Day 4- April 1
"Mads, wake up! Today's the day! You don't want to be late, do ya?" Dad asked, nudging me awake. He was completely decked out in his Electric-Type uniform, and his trusty Low Key Toxtricity stood beside him. I looked at the clock. It was only eight in the morning...the opening ceremony usually wasn't until the evening…
"Why so early…?" I mumbled, rolling over. It was my sixteenth birthday...why couldn't I sleep in?
"We have to be at Motostoke Stadium by ten, silly! You know Chairman Rose, he loves preparation. He wants to be sure that everything is absolutely perfect. C'mon, birthday girl, get up," Dad said, nudging me again. I couldn't believe that today was the day…luckily, I was too tired for my nervousness to hit me. Though, I understood why Dad had to be there so early. The Minor League opening ceremony started earlier than the Major League one did.
I rolled out of bed...literally. I most certainly wasn't a morning person. Mezuma wasn't in the room, so I figured that he was in the basement, doing his morning training.
"You get ready, and I'll get breakfast started," Dad said, marching off. He seemed a bit shallow, but he always got worked up when the Gym Challenge first started. The fact that it was my first day didn't help calm his nerves much. I nodded, grabbing my clothes, trotting my way downstairs, and heading into the bathroom.
'Today came faster than I thought it would…' I thought to myself as I slowly put on my frog-shaped shower cap. I only washed my hair every five days and hated getting it wet when it didn't need to be, so Raihan's mom actually made me the cap as a birthday present years ago...it was the frog cap's anniversary, I suppose.
After showering and dressing myself, I walked out into the kitchen, where the lovely smell of cooking food filled my nostrils. Dad wasn't a phenomenal cook, but his food was always good. A lot of his recipes were passed down to him from Nonna Estrella, who's foreign, so it's mostly uncommon to the average Galarian. Today's breakfast was most certainly not one of Nonna Estrella's recipes. Today's was rather low key, with some sausage, potatoes, and biscuits with Berry marmalade fresh from McGee's. It wasn't as good as those heavenly Berry biscuits, but it would do. Dad also made sure to set my anxiety medication by my plate, considering that I usually "forget" to take it.
"So, are you excited for today?" Dad asked, taking a bite of his food. I felt nauseous and didn't really feel like eating, but I knew I had to. I went nuts when I was hungry.
"I-I was excited, then I realized that I'd actually have to d-do stuff," I replied. "All I want to do is make the chairman proud of me. H-He hired me because he thinks I can do this, and I just w-w-want to show him that I can."
"Mads, you're worrying way too much. He knows that you'll be able to do this. He's seen your skill. He knows what to expect from you, and I have no doubt that you'll be able to meet that expectation. Think about what everyone said at Bob's a few nights ago. They all have faith in you, just like I do and just like the chairman does. You just need to have a little faith in yourself, is all," Dad said, reaching over and giving my cheek a playful pinch.
"I-I know...but then I worry about the Galarian people! If Chairman Rose thinks I'm good enough to be an official part of the League, then surely the p-people will be raising their expectations! That'll probably expect nothing but qu-quality, and I'm going to have to show that to them. I don't want them to gossip about me! You of all people should know that the people like to gossip! Remember all those rumors that you and Melony were engaged?" I asked. Of course, those rumors weren't true. Dad showed absolutely no interest in finding a wife whatsoever, and Melony was happily married. In fact, there were a lot of rumors about Dad and Melony having a fling, but they couldn't be true…they just couldn't be.
I definitely didn't want there to be any rumors about me. Yeah, I was a worker and not someone like a Gym Leader or Gym Challenger, but the Galarian people would see me a whole lot, and they'd most likely see me around in public. I was afraid that people who liked me would spread more harmless rumors, while people who apparently didn't would spread more harmful ones.
I've seen both before. Of course, one of the more harmful rumors were ones such as my dad and Melony being romantically involved with each other, which they both shrugged off. Melony's husband seemed to trust her enough to shrug them off, too. Though, there's no doubt that the rumors affected them. Dad and Melony are friends, but they chose to stop going out in public together as much as they used to. Now, when they're in public, Melony's husband is usually with them. Though, that isn't a problem, as Dad likes him as well. That, and there was this one rumor that the Normal-Type Minor League Gym Leader was beating his Pokémon after his Diggersby was seen with cuts on its body. The rumor was still never debunked or proven true, and that Gym Leader lost a lot of fans because of it. The media never really covered him as much as they covered other Minor League Gym Leaders, and there sparked even more rumors that Chairman Rose was planning on firing him. It wasn't often that Chairman Rose actually fired a Gym Leader, so if he did, that would undoubtedly lead to one of the biggest scandals in modern Galarian history. I felt bad for the poor guy. I was eager to see how the crowd would receive him during the opening ceremony today.
As for the more harmless rumors, some of them could be rather comical. One of them was that Piers had skin whitening procedures performed, which was honestly something that I believed. I knew Piers before he was a Gym Leader through Dad's Spikemuth humanitarian projects. The two of us spent a lot of time together when we were younger. Piers was always a pale boy, but once he became a Gym Leader and we stopped talking...he just got even paler! Allister has more color than him, and some people believe that Al is actually dead. No one can be that pale naturally. Piers had to have had something done to him. That, and another Piers rumor is that he wears hair extensions. That one I'm not sure if I believe. When Piers and I were...uh...friends, I witnessed part of his transition from Gym Challenger to Gym Leader, and that's when he started to grow his hair out. I stopped talking to Piers around a year and a half ago, and back then, his hair was just at the point where he could pull it into his signature high ponytail. Now, if he were to put it down, it was nearly at his ankles, which is what makes people so suspicious. Some people say that Piers is just really into taking his vitamins, but others say that there's absolutely no way that his hair could have grown that long in so short a time. Piers himself has remained surprisingly quiet on the issues. He hasn't said anything about them, and tends to ignore them if someone asks him.
If I thought that there were a lot of rumors surrounding Piers, there were even more surrounding Raihan. Raihan was probably the most gossiped about person in all of Galar, even more so than Leon. One of the longest lasting rumors about Raihan, one that I still hear about to this day, is that Raihan likes to...uhh...get friendly with his Goodra. Anyone else would find this disturbing and immediately prove their innocence, but Raihan thinks that it's hilarious. Once when he was asked about it on a radio show, he just started laughing really hard. The whole thing to spark this rumor was apparently when he hugged his Goodra in public...and he happened to be hugging his only female Pokémon. I really don't think that Raihan sleeps with his Pokémon, but then again, that's none of my business. A milder Raihan rumor was that he had nipple piercings, and someone actually asked him about this when he was on a late night talk show that Dad played the bass for. In an absolute classic Raihan moment, when he was questioned, he stood up, ripped his shirt off in front of live TV, and after staring at his own chest for a bit, proclaimed that he "didn't see any piercings." I affectionately refer to that day as "The Day Raihan Shook Galar." But...that's enough about rumors. Long story short, I didn't want anyone starting any about me.
