FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's Note: InB4FanRage. There's a reason I think this way.

Pre-Reader's Note: Hello, darling readers. While this is surely not the first time you've hear OF me, it is the first time hearing FROM me. So let me introduce myself. For those of you who don't know, I'm Exskotadi, or X as Fox calls me, and I beta for him and generally cause havoc for him and the plotline in general. Why are you hearing from me now? Because I have a feeling that you're about to rage hardcore, and I want to be amused. So, please, enjoy the chapter and know that Fox protects you from worse. Much, much worse.

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc. Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline. Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using. Thank you.

Chapter 12: Revelations

My eyes opened, rubbing my face as I sat up. A growl in my ear made me hesitate, and through my blurry vision, made out Zin's face above my own. I still felt exhausted, though I vaguely remember where I am. Pokémon village, Lucario and fighting types in general everywhere we walked. Large mass of black something following us through the sky. Sounds about right so far.

I ran my hands through Zin's fur, feeling my body ache. I remembered that the room we were escorted to didn't have a bed, and I just slept on the ground. I sighed, shaking my head as I scratched behind the Houndoom's horns. Her tongue lolled out as she pressed her muzzle against my neck. I couldn't see any windows inside our small area, so I pulled out my Pokédex out of my pocket. The numbers shined brightly, declaring that it was just past four in the morning.

I nudged Zin gently, trying to get her off me to no avail. She complied, but not before dragging her tongue all over my face.

Pushing myself off the ground and opening the wooden door, I stepped outside to find six Lucario standing outside our offered shelter. I blinked, covering my eyes from the bright torchlight.

"I hope that your sleep was pleasant," the same Lucario from yesterday spoke. "We are here to show you to our elder's. They wish to speak to you."

"Do you want me to wake up Jonathan, too?" I asked.

She nodded her head. "Yes, please, and your other companion, as well. Our elders wish to speak to you all."

I was puzzled, but complied with their request. I looked at Zin, and she had a worried expression on her face. I went back inside, shaking Joy awake while Zin headed over to Jonathan. Joy's face wasn't pleased to see me as she frowned.

"Why are you waking me up?" she asked. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Four in the morning," I answered. "The elders want to talk to us."

"Tell them to fuck off," Joy responded curtly. "I need my beauty rest."

A hand slapped my shoulder, followed by Jonathan's laugh. "You don't get much of a choice, especially seeing we're in their village," he pointed out.

"Fine, fine," she said, sighing as she got up. I yawned as I stretched, feeling my muscles warm up as I did so. I faced Joy, who had her eyes narrowed at me.

"You can turn around now," she said curtly. With haste, I complied.

Zin approached me, pawing my leg for a moment. I kneeled down to be at her level.

"There's a lot of noise coming from outside," she said softly. "Got no idea what's going on, but it doesn't sound bad."

I nodded, scratching behind her horns. "Maybe someone's drunk?" I offered with a chuckle.

"Somehow, I don't think so," she said with a laugh.

"Alright you three, let's go," Jonathan said, coming up to us with his Pokédex open. We walked behind him as he opened the door, to have an explosion of sound almost bowl us over. Cheering and hollering greeted our ears as we walked outside our door.

Torches lined the path, as Pokémon of all shapes and sizes threw colored leaves around us. It felt like we were being welcomed back as heroes or something. I looked over at Jonathan, who had a lei of flowers around his neck, a Gallade quickly shaking his hand as we continued walking.

"What?" he asked, giving me a wide grin as he wiped away a bright colored leaf from his eye.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Isn't it obvious?" Joy asked. "It's a party!"

"It is more like a welcome back celebration for Jonathan," said the Lucario. I turned to face the Pokémon, who gave me a smile as turned away from us. "But feel free to enjoy yourselves as much as you can."

I nodded, feeling something press against my leg. I looked down, to see Zin with her head held high and tail wagging high in the air. She grinned at me, the excitement easy to see on her face. We were corralled to sit around a large fire pit, the commotion still going strong. The pit was unlit still, the fire from its surroundings painting the logs surface with an orange glow. The torches around us revealed many Pokémon, and many with smiling faces. The commotion quieted down slowly, and the wall of bodies slowly parted, revealing four individuals. They were all different Pokémon, dressed in what looked like leaves in the flickering light around them.

Two of them were Lucario, one being blue furred while the other one was yellow. To the yellow's left stood a gigantic Machamp, the Pokémon's massive four arms crossed over his broad chest. To the blue Lucario's right stood a Gallade, smiling pleasantly as he shook hands with a few of the different villagers. After a few moments, both Lucario raised their hands up to the air, and whatever commotion was left silenced quickly. They both lowered their hands and walked closer towards the logs. I jumped slightly when both Pokémon held what looked like blue fire in their paws. They both placed it atop of the logs, and the pyre instantly caught ablaze. The blue light from the fire blinded me for a moment, and I had to cover my face to protect myself from the heat wave that emanated from it.

The cheering started again, and soon followed by the sound of music. Wind instruments sounded in the distance, with the pounding of percussion making even the ground thrum with the beat. Or maybe the earth was pounding because Pokémon started dancing. I didn't know.

Our escorts allowed us to be seated near the gigantic blue fire, blankets that were made out of leaves shielding us from the dirt. Zin rested herself on my lap, as clay bowls filled to the brim with berries and roots were passed to us. Jonathan was the first to dig in as he grabbed a fist sized blue berry and taking a bite out of it. He turned to me and noticed me staring. He pointed at my bowl as with one hand as he wiped his mouth with the other.

"I'd suggest you start eating," he said, laughing. "Or else, your Houndoom will eat it for you."

