Raihan (D Master ;]) Today at 4:20 PM
Y'all are dicks. I don't deserve this cruel treatment ;A;
Wait
Doesn't this mean
Cas
Is really into
Dragons? ;)))))
Leon (Battle King) Today at 4:21 PM
I will find you, and I will kick your ass.
She's into CHAMPIONS.
Cassandra (Battle Queen) Today at 4:22 PM
Yo I'm literally right here. And spoken for. Rn unfortunately by this dork.
Nessa (Water Queen And Knows It) Today at 4:22 PM
WE'RE ALL HERE. Go flirt somewhere else.
Sonia (Best Professor) Today at 4:23 PM
Seriously.
Raihan (D Master ;]) Today at 4:23 PM
Says the two girlfriends who constantly post their cute pics here
Nessa (Water Queen And Knows It) Today at 4:24 PM
Absolutely. No way I'm not showing off my beautiful babe here
Sonia (Best Professor) Today at 4:24 PM
Nessa!! >A< You're gonna make me all flustered before my meeting!
Gloria (THE CHAMP) Today at 4:25 PM
Oh hey guys! Aaaah Cas! Lee! Your Pokemon look so cool!!
Cassandra (Battle Queen) Today at 4:25 PM
Heheh thanks, kiddo! Glad to see you finally got time to chat!
Gloria (THE CHAMP) Today at 4:26 PM
UGH tell me about it T_T Being Champ is rough, idk how you did it, 'Lee.
Bede (Fairy Boy) Today at 4:27 PM
Oh, stop complaining. You hardly have it that bad. Try being Opal's pupil.
Gordie (Rock Man) Today at 4:27 PM
I'm gonna tell Opal you said that
Raihan (D Master ;]) Today at 4:27 PM
I'm telling Opal
Marnie (Spikemuth Queen) Today at 4:27 PM
We're telling Opal
Bede (Fairy Boy) Today at 4:28 PM
WAIT NO DON'T I WAS JOKING
Gloria (THE CHAMP) Today at 4:28 PM
Hahahahahaha take that >:) You can't beat me, fairy boy
Bede (Fairy Boy) Today at 4:28 PM
Tsk, shut up. I'll whoop you one of these days.
Gloria (THE CHAMP) Today at 4:29 PM
You can try ;) I look forward to crushing you again >:3
Raihan (D Master ;]) Today at 4:29 PM
Oh my Arceus, they're flirting
Bede (Fairy Boy) Today at 4:28 PM
WHAT NO
Gloria (THE CHAMP) Today at 4:29 PM
RAIHAN! NO WE'RE NOT!
He's just a rival!
Raihan (D Master ;]) Today at 4:29 PM
*sips tea* Uh-huh
-----------
Cassandra couldn't help laughing, shaking her head as she set the phone down while the conversation started to drift over to teasing Gloria and Bede, the two adamant about not flirting, but only making it seem like they were. She paused, though, recalling her conversation with Hop, and frowned.
Oh.
Well, shit.
"Hey," she called out, pulling her lover's gaze from his phone. He hummed in acknowledgment, so she went on, "Do the others know Hop has a crush on Gloria?"
"...Oh. Ooooh, oh boy... No, I don't think they do. Oh, jeez, wow... I guess I better message him real quick, blah," he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck.
"If it helps--I think he's started realizing it wasn't really working out? He seemed like he was thinking so," she winced.
"I mean.... Yeah. He'd been a little down about Gloria lately, but... he's right--they haven't been hanging out like they used to, and their lives are so... busy, y'know? Hop is working as an assistant all the time and Gloria has to keep training as Champion and starting her duties. So, it's like... they don't have much time for each other."
"No, it makes sense... has she been hanging out with Bede a lot then? They seem pretty friendly."
He tilted his head, thinking, "I... yes? They like to train together since he's determined to win and so is she. But they're... also not like--totally competitive? I think Bede really does want to stay as Opal's successor. He has a lot of pride in it, and Opal is basically the only real family he's ever had along with the interns. Beating Gloria is more like settling the score? But I don't see him actually wanting to be Champion. So, I dunno, maybe there is something there, but she hasn't told me anything."
"I mean, she probably wouldn't--no offense," she chuckled when he pouted. "Girls don't really tell their male mentors about their crushes."
"Well, then why don't you ask her?" he laughed with a smirk.
"I mean, I guess I could, but kinda weird to bring it up randomly. We should probs just focus on Hop for now--I hope he'll be okay."
"He's tougher than he looks--and he's more open about his feelings than I was. He'll either tell Sonia or Mom or me when he can," Leon chuckled, a sad glimmer in his visage.
She nudged him, "Hey. Me, too--I was bad, too, I mean. It took you knocking sense into me to realize, though."
"Heh. I can say the same about you. I kept it all in until you pushed me to let it out," he replied, wrapping an arm around her to kiss her brow. "But that's then, and this is now: I'll see about Hop. For now, we should enjoy some downtime with our Pokémon and let them get acquainted and train a bit."
