{"sf1_id":302550,"sf2_id":"yndy38l1","title":"A Trainer's Tale - Chapter 23","author":"FoxStriker25","words":12860,"posted_at":"2011-11-04T23:13:00.000Z","tags":["Human","Lucario","M/F","Mismagius","Pokemon","deoxys","houndoom"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/302550-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-23","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/yndy38l1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/72/12/7212e29b-b7c1-479b-b7f4-e611156f0bb1","description":"#23 of A Trainer's Tale","content":"Fox: _I'll be honest here, I have no idea how this was supposed to go.\u0026nbsp; I just.. kinda did and went going.\u0026nbsp; I'll run along now... have to avoid the stones that are (probably) aimed at me._\u0026nbsp; _The last part was brought up due to a few messages.\u0026nbsp; While it -doesn't- cover everything I wanted, it bugged me the more I thought about it.\u0026nbsp; So, there we go.\u0026nbsp; I'll see about covering it more in-depth, somehow._\u0026nbsp; _And I know it's 'late' for Halloween', but we were kinda busy beforehand in the story..._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBrimcon: _There are some things money can't buy, for everything else, there's UltraCard. Accepted at your local Pokémart._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n**Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using.\u0026nbsp; Thank you.**\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nChapter 23: The Ghast Festival\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI woke up, startled by my head being petted.\u0026nbsp; The room was dark, my heart pounding loudly in my ears as adrenaline coursed through my body.\u0026nbsp; I pushed myself up from the bed, seeing a familiar Lucario laying underneath me.\u0026nbsp; Strong arms wrapped around me, before pulling downwards.\u0026nbsp; My face met her chest, soft fur brushing against my face.\u0026nbsp; I struggled momentarily, until she growled above me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You're a feisty one_.\" Baast said casually.\u0026nbsp; \"_Can't you sleep for an entire night_?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What time is it?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I don't know.\u0026nbsp; Probably close to midnight or so.\u0026nbsp; You were more than happy to curl up and sleep like a child._\" she said, stroking my hair again.\u0026nbsp; \"_Nurse Joy dropped off your Pokémon not too long ago.\u0026nbsp; She wished for you to know, but you were fast asleep when she appeared._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And you weren't?\" I asked curiously.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Well, I am constantly aware of my surroundings_.\" she said, tightening her hug on me.\u0026nbsp; \"_My Aura sight allows me to see even while I sleep.\u0026nbsp; It's why we are so hard to catch unawares._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That doesn't explain why you weren't asleep.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe grabbed my nose between her fingers for a moment before letting go.\u0026nbsp; \"_I was getting to that.\u0026nbsp; We can detect individual Aura's, even while we rest.\u0026nbsp; It was not that I wasn't asleep, it was more that Nurse Joy woke me up_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And that was when?\" I prompted.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I don't know._\" Baast said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"_I haven't looked at the time._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI grabbed at my pockets, feeling my Pokédex still resting against my leg.\u0026nbsp; My fingers grabbed hold of it, forcing myself to open it as I held it in front of me.\u0026nbsp; The glow from the screen blinded me momentarily as the device proudly displayed whatever it was.\u0026nbsp; The device displayed a screen that said \"Scanning...\" as I looked at it.\u0026nbsp; What was it scanning for?\u0026nbsp; Before the concern could become worse, the words displayed turned into a thumbs up, before disappearing.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhat?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe display changed to my team.\u0026nbsp; A new model was added, glowing brightly for a moment before matching the rest.\u0026nbsp; I felt Baast move slightly as my world spun.\u0026nbsp; She snuggled behind me, my back resting against her chest.\u0026nbsp; Her paws covered my hands as I tried to figure out what just happened.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You have a lot of Pokémon._\" she pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Welcome to the madness?\" I offered.\u0026nbsp; \"You're not going to back out now, are you?\u0026nbsp; I don't particularly want to keep that Zapdos.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast shook her head, her fur tickling my neck.\u0026nbsp; \"_I think I can manage_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI smiled in relief.\u0026nbsp; \"Just let me know if there's anything I can do to make the transition any easier.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"At the very least, we can make sure that we have your favorite snack for the road.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer muzzle appeared in my peripheral vision, teeth gleaming in the small light of the Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; \"_Well, since you put it that way... can we get about half a dozen Mago Poffins!?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI blinked.\u0026nbsp; \"What?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Well, you offered!_\" she said, her paws crushing my chest in a hug.\u0026nbsp; \"_And I just so happen to like them very much!\u0026nbsp; And we can get them during The Ghast Festival!\u0026nbsp; You know that you want to._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You know, I haven't gone out for The Ghast Festival in years.\" I said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"I think it would be fun!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Jon hates it._\" she said, shaking her head against me.\u0026nbsp; \"_He never lets us relax half the time._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, I hope you don't scurry away from training.\" I said with a chuckle.\u0026nbsp; \"Also, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_About what?_\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, the whole Darkrai stuff.\u0026nbsp; Then there's Zin to worry about.\u0026nbsp; Not to mention anything else that happens.\u0026nbsp; There seems to be weird things going on with me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shrugged, her paws grasping my shirt tightly.\u0026nbsp; \"_It's better than being bored with Jonathan_.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"_I'll take my chances._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thank you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_For what?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"For... everything?\u0026nbsp; For believing in me?\u0026nbsp; For trusting me?\u0026nbsp; What else?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe laughed, her hug tightening.\u0026nbsp; \"_I'm glad.\u0026nbsp; Sis is going to hate my guts when I show up at the village again with you._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why do you say that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast laughed again, harder if possible.\u0026nbsp; I was afraid that she would wake someone up at this time.\u0026nbsp; \"_She had her sights on YOU ever since you stepped inside the village!_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Arceus!\u0026nbsp; All the Pokémon with me are crazy!\" I said, struggling against her grasp.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast laughed, easily pinning me down as my world flipped around again.\u0026nbsp; With the light of the Pokédex, her wide grin visible in the faint light.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes were wide, almost glinting mischievously as I tried to breathe.\u0026nbsp; Her paws held my hands down, her legs at my sides.\u0026nbsp; If this was any other of my Pokémon, I think my clothes would be flying off my skin by this time.\u0026nbsp; Somehow, her grin widened in my eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFor a split second, I was afraid that she wasn't going to keep her word and get what she wanted.\u0026nbsp; Baast must have seen my reaction, because she shook her head.\u0026nbsp; She was still smiling, but not as domineering as her grin was a few moments ago.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I told you I'm not going to go behind Zin's back._\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"_I am staying to my word, though I like that you're willing_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe leaned down, her lips brushing past mine for a moment.\u0026nbsp; \"What are you doing, Baast?\" I asked, my voice wavering.\u0026nbsp; Her breath was hot on my skin as she breathed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_This is the closest I will be with you._\" she said wistfully.\u0026nbsp; \"_As much as I want to do more... I will hold myself._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised my head, meeting her lips with mine.\u0026nbsp; She made a high pitched sound, before returning the affection immediately.\u0026nbsp; I was surprised by the force behind her actions, but she didn't break anything.\u0026nbsp; The bed protested as slightly as we moved.\u0026nbsp; She pulled back, taking a deep breath before giggling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Well!\u0026nbsp; I can't be blamed now if you instigate the physical contact, now can I?_\" she asked, before giggling again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI smiled at her.\u0026nbsp; It was nice to see her relaxed, though I didn't understand why she was so nervous about meeting Zin.\u0026nbsp; Did she think that Zin would reject her outright?\u0026nbsp; I didn't want a rift starting because of that Houndoom being hard headed.\u0026nbsp; I gave a sigh, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; The look of Baast's face showed concern, but I shrugged.\u0026nbsp; She nodded, bringing her body down on top of mine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Thank you_.\" she whispered softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I don't know for what, though.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_For the kiss._\" she clarified.\u0026nbsp; \"_I feel comfortable around you.\u0026nbsp; It is reassuring that you feel the same way, too._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, a smile on my face.\u0026nbsp; I opened the Pokédex one more time, glad that it wasn't scanning for anything anymore.\u0026nbsp; My fingers moved by instinct, revealing the time to me.\u0026nbsp; Three minutes past five.\u0026nbsp; In the morning.\u0026nbsp; What in the world?\u0026nbsp; I slept for over half a day?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Did I tell you that you looked exhausted when you finally went to sleep?_\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; \"_Because you were.\u0026nbsp; Your Aura was a faint gray around your body.\u0026nbsp; You were physically and mentally drained, far more than anyone else._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm going back to sleep now.\u0026nbsp; You're more than welcome to stay awake if you can't go to sleep.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe laughed again, her muzzle rubbing against my cheek.\u0026nbsp; \"_No way.\u0026nbsp; I'm not going anywhere.\u0026nbsp; Not that I am awake, either._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer paws let go of my hands, resting on my sides.\u0026nbsp; I brought my arms around her body, holding her close to me.\u0026nbsp; Baast giggled softly, but didn't stir as we relaxed and waited for the inevitable sunrise.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=========================////////////////////////=========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMorning came, in the form of Joy coming to our room and kicking the bed.\u0026nbsp; I almost jumped in surprise, but my body was still under Baast.\u0026nbsp; Joy's hair was tied in extremely long pigtails, with a bright yellow shirt and jeans.