A War, A Champion & a Arbiter

NOTE: Thank you for the Feature!!

The war had been devastating, it had started in the Johto via an accidental attack on an embassy member. Or at least that's how the story goes. They reached out to their neighboring sister region of Kanto for humanitarian assistance at the very most, only to have been turned away under the excuse that Kanto wished to remain neutral in this war. So they reached out to the other regions, all turning them away with a different excuse each time. Ultimately, Johto was standing on its own, struggling to maintain standing and struggling to keep it's people safe. The attackers? An unknown organization with a lot of man and pokemon power to back up their armies. By the third year into the war, the champions of all the regions had managed to gather to speak, the war having managed to seep into their regions as well. By this point however, Johto had managed to gain the upper hand on their battle front. Having established numerous strong holds and shelters all over its land and being able to maintain resources within their own region. Limited and rationed it maybe, but it was getting them by surprisingly well. No one was even sure how they managed to achieve this since no other regions could or wanted to provide help to them.

it wasn't shocking that other regions such as Kanto reached out to them, asking for aid. It was said that the champion remined silent for what felt like hours before he had slowly begun to laugh. It was audacious, how aid was asked of them and was even expected when Johto had been left on its own to survive needless to say, the dragon master refused to give him aid, explaing that while yes they were managing to hold the lines, their region, their people and pokemon were still struggling. And that it was only thanks to outside help that they were even able to last this long. When asked about this outside help, the Dragon champion of Johto informed them the aid was in the form of knowledge, not actual resources. That it was thanks to what they knew that they were able to implement those same strategies and hold out.

Said help came from a City region, one that kept to itself and in reality only had an alliance with the Alola region. And even then, it was a secretive one. This was so that region could preserve the wide verity and variations of different pokemon there. And it was to make sure the wrong people did not get their hands on the technological knowledge they had which allowed for their region to work in harmony with nature as it did. When asked who it's Champion is, well the Dragon master simply stared, not willing to share information of any kind about its new alliance friend. Which of course came off as petty and cruel to the other Champions.

Of course it was Sinnoh's Champion that would speak, calling him out for his behavior. That now was not the time for him to act this way when all the regions were now at war. The man only laughed, claiming her to be a hypocrite on the matter given when he had begged for assiatance from any of them they all shot him down with stupid or weak excuses. At least Hoenn had given them humanitarian aid as much as they could before they had to stop. But her region? Oh no, they just wiped their hands clean of the situation and left Johto to sink or swim.

"So why would I extend my hand in assiatance when you didnt?" Was the question he asked, though it's said he did not give them a chance to respond. Because while he could have simply allowed the others to fend for themselves as they had done with his- he instead did the opposite of that. He extended his hand to help them, while his Region's resources were limited and only a few, this help was enough for the other regions to pull through and gain the upper hand. It was during that meeting that the others would finally come to meet the champion of the City Region that had lended their aid to Johto.

A blind man who carried himself with an aura of respect yet calm and kindness. Even ist the tension in the room its said this Champion remained level headed and respectful to everyone there. He runs a City Region, a place where variations of pokemon are abundant and were nature and technology co-exist in harmony. Though this took a long time to achieve. He explained he was more then willing to help anyone else in the other regions with this war, however they must agree to a tentative NDA of sorts. A contract and promise to NEVER speak of his region to anyone outaide of their alliance or outside of this room. Something everyone else agreeded on and thus, help was given.

It took a few months for the other regions to become stable, when they did, that's when they all came together to stop this threat that attacked them out of nowhere. The war ended with their ed victory, but it had left the lands and regions in shambles. Many pokemon species became protected, many cities had been leveled to the ground.

Life found a way is what many say these days. Life found a way to survive past that devastating time and kept pushing toward a better future.

"Telling people that same old story again, are we?" Lance asked as he walked up go his cousin, smiling at the sight of Clair standing before a group of children from Blackthorn city. It wasn't strange now that the number of people in towns, villages and cities were lower then before that Gym leaders and such took on the roles of teachers for the remaining children. Clair took this new role of teacher very easily and happily dare he even say. The kids always looked up to her and saw her as a goo's role model, someone they wished to be like once they grew up. "Just so you know, there are parts of that story that aren't true." He told the children. "Yes we got help from another region, but it was one of hour sister regions, not some unknown one." He explained, moving to stand next to his cousin.

"Awe, so there wasn't some secret region or anything like that?" One of the children asked, Lance simply shook his head.

"Afraid not, kids. But does it matter if there was or wasn't? Whats important is ghat we made it past that horrible time. And we're all here now. And all we can do now, is keep moving forward. Now off with you lot. It's late and your parents must be worried." He said, gently ushering the kids to get up snd start heading home. He chuckled at how they all turned to Clair, saying their goodbyes and even some hugging her. "Gotta be careful. we made a deal with them. And we have to respect it." He explained, looking to thr woman who sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know. But they're super young and I doubt they actually believed half of what I told them. Just wanted to give them a reason to cheer up is all. Given how things are these days."

Lance hummed and nodded, he could understand wanting to do that. While the war was over, things had not been easy or returned to normal. People still struggled day to day. Some people still had no homes or food so they stayed in designated shelters. Many children lost their parents and were now orphans. And they didn't have a perfect system, try as Lance might to make it better there were always things he needed to make sure got better.

"You know....everyone calls you a hero." Lance made a face at the fact. He wasn't sure how to feel about it honestly. "I know you don't like it, and you dint even think that. But you are. You did what you could to help our home when no one else would." The blue haired woman reached out, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Dont try to be the image of perfection that grandfather spits at us, when you are already just fine as you are now."

Lance took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He knew that his cousin had a point, he was always trying to reach the perfect lion their grandfather always pushed on them both. But unlike the woman next to him, she didn't care much for what he thought was perfect but instead found happiness and peace of mind in her own version of perfection which just happened to have imperfections. Lance on the other hand- well...he knew he cared a little too much about it. Being head of the clan and such, he was expected to be as great as his grandfather was. Though slowly he was starting to realize that things worked out better for him if he did things how HE wanted to do them. He simply needed to stop trying to be someone and something he wasn't. This war breaking out had been what he needed in order to finally see that.

The Dragon Champion reached over, placing his hand over Clair's both of them watching tue children leave until they were finally out of sight. "I should get going. I have am important meeting to get to."

Clair scoffed, looking up at him with a knowing look. "Finally got a hold of it, did you?" The man simply nodded. "Has it told you it's name?"

"Jué. That's its name." He told her, the woman pulled her hand away. "It's Arbiter will also be there. He has something important to give me apprently." How true that statement was, he wasn't entirely sure. But he hsd been ed by this trainer and told many things, many future threats he knew that needed to be handled and stopped before another war like the one that just happened took place again.

"And it's trainer? What's his name?"

Lance remained silent for a moment as he turned to start leaving. "Rover." He told her, waving goodbye to her.

To the Galar region he goes.