Looking downwards, I saw the offending Pokémon give me a pleading look. Smiling and scratching behind her horns, I passed another berry for her, which she greedily gobbled up. A large berry in the shape of a horn that twisted constantly near the end caught my attention, and Zin instantly starting barking at me for it.

"Ooh! Those are really sweet! Give me a piece too, please!" she asked loudly, her tail waving in the air.

I laughed as I broke the berry in half, surprised by the fruits resilience to my initial effort. Zin smiled up at me as she took the offered slice, her tail wagging in the air as she ate the piece of fruit. I took the hint and took a bite, the sweetness not something I was used to. It felt as if someone smashed sweet on top of sweeter stuff. And then put sugar on top of it.

Lot's more sugar.

I spied out a few other berries I was more familiar, namely the Oran and Sitrus kind, which Zin was more than happy to try and snatch away from my hands. Another clay bowl was passed to me by a smiling Lucario. I also noticed that this one was yellow, and clad in that clothing of leaves I noticed earlier. My eyes widened in surprise for a moment, which only caused the Pokémon to laugh.

"May I?" he asked with a smile.

I nodded numbly, sliding a bit to my left to make more room for the elder as he sat next to me. Zin sat on my lap, curling up as she rested her head on my arm. The Lucario smiled down at her, as Zin looked up towards the yellow Lucario. Neither of them spoke, but something was communicated silently, as both Pokémon nodded to each other slowly. I blinked, feeling confused, but felt better to not know about silent communication.

The blue Lucario and the Gallade were passing by, standing in front of us. Jonathan sighed as they both extended their hands to him. "Again with this?" he lamented with a smile, grasping into their hands. Both Pokémon laughed as they pulled him up from the ground. The Gallade turned to us, smiling at both Joy and me as the noise around us quieted.

"Thank you all for coming this morning!" the Gallade exclaimed. "We are here to celebrate not only an important day for our village, but also the return of a good friend, Jonathan and his friends. Please join me in welcoming him back to our home!"

Cheers from all around us deafened me for a moment. My brain was having difficulties comprehending that the Gallade was speaking human, and not the regular Pokémon talk. I wasn't expecting to meet another Pokémon that could. I was still getting my head wrapped around the fact that Zin does it.

The din quieted slowly when the Gallade raised his hands again. A smile was on his face, as he turned to Jonathan. "We thank you for returning safely," the Gallade continued. "We hope that your search has been fruitful. But it seems that you are joined by others this time."

Jonathan nodded. "We're traveling towards the temple," he said. "I have proof this time."

"It's a pleasure to hear that your search has given fruit," the Gallade said. "But I digress. Everyone, please help me welcome Jonathan's friends to our humble village."

Another wave of cheers resounded around us. I sincerely hoped that the grass type Pokémon didn't mind the noise levels. Pokémon of all sizes and shapes came by, eager to see Jonathan again. A few even stopped by to say hello to Joy and me as they went to see him. I grinned as Jonathan's hair was ruffled by a Primape, and two Riolu played around him. A chuckle from beside me made caught me by surprise. I turned to see the yellow Lucario still sitting, a smile adorning his muzzle.

"I am just glad that he is safe," he said, nodding. "He didn't look ready to leave when he did."

I was curious, but I knew it wasn't my business to pry. The elder smiled and gave me a nod. "It is good to see other humans like him, which respect the old ways. Or at least, are willing to accept them."

"It isn't my place to change something you've been doing all your life," I said with a shrug. "By the way, thank you for the berries. They're amazing."

"Yeah, thanks!" Zin exclaimed, smiling.

The Lucario laughed. "You are quite welcome. I am glad that everything is to your approval."

The sun was beginning to appear, though the fires around us burned brightly still against the slowly banishing darkness. The Gallade from before stepped in front of the fire, and the talking ceased almost immediately. He looked over to our direction, and the yellow Lucario nodded.

"As custom of our village dictates, we give thanks to the Moon Dancer, the one that gave our ancestors this very land that we live on, so that we may continue to live in peace, and avoid the ravages that Arceus's creations brought upon the world."

What was this? I looked over to Jonathan and Joy, and they were sitting quietly, eyes riveted on the Gallade. Turning to the Lucario, he smiled at me, but shook his head. I frowned, but kept my mouth shut.

"Cresselia came to the aid of the creatures of the land, and gave them shelter from the ravages of her brother, Darkrai," the Gallade stated. "It was through her benevolent grace that we are here to this day, unhurt by humans. But this is not the tale I am here to spin this morning.

"I am here to weave the tale again, about how the mighty fell from grace. His creations fought for supremacy of the skies, the earth, and the water. The favored ones clawed at each other for scraps that made our world livable, demanding respect from each other. They were all created equal, yet they all vied to be held higher than the next. Brother fought against sister, and blood was spilled. Day and night clashed through the heavens, storms churned the oceans as fire and lightning danced across the sky.

"War ravaged Lord Arceus's world, as his creations fought and died against each other. And all this fighting, was just to gain the approval and favor of their Father. Lord Arceus did not want any of this pain to continue, and tried to halt the fighting himself. Even as he stood between his first son and daughter, they didn't realize what they had done until it was too late, and the blood of Arceus spilled from their claws and teeth.

"Even as his essence spilled from the mangled corpse, it renewed the world that lay underneath it. His blood gave us all another chance. Arceus's creations had learned that they had taken something they had for granted, and vowed to bring their beloved Father back.

"This is the story of our world, from the lips of Lady Cresselia, the Moon Dancer. May her moon always shine where Her brother plots."

