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Poképhilia Story

Love Has No Bounds

Thankful For Love and Lust

Thanksgiving Special 2023

By J.C. Solis

It was the festive season once again in Lakeshire Town, and with the end of the holidays of Halloween and The Day of the Dead, the whole of the town was ready to celebrate what came next. Already, the people were scurrying around like Durants, making sure to have all of the ingredients and foodstuff needed for the arrival of Thanksgiving Day - the holiday in which all of Daegar celebrated family ties and friendship together with a big meal of stuffing, glazed meats, and succulent pies. There was nothing more that they looked forward to other than when Christmas would come around one month later, but that was still a while later.

Lakeshire Town was no exception, with people walking about and making sure to have the shopping list for their Thanksgiving day meals complete. Already the region expected huge lines of traffic when people came and left the town to visit close friends and family. But since the cold season was quickly arriving, and the region was known for having snow as early as November, the first snows of the emerging cold front were already falling, and soon the people would be faced with the typical piles of snow that were bound to fall - just like every season before.

People and Pokémon were all in a hubbub to get the season underway, and shopping centers like Lakeshire Mall were already filling with people who wanted to buy the gifts that they planned on giving their loved ones on December 25th. The scene was set for bountiful feasts of food and drink, with cornucopias being bought for the Thanksgiving Table as people were waiting to pig out when the big day arrived. The merry season was underway, and it was rare to see a person without a giddy smile.

But, indeed, there was one person who was not all smiles. And though he hoped for a happy time during the Season of Merry, there was just something that could bring a smile to his face.

Lloyd Santello was a young man who was oftentimes at the cusp of having a moment of genius. At work as an Actuary for a firm working for the Silph Pokéball Co, He was oftentimes at the cusp of working out advanced and hard-to-comprehend mathematical formulas that were always bound to confound the layman who didn't understand his work. He never seemed to tire from tackling problems that would leave even a trained engineer stumped. As such, mathematics was his forte and his favorite subject, leading him to earn a well-earned wage that allowed him all sorts of luxuries and a well-off lifestyle.

But though he was a rockstar numbers guy - one who garnered great fame as a genius egghead - in his home life, however, he was very private and personal. For a young man his age, he often didn't attend the local watering holes for a drink. In some ways, alcohol even repulsed him. And any thoughts of him spending his well-earned fortune on shopping sprees were also dashed, considering that he dressed plainly and wouldn't look out of place with someone of a more plebian lifestyle. Lloyd never knew wealth, and growing up he was always at the cusp of poverty in his old family home.

Though he didn't come from a background of wealth, Lloyd sported a brain that was closer to a supercomputer than that of his peers. His IQ could rival even other known geniuses, and since numbers never scared him he could head straight into a mathematical blitz and solve a problem that needed doing with ease, as well as come up with contingencies that would result from future outlooks that would arrive. It was this mental capacity that earned him a place in one of the most prestigious universities in Daegar, and his mind never faltered when it came to his skill. Most of all, to help ease his parents' burdens for tuition, he received various awards of thousands upon thousands of Pokémon dollars to pay for school.

And yet, the poor young man just couldn't find his peace of mind. He was stuck in a rut that he just couldn't escape. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy his time within calculus, more like he was wondering if there was more to life other than math and accounting. A book was usually his companion, and all alone would he spend his time at home.

The holidays were always a solemn time for him, especially since none of his relatives were nearby in the Daegar Region. His family originated from Paldea, and though he was born in Daegar all of his other family members were back in a region so far away and so distant that the only way to communicate was via Holo-Caster or Phone.

In other words, his main enemy was loneliness. It was a problem that had always pervaded his life. He never knew the intimate touch of a woman, and he never enjoyed what true comradery was like. He never went to parties, and he even shunned them. Yet even despite his urge to want to socialize, he never could find it in himself to leave his home in the posh Shire District of Lakeshire Town. It was always just going to work and then come back, with the only reason to venture out is to go to the grocery store for food or on the off-chance that he craved a meal at a restaurant.

As for the intimate touch of a woman, the poor man would crumble whenever a girl spoke to him. And it was a shame, considering he was a fairly good-looking man with a good-looking body - not to mention with a bank account that would be a gold-digger's dream. But the man didn't crave any of it. He didn't want to spend his time with anyone, even for the sake of trading coin for pleasure. One could say that he was asexual, though one look at his home browser history would dash that notion. Porn was only a means to an end for him, and some alone time on his bed was about as intimate as he ever got in his life.

However, there was one thing that Lloyd had that he often got to enjoy, and that was his car. But his car wasn't a typical luxury sports car that someone with a fat wallet like him could afford. While some people might seek sleek cars like Lambos or Ferraris, his weapon of choice was a Dodge Challenger. But his car was a demon of a car - which was apt given that his car was the SRT Demon 170 - and number 3,000, the very last car of the series to come out of the factory, and the very last gasoline-powered muscle car that the car company would produce.

Lloyd, for all his timidness and quirks, had a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde personality. When he stepped into his car, all his fears melted away, and he entered the zone. He no longer felt afraid for himself. He was a man who would do anything he wanted to do, and what he oftentimes did when he wasn't home alone and cooped up was go to the nearby dragstrip racetrack and burn some rubber. Being that he had perhaps the most powerful muscle car ever produced, he would almost always win against any other car short of a modified, specially built, purpose drag car. His car's power was guaranteed to turn heads, and everyone knew of the black with red accent super-muscle car that would come in with its howling V8 engine and screaming supercharger.

But the thing was that Lloyd, even though he boasted the most powerful stock car in the whole strip, didn't want his identity to be revealed. He hardly ever left his car or even rolled down the driver's side window. And if he ever had to do so, the man would often wear a hooded balaclava to keep his identity a secret - as well intimidate the other drivers into them thinking that he meant business. He knew that if word got out that the car belonged to him it would soon reach his work, inciting all sorts of teasing from his coworkers - or so he feared. To keep people from recognizing his voice, he made sure to speak in a different tone than how his voice typically sounded.

Most important were the vanity plates that he always painstakingly screwed on and off his vehicle. When he was about to enter the drag strip he'd park to the side and stick on a cover plate to his license plate to hide his car's identity. No matter what the man made it clear that he didn't want to be identified. He didn't crave to be the center of attention for long, and he never even gave out his name to the people whom he raced against.