"Excellent plan. I can't wait for them to meet our fossil Pokémon," she grinned, pausing only to let the others know they'd be AFK for a while due to their plans. Nessa, of course, demanded cute photos, and even Raihan was curious about her dragon-type. It was cute, in a way, the two getting tickled over new Pokémon. The other Leaders were expressing similar agreement, and she had to pause yet again to take the notion in.
So. This was what having many good friends was like.
It was nice.
"You ready?" Leon inquired, motioning with his head to the stairway leading to the sandy beaches below. "I'm dying to see you in that new suit you bought, y'know."
"Ha! I bet you are, although I'm guessing your favorite will still be my birthday suit," she winked, slinking by, and trailing her hand along his jawline. He playfully nipped at her fingers, though it was well out of his reach as he trotted to catch up.
"Naturally--and I presume yours is mine, too," he purred, grin widening as he stepped onto the white sand, which sunk beneath his shoe. He could feel the warmth permeating, both from the earth and the sunlight, which had once been totally obscured by thunder clouds. The breeze was cool and tasted of salt, and he could hear the cries of birds above, Pokémon in the distance, and the lapping of the waves upon the shore. The beach extended to a small peninsula, through which a hole had been weathered and made for a path between the sections. Their particular destination led them near the water--in particular, near a lone berry tree that had sprouted and remained strong. It provided enough shade as they needed, and the sand was firm enough there to provide steady ground for them to rest upon and release their Pokémon.
Rex and Arwen they released last, and the two Pokémon stared in awe, curiosity, and also nervousness at their towering companions, the Lucario, Charizards, and Haxorus dwarfing them. The "giants" took heed, though, lowering down to seem less frightening while the newest members approached the four more their height. The trainers watched carefully, gauging the reactions, and found it pleasantly peaceful. Rex was a bit rowdy, keen to nibble at fur or appendage, but quick reprimand from the larger Pokémon set him straight. He was offended, of course, but minded his manners after. Who better to teach a Pokémon but a Pokémon, after all?
"Okay, time for some beach pictures. I wanna get some of your suit," Leon grinned, already grabbing his shirt to tear off. He'd worn his swim trunks on the way out, the red material clinging to his leg and distorting the ornate Kalosian patterns. Cassandra laughed, shaking her head as she stripped down to her blue, bikini-halter top, which had only a simple pattern, but still Leon took pleasure in admiring her pristine form--even the scars that lay here and there. He still loathed the one on her right hip, but he worked to see it as a reminder of the terrible things they'd overcome to be here today. Another thing they had in common; marks of the trials they faced. The one on his chest from his blow by Eternatus years ago on the Darkest Day had not faded much and reminded him every time--except when Cas would kiss it and make him see it as a good thing.
"So, picture or no?" the redhead inquired, brow raised coyly as she held Haku in her arms, their colors almost matching. He laughed and brought out his Rotom to float while he joined them.
"Coming, coming! Just couldn't help admiring my beautiful girlfriend," he cooed, happily slipping beside her and bringing both Kay and his Agravain into his arms. The Sandile chirped, tilting its head at the camera while the Magnemite happily snuggled against her trainer, sending soothing static through his chest. Likewise, he could see Haku nuzzling his trainer, while Sasha hugged her side and even Elektra had deemed it alright to jump onto her shoulder, looking as uninterested as ever. The rest, of course, were happy to crouch close; their beloved, long-time companions who they'd gone through thick and thin with--even Chara, at just over a year now.
"Say cheese!" he beamed, and after a few seconds the camera flashed, and it was done. The Rotom floated back to Leon, who grinned happily at the picture, showing it to the redhead. "Look! It turned out great!"
"Aww, it did! Look how cute everyone is--and how handsome that purple-haired guy is," she snickered in kind, using two fingers to zoom in on his chest. "Mmm... nice."
He bellowed with laughter and moved the screen to her torso, too "You're right. Nice. Can't wait to show this to my followers!"
"Wait--you're posting it?" Cassandra inquired, and he tilted his head, frowning a little in puzzlement.
"Yes? I want to show us off--it's a good pic."
"Oh.. um... I... Could... you maybe not? For this one?"
"Oh... well, I mean, yeah I can--what's wrong with it?"
She flushed, looking at the sand as she rubbed her arm, "Nothing's wrong with it. I just... I mean... I'm in my bathing suit..."
"And you look amazing. Everyone else will think so, too, I promise!"
No, they won't, she couldn't help thinking as she sighed, "I just... look it's embarrassing, okay? I don't really want people seeing that... that much of me."
"Aww, c'mon, 'Cas, you don't need to be shy! You're gorgeous!" he laughed, wrapping his arm around her to hug. She pressed against his chest, though, which left him with brows furrowed.
"Leon, please. Just keep this one for yourself, alright?" she pressed, and he opened his mouth to counter, but her eyes, silently pleading, stopped him. A strange feeling passed through him. One he wasn't accustomed to and likened it to disappointment, but it wasn't that simple. He couldn't name it, though, and he didn't want to upset her more, so he relented and nodded.
"Okay. Just between you and me--my new background," he chuckled, but his shoulders were deflated. Cassandra silently groaned, a sense of shame for hurting him coming over her. Yet, she was determined, too; she didn't want her exposed body out like that. She didn't need them judging her on that, too. Leon would surely get it soon enough. Still, she hated to see him upset, and so, despite the clench in her gut, she sighed again.
