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Minho watched the challenger’s movement carefully as a Pidgeot hovered over the battleground. His body and Breloom’s body tensed awaiting the first move from the challenger. If the challenger, Aaron wanted to prove his worth to earn the 8th badge of the TMR Region, he would have to defeat Minho before advancing to the League.
It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last as challengers brought Pokémon who had an advantage over Minho’s Fighting-type Pokémon. And Minho wouldn’t have it any other way, punishing those challengers who thought having a type advantage would make their 8th badge easier to earn.
“C’mon, I didn’t expect you to defeat my Ace Trainers for us to stand still this way,” Minho taunted with a smirk.
Minho’s keen eyes spotted a bead of sweat started to form on Aaron’s hairline. He had to give it to the kid being able to battle through his Ace Trainers, but ultimately the kid had to pass through Minho to get the Knuckle Badge. And Minho was confident in his Pokémon, his partners, to defend their honor.
As if triggered by the taunt, Aaron started the first command, “Pidgeot, Air Slash, let’s go!” With a loud chirp, the Flying-type Pokémon dived towards Breloom, wings started to gather momentum. It might seem silly of Minho to send Breloom against a Flying-type, enabling quadruple damage received from Flying-type moves. But—
“Catch it, Breloom,” the short arms started to extend as Breloom caught Pidgeot with ease, Breloom’s legs skidded slightly backwards from the momentum. Aaron’s eyes widened as Pidgeot chirped loudly in the grasp of the Fighting-Grass-type Pokémon. “Seismic Toss,” Minho commanded.
Breloom jumped high upwards with the bird in her arms, her spongy legs giving extra boosts, before falling with Pidgeot facing downwards the ground. Both of the Pokémon crashed onto the ground, but Breloom was safe landed on Pidgeot who took the hard hit. “Pidgeot, get up!” Aaron shouted as Breloom dashed back in front of Minho.
Pidgeot chirped as she shook herself off, flopping her wings as she ascended back up to the sky. “That’s my girl!” Aaron praised, before his gaze hardening, “attack from range, Whirlwind, go!”
Pidgeot flapped her wings, the air of the in-door stadium started to build up a swirling motion, “Stop her, Sky Uppercut!” Minho shouted.
Breloom gave out a battle cry as she jumped towards the Flying-type Pokémon, knuckle aiming at the opponent. “Dodge it!” Aaron shouted. Wind settled back down as Pidgeot had to give up on summoning the attack move by flying away from attack range, barely dodging the attack. Aaron gritted his teeth when he realized his plan wasn’t working, “Wing Attack now!”
Smart. Minho thought, attacking while Breloom was still in mid-air. Pidgeot’s wing slashed Breloom as she descended from the sky. But it won’t deal as much as damage when Pidgeot didn’t have enough momentum to gather the speed for a heavy hit. Breloom gave out a cry when the hit came, but she quickly recovered herself to enable a safe landing.
“How about that!” Aaron boasted, a cocky grin wore on his face. Oh how that kid reminded Minho of himself. But—
Sparks electrified Pidgeot as she chirped loudly, “What the?” Aaron looked confused at why his Pokémon was paralyzed.
Minho smirked, “Effect Spore, Breloom’s Ability,” Minho oh-so-kindly explained, before commanding the next attack, “Sky Uppercut, again!”
“Dodge it!” Aaron screamed in panic, but the paralysis status slowed Pidgeot down, enabling the game-ending hit to land on the Flying-type.
“No!” Aaron shouted as Pidgeot chirped loudly before falling from the sky, fainted.
Many speculations revolved around Minho being a Gym Leader here at Glade City. Rumors ran around. Some said he managed to beat the Elite Four of the region and reject the Champion title. Some said he did not. Some said the previous Gym Leader of the Glade City was Minho’s father and the Gym was inherited by Minho. But there was no exact fact.
But why did Minho stayed as a Gym Leader of the Glade City when he had so much more potential? More discussions erupted. Some said he was lazy and rather stayed stationary. Some said he was following his father’s footstep, despite not confirming that the previous Gym Leader was Minho’s father. And some said, he had a lover here, in Glade City.
