Chapter Text
"Charizard really likes you!" Leon said, watching Raihan scratch under Charizard's chin, while Charizard extended his wings the way he did when he was happy. "Must be he respects you even more after your Flygon battled him to a standstill!" It was a bit strange to have a League meeting with the gym leaders in person rather than online, but at least that meant time to hang out afterward and catch up.
"I'm flattered you think that's it, but I mean, I did save his life."
"You did?" Leon looked to Charizard for confirmation. Charizard nodded.
"During the Darkest Day. I never told you? When I first got up there, after everything was said and done with Eternatus..." Raihan closed his eyes, and a painful expression flickered across his face. "... I'm no medical professional, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help you, or most of the pokemon hurt, since you lot had already all used plenty of recovery items, but I remember thinking, we can't be paralyzed by shock, doing something is better than nothing. Charizard's tail was flickering and he was looking pretty rough, so the first thing I thought was, a Sunny Day's good for fire-types, right? And it looked like it really helped. Plus, like, symbolically, I wanted to show Hammerlocke that the Darkest Day was over."
"Oh. No, I don't think you told me." And that wasn't something that Leon would forget if Raihan had told him in the past. "Thank you, Raihan."
"Honestly, I'd almost forgotten about it myself, with everything else that happened around then. That first month or so was... rough."
"... Yeah." Raihan had gone through a lot just after the Darkest Day, suddenly finding himself more or less in charge of the League and trying to reassure a shocked and betrayed region. Leon wasn't sure if he should feel grateful that he himself had been barely conscious for the first week after and had missed the worst of the chaos. "Thanks, Raihan. I don't know where I'd be without you." And that was genuine. Raihan had been pushing him to get stronger over the years, and that was something Leon couldn't overlook. Plus he knew that if he had lost Charizard, he'd be handling that loss much worse than even Gloria was. He knew shouldn't play favorites with the pokemon in his care, but Charizard held a special place in his heart.
"Don't think too much about it. I know you'd do the same for my team." And Leon would, without hesitation. If Raihan or his team were ever in danger, of course Leon would help in any way he could. Not just because he wanted to keep everyone safe, but because he owed Raihan so much.
"Of course! I just hope it never comes to that."
"Me too, but after Rose and everything, we can't take anything for granted. Which is why I'm glad to have a former Champion and current League Chairman in my corner."
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.
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If Dreepy was going to evolve soon, Leon knew he needed to catch her another Dreepy as a companion. Leaving a Drakloak without a Dreepy was sad, and the last thing Leon wanted was for his pokemon to suffer.
So here he was, throwing a pokeball at a wild pokemon for the first time since he'd faced down Eternatus. Even though he knew the worst that could happen was the wild Dreepy breaking free and running away, he found himself intently watching the pokeball shake, eyes peeled for any indication it would break free. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see Charizard extending a wing protectively in his direction.
But after three shakes, the pokeball gave a satisfying ding. Leon let out a relieved sigh as he wiped the sweat off his brow. He retrieved the pokeball with Dreepy inside and looked it over, trying to assess how his latest team member would fit in. Male. Skittish, but he already knew that from their battle. Very fast, with some latent potential for defense as well that might unlock when he evolved.
He let the new Dreepy out of his pokeball and held out his hand for Dreepy to approach.
"Welcome to the team, Dreepy! I'm sure we're going to have a champion time together!" Once Dreepy had relaxed enough to curiously headbutt his outstretched hand, Leon pulled out the other Dreepy's pokeball and let her out as well. "Now, get to know your new sibling!"
Leon watched them play for about thirty seconds before light started to shine around the older Dreepy.
Bathed in the light of evolution, Leon reflected on how this particular Dreepy who was evolving now was the second one he'd caught, to rest on the head of his first. And now it was her turn, and soon enough she'd carry this new Dreepy in her horns instead of on her head.
In a way, she was continuing the cycle; life after death. It was fitting, as they were ghost types.
Leon never did choose one type to specialize in, but he had to admit that, between Dragapult and Aegislash, he did find ghost types fascinating. And who could resist the appeal of dragons?
It seemed his newly-evolved Drakloak certainly couldn't; she looked happier than she'd been since she lost her Dragapult.
,
,
,
Gloria had finally taken Leon up on his offer to ride Charizard after beating Nessa in her first exhibition match as Champion. He'd had to explain how Charizards as a species generally didn't like being grabbed by the horns; that his Charizard was OK with it while flying, but that she shouldn't take that for granted.
