Wednesday, June 14th, 1978, 1900. Saffron City

"This one is open for everyone. Do you have any public statements about your impression of the KFP's growing popularity? The previously small group has rapidly gained ground across Kanto, and I'm curious how you plan on responding to the changing political tides."

The well-known host wore a tidy-looking black pencil skirt and a deep violet jacket. She was young and perky, with shiny black hair styled in an elegant high pony. A convincing fake smile was etched onto her face as she looked around at her audience, as if daring someone, anyone, to take the loaded question.

Kiriel eyed the rest of the table. They were not alone, of course. The Round Table, the show she reluctantly participated in, specialized in bringing together a group of people to facilitate discussion regarding various pressing issues, ranging from the economy to poor crop yields. Now, it was politics.

Such a waste of my time, Kiriel thought. I should be at home speaking at rallies rather than catering to fools who have forgotten the devastation the War of Unification brought. Have they somehow misplaced the memories of charred fields of bodies?

She knew why she had been invited, of course. Less than a week ago, she made a bold public statement on Fuchsia's local news channel that she would unequivocally refuse to condone the KFP's message, going as far to say that their stance was 'toxic propaganda with no consideration for the average Kantonian.'

At the time, she had been proud of taking such a stance, thinking Fuchsia would follow her like they always had. Her confidence had been unshakable. And why shouldn't it? Since receiving her Gym nomination, she has enjoyed nearly uncontested support from the public.

To her great surprise, she found that the KFP had already gained a considerable following within her jurisdiction. The very next day, an angry crowd marched up to her gym in protest, calling for her to step down as Leader.

Ungrateful peons, thought Kiriel as she recalled the embarrassing incident.

The Seiichi Clan elders had subsequently called for an internal meeting. Although she was ostensibly the 'head' of the family, the true power resided in the generation above her. She had been called to 'fix' the problem, or they might withdraw support behind the scenes.

Those bastards and their wrinkled faces, pretending to be innocent and endearing. Vipers in disguise, the lot of them.

Now? She was here to bite her tongue and attempt as much damage control as possible. Idealism held no place in Kiriel's heart. She understood as well as anyone that if her position was stripped of her, she would have even less ability to influence events in a desirable fashion. Although it rankled her pride to do so, there was no choice but to bide her time until the opportunity to strike arose.

So, she answered the question in such a way she knew it would appease both her clan and the general Fuchsia population.

"Excellent question, Sasha. I'd love to take this one. I would like to start off by addressing my earlier statement; it came from a place of concern, but I recognize my biases got the best of me— "

"Ridiculous," a disbelieving voice grumbled under its breath. "You can't just flop on a moment's notice and expect people to accept that."

Sasha, the host, glared at its owner. "Let her finish, please. You can be up next, Haru. Although, I understand the sentiment. I too was surprised when she accepted our invitation; she's denied every offer in the last decade."

It's because I don't want to put up with Tauros scat like this.

Sasha looked at Kiriel, her eyes hard with skepticism. "Apologies for his interruption, although I must say, I'm surprised to hear you changing your tune. I didn't take you for one to back down from a challenge. Care to explain the sudden change? I find myself quite curious."

Stupid bimbo, thought Kiriel, but she answered anyway. She's just here to start fires regardless of the consequences. Just play your part.

"Clarifying my position in no way constitutes 'backing down.' I disagree with the overall message, but my harsh words were unneeded. I fear my negative experiences with the last altercation have left me with a deep aversion to newfound animosity. I have no desire for my children, nor the children of my city, to experience the ravages of war borne of a conflict that need not happen. I ardently believe our regions can compromise without recourse to the 'annexation' the KFP calls for. "

Kiriel stood, ignoring the looks of annoyance she received, to stare down the camera directly, relishing in the opportunity to repair her previous poorly received statements. "To Fuchsia, I assure you that despite my words, I will play my part as necessary. If there is to be war, so be it. I will lead our young men and women to battle as I have in the past, taking care to preserve life whenever possible. However, let it also be clear: I will do everything in my power to avoid such a fate. That is my oath to you. I have not failed you in times of need. Not through famine nor pestilence. Not now, not ever. That is all I have to say on the matter."

An awkward silence ensued; the other participants seemed unsure how to respond to the passionate declaration that stood at odds with the show's overall mood of contentious yet relatively light-hearted banter.

Sasha cleared her throat. "Uh, thank you, Kiriel. Would you mind sitting down now, please? It's Haru's turn to respond."

Kiriel sat heavily, tension leaving her body. I hope that was enough. I can always issue a public apology when I return.

Across from her, the middle-aged man who interrupted her earlier rolled his eyes, sighing deeply in a blatant show of disrespect. He wore a finely pressed black suit with short-cropped salt-and-pepper hair. Kiriel had known him since her time in the Great War; he had served as a staff officer under the Kanto Military Alliance.

