Kalos,
Route 7
"I'm glad we decided to wait until this morning to leave," Cassandra sighed happily, inhaling the fresh morning air of Route 7. Beside her, Leon did the same, a foolish grin on his face.
"Same--it was worth the sunrise and extra training we squeezed in."
"Yeah! I can't believe Haku evolved already," she beamed, glancing down at the minimized ball on her hip, where the now "Frogadier" rested soundly. "He's getting so strong!"
"Can't wait for Kay to do the same. She's already pretty strong, too," he beamed, patting the ball that hosted her.
"We'll want to beef up for the next Gym either way--and luckily, we got some distance. We'll need to head all the way to the mountain at the end of the route," she replied, flipping out the Holocaster to reveal the region map.
"Hmm I guess I should try and train as much as possible on this route--a tunnel won't be good for Kay, yeah? And the next Gym is a Rock type isn't it? Like Gordie?"
"Yeah; so Kay won't do well unless you want to use her for lowering defenses. You'll want to stick with Haxorus probably unless we find you a good grass or water type. Or I don't mind you borrowing Lucas."
He waved his hand, "Nah, I wanna win with my own--but I do appreciate the offer, love. I'll figure it out... oh, but I do wonder... think the next Gym town will have any clues on Mega Evolution?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure. Camphrier was our best lead... Oh! Oh, shoot, I forgot--we should let Professor Sycamore know what we found," she gasped, snapping her fingers.
"Oh, damn you're right. Here, let me text to see if he's available and we can keep moving," Leon mused, whipping out his phone to shoot off the message. Once he slipped it back into his pocket she took his hand and they headed off from their spot by the area's Daycare Center, where they'd stopped to take a mid-morning break. It'd been fun getting to watch the baby Pokémon play, some of them species they'd never seen before, while others were very familiar. It was a good location for it; the route had far more flowers and beautiful foliage after the bridge where the Snorlax has been, the aromatic scents hovering on the cool breeze. It had made training pleasurable, too, and she had to admit: Kalos really was a beautiful place. She didn't know any region that felt so tranquil and welcoming.
Leon's phone buzzed barely a minute into their walk, and the young man frowned. She chuckled, nudging him for an explanation.
"He says he'll contact us with the Holocaster," he grumbled, pouting. "I hate using that thing."
"Yeah, yeah... but it IS pretty useful--ah, that should be him now," Cassandra replied as their "gift" began to ring. When she brought it out, a button she hadn't used before was flashing, so she pressed it. The hologram mechanism sprung to life, and, to their surprise, a digitized image of Sycamore appeared, colored in blue hues, and flickering a bit. It was clear it was him, though, and to add to their surprise: it moved in time with him! It was like a video call, but three dimensional, to an extent. From the other side, it was the same image, but they could pass their hand through it and everything.
Sycamore laughed, "Never used anything like this, I take it?"
"Uh, no!" the redhead laughed. "Just video calls."
"Good! I'm glad we could surprise you. So, what do you think of it? Useful, no?"
"We reluctantly have to agree."
He lifted a brow, "Reluctantly? It's not everyday someone gets handed a Holocaster--and from the creator no less!"
"Okay, yes, it's great. It's just, uh... wait--how'd you know Lysandre gave us one?" Leon frowned, narrowing his eyes at the Professor.
"Why, he told me, of course! He and I have been friends for a long time. He's a brilliant man with a bold vision for this region's future. He does all he can to improve our lives, so, believe me when I say it's truly an honor to receive one. Ah, but I suppose I should apologize--I asked for the Holocaster ID number to be able to contact you without your permission. For that I am sorry."
"It's fine. It's just, uh... well, I guess we'll take your word on it for Lysandre?" Cassandra replied, glancing at Leon, who was just as unconvinced as she was.
Their associate frowned, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"Uh--it's... nothing, really. He just uh... came off a little, um, strong. Too strong."
"Aaaah, I see. Yes, he is rather eccentric, but I promise he means well. He's the reason Kalos is as technological as it is. In fact, you should listen to Malva's report on him--she does the main news segment for our region and works as one of our Elite Four members. You'll learn all you need to see what a genuine good man he is for her. They work close together as well."
"Malva? Okay, I guess we can give it a go. But later--we wanted to tell you about our findings in Camphrier Town."
"Yes! Fantastique! Let's hear it!" Sycamore beamed; eyes alight.
"Ha, well, truthfully, it's more so we didn't find much," Leon winced, rubbing the back of his head. The Butler at the Parfum Palace mentioned trainers using a stone to help Pokémon evolve further. Supposedly holding it high activates it? But that's all anyone knew, and the Chateau in Camphrier had given away anything that might have a hint. Sorry."
"Hmm... that's... not the best news, no," the Professor hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He waved his hand after a moment, "Don't fret, though; Mega Evolution is quite ancient and only recently rediscovered. It's difficult to find knowledge, but... hmm.. Well, there is one more place I can suggest. I've heard rumors there's still someone who may know about Mega Evolution--or rather, there's a town with a statue of a Lucario, but not like the one you have. It's different--like a new evolution."
