The New Normal - A Pokémon Elite 4 SI by CartecFF

Chapter 31: 121-124

The New Normal – 6-10 – INTERLUDE – Pokenet Reactions

[IS SILPH CO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK AT DEVON CORP!? An anonymous report states that this was an act of corporate espionage!?] By The Hoenn Times

[Picture of Silph Co, Team Rocket, and Devon Corp side by side]

[Picture of Drake and John talking in the distance]

After our report yesterday detailing the attack at Devon Corp, it has appeared that more alarming information has just been released.

According to a few unconfirmed reports, there seems to be evidence that links the large business titan of Indigo to the attacks at Devon Corp. If this proves to be true, then that gives a huge amount of evidence to the theory that Team Rocket had been contracted to perform an act of corporate espionage, where they would steal certain files from Devon Corp and sell them to Silph Co.

Unfortunately, as the reports remain unsubstantiated at the moment, we decided to reach out to our colleagues in Indigo where they managed to snag an interview with Steven Stone, the heir to Devon Corp. When asked about his thoughts on the incident, he had this to say.

"As soon as I heard about the attack, my first instinct was to rush back to check if things were okay. Then, my next thought was that I would do all that I could to punish these criminals for daring to strike out at my company. But my father managed to reassure me, and ultimately persuaded me to remain in Indigo."

"As for these 'reports' about Silph Co's involvement, I don't buy it for an instant. As one of Silph Co's greatest competitors, I naturally have had frequent correspondences with their board of directors. They would not do something like this; it is far too much of a risk for too little gain. Therefore, I am almost certain that the real culprit is trying to frame Silph Co to disguise their own actions."

When asked about who he suspected that culprit was, Steven unfortunately had no answers. However, he remained adamant in his statement of Silph Co's innocence. And now, this writer is unsure of what to think.

And an important event to point out is Elite John's arrival into Hoenn, where he was found deep in conversation with Elite Drake and Devon Corp CEO Joseph Stone. What were they discussing? And why was he called over here so quickly? Could the situation be more serious than what we expected?

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Silph Co is as innocent as Steven claims they are? Tell us in the comments!

Comments

NotTooMuchWater

Okay, what the fuck?! I thought Team Rocket were dead in the water. Firstly, how the fuck did they suddenly resurface like this. And secondly, since when did Silph Co perform sneaky shit like this?!

What is going on!?

ANormalFan

If John's here, then the situation must be serious! I'm proud of him for helping out, but the last time he was there we had the battle at Olivine!

Well if the hero of Olivine is there, then I'm sure he'll help handle everything in Hoenn!

KantoRepresent

I have never been more furious at seeing such SLANDER on the news. Silph Co is a pillar of Kanto, and a shining example of our success! It is one of Kanto's greatest businesses. It would never lower itself to employ the likes of Team Rocket! Never!

This has 'criminal scheme' written all over it. I refuse to believe that this could ever be true!

TangelaThoughts

I'm hesitant to believe this. It really feels like something coming of left field, with little to no evidence supporting it. And if Steven Stone, the heir to Devon Corp, is denying the validity of these accusations, then I certainly won't be disagreeing with him.

SlugmaBalls

I don't know what to think. Until I can see clear evidence from a more reliable source that Silph Co is truly innocent, then I'm going to remain wary. I totally believe that big businesses would engage in corporate espionage like this.

KantoRepresent

[This user has been banned from this thread. You are not allowed to verbally harass someone just because they do not share the same views as you.]

FutureAce

Yeah...I don't really see it. But I do also want to see some evidence that Silph Co is actually innocent in this. If they are, it shouldn't be hard to prove, right?

GeneralistGeneral

Not to be THAT guy, but anyone know what kind of Pokémon that Team Rocket are fielding now? They used to use only use Pokémon like Raticate, Arbok, and Golbat, so I was wondering if they had anything new now?

TangelaThoughts

@GeneralistGeneral That's actually a good question, since if we knew about the type of Pokémon they were using, we could try to prove if Silph Co was the one backing them after all.

But unfortunately, the news has been silent on this. Hopefully they'll give the public more information soon.

AlluteNinja

I don't believe it. This is way too stupid for Silph Co to attempt. They barely even covered their tracks!

ILoveGoldenRod

Ehhh this is the kind of scheme-y stuff that happens behind the scenes. Who knows if it's true or not. If it is, I hope Hoenn doesn't unjustly blame the entire region for the actions of one company. That would be unfair!

RocketGrunt

See! I told you all that the next time Team Rocket would attack it wouldn't be like Olivine!

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?[HUGE ATTACK AT MT. PYRE! DOZEN OF GRUNT CAPTURED BY A JOINT OPERATION WITH THE ELITE FOUR!] By The Hoenn Times

[A view of Mt. Pyre from the bottom. Smoke clouds can be seen rising into the air from the summit]

Today proves that those who had assumed that Team Rocket had been collared and neutered were wrong, as a huge raid had taken place by their members on Mt. Pyre. According to the reports, they were seeking to steal the Red and Blue Orbs, priceless cultural artifacts of Hoenn that they likely intended to sell for huge amounts of money.

Luckily, the Hoenn Police were either able to respond in time, or more likely, they had been aware of this attempt and had acted alongside Elite John and Elite Drake to ambush and capture these grunts before they could escape with their stolen treasures.

According to many eye-witness reports, the fighting broke out on the summit, very near where the Orbs had been located. The Jenny's were able to put up a good fight, but they were slowly overwhelmed by the grunt's greater numbers and surprising level of training. Yet the tides were quickly turned with the arrival of the two Elite Four members, who were able to round up and eliminate the threat before they could do any more damage.

Overall, it was a very successful operation, and this writer hopes to see more like it, as it has become clear that the threat of Team Rocket still remains.

Comments

NotTooMuchWater

Holy shit...this is huge. So glad they didn't get away with this, because what the fuck!? How long was this planned for?! At least it was only to steal something that, while culturally significant, isn't something else of importance.

Still, glad they were stopped in time.

ANormalFan

WOO! John at it again with crushing Team Rocket! Knew he would do it!

FutureAce

Wow! What is going on in Hoenn these days!? First the raid on Devon Corp, and now this attack at Mt. Pyre?! This is crazy!

FearTheRat

As bad as this looks, it seems that at least Team Rocket is still pretty monetary focused if they're targeting something they can probably sell. It could be worse.

GeneralistGeneral

Once again, did anyone see what kind of Pokémon they employed? Or did they really do this with a horde of Raticate, Arbok, and Golbat?

TangelaThoughts

@GeneralistGeneral Nope. Everything's being kept under lock-and-key for the time being, which is understandable considering what just took place. I imagine the Hoenn Police are very keen to keep every bit of information under wraps for the time being.

Maybe we'll hear more about it after everything's been wrapped up. Hope that does happen soon. I really don't want to see Team Rocket rampaging around Hoenn like they did in Indigo.

RockGetGrunt

Oh shit. This is really going to turn into a huge mess.

UnderTheSea

As I said, they played with magma, and now they got caught. Typical scum.

FloorIsLava

Wasn't this those pirates we saw last time? I told you they were up to no good.

AreYouSlowBro

Woah...so much has happened...since when did Team Rocket become a thing again?

FlyingHigh

...Have you not been on the news?

AreYouSlowBro

...no.

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

?[RAIDS BEGIN AGAINST TEAM ROCKET! HOENN POLICE STRIKING BACK AGAINST COMBINED TEAM OF CRIMINALS!] by The Hoenn Times

[Picture of a raid in progress, with Drake circling a building on his Flygon while John's Snorlax can be seen busting in a door]

It seems that the Hoenn Police have been very busy and active after their successful ambush at Mt. Pyre, as they have been hard at work busting in doors and raiding facilities of what appears to be criminal hideouts.

Just like their ambush at Mt. Pyre, these raids seem to be very fruitful as hordes of grunts could be seen being marched out in handcuffs after each raid. While the Hoenn Police has adamantly refused to comment about what they have learnt, this writer is confident that they have made great strides into eliminating the threat of these criminals once in for all.

In a recent public statement, a prominent and long-serving committee member had this to say:

"...I am fully confident that the Hoenn Police, with the help of Elite Drake and Elite John, have this matter fully in hand and their efforts will prevent these criminals from causing any more harm. Once again, I would like to remind the public that these criminals are no threat to the average Hoenn citizen, and that there is no need to panic. Everything is well in hand, so please carry on with your daily lives."

However, what a few members of the public have noted is the noticeable absence of the other Elite Four members. They wonder why is it that Drake is the one participating on these raids. Fortunately, we managed to reach out to Elite Phoebe, who provides a little bit of insight into what was going on behind the scenes:

"The rest of us in the Elite Four were very eager to get involved like Drake is. Even the Champion wanted to get involved. However, the Committee, after much deliberation, has decided that it would be an unsuitable use of our time since Drake and John clearly have it handled. While I'm sure that they do, I believe that our participation would have added to the safety of these raids while also allowing us to strike at more locations to capture more of these criminals."