The people only knew him by one name, and it was an interesting one: Ghost.

And his car was nicknamed: The Black Phantom.

It was clear that Lloyd led a double life. It was something that he was proud of, though never publicly. He wanted to maintain his good image as a kind and caring though private man. But when he went to the dragstrip, he wanted to be the hotshot that everyone already knew him as being - or at the very least, knew what his alter ego was like. In some ways, it was difficult to maintain this double life. But in the end, it was something that he enjoyed.

And today was no different. Lloyd pulled up to the dragstrip entrance in his Demon 170, with people already giving him looks of amazement and attention. It was clear that everyone was in awe at the beast of a machine that was pulling up, though those in the know knew full well of the maniac behind the wheel and his reputation for both speeding prowess and secrecy.

Lloyd lowered his driver-side window, looking at a man who was coming from the Daegar Automotive Hot Rod League, or DAHRL for short. His hooded mask was already on, with only two holes for his blue eyes to see, giving any hint of his identity.

"Hey there, Ghost," replied the man in the red and black shirt. "Nice to see you come back. Here for another bout. I hear that there's some stiff competition going on now."

"Let them come, Chuck," replied Lloyd in a deeper voice than normal. "I plan on gapping the whole lot of them."

"I don't know about that, Ghost," Chuck the DARHL manager said, expressing his doubt. "This guy has a tricked-out little hatchback. He's already beaten a whole bunch of fellahs from the lot. And I hear that this guy is out to get you, too. He's already talking smack about how your car's a one-trick pony, and he's letting everyone hear it."

"If this guy thinks he can take me on, then he can be my guest," said Lloyd. "I don't intend to lose. But it's all fun and games, talking shit about the other guy till they lose. And I don't plan on being that guy. If he thinks he can gap me, then by all means he and I can race. I just don't want any hard feelings afterward if someone gets butthurt over who wins."

"Keeping things humbler this time, eh Ghost?" teased Chuck. "Sounds like you've been having a change of attitude, lately."

"It's not that, Chuck. I mean, we all race to have fun. If a guy is talking shit about others, then it's obvious he's letting all this noise get to his head. There'll always be someone faster. A top-fuel dragster will leave my ass in the dust. But in the end, it's all good and fun and games. Like I said, I don't want anyone getting fussy over winning or losing."

"And that's how it should be, Ghost buddy," agreed Chuck more cheerily. "Anyhoo, the guy is right up ahead. Be sure to check out his set when you get the chance."

"Noted."

Lloyd drove his car over to the front of the office and got off. On the other side of the lot was a young man with an average grocery-getter car. But he knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Though it looked like a beat-up Honda Civic, he knew that this vehicle was pushing less than 9 seconds at the drag strip. And the giant turbocharger that was protruding upwards with the hood wide open gave a clear indication of how much horsepower it was making. And with the car being smaller and much lighter, that meant an even quicker time than normal.

But the person who owned this up-and-coming underdog of a car didn't look the part of a well-to-do young man. Rather, he looked all the part of a hoodlum causing trouble. What's more was that he and his entourage were surrounded by pokémon, and all of them looked mean and vicious. However, one thing that Lloyd noticed was a lovely smell wafting in the air. He didn't know where it was coming from, only that it smelled almost pheromonal in nature.

The hoodlum looked at Lloyd and smirked, seemingly pleased to see the man he aimed to defeat.

"Well, look what the Meowth dragged in!" said the hoodlum. "The names Nick, though everyone knows me by Lil' Nick. I suppose you're the poser with the fancy-ass, bought-not-built Dodge?"

Llyod frowned underneath his mask. He had previously dealt with guys like this - those who thought they were the shit when really, they were just shit. But one look at his setup and it was clear that this man had the gear to back up his bravado.

"Hey, I'm just here to check on the competition," replied Lloyd. "You got the chops to take me on, and you got a sweet kit here to back it up. I respect that."

But the hoodlum didn't take the compliment at face value.

"Yeah, I guess I got the right gear to leave your fat hog in the dust." He then turned to his entourage, which were perhaps his friends and their pokémon. "Ain't that right, fellahs?"

The group that was present cheered Nick on, seemingly siding with him and his ride.

"You're gonna get left in the dust, Ghost!" shouted one man.

"Leave him in the dust, Lil Nick!" cried out one young woman.

And Nick was sure to allow the smack talk to inflate his ego, his smug smile telling everything that Lloyd needed to know.

"In that case, you better not lose," said Lloyd with a bit more aggression. "It'd be sad for a man with a big ego like you to have a car that can't even back up your smack talk... or your tiny penis."

And with that, Lloyd turned around and walked away, cool-looking as could be. But with the entourage groaning and wincing at the savage burn, Nick was left fuming as he hurled his insults.

"You're the one with a little dick, what with that fat ass car you got!" clapped back Nick. "Just you wait. I'mma leaving you crying like a little bitch!"

Having left his opponent furious, Lloyd headed back to his car as he'd then prepared for the big race ahead of him. Little did Nick know that Lloyd had a secret underneath the hood of his car as well - and it was something that nobody expected. It was something that he had recently done to his car, with it taking a load of time and money to get right. But if all went to plan, then he would leave the smack-talking punk in his wake.

But as he reached his car, Lloyd noticed the nearby bushes start to shake. The familiar smell from before was now stronger. Yet Lloyd coughed it up to there being a pokémon in the bush, one that was just minding its own business as it used the move Sweet Scent for whatever reason it did so.

Perhaps he would be proved right in the future.

Lloyd got in his car at the same time as Nick got in his, and the two drove up to the strip. The referee in charge signaled for them to line up in front of the Christmas Tree lights. And the two cars did just that, making sure to give it their all when the moment came. When Lloyd turned to look at Nick, only to see the hooligan stick his hand out and flip the bird at him. But Lloyd took the middle finger in stride. At the end of the day, power was what decided the speed of a car, and was what made one win or lose.

