4

[9:16 AM. Indigo Plateau. Kanto Representative Werner's Assigned Quarters. The next day.]

The small room was packed with Werner's things and attendants. A thick haze hung in the room from Werner's trademark cigar that stung Ian Silph's throat and made his eyes water. Everyone seemed busy, running in place. Several attendants talked in hushed voices over telephones; others poured over reams of what Ian could only imagine as being mind-numbing legalese. Ian bowed slightly to the pinstriped Plateau woman who lead him to the room, and she left without a word, closing the door behind her.

"Ah, there's the sprout. Good of you to show up." Every word was coated in smoke. "Silph was it? Like Silph Co.? Must be nice to come from money. Some of us had to work to get where we are."

There was no opening for Ian to respond; Werner simply kept on talking. "You're new here so that makes you the sprout. Jim was our old sprout but now we've got a new sprout so that makes you the new sprout. Do you follow me?"

Ian nodded meekly.

"Good. Good. Quick learner, that's what we like around her, isn't it, gang?"

The crowd of attendants did not look up from their tasks but all said in unison: "Yes, sir."

"This one here is Moira." He motioned towards a woman of about twenty. She's my personal aid, and your grandfather says you're my personal aid, so I guess that makes you partners. Go crazy. Get comfy. We might be here a while. Last time they pulled this song and dance routine we were cramped up in here for almost sixteen hours, weren't we gang?"

"Yes, sir."

"So go on, play nice. Introduce yourself to the lady. She doesn't bite unless you want her too." Werner erupted into laughter. The smoke from his mouth giving him the impression of a very large factory.

She was a beautiful woman, Ian thought. That much was certain. She was not dressed for the cold of Mt. Silver. Ian himself was wearing a conservative fleece jacket, provided by the League and a neutral scarf. Moira, on the other hand, was dressed seemingly for a summer holiday to the Seafoam isles, in comparison. She rose from her chair as if slowly pulled by stings. Ian gazed into her deep eyes, transfixed.

"Call me 'Mo,' for short," she said.

"Y-you too," he replied. Werner chuckled to himself, just loud enough for Ian to hear.

"Let's go outside. It's too cramped in here," Moira said. "I need some air."

Ian stood rigid as she straightened her outfit and left the room. Only after she had crossed the threshold, did he allow himself to exhale. "She's a beauty, isn't she?" Werner asked over a stack of documents. Ian pulled at his scarf.

"Fresh air, yes. I need some air."

He found her leaning against the wall of the entrance facing the maw that was victory road. Howls could be heard from inside. Ian shivered.

"Did you ever come through there?" she asked.

"Not of my own volition, no. Sometimes the League would—"

"I tried when I was fifteen. Made it through, too," she said, unaware or uncaring of the fact that she had interrupted Ian. "Lost to Porter, though, in the first match. That man can hustle."

"I'm sorr—"

"Let's battle."

Ian hesitated. "What?"

"I challenge you," Moira declared. "The Pokemon league rules state—"

"I know what the rules state."

Moira had a wicked smile. "Then let's battle. You must be at list a bit strong to be able to work for Werner."

"Well, if you insist. Don't think I will hold back because you're a girl!"

Moira chortled into her hand. "You're kidding, right? You practice that line in the mirror before you go to bed?"

"I didn't mean—"

She threw a pokeball into the air. "Time's wasting let's get to it!" In a flash of brilliant red, a massive form of a Charizard appeared."

"I guess I have no choice then," he said. "Go! Electivire!"

The two titans stared off, neither trainer opting for the first move. After a pregnant pause, Moira moved first. In a blur, the Charizard hurled itself at the Electivire, talons bared. The Electivire was not fast enough to dodge in time, so the Charizard ripped into the pokemon's skin. It howled in pain; Ian braced himself.

"Now's your chance, hit it with a Thunderpunch!" The dragon, too entrenched in the Electivire, caught the full brunt of the supercharged punch and shrieked in rage as the creature threw lethal voltage through the Charizard's body. As it belched columns of flames, Moira returned it. In its place she called out her own Nidoking. As it materialized, it stomped viciously onto the ground, spitting the earth. Ian gasped and hurried to return the Electivire. In one swift movement, he sent out his own Skarmory, the metallic bird glittering in the morning light as its chrome body caught the new sun's rays. As the ground quaked, Skarmory flew safely above it.

"He looks pretty strong, but I doubt he has enough strength to crack Skarmory's armor."

Moira smirked. "Good thing he doesn't have to."

He didn't have time to be perplexed as the Nidoking spewed a massive column of flame at the Skarmory, hitting it dead on. Ian gasped and retuned the burnt bird to the safety of its ball.

"I guess it's up to you now." In a flash, a diminutive Pancham stood stalwart against the hulking dinosaur.

At this, Moira couldn't help but laugh. "That's it? That's you ace in the hole? Please, tell me you're not serious. You're, what, twenty? Twenty-one? And you still haven't evolved that thing? Some trainer you are. I bet it doesn't even respect you."

The Pancham looked up at Ian expectantly. "I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you. We've been through a lot together."

"Real heartwarming. Let's just finish this." She motioned for her Nidoking to strike the panda with all its force. This time, Ian was faster, and before the nidoking could change direction, the Pancham was on the dinosaur's back, fist raised. He brought the fist down in a bone-shattering punch that pinned the Nidoking to the ground. Pancham glowed.

"What? A Power-Up Punch?"

"I doubt your Nidoking can take another one of those. Not after the first one."

She scoffed. "Whatever. Nidoking is more than a match for that runt."

The Pancham raised his fist once more, this time confident in his chance to win. "Take it back."

The two trainers locked eyes, neither one conceding an inch.

Something caught Pancham's eye, and it leapt off the back of the Nidoking just in time to avoid the massive stone column that struck the dinosaur uninhibited. Both trainers cried out in unison. The Nidoking was clearly pinned. Groaning and gnashing helplessly underneath the colossal pillar.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

The taunt came from a hulking brute of a man, clean shaven head and at least three hundred pound of muscle underneath the ripped leather jacket. A lumbering Conkledurr laughed beside him. "I was aiming for you two lovebirds, but I guess the Nido-wimp will do for now. Conkledurr's still got one more." The Conkledurr lifted the second pillar and hoisted it above its head. Before the stunned trainers could move, it hurled its missile like a javelin. Moira cried and ran towards Ian, who gripped her tightly.

But the inescapable thud never came. Ian peeked out over Moira's shoulder to see a man standing sword drawn with both halves of the pillar to either side of him. The man had an aged face but he did not look a day over thirty. His stern eyes were capped by thick eyebrows, and tamed mutton chops traced the sides of his face. He wore a plain white shirt with the top of a robe hanging by his waist. The robe spread out into a flowing cone at his feet. A red cloth sash held three pokeballs and the sheath to his sword, which he quietly returned. "I told you I would not tolerate any more of your antics, Cain. Not before the Summit."

The burly man called Cain scoffed. "You never were very fun." He returned the Conkledurr to its pokeball which unpinned the Nidoking. Moira hurried to treat the broken dinosaur. Ian watched Cain slink off into Victory Road.

The robed man turned to the two trainers. "Are you both all right?"

Ian replied first as he returned the Pancham to his ball. "I am. Her Nidoking isn't, I think."

The man gazed at Moira and her battered companion. "The nurses inside can treat him, come. Let us go inside." He helped Moira to her feet and walked her towards the door.

From Victory Road, Ian could hear the sound of Cain and his Conkledurr laughing.