FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

_Greetings my friends, it's good to be back. _

I planned to finish this one 2 weeks ago, but since SF was down back then, I guess I lost a bit of motivation to write. Also, a recent event had almost killed my passion for pokemon, so I took the liberty to make a slight reference in this story. I apologize if you find it immature, but if I couldn't vent, my brain would've melted from frustration.

_That being said, I hope you'll enjoy this. _

A/N: The location in this story is fictional.

---

"This'll teach you dorks a lesson. Next time, don't make me ask twice." said a burly, bratty kid as he dusted his hands. Under his feet lie three other kids, battered and nigh-unconscious. The whole scene pretty much indicated a bully after one of his usual dirty deeds.

"Hold it right there!"

The bully turned around, but he didn't bother to move. Instead, his pouty lips curved into a disdainful sneer as his eyes rolled at the newcomer, "Well well well, if it ain't little Hiro. Come here to help me practice boxing?"

"Give those pokedexes back to my friends! Have you any ideas how hard it was to obtain them?" Hiro demanded, eyes gleaming with defiance and disgust.

"Duh, that's why I want it, and if I want something, I take it whenever I like. Bottom line: Come here and do get them back yourself…if you dare, scrawny?" the bully challenged.

Hiro did.

From one's perspective, his courage was certainly admirable. Unfortunately, that alone could neither help Hiro overcome his opponent's cruelty or compensate the massive size difference between them. A few minutes later, Hiro, suffered the same fate as his three friends, getting beaten to a bloody pulp.

"Had enough?" the bully sneered, and to his surprise, Hiro still tried to get up. Staggering as he was, his defiance didn't waver the slightest, "I can do this all day."

The boy plunged at his opponent again. This time, however, a hard punch to the guts put him down for good.

"Worthless shrimp." The bully mocked and, without any further interest in his fallen prey, left. Little did he know he was the one falling into the trap. Immediately, the trio rushed toward Hiro to check on him, "Hiro…Are you alright, Hiro."

"Heh, that big ass fool," Hiro managed a triumphant smirk, even though he was wincing and blood was dripping out from the corner of his mouth. The little boy rummaged through his pocket and pulled out three pokedexes, "Here you go."

The three gasped in shock, "When did you…?"

"Just now. He let his guard down thinking I was going down. Bullies are all the same, all brawn and no brains." Hiro grinned. Overjoyed, the trio tackled Hiro into a group hug, which almost choked the air out of him, "Ack…guys…go easy on me!"

"You helped us again…" one of the three sobbed, "Why are you so kind with us?"

"Cuz you're my friends," Hiro grinned, "Beside, I want to help people, and prove that I mean more than how I look."

(Years later)

"Dang it, I swear that Braixen was here seconds ago. Where did it disappear to?" said an irritated Hiro as he tried to search the bush one more time, with no avail. Sighing warily, Hiro gave up and started heading home. Yet another day he returned empty-handed.

…

"Here's your smoothie."

"Thank you very much." smiled Hiro as he received his drink from the waitress, just in time when his cell phone buzzed, "Hello?"

From the other side came a friendly, joyful voice, "Hiro! Long time no see, man!"

"Jun, isn't it?" smiled the teenager, "Too long, indeed."

"Shou and Ryo talk about you all the time, but we didn't know how to contact you. I mean, your family moved away 3 years ago, and then you changed your phone number. Man, you tried to disappear or what?"

"I've been pretty busy with my new life, sorry about that," Hiro apologized, "Anyway, how did you get my new number?"

"Your folks came back here yesterday. I thought you were with them, but you weren't, so I asked them for your number. Where are you now, man?" asked Jun.

"Akiba Town…" said Hiro gingerly. As he expected, there was a brief silence, then Jun's voice exploded through his phone, "WHAT?"

"I said I'm in Akiba Town."

"You're joking, that place is like, half way across Kalos from here." Jun exclaimed, "The heck are you doing there?"

"Calm down, will ya," Hiro chided, "I want to attend Akiba Ranger Academy, okay."

"The Akiba Academy? You do know their requirements for trainees, right?" Jun continued, "Not only must you be physically fit, you need a pokemon at least level 50. 50, Hiro! Do you even have any?"

"What do you think I've been doing these days?" said Hiro, sighing exasperatedly as Jun pointed out his worst problems. Compared to the scrawny kid he'd been ten years ago, Hiro had definitely got so much taller, but still, he lacked a bit flesh and muscles to meet the standard of his peers. Tried as hard to not think about it as he could, the teenager instantly felt a spark of inferiority whenever someone pointed out that fact, not to mention the other, bigger issue he was facing, "Either I'm falling out of favor with Luck, or I just suck at catching pokemon."

"You always make things difficult for yourself," as Jun commented on him, Hiro could image his friend shaking his head disapprovingly on the other side, "Why don't you Just get a starter from the Pokemon Center?"

"Never thought of that before." Hiro said nonchalantly. Of course he had considered that option several times, yet he dismissed it just as quickly. Given his stubborn nature, Hiro wanted to earn everything he had, but that was when he'd got plenty of time. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for calling, Jun, and say hello to the other two for me."

"No prob, man. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Perhaps Jun was right. Hiro knew he'd wasted too much time, and Akiba Academy began in just over 2 months. He'd try the Pokemon Center…after tomorrow.

…

"Nice weather. Maybe things will be different today." said Hiro hopefully as he paused briefly to enjoy the bright, clear sky. With a small backpack full of his favorite snacks and his favorite cerulean jacket on, the enthusiastic young man headed straight for the forest, determined to finally put an end to his back luck.

