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Poképhilia Story

Love has No Bounds

A Lizard Love on Valentines

Valentine's Day 2022

By J.C. Solis

Love was once again in the air around Lakeshire Town, with a certain holiday coming along in the horizon of the coming week. It was a special day of emotions and heart, of hugs and kisses that many have come to enjoy. And it is a certain day that even the cold and snowy days of winter cannot make dreary. With that, everyone in town, both pokémon and human, got ready to make sure to enjoy it.

St. Valentine's Day was in a few more days, and already the stores were selling chocolates and lovely gifts by the bushel. Flower shops were selling flowers by the dozen, and soon even they would be sold out of the fauna on their shelves. The supply of roses would run out, and even the tulips, daisies, daffodils, and other flowers were not going to last forever. The shops were all raking in on the masses of money they were making from the sale of romantic merchandise, and the whole of Lakeshire Town was in a festive mood to match the selling out of merchandise. To say that money was being made would be an understatement, to say the least.

Rosemary and Dante were two of those people trying to enjoy the atmosphere of the season of love. The two were enjoying Monday evening together, with Valentine's Day only a few more days away. Having come back from work in the drawing and design studio, they wondered just how they were going to spend the lovely holiday together with each other. The Poképhiles had been thinking up a lot of plans, but nothing really seemed to stick. As the two lay on their bed in Kiara's house, the two tried throwing ideas up into the air to try and see what would stick. Rose was laid up on bed as Dante was on the desk chair reading a book. The two looked worse for wear, with Rose' ginger hair frayed and Dante looking like he hadn't slept well in a good while.

"Come now, My Dear, we have to come up with something," said the Inteleon with a hint of exasperation. "I know that we can do at least one damnable thing around town. It's not like we don't have the bloody dosh to spend on a romantic evening or perhaps a meal for two."

"Bear with me, Dante love, but work has just left me in a rather rough state," sighed Rose as she then gripped her head as she lay on top of her bed. She let out a rather low groan, her mind absolutely frazzled and deflated. "Blooming heck, I didn't consider the work that work would have me do. I underestimated the commercials and advertisements we've been hired to do. And I'm also packed to the brim with commission work as well. I got work coming in from all directions."

"Well, quit lollygagging and get to it, My Dear. The sooner you finish those commissions that your naughty, unwashed clientele have asked of you, the sooner we can enjoy an evening meal at the Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery. Kiara said she'd give us reservations just for Valentine's Day, and I'd hate to not take her up on her offer."

Rose fumed as her head jolted up in frustration.

"Don't you think that I know to hurry it up with commissions, Dante? I swear, you're just stating the obvious."

"Well, is it my bloody damn fault you accepted so much work, mate? There's nothing to it but to get cracking. If all this works got you plum knickered, then try to cancel some of them. Otherwise, don't give me any lip and just get back to your work already!"

Rose groaned again as her head plopped facedown onto her pillow. She regretted having taken up so much commission work, but she was hesitant to cancel even a single one of it. There was no way that "RoseyDraws-Art" will ever go back on an accepted commission, and even if it meant more work for her. It was all a labor of love and an act of pride to stay true to her promised commission. She would not have it said that she turned back against her promises. Besides, more commissions meant more money for her to spend in the long run. She would need all that money to spend for Valentine's Day gifts and to afford the succulent though pricey food from Lakeshire Town's more exclusive eateries. What's more was a special gift that she had been planning especially for Dante.

It was something that she did her best to keep under wraps. She tried to keep it all under wraps, and it would have be executed without error for it to work.

Feeling that there was no point in beating around the bush anymore, Rose got out of bed and shoved Dante off of the desk chair, the Inteleon griping over having been so rudely given the boot while reading his favorite romantic novella - one that he recently acquired from the bookstore and fell immediately in love with. The book was called "A Frog's Only Wish" by the esteemed JC Solis.

And with that, Rose booted her laptop, opened her drawing software, and was faced with a start menu that highlighted a list of files that she had been working on. With a sigh, she clicked on her most recent one and was greeted with a highly sexual scene of two characters within a rather erotic situation, with a naked woman on her knees with a collar and leash attached to her neck as she looked on with a lusty face. But the vivid scene didn't phase Rosey and her already perverted faculties. She just need to color and shade this drawing, and that would be the end of it. In about a half-hours' time she'd be done and send it off to her commissioner. And all that remained were around half a dozen more drawing like the one she was working on to complete from scratch.

It was clear that she was going to be busy for a while longer.

It was now Valentine's Day, and love was in the air. But unfortunately it was also a Tuesday - not necessarily the most romantic day of the week. Rose was thankful to have today off from work. The studio observed Valentine's Days as a furlough day, and with that the budding artist now had the rest of the romantic day to herself and her pokémon. Though she was happy to have the day off, she also wanted to spend more time with arranging her pokémon's gift. The gift wouldn't arrive until the weekend, and it would be a very special gift. She made arrangements with Kiara and Lance before anything else, but from how things were going everything seemed to fall into place.

Dante and Rose walked out of the house and headed down the street, now wearing warm clothes to keep out the cold. Rose wore her usual pink coat and a pair of wooly earmuffs. Dante wore a grey scarf and a thick weather-proof jacket, the jacket more than enough to keep out the weather. The two walked down the street, with hope in their hearts that they were going to enjoy the day. Despite the cold and the snow, the two kept warm as they walked with arms looped around each other. It was currently the evening, and so the perfect time to go for their dinner.

"I hope that dear Kiara has retained our end of the deal we struck," said Dante as he walked down the frozen sidewalk. "For goodness sakes, the Shire Lake Eatery sure does get packed on this day."

"Gee, I wonder why?" remarked Rose sarcastically. "Is it because today is an important day? Like, a day where couples go out to enjoy a meal together in love?"

"Now you're just being a smart ass, My Dear."

"Well what, do you expect couples would rather eat at fast food hovel instead of a tidy, proper restaurant?"

"Well, maybe the couple on a budget would go to a fast-food restaurant for dinner. I mean, if it wasn't for you getting your arse to work, we might be eating burgers instead of fillet mignon today. And need I remind you that I helped you out greatly with all your work?"

