The Eon Academy [S.S. Wishmaker Side-Story]

[[Desolate Divine]]

Episode 13: Divergence

Spoiler:

The tension in the air was unavoidable on the morning of the Friday of the twelfth week. The last official class of the summer. After lunch, Justin and Dylan would have their final one-on-one training with Jon. The summer program would end on Sunday morning, and they would all go home to their normal lives, some being a new normal they weren’t yet accustomed to.

Class only had ten minutes left, and Jon by this point knew that trying to hold their attention was near impossible, as well as the fact that he felt like he had taught them everything he knew. That wasn’t to mean that they didn’t still have a lot of room to grow, but more that they had the knowledge. Now their next step was to practise, practise and then practise some more, learning how to apply what he had taught them to themselves, their teams and their battles, and his role with them would go from less being a teacher to students, and more being a master craftsman with his apprentices.

“So tomorrow at noon, I want everyone to meet at the battleground…” Jon explained. There was a murmur from the five trainers, remembering both day zero, and the halfway point of the camp, where everyone gathered there on a day off to battle. They knew that this was going to be the last one for the summer.

“We repeating Day Zero?” Justin asked.

“Maybe we are…” Jon replied. “Maybe we aren’t… You will find out tomorrow…”

“Come on, it’s the last class of the summer and you can’t give us a straight answer?” Justin retorted.

“It’s not that I can’t," Jon explained. “It’s that I won’t. You will find out what’s happening tomorrow when you get there.”

“But, really this class is finished, and with that, the last class for the summer,” Jon explained. “I won’t get all preachy now because I can still do that tomorrow, and two of you still have training. Those of you with the afternoon off, enjoy it. You’ve all done well this summer.”

Whilst the sense of accomplishment was permeating the room, it was weighed down by the realization that summer was practically over, and that chances are, they wouldn’t see each other again until next year, and that being said, nobody wanted to bring up the fact that some of them may not be there. Only Abbee knew that Dylan would be working at the Eon Academy, so as far as Chris, Charlotte and Justin were aware, he was now too old to attend next summer.

Abbee and Dylan were the first to leave the room, with Justin not far behind them. Eventually Charlotte and Chris left, walking in silence.

“You know, I never thought I’d see the day where we’d be the ones walking to the lodge to have lunch together, just cause we can,” Chris said. “You know, us actually being friends… If that’s the word for it…”

“If that’s not the word for it then what is?” Charlotte asked harshly, though Chris knew she was joking.

“You raise a valid point. Not sure why I got so awkward talking about us being friends…” Chris laughed.

“Maybe because a year ago the thought of us being friends was just so stupid and unrealistic,” Charlotte said. “We only knew each other from competing. I was a pain in your a** and you were a pain in mine…”

“Yeah you aren’t wrong…” Chris replied. “Who has more wins at the moment? I stopped keeping track a couple of weeks ago.”

“Oh great, so did I…” Charlotte muttered, “I don’t know, I’m probably ahead though.”

Chris snorted.

“Sure you are…”

“Well, seeing as we don’t have an official scoreboard anymore, we will have to restart it tomorrow.” Charlotte explained. “There are what, half a dozen junior tournaments before next summer, right? I’ll be competing in all of them. You?”

“You think I’d miss it?” Chris asked.

“So we’ll have plenty of chances to figure out who’s better between now and then…” Charlotte explained. “I’ll be working my a** off, and you won’t be around me every day to see how I’m battling. So don’t expect to come out on top.”

“That goes both ways…”

As the pair arrived at the lodge, they made their way to the kitchen, figuring out what to eat. After a few indecisive minutes of looking at their options in the cupboard and the fridge Chris finally spoke.

“F**k it, let’s go get lunch somewhere in Mossdeep,” Chris suggested. “Somewhere we haven’t eaten before.”

“So most of the city?”

“At least we have options.”

Charlotte thought it over for a second.

“Sure, as long as you don’t get us arrested again…” Charlotte joked.

“No promises.”

