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[center] A Thief's Honour [/center]

Museums, Jet thought, are the worst.

Not because of their security measures–no, those were rather laughable, from the sleepy old 'security guard' reading a book at reception, to the out-of-date alarm system. Not because of the hugeness of the place–the copious exits made his life a breeze. Nor was it the smell, much as the prevalent tickle of dust and old made his muzzle twitch with the overpowering urge to sneeze.

No, it was all the tempting things. The walls of the room he'd just passed through had been covered in art, paintings dating back Arceus knew how long. To his left? A display case of ancient battle armour, which he ducked behind to avoid the sightline of a sweeping camera. To his right? A prized collection of jewels and gems, sparkling many-hued even in the dim night-time lighting.

Problem was, how many were real, and how many were worthless replicas? Against his back, an empty satchel bumped, seeming to clamour for shiny valuables. A pokémon of his size couldn't carry much, especially without hands, so he had to be choosy, and there was nothing more embarrassing than trying to fence a haul that was no more than cheap 'Made in Kanto' crap.

He slipped by, around a marble bust of some long-dead ruler, and sidled up to a pair of wooden double-doors. An access card reader glowed red, warning away the unauthorized. Please. As if such a thing could keep him out. Jet stretched up, balancing against the door on his hinds, and planted a paw on the plastic reader. Electricity played across his tough pad, curling between the yellow fur of his toes. Jet breathed in, welcoming it, calling to the power surging within the lock. His spiked fur quivered, every hair standing on end as he accepted the gift.

Click.

Too easy.

The reader went dark, the magnetic lock lost power, and the door swung ajar, allowing him to shove it open with a paw and saunter through. It almost felt like cheating, but it wasn't his fault humans failed to take Volt Absorb into account when they designed security systems!

Before him, a marble-tiled floor stretched out in a long hall, lined with statuary. Above his head, in the corner, a single unblinking camera eye stared across the expanse of open space. This was where things got interesting. His mane tingled with positive charge, and it wasn't the extra juice he'd just taken from the door. Closing his eyes, Jet rolled his shoulders, fluffing his mane, homing the quivering spikes on those vibrations…

There! Jet opened his eyes, ears perking. Set in the statue bases, one on either side of the hall; tiny motion sensors. The first modern tech this joint had rolled out, but nowhere near sophisticated enough to stop him!

A quick Thunder Shock took care of the camera, reducing it to a mess of melted plastic. By the time the guard at the desk noticed it and figured out what was wrong, he'd be long gone from here. Jet darted to the base of the first statue–a queen or something–sticking close to the wall, and pressed his paw to the marble. A soft hiss, a pop, and the electricity was his, killing the sensor. Zig-zagging across, to a depiction of an ancient military figure, the next set of sensors met their end.

It took him less than a minute to clear the chamber, ending in a second set of double doors, with a matching card reader. Blood rushed in Jet's ears, his fur sparking–he'd only seen pictures of the Bourdeuxgêis crown, along with its matching scepter and the royal Unovan robes. On special display at the Nacrene museum, one month only! He popped the reader and nudged the door open. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging, anticipating the sight of his prize.

A single spotlight set high in the arched, skylighted ceiling shone down on a small pedestal, which was surrounded by velvet ropes and 'do not touch!' signs in the center of the chamber. Jet blinked. An empty pedestal. To the right, a similar display, featuring a pair of poles supporting… nothing. And to the left, a naked mannequin, its blank white features looking offended at its state of undress.

“Hey there, Sparkles! Sorry, you're a bit late, hon!"

Jet looked up. His muzzle twisted into a snarl.

“You!"

Swaying above, dangling from a rope, a figure clad in a skin-tight black jumpsuit waved cheerfully at him, blonde locks spilling from beneath a night vision helmet. Attached to the belt around her slim waist, the Bourdeuxgêis scepter glittered, while a bulging satchel on her hip spoke of the crown, and presumably the robe.

Not a chance! Jet dashed toward the swaying rope, fur sparking, and launched a quick Thunder Wave, the charge crackling up at his rival, his aim true, striking the climbing human square in the chest…

Only to fizzle like so much ozone.

She paused in her ascent to an open skylight, looked down and shook a slender, black-gloved finger at him. “Now now, Sparkles m'dear, don't be like that! It's not my fault you're too slow."

“I am not!"

“Sorry, was that, 'You're right, Candy, you're the best?'" A giggle, the girl resuming her climb, hauling herself up through the skylight, and peering down at him as he batted at the rope in frustration. “By the way, hon, I'd suggest finding an exit. I miiiight have set off a few alarms while dropping in. Toodles!"

And with that, she was gone, leaving the distant wail of police sirens in her wake.

***

“So, you almost got yo'self pinched, brudduh." Angelo leaned over the short counter of the juice bar, the kecleon's long tongue lazily curling up to glide across his left eye. “And, you got nothing to show for it."

Jet suppressed a shudder. He'd never become fully used to that disturbing habit. “I didn't exactly have time to shop around. I bolted for the nearest exit, and slipped out as the first cruisers were pulling up. They barely even caught sight of me!" He rested his forepaws on the smooth counter, staring down into the receding depths of his cheri-aguav special bowl.

Angelo shrugged, picking up a rag, and polishing the already sparkling blue tile of the bar. The green hue of his forelimb shifted, blending with the counter. “Dem dogs don't need to see much, brudduh. A few sniffs, and they could be barking at yo door."

“As if! I was three blocks away before they even got their fluffy butts out of the car." Jet lapped up a sip, taking bitter solace in the fruity swirl playing across his tongue. “Besides, I can outrun a beat-pup arcanine any day. I know how to lose a trail. They definitely couldn't follow me all the way from Nacrene to Castelia."

“Whatever you say brudduh, but I best not see any badges sniffing around here."

“You won't." Jet's paw curled, tiny sparks dancing between his toes. “She's just so… irritating! It's like she knows exactly what to say to get under my fur!"

“Dat's a female for you, brudduh. But–" Angelo cut off as a bell jangled, signifying another customer entering the juice bar. Both pokémon glanced over, but it was a man, heading for the human side to order his beverage from the acne-faced teen behind the taller counter.

“But?" Jet prompted after the moment passed.

“You can't take losing so personal. Do what you can do, dat's what my mudduh used to say."

“I hate losing." Jet glared at his warped reflection in the gleaming counter. “I hate her! This is the third time, and I don't know how she's doing it!"

Angelo spread his claws. “That don't matter, brudduh. You 'Eons, you too emotional. Take my advice, jus' let it go. Find another mark."

Jet huffed, slurping up more of the bright orange liquid. “Heard of anything good lately?"

The kecleon's gaze slid across the room, to where the humans had completed their transaction, and the customer sat on a stool, enjoying his beverage. He leaned over, lowering his voice to a hiss. “I got one for you, but it's a tough one, brudduh."

A prickle coursed through Jet's chest fur. “Tell me."

“Up a ways, near Nimbasa, dere's a big ol' estate, real fancy place. Some major bigwig company man, y'know?"

“Yeah?"

“Poor codger kicked it not too long ago. No family, nothin'. Real sad deal, brudduh." Angelo picked up a ceramic bowl, the scales of his forelimbs drifting into its creamy shade. “Thing is, dey now selling off his stuff, gotta display the best of it for other rich types, y'know? Whole mansion full of goodies."

“Anything in particular?"

A shrug. “Depends, brudduh. I only know a little. Friend of a friend, y'know how it is. But I do know he have some real sweet security in dere. Crazy stuff, we talkin' government level mojo."

The last of the juice slid down with a gulp, along with the information. Rich people were paranoid as a rule, but the kind of rich person who lived on an estate didn't have that kind of security unless they were protecting some serious valuables. Jet's paw smacked on the countertop.

“I can handle it, you know that. There's not a security system in the world that can keep me out!"

Angelo's tongue curled across his other eye. “Whatever you say, brudduh. Dat's all I got for you. Whatever you do, you choose."

“Good enough. Thanks, Angelo." Jet slid from the counter back to all fours. The familiar rush of an impending job coursed through him, his fur alive with energy. “And if anyone asks…"

The kecleon waved a claw. “Never saw you, brudduh."

“You're the 'mon!"

Jet strolled out into the Castelia streets, the doorbell jangling behind him. This was a good one, he knew it! A job like this, and he could make a real reputation for himself. As long as she didn't show up.

***

How could anyone stand to live out here?

The sun had dipped below the horizon over an hour earlier, and still, it felt like he would melt into a spiky yellow puddle any moment! Arid wind whipped sand about with fiendish glee, delighting in battering his poor ears and nose. Thank Arceus the container truck he'd hitched a ride on from Castelia had been a produce carrier. Without the blessing of air conditioning, he'd be surprised if he didn't sprout the fluffy mane and tail of his older brother, Milo. What was he up to these days, anyhow? Probably still riding his contest fame and charming the ladies at Pokéstar Studios, no doubt.

Squinting against the sand–he should've invested in some goggles–Jet examined the estate sprawled below, tucked in a secluded canyon with only a single access road leading up to it. Two-storey, white-painted, with a substantial greenhouse, crescent-shaped swimming pool, and cattle fence stretching long into the valley, the place screamed money. Out on the open range, he could just make out the moving shapes of tauros and miltank.

