FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It had been two weeks since I had definitely moved at Rikiya’s house, formerly his trainer’s secret base. My first days were spent relaxing and lounging around in his wonderful company, the Dragonite catering to my needs in the sweetest way I had ever had the chance to experience. Those days never remained dull, for we always found something fun to do together, whether at my suggestion or his, unbound by the rushing time in the city or any entrepreneurial obligations I had up to now.

Our activities included cooking together, where I’d help prepare the ingredients to the best of my abilities. Per my requests, Rikiya had purchased a small stepladder so that I’d be able to reach the countertop easily, allowing us to collaborate on his meals as frequently as we so desired. The Dragonite did not let any occasion pass from demonstrating to me his mastery of the techniques he knew, my initial wariness gradually blossoming into admiration. I could detail all of the delicacies he made me try and enjoy with his unorthodox cooking methods, but I’d either forget some of them, or fail to give justice to how exquisite they tasted.

On other occasions, we would go out around the neighboring islands, an activity which, while seldom experienced, remained quite thrilling and refreshing compared to riding an ordinary train. Becoming more and more used to flying “in his front seat”, as he fancied to call it, I found myself looking around us more often, the view even more thrilling than the one on Rikiya’s back, especially when he flew dangerously close to the sea level, his pace alternating between fast and slow so that I wouldn’t miss one bit of the wonderful sensations provided.

We’d also liven up our days with some short promenades on Sevii island #13 itself, although I was still reluctant to venture any further than the base’s vicinity. For the first time, I laid my eyes, brimming with curiosity, on Pokémon species I had never seen before; flying ones, grass-looking ones, and even some dwelling in the earth, occasionally poking their head out before diving back in. Rikiya kept trying to explain what he knew to the best of his abilities, swarmed by the torrent of questions I had everytime a new specimen appeared in front of us, before I noticed his struggling to keep up with my excitement and dialed it down, just to stupidly forgot and let myself get carried away once more. Nonetheless, he never complained about it and always shared his amusement and glee at my reactions filled with wonder.

But Rikiya hadn’t stopped at just that. One day, after another fleeting mention of his trainer and the elusive trainer room, he suddenly offered to let me visit the last place in the base I had yet to lay my eyes on. I had declined at first, arguing that he didn’t have to, since it was an important place for his trainer, but he insisted, retorting back that with his trainer’s demise, the room had close to no purpose now, what with nobody having really used it in more than a century, and that he trusted me about knowing of its existence. What pushed me to give in was his final argument, stating that it could help me understand what a Pokémon trainer’s equipment looks like in the flesh since it hadn’t changed much compared to way back, purposely tickling at my budding curiosity about Pokémon and leading me to give in.

The room had been hidden stealthily behind the tall, robust mahogany bookshelf standing proud in the study, only revealing its access by pulling a determined combination of books in the right order. With Rikiya’s manipulations, it slid smoothly to the left, revealing a large opening dug in the rock, wide and tall enough to let the massive Dragon-type make his way inside without feeling cramped.

Following behind, the short hallway soon expanded massively in an expansive room, with rocky walls and flat ground, but surprisingly clean for a place that had not been used in so long. Rikiya then revealed that he did a thorough cleaning of this trainer room every month, also taking care of replacing any damaged or obsolete items whenever they showed up. As a matter of fact, the room was littered with colorful apparatuses various in shapes and sizes.

Empty Poké Balls stored in several boxes, countless discs lined up on a shelf, strange items whose purpose remained unknown to me isolated behind a glass cupboard, and a mass of old, worn documents inserted in just as old folders, neatly stacked on a large mahogany table whose beauty rivaled with the one in the living room; but what achieved to make my heart thump and my eyes widen with amazement, were the series of trophies and achievements hung on the far wall, alongside colorful badges gathered in separate frames and dazzling as if they were brand new.

Even my ignorant self had heard stories at school about the Gym challenge, crafted to test aspiring Pokémon trainers’ abilities regarding Pokémon battles, culminating with regional tournaments happening on a yearly basis designed to crown the best trainer. A disorienting number of those very badges were sitting right there, proud and unfazed, a pristine testimony to how strong and talented Rikiya’s trainer truly was.

I had marveled at everything in pure awe, a temptation to approach and examine everything growing in my heart, which Rikiya was quick to entertain. I took in my hands several items, feeling them, asking about like a child gifted with a brand new toybox, even though none of this was mine for the using, the Dragonite answering the best he could, as a perfect encore of what happened during our promenades. I even got the chance to see his own Poké Ball, namely a Luxury Ball, apparently designed to make the Pokémon caught with it easier to befriend. After a while, we’d both left the premises and showed my gratitude for this impromptu museum tour with a wide hug that he happily returned, myself feeling more invigorated to deepen my understanding of the Pokémon world.

Another way I sated that curiosity was by spending a fair amount of time lounging in the adjacent study, either pursuing my reading of the book I had begun long ago, or browsing the computer or my smartphone. A perk I never expected to have on such a remote island was full access to a seamless Internet connection, which felt reassuring knowing that I could still communicate with the rest of the world without depending on Rikiya bringing me somewhere in person.

When I asked about it, he told me that Kouji had set him up with a satellite subscription, which was also how he got his phone and TV access. Of course, at first, it was supposed to be part of the upgrades to the secret base he wanted Hiroshi to benefit from, but given the circumstances, he granted me the required access to peruse said devices. If anything, it did seem strange that the mist would not jam the regular transmissions like it prevented living beings in the flesh from crossing it unaffected, but perhaps such a contraption had its own rules. Therefore, I had soon dismissed it; having no substantial idea of the deep intricacies of its workings prevented me from getting any detailed answer to that question.

Otherwise, my browsing was nothing to make note of; mostly watching a few videos or listening to some music, although I sometimes found myself deviating towards Pokémon training academies and their education programs, Kouji’s suggestion coming back to mind. It never lasted long, though; rigorous surveying and the choice that came along with it felt too much a hassle to warrant undertaking by myself, and I figured that I might as well bring it up with him directly before committing to anything.

Sometimes, we would stay in the living room, playing some games together on the console he’d originally bought for his trainer as a gift, his arms wrapped around my waist and leaving my legs dangling comically in the air as I struggled to push the buttons while focusing on the screen. A position that I never asked to relinquish, though. Whenever Pokémon were involved in the game, as if on cue, he would pipe up and tell me about them, much to my appreciation, any speck of knowledge about the strange creatures rapidly finding a cozy spot in my subconscious.

And lastly, we would simply flirt together in the bedroom, trying to learn more about each other and each other’s body. Since we had been used to sleeping together by that point, it mostly happened whenever we woke up or went to bed. Ever since we had agreed to try bringing our relationship to the next level, our intimate sessions became longer and more frequent.

However, neither of us had made a move to bring it further for now, due to a shared apprehension about moving too fast and rushing the other beyond his comfort zone. Despite my member hardening against his belly from excitement now and then, and him mentioning his arousal taking place more than once, nothing fully sexual had been initiated, to the point I still didn’t know what the aforementioned appendage looked like. We hadn’t even kissed on the mouth yet.

Yet, the air was not dire or tense between us, and our trust in each other never wavered. By this time, I had faith that if my mood changed, I could be upfront about it, and the same applied to the Dragonite. Thus, it didn’t stop us from taking pleasure in more standard ways, by touching or kissing the other elsewhere, and forget about the very notion of time in those moments full of bliss, maintaining a status quo that perfectly suited the both of us.

Before enjoying that newfound freedom in earnest, though, there was still a final procedure that I had forsaken to take care of on the day I left the city, which was updating my street address on all the places where I was currently registered. Mainly, the bank and the state. This posed a major issue in the way that Rikiya’s house had no defined address, and no posting services reached it, meaning I would have no way to receive any important letters.

