Pokémon: I’m Really Not a Team Rocket Spy

"Beautiful move!"

As Aggron finally collapsed under its own weight, the audience erupted into thunderous cheers. Even Lance couldn't hold back a satisfied murmur of excitement.

Then, with a self-assured grin, he leaned closer to Maki.

"Well, looks like I won this bet."

"Fine, fine, you win," Maki replied, his tone filled with resignation.

"What do you mean 'fine'? I clearly won!" Lance retorted, correcting him with a mock seriousness.

With the exhibition match concluded, the event moved into the less thrilling speech segment. This was the part where the victorious trainer from the Dragon Clan would deliver some inspirational remarks—a little pep talk to encourage the rookie trainers in the audience.

The newcomers, still riding the high of the match, seemed moved by the words. But for Maki, the speech felt like a lullaby. If it were just him at the event, he would've sneaked out already. However, out of respect for Lance's elder, who was delivering the speech, he stayed put.

As the two sat there a while longer, Maki happened to glance over, only to catch Lance staring back at him.

"Are you…?" they both began simultaneously, only to stop awkwardly mid-sentence.

"Ahem, I, uh, need to use the restroom," Lance said quickly.

"Yeah, well, Charmander needs a break too," Maki chimed in, nodding along.

"Char?"

Wait, what? I didn't say anything! Don't drag me into this!

The pair, along with Charmander, used this flimsy excuse to escape the venue. Of course, none of them actually brought up visiting the restroom afterward.

"So, weren't you planning to challenge me to a battle? When's that happening?" Maki asked, half-expecting Lance to drag him to a Pokémon Center immediately for a rematch.

But to his surprise, Lance shook his head for once. "Not yet. There's something even more important."

"Something more important?" Maki asked, curiosity piqued. What could possibly make Lance, the battle fanatic, set aside a challenge?

"This exhibition match was the largest in scale that the League has hosted in recent times. They even invited several top-tier Master-ranked trainers to participate. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Maki frowned, genuinely puzzled. If Lance wasn't bluffing, this sounded like a big deal—something even Team Rocket hadn't picked up on yet.

"It's because of the Indigo Plateau Conference coming up in six months," Lance revealed.

"The Indigo Plateau Conference…" Maki echoed. The iconic event held in the Indigo Plateau of the Kanto region. The main stadium, the Indigo Stadium, was where the Pokémon League tournament was hosted. It was also famously the first league Ash Ketchum competed in—and narrowly missed winning.

Although prestigious, the Indigo League was generally viewed as a competition for younger trainers, with the occasional standout participant making waves. The stakes weren't typically considered high.

"I can't go into too much detail," Lance continued, his expression serious. "But you absolutely need to participate and prepare for it. Just… trust me on this."

"Is it really that important?" Maki pressed.

"Yes!" Lance's unwavering conviction was clear.

Maki mulled this over before a sly grin spread across his face. "Does it have something to do with other regions?"

"You…" Lance's face betrayed his surprise. He didn't need to confirm it; Maki already knew he was right.

"All I'm saying," Lance said with a resigned smile, "is that you figured that out yourself. I didn't tell you anything."

"Fair enough," Maki replied, smirking. "But something like this will have to be announced publicly soon. It's not exactly a secret that can be kept for long."

Their cryptic exchange left Charmander baffled. Why can't humans just talk plainly for once!?

"Anyway," Lance said, lowering his voice, "this is still confidential. Don't go blabbing about it to anyone."

Despite Lance's strict warning, Maki could sense his sincerity. It wasn't just about secrecy—Lance genuinely trusted him. Maybe it was because they both shared a love for Pokémon, or perhaps Lance simply saw in Maki a kindred spirit, someone who treated him not as a League official but as a friend.

Whatever the reason, Maki felt that same bond, even if neither of them would say it out loud.

Naturally, the next thing on their agenda was a battle.

This time, Lance didn't hold back. He started strong, commanding his Dratini to use Extreme Speed from the get-go, denying Charmander any chance to set up Dragon Dance. Maki tried stalling for time, knowing Dratini couldn't maintain Extreme Speed indefinitely. Once the move ended, Charmander would gain the upper hand.

But this was no ordinary Dratini—it was bred and trained by the Dragon Clan itself. Its endurance was impeccable, with no apparent weak points.

By the end of the match, both Pokémon were nearly at their limits. Dratini was one bite away from fainting, but Charmander was the one to collapse first. With that, Lance claimed victory in their second battle.

Later, over lunch, Maki treated Lance and Dratini as part of their wager. Lance's Charizard, however, stayed in its Poké Ball due to its sheer size, sparing Maki's wallet a bit of pain.

Amusingly, Dratini seemed to feel guilty for knocking out Charmander during the battle. Despite it being a fair fight, Dratini went out of its way to share food with Charmander, even curling its tail around a chicken leg to hand it over. The gesture left both trainers in stitches.

The only downside, Maki noted with a sigh, was that Dratini was male. Otherwise, he could've helped Charmander solve its future "partner problems."

"Take care, and remember what I said!" Lance called out as he prepared to leave.

After Dratini and Charmander exchanged goodbyes, Lance recalled his Pokémon. The young Dragon Clan prodigy had a busy afternoon ahead, but he'd made time in his schedule that morning to share this moment with Maki—for reasons he wasn't quite ready to admit.

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