Since he'd begun casing the place a bit before sundown, there'd been no sign of movement, not so much as a light in a window. From his lookout point, the place looked empty, though it could have easily held an entire gym's worth of trainers and their pokémon. One car parked in the drive, however–possibly a live-in caretaker, keeping an eye on the place before the estate sale.

Going in with so little information wasn't usually his style, but the sale was tomorrow, so it was now or never. If only he could've at least dug up a blueprint from Nimbasa city hall… but, that would've been a task of its own, given that this was a private residence, and his visit would have gone on record as well.

Hopping down from his perch, Jet shook sand from his fur, took a deep breath, and walked to the cliff edge. Finding the winding track from the canyon top had been a stroke of luck–saved him going about the long way to the access road–but that first step onto the skiddo trail had his belly churning. Arceus, that was a long way down… One wrong step, or a strong enough gust…

C'mon, you're the best. What's a little bit of wind?

Swallowing the gibbering terror rising in his gut, Jet started down, keeping one shoulder against the canyon wall, even as his paws fought for space on a ledge barely wide enough to–

Don't think about it, don't think about it! What would Jori say if she saw him wimping out over a little climb? Probably spray him with an ice cold Water Gun, and tell him to cut the crap, before showing off with a perfect dive into the lake by their home, and demonstrating why she'd won so many races in the pokéathalon as an independant contender.

Pebbles skittered off into the abyss. He made the mistake of watching them drop, down, down… Gasping, he froze, shutting his eyes and hugging the rock.

“Just gotta be confident, little bro. Walk with the swagger, you dig?" Evlynn, his eldest sister, back when he used to be scared of thunderstorms. She'd always been gentle, even before evolving, and would let him hide his face against her dark fur, her rings illuminating her portion of their family den with a soft glow. “Ya can't always count on someone to do it for you. Sometimes you gotta take it on headfirst."

The wind abated, granting him respite from the pelting sand. Jet cracked an eye open. Nope, he was still glued to the cliff, not tumbling to his death. His right paw moved first, followed by his left. Easy. If this whole thieving gig didn't work out, maybe he'd take on a job as a daredevil. Ha! That'd certainly get his sibling's attention! A poster with him on it in some heroic pose, dressed up in a cape or something…

Jet's ears perked, tension easing from his limbs. Yeah, 'Jet, the Dangerous!' Or maybe, 'World's Daringest Jolteon!' Was daringest a word? It would be if he said so!

By the time he reached the bottom of the trail the sun had sunk further, and while the climb hadn't been overly difficult, he still found himself breathing hard. That dratted wind and sand. Much better to have his paws on firm ground again. The base of the trail brought him to the edge of the estate's property line. Jet ducked under the wooden fence–designed to keep larger 'mons in–and followed a rolling tumbleweed towards the house.

He'd expected the place to be big. He hadn't expected it to be massive. It wasn't until he drew close that he got a true impression of what he was dealing with. Marble pillars supported an arched roof, lending the place a sense of grandeur, while narrow latticed windows broke up the brickwork and offered a glimpse into the murky interior. The front entrance was an intimidating double door of carved wood, with a pair of groomed shrubs flanking it. Not that he cared for the pretty woodwork. All that mattered was how it was locked.

Movement above. A shadow flitted across the roof in the dying light. Jet's fur rose, and he craned his neck to track the figure. It couldn't be…

Reaching the far corner of the house, the shadow paused, crouched, made a quick jabbing motion at the roof. A short rope dropped over the edge, dangling in front of one of the second story windows, which Jet realized was open slightly. His teeth bared, a growl rumbling in his chest as the shadow–definitely a human–swung itself easily down and into the open window. Was she following him? If so, how? Or had he been cursed by some malicious deity to have her plague his tracks until the end of his days?!

Shaking himself, Jet dashed for the front door. He'd be damned if he let her make off with all of his loot! Again. He was the best, and one day, his notoriety would match that of the Five-Finger-King! Rearing up on his hinds, Jet braced himself on the door and examined the lock. A keyhole stared obstinately back at him, a barrier he would never break, but above it…

Jet stretched, placing his paw on the polished metal, below the handle. The humming pulse of the electronics contained in the door's number pad tickled at the edge of his senses. He exhaled, closing his eyes and focusing on the steady flow of electrons, matching their pattern with his own internal power. A flicker, the current dipping as the AC cycled, and… There! With a quick spike of voltage, the lock overloaded, clicking the tumblers open. Leaping to catch the handle in his teeth, Jet tugged it down, and the door swung ajar on well-oiled hinges.

Ha! Top that, Nuisance!

No time to waste gloating. He darted inside, blinking at the sudden change in light. He was in a suitably impressive foyer, complete with grand curving staircases leading up to the second floor, and a hanging chandelier. Whoever had built this place had an appreciation for architectural classics. The air bore a faint musty scent, mingled with some kind of pine cleaning product. To the left and right, hallways led deeper into the mansion, while several closed doors hid further mysteries beneath the stairs. Plush crimson carpet cushioned his steps, and while he would never be able to carry them out, the large paintings adorning the walls gave him pause. Some might be worth a fair bit, though the image of a stern man in a suit glaring down from the center of the balcony was likely the home's deceased owner.

Now, where would a rich, paranoid old codger keep his best loot? Likely close to the center of the mansion. Jet darted across the foyer, fur tingling with built up charge. Lucky thing the doors in here were pull-down handles! It took him a few tries to get a good grip on the center door's handle and wrestle it open, but soon enough he was inside a dining room large enough to fit Angelo's juice shop. Cardboard boxes lay stacked atop the expansive table, likely full of expensive silverware. Jet ignored them. This wasn't the good stuff, and nothing he'd be able to carry.

Footsteps creaked overhead, causing his ears to perk. Nuisance! Hopefully, she was finding nothing more than dustballs. Jet moved on, out another door into a long corridor. Here, one guess was as good as any other. He jumped at each door he passed, trying the handles. Some proved to be locked, and not by a keypad this time. No telling what those might hide. Others were innocuous–a pantry, a bathroom, a linen closet–until finally, he came to one which opened into what appeared to be a library.

Stacks of books lined shelves, surrounding four easy chairs cozied up to a fireplace. A set of stairs leading up cut between the shelves on one wall, and on the opposite side, a door, with an all-too familiar dark-clothed figure crouched in front of it, working on the lock with a slender metal tool.

Jet's muzzle wrinkled, a growl rattling in his throat. It wasn't enough that she'd snatched the Bourdeuxgêis heirlooms from under his nose, or how she'd beaten him to the Svengali diamonds in Accumela, or the way she'd nicked the death mask of Kamontet in Driftveil, and set off a security lockdown that had nearly gotten him caught. No, she had to come here, to the one place he should have been able to explore at his leisure, and ruin his heist!

He was moving before he had time to reconsider, flying at her unprotected back. An instant before he pounced, she spun, affording Jet a glimpse of blue eyes widening in shock beneath her hood, just before he crashed into her, tackling her to the floor with a thud. Her hood flew back, spilling strawberry blonde hair across the carpet.

"Why are you here!?" Jet snarled, planting a paw on her chest. "This is my job!"

"Get off me!" Flailing, she landed a knee in his gut, causing him to gasp. A fist

thumped him on the side of the head. "Play nice, Sparkles!"

"Stop that!" Wheezing, Jet unleashed a directionless charge. Suitably low-voltage–humans were fragile, and he only wanted to stun her.

Electricity snapped, crackled between them. The girl's eyes narrowed. Another knee caught him, this time right between his hinds. Yelping, he staggered from the gut-wrenching pain, freeing her to roll away and upright.

"That's not nice, Sparkles. I might have to punish you for that." She reached into one of her pockets, pulling out a small red and white sphere.

"Don't call me that!" Jet glared, setting himself into a battle crouch, current zipping through his mane. "Going to call up a pet now? Bring it on!"

Instead of opening the ball to release another pokémon, however, she threw it straight at him. Jet didn't think. The power built up in his mane, surging forth in a mighty Thunderbolt, meeting the hurtling sphere midair. There was a sizzle, a muted pop, and shards of white and red fell to the carpet.

"Ha!" Jet glanced down at his handiwork. "Nice try, but–"

He didn't see the can she whipped out from another pocket until it was too late. A reeking spray enveloped him, stinging eyes, nose and throat, leaving him trying to cough, sneeze, and retch all at once. Jet wobbled, fighting to see through watering eyes, stumbling to get away from the noxious cloud. He ran into something solid, another sharp burst of pain lancing through his abused nose. Yelping, he forged blindly, until at last he gasped a clean breath, and surged free of the haze.

By the time he'd coughed and shaken free of the effects, leaving his throat raw and both nose and eyes smarting, Nuisance was nowhere to be seen. Jet cursed. Now she'd added injury to insult! In retrospect, charging at her had been stupid. What was he going to do? Interrogate her? If only she didn't have that darned...whatever it was, preventing him from locking her down with a Thunder Wave. Better yet, if he was wishing for things he couldn't have, that she wasn't here at all.

