Entering the Galar region, you inhaled deeply, breathing in the strange air of a foreign land for the first time. The train ride had been a long one, but fortunately you were accustomed to riding the bullet train in Johto from region to region, so such journeys were familiar.
With your tubby Flaaffy clutched in your arms, you made your way to your hotel in Hammerlocke, which was situated near its famed stadium. You dragged your bags into your room and threw them at the foot of the bed with a grunt of effort. The Galar region was known for its cafes and pubs, and you could hardly wait to knock back a couple of cool ones.
Arriving at the local pub, your eyes were drawn to a stage where a Beauty serenaded the audience with her Thwackey tapping on a drum. You settled at a table, your Flaaffy happily plopping into the seat beside you as a waitress swiftly appeared at your side to take your order.
"I'll have a pint of whatever special is on tap," you said to the waitress. "Oh, and a side of fries--err, chips--for my Flaaffy, please."
The atmosphere in the bar was welcoming. This was just what you needed, a trip to a faraway land to forget the sorrows of the past. No one knew you here, and that's the way you preferred it.
"That's not a Pokémon you see in Galar every day," a voice interjected, interrupting your thoughts.
You looked up from your glass to meet the gaze of a tall young man staring at you with his piercing teal eyes. Despite his attractiveness, irritation bubbled up within you as he rudely disrupted your moment of peace.
"Well, aren't you a pain," you exclaimed. "If you couldn't tell by my accent already, I'm not from around here."
"Ah, aren't you a cheeky one?" he replied with a smirk. "Trust me, I could tell, which is why I'm standing here conversing with you right now."
Flaaffy was entirely unfazed by the stranger's presence, delightfully indulging in the plate of food the waitress placed down before it.
Squinting, you noticed there was something familiar about the man. A realization slowly dawned on you as you recognized him.
"Wait a minute. Aren't you that Rai guy? The dragon gym leader of this region or something?"
Raihan smirked, bearing his unique fangs in a grin. "Hah! Guilty as charged. They call me Raihan, the dragon tamer."
"You're pretty famous, even in other regions," you acknowledged. "But if I may ask, what are you doing in this sleazy bar?"
"If you must know, I wasn't able to defeat my rival, for the eleventh time. So here I am, drowning my sorrows." Raihan lifted his glass in mock celebratory fashion. You knew exactly how he felt.
"Well, fellow loser," you murmured, "take a seat and let's drink our disappointments away, shall we?"
You proceeded to down the rest of your beer in one swig.
"'Fellow loser'? I sense overwhelming resentment in those words."
"Oh, shush," you snapped, waving the waitress over for another round. "Just because you're cute doesn't mean I'll let you talk."
"So you fancy me, do you?"
"What? Listen, just shut it. It's not like I... follow you on social media or anything," you trailed off, a blush slowly creeping over your face. "You're such a cam whore."
The waitress set down another beer on the table and you accepted it gratefully. Raihan sat across from you, crinkling his nose at your harsh words and yet recognizing that you thought about him in some way, and that intrigued him.
"So, where are you from?" he asked, swirling his drink in his hand, peering at you from beneath the red rim of his hat.
You gestured towards your oblivious Flaaffy. "Originally, my family is from Johto."
"New Bark Town?"
"No, Goldenrod, actually."
"Ah, a large city in Johto, if I'm not mistaken," Raihan remarked. "I've never been there personally."
You nodded, and your eyes locked with his in a playful clash.
"Hey, listen. Did you want to battle me or something?" You suddenly asked. "Because I assure you that you'd lose."
His smirk only widened. "What if I told you that's what they all say?"
"Hmph. Tough luck, since I'm not in the mood for a battle anyway." You felt a bit of your vision swirl. "After all, I'm not... I'm not a Challenger. I'm a tourist, got it?"
Raihan continued to flash his pearly white teeth at you. His eyes shone like sunlight on the reflection of a lake, you thought, a reminder of the shimmering waters at the Lake of Rage on a sunny day. And his grin, ever so lively, only served to remind you of another in your past...
You inhaled deeply and averted your gaze to the ceiling, trying to steady your beating heart. Were you blushing? Stupid hormones.
