Ace held Elesa, "Watch out…" Elesa felt like she was in heaven while Cynthia rolled her eyes, "It's a pebble." Ace said seriously, "What if she trips and falls down? This is a big problem, okay!?" Elesa laughed blissfully, leaning on Ace, "Oh, Darling, I'm so tired!" Ace picked her up in a princess carry, saying seriously, "I'll carry you, don't worry."
Elesa laid in his arms, stretching out, "Hehehe~" Cynthia ignored her and walked next to Ace, "When are you leaving?" Ace sighed and shook his head, "I don't know… As soon as possible, I guess…"
Cynthia looked upset, "That sucks." Ace sighed and nodded, "I know." Elesa sniffed and looked at them, "Hey. Don't get too comfortable with my Darling!" as she took out a knife from somewhere…
Cynthia rolled her eyes, "I need your opinion to be friends with someone?" Elesa sneered and waved the knife, "Don't come closer!" Ace's lips twitched and he shook his head, "Cynthia, can you take Elesa home?" Cynthia blinked and looked at him, "Huh? What about you?"
Ace frowned, "I have things to settle before I go." Elesa pouted, "But I wanna stay with you." Ace kissed her head, smiling gently, "We'll be together soon." Elesa pointed at her lips and pouted more, Ace kissed her and smiled, "Go get ready and settle everything, okay?"
Elesa got off him and nodded, Ace added seriously, "And be careful on the way… Don't go too fast, okay? If you need more time, I'll stall as much as possible. Just be safe." Elesa smiled sweetly, giggling, "Mhm~"
Ace let out a breath and stroked her hair, "I love you. See you soon." Elesa scrunched her nose and giggled, "Mhm! I love you more~!" Cynthia on the side, winced.
Hello! I'm still here!
Ace got on Noivern and looked at Cynthia for a moment before sighing, "Thank you." Cynthia looked at him and smiled as Ace continued, turning away, "Really… I'm glad we became friends, Cynthia. Thank you." Cynthia waved, "Alright, don't be sappy now. Go, go."
Ace snorted and smiled before Noivern took off, flying back to Sinnoh.
Elesa watched him go and crossed her arms, "Alright, peasant, bring me home!" Cynthia rolled her eyes, "You're getting a bit arrogant, 'your highness'" Elesa rolled her eyes, waving her finger, "Are you pregnant? I don't think so! Also, you're too close. I'm jealous."
Cynthia sneered at her, "I don't want your boyfriend." Elesa laughed, "Stop joking! Who doesn't? He's so amazing!" Cynthia shook her head, "How come I didn't know you were insane before I met you…" Elesa walked with Cynthia, "Because we were kids then?" Cynthia chuckled and they left quickly.
Ace took out his phone and called Giovanni, "I killed her and blew up the Complex." Giovanni replied, "I noticed." Ace frowned, "Huh?" Giovanni said slowly, "You can cover up things from the public, but I have my own means. I watched the whole thing. I have to say, that was quite the spectacle."
Ace snorted and Giovanni continued, "You just had a hearing, right? What happened?" Ace explained, "You're going to have to calm down operations in Sinnoh since Roark is going to be taking over the Gym soon. I have to go to the New Region and act as a bridge for their integration into the Alliance."
Giovanni frowned, tapping on his desk, "That's disappointing." Ace retorted, "If my plan goes well, it can spread into Paldea… But according to the Champion there, they handle Bad Guys with extreme prejudice… I'll do some investigation before letting you know."
Giovanni thought about it and said, "Find out if it's possible to build an HQ there. As for this Rainbow Rockets plan… I'll see what I can do. If the public image of Team Rocket can change to the light side then it's completely reasonable to move into this new Region openly. That being said, for now investigate the underworld there."
Ace nodded, "Alright." Giovanni paused before adding, "I'm glad you're alright." Ace paused and smiled, "Thanks, Boss." Giovanni nodded and hung up, stroking Persian on his lap in thought.
Meanwhile, Ace flew back to Oreburgh.
He landed at home and looked at Oreburgh in a daze.
He only snapped out of it as Roark showed up, "Uncle?" Ace blinked and turned to him, "Roark?" Roark looked at him and smiled, "You called me here?" Ace remembered and smiled, sitting down on the edge of the cliff, "Come sit."
Roark walked over and sat down, looking at Oreburgh.
Ace asked him, "Do you like the way Oreburgh is now?" Roark nodded with a smile, "Yeah. It's a lot more lively than it was before. Now there are so many people coming to Oreburgh… and the Mining business is doing better than ever. I think everyone is a lot happier now."
He looked up and took in a breath, "No more smog, it's clear skies every day." Ace smiled gently, rubbing his head, "I'm glad you like it. These years, I've been training you to take over the Gym. This is the agreement that I had with your father a long time ago. It's finally time, Roark."
Roark froze and looked at Ace in disbelief, "You're retiring?! No! You're leaving?!" Ace looked amused, "Everyone has to leave sometime, Roark. Byron did it, I'm doing it… Someday you'll have your own kids and you'll do it too." Roark looked at Ace in a daze, "But! I'm not ready! How can I take over the Gym?! No no, you have to stay! You can't leave!"
