Story Notes:
If you're thinking, 'Where have all the reviews gone!? WTF happened?' well it was due to an error, you see when the change over happened from the old AGNPH to the new one happened, I had to add my Co-authors back on, seeing as it took them off for some unknown reason. Anyway, when that happened, 2 copies of this story were made. I tried to delete the one without co-authors but when I did, it also deleted the other one, leaving me with no copies of blood and love, so yeah, have to re-upload. This is a pain in the ass but I heard that there was a problem with the text in all the older stories that made the text all glitchy, so maybe it was for the best that I re-uploaded it. Fortunatly, 'Blood and love' over at FanFiction isn't fucked up so that should make things easier. Also I've now noticed theres a duplicate 'Blood and love' story floating around, why this has happened I have no idea but I'm gonna try get it deleted. Oh, hears the stats for the story before it got wiped out.Views: 26,000Rating: 4.5Reviews: 59Oh, disclaimer. Yeah, Pokemon, I don't own it and I don't intend to make a profit out of it. This was done just for fun.
The mission.
Zangoose crept out of her room; she had a plan, a plan that would let Ethan know how she felt about him. She was going to creep into his room and wake him up with a kiss.
She was now at his bedroom door, she placed her paw on the knob of the door but she stopped her self from turning it, she suddenly lost all confidence in her plan and doubts filled her mind.
'I... I can't do it!' her voice shouted in her head, she knew she loved him but she just couldn't muster the courage to show him. She quickly stepped away from Ethan's door and ran back into her bedroom, sobbing as she did.
Ethan was awake; he was having a terrible time attempting to sleep. But there was a reason...
The next day...
Ethan's alarm clock rang out but he quickly slammed down the button on top of it to silence it, he slowly got out of bed and went over to his wardrobe to get his uniform.
He didn't get much sleep, he still couldn't stop thinking about Zangoose, he wondered if he should wait a little longer or just tell her that he loves her... Or at least that's how he feels.
He remembered a quote that he heard from somewhere, 'Sometimes, it is better to take a chance then to risk not knowing.' Boy, this quote was a motivational speaker for him.
Ethan got dressed and did his usual thing, woke up Richard and Tera, moved downstairs and into the kitchen for a quick snack but there was one thing different today. Zangoose wasn't downstairs; she was usually the first one up.
Odd.
Ethan wondered if something was wrong, she had been acting strangely lately. He thought that maybe she was sick, but part of him knew it was something else, either way; it seemed like a good idea to check on her.
He stopped looking for something to eat and headed over towards Zangoose's room; on the way there he saw Richard, who was now dressed in his uniform, and Tera heading downstairs. Ethan told them, "I'll be back down soon, just got to check up on something." And then continued to make his way over to Zangoose's room.
He was about to knock on the door when he heard some slight whimpers, it sounded slightly like crying. He knocked on the door twice. "Hey, are you alright in there?" Ethan asked with a worried tone in his voice.
There was no reply, Ethan was at least hoping for a sound, a knock, a repeat of her name, anything but silence. "I'm coming in... is that alright?" Ethan asked. He waited for a reply but there was none.
Zangoose buried her face in her pillow, she couldn't stop crying. She wanted to tell him, show him how much she liked him but she was afraid that he'd find her repulsive. Despite the reassurance from Tera, she still wasn't sure that Ethan liked her in that way. Her ears perked up when she heard the sound of the door opening, she kept her face buried in the pillow, she didn't want him to see her like this.
Ethan looked over to Zangoose who was lying on the bed with her face buried in the pillow, he couldn't tell if she was sick, hurt or just sleepy. "Are... are you alright?" Ethan asked with uncertainty in his voice.
Zangoose wanted to pretend that she was asleep, but she couldn't stop herself from looking over to Ethan.
Zangoose turned her head and it gave Ethan a chance to examine her face, usually he could just tell how she was feeling through her expressions. He looked at her face, her eyes looked somewhat bloodshot despite the fact they were already pink before, the fur around her eyes looked slightly damp.
'Has she been crying?' Ethan thought to himself as he looked at the pained expression on her face. "Is there something wrong? Are you sick?" Ethan asked concernedly.
Zangoose looked into Ethan's eyes, she wanted to tell him so badly that she loves him, she secretly always did have a crush on him but only when she saw Richard and Tera happily saying that they would be getting married did she realize that it was more than that. She snapped back to reality and shook her head left and right to answer Ethan's question.
Ethan took her little head shake as a 'no'. "Have you been crying?" Ethan asked softly.
Zangoose nodded in response.
Ethan wanted to know what could possibly make her cry, after all it seems like nothing bad has happened. "Do you want to try to tell me what you're crying about?" Ethan asked as he sat down on the edge of her bed.
Zangoose stared into Ethan's eyes in response, hoping that he would somehow get what she was thinking.
Ethan stared back into Zangoose's eyes; he couldn't help but think that she was trying to say 'You.'
"Were... You were crying over me?" Ethan asked cautiously.
Zangoose nodded again in response.
Ethan couldn't believe it, she was crying over him. "Why are you crying over me?" Ethan asked, part of him already knew the answer.
She knew there was only one way to tell him what she really thought about him, only one way to tell him why she was crying over him. Zangoose braced her self for what she was about to do next.
Before Ethan even knew it, Zangoose's lips were on his, he felt her tongue exploring his mouth. He didn't even get a chance to kiss back as it was over just as quickly as it started.
Zangoose stopped kissing Ethan and looked at the surprised expression on his face. 'What have I done?' her voice rang out in her mind. Suddenly she was filled with fear and regret; she was afraid that Ethan would storm off or shout, she was scared that he wouldn't feel the same way. More tears came to her eyes just thinking about it.
She moved slowly away from him, also fearing a fist to her body. She cowered under a pillow, her eyes slowly watching Ethan, for any type of punishment that was to come.
Ethan could see she was afraid and ready to burst into tears; he wanted to do anything possible to calm her down. Ethan slowly crawled over to her on the bed and gave her a big hug; he then rubbed her back and whispered into her ear, "Shh, you don't have to be afraid... I feel the same way about you."
Zangoose looked up to Ethan with a mixture of amazement and happiness in her eyes, 'He loves me?' her voice asked in her head. Zangoose's paws were now on Ethan's back, she hugged him with all her strength. She couldn't remember feeling this happy before.