The two trainers glanced at one another before Cassandra spoke, "That definitely sounds like what we're after."
"Yes... but I forgot which town. I'll need to look up my information on the lead--I found it some time ago but forgot to follow up on it with all the projects I have going on. As soon as I find it, I'll give you two a ring and let you know. How does that sound?"
"Fine by us. It isn't in the next Gym Badge town is it?"
"In Cyllage? Hmm, no I don't remember it being there, but I'll do my best to contact you before that. Although, I suppose flying would pose no problem, no?" he laughed, to which they chuckled with him.
"Truuuuue. Still, sorry we didn't have much."
"Again, worry not; I expected this as much... ah! I almost forgot--I believe the tunnel path to Cyllage through the mountain is blocked at the moment--the news mentioned some tectonic activity caused the upper section to have some collapse and they've been working on it since. You'll have to take the long way to the south through Ambrette town--but worry not! I assure you the scenic route is worth the delay."
"Hey, if it means more time to train before we fight for our next badge, I'm down! Hell, might mean more Pokémon for me to get, too!" Leon beamed, pumping a fist.
Sycamore laughed, clapping his hands, "Fantastique! Then off with you both--it will take a day or two for you to reach Cyllage but do take your time. I would love for you both to enjoy this region to the fullest!"
"Sure thing. Thanks, Professor. We'll hopefully see you soon with that rumor," Cassandra grinned, and they said their farewells. She put the Holocaster away with a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck, "Well, a mix of good and bad news. But, like you said--more travel time."
"Yep, so, I guess let's enjoy it as much as we can then," her boyfriend grinned, planting a quick kiss on her brow. "By the way--I just remembered; did you tell Nessa about Haku evolving?"
"Oh, shoot, no I didn't, okay hang on.... Send me the pic you took so I can show him off," she grinned as they started walking onwards once more. It took only a minute for the picture to be ready and sent off, and, to her delight, the Galarian Gym Leader responded right away, screaming about how cute he was. The others agreed, though to a far lesser extent except Raihan, who didn't see the appeal--teasing, of course--and then Bede, the youngest besides Marnie, merely found it boring. It was about what she expected but took delight in replying to all of their comments.
She had to admit, it was kind of weird being so social online--she never had been before, so it was still fairly new, but it was fun. Talking and engaging with people so casually; making jokes in the form of puns, roasts, and sexual innuendoes; sharing pictures of anything and everything; complaints; and more. She couldn't recall ever doing so much, what with Silver being her only real friend she'd been so comfortable expressing herself with. N had been the next closest, but even then they hadn't breached that kind of comfortableness--they had a different kind, and then he was gone, and she'd spiraled.
Now, though?
Now she had many people she dared to consider friends, and there was a warmth in her chest reading their chats. Maybe it was the Kalosian air--the wholesome vibrance of the scene around them. Maybe it was the comforting presence of the love of her life, smiling as he watched her do the same. Maybe it was finally opening herself up and learning to rely more on others.
Who knew?
Either way, she loved it--even when Raihan slid into her DMs to make some more private roasts.
"Hey, drop kick Raihan for me when we go back to Galar--you're taller and stronger," she snorted, sending a flip-the-Pidgey hand emoji to his sexual innuendo regarding "wet" and Leon liking it. Dick. Not that she really minded--it was fun, actually; being teased like that, and knowing it meant nothing. There were no confused feelings and Leon trusted her to handle him without worrying. It was nice.
"Say no more, I'm sure he deserves many of them. Gonna have to talk about teasing my girlfriend, though," he snickered, sending his own message to Raihan, who then relayed to Cassandra, making her laugh.
"He's bitching to me about you!"
"What--oh my Arceus, that lil' shit! Okay, I'll dropkick his torso, you take out his legs, yeah?" he grinned, holding his hand to shake. She took it, squeezing.
"Deal, babe. He's gonna regret messing with his best friend and his best friend's girlfriend."
"Hey now, I'd say you're about best friend material, too--he wouldn't text you so much otherwise," Leon snickered, pausing as they came upon yet another ornate building.
"I'm not sure how much I like that title," she snickered, whistling as she looked at the large structure up and down. It wasn't as ornate as the Palace, but it still stood apart from the buildings of Camphrier and oozed elegance. The white brick was still in pristine shape, and it rose at least four stories with blue-black tiled roofs. Even the front door was as fancy as possible.
"This is.... Hmm... hang on," the redhead mused, bringing out the Holocaster to check. "The Battle Chateau. Trainers can battle here apparently. Supposedly only allows the best of the best and serves as a big challenge."
She turned to Leon and couldn't hold back her grin at the sight of his sparkling eyes. She laughed, touching his arm.
"Easy there, battle boy. Let's wait until we have a full team, alright? And we do wanna hit Ambrette before nightfall."