Ding dong! The familiar PokéCenter doorbell rang as the glass door slid open. Minho stepped in the building, cool air wash over him, a big contrast to the heat outside. The battle against the challenger was easily won, apparently that kid brought even more Flying-type and Psychic-type Pokémon just for Minho’s gym. But likewise, Minho was extremely prepared for the type disadvantage of his Pokémon, letting Machamp learn Sucker Punch and Primeape learn Ice Punch comes pretty handy at times. Not to mention the surprise element.
It also humors Minho a lot to see the focus of the opponent’s Psychic-type Pokémon get Sucker Punched out, or the wings of their Flying-type Pokémon froze from the Ice Punches. After seven Gyms yet some of the challengers still maintained their naivety. Minho shook his head with a sigh.
Walking through the familiar hallway of the PokéCenter, he searched for that one single person. “Ah ha!” Minho muttered when he saw someone bending over tending a Squirtle, the familiar backside—okay, fine, the familiar ass—was what Minho recognized. Without further ado, he walked towards that ass person.
He could hear the soft murmurs of that person as he carefully tended the wounded Water-type Pokémon. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m gonna take good care of you.” Minho leaned on the wall as he watched a head of brown hair bobbed around alternating from taking the tools and ointments and tending the Squirtle. “Togepree!” a Togepi stood on the bedside table, cheering on to her trainer as well as the patient.
“There…” the softness of his voice somewhat comforted Minho as Minho witnessed the brunette in his own elements, “It doesn’t hurt, right?” The Squirtle shook his head no as a small smile started to form on the tear-stained face.
“Squirtle!” the Pokémon chirped happily, as if thanking for the treatment.
“You’re welcome, I’ll be back to check on you alright?”
“Squirtle!” he nodded his head, jolting the shell he was in.
“Good boy,” and Minho could imagine that familiar smile in his mind already, “c’mon Togepi.” Togepi obediently and with practice hoped onto the brunette’s shoulder as the brunette kept his stuff.
The angelic face started to enter Minho’s vision as the brunette turned towards the exit, also where Minho stood. As predicted, the smile was visible until it turned to a shocked one. “Minho! How long have you been there?!” his body jolted in mild shock, the tools on the tray in his hands shook in a clanging noise, and also almost making the Fairy-type Pokémon fall. “Togepree!” she protested.
“Sorry, Togepi,” he turned slightly towards the shoulder the Pokémon was on as he apologized.
“Not long,” Minho shrugged.
“Don’t you have a Gym Battle to attend?” the brunette asked as he passed Minho to enter the hallway.
“Already ended,” Minho grinned as he threw one hand over the brunette’s shoulder, making Togepi shrieked in protest once more as she jumped onto her trainer’s head, “easy-peasy.”
“Maybe you should stop lowering your standard from your Champion level,” came the reply with a snort, “you do know you are running a Gym, right?”
“Oh, come on, Thomas,” Minho dragged his tone as they both walked down the hallway, “I’m just giving a first taste of what it’s like to face Alby and his gang,” he pouted with extra effect. Alby was the final member of the Elite Four.
Thomas snorted once more, because he knew Minho just like to whipped amateur trainers’ asses for fun. “Okay, who’s hurt this time?” Thomas chose to ignore Minho’s previous statement.
Minho grinned when he knew he won the argument, fully pretending that it wasn’t Thomas ignoring him. “Just Breloom, caught a bad Wing Attack is all,” on cue Minho threw the Pokéball containing the aforementioned Pokémon. A dim light shone as Breloom materialized from the white and red ball. “Togepree!” Togepi shouted as she playfully jumped onto the shroomhead of Breloom. “Togepi, don’t!”
But it was too late, Togepi instantly fell asleep on Breloom’s head. Thomas sighed as Minho laughed out loud, catching a few glances from fellow patients and nurses. “Owh!” Minho protested as Thomas jabbed Minho’s side with an annoyed grimace. Thomas took a Pokéball from his belt tossing it to the sky to summon his Pokémon, all while Breloom carefully placed the sleeping Togepi to a conveniently placed table next to them. A large moo echoed as the dim light vanished into a Miltank.
