Chapter 84: Ova 3: The Meeting of Champions
[Another couple of months later] [Autumn-October 1:00 p.m]
On a rather desolate and small island that is located in the center of the eight regions, we can see Touya coming down from Reshiram along with Cynthia in front of a large castle-like construction.
"I'm still amazed that you have a legendary pokemon with you" Cynthia said with sparkling eyes as she caressed Reshiram who was enjoying this quite a bit.
Touya only looked at that castle that was almost three times as big and extensive as N's with blank eyes and only thinking about one thing.
'I think this is too much right?' Touya thought as he looked at the castle with blank eyes in shock.
"Well, do you have any questions before entering, young pupil?" Cynthia said to Touya with a mocking smile.
"Why did I come?" Touya asked Cynthia in search of a convincing answer.
"Because it's your responsibility as champion and the previous one was always missing, come on" Cynthia said to Touya as she walked towards the castle.
Touya could only sigh wearily and then follow Cynthia through the castle but not before returning Reshiram to his pokeball.
This castle was a combination of ancient and modern both outside and inside and like the Dragonspiral Tower this one had an air of all its glories through time.
"Didn't you say there was something else you had to teach me?" Touya asked Cynthia as they both walked through the long, deserted corridors.
"Ohh that's right! Well, you should already assume that each region has its own training method, right?" Cynthia asked Touya remembering that little detail causing him to nod.
"Well you see, and pay attention this is important" Cynthia said to Touya seriously as he took a small notebook to write down which was already almost full.
"The first three champions train their pokemon based on innate talent, you know, Ivs and Evs, this because they are more traditional and each fight is won by breeding and genetics more than by the trainer in real combat" he said Cynthia with an explanatory tone to which Touya quickly noted while frowning a little.
"The fourth champion, me, used the method of training and discipline, although that was in my rebellious youth, now I try to understand them more" Cynthia said a little sorry for her past self.
"Fifth I mean you, use the trainer's virtues like you already know" Cynthia said pointing at Touya with a smile as she walked to the front.
"The sixth champion does not have a method in herself, they are not very fans of pokemon battles there, but I would say that they get along quite well and that makes them strong" Cynthia said with a thoughtful tone as she remembered the sixth region.
"The seventh 'champion' is also based on the traditional, but their traditions are more about friendship and family with the pokemon which makes them very strong" said Cynthia making quotation marks with her fingers and remembering the warmth that said region transmitted.
"And the eighth is passionate about sports, although here between us, he is the weakest of us" Cynthia said between whispers as she and Touya climbed some stairs.
"I see, it's quite interesting" Touya said thoughtfully as he absorbed the information and put his notebook in his bag.
"Shouldn't there be guards or something here?" Touya asked as he kept walking without seeing anyone at all.
"Few know about this place, besides, who would mess with eight champions at once?" Cynthia asked raising an eyebrow with an inquisitive tone.
"Touché" Touya said understanding Cynthia's point as they both arrived in front of a large door with strange engravings.
"Here we are, are you ready?" Cynthia asked Touya excitedly.
"No" Touya said being completely sincere as always.
"That's the attitude!" Cynthia said ignoring Touya and opening the doors.
And as they entered they could see a very elegant but completely empty long table along with eight chairs, causing Touya to breathe a sigh of relief.
"We arrived early, probably because of Reshiram's speed" Cynthia said a little disappointed and then went to the table and sat down on a chair.
Touya was about to take another chair further away but Cynthia said.
"None of that young gentleman, you have to sit in front of me, that's the order" Cynthia said with a warning and mocking tone.
Touya sighed wearily again and sat in front of Cynthia while they both waited for the rest.
"How long will we have to wait for the rest?" Touya asked curiously as he put his elbows on the table.
"Don't crave little grasshopper, and you should lower your elbows off the table" Cynthia said raising a finger in a wise tone and then pointing at Touya in a warning tone.
"And you say so? You learned all the Unova mythology in less than a month" Touya said in a inquisitive tone as he lowered his elbows from the table making Cynthia look away ignoring him innocently
And yes, after a while a somewhat old man dressed in a lab coat arrived, who greeted Cynthia and introduced himself with Touya quite kindly, a so called Professor Oak.
And so they came one by one, first the professor, then a woman with gray hair and blue eyes in designer clothes who sat next to Touya and seemed to be very close friends with Cynthia talking to her and ignoring Touya.
After her came a silver-haired man in a black suit who seemed to be annoyed to be here, followed by another man brown-skinned in a lab coat, who was shirtless for some reason and wearing flip-flops along with shorts, pretty friendly too.
