Leon rested in his tent, Crystal, and Rumble sleeping on top of him. Zoey taking the time in her own tent as she let her new houndour out to rest beside him while his hind leg kicks around as he dreams away. Gardenia and Lana sleeping comfortably in their own tents as the fire between them all only have small glowing embers remaining.
Soon there was a crash and Leon jolts awake.
"Ra…?" Crystal yawns sleepily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Something is out there," Leon says getting up.
"Ra," Crystal says pulling on his pants and stops him before moving over and peeking her head out. She then starts to look around for anything that might have made the noise.
"Rumble, you stay here, ok?" Leon whispers.
Rumble chitters and skitters under the covers now to hide.
Crystal hums as she walks out of the tent and kept looking around before seeing something near the campfire and the bags of her trainers. One of the figures rumerging inside a bag and frowns before marching over. "Ra!" she calls and makes the two figures look to her and lets her see a nidorina in the bag and nidorino around some pots and some food.
"Echo, a bit of help," Leon says throwing the pokeball.
Echo screeches as he comes out and flaps around Crystal as the two poison types hiss at them, scratching its paws at them.
Crystal just frowns and holds her arm up before it glows and the two prepare to fight. But what they didn't see is the pot rising up behind them before slamming down onto the nidorina, making it screech out and scratch against the metal. But a metal spoon rose up before banging loudly against the pot and sends the sound out throughout the whole camp.
"What's going on?!" Zoey calls as she sticks her head out with Gardenia and Lana following. Her houndour growling a bit at being woken up.
"Little thieves is what. Bet they are hungry," Leon answers.
Crystal smirks as she lifts the pot and shows a very stunned and dizzy pokemon stumbling around. The pot then swings around and smacks her away. Crystal patting her hands and smiling all the while.
"Echo, supersonic then bite," Leon instructs.
Echo chirps before screeching loudly to them and makes them cry out in pain before stumbling around, trying to focus again on them. Letting Echo folding his wings and fly towards nidorino to bite onto an ear horn. The nidorino screeches and runs around before Echo screeches a supersonic, making it slide to the ground as its ear rings like nothing. Echo chirps and taps a wing to his head and shrugs as he doesn't move anymore.
Crystal, however, looks to the now wakening nidorina and frowns before reaching out to some water bottles and takes out the water themselves before sending it around herself and makes a stream slam into nidorina, making it slide back before being sent flying and landing hard.
"I think that is enough," Leon says tossing two pokeballs. Crystal huffs and crosses her arms as the two are caught and then beeps once. Both balls being teleported away back to the lab. "Still amazing we figured out teleporting technology like this…wonder if people versions were figured out?" he asks himself.
"Did she just use a water attack?" Lana bluntly asked.
"Oh…guess I should say. I got a bit creative," Leon says lightly kicking his bag and lets a book titled 'Atoms and Matter' fall out. "Still on the starting stuff and letting her catch on…honestly was afraid she would turn the water into ice."
"Ra," Crystal says before starting to glow.
"Whoa…wasn't expecting this…" Leon voices before Echo chirps and starts to glow too. "Really? You too?" he asks, genuinely surprised.
Crystal keeps glowing as her body morphed and when it faded, she was now a Kirlia, the ballerina psychic.
"Cool," Leon voices before looking to Echo as he morphs as well. Becoming a larger bat creature with a larger mouth and with eyes now.
"Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its Psychic powers, and when this occurs reality becomes warped, and future events can be seen," Zoey's pokedex says.
"Golbat. Attacking with its sharp fangs, this pokémon can drain three hundred cubic centimeters of blood per bite," Lana's pokedex says.
"Yikes," Leon could only say as Crystal floats herself onto his shoulder and sits down while Echo chitters and flaps over to his head and wraps his wings around the sides of him. "Real bloodsucker…wonder why no attack has hardly been heard of it?" Leon wonders again and makes the others sweatdrop. The houndour yawns and goes back into the tent to rest.
"We should probably put everything in our tents," Gardenia says.
"Yeah…Crystal. A little help," Leon requested and Crystal nods before her eyes glow. The many pots and bags starting to float into the tents while the rest of the fire is put out. "Thank you, Crystal," Leon thanks and pets her, making her smile.
