Chapter 8

Today, Leaf was eating lunch at the Silver Palace.

The Silver Palace was the official residence and workplace of President Ken and every Kanto president before him. It was located in the outskirts of Saffron City. As Leaf stood at the iron gate, she wondered who named it the Silver Palace and why. The Silver Palace wasn't silver. It wasn't even a palace. It was more like a giant brownstone. Had Leaf not known what this building was, she would've assumed it was the home of some random millionaire. Probably the CEO of a bank.

Gary was the one who greeted her. He wore a black shirt and pants. "Hey, Leaf, long time no see! How've you been?"

Leaf grinned. Gary's friendliness was contagious. "Extremely busy, but good! What about you?"

"Busy as well, but that's how it always is around here. Have you visited the Silver Palace before, or did your school not do that?"

Leaf shook her head. The only field trip her school ever had was to Professor Oak's lab, which by then, she was more than familiar with.

"Then you'll get a nice, private tour from the greatest tour guide ever," Gary said with a wink.

The interior was more palace-like and roughly what Leaf expected. Crystal chandeliers hung from the intricately designed ceilings. There were windows everywhere, bringing in plenty of natural light, with red velvet curtains. The chairs were also made of velvet. Every wall had gold-framed paintings. Some of the paintings were landscapes, but most were portraits of past presidents and other people Leaf didn't recognize but assumed were important.

Gary pointed out everything they passed: the ballroom, the treaty room, President Ken's office. Except for the office, Gary would open the door of each room and let Leaf take a peek. The ballroom looked like it was pulled straight out of a fairytale. She pictured women in poofy gowns and powdered wigs waltzing in it, though she knew President Ken wasn't hosting any event like that. The treaty room looked like it was pulled straight out of a museum. The only thing it was missing was wax figures of old men signing documents.

All the rooms were so finely decorated that the Silver Palace didn't feel like a house. It passed more as a historical landmark, or the set of a high-budget movie. Perhaps Leaf was just too simple. Even her own apartment in Viridian didn't completely feel like a home because of how fancy it was.

"The dining room," Gary said, opening another door. "You'll be eating lunch with President Ken here."

Leaf couldn't imagine eating all her meals in this room. The center of the dining room had an oval mahogany table with eight chairs around it. The left side had drawers, and artwork hanging on the walls. The right side had a fireplace and a giant, gold-framed mirror for some reason. At the back of the room were two tall windows that touched the floor. Through the windows, Leaf could see the garden: bare due to it being winter, but massive and clearly well-maintained. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Gary ushered Leaf to the seat closest to them, at the end of the table. "I'll go grab President Ken now. I'll be right back."

Leaf wondered if President Ken was in his office. If he was, what was he working on? She wasn't sure if she could ask or if it was confidential.

After a few minutes, Leaf heard footsteps behind her and a familiar voice, smoother than butter. "Hello, Leaf."

Leaf stood and turned. President Ken was handsome as always. The suit he wore was basic in design, but it fit him so well that he looked fashionable. Leaf felt plain even though she was dressed nicely herself: dark green wool sweater tucked into white trousers. They shook hands and Leaf noticed with embarrassment that hers was clammy.

"I apologize for the tardiness. I was in the middle of something. How have you been?" President Ken asked as he took his seat on the other side of the table.

Leaf sat back down. "I've been good. No worries about the time. Gary gave me a mini tour of the Silver Palace."

"What were your thoughts? On both the Silver Palace and Gary's tour guide skills."

"Both are excellent," Leaf answered, giving a thumbs-up.

"Damn right. I'm an amazing tour guide," Gary interjected from the door.

"You are," President Ken agreed. His gaze returned to Leaf. "I hope you're hungry, because the chefs here are very talented."

As if on cue, their food was brought in: shrimp scampi with a side of sourdough bread and olive oil. To drink, President Ken was served red wine and Leaf, a virgin sangria. The sangria was the most refreshing drink ever. The bread was warm, fresh from the oven, and the olive oil had red pepper flakes in it, which gave it a nice kick. She would've been content just eating that, but when she tried the scampi, she couldn't help but smile. It was very flavorful without feeling heavy.

"How are you liking the food?" President Ken asked.

Leaf swallowed. "It tastes amazing! Thank you. You eat like this everyday?"

President Ken sipped his wine. "It depends. There are days when I barely have time to eat. For the most part though, I try to sit down and have an actual meal."

Leaf pictured President Ken on a normal day. He wasn't married, and had no children, so he sat alone at this table built for eight. It was sort of a sad image, but in Leaf's head, President Ken wasn't bothered by the solitude. She wouldn't be surprised if he actually preferred it.

"So, Leaf," President Ken said. "You must be wondering why I've suddenly invited you over."

The last time Leaf saw President Ken was during her Victory Tour, over the summer. It was now February. There was no special occasion as far as Leaf was concerned. She couldn't have been more surprised when she received the lunch invitation.

