gym

challenges and tournaments were on a raised walkway protected by see-through glass.

The Gym itself was mainly a dirt floor forest containing several Bug Pokémon and from what I could tell, Bug type Trainers who regularly raised their bugs in the forest enclosure would've been there.

The front desk was small, just a single young woman wearing a light green t-shirt with white outlines and a WCPL logo near her shoulders. "Hello there, how can I help you today?"

"I'm here to sign up for the tournament to challenge Bugsy."

"Absolutely, your Pokémon Trainer ID please."

I stuck my PokéNav into the slot she requested, easy enough, it was a smartphone type of device anyway.

"Hm."

I saw the girl's face scrounge up for a second.

"What is it?"

The Azalea Town Gym staff member looked right at me. "You're Nico of Takujimi right?"

"Yes?"

Why wouldn't I be?

"According to your performance in your past two competitions, only Gold from New Bark Town has proved to be of any real challenge to you," she said, reading off her computer. "The WCPL might take competition very seriously, but we're also equally fair. You don't need to battle in the tournament."

I was confused. "Seriously?"

"There's really no point after all. Our records show that Gold just signed up to challenge Falkner's Gym in Violet City again. All Trainers at or around his rank are not competing yet, and until one does appear, there's no point wasting your time nor that of anyone else's."

That made sense but was my team really that good?

Now that I thought about it, yes, it really was. Gold's team completely outpaced everyone else's that day, and he was even better than Crystal in my opinion despite the Type disadvantage for his main. And I've beaten Gold twice now.

"So what do I do?" I was a bit confused.

"Well." Bugsy's staff member smiled weakly. "Normally we'd have you challenge some of Bugsy's other Trainers to see if you qualify anyway. They're the ones you might see around the enclosure raising a few of the Pokémon."

She shrugged. "But, they're all pretty busy these days. If you'd like, I can have you challenge Bugsy directly. How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect. How long do I have?"

The girl clicked on her laptop for a bit. "I can have you challenge Leader Bugsy in either two or four weeks."

"Two weeks sounds great."

"Excellent. Just to let you know ahead of time, the match will be three on three no running clock. Good luck and we'll see you soon!"

"Thank you." I bowed back to her and then left.

…

I picked a comfy spot on the outskirts of Azalea Town near the wilderness where I trained last.

Then, I let out my entire team into the forest clearing.

I tossed out Teddiursa's Great Ball, and Slakoth and Growlithe's Pokéballs.

The three Pokémon all stood there, Teddiursa quietly shifting his back paws through the grass as Vigoroth stretched. Growlithe chased his circle really quick and then barked.

"Hey everyone, great job last night. We weren't expecting Silver at all, nor him to be that good, but we pushed through."

"Arf!" barked Growlithe happily.

Vigoroth shrugged, not at all shaken by how tough of a match Bayleef was for him despite the fact that Silver'd almost beaten my entire team with him. Teddiursa looked too spaced out to say anything, or maybe he just didn't think much of how badly Bayleef had beaten him.

Growlithe was simply too cheerful with more training ahead that he didn't say anything.

I asked myself, was my team really shaken from our first encounter with Team Rocket? From what I can tell, it barely was.

They knew how serious of a threat they posed with how innocent Slowpoke were hurt. They fought as hard as they could, and that was it. They took the fights to that level, and adapted as necessary.

As far as I could see, they were ready to go right back to training.

I nodded. "Okay. Today's a special day. Vigoroth, you're with Teddiursa."

"Oro." he grunted in a low voice to acknowledge this.

"Growlithe, today I'm training you. For the next two weeks, I'm going to maximize your performance in the ring. If I play my cards right, Bugsy won't even need to see the rest of the team in action."

The puppy was too happy to realize just how much of a responsibility this was. That or too young to understand my tone.

"Let's get started."

I had Vigoroth work on ways to improve Teddiursa's Slash. Both of them were Pokémon, there was little they could do to communicate very strategically, but Vigoroth was more than happy to show Teddiursa just how much technique and power there was behind his Slash.