"Night," Zoey says yawning.
"Night," Leon waves and starts to head to his tent. Setting everyone down and even lifting the covers to show a shivering Rumble who notices him. "It's okay. Just a nidorina and nidorino," he informs, getting everyone comfortable and lying down himself.
"I have to ask, where did you get the idea for Crystal to be learning about atoms and all that?" Zoey asks and gets a book shoved in her face. Letting her see it's a dictionary with telekinesis marked and notes around it. "Matter," she reads out. "So…you literally looked it up."
"It's more that the elder garidvors were fabled to make black holes. And I thought to myself, that is simply focusing on changing gravity's energy and strength within itself. If I can teach Crystal how to harness matter and mess around with it, she would be able to fight without expending much energy on regular attacks. And leave many surprises for those that we fight," Leon explains as Crystal lays on his shoulder, a globe of water in her psychic hold as she moves it around and makes different shapes and figures. "Right now, it is changing the state of water."
Rumble on his shoulder kept staring at Crystal.
"I just realized that your ralts have to content with being in a skirt," Leon notes and Crystal lets go of the water as she laughs and holds her stomach.
Rumble chitters as it pokes Crystal now.
Crystal blinks and looks to Rumble and tilts her head. "Kir?"
"This is Crystal, Rumble. She evolved last night," Leon informs.
Rumble chitters and Crystal nods happily, patting his head. Rumble then starts looking up to her with wide-eyed admiration.
"They are like siblings, don't you think?" Leon asks.
"Seems like it," Zoey says smiling, watching as Crystal went back to training on water and Rumble seemed to be looking up to her in great admiration.
"So I now have a new tag team with my two nidos," Leon says thinking now.
"Need to work on their attitude and though," Zoey reminds.
"Also, should I evolve them as soon as possible? I mean for nidoran it won't be much of a difference, but nidorino goes from a quadruped to a bipedal," Leon muses.
"Both the same," Gardenia informs.
"They aren't," Leon informs.
"Leave it at that," Zoey quickly said and Crystal giggles to the banter.
Leon raises an eyebrow at the psychic. "Back me up."
"Kir," Crystal says snickering.
Leon lightly taps her head at that. "Traitor."
Crystal smiles and grabs his hand to hold as they make their way through the forest.
"Okay. We should make it through here and see Lake Valor soon enough. Maybe get a hot shower too," Zoey says as she reads over the map.
"And compete in the Wallace Cup," Leon reminds.
"That too…you think I'm ready?" Zoey asks smiling up to him.
Leon smiles at her, giving some soft pets to Crystal. "Do you feel ready?"
"I got a sick feeling," Zoey admits blushing.
"In the stomach? Good. Then that means you're ready," Leon says cheekily and Crystal gives him a playful slap on the cheek.
"Kir kir kir," Crystal says sounding like she was lecturing him.
Leon just places his hand over her face and makes her try to push it out of the way as she complains. "As I said…" Leon starts again before being splashed by some water on his head. "Crystal…" he groans as Crystal snickers.
"I think she is saying be good to your wife," Gardenia says smirking.
"We're not that far!" both Leon and Zoey yells at her while Crystal laughs like mad.
"Interesting choice of words," Gardenia says.
They blush red hot and quickly pull back annoyed. Looking away and pouting as Gardenia and Crystal giggle while Lana snarks.
"Looks like Zoey is off the market. Her fans will be so disappointed," Gardenia adds.
Meanwhile, both Leon and Zoey had gone off to the side. "Should we mention we did that to shut her up?" Leon whispers over to her. Crystal relaxing between them and listening in.
"Is there anything that can?" Zoey asks.
"No…best not tell. Otherwise, she might be talking a lot and never shut up again," Leon summarizes.
Zoey just sighs.
Leon hums before looking to Crystal. "What do you think?" he asks, watching as she keeps training with her water again. Getting some off of him to collect more. And then narrows his eyes as she keeps splitting the water and straining to keep one strand of water together.
"Kir," Crystal shrugs, still playing around.