Of course, he wouldn't let her fly alone; he was flying alongside them on Dragapult, and was ready to catch Gloria if she lost her grip.
It hadn't taken Drakloak long at all to evolve into Dragapult, and so Leon had caught two more Dreepy, one for her and one for himself, because he missed having a Dreepy of his own to curl around his arm and hide in his hair when he was at his desk, making paperwork less boring and helping him feel less outnumbered.
"Don't forget to wave to the people looking up!" Leon told Gloria, as he waved back to the couple waving at them from the park.
"I don't want to let go!"
"Then don't! But maybe next time you'll feel safe enough to try!"
"No offense to Charizard, but I think next time I fly I'd like to fly on one of my own Pokemon!" Charizard gave an indignant snort but didn't change his course at all.
"Haha! Then do so! I'll get you your own pair of goggles to keep!" It really was a shame that Galar trainers didn't often fly on their own Pokemon, especially compared with trainers from other regions. Of course there were reasons for it - safety being the main one - but Leon wished more trainers could experience the thrill he loved chasing.
"... And I think he took offense anyway. Sorry, Charizard!"
"He'll forgive you! But perhaps it's time to head back down." Leon wasn't yet sure of Dragapult's limits for carrying him, and he didn't want to tire Charizard out too much, either. He had plenty of challengers lined up for tomorrow at the Battle Tower after he finished his paperwork, and he wanted to give them all the best battles he could.
"Yeah! Thanks, Charizard! Thanks, Leon!"
.
"Have fun up there, you two?" Hop asked, snapping a picture of them on his phone as they landed.
"Always!" Leon said, trying to jump off Dragapult's back as gracefully as possible. Hop, meanwhile, went to lend Gloria a hand getting down from Charizard.
"Yeah!"
"Why the picture, Hop? Taking notes from Raihan?" Leon was certainly used to having his picture taken, and Gloria wasn't exactly camera-shy either, but it was unusual for Hop to be the one taking the shot.
"Hardly! It's not a selfie; just wanted to send a pic to Sonia of you lot having fun. You know how she and especially her grandma worry about you two."
"... Oh." Gloria's smile fell slightly.
"But! I won't send it unless you're OK with that."
"You know me, Hop! I trust your judgment!" Having a teenage brother with a Rotom phone could easily be a recipe for PR disaster, but Hop had yet to cause any problems for Leon that he hadn't already caused for himself.
"... Yeah, I think she would like to see that! Just let me see first, okay?"
"Okay!" Hop showed Gloria his phone.
"Oh wow! How'd you get the image that crisp? We were moving pretty fast!"
"Well you see, I got a new camera so I can take better pictures when helping Sonia with research, and there are all kinds of attachments, and --" Leon walked over to Charizard, letting Hop and Gloria continue their conversation without him.
"How'd that feel? I know it's been a while since you had a passenger." Charizard nodded. "Thanks for being a good sport and humoring me. I want the kids to have fun, you know?" Charizard shook himself and re-folded his wings. "And uh... thanks for not trying to race Dragapult with Gloria on your back. I don't think she'd find that as fun as I do!" Charizard did his best approximation of a laugh, then looked back over at Hop and Gloria. "What's on your mind?" Charizard pointed at Hop and then spread his wings. "Oh? Do you want to take him for a ride, too?" Charizard nodded. "Great!"
"Huh?" Gloria and Hop looked over.
"Hey, Hop! Do you want a ride?"
"Uh..." Hop paused, and looked between Gloria, Dubwool, and Charizard. "... Sure!" He gave Leon a thumbs-up. "Are you sure, though? I know he, and you, are probably tired, and -"
"Nonsense! Charizard wanted to give you a ride, and I want you both to have fun! And it's Charizard and Dragapult doing all the work, not me!"
"Really!? All right!" Hop motioned for Dubwool to stay.
"Have fun!" Gloria handed her goggles off to Hop as he approached Charizard.
"Let me give you a lift!" Leon said, in a sudden burst of inspiration, holding out his hands. Hop's eyes widened, and he practically jumped into Leon's arms.
"You can pick me up again!?"
"Yup!" Leon couldn't help grinning from ear to ear, even as he grit his teeth with concentration and effort. "I've been training faster than you've been growing!" He'd have to set Hop down on Charizard's back soon; his arms were already shaking, and he'd surely be feeling it tomorrow, but seeing Hop this happy and excited was worth it.