The New Normal - A Pokémon Elite 4 SI by CartecFF

Chapter 62: 239-243

The New Normal – 11-9 – Triumphant Return

After spending one last night with Cynthia, it was time to finally leave Sinnoh and head back onto a boat that would deliver us back to Indigo. Since Indigo was closer than Hoenn, our group were first to get off the boat after about a day's trip back. Drake would stay on for the remainder of the trip back to Hoenn.

"It's been fun, John. I can see why you were so insistent on opening up cave explorations back in Indigo too." He said to me as we were about to arrive in Indigo, "I'd be happy to join in again in the future."

"You think of doing something like that in Hoenn?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Nah, that's too much effort. If someone else made the suggestion then I'll be happy to go along with it. But I don't have the patience to fucking deal with it otherwise."

"I see." I nodded, that sounded like him, "Anyone interesting competing in the Hoenn Conference that you know of?"

"Fuck no." He laughed, "If there was, then I'd actually be there and looking into them. But nah, this year's crop really isn't anything special. No offense to them, but from what I see they'd still need a year or two to refine themselves."

"If anything, I think most of our eyes are on Steven Stone, and that friend of his." He added, "Bruno, I think he's called. That fucking huge hunk of muscle that follows him around."

"Yeah, his name is Bruno." I confirmed, "He's really strong."

"I know that. I saw how hard he pushed you in your fight against him. Between him and Steven, I think we'll see some interesting fights happening quite soon." He nodded, "Maybe we'll see some changes in our Elite Four roster."

"And you're not upset by that?" I asked.

"I like my colleagues, and I'd be sad to see them leave, but it's not personal." He explained, "I consider them all to be good friends of mine, but the Elite Four is not about your friendships. It's about strength. If Bruno and/or Steven can prove themselves to be the better trainer, then I'd welcome them with open arms regardless."

"That's a good mindset to have." I nodded, then the blaring of the ship's horn signaled to us that we had arrived, "Anyways, it's been good to spend time with you, Drake. Have fun back in Hoenn."

"You too, John. I can't wait to see what kind of fucking shenanigans you get up to next." He grinned, "It's always an exciting time with you."

With those parting words that marked the end of my time with Drake, I exited the ship and gave him one parting wave.

Luckily, there was no 'big ceremony' to welcome us back to Indigo. So outside of a few reporters and cameras that took my picture, I was free to head off back home.

As I flew back home, I made sure to call Lance just to debrief him on what had happened in Sinnoh. He should have known everything already, but it was good to run things through once more just in case there was any miscommunication.

There wasn't, and Lance was more than satisfied with the developments in Sinnoh. He especially emphasized his hopes that Lorelei would establish a good rapport and reputation with her efforts with her branch of the International Police.

"The more we can show the wider world that they can only gain from having inter-regional organisations, the more united we can be as a world." He told me, "The more we can show that we are helpful, the more receptive they will be to such an idea."

"And how much are we benefiting from this increase in internationalism?" I asked out of curiosity.

He grinned, "Will could probably give you a better answer, but we're flourishing economically. That's to no one's surprise. Having more people to trade with has been greatly beneficial for the economy of Indigo as a whole. Not too mention all of the extra tourism that this brings."

That was good. A healthy economy means prosperity, and prosperity meant that people were less inclined to perform extremist actions just to earn their livelihood.

"Well, that must be good for your ratings then." I quipped.

"I won't deny that it's been a very appreciated side-benefit to all this success." He chuckled, "But I truly do want to see this happen. Once we crush whatever remnants of the terrorists are still lingering in Sinnoh, I truly believe we can build a wonderful and prosperous society that will endure for the years to come."

I smiled, happy to hear that his thoughts mirrored mine. It only reinforced the idiocy and the delusion of the plans that Team Galactic had thought up. There was no need to remake the world to create an utopia when far simpler actions could already achieve it.

It was ironic that they were all that stood between a secured prosperity when that was what they were supposedly aiming to achieve.

My call with Lance wrapped up soon after that, perfectly in time as I had just arrived home.

"Welcome back, dear." My mom smiled softly at me, "I saw that you were busy in Sinnoh. Did you find it fun?"

"It was enjoyable." I nodded as I looked around, "Where's dad?"

"He's still in Hoenn at the moment to sort out a few things." My mom said, "He told me to come back first to handle some other matters. He should be back within the week."

"Ah, I see." I plopped down on the couch, "And how's Whitney doing? Have you seen her since the announcement?"

"Oh yes – we were all very excited and surprised about that. Who knew that both of our children would be such geniuses." My mom was practically bouncing on her feet in excitement and happiness. "Katrina was insistent that I come over to congratulate them in person, and those Farigiraf of theirs look very special."

"It's such a shame that they didn't get the full publicity and recognition that they deserved." My mom frowned, "They only made the headlines for a few days before everyone really forgot about your sister's discovery."

In all honesty, that was already pretty good. But I didn't blame my mom for wanting my sister to get more recognition.

"Eh, that normally happens with reveals like this, but it'll pick back up when Farigiraf gets used in a big battle. Plus, she'll have plenty of opportunities to be in the public's spotlight in the future." I waved her off, "And this is a good foundation for her anyways."

"Well you'd know it better than me." She said, "Have you had something to eat yet? I want to hear more about what you've been doing in Sinnoh. Especially anything relating to you and Cynthia." She grinned, and I let out an exaggerated sigh as I indulged my mom's curiosity over some food.

I didn't realise how many photos there would be circulating around the Pokénet of Cynthia and I hanging around each other, sometimes in rather affectionate positions, but I personally thought that everything remained within the bounds of decency. Judging how my mom had also cut up a few photos and stuck them into a notebook, she agreed.

I obviously did not let her know about what happened last night. That was definitely staying just between Cynthia and I.

My mom and I spent the rest of the night catching up, and she was surprisingly interested to hear about what happened during my raids in Sinnoh. She was obviously concerned for my safety, but she also felt bad for the Sinnohnians for having to go through such a problem.

Before I headed to bed though, I did ask Cynthia what her gift was meant to be – as it hadn't arrived yet. I was hoping to pry an answer out of her, but she remained vague and told me that it would remain a secret. However, she did reveal that she was certain my parents were going to love it, so that didn't help with my bubbling curiosity.

Then, on the next day, I had polished off a quick breakfast before heading to the training fields where I awaited Karen's arrival. Apparently, she had things she wanted to tell me in person rather than over the phone.

I arrived at the fields just in time to catch her landing.

"Welcome back, John." She greeted me with a smile, "How are things? Going well?"

"I should be the one asking YOU that." I returned, "But yes, all is well. The terrorists are still holing up in Sinnoh, but I trust Lorelei and everyone's efforts to uncover them. There's not much else I can do about it now."

"That's good. I know how much you've been stressing about this – so I hope it gets resolved as soon as possible too." She said, "Anyways, I'd thought I should update you on my plans for the future, now that I've confirmed them."

"Oh?" I exclaimed curiously, "And what are they?"

"I've decided that I will be challenging Agatha after I win the Indigo Conference." She declared, causing my eyebrows to rise. This was an ambitious statement, but I couldn't say I disapproved.

"Are you sure you aren't putting the cart before the Ponyta here?" I asked, "You still have yet to win the Indigo Conference."

"I'm not overly worried about that. Not to be arrogant, but I've seen my competitors. I'm confident in my chances of beating them." She shook her head, "And if you took some time to study the remaining trainers in the Finals you would likely agree with my assessment."

I nodded. I understood that Karen's strength was more than a match for most trainers. I believed it when she said she would likely win against her opponents. She did beat Sidney, after all.

"That may be the case, but arrogance is ever the downfall of men." I warned, "Make too many mistakes, and you might find yourself losing."

"I know, but I'm confident that it won't happen." She replied, "Which is why I'm focusing my efforts on making plans to replace Agatha in the Elite Four."

"Have you spoken about it to her?" I asked.

"Not yet, but I will do so soon." She informed me, "Though I suspect that she has already predicted my intentions."

