The New Normal - 17-5

The New Normal – 17-5 – Time To Leave

The next week or so passed by both eventfully and quickly, given how much that I had to do.

First and foremost, Drake had lost his battle against Bruno, making Bruno the newest and first ever foreign Elite Four to be appointed.

We had all gathered in Lance’s office to watch the battle live, and there were moments during that battle that had shocked all of us. For example, Annihilape’s ridiculous damage and endurance was definitely a huge surprise, given how we were all very familiar with how strong Drake’s Gyarados was.

“You think Emperor could take that head on?” I asked our Champion, “Because I’m not sure I’m comfortable with sending Tyrant to fight it at close range.”

“Normally, I’d scoff at such a statement. But… that Annihilape really is monstrous, isn’t it?” He muttered, “It’s like the ultimate close range combatant.”

“It lacks any sort of ranged option though.” Lorelei pointed out, “And I’m sure that Koga and Karen over here could probably think up something that would be able to bring it down without risking their own Pokémon.”

“Worst case, you just have Emperor remain in the air and it probably can’t do anything to reach him.” Karen added, “Unless you’re too prideful to do something like that.”

Lance snorted, “I wouldn’t lower myself to winning that way. Not with Emperor. Worst case, I’ll just make use of one of my other Pokémon to take it out.”

Aside from Annihilape, Bruno’s final one-hit KO move with Machamp was also just as impressive. Personally, I felt that his Machamp’s Counter + Reversal combo was more threatening than Annihilape.

This was because Annihilape had very clear weaknesses. As long as you never got in its range, it was pretty easy to kite out because it lacked any sort of mental discipline. Therefore, it was just a matter of matching the right kind of Pokémon against it.

But that finisher move for Machamp was far more unpredictable, because it was on a Pokémon that couldn’t just be kited out. When I fought Machamp previously, I already felt that it was a very strong Pokémon. It wasn’t at the level of Emperor or Drake’s Salamence, but it was just slightly below them in strength.

However, after watching it now in its battle, it had clearly gotten stronger than before – to the point where I believed it was just a bit weaker than Salamence in strength at a base level (though it wasn’t as tanky). So combine that with Machamp’s good speed and the Counter + Reversal combo, and you had a Pokémon that could actually take down Tyrant with one good hit. Especially since it was supereffective.

Now that was a threatening Pokémon. Bruno really had improved massively since we last fought, and his victory over Drake proved beyond any doubt that he was worthy of the position.

His ascension was a very historic occasion, and his ascension ceremony was going to be attended by dignitaries from all over the world to celebrate it. I wanted to be there, but given that I was leaving for Sinnoh soon, it was decided that Lorelei should go in my place.

Of course, with every new ascension, there was always going to be someone who had to depart. And the celebratory mood of Bruno’s victory was slightly marred by the fact that this meant that Drake would no longer be in the Elite Four.

I admitted that I was sad to see him go. Drake had been such a dominant presence within Hoenn that it’d be weird for him to no longer be there. In a way, Drake was Hoenn’s version of Agatha. A foul-mouthed firebrand that took no shit, but had the strength and experience to back up their insults.

His departure marked the end of an era. Now, the only ‘elderly’ Elite Four remaining in any of our regions was Bertha. Every other member of the old generation had either retired or had been replaced.

Naturally, I had the opportunity to speak with Drake after he was defeated.

“I was expecting your call.” He said as he picked up, “But if you’re calling just to ask how I’m feeling, then you don’t have to worry. I’ve already come to terms with my defeat and departure. I already did so when I first made the challenge to Bruno.”

“And I didn’t expect anything else either.” I replied, knowing that Drake was absolutely not the kind of person that would mope around after the defeat. “But what now? What do you plan on doing now that you’re no longer bound to the Elite Four? And don’t tell me you’re going to settle down quietly – we both know that’s a lie. You aren’t that type of person.”

“HAH!” He barked out a laugh, “You’re fucking right about that. I’m not going to disappear into a Gym like Agatha did at Lavender Town. I’ve got better things to do with my life than to manage a fucking Gym of all things.”

“…Such as?” I asked leadingly.

“At the moment, not a fucking clue!” He replied shamelessly, causing me to facepalm, “What? Did you think I was the kind of person who could plan things out like that? Fuck no. I’ll just take things as they come.”

I couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving chuckle. In hindsight, I probably should have expected this.

I was about to speak up before Drake continued, “Although I’m not entirely without a plan. Recently, I’ve been coming to enjoy being a mentor to the younger trainers. I’ve found that a good use for all of my ‘experience’ that’s been clogging up my brain for the last few decades is to teach them to the younger trainers so that they don’t repeat the same mistakes as I did. So now that I’m free from my duties in the Elite Four, I thought that I would spend more time with the young’uns and impart to them all that I know.”

