The New Normal - 13-1

The New Normal – 13-1 – Preparations

The news about the burning down of the Galactic building spread quickly, and there were many worried comments from the newscasters about whether this was the sign that things were about to get worse. A lot of speculation was stirred up, and the fearmongering began. It was to the point where it was starting to overshadow the discussions about the start of the next Circuit, which is pretty impressive.

Unfortunately, my girlfriend was forced to bear the brunt of it.

“I just wanted a day to settle back into Sinnoh. One day! Just to get reacclimatised to my duties!” She exclaimed frustratedly over the phone, venting her thoughts out to me, “But the moment I got off the ship, I was immediately told that the Galactic Building has BURNT DOWN!”

“Seems like you have a lot on your plate.” I commiserated, “I hope you’re still holding up okay.”

She let out a sigh, “Well, it could be worse. It's fortunate that I had Flint in charge and that he acted quickly. He did a good job with handling the immediate consequences of the crisis, and he’d already issue a manhunt on Cyrus. But I still had to do a lot of the organising with trying to dig up their hidden bases and shore up defences around possible targets – which I can’t share with you.”

“That’s fine.” I said easily, understanding the need for confidentiality, “Still, I hope you root them out soon. You know I would come over there if you ever called for it, but Lance advised me to hang back for the time being.”

“The situation hasn’t escalated to the point where we need direct assistance from Indigo.” She agreed, “And jumping to rely on foreign aid is a bad look.”

I could hear her shuffling a few papers, “Though we have already begun to accelerate our plans with the Regional Union, and with all three Champions working together it should be feasible. The sooner we can get that signed and ratified, the easier it is for us to cooperate and assist each other.”

“Well I wish you every success in that too.” I responded, “I look forward to the signing ceremony, if there is going to be one.”

“There will have to be.” She confirmed, “An event this big and momentous pretty much requires one – if only to demonstrate how important it is to the public. Yet considering that Sinnoh is likely about to undergo some significant turmoil, I don’t think the Elite Four or I will be coming over to the Sevii Islands for a physical signing. I’ll probably send over a few delegates in my place.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” I nodded.

Unfortunately, our call ended there as we both had stuff to do. I already had someone that I needed to meet up with in light of the current situation in Sinnoh.

So without further delay, I made my way to the Viridian Gym, where I met up with Giovanni in his office.

“Thanks for coming in.” He said to me as we shook hands.

“Nonsense, I’m the one that’s bothering you.” I replied easily, before clasping my hands together as I leaned towards him, “Now, has Archer gotten back to you yet?”

“Unfortunately not. He’s still annoyed that he missed something like this.” He answered, “He did notice an uptick in activity in and out of the Galactic Building before it all burned down, which all but confirmed his suspicions about Galactic Company having links with the terrorists in some shape or form, but he wasn’t able to act on this information before Cyrus went and burned down his own building.”

He sighed, “It’s frustrating that Cyrus acted so decisively. If Archer had an extra day or two, we could have come up with something to catch the terrorists in the act right then and there. But Cyrus and his lackeys moved too quickly.”

“That’s fine. He’s already done more than enough.” I replied, fully understanding that I couldn’t expect miracles from Archer when he only had a small team to assist him. “But…now what? What are you going to do with Archer, considering how volatile the situation is now? Are you going to send more people to assist him?”

“Already done.” He nodded, “Though the numbers I could call upon as reinforcement were far fewer than I could in the past.”

“Oh? Why?” I asked curiously.

“That’s cause many of my former ‘assets’ had chosen to follow in my footsteps and take up more legitimate work for me, becoming secretaries, accountants, Ace trainers, and the like. Now that they’ve tasted working in the sun, they’re hesitant to return to their old selves. Not that I blame them of course – I’m in the same spot. But it does mean that I cannot call up the same amount of manpower as I once did.”