Ethan felt strange, he felt something inside him that he hadn't felt for a long time, he didn't ever want that feeling to end.
Zangoose pulled away just enough to see Ethan's face; she quickly glanced at Ethan's lips before she gave him another kiss.
As soon as their lips touched, a jolt split down their spine, one not just of enjoyment, also one of love and passion.
Ethan moved his hands around her back and rubbed it, enjoying the warmth in her fur. Zangoose moaned softly and their kiss intensified two-fold.
With the Zangoose, she was in heaven; not only was she kissing the one she loved, but he admitted that he loved her. HE LOVED HER.
They both enjoyed this one, this one brief moment of love; for they may not have much time to do it, it may cause Tera and Richard would get suspicious.
Richard and Tera were downstairs on the couch; Richard looked at his wrist watch. "Almost time for our shift to start... That's strange." Richard said.
"What is?" Tera asked.
"Ethan isn't usually this late and Zangoose isn't down here... oh well, it isn't like I want to get to work anytime soon anyway." Richard chuckled as he slumped back into the couch.
Tera rested her head on Richard's chest, she knew that they would have to get up for work soon but she decided to just enjoy the spare time they have together.
They still hadn't decided on when they should have the wedding, but they both agreed that it should be in a couple of months time. Then, they could live happily ever after.
Richard wanted to save up enough money to make their wedding day something big, something epic. He wanted to show Tera just how much he loves her, because the words to describe how much he loves her just don't exist.
Tera didn't care if that the wedding wasn't like one of those she saw in the movies, she already has what she really wants, Richard. That was enough for her.
Richard felt like going back to bed with Tera, but he knew that Ethan would eventually come walking down those stairs and soon they would be patrolling the streets again.
Tera suddenly sat upright as her ears shot up. "Did you hear that?" Tera asked quickly.
Richard didn't know what she was talking about, so he stayed quiet and listened out. At first he couldn't hear it, but then he began to hear the sound of some kind of engine, some kind of vehicle coming towards the house. Whatever it was, it sounded big. Richard quickly got up and ran over to the window, Tera followed closely behind.
Tera watched as Richard's eyes scanned outside while the sound got closer; soon, they both saw the source of the noise.
The big bulky military four wheel drive car bolted up the driveway and came to a sudden stop. Its wheels were far apart, it was colored in a dark green and it looked heavily armored.
Richard and Tera watched as the car's roaring engine was switched off and out stepped three men. Two men were dressed like Richard was which made both Richard and Tera think what the hell was going on.
The other man was dressed in seemingly plain clothes, he looked like he was in his mid to late thirties and has short black hair that looked like it was spiked up with hair gel. He was wearing combat boots, green combat gloves which looked armored around the knuckles, dark blue jeans, and a black leather jacket with a dark blue shirt underneath it.
Richard noticed something, the man had some kind of earpiece, it was in his right ear and had a small black microphone attached to it which pointed towards the side of the man's mouth.
Tera looked over to Richard and asked, "Who's that?"
"I don't know but I'm guessing were going to find out, very soon." Richard replied as his hand slightly hovered over his pistol in his holster.
Richard and Tera stepped away from the window once they saw the men getting closer to the house. Richard was worried, and so was Tera, they were both worried about what could happen to each other if these men are after blood.
The plain clothed man stepped up to the front door of the house and knocked three times.
Richard looked over to Tera, he was going to tell her to wait some place safe... but then he knew that saying that would be useless. He knew that she would never leave his side, and he would never leave hers. "Tera, I'm going to answer the door, just be ready for anything." Richard told her as he walked towards the door.
Tera didn't like this at all, she felt like there was a knot in her stomach, last time Richard asked her to be ready she almost lost him.
Richard was now near the door, Tera was by his side, they were both ready to protect each other. Richard opened the front door and he came face to face with the plain clothed man.
Before Richard could ask who the man was, the plain clothed man extended his hand for a handshake and blurted out, "My name is Owen, I've heard much about you."
'He's heard much about me? From whom?' Richard asked in his head. Richard shook his hand. "Nice to meet you but... Why are you here? A better question, why are there two men in deputies uniforms behind you?" Richard asked bluntly.
Owen crossed his arms as he answered, "Well I'm here to recruit you and these men behind me are yours and Tera's replacements."
Tera had a confused expression on her face. "Wait, how do you know my name?" She asked.
Owen was about to answer until Richard spoke up. "Okay, let's just get to the point. Why are you trying to recruit me, how do you know so much and just what do you do?" Richard asked, he knew something bad was going to happen eventually and if it was then he just wanted to get it over with.
Owen could see they didn't like being kept in the dark, so he answered quickly. "I'm on a mission, but I can't complete it alone. I'm gathering team of the best, and you're one of them. I know so much because I have four different Regions backing me and my mission, and they always keep me up to date with new intelligence. As for what I do, well most people call me an agent so I guess that's what I am." he stated.
Hearing that just made more questions spring up in Richard's mind. "What mission could possibly be important enough to earn the support of four Regions?" Richard asked with suspicion.
Owen let out a sigh as he got ready to explain. "We recently got information that Silas is getting ready to launch his biggest assault yet, this time its not just a slave grab, he's actually going to try take over a region." Owen explained.
Richard had an annoyed look on his face. "It's taken four regions over ten years to join forces and they are only doing it because they finally realize that he is aiming to take over a region? Wasn't it enough that they were grabbing innocent people and turning them into slaves?" Richard said in a clearly annoyed tone.
"If they had sent their armies over to kick Silas' ass ten years ago instead of arguing with each other then he wouldn't be a problem today!" Richard almost shouted. Regions have sent their armies to deal with Silas before but they were never united, political differences and other reasons like espionage blinded them from the real threat.
The regions thought that Silas was a problem that they could easily take care of, but they underestimated just how powerful his forces were.
Owen knew that everything he said was true. "I know that the politicians and generals are too thick skulled to know what's going to come back and bite them in their asses, but all that matters right now is that they have decided to end this." Were his first words.