\u0026nbsp; She looked like she was ready for adventure.\u0026nbsp; She even had her bag slung over her shoulder and everything.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wake up, lazy bum!\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"It's morning, and your breakfast is going to get cold if you don't get your ass up!\"\n\nI turned to face Joy, taking a deep breath.\u0026nbsp; \"Tell that to her.\" I said, pointing to the Lucario above me.\u0026nbsp; Baast laughed, her paws hitting my sides gently.\u0026nbsp; Joy rolled her eyes at us, but the Lucario above me got the message.\u0026nbsp; She rolled off me, Baast helping me to sit up.\u0026nbsp; Joy grabbed my hand, forcing me to stand and following her out of the room.\u0026nbsp; Baast followed us outside, Jon holding our seats as he ate his plate of pancakes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Cheater.\" I said as we approached.\u0026nbsp; \"I haven't had pancakes in years.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You can't lie worth a damn.\" Joy said with a laugh.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe sat down, Baast more than happy to sit next to me.\u0026nbsp; Jonathan raised an eyebrow as she leaned her head against my right shoulder.\u0026nbsp; I did my best to shrug with one shoulder, to not bother Baast with the motion.\u0026nbsp; I was extremely thankful that my injury had healed enough\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Already?\" he asked.\u0026nbsp; I blinked, shaking my head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are you kidding?\" I asked, surprised.\u0026nbsp; \"It's not like we did that.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She's never acted like that around me before.\" he pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm sorry?\" I offered.\u0026nbsp; He waved my apology away.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You better eat before it gets any colder.\" he said, but I was already ahead of his suggestion.\u0026nbsp; I ate with my left hand as quickly as I could, though Baast was quick to grab a piece I cut and eat it.\u0026nbsp; Looking over to the Lucario, she gave me a grin as she chewed happily.\u0026nbsp; Joy laughed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that's one happy Lucario.\" Joy observed.\u0026nbsp; \"I have to say Aaron, you have the touch!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI'm pretty sure that she wasn't one that would say that kind of thing.\u0026nbsp; But then again, she saw me with Baast on my lap while we slept together.\u0026nbsp; So she probably means exactly what she said.\u0026nbsp; Joy grinned at me and laughed.\u0026nbsp; I felt my cheeks warm up, but still ate as best I could.\u0026nbsp; Jon sighed, shaking his head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So, when are we leaving for headquarters?\" Jon asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Probably later today, maybe tomorrow?\" I offered.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm in no hurry to get this done.\u0026nbsp; As long as your boss keeps your end of the bargain, that is.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"He will.\" he said.\u0026nbsp; \"If he won't answer your questions, I'll get them for you myself.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Then we have no reason to hurry then.\u0026nbsp; For once, lets relax before anything starts happening again.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Suit yourselves.\u0026nbsp; But why would we wait here, out of all places.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, we really have nowhere to go.\" Joy said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Unless you have a brilliant plan like yesterdays.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon winced at that.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll figure something out, but I can agree with you.\u0026nbsp; We've been around, haven't we?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"That's putting it mildly.\" I said, pointing my fork at him.\u0026nbsp; \"Flying from one end of a region to another, fighting for our lives, become a breeder, come to Johto to be chased around by a psychotic Zapdos.\u0026nbsp; Life just can't get any better.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Well, it can, you know_.\" Baast said, grabbing another piece of pancake and eating it.\u0026nbsp; \"_Can we stay for The Ghast Festival, please?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's the first time I've heard Baast ask for anything.\" Jon pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast glared out to Jonathan, and he immediately turned to focus on eating what was left of his food.\u0026nbsp; Even if she was technically my Pokémon, she wasn't afraid to exert her influence over him.\u0026nbsp; We all laughed, but Jon shook himself.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So we're going to go trick or treating with a bunch of kids?\" he asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Dude, I'm eighteen.\u0026nbsp; I haven't changed how I acted since I was fifteen.\u0026nbsp; Other than Joy tainting my vocabulary with her colorful swear words.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shit, kid!\" she swore, laughing.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll make a man out of you yet one of these days!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You can't be serious.\" Jon said with a sigh.\u0026nbsp; \"Joy, you can't tell me that you're going to go trick or treating with a bunch of kids.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are you telling me that I'm too old to go trick or treating?\" Joy asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes, I am.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Fuck you!\u0026nbsp; You're never too old for free candy!\u0026nbsp; Ain't that right, Aaron?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Damn straight.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You two are HOPELESS!\" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.\u0026nbsp; \"I hope you're happy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"About free candy?\" Joy asked.\u0026nbsp; \"Why shouldn't I be?\u0026nbsp; Are you kidding?!\u0026nbsp; You probably were some depressed emo kid that never went trick or treating.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast snickered and I did my best to hold my laughter.\u0026nbsp; Jon laughed, though, giving Joy a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Nah.\u0026nbsp; I just think since you're an adult you shouldn't be taking kids candy if you're not going to dress up.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And who said I wasn't?\" she asked back, grinning.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI laughed at Jon's surprised expression.\u0026nbsp; Joy looked over at my direction and grinned from ear to ear.\u0026nbsp; \"Do you have a costume, Aaron?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"Not yet, but you can help me figure something out?\" I said hopefully.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course!\" she exclaimed, clapping excitedly.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, this is going to be great!\u0026nbsp; Baast, are you coming with us, too?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Can I?\u0026nbsp; I've always loved to go out during a Ghast Festival.\u0026nbsp; But a certain somebody was too busy to allow us._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We would be in the middle of work!\" Jon exclaimed, frowning.\u0026nbsp; \"You weren't complaining when we had to be fighting.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_While that may be true, I would have enjoyed to be out having fun with you as well._\" Baast pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm suddenly very glad I don't have to handle your affection.\" Jon pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You never enjoyed it, so I used it to tease you.\u0026nbsp; I'm glad that I have a trainer that appreciates it AND enjoys my company._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised an eyebrow, surprised at her words.\u0026nbsp; \"Baast, I don't think you should say things like that.\" I cautioned.\u0026nbsp; \"We don't want to dredge up stuff.\u0026nbsp; This is a new start for you, right?\u0026nbsp; Let's not pull the old up with it the new.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Lucario looked at me with surprise in her eyes.\u0026nbsp; She smiled brightly though, nodding at me.\u0026nbsp; Baast turned to Jon and lowered her head.\u0026nbsp; Jon waved the apology.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I kind of deserved that.\" he said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"I appreciate it Aaron, but it's true.\u0026nbsp; I am a workaholic, and it hurt my relationship I had with most of my Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Still working on making that better.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then why don't we all go trick or treating?\" Joy asked.\u0026nbsp; \"We can bring all our Pokémon!\u0026nbsp; I'm sure that not a single one of them is going to complain if they're going to get sweets and be up to all hours of the night.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I think that sounds like a wonderful idea!_\" Baast said, nodding.\u0026nbsp; \"_I'm sure that no one would object_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, lets run it through everyone so that we all know the plan.\" Joy said with a nod.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sure that we can work here with my sister to make some extra cash if we need it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That would be amazing.\" I said with a nod.\u0026nbsp; A flash of inspiration hit me.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh!\u0026nbsp; Do you think Nurse Joy has one of those fancy telecommunicators?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course I do!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe turned around to see Nurse Joy giving us a smile.\u0026nbsp; She nodded at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Yes, we do.\u0026nbsp; Did you want to call someone?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"My parents.\u0026nbsp; It's been some time since I've last talked to them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then why don't you come along now?\u0026nbsp; Your Lucario seems to have eaten the rest of your food without you paying attention.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI turned around to see Baast put the last of my pancakes in her mouth, with half of it hanging out of her mouth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast!\" I exclaimed, grabbing the bit that was left.\u0026nbsp; She tugged back, ripping it readily in half.\u0026nbsp; Half being relative, as it looked like I ended up with an eighth of a piece instead.\u0026nbsp; Everyone laughed, as Baast chewed on her piece and I popped mine in my mouth.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario looked satisfied, but she gave me a worried look for a moment.\u0026nbsp; I shrugged, pulling her hand and insisting that she stand with me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI turned to Nurse Joy.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm ready.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n===================/////////////////////////==============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh, sweetheart!\" Mom exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm so glad to see that everything is OK.\u0026nbsp; But why are you calling from Johto?\u0026nbsp; Is that a mistake?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No Mom, it isn't a mistake.\u0026nbsp; I'm really here in Blackthorn City.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"But why?\u0026nbsp; Are you in trouble?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No Mom.\u0026nbsp; I'm perfectly fine.\u0026nbsp; We're all fine here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are all your Pokémon fine, too?\" Dad asked, peering over Mom's shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"You better not be lying to me, young man.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"No Dad, I wouldn't lie.\u0026nbsp; Everyone's fine over here.