Raihan watched the scene unfold, observing Flaaffy blissfully munching on fries. The plate was almost empty by now.
"So, Johto girl. What brings you to Galar?" He rested his chin on his hand and began scrolling through social media on his Rotom phone.
"Nothing special," you answered, "I'm here on vacation."
"You really didn't come to challenge the Champion? I have to say that I'm a bit put out. I wanted to see how well you would do in battle."
"You're really nosy."
The alcohol was taking its toll, and you felt dizzier by the second. Despite this, you found yourself ordering another drink, sinking deeper and deeper into the cozy stupor.
"Hey, haven't you had enough?" Raihan's voice; you heard it somewhere far off. Your cheeks were rosy and your mind felt fuzzy, but you didn't care.
"Do all people from Johto act like this?" Raihan muttered to himself, as he watched your head slowly slump down onto the table.
By now Flaaffy had finished its plate of fries; it now had remnants of salt all over its pink face. It seemed to smile apologetically. "Flaaaaaff!"
"We should get you two home. Where are you staying?"
Flaaffy shook its head, as if to say, no idea. It had always been your most clueless pokemon.
"I guess it can't be helped then."
After all, he couldn't leave you in such a state.
With a sigh and a playful grin, he set money down on the table and made his way around to scoop you up in his arms. He heard several camera clicks from curious onlookers; though he had spent most of the night signing autographs and taking photos with the pub's patrons, he was certain this particular scene would be blowing up on social media the next morning.
Not that any of this fazed him. You hadn't exactly been wrong when you'd called him a "cam whore".
The darkness was warm and comforting, enveloping you in a still embrace. You rarely remembered your dreams, but you were aware that recently, nightmares plagued your sleep.
For some reason, only after a drink did the nightmares change into a tolerable unconsciousness. Nonthreatening, calm, like rocking in a rowboat on gentle waves.
You didn't care that what you did was probably unhealthy. You'd stopped caring a long time ago.
Sometimes, your mind floated to thoughts of him and her, and the friends from your past visited you in your dreams. These memories never lost their sting, and were never less painful. They were as vivid as if you had visited them yesterday.
"N-no-- please, don't go..."
Raihan looked up from his phone. From his desk, he observed as you balled your fists into the blankets, addressing the phantoms in your head. Your brow was furrowed, sweat beads lightly dotting your skin.
"Hey, are you all right?" Raihan asked, but you didn't respond.
"Hey," he repeated, unsure of what to say as he approached your side uncertainly. "You're all right. You're safe, all right?"
Raihan's touch was gentle as he rested a hand on your head, smoothing down your disheveled hair. You murmured something inaudible, a stream of silent tears spilling down your cheeks.
He waited by your side, a pillar of support, until you calmed. He stood there for a long while, until your breathing steadied and he was sure you were stable. Only then did he make his way downstairs to crash on the couch for the night.
✦✦✦
Morning arrived with a harsh reminder of the previous night. For starters, you awoke with Flaaffy practically sleeping on your face, nearly suffocating you with its woolly mane. Your eyes felt puffy, your throat was sore, and your head was pounding as you had definitely ordered too many drinks the night before.
To top things off, you were lying in some stranger's bed.
"Arceus, where am I," you mumbled, rolling Flaaffy off to the side to observe your surroundings.
There wasn't much in the room, save for a couple posters adorning the walls and a pile of dirty clothes in the corner. Judging from the colours and size of the clothing, this was probably a man's room.
…Raihan's room.
The realization hit you like a ton of bricks. He had stricken up a conversation with you at the pub, and you couldn't quite remember at what point you had blacked out, but here you were.
"Oh, shit!"
You leapt out of bed and stormed downstairs. You found Raihan sitting on the couch with a look of disbelief on his face. He looked up as you entered the room.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"As well as I could given the circumstances!" you responded, frustration evident in your voice.
"Good..." Trailing off, Raihan paused. "So, I'd better give you a heads up, things might be a little hectic for the next little while."
"What are you talking about?"