"Okay, okay," he sighed, shoulders slumping and plodding onward. Again, she laughed, loving how dorky he could be. It quieted, though, as the Chateau gave way to a wide, serene river, the sunlight glimmering off the surface. It Made her pause, taking it all in; the way the flowers shook gently as the wind blew; the rustle of the trees in the distance as they shook; the grass dancing in waves. She closed her eyes and relished in the feeling of Leon's hand finding hers, fingers entwining. It was firm, and warm, and calloused; marred by the difficulties of life. Hers weren't too different, she knew, and, looking at him--seeing the way his eyes met hers without wavering, she knew he accepted them all the same.
He turned to her and grinned, "If you want we can stay here all day--what with the great view and all. Oh, and the scenery, too."
She snorted, "So bad. You're right, though. The cave's just up here. Hope you're ready for your first cave in a long time."
"Well, actually, I've been into the mines to train before--so it counts," he smirked.
"Okay, okay; I guess you're not totally green then. I expect big things from you now, you know."
"For my lady? Only the best."
"You flatterer," she snickered as they ascended the stairs and came upon the darkened entrance, although the glow of a light could be seen further in. "Alright, here it is... You sure you're ready? Looks awfully scary."
"Pfft, please; I've faced worse. But don't worry, love; I'm here to protect you," he cooed, lifting her hand up to kiss the knuckles.
"I'll hold you to it," she winked, blowing a kiss back. He just laughed, and, together, as always, they entered into the tunnel.
--------------------------
"So. I admit. I was expecting it to be longer. Sycamore made it feel that way," Cassandra mused as they stepped out into the sunlight once more--after maybe thirty minutes since they entered.
"Yeah, me, too!" Leon laughed, shaking his head. "All those Zubats were pretty annoying, though--but Kay got good training thanks to it!"
"Oh, babe, you don't even know. You have to try Dark Cave back home. It's Zubat heaven and they're so annoying," she hissed, hands clenching for dramatic effect.
"Ooof maybe let's skip that," he laughed, shaking his head, then stopping to gaze out on the landscape before them. He let out a whistle, "Damn. Take a look at that."
The redhead couldn't help whistling, too; where luscious fields of grass and flowers had been, there was now a massive expanse of coastline and tall plateaus of the mountain range towering overhead. It was almost like a wall--a barrier between the areas, and now a vast, endless sea lay before them that surely turned into the ocean between regions. The coast stretched out far and further still along the shoreline, the wash sloshing in rhythmic, unrelenting motion. Even up high and a good way away, they could smell the salty air, and the breeze was warmer now. Looking ahead, there was a relatively easy or at least straightforward path down.
"Okay, I gotta admit--Kalos is really growing on me. I love home the most, but... wow. I can see why it takes so long to get to Ambrette down there," he laughed, gesturing to the small town nestled into a lower section of the mountain side plateaus towards the south. It looked small from where they were, but they could still make out the building. Oddly enough, it had a lot of what looked like specialized constructs--reminiscent of scientific ones.
"Yeah, you're right! Well, let's not wait too long. We should definitely spend today here, though--it'll be nice to relax on the beach, although I forgot my bathing suit."
"Skinny dipping is fine by me," Leon purred into her ear, hand clasping her rump to give a squeeze. She squeaked, throwing a pout his way and he laughed. "Just kidding--or am I? Nah, we should see if they have a clothing store with some suits so we can have a day to relax. Man, I feel weird saying that--I haven't gotten to in a decade."
She replied, deadpan, "That's sad."
He sighed, shoulders slumped, "I know. Your poor boyfriend needs to catch up on it--maybe with some help from his girlfriend?"
"Maybe, ya goof. Let's get down there first,", she giggled, granting him a quick peck on the cheek before they ventured onwards.
Their path took them to the left, going south along the mountain range. Flowers still sprouted in the area, though grass was predominant over all. There were trainers abound here, too, although instead of the artists from before, there were a myriad of Ace trainers and even karate men, who had chosen this isolated location to meditate. The younger ones they avoided, of course; following League regulations and all. Of the adults, though, they happily took on, letting their younger team members take their chance to gain the experience they needed, but then brought out their veterans to finish the job.
It was, perhaps, a little unfair, but that was the risk one took in a Pokémon battle--you never knew what your opponent could have, or if they were Champions. Whatever the case, it made the battles fun as they pressed through the path, moving away from grass and flowers to rocks and cliff face. It was a bit rougher and trickier ground, but nothing they couldn't handle together, and, once they passed the rugged terrain, it gave way to a much smoother path leading straight to the town. It had, much to their relief, only taken about an hour of navigating the area to reach it, and they were glad to descend the final steps to the cliff-side location and make their way to the Pokécenter so their Pokémon could have a much-needed rest.