As both of them worked with each other, I put out cones and hoops to drill Growlithe's timing, reaction speed, and overall, the effectiveness of his Ember.

This wouldn't just be his best attack against Bugsy, this would be Growlithe's bread and butter until he approached the stage he'd mature into Arcanine and begin using things like Fire Blast and Flamethrower, months from now.

I held out specialized pads I'd bought to train Growlithe like I was using boxing mitts, making sure my arm didn't get scalded in the process, but luckily it came with protectors against such things.

About an hour and a half through training Growlithe's counters and combination attacks with Ember, Bite, and Tackle, and I felt a strange glowing sensation on my face.

I turned, and Teddiursa was evolving.

I didn't notice it, but Vigoroth had helped Teddiursa's Slash improve to the point where his body had matured well enough to become an Ursaring.

Light swirled and glowed from Teddiursa, his body changing and growing taller and a bit wider, until. A large bear Pokémon appeared standing in the forest clearing, Teddiursa having grown into him.

Unlike Vigoroth, he didn't appear remotely confused or proud of his evolution. Maybe Teddiursa, now Ursaring, was just too spaced out unless during fighting to really care all that much.

I then returned to Growlithe, and honestly, he did quite well.

Every bit of advice I gave him he listened to perfectly, and executed with dispatch.

By the end of the day, I was satisfied, my team was barely tired, and they'd all practiced exactly how I asked them to.

…

For the next two weeks, that was my routine.

I woke up, did all my prayers and scroll studies with Ino for about an hour, ate breakfast. Wandered around Azalea Town, maybe read a book or two, then trained my team from midday to four in the afternoon.

I began to ask myself questions, about details in Growlithe's performance to maximize how well he did in the ring.

How exactly did his Ember attack physically get stronger? Were his lungs merely used to producing better fire as time went on?

This led me to a different question about three days into training.

Growlithe's paws moved quicker, his reflexes got sharper, and he moved with more confidence and decisiveness when I put him to lightly spar Ursaring.

This was all clearly physical improvements, Growlithe's skills improved the more time in the ring he got with the rest of the team. But down to the details, like the muscles within his legs, how exactly fire was produced from his body, how could I improve it?

I began to research online just how exactly Fire type Pokémon conditioned their bodies, how they maximized performance.

Blue could've probably made millions if he sold books on how he raised his Arcanine, heck, I needed one right now, and I've have paid really good money for one. But instead I came to a very simple conclusion.

Even Special attacks, at their core, were based on physical traits.

Sure, Growlithe's Ember was most definitely a Special Fire type attack. It didn't have to make contact, it was a fireball of sorts. But the manner in which it was produced from his body, mainly his lungs and his mouth, the speed, power, and above all, how hot the fire itself was, was based purely in the physical strength of Growlithe's.

How he grew, how used to producing Ember his body had become.

I tested out this hypothesis over the course of five days, focusing purely on ways to maximize Growlithe's performance with simple physical improvements.

Jogging up and down Azalea town everyday chasing the puppy back and forth. Buying toys for him to chew, giving Growlithe plenty of time while I read around a campfire, or checked my ranking on my Nav.

Timing sprints, trying to maximize the fast twitch muscle fibers within Growlithe's legs to make him as explosive and quick as possible.

I took a quick video of Growlithe sparring Ursaring one day, and then five days later after I began implementing all this into his training, and the results were a bit shocking.

Night and day. Two completely different universes.

Growlithe was already a very strong Pokémon before, he was naturally quick and strong because of his bloodline being the grandson of Oak's own Arcanine, and the son of Blue's. And, credit to myself, skilled from the basic drills I gave to Ursaring and Vigoroth, I adapted to Growlithe.

But now, the difference in just a couple of days was glaring.

Sure, it wasn't like he beat Ursaring or anything, but the clear difference in how much harder of a fight it was for him was astounding.

The regular jogging exercise of course didn't just improve Growlithe's stamina, it helped make his lungs and diaphragm much stronger. As I had guessed, his breath was much stronger, his Ember was just better.

How to improve fire breathing? Improve breathing first.

And his Bite too.

