[FIN] Burning Questions

[Suudonym]

"Trainer centers are, well..." How to explain them? They were something unique that the League had created for Kodo, so it was difficult to come up with a reasonable comparison. "They're a sort of attraction the League set up to make training in Kodo look more appealing. They're kind of like the gyms in other regions, in a way; they're places where trainers can get together to battle and improve their skills, and they're staffed with professional instructors who help trainers to learn and better themselves. At the moment there are two of them. One is in the eastern part of Kodo, near this city, and it focuses on recreational and professional training - battling for sport and as a career. The other one, the one built in the remains of the Rocket base, is more geared towards defensive training - strengthening yourself and your team to deal with potential threats."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ah, okay," he replied with a smile and another nod. That made sense, though he wondered why they made those in place of gyms. Then again, perhaps that, too, was because gyms were more for recreation than for preparing trainers against the threats they may face in Kodo that they wouldn't face in other regions not under the threat of Team Rocket. He made a mental note to visit both of the trainer centers - specifically the northern one - before continuing, "Team Rocket has been quiet since the loss of their base, though, you said? How quiet have they been?" That could either be a good or a very bad thing, in his opinion; either they were quiet because they were still recovering, or they were quiet because they'd packed up and moved elsewhere.  

[Suudonym]

"There's evidence that they're still in the region," he replied, "but we're not sure if they're still based here or if they just left a group so they would still have a foothold on the island. They're quiet enough that we haven't been able to get a good handle on how prevalent a problem they still are or where they've moved to - since they're obviously not in the desert anymore."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ion expelled a quiet sigh. "From what I've read of their actions, most of it isn't recent," he said, lacing his fingers together in his lap. "It's mostly from a few months ago, at the earliest, and those were usually summaries of past events and nothing recent." He frowned a little, then spread his hands a bit, "I'm from Grande Ile, a small country that has an embassy here in the city, and my main concern is whether or not Team Rocket may spread there. Do you think it's possible that they already have, or may in the future?"  

[Suudonym]

For a moment Luke overlooked the topic at hand, surprised by the information about his company's origins - though he supposed he shouldn't have been, given how said company was dressed. "I actually worked at that embassy for a while, as an ambassador," he volunteered. "And... frankly, I don't think there's a significant presence yet, if any, but yes, I do think it's a possibility in the future. I'm - or, I was - a member of a political family, and when he was very young, my brother was kidnapped by an agent of Team Rocket with the intention of raising him and using him to exert control over the government from within. His plan fell apart, and I don't know if he's still pursuing that goal, but I do know that Grande Ile now is very similar to how Kodo was before Team Rocket spread its influence here:" he gestured vaguely to emphasis the words to follow, "a defenseless place with no League opposition and no knowledge of how to use pokemon to defend against pokemon-based crime."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

It was Ion's turn to be surprised to hear that Luke had worked at the embassy, but where? A memory resurfaced of the redhead speaking French as Luke continued, and by the time he finished Ion nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you," though to be honest he still didn't, but that wasn't the matter at hand. Their current place was in all likelihood the most important, and it was with a thoughtful frown that Ion leaned forward and steepled his fingers beneath his chin as he hummed a little, pondering over everything Luke had just told him. "I didn't know any of that. I'm so sorry about your brother, Luke. All of that is... rather concerning," the trainer admitted with a vaguely worried frown. He would definitely need to note all of this and send a report to his parents immediately, if not about Luke's brother, than about the current state of Grande Ile being so similar to Kodo's before Team Rocket swept in.

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about all of this," Ion said, his tone and expression appreciative despite the gravity of the topic, though before he could continue, he interrupted himself, "Oh, first; do you think there is anything we could do to try and prevent, or at least discourage, Team Rocket from spreading into Grande Ile?"  

[Suudonym]

He shook his head dismissively; it felt somewhat deceptive to leave Ion's impression of his brother at that, but 'oh don't worry, he's dead now' was hardly a way to assuage sympathy, so he let the subject go at that.

He agreed - the state of Grande Ile was worrying. Anyone in Kodo had only to get on a boat, and in just a day they would be at the doorstep of the seat of the nation's government. "I cannot recommend strongly enough that the people of Grande Ile put forth the effort to learn about pokemon, training, and battling," he said. "The League won't establish a branch there if there isn't an interest in training and journeying, and having that presence would be a huge deterrent. I had hoped myself to try to help introduce training there, but I've already lost the opportunity to get the ear of anyone who could make a significant difference." If there was anything he regretted about losing his station in his family, that was undoubtedly it.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

The people of Grande Ile should take up pokemon training and battling. Grande Insulaire should take up a foreign sport they know and care little about, with creatures they consider pets or wild animals that numbered few in the country as a whole. Ion frowned down at his hands, trying to think. "That does sound like it would be an effective deterrent," he said at length, his tones hesitant, but then he shook his head, "though I don't know that it would happen, unfortunately. I can't see pokemon battling successfully coming into a country that doesn't think very much of pokemon to begin with."  