"Alright, so Sasha evolved finally; I'm glad she did--Ralts are always so weak and rely on teleporting to survive. Now that she's a Kirlia she can start getting more special attacks," Cassandra hummed as they stopped by the Pokémart to stock up. She'd left Leon to give their order, including some snacks to eat since it was too soon for dinner. She, in turn, scrolled through her Pokédex, checking on the information for her new Pokémon--and on the ones they'd encountered. It was already interesting to see the three unique areas programmed in, but also the new species they'd found.
"Ooh, yeah, that'll be good; you plan to have her as your main Fairy and Psychic, right?" he mused, flipping out his credit card as the Pokémart employee returned with the items in tow.
"Yep, that's the idea; so I want to focus on her Special Attack, but Speed, too. Their defense overall isn't the best, so the faster and stronger she is, the better. I'll try to boost her up with healing moves, too, since she should be able to learn them as a Kalos variant."
Leon whistled, "Dang, look at you. Y'know, you should talk to Hop about this stuff--he's always loved discussing Pokémon in-depth like that, and he knows his stuff, too."
"Y'know? That sounds like fun. We kinda talked about this work before I left, but then we got so busy--him working with Sonia and me helping repairs and legislation. It'd be nice to just relax and have a chat," she hummed, a gentle smile on her face. "When we get home, though. For now... we can get some info on the city I guess."
"If you need info, our information center is just on the other side of the healing station," the Pokémart employee nodded, and they thanked them for their help as they placed their items into their backpacks. "I recommend seeing the Fossil Lab while you visit here, though."
"Fossil Lab? Ooh, those are always interesting, thanks!" the redhead grinned, sharing a look with her lover as they finished up. The employee bid them farewell as they moved around to the other wing and inquired about the Lab. The informant thankfully had a great deal to tell, referring them to not just the Fossil Lab, which was the epitome of anything to do with fossils or gemstones, but also recommended the various stores and restaurants and of the beach activities for couples. That was definitely new for them both to be told, but it was amusing nonetheless, and they left far more informed and with a bit of hope in mind. The Lab would be first, they decided, and once their Pokémon were all healed they left the Center and went just down the street as the informant had directed.
The Lab itself wasn't anything fancy, and certainly a far cry from the ornate buildings of importance from the Central Kalos area. It reminded her more of the temporary field labs she'd seen before, being that the Museum in Pewter City and pictures of the one in Cinnabar were definitely grander than this. It was rather small, too, and the inside wasn't all that impressive except for the open shelves of fossils of Pokémon long since gone or unrecognizable. There weren't any front desk attendants they found out soon enough; just a hiker who urged them to go find the scientists just around the corner if they wanted to discuss anything--so they did.
"Excuse us!" Leon called out, waving when the man and woman cloaked in a white lab coat turned to face them.
"Oh! Greetings, future archeologists! You were drawn here by the mystique of Fossils no doubt!"
"Ah, well, not quite," the purple-haired man chuckled, and their disappointment was palpable. "Or, well, we do find fossils to be really cool, but we're actually researching Mega Evolution and we recently learned stones are involved. The Pokécenter information kiosk mentioned you guys specialize in stones as well, so we thought we'd take a shot."
"Oho! So you're the two helping Professor Sycamore with his research! We've heard about you both from him in our circles," the man grinned. "As for Mega Evolution, you say... I do apologize, but all I know is that it has something to do with mysterious stones..."
"Damn, another dead end, huh?" Cassandra sighed. "Well, we'll just have to keep going on from here then."
"Sorry again... but we couldn't just let you go empty handed--not when you're assisting our renowned Professor. I trust you both know about how things work with Pokémon Fossils, correct?"
"Yes, of course; I'm actually a Johto-native, so I've had my share of looking into it."
"Ooh! Yes! They have an impressive display in Kanto. Such a shame about Cinnabar all those years ago but speaking of their facility--we do much the same here! We examine and even seek to bring ancient Pokémon back to life, though the specimens we have so far have not given us yet enough to work with," the woman went on, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
The other scientist chuckled, "Still, you should go to the dig site and see the real thing first hand."
"Yes, and who knows--a Pokémon restored from a fossil just might have something to do with Mega Evolution. In fact... our assistant in Glittering Cave right now might know about it."
"Oh? Well, that sounds like it's worth the shot then?" Leon mused, turning to Cassandra who nodded. He looked at the scientists, "Which way is it?"
"Oh, just take the exit to the left of the Lab. You'll reach Route 9 where you can ride a Rhydon to the caves."
"Ride a Rhydon?" the redhead mumbled.
"Yes! We have tamed Rhydon here, as we use them for our Races. They're quite popular and make for good, sturdy, and safe transport, I assure you."
"Well, I guess we'll take a look. Thanks for your help! Might be cool to have a fossil Pokémon," Leon snickered, turning to head out.
"We wish you the best of luck!" the scientists called after them as they left, returning back outside.