\u0026nbsp; We've had other issues, but we're all alright now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Other issues?\u0026nbsp; Nothing with authority?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No Dad, I promise.\u0026nbsp; I'm not in trouble with the police or anything.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe looked at me over Mom's shoulder with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"Good man, then.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How's been the digs?\" I asked, trying to change the subject.\u0026nbsp; \"I did leave before we finished that last one.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's been going great, actually!\" Mom answered excitedly.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll be moving further into the ruins soon, too.\u0026nbsp; You're help is definitely missed, but we've managed as best we've been able to.\u0026nbsp; It's just like if you were still a kid, or you were out helping out at the Pokémon Center.\u0026nbsp; We've handled it quite well, I think.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"All things considered, right?\" I asked with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"We got things done really quick when I helped.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"WHEN you helped and weren't distracted by thinking about Pokémon!\u0026nbsp; Or being distracted by the Unown!\" Dad said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"It's fine, though.\u0026nbsp; It's not that we're strangers to hard work.\u0026nbsp; We're just glad that everything is working out for you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, the trainer life hasn't been ideal, that's for sure.\" I said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"It's definitely taught me that a warm bed is amazing to appreciate.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Missing home already?\" Dad asked, grinning.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I miss both of you, but it's been a real adventure out here.\" I said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"I've met two friends, too.\u0026nbsp; One of them is a Johto Ranger, the other a world renown Pokémon Breeder.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well aren't you in good company!\" Mom exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm so glad that you're safe, Aaron.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And you're both safe too, aren't you?\" I asked back.\u0026nbsp; If there was one thing I needed to know, it was this.\u0026nbsp; My parents had to be safe.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're perfectly fine.\" Mom said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Nothing out of the ordinary out here.\u0026nbsp; By the way, you should have a lot of money to your name.\u0026nbsp; We've been putting in money on a weekly basis to your account.\u0026nbsp; Have you been needing any more?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMoney?\u0026nbsp; \"Um... actually I haven't been using a lot of money recently, so I should have more than enough.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Really?\u0026nbsp; Can you check your account from your Pokédex?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI grabbed my Pokédex, fiddling with the buttons for a moment before finding it through the multiple menu's of Pokémon health and status functions.\u0026nbsp; I found a menu with my name clearly visible, as well as my current status as a Pokémon Breeder.\u0026nbsp; Underneath that was a neat little area space where quite the large number was printed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Am I reading this number right?\" I asked, bringing the Pokédex to the camera.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, it says you have four hundred fifty thousand.\u0026nbsp; That sounds about right.\" Mom said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Are you needing more?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"No, I don't think so.\u0026nbsp; Dad, have you been worrying about me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Me?\u0026nbsp; Nah!\u0026nbsp; You're my boy!\u0026nbsp; You're always safe!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nRight, because falling off a bridge doesn't count as a near death experience.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"He's practically crying himself to sleep almost every night.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Have not!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes you do!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Alright!\u0026nbsp; Mom, Dad, I have to get going.\u0026nbsp; I'm getting weird looks from people over here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No you aren't.\u0026nbsp; You shouldn't lie to your mom when there's a camera pointing at your face.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDamn.\u0026nbsp; Mom smiled at me anyway.\u0026nbsp; \"It's fine, we needed to go anyway.\u0026nbsp; There's a few interviews were having in a few hours and we need to prepare.\u0026nbsp; You stay safe alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I will, mom.\u0026nbsp; Please take care of dad, too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I do not need to be babysat!\" Dad yelled, just before the connection cut.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You have interesting parents_.\" Baast said with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh, not you too.\" I said with a sigh.\u0026nbsp; \"The next thing I need is Zin having a fit because you joined in.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================/////////////////////==============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Pokémon Center had a small area in the back for trainers if they needed an open area to relax.\u0026nbsp; I made quick use of it, though I made sure with Nurse Joy that it was alright.\u0026nbsp; With her blessing, I made my way over there quickly and released everyone out of their Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; It was a sight to see, if I was a judge of sights.\u0026nbsp; Though I have to say that getting drowned in fur and limbs is not something to be repeated on a constant basis.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen everyone had settled down, I called for everyone's attention.\u0026nbsp; \"I want to cover two things, so if I can have your attention I'll stop talking faster.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The Ghast Festival is arriving in a few days, and since we're not leaving for a while I thought everyone would like to stay for that.\u0026nbsp; Joy has the grand idea of going trick or treating, and suggested that everyone came along.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone?\" Zin asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone.\u0026nbsp; That is, if you want to come along of course.\u0026nbsp; There's Poffins and candy in if you do.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone cheered in excitement.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys looked a bit confused, but Spirit noticed and explained what was going on to the confused Psychic type.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"OK, we all know what happened yesterday.\" I said, continuing to the second point of today.\u0026nbsp; \"I just wanted to say thank you for trusting and believing in me.\u0026nbsp; We wouldn't have done it without that.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI got an affirmative of some kind from everyone, excluding Xola.\u0026nbsp; Zin called her down closer to her, and they talked softly between the two of them.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Anyway, what I wanted to bring up was that Zapdos is making a full recovery, so we'll be getting our answers as soon as she's fit.\" I continued, motioning to Baast.\u0026nbsp; \"Also, since Zapdos is Jon's responsibility, Baast has taken the initiative to trade herself willingly so Jonathan can do whatever it is to be done with Zapdos.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You WHAT?!\" Zin exclaimed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Excuse me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You traded Zapdos for her?\u0026nbsp; Are you insane?!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked at the Houndoom, confused at her outburst.\u0026nbsp; Why was this a problem?\u0026nbsp; Zin bolted suddenly, but Xola reacted just as quickly.\u0026nbsp; The Milotic's body pinning the Houndoom to the ground.\u0026nbsp; I blinked, taking a step back.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You better have a really good reason why it smells like she just got off all over you.\" she snarled at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Because if you don't, I'll roast you alive!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Zin, you're overreacting.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"Baast and I did not do anything behind your back.\u0026nbsp; In fact, Baast wanted to speak with you before anything happened.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Liar!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised an eyebrow.\u0026nbsp; \"Have I needed to lie to you before?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"What did I do to make you think like this?\u0026nbsp; You expected me to keep that psychotic bird with me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI didn't get a response from her with those questions.\u0026nbsp; I sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Look, Zapdos wasn't my responsibility.\u0026nbsp; Ultimately, she was Jon's problem.\u0026nbsp; Joy didn't mention that she had Pokéballs on her, so I couldn't risk that.\u0026nbsp; It was either we did something to save her, or we did nothing and she died.\u0026nbsp; And in all honesty, I'd rather do something.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She tried to kill you?\" Xola asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zapdos?\u0026nbsp; Yeah.\u0026nbsp; Death by disembowelment it would have been.\u0026nbsp; If it wasn't for Baast, it would have happened.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe sudden lurch of my thoughts being snared made my eyes water instantly.\u0026nbsp; Baast grabbed me before my feet gave out from under me.\u0026nbsp; The sky looked pretty today.\u0026nbsp; Was it almost noon already?\u0026nbsp; The sun was hanging high in the sky.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"He is not lying, Zin.\" Deoxys said from somewhere.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Deoxys?\" I called.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Next time, if you're going to rip out my thoughts, please do it a little more gently.\" I pleaded.\u0026nbsp; \"I feel like ten minutes of my life are suddenly gone.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rubbed my temples, Baast helping me sit up.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys came up to me, all four of her tentacles wrapping around my torso and lifting me up.\u0026nbsp; She held me close to her chest, the jewel embedded in her body glowing a bright blue.\u0026nbsp; Everyone walked up to us, Zin at the head of the group.\u0026nbsp; They all looked concerned at my condition, but I smiled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm fine.\" I said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Other than the migraine that I feel coming on.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I apologize, Master.\" Deoxys said.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes avoided looking at me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled, patting one of the tentacles around me.\u0026nbsp; \"It's fine.\u0026nbsp; You just overdid it.\u0026nbsp; I'm still alive, and I can live without the ten minutes of me not talking with my parents.\u0026nbsp; Though oddly I still remember that.\u0026nbsp; Whatever.\u0026nbsp; It probably ended up being like three minutes of my life.\u0026nbsp; In the end, everything is alright and I don't want you beating yourself over it, understood?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDeoxys nodded, her tentacles relaxing from my waist as Zin walked forward.\u0026nbsp; Somehow, I could feel the antagonistic energy in the air.\u0026nbsp; It didn't help the fact that dark embers were floating from the Houndoom's mouth.