Chapter Seventy Five: Need a Hit

Even from its outskirts, Fuchsia looked outdated. Once a place of real promise and hope, the city was now in desperate need of modernity, but no one there could be bothered to give it that injection. Half-finished construction sites were dotted amongst weather washed houses years past their prime. The smell of fish rising from the port, which the city's residents had previously tried to disguise for the sake of tourists, now hung like a welcome stench over everything.

Shoved at the bottom of the region, it was an easy place to forget about. The townspeople knew that, and for a long time they had tried to offer something different to other cities. It was going to be a coastal city, a transport hub, a thriving port to rival Vermillion. There were going to be towering hotels, docks built for cruise ships, improvements to the Safari Zone. The plans had been endless, and everyone had been excited.

Then the fire happened. The Safari Zone was lost, first in one afternoon of intense heat and worse suffering, then again in a drawn out contract dispute, eventually seeing the franchise move to Johto. Only a few weeks late, Cinnabar had drowned in a sea of lava, and that was the final nail in the coffin. Projects were cancelled, people began to move away, and eventually most trainers stopped coming, no longer needing to travel to the end of the region when it was cheaper to train to Johto instead.

After five years of growing irrelevancy, a wave of neglect had swept through Fuchsia. It was as though the entire city had just stopped caring: if no one was going to visit, why bother? Once grand houses now stood abandoned, sun bleached grass creeping up to chest height around the dilapidated buildings. The ones still occupied were just as untidy, bearing washed out paint, with moss and weeds creeping over the outside walls and fences. The Pal Park, an attempt at restoring the popularity of the Safari Zone, stood out as an unwelcome outlier, like a glittering glass spaceship that had landed in an endless field of two storey brick houses.

Alaska, who rarely paid attention to the small details, noticed it all. Having come from a town struggling to recover, the empty feeling hanging around the city was all too familiar. As she marched through the streets, stumbling over cracked, untended footpaths, she and Sandy didn't see a single soul around. Curtains flickered occasionally, but otherwise they were just two passer-by's moving through a ghost town.

"I read online before I left home that there was no point coming down here – I can really see why."

"I wish I could have seen the Safari Zone. I used to watch this documentary series filmed there when I was a kid. I was devastated when it burnt down."

"Apparently the whole bloody city was as well," Alaska murmured. She frowned as they passed another construction site, a sign on the outside announcing a new motel would be completed by 2010. A shiver went down her spine: this city had died a long time ago, a graveyard for failed dreams, and Alaska felt like she was trespassing on a long drawn out funeral.

"We're here," Sandy announced, and Alaska stopped and looked up. They had arrived on the far edge of the city, right in the corner beside the trees that marked the boundaries. A battered sign that once would have been purple but was now made a faded lilac stood over the entrance, the only thing signifying that this was a gym. Beneath it, a long, low building, only one storey high, stretched across a field. Chipped ceramic tiles made the roof, held up by thick wooden beams and white concrete walls.

"They say this building is nearly a thousand years old. When the city was first invaded, the original Kantonese warriors that trained here hid all the townspeople in that building," Sandy explained, pointing towards the gym. "When the invaders tried to take the building, the warriors easily outmatched them when it came to sword fighting, and, aided by local Pokémon, they managed to save the city."

"Nice story. You can really tell this place is that old – it clearly hasn't been decorated since then." Sandy turned and frowned at Alaska, who shrugged and smiled. "Can you blame a girl for trying to lighten the mood? I'm about to go face the descendant of those warriors, and I'm no fucking swordsmith."

Sandy sighed and nodded, and the two stood in silence, staring at the gym. Neither of them had expected to be here today. Alaska had hoped for a few more days of preparation, to focus herself and work out a strategy that didn't involve burning down the gym. Part of her had wanted to turn down her summons and show up on her own time, but after her confrontation with the nurse, Alaska couldn't bare another minute in that place, not knowing what she had done, the damage she had caused…

"Are you alright? You look pale."

"It's just the wind," Alaska replied stubbornly, turning to Sandy and forcing a smile. Her friend paused and looked at her, the façade clearly not working on her, but she let the moment pass and turned back to the gym.

"Are you ready?"