"Mads, you'll be fine. You just need to take this a moment at a time. Right now, don't worry about the Galarian people. Give them time to get used to you. They won't be spreading rumors about you on the first day. Even if they do, just ignore them. It may be easier said than done, but it's what I do. If you try to fight back, it just makes them suspicious. Ignoring them is the best thing to do...but I don't want you even thinking about rumors. Right now, you're going to focus on being the best you can be for Chairman Rose's sake...and your own sake. You're gonna show everyone what you can do, and you're gonna show yourself that you're completely capable. Ya hear?" Dad encouraged. He often had to give me little pep talks when I started to form my own pity party.
"I-I hear ya...thanks, Dad," I replied with a small smile. Mezuma came back from the basement, a sweaty mess, as per usual. He could sense my nervousness and placed a massive, throbbing hand on my shoulder. Usually he was a bit more affectionate, surprising for an Urshifu, but as I just showered and he was drenched in his own sweat, he decided not to. Instead, he bounded off out of the house. Mezuma loved bathing in the cold water in the Circhester backwoods behind our cabin. I used to go with him, but that's where the certain event last year took place. Now, Mezuma wouldn't let me go with him. I appreciated the concern.
"That Mezuma of yours...he sure is something. I don't think I'd ever expected him to be so gentle towards you...if I'm being completely honest, when you begged Rose and me to let you keep him, I played along with it, but I didn't think you'd be able to handle it. You completely defied my expectations, and I'm very proud of you for that, y'know. Whatever his life would have been like if we sent him back to the Isle of Armor...I'm certain that it's nowhere as near as good as a life he has with you, Mads," Dad smiled, reaching over and ruffling my hair.
"Oh, e-enough with the compliments," I chuckled, fiddling with my curls a bit, which was a nervous tic of mine. I didn't know how to take compliments, even if they were from my own father, and resorted to messing with my hair. In fact, I'm pretty sure that during the entire meeting with Nessa, my hand never left my head. Sometimes, I even ripped my hair out…
After we had our breakfast, Dad was eager to make our way to Motostoke. I grabbed my bag that contained my photography equipment, though I was sure to stick some antacid, both liquid and tablets, in it. When I panicked, which I'd probably be doing sometime today, I got horrible stomach pains, and the antacid seemed to help...either that or I was just getting addicted to it and my body told me that it worked as part of some kind of weird placebo effect.
"You about ready, Mads?" Dad asked, putting on his jacket. It was an Electric-Type jacket, similar to mine, but rather than the common model, it was the limited-edition white variant. To make it even more "limited edition," Dad had both forms of Toxtricity, his favorite Pokémon, as well as his number, 849, airbrushed on it. To make it even more personalized, the Amped Toxtricity was shiny to match his team. Dad's Gym team consisted of Boltund, both forms of Toxtricity, and a special Raichu that he got from a trade in Alola. He used to have a standard Raichu, but his new one, which was nicknamed Pancakes, by the way, was received in a trade after a young Alolan child who came to Galar really wanted his own "special" Raichu, but ran out of Poké Balls trying to catch a Pikachu. Dad loves children, and he gave up his partner just so this little boy could have his own regional variant. Pancakes was a much loved member of Dad's team, and she grew on him very quickly. Anyway, as for the Toxtricity, Dad's ace Pokémon was his Low Key Toxtricity, which really fit, considering that he's a bass player and all...and a successful one. As I mentioned earlier, he plays the bass for a Galarian late-night talk show, and sometimes plays for an old jazz club. He makes enough money as a Gym Leader, so this was really just for fun. Gosh, look at me. I keep rambling. What I'm trying to say is that while his Low Key Toxtricity is his ace, considering that it's the one that can Gigantamax, his Amped Toxtricity is just as special, considering that it's shiny and all.
It's actually rather sad how we stumbled upon him. I was walking around in the Wild Area, trying to get some good photos, when I passed by the Nursery. The lady, knowing that Dad loved Electric-Types, Toxtricity in particular, stopped me, showing me a shiny Toxel that she had. The Nursery lady told me that this shiny Toxel was hatched, but the original Trainer apparently decided she didn't want him after she learned that he couldn't Gigantamax.. That was a stupid reason to abandon a Pokémon in my opinion, so I immediately decided that his original Trainer was no good for him. I quickly called Dad and explained the situation. As you'd guess, Dad was disgusted, and told me to bring the little guy home. Dad raised the Toxel into a strong Toxtricity, valued just as much as his Gigantamax one was. Dad was just that kind of person. He loved children and Pokémon with everything he had.
"I'm ready when you are," I replied, straightening my beret as I looked in the mirror, trying to not look like a nervous wreck. Dad grabbed Boltund's harness and whistled, the large Pokémon running up and dutifully stepping in the harness. Boltund was a very excitable one, and if we were to put him on a standard leash, he'd probably end up breaking his own neck if he saw a Skwovet or something.
With that, the three of us were off. As we were preparing to leave Circhester, we heard a familiar voice calling us.
"Eyy, John! Mads! Can I walk with you guys?"
Turning around, we saw that it was Gordie. He walked towards us, his Shuckle sitting on his shoulder.
"Eyy, Gordie! Where's your mum at?" Dad replied as I went towards the water, trying to figure out where Mezuma bounded off to. No doubt he'd be somewhere near the backwoods.
Dad and Gordie stopped to chat for a bit, considering that they had a bit more time to kill. Meanwhile, I made my way towards the backwoods, trying to find Mezuma. The flashbacks started to come as I walked toward the forbidden area. As cold as Circhester was, I was sweating. I remembered it like it happened yesterday. Mezuma, still a Kubfu, and I were in the woods, completely unsuspecting. Mezuma's ears twitched, as if he knew that something was nearby, but I ignored his suspicions.
The snow was falling hard. I couldn't see anything three feet in front of me. I wasn't prepared for it to get this cold...or for the snowfall to get this heavy. My glasses kept fogging up. Through the wind, I started to hear some kind of low rumble. Mezuma was starting to freak out.
The flashback suddenly left my mind as I felt a huge arm around me, causing me to let out a horrible shriek before another arm made its way around my mouth. Before I could start trying to fight off my "kidnapper," I luckily realized that it was Mezuma. Of course, hearing my shriek, Dad and Gordie ran over.
"Are you all right?!" Dad asked, looking me over.
"I-I-I-I-I…" I stuttered, looking at Mezuma. He looked ticked.
"I thought you said you wouldn't go there anymore!" Gordie scolded. He was the one that found me after the whole event. I couldn't handle the stress. Mezuma was fuming, but I saw the worry in his eyes...the same worry that I saw in the eyes of my Kubfu once the bushes started to rustle. Gordie just yelled at me. Dad was concerned.
"I WAs JUST LOOKING FOR MEZUMAAAAAAAAA!" I bawled, falling to my knees and getting snow all over my jeans. I was already anxious enough, bad memories came to my mind, and I hated it when people yelled at me. I'd only been sixteen for a few hours, and I was already sitting on the ground and crying like a little baby.
"Mads...Mezuma knows his way around. We've all expressed that we don't want you near the backwoods anymore. I'm sure that Mezuma was on his way out. You're lucky he caught you," Dad said. He had this way of being firm with me, yet gentle. It was better than just screaming at me like Gordie did.