The Christmas tree light lit up red, the two cars getting ready to speed down the lane for when the moment would come. There was tension in the air as the spectators and their pokémon looked on at the two cars lined up. The two drivers were well known for their speed and prowess, though nobody knew who Lloyd was with his mask on. And he planned to keep it that way.

The Christmas tree light turned on the yellow lights, and the two cars began to idle even louder. It was now or never to make sure to get ready to send it. And when the green light lit up, this was the ultimate moment of truth.

The Green Civic Nick screamed down the track, the turbocharged vehicle beating Lloyd and his car to the punch. And Nick was moving forward even faster than the heavy Dodge. It seemed as though he was going to win, and Nick was already cackling as he looked in his mirrors, with Lloyd many car lengths behind him.

But what Nick didn't expect was what happened next. Suddenly, Lloyd's car picked up a second wind, the Challenger screaming down the aisle as it made its way down the track. What was interesting was that the sound of turbo exhaust could also be heard alongside the supercharger whine, making it clear that Lloyd had modified his car to be twin-charged, having both a turbo and supercharger at the same time. Little did Nick know that Ghost had modified his car to make even more power than stock and spent a great load of time and money to make it the ultimate dragster. The Challenger screamed forward, blazing past Nick as the hooligan's face turned pale - almost as though he had seen a ghost.

Lloyd roared down the track and made it to the other side in an incredible 8.24 seconds.

Nick made it to the finish line in just 9.29 seconds, a full second slower than the Black Phantom.

To stop himself, Lloyd deployed the parachute at the back of his car, enabling him to slow down as he gently applied the brakes. The chute was pulled back by his tailwind and slowly decelerated him as he slowed down. Meanwhile, the crowds who were off to the side were cheering in delight to see their Ghost make it to the finish line. And it was evident to everyone that Ghost was the king of the dragstrip for a reason.

Lloyd drove his car to the side lane and slowly idled forward. It had been an exhilarating ride, and he never grew tired of pushing his car to its limits. When he got home, he would be sure to check on his car to make sure that it was okay after such an intense and powerful launch. Black Phantom served him well, and he was proud of her for obeying her master to the command and sticking by him. When his car pulled over to the resting bay, he got out of his car to a load of fanfare that all screamed his name - or rather, his pseudonym.

But when Nick got to the entrance, not only was he red-faced that he lost, but also was angry that his once fans turned on him and began cheering for Ghost. And he was vocal about his loss.

"You piece of shit!" roared Nick. "How in the hell did you manage to leave me in the dust?! You drive a fat ass car for fucks sake!"

"It's not just about weight, but also power," explained Lloyd calmly. "I removed even more weight from my car, and I twin-charged this baby. It's lighter and even more powerful than stock. If you don't want to admit that you lost, then fine by me. But I'm not the kind of guy to bitch and complain even if I were to lose to someone."

Nick, at this point, had a face that was as red as a Cherri berry, and now he wanted to teach the man a lesson. He pulled out a Pokéball, ready to enact his revenge.

"Alright, Priscilla, time to teach this punk ass bitch a lesson!"

And out of the Pokéball came a Florges, a somewhat strange and feminine looking pokémon for a hoodlum like Nick to have. But Lloyd didn't have a pokémon of his own, and he didn't want to rely on the crowd to protect him and keep him safe lest they get hurt. He merely stood tall, waiting for Nick to send his pokémon to deliver a blow, hopefully, one he could use as proof to the police that Lil Nick had assaulted him with his pokémon partner.

But before Nick could sic Priscilla the Florges on him, a jet of purple liquid came squirting at high speed toward the Fairy-type pokémon. The poor Florges was covered by a Toxic move, with it being covered head to toe in fuming and foul-smelling fluids that Badly Poisoned it and severely weakened it. And Nick was shocked by what had just happened.

"Priscilla!" cried out Nick as his poor pokémon collapsed to the floor, fainting as the foul poison took effect, KO'ing it on the spot. Soon, Priscilla was on the ground with swirling eyes, and he had no other choice but to recall her back into her Pokéball.

Nick grimaced as he saw the mob of angry Ghost fans approach him, and one of them happened to be a cop - one who didn't take too kindly to the threat of violence being carried out.

"Freeze!" said the cop as he pulled out his striking baton. And next to him was an angry Houndoom that was baring its teeth. "You're under arrest, Nick. Maybe you should check your anger before you go attacking people just for losing a race."

Nick, in all his cowardice, turned around to run away, but before he could a tall, lanky man with a Blaziken stood in his way - the man looking rather irate at the crook for deciding to attack someone whom he was close to.

"Ready to go to jail, asshole?" said the lanky man in the fire-red suit.

Nick then, in all his wisdom, slugged his fist forward to get the man out of his way, but Camilla was there to return a slug across his face, with Nick fell to the ground after the severe punch slammed against his cheek, knocking him out cold. All the while, Ghost came up to him and looked cheery-eyed through his mask.

"Thank you for that, Jason," said Lloyd as he smiled at his friend. "I hate it when bastards like this guy take the race too seriously."

"No worries, Llo... I mean, Ghost," replied Jason, catching himself before almost spilling the beans. "I'm just glad to be here before you this asshole could give us the slip. I saw your race though, man, and it was friggin sweet. The look on Nick here's face was priceless though."

The two then approached and gave each other a fist bump. Jason Kitchener and Lloyd Santello were good friends - and, by Jason's slip-up, it was clear that he already knew of Lloyd's little secret. The two were good friends, with Lloyd often having to visit Jason at the Silph Co Plant to gather the data he needed for the assessments for insurance and risk management. The two got along well, and Jason was always sure to ask his friend for a chance to race down the dragstrip. Obviously, even with Jason's 797 horsepower Charger Hellcat Redeye, it still wouldn't be enough to beat Lloyd's close to 1,300 horsepower, twin-charged monstrosity. But the two didn't race to win, but rather to have fun - and Jason was just happy to hear his friend's car's monstrous sounds.

But as Lloyd dusted himself off as the police officer called for backup to bring Nick into custody, he wondered where that column of poison that saved him came from. The sweet scent from before still lingered in the air. And it was something that he wanted to find out the source behind. He didn't like having this unknown. Then again, there wasn't much he could do. Whatever pokémon was out there that saved him would have to be found out another day.