"Oh yes, sure, you ninny!"

Dante only snickered at his lover's sneer.

It was then that the two heard someone call out to them.

"Hey, you two! Happy Valentine's Day!"

The voice sounded very familiar. Rose and Dante turned around to face their friends Justin and Lillia as they walked up to them. The large man and his Gardevoir both had ginger and warm smiles on their face. The man wore a thick black leather trench coat with woolen linings while Lillia wore a white coat that covered her thin, frail frame.

"Howdy, guys! How's Valentine's Day treating you two so far?" asked the man gingerly.

"I sure hope the two of you are enjoying this wonderful and lovely day," noted Lillia. "It is a day like this that makes my heart feel so warm." The Gardevoir smiled warmly at this.

"Rather good, old chaps," replied Dante. "Just me and the Misses enjoying another frigid day of banter and whatnot. I don't suppose you two have any special plans, right?"

"Oh, so I'm the 'Misses' now, aren't I, Dante?" remarked Rose.

"Well, you are my lover are you not? Unless you want that meal that we were promised over at Shire Lake to go unused, that is."

"You know, Dante, you're the one that's always full of banter, you sneaky bugger!"

"I'm full of banter?! Now, listen here, young lady, I have a good mind to- "

Justin and Lillia closed their eyes and sighed as the couple in front of them began to argue and call each other names. It wasn't uncommon for these two to get within a heated argument, and even more so when they didn't find common ground. But though the argument looked heated, nothing would really come of it. The Galar natives would come around eventually. This was just a little routine that the couple had every now and again. It wasn't something that would drive a complete wedge between them.

"Cheeky lizard!"

"Saucy tart!"

The two kept calling each other names, but in the end they quite enjoyed this little shouting match. All the while, their friends looked on nervously at the name calling between the couple.

"James Bond knock-off!"

"What?! How dare you name me like that? Do you hear me calling you are wannabe artist or anything like that?"

"Oh, some I'm the wannabe? Listen to you and all your- "

The two lovers kept their shouting and name calling up, all while passersby looked on with worry about the trainer and her pokémon throwing names at each other.

"Guys! Please try to calm down! People are looking at us all!" Justin was getting nervous at the looks they were all receiving.

"My master is right. Please, have peace. It is not proper to be scandalous."

Dante and Rose turned to face Justin and Lillia, looking as though they were going to pick a fight with them as well. Justin and Lillia gulped as their friends looked fiercely back at them, worried they would be dragged in as well. But the Galar couple just burst into laughter, happy to have gotten some things off of their chest and giving their friends a little bit of a fright.

"No, Justin, we aren't really fighting. Tis just something me and My Love here like to have from time to time," explained Dante.

"We just like to have a good row every now and again, loves. I still love this cheeky lizard and all his quirks. I wouldn't think of saying all these things with intent," added Rose as he then hugged Dante by wrapping an arm around him. "I love my James Bond lizard so very much."

Justin then chuckled as a joke came into his head. "More like James 'Pond,' I bet," he blurted out.

The friends all burst into laughter, with Dante especially amused by the moniker.

"James Pond. I like that name," agreed Dante. "I'd think I'd fit the bill for a pokémon spy, traveling around the world, vanquishing evil and snogging with the lovely lady."

"I bet that makes me Miss Moneypenny?" added Rose.

"Ah, so you have also seen the James Bond films, I reckon."

"Well, I am a Galar native, love. I've seen all the movies."

At this, Justin and Lillia breathed a sigh of relief, happy that the situation didn't get out of hand and their two friends speaking amicably. The two seemed to have a shared interest in James Bond films. It was only fitting, considering a British spy to be loved by brits. It was then that the Galar natives turned to face them, with questions on their minds.

"Anyways, what are you two going to do today?" asked Rose. "Are you planning on taking Lillia out somewhere nice to eat or go shopping?"

"Actually, yes," confirmed Justin. "I have reservations over at the Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery. I've been meaning to take Lillia there for Valentine's Day dinner, and today I managed to get the day off from work, so all the better."

"Oh nice, you got reservations for Shire Lake as well?" asked Rose.

"I take it Kiara set you up with a deal, eh?" wondered Dante. "That place is jam packed on any other day, let alone Valentine's Day." Justin and Lillia nodded their heads to confirm. "Figures as much. Well, since we're all going to the same place, and since we got lots of blooming time to kill, let's go walk for spell to kill said time, eh."

The two Daegar natives liked the idea. With this, the four friends walked down the streets into the depths of Lakeshire Town, walking to the downtown district for a nice little stroll. Rose loved heading for the center of the town, since there was always a lot of ambience and activity. The big streets were full of cars that were passing by, albeit slowly because of the icy conditions. Snow was piled on the sides of the street, and people in thick coats and winter jackets walked by without a care in the world. Some even had cups of hot cocoa or coffee in their hands, taking sips to warm themselves up with the delicious, if not caffeinated, beverage. Looking at this, Dante felt like he could for a cup of cocoa himself.

After a bit more of walking, the four entered the downtown district, and already the traffic was getting heavier and the streets were more full of pedestrians. The Lakeshire Mall was abuzz with people darting in and out, with people carrying tote bags full of bought items. The civic center was full of people entering and leaving the main library and its bookstore - the people of Lakeshire Town loved a good book to read. Decorations were over the streets, with pink and red hearts dangling from light posts and from other parts of the street. The atmosphere was affectionately festive, to say the least. Even well-known stores like Zazzy and Co.'s Intimate Pleasure Shop and Paulo Poli's Flower Hut were alive with activity, with the latter shop having a small line of people who came to buy flowers, while the folks with more sexual proclivities went for the former for something spicy later in the day.

The air was filled with the scent of cooking, as restaurants were filling with couples coming to wine and dine for the occasion. Now that it was the evening, even more people were sure to come to eat with their special someone.

