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Golden Scales

My head throbbed in pain, reminding me that I was still among the living. For how long was up to Arceus nowadays. It certainly felt like more than a few things wanted me dead. Why was a really good question. Was it some kind of curse? Highly doubted that. Accidents were happening to me long before I left home.

I opened my eyes slowly, wincing at the bright fluorescent lighting above shining down on me. My right hand went up to shield some of the light from my eyes. Soon after, something larger than my hand entered my vision. Song's face was instantly recognizable, her hand moving my own to my side. She smiled down at me, before pressing her lips against mine gently. Her hands held the sides of my face, as if preventing me from escaping her grasp.

It would be extremely hard to get away from her in my current position. I saw no immediate need to correct her. However, my body was reacting rather strongly to the stimuli, and Song's smile was easy to feel as her lips pressed against mine.

Either way she pulled away from me. Her smile didn't disappear either. I was glad to see her well, at the very least. She passed her fingers through my hair before chuckling softly.

"You need a shower." she said softly.

"You kiss me, get me all bothered, and now you complain about me being dirty?" I asked.

"Yep."

"You play dirty, Song."

"And you love me just the same." she whispered into my ear. It was enough to send shivers down my spine.

She continued to smile at me, leaning down to give me another kiss. This one was a bit more passionate, but she pulled away from me too quickly for my taste.

"I'm pretty sure that Nurse Joy wants you to be resting and avoiding unnecessary exercises." Song scolded me.

I frowned. "Then why are you teasing me like this then?"

"Because I want you to be ready when we can get rowdy."

I was about to say something when the door opened, revealing Nurse Joy. She sighed loudly, closing the door behind her as she entered.

"I understand that you want to be close to your trainer, but if you're going to make him uncomfortable or bothered in any way, I'm going to ask you to leave." Nurse Joy said to Song. The Gardevoir didn't like that one bit, and the dislike was obvious on her face. She did stop with the teasing and just sat next to me on the bed.

"Now, if I can have your full attention." Nurse Joy said. "Mr. Elazar, you didn't show any signs or symptoms of any lasting physical trauma. I imagine the bed rest did some good to you, but I will keep you here until I am satisfied with your progress. And no, you will not leave any sooner."

"The thought never crossed my mind, Nurse Joy." I said.

She stared at me, then at Song. "See that he doesn't." Nurse Joy said to my Gardevoir. "And do not encourage a physical response from him. He needs to rest as much as possible."

Song nodded solemnly this time. Nurse Joy looked satisfied with the response. A nagging thought came to mind.

"Nurse Joy, what about my other Pokémon?" I asked, slowly sitting up. "Is everyone alright?"

Her eyes pierced the air between us sharply as she helped me to a sitting position. "You're extremely lucky that my sister vouches for you." she snarled. "I almost reported you to the local authorities for training your Pokémon too hard. Which begs the question as to HOW this all happened."

I swallowed, an audible gulping sound echoing in the silent room. Settling on telling the truth, I sighed. "Cresselia attacked us after we left the Cerulean Cave."

"Tauros shit." she deadpanned. "The truth, right now."

"That is the truth, Nurse Joy." I said. Feeling cheated about that, I continued. "It's not fair for either myself, or my Pokémon that can testify for me as well."

She looked at me again, before shaking her head. "I'll have to get confirmation through more secure officials than just my sister on this. And no, I'm not going to go to your Ranger friend, either."

"You still haven't answered my question. Are my friends alright?"

Nurse Joy remained silent, before sighing and shaking her head. "As far as I can tell, while keeping my best eyes on your Pokémon, they all seem fine to certain extents. Deoxys... Iolanthe managed to regenerate her lost limbs with little supervision. Your Gardevoir here had a relatively minor eye injury, which should heal in the next day or two. Your Luxray had minor burns and a severe lack of electrical energy. Never seen an electric Pokémon lose so much of their electricity to be at those levels.

"The Mismagius is the healthiest of the whole lot. No actual harm could be detected when we examined her, though we insist that we put her through the healing process just in case. The Houndoom is the worst off, with several cracks along her horns. We're positive we can save at least one, but she may lose half of her right horn. Your Flygon had some tearing on her left wing and pulled muscles throughout her entire back. She is currently in stable condition, after heavy sedation. The Milotic has a severe case of hemophobia, as some of the scales were causing unneeded discomfort to her and were bleeding. Not a pretty picture overall. She is fine now, after having been put to sleep with enough dosage to calm a raging Charizard."

She looked pensive for a moment before shrugging. "The Lucario and Weavile seem to be in pretty good shape. While the Lucario has allowed us inspect her without issues, your Weavile is extremely uncooperative. The Lucario suffered a minor fracture on her right arm, while your Weavile is more physically active than any other patient. This is, of course, considering that she had a minor concussion."

I sighed, but nodded. "Thank you Nurse Joy, for the update. I know Aurora can be a pain. If possible, could I see her? I might be able to calm her down."

"I'll see what I can do to bring her here." she said sternly. "I don't need you moving around. We've diagnose that you had fluid inside your left lung, in addition to the minor fractures on both of your legs. My highest suggestion is that you do not put any more pressure on your body, and that means from her, too."

Song nodded, her single visible eye going wide in shock. She shook her head, and almost began to say something when I gently pressed a finger against her lips.

Nurse Joy looked at me suspiciously for a moment before shrugging once more. "If there aren't any more pressing questions, I have to make my rounds. I have to make sure that your Milotic isn't giving herself more injuries if she's awake."

Without waiting for a response, she left me and Song alone in the room once more. Song shook her head and began to repeatedly say things along the lines of 'I'm sorry' and 'Please forgive me'. I tried to stop her, but it only made it worse. I managed to control her slightly by pulling her down to my level and holding her tightly. She struggled, but didn't fight too much against me. Song slowly calmed down, her shaking body slowly calming down.

"Are you done now?" I asked gently, stroking her head slowly.

She sniffled quietly, but nodded. "I don't want you to blame yourself for anything that's happened to any of us. There's no one to blame except Cresselia. Are we clear on this?"

She didn't respond immediately. I sighed, shaking my head from side to side. "I don't blame you for anything that's happened, alright? None of this is your fault."

"I could have protected you." she whispered.

I wanted to groan in frustration, but held myself in check. "Song, please. I don't blame you for anything that's happened to me, alright? Don't hold this over your head. No one is blaming you, either."

"We could have done better. We could be stronger. We could-"

"You're going to stop right there. Not down that road again. Yeah, we could have been stronger, but what's done is done. We'll figure this out somehow."

She looked unconvinced. I sighed, shaking my head, before looking at the state of my own body. Now that I was in a sitting position, I noticed that my shirt wasn't on me. Bandages covered my torso. Nurse Joy's words echoed in my mind reminding me about my own injuries. I wasn't looking forward to knowing how my legs would feel tomorrow.

"We'll figure something out together, alright?" I asked gently. "I need you, Song."

She sniffled softly, but nodded. "Alright." she responded. "Do you want me to leave?"

I grabbed her hands and pulled her towards me. Her head rested on my shoulder as my hands held her tightly against my body. My grip didn't loosen until she finally relaxed and leaned against me.

"No, Song, I don't want you to leave ever again. Please stay."

Her arms wrapped my body, gently squeezing me. I could feel her fingers through the bandages that wrapped around my torso. She hesitated for a moment, but a nod from me eased whatever worries she had. The need for sleep quickly came to me. As much as I wanted to enjoy this time together, my body had other plans. My eyes slowly closed, feeling safe in Song's embrace.

=======================//////////////////===============================

I wasn't entirely sure for how long I slept. It was interrupted, however, when something landed on the bed. Song's arms were still wrapped around me as the red spike on her chest was pressed against my chest. Looking over Song's shoulder, Aurora was quickly trying to find a way to snuggle closer to me. Standing over us was Nurse Joy, who was shaking her head.

"I hope you didn't do what I think you've done." she said, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I slept?" I responded. "How is Aurora?"

"Your Weavile is fine." she answered, shaking her head. "One of my Chansey's has a nasty gash thanks to her, though."

"She doesn't like doctors." I answered evasively. "It's a bit complicated, in all honesty."

"I'd believe it, judging by her actions. Anyway, she's your problem now."

I nodded, thanking Nurse Joy. I was grateful that she didn't ask any more pressing questions. She turned back to face us as she opened the door to leave. She shook her head, before walking back towards us. I took a peek at our new bed companion, smiling as she snuggled closer to my legs. Hopefully the rest of my team would come out alright. My worries were with Zin at the moment.

Either way, Nurse Joy looked like she wanted to say something. I turned my attention back to her. She shook her head, turning her attention to the clipboard in her hands and looking over some notes.

"Is there something wrong, Nurse Joy?" I asked.

She didn't respond immediately. Her eyes turned back to me after a brief moment. "Not at the moment, no. I'll let you know if anything happens. Please continue to rest. We'll bring some food for you in soon."

With those words, she departed. It bothered me that she looked pensive. Maybe someone is more injured than she originally estimated. I shook my head before my thoughts went further down that dark road. Nurse Joy already gave me the status on my Pokémon. Still, I was scared.

"Song?" I called softly.

"What is it, Master?"

"Where's Iolanthe? Did you see her before coming here?"

Song shook her head. "No, I didn't. I'm sure she's fine, though."

I nodded. "Thank you."

"You should get more rest, Master." Song said, pressing my head against her breasts. "I insist."

"Can't argue with that logic."

I felt sharp claws on my side. Song giggled. "Aurora, please be gentle with Master."

Her claws easily latched on my hair, pulling herself upwards. She wrapped my head with her claws, her cool body being held against my head. I could feel her clawed feet against my cheeks, making me shiver slightly. Song leaned forward and whispered to Aurora, with the Weavile sounding like confirming whatever they're conspiring.

Aurora pulled on my hair and Song pushed me on my back. For fear of Aurora's safety, I twisted my head to my left to make sure that the Weavile wouldn't be pinned underneath me. Song then came into view, resting alongside me.

"And this way, we get to stay together and you don't 'suffer needlessly' as Nurse Joy would say." Song giggled.

I sighed, but smiled at my cheeky Gardevoir. "I'll concede to your logic, Song."

"You're too kind." she said, leaning forward and giving me a kiss. "Now sleep. That's an order."

"Yes, Ma'am."

===========================//////////////////===========================

"How are you feeling, Mr. Elazar?" Joy asked with sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes, but nodded. "I've been better."

"You didn't call." Jon accused without preamble.

"Right, and I'm supposed to avoid psychic attacks while making sure my team is organized and telling you what's going on while a Cresselia is aiming to kill me." I said, glaring at him. "It feels like you don't understand the situation at all."

He didn't have an answer to that. "Either way, next time come with me and I won't have to call. Which, by the way, you never saw the light show outside of the city?"

They both shook their heads. "We were going to look for you as the sun was setting, but we figured you were back by then. We didn't leave the city just in case."

I rolled my eyes again. "Right. As if I couldn't go anywhere without the two of you knowing where I would be in ten seconds."

Both of them didn't have an answer to that. Either way, it left the room oddly silent. Song and Aurora were still with me, accompanied now by Iolanthe. She occupied the only chair in the room, forcing Joy and Jonathan to stand.

"That begs the question as to why you're following me in the first place now. Since, you know, I got nothing that which would benefit you all now. Especially you, Jon. Technically, you're just wasting time. Especially since we finished your job with Zapdos.

"And what about you, Joy? It's not like you've asked me to find a couple among our Pokémon so then we can start finding out what outstanding traits they have. We haven't really been doing anything towards that, so what gives?"

The room stayed silent. Jon sighed, hanging his head. "My job is to keep Zapdos in check. With her under my possession, as long as that happens, I'm doing my job."

"So, you're happy knowing you have a Pokémon under your care that can easily turn on you like when you met and those scars happened."

He snapped his head up, glaring at me. I raised an eyebrow towards him, as if daring him to do something.

"I'm just saying what I know. Joy knows, so this isn't some secret. The question really turns to what are you really doing here?"

He frowned. "I was going to ask you and Joy for help with that, actually."

I blinked. "What? Wait, have you even let her out of that Pokéball at all?"

He shook his head. I grimaced. "Somehow, I doubt you're kidding. Well, spit it out. What do you want me to do."

"Help me understand her."

"I'll tell you what Zin has told me already. Enjoy it."

"Have you ever done it with an electric Pokémon?"

"Is this a trick question?"

He stared at me, a slightly dumbfounded look on his face before turning away. I chuckled, feeling my chest hurt at the effort. Iolanthe was quick to give me a cup of water, holding onto it until I controlled myself.

I took a drink, sighing as my body began to relax. "Now that we're on even ground, I guess, fine. I'll help you. Since you've been so keen in helping me before."

"And what do you want in return?" he asked.

"Who said anything about payment? Maybe you can do the dishes when I cook."

Jon look relieved the moment I answered him. Not particularly sure why, but all the same. I turned my attention back to Joy. She looked at me with serious doubt.

"And you?"

"I still have my reasons." she answered.

"That's wonderful. Care to elaborate?"

"No, not yet. But I plan to."

"And when would that be?"

"Soon, if you let me."

I sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. "Fine. Well, the next order of business will be dragging you two to the field north of Cerulean City so you can see what both Moltres and Cresselia did."

"WHAT?!"

"By Arceus, not so loud." I said, wincing at their outburst. "You heard me. Both Cresselia and Moltres showed up. Cresselia with the intention to.... do whatever she wants to do and Moltres to stop her."

"Moltres helped you?" Joy asked.

"If you count saving me and providing more firepower, yeah."

"This just turned more complicated." Jon said, grumbling.

I sighed. "Do both of yourselves a favor and go north out of the city. The battle scene shouldn't be hard to miss. Even leaving whatever bubble Cresselia had created around us, the ground was scorched with all matter of energies. There's plenty of evidence there."

They both nodded. "Still, isn't it a bit odd that it hasn't been reported?"

"If Indigo Plateau wants to keep this under wraps, any witnesses will be kept quiet and the story under wraps as long as possible. It's the only thing that makes sense. They only have to threaten any reporter with the might of the League and anyone will keep quiet."

"Except you." Joy said, narrowing her eyes.

"Agatha is worried enough to send me into the heart of the matter, intentionally or not. You bet your ass that I don't give a shit about Indigo Plateau."

"Not looking like that you're not." she said with a smile. "It sounds like we're going to have to do some shopping soon. After this, our licences will be scrutinized and flagged for suspicious activity."

I looked over to Jon. "Are you willing to lose your position in the Rangers?" I asked. "It's a possibility that could happen."

