"Alright, that should be good. We are ready to start transferring all your pokemon here," Reggie says as Shun is showing him all her pokemon and letting her magikarp swim around in the pond.
"I see your new friend is growing up happy," Leon observes, letting Crystal and magikarp splash around in the pond.
"The group has taken to him now. He is like the little brother of the group," Shun assures.
Leon smirks, but Reggie smiles and beats him to it. "Too bad he's cuter than my little sister here," Reggie jokes.
"You want a broken leg?" Shun inquires with a glare.
'Reminds me of mom and happy my little sis is finally out of her 'power is everything' phase,' Reggie thinks.
Leon walks over to the terminal and enters his biometric data and passwords, allowing the transfer to begin to this location. Soon the transfer started, and thirteen pokeballs came through, surprising Shun a little bit.
"You have this many?" Shun asks in surprise as Leon grabs two, ready to release the pokemon inside.
"Yeah. Ok, the first ones out are the matriarchs of my pokemon. Omen, Fury, come out!" Leon calls.
Shun watches as the absol and aerodactyl emerge out in front of them. They both shake themselves from being transported before smiling at their master. "Hello, master," Omen greets. "Don't worry. The others are fine."
"That's good. How are the two newest ones?" Leon asks.
Omen is about to answer before stopping. "Wait…" Leon smirks and points to Crystal, who waves at them. "Ah. Thank you, Crystal. This saves so much time," she answers, sounding like an older but strong woman to Leon.
"Wow. You sound so powerful and…I hate to say it, but a little older. Good old," Leon praises, in some awe.
"Hey? What about me?" Fury questions, sounding like a younger woman.
"Like a supermodel that was stuck in time," Leon complements, and Fury visibly blushes.
Shun leans in slowly to his side. "Do you make all your pokemons blush?"
"Just got to know how to talk with them, now the two new members," Leon says, getting them back on track.
Omen shakes her head and smiles. "Yes. Well, our new canine friend is settling in nicely. She is making plenty of friends. But for our trouble maker, he has already picked fights and is being beaten down each time because he is pissed," Omen explains, sounding disappointed.
Leon clicks his tongue, hearing that. "Shun, be prepared for my Grovyle. Was on the warpath," Leon informs.
Shun smiles. "I found using the pokemon that beat my Gliscor to keep him in line. Keeps their pride in check too."
"Amber," Leon calls, releasing her.
"Next battle!" Amber cheers before noticing where she is. "No battle, right?" she asks, turning towards Leon.
"Grovyle on the rampage. Round two," Leon informs.
Amber grins, and her tail flares up. "Send him to me. I'll knock some sense into him."
"Alright. Omen, Fury, make sure no damage," Leon instructs, grabbing Grovyle's pokeball.
They all prepare to fight in a stance as Leon throws the pokeball as far as he could. Grovyle cries out as he appears and seems ready to battle already. After the grass type takes a quick scan around the room, he sees the three pokemon standing in front of the humans. When Grovyle powers up the grass blades on his arms, he charges towards the three. Amber cries out as she flame wheels toward him, sending out a large cloud of smoke to obscure their vision.
"Well…that should keep him busy," Leon says calmly as Omen stays by the three. Fury, meanwhile, flies above the area, keeping an eye for anything amiss. "Here are two that you will remember. Rumble, Ruby, come out," Leon says, tossing two more.
Shun watches as the two bug types appear and cheer happily. "Hello master!" they cheer while Rumble skitters onto Leon before settling on his free shoulder. "Hi, master. It has been a while."
"Are you both enjoying your time off?" Leon asks.
"Yep. I miss your cookies, though," Ruby whines, sounding very familiar to Leon.
'Does sound like her,' Leon thinks, and Crystal sees a red-headed girl in a red and black dress with a scythe. "Well, I have a few for you to enjoy."
"Really?" Ruby asks with sparkles in her eyes.
Leon chuckles as he digs into his bag. "Yep. Eat up," he offers, tossing the two cookies that she snatches out of the air and chews at the same time. Meanwhile, the dark fighting cloud moves back and forth in the room, legs and fists coming in and out at various times and places.
"Alright now, Breeze and Depth, come on out," Leon says, tossing two more balls.
"Fresh air!" Breeze cheers, flying around while Depth hops around.
"This is nice," Depth comments as he looks around.
"Hey, you two. How have you been?" Leon asks.
"Master! It's good to see you," Breeze happily cheers as she flies over in front of him.
"Good to see you. Have you made a home at the lab?" Leon asks, petting her head.
