The excited chatter and star gazed looks surround me as Cynthia and Alessia are immediately recognised as they entered the Pokémon centre behind me. People of all ages can't help but be in awe of the two champions barging past me in hopes of getting to talk to their idols. For many, the chances of meeting a champion are extremely rare but for me, I seem to have the best luck in the world as I have met every champion of every region I've been too. Waiting for nurse joy to heal my Pokémon I can't help but watch the two older girls who showed up to support me at my gym battle. I've always dreamed about becoming a Pokémon champion but I've never really given much thought about what it means to be a champion outside of being the strongest trainer. Watching how the two interact which people I realise there is so much more to it than just being the strongest. As the champion young and old trainers look up to you. They become inspired by what you do. Every champion is a role model that people strive to be. And as a champion, it's your job to protect their ideas as well as them to whatever threat that comes their way. Looking back to my time in Sinnoh Cynthia was constantly tracking and fighting team Galactic as they posed a threat to the region. Here the Queens are doing the same thing. No matter the danger they are fighting against them as that is their job to protect the trainers of the region. To work with the police to protect everyone. I can't even begin to imagine the stress champions must suffer from.
Alessia snuck in halfway through the battle and I can't help but feel like she's disappointed in me. I mean I'm disappointed in myself. Alessia warned me. None of my attacks were effective against Jolt's counter defence which she also warned me about. Why did I think I could overcome the type disadvantage. My Pokémon were relying on me to think of a strategy to protect them. When in fact I did the opposite. Everything I did failed and allowed Jolt to demolish my team.
Pushing my hands down my face I can't help but sink lower into the waiting chair. Alessia was right. I need a different team to take on Jolt. No special training can make up the vast struggle we faced today.
"I know that look." Alessia's voice causes me to jump slightly as she takes a seat next to me. Her fans who had flocked to her were being held back Cynthia Dawn the Queens and their Pokémon. It's almost like they formed a protective circle around us. Seeing what I'm looking at she explains what I missed when I zoned out replying the battle over and over in my head. "We all could see you were drowning in your own self loathing and disappointment." I go to argue that I wasn't doing that but she gives me a pointed look which causes me to close my mouth straight away. "Don't deny it Ash. Everyone here could see. Anyways we all decided you need a pep talk and after much debate which ended with me winning as I've done talks like this before with Bella, Adam, Ethan, Eric, even Jolt one time. It's a lot of effort being the older sibling. So we put on a Pokémon showcase to keep everyone back so we can have this private talk. Beating yourself up over one bad battle isn't going to help you. All you'll achieve by doing that is hurting yourself more then you need to. Trust me on that." Something about her tone makes me sharply look up as she's staring down at the ground. I want to ask her what she means and why she suddenly looks so depressed and defeated but something tells me that she wouldn't tell me yet. She sneaks a look over to where Cynthia is standing. A seconds later she looks up at me with a gentle smile hiding away the hurt to focus on me. "We both know you made some mistakes in that battle. No one is arguing against that. But Ash that's nothing to be upset about. I made tones of mistakes when I first became a trainer. Hell I still do as do my siblings not that they will ever admit it. All we can do is learn from them and come back stronger. From what I've been told about you your not one to give up easily."
"I'm not giving up." The determination in my voice shines through causing Alessia's smile to grow.
"I can tell." she let's out a little laugh. "Nobody can always win. Losing will always be a bitter pill to swallow but it's something we have to do to improve. I've seen you train and my dad told me about your battle. Not to mention Cynthia as been singing your praises. Your love and passion is something not many trainers can achieve. It's what makes you a fantastic trainer. It's why your Pokémon love you and why every defeat is so much harder because you put everything into it. Learn from your mistakes Ash's but don't drown in them."
"Thanks, Alessia." Getting a champion to give you a pep talk helps me to understand her more and her role in society. Champions are there to inspire people and protect them. But what else. "I can ask you something." Seeing as I have a champion here maybe she will be willing to fill me in on what being the champion really is like.
"You just did but yes."
Deciding to ignore her joke not out of rudeness but make sure I' ready from whatever Alessia maybe answer. This has been my dream for a long as I can remember but I've been ignorant on what it really means. For me to achieve my dreams I have to improve my understanding. "What is being a champion really like." I ask my voice coming out sheepish than anticipated. "What is it that you actually do."
