Author note: Sorry for the incredibly long wait! I finally got my passion back after re-reading my stories and saw that despite how old my story is people still read it! I am grateful and sorry for all the long wait! I hope you enjoy the update of my stories after such a long absence!

Flames of Devotion Chapter 13:

Lumiouse City: Hotel Richissime/

Tired…. That's the only thing Leonnn can say right now. The first 6 rooms were fine, besides the first room that smelled like cigars made with Grimer essence, some ruffled sheets, restocking of candy, soaps, and shampoos, wiping some stains off the floor from some coffee or soda. Not that big of a problem, the rooms after that were trouble makers though. Room 30 was bad, apparently it was a trainer who had trouble making fire pokemon since some of the curtains were burned along with the bed frame. Leonnn took a couple notes to get the curtains replaced along with the bed, with a bill to the trainer of course for the expenditure to replace them.

Leonn was working as fast as he could physically handle, ignoring the throbbing pain from his hands, head, and aching body. Replacing the sheets, stocking on the refreshments and snacks, ensuring that the room doesn't have any lingering unpleasant aromas from the last tenant.

"Urghh!... Come on Leon you can do this. It's nothing too bad so far. You can handle things like this. Just do it quickly and efficiently, use your non injured hand the most, and less on the injured one."

*clack* *clack* *clack* *vvvrrrrooommmm*

"Hu hu hu… Just how many rooms do I have to clean you useless sack of potatoes?"

It was just…. Tiring….. The exhaustion from the events popping up one after another has mentally exhausted Leon and the pain from the stitches and injuries wasn't helping out one bit.

The other rooms weren't that bad but when it hit room 37 it wasn't bad, it was demolished! As it seemed like a stampede of Tauros passed by.

The room not only was scattered with stuffings from a torn mattress but glass was spread from some broken vases with flowers. Those were easily solvable. The problem lies in the fact that a 24 inch tv was lying on the floor with glass shattered across the carpet floor.

Leon just dropped his equipment in shock.

Just staring at the room alone sent his mind in a race as he only had so much time per room and with the spartan boss being as he is, no way will he get any help from him, and his other workers are already assigned rooms of their own.

"You can't be serious right now…. Why now….."

More urgently however was the TV. It was 24 inches and should weigh quite a bit.

Touching his right shoulder and feeling the stitches rub on his skin he felt chills at the odd sensation. The doctor advised him from lifting any heavy objects to allow the stitch to heal, but his payroll, his debt, and both his and Calista's living condition relied on this job.

"...*Gulp*..."*gripping shoulder* "Come on you're doing this for both you and Calista… A small sacrifice to pay."

Staring at the room, he took a large deep breath, holding it for a couple seconds, released, and tried to psyche himself up. Moving as fast as possible he swiftly cleaned up everything that could be perceived as dangerous. Starting from the stuffing, and large vase pieces to prevent it from jamming the vacuum, picking up the flowers and other ornaments that have been damaged, to using said vacuum to clean up the glass surrounding the TV. The mattress has to be left as is as it will jam not only the hallway but cause inconvenience to the other residents, and staff in the building needing to use that hall.

That can be left to the lazy ass boss, as his job was to make certain that all rooms were well equipped for guests to stay over. If he fails at that, even he can't escape the repercussions that will come from the damaged reputation of the hotel from the owner.

"Hmph, at least the one good thing would be making that guy work for once. Though can't be said about that though."

The same can't be said about the TV however as the carpet must be removed of all potential TV is large and heavy but the staff was left with ensuring that the removal process of it should be as safe as possible as such removing all hazards for the other staff to remove it and replace it. If even a tiny fragment the size of sand was left behind his boss would have his paycheck rolling through the shredder.

He stared at the TV and then checked the time. He will clock in 10 minutes at this rate and that is gonna make him late to meet with Max. He can't let that happen, as it seems Max has something to say to him. Leon doesn't know for what reason as it could be a multitude of reasons from lack of response from the front desk, from that lazy boss, or something that he may have missed from his clean up.

That room was quite filthy before so he could have missed a spot or two.

Though that thought was chucked out as the main problem lies in the very large, and very HEAVY TV that is lying on the floor with more glass beneath it.

Leon braced himself, clenching his hands and preparing to move said TV. He heads to his cart and removes gloves from a compartment in the cart, along with 2 towels to ensure the glass doesn't pierce through the gloves. He doesn't need a glass cut on top of stitches as well.

He holds his breath and prepares his shoulder for the intense pain to come. He moves the towels under the tv and lifts it up on it's side. It sent a dull pain but tolerable for the most part.

Now came the part where he would slide it away to the wall but the glass could roll under the tv and sink into the carpet which is something he doesn't want.

With no choice Leon braces his back, legs, and shoulder to lift the TV a tiny bit to drag it across the carpet floor.

"Okay just a little bit, just a couple seconds, that's all it's gonna take. Here we go!"

With no choice Leon braces his back, legs, and shoulder to lift the TV a tiny bit to drag it across the carpet floor.

The heavy TV weighing down on his shoulder and the stitching feeling likes it's coming undone, the searing pain of his skin tearing itself from the seam was near unbearable!

"***********! UUUUUMMMMM!"

Near that is. Leon dealt with the pain and moved the TV across the room and placed it against the wall to be removed by the other staff later.

After dropping the TV Leon was breathing heavily and sweating heavily from the pain coming from his shoulder stitches and the throbbing from his hand.

