dreamsofahero | [Route 29] Voicemail/IC contact

The gear would be easiest for me right now. They want me to stay close by while they start construction on my gym. Plus, this way I'll always be able to reread these conversations. I have a feeling I'm going to need it. It's really sort of daunting, isn't it? Opening a gym.

I imagine you may be rereading it less than you expect, as I've no doubt you'll make note of the important parts from the start.

Daunting? Well, trying to ensure that everything works out as planned, I suppose, though I must confess that I don't find it nearly as much work as managing the Roland Empire. However, you have had relatively limited experience in being in a position of leadership, if I recall? Perhaps you should try to focus on the sort of image as a gym leader you wish to present, and then simply take the steps necessary to achieve that. No two gyms are alike, nor are their leaders, and a gym leader acting according to his convictions is never truly acting 'wrong' in that role, so to speak. Whether it's ruling the gym with an iron fist, or being enigmatic and aloof, or helping and tutoring all comers, in all cases each gym leader provides a unique experience for challengers to overcome.

But to return to your original question, as ours was the first Aurora League gym, I admit that Ryner and I weren't entirely certain what to expect to begin with. As a result, we tried to plan for a scenario of dealing with as much traffic as we've see at peak times in Indigo League gyms, in the event ours should be similar. However as it happened, the newness of the league meant we probably had a bit of a slower start than those gyms that came later, so I'm afraid on that point I don't have much to offer. Except perhaps to mention that you shouldn't hesitate to make use of the generous funds the League provides to establish and run the gym. If you find yourself in need of more help for any reason, then simply hire someone as needed. The funding exists to ensure that the gyms operate smoothly, it isn't wasteful to use it to that purpose.

None, really. Unless you count a few leadership exercises during my training.

[He, uh, hadn't been very good at those. He had never had the confidence to order other trainees around, especially when most of those were far better at everything than him.]

The sort of gym leader I'd like to be?

[Now there is something to think about. Armin had collected all the badges, so he had met more than his fair share of gym leaders. And the Elite four to boot! All of those had had different personalities, different areas they focused on. But where did he want to put his focus?]

I think... I want to be the sort of gym leader that opens people's minds to new ideas. My gym will involve battling underwater. I spend a lot of time diving, so it's something I have become quite familiar with, but when talking to other people, I realised that most people never actually experience aquatic pokemon in their *actual* element. Not that they can't be great battlers on land either, but it's different underwater. There are all these different things to keep in mind, and obviously, their bodies are actually designed for the environment. I guess that is what I'd like to do with my gym: to show people the side of aquatic pokemon they aren't familiar with. But I've just been in this world for four years. Is that really something I can do when I am practically still a newcomer?

*Armin let Sion teach you how to fake that kind of confidence in order to get the job done. He's kind of an expert on it.....*

In that case, it sounds as though you want people to think about things in a new way, with the specific approach of battling in an arena that will be unusual or unfamiliar for most challengers. In that case, what will you say to those who come to train, in order to inspire them? What will you tell challengers, in order to spur them onto the right way of thinking? How will you congratulate victors, so they know that they've met with your approval?

~~*read: what are your stock NPC quotes going to be?*~~

As I mentioned previously, whatever you choose won't be wrong as long as you keep to it consistently. Those who come to the Collegiate Gym know what kind of atmosphere to expect, and so Ryner and I need only continue to do what we've been doing all along, since the gym was first established.

As for the matter of being a newcomer, the entire Aurora League itself is founded on the idea of consisting of gyms by such people. In other words, it's in part the very fact that you are such a newcomer that qualifies you for establishing such a gym in the first place. The Aurora League is quite different in some ways from the gyms of the Indigo League, and that's just as well, since neither offers the same experience or challenges.

*...*

Although, admittedly, that may also be in part because Ryner and I chose such an unusual approach to begin, now that I think of it.

I hadn't thought of it like that.

[Really, Sion opened his eyes to a new point of view. Armin had only been worrying about being too new, but it is also entirely true that sometimes newcomers bring fresh ways of thinking and doing things. He wonders if that was the reason the Aurora League had been set up in the first place -- to allow help spread any new ideas and approaches the otherworlders would have.]

Really, all of this helps a lot. I think I've been letting my worries take over my thoughts regarding all of this.

While I won't deny that some time spent 'worrying' can be valuable indeed, permitting it to cripple your actions is worse than not concerning yourself in the first place.

Besides, a leader need only appear confident in order to inspire others. Others don't necessarily need to know all the doubts you have in private. Confide in those you trust, and act decisively for everyone else. When you speak of or work on a project you're passionate about, there's no uncertainty in your words or actions; apply that same attitude to your role as a gym leader.

But don't worry about slipping up a bit, either. Whitney is still an Indigo League gym leader, after all.

*the bar for acceptable behavior is already set pretty low*

You'd really think she would be used to losing once in a while by now... But seriously, Sion. Thank you. All of this has been incredibly helpful. It was good to talk to you about this. I guess asking people with experience is always the best course of action.

<span style="font-family: courier;>So long as the people you're asking can learn from and make use of that experience, certainly. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask, of course. Or simply need help in general. Ryner and I--and Cecil, for that matter--had a good idea of the sort of thing we were getting into and what to consider. But if you haven't had prior similar experience, you certainly can't be expected to think of everything.<span>

Perhaps when I'm almost ready to open my gym, I could invite all of you over. You might be able to think of some things I've overlooked when you actually see my gym.

Well, who would I be to turn down a chance at a special early sneak peak prior to your grand opening?

Perhaps if you label the trip 'a conference of Aurora League Gym Leaders', you can even declare the costs with the League itself.

[Oh, no. Steven's creative bookkeeping jokes have been rubbing off on Armin.]

While I don't doubt that it would be entirely plausible, it would seem a rather unnecessary gesture given that Ryner and I seem to never quite know what to spend our earnings on as it is.

*gym leader salaries are nothing to scoff at compared to typical trainer job wages... and this is two of them sharing a house, both of them tending towards being on the frugal side, at that!*

[Route 29] Voicemail/IC contact

armin appreciates all his aurora league bros

Sion is in his element when he's helping people in meaningful ways, Armin can always come to him <3

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Oh wow I totally didn't notice the broken html in that last tag, whoops!

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