Chapter 17: New Member and a Steeled Resolve
"Ursa~" Teddiursa covered his mouth at the sight of a giant Ursaring Corpse that towered over the young pokemon.
Never in the young bear's life had he received a gift that shook his heart to his very core as he walked forward.
"I know, I'm the bestest and most gracious person you've ever met and no, you don't have to flatter me." Leon rubbed his nose at Teddiursa looking at his present as although there were many options, Leon wanted to do something for the pokemon that had done so much for him.
"You need to absorb as much as you can. After you're done, I'll save the leftovers so you can have the rest when you're ready." Leon nodded to Teddiursa, who eagerly dug into the corpse of its own brethren.
"Don't worry, you'll get your turn soon." Leon patted Furret's slinked body before holding up his Pokegear.
'Now to see how I'm doing as a trainer.' Leon thought, pressing the scan function on his pokegear which started scanning Teddiursa.
A little weirded out, Teddiursa didn't mind it since it wasn't the first time he had been scanned as Leon's pokegear displayed all of his stats.
[Status
Pokemon: Teddiursa
Gender: Male
Level: 17~21 (To get an exact talley upgrade to the premium version)
Abilities: Pickup, Quickfeet
Talent: Upgrade to a premium version or visit your local alliance pokestop to scan
Innate Ability: Upgrade to premium for this function
Weight: 23.3 Lbs
Height: 2'3
Innate moves: Upgrade to premium for this function
Moves: Cross Chop, Bulk Up, Bite, Close Combat, Fury Swipes, Payback, Slash, Play Rough, Fire punch, Baby doll eyes, Lick, Sweet scent, Tackle, Facade.]
*Sigh*
"Fur?" Furret asked, tapping the screen as Leon pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I honestly do not know, but I think Teddiursa improved a little bit which is all that mattered." Leon thought, incredibly disgruntled that he couldn't see all the features.
'I should upgrade to the premium version once I get some extra cash.' Leon noted since all of his cash was either invested into information and his pokemon but once day, he'll have enough to spare for things such as these.
"Now it's your turn Furret." Leon pressed the scan function as thousands of lasers suddenly traveled all across Furret as she flinched.
Reaching out and touching the lasers with her paw, she was fascinated by the pretty red color as her eyes sparkled.
[Status
Pokemon: Furret
Gender: Female
Level: 13~17
Ability: Keen eye
Talent: Upgrade to a premium version or visit your local pokestop to scan
Innate Ability: Upgrade for this function
Weight: 66 Ibs
Height: 5'3
Innate moves: Upgrade for this function
Moves: quick attack, agility, coil, defense curl, growl, scratch, fury swipes, helping hand.]
'She's pretty close to Teddiursa-FIVE NINE!' Leon was reading the information as all of sudden he saw her height.
"Furret, how are you so tall?!" Leon couldn't help his shock as Furret cutely tilted her head before hopping off his shoulder and onto the floor.
Suddenly, she began to walk, her body seeming to stretch like a spring, increasing in length with every step until her form stretched thin to around 5'3.
"Well look at that." Leon scratched his head before Furret returned to a more comfortable state and scurried back up to act as his personal scarf.
Finally, Leon shook his head while looking at a certain pokeball as he pondered for a second.
Leon truly came here to see what kind of pokemon his new Geodude was since he has been on a recent hot streak of acquiring murderous pokemon who either want him dead, themselves, or both.
"Now, let's deal with this new addition." Leon enlarged the pokeball as Furret curiously inspected it.
"Furret, I'm sure how this Geodude acts but it was most definitely abused so I'll need your help to calm it down when it appears." Leon asked since Teddiursa was too busy having the time of his life to even care about Leon.
"Fur!" Furret patted her little paws against her head while showing a salute, indicating she was up to the task.
Leon had a plan that he had been pondering deeply since receiving Corsola and the troublesome Spinarak.
He wanted one of his Pokémon to try to understand them on a deeper level so as to get through to them.
However, Furret was a bit of an airhead, and Teddiursa was, well, Teddiursa. So, he was banking on Geodude being level-headed.
'That is if I can actually get through to him or it's back to the chalkboard.' Leon frowned, before throwing the pokeball outwards.
The bright flash materialized into a small boulder that grew arms, its form solidifying into the figure that was Geodude.
"G-G-G-Geodude."
As Geodude was released, he immediately covered his face, his body shaking violently, and his voice pleading.
Leon's eyes widened as he looked closer at Geodude, feeling deep disgust for Ivan upon seeing the state of his new Pokémon.