"The group chat is... okay--if you wanna show off, though. I guess. They're okay," she mumbled, cheeks and ears still red as she squeezed her arm.
"They'll be happy to see it, I promise," Leon smiled, reaching over, and squeezing her shoulder. "How about we go have some fun then? We never had a beach day before."
"True," she chuckled, setting her Pokémon down to stand up and stretch. She grinned at her team, "Alright, water lovers, let's go! Chara, you can chill here with Charizard and Agravain."
The fire-type grunted in appreciation for her situation--not keen on getting her tail wet. Charizard agreed, happily to roll around and play in the sand, the two almost like lovebirds in the way they nipped and spewed fire at one another. Galahad rolled his red eyes, sauntering towards the water's edge with Lucario, the two older members content to splash about in the water, and her fighter type even settling to meditate some, using the rhythmic sounds and movement of the waves to drive his thoughts.
Their trainers, meanwhile, splashed one another, and dunked when possible. They rolled and dove and swam about, enjoying the refreshing water and warmth of the sunlight and the joy shared between lovers, engrossed in the fun they could have together. Their younger members joined in, too, of course--even Rex and Arwen, though they strayed only so far in as to where the water did not go over their head. The others were much the same, save for Haku, who gladly swam where he pleased, though never strayed too far. Sometimes he used a gentle Water Gun to play, and then had to flee those who chose to give chase. It was all fun and merriment, ending only as their hunger grew and their bodies tired from spending it on the jovial antics.
"How about I fish for lunch? Would be nice to have some grilled fresh--will be better than even your soup you made me before," Leon laughed with a wink, shuffling through their packs for the retractable rods.
"Hey. You liked my soup. It helped save your life," she huffed, doing the same.
He snickered, "It did. I just like teasing you. Hopefully, we can catch some good fish. Our Pokémon could use a good meal."
"Or a nap--look at them," she laughed in kind, gesturing to the motley group which had curled up near one another by the tree. Rex and Arwen yawned, heads drooping; Haku meditated with Lucario in what looked more like a nap; their Charizards curled around one another; Galahad lounged lazily; Sasha and Elektra were nestled together along with Kay on top; and Agravain had dug himself into the sand like a blanket. It was cute.
"I think they're doing a good job of that already," Leon chuckled, venturing towards the waves, and casting out his line where he stood. The redhead came up beside him, doing the same.
She sighed happily, "This was needed."
"Beach days are the best--remind me to take you to Hulbury when we go back to Galar. It has the best beaches, even though the water is kinda cold."
"I'd love that--would Nessa join us? Sonia, too?"
"Nessa probably would; she loves doing photo shoots there. Sonia might be too busy, but that just means we need to drag her away for a break. She works waaaay too hard! Hop's caught her passed out at her desk a few times," the purple-haired man grinned, shaking his head.
"Oh noooo.... But man, that's some dedication. She's one hell of a Professor. Her grandma must be so proud."
"Oh, you know it. She really should say so more, but I know Sonia knows. We're all proud of her, too. She's come a long way since childhood. She only ever had Magnolia, y'know?"
Cassandra frowned, "What about her parents?"
"To be honest... I don't know everything, but... Well, all I know is they brought her to Postwick--well, to Magnolia's house between my home and Wedgehurst, and... they left. That was it. She never knew why, and I don't if Magnolia does either. Eventually, she stopped caring, and she focused on being a Professor and making her grandma proud. She's strong like that."
"Wow, that's inspiring. Glad she had you as a friend all those years then."
"Same! Or, well... truth be told, we had a falling out when I was ten--when I went on my Gym Challenge."
"Oh yeah--I think I remember you mentioning that. You had a fight and she quit?"
He nodded, a sad smile, "Yeah... It was my fault, of course. I kept pushing my dreams onto her, ignoring her own, and she just couldn't take it anymore. I don't blame her. Raihan and Nessa had to sit me down and lay into me about it, though--to make me see why, and even then it took me a while to realize what I'd done. Then I got so busy it took me about five years before I went and finally apologized, and, well... we'd both grown up some and changed and we decided to start over and re-learn who we were, and... here we are. She's one of my best friends and like family."
"I'm glad you have a friend like her--although, uh... maybe not so much that one year of not talking."
"Ahahaha, yeah, that was rough. I still feel bad sometimes I didn't realize her feelings, but...I just always thought of her like a sister, and, really, it was for the best. I'm happiest with you--and she's very happy with Nessa. We both ended up with exactly who we should have, and we're living our best lives. And now we just do our best to keep supporting one another."
"That's good, though; your friendship is strong--it's able to last even the worst of times. It reminds me of me n' Silver, only, he's a dick!" she laughed, shaking her head. "We argued a lot more, too, and there were rough times even though Mom basically adopted him--Dad, too, but you get it--but he's always stuck by me, and even helped me talk to my parents about everything. He made it easier, and, I mean, you saw him haul ass to help us in Galar."
