"You feel better?" Zoey asks as Leon laid on the bed, her new pokemon in her arms being fed.
"Hmm…" Leon hums and keeps the covers over himself.
"Still dealing with shellshock?" Zoey asks.
Leon slowly pulls the covers down and lifts his head to look at her with tired eyes. 'When it said realism mode, it meant it,' Leon thought before Zoey touched his forehead.
"Zoey…?" Leon tries to ask, but the recent battle took a lot out of him.
"Yes?" Zoey asks.
Leon keeps looking to her for something before sighing and putting his head down. "Nothing…sorry."
"It's alright. You have your work cut out for you though and Fury is eating everything she can. Meat, fruit, even vegetables," Zoey says, making Leon unsure if the last one was a joke.
Leon sighs. "Sorry…it's been a long day for me."
"Just rest, ok?" Zoey asks.
"Okay…make sure Fury doesn't eat anyone," Leon asks, closing his eyes.
"She is too busy gorging herself on the food being cooked," Zoey informs smirking.
'And most likely the power of Chansey,' Leon thinks chuckling.
"There. That's better," Zoey says smiling at his chuckles.
"I do feel better after a good laugh," Leon says.
"You should laugh more. Maybe it could help," Zoey suggested.
"Well, it does help me," Leon says.
Zoey giggles a bit. "So rest up. I'll go see the others. Make sure you smile, okay?"
"Alright. What do you think Beacon?" Leon asks.
Beacon snores out loud as he lays on his back with his mouth wide open and drooling. "Flaaf…flaaf…"
"Thank you for that riveting commentary Beacon," Leon says jokingly.
"Flaaf…"
Leon snarks happily before covering himself up again. "Ah. Sweet darkness."
"I liked your joke," Zoey informs before leaving.
Leon smiles as he brings up the sheets a bit and watches Zoey leave. 'Nice to have her as a friend. She so should have been the next companion instead of Iris.'
Leon smiles as he read his travel book in a lighter mood. With Zoey helping tame Fury, it certainly took a weight off of his shoulders. Especially when Beacon offered to zap her to call out when she did wrong. It does bring a smile to his face at times. Though now… "Maybe Hearthome…no wait. Isn't that gym leader always on the move?" he asks, turning to Zoey as Amber sat on his shoulder while reading from the book in his hands.
"Yeah. The worst gym when it comes to having a roaming gym leader," Gardenia says as Leon raised his hand with a hand signal to see if Fury got what he was trying to teach her.
Fury seems to give a look to him as she held her gaze at him before performing a flip and give a tail lash at the end of the move in front of her, but her tail still kept going and smacks her in the face, making her stumble in the air.
"Fury, come on down," Leon calls stopping in his tracks as Beacon sparks up his coat next to him, ready to give a shockingly good time out.
Fury gives a groaning sound and a roll of her eyes before flying down and landing in front of them as Beacon charges up a bit while still holding his snickers back.
"Not this time," Leon says walking up and holds up a sweet berry in front of her. "If you are going to learn these moves, you have to know how to control your strength and speed. Otherwise, it will backfire and you will be knocked out or worse," Leon gently says before holding the berry out of the way of her snapping jaws. "Nu-huh. Get the move first and I'll give it to you."
Fury frowned a bit before sighing and takes off again to try again.
"What are you trying to teach her anyway?" Gardenia asks.
"Maneuvers and ariel ace," Leon informs.
"Oh. How is she doing?" Gardenia asks, watching how Fury is doing.
"Getting there," Leon says, getting out a small army knife and starts to cut the berry as Fury does another flip and then, this time, turn herself and spin around sideways, flicking her tail repeatedly in front of her, but still making the tip of it smack her in the back when she couldn't stop it. "Alright Fury. Come on down," Leon says, still cutting away the berry into pieces.
Fury, hearing that lands in front of him, waiting eagerly.