"It is safe to say that I am disappointed in the Committee for their decision, though I will reluctantly acquiesce to their judgment. Despite this, I know for certain that we have all been hard at work, especially Wallace, in ensuring that Drake and John get the support that they need to continue their string of successes. I really do wish them the best of luck!"

So, it appears that the Committee had apparently chosen to keep the other Elite Four members back to handle other matters. A very useful insight. Personally, this writer feels that the Committee should have prioritised ensuring the elimination of Team Rocket over any other priorities. But what do our readers think? Feel free to let us know in the comments!

Comments

FrostQueen (Verified POG)

I would just like to back up Phoebe's statements here. If the Committee has chosen a course of action, it ultimately is the duty of the Elite Four to stick to the majority decision of our publicly elected servants. Regardless of their reasoning.

DarkRebel (Verified POG)

Likewise. Though it may pain us to do so, this is the decision that the Committee has come to, and we shall uphold it. And, truthfully speaking, the Committee are not wrong when they say that Drake and John have things well in hand. They have my full trust and support that they can handle such matters.

NotTooMuchWater

Well...I can't really say that the committee are fully in the wrong. The situation right now is far from what had occurred in Indigo, so I can't say that the full deployment of all the Elite Four would have been necessary.

SlugmaBalls

Glad that these criminals are getting hit and are hurting! About time we delivered some payback! Also, don't really care either way if the other Elite Four get involved, so long as the threat is handled.

If the situation doesn't require all of the Elite Four members, then it's probably not too serious.

AlluteNinja

Really do hope that this really puts a dent in whatever future plans these criminals have. I really don't want to see yet another resurgence, but I'm not holding my breath.

RockGetGrunt

Anyone else think that the Hoenn Police really ought to stop with these raids? I mean surely they got all of them by now! There's no need to continue breaking into private property, right?

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

?[AD: Get fresher Moomoo milk in Johto! A new branch of the Smith family Moomoo milk has just been established!]

With the recent establishment of our new farm in Johto, you can be sure that the Moomoo milk that you purchase in the many stores in Johto will be as fresh as they can be!

Be sure to get your rejuvenating Moomoo milk today! Your Pokémon will thank you for it!

==========

?[Indigo brings their 'International Police' alongside Elite Lorelei?! New group formed by Champion Lance to combat the recent rise of terrorism!] by The Hoenn Times

[Photo of Lorelei arriving in Indigo, followed by the newly formed Interntional Police]

After the turmoil and struggles that we had just gone through this week in Hoenn, following the series of raids that took place against the recent resurgence of criminals, it's nice to see that Indigo has not left us in hanging by ourselves.

The new arrival of the International Police, the brainchild of Indigo's Champion Lance, hopes to serve as both as additional reinforcements for our undoubtedly tired Hoenn Police members, while also serving as an initial test to see if the idea would be well received by the public.

Champion Lance had this to say about his newly created project in his most recent public announcement.

"The International Police has always been an idea that had been floating around in my head for some time. I saw the devastation and horror that Team Rocket brought about in Indigo, and I recognized the need to create a new division that worked alongside the Indigo or Hoenn or Sinnoh Police that were tailor-made to combat this new threat."

"And so, the overall goal of the International Police is to specifically fight back against larger scale terrorist acts and are meant to operate in every region. Thus, members of the International Police will be experts in undergoing special investigations and covert infiltration. You can consider them the Elite of your usual standard Police."

Champion Lance also expressed his personal thanks to the efforts of Elite John and Elite Drake for their great efforts in combating the threat. We are very lucky that we have these trusted Elites to keep us safe.

Well, this writer is certainly very excited to see more regarding this newly formed group! Will Champion's Lance be able to back up his words? Or will his ideas crash and burn around him? We will see!

Comments

IceColdSimp

Finally, some more Lorelei in action! Can't wait to see what she does in Hoenn! I hope Hoenn is prepared for her!

NotTooMuchWater

Wow...didn't expect this, but nice to see some truly good news for once. Really glad to see that Indigo is willing to help out with this, especially when Team Rocket originally originated from them.

FearTheRat

I'm personally rather optimistic about this 'International Police' thing. I thought that it was about time that the Police force of our regions got a little shake up, and this might be just the thing. Excited to see what they'll do.

TangelaThoughts

Really liking this kind of 'Elite' force being established. With the recent terrorist attacks plaguing both regions of Indigo and Hoenn, I think this is a worthwhile response to such a threat.

SlugmaBalls

Happy to see Indigo helping us out! We might not need it, but the intention is nice. Hope we can repay the favour!

TangelaThoughts

@SlugmaBalls I hope they do. It'll be a great step towards forming stronger bonds between the two regions, which can only be a good thing.

==========

?[OPINION: A commentary on the state of the current Indigo circuit and how it's running!] By Exploud Reviews

With the circuit in full swing, its time for my annual blog post about this year's circuit! And man, am I excited to write about it. Especially compared to last year, I think this circuit has some real potential.

Firstly, I wanted to talk about the states of the Gyms in Indigo. To start with, I'd like to highlight just how much better the quality of the Gyms are overall in Indigo. Last year, we had some pretty obvious bad apples that I wrote about, with Pewter and Cerulean being the worst of the bunch. However, it seems like this year both of these Gyms, whether through good decision making or the forced involvement of the League, have managed to get their stuff together!

The Cerulean Gym has seen massive improvements since the last time I was there. Before, it was mostly just a glitzy and showy Gym with very little substance. It was obvious that the Cerulean Gym Leader were struggling with dealing with the myriad of responsibilities of running a Gym. But now, things seem to be running much smoothly, and from what I've heard, the sisters have hired some really competent people recommended to them by Gym Leader Giovanni that have really helped them out! Well, I'm proud to say that the Gym really has turned over a new leaf since then.

And let's not forget about Pewter City. While their improvement was forced upon them by the League, getting Elite Agatha and her apprentice, Karen, involved was not what I expected from them. Still, it was clearly a good choice, as the Gym has quickly seen rapid improvements over the past few weeks. The fights are finally at a balanced level for a 1st Gym Badge, and a sense of discipline has finally been instilled into their Gym trainers. While the Pewter Gym is still far from becoming one of the more prominent Gyms in Indigo or Kanto, it's no longer being poorly handled. I daresay that it has bright days ahead of it!

And not only that, but moving on to the developments at Johto...(Click here to continue reading)

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?[Mt. Moon finally falls under the authority of Cerulean City?! Years of back-and-forth finally decided in favour of Cerulean City!] By The Indigo Post.

[A picture of Mt. Moon]

For those in the know about the inter-city politics of Kanto, today comes as quite the surprise! After many private discussions between the local councils of Pewter and Cerulean, they have made an announcement that Mt. Moon will fall solely under the restriction of Cerulean City!

Mt. Moon has been in quite the awkward spot for the past several years. Located uncomfortably between the two cities of Pewter and Cerulean, there has been a long running dispute between the two cities about which city has authority over the resource-rich Mt. Moon. Understandably, each city would much rather have the lucrative mountain under their control.

However, with the fall of Pewter, and the rise in status of Cerulean, in hindsight it comes to little surprise to find that the local council of Cerulean was able to finally push their authority over this disputed territory. This writer believes that much of the credit for the rise in Cerulean's authority comes from Elite John, born from Cerulean, joining the Elite Four, as well as the rise in popularity and prestige of the once stagnant Cerulean Gym. While the Pewter Gym has recovered slightly from its recent scandals and problems, the prestige of Pewter City has really taken a hit that it could ill afford.

What are your thoughts about this sudden change? Let us know in the comments!

Comments

TangelaThoughts

Not surprised in the least. After seeing John's name pop up in the news so much, as well as the noticeable improvements with the Cerulean Gym, I thought this was a matter of time. Not surprised they pushed for this at all.

Maybe we will see a far more prosperous Cerulean City in the future; perhaps it might even become one of the main landmarks of Kanto? Akin to something like Viridian or Saffron? Going to be interesting to see.

ILoveGoldenRod

I hope Pewter City isn't doing too badly. Everyone seems very focused on all the benefits to Cerulean, but what about Pewter? Why would the Indigo League allow this? The sudden loss of resources to an already declining Pewter might send it down an even more dangerous spiral!

KantoRepresent

@ILoveGoldenRod Firstly, calm down. You're really exaggerating the situation. Secondly, you clearly don't know anything about Kanto if you can say something that wrong. Pewter City will always be there, and it's too culturally significant as the location of the 1st Gym to be destitute. It'll be fine.

FutureAce

Oh cool! I'll be able to buy Moon Stones at Cerulean now! Maybe the prices would have gone down?

FlyingHigh

It's not unusual for new Elite Four members to start building up their home cities. Just look at what Agatha did in Lavender Town, and obviously Lance with Blackthorn City. Considering John's friendship with Agatha, it's not surprising he's followed in her footsteps.

