𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕆𝕗 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕣 | 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒏

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 39: 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒆

I chat along with Sonia as Leon waits out front of the Pokémon research lab, Hop eventually comes in and greets Sonia first. Already knowing how to work a Pokédex the boy just takes it and runs. Rambling about how he's gotta get to the professor's house. "Gloria is a lot nicer, full of potential." I offer with a smile, "A real fan of my work too apparently." I snort crossing my arms. "After your debut at the Gala a lot of girls have been looking into your career. You've grown really popular." She smiles. "Huh," I hum, and just as I answer Leon comes in with Gloria at his side.

Sonia's trusty Yamper goes awol as Leon comes into sight, I laugh and watch the Pokémon sun circles around Leon. "Yamper here is a real Champ when it comes to helping you find your way around. He came to my rescue plenty of times back in the day when I'd get lost on the road." Leon informs. "Thank Arceus for Sonia or Galar wouldn't have a Champion and I wouldn't have a job." I praise, "Oh please, we both know you would have still had a job either way." Sonia snorts, crossing her arms.

"And that's his trainer Sonia," Leon grins, with a slight eye roll to our conversation, "What else can I say about her, I really like the way she cooks and she can really make food you can gobble down in a flash." Leon laughs. "What kind of introduction is that! We were rivals once you know!" Sonia snaps, "Anyway, nice to meet you! The name's Sonia! The professor's assistant!" She chimes with a smile.

"This is Gloria the one I've been telling you about," I motion over to the girl, I watch out of the corner of my eye as Leon plays with Yamper. "So she's it? You're right, lots of potential." Sonia smiles, the brunette girl blushes with a shy smile. I smile as I watch Sonia go over the pokédex with Gloria only to have a tingle spear right down my spine, "LEON!" I call, Shocking the two beside me. But it's too late, the man is gone, "Ah that menace!" I groan. "Don't worry about him (y/n) he knows he's to go to the professor's after this, he'll get there eventually." Sonia waves off. "I sure hope so," I sigh, waving as Gloria decides to take her leave.

"I'll meet you at your Gran's then?" I question, "See ya then!" Sonia winks. I sent her one last smile before making my way to the Pokémon professor's home. I took the short way, knowing that I'll need time to hunt down Leon if it comes down to it. I arrive at the house with the purple roof after a short distance only to see the purple haired brothers together with a short haired brunette. "Oh thank Arceus you didn't get lost!" I sigh approaching, "Honestly Leon! What have I told you about wandering off?" I scold my arms.

"I'm sorry (y/n), It just kind of...happened." He chuckles, "Uh huh," I muse sarcastically. "I see Sonia's not the only one who can give Leon an earful." An older voice chuckles, I turn to see an older woman walking over with a cane. "You must be the professor!" I smile, "Professor Magnolia," She greets, "And this is Hop and Gloria." I introduce gesturing over to the small children. "Welcome young trainers, now lets head inside." She smiles before turning and entering the house.

Leon and the Children follow after, I make sure Leon gets through the door first in case he decides to wander off again. We all followed the older woman to the kitchen where she talked to the kids about their pokédex, until the topic of Dynamaxing came up. "Professor Magnolia has done research on Dynamaxing for years in years. Learning about Dynamaxing allows you the ability to use Gigamaxing to its fullest," Leon grins ear to ear.

"There you go again Leon, always talking about Pokémon. There are other things to learn about, you know. Like tea." The older woman sighs, "Yeah Lee, or like learning to look at signs when you travel." I snip. Leon gives me a pained look, as if he's tired of me dragging him over his lack of sense of direction, which I will never stop. Never.

"Hey Professor, do you favor us? Help me convince Lee he should endorse us for the Gym Challenge." Hop asks, hands behind his head. Endorsement huh? I forgot that was a thing. In the other regions you just collect the badges and if you collect them all, you can enter the tournament that determines who gets to challenge the champion that year.

"Why Leon why wouldn't you endorse them? Or even you (y/n)?" She scolds, my eyes widen, "I can do that?" I yelp pointing to myself. "Sure anyone working under or for the league can, or if someone is able to collect all the badges they can get cleared to endorse trainers as well." Leon shrugs, "And you didn't bother to tell me?" I quip crossing my arms.

"You never expressed any interest." Leon argues, "Okay fine, but that still doesn't answer why you wouldn't endorse the two!" I huff. "They're new trainers (y/n) there's lots they don't know!" He argues, "Leon trainers all over the world start their gym challenge as new trainers, it's how they grow. The worst that can happen is they lose and try again next year." I argue. "Besides, isn't your dream to make all of Galar strong, I'm pretty sure that includes Hop and Gloria." I scoff, Leon pauses in thought. The room staying quiet as they watch our spat, "Well, you're not wrong." Leon mumbles.

"Of course I'm not," I smirk, "It's why you gave them the Pokémon correct. Why give them freedom only to tie them on a leash?" I continue. Leon cringes at my metaphor, "Alright how about this?" he caves, "Show me you too can have such a brilliant battle that you leave me no choice to endorse you." Leon offers. Hop springs into the air completely taken with the idea. I smile as I watch the two kids grin ear to ear in excitement, but I turn when a hand is placed on my shoulder. "Well said my dear, well said." The Professor praises, "Someone has to knock some sense into him, besides now that I know I'm able to endorse someone, I might as well do it now just to spite him. It'll mean the world to Hop to be endorsed by his older brother so I'll endorse Gloria no matter the outcome." I smile.

"You're just as headstrong as Sonia said, I wish I could have been there to see you put the Chairman in his place. There's...just not something right about that man." The older woman mumbles, "No ma'am, there's nothing right about him." I sigh out. The older woman and I are pulled from our conversation when Hop goes sprinting out the door, "Shall we?" The older woman chuckles, "By all means," I muse. 

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