"That I did! He really does love you--as do all the others who came. Strange, how things turn out how they do, huh?"
"No kidding. I mean--just look how we met. You, half dead. Me, a hermit in the mountains."
"Gonna be one hell of a story to tell one day," he snickered back. "I sometimes still can't believe it really happened--especially Sordbert and Shieldbert."
"Same... and yet, I faced Rocket, Galactic, and Plasma... and lemme tell you: those people exist."
"Well, I just got a taste with those Team Flare goons. With luck, the police can get wind of them and shut them down quick."
"Arceus, I hope so, too. TV shows always make it so glamorous--it's not. Almost dying isn't fun, and Arceus knows how I managed to be OK through it all as a kid," she sighed as she hooked a fish and reeled it in. Leon cheered for her as she whistled at her Pokémon and tossed it at Chara, who caught it, and ended its life in a quick chomp then set it down. The redhead sighed as she went back to fishing and dead panned, "I really did just repress it all, damn."
"Ha! I was no better! Only, mine was all the pressure and anxiety and burden of being a Champion at ten! Mom was right to keep me home until I hit 16. And then, y'know, my quarter-life crisis when I lost. I didn't know who I was anymore--everything I was had been tied to my life as Champion."
".... Holy shit we're both hot messes!" Cassandra burst out laughing, and, after a moment, Leon joined in.
"We really are! I guess no wonder we're a good match."
"No kidding! Oh! Hey, you got a bite!" she cried out, pointing to the bob on his lure, which was yanked down--hard. Leon grunted as he fought against the weight of whatever was on the other end. It was definitely heavy--not too heavy, but enough he had to work harder than for a regular fish. It was a fighter, too, but he was steadily getting it closer and closer to land, Cassandra waiting beside him to grab it and help hoist in it.
With a final crank of the reel he threw his arms up and back and tore the fish from the water.
Only, it wasn't a fish.
"What is that!?" he exclaimed, stupefied at the sight of the spherical, blue-skinned Pokémon with an oval-like tail and a white circle on its belly with a black spiral line. It has a circular mouth formed by a red ring and two, big, round black eyes that blinked at them, just as confused as the one who caught it.
Cassandra laughed, "It's a Poliwag! A water-type!"
"Well, yeah, I figured tha--," he began, only to have his face blasted by a water gun that knocked him back while the Pokémon spit free the hook and landed, crying out in challenge. Their Pokémon were alert at once, coming to his defense, which did throw the Poliwag off, but it kept firm in its stance, ready to fight.
She laughed again, "It's challenging you! You should catch it! You need a water type, right?"
"Yeah, yeah I do," he smirked and glanced at Kay. "You ready to strut your stuff, baby girl?"
The Magnemite buzzed with confidence, shooting off sparks.
"Atta girl. Let's do this!" he grinned, and, with his Pokémon by his side, the battle began.
-o-
"So... Hector?"
Leon chuckled, "No, no--Ector. That's what I'll call him. You like it, don't ya little guy?"
The Poliwag waddling beside him, a bit scuffed up from the earlier battle, but also those that followed as they got him training with the others, chirped in agreement. It ended up a thing of good luck to come upon him--the Gym in the city ahead of them would have need of a water type for both of them. Of course, he could have made do, but a water-type was more advantageous, and he couldn't say no to his sixth member. They each had complete teams now, with a good range, and plenty of room to grow and improve. The Poliwag was a surprise, but a pleasant one, and despite a rough start, the spherical-shaped Pokémon had already developed a respect for Leon and was keen to learn from him, it seemed.
"Ector. Ector. Ector. Alright, it's growing on me. He's cute, too," she mused, glancing down at the small Pokémon.
"Yep! He'll evolve into a Poliwrath in the end, though, right?"
She gestured, "Or a Politoad. Depends on if you want just a water type or a water-fighting type. I'd recommend Poliwrath, personally. Chuck back home had one that was soooooo hard to beat, and I'm always one to go for dual types anyways."
"I probably will in the end--I like to have a good type range, too. But first we gotta get him stronger--and find a water stone."
"Don't worry I have some in my storage you can use. Yeah, I need to grab a thunderstone for Elektra, too--when she's ready, anyways. She's so hard to read, I swear," the redhead laughed.
"She's just strong-willed like you," Leon grinned back, nudging her. He turned his gaze back to the beach road, hand covering his eyes against the sun. He pointed, "Look, I think we're finally reaching Cyllage City!"
"Oh, good. As much fun as the beach day has been, walking on sand for an hour gets tiresome," she snickered. "Also pretty sure I have a week's worth of sand in my shoes now. And suit."
He laughed, "We'll head to the Pokémon Center first and use their facility.'
"Our Pokémon could use the break, too. Hope Ector is up for the gym."
"I think so--he's pretty tough already but can't ever be too careful. I'll use the older members as back up, of course. Galahad could use a good official battle."
