Author's Note: Okay, nobody got the reference in the title of the last two chapters? Let's try one last time and see if you can recognize the reference in this chapter's title.

Jason's POV

Adam had beaten Janine and his Pidgeotto had evolved into Pidgeot. It was my turn now.

"Fearow, go!" I cried.

"Fearow!"

"Ariados, go!" she shouted.

"Ari!"

"You go first, Jason."

"Fearow, use Drill Peck!"

"Dodge, then use Pin Missile!"

Ariados successfully dodged Fearow's attack and launched a barrage of white needles towards it.

"Dodge, Fearow!"

"Fearow!" Fearow cried as the Pin Missile hit. It couldn't dodge in time.

"Now use Poison Sting!"

"Flap your wings to keep it away from you."

The Poison Sting was blown away by the powerful wind.

"Now use Aerial Ace!" I cried. Fearow flew towards Ariados and landed a direct hit before Janine could command Ariados to do anything.

"Okay Fearow, use Whirlwind!" Ariados was pushed back by the mighty winds.

"Stand your ground, Ariados! Use Pin Missile once again!"

I had to think of a way to stop Pin Missile. What could I use?

"Use Drill Peck!" I cried. Fearow's beak grew and glowed white as it spun rapidly and flew towards the Pin Missile. The moves hit one another and both were equal in power. But slowly, Fearow was being pushed back. The Pin Missile overpowered Fearow and sent it backwards, slightly dazing it.

"Poison Jab!" Janine cried. Fearow couldn't get poisoned! If it did, it would be game over! Status problems on a Flying type were the worst in my opinion, since they were in the air and would fall to the ground.

"Use Agility and then Aerial Ace!" I cried. Thankfully, all of the training we had done had allowed Fearow to learn Agility. Fearow successfully dodged Poison Jab and spun around, heading towards Ariados at a faster speed.

"Ari!" Ariados cried as it got hit from behind by Aerial Ace. Ariados still stood, breathing heavily and its body covered in scratches.

"Fearow..." I started, but stopped as Ariados fell to the ground.

"Ariados is unable to battle! Fearow wins!"

Janine returned her Ariados and removed her next Pokemon. "A good first battle. Time to see how you do against my next Pokemon; Muk!" Janine said as she tossed the Pokeball.

I knew that Adam's dad had a Muk that was very...loving, I guess you could say, towards people. But this Muk looked like it was all business.

"Fearow, use Aerial Ace!"

"Muk, use Sludge Bomb!"

Fearow flew towards Muk and when Fearow got close enough, Muk used Sludge Bomb. The globs of brown sludge hit Fearow, causing it to fall towards the ground. Aerial Ace had been stopped. Janine had come up with a way for Muk to avoid being hit, since Muk wasn't very fast.

"Sludge Wave!" Fearow was still recovering from being knocked out of the air and I couldn't give a command in time. The wave of sludge hit Fearow and when it stopped, Fearow had become poisoned.

"Fearow!" Fearow cried as the poison did its job.

Fearow fell towards the ground and landed on the field and fainted as the poison finished off the last of its strength.

"Fearow is unable to battle! Muk wins!"

"Rest now, Fearow. You did well." I said as I returned it and removed my next Pokeball.

"Impressive strategy to use for Muk to have it be able to avoid fast moves." I said, enlarging the Pokeball.

"Thank you, Jason."

"Graveler, go!" I cried, tossing the Pokeball.

I hadn't used Graveler in a battle against anyone before. But I'd practiced with Graveler, preparing for this gym battle. Graveler knew some good moves and training it with the elements outdoors helped a lot. I also realized that both Pokemon were slow-moving Pokemon. Muks and Gravelers don't move very fast in a battle.

I noticed that Janine frowned slightly, knowing she was at a disadvantage. Poison Pokemon are weak against Ground attacks.

"Muk, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Dodge and use Rollout!"

Graveler dodged the attack and went speeding towards Muk, its body spinning rapidly as it rolled. Graveler slammed into Muk, who was sent backwards with the force.

"Muk, use Body Slam!"

"Graveler, stand your ground. You can take this!" I said.

Graveler took the hit, taking little damage. Normal attacks aren't very effective against Rock Pokemon.

