FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 5: Bewildered Hearts DISCLAIMER: All characters and properties are copyright their respective owners. All original characters, plot, and concept is copyright 2007 Zephyr Paws. The author is in no way associated or affiliated with any third-party. This original fiction was created with no intention of any copyright infringement against any third-party, and is purely for fan enjoyment. Do not alter. * * * "Uhhnnn... mmmnnn... uhh..." "Oh, yer finally awake, are 'ya, bud? We thought yer'da be a goner! 'Ey, wake up, c'mon!" The disoriented creature slowly opened its eyes to see the face of an Azumarill looking down at him. The blue aqua rabbit gave a smile to see her patient awaken. "Who...? Who are you...? What's going on?" he asked, not having a clue of his whereabouts or why there was an Azumarill in front of him. " 'Ya can call me Blues, 'cuz that's my name!" she boldly answered. "Wha'bout you, han'some? Wus' a dashin' Typhlosion doin' out 'ere in the middle of the sea!" "Ty... phlosion? Sea? Huh?" asked the Typhlosion. He used his paws to sit up on his rump and decided to survey his surroundings, starting with himself. First, he took note of his smooth, silky cream-colored fur. It appeared to be very soft. Then, he carefully examined the forepaws that he used to situate himself, taking note of his pawpads and fairly sharp claws. He also noticed just how tall he was in comparison to the Azumarill, estimating that he was about twice her size if he were standing up. "Wow, 'ya shure are outta it, aren'cha? Well I can't really blame 'ya. Hubby thought 'ya was a goner fer shure, but nah, I kep' tellin' 'im, 'Nah, he ain't dead, 'e'll wake up any time now, 'ya jus' wait,' but naaah, he jus' wouldn't 'ear it and thought we shoulda eaten 'ya or somethin', but then I tells 'im 'Now bub, 'ya may be thinkin' 'ya can jus' eat wha'ever-the-'eck-'ya-want, but not 'round me, bucko, 'cuz yer on my veggie-an'-seaweed diet,' so that's why he din't eat'cha..." The excitable Azumarill continued to yak on about anything else that came to her mind, stringing it together as if it were one sentence. This was all overwhelming to the confused Typhlosion. From what he gathered through her seemingly endless dialogue was that he had washed up on the shore a few days ago, pale and barely breathing, so she and her 'hubby' kept him warm with some leaves and tried to get him to wake up, but unsuccessfully... and then there was something about a fish and a ritual, although it didn't make sense to him and sounded rather silly. "Wait," he interrupted, "I've been here unconscious for days? I washed ashore? Where did I come from, do you know?" "Hun, I dunno where 'ya came from. I was curious ta' ask 'ya myself when 'ya came to!" "Oh... well, I... uhnnn..." mumbled the Typhlosion as he placed a paw to his aching head. "I don't... I... I can't remember...? I can't remember where I'm from... I actually can't remember much of anything. I just know that I wasn't here before..." "A lotta good that does me! Wha' fun are 'ya if 'ya don' even remember where yer from or whatnot! That was what I wanted ta' find out from 'ya! Do 'ya even remember yer name, bub?" "My name...?" "Yeah, 'ya know, that thing Pokemon call 'ya so they know 'oo the blue 'ell they're yappin' to?" The Typhlosion tried very hard to recall his name. Unfortunately, it wasn't coming easy to him. Only one name came to mind -- the only fragment of his memory he had left at the moment. "It's... uh... it must be 'Tommy.' That's the only name I can remember..." he answered. " 'Tommy?' What kinda strange name is that! Oh, if I 'ad a word with yer mother, boy would I ever, the nerve of that silly femme to give a name like that ta' a sweetie like you." "Well... maybe that wasn't it... but I can't remember anything else, so I suppose that's what you can call me..." "Suit'cherself. Anyway 'Tommy,' 'ya mus' be starvin', so would'ja like somethin' to eat? 'course 'ya do! Right, yeah, 'ya gotta try som'ma my delicious seaweed berry salad, yup!" she exclaimed as she tugged on his paw to help him stand upright. She then lead him over to another part of what seemed to be an island. *** Morning nearly went by unnoticed back on another island a few miles away, occupied by a human and a Buizel. It was already about ten-o'-clock before either of the sleeping couple woke up. The first to open their eyes was Tango. She wasn't used to sleeping this late. Usually she would wake up before the sun rose so she could greet it as it did the same. But by now, the sun was far up in the sky. She had rolled off of Tommy's chest at some point through the night, leaving her sleeping beside him on the sand. She stood up and looked over to Tommy. He was still sleeping soundly, loudly snoring in his slumber. "Tommy..." she muttered. Last night was amazing. She finally lost her virginity and got to experience mating for the first time. After getting through the trauma of tearing her hymen, there were no further interruptions, complications, or problems... it all went well... right? Tango took a few more steps towards the human and looked down at his face. It was turned to the side, bearing a big smile. He looked so cute there. Their big night must have taken a lot out of him, as well. As she gazed down at him, questions flowed through her mind. 