Stranded for thoughts, I considered for a moment reverting it to my parents’ address, but ended up foregoing this option, as it would raise suspicions on their side, all the more so if they stumbled upon my tax report and saw that my income was now non-existent. Plus, for nothing would I disclose to them my current situation, whether it be personal…or conjugal. Once more Rikiya came to my aid, and suggested I ask Kouji to redirect all my mail at his current address. As we all technically resided in the same country, this was an easy task, and after getting the Metagross’ approval, it was all settled in a matter of days.

Meanwhile, the Dragonite himself had started to resume his usual duties after some encouragement on my end. At first, he proved to be quite reluctant to go back to work and worried about leaving me alone at the base for a whole day, but I reminded him that he had already done so the last time, and nothing bad had taken place while he was away, which managed to convince him, although it didn’t spare me of a few longing licks on the cheeks this morning before I saw him out.

Around noon, Kouji called as I was relaxing in the living room. After greeting each other, I inquired, concern shrouding my voice, if the Metagross was really unbothered with the arrangement we had settled on days prior:

“Are you really sure you don’t mind it? We could still find something else if it’s too much…”

He scoffed in the robotic tone I’d come to get accustomed to by now:

“IT IS FINE. AS I TOLD YOU THE LAST TIME, MY TRAINER'S FAMILY DOES NOT MIND, SO LONG AS IT DOES NOT PILE UP. NOT TO MENTION THAT I ALREADY DO THE SAME FOR RIKIYA IN ADDITION TO MANAGING HIS BANK ACCOUNT. THE RECEPTION OF YOUR MEAGER MAIL WOULD NOT INCONVENIENCE ME IN THE SLIGHTEST.”

I recoiled at the word “meager”, indignation bubbling up in my chest:

“Hey, you don’t have to put it like that! I know I’m not a social Beautifly, but still-”

“THE FACT REMAINS THAT, SO FAR, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING ADDRESSED TO YOU.” He cut me, a playful tone in his voice. “ON ANOTHER NOTE, THOUGH…A SOCIAL BEAUTIFLY? I DID NOT EXPECT YOU TO KNOW OF THIS EXPRESSION, YOUNG MAN. ARE YOU EVEN AWARE OF WHAT A ‘BEAUTIFLY’ IS?”

“Yeah, I do!” I pushed back, a little miffed at the Steel-type’s harmless teasing. “Rikiya showed me one day a flock of them in the forest the other day, so I’ve learned about it. Just because I’m not knowledgeable doesn’t mean I know absolutely nothing. I’m learning everyday!”

“THEN, LET US TEST IF YOU REALLY DO SPORT SUCH KNOWLEDGE. WHAT IS THE TYPING OF THE BEAUTIFLY SPECIES?”

Taken aback by the sudden question, I recalled to my memory, Rikiya having shared the information prior, before answering:

“Er, it’s a Bug…and Flying type, right?”

“INDEED. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN STUDYING DILIGENTLY. I AM MUCH PLEASED, YOUNG MAN. WHICH REMINDS ME, HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO ENTERTAIN MY SUGGESTION?”

I let a small pause linger, before sighing, my voice meeker:

“I…have, actually. I’ve…even looked around some colleges.”

“OH? AND, SO FAR, IS THERE A FACILITY THAT HAS RETAINED YOUR ATTENTION?”

“Well…To be honest, I got the willies, and immediately left from all the websites. I’m still having some doubts about the whole thing.”

The Metagross hummed, no doubt processing the hesitation that manifested in my tone, before he doubled down with another question:

“I SEE…AND WHAT KIND OF DOUBTS?”

I twiddled around the sleeve of my vest, trying to enunciate said doubts in a sound fashion:

“Well…mostly about whether I’m really suited for training in itself. Whether this is the right decision for me. I’m not athletic, and I don’t really like battling. Not to mention that I’m still lacking basic knowledge. Even if I can correctly point out the typing of a Beautifly, I know perfectly well that it’s far from enough. Not to mention that…I don’t want to order Pokémon around like pets. It would feel extremely awkward, and I’d even say disrespectful to you and Rikiya. And…I…I wonder if I really need to become a Trainer to interact with Pokémon. Even if I do become a Trainer, then what…? I don’t know what I could do with that expertise. It makes me feel scared, like I’m taking a leap into the unknown, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet..”

The Metagross remained silent, before replying in an unexpectedly stern tone:

“YOU ARE OVERTHINKING IT.”

“W-What?” I blurted.

“YOU ARE OVERTHINKING IT, YOUNG MAN,” He repeated. “ALTHOUGH I DO SEE WHERE YOUR FEARS COME FROM, IT IS WAY TOO EARLY TO PONDER ABOUT SUCH CONVOLUTED IMPLICATIONS. POKEMON TRAINING IS NOT AN END GOAL. IT IS BUT A LIFELONG PATH TOWARDS ANOTHER WAY OF LIVING TOGETHER WITH POKEMON. MUCH LIKE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A CHILD TO BEGIN, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE ATHLETIC, NOR WELL-VERSED IN KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU START LEARNING HOW TO BE A POKEMON TRAINER. THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE TO BE CERTAIN OF, DEEP INSIDE OF YOURSELF, IS WHETHER YOU LIKE POKEMON AND DESIRE TO LEARN MORE, SEE MORE, EXPERIENCE MORE OF OUR REALM, AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO INTERACT PROPERLY WITH US. IS THAT THE CASE?”

I gulped, Kouji’s long discourse making me reassess my whole understanding of the matter at hand. Was I really getting ahead of things? Overestimating the requirements to become a trainer? Thinking about it all over again, it was true that some people looked perfectly average while taking care of their Pokémon, the human resources lady at my former job immediately coming to mind. Perhaps Kouji was right, and I was putting unneeded pressure on myself out of fear and lack of confidence. Perhaps because this time, I wanted to avoid any mistakes. I wanted to do everything right, and be completely sure of my decision, yet this seemed to be biting back against me.

I ended up recalling my memories of the Aron I had gotten acquainted with during my first day at the base, the red hue of its eyes still vivid in my brain. Despite my best efforts on trying to spot him during our outings on the island, it always amounted to nothing, only leaving me to worry about his safety every time we went back home. Rikiya would usually cheer me up in those moments, insisting that the little guy would be okay, and I attempted to believe him the best I could. Yet, it never deterred my strong wish to meet him again, get confirmation that he was okay, and take back where we had left, so that I could get to know him like I got to know my Dragonite roommate.

More than once, I found myself wondering if he’d accept to become bound to a human like myself and a more sedentary life, or if he just preferred living in the wild. Given what both Rikiya and Kouji told me, though, the latter remained very unlikely, yet I knew perfectly well I had no right to force him to abide by my selfish desires. Nonetheless, I still at least wished to get a definite answer, as the wait for it had felt agonizing. Perhaps that was why I was getting so ahead of myself; and holding the rank of Pokémon trainer to such high standards. I myself wanted to be worthy of the little guy, to show him that I could be trusted and relied on, that unlike most of the other living beings who would only look at him for his shiny attribute, I would look at him like I look at a friend.

Inhaling deeply, I picked back up the conversation, the answer to Kouji’s question coming out naturally:

“I…Yes. I can…I can say without a doubt that I’ve never been more curious in my life. I… can’t say I like Pokémon as a whole, but I do like you two, and I do want to learn more about Pokémon, and about your world. It feels like the more I learn, the more there is to learn, and it has no end in sight. It…fascinates me.”

“THEN, THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR NOW. TRAINING IS BUT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG, BUT REMAINS AN INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE IF YOU WISH TO FEEL MORE AT EASE WITH POKEMON NOT NECESSARILY AS APPROACHABLE AS RIKIYA OR ME. FURTHERMORE, SEVERAL PEOPLE FIND SOMETHING TO SPECIALIZE IN LATER DOWN THE ROAD. NOT ALL TRAINERS LIVE OFF OF BATTLING, ONLY A MINORITY OF THEM. SOME PEOPLE LEAN TOWARDS BREEDING, OTHER TOWARDS CONTESTS, OR RESEARCH, OR EXPLORATION…THE LIST GOES ON. YOU HAVE ALL LIFE IF YOU SO DESIRE TO LATCH ONTO A FIELD THAT WILL MAKE YOU THRIVE. THERE IS NO NEED FOR HASTE. HAVE YOU BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT WITH RIKIYA?”