"Do I have any choice?"

"To battle, no, but you have a say in how the next few minutes go. You're a new woman, remember? You don't have to let them push you around anymore." Sandy smiled and put a hand on Alaska's shoulder. Alaska managed a sincere smile and pulled her friend close; for the first time that hour, she put Darwin out of her mind and properly focused on what was about to happen. What's done is done: what I do next is more important.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

The inside of the gym reminded Alaska of the fighting dojo in Saffron. Wooden panels greeted them as they stepped inside, covering the floor, walls and ceilings. Sliding doors were the only things breaking the pattern, while several skylights doused the room in dull grey light. It was a large and empty space, devoid of anything but the odd landscape painting; certainly not the type of setting you'd expect from a gym.

"Arceus, does this place even have electricity?" Alaska muttered. She stepped forwards, cautiously looking around for any signs of life, and walked into something solid. She swore as she fell backwards, caught at the last minute by a gasping Sandy. "What the -?"

"Yes, we do have electricity, thanks bitch." Alaska cursed and looked to the ceiling: in the corner, a blinking red light flashed mockingly down on her. For a second, she was back in the Pokémon Centre, lying on the floor surrounded by her own sick, the light of camera flickering tauntingly above her. But Alaska shook away the thoughts and stumbled back to her feet as a different unwelcome memory came to the surface.

"Oh, Clyde, how I haven't missed you."

"The feeling's mutual. I must say, I wasn't expecting you to come – I thought you were all about controlling your own destiny?"

"I am. This is me, coming here under my own free will. Got a problem with that?"

"No, not really. It strikes me as ironic, is all," the security system retorted. "Anyway, I'll lower the walls now that I've had my fun. Enjoy getting your skinny little ass kicked!"

"Thanks," Alaska snapped, giving the camera the finger before turning away. A soft whirring filled the room as invisible walls slid beneath the floor, the light retracting and flickering as the rest of the room was revealed. Out of nowhere, a raised platform at the far end of the gym appeared, breaking up the wooden monotony. The first thing Alaska noticed was a wall of weapons that now loomed imposingly above them, surrounded by staffs, gym equipment and what seemed to be a balance beam that filled the platform.

Alaska also discovered they weren't alone in here. Two fingers noisily locked in combat were dancing across the surface, seemingly unaware of their new audience. One was a Pokémon, long, purple and wide chested: an Arbok, hissing and snarling as its human companion went after it with a stick.

Alaska knew about Janine; everyone did. While Red, Leaf and Blue were the most publicly recognised heroes in the war against Team Rocket, Janine had fought alongside them since the very beginning. She had never embraced the limelight awarded to her companions though, retreating to a private life at the end of the country. She was always looming in the background of press conferences though, haughtily staring at the camera as though threatening to murder the audience. Alaska had always figured it was an act: surely no one could be that crazy and still be allowed to save the world, right?

Yet as she and Sandy crossed the floor, Alaska had to wonder how serious Janine was. The sounds of her grunting and the swoosh of her spinning battle staff echoed inside the gym. The Arbok she faced appeared twice her height, grey-purple tail thrashing as it swerved to avoid the blade at the end. Janine could always be putting this on for Alaska's benefit, a threat before they got down to business, but from what she could see, Alaska doubted that was a farcical performance.

"Come on, is that the best you've got?" Janine yelled, swinging the staff and slashing it across the Arbok's chest. "We've brought down empires together, and you can't handle a little training exercise?"

"Aaaaarrrrboookkkk."

"Getting too old, is that it?" Janine shoved the blunt end into her Pokémon's ribcage, nearly pushing it over. "Is that our problem? Do I need to upgrade?"

"ARBOOOOOKKKKK!"

"Well prove it then!" Arbok swung its tail, but Janine jumped and spun over it. When she landed, she brought the staff around and lunged, wildly slashing her weapon. Arbok hissed and reared. Janine saw it coming and held the staff in both hands as defence. Arbok sprang and spun, crashing down with its tail. The staff didn't break on impact, making Janine smile. But Arbok smiled as well, and it coiled its purple tail around the staff. Confused, Janine pulled back, but Arbok dived forwards. The gym leader ducked, sending Arbok soaring over her and landing on her head.

