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The Cruise: Akiko

by Havoc

“Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”

• Albert Camus

******

Sudden, bright light woke Josh up abruptly from what he thought was one of the best sleeps of his life. He had been exhausted after the previous night's activities. To think that, less than twenty-four hours before, he had been total virgin on what he'd thought was going to be a drag of a cruise, with no pokémon of his own and surrounded by the nicest of eye candy with little hope of getting a taste. Now he was a virgin no longer, and while he hadn't exactly been a hopeless case for ever losing his virginity, he never would have thought that he could have lost it with a beauty like Li Xue.

When sleep began to drift away from him, the memories of what had happened the evening before came flooding back. What a night that had been...He could almost still taste the excellent meal that he'd shared with his brother's Lucario, and hear the hauntingly beautiful music of the Gardevoir singer in the private lounge. He could still smell the wispy, aromatic hookah smoke. His face warmed as he recalled the feeling of Li Xue's sculpted body pressing insistently against his, and then the sensual contrast of feeling her soft, bare fur on his skin. Josh doubted that he'd ever be able to forget that night as long as he lived.

“Hey, wake up, lover boy!”

Josh's eyes snapped wide open as he heard the loud voice of Robby, the youngest of his older brothers. He turned his head towards the open doorway of his cabin, where the light was coming from, and saw Robby standing there, a smirk on his face. Belatedly, Josh realized he was still as naked as the day he'd been born, and he was still lying on top of the bed covers exactly where Li Xue had left him.

“Shit, Robby, haven't you ever heard of knocking?” Josh yelped as he scrambled to cover his lower body with the sheets. His heart was pounding from the way he'd been startled, and he gaped at his brother. “Damn, man...”

“I knocked like three times,” Robby laughed, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. “You were out, bro. We were starting to wonder if you were ever gonna get up. It's like eight thirty already!”

“No way...” Josh checked his watch, which was still on his wrist. He was shocked to see that his brother wasn't far off at all, and that it was eight thirty-six in the morning. Way later than any of them usually slept when they were at home. “Wow...I guess I was pretty tired or something.”

Robby's smirk widened into a grin. “Yeah, I bet you were. So, I heard you and Li had a fun night...”

Josh froze with his hand halfway back down to the bed. “You, uh...” His brain fought hard to think of some kind of denial. That was going to be difficult, considering the fact that his brother had already walked in on him in a quite undressed state, and he never slept that way at home. When you added that to the fact that the room still smelled faintly of sex and that the bed was in a very unkempt state, it would have been obvious to a blind Slowpoke what had happened in there. And, as Josh looked around the room, he noticed way too late that Li Xue had forgotten to take the ribbons of black cloth that had been wrapping her breasts the night before. He was immediately worried that Robby would be angry at him, jealous that he'd slept with his girl. “Hey, listen, Robby, I...look, it just kind of happened, and we-”

But Robby just burst out laughing. “Chill out, bro, chill out,” he said. “Remember what kind of cruise we're on. If you hadn't made some kind of move on Li, I'd have been worried about you! Why do you think I suggested you and she spend the day together, huh?” He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Look, dude, I knew exactly what I was doing when I asked you to look after her for me. What kind of older brother would I be if I didn't look out for you and make sure your first cruise was a good time?”

“So...you're not pissed at me?”

His older brother shook his head. “That's what this cruise is all about, Josh,” he assured him. “We leave monogamy back on shore. Hell, I'm glad that you and Li Xue seem to be cool. Up until yesterday, I thought she didn't like you. I was hoping you two would be able to get along, but I'll admit I didn't think you'd hit it off quite so well.” He brushed a hand back through his blonde hair. “I'm not saying make a habit of it when we get back home, but on this trip anything goes. She told me she had a great time, so as long as she's happy that's all I care about. So don't worry.”

Finally, Josh gave a sheepish smile. “Well...okay,” he said. He was relieved that there was nothing for him to feel guilty about, though now he had to deal with the awkwardness of knowing that his brother had deliberately set him up to screw the Lucario. Compared with what could have been, though, that seemed to be a fairly minor concern. “But I wouldn't say I was the one making the moves.”

“Heh, yeah,” Robby chuckled. “She's...ah...pretty forceful when she knows what she wants. You found that out, I guess. But I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I'll tell you something, Tom and Jon weren't so sure you should come on this cruise. They didn't think you'd enjoy yourself, what with having no pokémon of your own. But I'm glad I was able to convince them. Plus, you gave me the chance to go have some fun. Maybe later I'll introduce you to the Nidoqueen I met at the arcade.”

Josh turned red. “Uh...whatever you say.”

“Anyway...,” Robby said, “we're all gonna go grab some breakfast if you wanna throw on some clothes and come along. Looks like it's gonna be a great day outside. Take your time. I think everyone's gonna need a few minutes to get ready. I gotta go find some aspirin, myself.”

“Aspirin?”

“Yeah.” Robby winced a little as he got up from the bed. “Nidoqueen, remember? I'm still kinda sore.” He walked out of Josh's cabin and closed the door behind him.