\u0026nbsp; Baast walked in front of me, but I walked in between both of the female Pokémon before anything too drastic happened.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin and Baast.\" I said loudly.\u0026nbsp; I only continued when both recognized my voice.\u0026nbsp; \"We're going to talk about this, civilly.\u0026nbsp; We don't need a rift forming between us, especially since we haven't even come close to what the real dangers are.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone else, you're more than welcome to stay with Joy or Jonathan, or go back inside your Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; This shouldn't take long either way.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAll of my friends voted to go back in their Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; Surprisingly, even Deoxys and Mist were recalled without complaint.\u0026nbsp; I only relaxed when everyone was recalled, and even then it was slightly.\u0026nbsp; The fear of both of these Pokémon to go to blows was too real of a possibility.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We need to talk.\" I said with finality.\u0026nbsp; \"We're not going to get very far if I have to hold someone down.\u0026nbsp; Nobody is going to take each other seriously with a human on top of them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBoth Pokémon nodded at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Also, I need you both to not attack each other.\u0026nbsp; Both of you know I would be hard pressed to dodge your attacks, or survive one for that matter.\u0026nbsp; It's really important that you actually not try to kill each other, alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes, Master.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBoth Zin and Baast answered at the same time.\u0026nbsp; They both growled at each other, teeth bared without much of a thought to what they just agreed to.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, rubbing my eyes.\u0026nbsp; I was thankful that they both stopped when I started to groan in frustration.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right... headache.\u0026nbsp; Sorry.\" Zin whimpered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's fine.\u0026nbsp; I just want to know why do you think Baast would take advantage of the situation.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And you don't think anyone else would?\" she countered.\u0026nbsp; \"I would have!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, any time you're not thinking of sex is when you're being satisfied.\u0026nbsp; And then, you're just looking to the next time it can happen.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And your point is?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, covering my face with my palms.\u0026nbsp; \"If you don't trust me, why didn't you trust Deoxys' verdict?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin narrowed her eyes at me.\u0026nbsp; \"I could smell her on you.\" she said, growling.\u0026nbsp; \"Her scent.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I did not do such acts behind your back, Zin._\" Baast growled back.\u0026nbsp; \"_I specifically told our Master that I wished to gain your permission before following up with my own desires.\u0026nbsp; It would be extremely bad form to not go through his mates._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And why didn't you bring this up before!?\" Zin demanded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You were indisposed_.\" Baast answered.\u0026nbsp; \"_By the time Nurse Joy returned you all to our Master's room, he was finally resting.\u0026nbsp; I didn't want to bother both you and him with my problems.\u0026nbsp; I can control myself.\u0026nbsp; He did kiss me on the muzzle, but that was it_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You kissed her.\" Zin deadpanned.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI felt the hairs on my neck stand.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, though, feeling that lying wouldn't be worth the effort here.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, I did.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"May I ask why?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSomething told me that when a very loud mouthed individual begins to speak calmly, run.\u0026nbsp; The grin that was beginning to form on Zin's muzzle wasn't helping me either.\u0026nbsp; I figured that answering honestly was the best policy in this situation.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast confessed that she had feelings for me, but was afraid to act on them due to not speaking to you or anyone else beforehand.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"I didn't want her to wait that long.\u0026nbsp; Zin, we slept together for like... thirteen hours.\u0026nbsp; Maybe more, I'm not sure, but I promise you that we didn't do anything.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin looked at me with a thoughtful expression.\u0026nbsp; Her entire body was still.\u0026nbsp; Even her tail, a limb that would normally be ceaseless in motion, was frozen.\u0026nbsp; I dreaded that I said something wrong.\u0026nbsp; Whatever she had thought of, it shook the Houndoom out of her frozen state.\u0026nbsp; Her body became alive again, a grin creeping up on her muzzle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast, can we talk?\u0026nbsp; In private, please?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Lucario gave me a look and I shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"It's your call.\" I offered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast nodded, walking towards Zin.\u0026nbsp; The faced each other for a moment, before Zin turning around and walking a few steps away from us.\u0026nbsp; Baast took one last look over her shoulder before following Zin.\u0026nbsp; They stood side to side, and while I could hear them talking it wasn't in the human tongue.\u0026nbsp; Baast was even talking like a regular Pokémon and not with that psychic mumbo jumbo.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, rubbing my right shoulder gently.\u0026nbsp; I was glad that it finally healed, that's for sure.\u0026nbsp; It sure beat being bed-ridden or worse.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was glad that things were finally calming down.\u0026nbsp; Beats being chased by a Zapdos, that's for sure.\u0026nbsp; I was curious what they were talking about, but it probably concerned me.\u0026nbsp; All of me.\u0026nbsp; Having Zin being a sex mad Houndoom was starting to become a worry.\u0026nbsp; She kept it under control, though... usually.\u0026nbsp; What was she thinking?\u0026nbsp; And why the sudden need to have other 'worthy females'?\u0026nbsp; The danger wasn't an unknown factor to me.\u0026nbsp; I just want everyone to be safe when the fallout hits.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhat bothered me the most is that the Zapdos was relatively mild in comparison to Darkrai.\u0026nbsp; Maybe what she said was true, and she wasn't at full power.\u0026nbsp; Then were we getting stronger?\u0026nbsp; I didn't want to think that we've been at a standstill all this time.\u0026nbsp; Everyone had worked really hard during those two weeks.\u0026nbsp; Even Jon was impressed with how much dedication everyone put in.\u0026nbsp; I rested my chin on my hands as I looked at the two ladies ahead of me.\u0026nbsp; The faint sound of a laugh pulled my attention.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_WHAT?!_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was startled at Baast's exclamation.\u0026nbsp; What happened?\u0026nbsp; Zin was rolling on the ground, laughing her head off.\u0026nbsp; Baast had her hands balled up into fists, though I hoped more out of surprise than anything.\u0026nbsp; Zin shook her head, continuing to speak in their own tongue.\u0026nbsp; Baast calmed down, though she shook her head.\u0026nbsp; Zin approached her, leaning against the Lucario's legs.\u0026nbsp; She kneeled down to be at equal level with Zin, who turned to her and smiled widely.\u0026nbsp; Then they both turned to me.\u0026nbsp; A look that I've only really seen on Zin was on both of their faces.\u0026nbsp; It made my blood run cold.\u0026nbsp; My body reacted before any thought could process.\u0026nbsp; My limbs scrambled to stand and push my body away.\u0026nbsp; I might have taken a step before Baast tackled me to the ground.\u0026nbsp; My world spun around, ground and sky replacing each others spots as I rolled.\u0026nbsp; A gasp escaped me when a Houndoom dropped on my chest suddenly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin was grinning down at me.\u0026nbsp; Baast tightened her hold on my body.\u0026nbsp; Though it was probably impossible for me to escape her, I really didn't want to.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're going to like what I have planned for you.\" Zin said happily.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Something tells me it revolves around sex, you, and probably including Baast.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How'd you know?!\" she exclaimed, laughing.\u0026nbsp; I sighed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, I don't mean to be rude, but you're easy to figure out.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Am not!\"\n\n\"You're right, you're not.\u0026nbsp; I'm a guy.\u0026nbsp; I can't understand female thinking.\u0026nbsp; But you have to admit that sex isn't far away when you think about me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"_Perhaps, but it wasn't what she was thinking.\u0026nbsp; I thank you for offering the suggestion, though._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI blinked, before having the sudden urge to pound my skull into the earth.\u0026nbsp; \"I really need to keep my mouth shut around you.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Your mind isn't that safe, either!\" Zin exclaimed with a bark.\u0026nbsp; \"Mist is always letting me know what you're thinking.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sneaky ghost.\u0026nbsp; And I imagine that you have Spirit giving you updates on my sleeping patterns, too?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're good.\" she answered with a wink.\u0026nbsp; I didn't know if I should take her seriously or not.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, shaking my head in defeat.\u0026nbsp; \"I give up.\u0026nbsp; It's not like I've ever tried to stop you before.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin laughed, her paws rubbing my chest.\u0026nbsp; \"See?\u0026nbsp; I told you he was smart.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast's paws tightened around me.\u0026nbsp; \"_I know._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Houndoom laughed happily.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's get him up.\u0026nbsp; We have much to talk about.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin got off my chest, allowing me to stand up.\u0026nbsp; I helped Baast stand up, her paws holding my hands tightly.\u0026nbsp; We headed back inside the Pokémon Center when we met Joy.\u0026nbsp; She smiled and waved at me, walking over to us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So, did you ask everyone?\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; She looked at Baast and Zin.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, I'm afraid to ask what they talked about.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Please, don't.\" I pleaded.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm scared enough as is.\u0026nbsp; Your sister is just as bad as Zin.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy laughed, shaking her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Either case, what was their answer?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone agreed.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"They were all excited about it, too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Good!\" she exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"Do you want to go out and look at costumes?\u0026nbsp; Or did you have something specific in mind?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll go with her.\" she offered.