victory_road | video post announcement

[The camera shows the inside of a private compartment on the Johto-Kanto magnet train. Steven and Thace are sitting close together on a bench, dressed in their outfits from prom, about a dozen pokemon of various shapes and types arrayed around them, all of which are wearing prize ribbons. Steven's grinning widely as he looks at the camera.]

So. Technically this is a bit overdue, but we'd been roughing it up Victory Road practically since prom and I, at least, wanted to visit the Mount Moon B&B while we were still in Kanto. That said, guess who the latest two Aurora League champions are?

I look forward to opening a gym that focuses on improving communication and understanding between people and Pokemon, [Thace tells the camera earnestly.]

[Steven laughs.] We probably should actually get home first before we start filling out the paperwork, though.

[Thace laughs with him, before kissing his cheek.] I'm looking forward to that too.

We'll be in Johto again in a few hours. Try not to let Team Rocket level Goldenrod before we get there. [And Steven reaches forward to turn the camera off.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh Lanque, you're a little shit. Steven however knows not to let his annoyance show. It's easier with text.]

It had been nearly a month since the last, but people *have* been challenging and winning fairly often lately, it's true. I think there's been seven or eight of us since New Year's. We often went months at a time between Champions before that.

Maybe they call themselves the Elite Four because they only do 'Elite' matches? Most gym leaders give you the option of a smaller team in the mid-levels (Regular matches) and a full team that's maxed out their levels (Elite matches.)

So an aVerage of roughly tWo a month.
I guess that makes sense, I'Ve done one of those gyms to get the badge that alloWs me to fly, but it Was an embarrassment With hoW easy it Was, so I haVen't really tried the others.
Is it really that big of a deal? I knoW this World pretty much cranks its collectiVe bulge to these monsters and eVerything, but...

Well, with the frequency of recent Champions, it might not be as high-status in achievement as it used to be, but there's still P2,100,000 in prize money, which is nothing to sniff at, and there's also the free real estate.

That is to say that once you beat the Elite Four, the League will build you a gym to your specifications upon request--and said specifications can be pretty extravagant, considering that Armin got a whole research level aquarium out of his--and pay you P18,000 for every day you stay there waiting for challengers, no matter if the challengers show up or not. *And* they'll pay the salaries of any employees associated with your gym and the prize money for any challengers that *do* beat you.

So I think in terms of the opportunities it affords us, it's still a big deal, even if it's not as impressive as it used to be as a status symbol.

Huh.
Okay, I guess that's a good reason to do it. The money and the gym, I mean.
Maybe I'Ve been too quick to dismiss this, but can you really blame me? It doesn't seem exactly glamorous from the onset.

No, it doesn't particularly.

The other reason to open a gym besides the free real estate is that the locals seem to defer to gym leaders in general. It's a way to set yourself as a person in authority wherever it is that you've put your gym.

Hm, guess I can't really say I'm interested in being the authority, too much responsibility for my tastes.
But then again, I don't like ansWering to authority either.
Alright, yeah. I can see the appeal.

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