A soft murmur arose from around us, as the sun finally passed by the mountain range and glowed brightly above. To say the least, that was interesting. I've never heard the creation myth told like that before. If anything, things just got more confusing.

The crowd of Pokémon began to disperse slowly, snuffing out torches as they were passed by. The morning light was beginning to shine brighter as the sun made its way through the heavens. The Lucario to my side chuckled softly, making me turn to face him again.

"Did you enjoy the story?" he asked

I didn't answer immediately. Giving the subject matter, I did. "It was... different than what I've heard growing up," I answered, my words coming out slowly.

"That was almost the same answer that Jonathan gave us when I asked him the same question," the Lucario said with a smile. "Do not worry, as I understand your hesitation. At least, you aren't being overzealous about discrepancies."

I nodded. "Stories are different, especially when people come from different backgrounds," I said with a shrug. "There's nothing wrong with that, as long as no harm comes from it."

"Indeed," the Lucario said with a nod. "But for now, may I suggest you go back and rest. I understand it isn't customary for most humans to wake up so early. We will speak with you if we need to, but feel free to recoup for your journey ahead."

---

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---

I was walking down the main village road, minding my own business. Zin was alongside me, silently following me. She had tried to cheer me up, but she had given up when I didn't acknowledge her attempts. I smiled at her antics, but I was still thinking about what the Pokémon elders said. The creation myth that the Gallade said got me thinking. What did it all mean? Why was the one I knew so well so radically different than the one I just heard this morning? Nothing even correlated.

I shrugged, standing still and looking up to the sky. If Crescelia gave these Pokémon these grounds, would there be a chance that I could meet her? I mean, if I can believe the elders, wouldn't she be somewhere in the world right now? She's supposed to be the light to Darkrai's darkness. I'm only going on legend and speculation, though. For all I know, she might not even care.

Nobody bothered me, Pokémon giving me a wide berth. Smaller Pokémon gave me curious looks, but were quickly herded away by guardians or parents before they could ask any questions. A few gave me looks that clearly portrayed that they didn't appreciate me being here. It sure was a different reaction that I was expecting, seeing how everyone was so excited and accepting a few hours ago. I quickly began walking, trying to find someplace where I wouldn't be hounded like an outcast.

Maybe I was.

Even with Zin and Mist, I felt extremely alone. I knew it was silly to feel this way, but I couldn't help it. Even by visiting trainers in Solaceon, at least I'd be greeted by a cheery wave, or at the very least a nod in my direction. Here, I was being avoided on purpose.

"You cannot blame them for feeling this way," Mist's voice echoed through my thoughts. "They most likely think that you are a poacher."

I sighed, but nodded at her assessment. "Yeah," I said darkly, "can't blame someone for blaming every human like that."

"Really, Master, that is not what I meant and you know it," Mist said, scolding me with her words. "These Pokémon have been isolated for possibly their entire lives. You cannot expect them to accept you at face value. And who knows if others were mistreated by their previous trainers. Have you forgotten about that?"

I sighed. She was right, after all. It didn't make me feel any better, though.

I blinked, noticing that the path ended, and the woods began to encroach around me. I was still on the path, but ahead of me nothing else was stood except trees. Lots of them. I shrugged, sitting down on the dirt path. Zin insisted on snuggling, her legs on my lap, bringing her head to mine to give me a few licks on my cheek. I smiled, just to see if it would make her see that I felt better, but that only made her more persistent. I laughed as her cold nose pressed against my neck, as I retaliated with my own hands scratching a few spots I knew made her weak at the legs.

Zin wasn't going to let me win without a fight, as she dove forward, bowling me over and making me lie on my back. She climbed up on my chest, a look of triumph on her chest, before she laughed out loud.

"You looked like you needed that, Master," she said.

I nodded, wrapping my arms around her and snuggling into her short black fur. "Yeah, I kinda did," I said, chuckling.

"You owe me three now," she said, her cold nose pressing against my neck. "I think you're going to regret all this adding up."

"Really?" I asked. "How do you figure that?"

"I might decide to really set you up for the obvious," she whispered, beginning to lick at my neck. "You're really stressed, you know that?"

I nodded. "It's why I'm out here, instead of back with Jonathan and Joy," I said, sighing.

"I figured that out a long time ago, silly," she said, giggling. "Though, what will you do about that little Riolu there?"

I blinked, turning my head to see what she meant. Standing on the path behind was exactly what she said, a Riolu. He or she was holding a handful of round looking things, which I imagined were berries, but the look on the child's face made it look like it was having second thoughts of seeing me. It was of blue coloration, though the Pokémon's eyes were wide. I imagine that it had built enough courage to find me, but wasn't counting on meeting my own team members.

"Stay still, Master," Zin whispered, lowering her muzzle to my ear. "I'll talk to him. Maybe I can convince him that he doesn't have to be scared of you."

I lay still on the ground as Zin moved over me and towards the child Pokémon. I still looked, and was slightly surprised that the Riolu didn't flinch away from Zin when she approached. They began talking in the Pokémon dialect, and I did my best to keep up with the conversation by studying their body language. At the very least, whatever she was saying made the Riolu less likely to run, as the small Pokémon nodded, a smile slowly forming on his muzzle.

They didn't walk towards me immediately. Zin sat down next to the Riolu and kept talking to him. I sighed, looking up to the clear sky above. A cold breeze blew by, the sound of rustling leaves surrounding me for a moment before disappearing as the wind died down. The sky was clear today, and it looked like it was going to stay like this for the rest of the day. I was told by the elders that their sentries haven't reported anything unusual, so whatever followed us earlier either gave up, or has gone into hiding. They told me that they would keep an eye out, just in case.

