Hard Enough - Chapter 331 - Gym Leader Meeting

Like last time I attended a meeting with the various Gym Leaders of Indigo, I made sure to sit down with Jennifer and be read in on the up to date issues that were plaguing the various Gym Leaders or what might be the important discussion points.

The Battle Frontier and the possible inclusion of the Frontier Brains was one that Jennifer and I passed back and forth for a while. 

The trinity nations were the other new kink in the political landscape with there being a lot that could eventuate with new pokemon and fighting styles. 

I ended up calling Erika to swap thoughts with her. 

I’d previously been worried that the League was going to apply pressure to Cerulean and Azalea. 

“Oh, I am also going to be extending the same deal I offer to them to Falkner as I found a Mega Stone for Pidgeot there.”

“Oh? That was a lucky find,” replied Erika thoughtfully. “If you could, I’d love a grass type Mega stone,” she asked.

“Noted,” I replied. “If we find one you are going to be the first point of call for any grass types,” I stated seriously, which earned me a megawatt smile from the typically reserved girl. 

When Erika signed off a few minutes later Jennifer shook her head. “If we wanted to, you realise we could absolutely apply pressure to the other Gyms to make ourselves first among equals, you get that right?”

I snorted. “That’s not how I do things though.” 

Jennifer just nodded and flipped the page to talk through a few more issues that might arise, such as Goldenrod still being lucrative but Whitney not having the know-how of how to handle the money. 

“So we get her a financial planner?” I suggested. 

Jennifer huffed, blowing on a loose strand of hair. “The concern is that the League might use it as a justification to tax Gyms at a higher rate.”

“Ah,” I replied. Now I see the issue. “Right, talk me through it,” I said.

By the end of the night, I had a swimming head and a thick dossier of notes to reference for studying. I took it to my room and dumped it on my desk only to turn and find Sabrina and Kirlia lounging on my bed. 

“Comfortable?” I asked.

Sabrina flicked her eyes towards me and a steaming drink of hot chocolate floated close to her with a few biscuits on the side. 

“Yes,” she replied smugly. 

Kirlia loudly munched on her own biscuits and spread crumbs through my side of the bed. I narrowed my eyes. “So I’ve been having to do a study session for the upcoming Gym Leaders’ meeting. What have you been doing?” 

Sabrina tapped her lips in thought. “Well I’ve been busy with an audition for a role in a small crime drama. I’m going to play a young detective. I had to wear a wig so they didn’t give me the role straight away,” she mentioned.

“Oh? Wow that’s great news! When will it air?” I asked. 

“A few weeks. The shoot will take place over the course of a few weeks. I asked for some leeway in the schedule and they initially got annoyed only for me to reveal who I actually was.” Sabrina preened with glee. 

“Heh, yeah that would have been a shock to them. So? A Crime Drama as a detective?” 

“I’m going to be working across with someone who has snappy one-liners.”

I chuckled. “Oh, I know exactly what you’re talking about,” I replied, sinking onto the bed next to her. “Have to say, I wish I’d gotten to see you in action, but I suppose I’ll just have to wait.” I tilted my head. “Are you going to list yourself as Sabrina on the credits or as something else?”

“I have an acting name,” Sabrina replied. 

“And? What is it?” I asked.

“Secret~,” she teased, causing Kirlia to giggle. 

I huffed and stole a biscuit. “Well, that’s mean but fine. I can be patient,” I replied as a yawn stole over me. 

Sabrina’s book shut itself and her eyes flicked towards the dossier. It floated over to her and I watched as she flipped through the pages, one by one. 

I groaned. It had been a while since I’d seen her do something like this but it always left me feeling envious. “No! That’s cheating!” 

“No, it’s skill,” replied Sabrina as she floated the dossier out of my reach. I didn’t mount any effort to actually steal it while Sabrina merely speed read through the entire dossier that had taken Jennifer hours to get through with me.

Sabrina read through all of it in ten minutes. It snapped shut and she gained a thoughtful look. 

“The League won’t be able to mount too much pressure thanks to the Trinity Nations reveal,” she stated. “I suspect that they will, if anything. Be looking to empower us and make us more resilient. Johto might see a bit more of that with some of the Trainers from last season turning their attention towards the other half of Indigo.”

