"How is your leg?" Leon asks the dog pokemon.
The growlithe gives a soft bark up to him before diving her nose back into the bowl of food before her.
"Good girl," Leon says, petting the pokemon's back while Ippo was working on his groundwork in the background.
Crystal smiles and gives a few pats to the hot fur. 'Her health is improving significantly. Want to talk to her?'
"Are you well enough to talk?" Leon asks the pokemon as Crystal tightens her scarf.
The growlithe growls and smiles up to him. "Thank you for helping me," the fire type says before turning to Crystal. "Your master is so knowledgeable about healing."
"He is still new to this," Crystal says, smirking, trying to look cool with her scarf.
"And that particular trainer is still able to hear you," Leon teases, reaching over and tapping the psychic's head. "So, what happened to you?" Leon asks, having seen fights like this before with the Zangoose that attacked him when he got Omen and Echo.
"The forest is currently in a battle. Two pokemon are trying to expand their territory in it and forcing others out of it," Growlithe explains before eyes widen as she realizes Leon understood her. "How…do you understand me?"
"That's my doing," Crystal informs, holding an arm up. "I'm getting better at it, master. Side note though, if you want more involved, I need some to practice with, of course."
"So, you have no home?" Leon asks, petting Growlithe as she finishes wolfing down her food. Growlithe didn't answer and just looked away. "You can come with me if you want," Leon offers, petting her still.
"Master will treat you well. We also have many friends and two matriarchs looking after us as well," Crystal says.
Leon chuckles. "And our very own jester and prankster," he adds before they look to see Beacon trying to steal Zoey's food only to get his tail caught and pulled. Zoey smirks and gives a soft pat on the head as punishment.
"Correction…mommy is the third matriarch," Crystal adds.
"Don't mess with her," Leon whispers, smiling.
"Is it alright?" Growlithe asks.
Leon nods. "Yeah. We don't mind and consider it the right thing to help others," Leon informs, bringing out a pokeball in front of her to accept or decline if she wants.
The growlithe gives a low growl in her throat before booping her nose on it and gets sucked right in. 'Yay. Another member. And this one is hot,' Crystal sizzles at the end with a giggle.
Soon the pokeball disappeared, and Leon wondered if Omen and Fury would be a bit protective of her for a while. "I think I will name her Lena," Leon says, entering the name for Growlithe into the pokedex.
Crystal smiles and pats his side. 'And you will see her one day again and stronger.'
"We will see her soon enough. Now shall we have a meeting about these pokemon having a turf war or see to Echo there?" Leon asks, pointing out Echo sleeping from a branch under the tarp.
Crystal hums. 'Let him enjoy himself. For now, we need to figure this war out first.'
"Beacon, please get Lana and Gardenia up," Leon says, walking over.
Beacon gives a wave with his paw and walks over to the tired girls. Zoey shakes her head and sips some water before looking at Leon. "Can we even handle a turf war?" she asks while two screaming shocks were heard behind her.
"From the sounds of it, it's two pokemon causing it, but we could also leave it alone as this is also nature," Leon says, taking a seat beside her, and Crystal climbs into Zoey's lap, spotting her brother is sleeping close to her.
Zoey hums before looking down at Crystal. "Your opinion?"
'We might not have a choice. They seem very aggressive judging from our new friend,' Crystal says.
"Now how do we help is the question," Zoey points out.
"It's hard to say. If we encounter them, then we deal with them?" Leon asks, leaning on her as Lana comes out, looking sleepy and carrying Beacon to his delight. "Sleep well enough?"
Lana groans. "Annoyingly interrupted by this one here," she grumbles, holding up Beacon. Beacon just lets out happy sheep noises as Lana rubs her head into his wool. Gardenia mutters out loud while having shocking bed hair as she walks up beside them.
'If we encounter them, who should I use to battle them?' Leon thinks as he looks at Ippo, who was doing stretches to prepare for the day, and Ember, who was yawning tiredly.
'Could be a battle of strength between the two. Ippo might be able to do it,' Crystal advises while gesturing to the muscled pokemon as he does some poses to get ready for the day.
'Maybe if it is houndoom, but a grovyle…those are usually speedy, and this is its home turf,' Leon thinks.
'Depends on which side you will handle then,' Crystal adds, smiling.
Leon nods as he kept contemplating. "Ippo, Amber, time to pack up," Zoey informs.
Ippo and Amber cry out as they pack up their tents and supplies. Leon keeps thinking while Zoey walks over to him. "Maybe I should bring them both," he notably says to her.
