Today was the day. After a week of nervousness and anticipation, it was finally here.
Zella strutted with anxious enthusiasm, nearing the Viridian City gym. She couldn't bear waiting see the new list of gym trainers and, more importantly... The new gym leader.
The thirteen-year-old trainer was the youngest to apply for the position, but the entire town had encouraged her to go for it. Zella had to admit, out of the 15 Kanto trainers who had applied, she was the best candidate. The girl had performed more service hours than any other trainer her age and boasted all eight Kanto gym badges. If it wasn't for the 15-year age minimum required of the Elite Four, Zella would have applied to fill Lance's spot. The dragon master was the new league champion, which had left a prestigious opening in the Elite Four lineup. Being underage, Zella settled for the former Team Rocket mastermind Giovanni's place instead.
More than half of Viridian's townspeople were crowded around the front door of the gym, surely reading the fated piece of paper taped to the glass door. Zella prepared herself to see her name at the top of that list.
"Congrats, Zella!" One of her neighbors shouted as she approached the crowd. She smiled, knowing the title of gym leader was hers.
After pushing through the raucous mob, the trainer scanned the list. She started from the top, and, to her dismay...
Viridian City Gym Leader: Blue Oak
NO! Blue from Pallet Town? Who couldn't even keep the champion title for one day?!
Zella followed the list to the bottom, cursing as she didn't see her name until the last trainer was listed.
Trainer One of Six: Zella Enoch
Trainer ONE?! The weakest in the gym?! This can't be. Don't the League advisors realize that no trainer'll be able to even get near Blue with me at the entrance?!
"Hey, Trainer One." Zella scowled as the infamous Blue Oak appeared at her side, his sea-colored eyes glinting with pride. "Why the long face, girlie?"
The discouraged girl walked back through the congregation of trainers, the newly christened gym leader following her at a close distance. After they had made it out of the horde, Zella stared Blue down from six inches below his face.
"I'm just upset that the poor trainers who come here won't even get a chance to face you, with me guarding the entrance."
"Oh, don't you worry about them. You're overestimating yourself, just like you always do."
"Y'know Blue, when you talk like that, I understand your old pal Red's logic in climbing that solitary mountain as far away from you as possible."
"Woah, Trainer One is getting feisty over here! Seriously, a gym leader's gotta set an example for the whole town." Blue had raised his voice, drawing the attention of the townspeople to the pair. He smirked, looking down at Zella. "I don't know how you expected the position with that mouth."
"You're not any better, Depressing Primary Color. I expect this to be a relationship of mutual respect. Remember, you're at the top because of seniority, Mr. I Have a Driver's License."
"Oh, no. I'm at the top because of ABILITY, kid. Apparently, you didn't have what they were looking for."
Zella scowled, red hot anger boiling up from her toes to her ears. She spoke with quiet intensity.
"Eight gym badges, connections to the Elite Four, 200+ service hours, top ten percent of my graduating class? I think that's more than you have."
"Maybe, but I have the image, the example, and LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE. In case you're forgetting, I was- I mean, I AM, Kanto's first ever Champion. The title is Gym LEADER, not Gym Schoolkid. Smell ya later, Trainer One." Blue mocked Zella's signature battle salute and walked off in the direction of the gym, cackling to himself.
Zella turned away, clenching her fists. She may not have gotten anywhere near her goal, but the trainer knew what she was capable of. Zella vowed to defend the Viridian City gym to the best of her ability, not holding back even for the weakest of challengers. Realizing her mistake of getting riled up, Zella turned back toward Blue, shouting,
"Congratulations, Blue. You deserved it."
And she meant it.
One Month Later
Blue had become more than comfortable atop his Viridian throne. However, the gym leader was quite… bored. The gym's challengers were among the weakest he'd ever seen, barely even making it past Trainer One or Two. In the back of his mind, Blue knew this was because of Zella's placement in his gym. The sole reason any challenger had been able to get past her was due to the league rule of Trainer One being limited to a two-Pokémon team. He had let it slide until the complaints came rolling in.
Challengers from across Kanto and the entire Pokémon world had been stumped by Zella's powerhouse tactics. A girl named Lyra from the Johto region had personally confronted Blue on the issue, demanding that Zella be moved up to at least Trainer Four. Brendan of Hoenn wrote a gazette article on sexism and age bias in the Pokémon League after touring Kanto. Worst of all, the famed Herbert of Unova told a Kanto-Johto news station that the trainers leading up to Leader Blue were more powerful than Blue himself.
After discussing the issue with Kanto's Elite Four, Champion, and League advisors, Blue and the other leaders agreed to move Zella up to Trainer Six. Six? That'll just feed her ego. Four would have been enough. Blue was outraged that his gym, supposedly the best in Kanto, was being corrupted by the League's bias toward Zella. Sure, she was too strong to be at the bottom, but she was doing her job. She warded off unworthy challengers… Despite his annoyance, the gym leader was looking forward to battling more in the coming weeks. Perhaps the girl was deserving of the new spot.