“Hmmm makes sense,” I replied having discussed that with Jennifer. 

“So you think they won’t try the Battle Frontier addition?” I asked. 

Sabrina shook her head. “They’ll try it, but they are also expecting it to be rebuffed. It is more important to generate noise and say that it was on the docket for future interest to be built around it I suspect.”

“Hmmm that would make sense. If I ever do, let someone else take over as a Gym Leader. I’m going to have to hand over like minutes and summaries of things so they know what some people are doing with long-term plays, aren’t I?” 

Sabrina nodded and I groaned before perking up. “Ah wait! I can just get Jennifer to do that after this meeting!” 

Sabrina nodded with a much nicer smile. “That is what she’s for. You can let her handle that while you focus on more important things.” 

“Oh?” I asked playfully. 

Sabrina smirked as a wedding planner floated out from the other side of the bed. “Take a look at these flower girl dresses. Do you think they’d fit Kirlia and your sisters?” she asked. 

I chuckled as Kirlia leaned in to include herself. I switched gears as I started working with Sabrina on our wedding plans. 

I was hoping for something different but this was nice as well. 

_______________________

The League meeting hall was a large building with lots of boardrooms, lecture halls and in special cases, the circle of equals which allowed all twenty four leaders from Indigo along with the Four Elite members with a final position for the Champion. 

The champion’s chair might have been a bit more ostentatious than the other seats, but each chair had one of the various Gym badges embedded into it. 

It was interesting that the seat that had been occupied by Gray from Neon City was still empty and the Badge symbol missing.

It would seem the Gym still hadn’t decided on who to take up that position. 

Celia had been offered the position with numerous cities offering to host her if she wanted it. It had come with a lot of perks, but Celia had decided to forge her own path forward.

I couldn’t be prouder. 

Sabrina and I had to separate due to the space that existed between our chairs. 

We, along with the Blackthorns were some of the first to arrive. 

Clair smiled at me. “Brock, I hear we’re going to be doing an Unova Brawl battle?” she asked. 

“So it seems. Have you done much training in that manner before?” I asked. 

Clair nodded. “I’ve done special courses for when I fight with the Rangers, and for other situations,” she stated quickly. 

I nodded knowing she was referencing raids on criminals or defense training.

“So think you’re going to do better than Lance and Bruce?” I teased. 

Clair narrowed her eyes as she drew herself up. “I will avenge the Blackthorns!” she declared fiercely. 

“Woah! Those are some fighting words!” called a loud voice. I glanced over to find Visquez striding into the room with Erika, Daisy, and Sophia following her.   

I glanced over to the Fuchsia gym and counted down mentally as I pretended to look away only to snap back and catch Janine slipping into her seat. 

“Gotcha!” I called, causing her to twitch.

“Eek!” she squeaked only to throw a smoke bomb that caused the table to become engulfed. 

“Ooooh,” I grimaced. “That… probably should have needed the expected response.” 

“Indeed,” murmured a much deeper voice from next to me. 

I had to work to repress the urge to twitch despite suspecting this might have happened. I glanced up to nod at Koga who was looking into the smoke cloud. “Morning Koga.”

Koga merely nodded and moved to Lance’s left and his own seat. 

A gust of wind made me glance back to find that Falkner, Morty, Whitney, Jasmine, and Chuck had arrived. Falkner had a small fan in his hand and a smug look.

Huh, it seemed everyone was getting in on aura training and tricks these days. 

“Daughter, you are becoming too predictable,” Koga stated and Janine blushed as she claimed her seat. She shot me an annoyed look, only for Erika to sit next to her and offer a consoling pat on the arm.

“Heh! Better it gets punked out of you now girl!” Visquez declared. 

Janine grumbled at that but couldn’t mount much of an argument. A smile and a bow of my head was all I could honestly offer to her. It probably spoke more about how often I’d spent with her over the last week that I’d gotten used to her quirks and habits. 

Distractions as loud as Visquez were the perfect opportunity for her to slip in unnoticed with her ninja tricks. I just happened to have noticed that habit. 

