‘ champion cynthia -- it is a pleasure. ‘
there was something strange in being invited to a place such as this. perfectly at ease, yet crawling in his skin, surrounded by those who sought to take him down -- but didn’t see what was right in front of them. the rocket scandal had long since died down to a simmer, and in his return home, he had discovered blame had shifted. the true leader of rocket had been declared his righthand. the leader of the viridian gym was marked as merely missing. one foot stepped into his home region, and he shockingly found no resistance to his presence.
they don’t know, he remembered one of the league officials stiffly telling him, when they had managed to contact him under an old phone number. he had answered it out of curiosity, and while the tone of betrayal was anticipated, the words were not. you just have to play along.
‘ i’ve heard incredible stories of your endeavors. i am amazed a champion as prestigious as you found the time to be here. ‘
couldn’t he say the same for himself? the strangeness in how rocket’s infamous leader was allowed to attend such an event, even if his true title stayed perfectly under wraps. the illusion persisted -- he was only viridian’s gym leader. a representative in place of green, who carried his champion title with pride. with a smile, his hand lifted to touch his chest.
‘ giovanni. i am here representing kanto’s gym leaders. ‘
@artemiala // sc.
