CHAPTER 34

Twelve hours ago…

Geeta arched a delicate brow. Her ultramarine eyes glinted with expectation.

"All in favor?" she asked.

The rest of the room nervously stared back at the woman. Geeta wasn't purposely intimidating the Paldean Council, but they cowered under her steady gaze regardless. It wasn't like they were against the proposal… in fact, it sat rather well with them. They had nothing but good feelings towards a certain Johtonian after all the help he'd given their League over the years.

It was simply difficult being around La Primera. She was probably the most imposing leader they'd had in almost a century.

Eventually, the Council members answered with affirmatives. Geeta's lips twitched upwards into a smile. The sight of that somehow terrified the Council more than her usual neutral expression.

The instant she raised a hand in dismissal, every official quickly shuffled or ran out the door. Rika barely kept herself together as she finished typing up a transcript of the meeting. When she finished, she threw her head back and laughed uproariously.

"You scared them so badly," she snorted out.

The other Elite Four members sitting nearby were holding back chuckles of their own. Poppy was the only one who was confused, and she tilted her head while swinging her legs back and forth from her chair.

"I don't know what you mean," Geeta calmly replied. She gathered up the papers in front of her and straightened them. "I only asked a simple question. Anyway, the proposal was approved by the Council. I'll be off now to make necessary arrangements."

She felt multiple gazes on her back as she walked to her office at a brisk pace. The moment she was seated at her desk, she video called a familiar group chat. She waited patiently as the line rang. The Champion of Kalos was the first to pop up on her phone screen. They exchanged pleasantries as one by one, the other leaders of the Galovea Continent dropped into the call.

The Chairwoman of the Paldea League opened her mouth once everyone had gathered.

"Good afternoon. There's a matter I'd like to speak about—" Geeta began, but Diantha interrupted her politely.

"Does it involve the Kinjoh Area?"

Geeta blinked.

"Yes," she said without missing a beat.

"Aha. I thought as much. I actually wanted to talk to everyone about that as well."

"Huh." Kukui made a sound of surprise. "You too?"

"Me three," Leon piped up with a grin.

Everyone figuratively turned to Alder. The middle-aged man merely shrugged and held his hands up.

"I have some thoughts of my own, but I'd like to hear what the rest of you have to say first," he said.

Geeta swiftly connected the dots in her head. She was fairly certain now they all had the same idea in mind, but she had to check first.

"I see. Then please allow me to speak first," Geeta finally said, and she proceeded to explain the idea she had in mind.

She did not miss how the others did not seem surprised by her suggestion. Geeta's only visible reaction was raising one of her brows ever so slightly.

She had hardly finished speaking when Leon guffawed.

"That's exactly what I brought up with the Galarian Parliament!" he said cheerfully.

"Indeed," Diantha chimed in. The actress looked remarkably amused as she propped her chin in the palm of her hand. "I brought up the same topic with our National Assembly. The proposal was approved."

"Fascinating! We all seem to have thought of the same thing," Kukui beamed. "So we're all on board with this then?"

He received numerous nods in return, but Geeta's gaze was locked onto the one person who had not spoken yet.

"Alder?" she prompted.

The call went silent as everyone focused their attention on the Champion of Unova. Alder wore an unusually serious expression as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"…I had a similar idea, yes," he said slowly. "Our House and Senate approved the proposal earlier. I just have to sign off on it now."

"Then why haven't you?" Diantha asked with genuine curiosity. Geeta's eyes narrowed as she waited for Alder's response. She had a feeling what the older man would say.

Lo and behold, Alder did not disappoint.

"Everyone here already knows how Unova feels about the Kinjoh Area. It's never been a big secret," Alder began. He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued. "Our League has always despised how undemocratic they are and their fixation on the old ways… especially Kanto-Johto. I just barely managed to get this proposal approved by our government. I'm all for helping our mutual friend, but this is going to make quite a few officials over here unhappy. I'm still deliberating whether or not this is even the right direction to take Unova in."

It wasn't like Alder was wrong.