He gestured to his Rotom phone. The glowing screen revealed a headline in bold: 'RAIHAN AND JOHTO'S CHAMPION - AN ITEM?'
You grabbed the phone out of the air. The article went on to showcase photos of the night before, with Raihan carrying you bridal-style out of the pub. Numerous speculations about your identity ran wild, but so far all of it was just that -- speculation.
You thrust the phone back into his hands and collapsed into the spot next to him on the couch.
"This is the last thing I need right now," you bemoaned. "How could this happen?"
"You're the one that passed out," Raihan reminded. "I only did what any gentleman would do."
"Which would be to take me to your home?!"
"Hey! I didn't know where you were staying, and I wasn't about to leave you there alone."
You couldn't exactly argue with his logic. Still, this wasn't something you had the mental capacity to deal with at present.
"I was right about one thing, though,” Raihan continued, “I didn't know you were Johto's champion, but I knew there was something different about you. I want to challenge you to a battle even more."
"What part of 'I'm a tourist' didn't you understand?" you sighed.
"You left out the 'I’m a Champion' part."
"Forget it!" You crossed your arms in defiance. "I'm not arguing with you. I'm leaving."
You walked over to the stairwell where Flaaffy had crawled to sit on the floor by the banister. Scooping the Pokémon up in your arms, you made a beeline to the door.
"Thanks for looking after me, but I can take care of myself!"
The door opened and closed and you were gone.
Raihan sighed to himself; he would never understand women.
His phone buzzed, alerting him to an incoming text message. The message was from Leon, and contained several social media posts about Raihan and the mysterious girl.
Leon: [ What's this about? ]
[ Nothing! ] Raihan typed back. [ Just another one of my adventures. You know me. ]
Leon: [ Be careful. ]
Even though the situation was a strange one, Raihan wasn't concerned. He chuckled and sent off his response.
Raihan: [ OK, got it...... Dad. ]
You lifted an arm to shield your face from the bright sunlight. You weren't sure where you were, so you aimlessly trekked down the cobblestone streets until you arrived at the main plaza.
The big city was bustling with noises: traffic, civilian chatter, and the cries of Pokémon. Some of them you recognized, and others were new. For instance, you hadn't gotten used to the piercing shrieks of Corviknights as they lifted sky taxi passengers up into the air.
A little while later, your ears caught onto a whimpering noise that sounded like someone crying. You glanced around, trying to determine the direction the crying was coming from.
"Faah!" Flaaffy tugged at the hem of your coat, gesturing over to where a little boy was standing by a lamppost.
"What's going on?" you asked, not one to ignore someone in need.
"Sniff... My Pokémon ran off, and I can't find it!" The little boy rubbed his nose with his sleeve.
"Don't worry, we'll find it together. What sort of Pokémon is it?"
"A Farfetch'd."
"Those pesky buggers," you muttered, recalling the distant memory of chasing a Farfetch'd around the Ilex Forest. "Let's go ask around to see if anyone has seen it."
The little boy's eyes were glossed over and glistening with tears that he was trying his best to hold back. "O-okay."
"I'm (Y/N). What's your name?"
"Joey."
"Don't cry, Joey! We'll get you reunited with Farfetch'd in no time. Where did you last see it?"
"Umm... We were playing by the Battle Café."
"All right. Let's retrace your steps and start looking there."
"Okay." Joey stifled his last sniffle and reached out to grab your hand, much to your surprise. You let him lead you down the side street.
There was a large crowd gathered in front of the Battle Café. At first, you were confused at why so many people were gathered there. Soon you realized that Galar's famed Champion had something to do with that.
"LEON! Give me your autograph!" an adoring fan shouted.
"You're the BEST, Leon! Take a selfie with me!" another exclaimed.
Shuffling through the crowd with Joey following close behind, you squeezed you way through the crowd and saw Leon standing in the center of the commotion, his cape fluttering in the slight breeze.
"Wait a minute!" You squinted your eyes at a small black bird seated by Leon's food. "Joey, is that your Farfetch'd?"
Joey took a closer look before nodding profusely. "Yes!"