Zella was Trainer Six of Viridian for nearly two years, fending off countless challengers from across the globe. Her new position balanced the gym hierarchy better than ever, but she knew it would only be perfect with her at the top.
One summer day, however, Blue was met with a surprise as he walked into the gym for a day of work. In his mailbox was the resignation letter of his rival, Zella Enoch. The gym leader was astounded at her decision, and the letter gave no reason for her departure.
Blue took the steps required to remove his star trainer from the gym's roster, notifying the League Officials and deleting her files off of the computer system. While working, Blue pondered Zella's decision. She had never been the secretive type, which puzzled him as to why she'd decided to run off without warning. He knew he would miss watching her pummel almost every trainer in her path, seven days a week. Although challengers were rarely tough enough to reach Blue himself, the leader had come to enjoy Zella's battles from afar. He was, however, not without green envy. Cursing his nostalgic tendencies, Blue typed up a recruitment flyer for a new Gym Trainer. After a day, he felt nothing at all.
Two Months Later
Leader Blue was more than surprised that Elite Four Karen had succeeded Lance as the new champion of the Indigo League. She was the first female champion in the region's history. Charming, but beatable.
The now 19-year-old trainer saw this as an easy opportunity to re-challenge the Elite Four and Karen, seeing it as an easy win since he'd beaten a few of these trainers before. This was his chance, after all these years, to reclaim his title as Champion.
No one in Kanto had heard any news of the new Elite Four member. It was assumed that he would be the first member the challengers would face, but oddities sometimes occurred in other regions where the newest member was stronger than some of the veterans.
As the top Gym Leader in Kanto, Blue had secured his place to be the first challenger of the new Elite Four. He travelled alone, bypassing Victory Road and taking the shortcut to Indigo Plateau. The late August sun invigorated the Gym Leader, pumping him up for decisive battle.
Strolling underneath the bronze archways, Blue recalled his first experience at the League. A young, headstrong trainer, he had managed to defeat the Elite Four in a single attempt. Since then, many of the Elites had been swapped with stronger trainers, but Blue was unfazed. He knew their typings and was prepared to meet their matches with his well-rounded, grab-bag team.
His stellar Pokémon with convenient typing swept Will and Koga with ease. The older trainers congratulated him with genuine kindness and respect, the key characteristic of the Pokémon League. Blue responded with curt nods, internally celebrating his easy wins. Between halves of the Four, Blue healed his Pokémon with strategic items that most trainers couldn't afford.
It took more than average effort to defeat Bruno, but having defeated the trainer in previous battle, Blue saw through the veteran's strategy and prevailed. The trainers shook hands and the fighting trainer sent Blue on his way.
Before he entered the chamber of the final Elite Four member, Blue remembered that this would be the newest addition to the league. How could he have beaten these formidable vets? The Gym Leader assumed this new Elite would be from outside of Kanto, not having any clue which Kanto trainer could have possibly made it this far. He carried on through the heavy door of the final trainer before the Champion. Home stretch.
The room was flooded with bright light, temporarily blinding Blue as the door closed behind him. As his vision faded back in, Blue took a step back in surprise. The trainer before him was none other than one of his fiercest rivals.
Zella Enoch, a now 15-year-old trainer, was the final member of the Indigo Elite Four.
"Trainer Six? What're you doing here, challenging the Elite Four?" Blue exclaimed, still in jealous denial.
"I should be asking you that, Blue," Zella replied calmly without her usual annoyance. Her voice seemed to be amplified, echoing around the tall, windowless chamber. "Are you ready for battle?"
Blue stood still, enraged and envious of Zella's intimidating suit, cape, and intense new haircut. She looked like a champion. So full of herself.
"En garde, mon ami," Blue retorted, poking a bit of fun at Zella's Kalosian uniform.
Blue's team fell like it never knew it could. Blue's type advantages and stat strategies had nothing on Zella's sheer power and bond with her Pokémon. Her Typhlosion took down half of his team before it gave way to Blue's Blastoise, but Zella retaliated with the overpowered Victreebel. After not even ten minutes of battle, Blue was defeated. His Elite Four challenge was over.
Blue called his fainted Alakazam back into its ball. Shivering, he put all his Pokéballs away.
"Zella… what… are you?"
The dangerously tough trainer looked directly into Blue's eyes from across the battlefield.
"I'm me, Blue. I'm not sure what you expected. You told me I didn't have the 'ability' to be a Gym Leader, so I came here. Thank you for your efforts, challenger, but I'm afraid you have to start over. The elevator is on your left." Zella pointed in the direction of the exit.
