Chapter Text
The next time Leon wakes, he’s bathed in white.
The heavy cape doesn’t burden him on his shoulders, the familiar weight of it gone without a trace. Yet there’s almost no strength left in his limbs, all aching and sore as he blinks awake slowly. His mind is a scrambled mess, thoughts mostly fuzzy, and it feels like there are cotton balls in his ears, doing little to block out the beeping of the heart monitor next to him. He breathes—it hurts, like sandpaper in his throat that scratches him as his lungs fill with air. With every passing moment, he regains more of his feeling, starting with the tips of his fingers, to his arms, his toes and his legs and his chest as he heaves in a deeper breath.
Finally, he lets out a groan, in a weak attempt to produce some sort of noise from his dry throat, and something shuffles next to him in response.
“Hey, Leon, you awake?”
Leon blinks again, and as his vision clears, he recognizes Raihan’s towering figure reach over to press a button to call the doctor. The machine beeps lightly, and Raihan settles back down on the chair he was sitting on, dragging it closer to the bed so he can rest his elbows on the side. His eyebrows are furrowed, but he looks relieved, letting out a slow exhale as his eyes scan down Leon’s frame. “You alright?”
“I… I think so,” Leon answers hesitantly, voice broken. “Where…”
“Hammerlocke’s General Hospital,” Raihan answers quickly. “Hop and your mom were here just a bit ago. Finally convinced them to go get some food with Victor, though. They’ll be glad to see you awake later.”
Leon takes a moment to process it all. “They’re all…”
“They’re ok. Some scrapes and bruises, but Charizard took most of that hit that knocked you down,” Raihan explains with a wince. “Not sure how much you remember, but they battled it together. Victor managed to catch it.”
It. Leon blinks. Right, Eternatus.
Venomous red flashes in his mind, and he can’t help the dread and fear that wash over him in that instant. The feeling of loss, the feeling of hopelessness that had bathed him when that Poke Ball had burst open. He runs a hand over his face, trying to calm himself when he’s reminded by the blinding pressure. With another sign, he then focuses on Raihan, who glances at him in worry. His gaze lingers, scanning over the gym leader, and he notices, responding with a toothy grin instead.
“I’m not your rival for nothing,” he barks a laugh, straightening up. “Handled the rest of the city during that fight. Tried to keep damage to a minimum… but there’s going to be a lot to restore.”
Leon shakes his head. That’s a given, considering that they’d basically stopped an apocalypse across the entire region. But he knows they’ll bounce back. He knows that the people of Galar are strong enough to. But for now—“I’m glad you’re ok, Raihan.”
“Same here. Got worried when they wheeled you here, but the doctors said nothing was broken or anything. Just took a hit to the head that might leave a nasty bump for a bit.” Raihan gestures to Leon’s forehead, and he reaches up, gently tracing the bandage covering it. It’s tender, and he winces when he presses a tad too hard.
“There’s a lot going on right now,” Raihan continues, his lips quirked up in his usual grin, but Leon can see how tired he appears on closer look. “The press, the cops, hell, the entire Gym Challenge is under fire because of Rose. He turned himself in to the police right after everything.”
Leon soaks it all in as best he can, nodding, even when he has so many questions left unanswered. His memory is fuzzy, only remembering a few key points at best. But to think that he’s now sitting in jail, locked away in a cell…
Rose turning himself in makes him feel bitter, knowing he has done so much for Galar, and is now reduced to a prisoner who dreamed too much, too extremely. If only Rose had been more sensible, Leon thinks, not worrying about a future thousands of years from now, he still thinks Chairman Rose would have done a perfectly good job to build up the region to reach higher potentials for their near future instead.
It’s a shame, really. It all clashes inside of him, his gratitude, his obligation, his anger, and his sorrow towards the man. None of it can be put into words, not when it swirls inside his chest, all conflicting together. It leaves behind a confusing pain that pangs at his heart.
He looks down at his hands. The ones that became calloused after countless hours of training and battles, the ones that were used to protect his people, the ones that worked under Rose’s power.
Without him, who’s next? What does the future of Galar look like?
His mind comes up blank.
“All of us gym leaders held down the fort as much as we could.” Raihan runs a hand through his hair, letting his hairband rest around his neck. “It’s not enough reassurance though.”
The people need you . The people need their Champion.
Unspoken, yet Leon knows, clenching his hands tightly in his lap. Raihan knows, too, and claps a hand on his shoulder. “We all have your back, Leon,” he reassures, squeezing gently. “Just focus on healing up and we’ll fix all this shit he caused for us.”
“Right, thanks, Rai.”
He smiles, but to Leon’s surprise, he turns away, a grimace painting his lips as uncertainty fills the air. It’s uncharacteristic of him— and Leon waits nervously, wondering what the gym leader is struggling to spit out. Yet Raihan remains silent, as if he’s still trying to figure out the words that he juggles in his head, but in the end, he shakes his head with an uneasy smile.
Leon sees it, the furrow in his brow and the forced quirk of the lips, but before he can prod him, there’s a knock on the door, and a kind looking man in a white coat enters. Raihan takes it as a sign to leave, promising Leon he’d be back later, and he has no choice but to oblige, letting himself be swept away by all the tests and checkups. Luckily, he only has a minor concussion, along with some scrapes and bruises, but nothing was broken or fractured by the looks of it. The doctor still wants to keep him for the next few days to make sure nothing takes a turn for the worse, especially since he was highly exposed to Eternatus’ venom.
Leon’s not sure how long has passed with the doctor, but once he takes his leave, he only gets a moment of solitude before there’s another knocking at the door. To his relief, he meets Hop’s gaze as he pokes his head through the doorway, his expression morphing from nervousness to excitement in a blink. “Lee!”
Bursting through the door, he’s next to Leon’s bedside in just a few moments, throwing himself over his brother’s frame. “Lee! You’re finally awake!” His warbling voice is muffled as he digs his face into Leon’s shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re ok!”
From behind, he sees his mom quickly follow, joining the hug as her arms surround her two sons. Her hair tickles Leon’s face, and he smiles. “I’m ok, Hop, Mom.”
After his mom double-triple checks to make sure he’s ok, they catch him up on the events that transpired, how Victor and Hop caught Eternatus, how Leon’s mom had evacuated with Professor Magnolia and the other residents of Wedgehurst during the whole disaster, and the aftermath from their eyes.
He takes Victor’s hand in a firm grip. “Thank you. For stepping up and saving Galar.”
The boy nods, and he feels excitement thrum through his veins, knowing one day, in the near future, he’ll battle the boy who quelled Eternatus, the one who saved Galar.
He looks forward to one of the greatest battles he’ll ever have, even if it means stepping down from his mantle.
Leon can’t wait.
Visiting hours are technically over, and Leon manages to convince his family that he’d be fine for the night, sending them back to the Rhodelands before it gets too late so they can continue to rest up. And it’s not long after they take their leave, bidding him a goodnight before he’s left alone in the silence of his hospital room.
He reaches over to the bedside table, where his Poke Balls lay, bundled together with his other belongings, and he reaches for his partner’s, letting him out in the space next to him.
The large Pokemon lets out a quiet gruff as it shakes off the red glow. Immediately, he sets his gaze onto his injured trainer before leaning over the hospital bed to nuzzle his face against Leon’s in an affectionate gesture.
“I’m ok, buddy,” he reassures the flame dragon, and he growls low, a comforting rumble that makes Leon’s shoulders relax even further. Warmth radiates from his body, and Leon closes his eyes as he rests a hand over Charizard’s head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”
Charizard huffs in disagreement, a little bit of smoke coming out of his nostrils that fans over Leon’s face, who laughs and waves it away.
“I know, I know. But…”
His partner steps away, and as Leon watches curiously, as he reaches over to a small desk off to the side of the room, where his trademark cap sits. Grabbing it carefully in his claws, he brings it to Leon, who takes it into his own hands. It’s scuffed up and there’s dust and dirt all over it, but he grins.
“You’re right. Thanks, Charizard.”
With his precious partner by his side, he’s lulled to a dreamless, warm sleep.
The next morning rises as slowly as the previous. But Leon’s awake before Raihan visits again, shortly after lunchtime when Leon had just finished eating with his family.
“Feelin’ alright?” Raihan asks, sitting down on the chair next to his bedside.
“Yeah. Better than yesterday.”
“Good, that’s good,” the taller man nods. “Sonia was here earlier this morning, but you were still asleep when she came by.”
“Oh… that’s unfortunate. I’ll call her later if she’s free.”
“Well… She’s still here,” Raihan admits, and Leon lets out a confused hum.
“Huh? Did she wait for me to wake up?”
Uncertainty mars his face, and Leon suddenly thinks how it is not a good look on him. He’s scared by the lack of confidence Raihan has as he bites his lip, just like yesterday, as he avoids the champion’s gaze. There’s something wrong, and Leon knows for a fact.
“Raihan… What’s going on?”
He hesitates, before taking in a deep breath.
“ I need you to stay calm for what I’m about to say next,” Raihan says slowly. His eyes flicker from the window to Leon.
Something cold washes over the champion, and he sits up, ignoring the shock of pain that courses through his body. Raihan hesitates once more, but then he steels himself, meeting Leon’s gaze.
“They found her.”
Hypnosis-induced Coma, is what they called it.
Sonia stares at your sleeping form. She would have thought you were dead, if not for the heart monitor that beeps steadily by your bedside. You’re so incredibly still, and she barely sees your chest rise and fall under the thin blanket covering your body.
She wonders if you’re dreaming at all, if you’ve dreamt at all for the months you’ve been gone.
Captive, to be specific.
Rose had confessed. Everything . Including keeping you captive underneath Hammerlocke the past six or so months to make sure you wouldn’t meddle with his plan. A Bronzong was always at your side, keeping you in a comatose state. It’s sickening, and she still can’t believe that the Chairman was that cruel to keep you in such a state for so long.
But then again, part of her is glad you weren’t locked up and tortured, left alone in some terrible cell, counting the days before you lose your mind. Perhaps that would’ve been worse, especially with your fire— seeing it extinguished in an instant, it would’ve been more heartbreaking, she thinks.
Sonia’s gaze hovers to your face— pale and sickly, weak. She mutters your name.
You don’t stir.
The aftermath of the Darkest Day had been a complete mess. She had done everything she could to support Professor Magnolia, working together to help the media coverage of Eternatus and Rose’s plans for the Darkest Day. The people of Galar were in disarray, cities damaged and homes gone from the rampaging Dynamaxed Pokemon, and the least she could do was prevent misinformation from spreading as she contributed whatever she could to recovery efforts, starting with her very hometown, Wedgehurst.
But on top of that, Raihan had called— being the first to find out that you were sleeping underneath Hammerlocke this entire time. Not long after the battle, the police had found you locked away in a room near the Energy Reactor, thankfully unscathed unlike a majority of the building. He went with you when you were escorted to the hospital, taking the items that were confined in a safe— your team, and your Rotom phone, and for the first time in her life, she had never heard Raihan sound so defeated.
“She looked dead, Sonia,” he murmurs, voice trembling, and she feels it too, the burn behind her eyes as she bites her lip. He's waiting for the doctors to come out of your room. They still haven’t, and he grows more restless as each minute ticks by. “I don’t even know if she’s still—“
“She is, she has to be,” Sonia cuts him off quickly. “You said they found her hooked up to life support, right? She’s… she has to be ok.”
Her voice trembles. She doesn’t know for certain.
Sonia lets out a shaky sigh, squeezing your hand, hoping it would squeeze hers back. But she hasn’t felt anything in the past few hours she’s sat next to your bedside. The only thing keeping her grounded is the steady beep of your heart monitor, and she clings onto it, waiting for each small sound.
“Which room is she in? Raihan, tell me or else—“
“Calm down, mate! Sit your ass down before I force you!”
There’s ruckus out in the hall, muffled by the door, but Sonia would recognize both voices from anywhere. Her heart soars— realizing Leon is finally awake, and she stands, quickly making her way to the door. Opening it, she’s met with a bickering Raihan and Leon— who’s nearly toppling over the wheelchair he’s in, if not for Raihan pressing his shoulders down.
“Leon, you’re ok!”
“Sonia?” He blinks, before his eyes widen. “Sonia! You’re ok! I-I’m fine, but is—“
Your name tumbles from his lips in a hurry, and she nods before he can finish, glancing at your form. He follows her gaze, and she opens the door wider to let the two come in.
Leon freezes at the sight of you, so sickly and weak in the same white bed he was in.
It… It couldn’t be you. You were so full of life, so full of fire and passion, but this couldn't be you. All those months you were gone, what…
“What happened to her?”
The two are silent, until—
“This entire time she was in Hammerlocke,” Raihan speaks first, glancing at Sonia. “They found her just a few hours after you were admitted. When they were investigating the Energy Plant.”
Leon’s heart plummets. “What do you mean she was… in Hammerlocke, all this time?”
Raihan grimaces, guilt overtaking his features. He knows Raihan had done as much as him to try to find you— until Rose told him he would take over all investigative efforts. While the chairman never explicitly said anything to Raihan, his schedule had gotten increasingly busier afterwards, with more mandatory check-ins and meetings with Oleana, who dumped more responsibilities on him without a second glance. The message was clear, though, and Raihan had to also suck it up and focus on his work.
“She snuck into the Energy Plant,” Sonia explains, recalling the statements from Rose when he was interrogated just yesterday. “Rose, he… he found out. And to stop her from ruining his plans—“
“He kept her a prisoner,” Raihan growls out. Anger flashes in his eyes. “Right underneath the gym, and I had no fucking idea. I…”
For five, nearing six months, you were gone . But this entire time…
“No one blames you, Raihan,” Sonia says softly. It does little to soothe him, as he grits his teeth and clenches his fists. “Rose took control of the entire investigation. Not even the police and their Pokemon could find her.”
To think you were so close, right under everyone’s noses, and yet Rose had covered up the investigation case, forging everything, from documents to reports, lying to Leon’s—to everyone’s face, that he was doing everything he could to find you. Just how much of a threat did he see you for, to force him to lock you away like that?
Leon feels like his world is crumbling. His whole life, his trust in Rose and how he should have trusted you instead.
“So.. will she be alright?” Leon asks weakly, yet he’s scared to hear Sonia’s response. He doesn’t dare take his gaze off you, afraid you’ll disappear from him, right in front of his eyes. But it pains him each moment as his face lingers on your face, cheeks sunken in and hollow, unmoving. If not for the heart monitor at your bedside, he has no doubt that his mind would have jumped to worse conclusions.
“She’s ok. She just… hasn’t woken up yet. We don’t know when she will.”
There’s nothing he can do.
Now, all he can do is take your hand into both of his— he wants to cry when he feels how thin you are, how limp your fingers are when he laces them with his. He squeezes, and waits.
Nothing.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you,” he whispers. “I’m sorry I couldn’t find you.”
His apologies are met with silence, and he lets the tears well up in his eyes and he cries. The grief that fills him overpowers his usual habit of blinking his tears away, something he learned throughout the years with Rose. Away from the public eye, away from his fans and the rest of the world. None of it matters now, as he clutches your hand to his forehead, pleading to whatever god that you would squeeze his hand back and open your eyes soon.
Sonia hugs him, muffling her sobs into his shoulder, and Raihan turns away, pulling his headband down to cover his eyes.
You don’t wake up even as the champion cries for the first time in years.
Leon returns to his room for another check-up, accompanied by his two friends, and soon enough, they also take their leave, having matters to attend to, despite their desire to stick around. Visiting hours are technically over, and as much as he wants to go stay by your side, he’s confined to his room by a gentle, yet stern nurse who brings him dinner.
Time passes by slowly as he thinks of you, how he searched for you, how he looked in all the wrong places, only for you to be underneath the gym all this time. As much as he is angry at Rose, he finds himself more frustrated at himself, for not finding you until things had gone from bad to worse.
In the midst of his turmoil, a series of knocks brings him out of his stupor, and he’s greeted by Raihan, who slips into his room before he quickly closes the door behind him.
“How’d you get in here?” Leon asks, amused by the way Raihan grins.
“The nurses couldn't say no when I asked so politely,” he chuckles. As Leon shakes his head in amusement, he watches the gym leader reach into his jacket, pulling out a plastic bag that crinkles in his hands. “Thought you’d want something other than hospital food.”
It’s takeout from one of the restaurants that he and Raihan have been to, he doesn’t quite remember the name, but their Kantonian cuisine was absolutely delicious. The scent alone has Leon’s appetite coming back around, and he watches expectedly as Raihan unpacks it; two plastic bowls, one for each of them, featuring warm rice, topped with egg and tonkatsu.
They dig in, with Raihan having to remind Leon not to scarf it down (“Take it easy or you’ll choke!”).
“Want to get some air after?” Raihan says, between bites. “It’ll probably be good for you.”
Leon considers this, feeling his eyes that are still puffy, and he feels stopped up from how hard he cried earlier. He nods, and Raihan grins.
They finish their food, and Raihan helps Leon walk around the room a bit before deeming him fit enough to go out without the wheelchair. But he insists on standing close, ready to reach out and support Leon if he were to stumble.
They head out together, greeting the night nurses as they head to the little courtyard. Upon going outside, Leon’s greeted by fresh air, and he soaks in the cool nighttime.
The courtyard is a small area, surrounded by the hospital building with an overlook at one end of it. There’s a stone fountain in the center, surrounded by some benches and tables and plenty of flowers planted along the pathways. A bit away is a small little gazebo, surrounded by even more flowers and neatly trimmed bushes where he sees a handful of Budew and Oddish together. The chirps of the late night Pokemon cry in the distance, and he looks overhead to see a Corviknight Taxi fly by.
Meanwhile, he’s led to one of the benches that face the open grass, and Raihan helps Leon sit before he plops down next to him, leaning his head back to take in a deep breath. “This is nice.”
“Yeah… it is.” Leon leans back, too, and takes in a deep breath, letting his shoulders sag as he exhales. “Doesn’t smell like chemicals.”
“You got that right,” Raihan chuckles.
They spend a few moments in silence together, enjoying the night breeze and the open air. There had been rarely time for either of the two to just sit and relax–even more rare for them to do it together. Part of him feels bad, honestly, for letting his body sag and rest, for letting his mind grow quiet for just a moment. But it’s all he can do before he has to stand up again, while he prepares to get back on his feet, while he gets ready to welcome you home.
Because he knows you’ll wake up soon. He knows you’ll be back on your feet in no time. And this time, he’ll be by your side.
Eventually, Raihan leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he takes in a breath, steeling himself before letting out a final sigh. “It’s not the only reason I brought you out here.”
Leon raises an eyebrow, and Raihan stands up, pulling out of his pocket—
“Is that…”
Six Pokeballs, all minimized, three in each of his hands. He recognizes them immediately— the combination of four Ultra Balls, and two normal Poke Balls— one with a familiar faded friendship bracelet adorning the red shell.
“They were locked up for the entirety of those months,” Raihan tells him. “Sonia and I let them out as soon as we could. Healed them up at the Pokemon Center, and explained to them what happened. Thought you’d want to see them, too.”
Leon stares. He sees you holding those same Poke Balls, he sees you braiding the friendship bracelet for your partner, he sees–
He can’t wait anymore.
“Please, Rai.”
The gym leader nods, tossing up the Poke Balls without a moment of hesitation. And as red bursts from all of them, Leon fills everything bubble up inside his chest. And immediately, Leon finds hugged tightly to a rock hard chest while simultaneously, something hops on top of his lap, paws digging into his chest.
He coughs, but chuckles as soon as he returns the affection, petting Umbreon who whines happily, and patting Tyranitar’s arm. The others follow soon after: Corviknight, Mantine, Hydreigon, and Gallade. They all crowd around him, happy to see the champion. It’s your main team— the one you trained so hard, going through the gym challenge with them by your side.
They’re your family, and they’re Leon’s, too.
He’s terribly relieved to see all of your Pokemon, and he can’t help the guilty feeling that quickly takes over, seeing their faces as they all peer at him with looks of concern.
“I’m sorry,” he chokes out, looking at each member of your team. They all hold no anger like he thinks they should. “I couldn’t find her fast enough. I couldn’t save her, or you guys.”
They all react in a similar manner, and Leon can feel it in the way they nuzzle his hands or preen quietly. It’s ok, it’s not your fault.
“They know,” Raihan says quietly. “They all know that you would’ve saved her, saved them if you knew.”
And suddenly, Leon can’t help the bubbling feeling that wells up inside him again.
He cries, tears trailing down his cheeks as his body is wracked with sobs, surrounded by your Pokemon. He only hopes that you would forgive him, too, for being a failure of a best friend.