"You really are tense," Mist echoed softly. I shrugged in response. "Must I really coerce Zin to call on one of these 'favors'?"

"You wouldn't," I said, fighting the urge to sit up. I remembered there was a Riolu that was more than happy to run to his parents and tell them how the human scared him.

"Oh, I would, and you know it," she said smugly. "I've done it once before. It would be nice to feel that kind of satisfaction again."

"Did Song charge you with this?" I asked, exasperated.

Her laughter echoed through my mind. "No. Not in the slightest bit," she said, giggling softly. "You are an interesting subject,to say the least."

I was about to vocalize a question, but Zin pressed a paw on my cheek. I held my breath for a moment, before letting it out softly. She gave me a worried look, her eyes narrowing for a moment, before giving me a nod.

"You can sit up now," she said. "And Mist, don't scare the cub, please."

I smiled, and had to suppress a laugh that wanted to come out of me. Slowly sitting up, Zin pressed her head against my side, nudging against me insistently. I looked at her curiously, and she brought her body under my arm, insisting to snuggle close. A soft chuckle made me turn my attention to the Riolu, who was smiling at me. I returned the smile, extending my hand slowly towards him. The Riolu took a moment to sniff at my hand before approaching closer to me. He was still hesitant, but I couldn't blame the little guy, either.

The Riolu let out a soft happy sound, before nuzzling against my hand. I was startled at the sudden change of attitude, but decided to go with the flow. He didn't mind me scratching behind his ears, and was more than happy to lean against my palm and fingers. He walked away from me, escaping my scratching fingers and pressing the round things he was carrying in my hand. Looking at them closely, they didn't look like any berry I've seen once before on the television. I think these are Lum berries? The berries were small spheres of green with a smooth texture. I looked at the Riolu, who was grinning ear to ear, before he waved at me and began running.

I was confused for the moment, before turning to Zin. She was shaking her head, her body shaking slightly.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I'm just relieved that not everyone's afraid of us."

I nodded. "No kidding," I commented. "It is a nice change of pace. Maybe the elders had something to do with it?"

"Maybe," she said with a tilt of her head. "News travels fast, if that's the case."

"This is a small village, and they have some physic type Pokémon here," I pointed out. "I don't think it'll be much of a problem to get the word out."

Zin nodded at me, before her eyes going wide. She launched herself against me and taking me to the ground. Something had landed near us, the vibrations clearly felt through the ground and my body. I looked, pushing myself up from the dirt to see a tall Pokémon standing above me. Blue skin covered it from head to toe, a large tail that looked like an open acorn. Red nodules were attached to the back of the Pokémon, and two long blue protrusions extended from near both wrists pointing backwards. Standing on two legs, it was easily my height or possibly taller. It was a bit hard to judge from my position.

The Pokémon turned around, the face contorting into a frown before offering me a hand. I hesitated for a moment, before accepting the offer. I was lifted up without much effort, my body hovering in the air for a moment before my legs receiving my full weight the instant I landed on the ground. I almost fell, if it wasn't for the giants blue arms holding me.

"Thanks," I said, shaking my head.

"Sceptile," the Pokémon said softly, before nodding at me.

"There you are!"

I turned away from the Sceptile, to see Jonathan and Joy walking towards me. When they both reached us, the Sceptile easily lifted Jonathan up into a tight hug, crooning softly. Joy laughed, shaking her head at the display. I then noticed that a waist high Pokémon stood next to her. The Pokémon's back was covered in brown spikes, and had long white claws that spanned half of his arm length. Black eyes stared back at me, and I only looked away when Joy laughed.

"This is my Sandslash, Romulus," she said, patting the Sandslash between his ears. "He's a quiet one."

"Is he going to attack me if I get close?" I asked, remembering how her three headed dragon reacted.

"Oh no, Rom isn't like that," she said. "He's a laid back Sandslash."

To prove her point, Romulus walked up to Zin, head bowed down slightly. Zin seemed to approve, after walked around the Sandslash twice before nodding and sitting next to him. The Houndoom surprised everyone by snuggling against the Sandslash. Romulus looked almost shy to the attention that Zin was giving him, but her insistence won against his shyness. Everyone began to laugh at the pair, and even Mist's giggles echoed inside my head. Even as I joined in the laughter, part of me wanted to scream.

Why did I feel like this?

================ ==========================

I slid across the ground, my head reeling from my world turning upside down. Groaning, I pushed myself off the dirt, only to throw myself to my side as a blast of energy was launched where I was. My body was flung due to the force of the explosion. I managed to land on my feet this time, but my momentum kept me from staying upright. Spirit caught me before I fell a second time, leaning me upright before flying toward her opponent.

This Gallade didn't fight fair, I thought grimly. If that's the way he wants to fight, time to get serious.

He hasn't given us an opportunity to counterattack, and he was just too fast for Spirit to catch. "Spirit, Sandstorm!" I yelled.

With a sharp cry, Spirit's wings began to flap rapidly, the dirt kicking up all around her. A veil of sand and wind began to form, her form barely visible to me, before I was fully engulfed inside the raging storm. I hid my face underneath the collar of my shirt, trying to shield myself from the buffeting grains of sand. Even through the wind, I could hear Spirit's shrieks and cries, the cacophony of sound making me fear for her safety.

"Spirit, Sand Tomb!" I yelled, praying that she could hear me.

The storm around me seemed to intensify, the wind billowing around me almost knocking me forward. The storm seemed to subside slightly, allowing me to see a funnel of wind and sand focused at one point in front of Spirit. My Flygon floated backwards, away from her handiwork, giving me a nod. Before I could react, however, the storm halted by an explosion from the inside, a wave of energy knocking me down. A hand gripped my throat, what precious air I had in my lungs quickly not becoming enough as my head began to pound again.