"BOK!" The Cobra Pokémon had been angling for this: it used the momentum to bring its tail arcing over, still grasping the staff, and Janine was flipped. The sound of her hitting the floor made Alaska wince, and she could barely watch as Arbok rolled onto its defeated trainer and bared her fangs.

"No!" Sandy's breathless gasp echoed throughout the suddenly silent gym, and Janine and her Arbok broke contact and turned towards them. Sandy seized up under their gaze, but Janine only gave her a cursory glance before looking at Alaska. The trainer glared back with her steeliest glare, and the gym leader smirked before tapping the floor.

"Good work," she said as Arbok slid away, black eyes still watching the new arrivals. "You had a few opportunities when you could have used that move earlier; next time, you need to be quicker. You're not a spritely young lady anymore, and no use if you're not at the top of your game."

"Bok Bok." The Arbok coiled around Janine's feet like a protective rug, as if they hadn't just been fighting seconds ago. The gym leader stroked her before looking up at Alaska.

"So, you're the Acevedo girl then I take it?" Alaska nodded silently. "Nice to put a face to the name. I'll admit that I'm surprised you came, but I'm glad you did."

"Figured I'd come see what you wanted. Must admit I didn't really expect to have to watch you train. Are we going to get down to business or am I going to have to wait for you to towel yourself off first?" Janine laughed, and Alaska managed a smirk even though she wasn't joking. She was getting impatient, left to wonder why she had been summoned here. Was Janine trying to show her dominance, ordering her about and then making her wait?

Fuck that, Alaska thought, and she stepped forwards. In three quick strides, she launched herself up onto the platform. Instantly, Arbok whipped around and appeared centimetres from her face; the smell of poison, sweet but deadly, was on her breath, and Alaska struggled not to gag as the Cobra Pokémon loomed over her.

"Down girl." Arbok hovered for a second but then retracted as quickly as she lunged, coiling up like a spring by her trainers side. Janine stared stoically back, towel resting on her shoulders, ignoring the sweat dripping down her forehead. "Few people have tried to confront me like that and survived Arbok unharmed."

"I'm not confronting you at all. You summoned me, so I'm here. I'm not waiting around while you play your little games or whatever. I could be back in my room cleaning gunge of my Shellder, or staring at a very real representation of all the mistakes I've made recently. Neither of those really appealed to me, so when I got your call, I figured, what the hey, let's see what one of the most famous serial killer slash gym leaders in the region wants with me – what could possibly go wrong? Now get on with it"

Janine didn't say anything for a moment, instead raising an eyebrow and looking at the trainer up and down. "You really are as sassy as they warned," she purred eventually. "Thank god for that – I was hoping you wouldn't disappoint." She flashed Alaska a smile, staring directly into her eyes, and then, without looking away, she stretched and removed her shirt. Her jet black sports bra was revealed as she casually threw the shirt aside, and Alaska felt more confused than before.

"Was that for my benefit? Sorry to disappoint, but I don't play for that team."

"Neither do I; I thought you might enjoy it though." Janine winked and stepped forwards. The smell of sweat lingered on her body, strong and overpowering, but Alaska refused to let it bother her. But as Janine edged closer, it became harder to ignore what her now bare skin exposed. "You want to know why I called you here? This is why."

Scars covered the gym leader's body. All down her chest and arms, faint white and red lines streaked across her skin. Alaska felt rude for staring, but Janine had clearly done this on purpose, and she was too engrossed to look away. It was like her skin was a patchwork quilt, different textures and colours sewn together in a poor imitation of the human body. Alaska had no idea how Janine was still alive let alone standing, the injuries so numerous it was hard to believe they were real.

"I've got quite the collection, don't I? Each one has a story. Most have some famous name attached to them. The big one across my stomach was when Saturn's Toxicroak pretty gutted me on Mt Coronet. Our mutual friend Gideon there, right under the ribs. I think he might have punctured a lung – either him or Archer, I can't remember. You get stabbed enough times, they all blend into one another

"But those aren't even the best. You see these ones here?" Janine pointed to two perfectly round scars several centimetres apart, one near her right armpit and the other slightly above. "An Arbok did this. Not mine, of course; Ariana's, heard of her? The thing dislocated my shoulder and came pretty damn close to tearing it off. I had to fight my way out of it with only one free hand, and that was caught up trying to fend off the purple bitch's trainer.