The door Nuisance had been working on was still shut. She hadn't gone that way. Another door opposite the one he'd come through sat open. She must have come from the stairs, and if he'd found nothing the way he'd come from…

Arceus curse it! Ears pinned flat, Jet made for the open, darkened doorway. Wherever it lead, he might catch up to her and… something. Knock her out somehow? Or perhaps he'd find a different route to something valuable. All he needed was a few small things worth taking, and he could leave happy. He didn't really care what she took from the house, as long as she didn't take what he wanted. Again.

He nearly fell headlong down another flight of stairs, catching himself at the last instant. His smarting eyes took a moment to adjust to the gloom, and he edged down, the temperature dropping noticeably. A basement in a place like this was a surprise–hopefully not just a cellar for food, though they weren't near the kitchen as far as he could tell. Reaching the bottom, Jet raised his nose, trying to catch the fleeting scent of Nuisance, but the blasted spray of hers still had him smelling nothing but harsh spice.

Growling under his breath, Jet stalked forward, building a small charge in his mane to provide a jumping, wavering glow in the dim. A wooden rack on one wall held dozens of corked bottles, some dusted over, and a neighbouring shelf held other bottles of varying shape and size; all likely expensive, though hardly the sort of prize he sought. To the right and left, dark corridors lead deeper into the mansion's maze. Was this a waste of time? Chasing her down was a point of pride if nothing else.

But, what if something good was down here?

Tink!

Jet's ears shot up. The faint scrape of metal had come from the left. He dashed down the corridor, paws pattering on the cool concrete floor. A dim glow lay up ahead. He skidded around a corner into a small square room, walled off on the opposite side by an imposing metal door sealed with a heavy handle. A vault! He'd been right! Nuisance knelt before the vault door, a tiny flashlight in one hand while she worked to hook up some kind of device to the door's security pad.

Oh no you don't!

She glanced up as he advanced, a scowl darkening her face. "You're not a very fast learner, Sparkles. Do I need to dose you with more Repel?"

"I said, don't call me that!" The electricity he'd been using to light his way coalesced, his ears flattening as he took aim. Lightning snapped, his Thunderbolt flying true. Not at her, but at the small electronic resting by her knee. Voltage crackled, sparks flew, surging between the device and the door, and with a loud sizzling sound and a pop! The device fell useless, part of its case melted to slag.

"Ha!"

"Oh, that is it!" She started to rise, reaching into her pocket.

A loud alarm bell shrilled above their heads, freezing both in place. Too late, Jet realized his error. Before he could so much as twitch, a heavy metal gate slammed down over the entryway, cutting off escape. At the top of the wall, a red emergency bulb came to life, lighting them in its eerie glow, and revealing the unblinking eye of a camera beneath it, pointed right at them.

"Great, you triggered the man trap!" Nuisance threw up her hands, both of which were thankfully empty of spray cans. Above, the alarm's harsh wail punctuated her anger. "And with my lockpick fried, I can't get in and flip the override! Hope you're happy, Sparkles." Glaring at him, she crossed her arms over her chest. "I should Repel you just for the heck of it. You're lucky I'm nice."

"Nice? Nice! If you hadn't followed me here and tried to steal my haul, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"I didn't follow you, I had scoped this place out on my own. You're the one who keeps butting in on all my best marks!"

"What? No I do..." Jet broke off, staring at her. "Wait, you can understand me?"

She made a show of clapping her hands slowly. "Duh! Wasn't it obvious? Why do you think I keep calling you Sparkles?"

"Because you're evil incarnate?"

She rolled her eyes. "And they say girls are emotional."

Jet growled, glaring at her. For a long moment, they stood at a standoff, the alarm's shrieking presiding. Eventually, the girl sighed, turning back to the vault door. "Maybe I can shut that thing off at least…"

Glancing up, Jet spotted a small speaker near the camera eye–the source of the harsh sound. A quick Thunder Shock, and the alarm's wailing died with a hiss. For good measure, he fried the camera too, though if anyone was watching, they'd already have gotten a good look at both of them.

"Oh thank god. Could barely hear myself think." The girl turned back to Jet. "At least you're useful for something."

"A lot of somethings, thank you." Jet managed through gritted teeth. "If it weren't for you, I'd have that vault open already and be out of here."

"Right back atcha', Sparkles. If you hadn't been so eager to get in my way, I could've hacked it. Now…" she gestured at the gate, its bars leaving no question of squeezing through or breaking them without some serious tools. "This is the bed you made. Time to lie in it."

Much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. He should've noticed that she had a wire already plugged into the vault's keypad, and of course the resulting voltage surge would trigger the security system's lockdown procedures. But, she'd made him so mad!

No, no excuses. That's what his older sister would tell him. He could either whine, or he could do something about the situation. Shaking to clear loose sparks from his mane, he trotted up to the gate, paying his companion no mind. Hopping up on his hinds, he put a paw on the metal, stretching out his senses and feeling for the tendrils of voltage in the door's control system.

"What are you doing? Going to try to fry the door? It won't work."

Jet's ears flattened. He could almost touch it, at the very edge of his reach…

"I'm telling you, it won't work. These things have an isolated system. The only way to open it is with the external override."

Those hair-thin lines of connection snapped, slithering away from any bit of control he tried to wrest. Jet dropped back to all fours with a growl of frustration, turning to look at her. "Are you always annoying? Or do you save that just for me?"

"Just saving you from wasting time." She had a phone out and up to her ear. "Now, shush. I'm getting us out of here." Her face took on a slightly distant cast as she turned her attention to the phone. Jet picked up the muffled buzz of a human voice on the line. "Hi, Marcy? Yeah, it's me. Listen, I need a favour… No, nothing like that, promise. Just need a hand getting out of a jam, and maybe a ride… No… Yeah… Outside of town… Great! You're the best. I'll text you the details. I owe you... See you."

She cut the call, and though she wore a smile, Jet thought it looked more like an expression of relief rather than smug triumph. She began tapping away on the phone, its dim glow lighting her face. Looking closer, Jet realized she was younger than he'd thought at first, though he was no great judge of human age.

"So, you have a way out?" he ventured.

"Mhm." She finished tapping on the screen and glanced up. "My friend will come and get us. There'll be a switch somewhere outside to open the gate. She should be here in…" her phone 'pinged'. She glanced down and groaned. "Two hours."

"That long?" Jet glanced up at the camera. "That's trouble. Police will be here way before then."

"Nope. I checked it out in advance. This system is internal only. The guy used to have his own security staff, but now…" She shrugged. "Good thing I'm here, Sparkles, or you'd have starved to death down here. You're welcome."

Jet bit off a retort. Like it or not, she was his ticket out of this mess, but he would not stoop to thanking her! "I guess we wait, then."

"Guess so." She walked to the corner and slid down to the floor with her back against the wall.

Two hours locked in with Nuisance. Hardly his choice for an ideal evening. But, perhaps it wouldn't be a complete loss. Jet moved to the vault door, standing on his hinds and planting his forepaws at the bottom of the keypad. Holding stock still, he felt the current humming within the lock, analyzing its ebb and flow. These sorts were always tricky, leaving little room for manipulation. But, even they could defeated with the right nudge in the right place. He closed his eyes, imagining himself riding the current, synchronizing with it until he couldn't tell where his power ended and its began. If he could just… There! Jet spiked his voltage, aiming for a tiny ripple, exploiting the lock's weak point. The surge connected, tying him to the electronics.

Jet was flying backward, tumbling head over heels, momentarily blinded by a sudden flash. He hit, bounced, and landed in a painful heap on the cold concrete. Every strand of fur tingled with excess charge as the electricity absorbed into his body. Damn. The lockdown protocols on this thing were nastier than he'd thought. If not for his ability, he'd have been fried where he stood!

"Did you really expect that to work?"

He shook his head to clear it and struggled to his paws. "It almost did."

She looked skeptical. "Sure."

"Haven't met an electronic lock yet that could keep me out." He glared at the vault door. "Unless they're in override."

"And whose fault is that?"

"No need to keep bringing that up."

She shrugged. "Can you blame me? I don't know what's in there exactly, but I do know this guy was loaded. Would have been a good haul. We could've split it, even."

"You would've agreed to that?"

"As long as I got first pick, sure." She brushed a loose strand of hair back from her face, and pulled her legs up to rest her arms on her knees. "Whatever you might think of me, I'm not a monster, Sparkles."

"I'm not sure what you are, aside from a nuisance." Was that whining? No, he was just stating the facts. He plopped down on his rump opposite her, looking her up and down. "Who are you anyway? Why do you keep showing up everywhere I try to score a job?"

"Could ask you the same." She stuck out her tongue. "But, we're stuck here, so might as well get to know each other I guess. We're both operating in Unova. I go after the best marks of opportunity that I happen to come across. I'm guessing you do the same. No big surprise, really. As for who I am? Name's Candy."

"How did you know I would be at those places?"

She cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

He nodded at her. "You wear that… thing that stops me from zapping you."

"Oh!" She grinned, pinching a bit of the dark fabric of her sleeve. A metallic gleam shimmered faintly in the crimson light. "The Faraday suit? You think that was for you? Cute. No, police like to use stun guns. I got it in the off chance I need to make a close getaway. Having it work for your little zaps was just a happy accident."

