No matter what the outside world was saying, Sato, Cynthia, and Fujin continued living their lives as they always had.
Fujin had begun his journey home, and while it was unlikely to be a joyful trip, no one had any right to stop him.
Cynthia's prestige in the Sinnoh Region continued to grow. Her strength and accomplishments went hand in hand. Though not "officially" an Elite Four, she had already surpassed that level.
Those familiar with her knew well. What Cynthia lacked was only a single Elite Four Tournament to make it official.
As for Sato, he was now riding on Honchkrow back to the long-missed Shadownight Town… or rather, it should now be called Shadownight City.
Clearly, the city's development over the past few years had been rapid. The kind of towering buildings once only seen in major cities now rose one after another.
The prosperity of Shadownight City was closely tied to the Shadownight Gym's long-standing position as one of the eight main Gyms in the Johto Region.
The "Big Eight" title attracted a steady flow of Trainers, and Trainers needed a constant supply of items to raise their Pokémon.
Where there's demand, there's a market. And as the market expanded, the city naturally thrived along with it.
Every time he returned, Sato never headed straight for the Gym. Instead, he'd land randomly on some street, walking slowly while taking in the familiar yet slightly unfamiliar city.
Umbreon quietly followed beside him. Having just parted ways with Glaceon, its mood was far from high…
Even when a Persian beside a wealthy lady threw it a flirty glance, Umbreon pretended not to see, though internally it was already commenting:
'Tch, how could some cheap cat compare to my Icey-kun o(^｀)o'
Sato didn't notice, nor did he care. He strolled through the streets with interest, but hadn't walked more than a few minutes before spotting a few familiar faces grinning at him from ahead.
"SATOOOOO!"
That long-lost call rang out from not far away. Sato looked at the youthful and lively Trish; it seemed she'd shed some of her quietness and gained a touch more energy.
Behind her stood Amber, a little older now, his smile still pure and sincere.
And beyond them were a few familiar second and third-generation Gym Trainers and trainees.
Clearly, the Shadownight Intelligence Shop had been doing well these past few years. It had only been minutes since Sato arrived in the city, and Amber's group was already there waiting.
If he had to guess, the moment he arrived, the Shop's scouts had noticed and passed the info to Amber right away.
Sato smiled and walked over, first giving Trish a head pat, then turning to Amber with a respectful nod.
"…Thank you, for your hard work all this time."
"The honor is ours, Leader," Amber smiled slightly, then went straight to the point: "Miss Cynthia didn't come back with you?"
"Cough! A-Ahem!"
Sato coughed awkwardly twice.
…He hadn't expected Amber to crack jokes now too.
"That's not urgent! We need to keep climbing first!"
Amber nodded with understanding. As a fellow Sinnoh native, he knew a bit about Cynthia's background, so he thought he completely understood Sato's position.
The group quickly grew, attracting the attention of nearby Shadownians and onlookers. And just like that, news of Sato's return spread throughout the city.
He didn't mind. He walked casually with the Gym members, chatting as they went. After all, there was no shortage of things to talk about after such a long reunion.
---◓---
When they reached the Gym's entrance, Sia, Ponyo, and the Breeder of Hydreigon, Lotta, were already there, smiling and waiting to welcome Sato home.
Behind them stood a large group of newly recruited Gym trainees, each with shining black eyes.
Sato didn't recognize many of them, but that didn't stop the kids from expressing admiration and respect for him.
After all, tales of the rise of the Shadownight Gym's "Big Three" had spread all across Shadownight City. There were countless versions, but all were undoubtedly thrilling.
Some of these kids had likely joined the Gym as fans.
Sato kept his somewhat stiff smile as he greeted the group of newcomers.
It wasn't until Ponyo, after getting Sato's approval, announced that the Gym would be closed for the day and a banquet would be held that night in celebration, that the excited trainees began to gradually disperse.
"Well, Leader? Are you shocked by how much the Gym has grown~?"
Ponyo, usually quiet, couldn't help but speak with pride. Ever since she took on the role of acting Leader, she had worked hard.
"Hah! You've done great. You deserve praise!" Sato gave her a thumbs-up without hesitation.
The group chatted and laughed, reminiscing about the past and talking about the future. Even though not all core members were present, everyone's spirits were high.
---◓---
Just like that, Sato stayed at the Shadownight Gym for an entire week.
During that time, he met with people he needed to meet as the official Gym Leader, spent a few days overseeing the Gym, and even helped guide the new trainees.
Once all the necessary tasks were done, Sato pulled out a printed registration form during a video call with Cynthia.
[…You're entering the Elite Four Tournament for the Johto Region now!?]
Cynthia's eyes held both concern and excitement.
"Well… yeah! My girlfriend's about to become an Elite Four, and I'm still some nobody in the background… Whaaa~ I'm worried I'll get dumped!"
Sato grinned as he teased.
[I'm n-not…I-I WOULDN'T-] Cynthia immediately tried to explain, anxious to reassure him, but then she noticed Sato's playful smirk… and instantly realized she'd been tricked again.
[Hmph! You're right. If you're no good, Grandma really might disapprove. So you better get first place just to be safe!]
"A-Ack! C-Cough!"
Sato choked hard. Before he could even plead for mercy, Cynthia had already hung up, giving him no chance!
He patted his own mouth in frustration. Yeah, he really had been acting too smug lately… teasing Cynthia again and again like that.
But…
If he really did take first place, didn't Cynthia's words mean something else?
'If I get first… Grandma would approve…?'
With that thought, Sato's fighting spirit jumped from 80% to 120%!
After more than a year of training with a true Champion level Trainer, Sato was feeling confident in his own strength.
After all, Cynthia was already proving to the world -through sheer monstrous talent- that true power didn't necessarily come from time alone.
And now… it was Sato's turn to send the same message to the world!
The next morning, after greeting everyone, Sato flew straight toward Mt. Silver -where the Johto League headquarters was located- on the back of his Honchkrow.
At the same time, veteran Elite Four Trainers from all across Johto were also making their way toward Mt. Silver.
Among them were familiar names to Sato… Flying/Dragon Master Lance, and others like Pryce and Sen, who he had crossed paths with before.
Because soon, the once-every-four-years Elite Four Tournament… was about to begin!