Poképhilia Story

Love has No Bounds

An Embrace on St. Valentine's

Valentine’s Special 2021

By J.C. Solis

Though it was still Winter Time and the snow was still falling, there was now a warmth in the air as the arrival of a special holiday was coming. Love and compassion were floating around as lovers and sweethearts prepared to get their love a gift. Stores would be sold out of candies as People and Pokémon would be buying chocolates by the bushel and flower shops would be sold out of flowers.

St. Valentines day was only two weeks away, and on the 14th of February the whole of the Daegar Region would bask in the warmth of romance.

But on this day, the 1st of February, was not yet the festive day, and not a festive day for Justin Solis, the son of pastor Cristian Solis of the Church of Arceus. Just a few days ago, the late pastor and father to Pastor Christian breathed his last in hospital. His battle while on life support was futile. Now, the Silph Co. Engineer was to carry the casket containing the corpse of his grandfather, who passed on the morning of January 28th. He would have to do this one last thing for his beloved grandfather.

The funeral was full of crying and mourning as the four coffin bearers carried the steel coffin to its final resting place. Four people carried it to the podium: Jason Kitchener, Pastor Cristian’s older brother Carmelo Solis, Richard Castellanos, a family friend of the pastor, and Justin himself. His family were at the front row and waiting for him to bring the casket, and so were his dear friends Saria and Kiara and their Pokémon. There was a heaviness in the service, everyone showing grief at the passing of the great man laid to rest—a great man everyone knew and admired.

John Antonio Solis succumbed to the complications from Type 2 diabetes. He was a Pastor just like son—in fact, Pastor Cristian chose to follow in his father's footsteps. Pastor John was a cherished community member and a proud servant of Arceus. He loved his family and hoped that they’d know happiness. He especially was fond of Justin, as the two would often have Pokémon battles and test each other's battle prowess, with the late pastor more often than not winning.

What was curious about the Pastor was his type of Pokémon, which consisted of Dark types. One such Pokémon was, of all things, a Darkrai whom the Pastor cherished as a good friend. The Darkrai's name was Luke and was a constant companion to John—which was incredibly strange since Darkrai were known to be solitary creatures due to their nightmares-causing abilities. Luke was with Jane Ophelia Solis, the late pastor’s wife. She was with her adult children and some of her grandchildren. The women shedding tears and letting out everything from slight sobs to outright wails of grief.

Justin didn't want to be in that crowd, and when he and Jason laid the casket in front of the pulpit, they went to take a seat with their friends. Kiara and Saria were ready to soothe Justin’s pain, and so was his Pokémon partner Lillia the Gardevoir. But for some reason, He could not cry. He was empty and hollow. Despite his anxiety and depression, he just could not grieve. Yet ironically, he grew stressed because of the fact that he couldn't grieve. He wanted to shed tears. He wanted to feel something like the rest of his family, but nothing came of it.

His partner, Lillia, could sense this, and so she clutched his hands and brought him close to her in an embrace. The Embrace Pokémon was doing all she could to bring him comfort. She knew her master was in pain. She could feel with her chest horn the sorrow building in his heart and consuming him.

Pastor Cristian came to the pulpit, and so he gave the Eulogy. The Pastor had given many eulogies throughout his life, and some of them to close friends and relatives. But even from afar, Lillia could sense that the Pastor was holding back the loss. This was, by far, the most mournful eulogy that he’d give, and also the most memorable.

"I... I..." The Pastor's sadness was affecting his usual gift with words, but he eventually regained his composure. "I am thankful to everyone for showing up. I know this would mean a lot to my late father that all of you are here to send him off. Today, People of Lakeshire Town, we gather on a sad day of mourning on this Morning of Requiem for my father. He was a great man, and a cherished member of the community. I hope that the pain that he had suffered will be put at bay, and now that he is in The Horizon with the great ones, may he now-"

Justin couldn't bear to listen to his dad. But despite the despair that came with listening to the eulogy, he still could not shed a tear. Maybe it was shock to see his grandfather die. Maybe it was because he remembered that his grandfather said that didn't want his family to cry for him after he died and so carry on with their lives. He remembered how his grandfather said that he didn't want his family to mourn him too much upon his passing. He said those words of encouragement just days before his death, knowing fully well that his end was near. He wanted them to carry on with their lives. Maybe Justin's subconscious was carrying out his grandfather's last wish.

And he wasn't the only member of his family to mourn. His older siblings, oldest sibling Jane and older brother Lewis, had traveled from their homes elsewhere in Daegar to attend the funeral. Most of Justin's family on his father side had shown up for the funeral, and they were all in some form of grief. But he didn't want to be around them. It wasn't that he didn't like his family—he was actually fond of them. It was just the atmosphere that made him feel uncomfortable, and it would not keep him calm.

Already, Justin was hearing voices. He wanted to pop on his earphones and listen to his MP3 player, but that was disrespectful. But he needed a way to relax. He couldn't sit there and let his mind go wild. Already he had a pounding headache, and the cacophony of jumbling audio got worse. There was a voice calling his name, another berating him, another asking him questions, and so on.

The shadows on the ground danced like they were coming alive and taking on a life of their own. The hallucinations got worse, and he could hardly take it anymore. He wanted to jump up and run, to flee and hide, to go somewhere far away from the funeral somewhere the hallucinations would not find him—even though they would always go wherever he went.

Lillia sensed his brainwaves go off the chart. She knew that he was suffering. Despite his calm and stoic face, she knew that he was going through terrible strain. She hugged him and placed her head on his shoulder, and it seemed to do the trick. His mind calmed down, but things were still not okay. Justin looked at his Pokémon and wrapped his arm around her. He needed comfort, and he needed closeness.

"And so," Pastor Solis concluded the sermon, "this is the end of a magnificent life. In the end, Death comes for us all, no matter how we live our lives. But the memories we create, in the form of the people around us, live on. And our legacies will never be forgotten. My father's legacy carries through me and my family, and I hope that my father is looking down at us from the heavens with a smile on his face and with the blessings of the Alpha's grace. I thank you all for coming during this time, and I hope that when St. Valentine's day comes that you all rekindle the love you have for those whom you care. Amen."

The people stood from their seats and walked to the grieving family, giving their condolences to the widowed Ophelia and complementing the Pastor's words. Justin stood from his chair and went to meet his family and receive the condolences from the mourners. He still felt lost; his mind still felt the bombast of the million voices. He felt like screaming, to voice his pain and find relief. His face, however, was blank and empty, his mind too preoccupied with shutting the voices than forming facial expressions. Pastor Solis came down to talk, but he noticed how his son's face had tinges of strain that were visible. He knew his son was in pain, and so he tried consoling him.