What was interesting to note were who exactly the couples were. Some of the people sitting in tables for two were in fact a human and a pokémon. The human was well dressed and looking rather dapper or stylish, which wouldn't make sense if they went to dine alone. But these people didn't go to dine alone, since they were in fact with their lovers.

The fact that Poképhiles went to dine so brazenly like this was a feat in of itself. The danger of partaking in a romantic meal while the taboo persisted was very much real. It was even stranger that nobody in the staff of these restaurants stopped to ask any questions about if the people dining among their human couples were indeed Poképhiles. And yet other people didn't seem to mind, which was the most amazing of all. It was obvious that they were dining within the presence of Poképhiles. It was obvious that humans were having romantic meals with their pokémon. And still nobody raised a question or drew attention to this. Everyone was just so engrossed in their romantic partners. Every couple just looked at each other, human and pokémon, and smiled at the romantic atmosphere of their restaurant.

This phenomenon is the result of the slow acceptance of Poképhilia amongst society. For as much as Father Matthew Grint and other hardliners pushed the agenda that Poképhilia was immoral, most of the people saw things differently. Most people became either accepting of the practice, or at the very least were apathetic to it. The actions of Team Shroud and many extremists did the exact opposite of striking fear. Instead, the fervor continued to grow, and society didn't take kindly to unrepentant violence. It didn't matter if the Poképhiles were in the right or the wrong; being attacked viciously to the point of near-death didn't sit well with anyone.

The two couples walked up to the Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery, the fanciest restaurant in town. The restaurant was right next to Lake Shire, with parts of the place even having a wooden deck that went out onto the lake. Of course, being that it was winter most of the lake was frozen, and the cold air wasn't very inviting for people to dine outside. There were already people dining inside the restaurant, and there was even the noise of string instruments being played. Dante and Justin opened each a door from the double door to let their respective lady in. With the damsels inside, the two gentlemen walked in.

The restaurant was immaculate and splendid, with marble columns and purple drapes dangling from the side. They walked up to the waiter, who was standing behind a podium as he was looking through a checklist. As they walked forwards, the man stopped what he was doing and greeted them.

"Ah, welcome to the Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery. Do you happen to have a reservation? Unfortunately, due to lack of availability we are only accepting people with reservations."

Rose and Justin walked forward and each gave a piece of paper.

"Ah, so Sous Chef Kiara gave you four reservations? You four have friends in high places, I must say. In that case, my name is Daniel, and I will be your waiter for this evening. Come with me and I will take you to your reserved seats."

The four walked forwards with Daniel the waiter. What they noted was the same as in the other restaurants: there were Poképhiles within the place. The four were taken to their seats, the two separated into their respective couples once they arrived at their dining location. Dante and Rose were now together in their own seats, at long last able to enjoy a wonderful meal. They picked up their menus and scanned through the different food items, hoping to pick something that was to their liking. They first ordered their drinks, each ordering a soda to satiate their parched palates, as well as a bottle of cheaper fine wine for when the meal came - despite being in a place that offers Bordeaux wine, the restaurant's namesake wine was much too expensive for the couple. Soon, they received their drinks, the wine bottle, and then they placed their orders.

The couple would have to wait for a solid twenty minutes before their food came. In the meanwhile, they helped themselves to delicious glasses of wine from the bottle on the table, getting a taste of an alcoholic beverage that was on the fancier side of life. Dante and Rose just made small talk with each other, noting how there were Poképhiles within the restaurant. Rose was especially curious that the restaurant had no objections to hosting people and their pokémon. It wasn't often that an eatery, especially a high-class restaurant, would allow for pokémon to be out of their Pokéballs.

"Well, I suppose that when a restaurant offers world class meals at exorbitant prices to the more wealthy of society, they get to afford to make their own rules," noted Dante.

"Exorbitant is right. I hope we didn't bite more than we can chew with these meals. They seem rather pricey."

"Don't worry, My Dear. We've saved plenty of coin just for this moment. We have fine wine, we will soon have delicious food, and we are amongst good company. And most importantly, we have each other. Just enjoy the meal that we worked our asses off for, and everything will turn out okay."

Rose sighed. She felt a little bit better with what her partner said. He had a point, anyways. Today is when she ought to relax and spend some quality time with him. There weren't any recent protest between the Crusaders and Poképhiles. There weren't any new attacks from Team Should, and Teams Neo Plasma and Rocket were mostly keeping to themselves. There wasn't much to be worried about these days. Work was rather calmed and relaxed as well despite some big projects having taken place. There wasn't much to really worry about. There was just peace and quiet.

But Rose just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She looked around the restaurant with darting eyes. She knew that Dante was there to keep her safe, Justin and Lillia were literally a table away, and Kiara and Lance were probably in the kitchen preparing their meals personally. The ambience was quaint and formal, and the music of live violinists were heard not far from them. So why was it that she just couldn't bring herself at peace?

Daniel the waiter brought platters over to their table; two plates with succulent and delicious looking food. Dante got Shrimp Scampi in alfredo sauce while Rose got Fettuccini Alfredo with strips of fine chicken fillets. The meals looked so rich and creamy, the sight of such rich looking food making Rose feel like a simpleton for coming from a plebeian background.

"I hope you'll enjoy your meals, you two. I'll pass by again soon if you need anything else," said Daniel the waiter. "Oh, and Sous Chef Kiara gives her regards to you both, saying that she personally made your meals with plenty of love. Though, she also apologizes that she is too busy with customers orders to come and greet you in person."

Rose and Dante gave their thanks before tucking in. One bite into their meals and their taste buds came alight with how delicious it all was. The eyes of the Galar natives gleamed at having tasted something out of this world. Granted, since they lived with Kiara they often got to eat rich and delicious food anyways. But to eat such delicious food at the opulent restaurant where Kiara worked just added to the appeal. It was all just such a joy to partake in this meal, and the two wanted it to last as they took small bites. The Galar natives never grew tired of their meal as they washed it all down with wine and soda. This was, by far, the best meal these two plebs have ever had in their lives.

