Pokémon: Leah's Journey {Rewrite}

Chapter 18: A Dash of Frolicking and A Sprinkle of Messing Around

Most would assume that Leah would want to keep going, learn Mega Evolution as soon as she can, but they are very far from the truth. In fact, Leah was sitting peacefully in the nearby field of wildflowers and attempting to make flower crowns with Stardust while Skalli and Mrs. Cuddletails were playfighting, Omen and Primadonna were simply relaxing and conversing and Actias Luna just flew around the area and grabbing flowers that she liked for Leah.

Leah successfully turned a series of blue and purple flowers into a crown. She looked at Stardust and then Omen and tried to hold back a laugh as she attempted to fit the flower crown on Omen's head. The Absol let out an amused sound in response and stood up. Mrs. Cuddletails and Skalli stood behind him with an indignant expression on their faces. For a minute, Leah thought Omen was angry, but to her surprise, he started chasing Mrs. Cuddletails and Skalli until he managed to catch the Vulpix and brought her to his trainer.

With a laugh, Leah finished up her second flower crown with white and pink tulips and red flowers that appeared to be Amaryllis. Once Mrs. Cuddletails sat still, she placed the crown on the Vulpix's head, "There now you are just as elegant as Omen, Stardust and I."

Mrs. Cuddletails cooed in response as Skalli approached them, hoping to get the same honor as her friends had. Leah found a few lilies and yellow flag irises and shaped a crown with them. When she placed it on Skalli's head she gave a firm warning, "Don't eat the yellow flowers, they will make you sick."

Skalli barked in understanding. Leah turned to look at Mildred's many attempts at her routine. It wasn't going well. She called her Pokémon over and approached her friend, "Want a flower crown?"

Mildred laughed, "That's an odd way of offering help, but yes, I do want your help."

"Alright," Leah sat in front of Mildred, giving her friend enough space to perform, "show me what you got."

Mildred nodded and sighed. Periwinkle started with Fairy Wind, lifting Lady Lemeow from the ground. The winds appeared like a set of stairs, letting Lady Lemeow climb higher and higher. There was potential in this concept, but Leah could feel like something was missing. She lifted her hand up, putting a stop to the performance, "First of all, I absolutely love the concept, it's very creative. Second, I feel like it's missing something."

"It's missing what, oh masterful Leah?" Mildred deadpanned.

"Lady Lemeow could be using a move as she's climbing up the Fairy Wind stairs." Leah looked at Mrs. Cuddletails, "If it were me, I'd have the climbing Pokemon use a move that could engulf them. A move like Flame Charge."

"Leah, I only have Periwinkle and Lady Lemeow. Assist won't work since it's only moves that my Pokemon knows."

"You're right, but Lady Lemeow knows Copycat and once she copies a move, she can use it again later. You can have her use Copycat to teach her Flame Charge." Leah stated.

"Good point," Mildred admitted, before tilting her head, "but wouldn't the flames detonate the winds?"

"That's the idea." Leah laughed, "The detonation will cause embers and sparkles, that's the wow factor you want."

Mildred stepped aside, "Alright, show me how you'd do it."

Leah nodded and took centerstage, "Periwinkle, use Fairy Wind."

With an angelic sound, Periwinkle floated around Leah and Mrs. Cuddletails as she released a trail of sparkling, pink winds. Leah smiled and nodded to her Vulpix, she spun as she bent down, letting Mrs. Cuddletails climb on her arm. As Periwinkle ascended, the Vulpix moved from Leah's right arm to her left arm. Her body was engulfed in flames and she leapt on the fairy wind surrounding them. Periwinkle noticed this and made more winds in a way that Mrs. Cuddletails could easily climb. Each sparkling wind detonated in a gentle flurry of embers and sparkles the moment Mrs. Cuddletails stepped on them.

The Vulpix soon made her descent, Leah extended her arms. Mrs. Cuddletails landed on her trainer's hand with a single forepaw. On Leah's command, Periwinkle used Magical Leaf, elegantly spinning around the two as she summoned a flurry of glowing, green leaves. Leah propelled Mrs. Cuddletails upwards, "Use Fire Spin!"

With a howl, Mrs. Cuddletails summoned a blazing inferno around the Magical Leaf. The two moves combined and the moment Mrs. Cuddletails landed on Leah's outstretched arm on her hind paws, the combination of moves flew upwards and turned into a sea of sparkles in the sky. Leah gave Mildred a bow and let her friend regain the stage, but not without adding, "And a little piece of advice, don't forget to smile."

Mildred didn't take the stage, instead she opted to sit with Leah, "How do you know so much about performing?"

"I wasn't always big on Pokemon battles." Leah sighed, "There was a time where I wanted to be a performer and I decided to try it out. I enjoyed it, I really did, but I couldn't choose that path."

"Why is that?"

"The crowd loved me and I realized that as much as they loved me now, they can easily turn on me if I made a mistake." Leah ran her hand in Mrs. Cuddletails' fur, "I uh- I couldn't handle that thought."

Mildred nodded in understanding and then stood up, "I had Lady Lemeow use Copycat when Mrs. Cuddletails used Flame Charge and Fire Spin, I think I should be able to reproduce what you did."

"Don't try to reproduce everything, Lady Lemeow isn't as lithe as Mrs. Cuddletails." Leah stated, "The moves you can reproduce, but I don't think Lady Lemeow is quite ready for the things that require balance and agility."

"Do you think she'll ever be ready for those?"

Leah smiled, "When she evolves, if she does want to evolve, she'll be the most lithe and elegant feline I've ever seen. That's when she'll be ready for the more agile movements."

The girls soon noticed that the sun was setting, so they decided to join Zayn and Korrina for dinner. They will return to their travels in the morning.