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His little brother calls him one day.
It’s not a common occurrence these days—he’s busy with his research, his brother is busy keeping the League and his company running. His brother talks a mile a minute, as always, and he himself can barely get a word in. Nonetheless, he listens the best he can. His brother does appreciate an audience to his speeches, no matter how small.
He tells him of his plan to solve an apparent energy crisis. He plans to reawaken an ancient Pokémon that produces infinite energy. He thinks his brother is joking—because why wouldn’t he be?—so he tells him to go for it.
His brother enthusiastically thanks him for listening, asks him to come back to Wyndon sometime—they haven’t seen each other in a while, he says—and hangs up. He sets his own phone down. He glances at the picture of the two of them on his fireplace’s mantle. He returns to his work.
In the meantime, he meets with a researcher from Sinnoh. She gives his hand a firm shake. She smiles as he offers to fix her a pot of tea. She takes a seat across from him at his kitchen table.
She tells him everything she knows about the supposed creator of the Regi trio. In turn, he tells her everything that he knows about rumours that float around the tundra, speaking of additional Regis never before seen. He doesn’t tell her of the supposed legendary birds that are said to protect the tundra. Certain things are better left unsaid.
She tells him he has the same glint in his eyes as his brother—of course she’s met him, she used to be the Champion of her own region—something ambitious. Something almost dangerous, in a way. He takes it as a compliment. If he’s wrong, she doesn’t correct him. His assistant refills her cup of tea.
She tells him it was a pleasure as she leaves. He only nods. She tells him to say hello to his brother for her. He only nods. She offers a smile as she turns her back. He waves goodbye as she trudges through the snow and back to the train station.
His assistant asks what he plans to do with this new information. He only smiles.
As it turns out, his brother wasn’t joking.
He’s a simple man of simple pleasures; he watches the Champion Cup like anybody else. The girl facing the Champion this year is one of the kids he endorsed, if he recalls correctly. She’s a small girl, chocolate locks trimmed into a short bob that stops at her chin. The glimmer in her eye is like none he’s ever seen—the Champion may finally relinquish his throne to someone new.
Then, the stadium’s screens cut to new footage, and his brother’s visage tells of impending disaster. The screen cuts to black. Cameras die out. “Technical difficulties,” the screen says. Yeah, right.
He screams. He screams until his throat is hoarse. He screams until hot tears stream down his face. He screams until his assistant comes dashing into the room to ask if he’s alright. Outside, storm clouds gather. Outside, lightning cracks across the sky. Outside, a snowstorm begins to kick up.
He remains inside. He couldn’t help, even if he wanted to.
Crisis averted, the news says. The Champion has lost his title, the news says. The Chairman has been arrested, the news says.
He braids and unbraids his Mudsdale’s mane until his hands ache. He lets his Gallade and Bisharp spar until they’re both exhausted. He lets his Garchomp kick up snow that his Glalie creates. Anything to distract himself. Anything to keep himself sane.
He buries himself in his work. His sister calls; she’s as devastated as he is. It doesn’t make sense; it’s not like their brother has died. He returns to his work. His assistant brings him a cup of tea, even though it’s not part of his job.
He gets a call from his brother. He was allowed one call, he says. He listens as his brother talks his ear off yet again. He listens as his brother tries to explain himself.
His brother apologizes. His brother tells him that he loves him. The line goes dead. He returns to his work.
He plans an expedition into the wilds of the tundra. If his brother can’t harness a Legendary’s power, then he will. He’ll be the one to keep the region running long after he’s gone.
His assistant watches on in silence. He returns to his work.
One month since the Champion Cup. His assistant says the Champion is here.
He meets the girl who took the throne. He meets the girl who ruined his brother’s life. She seems wary of him. Go figure, that after meeting one Rose, the entire family is tainted.
She smiles at him. She says it’s great to meet him. He smiles back, if not after a moment’s pause. She says she’s curious about what he does. He looks for mockery in her face. He finds none.
He makes her leader of his expedition. His assistant asks what’s gotten into him. He only smiles.
The myths about the Regis are true. They discover two more. Electric and Dragon, if the old legends are to be believed.
He watches on in stunned silence as the Champion catches them. She positively beams at him as they stay caught. She gives him the Ultra Balls in which they now reside. Something about how he’ll have better use for them, as a researcher.
He smiles right back at her. He slips the balls into his pocket. The expedition continues on.
She discovers his plan right as the team discovers the legendary birds. She’s yelling and cursing at him—crazy runs in the family, she screams—he only stares at her. He’s not crazy, his brother isn’t crazy. They both have the greater good in mind. The Champion is delusional, he thinks.
He challenges her to a battle— foolish, in hindsight, but perhaps some part of him, the hopeful child inside of him, had hoped he could win.
The Champion wins, because of course she does. The Champion is the one to tame and catch the legendary birds, because of course she is. The Champion accepts as he returns the Ultra Balls she had given to him, because of course she does.
She doesn’t leave him for dead as the ruins begin to crumble around them, because of course she doesn’t.
They stand in front of collapsed ruins, snow beginning to fall around them. He apologizes, even though it doesn’t mean much. She nods. He offers to turn himself in like his brother. She shakes her head.
He tells her to say hi to his brother if she gets the chance. She nods.
She leaves for Wyndon the next day.
He returns to his work.