I nodded, “That sounds great. Which trainers did you have in mind?”

“Well Misty of course. And I was thinking about training up Iris as well.” He explained, “I already spoke to her during the Tournament, and I’ve personally seen and experienced the sheer talent that she possesses. She has the potential to become one of the greatest trainers in the world, and I want to be there to help see it through.”

Drake spoke a bit more about his desire to become more mentor-like now that he had retired, and honestly, I was happy for him. It seemed like a goal that was well-suited for a man like him. Just like he said, he couldn’t and wouldn’t follow the same path as Agatha or even Pryce did. Spending his retirement years running a Gym or getting entangled with local politics just wasn’t his thing.

He was far too free-spirited and proactive for that.

So for the time being, I just extended an open invitation to come visit us in Sinnoh at any time, and we made a verbal promise to meet up as often as possible.

Drake was definitely a person I wanted to spend more time with.

However, Drake’s departure was not the only thing that we had to prepare for – as my own was also coming up. After Bruno’s victory, it basically confirmed that having foreign leaders in our Leagues had become a reality, so it didn’t take long for Sinnoh to also formally approve of the new Protector-Guardian position as well, and with it, my own appointment for the position.

In the end, Cynthia hadn’t actually needed to do that much politicking to get me approved. Aside from the fact that there was really no other better candidate to take the position aside from me, my sterling reputation in Sinnoh also helped tremendously.

The public of Sinnoh didn’t forget about my contributions to saving them all from Cyrus’ schemes, and while it was a joint effort, my summoning of Regigigas firmly implanted me in their minds as the ‘main character’ of the crisis. So to them, it was only fitting that I was appointed as Regigigas’ guardian.

It also helped that my appointment means they got to ‘steal’ me away from Indigo. In other words, they would get another powerful trainer as their protector by appointing me over a local.

Nevertheless, the news was making a very big deal about my successful appointment, especially once I also made a simultaneous announcement stating that I was going to be stepping down from the Elite Four in order to accept the position.

To say that there was a big reaction to that would be an understatement. The public of Indigo went ballistic upon hearing that I was no longer going to be part of the Elite Four. Apparently I had cultivated my own reputation in Indigo a little too well, because there were protests breaking out around Indigo – and especially in Cerulean – requesting and/or demanding that I stay.

They absolutely did not want me leaving for Sinnoh.

It was pretty ironic that the people of Indigo were actually giving me more problems than those from Sinnoh. The Sinnohnians were eagerly welcoming me with open arms, while those from Indigo were begging me not to leave.

It wasn’t just the public of Indigo either. Many Gym Leaders that I was friends with also spoke out or made statements about my departure. Most of them had already predicted or knew in advance, though at least their statements were about wishing me luck with my new duties.

It got to the point where, despite us already having arranged for me to make a speech at my leaving ceremony, Lance begged me to make another one to the public in order to calm them down.

So I ended up making a short statement in front of the Indigo League building to the crowd of hungry reporters.

“First of all, let me just say that I am thoroughly honoured and humbled by the outpouring of support from the public. It was a greatly emotional moment when I saw just how many people wanted me to stay in Indigo. I never would have thought that I would ever be able to make such a great impact on so many people, yet I am grateful for it nonetheless.”

“However, I shall also clarify that I am not leaving Indigo behind. Indigo has always been, and will always be, the place where I was born. It is where my family and friends live. It is the region that I have dedicated my blood, sweat, and tears into not only protecting, but also improving. It is somewhere I will hold close to my heart. Therefore, while I may be moving over to Sinnoh and accepting a position there, that does not mean that I will not be there for you when it matters. With the formation of the Regional Union, and all of our many policies aimed at bringing our regions together, Sinnoh and Indigo will remain heavily connected together. So while I may not be physically in Indigo for the coming future, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be here in spirit.”

“It is because our regions are so connected together that I even accepted this new position in the first place. So I promise all of you that even though I am taking up a position in Sinnoh, you will still see me around helping out Indigo from time-to-time, or whenever the situation calls for it. That I do so solemnly vow.”

Even though my words were meant to placate the public of Indigo, that didn’t make my words any less true. Though I may not be physically present in Indigo, that doesn’t mean that my large web of connections with many influential people of Indigo would just disappear. If I wanted to, I could always reach out to my friends and contacts here and help them out if necessary.

I meant what I said – I wouldn’t leave Indigo in the lurch just because I wasn’t here anymore.