But the meal wouldn't last forever. Soon, the two lovers were faced with polished-off plates, and the bottle of wine had run dry. They then called Daniel to ask for the check, which he went to bring swiftly. The wine was not terribly strong, but it still left the two a little bit on the pickled side. But being a little drunk would help the two deal with the shock of the price tag their meal was worth. But once the initial surprise faded, they looked at their finished plates and figured that the meal was mostly worth it. Their bill settled, the two spent a little bit of time talking before they would get up and leave.

"Goodness me, that was a lovely meal," said Rose.

"Fantastic, I should say. Kiara really outdid herself with this dish," added Dante. "I've never had a meal like this. Plus, there's just something about the atmosphere of a sophisticated locale like this that just makes a meal that more pleasing."

"I'll say. I feel a bit like a proletariat peasant coming in. I feel outclassed just being here."

It is then that a voice came up from next to the two.

"Well, My Parents are a regular at this place. They sometimes bring me and Lillia over here to dine, so I've tasted a lot of the food here." Justin was standing next to the two. It seemed that He and Lillia have already finished off their meals. "But then again, this place is too formal for my tastes. I prefer going to eat somewhere without the need of wearing a suit. I prefer a burger and fries from a corner joint most of the time."

"My master appreciates the finer things in life, but he prefers to stay humble," added Lillia. "I personally have no preference for glamour, either. I just require nutritious sustenance."

"Well, My Dear Lillia, you should treat yourself to something fine," remarked Dante. "A lady of your caliber must enjoy the finer things in life from time to time. I know Master Justin here takes wonderful care of you, as he should, but at the same time don't self-deprecate yourself."

"Don't call me 'Master Justin,' Dante. I'm nobody's master," quipped Justin. "And I do take care of Lillia well. You can count on that from me. But for now, I just- "

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard coming from the outside of the restaurant. The room was full of hubbub from the guests as they wondered what that noise was and where it came from. Soon, another explosion could be heart coming outside, and that when the words "Riot!" were heard.

Rose, Dante, Justin, and Lillia got out of their seats and rushed to the entrance of the restaurant. Looking out the windows, there was indeed a riot going on outside. A major protest was taking fold as dozens of people wearing hoods and masks ran around, causing mayhem, and ordering their pokémon to attack and cause damage. The scene looked like one straight from a warzone. People on the streets were running away as Pokémon launched moves like Hyper Beam and Flash Cannon and whatever moves that could deal major damage to the surroundings.

"Of all the bloody days, there just had to be a protest right now," cursed Dante.

"But usually these riots don't take place in the Downtown District," noted Justin. "These guys must be feeling really brazen to be doing this crap so close to the police station."

"Will the police even be able to quell this?" wondered Lillia. "I doubt there are enough officers to tackle this mob and their violent pokémon."

Rose looked on at the riot in dismay. She hoped that she and her friends would be safe within the restaurant. After all, the Shire Lake Bordeaux Eatery had plenty of security and was not one which would normally invoke much interest. But seeing the protest take fold while Pokémon were used as weapons to enact violence was just sickening. Eventually the police came to try and quell the violence, wearing riot gear and wielding shields as some of them held pokémon on leashes that were looking raring to attack. The scene was topped off with folks carrying signs that read "Poképhilia is Evil," which clearly noted on which side of the argument these folks were on.

The rioting carried on for the next twenty minutes as police tried to quell the protestors. Kiara and Lance came out from the kitchen to meet their friends; they were still wearing their chef clothes and had food stains on them. They were ready to face a confrontation if it was needed.

Suddenly, a beam of Flash Cannon struck the side of the building, and the patrons screamed as the whole building shook. The sound of breaking glass soon followed, and a cacophony of sounds were heard. It seemed the protestors didn't care for the reputation of the restaurant or with incurring its wrath. And as protestors entered the building, the patrons all screamed and ducked away to hide from the violent crowd. Rose, Kiara, and Justin backed off with their pokémon, hoping to get more room to battle within the building.

A protestor wearing a black ski mask with a skull imprint charged forward with a Magmar by his side, heading right for Rose. He lifted up a crowbar that was in his hand, ready to strike. But soon Justin charged and bashed the man with his shoulder, the large, heavy, and powerful man sending the rioter careening into a table. But the Magmar kept going, launching a Fire Blast move at her. Dante jumped in the way, cupped his hands, and using Hydro Pump to counter. The two attacks collided, and the water type effectiveness extinguished the fire move and kept going for the fire type. The move collided, sending the Magma pokémon flying into the back wall.

Justin got off the floor after having KO'd the protester he charged that went for Rose. Lillia was now there with her, her arms raised and ready to use her powerful psychic moves.

"Are you hurt?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," said Rose. "Dante saved me before I got hit."

Speaking of Dante, the Inteleon came up to them after taking care of the Magmar.

"We have to clear out of here. More protestors are charging in, and they might come after us."

Kiara and Lance came up to the four, having taken care of some protestors by themselves.

"You guys are sitting ducks. Come with us through the kitchen. There's an emergency exit there."

The four friends followed Kiara and Lance, ducking around people as they fought through the melee that was taking fold. Parts of the restaurant were on fire, and screams were filling the air. It was all a scene that made the once luxurious restaurant into a battleground, and people were seen and heard getting seriously hurt. The six friends went into the kitchen, where there were people and pokémon hiding away. The restaurant staff and some of the patrons had out their pokémon or had pans and utensils in their hands, ready to use them in case they needed to defend themselves of their fellow man. The six urged the people who wanted to escape to the backrooms, and with that they walked to a back corridor with a door at the very end. The "Exit" sign was clearly above it, and they wasted no time bashing the door open.

The friends rushed out the restaurant and into a back boardwalk that was next to the lake. There thankfully weren't any rioters there yet, and so they turned around the building and stuck to the shadows, hoping to not draw attention to themselves.

Rose was shaken by what she saw as she walked passed an alley that went to the streets. There, people and pokémon laid KO'd on the floor, with others having been severely injured. She was thankful to not be going down that route; she wouldn't be able to handle seeing so many people and pokémon hurt. But as they walked across the boardwalk towards the back of the building next door, more rioters confronted them. It was three rioters and their pokémon: a Crobat, Gliscor, and Weavile. And none of these folks seemed particularly happy to see them.

