The Silver Conference semi-finals opened to a full stadium.
"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the Johto Silver Conference! Today's semi-finals will determine our two finalists! First up: the undefeated Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, who has yet to lose a single Pokémon across the entire tournament, against last year's Silver Conference champion, Lenny Koizumi!"
Ash walked to his position. On the other side of the arena, a trainer in his late teens with the practiced ease of someone who expected to win stood watching him with a wide, comfortable smile.
"So you're actually Ash Ketchum," Lenny said, loud enough that the front rows could hear. "Tell you what, as a courtesy, I'll give you a chance. Kneel in front of everyone and apologize to Champion Silver Rowan right now. Otherwise, what happens next isn't something you'll enjoy."
The crowd went very quiet, then very loud, and not in Lenny's favor.
"Isn't this guy a semifinalist?"
"Who does he think he is?"
"The Alliance just released video of Rowan doing nothing and this guy is defending him?"
"He's embarrassing himself."
Lenny didn't appear to register any of this.
Ash tilted his head slightly. "You're Rowan's errand boy?"
The crowd laughed. Lenny's smile tightened at the corners.
"Well said!" someone yelled from the upper stands.
"Come on, Ash!"
"Just a dog in a nice collar!"
Lenny held it together by a visible margin. "Since you're feeling confident, how about we make this interesting. A wager, on top of the match."
"What are you offering?" Ash asked.
"Your self-created techniques. One complete set."
The crowd shifted. A murmur ran through the stands.
"He can't be serious."
"Self-created techniques are worth more than anything he could put up in return."
"That's not a wager, that's a robbery attempt."
Ash looked at Lenny for a moment. The man genuinely believed this would work, either through provocation or through actual confidence that he could win. Either way, the ask was absurd on its face.
"My techniques aren't negotiable currency," Ash said. "You can't price them. You have nothing equivalent to offer."
"Scared?" Lenny said.
The crowd booed.
"He's not scared," someone called out. "He just isn't stupid."
"I'll make you a counter offer," Ash said, ignoring the peanut gallery. "You can propose something you actually own. If it's worth my time, I'll consider it."
Lenny's jaw worked for a moment. He hadn't expected that. He'd expected either a flat refusal or an irritated acceptance of his terms.
"Name your price then," Lenny said.
Ash thought about it for exactly two seconds.
"The full documentation of every arrangement the Rowan family has made with Team Rocket in the last three years," he said. "Signed and sealed."
Lenny went very still.
The crowd went very quiet.
Ash watched him. "Still interested in a wager?"