It seemed like even the bird Pokémon was drawn to the crowd that Leon's charisma brought in. You struggled through the crowd, squishing your way through until you managed to get close enough to where the mischievous Farfetch'd was sitting.
"Gotcha!" You reached out and seized the little bird with both hands. It squawked in protest and tried to escape, but you lifted it up and held it tightly against your chest to prevent it from struggling free.
"Here you go!" You brought the Farfetch'd over into Joey's awaiting arms. "You better teach it a lesson not to run off again."
"Thank you so much!" Joey beamed, squeezing the squawking Farfetch'd in a tight hug.
"It was seriously nothing," you replied, beaming at the smaller child.
Leon caught sight of you and blinked, right in the middle of signing someone's shirt.
"Hey," Leon greeted. "You look familiar."
Turning to face the Champion, you tried to act nonchalant.
"I have one of those faces, I guess?"
Leon studied you carefully. "I don't think so. Aren't you that girl? The one Raihan was seen with last night."
"Oh boy," you exhaled, not liking where the conversation was heading. "I don't think so."
You shifted uncomfortably, placing weight from one foot to the other, growing increasingly nervous under Leon's scrutinizing gaze. You tugged your hat further over your eyes and tried to appear smaller.
"No, I'm sure I recognize you. I have a knack for remembering faces."
"Oh, well then, how unfortunate for me," you said, turning your head away.
"I'm Leon. They say you're Johto's Champion. Is that true?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I would. Which is why I'd like to have a battle with you. Nothing big, it can be a simple three on three. A Pokémon battle tells all. I can tell the spirit of your heart, through a simple battle. If you're up for it."
"A battle, huh?" Contemplating for a moment, you sighed. You didn't have anything to lose. Besides, you hadn't tested your strength in a while, and it had been a long time since you lost to Red on Mt. Silver so many months ago. You were being given the opportunity to face off against another Champion, and well, maybe that was fate.
"Sure, you're on," you found herself saying, reaching behind to touch your belt of pokéballs. "Let's do it!"
"You want to face me right here?" Leon cracked a smile, signaling for the crowd to clear a space for their battle. "You've got guts!"
"Ha! Just don't cry when you lose," you said with a smirk.
You felt a rush of adrenaline course through your body. Fleeting moments from your youth seemed to spark up and ignite within you, and for a moment the fiery girl from your past seemed to return: you forgot about the empty shell you felt like for what seemed like eternity.
Now that the crowd had cleared a space on the street for the battle, you seized a pokéball from your waist and propelled it forth.
"Go for it, Toto!"
A flash of light illuminated the scene, and an Aerodactyl burst forth into the skies. It screeched loudly and awaited your command, kicking up dust as it flapped to keep flight in the air.
"I haven't seen much of that Pokémon before. But it won't stand a chance against my team." Leon adjusted his hat and sent out his Pokémon, Seismitoad. It exploded onto the scene with a loud bellowing croak.
The battle began, spurred on by the wild cheers of the crowd gathered around you.
"Hit that thing with an Iron Head attack," you instructed, and Aerodactyl obliged by swooping down to slam its rock-hard head into its opponent with enough force to jolt it back. Seismitoad stumbled, but countered with Drain Punch, a move that sent your Aerodactyl flying.
"Lucky shot!" You groaned and withdrew your fainted Pokémon, before sending out your next - Togekiss. "You know what to do!"
The array of sparkles from its Dazzling Gleam attack circled around Seismitoad and engulfed it in a blast of white light. The toad Pokémon collapsed, drawing cries of delight from the spectators.
"Not bad," Leon said, and you thought he looked impressed.
Leon sent out his Aegislash next. This round was longer than the first, with Aegislash dodging Togekiss's special attacks and swinging viciously and tirelessly. In the end, Togekiss was struck down by a critical slash attack, but managed to fire a blast of energy powerful enough to take down Aegislash in retaliation before fainting.
"You're making me break a sweat," you replied, grinning in return.
Before the two of you could each send out your last fighter, Joey came up to your side looking panicked.
"Miss! Farfetch'd ran off again!" He gestured frantically to where the Farfetch'd was dashing off to the entrance of the Wild Area, a place you knew had fearsomely strong Pokémon.
