Maeve watched with wide eyes.

"Wow," she said. "I've never seen a Metagross in person before." She grinned. "It's fantastic."

Tony grinned. "Well, come closer and say hi," he said, patting Metagross, who rumbled again.

Maeve and Gardevoir both moved a bit closer.

"Oh wow," Maeve murmured. Gardevoir looked equally as amazed, further proof that pokemon and trainer had developed the emotional bond that was said to happen with the Ralts line.

Tony grinned when he noticed the looks. Metagross rumbled a bit and looked at both of them before stretching a bit again and then making a complaining rumbling sound at Tony.

"Yeah, yeah, I promised you a full scrub today didn't I?" Tony just shook his head.

Maeve blinked.

"A scrub?" she asked, looking at Tony.

"Yeah, he needs one. I'm pretty sure Dummy got some oil on him, and probably some fire extinguisher fluid last time, and he hasn't been scrubbed down really well in a while." Tony shrugged. "I'll show you if you want."

"Sure," Maeve said, grinning. She moved a bit closer.

Metagross just settled in there as Lucario brought out the cleaning kit, lounging around to watch Tony work. Tony pulled out some steel wool and started in on a joint, making Metagross rumble appreciatively and settle.

Maeve did the same, grabbing a stiff-bristled brush and scrubbing at some scuffs and dings.

Tony grinned when Metagross rumbled his appreciation of that, not even complaining that someone new was touching him.

"Get the joints too, that's his favorite part."

"Alright," Maeve said. She worked her way to the joints, making sure to scrub them out well.

Metagross moved to make it easier for them, and lifted himself up when Tony climbed under him to get his underside, looking rather like a demented monkey.

Maeve paused when she noticed Tony hanging upside-down under Metagross.

"You look like some weirdo Mankey," she teased.

Tony snorted. "It's the easiest way to do this," he said. "I tried on a board once, like the ones I use under my car, but he didn't like it. So now we do this." Tony clung with one hand, using the other to scrub.

"Whatever works, I guess," Maeve said as she climbed down onto another leg to keep scrubbing.

Tony scrubbed away easily, occasionally thumping or tapping the pokemon, who didn't seem to mind. It was practically routine for them by now, after all.

Maeve worked her way through all of the top joints and then went to scrub up on top of the pokemon's head.

"The only pokemon I can imagine this would be worse on would be Steelix," she commented. "Because Steelix are huge."

"Yeah. I think Steelix mostly take care of themselves, but for trouble spots." Tony shrugged. "Kind of like Gyarados, you only have to help them out, not clean them entirely."

"Interesting," Maeve said. "I know Gyarados can take care of themselves, since they shed their plates every season, but I didn't think Steelix could do the same."

"I'm pretty sure Onix and Steelix both take care of themselves. Otherwise how would they last on their own?" Tony shrugged, checking Metagross over one last time before patting him again. "All done, buddy. Now don't go down to the shore like last time."

Maeve climbed down once Metagross was done.

"I think Onix and Steelix get Geodudes or something to help them," she commented. "Like Gyarados do with Magikarp."

"Possible." Tony shrugged. "Obviously it gets done somehow." He patted Metagross again. "Well, you've got the rest of the day now, and lunch will be here in half an hour."

"I should probably go and see what kind of trouble Chandelure let Rotom get them into," Maeve said. She grinned. "Rotom is a bad influence."

"I know." Tony grinned. "Lucario is the only responsible one in my group."

Maeve grinned.

"Sounds like Lucario and Gardevoir would get along," she said. "Gardevoir pretty much takes care of Chandelure and I."