"What are you doing?" Zoey asks, flicking his ear to get his attention.
'Mommy is here,' Crystal says cheekily.
Leon gives a light tap to the pokemon's head. "Quiet. Trying to think of how to handle this forest feud," he explains the last part to Zoey.
"Well, think about it while you help us get packed up," Zoey instructs.
Leon sighs. "Okay. Come on, Crystal. Help out," he says, holding her out towards the camp.
'You can do it! You can do it!' Crystal starts cheering.
Leon sweatdrops. "I meant using your psychic to help pack."
'Mommy says that is an abuse of my power,' Crystal says, looking at Zoey.
Leon raises an eyebrow towards Zoey, who looks at him, confused. "What?" she asks, crossing her arms.
"You tell Crystal not to use her psychic to help pack?" Leon inquires.
Zoey now looks very confused and tilts her head. "No…I didn't."
'Don't fight with mommy,' Crystal says.
"I'm not fighting. I'm trying to figure this out." Leon notes while both trainers raise an eyebrow at the kirlia.
"I think she is playing you now," Zoey says.
"Good thing I asked you," Leon agrees, and both level a small glare at the pokemon who giggle nervously and looks away innocently.
"Help now," Zoey instructs.
Crystal sighs as she starts doing as instructed, and Leon starts to climb the tree Echo was in to get the sleeping pokemon.
"Echo? Wake up my sleeping bat," Leon calls out softly and gives some soft pokes to his back.
Echo moves a bit but remains asleep. Leon shakes his head and returns Echo to his pokeball, figuring that it could use the sleep from keeping watch last night.
"Okay, Echo, Amber, Ippo, Crystal, and…Beacon," Leon realizes while trying to spot the dancing pokemon.
"Lana's pillow," Gardenia calls.
Leon looks over and spots the still tired pokemon leaning against Lana's tent. "Oh. Not even in a dancing mood, huh?" Leon jokes and jumps down the tree.
"Nope," Lana says, getting her stuff in order.
Leon smiles and gives some pets to Beacon's fluffy coat before returning him to his pokeball. "Okay, that's everyone on my end," he says before helping Lana pack up.
"Thanks," Lana says, getting her pack on her back.
"Anything we missed?" Leon asks, looking towards the mischievous Crystal who is stamping out the fire, somewhat annoyed that she lost this round.
"Just making sure Crystal is working," Zoey informs.
Crystal pouts cutely with puffed up cheeks and sticks her tongue out at Zoey.
"None of that young lady," Zoey lectures as Crystal's brother snickers at her.
Leon smirks at the two while the rest start to watch. "Want me to put her in her pokeball for timeout?"
"Not that bad yet," Zoey informs, letting him know it was on the table if need be.
Crystal pouts and whines. 'You two are horrible,' she complains while Leon just smiles.
"But if you behave, you and your brother here get to share strawberries today," Zoey informs.
Leon shakes the container full of strawberries, and the two pokemon drool at the sight of the delicious food. Only for Crystal catching herself and crossing her arms to look proud. 'Okay. Okay.'
"Good now, finish up, and we will head out," Zoey informs.
Leon chuckles while grabbing his bag. "She is so our kid, and she doesn't deny it," he whispers to Zoey.
Zoey, hearing that, lightly elbows his side, letting him know not the time for that.
Leon grins as he walks by her to help pack up anything they missed. "Anyone leave anything nearby?"
"All packed," Lana informs, putting everything away.
Gardenia looks through her bag. "Um…I'll be right back," she says before quickly sauntering off to look for something.
"Should I wonder what it is?" Leon asks.
Lana smiles apologetically. "I am guessing one of the clothes she left to dry."
"Ah. That kind of thing," Leon says, getting what she was missing now.
Zoey playfully pats his back for letting that information go by. "Now, where do we go from here?" she asks herself, bringing out her map to see which route to take.
"North," Leon says, checking the compass and the compass function of his pokedex.
Zoey hums and looks closely at the map. "Okay, we can head through this trail and work from there," she explains, pointing to their campsite and following a trail almost connecting to their spot.
"Right, most likely run into those two pokemon, though," Leon mutters to himself as they wait for Gardenia.
"Back," Gardenia calls as she quickly runs to them through the trees. "So, are we ready?"
"Yep, have a heading and everything," Leon informs, returning Ippo. "Amber, you are with us for this one."
Amber gives some cheers and a thumbs up towards him. Zoey smiles as Amber rushes over and sits on her shoulder. "She's excited."