"Ahhh! We're going to have to finish this another time!" you yelped, hastily withdrawing Togekiss.
The crowd groaned at the stalemate, and you didn't care. Grabbing Joey by the arm, you both started running after the mischievous black bird.
Leon watched as they went. 'What a strange girl,' he thought. She was a very strange girl, but there was certainly something about her. No wonder Raihan was acting the way he did. He couldn't fault his friend for that in the slightest.
The Wild Area
Strong gusts of wind kicked up sand and dirt, sending debris flying in every direction. You lifted your arms to shield your face and squinted, trying to spot the little black bird, but no no avail. The weather conditions made it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.
Beside you, Joey was struggling as well. His hat had blown off his head, and he stood clinging to the hem of your jacket.
You were going to need some help.
You fumbled with the Pokeballs on your belt; the wind tugging at your clothing made it hard to focus. The majority of your team was still weakened by the battle against Leon, but fortunately there were still a few capable contenders left to come to your aid.
With a sharp flick of your wrist, you released two of your Pokemon.
"Come on out, Tyranitar! Espeon! We need you!"
A flash of light illuminated the stormy Wild Area as your Tyranitar emerged, letting out a thundering roar. The ground shook as its feet hit the ground. Tyranitar's massive frame shielded you and Joey from the brunt of the winds.
Beside Tyranitar, Espeon materialized gracefully, its sleek purple fur shimmering despite the chaotic sandstorm.
"T-Tar, stay with Joey and protect him. There are some fierce Pokemon in these parts. Don't let him come to harm," you instructed, giving the giant green beast an affectionate pat on the arm. "Espeon, lead the way! Use your Psychic powers to scan the area. Let's find Farfetch'd!"
Espeon's eyes immediately glowed a light blue at your command. It scanned the environment with its psychic waves, then let out a sharp cry before turning towards the direction of a rocky hill to the east.
"You found it? Great job," you praised. "Joey, stay here with Tyranitar. I'll be right back!"
"Be careful, Miss!" Joey called out, his small voice almost lost in the wind.
You began running after Espeon, towards the direction of a Pokemon Den. The air seemed to grow heavier as you approached. As you reached the entrance, a feeling of apprehension crept over you. The den loomed ahead, a dark cave with faint red and purple lights flickering deep within. You recognized that these were signs of Dynamax energy.
Espeon's fur bristled as it stared into the den's depths. You didn't like the idea of following Espeon into such a dangerous place, but if it was leading you there, then Joey's Farfetch'd had to be inside.
"Espeon... Are you sure about this?" you whispered. Espeon nodded firmly and began to step inside the den. You followed close behind, feeling your heartbeat thudding in your chest. Only the faint glow from Espeon's psychic aura lit the pathway inside the den. There was an unsettling energy pulsating from all around you.
After what seemed like an eternity, you spotted the silhouette of a familiar black bird and leek. Farfetch'd stood at the edge of a glowing pool of Dynamax energy, squawking up at a colossal Pokemon - an enraged Dynamax Gengar! Its crimson eyes glowed menacingly as it let out a chilling laugh that bounced through the cave.
"Farfetch'd! You get over here THIS INSTANT!" you yelled, channeling as much of your inner parent as possible.
The bird turned and puffed out its chest, as if to say, 'I've got this!'
"No, you do NOT have this!" you muttered. Turning to Espeon, you said, "Please, get Farfetch'd outta there!"
Espeon's eyes glowed again and its psychic energy enveloped Farfetch'd, lifting the bird into the air and sending it floating towards you. As you caught the bird in your hands, the giant Gengar took the chance to unleash an attack: a terrifying Max Phantasm.
The dark energy slammed into Espeon and knocked it back, sending your Pokemon crashing into the rocky cave wall.
"Espeon!" You watched helplessly as Espeon struggled to its feet. There was fighting spirit left, but it was clearly outmatched by type and strength.
The Dynamax Gengar floated closer, readying another attack - this time aimed straight at you. You braced yourself for the attack, but it never came. Instead, an intense roar split the air and the cave lit up with a burst of flames. Leon's Charizard swooped in, unleashing a powerful Flamethrower that sent the Gengar staggering backwards.