"Son," began Pastor Solis, "are you okay? You're looking unwell. Are you hurt? I understand how difficult this must be for you."

Justin continued his emotionless gait, unsure how to respond to him. He hoped to find relief from how tense his mind had become.

"Oh honey, you've must have gone through so much today," said Mother Mary. "I know this must have been so hard for you. If you want to leave, that's fine. I just don't want you to feel bad."

"I'm fine," Justin finally spoke. "I can stay a while longer if you want. But I hope you don't mind, but I kinda want to sit alone for a while and gather my thoughts."

"That is ill advised," said a voice from behind. Luke the Darkrai walked over, as he had been watching Justin unravel. He could sense his master's grandson's emotions, and he wanted to offer advice. "Pain should never be treated with solitude. Solitude is not good for a man with a grieving heart. Try to stay with those who are close to you, for they are the ones who can help soothe your sufferings."

Justin looked on, not knowing what to think. He knew Luke was right, but he also couldn't stand his situation. He didn't want to be there anymore. He couldn't bear feeling tension and yet not crying.

"I just want to go home," he said. "I need to take my medicine and a painkiller. My mind still feels wracked by all this."

Pastor Solis and Mother Mary knew that there was nothing they could do. Their son was not feeling well and so allowed him to return home. Justin left with Lillia, though his friends wanted to tag along. He said he wanted to go alone, but his friends knew better.

"You're not looking too good, Justin," said Saria. "Just let us help you."

"Yeah. We just want you to be alright," added Kiara.

"Bro, you can't hide from us. I can see it in your face," said Jason. "Let's just walk you over to your place, at least, you dig? I don't like seeing you down in the dumps and all that shit."

The three friends and their Pokémon walked Justin and Lillia home, hoping that nothing serious would come. His house was not far, and it was a rather nice-looking house with a white columned front porch and a U-turn driveway. The house looked more like a mansion than the humble home of a pastor, but there was nothing else demonstrating wealth. Justin and Lillia walked up the porch, with him digging into his pockets to get his keys. Once he got them out he turned around to his friends. His face had not changed, but he was still thankful that they joined him.

"Thanks for walking me over here, guys. I don't think I could've made it back here on my own. I was feeling kinda dizzy there for a second."

"You know we're here to help, Justin. I just hope you're feeling better," said Saria worriedly.

"Yeah. You seemed kinda out of it," added Kiara.

Jason just stood there and thought for a moment, and then he came up with an idea.

"I know what'll cheer you up," he began. "How bout I go to the mart and come back with a box of Oranguru Bortus' Alolan Ale? I think a cold brew will perk you back up."

The rest of the friends only groaned, thinking Jason’s ideas was terrible.

*conk* "Ow! What the hell was that for, Camilla!?"

"You don't think, Dumb-dumb, that alcohol will make Justin feel even worse?"

Justin snickered slightly at the slapstick from his friends. He could always count on Jason and Camilla to bring levity. "It's fine, Camilla," said Justin with a slight smile. "I kinda am in the mood for a brew. I guess I'll wait for you two come back with the suds."

"You know it, Justin bro," pepped Jason.

"Will you be alright here at home?" wondered Saria. "You weren't looking too good at the funeral. I hope you weren't in too much pain."

"Yeah," added Kiara. "Hang in there, dude. I know that what you're going through is tough. I just want you to be alright."

At this, Justin turned around to open the door. He didn't want to talk anymore, but Lillia did. She came forwards to assure the friends that he was in good hands.

"I'll be watching over my master closely," assured the Gardevoir. "This has been an incredibly sad day for him and his family, so I'll be working to help him heal."

And with that, the large man and his Gardevoir entered the home and waved good-bye to their friends. Jason would be coming back in a bit with the beer while Justin would try to find a moment to relax. He closed the door and turned to face the living room of the mansion. Just like the outside, there wasn't too much extravagance it the living room, though the furniture was fine quality and some appliances, like the flat screen LED TV, certainly looked pricey. But Justin was in no mood to watch TV. The stairs were in front of him, and he climbed them to reach his room. The door to his room had a poster of with the letters KRU posted on them—for Kalos Regional University. Lumiose City's Prism Tower was plaster on the poster, a place of such fond memories of education and study.

Justin and Lillia walked into their room and closed the door. All that the man wanted to do was re-gather his strengths. He laid upon his bed and closed his eyes, hoping that the cacophony would die down and allow him respite. His head was still spinning, and his head still hurt from a dull headache.

"Are you alright, Master?" wondered Lillia. "I can sense the pain you're in. Are you going to take your medicine right now?"

"Yeah...I will," said Justin with a strained voice. "And, you know I don't like it when you call me 'Master'. But I do kinda want a water bottle. I know I got one here, but it’s warm and I want something cold to drink. Do you think you can go to the kitchen and get me a soda from the fridge, Lillia?"

"Certainly," agreed the Gardevoir, "but when I come back, I want to see you better. I don't like seeing you like this, and it hurts me dearly."

"I will," said Justin with a slight smile. "I promise."

And with that, the Gardevoir left the room and went for the kitchen, from where she would get him his drink. She got a can of cola from the fridge, but before she reached the stair the front doorbell rang. With her powers she sensed who it was and opened the door to let in Jason and Camilla.

"Sup, Lillia," pepped Jason, who was carrying a crate full of beer in his hand. "I got the brews, and I'm sure this'll perk him up alright."

"Is Justin alright?" wondered Camilla. "Is good buddy relaxing or taking a snooze or something?"

"He's taking a rest," recounted Lillia. "I left him to recover his strengths. He'll be glad to see you two again, and even more with some alcohol."

The three went up the stairs, hoping to see Justin on his bed. But Lillia noted something wrong. Already there were sounds of loud groans coming from his room as they approached, and there was even the sounds of scuttling. They wondered what could be going on, so Lillia went ahead and opened the door.

To her shock and horror:

"OH ARCEUS!!" she screamed as she rushed inside.

Jason and Camilla saw this and were startled. They wondered what could have freaked out the Gardevoir so much, and so they ran for the door. And it was then that they saw why she freaked. Justin was contorting and trembling, his body coming alive with electricity as his hands clutched his bed sheets and his mouth began to froth. On the floor to the side of his bed was a spilled pill bottle and a water bottle with its liquid spilled. The man was screaming through his teeth, his mind fracturing into billions of fragments as Lillia used Heal Pulse to try and restore her trainer back to normal.

Jason dropped the crate of beer to the floor and rushed to his friend's aid.

"JUSTIN!!!" Jason bellowed as he went to shake his friend. "For Arceus sakes, Bro, wake up!" When that didn't work, he then pulled out his phone. "Hang in there! I'm calling an ambulance!"

And so, Justin lay on bed and continued to spasm. But soon, after a while he stopped trembling and his eyes closed, his body now remaining still. His mind, in self-preservation, shut down. He could barely think, couldn't move, and couldn't speak. He was in a hazy fog that wouldn't go away. It was a sensations of almost true nothingness as his mind shattered into uncountable fragments. The only thing his brain continued doing was to keep him alive, but there was nothing else. He didn't do anything except exist, and even then he didn't know what he was existing for.

But, judging from the spilled pills on the floor, there was the real danger or darker intentions. The wails of sirens were heard coming in, and the three friends could only watch as the life was fading from their dear friend. The sadness and pain from mourning carried on.

It wasn't clear if this was a suicide attempt or if it was simply an accidental overdose, but the situation was dire. The man lay quiet on his bed as his friends tried keeping him alive. All the while, his mind floated around as he continued to feel nothing. There was suffering, there was grief, and there was a state of mind that was incomprehensible.

It was something no one understood... not even Lillia...

#

Later That Day – Lakeshire Regional Hospital

Justin stirred from his sleep. His head was pounding, and his mind was not yet out of its haze. He could already hear the voices and stirring of people around him, even though he was still too weak to open his eyes. He laid on his bed, wondering where he was and what he had done. He tried to remember the moments that lead to this, that lead to him being in this state. It was something that he felt profoundly, and it was a pain that simply would not go away, even with his mind in stasis.

"Justin..." said a voice off in the distance. "Please Justin... Wake up."

The voice sounded a bit mournful, almost like a sob even. It sounded so familiar, so close and dear to him. He wondered who it was. But slowly he began to build back his strength. He needed to find it in him to open his eyes and see where he was, and to whom the voice that was calling to him belonged.

"Justin... *sob* Please..." =

Justin opened his eyes slowly to a green and white clad figure who laid her head on the side of his bed. He opened his eyes further and further, seeing a hospital room and his bed being surrounded by those close to him. His father looked at him with a forlorn face. His mother's eyes were bloodshot and with tears. Jason and Camilla had the epitome of worry on their face on seeing their close friend unconscious on the bed. And last but not least was Luke the Darkrai, who looked at him directly in the eyes as he opened them even further. Justin let out a groan as he tried to lift himself up from bed. But both of his hands were chained to the side of the bed with a handcuffs, with an IV tube coming out of his right arm. He was alive, but his woes were not over yet.

Lillia heard his groan and immediately jumped on top of him in glee.

"Justin!" she shrieked joyfully. "Oh Arceus, I was so worried for you!"

Justin only smiled slightly and allowed himself to be wrapped by the arms of his Pokémon.

"How are you doing, son?" asked Pastor Solis. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I hope you had a nice nap," said Luke coldly. "You worried your family to death with this. Did you not think of the pain you'd cause?"

"That's enough, Luke. I don't think berating him is necessary,” the Pastor commanded.

Justin looked at his family and friends with regret. He didn't mean to make them fret so much. "I just want to be clear... I didn't try to end my own life. When I got into my Panic Attack, I lost control of myself. I... I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't see how much of my own medicine I took." His head bent downward, feeling guilt. "I'm... I'm sorry."

The friends and family breathed a sigh of relief, happy to hear that this was not an intent on life.

But others were not so convinced.

"You may be sorry," said a voice off to the side, "but the state is hoping to take a few days to verify that." And so entered an Officer Jenny along with a man in a white doctor's coat.

"You've been ordered to commitment to a Mental Institute for further analysis," said the man in the long white coat. "The state wants to check up on you even further.

"What?!" shrieked Justin. "Is that why I'm handcuffed to this damned bed?"

"Officer Jenny," began Mother Mary, "I know that the handcuff was to keep Justin from hurting himself, but is admission truly necessary?"

"This is the Department of Mental Health's decisions, not mine Mrs. Solis."

"But Justin suffers from Schizophrenia! He needs nurturing and care, not being locked up in some institute like a caged animal. He'll only get worse over there!" the Pastor complained.

"We assure you that He will be taken good care of," said the white coated doctor. "He'll be sent to the Daegar Institution of Mental Rehabilitation for a minimum of Three Days while psychologists analyze his mental faculties. He'll be watched after well."

"Bullshit!" blurted out Jason. "Justin was sent to that loony bin years ago, and he came out worse than he is now. My bro will be given a reason to commit suicide if he goes to that fucking shit hole."

"Jason, calm down! There's no need to get violent" urged the Pastor. But despite his calm looking face, the Pastor turned around to give the doctor a grave warning. "What Jason said was true, however. My son went there years ago, and the state he was in was absolutely deplorable. The patients bullied him and the medical staff gave him little attention and aid. If I hear of another incident like that again, or if he comes out wanting to kill himself like before, then so Arceus help me I will take you all to court!"

The doctor and police officer stiffened. The Pastor rarely showed anger, but when he did he showed a rancor with conviction. Justin looked at his family and at his friends. He expected this to happen, but at the same time he knew that his situation was dire. The state of woe he developed was getting worse. His grandfather's death was a catalyst, but his woe had been growing long before his grandpa was sent to the hospital. He tried to look on the bright side of things; maybe a stay over at Daegar Mental Health will be beneficial. Maybe the doctors and therapists can help improve his faculties.

But his hope didn’t work. The last time he came from there he almost committed suicide for real. And all of this comes from the fact that Justin's mental illness was so strong.

The young man suffered from a severe case of Schizophrenia, and though the illness has died down over time it has caused him great emotional pain. He developed it during his early teenage years when his High School psychologist noticed his behaviors were off. He'd laugh without warning, complain of hearing disconnected voice and seeing strange shadows dance, and he'd often lose his sense of reality—his face becoming blank as he lost track of where he was at. At age Seventeen he was officially diagnosed with Schizophrenia, and it was during this time that his mental acuity began to collapse.

Justin suffered a major mental breakdown, and unable to cope with the voices and from suffering heavy hallucinations he attempted to take his own life. By Daegar law he was then sent to the Daegar Institution of Mental Rehabilitation to be watched over. But the experience, rather than helping him, actually scared him and his mind with the terrible treatment of staff and being around other people who were as bad, if not worse, than he was. He'd eventually get out after spending three weeks being closely monitored, but he came out of the mental hospital a broken man. But Justin, over time, built a strong mind and developed the urge to carry on.