"We're going to find Silas, and we're going to kill him." he added. "But I can't do this on my own, I still need you to join the team that I'm building up, also, I'd rather continue this conversation inside the house if you don't mind." Owen suggested as he looked behind him to the two deputies and over the hills in the distance.
Owen hated being out in the open, there were too many potential vantage points that a skilled sniper could easily take advantage of.
Richard was hesitant to let this man in, he kept thinking about how Owen could have been sent by Silas to kill him. He figured that if he wanted to kill him then he would have already tried by now, but still, he would still watch him very closely. Richard didn't want to take any chances, not when he had Tera to think about. "Come on in then." Richard replied in a feigned friendly tone.
Owen stepped in side the house, as did the two deputies. Richard closed the door behind them and walked over to a couch with Tera. Richard and Tera sat on one couch together and Owen and his two deputies sat on the other couch.
Richard still had lots of questions, and he planned on getting them all answered. "Why are you picking me for your team? Surely there are other people out there who have better fighting skills than I do." Richard asked.
"Your the only living person who has ever came close to killing Silas, the dossier also said that you have team skills and incredible fighting skills. It's true that you are no super soldier but somebody seems to think that you are invaluable to the mission." Owen told him.
"Especially the fact that you are also the only one to injure him and live." He added.
This brought back terrible memories for Richard, he remembered his friends, who's faces were now only just blurs inside of his mind; blurs that he wished would not come back.
'Wait, team skills? And he knows about my encounter with Silas?' Richard thought to himself. "How exactly do you plan on taking down Silas?" Richard voiced the question that was on everybody's mind, excluding Owen.
Owen sighed before he answered, "Well we already have Kanto's, Johto's, Hoenn's and Sinnoh's armies at our disposal, but that still may not be enough. Even if we launched an attack on all of Silas' bases and outposts and won, our armies would be destroyed and we could end up leaving ourselves open for attack by some new threat. Besides, there would be no guarantee that we could kill Silas in the process."
Richard then gave a confused look. "Wait, you said you were building a team, it sounds more like you need to build another army." Richard said.
"With the people we're gathering, we won't need to." Owen said with a smirk. "So, can I count on you to join me?" He asked hopefully.
Richard had been waiting for another opportunity to kill Silas ever since they met. Richard looked over to his side, over to Tera. It didn't take him long to come up with an answer. "No." Richard told him firmly.
Owen's disappointment showed in his expression. "Why not?" he asked.
Tera looked over to Richard and smiled, she knew the reason.
Richard looked back into Tera's eyes, no matter how many times he looks into her eyes he always feels a warm loving feeling deep inside of him. "I'm getting married, with Tera. I'm not going to go off on some mission that could get me killed just for revenge, I have something to live for now. I never want to leave her behind anyway." He stated as he looked back over to the agent on the couch.
Owen was afraid that would be his response, but he was ready for this situation. "If you want to live long enough to get married then I suggest you join me." he said.
Richard gave Owen a very angry look. "What do you mean by that?" Richard threatened as he felt his hands balling up into fists.
Owen could see that Richard had taken it in a threatening way. "I'm not threatening you if that's what you're thinking. Here, take a look at this." Owen said as he reached inside his jacket pocket, pulled out a few papers and handed them over to Richard.
Richard and Tera looked through the papers together; they were both shocked by what they saw. Troop numbers, a list of weapons that Silas has now equipped his private army with, and more importantly, the name of the region they will attack first. 'Hoenn.' Images of Silas' army coming in and destroying the place they now called home and killing the people they had befriended in this town rushed through their minds.
Tera knew there was only one way to stop that from happening. "Richard, we should help this man." Tera nudged as if urging Richard to agree with her.
Richard knew she was right, but he really didn't want to put her in danger... but it seemed that either way, they would still be in danger. "I know... fine, I'll join you Owen."
"And so will I." Tera quickly chipped in.
Owen wasn't expecting both of them to come along although he did know that was a possibility. "Excellent, also I need to speak to Ethan about your temporary replacements so you won't have to worry about coming back from a mission and ending up jobless." Owen said with a very faint smile.
As if on cue, Ethan and Zangoose walked downstairs. Ethan with his hair ruffled, and the Zangoose, with a big smile on.
Ethan held Zangoose's paw in his hand, he enjoyed the feeling of being close to someone again, even if that someone is a Pokémon. Ethan looked over to the couch to see three men he had never seen before, two of them were wearing deputy's uniforms. "Who are these guys and why are two of them wearing deputy's uniforms?" Ethan asked confusedly.
Richard knew this was going to take a lot of explaining.
5 minutes later...
Richard, Tera and Owen explained the situation clearly. They told Ethan and Zangoose about the mission and the replacements for Richard and Tera for when they leave for the mission, Owen seemed keen to stress the importance of the mission.
Ethan and Zangoose felt sorry for Richard and Tera, they were going to get married but now they are risking their lives on a mission to save more lives.
Owen had told them that the recruitment mission begins tomorrow and he would be back in the morning. He also told them 'his men' are protecting the town so it wouldn't be necessary for Ethan, Richard or Tera to go to work today.
Richard and Tera were now watching Owen and the two deputies heading back to the car. Owen stopped in his tracks and walked back over to Richard. "I almost forgot to give you something." Owen said as he took something out of one of the pockets on his jacket and handed it over to Richard.
Richard looked at the small black object in his hands; it looked like the same earpiece Owen was wearing. "What's this?" Richard asked.
"It's a communicator, it will allow you to talk to anyone using this same type of synched device, and it will also allow you to hear what Pokemon are saying." Owen told him.
Richard had a surprised look on his face. "How long has this thing been around for?" Richard asked.
"About 3 years now, they were expensive at first but our scientists found ways to make them cheaper. Only top agents and a few others have clearance to use this type of tech right now but sooner or later somebody will make this available to civilians. Technology like this doesn't stay secret long." Owen stated.
Richard looked at the earpiece; he decided to try it out straight away. The device hooked around his ear, it wasn't as uncomfortable as it looked. "Thanks." Richard said.
"Your welcome, the device isn't synced to mine yet so we won't be talking to each other through it but you can still hear what Pokemon are saying. Anyway, I'll see you both tomorrow." Owen said as he walked back over to his very large armored car, climbed in and started the engine.