'Was it right? Did I cross the line? Is that really what mating feels like? Did it actually happen? Do I really love Tommy?' She walked away from Tommy and over towards the shore, shaking her head in an attempt to clear up all of the questions racing through her mind. The ocean seemed to be rather calm today. Only a light surf was coming up to the shore. It felt good allowing the sea water to run beneath her, cleansing her feet and consequentially brush against her lower-region. That, too, felt refreshing, although the sensation also brought back memories of last night. He really was inside of her. He shot his steamy ejaculate into both her mouth and vagina. It actually happened. Last night seemed almost too good to be true. But was it all purely to satisfy her sexual curiosity? Did she just use Tommy to satisfy her curiosities or did she really care about him? Of course she cared about him, but if she cared so much about him, why was she being plagued with all of these doubts and second thoughts. 'I have to talk to Jazz... I'm so confused, I can't even think straight right now,' she thought to herself, deciding that talking to her brother would be a good idea. He was very knowledgeable and has always been good to talk to in the past. The Buizel walked back to the human. "I'll be back, Tommy... I just need to... think things through," she said to him. After giving him a quick kiss to the cheek, she headed off into the ocean and set a course for her brother's abode: an island just a few miles away. *** About half an hour later, Tango finally sighted 'Isle de Jazz' -- as he liked to call it. The swim there helped clean off the sweat and cum that may have remained on her fur. She landed on the island, shook her fur to dry off -- an easy task for a Buizel like her -- and then headed along the beach looking for her brother. Eventually, she saw his mate, Blues, along the shore. But wait, what was that? She was with another Pokemon! From the looks of it, it looked like it was -- no, it couldn't be -- a Typhlosion! They were both sitting down and eating what looked like some of Blues' infamous seaweed berry salad. "Blues! What's going on here?!" shouted the Buizel over to the two. "Good timin' 'ya got there, kiddo! We was jus' havin' a good lunch. Wanna join us?" offered Blues. "Actually I came here looking for Jazz. Do you know where he is?" she asked politely, not really having much of an appetite. "He's out gettin' some more seaweed, 'cuz we were runnin' low. I'm shure 'ya can find 'im aroun' 'ere, though." Tango thanked Blues and then headed back into the ocean without wasting any time. "Who was that?" asked Tommy the Typhlosion. "Oh 'er, she's my hubby's li'l sis. She's quite the curious pup she is, yup, like this one time..." *** "Mmmm... Tango..." mumbled Tommy as he started to awaken. He sat up, shook his head, and then looked around to see that it was a nice sunny day. But something was missing from this scene. "Tango!" The worried human quickly got on his feet and started looking around for her, shouting her name loudly hoping that she'd hear him. "I don't get it... where are you? Tango? Tango!? Tango!!" It wouldn't have been unlike Tango to go and get some food or something, but to completely leave him like this? She wouldn't do that. Not without waking him up first. Wait, would she? "No... what happened to you, Tango?" Tommy walked back to where he woke up and noticed that there were prints in the sand that lead out to the water. "She did leave..." he groaned. He thought back to last night. His worry for Tango's disappearance completely overshadowed reflecting on their experience together. It did feel amazing. She was enjoying it, too. So what happened? What would have caused her to vanish without saying goodbye? "She must be up to something... I'm sure she'll come back. I know it. Yeah." Tommy sat down along the beach and proceeded to stare out across the ocean. More memories of last night's romp flooded through Tommy's head. He couldn't believe how amazing it felt to slide himself into Tango; to have her vagina clamp onto his meat tightly, but with so much care and pleasurable texture; to push his length as far in as it would go, piercing the opening between Tango's feet. It was incredible. 'No wonder people have sex...' he thought, finally realizing just how good it feels. 