************************************************** ************************************************** *****
When Dylan walked over to the battleground, he was expecting to see Jon there. What he wasn’t expecting was Jon to be sitting there with a pair of poolside lounge chairs, and Latios hovering next to him. Between the pair of chairs was an esky.

“You seem a bit too relaxed…” Dylan called out, as Jon waved him over.

“Yeah, I figure why not?” Jon said. “We both know that you came here originally to get away from home, not because you particularly cared about battling.”

“I mean, I do now…” Dylan replied as he sat on the chair next to Jon’s. Jon reached into the esky, offering Dylan a beer, as he took one for himself.

“I know you do, but your talents lie elsewhere. You’re more passionate about raising Pokemon than battling them, aren’t you?” Jon said, as he opened his can.

“You’re not wrong…”

“Don’t get me wrong, you’ve improved heaps, and I think if battling is something you wanted to do long term, you could go up with the best of them,” Jon said. “But if it’s our last session for the summer, and you aren’t really that keen on battling, why not just relax and have a beer? You’re an adult now, so I won’t get into trouble for giving you one.”

Dylan grinned at Jon’s reasoning. He was right. He much preferred raising Pokemon to battling them, and had a knack for knowing what Pokemon needed. A cold beer on a sunny afternoon between friends was definitely how he would rather spend his last official day.

“So you’re probably wondering what I will have you doing next summer?” Jon asked, as Dylan took a sip of his drink.

“A little,” Dylan replied. “This is a battling academy, and we are both well aware I am more suited doing other things.”

“A good trainer needs to know how to raise their Pokemon well,” Jon explained. “Ideally, I’d actually want you to run the Raising Pokemon classes next summer, if you’re up to it.”

Dylan had mixed feelings about the idea.

“I’m not the best at public speaking…” Dylan said quietly.

“That’s okay, you can learn,” Jon said. “Nobody is an expert overnight. And if we get to next summer and you’re still not comfortable, I will handle the classes and find something else for you to do. But regardless, I want you to help me rewrite that curriculum. I was supposed to be the teacher this year, but from the start you had a better idea of that class than I did.”

“I really didn’t,” Dylan explained. “I knew some of the more specific stuff from my last job, but that didn’t really help much until you taught us the basics.”

“Regardless, the curriculum could do with your experience and input,” Jon explained. “We will work on that during the year, and if we have a few short term camps or incursions, I will use them to get you ready to teach during summer. Deal?”

“Deal…” Dylan replied, surprised at how excited he was at the chance of potentially teaching next summer alongside Jon.

Latios was hovering upside-down, soaking in the sun's rays. Jon seemed to have an idea, and retreated to his own thoughts. Finally he spoke.

“Do you reckon Latios could have a beer?” Jon asked. “He is an adult, I just don’t know if it would be bad for him…”

Dylan flipped the can around, reading the ingredients, as Latios looked at the pair curiously.

”Malt, Yeast, Hops,” Dylan read out. “The malt is there for the yeast to ferment it, and the yeast is there to ferment the hops and create the alcohol. The hops are just there to flavour it so it isn’t too sweet from the malt…”

Dylan quickly thought back to the work he did in the PokeFood store. He had seen food for Dragon and Psychic type Pokemon containing Malt or Hops, and a lot of bread-style foods that used yeast to rise. He also looked at Latios. Whilst the Pokemon only weighed about sixty kilograms, he was two meters tall, and had lots of muscle. He would probably have more blood than the average human male, and a higher ratio of muscle to fat as well.

“The ingredients themselves will be safe,” Dylan said. “There is a slight chance he won’t react well to the alcohol, but this is pretty weak considering the size of him. One should be fine…”

Jon looked at Latios, before getting another can out of the esky.

“What do you think, Latios?” Jon asked. “Wanna take the risk and try a beer?”

Latios cried out happily, as Jon opened the can, passing it up to the large Dragon Pokemon.

“Just maybe hold off using any Psychic abilities for a few hours, until it’s out of your system…” Dylan warned.

“Good call.”

As they sat quietly, enjoying the beer and each others company, Latios seeming to really enjoy the beer, Dylan spoke up.