The once bright skies had begun to gray, clouds rolling in from the sea. The two hummed uneasily, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. The entrance to the path to the Cave was just around the corner, thankfully, so it hopefully wouldn't be too much further. Nodding to each other, they hurried over, passing through the lobby and out to the other side where grass was now completely gone, and only rugged, rocky terrain remained. Down the stairs they spotted a young trainer hopping onto a Rhyhorn, which began to plod onto the rocky footing that they had no hopes of traversing on their own. As it happened, it was the last one, too--no more remained.
"Whelp. I think we know what to do," Leon smirked with a wink and summoned Charizard, who yawned and flexed his wings. Cassandra laughed and brought out Chara, who shook the kinks out and then nuzzled her trainer. Her boyfriend pat his Pokémon affectionately, "Alright, guys. Let's head to... hmm... do you see the entrance?"
"Ah, yeah, I think I see it--just up the mountain there. Sorry we gotta take you just a short distance, sweetie, but we can't get over that terrain otherwise," the redhead cooed, rubbing Chara gently. The Charizard didn't mind one bit, nor did her male companion, both of whom lowered down to let their trainers on. With a strong flap they took off, keeping low to go right over the rocky surfaces to the higher platform above where the cave entrance awaited them. They landed gently, so as not to disturb some of the other trainers there.
"Ho! I see you decided to fly over instead of the Rhyhorn eh?" a hiker chuckled as they disembarked.
She snickered, "Well, the last one left without us, so, y'know."
"Aye, I understand. Well, mind yourselves in there you two--it's real easy to get lost inside this here cave. Just take it one step at a time. Go rushin' in all careless-like, and you'll never find your way out."
"You heard the man, babe," she cooed at her lover, who pouted quite fiercely--but still accepted her hand as they returned their Charizards. She winked, "Don't let go now."
"Ha," he snorted, letting her tug him inside. They had to pause, though, the sunlight suddenly gone as they entered into the dark, narrow passage. The only light came from gemstones and what looked like unique fungi glowing along the walls. Leon squeezed her hands, "Oh. This is what he meant."
"Okay, yeah, let's definitely not let go. We should bring out Elektra and Kay to give some more light," the redhead mused, pulling out the ball for her electric rat. The Pikachu sighed as she emerged, as if bored. "Hey, girl, mind helping light our way?"
"You, too, Kay, mind helping us out?" Leon smiled as the Magnemite emerged and nuzzled her round body against his cheek. He laughed as his hair stuck to her body when she pulled away, but then returned to him as she let a flare of energy come off her metallic frame in the form of light. The other electric type followed in suit, though with far less vigor.
"Okay, let's see if we can't find some fossils--or that assistant," the redhead mused, continuing forward through the now much brighter place. It was quiet as well, but she could still make out the echoes and stirring of Pokémon somewhere that meshed with the drone of the electricity coming from their team. It was as eerie as it was beautiful in this place, and over all they were left unmolested by the native species. For those that they did encounter, though, they were able to deal with easily enough, Haku having a good type advantage to handle the majority himself. Leon wasn't one to be left behind, though, and enjoyed having Haxorus show any unruly wild Pokémon who was boss.
For one, though, he had to pause and gasp, "Ooooh--is that a Sandile??"
"Huh? Oh! You're right it is--I didn't think they liked caves. I wonder if it came in from outside since it's going to rain?" Cassandra mused, letting her Pokédex scan the little, brown-skinned Pokémon, which was torn between fight and flight, hissing in warning at their Pokémon. She grinned, seeing her boyfriend's sparkling eyes, "You wanna catch it."
"Heck yeah--but I don't wanna overdo it, and Kay has a type disadvantage... hmm... it just looks scared, to be honest... I wonder," he hummed, rummaging through his backpack for a cookie treat he'd bought earlier. He raised his hands to show he meant no harm as he came close. The Sandile hissed and snarled, shaking where it stood. Leon paused, crouching down not unlike she had done with Haku back when they first met, and broke off a piece of the soft treat to toss it over. The Pokémon hissed again, jumping, and he chuckled, "It's okay. Try it. I just wanna help you out little guy--and maybe have you join me and my friends. I'd love to help you get big and strong, too."
The ground-type eyed Leon warily, but then glanced to the treat, scenting the air. Its stomach growled and it licked its lips. Instinctual need took over and it waddled closer slowly--cautiously--and sniffed the treat again. It narrowed its eyes at the purple-haired trainer, then snatched the treat into its mouth and swallowed it whole. Leon snickered, tore off another piece and tossed it over. It jumped again, but this time didn't hesitate to snatch it up and eat, then stared expectantly at the young man.
"You like it, huh? Well, this time you have to come get it. It's your turn," he chuckled, unwrapping the treat slowly and putting it on the ground in front of him. He shuffled for another treat as the Sandile narrowed its eyes, as if cursing him for this, but the treat was too tasty, and the Pokémon too hungry. It came closer, albeit slowly, never taking its eyes off them--at least until it reached the cookie and ate it, too. Leon grinned as he held out the second one, "See? I'm not so bad. I'd really like for you to join me and Kay and Charizard and Galahad. Oh, and Cas's team too--they're all super nice. Even Elektra here who's being a grump--ow!"