Yet as Lloyd and Jason got into their cars and got ready to race each other on the strip, the bushes continued to stir. Whatever was inside of them would have to wait a while longer before enacting its plan.

Meanwhile, a bald man with sunglasses was looking off into the surrounding forest, with interest in his eyes. He knew that the creature was still out there - a pokémon that was indeed rare to have in this area, and one that would be sure to pay the big bucks if he and his men were to capture it. It seemed to have taken a liking to Lloyd the Drag Strip Champion, and whatever it planned on doing next would only happen when the owner of the Black Phantom would show himself again.

Off to the bushes off to the side rustled one last time, noting the scene that had been carried out. Whatever the creature was felt a wave of relief as it was glad that someone like Nick was out of the picture, though it was still too dangerous to come out of the bushes even with the presence of its human interest. All it knew was that it had been eyeing the man in the black mask and car for the longest amount of time. And this wasn't the first time that it used its pheromones to try and win the man's attention.

But it was still too dangerous to come out in the open. Nick was just the henchman, but someone else was eyeing her. And it needed to be careful. With one flick of its tongue and tail, the pokémon turned around and went the other way. The man who was stalking it was probably still around, eyeing for it to slip up. There was a need for caution, even with a man as sincere and kind as Ghost.

For now, though, the ambition of love would have to wait. Thanksgiving was in a few days, and with it the cold front. Time was of the essence.

Lloyd drove his car out of the drag strip and sped down the short highway that was to take him back home. He was weary and was, overall, in a state of exhaustion; almost getting into a fistfight and pokémon battle tends to do that to people. But he didn't want to look back too much at what could have been a sticky situation for him. As for whoever or whatever it was that saved him from the Florges and its trainer, he was grateful for them nonetheless. Things would have ended on a much sourer note for him, and he and his car would've likely been torn apart.

But one thing that caused Lloyd to wonder was the scent of the pokémon he smelled. It was a familiar scent, one which he had smelt the past five times he went to the strip. It reminded him of a pokémon he met quite a while back - a Salandit that was down on its luck and near the point of starvation.

One day, while assuming his role as Ghost, Lloyd found a Salandit that was off to the side of the drag strip, and it was indeed a sorry sight if ever there was one. The poor pokémon looked thin and starved, the poor creature unable to stand on its own as it just looked back at him with a glare. Though when he approached it the creature let out a puff of flames from its mouth, a drumstick of meat was sure to change that when he brought it to the poor creature.

The gesture was enough for Lloyd to pick the creature up from the floor and bring it over to the office. The staff were all in amazement at the pokémon, since Salandit and its evolved form of Salazzle were not native to this part of Daegar. In fact, there has been a lot of news lately of it being a target for Pokémon Poachers who capture the poor creatures to sell on the black market. It was truly a horrible thing to think of, especially when considering that the creatures were used for things like expensive perfumes and other aroma substances - even though such perfumes are illegal to produce in Daegar, though not to own. This slight caveat meant that the poor creatures were hunted to supply the rich with perfume that was literally irresistible.

And things were even worse for the Salandit since the ones that were often poached were the females. And the creature just so happened to be one.

But Lloyd took pity on the creature. He decided to keep it company all throughout that day, even taking it into his car and giving it the ride of its life as he took her on a drag run. Instead of being terrified to both be inside a human vehicle and to experience a drag race, the little lizard was thrilled to bits at having the experience. And when it got out of the car it almost didn't want to leave Lloyd's side.

Sadly, though, Lloyd was not a pokémon trainer, and the position of Salandit as a protected species meant that he couldn't even own one without special permission from authorities. But before the creature could be taken off to somewhere safe by the local police rescue team, the Salandit scurried off to the forest, never to be seen again.

Or so Lloyd thought. But that lingering scent has since followed him. Whenever he reached the strip, after a while the scent would return. Perhaps that was the little Salandit, viewing her rescuer and keeping a close eye on him as he did his runs with his car.

Today's aroma scent was the first one he had smelled in over a year, and Lloyd was curious as to whether it was his good little friend who saved him from Nick and his Florges Priscilla. Being that it was a poison-type pokémon, it would no doubt have a type advantage against the fairy pokémon, and it served when it flung the Toxic move that KO'd the pokémon with one hit.

For now, though, Lloyd could only return to his home within the Shire District of Lakeshire Town, hoping to reflect on today's events. He drove up to his driveway, with a familiar face greeting him as he tended to his front lawn garden.

Lloyd had already taken off his mask, leaving it behind in his car as he parked it into his driveway. The hugely powerful vehicle was parked, and he stepped out of his car on his way to make the most of his time indoors. But the old man tending to his front yard garden was not to be ignored.

"Had a little bit of fun now, Youngster?" asked the old man who was taking a pair of scissors to a plant in his garden. Next to him was a Lilligant that was using a watering can in the shape of a Psyduck to water the plants in need.

"Oh. Hello there, Mister Jameson," replied Lloyd, this time in his typical timid voice. Now that he no longer wore the mask, he reverted back to his usual self. "I was just off having fun with some friends. You know how things are."

"That I do. Though I hope that that fun doesn't involve alcohol. It'd be a sorry fate for you to be caught with that scarily powerful car of yours while driving drunk," warned Mister Jameson, the Old Sage of Shire District and the Head Councilor of the Lakeshire Town Board City Council.

"No, Mister Jameson. I'd never drive drunk," assured Lloyd. "In fact, I don't really like alcohol."

"Good," replied the older gentleman. "Too many youths of your age rather enjoy getting whole on drunk these days, partying themselves silly and the like. I'm happy that you tend to avoid such shenanigans."

"Well, Mister Jameson, I don't tend to enjoy the things that people my age do... except for a good fast car, that is," admitted Lloyd. "I guess... well... I'm not much of a raucous kind of fellow."

"You say that, and then your car wakes me up from my afternoon nap as soon as you turn it on," recounted Mister Jameson. "I know of your driving antics, taking your car to the drag strip nearby to enjoy some racing. So long as you don't race in the streets, I'm fine with your monstrosity serving as my afternoon alarm clock."

"I guess... I just like to race, Mister Jameson," defended Lloyd. "I try to play it safe, of course."

