"Not at all, go for it." Mel grinned. "Don't be surprised if you catch Ithica drooling over one or two of them, she does that sometimes."

"A lot of people do," Steven said, grinning a bit. "Lucky for me, I only bring along a few when I'm not on League business." Taking the pokeballs off of his belt, he stepped back and released a Lairon, a Metagross, and a Piplup.

Swablu chirrped in surprise at the big pokemon, and fluttered over to Mel. Larvesta didn't mind them much, and stayed near the fire.

Mel grinned a bit and patted Swablu. "Easy, sweetie," she murmured. "Go say hi. Go on." She gave the pokemon a gentle nudge in the right direction, grinning.

Swablu chirped and cautiously fluttered over to Piplup. The little one was the least intimidating.

Meanwhile, Ithica had turned her attention back when she realized Steven had let his pokemon out, and she was looking at the Metagross with slight heart-eyes.

Mel snickered. Yup, she'd been waiting for that.

"Maybe if you ask really nicely he'll tell you where he found that one," she teased Ithica, making a motion at Metagross.

Piplup blinked at Swablu but chirped a polite greeting.

Zorua and Feebas didn't seem to mind, but Dratini huffed and splashed some water on Ithica, who jumped and yelped.

"What was that for?" she asked the dragon.

Swablu chirped in return, settling down there.

Dratini huffed at her again and moved over to settle in her lap, rather pointedly. Clearly the dragon did not approve of her ogling other pokemon. Mel had trouble stifling her laughter at that.

"Honestly, sweetie..." Ithica sighed. She scritched Dratini's head a little but didn't try to move the little dragon.

"A little possessive, I take it?" Steven commented.

"Just a tad," Mel agreed with a grin. "But oddly selectively possessive, too. Never got like that when Ithica adopted Zorua."

"Wild pokemon are less of a threat, I suppose," Steven said as he examined Metagross for rust.

"Maybe." Mel shrugged. She grinned when Swablu settled in with Piplup, which was both adorable and unusual. Swablu hadn't taken to cuddling the other pokemon.

Steven smiled as well.

"Piplup likes to snuggle," he commented. "She's still young."

Mel grinned a bit. "Swablu likes cuddles, but normally she likes human cuddles. She also likes to pretend she's a hat."

Steven chuckled.

"Many Swablu do that," he said. "At least, from what Winona has told me."

"I've read something about that too," Mel said with a long-suffering sigh, though she was trying hard not to smile. "Good thing she's cute."

"She'll be formidable after some training," Steven added. He glanced at Larvesta. "That one, too. Volcarona are a force to be reckoned with."

"Oh I know." Mel grinned. "You should see Larvesta in a snit. Bloody terrifying, that one." But her tone was entirely fond as she reached over to scratch her first pokemon.

Steven snickered.

"I'm sure," he said. "Fire-types are like that."

Mel grinned. "And I want all of them," she said, only somewhat joking. "Well, okay, maybe not all of them."

"All of them would be a lot," Steven said, grinning. "Though I kind of know how you feel, I may change things up with ground and rock types occasionally, but I do still favor steel."

Mel nodded. "Yeah. Steel just isn't as common as fire, though. Probably fortunately for you." She grinned a bit.

Steven laughed a little.

"No kidding," he said. "Though I've met Skarmories that could give Charmeleons a run for their money in temperament."

Mel snickered. "Oh I bet. That's got to be both entertaining and a little terrifying."

Steven laughed a little.

"You want terrifying, watch a Skarmory mating display," he said. "It's pretty much just flying knives."

Mel actually cackled a little at that, because that just sounded fabulous and terrifying at the same time. "Now that I would like to see sometime."