'I wonder if it feels any better or worse with a human? I don't know how it could have felt any better than it did...' Then it hit him. "Oh god!" he exclaimed, "I had sex with a Pokemon!" He knew the consequences of his actions. He knew that if anyone ever found out about this, they would report him to the police, and then they would investigate to find it was true and suspend his Trainer's License. That would mean that he could never officially train Pokemon or participate in any official challenges and any Pokemon that he owned would have to be released from their Poke Balls. The suspension of a Trainer's License doesn't mean that he could never be around Pokemon again; it just means that he would lose any chance of being an official Trainer. But if he were caught again after having his Trainer's License suspended... "Think this through, think this through... they aren't going to find out... what they don't find out they can't persecute me for," he muttered while pacing around, growing too anxious to just sit down idly. "I'm sure this happens all the time. It can't be that hard to cover it up. I don't think a doctor could tell. I could just say that I had sex with a girl, that's all. There can't be too big of a difference. And it's not like I raped her, either! She sucked me off! It was entirely her the first time. She wanted it. It almost looked like she wanted it more than I did! Damn, but how do I explain that to a judge. I'm sure he'll have heard it a million times..." Another thought hit him. "Wait... that's all just assuming that I bring Tango with me. What if she stays? What if she wants to stay and doesn't want to be taken away from home? What if... I make her stay...?" He remained silent and still while pondering that question. After Tango advanced on him last night willingly and made her intent crystal clear, Tommy hadn't been able to shake the feeling of actually being loved and admired. She cared for him. She genuinely and sincerely cared for him for who he is. It didn't matter how much money he had or what badges he had won. She had no reason to care for him other than just genuine adoration. At least that was how he understood it. But the thought of leaving her behind... How could he leave her behind after bonding in such a beautiful way? His mind had now been tainted with the craving for love and sex. He couldn't just leave those things behind. "I can't... I can't think of what it would be like without Tango... God, that felt so amazing last night. She must have thought the same... I'm sure that she would do it again, too. And again... and again... stop! No, stop, this isn't about the sex, stop stop stop, this is about Tango! No wait, this is about me? Gaaaah! Now I'm confusing myself!" He didn't know what to think about it. He knew that he couldn't just leave her behind, but could he really risk losing everything he had? "Wait! Without Tango, I would have died. She saved my life. Whatever happens to me -- getting away with it, losing my license, going to jail... I wouldn't have any of these options if it weren't for her. I have to remember this! It's her... it's Tango... I..." He wanted to say it. He wanted to say three little words that showed his feelings toward her. But hesitation kicked in. Love between humans and Pokemon was taboo. Pokemon can be friends, and humans and Trainers can develop a strong bond with each other -- he knew this from his own adventure -- but taking it any further is wrong by the eyes of society. 'Tommy... suck it up... and just... just say it... say everything,' he thought to himself. 'It's just me here, no one else. Not even Tango. Say it like it weren't illegal to have sex with Pokemon... say it like I was born a Pokemon... just say it, Tommy, say it...' "I... love her," admitted Tommy. "I love her! I love Tango the Buizel! I'm a sick freak in love wit-" He paused. Saying it like that was completely contradictory to what he intended to say. He wasn't a 'sick freak' just for being in love with a Pokemon. "Let me start over..." said Tommy with a cough. "I'm in love with a Pokemon! I'm in love with Tango! Her small, orange body... oh god, I want to fuck that little hole of hers like a jackhammer! I want to hold her body close, and kiss it, and pet her cute little head." Tommy paused again after realizing what he had just blurted out. It made him blush a bit; talking about a Pokemon in this way just seemed a bit strange. But strange as it may seem, it was true; he really did want to hold, kiss, and fuck her. Reassuring himself that no one else was listening, he decided to continue openly declaring his feelings to the world. "She doesn't really have boobs like humans, but I guess there's nipples there somewhere, I think. But I mean, I can put up with no boobs for that tight pussy! Oh god, not just the pussy, but her mouth. I would kiss it, fuck it, and then kiss it some more." Hell, even if someone had been listening, at this point he didn't care. He wanted to become comfortable with having a relationship with a Pokemon, and if he couldn't openly confess his feelings and thoughts about her, regardless of how vulgar they may be at times, he wouldn't truly free himself from those chains binding him down to normality. "Her eyes, her sweet, blue eyes..." he continued, "Well, they look a lot different from human eyes, but they're even more adorable! The way