Still, I had to admit it felt nice proving my earlier boast true that I would be able to catch her if I put serious effort into it. For the sake of our friendship, along with her getting her revenge, I held back the smirk that threatened to spill out. 

Janine stared at me and I could almost hear her whispering ‘Jiiiiii!’ under her breath, but that must have just been my imagination. 

Visquez claimed her seat with a loud thump before crossing her arms and grinning. “How’s it hanging y’all?” she shouted at everyone. 

Erika facepalmed. “It’s like… You just take the suggestions I give you and run in the opposite direction sometimes!” she groaned. 

“That’s exactly what I do!” admitted Visquez shamelessly.

Erika twitched. “You’re joking…” When Visquez’s smile only grew Erika glared. “Visquez!

Visquez just beamed back, undaunted by Erika’s attempt at intimidation. 

“I have a whole book on it! It’s called what not to do, written by Erika and edited by Visquez!” Visquez adopted a suave look with her hand cupping her chin. “It’s gonna be a bestseller, I just know it!” 

Lance blinked in surprise before chuckling along with the others as Erika put her head in her hands and groaned. 

Sabrina stood and offered Erika a soft pat on the head. Janine joined in. “There there,” they said in unison. Erika shot them pleading looks and made waving motions towards Visquez. 

Visquez shot me a wink and I chuckled. 

During the time that the others had been goofing around, I noted that a few other familiar faces had slipped in with Manny, Kong, and two other minor gym leaders with them.

Kaede strode in alongside Pryce and Lorelei with the film star/ace trainer/Gym Leader shooting Lance a glare. 

Around the room people shuddered as a creeping cold followed Lorelei and Pryce to their seats. Lorlelei offered me a nod and mouthed ‘let’s talk later’ to me. I suspected she’d have a few updates for me on Aurora, the Amaura. 

The temperature drop made me look towards the now empty seat of Cinnabar as Kaede took her own seat in Viridian Gym’s chair.

It was a strange thing to witness the effects that a year had had. There were still gaps in the ranks of Gym Leaders… I flicked my eyes towards where Lance was sitting and noted the two gaps. 

“Bruno not joining us?” I asked. 

Everyone shifted before Lance rolled his eyes. “Do you actually want him here? I asked him to test some of the Frontier Brains. I sent along a film crew to highlight how strong some of the various trainers are that have taken up residence in the various facilities.” 

“Hmmm makes sense,” I said. In a way it actually worked in the Gym Leaders favour as the Elite Four usually knew what the Champion’s agenda might be and help him. At least that had been the historical context from what I’d studied thanks to Jennifer. 

The door opening and shutting quickly only for a quiet bark of surprise caused everyone to turn and watch as Bugsy stumbled in. He stiffened at the sudden scrutiny and almost tripped before coughing and adopting a stiff walk to the Azalea Gym chair. 

A few people chuckled but I offered him a nod. He waved back at me enthusiastically and in doing so flashed everyone the keystone he had as a bracelet. From a few people there was an indrawn breath of shock while people in the know shot me a look. 

I adopted a stoic expression as Bugsy turned to his seating partners Whitney and Falkner

“Hi there!” he practically shouted at them which earned a giggle from Whitney and a questioning look from Falkner which caused Bugsy’s look to falter somewhat.

With that we had everyone that we could expect, Lance wrapped his knuckles on the round table before him. “Very well, I shall call to order the meeting of Indigo’s Gym Leaders and Elites…” he rattled off the day and time while Lorelei tapped away, acting as a secretary for the minute notes. 

“First order of business is the elevation of one Scarlet Flamel, a specialist Ace Trainer that has recently taken numerous courses and expanded her roster of fire type pokemon to the seat of Cinnabar island. The League is lookin—”

I coughed. “Excuse me but what happened to Bruce Blackthorn?” 

A few people shifted and Lance’s lips thinned. 

I raised an open hand. “I’m sorry but it’s a question that’s going to be asked. Bruce was a trainer that had a Charizard capable of mega-evolution. Are we really going to overlook him as a potential candidate for the Cinnabar Gym?” 