"I did want to know how you were doing," President Ken explained. "The Indigo League isn't your average sports league. To be Champion means to represent the strength of our people. Because of that, it's important that we maintain a relationship. I met with your predecessors every now and then. I would like to continue that tradition with you."

Leaf nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure she understood President Ken. What he said made sense, but also didn't and she was too scared to ask for further explanation.

"There is something I specifically wanted to discuss with you, too," President Ken continued. "You're aware by now that your job isn't just to battle. You have a responsibility towards your region. So far, you've been engaging in philanthropy, which is good, but something much bigger has come up."

He paused for a moment. "There's no easy way to say this. Scientists have detected activity in Mount Cinnabar. They predict it will erupt within a month."

It took Leaf a moment to process what President Ken just said. When she did, a million exclamation marks burst into her head. Mount Cinnabar, the volcano that had been dormant for centuries, was going to erupt in a month?

"I know," President Ken said gravely. "We were all in shock. Obviously, Mount Cinnabar isn't guaranteed to erupt and we hope it won't, but it's better to be safe than sorry. We're going to release the news soon and evacuate everyone."

Why are you telling me this now? Leaf wanted to ask.

President Ken answered her question. "Initially, the navy was going to handle everything, but we thought the Cinnabar Island residents wouldn't appreciate being shepherded onto warships. The navy will still be there, but we'll be using commercial ships. You and the Elite Four are also going to assist with the evacuation. The hope is that you'll help everyone feel safe rather than afraid."

Again, Leaf didn't quite follow President Ken's logic. Using commercial ships instead of warships? Understandable. Having her and the Elite Four help? She was happy to do so, but she didn't see how they would alleviate everyone's fears. She wasn't sure how helpful they would actually be.

"Any questions?" President Ken asked.

It took Leaf a moment to find her voice. She still couldn't believe she was having this conversation. "When's the evacuation?"

"In two weeks. We're going to announce it tomorrow and give the Cinnabar Island residents time to get their affairs in order. Of course, two weeks isn't a lot of time to uproot one's life, but we can't delay. In the meantime, the Indigo League will not accept new challengers."

Leaf didn't have a problem with that. Maybe it was because of the holidays, but the Indigo Plateau had recently been very quiet anyway.

"June has already reached out to the Elite Four about it," President Ken said. "I thought about inviting them to lunch today, actually, but I wanted to speak to you one-on-one."

"Of course," Leaf replied, with a nod and strong eye contact. Even if she still couldn't completely wrap her head around the situation, she wanted President Ken to feel she was reliable. That she was indeed a Champion. "Let me know what I need to do."

President Ken smiled softly. "I trust that you can handle it. You've been responsible for the most part."

For the most part. Leaf tensed, bracing herself for a lecture from the president of Kanto.

"Dragonite has been a controversial member of your team," President Ken said calmly. "It's a shame because I know he doesn't intend to harm anyone. But seeing a dragon lose control is hard to forget. You can't blame people for feeling uncomfortable around him."

Leaf looked down at her half-finished plate of food. Her appetite had already been waning upon learning about Cinnabar Island. Now, it was completely gone. She'd heard every complaint about Dragonite from Tasha, and basically every media outlet and netizen. An apology for her carelessness and irresponsibility had already been issued. Did President Ken really need to talk about it with her, too?

"Your Pokemon are supposed to be involved in the evacuation. I ask that you keep Dragonite in his PokeBall. We don't want to add unnecessary stress."

Leaf clenched her fists. "Dragonite isn't going to hurt anyone," she murmured.

"Oh, I know," President Ken assured her. "But the people don't."

"They will if they see Dragonite helping them," Leaf responded, only slightly louder than before. "If we keep him separated from everyone, they're only going to continue being afraid of him."

She was making a good point. She knew it. But even though President Ken didn't appear or sound upset, Leaf was having trouble meeting his gaze. She was having trouble speaking firmly. It was because of her meekness that she was going to lose this battle.

"With time, people will become more comfortable," President Ken said. "However, now is too early to let Dragonite out and about. The people of Cinnabar are about to lose their home. Do you really want them to also be afraid of getting attacked by a dragon?"

His tone was firmer without being aggressive. Somehow, that made it even more difficult for Leaf to argue.

President Ken accepted her silence as defeat. "I'm glad we're on the same page. You'll receive more information about the evacuation shortly. Now, with that aside, tell me about the holiday campaign. I saw all the media coverage, but I'd like to hear your perspective."

Still mostly looking down, Leaf gave President Ken a summary of the campaign while he finished eating. He nodded along thoughtfully, occasionally asking Leaf a clarifying question. As usual, Leaf couldn't tell what President Ken was thinking. He seemed to be considering each detail very carefully before making any judgements.

