Chapter Text
I couldn't take the heat anymore. The covers over top of me were too much. I sat up with a start and threw them to the floor. Catching my breath the room was also stuffy and hard to breathe in, this feeling left me like I'd woken up from a nightmare. I wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep as it didn't look like it'd come or that my body would let me. In the dark I remained sitting on my sweat soaked bed. Fresh air was the thing that I needed most right now but I didn't want to move. I forced myself onto my feet over to the window and pushed the black out curtains aside. I should've opened my windows before I went to bed.
I flung the windows wide open and closed my eyes. The cool breeze washed over me, it felt good after another sleepless night. At least the fresh air will help clean out the apartment for me. I also couldn’t stand the stickiness of sweat that was on my skin. It was gross. A shower was what I needed before I left home. I grabbed my Rotom phone from the side table to check the time, it was currently three in the morning. I went to the closet and took a towel from it and made my way to the restroom.
However, moments later the thought hit me moments later, there was an important event that’s called PokeFest that I attended every year. It was one of Galar’s biggest events that I looked forward to since I was young. I couldn’t remember what I thought in my mind, but it came to me soon after. My eyes shot open as I realized what I’d forgotten about going to PokeFest, it was the battle I’d waited so long for against Leon was to happen today. The battle between us was going to be legendary and will be one to remember.
This was an important event that was huge and that nobody in Galar wanted to miss. However, if I wanted to get to Wyndon in time for the battle I needed to stop standing around and start getting ready for the day. The event wouldn’t start for a few hours, but I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about it. Our last battle I had with Leon I lost to him, and I took the first chance at a rematch when it came to the surface.
I made my way into the restroom. I stripped out of my soaked clothing and threw them into the laundry basket nearby. I knew that they needed to be washed as it had overflowed a few days ago. There wasn’t always time for me to do the laundry as the washers and dryers were located in the basement of the gym. My schedule was always busy let alone the fact I avoided the basement when I could. At least it wasn’t located under the stadium where Pokémon battles were held. This is the Dragon Type Gym that I’d been running as the Leader for years in Hammerlocke. I have lived here since I was a child.
I stood in front of the glass paned shower as I turned on the faucet to the coldest setting. The water rained down from the spout and crashed to the drain and floor below. It was cold and sent shivers through my body as I stepped into the stream. This wasn’t anything new since I normally took cold showers as the water washed over my dark skin. On the shelf next to me I reached for the bottle of soap, putting some into my hand and started to lather it through my hair.
I let it sit in my hair as the thoughts of the last battle I had with Leon came back to mind that happened a few years ago. It was a timed battle, a rare occurrence in Galar that depended on how long the participants lasted or until time ran out was the way the winner was determined. During that battle the clash of metal and fire between Leon’s Charizard and my Duraludon was an epic experience that wasn’t to be taken lightly. I almost won the match, but they’d called it off just before I could land my final blow on Charizard. This battle was different for the fact we also didn’t use our full teams, it was the same type of battle that we were going to do later today. I balled my fists as the adrenaline of what’s to come shot through me, this would be my moment to shine and avenge my losses. I’ll show everyone that I’m the boss and that I can hold my own. I have a feeling I will beat him this time. It was going to be awesome.
I cleared my swarming thoughts about the past battle with a deep breath. Besides the thoughts I was having it was really off of me to be thinking of my rival while I was in the shower. After a few minutes I rinsed all the soap off of me and stood in the water for a short time. I turned off the water even though I wanted to stay in for longer. This was one of my shorter showers, but they always left me satisfied and refreshed.
I stepped out onto the blue bathmat outside the shower. I grabbed the towel I’d brought with me over my head. Drying my hair as much as I could I wrapped the towel around my waist and moved in front of the mirror. I grabbed a bottle of gel from the counter and threw some in my hair. I took a fine-toothed comb through my hair. When my hair dried in a few hours and the gel was set I looked like a porcupine from the back of my head. This wasn’t an issue as it was a part of my style as a Gym Leader. I also have my large orange headband to keep any loose hair from blocking my eyes.
I left the restroom and sat down at my clean desk. I had some time to kill before the event started as I pulled out my Rotom to check what was going on in my social media feed. Something on one of the platforms I’m on had to have a good read. I wanted to know what people were posting about for PokeFest and if I could get the scoop on what Leon was up to. I started to scroll through tons of different media, it was an assortment of Pokémon pictures with their trainers, various locations and monuments of Galar were the main things I’d come across while I sat here. It was a disappointment as I was hoping for more to read and look at than what I got.