There was a reason why each of their respective countries and Leagues had not reached out to the Kinjoh Area before. While they didn't hate that continent to the same extent that Unova did, they held reservations of their own regarding those other governments and their lack of progress. But—

"A valid concern," Geeta assented, yet her eyes glimmered with unidentifiable emotion as she clasped her hands together on the desk. "We've never once seriously thought about interacting with the Kinjoh Area. But Alder…"

She paused, and the corners of her lips curled upwards. Alder blinked rapidly as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Thanks to our mutual friend, the political and cultural landscapes over in Kanto-Johto are beginning to shift. Wouldn't you also like to see how their country changes further from here and possibly play a hand in it all?"

Her question hung in the air long after she spoke. Wordlessly, Alder met her challenging gaze with a contemplative expression. Several seconds trickled by of the two simply staring at each other, and then Alder finally moved.

He barked out a short laugh.

"Ha! Alright, you've convinced me," he said, and he slapped his hand against his knee. His eyes twinkled with mischief. "So be it. I'll give them a chance. I can't miss front row tickets to how the Kinjoh Area develops after all."

"Very good," Geeta replied. The satisfaction in her voice was hard to miss. The rest of the leaders relaxed now that they'd come to an agreement. Of course, if Alder hadn't agreed…

Geeta would have strongarmed him into saying yes one way or another.

Diantha cleared her throat. "Seeing as Alder is the only one here whose country has had previous contact with the Kinjoh Area… Alder, would you be a dear and bring it up with Champion Lance for us? And arrange a meeting?" she asked with a smile.

"Preferably as soon as possible," Kukui added. "This weekend even, considering this plan is best implemented sooner rather than later."

Alder blinked slowly. "Er… I don't mind," he answered, "but you all do realize that Unova's given Indigo the cold shoulder before? This is going to be awkward."

"You'll figure it out," Geeta said simply, and she moved on even as Alder gaped in the background. "Let us assume that there will be a meeting, and let us discuss travel arrangements instead. One of my Elite Four's Pokemon has been to Johto before, so they can show us a safe route through the skies there."

"Oh, magnifique! I'll borrow Drasna's Noivern then," Diantha beamed.

"Hmm, Charizard could carry me, but if we're trying to travel ultra fast… I guess I'll ask Raihan to lend me Flygon."

"I should probably borrow a Pidgeot from Kahili."

"Oi, oi… I'm the one who actually needs to talk to Lance first…" Alder grumbled.

No one paid him any attention and kept chatting.

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Lance was in a wonderful mood.

Just two hours ago, Koga had discovered another Rocket base and brought some League forces with him to take it down. It had, unfortunately, been another miss. The grunts they'd captured didn't have any useful information, but a win was still a win. Lance had already given orders to publish the news first thing in the morning. They needed to continuously reinforce the idea that Team Rocket was not to be feared and assuage any fears the public had.

Lance didn't want to jinx things, but he hoped the rest of the Rockets would be found and brought to justice before the next League Circuit began.

He was still in his office at the Indigo Plateau. Nowadays, he basically lived there instead of his own residence in Blackthorn City. There were ever increasing loads of paperwork to handle. Plans of action regarding Team Rocket to sign off on, reports of newly hired League soldiers… He had to prepare for tomorrow, too.

Steven and Cynthia were coming to visit and discuss interregional relations between their countries.

They wanted to offer assistance regarding Team Rocket apparently. It was unexpected, but Lance wasn't about to turn down any help the other Champions could offer. Indigo's national security and the safety of its people always came first. As he penned his signature with a flourish, he idly wondered what kind of foreign aid they would give. More manpower? Funding?

He had just placed a paper onto a pile of completed documents when his phone rang. He used one hand to grab the device and the other to pull another report to him. Then he saw who had called him, and he paused in place.

Lance's brows flew up in complete and utter surprise.

Champion Alder Adeku was calling him.

Lance had reached out to the Unova League shortly after taking up office, but Alder had merely politely congratulated him and refused to entertain any ideas of diplomatic relations. Lance knew that years ago, Pryce had made an attempt of his own to enter talks with Unova, but those had broken down before they ever truly began.

