Champion's childhood friend

|1|Defeat|1|

Admitting defeat is never easy. You've learnt that firsthand, especially when you were first starting out on your journey. But the thing is, you never gave up. You always came back, bounced back, right where you belonged. On the course for championship.

Your friend however... Suffered defeats he simply couldn't overlook.

"Another... Critical hit?!" Hop exclaims, rearing back in shock.

You smile with your eyes closed, "C'mon Hop, you should be expect'n this by now, mate!"

"Y-yeah..." He calls back his pokemon that just fainted, sending out the final one in his party, "I should've..."

Your expression softens as you switch out your pokemon, "Don't be too hard on yourself,"

"Wh-what?!" He chuckles, "I'm not being harsh on myself! Not at all!"

You sigh and call for your pokemon to use a move, knocking out Hop's final pokemon in one hit. You recall your pokemon, sliding the pokeball into your bag and dusting yourself off from the various objects flung on you from the battle.

Hop remains silent, but calls back his pokemon. He stares at the ground, and you see him bite his lip and start shaking, just the slightest. Then he looks up quickly, eyes sparkling and a radiant smile on his face.

"You really are strong, (Name)!" He rubs the back of his neck with his eyes closed, the smile falling into a disheartened grin.

You can tell he's beating himself up over his loss. Again. He may be smiling on the outside, but you know that he's hurting inside. You're so sick of seeing him like this; sad, disappointed and frustrated.

And that's when you decide that you always want to protect him, not that he isn't capable of that on his own. But you just want to be there to... support him. Direct him when times get tough. And you can't exactly do that if you're off being champion.

You can't leave him. You just can't.

Your heart breaks in two pieces in that second. One wanting to follow your dreams of being the champion of Galar. The other just... wants Hop. Wants him to be happy. Wants to see his smile. Him smiling at you.

You wring your hands, "Hop... I don't want us to go seperate ways,"

"Huh? What do you mean?" He blinks in confusion, "We ain't going seperate ways?"

"No! I-i mean..." You sigh, "I'm the new champion and that means I'll be leaving my home behind, leaving you behind. And..." You shake your head, "I'm certain I don't want that,"

"What're you saying?!" Hop exclaims, "Being champion was your dream! Our dream!"

"But it wasn't!" You fling out your arms in an exaggerated gesture, "I never wanted to be champion! You did! I just got caught up in your dreams, tagged along for the ride and somehow... somehow it became my dream too, through you,"

"And I don't want to leave behind the person who helped me find my way," You finish, finding yourself twirling a strand of hair with your finger.

"What. D'you mean to say ya' don't want to be champion?" Hop cringes, "After all that?"

"No! I do want to be champion, but only after you kept going on about it!" You find yourself laughing quietly, "You never shut up about your big bro and how un-defeat-able he was!"

"Hey! I did not talk about him all the time!" Hop refutes, but it makes you laugh all the more so.

"B-but yo... you did!" You say in between laughs, trying to catch a breath.

Hop looks away from you, fighting a growing smile, "D-didn't!"

"Oh, you so did," You release one final laugh and wipe away the tears from your eyes, planting your hands on your hips, "The only reason I'm where I am today is because of you, and it wouldn't feel right not giving you the credit you deserve!"

You smile widely at him, then point with one hand at the sky and lowering it to him, "You are the one who got me here, and i'm gonna be the one to stay by your side!"

"Uh, that's fine and all but..." he rubs the back of his neck and looks away, thoroughly confused, "I'm not sure what you're talkin' about..."

"Hop, We've always been best friends, i've always seen you as the closest person to me. Then we became pokemon trainers," you cross your arms, trying your best to look dramatic, "And we became rivals. Which has led me to the conclusion that I... I uh,"

You flounder for words, suddenly at a loss now that the actual confession part has come up. You were fine before, so why are you flustered now of all times! When you started this whole speech it was always going to get to this point, always!

So why is it... so hard to say?

"I um..." Your eyes light up as something you heard comes to mind.

You turn away from Hop, sorting through your bag as Hop awkwardly asks what you're doing. You end up grinning wildly as you find the object of your search.

You bring out a pokeball, holding it in your hands tightly before pressing it to your heart quickly. Then you turn back to Hop, closing the distance between you and holding out the ball to him.

He looks at your face as your heart hammers against your chest. Then he looks at the ball.

Now or never.

You open the pokeball and shut your eyes tightly as the pokemon appears in your arms.

Oh, I regret this. I regret this so much. I wish I didn't do this.
Why did I do this?!

"An... Applin?" Hop's curious voice pulls your attention away from your thoughts.

"Yep!" You confirm, eyes still shut.

"I..." Hop begins, connecting the dots.

.

.

.

"I don't understand?"

oh.