Leon smiles up at her. "Okay. Not bad," he says holding out a piece and she licks it up and chews it down, enjoying the piece. "You're getting there. Just need to send your tail another way just in case…or use it," he quietly offers as he chuckles a little and gives another piece where she licked it up.
"She's no longer trying to chomp your hand, right?" Lana asks, playing with kabuto.
"Not if I keep giving her food in place of it," Leon sighs and gives another piece before she happily ate it up.
"And when you aren't?" Lana asks, putting kabuto on her head.
Leon looks at her with a slightly tired look. "Trying not to startle her."
Zoey gives a few encouraging pats on the back at that before Leon turns back to Fury as she licks her muzzle. "Okay…now we just work on a few other things to keep your mind sharp. How about this, if you can fly and snatch a piece out of my hand, I'll give you the rest of the berry. But, you must do it without actually hurting me or…well…" Leon trails off as he nods his head at the others staring her down. "So yeah. Get it done and maybe we can work your training more. And you can get more berries," he says, holding up the remaining berry.
Fury licks her lips as she eyes them greedily.
"So? Get flying," Leon says and Fury immediately took off, flying behind the group as they start walking again.
"Not bad. A game as training," Zoey observed, looking back to see Ippo looking around the area before seeing a spot on the ground and stamps on it, cracking the ground a bit from the low-level move. "And simple things we do every day."
"It's how you do a job anyway…for humans," Leon points out as Beacon simply walking with them, but his eyes closed as he seems to be meditating while walking.
"But that still has problems," Gardenia adds, looking over to Rhythm as he hops to branch to branch in the trees as quick as he can and gives five pecks to the trunk everytime he stops.
"Yep. You are bringing up only a few areas, not all at once, but if that was figured out, then we would not be that special," Leon points out before turning to Amber, who has gotten off his shoulder and is now moving from tree to tree by swinging around by her hands and even tail, doing tricks at times.
"That's a deep way of looking at it," Gardenia voices when Fury did a sweep of them and Leon quickly closes his hand when her shadow passed over them and then she herself flew past them, huffing when he did so. "She's trying," Gardenia observed while Tsunami slithers by them, picking up rocks once in a while and crushes it with her jaws.
Leon hums. "You know…if me being a trainer doesn't work out, I could probably publish a book on how to train pokemon on the go," he jokes smiling before closing his hand again when he spots Fury's shadow on the ground by turning his head to it and Fury gets the idea when she notices where he is looking and flies up again.
"What is your main focus in this training anyways?" Lana asks, watching as Zoey was also training her pokemon for future contests.
"How to move without being seen," Leon says, raising an eyebrow before hearing some leaves rustle and looks behind him to see Fury coming at him from the ground and quickly closes his hand and bends down to the ground to miss Fury's claws by a few inches, making Fury snap her jaws annoyed at him when she flew past.
"Nice try. You're getting better," Leon says before flinging one into the air as hard as he could for her to go after it.
Fury immediately flew off and snaps the berry out of the air and chews as she hovers in place.
"Her ability to catch things mid-air is very good," Leon says as he directs her to land as he watches Zoey pull off a combination move with her glameow and shellos.
"All right guys. Take five. You've earned that," Zoey says encouragingly.
"Actually, take the night. We'll camp here," Leon says.
"Yeah, that sounds fine," Zoey says as all the pokemon immediately go off to set up the camping equipment.
"Tonight's going to be a new moon," Leon says taking a seat beside her as Gardenia and Lana join them.
"Yeah. So we have to keep the fire going for a while," Zoey says, digging into her backpack.
"You also know what we have to look out for, don't you?" Leon asks.
"Ghost-type," Gardenia says paling.
"Rattata and Raticate," Lana says.
"Darkrai," Leon says.
"Zubats," Zoey adds.
"Mon," Amber spoke up as she tosses wood to the campfire.
"Ma!" Ippo says as he kept chopping the wood before Amber took it.
"So what can we do to defend against that?" Leon asks thinking before he looks to Fury who was just standing there.