I looked at the scarred face of the Gallade, a smirk on his face, even while Spirit held his own neck.

Slowly, he put me on the ground, releasing his grip on me. I immediately gasped for air, my legs giving away underneath me. Spirit caught me before my face met the ground.

"You fight incredibly well, for a trainer that has nearly no combat experience," he said, nodding.

The words stung, but I had to agree. I really didn't have any battle experience. It's why I came to him in the first place.

"Both of you should have learned a lesson here," he continued. He addressed me, nodding. "You must learn to trust your Pokémon better. There is nothing more insulting than a trainer that does not trust his companion."

"What do you mean?" I asked, still gasping for breath.

"When you called out that Sand Tomb, your Flygon was more than ready to claw me to shreds," he stated. "She had a distinct combat advantage over me, and even through my vision, it would have been hard to avoid any of her attacks. Condensing the entire storm into one point made it easier for me to detect where you were."

"The second point is to not hold back," he continued. "You could have easily won, even after your first mistake, had you not taken the time to make sure your trainer was safe. Any kind of projectile would have been extremely difficult to dodge."

Spirit nodded, a soft cry coming from her as she bowed her head down to the Gallade. I nodded, turning away from him. I felt ashamed, in all honesty. The Gallade chuckled, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him, a smile clear to see on his face.

"You are doing well, and do not let this drag your spirit," he said, smiling. "Whatever is ahead of you, fight with your heart."

I nodded, and he turned to leave us. Before he left, he spoke. "You must believe in yourself. If you do not, who will?"

He continued walking away from us both, but I didn't follow him immediately. We were leaving in the morning, and what little sunlight that flowed over the treetops told me that it was getting late into the afternoon. I dropped to my knees, anger welling inside of my chest. A yell wanted to claw out of my throat, but I was silenced when I felt Spirit's arms around me. Her low rumbles calmed me as they rolled through my body, as her face rubbed against my cheek softly.

"I'm sorry, Spirit."

She let out a chirping sound, pulling her face from my cheek and turning me so we would be face to face. She shook her head vigorously, a frown etching on her mouth as she looked at me. While I couldn't understand her like Zin or Song, the way she was speaking in her tongue and her animated hand gestures made it clear to me that she didn't want to see me this way. I gently patted her neck in an attempt to calm her down, but she just shook her head and made an indignant cry.

She huffed at me, shaking her head. She quickly looked around, her neck twisting about for a moment. Confused at her actions, I mimicked them, trying to see what she was looking for. When I turned to face her again, I felt her lips press against mine, her thin tongue twirling around my mouth. Caught by surprise, I stayed still, trying to fathom what would motivate her to do this. Her claws grabbed my arms, holding me in place as I struggled against her grip. She finally relented, and I let out a gasp as my lungs expelled whatever stale air I had in them.

I was about to exclaim when I saw that she was to the verge of tears, her eyes beginning to water. Reining in my thoughts, I tried to calm myself down before anything was said that I'd regret. Though her claws stayed on my hands, she allowed me to move. Spirit leaned into my touch, her scales glistening underneath my fingers.

"Spirit," I said, keeping my voice calm. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her clawed hands covering mine and squeezing gently. Her smooth green scales felt warm, as I saw her thin tongue lick at my wrist. The smooth texture of her tongue sent shivers up my spine, releasing my hand from her grasp to mimic me by placing her own claws on my cheek. I felt my cheeks become warm, as Spirit leaned forward. Her tongue followed up my arm slowly, meeting the cloth of my short sleeved shirt with a half-hearted growl. I almost flinched back from her mouth, her teeth nipping my neck. Was she thinking about what I think she is?

"Spirit, what is it?" I asked. "Do you want to...?"

She cut me off with an eager nod, her tongue flicking across my lips before settling back down inside of her maw. Did Song put her up to this, or worse, Zin?

"No, I did."

I turned around, feeling Spirit's claws encircle me when my back was to her, to see Mist floating. A smile adorned her face as she shook her head side to side.

"You must relax, some way or another," she said. "I would do so myself, but my body can stave the urge better than hers."

"Wait, you made her do this?" I asked, horrified at the prospect.

"I may have had a hand in convincing her, but-," she said, before I shook my head and interrupted her.

"Snap her out of it."

Mist's mouth stayed open for a moment after I said my words. She stayed still for a moment, before giving out a sigh.

"I don't want her to regret things, Mist," I said sternly. "I would think that there's a better way to go about this."

She shook her head, and for a moment I thought she would rebut me. Her eyes glowed for a moment, before returning to normal. I was about to ask what did she do now, but I felt Spirit's arms fall from my shoulders. I turned to see her yawn, shaking her head as the scales on her cheeks began to turn red. Mist giggled as she neared, placing a ghostly hand on the Flygon's shoulder. At Spirit's curious look, Mist shook her head, before giving me a look, the ghost's eyes narrowing at me dangerously. I suddenly felt like I was an enemy.

Spirit yawned again, giving me an exhausted look. I patted her neck, as she nuzzled against me for a moment. I pulled out her Pokéball from my belt, and she gave me a nod before I recalled her back inside the device. My eyes locked onto Mist's narrowed gaze, even as I attached Spirit's Pokéball back on my belt.

"Why would you refuse?" she asked coldly. "She has been wishing to be close to you all this time, yet you push her away time and time again."

I looked around, seeing that there was no one within earshot of us. "Mist, do you honestly think that this is the best thing for me to do?" I asked, sighing. "I don't think it's the best way for me to get to know everyone better."