He went to Kalos Regional University and, with the help of his friends, lived a successful college life. He graduated as an Engineer in Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, and he has since put that degree to good use. Justin would go on to have success in his life, but one thing that never changed would be the struggle to carry on with life. He always suffered from the pain of his illness. He'd often times hallucinate and breaks with his reality. Sometimes he'd even have Anxiety Attacks in public, and he had two of them occur at school.

But the worst part was, by far, when he became deranged.

Though this only happened twice in his whole life, Justin did have a Total Mental Shutdown happen to him. This was when he'd completely lose his sense of reality and sense of self, rambling on whatever got into his head, speaking in a loose, flappy-tongued voice and behaving completely unlike himself. He hoped it would never happen again. But Justin felt himself hyperventilate as his mind began to feel an intense strain. His heart began to beat harder and faster. His arms and legs felt tingly as they trembled. His eyes watered as tears dripped. His breathing became shallower, his lungs desperate for air.

And worst of all, his mind was losing touch with his reality.

"Justin. Is something wrong?" asked Pastor Solis as he saw his son start to look strange.

"Master?" said Lillia. "Are you alright? I can sense your mind going out of control."

And his mind was indeed going out of control.

Justin lay silently, not saying a word as his hallucination hit him with full force.

Pastor Solis was getting nervous. He had seen this before, and he had hoped never to see again.

"Justin... I need you to relax."

Justin looked more irate, his teeth gritting as the mania was rumbling "Relax? Why relax? How can I relax, Dad?” he said in a more maniacal tone.

"Justin bro," began Jason. "You're kinda freaking me out, man. Try to chill out."

Justin’s anger roiled on his face. At this moment, he exploded into complete hysteria. "I've been trying to be chill for the past Seven Arceus-damned Years!!! I've tried so hard to be chill! I could never be chill! I even hate being chill, cause it doesn't turn out like it is in my head!"

Justin, in a fit of mania, lunged forward, the only things stopping him being the handcuffs on his wrists. But even still, the oafish man was tugging hard and pulling on his restraints. The bed began to crack, not being able to withstand the force of a large and powerful man pulling forwards with all his might. The Pastor and Jason went forwards to restrain Justin, hoping to calm him down and keep him from hurting himself. All the while, Justin screamed and shouted to be let loose, to not send him away, and even for the people around him to love him.

But it seemed Luke was having enough. He walked forwards and confronted the crazed man, hoping to reason with him before having to get physical.

"Justin," said Luke in a dark voice. "I know you are in pain. But we all need you to calm down. Your grandfather would not want this. He'd want you to be calm."

Even still, Justin was still manic, but it seemed that Luke hit a nerve which caused him to at last stop. "Gramps wanted me to do lots of things," said Justin in a softer voice. "And now he's dead. Now he's gone, and I'll never be able to show him how much I love him again..."

But then the man went manic again, pulling at his restraints while screaming to be let loose. He seemed completely inconsolable and out of his mind. At this point, Luke had enough. If Justin would not calm down by himself, then he would simply have to be put down.

"I didn't want to do this, Justin, but you've left me no choice," he said as he lifted his arm at him. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

Lillia, however, noticed this, and she wasn't about to let her master fall into Dark Void.

"NO!!!" she screamed, jumping in the way of the dark aura that shot from Luke's hand. She was hit by the move, and she collapsed on top of Justin, completely unconscious as she began to have the worst nightmares of her life. She was trembling and contorting while still asleep, and she simply could not escape her horrible nightmare.

His Pokémon falling unconscious was enough to snap him out of his state. He looked at Lillia, his mind realizing what his Pokémon for his sake. His head was still fuzzy, and his mind was not yet clear, but at least his mind could see the damage it caused.

"Lillia!!!" he cried out mournfully, dawning on him what he had wrought. "Oh Arceus, Lillia, what have I done?"

Pastor Solis, seeing what happened, pushed away Luke, and pinned him against a wall, now enraged at what the Pokémon tried to do to his son.

"What the hell were you thinking, Luke!?!" roared the Pastor. "I know you tried to stop Justin, but this was going too far!"

"Justin was out of control, Pastor. He's lost his mind and needed to be stopped. If not, he could have hurt others around."

"This is Justin we're talking about, not an anima!. This was the last thing he needed! Right now, Justin needs nurturing, not punishment!" and so the Pastor let go of the Darkrai, giving him one last command. "Wake up Lillia, now. She didn't deserve this!"

The Darkrai did just that, going towards Lillia to put a hand on her forehead. Her forehead was sweaty, her breathing labored as she moaned and trembled. She gasped when she felt the Darkrai put his hand on her, recoiling at the touch on her head. But she calmed down as her trembling stopped, and soon she awoke. Her eyes slowly opened as she climbed out of bed. She looked at Justin, who was mournful. A single tear went down his cheek, realizing the pain he had caused.

"Lillia," he whispered. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, Master," she replied. "You know that I'll protect you, no matter what."

It was then that Justin turned to look at his family and friends, his face was grim and sober, seeing what he caused. He saw the hideous things in his mind, losing touch with reality and not knowing himself. He needed help to control this; so far his family, friends and his Pokémon partner could only offer so much. He needed to go somewhere where they could help him control this. He needed to find somewhere with solitude, to convalesce and heal.

Not all Schizophrenics are violent; far from it. Some are so afraid of themselves, so afraid of causing pain onto that they isolate themselves to keep them from hurting others. They know that their minds are unstable and lack control, and it is in fact rare for them to carry out violence.

Justin had become that rare case of violence and loss of control. He was so afraid of his mind, so afraid of what he'd become, and he didn't want those close to suffer. He didn't want others to worry or fret. He want to be a burden upon those close to him. But it seemed some things couldn’t be helped.

Justin looked around him, at his worried family, at his best friend, and at his Pokémon Partner, and he decided that enough was enough. He turned toward Officer Jenny and the Doctor and said:

"I'm ready to go to Daegar Mental Health. I... I need help..."

#

Two Weeks Later

Justin was back in his room, his mind foggy and still sleepy despite him having been asleep for most of the day. He was released from the Mental Asylum barely yesterday, and he came out rather worse for wear. He was solemn and quiet when he came out, not speaking much and keeping mostly to himself. His family and friends were worried, but he remained silent. Pastor Solis asked him if the Mental Institute did anything so that he could take them to court, but He denied them having done anything harmful.

His time in the Asylum was spent talking with counselors, participating in daily activities, and keeping to his room and reading a few books that Mother Mary brought to Justin. He was allowed to wear his own clothes, but he was not allowed to wear anything with straps and his shoe laces were removed; a security measure to keep patients from using them for strangulation. He compared it to prison as the stay felt like being incarcerated, and for sure some of the people he was with were dangerous. On his last day, Justin was glad to go, but he also felt that he may not be ready to enter back into the world. He worried that he wasn't stable enough, and it was a fear he felt even now a day after discharge.

Justin didn't mention anything bad happen to him, but there had to be a reason why he came out so forlorn. Today was the 13th of February, and perhaps the cause of his misery was partly due to being single on the day sweethearts would walk around holding hands and declaring their love.

Lillia noticed this, and she wondered what she could do for her master. She wanted to find a way to make him happy, and she hoped to bring a little bit of joy now that he was free after two weeks in the asylum. Right now it was the afternoon, and Justin was working on a project for work on his PC. He was still unstable, but he was happy that he still was able to keep his job over at the Silph Co Poke Ball plant, and so he diligently worked on a design for a Pokéball he left behind before being sent away. He was thankful for his Dad pulling some strings so that He'd be let off easy for missing work for a while.

After a few hours on the PC, Justin took a break and hopped on bed. He wasn't sleepy as it was still 8:30 PM. It would be another two or three hours before sleep. Throughout the day he was doted on by his family and by Lillia to the point of annoyance. He felt like being alone, and he still wanted to hide away. He didn't want to have too many interactions, his excuse for isolation being a need to gather his thoughts. It was then that the door to his room was knocked on. Despite his wished to be left alone, the door then swung open and three Pokémon walked inside.

The three Pokémon were a Riolu, Sylveon and Duskull, and they all had something that Mother Mary wanted to give to her son. These three were Jax, Sylvia and Spooks, and they were the Handy Helpers. They served Pastor Solis in the church as altar Pokémon, tending to the service and aiding the Pastor and the other acolytes.

And more notably, the three Pokémon had the ability to speak in a human tongue.

"Hello there, Master Justin," said Sylvia in a sing-song voice. "Mother Mary wanted us to bring you some things. Here's some sweet cookies she wanted to give to you." She held a small plate with cookies on them and placed it on top of the bedside shelf with her feeler ribbons.

"And here's the medicine Mama Mary wanted to give you as well, Big Brother," added Jax. "I hope you'll be able to sleep well with these pills." He then put a small cup chock full of pills on the shelf.

"And here is a warm cup of tea to help you wash all of this down. With these three gifts, you will indeed Rest in Peace this night, hee-hee, " said Spooks in a rather spooky voice as he put down a tea cup next to the cookies and pill cup.

Justin looked at these things rather plainly. He was still unsmiling as he picked up the pill cup and tossed the medicine in his mouth, took a sip of tea, and swallowed all of his medicine in one gulp. He then took a cookie and gave a small nibble before setting it down on the plate and letting out a loud sigh. He was tired from being on the computer for most of day, his eyes red from hours spent in front of it.

"Thank you, you three," said Justin rather softly. "I hope Mom's doing okay."

"She wanted to know how you were doing, Big Brother," said Jax, "so she sent us."

"She figured that her coming over personally would upset you, since you asked to be left alone," added Sylvia. "She wants to know how you're holding up."

Justin gave a slight smile. "I'm doing okay, you three. Tell my mother that I'm fine and that she's got nothing to worry about."

"I hope not, Master Justin," said Spooks. "Your mother is already worried sick. It'd be a shame for her to be... spooked even further, hee-hee."

And with that, the three helpers turned around and left, closing the door behind them. And with that Justin laid down on his bed and reached to finish the cookie he nibbled earlier. He was tired, anxious, and hungry. He refused to go down to eat dinner, and he even barricaded himself in his room despite the pleads from both Lillia and Mother Mary to come out. But it seemed that the young man's heart was inconsolable. He just wanted to be alone.

Lillia used Teleport to go inside; simple doors would not stop her. She begged Justin to come out, to not let his heart grow cold and enjoy life. But her words fell on deaf ears. At the very least, she decided she would keep him company. He needed someone to be with him no matter what, she decided.

"Is there anything bothering you, Master- I mean, Justin?" she asked. "What is it that has your heart so forlorn? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Justin was about to tell her to butt off, but he restrained himself from berating her. After all, she was only worried. He thought hard about his current state. Was it really because he felt alone now that tomorrow was Valentine's Day? Was being single really giving him the blues? He didn't mind much being alone, and he always said that he would wait until finishing college and getting a job before finding a girlfriend or mate and even move out of his parents' house. But it was already two years since graduation and since he was hired as an engineer for the Silph Company he's yet to find a lover or even move out of home. He had money; he even helped his parents out with bills and even paid a little rent. He had nice clothes, a sleek Shelby Mustang GT500 muscle car, and he had plenty of money to splash around.

But money didn't mean much to Justin. He valued friendship and family above all else.

Back to Lillia's question, he wondered where his heart lay. Maybe he was lonely. Maybe it was a relapse from his mental illness. Whatever the case, it was affecting him hard. He didn't want to feel weighed down by this. He wanted to carry on. Looking back at his Pokémon, he figured that now more than ever was when he ought to come clean and be true to himself.

"I guess I'm lonely, Lillia."

"But why? You have friends, your family, and even Me to keep you company."

"No, I know that I have all of you guys keeping me company. But I mean... someone whom I can love, someone who I can cherish. I mean..." he stammered a bit as he tried to say this. "...A Lover... I mean... Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I don't have a lover. I just feel so alone and lost. I can't even live on my own despite making my own money, and I said I'd find that special someone once I graduated college with my own job. Well, I've done all that and I'm still with my parents, and I'm still alone."

Lillia looked at Justin with a curious gait. She figured that this was the case, and him saying this confirmed her suspicions. She wanted to help him with this, make him feel less alone. But there was only so much that she could do. She couldn't do much else without falling into...

The thought that came to her was something that had crossed her mind many times. Lillia had been thinking of many ways to make her trainer happier and less alone. And the thought that came into her head was none other than having a Poképhilic relationship with her trainer.

In all honesty, she did find her trainer attractive. Justin was pretty tall, at 5 ft 11 inches, and had a large, good form despite being overweight. But his body fat failed to hide a powerful and rugged frame that could overpower the average person. Justin was athletic for being fat, and whenever he wasn't doing cardio to keep his weight down he was lifting impressive, sometimes stunning weights in the gym. He would work out with Jason, the two serving as spotter for each other, lifting much heavier than him. Yet despite being strong enough to KO a man with single punch, he was more a lover than a fighter. He didn't like fighting, even if it was in self-defense. He was calm and steady, without a mean bone in his body despite how intimidating he looked to other people.

But Justin was also highly intelligent as well. He boasted a high IQ well above average and was pretty philosophical. He loved to read and was quite the intellectual. It served him well at his job, where he'd often come up with solutions for the problems that came with Pokéball design and manufacturing. And he enjoyed it, taking pride in his work.

Lillia liked all these things about her trainer. He was smart yet understandable, strong yet humble, and overall well rounded. She was surprised he hadn’t yet found a date, his only downside being his chubby frame. There was so much about Justin that she liked, and she wanted to do her best to try and make him happy. She wanted to live for him, and it was no surprise that she wanted to have a Poképhile relationship with him. She felt that she ought to come clean with her own feeling and see what happens.

"Well..." she began, feeling rather nervous at letting her heart come true. "Well... What if I became your lover, Master?"

Justin looked at her with a puzzled look. Did he hear her right?

"You mean you'd want to be in a Poképhilic relationship with me?" he asked curiously. She nodded her head. "Well... I'm glad that you offered, but there is just so much that can go wrong with that. I mean... what if we get caught?"

"Well, I..." she continued to stammer, getting more nervous at being rejected. "I-I offer this because of how lonely you are, Master. I just want you to have company, and if no human female will want to be your mate, then maybe I can help with that."

Justin looked at Lillia with a smile. She was so sweet and endearing. She'd do anything to please him, but He felt that this may be going too far. Still, he thought of how his friends had fallen for the taboo and how they must be living their lives. Saria, Kiara, and Jason must be pretty happy with their Pokémon lovers, and for sure that tomorrow they'd be going on a date with their respective partner. Was there happiness to be had with falling for this taboo? Was it worth the risk?

"I'm sorry, Lillia, but I'm going to have to say no for now. It's just too risky," and he looked at her with a smile that didn't look too genuine. "Don't worry about me. I'm sure the right girl will come along."

But deep down, Justin wanted this relationship. His heart clamored for love and especially form his Pokémon. In fact, he hoped, he begged inside, for her not to reject him—to force herself upon him and claim him while he needed her.

It was the illness that rejected Lillia, not Him. The illness was terrified of her love.

Despite this, Lillia had already made up her mind. She wanted to be his romantic partner. She wanted to take care of him, to love him and be the one whom he'd cherish. She couldn't bear to see him suffering any further. She wanted, for once, to see him show a happy and genuine smile.

"I think I'll be your lover anyways, Master," she said as she walked to the side of the bed.

Justin soon found himself unable to move. He couldn't move his body as Lillia approached him. He started to get an idea of what she wanted to do.

"Why can't I move?" he said, wondering what was going on—despite, deep down, his prayer against rejection being answered. "Lillia, are you using your powers to-?"

"Yes," she said abruptly and with conviction. "I can't stand seeing you in this kind of pain anymore, Master. I want to see you happy; I want to see you smile and love again—even if it means that I'll have to bring out those emotions myself. Will you please let me do this for you?"

Justin attachment to Lillia grew. He knew her strife, what she went through in seeing him in such dire straits. She was hurt to see him in pain. The past two weeks he spent in the hospital were torture for the Gardevoir. She didn't want to go through that again, and she wanted to make sure that he'd be happy again, even if it meant a more direct approach. All Justin could do was go along for the ride as his Gardevoir climbed onto bed and crawled toward him. He couldn't resist her advances. He couldn't hide or run away. He was trapped, and completely at her mercy.

Not like he wanted to. The inner fear of rejection was coming alive, and Lillia pinning him down with her powers was a blessing. He knew the truth, and even though his darkness didn’t want him to see it, but he knew this was what he needed. He wanted to heal in any way possible, and if his Pokémon partner was willing to give it him, then he had no reason anymore to deny it.

He knew what his response to her would be.

“All right, Lillia. I guess we can do this. I mean, I know you’re going to do this either way, but…” Justin then looked at her more sincerely, willing to grant her the permission that they both desperately needed. “Let’s do this, then, and see where our love can take us.”

Lillia was close to shedding a tear on hearing this. She smiled at her trainer as she hoped to heal him now that he granted her his blessing to do so.

“I promise you, Master, that I’m not going to hurt you,” Lillia assured. “I just want you to be happy. I want you to be better. I can’t stand to see you die inside. And I won’t allow it.”

“I know, Lillia. I know…” Justin smiled in return to Lillia, nodding his head as he gave in.

And with his new permission granted, Lillia laid down next to him, feeling both enthusiastic and horny. She wanted to make this a special moment for him. She would make him a Poképhile and push their relationship to new boundaries. There was nothing that could stop her from doing this. She was now ready to commit—and deep down, so was Justin.

Justin knew this was for his best interest. Being bound and restrained by Lillia and her powers didn’t make him feel uncomfortable if it was in this light. Lillia wasn’t doing this to hurt him. In fact, he was secretly turned on by the notion that he was at her mercy. He never knew that being bound psychically by his Pokémon partner would make him so… alive. It was a kink of his, to have to his large, powerful body be manipulated and bound, taking well to the feeling of being powerless. After all, he was used to feeling powerless with his mind, so feeling it sexually was both perfectly fine and preferred.

And in satisfying his horniness, Lillia was going to save him.

"Lillia...." said Justin softly his heart heavy as he looked at her. Even though he granted permission, there was still a heaviness he wished to convey. "I'm sorry for this mess. I didn't mean to put you through all that. You know that making you suffer was the last thing I wanted."

It was then that miracle was unlocked, and as she loomed over him, she began to speak:

"I know," she said, her lips now so close to his own, but not only that but her lips also speaking Perfect English. And through her new voice she said: "But I just want to see you happy. I don't like seeing you in pain. I don't like seeing you hurt, as all that hurt comes to me.” She then leaned into him more, a sorrowful look on her face as a tear trickled down her eye. “Please forgive me for binding you, master. But I know that you like this, so I chose to do it this way. I’m going to love you with my body and soul. I want to take all your hurt and fill it with the love that only I can give.”

Justin nodded his head. He and Lillia had just unlocked the “Gift of Speech”, a sign that they were getting out of the darkness. On hearing his Pokémon speak, Justin smiled as he relented. If being pinned down and being given her love meant he would heal, then he would surrender to her fully.

“I don’t hold anything against you, Lillia. I am ready for this, and I am willing to do this with you if means we can be happy together. You’re speaking to me now, so that means that we officially belong to each other now,” Justin acknowledged. “If being bound to my bed and having sex with you is going to heal me, then I’ll gladly do this… for both our sakes.”