"Best go back before she gets suspicious," Leon says leading her back.
"Just kiss already!" Gardenia calls.
Crystal smacks the water into her face and smirks as Gardenia sputters. "Kir."
"You get a chocolate bar tonight," Leon says.
Crystal cheers and leans against his head.
"You spoil your pokemon a bit too much you know," Zoey says.
"I am having fun and so are they," Leon says patting Crystal's head as she smiles and tries to playfully grab his hand.
"Make sure all your pokemon feel the love," Zoey reminds.
"I will. I plan on making a meal for them…how do I treat the ones back at the lab?" Leon questions to the side and even Crystal gets into a thinking pose.
"Do something with them when you rotate them in," Zoey says.
"But I want to treat them all," Leon says, still heavily thinking and tapping his chin now.
"What about your two newest pokemon?" Zoey asks.
"Thinking of a hot meal for a start," Leon says simply.
"Hopefully they know their place from the matriarchs by now," Gardenia says.
"Oh. That's easy for them. I don't doubt that they can fail on…mothering," Leon chuckles.
"Kir," Crystal says nodding in agreement.
"She's matching you…slow in it…but matching," Zoey observes proudly, seeing the difference in timing between their movements.
"Kir?" Crystal asks, cocking her head to the side confused.
"Almost," Zoey sighs and shakes her head.
"Don't we have a contest to get to?" Leon asks smirking.
"And isn't it in a few hours?" Lana asks, looking to her pokedex.
"Shoot!" Zoey yells and rushes off down the path. Almost all of them smirking before rushing off after her.
"So this is the guy," Leon says, looking over a poster in the lobby of Wallace himself with his milotic. "Hard to believe he's a master in both a gym and coordinator," he says as Zoey quickly registers as quickly as she could.
Crystal hums as well, sitting on his head and looking over this coordinator at the moment. "Ki, Kir?" she asks down to him.
"If battling him, I need a lot more info. Can't just go off a brochure," Leon explains.
"Kir?" Crystal asks.
"Yeah. All the stuff they might say, it might be true. For all I know, he could switch up a style on the fly just to handle me. If we battle him, we need to be really ready," Leon explains.
"Kir," Crystal says competitive, fire burning in her eyes.
Leon chuckles as he picks her off his head and holds her in front of him. "You sure? Because I will put you through so much special training. Got a lot planned for you."
"Kir!" Crystal calls, full of fighting spirit.
"That's my girl," Leon giggles and proceeds to hug and hold her. "Speaking of which, hit the books," he says giving her the book to read and she immediately flips to the page which was bookmarked. Already engrossed heavily into it. "Wish most college students were like you," he comments as he walks back to the others as Zoey comes back, looking somewhat relieved. "So…? Did we make it in time?"
"Just did. I got one day's rest, thank goodness. Gives me time to plan," Zoey says taking a deep breath.
"You should…I saw a peek at the stadium from an open door before they shut it. It's locked in a certain way," Leon says making them all look to him. All except Crystal who just hums as she kept reading in his arms.
"Tell…" Zoey stops when Leon smirks and holds up a finger, making her smile a little. "You want me challenged."
Leon shrugs, now holding a smile of his own. "I think of it as 'Learning on the fly,'" he says before he pulls up his pokedex.
Zoey stares at him before sighing. Recognizing that look in his eyes which Crystal seems to be getting now. 'More and more like each other. Studying, passion, almost everything. Heh…almost like Crystal is a better match as a girlfriend than me,' she thinks smiling and walks over before petting Crystal's head who enjoys the attention, but tries to continue on her reading.
"So everything ready?" Lana asks walking up with some snacks.
"Yeah…how did you get those? The competition isn't till tomorrow," Gardenia says before looking to the snack bar and sees them already open and selling away. "Might as well make a profit then," she says, seeing the line. And then snatching a chocolate bar from her pile. Electing a 'Hey!' from Lana while she eats away.
"Okay. Barring that, I should get training," Zoey says about to walk off before seeing some familiar people in the lobby. "Dawn! Guys!" she calls walking over to the trainers.