"I survived though. I walked away with my arm still attached, and it healed in time. I got to live another day. Yet the memory has stayed with me after all these years. Sometimes I wake up in the night convinced Arbok's fangs are still digging into my flesh. When things are quiet, I find myself back in the casino; I can imagine the burn as those poisonous fangs sunk into my flesh, feel it as fresh as if it happened yesterday.

"It's not a happy memory. In fact, that was probably one of the worst nights of my life, and I've had more than a lifetime of those. But I'm glad it happened. It pushed me to my limits; it pushed me to the edge and then tried to throw me over. But ultimately, it made me a better fighter because of it, a better warrior in all those fights that came after, and I don't think I would be standing here if it wasn't for the bite."

Alaska had been listening intently, but those last few words hit her like a fist to the stomach. She blinked and stepped away, going from engrossed to annoyed within seconds.

"Is this why you summoned me here, to prove you've got more scars then me?"

"Sort of, though I wouldn't put it that bluntly." Janine paused, a slight smile creeping over her lips. "Come on, really? Blunt – get it? We're talking about – oh, never mind."

"I'm sick of my problems being made to seem so small. Sandy and I have been through a shit load -"

"Yeah, but you've come out of it practically unharmed. Look, I'm not here to insult you or tear you down. I actually quite like you – your blogs amuse me, and blowing up the power plant, I mean, wow, how I wish I had been that badass. I just think you need some perspective is all. I've heard all about your internal crises and all that, and I thought this might help, or at least put things in perspective while you're lamenting over old wounds and the future and whatever.

"Yes, you've been to hell and back over the past few months, but you've gotten through all those fights relatively unscathed. A couple of injuries here and there, but let's be honest honey, you don't know pain. You think you do though, and that's not going to help you when you have to face Gideon or whoever. Until you've truly faced death, until you've experienced a pain so severe that your certain you won't get out of it alive, how can you possibly be ready to face all that's coming your way?"

Alaska felt her body tense. She wasn't quite sure what to say, how to word the rage that was coursing through her. How dare Janine accuse her of not understanding pain. Had she ever had her head crushed and left for dead? Had she ever witnessed her best friend get shot in the chest, or had to watch as her Pokémon lay in hospital, bleeding and wounded? Actually, maybe she has, Alaska thought, pausing as memories of old news reports and stories came back to her, but still, why does she get to judge me when she has no idea what I've been through?

Before she had a chance to speak, a calmer voice interrupted, almost like her conscience taking over. "Just because Alaska hasn't been as damaged as you doesn't mean we've been through any less than you." Janine looked down at Sandy and smirked. The blonde was standing with her feet firmly planted and her head held high, and Alaska felt a wave of pride to see her friend defend her like this. "Gideon shot me a few weeks ago. Alaska had her leg busted after his robot exploded in Celadon. One of Buzz's henchmen nearly crushed her skull."

"Yet she still stands, apparently unharmed, and that bullet didn't exactly slow you down for long."

"Neither did your puncture wounds," Alaska retorted.

"Touché," Janine replied, smirking. "But I didn't have Charlotte on standby to fix me up with a wave of her hand – I had to recuperate and heal on my own."

"Alright then; if you're so tough, why don't I give you a call next time Gideon tries to kill me?"

"Feel free – I thought that bastard was dead years ago otherwise I would have cut his throat long before this all started." Janine paused and sighed, slumping against her wall of weapons. Alaska hadn't really paid them much attention, but now she glanced over them, taking in the various swords, daggers, batons and various other ancient weaponry she couldn't possibly name. It certainly made an opposing sight, but a strange one.

"Look, I've probably gone about this the wrong way. I'm not good with being nice to the people – my friend says I have 'social issues' and 'anger management problems'," Janine explained with air quotes, rolling her eyes as though such matters were trivial. "I just had this one shot to put my two cents out there before my friend gets back, and I jumped at the chance. I guess what I'm trying to say is… until you know real pain, you have no idea just how hard this fight is going to get. If I had never been bitten that early and only faced that sort of pain at the Indigo League or on Mt Coronet, I doubt I could have handled it, not in the middle of everything else that happened. But it happened early enough that I was able to learn from it and mentally prepare myself for what came next. And I'm sorry, Alaska, but I don't think you've experienced that type of pain yet."