Jet's ears flattened. "I know more than just electric moves you know."

Her eyes narrowed, and she started to reach into her pocket. "Just try it, bucko. Didn't go so well for you before!"

"No need for that." He dropped down, keeping his posture non-threatening. The last thing he wanted was more of that spray to the face! "I was brought up to be a gentlemon, and would hardly attack a human without cause."

A snort gave a summary of what she thought, but her hand came out of her pocket blessedly empty. "Just don't get any funny ideas. You might be fast, but I'm quick on the draw."

"Why would I bother? You're not worth the energy." Jet huffed, laid on his belly, and pointedly ignored the tongue she stuck out at him. Two hours was seeming longer by the minute. The concrete was cool on his belly, the faint musty scent of the basement filling his nose. How nice it was to be able to smell properly again!

"Aww, grumpy gus. You're just upset because I got the drop on you again."

He was, but he didn't have to admit it! Jet put his paws over his face. Two. Hours.

"Fine. Sulk if it makes you feel better." She began humming softly under her breath. Jet didn't know the song, but it sounded far too jaunty for their current situation. He sighed pointedly–loud enough for her to hear–and made a show of curling up as if to sleep. If he survived this, he was going to spend some time taking in the sights of Nimbasa to unwind, as far away from her as possible.

***

Something far less than two hours later, Nuisance caught his attention with an elaborate show of stretching and yawning. "Dying of boredom may not be a thing, but it sure feels like it is," she said. "Can't even play Poffin Pop, in case my battery dies!" Drumming her fingers on the floor, she grinned as she caught his eye. "Aha! Knew you were faking it! Done sulking yet? Care to pass the time with some good 'ol friendly banter?"

"I can think of nothing I'd like better."

She must have missed the sarcasm. "Great! So, tell me something about yourself, Sparkles. Why are you here? What reason does a pokémon have to steal? Not like you guys tend to have much need of money."

"What do you know about what a pokémon needs?"

She rolled her eyes. "Enough to have this conversation? C'moooon, work with me here, I'm trying to be nice!"

Jet put his head between his forepaws. If he didn't answer, she'd keep wheedling at him until he went crazy. "It's complicated. I'm good at it. That's the main thing."

"Big deal. I'm good at handstands, but you don't see me joining the circus."

He glared. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." She arched an eyebrow. "What does it hurt?"

"Fine, but only if you tell me your reason."

"Deal."

Jet started. He hadn't expected her to agree to that, and certainly not so quickly. What was her angle? He regarded her; now watching him with a half smirk. Did she really want to know about him? Was there some advantage she'd get from this that he didn't see? He'd never been the smart one like his sister Anora. The espeon could analyze a situation in the blink of an eye, and know the best move to make. Part of what made her a killer lawyer. But, that wasn't him, and she wasn't here.

What could it hurt?

"Being an eevee… comes with a lot of expectations," he said, choosing his words carefully. "All that potential! You can be anything you want! Yada yada. I was the youngest of six 'vees. All of my siblings seemed to know immediately what they wanted to be, and they went and did it. They were good at it." His ears twitched. "I… wasn't. It took me a long time to decide what I wanted to be. I wasn't strong, or smart, or fast. They all managed to find something to do and become the best at it. Me? I could barely finish my training."

She was watching intently. He chuckled, though there was little humour in it. "Getting a thunderstone for my evolution day was a consolation prize. I was at a special training center, just for 'vees. All of the other 'vees picked something, and when they'd all picked, I was left there with only one choice because I didn't know what to do. I was scared of thunderstorms. I could've waited I guess, tried to become an espeon or an umbreon. But, looking at that thunderstone… I couldn't keep waiting. Thought things would change once I evolved." He paused, closing his eyes. It should've been simpler. Things should have been more clear.

"And did they?"

"Sort of, but not in the way I thought." He glanced at her, but she wasn't mocking him this time. "I still wasn't good at anything, but I could do more things. It took a long time to get used to my new powers. But, eventually, I found out just what I could do, how to manipulate electronics, and just how much humans relied on them. I learned, practiced, and eventually... " His ears perked. "I became the best. I could open a lock in seconds. Shut down a computer network. Overload an alarm. All sorts of useful things. But, who could I tell? Who would acknowledge that yes, I'd developed the perfect skills to be a thief? Certainly not my siblings. As far as they knew, I was still the only member of the family who'd never done anything."

"So you set out to prove them wrong?"

"Not quite. I set out to prove myself. Only one person could recognize my skills properly. The Five-Finger-King. The master thief who's never been caught, and who pilfered half the museums in Kalos. If I could just get a big enough heist, make a name for myself, get his attention… Maybe I could meet him. Maybe we could… I dunno, be a team or something. At the very least, I'd be able to look him in the eye and tell him..."

Candy had her hand over her mouth, her eyes intent. "Tell him what, Sparkles? Sounds like you've got a crush or something."

"Don't call me that." It was almost an afterthought at this point. "I'm not sure, but I know he would recognize me as more than just a failed excuse for a jolteon."

A soft giggle. Jet whipped his head up, lips skinning back in a snarl. "Don't laugh!"

"I'm sorry, you're right, I shouldn't laugh, it's just…" another barely contained giggle, her shoulders shaking. "It's flattering, really. Sweetie, I'm the Five-Finger-King."

"What?!" Jet stared at her, jaw agape. "No you're not."

"It's true." She shrugged, holding her hands out expansively. "I didn't pick the name, the media did. What, did you think the Five-Finger-King was a guy?"

"I…" he had, actually. "You can't be! He's in Kalos!"

"And when was the last time you heard of a heist in Kalos? Been at least a year. Things were getting hot there, I had to relocate. Changed my M.O. a bit so the authorities wouldn't catch on right away." She smirked. "What, are the Bourdeuxgêis treasures too small a prize for your hero?"

No, it was exactly the sort of thing his role model would have targeted. Jet reeled. Nuisance. The plague which had dogged him every step of the way. She was the Five-Finger-King? Why would she lie? Foolish as it might have been, he liked to think there was some honour among thieves, and to make a claim like that… It was too outlandish to be anything but true.

She was giving him that raised eyebrow look again. "So, there you have it. You're here, live, with your–" another stifled giggle. "Your idol. Man, that's weird to say. How does it feel? Are you going to dazzle me with more of your unmatched skills?"

Words kept running into one another and tangling into a useless mess. It made so much sense now. The way she'd snatched those treasures from under his nose with such practiced ease. She hadn't left a calling card, but if she was trying to keep the attention off herself for a while, that made sense too. Only one question kept ramming its way to the forefront, and eventually, he blurted it out.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

Jet took a deep breath. "You asked me why I do it. Your turn."

"Straight to the point all of a sudden? Why, Sparkles, it's like you're becoming confident or something." She grinned. "Fair question I guess. It's also something of a story, but, we've got time, huh?" She stretched out, flexing her toes. She wore some sort of thin shoe which formed to her feet, the bottoms coated in a gripping rubber that made Jet think of a treecko's pads.

"I never knew my parents. I grew up an orphan in Kalos' most fabulous city, Lumiose. Nice place, if you have money. Not so great if you don't." Her brow furrowed. "Lucky me, I had a roof over my head. St. Irma's orphanage. I was never very good at following the rules, and plenty of times, I had extra chores, or lectures, or eventually, getting locked into a room and ordered to study my books and think about what I'd done."

Her lips twitched. "That's where I learned to pick locks. Started being my favourite way to get free time. Do something to get punished, then spring myself as soon as the nuns left me to my contemplation. Be back before they were supposed to let me out. I explored half the city that way, sneaking out. Learned how to use rooftops, sewers, and alleyways to keep myself out of trouble. Kind of like you, I eventually figured out that I wasn't only able to get out of places, but into them as well."

A question popped out before Jet could stop it. "What was the first thing you stole?"

"A bucket of ice cream." She grinned at his wrinkled muzzle. "Not what you were expecting? I was nine. We didn't have ice cream at St. Irma's. I saw a chance and nicked it before the shop owner turned around. Was the best thing I'd ever tasted." Her grin faded. "I knew that I didn't want to hurt anyone though. I never stole from anyone who couldn't afford it. I knew what it was like to have nothing, so why would I take from someone who didn't have much?"

"I never figured that you'd be so…"

"Considerate?"

"Was going to go with soft, but sure."

"Picking my marks carefully has nothing to do with being soft. I have a code, and I stick to it." She raised a finger. "One: Don't steal from the poor." Another finger joined the first. "Two: No weapons, and no one gets hurt. Three: It's never personal." She waggled the three fingers at him. "That's about it, aside from having a bit of pride in my marks. Easy marks are all well and good, but a challenge is so much more interesting. I was really looking forward to busting this vault before I was so rudely interrupted..."

Jet's nose twitched. He would not apologize, he refused!

Candy sighed, muttering something under her breath that sounded like 'obstinate'. Louder, she said, "Anyway, the third bit is also my 'why'. I keep enough from my fenced treasures to live comfortably, but the rest gets anonymously donated to worthy causes, like Saint Irma's. Plenty of kids who could use that money to have a better shot at life."