Surprisingly, that fact relieved me more than worried me. It was good to know that Giovanni’s turning over a new leaf had inspired his subordinates to do the same. It meant that we weren’t about to have an outbreak of criminals if Giovanni ever let go of the leash that he held on them.

However, Giovanni wasn’t done yet, “But there’s one thing you should know, John, and it’s that Archer isn’t going to be able to operate with nearly the same ease as he did before, even with his greater numbers.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Because, technically, what he’s doing is little different to the actions of Cyrus and his band of terrorists.” He explained, “They’re both working in the shadows, and the Sinnoh League isn’t going to be able to or even want to differentiate between them. And with the Sinnoh League going on high alert, I’m not going to force them to put themselves out there and risk them getting a life sentence just because they were too ‘active’ with their spying.”

He shook his head, “No. As their boss, I need to keep my subordinates’ wellbeing in mind. I might be sending over more of them to Sinnoh, but that’s because you and I understand the extreme danger that those terrorists can pose to the greater world. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be risking my men like this. And if the situation gets any hotter, I might pull them out entirely.”

“That’s understandable.” I replied, “I’m actually glad that you said that. You’re right, I wouldn’t want to put your men in undue risk either. If Sinnoh gets too hot, then just get them out of there.”

As much as I would have loved the extra bit of information, I completely agreed with Giovanni’s decision here. I would have made the same in his place. Because at the end of the day, this level of care is why he is their boss, and I would have been disgusted with Giovanni if he had simply ordered them forwards without any care about their wellbeing.

“…Anyways, does Archer have any clue about where they might have run off to? Or where their secret bases might have been?” I questioned him.

“From what he told me, if they have any left in or near the main cities then I would be extremely surprised.” Giovanni stated, “The Jenny’s aren’t blind, and I know the Sinnoh Police are hardly incompetent. They would have tore through any of their hidden facilities in their main cities already. Thus, Archer suspects that these hidden facilities must have been built in the more unexplored areas outside the main cities and Routes of Sinnoh.”

In other words, they were likely constructed in places that were devoid of inhabitants or in the many forests that were near, but not within, the Routes. It made sense, since these were places that the Sinnoh Police wouldn’t be regularly patrolling unless the situation called for it, and there were plenty of spaces for them to hide in.

It was still frustrating, and I said as much to Giovanni, but I had to accept that this was the reality of it. Nevertheless, I was thankful for all that Giovanni and Archer had done for me, and I made sure to express my sincere thanks for the continued assistance and support before I made my way out of Viridian City.

As I left, I realised that a part of me had hoped that Archer would have simply given me the answers I was looking for – letting me know where Cyrus and his terrorists had run off to so we could raid them right away. However, I accepted that I was thinking too optimistically, and that Archer had already done a lot to help us.

But we were going to have do this the hard way.

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

Knowing that a showdown with Team Galactic was upcoming, I had intended to do as much training with my Pokémon as I could to prepare ourselves for the fights ahead. However, before I could even get started, I received a call from Koga, asking me and the rest of the Elite Four to come over to Fuschia City to speak with him.

He didn’t explain what about, but considering that he was willing to make time in his very busy schedule to invite us over, as the Indigo Circuit was about to begin, it meant that whatever he wanted to see us for was serious.

So I headed to Fuschia City, arriving at the Gym shortly afterwards. Koga was already there, standing perfectly straight as he greeted me at the door.

“You’re the first to arrive.” Was how he greeted me, “Make your way to the training field. I’ll wait for everyone to arrive to explain what we’re doing today. I wanted Lance to come as well, but he’s too busy to attend.”

I nodded, though my curiosity was spiking higher than ever. Even though he was usually a man of few words and always had a serious demeanour, today he felt even more so.

He looked like a man preparing for a war.

It didn’t take long for the others to arrive, and Koga quickly began without any preamble.

“How many of you here have actually fought in a battle where your life was on the line?” He asked us, getting a raised hand from myself and Karen. Only Lorelei had her hand down.