Lillia’s eyes watered in that moment, happy to hear his resolve after she spoke to him in English. She didn’t even realize she spoke until he told her. But just unlocking the Gift was enough for her to see that the two of them had now forged a bond. Even if the original context could not be erased fully, at least he was now fully on board with it. He wanted to do this, and Lillia was grateful for the opportunity.

“Thank you… thank you so much, Master,” Lillia said as emotions welled up inside her, continuing to speak. “I promise, Master, that I’ll make this the best sex we’ve both ever had in our lives.”

Justin smiled in return as he nodded his head. "Well, you have me pinned down. So what are you going to do to me?” Honestly, Justin was getting riled up at the thought of what Lillia could do to him.

Lillia smiled as a tear trickled down her face, leaning into him before committing the next act. "I'm going to make you happy again, Master. Please… submit to me. Let me take your pain away and let me tell you that you do not have to face your demons alone."

Upon saying those words Lillia locked her lips with his. She kissed him passionately, smacking her lips along his as the two made out in sort of dominance-submissive love affair. She wrapped her arms around him as she climbed on top, putting her body weight onto his strong frame. She loved every minute of this session, and she hoped that it would last. Even Justin felt pleasure from this. He hadn't kissed a girl ever since High school. He felt good to kiss her, and he even hoped that it would last. He enjoyed it deeply, the smacking of their lips filling the room, the two getting even more aroused. It was simply divine, the exotic notion of a human and Pokémon kissing evident.

Justin didn’t care about anything but to be with Lillia. He wanted this, and his Pokémon—his Pokémon partner of all creatures—loved him. And that was all that mattered.

Soon, Lillia felt a lump growing around her trainer's groin. She figured that she'd get him this aroused, and she hoped that this arousal would carry things further into what she wanted next. She wanted to go full out with this love affair. She wanted to push things to the limit.

She got off of him and used her psychic powers to remove his clothes, but not before she locked the door to his room shut so that no one could interrupt them. She unbuckled his pants with her powers while lowering them, and she then unbuttoned his shirt. Soon he was left with only his underwear and undershirt remaining. She then gave a kiss to his lips one last time before using her powers to lower his boxers and removing his shirt. Now completely naked, his erect member was exposed to her. He was of moderate size and length, not the longest cock ever. But Lillia hoped to make good use of him. She'd for sure have her fun with this.

"You know, you're a lot naughtier than I thought you were," teased Justin.

"Heh, well this just goes to show that I'm not as innocent as I seem," admitted Lillia. "I have my fantasies as well. And I hope to enjoy this little moment."

Lillia gripped Justin's member with her hand, inciting a groan at being squeezed. She stroked him hard and squeezed him with force, giving him a good handjob. She then lowered her head to get a whiff at her trainer's cum. The pheromonal aroma was tantalizing, and she gave an investigative lick. The taste of his cum felt heavy with pheromones. It was nice and sticky and to her liking. She gave another lick and liked it even more. Not wanting to wait, she put her whole mouth around him, encasing his dick with her mouth, her tongue licking him with feverish desire, with Justin groaning as he was licked over and over.

Despite having little to no experience, Lillia acted like a pro with Justin. She stroked him with her hand while also bobbing her head up and down, licking throughout the whole ordeal. His taste was divine, driving the Gardevoir wild, and she wanted to continue tasting him. She'd wanted her chance to swallow as much sperm as possible. This was absolute heaven for them both, and they hoped that it would continue. Though bound by her powers, Justin gripped his bed sheets with his hands as he felt intense waves of pleasure shoot up his spine. He never had a moment like this in his life, and he wanted it to last.

Soon, he felt the familiar feel of boiling pressure on his groin. His legs and buttocks tensed up as he approached the edge of orgasm. He was so close, and at any moment he would release. But Lillia sensed this. She knew that Her Master was getting really close, and so she ceased licking and stroking and allowed him to catch his breath, looked at him with teasing eyes.

"Now-now, Master," she said with cheek, "I don't want you releasing just yet. Not until we get to the more enjoyable parts of this session, that is."

"What a tease," said Justin as he tried to catch his breath. "You know, you were so close to making me let loose on that one."

"Well, I guess now we can get to the real sexual part of this then. And then we both can enjoy a good release."

Lillia climbed on top of Justin, tucking her legs next to his. His member was pointing straight up, and she aligned her entrance to him, her snatch wet and dripping as though waiting for something to enter it. What was interesting was that Lillia was a virgin, making this the first time she would ever have sex. Ergo, it was also Justin's first time, though he didn't like admitting it. The two never had sex.

And so, the two would enjoy this moment and taste the fruit of a virgin love.

"Know this, Master," assured Lillia, "no matter what happens, I will always love you."

“And I love you too, Lillia,” Justin replied with comfort. “Please… let’s do it.”

Lillia nodded her head. “Indeed, Master. Let us enjoy this… together!”

And so, Lillia lowered herself onto him. Her entrance was tight and yet slick, which served to heighten their pleasure. Lillia kept lowering herself onto him until the two came upon their main roadblock: her hymen. But Lillia, her face grimacing to prepare for the pain, lowered herself quick and fast. The sensation stung her, a sharp pain in her most private area now ripped apart. She let out a gasp as she laid there to take in the feeling of now becoming a fully-fledged woman.

Justin saw that blood dripped down his penis. He feared he might have hurt her, asking if she was okay. Lillia assured that she was fine, and so she continued lowering herself down.

She felt more of his member inside of her. She loved feeling filled up, and it made her tingle with pleasure. Soon there was no more cock to fill her up with, but he was already pretty deep into her. With no more cock left, she began to hop up and down slowly. The feeling of her insides being rubbed was so spine tingling, filling her with ecstasy as it was something she wanted to prolong. Justin also liked the feel, and the two of them went at it for what felt like ten minutes of more.

But soon, the feeling of their pleasure was coming to a head. Their organs began to tingle with the sensation of being so close to orgasm. They were nearing the edge, and soon they would come right out of that edge and fall over. Lillia was riding him hard and fast, rubbing her vaginal walls along his penis as she hoped to reach the finish as soon and as powerfully as possible.

"Hugghh… Are you getting close, Master?" asked Lillia through hard pants.

"Yep. I'm guessing you’re close to cumming? Cause I am."

"Y-y-yes, Master." Lillia's mind was melting as the waves of pleasure shot up to her brain. She wanted to climax more than anything in the world. "L-l-let's go over this edge. Together!"

And Lillia slammed hard and manically onto him, wanting to get as much pleasure as she could. Her melting mind wanted to feel the warm sensation of seed gushing into her most intimate places so badly. Her pussy walls were stretching out to accommodate his dick as her walls constricted hard. And she also hoped that Justin was loving this too and would fill her with his seed, his essence and virility.