"You didn't hesitate with Song," she argued.

"Because both you and Song wanted it, and you had a legitimate argument," I said, sighing. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming. "You, specifically, mounted the effort that doing the act itself would solidify your spell. Or whatever it was that you did."

She nodded, frowning. "I concede your point there," she said, frowning, "but what about Zin?"

"If you were me, and a Houndoom suddenly invited you to her den, and wanted to do that, would you really argue?" I asked rhetorically. "You know that she could have easily bitten my throat out."

"Or burned you to cinders," Mist added with a giggle.

"Yes, there is that, too," I said, sighing. "Really, Mist, I think you're here just to torture me."

"Is that what you think?" she asked, before laughing in what I could think of a hysterical laugh. "Is that what you truly think?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, but you sure are acting that way."

She stopped laughing as soon as my words rang through. Mist's eyes narrowed at me for a moment, and I could feel my own thoughts being invaded. Only gone through this once before, when Song was still a Kirlia, I closed my eyes and bared the pain that it brought. My stomach felt like it wanted to empty itself, as my eyes began to water and distort my vision. I held on to my head, just trying to hold it still in a vain attempt to make the pain not get any worse. Mist, on the other hand, didn't let me do that.

My hands began to move on their own, away from me. Even through my tear soaked eyes, I could see them lower themselves to my sides. My legs pushed against the ground, lifting me up as I dusted myself off against my own control. Even through blurred vision, I could still make out Mist as she floated in front of me for a moment, before she beckoned me with a motion of her ethereal hands. My body complied before I could react, my feet moving to keep up with my ghostly companion.

My first footsteps were not as smooth as I would normally walk, but she eventually figured it out. The illusion that she had as we paraded through one of the paths became better as we walked. Mist managed to stop making me stumble after the first ten times. Was this the reason she wanted to be inside of me all that time? To be able to control me on a whim, to do whatever she wished with me? I was suddenly very afraid that no one would found it that odd that I was following Mist down the path to wherever we were headed.

Though the few Pokémon spotted us walking down the paths around the village, no one found it suspicious that I was following the Mismagius. No one approached us as we walked to wherever Mist had in mind. The path began to end at one of the edges of the woods, but we continued on our path. Worry began to make its way through my mind, as to what exactly what was Mist's plan.

The sun was filtering through whatever gap the tree cover left. What little light made it through was barely allowing me to see. My legs moved on their own accord still, as I lost my footing stepping on top of rocks or into a depression. We didn't walk too far, I don't think, stopping underneath a rather open area. While the trees still covered the sky above us, sunlight managed to pierce through more than earlier. It reminded me of the place where the moss covered rock in Eterna Forest is, except this area wasn't so open.

I suddenly felt myself collapse as whatever held me gave away. I landed hard on my back, as I tried to get air back in my lungs. A groan of pain escaped my mouth, as I tried to get used to controlling my own body again.

Mist floated above me, a smile appearing on her lips as she floated above me. She tilted her head to the side for a moment, as if contemplating her next move. It didn't take long for that peaceful look on her to turn into something akin of a malicious grin.

"Sit up," she said, with a commanding tone.

I complied as I shook my head, trying to get rid of the dizziness that was throwing me off. Mist floated down on my lap, and I fought the urge to push her away. Not that it would do any good, I think. She can become ethereal and make me look silly as my hands went through her body. Mist sighed, giving me a frown.

"You're supposed to place your hands on my body," she said softly. "Just like Song, or have you forgotten already?"

I looked at her dubiously. "Mist," I said, watching as she stared at me. "Why'd you do that to me?"

"Because you need to learn a few things," she stated clearly. Her ghostly arms wrapped around my neck. "When a female wants you, you don't say no."

I wanted to writhe out of her grasp, but found myself lying back on the ground again. Mist's hands were on my shoulders now. As I stared into her eyes, the sensation that I was no more than prey began to grow. Her eyes glowed with an ominous purple light, and I could feel my pants loosen at my waist.

"You truly must realize that this female wants you," she replied huskily.

I gulped, the sensation of being prey growing stronger by the moment. She leaned down, her thin lips hovering over mine for a brief moment before pressing down gently. It felt odd, her lips leaving a tingling sensation on mine, even as her tongue gently probed against mine. To have her tongue go through my teeth, but feel solid against my cheek wasn't disturbing enough. No, it was the fact that I was enjoying this that was beginning to drive me nuts.

Her lips parted from mine, as I shook my head. "Mist, don't do this," I said, doing my best to give my voice authority.

She smiled down at me, and I could easily tell that she didn't believe the tone of my voice. Mist giggled softly, shaking her head, the smile on her growing larger as she leaned over me again.

"What part of you believes that?" she asked softly. "How much of you wants me to stop? Because I can tell that a part of you wishes for me to continue."

I shivered slightly, ghostly fingers pressing on my chest. They actually went through my shirt, touching the skin. I held back the hiss of pain as her fingers curled, as what felt like sharp claws raking across my skin. I grabbed Mist by her sides, a yell roaring out of my sore throat as I spun us around. With the Mismagius pinned underneath me, I quickly grabbed her Pokéball and expanded it in my hands. Her eyes glowed once more, and my body froze against my wishes. As much as I wanted to recall the wayward ghost, my fingers couldn't operate the device within my grasp.

"And why would you do such a thing?" she asked softly.

I felt my mouth loosen, and I tried speaking. "Because this isn't right, Mist," I said, surprised that talking actually worked. "Because doing this isn't going to make things better."

"I want you to feel better," she whispered.

