Leon quietly opened the door to Rose Tower's rooftop, staring out into the setting sky.
It wouldn't be very long for the stars to align. The dark, mist covered sky was waiting for him to do what he had to before it could appear. The world had felt like it had frozen, a cold rush running through Leon's blood as he walked towards the edge of the roof. Everything he did was so tiring, and in the end- whatever he tried to do to solve his issues- it all came to this. He had to take them down with himself. He stared out at the peaceful Galar region, the sunset tainting the city with an orange hue. Carefully, quietly, and so tenderly so- he put one leg over the bars. His eyes stared down at the drop, his mind almost shutting down- an accepting call to what he was doing. Throwing his other leg over the railing, he quietly leaned against the metal. Even within death, his region was so beautiful. He felt like the only ugly thing that was dragging him down was the necklace that kept on coming back to him. The cursed necklace that he called the Reload Necklace. It would take him to the beginning of the day if someone died- so that he had a chance to save them. Why was this item such a curse? It corrupted his life one time- and a time he would never forgive again.
He couldn't look at anything that reminded him of that long ago evening- barely even himself sometimes, when the darkest day had come back and nearly killed Hop.
Hop, his little brother, was nearly killed because of him. Even if he didn't think so- he was the cause of it, and he could never forgive himself. As he stared down, deep into the beauty of the sun's scenery- he heard the door slam open behind him. Just by those footsteps, he could hear who it was. Raihan- his rival, yet whom he admired all this time. If only he didn't hate him, could he actually let loose what he felt. "LEON!" He heard that familiar snapping voice, that voice that always came back to him. He turned around, his amber gaze meeting with the deep blue gaze of the man. "What are you doing you idiot?! I saw you walk up here- I thought you were going to Chairman Rose! Why are you doing this?! Leon, talk to me!" Raihan was slowly coming closer, towards him- steadily yet surely. "Raihan, it's ok. You wouldn't know what was happening- nobody does." He had seen this outcome over and over- Chairman Rose would take the necklace- and everybody would be killed. Not this ending. "Leon, come on! Get away from there!" Raihan was desperate to get him away from the ledge, reaching out his hand to have Leon take it.
"You seem desperate to get him away." Chairman Rose's voice quietly echoed from the inside of the building to the outside, as the door creaked open.
"Leon. It doesn't have to come to this." He stated, and made eye contact with the purple haired man. "You know as well as I do what will happen if this doesn't." He looked at Chairman Rose, before his gaze reconnected to Raihan's. The man seemed so confused, yet so desperate to get Leon away from there. "Leon, come on... you can talk to me- any of the gym leaders, your mom- Hop... don't leave them- you've got so much. You're our champion, Leon..!" Raihan was nearly breathless from his attempts to stop sobbing, holding close Leon's hands. He could only smile at Raihan's request. Leon gripped Raihan's hands, sharing a final gaze with him as Chairman Rose started to approach. He kissed the other's hands goodbye, I love you- so many meanings to one action that caused Raihan's eyes to widen. Leon quickly let go of the man's hands, pushing himself backwards as he was forced to yank them out of the other's grip. The other, so shocked from the previous action- could only react late, a scream bringing back every single memory Leon had as his hat fell off of his head.
Hop, mom, all the gym leaders- it was all rushing back to him as his life flashed before his eyes, death's grip so close to the ground.
Raihan's blue eyes were engraved in his mind. A beautiful smile to accompany a beautiful face, body- everything. He was so perfect. He loved him, but his voice was to be silenced by the Reload necklace- which would make everyone forget what happened- including every time he had told Raihan he loved him. His eyes closed as he felt himself starting to reach the ground, and he could even hear Raihan's sob and scream from his distance. The ground drew him closer as he fell- and a horrifying crunch caught horrified ears and eyes to a dead body laying at the entrance of Rose Tower- a broken necklace shattered across the pavement, and a broken smile paired with dull, half lidded eyes bleeding across the ground. Even with that fall, it didn't kill Leon instantly. He could hear fuzzy screams, and fuzzy footsteps running towards him. Then he could hear yelling- yelling that was clear to his ears of whom it was. The crystal eyed man, the dragon gym leader- shoved through the crowd towards the champion, demanding his way to his friend.
"Leon- Leon!" He was nearly sobbing as he reached the man, having to take a quick pause of horror before he could even take another step.
Here he was, kneeling next to the dying champion as he could hear the people surrounding start to call operators. He carefully picked Leon up into his arms, supporting the back of his bleeding head within his right arm, and holding his broken torso within his left arm. Leon's dull gaze carefully moved up to Raihan's face, whom he could read grief all over. The crowd blurred and fuzzed as he focused in on Raihan. He couldn't move, only gaze and smile painfully as he mouthed the man's name for the last time. 'Raihan' mouthed from his lips, quietly starting to feel the world disappear. He knew Hop and mom would be in grief with everyone else- but they had each other for that reason. He loved them- and he didn't want himself to be why they died. He was doing this out of the purity and will to have them alive. He quietly felt his mind go blank, and his head fell limply into Raihan's arms, his smile remaining with those dull eyes still half lidded.
Raihan screamed- but not longer in anger- in grief.