Summary: Every week, she would brave Mt. Silver to challenge him, and every week, she would lose. But Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined. Pokemon Trainer Lyra never gave up. Not until she got what she wanted: Victory. RedxLyra/Kotone (Soulfulheartshipping). Gameverse. Oneshot
A/N: I thought about having Gold/Ethan in Kotone/Lyra's place, but I think soulfulheartshipping needs some love. There's plenty more Gold/Red out there than Lyra/Red, so here's to all the soulfulheartshippers out there! Also perhaps a bit of homage to the fact that I still have yet to defeat Red in Heartgold/Soulsilver (His Pokemon are ridiculously high level, mine were only level 50ish after defeating Blue, and I really don't want to grind-level that much. Oh well, I can say I beat him in the original gold/silver at least). Anyways, Enjoy.
FYI the English name versions are being used here (Lyra, Ethan, and Blue instead of Kotone, Hibiki, and Green), but you probably could have already guessed that.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon obviously, nor do I own the cover photo to this story.
Victorious
..
To say that Pokemon Trainer Lyra was talented was an understatement.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra had successfully collected all eight badges of Johto in record time.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra alone prevented the ungraceful attempt at a comeback of Team Rocket.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra had been one of the first to defeat, capture, and eventually befriend a legendary Pokemon.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra had gleefully trounced the Elite Four and defeated the League Champion, Lance with little effort.
And when Pokemon Trainer Lyra journeyed to Kanto, she defeated and collected all eight gym badges with ease, including that of the Viridian City Gym Leader and former League Champion, Blue.
No, Pokemon Trainer Lyra wasn't just talented, she was a master.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra had never lost a battle. She never lost to her rival, never lost to a Gym Leader, and definitely never lost to the League Champion. At least, she never lost until him.
Lyra had heard stories of the "true" Pokemon League Champion that abandoned his position long ago in favor of training on the secluded Mt. Silver… Pokemon Trainer Red.
And Pokemon Trainer Red wasn't just a master, he was a legend.
He was the true champion of the Pokemon League, he was the trainer that Lyra had to beat in order to truly be named "Champion" herself. And Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined. She would be victorious over this boy, just as she had any other. She would claim his title and take his place as the best Pokemon trainer alive.
So she set off on another journey. She braved the dark caverns, the treacherous slopes, and the unforgiving weather of Mt. Silver in search of this one called Red. It wasn't until she reached the top of the precarious mountain did she find him.
Lyra had always wondered why any sane person would choose to name their child "Red", but it quickly became clear once she laid eyes on him. He was tall, quite a bit taller than her with jet black hair that clashed rather nicely with a pair of intense, red eyes. To say that he was unique in appearance was an understatement; Lyra had never seen anyone that looked quite like him. But at the same time, Red was, dare she say, quite handsome. But that didn't matter here, he was just a person and Pokemon Trainer Lyra would defeat him just like any other.
To say that Red was quiet was also an understatement. One could guess that a person who chose to remain secluded from their family and friends, telling few where they were, would be silent in nature. But Red, he was a special kind of quiet. No words we spoken when they first met. He remained quiet when Lyra greeted him with a friendly "hello", didn't utter a word when she challenged him to a battle… he just simply… stared, but the intensity of his gaze was worth a thousand words. Behind those red orbs, Lyra could see a hint of excitement, and perhaps some curiosity as he sent out his first Pokemon in the onset of the battle.
And then, he trounced her. Using only his Pikachu no less; and Pikachu didn't seem exhausted in the slightest after fainting her last Pokemon. Lyra couldn't imagine a more embarrassing first loss. Did Red truly surpass her so much that he could beat her without even breaking a sweat? Is this what she spent the last couple years training for? For this humiliating loss?
Lyra wondered if she had disappointed Red, if he had felt as though this battle was a waste of time for someone of his skill level. But when she looked back up into those intense red eyes of his, she didn't see disappointment - perhaps a bit of amusement, but mostly curiosity. It was then that he spoke to her for the first time.
"Train harder, then come back and challenge me again." He had said.
And Lyra did just that, because Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra never gave up.
And that is what led them to begin this dance. Every week, Lyra would brave the precarious slopes of Mt. Silver to challenge Red, and every week, she would lose. Again.
It was… disheartening to say the least for Lyra to go her whole Pokemon training career without a single loss, only to be continuously defeated by the same trainer over and over.
But Pokemon Trainer Lyra never gave up.