\u0026nbsp; She gave me a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't expect that this saves you from me.\u0026nbsp; Hand her everyone's Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; I'll make sure that she doesn't get anything too... fruity.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy laughed, giving me a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"It's your call.\" she said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"I was thinking of something that would go together with the costume I had in mind for Zin.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We'll see about that.\" the Houndoom replied with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"Well?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked over to Baast.\u0026nbsp; \"Think we can trust her?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_She is trusting me with you, so I must do the same._\" Baast replied.\u0026nbsp; \"_I believe her._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Treat him gently now, alright?\" Zin called as she walked over to Joy's side.\u0026nbsp; Joy raised an eyebrow but I shrugged.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How much money do you need?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just hand me your wallet.\u0026nbsp; I promise I won't go overboard.\u0026nbsp; I'll try to find simple things and not full blown costumes.\u0026nbsp; We both don't have the space for a pile of useless junk.\u0026nbsp; And in all honesty, I have no idea how Deoxys will want to dress up as.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I trust both of you.\" I said, passing over my Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; \"I should have enough money for everything.\u0026nbsp; I'll be here if you need anything.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast unbuckled my belt, the Pokéballs being held in their respective clasps.\u0026nbsp; Joy wrapped it up in a loose bundle, holding it in her hand.\u0026nbsp; She gave me a grin, waving at me with Zin walking next to her.\u0026nbsp; I felt a small amount of unknown dread creep up my back.\u0026nbsp; Baast grabbed hold of my shoulders, turning me around and pushing me to our room.\u0026nbsp; The door was unlocked, with Baast pushing me in.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=========================/////////////////////============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI landed face down on the bed.\u0026nbsp; The room was quiet and dark.\u0026nbsp; The only sounds were my breathing and the soft footsteps that Baast would make as she made her way to the bed.\u0026nbsp; Flipping myself over, Baast was quick to keep me pinned.\u0026nbsp; I gave a token struggle, trying to gain the upper hand in the situation.\u0026nbsp; She didn't let me, though, her paws holding me firmly and her legs tightening on my sides.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast?\" I called hesitantly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe laughed above me.\u0026nbsp; \"_Are you scared?_\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSlightly.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe.\" I answered with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"You like being in control, don't you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I don't intend to lose it._\" she answered, her lips grazing mine.\u0026nbsp; Before I could form a thoughtful answer, they pressed against me fiercely.\u0026nbsp; Not to be outdone by the eager Lucario, I kissed back to match her fervour.\u0026nbsp; Her tongue fought against mine, hers winning easily as she explored my mouth.\u0026nbsp; A bit of our mixed saliva escaped our joined lips, lines slowly oozing over my cheeks.\u0026nbsp; Her teeth grazed my lips, making me pull away from her.\u0026nbsp; Baast's paws flew to the sides of my head, holding me still as she deepened our kiss.\u0026nbsp; Her tongue soothed where her teeth touched me, as if to tell me that all was alright.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith my hands now free, I touched the sides of her face.\u0026nbsp; She didn't flinch at the contact, her paws only traveling to my hair and gripping it tightly.\u0026nbsp; She pulled gently, thankfully not enough to hurt but more than enough to get my attention.\u0026nbsp; Her fur was soft under my fingers as I explored her back.\u0026nbsp; Her tail thumped against my legs, even as she pulled away to breathe.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe grinned at me, her paws groping at my sides.\u0026nbsp; \"_You need to take this off._\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"_Or else, I'm going to rip it off._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI don't need any ripped shirts, thank you.\u0026nbsp; I raised my hands over my head, and Baast was more than happy to remove the offending article.\u0026nbsp; Without the shirt, her paws roamed over my chest, a rumble of appreciation coming from her.\u0026nbsp; Her paws explored lower, touching at the waist of my pants.\u0026nbsp; She tugged at them for a moment, the button popping at her insistence.\u0026nbsp; Her paws touched at my arousal, a cold shiver running down my spine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, you surely did not waste any time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast jumped off me, as Mist slowly emerged from my crotch area.\u0026nbsp; The Mismagius laughed as she emerged from my body.\u0026nbsp; She floated over, shaking her head with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Do not mind me too much.\" she said with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What are you doing here, Mist?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; She laughed again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Does a ghost need a disguise during The Ghast Festival?\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; \"I do not think so.\u0026nbsp; At Zin's suggestion, I came here to make sure you were well in the mood.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_That you successfully ruined!_\" Baast yelled, before storming off.\u0026nbsp; The Mismagius looked confused as Baast opened and shut the door behind her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Did I...?\" she asked softly.\u0026nbsp; I nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh dear, I apologize, Master.\u0026nbsp; Zin also encouraged me to join.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI covered my face with my palms.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't think Baast was ready for an interruption.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe ghost nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I apologize, Master.\u0026nbsp; I must say that this time of year, my kind does get more rambunctious than usual.\u0026nbsp; I was more than eager to be with you again.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHuh?\u0026nbsp; My eyes fell on the Mismagius, who was thoughtfully looking towards me.\u0026nbsp; She smiled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I will explain.\u0026nbsp; During this time that you humans celebrate The Ghast Festival, we ghosts get more... excited than normal.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"When you say excited... you mean you're horny.\" I deadpanned, standing up from the bed.\u0026nbsp; Mist passed me my shirt that Baast threw to the ground.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, since you put it so eloquently, yes.\u0026nbsp; Did you ever wonder why I insist in having such contact while you are pleasuring the others?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I have, though the thought went more along the lines that maybe you just enjoyed it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"As much as I enjoy being inside of you and feeling you do the act, it is much better actually doing the act.\" she responded.\u0026nbsp; I stopped myself from rolling my eyes, but I couldn't help to chuckle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So you need satisfaction.\u0026nbsp; Is there a negative side to this?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Our powers run out of our control.\" she explained.\u0026nbsp; \"This is why hauntings happen.\u0026nbsp; It is the excess of power that is not contained within our bodies due to our excited nature at this time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist followed me as I opened the door and closed it behind me.\u0026nbsp; Baast was standing in front of me, the fur around her eyes matted with tears.\u0026nbsp; I slowly reached out to her, as to not startle her.\u0026nbsp; She let me touch her shoulder, her body shivering under my touch.\u0026nbsp; I brought her to me, hugging her gently.\u0026nbsp; Her paws grabbed hold of my sides, gripping me tightly.\u0026nbsp; Her body shuddered as we stood together.\u0026nbsp; My hands stroked her back as tears landed on my neck.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I apologize.\" Mist said.\u0026nbsp; Baast shook her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_No, I should apologize._\" she said softly.\u0026nbsp; \"_I was ready and willing to share our Master with Zin, but not with anyone else.\u0026nbsp; I didn't trust her judgement like I promised._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm sure that it was a complete misunderstanding.\" I said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll try again whenever you're ready, alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast nodded, sniffling against my shirt.\u0026nbsp; She pulled back, standing on her own power.\u0026nbsp; A smile formed on her muzzle as she nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"_Promise?_\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course.\u0026nbsp; I don't think Zin would let me off the hook if I didn't.\u0026nbsp; Seeing her mad makes me do things properly.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast laughed, and relief washed over me.\u0026nbsp; \"_Well, let's make sure that Joy got us something that isn't embarrassing._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"If she did, I'll just buy candy and sit in the room.\" I said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Make her wear it and see how she likes it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================/////////////////////////==========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSeeing Zin purposefully wearing anything resembling human clothing was a scary thought.\u0026nbsp; That it was her choosing made it terrifying.\u0026nbsp; That the fact that the intention of the costume was that it was similarly matched did not escape my awareness.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It means that I claim you.\" she said as I drank some water.\u0026nbsp; My throat almost convulsed at that, the liquid going down the wrong tube.\u0026nbsp; Breathing became much easier when Baast came over and hit my back a few times.\u0026nbsp; The gasp of sweet night air filling my lungs was something I wasn't going to get tired of.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks, Zin.\" I said between gasps.\u0026nbsp; \"Appreciate it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin was wearing something that looked like a black wedding dress.\u0026nbsp; Obviously fitted for her frame, and without much of the frill behind.\u0026nbsp; Her tail wagged in the air as she looked at me.\u0026nbsp; Resting on her horns was a golden colored crown, inlaid with plastic gems.\u0026nbsp; Price: fifteen thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast stood next to me, a smile on her muzzle.\u0026nbsp; She was dressed in white strips of cloth, that would cover a ladies modesty.\u0026nbsp; Her muzzle was hidden behind a thin veil, with thin golden chains and bells hanging from her costume.\u0026nbsp; Price: ten thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAkalia actually got a dye job, the black fur streaked in a multitude of reds and yellow.\u0026nbsp; When I say the black fur, no section of her body was untouched.\u0026nbsp; The streaks were in the shape of lightning bolts, elaborately designed.\u0026nbsp; Her fur was washed, shining in the light.\u0026nbsp; Price: seventy five hundred.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nXola and Spirit wore a matching garb of green.\u0026nbsp; Flower designs made them look like handmaidens in some kind of fantasy novel.