“So this was the first summer the Academy ran,” Dylan asked. “How did it go from your perspective?”

“I had one kid nearly freeze to death in the second or third week, another push herself too hard and nearly kill one of her Pokemon, another have her dad pass away, and find out from the news because another had taken her phone. Then had another come back from a home visit a little beaten up. As well as three students arrested, and an attack on the academy as revenge by a student's psychotic cousin that I p**sed off last year…” Jon said too casually. “Safe to say, I couldn’t have seen this coming…”

Dylan chuckled as he continued drinking his beer.

“But honestly, I see how much you have all grown this summer, how strong and driven you have become…” Jon continued. “I’d say this summer, in it’s own f**ked up way, was a success.”

“Here’s to next summer not being anywhere near that eventful,” Dylan replied, holding his can towards Jon.

“Cheers,” Jon said, clinking his can against Dylan and Latios’ before finishing it.

“Next year will be interesting, I will tell you that much," Jon explained. “But I will tell you more when I tell everyone else…”

************************************************** ************************************************** *****
Victini’s eyes lit up when he saw Abbee enter the lodge from where he sat on the dining room table. However, as much as he enjoyed Abbee’s company, the reaction wasn’t to her, but the large flat box she was holding.

“Lunch is here,” she called out.

When she arrived back for lunch, she heard Chris and Charlotte decide to go and get lunch in the city, and whilst she kind of liked the idea of doing something special for lunch, she also wanted to savour the last days she’d have at the Eon Academy, at least until next year. She compromised, ordering a pizza for her and Victini to share, much to Victini’s approval. She placed the pizza box down, opening it so Victini could grab himself a slice, while she went to the kitchen to grab some cans of soft drink. Once she sat down, she grabbed herself a slice of pizza, as she spoke to Victini.

“So summer is just about over…” She said as Victini finished his first slice. The little guy’s appetite shocked Abbee at times.

“It is. You remember the deal?”

“I remember,” Abbee said smiling. “When summer is over, we make the call. Whether we stick together as partners, or whether we go our separate ways.”

Victini went quiet hearing this, as he chewed his second slice of pizza.

“Abbee, before we go and make that sort of decision, there is something you need to know,” Victini explained. “Something that has to remain a secret, and now I know I can trust you, I think you need to know before making this sort of decision…”

Victini almost seemed nervous, which surprised Abbee. His chipper and upbeat attitude had been a godsend during her darker days since she lost her Dad. This was new.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” Abbee said. “Whatever this secret is, I know you had good reason for keeping it, so I don’t think it will change what I think we should do after summer is over…”

“Well, the truth is…” Victini began, before taking a breath. ”Cass, my old partner… She didn’t actually die…”

Abbee’s eyes widened hearing this. Whilst in the wake of their deaths there were rumours it was a hoax, eventually all but the most persistent conspiracy theories started to die off, and it was common knowledge that the Diamond Ladies died in the fire. Laws were made because of them, with the hate they received online, and what it led to. Or in this case, appeared to lead to.

“When Jon brought in Cassandra, Violet and Jarena, the deal he made with them was that he would vouch for them, and try to get a reduced punishment, if they came quietly, and took whatever punishment the league gave them. They agreed to it, and Jon proposed a pretty intense cover-up. However they knew that if the truth got out, life as they knew it was over, and made a pact that if things got bad, they would give it all up, turn themselves back into Pokemon and live out the rest of their lives that way,” Victini explained. “Lance and his guys betrayed the League and made the cover-up near impossible, so the truth got out. They tried their hardest to move on with life, but the world wouldn’t let them. The world insisted on making them pay for what they did, and it got to the point where Violet’s Pokemon were stolen from her…”

“That’s horrible…”

“So they went with their Plan B. They faked their deaths and turned themselves into Pokemon,” Victini explained. “And now, they found a place where they belong, and are doing a world of good to make up for what they did before…”

“Does Jon know?” Abbee asked, however was pretty certain she knew the answer. “He said himself he was friends with them after everything wound down, and should know...”