Geodude's body was covered in numerous man-made splinters, with small craters formed all over, each chipping of his body indicating it was a slow and careful process as different knife marks were held astrung in the places that couldn't be chipped away.
Calling it abuse was an understatement; this small Geodude had been tortured to extreme degrees that even unnerved Leon who had seen sick and twisted acts performed in another lifetime.
"Whoa there Geodude, I'm not going to hurt you." Leon held his hands up, but Geodude seemed to not believe these words, as if he had heard them before, and tried to cover his body even more.
In fact, Leon wasn't even sure if Geodude even knew that he was a completely different person as if seeing him as Ivan.
"Geo geodude." Geodude pleaded constantly with Leon, repeating the sentiment that he was wrong over and over again.
"Furret, can you try and talk to him?" Leon nudged his shoulder a little to Furret who looked on the verge of crying.
"Furret!" Furret didn't hesitate to rush towards Geodude with incredible speeds.
Seeing this fast, furry, moving object, Geodude clutched his body even tighter expecting for a blunt and brutish assault.
However, Geodude would be forever caught off guard at what arrived next as a warm feeling suddenly perumated over him that seemed to caress his scarred heart.
Furret wrapped herself around Geodude ever so slowly, giving him a hug before sniffling at all the pain in Geodude's whisperings.
Her motherly instincts, built into her, couldn't help but want to hug this seemingly broken child until he felt safe in this cruel world.
"Geo?" Geodude didn't understand what was happening, and upon opening his eyes, he became shocked.
Never in Geodude's life had he experienced a hug.
Ever since birth, he had been locked in a small cage before being sold, only to be tortured by Ivan.
Over and over again, Geodude begged for a mercy that never seemed to come as he watched that horrid human only smile at his misery.
Everyday was the same, the cold hard lashings fixated into Ivan drowning him in nutrients until he healed his wounds to start over the next day.
Upon being released Geodude expected the same, he inherently assumed the worst until he found himself wrapped in this foreign feeling.
Warmth, Geodude felt an indescribable warm feeling that seemed to nurture his very soul.
Unconsciously, he wrapped his rock-like arms around Furret, burying his grief-filled face into her understanding embrace as tears welled up at the ends of his eyes.
The drippings of his pain were caught and absorbed by her warmth as Geodude felt that, for the first time, he might be okay, and that realization broke him.
"GEODUDE!" Geodude cried out in sadness, seemingly letting go of all his pent-up emotions as Furret slowly patted his back with her paw.
"Fur furret." Furret simply cooed to him, encouraging him that it wasn't his fault and he had done nothing wrong.
This only made Geodude cry even more, prompting Teddiursa to tilt his head from the side of the Ursaring corpse.
However, upon seeing the two having an emotional moment, he immediately gazed back at the corpse since he wasn't good with feelings.
Leon felt a little uncomfortable, since Geodude's wailing made him nervous, as he wasn't good with that type of stuff and probably never would be.
Curious, Leon scanned his pokegear around the wailing Geodude as his stats displayed across his screen.
[Status
Pokemon: Geodude
Gender: Male
Level: 2~6
Ability: Sturdy
Talent: Upgrade to a premium version or visit your local pokestop to scan
Innate Ability: Upgrade for this function
Weight: 20.9 Lbs
Height: 0'7"
Innate moves: Upgrade for this function
Moves: Magnitude, stone edge, rock polish, defense curl, tackle, sandstorm.]
'Damn, he's just a kid too.' Leon thought, correlating the level to age as he decided to simply give this Geodude his moment.
The next thirty minutes consisted of Geodude conveying all the unfairness that had been thrown at him and Furret telling him he wasn't the problem, until they eventually broke away.
"Furret ret fur furret." Furret then introduced Geodude to Leon who immediately gazed at the ground, not daring to make eye contact with him.
"Hey Geodue-'' Leon tried to take a step forward only for Geodude to shift backwards instinctively, showing his obvious distrust of humans.
'Come on Leon, it's like talking to a kid who's been beaten by his dad and you know best what that's like.' Leon wasn't new to talking with heavily abused individuals, but most of his experiences were personal in its own right.
"I know you already have a bias against humans and I don't blame you since humans are mostly trash." Leon started off strong, causing Geodudes attention to focus on his words.
"I know you won't trust me immediately and that's fair, but all I'll ask from you is to try and get to know me." Leon knelt down to try and get on Geodude's level as he tilted his body away at that moment.