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

?["This ends today!" Gym Leader Giovanni states as he announces the innocence of Silph Co. in the recent attacks against Devon Corp!] By The Indigo Post

[Picture of Giovanni standing outside the entrance to Silph Co with a few documents in his hand]

Previously, there were rumours aplenty about Silph Co's supposed involvement in the recent attack against Devon Corp, where Team Rocket had violently broken in and escaped with several important files. After this incident, there were apparently 'evidence' that had cropped up that accused Silph Co for secretly backing Team Rocket to steal files from Devon Corp, which was supposedly supported by the long-standing rivalry that these two corporate giants had against each other.

However, just early this afternoon, Gym Leader Giovanni made a public announcement on behalf of Silph Co, which he is also a director of, to clear up the air surrounding this issue. His speech can be found online here.

Beyond his speech, he has also made public the details of Silph Co's auditing reports. Anyone interested in looking through it can view it here.

This writer has been through the papers and is convinced and pleased to see that Silph Co's innocence in the attack at Devon Corp cannot be refuted. And with that rousing declaration, this writer is certainly glad that the matter is finally put to rest.

What are the rest of your thoughts about the whole incident now that the truth appears to have been finally brought to light? Let us know in the comments!

Comments

KantoRepresent

HAH! I fucking knew that Silph Co was innocent. And yet I was banned for my unshakeable faith. I hope you doubters know better than to think negatively of one of the critical economic pillars of Kanto. Let's go Giovanni!!

FutureAce

Welp. I don't understand anything from those auditing reports, but I'm sure if everyone else says its okay then I guess I have to take their word for it.

Not that I really doubt Gym Leader Giovanni was going to fake something like that! He's one of the most honest people in Kanto!

GroundedForLife

Yeah! If Giovanni says so, then it must be true! After all, someone as respectable as Giovanni wouldn't dare lie!

Plus, everyone knows Silph Co is a clean company. Them having suspicious 'underworld' connections is ludicrous!

TangelaThoughts

So, this finally confirms that this was no more of a smokescreen for Team Rocket to launch their attack on the Orbs. Crazy that it nearly worked. I guess people are willing to believe anything now, huh.

EDIT: And I noticed that the news companies haven't been including Giovanni's denunciation of the news and their tendency to publish things before researching them first. Tut tut.

SlugmaBalls

So, it was nothing more than fake news?! Shame!

The New Normal – 6-10 – Interlude – Brock

"Brock, could you come over here please?" Karen called out from her office. And it was HER office, even if she was only here temporarily. She had done so much for the Gym in the past few weeks, making sure that it was no longer the dilapidated Gym that it was once known as. Brock felt she easily deserved that distinction many times over.

Who knew the best way to repair the Gym after Flint had ruined it was to practically rebuild it from the ground up? Well, knowing Flint, it probably was best to get rid of anything he touched. Good riddance.

Not wanting to waste any more of her time, Brock quickly stepped into the room. As usual, Karen was buried deep in a pile of paperwork while Agatha sat to the side, observing everything with an amused expression on her face.

He had once previously considered confronting Agatha about her laziness, but he did notice that from time to time, Agatha did intervene whenever Karen needed help. He grew to understand that Agatha was more of a supervisor, making sure that whatever Karen did remained up to a certain standard. She was just acting as the guiding hand.

He persistently ignored the main reason he didn't confront her – she terrified him.

But he would never forget that it was by Karen's efforts that this Gym was saved. He knew how hard she had worked.

"You there, Brock?" Karen asked as she leaned forwards, concern lining her face as she stared at him. Seeing her worried expression ignited something in his 13-year-old body, and Brock had to fight down a blush. He cursed his body's instinctive reaction. She didn't deserve for him to think of her like that.

"I'm fine." He lied, trying to keep his expression blank, "What do you need me for?" Luckily, it didn't seem like Karen had noticed.

"Two things, really." Karen explained as she raised a finger, "One, I want your opinion on how we'll redecorate the Gym's exterior. Now that we've clean up some of the internal administration of the Gym, I think it's about time that we give the Gym a proper makeover to symbolize its new status."

Brock nodded thoughtfully. He remembered how vocal Agatha was when she first saw the Gym. She said some words that he was fairly certain that he wasn't meant to overhear and spent the next few days grumbling about it. However, they were forced to delay any redecoration efforts until they sorted out the Gym first, which he suppose they'd done now.

And, if he could be honest to himself, Brock had felt a certain level of vindication when the idea of redecorating was being floated around. He felt that it would be casting off the influence Flint had on the Gym.

Still, now that it was time for it, he hadn't a clue what they should change it to.

"Um...I don't know how we should change it." He admitted embarrassedly, "Sorry, maybe you could give me some time to think about it?"

Agatha let out a snort, "Bah! Did you think we'd let the redesigning of a Gym be decided by the hands of a 13-year-old?" She shook her head, "Don't worry about that, boy, we'll hire some experts that'll submit some designs. You can have a look at it with your siblings."

Her tongue was harsh as usual, but Brock had spent enough time around Agatha that he knew this was her way of showing that she cared. After spending so much time around her, it wasn't hard to notice that Agatha had always kept an eye out for him and his siblings, making sure they were all looked after and happy.

She put on a fa?ade of being uncaring and unfriendly, but no matter how much she tried to hide it, the various gifts and toys that she frequently bought for them revealed her true feelings.

If only they had a moth-, no, he shouldn't think that. He knew that as kind as Agatha had been, she was only here temporarily. He wouldn't get his hopes up. It was just easier that way.

Unknowing of Brock's inner turmoil, Karen continued, "Yes, we'll let you have a look at a few plans later on." Her voice shook him from his thoughts, and he quickly returned his attention to what Karen was saying.

"As for my second point, I think you've done a good job with handling your duties as a Gym trainer, and now I want you to do more." Karen stated, with Brock nodding eagerly at her words. He had been waiting for these words for nearly a month!

"I feel like now would be a good time to let you take on more duties." She said, "Thus, your old role will be given to Forrest, who I'm sure you know has been quite eager to take up his own responsibilities in the Gym. In the meanwhile, you'll be shifted to serve as the assistant to the Head Gym Trainer. You'll work with them on a day-to-day basis, so that you can learn from all their duties while also continue training up your team."

"If you can accomplish this, boy, then maybe we'll let you handle a few of the harder Gym Battles for us." Agatha added, "We'll need to get you up to snuff, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"I'll continue helping you out with your training whenever I have some free time." Karen continued, shooting him a smile, "You've been making good progress, so let's hope that keeps up."

Brock nodded eagerly, an excited smile on his face. Aside from all the help that they did with the Gym, the thing that he always appreciated was the fact that the two of them treated him with respect, and they never acted condescendingly around him as if he was just some kid.

Though it was hard work, he remained thankful that Karen was willing to give him more and more responsibility, while always being careful to never give more than he could handle. He recognized that his was just their way of preparing him for when he became the Gym Leader after his majority.

Or at least, give him the best chance of doing so.

However, beyond the administrative tasks that they gave him, he was most excited and eager for their occasional sessions of personal training. Brock was greatly honoured that these two excellent trainers were willing to put aside time in their already busy schedules just to give him a few pointers.

He grew up watching Agatha's battles on TV, and now he was being trained by her! And Karen was far more formidable than he first thought – she was easily better than most Gym Leaders that he saw!

Admittedly, he couldn't help but be envious of Karen's Tyranitar when he first laid eyes on it. During his weaker moments, he would occasionally imagine how much easier his life would be if he could have simply started off with a strong Pokémon to begin with, and how much easier his time as a trainer would have been.

But Agatha and Karen were both quick to knock him out of his naivety. There were no shortcuts to strength, only hard work. And he had seen the sheer effort that Karen would put to train her Pokémon, both under the instructions of Agatha and by herself. And this was on top of all of the standard administrative duties as temporary Gym Leader.

He wished he could have even half of that dedication.

And if there was one thing the two of them drilled into him, it was to never let an advantage go. If his Geodude managed to get the pounce on an opponent, then he was to beat them into submission before they got a chance to react. Sneak attacks, capitalizing on weaknesses, and never allowing your opponent to play to their strengths were repeatedly drilled into his mind, day after day.

And his Onix was taught the same lesson. Who says that Onix 'must' be slow? If he could play into those perceptions, he could land a surprise attack that just might win him the fight.

It was very unlike how he was 'taught' to battle, and he wasn't sure if he could fully absorb all of their lessons, but he strove to never let them down. And his increase in strength was very much noticeable. Of course, every time he wanted to show off, Agatha was quick to humble him and never let his head get too big. She was very good at that.

"There's always someone stronger than you." Karen had put it best to him. And it was a motto that he tried to hold close to his heart.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts once again, he politely asked if there was anything else the two needed from him. They didn't, and Brock was about to make his way out before Karen spoke up once more.

"Oh, that's right! Brock, isn't it Yolanda's birthday this weekend?" She asked. Brock gave her a surprised look, not thinking they would even remember. He valiantly stomped down on the emotions that instantly sprouted within him. Eventually, he managed a small nod.

"Excellent. I'll have something ready for her then." She smiled at him, and Brock had to channel whatever inner strength that he had to not react as the flood of emotion threatened to leak out. Unaware of his feelings, Karen just patted him gently on the shoulder, "Off you go then. Try to settle into you new duties and feel free to ask for help if you need it. I'll always be available."