"Maybe do patrol once in a while or just be on watch?" Zoey suggested.
"Fury, come here," Leon calls.
Fury tilts her head before flying down to them and lands near them.
"Tonight, we will have no light so I want you to guard our food against anything looking to steal it. Ok?" Leon asks.
Fury nods heartedly before flying up to a branch and perching on it, looking over the entire campground.
"Wake us all if anything happens," Leon calls tossing her another berry which she just opens her mouth to catch.
"She's catching on," Zoey observed.
"She is far from stupid," Leon says getting up and goes to help with the camp to set up.
"I am surprised she started listening to him so easily," Lana says, now that he was away.
"Leon is like that. He tends to make the impossible, possible. Just a few months ago, he was hugging mareep just to feel a fluffy coat," Zoey giggled.
"Fla," Beacon says.
"Yes. We know Beacon," Zoey says, looking over at him and sees him looking smug.
"Though you are less fluffy now," Gardenia says.
Beacon looks offended at that as he gives a paw wave at her.
"But you are taller," Gardenia adds.
Beacon nods approvingly.
"So what are you going to do?" Zoey asks him.
"Fla," Beacon says striking a pose as if saying 'look good'.
"That reminds me, what are you going to do about Leon?" Gardenia asks knowingly.
"Who are you talking to?" Zoey asks, walking away.
Gardenia giggles. "Okay. I'll go spend time with Leon. He does need someone to talk to at times," Gardenia says walking to where Leon went.
"Oh?" Lana asks smirking.
"Oh Leon?" Gardenia calls.
"So Zoey, what are you up to?" Leon asks taking a seat as she was fishing.
"Isn't it obvious?" Zoey asks sarcastically.
"What has got you so mad?" Leon asks sitting there.
"Nothing but that fact I haven't caught anything," Zoey mutters, keeping her eye on the bobber.
"Relax," Leon says moving closer to her.
Zoey slowly takes a deep breath before sighing. "Thanks. How's the setup for the camp going?"
"Alright," Leon says as the night started making noises.
Zoey sighs and leaks back a little. "So…what did Gardenia want?"
"To talk for a bit," Leon says as he waited.
"About?" Zoey presses, a little worry in her voice.
"What I think the plan is after Hearthome and your contest," Leon says.
Zoey sighs in some relief at that. "So…training is on hold for the night?"
"Yeah and I didn't want you out here alone tonight," Leon says.
Zoey smiles where he can't see when she heard that. "That's nice of you."
"Isn't that your line?" Leon asks, hearing movement in the water.
Zoey smiles and hooks a fish before pulling it up and puts it into the basket. "Not usually. Only when I actually care."
"I was talking about the fishing line…that was a joke?" Leon asks confused.
Zoey shakes her head amused. "Never mind…"
"Anyways, is that why you were upset?" Leon asks.
Zoey stays silent for a bit before sighing. "No…it's not."
"She gets to you?" Leon asks.
"You too?" Zoey asks simply.
"Well, I think as we travel, we will get used to…hey! Hey! Those are our fish," Leon says seeing an outline in the dark near where Zoey put the fish she had caught.
Zoey looks over and sees a zubat, standing on the edge of the basket as it tried to bite at a fish. "Hey!"
"Here, take a berry. It will be easier for you to eat," Leon says, cutting open a berry for it to smell.
The zubat hisses before launching itself and wraps around the berry to eat happily.
"We best go. Where there is one zubat, dozen's usually followed," Leon says to Zoey, leaving more to distract the zubat.
Zoey nods as she slowly takes the basket and rod away, leaving with Leon as the zubat kept eating.
"You feeling better?" Leon asks.
"Yeah," Zoey whispered, keeping an eye on the zubat as they disappear behind some trees.
"I am surprised you aren't a bit cold," Leon says rubbing his arms a bit.
Zoey smirks. "I like the cold. Grew up in it."
