video;

[shiro2hero]

[It's the Indigo Plateau. Still cold, still looking as chilly and mountainous as ever. With a notable exception - namely, a bedraggled-looking Shiro and his equally bedraggled team of pokemon. They're all crowding around him, trying to get a look at the camera.]

[Shiro is... grinning? Widely. He looks happier than he's looked in a long time, with one arm slung around his Aggron's broad neck, the other holding the camera out as far as possible.]

- Okay, okay! Come on. It's recording, guys, get in here.

[Umbreon hops up onto his shoulder, fur a little singed, sticking up in weird places. Marowak peers up from the bottom of the screen - helmet dinged and nicked in places. Gallade wiggles in, Gengar waving delightedly - lifting its hand up over the top of Gallade's head. Which... means Incineroar just flat out picks up Gallade to get in on this too, all of them squishing in with their Trainer like it's a big class photo.]

Hi everyone. Long time no chat. We've been busy up here... had a bad run first off, but the team pulled it together. They pulled it together really well.

[With a chorus of Pokemon agreement.]

And that means?

You're looking at the 13th Champions of the League.

[More loud, boistrous Pokemon cheering. Incineroar ends up dropping Gallade to scoop Shiro up instead. There's not much else he can do - and ends up fumbling the 'gear. It lands face-up, thankfully, for more shots of celebrating Pokemon.]

[Celebrating pokemon and Shiro's bemused, final statement - ]

... guys, we need to go back and apologize to Bruno again. Calm - calm down a minute! You didn't let me say it on the recording - !

[/END FEED.]




[Except for a final text.]

Formal apology goes to Bruno. Again. I swear I can count to four.

Comments

[angewiesen]

It's about time, there... Congrats, Shiro.

[shiro2hero]

Okay, okay - get it all out now while I'm in a good mood.

[He knows it took forever, okay.]

[angewiesen]

Nah, I'm good. I'm in no place to make fun of you... until I beat the Elite Four, that is.

What happened to Bruno? Did you body him so hard it hurt his feelings?

[shiro2hero]

Uh huh. I'll wait for it.

Oh uh. [You know Shiro's in a good mood because he doesn't even seem bothered right now.] I might've walked past him on my first go.

[trampire]

Is it really that big of a deal if you're tWelVe behind?

[shiro2hero]

It's not a race.

Getting here, winning the battles, that's the important part.

[trampire]

Well, I just mean doesn't it get a little boring after tWelVe others haVe completed the same thing? Do people really get excited oVer something like this?

I knoW this World loVes its fiduspaWn knock off, or WhateVer, I just don't see What the big deal is. It isn't like it's difficult to make little monsters rough each other up, they don't eVen cull one another.

[shiro2hero]

It's not like it happens every day. A lot of people here train for years before hitting this point. And if they want to celebrate it, they should.

The Elite Four are different than any regular gym, or any regular fight. They're the top of the line.

If you ever decide to take on the Gym Challenge, you'll see what I mean.

Video;

[schachmeister]

Congratulations! I'll be sure to invite you to the next Aurora League meeting.

Though... what happened with Bruno?

[Armin also has something else to ask Shiro, but that is far less of a joyous subject, so first they can talk about this.]

Video;

[shiro2hero]

Wow. My chance to get in on Armin's special gatherings, huh?

[He's... in such a good mood. He'll even admit to:]

I may or may not have walked past him the first time.

Video;

[schachmeister]

I really wouldn't call them my special gatherings. [flustered, quick to assure Shiro of this.] I mean, I'm not even the oldest member -- both in terms of age or seniority in the league. I really don't want to claim something I am not.

[pls don't make him a leader.]

You... walked past him...

[Let him. Let him process this for a moment.]

Video;

[shiro2hero]

How about, meeting organizer, then? [No, Armin, let him tease you a little.] Chief Meeting Caller.

[Okay, good mood or no, he turns a bit pink.]

Yeah.

I was dealing with a poisoning situation and I uh. Skipped the door.

[fingersandteeth]

Congratulations. I'm proud of you, Shiro.

[And he is. He considers Shiro to be a friend, after all.]

[shiro2hero]

Hah, thanks. I -

It's been a long time coming.

[fingersandteeth]

Yeah. Most people take their time before they head up that road. But it's great to see you did it. Do you have plans for the Free Real Estate yet?

[Being from 2022 these days, Steven can't help but think of that meme when it comes to the Aurora League Gyms.]

[shiro2hero]

Free real...? Oh! Oh, yeah.

[What are memes.]

We're going to talk to the observatory on Island Four. See if they'd be up for a joint building.

VIDYA

[pidge_out]

[It takes Pidge a second to respond. And really only because her initial reaction was to leap to her feet and do a little celebratory dance with Rover. But when the video feed comes on Pidge is beaming, eyes bright and practically sparkling.]

I knew you guys could do it!! Are you coming home?! We need to celebrate!

[shiro2hero]

Hey, Pidge. Long time no see.

[He's kidding. But it's so good to see her happy like that.]

Yeah. We're coming home. [Finally.] Better get the house in shape.

[pidge_out]

[That makes her laugh a little, even as she rolls her eyes. Don't judge her for being an introvert, Bro Dad. And also-]

The house is always in shape. [Technically speaking.] Just waiting for you to get here and get a proper night's sleep.

[insidegalra]

Congratulations. That's an excellent accomplishment. Have you thought about starting a gym for yourself?

[shiro2hero]

Hah, thanks. I appreciate it.

And yeah, we have. We're ... pretty sure it's going to be back on the island.

[insidegalra]

The islands are very pleasant, so I wouldn't mind another reason to visit. I'm working on getting all the Aurora Badges now, so I'm looking forward to testing my family against yours.

[lordofthefries]

[Surely there's a lot to be excited about here. Shiro won! He can become a gym leader! Maybe he'll come back home and Sasha might have a reason to leave her bedroom and see the rest of the house again!

But there's one important thing that rises above all the rise, like cream to the top:]

WE HAVE TO GET YOU A CAKE!

[shiro2hero]

[He shouldn't be surprised. But he is, a little. Thankfully, it's Shiro, so it comes out as a self-conscious sort of laugh instead.]

We - we don't have to do that, Sasha. But thank you.

[lordofthefries]

No. We have to. You did something good and we have to have cake for it.

[Sir, are you really denying your adopted war-torn daughter the opportunity to get you cake? To eat cake? To share cake with her favorite not-really-her-dad dad?]