"I doubt it. But, if it happens then so be it." he said with finality.

The current outlook looked a little bleak, but there was at least some prospect that things could be figured out. Joy coughed, getting my attention.

"Did you find anything in Cerulean Cave?" she asked. "Any writings or whatever?"

"Yeah, I did. Song, could you hand me my Pokédex, please?"

My Gardevoir nodded, leaning over and picking up my Pokédex from the night table. When she passed it to me, I flipped it open and showed them the pictures I took.

"Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the final one we found before the cave decided to explode... or whatever happened. Either way, it said something about bewaring the 'Winged Ones' and to 'beware the Witch of the Night'. Iolanthe, do you remember everything I said out loud?"

She nodded, reciting out loud the specific line. "To He who reads the last language. We ask that you... take heed to this warning. Beware the Witch of the Night, for she claims the souls of the living. Do not trust the winged ones. He is coming."

I nodded. "Thank you, Io." Facing my friends once more, they looked more confused than ever before. "Pretty much how I feel about that myself, too."

"What does it mean?" Joy asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me. The winged ones could be the legendary birds, but that doesn't make complete sense. Moltres helped me."

"There's obviously more to this than we know right now." Jon said. "We probably need to go to the region professors, find out what they know."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Joy said, nodding. "When are you fit to get out of here?"

"I'm pretty much ready. Your sister is paranoid enough that she wants me to stay another day or two to make sure I'm alright, while at the same time making sure that Zin's horns aren't permanently harmed."

"Is she alright?" Jon asked.

"Other than vague responses, Nurse Joy has been very tight lipped about Zin's health status." I responded.

"Because I didn't want to give you false hope or bad news."

Nurse Joy walked into the room, followed slowly by a familiar Houndoom. Both of her horns were wrapped tightly in medical tape, but they both were attached to her head like normal. When Zin looked at me, it was as if a child hasn't seen someone dear to them in far too long. She jumped, her front paws resting on the bed and looking at me with surprise.

"Don't just sit there, Song! Help me up!"

I was surprised by her outburst, but thankfully Nurse Joy didn't seem surprised by Zin's ability to speak like a human. Though it wouldn't be surprising if Zin was being vocal throughout her treatment under Nurse Joy. Thankfully, no questions were asked, and Zin was becoming comfortable on top of my lap.

"Much better. It's good to see you again, Master." Zin said happily, her tail wagging energetically.

"It's good to see you healthy again, Zin."

She didn't respond, laying her head down and closing her eyes. Everyone else looked like they were ready to leave the room. Nurse Joy got my attention, tapping her clipboard and walking towards me.

"Thankfully we managed to keep both her horns. I suggest you all take it easy after leaving here. I don't want to hear from any of my sisters, or Isabella, that you got yourself in another terrible spot. The rest of your team is fully healed and ready when I deem you fit."

"Is Xola alright?" I asked. "You did mention about her fear of blood yesterday."

"She's fine now, since she's not bleeding anymore." she said. "Keep her away from red liquids and she'll be fine. The Lucario is already eager to begin any kind of training regiment, and your Mismagius is beginning to scare my patients. I wouldn't recommend your Flygon to fly for another day or two, though she seems eager to fly again. I'm trusting you to keep her in check. Your Luxray is back to full electrical capacity. Don't make her do something like what she did ever again."

I sighed in relief, glad to know that everyone is alright. "I will, Nurse Joy."

"See that you do." she said sternly. "You're by far one of the worst cases I've ever seen. I'm just glad that things seem to make sense."

"What do you mean, sis?" Joy asked.

"Haven't you two seen the area north of the city?" Nurse Joy asked. "It's like a war zone! People are taking pictures of it all, regardless of police presence. It's pretty bad, and my suggestion is that you go there before they close the route for good."

Both Jon and Joy looked at each other before bolting out the door. Nurse Joy laughed softly, watching the door slowly swing on its hinges. "Hopefully they'll be safe."

"Why do you say that?"

"The League wants this all hushed up. Obviously, the more people that know about it, the worse it'll get for them."

I looked at her, confused at her words. She sighed. "Think about it. They've been unusually quiet, and only recently have the champions moved on their own. There has to be a reason why they've been this quiet. What that reason is anyone's guess. But what do I know? I'm just a nurse."

"A nurse that deals with all kinds of attitudes, I'd wager."

"You don't even know the half of it."

I chuckled, and thankfully she joined in. "Thank you." I said, smiling at her.

"I'm just glad you weren't lying. After hearing from a few people what they've seen up north, plus the odd people walking around, I can put things together pretty quickly."

"It makes things easier hearing it from someone else." I said, smiling.

"About what?"

"Just... things. The only reason why I'm here right now is due to Agatha of the Elite Four telling me to hand Misty a letter. It's how this whole mess started in the first place."

"Maybe not everyone in Indigo Plateau wants this wrapped up." she mused.

"That's what it sounds like. Either way, it almost got me killed."

"And you want to find out why."

"Well, nothing is really going to stop Cresselia or any other legendary Pokémon to show up at my house to kill me. I might as well try to find out why, and minimize the danger I put to my family."

"And what about your Pokémon?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Believe me, I've tried to tell them that much and they won't have it."

Song nodded, holding me tighter against her chest. Iolanthe's tentacles grabbed my exposed left arm, holding it tightly in their twin embrace. Aurora called out loudly next to my ears, while Zin's tail wagged. Nurse Joy smiled down at us.

"I can tell." she said, nodding. "Rest for now. I'll be back in a little while to make sure that everything is fine."

=====================//////////////////////////==========================

Walking again after being in bed for almost a week felt extremely odd. None of my Pokémon wanted to stay inside their Pokéballs, so I was parading through Cerulean City with them all. There was no way that I could sit still after not moving. No one moved towards us. Thank Arceus for small miracles. Anyone that moved towards us was glared at by nine pairs of eyes. It happened a few times when I stumbled. It was with good intentions, and I apologized for the scare.

At least, I hoped the consideration was with good intentions.

We made our way without any real destination in mind. I think enjoying the sun was in everyone's thoughts at this point. Akalia seemed to take the lead alongside Mist, herding us all towards the same park that we've passed before. I chuckled as Song poked my sides to get my attention.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing, really. Just amused that Akalia's first idea is to come here."

"You're weird."

"You love me just the same."

She smiled at me, nodding happily. We made our way towards an unoccupied tree, Song and Iolanthe insisting that I rested. My protests fell on deaf ears, though no one seemed enthusiastic about moving too much either. Everyone leaned on me in some way, shape, or form. It would be a great place to take a nap, if it wasn't that I was tired of resting already. It probably wasn't much more past nine, the warm air making me feel like a completely new person. It was nice, to say the least.

People passed by on occasion, waving at me politely. I waved back lazily, though no one approached me.

"You aren't sleeping, are you?"

The voice was instantly recognizable. I don't think I was exaggerating when I said that they could find me in ten seconds or less. Joy walked into view, looking rather smug about herself. She laughed, shaking her head.

"Why are you wearing the same clothes that you walked in the Pokémon Center?" she said with a grin.

I shrugged. "Nurse Joy didn't give me my bag, so it was either that or leave naked." I said. "I'm pretty sure that there's a law for that."

"Probably. Either way, I haven't seen you with any more than four different shirts in all the time I've known you."

"Something tells me you're going to say something I don't want to hear." I said with a groan.

"I'm going to take you shopping for clothes."

"With your money, right?"

Joy shook her head. "Nah. Don't think my bank account can compare to yours."

"Suddenly, I don't want to know what that means."

Thankfully, she laughed. I was a bit afraid that I offended or said something wrong. Joy finally calmed down, sitting next to me. Relatively, I should say, seeing as no one was willing to move away from me.

"They all care about you." Joy said softly.

"I think we've had this discussion before." I offered. "Either that, or something extremely similar."

She smiled at me. "Maybe." she replied evasively. "Why do you care?"

I raised an eyebrow. "About what, exactly?"

"You could go hide in the woods, keep traveling, or find out more stuff for your parents." she said. "You have all the cards basically up your sleeve, and you're putting your life at risk? For what?"

"Joy, I left home to do something for myself." I said, frowning. "I didn't expect any help from my parents other than contacting Professor Rowan to iron out the details for my license. The goal is to find my own place in the world. I didn't want to be just living in my parents shadow for the rest of my life. Archaeology, while fun and interesting, there would be no way to compete with my parents in the field. Besides, many people hear Elazar and instantly think of mom and dad. Remember the girl from the Pokémon Ranger headquarters?"

Joy nodded. "Unfortunately for me, I want to be remembered as someone that isn't just the son of two famous researchers. Mom and dad started their careers as Pokémon trainers before switching gears to become researchers. Maybe something like that will happen to me. But we all agreed that this would be good for me, too. Get out of Solaceon and see the world, meet new people, and do things that I've never had the chance to do. Though I think I've gotten more than I've ever bargained for."

Joy smiled. "I think so, too. But what made you adopt everyone instead of starting out with a Pokémon from your region professor?"

"I've known everyone here during my time helping the Pokémon Center, with the exception of Zin, Aurora, Baast, and Io. Zin tagged along soon after leaving town, and you know the rest. I felt comfortable with everyone here, and when I mentioned to Song that I was leaving, she became very excited over that fact. Which, of course, she told everyone else before I got the chance."

I felt two fingers grab my ear and tugging on it gently. Joy was smiling, matching my own take on the matter. Joy looked around briefly before continuing.

"So you weren't all that physical before then?" she asked in a soft voice.

I shook my head. "The thought never crossed my mind, until it happened with Zin. And that's something that I'm sure she would tell you if you asked."

Joy smiled. "Maybe I will."

Somehow, I didn't like the sound of that.

"Anyway, what do you think of going to Celadon City?" Joy asked, not waiting for a response.

"Celadon City?" I asked. "Er... I dunno. Why?"

"It has the biggest department store this side of Mount Silver. If we're going to find a new wardrobe for you, it'll be there."

"Can't we do shopping here? Your sister told me not to let Spirit fly for another few days due to her injuries."

"Zefyra can take us." Joy said with a shrug. "Are you still scared of her?"

"If you're sure about it. It sounds like the fastest way to do it." I relented. "And no, not anymore."

"Perfect!" she said, standing up suddenly. "We'll leave in about an hour or two. Just stay here and I'll come to get you. See you in a bit!"

She dashed off before I could say anything on the matter. How did I get myself into this? First costumes, now clothing. What's next? Wait, scratch that. I shouldn't be asking that question. It gets me into too much trouble.

"She's interested in you." Song said.

Thank Arceus that I didn't have anything in my mouth at this exact moment. "What?!"

"No one gets to Master without my approval." Zin snarled. "And especially no random human."

"I don't think she qualifies as random, Zin." I said, frowning. "It's not like we just met."

"I still don't like it." Zin snarled.

"Either way, I think that it's best to forget about that at this moment." Xola said. "Better to focus on other matters."

Curious, I waited for whatever was on Xola's mind. My Milotic's face entered my vision, her eyes staring into mine. The smile she had made me feel like I had absolutely no escape. Of what was another story.

"It's been awhile since I've asked or talked about this, but have you given any thoughts about... us?"

Extremely forward. This coming from the same Milotic who was sedated. Part of me wondered if it was the drugs talking. The other part of me thought the first to be stupid. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for me to answer.

I frowned, but as I was about to respond Zin spoke first.

"If you're going to refuse, I'll bite you." she snarled. "It's not like anything's stopped you before."

A sigh escaped me. "I wasn't going to refuse, Zin." I said, before turning my attention to Xola. "Whenever you'd like."

"And us?" Song asked.

Suddenly I realized the hole I dug myself in. My cheeks felt like they were sunburned. Xola leaned towards me, her cheek rubbing against mine. Her tongue traveled around my right ear, leaving a sticky trail of saliva in its wake.

"I'll take you tonight." she whispered.

The words sent a shiver down my spine. Xola's giggle broke whatever trance I was under, bringing me to the here and now. A finger poked me on the side, making me wince slightly.

"Sorry." Song whispered. "I'm still waiting for an answer."

"I didn't know there was a queue or line." I answered. "Who thought there was?"

Everyone raised a limb in some way, shape, or form. The urge to cover my face with my palm was high.

"Well, that would explain why Zin wanted to do it on the plane." I said, chuckling. "Just... let me know so we can work something out. It's not the easiest thing to do, seeing as we're not at liberty to have our own rooms. But if the chance is there, I can hopefully figure something out."

"We can always do it in the forest." Baast said. "I didn't hear you complain in the slightest."

"I don't think I would be alive if I complained, but there was nothing to complain about."

"Then it's settled." Xola said. "Tonight, Master, if possible."

"I'll do what I can to make it happen." I said with a smile.

=========================/////////////////////==========================

Flying passenger on a Hydreigon is something that was never on my priority of things to do. Yet, here I am, holding on to Joy tightly as we flew over Saffron City. We passed by skyscrapers and huge buildings that held peoples homes. None of the buildings in Cerulean City were like this! The air was surprisingly clean for the amount of people this city held. It looked to be a little bit before midday.

There wasn't much talking to be done while we flew. Zefyra didn't particularly care, it seems. Every now and then, all three of her heads would roar simultaneously. How we weren't giving people the scare of their lives was a question that would go unanswered.

One of my hands was wrapped around Joy's waist, doing my best to keep still for the Hydreigon's sake. My other hand held Song's staff tightly. I know she wouldn't forgive me if I left it back at Cerulean City. Joy's fingers touched mine, bringing my thoughts to the current scenario. Her face was hidden away from me, but knowing her she was either smiling or laughing about my reaction. She knows me too well by this point. Which is a bit odd, in all honesty.

Did she see me as someone to get along more than just friends? It wasn't like she didn't know that I've done that with my Pokémon. Zin has made it abundantly clear that she doesn't approve of Joy at all. Was she really doing what it looked like? For my own safety and hers, I honestly hoped that she wasn't. I really didn't want to hear Zin complain about how Joy wouldn't be able to pull her own weight.

Which, other than being a very dangerous accusation, was a very incorrect assessment of Joy as a whole. She's been more than willing to travel with us all this time. Admittedly, for apparent selfish reasons that she hasn't been willing to share, but that doesn't change that she's still here. Also, that she's been quiet about my own secrets is very welcome. She has never had any reason to do so, but she still does. Not that I'm not glad of that fact. Quite the opposite, in fact, given opportunities she's had. Joy seems to know the local laws, obviously more than I do. The biggest question on my mind is what gives. Is it just out of normal courtesy that she doesn't say anything, or is there something more in her mind.

I'll probably never know at this rate. Better to stop thinking about it and take that step when it presents itself. Mulling it over and over again in my head isn't going to help and only make me worry more. Joy looked over her shoulder, giving me a smile and pointing downwards. My eyes followed where she was pointing, noticing that the landscape had changed during my private questioning. The city landscape of Saffron City had changed to smaller buildings and homes. Large trees, as large as some of the buildings, were easily spotted. Green expanses cut streets from each other, as if nature was doing its best to separate the city into different individual sections. Even at our height, color was an obvious calling of the city. I idly wondered if it was like Florama Town, where there were hundreds of flowers underneath us. It was a nice thought.

Either way, Joy's grin wasn't to be mistaken. Even with the wind whipping around us, her voice was easily heard. "Welcome to Celadon City!"

===========================///////////////////==========================

Joy led the way as soon as we landed and checked ourselves inside the Pokémon Center. The Celadon Nurse Joy was already giving me a look that easily conveyed what she would do to me if I didn't follow my instructions. Joy must have told her sister in Cerulean City where we were headed, which would explain everything. Nurse Joy insisted to set us up in separate rooms. I didn't argue, just due to the fact that's what Xola wanted in the first place.

The sun was far away from that time, however, and Joy was going to take full advantage of this fact. We dived headfirst into the city, seemingly avoiding all the stores that sold any type of clothing. I was about to point this out when we stopped in what looked like the largest building in the entire city. It looked like twenty stories tall, large glass windows revealing people walking with numerous bags in hand.

"And we're going here instead of anywhere else because...?" I asked hesitantly.

"You have no idea how to shop for clothes, do you?" Joy asked, turning to face me.

I shook my head. "I got most of my clothes as gifts. Never had to buy my own clothes due to having an unusual surplus of it."

"Men." she said, rolling her eyes. "Who do you want to help you shop?"

"Aren't you?"

"Yes, but who else? You have nine ladies attached to your belt. Pick one."

I'm pretty sure I'm going to live to regret this. Ideally, it shouldn't be a problem. Taking Song's Pokéball, I released my Gardevoir. She smiled at me as she materialized in front of me, taking her staff back and looking at us curiously. Joy spoke before I could come up with anything to say.

"We're here to get your trainer a new wardrobe. You got picked to help out, if you don't mind." Joy stated.

Song smiled, nodding. "Sounds interesting." she mused. "Why me, though?"

I shrugged. "Mist would be too enigmatic to tell me what she thinks. Not entirely sure what Iolanthe would think. Baast would probably tell me to grab everything blue, while Zin would say to get everything with black on it. Xola would probably say the same thing as Baast, come to think of it. Basically, I want a more objective view of things, while trying to keep my budget from going out the window."

Song laughed. "Of course, Master." The way she said that made a shiver go down my spine.

Joy didn't let me say anything on the matter. "That looks like a yes to me! Let's get this show on the road."

We waited until a few groups of people entered the building, managing to squeeze in before a group of women cut us off. Inside was nothing like I've seen before. A gigantic fountain stood out, water coming out of the mouths of different water Pokémon that fountain depicted. I recognized a few of them, namely the gigantic Milotic wrapped around a Gyarados. Above, models of flying type Pokémon hung from thin wires.

I was probably the only one taking in my current surroundings. People kept walking around us, taking for granted what someone took an unimaginable amount of time to create. All the more to appreciate it, then, especially since this might be the only time I get to see it in person.

Joy's hands grabbed my shoulders, pulling me away from my stupor. I caught a glimpse of a grin on her face that was probably being matched by Song. Either way, I was led towards a store before any objections could be raised. Rows of shirts and pants greeted us. It looked like a small store, though I could be wrong. A bored clerk with a Machamp standing next to him waved at us lazily before going back to reading his magazine.

Before we started looking through any type of clothing, I decided to grab my Pokédex to see what how much money I had. What startled me was that there was double of what I had when Joy spent however much it was during the Ghast Festival. A decision was made somewhere in my mind to not tell them until forced to do so. If Joy knew how much money I had at this moment, my parents could assume that my identity has been stolen.

Song pressed a grey shirt against me, while Joy assessed some earthly green cargo pants. Without any preamble, they both pressed the articles of clothing onto my arms. They both pointed behind me. I turned to see that they were pointing towards the changing rooms. I held my tongue in check at this point. Arguing against both of them would only make things worse. Passing by the clerk and his Machamp, he gave me a nod.

"Would do exactly what you just did with my girlfriend." he said, grimacing. "Don't let them take over your wallet, though."

"Too late for that by now, I think."

"Sucks."

"Tell me about it." I said, frowning. "Changing rooms?"

"Keep going straight and take the first door on the right. Can't miss em."

"Thanks." I said, following the clerks directions. Opening the door to the small changing room, the only things that stood out were a stool and a table attached to the far wall. I placed the clothing on the table, kicking off my shoes and trying to get this over as soon as possible. My hair wanted to be a bit uncooperative, sticking upwards in a few places. Haven't been taking care of it any better than before, though not showering for a few days prior to leaving must have not been good for it.

"Are you ready?" Joy asked.

"Keep your pants on." I said, foregoing putting on my shoes. "I'm coming."

Opening the door, both Song and Joy stood in front of me. The Gardevoir's eyes roamed over me, critically assessing my looks. Joy smiled, nodding approvingly.

"You look good, Aaron." Joy said. "Now, take those off and try these on."

"Hold on a second!" I exclaimed. "Just how much are you expecting to buy?"

"A lot, probably." she admitted. "Like I said, I've only seen you wear like four different shirts and the same pants."

"How are we carrying all this back, anyway?"

"I told Jon to meet us here in Celadon in a few days." Joy said. "Don't worry. He hasn't forgotten about cleaning things."

Though I was about to ask what she meant, it didn't seem to matter. Joy handed me a random assortment of shirts and pants before giving me a satisfied nod.

"Alright, I'm going to go grab a few more things. Song, I want you to stay with Aaron and make sure he tries everything we brought on. Do you remember how we set everything up?"

Song nodded. "Perfect! I'll be back in a few minutes. Going to look again to see what else might look good on him."

Joy turned her back to us and walked away. Song pushed me back inside the changing rooms, closing the door behind her. Before I could turn around, her staff dropped the carpeted floor, her lips pressing against mine. Her legs kept pushing us backwards, my back parallel with the wall. She jumped up, legs wrapping around my waist. Her orange robes parted, her skin rubbing against the clothes.

"Song?" I whispered, fearful of what she would do.

"If I could, I would." She whispered in my ear. "You know that, right? Be grateful that Joy is here and we're in public, or I'd take you right here and now."

Good to know that there's a limit to how much crazy she is willing to commit. Despite everything, I smiled at Song and returning the kiss she gave me with as much love as I could put into it. Her hands pushed me away, our lips parting reluctantly from each other. The look she had was almost seductive, sending rather improper impulses through my mind. I fought them off, taking off my shirt and replacing it with a red one of similar design.

A knock on the door startled me. Joy's voice was the next thing that I heard.

"Song, I hope you aren't doing what I think you would be doing."

The Gardevoir gave me a guilty smile, kissing me one last time. "Hurry up!" she said, her fingers unbuttoning my pants. "Change to the other pants before she barges in and thinks we're having sex or something!"

=======================//////////////////============================

After leaving with a bag full of clothes from the first store, Song insisted in returning to rest. Before I recalled her, she was insistent in calling someone else in her place. I frowned, but agreed with her suggestion. As she disappeared back inside her Pokéball, it would be interesting who would want to come along. I'm pretty sure that Iolanthe would like to have more interactions with humans. Maybe Akalia? Joy punched me lightly on the shoulder, smiling at me.

"Can't decide who to call now?" she asked.

"Pretty much." I answered. "Any suggestions?"

"What about your Houndoom?" Joy suggested. "She's usually pretty well behaved."

"Are you absolutely sure? Zin can be a handful."

"Of that I don't doubt. Though she tends to behave when around you. Probably your Luxray, too. Can't have too many opinions."

"Especially when it comes to what I'm wearing." I said, taking hold of both Pokéballs.

"Pretty much!"

I sighed, shaking my head at the presented logic. Either way, we'll see what happens. Both Pokémon stood in front of me, taking in their surroundings for a moment. Zin was the first to look up at me and give me a toothy grin. I kneeled down, hoping that she wouldn't yell out loud.

"So, this is what Joy said? This shopping trip that she said earlier?" Zin asked.

"Pretty much."

Joy laughed. "I like it how you ask them for everything."

I shrugged, standing up and looking at Joy. "Well, it's not every day I get to hang around without half the world looking for us. I would be sleeping if it was up to me."

Zin laughed at the same time that Joy did. It wasn't subtle. I was thankful that no one looked my way to see if my Houndoom was laughing.

Joy didn't say anything, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a new store. Again, without my input, but perhaps it was for the best. In all honesty, this wasn't something I wanted to do at this moment. Me, shopping? I'd rather be looking over my Pokémon. Which, sadly, was something that seemed to be lacking in my schedule more often than not.

It looked like Joy picked the right store for Zin and Akalia to pick colors for clothing. The music was something with so much bass that it felt like my bones were turning to goo. It looked like it was in transition between songs or something. Would explain why we didn't get assaulted immediately upon opening the doors. Most of the clothing line here was either blue, black, or some odd mix of the two. The entire store had little in the way of lighting, mainly televisions broadcasting technicolor light shows or to point the way to the clothing.

Joy's hand left me in the middle of wherever I was in, Zin didn't seem to mind the atmosphere. She looked like she reveled in it, wagging her tail to the beat of the music and generally making herself obvious. Her red eyes burned in the darkness, hovering through the dark as Joy appeared next to one of the clothing racks. Akalia wasn't that far behind the pair, her tail shining brightly against the atmosphere. What was entertaining was that it pulsed with the beat of the music.

I think it would be safe to say that both the Houndoom and the Luxray were enjoying the store's atmosphere. As I approached the three, Joy picked out some sort of jacket and was presenting it to both Pokémon. The colors oddly matched my predictions of what Zin and Akalia would agree upon. Joy pressed it against me, nodding in satisfaction.

"Try it on!" she yelled over the music.

I nodded, smiling at Zin's reaction when she barked happily. Slipping it on was easier than I thought. It looked like those fancy leather jackets that you would see on television shows or something. The price on this thing has to be ridiculous if it's made out of those materials. Well, here is to trusting Joy to not break the bank, right?

At least the jacket was comfortable and easy to wear. Slipping it on was easy, and it felt like there were odd feeling sections inside the jacket. I touched inside the folds of the jacket, feeling what felt like sections with small pockets. Joy gave me a grin as she pulled me towards the cashier. The girl tending the store greeted us with a smile as her Persian licked its paws as the Pokémon sat on the counter. I shedded the jacket and passed it over to her. I was thankful that the price wasn't as high as I dreaded. At least it was in line with what Joy purchased for Aurora for the Ghast Festival, if I remember correctly.

Either way, Joy pulled me back towards the clothing areas, looking through the selection quickly. Both of my Pokémon seemed energized by Joy's actions, doing their best to help her move things out of the way we moved from point to point. I had no idea what she was looking for until we suddenly stopped in front of a section specifically for some type of cargo pants.

"I know you like these." she said, grinning at me.

I looked down at what I was wearing, feeling like I was being read like an open book. Maybe Joy was right about needing new clothing. My pants looked like they've been chewed on by a Houndoom. Without any hesitation, she grabbed a pair and pressed them against the ones I was wearing. She narrowed her eyes at me, her tongue sticking out of her mouth in thought. The urge to chuckle had to be suppressed, if just to avoid Joy's quick rebuttal.

Joy nodded in satisfaction, grabbing two more and passing them to me to hold. I was quickly escorted back to the girl at the cashier, dropping the three cargo pants with her. Once more, I was pulled back into the thick of things. The girl covered her mouth, shaking her head. The Persian looked over to us, but didn't look too interested in our departure. We stopped in front of a table lined with different designed shirts. Joy turned to me and smiled, nodding in satisfaction. One look down to the shirts on display and I was torn between laughing or walking away.

Though I could tell why Joy would pick these out on purpose. A group of the shirts had, with lack of better terms to describe, the same colors and markings of a Houndoom. The shirt was mainly black and silver, with the brown to highlight around the trademark skull that a Houndoom is so well known for. The other pile of shirts were something I wasn't expecting. Bright blues and yellows were painted together in telltale bands against large spans of black. The bands were mainly focused on the sleeves of the shirt, with two lines going down in a diagonal pattern near the front. Looking up, both shirts were on display on mannequins. They didn't look half bad, in all honesty.

Joy leaned over to me for a second. "Knew you would like them." she whispered, her voice almost blocked by the music.

She grabbed one of each shirt, before bolting over to the cashier and leaving the three of us here. Looking down to see my Pokémon, Akalia was shaking her head while Zin looked in the direction that Joy left. I kneeled down to her, putting a hand between her horns and scratching the base of the horns. She turned to me, a small smile displaying her fangs. I leaned forward, so Zin wouldn't have to shout over the music.

"Maybe she isn't as bad as I thought." Zin said.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"About Joy being a mate to you. You're not blind, are you?"

"I try not to think about it too much." I answered evasively.

Zin laughed, shaking her head as Akalia came to investigate. They spoke in their language for a brief moment, before the Luxray shrugged and licked her paws. Zin said something that made Akalia's tail stiffen suddenly, her golden eyes narrowing at me and Zin. The Houndoom snickered quietly, while Akalia bit off a retort in her language. Her snarls were punctuated by sparks of electricity, her jaws snapping hard against each other.

"Zin?" I asked.

"I was teasing her about the two of you." she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Akalia. And to you, Master. I kinda did put you two together."

I smiled reassuringly. "We keep on keepin' on. We'll figure out something, alright? Together, mind you. It will probably work out if you two pass your ideas through me at least. Just so I know and all."

Both Pokémon smiled at me. Akalia came up and nuzzled against my free arm gently. I scratched behind her ears, while I provided a similar treatment for Zin by continuing to scratch behind her horns. A tap on my shoulder made me look behind me, Joy holding our bags with a smile on her face. I nodded, standing up and taking two of the bags from her, making our way out of the store. As we left the store, I looked behind me to see the store name. I wanted to laugh when I noticed it.

Shocking Heat.

=======================//////////////////=============================

Thankfully we only purchased a handful of clothes from that first store. If you keep adding a lot of small purchases, they turn large quickly. From the first bag of clothes, we moved along from store to store, finding some pants or a specific shirt that caught either Song's or Joy's eye. I was extremely grateful that my parents decided to give me more money.

I was currently sitting in front of a telecommunicator, speaking with my parents. They had already asked if I saw the added balance to my account.

"Well, it was part of your birthday gift that we never got you, plus some compensation for helping us with our book." Dad answered.

"You know, you didn't have to give me so much." I said, frowning.

"And why are you calling from Celadon City?" Mom asked, speaking from behind Dad's shoulder.

"I'm here shopping, taking in the sights." I answered. It was real enough.

"You're shopping." Mom deadpanned.

"At the insistence of Joy." I clarified.

"Is she your girlfriend or something?" Dad asked, giving me a grin.

Oh Arceus. This is not what I needed at this point in time! I shook my head. "No, we're not together. She's just a good friend."

"I saw your eyes go wide. No need to hide anything from us, young man."

"Mom, dad, I'm being serious. There's absolutely-"

"No way that we're NOT together!" Joy finished, sitting on my lap.

My heart leaped into my throat. I almost felt like choking at this point. Only by getting prodded on my ribs did my focus return. She stuck her tongue out at me as I frowned at her.

"We're not together." I said flatly.

"We're not?" Joy asked sweetly.

"Joy."

"Aaron."

I frowned as my parents laughter could be heard through the speakers. "We'll leave you two alone."

"Hold on! Before you go, what do you know about the Witch of the Night or the winged ones?"

Dad looked thoughtful while Mom answered. "Well, depends on the text. Witch of the Night refers to a few legendary Pokémon. The winged ones would be the legendary birds, though Rayquaza may be indirectly inferred. Doubt it though. Rayquaza aren't really referred by 'winged'. More like 'Sky Lords'. Where did you find this?"

"I went to the Cerulean Cave a few days ago. There was some text inside that referred to both Witch of the Night and the winged ones."

"Was it written in Unown?" Mom asked.

I shook my head. "The last part of the paragraph was. Everything else was a jumbled mess that looked like different forms of writing Unown. That is, if I was reading it right."

"Did you take pictures?" Dad asked.

"Before it came to mind, the whole cave decided to blow up." I said, frowning.

Silence followed that statement. It never came to my mind how I would bring this up to my parents. Well, here comes the demand to go home.

"Good thing you're alive. Did you come out unharmed?"

"For the most part. Other than a hit to the back of the head, I think. Nothing major otherwise." I answered.

I decided to omit the whole fight with Cresselia. Not only was I in the public, my parents didn't need to know that was me in the heart of the situation. At least, that's what it looked like for me.

Mom and dad looked at each other for a moment, before coming to some silent agreement. "When you come back home, you're going to explain everything young man!" Mom stated loudly.

"Will do, Mom." I said. "As soon as I figure it out."

The call terminated from their side. The screen displayed the message 'connection lost' in bold white letters on a blue screen. I stared at Joy, who was giving me a grin. Without saying anything, she grabbed my arm and motioned toward Song. My Gardevoir met us, holding two bags. We left her with eight bags total. Joy gave her a questioning look, which Song responded with a shrug.

"I consolidated." she said.

Joy didn't wait for me to translate, nodding like she understood and kept walking. We managed to find a less crowded section of the building, Joy slamming me against the wall.

"Listen to me." she whispered. "Posing as your girlfriend would be the least of your problems. If we're serious about finding what's really after you, the League is going to dig through your records. They'll revoke everything you have, and they'll send an investigative team to your parents' house. They don't have to have any proof, but since you're from Sinnoh, just the suggestion of having relations with your Pokémon is enough to send you to jail. You need as much cover as you can afford, and I'm not charging you for it."

I stared at Joy and the staff that was hovering next to Joy's head. This could turn ugly extremely quickly. Out of the corner of my eye, someone left around a corner. Would they report us?

"We need to move." I said. "Joy, we'll talk about this later. I promise. Just let me think about this, alright?"

She nodded. "Let's get out of here, then."

===========================////////////////////=========================

I dropped the bags inside our room, Song closing the door behind us. My world went dark quickly, Song covering my eyes with her hands. Neither of us spoke as she walked forward, her body pressing against mine from behind. My knees soon hit the edge of the bed, but Song didn't let me out of her grasp. She continued pushing, though I gave a token resistance in this little game of hers.

We eventually tumbled forward together, Song sitting on top of my back. Her warm breath blew over my ear, though she didn't let me turn over.

"You relax for once." Song admonished. "Tolerating Joy's demands must have been an experience."

"You were there." I pointed out.

"Yes, I was. But I wasn't her puppet for new clothes."

I winced, but chuckled. "You have a good point there."

"I know I do."

"It was... interesting, to say the least. I wasn't expecting her to be so forward, that's for sure. And no, I'm not even talking about the whole girlfriend tangent she went on."

Song didn't respond, so I continued after thinking about things a little more. "I guess... I'm nervous. I'm not sure about anything anymore, and having less than a nebulous idea of how to move forward isn't helping matters."

"Now it's my turn to tell you to be quiet." Song said sternly. "You're going to relax and have a good time with Xola. I want to hear all the good things about tonight, you hear me?"

I didn't respond immediately. Song stood up and flipped me over, her hands on my face as she pressed her lips against mine fiercely. Her hips began to grind against my own, and my pants getting in the way of it all. She pulled away from me, smiling at me in satisfaction.

"Be gentle with her, alright?" Song asked. "I honestly think it's her first time with a male."

I blinked, but nodded. "Will do."

Her hands grabbed two Pokéballs from my belt, putting one in my hands and activating the second one while she held it. Song's body slowly disappeared inside the device, and the device fell. My hands immediately grabbed the falling ball, catching it before it fell on the bed.

The silence of the room made me slightly uncomfortable. I took off my belt, placing it gently on the floor. It wasn't night time, but I highly doubted that anyone was coming in to bother me at this point. Standing up, I made sure that the door to my room was properly locked. Out of precaution, my fingers locked the deadbolt as well. I really didn't want anyone walking in, especially knowing Joy was on her girlfriend mentality.

Perhaps what she said was true, and I needed to have a cover for my activities. But why did she volunteer so readily? Did we even go through any options? I guess if she says that she is, it saves a lot of explanation. Not to mention going through all the motions and faking the emotions behind that. That wouldn't be a pleasant experience to go through. Plus, it could really come bite us later due to having a witness.

I wasn't all up for it, but it made sense. I just wish that Joy would have told me in the first place. Instead of springing it front of my parents without any preamble.

My fingers played around the Pokéball in my grasp. Was I ready for this? It wasn't really up to debate. The proper question would be could I live with this. I began to scrutinize my relationship with Xola. Did I really see her as a sister? We got along well enough. Is she doing this out of pressure from Zin? I frowned, fearing that may be the case. Or, like Akalia, her biological needs are clouding her better judgment. I think that may be an extreme case, due to this not being new. Xola has been giving hints that she's wanted this for some time now.

I've honestly been too scared to act on it. Being crushed by a Milotic wasn't on my to-do list.

Well, there are a few things I've done already that are on that list. What's one more?

My fingers released the Pokémon inside the sphere, Xola quickly filling the bed with her graceful and calming presence. Her eyes widened momentarily, briefly taking in her surroundings. It looked like she almost was going to ask something, but she shook her head. Her body coiled around her, the fan-like fins that made her tail beckoned me towards her. A feeling of perfect calm washed over me as I walked towards her. I climbed on the bed, her body uncoiling from her posture to give me room.