As Owen pulled away, Richard noticed something, Kiara. She was hiding behind a tree and watching Owen pulling away. "Were you watching them all this time?" Richard asked.
"Yes, can't be too careful." Kiara answered.
'Wait, did I really just hear that?' Richard thought to himself. "Yeah, your right." Richard said, sounding as casual as possible.
Kiara gave an expression that was a mix between surprise and confusion; she wasn't actually expecting a reply from him. "You can understand me?" She asked.
"I can now." Richard said as he tapped twice on the communicator on his right ear. "Come on; let's get back inside the house. It doesn't look like were going to work today anyway." Richard said as he walked back inside.
3 minutes later.
Tera, Zangoose, and Kiara were sat on the couches all talking about one thing, the mission that Richard and Tera were now going to take on. They all knew that this mission was probably going to be very dangerous but Zangoose and Kiara agreed with Tera's decision to take on the mission with Richard.
Richard was in the kitchen with Ethan, if he was going on a mission that's likely to kill him then he wanted to repay Ethan for being a good friend. "Ethan, take this." Richard said as he placed the communicator in Ethan's hand.
Ethan looked at the black device in his hand; he remembered that Owen guy was wearing something like this. "What does this do?" Ethan asked.
"Remember when you told me about the communication barrier between you and Zangoose? Well, this should break down that barrier." Richard said with a smile.
Ethan looked down to the small object in his hand, that's when he suddenly realized what it was, but he couldn't believe it. "Is... Is this a translator?" Ethan asked cautiously.
"Yes, it'll translate anything Zangoose says. I've already tested it myself; it translated what Kiara had to say." Richard said.
Ethan couldn't believe it, after hearing Mac say he couldn't do it he had given up any hope of hearing Zangoose's voice as more than whines and repeats of her name.
But, now thanks to Richard and that Owen guy, he could finally ask Zangoose everything he wanted to and hear her answer those questions, just thinking about being able to understand her filled him with joy. "I... I don't think I could ever repay you for this." Ethan stated.
Richard could see this meant a lot to Ethan. "You don't have to, it's the least I could do after you gave me and Tera a job and took us in to your home." Richard said happily.
Ethan couldn't help but smile, he couldn't wait to hear her voice. "Thank you... so; you and Tera are really going to go ahead with this mission thing then?" Ethan asked.
Richard let out a sigh, "I don't want to but it seems like Owen really needs my help, and if my help keeps Silas and his army of shit-heads from taking over Hoenn and enslaving its entire population, then I'll do it. I just wish that this mission didn't put Tera in danger." Richard told him as his smile slowly faded.
Ethan knew Richard felt worse than he looked, Ethan had heard Richard and Tera continuously talking about the wedding day, and he thought about how disappointed they must be now that they have to hold off the wedding to complete some mission that could kill them both. "What will you two do when you complete the mission?" Ethan asked.
Richard hadn't thought about that, his mind was far too busy worrying for Tera. "Well, I'm hoping I can just continue working as a deputy, and of course, get married. After that, I don't know what, but as long as I have Tera by my side, I know everything will work out." Richard happily told him.
Ethan thought that it must be a hard time for Richard and Tera right now. "I hope it does." Ethan responded.
Richard was about to leave the kitchen, but then he remembered something, he remembered Ethan and Zangoose holding hands when they came down the stairs. He just had to ask. "Have you told Zangoose about how you feel about her yet?" he asked with a knowing smile.
A smile grew across Ethan's face as he answered. "Yes, I did. But she was the one to tell me first." he replied.
Richard was sure that when he said 'tell' he meant 'show'. "Good for you two." He told him with a smile.
10 minutes later...
Ethan was now in his room and sat on the bed, with Zangoose. He called her up to his room so they could be alone, and so he could finally hear her voice.
Zangoose did not yet know about what the earpiece he was now wearing does. Ethan got ready to tell her that he could understand what she was saying now. "This thing on my ear, it's a translator. It will translate what you say, so you won't have to keep and nodding or shifting your head to say yes or no all the time anymore."
Zangoose looked at the black device on his ear, she thought about what to say, what her first words to Ethan would be. Zangoose looked into Ethan's hazel eyes and put her paw on the side of his face as she pressed her lips against his.
They kissed lovingly, enjoying the warmth of each other's mouths until they had to pause for air, that's when Zangoose said her first words to Ethan. "I love you." Zangoose's elegant voice rang in Ethan's ears.
Ethan felt like he was complete again, that missing piece inside him was no longer missing. Ethan didn't say anything, this time he just kissed her, saying 'I love you' through his actions.
The silent role was played once again.
30 minutes later...
Ethan and Zangoose stayed in bed with each other, they didn't want to be anywhere else. Ethan finally got to ask her the questions he wanted to ask her, he wanted to know more about her. "Why is your name Zangoose? That's kind of like me being named human." Ethan asked.
Zangoose never really thought about her name before. "Well that's what my trainer called me." She answered.
Ethan had a puzzled look on his face, he had suspected that she lived with humans before but this was the first time he had heard that she once lived with a trainer. "You lived with a trainer?" Ethan asked.
Zangoose smiled when she thought about her trainer. "Yes, she was really nice to every body but... she passed on." She told Ethan as the smile faded from her face.
Ethan put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "I'm sorry, how did she go? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
It was hard to talk about for Zangoose, but she wanted to tell him, if she wanted to love him, she couldn't keep secrets. "She had an illness, it was terminal... Whatever that meant. I stayed with her until she passed on. She took care of a lot of us Pokemon, we felt like we owed her so we helped her with all the things that she couldn't do." Zangoose said as tears started to form in her eyes.
Ethan rubbed her back to calm her; he hated to see her so upset. "I'm sorry I brought it up, we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."
Zangoose felt comfortable around Ethan, like she could tell him anything. "It's fine... I want to tell you." She said.
Ethan was glad to hear that, he wanted to learn more about her. "Alright, what did you do after she passed on?" he asked.
Zangoose cuddled up to Ethan as she told him what she did next. "When she passed on there was no reason to stay around there anymore, so I decided to travel. I lived on the berries I found in the forest and took shelter under thick trees or inside caves but I always missed living inside a house."
Ethan quickly figured out that must have been why she was scratching at Derick's door. "Hey, how would you like a new name?" Ethan asked.
Zangoose smiled. "I'd like that." She said as her smile grew.
Zangoose and Ethan talked about names for what felt like an hour until they both found a name that they both liked. "Lucy it is then." Ethan said.
Zangoose's face lit up with a bright smile although she knew the name was going to take some getting used to.
"I love you." She told him. Her sweet voice was like candy for a kid to Ethan, he would never get used to it, because it was so good.
Meanwhile...
Richard was still on the couch with Tera who was talking to Kiara. He couldn't stop thinking about the mission, and Owen, he didn't even know if Owen was really telling the truth about anything.
He thought about ripping out his throat if he was lying to them just to get some of his dirty work done.
Richard wondered what the hell is going to happen next, in these past few months he's been in war zones, lost his only friend, fell in love, became a cop, found out about his parents, he was going to get married, but now that would have to wait, and now he's just been told that he's been selected for a team to bring down Silas, the most powerful and dangerous man in the world.
'What's next? Will the whole world come crashing down?' A voice in his head asked himself. Richard didn't mind putting his life on the line to protect others, but he knew that Tera worried for him like he worries for her.
It all seemed so unfair, he was just starting to lead a happy life with the woman, or Pokémon, he loves, its all put on hold for a mission. Richard knew that this may be the last 'normal' day they spend together.
Richard's mind went from the mission to the communication device he gave to Ethan; he wondered what excuse he could make up for no longer having it.
He didn't really care if they didn't take him on the mission because he gave away the device, he felt like it was the right thing to do, besides part of him hoped that they wouldn't take him on the mission.
Richard snapped out of his deep thoughts when he heard Tera and Kiara giggling, hearing Tera's giggle made him smile, although he did wonder what they were giggling about.
5 hours later...
Ethan was just coming out of the bathroom when he saw Richard coming out of his room; he had swapped his deputy uniform for jeans and a black T-shirt. "Hey Richard, just want to thank you again for the translator but wont you get into trouble for giving it to me?" He asked.
"We're putting off our wedding for this; I don't care if he doesn't like it. You need it more than I do anyway. So, I guess that means the device translated what she had to say then." Richard replied.
"Yep, I was talking to Lucy all day. I had no idea how much we have in common." Ethan told him with happiness in his voice.
"Lucy?" Richard said in a confused tone.
"Oh, that's her name now. I think it suits her." Ethan stated with a smile.
"Yeah, I think so too. You know me and Tera always did think that you two make a cute couple." Richard said with a grin on his face.
"Heh, me and Lucy thought the same about you two." Ethan replied with a chuckle.
Richard quickly remembered that he wanted to talk to him about Owen. "You know that Owen guy; do you really believe he's working for four regions?" He asked.
Ethan thought about his answer for a second before he replied. "I think I believe it, couldn't see any tell tail signs in his voice or body language but I think you should still keep a close eye on that guy." he replied.
"I will." Richard said sharply.
1 hour later...
Richard and Tera were once again in the forest on top of a rather large hill, they weren't there to spar, and they just wanted to be alone together for a little while.
They were both sat on grassy ground and looking at the peaceful view, the sun was setting on the horizon, it lit up the forest in a light green color and the hills far off seemed to be a dark blue, the sky its self was a mixture of a orange-pinkish color.
Tera rested her head on Richard's shoulder. "Richard, when we leave for the mission, when do you think we'll come back here?" Tera asked softly.
Richard didn't quite understand what she meant. "You mean back to this spot, or back home?" Richard asked, it slipped out, but he really did feel like his home was Ethan's place.
"Back home." Tera said quietly.
"I don't know... I just hope it's soon." Richard said.
Tera snuggled up to Richard as he wrapped one arm around her waist. They both watched the sun slowly disappear before gazing into each other's eyes and lovingly kissing each other.
Midnight.
Richard and Tera were now in bed, silently sleeping.
Kiara was outside; she wasn't sleepy, not yet, so she looked out for anything suspicious. She wasn't expecting anything to happen but it was always good to be prepared.
Ethan was in his bed, he usually felt lonely when he fell asleep... but not tonight. He looked to his right, and there was Lucy, quietly sleeping.
He looked at her furry red and white face, he thought that he could never love anyone again after his breakup with his last partner, but the Zangoose sparked something inside him, something he couldn't quite describe... But it felt really good.
They could relax... For now, at least.
She was now at his bedroom door, she placed her paw on the knob of the door but she stopped her self from turning it, she suddenly lost all confidence in her plan and doubts filled her mind.
'I... I can't do it!' her voice shouted in her head, she knew she loved him but she just couldn't muster the courage to show him. She quickly stepped away from Ethan's door and ran back into her bedroom, sobbing as she did.
Ethan was awake; he was having a terrible time attempting to sleep. But there was a reason...
The next day...
Ethan's alarm clock rang out but he quickly slammed down the button on top of it to silence it, he slowly got out of bed and went over to his wardrobe to get his uniform.
He didn't get much sleep, he still couldn't stop thinking about Zangoose, he wondered if he should wait a little longer or just tell her that he loves her... Or at least that's how he feels.
He remembered a quote that he heard from somewhere, 'Sometimes, it is better to take a chance then to risk not knowing.' Boy, this quote was a motivational speaker for him.
Ethan got dressed and did his usual thing, woke up Richard and Tera, moved downstairs and into the kitchen for a quick snack but there was one thing different today. Zangoose wasn't downstairs; she was usually the first one up.
Odd.
Ethan wondered if something was wrong, she had been acting strangely lately. He thought that maybe she was sick, but part of him knew it was something else, either way; it seemed like a good idea to check on her.
He stopped looking for something to eat and headed over towards Zangoose's room; on the way there he saw Richard, who was now dressed in his uniform, and Tera heading downstairs. Ethan told them, "I'll be back down soon, just got to check up on something." And then continued to make his way over to Zangoose's room.
He was about to knock on the door when he heard some slight whimpers, it sounded slightly like crying. He knocked on the door twice. "Hey, are you alright in there?" Ethan asked with a worried tone in his voice.
There was no reply, Ethan was at least hoping for a sound, a knock, a repeat of her name, anything but silence. "I'm coming in... is that alright?" Ethan asked. He waited for a reply but there was none.