"Well, then, so long as you don't become one of those hoodlums that cause terror in the streets, I see no need to admonish you." Mister Jameson then let out a chuckle. "You know, I had a powerful car of my own when I was younger. I guess you already know the story, what with me ingraining it into your head every time we discuss cars."

"That I do, Mister Jameson."

Frederick Jameson was a retired man who was once known for being a rowdy individual back in the earlier days of Lakeshire Town. He drove muscle cars from a time when nobody cared about pollution or gas mileage or any other thing. His car, a Camaro, was so strong with its huge block engine that it could haul around his old pokémon partner - a hefty Pangoro - like it was nobody's business. But time would eventually temper the firebrand that he used to be, and he gave up his hoodlum ways for a career in politics. In fact, though he was now the current Council Head of Lakeshire Town, he was once the mayor for two terms straight.

But Mister Jameson had many experiences that tempered his former firebrand nature. He didn't become the dignified and wizened old man that he was now from being a dandy. In fact, he even served a small amount of jail for his antics. All of these past events, including the death of his old Pangoro partner, formed the man he was now, and in some ways, he saw a little bit of himself in young Lloyd. It was his hope that he could steer the young man down a good path - and he was happy to hear when Lloyd secured a job as an Actuary.

For now, Lloyd gave his retelling of the day's events to the wise old man and his Lilligant partner as they tended to the garden now late in the evening. After talking about a few more things, Lloyd opened his garage door and drove the car inside. Being as notorious as it was, the Black Phantom needed to be hidden lest people wizen up to the identity of Ghost the Drag Racer and his infamous, supped-up car.

Lloyd wondered if he would ever meet the pokémon that saved his hide earlier today, and the words of Mister Jameson were sure to keep him on the straight and narrow. After all, it was Mister Jameson who helped supe up his already powerful car by sending him to a shop that specialized in adding extreme horsepower to already powerful vehicles. Apparently, the old coot still kept contact from his racing and hoodlum days, and he was sure to pass them onto Lloyd when the young man was searching for someone to tune his car and slap on the turbo that it now had.

In many ways, Mister Jameson became Lloyd's role model, a wise old man who had learnt the ins and out of life - of someone who learned from the school of hard knocks and the experience of reforming oneself into a better person. And the young man was sure to give the older gentleman a listen whenever he had some wise words of wisdom to give.

Whatever would come in the future would have to remain to be seen. Whether the pokémon who defended him would show itself was something that he would have to see in time. And in the meantime, he would be sure to keep The Black Phantom in tip-top shape for when the next time he went to the drag strip would happen.

Lloyd returned to the dragstrip in another week's time, this weekend being a special one since he wasn't arriving alone. Following his Demon 170 was a red Charger Redeye and a silver-black Mustang GT500, both of them cars that he was very much familiar with. He drove his car to the entryway of the strip, getting out of his car as did Jason of the red Dodge and Justin Solis of the Mustang. The two engineers were happy to race with their friend and fellow muscle car owner.

That being said, with his return to the strip, Lloyd once again assumed his alter-ego of Ghost. Once he slipped on his hooded mask the old persona of Ghost took over, and he was no longer afraid. Ghost was now the one who was behind the wheel, and he aimed to make the car scene tremble at the sound of his car's supercharger whine and turbo whistle.

Ghost, Jason, and Justin got out of their cars and headed up to the office to register themselves for the day. And Justin was especially looking forward to doing battle against Ghost and the Black Phantom.

But in the end, Justin was just happy to see Ghost after not having done so in a long while.

"Nice to have a good race with you again, Ghost," replied Justin, careful to not spill the beans of who the real identity of the masked man was. "I've been doing some mods on my car. Slapped a twin-turbo system on that sucker. It's twin-charged too, just like your car."

"Fuck me, what is it with you two and twin-charging?" Jason began to gripe. "Isn't installing a big, fat blower enough to add horsepower?"

"Power isn't everything, Jason," noted Ghost. "My car may have more horsepower than Justin's car, but remember that it's a heavy bitch. Meanwhile, his car is hundreds of pounds lighter than mine, even if it only makes 1,029 compared to my 1,342."

"Nice to hear that you remembered my car's exact horsepower rating, buddy," beamed Justin. But now it was time to rub salt in the wound. "How much horsepower does your car make again, Jason?"

"Screw you, man," replied Jason. "Yeah, my car only makes 797 horsepower stock. But watch, when I twin-charge this girl I'll be leaving both of you poser in my dust."

The two men with strong cars laughed after making fun of their less fortunate friend. In the end, Jason was just happy to be around these two fellows, with the hope being that he would also add more horsepower to his own car with time.

The two entered the office and soon came across Chuck of DAHRL, who had just finished signing another group of racers up. On seeing the three of them come up, his face brightened with a smile, happy to see his favorite racers.

"Hey there, you three! Nice to see ya'll come back again!"

"Morning, Charles," replied Justin. "Hope that we came in time for some races."

"Aw hell, Justin, no need to call me by my full name. I mean, I don't call Ghost by his real name either, you know."

Charles "Chuck" Kilton was not all that happy to have his name be called out. But then again, it wasn't as though he hated his name either.

"Well, just remember that while I got this mask on my name is Ghost, "Charles," warned Lloyd.

"I don't have that fat of a mouth, Ghost," assured Chuck.

With the banter out of the way, the three signed their names - their real names, in Lloyd's case - and proceeded to head outside. But once outside, Lloyd felt the same wonderful aroma as before. His secret admirer was close by, and he was certain that she was out there somewhere within the nearby bushes. But he knew better than to go digging into the bushes to find her. And even if he did, he didn't have the impression that she would like to be found.

In the end, however, despite the bravado he showed with his mask on, there was still one thing that Lloyd couldn't overcome, and that was loneliness. Even with his friends present, he was still going to spend Thanksgiving alone - even though Jason invited him to have Thanksgiving at his house with his other friends. Lloyd was grateful for this, though he still missed his family. And in the end, he didn't know if he could stand to not have his parents and other siblings around this year, just like in past years.