I stopped scrolling after my Rotom dinged at me, it showed on the screen in front of my windows that it was low on battery. I can’t go into today with a dead Rotom. I won’t let that happen. On my bedside table I set my Rotom onto its charging station. I needed what power I could get for it while I had the chance. I checked the time again; it was now nine in the morning. Was I really scrolling for that long? The room was brighter now that I thought about it. By the time I started moving again my Rotom’s alarm went off, it was time for me to prepare for the day ahead and for me to get dressed into my uniform.
I opened the closet to grab my uniform but to my surprise it wasn’t there. I froze, I can’t show up without it, it’s one of the things I have to show up in. Luckily, my jacket was hung up there, but I needed to search for my uniform now before it was too late. With the hunt for my uniform started I checked in the places I’d normally throw it when I took it off. Places such as on the railing of the bedframe and in the corner of the bedroom and inside of my dresser. I went over and dug through the drawers shifting everything inside it and having no chance of finding my uniform. My breath became heavy, and my chest tightened as I threw clothing around the room and moved the sheets and blanket from the floor to the end of the bed. Where did it go? I knew I had it yesterday when I’d taken it off after a long day of working.
As I scanned the room once more, I huffed and made my way into the bathroom. I didn’t see my laundry basket on the floor, but I ran my foot into it as it tipped over spilling dirty clothing everywhere. I stood back and cursed at myself seeing the mess I’d created. I saw in the bottom of the basket was my navy-blue shirt and shorts that looked like a soccer uniform with bright orange stripes and a dragon logo that represents my gym on the shorts. My shoulders relaxed and I exhaled, grabbed the shirt and held it up. It wasn’t that dirty, but it definitely needed a wash that I forgot to do last night.
I threw everything on, all the gym leaders had similar sporty uniforms with colors that showed and represented who ran what gym. I had a few other things to do at home before I was ready. I grabbed my jacket from the closet, it was neat, I owned it for years and it still looked brand new. It resembled a scaled black dragon with a golden chest. The hood was like an open dragon’s mouth with cloth teeth that lined along the rims of it.
It was years ago when I picked it up at a clothing designer shop. Leon was the only person with me at that time. That was a day I won’t forget as it was the turning point from the friendship, we once had into a long-lasting rivalry between us. Our first battle ended with me losing and him becoming the Champion of Galar shortly after, but it didn’t stop there. With my defeat I felt lost and stranded and unable to find my path until he showed up at my doorstep one day with an offer I couldn’t and didn’t put down. That would be to take my gym leader position for where I’m at now. At that point I defended the job as there was a high demand for it as things became official from there. It was my responsibility that I’d never get rid of where I was and risk the loss of running a gym.
The memory of my first days faded from being a gym leader. After a few minutes before I threw my jacket in and adjusted it, I avoided the strings attached to it. The confidence this jacket provided was what I needed to get myself moving each day. Once it was on, I turned to a head mannequin in the corner of the room where my headband was stored on. I pulled it off and tied it on the back of my head. I adjusted it over my forehead. It was large enough that you couldn’t see most of my head except in the back where my hair was longer. I checked to see if there was anything left for me to do for getting ready, from what I saw there wasn’t anything left. I gave myself a toothy grin in the mirror. Today was going to be a good day. Now I was presentable beyond the walls of those that were within the walls of Wyndon Stadium.
There was one more thing I needed before I left, I needed to bring Duraludon with me. It would only be him and leave the rest of my Pokémon at home. Beside the mannequin on a display of six gray, white and yellow Ultra Balls I grabbed the one that was closest to me. I slipped it into my jacket pocket. I walked past the kitchen and grabbed a protein bar to eat on my way to Wyndon as I didn’t have time to make myself breakfast. After that I collected my shoes that were a similar make to the style of my jacket I sat on the end of my bed and slipped them on. I took a last look around my place, it was messy from my uniform search, but I didn’t care as of now. I headed to the door.
Months back in preparation for this moment I had taped a blue and red colored flier to the inside of my front door for PokeFest. Alongside that our Pokémon we were on the flier posed and ready for battle next to us. Another grin crossed my face as I pointed to the picture of Leon. This was my year to win and to show everyone what I was made of. I chuckled and spoke to myself.
“Leon, your reign ends today.”