she looks at me... with those beautiful eyes. She loves me and I love her! I'd carry her on my back just for fun, then turn around and hug her when I get tired! Because really... her fur is so soft and silky that it just feels so good to hold close! Humans don't have fur! Yeah! That's right!" At that point, Tommy really started getting into it. He closed his eyes and started dancing along the beach, proclaiming his thoughts and feelings to the world. It actually felt really good to be so open, and in doing so, he felt more confident that he could be with Tango without hesitation. Admiring her beauty as a creature and seeing her for more than just a 'pet' or whatever else society sees Pokemon as... that was what he needed to see. "Her paws... oh, her forepaws are just heaven with those pawpads on them. They're really cute! And I'd hold them in my hand, even though they aren't as big as my hand... well that means I can squeeze them more! And her feet... her little feet. Does she even have legs? Her feet are just so close and snug right up against her belly and right down there by her little pussy. The way she walks with them... I'd watch her walk around for hours if I could. "Oh and that tail of yours! Mmmmmm!! I've always wanted to grab it -- err, a part of it, or whatever -- and just pull it around a little bit. Rub it, flop it around, and ask you to wag it cutely, because I know you can, Tango! "And below that tail of yours... I bet there's another hole, too. Hmmm... aww hell, maybe even sometime I can try poke my dick in there just to see how it feels! I saw it done once before on T.V. so it can't be that disgusting. Er, I hope... but for you -- with you -- I'd try it! I'd jam it up in there and... aaa-nnnd... aahhh, oh god, n-nowww?! Ahhh y-yeaaaaaaah, Tango!!!" Tommy's long speech that he was giving to the audience of... ...himself... ...was cut off when he got just a little too excited talking so freely about Tango in ways he never thought he'd talk about a Pokemon. His erect cock, which had gone completely unnoticed, hit the breaking point and began pulsing as a burning sensation hit his groin. Splurt! Splurt-splurt! He fell back on the sand as he fired his load forward, enjoying every second of it. It also reminded him of just how much better and more fulfilling it felt shooting his wad inside of Tango rather than wasting it on the sand for the water to pick up. But it still gave him relief. He sure did feel better getting all of that off of his chest. Thank goodness no one heard him, though. Even if it was just Tango that heard him, it would have been extremely embarrassing, especially because he was trying to avoid swearing around her as not to frighten her. "There... I said it. I probably would have been shot if I said something like that back in Johto. Arrested for sure at the very least. Man... Tango, ohhh... really, more than everything I just said... I just want to be with you." *** Tango had swam north a bit from Isle de Jazz in pursuit of the island's namesake. The seaweed up there was particularly delicious for salads. Eventually she found her target underwater, as expected, although not picking seaweed... also as expected. Instead, he was munching down on a freshly caught Magikarp. Jazz noticed his sister arrive and stopped his snacking. "Hey sis, good timing," he said. "Up for lunch?" Jazz held the Magikarp by its tail out in front of him, offering it to Tango. "I knew I'd find you here. Getting seaweed, my tail!" she scolded. Tango knew that Jazz couldn't eat Pokemon while he was with his mate, so he'd use seaweed-gathering expeditions as a good excuse to get some real food. "Heh, you know me... Anyway, what brings you out here?" he asked. "How'd things go with Tommy?" "Well... that's what I wanted to come and talk to you about. Do you think we can talk up on that beach over there?" suggested Tango. "It could be a long talk..." "Sure," answered Jazz, floating up to the surface with one paw full of seaweed and the other holding the bloody half-eaten Magikarp. Buizel and Floatzel are able to submerge for up to 20 minutes thanks to their flotation sac and ring respectively, both able to hold air which can be inhaled directly from the device. The air is routed upon submerging to a non-buoyant organ within them, allowing a smooth transition between diving and surfacing. But they typically prefer floating above the water. The two sea weasels swam over to the tiny shore and situated themselves. "So, how'd it go?" inquired Jazz. "Like you even have to ask... shouldn't you already know?" she shrugged, certain that he would be able to smell the scent of mating and 'figure out exactly what happened' like he always does. "He hit you again?" "No, no! He didn't hit me. I don't know what came over me, bro, but... it just seemed so right at the time..." While was speaking, Jazz had taken a bite out of the Magikarp. "Mru mraded?" he asked. "Huh? Hey, put that thing out of your mouth for just a second, will 'ya!" He gulped and swallowed his bite of the