Lloyd, Jason, and Justin left the office and got ready to prepare their rides when a sudden column of fire shot up into the air. The three men were shocked to see the column shoot up into the air, and they wondered what was going on. A loud shouting noise could then be heard, with there being an apparent scuttle within the bush. Without wasting a moment, the three rushed on ahead, with Justin and Jason having Lillia and Camilla respectively join them in what was bound to be a fight.

The three entered the forest and went to where the scuttling was taking place. They then arrived at a clearing where a group of men with strong-looking pokémon were in the process of battling a wild pokémon - and this one happened to be a grown Salazzle.

On seeing the Salazzle, Lloyd's memory jogged as he saw the fire and poison-type lizard. His heart began to feel heavy, seeing this as the pokémon who had protected him previously.

There were three men with three pokémon: an Ursaring, Pangoro, and Beartic. And the one who owned the Pangoro was a tall and strong-looking man wearing what appeared to be a helmet made of iron that covered his face.

"You won't escape us now, you bitch," sneered the masked man as he then approached with a net launcher. He fired the gun and a net shot out, enveloping the poor pokémon as it became unable to move.

But the three friends were not about to stand to see poachers try to take the poor creature.

"Hey, you bastards! Why not take on someone your own size?!" cried Justin as he and his friends got ready.

The three poachers turned to see the three friends, and their faces became irate.

"This doesn't concern you fuckers. Now leave before things get nasty," said the lead poacher.

"You won't take that poor pokémon away!" jumped in Lloyd. "We won't let you capture a poor, defenseless creature like that!"

The leader then stepped forward and grinned.

"So, you guys think you can take on Hunter K, eh?" he said with bravado. "In that case, I'll teach you all a lesson you won't soon forget."

"Bring it on!" shouted Jason. "We'll take you chumps out and report you to the police!"

The battle was about to be set, and the poachers were the ones to make the first move. The Beartic sent out a move of Avalanche, causing a cascade of snow to exit his mouth and go right for Lillia and Camilla. But Camilla used a Flamethrower move and burned away the snow that was coming for them. Next came the Ursaring as it was about to use Double Edge on Lillia, but the Gardevoir jumped out of the way and used Psybeam to hit the bear pokémon hard.

The battle was ensuing, and so Lloyd took the distracted poachers to his advantage and snuck over to the netted pokémon. He pulled out his pocket knife and began to cut at the net, freeing the Salazzle as it smiled warmly at him. The pokémon was elated to see him, almost as though she was seeing a good friend.

"Hey there, it's me, Lloyd," said Lloyd softly. "I know it was you who saved me that time against Nick. And I know that you were once that little Salandit that was in a rough patch. Now, it's my turn to save you again."

But as Lloyd cut the pokémon free, her eyes opened as she shoved him out of the way. And in the nick of time, Lloyd was pushed off right as a Hammer Arm move came crashing down from the Pangoro who was coming for him. And Hunter K was right with him, the big and brutish man making sure that he would not lose his prize.

"You're not taking my target away from me, punk," sneered Hunter K.

"Well, I hope that you'll be ready for a fight then," copped back Lloyd.

The Salazzle stood by Lloyd's side, the two becoming an official pokémon team as they faced Hunter K and his mighty Pangoro. The stage was set for a battle, with Lloyd having his pocketknife ready in case the brute would come charging for him with the heavy gauntlets that covered his hands.

The Pangoro charged after Salazzle with another Hammer Arm, but she swiftly dodged and bit into his side, using Poison Fang to not only deal major damage but also badly poison the large panda. All the while, Hunter K threw punches at Lloyd, which he swiftly dodged and made sure to block with his knife. He managed to also take stabs at the poacher, cutting his thick clothes as he managed to score slices against him. Lloyd and Salazzle were in perfect sync, dealing major damage over time as Salazzle poisoned the Pangoro over time and Lloyd continued stabbing and slicing at Hunter K, even cutting to the hunter's skin and causing him to bleed.

"You son of a bitch!" roared Hunter K after he felt the cold steel touch his flesh.

With rage, Hunter K connected his gauntlet-covered hand and smacked Lloyd on the side of the head, knocking the man down and causing his knife to come flying out of his hand. Lloyd lay on the ground, barely conscious as he was now defenseless against the brutish man.

"Time to get rid of you, Punk," said Hunter K menacingly. And with that, he raised up his boot as he prepared to deal a devastating stomp onto the downed masked man.

But before he could do so, Hunter K felt a powerful bite next to him. Salazzle had managed to KO the Pangoro with her poison, and she came to the rescue of the man who had previously saved her. The poacher roared in pain at the sharp teeth sinking into his flesh and feeling the poison enter his body. Immediately he began to grow weak, and though he did his best to shake her off he just couldn't unlatch Salazzle from his side.

Hunter K began to grow weaker and weaker due to the poison's effect, and soon he found himself unable to stand. He collapsed to the ground in a heap, unable to press on with his battle. It was only then that Salazzle finally let go, seeing that her mission was a success.

Justin and Jason had just finished KO'ing the other poachers and their pokémon, and they came rushing to Lloyd and Salazzle. Lloyd, though, was still seeing stars after the heavy blow to the head, but he managed to stand upright and ease his friends' worries.

"Are you alright, Pal?" asked Jason worriedly. "You took a helluva hit."

"Can you stand alright? You're not seeing any more stars, are you?" added Justin.

"I'm fine. Just took a big ass slug on the head, is all," assured Lloyd.

As the three friends and their pokémon regrouped, a small army of police officers and their attack pokémon came charging in. Officer Jenny was at the forefront of the team, and she immediately began to take stock of the situation.

"Everything alright here?" asked the police officer as her men took control of the situation. "We heard of a massive pokémon battle taking fold."

"These men on the ground are Poachers, Officer Jenny," replied Lloyd. "They tried to take this Salazzle away."

At hearing this, Officer Jenny grimaced as she realized what these men intended to do.

"Bastards," replied the officer. "Well, I guess all's well that ends well. Be sure to come over here and give me your testimony, you guys. For all intents and purposes, you just saved another Salazzle from being turned into perfume."

She then approached Lloyd and said: "I'm going to need your full name, Ghost. I'm sorry, but I'm also going to need you to remove your mask as well."