"I won't lie to you and say your life will get better cause that opinion is up to the beholder, but I can guarantee that no matter what, I won't make your life any worse." Leon's words made Geodude bite his lip before he slowly looked up to see Leon's warm expression.
"G-G-Geodude." Geodude slowly nodded, trying his hardest to look Leon in the eye but at that moment, Ivan's first impression eclipsed Leon which made his heart thump.
Unsettled and shivering, Geodude looked down in fear once more though Leon wasn't going to rush him, knowing that things like this take time.
"Thank you and I promise that I won't betray your newfound trust, now let's talk for a while so you can get to know your new trainer." Leon inched his way closer to Geodude until he sat down in front of the socially conscious Pokémon.
He then began telling the story of how he ended up here, his efforts to warm up to Geodude bearing fruit.
However, Geodude preferred to keep a distance between them, which was completely understandable.
"Geodude?"
"Yeah I really beat that guy with a rock attribute."
"Geo?"
"Well, I think of myself as a really good boxer." Leon smiled as if telling Geodude he wouldn't get his secret causing Geodude to be a little disgruntled which was the first time Geodude showed an emotion that wasn't fear.
"Oh sh*t!" Leon stood up abruptly after checking the sun's positioning, causing Geodude to flinch, thinking he had done something wrong.
"No it's not-your fine, Geodude." Leon saw his blunder and tried to calm down the now shivering Geodude.
"Teddiursa are you-"
*BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP*
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa rubbed its belly showing a fulfilled expression making Leon roll his eyes.
"Alright everyone I have to return you-"
"Furret~"
"No buts, now into your confined prison."
"Furret."
Furret saw Leon's unwavering expression, knowing it would be useless to resist as the red energy wrapped around her.
Geodude was next, and then Leon shifted his focus to the little Teddiursa, who didn't even acknowledge Geodude.
"How did it go with you know, absorbing it or however you do it?" Leon asked as he readied his Pokéball.
Teddiursa gave him a thumbs up before dropping his hand onto the ground to continue rubbing his belly.
"Teddi~" Teddiursa thanked Leon, closing his eyes to drift into an immediate sleep to digest all this energy.
"You're welcome." Leon returned Teddiursa to his Pokéball before gazing over at the Ursaring. Raising an eyebrow, he didn't see any traces of the Ursaring being eaten.
However, seeing Teddiursa's satisfaction, he didn't dwell on it too much. Leon then returned the Ursaring's corpse to the Pokégear's storage space before making his way out of the warehouse.
His pace started increasing gradually with every passing second as a bead of sweat suddenly appeared on his forehead, noticing the sun setting faster and faster.
'F*ck Josh is gonna kick my ass, I just know he's been aching to do it too, I can't give him an excuse!'
Josh might be a sensible person, but that didn't mean he didn't want to punch Leon in the face. Leon's feet shifted from a fast-paced walk into a full-on sprint, his breath quickening. However, he didn't care as the base stood out on the horizon.
Standing there with crossed arms was Josh, showing a blank expression.
However, at the corners of his mouth, signs of a smirk appeared as he watched the sun gradually fall.
"I'M HERE! I'M HERE!" Leon shouted though Josh pretended not to hear and instead looked into the air to avoid eye contact.
"YOU F*CKING BASTARD!"
"Hey Sam, is it me or do you also hear a dead man?" Josh cupped his ear with one hand as Sam chuckled with a knowing look.
"Joshy, why don't you just punch him instead of going through all of this?" Sammy playfully asked as Josh showed a stern look.
"Living in a lawless world means your word is bond, I wouldn't do this for the pure satisfaction of my internal resentment." Josh said as a matter of fact though his small little smirk betrayed that.
"But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy punishing him." Josh's feeling seeped into his expression as the smirk fully formed upon seeing the sun set.
*HUFF*
*HUFF*
"I'm here!" Leon huffed and packaged the two words that should save him though Josh's expression stated that reasoning was closed for business.
"Leon, look behind you." Josh cracked his knuckles while holding back the venomous laughter.
"N-No." Leon's voice shook, his subconscious telling him not to look back.
However, his damned curiosity got the better of him, revealing a heartbroken sight.
Dusk had fallen upon Blackthorn City, the black sky slowly eating away at the blue, revealing the color of his eyes seconds later.
"W-Wait, Josh we can talk about this-"
"Talk?" Josh raised an eyebrow, tilting his head while scanning his small and skinny body.