"That's…" Jet couldn't think of a good response. Who knew the Five-Finger-King was a noble thief? "Surprising."

"I'll bet. Not all of us are in the game for our own profit, sweetie." She hugged her knees, rocking back against the wall.

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Sure." The corners of her mouth twitched. "Nothing quite like the 'click' of a lock springing open to get a girl's heart racing. Figuring out how to crack a tough mark is like a game with high stakes, and winning that game feels pretty good." Her smile widened. "Usually, I like to celebrate a little afterwards, have a night out on the town. Makes for a pretty good life."

"Sounds like."

"What about you, Sparkles? Do you enjoy what you do?"

"Could you please stop calling me that?" Jet's ears felt like they were going to form an imprint into his skull.

"Aww," her lips twisted into a mock pout. "But your sulky face is so cute!"

"I'm sure," he growled. "And yes. Or, I did before a nuisance human started getting in my way all the time."

"A human who happens to be your idol." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"An opinion I'm beginning to revise," Jet muttered. "How is it that you can understand me anyway?"

"Easy. Saint Irma's was home to several abandoned pokémon as well. I was never much for hanging around the other kids, so I made friends with them instead. Turns out, you spend a lot of time with pokémon in your formative years, you grow to understand them." She shrugged. "Or maybe I'm a freak. Wouldn't be the first time I've been called that."

He had no idea what to say to that. The silence stretched on, punctuated only by their breathing and the tick-tack of Candy's nails drumming on the concrete. How strange, to meet the Five-Finger-King like this, by complete happenstance. Jet's stomach churned with a sudden realization that, while it hadn't happened the way he'd wanted, he'd achieved his goal. How could he have been so stupid? Had he honestly expected his life to change from this? In fairness, Candy was far different from what he'd thought, but could any version of his role-model have lived up to what he'd imagined? What would he do with himself now? His prospects were slim to none, and he was sitting in a mess of broken dreams. Sure, he could get by the way he had been with his skills, but what was the point? Everything he'd worked for… it had all been for nothing!

Candy cleared her throat, jerking him from his self-pity. She was watching him with an odd, calculating look in her eyes. "No need to look so gloomy, you know. It's not like this job is a complete loss."

"And how do you figure that?" Even to his ears, it was pathetic, more of a whine than anything.

"We got to meet, and now that we know each other, there's no reason for us to go on being rivals." She stuck out a hand. "What do you say? Agree to not mess up each other's jobs? At least, not on purpose?"

He stared at the offered hand. "I thought you said it was by chance."

"Oh, it was, but, can you argue with the sentiment?"

"What are you proposing, exactly? That we team up?"

"Hmm." She tilted her head to the side, withdrawing her hand and tapping her chin. "I wasn't, but, now that you mention it… It wouldn't be so bad to have a pokémon to watch my back. Especially one who specializes in dealing with electronic security."

"Absolutely not." His jaw clicked shut on the refusal which had popped out before his mind could catch up to reconsider. Partner? With her? She was so… annoying! Not to mention, he was out to be the best. Not some sidekick pet.

"Now now, Sparkles, don't get your spikes in a tangle…"

"Stop calling me that!"

She giggled. "Fine, but think of the benefits… I can get into plenty of places that your little paws couldn't dream of cracking. Not to mention, you'd be putting your skills to a good cause! I did mention that I keep enough to live comfortably, didn't I? It's not like you'd be worse off than you are now. Plus, you wouldn't have to worry about some random trainer stumbling across you and deciding that a jolteon is exactly what he needs to round out his lineup."

Jet stiffened. He had indeed encountered trainers from time to time. He generally ran away before they could so much as reach for a pokéball, but it was always a concern for a 'wild' pokémon like him. Still, to live with her? To constantly be put down and teased, and… and… much as he hated to think about it, outsmarted. It would be as bad as going back to his siblings!

"Not happening."

Candy spread her hands, adopting that exaggerated pout again. "You're starting to hurt my feelings here! You might be a pest, but I can't deny you've got some skill. Admit it, we'd make a good team."

"I won't be anyone's pet."

Her nose wrinkled. "Who said anything about that? Do I look like a trainer to you? I was thinking more of an equal partnership. As long as I'm still the boss." She grinned. "Gotta admit, you're getting the better end of the deal here. Do you have any idea what a pain it is to clean fur off clothing? And you're yellow."

"I…" True, she didn't seem the type to use him as some sort of attack dog, but that didn't mean he wanted to spend most of his time in a pokéball. "I'm not sure you get it. Agreeing to come with you means losing my freedom in more ways than one."

"Trust me, I know all about not having freedom. Why do you think I fought so hard to gain mine?" Her smile had vanished, replaced by a stern levelness. "You wouldn't be my prisoner, Jet. You have my word of honour on that."

More than anything, the use of his proper name halted his retort. The stubborn resistance he'd been hoarding was beginning to melt like so much wax. But, the doubt remained a steel core. How did he know this wasn't all a trick? She could be lying start to finish, and planning to use the pokéball to control him the minute he allowed her to tag him with it. No, it wasn't worth the risk. "Let's say I believe you. Would you be my 'master?' How do I know you won't just use me as a tool, like most humans do with pokémon?"

"Because I don't work that way. Hello, my code? No. One. Gets. Hurt. That includes partners. But, I guess if you think I'm lying…" this came with a bitter chuckle, "then I need to convince you. Go on, name it. How do I change your mind?"

Jet blinked. It seemed she had no end of surprises. Did she want him that badly? His sister's warning about the tricks of humans rang like an alarm bell in the back of his mind. If a human was determined, they'd do almost anything to get what they wanted.

Almost anything. His ears sprang up, heat flushing them. There wasn't a chance she would go that far for a lie, was there? No, humans had… funny ideas, and considered it disgusting from what he'd heard, which he'd never understood. She would never agree. This farce would be over, and in a few hours he'd be out of here and figuring out what to do with his life, but free.

"Let me fuck you."

For the first time, he was awarded the wonderful sight of Candy's eyes widening in shock. Grim satisfaction welled up, though it was tempered by an almost equal disappointment. Her offer had been a nice thought, for a moment.

"Skipping the whole, 'buying me dinner' phase?" she said, her expression smoothing. "Wouldn't have picked you for the crude type. But hey, if that's what it takes, you've got a deal."

It was Jet's turn to stare. She couldn't be serious. No… she was moving, stretching, rolling her neck with a muted pop, reaching for the hem of her shirt… His ears felt like they would burn right off as the dark fabric pulled up, revealing a swath of pale belly, catching slightly on the swell of her chest, causing her breasts to bounce in an oddly captivating way before freeing them entirely, leaving only a skin-tight bit of dark fabric around her chest and shoulders. She tossed the shirt aside, its metal-laced cloth glittering in the red glow, and started to unbutton her pants.

"Wait!" Jet cried, huffing like he'd just run across all of Nimbasa. Why did his throat feel so tight?

Candy raised an eyebrow at him, still holding the now open flaps of her pants, granting a view of a soft-looking, pale blue cloth beneath. "Cold feet all of a sudden? I'll really need to teach you about sticking to your guns once we're partners. Being all wishy-washy like this isn't a good look for you."

"I didn't think you'd say yes!"

"Then why did you ask?" She stood, smirking, and let the pants drop to the floor. When had she taken off her shoes? She stepped out of the pile of cloth and crossed her arms over her chest, shapely bare legs spread and flexed in a way that showed off her toned body quite well, for a human. "Shouldn't make promises if you don't plan to follow through."

"I didn't promise anything!"

"Maybe not directly, but I asked you what I needed to do to convince you, and you gave me an answer. That's implied agreement, Sparkles." Her blue eyes narrowed, a strand of hair falling across her face as if to punctuate her mood. "You're not backing out, are you? What's wrong? I'm not attractive enough? Or maybe you don't like girls?" She took a step forward, one hand falling to her hip. "You want to show me you're the best, don't you?"

"I... " His heart was racing. At some point, he'd also stood, and he took the chance to mirror her advance and keep the distance between them. "I like females, but–"

"Not humans? I thought pokémon didn't care much about that." Another step. She was a stalking liepard, closing in.

"We don't, but–" He could zap her now. She wasn't wearing her suit. He could…

"You really seemed to have a thing for your idol before you learned it was me. Doesn't the idea of fucking your idol have any attraction to you?"

His rump bumped into solid wall. "Sure, but–"

"Are you worried I'll judge your performance?" She was standing over him now, both hands on her hips, legs crossed over one-another. "I'm won't claim to be an expert, but I've always been curious about what it's like with a pokémon. Care to…" She leaned down, licked her lips. "Satisfy me?"

A scent wafted on the air, hot, spicy, and delicious. Jet shivered, the tightness in his chest creeping lower until it settled on his sheath. For a human, she was nice to look at. But, this was Nuisance. She was also the main reason he'd been perfecting his craft. There was no question now that her offer wasn't genuine. No human would go this far… would they? And that smell! He'd been around his sisters through their heats enough to know what it meant, even if it wasn't as potent.