They dressed it up with flowery language, but the fact of the matter was that the Unovan government simply did not like how they ran things in Kanto-Johto. Behind on the times. Not enough checks and balances. It boiled down to differences in political structures and traditions or ways of life.

The Unova League had made it clear they didn't feel the want or need to interact with Indigo and had never once reached out to them first. Why, then, were they calling now?

Lance had no idea, but he accepted the call without delay. He would find out.

"Good evening, Champion Alder," Lance greeted in a clear, polite voice. "It's been some time since our last chat. May I ask the reason for this unexpected call?"

"Hello, Champion Lance," Alder's unmistakable voice came through from the other end. "It truly has been a long time since last we spoke. Forgive me for the sudden call without any prior warning, but— ah, forget it, I hate speaking so formally. I'm just gonna cut straight to the chase."

Lance hardly had time to feel surprised by Alder's shift into a more casual manner of speaking when the older man dropped a bomb on him.

"I'd like to request a meeting with you, Steven, and Cynthia to discuss potential diplomatic relations going forward. Oh, and Champions of other countries want to join this discussion as well. We've got a joint proposal for the Indigo League."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"…"

Lance blinked once, twice, thrice… then he blinked all over again.

What?

For the first time in a long time, Lance was rendered absolutely speechless. He even pulled the phone away from his ear briefly to check that it was Alder on the other end.

It was.

Lance brought the phone back to his ear with a stupefied expression. The righteous Unova League was reaching out to them? And… there were Champions of foreign nations who wanted to speak with him? What joint proposal did they even have? He felt like he was on the verge of ripping his hair out from sudden anxiety.

Lance's mouth moved before he even fully digested the information.

"Alright. How about tomorrow morning at 10 AM?"

"Tomorrow?! That's doable, but… wait a few moments please."

Alder muted himself. Lance wasn't any closer to calming down when Alder returned.

"Yes, tomorrow is fine. We'll see you then."

With that, the call ended. Lance slowly lowered his phone and set it back down on the table. He stared blankly at the piles of paperwork on his desk. He had a feeling he was not going to sleep well tonight.

Now he had to prepare for unexpected foreign dignitaries and relay the news to Steven and Cynthia.

Lance slumped back in his chair with a sigh. His previous good mood had evaporated and been replaced with stress instead.

"Legendaries…"

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Lance was waiting outside the League HQ. Steven and Cynthia had already arrived and were waiting inside a meeting room. They'd taken the news with as much shock as he had, but at least they didn't have to worry about playing the part of a good host. Lance would have been with them except… he had to greet the other foreign dignitaries they were expecting. Outwardly, he showed a calm countenance, but inside was a different matter.

Panic surged up within him every couple of seconds, and it grew like a tidal wave when he caught sight of figures descending from the sky. League Trainers accompanied them.

His guests had arrived.

Lance knew as much because he recognized Alder in the group of otherwise unknown individuals that landed on the grass with their Flying mounts. Lance did a mental double take when someone slid off the back of a Dragonite. He did so again when another person hopped off the back of a strange Pokemon he'd never seen before. Perhaps it was just the Dragon enthusiast in Lance fantasizing, but it resembled a dragon with incredibly long wings and teal-colored membranes.

He focused on welcoming the Champions. Smiling politely, Lance strode up to the front of the group and dipped his head respectfully.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Indigo Plateau. It is an honor to have you here," he said.

He received echoed greetings from the strangers in return. They all spoke in the common tongue, but their accents were quite unique. There was one person in particular that stood out to him. A woman dressed in a stylish white outfit — she was also incredibly tall, about five foot eleven even without the heels she wore — had a particularly notable accent.

Lance didn't miss how all of the Champions had Key Stones on display either. These were all evidently powerful figures from affluent regions.

Lance carefully led everyone inside the League HQ and to the designated meeting room. He refrained from chuckling when he saw surprise flash through both Steven and Cynthia's eyes upon their entrance.

Yep, he was just as shocked as them.

