Seeking Adventure: A Male Reader x Pokemon Story

Chapter 56: Closed for Foreseeable Future

*Third Person POV*

Walking through the front door was Lt.Surge, hulking over a man and women who seemed disappointed. The man had dirty brown hair, and almond eyes that were almost identical to Leaf's. The woman had bob-cut black hair, and orange-browish eyes that shined with fiery anger.

"Mom, Dad!" Erika yelped in fear, "And Lt.Surge! What are you all doing here?"

"QUIET!" Lt.Surge shouted, "Gym Leader Erika! You have disgraced the Pokemon League of the Kanto region and the Celadon City Gym! It has been decided that you shall be remove from your position until you can show that you have the maturity and sensibility to run a gym!"

"WHAT?!" Erika shouted, "You can't be serious!"

"This is not in question!" Lt.Surge shouted, "Elite Four Champion Lance has also come to the conclusion that your hiring practices have been deliberately discriminatory and you mistreat the trainers who visit your gym! You are to step down and allow a replacement to be named as of midnight tonight, do I make myself understood!?"

"No! You can't do this!"

"They can, and they have," The man came forwards, sounding disappointed, "Erika, please don't make this harder than it has to be. Just admit you messed up, and we can work to make it better before it gets any worse."

"DAD!"

"Don't you dare take that tone!" The woman, Erika and Leaf's mother, shouted, only held back by the arm on her shoulder, "You wouldn't be in this position in the first place if you weren't disgracing our family name and the legacy of our gym! You've disappointed all of us and are going to be punished for it!"

"Mom!"

The gym family, except for Leaf, began arguing among themselves. Y/n, Leaf, and Grady, a trio as they hadn't been in weeks, moved off to the side and stood awkwardly.

"Y/N KETCHUM!"

"SIR YES SIR, LT.SURGE!" Y/n shouted, turning quickly and saluting.

"At ease soldier!" Surge dropped his salute, "I would like to apologize for the disrespect you've had to experience. I hope that your experience here hasn't killed your drive for your gym challenge."

"Of course not sir!" Y/n replied, "If anything, I'm ready to get back on the road and challenge the next gym!"

"I like your drive, kid!" Lt.Surge laughed, "In honor of that drive, I award you with the Celadon City Gym!"

Lt.Surge held the badge out in the palm of his hand, and Y/n took it and slipped it into it's place in his badge case, before shaking hands with the Electric Gym leader.

"Now, if you will excuse me," Surge said, angling towards the family, "I have to help sort this out."

"Oh, we'll be on our way then."

Outside of the gym, Y/n and Grady almost immediately collapsed into the grass beside the path. Leaf stood over them, staring down indecisively into Y/n's face.

"Um, Y/n..." Leaf stuttered, "Can I talk to you? Privately?"

"Oh, sure."

Y/n stood up and Leaf led him a bit away from Grady, behind a patch of bushes where they wouldn't be overheard.

"Leaf..." Y/n began.

"I want to apologize!" Leaf interrupted.

"Wha?"

"I need to apologize to you," Leaf explained, "I got angry and let it get the best of me, and I left you guys alone and made you worry about me and I made you angry at me, and then you came and you defended me in front of everyone without even thinking about it, so now I'm just a bad friend!"

Leaf was in tears at this point, and she was not a pretty crier. Y/n gently wrapped his arms around her, comforting his friend.

"You're not a bad friend," He soothed, "I am. I should've been more considerate back on the boat and respected your privacy. I'm sorry I pushed you to tell us something you wanted to keep private."

Leaf took a second to wipe the tears from her eyes, but didn't let y/n see when she sneakily snuggled closer into the crook of his neck.

"Thanks Y/n," She said, "There's just one more thing I need to do. Can you close your eyes for me?"

"Sure?"

Y/n felt something press against his cheek, before hearing footsteps. He opened his eyes, and saw Leaf skipping happily back to where Grady was laying with the Pokemon.

"I wonder what that was about," He said, a lazy smile spreading across  his face, "Such a strange girl."