"You win." He lowered his head, escaping her expectant, predatory gaze. "I'm convinced."

"Ah-ah-ah." A delicate touch between his stiffened ears nearly made him jump. "What did I say about following through? Not like we have much better to do to pass the time in here. Why are you so nervous now?"

Why did she have to be so… Persistent? Jet stifled a growl, fighting his body's baser instincts to pounce, mount her, hump away. Couldn't she accept her victory and be done with it? And why did she have to smell so damn good?! Still looking at the floor, he mumbled, "I've never done this before."

"Really? That's what you're so jittery about?" A laugh bounced off the walls of the small room, making Jet cringe. "Honestly Sparkles, you had me worried it was something serious. Didn't I just tell you I'd never done this either?"

"Wait, what?" His head whipped up.

"Well, not with a pokémon," she amended, sticking her tongue out at him. "But it's basically the same thing! We can learn together. It'll be fun!"

"You're serious."

"Deadly." She was offering her hand again, hovering in front of his nose. "I don't mind admitting you caught me off guard, but considering all the things you might have asked for, I'm actually pretty pleased with how this is going down. Nice little trust-builder, wouldn't you say?"

His head was spinning. Between the smell, and everything that had happened, and the repeated shocks to what he thought to be true, and the idea of what lay ahead, and that smell… Jet put out a paw, gingerly meeting her cool palm.

"Deal."

"Good boy." Releasing his paw, she patted him on the head, giggled at his affronted recoil, then languidly turned and stretched, gliding a hand down her side in a way that was clearly meant to show off her body.

In spite of himself, Jet found himself following that hand with his eyes, his heartbeat tripping up as it paused at her hip, teasing the corner of her blue panties. Human females were something of a mystery to him, given how all humans liked to drape themselves in so much cloth, it's a wonder they didn't suffocate. But, he realized that the anticipation of the surprise had him quivering, cool air on a certain emerging part of him signalling just how far ahead of his brain his body was.

"Aww, you're almost cute like this," Candy crooned, working a finger below the hem and sliding it around until it rested in the middle of that triangle of blue cloth. "Guess you really do like the ladies if you're enjoying the show so much. Not that I blame you, I am pretty fabulous." The bulge of her finger wiggled beneath the fabric, and her sharp intake of breath belied her show of calm control. "Under better circumstances, I'd love to tease you a bit longer, but it's hellishly cold down here. Care to help with that?"

It took him a moment to break off staring at that wiggling bulge–which was stirring the provocative scent and beginning to make a small damp spot appear on the blue cloth–and register that her raised brow meant she expected an answer. Fighting to keep his voice steady, Jet nodded. "Sure."

"Excellent. It's a good idea to get in the habit of saying 'yes' to me by the way. I don't plan to lord power over you, but I am very good at getting my way." Flashing a grin, she abruptly tugged, stepped, and whisked off the final barrier of clothing, tossing it aside. Dropping to a squat, she leaned back until she was braced on her hands and feet, legs spread wide, her rump resting delicately on the concrete floor. "Yeowch, that's freezing! Hurry up and get over here, I need a distraction!"

Jet's paws were already moving of their own accord, padding him across the floor to the presenting female, eyes fixed on the prize. She was completely hairless down there, and of course it was as pale as the rest of her, but the soft and warm looking, dark pink source of that wonderful aroma was all his. A little different from what he'd been expecting maybe, but then he only had his sisters for reference, not that they showed off for him–ew–and the parts should work the same.

It felt like his nose was tugging him along, guiding him in until he was inches from her damp womanhood, nostrils quivering as he drew in a long breath of pure aphrodisiac. It reminded him of getting a full blast of electricity to absorb; a surge of pure feeling rushing through him. Only, unlike electricity, which made him want to run at top speed and blast things until the giddiness wore off, this… this seemed to boil inside him, a bestial urge he'd rarely felt calling out for him to plunge in, claim her, make her his…

"That's it, get a good whiff if you want, I kno-oh!"

Whatever she'd been saying cut off as Jet took that plunge. He had to get more of it, he had to! His nose mashed into the soft flesh at the top of her mound, his tongue lashing out to flick along the length of her slit, gathering a taste of her sex. New flavors exploded along his tongue–saltysweettangywarmfemale!–and he was already scrambling for more. It was good. He'd earned this, it was his by right! He knew exactly what to do with a willing mate, and it was his pleasure to taste her submission, to draw in her scent and flavour until he knew it as well as he knew himself.

Candy cried out as his tongue frantically slurped across her intimate folds, hands falling to his shoulders, fluttering away, then resting on his ears and gripping tight, pulling him closer. The painful tugging didn't slow him down–if anything it spurred him to delve deeper, cramming his muzzle in firmly to wriggle his tongue between those tight, spongy lips, seeking more of the intoxicating nectar. It was dripping steadily now, soaking the fur of his muzzle faster than he could lick it away, and a feral growl rumbled in Jet's throat. She wanted him–no, she needed him, and he would give her what she needed.

She was cooing, murmuring something indistinct, tiny shudders and twitches wracking her as he explored her sex, cleaning it as thoroughly as he possibly could manage. His nose was filled with nothing but her scent, nearly driving him mad with its one note call. Nothing could stop him, nothing could stand between him and his prize!

Jet was abruptly aware of the weight of his swelling cock between his legs. He needed it in her. He needed to bury it into her again and again until he brought them both to satisfaction! He tried to pull away–though another part of him wanted to remain where he was and lick until his tongue fell limp with exhaustion–but a sharp pain in his ears halted him. Jet snarled, mane bristling. How dare she! He–

"Hey! Easy, Sparkles!"

Another yank to his sensitive ears, and lucidity flashed back like a blast from his sister's ice beam. Jet stumbled, head spinning, chest heaving, and realized with a shame that burned from the tip of his ears to the bottom of his pads what he'd been trying to do.

"Oh Arceus… I'm sorry. I… I'm not sure what came over me."

The death grip on his ears released, allowing him to stagger back a step, shaking his head to clear it and absently cleaning a droplet of liquid from his nose. Cringing, he glanced up to meet Candy's blue eyes. After that little bit of nonsense, she was probably going to back out now, leaving him humiliated, directionless, and incredibly horny.

Wait, she was laughing?

Was she laughing at him?!

"Oh boy, I see that face, don't let your ego get all bruised now!" She leaned forward a bit, taking the weight off her hands. "I'm not making fun of you, promise! I just didn't expect you to get so… intense! Like, I'd heard you canine types go nuts, but damn, down, boy!" Her amusement faded into a wide grin, and she flipped back some of the hair which had fallen in front of her face. "Not really complaining though, I just about came from that, and that's with the dang floor acting as a buzz kill. You may lack experience, but wow does that tongue make up for it with eagerness!"

"I… thanks?"

"Welcome. Now, maybe we can continue? C'mere, I want to see what you're packing!" A giggle, coupled with a snapping of her fingers as she settled more comfortably on her rump, bringing her legs tightly together to indicate he was indeed cut off for now.

Much as his instincts urged him to leap across the distance and tackle her, Jet waited long enough to feel like he was walking over of his own free will and not because she'd told him to. Candy's responding eyeroll was satisfying enough to shout down the primal need gnawing away at him long enough for him to stand next to her and hold his head high, despite the crawling discomfort and nervousness brought on by the bobbing inch of exposed flesh poking free of his sheath.

"Glad to see I haven't lost my touch," Candy murmured, tilting her head to the side to get a better angle beneath his belly. "Speaking of touch… may I?"

Jet's heart was in his throat. Other than his own tongue and paws, nothing had touched him before in such a way. He took a steadying breath and gave a nod.

Her hand fell to his side first, dextrous fingers brushing through his short, coarse fur. Tiny shivers ran through his skin–much like the dancing sparks which tended to dart through his mane–as her nails combed through, stroking down his flank until they reached the curve of his haunch. They didn't stop there, following the line of muscle down, then circling back on the verge of his belly, coming around and up under his chest. Jet twitched, tension flowing away from his limbs as those oddly calming nails groomed through his chest ruff, digging through the thicker fur of his mane, teasing across his pelt.

Snap!

Candy hissed, yanking her hand back and shaking it. "Dammit! Guess I should've expected that. They don't call you the lightning pokémon for nothing."

"Sorry. That felt… Nice."

"I can see that. You know, if you weren't so cocky and annoying, you'd be adorable." She grinned at his glare. "What! It's true. You get this dopey look that's just…" She made what he supposed was meant to be an imitation, tilting her head and hanging her mouth open with an expression of rapture.

Jet growled. "You'd know all about cocky and annoying I suppose."

"Never said I didn't!" Giggling, she brought her hands down again–safely to his flanks this time. "Now, where were we…"

She didn't mess around this time, making straight for his belly, her fingers raking furrows in his coat. Jet's breath caught as she worked her way lower, lightly squeezing his belly, thumbs brushing his thighs, until a warm, delicate touch ghosted along the sides of his sheath.

"Wow, that's crazy warm, and you're not even a fire type," Candy murmured. "Don't mind me, I'm just going to…"

His hips twitched the second her hand closed on his fuzzy sheath. It wasn't much–just a light squeeze, a feather's pressure on his still-strapped member–but it was enough for his barely suppressed instincts to take hold, his hinds bucking into her hand, tugging on his sheath as his exposed tip sought a target.