And lastly a man with brown skin, yellow eyes and purple hair who seemed to be overflowing with energy and passion and was sporty attire along with an overly patterned cape.
Touya searched his notebook to try to recognize the champions as Cynthia told him.
The one with silver blue hair was Steven Stone, champion of the third region and a lover of steel-type pokemon, but he is actually a lover of ancient pokemon and hates being called a lover of steel-type.
The woman next to Touya was Diantha, the sixth region champion who Touya also recognized as an actress that his mother adores for making overly dramatic movies and series.
The summer-looking, brown-skinned professor was Professor Kukui, a renowned researcher and more than a champion, he was the strongest and most influential in his region.
And the last one was Leon, the champion of the eighth region who has never been defeated in his region, but it does not happen the same with other champions and he gets sad if you remind him.
"We should start now don't you think?" Professor Oak said in a gentle and calm tone.
"Wait Professor Oak the goldy is still missing! And who is that kid?!" Leon said getting up from his seat in front of Professor Oak and next to Professor Kukui sharply and pointing at Touya.
At the question, the rest of the champions looked at Touya with curiosity except Steven and Cynthia who seemed quite amused by his reaction.
"I am Touya, the fifth champion, my pleasure" Touya said with a tone a bit overwhelmed by everyone's inquisitive gaze.
"The fifth champion?! I've never seen you! Where were you!?" Leon asked with excess energy and passion as he sat back in his chair.
"Obviously the region had a champion change idiot" Steven said in a calm and exasperated tone sitting next to Cynthia, an empty seat and facing Diantha.
"Don't call me a idiot metal lover!" Leon said with white eyes of indignation and anger causing Steven to have a vein on his forehead.
"I like ancient pokemon not metal ones idiot and it's not even metal it's steel" Steven said impatiently as he had a tic in his right eye.
"Then why do you only use steel-type pokemon?! Also if they were so good! Why did they got extinct?!" Leon said as he got up from his chair again and pointed at an annoyed Steven with indignation.
'And I thought the elite four was weird' Touya thought with a nervous smile as Cynthia and Diantha added fuel to the fire.
And just as Professor Oak was trying to calm them both down, someone kicked in the door.
They all looked towards the door and saw a young man of about 19 years old with gold eyes, wearing a black and yellow cap and a jacket of the same color, as well as orange shorts.
But his dramatic entrance didn't stop Leon for long.
"You know what It's old and it's worth finding?! Your mother!" Leon said as he kept insulting Steven.
"Heyhey, he messed with your mother Steven" Cynthia said excitedly and with a mocking tone, stoking the fire while she ignored the young man like the rest.
"What kind of kid are you? Did you really made a joke about my mother!?" Steven said as he clenched his teeth in anger and causing the young man at the entrance to have a drop of sweat on the back of his neck and sit next to Steven.
And after a fight that became more and more childish and pointless, both seemed to tire after a while like a couple of children, although Steven also had to use the card of 'the weakest champion'.
"Well, let's start now that we are all here, first the report of your regions" said Professor Oak calmly taking advantage of the moment of peace.
"I'm going first, our region is in peace and harmony after what happened with the team rocket 6 years ago" said Professor Oak quite satisfied with the peace in his region.
"My region is the same as always, no problem" said the young man who Touya could identify with his notebook as (Gold).
"By the way, hasn't the first champion show up yet?" Gold asked Professor Oak with apparently interest.
"I'm sorry young Gold, I haven't seen him yet" Professor Oak said somewhat sorry for the absence of the first champion.
"Tch, someday I'll have to go there, to take away the title of the strongest" said Gold with a little annoyance as he leaned back in his chair.
"As for me, nothing new, although I think I heard something about an organization called the Magma team or lava I don't know" Steven said without giving too much importance or worrying too much.
"My region is very good, although I have to take care of a small organization when I return as well" said Cynthia with a satisfied smile but also with some concern when remembering said organization.
"I had a problem with legendary pokemon that could destroy the world recently, the important thing is that it has already been solved and there is nothing to fear" said Touya thoughtfully causing the rest to have a drop of sweat on the back of their heads.
"Hey, really?, what kind of problems do you have there?" Diantha asked next to Touya without believing it.
"I have a lot to fix right now, but you don't have worry, there's no danger whatsoever" Touya said raising his hands nervously at the concerned look of everyone again except Cynthia obviously.
"Pfff, that kind of problem only affects a weak champion" said Gold with an arrogant and mocking tone.
"For the record, I almost asked you goldy boy" Touya said to Gold without paying much attention.