******

Since Robby had told Josh he had a little bit before they were all leaving, he took advantage of the opportunity to use the small shower area in the bathroom of his cabin. He hadn't realized until he stepped into the water just how much he needed it, but between hauling around everyone's luggage the previous morning and his romp with Li Xue, he was quite filthy. As he gave himself a quick but thorough scrub, he also realized that Robby's idea of some aspirin might not have been a strange one, after all. He was feeling a little sore himself, and it was no surprise considering how forceful the Lucario had been. He was somewhat tired, too, but it was that good kind of tired that came from having a great day, and that could be fixed by a big breakfast and a cup of coffee.

Once he was clean and in some fresh clothes, Josh went out to the living room. Robby and Li Xue were chatting on a couch, and he noticed that she looked just about as tired as he did. When he came in, she gave him a little glance, accompanied by the barest hint of a smile. Otherwise, she betrayed nothing about what had happened the night before. It still made him feel a little giddy inside. Akiko, his middle-older brother Jon's Sylveon, was stretched out on the floor, while Jon himself was sitting on one end of the other couch. He had his head back and his eyes closed, appearing to Josh to be dozing off. The oldest brother, Tom, and Tom's Lopunny, Camelia, were seated at the other end, or at least Tom was. Camelia was sitting sideways on his lap, and they were quite openly and enthusiastically making out. Josh would have found it awkward if he wasn't already used to seeing the same thing five times a day at home. Camelia had never been one for being discreet, and that had always seemed to be just fine with Tom.

As soon as everyone was ready, and Camelia and Tom had been able to drag themselves off of each other, they all went to one of the restaurants below the main deck. Josh had a newfound appreciation for the sights on the cruise ship, and last night had given him some confidence. He was starting to evaluate the pokémon of other trainers a little more seriously. Even if he didn't have any pokémon of his own, maybe there would be other trainers and pokémon like Robby and Li Xue, who'd be willing to let him in on the fun without expecting anything in return. On the way to breakfast, they'd passed by a man, a few years older than Tom, who was walking with a very tall, very fit, and very busty Blaziken. Josh couldn't help but stare at her as they went by, especially intrigued by her firm, perky ass, and just as he turned his head back to look forward again he thought that she gave a glance back at him as well. But that might just have been his imagination.

Breakfast was every bit as delicious as the dinner with Li Xue had been. The cruise line, it seemed, believed in serving the best. Poached eggs, bacon, and fresh-squeezed Oran juice were all on the menu, and Josh took full advantage of them, as did Tom, Robby, Jon, and Li Xue. Camelia and Akiko, neither of them particularly carnivorous, contented themselves with fruit, though they did go for the juice. Those of them that could talk did so while they ate, about what they'd done the day before and what they planned to do today. Once Josh got comfortable with the idea that he could say whatever he liked, he even shared a little of his experience with Li Xue. He even had the pleasure of seeing her blush a little when he got particularly descriptive, though she looked pleased by it.

After the meal, Josh was feeling much more awake and full of energy. As they all got up to leave, he was ready to go off on his own and do a little exploring, and maybe see if he could find that Blaziken and her trainer. Before he could do that, Jon pulled him aside.

“Hey, listen, Josh,” he said. “I was kind of hoping you could do something for me, best little brother in the world.”

Josh knew that tone of voice. It was the one that Jon always used when he was about to ask someone for a huge favor, and generally it had been used throughout Josh's childhood to coerce him into doing a chore when Jon had other plans. He sighed and shook his head. “What do you need this time, Jon?”

“Well, here's the thing,” Jon said. He leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially. “Yesterday, when I took Akiko to the ship's spa, there was this hot little Mienshao working in the massage parlor. I...uh...might have made a date with her for...well, pretty much the whole day today. Problem is, she wasn't down for anything involving another girl, so that sort of leaves me with the problem of what to do with Akiko. I don't want her to have to be a third wheel.”

“So what are you asking?”

“Look, I know you're probably eager to do your own thing today, but would you do me a solid and take Akiko for the day?”

Josh was a little disappointed that he wouldn't be getting to explore on his own, but he couldn't complain too much. He did like Akiko, after all, and she was the most openly friendly towards him of all of his brothers' pokémon. “Uh...I guess I don't have a problem with that,” he said, though he was a bit hesitant. “But wouldn't she rather spend the day with you?”

“Like I said, the Mienshao I'm going to be seeing isn't that into girls. And even if she was, it's not really Akiko's thing, either. So I really would love it if you'd look out for her for me. Keep her safe, you know? She's a delicate girl, and I don't want anyone getting too rough with her while I'm not around.” He patted Josh on the shoulder. “It's just for today. And who knows, you and her might hit it off in another way. I heard you were quite the Casanova last night. Way to go, by the way.” Jon grinned at him, his eyes flicking to Li Xue as she walked off with Robby.

“Come on, I can't think of Akiko like that,” Josh protested. True, Akiko was very pretty, but the Sylveon was more like a big sister than anything else to him and had been for as long as he'd known her. He'd never had much in the way of romantic fantasies about her, unlike with Camelia and especially with Li Xue.

“Then you don't have to. It's not for the entire day, just until my date with the masseuse is over. She and I are gonna hang out for the morning, grab lunch, and then spend a little 'quality time' together. We oughta be done before dinner.” Jon smacked Josh on the shoulder jovially. “That'll leave you all evening after I get back to do whatever you want. Come on, be a bro.”