Initially, it seemed luck was on his side. Unlike his other attempts, Hiro spotted several wild pokemon as soon as he entered the woods. He quickly located his target, a Riolu - very rare and desired by many in the region. Carefully, Hiro followed the critter, making sure they wouldn't run into any third parties, be it other wild pokemon or just some trainers on the hunt trying to snatch his catch. With his chance secured, Hiro knew he couldn't afford to miss this shot; otherwise he might as well be the biggest idiot in the entire world.

Fortunately, Hiro didn't miss; or rather…he never had the chance to throw the pokeball. From Akiba Town came the haunting sound of ambulance's siren, which disturbed Hiro long enough for the Riolu to notice his presence and escape. Hiro's irritation didn't last, as he rapidly grew concerned about the town's situation, especially when he spotted a column of smoke from the Pokemon Center's direction.

"Damn it!" Hiro cursed.

…

Hiro usually underestimated himself, but it turned out he could run pretty fast if he wanted to. It took the young man less than ten minutes to reach the Pokemon Center, and things had already gotten far worse than he'd expected: Hot, loud and chaotic. People and pokemon frantically tried to escape the burning building while medical staff struggled to calm them down and help the wounded get onto ambulances. Looking around, Hiro spotted Nurse Joy among the panicking mob, thanks to her usual pink outfit. It took some effort, but he managed to push his way towards her.

"What's going on in there?" asked Hiro.

"Something went wrong with the main generator…and the whole place was on fire…" said Nurse Joy shakily. Hiro'd never seen her in such a state. Then again, this kind of incident had never happened in Akiba Town's history, and first-timer could be very fragile, mentally.

"Calm down, Nurse Joy, calm down!" said Hiro patiently, "Has everyone got out?"

The question apparently hit Nurse Joy with the force of a truck, evidenced by her dreadful gasp, "Oh god, no…some pokemon are still in the Recovery Room."

"Where's that room?" Hiro inquired.

"Third floor, second one on the left."

"Alright, I'll get them out. You stay here and help the others." Hiro decided.

"You can't go in there, it's too dangerous." Nurse Joy protested.

"Don't worry; I can do this all day." Hiro grinned.

The moment he entered the Pokemon Center, Hiro knew he could never do that all day.

Immediately the effect of smoke and heat kicked in, as Hiro began to cough his lungs out while his eyes watered uncontrollably. Somewhere in Hiro's mind, a wimpy, selfish part was chastising him for acting recklessly and trying to be a hero, yet none of that hindered the young man. In that moment, Hiro once again remembered why he wanted to attend Akiba Academy, and realized if he turned back now, he'd lose his very moral code.

Fortunately, by the time Hiro reached the third floor, the fire had yet to spread to the recovery room, inside which he found several unconscious pokemon. The young man sighed in relief as he found their pokeballs next to each; otherwise it'd be impossible to get them all out. Without wasting his precious time, Hiro returned the pokemon to their respective pokeballs one after another, and things were going smoothly until the ceiling lights behind him exploded.

The sound wasn't any scarier than that of a cheap firecracker, which Hiro normally didn't bother, but his current situation was everything but normal. Even without turning around, Hiro could hear the fire hissing and electricity buzzing, and when he did turn around, it only got worse: Half of the recovery room, along with its door, was engulfed in flames, sealing him and the pokemon tight in. Hiro didn't have to be a fool to realize everything beneath him was probably on fire.

Cornered, Hiro almost experienced a nervous breakdown. It didn't help that the intense heat and smoke was making him dazed and out of breath. For a second, the young man considered escaping by running through the fire, but he quickly dismissed that foolish and dangerous idea. If he suffocated and collapsed half way, not only would Hiro deep-fry himself, but the pokemon in his backpack as well. That being said, doing nothing and waiting for an inevitable, equally painful death wasn't any better of an option.

Distracted by his thoughts, Hiro paid no attention to the rapidly growing fire, and when he did, it was too late. A searing pain from his left arm almost caused Hiro to faint, and at the same time, warned the young man he'd run out of time. He scanned the surroundings one more time, and realized the window was his last chance, even though jumping out from his height would pretty much turn him into a lifeless sack of meat.

In that moment when Hiro made his decision, he also did the unthinkable: He smiled. Had Hiro finally given in to despair? He hadn't. In fact, Hiro seemed oddly calm and collected, as if his self-awareness was as clear as it could possibly get.

Hiro wanted to live. There was Akiba Academy, many unfinished plans and plenty of reasons to live. Then again, who wouldn't have to die, and Hiro hated the idea of spending his last moment moping. After all, he'd lived his life well enough to not be ashamed of anything. He helped others because he wanted to; he kept getting up when being told to stay down, even if that only resulted in more injuries; he tried to attend Akiba Academy despite his inadequate physique; he ran into this building, ignoring Nurse Joy's protest. Hiro'd never let anyone speak for himself. He made his own rules and followed them.

"Here we go." Hiro mused, trying to angle himself so he'd land face-first on the ground, which would prevent his pokeball-stuffed backpack from taking too much damage. Taking a deep breath, the young man plunged himself over the open window, making it look as if he was enjoying a casual skydiving. Still, with his already damaged lungs and increasing air pressure, Hiro's duration hit its limit. As the young man began to faint, he pictured the nasty scenario when his bead bashed against the ground and became a bloody mess…

…Which actually never happened. Barely seconds before Hiro met his would-be demise; a soft yet strong appendage reached out and caught him. Not that it mattered to Hiro. He felt as if everything around him was fading rapidly, even his own existence.

