Just as Zan went to nibble on the last bit of her snack, an Abra was suddenly there and eating it for her. She blinked at the sudden appearance of the psychic type and then she let out a snort of a growl, Leering at the Abra before giving her a Scratch across her face.

The moment she felt the scratch across her face the Abra called out and teleported behind the Zangoose, nibbling another part of the snack. Zan flipped around and tried to Scratch at the pest once again, but the Abra simply teleported away. Geering herself up, Zan got on all fours and growled, hair bristling as she perked up her ears. The moment she heard where the Abra had appeared she was using a Quick Attack. The second their bodies connected, Zan landed and puffed air at the fainted Abra through her nose.

Leon had witnessed the whole thing and smiled at the cheery smile. There was something about watching Zan take care of herself that relaxed Leon. "You know," Leon started with a brow raised. "You didn't have to knock her out." He let the small chuckle leave him before getting up and wiping off his hands on his pants. "She was just hungry."

Zan snorted once more over the Abra's form before following behind Leon closely. She was on high alert now, looking around at the rest of the ruins curiously. Leon didn't feel too terrible about leaving the Abra an unconscious mess on the floor. Why? Because he'd definitely left some snacks down for the Abra to eat when they woke up. Obviously, the poor thing was just hungry.

Without much hesitation, Leon was already making his way out of the cave. "Strange things, these glyphs," Leon mumbled to himself as Zan watched his fingers and moved to look them over with her Trainer. "I dunno. Just makes me wonder what they say." He glanced down at Zan. "Not that I suddenly have an inkling for history, mind you." The Zangoose snorted like she believed that would never happen.

"As long as we're on the same page," Leon admitted, looking at the Zangoose by his side. He smiled tenderly at her. She was so cute sometimes, but so angry others. It was interesting and Leon definitely figured she was bipolar... oh, but it suited her.

"Zan," her trainer's words were acknowledged with nothing but a twitch of her ears in his direction. "You're a cutie."

Almost like a reaction she just couldn't control, Zan's whole body bristled and shivered. Zan was not used to the consideration that her trainer gave her. She was used to running wild, having to fight to survive, never making many friends because she was territorial. But this trainer of hers? He'd already bathed her and put up with her thinking he was trying to drown her, even had a few nicks here and there on his skin to prove his noble efforts. Reasons like those made Zan recognize that this trainer was different. Not only different but worth her protection. He was kind, he was thoughtful, he went out of his way to make sure she had what she needed, that she was feeling alright. He was a little bit of a dunce, but she could accept that most humans were like that. And at times, she had learned that Leon was a dunce on purpose to better escape a situation he felt unworthy of even being in.

These recognitions left Zan with no choice but to appreciate the fact that he was her trainer. Sure, she hadn't been open to the idea of being caught, to begin with. But Zan knew how to accept defeat and the consequences that followed it. Though she did want another shot at that damned Marshtomp...

"Zan?" Leon bent down and moved his fingers through her white and fuchsia fur in all the right ways, which had her slowly letting out an accepting purr. "You alright? Pretty sure you just honed your claws and got really ten-"

Leon's words were interrupted by a shaking in the ground. Something nearby had just used a magnitude, which caused Leon to lose his standing and Zan to move out of the way so that Leon's face could hit the ground and he wouldn't land on her.

Zan's ears perked up and she moved in front of the recovering blonde as he cursed everything he could think of. The shaking stopped Zan's ears twitched as she tried to pick up on what was near her.

As expected the trainer's recovery left him a cursing mess. He looked up to see a Geodude hanging to the ceiling. "Above us, Zan!"

Just as his words left his mouth the Geodude descended, but Zan was too fast. She easily jumped back out of his way and honed her claws for a second time, hair bristling as she quickly faded from sight to ram into the Geodude. He used the momentum to tuck his hands in and began rolling toward the Zangoose. She easily moved out of his way and let him hit a glyph covered wall.

Leon scurried up to his feet and watched as the Geodude and his Zangoose went head to head. Knowing the normal type wouldn't be very effective, he tossed out Taft. "Here's backup!"

Taft landed beside Zangoose, who quickly clicked her claws together and nudged Taft. He tensed his body before they both faded from sight. Their bodies crisscrossed as they approached the Geodude. To try and discourage their assault, he used a magnitude on the ground once more.

Leon gripped a wall as he watched as both of his pokemon jumped into the air. As Zan landed, the Geodude dodged the scratch, but Taft was able to bite down on one of his arms. Zan turned and used yet another scratch at that moment, Taft's glowing fangs releasing the Geodude from their clutch. He tucked his arms in for another roll, managing to hit Taft and but Zan dodged and he rammed into another wall. His hands uncurled as he turned to face his opponents who were already closing in. Yet another bite for Taft and Zan came down with yet another scratch.

Leon made his way over to the both of them and scooped both up into his arms. Zan grunted and Taft rejoiced. "Great job!" He looked down at the unconscious Geodude. "What a troublemaker. And in such a peaceful place."

Zan snorted while Taft licked at Leon's face. Zan's version of saying it served the Geodude right for messing up so many of the beautiful walls around them.

As the three pressed forward, Leon lifted his hands above his head and yawned. "If I'm being honest you two, I could use a bath. A long, warm, completely relaxing, bath." He glanced down and Taft excitedly spun in a circle, but Zan simply huffed through her nose. She wasn't nearly as excited for baths as Taft was, but she seemed eager enough.

The ruins began rumbling around the three. Something like rocks grinding together alerted Leon to the sound he was familiar with inside a cave, an Onix. His eyes lit up as he saw the giant rock snake of a Pokemon slither through. Taft's fur bristled, Leon's eyebrows furrowed and he stood his ground, while Zan was already sharpening her claws with HONE CLAWS.

"W...Well," Leon groaned. "As thoughtful as that is, Zan," He could hear the grinding of her claws. "Taft's still going to do more damage, just like before. Maybe you could distract the thing?"

Taft gave a confident cry as he started for the side of the Onix, but Zan moved in front of the large creature. The rocks of his body began shining in an attempt to HARDEN himself to the attacks of this puny little Zangoose- compared to his massive stature, she was puny. But Zan simply LEERed at the Onix, clawing at the ground in an attempt to get his attention.

As Zan distracted the Onix, Taft jumped from rock to rock. The Onix's second HARDEN was negated yet again with a LEER from Zan, which gave Taft Just enough time to find a sweet spot and BITE down on it. The Onix cried out, writhing in pain. It's RAGE caused it to lash out, hitting the Zangoose.

Leon covered his face with one hand, arm up near his eyes, watching the battle. "Great job! You're doing wonderful, the both of you!"

With the cheer on the sidelines, Zan got back to her feet and used yet another LEER. Why? Because it was the only help she could offer Taft. The giant rock type didn't stop, hammering himself into the Zangoose yet again because of his RAGE and short temper. As he reared up, Taft could see yet another weak point within the rocks and he closed his teeth in on it, BITEing down on it. Hearing the Onix cry out and shake its body, it groaned and recoiled.

Taft left the body of the Onix, Zan backing away from his giant frame which was slinking away in annoyance. As his body cleared, the ruin's exit became revealed and Leon let out a grateful sigh.

"Listen," he picked the both of them up, one in each of his arms. "I think at least one of you are going to have to learn some water or steel moves before we venture out here again."