“He didn’t believe they had died. He knew it would take more than a coward’s arson attack to off them. But he understood why they did it, so didn’t try to intervene…” Victini explained. “Then about eight or nine months ago now, something came up in Hoenn, and Steven needed Jon to do something for him off the books, without the League getting involved. It was a pretty desperate situation, so Jon had Latios go and find Cassandra, to ask for her help.”

“What sort of situation…”

“Jon would kill me if he knew I told you this, because if it gets out, he could be declared an enemy of the state…” Victini explained. “The military had upset Rayquaza, and it was causing problems with aircraft in the south Hoenn area…”

“I remember seeing that on the news…” Abbee explained. “A passenger plane had to land?”

“The military wanted to try and kill Rayquaza because of it, and Steven objected. However if Steven did anything, or got the League involved, the military would have interfered, so he asked Jon and Cass to go and catch Rayquaza…”

Abbee looked at Victini in shock hearing that revelation.

“Latios found me on his way back from finding Cass, so I joined them. Then Jon and Cass teamed up to battle Rayquaza, and Latios and I took it down, so Jon could catch it,” Victini explained. “After that, Cass returned to her new home, and I started travelling again. But you can’t tell anyone about Rayquaza. Jon would be arrested and thrown into some government prison if the truth got out…”

“So Jon has had Rayquaza the entire time we have been here…” Abbee whispered to Victini, who nodded.

“Those are the secrets I have been keeping from you,” Victini explained. “I told you now because really, I do want to be your partner, and stay with you, but it’s not fair for me to ask that sort of bond when I am keeping so much hidden…”

“Thank you for telling me,” Abbee replied with a smile. “And if anything, hearing about all this, you taking down Rayquaza, makes me want to be your partner even more...”

Victini grinned from ear to ear, before digging back into his slice of pizza. Once he and Abbee finished lunch, he would let her use a Pokeball on him, and it would be official.

The start of another adventure.

************************************************** ************************************************** *****
Dylan and Jon finished their beers about ten minutes before Justin was due to start training with Jon. Dylan made his way back to the lodge, as Jon removed the evidence of the relaxed training session, though fully aware that they had it in full view of most of the property.

Justin arrived, and the pair had their training match, however after only half an hour, Jon decided to wrap it up. There was little another half hour was going to do for Justin’s battling, and he was curious to see what Justin’s plans were for the next nine months, possibly longer if he decided not to come back.

When Jon asked Justin what he wanted to do between now and next summer, Justin seemed slightly surprised.

“I kind of have an idea, but also don’t, if that makes sense,” Justin explained.

“It doesn’t at all, but go on,” Jon joked.

Justin took a moment to arrange his thoughts.

“It took the whole phone thing with Abbee to realize just how much I gotta get my s**t together, and actually take life a bit more seriously,” Justin explained. “And I feel like I have a little since, but part of me is scared that the moment I leave here, and don’t have those sorts of expectations placed on me, I’m just going to go back to the way I was a month ago…”

Jon nodded, understanding what he was saying.

“So I want to set myself some sort of challenge between now and next summer. Something that I can come back here in nine months, knowing I have improved as a person. That I actually stand a chance of making a difference, you know?” Justin said. “I have something in mind. It will be stupid hard, and I may be dreaming a bit, but if I can pull it off, it will be game-changing…”

Jon found himself grinning from ear to ear hearing this. Justin’s biggest hurdle when he arrived was not wanting to apply himself, or take anything seriously. Now he was setting a goal for the sole purpose of challenging himself, and proving to himself he has made progress.

“Am I allowed to know what this challenge is?” Jon asked.

“I think I might keep it a secret for now…” Justin explained. “If I tell you it will be too tempting for me to ask for your help, when really, that would be a cop out. Besides, I think you will enjoy seeing the result of it if I can pull this off…”

“Can I take it based on the way you’re talking that you will be back next year?” Jon asked. “You’ve made a lot of progress, but I think you have a lot of untapped potential.”