Dawn perks up a little and turns to see her fellow coordinator. "Zoey. No doubt you would make it before us," she says smiling.
"Is Ash and Brock with you?" Zoey asks.
"Ash is signing up as well and Brock…" Dawn trails off until they heard a yell and then clacking bones before seeing Brock dragged away by a croagunk. "Flirting."
"I feel sorry for him, although thankfully I and my boyfriend don't have that problem," Zoey says.
"You mean he hasn't really gone for another girl…how much did you scare him?" Dawn whispers smirking to her.
"No secret. He came to me," Zoey informs.
"And what will you do if he tries to flirt with someone else?" Dawn asks curiously.
"Oh, I can allow a bit, but too much and I will reign him in," Zoey informs.
"Heh. Good luck with that…wait. You are allowing him to flirt? Thought you would keep him to yourself," Dawn says a bit surprised.
"Got to let him blow off steam other ways," Zoey informs.
Dawn was about to say something about that before shaking her head as Ash came back. "Okay. I'll all set too…hey Zoey," Ash greets as he notices her. Pikachu giving his usual greeting.
"Hey Ash," Zoey greets before whistling, getting Leon's attention.
Leon looks up and smiles as he walks over. "Hey, guys. Been a while. I'm guessing everyone is tougher to beat?" he asks holding a smirk.
"Kir," Crystal adds.
"You can bet on that. Maybe once this is over, we can have a battle?" Ash says, looking about ready to have one right now.
"Sure. It would be a good test to have. Just be sure to bring your best because I got new ways," Leon says smiling.
"I am prepared in case you break the field," Ash informs and Zoey facepalms. "What's wrong with that?"
"No…now he has a reputation…" Zoey groans, shaking her head.
"I'm not that bad," Leon sweat drops all the while Crystal pats his cheek comfortingly.
"You messaged them about that, didn't you," Leon accuses Zoey.
Zoey lets a small smile through. "I might have."
"Hey. That's my strategy," Leon reminds, almost playfully.
"So you mad at your girlfriend?" Zoey asks smirking.
Leon chuckles. "I will admit, that field breaking is number three on the list."
Zoey smiles before pushing him along. "Come on. Time for us to check-in."
"See ya later," Leon calls over his shoulder with Crystal helping him along and waving herself as they and their group leaves out the front door.
"So you are good at predicting. What do you think the first round will go?" Gardenia asks sitting on the bed.
"Zoey will make it through no problem. This one will also make it through," Leon says showing them the profile of May.
"And you think she'll make it why?" Lana asks, eating her dinner with her mouth full.
"Has been at this over a year and came in the top eight of the Hoenn Grand Festival and the top four of the Kanto Grand Festival on her first tries," Leon informs.
"That is a resume," Gardenia says smiling before smirking. "And our favorite coordinator here? What makes you think she will make it?"
"Because I have been helping her train hard. And the last prediction I will make is that Dawn will be very nervous at the start and will barely make it into the next round because of this," Leon informs.
"Don't let her hear that," Gardenia says smiling again before Zoey comes back into the room, wearing her sleepwear. "About time the princess arrives to sleep in her royal bed," Gardenia jokes.
"I heard what you said. Have that much faith in me, huh?" Zoey asks smirking.
Leon just smirks as he lays down in bed. Crystal sitting nearby and reading under a bedside lamp. "No…I meant Dawn of course…and…you know…" Gardenia stutters as she tries to hold her hands up in surrender.
"We will talk later," Zoey informs.
"Oh boy," Gardenia sweatdrops, a little afraid now. Watching as Zoey goes over to Leon's bed and smiles down at him.
"Yes…princess?" Leon jokes smiling back at her.
"So absolute confidence, huh?" Zoey asks.
Leon shrugs. "Based on how much I trained you and how much I believe in you. You stuck with me this long, why shouldn't I have the same level of commitment?" he muses.
"Good boy," Zoey says.
"I prefer dark chocolate. What about you?" Lana asks Crystal.
"Kir Kir," Crystal waves off as she kept reading.
"So are you going to sleep here or your own bed?" Leon yawns as he pulls the covers up.
"Nah. Going to have a sleepover with Dawn. See you in the morning," Zoey informs.