Mezuma picked me up, pulling me to my feet. I said that I wanted to go home. I said that I didn't want to be the League Photographer. I pulled myself into my own pity party, trying to turn around, but Mezuma wouldn't let me and ended up carrying me. I sat and sniveled like the pathetic piece of garbage I am the whole way to Motostoke Stadium.
The stadium was nicely decorated for the occasion, but I was in no festive mood. Upon entering, I was separated from Dad and Gordie, as the Minor League Gym Leaders were heading to their positions. I was brought into a rather large gathering place, where all of the Major League Gym Leaders with the exception of Piers, as well as Leon, were sitting. I walked in, silently taking a seat on a couch away from everyone and sulking. I didn't feel like talking. I didn't feel like socializing. This was the worst birthday ever. I was ticked at Gordie, ticked at Mezuma, but mostly ticked at myself. I sat and tore at my hair again, my hands clenched in fists. Mezuma stood close, even though he knew I was mad at him.
I sat by myself for a while, trying not to start crying again. My head was buried in my knees, but I was eventually startled by a gentle hand on my shoulder and a "Room for one more?" I looked up. It was Milo.
I moved over a little, letting him sit down beside me. He barely fit, considering that we're both of a rather bulky build...though Milo's strong and I'm just fat.
"Is everything okay? Did something happen? We were all hoping that you'd come and sit with us," Milo said, a gentle smile on his face. It was obvious that I'd been crying. My eyes were red, puffy, and bloodshot, and my nose was as red as it could possibly get.
I didn't know Milo that well, but I felt as if I could trust him. I ended up spitting out the whole story, but I mentioned the part about Gordie yelling at me rather quietly, as I didn't want Melony to hear and chew him out after the ceremony. As mad as I was at him, I was still looking out for him. Besides, I didn't want to strain his relationship with Melony even more. Milo seemed to be genuinely listening.
"Could I say something without you getting upset with me? This is just my opinion on the matter," he said, gently clutching one of my hands in a friendly manner.
"O-Of course…" I replied.
"I really think that they were just looking out for you. I'm sure you don't want to think about it, but just imagine being in your dad's shoes...or in Gordie's shoes," he started, once again mentioning Gordie's name quietly. "You know how much your dad loves you. You're all he has. He was hurting. Not as much as you were, but I know he was. He had to see his only child struggling. He didn't know if you would be okay or not. As for Gor...ahem, your friend, I imagine that he was in a similar boat. I personally know him, and I'm sure he cares for you a whole lot. Finding you like that probably broke his heart. He has younger siblings. He's used to looking after youngins. I guess he's extended his responsibilities to look after you as well. I don't think he meant to yell like that. He probably remembered some bad moments just as you did."
"I-I guess you're right. Now I j-just feel bad.."
"Don't feel bad. It's over with now. You can make things right after the Minor League opening ceremony," Milo replied, gently rubbing my back. "And...don't be mad at your big guy. Look at him," he said, looking up to Mezuma, who was scanning the room for threats. "He'd do anything for you. He's protective, and he didn't want you to go in the woods like that. It reminded him of the one time he couldn't protect you. It reminded him of the worst day of his life," he finished. Mezuma and I made eye contact. He grunted, as if he was agreeing with what Milo just said. I leaned into the big brute, (referring to Mezuma here, not Milo) who wrapped a protective arm around me.
"Do you feel better now?" Milo asked with a smile.
"I-I guess I do. Do you mind if I ask you something a b-bit personal? Only answer this if you want to,"
"Oh? Go ahead."
"Do you want to be a dad, Milo? B-Because I think you'd be a really good one," I blushed. I didn't mean to be weird, I was just stating my opinion. Like my own dad, he was firm, yet gentle.
"W-Well, yeah, I do! Peaches and I haven't really talked about it a whole lot, but I know we both want kids. But that won't be for a while! We've already decided that we're not going to try to have kids until we've been married for two years...and we're not even married!" Milo said, stuttering a little as a blush spread across his face. "Say, how about we go and join the others? It's gettin' mighty lonely over here, don'cha think?"
"I guess…" I said. I kinda liked being by myself, but I didn't want to make Milo uncomfortable, especially after he helped me out so much.
"By the way...happy birthday," he smiled as we walked over to the others. Milo took his seat beside Nessa and Kabu, and of course...the only free spot was in between Leon and Raihan. I should have guessed. Mezuma sat close to the couch, still watching me protectively.
As soon as my bottom hit the cushion, Raihan's arm went around me, dragging him closer to him. "Ey, birthday girl!" He cried, giving me the traditional birthday noogie. Every year, he added a second, and because I turned sixteen, I had to endure his gargantuan hand rubbing against my poor scalp for sixteen whole seconds. Then, of course, he had to take a selfie.
Nearly moments after the selfie, the screen in the room flickered on, and nearly all heads turned to look at it. We heard the chairman's voice booming throughout the stadium, as well as loud cheering from the audience. The Minor League ceremony had undoubtedly started. The time was getting closer and closer. My stomach started to churn. I started to tremble. Everyone around me looked so calm. I didn't understand how they did it.
I heard the Chairman start to announce the names of the Gym Leaders. Dad was the last one, so there was quite a while until I would hear him.
Now, there's one thing I want to make clear about the Minor League. The only way that it's inferior to the Major League is by name...or at least that's my opinion. The Minor League challenge is often considered harder than the Major League challenge, and that might be because instead of eight Gym Leaders, there's ten. It's true that the Minor League challenge is easier to get into because it's more cost-effective and doesn't require an endorsement like the Major League does, but that's about the only difference. Well, that...and the strongest Trainer in the Minor League isn't called the Champion like Leon is. He's called the Boss. I don't really know the Boss very well...mainly because I don't think Dad likes him very much.
I heard the chairman announce Gordie's name, which meant that Dad was getting close. Melony smiled as she heard her eldest son's name announced, as well as the (mainly feminine) cheers coming from the audience. Like his mother, Gordie was the third-to-last Gym Leader, but instead of being sixth like Melony, he was eighth. Just...as soon as the chairman said his name, I felt bad again. I remembered what Milo told me. I wanted to run and give him the biggest bear hug he'd ever been given. I felt like a clown.
The second-to-last Gym Leader was announced, but I didn't listen to the name or even look at the screen. I grabbed onto one of Raihan's arms because I felt like I was going to black out.
"You good, Squish?" He asked, a seemingly concerned look on his face.
"I-I-I need to go and see M-Mezuma…" I said, getting off the couch and making my way to my Urshifu. I know that I was just peeved at him earlier, but feeling his arms around me made me comfortable. It made me feel good. Besides, I sat my bag close to him and I really needed my antacid so I didn't throw up all over the place. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the moment came.
"And last, but certainly not least, we have the Spikemuth-born bassist and one of my best friends, John!" Chairman Rose's voice boomed, Dad walking out in an almost sassy manner and waving at the audience. The women in the audience went nuts. Melony chuckled. John the Gym Leader and John the dad were two different people, that's for sure.
