Life's Requiem, Death's Caterwaul (Champion Leon X OC [Slight x Raihan])

Evolution

"Well, he's not exactly wrong. I mean, it wasn't all trouble, though--or easy. We actually had a fall out when I was about sixteen or so, if I remember right," he mused, putting his phone away and taking her hand as they walked along the sandbar.

Cassandra raised a brow, "Wait--you guys weren't friends at some point?"

"Aaah... yeah, it was---well, really it was my fault, and the other Leaders can attest to it, too, 'cause I was downright insufferable for a while," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was always trying to be nice and supportive and positive... but I forgot that when you keep losing that positivity starts to... grind on you. And Raihan's my biggest rival--you know how hard he trains and works... and he can't ever beat me, and, well... I tried to cheer him up, but sometimes telling someone 'you'll get it next time' when you've lost for the ump-teenth time... well, it just hurts, and boy did he let me know!

He laughed, but there was pain there, "I deserved it. He didn't punch me or anything, though I wouldn't have blamed him--I was basically patronizing him without realizing it so he laid into me. I needed it, though. I was able to see how my word were hurting people and I finally got around to apologizing proper. Most of them just thanked me and let me know they did like my positivity and didn't want me to hold back, so it was nice."

"Just... most?"

He chuckled, "Well, some didn't really care either way. Opal was pretty indifferent and told me to enjoy my youth. Melony said the same and told me she's used to that kind of attitude from her son, so she thought nothing of it and that I was just a sweet kid for apologizing. I think she gave me candy?? Or something."

"Well, she is a mom."

"True!" he laughed, shaking his head. "I think Piers told me to 'fuck off'. He never liked me much on account I was Rose's golden boy, and, well, he despises Rose even now. I think we've both reached an okay place, but he definitely never wanted anything to do with me and I don't blame him after seeing how Rose kept screwing over Spikemuth--I can't wait to fix that, too. I've been having to push hard on the sponsors. They're so damn stubborn!"

"Don't worry; you're even more stubborn and you'll do right by Piers and Marnie. Were those three the only ones?"

"Nope! I apologized to Pendragon, and he was just... he kinda laughed and said I was a good kid, too--oh! Right, I forgot to tell you. Before Raihan became Leader, Pendragon was the 8th Gym Leader. He was Raihan's mentor. He retired to Johto years ago, though. To, uh, oh! To Blackthorn."

Cassandra almost tripped as she stopped, "Wait--what??? No one retires there unless they come from the clan--."

"I think he was? Is? I'd have to ask Raihan, but, yeah, so he--what are you doing?"

"Texting Raihan--I have got to get the deets on this, oh my Arceus! But go on, go on! I'm listening I promise!" the redhead snickered, typing away on her phone.

Leon snickered back, "Uh-huh. Okay, well, besides Pendragon there was the leader before Bea and Allister, and then last was Kabu, and oh boy. He wanted nothing to do with my apology! Words were meaningless for him, and he was in a bad spot being back in the Minor Leagues. Hurt his pride a lot, y'know? He'd been a big shot in the Majors, but after his wife died... it was like he'd lost his fire, man... and I dunno, I guess me coming to apologize and bowing like they do in Hoenn for respect just... Well, to put it short: he challenged me to a match. To not hold anything back, so I didn't... and man--I swore he was going to beat me that day! I don't know what happened. He was kinda going how he had been for a while, but then just---something changed in him, and he came alive. He looked like the Kabu I grew up watching, and it was just... epic. He went on to reclaim his Major League title and he's been going strong since. I don't think he plans to retire until he's older than Opal!"