"I look forward to it--you can go first this time," she giggled as they approached the city, the sand extending around its edge in what looked like a well-worn path, while straight ahead was pavement that extended up the hill into the actual city itself. It was yet another quaint place, not quite as large as Camphrier, but bigger than Ambretta. There were a lot of skaters and bikers, they couldn't help noticing, all of them skirting about at high speed. The denizens appeared accustomed, not even batting an eye as their speedy counterparts zipped by. It was a curious thing, to be sure, and they spared a few jovial comments about it as they entered the Pokémon Center and dropped off their teams before heading into the bathroom facility where they could get a proper shower in. It was a relief to get all the sand and sweat off, and better still to be back into her normal clothes.
It wasn't that she didn't like the bikini or showing it off to Leon, but she was still working on that level of comfort. To be naked in private--in bed--was one thing. But to be so open in a place where others could see was a bit much. The group chat had been okay, though, she had to admit. Getting their compliments on their swimwear and her physique had been nice, along with all the teasing. It was fun with them--but they were friends. Ones she could trust. Others, though? Not all his fans were ones to tease or compliment, and she wished he could see that already.
She let the thoughts slip away as she did the same from the bathroom, smiling as she spotted Leon waiting for her, back in his normal attire. He held out his hand for hers as she approached, which she gladly gave, and they headed back out to the front where their Pokémon were all healed and ready to go.
"Thank-you! Oh, by the way, the Gym is up on the cliffside right? We're new to the region," the redhead inquired, and the Nurse Joy nodded.
"Yes, that's right--head up to the upper levels and go to the far end as if you're heading towards Ambretta. You'll find the entrance to the mountain there, marked by the signs. Oh, and don't worry about the challenge--they'll provide safety gear."
"Oh, that's good!" Leon chuckled, turning to go. Once they were far enough away he glanced at Cassandra, "Wait--what challenge needs safety gear?"
"Oh, umm... I think the gym... involved rock climbing? If I remember right. I can look it up before we get there."
"Nah, let's just go surprise ourselves," he snickered, tugging her hand, and following the main road once more, minding the bikers and skaters. The road twisted and turned once on the cliff side, serving as a good leg work out for the couple as they climbed upwards and followed the path back south. Sure enough, the entrance was there at the end, taking them within the rock face to a massive, open cave system. In front of them, a tall tower of rock with its faces altered into rock-climbing apparatus, stairs, and sandy slopes to slide down on. Naturally, the Leader was bound to be at the top, and beyond its looming form was a pristine waterfall that flowed down into a dark chasm below. Thankfully, a massive outlying platform of stone flooring surrounded the tower, with tall walls to ensure the safety of their challengers.
"Wow," Cassandra breathed, brows raised. "Kalos really like to go all out, don't they?"
"Hey now, Galar is pretty badass, too. You can't tell me you didn't enjoy the challenges," her lover snickered, bumping her playfully as they continued forward, approaching the informant for the gym. The portly man welcomed them warmly, a bright smile on his face.
"Greetings, future Champions! This is the Rock-type Pokémon Gym, but you already figured that out, am I right? Rock types are great, aren't they? Weak to Steel, Water, and all kinds of things!" he boasted, making the two Trainers glance at one another. He went on without noticing, "Now check out that wall! You can climb it if you start from one of those blue spots. Left, right, up, down--you'll need to climb every which way to reach the Gym Leader! You'll find the safety gear just there--we wouldn't let our trainers get hurt, after all."
"Thanks," the redhead chuckled, venturing over to where there were two sets of harnesses. It took a bit of finagling--having never used the like before--but they managed to get into the apparatus alright and then looked upon the biggest task: climbing the wall. Neither had done such an activity before, but their efforts in keeping in shape by working out did them a great deal of good here; climbing was more a concern of finding the right foot holds rather than worrying about their arm and legs' strength failing. Reaching the second platform proved well enough, but they were far happier to have a battle waiting for them. It felt good to unleash their newer members and let the old flex their abilities. They took turns between the trainers they came across, the Gym allowing for multiple at once, it seemed--which was fine by them. If anything, it made it more fun.
It took longer than Santalune to make it through the entire course, having to go this way and that along the tower, moving around bends, and having their fun against other trainers. It was all worth it, though, and they brought plenty of healing items and let their Pokémon rest in cycles to keep them ready for when they came to the peak, which was larger than they realized. A massive, rectangular stone pitch, though the leader himself stood by the stairs they ascended. He was a young man, around their age, clad in what she dared to call proper climbing attire--he even had a hook on his necklace--had skin and hair much darker than theirs, and the latter was something to behold all on its own, shaped almost like a mountain itself with gem stones embedded or perhaps entwined within. It was something Cassandra had never seen before, and she'd seen quite the range of appearances over her journeys. He had the appearance of a good man, though, his eyes and smile bright as he greeted them with a jovial laugh and open arms.
"I've been waiting in eager anticipation!" he grinned, gesturing. The two trainers glanced at one another.
Leon answered, "Er--for what?"
He laughed again, "For a worthy challenger to appear! And I got two! It's quite an achievement to have climbed all the way up here, and all. Very impressive, actually! Most of the young trainers have to be hoisted up in the end, and the older tend to take a lot longer. I don't suppose you two are climbers yourself?"
"Oh, no, no; or, at least, not like this. We just like keeping fit and traveling on a Gym Challenge always involves some climbing at some point, right?" the redhead chuckled, and the Leader smirked.
