The feeling after you get your final league badge has often been described as the best feeling a young child can experience. It certainly was that to Lyra, it had been a few hours since she had defeated Clair and she was still skipping down the streets of Blackthorn city. She had decided to treat herself to s shopping spree after victory.

It wasn’t easy getting the badge either. Not only had she had to fight one of the toughest gym battles of her life, but she also had to go to the Dragons den to prove her worth for the badge. Lyra giggled remembering the look on Clair’s face when the elder told her that Lyra was worthy.

Lyra was weighed down with bags full of sweets and stuffed animals and clothes. She had nearly spent all her money, but luckily she had stocked up on potions and revives beforehand. She made a note to have her mom forward her some money before the end of the week.

She looked up at the sky, it was already getting dark and the street lights were slowly coming on. She decided that it was high time that she got back to the pokémon centre and got some rest for the night. As she walked down the street she began to hear the sound on someone singing.

“Oh, the Dragonairs are so pretty, in the middle of the night. And their skin glistens in the water...t-to..hic...take away all fright...is it fright?” The song was cut off by the sound of a bottle being emptied. “Yeah ish fright...and they fly up in the air and...something something...dare!”

Lyra got the nagging feeling that she had heard that voice somewhere before. She looked into the alley where the sound of the sining was coming from and saw a cloaked figure staggering around. It seemed to barely be able to keep itself steady.

“Um...excuse me..” Lyra said, against her better judgement.

The figure turned atound clumsily and it’s hood fell off, revealing a messy haired, red
cheeked and very surly looking Clair.

“Clair!” Lyra gasped.

“YOU!” Clair said, trying to keep her balance on a nearby pipe, “You’re the little Brat who..who made me look like an idiot today! Well, I’m shtill a gym leader, and you’re just a stupid little...twerp! So who’s the idiot now?”

Clair tried to point accusingly at Lyra but ended up falling flat on her face. Lyra gasped and helped her up. She was surprisingly light and Lyra found that it was easy to carry her. Lyra decided that the best thing to do for her was to get her to the pokémon centre with a little people seeing her as possible. Lyra re-hooded her and began dragging her back.

“I-I’m sorry I drove you to this,” Lyra said, hoping that Clair wasn’t an angry drunk.

“YOU? Ha, ha, don’t get so high and mighty sister!” Clair slurred, “You were just the shtraw
that broke the Camperuts back!”

“W-what, you’ve had problems like this before?” Lyra asked, shocked.

“Oh, ho, ho! You don’t know that half of it!” Clair said, “For one thing, everyone thinks that just cuz I dress in leather and have a whip, I’m some sort of S&M queen! Hell I get...the fucking weirdest letters from...all kinds of people. Shit asking me to...to be their mistress or some crap! Does..does no one get that I might just happen to LIKE leather, i-it’s a nice thing to dress up in a-and stuff! And the whip is...because dragons are FUCKING VIOLENT! Have you ever seena Dragonite on a rampage, the whip is there to show ‘em who’s boss!”

“Wow that must by...urgh...hard for you!” Lyra said, lugging the drunk gym leader up some steps.

“Oh ho yeah, and all these fucking challengers,” Clair continued, “Don’t tell anyone I said this, but sometimes I just want to hyper beam them all. Stupid kids who think that a fucking Rattatta can beat my dragons! And I hate it when the spoilt little brats mothers mothers go to the league officials because, “I was too hard”. I’m the last freaking Gym Leader you should face before the league; I’M SUPPPOSED TO BE HARD!”

“Uh...huh.” Lyra muttered, not sure what to say to her.

“And then there’s the all the people who expect me to solve every! Little! Problem!” Clair said, “People who want me to get their cat out of a tree when I’m trying to defend this town against Team Rocket, or making plans to train. And I can’t say no to them, oh heavens no! Bacuse then they go complain to the freaking league!”

“Wait, isn’t the champion a member of your family?” Lyra interrupted, “Surely he would understand?”