Zangoose buried her face in her pillow, she couldn't stop crying. She wanted to tell him, show him how much she liked him but she was afraid that he'd find her repulsive. Despite the reassurance from Tera, she still wasn't sure that Ethan liked her in that way. Her ears perked up when she heard the sound of the door opening, she kept her face buried in the pillow, she didn't want him to see her like this.
Ethan looked over to Zangoose who was lying on the bed with her face buried in the pillow, he couldn't tell if she was sick, hurt or just sleepy. "Are... are you alright?" Ethan asked with uncertainty in his voice.
Zangoose wanted to pretend that she was asleep, but she couldn't stop herself from looking over to Ethan.
Zangoose turned her head and it gave Ethan a chance to examine her face, usually he could just tell how she was feeling through her expressions. He looked at her face, her eyes looked somewhat bloodshot despite the fact they were already pink before, the fur around her eyes looked slightly damp.
'Has she been crying?' Ethan thought to himself as he looked at the pained expression on her face. "Is there something wrong? Are you sick?" Ethan asked concernedly.
Zangoose looked into Ethan's eyes, she wanted to tell him so badly that she loves him, she secretly always did have a crush on him but only when she saw Richard and Tera happily saying that they would be getting married did she realize that it was more than that. She snapped back to reality and shook her head left and right to answer Ethan's question.
Ethan took her little head shake as a 'no'. "Have you been crying?" Ethan asked softly.
Zangoose nodded in response.
Ethan wanted to know what could possibly make her cry, after all it seems like nothing bad has happened. "Do you want to try to tell me what you're crying about?" Ethan asked as he sat down on the edge of her bed.
Zangoose stared into Ethan's eyes in response, hoping that he would somehow get what she was thinking.
Ethan stared back into Zangoose's eyes; he couldn't help but think that she was trying to say 'You.'
"Were... You were crying over me?" Ethan asked cautiously.
Zangoose nodded again in response.
Ethan couldn't believe it, she was crying over him. "Why are you crying over me?" Ethan asked, part of him already knew the answer.
She knew there was only one way to tell him what she really thought about him, only one way to tell him why she was crying over him. Zangoose braced her self for what she was about to do next.
Before Ethan even knew it, Zangoose's lips were on his, he felt her tongue exploring his mouth. He didn't even get a chance to kiss back as it was over just as quickly as it started.
Zangoose stopped kissing Ethan and looked at the surprised expression on his face. 'What have I done?' her voice rang out in her mind. Suddenly she was filled with fear and regret; she was afraid that Ethan would storm off or shout, she was scared that he wouldn't feel the same way. More tears came to her eyes just thinking about it.
She moved slowly away from him, also fearing a fist to her body. She cowered under a pillow, her eyes slowly watching Ethan, for any type of punishment that was to come.
Ethan could see she was afraid and ready to burst into tears; he wanted to do anything possible to calm her down. Ethan slowly crawled over to her on the bed and gave her a big hug; he then rubbed her back and whispered into her ear, "Shh, you don't have to be afraid... I feel the same way about you."
Zangoose looked up to Ethan with a mixture of amazement and happiness in her eyes, 'He loves me?' her voice asked in her head. Zangoose's paws were now on Ethan's back, she hugged him with all her strength. She couldn't remember feeling this happy before.
Ethan felt strange, he felt something inside him that he hadn't felt for a long time, he didn't ever want that feeling to end.
Zangoose pulled away just enough to see Ethan's face; she quickly glanced at Ethan's lips before she gave him another kiss.
As soon as their lips touched, a jolt split down their spine, one not just of enjoyment, also one of love and passion.
Ethan moved his hands around her back and rubbed it, enjoying the warmth in her fur. Zangoose moaned softly and their kiss intensified two-fold.
With the Zangoose, she was in heaven; not only was she kissing the one she loved, but he admitted that he loved her. HE LOVED HER.
They both enjoyed this one, this one brief moment of love; for they may not have much time to do it, it may cause Tera and Richard would get suspicious.
Richard and Tera were downstairs on the couch; Richard looked at his wrist watch. "Almost time for our shift to start... That's strange." Richard said.
"What is?" Tera asked.
"Ethan isn't usually this late and Zangoose isn't down here... oh well, it isn't like I want to get to work anytime soon anyway." Richard chuckled as he slumped back into the couch.
Tera rested her head on Richard's chest, she knew that they would have to get up for work soon but she decided to just enjoy the spare time they have together.
They still hadn't decided on when they should have the wedding, but they both agreed that it should be in a couple of months time. Then, they could live happily ever after.
Richard wanted to save up enough money to make their wedding day something big, something epic. He wanted to show Tera just how much he loves her, because the words to describe how much he loves her just don't exist.
Tera didn't care if that the wedding wasn't like one of those she saw in the movies, she already has what she really wants, Richard. That was enough for her.
Richard felt like going back to bed with Tera, but he knew that Ethan would eventually come walking down those stairs and soon they would be patrolling the streets again.
Tera suddenly sat upright as her ears shot up. "Did you hear that?" Tera asked quickly.
Richard didn't know what she was talking about, so he stayed quiet and listened out. At first he couldn't hear it, but then he began to hear the sound of some kind of engine, some kind of vehicle coming towards the house. Whatever it was, it sounded big. Richard quickly got up and ran over to the window, Tera followed closely behind.
Tera watched as Richard's eyes scanned outside while the sound got closer; soon, they both saw the source of the noise.
The big bulky military four wheel drive car bolted up the driveway and came to a sudden stop. Its wheels were far apart, it was colored in a dark green and it looked heavily armored.
Richard and Tera watched as the car's roaring engine was switched off and out stepped three men. Two men were dressed like Richard was which made both Richard and Tera think what the hell was going on.
The other man was dressed in seemingly plain clothes, he looked like he was in his mid to late thirties and has short black hair that looked like it was spiked up with hair gel. He was wearing combat boots, green combat gloves which looked armored around the knuckles, dark blue jeans, and a black leather jacket with a dark blue shirt underneath it.
Richard noticed something, the man had some kind of earpiece, it was in his right ear and had a small black microphone attached to it which pointed towards the side of the man's mouth.
Tera looked over to Richard and asked, "Who's that?"
"I don't know but I'm guessing were going to find out, very soon." Richard replied as his hand slightly hovered over his pistol in his holster.
Richard and Tera stepped away from the window once they saw the men getting closer to the house. Richard was worried, and so was Tera, they were both worried about what could happen to each other if these men are after blood.
The plain clothed man stepped up to the front door of the house and knocked three times.
Richard looked over to Tera, he was going to tell her to wait some place safe... but then he knew that saying that would be useless. He knew that she would never leave his side, and he would never leave hers. "Tera, I'm going to answer the door, just be ready for anything." Richard told her as he walked towards the door.
Tera didn't like this at all, she felt like there was a knot in her stomach, last time Richard asked her to be ready she almost lost him.
Richard was now near the door, Tera was by his side, they were both ready to protect each other. Richard opened the front door and he came face to face with the plain clothed man.
Before Richard could ask who the man was, the plain clothed man extended his hand for a handshake and blurted out, "My name is Owen, I've heard much about you."
'He's heard much about me? From whom?' Richard asked in his head. Richard shook his hand. "Nice to meet you but... Why are you here? A better question, why are there two men in deputies uniforms behind you?" Richard asked bluntly.
Owen crossed his arms as he answered, "Well I'm here to recruit you and these men behind me are yours and Tera's replacements."
Tera had a confused expression on her face. "Wait, how do you know my name?" She asked.
Owen was about to answer until Richard spoke up. "Okay, let's just get to the point. Why are you trying to recruit me, how do you know so much and just what do you do?" Richard asked, he knew something bad was going to happen eventually and if it was then he just wanted to get it over with.
Owen could see they didn't like being kept in the dark, so he answered quickly. "I'm on a mission, but I can't complete it alone. I'm gathering team of the best, and you're one of them. I know so much because I have four different Regions backing me and my mission, and they always keep me up to date with new intelligence. As for what I do, well most people call me an agent so I guess that's what I am." he stated.
Hearing that just made more questions spring up in Richard's mind. "What mission could possibly be important enough to earn the support of four Regions?" Richard asked with suspicion.
Owen let out a sigh as he got ready to explain. "We recently got information that Silas is getting ready to launch his biggest assault yet, this time its not just a slave grab, he's actually going to try take over a region." Owen explained.
Richard had an annoyed look on his face. "It's taken four regions over ten years to join forces and they are only doing it because they finally realize that he is aiming to take over a region? Wasn't it enough that they were grabbing innocent people and turning them into slaves?" Richard said in a clearly annoyed tone.
"If they had sent their armies over to kick Silas' ass ten years ago instead of arguing with each other then he wouldn't be a problem today!" Richard almost shouted. Regions have sent their armies to deal with Silas before but they were never united, political differences and other reasons like espionage blinded them from the real threat.
The regions thought that Silas was a problem that they could easily take care of, but they underestimated just how powerful his forces were.
Owen knew that everything he said was true. "I know that the politicians and generals are too thick skulled to know what's going to come back and bite them in their asses, but all that matters right now is that they have decided to end this." Were his first words.
"We're going to find Silas, and we're going to kill him." he added. "But I can't do this on my own, I still need you to join the team that I'm building up, also, I'd rather continue this conversation inside the house if you don't mind." Owen suggested as he looked behind him to the two deputies and over the hills in the distance.
Owen hated being out in the open, there were too many potential vantage points that a skilled sniper could easily take advantage of.
Richard was hesitant to let this man in, he kept thinking about how Owen could have been sent by Silas to kill him. He figured that if he wanted to kill him then he would have already tried by now, but still, he would still watch him very closely. Richard didn't want to take any chances, not when he had Tera to think about. "Come on in then." Richard replied in a feigned friendly tone.
Owen stepped in side the house, as did the two deputies. Richard closed the door behind them and walked over to a couch with Tera. Richard and Tera sat on one couch together and Owen and his two deputies sat on the other couch.
Richard still had lots of questions, and he planned on getting them all answered. "Why are you picking me for your team? Surely there are other people out there who have better fighting skills than I do." Richard asked.
"Your the only living person who has ever came close to killing Silas, the dossier also said that you have team skills and incredible fighting skills. It's true that you are no super soldier but somebody seems to think that you are invaluable to the mission." Owen told him.
"Especially the fact that you are also the only one to injure him and live." He added.
This brought back terrible memories for Richard, he remembered his friends, who's faces were now only just blurs inside of his mind; blurs that he wished would not come back.
'Wait, team skills? And he knows about my encounter with Silas?' Richard thought to himself. "How exactly do you plan on taking down Silas?" Richard voiced the question that was on everybody's mind, excluding Owen.
Owen sighed before he answered, "Well we already have Kanto's, Johto's, Hoenn's and Sinnoh's armies at our disposal, but that still may not be enough. Even if we launched an attack on all of Silas' bases and outposts and won, our armies would be destroyed and we could end up leaving ourselves open for attack by some new threat. Besides, there would be no guarantee that we could kill Silas in the process."
Richard then gave a confused look. "Wait, you said you were building a team, it sounds more like you need to build another army." Richard said.
"With the people we're gathering, we won't need to." Owen said with a smirk. "So, can I count on you to join me?" He asked hopefully.
Richard had been waiting for another opportunity to kill Silas ever since they met. Richard looked over to his side, over to Tera. It didn't take him long to come up with an answer. "No." Richard told him firmly.
Owen's disappointment showed in his expression. "Why not?" he asked.
Tera looked over to Richard and smiled, she knew the reason.
Richard looked back into Tera's eyes, no matter how many times he looks into her eyes he always feels a warm loving feeling deep inside of him. "I'm getting married, with Tera. I'm not going to go off on some mission that could get me killed just for revenge, I have something to live for now. I never want to leave her behind anyway." He stated as he looked back over to the agent on the couch.
Owen was afraid that would be his response, but he was ready for this situation. "If you want to live long enough to get married then I suggest you join me." he said.
Richard gave Owen a very angry look. "What do you mean by that?" Richard threatened as he felt his hands balling up into fists.
Owen could see that Richard had taken it in a threatening way. "I'm not threatening you if that's what you're thinking. Here, take a look at this." Owen said as he reached inside his jacket pocket, pulled out a few papers and handed them over to Richard.