He fell onto his rump; the electric rat having zapped him a little for the comment. Both Trainers laughed--or, rather, Cassandra did her best to stifle it, enjoying the attitude. Sandile looked surprised by it more than anything but didn't seem put off. Elektra called out to it, sharing a few words in a variety of "pi"'s and "chus", that the ground-type replied in chirps and barks of its own. It grew quiet, head tilting as it looked at Leon, considering, and then sat back on its haunches and barked.
"Hmm? You wanna join?" Leon grinned, heart racing. The Sandile paused, as if contemplating again, and then nodded and barked again. The trainer beamed happily and brought out a pokéball, "Yes!!! You won't be disappointed I promise!"
To his delight, the Sandile had "spoken" true, and the pokéball didn't even twitch more than two times after engulfing the little Pokémon. Leon laughed with delight, pumping his fist.
"Alright! That was so cool! You were great," Cassandra squealed, wrapping her arms around him, and standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "What do you wanna name the little guy--or girl?"
"Oh, hang on," her boyfriend grinned, using his Pokédex to scan the ball. "It's a boy! So hmm.... How about...mmmmm.... Lemme think... um... oh! I know! Agravain!"
"Is it another Arthurian name?"
"Yep! I know all of them, so that'll fit him perfectly. Alright! Got four on my team now! Just two to go!" he grinned, clipping the ball to his belt. "Hope I can use him soon to get training in ASAP!"
"Mm well, this could be a good place for it, but we'll take it as we go. Still, it wouldn't hurt to start training now and get a feel of him," Cassandra offered with a shrug. "Either way, we should keep going--we don't wanna get trapped in the rain when we get out."
"Oh, yeah, good point. Okay, Elektra, Kay? You good to go?" the young man beamed, and the two Pokémon nodded, one albeit with a huff. "Alright, let's go on. Hopefully, this time with hitting fewer dead ends."
The redhead just laughed as they went on, this time relying a bit more on their light sources to scent the way--in particular, her Pikachu, which seemed to have a literal nose for it. This time around, the path never hit a dead end and finally popped open into a well-lit, open cavern in the mine where the gemstones were far more plentiful and there were even rail tracks that were used in mining operations. However, there was one thing that stood rather out of place: the obnoxiously vibrant vermillion color of a tailored suit that matched the same-color short-cut hair of a young man standing in the middle of the room. As they approached, he turned, revealing a set of shades matching the color of the rest of him, although his tie, buttons, accents, and gloves were of a black shade.
It was tacky.
At least, that was Cassandra's assessment as the figure looked them up and down with a scowl.
"What's this?" he inquired as he met them halfway, hand on his hip to match his attitude. "Well, well. What do we have here? A pair of nosy Trainers have come poking around. Listen up! We're the fashionable team whose very names make people tremble in fear: Team Flare!"
Cassandra and Leon looked at one another, visible confusion on their faces.
He went on, a smirk on his face now, "Team Flare's goal is--."
"We literally did not ask you or care," the redhead interrupted, putting her hand up to stop him. The "Team Flare" man gasped as if she'd committed the gravest offense, when he was literally walking around without a lick of color sense.
"Wa--you--how--how dare you! Team Flare is both the epitome of fashion and society! How dare you try to get in the way of our plans!"
"We just don't want to hear your weird talk. We didn't even come at you--you saw us and gave us attitude for no reason," Leon explained, brow raised.
"You're obviously here to get in the way of our happiness! This is exactly why we don't care about any of you worthless Trainers and your pathetic Pokémon!"
"Oh my Arceus it's a bad guy team. It's literally a bad guy team, holy fuck are you serious??" Cassandra groaned, rubbing her hands along her face. "Just once--once can I not do a Gym Challenge and not have to fight a bunch of idiots out to ruin the region or something?"
"Excuse me--."
Leon sighed, "Man, so this is what you meant when you talked about Rocket and the others?"
"Yes, yes I was. They were just like this, but this guy is worse. Arceus, he's so annoying, and just--his outfit! At least black looks good however you do it, and Plasma's white was decent, but this?? Like--what? It's so gaudy!"
"Arceus, right?" her boyfriend laughed. "Look, I maybe wore a red cape, but it was a good shade of red. This? This just makes me think of like a Kingler or something."
"HOW DARE YOU! A Kingler!? I won't let you get away with such insults, you--you walking fashion faux pas!" he snarled, whipping out his pokéballs. "Getting my fancy suit dirty isn't the stylish way to do things, but if you insist... I'll gladly teach you not to mess with fire! Go, Houndour! Zubat! Obliterate them!"
The young man made a strange gesture, lifting one hand up over his head, the other at his chest before tossing the ball out, unleashing the small, dog-like fire-type Pokémon and the small, blue-skinned flying type.
"Well, since he insists on double teaming us... You wanna try out your new Pokémon, and Elektra backs him up?" the redhead sighed, motioning to the Pikachu, who huffed, but trotted forward.