"What gives you the right to make that assumption?" Alaska paused after she spoke. She looked at Sandy. She took three deep breaths. She unclenched her fists. Then, calmly, she turned back to Janine. "I haven't had any lingering pain, sure, I can accept that. Neither of us have, really – not physically, at least. But emotionally, mentally; you've got no right to doubt us there. Sandy's still got to live with the fact she got shot, that she came pretty damn close to dying. I've got to live with the knowledge I put her in that situation. I have to remember my own pain, my own injuries, how close I've come to killing myself and my Pokémon. My Prime…." Alaska paused, wondering if she was ready to say this or not… "Darwin, my Primeape, is lying in hospital covered in tubes and stitches, lying there because of me."

"No, Alaska, you can't –"

"Yes, Sandy; I set him free, I put him in that place, it is my fault. He is in pain, and it is all my fault. And while it may not be my pain exactly, it still hurts like a bitch to see him lying there. So I may not have nearly had my arm ripped off or my stomach torn open or whatever, but I have enough pain to motivate me and prepare me for whatever happens next. I've sworn an oath to myself to stop running and to commit myself to this fight, and I am going to train and prove to everyone that I can be a damn good warrior when the time comes."

Janine didn't say anything for a moment. She was staring at the ground, nodding along as Alaska spoke. Struggling to stay calm, Alaska opened her mouth to say something when Janine finally looked up. "Alright then, prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. If you think you can handle any situation, prove it."

"How?"

"Let's battle." A PokeBall appeared in her hands, like a magic trick Janine had been saving for the right moment.

"What – now?"

"Why not, we might be dead tomorrow. One on one, right here, right now."

"I didn't come here for a fight. I haven't even challenged you."

"You don't have to. Once a trainer has five badges, a gym leader is allowed to challenge them any time they want once the trainer is within the boundaries of the gym." Janine's face didn't show any sign of cockiness or cruelty, but Alaska couldn't help but feel she had been played. She felt angry, and for a second flashes of violence raced through her mind: setting fire to the gym, grabbing one of the weapons and simply attacking, seeing how long she'd last in hand to hand combat. Yet she knew any of those actions would simply end in disaster. You can't be that person any more – you have to show them you are in control, or they will never let you make your own decisions.

"If you really are a warrior, you should be ready to fight me anyway. You've been through five gym battles already, you've fought Buzz and Gideon and whoever enough times by now. So are you a seasoned fighter, or have you just stumbled through on luck like everyone else says, managing to escape without any harm?"

"Not everyone's gotten out of this unharmed," Alaska hissed. She could see Darwin before her, empty eyes staring back at her, blood covering his face and body – how many scars would he have when they were finally done fixing him? Why couldn't Janine just accept that? Alaska was prepared to leave right there and then, but as she turned to go, something else slid to the front of her mind. She paused, and after a few moments of contemplation, she turned back to the gym leader.

"Alright then, let's do this."

"Alaska, no!" Sandy lunged forwards, slamming her hands down on the platform. "You're not ready, you said so yourself. What happened to making your own choices?"

"This is my decision, not hers," Alaska answered. She stared back at Janine, heart pounding; Sandy was right to be afraid, but Alaska wasn't going to turn down this opportunity. She was not going to stand by and let another gym leader make presumptions about her.

But more importantly, she had to test herself. Alaska wouldn't admit this to Sandy, she wouldn't tear her friend down like that, but it still hurt that Shelley had been taken down so easily by Eevee. She wasn't going to get better without training, and fighting Janine was a better test of skill than sparring in the backs of Pokémon Centres.

"You ready?" Janine asked.

"Always," Alaska snapped back, whipping a PokeBall out. Janine looked pleased and turned to Arbok, nodding at her. The Cobra Pokémon hissed slightly as she swung her tail, pushing all the training equipment to the side before sliding behind her trainer. Alaska hadn't thought they would battle up her, but she pushed it aside and wondered how best to use the wood to her advantage.