"Alright. Have fun," Leon yawns as he turns over, snuggling under the covers.
"Ok. Also, keep Rumble and Ruby warm," Zoey informs as the two pokemon made their way onto the bed.
"Come on you two," Leon yawns heavily again, lifting the covers to let them snuggle into his side as he wraps the blanket around them.
"I guess Crystal gets Zoey's bed tonight," Lana says.
Crystal smirks as she hops down and floats the book over before putting it in Leon's backpack. Then jumping onto his bed and sleeping against the other pokemon. "She has you beat in that suggestion," Leon says smiling, not even opening his eyes as Crystal tries to get as close as possible.
"I got the lights," Lana says before she turns off the lights.
Leon waves in the air at her while trying to snuggle up to the rest of the pokemon curled up before him.
The next morning, many packed into the stadium for the Wallace cup wearing white berets. Leon, meanwhile, sat with Lana and Gardenia as the opening began.
"Is he that popular?" Leon asks, looking to all the hats.
"Yes," Gardenia answered as the girls wearing the hats went wild.
Leon sighs and hangs his head as Crystal pats his head comfortingly as she reads a bit on his shoulder.
"You having fun?" Leon asks.
Crystal smiles at him as she reads still and watches the upcoming contest.
"Alright," Leon says giving her some popcorn. Crystal floats over some popcorn herself while still reading and watching the show. Though mostly an opener with Wallace and his pokemon. "When's Zoey's turn?"
"Could you show you are only here for Zoey anymore?" Gardenia teases.
Leon's eyes dart around as Crystal smirks toward him. "Um…my pokemon are getting hungry?" he offers, smiling nervously to the rest of the girls. "And I saw a good food stand outside." A pity petting from Crystal only confirmed the lie.
"It's too cute," Gardenia says smirking as it started.
Leon frowns as he sulks watching the competition till the fourth one started. Zoey's turn. As Zoey came out in her outfit, he couldn't help but look upon the outfit she is wearing. A striking blend of purple and red with a small number of gold stitchings. With a pure white shirt and same color long pants. "Wow…" Leon could only say as the rest of his group and Crystal included all smiled at him while watching his reaction.
"Got it," Gardenia says sending the recording to Zoey's phone as Zoey and Finneon did their routine.
"Delete that footage," Leon immediately says, pointing accusingly at her.
"Already sent. Expect a visit later tonight," Gardenia says smirking.
Leon frowns and looks to Crystal but she only smiles and shakes her head before watching the performance again. "Though I will get that thing and make sure."
Soon Zoey finished her routine and then Ash and Dawn came out to do theirs before the competition wrapped up. "Lots of people…but there is the fact that some judges didn't react and looked disappointed in some," Leon observes as he watches the judges' reaction on the last one.
"It will take at least three more days to get through this round of competition," Gardenia says reading the schedule.
"Good. Now Zoey can think of things to do," Leon suggests and smiles at the thought of her winning and even coming close in some.
"Oh…don't look now, but here comes Zoey," Lana informs.
Leon doesn't look towards her as she comes toward them and looks to Leon as he kept watching the wrap-up. "So…?"
"Why would I think negatively on that?" Leon summarizes and smiles towards her.
"This is Leon seeing your outfit," Zoey reads from her phone.
Leon tries to reach for it but Zoey holds it out of his reach. "Please don't…"
Zoey smiles as she watches how entranced he looks and then down to him before bending down and kissing his cheek. "I'll be sure to try another outfit maybe."
Crystal seeing this laughs at Leon's expression.
Leon was just a blushing mess as they both laugh at his expense. "You two are the worst," he groans, holding his head in his arms.
Zoey smiles and reaches down and pulls him to herself.
"Still…need more," Leon tries and gets a smirk from her. "Best try?" he shrugs.
Zoey hums before nodding. "It's a good one," she says before giving him a small peck on the lips. "There. Now let's go eat…or lay down. I don't know, my stomach is full of butterfrees."
"Kir," Crystal says grabbing both their hands.
Both trainers smile down at her and she just offers a cute smile. "She's always fun," Leon says, picking up and putting her on his shoulder to sit.