Not trusting himself to react, Brock quickly fled from the room after a quick goodbye. As soon as he was certain that he was out of sight, he punched the wall as the dam finally burst, and the emotions came surging out.

Why?! Why did they have to be so nice to him!? Why couldn't they stay for longer?! It was a bitter realization, but Brock knew that Karen and Agatha, even in the short time that he knew them, were both better parents than his actual ones.

The New Normal – 7-1 – Resettling In

The rest of the trip back to Indigo was pleasantly uneventful. I managed to get some sleep, and time quickly passed as we eventually arrived back at Olivine. As the ship began to dock, a small welcoming party had gathered around us at the pier, with Lance's signature bright red cape being distinct enough to make out even at a distance.

With the ship safely docked, Sidney and I made our way down to greet Lance. The cameras began to flash rapidly as the surrounding cameramen and reporters eagerly swarmed us, hoping to get photos for their next headline.

"Elite Sidney, it's a pleasure to meet you." He greeted him as the two shook hands. "I do hope that the mess back there is being properly sorted out."

"It will be." Sidney assured, "And we hope that the information you gather from these criminals are going to be helpful too." He turned around to look at the prisoners being offloaded from the ship, "Speaking of which, I should go help them out. Is it alright if I speak with you soon, Champion Lance?"

"Absolutely." Lance replied, "Please, take your time. And I do hope you enjoy your stay here in Indigo. Feel free to look me up in my office anytime." Sidney nodded, before moving to help out with the prisoners.

With Sidney walking away, Lance turned to me and patted me on the shoulder with a smile, "Glad to see the conquering hero returning. Good work out there, John. Welcome back home."

I smiled, "Thanks, Lance. I just couldn't sit still when I heard about. Thanks for being so accommodating."

He waved me off, "It's not a problem. Even ignoring all the political benefits of your assistance, standing up against criminals is not something I will condemn." He then looked around and a frown appeared as he saw that many reporters were trying to inch closer nearby to eavesdrop on us.

He leaned in closer, "Actually, let's move this conversation to my office. I need to fill you on what's been going on here." He whispered, "Just give me a moment to check on Sidney and I'll be right back."

He came back a few moments later, and the two of us were quickly teleported to his office. The first thing I noticed was a huge pile of paperwork in his out tray, and just looking at the tall tower made me feel a pang of sympathy for him.

Lance took a swig of water before he began, "Firstly, I wanted to get you up to speed with what the other Elite Four have been doing during the week that you were there in Hoenn. With Lorelei and Agatha, I'm sure you know already, but they're just continuing on their assigned tasks with the International Police and the Gym respectively. As for Will, he's been hard at work speaking to his group of businessmen and other shakers and movers about potentially implementing a new policy that could help support the economic growth of Indigo."

I nodded, they were about what I expected, but I was still pleased nonetheless. Will was the most familiar out of all of us with economic and businesses, so having him discuss these matters was just the logical thing to do. While I wasn't the most familiar with economic policy, even I knew that any plan to continue bolstering the growing economy could only be a good thing.

Lance gave me a moment to process everything before moving on, "Other than that, I want you to tell me what you thought of Team Rocket and their actions. I want to know everything I can so that we'll be ready if they ever try to re-establish a foothold here in Indigo."

Pleased that he was taking the threat of these evil teams so seriously, I straightened up as I started my explanation, "The good news is that I'm confident that they've mostly retreated out of Hoenn. The bad news is that I'm fairly certain they've moved on to Sinnoh instead, but I suppose the psychic interrogations will confirm that."

He nodded, gesturing for me to continue, "As for their training, it's a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, their level of training has significantly improved since their time in Indigo. But they've lost huge amounts of their numbers, though I'd wager quite a few still managed to retreat with them that we failed to catch."

Lance pondered my words for a moment before speaking, "Any chance they could easily recruit back up to their old numbers?"

I shook my head, "Unlikely, though obviously I can't be certain on that. I will say that it appears that the majority of their grunts are true fanatics, utterly devoted to their cause of 'remaking the world'." I said in air quotes, "Those fanatics are hard to come by, and I'm sure their series of losses will make recruiting hard among the more 'rational' criminal population. And even if they do manage to swell up their numbers again, I'd wager it still be a while before they can be trained up back to level I just fought against."

"But what I'm a little more concerned about is the fact that they managed to acquire the Porygon Research." I continued, "It might just give them the edge they need to begin a campaign of hacking and disruption against us."

Lance waved me off, "I've been briefed on that already. I was reassured by the many experts that this situation is being dealt with. They have a team already looking into bolstering our cybersecurity, and I've been told multiple times that their Porygon won't be a threat to us anytime soon. And these 'experts' all know the consequences of being wrong."

Lance's fingers continued tapping idly on his desk, "And I want your honest opinion on these criminals. Are you certain that they're as crazy as you make them out to be? With no exaggeration?"

"I am." I responded immediately; out of everything I had done – stopping the evil teams had to be my highest priority. It didn't matter how much success I managed to achieve politically if these idiots ended up destroying the world. They HAD to be stopped, no matter the cost. And I would be sure to remind everyone who would listen about the threat they posed.

Lance stared me down for a moment, but he eventually withdrew as soon as he saw the honesty shining through my eyes.

"Good." He stated, "Well, in better news, I'll be glad to inform you that your actions in Hoenn have practically revived Indigo-Hoenn relations. Looks like you've wiped out the stain of Pryce's actions with your heroism. You have my sincere thanks for that, you've saved us quite the headache."

"Again, I wasn't going to allow the criminals to run around unchecked. I was just doing what I had to." I said to him.

"Yes, well, your intentions aside, Indigo has benefited greatly from that. We can expect closer cooperation with Hoenn on a multitude of things moving forwards thanks to all the goodwill and good PR you helped build up." He continued, "You've certainly made my life, and Lorelei's, much easier. As I said, I owe you one for this."

I gave him a firm nod, happy that he was honouring his word.

"Anyways, I'm sure you have many other things to get on with now that you're back, so I won't hold up any more of your time. Thanks again, John. And good job." He stood up and patted me on the shoulder.

And with that I shot him a quick thanks before leaving his office. As I left, I could have sworn I could hear a groan coming out of Lance; he must have realized he still had more paperwork to tackle. Putting aside my pity, I went to check my phone for any unread messages, and indeed, saw that there were many.

I put Karen's messages aside for the moment, as they weren't urgent. What WAS urgent was the message that I got from Oak, telling me to 'come to his laboratory immediately'. My mind snapped to the ONLY reason he could have sent me such an urgent message. So with hurried excitement, I quickly fired off a text informing him that I was coming before I scrambled on top of Port to fly over to Pallet Town.

It was a restless flight. And I spent the entire flight over hoping that my prediction was correct.

One anxious flight later, I practically leapt off of Port as we arrived in Pallet Town and made a dash for Oak's office. After a brief knock on his door, I opened it and immediately fell over as something knocked me over in a very enthusiastic tackle.

"Oof." I grunted as I fell to the ground.

"Syl! Syl! Veon!" A melodic voice chimed excitedly as something rubbed themselves against me. I pulled my head up and was met with an image of pink and white. It was Euphie, in her newly evolved form as a Sylveon, hugging me tightly with her new feelers.

As she rubbed herself against me, I couldn't help but break out into a wide smile of my own as I hugged her back. I missed her!

"HAHA! Someone's excited to see their trainer!" A familiar voice, but not Oak's, barked out from my right. I looked up to see Blaine looking at me with a grin on his face. Embarrassed, and probably blushing, I disentangled myself from Sylveon before awkwardly patting her on the head like I hadn't just wrapped her in a big hug.

"Sorry, got too excited there." I replied with a slight blush on my cheeks.

Blaine chuckled, "Don't worry about it sonny, it's to be expected. It's a good thing for a trainer to be so attached to their Pokémon; shows off the bond that they have with their Pokémon. I'd expect nothing less from ANY competent trainer."

"Indeed." Oak greeted from where he was sitting at the desk, "And welcome back, John. I heard you've been doing a lot of good in Indigo."

"Thank you. I'm very happy to be back. Especially with this nice surprise here." I ruffled Euphie's head, who was snuggling against me, "I saw that you brought Professor Elm to help out. How did the two of you manage it?"

He shrugged, "Elm really did a lot of the heavy lifting here; I can't take much of the credit. It was mostly between his expertise, and Euphie's own hard work." He explained, "I mostly followed his advice on how best to raise and train Euphie, following his recommendations to the letter. His expertise was crucial and really saved us a lot of trial-and-error. It's a shame that he isn't here right now – or else he could explain the full process to you. He's more familiar with it than I am."

"You're being far too humble." I said smoothly, "I'm sure that helping with Euphie's evolution was a team effort, so thank you for your hard work on that. But yes, please pass on my thanks to Elm as well, if you see him first."