[Suudonym]

Luke drew his shoulders up, his expression entreating, "They just don't understand it. If they understood it, it wouldn't even be a question. Kodo was the same way, and now the League is here and training is commonplace and the region has flourished for it. But by the time the people here had taken to pokemon, it was already too late. Now we're trapped in this endless war. All the fear and uncertainty and distrust... all the pain that we've been through, I don't want Grande Ile to go through this. I don't want anyone to go through this." He caught himself, paused, and looked sheepishly to his hands in his lap. "Sorry, I didn't mean to rant." He did want, however, for Ion to understand. He wanted all Grande Insulaires to understand, though he supposed getting all worked up wasn't the way to achieve that.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ion's brows raised as Luke spoke, and he briefly glanced over to Jozette as she met his gaze. He dismissed the apology with a shake of his head before pointing out, "That's just it, though, they don't understand. I don't know if anyone understands. I understand somewhat now," he started as he placed a hand over his heart, "because I spent a few months in Kalos. I don't know that I would understand now if I hadn't gone there." The League had been obviously present there, there was no question about that, but even with their presence they'd still had a criminal organization creep up on them. From what he'd discovered, though, they'd also managed to end it fairly quickly once it did rear its ugly head. Everything he'd read or heard of Kodo, though, given its lack of League involvement, had told a story spanning years.

...still, Luke's heartfelt words struck a chord, and the trainer couldn't help but wonder. Surely it was still nice to live in Kodo, to visit or to just be here in general, despite Team Rocket? Surely good things overshadowed the bad? If everything was as terrible as the media made it out to be, surely hardly anyone would still live here. "I suppose it's a silly question, but is it really so bad here in Kodo?"  

[Suudonym]

"They could be informed," he said. "A long time ago I thought I could use my family's influence to form a committee. Distribute information, conduct demonstrations, petition relevant parties... I mean hell, if the duke was vocal about supporting it, a lot of people would probably humor the idea just because of how popular his policies have always been. I'm not in a position to make that happen now, though." Not only had he lost his political advantage, but he had already dedicated himself to the protection of Kodo. He wasn't willing to abandon the place that had become his home in a time when it needed as many defenders as possible.

He blinked at the question to follow, momentarily unsure of how to respond. "I guess it depends who you ask," he eventually said. "There are people who live here thinking that all the stuff about Team Rocket is just exaggeration, and sure, it's possible to go about your day-to-day life without getting involved. It takes luck, though. You could be going about your day-to-day life like always when a Rocket decides to make a target of you and steals your pokemon. Or worse." He clenched and relaxed his hands. "I can't begin to describe the ways that Team Rocket has hurt so many people I know. But I met my fiancee here, and I made important friends here, and I realized my talents and my passion here. Even in harsh environments, life goes on, and the good things pile up right alongside the bad."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"That's true," he agreed with a small nod as he thought over Luke's words. "Just because they don't understand now doesn't mean they'll never understand." Luke was no longer able to directly affect that, though, and so Ion lifted a hand in a gesture as he suggested, "Perhaps I could help a little? My family doesn't have much influence at all, but our interests lie in Grande Ile's safety; my parents make reports of various things to send to Parliament about potential disturbances or threats, as an example. If I sent them a report comparing the two countries and how similar Grande Ile is to how Kodo was, and convey that Team Rocket spreading to Grande Ile is a very real possibility, then they might take the suggestions into their report to Parliament. I don't know if that would accomplish anything right away, but perhaps over time..." He trailed off, leaving it at that.

He nodded again, his frown still present. So much hardship these people went through, because of such a large criminal organization. It saddened him to think about it. "It doesn't sound all bad, then," he surmised as he raised his gaze to Luke once more, "if there's just as many good things as bad."  

[Suudonym]

He nodded his agreement; of course, no one started out with total understanding of anything. All things - from walking, language, and arithmetic to more complicated concepts such as law and science - had to be learned. Pokemon could be learned and understood just as they were by every child who was born into a League region. The only difference, though it was certainly a significant one, was that the student was a nation.

"Anything is better than nothing," he said. "If nothing else, even if they don't recognize Team Rocket as an actual threat, knowledge of battling pokemon is good for personal defense as well. It gives the person the ability to fight back against a threat without putting their physical welfare at risk." Certainly the benefits far outweighed any argument that could be made in opposition. But they would surely argue nonetheless, if only out of their stubbornly conservative ideals.

He shrugged lightly, "I don't think any situation is ever all bad - silver lining and all that, right? - but it's still not as good as it could be, or even as it should be. It's essentially terrorism; no one should have to live with that sort of stuff looming over them, even if they're able to find enjoyment in their life nonetheless."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ion nodded his agreement, a faint smile on his face. "Yes, I agree." He would definitely make sure to include all of that in as much detail as he could in his report. The topic of Pokemon battling gave him pause. Kodo seemed to be a rather dangerous country, given the threat of Team Rocket, and here was a kind person - an officer of an organization whose main purpose was to oppose Team Rocket, a group that he essentially called terrorists - talking of Pokemon battling as a form of protection instead of the sport he'd learned a little about in Kalos. With a soft frown, he asked, "Would you suggest everyone take up Pokemon training, then? Both here and in Grande Ile?"  

[Suudonym]

"Absolutely," he replied with a nod, "and not just as a form of defense. Working with pokemon is enriching and rewarding, even when just done recreationally. In official matches between trainers, the victor is given a cash prize, so it's even possible to become a professional and earn a living by treating it as a career. There are a lot of benefits to becoming a trainer."