"And she didn't say anything...?" I said.

"No, which probably means she had planned for such an outcome, or at least she might have expected it to some extent." Karen responded, "But I can see the benefits to her as well. If she loses to me, her 'chosen apprentice', then it looks much better for her. People always love to see students surpassing their teachers. Especially when that teacher is nearing the age of retirement. Her loss to me would allow her a graceful exit from the stage of the Elite Four."

"Not only that, but it would also solidify my status as her apprentice, and make people more accepting of any transfer of power between us." She continued, "I know the original plan was for me to take out Will, but I believe I'm strong enough to give Agatha a run for her money. Sure, taking out Will would allow the both of us to be in the Elite Four together – but, like I said before, I don't actually want to that to happen."

I nodded, remembering her fervent wish to give her mentor the opportunity to finally put down her responsibilities.

"Well I have no problems either way." I said to her, "But you better be confident that you can win against Agatha. Agatha is strong."

She snorted, "You don't have to tell me that. I'm well aware of how strong the old hag is, and I know full well she would never hold back against me."

"Truth be told, I'm nervous about it as well." Despite her words, her eyes were gleaming with determination, "But I see this as the best path forwards, and I will have to take my chance so that I can achieve the best outcome for everyone. After all, challenging Agatha would grant me a much larger degree of respect than if I fought Will."

I smiled, this was the passion and drive I wanted to see. "Then I'll do my best to support your efforts either way." I told her, "Although I don't fight anything like Agatha does, I'll help you with whatever you need."

"That being said, you should probably tell Agatha about your plans sooner rather than later." I added, "This really isn't something you should keep from her."

"I know, I just wanted to tell you about it first." She replied, "I'll speak to her about it soon."

We walked deeper into the training fields, "Do you know what kind of team she'd likely field against you?...Actually, now that I think about it, I don't actually know the full extent of Agatha's team."

"She has more Ghost types than you think." Karen explained, "She's always been disdainful of the culture where most trainers should 'only' have 6 Pokémon. Even I don't think I've seen all of the Ghost types she owns. But she has at least more than a dozen."

"Are they all at the Elite level?" I had to ask.

"Nah, not that I'm aware of." She shook her head, "There's a reason she so frequently makes use of the three Gengar that you always see her field in battles. They're her strongest ones, and I expect to be facing all three of them in battle."

"Makes sense." I nodded just as we arrived, "Then we better get to training then. I want to show you how much my own Pokémon have improved too. My weaker Pokémon aren't so weak anymore."

"Oh? Then you better show them off." She grinned, "Maybe they'll serve as a good warmup for me."

==========

?Though I wanted to, I couldn't just spend the day training with Karen. I had other things to attend to while I was here. Now that I was back in Indigo, I could finally work on the plans that I had put on hold for the Tournament. Namely to make sure that everything was in place for my proposal to allow Gym Leaders to be appointable from anywhere from within Indigo.

Seeing the public's reaction to the Tournament, and their excitement for another one, had given me the confidence that the political climate was ready for such a proposal.

To that end, I had to meet up with someone I was still reluctant to spend time around – Pryce.

Luckily for me, he seemed to be in a better mood today, as he had gone so far as to greet me at the door rather than have me walk to his office.

For Pryce, that was basically treating someone like royalty.

"Good to see that you didn't steal all of the spotlight from my niece." Was how he greeted me. I guess a good mood could only carry his niceties so far, "I was concerned that your greed for the spotlight would overshadow her own efforts. But I see you know when to tone back."

"I hardly crave the spotlight, Pryce." I frowned, "Becoming famous is not why I chose to go down this path."

"Bah, the youth and their idealism. It makes it worse because you truly believe in it." He grumbled as we walked into his office.

"You should try it sometimes. I'm sure it beats being cranky all the time." I snarked.

"You try to live up to my age and not be an old crank." He shot back while sitting down, "Besides, I know you're 'friends' with Agatha. I don't know how you manage to stand up to that hag and not want to turn her into one of those Ghosts that she loves so much."

Probably because she's still more caring than you, was what I thought but didn't say.

Unaware of my thoughts, Pryce waved me off, "Regardless, before you sour my mood with your presence." Well fuck you too, "I'm pleased to see that you have kept to your side of the bargain. Lorelei has already informed me of your gift to her."

"Then will you keep to yours?" I pressed.

He grinned sharply, "And what would you do if I didn't?" I moved to say something, but he just laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "Hah! Not that I would! You're no Blackthorn. I will honour my side of the deal. You will have the support you desire for your proposal."

"Thank you." I still said, even though Pryce never failed to rile me up.

But then he surprised me, "I will do you one better. The reporters are probably aware that you have come to Mahogany Town to speak to me, but they do not know what or why we are speaking. What I propose is for you and I to go out there, and smile and grin at each other like we are a pair of old friends."

"Are you even able to smile?" I couldn't help but ask. Though inwardly, I couldn't deny that pretending to be friends with Pryce would be great for optics. If I could be seen as being 'friendly' with Pryce, it might convince a few would-be opposers to reassess their thoughts because Pryce was not against it. It wouldn't win everyone over, but it was much better than nothing.

As much as Lance would prefer otherwise, Pryce still had some degree of political influence as a former Champion. He had not been completely disgraced, and he was still respected in certain spheres. Being friendly with him despite our past animosity would also make me seem open-minded, which was always a good thing.

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His lips turned up slightly, "I am quite capable of smiling, thank you. And despite our...animosity, I do not hate you. Plus, feigning a friendship for political reasons is something I am more than capable of doing."

"Okay, I can see the benefits of this." I replied, "But WHY are you offering this?"

"Because politics is something that you cannot escape from, not in our positions. Once you've dipped your toe in it, it will ensnare you forever." He grumbled, "But I can fake a smile if it means reminding people of my political relevance – something that I'm keen to do to capitalize on my success in making it to the Top 3. Plus, my niece still requires all of the support she can get. She is in a very important time in her political career, and I intend to be in a position to extend a helping hand if required."

I blinked, "...I'm surprised. I'd always thought you were distant from Lorelei."

He barked out another unpleasant laugh, "She is my successor, whether she wants to be or not. No matter her actions, no matter how she tries to distance herself from me, there will always be those that tie her actions to my own. So why shouldn't I help her?"

I disagreed inwardly; I thought that Lorelei was more than capable of stepping out of Pryce's shadow, but I didn't voice it here. He wouldn't agree anyways.

"Regardless, my reasons are my own, and frankly I have already spoken too much." He continued, "Let us focus back on what truly matters. Your proposal. Even with my support, I hope you're not na?ve to think that you can pass this without any pushback from the Committee – something as controversial at this can't be secured with just a few handshakes."

"I understand that." I nodded, "Still, I am confident that we will have the numbers."

"And do you truly think, from the bottom of your heart, that this proposal will pass? I may agree with you that the world has changed, but the people's beliefs are not so easily changed." He challenged, leaning forwards as he did so. His eyes stared into mine, as if trying to imprint the seriousness of his question.

I thought my answer over carefully before responding, "I know that too. But I cannot be so afraid of criticism that I do nothing. I must try. At the end of the day, I truly believe that my proposal would lead to a brighter future for Indigo, and I have to hope that the public shares in my view. If there is opposition, then I will do all I can to reassure them."

"Overall, I am confident that Indigo has been more united than it has ever been before. After all of the changes over the past year, my assistants have reassured me that the public's desire for further unification is only continuing to grow as they continue to reap the benefits of our greater unity. Furthermore, with some key Gym Leaders supporting this proposal, like yourself, I think that will sway the majority of both the Committee and the public to our side."

"You may call it na?ve, overly idealistic, or whatever other insult you like to use." I said firmly, the passion growing in my voice, "But this is the future that I hope to craft. A Gym Leader should serve as a pillar of our region, but it shouldn't matter where that pillar comes from. Kanto OR Johto, we are both equally interested in protecting our joint people and livelihood."

That is what I truly believed in – how I truly felt. Win or lose, I wanted the proposal to at least be discussed at the highest level, and for it to be legitimately considered.

