Chapter Three

"So, see anything suspicious yet?" Iris asked. She yawned.

Lance ignored her as he had for the better part of two hours. He had lost control of his temper twice today. He did not intend to allow it to happen again.

He was currently in the visitor center for the new Blueport Power Plant. It was passed closing time, but no one would dare kick Lance out. The oddly dressed security and the curator hovered, but Lance was well beyond the power of their intimidation. He read all the offered information, and examined every display. This kind of detective work was something he enjoyed. These people were trying to hide something from him, and he had to Furret it out.

Iris, on the other hand, was tired. Despite her protests, she was only a kid. The ride here had tired her, the confrontation with Blue had briefly boosted her flagging energy, but the investigation of the town had sapped whatever energy she had left. She was practically asleep on her feet, staring glassy-eyed at the cases.

"You need to go to the hotel," Lance said.

"I'm sticking with you," the brat said peevishly.

Lance did not press. He could force her to leave, but she would only tell tales to Cynthia. He was not in the mood for Sinnoh Champion's piercing words. She was one of the few that could make him feel guilty. That was a difficult feat, after all his years of policing two continents. Not much affected him anymore. He was constantly under siege, first by Giovanni, and now by the traitorous Lt. Surge, now the "President" of Kanto. He was at war and he made the decisions that war required of him. It was agony at first, but worse were the consequences of failing to act. Now he was hardened. Now he was sure, strong.

Cynthia was different. She was wise beyond her years, naturally blessed with the ability to remain cool in any situation. She saw things differently than he did. She should. Sinnoh was peaceful. She spent her days bringing medicine to sick Psyduck and studying ancient legends in the Canalave Library. She was not at war. He knew he should disregard her advice, but he could not bring himself to. When she spoke, she made him believe she was right. Even if it was just for a moment, that moment was all it took for the doubt to seep in and the guilt to rise to the surface.

Then, sometimes she agreed with him, and that threw him right off.

Iris prodded him. He looked down at the annoying puff princess. He did not bother to hide his displeasure. Cynthia had called for a show of solidarity. That did not mean he had to encourage the brat.

"Mister Lance, I don't think you were listening," the little girl whined.

"I wasn't," Lance said.

Iris bristled.

"You are a meanie," she said. "I just wanted to ask about those bad stories that were on the news."

Lance said nothing. Iris watched him, and the look in her eyes made him feel wary. She was a smart girl, no matter how stupid her dresses were.

"Maybe you don't know, Mister Lance, but it was a big deal in Unova. It was about this girl who took the Pokémon League Challenge. She was from Kanto, and she lost. They said it was foul play. They said Koga poisoned her pokémon so bad that she never stood a chance because she was Kanten, and that they wanted to teach her a lesson. They said that it was punishment, because Kanto rebelled. That's what they said," Iris said.

The wind diagram Lance was looking at blurred before his eyes. He clenched his fist and willed himself to remain calm.

"The news told you all that?" he asked as pleasantly as he could. He must have failed, because Iris looked mildly alarmed.

"Well, kinda. It was a big deal. 'Big League Bigotry' was what they called it. They wanted to interview me about it, but we had Marshall do it, 'cause he's got a better camera presence, at least that's what Brycen said. Lance, it's not true, is it?"

"What are you asking me?" Lance said as delicately as he could. The banked rage inside him sparked and started to burn.

"Did you really punish that girl, 'cause she was Kanten?" Iris asked.

He had to give her credit. The girl had guts, coming out and asking him straight. His admiration was short lived, though. How dare she even suspect…!

"Do you think I would?" Lance asked.

"At first I didn't think so. You're a champion, and we don't do that. But now, seeing you, I don't know. You're mean, Mister Lance. You got a Zebrastrika's temper, too, and I bet you hold a grudge like a Banette. I don't know, that's why I'm asking," she said.

She was honest. There was no malice in the question. She really wanted to know. That did not make him any less angry.