Oak shot me a smile, deciding not to challenge me any further. He got up from his seat and idly rubbed Sylveon's head, "She's got some real potential in her. I didn't have much time to run a full battery of tests, not that I would on a Pokémon that wasn't mine, but she's definitely on the level of a regular eevelution. If not more so because of all your training."

"That's true enough." Blaine added, staring intently at Sylveon, "I was going to ask if you'd like to spar against my own Flareon, just to test your new Sylveon's strength, but I'll save that for later when you've properly grabbled a handle of her new power."

"Sure, maybe next time." I replied easily. Though I suspected Blaine's Flareon was likely too strong for Euphie to deal with at the moment, it was still a good opportunity to test herself and explore her newfound strengths.

Oak suddenly chuckled, drawing our attention to him, "You know, after spending quite some time around both your Euphie and the other Clefairy, I've actually decided to start training up my own Clefable too. Thought that it might be nice to have something to show off when the Fairy type gets revealed."

Blaine shot Oak a curious expression, "I thought you were meant to be retired? What kind of retired trainer just randomly trains up a Pokémon from scratch? Plus, aren't you strong enough already?"

Oak waved him off, "Nonsense. I've been getting rusty."

"Rusty enough to kick my ass." Blaine countered, disbelief colouring his voice, "Don't try to act humble. Your standards for 'rusty' are ridiculous! Your Dragonite out there is a walking statement to your strength!"

Oak shot him a smile, before turning serious, "Anyways, to bring the topic back for a moment." The two of us nodded, "As happy as I am with this evolution, which pretty convincingly proves the existence of a new type, now we have to consider the problems that come with revealing it."

"Mhm. Not going to be easy, that." Blaine agreed, "Remember when you published your PIT technique, John? That was fucking chaos afterwards." He grimaced, "So many fools trying to replicate your method with reckless abandon. Even now, with all the new policies, we still have a few incidents of overeager trainers, last I heard. We really don't need a repeat of that."

"And what did we get out of all those failures?" Blaine asked rhetorically, "Absolutely fucking nothing. Just a whole lot of heartbreak with nothing to show for it. We REALLY can't afford to have something similar happen again." I nodded.

"Indeed." Oak commented, "To that end, I've been hard at work with the help of the others to update the Pokédex regarding the new Fairy types." He moved back to his desk and shuffled through a few documents before passing one of them to me. "Blaine's already seen this, but here are the other Pokémon that I've found so far that also share the Fairy type."

I inspected the document, careful to maintain a blank expression as I did so. Looking through the list, it was very comprehensive. It covered all of the known Fairy types – matching the Pokédex we had in the games. Oak had already identified all of the other Pokémon from the first 3 regions that were supposed to be Fairy types. But more importantly, there weren't any Pokémon on the list that were WRONGLY labelled as a Fairy type, which was a relief.

I wasn't sure how I would explain a mislabelling if it did occur.

But damn, Oak worked fast. I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering who I was talking about, and that he had help from competent scientists as well.

After a moment to study the document, I returned it to Oak, "That's quite a lot on here." I said to him.

"Yes, and that's a good and bad thing." Oak explained as he took back the document, "It's a good thing, because having more of this Fairy type adds more variety to Pokémon, and personally I think many people are going to enjoy having more Fairy type options to use in battle." Blaine and I nodded in agreement, "However, that does mean that there are going to be a lot of overeager trainers trying to hunt down these Fairy types when it does get revealed."

I frowned, he made a good point. "In that case, what do you expect the fallout of this to be?" I asked.

"Well, Blaine and I discussed this before you got here, but we expect that there'll be plenty of trainers who'd want to get their hands on this new Type to test out its batting capabilities, ESPECIALLY since it has an immunity to Dragon types and hits Fighting types hard." Oak explained, "Honestly speaking, from a battling standpoint, Fairy types are very valuable to have, so I expect there'll be a huge demand for them once this information becomes public. It's only one of two types that resist Dragon, and it's even completely immune to it too!"

"Which means we should expect Fairy Pokémon to be very sought out by trainers." Blaine continued, "Pokémon like Clefairy and Togetic and their evolutions should prove to be especially popular, considering they were already considered 'good' battling Pokémon before. Now, with a full awareness of their true abilities, I'm certain that trainers will be looking out to acquire them."

The realisation hit me like a truck. If Clefairy were going to become super popular, then I needed to make sure that Mt. Moon was sufficiently secured, since it was famous for having an abundance of Clefairy living there. Like Oak said, if the Fairy type got revealed, a huge wave of trainers might try to make their way into Mt. Moon and capture all the Clefairy there, decimating the local population. I couldn't allow that to happen. I needed to speak with mayor Henry as soon as possible to discuss the security measures. This was a potential disaster in the making.

"We might see a lot more instances of poaching as well." Oak warned, "After all, high demand means high prices."

"Should we speak to Lance about that?" I asked, "I feel like he would appreciate being kept well-informed ahead of time, so we don't surprise him with something as momentous as this."

Blaine frowned, looking like he was disgusted with the idea. But Oak remained thoughtful, calmly thinking over my words.

"Hmm...that is a good point." Oak eventually stated, causing Blaine's frown to grow, "If the public is going to react how we think they are, then having the Indigo police ready to respond should be good."

"Bah. Let him suffer for all I care. His pride could do with a few good knocks." Blaine grumbled.

"Now, now, Blaine, no need to make things personal. Informing the Champion is the right thing to do, even if you dislike who it is right now." Oak placated calmly, but with a degree of forcefulness that made it hard to fight back against.

It seemed to have worked, as Blaine quickly deflated and let out a sigh, "Fine. Fine! We'll inform the young Dragon. Better to have him informed so the reveal doesn't accidentally make a mess of things." He said reluctantly, "At least he's too much of a brute to even think about trying to plagiarize our work. So, we don't have to worry about that."

"We'll give him a few days advanced notice." Oak stated, "That way we can protect our own work by not giving others enough time to copy and verify their own results in time. Not that I'd believe anyone would try. I'll let you know when to let him know, John."

Blaine grumbled something I couldn't hear, but probably wasn't very pleasant. Though Oak clearly heard it, he pretended that didn't and turned to me, "And John, I hope you don't mind if I publish these findings under my name first." He said apologetically, "You and the others will be given credit as appropriate, obviously, but publishing it under my name would give it the most reach and credibility."

"I already said I'm fine with it, if you're wondering." Blaine added a little unnecessarily. I already made my decision.

"That's fine, I don't mind." I replied, "It's probably best if you did so anyways."

"Thanks, John. Please rest assured that you'll be given full credit for being the first to bring up your observations." Oak responded seriously, "I might have to attach my name to this for publicity and credibility reasons, but I will do my utmost to have the public recognize your contributions to this project."

I nodded, not feeling the need to say anything more. Truthfully speaking, I didn't care TOO much about getting all of the scientific credit for this. If I did, I wouldn't have shared my 'findings' in the first place.

No, I was happy enough with getting some of the credit. Firstly, I had no real desire to push my scientific credentials that much further; they were solid enough as it is. Secondly, the whole reason I had shared this project with Oak and the others in the first place was because I knew I needed to add further validation to my 'observations', so us sharing the credit was perfectly in line with what I was hoping for.

And so with the serious topics out of the way, I stayed for a bit longer and engaged in some friendly small talk with the two of them. Surprisingly, over the course of our cooperation, I found Blaine to be increasingly pleasant to be around. He was blunt and could be a bit abrasive, but he gave off the same feeling as Agatha, but in a good way. There was a certain depth to him that I found enjoyable.

However, after some time, Oak told us that he had to leave for another appointment. Not wanting to hold him up any longer, I withdrew Euphie into her Premier Ball for the first time in a while before I made my way out of Oak's lab.

But just before I was about to saddle up on Port, Blaine interrupted me.

"John, sorry to disturb you before you head back for dinner, but I just wanted to know what your schedule looked like now that you're back in Indigo." He asked me just as I left the lab.

I tilted my head, "I'm not quite sure, actually." I responded truthfully, "I know I have a few commitments, but otherwise I don't have anything strictly planned. Why?"

"Well, with this project nearly finished, I really got inspired to try and make some new discoveries of my own. I've had some success as of late, but I want a second opinion on how to proceed." He explained, "So, I was planning on asking you, Shelly, and maybe Carolina if you'd be free to cooperate together again. I thought this time was very productive, and wanted to see if we could replicate our success."

"Why not Oak?" I asked curiously. "He's the most competent out of all of us."

"Sam's busy." He said, "I already asked, unfortunately. But what about you? You happy with this?"

"Sure, if I have the time." I replied with a nod, "Though what are we working on?"

He shot me an excited grin, full of teeth, "You'll see at the lab. I have some data I want to show you all if you accept. I'll go and ask Shelly and Carolina if they want to hop on board as well. But then next time you're all free, come visit me at Cinnabar. I think you'll like it."

I nodded, and he thanked me once again before we split off. As soon as I arrived home, I quickly made myself a quick dinner since I was alone tonight, before checking my phone as I ate.

Before I forgot, I sent a quick text to mayor Henry saying that I wanted to meet with him tomorrow. I also made sure to send another round of texts to all my family members informing them that I was back home. Then, seeing that I had a few unread messages from Karen, I finally took the time to respond.