"We will see about that." He said neutrally, though he wasn't inspired by my words, "Nevertheless, I would like to know when you plan to push this through, and what that process will look like. I know special arrangements will need to be made for us Gym Leaders to participate, but has that already been agreed upon?"

I had to give it to Pryce, when he wasn't being a complete asshole, he asked good questions. It was a reminder that there was still an astute political mind somewhere in that cranky brain of his.

"Once I've checked through with Lance about the preparations, then we will announce the proposal to the Committee shortly afterwards." I answered, "Though I don't exactly know what the voting process will look like at the moment – I'll have to speak with Lance about it."

"Fine. I suppose you wouldn't know unless Lance tells you." He said.

Then he shook his head and let out an uncharacteristic sigh, "I disagree heavily with your idealism...but I suppose...I was like you, once upon a time. But just like me, I know once reality has reared its ugly head towards you, you will be forced to mature just as I did. Your idealism will fade away in time."

I frowned, "I wouldn't use the word 'mature'. I don't think you 'matured', I think you grew so cynical because you were too used to the power that being Champion granted you. No one did this to you other than yourself. You chose to throw away your idealism."

And I vowed to hold on to mine for as long as possible. The Pokémon world was a beautiful place. I had thought so when I had first came to this world, and I still thought so now. That feeling was only compounded when I had first started my journey, to know that even despite the poverty of my childhood, that every trainer had the opportunity to win glory and riches for themselves. The fact that everyone here was just so friendly, accepting, and not judging of one's circumstances (for the most part) was such a breath of fresh air for me when I had started my journey.

Very few had looked down on me just because of my poor upbringing. While they looked down on Tyrant when he was merely a Slakoth, that didn't last for long when they saw what he could do. The authorities genuinely did their best to look out for everyone, and I could feel that our leaders were genuinely passionate about their jobs and responsibilities.

The Pokémon world was just so idyllic compared to everything that I was used to.

Which was why I clung so hard in trying to improve the world even further, and not let it fall into what I saw were the same mistakes as my old world. The people were just naturally more friendly here, and I wanted to encourage this natural friendliness and spread it throughout the whole world. It was why I was so passionate about making sure that proposals like these would be pushed through, because I thought that they would allow that natural friendliness that the people here possessed to shine and make the whole world brighter for it.

That was why I disagreed heavily with Pryce's cynicism. There was no need to see the negative in everything that you looked at.

"...Perhaps I did." But he didn't say anything else as he pulled himself out of his seat, "Enough of my past though. I can already hear the reporters outside trying to scramble for tomorrow's headline – it seems that they have caught wind of your arrival. I believe it's time to give them a show."

I nodded, "Yes, we shall." And by shaking hands with Pryce, that would mark the first step towards finally making my long-term proposal a reality.

The New Normal – 11-10 – Collecting Gym Leaders

Despite whatever feelings we had for each other, Pryce and I kept up the fa?ade of being friends in front of the cameras for long enough to achieve our political objectives. After my conversation and 'photoshoot' with Pryce, I had gone to visit Giovanni to make sure that everything was in place for the announcement of my proposal.

He told me to make sure that Blaine and Clair would be on board and informed in advance, and also to ensure those visits were public enough so that the public would know that I was looking to obtain their support. But besides that, he relayed his own thoughts to me once last time.

"I truthfully do not believe that just by simply making Gym Leaders appointable from either Kanto or Johto will somehow override the many years of grudges that are ingrained within them." He stated to me, "However, after thinking things through carefully, I can agree that even foreign appointees wouldn't dare sabotage their own city just for some 'regional benefit'. No, they wouldn't dare do such a thing as they would never benefit from it. In that sense, I can trust in their self-interest to keep them from making a mess of things."

"Still, I will not allow my optimism to overcome my cautiousness. Whoever is appointed as the first foreign Gym Leader will be under intense scrutiny to ensure that they can live up to the very high standards expected of Gym Leaders. I will expect them to be indistinguishable from a regular Kanto Gym Leader." He continued, "It is going to be a long road before the idea of having a 'foreign' Gym Leader is normalised, even after the first one is appointed, so I hope for your sake that those foreign Gym Leaders that do get selected in the future are competent in their duties. We don't need a repeat of what happened to Flint. If not, well I fear that your project might be burned to the ground."

"And if I have the power to discuss the selection of future Gym Leaders, then I promise to keep that in mind." I nodded, "I know the risks."

"Good. Then you don't need to hear anymore from me." He stood up from his chair, "Now, let's make sure that the reporters get the photo we want to show them."

I smirked, and followed after him.

The next day, pictures of me shaking hands with both Giovanni and Pryce with smiling faces could be found all over the more political-focused news articles as they speculated about what my plans were for the future of Indigo. Obviously, many understood that I wasn't just running around the place for no reason – especially with someone that many saw was my 'former enemy' in Pryce.

Still, many praised what they deemed a 'reconciliation' between the two of us, as it was well-known that I had a big part to play in deposing Pryce from his position as Champion.

That clued people in that something was big in the works, and many in Indigo were holding their breath to see what I'd be coming up with. With that in mind, I didn't waste the opportunity that was presented to me. I quickly made visits to both Blaine and Clair at the Cinnabar and Blackthorn Gym respectively, obviously in full view of the public.

Since I knew Clair would be going on with my plans, my visit to her Gym was merely a formality and was mostly done for PR purposes. Lance had already confirmed that she was onboard with the idea, and I knew that she wouldn't gainsay his plans.

Still, I spent a little time to catch up with her, "You know, we haven't spoken much. Which is odd considering that I'm good friends with Lance."

She shrugged, "We just don't really see each other. Nothing more to it."

"I suppose so." I agreed, then something popped into my mind that I had to ask about, "Say – I've always been curious about something, and you don't have to answer it if you aren't comfortable, but why aren't you in the Elite Four? Or at least made the attempt to join it? With your strength, I'd say that your admittance would be a real possibility. Especially when Walker was still around."

"You had every chance to take him out and replace him, so I'm curious as to why you didn't." I asked, "But of course, you don't have to answer if you don't want to—"

"It's fine, it's a good question." She waved me off, "And you're right – I certainly have the strength to blast away any of the Elite Four that stood in my way." I doubted that, but I knew Clair was prideful, so I kept my silence, "The simple answer is that it wasn't in the interests of the Blackthorn clan for me to join the Elite Four since Lance was, at the time, already a member of the Elite Four."

"But what about now?" I pressed, "Lance is Champion now. You could have taken up his old spot."

"True, but then it wouldn't be in my interest to do so." She responded, "I know the reputation that I have. That I am merely playing second fiddle to my more exceptional cousin. Truth be told, despite the common perception of Blackthorns and their pride, a Dragon knows when to bow to a superior Dragon. My cousin has proven himself to be the Dragon of the Blackthorn clan, and so it is only natural for me to submit to his authority."

"However, if I were to join the Elite Four, that would be all I could be – a subordinate of Lance, and nothing more." She continued, "Yet if I were to remain as a Gym Leader, I would still have my own autonomy – my own power – that would be separate from his. This way, our roles do not overlap, and we each have our own specialty."

"Ah, that makes sense. Thank you – that makes things much more clear." I nodded, "So you personally don't have a problem with what I'm proposing? With having Gym Leaders be appointable from either region?"

She snorted dismissively, "And since when do Dragons concern themselves with the affairs of others?" She crossed her arms, "My primary concern is with the Blackthorn clan and its Gym, and little else. Your proposal does not affect those interests, so I do not see why I should stand opposed against it when my cousin is supportive of it. Naturally, I will back him, and I am more concerned about maintaining my position as the strongest of the Gym Leaders."

I...very much doubt she was, but I definitely needed to keep my mouth shut about that.

"Of course, had you proposed this matter a year ago, then it would have been a different matter entirely as the elders still were in control of the Blackthorn clan." She then revealed a wry smirk, "In fact, I imagine that they would probably be screaming their heads off in rage once they heard of your proposal. For a Kantonian to be meddling in the affairs of Johto's Gyms, which they see as within their zone of influence, they would rage and shout like they did when you revealed the Fairy Type, and probably make a big mess of things like the fools that they are."