Feeling a plan forming, Alaska gave Sandy a smile to calm her nerves before throwing the red and white capsule forwards. "Nadia, go!" The PokeBall exploded on the field, breaking open in a burst of light that lit up the dull gym. Alaska blinked and her Nidorina was there, pawing at the ground and glaring defiantly at Janine. The gym leader smiled and nodded, and then she laughed.

"Just as I thought." Her smirk was unsettling, and for the second time that day Alaska wondered if she'd walked into a trap. Janine pressed the button on her PokeBall, and red light poured out and formed on the field. The Pokémon was purple, with rough, hard looking skin. With a short tail and four stubby legs, it might not have seemed intimidating, but Alaska's eyes were drawn to its horn, pointed towards Nadia like a javelin, and the large spikes protruding from its back. The Pokémon instantly reared towards Nadia, who quickly began snarling and pacing in front of Alaska, and it was then she realised what this Pokémon was.

"A Nidorino… clever… that's clever," Alaska said, and did a mock bow. "I probably should have seen that coming. Though is he actually any good, or just another one of your jokes?"

Janine laughed. "None of this is a joke. But since you asked, I have been training Ned here since I first became gym leader. One of several Pokémon born before my father left, he gifted them to me to train. Ned has always been the star pupil – knows a weak opponent when he sees one."

"Ned? And I thought I was bad at naming Pokémon."

"He nearly got decapitated once. It seemed fitting." Her tone suddenly went cold, and Alaska could tell she had struck some kind of nerve. Looking into Janine's eyes, it was clear the gym leader was done chatting: it was time to battle.

It was still weird, to go from searching through a drain for her Shellder and then facing a gym leader within the space of a few hours. Usually when Alaska faced a gym leader, she'd had time to prepare, to build up her confidence so nothing dented her stride. Janine definitely had the upper hand this time, but Alaska needed a challenge: something, anything to distract her from what she had done.

"Last Pokémon standing is the winner. You go first – time to show what you're really made of."

"Tougher stuff than you: Ice Beam, let's go!"

"Double Kick – hit the attack as it comes towards you."

And with that, the battle began.

As soon as the order was given, Nadia stopped growling and leapt into battle mode. She planted her feet firmly and opened her mouth wide. A jet blue beam exploded across the battlefield, a frozen torpedo hurtling towards Ned. The Nidorino snarled as the attack came for him, but rather than dodging he ran straight towards it. Alaska wondered what Janine was planning, but she told herself it was certain to fail: if the attack hit, there was a strong chance Ned would be frozen and the battle would be hers already, and if it didn't, at least the field would freeze, putting some distance between the two Pokémon.

"NID!" Ned suddenly stopped and spun, rising up on his front legs while his back pair glowed red. It was only then Alaska realised her rival's plan, but it was too late to change. The Nidorino lashed out with the Fighting type move, his legs becoming red blurs as they rapidly kicked at the Ice Beam. Nadia tried to keep her attack's momentum going, but Ned was too fast and too strong: a few streams shot off and froze across the floor, but otherwise the attack had failed.

"I know all about what you did at the Saffron City Gym; you aren't trying the same strategy here! Take Down, go!" Janine was wasting no time, and Alaska was stunned as Ned responded instantly. Not even breaking a sweat, the Nidorino turned and rapidly began sprinting towards Nadia.

"Meet him in the middle and stop him with Crunch!" Nadia nodded and charged forwards, footsteps echoing as her claws pounded the wood. There was anger in her eyes, and Alaska knew her most fierce fighter was not going down without a fight.

"Nido Nido!" Ned snarled, and he lowered his head, horn pointed and ready to stab.

"Bite him on the horn!" Alaska yelled, and threw Janine a smirk. Nadia opened her jaw wide and lunged. At the same moment, Janine let out a low whistle: Ned jumped up as well, but he tucked his head in and spun, putting his back first. There was nothing for Nadia to bite onto, and her open mouth collided hopelessly with his jagged back.

A tangle of purples and blues, the two crashed towards the ground. Alaska watched in horror as Ned used his momentum to spin Nadia, throwing her beneath him. She hit the floor back first, and Ned landed heavily on top, the force pushing her across the field.