Everyone sat down around the circular table. To start with, they exchanged pleasantries and introductions. Something tugged at the back of Lance's mind as the foreign Champions revealed what regions they were from.

Alola, he knew that one already from old records the Indigo League had. The others though… Kalos, Galar, Paldea… where had he heard these places before…

Lance barely stopped his eyes from widening. Weren't these all countries that had been mentioned in the latest research paper Arin worked on? The gears in Lance's head were still spinning when the Champion of Paldea spoke up.

"Before we get into the crux of today's meeting, may we ask you to call one other person here?" Geeta inquired. "He's crucial to the joint proposal we'd like to offer, and we'd like him to be privy to our discussion."

Lance blinked. "May I ask who that is?"

The name that fell casually from Geeta's lips made Lance freeze.

"It's a mutual friend of ours. Arin Watanuki."

The gears spinning in Lance's mind fell apart completely and crashed into a tangled heap.

Arin? Mutual friend?

What?

He slowly turned his head. Each of the foreign Champions looked back at him with remarkably composed expressions.

Did Arin personally know every one of these people?

Lance was aware Arin had traveled around the world, but apparently, he'd vastly underestimated the influence the Cherrygrove Gym held.

"Would that be alright?" Diantha followed up with a polite smile. They all looked at him expectantly.

That was how Lance quietly excused himself to an adjoining room and frantically pulled out his phone, all but smashing the screen with his fingers as he dialed Arin's number.

"Arin, can you please come to the League HQ right now? It's urgent. I'll send a Kadabra to fetch you."

Lance's blood pressure spiked a thousandfold when he returned to the meeting room. It only grew worse as he waited patiently for Arin to arrive. The foreign dignitaries all chatted with each other and casually commented out loud about Arin's impending arrival.

"I can't wait to see Arin again…"

"Yeah, it's been a few years since I last saw him."

"You think we should have brought souvenirs?"

Arceus, he'd have to pester Arin later for answers.

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Present day.

"'Sup, Arin!" Leon flashed a two-fingered salute at me, and Diantha offered a dignified wave. Kukui grinned and waved with both hands, and Alder chuckled out loud. Even Steven and Cynthia offered me greetings.

I still couldn't believe it. Any sense of decorum was forgotten as I took a hesitant step forward.

"What… What are you guys all doing here?" I asked with a bewildered expression. "Shouldn't you be, er, in your home regions?"

I didn't know what I was more shocked by: the fact that I was seeing all of these people in Kanto-Johto, or the fact that I was seeing all of these people in Kanto-Johto.

They obviously weren't here to sightsee considering they were in a meeting room at the Indigo Plateau. Champions didn't typically leave their nations unless it was for important business anyway.

I looked to Lance for answers, but he gave me a look that said he had no idea. I turned to Geeta instead.

"Come have a seat first," she said simply, and she gestured to an empty chair at the table. I slid into the one between her and Leon without taking my gaze off her. The Chairwoman of Paldea folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Thank you for calling Arin here, Champion Lance. Now then…"

Her entire demeanor shifted. Ultramarine eyes exuded complete and utter seriousness, and this in turn caused everyone else to straighten upon sensing the change in atmosphere. There would be time to chat with them later. Right now, I prepared myself for the meeting I'd found myself in.

"We are Champions of regions from the other side of the world, or the Galovea Continent as it is called. I understand you may be confused as to why we suddenly requested a meeting, so we will address that first," Geeta said. "We are aware Indigo is currently dealing with an entity known as Team Rocket, and we came today with a proposal."

Lance and I both stared at her, but she went on without pausing. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when I heard her next words.

"We would like to establish a temporary alliance with the Kinjoh Area and extend an invitation to join the International Police."

Lance, Steven, and Cynthia listened with rapt attention as Geeta continued her explanation about the organization, but I knew what she was talking about.

The International Police, or Interpol as it was more commonly referred to, was a global law enforcement agency active on the other side of the world. It had been created out of a desire to facilitate widespread cooperation and crack down on crime. Their headquarters was located in Kalos, but they had branches in other regions across the Galovea Continent. They'd been instrumental in solving many different cases over its long and illustrious history, a history that rivaled even some of the oldest Pokemon Leagues.