"However, Lance has them now cowed and silenced, and the direction of the clan has shifted drastically from what it used to be." She stated, "While I won't get into the affairs of the Blackthorn here, just know that whatever Lance says, they will begrudgingly follow."

There was definitely more of a story there, but I didn't feel like asking more since I had already asked quite a few personal questions already.

"I see, well I suppose that's just a good thing for me." I said, "Thanks again for your support. With you and Pryce on board, I'm confident things will turn out well."

With that, our meeting was wrapped up, and like I had done previously the two of us stepped out of the Gym and shook hands for the cameras before I was off once again to Cinnabar Island to visit Blaine.

As I arrived, Blaine and I spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries and catching up with each other before we dove into more serious topics.

"I see you've been heading around shaking hands with people in the news." He eyed me critically, "Normally, that's none of my business. But now you're here in front of me, and I can tell from your eyes that you want something from me. So – what do you want my help with that you'd even get Pryce to assist you with?"

"I have a proposal in the works, and I'm just making sure that I have the support necessary so that it passes. Since it involves the Gym Leaders directly, I've been gathering support." I explained.

"Hmph. And since you even went out of your way to speak with Pryce of all people, am I correct in saying that your ideas are going to be quite ambitious?" He asked.

"You'd be correct." I nodded, "I'm looking to have Gym Leaders be appointable from either region..." And I proceeded to lay out my plans to Blaine in full, including who I had already brought onboard to support this idea of mine.

"...And so, with all that in mind, there will likely be a vote that would involve all of the Gym Leaders, and I hope to have your vote when that happens." I finished.

"Eh, I don't particularly care either way." He exclaimed dismissively, "As long as your plans don't affect the budget I get for my research, or tell me what I can or cannot do as a Gym Leader, then I don't really care about what you end up proposing."

I nodded; that was about what I had expected and hoped Blaine's reaction would be. He always seemed to care more about his personal research than anything else. Honestly, the political back-and-forth between us was thankfully short, as Blaine didn't seem super interested in the politics behind it.

His sole concern was to ensure that the future foreign Gym Leader would meet the high standards expected of him, but I successfully reassured him that any future foreign appointments would be judged by his fellow Kanto Gym Leaders.

Of course, with the political discussion wrapped up, he was quick to badger me about his latest science project – which he was far more enthusiastic about.

Like we had agreed previously, once we had finished up on the Electirizer project, we had moved away with creating more evolution items like this. But knowing Blaine, he would just be moving on to his next project.

"I'm actually working with a few scientists from Sinnoh, and I don't mean Volkner." He told me, which took me by surprise, "It's been interesting working on something other than evolution items for once, as right now I'm currently focusing on seeing if I can help them rediscover any new Pokémon using your PIT Technique. You could say it really lit a flame in me. Hah!"

I groaned as he chuckled as his own joke.

"It's been unique working with archaeologists – it's nice to be able to have some idea and direction for where you want to go." He continued, "Having certain descriptions of Pokémon that used to exist in the past means that I'm not going into this completely blind when trying to see if a certain Pokémon has an alternate type or not."

"I assume you're focused on the Fire types?" I asked, "If you can say, what are you working towards at the moment?"

"Eh, it's hardly a secret anyways between you and me." He waved me off and gestured to a few plans that he had written on a whiteboard, "According to the descriptions that they provided, they believe that there was evidence that Growlithe used to exist in 'Hisuian' times. They weren't able to give complete descriptions, obviously, but there is some evidence to suggest that these Growlithe aren't like the Growlithe we have now."

"Dual type?" I suggested.

"Most likely so, and one part should be Fire type, since they were usually located around more volcanic regions." He confirmed, "Currently I'm working on a Rock and Fire type Growlithe because it seemed logical to me for volcanic rock to have an effect on Growlithe. I've already prepped an egg, though I can't show it to you."

Wow, he was on the right track already. How fortunate for him, "That's fine, you don't need to show me."

"That's not the only thing I've been working on." He added, "There are also other PIT techniques that I've been looking into simultaneously, though I've not made as much progress on those ones just yet. Oh, by the way, have you seen the sale numbers for the Magmarizers recently? They've been doing really well..."

Blaine and I chatted about a few more topics for a little while longer, but eventually I had to leave because I still had a few other Gym Leaders to speak with. Still, with Blaine's 'support', I had now secured another influential member amongst the Gym Leaders to back my new proposal.

==================

?Since it was late by the time I left Blaine's, I waited until the next day before I returned to my support gathering. I started early in the morning, and I made sure to visit every single Gym, even those who I knew were unlikely to accept my proposal, just to make sure it didn't look like I was neglecting everyone.

Such as Surge, who remained polite with me, but admitted to me that he found it difficult to accept Johto Gym Leaders in Kanto.

"I know you mean well by it, son, but it just doesn't sit right with me." He told me with a frown, "I've not been blind to your achievements, but you gotta understand that there's history between our two regions that isn't so easily washed over. I ain't saying you're wrong to push for this, and I trust you have our best interests at heart, but my instincts can't agree with your proposal."

I nodded understandingly; Surge had unconsciously mirrored exactly what Giovanni warned me about how some might feel. That was fine, I knew I would never get an unanimous agreement.

Yet, when I spoke to the other Gym Leaders, I realised that many of them didn't have any particularly strong feelings one way or the other. Of course, that didn't mean they had no concerns, and a few had asked me why I was so insistent on going down this path of change and reform.

I gave them all the same answer, "It is because I've come to know Gym Leaders to be good people. To be leaders that are worthy of the public's trust and respect. Even if there are the rare bad apple amongst you, such as with Flint, I am confident that most of you are responsible and well-meaning enough to pick up the slack."

"And you've proven your determination and sense of responsibility time and time again. When Team Rocket momentarily terrorised our region, did you not step up to help where you could? When the PSS crisis happened, did the Gym Leaders not all put in tireless hours and offer aid beyond their own cities to ensure that order was reinstalled as quickly as possible? When the Circuit comes around, do you not put in extra effort to ensure that your Gym is as prepared as it could be, just to give all those young trainers the best experience possible?"

"It is because of your previous actions that have given me the confidence to push this proposal through. Gym Leaders in Indigo have proven to live up to their lofty titles, and so I feel that, even if a foreign Gym Leader were to become a Gym Leader, it would not cause any harm. Because, even in the worst case, I trust that you will be able to police your own."

That statement of trust got me a few thankful smiles, and combined with the public agreement of Blaine, Clair, Pryce, and Giovanni, that had swayed many to agree to this test run.

Of course, I didn't just chat politics with all of them, and I made sure to use the opportunity to catch up with the Gym Leaders that I was close with.

"If you want our support, then you need to participate in another one of our water shows in the future!" Daisy Waterflower jokingly told me, "You've only performed the once! The more the better!"

"...Surely there are others more suited than me." I chuckled awkwardly, "I don't think I have the talent for this."

"Eh, it's all about showing off the unity of Cerulean." Daisy said, "The more events we do with you, the more the public can see that the leadership of Cerulean City is of one mind and is friendly with each other. It's good for everyone."

"Don't say that like you thought of it, sis." Violet teased, "You're just repeating what Petrel told you."

"Shut up!" She blushed, which got a chuckle from me.

"Well I can't deny that." I nodded with a smile, "I'm going to be busy for a bit, but I'll promise I'll get back to you on that."

"Please let us try something with your Zoroark." Violet pleaded, "Could you imagine just how useful having illusions would be in our performances?"

"We once experimented with Kecleon, but it's just not the same since it can only change its own colour." Lily nodded, "But we saw your Zoroark in action – it can form illusions of more than it just itself. It's practically the perfect Pokémon to create a dazzling performance."

"I...never thought of it like that. I only really cared about the battling implications." I admitted, "But I can see why he'd be so desired."

"Yeah, and this would be the perfect opportunity to show off the beauty of fossils as well." Daisy added.