“Does an Ursaring s**t in the woods?” Justin asked. “I will definitely be back. Too much has happened this summer for me not to be…”

“Well Justin, I’m sure whatever this challenge you’re setting yourself is, you will do more than you expect,” Jon said, putting his hand on Justin’s shoulder. “You’ve done well getting this far, and in all honesty, the sky’s the limit.”

************************************************** ************************************************** *****
It was noon the next day when the young trainers found themselves waiting at the battleground for Jon, preparing for what they knew was coming. The final battle for the summer, to see how far they’d come.

When Jon arrived, they seemed somewhat on edge, which caused him to grin.

“So you all came here prepared to do the same battles we did on Day Zero?” Jon asked. “Truth is, I don’t think we need to.”

“Wait, what?” Charlotte asked almost instinctively, having prepared herself mentally for another battle with Chris.

“Why not?” Chris asked. “Don’t you want to see how far we’ve come this summer?”

“Why would I need you guys to battle to do that?” Jon asked. “I’ve spent countless hours working with each and every one of you this summer. I don’t need to see you battle to see how much you’ve grown. Besides, a battle wouldn’t show all the ways you have…”

“Huh…” Chris said out loud, as he understood what Jon had said.

“Don’t get me wrong, if you’re all back here next year, I will be making you battle on Day Zero like we did this summer, and I expect to see a hell of a lot of improvement between now and then,” Jon explained. “What I’ve tried to do is equip you to be able to improve without me. That doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in what I have to say, but more so you have just as much potential to improve between now and next summer as you did this summer, or will next.”

“So why call us here then?” Abbee asked.

“To throw you a curveball before I give some news…” Jon explained.

“You remember one of the reasons we ran the live-stream the other week?” Jon asked. “I had a stake in it too…”

“You wanted to promote the Eon Academy…” Justin replied.

“Well I can safely say it worked…” Jon said. “I have already got twelve people registered and paid for next summer, and about fifteen who seem very interested. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had forty people here next year…”

“S**t…” Chris exclaimed, hearing the numbers. “How the hell will you run a program like that here?”

“The monastery itself still has a lot of work to be done. I ran the program this year with a limited number of openings to test run it, and even though we had some pretty big hiccups, they were circumstantial and I’d say the program itself was a success,” Jon explained. “There are still another two rooms in the main monastery that can be turned into classrooms like the one we have been using all year, so classes can run simultaneously, and the actual hall itself has enough space that we could section it off into a dining hall, kitchen and common room. As for sleeping arrangements, there is enough interest that I can apply for grants from the League to cover the cost of building two lodges. They won’t be as nice as the main one you guys were in, but will instead have five rooms in each, sleeping six people, so facilities won’t be a problem…”

“The biggest hurdle will be staff,” Jon continued. “Some of you may know, Dylan will be staying here, and coming on to staff. He will generally be a second pair of hands, but I also hope to tap into his talents. I’d love to see him take over the raising Pokemon Class, since he seems to have a better understanding of it than I do…”

Abbee cheered, as Dylan looked to the floor embarrassed at the attention.

“What I am currently thinking, is having a few camp interns,” Jon explained. “People who are attending, are a little older, and have their head screwed on straight. They would have a small group of trainers assigned to them, that they keep an eye on. Help with adjusting to life here, giving advice and training to the younger campers, and helping keep this place running smoothly when we have potentially forty people running around. They would still be students here, and the focus would be for them to learn what they can, but that would be through both teaching and learning themselves.”

“And honestly, if the four of you are interested, I’d love to have you on board. It would be a job, so you would attend for free, and get paid for it,” Jon concluded. “But you have all proven to me how much you have to offer, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have helping make this place run than the four of you.”

Abbee looked at Jon shocked at what he had just offered. More shocked than her was Justin. Chris was the first to speak.

“S**t, I’d be down…” Chris said in disbelief.

“You know you’d have to not swear in front of the younger kids…” Charlotte retorted.

“Oh s**t, you’re right,” Chris replied, before realizing what he had just said. “F**k…”

Jon burst into laughter at the exchange.

“I’m in too,” Charlotte explained. “I was going to be coming back anyway, but this settles it. Paid job to be here? Brilliant!”

