Hello/Salam everyone! I'm DeenPikachu and I write stories featuring Muslim characters, in order to break the misconceptions about Islam through a bit of humour. This is my first multi-chapter fanfic! (*applause, applause, applause)
The following story idea of "a Muslim gym leader" was suggest by Farla.
Side-Note 1: a glossary is available at the end of each chapter.
Side-Note 2: This story is a work of fiction. Any resembles to any real person or event is unintentional.
Aaand Disclaimer: As this is a work of fanfiction, I claim no ownership to any Pokémon games, nor the anime, although all human characters in this story are OCs...
And there you have it. Happy reading!
Chapter 1: Just the Goal Within
First day as a gym leader, and Isa was sweating from nervousness. The previous gym leader had retired, and had put the eighteen-year-old in charge of the fire gym. Not a single challenger had come yet, and he'd been sitting on his spot for about an hour.
The teen roamed his eyes around, when suddenly, his cellphone rang. Thrown off guard by the sudden loud noise, Isa fumbled out his cellphone and slid his finger across the screen.
"Ayeee, Homie! What's up?!" the voice yelled at the other end of the phone, as Isa held it about an inch away from his ear.
Isa scowled.
"Mahmoud, I'm at the gym," Isa murmured in the phone. "I can't talk right now."
"Since when you start workin' out?" his friend exclaimed with a hoot of laughter. "Ohhh! You got engaged, didn't ya? Is she hijabi?"
"Pokémon gym," Isa said at once. "I'm at the Pokémon gym. I'm the new gym leader, remember?"
"Who the pickles has heard of a Muslim gym leader?" Mahmoud snorted. "That's new. You at the tire gym, right?"
"Fire gym."
"Yeah, yeah. Well, me and the akhis are off to get some pizza. Wanna come?"
"I can't."
Isa was starting to get irritated.
"Hahaha. Right, right. Well, you have fun with your battles..." There was silence for a moment. "... Oh! And congrats on your engagement!"
"I did not get engaged!"
Isa was cut off. His friend had already hung up.
"You freakin' avocado," the teen grumbled under his breath, re-pocketing his cellphone.
"Umm... Is this a bad time?"
Isa's attention was quickly snapped back by another voice. He looked up to see a young trainer awkwardly standing in front of him.
"Oh, yes of course!" Isa replied, quickly standing up. "I mean, no it's not a bad time. I mean yes, we can battle. I mean..."
The teen trailed off upon seeing the challenger's confused expression.
"Never mind," Isa said quickly. He stood up straight and deepened his voice. "I see you have come to challenge me."
The young trainer glanced to his side, before looking back at Isa.
"Um, no," the boy said quietly. "I'm not here to battle you."
There was an awkward silence.
"Oh..."
Isa hoped his 'oh' did not sound too disappointed.
"I'm here to challenge the gym leader," the trainer spoke up again. "Is he not here today?"
"Uh, no," Isa said. "I mean, yes! He is here. I mean, that's me. The old gym leader, as in previous gym leader, retired. Now I'm the gym leader. Yeah."
The challenger stared at him blankly.
"I am Isa, the fire-type gym leader," the teen said, hoping he sounded professional. He pulled out a pokéball. "I see you have come to challenge me, young trainer. Well, I'll let you know, I'm not easy to beat. So get ready for an intense match. Are you sure you're ready? Are you really, really sure?"
"No...?"
"What?" Isa deadpanned. "You're not ready to challenge me after coming so far?"
"I think you're the one who's not ready."
"Huh?"
"And with that, he just walked away," Isa exclaimed incredulously, as he sat at the café table with his three friends, Shahveer, Mo, and Mahmoud, after he was off from work. "And hear this. Not a single other challenger came," he continued. "So basically, I'm just sitting there for like, six hours! Okay, maybe not six hours straight. Y'know, 'cause I had to leave twice to go pray. Wait..." Isa stared into space for a moment before turning back to his friends. "You don't suppose any challengers came when I was out to pray, do you? I was out for less than ten minutes, but I mean still, that was technically not on my break time. So-"
"Isa, just chill man," Isa's friend, Shahveer, interrupted. "Forget about it now, then inshallah, tomorrow you'll get some challengers. Be patient."
"I don't see why you want to be the gym leader, though," Mo objected, wiping his glasses with the bottom of his sweatshirt. He looked up at Isa. "Wouldn't you rather finish college and set for a better career? Also, how you gonna manage praying on time, and going for Jummah on Fridays? Will you get a day off for Eid? Also, who's ever heard of a Muslim gym lea-"
"Exactly!" Mahmoud interrupted loudly. A few people turned around to look. "Mo has a point," he continued. "Who's ever heard of a Muslim gym leader? You crazy! Make one mistake, and the media will be after you. You cough, and top headlines'll be like, new Muslim gym leader spreads germs to faultless challenger. You laugh, and headlines will be like, new Muslim gym leader makes weird noise. Challengers are warned to be careful. 'Cause bro, you got one weird laugh I'm telling ya."
"Mahmoud has a point," Shahveer added. "Isa, what're you going to do about the media? Being a gym leader is too risky. People already have a bad impression on Muslims, and I doubt you'll be any exception to profiling. You get what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, they're right," Mo said. "I say you just continue college and forget about this gym leader nonsense. There's no way you can be-"
"No," Isa interrupted, abruptly standing up. "No, I will be the gym leader. You guys don't get it, do you? If people have a bad impression on Muslims, then who's gonna be the one to show them otherwise? Being Muslim shouldn't be what holds us back in doing things, it should be what motivates us more. Islam teaches us to work hard, despite what others may say to us.
"The media has done enough damage already, I know. A label has already been put on us, and so many people have a completely messed-up concept about Islam. But if people truly knew what Islam was really about, not based off of verses taken out of context, not based off of propaganda spread by the media, then the religion would not be so hated. But if we say nothing, nobody's gonna know.
"Don't you see? We should strive to be leaders, and the media shouldn't be what sets us back. It should be what pushes us forward to show that Muslims are not bad people. And being a gym leader is how I'm going to prove that. Understand?"
Isa looked around to see his friends looking at him silently. The café had gone quiet, and other people had turned around to see what was going on. The teen slowly sat back down, breathing deeply.
"Gettin' a bit preachy here, are we?" Mahmoud said finally, with a slight laugh.
"I don't know, man," Shahveer said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess you do what you want."
Mo slipped on his glasses.
"I still don't think this is a good idea," he said with a slight shrug. He readjusted his glasses and looked Isa in the eye. "Isa. Just be careful. That's all we're saying."
"Well, then I'll show you," Isa muttered under his breath.
He got up without another word, and headed for the door. The bell on the doorknob tinkled as he opened the door, and the teen walked out onto the cold sidewalk, with the Maghrib sky above him.
"I'll show them all."
And done! What do you think about it? Should I continue this fic, or nah? Don't forget to favourite, follow, review, and tell me your favourite part! Feedback is also accepted. Thank you for reading!
Peace out.
Glossary:
Hijabi: Literally a girl who wears hijab (headscarf)
Akhis: Exact translation is "brothers" (in this context, he is referring to their friends, not real brothers)
Salam: Peace greeting Muslims use to greet one another
Inshallah: Translates to "if God wills."
Jummah: Friday prayers done in congregation at the mosque (Muslim prayer place)
Eid: Muslim holiday
Maghrib: Sunset prayer