"...Wait, fossils? Do you have one on you?" I asked confusedly.

"Yep! Drake got us one as a gift! Check it out!" She tossed out a Pokéball to reveal a Kabuto. "Drake said it was a reward for our hard work in the Tournament. We insisted that he didn't need to, but he was too stubborn."

Heh. Even under all that gruff, Drake couldn't hide his niceness.

"That's very nice of him." I said, smiling.

"It was! We wanted to get him something back but we didn't know what to get him." Daisy frowned, "He already told us he wouldn't want to receive another Pokémon because he doesn't have time to train up another with his new Gible, so we're kinda lost on what we should gift him."

"Then perhaps all he wants is your friendship." I suggested, "Despite how he is, I know he'd appreciate if you stayed in contact with him. That might be enough for now, and if you ever think of a proper gift for him then you could get that for him as well."

"...Yeah, that might be all we can do for now." The trio of sisters nodded, "Misty did say that she wanted to visit Drake in Hoenn after he left – so maybe we can make a trip of that in the future."

Besides the Waterflower sisters, I had also chatted with Brock and caught up with him. Honestly, I had heard quite a bit from Karen already during our casual conversations, but it was nice to see that he was doing much better. He had told me that he was still receiving quite a lot of informal support from Karen and Agatha, but he was doing his best to not be dependent on them.

Still, while I didn't say this out loud, my recent repeated mentions of Flint as the 'bad example' of a Gym Leader reminded me that the bastard was still hiding away from his family, and I considered for a moment if I should ask Brock if he wanted his father found, but ultimately chose to keep my silence.

This was none of my business, and it wasn't my place to ask. I just trusted that Brock would resolve things himself.

===============

?With all of the politicking done, I returned home and spoke with Lance and confirmed that I had received the support from a majority of the Gym Leaders. With that, he told me he'd be making preparations to put the proposal before the Committee as soon as possible.

"Needless to say, you've already done most of the hard work after convincing most of the Gym Leaders to join your side." He explained to me, "The news is already bursting with anticipation about what you're going to be announcing. I don't think there will be a better moment than this."

So I left him with the preparations as I intended to relax for the night. However, just before dinner began with my parents, there was a knock on the door. Someone had delivered a package – and I suspect I knew who.

This was my girlfriend's mysterious gift to me, and it was large box with the word 'Fragile' stamped onto it.

Under the watchful eyes of my parents, I carefully unwrapped and opened up the box, and my eyes widened as I saw what was within. Or rather, the many things that were within.

First and foremost was a large certificate that labelled me as an honorary member and explorer of the Celestic Town Research Centre, with a badge containing the same qualification. There was also a letter included which explained that, in light of my aid in helping the Research Centre with making some significant discoveries, they wanted to award this to me as thanks for my contributions. The letter also explained that this was a decision made unanimously by the many researchers and explorers working there, and not a decision made unilaterally by Cynthia.

That was touching. Previously, I relied on my connection with Cynthia to even stay at the Research Centre. But now, this was proof that I had made some friends amongst the people there, and despite not being there for a very long time, I had earned their respect and trust. They said that they were always willing to have me over if I ever came to Sinnoh.

In practical terms, that meant that I was allowed free reign to stay at their facilities – even without Cynthia's invitation. Not that I would stay there without telling her, but it was the thought that counted. I was also allowed to delve into their caves independently, though they still recommended that I bring a group just in case.

And, more importantly for my parents, I had gotten my own title – 'Honorary Explorer'. For someone that didn't have much of a formal education in my youth due to my parents' poverty, this was very meaningful for them. As parents, I knew that academic recognition was something they valued, and this was practically that, even if it was mostly ceremonial. It obviously wasn't as important as me getting into the Elite Four, but I could feel their proud and relieved gazes on me when they stared at the certificate.

"If you ever step down from the Elite Four, maybe you could work there as a backup." My dad jokingly said to me, "That is, if you don't want to immediately join up with the family business."

"I don't have any plans on stepping down anytime soon, but it's nice to have that option open." I agreed.

Other than that, the box also contained a framed photograph of me at the forward base speaking with a few of the scientists during our expedition to find the Icicle Plate. Drake was also in the photo, though he was in the background. The back of the photo was signed by a lot of people who were also a part of that expedition, with more words of thanks for helping them find the Icicle Plate.

I had insisted to them at the time that it was a team effort, but I guess they still wanted to show their appreciation.

Still, with my parents' insistence, the certificate was immediately hung straight in the middle of our living room, next to all the other memorable photos that we had taken. It was placed next to the photo of me at my swearing in ceremony when I had first become an Elite Four. The other photo with me talking to the scientists was kept in my room. The fact that it was signed made it more personal.

So as I laid down in bed that day, I made sure to thank Cynthia and tell her to pass on my appreciation to all those people the Research Centre for the wonderful gift. I also sent her some money for her to buy a crate of alcohol on my behalf for everyone as a sort of 'late celebration' gift for finding the Icicle Plate.

That got a few laughs out of her, as she promised that she'd make sure that no one got too blackout drunk.

All this was just a reminder that, despite all of the politics that I was doing where I was trying to shape the future of Indigo, sometimes the small things mattered too. Yes, I had helped the people at the Research Centre make some big discoveries, but if I had been rude or had lorded my status over them during my time there, or had I ignored them completely in favour of Cynthia, I doubt they would have taken the time to put together this heartfelt gift.

And that meant just as much as my new proposal did.

The New Normal – 11-10 – Interlude – Koga

Pride and glory were normally concepts that he cared little for. He did not disdain or abhor them; they simply did not take up much of his own thoughts during his day-to-day life. He had taken up his duties as a Gym Leader because he saw it as his obligation to do so, not for any personal glory or sense of accomplishment.

However, he would be lying if he said that he was entirely devoid of pride or ambition.

Koga stared out of the window as he idly gazed at the sights of Fuschia. Its traditions. Its history. Its culture. Despite hardly being the most prosperous of all the cities in Kanto, Fuschia City had its own unique appeal in the fact that it was still one of the most traditional and culturally wealthy cities in the region. With Lavender Town being its only 'rival' in this respect.

Yet he had heard rumours that Lavender Town was going to be under new management soon, one that desired to revitalise the sleepy town into one with more modern aesthetics. For better and for worse.

Koga never considered himself to be one of those hardcore and stubborn traditionalists who would decry and denounce any attempt to change the status quo. No, he understood that change was an inevitable aspect of life, and there was no use trying to stubbornly refuse it.

At the same time, he was someone that still appreciated and loved many traditions of the past. He thought that there was a unique beauty in celebrating the past and preserving their culture, though not to the point of obsession.

Yet he understood that his perspective was one that was growing increasingly rare in this day and age. With the downfall of Pryce and his group of lackeys, and the collapse of the traditionalists in Sinnoh, it wasn't difficult to see why there were an increasing number of people that had taken to view anyone who considered themselves to be a 'traditionalist' in a negative light.

Nor did Koga blame them. He was also disgusted and frankly appalled at the sheer level of stupidity of the actions that were taken in the name of 'preserving their history', especially from Sinnoh. Who tries to stubbornly keep their own borders closed when it's clear that the public all want otherwise?

So it was no wonder that the public of Kanto and Johto – or perhaps it was Indigo nowadays – would be so taken with the successes that John had achieved. The changes that he introduced, and his willingness to embrace a more unified world, had been dazzling to many.

He didn't disagree, especially not after seeing the myriad of positive changes and benefits that these policies have blessed their region with. Koga knew that part of the reason why the other Gym Leaders didn't make a fuss with supporting John's new proposal was because they had been busy reaping the benefits of all his success.

After all, it was far easier to come across as a popular and well-liked Gym Leader if the economy was doing well.

However, it seemed like John's desire to create change and to craft the world of their vision had unintentionally created the side effect of leaving behind – or even bulldozing over – some of the more traditional aspects of their culture and society.

