Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

"Indeed, there is something important," Matsuda Takashi said to Cain and Steven. "Soon, the president will convene a meeting, and both of you have been mentioned as participants."

Cain and Steven were somewhat surprised.

However, it didn't seem far-fetched to them. As prominent members of the new generation in the Hoenn League, they had a certain level of recognition. Lance, back in his time, had also gained access to these meetings.

Although in terms of strength, both were still below the level Lance had back then, in terms of status, they were nearly on par.

Cain suspected that this meeting would be related to the Sinnoh Tournament.

Shortly after, someone arrived to inform old Matsuda and Joseph Stone that the meeting was about to begin. The messenger glanced at Cain and Steven, and upon confirming they were also on the attendance list, he guided them toward the meeting room inside the main building.

For Cain, this was the first time he had access to this place, making him feel as if he was finally stepping into the inner circle of Hoenn League's high command.

People began arriving steadily. Cain and Steven were assigned seats in a row against the wall. These chairs seemed designated for those attending the meeting as observers.

On the other hand, old Matsuda and Joseph Stone took their seats at the main meeting table.

Observing the seating arrangement, it was easy to discern the rank of each participant within the League.

For example, Steven's father, Joseph Stone—leader of the Stone family and president of Devon Corporation—occupied the first seat to the left of the president. This made his prominence within the League clear, being the second most important figure after President Juan.

Meanwhile, Matsuda Takashi, Cain's master, took the third seat to the president's right. According to the hierarchy, his position ranked seventh in importance within the League.

Many of the League's veterans no longer attended these meetings regularly, delegating their subordinates to report the outcomes to them. Despite their absence, they were the ones who truly determined the course of Hoenn's development.

This meeting hall was informally known as the "Outer Senate." There was also an "Inner Senate," composed exclusively of veteran figures. The decisions made within the latter were the most consequential. Among those present at the meeting, only President Juan and Joseph Stone had access to the Inner Senate.

Over time, the seats gradually filled. Cain and Steven noticed several empty spots beside them, presumably reserved for other young trainers like themselves.

It wasn't long before someone Cain recognized arrived—a young woman with dark skin, Phoebe, whom he had met at Mt. Pyre.

Phoebe peeked inside, scanning the room, and upon spotting Cain, her eyes lit up. She quickly took a seat beside him.

"Cain! It's been so long!" Phoebe said with a smile.

Cain, slightly surprised, soon realized that this section of seats was likely intended for representatives of Hoenn's new generation.

"Yes, it's been a long time, Phoebe," he replied with a smile.

Cain introduced Phoebe to Steven, and just as they began to talk, another familiar face appeared—Wallace.

However, to Cain's surprise, Wallace and Steven had yet to meet.

Wallace greeted Cain with a smile, nodded at Steven and Phoebe, and then took a seat in a more distant spot.

Although Wallace had a prior connection with Cain, his interaction with Steven and Phoebe was practically nonexistent.

Originally, Wallace and Steven were meant to be the most prominent figures in this meeting. Eventually, Steven was supposed to pass down his title as Hoenn Champion to Wallace, recognizing both his strength and capability.

However, due to Cain's influence, the spotlight had shifted to him and Steven, pushing Wallace aside. Additionally, Wallace had begun to focus more on Pokémon Contests, putting traditional battles on the back burner.

As more people arrived, other acquaintances of Cain also made an appearance—Winona, the upcoming Gym Leader of Fortree City, and Roxanne, the Gym Leader of Rustboro City.

Finally, once all seats were occupied, President Juan entered the room, took his place at the center of the main table, and declared the meeting open.

The Hoenn Elite Four did not attend in person but followed the meeting via video call. Among them was the well-known Dragon-type Elite Four member, Drake, broadcasting from his ship.

The current Hoenn Elite Four were:

Drake, a Dragon-type specialist.

Glacia, an Ice-type specialist.

Sidney, a Dark-type specialist.

Wattson, an Electric-type specialist and the Gym Leader of Mauville City.

Wattson, known for his easygoing personality, wasn't particularly interested in his position, but he had accepted it due to his status as a respected veteran. However, he planned to retire soon, with Norman, the Gym Leader of Petalburg City, being a likely candidate to take his place.

Finally, President Juan also held the title of Hoenn Champion, consolidating his authority and power within the region.

(End of chapter)