Alessia ponders for a moment before answering. "Well Ash I can't speak for every champion as each champion takes a different approach to the role and what entitles. Not to mention each region has different rules and regulations. Here as I'm sure you've already figured out I work closely with the police and the elite four to make sure our region remains safe for all trainers and Pokémon. This means we get involved when different groups or individuals try to rise up. We help to stop Pokémon poaching and smuggling. Create nation parks which are protected area for Pokémon to live and then assign guards to that area. We also have to deal when some Pokémon get out of hand or lose control. It's also my job to help trainers move along with their journey. As champions we are more of a symbol to trainers. Sometimes we inspire them to be Pokémon trainers in hopes of becoming better then us or just to be like us. Every action I take will be viewed by thousands upon thousands of different Indvidual's. Which can be annoying when the papers are showcasing me and my siblings bladdered on a night out." I couldn't help raise an eyebrow at her story and bitter tone.
"I'm sorry what."
"When you get famous the press swing between being your greatest friend and your worst nightmare. When Bella turned eighteen legal drinking age in this region me Ethan Erica Adam Mia Jolt Fang Ryder Alex Kara Liara Heaton Benjie Murphy and Jenner decided to take her out for her first time." I make a mental note of the list of friends suspecting some of them are now gym leaders. Well I know Jolt and Fang are and I know that the other gym leaders in the region are close friends of theirs. "We hit a few nightclubs Apollo city. Next morning picture of us we in the papers asking if we were the types of role models young people should be looking up too among other less pleasant thing. We can't really go out any more because of that. What I'm saying is the press are always looking for a story and when you become a champion any news relating to you is a gold mine. They will report on who your friends are. What your family are doing. Every battle is picked a part. Basically anything less then perfect is unacceptable for being the champion. And trying to be normal is looked down on. Being in a relationship is extremely difficult. It played a role in why my last relationship ended. When people don't want the attention for simple things it can be stressful. We try our best to avoid them and then ignore them if they create something."
"It sound's awful." I don't know what I would do if my entire life was picked apart just to sell stories. Constantly being under scrutiny would no doubt be annoying like Alessia said. Even relationships would become much harder. My friends would be judged and who ever I end up with would be too. I can't help but feel sorry for Alessia's past relationship. She sounded sad when mentioning their break up. But I can't help but wonder who her ex is. Maybe they were in the list of friends she mentioned. Wait now that I think about it out of all of the champions I've met in my travels not one of them were in a relationship. I guess the old saying is true. It's lonely being at the top. That is the saying, isn't it. I wonder how many relationships broke down because one of them was the champion. Honestly, I dread to think.
"It can be yes. But it can also work in your favour sometimes. As long as the frame doesn't get to your head. Anyways we've gotten off topic. Being a champion allows me to create a hold different tournament for trainers to patriciate in."
"Like the Elite League and the one you and Bella were on about." I remember Alessia asking Bella to set one up in Yogstown I think it was.
"Yes just like them. We have to work closely with professors and scientist in hopes to better understand the world we live while educating everyone on what we already know. Not to mention it's us to us to create the regions leagues and gyms. We have to make sure every gym is up to scratch. Recently we've also helped to start the Pokémon contests deciding where they are held and creating it's own league. We even help coordinate other events like concerts. We also do less important things that aren't really worth mentioning as I've covered all the most important aspects." Wow. I didn't realise just how much the champion and elite four are involved with everything in the region. Being champion is a lot harder then I thought it was. "I have no doubt you'll handle the pressures when you become champion." Her sudden praise takes me by surprise.
"If I become a champion." Now I'm the one sounding a bit bitter but in my defence, I've lost seven different Pokémon leagues.
"No I mean when. I've heard a lot about you Ash and I've seen you battle. I have no doubt that you will become a regions champion one day. I have faith in you ash even when you ignore my advise and lose to Jolt." I can feel my head drop at the mere mention of my awful battle. "Head up. Jolt was impressed with you."
"He destroyed me how can he be impressed." I ask not hiding the confusion in what she's saying. Although her pep talk did wonders for me bring me out of my self loathing as she puts it but how could I have impressed Jolt.