He could imagine the day that the Fushcia City that he knew from birth was renovated to become something like New Mauville – a modernised yet 'soulless' new shopping mall. The culture and rich history of his beloved city would be all but forgotten should that happen.

That thought unsettled him.

This was why he had been in talks with a few of his fellow Gym Leaders and other prominent individuals from Kanto and Johto alike. Most importantly, he had spoken with Gym Leader Erika and the Kimono Girls from Ecruteak City. The latter were a surprisingly outspoken political voice of Ecruteak, and were considered to be one of the major powers behind the running of the city.

They all shared his ideas of wanting to preserve the traditions and cultures of Indigo. Not to the point of stifling all further progress, but just enough so that the traditions of the past wouldn't be forgotten amidst all of the changes that were being implemented.

However, Koga knew that, from his position as a Gym Leader, he wouldn't have the influence or power necessary to ensure that his treasured traditions could be protected. He considered John a friend, especially thanks to his sister's closeness with his daughter, but purely soft power might not be enough.

No, he knew that if he wanted to make a difference – to prove to the world that not all traditionalists needed to be painted with the same negative brush – then he needed to be more than just a Gym Leader.

He needed to join the Elite Four.

But if he was going to challenge the Elite Four, he needed to be able to beat one of their members. Issuing an official challenge to John was obviously out of the question; there were easier ways to be humiliated in front of a massive crowd than to fight him.

He had heard that Agatha was on the way out. And considering that she had her apprentice tearing through the Indigo Conference, he could pretty much figure out her intentions. He respected her enough to not try to disrupt her plans; not that he realistically could.

So that just left Lorelei and Will. On paper, it would make more sense for him to challenge Lorelei. She was considered the weaker trainer, though he doubted that was still the case, and she didn't have such an obvious Type advantage against him.

However, Will was untested, and prone to arrogance. He knew that Will had tempered some of his showboating in recent times, but Koga knew as well as anyone did how difficult it was to change one's innate nature. Pride was a difficult thing to quash. And it was that innate pride that he intended to exploit.

Lorelei was naturally more cautious, and she might be more alert to the surprises that he had in mind.

It was unfortunate that Will was knocked out in the first round of the Tournament. Had he done better, Koga would have had more opportunities to properly study his team. Yet from what he saw from Will's performance, he knew that it would still be a difficult fight, but one that was very much winnable.

And in the worst case scenario, should he lose to Will, he still had another opportunity to challenge Lorelei in a few months' time as well. His plans were not so urgent that they needed to be enacted immediately.

Thinking about the future, Koga closed his eyes and let out a minute sigh. He knew that joining the Elite Four meant leaving the Gym to Janine's young hands. Obviously, she wouldn't be expected to handle the Gym alone, and he had a trusted group of subordinates that could basically run the Gym in his place and assist and support her in the case of his departure. She would not have to manage the Gym by herself.

However, had she been alone like she used to be a year ago, then he would have never considered leaving the Gym to her hands so quickly. Previously, he knew how much his daughter idolised him, and wished to follow in his footsteps – to the detriment of everything else. She was isolated and friendless, and he feared that making her a Gym Leader too soon would only further isolate her from forming potential friendships.

No father wanted that for their daughter.

Yet now, he had seen her friendships with Whitney and Sabrina. He had seen how close the trio were with each other, and how they always took some time at night to speak to each other. He had seen how the trio all worked together to push themselves and each other to become better. He had seen how his daughter smiled happily every time she spoke to him about her new friends.

No, she wasn't alone any longer. And even if she were to take up the reins of the Gym, those bonds of friendship would never be broken. She would not remain isolated and friendless as he once feared. Therefore, he felt confident that he could safely leave the Gym to her capable hands.

And allow him to focus on his ascension into the Elite Four.

The New Normal – 11-11 – Politics in Action

With all of the preparations in place, Lance and I worked together to organise and have everything in place and ready in time for the next Committee meeting. There was no need to delay things any further; better to strike while the iron was still hot.

I walked into the meeting room with a confident smile on my face, ignoring the many stares and whispers that were directed my way. None of my preparations were subtle, and I was fairly certain that the many politicians in the room had all somewhat guessed my intentions already, so they were just waiting for the hammer to drop.

I think Agatha found it amusing to watch them squirm.

"You must be pleased with yourself." She told me as I arrived. I was surprised that she had arrived earlier than me, "I don't think I've ever seen you so active for any of your previous plans. Then again, none have been as ambitious as this."

"Did Karen tell you about what I was planning?" I asked, though I wasn't being accusatory. I didn't mind if Karen told Agatha.

But Agatha shook her head, "The girl had no need to. Or did you think I wouldn't be able to figure it out myself? I pieced everything together when you went to speak with that old Ice bastard."

"I did too. You weren't being very subtle with it, unless that was your intention." Will's voice came from behind us, and I turned to watch him saunter into the room, "Greetings again, John! I knew today would be an important occasion, so I dressed up particularly fancy today. Do you like the new look?"

...I blinked, but he didn't look any different. He literally looked the same as usual, but I didn't want to wipe the proud smile off his face.

"You look as immaculate as ever. I'm sure a reporter will make note of your attire today." I lied blatantly, and judging Agatha's rolling eyes, I wasn't subtle with it. Still, the pleased grin on Will's face told me that he bought it.

Though Agatha was not nearly as polite, "Bah. You look like the same preening ponce as ever. Maybe you should try wearing a different colour next time if you want to attract attention."

Surprisingly, Will didn't take it badly and tapped a finger on his chin, "Hmm...a change of colour might be good, but it could ruin my image. After all, purple IS my colour. Maybe I could try blue?"

Then he looked around, "Speaking of blue, is Lorelei going to be joining us today? I heard she would be."

"She is." I nodded, "I heard they've installed a video camera here and gave her a private room in Sinnoh to allow her to still participate in these meetings."

"Ah, that's good. It's about time we standardised online participation in Committee meetings, especially since we're going to be saddled with far more international duties." Will commented, getting another nod from me. "We shouldn't be missing out on meetings like this just because we're overseas."

And almost as if was coincidence, a member of staff came and plugged in a specialised looking laptop next to us, while another rolled in a large screen attached to a trolley. A few seconds later, and Lorelei's head popped up on the screen.

"Is this work—Oh, hello to you all too." She greeted us with a small wave, "I hope you weren't waiting for me."

"The Dragon is late as usual." Agatha scoffed, "Even though this is supposed to be his shared idea."

"A Champion has many duties he has to attend to. We can forgive a bit of tardiness." Will placated, but he just got another scoff from Agatha.

"Oh, that reminds me, thanks again for your introduction to your business contacts, Will." Lorelei said, ignoring Agatha's previous comments, "It made things a lot easier for me."

"Not a problem." He waved her off, "They wanted to meet with you anyways. I just helped facilitate the meeting. But I heard that they spoke well of you and were pleased to see that you were as neutral as you portrayed yourself. It freed them from their greater fears."

"You mean that they were happy that I wasn't like my uncle." She quipped, but there was no bitterness there.

"They didn't word it like that." Will replied, but I could tell he agreed with her words.

"Ah, I'm assuming you're talking about your Sinnohnian contacts?" I asked, getting a nod from Will.

"Yep, they wanted to meet Lorelei – for obvious reasons – and I just made sure they could arrange a more private meeting with her." Will smiled, "I'm personally happy to see that Indigo is integrating well with the businesses of Sinnoh—"

Whatever Will was about to say next was cut off as Lance swooped into the room, his cape dramatically flowing behind him as he practically marched into the room. The room quickly silenced as all eyes were locked onto Lance, with many waiting for what he was about to say.

Although, amongst the Elite Four, we were less impressed with Lance's 'performance'. I knew that Agatha and Lorelei both were rolling their eyes.

At least Lance had a keen supporter in Will – who eyes shined with intensity as he stared at Lance's flowing cape.

"Thank you all for waiting. I can tell that most of you are eagerly awaiting to see what our new proposal is going to be." He began.