After finishing up with my prepared statement, I quickly left after answering only one or two questions from the reporters, as they would have another opportunity during the actual leaving ceremony, which was going to take place at noon tomorrow.

As my leaving ceremony also served as Will’s ascension ceremony, attendance was mandatory for every Gym Leader in Indigo.

And with my final day left in Indigo, I naturally spent most of it with my family. Most of that time was spent with my sister, since despite putting on a brave face and trying to be ‘mature’ about the situation,  I knew she was taking my departure the hardest.

That was more than understandable, given how many big changes were currently ongoing with her life. Between her own move to Goldenrod, where she would be working as a Head Gym Trainer for the first time in her life (and away from her friends), and my own departure, it was easy to see why she was anxious.

But she was being very brave about it. She shed a few tears, but so did I. After all, saying goodbye was never easy.

“You’ll come over to visit right?” She asked me, “I’m not sure if I can visit you with my duties.”

“I’ll find the time to.” I promised her, “After all, who’s going to stop me? I’ll be the second most powerful person in Sinnoh.”

“You’re still not as powerful as the Champion, though.” She giggled, “Maybe Cynthia can say no.”

“Let’s hope that’s the only thing she says no to.” I chuckled humourlessly, “It’s going to be incredibly awkward otherwise.”

“…She won’t say no to that.” My sister reassured me, lightly squeezing my hand, “And for what it’s worth, I think she’ll be good for you. You deserve it.”

“Thanks, sis.” I smiled down at her, “And good luck at your new Gym. I look forward to seeing you in that Gym Leader position. I’m sure you’ll be a great one. Just like your friends.”

“Same to you, bro.” She replied, “I don’t know what plans you and Cynthia have for Sinnoh, but knowing the two of you, they’ll probably be big ones. So I look forward to seeing you two implement your vision for Sinnoh.”

I chuckled again, “We’ll try not to disappoint.”

After spending my last remaining day in Indigo, it finally came time for the departure ceremony itself. And even though everything was organised very last-minute, Lance had really done all he could to make the ceremony as lavishly grand as possible. It was hosted at the Indigo Plateau, and it reminded me heavily of my own ascension ceremony into the Elite Four all that time ago.

Almost everyone I knew was in attendance. My whole family was there, all of the Gym Leaders and Elite Four, Professor Blaine, Agatha, and even Oak and his family had joined too as ‘special guests’.

Before the event began, I spent most of my time speaking to my friends as they wished me well for my new adventures ahead.

“If there’s anyone deserving to take on such a heavy duty of being a guardian of a Legendary, then I can’t think of anyone more suitable than you, John.” Oak said to me, “But otherwise, enjoy your life over there. I hope you find yourself as fulfilled and as happy as you are here.”

“You don’t need to tell him that, Sam. Can’t you see the smile on his face?” Blaine pointed at me, “That’s the look of a guy who is all fired up to get out of here. Probably so that he can actually spend time with his girlfriend.”

A voice that I hadn’t heard in quite some time cut in, “Yes, yes, and once he gets used to that ‘domestic life’ I’m sure he’ll forget all about us back in Indigo.” Agatha scoffed at us as she approached, “Cynthia’ll have him completely wrapped around his finger – more than she already has. Feh, men are always like that. Fools, the lot of you.”

I chuckled; I missed Agatha’s mocking words, and knew better than to react to them, “Thanks for coming here Agatha. I know you don’t like to come to these sorts of things, so I appreciate the effort.”

“Ah, she’s always been like that.” Oak smiled, cutting off whatever Agatha was about to say, “She might say otherwise, but she does care about those that she is close to. I’m glad you found your way into her heart, John. It’s not an easy task. But I know she’s a lot more caring than she seems.”

“Be quiet, Sam—”

“Oh, you still call me that?” Oak teased, “Or don’t you remember what you said to me all that time ago– ACK! HELP!” Oak was cut off as Agatha started to strangle him, which caused both Blaine and I to burst out into raucous laughter as Agatha continued her murder attempt.

I took that opportunity to stealthily slip out of that conversation and moved over to speak with my first ‘political’ friend.

“…You’ve come a long way since we first met.” Giovanni reminisced to me, “When you first asked to speak to me, I admit that I thought you were nothing more than a naïve fool that could have been easily manipulated. And while you were definitely innocent, I never expected you to have such grand ambitions – nor the strength to properly back it up. The changes you’ve helped to make…”

“I couldn’t have accomplished a lot of what I did if not for your help.” I replied, “Especially in my earlier days, when I was still getting settled in as a member of the Elite Four. Without your guidance and foundation, I would have really struggled a lot more.”