After the Gym Leaders had their moments, they all walked back together while the Boss came out and stood by the chairman to give his opening speech. He honestly looked like someone out of those mafia movies that are popular down in Unova. The Boss, like the Champion, was supposed to have a designated uniform, but he always wore a suit over his. He almost looked like the Galarian version of Giovanni, that one guy who did all that shady stuff over in Kanto. His signature Pokémon was also a Perrserker, which could be considered a Galarian regional variant of Persian. The crowd was nearly silent, which was the exact opposite of when Leon stepped out. When Lee did it, the crowd went wild, standing up in their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs, and waving at their beloved Champion. With the Boss...they just sat as if he was some kind of strict boarding school teacher rather than the Boss of the Minor League. During his entire speech, the people just sat and listened as if they were listening to a lecture. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was so strange. I looked around. None of the Major League Gym Leaders were saying anything, either.
"Hello, Major League! We'll be breaking for lunch in just a bit, but firstly, I'd like to have a word with all the Gym Leaders," the chairman's voice suddenly echoed throughout the room. He'd spoken to us through the intercom.
"Guess he's tellin' us to leave. C'mon, Mads," Leon said as I scarfed down another antacid tablet. I got up and followed him, Mezuma not far behind.
"You okay? You seem off today," Leon said as we walked outside of the stadium. No one was allowed inside, so there were no fans hounding their beloved Champion. The chairman and Oleana walked by, the former giving us a friendly smile and the latter giving Leon a nod and completely ignoring me. As the chairman passed, Mezuma growled. I never understood why Chairman Rose made him so uncomfortable. He was the one that allowed him to stay with me and not get shipped back to the Isle of Armor.
"I-I...Gordie and I had a disagreement this morning, and when Milo came and talked to me, I realized how much of a w-weenie I was being. I want to apologize and get this off my chest. I'm already stressed enough, and knowing that Gordie's mad at me doesn't make it any better," I mumbled, looking down. "I don't know how you d-do this, Lee."
"How I do the Gym Challenge every year?"
"Yeah."
"Mads, you get used to it. I promise. You don't think I was nervous when I had my first opening ceremony? I was ten. My mum and dad saved up for years before I was even born in order to get me into the challenge. I was just some nobody from Postwick. If I'm bein', honest, I don't think my mum and dad expected me to make it past the first Gym. Some of those kids up there already had four Pokémon with 'em, and I only had my Charmander! I told myself that I'd never be able to do it. Who was I, after all, to be goin' and winnin' some big championship? I hardly knew what being a Trainer was, and there were others that had tried the Challenge year after year, but kept failing and trying again. I told myself that I'd be lucky if I even got to the fourth Gym Leader...let alone get to the Finals of all things! Throughout that whole opening ceremony, I was shuddering like a Snorunt...but I knew Hop was watching, and I wanted to be strong for him. I remember stepping out and seeing everyone looking at me, telling myself I couldn't do it...telling myself that if one of us was gonna win this thing, it was gonna be Raihan...and then...next thing I knew, I was holdin' a twenty pound trophy and there was a cape wrapped around my shoulders. You don't think I was nervous then? I've been the Champion for eleven years. This is your first day! Of course you're gonna be nervous. Trust me, once you get past these first couple weeks, it'll be like you've been doin' it all your life. That's what I felt like," Leon said, giving me a bit of a pep talk. I smiled.
"Thanks, Lee."
"C'mere, you. You owe me a hug for that," he replied, pulling me into yet another bear hug. Even if I didn't have a massive crush on him, feeling his big, strong arms around me would have still immediately made me feel better. Leon's hugs were the best hugs.
"I think I hear the Minor League Gym Leaders comin' back. You should probably go and talk to Gordie and get everything off your chest. I'll see you before the ceremony, all right?" Leon said, pulling away. I didn't want to let go.
"Promise me you'll check up on me? You always know how to make me feel better…"
"If I'm not there, you can fine me."
With that, Leon was off...somewhere. He was probably going to end up getting lost like he always did. I made my way toward the Minor League Gym Leaders, who were starting to scatter and do their own things.
Before Gordie could even say anything, I ran up to him, pulling him into a hug. I tried to replicate Leon's hugs, but considering that I had absolutely no muscle to me, I just squished myself against him.
"What's goin' on, Mads?" He asked, ruffling my hair a bit. He seemed surprised, probably assuming that I still wanted to beat him up or something.
"I'm sorry about this morning, man. I know I got really mad at you, but there was just a lot going on. I know that I'm not supposed to go near the backwoods and that Mezuma knows his way around, and you were right to yell at me. That was no reason for me to break down and start crying like a little baby. I should apologize to you as well, Dad," I said, looking to Dad, who was standing nearby.
"We all have a lot goin' on today, Mads. When I saw you walkin' towards the woods, it just brought up memories that I really don't want brought up again. With how much time we spent together as kids, I see you as my li'l sis...and honestly, I like you more than I like my siblings. I just wanna protect ya, is all," Gordie said, basically repeating what Milo had told me. He chuckled, ruffling my hair again as he gave me a rather rough pat on the back.
"Gordie's right. Today's just a stressful day. I of all people should know how worked up you get. I should have expected you to have a harsh reaction. You certainly have more reason to be nervous than we do...but it's all fine now. You were just looking out for Mezuma. In fact, I didn't even think of telling him we were leaving. I still don't think that you should've gone as close to the woods as you did, but you did it for a good reason. You didn't want to leave your best friend behind," Dad said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Mezuma and smiled.
"I just have to trust him more, I guess. When he heard us talking, he probably knew that we were leaving and was trying to catch up with us. He's not dumb. If he somehow manages to hunt me down and catch up to me in the Wild Area, then he's capable of finding me from the woods," I smiled, patting Mezuma's chest.
"Attagirl. We'll just pretend this never happened," Dad said. Gordie and I agreed. Maybe this wasn't the worst birthday ever. I got that nice pep talk from Lee, a good hug from Gordie, and...oh, wait. I still had to do the photography thing. Hold that thought. We'll see if this all blows up in my face like I expect it to.
Everyone was then dismissed for lunch, as the Major League ceremony was traditionally held in the late afternoon to early evening. Dad and I were going to head out before we heard the chairman's voice.
"John! Maddie! Can I speak with you?" He asked, walking toward us. I immediately felt Mezuma tense up. Oleana wasn't with him, so I was happy to stick around. He made his way up to us, a kind smile on his face.
"John, first off, I want to say that the opening ceremony was phenomenal! This is a good year for the Minor League!" Chairman Rose said, wrapping his arm around Dad in a friendly way.
"When has it ever not been a good year, Rose?" Dad chuckled. Sometimes, I forgot that the two were best friends. Despite Rose being wealthy and Dad being dirt poor when they were younger, they were childhood friends. Rose's parents, who were League higher-ups at the time, sponsored Dad when he did the Gym Challenge, which is mainly why he did his Spikemuth humanitarian programs. He remembered when he was a poor boy in Spikemuth who thought he'd never be able to do the Gym Challenge. Whenever Dad did it, the Major League had a Ground-Type Gym Leader, and since Dad naturally focused on Electric-Types, that was the battle that cost him his spot in the Finals. Once Rose became the chairman, he realized Dad's potential with Electric-Types and made him a Minor League Gym Leader. Actually, the chairman's stated several times that he wants to move Dad up to the Major League, but all of the current Gym Leaders are just too strong-and popular-to get rid of one. Dad doesn't seem to care, though. He loves being a Gym Leader, even if he is a Minor League Gym Leader.