Weirdly, it reminded Leaf of Red. For all his social faults, he was an incredible listener. He made sure to understand the full picture before forming his own opinion and sharing it. Even if Leaf didn't end up liking his opinion, she appreciated his honesty, his ability to be objective. He never made her feel judged. He was someone she could trust entirely.

Until he didn't want to battle her, of course. He hadn't been honest with her then.

"Overall, it was pretty tiring, but it was good work," Leaf concluded. "I'm glad I was able to spread awareness on important issues."

President Ken smiled softly. Leaf hoped that was a good thing. It said something about President Ken that she even had to question what a smile meant. "I'm happy you found the work fulfilling. It's similar to my responsibilities as president. It's a difficult job. I don't always get enough rest. It feels as if I have eyes on me at all times. But I wouldn't trade the opportunity to serve my people for anything."

Leaf smiled back. She didn't think she felt as strongly as President Ken in that regard, but she was relieved that he was satisfied with her story.

"Are you finished with your food, by the way?" President Ken asked.

As delicious as the food was, Leaf couldn't bring herself to eat another bite. Even looking at it made her stomach twist.

"I'm done," Leaf answered. "Everything was really good. Thank you for inviting me over."

"No need to thank me," President Ken said. "Like I said earlier, I want us to be on good terms. You've experienced yourself how exhausting being a public figure can be. We should support each other."

President Ken snapped his fingers and immediately, their plates were whisked away. Leaf was absolutely dumbfounded by the speed and efficiency of the Silver Palace employees. Whoever trained them was a better trainer than she was.

"I would love to chat with you more, but I must get back to work," President Ken said. "June will send you more information regarding Cinnabar Island soon. Take care, Leaf. Gary will see you out."

Leaf, President Ken, and Gary exited the dining room. June was standing outside, wearing a black suit and a frown. She was holding some papers. Leaf waved at her, but the secretary ignored her, approaching President Ken instead.

"Don't take it personally," Gary said with a grin once they were out of earshot. "June's a major workaholic. She thinks talking about anything non-work related is a waste of time."

Leaf glanced back. President Ken and June were walking in the opposite direction, probably towards President Ken's office. She wondered if the papers were about Cinnabar Island.

Once they reached the entrance of the Silver Palace, Leaf and Gary said goodbye to each other. She sent out Fearow and, after taking one more look at the Silver Palace, flew back to Viridian.

For the rest of the day, Leaf thought only of two things. One was Cinnabar Island, its poor residents. She couldn't imagine the immense pain they were about to go through, losing their homes and not knowing what was next for them. She tried to picture Pallet Town covered in lava and couldn't. She hoped that the scientists were just being paranoid and the volcano wouldn't erupt.

The other thing Leaf thought about was President Ken. She wasn't sure what it was about President Ken that was so intimidating. Gradually, an explanation came to her. It wasn't just because he was the leader of their region. In fact, his disposition was probably the reason why he was president. Everything about him exuded power. He wore it so naturally, like it was a pair of socks. It was no wonder he had President Jeffries on his knees.

The Indigo League isn't your average sports league. To be Champion means to represent the strength of our people. Because of that, it's important that we maintain a relationship. I met with your predecessors every now and then. I would like to continue that tradition with you. No matter how hard Leaf tried, she couldn't quite rationalize meeting with President Ken on a regular basis. He wasn't meeting with any of the star basketball or soccer or tennis players. Even if her title meant more, since Pokemon battling was the most popular sport, why should she be treated differently? It definitely wasn't because President Ken loved her Pokemon so much. Not that he was obligated to, but he didn't have any food prepared for them.

For a moment, Leaf allowed herself to miss Red. She wished Red was here so that he could tell her about all his meetings with President Ken. Hell, she even wished she could talk to Blue about it. Together, they'd be able to figure out why President Ken needed to be in contact with them.

The conversation played out so clearly in Leaf's head. Leaf would air out all their questions. Blue would be a snarky asshole, but make points that were annoyingly good. Red would sit back and listen, occasionally offering wisdom.

Leaf tossed and turned in bed that night, chest heavy. She had her Pokemon, who she loved dearly and sometimes confided in. She had her parents, who she knew would always root for her. But with Red and Blue out of her life, she no longer had any genuine friends. No one she could relate to, joke around with. Given her schedule, it was unlikely she was going to be able to make new friends.

No, even if she had the time, she probably wouldn't be able to meet anyone. Who could possibly relate to being so important, they ate lunch with the president and had to help evacuate an entire island? Everyone in Kanto definitely saw her the same way she used to see the Elite Four; not as real people with real emotions and thoughts, but as mythical figures who didn't quite belong in this world, who were utterly out of reach.

Leaf hadn't felt this alone in so long. Maybe she hadn't felt this alone ever.

Sorry for the long wait! The weather's been so nice that I've just been going out a lot.

Thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts!