3 Chapter 3: Leon’s First Pokémon Is A Delinquent

"Leon?" Gabe, who had put his apron away, called out to Leon who suddenly appeared from the shadows making Gabe flinch. 

"Let me give you a free piece of advice, Gabe." Leon frowned after seeing Gabe's reaction as he walked in front of him. 

"Learn to control or mask your actions and facial expressions in front of people you don't trust." Leon gestured to Gabe who only tilted his head. 

"Control? Mask?" Gabe began to ask with confusion as he strode towards the blackthorn forest, with Leon following closely behind him. 

"I don't understand what you mean or what that has to do with anything?" Gabe scratched his head as Leon sighed at this clueless kid. 

"At this point in your life, what I just said might seem a little stupid to you, right?" Leon asked to which Gabe nodded his head since he truly didn't understand the direction Leon was steering this conversation towards. 

"Listen, whenever you talk to people you don't trust, don't constantly scrunch your eyebrows or twitch lips or fidget with your fingers, y'know why." Leon shoved his hands in his pocket while swaying his head side to side. 

"What does that have to do-" 

"Because you're basically outwardly telling people you're frustrated, annoyed, or nervous. When you're in a conversation, argument, or just a first impression, and your emotions are negatively revealed then that gives the person a chance to steer the confrontation into their favor no matter what it is." Leon kicked a pebble on the road as they saw the exit to the city.

"But what does that haft-" 

*Sigh*

"Oh my god, let me give you two examples that might help you understand, first when you're in a battle." Leon gestured to the three pokeballs strapped to his waist as Gabe intently listened.

"Let's say you're in a life or death battle, right? You're at your end of your wits and your death is 50/50. Just then your pokemon suddenly gazes back at you to see its trainer's expression." A look of realization eclipses his face as Leon's words start to sink in. 

"Now instead of having a calm or determined expression, you show a nervous or fearful one. What do you think your pokemon is going to think?" Leon asked out as Gabe tilted his head in confusion.

"Well let me tell you before you ask me why like an idiot, its morale is definitely going to take a blow since its trainer doesn't even believe that it'll survive, but die and although it doesn't seem realistic in a life or death situation a second of hesitation or fear could lead to your demise." Leon explained as they neared the exit. 

"This can apply to any battle really, whether it be fighting with your buddies against another group of people or fighting alone. One second, one mistake, and your life could be decided once your opponent sees your hesitation and takes advantage of it." Leon side-eyed Gabe who gulped heavily. 

"Alright here we are, now lead the way." Leon motioned Gabe to go in front of him, jarring Gabe out of his deep thought. 

Realizing they weren't in the city, Gabe flinched though reprimanded himself immediately after seriously taking Leon's words into consideration. 

"Ah! Right, Flaaffy c'mon out." Gabe pulled out one of his pokeballs and threw it into the air as a bright light resounded in the area before forming into a pink fluffy pokemon. 

"Flaaffy!" Flaaffy cheered while dancing on the ground seemingly stretching her legs. 

"Flaa flaaffy! Flaffy flaff flaffy!" Flaffy went over to Leon and immediately started shaking his hand. 

"Uh, sure." Leon had a weird expression not knowing how he knew this Flaaffy was asking if Gabe and him were friends. 

"FLAAFFY!" Flaaffy exasperated, showing a shocked expression since her trainer didn't seem to have any friends before showing a happy smile. 

"I HAVE FRIENDS!" Gabe stomped his foot onto the ground, clearly upset at his pokemons mistaken thoughts. 

"Gabe, remember what I said?" Leon turned his head, making Gabe immediately cough. 

"Yes I'm sorry, I forgot." Gabe kicked himself after already forgetting Leon's lesson before trying to reconvene his calm attitude.

*Ahem*

"Alright Flaaffy, please stay next to Leon and protect him." Gabe calmed himself down as Flaaffy nodded. 

"Alright Magneton, electrode, c'mon out." Gabe directly threw out his remaining pokemon as they appeared in front of him. 

"Magneton." Magneton's robotic voice sounded out as he plainly gazed at Gabe awaiting his trainers orders. 

"ELECTRODE!" Electrode let out a loud cry showing a fierce bloodthirsty expression. 

"Stand by me and be ready to attack while we delve deep into the forest." Gabe ordered as they both nodded. 

"Magneton." 

"ELECTRODE!" 

"Hey Gabe." Leon suddenly sounded out, Gabe turned his head only to see Leon staring weirdly at his pokemon. 

"How can I understand what they're saying? When they're only saying their name?" Leon scratched his head since he didn't know how or why all of their words made sense to him when they only spoke their own name.

"Oh you don't know? Pokemon convey their meanings not through speech but through their energy since saying their own name has a sort of power to it that allows for people to understand them as well as other pokemon, but your question is strange." Gabe scratched his head since Leon's case was a little weird. 

"Fine I'll bite, why is it strange?" Leon, seeing Gabe not proceeding with his point, decided to outwardly ask. 

"Because only after catching a pokemon and establishing a blood bond through the pokeball do you really understand a pokemon's full meaning." Gabe then leaned in closer to Leon who pulled back a little. 

"I guess you have a unique talent or something related to it." Gabe shrugged since he wasn't here to pry into Leon's talent. 

'Talent?' Leon, completely misunderstanding Gabe's use for the word, didn't pry further and continued to follow him. 

"Then let's head off!" 

5 minutes later... 

"ELECTRODE! ELECTRODE! ELECTRODE! ELECTRODE! ELECTRODE!" Electrode manically laughed as he sent out burst after burst of thundershocks towards an already dead rattata.

"Electrode, stop! They're already dead!" Gabe's voice cracked with dismay as he watched the gruesome scene unfold before his eyes as his hand instinctively went to his forehead in distress. 

On the sidelines, Leon observed, a faint frown forming on his lips as the sight reflected within his blue eyes. 

Electrode, now smeared with blood and gore, paid no heed to Gabe's plea as with alarming speed, it rolled forward and collided with the nearby Rattata corpse, the impact producing a sickening splat. 

But even that wasn't enough for Electrode; it seemed intent on reducing its victim to a mere paste. 

"Flaaffy~" Flaffy sighed as if this wasn't a sudden problem but an ongoing one.

However Flaffy knew attempting to suppress Electrode's violent tendencies without Gabe's orders would only worsen its inferiority complex, leading to even bloodier interactions. 

Magneton, however, remained indifferent to Electrode's actions, faithfully following Gabe's commands while keeping a vigilant watch on their surroundings. 

"ELECTRODE!" Gabe's frustration was palpable as Electrode laughed maniacally, reveling in its grotesque display. 

"That's one sadistic Electrode." Leon remarked, a hint of intrigue coloring his tone. 

He couldn't help but be fascinated by the twisted nature of this Pokémon when the entirety of the game franchise centered around it being PG oriented which truly gave him his first glimpse into this bloody world to unfold. 

"I truly don't understand what happened. One day he was a cute little Voltorb, and now he's such a bloodthirsty Electrode."Gabe lamented, looking over to the side instinctively to seek guidance from Leon. 

"Not for free." Leon shrugged, catching Gabe's gaze only to deny it since there wasn't anything for him. 

"How much-" 

"Two Pokéballs." 

"No way!" 

"Fine, have it your way since as I see it now you'll slowly lose that cute little Electrode of yours." Leon, moving forward without a care only for Gabe to grab his shoulder, unwilling to let him go just yet. 

Leon shot Gabe a sidelong glance, observing as Gabe nervously nibbled on his lip. After a brief moment of hesitation, Gabe turned away, delving into his backpack. 

Within seconds, he emerged with two Pokéballs in hand.

"Here, now tell me what I should do." Gabe gave into Leon's words effortlessly, seemingly entranced by Leon's guidance. 

Each word from Leon seemed to strike a chord with Gabe, drawing him further under Leon's sway as this eagerness for guidance brought a satisfied internal smile to Leon.

"Discipline your pokemon Gabe." Leon finally conveyed his advice once the shrunken pokeballs reached into his palms.

"I-I've tried but Electrode never listens after that-"

"No Gabe, I mean show your pokemon who's in charge." Leon's gaze turned cold as he locked eyes with him.

"But were partners and I-"

"If your pokemon doesn't listen to you then your partnership doesn't matter." Leon remarked with a light shrug.

Though his gaze wasn't on Gabe but at the partner by his side, his words slowly leading Flaaffy forward.

Nodding as her expressions mirrored her trainer's indecisiveness but in a different way unlike Magneton, whose obedience was always unwavering.

"Now command both your Magneton and Flaaffy to beat up your electrode." Leon then bluntly ordered Gabe as the latter nervously rubbed his arm.

"That seems like a little-...…..a little too much." Gabe remained hesitant to discipline his Electrode, even as it persisted in its gruesome actions. 

Despite the Pokémon's disturbing behavior of literally crushing a Rattata into mush, Gabe couldn't shake the image of his once adorable Voltorb from his mind.

"Flaaffy!" Flaaffy, out of nowhere, finally letting out her inner grievances while stomping her foot into the ground.

The corners of Leon's mouth curled upward, a subtle smile playing at his lips before it was forced down. 

His focus wasn't on swaying the easily influenced Gabe, but rather on Flaffy since Leon recognized that to truly manipulate Gabe to his advantage, he needed to elevate Gabe's sense of self-importance, placing his presence and words on a pedestal. 

Yet, executing this strategy proved increasingly challenging since Gabe, at his core, seemed to be a hesitant and reserved individual, unwilling to express his thoughts even to those closest to him. 

This characteristic frustrated Leon further. However, amidst these obstacles, Leon discovered a potential advantage which was the bond between Gabe and his Pokémon. 

Initially taken aback by Electrode's brutal treatment of a deceased Rattata, Leon's surprise quickly shifted to observation. 

Despite the disturbing scene, Gabe's reaction was not one of revulsion or condemnation, but rather an eerie acceptance. 

It was in this moment that Leon truly grasped the depth of Gabe's attachment to his Pokémon. 

He initially believed he could exploit this bond to manipulate Gabe, viewing it as akin to the bond between a man and his loyal dog. 

Yet, upon continuous examination, Leon realized his assumption was flawed as he quickly understood that this connection transcended the typical "man's best friend" dynamic, Leon recognized a more effective approach. 

Instead of targeting Gabe directly, he would focus on manipulating his Pokémon, tapping into the profound bond between trainer and companion to better steer Gabe into his own desires.

"Flaaffy what do you mean-"

"Flaaffy! Flaa Flaaffy fla flaaffy ffy!" Flaaffy gritted her teeth in anger, raging towards her precious training as she let out all of her inner frustrations.

Leon's carefully sown seeds of animosity began to take root within the already unsettled Flaffy.

It became apparent to Flaffy that, despite any perceived inferiority complex Electrode may have harbored, the current situation could not possibly deteriorate any further.

"But Flaff-"

"Magneton." Magneton interrupted Gabe as its emotionless tone chimed from the side, greatly surprising Gabe since Magenton has always been neutral ever since the first day they met.

Gabe, confronted with relentless opposition from his peers, clenched his jaw, a familiar gesture of frustration. However, after a steadying breath, his gaze shifted, triggering a subtle widening of Leon's smile.

"It's going to cost you 3,000 pokedollars for a plan of action."

"..."

"1,500-"

"3,500" 

"ALRIGHT!"

2 minutes of explaining the plan later.

"Ele-Electrode." Gabe hesitantly spoke out to Electrode, who without hesitation, turned to see its trainer's inquiry.

"Stop messing around those harmless rattata and come back here." Gabe's tone turned earnest as he voiced his stance, simultaneously asserting himself both physically and metaphorically.

However, Electrode merely scoffed in response, proceeding to crush a nearby Rattata in the bush with a disdainful disregard.

"Electrode I'm serious-"

"ELECTRODE!" Electrode's battlecry overshined Gabe's orders as a light cry resounded from the bush indicating Electrode success in killing another weak rattata into mush, feeding into the already existing ecstasy of its actions.

"Flaaffy Iron tail, Megnanton gyro ball!" Gabe, seeing any more reasoning as useless, quickly commanded both of his pokemon to attack Electrode.

Electrode, perplexed by its trainer's words, pivoted in confusion, only to be met with a sudden burst of radiant light emanating from Flaffy's tail. 