"Man, you really are eager." The grip on his sheath tightened into a more pronounced grope. "If I remember right, you have something else down here, don't you? Doesn't it get like, crazy big or whatever?"

"You mean the knot?" His words came out in a huff. He was trying to slow them down, but his hips just kept twitching all on their own.

"Is that what you call it? Ooh! Yeah, I think I feel it!"

Indeed, she was squeezing down on the trapped bulge at the base of his still hidden cock, which hadn't really started to grow yet, but was still a pronounced lump in the furry tube. Tingling pleasure shot up Jet's spine from the inexpert, but enthusiastic fondling, more of his warm flesh sliding free to meet the cool air. It must be nice to have hands…

"That doesn't feel so bad, I can definitely take it." Awarding his knot another squeeze, she slid up the length of his shaft, silken skin caressing his exposed crimson pride. Jet groaned, bucking with greater force as the sensitive rod met a friendly touch. Her thumb circled the tip of his triangular head, smearing the warm fluid gathered there. "Geez, already? Guess I shouldn't be surprised, I'm pretty hot."

He elected not to comment, focused instead on the tantalizing pressure and friction of her caress. His hinds shuddered, prodding into the confines of her palm, eager to free his maleness and bury it home. If she'd just pull back his sheath a bit more…

Like smoke, the delightful touch drew back, leaving him nearly whining in frustration. Jet shot her a glare, but she wasn't looking at him. No, she was grabbing her discarded shirt and pants, hastily balling them up into a rough pile on the floor, then shuffling over and kneeling on them, back turned to him. She looked over her shoulder then, blonde hair spilling over her eyes not enough to hide the gleam of anticipation in them. "Ready for this? I think you know what to do from here." With that, she dropped down to her hands and knees, exposing herself to him once again in a pose any four-legged male would recognize.

He'd be a fool to let the opportunity go to waste. The curve of her pale rump was a lovely invitation, her slick folds perfectly on display. His body moved as if on strings, his nose dipping in to steal a long sniff of that intoxicating aroma, before he brought his chin up to rest on her rear. Inexperience aside, he knew exactly what to do. Rearing up, he mounted her, shuffling forward until he could grip her hips, and thrust.

Nothing.

Jet's ears flattened, jabbing again, his twitching cock seeking the promised heat of his lover. Only cool air touched his eager flesh. He scrabbled for purchase, trying to wrap his forelimbs tighter around her. He must not be close enough. He was all but dancing on his toes, his forepaws tugging on her thighs, and still he couldn't reach! Growling, he prodded wildly, the odd poke sliding across skin, but the firm muscle of her thighs rather than the soft give of her sex.

What was he doing wrong?

A soft giggle from below. "Sorry, I think I see what's going on. Forgot you're kinda short."

"I am not short! I'm perfectly normal for a jolteon!" Even to himself, it sounded like a whine.

"Simmer down. I just mean that our bits don't line up. Here." She wiggled, and suddenly he was no longer balanced on the toes of his hindpaws, but resting comfortably again, his chest sliding forward on her back until the curve of her rear fit nicely into the hollow of his belly, and his forepaws could wrap around her waist. She lowered her front as well, resting on folded hands, head turned to the side and looking back at him out of the corner of her eye. "Better?"

He could feel the warmth now, almost kissing his dripping tip. Jet surged, and at long last, delicate heated flesh welcomed him. Candy gasped, but he wasn't about to stop now. His hinds moved on their own, rolling into her with feral need, thrusting his needy shaft deeper, shoving past the clenching resistance of her walls, burying himself to the sheath.

"Much," he growled, his breath coming out ragged. It had been so easy! She was absolutely dripping, and the gentle ripples of her passage as it gripped him, seeming to draw him further in… Jet shivered, the satisfaction of joining his body with another welling up from his loins. He needed more of this, more of the tingling delight, more of the wonderful pressure on his sensitive rod, more of the quivering and breathy sounds of pleasure from the human beneath him. Primal urges roared a singular desire in the back of his mind.

Claim her.

Jet thrust, nearly sliding out of her as he balanced–she was still a bit taller–but managed to adjust and pull himself back with his forepaws. His shaft slid deeper into her sweltering tunnel, his sheath rolling back as it pressed to her lower lips. More of his pride freed, he could plunge further still with rapid hunches, until the swelling bulge of his knot was kissing her mound. Candy squeaked beneath him as he ground it against her, knowing he needed it free soon if he wanted to get it into her, if he could just get a little more…

Candy squirmed, pressing herself into his efforts. At long last, Jet's knot squeezed free of his sheath, drawing a satisfied groan from his throat. Yes! Pleasure spiked as her passage milked him, encouraging his rutting. He didn't need to be told, his instincts already redoubling his attempts to tie her, jamming his cock frantically into her willing sex, the overpowering scents of their mating filling him with need.

"D-damn, Sparkles, you don't mess around! I'd almost think you wanted this from the start."

"As if you didn't jump at the chance," he growled back, dropping his chin to rest on her back while he bred her, his body on fire with sheer delight. Different species or no, the way her powerful inner walls massaged his pistoning length was perfection. "And would you quit calling me that?"

"You going to make me? Pin me down and show me who's boss?" Ruby lips quirked as she looked back with a wink. “You don't have it in you, m'dear."

His lips skinned back, canines meeting her cheeky grin. “Is that what you want? I could get a lot rougher."

“I'm sure you could. Why, look at how terrifying you are right now! It's enough to make a girl's heart go all aflutter!" She reached up, index finger extended. Jet's eyes nearly crossed following its inevitable progress, until delicate skin brushed over black pebbled nose.

The nerve! He could bite that finger right now, show her how wrong she was!

Except… she was right. He couldn't.

Damn his sense of chivalry.

Candy was again bracing herself on the floor, and wiggled her rear pointedly. "You're slowing down. Are you gonna get that thing into me or what?"

His answer was a feral snarl, forcing a cry from the human as he humped relentlessly into her sodden snatch, filling the small room with the sloppy sound of their mating. The bulge of his knot slammed into her lips, his eagerness to drive it home matched by Candy's own rocking hips, soft croons escaping her each time their flesh met. She was shuddering; little quivers that shook both of them as she tried to match his frantic pace.

Jet's forepaws clenched, gripping her tight and keeping their bodies locked together. Her skin was soft beneath his paws, so delightfully smooth, and while the dimples dug by his claws briefly gave him pause, she didn't give any indication of pain or discomfort. Either she was tougher than he'd given her credit for, or she was too wrapped up in the pleasure to notice or care.

"That's it, gimme all of it!" Candy cried, tossing her head and undulating her body in an extremely gratifying way. "I want to feel that knot!"

He breathed deep, drawing in her salty-sweetness peppered by the piquant ambrosia of arousal. The scent of female desire–desire for him. Pride welled in his chest, spurred by her moans as he plundered her folds. No one had wanted him before–not like this. He might not know exactly what to make of her, but he was inclined to give her what she asked. The need to claim her–to fill her with his seed and mark her as his–overwrote all other thoughts.

With a guttural growl, Jet seized the exposed muscle of her shoulder in his jaws, clamping down hard enough to dig in his fangs, but not enough to break the skin. Candy squealed, but reached a shaking hand up to rest between his ears, ignoring his warning rumbles and petting blindly, mumbling encouragements he only half heard.

"Yesbabyohgoodboy, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!"

His balls were churning, already drawn tight as the pressure in his loins trembled on the urge of glorious ecstasy. Electricity snapped and crackled in his mane, some of the excess charge surely jolting his mate, though she was certainly not raising any complaints as they continued to buck in unison. The stubborn resistance against his knot was gradually giving way, her abused entrance allowing more and more of his straining cock inside, their shared juices splashing free and soaking into the fur of his belly. Jet's hind legs strained, scrabbling for traction on the concrete to surge past that final bit of width…

Popschluck!

"Hell yes!" Candy screamed, stiffening beneath him. Her entire body twitched, quaked in his grasp, while her pussy clamped down hard enough to make him see stars. Rhythmic pulses milked him, trying uselessly to pull him deeper, every inch of his shaft caressed by the rippled contours of her passage. He couldn't hold back even if he'd tried. Letting out a feral cry around his mouthful, Jet's climax overwhelmed him in an instant.

Snap!

Sheer ecstasy filled him from head to toe, his balls and buried length flexing, spurting warm, thick seed deep inside his lover.

Szzzap!

Brightness nearly blinded him, the unbidden bolt of electricity lancing out into the concrete wall. Jet quivered, locked tight to Candy, his sensitive knot massaged in the relentless grip of her sex. His loins continued to clench, firing heavy loads of heated cream into the human's womb. A distant part of him clamored. Something about getting control. Not to… to…

Zap! Szzzz!

More brilliant flashes. Candy choked out a cry, her body once more tensing and shuddering in turn, her walls bearing down like she intended to milk every last drop out of him, a fresh wave of feminine honey soaking his belly. Jet groaned, shivering as his shaft flexed again and again, painting her insides with his climax, ecstasy fizzing through his nerves. The air crackled with latent charge, another massive surge building in his mane. He had to direct it, get it under control, make sure it didn't–

ZAP!