Something about those words made me hesitate. My body unlocked, released by whatever spell she placed on me. For a moment, I still wanted to stuff her back in her Pokéball. I sighed, shaking my head as I shrunk back her home and attached it to my belt. Which, were attached to my loosened pants, I might say.

Somewhere in my head, I suddenly connected a dot with another. Was she acting this way due to what happened to her in the past? I frowned, chiding myself for being ignorant. Had this been affecting her since yesterday?

"Mist, this doesn't have to do with Zin, does it?" I asked.

She looked at me, and sighed softly. "A little bit," she said. "I want to be part of her pack. And in order to do so, I had to do two things. One, was to help you and Song reconnect, and the second was to be accepted by you."

"Mist, I already accept you," I said, confused. "Wait, you mean physically, don't you?"

She nodded, making a feeling of dread wash over me. "Zin insisted that I had to be able to pleasure you properly, if she was going to allow me to enter her pack."

"And why do you want to be part of Zin's pack?" I asked, perplexed. "I don't mean to offend, but I thought that ghosts didn't put much stock into the physical world."

"I'm here," she said, raising a hand and touching my cheek. "I decided to bind myself to you. Right now, you are the only reason why I'm still here in the physical world."

"And you could leave before?" I asked, confused. "If you could, why did you stay?"

"Song."

I winced, almost physically pulling away from her. Why did everything boil down to Song? What in the world was, or is, she thinking?

"Master, for once in the time that I've known you, do not think about things so much."

I looked down at the ghost and immediately looking away, feeling my cheeks burn. Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried to calm myself down and get my thoughts in order.

"Mist," I said, turning to face her again, "please don't do this just to be accepted by her."

"Then do not think about it like that," she said, frowning. "Think of it as a female that wants to please her master."

"I didn't think you were like this, Mist," I said, hesitantly.

"Like what?" she asked, her ghostly arms wrapping around my neck. "That I could be gentle and quiet?"

"That you would be... um... submitting?"

She laughed at that, shaking her head. "Maybe I was all along?" she offered, leaning up to me. Confound these Pokémon!

"Do we have to be this physical?" I asked, in an attempt to extract myself from this situation.

"I thought that this would aid you in relaxing more," she said with a smile. "You are stressed, from everything that you have learned recently. Not to mention reaching this village, and your reaction to Zin and Joy's Sandslash."

I frowned, remembering that sensation. I still didn't understand why I felt like that. Was I really jealous, of her relieving herself? Was I really that petty? A few more thoughts crossed my mind, until Mist's lips pressed against mine again. This time I only gave a token resistance, before I returned the affection as best I could. She pressed against me possessively, her ghostly body pressing right through my clothes and making me shiver.

My hands traveled to where the frayed ends of her body were, mimicking her as she tightened her grasp on me. I hesitated for a moment, unclear to where should I start, but decided that hesitating would be worse than inexperience. My hand roamed across her gems, warmth playing through my skin as I passed over the smooth surface.

My hand went lower, as I looked at Mist's face. She smiled at me, one of her hands pressing against my cheek. My hands moved closer to the end of her body, fingers exploring what lay underneath. I didn't know what to expect, so I was surprised to continue being able to feel her body. My face must have betrayed surprise, as I heard Mist giggle.

"Surprised?" she asked rhetorically.

I didn't answer, continuing to explore her body underneath her 'clothes'. I felt a spot of wetness against her smooth skin, getting a soft gasp from the ghost. She shook her head, smiling at my curious gaze. She leaned up, her lips pressing against mine once more as my fingers teased against her entrance. A moan quivered out of her as my fingers played against her skin. Mist surprised me when she pushed against my fingers, forcing two of them inside of her. Her tunnel constricted around the probing digits, as I felt my cheeks grow hot as her tongue licked my cheek.

I began to move my fingers, her moans matching the pace I carried. My pace slowed down, and her moans got louder, fingers curling against my skin. I sped up, and her moans quieted to whimpers, her grasp alternating between choking the air from me and slicing my neck to shreds.

When she shook her head, I stopped immediately, wanting to know what she wanted. She was panting heavily, her mouth open as we separated enough so we could see each other's faces properly.

"Why... why did..." she said, barely able to make the words.

"You shook your head," I said, frowning.

"Do not stop on my account," she said, her voice gaining strength. "Or do you feel ready?"

She didn't wait for my answer, as I felt her hands stroking my erection through my boxers. It was an odd sensation, feeling not only the soft fabric rubbing my length, but also her hand through the cloth. My body was already sensitive, so this double stimulation wasn't helping me keep my composure. Mist giggled as I began to pant to her ministrations. A ripping sound startled me, the smile on the ghost's face telling me that I had one less pair of boxers to count on. She didn't let me worry about it, as I felt her hand on my chest. I looked at her for clarification, which she was more than willing to explain.

"Sit," she said.

I removed my fingers from her entrance slowly, a low moan coming from her as I teased her with my fingers. She replied in kind, squeezing my member between her supple fingers, making me gasp in kind. As I pulled away from her to do as she asked, Mist floated off the ground and into my arms. Before I could say anything, she pushed down and engulfed my member within her tunnel. I gasped again, being struck by the temperature clash of her body against mine. As Mist pressed against my upper body, I felt extremely warm. Her fingers raked along my back, small shards of pain only heightening the sensations. Mist's lips pressed against my neck, her warm breath washing over me as she lifted her body to thrust down on me. My waist felt like it was frozen, the liquid that splashed at our joining making me shiver every time it hit my skin. Her arms tensed, fingers digging into my skin as she opened her mouth to let out a high pitched scream. Her canal tightened around me, almost painfully as she reached her peak. I held on tightly to her body, my own pleasure reaching its peak as I spilled my essence into her.