'Sorry for not replying, but I'm back home in Indigo now.' I texted her.

'That's fine. Everyone knows just how busy u are. The news can't stop singing your praises.' I could feel her rolling her eyes as she typed that last bit out.

'Not like I did it for the attention.' I texted back.

'Of course not. You're not nearly as vain as your detractors paint u out to be.' She wrote, 'But since you're back, u free now?'

'I should be. Why?' I asked.

'Come visit the Gym if u have some free time. You've never had time to visit before. And, I don't mean to brag, but I'm quite excited to show u everything that's changed with the Gym.' She explained.

'Sure.' I texted, 'Did Agatha help you with any of it?'

'Hah! The old hag just dumped all of the paperwork on me in the name of 'leadership' and 'effective delegation'. What a load of excuses to just lay about.' She complained, though I suspected she didn't mean it.

'Did you expect anything else?' I shot back.

She just sent an angry expression back in response. Grinning to myself, I sent her a text saying that I would come over soon before I went to finish up my dinner and headed to bed after a quick shower. It had been a long day, but I was finally glad to be back in Indigo.

And back at home

The New Normal – 7-2 – A Coincidental Meeting

I woke up slightly later than I usually did as I finally refilled my energies after all my hard work in Hoenn. Once I was suitably refreshed, I enjoyed a quick but pleasant breakfast with my parents, where I spent most of the time relaying my 'adventures' in Hoenn to them and reassuring them that I wasn't in any real danger.

I doubt I was successful in that endeavour.

Still, my parents eventually had to make their way to work, freeing me from their worrying. As promised, I made my way to Pewter City to visit Karen; I was excited to see her after spending quite some time in infrequent contact.

Port descended in the outskirts of Pewter City a short while later, careful to not accidentally attract the unwanted attention of the crowds. I had made a token attempt to disguise myself, though with my level of fame I doubt it would stand up to any real scrutiny.

I texted Karen to signal my arrival as I steadily made my way to the Pewter Gym. As I got closer, one of my eyebrows raised as I realized just how different it was to how I remembered it. Sure, the exterior looked very similar, but it no longer gave off that aura of decay and deterioration. Instead, it looked well maintained and, most importantly, exuded a sense of professionalism befitting a Gym.

However, just before I could make my way into the Gym where Karen was waiting for me, I was interrupted by a shout.

"John! Is that you?" A person with a VERY upper-class accent called out from behind me, dashing all of my hopes of staying anonymous. Fortunately, the Gym was relatively quiet at this time of the circuit, so I didn't immediately draw a crowd like I had feared. Trying to keep the irritation off my face, I turned around to see who was calling out to me. But it was someone I had not at all expected.

"Steven? Steven Stone?" I spluttered incomprehensibly, shock evident on my face.

"Haha! Who else could it be?" He answered with a wide grin as he extended a hand out to shake, "It's an honour to meet you, John. You have my sincerest gratitude for your efforts in Hoenn. And, on a more personal level, thank you for protecting my father. I don't know what I would have done had he gotten himself in trouble."

"Ah, it's not a problem, but I appreciate it anyways." I replied as I shook his hand, using the opportunity to take a quick glance over his appearance.

What immediately stood out the most was his outfit. It was very similar to the custom-made suit that he wore in the games, but now that I was looking at it up close, it was immediately obvious that it was made of, unsurprisingly, VERY expensive material.

In fact, his whole outfit was a very delicate balance between staying simple enough to not draw the eye, while also being a walking demonstration of his wealth.

I wondered if he came up with the outfit himself, or if he had it specifically tailored by a professional.

Whatever the case, I was pretty certain that his suit was worth more than everything we owned back when I was younger, before I went on my journey. Coupled with his very notable upper-class posh accent, Steven was the poster boy of 'rich upper-class boy born with a diamond spoon'.

Of course, that was only his surface level appearance. Even if I didn't know about his formidable strength from the games, I could see from his eyes that he remained sharp, with barely a hint of the arrogance that you would expect from someone of his wealth. And despite the genuine friendly appearance he put on, he couldn't completely hide the cunning gleam of a businessman, one that was ready to gouge his opponent to maximize his own gain.

Not only that, but his hands were also surprisingly callous, hinting towards someone that enjoyed getting their hands dirty far more than his outward rich boy persona might imply.

Eventually, after a moment of mutual analysis and observations, we both let go of the other. Steven spoke up first, breaking up into a sheepish smile, "It truly is a fortunate coincidence that we have met here today. I had always been hoping that we could, but I suppose our schedules were never in sync."

"Yeah, I've been pretty busy." I replied, slightly apologetically. He was quick to wave me off though.

"Do not concern yourselves overmuch. Me out of all people would never dare to blame you for your unavailability. Besides, you hardly seem like the type of person that says they are busy when in fact they are doing nothing more than merely procrastinating." He said with the tone of someone who had experienced that exact scenario far too many times.

He shook his head, "Nevertheless, it is seems I had picked a very opportune time to finally challenge the Pewter Gym. I am unsure if you have been following my progress through the Indigo Gyms." I shook my head apologetically, but he simply continued unbothered, "Now that I have passed through and defeated your...less powerful Gyms, I felt like now was the best time to challenge someone that I understand has been in close contact with you. I already have the match booked against Karen."

"Fancy your chances?" I asked casually, though in hindsight that was a ridiculous question to ask the future Champion of Hoenn.

"Her fighting style is certainly unusual, but I still foresee my eventual victory nonetheless." Steven stated, with only the slightest hint of boasting in his voice. "Now, if I were to fight Elite Agatha, then I'm certain that would be an entirely different story."

"Haha! Those are some fighting words!" Another voice suddenly entered into the conversation. I turned around and again was met with surprise as another familiar face walked up to us.

"...Sidney?" I blurted out confusedly as the Dark type Elite Four casually sauntered over to us. He had his hands in his pockets and a very relaxed look on his face. "You finally came over to visit Karen?"

"Yep! I told you I would." He nodded, before giving Steven an inspecting look, "And what do we have here? I had heard the Devon heir was running around Indigo, but I didn't expect to see him in person."

"Elite Sidney, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. It seems like I have managed to luck out more than I thought today." Steven greeted formally with a firm handshake, "But I expect you to be seeing me more often soon enough."

"Oh? And why is that?" Sidney asked with a knowing smile, as if he already knew the answer.

"I'm here to prove myself." Steven answered with a sharp look in his eye, his tone one of unhidden challenge, "I have...higher ambitions than just being the heir to Devon Corp. As I'm sure you'll find out very shortly."

"Hah! I like that look in your eye, kid. Very well then, I'll be happy to wait for your challenge." Sidney grinned viciously, "You better not disappoint me."

"Likewise." Steven shot back, "I won't be satisfied if you prove too easy of a challenge." Their eyes narrowed challengingly as they stared each other down.

I decided to step in before things got too heated, "Anyways, what are you doing here, Sidney? Finally looking to speak to Karen?"

Sidney released himself from his staring contest against Steven as he turned to me, "Sure. I finally had some free time, so I might as well." He looked back at Steven, "You here to battle her, I assume?"

"That is correct." Steven confirmed.

"Well I wish you luck on that. Hopefully I'll find some time to speak to her about a match between us. I've been excited about this ever since I got here." He spoke.

"Speak about what?" Karen's familiar voice entered into the conversation as she came out of the backdoor of the Gym, "And what are you all standing out here for? Conspiring against me or something?"

I snorted, "Hardly. Though it looks like you have a few challengers." I gestured to Steven and Sidney.

"Challengers? For the Gym? Or something more than that?" She asked as she stared at the two of them with a calculating look in her eye. "And I'm fairly sure I recognize the both of you. You're Steven Stone and Elite Sidney, isn't that right?"

"We are." Steven replied for the both of them. "And I'm just here to challenge the Gym."

"Well I'm here for a bit more than that." Sidney remarked with an eager grin.

"I could tell." Karen replied dryly, "You here to test yourself against me?"

The grin on Sidney's face only widened, "I sure am. It's been a while since I've found a Dark type specialist who could reach such a level. I've figured that I might as well test myself out against another up-and-coming Dark type trainer." The look in his eyes was nothing less than predatory, like a fighter eyeing up an opponent.

"I accept." Karen replied without blinking, "It would be an honour to test my skills against someone of your skill and abilities. Plus – I would cherish the opportunity to stop holding back like I have been as a Gym Leader."

"Excellent." Sidney shot Karen a smile full of teeth, "Then how about we get to the battle right this second-"

"Hold on just a moment, if you may." Steven interrupted as he stepped between the two of them, "Why don't we make this a bigger event?"

My eyes immediately lit up with understanding. "You mean...another show match?" I voiced out.

Steven nodded, a cunning gleam flashing past his eyes, "Exactly. Hosting a charity match has been on my mind for some time ever since the raids took place in Hoenn. I was inspired by the great success of your charity match against Giovanni, and I thought this would be both a great opportunity to donate money and to generate good PR for Devon Corp. Of course, this is only if you two agree." He explained.