As soon as my body was on the bed, she instantly wrapped around me. Her lips pressed against mine aggressively. I could feel her tongue wrap around mine, our mouths trading saliva at a rapid pace. The tip of her tongue passed over my teeth and gums, sending shivers down my spine. Her entire body had me inside her coils. Occasionally, my prison would tighten around my body. Her scales rubbed against my exposed skin and through my clothes.

My hands wrapped around her neck and head, holding her close to me. She tried to pull away, but my hands gently held her mouth tightly against my own. I could feel her breath wash over me, her long tongue tightening around mine. Perhaps being grateful that what I was still wearing my old clothes was a good sign.

The sound of cloth ripping was loud in my ears. Her scales rubbed my exposed skin as her tail tightened around my legs. Xola pulled back, allowing the both of us to take deep breaths before she rested her head on my shoulder. The hold she has on me slackened while I moved my arms down, following her body down with my hands. She writhed against me, her tail twitching against my thighs.

I managed to get one hand down to my pants, unbuttoning them with some difficulty. No matter what happened, Xola didn't want to stop holding me in her grasp. A smile crossed my lips as her struggles intensified. Water got into my ear, followed by Xola's tongue licking the side of my head and face. She twisted herself so we faced each other. The smile on her lips looked like it never went away, making her look like a predator. In a way, I guess she was at this point.

She slowly let me go from her grasp, the length of her entire body surrounding me. Her smile didn't seem to ever disappear, her tail wrapping around my face to make sure we were always looking at each other. My hands went over her smooth scales as her muscles tensed and relaxed under my fingers. A grin to match hers spread across my lips as my hands explored her body as far as I could reach. Her smooth scales weren't a surprise, but the look on her face told me she was enjoying it. A curiosity came to mind, as to exactly where was her vagina located. My knowledge of Milotic anatomy wasn't exactly the best.

I imagined that it would be near her tail, or at least in the lower half of her body. Shifting my attention to the underside of Xola's body, her muscles shifted and tensed at random under my touch. Was she really that sensitive? Her smile was still present, though it wavered when she moaned every now and then as my fingers moved along her body. The tip of her tail wrapped around my neck, the fan-like tips pressing against my cheeks. It constantly shifted but at least I wasn't supporting her weight on my shoulders.

She shifted once more, more of her body sliding over my shoulder and allowing my fingers to explore more of her underbelly. Her scales were wet under my fingers. I became more gentle, afraid of accidentally hurting Xola. The scales became softer, more supple the further I moved. Xola gasped suddenly as my fingertips entered her body. Warm liquid ran over my hands as I explored her body blindly.

The Milotic's body pushed me down suddenly. Laying flat on my back, her body slithered over mine. I still could feel her tail around my neck, and a moist opening aligned itself with my face. My arms wrapped around the Milotic's coils, holding her in place as my face came closer to her opening. A moments hesitation made the tail around my neck tighten. It was all the encouragement I needed. This wasn't something that I did on a constant basis, but it was clear that Xola wasn't having no for an answer.

Her body tightened around me as my tongue gave a tentative lick. A soft moan reached my ears as my tongue eased its way into her. The pitch of her voice climbed as the faith in my ability increased. It was nice to hear her squeal like this. Did I actually enjoy this? Feeling my pants being pulled from my waist didn't leave me much time to argue. I could feel her breath as her nose pressed against my crotch. My eyes widened as I froze in place, feeling my entire length being engulfed in her hungry maw.

A renewed flow of liquid entered my mouth, snapping me out of the sudden pleasure coma. I worked my tongue into her canal, her muscles twitching and tightening around my tongue. Her teeth gently grazed on my sensitive flesh. My hips thrust forward at the stimulation. My eyes widened, afraid that I had startled or injured Xola. A moan came from her as her grasp on my body tightened. The suction on her mouth continued to get stronger, releasing me from her sweet torment when she came up for air.

"Master." Xola called, sliding away from me. Her voice sounded distant in my ears. When her face entered my vision, I focused on her.

She smiled down at me. "I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. But you do know what's next, right?"

She didn't give me the chance to answer, one of the her many tail tips entering my mouth. Xola never stopped smiling, even as her face entered and left my vision. Her body began circling around me once more. I could feel her entrance press against my dick as more of her body encircled me. I lifted my arms up high, allowing more easier access to my body. Also, it would be inconvenient to have my arms held against my body. Her face entered my vision again as she tightened her hold on me. Our lips met once more, my hands wrapping around her neck as my penis was pushed inside of her.

I moaned, my breath leaving me as she tightened instantly. My skin crawled in pleasure and it felt like everything was out of my control. There was no way that I could move my hips to keep up with her motions. It was only by her will that anything happened. Her muscles loosened and contracted in rhythm, speeding up or slowing down to her liking. I moved my arms around her neck, her tongue pressing against my lips urgently. She didn't hesitate or wait for me to accept her. Her lips pressed against mine possessively, greedily taking what she wished from me. The Milotic's body tightened all around me, a moan escaping my throat.

The odd thought of Song's warning came to mind. No, I didn't think Xola was new to this. At least, how mating with her species worked. That is, assuming, that this was the normal way for her kind to have sex. Either way, the only hope I had was that my body wouldn't be crushed by the end of this.

The grip she had on me slackened, her constricting muscles slowly loosening. I gasped for air, breathing quickly becoming important for my brain to continue functioning. My body was slipping out of my control faster than I'd care to admit. Her heart was beating hard, being able to feel it throughout my entire body. The coils around me began to tighten once more, though just enough to let me know I wasn't escaping.

A gentle moan escaped Xola's lips, her muscles rippling over my member. It was maddening not to be participating. All I could do was sit here and... take... Arceus she could get tight! She was grinning at me proudly, her muscles slackening for a brief moment before tightening once more. Her breath washed over me as our faces aligned. Her lips pressed against mine gently, as if to keep me from being overloaded. I could feel her tongue trace my lips slowly, teasingly before pressing her lips firmly against mine. Her vagina tightened, making me gasp against her kiss. Xola pressed forward, my vision blurring as we moved. My head now rested on her body and the ceiling could be seen at the edges of my vision. Our lips parted, her eyes filling my vision and blocking out everything else.

My body tensed immediately, a familiar tingling sensation running up and down my spine before I gasped. Xola's body tightened all around me, holding me still while I writhed in her grasp. My Milotic leaned down and pressed her cheek against mine. She cooed softly as my body delivered what she wanted inside of her. It felt like my nerves were on fire as our bodies moved against each other.

Xola was all I could see. Her lips and body was everything I could feel. Even though my body was pleading for everything to stop, her muscles began to churn once more. A moan escaped my lips, the tunnel I was trapped in squeezing and coaxing me to stay hard. It didn't take much for my body to react, much to my partner's pleasure. I closed my eyes as Xola began to move once more around me...

Some time later...

I woke up, and my first instinct was to move my body. Everything felt numb, like the circulation of my body was cut off. My arms met some heavy resistance, and so did my legs. A familiar weight was on top of me. Through blurred vision, I could see Xola resting on top of me. Her head twitched slightly, but she still looked asleep. Not being entirely one-hundred percent sure what time it was, it was better to leave sleeping ladies sleep. I'm sure the alarm in my Pokédex will ring when it's appropriate.