Ace sighed and shook his head, "I don't have a choice. It's your time now, Roark. Don't cry like a little girl!" Roark turned back and clenched his fists, "But… my dad left and now you're leaving, Uncle… I…" Ace hugged Roark's head into his chest with one arm, "You have to be a man, Roark. Your father has high hopes for you… As do I. Within a couple days, I'll be gone."
Roark pulled himself back and Ace sighed, "Listen, everything will be normal, just like always. The only difference is that I won't be here. You still have Faye, right?" Roark wiped his nose, "I guess."
Ace patted Roark's back, "I'm not good at the emotional stuff. If you really want to say something… Then prepare for the World Coronation Series. We can meet there, alright?" Roark looked at Ace and clasped his hand, "I will!"
Ace smirked and nodded, "Good boy, now get the hell out of here." Roark rubbed his nose and jumped off the cliff, an Archeops caught him and he flew away.
Ace got up and sighed, he settled Roark… How he had a few more things to settle.
A few hours later
Ace returned home with all his Pokemon, Staraptor flew from the Gym, "Staraptor!" Ace looked at him, "Huh?" Staraptor landed in front of him, waving, "Star! Star!!" Ace pursed his lips, "You want to come with me?"
Staraptor nodded, "Star! Star, Staraptor? Staraptor!" Ace rolled his eyes and threw up a Pokeball. Staraptor nodded with satisfaction, slapping the Pokeball with his wing. Ace picked up the Pokeball and sighed.
He went back on his promise and was taking away Machamp and Staraptor… Even the Sub Team was coming with him along with Kabutops. He scratched his head, turns out he had so many bonds here…
Ace held the Pokeball, looking at his home. He shook his head and put the Pokeball away. Grabbing the air.
[Transfer Ownership of [OREBURGH CITY] to Roark?]
Ace nodded.
[OREBURGH CITY has been transferred to Roark]
[System Shops will remain operational]
[Home will be packed up!]
Ace watched as his home and everything around it was sucked into a glass ball.
He looked at the blank plateau and walked over, touching the punch marks in the cliff… He turned and looked at the Plateau before remembering something as he took out a token.
[Hot Spring Creation Token]
Ace looked at the token in his hand and smiled, smashing it on the ground!
The plateau rumbled in the middle of the night.
Roark looked at the Plateau from his house and wiped his glasses, "See ya, Uncle." before sighing.
The next morning
Jenny was doing her rounds when she saw a wooden arch and a sign at the entrance to the road that leads up the cliff to Ace's house. Jenny walked over and gasped.
A few minutes later
Roark walked over with his hands in his pockets and his mining hat on Cranidos. Jenny looked worried, "Roark! Mr Ace is gone!" Roark sighed and waved, "He left." Jenny was stunned and looked at him, "What?"
Roark looked at the arch and then the sign before snorting in amusement.
[Roark, I left something for you to do. If you wanted to take my house… Haha! Nice try! But! I turned it into a Hot Spring for you to relax with your girlfriend, unless she doesn't like you which is completely your fault btw! Anyway, name it! It's yours now.]
Roark rolled his eyes and said, "Jen… Notify the Joy to release the news that Oreburgh changed hands." Jenny scratched her cheek, "Is he not coming back…?" Roark sighed and shook his head, "I don't know."
Jenny looked upset and drove off as Roark looked at the arch, "What do you think, Cranidos?" Cranidos said, "Cran." Roark laughed and nodded, "Not bad." as he said, "Then let's call it that. Dragon Perch Hot Spring."
He watched as the name engraved into the wood by itself before shaking his head, "Leave a bit of magic before you go… It's like you, Uncle."
Around Sinnoh, Trainers got the news released by Oreburgh and were stunned.
Ash woke up to see a badge on a table in front of his tent! He was stunned, "Huh? What badge is this? Brock, did you lose it?" Brock looked over and said, "It looks like mine, but it's not the same."
Dawn stretched and yawned, "A Badge fell from the sky? Stop joking!" Brock looked it up and was stunned, "You guys, look at this!" Ash was stunned, "What?!"
At the same time, Paul looked at the badge in his hand and clenched his fist, "What a bunch of garbage. You ran away?!" he tucked the Badge in his pocket and grumbled as he looked at the Raboot in front of him.
Raboot snorted, "Rab!" Paul looked at him and nodded, "Continue then." Raboot nodded seriously as he looked at Electabuzz, leaping at him.
Paul watched while looking at his phone, scrolling past Ace's news, looking at another report.
[Mysterious Man beats Snowpoint City Gym with 1 Pokemon! Sources say it was a Legendary Pokemon!]
Paul sneered, "Trash." before looking up, "We're going to Snowpoint." Electabuzz and Raboot nodded. Paul whistled and Ursaluna walked out of the forest, "Ursa?" Paul nodded at him, "That's right. Let's go."