I blinked in mute surprise. Leave it to Steven to take advantage of something like this. This was the heir of the largest business in Hoenn in action; always ready to grab an opportunity and twist it for his own benefit. At least it was a for a good cause.

Karen and Sidney shared a look of surprise at the sudden suggestion before they both turned to each other. After a moment of silent communication, they nodded.

"That's a good idea." Karen said for the both of them, "But I haven't a clue how to arrange something like this."

"Leave it to me." Steven replied, tapping his fist on his chest, "Consider your battle fully sponsored and hosted by Devon Corp. I can arrange all the details for you."

"Heh. Leave it to the heir to make something out of nothing." Sidney quipped, "But I approve. And I thank you for your help, Steven."

Steven waved him off, "Think nothing of it. Devon Corp benefits off this too, so if anything, I was just taking advantage of an opportunity."

Then he checked his watch, "Hmmm...Unfortunately, while I would not dare dream of cutting this conversation short, I do hope we can get to that Gym battle, Karen. Time does not stop for anyone."

Karen's eyes widened. "Oh shit, you're right. Come, please head inside. If you don't mind, I want to speak to John here for a moment."

Steven nodded and moved to enter the Gym, though Sidney shook his head. "I won't be spectating – I've got what I wanted from coming here. I'm afraid I have somewhere else to go now too, but you can be sure that I'll be ready for our match, Karen."

Karen grinned, "I'll be doing the same. But anyways, thank you for coming, and I hope you'll be ready for our battle."

The two of them shared a nod before Sidney eventually walked away. As soon as he left, I spoke up.

"So...that wasn't what I had expected when I came here?" I commented dryly.

"No kidding." Karen chuckled, "Didn't even know Sidney was even here." She clenched her fist, "Damn, now I'm getting nervous. Maybe I was a bit too hasty in agreeing. Though the old hag would never let me live it down if I turned down such an opportunity."

I nodded sympathetically, "So, what did you want to speak about?" I asked, blatantly changing the topic.

She winced and hesitated, causing me to immediately adopt a look of concern. "...Is there something wrong?" I asked again carefully.

"Agatha fell over a few days ago." She replied without a preamble, worry and concern evident in her tone.

I stared at her in shock, my voice not coming out for a moment. Karen nodded at my expression.

"She appears fine now, but she got very lucky that she didn't hit her head on anything. But I've still been carefully looking after her just to be safe." She tried to hide it, but I could tell that she was very concerned for her 'grandmother'. Despite the situation, that just caused me to smile.

"I'm glad you care." I said sincerely.

She let out a heavy sigh, "Yes. I do. But you don't need to bring this up with her, I'm sure she'll say she's fine."

I nodded and she continued, "Anyways, you going to stick around for our match?"

I checked the time, and sure enough I still had plenty of time before my scheduled meeting with mayor Henry. "Sure." I responded, "Lead the way."

I followed after Karen into the Gym. As soon as I did, I noticed that THIS was where most of the work went into. The interior looked far different from what it was before. But in a good way.

The battle arena and spectator stands were completely redone, with additional safety features added in as well as a VIP viewing box, which I was being escorted to. Not only that, but the Gym as a whole looked far cleaner, and the few Pokémon that I saw being employed by the Gym trainers looked healthy and hale.

I could really feel the effort that Karen and Agatha had put into the Gym. And I said as much to her.

Karen snorted, "I wasn't about to do a bad job of my first League-given responsibility. And Agatha did help, even if it was only out of spite for Flint. But she still mostly lays back and does nothing."

I nodded; that was about what I expected of Agatha.

"And besides, I felt bad. For Brock and his siblings." She continued, her tone turning bitter, "...The fact that their parents ran off on them...it really rubs me the wrong way. So, I've been doing my best for them as well."

I patted Karen on the shoulder, "You were always good with children." She stayed silent at that, but the small smile that slowly formed on her face was enough.

Eventually, as I stepped past a small brown-haired kid that exchanged a wave with Karen, I found myself inside the new VIP box, where Agatha was already seated.

"I'll let you two keep each other company." Karen said amusedly before leaving me with Agatha.

As soon as she left, my eyes instinctively went to check over Agatha, making sure that she was okay. Before I could look her over though, her cane smacked reproachfully at my leg.

"Out of all the women you could ogle, you choose to ogle at someone my age?" Agatha chuckled with a mocking grin, "I never knew you were into older women."

I rolled my eyes, rubbing at my leg with one hand from where she hit me, "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

At my words, her grin fell. She looked around, checking to make sure that Karen wasn't able to overhear her. "I got lucky that day, John." She admitted with a degree of vulnerability that I really didn't expect from her, "If I had hit anything, I don't think I'd be walking around like this."

I looked at her with concern, "But you're fine now, right?"

She let out a bitter scoff, "My legs creak more than they used to, and just climbing up these few steps to this VIP box nearly killed me. And soon enough I'm going to go to sleep and never wake up. No, boy, I am not doing fine." She spat out scathingly, "Try as hard as I like, I can't run away from old age."

"...This is likely my last year in the League." The admission was painful, and mixed with untold bitterness.

I sat down, stunned at her words. I knew that Agatha was old and already planning around her retirement, but I never could imagine her actually retiring. She always held herself with such strength that I didn't realize that she could even be plagued by something like old age. It was a sobering and unpleasant realisation.

Even though she frequently poked and needled me, I admitted that I cared for her in a weird way. She was like my ornery grandmother.

WHACK!

"OW! WHAT THE FUCK!" I shouted out in surprise as she whacked me hard on the shin with her cane.

"Language!" She chided sarcastically, ignoring the glare I shot her as I rubbed my leg, "Also, you don't need to stare at me with such pity in your eyes. It disgusts me."

I frowned, partially from the pain, "I was just looking out for you. Retirement doesn't suit you."

"HAH! You're right about that." She barked out bitterly, "Expect to see me more often if I do retire. Annoying you and Karen will be the only thing keeping me from being bored out of my mind."

That caused me to shudder; despite my earlier words, I could only handle Agatha in small doses.

Agatha seemed to be pleased by my reaction, as she broke out into a wide grin before patting the seat closer to her, "Come, sit closer. Karen's about to start her battle against that rich boy."

I did so. "Who do you think's going to win?" I asked, shifting away from our previous conversation.

"Who cares?" Agatha responded dismissively, "It's just a Gym match. I already instructed Karen to never reveal all her trump cards here, so she'll be holding back. And from what I've seen of Steven, he's a smart one. He'll be doing the same."

I nodded, accepting the point. Ultimately, these Gym badges battles weren't all that meaningful outside of bragging rights, which I doubt either of them cared about. I knew Steven's ambitions laid in Hoenn, while Karen gained nothing from such a victory either.

"Did you know Sidney challenged Karen just now? It's going to be a big charity match." I said to Agatha.

She snorted, "Of course I did. I didn't say anything because I approve. She needs other people to challenge herself against besides you. And Sidney would make a fine opponent for her."

"Think she'll win against Sidney?" I asked, curious about her opinion.

"After all the work I've put in with her?! She better!" Agatha remarked. "She's my apprentice. Can't have her tarnishing my reputation with a loss."

"Sidney is not someone she can expect to walk all over, though. He's a competent Elite Four of his own." I pointed out. Though there were rumours flying about that he had been stagnating recently. I didn't know how much truth was in that.

Agatha snorted, "Do you think we've just been sitting around doing nothing?"

Our conversation was interrupted as the referee made his presence known, declaring the rules of the fight. It was just a standard 3v3, and before long, both trainers had already sent out their Pokémon.

Karen sent out her Crawdaunt and Steven sent out a Mawile, proving Agatha's words right. Neither were using their powerhouses, and it was obvious that both trainers were just using this opportunity to train up their weaker Pokémon.

Steven started off the battle by trying to power up with a Swords Dance, only to be quickly interrupted as Crawdaunt fired off a Taunt. Enraged, Mawile broke off from its attempt to set up and charged at Crawdaunt, only to be slammed with an Aqua Jet.

Knowing that Mawile was disoriented, Crawdaunt pressed on the advantage by following up with a powerful Crabhammer that smashed Mawile into the ground. Before it could continue attacking though, Mawile counterattacked by swinging its massive jaws around and savagely bashed the surprised Crawdaunt, flinging it away.

Crawdaunt quickly recovered and tried to rush Mawile down with an Aqua Jet, but a supereffective Thunder Fang was all that greeted it. Mawile immediately tried to press on with a Brick Break, but Crawdaunt managed to retreat backwards with another burst of speed from Aqua Jet.

Their exchange of attacks continued on for a while longer. But what was evidently clear was that both Pokémon were very evenly matched.

As expected of both Pokémon that weren't quite at the Elite level, they weren't hitting as hard as they could be, nor did they have access to many special strategies. But I felt that Crawdaunt had the advantage here, being able to out-speed and out-maneuverer the Mawile with his rapid application of Aqua Jet that proved vital. And that extra mobility was what really sealed Crawdaunt's eventual victory.