"Looks like we caught us some fleeing Poképhiles, guys," sneered one of the men wickedly.

"Let's teach these fuckers a lesson like we did the others," said another.

Rose grimaced at the threat, feeling nervous over taking on some rioters. But she was bolstered by being with so many of her friends and pokémon. And moreover, Dante was with her. He turned and placed a hand to her cheek, smiling and winking as he did so. He knew she was nervous and so wanted to reassure her. Then He, Lillia, and Lance walked up to the rioters.

"It is uncouth to attack people without provocation. Let's teach these wankers a good lesson then, friends," said Dante as her extended one arm forward and made his hand into a finger gun.

"I'm right by your side, bub," joined Lance as he formed an Aura Sphere in his paw.

"Let us be finished with these cads for this insolence, then," added Lillia as psychic energy surrounded her and her eyes began to glow.

Dante launched Snipe Shot at the Gliscor, the Super Effective move sending the pokémon reeling, all while Lillia used Psychic on the Crobat and Lance used Aura Sphere on the Weavile. The moves all did Super Effective damaged, but the rioters' pokémon weren't going down easily. The Weavile charged forward with Shadow Claw at Lillia, striking her as malicious and sharp claws slashed across her in a Super Effective move. Then the Gliscor used Mud-slap on Lance, and the Crobat used Air Cutter. Though that last one was not a Super Effective move, the sheer intensity of it was indeed sharp and painful.

But Dante, Lance, and Lillia weren't going to back down. They returned to hitting their original targets with the same moves as before. A blast of dust filled the air as the wooden planks beneath the feet of the pokémon and their partners trembled. When the dust settled, the three pokémon were KO'd on the floor with their eyes spinning.

The three rioters returned their pokémon to their balls, cursing their loss. In a heartbeat they turned around and ran, not wanting to be on the receiving end of the fighters. But thought they won the friends knew that they were still in great danger. They ran across the back of the adjacent building, hoping to escape the wrath of the rioters and their chaos.

After running past several more adjacent building next to the lakeshore on the boardwalk, Rose, Dante, and their friends went into an alley to the main street. They were now safely away from the mayhem of the riot. But one look at the distance put grim thoughts in their hearts. Pokémon were battling to the point of near-death, people were being beaten to bloody pulps, fires were, buildings were being looted, and overall bedlam was underway.

Dante held onto Rose as she whimpered in fear. It just dawned on her what had happened; what she witnessed. She was terrified of this aftermath. She wondered if her and her friends would be able to live life normally ever again. Protests often escalated to something a little serious, but this scale of wanton violence was simply unheard of. So many people and pokémon were hurt by this. It was a shock to everyone present, and something nobody could have predicted.

Justin stared adamantly at the riot, with his face hot with anger. His coat flapped in the slight breeze as he looked on with clutched hands. He never wanted something like this to happen. It was horrendous that something like this could happen. All the while, Kiara walked up to him, her blood boiling that her place of work was destroyed. She hated the fact the rioters targeted her work. She hated that the rioters had no respect for a place of class. She too looked on as she clutched her chef's hat angrily while she and her friend look at the fires and fighting off in the distance.

And all Lance and Lillia could do was give their trainers support in whatever they would do.

Once the riot was quelled, the aftermath of the event was striking. People and pokémon were strewn on the floor, with shops having windows shattered, building having been damaged or ruined, and trash cans lit on fire. Paramedics and those trained in first aid tended to the strewn and wounded. It looked like a scene straight from a war, for a battle was waged at a terrible cost. This event left a striking impact on the friends. They knew things would only get rough from here.

The friends left for home, with Kiara, Rose, and their pokémon heading for their house while Justin and Lillia went for theirs. They gave their goodbyes to each other before heading on their way. Rose clung onto Dante, hoping to cling to him for support and comfort. She had never been in a situation as heavy and dire as this. So many people and pokémon were hurt. It was almost like a callous disregard for life and the freedoms of others. She knew that the rioters were people trying to intimidate, to force others to see their point of views. But she hoped that this violence would open the eyes of people of who were neutral or against Poképhiles. This kind of violence was barbaric to the very degree. Nobody should be hurt just because of their beliefs.

And the saddest part of today was simply the ruination of what today was meant to be. Today was a day of love. Today was a day of caring, of kindness, of kinship and romance. The scene that had just occurred was something that completely ruined the term and the letter of what this day meant. People just wanted to show their love and admiration for their lovers. They just wanted to enjoy such a wonderful holiday with their special other. But this very idea drew scorn from other people simply because one of them was nonhuman. It was a sin, it was sacrilege, and it was an afront to Arceus in their eyes. And with that, the people in the riot decided that there needed to be violence. These people had to pay with blood, and in the extreme, with their lives.

Kiara opened the door into the house as Rose and Dante looked around, hoping that they weren't followed by any of the rioters. The four roommates quickly entered the house and shut the door behind them. But even within the confines of home they still didn't feel safe. And most of all. their hearts still weren't at peace. Rose and Dante walked over to the love seat and sat next to each other, with the Inteleon still clutching her. Her shivering had stopped, but her nerves were still frayed. Today was going along so well. It honestly looked as though it would be a memorable one. But the events that took fold utterly ruined the good thing that was going on.

Kiara and Lance also took a seat on the other love seat, their faces more serious and composed. The Sous chef was still angry that the mob destroyed her work. It would take a while for the owner of the Eatery to fix it up to its original splendor. It wasn't as though the restaurant's reputation was ruined - it was as much a victim as the Poképhiles. Kiara flipped the TV on, and low and behold the riot made it onto the breaking news. The News Anchors were abuzz with the recent events, and it wasn't just on one channel. Multiple channel were airing the same breaking news story. Lakeshire Town was shown to be a mess, and the riot was shown in all its unkempt glory. Shops were being looted, people were being attacked, and pokémon were being used and abused for the sake of violence.

The only thing that would be worse would be to have been there in person.