"Yuppers," Breeze chirps. "I have a lot of berries that I love to eat. Do you want to try some too, master?" she asks with a chitter in her voice.
"No, thanks. This is a chance to see all of you and to get you all checked up," Leon says before reaching down and picking up Depth.
"Hello, master," Depth responds, opening his shell a little wider.
"Been a while, Depth. How have you been with the others?" Leon asks.
Depth seems to give a shrugging motion with his shell. "Fine enough. Here and there and made friends."
"How about with Rumble here?" Leon asks, referring to his shoulder.
Depth nods, making his shell open and close quickly. "Yep. How was the trip for you, Rumble?"
"It was quick. I was a bit afraid when they came to get me. I didn't know what they were going to do with me," Rumble says in a bit of a shy voice.
"Well, don't worry. This is Reggie. He will be looking you over and making sure you are nice and healthy," Leon assures, letting Reggie walk over and pet Rumble.
"Hi there. Um…what do I say to him?" Rumble whispers to Leon.
"No need to say anything, Rumble. Just do as he asks, and I will give you a rice cracker afterward," Crystal assures.
"I was wondering what all the noise was about," a new voice came.
Leon turns his head around and looks through the room. He then hears clinking and looks down to see Shun's weavile standing by her. "Oh. Hey. Yeah, we stopped by and decided to give everyone a checkup," Leon explains as Reggie takes Rumble off his shoulder.
"Weav?" Weavile asks, looking up to Shun.
"Maybe later. For now, our guest," Shun informs.
"Aw, man," Weavile mutters and crosses his arms.
"May I?" Leon asks Shun.
Shun shrugs and steps aside, letting him see the weavile pouting to the side. Leon smiles before reaching out and starts scratching Weavile under the chin, and within moments, Weavile was in Leon's arms purring. Shun chuckles as she watches the interaction. "Hard to believe this is all it takes to manage him."
"I also like weaviles a lot. They are the fastest ice type, I think," Leon adds.
Crystal looks at him cheekily. "You told me your first favorite is a lucario, and next is me," she complains, acting hurt.
"We have unfinished business," Weavile informs Crystal.
Crystal sticks her tongue out at him. "Get ready to have your butt kicked again," she boasts, patting her arm as she flexes it. "I have been getting better."
"I wiLL," Weavile says, his voice going a higher pitch as Leon finds a susceptible spot.
Crystal snickers behind her hands as Weavile struggles to maintain his composure. "Feel the wrath of the human pets!" she calls out jokingly before laughing and holding her stomach as she doubles over.
"Leon, is there more?" Reggie asks.
Leon nods as he gets up and starts to transfer more pokemon over. "Yeah. We have a trumbeak named Rhythm," he informs, releasing the bird pokemon into the air. He laughs as Rhythm starts to fly around and enjoy the new space. Leon then grabs another pokeball and throws it towards the ground. "Quake my onix who is very big," Leon says releasing the huge pokemon. "Kancer. A krabby that loves to scuttle," he jokes as the crab snaps his claws at them.
"Trumbeak, the Bugle Beak Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pikipek. It attacks its opponents by firing seeds stored in its beak," Leon hears and spies Shun with her pokedex out.
Leon smiles as Rhythm lands on his shoulders. "Why not check Kancer here?" he suggests, petting said pokemon as Kancer moves by his side.
Kancer proceeds to start forming bubbles in his mouth, getting ready to attack if he needs to.
Leon and Crystal both give a physical and psychic slap on his head, making him stop doing that. "No. Bad boy. We do not attack friends," Crystal scolds, pointing scoldingly at him.
"Come on you. He is going to make sure everything is alright with you," Leon says, putting Kancer on the table as he huffs.
"I must say, this is a big krabby. He must have grown up in a place where there was a lot of food," Reggie says, starting to examine him.
Kancer looks proud of being told like that and gives a proud pose. But then realizes he just called him fat and starts to blow bubbles, which earns him another slap from Crystal.
"He is saying it's a good thing as most are not as big as you," Leon reaffirms, making the bubbles stop.
Kancer croaks before Crystal sighs, her eyes glowing. "How big?" Kancer asks.
"About this big," Leon says, showing where the top of the average krabby's head would be, which was about half his size.
"Oh," Kancer awes at. "Okay. I forgive him."
Crystal gives another slap and taps her foot against the ground as she gives a scolding pose at the krabby. "No. You don't accept his apology. You make your own to the guy," she scolds.
