What was the young adults (Nessa, Raihan, Sonia, Leon, etc.) gym challenge like in Legendsverse when they were younger?
And any foreshadowing or hints to Eternatus?
I'm stilllllll figuring that out, especially bc it's been a while since I exactly expressed my ideas of what they were like back then. I'm gonna focus on Leon, Sonia, Raihan and Nessa. Maaaaaybe Piers. We'll see. This will be long so buckle up!
Leon and Sonia are gonna get grouped together for now bc man. The parallels. I haven't fully decided who endorsed them. I wasn't sure if I wanted Leon to be endorsed by Rose and Sonia by someone else, or if Rose endorsed Sonia ( like in the manga) and Mustard endorsed Leon ( old friend of Gerardo, mayhaps?). The point being that these two went on their gym challenge together.
Sonia was the better trainer.
....At first. Sonia was someone who Leon could not beat when they were younger, and in the earlier part of their journey she really was the better trainer, and favorite of the media. Of course, among the favorites, there were plenty of people who called her a nepo baby and thought she was ruining the sport. Leon wasn't that shabby of a battler. But in terms of skill,back then, he wasn't as good as Sonia. But what he did have was passion and determination. Leon knew from the jump what his goals are. He wants to become champion and he wants Galar to become stronger for it. So even if he wasn't as skilled as Sonia ( yet) he was going to claw his way to that top just everyone. And people noticed that. That fiery passion, that light that he had. It was a much more gradual buildup compared to the success of Sonia who was kinda hit with everything from the jump ( can't imagine that really helped with her enjoyment of the gym challenge),and once Leon started going he could not be stopped. And when you just keep going, someone has to get left behind right?
Personality wise, again something I haven't fully thought of. I used to like the idea that Leon was shy, but I think it fits him more that he was always this full of energy and ....I dunno expressive? But also hard to read. Someone who's determined, who's passionate, who has a good laugh, but you always don't know what he's thinking. That. Sonia....I feel she used to be rather confident in herself. Dare I say, she might have been a smart alek back then,willing to "um actually" someone ( Raihan. It was Raihan). But she was still Sonia. She was still awkward, and kinda uncertain of herself at times. She has a tendency to get in her head that just keeps her stuck - oh hey Hop, what are you doing here? ( This kid and his many parallels).
Where Leon gradually became a force that could not stop, Sonia....well. The gym challenge was wearing her down. Like I said, she has a tendency to get stuck in her head. She would make battle plans, said plans fell apart, and she was left floundering her way through a battle. Everyone's eyes were on her and....and all her friends were so bright. Leon was so bright. They all were bright. They all knew what they wanted....did she know what she wanted? When was the last time she enjoyed a pokemon battle? ......
I'm of the mind that Sonia dropped out of the league around the 7th gym, so at Melony's gym. She had won, said gym, but at that point she could have sent herself that she wasn't having fun and just felt. Lost. Her friends were also so far ahead too so. No way she can make a comeback now, huh? I think this is when her and Leon's friendship breaks bc just like Hop and Naomi, it's been them. Sonia and Leon, against the world. I can't imagine what it's like watching your best friend give up ( even if in the long run, it was literally the best option for her mentally), having that friend just. Close herself in. And there's already a big gap between Sonia and Leon by this point, so when Leon turns around to check on her, not only is she far away, but she's most likely walking in the opposite direction. Or at the very least, too far away for him to reach. It's been awkward after that. But this is about the gym challenge so. Story for another time.