“...Not really,” I confessed with a sigh. “Although he still helps me with familiarizing with Pokémon and everything revolving around it, I haven’t mentioned outright becoming a trainer since I’m…still debating on the question.”

I smiled bashfully at the sweet memories, while Kouji let out a reflexive metallic hum on the other end, then replied again:

“IN ANY CASE, YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME LEFT. WE ARE MID-JULY, AND MOST FACILITIES DO NOT STOP REVIEWING APPLICATIONS BEFORE SEPTEMBER, SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RUSH OR TRY TO HANDLE EVERYTHING BY YOURSELF. IF YOU SO DESIRE, WE CAN SET UP A TIME TO BROWSE AROUND THE COLLEGES THAT WOULD SUIT YOU BEST TOGETHER. FOR I DOUBT THAT WITH YOU ALONE, YOU WOULD COME UP WITH CHOICES YOU WOULD NOT END UP REGRETTING AFTERWARDS.”

I winced at the crude remark, although it was still somehow on the spot. I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it by myself, and I knew by now that the Metagross was organized and aware enough to be reliable on this matter. Not wanting to argue on that front, I simply agreed:

“That’d be nice. Can I call you again whenever I’m ready?”

“OF COURSE, YOUNG MAN. I WORK THE USUAL HOURS, FROM NINE TO SEVENTEEN, AT THE AGENCY, DURING WHICH FEEL FREE TO CALL AT THIS NUMBER. IN THE MEANTIME, TRY TO RELAX AND ENJOY WHAT SEVII ISLAND #13 AND HIROSHI’S SECRET BASE HAVE IN STORE. NOW THAT YOU FINALLY HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR YOURSELF, IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO SPEND MOST OF IT ON RUSHING YOUR VOCATIONAL RETRAINING AND MAIMING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH FOR NO REASON.”

That last bit was spoken with the playful tone I had now grown accustomed to from the Metagross, leading me to chuckle back and confirm my intentions:

“Of course. I’ve been enjoying the place for a while now, and don’t plan to stop anytime soon.”

“GOOD. IF THAT WAS EVERYTHING, I SHALL TAKE MY LEAVE, THEN. MY BREAK WILL BE OVER SOON.”

“Alright, I won’t keep you up. Thanks again for the help, Kouji. I really owe you one.”

“IT IS NO PROBLEM. UNTIL NEXT TIME, AND GIVE MY REGARDS TO RIKIYA.”

“I’ll do that! Bye!”

Hearing the sound of the call being ended on his side, I put the receiver back on the wall and stood up, stretching my limbs, the contents of our discussion having motivated me anew. The sudden growling of my stomach made me realize that the lunch Rikiya had carefully prepared for my sake was still sitting undisturbed in the fridge, ready to be consumed. Following Kouji’s advice, I gently slapped my own cheeks and put on the TV, a small detour by the kitchen to retrieve my meal.

That’s right. I didn’t need to take the matter so seriously. Being curious was fine, and so was learning at my own pace or getting gradually familiarized with the broad subject of Pokémon, but as Kouji said, I didn’t need to rush it or hold myself to absurdly high standards. The days where my performances had to be flawless and optimal were long past now. Enjoying the present days, together with my boyfriend, was way more important.

Letting out a long, deep sigh and stretching my arms to evacuate the leftover tension, I picked up a mouthful of the delicious Persim gratin, giving the rest of my attention to the show I had begun ever since first moving in while sinking into the comfy, growing embrace of the beanbag, determined to kick back and enjoy my day.

---

A few hours later, my eyes now resting on the pages of the basics book for a tranquil reading, the familiar sound of the entrance’s big handle being pushed down reached my ears, followed by the squeaking sound of the red metallic door being opened. Soon enough, a voice I had wished to hear all day long manifested at last:

“I’m home, little buddy!”

Raising my eyes, his trademark smile beamed all the way from the entrance, as I greeted him with a smile of my own and a wave:

“Hey, Rikiya! Welcome home!”

I barely found the time to put back the book on the table and glance at my watch, that the Dragonite came to me in wide strides and lifted me up in a flash, pressing me hard against his front:

“Awww, I missed you so much! Did you miss me too? I hope you didn’t feel too lonely…”

“Not really. I had stuff to occupy myself, so I did fine.” I replied matter-of-factly.

“What? H-How come? Not even a little?”

As he had just finished wrapping up my legs around his chest, the big Dragonite recoiled, visibly shaken that I didn’t share the same sentiment. Perhaps as a way to feel better about the small teasing I received from Kouji, I doubled down, a small pang of shame flaring up in my heart:

“Come on, Rikiya, it’s not the first time you leave me for work. We’ve only been away from each other for seven hours, fifty-three minutes and forty seconds.”

He let out a cute whine, complaining again:

“But that’s sooo long! There wasn’t a moment where I didn’t think of y-”

He turned abruptly quiet, apparently thinking over something, before his tone changed for a more inquisitive one:

“Wait a minute…How do you know exactly how much time passed while I was away?”

With the Meowth now out of the bag, unwilling to keep the teasing going any further, I confessed bashfully, burying my face between the ridges of his neck:

“...I missed you too…”

Immediately, the Dragonite cooed, giving me a small lick on the head:

“Awwww…So you were just messing with me, then…”

I nodded against his neck, and guiltily affirmed:

“Sorry, Rikiya…I was curious to see how you’d react…”

“You cheeky little buddy…I’ll teach you to make fun of me like that! Wrap attack!”

All of a sudden, his burly arms squeezed my body a bit too tight, making me puff out in surprise at the change in demeanor:

“OOF!”

Managing to recover pretty quickly from the scare, I looked up at my friend’s maw, only to come face-to-face with a disturbing grin, a small shiver going down my spine. Rikiya then adopted a completely different stance, his voice growing menacing and unsettling:

“I caught you now, little human... You cannot escape anymore.”

“W-What was that for?!”

Despite my mildly offended tone, the Dragonite only pushed back, surprisingly angry at first sight:

“GROAR!! Silence!! Making fun of a Dragon-type is a serious offense! You will face the most severe punishment for this!”

His roar had made me jump at first, but I could still detect a hint of playfulness in the tone he employed. Realizing that this was just part of his usual role playing antics, I willingly shrank back and took up the role of the ignorant, helpless victim, my loins beginning to stir awake:

“I-I’m sorry, O mighty Dragonite, sir! I-I didn’t know! Please forgive me!”

“GAAWR! No can do!” He roared back with more energy. “You have disrespected my honor, and will have to answer for your actions!”

His iron grip still unfaltering, he roared again, while I kept feigning dread at his falsely threatening display:

“W-What are you going to do with me?”

“GRAWR! I will take you back to my abode, and you will live and work there until you have repaid your debt, human!”

As he spoke, he walked us around the living room in long strides, as if he was actually moving us, while I pleaded for his mercy, my arousal now obscenely clear:

“Please, O mighty Dragonite, please reconsider! Don’t take me away from my home and relatives! I’ll do anything you want!”

“GRAWR! Silence! It’s too late to beg for forgiveness now! Do not even think about escaping, for it would be a futile effort, and you would face my terrible, terrible wrath! No knight in shining armor will come to save you!”

The last sentence made my heart thump, my arms clasping around Rikiya’s neck and my legs squeezing to their best around his chest. I meekly retorted, a hint of genuineness in my voice:

“But…Rikiya…You’re already my knight in shining armor.”

“H-Huh?” The big Dragon-type blurted, completely thrown out of his pace. His walk quickly came to a halt, his wide jaw brushing against the top of my head as he peered down:

“Ever since we met, you’ve helped me so much, and you never asked for anything comparable in return. Even now, you’re still supporting me while I’m trying to find a new path in life, and always trying to make me feel welcome.”

I affectionately nuzzled his neck again, before planting a few kisses on his underbelly scales:

“You’re…you’re my knight in shining armor. My big, strong and kind Dragonite. I don’t know where I would be without you.”

Hearing my words, Rikiya remained silent for a bit, before warmly enveloping his limbs and head further around my body, his slightly moist tongue swiping at my nape in rapid strokes. His voice quivering with emotion, he exclaimed back:

“You saved me too, you know…You gave me a new purpose in life after so long, and I’ll…I’ll always be grateful for it. My cute, gentle, precious little buddy…I’ll always be there for you.”

I let out a needy whimper at his new words, both our disparate body frames clinging to each other, reveling in the now all too familiar feeling of reciprocated affection. A few moments later, a small chuckle escaped Rikiya’s maw, leaving me intrigued:

“What’s up?”

He replied back in an amused way, pulling me back so I could face him, his round eyes full of vigor:

“Oh, nothing, I just realized that…more than your knight, I could even be your ‘Dragonknight in shining armor’, buddy!”

I snorted at the wordplay, bouncing back immediately:

“Heh, that sounds nice. You could even make it a ‘Dragonknight in scaly armor’ instead!”

He perked up at the suggestion, licking me on the cheek:

“That’s even better! I’ll be your ‘Dragonknight in scaly armor’ now!”

“Awesome!” I smiled back and put my right hand on the side of his face, caringly rubbing my thumb against his cheek. “Then, what am I to you, my Dragonknight in scaly armor?”

“Well of course, you’re my little buddy!” He replied back in his traditional jolly tone, complimenting his answer with another lick. I balked at the seemingly tone-deaf reply, pretending to whine in disappointment:

“Whaat?! That’s lame! I want to be more!”

“No!” He protested almost childishly, pulling my face back against his neck stronger than usual as if to mute down my request. “You’ll always stay my little buddy, and that’s it!”

“Please?” I begged, meekly kissing his neck for encouragement. He squeezed back, leading me to believe that I had swayed him, only to insist back:

“Nuh-uh! You’re my little buddy, period!”

For a while now, I had noticed that the Dragonite could become a bit more dominant and assertive, as he just demonstrated earlier. Perhaps it was a result of our deepening relationship, making him more at ease around me and showing other facets of his personality. Surprisingly, the feeling was almost symbiotic; one thing I had come to learn about myself these past two weeks, was that I thoroughly enjoyed being coy and overall more submissive whenever my body rested in Rikiya’s embrace. Thus, that new power dynamic of ours worked seamlessly when we felt like playing around and enacting harmless scenarios.

This time, though, I was not planning on giving up that easily, and feeling emboldened by my position, I decided to try something I had in mind for a while now, unbeknownst to his experience so far with our moments together. My hands rested flat on his nape, and I let out my own short tongue to brush it against the beige front of the Dragon-type’s neck a couple of times, the sweet, natural taste of his body seeping through my tastebuds. Once it felt like enough, I leaned forward once more, begging again:

“Come on…please…?”

His breath hitched and his arms tensed around me, prompting my lips to curve into a satisfied smirk hidden from view, pleased to know that my little attention had had its effect. As I waited for his reply, he stuttered defeatedly, still overwhelmed by the lingering sensation:

“A-Alright. I-I’ll…I’ll think about it.”

“Yay!”

I celebrated in a high-pitched cry of victory before squeezing his neck again in gratitude, prompting him to chuckle at my enthusiasm, his mood recovering almost on the spot. He changed back the topic, inquiring about my day instead:

“Now tell me, my buddy, what did you do while I was away? Did you learn something new?”

“It was fine,” I answered truthfully. “Having missed you aside, I watched some TV, and I read a few things about specific categories of wild Pokémon.”

“Specific categories? What do you mean?” He interrupted, asking for details.

“For example, totem Pokémon or alpha Pokémon. There was also a small passage regarding shiny Pokémon.”

At that last mention, I let out a wistful sigh which betrayed my faltering enthusiasm, a sign that did not go unnoticed by the Dragonite:

“Oh…I’m guessing it reminded you of the little Aron?” He asked carefully.

“Yeah…But it’s okay,” I reassured him. “I know that he’s doing fine. He must’ve been living on this island for a long time now. I’ll just wait patiently until the time comes when we meet again.”

Not to mention that, in hindsight, it had only been two weeks. Compared to the tremendous period of time Rikiya had waited for Hiroshi’s return, this was next to nothing. Complaining any further about the length of my own wait felt disrespectful to the Dragon-type’s more than honorable commitment to his trainer. Such was the line of thought I chose to abide by in my heart. Hearing my decision, he nuzzled my hair with his maw and vigorously stroked my back with his paw:

“That’s the spirit, buddy! Don’t give up!”

I hummed in approval, before completing the retelling of my day:

“By the way, Kouji called around noon. He’s saying hello.”

“He did? Got it, I’ll call him back again today! Thanks, little buddy!”

“What about you? How was your day?” I queried back, genuinely interested.

“Oh, nothing fancy. I mostly did some interpreter work instead of manual labor. It’s been a bit weird resuming work after such a long break, but I managed.”

I nodded in acknowledgement, as he walked us toward the kitchen, before immediately stopping right at the threshold, and I felt his head turn left and right, hesitation imprinted in his movements. Worry slowly winning over, I quickly called him out:

“Hey, is something wrong, Rikiya?”

Once again, his jaw moved down, a sign that he heard my question, and he replied back, his voice fidgeting from his usual indecisiveness:

“Ah, well…I was mulling between taking a shower, or immediately preparing dinner. I’m not hungry yet, but I figured you might be, so…”

Touched by his consideration, I pecked him on the neck, before reassuring him:

“It’s okay, I’m not hungry yet either. I’ll tell you what, put me down and go take a shower. I’ll gather the ingredients in the meantime, okay? Just tell me what you have in mind for dinner.”

“Awww, thanks!” He cooed, setting me on the floor and ruffling my head. “You’re always a big help. This time, I was thinking about baking a berry moussaka! I got the recipe from a Garchomp coworker. It mostly requires a few Tamato, Cornn and Belue berries, as well as one Nomel berry for the sauce and some MooMoo cheese, but we should have all of that in the fridge.”

“Got it! I’ll take out everything you listed and rinse the berries. Do you need me to peel and cut them in chunks?” I suggested.

“That’d be perfect! If you’re stumped at some point, don’t hesitate to come into the bathroom and tell me, okay?” He offered. I nodded back, and he smiled in confirmation, sliding the door open and making his way inside while I headed towards the kitchen, a blissful smile on my face.

Bringing the stepladder to the counter, a few round trips to the fridge were all it required to gather the ingredients, which then had to be washed. Most of the berries used in our food were gathered from this island and the neighboring ones, Rikiya having now memorized most of the spots growing his favorites. Any manufactured items he needed, like said stepladder, he put an order by himself next to his temp agency and had them sent to Kouji’s address, retrieving them whenever necessary.

As I put aside the last berry and dried my hands with a nearby cloth, a loud metallic bang resonated throughout the base, leading me to drop the cloth on the ground in surprise. Against all odds, the noise sounded familiar, and disregarding all forms of caution, my instincts directed me to the red-colored entrance gate, a feeble, desperate hope burning inside.

It had to be him. The little Aron, who I had yearned to see again for days now. A loud thumping of my heart, betraying my anticipation, repeatedly struck inside my chest, desire welling up inside. At the very instant my hand landed on the sturdy doorknob, ready to let me outside, the bathroom door opened, Rikiya’s body dripping with leftover water from the shower, his panicked voice traveling through the living room:

“Where are you going, buddy?! What was that noise?!”

I turned around, showing him an excited smile:

“I think it’s the little Aron! He bumped the door like that when he first came here! I’ll go check right outside for a minute!”

Processing my answer, he perked up on the spot:

“Really? That’s great! I’ll finish showering and join you as soon as I can! Don’t go too far!”

“Got it, Rikiya!”

He trotted back inside the bathroom, leaving the door open, while I turned back towards the entrance, pulling down the human-sized handle and taking a careful glance outside, keeping in mind that this might be a misunderstanding on my end. As I pried around with my eyes, remaining alert for any abnormality in the surroundings, my attention was swiftly taken by a familiar squeal coming from right behind the door.

A gasp of surprise came out of my throat, my eyes swerving below me to find the nostalgic form of the larger than average Aron I had gotten acquainted with, his vivid red eyes peering at me, leaving no room for mistake regarding his identity. I almost balked in disbelief, expecting until now to have to explore every nook and cranny of the island to meet him again, and not for him to magically appear at our doorstep.

My lips curved into a smile as I stepped out, now convinced of the absence of any danger. Looking him over, the Steel-type sported a few light injuries, but thankfully nothing as dire as last time. Dropping on my knees to reach his height, I greeted him, trying to maintain a composed tone and failing miserably thanks to my current elation:

“Hey, little guy! It’s been a while! Do you recognize m-Oh…”

He took a few steps back before I even had time to finish my sentence, looking tense and wary. My heart sank, and I immediately jumped to the conclusion that he probably had already forgotten about me. As I slung my head in dejection, I heard another metallic squeal, more chipper, and reflexively raised my head back up to find the small creature run at me and tackle me to the ground, taking me completely off guard. With a grunt, I fell on my back, the Aron fortunately light from what I presumed were the effects of an Autotomize, and it started nuzzling at my body. I giggled audibly at the display of affection, my worries about him not recognizing me dissipating in thin air, and my hand found naturally the side of his mask, petting him eagerly:

“Hahah, there, there! I missed you too! I’m so happy you’re here! What have you been up to since then?”

I kept hugging him and asking him questions, not expecting any answer, simply reveling in the joy that I could feel his presence right by my side. He nuzzled my chest in response, his happy metallic cries a testimony of his current mood.

Until suddenly, we both heard a loud rustling in the neighboring bushes, followed by the sound of ripped tree bark, making us freeze amidst our heartwarming reunion. I barely had time to glance in the direction of the noise before three large and burly creatures came out, rushing toward us at a slow yet dreadful pace. My heart jumped in a flash; I let out a high-pitched yelp and scrambled to avoid their path, standing back up with the little Aron in my arms, before they stopped in the middle of their charge.

Panic manifested in my mind as I realized that in my haste, I had gotten us further away from the base’s entrance, their bodies effectively blocking the whole path from going back inside. Focusing on regaining my composure, I looked directly at our offenders, and my eyes narrowed upon noticing the uncanny similarities with the Aron’s body, despite being clearly different species.

He might boast a larger than average size, yet all three of them were undeniably larger than my companion, their height reaching up to my waist. And although they had remained quadrupedal, their appearance boasted more aggressive features; a set of pointed claws topped with a metal ring on each of their limbs, a visible maw with fangs, not to mention some layered rocky plates on their sides, complemented by jagged protrusions reminiscent of an armor. Lastly, their back was covered in superimposed spiky metal plates, each covered in a pair of similar black holes.

Having already gathered some bits of general knowledge about Pokémon evolution from my afternoon readings, I immediately surmised the individuals in front of us to belong to Aron’s evolved species. However, I didn’t know anything more, not even their name, as I had yet to browse the Pokémon index about the Aron species, my desire to learn more by directly interacting with him taking precedence over anything else.

As I mentally cursed myself for my negligence, all three of them pivoted around in an unsettling fashion. Their deadly eyes focused on the Aron, then on me, and I recoiled from their harming intent, leading them to alternatively growl and roar, their maws opening and closing in a cacophonous rhythm, and their front legs scraping the hard rock like it was nothing more than cardboard. The cause of their aggressive behavior had left me stumped, until Kouji’s words about the shiny Aron’s circumstances surfaced once more.

I peeked down at the little Aron in my arms. He was squeaking in terror and closing his eyes, his face buried in my chest, which immediately confirmed my glum suspicion: those three were part of his pack, and had been relentlessly chasing him ever since, blaming the poor thing for its shiny attribute. My heart skipped a beat when I recalled the other detail mentioned by the smart Metagross, and realized that seeing their packmate with a human must’ve angered them even further, comforting them in their mistaken beliefs that leaving the Aron be would lead to the fall of their pack.

Seeing the three wild Pokémon reared up for another charge, I tentatively stepped back, my mind trying to find a suitable way to escape this predicament. But it proved futile as they immediately lunged, and I barely found the time to scream:

“HELP!! RIKIYA!!”

…Before turning around and sprinting away, the Aron still in my firm hold. I prayed everything that my Dragonite friend had heard my plea, and would rush out to aid us. Behind me, rang the deafening noise of what felt like a wild beast stampede, never approaching yet never pulling away and deduced that trying to lose them in the forest would slow us, as their sturdy bodies could probably tear away at the trees without any resistance. Thus I simply followed the clearest path along the mountain base, not even bothering to look back or take note of my routing, my focus only disrupted by the Aron’s occasional metallic whimpers. Thankfully, wearing proper shoes allowed me to run steadily, and I began to trust that I might be able to lose the trio with time.

Until my eyes refocused in front of me and I inadvertently skidded and braked, inches away from colliding against a hard rock wall. My eyes darted around to find another path, but they only found taller rock walls, and my heart sank. I had brought us in a perfect dead-end, the claustrophobic cliffs a testimony to our fiddling hope, as any available space almost seemed to shrink and encase us in their solid hold.

I barely had time to curse and turn around before the elegy of heavy steps got nearby, followed soon by the familiar trio of bellicose Pokémon, lined up like only a gang of thugs would be. In a sick turn of events, the track was large enough so that all three could fit side by side and prevent us from crossing them, eyes glinting with malice and murderous impulse.

At that moment, my life flashed before my eyes, the possibility that these would be my last instants on earth becoming more and more plausible by the minute, my body shivering from the eventuality. Regret overwhelmed my spirit at not having tried better to learn about Pokémon, at not having put higher chances on my side, and at underestimating the danger of the island after so many walks in Rikiya’s company. Although I had called him right before sprinting away from the base, I didn’t know whether he had heard it, nor if he would be able to find us in time to escape from the wild Pokémon’s assault.

As I mulled over my own faults, the Aron in my arms, who had stopped squirming for a while now, suddenly jumped out and landed in front of me, facing the trio and adopting a battle stance, a defiant cry bouncing around the narrow mountain corridor, and his front paw harshly scratching the ground. But even to my untrained ear, his cry’s undertones sounded shaky and unsure, the fear rampant in his voice. Appalled by the idea that it would try and take on all three of them, I immediately called him out:

“Wait! It’s dangerous! Stop it!”

The three evolved Pokémon weren’t fazed in the slightest, almost gloating at the notion that my runaway comrade would even muster the courage to stand up to them after evading their hazing for so long. Unfortunately, my pleas remained unheard, and I could only stand helplessly as he immediately charged with tremendous speed, the mask on his head quickly taking a reflective silver coloration, as he aimed for the head of the Pokémon in the middle.

To my biggest surprise, his opponent simply took the blow head-on, barely grunting at the impact, before repelling the Aron with a shake of his head and propelling him up in the air, visibly using his reduced weight against him. I watched in horror as the other two geared up with their front paws, their claws extending quick much like Rikiya’s, but instead of taking the same blue color his Dragon Claw move did, they turned an eerie gray, and immediately clawed the red-eyed Aron in unison, who howled in pain at the impact.

The two Pokémon on the sides then took turns in striking the poor and defenseless Steel-type, their attention completely away from me. Even though, crippled with fear and anxiety, I tried to avoid riling them up no earlier than one minute ago, their sadistic and unfair attacks made my blood boil with outraged anger each passing second, drowning the former emotions. This was unbearable to look at.

The middle one, who I now understood was the ringleader, slowly stepped back, his body now basking in the same gray as his brethren, before ramming it with full strength against the Aron’s body and coincidentally sending it in my direction, toward the wall forming the dead end, hovering above the ground at great speed. At this rate, I feared the collision would potentially endanger his life.

Determined to avoid that outcome, my body acted on its own, and in a flash, I found myself in the way, catching the Aron with my arms. The momentum of his flight flew me back, my feet leaving the ground, before I landed several feet behind on my rear in an unceremonious fashion, the impact on the hard ground drawing a pained cry out of my throat. A dull throb echoed in my lower back, forcing me to grit my teeth as I straightened back, pushing my upper body with my arms, the underlying ache making it harder than it should be. This was bound to leave a mark, I figured.

Looking downwards, the little guy was in no better state, deeper bruises now apparent throughout his steel armor, his movements sluggish and his eyes clenched from the ruthless beating he just took. He shook his head and turned back, his round eyes peering directly into mine, then put his paws on my chest and let out panicked wails, as if worrying about my current state. I forced a smile on my mouth, my hand moving to the side of his face, and reassured him in the calmest tone I could muster:

“I’m fine, don’t worry. What about you, little guy? You’re covered in bruises, are you holding up?”

Another roar drew our attention back to the three Pokémon, who were eerily closing the distance. The little Aron spun back, responding in kind with firm battle cries, in an admirable show of resilience. Despite his face now hidden from sight, I had no doubt that he was glaring something fierce at them, his fighting spirit far from subdued. The anger I felt underneath my bones had far from dissipated, and I added my own scowl to the mix, not wanting to give in to Pokémon bullies, before yelling at them in a wishful attempt to deter their motivations, my sitting position allowing me to face them at eye-level:

“What do you guys want?! Leave us alone! We didn’t do anything to you!”

My shout might as well have gone over their heads, their menacing growls only sharper and louder. Even if I had no proof that the Aron didn’t actually do anything to them, I placed my entire trust in Kouji’s initial judgment. Plus, what had just unfolded in front of me backed it up solidly, after all; despite his careful and averse to conflict personality, they had chased and cornered him to the point of basically traumatizing him, until he had no choice but to fight back, then took pleasure in beating him senseless, three against one, not even allowing him a fair fight.

Nonetheless, the issue of how to get out of our current predicament was still left. No matter how I mulled over it, we were completely out of options, and my apparent composure and defiance threatened to crumble on the spot as they drew closer and closer, intent on showing us hell with their jagged bodies.

Without warning, a flash of orange dropped from the sky right between all of us, rattling the earth with a loud noise. I let out a startled yelp, while the Aron jumped in panic and ran back to my side, cowering behind me. Although I couldn’t see them, the trio of wild Pokémon also let out distraught cries as they tried to get their bearings back, their confused steps now nothing but a disorderly pile of noise.

Glancing up, a twinkle of hope and relief lit my eyes as I recognized the familiar shape of the three meter tall Dragonite I had desperately awaited, his broad winged back to us and his large tail held straight, betraying the state of focus he was currently in. Putting his arms to the sides, Rikiya shielded us both from the three wild Pokémon with his whole frame, his back slightly arched forward with his legs firmly planted on the ground. It would be okay now. He’d protect us without fail, I was certain of it.

Before any overjoyed sound could leave my mouth, a low, deep growl could be heard from Rikiya’s throat, directed at the group of wild Pokémon. Just like the Aron earlier, I couldn’t see his current expression, yet I immediately knew that something was amiss; this was nothing like the playful and harmless growls he had made earlier today when we were having fun. It sounded raw, almost primal; like his deepest instincts had been awakened by pure anger, and for a moment I found myself hoping that he wasn’t going to actually kill our pursuers.

Entranced by the scene, I watched as the trio feebly took a step back, still growling against the Dragonite for the sake of appearances. But it was futile; Rikiya immediately let out a loud roar, and spewed out a wide Flamethrower attack. Incomparable to the small demonstrations I was used to witnessing in the kitchen, it closed the distance of several meters in a flash and stopped mere inches from the trio, spreading to the sides in a massive blast, as they let out guttural cries of pain from the residual heat.

For a moment, I reminisced about a chapter of the basics book explaining how types affected each other, and figuring they were Steel-types just like the Aron, it was fascinating to see in flesh how the Fire-type move was really effective in scaring them away. Given his long experience, perhaps Rikiya knew beforehand, and that’s why he chose it to retaliate.

Glancing at his feet, his lightning-fast landing had easily crushed the rock beneath them, cracks taking the shape of concentric circles; coupled to the sheer power of his Flamethrower, it was safe to say that this was the moment I realized the true extent of Rikiya’s strength, unbound by his modesty, and my admiration and respect for the Pokémon I now called my boyfriend grew bigger than ever.

Unable to bear the effects of the continuous jet of flames any longer, the three Pokémon were swift to turn around and leave in a hurry, their pitiful whines echoing in the distance as they vanished behind the treeline. Satisfied with the result, Rikiya put a stop to his attack, scaring them with another roar for good measure. Letting out a puff of smoke from his nose and mouth, he turned around, his face harboring once again the peaceful expression I was accustomed to see, although his eyes were wide with concern. At this sight, my heartbeat reverted to normal, and I released a breath I didn’t notice I was holding up to now.

When he hastened up to us, a few metallic cries of anguish manifested behind me, prompting me to turn around and see the smaller Steel-type cower in fear at the giant Dragon-type’s approach. I prepared to reassure him, but Rikiya had already reached us and called out anxiously, beating me to the punch:

“Are you okay, buddy?!”

“I’m okay,” I replied, exhaustion showing in my voice. “I’m more frazzled than anything, but I’m not hurt. I’m glad you found us in time, Rikiya. I can’t imagine what…what would’ve happened otherwise.”

Upon hearing that nothing precarious had befallen me, Rikiya’s panicked look settled down, his maw parting in a sigh of huge relief:

“Phew…I heard you call for help, but when I peeked outside, you were already gone! I was so worried and feared that something terrible happened, so I flew up to locate you from above, then I found you all the way here! What on earth happened outside? Who were those Lairon?”

Internally taking note of our assailants’ species name, I turned back to him, a meek smile showing on my face:

“Those ‘Lairon’ seemed to be packmates of the little guy. They suddenly barged right in front of the entrance as I was playing with the little Aron on the ground, then they started pursuing us. I wanted to go back inside, but they were blocking the entrance, and in my hurry to get away from them I took the wrong path and cornered us both here.”

My voice grew frailer as I remembered what had happened next:

“Then they…they started beating up the poor little guy when he stood up to them…”

Hearing about his predicament, he lamented with me, a gesture that I happily welcomed:

“Oh no…that’s awful…Is he hurt badly? Where is he right now?”

“He’s just behind me. He’s not as hurt as the last time, but he’ll need some treatment.”

While talking, I glanced back at the Aron, who was still shaking like a leaf, metallic whimpers audible from time to time, his eyes not leaving the Dragonite for even a moment. Rikiya’s show of strength must’ve left a considerable impression on him, and he looked ready to skedaddle at a moment’s notice. I put my hand on his iron mask and gently stroked it, careful to avoid any wounds and trying to reassure him in the process:

“There, there. It’s okay, Rikiya’s a super nice Pokémon! He won’t hurt you, I promise.”

His deep red eyes looked up at me as he leant into the touch, almost asking for confirmation. I answered back with a relaxed smile and nodded, which immediately drew another whimper, albeit less anxious, from the cute Steel-type. His body more relaxed now, he looked back at the Dragonite, who had kept some distance for the time being; no doubt to not scare him off like Kouji did the first time.

Rikiya then raised an arm and let out a happy cry, like he had suddenly forgotten how to speak; my initially baffled reaction at his unintelligible cry came to pass as I saw the Aron respond in kind, his fear of the massive scaly beast gradually vanishing; they were greeting each other properly, and communicating in that strange mix of grunts and cheers only known to Pokémon.

The heartwarming sight made my chest flutter, the small Aron soon finding himself circling around Rikiya playfully as the Dragon-type entertained him by trying to follow his movement and failing, the small Pokémon too fast for him to keep up. The scene was just too endearing not to smile at, slowly eroding at the nasty afterthought of our recent experience. Knowing that they were getting along just fine felt absolutely wonderful.

After a while, I noticed that I was the only one sitting on the ground, and made to stand up, only for the dull ache in my back to resume throbbing from the sudden movement, causing a pained yelp to escape my mouth and my rear to stay put on the hard ground. In cue, the pair of Pokémon swiveled around, noticing my predicament, and hurried to my side, their eyes full of concern for my well-being. Rikiya immediately inquired about it:

“Wait…you’re actually hurt, buddy! What did they do?!”

“Argh…They threw the little guy towards the wall and I moved to intercept him, but it pushed me back and I landed on my rear.” I explained, gritting my teeth. “Don’t worry, Rikiya. It’s not that bad, I just need a moment.”

The little Aron had climbed on my knees in the meantime, his forelegs back on my chest, worried metallic whimpers coming out of his mask. Once more, I tried to persuade him that I was okay, but to my surprise, he didn’t stop, keeping up with renewed vigor. Our current method of communication showing its limits for the first time since we had met left me completely lost, as I tried to probe successfully around what was ailing him:

“Hey, what’s the matter? Are your wounds still hurting?”

Sensing my confusion, Rikiya piped up to untangle the awkward situation, translating the Aron’s words with a heavy tone:

“He’s apologizing, buddy…He feels guilty for getting you involved with the Lairon and that you got hurt trying to help him. He says…he says he doesn’t want you to resent him because of this, he doesn’t want you to think his difference makes him a…a harbinger of misfortune.”

My mouth gaped on its own, the weight of his words sinking painfully down my chest. It was as if he had heard those words repeatedly and simply assimilated them as a part of his own identity. In a sluggish fashion, my eyes dropped to look at the small Aron’s body. Listening carefully to his tone, he did sound guilty beyond relief and looked almost pleading, unaware that I never blamed him for this. My hand made contact with his mask and he flinched, until I petted him again, my voice soft but firm:

“Hey…you’re not at fault, okay? To tell you the truth, I don’t even know what a so-called ‘normal’ Aron looks like. I don’t care if you have red eyes, or a bigger body; I would never think of your existence as a bad omen. I willingly chose to catch you because I was afraid you’d get even more hurt. And I know you didn’t want to get thrown like that, much less…much less get tormented by those three brutes for so long.”

Partway, a series of strange sounds began to come out of Rikiya’s maw, which I quickly figured was a translation of my words in Pokémon language. It then dawned on me that he was guessing the meaning of my words just as much as I was guessing the meaning of his occasional noises. Clearly, luck had been up to now a defining factor in the progress of our mutual understanding.

I took a pause to let the Dragon-type finish, his skills as an interpreter shining through and through, as the desperate Aron’s tense posture relaxed bit by bit following my words. When he finished translating, I resumed, looking directly at the Aron, a reassuring smile forming on my face:

“This is not your fault. So don’t apologize. I think of you as my friend, and as a friend, I’ll always be there for you. If I had to do it again, I would in a heartbeat.”

Rikiya wasted no time in following up, but the result was most unexpected. Still looking up at me, the Aron’s red eyes began to moisten up, and he immediately buried his head in my chest, sobbing uncontrollably. The sudden movement made me gasp in surprise, before I let out a warm chuckle and went to hug back the poor thing, my hand repeatedly caressing his metallic back, whispering soothing words here and there to help alleviate the apparent pain:

“Shhh…There, there, little guy…It’s over now. You’re going to be okay…”

The little Aron kept crying for long minutes, but neither I nor Rikiya made an attempt to move, only waiting for him to release his emotional baggage. This must’ve been the very first time where he could feel truly safe, after being continuously hazed by that trio of Lairon for weeks, possibly even since his birth if Kouji’s retelling was to be trusted.

In a way, he almost reminded me of myself before moving in with Rikiya; always on his guard, careful with everything, and most of all, fending for himself alone, with no true friends to help. I felt compelled to sympathize with his circumstances, and desired nothing more than to help him, to provide him with a safe and caring home where he could live happily, free from his fears and all kinds of bad things the outside world could throw at him.

It was with this mindset that I looked up at Rikiya, who had been watching the scene with an endearing gaze. Our eyes crossed, and I tried to silently convey my wish, gesturing with my head to the small Steel-type in my arms. The tall Dragon-type blinked at first, but immediately understood, his outstanding perceptiveness coming in handy. He nodded back, granting me permission to ask on his behalf.

Nonetheless, a part of me still felt unsure about the Aron’s answer. I had no right to force him to abide by my wish. Ultimately, it all depended on what he would decide. My eyes fell back to the Pokémon in my arms, whose whimpers had decreased in intensity by now. Taking a deep breath to steel myself, I called out:

“Hey, little guy…What do you plan to do from now…? Do you have anywhere to go…? Parents, or friends…?”

As Rikiya translated once again, he didn’t move from his current spot, but let out a curt, muffled metallic whine, which I cautiously took as a ‘No’ before finally asking the fateful question that had been plaguing my mind for weeks, more uncertain than ever:

“Oh…If…If that’s okay with you, would you…would you like to stay with me? To come live with us?”

Hearing my proposition through Rikiya’s maw, he hesitantly lifted his head, eyes twinkling with an oxymoronic mix of leftover tears and a small ray of hope. I nodded for emphasis, a wry, insecure smile making its way on my mouth, and the little guy immediately squealed in unbridled joy, jumping at my neck without notice and nuzzling his mask against my cheek, the cold smooth steel uncomfortably pressing against it.

The miraculous turn of events took a moment before registering in my head. I requested confirmation from the Steel-type in my lap, my voice quivering, struggling to believe that he had accepted:

“R…Really? You…You’d like it?”

He instantly answered back with another happy cry, no doubt detectable in his tone, and the reality of it all gradually sank in. An overjoyed smile popped up on my face, and I swiftly wrapped my arms around the small Pokémon in my lap, hugging him back against my body, exclaiming delightedly at the prospect of living together:

“Oh, I’m so happy, little guy! Thank you for trusting me! This is awesome!”

He piped back up with a third squeal, and we both laughed, sharing our happiness together. The uncomfortable weight that had been born from the fear that he would rather part ways slowly lifted itself, making room for a warm, fluttering sensation of exultation at the notion of having made yet another new friend.

Even if our communication wasn’t perfect, and I required the help of Rikiya to convey my feelings…the fact that it was something we could improve on, that it was something he expressly allowed me to do with him as things went by, left me full of hope regarding the near future. Looking up at Rikiya, who had taken a back seat to admire our display of happiness, a fond expression lightening up his features, I mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ for helping me communicate with the wild Pokémon in my arms. His smile widened, and he simply nodded in response, before making a most welcome suggestion:

“How about we head home, then? It’s starting to get late, and dinner isn’t going to cook itself!”

As if on cue, my stomach growled audibly, eliciting a laugh from both Pokémon. I blushed from the embarrassment, before nodding and preparing myself to stand up, only for the pain in my lower back to manifest anew, making me hiss a second time. The little Aron worriedly inquired again about my state, leading me to quell his concerns:

“I told you, little guy, I’m fine. I just need a minute before we can go.”

However, Rikiya was all but willing to let me remain sitting outside on the hard ground one minute longer. Drawing closer, his feet stepping loudly on the flat gray rock, he stopped short of my current position, before bending forward and picking both of us in one fell swoop, the Aron still laying between my chest and legs. We both let out cries of surprise at the unexpected movement, my arms reflexively circling around the Aron’s back to secure him, before he straightened back up, both of his strong arms under my back and legs respectively, holding up our combined weight like it was mere child’s play.