Josh finally had to agree to the request. “Fine...Fine. I guess it won't be so bad. We'll find something to do while you have your 'date'. But you owe me one.”

“Attaboy!” his brother said with a pleased look on his face. “Go take her to get her fur done, or something. She'll love it!” He looked down at Akiko, who was standing at his side by now. “You hear that, Akiko? Be good for Josh, okay? I'll see you later tonight.” With that, Jon walked off, leaving the restaurant with a spring in his step.

Rolling his eyes, Josh tried not to be disappointed. It really wouldn't be bad, after all. He was sure they could find something to occupy their time with while they waited for Jon to have his fun. He let himself smile as he looked down at Akiko. “Okay, Kiki,” he said, using his pet name for her. She had always seemed to like it. “I guess it's you and me today. What do you say we go see what kind of trouble we can get into?”

The Sylveon gave him a perky look, and she wagged her little pink tail. Josh couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. This wouldn't be anything like being with Li Xue, he was sure, nor with a steamy, seductive Blaziken, but he figured that they could have some fun together regardless.

******

For the first hour or so of the morning after breakfast, Josh and Akiko just wandered around the ship, taking in the sights. Josh hadn't had much of an opportunity for looking around the day before, and he wanted to get a feel for the ship since he'd be spending today, the next day, and most of the day after that on board. The S.S. Charmant had a lot more than just restaurants and the top deck pool to offer. On the outer decks were game areas, typical cruise line fare like shuffleboard and tennis, as well as plenty of space to just stand and watch the water pass by around the ship. Those weren't all the sights that could be seen, of course. Josh was finding that, even for Kalos, the sex was very, very out in the open on the ship. As he and Akiko walked up and down each side of the main deck, they more than once came across people and pokémon having sex, whether in reclining deck chairs, in one of the hot tubs, or even just up against the railing lining the deck. Nobody seemed to mind people watching, and in fact Josh saw observers called over by the participants to join in the fun. He thought it would take a few more cruises before he would have been comfortable being that public about it, himself, but he certainly didn't mind the show. Akiko seemed fairly indifferent to it, but she was indulgent of Josh as he stopped every now and then to watch.

Once they'd had enough of a walk to let breakfast settle, Josh and Akiko went inside the ship, where there was even more stuff to enjoy. On the levels that weren't taken up by cabins, shops were present which offered most any sort of ware that one could want, sensual and otherwise. Of course, there were the expected number of shops offering sex toys, exotic pornography, and the “services” of pokémon employed by the cruise line, but there were also clothing boutiques, salons, and gift shops. Remembering what Jon had told him about how Akiko liked to spend some of her time on the cruise, Josh looked around for a grooming salon, and he soon found one that catered specifically to four-legged pokémon.

“How about it, Kiki?” he asked her, looking down at the Sylveon as they stood in front of the entrance. “Feel like getting prettied up? Looks like they know what they're doing here. I bet you could get a nice massage here, too.” He smiled at her, figuring this was right up her alley.

To his surprise, the Sylveon looked at the salon, and she tilted her head to the side. He could see a slight frown on her face, and she sat down on the floor. Josh got the distinct impression that she was somewhat disappointed, but by what he had no idea. She looked back up at him, her ears drooping just a little bit, and she gave him a questioning churl. To him, it sounded something akin to the pokémon equivalent of “Do I have to?”

“What's wrong?” Josh asked. He knelt down next to Akiko, crossing his arms over his knees. “You like getting groomed, right? Jon takes you to the groomers all the time. Is this not the right place, or something? You want some other kind of treatment?”

Akiko frowned more, and this time she shook her head, looking forlornly at the salon door again. She sighed, hanging her head lower. This was a big departure from her attitude of just a little while ago. When she and Josh had started walking around, she'd seemed happy and excited. Now she looked glum and unenthusiastic. He didn't get it.

“Hey, what's the matter, Kiki?” Josh put his hand on top of her head, and he rubbed between her ears. “You not feeling well? We can go back to the cabin if you're not up to walking around anymore.” She shook her head. “You want to go find Jon?” Another shake. “Or maybe...you want to do something else?”

This time she perked up and nodded her head, getting back to her feet and wagging her short tail. Before Josh could ask something else, she took off in a brisk trot, forcing him to hurry to catch up with her. She weaved her way through the crowd, and Josh was afraid that he'd lose sight of her. Jon would give him all kinds of hell if he lost Akiko, so he pushed his way through the throngs of people and pokémon, with hurried apologies as he bumped into several individuals. He had no idea where Akiko was taking him, but the Sylveon seemed to know exactly where she was going.

“Kiki, slow down!” he called after her. Her ears pricked to the rear, and she looked over shoulder at him, but she only slowed her walking the barest amount. They went down a few flights of stairs, to one of the lower decks, and just as he was beginning to wonder just how much further she was going to lead him, she stopped. Josh came up to her, a little bit out of breath as he skidded to a halt. “What's the rush? Where are we?”