"Yep," Leon says as Crystal gets onto Leon to ride.
Crystal smiles. 'And she says she wants a battle too. She hasn't had a proper one in a long time.'
'Well, we will fix that soon,' Leon thinks.
"Anything?" Leon calls up at Amber, who is on a branch.
Amber hums and looks around before shaking her head. 'No. Sorry master. Shall I go on ahead?'
"No, don't want to separate in case something happens," Leon says, tossing a berry to her.
Zoey frowns as she looks around the forest. "Where do you think this fighting is happening?"
"Ever heard of guerilla fighting?" Leon asks.
"What's that?" Lana asks.
"Basically, Leon is saying he thinks both are doing a lot of hits and run fighting," Gardenia explains.
"Oh, well, that would make sense," Lana says, looking around.
Leon hums before looking at Amber. "Look for downed trees and some pokemon running or flying away."
'Like them?' Amber asks, pointing out the flying pokemon flying away.
"There we go. We got our spot guys," Leon says to the rest of them as they follow Amber.
"Let's hope we can handle this," Zoey says as they rush off.
Leon keeps smiling, feeling Crystal's questioning thought. "We will. Just have to be smart about it."
'And who will battle?' Crystal chimes in.
Leon looks at Amber as she swings in the trees. "Thinking Amber will do it. And if too much, others can join in."
"Thinking of taking on both at once?" Zoey asks.
"If we side, we might cause more trouble since…are trainers seen as stronger with their pokemon than wild ones?" Leon asks Crystal.
Crystal motions her hand like a balancing scale.
Leon shrugs. "We'll say the wild pokemon will think that way and might not like us taking sides."
'Just take out both and let Arceus sort it out,' Crystal says.
Leon hums. 'Somehow, I wonder if Arceus is doing anything or sleeping still.'
'Wait…what is that mem…no,' Crystal says, looking at him with wide eyes.
Leon keeps humming to himself as he wonders if there is a large home in space for it or just another dimension living theirs. At which point, by the time they arrive at the sounds of battle, both Crystal and Leon's heads are pounding from overthinking while Leon's, mostly from Crystal, poking around inside his head without his knowledge.
When they reach the source of the commotion, they find a Grovyle and a Houndoom battling tooth and nail. The area around them scorched in ember and ashes while some flames dance around in some areas. Some trees are even knocked down while others were chopped into pieces.
"And there's our fight. We have to hit them both and knock them out. No time for idle chit chat," Leon informs before whistling to Amber.
Amber nods before jumping towards the two as they were about to clash before being hit square in the face by Amber's mach punch and sent sliding across the ground. Amber gives a happy, proud cry at being able to beat them both and sends a thumbs up to Leon and the others.
"I got the Houndoom," Zoey says.
"And we have the Grovyle," Leon says as Amber steps closer to the grass type while the Houndoom growls and scrambles to his paws, bearing his teeth at the fire monkey, which Zoey takes the chance to send out a pokeball and lets Shellos grab the canine's attention.
"Amber, time to teach him why he shouldn't have behaved like this," Leon informs.
Amber gets enough more pumped up, and her fire on her tail becomes bigger. "Let's do it, master!" she cheers happily while Crystal gives a few pats to Leon's head as she processes what she has seen from him.
"Alright, Amber, mach punch into the combo we have been working on," Leon calls.
"Right!" Amber yells as she jumps into the air and pulls her fist back. The hand glows bright blue as she aims towards the Grovyle, who tries to jump and move away. But the strange effect of the attack being always able to hit the target takes effect. This is evident with Grovyle's shocked expression when Amber appears in front of it and punches it in the face. Grovyle cries out as he flies into a tree and smacks against the trunk. Amber cries out as she starts to flip forward. Her fire tail even grows in size as it moves and wraps around her body. The flames spread as it spins around before Amber hits the ground and tries to roll across it, but the fire quickly snuffs itself out, and Amber rolls out of the spin, flat onto the dirt. "Uhhh…Master! It didn't work!" she cries out after looking herself over for any sign of her attempt at a flame wheel.
"We will keep working on it. For now, focus punch him," Leon calls.
Amber turns to Grovyle as he pulls himself up to his feet. The grass type gives a harsh growl and then breathes in before screeching loudly. Amber cries out as she covers her ears while Leon also does the same. Crystal frowns as she covers one of her ears and sweeps a hand in front of Leon and her. Leon slowly notices the noise become dampened and looks up to see Amber struggling against the noise. "Master!" Amber calls as she tries to bring up a focus punch while the noise becomes louder to her ears.