Kiara shut off the TV, unable to stomach what was shown. And so the room fell silent, with nobody saying a word for a good while. The friends were just too upset to want to reflect.

Then, Dante decided to break the silence.

"Well, today utterly went to shit, now didn't it?" he said. "Blooming hell, I've never seen such madness, I tell. It makes one sick down in their gizzards, it does."

Rose then joined in, and she voiced her true feelings.

"These rioters must feel so chuffed to be causing all this. So many people were hurt, good people, and their shops and homes were also ruined along with their day. It makes me feel sick to my stomach."

Kiara got into the discussion as well: "That was my restaurant they destroyed, these bastards. I've worked hard in that place for years, cooking the best food I could make for folks. I put my heart and soul in that restaurant, and to see these assholes tear it all down... I-I don't have anything else to say."

"I have a feeling these sons of bitches planned all of this out," growled Lance. "They knew that Poképhiles would be out and about today, getting food and going shopping. They picked today especially for that reason. They wanted to do this to get at all the Poképhiles that they could in one swoop. They didn't care that today is a day about love. They took all the love of today and replaced it with hate. They tried to spread their hatred all over the place, and today was clear of that."

The others agreed with what Lance said.

"Well, with Valentine's ruined, what do you want to do in the meantime, loves?" asked Rose.

"Well, whatever we can do, My Dear," noted Dante. "It's too bloody dangerous to go anywhere, and whatever places that were open are now probably shut out of fear. I wouldn't blame em,' to be fair."

The friends couldn't agree more. But eventually, the two couples just simply drifted off to do their own thing. Kiara and Lance played a few games on their Nintendo Switch in the living room while Rose and Dante went for their room to spend some time by themselves. It was now the late evening, and the sun was now well below the horizon. The night was creeping over the area, and soon it would be time to rest. But Rose was too frayed in the nerves to want to work on art projects on her desk. More than anything, she simply wanted to relax.

And more than anything else, she wanted to spend what remained of today with Dante.

"Well, love, would you like to take a bath with me? I want to just wash away my troubles with warm water before heading off to bed."

"I'd be happy to join you, Rose," agreed Dante. "Besides, who knows what we could do in the tub? Maybe a repeat of the one before Christmas?"

"Of course you'd want to shag in the tub, of all things."

"Of course! Can you blame me for wanting to salvage the remains of St. Valentine's Day? Currently, Saint Valentine has just been kicked in the bollocks and stomped on the floor. I'm just trying to help the poor bloke up."

Rose burst into laughter at Dante's joke. Even in dire moments like these, the Inteleon was still as witty as ever.

"Just get the towels ready, you silly lizard. I'll draw the water into the tub and get it warm."

Rose and Dante went to get ready, with Rose filling the tub with warm water as Dante fetched some towels from the closet. The water poured into the tub, with the warmth of the water being felt in the air. Dante brought in the towels and Rose's change of clothes as she got naked. She pulled up her shirt and her bra, revealing her naked breasts for Dante. Her skin was as white as ever, the cream of her body so flawless. The slight freckles on her shoulders and on her face were just so cute and added to her charm as a ginger. Dante stepped first into the tub to get a feel for the water. With it to his liking he then urges Rose to hop in with him. The two slinked into the tub, with Rose next to Dante as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight onto him.

The two spent a while like this, unmoving and still.

Dante and Rose began to feel relaxed by the warmth of the water. They could just let all of their troubles float away, forgetting about what happened earlier today and just relaxing all they could. They just wanted to be in their little moment. Since it was still Valentine's Day, there was of course the chance to have a little bit of romantic fun. And in the warmth of the water, the two could revisit the sexual fun that they shared way back around Christmas time. Rose turned her head to look at Dante, her turquoise eyes looking at his yellow irises. They honestly hadn't spent a moment like this in a long while. They wanted to share this moment with each other, and as their lips grew closer they knew that they were about to have quite a memorable time together.

Rose's lips connected with those of Dante. Their lips smacked on each other as Rose moaned into the kisses. Dante was just such a good kisser, his lips moving and caving around hers as he stuck his long and sticky tongue into her mouth. His tongue danced inside her mouth, the appendage having a life of its own as it went around and tasted her insides and lapped at her tongue. The exchange of saliva didn't bother her at all, even with the Inteleon's saliva being somewhat thicker and slimier. She loved it despite how alien it felt. Whenever Dante kissed her there also came a good heaping of saliva, and yet she wasn't bother by any of it at all.

Dante pulled her head towards his, placing a hand behind her head to pull it towards him. He loved being able to manipulate her to his desires this way. Rose was always such a willing participant to his lovemaking, and he was thankful for it. He hoped that she was comfortable with all that they've been doing. He hoped that the saliva exchange didn't bother her too much, and that they could continue with their French kiss for however long he wanted. He loved being so close and tender to her.

After a solid ten minutes of nothing but kissing, Rose finally pulled away from him. The water was still pleasantly warm, and her body was relaxed. Making out while so comfortable was simply heaven. She smiled at him, happy to have given in to his desires.

"Having fun, love?" she asked gingerly.

"Like you need to ask, My Dear. I'm having as much fun as any pokémon would have on a ruined holiday like today," he quipped.

"Good," she replied. "I see your arousal is ready. I think it'd be best if I start things off."

Rose noted to the rise of Dante's phallus up out of the water. The Inteleon blushed at seeing his conical lizard cock rise up. He knew what Rose was going to do next.

She went on to his member, grabbing it underwater and stroking it tightly, going along his entire length as her hand smacked the water. The slight splashing didn't deter her speed as Dante moaned from the pressure. Rose was always good at giving hand jobs, and she was putting her talent to good use. But despite the water level, she then dipped her head down to the parts of his cock that were still sticking out of the water. She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, licking his tips and getting a taste for his precum. There wasn't much of his cock out of water, and not wanting to have to snorkel into the bath water she decided to just blow what parts of his cock poked out.

