Chapter 46 – Reconciliation

Sinnoh's Pokemon League headquarters were located on an island in the north eastern part of the region. It was believed long ago that this place would become sacrosanct, a place where only the strongest would be allowed to come and train. Of course, this ideal has loosened over the passage of time, but the core that only the strong come here remained the same. Pokemon battles held here were only waged by those who were deemed worthy of challenging the league.

Those who first came to the island, brought with them architecture that was somewhat different from most of the Sinnoh region. Their Gothic spires and pointed arches dominated the landscape. And all roads led there. True some off buildings had been upgraded over the years, but all were shorter than the stone structure in the centre.

Cynthia had always admired the view she was granted. As champion, her suites were at the top of the largest tower in the building. She had done little to change her living room from its original designs. The stained glass created a multicoloured floor broken up by various furniture. Books lined the shelves around the walls, while a TV played on mute in the background. There was but a single clear window in the room, one which looked over the main path that lead to the cathedral.

Cynthia stood before it watching. Steam curled out of the mug of tea the champion held in her hands. And below, the people wandered like ants, unaware that the most powerful trainer in the region was looking down upon them. The creators had done this on purpose. For some, power was a drug which eventually led them to failure. But for the truly special, this room showcased all that being the strongest meant. Responsibility. For Cynthia, it reminded her of this on a daily basis. And it hit home harder these days. A knock brought the champion out of her contemplation.

"Come in." Her voice carried, yet was quiet. Cynthia stayed staring out of the window as her visitor walked up to her.

"She's on her way." Flints voice was quiet as he addressed the champion. Cynthia's long blonde hair obscured her left eye from Flint who stood off her left shoulder. Not that he would have seen those grey eyes, closed as they were as Cynthia took a sip of her tea.

"She and Volkner had quite the battle. I think she's ready."

"She's been ready since she left that mountain." Flint sighed at the champions response.

"You know what I mean." Cynthia was aware of what the usually energetic Elite meant. She remained silent however, taking another sip of tea. Flint stood there for a long while, not saying anything. Next to Cynthia, he was the strongest trainer in the region. There had been many worthy challengers to the league over the last few years, but none had been able to challenge Cynthia thanks to Flint. Aaron had been the last person to truly challenge Flint, showing that his bug types could go up against even fire types. It was why he had been offered a spot as an Elite.

"Did you want to meet her before the challenge?" Flint finally asked. Cynthia turned to face the Elite. Flint looked hard, almost insistent.

"I have my reasons for not…" Flint cut her off.

"I know why you didn't go to Sunnyshore. As much as I think she could've used you there, she needed that. Volkner wasn't really kind to her, he went all out. I knew he would, cause he's just as ready as Jill is to challenge the League. Hell, I imagine he could even take me down at this point. But I'm getting sidetracked. She needed that kind of a battle, to really come back. People needed to see her succed like she did. But this is different. You haven't seen each other for almost two years. And whatever all happened in that other dimension, you two are the only ones who went through that. You need to reconnect before she challenges." Cynthia gave a small smile after Flint's speech.

"Are you ordering the champion around?" Flint laughed.

"Hell no! You never really listen anyways, least that's what your grandmother said!"

"I doubt she was that kind" Cynthia said in an undertone, as she turned back to look out the window. More people were beginning to mill about and Cynthia could see two more helicopters coming in.

"Bring her up here when she gets here. And try to keep the press off of her. I don't want a repeat of Sunnyshore." Flint grinned and turned to leave.

Jill stared around the room. It was spacious, and yet, it was small. Cynthia was sitting opposite Jill, not saying anything. In truth, neither woman quite knew what to say. Nearly two years apart and still the wounds felt… fresh.

"Everything's changed now hasn't it?" Cynthia finally asked. Jill looked to her cousin and nodded. Cynthia sighed. "Everyone has been pushing me to speak with you. They think that I will know what to say to make everything normal again. Or that you hold the key to putting things right." Jill actually gave a small laugh at that.

"I don't hold the key to anything." Cynthia smiled.

"And yet here we are. Two people pushed together by destiny. They see me as the person who helped heal the region, but you are the true savior. And so, they seek to devour you while raising your pedestal higher and higher." Jill couldn't speak, as the champion was tearing through to the truth of what Jill had been feeling since she had resurfaced.

"They all say I can put things back…"

"But nothing can go back now." Jill looked down at her hands in her lap, tears forming. Cynthia moved beside the young woman, resting a hand on her back.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to Sunnyshore. But truth be told, I couldn't bear it. Most of my efforts at rebuilding have been from this tower."

"You at least faced them. You took the brunt of everything" Jill said, the tears beginning a track down her cheek.

"I did what they expected of a champion." Cynthia wiped the tears from Jill. "You'll have to face this someday."

"I'm not sure I can" Jill replied quietly.

"You wouldn't be here if you couldn't."

"I'm not even sure why I'm doing this anymore Cynthia…" Jill looked away once more, ashamed. Cynthia was quiet for a time, thinking about what Jill meant. The champion too had felt that way when she arrived back at the League. Lost. Cyrus had stripped away so much of what Sinnoh had been shaped to be. He changed the entire region, in a way not of his choosing. This situation, which at first glance looked like the same instances in Johto, Kanto and even more recently, Unova, it was still different. And of course, both Jill and Cynthia had been marked. Something that the other legends of the other regions had all noticed.

"We've been marked." Jill looked at the champion who now stood and walked over to the window. "We went into that other dimension to stop a man from spreading chaos across the world. We stood in the face of a god and did not waiver in our resolve. That changes a person. You aren't the first to question why they are doing this."

"We become worthy" Jill said in a whisper. Cynthia turned back to the younger, her eyes narrowed somewhat. "That's what Korabas said. We are deemed worthy. But…" It was now Jill who was frowning.

"But what?" Cynthia asked.

"There was something else. I can't quite remember. Something about not being done yet, but I had to keep pushing. I had to…"

"You had to leave your mark?" Cynthia was looking at her cousin in a different light. Not because of her actions in Giratina's dimension. But rather in the way she would appraise a champion. Someone like Arthur. Because of all the people Cynthia had met, it was to Arthur and Red whom she compared Jill. Finally, after almost two years, Cynthia began to once more feel a spark.

"Yes. But I don't understand!" Jill almost yelled. "How can I just leave my mark?!"

"By challenging the league. I think I'm beginning to understand these legends." Jill just looked on confused. "Everything seems to be a test. For the most part anyways. But do you remember what Arthur said back in Eterna?" Jill searched her mind, trying to remember meeting the Johto Champion. Then it came to her.

A piece of advice; don't give up. There will be a time when you don't think you'll be able to go on. That the task in front of you is insurmountable. It isn't. You'll always have your team by your side, and when you yourself don't think you can go on, take solace from them. Together you'll be able to achieve a balance no other can.

"A time when I think I can no longer go on…" Jill said under her breath.

"Your destiny is in your hands Jill. And so, you have a choice before you: do you take the challenge and attempt to become the Champion of Sinnoh? Or do you walk away?" Jill looked up at Cynthia who was smiling now in ernest.

"And who knows, maybe this room could be yours?"