Akiko wagged her tail furiously, smiling and looking up at the place they had stopped. Josh finally took note of their surroundings. He could hear a mixture of several different electronic songs, and he realized they were standing in front of a pair of open glass doors bracketed by long, uninterrupted windows. As he looked inside, he saw rows and rows of just about every different arcade game known to man. He found himself in awe. Robby had often spoken of the amazing video arcade that was on the Charmant, but Josh had always assumed that he was exaggerating things. But now he could see that everything that his older brother had told him was absolutely, one hundred percent the truth. The arcade was massive, taking up almost the entire level, and it was packed with people and pokémon.

A bemused expression crossed the human's face. “This is where you wanted to go?” he asked Akiko. The Sylveon gave a high-pitched little bark of affirmation. “Huh...I never would have guessed.” If finding out that active, physical Li Xue enjoyed quiet clubs and soft music was a revelation, learning that soft, demure, proper Akiko was interested in video games was just as much of a shock. “Has Jon ever brought you here before?”

Forlorn, Akiko shook her head with a little sigh of what sounded like exasperation. Josh thought about it for a few seconds, and then he realized that Jon really did seem very protective of Akiko. Come to think of it, he couldn't recall ever hearing about the Sylveon engaging in a battle or anything that could be considered real pokémon training. Jon tended to keep Akiko at home, where she didn't do much beyond lounge about and look pretty. She didn't engage in much play outdoors, or really any sort of play at all. The way that she was looking at the arcade right now was something like how a little kid would look at a candy store.

Josh suddenly laughed. “Well, Jon did say I should find something you'd enjoy, but I don't think he had this in mind,” he declared, still chuckling. He smirked. “But you're with me right now, and what Jon doesn't know won't hurt him. Let's go in and have some fun, Kiki!”

With an overjoyed look on her face, Akiko rubbed herself all around his legs for a few seconds, and then she bolted inside the arcade with Josh on her tail. For a few minutes, she wandered around the place gazing upon all of the different games, her blue eyes sparkling in the reflected light of the video screens. She hardly seemed to know where to begin. Of course, a good portion of the games were suitable only for humans or pokémon who walked on two legs and could reach the joysticks and buttons, but there were also games that could be played by four-legged pokémon. Akiko found one that caught her fancy, a type that Josh had played before. This one was a dancing game, consisting of a pad with four directional arrows, up, down, left, and right. The game had two such pads side by side, allowing for two people to play at once. While a song played, the players would hit the directional arrows in time with the musical beat as indicated on the screen.

“You wanna give this one a try?” Josh asked. In answer, Akiko hopped up onto the lefthand pad, her tail swishing back and forth. Josh looked at the machine, and found that, like all of the games in the arcade seemed to be, this was complimentary for guests of the cruise. He could see now why Robby liked it so much; what could be better than free arcade games? Josh pressed the start button for Akiko, and since it was her first time doing something like this, he selected one of the beginner-level songs for her, a slow techno beat.

Josh stepped back and watched Akiko as she began to play. Since one of the entry-level songs had been selected, the game assumed correctly that it was host to a new player, and led the Sylveon through a short demonstration of how to play the game. After this brief intro, the song began for real, and Akiko began to dance along with the beat. She had difficulty at first with getting the timing down, and he saw her grimace a little as she missed the first few steps of the song. Quicker than he would have thought, though, she got in tune with the music and the tempo, and soon she was doing a lot better. Her score began to go up as she danced, her feelers waving through the air along with her movements as she tapped her paws on the arrows. By the time the song came to an end, she had racked up a respectable score for her very first foray into rhythm games.

“Not bad, Kiki!” he praised her, and he reached down and gave her a pet along the back. The Sylveon purred, proud of herself, and she raised up on her hind legs and clapped her front paws together cutely. Deciding that he wanted to get in on the fun, Josh stepped up onto the righthand dance pad next to her. “Let's do one together.”

Josh selected another beginner-level song, though this one was a little bit faster than the first. When the song began, he picked up on it right away. He happened to be quite good at this sort of game, and while Akiko was having some trouble keeping up with this one, he was hitting every arrow command perfectly. The pokémon was a fast learner, and eventually towards the end of the song she was going right along with him. They went through a few more of the low-level songs, and then Josh decided to up the stakes, picking one of the intermediate songs. This one was quite fast compared to what they had been doing before, but the practice had paid off for the Sylveon. She hardly hesitated on the faster rhythm, and on the fourth intermediate song she even managed to get a better score than he did. They kept at the game for another hour or so, eventually making their way up to some of the higher-level songs. Though Akiko didn't do nearly as well with those as she had at the lower levels, she still seemed to be having the time of her life, her paws dancing furiously around on the arrow pads as she made little sounds of delight.

After they finished with the dancing game, they walked around the arcade to see what else it had to offer. Akiko seemed particularly intrigued by some of the higher-tech holographic motion sensing games. There was one that she took to right away that involved launching small holographic balls at an image of pokémon-shaped balloons, hitting them over and over again until they deflated. Josh tried it a few times, but he had a hard time getting Akiko to give him a chance, she loved it so much. When he did try, however, he found that he had absolutely zero aptitude for the game, so he mostly just watched while the Sylveon had her fun. Seeing her face light up while playing was frankly adorable, and it made him feel good to know that he had been able to show her some of the life that it seemed Jon sheltered her from.

They spent quite a while in the arcade, trying out various games, and Josh got to play a few which were designed for two-legged people, which Akiko seemed interested to watch even if she couldn't easily join in. Mostly they stuck to games which they could both enjoy, but as the morning went on the arcade started to become busier and busier. Soon they found themselves waiting in line for games, while before they could just walk up and begin playing. The third such time, after waiting for nearly twenty minutes to get to one game, which involved stepping on various floor pedals to guide a ball through a tilting maze, Josh looked down at Akiko.

“I think we might have played things out here, Kiki,” he said. He checked his watch and found that it was almost half past noon. “What do you say we go find some lunch before Jon gets back from his...ah...date?”

Akiko tilted her head to one side, and she looked at the game they were waiting for. They were still a few players down the line, even though they'd been waiting for a while. She gave a little sigh of disappointment, but she looked up at Josh and smiled with a nod. They both turned and strode out of the arcade, and made their way back up to the levels of the ship which housed the dining areas.

******

After lunch, which had been a splendid repast of Kalosian berry pastries and salad, Josh and Akiko had wandered around for a little bit longer. The S.S. Charmant had several movie theaters, both of the mundane and exotic variety, but neither the human nor the Sylveon had been keen on what was playing. Josh had seen all of the regular movies that were showing already, and Akiko didn't seem very interested in the pornographic films. Instead, they went above deck and spent some time in the sun and the sea air, staying mostly away from other passengers. Josh remembered walking around with Akiko at home, when Jon had been away taking his other pokémon on the contest circuit. She still seemed to like being out in fresh air, and he watched her wag her tail perkily as she stood up on her hind legs, her front paws on the ship railing as she let the breeze play through her ears and feelers.

“So, Kiki...what sort of stuff do you feel like doing now?” Josh asked, looking over at the Sylveon. “Arcade seems kind of played out. Movies don't look very interesting. Anything else you wanted to do? Plenty of time left in the day.”

Akiko tilted her head to one side, thinking for a few minutes, and then she gave a little yip of inspiration. The pokémon coiled one of her feelers around his wrist and tugged him away from the ship's railing. Curious, Josh let her pull him along like he was a dog on a leash, wondering where she was taking him this time. Not for the first time, he realized just how lucky his brother Rob was to have Li Xue, who could talk perfectly well. Rob could always know exactly what Li Xue was saying to him, but with Akiko, Josh had to go more by her body language and the tone of her voice. Not that he would have ever suspected the Sylveon of trying to pull one over on him, but it would be nice to be able to get an intelligible response from her.

She took him back into the interior portion of the ship, where the crowds had thinned out considerably. Of course, it was just after lunch, so a lot of people would be in their cabins or above deck, relaxing and possibly enjoying an afternoon nap. For a bit, Josh thought that Akiko was going to be taking him back to the arcade, which he would have been okay with, but instead they were soon standing outside of a massage parlor. Josh blinked. Well, this was certainly a surprise. He had thought, from her earlier reaction, that Akiko would want something a little more exciting than just some pampering.

“Here, huh?” he asked. He got a pleasant nod from the Sylveon, who was wagging her tail. “Hehe...well, this is certainly more what I would have thought would be your idea of a good time. At least, before I knew you had a secret love for video games. What sort of place is this, anyway?”

Akiko pointed with one of her feelers at a glassed-in poster next to the door, and Josh leaned in to look at it. The poster was a printed list of all the services that the parlor offered. There were the usual things: pedicure, manicure, fur-trimming for pokémon, haircuts for humans, and all manners of massages. At the bottom of the list, however, there was a special portion that was labeled “Couples”. Raising an eyebrow, Josh read that list. This one had the same sorts of options as the regular list, but they seemed to be intended for two people to enjoy together. He looked back at Akiko, and she smiled, gesturing with her feeler at the option on the very bottom. Josh looked back at the list, and saw that the item she was pointing at was listed simply as “Couples' Massage Package”.

“You want that?” He got another nod from the pokémon, and Josh smiled. “Why not? I've never had a real massage before. Sounds relaxing. You're sure you don't wanna go play a game or anything?” This time Akiko shook her head. “Alright, let's go inside, then. After you, Kiki.” He reached out and pushed open the door, holding it so that Akiko could walk inside, and he followed her.

The inside of the massage parlor was elegant, and Josh could immediately smell a floral scent in the air. He felt a sense of relaxation right away, and as he looked around he saw that the aroma was coming from several resplendent Roserades lounging on plush cushions in the waiting area. Inside the waiting room was a reception desk, manned by a human woman wearing a silk kimono. Josh and Akiko both walked up to her, and she greeted them with a polite bow of her head.

“Good afternoon,” she said to them. “Welcome to our parlor. Can I interest you in one of our treatments today? Perhaps you would enjoy our luxurious heated baths, sir?” She looked at Akiko. “Or perhaps a fur and claw trim for the lady?”

“Uh, no thanks,” Josh said. “We were actually interested in your couples' massage package, if that's available.”