“Miltank, use Heal Beal,” Thomas commanded before nodding towards the sleeping Fairy-type Pokémon. With an answering moo, she waddled towards the table, placing both her front hoofs on Togepi. Thomas went to tend Breloom as Miltank started to shake her tail, jingling the bell attached to her. And Minho, may or may not be admiring Thomas’s ass again.
A blue glow emitted from Miltank’s tail and Togepi’s body. Thomas wore gloves as he sprayed potions on Breloom’s injuries, fully ignoring the heated gaze on his rear. Just as Thomas finished bandaging up Breloom, Togepi woke up from the effect of Heal Bell. “Togepree!” Togepi chirped as she has awoken. And to celebrate that, she jumped once more onto Breloom.
“Togepi!” Thomas shouted at the once-again asleep Togepi.
They watched over the sunset, Minho leaned on the barrier while Thomas just rested his hands on it. It was a beautiful sight, orange color illuminated the sky with a few clouds dotting here and there. The sea reflecting the exact image only wavered by the occasional wave. A Pelipper flew over them with a loud chirp, a Gyrados jumped out of the water and diving into it again in a loud splash, as if insinuating that it hadn’t forgotten it’s pre-evolved self that only knew the move Splash.
“Thanks for healing Breloom,” Minho said.
“You’re welcome,” Thomas answered back.
It was a daily occurrence for them. Minho battled as the Gym Leader, then Thomas healing up Minho’s Pokémon, then repeat it again tomorrow. “Hey, Thomas…”
“Hmm?” Thomas hummed, but he kept his sight on the sunset.
“Have you ever thought of travelling?”
“Minho, we travelled together, remember?” Thomas looked over Minho, confused, brows knitting. Of course Minho remembered. He remembered them growing up together at the Box Village. Remembered playing Pokémon cards together. Remembered getting their first Pokémon from Professor Paige together. Remembered their first double battle together. Remembered Thomas always been there with him as he battled Gym after Gym. Remembered Thomas cheering loudly as Minho took on the Elite Four. Remembered him rejected the well-deserved Champion title because he wanted to settle down at Glade City where Thomas worked as a PokéCenter nurse.
Minho shook his head, not to disagree but to further elaborate, “I mean outside TMR Region, there’s Kanto Region, Unova Region and a lot more.” Thomas bit his lip, he knew what Minho was talking about, Minho always liked to go on adventures. “And there’s this legend saying the strongest Pokémon trainer in the world is living on the peak of Mt. Silver of Johto Region, I think his name is Red or something.”
“What are you saying, Minho?” is Minho saying goodbye to him? That he was going to tell Thomas that he was leaving?
“I want you to come with me,” Minho stared right into Thomas’s eyes, no trace of the usual mirth and playfulness, all Thomas saw was pure honesty, and a hint of pleading, like Minho needed Thomas to come with him, “I want you to travel with me to other regions, just like old times.”
Thomas was stunned by the request. Yes, Thomas had thought about this before, it wasn’t very Minho of Minho to just settle down like this. But to travel around the globe, this was a whole new level…
“Okay…” Thomas said it before he knew it. But part of him knew, he needed Minho as much as Minho needed him. They were inseparable, there was no Minho without Thomas. There was no Thomas without Minho. Their close friends, all the Gym Leaders and Elite Four, knew only MinhoandThomas, instead of Minho and Thomas. So… “Okay…” he repeated.
“Okay?” Minho perked up, his eyes widened, in disbelief? In excitement? As if needed another confirmation?
So Thomas confirmed again, “Okay.” Before Thomas could interpret what was happening, he was pulled into a tight bear hug. Thomas’s lungs almost crumbled in those huge muscles as he swatted at the overexcited Minho’s muscular arms.
Minho pulled away, and Thomas could see those eyes smiled into two crescents, and a genuine and happy smile on Minho’s face. And somehow it made Thomas wanted to smile too, so he did, pearly white teeth shining the dim dusk light.
“Thank you…” Minho muttered.
“You’re welcome,” Thomas answered.
Two shadows could be seen on the streets, with their hands linked together to form one shadow.