fish. "Sorry, I just have to take it when I can get it, heh heh... So, you mated?" There he went, being usual Jazz, figuring things out. She should have known he'd be on his game. When wasn't he? "Yes, I did..." answered Tango softly. "Great. Now why did you want to see me?" reacted Jazz nonchalantly. "Bro! That's why! I actually did it! I actually mated with a human! What have I done...?" Tango wasn't quite sure exactly why she came to Jazz now, to be perfectly honest. She just knew that he always helped her feel better about nearly any situation. "You found yourself a mate, sis. A real one, this time." He didn't sound it, but he actually was rather surprised to find out that his sister mated with a human. Sure he'd heard stories of it happening, but he never actually expected someone he knew very well to mate with a human. Part of him couldn't help but be curious about what it'd be like to be a 'skinfucker' or to have a 'fleshmate,' as Human-Pokemon relationships were referred to as by Pokemon with a bit less than a reserved tongue. "That's it?! No lecture saying 'You need to grow up and stop acting on your impulses?' No telling me I made a mistake?" She was taken off-guard by this. It wasn't the Jazz that she knew. "No. I've told you all that you needed to know. I'm sure that you wouldn't have done anything that you didn't want to do. I know that you have wanted to find a mate -- well, try mating, really -- for awhile. And now you know what it's like, right?" "You mean you aren't going to give me a hard time because he's a human?" Jazz took another bite of his lunch. "Put that damn thing down already!" snapped Tango. "Yeesh! Alright, alright," Jazz hesitantly complied. "To answer your question: no, I'm not. I don't care what you love, just as long as you love it. You do love him, right?" "Yeah... I mean, I think so... I-... I mean, I don't know! Maybe that's why I came out here to talk to you about! I don't know if I love him or not... I said I did last night, but maybe I was just saying that so we could mate and didn't really-" The Floatzel interrupted her. "Well it's not like he knew what you were saying anyway..." "Jazz! That hurt." Her feelings were a bit hurt by that remark. One of the things about this whole relationship that saddened her the most was that, although she could understand him perfectly, Tommy was inept in the language of Pokemon. She could tell him that she loves him and he wouldn't even know. The only things she could use to communicate effectively were body language and tone. "I'm sorry, but it is something you need to think about. Being in a relationship with a human means that. Pokemon just don't talk to humans. That's just how it is. Are you going to be able to accept that?" "I... I... I can. I'll just have to show him how much I lov- I mean, if I love him, that's what I'll have to do. I just wish there were a way..." "Well, there might be. But anyway, next question." "Wait!" interrupted Tango, eager to know what on earth he was talking about. "What do you mean? There might be a way to talk to Tommy?!" "Should that matter? I thought you said you can love him without vocally telling him, or at least not expecting him to understand you." "Tell me now!" she demanded. Jazz couldn't meet that demand, though. Not yet, at least. "No. I may tell you once both you and I are convinced that you love Tommy. But speech shouldn't affect love." He hated having to do this, but it seemed like this kind of guidance and unyielding questioning was exactly what she wanted. Of course, all he really wanted was just to finish up on his lunch, but he understood that this was far more important. "Sis," said Jazz in a firm tone, "There is something that you need to know if you do wish to have Tommy as a mate. I didn't want to tell you this before because, well, to be perfectly honest I didn't think that you would actually go through with fleshmating- I mean, mating with the human... but, now that you have started mating, there are some things that you need to know." "Yeah, yeah, I know all of that," she claimed, anxious to hear more about being able to talk to Tommy. "Listen to me! For most Pokemon, there is nothing that can physically stop them from mating with humans. I'm sure that either of us could mate just fine with one. But there is something that I do know from what I've heard about that is very important if you are going to have a human for a mate." "What is it?" Tango's curiosity had now shifted. "Pokemon and humans... they can't have children with each other. By mating with Tommy, you'll never be able to have pups. And he'll never be able to have human babies. The same is true for male Pokemon skinf- I mean, mating with a human female. I know I told you about the Pidgeys and the Combees, and I know that you know how babies are always the species of the mother, so someday... I'm going to be a father to Marill cubs, not Buizel pups. But none of this matters with humans; it just can't happen." This normally would have devastated any female