As she said this, a large crowd of drag racers and fans came over, obviously curious as to what Ghost was doing in the woods. Though he didn't want to reveal his identity, he figured that he had no choice. And perhaps this was for the better. Lloyd nodded his head, putting his hand to the top of his head, and tugged. His hooded mask came off, and his handsome face and brunette hair were shown to the whole of the crowd.

"My name is Lloyd Santello, also known as Ghost. I am the owner of the Black Phantom," he said proudly.

And with that, he and his friends tried to give as much testimony as they could. As for the fate of Salazzle, there was a happy ending after all.

"We can't handle taking in this Salazzle at the moment, and for all intents and purposes she looks to be attached to you," noted Officer Jenny. "Why not take her with you? She's bound to keep being hunted so long as she remains out here. And there's bound to be more poachers on the way. I'll be sure to file the paperwork giving you permission to keep her. In the meanwhile, I suggest you two get acquainted with one another."

Lloyd looked at Salazzle, the fire lizard looking back at him with happy, cheery eyes. If only she could speak to him, then she would be able to tell him how much she was grateful to him for saving her from the poachers. And so, Lloyd, Salazzle, and his friends and pokémon turned around and headed back to the dragstrip. He contemplated putting his mask back on, but with his identity now revealed there didn't appear to be a point to it. And when he met with the crowd of people and they saw what he had fearlessly done, they all cheered him on and patted him on the back, the crowd appreciating what he did to save the poor fire lizard from being poached.

The day would end with Lloyd and his friends racing on the drag strip with the rest of the crowd and competitors. Even without adopting his moniker as Ghost, the Black Phantom still drove like a fiery tempest, obeying her master no matter what identity he adopted. And with Salazzle sitting next to him on the passenger seat, the two reminisced on old times - back when she was a starving Salandit who was at the brink and in such a horrible state.

Soon, though, the day would have to come to an end, with Lloyd and his friends returning home. By the end of the day, Officer Jenny stopped by with Lloyd's papers having been filled out that he was adopting Salazzle into his care, and with that he was also given an Ultra Ball to house the pokémon in. Salazzle leaned into the ball and allowed herself to be caught by it, the ball soon clicking as it became her new home.

But this being Lakeshire Town, Lloyd immediately let her out, feeling that she belonged outside in order to taste freedom. Now, the only thing necessary was to give her a name.

On the drive home, Lloyd racked his brains out trying to come up with a nickname. It had to be something that would be a great moniker. It was then that he remembered reading a Pokémon Story about a killer Salazzle who was feisty and the old girlfriend of a Krookodile sheriff, and it seemed like the perfect fit for her.

"How would you like to be called, Maryanne, Salazzle?" he suggested. "I think that people calling you "Mary" or even "Bloody Mary" would be pretty badass, don't you think?"

Salazzle nodded her head. It was a great fit for her. And from then on, that would be her name. it was the perfect name for a fiery though loving creature like her, and her hope was that she would be a good partner to the man who had saved her life twice already, and whom she saved in turn.

Lloyd and Mary arrived at the house, with the two of them getting out. Already, Mister Jameson was outside tending to his garden late in the evening yet again with his Lilligant. And the old geezer was eager to ask who the new pokémon who was following him around was. Lloyd was sure to tell him the full story, sparing him no detail on what had happened. While Mister Jameson was happy to hear that the young man was both rescued and was now caring for the Salazzle, he was also shocked to hear that the poor thing was being targeted by poachers. To say it made his blood boil was an understatement, though, in the end, all's well that ends well.

Lloyd and Mary walked into their home, with him showing her around where everything was. And Mary was happy beyond words to be somewhere she could call her own. And with that, the night carried on. With Lloyd and Mary going into his bedroom for the evening.

Lloyd got out of his clothes and got in bed, hoping that the remainder of the evening would be a pleasant one. And with Thanksgiving on the horizon, it was reassuring that he would get to spend it with both his friends and his new partner.

But as Lloyd closed his eyes, he failed to realize the sultry look on Mary's face. She climbed onto the bed, a look of arousal on her face.

Lloyd wasn't a Poképhile - the fact he couldn't understand pokémon speech being a key indicator of that. Yet the decision for whether he would have a relationship with a pokémon was made for him.

Lloyd felt his underwear being lowered, with Mary looking up at him when he opened his eyes.

"Mary, what are you doing?" he cried out.

And what happened next was sure to shock him.

"I'm going to give you my thanks, Lloyd honey," replied Mary in a feminine, sultry voice. "You saved my life twice already. And I want to give you a reward for giving me a new home as well."

"But... I'm not a Poképhile."

"Well, now you're going to be one," she said teasingly. "Just lean back and let me do all the work, Lloyd baby. I promise to give you a good time."

With that Mary began to release some pheromones from her body, putting Lloyd at ease. She then began to stroke him, hoping to excite him into getting hard. And sure enough, his cock began to rise up to a good 5 inches in length. He wasn't the largest or longest person, but he could at least boast of not being the smallest. With his dick now in attention, Mary began to stroke him, opening her mouth to wrap her tongue around him and stroking him with it as well as with her hand.

Lloyd could only lean back as he felt his new pokémon partner give him a hand and tongue job, the feeling being absolutely incredible to him. In truth, Lloyd was a virgin, and he never had sex before in his life. But this was better than all of the porn he had watched previously on his tablet computer. And Mary continued to give him a good time, stroking his length as tiny globs of pre cum squirted upwards for her to imbibe. The taste was divine, with human cum being so delicious and full of flavor. It almost felt as though there was an aphrodisiac factor in his semen.

For the next ten minutes, Mary continued to stroke Lloyd with her tongue and hand, putting Lloyd through the wringer as she did her absolute best to make him cum. But he proved to have a surprising amount of stamina that she had not expected from him. Still, her relentless barrage would do a number on his sexual endurance, and poor Lloyd was left to her mercy.

Gripping his bedsheets, he was finally reaching the end of his rope as Mary braced herself to receive her prize. And when she would, she was thrilled to bits at what she got.