Blue was nearly exploding out of rage. His blood boiled as his chest turned hot with hate and resentment. Before he could lash out, Zella sternly locked his gaze once more. As quickly as his rage had come, it dissolved like morning dew until Blue felt nothing at all. He departed the chamber without a word.
Within one month, Blue challenged the Indigo League thirteen times. Each time he attempted to succeed, Blue would fall victim to Zella's famed team of authoritative Pokémon. Each time, Zella gave it her all. Each time, she congratulated his efforts.
Somehow Blue knew that if he managed to get past Zella, Karen would be a breeze. The Champion had a team of mostly dark-types, which his Machamp could take with ease.
Just as Blue was preparing in the League lobby to try again, he was approached by none other than the Champion herself.
"Blue Oak? Hello, do you have a minute to talk?"
Blue looked up at Karen, who was standing in front of his chair.
"Sure, take a seat." He motioned to the chair across from him, avoiding Karen's piercing gaze.
"Blue, I admire your fighting spirit. I'll just put that out here now."
"Lemme guess, you're going to try to get me to stop trying?" Blue snapped, looking at the ceiling.
"No, of course not. Although, you've become quite, well, infamous for continuing your streak. Tell me, why do you want to become the Champion so badly?"
Blue rolled his eyes. "I'm possibly the best trainer in all of Kanto, and I feel like Gym Leader isn't suiting my needs anymore. I've always known Champion was for me. Hell, I'm the first Champion this league has ever seen!"
"Blue, I'm not sure anyone has taught you this, but the Pokémon League was not founded on suiting the needs of the individual. Our leaders are in positions that suit the needs, challenges and abilities of all Pokémon trainers."
"Well, if your Elite Four served ME, I would be able to defeat… her."
"Zella?"
"Well, duh. She's unbeatable, Karen. I doubt you're much stronger."
Karen looked down, pondering something. Blue was surprised that she didn't seem offended. She spoke again, quieter.
"I'll let you in on a secret. When I was a challenger, I felt the same way you did about the League. I knew I was stronger than all of them, and my confidence got me the top spot in the Elite Four. However, when Lance was chosen as Champion, I felt… utterly, completely robbed. His dragon types were overrated, and I wanted that top spot for myself."
"I get where you're coming from, Karen. This League is and never will be fair."
"That's not my point here, Blue," the Champion responded sternly, staring Blue down. "What I didn't realize was how much of a presence Lance was in not just Kanto but Johto as well. Lance… Lance is one of the most genuine of people I've ever had the privilege to meet. I've known him since I was your age, and he wasn't always like that. Just like your Zella, but even more so like you, Lance had a temper and a rotten mouth. It wasn't until he made good friends and found role models that he became who he is today. It took me years to realize this, Blue. Being a Gym Leader, being in the Elite Four, even being CHAMPION. It's not just about strength. It's about caring for people and Pokémon, which in turn makes you stronger. Please think about that when you challenge my league, dear friend." And with that, Karen turned and left for the Champion's stadium.
"Good afternoon, Blue."
Blue flinched at Zella's calm welcome. He cut straight to the battle without a word.
Although his battles were improving, Blue fell once again.
"Thank you for your challenge, Blue." Zella stated as she withdrew her Gyarados. Blue was about to make his usual exit before something inside of him changed the direction of his stride. The defeated trainer walked up to Zella, reaching out his hand. She looked down in surprise, but took it gladly.
"Thank you, Zella. Thank you for doing such a… good job. You deserve to be here."
And he was gone.
The next eight years of the trainers' lives were turbulent and full of change… in the best possible way.
Blue never challenged the Elite Four after his fourteenth time, heading back home to Viridian and, as a result of his battles, being the strongest Gym Leader yet. After Koga retired from the Elite Four, Karen and Zella sent him a League-verified invitation to join the Elite Four without competition. He accepted willingly.
The Elite Four Lineup shifted once again, opening its doors to trainers from around the world. In order from first to fourth, the third official Indigo League consisted of Dawn of Sinnoh, Wally from Hoenn, Johto's Gold and, of course, Blue Oak.
Karen was the Indigo League Champion for multiple years, holding Johto and Kanto together with character, power and comradery. She reigned over the League until she took on a job as a professor in Unova, teaching young trainers about how to treat Pokémon… and each other.
Zella Enoch became the Indigo Champion by default, but was welcomed with enthusiasm all around the Pokémon World. She made lifelong friends through league connections and stood for the support of all people and Pokémon.
Blue looked around the League conference table at the strongest Pokémon trainers in the world, all dressed in pajamas at Zella's request. He could start a friendly conversation with any of these people whenever he wanted, and he owed it all to his Pokémon and his friends.
Never before could Blue have called anyone, let alone a room of nearly a hundred trainers, his friend. All this, all he ever could have wanted… thanks to some kid with no ability named Zella Enoch.