Koga turned to Karen with a questioning look, “When did you battle?”

“I fought at Olivine, alongside John.” She replied, “Admittedly, I wasn’t in much danger at Olivine and John did most of the heavy lifting anyways, so I wouldn’t say that I’m experienced with these kinds of fights.”

Koga nodded, “That’s fair. Now, if you can guess, I’ve brought you here to make sure that all of you are ready and alert to the dangers that come with these kinds of battles. I don’t think I need to say this, but it only takes one mistake in a battle for you to lose your life – and none of you deserve to have your lives cut short by scum like these. Therefore, I am here to impart a few lessons that I have learnt through the course of my life. It was never my intention to pass on these lessons, as they were ones forged in the cruelties and brutalities of war, but needs must. The time for peace is over.”

We all nodded understandingly, allowing Koga to continue, “First and foremost, John, I know you are the most experienced amongst your peers here with these sorts of battles, but after reviewing some of the footage I found of your past fights against the terrorists, I noticed that there were a few mistakes that you made that you really shouldn’t be making. Most importantly, you don’t use your Pokémon as cover enough. I know you think you’re covered by a Reflect or Light Screen at all times, but there’s no need to add on any unnecessary risk. Your Pokémon can easily take hits that would otherwise severely wound you, so make use of that fact.”

“Also, and this is advice for all of you, never turn a corner or enter into a room until your Pokémon have cleared it first.” He warned us, “I don’t care if Cyrus himself is in there, begging to be captured and taken prisoner. Let your Pokémon step in first, and wait for the all clear before stepping foot inside. If the room is too big, then at least make sure your Pokémon have established a small foothold before stepping inside. I know this might sound obvious, but in the heat of battle it’s very easy to get overeager with your desire to push forwards, thinking that you’re invincible. You’re not, and the true threat strikes when you least expect it. It’s what I used to do best, after all.”

…Now that he mentioned it, I thought back to all the battles I fought against the roaming band of terrorists, realising that he was correct. Though I certainly tried to be cautious, most of the time I relied heavily on the strength of my Pokémon to carry me through a battle safely instead of focusing on my own safety.

For example, in the fight at Olivine, I didn’t need to board the ship with my Pokémon. My Pokémon could have done so first, and only after establishing a solid foothold did I need to join them. It would have been far safer that way.

“Then do you have advice on how we should take down the grunts once we come across them?” Lorelei asked prudently, “Are we supposed to just knock them down with a Psychic non-lethally then?”

“Yes and no.” Koga answered, “Yes, as in that is what you’re supposed to do – though I will admit that as an Elite Four there is no written guideline on how you should subdue criminals so long as you don’t use a disproportionate amount of force. However, considering that your lives are on the line, I have a different advice to give.”

“It doesn’t matter how you take them down, so long as you do.” He stated, “I remember Drake making a report in one of the raids that he took part in that one of the terrorists tried to rush him with a letter opener. Drake managed to subdue them regardless, but it just goes to show that these terrorists are fanatical and insane enough to throw themselves at you without any care about their own lives. And strong as your Pokémon might be, it only takes one terrorist getting lucky with a knife to severely injure you.”

“So on that note, when you’re in a frantic battle, I don’t want you thinking about the appropriate amount of force or not. Subdue and incapacitate the opposing trainers by any means necessary, and worry about the consequences later. If that means freezing them over with an Ice Beam, or shocking them into paralysis with a Thunderbolt, so be it. Needs must, and your safety comes first.” He concluded.

There were a few frowns from Karen and Lorelei at this; they obviously weren’t pleased about having to resort to such…violence, even to those who very much deserved it in my opinion.

Though their uncomfortableness didn’t escape Koga’s attention, “I think I can better represent my point with a story. A story of a man who was willing to do anything he could to protect the region that he loved, so much so that he was willing to commit all sorts of heinous acts in order to gain the strength necessary to protect his own. He grew strong, and his Pokémon grew even stronger, and he defeated every opponent in his way in his personal quest to reclaim what he felt was ‘security’.”