"Use Stone Edge!" I cried. Rocks slowly started to rise from the ground, flew towards Muk, and hit it, sending Muk flying in the air.

"Muk!" Muk cried in pain. Muk fell to the ground and was still able to fight, but was covered in scratches and breathing heavily.

"Use Sludge Bomb!" Janine cried. The brown globs flew at Graveler and hit it before I had time to do anything. When the attack stopped, I saw that Graveler was poisoned!

"Muk..." Muk said, fainting. It had used its last bit of energy to launch that final attack.

"Muk is unable to battle! Graveler wins!"

Janine returned Muk and removed her final Pokemon. "Golbat, go!" Janine cried.

"Use Rock Blast!" I yelled.

"Dodge it! Use Screech!" she yelled.

As Rock Blast happened, Golbat dodged the first rock and used Screech, stopping Rock Blast from continuing. I winced from the loud noise.

"Venoshock!" Janine cried. Screech stopped, but Venoshock came too quickly. Graveler cried out as the poisonous liquid covered it and then the poison took its toll. Venoshock's power is doubled if the opposing Pokemon is already poisoned.

"Grav..." Graveler fell to the ground, fainted.

"A job well done. Rest for now." I said as I returned Graveler and removed my final Pokeball.

"Charmeleon, go!" I cried, tossing the Pokeball.

"Char! Char!"

"Use Acrobatics!" Janine called to Golbat.

"Charmeleon, counter!" I cried quickly.

Charmeleon used Flamethrower and spun to create a counter-shield, keeping Golbat away.

"Now use Metal Claw!"

"Use Screech to stop it!"

The ear-piercing sound made Charmeleon stop the attack.

"Acrobatics!"

"Dodge!"

Charmeleon went to dodge, but got hit. The attack was just too fast. I started to worry. This was my last Pokemon and things were not going well for me at that moment.

"Poison Fang!"

"Flamethrower!"

Charmeleon stood up and quickly launched the flames from his mouth at Golbat, but Golbat dodged and bit Charmeleon.

"Char!" Charmeleon cried out in pain.

"Use Fire Fang to get Golbat off of you!" I said, noticing that Golbat wasn't releasing Charmeleon from its jaws. Charmeleon bit Golbat, who cried out and released Charmeleon, flying away.

"Venoshock!"

"Flamethrower!"

The two moves collided and fought for dominance.

"Come on, Charmeleon." I said softly.

Charmeleon's fire was starting to be forced backwards.

"Charmeleon, you can do it! You were my first Pokemon, you're my strongest Pokemon, so you can't lose now!" I yelled, encouraging my partner.

Hearing my voice, Charmeleon cried out suddenly as the attack stopped and he became covered in a bright white glow. Charmeleon's body grew in size and wings grew out of his back. When the light faded, it revealed...Charizard!

"Charizard! I...I can't believe it!" I was in complete shock.

I wasn't sure if Charizard had learned any new moves since it evolved, so I simply said, "Do it, Charizard!" I watched as Charizard used Flare Blitz and Golbat fell to the ground, fainted.

"Golbat is unable to battle! Charizard wins! The winner is the challenger, Jason!"

Janine returned Golbat. I removed my Pokedex to record Charizard's data.

"Charizard, the Flame Pokemon and the evolved form of Charmeleon. Charizard's powerful fire attacks can melt nearly anything, including boulders."

"Thank you, Charizard. Take a rest now." I said as I returned my fully evolved Pokemon.

Janine walked over to me with the cushion in her hands. "You battled bravely and honorably. I present you with the Soul Badge. You've earned it." Janine said, extending the cushion.

"Thank you, Janine." I said, taking the badge.

I looked at it and nodded. Another badge down and another step closer to the League.

Normal POV

"I must say, Janine, I've never seen you lose back-to-back gym battles against your challengers." said a voice that came from the shadows behind Janine.

The four of them looked and saw a man walk out into the light. The man looked to be in his late fifties to early sixties. He had spiked hair that was mostly grey, but still showed a bit of its original black color. His face had some wrinkles, showing the man's age, but he had the same sharp, dark eyes that Janine had. He wore a dark blue ninja outfit with a red belt around his waist with a long red cape that was tied around his neck, exactly the same as the purple cape Janine wore. Black armbands went around his wrists and black boots were on his feet.