Spent, Jet fell limp across her back, panting, blinking away the spots from his vision and releasing his hold on the human's shoulder. Beneath him, Candy also lay still, her back heaving as she caught her breath. Jet's hilted cock continued to twitch lazily, sprinkling more of his progeny into the belly of another species. A distracted, distant part of him knew that there would be nothing that came of it, but it still felt damn good.

"H-holy shit, Sparkles…" Candy shoved herself up on her elbows, nearly dislodging Jet from his perch until he gripped tight to her hips again. She glanced back over her shoulder, brushing aside a few disheveled locks. "Not that I'm complaining? But you seriously need to tone down the juice a bit." Her gaze flicked to her arm, one hand rising to feel for the four angry red marks his fangs had left on the meat of her shoulder. "Maybe not the biting though. Fuck that was hot!"

"I…" Jet paused to catch his breath and collect his thoughts. It felt so incredibly satisfying to rest like this, his maleness ensconced tightly in the slick heat of his… what? His lover? His mate? "Didn't mean to shock you. Sorry."

"Eh. Bygones. I'm still here, and that's the first time I've cum like that." She shrugged, grinning. "Though I'd appreciate it if you'd keep the voltage to less than almost frying me? Not to mention the furniture." She nodded at the vault door.

Jet followed her gesture, his ears shooting up straight. The control panel of the door was a smoking pile of slag, surrounded by a scorch mark bigger than him. No wonder he felt so drained. That last bolt must have been all of his latent charge! Sure enough, while he could still feel the power smouldering inside him, the constant buzz in his fur was conspicuously absent. Nothing to worry about, it would build back over time, but he would definitely need to keep a tight grip on it next time.

Assuming there would be a next time.

"So, uh… Now what?" he asked, settling down on the human's back, twitching slightly as the motion tugged on their tie and sparked tiny prickles of delight. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't given much thought to what came next. They'd made a deal, true, but the details weren't exactly clear.

"You tell me. How long are you going to sit on my butt? Normally I'd be okay with it, but my knees are killing me."

"Right, sorry." He'd never done this before, but he'd watched his brothers once or twice, and it looked easy enough. Sliding off to the side, he raised a back leg, twisted, and with a lewd slurp, a startled yelp from Candy, and a dizzying wave of pleasant sensation, he had all fours on the ground once more. His sack twitched, loosing a fresh spurt of seed into the human. The tie held firm, locking them tight even while they stood rump to rump. Odd as it felt to have his junk turned so… opposite, it wasn't painful.

"That's… new." Candy said, a shiver wracking her. "Any more tricks I should know about?"

"Thought you said you knew how knots worked?"

"Not exactly. I had an idea, but I wasn't expecting it to get quite so wide, or to do that." She shook her head, lifting herself a little more and stretching her legs out behind her, tugging on their bond. "Damn, that's weird, but kinda awesome. At least, it would be in a proper bed. How long until we can be unstuck?"

"Dunno."

"Right, virgin."

"No." Jet shot her a dirty glare. "Well, yes, but I've seen it before! Just have no idea how long it will be with a human." Now that the glorious highs and primal mindset of their mating had worn off, unease stirred in his chest. How long would he be stuck like this, with her? "And would you stop pulling like that? It is attached to me, you know."

"Fine, fine, I suppose that's fair." Candy huffed a sigh, settling back down with her legs spread enough to lower her to a more equal height. "As long as you get that monster put away before Marcy shows up. If she catches us like this, I'll never live it down."

"Perish the thought," Jet muttered.

Candy didn't give any sign that she'd caught the jibe, but Jet was sure he heard a soft giggle. Scowling, he turned away from her, tried to think about anything but how good it felt to be stuck balls deep inside this obnoxious human, and waited for freedom.

***

In the end, they managed to separate with time to spare, Jet's shrinking maleness slipping out with a messy gush of mixed juices that made Candy groan in consternation, and gave him a secret swell of pride. He tuned out her complaining while he cleaned himself up, half an ear twitched to her moans of "going to smell like a brothel", and "it'll be hours before I can shower". Not his fault humans didn't use their tongues properly, and if her current scent of their mingled satisfaction was anything like one of these 'brothels', he might have to look for one to find out for himself.

He was just licking the last of the potent fluids from his crotch and thighs when Candy's phone buzzed. She finished tugging her shirt back on over her head and fished it out of her pants pocket. Swiping a finger on the screen, she held it up to her ear. "Hey girl, what's shaking..? You're here? Awesome. Front door should be unlocked… Yup, in the basement… Thanks, see you in a minute!"

She cut the call with a swipe and stowed the phone back in her pocket, adjusting her pants with a grimace as she did so. "Blech. Your jizz gets all slimy after a while, and I didn't pack extra tampons. These panties are going to be ruined! Hope you're proud of yourself."

"I seem to recall you moaning about how much you wanted it." Jet fixed her with his best imitation of her own smirk. "Not my fault you can't handle it all. Besides, it makes you smell nicer."

"You've got a funny definition of that." Her nose wrinkled. "But I guess I can't be too upset with you. If I was fucking me, I'd probably blow a wad like that too." She tossed her hair, grinning and placing a hand on her hip. "Next time though, I'm absolutely going to ride you. There's a few tricks you need to learn, and bouncing on that knot of yours has got to be amazing."

Jet stiffened. This was it, the part he'd been dreading. His freedom was at its end. "Are you going to do it now?"

Candy tilted her head. "Do what? Ride you?"

"Capture me."

"Why on earth would I do that?"

Jet blinked. "Wasn't that… the deal?" Was she backing out?

"I never said anything about capturing you, silly mutt!" Candy chuckled. "I don't do the whole slavery thing, remember?"

"But, before, you had pokéballs, and…" Jet couldn't wrap his brain around it.

"Sure, as a defense. I've never owned a pokémon in my life." She shrugged. "I said partners, Sparkles, and that's exactly what I meant."

Before Jet could form a reply, footsteps thumping down the stairs interrupted.

"Down here! Turn left!" Candy called. The footsteps paused, then started to approach down the narrow hall toward them. A moment later, a slender, dark-skinned woman with frizzy black hair, dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans and black t-shirt rounded the corner and stopped in front of the security gate.

"Hey Marcy!" Candy waved. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

"I'd say the same, but you look like hell, girl." Marcy shook her head. "How did you manage to get yourself into this mess?" Her gaze fell on Jet. "Is that your pokémon?"

"Long story, and I'll be happy to tell you on the ride back to town. No, not exactly. At least, not yet." Candy shot Jet a wink. "Would you mind getting us out of here? There should be an override switch."

"Right, sorry," Marcy said, turning to search the wall. A moment later, she located the override with an, "Aha!" At the flip of her finger the gate began to retract with a shuddering creak, reluctantly freeing its prisoners.

Candy picked up her bag and strolled out to join her friend, casually as if she'd merely been visiting and waiting for an invitation to leave. Turning back, she raised an eyebrow at Jet. "You planning to stay here?"

The question broke the paralysis that had been gripping him since Candy's bombshell. He followed the two humans into the hall, ears flat as his mind raced. He'd been ready–or, ready as he could be–for the ball to claim him, to give himself to her as she had given herself to him. Now, she offered him something more, a chance to be his own 'mon, yet work with someone he'd looked up to for years, to match his skills with hers, and even to… to…

"You're serious? About all of it?"

She glanced back and nodded, mouth a firm line, jaw jutting as if to challenge him.

"Even the part about… well… next time?"

Her face melted into a wicked grin, and she shook with silent laughter while miming a pumping motion with her hand that erased any doubt from Jet's mind. Marcy glanced at her as they approached the stairs. "You okay?"

"Oh yes," Candy instantly adapted her lewd gesture into a wave. "Just a funny thought."

"Huh." Marcy looked back to Jet, frowning. "He's not yours, you said? Talkative fellow though. Looked like he made a mess in there too, with that puddle on the floor. House training can be a real pain. You planning to keep him?"

"Maybe." Candy's shoulders were shaking. "I think I can train him, though he might be a slow learner."

"You do you, girl. Just don't plan on bringing him to my place before he's learned some manners." With a shrug, Marcy started up the stairs, completely missing Jet's appalled expression.

"Well?" Candy said in a low whisper as Marcy neared the top of the stairs, her voice quivering with mirth. "What'll it be? You're not going to back out are you? I'd hate to miss out on the chance to teach you…" She licked her lips. "Manners."

If Jet's ears grew any warmer, they were going to burn right off. He heaved a sigh, shaking his head. What in Arceus' name had he done to deserve this abuse? He was a world class thief, not some two-bit rattata trying to prove itself! On the other paw, Candy had some skill, and probably wouldn't slow him down too much. Maybe it would be worthwhile to let her stick around for a bit. It was only fair, and he would never back out of a promise!

Holding his head high, he took a step onto the stairs. "One condition. Stop calling me Sparkles!"

Candy snickered. "I'll think about it."

Jet groaned inwardly. He was going to regret this.