“The man was unstoppable; his Pokémon had grown so strong that he could turn the tides of battle single-handedly. On the battlefield, he was invincible, and swaths of enemies would fall in his wake; all without him even needing to lift a finger. At the time, he had no one to rival him or his team, and he looked to be the one to unify our two regions by force.”

“But then one day, as he stepped onto another battlefield, he was blinded by his arrogance and overconfidence – and was too blind to see the dagger that I stabbed right into his throat. His Pokémon had sensed the danger, but it was already too late. The dagger was coated with a Crobat’s poison, and the man had died on the spot. His Pokémon, now deprived of leadership, were soon to follow. Especially after my Pokémon poisoned them.”

“And now that man lies forgotten; his name lost to time as another Champion would rise up and win the war in his place, and certainly not how he would have wanted it. All because he let his guard down for a moment, stepping away from his team, and I was there to punish that arrogance.”

…We all nodded solemnly at that. For me, it was a sobering reminder that Koga was far more than just a Gym Leader – he was one of the veterans of a war that scarred a generation. The war was not a topic that people liked to brought up, but I could understand why he chose to do so. It was a warning and a reminder that Koga’s lessons were ones that were learned and honed in the fires of war, and we would do well to heed his advice.

After that very powerful warning, Koga continued to give a few other tips and reminders about fighting these sorts of battles, educating us on the use of cover, breaking through enemy cover, and manipulating the battlefield to block off line of sight and to funnel the enemy into where you wanted them to be.

Once his explanations were done, we went onto the more practical exercises, where we actually got to practicing the moves that we had just discussed with our Pokémon.

And that was when the real shouting began, as Koga barked out orders like a drill instructor as he drilled us out of our bad habits. He shouted at us whenever we made a mistake, like when we unconsciously stepped away from our Pokémon. But I didn’t blame him for it; he was clearly trying to get this ingrained within our psyche as quickly as possible.

He also taught us how to prioritise certain targets, as target priority in these sorts of battles were very different from regular battles. If there were any large area-of-effect attackers, then they needed to go first. Same with any healers, or leaders that seem to be the one giving orders. He also gave us a crash course on battlefield awareness, and noting what kind of terrain we needed to be careful of during a battle.

Furthermore, he told us that if he had the time, he would also try to go over some other aspects of combat such as maintaining a low presence, how to fend off an attacker, and how to spot a terrorist in a crowd of civilians. All important skills, but even Koga admitted that he probably wouldn’t have time to go over everything.

It was all very useful advice, and I could tell that we were all grateful for Koga hosting this session for us. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, there wasn’t too much we could have really done today, but at least there were a lot of points to take home where we could practice on our own.

There was no such thing as being too prepared, after all. And I had a feeling we were going to need all the preparation we could get very soon.

Nevertheless, as the sun had already begun to set, and I made my way home tired after a long day. However, as soon as I set foot into the house, I saw my parents sat down on the sofa, waiting for me to arrive.

“John. What good timing.” My mom greeted me, “We were just talking about you.”  

My dad followed up, “There’s actually a lot we wanted to talk about. But, first and foremost, I think it’s about time you get a place of your own, don’t you think?”

Eh?

A.N. This is the start of Arc 13 “The Galactic Calamity” Arc. No prizes for guessing what this arc is about.

And with this chapter specifically I wanted to highlight Koga’s experience and veterancy when it comes to dealing with threats like these. Unlike most people that John has met (with a few exceptions), Koga’s probably the most experienced when it comes to real life-or-death fights like this, and I felt it was only appropriate that he took some time to offer some of his wisdom to his colleagues.

After all, Cyrus and his grunts won’t be holding back, and I felt that Koga should be the one to remind the Indigo Elite Four about the very real dangers that they were potentially heading into. Hope you enjoyed!