"We are not looking down on the Indigo League or its ability to handle its own affairs," Diantha spoke up in a firm voice. "This is simply a suggestion from our end and a heartfelt invitation. We believe becoming a member could be beneficial to not just Indigo but to the Kinjoh Area as a whole. It could help stave off future crime or at least help discourage it."

"They're good at what they do," Kukui added. "All excellent officers and detectives, and it would be extra manpower for the Indigo League to locate and get rid of remaining Rockets. They're also a politically neutral organization, so you can trust them. Our regions would offer additional support to Indigo through them."

When I'd been imagining future interregional relations, I don't think I'd expected an opportunity to come so soon or in this form at that. Interpol was widely known abroad. They had members from every country in their ranks.

This was a great idea in my opinion. I wanted to shout in excitement and tell them to build Interpol offices here. The short-term effect would certainly be immediate. With extra manpower at our side, we'd be able to find and take down Team Rocket sooner.

I was not, however, the leading authority for Indigo. I cast a surreptitious glance to my left.

Lance wore a calm expression, but I thought I saw his brows furrow ever so slightly. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. It seemed we shared the same questions, though.

"I thank you for the invitation to join this Interpol," Lance said slowly, "but… I'd like to ask one thing first. Forgive me for my frankness, but why come to us now with such a proposal? Why offer help to Indigo when we've never interacted before? I don't see the benefits. I'm even confused by Champion Alder's presence today. As far as I'm aware of, Unova has never once pushed for diplomatic relations with us."

"I appreciate the honesty. To answer your inquiries… it's true," Alder said almost before Lance finished speaking. All eyes were on the middle-aged man as he ran a weathered thumb across the back of his hand. "Unova has rejected such requests from the Kinjoh Area before, but we've changed our minds."

I jolted a bit when Alder looked at me. Smiling, he swept his gaze over to Lance.

"The reason why Unova was hesitant to deal with the Kinjoh Area before was because of… differing political structures and traditions. Everyone in this room knows that. So why have I come today to offer foreign aid?" Alder paused meaningfully. "I and my League are interested in the recent string of changes in Kanto-Johto. To be frank, we view them as positive steps your government is taking in the right direction. Unova in particular has always advocated for progress and change. I believe the other Champions feel the same."

The others nodded. Meanwhile, I was putting two and two together. Recent string of changes… Alder was probably referring to how I'd come back and upended Johto's gym hierarchy as well as spread knowledge of Fairy types.

I wasn't an idiot. I knew what I was doing was causing ripples to spread throughout Indigo's traditional society, but to think it was causing ripples outside of the country, too.

"It's not simply just that, either," Leon spoke up. It was odd seeing the normally jovial male adopt such a serious expression. "We may be from different countries, but we're all humans who live in the same world. I believe it is only right to offer help to fellow nations who may need it."

"Indeed," Diantha nodded wisely. "Of course, beyond just a simple desire to help, we're also interested in eventual trade."

"The world is vast," Geeta added. Her voice was quiet, but her eyes burned brightly with ambition. She tapped a finger against the table. "For too long, we've kept to our separate sides of the world. I strongly believe there are many opportunities we have lost in the process. The facilitation and sharing of knowledge, trade, culture, and more… Were we to join hands, we might reach a new level of global prosperity. The beginning of a new era so to speak."

"That is why we wish to create a temporary alliance between our regions," Kukui said.

"And what would this… temporary alliance entail?" Lance inquired.

Kukui leaned forward in his seat. "Like I mentioned previously, we would offer support through Interpol. I'm sure you're wary of foreign Leagues becoming entangled with your League's affairs, so we would just offer manpower, funding, and other resources through a politically neutral organization."

He paused to hold up a finger.

"In return… you would give us some products and natural resources."

I listened intently as Kukui went on. Of course there had to be a give-and-take in this to make the exchange equal.