"But you need not wait any longer – I will tell you here and now that the plan that John and I have crafted together is an ambitious one, yet it is one we hope that will tie the bonds of friendships and common identity within Indigo to become even more unbreakable. And to accomplish that, we will be slowly erasing the artificial separation that continue to distance our two regions."

Like we had planned, I'd be sharing the credit for the idea with Lance. It would be better for the both of us if he was the one to announce the idea. As always, I didn't care for the glory – as I had more than enough of it – I just wanted to ensure that this proposal would be successfully passed for the betterment of our region.

"That is why, thanks to John's unending passion and drive for internationalism, we have judged that Indigo is ready to vote on a policy that will shape the future of our region for the years to come. And that plan is – for the Gym Leaders of Indigo to be appointable from either Kanto or Johto!"

There were a variety of responses to Lance's announcement. However, even though there some expected noises of shocked outrage, especially from those who had campaigned on more traditional beliefs, the general reaction was fairly muted. Everyone here was likely a seasoned and experienced politician, so they were likely expecting something like this.

"To clarify, this does not mean that we will be changing any of the current inheritance rights of Gym Leaders. Gym Leaders will continue to be able to pass their position down to their chosen successor, within reason, as usual. However, what this DOES change is the fact that, if there were to be an open spot for a Gym Leader, that Gym Leader may be appointable from either Kanto or Johto – regardless of where that Gym is located." He explained.

"Like I said, I understand that this is quite the radical proposal, and is something that is definitely worthy of much discussion." He continued, forestalling any objections, "That I why I will not be holding a vote on this proposal today. Instead, as some of you may have already realised, we will be inviting the Gym Leaders to express their opinions and vote on the matter before we continue. It is only afterwards shall I put the vote to everyone in the Committee."

There were a few approving nods to that; no one liked it when a proposal was forcefully pushed through. Even if they knew I had likely set the stage in advance with my talks with the Gym Leaders, it still gave everyone a chance to think things over and express their own thoughts.

The latter was especially important for the politicians in the Committee. With how big of a proposal this was, and with us inviting the Gym Leaders, their discussion were undoubtedly going to be televised and reported on. That gave the Committee members an excellent opportunity to use that as a platform to express their own views in hopes to secure more votes for the next election.

"...And so the bomb is dropped." Will muttered, "I wonder how your proposal will be received."

"You will have my support as promised." Lorelei confirmed, and I shot her a thankful nod.

But Agatha was less encouraging with her words, "Have you learnt nothing from your time in the Tournament?" She mocked, "Inviting all of the Gym Leaders here is just asking for an argument to break out. And it'll be televised, no less."

"I'm sure they'll act more professionally in front of the cameras." Will replied, which I agreed with. Agatha just harrumphed.

"Then you have more faith in them than I do." Then a large grin appeared on her face, "Oh how I hope that they'll make a mess of a things. That's always funny to see."

==============

?The gears of politics moved quickly, which was further helped by the fact that the news were excitedly writing all kinds of headlines about the announcement of my proposal. Opinion pieces, discussions, and debates had spontaneously taken place throughout the region as many political thinkers talked about what this would mean for the future of the region.

The discussions weren't limited to only in Indigo. Hoenn and Sinnoh were quick to hear about the news and had joined in, throwing in their own opinions on the matter.

With the foreign regions, the main thing they were talking about was if, hypothetically, Gym Leaders could be appointed from ANY region. In other words, what if a Gym Leader for a Gym in Sinnoh could be appointed from Hoenn or Indigo, for example.

That was seen as a little too far for the time being, even with Hoenn, but it was an interesting discussion to be had anyways. And it did open up the possibility of such a thing being implemented in the future. When Wallace and Cynthia were asked about their opinions on the matter, they both said that they believed it would be a nice ideal to work towards, and something that could be considered for the future.

Returning back to the local scene, from what my team and I saw from the collected news reports and online, the initial reaction to the announcement from the public were generally favourable. Obviously, not everyone was in support, and there were a few minor protests that broke out that wanted to block this policy from going through.

However, many within the public were adopting a wait-and-see approach, holding on to their opinion until AFTER the Gym Leaders had their discussion and vote. It was clear that most of the public had a high degree of trust in their Gym Leaders, and would support their views accordingly.

That was perfectly fine with me. As long as the announcement didn't cause the public to turn immediately hostile against me, that was all I hoped for. And I at least had a few big fans of mine who were already supportive from the get go.

Thanks to all the attention that my proposal garnered, and the fact that the Committee unanimously agreed to have the Gym Leaders be invited as soon as possible, we actually managed to send out and invite the Gym Leaders on the day – meaning they could come in the very next day.

Was it a little rushed? Yes. Did anyone care? No. The Gym Leaders all knew what was coming, and they were all already prepared for the invitation.

As everyone huddled into the League building, the Committee room was packed to the brim with people, as news reporters, League officials, Committee members, all of the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and everyone else was crammed into a room that was definitely not fit to host this many people.

In the end, we decided to just move the whole thing to a different, and larger, room. It wouldn't make for good television if you couldn't make out any of the faces due to how squished everyone was.

That was where I found myself now. Standing next to my fellow Elite Four members in the repurposed training room with chairs and tables temporarily placed down just for this meeting. Though we were mostly here to spectate – this wasn't the time for us to add our contributions. Today was for the Gym Leaders to have their say.

"Smart thinking relocating to a training room." Agatha said to me, "IF and when the sparks do fly – at least the room is already reinforced." She cackled.

Despite her words, there didn't seem to be any sign of a brewing argument happening amongst the Gym Leaders. I spotted a few unfriendly stares, most notably from Surge to Pryce and vice versa, but nothing nearly as bad as Agatha was suggesting.

It was also interesting to see the dynamics of the Gym Leaders in full display, now that they were in their home turf. When we were in Hoenn, there was no posturing or power plays between them outside of your occasional 'friendly' jokes, because everyone knew that we were there to 'have fun' and, more importantly, because we were in foreign territory.

However, now that we were home, it was blindingly obvious that the jockeying for influence and posturing had long since begun.

Giovanni stood proud at the centre of pretty much everyone's attention. He was already influential enough before, but over the past year, with his public support of me, his famous charitable efforts, and his performance in helping drive off the false accusations levied by Team Rocket, meant that he had firmly entrenched himself as one of, if not the most, popular and influential amongst the Gym Leaders. Even amongst the Johtonians.

Speaking of the Johtonians, just like Giovanni said, the most influential figures were Pryce and Clair, where they competed for the top spot. It was very clear who supported who, as Clair had the Gym Leaders Thorn (who was probably Bugsy's uncle) of Azalea and Gym Leader Chuck of Cianwood standing close to her, while Pryce had Gym Leader Morty and Falkner's father of Ecruteak and Violet respectively standing next to him.

Notably, both Jasmine and Lewis, of Olivine and Goldenrod respectively, were standing slightly apart from them, as if to signify their neutrality. I could understand Jasmine's neutrality on account of her being a new Gym Leader, but why was Lewis neutral?

Still, it was a bit eye-opening to see how close both of them were in terms of influence. Honestly, I was surprised to see just how much support that Pryce still retained despite how he lost his position as Champion. I thought that Pryce's more abrasive attitude would have driven away potential supporters, but then I realised that Clair had the exact same problem.

She was arrogant and proud. It didn't help that she looked like she was looking down at the other Gym Leaders with disdain, even if that might not be her intention. She just had a really unlikeable resting bitch face.

By every metric, Clair should be dominating the Gym Leaders of Johto with her connection to Lance and her personal strength as a powerful Dragon trainer. Yet it seemed like she never managed to fully consolidate her leadership over the other Gym Leaders, which allowed Pryce to consolidate his own base of support.

Regardless, I was at least pleased to see that neither the Waterflower sisters or Brock were being looked down upon. I saw that they were invited into the small talk, and were generally treated like a fellow peer. Those two had come a long way when it came to their reputations, and I only hoped that that would continue to grow.