Even if she did lose every week, she also improved every week. Every week her Pokemon would perform a bit better, and every week she would manage to defeat more and more of Red's Pokemon before hers were wiped out. She hadn't beaten him yet, but her training was paying off and she got closer every attempt.
And Lyra would beat him, eventually, even if it took a hundred attempts. Because Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined.
She had wondered if Red was beginning to grow tired of her continuous insistence on challenging him. Someone who seemed so intent on being alone must eventually grow weary of the constant presence of another, a stranger no less. But for some reason, he never did. At least not that she could tell.
He was still quiet, and they spoke little every time they battled. It was like an unspoken dance between the two of them, no words needed to be exchanged between them for Red to know why she had come. But even though his silent nature persisted, he appeared more comfortable in her presence every week. He still held that glint of excitement, that glint of confidence in his eyes every time they battled, but his usual intense, stoic expression had gradually softened into one that held a bit of, dare she say, amicable fondness.
Whether that perceived fondness was directed towards her or her Pokemon Lyra did not know. A small part of Lyra wished dearly that it was meant for her, as despite her intense desire to beat this trainer, she herself had grown exceptionally fond of him over the course of their battles. Lyra would have never imagined that she would have come to idolize someone as much as she idolized Red. The way he commanded and worked with his Pokemon was truly seamless; he was certainly not undeserving of his title.
But regardless of what she thought of him, or what he thought of her, she still had yet to see him smile, or even speak more than a sentence at a time for that matter.
Once again, Lyra found herself traversing the slopes of Mt. Silver. Although after doing it so many times, it hardly felt as precarious as it used to. This will be the sixth time that Lyra challenged Red. Six weeks now, Lyra had trained both herself and her Pokemon for this encounter. And this time, Pokemon Trainer Lyra was confident. She would beat him.
And yet, once again, Lyra's confidence was crushed under the unforgiving heel of Red's shoe.
However, the defeat was not nearly as devastating this time. This time, she managed to get Red down to one Pokemon, with the battle ending in a one on one between her Typhlosion and Red's Charizard. But in the end, Red's Charizard got the best of her already weakened Typhlosion, winning him the battle.
Lyra heaved out a sigh of disappointment, staring solemnly for a second at her fainted Typhlosion before recalling him to his Poke'Ball. She dared a glance up at Red, who had already recalled his Charizard. He took a moment to readjust his hat before his gaze met hers. He was quiet as usual, holding that same flat expression that he normally did, although his intense red eyes flashed with an emotion Lyra couldn't quite place. This was perhaps a bit unusual, as Lyra had gotten pretty good at reading him over the past several times they had battled. Considering he rarely spoke, that was the only way she could tell what he was thinking. She felt a small shiver cascade up her spine under his gaze.
"I, uh…" She sputtered out, suddenly finding herself at a loss of words. "Thank you for battling with me again, I'll train harder for next time."
Red simply nodded at her, his expression softening considerably, the corner of his mouth twitching into what wasn't quite a smile, but it was probably the closest she was going to get from someone like him. The soft expression should make Lyra feel more relaxed around him, after all, it was far less intimidating than that usual intense stare of his. But rather, it made the usually composed Lyra want to squirm, her heart thudding so loudly in her chest that she was almost concerned that he could hear it.
Considering there was no further reason to remain, and Lyra herself was growing increasingly uncomfortable, she turned on her heel and speed walked away from him. It wasn't until she reached the mouth of the cave to begin her trek down to the bottom of the mountain did she recognize the sound of audible footsteps behind her. She jumped and turned, only to come face to face with the same red-eyed trainer that had just wiped the floor with her.
"Why….?" Lyra didn't know quite how to word her question. Straight out asking why he was following her seemed almost too direct when phrased towards someone that could be considered your superior.
"My Pokemon are injured too, and I'm running low on medicine. I need to go heal them." He replied simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh." Lyra replied, feeling her face flush in embarrassment. She hoped that Red would think it was just because of the cold.
It would make sense; Lyra had nearly beaten him this time around. His only un-fainted Pokemon was his Charizard, and even it was weakened quite a bit.
Lyra wasn't certain if she was happy or not to have company for her trek back down the mountain. On one hand, it was Red, her now-idol and the person she had grown to respect deeply over the past month and a half. On the other hand, it was Red, the person who was often so quiet and intense that simply being in his presence made her nervous; even if she did respect, and perhaps even have a small degree of infatuation for him. Maybe that's part of why he made her nervous.
