𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕗 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕣 | 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒏

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 31: 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒎

Trigger Warning: kidnapping, imprisonment, Pokémon trafficking

Leon didn't argue or protest, not daring to push any limits that he may or may not cross. After the food is eaten, I feed my own Pokémon, Zarude eyeing the other Pokémon wearily as he eats as far away from the group as possible. Once his food is gone he becomes friendly, inching his way closer and closer to Leon's Pokémon. He never really was very social, despite that I hear Zarudes live in large groups.

I smile as I sit near the fire again, Houndoom coming over to curl up into my side and lay his head on my lap. Leon sits a few inches away, his Charizard snoozing with his body curled around Leon's. "Should you start with Houndoom?" Leon questions, I look down at the said Pokémon, stroking my hand over his head and between his horns.

"Houndoom," I breathe, "Was my first Pokémon, I was five when we met. My father is a big corporate leader back in Kalos, but at that time he was just a man trying to make his way in the world. Not always by honest means, one day he crossed the wrong person." I sigh. "So one moment I'm playing on the playground, the nanny my father hired not too far away. Then the next I'm being tossed into the back of black van with a bag over my head." I grunt, Houndoom looking at me before gently pressing his snout into my stomach.

"I was taken somewhere, somewhere far. It's only when we get there do they take the bag off my head, and I'm in tears at this point. Five years old, scared, and alone in the dark. They don't say anything to me, just stuff me into a cage next to some other cages, only those are filled with some Pokémon." I recall bitterly, "I was there for what felt like days, but in reality I was only missing for a day, but that's not the point. Over that time I was sobbing like the child I was, and in the cage next to me was this little Pokémon. A Houndor to be specific, who would look at me then howl. It confused me for the longest why he did it, especially when every time he did, our captors would bang against his cage and tell him to shut up." I snort looking down on the Pokémon in my lap.

"Then finally, I just looked up. The Houndor who had howled endlessly for hours on end, was howling to the night sky. Dark and moonless, but sparkling with an endless sea of stars. I was so awestruck, that I completely forgot where I was and what was happening. My tears dried up and I would just watch out the window at the stars while the Houndor in the cage next to me curled against the bars to lay next to me. That Houndor showed that even in the dark there's light, that Houndor...He showed me the stars." I whisper down to Houndoom. The dark Pokémon leans up and pressing his forehead to mine as I've done to him so many times before.

"What happened after that?" Leon questions, a frown forming on his face, "Officer Jinny found us, arrested the people who took me, my father managed to hide the fact he caused it in the first place when he reported me missing. But when my dad came to pick me up I wouldn't let him take me without the Houndor, he let me keep him so I wouldn't make a scene in front of the police." I snort scratching the back of Houndoom's horn.

"It all makes a lot more sense now." Leon nods, "Everyone always says that, my father always liked to use it to boost the popularity of Houndoom and I against other competitors" I sigh irritably. "Even after we were able to mega evolve the story was still popular in terms of backstories." I recall, "Wait so something has to happen in order to mega evolve?" Leon questions.

"In a way, two stones are needed. One for a trainer, which can be mined, and one for the Pokémon, which forms during a peak between trainer and Pokémon. Pokémon Mega Stones are very selective and rare, not only do they have to have a stone it has to be one compatible to that specific Pokémon. You can't use a Charizard mega stone for a Houndoom." I explain with a small smile. "Pokémon conditions are also extremely important, a Pokémon can only mega evolve when they've reached their final stage of evolution. Not just that, I hear some Pokémon have more than one type of Mega evolution stage, I guess it depends on its bond with it." I shrug.

"Really? So could Charizard Mega Evolve?" Leon questions, "I'm sure you could, Charizards are one of the few Pokémon that have more than one Mega evolution stages. I think they're called X and Y. In stage X Charizards have black and blue skin, and breathe blue fire. But in Y stage, fire blooms from it's mouth as it's wings expand, kind of like a smaller version of your Gigantamax form except his wings aren't set ablaze." I thought out, thinking back to that one guy who challenged Diantha with a Mega Charizard X.

"I wouldn't recommend it for you though," I giggle, "Why not?" Leon pouts. "Mega Stones are a regional thing. It's very rare for a Pokémon born from outside that region to be able to do, regional difference or not. Not to mention I'm not sure two different energy enhancers is a good thing, especially when I'm sure you'd try to use both at once. The chances of working are slim, and the effects could be devastating," I mumble.

"I guess your right." Leon mumbles, "I'm powerful enough as is, if I were to have a Mega Stone then no one would be able to beat me." He laughs. I roll my eyes and let out yawn before pushing myself to my feet. "Wait, aren't you going to tell me the other stories?" Leon yelps, "Another time, we've been hiking all day. I want to sleep." I huff standing with Houndoom sluggishly following behind me. Tails and Za take their cue to follow him, "Aren't you sleeping in my tent?" Leon calls after me. "Sure, if you want to deal with the high levels of separation anxiety they're all bound to have." I call back, "We haven't slept anywhere but a bed since I moved to Galar, on the first nights anywhere there are no exceptions to the sleep pile." I huff climbing into the tent. "Good night Lee!" I yawn, "Good night love." The man sighs.

Word Count: 1.1K