\u0026nbsp; The dress for Xola was as long as her upper body, so it wouldn't get dirty on the ground.\u0026nbsp; Xola's had more aquatic plant life stitched into her dress, in contrast with Spirit's more earthly floral arrangement.\u0026nbsp; Both Pokémon had cloaks attached, Xola's having an elaborate waterfall and Spirit's emblazoned with the sun above a mountaintop.\u0026nbsp; Price for both: twenty-five thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDeoxys costume was something more elaborate.\u0026nbsp; For some reason, Joy had the grand idea of dressing her as some kind of witch or magician.\u0026nbsp; The black dress was huge on her frame, the sewed edges making a pattern of shooting stars.\u0026nbsp; The main dress had sleeves for all four of her tentacles, each sleeve with similar design to the hem of the dress.\u0026nbsp; The dress itself sparkled in the light, probably due to the high amount of glitter embedded into the fabric.\u0026nbsp; A matching hat, too big for her, completed the set.\u0026nbsp; I thanked Arceus that, at the very least, it didn't have a little pointed star at the top.\u0026nbsp; Price: thirty thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist had outright refused to have a costume.\u0026nbsp; She argued that it wasn't worth hiding herself behind a mask of any kind.\u0026nbsp; Joy, not taking no for an answer, bought her a Spell Tag.\u0026nbsp; Now it was impossible to not see the Mismagius with a funny little piece of paper hanging from her 'hat'.\u0026nbsp; Price: five thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora was apparently extremely hard to please.\u0026nbsp; The little ice princess just couldn't find anything she liked.\u0026nbsp; This is, of course, according to Zin.\u0026nbsp; She finally settled in a similar costume to Deoxys', except the dress being blue in coloration instead of black.\u0026nbsp; Not satisfied with a palette swap, she demanded fragile wings attached to the back of her little gown.\u0026nbsp; And of course, no little ice princess would be without their little magic wand.\u0026nbsp; Because a Weavile needed a wand to freeze things to solid blocks of ice.\u0026nbsp; Price: twenty thousand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was dressed with an elegant black jacket with a white shirt underneath.\u0026nbsp; A matching pair of slacks and shoes completed the simple costume.\u0026nbsp; Joy had gotten her hands on a very large make-up kit, and soon demanded that I be more scarier.\u0026nbsp; Fake teeth were gotten at the last second, and with some red marks around my eyes and lips, I was a homemade vampire.\u0026nbsp; Price: fifteen thousand.\u0026nbsp; The teeth were free.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were all outside the Pokémon Center, finishing setting up a few things that Nurse Joy asked us to.\u0026nbsp; We were all more than willing to help out, especially if it nets us another day here.\u0026nbsp; I really didn't want Jonathan's boss to pull another bright idea from his fat butt in telling us to stay at Ranger HQ.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA group of kids passed by, dressed up a wild assortment of costumes.\u0026nbsp; From the lot, I spotted at least three pirates and one ninja.\u0026nbsp; I laughed, knowing that if it came to a fight, that would be a hard one to bet who would win.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith bowls of candy in hand, we handed out the sweets.\u0026nbsp; I don't think many of the kids expected someone with a bunch of Pokémon helping, much less dressing up for the occasion.\u0026nbsp; A man, either a parent or guardian, actually came up to me and asked the very same.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled, removing the fake teeth from my mouth so I could speak properly.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, I was just thinking the same thing.\" I pointed out to him.\u0026nbsp; \"I haven't celebrated The Ghast Festival in years, and everyone wanted to be a part of it.\u0026nbsp; And I went 'Why not?', right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe man nodded, giving me a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"Totally.\u0026nbsp; It's nice to see the kids be carefree for a night.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; I was about to continue when in the distance a familiar set of horns appeared in the shadows of the night.\u0026nbsp; The moonlight highlighted a parasol being held high above the Sawsbuck's head, as his rider steered without a word.\u0026nbsp; She rode towards us, people walking out of the Pokémon's way and trying to get a good look at the rider.\u0026nbsp; The Sawsbuck stopped next to us, and I extended my arm to aid the rider in stepping down.\u0026nbsp; A gloved hand reached out to mine, the riders pink dress allowing her to slide down.\u0026nbsp; Nothing too frilly, though not form-fitting.\u0026nbsp; Upon landing, she lost her balance, throwing her hands around me.\u0026nbsp; Joy's face, gave me a smile, the makeup on her face leaving her looking like she was blushing or embarrassed.\u0026nbsp; I honestly couldn't tell if it was just the make-up or if it was real.\u0026nbsp; I silently hoped for the make-up.\u0026nbsp; But seeing Joy dressed up like a pretty pink princess out of some Victorian dress of some novel was priceless.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks, Aaron.\" she said, smiling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No problem.\u0026nbsp; Though I have to ask how did you snare Variel into the role?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe laughed at my question.\u0026nbsp; \"Variel always loves a good Ghast Festival.\u0026nbsp; He's more than happy to let me ride him if there's Poffins to be had.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSounds like a certain Lucario I know.\u0026nbsp; I grinned back at Joy.\u0026nbsp; \"Where's Jonathan?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"He went to handle 'work'.\" Joy answered, rolling her eyes.\u0026nbsp; \"Can't handle the fun apparently.\u0026nbsp; Forget about him, and lets enjoy ourselves!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded as Joy grabbed a tray, another group of kids coming along towards us.\u0026nbsp; A lot of them were in slight awe of my Pokémon being dressed up in costumes.\u0026nbsp; Many actually praised Deoxys and her costume.\u0026nbsp; She did pull off that whole witch theme, that's for sure.\u0026nbsp; I honestly wasn't convinced the first time I saw it.\u0026nbsp; The kids that visited were amazed enough, so all the merrier.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys was enjoying herself from what I could tell.\u0026nbsp; While it was impossible to tell due to having little facial features, there was a small skip to her step as she walked back and forth.\u0026nbsp; It didn't help that she carried four of the candy buckets by herself.\u0026nbsp; That's when she decided not to use her psychic powers.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nXola and Spirit were getting more attention from the adults than the kids.\u0026nbsp; It was probably due to their costumes being more subdued.\u0026nbsp; Still, it was nice to see them having a good time.\u0026nbsp; A lady came by and allowed Spirit to hold her baby girl, too.\u0026nbsp; The look on my Flygon's eye was something I wasn't going to forget.\u0026nbsp; It was my hope that she really was over her pain.\u0026nbsp; She smiled, though, and the baby didn't make much of a fuss.\u0026nbsp; The mother was quick to help Spirit if the baby began acting up.\u0026nbsp; Xola was also curious of the child, and while she couldn't hold her, she was more than happy to entertain the baby with making faces.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWalking past them, I overheard Xola talking with Spirit.\u0026nbsp; When the Flygon mentioned something, the Milotic laughed. \u0026nbsp;\"Well, why don't you ask him?\" Xola asked Spirit.\u0026nbsp; \"Do you think he would like that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI suddenly felt like an intruder in a conversation not meant for my ears.\u0026nbsp; I hastened my step, to make sure that neither of them spotted me.\u0026nbsp; Nurse Joy met me halfway, and she took my hand.\u0026nbsp; She was dressed in a nurse's outfit, though more... risque.\u0026nbsp; The low neckline of her top revealed more cleavage than I thought humanly possible, her top making her chest extremely eye catching.\u0026nbsp; The pink dress itself was stained with fake blood, while her face was painted with smeared mascara.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You like?\" she asked, twirling around.\u0026nbsp; I chuckled, but nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It looks a bit like Joy's.\" I mentioned.\u0026nbsp; \"The mascara and the fake blood makes it look really creepy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's not fake blood.\" she said with a serious face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What?!\" I exclaimed, recoiling back.\u0026nbsp; She laughed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Gotcha!\" she said, barely holding back her laughter.\u0026nbsp; My heart pounded, surprised at her words.\u0026nbsp; I let out a chuckle, feeling myself relax slowly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you guys can go now.\" she said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"That should be most of the kid groups already, so you can go get your free candy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You've got those Poffins, right?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"None of my Pokémon are going to accept any other form of payment.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNurse Joy laughed, patting my shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"I promised I would, so don't worry about it.\u0026nbsp; Go have fun!\u0026nbsp; I'm sure sis will like to go out and get free candy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Free candy!?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy came up to us, and her sister laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"You know, I think Jon had a point of not giving you free candy.\u0026nbsp; Aren't you too old for that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Too old for free candy?\" she asked with a gasp.\u0026nbsp; She narrowed her eyes at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Never!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I agree with you.\u0026nbsp; Let's go.\u0026nbsp; Your sister said that she's fine by herself.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You sure?\" Joy asked.\u0026nbsp; Her sister nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Go ahead!\u0026nbsp; You didn't get dressed up just to hang out here.\u0026nbsp; Or did you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nope!\" Joy exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's go, Aaron.\u0026nbsp; Time is candy!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy dragged me along, and after getting everyone's attention we grabbed a few buckets for our own stash.\u0026nbsp; We took down the streets, mingling with the locals.\u0026nbsp; Our first house was quite surprised that we were still parading through the streets, but we just shrugged and said we were helping out Nurse Joy.\u0026nbsp; The lady nodded, handing us what was left of a bag of candy and said to keep it.\u0026nbsp; Joy grinned at me as we walked away.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Maybe next time we can get some Poffins.\" Joy said with a grin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI grabbed a lollipop from the bag and let her grab something from inside.\u0026nbsp; \"Actually, Nurse Joy is offering to pay us in Poffins for our Pokémon's time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Really?!\" she exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, that's awesome!\u0026nbsp; We can totally focus on getting candy now!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that's fine and dandy.\" Zin said, walking next to me.\u0026nbsp; \"But what about now?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI kneeled next to the Houndoom.\u0026nbsp; \"Hopefully the next house will have something for Pokémon, too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin nodded as we made our way to the next house.