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How to make Growlithe's biting quicker and stronger? He's a puppy, I gave him stuff to chew for almost an hour every day, and let him run around me, timing his attacks with a bone.

I would use it like a toy, running around letting him chase me, offering it to him, somersaulting aside, standing up, moving left, right, forward, and backward, the whole time Growlithe playfully believing it was a game.

But really, I was improving his reflexes for combat. He'd see the bone appear? Good, he'd Bite it.

It actually got Ursaring frustrated. The bear was young, but very large and strong, Growlithe was infuriating to him.

He'd move to one angle, strike, fake, move to another, fake, move into another direction, pepper Ursaring's chest with Embers to stall, then move to a different direction.

Growlithe's boundless puppy energy wasn't exactly a hindrance ever, but now it was a blessing. Vigoroth and Ursaring never had any complaints about daily training, but it never looked fun for them.

Growlithe on the other hand wouldn't ever get tired, he loved sparring, he loved the drills, he loved jogging up and down Azalea Town.

He basically never got tired, and unlike Vigoroth and Ursaring, he didn't see this as just a serious routine for competition. To him, it was pure games.

And that I think, after much consideration, I really enjoyed.

…

The day of Bugsy's challenge, Inoru was in the stands with me just chatting casually. He knew what strategy I had going into this, he didn't have much to say.

Most of Azalea Town basically stopped all of what it was doing that day to see my challenge, not that I blamed them. I had won my first tournament in Blackthorn City and people were talking about me on the News function of the PokéNav already.

I checked in at the front desk, bowed at the edge of the ring like I did when I battled Falkner, and shook Bugsy's hand.

Bugsy was a teen boy of about fifteen, wearing a classic Bug trainer uniform with lilac colored hair. Green shorts and button up top, with black shoes.

I was given the impression Bugsy was a genuinely good natured person, but Azalea Town wasn't the most competitive Pokémon town.

Pretty much everyone in the stands were lovers of Bug type Pokémon, or their children were kids in Bugsy's program who were studying Bug type Pokémon all over Johto and parts of Kanto.

Just by the way Bugsy could wave and smile at the crowd and they smiled back, there was a history here. That Azalea Town knew who Bugsy was, that he was a part of the town.

Regardless, the match began.

I was blue side on the judge's left, and Bugsy was red, on the judge's right.

Bugsy's first Pokémon was Butterfree, a very pretty looking butterfly Pokémon with shiny white wings.

Growlithe wasn't impressed, I tossed him out from his ball after I expanded it in my palm.

"Arf arf!" he announced, his tail wagging as he lowered his snout, looking directly at Butterfree calmly.

"A Fire type huh?" asked Bugsy in a light and kind voice. "Don't think this'll be easy just because you have a type advantage."

Under normal circumstances, I would agree, except that Growlithe was actually pretty strong regardless of his typing I'd seen from our training.

A WCPL official judge waved a blue and red flag down together at the same time. "Begin!" he shouted.

"Butterfree, Poisonpowder!" said Bugsy.

The butterfly Pokémon released small purple spores from its body and used its wings to wave them towards Growlithe quickly. He didn't even need to dodge, merely burning the poison away with a striking hot Ember.

"Okay, set up Bite!"

Butterfree hovered left and right, darting around the air trying to avoid Growlithe's path, until it suddenly avoided another set of spores, I think they were Stun spores being orange instead of purple like earlier, and latched directly onto Butterfree's side.

It tackled Butterfree down, shaking the Bug type Pokémon in the air like a chew toy before spitting it out.

"You okay Butterfree?"

The Bug type didn't respond to Bugsy's words, it just silently looked at Growlithe big red, and now angry eyes.

"Then put pressure on him! Attack!" said Bugsy.

Butterfree's Confusion was actually pretty decent.

Growlithe was unable to evade or do anything to stop the Psychic move from hitting him, and a wave of light Psychic energy hit him right in the pelt.

It barely seemed to scratch him however, even despite how well placed it was. I suspect it was because Growlithe was already moving in a different direction by the time it hit him, and only the edge of the Psychic wave struck him.

Contrary to what I was thinking, Growlithe wasn't automatically Confused by the move, if anything he seemed sharper after it landed.

