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Once upon a time there was a hero
Once upon a time there was a friend.
A young woman looks upon a statue, made of bronze and metal, made to last forever.
This isn’t like him. She thinks. He wanted to be in the here and now, helping where he could, not stand by and just watch…
The wind swaying her ginger hair, singing songs of old times, of memories, of adventures only children could have. She looks up at the man, made of bronze and metal. His shoulders brought, strong enough to carry the weight the world put on him. His gaze, looking straight ahead, over the people into a far, far future.
‘He was here, guiding us to a bright new day.’ The text at his feet reads.
The woman just turns away. ”guiding us?” she asks weakly “he couldn’t even find his own way..” she says, voice breaking.
Some people around her turn to look, others don’t, as she walks away, her face masked in grieve and sadness. For the next days or even weeks she will lock herself away behind a wall of books and work, just to not drown in the memories of the friend she has lost.
Once upon a time there was a boy.
He was a little pawn in his plan way, way back in the days. Nothing but a young child, forced to grow up too fast.
‘I made him that way.’ The man thinks.
Now, caged like an animal for the rest of his days, he finally can see all the wrong he has done to that little soul. He took the young boy and bend and formed him into the person he needed for his plan, into the person Galar would need. He took away his childhood, his friends and family and left him with the burden of a brighter day.
‘sometimes… it just needs some pushing for the pawn to reach the end and become the queen he needs to be.’ He thinks, twirling his hair.
He gave him the crown, others were aiming for. He gave him the cape others saw when he was shielding them from danger. He gave him the tools to be as grand as he was, once he wasn’t a pawn no more. Once he finally became the queen Rose needed to win this game.
“I gave him everything” he says to himself “it’s only right he would lose it all by the hands of me as well.” He tries to convince himself.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose… but the price should have never been paid with the life he played with.
Once upon a time there was a lover.
Back in his castle, back in his vault he locks them away. All his memories of long, purple hair, swaying with every step he takes. Of eyes like gold, shining brighter than the sun when they looked at him. Of touches so soft, so light he could only ever share them with him…
He is the dragon of this castle and all those memories are his treasure.
No one will ever take them from him, no one will ever replace them, no one will ever know about them. They are his treasure and he would die fighting for them like he would have died fighting for the man his heart belongs to for years and years now.
But the world didn’t let him.
His grieve is unmeasurable. After his lose he lets go of the world to sink into his memories where he was still alive and with him. Where they were happy together.
He would remember every match they had, every lose he took willingly because nothing could compare to the thrill of their fights. He would remember every hour they spend in the wilderness. Just the two of them and their pokemon. He would remember every long night they shared and the lazy mornings afterwards. All the moments of passion and tenderness and vulnerability that pulled them stronger and stronger together.
He would remember every single moment with him, his friend, his lover, his rival.
In the future they would tell stories of the sad cries and raging screams of a heartbroken dragon, mourning the love that was never meant to be.
Once upon a time there was a brother.
He was always there, the young boy could always see him. On TV, online, on advertisements far and wide, even in every single picture in their home. He could always see him.
But he could never reach him.
Whenever he thought he would finally get closer to his brother, his idol, he lost his footing and fell 3 steps behind again. It was torture, like his own, special kind of hell. All he wanted was his love and guidance, for him to be recognized and worth enough to finally stand side by side with the one brother he had.
But it was never enough.
As he finally, finally, got the chance to prove himself, to show the world he was someone, not only a sad little shadow of this larger than life hero, well… he failed.
He failed and fell into a seemingly bottomless pit of misery and self-loathing. Anger got a hold of him, blossoming to rage and frustration.
‘why couldn’t I be better.’
‘why am I not like him.’
‘why do I have to bring nothing but shame upon him.’
Before he knew it the darkness managed to surround his heart. Made him feel lost and cold. Lonely... but even in the darkest nights he couldn’t bring himself to hate his brother, no… the hate was only for himself.
It nearly caged him, took his senses and happiness away, completely blinded him. In the end he was tangled so much in his own darkness he couldn’t even see the darkness surrounding the world. He couldn’t see it coming as the pokeball exploded and released this terrible, terrible monster, even freezing up upon the sign of this great beast, all hungry and bloodthirsty. He couldn’t see it coming as his brother threw himself before him, shielding him with his own life. Was it even worth it? To pay such a price for a nobody like himself..? why… why did his brother chose him over his own life?
At the time he couldn’t understand it, couldn’t grasp the love and adoration is older brother always held for him.
In the end, he was the last person who his brother spoke to eventho his voice was growing weak, smiled at eventho the pain he felled must have been immeasurable and looked at even as the light was leaving his eyes.
“thank god… you are safe…my little hopscotch” Leon said, with all the love in the world.
3 days later he would leave said world, only lying cold in an hospital bed, surrounded by his friends and family.
It would take Hop months to fully grasp what happened on the ‘The Darkest Day’ and even longer to come to terms with it but… after a long, long road of self-acceptance and learning to love himself for who he is… he would find and go his own way, while always carrying the torch his brother left behind for him. He would become his own person, not just someone’s shadow, and he himself would encourage others just like his brother once did.
Once upon a time there was a hero.
The people, far and wide, loved him, treasured him and promised to follow him wherever he would lead them. Sadly his life was cut short as a ferocious beast reared its ugly head. To protect the people and the land he sacrificed himself and took that awful beast with him.
Eventho the land was now safe, no one could celebrate, as they all mourned the fallen hero. They promised to keep him in their hearts forever as what he was: a friend, a boy, a lover, a brother, a hero.