Pokemon to find out that she wouldn't be able to bear offspring with her mate, but this only excited Tango even more. One of the things she was most nervous about in mating was children. Pregnancy sounded uncomfortable and scary. Giving birth to an egg sounded very painful. And then, on top of that, waiting for it to hatch sounded boring. Real boring. To be able to go through the pleasure of mating without risk of the consequences was a dream come true to her. "That's great! I don't care. I don't really want pups, anyway!" exclaimed Tango, finally feeling cheery again. "You say this now... you're still young, sis. As you get older, you may want to have children," he cautioned her, followed by muttering "I know I've been trying..." in a disappointed tone. "Oh, don't worry, bro. You'll be bound to get Blues pregnant eventually!" she assured him, getting closer and patting his back. "I know. I'll keep trying. Maybe now that we can get some privacy!" he shouted with sarcasm. Tango laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Now that I finally have a mate of my own... I really am sorry for that, bro. I just... uhh... I just got so frustrated by my curiosity. And I got horny, too," she chuckled, blushing and holding her cheeks. "I know. You don't have to explain yourself. I was so clueless the first time I mated. You know how mom and dad were, right?" "Right," she agreed. Their parents were not very keen on teaching the art of mating for whatever reason. Being the eldest sibling, Jazz obviously suffered from the least bit of foreknowledge as he would be responsible for going through things first. "Well, I would have definitely preferred knowing what the heck I was doing. It would have saved a lot of embarrassment. You wouldn't believe what I did to Blues by accident on our first time!" "Wha?! What did you do that you haven't told me?!" Although she asked Jazz on numerous occasions about things, this sounded new to her. "I sort of ended up, well, pushing myself up and into her butt by accident," revealed the Floatzel, a bit embarrassed and gaining a slight shade of red along his face. Fortunately, now that she had mated, Jazz felt a little less reserved about talking mating business with her. "You whaaat?! Ouch! That must have hurt!!" exclaimed Tango. It did sound pretty painful, mixed in with a side order of revolting. "She said it wasn't too bad, actually. It hurt a lot at first, she said, but she told me to keep going, so I did, and I guess it felt a lot better afterward, like it had numbed out or something." "Whoa, I just can't picture that!" remarked Tango in disbelief. She never knew that Blues was into that. "Well, she apparently enjoys it, because she tells me to do it like that pretty often. I like it because it feels a little more tight." They must have done this all when she wasn't playing the spectator, because she never saw that. There really must have been a lot that she didn't know about that Jazz kept her in the dark on. "Maybe that's why you aren't having babies! You're doing it wrong!" she giggled, trying to make a joke. Jazz also found her remark a little comical and gave a light smirk. "Yeah, yeah, I know." Fortunately, he didn't take it to heart. "Do you think I should try that with Tommy?" she asked him, not feeling as embarrassed as she thought she would about asking. She was quite curious to know what it felt like and hadn't really thought about having sex that way before now. It always seemed like a one-way exit. "It's up to you. It does sting at first, but I understand it gets better. You'll either like it or you won't." "Alright. Thanks, bro." "Hey sis, aren't you forgetting something?" asked Jazz. "Huh?" responded Tango. She felt much better about everything now. He wasn't seriously going to share his lunch, was he? "The answer to my question. I never got an exact answer." "What was the question again?" It was pretty clear that Tango's mind got a bit sidestepped thinking about booty-loving. Jazz's expression became a bit more serious. He had to know her answer this time. "Do you love Tommy?" he asked, eager to see if their recent discussions had swayed her feelings at all. Tango had to think about it for a bit. She was really trying to think for sure if she loved him or not, wanting to be sure about it this time. Would them not being able to have kids detract from her feelings? What about not being able to talk to him? But if what Jazz hinted at is true, there may perhaps be a way to actually talk to Tommy. Of course, he wouldn't crack before receiving an answer... "Bro... I was sure that I was in love with him last night. Maybe that's just because I wanted to mate or maybe it was because I really do love him. This morning, I came to you confused about my feelings. I was having doubts and was unsure if I really do love him. And after talking to you about it, I feel a lot more certain about my feelings now." "And...? What did you settle on?" asked the intrigued Floatzel. "Right now, I don't know, but that's because I'm not