#OC: gym leader beau

[clockwork-dinosaur]

a introduction fic for my Gym Leader OC Beau! they're a bit of an asshole and i love them, i hope you will too uwu

~1.7k words, no content warnings. also this is the first time i've written anything related to Pokémon so Any feedback is welcome!

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The stadium roared louder than any Pokemon and twice as wild. Packed stands moved in frantic rhythm, hundreds of flags and banners flapping like wings in a storm. Under the harsh lights on the massive field, entirely in his element, Beau smirked at the Trainer in front of them. Their eyes were locked, determined gazes meeting past the flapping leathery wings of Beau’s Noivern and the dark, fiery aura of the Trainer’s Chandelure. Noivern’s left leg was pulled close to its body, singed and smarting. Beau’s eye twitched when the hit had landed and burned his partner, but it was nothing that couldn’t be healed.

    Revenge, however, would be severe. Noivern could take the hit, as could the other Pokemon still at their side, waiting to swoop in and crush this kid’s last two Pokemon.

“Noivern!” Beau called clearly, the sureness of winning carried in the lilt of their voice, “Use Wing Attack!”

The winged Pokemon looked back and met Beau’s eyes, his own determination reflected back through the years-long bond they’ve shared with only a glance. Noivern seemed to hover in breathless stillness for a moment as it drew its wings wide, before its muscles tensed and the thin membranes caught the air, sending blades of wind at the hapless Chandelure. Its flames flickered as it was buffeted by the air.

A critical hit!

The Trainer looked horrified as their Pokemon fell to the ground- dulled, dizzy, and defeated. Beau barked out a laugh.

“C’mon kid, I know you’ve got one more! Can’t run away now!”

The trainer looked up with a glare, and sent out their final Pokemon- Cinderace. The stadium went nuts. A fan favorite for sure, and one that gave Beau pause. His strategy was always to call back his Pokemon when their health dropped too low, something that often caught the challengers off guard and gave his battles an air of intrigue- it kept everyone including his opponent on their toes, and allowed him to use his dual-types to his advantage when his opponent least expected it.

Noivern was already burnt, and its wing beats were beginning to falter. Another fiery hit and it might faint. Corviknight was at a steep disadvantage, and even weaker besides- it would take hours to preen those burnt feathers as it was. Hawlucha had fainted at the hands of a Togedemaru, an upsetting and infuriating upset. Talonflame or Swoobat might get a hit in if they swapped in now, but it was risky- as fast as they were, Cinderace could be faster. 

The rabbit Pokemon hopped back and forth, waving its arms and riling up the crowd as Beau deliberated. It would come down to whose Pokemon was faster- mostly.

Of course, they hadn’t forgotten what would really turn the tide.

A wry grin spread across their face as the Dynamax power gathered in their wristband, built into their gray falconer's glove like a centerpiece. Noivern, still burnt but with fierce determination in its eyes, receded into the growing Pokeball. They rubbed the ball affectionately and threw it high

Noivern burst from the Pokeball, its wings unfurling to block out the sun above the stadium. Its eyes glowed like flares and pierced the humans below, drenching them in golden light. Red mist gathered around its rounded concave ears and seemed to spill down its furred back, to be stirred up again by its massive wings that spanned the width of the stadium. With a cry that drowned out the frantic cheers, Noivern unleashed its power.

Speed was well trained in their Pokemon, and Noivern wasted no time in stirring up a whirling current of air before the other trainer had a chance to act. The Cinderace was lifted off its fuzzy little feet and swept clear across the stadium.

To Beau’s surprise, however, it stayed standing. 

Barely. 

They watched with a sneer as the other trainer gathered their Dynamax energies and sent their giant Cinderace out as well. Its massive ears seemed to part the red fog and twitch in time with the rhythmic chanting of the spectators.

Beau all but growled as the Cinderace sent a firestorm at Noivern, engulfing it in flames. As the flames died down, Noivern tilted to one side, then the other, before finally falling to the ground, singed and unconscious. 

“I’m sorry, mate,” Beau said quietly, as Noivern retreated into its Pokeball to rest and recover. 

The opposing trainer was jumping up and down as the crowd cheered. Cinderace, still battered, raised its arms in triumph. 

Beau began to snicker, then laugh outright. The kid turned with an annoyed and confused expression, and Beau only laughed harder, more meanly.

“I’m not done here!” they said airily. Their choices were limited, but not expended; with little thought but revenge, Beau sent out Swoobat. It blinked in the bright lights and up at the Dynamaxed Cinderace across the field from it. It gave Beau an uncertain look, ears drooped forward in nervousness.

“You can do this!” they encouraged, and Swoobat seemed to gather itself. It was a relative newcomer to Beau’s team, but one that had quickly found its place, both strategically and in their heart. Beau genuinely believed in Swoobat’s abilities.