Rose stroked Dante as she continued suckling his rod, hoping to make do with what she could get at. But with what she had access to she decided to go all out, suckling hard and stroking him as she squeezed every last drop out of him. All the while, Dante moaned into the strokes and suckling, feeling spasms go up his spine from the sensation. It was clear that Rose already had plenty of experience. She knew how to drive him wild. And she especially grew fond of the taste of every single drop of sperm that came from his rod. She wanted to take in as much of the sticky white liquid as she could squeeze from her cheeky lover. She loved his cock. She worshiped it, and it was only because of the water level of the bathtub that kept her from fully licking his length.

Soon, the Inteleon started reaching his limit as his heart started beating hard. He gripped the sides of the tub, getting closer to his release. He clenched his teeth as spasm after spasm from each stroke and lick of his rod shot up his spine. He was utterly helpless against his partner and was melting in her hands.

Dante's cock started spasming as jets of semen gushed from his rod, the force of his spasms shotting sperm right into Rose mouth. He gripped the sides of the tub hard as more and more gushes of genetic fluid rushed from his tip and onto her awaiting tongue. Rose made sure to swish the sticky fluid in her mouth, getting a good mouthful and getting delight in tasting the cum of her lover once more. Once Dante stopped squirting anymore semen, she lifted up her head and looked at him wryly. She opened her mouth and showed her lover all of his fluid now laying on top of her tongue. She then closed her mouth and gulped, swallowing every last drop of semen as the sticky fluid slid down her throat.

"What a shame. I wanted all of that inside you, but somewhere else," remarked Dante.

"Which is ironic, because that 'somewhere else' is where we're going next," grinned Rose.

With his member still erect, Rose stood up and climbed onto Dante. He white tits were dangling in front of him, ready and waiting for him to squeeze and grope them. And he did just that, extending and arm out and cupping her left breast in his right hand, giving her breast a good squeeze while also pinching her nipples. Rose grinned mischievously at her breast being fondled. Dante would sometimes grope her there even when they were in bed and about to go to sleep. Him groping her while having bathtub sex seemed more appropriate.

Rose aligned her entrance with his rod, lowering herself until the tip was now touching her clitoris. She looked at Dante gingerly, the Inteleon looking back at her expectantly as she stopped. The lizard nodded, giving her the okay to proceed. She felt the tip of his cock enter her, the phallus wet and sticky as she slid the cum drenched tip into her. Her tight pussy squeezed hard onto him as she slid down, inciting the two of them to moan into the moment. She continued sliding more and more of his rod into her inner depths. Soon more than half of his manhood was now inside of him, and she wasn't about to stop until his full length was inside.

But the end was soon reached, and Rose was completely filled just as Dante's full length ran out, with him now fully inside of her and his pointed tip reaching her cervix. She loved having his length inside her as she put a hand to her crotch to press on where she was filled. She loved feeling him fully inside of her. She wanted to keep feeling him, and she hoped that he still had some cum pent up for her to have squirted deep into her.

Rose started rising up, pulling her lover's cock out, only for her to lower herself down onto him again. She did this slowly, for the water splashed around even with slow movements. But the slow up and down of her hops were still enjoyable to them, and the tightness of their organs only made for even more sensational pleasure. Rose picked up the pace a bit more, hoping that the water wouldn't slosh around so much as she kept hopping. But the sloshing didn't deter her from picking up the pace. She rose and fell at an even more elevated pace, the tightness of her pussy making it somewhat painful. But the pleasure she got from it far outweighed the pain.

Water was flying as the pace was picked up even more. Dante was once again clutching the sides of the tub as he felt his member being rubbed by his lover's tight sex. He grit his teeth as she rode him with gusto, clinging on as his eyes closed from the intensity. Rose giggled at her lover's face, happy to see him enjoy their special time together. And with that, she kept hopping up as water started splashing and their pleasure continued mounting. However, their elation wouldn't last forever. Rose and Dante both felt that they were nearing their edge. Rose hopped with greater fervor as she realized that her release was soon to come. The two were now breathing harder as she increased her speed. The two wanted this to happen. They both wanted to rejoice in their moment of elation.

Rose slammed onto her lover one last time before the mind-numbing orgasm of their dreams finally came. She lowered herself so hard and fast that his cock even pushed a little bit past her cervix and went directly into her womb, inciting a bit of a sharp pain. Because he had already released earlier, not much semen came out of Dante. But he still squirted what remained inside him into his lover's awaiting womb. The warm, sticky fluid squirted deep into her awaiting uterus, the potent and virile lizard cum sticking to her walls. The two were in their moment of shared bliss, with Rose having closed her eyes as she felt her walls pulsing and contracting, her vagina attempting to squeeze her lover out of every last drop. Her contractions didn't stop for a good while, her mind frazzled with joy and enticement.

Dante, meanwhile, laid his head back as he felt the spasms shoot up his back from his moment of release. He loved these tender moments so much. He hoped that the two of them would continue to share loving sex whenever they could, whether it be in the tub or on their beds. He opened his eyes and saw how out of it his partner was. All he did was smile, happy to see that his lover had enjoyed the moment. When she opened her eyes and her turquoise eyes looked back at him, he smiled as he extended an arm out to her and cupped her cheek tenderly.

"Happy Valentine's Day, My Dear," said Dante as a tear trickled down his cheek.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Love," replied Rose as she felt utterly touched by him.

Rose laid herself down on top of the Inteleon. She pulled his cock out of her so that the two of them could enjoy the moment. The water was still warm, and they wanted to enjoy this while it lasted.

"Despite the riot and everything that happened today, I'm just happy we got to share this moment, My Dear," noted Dante.

"I'm happy we got to share this as well," said Rose. "I hope next year won't be quite so dramatic. I can do without the rioters coming after me with crowbars and violent pokémon."

"Same here. I can do without bloody wankers ruining all the fun for us."

It was then that Rose remembered something; she had forgotten about Dante's gift.

"Well, I have a gift for you, Love. But you'll have to wait for the weekend."

"A gift, eh? You shouldn't have, darling. In that case, once you tell me what it is, I'll be sure to get you a gift as well by the weekend."