His fight with Butterfree began to wrap up by the time Growlithe began to use Ember.

I again, was incredibly surprised by how such a young Pokémon could absorb drills. As tricky as Butterfree was, gliding this way and that, always using long range attacks like its Stun Spore and Sleep and Poison Powder, as well as Confusion, Growlithe just did his thing.

As if he was still working on target practice back in the forest clearing with pads and mitt work, moving Butterfree where he wanted around the ring with ease. He faked Bites, then committed to real ones, dashed out of the way of counter attacks to continue to pressure Butterfree-

Then wham!

Butterfree was hit right in the head with an Ember fireball.

It went spinning out of the air after that, and suspecting it was injured, the judge paused the match instantly. "Stop!"

Butterfree struggled to its blue feet, and then was able to get back into the air.

As I suspected, despite giving a few strong attacks Growlithe merely evaded, countered by burning through it with Ember, or outright ignored, it was a matter of time before Growlithe connected with a third and final attack.

An Ember again, this time right in the chest as Growlithe timed its movement through the air after it missed Confusion for the second time.

"Butterfree is unable to battle! The first round goes to the blue side!" The judge raised a blue flag.

Bugsy recalled the knocked out Bug type Pokémon. "Great work Butterfree, let's go Beedrill!"

Beedrill was actually a bit trickier.

Twineedle almost landed flush directly on Growlithe's face, Beedrill buzzed forward very quickly, aiming with both its sharp needles on either arm.

Growlithe just barely avoided the attack in time, hurriedly somersaulting away in a ball, but Beedrill flew away before Growlithe could counter with Ember.

"Just keep doing what you're doing." I said from my Trainer's box next to the ring.

Beedrill really only had Twinneedle. Both Rage and Fury Attack were just slight alterations of its first attack, with Growlithe was already able to deal with right off the bat.

Meaning, Growlithe just had to figure out his timing, keep up the pressure, work on combinations, and just as I suspected. It just took some time for him to connect with Ember.

He began to duck around and dodge Beedrill's needles, and as the other needle approached during a combination of Fury Attack, Growlithe coated Beedrill's entire body in a single Ember.

The audience almost gasped and appeared awed by the move. The judge didn't even have to check if Beedrill was knocked out.

"The second round goes to the challenger from Takujimi Temple!"

Bugsy appeared confused for a second.

Growlithe was just getting warmed up and he was down to his last of three Pokémon.

So far, I didn't think his Pokémon were weak by any means, it's just that they possessed the same training and abilities that Growlithe did. Sure Bugsy's Pokémon were more experienced, but that was heavily offset by Fire being super effective against Bug Type moves, and not ineffective the other way around.

Bugsy pulled out his last Pokémon, and as I was expecting, it was the toughest of the three.

Scyther proudly announced itself with a quick slash at the air with its bladed arms, hissing loudly as it took a fighting stance, its wings doing a quick shimmer and shake in the air.

"Give it all you got Scyther!" said Bugsy with equal strength.

Here we go, Bugsy using his main against my youngest and newest Pokémon.

Scyther was significantly faster than Growlithe, in fact, as it dodged Growlithe's Ember with ease while using Agility, it then transitioned instantly into Quick Attack.

And shockingly, Scyther almost sliced away a whole bit of Growlithe's pelt with that attack.

In fact, I could even see a few of the fireproof hairs on Growlithe's tail get cut and released into the air when Scyther only managed to connect onto his back.

Growlithe spun, lunging forward to attempt an explosive Bite, but Scyther had already whizzed away to the other side of the ring.

Before myself or Growlithe could do anything, Bugsy ordered. "Slash!"

Scyther slightly telegraphed the attack by leaning back and readying his rear arm, then raising a great deal of dust as it blurred across the ring and nearly landed flush directly across Growlithe's torso, neck, and legs.

Growlithe tucked into a ball at the last second, and before Scyther's other arm could so much as twitch, I saw it release the strongest Ember he had yet, which was saying something.

Growlithe roared with his Ember, basking the entirety of Scyther's back with fire.