"Good point! And it seems I forgot my manners," he replied, holding out his hand to shake. "Name's Grant, and I'm the Cyllage City Gym Leader! I hope I'm not wrong in feeling that our battle will turn out to be worth the wait!"
"We'll certainly do our best. Oh, and this isn't our first Gym Challenge, so you don't need to hold back," Leon added, his eyes glowing with battle fire already. Grant's blue ones lit up just the same.
"You don't know how happy that makes me. Arceus, I hope you two will show me that your skills as Trainers surpass even mine," he grinned, chest held high and hands on his hips. He clapped them together after another moment, though, "First, though: rules. Only one at a time. After the first battle, there will be a thirty-minute break, then we can go with the second."
"Not a problem. Is it alright to record the match? I want to let my followers watch," the purple-haired man inquired, practically like a kid in a candy store.
The Gym Leader snickered, "Fine by me if you want them to watch you lose."
"You're on, Grant! 'Cas, mind if I go first? I gotta get him back for that."
Cassandra laughed, "Be my guest, babe. And Grant? Make sure to make him sweat. He had it easy in Santalune."
"Well, since you asked so nicely," the Gym Leader chuckled, and then gestured to the left side of the pitch. "You'll be on that side. Once you're ready just signal me. I may have only two Pokémon, but you'll see exactly why I've stopped plenty of Trainers in their tracks."
With that, he turned and walked off to his side, while the two lovers made for the left side. There was a bench there for the redhead to sit and rest their things. She made sure to pull Leon back to give him a good luck kiss, which was much appreciated. His victory secured with it, he made for the pitch and brought up his Rotom to start recording. Cassandra got her own phone out, bringing up the live feed to see what people were saying, but her main focus was still on the battle as the referee took up his stance on the outside of the pitch towards the center of the edge.
"Let battle begin!" they shouted, and Grant moved first, tossing his pokéball out. From the ball emerged a towering Pokémon with blue skin and yellow fins that flared out wide and ran all along its long neck. Its belly was a lighter shade of blue and diamond-shaped markings ran from neck to tail. It resembled Leon's Amaura a lot and was most likely the evolved form. She could scarcely believe it, but then recalled the scientists of Ambretta Town mentioning Grant had these Pokémon, too. She felt silly for forgetting, but here he was now, and could tell obtaining the fossil Pokémon for their teams had been a fortuitous decision for the future.
Aurorus, for all it's supposed gentle nature, was strong. It's dual ice-ground type, per the Pokédex, gave it a decent advantage, including making Leon's Charizard not the most viable option, although he was still his greatest asset. The former Champion went with the newest member first, and Ector was up for the part. Though he was drastically smaller in size, he wasn't going to back down and he still packed a punch. The Aurorus' size worked against it in this fight, but its power was nothing to sneeze at either. Following Leon's instructions, most time was spent dodging this way and that, be it a rock-type attack, an ice-type, or even a dangerously close thunder wave threatening to paralyze the Poliwag. In return, Ector would fire off Water Guns, Bubbles to slow it down, and even slapping his tail to further impede his opponent.
In the end, however, it wasn't enough, and a well-timed Hyper Beam knocked the Poliwag out cold. It was a good fight, though, and Leon brought out Charizard to finish the job. Though it bore some weaknesses, his fire-type's speed kept any attacks from hitting, and a well-aimed round of flame attacks finally brought the Aurorus down with a victorious roar. Grant could only chuckle, clearly impressed.
"Time to see how you manage against my Tyrantrum!" the Gym Leader shouted, throwing his remaining ball to unleash the gargantuan bipedal Pokémon. Its red skin was pulled tight over its muscular structure, the legs wide and thick--not unlike the head and it's massive, lower wide jaw. It wore an orange crown upon its brow, under which black pupils with white irises rest. Around its neck was a furred collar, and in what felt irony, its arms were miniscule in comparison to the rest of it. Whereas Aurorus had seemed gentle, but strong, this beast exuded intimidating power, one which reverberated through its fearsome roar that shook their bones.
"Well, I was hoping to let Arwen have a proper battle, but... even I'm a little intimidated right now," Leon chuckled.
"YOU GOT THIS!! KICK IT'S ASS! ONLY I GET TO BEAT YOU UP WITH MINE ONCE IT EVOLVES!" Cassandra shouted from the sidelines, making him laugh aloud. On the opposite side, even Granted let out a chuckle as Leon recalled Charizard and tossed his other veteran's ball in his hand.
"Time to make it a battle of dragons! Doing Raihan proud with this one," he snickered, tossing the ball into the air to unleash his Haxorus, the beast smaller by three feet, but not backing down and not at all phased by the larger dragon. Galahad's pincers smacked together in challenge, red eyes just as fierce as he slapped his tail on the ground, too. "That's what I'm talking about. You and me, bud. Let's show him what a true dragon can do."