"Need a hand?" Leon called, appearing beside you with a grin.
Before you could respond, another Pokemon's cry echoed through the den as a Flygon glided in, with Raihan following close behind.
"You really do find yourself in the most ridiculous situations," Raihan teased, "Want to snap a selfie to commemorate the moment?"
"Cut the commentary and help!" you retorted, clutching Farfetch'd tightly.
Raihan eagerly obliged. "Flygon, hit it with a Dragon Claw!"
Flygon surged forward, slashing at Gengar with sharp glowing claws. Charizard followed up with another fire attack, engulfing the ghost Pokemon in a round of flames.
During this time, Espeon recovered, limping to your side. You watched as Charizard and Flygon unleashed a devastating combo of attacks, finally bringing the Dynamax Gengar to its defeat. With a final cry, the energy around the Gengar dissipated, and it returned to its normal size before fleeing into the darkness.
Now that the threat was gone, Leon turned to face you. "You okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine, thanks to you two," you admitted.
"You owe me dinner for this," Raihan said, smirking.
"You didn't even do most of the work!" you shot back at him, but your relieved smile gave your true feelings away. Raihan made a mental note that you didn't exactly say 'no' to his dinner request.
Leon laughed. "Well, at least things are under control now. Let's get out of here before something else shows up."
As you stepped out of the den, still holding Farfetch'd and keeping an eye on Espeon, you turned to face Raihan.
Out of curiousity, you couldn't help asking the question that was on your mind. "Okay... I'm not complaining, but how did you get here? Did you sense danger and decide to drop in for fun?"
Raihan grinned. "What, you didn't think I'd swoop in to save a damsel in distress?"
"Damsel?" You rolled your eyes. "Try harder."
Before Raihan could respond to that, Leon chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Actually... I called him."
"You?" Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The unbeatable Champion needed backup?"
"Not for the fight!" Leon protested, "It's just that... I'm, uh, how do I say this... I'm not the best with directions."
"Not the best?" Raihan snorted, "You were completely lost! I don't know how you even made it to the den without ending up back in Hammerlocke by mistake."
Leon flushed a bright red. "Charizard wasn't exactly helpful this time, either. He kept flying in circles."
Charizard growled softly, puffing out a small flame as if to deny the accusation.
"So anyway," Leon continued, glaring briefly at Raihan, "I called the one person who knows this area better than anyone else."
"That's me," Raihan said smugly.
You couldn't help raising your eyebrows after hearing this. "And he just happened to come along with Flygon, ready for battle? Isn't he a Gym Leader? Doesn't he have things to do?"
Leon shrugged. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to have some extra firepower. You were up against a Dynamax Pokemon, after all. Dens in the Wild Area are filled with Dynamax Pokemon, some of which can be extremely strong."
"And also because he can't go five minutes without calling me when he's in over his head," Raihan added.
"Okay, that is not true!"
You couldn't help but laugh. "Well, thanks for showing up to save the day. Both of you."
Raihan gave you a teasing grin. "Anytime. Just try not to get yourself into another mess. Though if you do, you know who to call."
"Uh-huh," you said. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Which reminds me... Should we exchange numbers?" Raihan suggested slyly, his Rotom phone already waving in the air.
You narrowed your eyes at him, half-amused and half-suspicious. "You're not subtle, are you?"
Raihan shrugged, grinning playfully. "I don't need to play coy. You already know how I work."
You tried to act annoyed, but couldn't help the warmth spreading on your cheeks. You were sure Raihan noticed as well. He leaned forward slightly, clearly waiting for you to bite.
Leon chuckled from behind, clearly amused by the scene. "Oh, go on and exchange numbers already."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," you said with a sigh, reaching for your own phone. "But don't get any ideas."
As you exchanged numbers, Raihan gave you a playful wink. "No promises."
He glanced down at the newly saved contact in his phone. (Y/N). So that was your name. Raihan found himself thinking that the name suited you well, and he was positively chuffed to bits that he had finally succeeded in getting your number.
✦✦✦
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