Kaede shifted and gave me a less-than-impressed look, but she quickly returned to watching Lance with a slight smirk. 

Lance squirmed before sighing. “For multiple reasons, it has been determined that Bruce would not be a good fit as a Gym Leader within Indigo. He can pursue other options outside of Indigo but we will not be extending him the offer. Scarlet was determined through several methods to be a more viable candidate. I’d still like to ask that some other, more established Gyms offer up some Gym Trainers to help her establish herself. She, unlike others, will also be assuming the role on a full-time basis which should see some pressures reduced from other Gyms.”

“And if the media ask us about this?” I prodded. 

Lance grimaced. “The main point to make is that Bruce has determined other options would be more viable. He has taken up an apprenticeship with Drake from Hoenn as I understand it along with putting his name down to operate as one of the first wave of trainers looking to explore the Trinity Nations.” 

I flicked my eyes towards Sabrina and she extended her mind into mine. “Favours have likely been traded so that Bruce does not create an issue. He can still return however and will likely be greatly empowered. Lance is pushing the problem into the future.” 

“Hmmm politics at its finest,” I replied mentally to Sabrina. 

Pryce sat forward. “Brock, you have battled Scarlet in the past have you not? What is your take on her character?” he asked. 

I leaned back, drumming my fingers. “She was a good battler at the Celadon tournament and her starter, an Ampharos, was quite strong.” 

Visquez perked up at that but I ignored it, scratching at my chin. “I’m still not sure if she’s the best fit.”

Lance offered a shrug. “She’s the one who adapted the best and has offered the most.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I suppose Cinnabar’s position as a Heritage Gym is no more?”

Lance locked eyes with me. “The League will not be extending such offers anymore,” he stated before putting a finger down on the table. “I hope that many of you can accommodate her going forward. Right now she is working with trainers from the Charicific valley reserve.” 

A few people stirred at this and there were some grumbles but Lance was right. Blaine might have held the right to the Heritage Gym but he had been proven to be a criminal.

He, unlike Surge, had also not performed some legal trickery to keep a relative in power before his flight from Cinnabar. 

It was rather amusing that Surge was the one that had outfoxed the League, but then again, I suspected that Blaine hadn’t much cared for the position like Surge had. 

I sighed. “Are we going to put Scarlet to a vote?” I suggested as I stood. 

Lance frowned. I suspect he was hoping to pass this without such measures and sneak it past us but as Gym Leaders we could call it, especially with emergency powers of the League now waning from the criminal raids that had been conducted which left the original holes. 

I tapped the table and decided to lay out my thoughts. “It seems extremely shortsighted to elevate two Ace trainers to the ranks in such a short period of time,” I commented, giving Kaede a small bow in apology. “We had a good candidate prior with Bruce, and Scarlet is a good candidate but I think I’d need to see more from her to be comfortable.” 

I tapped the table again and shook my head.

“We have time with the break on at the moment. We should be doing talent identification in other ways than just plucking from the ranks of Ace trainers. Gym Leaders don’t just need to be skilled pokemon battlers but members of the community. Perhaps Cinnabar should have a say in this?” I pointed out.

Lance sighed. “All in favour of Scarlet assuming the role of Cinnabar Gym Leader?”

A few of the Minor Gym Leaders of Johto and Clair loyally raised their hands. 

“Opposed?” A clear majority raised their own hands against and Lance sighed. 

“The decision to raise Scarlet to Gym Leader of Cinnabar is defeated.” Lance eyed me for a long moment. “She will remain a candidate with others being added for later consideration at a secondary meeting.”

This earned a round of nods from most people and Lance sighed as he moved to the next item.

Lorelei noted down the result.

Some resolutions for increased taxation and services were offered up with these actually passing as Johto facilities were thought to need increasing in the coming months with there being a predicted increase in challengers which would see all of Johot’s Gyms getting some more income. 

No one seemed annoyed by a small percent increase in taxation when we knew that it was temporary and going to a good cause, or that Sabrina and I were the ones paying the most towards the plan with our Gyms earning the most. 