"Well, I am from more of a warm climate," Leon says moving closer to her.
"Guess I can't stay with you if that's the case," Zoey says teasingly.
"Come on, " Leon says before trying to hug her to get warm.
Zoey finally giggles and wraps an arm around him. "Aw. Don't worry. You'll be warm and safe. You have Amber after all," Zoey says, but Leon didn't respond, making Zoey start to smirk after a while. "What? That's not enough for you? Should we help capture another fire type for you?"
"Zoey…I want to journey with you," Leon admits.
Zoey suddenly stops and makes him walk a step before turning him to face her. "There is something else," she states obviously.
"I…would miss you too much," Leon says.
Zoey chuckles a little. "You're sweet Leon."
"I am serious," Leon says.
Zoey just kept smiling at that before hugging him. "Like I said."
"Thanks," Leon says as he shivers a bit.
"Next town or city, we are getting you some clothes," Zoey says.
"Do I stink that bad?" Leon asks innocently.
"No, you need a jacket or something. Also, you should take it easier when you train with Ippo," Zoey says.
"Why? That guy loves to work out," Leon mentions as she lets go of him and they continue walking.
"Well, you have three bruises on you," Zoey points out.
"Training does get you pain in the end for a bit," Leon stated almost as a matter of fact.
"Well, just don't get yourself hurt," Zoey says before the rock she steps on shifts, making her lose her footing and calls out in pain.
Leon immediately holds her up as he looks to the ankle as best he could in the dark of the night while she tries to hold it still with a free hand and lean against him. "Looks a little bad. Come on, I got some first aid in my bag," he offers as he helps her hobble back to camp.
"I can walk," Zoey says trying to tough it out before, the next thing she knew, she was on Leon's back.
"Yeah. That's what I said before I wasted an entire month in some wrappings," Leon mumbles and keeps walking while holding her up on his back.
"Leon," Zoey says blushing a bit.
"Keep that ankle still as much as possible. The quicker we hold it still, the better and faster it will heal," Leon kept advising.
"This is unnecessary," Zoey says, neither noticing something was watching.
"Do you want to be injured for longer than needed?" Leon asks curiously.
"Well…no," Zoey says.
"Then let me handle this. I know some about medical practices. Learned from my parents," Leon says carrying her still and not letting go.
"How much…not at the surgical level, right?" Zoey asks, shivering at the thought of it and Leon can definitely feel it on his back.
"No. Of course not. But I am first aid certified…kinda required that most who work at a clinic or pokemon center know how to. Even the janitors," Leon says chuckling a bit before jumping slightly over a rock and makes Zoey wrap her arms around his neck.
"That would be weird. Having a janitor fixing you up," Zoey says, smiling at the thought of it.
"How about our janitor is a squirtle?" Leon says chuckling at the expression she is making. "Yeah. That's what I get from people I would tell about this. Don't worry. He is very good at what he does…still wants to grow hair on his head," Leon says, confused for a bit.
"Weirder," Zoey sang in his ear and he smiles at that as he keeps walking.
"Okay, so I'm going to splint your ankle, wrap it up tight, give you some pain meds, and that should be it. You just have to not put pressure on your leg for a while. Don't worry, we'll make you a crutch," Leon reassures.
"Already got one," Zoey cheers teasingly.
"I'll become sleepy and I will not follow you into the restroom," Leon shot back and makes Zoey slap his back, playfully annoyed, making him laugh a little before they both heard some rustling. "You hear that?" he asks, the rustling stopping before he finished.
Zoey hums as she looks around. "Not really…come on. This is creeping me out a little."
"Yeah…don't worry. We'll be there soon," Leon assures, returning to walking while the rustling follows them.
Leon hums and quickly stops, turning his head sharply to the bush to the side as it shakes. "Shit…"
Zoey looks the direction he is looking and frowns a little. "Great…"
Leon picks up a foot and steps forward before quickly jumping back as something crashes into the ground where he was and breaks the ground up, leaving a mostly white mongoose and cat looking pokemon with a red streak running across its body standing there with its sharp dark claws stuck in the broken ground as the glow on the claws die down.