…

Hiro woke up to the gentle sound of cracking fire and night breeze. The first he felt was an intense wave of soreness, followed by an awful thirst, and even so, it took Hiro a while to process the fact that he was alive.

The next thing Hiro checked was his surroundings, and he found himself lying against a tree, in the middle of a forest, almost butt-naked hadn't it been for his boxers, and strange, damped leaves patched up several spots on his body.

"Glad you finally wake up."

From the voice's direction, a slim, humanoid figure walked out of the woods' shade into the moonlight, and Hiro was speechless.

"You were out for three whole days. Dehydration, severe burns and two smoke-filled lungs. Consider yourself lucky to be alive." the Greninja continued, and Hiro realized it was a male.

"Did you…save me?" Hiro asked, but flushed after realizing how idiotic he sounded.

"Well yes, I did, otherwise no humans can survive jumping down from that height." The amphibian said matter-of-factly, "And you don't need to worry about your backpack. I gave it to that Nurse Joy, safe and sound."

Hiro sighed in relief, but almost instantly found himself blushing again. If the backpack had ever done something wrong to Hiro, it was reminding him of his nudity. Granted, Greninja was a pokemon and, technically, naked too, Hiro had never been in such state in front of anyone but himself, when he looked into the mirror after showers.

"Uhm, I don't wanna be rude, but what are these?" he said, picking up a leaf from his forearm.

"Ah yes, took me forever to collect those. You won't find any better burn remedy in this region. Do you mind if I sit?" Greninja explained and without waiting for Hiro's respond, took a seat in front of the young man, "For a courageous individual, your questions are surprisingly trivial. I was expecting something like 'where are we?' or 'what happened to my clothes?'"

Hiro's expression might as well said 'How did you know' better than verbally, so he remained silent, which Greninja took as consent, "To answer the first question, this is the forest near Akiba Town. I don't want to stay there, but I also can't carry you too far away, so this place is my only option. A nomad like me is better off here. As for the second question, I think it's self-explanatory, but I do feel an obligation to apologize for removing your clothes without permission. I took the liberty to clean and fold them up."

The amphibian pointed at something next to Hiro, and he almost cursed himself for not noticing his clothes had always been there. The young man hastily grabbed his shirt and put it on, not before giving Greninja an awkward smile.

"You humans always bother yourselves with those." Greninja shrugged and stood up, "Things are okay now, but you're still a little weak. It's already too late, so stay here until tomorrow, then you can go home all you want. I'll stand on guard."

Greninja barely turned around when Hiro decided to make his last question, "Why did you save me?"

There was a short pause, and Hiro wondered if his eyes deceived him, but he saw Greninja's shoulder seemingly tensed up.

"Must there be a reason?" Greninja said without looking at him, "Did you have a reason when you ran into the fire?"

"I guess not, thank you anyway." Hiro sighed, "Oh, I haven't introduced myself, right? My name is Hiro."

"Shadow." the Greninja replied, and Hiro couldn't help chuckling. Shadow? It sounded like something coming straight out of mangas, odd but also cool, dark and ninja-ish. For a pokemon, having names like that was nothing unusual.

"Are we gonna meet again?" Hiro asked. Somehow, the young man had a hunch that if he let Shadow walk into the darkness now, the Greninja would never come out again.

"Probably not," Shadow said. Struggling to keep his voice normal, Hiro replied, "Sure, but before we get there, do you want to, uhm, stop by my place?"

"Your place? You mean your house?"

"Yep."

"But why should I?"

"Must there be a reason?" Hiro grinned. He said those words without thinking or knowing the impact they had on Shadow, and when Hiro noticed the Greninja wasn't responding, he quickly added an explanation, "I'm sorry…I just want to show my gratitude, maybe treating you to lunch or just a drink, whatever you want."

"You can't manage what I really want," Shadow muttered.

"I know I'm no position to ask, but I'd really appreciate it if you agree," Hiro continued as he assumed Shadow was hesitating, "If I don't get to show my gratitude, it's gonna bug me for a really long while."

"Fair enough," Shadow decided, much to Hiro's relief, "But I don't want to be seen in that town. You just go home, I'll follow. Don't worry, I won't sneak away."

The Greninja then blended into the night. Hiro couldn't help smiling as he imagined Shadow looking out for him, silently protecting him from the darkness. Even though he just met pokemon, Hiro had an odd desire to know more about Shadow, to dwell deeper into the mystery that was the kind Greninja. He wanted their relationship to go beyond an ordinary acquaintanceship or a heavy life debt.

"But why do I want it that way?" Hiro wondered.

(The next morning)

"Damn it…" Hiro cursed as he almost stumbled again, for the ten thousand times in a round. Hiro's feet, out of commission for three days, now felt simply like two dry logs attached to his waist and trembled every five seconds. By the time Hiro made it to Akiba Town, he was sweating bullets and it still took him another ten minutes to reach his house.

The door creaked open, still no Greninja to be found. Hiro was about to call out for his amphibian helper when he heard a soft thud from behind, "S'that you, Shadow?"

Instead of answering, the Greninja just invited himself into the house. Strange enough, Shadow's action didn't annoy Hiro the slightest bit and only added more to the initial coolness he had. Smiling, he followed Shadow; this was his house after all.