A few other League announcements followed with another suggestion for a future Gym Leader where Lance advocated that Corey, another Ace trainer, should take up a place as a minor Gym Leader within the city of Commerce City. 

I noted that Lance had a slightly displeased look and was staring at me all but begging me to raise a vote.

I flicked my eyes to Sabrina and she was glancing towards Erika who was subtly making a sign for ‘money’. 

Hmmm, it seemed that while Commerce City hadn’t gotten Celia, they had gotten someone to bite. 

“What typing is he going to take up?” I asked.

“He is set up for a neutral typing… And will instead work on differential move sets,” Lance stated. 

I hummed. It kind of reminded me of what you would experience when you fought Gary in the Gold or Silver games east of getting to fight Giovanni as the Viridian Gym Leader.

Kaede stood. “I would like to call a vote against this. I already have a Gym allocated to that typing. Manny—” she indicated a hand towards the Minor Gym Leader, “—has been kind enough to shift to become a Fairy Type Gym, but two of the same type will only hinder things as they currently stand. I’d instead advocate for a ground, dark, or steel-type gym.” 

Kaede finished with a glare towards Lance.

I raised a hand. “Is he dropping his Ace status as well?” 

“He is not,” Lance replied with a flash of annoyance. 

Kaede looked pissed at this announcement and she swept her eyes around the room. 

More than a few of the younger Gym Leaders shrunk under her glance and when the vote was called Corey was not raised as a Gym Leader. 

I held back a whistle. Commerce City was not going to be pleased by this announcement. Then again, they could probably adapt.

Lance sighed and moved along to discussing the need for certain areas to be patrolled with Ranger bases being shifted around and who would be required to liaise with who.

When the main event came around a sizable number of the Gym Leaders were getting rather listless with the various younger, new Gym Leaders all but slumping in their seats. 

Whitney looked close to falling asleep, Bugsy looked a little unsure what he was supposed to do, and Visquez was playing on her transceiver despite Erika shooting her reproachful looks. 

“—the matter of the Battle Fron—” 

I slapped the table causing a loud thwap that startled everyone to wakefulness. 

Lance paused and gave me an annoyed look but I levelled back one of my own. 

“If you’re about to raise a point regarding the inclusion of the Battle Brains within this meeting, I’d like to point out that it isn’t possible due to the fact that the Brains are operating within international land. There are some horrible precedents if we allow them into Indigo decision-making.”

This earned a few firm nods with even Clair glancing away guiltily. 

“There are more points I could make—” 

Lance raised a hand. “No, I think you’ve made a solid enough argument.” Lance glanced towards Lorelei. “I’d like to have the suggestion stricken from the record?” he asked. 

A few people looked confused, but I sat back down and hummed. 

Having it on record that I protested would give me ammunition to argue about it later. It might also be why Lance was having it stricken. If it didn’t appear it couldn’t be referenced.

Still, this felt strange. Was he just testing the waters? 

Sabrina nudged me mentally. “Nice work, now it can’t even be discussed. Your work with Jennifer paid off,” she projected to me. 

I held back a smile but pushed the emotions of it towards Sabrina. 

Lance ended up finishing by asking about specific trade agreements that were already made along with what was to come. This caused Visquez to sit up and pull out a sheet of paper. “Is this where we give you our roster wish lists and you make it happen Dragon-daddy?” she teased.

Lance blinked in shock. “Dragon… daddy?” he repeated. 

Erika twitched and it took Janine leaning over and thumping her on the back to make me realise she’d just choked on her tongue. Huh, I think Visquez had pushed her too far. 

Erika stood and it did all of nothing, her tiny frame barely reaching Visquez’s head as the taller woman was seated. “Visquez! Have some decorum!” 

Visquez failed to hide a smirk. “I was just playing~” she bantered, only for Erika to leap into her lap and wrap her arms around her neck. 

“No! You! Weren’t!” she roared ineffectively. Her tiny hands could barely grip Visquez’s neck and Visquez seemed more amused to have Erika in her lap. 

“Aw? A massage for me? You shouldn’t have!” she crowed as she hugged Erika, causing multiple pops of Erika’s spine. 

Erika stiffened. “Ow… oh wait that actually helped,” she muttered as she wriggled a little. 

Visquez smirked and deposited Erika to the side. Then she turned back to Lance. “But seriously, Shinx, Pachirisu, Blitzle, Joltik, Tynamo, and Emolga would be great additions in Vermillion.”

This caused a lot of the other Gym Leaders to draw out their own sheets of paper. 

Lance gave them all dubious looks. “Did everyone prepare a wishlist of pokemon?” 

I coughed and looked away. I hadn’t brought one but there were a few names I could rattle off wanting quite easily. Sabrina surprised me by tugging out a sheet of her own. 

A stack of papers quickly made its way in front of Lance. He stared at them and rubbed his forehead. 

“I think we should treat this like we have in the past, it will be up to you to secure your own pokemon through traders, or capture. Whether that is something you engage in yourself or you send an intermediary is up to you.”  

“Stingy Dragon Dad—” Visquez started to say, only for Erika to leap across the gap once again and slam her hands on top of Visquez’s mouth.

She whirled around. “That was the last item of business, yes?” she growled. 

Lance coughed. “It was, yes… We are finished here, which some of us seem to need more than others,” he said as he rose and offered a nod. 

“Refreshments will be made available but I have to move along. I will be looking to talk with a few of you in the coming days,” he stated as he rattled off another date for the next meeting in a month’s time. 

I noted that he pointedly looked at me when he said that. Seems he hadn’t liked how I’d denied Scarlet. I merely replied with a raised eyebrow. 

He should know me better by now. 

Lance was about to say something else only to be cut off as Sabrina to stood

“Now that the official business is over I’d like to extend an invitation to everyone here to attend Brock and I’s wedding. Please save the date—” Sabrina rattled off the relevant details and I could see a lot of the ladies were perking up at this news. 

Erika jolted, quickly hopping off Visquez to make a beeline to Sabrina. 

“Sabrina no! There’s better ways to do this! Even if it’s just a save the date!” she cried as she tugged Sabrina over to the buffet only for almost all the women in the crowd to follow after them

Janine vanished to inspect the buffet but I caught her lingering within earshot of Sabrina and Erika. 

Daisy floated over to talk to Morty leaving me seated with Visquez who was watching Erika. 

I hummed. “I doubt your method will work,” I said cautiously.

Visquez stiffened and whirled around and coughed before adopting a stoic, cool expression. “Heh, what’s that? Nah, you’ve got me all wrong. I just like playing with her!” 

“Seems more like what young boys sometimes do with girls they like.” 

Visquez glowered at me, crossing her arms over her chest. I sighed. “Come on, she’d prefer if you were sweet on her, not bitter.” 

Visquez snorted. “Heh, you’re barking up the wrong tree Brock. I’m just a bastard.”

That got a long thoughtful look in response that caused her to shift. “What?” she asked, jutting her chin.

I waved a hand. “Nothing, just surprised how alike your dad you are,” I stated. It was true on so many levels. 

Visquez grunted at that. “Woof, I don’t have testicles but damn if that wasn’t a low blow that took the charge right out of my zap.”

Her words drew a grimace. “Yup, I think I was right on the money,” I replied. That was such a Surge thing to say. 

It got her shifting back and forth and sighing. “Shit if that wasn't the best backhanded compliment/insult I ever heard,” she muttered.

“Surge could be a particularly layered individual,” stated Koga, causing Visquez and I to both flinch. He smirked and nodded at us before vanishing.

A soft eep from the buffet let me know he’d appeared between Bugsy and Janine. 

“That guy is creepy as shit,”

“And he knows it,” I replied only to spy that Falkner was starting to leave. “I gotta go see a guy about a bird,” I said. “Think about what I said.”

I jogged after Falkner and got his attention. “Falkner, I have some paperwork for you to look over!” 

He tilted his head as I produced the legal paperwork that allowed for the loaning of the Pidgeotite.

Falkner took one look at it and his eyes bulged. “Oh wow! Do you have a pe—” I snatched the paper away from him.

Damn it he was just as bad as Bugsy!

I resisted the urge to swat him and instead ripped the last page out before handing it back. “Read it, give it to a Lawyer to go over, and get back to me,” I declared.    

“But Mega stone!” he whined. 

I raised my hand, ready to smite Flakner like I did his father. 

He flinched away. “Yes sir! I’ll read it twice and have my Lawyer read it as well!” he said, grabbing the papers before darting away. 

I exhaled through my nose and watched him depart. 

“It’s kind of cute how you have to go out of your way to make them do their due diligence,” remarked a voice. 

I turned to find Clair watching me. 

“Hmmm, you here to talk to me on behalf of Lance?” I asked. 

Clair sighed only to nod a moment later. “Yes.” She leveled a serious look at me that I weathered easily. “Brock, Indigo needs to fill its Gyms.”

“Not like this, it doesn’t. It also doesn’t need the Foreign influence. What is Lance thinking?” 

“He’s thinking of establishing stronger bonds with our neighbouring nations,” she stated. 

“There are better ways to approach it. If this is his idea he needs to rethink it, and if not he needs to change whoever is advising him on this path.” 

Clair grimaced and looked away which let me know that this was something from within the League. 

I sighed. “Well I’m not backing down on this. Scarlet and Corey could both be good Gym Leaders but not for Cinnabar and definitely not to put pressure on Kaede. Perhaps one could be taken on for Kanto and another for Johto?” I suggested. 

“Cinnabar needs someone that can hold their own.”

“Even though you stated they need to be more community minded?” Clair pointed out.

I nodded. “Yeah, that would be good but we also need someone that can handle encountering Blaine,” I pointed out. Clair adopted a more serious expression at that.

“Ah, yes… We will have come up with something.” 

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Yeah, yeah you will. Did any of Blaine’s Gym Trainers pass muster when they were processed by the police?” I asked. 

Clair shook her head. “They all vanished, bar some youngsters who weren’t heavily involved in the running of the Gym.” 

“Hmmm so that angle is out. Do we have any trainers studying elsewhere? Like Lavaridge or the Charicific Valley?” I asked. 

“Shamefully, those who are not Rangers, or caretakers have usually only ever been Blackthorn trainers… The clan has been favouring ourselves too much and now the League has implemented limitations.”

“This to stop Bruce or to punish the Blackthorns?” I asked. 

Clair frowned but didn’t reply. 

I sighed. “I’ll talk to you soon about our match Clair. I won’t use Regirock on you but don’t expect me to hold back otherwise,” I stated. I gave her a brief nod and then headed back inside only to find Sabrina and Visquez talking quietly in a corner. 

Visquez saw me looking and broke off her conversation. 

I approached Sabrina. “Anything worth mentioning?” 

“No, she just wants a favour,” Sabrina asked. “I think I’ll let her have it,” she murmured, watching Visquez stalk away. She glanced at me with an amused look. “She wants to try the honey approach,” she said. 

I hummed. “Well this might be interesting. Wonder what she’s cooking up?”

Sabrina smiled knowingly. I hummed, considering Erika and Visquez.

“Is Erika even interested in gir—” I started to aks only for Sabrina to smirk.

“I’ve been hit by her loud thoughts enough to know she’s bi,” Sabrina informed me. 

“Oh,” I replied, unsure what to do with that information. 

“Well, good luck, Visquez, I suppose?” I suggested. 

Sabrina just tossed her hair. “It will be entertaining if nothing else.” 

“Maybe we shouldn’t toy with our friends like that?” 

“Hmmm, no,” Sabrina replied. 

I shook my head and moved us so we could talk with the other Gym Leaders who were lingering. I had a few things I wanted to asked of Whitney and Jasmine after all.  With the official meeting done a lot of people were relaxing.

I’d done well, but Jennifer had emphasised that I still needed to stick around and talk to people to get a better idea of what people thought.

Even when I offloaded work, it found a way back. 

Oh well, at least I wasn’t Lance. He no doubt had a much bigger workload from this meeting. 

Not that I felt sorry for him. He wanted to be Champion. It came with a lot of perks but also a lot of responsibilities. 

I liked just being Brock right now.

I had enough on my plate keeping an eye on potential disasters without trying to put out the various fires that sprang up around Indigo.

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!