"Be careful of what you say rookie, you face the third strongest champion" said Gold with serious and challenging tone.
"Actually the fourth, Touya already beat me" Cynthia said making everyone at the table get upset and surprised again.
"Hey, did you really beat Cynthia?!, but you're still a brat!" Leon asked Touya getting up from his chair again abruptly and throwing it to the ground.
"You are in the position of the fifth champion right? Let's have a battle!" Gold demanded pointing at Touya with a defiant and determined tone.
"Stop there Gold, you have to pass over me, the current third strongest if you want to challenge my pupil" Cynthia said with a threatening and serious tone making Gold sit annoyed again and the rest put the subject aside.
The rest of the champions had nothing interesting to say about their regions, and the rest of the conversations were only about politics and economy.
Touya was able to make various improvements to Unova's economy from the teachings Cynthia gave him, which she seemed quite proud of.
And after many boring conversations in which Gold, Touya and Leon almost fell asleep, the meeting of champions ended after three hours.
Everyone began to spread out or just leave, Steven being the most desperate to return to his region and have peace after spending a long time with Leon.
Cynthia and Diantha stayed talking in the meeting room and Touya came out for a moment to stretch his legs and breathe fresh air after so much stress.
And (unsurprisingly), Touya felt a presence and the footsteps of someone behind him.
"Can I give you some advice about me? I'm too perceptive" Touya said looking towards a pillar from which Gold came out with a serious look.
"So you are the new champion, don't believe a big deal, I became a champion too at 17" said Gold pointing at himself with pride.
"I'm 16" Touya said with blank eyes making Gold feel embarrassed by this.
"That doesn't matter! Next year I'll beat Cynthia and the next will be you" said Gold pointing at Touya indignantly.
"Well, I have nothing to say other than, I'll be waiting for you, but as long as you don't love your pokemon as a family you will never be able to beat me, that's the truth" Touya said seriously causing Gold to have some doubts about it and then leave without saying anything.
Touya gave that advice for a simple reason, Gold was someone good, perhaps arrogant and too competitive, but someone good after all.
"Haaa, at some point I will stop finding self-conscious or traumatized people right?" Touya said sighing tiredly and throwing a question into the air, which said 'Nope' in answer.
After this, the champions introduced themselves one by one to Touya more informally, except for Gold and Steven who had already left.
Although it may not seem like it, Leon was quite nice if you ignored his constant yelling and his overflowing energy, which was not very difficult for Touya after dealing with Lotto.
Diantha was the next to go after talking about all sorts of things with Cynthia, being followed by Professor Oak, Kukui, and Leon at the end.
After everyone left, Cynthia and Touya walked out of the castle while talking about the entire meeting.
"I'm very proud Touya! You did quite well to be your first time here, although with all the humility in the world, I did better" Cynthia said quite proud with Touya, but even more with herself in a mocking way.
"It almost gave me cardiac attack, I'm not used to dealing with so many people" Touya said as he dramatically held his chest.
"We still have to work on your selective shyness Touya" Cynthia said in an explanatory tone while Touya nodded in understanding.
After walking a while longer, they both reached the outskirts of the castle and Cynthia said.
"Well Touya, here we part ways, I have to go back to Sinnoh before the elite four starts to feel nervous and to fix the problems with that organization" Cynthia said with a serious and quite concerned tone.
"I also have to solve some things with a supposed monster in addition to other political issues" said Touya who seemed to have a headache.
"Thanks for everything Cynthia, without you it probably would have taken me about 5 years along with many mistakes to learn about everything you taught me" Touya said with a grateful smile.
Cynthia lifted Touya's cap and gave him a little kiss on his forehead making him turn tomato red and then pressing his cheeks.
"Why are you doing this to me Cynthia?" Touya said with a bit of annoyance and a red face.
"Huhu, you are very adorable when you are nervous my little pupil" Cynthia said with a big smile pressing Touya's cheeks with more force and mocking tone.
"We'll see you next year if the situation allows me, we still have a lot to explore and teach you" Cynthia said releasing Touya and making him stop being red and take his cheeks with a little pain.
"And one last tip, every good champion wears a trench coat" Cynthia said, smiling proudly.
Cynthia threw a pokeball from which Togekiss came out and then sat on her.
"It was a pleasure meeting you Touya! We will see each other again for sure!" Cynthia said saying goodbye with a smile from Touya.
Touya felt a little sad to see his hyperactive master leave, but still he said goodbye with a smile until next year.
And after this, Touya took Reshiram out of his pokeball and went back to Unova with some pending things to do.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone