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Leon was unbeatable.
Years of being the champion, defending his region and his reign, it’d have gone straight to Leon’s head. He was absolutely amused by the yearly challenges because he’d never sweat a single challenger.
They’d all gotten picked off one by one after the third gym, and any who made it past Raihan and beyond semifinals were never a challenge for him.
Leon was never intimidated, at least, not until this year.
This was the year Hop was entering, but it wasn’t Hop who scared him, no, it was his best friend.
Victor from next door.
Leon had spent the last few days watching Victor plow through every gym leader without breaking a sweat, badge here and badge there, he quickly became the fan favourite to win the Champion spot.
Somehow, Hop and another challenger named Marnie (Piers’ little sister) were eagerly skipping along behind victor, but still as terrifyingly strong. Still, Leon had never once seen Hop lose to Victor, not their first battle where Hop had a 2 to 1 advantage to him and lost, and not even when Hop challenged his rival between every gym badge. Even Hop had gotten beat by that Bede boy and lost his first attempt at one gym, Marnie had almost lost to Kabu the first time.
But Victor was a different breed.
Leon didn’t know if it was type matchups or solid strategy and breeding, but this kid was flattening everything before him.
Leon wasn’t scared. He couldn’t be. This was just some... kid. The same age as his brother— Leon was 18 when he took the spot of champion and there was no w a y this kid was going to dethrone him, right?
He shouldn’t have ever sponsored the kid. Shouldn’t have sponsored Hop— should’ve said ‘sorry, kiddos! Can’t show favourites when you’re the champion!’ And maybe just helped Hop find an endorsement.
He loves and trusts his little brother, even sorta wants him to be champion after him— or with him, whatever works.
But he’s got a match with Victor in 5 minutes, and both Victor and Leon know that no matter how enthusiastic Hop is, Victor’s going to wipe the floor with him and then dethrone Leon in the same day.
No sweat.