It's obvious that Dad trusts Rose. I mean, if he didn't trust him, why would he have made him my godfather? If something happens to Dad, Rose will be the one taking care of me. Rose himself never had children or even married yet, but if he would for some reason have a child at his age, I'm certain that Dad would be its godfather. They were just that close. Sometimes I thought it was kinda creepy, but that was just me.
"True, John, true. As for you, Miss Maddie, how are you feeling, my dear? Your moment to shine is coming soon! It must be exciting!" He smiled. All I could do was laugh nervously. Telling him that my organs felt like they were failing would probably be a bit concerning.
"Oh, I know you'll do wonderfully. I've made your dream come true, haven't I?" He asked. Mezuma grunted.
"I-I suppose you have…" I said. That was kind of an odd question to ask me, but I shook it off.
"Well, I have some business to attend to. I just wanted to keep up with you two. I'll see you at the Major League ceremony?" Chairman Rose asked.
"Of course, Rose," Dad smiled before Rose turned around and left.
Dad and I went down to Wedgehurst for lunch. They had a small restaurant that we enjoyed going to when we weren't super hungry. Their roll cake was to die for.
"Don't you think that Chairman Rose asked me a weird question? He asked if he made my dream come true. It's as if he wanted me to...glorify him or something. It just rubbed me the wrong way, and I know that it rubbed Mezuma the wrong way, too," I said as I took a bite of my sandwich. Mezuma was in his Poké Ball, but I felt it shake from inside my pocket. He really seemed upset with the chairman today. I didn't know why.
"I'm sure that was just his way of asking you if you were excited. I know he's excited for you. You know that man loves you, right?" Dad asked with a smile. I put my hand over my pocket to try and calm Mezuma's nerves.
"I-I guess so. I just don't really think about it like that. I thought he'd treat me a bit mo-more like an employee," I shrugged.
"I'm sure he'll be a bit more professional when the Gym Challenge actually starts. Let him be happy for ya, Mads. He's so proud of you. He's seeing his little girl finally grow up into a wonderful young lady!" Dad replied.
"But...I'm not his little girl! Don't you s-see me growing up into a wonderful young lady?" I asked, raising a brow, then shaking my head. "I-I'm sorry, Dad. I shouldn't have said that. I don't want to compare you to him like that. You chose him to be my godfather, a-and I guess he just takes it pretty seriously."
Dad just smiled. "Don't apologize. I understand your concern, Maddie. I really do. You're working now. Even if Rose is your godfather, you want to be treated as an employee. You want him to treat you just as he treats everyone else!"
"Y-Yeah, I guess I do!"
"And I know that Rose is affectionate, but...just let him be. I think he's lonely. He never really gave himself time to settle down, and now he thinks he's too old to do so. You're the closest thing to a kid he'll ever have, Mads. If you want him to take you more seriously, I'm sure you can talk to him about it and he'd be happy to," Dad replied with a smile. Suddenly, our waitress came up to us, setting a plate down in front of me. I immediately recognized it as the special roll take that the restaurant would make you if it was your birthday. It even had my name on it...but we never told anyone it was my birthday.
"Did you order th-this for me?" I whispered to Dad. He shook his head. We both looked to the waitress, confused.
"We had someone call in and ask if you two were here. When we said that you were, he ordered that for you," she said.
"Did he say who he was?"
"He didn't want to give his name, so he just told me to say that it was from your little buddy if you asked," the waitress said, taking our used plates and replacing them with fresh ones for the cake.
"Al...I can't believe he mustered up the courage to talk to a complete stranger over the phone just for me…" I mumbled as Dad and I got our slices. Al was the only person I ever referred to as my "little buddy," so I knew it was him.
"I just wonder how he knew we were here," Dad replied. He was never one to turn down cake, especially free cake, so he wasn't going to complain.
"We come here after the c-ceremony every year, Dad," I chuckled a bit.
"True. It was awfully nice for him to think of you, though."
"Yeah...that just means I'm g-gonna have to let him cling to me for a bit longer."
"What did you ever do to make him like you so much?"
"You ask me like I know...I don't. I-I guess I've just been nice to him. We're more similar than I realize sometimes. We both just like it when people sit and hold us. We don't have to be talking or interacting in any other way...I-I guess it's kind of how I act around Lee…" I mumbled. I don't think Dad knew about my crush on Leon, I'm pretty sure he saw us almost like brother and sister, kind of how I was with Raihan or Gordie. Or, if he did know, he either thought I was just some fangirl or it was some phase I was going through.
It was at that moment where I did realize the similarity. I was able to get so close to Al because he reminded me of myself. We were both on the introverted side, Al much more than me, both rather small, rather weak, and enjoyed the company and affection of those bigger and older than us. Well, Al really enjoyed my company, but I enjoyed the company of plenty of people bigger and older than myself. It was just now that I realized it; when Allister clung to me, it's probably what people saw when I clung to someone like Leon, Raihan, or even Gordie. It was kind of embarrassing, to be honest.
Dad and I finished our cake, which was delicious, by the way, and made our way back to Motostoke Stadium. There was still a bit of time before the doors would open to the public and people would start to flood it, hoping to see their favorite Gym Leader in person. Now, the Minor League Gym Leaders were the ones that sat and chatted in the side room while the Major League Gym Leaders were able to roam. The first thing that I was going to do was find Allister.
I knew that he'd be hiding in one of the side rooms that currently wasn't in use. That's what he always did in Stow-on-Side, and Motostoke Stadium wasn't that different...just, more rooms were in use today, of course. Along the way, I passed the room that the staff member took me to when I came here to visit Kabu. My heart pounded as I saw the tripod without its camera. I knew that in a matter of time, my camera would be the one on that tripod. I was terrified. What if I would end up making a complete buffoon of myself and embarrassing everyone? I'd lose the only friends I had...they'd never want to talk to me again…
As I walked and thought about potentially ruining the entire Major League, I, once again, jumped about five feet in the air as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Undoubtedly Raihan's. His hand was so big that I could see his glove and skin...and not even in my peripheral vision.
"Hey, Squishy! Almost your big moment! How ya dealin' with all this?" Raihan asked, his arm around me in a rather friendly way than a crushing one.
"I-I'm dealing with it...that's really all I can say. You love all this, don't you?" I replied.
"Heck yeah I do! There's nothin' better than walkin' down that pitch and comin' into a stadium of people cheering for me! There's nothin' better than bein' in the company of people that love ya," he chuckled. I shivered against his arm.