Raihan....oh Raihan. It's been years and I still haven't figured out a solid backstory for him. It's driving me insane. So for simplicity sake, I'm gonna say he was endorsed by the old gym leader of Hammerlocke gym. What's their relationship exactly? No clue, and we're not gonna talk about it right now. Kid Raihan....well tbh, I've always seen him as a little chill, but have a very mean mischievous streak. A pure agent of chaos that one. He was a bit more.... rambunctious (?) back then. Kiiiinda wore his heart on his sleeve more and reacted as such- but overall, really chill. Sometimes had to be the voice of reason for Sonia and Leon ( which is incredibly funny since he is most likely the one that put bad ideas in their head/ goad them into trouble. The duality of this kid). Sonia and him would get on each other's nerves and bicker a lot bc their both smart ass kids, and depending on the subject one is more chill than the other. But it gradually just became custom for them and a form of affection! They both ended up becoming the others impulse control. Raihan and Leon.....Leon kept beating him. And despite how chill he is, Raihan has pride, so each loss just makes him more frustrated. Fortunately, Leon being Leon smoothed things over - he honestly couldn't bring himself to be so mad. Plus, their rivalry was fun! They kept each other on their toes, each move being done with great intensity and vigor. Raihan had a goal to one up Leon one day and Leon would embrace it fully. ( Leon being Champion kinda. Sullied that notion. It still exists, but with lots of outside factors going into it, specifically that their rivalry is now treated as something for others to consume and watch, not just two friends who wanted to see each other grow stronger and try and best each other). In the end Raihan was the one that faced off Leon for the champion title....and lost. And honestly, I think. He reacted pretty badly. I can't blame him, he's a kid, his loss was in public for everyone to see, and he worked so hard- I do not blame him for reacting badly. But man did it make things tense between him and Leon. Even when things settled down, and the initial issue was gone, that tenseness never fully went away, but that's getting way ahead of the gym challenge. Overall, Raihan was that chill but very mischievous friend that loved to bicker with Sonia about history and battle Leon to be the best.
Nessa....I don't have much for her outside of this very specific thing: she was competitive as fuck and a bit of a hot head. I see her carrying herself with so much dignity that the other three could not help but move aside when she was walked by. Leon and Raihan found her intimidating/scary. Sonia found her criminally pretty. I actually think it was Sonia that had Nessa integrated into their little group. Not that Leon and Raihan didn't interact with her, but Sonia was the one that couldn't help but want to get to know her. I mean, she was so confident! How on earth can she be able to walk by like she owned the place. She had to figure it out. ( Raihan: Or you just folded at the first pretty face you saw. Leon: Pfft- Sonia: SHUT UP!!!). They actually became fast friends! Nessa was friendly, if not a bit more stern about the gym challenge ( "quite fooling around and take this seriously!" <- something I can see her saying). Leon and her actually ended up getting along REALLY well! I think it's the market kids bonding over their families respective trade - humble beginnings I suppose. Raihan pissed her off a lot though. One minute they could be having a normal friendly conversation and the next, Raihan is laughing his ass off while Nessa is shaking him by his shirt. And yeah! I'm not sure when she got eliminated - yes eliminated, Nessa is not someone to quit imo. Maybe during the champion cup, maybe somewhere else. But I think she had a really good run! I can actually see her being the one to encourage Sonia to quit her gym challenge, since she saw how unhappy it was making her. I think the promise that they'll still be friends and Nessa cares more about Sonia's happiness kinda just cemented the feelings Sonia had, both platonically and romantically. Nessa is a good good friend to Sonia,even past the gym challenge and years to come.
Yeaaaaah, I'm not doing Piers I don't have much for him. I do think it was Raihan that befriended him first! I feel like he was very much that friend of a friend that didn't reallllly hang out with the others as often but would still get dragged into their shenanigans and was genuinely part of the group. He was the closest to Raihan, but still gave every one cute lil nicknames :3
And finally: Eternatus is weird timeline wise. I don't think Rose got it around the time Leon became champion. I feel that happens some years into Leon's career? Maybe in his teens. So during the gym challenge, Eternatus was still very much a fossil.....but here's an idea. Leon gets lost. Like he usually does. But it's worse here, because he's lost within the deeper levels of the Galar mines. Charmeleon is with him, so he can see, and he's fairly confident in his ability to handle the wild pokemon....but it still sucks. ( It's moments like these that makes him wish that the Galar Rangers are still a thing. Wish that his dad was there to guide him). So he's still wandering around, trying to get himself out of this strange situation....and then he sees it. On the wall,a giant fossil. Or at least, a piece of a fossil? He can't really say but it's there. Right before him. Has anyone ever seen it before? He is rather deep into the mine- he's pretty sure he's not supposed to even be there. Sonia would love to get a look at it.....he can't seem to turn his eyes away. There's something about the fossil. Something.... daunting. Something heavy. It makes his stomach sink, and he feels himself shutter a little but he can't look away. It wouldn't be until Charmeleon takes a hold of Leon's hand , looking at it's trainer with concern. Leon smiles, even if it's clearly nervous, thanks Charmeleon and turns away from the fossil. He eventually does get out of the caves, gets scolded by Sonia and Raihan and goes among his merry way. He forgets about the fossil by then. Though maybe it's still there, at the back of his mind. Maybe that's why, when he sees it again, it feels so familiar.
Just a lil plot bunny for ya :)