"Are you saying that I went back on my vows? Do you think I sacrificed my honor for a moment of petty revenge? No!" He slammed his fist into the wall. "I would never do such a thing. I am a champion, but I am also a graduate of the Dragon's Den. I do not break my word for anything, and I do not hold grudges. Don't think that I haven't heard about the media Blitzle that went on over that girl's defeat. Kanto had a Tauros when she lost. She was the first challenger they'd failed to stop for three years. Taiga had all her Kanten gym badges, a rare enough sight. She was air dropped at the League gates, with enough security to man a prison transfer. They weren't going to let her get away. We allowed her to circumvent Victory Road. With the Police around, it would not have been a true challenge. She climbed the steps as others have and she fought the same fights that they have, in the order that we have held to for decades. The media put out that we made her fight Koga last, so that he would poison all her pokémon and make them weak, so I could toy with her, so that I could lord over my wayward subjects just how much power I still hold, even with their defiance."

Iris did not look so sure of herself now. She stared up at Lamce with big, frightened eyes. He smiled. Let the little brat suffer. She should learn not to ask questions that she did not want the answers to.

"I watched. We all did, because we all felt for her; however, we all saw her fatal flaw. She didn't have a balanced team. Only her fire pokémon was any good. Everything else had been sorely neglected. Koga gave her trouble, because that's how he operates. Bruno almost crushed her with his Onix, but she still powered through. I expected Karen to put an end to her, but she threw the match."

Iris gasped. It was satisfying to reveal that. Karen had gone back on her word to pander to the upstart Kantens. She should have been discharged then, but Will would have left with her. Koga already wavered, because Kanto was his home. Dissention in the League would have driven him back to his daughter, and over to the side of Surge. Lance could not risk that, so he had to let Karen slide.

"She came to me, and I crushed her. Dragons are proof against fire. After that, the rest of her team splintered. I told her. I told her that she should never have come to the League, and I told her that she wasn't a true trainer. She'd been given the same chance others have had since the League began. It is not our fault she wasted it.

It's Surge's fault! He isn't watching the gyms. He's letting them get complacent, and why shouldn't they? Challengers are few and far between. Between the taxes and the paperwork, not to mention the harsh catching regulations, oppressive curfews, and checkpoints, no one can take the Challenge anymore. Kanto is starving its talent. Misty should have stopped her, but she probably never spends time in her gym anymore. I've heard rumors she just gives her badge away without a battle. Blaine would have stopped her. He's a fire type specialist. He could have wrangled her ace and dismantled her team as well, but I hear that he is no longer a leader, because he no longer has a city. Something else Surge hasn't taken care of yet.

He sits in his capital in Saffron City and smiles over the powerless monorail. He oppresses all Kantens in the name of safety and security from the evil Team Rocket. But Rocket flourishes, smuggling people out from under his nose. He chokes growth and stunts potential for both trainer and pokémon alike. He's worse than Team Rocket, but his stupid, willing slaves follow him and prevent me from ending him, the same way you end any danger that threatens what you are sworn to protect."

Lance's hand went automatically to Dragonite's pokéball. It was well known what had happened to that Rocket grunt all those years ago, but Iris's eyes could not get any wider. Instead, the little baby was crying.

"Not all evil kindly goes mad, or turns good. Most of it requires that someone put a sudden, final end to the menace. Taiga was Surge's victim. I was only her judge, and one day I will execute justice on Surge for her and the others whose dreams he's crushed. For now though, you need to go back to the hotel. I will make sure you get there."

Lance gripped the young dragon trainer's shoulder and steered her out of the exhibit. The guards and curator were glad to see the back of them.

Lance was not sure how to feel. He lost his temper again, and revealed information in the process. It did not feel bad, though. He supposed this was what people called confiding in another, but he would never have thought it would be a little girl!

It was after dark, but the silhouette of the menacing dragon Champion was enough to ward off any trouble. Iris was quiet as they walked the streets. She remained so until they arrived at the door of her room. She looked at Lance when he took his hand off her shoulder. The tears on her cheeks had dried, but her eyes were still red.

"Mister Lance..." she said. For a moment, Lance was afraid she would start crying again, but instead she threw her arms around him in a hug. The suddenness put Lance off balance and it was an effort to relax. He had no idea what to do with her now. It was incredibly awkward, but the girl did not seem to mind. Eventually she pulled away and Lance noted fresh tears on her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Mister Lance. I'm sorry you have to be like this. I don't think you're a meanie, not a real one, anyway. You just have to pretend so much that it's hard to remember to stop, but you got to remember Mister Lance, or else you'll end up like every other bad guy you work so hard to stop. And that would be a big mistake," she said.

Lance stared in astonishment before pulling away, leaving her standing alone in the hall.

It was too much! To be made to feel guilty by one little girl!