After what seemed like an eternity of silence with Red walking quietly next to her, he finally spoke. "You and your Pokemon did well today."
Lyra slowed her pace, subtly noting that Red slowed as well to match hers, staring at him incredulously as he carefully watched her out of the corner of his eye. This was the first time he paid her a compliment. Even if his disposition towards her had softened considerably over the course of the time they have known each other, he had never complimented her before. After each loss, he would simply tell her to "train harder" and send her on her way.
Once again, Lyra felt the familiar heat of a flush creep across her face, and once again praying dearly that Red would not notice. "I… thank you. Although truthfully, I feel like we could have done better."
"Everyone can always do better." He replied. "But for what it's worth, you battled great today. Only one other person has ever come that close to defeating me."
This had to have been the most Lyra had ever heard Red speak. At one point, she wasn't certain he was capable of holding a conversation. Apparently she was wrong.
"You're the first person to ever defeat me." Lyra replied truthfully. That fact stung still, even if Red was considered the best Pokemon Trainer alive, losing for the first time was painful.
"That doesn't surprise me that you've never lost before; the bond you share with your Pokemon is obviously quite strong." He said in a matter of fact tone.
Lyra didn't understand why a normally silent, stoic person like Red was going out of his way to compliment her. Especially when he had beaten her so many times. She didn't understand why he had been so patient with her, allowing her to challenge him week after week as he has been. Yet, he paid her these compliments as if they were the most truthful thing in the world. There was no vain attempt at flattery, no sarcasm, they were just stated as if they were completely and one hundred percent factual.
Lyra didn't know what to think. Even if she remained determined herself, and was fully aware that she was in fact a good Pokemon Trainer, she was surprised that Red thought that way too. She was quite certain that he was the only one who didn't think that way. As unwavering as she was in her resolve to beat him, her confidence had taken a sizeable blow ever since she began this quest.
"I don't understand why you have been putting up with me." Lyra managed in a strained tone, prompting him to glance over at her, intense red eyes fixed on her own. "You say that, but you've beaten me so many times now that it's also tempting to give up."
"I hope you don't." He replied, his gaze unwavering. "If you did, I would be disappointed."
"Yes, but you're Red! Pokemon master, Pokemon legend! The undefeated Pokemon League Champion!" Lyra sputtered out, growing frustration illustrated by the frantic flapping of her hands. "Everyone looks up to you. You're talented, brave, composed, handsome..! Why would you waste time on someone you can so easily defeat?"
The moment Lyra finished her sentence she clasped her hand to her mouth in shock. Did she really just blurt out that she thought she was handsome? Lyra felt her face flush deeply at her slip up, there was no way he wouldn't notice it now.
Red quirked a single eyebrow in response, his eyes flashing with a hint of amusement and perhaps even the smallest tinge of a blush forming on his cheeks - although it could have just been due to the weather. "…Handsome, huh?"
Lyra felt as though she wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Why did she say that? If he thought anything of her before, she was certain that it was gone now. "Yes, yes, okay you heard me. Handsome." She resigned; there was no taking it back now. "I don't mean anything by it; it's just an… observation, that's all."
"I see… I'll keep that in mind." He replied simply, returning his gaze to the front of the cave.
Lyra felt somewhat relieved to have the weight of his gaze lifted off of her. Although she did mean that comment in the sense that she thought it to be true, she certainly never intended for him to hear it. Indeed, she would be lying if she said she didn't develop some degree of an infatuation for him over the time she had known him. After all, who wouldn't have fantasies concerning their idol, especially if they happened to be an attractive person that was roughly your age? But Lyra realized that such things were just that, fantasies. Things that would never come to pass, and things that she certainly didn't wish for her idol to be aware of. With any luck, he will forget that she said that, and they will battle next week as if nothing of sorts was said.
To the relief of Lyra, nothing more was said between the two as they continued their hike down the mountain, although a small part of her could sense Red watching her out of the corner of his eyes the entire time. She couldn't wait to get out of this mountain, to escape the intense heat of his gaze.
After what seemed like an eternity, they made it to the mouth of the cave. Lyra risked a glance at Red, trying to find something to say before they parted ways. What could she say after she had already said way too much?
"I look forward to battling you again next week." Red finally spoke, his tone was flat as per usual, but again that same emotion that she couldn't quite read danced behind his red orbs. "Train hard. When you beat me, I might just have a present for you."
And with no more words exchanged between them, he turned and left, leaving behind a dumbfounded Lyra.
