#just anime skylas line yesterday about never having met another gym leader before still has my head reeling

[skuntank]

I luv that in canon it's been implied for some regions that there are many towns with gyms outside of the ones we are aware of (I'm p sure this is mostly just Kanto and Johto) and that some gym leaders don't interact with the others at all and yet the fandom has just insisted that if you are a part of a Pokemon league, you have every other league member in your region (and other regions tbh) on speed dial and regularly go out for lunch with at least three of them

Also that if you're in a league, your entire social circle is the other league members. Maybe you have a family, but no guarantees. And you certainly don't have any non league affiliated friends

Canon: it is common for some league members to not know the other ones very well

Fandom: everyone is BEST FRIENDS