Vacation Chapter 5 + Brainstorming

I got some ideas for writing... Maya canons LOL not headcanons, dude she's my OC! Obviously she has real facts about her character haha.

OK.

-When in a pinch, she uses the name 'Daisy' as an alias - after her friend, Blue's sister.

-Blue and Maya never officially dated and were a couple - why? Well, after Maya became Champion and lost to Red, their friend group fell apart and went their separate ways. It wasn't until later that she reconnected with Blue during the period she lived in Goldenrod with Ethan.

-Dated Curtis for a bit... but the Idol life was too exhausting for Maya, who doesn't have the personality to be in the spotlight. They still remain in touch and remain cordial, though Maya was the one who initiated the breakup.

-Now that she is in Galar, the incident in the Pokemon den caused her to lose her wallet! Fortunately she always kept important documents, such as her Passport and Trainer ID, in the breast pocket of her coat. However, now that she's in a situation where she needs some cash... what odd jobs might she pick up?

Chapter 5

The group arrived back in Hammerlocke. The streets felt calmer now that the chaos of the Wild Area was behind you. The first stop was to the nearest Pokémon Center, where everyone was promptly inspected and treated for injuries. Joey's farfetch'd didn't have a scratch on it, while your exhausted team was grateful for the TLC. You decided to let everyone take a rest in their pokéballs for the time being.

 

Joey came up to you to say his goodbyes. He gave you a hug and waved to Leon and Raihan before taking off with his farfetch'd. You smiled after him, then your stomach rumbled for your attention and you realized that you hadn't eaten anything since the fries from the pub last night. 

 

Raihan heard your stomach growl and immediately commented, "Someone's peckish. Guess running after trouble will do that to you, huh?"

 

"I know a great caff nearby," Leon said. "Shall we?"

 

The café was tucked between two larger buildings. It had a warm and inviting atmosphere, with charming wooden tables and rows upon rows of fresh pastries behind a glass counter. The burly man at the register spotted Leon walk in and his face lit up. You could tell he knew the regulars here.

 

"Oi, well if it isn't Leon! Raihan too, welcome. And hello to the little miss. Sit wherever ya like!"

 

The three of you sat down at a corner table. One of the sandwiches on the menu caught your eye and you quickly placed an order. Leon and Raihan got their usual tea and sweets. When the food arrived, you only managed to take one bite before Leon cleared his throat.

 

"So," he began, "I think we need to talk about the, uh... situation."

 

"What situation?" you asked slowly, though you already knew. 

 

Raihan pulled out his rotom phone and spun it around to show you the screen. "This situation."

 

There was a social media post featuring Leon and yourself mid-battle, surrounded by an eager crowd. This image was being compared to another image below, the one of Raihan carrying you out of the pub the night before. The captions were shocking, to say the least.

 

"'Johto Champion Stuck In Love Triangle'? 'Update On Raihan's Latest Fling'? What’s the deal with these posts?!” You were in disbelief reading the ludicrous chatter of anons on the web.   

 

"People are having an absolute field day with this," Leon explained, rubbing at his temples. "And since I'm terrible with social media, I figured we should talk about how we're gonna tackle it."

 

"You're kidding me, right? Can't people just mind their own business?" You sighed, sinking into your seat. This vacation was turning out to be more work than play. You had a sneaking suspicion that Raihan's reputation for being in the spotlight was likely the biggest cause for all the drama.

 

"That'd be nice, wouldn’t it?" Raihan chirped, propping his chin on his hand. "But you and Leon duking it out in the middle of Hammerlocke right after I carried you out of a pub? Not exactly subtle, love."

 

"So," Leon continued, "do we address it? Set the record straight somehow?"

 

Raihan smirked. "Or do we let 'em have their fun? This could be entertaining. I already find it amusing."

 

Leon sighed and looked at you directly, wanting to observe your reaction. "It’s only a matter of time before people figure out who you are," he mused. "They're already digging."

 

You sighed, "Yeah, well. That IS what people on the internet do best. They'll have my whole life story pieced together before I even get through this sandwich."

 

"Wouldn't be surprised if they've already clocked it. I mean, you're not exactly a rookie, are you?" Raihan said. "Not one of the newer lot from Johto, either. If anything, the fact that you've been flying under the radar is what's got everyone buzzing. All of a sudden, a former Champion is battling Leon in the middle of the street after I carried her out of a pub? No wonder they're losing their minds."

 

You rolled your eyes. "So you're saying this is because I'm private and mysterious?"

 

"Well, mystery does sell," Leon said pointedly. "At the end of the day, it's up to you how much you want to put out there. So we've got two choices. Either we clear things up now, or we let people make their own assumptions. If we don’t say anything, they're going to run wild with their theories."

 

Raihan grinned. "Personally, I think letting 'em speculate is more fun."

 

You shot him a glare. "Of course YOU do."

 

When the server came by with the bill, you reached for your bag.

 

"Uh-oh," you muttered, checking again, this time with more urgency. Your fingers sifted through stray receipts, a few empty pokéballs, and a crumpled travel map of Galar. Between chasing after farfetch'd, encountering a Dynamax Pokémon and nearly getting blasted, your wallet had somehow disappeared!

 

Raihan noticed your desperation from across the table. "What’s up?"

 

"I think I lost my wallet! It must've fallen out back in the Wild Area, probably in that stupid den!" 

 

"Brilliant," Raihan said with a dramatic sigh, shaking his head. "Guess that means you're skint, then."

 

You groaned, pushing the bag aside. "I keep my passport and Trainer ID in my coat pocket, but all my money was in my wallet!"

 

Leon reached over to pick up the bill. "Well, looks like I'm covering this one."

 

Raihan swiped the bill from Leon's hand. "Nah, I've got this. Consider it an investment in our mysterious Johto Champion." His eyes locked on yours as he whipped out his card. "But don't go getting used to me footing the bill, yeah?"

 

You crossed your arms and tried not to pout. "Like I have a choice. Maybe I can go back and try to look for it?"

 

"I doubt you'll find it. The dens are always shifting about, and who knows where it could have fallen?" Leon leaned back in his seat. "So you're stuck with us a bit longer. Can't have you wandering around completely broke."

 

Luckily, you weren't completely stranded; your mom always had money stashed away for you in case of emergencies. But calling home meant explaining why you needed it, and that could lead to unnecessary worrying. Best to avoid that route if you could.

 

Maybe you would reach out to someone else? An old friend, perhaps? But that would require swallowing your pride, and you weren't quite desperate enough for that. Not yet, anyway.

 

For now, Leon was right. You'd have to stick with them for a while longer, at least until you figured something out. Maybe you could pick up an odd job or two? 

 

You floated the idea out loud. "Maybe... I could earn some money by doing some work?"

 

Raihan flat out laughed into his cup. "You could be a Corviknight taxi driver!"

 

You shot him a deadpan look. "You do realize I don't have a Corviknight, right? And even if I did, don't I need some sort of operating license?"

 

"Details, details. I'm just saying, you've got the guts for it," Raihan teased. "Besides, you'd get a killer view of Galar."

 

"I’ll pass on that, thanks." 

 

"Raihan, isn't there a position open at your gym?" Leon asked. "Maybe (Y/N) could help out there?"

 

"It's possible," Raihan said thoughtfully. "She doesn't specialize in Dragon types, but maybe she could still help out somehow!"

 

You were grateful that Leon and Raihan were looking out for you. Still, the thought lingered. What exactly could you do? Would this mean you'd be spending a lot more time with Raihan? You weren't sure how that made you feel, only that you didn't exactly hate the idea...