Shrieking, Scyther spun around in the blink of an eye sent Growlithe flying to the other end of the ring when it cut it right across the body and neck with its other arm.

A dust cloud was raised from the blow, and the judge paused the match.

"Stop!"

"Great work Scyther! Nice Cut!"

When the dust was cleared, I was looking at a different Pokémon.

Growlithe hadn't evolved or anything, that wasn't possible without at least Fire Stone I think, but the look in Growlithe's eyes were different.

Panting quietly, the puppy was growling, lowly, and angrily, the hairs on the back of its neck standing up on end.

I had a choice to make, and I made it instantly.

"Growlithe!"

He looked over at me.

And all I did was nod twice, slightly pushing my lower lip against my upper one.

Growlithe looked right over to Scyther, its glare resuming.

"Continue!"

The judge had barely finished speaking by the time Growlithe rushed forward, spitting Embers at a million miles an hour.

All the grass of the enclosure began to lit ablaze, Scyther's back had recovered quickly, the Pokémon more than strong enough to give it right back.

Scyther's blurring Cut attacks was insane. This Pokémon was so fast with its wings that Growlithe had to either Ember through it to make Scyther change angles and stop attacking, or dodge by the skin of his teeth.

Growlithe and Scyther went back and forth, Ember.

Quick Attack.

Bite, two Embers.

Scyther's Quick Attack, followed up by so many Cuts I could barely see them all, bordering on Fury Swipes.

By the end of its somehow, either through sheer determination or timing too fast for me to really register from the speed of the battle, Growlithe had latched onto Scyther's arm.

Before anyone could react, a fireball seemed to glow within Growlithe's maw, and the next thing I knew Scyther's right arm was burnt completely black.

"Stop!"

I smiled, calling Growlithe over to me, giving him as much advice as I could while the match was paused. I had no choice, the fight was moving so fast, Growlithe was constantly trying to use Bite or Ember, or moving around the ring.

Either because Bugsy was the local gym leader, or through a bit of luck, the judge let the match continue. Not that I was complaining, this match was getting great.

The battle continued with Scyther fighting with one arm and a slightly burnt back, and if I thought this Pokémon was tough when it was still fully healthy, I hadn't seen anything yet.

Scyther hissed, concentrating deeply and then taking a stronger stance after its torso glowed white for a second. My eyes widened when I realized just how much power Scyther would be able to put behind one attack.

Focus Energy.

One clean Slash and I might have to actually bring out Ursaring or Vigoroth.

Growlithe didn't give him a chance, it merely timed a series of Embers despite just how fast Scyther could move.

The Bug Type Pokémon was relentless, it could zip around the ring so fast I could feel my hair fly backward as it chased after Growlithe with one arm as if its life depended on it.

However, the match was mine.

It's not like Growlithe had gotten faster during the match or anything, it had just gotten smarter.

Scyther was still quick, very quick, faster than Growlithe by a longshot. However, the degree of precision by how Growlithe could position himself around the ring, and the timing behind how he could use Bite and Ember made Scyther reposition or take a completely different action repeatedly.

Quick Attack alone should've wrapped this up minutes ago, and I should've been switching out a knocked out Growlithe with Ursaring, but I didn't. This puppy was just too determined, adaptable, and vicious.

I'd seen Growlithe take fights seriously against faster and stronger Pokémon, even with a type advantage like against Bayleef. But with an extra two weeks of training, and an Ember that had improved leaps and bounds, Growlithe was getting better before my very eyes.

Scyther would block Embers away from its chest and head with repeated swipes at the air with its bladed arm, even using its burnt one to block. But it began to tire.

Growlithe began to win the long game, sneaking in Bite occasionally, another Ember, this time on the leg or another wing.

And that really took the speed out of Scyther.

Eventually, as Bugsy began to give another order, Growlithe used another Ember, landing flush on Scyther's chin, neck, and upper chest with a very strong fireball.

This time it was so strong that even with a block it went flying back. The Fire type attack struck Scyther too hard now, and it couldn't get back up.

And Azalea Town's resident Bug specialist's main, Bugsy's Scyther, went down and couldn't move.