"Sorry, but I can't. It's a very special gift, though, and I know that you'll love it."

Dante pouted.

"Can't you at least give me a bloody hint as to what it can be?"

"Nope."

"Blooming heck, now you've got me curious."

With this, Dante and Rose got to actually washing themselves in the tub. They reached for the soap and scrubbed each other with the sponges. Once done, they climbed out of the tub and drained the water before grabbing towels and drying themselves off.

Rose hoped that her gift for Dante would arrive without any major issues. She hoped that her gift would be happy to see the Inteleon. After all, her gift was actually a person, and someone special in Dante's past. And as she put on her underwear and pajamas, Rose was expectant of bringing this person back into Dante's life, at least for a brief moment.

But all of that will have to be done in the week. For now, there was the matter of tending to the aftermath of today's turmoil. Here's hoping that today's riot wasn't an omen for terrible things to come...

It was now the weekend, and the friends were all over at Justin's house for a barbeque gathering. Jason was cooking food on the grill while Kiara was cooking something up onto some outdoor stove and burners. The two of them had a bit of a competition, to see who was the better cook in their respective fields. All the while, Saria, Justin, Francine, and Rose were around doing their best to help around as they could. The snow wasn't so thick on this day, and the aroma of good food wafted around all over the place. It was a happy and carefree time, and the friends wanted to make the most of it.

But the other friends also heard what Rose, Justin and Kiara went through during the riot earlier in the week. The friends listened carefully as to how the riot started and how it was eventually quelled, as well as their escape from the restaurant. It was all such a gripping story, with Saria feeling especially sorry for her friends having to go through that. Even the pokémon wanted to hear all of the details of the events. Razor, Camilla, and Christopher were drawn in on hearing the tale of the battles that Dante, Lance, and Lillia took part in. But they also felt bad for their friends. Seeing the harrowing events that took fold must have been difficult for them to deal with and understand afterwards.

As the party underwent, Rose curiously left for some odd reason. But Dante grew wise, knowing that she went out to get the gift that she had promised him. He was giddy with excitement, wondering what his lover had gotten him. The party went on with Jason grilling and Kiara cooking. The aromas wafting up from their respective workplaces filled the area, and everyone's stomachs started to growl. But Dante was the only one who didn't pay the aroma too much attention. His mind was set on his lover and her so-called 'gift,' whatever it could be.

The meals were all done, with Jason having finished cooking enough grilled steaks, burgers, sausages, veggies and so much more for everyone to enjoy. All the while, Kiara finished cooking up a meal of zesty pasta in alfredo sauce and pesto. The food all looked so delicious, and it was all for them to enjoy. But Dante couldn't give the food too much attention. His mind still wandered with his lover.

It was then that Rose finally appeared again, coming through the front door. But she wasn't alone. She walked in with a woman pushing a stroller and another gentleman. The woman had blonde, flowing hair, and looked rather curvy and fine. She was indeed beautiful, and it was it just looked like Rose brought in a guest to enjoy the food. But when Dante turned around to see the woman, his heart almost beat out of his chest.

The woman was someone whom Dante hadn't seen in so long. It was someone from his past, someone whom he held dear and had hoped to see again one day.

"Fiona," whispered Dante.

"Hello there, Dante ol' chap," said Fiona with a warm smile and a cockney accent. "How're you doing here with the yanks about, love? Hope you've not been in a tizzy in this region without me."

Dante got out of his seat, wondering if it really was Fiona. A tear trickled down his face, his joy barely contained. The other friends saw this and were utterly touched to see the reunion. Dante walked up to Fiona and what appeared to be her husband and child. Rose stood to the side, happy to have made this tearful reunion happen.

"I met Fiona online, and so I decided to bring her over here to Daegar," admitted Rose. "This is the gift that I promised you, Dante. Happy Valentine's Day, Love."

"Right she did. Rosemary here and I talked for a bit, and since I've always wanted to come to Daegar we made arrangements for us to meet over here once me and me family got tickets," admitted Fiona. "Oh but, I've not introduced my husband and me son. This bloke her is my husband Harold, and this here is me son Jonathan, or Jon if you will."

Dante looked back and forth from Rose and Fiona. Words cold not describe his elation.

"I... I... I don't know what to say," said Dante. He then turned to face Rose, with tears trickling down his face. "Thank you so much for this, My Dear. This is the best present that you could've ever given me. Thank you... *sniff* Thank you so much!"

Dante rushed Rose to hug her, sobbing a bit a he could no longer control his emotion. Fiona gave her old pokémon time to himself. She knew what this meant for him. But the Inteleon soon regained his composure, and he turned to face Fiona and her family.

"I'm glad you came here to Daegar, Fiona. And thank you, Harold, for taking good care of my old trainer for me, Harold."

"Think nothing of it, Dante ol' boy," said Harold in a proper British accent. "I'se just happy to have a beautiful girl here keep me company all these years. I promise to take care of her and our son for you, if you been meaning to ask me that."

Dante bowed his head, agreeing to Harold's offer. He then bent over to look at little Jonathan in his stroller. The baby boy smiled at the lizard, looking at him with such happy eyes. Dante put a hand to the baby's cheek, feeling so happy to be with the boy of his old lover. He wanted to give the child his blessing, hoping that the little guy would grow up fine and well.

"Grow up well and be a fine gentleman, little Jonathan. You have the whole world ahead of you. And you have such wonderful parents to guide you."

With that, Rose, Dante, Fiona, and her family turned to head towards the friends and enjoy a good meal with the other friends. Though it was no longer Valentine's Day, love was still very much in the air. Dante sat in between Rose and Fiona, happy to have the loves of his life next to him. He was so happy to be sharing good food and drinks with his close friends and love interests. There was just nothing quite like this happiness.

Despite the riot that took fold a few days prior, this proved little to disrupt the ambience of this lovely weekend. The friends wanted to enjoy good food and drink, and so enjoy their time with each other. Though Valentine's Day was now gone, the love that they had for their partners stayed.

And with that, the future once more looked bright. There was hope along the horizon yet again...