Chapter 9: The Leagues of the League!
Epsilon stepped out of the ring in a rage, taking the elevator down to Crowning's cabin. Two days had passed since she had met the Plot Emperor in person, but there was still little else on her mind. She could hardly concentrate on research, let alone on the league. Her opponent shouldn't have even been a challenge for her, but she had failed anyway! And all because this Pokemon, whoever was behind the mask, had to be so incredibly stubborn! Why didn't he want a powerful comrade with all the knowledge he could ever need? It didn't make sense!

At the same time, Epsilon also knew that it made no sense to get worked up about the same problem for so long, especially when it was damaging her other actions in this world. She didn't really care if Team Slash didn't achieve anything in the league, but such defeats were bad for her ego and it would always be an advantage to have as many Pokemon as possible on her side, and she was clearly messing things up with her team leader with such a performance.

"What's going on? Epsilon, have you suddenly decided that your weird shadow games are too dirty a strategy for you? Or why aren't you using them? The same goes for your other skills. I'm not denying that you're actually a good fighter. But you give the impression that you're very keen not to show that in the league! Is that your strategy to catch the Plot Emperor? Is that supposed to be some kind of bait? Do you want him to think you're weak and come attacking or something?"
"Your so-called coaching is just as helpful as ever. I wish I could concentrate on some shit, but it just doesn't work!"
"You act like you never have a chance to catch that guy again!"

Of course, Epsilon had to explain why she had had to stay out that night so urgently and, above all, why her mood had been so low for a few days. Of course, no one was allowed to know the truth! The Zoroark would have wasted every opportunity to play the double agent, as she was currently trying to do. She hadn't traveled back in time, knowing where she had taken a wrong turn as Plot Empress, in order not to use her chance for true peace! Accordingly, she had thought up an... alternative truth, which wasn't all that far from the actual one. The story that the League now believed was that Zoroark had gone hunting in the hope of finding the traitor from Team Slash and getting information about the Plot Emperor out of him. That was technically not a lie. What she didn't say, of course, was that she had achieved her goal and met the emperor himself. Then she would have to answer many more questions, none of which were necessarily the ones she had already wanted to reveal. Instead, the "official" version was that she had only actually found Aurorus on the second night. However, she had not managed to arrest him, and the fossil had managed to escape, so Epsilon was left with the knowledge that he would stay away from this place.

"Are you sure? He won't dare go to Kira Town again if he knows that I want to find him so badly! That guy is afraid of me! Did you see how he watched our first fight?"
"To be honest, I don't give a fuck."

An announcement over the loudspeaker interrupted the team leader and announced the result of the duel.

"And now we're out! In the quarter finals! And I, the idiot, was hoping that you could maybe help us finally win the title!"

Zeraora stomped off angrily, leaving Epsilon behind, who was also overtaken by Tyrantrum seconds later. So, what now? The day had not progressed too far; the Tournament of Champions would still take a while, but the Zoroark had absolutely no desire to train with Zeraora or speak to him in general. He couldn't understand why she was so annoyed anyway. She had only extracted one deal from the Emperor, and it seemed she was not fulfilling it any time soon. She needed the League's trust to work effectively, but that very trust deterred the Plot Emperor. She could not fully join one side yet, at least not without making the League believe that she was still on their side.

She had better distract herself somehow, maybe she would come up with better ideas once her mind stopped planning for a while. The Upper League tournament was probably still going, maybe she could join them as a spectator again to watch her children. As long as they were still in the tournament and things weren't going as badly as for Team Slash.

When Epsilon arrived at the tower, however, she realized that this was apparently not the case. Polarna vatra was conveniently waiting near the reception, obviously just waiting for their next round.

"Hey!"

Aurora was the first to snap her head around when she heard her mother.

"Mom! What are you doing here? Isn't Team Slash busy today?"
"Don't ask. Especially not Zeraora."
"Oh..."

What exactly that meant was anything but a question, as a rather awkward silence fell, Epsilon decided to change the subject again.

"How about you? Are things going better there?"
"You better hope that things get worse soon, otherwise you'll have to tell us the next hiding place, for better or worse!", Kel retorted.
"Even if you see it that way, Kel, I never wanted to keep you away from the Plot Armor! But I conclude from that that things are going pretty well for you?"
"That's an understatement! Aurora and I have been in this tournament often enough as a duo and now we have Kel, this whole thing here is hardly more than a walk in the park. The three of us have not lost a single round so far and have not had a fight that was even close."

To be honest, Epsilon didn't even really know whether she should be surprised by this clear result or whether it seemed obvious. Somehow both, it seemed logical but equally strange.