"Aim for the throat!" Leon calls.
Amber growls as she starts to claw her way forward. Then she slowly picks up speed before starting to run. 'Aim for its throat!' Crystal yells into Amber's mind.
"Shut up!" Amber yells as her fist is encased in an aura before punching the grass type in the throat, making it stop and start coughing as it holds it's throat. "Finally!" Amber yells in annoyance before giving a hard uppercut to Grovyle's chin and sends him flying into the air before knocking his head against a tree branch. Amber huffs and groans as she cleans out her ears from the harsh ringing. "Ow…"
'Amber, finish it!' Crystal yells in her head.
Amber cries out as she rolls forward and curls into herself. A bright fire starts to form around herself before she moves along across the ground. Grovyle starts to get up and rub his head before grunting as Amber smashes into him. The licks of flames burning his skin while pushing him back against the tree. Grovyle cries out in pain before fainting as Amber comes out of her flame wheel and lands on top of the fainted pokemon.
"Fucking…ow!" Amber cries out, trying to stand.
"Good job Amber," Leon says, walking up and lifting Amber before tossing a pokeball to the fainted grass type. The pokeball hits the downed pokemon before sucking him into the ball. Leon smiles as he watches the pokeball shake only one time before beeping. "And that's our catch," Leon announces as he picks up the pokeball to show Amber in his arms.
Leon watches the pokeball teleports away before looking to Zoey, who is battling a Houndoom with her Shellos. Both look tired, and a bit beat up. Even with the type disadvantage, Houndoom is fighting its heart out until something happens, which changes the battle. Shellos starts glowing.
Shellos starts to evolve into Gastrodon. From there, the battle takes a big turn, as the extra energy from evolving gives the water type a second wind and launches another Water Pulse at Zoey's command. This one is bigger and more powerful than the last, though, hitting Houndoom hard and throwing it into a tree.
Zoey cheers to herself and throws her pokeball. The balls fly through the air before smacking into the fainted Houndoom, sucking it into the ball. Gastrodon cheers to itself as the ball shakes a few times before beeping, signaling a capture before also teleporting away.
'Woohoo! Great job, you two!' Crystal cheers from Leon's shoulder, giving the best impression of a cheerleader.
"And with that, we ended the turf war," Leon says, smirking as Amber hangs on him.
"Finally! And I kicked that grassy tailed butt!" Amber cheers, swinging from Leon's arm before landing in front of him.
"You did well; we still have some practicing to do for your move. But all in all, you did real good," Leon compliments.
Amber gives him a thumbs up with a smile. "Sure thing, master."
"You did good, Gastrodon," Zoey says, hugging the sea slug pokemon.
Gastrodon coos and nuzzles its trainer back.
"A girl and her loveable water pokemon," Lana comments.
"Shush," Gardenia teases, putting a finger to her lips. Leon chuckles as they watch Zoey nuzzle her pokemon happily.
A few more days of trekking through the woods, they saw a city with a lot of foliage in the middle of it. "So this is Veilstone city, huh?" Leon asks, looking out.
Gardenia smiles. "Yep. Say hello to our new major stop," she says, patting his back. "But I need a bed and hot shower," she sighs tiredly.
"To the pokemon center?" Crystal asks.
"Please," Gardenia yawns.
"Ok, nature girl, we will," Lana teases.
Leon was about to joke himself before Crystal stops him by covering his mouth. He then looks over and sees her blushing and winking at him before letting go. "Right. Let's hope they have enough room," he says before walking away with the rest behind him.
The city is a bit unique as they were expecting cars, but mostly trams are running throughout the city. It is an impressive sight to see when Leon stops after spotting a familiar black haired girl wearing a red and gold ao dai dress. "You guys go on ahead. I see a friend," Leon explains.
"We'll save you a room," Zoey assures before following the other two down the street.
"We will put the amazon to bed," Lana teases.
Zoey blushes and glares at the girl, but she just gives a cheery smile.
"I think she means Gardenia," Leon says, smirking.
"Oh, I think both," Crystal jokes along, tapping his head.
"Not funny," Zoey growls at Crystal before heading off for the nearest center.
"What do you think, Crystal? Should I call out her name or call her?" Leon asks.
Crystal shrugs and leans against his head. "She's your mate. Do what you think is best," she says with a teasing tone.
'Ignoring what you called her,' Leon thinks as he pulls out his pokedex and starts calling her.