Leon sighs as he looks apologetically at Reggie. "Sorry. He's a little proud and unapologetic. Give me a week with him, and I can tune that out," the trainer promises.
"It's fine," Reggie says, starting to give him a check-up.
"You have a pool or lake, right?" Leon asks.
Reggie nods, checking Kancer's shell for any damage. "Yes. I do deal with water pokemon, after all. So it would make sense to give them a place to swim. But I am assuming you have other ideas?" he asks, remembering what Shun told him.
"No, just got one of my pokemon left that should be released there. For now," Leon says as two more pokeballs are transferred over. "King, Queen, come on out," Leon says, tossing their pokeballs.
Reggie looks over and sees the nidorina and nidorino appearing before the group. They both look around, confused before spotting Reggie and Leon. "Oh. Hello master," Queen greets, giving a wave of her claw with King doing the same.
"Hey, you two," Leon says, getting down and hugging their heads.
They both give a hug back before spotting Shun watching with great interest. "Is this a battle?" King asks, seeing the studying gaze.
"No, it is a check-up. He is a caretaker," Leon informs the two as Reggie keeps examining Kancer.
"I wish I had a psychic on hand to help translate everyone," Reggie calls, still doing his job. He even gets Crystal to give a proud pose at the sound of her career for translating.
"Don't complain. Just do it. Like how you need to get out and look for a girlfriend," Shun informs.
Reggie gains a scowl across his face. "I am still doing a job," he reminds, concentrating on his check-up.
"Come on out, Lena," Leon says, having retrieved her while they were doing their antics.
Lena barks happily before looking around the room. "Where are we, master?" she asks, looking at Shun and Reggie in particular.
"A ranch where everyone is getting check-ups," Crystal informs.
"Oh. Well, that's good. Maybe he can look over me," Lena voices, looking over herself and then spinning around in circles.
"And now for the last one. Shun, can you show me to the pond?" Leon asks.
Shun smiles and gets up, brushing herself off. "Sure. Let's go," she says, leading him out to the back. A grassy and dirt field lays before them while a garden is tended to by some grass types. On the far side lies a large pond, big and deep enough for a few gyaradoses. "Here we go. She will love it here," Shun optimistically comments.
"Tsunami, come on out!" Leon calls, throwing the pokeball. The pokeball releases the giant water dragon as she lands into the pond with a splash. Leon laughs as the water drizzles over them before he looks and gets blindsided with a nuzzling hug. "Okay. Relax. I missed you too," he greets, petting her head.
"Oh, I think magikarp will be happy to see you. He is in there as well," Shun says.
"Magikarp!" said pokemon calls happily as he comes to the surface and waves a fin at the giant water dragon.
"Make him feel loved, ok, Tsunami? But when he calls for you, come and see him, ok?" Leon asks, pointing out Reggie. Tsunami growls and nods before waving her tail as she turns toward Magikarp, who smiles back. "Have you given him a name yet?" Leon asks, looking at Shun.
"Having trouble coming up with one," Shun responds.
Leon shrugs. "You'll figure one out one day," he encourages.
'Maybe that one day is when you and she are mates,' Crystal thinks to herself.
Leon sighs as he walks around with Shun, looking over his pokemon having fun in the yard. Omen joins alongside them, staying beside her master. "So the training is still rough. But I am making due where I can. And their eagerness is sometimes enjoyable," he adds at the end with a smile.
"Yes, I have been re-evaluating my training methods as well since our meeting," Shun informs.
Leon hums before looking at her curiously. "How much help do you need?"
"None, this is something I have to figure out on my own," Shun adds.
"Noble," Omen comments, smiling up at the two before yipping when Leon picks up the canine into his arms. "And chivalrous," Omen adds, smirking while waving a paw against his face.
"So I assume you are stopping to take on the gym of our town?" Shun inquires.
"Fighting-type gym, Gym Leader is Maylene and so far has only used a meditite, machoke, and lucario in gym challenges," Leon says, showing he had done some research.
Shun hums. "Are you sure she won't change things up?"
"I am sure she will use those three as the official challenge. Remember, the gym battles are done in a way where the challenger has the advantage and is usually made to teach them a lesson," Leon reminds.
Shun smiles and turns to him. "I assume your love of fighting types will help?"
"And also Ippo's training is to make him anti-close range. Meaning if he gets started, then it will be like when your Ursaring was training with him," Leon informs, making her nod as she had been trying to figure out a counter against that move, but it's tough to stop if it gets started.