“I’m so in…” Abbee said with a grin. “You guys have helped me heaps this summer, and I want to be able to return the favor, even if it’s paying it forward…”

Justin was the only one to be silent.

“What about you Justin?” Chris asked. “Got somewhere better to be?”

“No, it’s not that…” Justin said, still sounding unsure. “This sounds great, but are you sure you want me doing that? I only started taking this seriously like three weeks ago…”

“And since then, you’ve proved what you’re capable of, both on and off the battlefield," Jon replied. “Besides, if you do need a kick up the a**, this will be the perfect position for me to do that. So yeah, I really want you to take this if this is what you want.”

“Then I’m in too,” Justin said. “I’ll come back next year, better than ever.”

************************************************** ************************************************** *****
It was mid morning when Jon and Alyssa found themselves in the partially renovated hall of the monastery. Steven had joined them as well, wanting to say goodbye to the young trainers who would be departing until next summer. One by one the trainers made their way into the hall, carrying their belongings. Naturally, Charlotte was first, followed very closely by Chris. Dylan and Abbee came in together a little while later, with Justin the last to join them.

Eventually, others started to arrive. First was Tyler, who Alyssa pointed out to Jon as Abbee’s older brother, who was now her guardian. He seemed taken by surprise by the hug that Abbee gave him upon seeing him, before waving to Alyssa, who walked over to say hello.

Charlotte’s parents arrived next, as Charlotte awkwardly left the group to greet. Justin’s dad arrived, who after reuniting with Justin, began making small talk with Charlotte’s parents, to her relief, as it allowed her to go back to spending time with the other young trainers.

The last to arrive was a young woman in her mid twenties that Jon recognized.

“Wait…” Chris said as he realized who it was. “What is she doing here?”

“That’s Clair?” Charlotte asked, as Chris nodded. Clair noticed Chris, and nodded at him, before making her way intently towards Jon.

“Oh s**t…” Chris muttered, and Charlotte remembered the conversation she and Chris had very early on. Chris’ family were torn as to whether to support or cut ties with Lance. Clair was of the opinion that Lance was unfairly imprisoned, and Jon was the real villain.

“Jon Drake,” she called out intently, as she walked over to him.

“The one and only,” Jon retorted. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re Clair from Blackthorn City?”

“I am…”

“Oh s**t…” Chris said slightly louder, as he quickly walked towards Clair and Jon. “Clair, what’s going on?”

“I just wanted to talk to Jon…” Clair said, not looking away from Jon.

“It’s fine Chris,” Jon said, as he looked back at Clair, who was silent for a second before speaking.

“For what it’s worth, on behalf of my family, I wanted to apologize for Lance’s actions, and for continuing to support him through the last year…”

Chris looked at Clair in shock. The last time they had spoken, it was Clair telling him he would be dead to her if he went to Jon Drake’s school, and that Lance was family and that they had to stand by him regardless. That Lance did what needed to be done, and Jon was wrong for trying to cover everything up and stop Lance.

“Lance was our family's greatest accomplishment, and when he fell from grace, it was easier for us to believe that he was some sort of martyr, and you were the villain,” Clair explained. “But then we heard what happened with Chris in that cave, and how you rescued him, and saw how much he had grown during the live-stream, and how much he was enjoying himself, as well as Lance ordering the attack on the Academy even though Chris was here, and it became painfully clear that he was lost, and we were causing more harm than anything else by holding this grudge.”

“On behalf of my family, I wanted to offer our apologies, and our thanks for training Chris the last three months,” Clair concluded stiffly, leaving Chris dumbstruck.

“I appreciate it,” Jon replied. “Truth is, the situation with Lance on the S.S. Wishmaker was messy. I certainly could have handled it better, however I find little good comes out of dwelling on what could have been instead. It takes a lot to say something like that and both yourself and Chris have proven that we aren’t shackled by the people we call family.”

Noticing the time, Jon gathered everyone around to address his students for the last time this summer.