"AAAHHHH! That was just a couple seconds! It felt like eternity!" Leon in his mind complaining from the pain.

Leon took a couple breaths as he knew he didn't have much time. He immediately placed his hand on his shoulder to check his stitches.

*slide* "Huh at least it didn't come undone." Feeling his shoulder he felt the stitches were still in place and didn't come loose. That was a plus but the pain wasn't worth it.

"Let's not do that again, hopefully the other rooms aren't this horrible."

He immediately started to vacuum the glass from the TV and ensured that no pieces were left behind by placing his glove protected hands and sweeping the carpet in case of small jagged pieces that were missed.

Feeling nothing he was satisfied and immediately started to deodorize the room before stepping out and moving to the next room.

Leon continued to work until during the middle of cleaning room 40 when he suddenly felt his shoulder throbbing in pain.

"URGH!? Oh come on not now!"

Checking his shoulder he moved his clothes to check and found that the stitches were still in place but the flesh around it throbbed quite a bit, and the bandage seemed to have dampened a bit.

Thankfully it wasn't blood but some fluids. Seems like the TV lifting was catching up.

"Hopefully the boss isn't so spartan that he can't even let me have a day or 2 to recover from this…...Right…"

Thinking of the scenario with the current image of his boss.

"... Nope likely not." Leon said dejectedly as he just can't imagine it happening.

Leon just bared the pain and continued to clean up the room to ensure that he had done his job. After finishing up he checked up the time.

7:54 PM

"!"

Leon saw the time and immediately started moving his legs and his cart to take them to a storage room. Ignoring the pain suddenly throbbing in his head, and shoulder, he immediately hurried to the storage room and used the staff phone in there to call up the front desk.

It rang for a couple seconds before it was picked up and a very courteous voice came through.

"Hello this is the Hotel Richissime front desk. May I have the pleasure of knowing who is calling?"

The voice sent chills up Leon's spine as it was so foreign to him hearing that tone from this man. Nevertheless he immediately replied.

"This is Leon speaking boss, I have an urgent request that must be addressed on Room 37."

Immediately after knowing who it was the boss just dropped his tone and just went back to being indifferent.

"Oh it's you. What do you want, you better understand that you better be at the room for our important guest, we can't have him waiting because of you being unable to clean a couple rooms."

"COUPLE ROOMS MY ASS!" Leonn screamed in his head, knowing he can't say that to him he just replied.

"I am very aware of our most important clientele and will immediately arrive at his room. I do require Room 37 to be immediately closed and have some staff use their pokemon to remove the mattress and a large TV as the last tenant seemed to have left quite a mess.

The boss after hearing the mattress and TV said something that really pushed Leon's button.

"A mattress will definitely be a problem to move through the hall with your skinny arms but you can't even carry a simple TV to the dump site. You can handle that one on your own."

"URGH!?" Leon was just pissed and felt his head throb even more. Just talking with this unreasonable man was giving him a headache. He just immediately stated his reason.

"The TV was left as is as the screen glass was shattered, I'm certain you are not asking a staff to, knowingly, carry a hazardous TV through the halls of the hotel and endanger not only the staff but the guests as well."

The silence on the other line was empty but Leon knew that the boss wasn't one to take risks especially when it came to the reputation of the hotel and guests.

Then the line spoke "... Fine, I'll send a staff and his machamps to clean up your mess. You better be grateful for that. Now hurry up to our guests room. Don't you dare keep him waiting."

Leon just rolled his eyes at that statement "I am so thankful boss, I will immediately head to our most exalted guests room now." speaking with complete sarcasm at the thankful part but returned to his normal speech in regards to the guest.

Boss wasn't finished after hearing that though."You better keep that sass in check you little brat. Remember who puts those numbers on your paychecks, keep that attitude up and we will be having a new staff by next week."

Leon just shut his tongue up as he needs this stupid job, even with it's horrid work condition. "I will keep that in mind sir. I will be heading towards our important guest room now."

"Hurry up then." *click* The line on the other side closed which led to Leon hanging the phone up as well.

"DAMN THAT STUPID OLD FART! I'M QUESTIONING HOW HE POSSIBLY BECAME THE MANAGER FOR THIS PLACE WITH THAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS STAFF!"

Leon was exhausted, stressed, and in increible pain but he had to push on for both his and Calista's sake.

Checking the time it reveals it was 7:57 PM

"Damn it! Just talking with him takes so long, I have to hurry!"

Leon after seeing the clock immediately headed to the staircase. With how long it would take for an elevator to come to his floor he had no time as such immediately started sprinting through the stairs to reach the room before it was past time!

"I'm gonna make it! I'm gonna make it!" Sprinting along the stairs he was happy to see no one on the staircase which is much easier for him to deal with. The pain throbbing through his body was becoming more painful but he ignored it the best he could to ensure that he made it on time.

With just a couple seconds to spare he arrives at 7:59 PM at room 463.

He takes this chance to calm his breathing and wipe any sweat from his face. He calmed down and started to think of the reason as to why Max called him up. Hoping that it wasn't anything too serious Leon controlled his mind as he then knocked on the door.

"Hello this is Leon, I was told that Mr. Max would like to speak with me."

Leon waited with baited breath as he was becoming more and more nervous, wiping the sweat from his face a bit before the door slowly started to open up.

Chapter 13 End

Author note: Well hope that you all enjoyed the chapter! I'll do my best to finish the stories that are on the backlog right now but I can't make any promises. I'll just do the best I can. Enjoy!