"Talking is for those who keep their words, the only way you may convey your feelings is through your coming punishment.." Josh took a step forward only for Leon to take two steps backwards.
"Sam, grab your boyfriends leash and-"
"HAHAHA, sorry tiger you're on your own." Sam shrugged since his mouth had been writing checks that Josh's fist was about to cash.
"I think it's time that you learn the harsh reality that your little mouth of yours can cause." Sam twirled around before picking up a sparkly object only to flick it away after it being a simple piece of broken glass.
"WAIT! JOSH STOP-"
*BAM*
Stumbling backwards, Leon had already gotten into a pseudo stance to catch Josh off guard with his counterattack only to be unnerved by the result.
'I-I didn't see it.' Leon's eyes shrunk, gazing up at Josh who scrunched his brows after seeing how well Leon comprehended his ability with only a single strike.
'I can't win.' Leon looked up but he didn't see Josh but a towering wall of strength with a summit he never thought possible for a human.
*BAM*
Josh suddenly kicked Leon's sternum as the vein on Leon's neck flexed at the pain felt from such an accurate blow.
"I'M JUST A CHILD-" Leon played the child card only for Josh unnerving laughter to sound out.
"I literally threw a child into a death match, do you think I would have problems hitting one?" Josh genuinely asked as Leon felt at a loss for words before nodding at the reality.
Josh didn't even use any fighting energy, just half of his physical strength, and he avoided any vital points.
The pain Leon was enduring still wasn't a joke, his words had been getting on Josh's nerves, and this was the only way he thought would calm him down.
*TWACK*
Josh suddenly kicked him across the face signaling with his eyes that he wouldn't stop without some form of retaliation.
"Fine!" Leon, reading him like a book, got into a boxing position after having enough of Josh's one-sided beat down.
"Leon just take the beating, Josh will kick your ass if you try to fight him head on like that!" Sam shouted from the side only for her eyes to portray a different desire.
"But if you do decide not to be a little b*tch, make sure to put on a good show!" Sam cheered, sitting on a nearby chair to watch the coming show.
"You should listen to Sam, fighting energy users have an innate ability to learn martial arts at a vastly different rate than lowly scrubs like yourself." Josh seriously spoke while lifting one leg and getting into a stance akin to mu ti.
"An ordinary human will never be able to contend with a fighting energy user in martial arts." Josh's tone was deadly, honing itself into a sharp knife with the intent to penetrate Leon's psyche.
"Do you think I'd let you turn me into your stress relief ball?" Leon sneered, holding his fist higher after recognizing the stance.
"I'd think of your existence as more of a punching bag in this instance." Josh witty countered causing a vein to appear on Leon's forehead.
"Alright, I admit that I've been a little bit of an asshole-"
"A little bit?"
"Ok I huge asshole but you have to understand-"
"No I don't." Josh spoke with an unmoving expression while interrupting Leon who countered with a raised eyebrow.
"What?" Leon popped his head up from his stance at the unreasonable words coming out of Josh's mouth.
"Listen Leon, this isn't the real word. This is the underworld where people kill other people for even a differential opinion." Josh shook his head while thinking Leon was still a little naive but it was in fact the opposite.
"I know that I-" Leon widened his eyes, finally realizing his true place within this new world.
He wasn't the boss of a widely known gang anymore, where his mere name struck respect into anyone's heart, where his tales were told to scare disobedient children.
No, now all that Leon was considered was only a-
'Scrub, I'm nothing but a scrub here.' Leon's realization caused his guard to lower slightly, drooping his hands down a little.
*TWACK*
Josh didn't hesitate to launch his foot, his knee shifting forward like a catapult as his foot cleanly made contact with Leon's cheek, sending vast amounts of ripples across his skin as his head moved with the motion of Josh's foot.
Leon immediately lunged backwards, but Josh didn't capitalize on the moment but instead lowered his foot.
"You need to wake up Leon, this isn't a daycare but a place where you can die any second." Josh's words were like cold water splashed on an already freezing cold Leon.
"You're talented, you've got what it takes to succeed, but you'll die before you can see the end of the tunnel if you keep thinking of yourself as anything better than what you are now." Josh then slowly lowered his foot, coming out of his stance.
Without any mercy, he turned his body to walk towards his supportive girlfriend, who had been chanting his name throughout the one-sided exchange.
"Joshy, your form was amazing and has improved greatly!" Sam immediately wrapped her arms around Josh's arm as he kissed the top of her blue hair.