"Sounds good. Alright, Agravain, time to show me what you got! Just do your best, bud!" her lover called, unleashing the quadruped, which hissed and snapped at the Houndour. "Sand Attack quick!"
"Wha--no!" the Team Flare member shouted as the Sandile spun around and kicked rapidly, spewing sand at the fire-type. There was no point doing so to the Zubat, lacking proper eyes, but there was no concern. After all, all it took was a quick command from Cassandra for the electric rat to fire off a strong Thunderbolt that knocked the flyer down and out in one hit. Elektra raised her snout, a confident smirk on her face.
"Hell yeah! Alright, Sandile, let's see how strong your Mud Slap is!" Leon shouted, gesturing with his hand. The ground-dark-type hissed in agreement and, its back still turned, dug into the ground some and then kicked up the softer dirt--right into the Houndour's face. It yelped, thrashing, and wiping at its face. It spewed fire this way and that, but its vision was blurred. The former Champion smirked, folding his arms as he regarded the Team Flare man, "I'm giving you one chance to recall your Pokémon and get lost--preferably to a Pokémon Center so they can heal up. You're no match for us."
The strange man contemplated with a snarl, but then groaned and collapsed to his knees and returned his Pokémon.
"You may have beaten me, but when I lose, I at least go out in style!"
"No, you don't," Cassandra snorted, not even bothering to hold back her tone.
"Watch it! You think I was so easy? Well, I'm not the only member of Team Flare!"
"Oh, great, the terrible fashion show is going to continue."
"Oof, Cas, c'mon, we already kicked his ass. Salt to the wound much?" Leon snickered, nudging her playfully.
She scoffed, "Hell nah. I've dealt with this shit for years--no more holding back."
"Eh, fine by me. I love a woman who doesn't hold back," he cooed, and his partner finally laughed.
"You tease," she smirked, then approached the man who was seething. She grabbed him fiercely by the collar and brought their faces close, "I better not see you ever again, you hear me? Next time it's not just your Pokémon getting their asses kicked."
'You won't stop the rest of us!"
"I've been stopping you cunts since I was thirteen. Get lost," she snapped, shoving him down and moving ahead. Leon flipped the Team Flare member the Pidgey as they went, their Pokémon right on their heels. If the man stayed or left, they couldn't say; their focus was on ahead as they followed the tracks inwards. As the Team Flare goon said, more awaited; this time a woman dressed in the same attire and the same hair do. Again they spewed some strange nonsense, and again they were ready for them.
The battle was short like the last, their opponents rather weak and not able to withstand the might of their stronger teammates. Sandile struggled a bit more this time, still fresh, but they were victorious as expected. This time around, they didn't spare the woman much time, just urging her to get lost before they left her behind.
"I hope this place isn't crawling with those people," Leon frowned, glancing back at the woman, who writhed with anger.
"They're just grunts--we can handle them," Cassandra shrugged, adjusting her gloves. "Don't worry; these kinds of goons are a piece of cake. I handled them by myself all the time."
"Still; if they're part of a team like the ones before--aren't they going to get dangerous?"
"Well, they can be, but their goals feel... silly? They just talk about doing what they want and being happy--they sound more like selfish thugs wearing fancy clothes. You don't need to worry so much, 'Lee," she chuckled, reaching over, and squeezing his hand. "Besides, I got you to protect me, right? Or do I have to protect you again, mmm?"
"Hey!" he laughed, though she couldn't help noting the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. The notion vanished as he stepped ahead, "We protect each other! But as your boyfriend, I do consider it my duty to keep you safe."
She mock-sighed dramatically, "My hero!"
"Hush, you--we got company up ahead," he snickered, gesturing to the two Team Flare grunts blocking the way ahead. They stopped just feet apart and folded his arms over his chest. His voice boomed, "Hey! You gonna move or we gotta do this the hard way and kick your asses first?"
"What the--who do you think you are?" the first one growled, grabbing their pokéball.
"Yeah! How dare you try and stop us from obtaining our happiness!"
"Sorry, not sorry, but if your happiness means threatening Trainers and attacking them, then we're going to have to give you guys a big 'fuck you'!" Cassandra snapped.
"Please, as if you could take us on. Go Croagunk!"
"You, too, Scraggy!"
"Lee, how about we show them real fire power?"
He chuckled, "Oh yeah? I'm down for that. Let's unleash the heat."
"Chara!"
"Charizard!"
The two, towering fire lizards emerged with ferocious roars, wings flaring out to make themselves appear larger. The two smaller Pokémon flinched, taking a step back in their intimidating presence. Even the Team Flare grunts looked uncertain now, and the two Champions had no intention of holding back.
"Flamethrower!" they shouted in unison, gesturing. The two Charizard snarled, flames building into their throats and then opened their jaws to unleash two mighty flames that struck the two Pokémon head on and sent them flying back into their Trainers. It was over before even starting, and Leon and Cassandra had no qualms approaching the two goons, their Pokémon looming behind menacingly; blue eyes glowing in the dim light and fire brewing on the rims of their jowls.