“We did overthrow Pryce together.” He agreed, turning to shoot a mocking smirk at Pryce from across the hall, “I’m still proud of that one.”

He then turned back to me, “Anyways, I know you probably won’t, but I do hope that you don’t forget about Indigo just because you’re going to be living in Sinnoh from now on. Even though you’ve already done a lot for us, there’s always more that could be done. And I hope you continue to provide your assistance in the future as well.”

“Of course.” I nodded, “I was sincere in what I said earlier. Indigo will always have a place in my heart. If you need help with anything, just reach out to me and I’ll do my best to help if I can.”

After that, I also exchanged a few words with the Waterflower sisters, Brock, and Daisy Oak. Since I had already spoken with the Waterflower sisters not too long ago, there wasn’t much we needed to say except that I promised to look out for Misty as she was in Sinnoh too. As for Brock, I just asked him to take care of Karen since I wouldn’t be physically there for her. He easily agreed to that one.

Then there was Daisy, and I started it off with an apology, “I’m sorry that I haven’t been as active of a mentor as you might have wanted. I should have—”

“No, no, it’s totally fine.” She interrupted, “You helped when it mattered, and I wanted to prove that I could stand on my own strength anyways. I purposely tried to limit my requests for assistance because of that. I didn’t want to grow dependent on you.”

“Well if you need me to help in the future, just let me know.” I said, “Or if you’re coming over to Sinnoh for whatever reason, I’ll help you find a place to stay too. Or maybe I can introduce a few good trainers for you to spar against if that’s what you want.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” She nodded, “Thanks for the offer.”

I managed to speak to a few other people as well, but then I received a tap on the shoulder, notifying me that it was time for me to get up onto the stage to make my farewell speech. So I braved the barrage of camera flashes as I went onto the stage, where I received a loud and raucous applause from everyone in the audience.

My speech was mostly a rehash of what I had already said in my earlier press conference, but there was an extra section that I added at the end:

“—As I realised that my time in the Elite Four was coming to an end, I had a moment where I worried about who will be taking on my position – and if they are capable of handling the duties that this position requires. I was momentarily concerned about whether this person could get along well with the rest of the Elite Four, as I had done, and continue the harmonious work environment that we had developed.”

“However, I quickly realised that I had no reason to be concerned, because I already knew someone who had already proven to be a very capable Elite Four member – and a person that I am honoured to call my friend. And that person could be no one other than Will. Therefore, after reaching out to him and confirming that he was willing to take up the position in my place, I remembered letting out a deep sigh of relief.”

I made a show of turning and smiling at Will, “Because I knew that even though I was leaving, with Will taking my place, the Elite Four of Indigo will continue to be in very capable hands. I know there were many things that Will wished to accomplish before he was replaced by Koga, and now that he’s back into the Elite Four, I look forward to seeing what new successes that he’s able to accomplish.”

Will gave me a thankful nod, and I got another round of applause from everyone. My speech was almost over, but there was one last thing I needed to say.

“And lastly, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you that has helped or assisted me during my time in the Elite Four. When I joined I was nothing more than a newbie, still very naïve to the ways of the world. But thanks to your guidance, I was able to accomplish all that I have. I especially want to give thanks to Karen, Giovanni, Lance, Agatha, Blaine, and Samuel. You all know what you’ve done, and I am immensely grateful for the help that you all provided me.”

I performed a deep bow, “Thank you. And may Indigo continue to prosper.”

After my speech was over, I did my best to quickly step away from the stage so that Will could have his time in the spotlight. My time as an Elite Four was now over, so I shouldn’t be the centre of attention any longer. Will deserved it.

So I slinked into the shadowy corner of the venue as I listened to Will’s speech, and I couldn’t help but mentally compare it to the one that he gave when he first joined the Elite Four. Unlike his initial speech, though he was as flamboyant as I expected him to be, it was much more subdued and less arrogant than the one he made in the past.

For example, instead of focusing purely on his own achievements, he spoke a lot about how honoured he was to be able to follow up on my legacy and how he was determined to prove to the world that he deserved to stay in the Elite Four for good this time. He gave a verbal promise that he would do his best to ensure that no one would mourn my departure, for he would do as good of a job as I did.

I sincerely hoped that he did. An Elite Four roster consisting of Lorelei, Will, Koga, and Karen was strong. And one that I trusted to run the region alongside Lance even after I was gone.

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

With the end of the ceremony, it was time for my departure too. And as I was escorted to Olivine City, I ended up reminiscing about my first ‘official’ trip to Hoenn with Karen all that time ago. Pryce had ordered me there as a way of isolating me from the politics of Indigo, but it ended up being a great opportunity for me to build powerful connections with many important people of Hoenn.