"Well, that's easy for you. There's not go-going to be anyone cheering for the photographer of all people. It's not like I'm actually going to be popular. They probably wouldn't recognize me in the streets…" I mumbled. I didn't want to admit that I wanted to be popular, but I did. I wanted people to like me. I wanted people to point at me and say "hey, that's Maddie!" I wanted people to bring me prints of some of my photos and ask me to autograph them. I know that's kinda weird coming from someone who just said that they were introverted, but it's what I wanted.
"You don't know that, Squish! If I'm bein' honest, I think the people are gonna take pride in ya. You're the one that the big guy hired to represent all of us...and you can't forget...Leon~" he said, whispering Leon's name in my ear in some kind of sensual manner, making every single nerve in my body tingle.
"I-I-I guess so…"
"Who knows...ol' Leon could finally realize that you're tryna hit on him."
"I-I am not trying to hit on him! I'm just trying to be f-friendly, is all!"
"If you say so, Squishy. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is...I think the people will like ya! They're gonna get to know ya, whether they like it or not. I wouldn't fret over it, Squish. They don't seem very hard to please. Look at how they get all goo-goo eyed over Leon," he chuckled, ruffling my hair.
"Y-You really think they'll like me? Dad just says I should ignore them."
"Well, I think he meant that you shouldn't pay attention to anything bad they might say about you...if they even do. We all get our fair share of rumors. Remember me and Goodra?" Raihan said, nudging my side. How could I forget? "If it makes ya feel any better, just know that ol' Raihan's always gonna be on your side...unless you do something so stupid that it would completely shatter the reputation of anyone that tries to defend you," he nudged my side again. He really was like my big brother. I really did love him like a big brother, too.
"By the way, Raihan, have you seen Allister around somewhere? He surprised me with a cake for my birthday, and I wanted to go and thank him for it. He j-just likes to hide, and I have trouble finding him sometimes," I smiled, leaning into Raihan a bit. His hoodie was really warm…
"I can't say I have. With how short and skinny he is, he just kinda slips past me sometimes. It doesn't help that this hall ain't lit very well. I think you're on the right side, though," Raihan smiled, giving me a pat on the back before wishing me luck on my hunt for Allister and going to bother Leon...wherever he was.
I stumbled into several rooms, quickly apologizing and making my way out when I saw that they were being used. Most of them were just staff meetings, but the chairman and Oleana were in one of them, and luckily for me, I closed the door before Oleana's glare could turn me into stone.
Eventually, I stumbled into the right room. The large, heavy door creaked open, and I was veiled in complete darkness, just like I was so used to in Stow-on-Side.
"Al? You in here?" I called, trying to make out some kind of figure. This had to be the right room. Al loved being in dark rooms. I heard footsteps coming toward me, then I was met by skinny arms and the soft fabric of a Ghost-Type uniform.
"Maddie…" Allister mumbled, embracing me and pressing his head into my chest, as per usual. "I'm scared…"
"It's okay, bud. I'm sc-scared, too. We're gonna get through the opening ceremony together, then you can go back to S-Stow-on-Side and hide until you get the first challenger!" I said, flipping the light on as we sat down together. I stroked his hair.
"I hate losing...I'm not ready to start again...it makes me feel like a big failure. It makes me feel useless…"
"You're not useless, bud. No matter what anyone tells you, you're not," I said, planting a little kiss on the top of his head. His mask was on, so I couldn't tell if he liked it or not...but by the way he cuddled into me, he did. "You're a good Gym Leader and a good Trainer. You only train one type of Pokémon. It's your job. When you only train one type of Pokémon, you're expected to win some and lose some...just like any Trainer is. If I battled with just Mezuma, think of h-how many battles I'd lose! Mezuma's very strong, but he has so many weaknesses! Fighting/Water isn't very practical when it's all you've got," I said gently.
"Do you think my Pokémon get mad? Other than you and Bea, they're really my only friends…" he mumbled, Bea, of course, being the Minor League Fighting-Type Gym Leader. We actually knew each other, she often watched Mezuma when Dad and I went somewhere and I couldn't take him with me. Of course, Al couldn't cuddle with Bea like this without getting kicked in the face, so I think that he was naturally closer with me.
"Al, from what I've seen of your Gengar, your Pokémon love you to bits. You do more with them than just battle, right?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"If y-you treat them well, then they'll love you...and they do love you. They'd try to escape if they didn't like you. If Pokémon judged their Trainers on how well they battled, Mezuma would hate my guts. I know you love them, and they love you, all right? You're not useless. You're a competent Gym Leader who knows what he's doing. You're young for a Gym Leader, and I think that's an accomplishment. Don't talk about yourself like that, bud. Capiche?"
"If I'm not allowed to talk about myself like that, then you're not, either…You're a good Trainer, too. And I know you're going to be a great photographer. I'll be good when you have to take my picture...but you're not allowed to say bad things about yourself in front of me anymore."
"I'll try, Al," I smiled, ruffling his hair as he cuddled into me even more. "I r-really appreciate the gift that you sent me….so d-did Dad," I chuckled. I reached down and took his mask off...and he actually let me. His eyes seemed as if he'd been crying. He always got like this whenever he made a big public appearance like this
"You'll be fine, Al...j-just fine," I smiled, holding him close to me as we cuddled. I tried to remain calm, but I was going insane on the inside. There was no clock in the room, but I knew that the time was getting closer and closer. I heard voices. It appeared that people were being let into the stadium.
"Don't worry about them. They all like you, I promise. They'll be happy to see you," I said, stroking Al's hair more as he tensed up. He'd get used to being around people after a while. He always did.
For a while, we just sat in silence, holding onto each other. The air gave a chilling aura of nervousness as we stayed together. I knew that I comforted Allister, so I didn't mind letting him sit with me. It was better than having him freak out during the ceremony. Though, eventually, the intercom buzzed.
"All right, Gym Leaders! The ceremony will be starting soon! I highly recommend you get to your places!" Chairman Rose boomed, Al shivering as he quickly replaced his mask.
Before we could leave, the door opened, and Al nearly jumped out of his skin. It was Leon.
"Hey, Allister, hey Mads!" Leon said cheerfully. He moved to the side, and Al ran out as fast as he could, not making eye contact. Leon seemed to be used to that, sighing and shaking his head, though he still had a smile on his face.
"There you are, Mads! I was lookin' for ya! You probably don't know where you're supposed to go, so I'll take ya there," he said, holding the door for me as I walked out.
"A-Are you g-gonna be with me, Lee?" I stuttered, terrified of the upcoming ceremony. I knew that Dad would be watching. Not just Dad...nearly all of Galar!
"Unfortunately, I'll be on the other side of the stadium...but I'll be sure to cheer you on. You're bein' awfully brave by doing this, and I just want you to know that I'm proud of you," he said, giving me a gentle pat as we got to the room. It was right by the pitch that I would be walking out of. No one was here yet.
"You're nervous, Mads. I can tell. I promised that I'd talk to you before the ceremony, and here we are! I'm gonna say a few things, and I want you to repeat after me. Got it?" He said.
"G-Got it…" I replied. Leon cleared his throat.
"I'm going to be just fine," he began.
"I'm going to...b-be..just fine."
"I'm going to do well."
"I-I'm going to d-d-do well."
"Leon thinks I can do it."
"Leon th-thinks I can do it."