"Do you think so, it really feels like I'm not improving?" Josh frowned a little, unsure about his results only for Sam to shake her head.
"No way, your kicks are way more fluid compared to when I last saw them!"
"Really?"
"Really!" Sam reaffirmed him, causing Josh to nod at her words before looking forward.
"Be at the front entrance at 5am and if you're late, then next time I'll be the one to kick your ass!" Sam boasterfully said though upon hearing this Josh shivered which caused the domino effect that made Leon shiver.
"May Arceus have mercy on your poor soul." Josh gave out his sympathy making Leon gulp.
'I'll get my revenge-'
"I hope you do try and get your revenge, it'll be more fun that way!" Sam laughed heartily causing Leon to shiver unconsciously at how monstrous her intuition truly was.
"Ho-"
"How did I know?" Sam finished Josh's sentence this time while moving her head to his shoulder.
"Because I know everything, even where you hide those dirty magazines of yours."
"No I-"
"Don't talk anymore Joshy."
"Yes Sam I-"
"Sammy."
"...."
"Yes Sammy."
"PUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Leon clutched his stomach at this turn of events. He might have gotten the crap kicked out of him, but that didn't mean it would ruin his day.
"Come on Joshy." Sam tugged Josh away after seeing his jaw muscles clench upon hearing Leon's laughter.
"I'm going to kill that kid, I mean it Sammy, I'm going to kill that kid." Josh tightened his muscles in rage and even as they went into the distance, Leon's laughter never seemed to decrease.
"Joshy, I know you have a soft spot for the kid." Sammy rubbed her head into his arm though all she heard in response was a scoff.
"That mouth of his is gonna get that idiot killed and I thought my words got through to him but it seems like he might need another beating." Josh's disgruntled tone made Sammy chuckle a little bit.
"Change doesn't happen in a day Joshy, give him some time to understand his place." Sam assured, patting his chest as Josh clicked his tongue.
"Anyways, earlier didn't you say that he was worth it-"
"I changed my mind, we should kill him." Josh didn't mean his words but said them anyway which only made Sam laugh once more.
"Come on, I'll let you off the hook for today if you make me dinner." Sam decided to change the topic and Josh picked up on the sign.
"What do you want?"
"Hmmmmmmmm, I'll let you decide."
*Sigh*
"What about-"
"Nope!"
Meanwhile, Leon finally finished his bout of laughter, and once he did, his gaze moved to the night sky.
Truth be told, Leon's mindset might have adjusted to the reasoning that the world was different, but what he forgot to include was his position.
Leon realized only now that he wasn't Ricky Robinson, the boss of the top gang in New York, a man whose mere name deserved respect.
Instead, he was a random orphan nobody, with a couple of Pokédollars and Pokémon to his name.
In that second, Leon thought of sticking to the ground and having more level headed thoughts-
"Nah, f*ck that." Leon shook his head while interrupting his own thoughts after pushing himself up onto his feet.
"Josh was right, I am a nobody and now I realize that everyone else thinks that." Leon talked to himself, looking at his reflection in a nearby pane of glass.
"But I'm a stubborn old man at heart, why would I give in and accept a new reality that brings me down to a low level grunt, much less give two sh*ts about what others think?" Leon slapped his cheek while shaking his head.
"I might not be the boss now, but I'm gonna be it someday and f*ck anyone who says otherwise." Leon smiled while erasing all the things that Josh told him from his mind.
Although Leon noted this in the way he talked, Leon could tell Josh was telling him to accept his place in the world and Leon knew he could never do that.
Leon had put in blood, sweat, and tears into being one of the top gang leaders, but that didn't mean he had to accept his position now.
Instead, he understood that once again he stood at the bottom of the ladder and resolved to work even harder to get to where he was in his last life.
'No I'll climb even higher, I'll be the most notorious gangster in the world!' An evil smile formed on Leon's face as he dug both hands into his pockets.
Reality was cruel but that didn't mean he had to play by its rules, the whole reason for the underworld was to have an alternate world that was contrary to the cruel world that had rules set in place to put people upon birth.
'I'm f*cking Ricky Robinson reincarnated, Leon Harper might be my new name but that doesn't mean my values as a person changes.' Leon nodded to the guard who nodded back as he strolled through the doors.
Walking into the Ariados base, he only steeled his resolve to be even better than his previous aspirations were.
Leon wasn't going to change in this world, but evolve.
'Sooner or later, the whole world will know the name Leon Harper.' Leon thought while pushing the barracks doors open.
'Whether they want to or not.'