With a swift and decisive motion, Flaffy unleashed the full extent of her pent-up frustration, channeling her anger into a powerful attack directed at the unruly Electrode.

*Bam*

The air crackled with a deafening impact as Electrode hurtled through the air like a fastball, colliding with the sturdy trunk of a towering oak tree. 

The force of the impact left a sizable dent in the once unyielding wood, with faint splinters scattering around Electrode's stunned form as it gradually rolled to the ground. 

Still reeling from the shock, Electrode glanced forward with a palpable sense of injustice, only to be met with another onslaught, this time from Magneton, who unleashed its finishing move, gyro ball, with decisive precision.

*BAM*

*CRACK*

The once sturdy tree, strained beyond its limits from continuously absorbing the force of the attacks, finally succumbed. 

A large seam split the massive oak down the middle, unable to withstand the relentless barrage as the gyro ball persisted, relentlessly drilling into Electrode's body and driving it deeper into the tree's base, tension mounted. 

*BOOM*

Then, with a deafening roar, the gyro ball exploded, unleashing a wave of force that shattered the once towering tree into thousands of splintered fragments, engulfing the area in a cloud of dust. 

As the dust settled and the view cleared, all that remained of the once imposing tree was a shattered stump, with Electrode lodged halfway into its splintered remains. 

Electrode, bearing the brunt of the two relentless attacks, suffered significant damage, depleting around 55% of its HP. 

Struggling to regain composure, Electrode weakly raised its gaze, only to find Gabe standing before it. 

Its expression betrayed a mix of confusion, betrayal, and seething anger, but before it could even consider retaliating against its trainer, Flaffy intervened, delivering a swift punch to Electrode's face from the side.

*TWACK*

*TWACK*

*TWACK*

Flaaffy punches persisted until Electrode's expression shifted from anger to pure fear, achieving her desired outcome and then was she satisfied before Flaffy ceased all of her actions. 

'I should get a Flaaffy later.' Leon watched with growing admiration as Flaffy demonstrated all the qualities he wanted in a Pokemon. 

He couldn't help but consider acquiring a Flaaffy of his own in the future. Initially indifferent to Flaaffy's cute presence, Leon's opinion changed as he witnessed her ruthless potential, believing that she was being underutilized by Gabe.

"Electrode." Gabe knelt beside the battered Electrode, his hand hesitantly reaching out to touch the worn surface of the Pokémon. 

As his fingers made contact with Electrode's ragged form, the Pokémon flinched instinctively, anticipating a blow from its trainer's touch.

"Do you remember-"

Leon idly kicked a few rocks to the side, showing his disinterest in the final phase of the plan.

Since had no desire to hear Gabe recount the story of how they met and caught the Pokémon, nor did he care for Gabe's impending emotional reflection on how he felt when Electrode neglected him.

"Elect electrode trode electrode." 

Tears welled up in Electrode's eyes as it was moved by Gabe's sincerity. Without hesitation, it leaped into Gabe's arms, seeking solace. 

Despite its attempts to appear strong, Electrode couldn't suppress its feelings of weakness, and in Gabe's embrace, it finally allowed itself to release its pent-up insecurities. 

Gabe, unfazed by the blood and debris that stained his clothes, patiently waited for Electrode to unburden itself, offering comfort and understanding throughout.

'Ugh, this is boring-' Leon wandered away from the heartfelt exchange before moving near an array of bushes.

"Sentret sen sen sent-"

"Teddiursa."

Suddenly, Leon's attention was piqued by a familiar cadence of speech, prompting him to swiftly turn his head toward a nearby bush. 

Driven by curiosity, he pushed aside the foliage until his gaze wasn't met by a sea of green, eventually landing on a Teddiursa with a distinct scar stretching from the bottom of its eye down to its neck. 

Teddiursa's expression was one of unamused disappointment as it voiced its dissatisfaction with each berry picked from a pile placed in front of him. 

In front of the disgruntled Teddiursa stood three trembling Sentrets, huddled together before a pile of lackluster berries. 

Each Sentret bore a look of fear, flinching at every movement made by the Teddiursa.