His Pokémon merely snarled in agreement, and the battle was on. Despite its size, the Tyrantrum was fast, and seemed ten times more powerful. What the Aurorus had in grace and beauty in its movements, the Tyrantrum had ferocity and raw power that made dodging a priority as Leon kept a keen eye on the Pokémon, gauging its abilities and weaknesses. His own Pokémon trusted him completely, adhering to every command and dodging everything with a practiced ease. There had been a reason Leon was almost unbeatable in battle, and it showed in that trust and the way the former Champion read it all; each eye movement, each twist on the body as an attack became imminent. He even noted the flick of the tail to signal which way the Tyrantrum would go.
"Dragon Pulse!" he suddenly shouted, and Galahad pivoted after a dodge to blast a beam-like shockwave right into the Pokémon's face. It barked in pain and confusion, having been accustomed to being on the advance. It stumbled back but managed to keep balance. Leon made sure to note the balancing. "Laser Focus and keep charging into a Dual Chop on the legs!"
Galahad roared, eyes gleaming as hiss concentration rose a thousand-fold, a golden aura appearing around his green-armored body. He charged suddenly, red claws digging into the earthy ground, and then lashed once with his pincher, slicing into Tyrantrum's thigh, and then swung up to clip at the knee. The Pokémon screeched and attempted to Crunch down, jaw lit in a dark glow, but Galahad was too quick. The proceeding Dragon Tail command, though, did catch Leon's dragon off guard, slapping it back and away. He tumbled, but then rolled back up to its legs, hissing.
"Atta boy, Tyrantrum! Use Earthquake!"
"Brace, Galahad!" Leon shouted, and as the towering beast slammed its leg down into the ground, triggering the ground-based attack, the dragon lowered down, digging into the dirt to not be as shaken by the moving earth. The damage was done, Galahad hissing and a bit less sure in his step, but he would not surrender. "Good--now rush in quick!"
Grant smirked, "Big mistake! Tyrantrum Giga Impact!"
"Perfect," the purple-haired man purred, and gestured, "Now, Galahad! Duck and use Assurance!"
The Gym Leader could only curse as the green-armored dragon dodged at the last minute, Tyrantrum's charge rendered useless. The beast tried to turn on the dim, but its damaged leg crumpled under the weight and effort, bringing it down to its knee. At the same time, Dark power enveloped Galahad in a fierce amount, the power making his skin tingle thanks to the impact of Earthquake now doubled. With a roar it attacked, slamming into Tyrantrum's exposed side. The blow's power sent it tumbling back and rolled it a few times before coming to a stop. The beast tried to rise, but its smaller arms were useless, and its damaged leg made it difficult. With the damage added on top, it collapsed with a grunt.
"Tyrantrum is unable to battle! Challenger Leon wins!" the referee cried, lifting an arm in the former Champion's direction. Both Trainer and Pokémon whooped and hollered, their victory at hand. They did pause, though, as Grant began to approach the center and recalled his Pokémon. Leon wasted no time in meeting him there, holding out his hand. The Gym Leader took it with a grin.
"You have proven to be a wall that I am unable to surmount!" he laughed.
Leon smirked, "Hey now, you didn't make it easy--and I'm the easier one."
"Oh really?" the Leader snickered. "I guess I have to step it up more next battle."
"That or just give her the badge along with me right now," he winked, and both laughed at the poor joke.
"Hey now, while there may be things that seem out of reach no matter how hard you try--it's important that you never give up no matter the opponent or the odds."
"Never truer words spoke."
Grant nodded, "I had a feeling you and your Pokémon understood that from our battle--especially your younger ones. And to commemorate such an impressive show of teamwork, please accept the Cliff Badge from me."
The Leader pulled out a pin from his pouch, which he placed into Leon's outstretched hand. It was flat and angular in design, resembling three silver rectangles fused together, with blocks of various colors on top. If anything, it reminded him of the rock-climbing course they'd been on, and he couldn't help chuckling at the notion as he moved the badge to his pouch containing the Santalune badge as well.
"Congratulations! I'll remember our battle for a while. For now, though, I need to let my Pokémon heal and rest, so please, both of you enjoy your wait. After thirty minutes, we can resume," he replied, his tone more professional as he turned and headed off the pitch, perhaps to a personal healing station at the Gym or the one in the city itself. Either way, Leon returned to Cassandra's side, sat beside her, and tapped his cheek. His Rotom floated close by, showing off his display.
"I need my victory kiss," he grinned, eyes alight with mischief.
The redhead rolled her eyes, glancing at the screen, but leaned forward to leave a sloppy smooch anyways, "Congrats, you amazing big lug."
"Thank-youuuuuu. Man, it felt good to go all out like that!" he beamed, pumping his fists, and retrieved his Rotom to end the feed after he spoke again. "That's all guys! For me, anyways! I hope you enjoyed the battle and get ready for Cas' turn! She'll be up in thirty minutes, so you guys can hop on her feed to enjoy the show! I bet it'll be just as good."
"Well, hopefully. I'm going to end up using Lucario," she explained. "Based on type advantage anyways."
"Not gonna let the others have a chance?"
"After what I saw... not yet. I don't have good typing besides maybe Haku, but the others need more, and their defenses aren't high enough yet. Chara potentially, but she's still weak to some attacks and she's not as strong as Charizard. Lucas is my best bet for both--and he could use a good fight. He has to hold back against the little ones all the time."