"Don't get cocky though, your next opponents have also proven themselves enough today."
"I agree. They've proven themselves enough, so it's not too bad if we stop them from doing it again!", Aurora added.
"If you want to look at it that way... and you're on a break right now? Which match are you waiting for?"
"For our semi-final. The last quarter-final is still going on, so we have to wait. Most likely against a team that shouldn't be a challenge for us anyway. Serperior, Pidgeot, Skarmory. Terrible coverage against us.", Kel explained.
"And in a much weaker run, too. But that's not exactly a benchmark, as far as that goes, we're already way ahead.", Aurora added cockily.

"First rule of warfare: No matter how superior you seem to be, overconfidence is always a guarantee of defeat. Never underestimate a single Pokemon, and especially not entire teams. And you can also forget your great winning streak if you lose one of the next two duels.", Epsilon answered, not happy with her daughter's mindset.
"Don't worry, we know enough about fighting! Nearly seems as if we know more than you do about that."

"Think carefully about what you want to say, Polar. Don't try to provoke me! Believe me, you don't want me as an enemy! You seem to think that a wrestling league can teach you true warrior knowledge. Unlike you, I was once a Plot Empress, a role in which you learn how punishable every mistake can be! If you choose the wrong comrade for a job, for example sending Aurorus after you, you risk EVERYTHING! If I had caught the guy and been able to get information out of him..."

Polar seemed more bored than intimidated by this speech, whereas Aurora and Kel had a more tense reaction.

"Relax. What I think you're losing sight of is that this is actually just a wrestling league, so our wrestling knowledge is actually more useful than any understanding of war here."
"Nevertheless, you should get used to it! The league is the only place where you can actually get used to a war-like mindset. And you'll need it! You know that if you collect the Plot Armor, then it's your destiny to fight the Plot Emperor! And neither he nor any of his followers are any less threatening because "they have a lower win rate" or some shit like that. And that overconfidence will probably end fatally there! Because in war, nobody pushes you out of a ring for being arrogant and you lose a few imaginary points! There, you fight to the death!"

Epsilon had talked herself into a much more of a rage than she had planned and also more than Polarna vatra thought made any sense.

"Yeah, we can tell that you used to be a Plot Empress. No normal Pokemon would insist on all these warrior ideals so much when it comes to an Upper League tournament.", Kel claimed.

"These words do not come from the me who was the Plot Empress, but from the me who knows what it is like to see death! I'm not saying that you should take any wrestling matches too seriously, I'm saying that you will take this ideology into a war if you continue like this! And believe me, when only two are left, you will regret not having listened to me today!"

Polarna vatra had to be ready for war! And Epsilon saw it as her duty to prepare them for it. Even though she wanted to be on the side of the enemy. But that was exactly the reason. She wanted to be the Plot Empress that she was not in the old world! She wanted to be one who knew that she was not allowed to fight Polarna vatra! Instead, she trained the team and became their mentor. Because in a real fight... who would have it in them to go against their own teacher instead of fighting on her side? She needed Polarna Vatra's trust, and even more urgently than the Plot Emperor's! She couldn't afford to lose the favor of her children, and especially of Kel... could she?

On the other hand... a plan began to take shape in Zoroark's mind. She needed the league's trust, but at the same time also their distrust, which she couldn't afford. Unless... it could work. It was so crazy, it could really work. She could prove to the Plot Emperor that they were on the same side, she could show him that in the most expressive way. At the same time, she could plant distrust of herself in the League, but without them having any evidence to truly kick her out! And Polarna Vatra were her own children, no one would expect it...

Lost in her dark thoughts, Epsilon didn't even notice that that same team had apparently set off without her noticing. Their semi-final had probably begun, one that they would most certainly win, just like the final after that. After that, she would have to tell Polarna vatra about the armor at the volcano! And at the same time, it would be best to continue to create trust so that broken trust could cause less damage... and yet... Epsilon was a peace fighter! Wasn't she going a step too far? Was there such a thing as too far? She could only overshoot the target with Kel as an enemy, everything else, everything around it was possible if the goal only required it.

A plan was taking shape more and more, which began as a spark of doubt, but whose effectiveness the former empress learned to feel. But before she could really start, there was other work to do. Polarna vatra had to find their way to the Plot Armor in any case... and why shouldn't she come along herself? The season was over, Zeraora was probably happy to get rid of the Zoroark for a few days. But at the same time, the bet was still on, of course, that Polarna vatra would have to win this tournament first. Only now did Epsilon remember why she had come here in the first place! Not to plan or debate, she had wanted to watch her children! It was definitely too late for that in the semi-finals, but there was definitely still a round left for the trio. So, a short break... and then step 1.