"Battles, battles. What's so good about battles, all day long?"
Daisy grumbled it out without any energy behind it. Back and forth, a fierce exchange, both sides' Pokémon hurt, and at the end of it a winner and a loser. What was good about that? An elegant dance was worth far more.
As for avenging her father, she had no ability to do it, and she was somewhat afraid of the idea besides.
Her own father had been that strong and had still died in a battle, so battling stirred nothing in her. She wanted to get away from it — she wanted to let the whole thing rot.
While her thoughts were wandering, Vance walked in.
"Well, here we go. Another one I'm going to lose."
Seeing how confident and unhurried Vance was, and the presence about him, Daisy knew she was going to lose again.
"Let's start."
Before Vance could speak, before the greetings and introductions that come at the head of a Gym match, Daisy cut straight in.
"All right then."
Vance walked out onto the battlefield and took the Trainer's position.
The Cerulean Gym was a Water-type Gym, and the battlefield was a stretch of water with a few floating platforms set on it.
Daisy took out a Poké Ball and sent out a Staryu — nothing strong, only Novice.
On his belt Combusken's ball gave a stir, and Combusken came out of it.
"Combusken, Combusken—"
Combusken went to the edge of the water, put out a foot to test it, felt that hateful touch of water and pulled the foot straight back.
"Combusken, Combusken—"
Combusken came over to Vance, shook his head and shrugged, making it clear that he was sitting this one out and that one of the others could take the field.
Vance turned his eye to the rest of them.
Inside his Poké Ball, Slaking had been sleeping. He opened one eye, saw through the ball the battlefield and the opponent — that Staryu of Novice strength — shook his head, rolled over and went back to sleep.
An opponent like that, no thank you. Let one of the other brothers go out. He could not be bothered. Sleep, sleep.
"Not me either, boss."
Inside his own Poké Ball, Aerodactyl felt Vance's gaze on him, shook his head and found the prospect just as dull.
"Then it's you, Gyarados. And the field happens to suit you."
Vance settled it and sent Gyarados straight out, taking up the ball and throwing it, and that huge body appeared in the middle of the field.
A pair of savage eyes looked down at the Staryu in the water.
"Roar—"
Seeing that his opponent was a Staryu, a feeble little thing, Gyarados was not much interested either; but his own Trainer had named him for it, so out he came.
"A Gyarados?! What on earth — is that necessary? Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a nut. With a presence that strong, my Staryu will be finished in one move."
Daisy could hardly bear to look. One glance at Gyarados and she knew she had lost; there was no need even to hold the match.
In the water the Staryu had curled itself into a ball under Gyarados's savage presence, trembling, not daring to raise its eyes to him.
"Never mind, I concede. There's no need to fight it out. This badge is yours."
Daisy surrendered on the spot, called the battle off, took out a blue badge shaped like a drop of water and handed it to him.
Better to fold at once than take a beating. She was going to have to produce the badge either way, so she might as well be quick about it.
"Ah. Thank you, Gym Leader."
Vance reached out and took the badge. It was the easiest one he had ever come by — handed to him without a fight, when he had expected several battles for it.
"No need to thank me. You've earned it anyway. And you know as well as I do that there's nothing I could teach you."
Daisy's face reddened a little, and she said it in embarrassment.
Looking at the handsome young man in front of her, near enough her own age — why was he this strong while she was this useless, and she the Gym Leader who was supposed to be testing him? Daisy felt ashamed.
In shame and awkwardness, she watched Vance go.
"Eh? That fast? Didn't he only just go in?"
"He did. How is he out already? Hey, mate, did you get the badge?"
The people waiting outside saw Vance come out, and one of them asked.
"Mm." Vance gave a slight nod, then looked towards a corner, where a girl, young still, stood with her arms folded across her chest, sulking.
That short orange hair, and a face not unlike the one from the anime.
"Misty. So she hasn't run away from home yet."
Vance recognised the girl — the one who travelled a long while with the great Ash at the beginning of it all, the original "leading lady".
Having laid eyes on a character from the source material, Vance did not go over to introduce himself. He simply left the Gym.
There was no need. She was only a slip of a girl, and there was nothing in it. If it had been Ash, Vance might have gone up to say hello and get acquainted, and take a look at the almighty Pikachu while he was there.
To see what this Pikachu of unknowable combat power was actually like.
But it was early days yet. Perhaps there would be a chance later on.
At that same moment, at a Team Rocket base outside Viridian City, the instructor Viper was training a new batch of special personnel.
None of them came from ordinary backgrounds. Special training, special assessment — so the way they were trained was naturally nothing like the grind Vance's own intake had been put through.
Even in an organisation like Team Rocket, distinctions were drawn inside it.
The job could fall to nobody but Viper, with all his experience, and Team Rocket trusted that this old hand would bring these "newcomers" along properly.
A powerfully built man in a mask, wearing a black robe as well, came towards them leading a girl with long red hair by the hand.
Viper, in the middle of drilling his people, saw them, told the trainees to carry on as they liked for the moment, and went to meet the new arrivals.
"Lord Shadow. Who is this?"
Viper looked at the girl Shadow was leading and asked.
"She's Miyamoto's daughter, Jessie. She's being left here with you. It's the Boss's wish as well. Look after her properly."
Shadow, holding Jessie's hand, indicated her.
"Yes. I'll remember."
Viper answered, and guessed at something behind it.
Shadow crouched down and spoke gently to the Jessie in front of him. "You'll train here with Instructor Viper. When you're grown, you'll be able to go out and carry out missions. If anything comes up, you can always reach me."
"Uncle Shadow, where's my mother?"
Jessie asked it quietly, a pair of clear eyes looking straight at him.
Shadow did not answer. He only stayed silent.
Viper, standing beside them, saw it, stepped forward and took Jessie over.
"Hello, Jessie. My name is Viper. I'll be your instructor from here on."
"Hello, Instructor."
Jessie returned the greeting.
"She's in your hands, then. I'll be going." Shadow stood up and walked straight out.
Viper led Jessie out in front of the new recruits, gave a brief introduction and put her into the group.
"Hello there. My name's James. Pleased to meet you."
A blue-haired boy was the first to greet her.
"I'm Jessie."
Jessie put out a hand and shook his in a friendly way.
With that clasp the two of them came to know one another, and an odd feeling rose in both their hearts at the same moment.
"Hee hee. Do you think being part of Team Rocket is a cool thing too? Let me tell you..."
Viper, watching from above, said nothing, and thought his arrangement had worked out rather well: let the lively James take Jessie in hand and bring her out of herself, and perhaps one day the two of them would be partners on missions together.
He was confident that under his teaching they would become excellent Team Rocket officers, and that there would be no mission they could not carry through.