"Teddi? Teddiursa." Teddiursa let out a resigned sigh, its demeanor devoid of overt anger over the berry in his claws. 

However, its subsequent action spoke volumes as it hurled a berry at one of the helpless Sentrets. 

The berry exploded upon impact, releasing a thick, rotten stench that permeated the area, clearly indicating Teddiursa's displeasure with the berry's quality.

"Oh yeah." A sleazy smile encompassed Leon's face after feeling himself perfectly resonate with the pokemon in front of him.

'That's my guy.'

"Hey Teddiursa!" Leon didn't wait any longer and without hesitation, Leon sprang from the bush where he had been concealed. 

Instantly, Teddiursa tensed, its stance becoming defensive as it bared its teeth in readiness while showing an impromptu fighting stance.

"Hey hey hey, I'm unarmed." Leon held out his hands to try and ease Teddiursa.

"I just want to talk, is that alright with you?" Leon's cautious words seemed to only tighten Teddiursa's grip on its fist, prompting Leon to swiftly reassess his approach. 

With deliberate movements, he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, fully submitting himself to Teddiursa's scrutiny. 

Despite his apparent surrender, the unwavering smile on Leon's face remained intact, causing Teddiursa to squint suspiciously only to observe his sickly appearance before frowning.

"Teddi." Teddisursa slightly moved his head to the side, motioning to the sentrets to scram, which they immediately did.

Teddiursa approached Leon with deliberate steps, making no effort to conceal its presence. 

It was evident that Teddiursa remained unconvinced by Leon's demeanor, yet Leon maintained an air of serene composure, unfazed by the bear Pokémon's skepticism.

"Teddiursa!" Teddiursa suddenly let out a fierce battle cry, punctuating it with a swift punch. His paw surged forward with remarkable speed, aimed directly at his unmoving target, who maintained a confident smile. 

*Whoosh*

A gust of wind swept over Leon, tousling his hair as he turned to face the source as Teddiursa's paw hung mere inches from his face, the culprit behind the sudden burst of air.

"Teddi." Teddiursa nodded approvingly at Leon's reaction, proceeding to pat him down in a thorough examination. 

Afterward, he scoffed in disbelief as two Pokéballs materialized in his paws, his expression clearly conveying a sense of incredulity. 

"They're empty," Leon clarified, understanding Teddiursa's assumption. 

He gestured with two fingers, indicating for Teddiursa to open them as the lids popped open, revealing their hollow contents, Teddiursa's disappointment was palpable. 

Slightly frowning, Teddiursa tossed the empty Pokéballs back to Leon before turning away but despite his apparent dismissal, Teddiursa remained vigilant, never lowering his guard.

Taking his time, Teddiursa lazily walked over to the pile of pseudo-ripe berries and after selecting one, he tossed himself onto the smooth rock he had occupied earlier. 

*Munch* 

"Teddiursa." Teddiursa mumbled around a mouthful of blueberry, gesturing for Leon to begin as Teddiursa had decided to hear him out. 

"Teddiursa, I believe we share many similarities. So much so, that our future partnership as trainer and Pokémon will be seamless." Leon stated confidently, his smile implying that the decision was already made. 

Teddiursa responded with an eye roll, clearly unimpressed but a little amused.

Teddiursa lazily adjusted to a more comfortable position on the rock, taking another bite of the blueberry as if to indicate that he had no intention of leaving his perch.

"I understand your thought process right now which is along the lines of 'What is this kid saying' or 'Why am I even listening to him when I could be sleeping right now'" Leon eloquently read Teddiursa movements and desires causing the increasingly bored Teddiursa to suddenly become a little more curious.

"I also see you have a pretty good operation going for you here." Leon's words gestured to the berries located next to Teddiursa who nodded.

As Teddiursa nodded in acknowledgment, Leon began to leisurely pace around the small area, seemingly exploring its hidden corners. 

However, beneath this casual facade, his eyes were busy scanning the environment, analyzing the surroundings that Teddiursa had chosen for itself.

"You probably use all your time to train or sleep here, right? But going out everyday to fill your continuously growing belly is such a hassle, so instead you have those weaker pokemon, get you your food to save time, correct?" Leon had already observed this area as a sort of training ground since the underlying tones of scratches as well as the dents covering the trees really gave it away.