"He's excited to use that move in a real battle," Omen informs, making Leon look down at her. "And keeps showing off," she sighs, rolling her eyes while her tail wags behind her.
"Go tell him to stop showing it off. I want him to train to get ready to use it. As I already picked him for the next battle," Leon informs.
"Sure," Omen agrees but doesn't bother to get out of his arms. "Are you enjoying your courting with this girl?" she asks with no hint of teasing.
'I am just helping her out and being her friend,' Leon informs, as Crystal makes sure Shun can't hear that.
Omen rolls her eyes and scratches a paw behind her ear. "This is going to be my finest work one day," she mutters to herself.
"Now off you go. I am sure Reggie will see you soon," Leon informs, setting her down.
Omen nods as she gets her footing back. "Of course. I will send Fury to watch over you," she promises before walking away with a humming smile.
"You have a lot more pokemon than I expected you to have and a few I have never seen before," Shun comments.
Leon smiles happily while looking at the trainer. "Yeah. Some of them for preparation, the rest to save and become friends," he explains while seeing Fury fly towards them.
"A lot has only a few and focus on training them, but…you're like me and want a balanced team. So you are not done forming your team," Shun says, making an observation.
Leon chuckles. "What gave it away? The fact that Crystal and Ippo are still training new tricks and moves, getting certain types, or just having a good roster number at any time without going one way?" he guesses and gets a light tap in return from Crystal.
"You are an all arounder then. You don't specialize with a single type like a gym leader, or the current elite four of this region does," Shun summarizes.
Leon nods before humming. "Good reason why. If you stick to one thing, it would be effortless to be beaten in this way. Plus," he pauses as Fury slowly lands between them, and Leon smiles while patting her chest. "My good friends started by coming after me. I just helped out along the way."
'Is she a potential mate?' Fury asks, her eyes going back and forth between the two.
Leon sweatdrops and hangs his head in embarrassment. "You guys…" he groans.
"What?" Shun asks, confused.
"Nothing. So mind helping me groom my pokemon while Reggie checks over them?" Leon asks.
Shun lets off a soft smile before looking at every single one of his pokemon having fun or training what they could. "Sure. Gives us more time to talk…and me to learn how to beat you," she adds with a smirk.
"Maybe if it was me from our first battle, but we have been improving since then," Leon says, smirking back.
Crystal giggles and gives off some air punches towards Shun. "And so have I!" she cheers, grinning for another chance as weavile.
"Oh yes, right there," Omen says as she is brushed.
'Sounds a bit wrong,' Leon sighs as Crystal giggles and brushes Omen's fur with him. "Glad you like it," Leon says, trying to deflect it, but it just makes him blush more. Even Shun giggles as she gets Omen's horn.
"She is shedding a lot of furs. Maybe we should also bathe her," Shun advises.
Omen perks up and smiles at her trainer. "Please?" she asks, wagging her tail.
"Do you have shampoo and stuff?" Leon asks, petting her.
"We do, and we should do it for the rest of the pokemon. Weavile, get Ursaring. We both will get one as well," Shun informs her pokemon.
Weavile nods before rushing off as Leon keeps cleaning off the rest of the loose fur. "At least things will be delightful for them. They need this break after so long on the road and training."
"What about the rest of us?" Crystal asks.
"I guess you can go and relax or help us," Shun offers.
Crystal looks between all the work being laid out and then the trainers before jumping off onto the ground. "Good luck, guys," she cheerfully says while waving an arm over her shoulder and walking away.
"Go to the pokemon center and tell them what I am doing!" Leon calls after her.
"Yeah! Yeah!" Crystal replies with a wave as she keeps walking.
"I will get what we will need. You round up your pokemon with fur, ok?" Shun asks.
"Sure," Leon agrees as he keeps brushing the happy growling Omen. He then whistles around the area before smiling. "Amber, Lena!" he calls, still brushing and petting a very happy absol.
After a bit, Shun returns wearing a swimsuit now while carrying large metal pans with shampoo and several towels in them, followed by her Weavile and Ursaring. The two quickly get to work, Omen being the first to get started with Leon while Shun starts with her Ursaring. Omen loves the bath as Ursaring seems slightly disgruntled as Shun works on him.
Leon chuckles as he sees the very unhappy pokemon try not to move too much. But then Omen notices his brushing slows down and looks up to see him staring at Shun very intently. Omen slowly smiles as she looks over the one-piece swimsuit-wearing girl and how she stands out with the red like her regular clothes. But there even seems to be designs of pokemon and old buildings in it as well. Another look at Leon makes Omen snicker as he appears to be looking over Shun's figure even more with how her back is exposed to add to the teasing. 'Crystal will have a field day with you,' Omen thinks, rolling her eyes amused.