The receptionist's eyes lit up. “Oh, certainly,” she said. “You've arrived at a good time, too. This early in the afternoon we're completely free.” She consulted a small book she had on the desk, tracing her finger down the page. “I have just the thing for you. If you'll follow me.”

The woman showed them through a curtained doorway into the back of the parlor, where the hallway extended into the ship. The scent of flowers was even stronger back here, and Josh felt himself growing a little lightheaded in a pleasant sort of way. Akiko was purring happily as she walked beside him, her feelers waving back and forth. The receptionist brought them to a room where two massage tables were standing side by side, surrounded by bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. A water sculpture was set against one wall, with clear, bubbling water trickling placidly down a rocky construction that gave the room a peaceful atmosphere.

“Please, sir, if you would remove your clothes and lay on the table there,” the receptionist said.

“My clothes?” Josh asked. His cheeks reddened a little, but Akiko was already hopping up onto one of the tables.

“Of course,” the woman said. “This is a full body massage, and we wish to provide you with the best service possible. I'll leave you now, and your attendants should be in shortly. Please enjoy yourselves.” She smiled and bowed again, and then she walked out of the room.

Nervous, Josh looked over at Akiko, but she seemed at ease, stretched out on her belly on the padded table with her front legs in front of her. Josh figured that it was all part of the package, and he did want Akiko to have a good time, after all. So, pushing aside his nervousness, he stripped off his clothes and folded them up, placing them on a wall shelf that had been provided for that purpose. Naked, he went over to his table and climbed up, laying out on his stomach. He relaxed a little as the quiet sounds of the flowing water soothed him, and waited for what came next.

After a few minutes, the door to the room opened again, and Josh looked back over his shoulder at who was coming in. He was surprised to see, not human employees as he might have expected, but two pokémon. One was a tall, slender athletic Infernape, and the other was a slightly shorter, but more imposing Machoke. Both were female, and both were dressed in lilac-colored kimonos identical to the one that the receptionist had been wearing. They bowed when they saw Josh looking at them, and approached the massage tables.

“Welcome,” the Infernape said, her voice melodic and peculiarly accented. Josh thought that she sounded like she originally came from the Sinnoh region, which would make sense considering her species. “Please enjoy yourself, gentleman and lady. If there is anything we can provide for you, do not hesitate to ask.”

The Infernape stood next to Akiko's table, and the Machoke came to Josh's. He was immediately just as nervous as he had been when he'd been told to disrobe, but for a much different reason. He knew that Machokes were notorious for their extreme physical strength, and all he could think about now was being crushed by one trying to give a massage.

The Machoke picked up a small bottle of massage oil that was sitting on a small stand next to the table, and she drizzled some of it into her hands, rubbing them together to spread the oil around. Josh braced himself as she placed her hands on his shoulders, but he was astounded to feel that she had a touch like a feather. Her slickened hands held his shoulders with great care as she began to rub him slowly and soothingly. He couldn't help but give a sigh as he felt her fingers expertly working his muscles. He felt like he was sinking into the table as she massaged him, her thumbs digging into his upper back just right. Tension that he hadn't even realized he'd had began to melt away, to be replaced by a wonderful sense of peace.

Looking over at Akiko, he saw that the Infernape was treating her in an identical fashion. The simian pokémon was massaging the Sylveon's long ears, her fingers tracing along them in long, slow strokes. Akiko's powder-blue eyes were closed lazily and her feelers were hanging limp as she purred, in obvious enjoyment. As Josh watched, the Machoke began to move her hands down his back, her palms pressing firmly into the latissimus muscles of his upper back. The two masseuses seemed to move in concert, their massage coordinated so that they were each massaging roughly the same part of Josh and Akiko at the same time. He felt himself growing drowsy, and he thought he could have fallen asleep if he hadn't wanted to stay awake to enjoy this.

As the massage continued, the Machoke began rubbing his lower back, just above his buttocks. Josh crossed his arms underneath his head, closing his eyes and breathing slowly and evenly. This is like being in heaven..., he thought to himself. I wish this could go on forever... He heard Akiko give a little growling purr of pleasure, as though she was reading his mind and agreeing with him.

When the masseuse slid her hands down to his rump, Josh fully expected her to continue down and begin rubbing his legs. Instead, to his mild surprise, she lingered there. Her hands slid around to cup around his butt, pressing firmly and squeezing there. Not an unwelcome feeling, but one that he hadn't really been expecting. What came next, however, was a bit more of a shock. The Machoke gently pulled his cheeks apart, and Josh felt a sudden draft as his backside was exposed to the air of the room.

“Wh-Whoa...!” he said, before he could stop himself. He began to push himself up on the massage table, but the masseuse took one hand from his rear and gently pushed down on his shoulders.

“Don't be alarmed,” the Infernape working on Akiko said, a small laugh in her voice. Josh turned his head to look, and saw the pokémon was doing much the same thing to Akiko. She was giggling slightly as well, while the Infernape had her flanks in her hands and was rubbing her rear. “This is all part of the massage. Just relax, and enjoy...”