Mary opened her mouth wide as she Lloyd's dick at the base of her tongue, allowing the gobs that shot out of his member to enter directly into her mouth. His semen continued to be pumped out of his member, his cock throbbing hard as he let out gasps of pleasure from the sheer force of his orgasm. Hot and sticky sperm flew into Mary's mouth, and she was more than happy to taste it, feeling its sticky texture and the hot pheromones that were in it before she would send it flowing down her throat. This was what she wanted so badly, and she was happy to have received it. And the red face of Lloyd was eye candy for her, having done a good job at giving him his first orgasm as a result of oral sex.

But Mary was not yet finished with him. She wanted to give him even more of a good time, and that involved actual intercourse.

"Come on now, Lloyd baby, it's not time to rest just yet," teased Mary. "You did a good job, but I'm not through with you yet."

"You're not?" gasped Lloyd as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"Nope. Not by a long shot. Now it's my turn to join you in getting some sweet pleasure as well."

Lloyd gulped as the Salazzle climbed on top of him, resting her warm purple chest onto his. She then moved her mouth to his and planted her lips onto him, exhaling a gas of pheromones from her mouth and allowing the fumes to enter his inhalation. Immediately, Lloyd began to feel supremely relaxed and elated, looking on at Maryanne with a warm though lost smile. He couldn't resist her pheromones, with his thoughts now completely lost in her trance. He was completely submissive, lost in her passion as she orientated herself for what she planned on doing next.

Mary aligned herself with his cock, slowly pushing his tip up to the entrance of her warm pussy. And so, she pushed him inside of her, with Lloyd moaning as he began to feel how hot and tight her insides were. Being a fire type, Mary had warm flesh, and her pussy walls were super tight and constricting. It was a feeling that he began to relish as Mary slowly sank on him. And before they knew it, Lloyd's penis had reached her cervix.

With her unable to put even more of his cock into her, Mary began to rise and fall, clenching her tight pussy to squeeze Lloyd for all he was worth. And the man could only grab the bedsheets as he felt how tight and warm she was. It was one helluva way to have sex for the first time, and he was starting to love every minute of it. And since he was still feeling the effect of Mary's pheromones, his pleasure was only skyrocketing.

Mary continued to hop up and down on Lloyd, leaning in every once in a while to kiss him and fill his breath with her mind-altering pheromones. She had him under her complete control, the poor man sedated as he submitted to his pokémon sex partner. And her tight pussy made sure to squeeze any cum that he still had to give. Her passion matched her pheromones, indeed giving Lloyd the time of his life.

The sex session carried on for the following half an hour, or for however long it seemed time had passed, and Lloyd was still holding on for all he was worth. Mary rode him hard and fast, not giving him a moment to catch his breath as she rode him. And her relentless assault against him made sure to accelerate his breathing as he began to pant hard from the toll that his body was taking. His body wouldn't be able to last forever, and soon he would reach the pinnacle of orgasm. For her part, Mary was also feeling the strain on her body. Her pussy was calling for her to have an orgasm, and she didn't know how much longer she could take as well.

"Ready to cum for me, Lloyd baby?" teased Mary.

"I...I..." Poor Lloyd could barely speak he was so lost in his ecstasy. "I think... I'm ready."

Mary chuckled as she leaned in to give him one final kiss with her pheromone breath. And with her tongue dancing around with his, he made sure that he would be lost within the pheromones enough to give him the best orgasm of his life. And with that, she rode even harder, rising and falling rapidly as she put him through one final gauntlet of stamina. The two of them were so close, and neither of them wanted to dally any further.

Mary slammed down one final time, onto Lloyd's lap, her pussy contracting as she felt her rapture start to overwhelm her. Her pussy began to constrict her, milking Lloyd of every drop of sperm that he could give. And Lloyd himself also reached the breaking point, his cock throbbing hard as whatever remnants of his sperm squirted out of his tip and entered Mary's body. The throbbing was so hard that it was painful, and before he knew it his eyes began to see black, and he leaned back as his mind went out.

Mary was panting hard as she felt her rapture start to wane, looking down at her partner with a smug smile as she saw him go out like a burnt-out light bulb. With her pussy finally starting to calm down, she leaned against Lloyd's unconscious body and took a rest on his chest. To say that she was satisfied would be an understatement, her body was thoroughly warm, and she felt herself in a state of calm. She waited for Lloyd to come to, with him being out for another five minutes as his shattered mind tried to pick up the pieces.

When Lloyd finally came to, he opened his eyes to see the warm smile of his Salazzle Pokémon partner, and her face conveyed joy at what the two managed to achieve.

"Had a good time, Lloyd baby?" she asked him.

"Good is not the word I'd use," he replied back to her. "That was... unbelievable."

"Good. I'm happy that I managed to fuck your brains out," she teased. "But don't go thinking that this will be the only time we get to do this. I plan on going much harder on you next time."

"H-h-harder?" winced Lloyd, wondering if he'd be able to survive next time.

"Yep, and I will make sure your brains are thoroughly scrambled when we fuck next."

She lay down on his chest again, feeling warm to him as she gave off her pheromones yet again, this time to calm him down and bring him to a state of peace.

There was no telling the antics that the two of them would get up to next time, though Lloyd was just happy to no longer be alone. He would spend Thanksgiving with someone whom he truly cherished now, and he wouldn't have to bear the weight of being the only man in this house. He even hoped to take her on drag races in the following day to come, and Mary certainly seemed to be quite the motorhead.

So the two could hope...

It was now Thanksgiving Day, and Lloyd was spending it over at the house of his friend Justin Solis, who also invited Jason along as well. The Solis household was happy to have them around, and there was indeed a huge load of food to eat as everyone sat around the dinner table. Of course, Pastor Solis made sure to offer prayer to Lord Arceus for all of the delicious food and all the blessings everyone had in their lives. And the most thankful of them all was Lloyd, who felt like he was with family. And especially since he had a new pokémon partner of his own.

Mary, too, was also happy to be with his lover's friends, and she got along well with Lillia and Camilla, the three ladies having all sorts of girls talk about a lot of different subjects. It felt nice to have company, and Mary appreciated the warm welcome that she received.

For now, it seemed as though everything was as it should be, and peace filled the house as Lloyd tucked into his food. And outside the house was parked the Black Phantom, waiting for the moment came to ride again. So, the man formerly known as Ghost could hope...