"True." She stands back pulling out on of her pokeballs. "but you lasted longer than most and that is no easy feat. Like I said we win some and we lose some."
"But I seem to never quite make it." I wasn't talking about my battle with Jolt but ore about my league results. I always get so close only to lose it.
"I didn't win my first league Ash." She says playing with her pokeball.
"You didn't."
"Nah I lost the Johto League in the semi finals." I'm not sure what shocks me the most the fact that she lost or the fact that we competed in the Johto League.
"The Johto League." Slips out in my shock. Well, at least I now know what shocked me the most about her sentence.
"Yeah. I didn't start my journey here. My first region was Johto." She says its so casually like it's not surprising at all.
"Why didn't you start your journey here." Almost every trainer I know started their first journey in their own region.
"I'm a Queen." She starts in a deflated tone. "And being a Queen means there are a lot of expectations placed on us given my families history. Me and my sibling decided when we were young that we didn't want our first region having that high of a standard to live up too and that we take this region on together as a family. Being the oldest I got my Pokémon first but I didn't want to wait around for a few years so Bella would be allowed to join me. So I left and went to Johto. When my brothers came of age they split up and went to different regions as well. Bella turned eleven and went to her own region. We then all came back together took on the Kinsaha league won it and lived up to everyone expectations."
"You lot were expected to become champions."
"Our gifts on reacting and linking with pokemon made us seem more likely to become the best."
"Did you even want to become the champion." The way she talks about it makes it sound more like a burden than a dream come true.
"Honestly Ash I don't know. I love what I do now but at the time it was hell. I didn't much thought into it I just did what came naturally to me. If you want to know more about the role and jobs of being a champion you should ask Cynthia." Sensing the conversation come to an end she through her Pokeball and Decidueye appears. "I look forward to watching your next battle." As the two of them head back to the gathered crowd nurse joy appears at my side telling my Pokémon are fully healed. What did she mean when she said I lasted longer than most.
Pikachu jumps onto my shoulder full of energy and rearing to go train some more nuzzling my cheek providing me with some more comfort. Glancing back over to Alessa she crouched down with some kids who can't be more than ten years olds answering their never ending questions and allowing them to pet Decidueye. "That was hard battle wasn't it." Pikachu nods in agreement but has the same need to train harder to improve he always has after losing a battle. "Don't worry bud. We're not giving in. Next time we face off against Jolt he will win. But I agree with Alessia that we need to change our approach to league." Pikachu looks at me confused as to where I'm going with this. "I think it's time we reunite with some old friends." I can't help the smile that breaks out on my face at saying this. Taking everything Alessia and the rest of the Queen's have been trying to teach me since I got here has awakened some new exciting possibilities.
Searching the Pokémon Centre I quickly spot what I'm looking for. A few seconds later Professor Oak's face appears on the screen. "Ash. How good to hear from you. How are you enjoying yourself so far In Kinsaha."
"Kinsaha is a very different region." I admit adjusting my hat slightly. "So I've decided to approach the region a different way."
Professor oak wears the same confused expression as Pikachu wore a few moments ago. "What do you mean Ash."
Looking at the man I've looked up to for years I take a second to think on my wording before answering. "I'm not sure how to explain it really professor. But ever since I've arrived in this region I've been doing a lot of thinking about what kind of trainer I am. And what trainer I want to be. In every region I've been two so far I've built up a brand new team from scratch. Then I leave them at your lab and move on hardly ever using them again. I don't want to make my Pokémon feel like I'm abandoning them or disappointed in the because we didn't win their regions league. We're a team. All of us. And this League is so different to me then the others so instead of creating a brand new team I want to start using my old one's while helping to make more Pokémon friends here. So I was wondering if you could send over some of my Pokémon to join me here."
Professor Oak grins at me. "I think that's a wonderful idea Ash. I know a lot of your Pokémon here miss you and would love to travel with you again. And I have to say I am proud of you for maturing into the young man you are now. You thinking about how your Pokémon might feel show's how you've grown in recent years. Which Pokémon would you like sent over." I'm not going to lie that professor Oak saying he's proud of me filled me with pride joy and love. He's been the main father figure in my life and to hear him say that can't even been described in words on how it makes me feel.
Thinking about which Pokémon I would like to take Jolt on with I ask the Professor to send over three of my Pokémon.