\u0026nbsp; It was decorated with little tombstones that made a mock pathway to the door.\u0026nbsp; The lights were off inside the house.\u0026nbsp; There were two bowls of candy on a chair next to the door.\u0026nbsp; A sign said 'Please take one\" propped behind the bowls.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So, one for each of us, right?\" Joy asked with a grin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================////////////////=================================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were all headed back to the Pokémon Center with plenty of candy in tow.\u0026nbsp; Joy was beaming happily, Variel eating out of her hand.\u0026nbsp; All of my Pokémon were in high spirits, as well.\u0026nbsp; Aurora was riding on top of my head again, Zin and Akalia walking at my sides.\u0026nbsp; Mist hovered over Zin, as Spirit, Deoxys, and Xola walked behind me talking amongst themselves.\u0026nbsp; Mist turned to me, giving me a grin as she floated closer to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Master, I think you know what to do.\" Zin said.\u0026nbsp; \"Joy, we're following you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"But why... oh!\" she said, before laughing.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; Stay safe, Aaron!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy feet followed the ghost as we parted the group, passing by the Pokémon Center.\u0026nbsp; The full moon was high up in the air, giving off enough light to brighten my path.\u0026nbsp; There were barely any kind of street lamps, though the Ranger HQ was brightly lit and decorated.\u0026nbsp; How was an entirely different question.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe continued moving, Mist floating by my side.\u0026nbsp; I looked over at the ghost, seeing her body outlined with a faint purple glow.\u0026nbsp; My fingers gently touched her body, but we didn't stop walking.\u0026nbsp; She turned to face me, a smile on her face as her body glowed brighter.\u0026nbsp; Mist approached me, letting me carry her as she rested on my arms.\u0026nbsp; I highly doubted that it was due to exhaustion, but she closed her eyes as her head rested against my chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Master?\" Mist whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were walking past the gym, the water gently washing on the sand.\u0026nbsp; The moonlight reflected off the water, the nightlife surrounding us giving a soft ambiance.\u0026nbsp; I don't know what kind of Pokémon Johto has for their night wildlife, but it sounded just like back at home.\u0026nbsp; It put me more at ease, reminding me of back home.\u0026nbsp; I continued to walk, Mist's chest rising and falling at gentle intervals.\u0026nbsp; Trees began to cover the familiar path that leads to the Ice Path.\u0026nbsp; I continued to walk as if my body was under another's control.\u0026nbsp; For all the odds, I probably was.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist floated out of my hands, her lips finding her way to mine.\u0026nbsp; Her ghostly hands rested on my cheeks, stroking my skin.\u0026nbsp; Our lips parted, her hands on my shoulders gently pushing me down.\u0026nbsp; I sat without complaining, all too aware of what she could do if she was angry.\u0026nbsp; My back leaned against the tree, Mist floating towards me gently.\u0026nbsp; Her hands wrapped around my neck, her lips on my ear.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Does this remind you of our first time?\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; Suppressing a shiver, I nodded.\u0026nbsp; She giggled softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer hands played with the buttons of my pants.\u0026nbsp; The crystals brightened considerably when my pants were pulled down enough.\u0026nbsp; My boxers were next, but those weren't treated as gently as my pants.\u0026nbsp; A faint ripping sound could be heard as the material yielded to her insistence.\u0026nbsp; I didn't bother looking how they ripped when my shaft met the cold air outside of its safe haven.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI wasn't left with time to contemplate, as Mist lowered herself on my member.\u0026nbsp; Her body felt warm against my flesh.\u0026nbsp; A moan escaped her lips as she slowly pushed herself down on top of me.\u0026nbsp; My spine tingled as I wrapped my arms around Mist's body.\u0026nbsp; Her tunnel massaged my cock eagerly, the glow around her body escalating rapidly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist?\" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.\u0026nbsp; \"Are you alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe grinned at me.\u0026nbsp; Her hands stroked at my chest, going through my clothes and touching my skin.\u0026nbsp; Mist then lifted herself up, my body complaining at the sudden shift.\u0026nbsp; I cried out in pleasure as she dropped herself back down on my lap.\u0026nbsp; The lewd sound of my hips meeting hers, her arousal beginning to cover my hips.\u0026nbsp; The gems on her body glowed in random patterns, lighting up our area.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy hands went to her body, sliding my fingers along her body.\u0026nbsp; She slid upwards, her arousal allowing her to slide off and swallow me up again.\u0026nbsp; Mist rubbed against my waist, as my grip tightened around her body.\u0026nbsp; I began to match her pace, our moans breaking the silence around us.\u0026nbsp; Her pace slowed down, her panting hot against my shirt.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSlowly our movements began to pick up speed.\u0026nbsp; Mist's breath felt hot even through my clothing.\u0026nbsp; Her body squeezed at my cock, the pleasure making my thoughts focus on her.\u0026nbsp; I felt her hands grip my own, squeezing me tightly.\u0026nbsp; Her body was tightening around my flesh, my hips eagerly thrusting into her willing form.\u0026nbsp; Her mouth was open as she looked up at me.\u0026nbsp; I leaned to her, our lips meeting eagerly as my hips thrusted against her.\u0026nbsp; Her hands held my face tightly, our movements slowing down as we held each other tightly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy hips began to pick up speed again, lust beginning to drive my actions.\u0026nbsp; Mist gasped as my thrusts sped under my control.\u0026nbsp; She gasped, her moans increasing in volume and pitch as I continued to thrust.\u0026nbsp; My own moans matched hers, my vision blurring as purple energy surrounded me.\u0026nbsp; I held her tightly as my sharp sensation rushed through me.\u0026nbsp; Our lips met hers once more as she moaned.\u0026nbsp; Her pussy tightened, her tunnel grasping me rhythmically as my orgasm pumped out of me.\u0026nbsp; My body tensed as I held Mist against me, my heart pounding loudly in my ears.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Mismagius sighed, resting her head against my chest.\u0026nbsp; Her breath was ragged, matching mine.\u0026nbsp; When she looked up, a smile graced her thin mouth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thank you.\" she whispered.\u0026nbsp; \"I... I am sorry.\u0026nbsp; I...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled, holding her tightly against my body.\u0026nbsp; \"No, you won't be sorry.\" I said softly.\u0026nbsp; \"Not when we feel this way, alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded with a satisfied sigh.\u0026nbsp; \"Thank you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, rubbing the back of her head.\u0026nbsp; Purple energy was still coming out of her in waves, the gems shining brightly.\u0026nbsp; \"We're not alone here.\" Mist said.\u0026nbsp; \"Baast.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe silhouette of the Lucario came to my range of vision.\u0026nbsp; Baast looked surprised, her costume still visible in the shards of moonlight penetrating the canopy above.\u0026nbsp; Mist turned to face Baast and giggled.\u0026nbsp; \"Would you like to go next?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast walked up to us, leaning next to both of us.\u0026nbsp; \"_Would that be alright?_\" she asked softly.\u0026nbsp; Mist answered for me with a nod.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario gave the ghost a smile before nodding.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Thank you, for giving me another chance._\" she said.\u0026nbsp; Mist and I nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Mismagius slowly began to meld inside my body.\u0026nbsp; I felt my body exposed, as she passed through my clothes and inside of me.\u0026nbsp; Baast was wide eyed as I shivered slightly but it didn't stop her approach.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario threw her paws around me, climbing over my body to take Mist's recently vacated spot on my lap.\u0026nbsp; My dick was still sensitive as it rubbed along her fur.\u0026nbsp; I gasped, the spot between her legs already feeling warm.\u0026nbsp; Baast gave me a coy smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I guess I don't have to ask if you're ready._\" she said, her paw playing with my shirt.\u0026nbsp; \"_I also can't just rip this shirt off.\u0026nbsp; You would freeze._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It is a bit chilly.\" I agreed.\u0026nbsp; Her paw wandered slowly downwards, playing with the frayed bits of cloth that were my boxers.\u0026nbsp; Before she said anything, I leaned forward to kiss her lips.\u0026nbsp; She eagerly kissed back, one of her paws grasping my hair.\u0026nbsp; Our kiss deepened, her tongue entering my mouth and overpowering my own.\u0026nbsp; I felt her other paw touch my manhood, sliding up and down my length gently.\u0026nbsp; My arousal was still pronounced, and Baast wasted no time in taking advantage of that fact.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe raised her hips, aligning herself with me.\u0026nbsp; My hands reached for her waist as she placed both of her paws on my shoulders.\u0026nbsp; She looked at me for a moment, as if silently asking permission.\u0026nbsp; I nodded with a smile, feeling her legs dropping her down on top of my crotch.\u0026nbsp; The first thing I felt was the wet fur as my tip spread her lips.\u0026nbsp; If Mist was warm, Baast's body was a furnace.\u0026nbsp; Her body willingly opened to my rod, spreading her open as she slowly sank downwards.\u0026nbsp; Her moans were loud, her tunnel tightening at random intervals.\u0026nbsp; Shivers ran down my spine already, my sensitivity already high.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer pussy was incredibly tight.\u0026nbsp; Baast whimpered softly, leaning forward for a moment and trying to sink more of me inside of her.\u0026nbsp; I moved a hand to the base of her tail, gently stroking it in the hopes of arousing her further.\u0026nbsp; Her body shuddered above me as I stroked her lower body.\u0026nbsp; My other hand moved to her chest, feeling the sharp point of her chest spike.\u0026nbsp; I felt one of her breasts under my fingers, finding her aroused nipple.\u0026nbsp; She whined as my fingertips teased the sensitive flesh, her body shuddering as she slid down again.\u0026nbsp; Baast's body shuddered sharply, paws grasping tightly.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes were closed, warm liquid spilling out of her body.\u0026nbsp; Taking deep breaths, she placed a hand on her belly and smiled at me when our hips finally met.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You're inside of me._\" she said, her voice at a level of a whisper.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, silently stroking her tail softly.\u0026nbsp; Her tunnel clamped on me like a vice every time I reached where the tail and her body connected.\u0026nbsp; Her tight muscles held me as she slowly pulled upward, her ridges making my skin crawl in pleasure.\u0026nbsp; I moaned as she lowered herself slowly back down on me, a wet sound marking when our bodies connected again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI took a deep breath, my lungs fighting for air between moans.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe this would be more comfortable if I was laying down?\" I offered.\u0026nbsp; She nodded as she stopped her movements.\u0026nbsp; Her body shuddered on top of mine, as if the pleasure was too much for her.\u0026nbsp; I held on to her paws as I slid back, lying on the ground with Baast on top.