Lyra found herself frozen in place, her heart thudding so loudly in her chest that she thought for a moment that it might pop out. That entire sentence of his was an enigma. And not just the notion of a "present", which she had no idea what he meant by, but the use of the word "when". When you beat me.
And that phrase alone rejuvenated her confidence, her determination. Even Red, the undefeated Pokemon legend himself, believed that she could be the one to beat him for the very first time. And she would, she would do what he said and train harder, and she would defeat him.
Because Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra never gave up.
When the next week rolled around, Lyra did just what she had planned to do. She made the steep hike up Mt. Silver in search of the very person that she planned to beat today. And this time, she was absolutely certain of it.
She arrived at the mountaintop, quickly spotting the familiar, red-clad figure silently staring out over the edge; his loyal Pikachu perched gracefully on his shoulder. As if he had sensed her arrival, the moment Lyra entered his general vicinity, he turned to face her, red eyes boring into her with a newfound intensity that challenged her newly refreshed confidence.
But Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined.
Today was the day that she defeats Red.
No words were exchanged between them, none were needed. It was the same, silent battle dance they always did. Red simply readjusted his hat, nodding affirmatively to acknowledge her mute challenge before sending his Pikachu out onto the battlefield.
And Lyra smiled, confidence surging through her like never before. Because this time, Lyra knew just what to do.
The battle felt as though it lasted forever. Once again, they were both brought down to their last Pokemon, Red's Charizard against Lyra's Typhlosion. As the two Pokemon battled it out, Red's posturing remained composed as he calmly issued commands to his Charizard, but his eyes burned like fire with an intense excitement that Lyra had never seen before.
And then, it was over. Typhlosion struck a blow against Charizard that sent the dragon-esque Pokemon out of the sky and to the ground, fainting it.
For a moment, Lyra stood there, dumbfounded, the thudding sound of her heartbeat almost deafening. She could hardly believe it, was this real? Had she really defeated the formerly undefeated Pokemon Champion Red?
It seemed too good to be real, and yet, it was.
Lyra stole a glance at Red, who was in the process of returning his fainted Charizard to its Poke'ball. Even if he did say that he expected her to defeat him at some point, Lyra did find herself wondering how he would react to it actually happening. She knew all too well that losing for the first time was not easy, regardless of circumstances.
He simply stood there, silently, his eyes downcast as if registering what had just happened. It was then that his mouth twitched into a smile. A real, genuine smile and the first one Lyra had ever seen from him.
He met her gaze, red eyes twinkling with what appeared to be a hint of pride. But what was he proud of? Her? Was he actually happy that he was defeated?
Lyra felt her heart rate increase as Red began to close the sizable gap between the two of them, striding towards her slowly, but with a confidence that seemed quite uncanny for someone who had just lost their first Pokemon battle.
Lyra was tempted to take a step back as he drew nearer and nearer, but she stood her ground. And he was so close, so very, very close. So close that she could feel the subtle warmth of his breath cascade over her face.
He stared down at her, red eyes burning into her like fire as if daring her to back away, but she didn't. Slowly, he brought his hand up to lightly grasp her chin, the other moving around to rest on the back of her neck. The air around them was harsh and cold, the wind howling loudly, but all of that seemed to disappear in this moment. Lyra felt a flush creep onto her face that could definitely not be blamed on cold weather.
"What… what are you doing?" She squeaked, certainly not intending for it to come out like that.
"Giving you that present I promised." He murmured before slowly leaning down and brushing his lips against hers.
Lyra felt the world freeze around her. The kiss was light and chaste, but at the same time, it felt so very intense. And even though it only lasted for a moment, it felt like an eternity. This wasn't her first time kissing someone of the opposite sex; back when they were very young, Ethan had kissed her for fun. But this... this felt so much more real than that.
He pulled back from her, but the hand on the back of her neck remained there. And once again, he smiled; a mild, yet obvious flush forming on his face as he cocked his head slightly, those piercing red eyes gazing into her own with that same emotion that Lyra previously couldn't place, but now, she thought she knew what it was. She felt her mouth twitch into a smile.
"Good battle." He said simply. "I expect a rematch sometime."
Lyra giggled. It was silly and girlish, but she couldn't contain herself. She then boldly wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him into a light embrace. She heard Red chuckle lightly at this, his hand that was still resting on the back her neck tightening slightly and his other wrapping around her back. She grinned like a madwoman into his jacket.
Pokemon Trainer Lyra was determined, and her determination had paid off.
And perhaps she was victorious in more ways than one.
.
Fin