Yet I did notice that Lewis was surprisingly isolated from all the other Gym Leaders, with no one really willing to talk to him. He was definitely one of the older Gym Leaders here, which should mean that he would have the connections, but no one seemed willing to speak to him. Even weirder, I noticed a few less-than-subtle looks of disdain being shot his way by a few of his fellow Gym Leaders when he wasn't looking.

That was...strange. Perhaps there was a reason for it?

With all the posturing out of the way, the formal discussions could finally begin.

Giovanni led off first, "I see little reason why we need to discuss this topic any further. We have been promised that we would be able to evaluate and pass judgment on whoever is appointed to be the first foreign Gym Leader. They will act as a suitable test subject to see if this idea works. There is little reason to decline."

"My opinion on this likely does not need to be stated." Clair followed up, "After all, it is better to have a foreign Gym Leader than an incompetent one. This proposal would open up the talent pool to more suitable candidates, rather than those appointed for less-than-noble reasons. No one likes a useless Gym Leader."

"And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Pryce sniped, "But let us not beat around the bush. I am not against this policy."

"I would have thought that you would hate this, knowing how prickly you are." Blaine pointed out.

"And you should think before you speak, or are you still plagued by that hot-headedness of yours?" Pryce fired back, then continued as Blaine bristled, "It is not impossible for one to change their opinions. And I have seen the winds of change blow through our region, enough for me to say that I am not against this new proposal. I am willing to support a test run, as Giovanni has mentioned. The power is still retained by us to remove an unsuitable candidate, so there is little reason to refuse."

"Like anyone would believe you of all people would have a change of heart, Pryce." Surge mocked, "Everyone knows you still have an icicle up your ass after your stint as Champion. We all know you're only supporting this because you're getting something out of it. Besides, I know I ain't as bright-eyed and trusting as John – I think this policy comes too soon. We have only started to mend our relations, we should give it a few more years before we reconsider this proposal."

"Let us keep this conversation as civil as possible, please." Samson quickly cut in before Pryce could respond, "There's no need to be so hostile."

"Eh, I don't necessarily disagree with Surge." Chuck piped up, "I also think this comes a little too soon. Should we not wait until later to push this through?"

"And if we wait longer, then we will simply be having the same arguments in a few years' time as we are now." Jasmine denied, "There will never be a 'perfect' time, but if we want to start overcoming our regional prejudices, then now is as good of a time as ever. Unless you truly believe that a person could not be an effective Gym Leader simply because they were not born in that region."

"Aye, I don't agree with that nonsense, that's true." Chuck nodded, "Oh well, objection rescinded."

"We have spoken much on our ability to remove the new foreign Gym Leader, but how many votes exactly would it take to remove them?" Koga asked, "Would a simple majority be enough? Or would it require a super majority? Or does it have to be unanimous?"

"I believe that is a discussion that we must have." Giovanni nodded, "In fact, why don't we take this one step further. Since we are all already gathered here today, should we not take this opportunity to formalise a new proposal that would help us ensure that us Gym Leaders remain competent in their duties?"

And then, to my surprise, Giovanni began to speak about his own proposal – where he proposed that the Gym Leaders should have the power to vote out any of their own if 5 out of the remaining 7 Gym Leaders of that region deemed them to be unsuitable. Should the League not agree with their decision, they must provide a reasonable and public explanation as to why they are NOT going to remove the Gym Leader in question. Failing this, then the denounced Gym Leader would be removed.

Of course, this would also apply to any new foreign Gym Leaders as per my own proposal. So instead of having a 'test run' where they could vote out the first foreign Gym Leader if they were incompetent like I initially suggested, they would simply have that power in general.

What shocked me was that ALL of the Kanto Gym Leaders quickly nodded in agreement, as if the entire thing had been planned from the very beginning. Giovanni must have already discussed this and prepared them in advance.

He had always intended to propose this.

Previously, the rule was that a Gym Leader could only be removed if 80% of the public voted to remove them OR if the Committee voted to remove them. With this new rule, it gave the Gym Leaders more of a say in policing their own.

Then, with none of the Johto Gym Leaders objecting to Giovanni's proposal, and instead actually being in support of it, his proposal had the unanimous consent of all of Indigo's Gym Leaders. And, by announcing it as publicly as he did, Giovanni had basically presented a fait accompli to the Committee. They were practically forced to agree to it.

I saw a few strangled looks on a few Committee members as they were outplayed, but personally I didn't really care about it. Gym Leaders being able to police their own was, as far as I saw, a perfectly reasonable rule to have. Meanwhile, the Elite Four next to me seemed to either be in agreement, or they met the new proposal with the same indifference. It wasn't hard to guess who was indifferent about it.

Moving on from this short distraction, the Gym Leaders returned to the original topic of discussion. There was a bit more back and forth, but it soon became clear that a conclusion was about to be made.

Ultimately, the current roster of Gym Leaders were mostly in support, either due to their own personal beliefs or thanks to my politicking. There was never going to be an unanimous agreement, but those that opposed my new policy weren't doing so vehemently. Perhaps the extra voting power that they just got from Giovanni helped smooth over any unpleasant feelings that might have arisen.

Eventually, the discussion was over, and the vote was held. Out of the 16 Gym Leaders of Indigo, 13 of them supported my proposal. Only Surge, Morty, and Lewis voted against it. Meaning that I had over 75% of the vote in support. I smiled as I saw it.

That was as huge indicator for the Committee that my proposal was a popular one, and I held on to the hope that a similar result could be produced there.

And Lance clearly felt the same way, as right after the Gym Leader vote was over, he quickly requested that the Committee vote be held within the next hour, as he argued that everyone was already here and they might as well not waste time.

I knew that he was just trying to capitalise on the momentum.

During the next hour, I made sure to thank all of the Gym Leaders that voted in support, and also speak to those who didn't to make sure there were no hard feelings between us. Surge was surprisingly friendly despite being my most vocal detractor.

"I know I ain't always right. Thinking was never my strong suit." He chuckled, "But you seem to have a good head on your shoulders, and if the rest of the Kanto Gym Leaders think you're good, then maybe I was just wrong. I trust you have our best intentions at heart, even if you're young, so I'll be there to help keep things calm if it goes tits up."

That was nice of him.

I also spoke with Morty, who also greeted me with a friendly smile, "I hope there're no hard feelings between us." He said to me, "I just don't think such changes need to be made. Gym Leaders are always tied to their own regions – that's just how I see it."

"Well I hope that I can change your perception on that soon." I replied, "Gym Leaders are pillars of our region, but there's no need to restrict them from being from a certain location."

He shrugged, "Perhaps. Ecruteak has always been conservative and traditional, so we'll be keeping an eye on how this plays out."

After the hour was over, the Committee members all reconvened for the final portion of this long meeting. They had spent the last hour deliberating amongst themselves, and now was the time to see if all that effort that I had spent to pushing this through would be successful.

Before the voting began, us Elite Four had one last opportunity to speak. I obviously gave one last firm statement of support, and Will and Lorelei both said that they would follow the will of the Gym Leaders.

And there was Agatha's 'speech'.

"Are you really going to be the one who will publicly disagree with the majority opinion of the Gym Leaders?" She challenged mockingly to the Committee members, "Is that something you have the guts to do?"

That got her plenty of offended looks, but she didn't care at all. Was it appropriate for her to say such things in such a formal setting? Absolutely not. Did anyone who mattered care? No, because we pretty much agreed with her.

And with all our speeches over, it finally became time for voting.

First came Giovanni's own proposal to grant Gym Leaders the power to vote out one of their own. As I expected, the Committee quickly voted it through, almost unanimously.

Then came my own. I felt my hands clutched nervously below the desk as I watched the yay's and nay's come in. Every time I heard a 'nay' I felt my hands clutching tighter and tighter.

But eventually, the votes were all gathered up, and one of the League officials announced the results. My mind instinctively skipped over much of the formality, and only focused on the final part.

"...Therefore, the Committee have chosen to approve this new proposal with a clear majority. From today onwards, the Gym Leaders of Indigo will now be appointable from either Kanto or Johto."

And with a bang of Lance's gavel, we had issued in the beginnings of what I hoped to eventually be a fully unified Indigo.