"Did you see that? Even the League Inspectors have come personally to arrest you!"
With the arrival of the inspectors acting as his backup, Sasaki Sho began to boast with arrogant delusions. "Feng Che, I know exactly how you got your position as Gym Leader. Our Sasaki family spent a fortune to buy it for you!"
The crowd was thrown into a state of confusion and doubt. "What's going on? Why are the inspectors arresting Leader Feng Che?" "Was his position really bought? But the selection was televised across Kanto. How could it be rigged?" "But the inspectors are right there... would they really make a public arrest without evidence?"
"Impressive," Feng Che said, his voice cutting through the noise. "Starting a riot on the very first day the Viridian Gym opens."
"I have a strong suspicion that you two are actually Team Rocket moles," Feng Che said, waving his hand. Instantly, his Swoobat used its psychic powers to pin the two inspectors in place. "Your goal is clearly to tarnish the reputation of the League."
Feng Che knew exactly what was happening: these inspectors were sent by Goodshow (Damalanchi) to humiliate him. Since they wanted to play dirty, Feng Che decided to beat them at their own game.
Suddenly, two Team Rocket badges "fell" from the pockets of the two inspectors and clattered onto the floor.
"Look at that! The distinctive 'R' of Team Rocket!" Feng Che pointed to the ground. The giant stadium screens zoomed in, capturing every detail of the badges for the entire audience to see. "They are Rocket agents here to frame me. I have sufficient evidence to detain them immediately!"
"Feng Che! You're planting evidence!" Sho screamed, his eyes wild with feral rage.
"Enough!"
An old man leaning on a cane stood up from the VIP stands. "This farce has gone on long enough!"
Sasaki Taro glared at Sasaki Sho, his voice sounding as if it had been soaked in a glacial tomb. "Sasaki Sho, you have some nerve!!!"
"You dare to publicly frame a League Gym Leader? You have utterly disgraced the Sasaki name and insulted the integrity of the League!" Taro's voice thundered through the rafters. "As the Head of the Sasaki Family, I officially declare: the Sasaki family has never provided any financial 'assistance' to buy Leader Feng Che his position!"
Sho's legs began to tremble uncontrollably under Taro's gaze. But he thought of the rewards promised by Damalanchi and gritted his teeth. "You can't hide the truth forever! The Sasaki family isn't your personal playground—the Clan Committee will give me justice!"
"You think I don't know about your deal with Damalanchi?" Taro sneered, stepping forward. "I've been gathering evidence on your branch of the family for months. Your branch is bankrupt, Sho. You have a 90% debt ratio from trying to leverage and manipulate the market, only to be slaughtered by the professionals."
"To fill the hole you dug, you embezzled massive amounts of capital from the family group. The evidence I have is enough for the Clan Committee to have you executed a thousand times over. You know how strict the clan laws are."
Sho's face went pale. He remembered Taro's ruthlessness; the last person caught betraying the family had escaped with the "light" punishment of losing a hand.
Suddenly, a warm liquid began to pool at Sho's feet. A dark stain spread across his trousers, dripping onto the pristine arena floor.
"Look! He actually peed his pants! Sasaki Taro scared him witless!" "First he cheats in the battle, then he frames the Leader, and now he's so terrified he can't control his bladder. What a joke!" The spectators watched the high-stakes family drama with glee, like a pack of hungry wolves at a feast.
The Memory Wipe
Mewtwo, Feng Che sent a telepathic message. Modify the memories of the crowd. Make them believe the match with Sasaki Sho ended normally and spectacularly. Let them leave satisfied.
A wave of massive, violet psychic energy surged through the stadium.
Sabrina, feeling the titanic pressure, immediately flared her own psychic power to resist.
Do we wipe Sabrina and Surge too? Mewtwo asked.
No. I want them to tell Giovanni what happened here. And leave the Sasaki grandfather and grandson alone, Feng Che replied.
The psychic wave passed over the crowd. A moment later, the spectators stood up, chatting happily. "What an incredible match! Leader Feng Che was brilliant!" "Yeah, the environment here is great. I'm definitely coming back for the next match." They walked out of the gym, completely ignoring the "frozen" inspectors and the shivering Sho.
Feng Che signaled to Parker to close the heavy gym doors and hang the "Temporarily Closed" sign. Only Sabrina, Surge, Tenshi, and Taro remained.
Feng Che turned his attention back to Sasaki Sho. "Swoobat, use your power. Make him tell me the whole story."
With a snap of Feng Che's fingers, Sho's eyes went dull. He stood like a hollow puppet.
"Sho, who sent you here?"
"Damalanchi," Sho droned. "He believes Sasaki Taro is a traitor for withdrawing his investments. A furious Damalanchi approached me in secret. He promised that if I successfully sabotaged the Gym opening, he would support me as the next Head of the Sasaki Family. He said he already lobbied the Clan Committee to oust Taro. In exchange, I promised to 'donate' one-third of the Sasaki fortune to the League."
"Hmph. You actually believed a snake like Damalanchi?" Taro spat. "I am disappointed. It seems it's time for a thorough 'cleaning' of the family tree."
Taro then looked at the two "Inspectors" held in psychic stasis. "And what about these two? Why do they have Team Rocket badges on them?"