"Could be better, but good enough considering how new it is." Agatha commented as observed the Crawdaunt, "Hits hard enough, but needs more agility training."

"Seems a bit on the frailer side." I added, "I would have hoped that it could take more hits."

"True." She agreed, "But that's because the rich boy hits quite hard. Still, Crawduant has plenty of potential to grow."

The two of us fell back into silence as Karen and Steven started off their next battle, with Steven sending out his Skarmory. Despite Crawdaunt's injuries, Karen chose to keep it in the fight since it still had some fight left in it.

I wasn't very sure about that decision, because Skarmory was quick to take advantage of Crawdaunt's weakened state by taking to the skies and setting up. In response, Karen ordered Crawdaunt to start setting up with a Swords Dance of its own.

However, Skarmory quickly proved to be more capable of taking advantage of its boosts. With its greater speed, mobility, and control of the skies, Skarmory launched a devastating offensive of hit-and-run attacks that proved overwhelming for the already injured Crawdaunt.

To Crawdaunt's credit, it was throwing its claws around with respectable strength, but it just couldn't land a good hit on the Skarmory as the steel bird used its wings proficiently like a shield, blocking many of Crawdaunt's attempts to attack and evading the rest. After a while Skarmory managed to strike Crawdaunt down by a critical X-Scissor that slashed through Crawdaunt's back.

"Feh. She shouldn't have kept it out." Agatha grumbled, "Should've just withdrawn it and started off fresh."

I shrugged, "Maybe she wanted to test its limits." I suggested.

Agatha grumbled a little more but said nothing, letting the topic drop just as Karen sent out her next Pokémon. A small, unassuming rock emerged from her Pokéball, eliciting a confused look from Steven before he jerked back in surprise as a vortex of spirits exploded out from it.

Skarmory reacted first, reacting to this new threat by diving forward with a powerful Brave Bird. However, it was quickly forced to spin away before it got caught in the grip of Spiritomb's Hypnosis. Being put to sleep right now would be devastatingly bad.

Now far more cautious than before, Skarmory circled around Spiritomb as if hunting for an opportunity to strike. But Spiritomb didn't remain idle, and large claws emerged from the shadows and slashed at Skarmory, who narrowly managed to dodge. As the shadows receded from the missed attack, Skarmory shot forwards once again, trying to strike at Spiritomb before it could fight back.

Except that was exactly what Spiritomb had been waiting for. With a haunting cacophony of ghastly cackles, a malicious aura erupted from within the vortex of ghosts that quickly engulfed the diving Skarmory with a deadly Curse. Skarmory's impressive defenses, far more than what could be seen on a regular Skarmory, was useless against the indirect damage from Curse.

But Skarmory continued its dive and slammed hard into Spiritomb with a Steel Wing, striking so hard that it managed to rip out the floor from beneath Spiritomb.

And coupled with Spiritomb's own self-damage from Curse, nearly knocked it out.

Yet Spiritomb managed to hold on, before letting out another dreadful laugh as it fired off a small beam of energy that linked itself with Skarmory, draining its health with a Pain Split until they were both at an even level.

Realizing that Skarmory's health was being rapidly sapped with the combination of both Pain Split and Curse, Steven ordered Skarmory to go all-out in hopes of knocking out Spiritomb before it could heal up and Skarmory fell to the Curse.

Rushing forwards in a dive once again, Skarmory burst forwards with another Brave Bird, with its wings positioned in front of itself as a protective shield. In response, Spiritomb fired off another ray of Hypnosis, trying to put Skarmory to sleep once again. However, just before the Hypnosis managed to land, Skarmory let out a piercing Metal Sound that disrupted the Hypnosis rays, allowing Skarmory the time to smash into the exposed Spiritomb with all of its might, shattering the ground as it did.

Its earlier boost from the Swords Dance came into play here, as Spiritomb was launched across the arena from the impact alone. Not wanting to risk it being able to hold on, Skarmory charged at it once more, finishing Spiritomb off with a final Steel Wing that sent cracks across the psychic barrier as it put the amalgamation of ghosts to rest.

Just as it did, Skarmory fell over while letting out a painful cry as it was consumed by a malicious aura from a hidden Destiny Bond, a final parting gift from the fallen Spiritomb.

This time, Agatha had nothing to say outside of a small, satisfied smile. I guess she was pleased about how Karen managed to utilize the strength of Ghost types.

It was not hard to smell the bias.

And finally, the Karen and Steven sent out their last Pokémon, a Umbreon and Aggron respectively. Amusingly, this reminded me of the first time I saw Karen battle against Gym Leader Roy of Rustboro. There, Roy's Aggron went down to a very clever trap from Karen, so I wondered if I was about to see a repeat performance here.

But I was quickly disabused of that notion when Steven made his first move.

"Ferrous Storm!"

With a roar, Aggron unleashed a torrent of razor-sharp rocks, all covered with piercing steel. Umbreon, taken completely by surprise at the intensity of the attack, instinctively dodged to the side.

However, that put it right into the path of Aggron's Focus Blasts, which it had pre-emptively fired. It was only out of pure luck that Umbreon emerged with only a glancing blow; the Focus Blasts notorious inaccuracy saving him.

Umbreon quickly retaliated with a Thunder Wave, hoping to slow down the Aggron by paralyzing it. But Steven showed off Aggron's training once again as a huge rock wall formed instantly in front of it, protecting it from the Thunder Wave.

Still, Umbreon did not remain passive, and took the opportunity to set up a Reflect. Then, Umbreon tried setting up a Light Screen as well before Aggron came charging through its own rock wall with an incredible burst of speed, letting out a terrifying roar as it did so.

Unbeknownst to Karen, Aggron had used the rock wall to conceal itself and used the time to setup with an Autonomize, greatly boosting its speed.

That extra speed allowed Aggron to rapidly close the distance to Umbreon. Umbreon tried to fall back with a disruptive Sand Attack, but Aggron swept it all away and slashed down with a brutal Metal Claw. Umbreon cried out in pain, yet still managed to fire off a Thunder Wave at Aggron before it could follow up with an Iron Head.

Aggron instantly stiffened up as the electricity coursed through its body. Making use of the sudden opportunity, Umbreon pulled itself up and fired off a Confuse Ray at Aggron.

Aggron stumbled backwards as the confusion took hold; its head swaying from side to side as it attempted to reorient itself. Just like with her match against Roy, Karen ordered Umbreon forwards to finish Aggron off with a series of supereffective Double Kicks.

But this time, her opponent was not as helpless. The moment Umbreon got close enough, Steven sprung his trap.

"Ferrous Storm again! Around you!"

Aggron continued staggering around in confusion, but it still had the mental discipline to focus on its trainer's instructions – demonstrating the training and bond that the two shared. With yet another roar, a storm of steel-tipped rocks exploded out from Aggron, with itself as the epicentre.

A vortex of rocks and steel shredded through both Pokémon. But Aggron was far more resistant to his own attack than Umbreon was, who had been completely caught off-guard by the surprise attack, and let out a painful cry as the torrent of rocks tore into him.

Karen tried to get Umbreon to Dig out of the way, but Aggron merely raised its arm, concentrating the twister of sharpened steel even further onto Umbreon, closing the cage ever tighter. Umbreon tried to form a Protect shield to buy time for him to Dig away, but the Protect shield was shattered in an instant.

In a last-ditch attempt to break free, Umbreon tried to force himself away from the prison of steel, but the many shards of jagged rocks refused to release their grasp on Umbreon, and he soon proved unable to withstand the endless storm of rocks, and finally fell.

And with that, the fight was over. I watched as Karen approached Steven, both of them sporting satisfied smiles, as they shook hands.

"Any thoughts on that?" I asked Agatha, thinking she would be disappointed about Karen's loss.

To my surprise, she wasn't. "About what I expected from both sides. Karen stuck to her weaker Pokémon, so she didn't give anything away. And she's learning to make better use of her Spiritomb and Crawdaunt, which I like."

"Only thing I would really comment on is her Umbreon. It's still a bit too passive. Though I can't blame her completely for that; Umbreon are by nature not very aggressive Pokémon and tend to be more focused on supporting other teammates. But it might be a bit of a weak link in her team." Agatha observed.

I nodded, "What about Steven? That was a pretty strong performance." I was understating it here. Even knowing that he was a future Champion, his Aggron was remarkably impressive.

Karen had proven against Roy that her Umbreon was excellent at bringing down big, brutish Pokémon. But Steven's Aggron had the mental discipline to break through all of his attacks and rip through Umbreon before he could really fight back. It was an oppressive performance from the Aggron.

Agatha let out an amused chuckle at my question, "Let's just say that I'm glad that Steven isn't from Indigo. I'm honestly not confident in Karen's chances if they both fought against each other with their full strengths."

"Not trusting in your apprentice?" I prodded.

Agatha shook her head, "I know talent when I see one. And diamond-fed spoon or not, Steven has the strength to back up his obvious ambitions. He'll be making waves in the future, I guarantee it."

Agatha didn't know how right she'd be.