Through that trip, not only was I able to make connections with strong trainers like Norman and Drake, but I also met people like Shelly and Joseph Stone. Because of those meetings, so many projects like the PIT technique, the Premier Ball, the joint subjugation of Team Aqua and Magma, were all born from them.

Thinking about it made me feel all nostalgic.

Naturally, I wasn’t the only one that had headed to Olivine City, as I was also accompanied not only by Champion Lance and the rest of the Elite Four, but also my parents and sister too. Everyone else had returned to their usual duties.

As we all stood on the port, a few minutes before my ship was scheduled to depart, Lance walked up to me first.

“John.” He patted me on the shoulder, “There are many things I think we could say to each other. But I think what’s most important is that I won’t forget all that you’ve done for me. My reign as Champion wouldn’t have been as smooth if it wasn’t for you.”

I smiled back, “…We’ve accomplished a lot together, haven’t we?”

“Yes, we have.” He agreed, “But I suspect that you’ll be accomplishing a lot more with Cynthia in the future too. I look forward to seeing it. So make sure you have fun over there.”

“Maybe we could even visit you from time to time.” Lorelei said, “I still haven’t gotten a chance to see Regigigas in person. Maybe you could show me if I ever come over.”

“I’m not sure if that’s going to be allowed.” I replied, “But I’ll do my best to accommodate any requests.”

Koga stepped forwards, “Hopefully we will never have to fight alongside each other ever again. But if we ever need your strength, I would be pleased to fight by your side once more.”

“But we’ll do all we can to ensure that it never gets to that point.” Will added, “And John, I will do all I can to ensure that your legacy of peace will not be broken.”

“Feel free to surpass it if you’re able.” I chuckled, “I won’t be mad.”

Will grinned, “Who do you take me for? I’ll prove to the world that the successor can surpass their predecessor.”

I smiled approvingly.

And then I turned to Karen. But before she even said anything, she pulled me into a tight hug which I quickly reciprocated.

“Please take care of my sister when I’m gone.” I said to her, “She should be fine on her own, but I’d love it if you could check on her from time to time.”

“Of course.” She nodded, and I felt my shoulder slowly growing wet, “I’d have done that anyways.”

“Thank you.” I replied softly, “And… I’m sorry, for leaving you behind like this. You were always my closest friend, and I—”

She put a finger over my lips, “There’s no need for that. You don’t owe me anything for my friendship. You were there for me too, remember? And you helped me as much as I helped you. So we’re even on that front.”

She then leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper, “And the next time I see you, I expect to see your ring on her finger.”

“…I’ll do my best.” I replied a little embarrassedly, though I quickly pushed aside that embarrassment as soon as I realised that there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

She laughed and gently pushed me away, “I look forward to it. Now go. Your family still have a few words for you.”

We exchanged one final smile before I turned around and walked over to where my family had been patiently waiting for me to finish up with my previous conversations.

“Don’t forget – this isn’t goodbye.” My dad said, “This is just a ‘see you later’.”

“We’ll be there to visit you soon.” My mom added, “Just to make sure you’re all settled in okay.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I nodded gratefully, “I’ll let Cynthia know to expect you.”

A pair of hands wrapped around my chest, “See you later, bro. And good luck over there.”

“Thanks sis.” I returned, “And do your best at the Gym. You’ve worked very hard to get where you are. So do your best to prove yourself to the world.”

My sister nodded firmly, “I will.”

The blaring of the ship’s horn signalled that it was time for me to leave. So with a slight hint of reluctance, I separated from my family for the final time and headed towards the ship. It was finally time to leave.

However, just before I boarded, I felt like there was one thing I needed to do.

I threw out several Pokéballs from my belt. Tyrant, Vordt, Smough, Zephyr, Luna, Klee, Klaus, and Port all emerged onto the dock. These were all of my Pokémon that I had actually caught in Indigo, so they were natives just as I was.

And without me needing to say anything, we all fell into a deep bow as we faced the crowd.

“Goodbye, Indigo! And thanks for everything!”

 A.N. And here it is, John is finally leaving Indigo behind for Sinnoh. This was a pretty nostalgic chapter to write, and I tried to reference many things that John has accomplished while he was here. Maybe I was too wordy with it, but I really wanted to down a trip through memory lane as I recounted many of the events that took place throughout the two years that I’ve written this story. Turns out that there were actually too much to list, so I tried to focus on certain important accomplishments.

Of course, this isn’t the end of John’s achievements. He will go on to accomplish a lot more in Sinnoh too, especially with Cynthia properly by his side now. Hope you enjoyed!