"The winner of the challenge is Nico!"

The crowd began to applaud and I was a bit impressed.

Not just by Growlithe, he had done far better than I had needed him to do. But by Scyther.

This Pokémon took multiple super effective hits, and not only continued to battle. But kept a fully fresh Growlithe one attack away from a KO at all times.

That, was really impressive.

After recalling Scyther, Bugsy crossed the other edge of the ring by going all the way around it, and then shook my hand.

"It's been a while since I've had a battle that good."

Not me, just about two weeks.

"I'm really proud of Growlithe," I said, patting said Fire type pup's head as he happily sat by my side. "He puts in so much effort during training, listens so well, and grows so much."

"I can tell." Bugsy removed a Hive Badge from his pocket, handing it to me. "You earned it, I can't wait to see what you're up to next."

"Thanks." I smiled. "Your Scyther is, really really good. Strong, fast, I wasn't expecting it to be that great."

Bugsy squinted at me for a second. "Um, haven't I seen you somewhere?"

Well I have been living in your town for a month now.

"I've had a news segment about me in the past."

"No, I mean, recently."

I shrugged and smiled, not really wanting to bring up the Slowpoke Well incident. "I jog around a lot, you might've seen me working out."

"Alright then. Good luck Nico."

"Thank you again Gym Leader Bugsy."

…

I was eating my dinner that night after Ino went up to bed.

I had spent so much time petting, congratulating, and playing with Growlithe that it was already well past nighttime.

"Hello."

I looked up, seeing a pretty young woman with pink hair appear at my table. She wore glasses, and wore a green sweater and jeans.

"Hello?" I asked in confusion.

"My name is DJ Mary, I'm here in Azalea Town to interview you."

I was curious. "You're a reporter?"

"Of sorts. I help Goldenrod City broadcast news about the Pokémon League here in Johto and Kanto all over the entire world."

I chuckled. "I've met four people my age with the same number of badges, why aren't they getting your attention right now?"

Technically five, Silver hasn't competed yet, but his skill level is certainly around mine.

"Well, they aren't monks. For one." Mary sat across the dinner table from me in the Pokémon Center lobby. "And secondly, I know the kids you're talking about. They're great Trainers, but they all had sponsors at one point, and they're more experienced than you by a year or two."

I shrugged, wiping my mouth with a napkin. "And why not get a statement from Bugsy?"

"I already did, do you." she paused. "Not want to do the interview?"

"No, I- I do, I just want to get your thought process first before we begin."

"Understandable. Mind if I record this?" she showed me her PokéNav.

I shrugged again, putting my dinner away.

"So, Nico. What started your interest in training?"

I was very young, and I liked the video games. Hard to explain.

Chuckling, I gave her an answer she'd comprehend better. "Shortly after I joined the Order of the Sprout Sages this year, Elder Toji determined I should go on a pilgrimage."

"Why?"

"That's a question I've asked myself a lot recently. The best answer I can give you is he saw it in Mount Takujimi's best interest."

"Tell me about Takujimi."

"Takujimi is my home. It's where I was taught the basics about being a sage."

"You're a monk."

"Yes."

Mary was confused. "But you don't dress like a monk."

"No."

"And you actually live outside the shrines."

"Yes."

"Then, forgive me for asking, what part of your life actually aligns with the sages?"

I shrugged, explaining. "I wake up every morning to study scripture written by other sages thousands of years ago. I meditate with a Bellsprout, do kata with one. And I'm a vegetarian."

"How have the sages changed your view on Pokémon?"

"They defined it. When I first began training under Elder Toji, the first thing I was told was that humanity was saved from the brink of destruction by Pokémon. Specifically, one."

"Mew. Right?"

"Yes." I nodded to Mary. "According to legend, Mew had help, but ultimately Mew saw something inside humanity that was worth saving. It's, my belief, as well as the belief of the sages, that that something was a deep spiritual connection. The one responsible for exactly why Pokémon trust people so much, and can form such strong friendships."

"So your mission through battling is to spread awareness about the belief of the sages. About the sages in general?"