Soon Leon finishes washing absol and rubs her down with one of the towels as he notices someone approaching. It is Zoey being led by Crystal as she holds something brown in her arms. "Hey, girls. Just half through washing everyone," he explains before looking at Shun again. But Omen smiles the entire time and lets him enjoy the view as Shun would make a great mate for their master to have.
"Oh good, because Glameow, Houndoom, and Eevee here could also use a bath," Zoey informs as she walks over, allowing him to see what she was holding a fuzzball.
Leon breaks his view with Shun hearing that and looks at the bundle of fur in Zoey's arms. "Brought him out to groom?" he asks as Omen sits up and sniffs Eevee, never having met him before.
Leon smiles as Zoey bends down and the fuzzball moves. Reaching out and pokes the fuzz, getting a sharp, annoying cry. He chuckles as the ball moves before it unfolds to show a tired little eevee trying to glare at him. "Yeah, so I want to give the little guy his b…ah," Zoey says as Omen starts licking Eevee.
Leon chuckles as they watch the two interact and the eevee squirming under the motherly bath. "I think Omen has that covered," he says while Zoey puts the eevee down into Omen's paws so she can continue.
"I will give her one later. So who are we up to?" Zoey asks.
"Well, either Amber or Lena is next unless you want to bring out one of your pokemon first as…well, Shun's Ursaring is bigger and will take a while yet to wash," Leon informs, looking over to the two.
Zoey smiles. "So a big day," she jokes, and Leon chuckles. "Thought so. Alright. Move over," she says, getting a brush and starting to help scrub down Amber, who jumps into the pan.
After washing them all, the eight pokemon are allowed to leave except for the eevee, who is back in Omen's paws as she looks after it. "That's everyone," Shun says, stretching a bit before heading back inside.
"I see why it is now taking so long," Zoey says, observing all of Leon's pokemon around them.
Leon nods a bit tiredly as he cleans up the mess left behind. "Yeah. But at least they get to enjoy a sort of day off," he remarks while picking up the supplies into a now empty tub.
"Oh, Leon!" Reggie calls, walking over.
"Something wrong?" Leon asks, looking over.
"No, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to tell you all your pokemon are in good shape and very healthy," Reggie says, giving the impression that this is like a summary a doctor provides.
Leon smiles as he carries the tub full of supplies now. "Great. Thanks for all the help."
"There is one more thing. I want to give you this pokemon. It's my way of saying thanks for getting my sister to come to her senses now instead of just seeking only power," Reggie says, giving him a pokeball. "I am sure you will take good care of her."
Leon hums as he looks over the pokeball. "What pokemon is she?" he asks, trying to find any sign Reggie may have left.
"It's an eevee," Reggie informs.
Leon smiles suddenly and looks at Zoey. "I think we have a new friend for the little guy," he calls over, showing the pokeball.
"Just a heads up, though. This eevee is naturally extra fluffy when it comes to her fur," Reggie informs.
"Even better," Leon compliments as he smiles, releasing the eevee from the pokeball.
Zoey sweatdrops as she chuckles nervously as Leon always gets like this with a new pokemon.
Leon notices the expression and grins at her. "I know you want a cuddle," he says, snickering as eevee yips happily at being out before seeing Zoey. She wiggles her butt before running at the girl and jumping into her arms. "Come on. Give her a hug, momma," Leon teases as he smiles, seeing the reaction of the pokemon as Zoey catches the little furball.
"He is right. She is extra fluffy," Zoey says, turning so the eevee in her arms could see her own personal eevee.
Zoey's eevee yips happily at seeing another member of the family. Leon's eevee enjoys cuddling with Zoey and nuzzles her head against Zoey's cheek. And Leon and the others smile and watch the three enjoy themselves. "So are you going to make her like Beacon? The dancing Flaaffy?" Lana asks, leaning over to Leon.
"Need to think and see her limits before I decide that," Leon assures, but his mind is already considering eventually evolving her into an extra fluffy flareon.
'You might have fun trying to handle her fluffy coat,' Crystal mentions, floating over and sitting on his shoulder.
"Why don't you go play with your new sister?" Leon asks, smirking.
Crystal grins. "Why? She is enjoying herself with the cuddling trainer. Let her be happy about it. After that, then we play," she promises before noticing his smirk. "I know that face. You are planning something."