My heart pounded on my chest as she kept moaning softly against me. Her body was limp, in contrast to the tightness that encompassed my member. We are both panting hard, as she rested her head against my chest. Stroking her back, her body shivered as the sounds of crying reached my ears. I almost pulled myself away from her so that we could be face to face, but she shook her head as tears fell on my shirt.

"It's nothing, Master," she said, her words echoing emotion. "I... all I wanted is here now."

I smiled, tightening my embrace around the ghost. "Just promise me that you won't steal me away without warning me," I said, chuckling.

She snuggled against my chest. "I promise, Master," she said softly. She giggled, her hands against my cheeks as she looked up at me. "From now on, I'm yours."

=========== ================== ========================

We had spent some time by ourselves, just talking and enjoying being closer than Mist had ever dreamed of becoming. It was interesting to hear things from her perspective. She's been alive for more than six generations, but she understands the feelings of us mortals. She probably understands things more so than us; seeing she's had to see others pass away while she continues on with no more worse for wear physically. Mentally, however, the years have taxed her greatly, and to me it's a wonder how she continues to press on.

I tried to insist that she didn't need to speak so formally. Her argument is that she knew I found it attractive. I had nothing to rebuke her statement.

The ghost in question was cradled in my hands, as we walked the path back into the village. The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, the afternoon orange colors painting the land and sky. A Lucario and the off colored Sceptile walked towards us, the Lucario holding a lantern on his or her paws.

"Well, it's about time we spoke," a voice said. I immediately thought of Song, but the voice, while clearly female, sounded more mature. Or more like a stereotypical fancy lady that you heard on the television sitcoms.

The Lucario passed the small lantern to the Sceptile, who accepted it with a smile and a nod. I would imagine that the Sceptile would not accept things from someone that he or she didn't know, so I took a wild guess.

"Baast?" I asked, surprised.

The Lucario nodded, giving me a smile. A smile I quite didn't like, in all honesty.

"Master Jonathan asked me to look for you," she said, pointing her thumb behind her. "He suspected that you were fine, until you didn't come back for dinner. Fern here found you earlier doing some training with that Gallade and leaving for the forest with your ghost in tow. She reported to Master and he told us to look for you."

My brain went numb as soon as I heard those words. I looked at the Sceptile, whose blue skin was turning a rather vivid red around the cheeks. Baast laughed out loud, tilting her head back all the while. Fern looked at the Lucario with worry for a moment, before shaking her head. Baast calmed down after a moment, shaking her head. A smile still adorned her face, and it only grew wider as she looked at me.

"So, you're one of those_humans_," she said, sauntering over to me. "What would be the odds?"

I shrugged. "So why are you out here?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Making sure you didn't get stuck doing something you shouldn't be," she said with a laugh.

I felt my cheeks grow hot as I walked past her. Unfortunately, both Pokémon followed. A paw landed on my shoulder, Baast's muzzle entering my peripheral vision. Her lips were parted, giving me a very toothy grin.

"Your scent is strong," she whispered heatedly. "How long did you two spend tied together? How much of your essence did you pump inside of the poor ghost?"

I stopped and looked at her, feeling a mixed bag of emotions. I was somewhere between embarrassed and offended as I spoke.

"You sound just like that Lucario from last night," I said acidly.

"Well, of course I do! She's my sister."

I would cover my face with my palms if I could. Sarcasm must run in the family. That, and a need to embarrass me at any opportunity.

"Well?" she asked, her face practically glowing with mirth.

"Well what?" I asked.

"What did she do to convince you to do the act?" she asked. I turned to continue walking, but the footsteps behind me brought along more questions. "Did she control you? Convince you that there was no other way? Or did you feel compelled by a sad story, and you had to comfort your female?"

No breaks today for me, is there? I shrugged at Baast. "None of your business."

"Its fine, you know," Baast said, continuing as if I didn't say anything. "Some males just prefer their females to be the weak kind. Boost of the ego and whatnot, just what a self-serving male like you would do."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Because you know me oh so well," I said, sarcastically. "Thank you for pointing out my flaws. I'm sure that Jonathan appreciates you belittling me behind his back."

"And you believe he cares?" she asked, before laughing. "My dear human, he's USING you!"

"And so is everyone else," I said dismissively. "Join the club, I already got the shirt."

She gave me a smirk as I turned away from her. She grabbed my shoulder as we passed one of the homes, shaking her head.

"It's here, or did your mating make you forget already?" she asked.

I didn't answer her, but she gave me a Muk eating grin as she opened the door and went inside. The Sceptile stood next to me for a moment, before giving me a look that radiated concern. I shrugged at the blue giant, and Fern gave me a smile. The Pokémon waved ahead of me, urging me onward. I stepped inside, to see Joy and Jonathan were still up. Jonathan gave me a smile as he stood up, walking over and patting me on the shoulder.

"You should get some rest," he said. "We leave in the morning for the monastery."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan," I said with a smile. Jonathan gave me a look just screamed worry.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

For a moment, I wanted to scream yes about his Lucario, but thought better of it. I shook my head. "No, I'm alright," I said, giving an easy smile. "I couldn't be better."

Baast laughed at that. Jonathan raised an eyebrow at me, to which I responded with a shrug. His eyes widened as he looked at the ghost in my arms. His mouth moved, but no words came as he alternated between pointing at me and Mist.

"Yes, Jonathan," I said simply.

"But how did you...? You know what, never-mind. I don't want to know," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

I chuckled as I sat down next to my backpack. Leaning against it, exhaustion quickly came to me. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep, with Mist cradled in my arms.