"Crap HEY!" Leon complains as he dodges to the side while Zoey hangs on tight, trying to not make her ankle move too much as her legs wrapped around his waist, but still, he hung on to her. "We are passing through. We do not mean to intrude on your territory," Leon tries to play diplomat and he showed a losing hand as the zangoose's claws start to light up again. "I feel the diplomatic process has broken down," Leon points out before the zangoose comes at them, holding its claws up and pointed at them.
Leon frowns before waiting for a bit until he moves to the side and sees the zangoose strike at where he was, making an x-shape attack. 'X-scissor,' Leon lists as he keeps stepping back before hitting a small rock and looks down briefly to take in the shape and size before he looks back up to the zangoose as it turns to them, one of its whole arms glowing now. 'Power arm…punch?' Leon tries to guess as he kicks up the rock and hooks it onto the top of his foot. The zangoose suddenly charges and he flings his leg, the rock flying off and smacking its target in the head. The zangoose tips backward as the glow on its arm dies down and leads it to stumble to a stop and glare at them, a red mark on its white fur. "I think I made it madder," Leon mutters, groaning inwardly.
"Run?" Zoey suggested, both of them watching the zangoose.
"I can't outrun it," Leon says, setting her down.
"What are you doing?" Zoey demands, leaning on a tree as he cracks his knuckles slightly.
"Something so stupid, the police can charge me for it," Leon says, stepping up as the zangoose notices his actions and turns its attention to him.
"You are not…you are. You're going to fight that wild pokemon with your fists," Zoey says in disbelief.
Leon nods as he watches zangoose. "It shouldn't be too hard. It's no seviper after all," Leon says and zangoose seemed more pissed about that comment.
It suddenly charges and Leon kicks up some rocks and dust in its way before hopping to the side, letting it get hit in the eyes until he kicks it away from behind, sending it skidding into the ground. Leon blinks a little. "Too WHOA!" Leon cries when the ground suddenly exploded where he was standing as he moved back, the zangoose there with its claw in the ground. "Shit…okay…" Leon mutters, trying to come up with a plan.
The zangoose rushes him again, its arm glowing bright white and he moves forward and ducks low, surprising the zangoose as Leon picks up the zangoose by the waist before throwing it over his shoulder and into a tree trunk. Leon looks back in time and ducks back to avoid a swipe before pushing himself back and comes to a stop. 'Slash. That was it.'
Leon blinks and feels something fall down his face and hit his shirt, making him look down slightly to see blood and then reaches up to his cheek and feels a cut that made him hiss in pain. "And wider reach than usual. Now I am mad. Come on you wannabe!" Leon calls, half hoping one of his pokemon or someone from his group would hear him and come quickly.
The zangoose hisses widely before charging, both of its claws glowing, and slices where Leon was when he leans hard to the side to make it hit part of a tree trunk and take some bark some, large gashes left behind in it. Leon quickly swipes his leg under the zangoose and grabs a bark piece before hitting and sending one of the fury swipes away into the air and then swinging the bark around to smack it in its face, sending it sliding away a few feet. Leon quickly throws the bark and makes it cut the weak bark. Only for Leon to come right at it with a punch and smacks it in the face.
Leon groans as he reels his hand back before frowning as the zangoose shakes it head annoyed before it gets another hit from the same bruised hand. The zangoose suddenly had its head turned and sent wobbling a bit to the side before Leon closes in and moves under a swipe by swinging his arm under it and sends it flying into the other direction before it feels its arm socket grab by two hands and then swung around. Leon grunts as he lets go of the zangoose and watch it sail into the air and smacks hard into a tree.
"Zoey! You okay?!" Leon calls, keeping an eye on where the zangoose slide to the ground before seeing it slowly get up and glare at him.