"Leave. And you better never come back," Cassandra hissed, and Chara spat an ember for good measure, narrowly missing the pants-suit leg. The two squealed, scrambling away.
"We--we won't forget this!" the owner of the Scraggy wailed, pulling their Pokémon into their arms and rushing off.
"Ugh, you'll get yours for ruining my suit!" the other hissed, returning their Croagunk and racing after their cohort. "We just wanted money from those damn fossils!"
The redhead snorted in their direction, "Good riddance. Hopefully, that's the last of them."
"Same. As fun as it is beating up bad guys, I'd rather we not have the danger at all. We'll need to report this to the Police once we get out," Leon sighed, shaking his head.
"We should let Sycamore know, too--he mentioned something going on that was troublesome. I bet this Team Flare is it. Damn, and here I was really hoping it'd be a relaxing Challenge."
"What? You going to go hunt them down?" Leon chuckled; brow raised.
"Uh--well, no. I'm not that invested... but if they're here in a random cave, they're gonna be elsewhere right?" she replied, shrugging. "If I see them, I can't just let them get away with doing bad shit--and if no one else is going to stop them, then I'm going to step up."
"It could be dangerous," he frowned.
"Maybe--but that's where my faith in my Pokémon comes into play--and I have you with me. You have my back," she beamed, and though he hesitated, Leon did smile and nod.
"Yes, you do. Still, try not to go rushing in alright? Let's assess the situation first."
She laughed as they continued on, rounding the corner in the only way forward, "You're one to talk! You would rush into danger all the time back home!"
"I--that's different!" he huffed.
"Uh-uh--Hop and Gloria and Raihan have ratted you out, and I bet if I asked Nessa or Sonia they would too--"
"Okay! Okay! Yes, I'm--or was bad about it! I think before leaping now, okay? Fighting Eternatus taught me that much," he grumbled, hand instinctively going to his side where a thick scar had been left from the encounter. Cassandra paused, heart beating quick as she saw the pain there--and silently cursed.
"I--'Lee, I didn't mean it like that--."
"No, it's okay; I know you didn't. Sorry, I'm still a little sore about it and the Brothers, I guess. I know it's been a year since then, and just two more since the Darkest Day so I should be fine--," he began, but was quieted as the redhead's hands found their way to the sides of his face.
"Leon, it's not okay. Or at least me being careless wasn't. What is okay is not being okay about it. You were hurt badly both times, and I should be more mindful of how it made you feel. I... I admit, seeing you so happy and strong all the time makes me forget you were so hurt, too, but... you don't have to pretend to be okay with me either, you know that."
His hand came up and clasped hers, pulling it away to kiss the palm, "I know. Believe me, I know. You're the one who finally helped me open up, remember?"
"Funny that--you were the same for me. Still, I promise to be better about that, and I'll try not to leap before thinking, too," she chuckled, and he leaned forward to kiss her lips.
"Thanks, love," he replied softly, then chuckled. "Now, I'd love nothing more than keep kissing you, buuut... we still need to find that assistant."
"Oh! Right!" she laughed, and stepped back, though kept hold of his hand. She tugged him after her, and he happily followed, their Pokémon right behind just in case.
Luckily for them, the two Team Flare grunts were the last, and the path was a straight shot to the end where, to their relief, they found their goal: an older gentleman in a lab coat, inspecting a pair of large fossils and writing down notes fervently into his notebook. He heard the crunch of their shoes on the dirt and spun around, cheerful, and bright, and clearly having no idea what had been going on back the way they'd come. A glance between them shared a silent agreement to keep it that way.
'Why, hello! Here to look for fossils as well?" he inquired
"Actually, yes! The Lab suggested we come here to find some--and you."
"Oh? Well, you're in luck for fossils--I just now found two. I already have both of these, so you're welcome to take them. We've ID'd them as the Jaw Fossil and the Sail Fossil."
"Ooh, the Jaw one sounds neat," Cassandra grinned, and the scientist handed her that one, while Leon was given the other.
"Oh, wow, this one is pretty; it looks multi-colored--like a rainbow," he whistled, examining it in the dim light.
"Excellent! I'll restore your Fossils and turn them back into Pokémon at the Fossil Lab! Hope to see you there!" he went on and suddenly charged off, leaving them in the dust before they even knew it.
"Hey, wait--ugh," the redhead sighed, but then returned her focus to the Fossil in hand, the jaw looking strong--as if it could crush anything in its grip.
"Well, I guess we'll have to ask about Mega Evolution back at the lab--we were going to go back anyways," Leon shrugged, bringing his backpack around to secure the Fossil safely in a pocket. He did the same for his partner, who shrugged.
"Yeah, I just hope he has something. But we'll see once we get there," she sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, let's head out. Can't wait to relax after this."
"You and me both," Leon laughed, and, taking her hand, they headed back out.