Crystal sticks her tongue out at him while Leon waits for the girl to pick up the phone. Shun looks around before taking out her pokedex and looks at it. She shrugs before answering the call and putting it to her ear. "Hello, Leon. You need something?"
"Look at your four o'clock," Leon says.
Shun looks around before turning to her lower right side to see Leon waving at her. "Can not just walk up to me, can you?" she asks while walking over to him.
"Thought this would be a better heads up. Plus, you have the combat instincts to flip me over your shoulder if I surprise you," Leon comments, showing how high in regard he holds her ability to defend herself.
Shun sighs. "That is true, and I can throw you…" she stops and looks at her pokedex before putting it away, "quite a distance."
"Just kiss already!" Crystal calls in their heads.
Both of them look to the innocent-looking pokemon as she turns her head away, distracted by a butterfree. "Fun girl, isn't she?" Leon sighs. Shun didn't respond as she blushes. "So, this is your hometown?" Leon asks, looking around the buildings.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Shun asks, a bit surprised.
"Contact info," Leon informs, showing her profile in his pokedex.
Shun frowns and looks at her pokedex at her information. "I have to remember to edit that."
"So, any family here?" Leon asks.
Shun shrugs before seeing Crystal wink at her. "Yeah. I have a brother here."
From there, Shun starts showing Leon around, and they start talking about a few things. Every so often, Crystal commented on their relationship to Shun and Leon's embarrassment.
"Is she always like this?" Shun whispers to Leon.
"I can hear you," Crystal sings, giggling.
Leon sweatdrops and gives an apologetic smile to Shun. "Yeah. But she's bearable and awesome in her own right."
"I know," Crystal says, posing a bit, and Leon is sure she is doing a Jojo pose.
Leon sighs and strokes his forehead from a slight headache. "So…?" he starts and smiles at Shun. "Any chance of me meeting your brother?"
"Not today," Shun mentions.
"Is it because he will either tease you for having a boyfriend or be an overprotective big brother?" Crystal asks.
Shun glares at the little pokemon but just sees Crystal giggling to herself. "I am now slightly annoyed."
"Shun and Leon, sitting in a tree. G," Crystal starts.
'Oy. Enough of that,' Leon groans, thinking to Crystal. 'Shun might kick your ass herself.'
"Heh, she is turning the color of her dress," Crystal teases.
"Leon, put her on the ground," Shun orders, cracking her knuckles.
"It won't help. She knows teleport," Leon informs.
"Doesn't matter," Shun remarks, stretching her arms right now.
"That reminds me. You have a Gliscor, right?" Leon asks.
Shun raises an eyebrow now while keeping an eye on Crystal's smirking expression. "What about him?"
"He was a gang leader terrorizing a city before you caught him, right?" Leon asks.
Shun sighs and crosses her arms. "Something like that. Why?"
"Might need advice. On the way here, I caught a Grovyle who was on a rampage and was in a turf war with a houndoom in the forest," Leon explains.
Shun hums. "Depends really. You have to show them that they are not the top pokemon anymore. Keep them that way until they stop trying to resist and fight back. They will do a lot to get back to where they were."
"Hum. It might be tough. I haven't really had a problem pokemon yet…also should have all my pokemon get a check-up to see how they are…that includes you, Crystal," Leon says to the psychic type trying to sneak away hearing that.
"Who was trying to run away? I'm not running away," Crystal plays off, looking calm and collected while being innocent to them.
"Hum…my brother is a qualified breeder and medical practitioner, so I think he could handle it," Shun offers, blushing a bit.
"Great. Saves me time on also meeting him. That means you too, Crystal," Leon calls to the sneaky tiptoeing Crystal, who then sulks at being caught. "You're never getting away as long as I can hear you."
"Oh?" Crystal asks, smirking.
"Don't start or it's the pokeball for you," Leon scolds, sounding like a father reprimanding his daughter.
"Mommy wouldn't let you," Crystal says, looking to Shun.
Leon facepalmed before sighing. "She tends to get like this at times," he apologizes, turning back to Shun before stopping as he sees her smiling and giggling.
"It's fine. It's a nice change of pace. My pokemon are always serious," Shun waves off.
Leon stares and blushes at the girl as he starts to smile back. " G!" Crystal sings before yelling out as a rock knocks her on the head and sends her down.
Shun looks proud of herself and pats her hands. "We should get going. My brother is expecting me soon."
"Ok. I will let my friends know," Leon says, starting to call as Shun leads the way.
Crystal groans on the ground while pidgeys fly around her head. "The world of love…fun…" she moans, dizzy while being picked up and carried by Shun.