And in one moment, she got her wish.

Lillia slammed onto Justin one last time, burying his cock as deep as she can get him to go into her. The two of them let out a loud moan, voicing their pleasure as their minds collapsed in. Justin's cock erupted into torrents of seed, gushing into her womb and filling her most private areas with the sticky and tingly feel of warm cum. Lillia loved the feel of something wet and slimy inside her. Her ecstasy from this moment as her vagina continued contracting and suckling on her lover's member was so intense, so hard as her walls milked Justin for all he was worth. Justin's mind was also getting wracked by the intensity of climax, as he never had an orgasm this strong in his life.

As his climax rocked his body, Lillia's mind went out like a burnt-out light bulb. Her face went blank, her tongue slightly sticking out after literally fucking her brains out. She didn't know where she was or what happened, her mind in a million pieces, and she leaned forward to fall. But her mind fuck caused her powers to cease, no longer holding Justin back anymore. In fact, her powers stopped holding him moments before orgasm. Justin, seeing his partner about to collapse on him, moved his now free arms to catch her before fully collapsing. He caught her light frame and brought her towards him. With his Pokémon in his arms and on his chest, he brought her head to his lips and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, Lillia… for everything,” he whispered softly.

He held no grudge or animosity, knowing this was just the thing he needed to be saved. He held no resentment against her for what she did. In fact, it was the perfect balm for his aching heart. Since he granted her permission, he didn’t consider this to be nonconsensual. And even if it were, he would not hold it against her. He needed to be saved. He needed her to save him.

Lillia was out cold, having fainted from the intensity. Though Justin's climax was also sharp and intense, at least he could still move around. He lowered Lillia next to him on bed and slowly climbed off. He went for a nearby dresser and got out fresh clothes and a small rag. With a bottle of water he wet the rag and cleaned his crotch of cum and Lillia's blood drops. He then went over to Lillia and cleaned her crotch as well, with her moaning on him rubbing her.

He was thankful her blood had not stained the bed sheets for fear of him having to produce a hasty excuse the next day. He returned to the dresser and put on a fresh pair of underwear and a pajama outfit; it was going to be cold this night. He pulled back the blankets while being careful not to waken Lillia, put her under and the cover and prepared to hop in.

But before he would go rest with his lover, He wanted to address someone who was stalking the whole ordeal. A certain Pitch-Black Pokémon was being a Peeping Tom, and Justin was not happy.

"Luke, you pervert, you can come out of the shadows now," called out Justin. "You may have hid well from Lillia, but you can't fool me." At this moment, a shadow out of the dark corners of the room. Luke the Darkrai manifested from that shadow, his face rather embarrassed at being found out. "So, did you enjoy the scenery, Luke? I hope you got off well from this."

"I believe The Alpha condones this practice, Justin. I do not consider this to be a taboo." said Luke plainly. "I won't judge something that occurs naturally between lovers. I was just worried for you. You haven't been yourself ever since you came out of the hospital. Then I heard moaning and groaning, and I feared for the worst. I didn't think, however, that you would fall for this so-called 'taboo' though."

"Well, I was kinda ‘insisted” into participating, actually. But I enjoyed it either way," he replied while scratching his head. "You're not going to tell my old man, right?"

"I wouldn't think of it. Your secret is safe with me," assured Luke. "However, it is within your best interests to keep this love affair a secret. There are those who'd love to expose people like you and make an example out of you. I'd hate for your family to fall in disgrace because of it."

"Jeez, it sound like you're the one making the threat, Luke," jeered Justin. He then turned to look at his partner on the bed. She was breathing softly and peacefully. He hoped that her dreams were pleasant. "But no matter what other people think..."

He paused as he looked into his heart and what it said about him. He thought long and hard about what all of this meant to him, and to Lillia. He noticed that he felt quite elevated. His mood had improved and his thoughts were no longer so dark. He felt unchained, at last free from the binds of his mental incapacities and his shortcomings. He felt he could tackle anything, so long as he was with the person who meant the most to him.

He walked over silently to the window, seeing a gleaming white star shining brighter than all other stars in the sky. The star smiled at him, happy to see him recover at least some of his old determination. It would take a while longer before he fully healed—he was still not yet out of the danger. But for the first time in a long while, Justin felt Happy. And if being a Poképhile meant him achieving Joy at last, then he’d gladly keep doing it with the Pokémon he loved.

The star was his blessing, and he was blessed enough to feel Okay. He was simply Okay.

"...I'm a Poképhile, Luke. And I'm proud of it too. No matter what other people think, I love my Pokémon, and nothing will ever change that."

#

Valentine’s Day – The Following Day

Today was February 14th, and love was now in the air. Justin was smiling with a face full of cheer, even shocking his friends. The four were in Justin's room to hang out before they would go on their dates with their Pokémon. The sudden change to Justin was strange since he was usually so mopey. But when they learned of his transition into the "taboo" the friends understand why and how he suddenly had such a dramatic shift. And in truth, they were happy to see him find peace and discover joy once more.

The four friends and their Pokémon were all sitting around and talking, with each person having a bottle of Oranguru Bortus' Alolan Ale to sip from, and there were plenty more bottles to drink from.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better, Justin," said Kiara. "You look so happy right now."

"I've never seen you look so cheery, Justin," added Saria. "I hoped that you'd change after what happened last night, but you're a whole new person now."

"Well, if nailing your Gar is what it takes to make you happy, then so be it then pal," Jason joked. "Welcome to the Cool Kids Club, bro!"

All the friends only groaned with a stifled laugh at their friend's dumb and awfully blunt joke. And Camilla would be sure to teach him a lesson.

*conk* "Ow! What was that for, Camilla!"

"Quite being a blabbermouth, dummy!" Camilla chastised her fist fresh from the conk.

Justin could only laugh at his friends' slapstick routine. But more importantly, he was ecstatic to carry on the day. He looked at Lillia as she talked with the Pokémon. Curiously enough, he could understand the other Pokémon’s voices; it seemed that the “Gift of Speech” was given to him. He hoped that he could continue on with this romance and so lift his heart to new heights. Today he planned on taking Lillia out to dinner over at Kiara's work, the "Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery", and drive in his sleek and powerful Shelby Mustang again.

He and Lillia had hopes in their hearts for the future. Even though their first sex session began in such darkness, it led them to finding the light. And every passionate moment from here on out would be a ways to atone for this original dark encounter. But Justin would always make sure to cherish Lillia for what she did to save him.

Justin absolutely loved Lillia, and the future looked bright for the both of them. And so they also hoped so for the sake of all Poképhiles out in the world...