"Teddiursa." Teddiursa, who finished his oran berry, motioned his paw to tell Leon to hurry up since he didn't have all day.

"But even with all of this, a single question remains. Is this all you want?" Leon manurved his body language to show his full attention was now on Teddiursa.

"I mean, are you satisfied with only becoming an Ursering and eventually ruling the forest?" Leon tried to appease his words to his guess of Teddiursa future goals before spreading his arms out wide, motioning to his surroundings.

Teddiursa didn't react much to Leon's words and only grabbed another blue berry while showing a lazy expression, however inside Teddiursa was now intently listening to Leon.

"I know you want more, I do as well. But even though at this very moment I might not be able to give you everything you deserve but-"

"Leon?" Gabe interrupted Leon's conclusion while pushing away the bushes located behind Leon prompting Teddiursa to grit its teeth while throwing the berry to the ground.

'F*ck.' Leon, seeing that the situation was about to turn sour, suddenly had a light bulb go off above his head at how to reel this delinquent in.

By acting like one himself.

"Teddiursa, he's like senteret!" Leon stretched his arm out, but he hesitated, unwilling to risk shattering the trust he had painstakingly constructed over bad timing. 

Teddiursa's ears perked up at Leon's words, freezing in place with narrowed eyes as his body language demanded proof, prompting Leon to quickly nod in response.

"Gabe sit."

"Wha-"

"SIT!" Leon's booming command unleashed an overwhelming aura of menace, sending a shiver down Gabe's spine. 

Almost instantly, Gabe felt the full weight of Leon's imposing presence, causing his knees to buckle uncontrollably until he collapsed to the ground. 

Cold sweat formed on Gabe's back as he struggled to comprehend why Leon was acting this way. 

Despite his confusion, Gabe dared not challenge Leon, as the image he had constructed of him loomed large in his mind, commanding both respect and fear from their brief interactions.

Behind Flaffy and Magneton hesitated, torn between their instinct to aid their trainer and the overwhelming pressure emanating from Leon. 

Each Pokémon remained frozen, their thoughts of assistance stifled by the sheer surprise of Leon's imposing presence.

"Shake." Leon didn't explain his attitude in the least towards Gabe, but instead held out his hand motioning Gabe to grab it, which he did.

*PFFFT*

Teddiursa plopped down onto his bottom, clutching his stomach as laughter bubbled forth, thoroughly entertained by the spectacle unfolding before him. 

Teddiursa couldn't help but find amusement in witnessing a young human child seemingly bullying an adolescent teenager, especially considering the presence of two Pokémon by the child's side, which only added to the absurdity of the situation.

"Teddi! Teddiursa!" Teddiursa pointed and laughed at Gabe who shrunk his neck at the insults of being called pathetic and weak.

"Teddiursa, do you understand what I mean now?"Leon reverted to his initial demeanor, his expression softening into a gentle smile accompanied by an air of tranquility, mirroring their first interaction.

"Ursa." Teddiursa nodded his head while jumping off the rock.

In truth, Teddiursa had started stalling in his growth and after not being able to push himself further.

Growing bored of life in the forest, Teddiursa eagerly awaited the arrival of a formidable trainer to help propel him forward. 

However, every prospective trainer Teddiursa encountered seemed lacking in determination for his liking. 

Yet, witnessing this seemingly weak child effortlessly bring a trainer to his knees with nothing but a mere display of murderous intent piqued Teddiursa's curiosity even further. 

Teddiursa was never one to rely on logic; instead, he trusted his instincts in situations like these. And in this moment, his gut told him one thing.

"Teddiursa." Teddiursa continued to chuckle at the spectacle, gradually moving closer. 

Leon, initially worried he had approached Teddiursa incorrectly, breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Teddiursa tap one of the Pokéballs in his hand before being drawn into it with a swift motion. 

*Click*

The Pokéball didn't even twitch, emitting a satisfying clicking noise as it sealed Teddiursa inside.

Moments later, Teddiursa burst out of the Pokéball, reappearing beside Leon and extending his paw.

"Teddiursa." Teddiursa smiled.

"Leon, I look forward to our long lasting partnership."