Haru Webber, she thought with disgust. The sniveling whelp only knows how to run at his superior's beck and call. Even now, he's still Dahlia's whore.

Haru was the KFP representative invited to the show itself, and he was clearly unimpressed with Kiriel's 'change of heart.' His voice was smooth and easy on the ears. There was a reason he was selected for the interview.

"Spare us the passionate bullshit. Let's talk facts. Do you know how much lower Johto's gross domestic product is? How poor their overall quality of life is? The general lack of technology throughout the region?"

Kiriel shook her head; the numbers were irrelevant to her. "No, but I'm sure you would be overjoyed to elucidate the matter."

Barely suppressing a sneer, Haru continued, "Johto enjoys less than half the GDP of Kanto. The average family can't even afford a TV or, Arceus forbid, a phone. Hell, I doubt any Johtans will even see this show! There is hardly any manufacturing sector, and most of their production is done by hand. How can we stand by and watch our Indigo brethren live in such squalor when we have every means at our disposal to remedy that? It's a flagrant disservice to every family limited by their government's firm resistance to progress."

"Thank you, so very much," Kiriel said drily. "I can't deny facts. However, is there any evidence to suggest that Johtan's want to change? I do not find my life much improved by the advent of television or a phone that beckons tantalizingly when I could devote myself to the present moment. Sleek construction equipment only serves to reduce employment, and many of the developments you speak of merely line the pockets of the corporations backing them."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Kiriel, my dear, just because they haven't explicitly asked for our help doesn't mean we shouldn't help them! They just don't know better yet. I'll bet their antiquated leaders suppress them from accessing all the good stuff. It's the only ethical decision. There will hardly even be a war, considering how weak the Johtan circuit is. It would be suicide to resist the mighty Kantonian military. Of course, the League would need to be reformed, but that's for a different day."

Steven Reed's voice was almost comically deep. He was the public relations lead for Silph Co., Kanto's primary frontrunner in most advanced technologies. Kiriel suspected he had been chosen entirely due to his appearance; the man stood head and shoulders above her, and his striking features must have earned him the ire of many a man. He made no sense half the time, but his confident bearing and attractive face overshadowed everything else.

He always spoke in an overly familiar tone, no matter who he interacted with. Kiriel had never met him personally, but now he smiled patronizingly at her while addressing her like he might an old friend who didn't know any better. She resisted the urge to up and leave that very instant. How dare he speak down to me!

"Without evidence, we have no way to be sure. Please refrain from making baseless comments going forward. This is meant to be an evidence-based discussion. Not random opinions or hearsay," said Sasha with a pointed look of disapproval that had Steven cocking his head in confusion as if he couldn't believe someone had possibly corrected him.

Kiriel nodded in approval; at least the host was doing her job, this time.

"He was correct about one thing, though. Kanto would certainly demolish Johto in an all-out war. I doubt it would get that far, but if it came down to it, I have confidence we would emerge victorious. Johto is aware of this and would likely capitulate before it came to a conflict. Don't you think, Kiriel?"

Kuon Kumire, the last member of the table, finally joined in. He was the Gym Leader in Vermilion City and led one of the few remaining military clans. They hadn't fared as well in peacetime, resorting to mercenary work to keep their traditions alive. She knew him well, and she also knew he felt ashamed at his clan's fall from grace. They agreed on most issues.

The man was completely bald, and wore a traditional kimono; orange where Kiriel’s was a deep purple. He had deep smile lines engraved into his face.

She nodded graciously, not wanting to alienate one of her few remaining allies. "Yes, I believe that's correct. Not that military superiority justifies pushing weaker regions around, though. Although the last conflict was relatively close, the training culture in Kanto took off more than anyone could've anticipated with the modern circuit. Considering drafts supply most of our military, having a higher rate of superior trainers would almost certainly lead to an advantage."

Kuon nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Contrary to what Mr. Reed here implied, Johtans are not stupid. Nor is their leadership. They would never willingly walk into a war they weren't sure they could win. At least, I would hope not. Such lack of foresight would be the hallmark of a government uncaring of its population. Furthermore, Kanto's population outnumbers Johto nearly two-fold. They don't have much to spare on a war of attrition if it came to that."

Haru smiled. "I'm glad you agree. Contrary to Kiriel's earlier concerns about the risk of a war, it's highly likely things would never even reach that point. There's no need to annex Johto if they collectively agree to a few changes in their… let's just say, development plans. Nobody wants a war here, after all."

Kiriel tsked. "You might say that, but why risk it at all? What do Kantonians even stand to gain by forcing Johto to modernize? Handmade crafts support local industries, and their strict adherence to tradition has left their cultural beliefs much more intact than our own. Frankly, the only thing I can see to remotely justify this position is greed, plain and simple."

Turning to Reed, she asked, "Can you honestly say that you would have nothing to gain by expanding your market to include Johto? Considering Haru's earlier statements I imagine there's hardly any interest in your overpriced wares."

