The Sandstorm of Hammerlocke

[ @raysofpokemuse​ ] 

Friday. It was a day of dread for Raihan, truly it was. For most people, it was the end of the week, a time to wind down. For a gym leader, it was only the beginning of events, of challenges. Worst of all, it was the day the Galar Sun, Galar’s preeminent tabloid published their weekly bullshit. Every week it was some dumb thing different. A comment on Nessa’s looks-- or her potential affair she’s definitely not having with Kabu. (What the hell, he was old enough to be her dad.) Speculations about Melony’s family tensions. Questions of goverment conspiracies that cause dynamax. 

He was mostly looking for if they had anything to say about him. And they usually did. 

He would be lying a little bit more if he said he wasn’t worried over … well, everything.

As much of a relief it was to no longer have the Gym to worry about quite so much, it brought a whole new sense of concern with it. Making sure Marnie was okay, making sure Spikemuth wasn’t failing in other areas that still felt like his responsibility … he was always doing something, it seemed, and it never seemed to stop.

And so, he finds himself sighing with a small amount of defeat in tone. 

❝ … fuckin’ ‘ell … 'reet, I’ll be honest; yer’d 'hink I’d 'ave less stress now that it’s jus’ th’ music, but ’m jus’ … no’ adjustin’. ❞ His fingers hook around the hole in his choker, fidgeting and gently pulling at it. 

❝ ’m still worryin’ over shite that innit in me control and it’s like … I dinnit even kna’, it’s just making sleep a bit naff at th’ moment. ❞

As much as he wants to vent it all to Raihan, he doesn’t want to worry the poor soul. So, naturally, he begins to deflect.

❝ ‘m sure it’ll pat itsel’ out though. ❞

“Y’know that’s fine, right? You can take it slow. There’s a lot of change to get used ta.” Less responsibility or not, Raihan could see how worry weighed down Piers’ already slumped shoulders. He’d gone from being responsible for a whole city to handing it over to Marnie. From having to worry about gym battles to having even that be taken out of his hands. If Piers wasn’t worried about the state of everything he’d worked so hard to take care of, that would’ve been even more concerning.

Now it was Raihan’s turn to put a warm hand on Pier’s shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. “Sometimes it’s hard not t’worry, mate. In yer control ‘r not, it can needle your mind, right?” Late nights wondering what you could’ve done better, or what might happen, or what you have to do on another day-- everyone had those. It was only a problem when it was physically stopping sleep. “Best thing for it’s to share those problems. I’m all ears.”

She watched as all the fans made their way out of the stadium. She was a little nervous from all of the people, but that nervousness washed away when she noticed Raihan and heard him greet her. “Raihan! Hey!” She spoke rather happily as she walked up to him.

The small Gible in her arms seemed to be a little nervous as well as he tried to hide himself in Yuki’s half zipped up Dragon tracksuit jacket. She pet the small one’s dorsal fin to reassure him that everything was okay. “Tough match?”

“Nah. It was fun though. Lots of close calls.” Raihan grinned, head tilting to the side curiously at the small pokemon trying very hard in Yuki’s jacket. “Like the merch-- is that a Gible? Didn’t think they lived around here.” Heck, he was damn sure they didn’t live in Galar, seeing as he’d only seen them in books and on the telly.

[for @galariansun​ continued from here]

The question had been sudden, even for Raihan. Their day had been normal, after all. A break from league preparations and work to just relax as they used to, way back when. A quick match in the morning, lunch, wandering around Wyndon and window shopping-- stopping Leon from wandering off. It was fun, a day for just the two of them to remember they were friends, not just rivals.

There’d been something that changed though, somewhere around the time the sun started to set. The evening light had hit Leon’s gold eyes just right, and he was smiling, carefree, if only for the moment. Raihan had just been seized by this sudden tug in his chest, his mouth racing way faster than his mind. “Can I kiss you?” He immediately regretted letting the words form, heat rushing up his neck to his cheeks. What the hell was he saying? Asking his, probably straight, best friend if he could kiss him. 

He frantically tried to backpedal, hands raising up defensively as he searched for an excuse. “Mate, that’s just a-- I was just--” He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening and hands lowering slowly. What? Did he just say yes? Hell, he said please. Oh arceus, if he hadn’t been blushing before. “Er. Yeah? It’s... okay? I can?” He wanted to make sure he’d heard right, that he wasn’t going to ruin their friendship. Raihan swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath to steady his stuttering heart. 

[for @galarking​ continued from here]

Sometimes, things got a little too heated, a little too serious on the battlefield. With sand whipping around their feet, and the two of them down to their last pokemon, the match was going to be decided in no time-- there was a level of focus that they needed to hone in on. There was no room for error. 

Still, Raihan wasn’t a huge fan of Leon’s focused scowl. Sure, it was a good look, especially when they were trying to beat the snot out of each other, but hey-- getting a little too serious, there. Better the champ was smiling than frowning. 

So he did what he did best. Mock and bait a laugh out of him. They were rivals, not enemies. 

@sxndwyrm​ | continued. 

     ❝ haven’t seen one’a those quite yet. ❞ she said, gesturing towards the duraludon. all she knew is that it looked COOL as all hell! so different. she honestly wants to pet it, but it seems occupied at the moment.

     ❝ fella looks good with kids, too. i can tell ya trained em well. ❞