More or less, but I've found that it was more than that.

"Elder Toji mainly sent me out on a journey to test myself. To test what the Order knew in practical terms about Pokémon in the modern world. The Order is capable of supernatural things, mystical things, things beyond the understanding of any person."

"Like what?" asked Mary.

"Could you ever imagine two, three, maybe four Bellsprout tie a Vigoroth to the ground. And convince it to flee? We're talking about a fully grown Vigoroth from Takujimi, the strongest you can imagine."

Mary shook her head. "No," she said quietly.

"No, of course not. I've seen sages have connections to their Pokémon so strong, they're almost a single entity. I wouldn't be surprised if some monks could communicate with their Bellsprout or Hoothoot psychically."

"Where is Mount Takujimi exactly? Until yesterday morning, I'd never heard of it."

"Mount Takujimi lies in the highest peak near the mountain ranges north of Johto. Blackthorn City shares a rail line with Kamarino, a small village in Kama Valley, that's, my home. It's mainly used as a trading hub, between all the farmland north of Johto and, the actual region."

Mary nodded a little bit. "So you're the first person from your valley, to ever compete in the Pokémon League?"

"Yes," I said simply.

"Not just the first monk, the first person."

"Yes."

"What makes Mount Takujimi so special to the monks?"

"It was built thousands of years ago to help protect civilization from a great evil. I heard Team Rocket was on the news this morning. Well, before the Johto region, or any civilization, really existed, they didn't have Team Rocket or anything like it." I explained the legend. "Some sort of entity, be it a Pokémon or spirit, spread like a virus from Takujimi, all across the globe. Pokémon would act as if they were possessed."

Mary nodded again, continuing to listen.

"All Pokémon completely became wild and fierce, destroying everything they could find. Until Mew saved us, it appeared like the end of the world. Takujimi Shrine was built so that if one day that evil returned, we'd be ready. That humanity would have experts in how to raise our Pokémon, to live as people, so that such a catastrophe would never happen again."

"Do you think that evil could ever return?"

I was living proof, right now, talking to DJ Mary, that that gate we guarded led to another dimension. Probably one where Giratina or something resided if I really thought about it.

"I don't see a reason why it should or shouldn't. The legend of Mew and the Lake Spirits is why I'm really battling. It's, why I'm here, competing in the Pokémon League. It's a cautionary tale, you have to truly value your Pokémon in order to understand them. I don't think Mew would've ever saved us, unless Mew saw a reason to do so, a value, something special, something worth saving."

"Then, how should we value our Pokémon? How should we value them?"

"I might be a sage but I'm only fourteen," I said simply with a smile. "I'm not an expert nor a philosopher. If you want a key takeaway from who I am in all this, I'm just trying to bring a new philosophy to Pokémon battles. Not trying to prove anything religious or political."

"I'll put that in the article then."

I shook DJ Mary's hand.

"Here."

Mary took out a plastic card from her wallet and handed it to me.

"I expect you'll be in Goldenrod City soon enough to challenge Whitney. Show that to any of our crew and you'll be allowed backstage for interviews and more. Thank you for your time Nico."

"And thank you Mary."

We bowed to one another.

Suddenly, Mary stopped before she left. "I know you're traveling with another monk, but would you like to share a compartment on the train I'm taking back to Goldenrod?"

"I was actually going to walk."

"Really? You must be earning huge amounts of money winning badges just a month apart," said Mary. "Surely you could afford a ticket."

"It's not about that," I said. "Sometimes you need to travel, it helps you train your Pokémon better if you try to meet people on the road to learn from them or battle."

Mary paused again.

"I don't know anything about Mew or really about your religion. But I have to say, seeing how you've beaten Bugsy without losing a single Pokémon, when just a matter of months ago I had no clue what Mount Takujimi was. Says a lot about you."

It also says a lot about how right the Elders probably were. But I didn't blame Mary for this at all.

"Thank you for the interview Mary."

"You're welcome, I'll be seeing you in Goldenrod City soon enough."

I then handed my tray back to the staff members helping Nurse Joy run the Pokémon Center with a bow, and then left upstairs to my room.