Reed hesitated, considering his response. "No, I can't say there wouldn't be any incentive. However, I find myself shocked at your audacity. Are you implying Silph Co. would support a war effort merely for profit? We seek to better people's lives, not take them, as we all know you specialize in."

Haru clapped, earning himself a dark look from Kiriel, which he ignored. "Well said, Steven. The goal here is to better all lives, prioritizing growth for Indigo as a whole. Johto is the weight holding the entire region back. For their sake, as well as our own, it doesn't have to stay that way."

Sasha laughed nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the dark bent the conversation had taken. "Let's move on to the next question. After all, there's nothing to indicate there will be a war whatsoever. "

Haru and Steven shrugged, deferring to the host. Kuon waited patiently, not one to mince words unless he saw an opportunity to poke fun at someone.

She should've seen this coming. What else would she expect by inviting two military clan leaders to a talk show?

Surprisingly, their host turned to Kiriel yet again. "A brighter topic, yes? A little Pidgey told me your son is joining the circuit this year. Expectations are high with Sula's recent victories over Blaine and Freya's personal teams. Any comment on your son's chances this year? Should we expect another prodigy?"

Kiriel blinked, caught off guard by the abrupt shift of topic.

Kuon interjected before she could respond. "Yes, when is your boy coming my way? I haven't seen him in what, two years? The circuit is several weeks in, and I've been waiting to see what you've made of him. Does he still look just like you and your girl, or did his beard finally come in? Otherwise, if you catch my drift, I fear he might be fighting off the lads rather than the lasses." He gave a bawdy chuckle at what she knew he thought was a hilarious joke.

Grimacing at the lack of tact, she replied, "I'll address Sasha's question first. The little Pidgey was indeed correct. My son, Mare, is traveling with a Johtan trainer for his first circuit run. As to whether or not he is a prodigy, I'll decline to comment. I'll let his actions speak for themselves in the coming months."

She turned to Kuon, thinking of her best response, hoping Mare would never see this. He does look just like his sister; I would be lying if I said otherwise.

"He has certainly filled in the last few years, but I can confidently say he hasn't grown much in the way of facial hair. I fear an unsuspecting observer could easily mistake him for Sula. However, I have every confidence he could fight off any 'lads' that approached him with indecent intentions. It runs in the family, if you catch 'my drift.' "

Laughing out loud, Kuon asked, "Thank you for your honesty, Kiriel. When can I expect him? I imagine you made him go the hard way. Have you checked in recently?"

Kiriel cocked her head. Checked in? Why would I check in?

Sasha must have picked up on her confusion, her tone slightly incredulous. "Do you mean to say you haven't contacted your son in nearly two weeks?"

"Contact him? Why would I bother? He'll either make it or he won't, and no amount of 'checking in' will change that. Based on his training, he'll be fine, though. It's not like there are any significant threats in the Fuchsia peninsula. What harm is a rogue Poliwrath or two?"

Not to mention, he'd be livid if I so much as showed concern for his well-being. The boy has far too much pride for his own good. It's better for both of us this way.

Reed coughed. "I beg to differ, Kiriel. We recently lost track of a few top execs on paid leave headed to a popular destination for… veterans, let's just say. I'm sure you know what I refer to. They've been missing for five days, and we haven't heard a lick from them despite being fitted with our top cellular phone's most recent model. They were even being guarded by two of Kuon’s clan members. The investigation is ongoing as we speak."

Kuon clicked his tongue, clearly upset at the loss. "I hope we hear something, and soon. My man, Adrien, might be an unsavory fellow, but I have a hard time believing he would fall prey to anything less than another trained soldier. Let's move on from such a morbid topic; this one reminds me of how far my clan has fallen."

He turned to her, catching her gaze seriously. "The point is, you might want to check on your boy sooner rather than later. I would hate for something to happen to him this early in his journey. He seems like a gentle soul compared to the rest of you bastards in Fuchsia."

Kiriel chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Kuon. Mare would be heartened to hear of your concern. I expect we'll hear from him soon enough. He should be headed your way any day now, missing trainers notwithstanding."

Turning to Reed, she said, "I am sorry for your loss. Perhaps there is hope for your staff yet. I'll include them in my nightly prayers."

Reed inclined his head. "Thank you, Kiriel. I'm glad we could come to more of an understanding this evening. The Round Table lives up to its name, yet again. Do you have any more questions for us, Sasha? I believe we're nearly out of time."

Rather than answering, their host stared at Kiriel with a look of abject horror.

In a disgusted tone, she asked, "Do you seriously mean to say you don't know where your son is, nor are you going to reach out to check in with him? Even after hearing about potential deaths directly in the area he's passing through?"

Apparently, I wasn't clear enough the first time?

Kiriel nodded, shrugging dismissively. "Are you still on about this? Yes, Sasha. That's exactly what I mean to say. If my son wilts at the first sign of struggle, he's no son of mine."