\u0026nbsp; She smiled brightly, her teeth gleaming.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Thank you._\" she whispered again.\u0026nbsp; Before I could ask why, she lifted herself up and slid back down again.\u0026nbsp; We moaned in unison as Baast set our tempo.\u0026nbsp; Her muscles began to gain their own rhythm, squeezing as she lifted up to drag her walls against my sensitive flesh and relaxing on the way down.\u0026nbsp; Every time she dropped down, I could feel her arousal on my skin as she grinded herself against me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer paws rested on my chest, her pace slowly picking up speed.\u0026nbsp; Her breasts swayed in my vision, arousing me further the faster she moved.\u0026nbsp; I did my best to keep up with her demand, her body moving faster and dropping harder against me.\u0026nbsp; My hips thrusted upwards in time with her movements, our moans echoing around us.\u0026nbsp; She slowed down, putting more strength in her movements.\u0026nbsp; I moaned, the muscles surrounding my shaft squeezing tightly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy body began to twitch as Baast continued to change tactics, alternating from a fast pace to a slow one.\u0026nbsp; Her tail attacked my legs as her whimpers turned to growls.\u0026nbsp; I moaned helplessly, my impending orgasm threatening to overtake me.\u0026nbsp; Her howl echoed in the silent night, her body locking up suddenly.\u0026nbsp; Her pussy coaxed my cock to give her body what it wanted, and my body was more than happy to deliver.\u0026nbsp; My body twitched as my orgasm enhanced the sensations my body fed my pleasure filled brain.\u0026nbsp; It was a few moments later that the connection formed that I needed to breathe.\u0026nbsp; Breathing was a job in of itself, as Baast slowly dropped her body on top of mine.\u0026nbsp; I helped slow down her descent, taking care not to impale myself on her chest spike.\u0026nbsp; The muscles under her fur and skin twitched at my touch, her breathing labored and ragged.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI stroked her cheek gently, her eyes fluttering open.\u0026nbsp; One of her paws touched my hand, her fingers stroking my hand.\u0026nbsp; She smiled widely as she continued to touch my skin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_This isn't a dream._\" she whispered.\u0026nbsp; I chuckled, leaning my face forward to touch her cold nose.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, it isn't.\" I said with a smile of my own.\u0026nbsp; \"Are you alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"_Never better._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n===========================///////////////////////========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe walked back, hand in paw.\u0026nbsp; Silence followed us like a shroud, but it was a comfortable silence.\u0026nbsp; We didn't need to talk, the feeling of complete ease around us.\u0026nbsp; I looked over to Baast, a smile on her muzzle every time she caught me looking at her.\u0026nbsp; Like right now.\u0026nbsp; Her teeth glinted in the moonlight, a predatory look easily superimposed in my mind.\u0026nbsp; A thought crossed my mind that troubled me slightly, but I decided not to pay it any mind.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_What are you thinking about?_\" Baast asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFemale intuition.\u0026nbsp; I shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"It's nothing.\u0026nbsp; I don't want to ruin our night with some deep philosophical musing.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_But those are the best._\" she said with a soft whine.\u0026nbsp; \"_Please?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled.\u0026nbsp; \"Alright, you asked for it.\u0026nbsp; I was idly wondering if Jonathan caught you as a Riolu, or were you a Lucario?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I had already evolved when he came to our village_.\" she answered with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"_You were wondering if there was a link between us, weren't you?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; I just wanted to know.\u0026nbsp; It would feel really awkward to-\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI would have continued with my sentence, but she silenced me with her lips.\u0026nbsp; Her tongue dominated mine again, and I kissed back with as much passion as I could.\u0026nbsp; When Baast pulled away, her tongue brushed my nose.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_It wasn't his love and care that caused me to evolve._\" she continued.\u0026nbsp; \"_I never had cause to feel a deep emotional bond with him.\u0026nbsp; While I respected him, it would have never gone deeper than that.\u0026nbsp; It's why I spoke the way I did to him._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_With you, on the other paw, I knew that there was something different.\u0026nbsp; Not the way you attacked me, far from it.\u0026nbsp; It was how you respected everyone.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't faked.\u0026nbsp; I knew that I could trust you.\u0026nbsp; It was something I knew._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sure it goes deeper than that, huh?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; She nodded for an answer.\u0026nbsp; \"It's fine.\u0026nbsp; I don't need a psychological book on Jonathan.\u0026nbsp; He confuses me enough just being around me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_I wasn't intending to._\" Baast said with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, then we better hurry and get to the Pokémon Center.\u0026nbsp; I don't want Zin to worry about where I ended up tonight.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_A question, if I may._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Go right ahead.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Why do you allow Zin to govern your personal life?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"That's a good question.\u0026nbsp; Well, ever since she took me for her own, it's been... a convenience?\u0026nbsp; I guess that's the appropriate word.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't my intention to have an ongoing relationship with all my friends.\u0026nbsp; Certainly not with a Houndoom I didn't know.\u0026nbsp; But here I am, right?\u0026nbsp; While it was unexpected, it certainly hasn't been unpleasant.\u0026nbsp; I think you can agree with me there.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded, a smile on her muzzle.\u0026nbsp; \"_There's more to it, isn't it?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Probably.\u0026nbsp; I don't think I deserve any of this.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_What do you mean?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"It's my problem.\" Baast growled at me and tightened her grip on my hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Answer the question, please._\" she said sweetly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSighing, I shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"You have wonderful ways to persuade people.\" I commented.\u0026nbsp; \"It was when Zin was with Romulus, back in your village.\u0026nbsp; I felt jealous.\u0026nbsp; Though I never asked if anything happened, I guess it was just buried in my mind that she might have actually gone off and did it. \u0026nbsp;It bothered me more that it actually bugged me than anything else.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_So, you haven't confronted her about it._\" Baast said.\u0026nbsp; I nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_And that is exactly what we will do._\" she continued.\u0026nbsp; She grinned at my shocked expression.\u0026nbsp; \"_We will get through this.\u0026nbsp; I have an invested interest in your well-being, as well as hers._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast pulled me along, quickening our pace significantly.\u0026nbsp; Not exactly how I planned to spend the rest of my night.\u0026nbsp; We reached the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was still in her costume.\u0026nbsp; She looked at us and gave us a grin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Now THAT is some bed hair.\" she said, laughing.\u0026nbsp; I felt my cheeks burn at her comment.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Your room is still available.\" she continued with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"It's pretty crowded in there.\u0026nbsp; All your Pokémon refused to go back inside their Pokéballs.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Thanks, Nurse Joy.\u0026nbsp; I'll be sure to be quiet.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe giggled, waving us both away.\u0026nbsp; Baast lead me to our room, quietly opening the door.\u0026nbsp; Zin was still awake, laying claim to the bed.\u0026nbsp; Everyone else was sleeping, each in small groups.\u0026nbsp; Even Deoxys, which I was for sure that never slept.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm glad you two showed up.\" Zin whispered as we walked up to her.\u0026nbsp; \"So, how was it?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast's grinned at Zin.\u0026nbsp; \"_Better than I thought possible_.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJeez.\u0026nbsp; Next thing I'll hear is both of them discussing strategy.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin's eyes hardened after a moment.\u0026nbsp; \"You both want to talk about something.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast looked surprised for a moment, but nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"_Yes, it's about Romulus._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA laugh escaped the Houndoom's muzzle, before burying it in the bedsheets.\u0026nbsp; Her tail swung in the air like a metronome.\u0026nbsp; I shook my head, surprised by her display.\u0026nbsp; When Zin calmed down enough, she was still grinning at us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I get it.\u0026nbsp; You got jealous.\" she said, looking at me directly.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, too afraid to know what would happen if I lied to a straight request from her.\u0026nbsp; She shook her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'd never betray the trust that I have with you.\" she said in a normal tone.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sorry to say, but I don't envy you humans.\u0026nbsp; You have to handle all kinds of crazy emotions.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't envy myself, either.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then let me say it again.\u0026nbsp; I would NEVER betray you.\u0026nbsp; I love you with everything I am able to give you.\u0026nbsp; I don't need anyone else, as long as you're there with me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy body felt numb at the confession.\u0026nbsp; I walked forward, wrapping my hands around the Houndoom.\u0026nbsp; My eyes stung slightly as tears began to blur my vision.\u0026nbsp; Zin licked my cheeks, cleaning away the tears that fell.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You big baby.\" she murmured with a giggle.\u0026nbsp; I buried my face in her fur, my hands grabbing hold of her tightly.\u0026nbsp; Baast nudged my back, and I lifted myself up to the bed.\u0026nbsp; With Zin against my chest, the Lucario was more than happy to snuggle against my back.\u0026nbsp; Zin's horns rubbed against my shirt as Baast hugged me gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm sorry.\" I whimpered, but Zin giggled at me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You don't have to be, but I forgive you anyway.\" Zin said.\u0026nbsp; \"Get some sleep.\u0026nbsp; I think Jonathan isn't going to waste any more time here if he can help it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, hugging the Houndoom tightly.\u0026nbsp; \"Thank you.\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"A Trainer\\'s Tale","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/300784-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-22.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/308490-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-24.json"}}