"Kir," Crystal proclaims.
"Easy rider," Leon teases and gets a cute little smirk from her before Leon and Zoey start to walk and head out. "So what are you going to reward your finneon?" he asks, trying to think of what to get his own.
"I have a plan," Zoey says smirking.
Leon hums. "Cooking?"
"Nope," Zoey informs.
"What about Dawn?" Leon asks.
"She is so nervous," Zoey admits.
"My prediction was spot on, huh?" Leon asks.
Zoey sighs. "Yeah…how do you do that…is it you feeding him that?" she asks turning and pointing to Crystal who looks up from her book and points to herself while trying to look innocent.
"No. Crystal didn't tell me," Leon says smirking.
"Kir," Crystal nods as she leans against Leon's head, looking sly as a finneon with that smirk.
"You don't expect me to believe you predicted it all by looking at stats and stuff, do you?" Zoey asks skeptically.
"Well, people do it all the time with sports," Leon says.
"Do you play fantasy?" Zoey asks curiously.
Leon shakes his head. "Really close to gambling outright. Besides, it kinda pays out with those chosen winning."
"No. Bad," Zoey says playfully hitting his head with a pamphlet she randomly grabbed with Crystal.
"Ow," Leon sighs as he holds his head. "How is refusing to gamble bad?"
"No considering gambling," Zoey informs.
"I wasn't," Leon tries to explain.
"Good. Crystal, you watch him so he does not consider it," Zoey says smiling.
Crystal waves a hand at her smiling, kicking her legs around happily.
"Come on. Let's get something to eat before they run out of ice cream," Gardenia says smiling at the two as her and the rest walk up.
Crystal cheers and raises a hand at wanting some too. Leon chuckles and starts to walk again. "Don't get it on your outfit," he says teasingly to Zoey.
"Go get us a seat. I will join you after I change in the room," Zoey informs.
Leon gives a pat on her shoulder as the rest follow him and Zoey leaves for the changing rooms. Heading to an ice cream stand, he orders a large number of cones in a tray as the rest grab a table outside and wait for him. Zoey eventually came back in her regular outfit and sat down with them before Leon returned with a full two trays. "Eat up gang," he says smiling as he goes to pick one up and gives to Crystal who happily grabs it and starts licking away. "So now the question is, what are you going to do next?" he asks Zoey.
"Going have to watch the others competing tomorrow. What about you?" Zoey asks.
"Was thinking to relax as the sun is setting already and check out some of the stands and other things they have set up tomorrow," Leon says.
Zoey smirks. "You just want some more food."
"I am interested in this club sandwich I saw someone eat earlier," Leon admits.
Zoey smiles proudly. "Knew it."
"You want to come and try this club with me?" Leon asks.
Zoey shakes her head. "Nah. I want to focus a bit on this beginning bit. Have to see how I can counter those who pass," she explains as she takes a bite.
"You still need to eat something other than ice cream for dinner," Leon reminds with a "Kir!" emphasizing this.
"Go on Zoey. It will be a date," Gardenia teases.
Zoey groans. "You guys aren't going to let it go, aren't you?"
"What is in this club?" Lana asks interested.
"Roasted chicken, sliced ham, some bacon topped with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise," Leon informs off the top of his head.
"What's a chicken?" Zoey asks.
"Kir?" Crystal asks as well, almost sounding like 'Bacon?'
"Ham?" Gardenia asks as well.
Leon blinks in shock as he realized he recited his own world's ingredients. Not the ones from the pamphlets he grabbed. Three things. Three things that they asked don't seem to exist at all in the pokemon world. Now, how the hell is he going to explain this?
"I…may have read the pamphlet wrong. I do have a lot," Leon quickly says, digging into his bag and takes out a few pamphlets of a list of food in the area.
"Oh," the others say as they grab them and read them over as Crystal stares hard at him while slowly licking her ice cream and biting into it.
"Look good?" Leon asks showing her the club at which Crystal started drooling a bit. Leon sighs in relief and pets Crystal as she coos happily and keeps staring and drooling at the picture.
"To dinner?" Leon asks.