"You're so cocky right now--I love it."
"I'm just sure of my Lucas' skills," she smirked back. "You haven't seen his full potential yet."
"I look forward to it then... but man thirty minutes is gonna take forever at this rate," Leon snickered, leaning over so his head rested on top of hers. "Better make your battle really exciting."
"So I'm cocky--and you're demanding. The perfect pair," Cassandra laughed, happily leaning right back against him. "I promise to do my best, though--so just be patient. The battle will come soon enough."
"I absolutely look forward to it."
-o-
"That lasted literally ten minutes."
Cassandra grinned at her boyfriend, who had come over to join her in receiving congratulations from Grant, whose face had just as much disappointment as her lover boy. She only had her Lucario to blame--or rather congratulate--as his fighting abilities had given him a proper advantage, as had his superior speed and high strength stats. Her Pokémon was Champion-tier, and it showed in the way he'd avoided the attacks, utilizing Aura Sense to read the opponent and then use his power to leave fierce blow after blow. The Aurorus had gone down rather quickly, it's typing making it even weaker. Tyrantrum took longer due to its sheer power and strength, but, in the end, it fell to a series of Force Palms and a final Close Combat that its defense could not keep up with. Needless to say, it left the Gym Leader surprised, and she imagined some of the fans watching were a little disappointed, but she was here for the Challenge.
"Well, I admit I was... not expecting that. I should have known better, though--Korrina's Lucarios are on the same level and I've yet to beat her because of it," the young man chuckled, holding out his hand to shake. The redhead clasped it firmly and then accepted her badge.
"Funny you say that--we met her on the way to Camphrier. She wants to have her Lucario fight mine--and the Pokémon agree, right Lucas?" she inquired, and the blue-furred Pokémon barked in confirmation.
"Going to be one hell of a battle," Grant grinned. "I'll have to pay you back one day, y'know."
"I look forward to it, and I'll make sure to use my other Pokémon then."
"Oh thank you," he laughed, slapping his head. "Anyways, you might not be kids, but I'd still like to impart some of my own advice to any aspiring Gym Challengers. Yes, it's cheesy, but bear with me,
He paused to clear his throat, "Now that you've both become master wall climbers and conquered this Gym, it's time you thought about how to apply your skills in other areas! Think about how you can improve yourself, as well as the Pokémon that are always by your side. When you find the answer, that's when you'll be able to truly smile!"
"Hey, that's sound advice--thank-you," Leon beamed, tipping his head respectfully. "I'll have to add that to my own arsenal."
"I'd be honored. It was good to battle you both--I haven't had a thrilling battle like that for a while. Hope I'll see you two around another time, but until then I hope you enjoy the city and recommend the hotel if you plan to stay. You missed the main cycling event, but it's still a fun place."
"I'm sure, but to be honest, we'll probably eat and crash. It's been a long day and it's late now," the former Champion chuckled, wrapping an arm around the redhead's shoulders.
Grant laughed, "Hey, that's a good night by my standards, too--being an adult, huh?"
"You can say that again. Thanks for a brilliant battle," Cassandra nodded, giving a two-fingered salute before they said their final good-byes and finally headed out, taking the stairs down to the sandy slopes back to the entrance.
It was much faster than going up, and when they exited the cave the red hues of the sky had become a blackish blue painted with stars that were dimmed by the city lights, but still visible enough to enjoy. They made their way down to those same lights, enraptured by the vibrant city life with countless denizens out and about, enjoying drinks or food or other merriment. They were tempted to join after their trip to the Pokécenter, but a room to unwind in and enjoy some food was calling their name. They grabbed a bite on the way to see to the latter, and they were relieved when they were still able to obtain a room when they found the hotel, which was incredibly lavish and had a beach and cycling motif mixed into the regal decor. It cost a little more, but that was the least of their concerns as they got to the room, downed their food, and finally plopped down onto the lush bed.
"Arceus, today was so much fun," Cassandra sighed, stretching herself before turning to face Leon, who had done the same. Even in the dim light, his eyes glowed, and he was exceptionally handsome in the way his hair splayed out around him. She reached over, cupping his face, and rubbing her thumb gently over his cheek. "How's it feel to have your second badge?"
"Fucking amazing," he smirked back, turning his head to kiss her palm--and then her wrist and forearm and then he loomed atop her, lips on her collar and neck. "How about you?"
"I can honestly say the feeling is mutual," she purred and suddenly wrapped her limbs around him to turn and roll so she was on top. She giggled as she snatched his wayward snapback and placed it on her own head, only backwards. "Think I deserve the Champ hat tonight--I was faster."
"I always do like having you finish first--it makes me quite proud," he winked, hands ghosting along her thighs.
"Oh? Is seeing me in your cap a turn on, too?"
"Hmm if I say yes?"
"Well, I'm ratting you out, because that's hilarious... but it also means this cap is going to have to stay on me during sex tonight."
"I'm fine with that."
"Good. Because I'm going to ride you all night, babe. Now, be a good boy and help me undress," the redhead purred, and, with a laugh, her lover obliged.