"Double Kick, right in the face!" Alaska had barely taken in what had happened when Ned used his position on top to launch another assault, this time ramming his feet repeatedly into his opponents face.

"NIIIIIID!" Nadia roared, but it was a lower, more painful noise than Alaska had ever heard her make before. It was a tortured, strangled noise: Nadia was not one to let her pain show, never wanting to appear weak, but it was too much for her to handle.

"Aren't you going to order another move?" Janine's tone was neutral, but Alaska couldn't help but feel enraged. She was certain that this had all been a carefully laid plan, all the talk of helping her subterfuge before the main event, and now she was forced to watch another one of her Pokémon suffer.

"Ice Beam, come on!"

"Thunderbolt!" The order was waiting there on the tip of Janine's tongue, unleashing it before Alaska had even finished. Ned stopped kicking and began to glow yellow. Touching his paws to Nadia's face, the Poison Pin Pokémon unleashed the blast of electricity, a powerful bolt so bright Alaska had to shield her eyes.

"NIDOOOOO!" Nadia's scream echoed throughout the gym. Alaska couldn't bear to look at her squirming body, but when she shut her eyes, her mind went straight back to the Pokémon Centre. Darwin and his blood soaked fur; Darwin and the tubes snaking around his body; Darwin and the empty look in his eyes, staring madly back at her.

"You can't look away Alaska: face your Pokémon, look at her suffering. This is what happens in war: people get hurt, Pokémon usually suffer more. You say you know pain because of what happened to Darwin, but were you actually there when he was suffering? Have you ever had to look at one of your Pokémon – and I mean really look – and watch as someone else tortures them?"

"I came here for a gym battle!" Alaska roared, turning wildly around and glaring back at Janine. She hadn't even noticed Ned had stopped, and she spared a quick glance at Nadia, lying still and smoking on the ground. "I'm sick of you all trying to teach me lessons like I'm some naughty child that can't be controlled."

"Hey, I'm not here to draw you into line! I'm not trying to be cruel, this is just what had to happen," Janine replied, frowning. "You think you're strong and you think you can handle everything, you tell yourself that, but from what I can see, you can't. Don't think I'm trying to attack you and realise that unless you accept pain for what it actually is then you won't be able to survive whatever nasty tricks Buzz and Gideon have planned for you. And as you've already learnt, your Pokémon are going to be the ones –"

"SHUT UP!"

"Stop this, Janine."

The voice was soft and feminine, yet those three words came out in an echoing boom that made everyone jump. Under the chaos of battle, no one had noticed one of the walls sliding open behind them. All eyes turned to see a woman standing in a corridor, face hidden by shadow, but the fading echo of her shout made her presence known.

Janine irritably scowled at the shadow. "I thought you were out."

"Only because you forced me to leave," the woman replied tetchily.

"Only because you wouldn't have let me do things my way," Janine retorted, with the same tone someone might adopt when talking to their mother.

"And how is that working out for you?" Janine didn't respond, and the woman tutted. "Thought so. I told you this would happen and you refused to listen. Now we do things my way." The woman stepped out of the doorway, heavy soled shoes rapping against the wooden floor. She made her way slowly up the stairs, which was either an intimidation tactic or a sign of worry, as though unsure what she would find up there.

Alaska knew how she felt. As soon as she heard that voice, shock had turned to anger, which in turn became pure rage. Looking away from the now concluded battle, Alaska turned and stared directly into the woman's eyes: they had never met, but she felt like they were old enemies finally coming face to face. She had seen that face almost every day for the last five years, on television, in newspapers, leering down over the town she had helped destroy. Alaska had long wanted to punch her in her smug, perfect face, and it took every bit of self-control not to do so as the woman stopped a metre before her and smiled quietly.

"Hi Alaska, it's great to finally meet you. My name's Leaf Oak. I think it's about time you and I had a chat, don't you agree?"


Ridiculous delay once again, for which I apologise. I am on holiday now so hope to get a few more chapters out before the end of the year, as well as updated versions of the first few chapters as they need a long overdue tidy up. Hope this chapter was worth the wait!