“I am where I am now because fifteen years ago, my grandfather, a competitive battler by the name of Jack Mason, saw in me a passion to battle…”

Abbee thought the name seemed familiar, and after a second remembered where she had heard it. Her dad, Richard, had mentioned that growing up, when he would watch the local competitions in Goldenrod City, there was a trainer there who battled in a way so out of the ordinary that nobody knew how to combat it. His focus was on tactics and synergy more than type advantages, something that was unheard of at the time. Whilst he didn’t leave Goldenrod, and wasn’t overly well known outside of the city, Jack Mason was an inspiration for Richard to start battling. He was Jon’s grandfather?

“He saw this dream that I had to become stronger alongside my Pokemon, and conquer whatever found itself before me, and invested in me. His time, his skill, his experience. And I don’t know where I would be if not for that. So when the idea came to mind of starting my own program, it seemed like the best thing I could do as a trainer,” Jon explained. “I started off small, only having five open slots, and being intentional about the trainers I gave them to, while we did a bit of a test-run of the summer program.”

“And in these twelve weeks, I have seen these five trainers, all strong in their own right, grow in their own strength, both personal and in terms of battling. They have learnt to think outside of the box, and be creative with how they approach the walls that block their path. They have seen their own weakness, and found a way to move past it. They have become driven, and conquered whatever has been put in their path.”

“The next year will come with it’s own challenges and obstacles,” Jon said. “But each person here has proven to themselves, and proven to me, that they can overcome them, and I have faith that I will see each of them here next year, flying higher than they ever thought possible.”

“Among the hurdles, it has been an absolute joy to run my first summer program with the five of you,” Jon said directly to the five trainers. “And I know whatever you find yourself doing over the next nine months, you will do it well. Better than well. I hope to see you all next summer.”

There was a round of applause started enthusiastically by Chris. Once that died down though, everyone knew it was time to start saying goodbyes. Jon, Alyssa and Steven all made a point of saying goodbye to each of the young trainers, before they had to leave. Chris was the first to go, making a point of telling Charlotte he would see her at the next tournament, and to not get knocked out before they could battle each other. Justin was the next to leave, telling Jon he would be in touch, especially if he pulled off this challenge had had been thinking over, and eventually Charlotte left after hugging Abbee and telling her to come visit Sinnoh sometime.

Eventually it was only Abbee and Victini who were yet to go home. Alyssa gave Abbee a tight hug, telling her and Tyler they are more than welcome to come visit, understanding how lonely it will probably get for them now. As she did, Jon got Victini’s attention, briefly tapping on his temple.

“What’s up?” Victini asked.

“It goes without saying, because I know you will, but take good care of her,” Jon replied with his thoughts, to which Victini nodded.

Jon and Dylan said their goodbyes to Abbee before her, Tyler and Victini all left, Abbee teary having to say goodbye for now. Once they were gone, Jon sighed, slightly surprised that the summer was already over, before turning to Dylan.

“When you can, you should bring your stuff up to the house,” Jon explained.

“You want me in the house with you guys?” Dylan asked, slightly surprised.

“Well I don’t want to leave the power turned on for the entire lodge for one person…” Jon said jokingly, “What, will we cramp your style?”

“No, not at all," Dylan replied. “I am just a little surprised. I’ll go get my things so you aren’t burning too much electricity waiting for me…”

Steven snorted at Dylan’s quip, as Alyssa called Jon a cheapa**.

“You’ve done well this summer Jon,” Steven explained. “Given what has happened, very well.”

“Well enough to secure more League funding?” Jon asked. “I’m gonna need it with the amount of people signing up for next year.”

“Officially, it is being processed, but between us, you’re clear,” Steven said. “So what do the next nine months look like for you?”

“I’d like to take a few weeks off and just unwind,” Jon said. “But after that, I have my work cut out for me. I need this place to be ready for next summer, and gotta make sure I’m improving as much as they are. I can’t expect to be taken seriously if they come back next year and beat me on the first day…”

“You think they would?” Steven asked, slightly surprised.

“It’s not likely, but they’ve all surprised me this summer in one way or another…” Jon replied. “God knows what they will be like when I see them next…”