Adam and the others recognized this man as Koga, the ninja master, one of Kanto's Elite Four, and former gym leader of the Fuchsia City gym.

Seeing the man, Janine knelt down on one knee in front of him, since ninjas always kneel before their master or teacher and Koga had been his daughter's teacher during her ninja training when she was younger. "Father! I did not know that you were there. I was so focused on my two battles that I didn't sense you nearby. Please forgive me for my losses at the hands of these challengers." she said, humbly apologizing.

"Rise," Koga said to his daughter, "No need to apologize. No gym leader wins all of their battles, myself included." Janine stood up to face her father as he continued. "I remember my time here as gym leader. I battled those boys' fathers back-to-back and lost to each of them, too."

"Really? Our dads?" Jason asked.

"Yes," Koga replied, facing Jason, "I battled your father, Gary, and he won his badge. A few days later, I battled Master Ketchum - before he became Pokemon Master - and he defeated me as well."

"I need to know something. The only way into this room is through the hidden door that the kids came in through. So how did you get in here, father? There are no other doors leading outside." said Janine.

"Have you forgotten that I'm the one who designed the layout of this gym when it was built all those years ago? I know the location of every trap and the location of each hallway and passageway. There are some passageways that not even you know about, Janine." Koga answered with a smirk on his face.

"So what are you doing back here in Fuchsia City?" Michelle asked Koga.

"The other members of the Elite Four and myself are traveling across Kanto and Johto to spread the news about an upcoming Pokemon tournament called the Master Tournament. Other members of the Elite Four in other regions are doing the same. The tournament is open to all trainers who have managed to win in the Pokemon League of any region. The winner of this tournament will be declared the new Pokemon Master." said Koga.

"Stop it!" Adam yelled all of a sudden. "You don't need a tournament! You don't need a new Pokemon Master because you already have one! My dad is the Pokemon Master and he's still alive! I know he is!"

"He has been missing for eight months. If he isn't found in four months, alive or dead, we'll need a new Pokemon Master. Besides, the evidence found at the scene of his disappearance suggests death as well. You know what happened in that forest, it was all over the news." Janine said, believing that Ash was dead.

Adam decided to take a risk. He decided to tell Koga about Team Rocket and how they were probably behind his father's disappearance. He knew that Koga probably wouldn't believe him, seeing how he tried to tell Officer Jenny in Cerulean City and she didn't believe him, but if one of the Elite Four thought that Ash had a chance of being alive, Adam knew they would try everything to find him.

He decided not to tell Koga about what Mya had said to him when he was captured and held aboard her ship. Hunter Mya had told Adam that Team Rocket had attacked and killed Ash. Adam hadn't even told Jason and Michelle what Mya had said to him. He decided to keep that to himself.

"Koga, my dad is alive and I know what might have happened to him." said Adam. "My friends and I have run into Team Rocket on our journey."

"Team Rocket?" Koga said with a confused look on his face. "I remember them. Two of their members attacked my gym the day your father battled me for his badge. Didn't they disband when your father, the Elite Four, and I attacked and destroyed their headquarters?"

"Yes, but apparently, they've recently gotten back together and it happened around the time my dad disappeared. This can't be a coincidence. They also mentioned something about finding the 'Temple of Legends.' Whatever they want with that place, it can't be good."

After considering everything that Adam had said, Koga looked at him and said, "I think you kids should leave now. Don't worry, you won't run into any traps on your way out."

Adam, Jason, and Michelle left the room and exited the gym. It looked like Adam had failed to convince someone yet again.

After they left, only Koga and Janine were left in the room. Janine looked at her father and asked him, "Was what the boy said true, father?"

"His tone of voice was very calm and level. His eyes were staring directly at me. He seemed very serious. I don't think he was lying." As a ninja master, Koga had heightened senses of hearing and eyesight, so he could pick up on hints in Adam's conversation. "I think I need to tell the other members of the Elite Four about this."

Author's Note: Another eventful chapter, huh? Jason wins his sixth badge, his Charmeleon evolves into Charizard, Koga of the Elite Four is revealed and it seems that he might believe Adam's story! Things appear to be looking better for our heroes.

Where are the kids heading to next? What will Koga say to the Elite Four?

Find out next time on Pokemon NG!