Swoobat was already injured, however- it certainly wouldn’t withstand enough hits to make leading with Future Sight worthwhile. Beau narrowed his eyes and pointed.

“Swoobat, use Psychic!”

Energy gathered around the fuzzy bat, warping the space around it and radiating power that seemed impossible for its size.

“Yeah! You got it!” Beau shouted, as the attack landed.

Another critical hit!

Cinderace seemed to explode. In its already weakened state, Swoobat’s attack coming from a place of wanting to make Beau proud was just enough to defeat the opposing trainer’s Pokemon.

Swoobat circled Beau ecstatically as they approached the dejected trainer. The kid looked up at them with wide and watery eyes.

“It’s only gonna get harder from here,” they said, sneering. “My advice? Give it up, ‘kay?”

With that, they turned on their heel and walked away to the sound of thousands of shouts, jeers, and cheers.

“You gotta go easier on those kids, mate. Your bitterness is showing.”

Beau refused to look up to greet the owner of that familiar, gravely voice. The cozy little restaurant was full after the match, the tellies showing highlights from that day’s events. Wins, losses, and impressive plays from all across Galar were discussed and picked apart ad infinitum. His own battle was often referenced, to his delight. Eyes were on them, and as they picked at their chips they were playing it cool.

Piers, however, had no need to play, and they both knew it. It ruffled Beau’s feathers, so to speak. The other gym leader sat across from them in their corner booth and leveled an exhausted look in their direcion, one that Beau met with a smirk.

“It’s a challenge for a reason, innit?” they responded flippantly. “Besides, shouldn’t you be celebrating too? I defeated a Dynamax Pokemon with a regular old Pokemon, isn’t that your whole shtick?”

“No,” he responded dully. “My shtick is makin’ sure this league runs smooth as it can, just as yours should be.”

Beau raised their hands sarcastically. “Pardon me for making things interesting and not throwing the match whenever the kid looks pathetic. You goin’ to Raihan next and tellin’ him to ease up too?”

“You know right well that Rihan ain’t pullin’ the same stunts you are,” Piers shot back, pointing a thin finger at Beau and meeting their eyes. “Look mate, I’m one of the only gym leaders left who can stand to talk to you for more than a minute, yeah? So listen here- you play by the rules and start flyin’ right, or you’re off the circuit. Simple as.”

Beau glared. “It isn’t my fault my strategy works. I’m breaking no rules, used no items, nothin’ under the table. You get away with your gym being a dead zone, I’m bein’ just as creative!”

Piers crossed his arms. “When’s the last time a trainer came back for a rematch?”

“Dunno. I don’t bother to remember any of ‘em.

“None,” Piers said. “They don’t come back to try again when they lose to you. An’ the few that win? They’re miserable in their interviews, can’t even enjoy their wins after your tantrums.”

Beau blinked slowly at Piers, resting their chin in their hand. “So?”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Is there something wrong with being the best Gym Leader in Galar?”

“Bein’ the best Gym Leader isn’t about winnin’, mate. It’s about playing the same game and making things interesting for everyone. Not just you.”

Beau scoffed. “Can’t say I’d find it very interesting if every kid who rolled in with a Wooloo became Champion, but I suppose you’re right, mate- it isn’t just all for me. Might be then that I’ll just collect a flock of Pidove and let ‘em get zapped so I’m a real team player, yeah?”

“You know bloody well that isn’t what I meant,” Piers said darkly. “Watch yourself, got it? Only a matter of time before the season ends and Gyms get evaluated in the off-season. You’ve skated by this long, but your attitude’s gotten real rotten this time ‘round. One freak to another- you gotta show some sportsmanship ‘fore you’re voted out.”

Piers stood without giving Beau a chance to respond. They glared at his retreating back and pushed back the shadows that seemed to close in to fill the void he left.

Despite Beau’s needling, Piers’s warning turned over in their mind. They liked being a Gym Leader. The showmanship, the challenge, and– naturally– the wins. They trained hard with their Pokemon, spent hours upon hours a day training and caring for them. A large part of their drive to win was to give them that chance to show off, to be seen and praised and applauded alongside himself. If they were to lose that, they weren’t sure what they would do.

But, to sacrifice themself, to shrink down and recede into the background… it wasn’t something they were even sure how to do, let alone for tens of hundreds of kids and the millions of watching fans that packed the stadiums and stayed glued to their screens every season. They wouldn’t shave off an inch of themself for anyone.

Angry and annoyed, Beau left the cheery warmth of the restaurant for the cool night air that seemed more in line with their thoughts.

[singing-circuitry]

new bastard OC dropped, Gym Leader Beau! no profile version under the cut