Meanwhile, the Greninja was rather surprised by the state of Hiro's place. Aside the dust resulted from a three day-worth lack of cleaning, everything else in the humble flat was tidy and well-organized. The cerulean-painted walls gave of a cool, relaxing sensation, which was further increased by the simple yet artistic addition of a calendar, a landscape painting and an oval clock. Nothing struck him as the place of a typical messy teenage human male.

"Neat," Shadow complimented, much to Hiro's joy, "Thanks. I try to keep things in order cuz there's no one else to clean up. Take a seat, I'll grab us something to drink. What'd you like?"

"Water is okay."

As Hiro went to fetch his drink, Shadow slowly loosened his muscles and let himself relax. Ever since he arrived at Hiro's place, the Greninja had been bothering himself with formality, trying to keep a certain distance with the human. However, he quickly warmed up to Hiro's genuine friendliness.

Having nothing to do, Shadow started looking around again until his attention was caught by a piece of paper on the table, with Hiro's name on it. Curious, he picked the paper up and realized it was an application form, to Akiba Academy.

"Ah yes…the application." Hiro's voice startled Shadow a little, and the Greninja felt his cheeks getting hot, which was absurd, considering he was a water-type.

"Here you go," said Hiro, giving Shadow a glass of water, "Mind if I take that back?"

"Sorry." Shadow apologized and handed the application to Hiro, who proceeded to tear it in half and throw the pieces away, much to the Greninja's shock

"There's no use keeping that. I've run out of time, and I'm not physically fit enough to enter that course anyway." Hiro said flatly as he opened a soda can and took a long sip.

"Physically fit? That has anything to do with being a trainer?" Shadow inquired.

"Who said I was becoming a trainer? The one I'd intended to study is pokemon ranger, and like I said, I don't meet its requirements." Hiro explained bitterly, "I want to help people, but perhaps I bit off more than I can chew. The trainer course merely requires a pokemon with decent level, heh."

"I still don't get it. Being a trainer isn't bad at all, and you can always help people like you did three days ago, so why not?"

"It's a long story, and a very depressing one. I'm not sure if I should tell you." Hiro shrugged, and it obviously made Shadow even more curious, "Not like we're in a hurry, is it?"

Hiro shook his head in defeat, "I used to think like you, in fact, I was once all about becoming a trainer, cuz I was inspired by one. I watch a lot of pokemon leagues, and this trainer caught my attention…Even though he didn't win, I found his spirit and resilience fascinating.

I did some research, and found out he used to compete in numerous leagues in different regions. I watched him, routed for him, and every time he lost, my hope and expectation that he'd win next time grew."

Hiro paused and took another sip; his eyes flashed wistfully as if they were longing for good memories. The young man then sighed and continued.

"But he kept losing, Sinnoh, Unova…Then it came to Kalos, and I was so convinced he'd win this time. He'd improved so much. His team was the best I've seen so far. Also, he had a Greninja, and they did some crazy stuff together, but in the end, he still lost. I know this makes me sound like a dick, but I simply can't care for a loser, even if he's unlucky, and it dawned on me about what'd happen if I became a trainer. Would I lose myself in that quest for glory? What'd my pokemon feel when their trainer let them down to no end? Do you know how it is, to watch your hero, your idol, your ideal trainer…everything collapse before your eyes?"

Shadow chuckled bitterly, "Indeed I know. So you decided to become a ranger instead."

"And like I said, there're still problems. I guess they keep popping up." Hiro laughed harshly. The two then fell into a long, awkward silence until Hiro decided to speak, "I'll check if there's anything left to make lunch. Would you like to watch TV?"

"Hiro, I have a proposal…" Shadow said, "Because you saved some of my kin, I'll return the favor. I won't catch a pokemon for you; that's something you must do yourself to fully appreciate. I can, however, help you improve your health."

Surprised by the Greninja's offer, Hiro found it hard to respond, "But…is there really a way? I mean…I don't think it's possible to fix me."

"You need the right method, which I do have. Trust me, when we finish, you'll be as buff as you're tall." The Greninja claimed.

Hiro pondered. If Shadow was so confident, the pokemon might actually success in what he'd failed for a long time. Hiro basically had nothing to lose but possibly a lot to gain. Besides, ever since they walked into the house, he'd been brainstorming for a way to have more time with Shadow, and now the Greninja was offering him that very chance, only an idiot would let it slip away, "Okay, let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve."

Little did he know Shadow shared his intends.

"Alright, you're hungry?" Hiro smiled, "As a way to say thanks, I'll treat you with my best meal yet, Shad."

"Shad?" the Greninja said in amusement.

"Yeah. Shad, you know, from Shadow…Sorry, too short? I just want to try a nickname, you know…something friendlier." Hiro explained, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Nah, it's just…no one has ever called me by such a casual name…but I'll accept your good intends."

In just one simple exchange, both knew their distance had been greatly shortened.

(That night)

Hiro couldn't sleep, most likely because every five seconds, he'd glance at the window, where Shadow'd promised he'd arrive in the morning. He kept glancing and occasionally, giggling like an idiot.

The young man couldn't figure out why he was so eagerly looking forward to tomorrow, but one thing he did know. He wanted to see Shadow again. The Greninja appeared in his mind every now and then, stirring up a feeling that was beyond anything within his knowledge or experience. Even before exhaustion took over and forced his eyes to close, Hiro could still see the Greninja.

"Shad…"

Somewhere in the woods, a certain Greninja realized his heart had just beaten a little faster.

(The next morning)

Shadow'd always been punctual, and this morning was no exception. Leaping from roof to roof as if he was walking on air, Shadow arrived at Hiro's house in no time, and the first thing to hit his eyes was the teenager, sleeping like a log (if only he knew Hiro'd stayed up to 2 am because he was excited for today).

Shadow quietly approached Hiro in an attempted wake him, but almost froze when he got a closer look at the human.

"So cute…" the Greninja mumbled. Indeed, with round cheeks, slightly curved eyebrows and short hair covering his temple, Hiro radiated an irresistible feeling of warmth and innocence, so much that it proved effective on a pokemon like Shadow. So far, he'd lived his life as a silent watcher, even going as far as choosing a name like "Shadow", but at this moment, he couldn't help seeing Hiro as a brilliant but soothing light, something he should've learnt to appreciate and sought a long time ago.

Shadow's hand was one inch away from touching Hiro's face when the latter slowly opened his eyes. Even when sleeping, Hiro could sense the presence of someone else next to him, but somehow it didn't feel creepy or threatening, and when he the first thing he saw was Shadow, Hiro knew his day couldn't start off any better.

"Hey…sorry I overslept." Hiro said sleepily, giving a silly smile, which nearly crushed Shadow, had he not tried to hold himself together, "Go wash your face, we'll start training now."

…

"Now before we start, I'll explain my methods," Shadow, now in teacher mode, raised his voice a little, "The morning is when your mind and body at their best, so we'll practice heavy exercise. The afternoon is quiet and melancholic, so we'll do something lighter: Meditation."

"Meditation?" Hiro looked at Shadow as if the pokemon was telling a bad joke.

"That's right, meditation," Shadow nodded, "Look, I know it may sound ridiculous, but you've ever heard of a sound mind in a sound body? Well, a sound body also needs to be run by a sound mind. You can either listen to me, or we can do heavy exercises in the afternoon. Which one do you prefer?"

Hiro knew he was being threatened, and what choice did he really have? Rule of thumb when it came to studying: Don't pisses off your teacher before the class even starts, if you want to survive, "What about the evening…then?"

"Nothing. Relax is to be done after a hard-working day, and to let your body absorb the training's result." Shadow shrugged, "One last note. When we're training, it's important to replenish your energy and also gain muscles, so don't hold back on the food, just stay away alcohol and caffeine, okay?"

"Sure thing, Shad." Hiro grinned, and Shadow felt something beat furiously in his chest. At this rate, he might get a seizure before he could actually train the human.

…

Even though Shadow's "heavy" exercises were merely running, doing push-up, and various body exercise, Hiro still struggled to get pass the first week, occasionally wondering how just a few days ago, he could run half way across the woods to the Pokemon Centers in mere minutes. The afternoon meditation was no better. Hiro never expected how difficult it was to sit cross-legged with his eyes closed and not falling asleep, and after a two-hour meditation, his legs were incredibly sore.

Thankfully, Shadow was a dutiful and strict teacher. He constantly stood by Hiro, watching and reminding him what to do, even small steps like stretching or breathing evenly. Needless to say, Hiro was extremely grateful. For someone who only wanted to help others, even going as far as risking his life, Hiro finally got to enjoy some care and attention.

During that time, the two inadvertently bonded with each other. Their talks no longer felt awkward; Shadow stayed at Hiro's for lunch and dinner more often. Most importantly, Hiro was growing more and more eager to see Shadow the next day, so much that he'd completely forgotten about Akiba Academy, getting himself a pokemon or the fact that the Greninja never failed to show up. If there was anything, Hiro was wondering why Shadow seemed to avoid physical or eye contact with him.

(A few weeks later)

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Hiro?" asked Shadow as he took the homemade smoothie Hiro offered.

"Of course I've, but only a glance every morning or when I take a shower. Is that unusual for a guy?"

"Well, that explains why you haven't noticed how much you've changed. Take a closer look at yourself." The Greninja suggested. Hiro did, and a huge grin slowly spread across his face.

His determination and Shadow's aid had indeed paid off. Hiro's arms, once looked like tree branches, now ripped with a fair amount of muscles, and so did other parts of his body. Sure, he still had a long way to go before any six-pack could be achieved, but Hiro was in the best shape he could ever imagine.

Shadow noticed the grateful look Hiro was giving him, and chuckled, "Don't thanks me, you earned that. Even the most modest and selfless person needs to take care of himself once in a while."

"Now I feel twice the need to thank you," Hiro insisted, and he noted Shadow was more easy-going than normal, so he decided to take his chance, "But before that, I have a favor, hopefully you'd help me out."

The way Hiro's tone suddenly became serious made Shadow a little wary, but he had no reason or excuse to deny the human's request, "Yes?"

Sitting face-to-face with Shadow, the young man asked, "If I remember correctly, when I told you my reason to become a ranger, you said you knew how I feel, so if you don't mind…I'd like to know more."

"Why?"

"Cuz you're my friend…Of course you don't have to, if it's too personal." Hiro said quickly

Shadow went silent, but from the pokemon's narrowed eyebrows, Hiro could tell he was making his decision, which Hiro'd respect however it was, although he hoped it would be yes. He just felt guilty for knowing nothing whatsoever about the Greninja, even though they'd been friends for a while.

"Alright," Shadow nodded, "Seven months ago…"

\Flashback/

Shadow stood facing his opponent. Despite the type disadvantage, he'd actually never been afraid of a Lucario, not until this one single-handedly defeated all of his teammates - the team his trainer always proudly preferred to as an "All-star team".

Ever since he started battling, the Greninja had emerged victorious against numerous bigger, more imitating foes, but this Lucario was different. The fighting-type seemed perfectly relax, as if it was having a casual practice rather than a serious battle, but Shadow still felt an enormous pressure, warning him against underestimating Lucario. Also, Shadow couldn't help noticing a faint but still visible gold aura surrounding the fighting-type.

"Shadow, aerial ace!" his trainer commanded.

Smart, the Greninja thought. As a countermeasure, his trainer had taught him several moves to deal with type disadvantages, and Shadow knew this attack would hit. It always hit.

There was a big collision which blew a good amount of dust into the air, and when he could see again, Shadow couldn't believe in his eyes. His sure-win maneuver was blocked by one single paw, and Lucario didn't even move from where it was standing. Frustrated, Shadow attempted several aerial aces, but the fighting-type just calmly deflected them one after another.

After trading countless blows, the Greninja eventually realized it was impossible for him to beat this Lucario. The aura pokemon was simply superior to him in every aspect: Strength, speed, skill, agility. Still, Shadow's pride refused to give up, especially when his entire team's honor and reputation rest on his shoulders. In one final gamble, Shadow quietly channeled his remaining power into his hands, forming a massive blue sphere between them. If this attack successes, perhaps it'd be powerful enough to turn the table.

"What are you doing? I didn't tell you to use water pulse!" Shadow's trainer shouted, which he completely ignored.

Across the battlefield, Lucario's trainer chuckled, "Aurum, aura sphere."

The wind hissed and twisted as an energy ball appeared in Lucario's paw. Both pokemon looked at each other one more time, and charged. The last thing Shadow remembered was a massive explosion and Lucario standing over him. When his senses returned, the Greninja realized he'd lost the battle. He tried to get up, but his body seemed yet to fully recover from the damage.

"Don't move," said a gentle voice, and Shadow realized it was Lucario's trainer.

"Where am I?"

"At the Pokemon Center." the Lucario - or Aurum replied, "Sorry, I overdid that aura sphere."

"Why are you two here? Where's my trainer Lily?" Shadow inquired.

"She's waiting outside, and she seems pretty mad if you ask me. Is it because you disobeyed her?" said Lucario's trainer.

"I had no other choice!" Shadow exclaimed indignantly.

"Calm down, geez…" Lucario's trainer shook his head disapprovingly, "Shadow, isn't it? I never said it was wrong. In fact, I'm glad you kept on fighting, cuz that was the best match I've had in ages, since Ryan and Jaden. Your team was amazing, all of you, but I wonder if you trust yourselves in the right person."

"Don't try to win me over. Even if you're a better trainer, I'll never betray mine." the Greninja said angrily.

"Nope, I'm not desperate enough to get that low, and this pup right here is all I need," the young man grinned, casually throwing his arm around his Lucario, "I'm talking to you as a trainer, and trainers usually hide their true colors 'til a major loss. See for yourself, and think about what I said."

"It's getting late Jake, we should go." Aurum suggested.

"Sure thing, pup," Jake replied. Before he went, Jake turned around and looked at Shadow one last time, "Choose your path wisely, Shadow. You deserve something better, someone better."

\End of flashback/

"A clean sweep with just one Lucario?" Hiro said in disbelief, "Who's that guy?"

"No ideas. All I know is his name." Shadow shook his head, "Jake."

"Wait…Jake, and a really strong Lucario…sounds really familiar. I think I know him," Hiro pondered, and pulled out his cell to check something, "I knew it, he was the Sinnoh champion!"

"Sinnoh champion? What's the Sinnoh champion doing here in Kalos?"

"He was the champion," Hiro glanced at his cell phone, "It is said here that he relinquished his title, and the current one is a guy named Ryan. I guess he's just here to train. Even a champion can use some training."

"As if he needs to…" Shadow muttered resentfully. To avoid rubbing salt into the Greninja's already severe wound, Hiro quickly steered them back to the main story, "So what happened afterward? Did you believe Jake?"

"I didn't, obviously," Shadow shrugged, "Sadly, his words soon proved correct. Right after that loss, my trainer started to change for the worse. She got obsessed with becoming stronger, taking every chances available to train and battle. I tried to put up with that at first, but no matter how strong I am, my body has its limit; and the same goes for my comrades. To make things even worse, she completely disregarded our wellbeing, pushing us so far that one actually fainted during a battle."

"That's why you…left her?" Hiro ventured.

"No, I left to save the good memories before she decimated them all. Jake was right, I deserve a better thing to do, and a better person to be with." Shadow concluded.

"So, have you found them?" Hiro asked gingerly. For a good minute, Shadow became frozen, and when he finally spoke again, the pokemon's voice lacked the confidence it normally had, "I'll tell you, Hiro, but promised me you'd still be my friend afterward."

"You have my words."

"I've found them both. In fact, it was that person who opened my eyes and inspired me what's to do." the Greninja said gingerly, and for some reasons, Hiro felt his chest ached, as if his heart'd sunk down his stomach. What was that sensation? Disappointment. Pain. Depression.

"After parting with her, I traveled aimlessly around Kalos, looking for something to fill the void inside, until I reached this certain town. There, I saw a human, a brave, selfless but also incredibly idiotic human," Shadow continued, "I watched him running into a building on fire to rescue pokemon that weren't even his. I watched him jumping out of the window to protect lives on his back.

Hiro was completely baffled. Even though he knew exactly who Shadow was implying, his mind was in such a chaotic stage that no words could escape his quivering lips.

"When he jumped down that building, I knew if I didn't save him, I would really regret it later, and it was the best decision I've ever made. He gave me a purpose to live again, and that is to support him for the rest of my life." the Greninja finished, and suddenly grabbed Hiro's shoulder as he looked at the young man directly in the eyes, "I love you Hiro, whether you think it's disgusting or not. That's the only true I want you to know."

They stayed like that for a long while, and during the entire time, Hiro's only expression was bewilderment. As much as he was prepared for this, the Greninja still couldn't hide his disappointment. Slowly, Shadow got his hands off Hiro, but the young man surprised him by keeping them in place with his own hands.

"You idiot! Why didn't you say that sooner?" Hiro exclaimed; his voice was a mix of joy and frustration, "And here I thought you would be the disgusted one if I told you the same thing!"

"You mean…?"

"I love you too, you big stud." Hiro said, gently caressing the Greninja's face, "but have you made up your mind? I'm nothing but an ordinary human; do you really wish to be stuck with me from now on?"

"I said this before and I'll say it again: Must there be a reason? Others will find it bizarre, even revolting that us - two males of different species in love with each other, but I don't care. I've looked around enough to know you're the one."

Shadow's words cleared the last bit of Hiro's doubt and anxiety. Grinning, he pulled the Greninja's face closer to his, "If you really said so, then I guess I can put my life in your hand now."

The contact made Hiro shiver, but he, nonetheless, enjoyed it immensely. Though both started off rather awkwardly, they quickly got the hang of it. Hiro's tongue pressed against Shadow's coiling one, licking it a few times before snaking its way into the pokemon's mouth, tasting his saliva. On the other hand, Shadow just let the human did whatever he wanted, occasionally adding subtle friction to the pleasure by moving his long, slender tongue.

"Hah…" Shadow panted as they broke the kiss, "That was amazing…"

"Indeed, but…what's poking my thighs, Shad?"

The question caught Shadow off guard and at the same time, rendered his face crimson. Hiro, too, felt the heat rushing to his cheeks as he gazed down and spotted a certain organ emerging from the Greninja's crotch, dripping pre copiously from the tip.

"Look like someone's excited." Hiro teased.

"Well excuse me, but I've never been close to anyone like this…I'm sensitive, alright!"

"Not that I'm complaining. If you wanna have fun, we'll have fun right now." To prove his point, Hiro gave Shadow's cock a firm stroke, eliciting a moan from the Greninja, "I've finally got you. I'm not letting you get away."

"If you insist," Shadow chuckled, "I guess this cold-blooded amphibian can use some warm-up."

"Good, then I get the first bite." said Hiro and immediately, the young man dropped onto his knees, facing Shadow's still growing erection. He'd never tried this before, and the Greninja's shaft might be too much for him to handle, but screw it, his unbearable desire for Shadow was a much bigger deal. Opening mouth, Hiro started off by licking along the shaft before circling the tip to collect precum, taking in his mate's scent and taste. The muskiness and saltiness were there, but Hiro also picked up a subtle hint of sweet lightness in it, which made the experience even better for him.

With his mouth completely closed around Shadow's cock, Hiro proceeded to give his lover a blow job, moving his head back and forth against that exotic-flavored shaft. Guided by sheer lust, the young man knew he still had a long way to go before any proper deep throat could be done, yet that didn't hinder Hiro from enjoying himself. He loved every second of this, pleasuring and getting pleasured, and just the intimacy of having something so sexual in his mouth made Hiro dizzy with joy. Soon, he was working up a steady rhythm, exploring every inch of that cock, slurping up every droplet of precum he could find.

"Oh Arceus, Hiro, this feels so good!" Shadow panted and huffed. Much like Hiro, Shadow himself was a virgin and thus, having someone do this for him was one heck of a ride, and that someone being his lover only intensified the immense pleasure. Still, as his lust and mating instinct kicked in, the Greninja knew he could have Hiro do so much more than just licking him all night.

Reluctantly, Shadow pulled himself away from Hiro, earning a puzzled look from the latter, "What's wrong? Am I no good?"

"No, but I…I want to try something more exciting."

"You mean…" Hiro blushed.

Shadow nodded. The amount of redness in his face was equivalent to that of his human lover.

"O-okay, but I don't think this is a good place. Would you mind if we…move to my room." Hiro suggested.

…

It only took a few seconds for Hiro to strip, and soon, they were lying down, making out fiercely on his twin bed. With the human's clothes gotten rid of, Shadow could finally put his long tongue to full use, dragging it all over his lover's exposed form. The overwhelming input his taste buds receive d made Shadow's mind hazy, as he relentlessly explored every bit of the young man's flesh and muscles. It felt even better when the Greninja himself was the one aiding Hiro achieving his sexy fitness. The pokemon's slick, slender appendage travelled across Hiro's body a few more time before its tip found Shadow's target: A mark in-between his mate's nicely round buttocks.

"Wait Shad, that's…ahhhhh!" Hiro gasped as Shadow gave his pucker a teasing lick.

"Your weak spot, I know. We'll start from there." Shadow smirked and began his assault on the sensitive flesh. The Greninja wanted to make sure they'd have a smooth entry when he feed his cock to that untried, untouched territory, to finally claim the human and leave a mark that could never be erased inside him. Besides, judging from the chorus of moans escaping from Hiro's mouth despite his gritted teeth, Shadow knew he still got everything on the right track. Indeed, moaning was the only thing Hiro could manage as the warm wetness probing at his hole sent wave after wave of pleasure through his body.

When Shadow felt they were both ready, he withdrew his tongue and flipped Hiro onto his back. Hoisting the young man's legs over his shoulder and lined their hips to each other, Shadow whispered, "Look at me, Hiro. Look at me when I claim you."

With something wet but firmer than Shadow's tongue pressing against his lubricated pucker and his virginity moments away from gone, Hiro was beyond nervous, but at the same time, Shadow's lustful words also triggered his arousal. Whatever happened he would bear with it, but Hiro wasn't going to keep himself or Shadow waiting any longer, "Do it, take me now."

And the Greninja happily obliged. Closing in, Shadow pressed his cock forward, forcing the tip through his mate's entrance and spreading him open for the rest to follow. Immediately the pokemon could feel the tightness and warm of Hiro's orifice, both of which were much more intense than he'd expected. It took Shadow a lot of willpower to control himself, but he kept his pace slow and steady. First times should be enjoyable to both parties, and Shadow just couldn't bring himself to hurt Hiro, however great his lust was.

Hiro grunted. Despite his mate's gentle entry, the discomfort from having something so big in his hole was definitely there. Yet somewhere under that pain, Hiro found a surprisingly delightful sense of fulfillment plus sexual pleasure, as if like he'd found the last piece to complete the puzzle that was himself. Panting softly, Hiro tried to relax and loosen his walls as he noticed some resistance. Shadow was obviously doing his best to make things easy for both of them, giving Hiro a few minutes to adjust, but also relishing in the sensation of the human's tight passages spasming around his twitching member, milking his pre without any thrusting.

"Mmm, you're a tight one."

"You can say I've been saving up just for this moment." Hiro grinned.

"Then I assume you know what's coming next?"

"Ah yeah, give it to me, big boy!"

Who was Shadow to disagree? Slowly he pulled his hips back, withdrawing half of his cock before slamming it back in. The new sensation wracked Hiro's body, and he loved every second of it. By this time he'd gotten used to having his ass stretched by the Greninja's breeding organ, and as it sank deeper into him with every thrust, the only thing escaping Hiro's mouth was ecstatic moans. Shadow smiled; those sounds were music to his ears.

Taking his time, Shadow eventually built up a steady rhythm; the pre leaking from his tip provided a smoother entry. The wonderfully warm tightness proved almost too much for the Greninja; and he briefly wondered how long he could last with such an amazing stimulation. Still, that didn't hinder him from enjoy himself and the pleasure of having his cock massaged by those soft anal confines. Shadow particularly loved the way Hiro's dick twitched and jumped in sync with his thrusts; then as a nice little treat, his lover's hole would contract slightly around his cock, adding to the built-up pleasure and excitement. To add more to the pleasure, the Greninja tried to angle his cock to let the tip hit Hiro's prostate every time he buried himself deep inside the human.

"Harder…" Hiro whimpered, much to Shadow's surprise. For a timer, Hiro overcame discomfort rather quickly, and now he was actually asking more. Then again, the Greninja didn't mind; he'd been holding back for a while to avoid hurting Hiro, but if the human wanted harder, he so gonna get it.

Pulling out further than usual with only the tip remained inside, Shadow slammed in, suddenly and ferociously. Hiro cried out in immense pleasure and a bit pain as the mighty thrust nearly rendered him breathless, and he barely had time to recover as the Greninja proceeded to pound him with the strength and vigor of a fully evolved pokemon. Sure, the intense mating came with some prize, such as his aching rear and the possible inability to walk for a while, but it also felt as many times as good. Hiro squirmed and thrashed, his head grew blank as his body refused to accept any sensation but the waves of sexual satisfaction Shadow was offering.

Minutes passed, and the rutting became more intense. Shadow could feel his climax building, but he had no intention of slowing down. Grabbing Hiro by his hips, the Greninja picked up his pace even more. By this time, Hiro had completely submitted to his mate, and he loved it. Instead of intimidating him, Shadow's dominance gave Hiro a sense of warmth and protection, both of which were more meaningful than just having the pokemon laying atop him or fucking his brain out. A tingling sensation at his tests warned Hiro of his impending orgasm too.

"Inside me, Shad…I beg you, feed me with your cum!" Hiro moaned, and inadvertently triggered Shadow's already intense lust, bringing him over the edge, "As…you…wish."

After a few more thrusts, the Greninja hit his limit as he hilted as deep as he could; his cock pulsed and unloaded in torrents. Spurt after spurt of water-type sperm flooded Hiro's rectum, marking him as Shadow's forever. The coating of his innards also brought Hiro to a heart-stopping orgasm; cock twitching and firing thick jets of semen into the air, some landed on Shadow's belly and some even hit his mouth.

Immediately both cooled down as Shadow collapsed onto Hiro and they started to exchange small kisses again. There was no mistake that they wanted this, and were thoroughly satisfied.

…

"Who said you're cool-blooded, Shad? You feel so warm." Hiro mused as he snuggled even closer to his mate. Shadow smiled and brushed the young man's hair, "Or you just warmed me up….I hope you'll be really for more soon. I've been holding back so long I'm afraid I might get a bit…err, frisky."

"Anytime, my boy, anytime."

"Hiro, when did you say Akiba Academy would start?"

"Probably in four days. Why you asked?"

"Well you mentioned something about a high-level pokemon partner, right? I was thinking if you don't mind, could we…attend that academy together?" the Greninja offered gingerly.

"I…" Hiro stammered; a huge smile slowly spread on his face, "I guess I'll have to ask for another application form."

(The end)