All it took was meeting you... (Champion Leon x OC)

A Simple Purpose Really...

"LYNELLE CELESTINE!”

“EXPLAIN YOURSELF MATE!”

Lynelle flinched at the voices of two familiar Gym Leaders stomping towards her. Even Leon was startled at their sudden appearance at first. “Seems like you need some explaining to do.” He smirked at her, which earned him a pout from the ravenette beside him.

“Are you seriously in the Gym Challenge!?” Nessa exclaimed, shock and disbelief present on her face. Raihan sharing the same expressions as Nessa.

“Y-yes… Yes I am.” Lynelle hesitantly says. She didn’t know it would cause such a reaction from both Gym Leaders. She was even confused.
Then she remembered that she battled one of them, and the other has already seen her go head to head against Galar’s Champion. Nessa and Raihan had already seen her as a formidable trainer.

Nessa went quiet, even Raihan was as well. Lynelle began to ponder about wether her joining in the Gym Challenge was a good thing or not. She looked at Leon for help, but he shrugged. Even he didn’t know what to do.

She chuckled nervously, perhaps Lynelle owes them an explanation.
“I uhm…” She keeps pausing herself, thinking of the right words.
“I… I wanted to enter this year’s Gym Challenge because… I wanted to try it.” She paused.

“Most people in Galar entered the Gym Challenge when they were just little kids. I wanted to try it too as someone who just recently remembered where I came from. I… wanted to experience what I missed out on.”

The three only listened to the ravenette’s reason for joining. They nodded in understanding, remembering the time when she first visited Galar.

“Also… I don’t how to put this…” Lynelle paused, and took a deep breath in.

“I... couldn't help but remember my first journey back in Hoenn, I used to love battling. But as I grew up, some stuff happened in my life that changed my perspective of things, including battling. Over the years of battling,… I wasn’t really having fun, and it was only recently that someone pointed that out.” The three nodded in understanding.

“I didn’t feel that feeling of adrenaline or bursts of excitement. But when I battled Leon, I felt it again and… it made me so happy. It made me realize how much I really missed it. I actually had fun in a battle for the first time… and I thank him for that.” Lynelle flashed Leon a warm and thankful smile.

“And because of that battle, I wanted to do it again…”

“Huh?”

The three blinked in cunfusion, but she shrugged them off with a chuckle and looked straight at Leon. “You were quite challenging, the most challenging trainer I’ve ever faced. That’s why I want to battle you again.” Leon was caught off-guard at her sudden change in demeanor. It was like she was a different person.

“I mean… you could’ve just asked me-“

“Not happening!”

“Eh?” Leon just blinked in confusion. He looked at her, wanting to hear her explanation.

“I can’t just ask you for a battle so casually. I want it to experience it in a official match where we can go all out with a full team of six. I figured entering the Gym Challenge we give me that. What would happen if I won in a casual battle, hm?”

Leon raised a brow, amused at her sudden boldness. Now knowing her other reason to enter the Gym Challenge. He had to admit, he was both honored and flattered. Another trainer who was almost on the same level as him, it made him excited.

And what kind of Champion would he be if he refused a challenge?

“Haha! I never saw you as someone bold. Quite amusing! And so…. I’ll gladly wait for you, Challenger Lynelle.”

The bold determination radiates from the man. His expression darkened, and only his golden irises glowed like brightly lit flames. A confident smirk plastered on his lips, confidence oozing off from him.

Like a king accepting a wanderer’s challenge.

“Hm? You’re hyped up about this. I can’t blame you really.” Nessa chuckles and then faced Lynelle. “Y’know I wanted to have a rematch with you. Knowing that I’ll eventually get that, I’ll just let you know that it won’t be the same as last time. In fact, I’ll be a wall you’ll have to take down if you want to battle this guy.” Nessa jokingly points at Leon who got confused that he wasn’t called by his name.

Lynelle laughs and then looked at Raihan. “It would also mean that, if I’m lucky, I’ll eventually battle you, Raihan.” Lynelle smiled at him, but he remained silent.

He just stared at her, more like observing her. He was looking for something and Lynelle didn’t know what. She stared at his piercing teal eyes, noticing a hint of uncertainty and… disappointment?

Raihan put up a gentle smile. “Mhm. It seems.” He simply says. Leon and Nessa looked at him confused, Lynelle just stared at him. Him sharing some small words was unexpected, given that he is someone who likes Pokémon battling.

The air around them clouded amd thicken from the sudden awkwardness. Lynelle began to feel uncomfortable, she had to change the mood somehow.

She cleared her throat. “Ahem… I’m very excited to battle you guys. I won’t disappoint you.” She said with confidence, flames of determination in her eyes. She wasn’t going to let anyone down.

Raihan only smiled and nodded. Leon had a big smile and was ecstatic to hear the ravenette’s decision. Nessa was happy as well, then she got a message from Sonia.

“Oh! Guys! Sonia’s in Motostoke and she calls for a celebration. Drinks are on her tonight!” Nessa cheered and Leon cheered along with her. Raihan and Lynelle only laughed but they were happy nonetheless.

“Ah…” Nessa turned to Lynelle. “You drink, right?” Nessa looked at her seriously, which the ravenette just laughs and responded with a nod. Nessa’s face lit up with joy and held her hand. “Then you’ve GOT to try out our drinks!” She dragged her with her away from the group, Lynelle’s urged the model to slow down but her cries were blatantly ignored.

Leon laughs and ran to catch up with them… but he noticed Raihan not following suit. “Rai? You coming?” He asked him curiously, the dragon expert only shrugged and started walking.

Leon just stared at his best friend as he walks pass him. He was being unusually quiet, and it was after Lynelle shared her reason to join the Gym Challenge that he became silent. It wasn’t in his character and it made Leon slightly worried. “Something the matter, Raihan?”

Raihan stopped walking and after a moment of silence, he sighed. “I dunno…

… I kinda expected something more from her."