around him. When I'm with Tommy, it feels like the whole world is right; when we're apart, I feel lost and confused... I know that you love Blues and she loves you back, but it wasn't just the mating that led you two to fall in love." "Well, actually," Jazz interrupted, "It sort of was." "Not just the mating," she snapped, putting extra emphasis on the word 'just.' "Yeah... I know. It's just one of the many reasons I love her so much. Anyway, go on." "Right. Uh, see, that's the thing: I might be in love, I might not; but I'm not going to fall in love with him by staying away from him. I like being around him, even aside from the mating, and that's all I need. I just want to be with him. Love or not." Jazz was impressed with what his sister said. He thought she was acting more mature the last time he saw her. This time was no exception to that positive growth. "Well sis, I think you have the right idea. There's more to love than just do you or don't you; it's not always just a yes or no question." "Thanks, bro. Hey, now that I've answered that, what were you -- or weren't you -- going to tell me about how I can talk to Tommy? Pleeeeaaase, I have to know! You can't keep me in suspense for that long!" Tango's begging proved to be even more effective coupled with her innocent stare that Jazz was weak against. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. There's actually two ways that I can think of off of the top of my head." He paused, taking a breath and trying to think of how to explain it. "The first way is probably the toughest for you to do and would require a lot of attention to detail and learning. The human language itself is something that we can understand; we just don't know how to speak it. Almost every Pokemon that has tried speaking human failed in their attempts. I only know of one, although I'm sure there's more. But, instead of trying to speak human, learning to read and write in human letters is another way to communicate with humans." "Oh, I know one! It's called 'S.O.S.', and I think it means help! I know how to write it, too!" She wrote out S.O.S. in the sand to show him. "See? A wobbly line, a circle, and then another wobbly line like the first!" "Well, one word down. Only a few thousand left for you to learn as well as learning how to put them together... But it's a practice thing anyway. It'd take you at least a year or two before you could do it. My other idea wouldn't take that long at all." "Are you serious?! What is it, then? Tell me!" begged Tango, desperate to know how she could talk to Tommy. "Telepathy. Some psychic Pokemon are skilled in the psychic art of telepathy, which can send messages through thoughts. I hear the language of thought, according to psychic Pokemon, is universal, so such Pokemon can read and exchange thoughts with anything. Both humans and Pokemon." "Just one problem, bro: I'm not a psychic Pokemon!" Tango yelled. "I bet a strong and knowledgeable psychic Pokemon could do some link thing between your minds so you could send telepathic messages to Tommy and vice versa. The tough part is finding one capable enough for the job." Tango's emotions were a mixed bag. She felt both motivated and depressed. There were two solutions in sight, but neither of them seemed very probable. "Well, I guess we should start looking for a psychic Pokemon... where should we look for one?" "Where else? The sheltered land!" exclaimed Jazz with an enthusiastic tone. "Hey, maybe we can see Polka while we're there!" "Good thinking. It'd be nice to be all together again." "I wonder if she has a mate by now?" teased Tango. She knew that Polka was a lot shyer and more reserved than either her or her brother were. "Probably not, ha ha!" chuckled Jazz, amused by that, but also wishing well for his other sister. "But wait, isn't the sheltered land protected from humans? I mean, that is why they call it the sheltered land, right?" "Good point. Well, you say he's unclothed; that must mean he doesn't have any weapons or Poke Balls. I'm sure any of the stronger Pokemon could effectively overpower him if need be. The worst-case scenario would be we have to hide him near the shore while we track down a psychic Pokemon." "Right. But I would really rather bring him along with us." "Speaking of which, sis, I have a favor to ask: Would it be alright if you introduced me to Tommy? I'd like to see him for myself." "Sure!" she answered, more than willing to introduce Tommy to him and vice versa. "Great. Now just let me finish this and we can be on our way." "Hey wait, what about Blues? I thought you were going out to pick seaweed?" "Yeah, but I have a ton of that crap stashed on my way to the island. Why pick now when I picked then? Heh heh." "Ha, wow," she remarked as she lightly hit her brother's arm. "You sly Sneasel, you. Now eat up!" "Gotcha, sis," said Jazz as he began ravenously devouring the remains of the Magikarp. He signaled to Tango that she could help him finish it off, which she was glad to assist with. * * *

End of Chapter 5