"Like we mentioned before, we're interested in future trade on a global scale. The products and natural resources available in the Kinjoh Area greatly appeal to us. For example, we're interested in the evolutionary stone industry in Hoenn or the unique silks produced here in Johto. I must stress that we are not opening up our borders or anything like that, though. This would be more of a temporary military alliance."

"It would be for the purpose of taking down Team Rocket," Geeta specified, and she folded her hands together. "As that is the most pressing matter that Indigo currently faces, that is what this alliance would be centered around. We use the word 'temporary' because as much as we are interested in forging diplomatic relations with Indigo, that is something we can only consider during more peaceful times. After you get rid of Team Rocket…"

She smiled.

"Perhaps we can forge more permanent interregional relations."

I was all for that, but…

"What is my role in this?" I finally spoke up, and all heads turned to me. I stared back with a calm expression, but I couldn't hide the pounding of my heart. "Surely I was called here for a reason?"

"Yes," Alder answered for the delegation. He pointed right at me with a grin. "Provided we go through with this alliance, and if Indigo joins Interpol, we'd like you to be the representative for the Kinjoh Area. A link between your Leagues and all of ours… a diplomat, essentially. You're the perfect fit for this role since you've frequently traveled through the Galovea Continent in the past and have gathered many accomplishments here. We can trust you based on your history and experience."

I refrained from hanging my mouth open, but I did blink several times in rapid succession as I processed Alder's proclamation.

Me… as a diplomat?

I understood where they were coming from. I had accomplished a lot both in and out of foreign League Circuits, and I had traveled on that side of the world for many years. Aside from Lance, they didn't really know anyone else who was affiliated with the Indigo League. I was well-suited to this role like Alder had said.

I swung my head to the left again.

Lance rested his chin on top of interlaced fingers. He wore a considering expression as his gaze darted first from the foreign dignitaries, to me, then to Steven and Cynthia.

"What do you two think?" he asked, and he directed the question at the Hoenn and Sinnoh Champions.

Steven crossed one leg over another and leaned back in his seat with a calm expression. Even then, I didn't miss the calculating glint in his eye.

"I propose that we accept their suggestions," Steven said simply with a smile. "I am always looking to reduce crime rates in Hoenn, so the idea of an Interpol has my approval. I'm especially interested in future trade between our regions. I hope this alliance can sow the seeds for favorable trading conditions once we establish more permanent relations later."

"I concur," Cynthia said next, and she brushed some hair back behind her ear. A simple gesture, but she managed to make it look so dignified. "After experiencing and dealing with a criminal organization of our own, Sinnoh would greatly benefit from an additional law enforcement agency. This also aligns with what Steven and I came here today for anyway. We were planning to offer help regarding Team Rocket in a similar vein."

Lance hummed to himself. He turned now to me with an unreadable expression.

"And you, Arin? I value any input you could give."

My answer was immediate.

"I would be honored to serve as a diplomat," I said firmly. "An alliance and Interpol membership would benefit Indigo greatly. Speaking as someone who has traveled to the Galovea Continent before and interacted with their Leagues, I can vouch for their dependability."

This got me small, fleeting smiles from the foreign dignitaries, and even Lance's lips twitched upwards momentarily.

"I see…" he murmured to himself.

We waited in silence. After a few moments, Lance finally raised his head.

"Alright. With my authority as the Indigo League Champion, I'd like to accept your invitation to join Interpol and establish a temporary alliance between our countries. Arin Watanuki will be our representative," he declared without hesitation.

Steven and Cynthia quickly followed with similar statements of their own.

The meeting ran for another hour as the Champions discussed logistics and more specific details regarding the foreign aid they'd be giving Indigo. This was out of my area of expertise, but Lance still asked me for my input regarding things seeing as I had viewpoints of both sides of the world to draw from.

Eventually, a treaty was drawn up and signed. No one said anything, but we all rose from our seats with pleased expressions. One by one, the foreign dignitaries came up to shake hands with each other — and me — in turn.

I watched the whole thing with adrenaline coursing through my veins.

This moment was surely going to go down in history as the day the world began to work together as one.