"I'm fine," Zoey calls before the zangoose let out a loud cry as one of its arms wasn't moving much.
Leon groans. "Oh man…okay…this is worse," Leon says before two streaks of white were seen and there was now three zangoose there, almost all of them in the same stance.
"Leon!"
Leon sees them all coming at him, their arms or claws glowing brightly before something pass by his vision and then the three zangooses stopped by a field in front of him. Leon pants shakily, letting out a breath he didn't know he took before feeling something brush by his legs and looks down to see a scythe-like blade attached to a white-furred head. "Absol…"
The absol gives a harden leer to the three pokemon, the three angry pokemon taking a step back before stopping and then absol's horn glowing brightly, ready to use psycho cut. One of them gives a huff and runs off with the two following.
Leon sighs in relief as he sees the protect shield move down into nothing and then looks to the absol as it turns to look at him. "Thanks…uh…one sec," Leon says quickly as he takes out his pokedex and scans the absol. "Her…oh…thanks a lot," Leon says smiling at her.
"Ab," Absol says, looking right at him, obviously the night not having any effect on her vision.
Leon hums as he looks around. "Zoey?"
"I'm still here," Zoey says, causing Leon to instantly walk towards her.
Leon reaches out and touches her shoulder. "Alright, get on my back. You may have to feel around," he says, letting her climb onto his back with her good ankle. "So…was I cool before you couldn't see anymore?"
"You were stupid. What were you thinking? Taking on a zangoose like that? Even if it was brave," Zoey says.
"Well…I was thinking of using moves that seemed like good fighting moves and it worked. I was able to fend it off…until two more showed up," he says, slightly disappointed.
"I saw," Zoey says as absol followed them while Leon headed towards their camp.
"How's your ankle?" Leon asks, trying to see it in the dark and notices some dark bruising.
"It hurts a bit, but nothing I can not handle," Zoey says as she laid on his back.
"That's not what I was asking," he says, noting the coloring was bigger than before and then sighs. "Okay…you possibly have a few more days added. Let's get you wrapped up and put to bed."
"Thanks," Zoey says, watching the absol as she followed them till they got to the camp before leaving.
"Thanks again," Leon calls to it before walking over to Zoey's tent and puts her down next to it. "Let me get the supplies," he says, walking off to his bag and digs around in it.
"And your face?" Zoey asks.
"I'll be fine," Leon says. "Where's my kit?"
"Patch yourself up at least," Zoey says as he finds it.
"After you. Your ankle needs to be set as quickly as possible," Leon says, walking back to her before kneeling down and starts to look closely at her ankle before turning to his kit and opens it up. "Okay…let's see."
Zoey laid there Leon worked on her ankle, splinting it while she tried to not let him know when it hurt her.
"Okay…now I should have some meds just in case," Leon says digging back into his kit as almost everyone had gone to sleep.
"Leon…you mind sharing my tent for the night?" Zoey asks.
Leon looks a little surprised at her before blushing a bit. "Should give you the medicine and get you to bed," he quickly says, grabbing a bottle and taking out a pill before grabbing a thermos.
"Please," Zoey requests.
Leon stops before sighing and looking at her. "You sure?"
"Yeah," Zoey says.
Leon stares at her for a good long while before giving her the pill and thermos. "Drink up. I'll be right back," he says before packing up the kit and goes back to his bag.
"Thanks," Zoey says before taking it.
Leon nods as he comes back after throwing his bag into his tent and zipping it up before walking back to her. "Need some help settling in?"
"No, I am fine," Zoey says as Leon quickly got in and zipped himself up as fast as he could, trying to get warm.
Zoey quickly hugs him and he bundles up while hugging her back. "Better?"
"Yes," Leon says as she smiles.
"Good. Now let's get some sleep," Zoey mutters, starting to close her eyes, looking at the new bandage Leon had applied to his face.
"Alright," Leon whispers closing his eyes.