"I think Leon is really cool and super hot."
"I...I think Leon is r-really cool and super h-h-h….HOLD UP!" I cried, my face turning its signature shade of bright red as Leon burst into a fit of laughter. I mean, I did think that he was really cool and super hot, but I wasn't just going to go and admit it.
"Just jokin' with ya, Mads. I figured that it would help lighten the mood a bit. If you just keep repeatin' that stuff...minus the last one, of course, you should do just fine," Leon said, giving me one last hug before the ceremony would start. I heard his heart beating as he kept me in his big, strong arms. For once, the brewing storm of nervousness that was raging inside of me calmed, even if it was just for a little while.
"Well, isn't that lovely!" Chairman Rose exclaimed as he walked into the room. The devil woman wasn't with him, so I was fine with having him around. "I see you two are getting along splendidly...though, I expected nothing less from you."
"Sorry about that, chairman! I just wanted to wish Mads luck one last time before I headed off. I'll see you guys later!" Leon said, letting go of me to walk to his side of the stadium to join the Gym Leaders. It was painful to let go. Now, the storm started to brew again. I took my camera out of my bag...but I also grabbed my antacid and started downing it.
"Careful, my dear, don't take too much of that, now," the chairman said, gently rubbing my back as I finished my swig.
"I-I'm sorry, chairman…"
"It's fine! I just don't want you getting sick, is all. Now, my dear, I can tell that you're nervous. Would it make you feel better if you had that Urshifu of yours with you? As long as he behaves himself, I wouldn't mind," Chairman Rose said, smiling brightly.
"R-Really, chairman? You'd let me do that! I-I think that'll make me feel a lot better! Thank you!" I said, pulling him into a hug. It was obvious that he really did care about me and wanted me to be comfortable as a part of the Pokémon League.
"You're up, chairman!" A League Staff member said, poking her head in. Chairman Rose nodded, and she disappeared just as quickly as she appeared.
"Now, just stand right here," Chairman Rose said, placing me close to the now open doors. "When I call you, make your way out. Smile for the people. It's as simple as that!" With that, he made his way out into the stadium. The audience roared.
I put my camera around my neck, then pressed the button on Mezuma's Poké Ball and let him free. "Behave yourself, or you'll have to go back in," I said. He responded with a nod as Chairman Rose's opening speech began. I couldn't help but take another swig of antacid and tuck the bottle into one of my pockets as the chairman's charismatic voice once again filled all of Motostoke Stadium. I could hardly listen to his speech. I was shaking in my shoes.
"I-I'm g-going to be just f-fine...I'm going t-to do well...Leon th-thinks I can do it...a-a-and I think L-Leon's really cool and super hot…" I mumbled to myself as sweat started to drip from my forehead.
"Before we show off this year's Gym Challengers and Gym Leaders, I have a very special someone that I'd like to introduce to you all," Chairman Rose said. I made my way up, though I didn't go outside yet.
"I'd like to introduce you to the Pokémon League's official photographer, handpicked by yours truly! This young lady has shown exceptional quality and potential in her photography, and I truly believe that she will be a great person to visually and artistically represent our Great League! Galar, I present to you your new League Photographer, accompanied by her beloved Urshifu, Madison Delfina Castellana!" Chairman Rose cried. I stepped out onto the turf. I saw myself on the jumbotron. I did what the chairman told me and smiled at the people. Like they did when Rose himself stepped onto the turf, they roared. For me. The smile on my face becoming genuine rather than faked, I raised both of my hands in the air, making them cheer louder. All I could do was look to the Gym Leaders. Al was quaking, but he seemed happy. Milo and Nessa were clapping with the audience. Melony made a heart with her hands. Raihan gave me a big thumbs-up. I did my duty to the people and snapped a picture of Chairman Rose, who was obviously posing for one. I'd just taken my first photo as Galar's official photographer.
Chairman Rose then called the League Challengers out, and a rather large group came onto the turf from the same place that I did, actually. If they were in the room when I was chugging antacid and sweating up a storm, I didn't see them. There were a lot of them, surprisingly, and a lot of them were kids. I was quickly able to spot Emile, the kid that Dad sponsored...mainly because he looked at Mezuma with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. He couldn't have been any older than ten, and he was one of the sickliest, frailest looking children I'd ever seen, second to only Allister. Seeing him in person made me realize that I kinda wished that Dad picked Marnie instead of him. She seemed to have more potential...but it wasn't my choice. It was Dad's.
Some League Staff members gathered up all of the Challengers, posing them all together for a group photo, which I snapped rather easily. The Challengers then moved off to the sides, making way for the Gym Leaders.
"Now...it's time for the Gym Leaders! Usually, we have them come out in a big group, but this year, we're trying something different! I want our new photographer to get shots of the Leaders individually, as well as in a group, so we're going to have our Leaders come out one at a time, in the order that our Challengers will be meeting them in! Without further ado...firstly, we have everyone's favorite Wooloo-loving farmer from Turffield, Milo!" Chairman Rose exclaimed as Milo walked out into the stadium and the audience cheered. He went out of his way to wave and tip his hat at the McGees, who were sitting in one of the front rows...which made them cheer louder. Milo and Peaches were the iconic love story of Galar, I swear. Once he got close enough to me, he waved and gave me a gentle smile. He was never one to be flamboyant.
"Next is the apple of Hulbury's eye, Nessa!" More cheers. Nessa strutted out onto the turf. A ton of girls, probably those who watched her like a hawk on social media, squealed as they saw their idol. Nessa flashed me a quick, friendly smile before posing sassily. Once her picture was taken, she joined Milo.
"Thirdly, we have the elder with the fiery soul, Motostoke's own Kabu!" The cheers were more...refined. Calm. People were excited to see Kabu, but they weren't standing up in their seats or screaming like they were for Milo or Nessa. Kabu jogged his way over to me, giving me a nod and a neutral expression as I snapped his picture.
"Next is the tender, talented, yet slightly terrifying ten-year-old from Stow-on-Side, Allister!" Chairman Rose announced. The crowd began their cheering, but Raihan had to nudge Al a bit to get him to move, but he shuffled his way into the stadium, trying his best to remain calm as I snapped his photo. He couldn't control himself and ended up running up to me and giving me a hug. The crowd started to laugh and clap louder.
"Well, would you look at that! Let's give these two a few moments," Chairman Rose chuckled.
"Al, you g-gotta get outta here. You're disturbing the ceremony," I whispered as he tried to bury his face in my chest, but my camera was in the way. I, like Raihan, gave him a little nudge, and he let me go, joining the other three.
"Now, where were we...Ah! Fifth, we have the wise woman who's had this job longer than I've been alive, Ballonlea's Opal!" Chairman Rose laughed, the audience seeming to laugh as well as Opal hobbled her way onto the turf. She couldn't walk super fast, so she was allowed to take her time. Once she got to me, she gave me a smile and a little wave as she posed for her picture.
"Sixth is the ice-cold mother and matriarch from Circhester, Melony!" The crowd applauded Melony as she walked onto the turf, waving and blowing kisses at them before blowing me one, which I playfully caught before snapping her picture. I could feel Gordie shuddering from his couch in the other room.