Though he was still uncertain, Josh reluctantly laid back down fully, and the Machoke continued her work. She spread his cheeks apart, and then her thumbs gravitated towards the center. Josh felt a sudden twitch in his groin as the tips of her digits began to rub gently around his puckered hole. His fingers pressed down into the padded surface of the table, and almost of its own accord his hips lifted up slightly. His cock was insistently stiffening, pushing down against the table beneath him. The masseuse pressed in with her thumbs, and he gave a low moan of pleasure.

“Oh, god...,” he breathed, as she pressed against his back entrance softly. The pokémon didn't seem to be trying to penetrate him, but the way she was touching him was making a kind of pleasure he didn't know existed radiate through his body. Before long, his cock was absolutely rigid underneath him, sandwiched between the table and his lower belly. He looked over and saw that the Infernape was working her hand sensuously underneath Akiko's tail, and the Sylveon's claws were digging slightly into the padded material of her table. The Infernape had her other hand on Akiko's rump, above her tail, petting her slowly with an easy smile on her face.

The Machoke took one of her hands away from Josh for a moment, and he heard the quiet snap of the bottle of oil opening again. When her hand came back, this time he felt one of her fingers rubbing in a slow circle around his pucker. She placed her other hand on his lower back, and then Josh let out a low, intense groan as she pressed forward and slowly slipped her oiled finger into his ass.

“Holy...,” he moaned, as her finger slipped deep into him. He was so relaxed that she had no trouble in sliding the whole thing inside of him. The Machoke chuckled at his reaction, and she began moving her finger in and out of him, gradually. His hips raised even more off of the massage table, until his cock was hanging below him, throbbing and pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. Precum was dripping from the tip, but the Machoke didn't touch him there even though he desperately wanted her to right at this moment.

This erotic torture went on for what seemed like hours, with the Machoke bringing him slowly higher and higher in level of pleasure. His cock was painfully hard now, begging for release, but just as he felt like he was about to cum, she stopped. Josh gave a pained groan as she pulled her finger out of him, and he collapsed back onto the table. He could feel a warm, slippery patch underneath him where the precum had pooled. He looked over at Akiko hazily, and saw that she was panting hard, her cheeks flushed and her tail wagging rapidly from side to side. He wondered if the Infernape had made her cum, but if her massage had been anything like his, she had been brought right to the edge of orgasm just as he had.

The Infernape and the Machoke both stepped back from the tables, and they bowed very courteously to both of them. “I hope you enjoyed our services,” the Infernape said.

“Holy cow...,” was all Josh was able to say. Akiko just answered with a pleasured, slurred sigh. His head was muddled with arousal, and he couldn't remember being this hard in his entire life. The human wondered if Akiko and his brother Jon had enjoyed this kind of massage together on the cruise before.

The two pokémon masseuses giggled. “I thought so,” the Infernape said. While she helped Akiko off of the table, the Machoke took Josh's hand and guided him to his feet. “Now, if you will follow us, we'll take you to a private lounge.”

“A lounge?” Josh asked. He received no answer from either pokémon, thought he didn't think the Machoke could talk, but they led him and Akiko out of the room. He didn't even have the presence of mind to think about his clothes, instead walking naked down the hallway. His cock was bobbing in front of him, every bit as rigid as when he'd been on the table and showing no signs of going down anytime soon. The two were led to a doorway at the end of the hall, and the Infernape opened the door and waved her hand inside.

Josh and Akiko both entered, and he saw an intimate, cozy little area that was furnished with flowers and a very plush, silk-sheeted circular bed. He felt warmth rise in his cheeks as he realized just what the purpose of this “lounge” was. He looked back over his shoulder at the two masseuses.

The Infernape smiled. “Please make yourselves comfortable,” she told him. “You can take as much time as you wish. When you are ready, there is a bell on the wall next to the door. Ring it, and an attendant will bring you your clothes. Enjoy yourselves, and each other.” She bowed again, and then closed the door, leaving them in privacy.

Now that they were alone together, Josh felt that familiar anxiety rising up again. He slowly looked around the room, his heart beating just as hard as it had when Li Xue had brought him back to his cabin. It was very clear to him what the whole point of the couple's massage had been now. Had Akiko had that in mind when she chose that activity for them?

Josh turned his attention back to the Sylveon, looking down at her standing next to him. She looked back, her cheeks still pink and her tail wagging. She could see the nervousness that had to be evident in his expression. He thought he saw her glance at his erection, and he could have sworn that the color in her cheeks darkened. Then she smiled at him, and made a high-pitched, purring noise in her throat.

As aroused as he was, even with his nerves, that was about all the signal that Josh needed. He reached down and scooped up Akiko in his arms, lifting her and carrying her over to the circular bed. He placed her on it, and she trilled at him. Her voice was fairly dripping with lust and desire, emotions that he hadn't ever considered she could possess. Josh climbed up onto the bed behind her.

Akiko wasted no time, and she rolled over onto her belly, scurrying towards the pillows placed at the part of the bed that was against the wall. She seemed just as frantic as Josh was feeling at the moment. The feral pokémon placed her head on the pillows, and then she pushed up on her hind legs, presenting her rear to him. Her tail flagged up and Josh saw her canine pussy underneath, puffy and glistening with arousal.