Wasting no time, he immediately set out, the familiar sound of his footsteps echoing around us. My cheeks reddened as I realized he was princess-carrying me back home, his grasp stable, and I began to protest half-heartedly against his decision, looking up directly at the jaw and neck that had sheltered my head so many times:

“Wait, I told you! I-It doesn’t hurt that much, I can walk! Y-You don’t have to carry us by yourself!”

But the Dragonite wasn’t hearing any of this. He looked down, his eyes kind but unrelenting, and gave me a small lick on the cheek, stating his answer calmly:

“No, buddy. You might sprain something, so you shouldn’t push yourself any more. I’ll take us back home. Don’t worry about dinner, I’ll handle it myself. Just lie down and get some rest.”

If living with Rikiya for two weeks had taught me something about him, it was that he could be extremely protective and stubborn when my well-being was on the line. Thankfully, it was mostly harmless, and he never crossed any boundaries or forced me to comply with something that truly made me uncomfortable, but it showed frequently enough that I started to detect a pattern. Deep down, I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk him out of this, especially since he was perfectly aware how much I fancied being carried by him. Yet I still went for another fruitless attempt at trying not to impose on him, my voice growing meeker:

“B-But, Rikiya…”

He silenced me again with another lick, drawing out a whimper out of my throat, before smiling down and whispering softly:

“Shhh...Let your Dragonknight in scaly armor take care of you.”

Realizing that my efforts at persuading him would remain fruitless, and swayed by him making full use of the wordplay we agreed on earlier, I complied, draping an arm behind his nape and nuzzling my head against the side of his neck:

“Okay…”

Satisfied with the outcome, he squeezed and rubbed my shoulder with his paw and gently brushed the top of my head with his tongue, straightening back afterwards, Rikiya focused on the road in front, while I relaxed and let myself be lulled by the periodic movements of his gait, my eyes lowering back in front of me and coming face-to-face with the little Aron, who after the initial fright of being lifted several meters in the air, had regained his composure.

The Steel-type stared intently at me, then cried out with a questioning tone, apparently lost at what had just transpired. I chuckled and petted him again:

“Don’t worry, little guy. We’re just playing around.”

He leaned into my touch, the rest of his body resting atop mine. As I kept petting him fondly, Rikiya perked up, his head once again peering down:

“Actually, buddy, I was meaning to ask…Did you ever think about what you’d like to name the Aron in case you befriended him?”

The question was unexpected, and I lifted my head to meet his gaze, a puzzled look on my face:

“Name him? What do you mean?”

“Well, now that he’s gotten attached to you and going to live with us, it would be a shame to call him by his species name. I get it if you want to keep calling him ‘little guy’, but he could still use a proper name.” The Dragonite explained.

“A proper name? Doesn’t he have one already?” I asked, my confusion only growing.

“Nope! Wild Pokémon don’t communicate using names, so they don’t have them. They only get one if they get caught by a trainer, or bond with another human. Even Kouji and I got our names from our respective trainers, you know!”

“I see…”

Trying to wrap my head around this new bit of information, I looked at the shiny Aron in my lap, his cute red eyes peering back curiously. Despite Rikiya’s explanations, it still felt strange to hear that I could name him just like that, without any further formalities. Nonetheless, I didn’t want to give him a name of my choice without even asking for his consent. Even if this was commonplace and natural for other people, my lack of experience made the concept sound nothing but alien. Wanting to confirm properly with the concerned party that it was fine, I addressed the Steel-type, if at least to ease my inner doubts about this matter:

“Would you like me to give you a name, little guy?”

He cocked his head to the side, my words not reaching him. Rikiya wasted no time in coming to the rescue, and translated so that the little guy could answer back. For some reason, his eyes lit up when my question made its way through, and the little guy cried out gleefully at the idea. I let out a relieved sigh, satisfied that I wasn’t overstepping any boundaries by committing to this, and began a hectic session of brainstorming, mumbling to myself:

“Hm…Aron…Aron…No, I will certainly not name him ‘Aaron’…Shiny…Not that either, naming him after his shiny attribute would be of bad taste…He’s a Steel-type…Steel-type…”

Mulling over the Aron’s typing, something immediately lit in my brain, and I exclaimed proudly:

“I know! Tetsuya!”

Rikiya beamed, praising my choice:

“That’s a nice name, buddy!”

“I know! And it even ends like Rikiya! I’m really proud of it!” I added, excitement bubbling up.

“I like it! But why the ‘Tetsu’? Because he’s a Steel-type?”

I explained my reasoning enthusiastically:

“Well, not just because of that. When we were cornered by the Lairon, he stood up and fought back against them to protect me, despite being outnumbered and at a disadvantage overall.”

“He did that?” The Dragonite asked, peering down with renewed interest at the subject of our discussion. “That’s really courageous! I’m impressed!”

“Yeah! That’s why…I want to remember the steely resolve he showed back then, and imprint this moment directly into his name.”

Rikiya closed his eyes in contemplation, before nodding, a proud smile forming on his maw:

“That’s a very poetic choice, buddy. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the thought.”

Brimming with newfound excitement, I put my hands on the back of my new friend’s body and brought him closer. Our eyes met, and a barely contained grin showed on my face:

“Starting today, you’re Tetsuya! Te-tsu-ya!”

With an upbeat tone, I repeated the name slowly, so that he would have an easier time memorizing the associated sonorities, and the newly-baptized Tetsuya immediately beamed back, a metallic chirp escaping his mask, which in turn widened my grin, his happiness more contagious than I wished to admit.

The atmosphere around us brightened, and for one moment, I wondered if those overwhelmingly positive feelings were also how new parents felt when thinking about the name of their soon to be born child. Perhaps the elation of finally coming up with what sounded like the perfect name, with the perfect history behind it, was why other people didn’t think too much about the hidden implications behind this custom, merely content with the notion of illustrating their newest bonds through the bestowing of a name that was to everyone’s liking.

A short moment went by, before the full weight of what I had just done registered in my brain: I’d just named a wild Pokémon for the first time. More than that, I had just bonded with the Aron I had wished to bond with ever since our first meeting. I had done something all other trainers had done beforehand with the Pokémon under their responsibility. Even though it might be a trifling achievement to some, the act of accomplishing something on par with confirmed Pokémon trainers boosted my self-confidence to new levels, a burning ambition slowly unraveling in the process.

All the interrogations I held close to my heart up to now, all the doubts and insecurities I had shared with Kouji about committing to this path, about whether it would be the right choice…They seemed so small, so insignificant, compared to the bond I had just forged with Tetsuya, compared to the awareness that this little guy had put his trust in me.

Glancing down, Tetsuya had made himself comfortable, resting his head against my chest, and was snoozing peacefully, most likely exhausted by today’s events. Right then and there, I made a pledge to myself; I swore to live up to his expectations, to grow into a dependable friend and caretaker, and to get better at knowing him and communicating with him, to the best of my abilities. And there was only one way to do that.

As we approached the familiar clearing just outside of the base, the sturdy entrance in sight, I nodded to myself. Now, I had an objective, a concrete goal in sight. I didn’t feel the need to second-guess myself anymore. It came to mind naturally, the direction my vocational retraining would follow, what shape it would take. Before the Dragonite carrying us could open the door, I addressed him, my resolve set without regrets:

“Rikiya…I…I’ve made up my mind.”

He peered down, a quizzical look on his face:

“Hm? About what, little buddy?”

I took a deep breath, then confirmed my choice out loud:

“My new goal. I want to become a Pokémon Trainer.”

The Dragonite’s eyes widened at first, before mellowing considerably, a wide smile making itself known. His arms squeezed affectionately around my body, and I replied in kind by caressing the side of his neck, a trivial question coming out of my lips:

“Will you support me?”

Even before his maw opened, I knew what his answer would be.

“Of course. I’ll be there for you, like always.”