20

[3:30 PM. Outside the Blackthorn City Ranger Academy. Blackthorn City. The same day.]

Rena hesitated as she walked up to the podium.

She could see an ocean of cameras and reporters trained on her. Even as the Johto representative to the Indigo Plateau, she had never done well on camera. They made her nervous, knowing that everything she ever said, did, or showed, would be recorded for posterity, for all time.

She took her position at the podium. She felt seat bead on her forehead and slide down her neck. She was dressed very conservatively, yet felt entirely exposed and naked. She squinted in the light of the cameras.

"To begin, Johto would like to reiterate that she had nothing to do with the heinous attacks on Kanto and Celadon City."

She swallowed. This was all standard song and dance—par for the course. The press had heard this all before. Rena had spent countless nights since the Celadon Incident listening to various experts and specialists and rangers telling her what she prayed to be true. There was no conclusive evidence that implicated Johto in the massacre. Four terrorists had stormed Indigo Plateau, claiming to be acting under the auspices of Johto. All that could be proven is that they believed or were merely saying that Johto was responsible.

"However, as you may know, not every is convinced that this is true. Not everyone believes that Johto did not have a direct or indirect hand in slaughter. We cannot stress enough that we had nothing to do with that."

The press were getting antsy. This is not what they were called to Blackthorn for. In her dealings with the press, she knew that there was nothing more vicious than hungry reporters. She would have to give them what they came for.

Her advisors nodded at her.

"Even though we stress that fact and have publicly ousted the terrorists, complying with the Indigo Plateau at every request and investigation, it would seem that there are those who would choose to believe otherwise. And there are those would choose to act rashly. There are those that would take interregional affairs into their own hands."

The press began to talk and scribble furiously. Rena had only been told all this recently. It sent a wave of terrible nausea straight into her stomach. She had almost been unable to come out today because she became so ill. Her advisors pumped her full of medicine and sent her on her way. She could never have imagined things would turn out like this. It had all started so simply; an open and shut case of major vandalism and an attack on a research facility.

What information did Werner's folder hold? He seemed so confident in his accusations.

"Recently, Johto suffered an attack, not as gruesome, but just as tragic. Yesterday, Tin Tower, the legendary landmark of Johto that has stood watch over Ecruteak for a millennium, was destroyed. The fires still burn, though the keepers and Leader Morty regretfully confirmed that the projected structural damage is too great. In short, Tin Tower is lost. In this time of great uncertainty, we as a people must band together. A great people have been moved to defend a great region. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our most dear landmarks, but they cannot touch the foundation of Johto. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of Johtoan resolve. Johto was targeted for attack because of some erroneous and unbased charges of a madman. Today, our region saw evil—the very worst of human nature—and we will respond with the best of Johto."

Someone in the crowd began to clap. Rena cleared her throat. "We have apprehended the suspect in the destruction of Tin Tower."

More murmurs from the press.

Two Rangers led a man bound in chains up to the podium. He was a large man, in a dirty suit. "This man, Alphonoso, was apprehended fleeing Ecruteak as the tower burned. Alphonso is the husband of Claudia, one of the members of the Elite Four of the Pokemon League. On his person, we discovered several documents and communiqué that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this man was responsible for this terrorist act. Furthermore, these documents implicate Kanto and the Elite Four of Indigo Plateau as having orchestrated and carried out this attack."

The press began a mad scramble. Worked up into frenzy, they began shouting and snapping pictures like a mob. Rena did her best to stand firm. She did not acknowledge a single reporter. She simply needed to make it to the end of her speech and then step down. The press grabbed photos of Alphonso, and he gave only exasperated grunts in response before the Rangers carted him away.

"With all that being said, I speak for all of Johto when I hereby declare that as of this announcement, Johto is henceforth and forever more, a sovereign region. We will be withdrawing our presence from the Indigo Plateau as we conduct our own investigation into the exact extent of their involvement. All dealings with Kanto are hereby dissolved and travel between the two regions will be restricted. Kanto business holdings in Johto or her waters will be seized by the regional government, located here in Blackthorn City. Our branch of the Rangers is hereby severed from the Kanto Branch, however, amnesty will be granted to all Rangers who wish to return to Kanto, for they have done no wrong, and have served both regions admirably. We request that Kanto reciprocate this action, so that Johto may have her people at home where she needs them most."

The press exploded. Rena allowed herself to exhale as she bathed in the light of the camera flashes. Several attendants moved to escort her from the podium.

This is it, huh? No going back. Never thought I'd be the one to drop the hammer.

She was led into a phalanx of aides who took her from the swarm to the Ranger Center.

Oh, Rena what have you done?

She would have to report to the Dragon Tamers now, and that was a prospect she dreaded.

As the events unfolded on television, across the continent, an old man in a wheelchair turned off the television, crossed his hands over his lap and smiled like a child.