"Seventh, we would have Piers, but...he didn't show up...again. So, eighth, we have the Dragon Master himself, Hammerlocke's own Raihan!" Chairman Rose announced. Just about every female in between the ages of 16-25 in the audience went insane as Raihan made his way onto the turf, snapping selfies the whole way over to me, where he stuck his tongue out at me before smirking for his picture. Once Raihan joined the others, they all got together for a group photo, and moved to the opposite side that the Challengers were on.
"Now, with our Gym Leaders introduced, we'll get onto the finale of this ceremony...put your hands together for your undefeated Champion….LEON!" Chairman Rose screamed, moving to the side as Leon ran onto the turf, his trusty Charizard behind him. The audience absolutely erupted. They were screaming Leon's name, taking their hats off and waving them, leaning over the rails, jumping up and down...Galarians loved their Champion. There was no doubting it. Leon gave me a friendly look before pulling off his signature pose, signaling for me to snap the picture.
The speech Leon gave was quite the usual, such as how he was already proud of each and every one of the Challengers just for finding someone to sponsor them, and he hoped that unlike last year's disaster of a Gym Challenge, someone would make it to the Finals and challenge him to a battle. He also mentioned that he had a gut feeling that this was going to be an incredible challenge, and that he wished each and every one of the Challengers luck on their journeys and hoped that they would not only grow as Trainers, but as people, and that the Gym Challenge was about testing your limits and even exceeding them...not necessarily about winning.
Once Leon's speech was finished, the ceremony closed and everyone began to leave the stadium, though all of the Gym Leaders, Leon, and myself met up in the room that I came from.
"Another smooth ceremony if I do say so myself," Kabu said calmly, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Oh, you were so cute out there! I just wanted to eat you up!" Melony said, pulling me into a big hug and pinching my cheeks like an embarrassing mom.
"See, Squish? What were you so worried about? We told ya you'd be fine," Raihan smiled, giving me yet another nudge once Melony finally released me.
"Well, tomorrow's your day, Milo!" Nessa teased, nudging her friend, who just chuckled a bit nervously.
"I suppose it is. I hope I do well. I'm a bit on the rusty side when it comes to battling," Milo smiled.
Then, the chairman came in and pulled me from the group, leading me to the room where the tripod sat. I knew that I was to now take photos of the Gym Challengers and print their League Cards for them. All in all, it was an incredibly time-consuming process, if I'm being honest, as many of them wanted to try out several poses before realizing that they didn't like any of them and made me take an entire new set of photos,...a couple of people constantly blinked during photos, one kid even yawned during a photo and decided that he liked that one better than all of my suggestions...this was the part of the ceremony that I didn't enjoy. These kids were pretty darn hard to please...and there were so many of them! I was glad when it was over.
By the time the people all left and the League members were allowed to leave, it was evening. I didn't realize that I'd spent nearly all day at the stadium. It all went by so quickly! I was going to meet up with Dad, but I felt a hand on my shoulder...and it was too gentle to be Raihan. I turned around. It was Leon.
"Hey, Mads! I just wanted to see if you wanted to take a walk to the station with me to make sure I...y'know, get there," Leon said with a chuckle.
"Sure thing, Lee!" I said, taking out my phone and deciding to text Dad and tell him where I was going. If he didn't feel like waiting, I knew how to get to Circhester by myself.
"How did it feel?" Leon asked as we made our way to the station. "How did it feel stepping out there for the first time?"
"H-Honestly...it was so weird! A-At first I couldn't tell if the people liked me or not, but then when they all started cheering...it almost felt natural. I f-felt important. I felt like I belonged there. Don't get me w-wrong, I was still nervous as all can be, but...it was in the back of my mind rather than the front. I-Is that how you felt?" I asked.
"When I was first doing the Gym Challenge? Absolutely not. At that opening ceremony, I felt like I didn't belong! I felt like I was just wastin' my time. But...when they were declaring me Champion? Yeah, I felt like I belonged more than anything. I guess I sorta felt like you then. I'm just glad that it does feel natural for you. The people seemed to take you right in, too. I have a feeling that they're lookin' forward to gettin' to know you better!" Leon smiled.
"I hope that's t-true! I want to make them happy, after all," I said.
The walk from the stadium to the station wasn't very long, so we didn't have a whole lot of time to talk. Though, I saw Leon to his train. He lived in Wyndon, which would have been an absolutely dreadful walk, unlike me walking to Circhester, so he had to take the train.
"All right, we're here! Good luck, Lee!"
"To you as well, Mads," Leon said, giving me one last hug for the night. I cherished the feeling once more.
"Just d-don't lose!"
"Oh, like I'd do that," he chuckled before he boarded his train and the door opened.
I made my way back to the stadium...but when I was almost there..I saw this kid standing on the sidewalk. He wasn't very tall, was rather skinny, pale...and his hair was...white. We made a moment of eye contact, and once we did...we couldn't take our eyes off of each other. I don't know what I saw in this boy, but I couldn't stop looking at him. I noticed that he felt the same way, too. For what I'd say was about two minutes, we stood there, just staring at each other, our mouths agape. After that time passed, the boy, blushing rather hard, ran off in the other direction. Trying to shake that encounter off, I finished my walk back. Dad was waiting for me, Boltund back on his harness, and Gordie was there, too.
"You did an excellent job today, Maddie. I expected no less from you. Seeing you smiling and lifting your hands like that was one of the most heartwarming things I'd seen in a long time...I just felt that I should let you know," Dad said, a big smile on his face. It was obvious that he was proud of me.
"Yeah, I wish you were the photographer for the Minor League! I wonder why Rose hired one for the Major League...but not us," Gordie said, a bit of jealousy in his voice.
"I think Chairman R-Rose just wants to test having a photographer and see if it's something he should in-invest in. If things work out with me, you guys might have your own next year! I can't say that it'll be me, but at least you'll have one," I said. At least, that was my theory. It made sense and that's all that mattered.
The three of us talked about the ceremony and our predictions for this year's Gym Challenge until we arrived in Circhester. Dad and I went to our cabin while Gordie went back to his apartment. Upon entering the house, Dad unbuckled Boltund, and he immediately went to his bed to curl up and fall asleep. I wasn't far behind him. The opening ceremony, even though I honestly didn't really do much, left me exhausted.
"I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I'm gonna go change and head to bed. Did you have a nice birthday?" Dad asked, yawning.
"You bet I did. It may have st-started badly, but it sure didn't end that way," I smiled. I was used to not doing things on my birthday, considering that the opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge always fell on it, so I was used to it. I got to spend time with my friends, take pictures, and show Galar who I really am. I considered it a success, but now it was time to end it with a good night's sleep.
"I'm glad. G'night, Mads. Love ya."
"G'night, Dad. Love you too," I smiled, heading upstairs while Mezuma headed to the basement to do his nightly training. Once upstairs, I changed into my pajamas, put my glasses on the nightstand, and flopped into my bed. Considering today a success, I closed my eyes and almost immediately drifted off to sleep, awaiting what would come tomorrow.