“Wow, Kiki, just...wow...,” Josh said, scarcely able to comprehend what was about to happen. She'd been a friend to him for as long as he could remember, but this was a whole other level from that. Josh walked forward across the bed on his knees, and he placed his hands on top of her rump. His cock was standing out completely straight, hard as an Onyx. She waggled her hips from side to side, a noise of desperation escaping her lips. Josh took his cock in one hand and pressed the tip to her sex.

He moaned as he sank slowly into her pussy, the warmth of her surrounding his rigid flesh as he guided himself inside of her. Akiko whimpered as he spread her open, her pussy stretching around him in a tight, plush ring. He kept forward until he felt his hips connect with her soft, furred rump. Josh wrapped his arms around her middle, leaning over her and hugging her against him. He thought he could feel her heartbeat through her body, pulsing nearly in sync with his own. She felt a lot different that Li Xue had. While the Lucario had been open, inviting, and strong, the Sylveon was tight, soft, and gentle. If anything, she felt even more amazing.

“This had been an awesome day,” Josh said into her ear, “and I want to make this last, but I don't think either of us has the resolve for anything slow.” Akiko murmured in agreement, and she tilted her head up and pressed her muzzle against the underside of his chin.

With that consenting invitation, Josh straightened up and tightened his grip around her flanks. He began thrusting in and out of Akiko, having to put some strength into his movements to work himself inside of her tight sex. Akiko cried out as her tail swished from side to side in front of his face, her feelers curling up as he fucked her deep and fast. They slid around on the silky sheets, the smooth surface offering them no purchase, but Josh held on and refused to be parted from her. The intense tightness didn't last for long, and soon his cock was glistening with her feminine essence as he rocked himself within her. The room was filled with the arousing, sensual aroma of their coupling, and the temperature rose as they frantically mated.

Every sound that Akiko made was music to Josh's ears. The Sylveon made trembling, high whines whenever he pulled out of her. When he thrust his cock back in to the hilt, she would jerk her head up and release a howl of delight. Every so often, he'd hold himself deep in her and grind around with his cock pressed as far as it would go, and she'd make gasping moans of pure bliss. Her legs were shaking and her feelers were like their own entities, one of them undulating against the bed while the other curled around his hips and tried to tug him further inside.

Josh could barely keep up with the frenzied Akiko, and soon he felt her pussy rippling around his cock. He groaned, knowing that she was cumming and unable to keep himself from joining her. He desperately wanted to make this last as long as he had, but the massage had riled him up to the point where he couldn't control his own body. He squeezed his hands around the Sylveon's waist, and pulled his cock out until barely the tip still remained inside of her. Then he slid all the way back inside, leaning over her body as he unleashed a torrent of his seed into her waiting depths. Akiko growled in a moan of ecstasy as his cum pulsed inside of her, his cock as deep as it could go as thick streams splashed against her feral womb. She pressed her rump hard back against him, her sex clenching around him and refusing to allow even a drop of it to escape. Josh's cock was bathed in the heat of his own cum, and without knowing what he was doing he grasped one of her ears between his teeth, making her squeal with delight at the roughness of it all.

“Oh, god, Kiki...,” he groaned, finally releasing her ear as the last of his cum rushed into her. He slumped forward, all of his weight on Akiko as they both came to rest against the softness of the bed. Realizing he was in danger of crushing her underneath him, he put his hands on the bed and somehow managed to push himself back up. His cock slid out of her, and she whimpered as her pussy clenched at the sudden loss. A drizzle of his cum oozed out of her, creamy white on the pink fur of her hindquarters.

Josh was entranced by the sight, and in a sudden flash of inspiration, he put a hand underneath Akiko's leg and flipped her over. She gave a little yip of startled surprise. Josh held her hind legs apart and lowered his face to her pussy, and the Sylveon gasped as his thrust his tongue inside of her. The taste of his cum danced over his buds as he lapped at her pussy furiously, her flavor mingling with his. She bucked up against him, her legs kicking the air on either side of his head as he suckled at her canine clit, and soon she was cumming again, her forepaws crossed over her chest as she twisted to one side in passion. Josh rubbed her belly with one hand, coaxing her through it as he slid his tongue in and out of her tight, puffy entrance. When all was said and done, his face was a mess of cum and pussy juice, and Akiko was beside herself in a delirium of lustful pleasure.

With both of them still trying to catch their breath, Josh heaved himself up and laid down on the bed beside him. He was full of wonder at what they had just done, even now. He looked into Akiko's eyes, seeing the amazement reflected in them. She gazed back at him, and then she licked his lips with a giggle and a wag of her tail. Josh chuckled as well as she licked his face, cleaning up the mess that he had made. He stroked his hand along her side wearily.

“I'll go push the button in a moment,” he promised her. “But...I think I'm gonna need a few minutes...”

Akiko stuck her tongue out at him, and then the Sylveon crawled up on top of him. She smiled and slid back along his body, and Josh felt a thrill in his chest as he felt her rump pressing against his still-hard cock. He rubbed her head between her ears.

“Again?” he asked her. Akiko smiled and nodded at him, pawing at his chest eagerly. “Well...Why not? We still have the whole afternoon. No need to rush away.”

As Akiko happily pushed back, slipping him into her greedy depths once more, Josh closed his eyes and wondered what the next day would bring.