Richard and Tera looked through the papers together; they were both shocked by what they saw. Troop numbers, a list of weapons that Silas has now equipped his private army with, and more importantly, the name of the region they will attack first. 'Hoenn.' Images of Silas' army coming in and destroying the place they now called home and killing the people they had befriended in this town rushed through their minds.
Tera knew there was only one way to stop that from happening. "Richard, we should help this man." Tera nudged as if urging Richard to agree with her.
Richard knew she was right, but he really didn't want to put her in danger... but it seemed that either way, they would still be in danger. "I know... fine, I'll join you Owen."
"And so will I." Tera quickly chipped in.
Owen wasn't expecting both of them to come along although he did know that was a possibility. "Excellent, also I need to speak to Ethan about your temporary replacements so you won't have to worry about coming back from a mission and ending up jobless." Owen said with a very faint smile.
As if on cue, Ethan and Zangoose walked downstairs. Ethan with his hair ruffled, and the Zangoose, with a big smile on.
Ethan held Zangoose's paw in his hand, he enjoyed the feeling of being close to someone again, even if that someone is a Pokémon. Ethan looked over to the couch to see three men he had never seen before, two of them were wearing deputy's uniforms. "Who are these guys and why are two of them wearing deputy's uniforms?" Ethan asked confusedly.
Richard knew this was going to take a lot of explaining.
5 minutes later...
Richard, Tera and Owen explained the situation clearly. They told Ethan and Zangoose about the mission and the replacements for Richard and Tera for when they leave for the mission, Owen seemed keen to stress the importance of the mission.
Ethan and Zangoose felt sorry for Richard and Tera, they were going to get married but now they are risking their lives on a mission to save more lives.
Owen had told them that the recruitment mission begins tomorrow and he would be back in the morning. He also told them 'his men' are protecting the town so it wouldn't be necessary for Ethan, Richard or Tera to go to work today.
Richard and Tera were now watching Owen and the two deputies heading back to the car. Owen stopped in his tracks and walked back over to Richard. "I almost forgot to give you something." Owen said as he took something out of one of the pockets on his jacket and handed it over to Richard.
Richard looked at the small black object in his hands; it looked like the same earpiece Owen was wearing. "What's this?" Richard asked.
"It's a communicator, it will allow you to talk to anyone using this same type of synched device, and it will also allow you to hear what Pokemon are saying." Owen told him.
Richard had a surprised look on his face. "How long has this thing been around for?" Richard asked.
"About 3 years now, they were expensive at first but our scientists found ways to make them cheaper. Only top agents and a few others have clearance to use this type of tech right now but sooner or later somebody will make this available to civilians. Technology like this doesn't stay secret long." Owen stated.
Richard looked at the earpiece; he decided to try it out straight away. The device hooked around his ear, it wasn't as uncomfortable as it looked. "Thanks." Richard said.
"Your welcome, the device isn't synced to mine yet so we won't be talking to each other through it but you can still hear what Pokemon are saying. Anyway, I'll see you both tomorrow." Owen said as he walked back over to his very large armored car, climbed in and started the engine.
As Owen pulled away, Richard noticed something, Kiara. She was hiding behind a tree and watching Owen pulling away. "Were you watching them all this time?" Richard asked.
"Yes, can't be too careful." Kiara answered.
'Wait, did I really just hear that?' Richard thought to himself. "Yeah, your right." Richard said, sounding as casual as possible.
Kiara gave an expression that was a mix between surprise and confusion; she wasn't actually expecting a reply from him. "You can understand me?" She asked.
"I can now." Richard said as he tapped twice on the communicator on his right ear. "Come on; let's get back inside the house. It doesn't look like were going to work today anyway." Richard said as he walked back inside.
3 minutes later.
Tera, Zangoose, and Kiara were sat on the couches all talking about one thing, the mission that Richard and Tera were now going to take on. They all knew that this mission was probably going to be very dangerous but Zangoose and Kiara agreed with Tera's decision to take on the mission with Richard.
Richard was in the kitchen with Ethan, if he was going on a mission that's likely to kill him then he wanted to repay Ethan for being a good friend. "Ethan, take this." Richard said as he placed the communicator in Ethan's hand.
Ethan looked at the black device in his hand; he remembered that Owen guy was wearing something like this. "What does this do?" Ethan asked.
"Remember when you told me about the communication barrier between you and Zangoose? Well, this should break down that barrier." Richard said with a smile.
Ethan looked down to the small object in his hand, that's when he suddenly realized what it was, but he couldn't believe it. "Is... Is this a translator?" Ethan asked cautiously.
"Yes, it'll translate anything Zangoose says. I've already tested it myself; it translated what Kiara had to say." Richard said.
Ethan couldn't believe it, after hearing Mac say he couldn't do it he had given up any hope of hearing Zangoose's voice as more than whines and repeats of her name.
But, now thanks to Richard and that Owen guy, he could finally ask Zangoose everything he wanted to and hear her answer those questions, just thinking about being able to understand her filled him with joy. "I... I don't think I could ever repay you for this." Ethan stated.
Richard could see this meant a lot to Ethan. "You don't have to, it's the least I could do after you gave me and Tera a job and took us in to your home." Richard said happily.
Ethan couldn't help but smile, he couldn't wait to hear her voice. "Thank you... so; you and Tera are really going to go ahead with this mission thing then?" Ethan asked.
Richard let out a sigh, "I don't want to but it seems like Owen really needs my help, and if my help keeps Silas and his army of shit-heads from taking over Hoenn and enslaving its entire population, then I'll do it. I just wish that this mission didn't put Tera in danger." Richard told him as his smile slowly faded.
Ethan knew Richard felt worse than he looked, Ethan had heard Richard and Tera continuously talking about the wedding day, and he thought about how disappointed they must be now that they have to hold off the wedding to complete some mission that could kill them both. "What will you two do when you complete the mission?" Ethan asked.
Richard hadn't thought about that, his mind was far too busy worrying for Tera. "Well, I'm hoping I can just continue working as a deputy, and of course, get married. After that, I don't know what, but as long as I have Tera by my side, I know everything will work out." Richard happily told him.
Ethan thought that it must be a hard time for Richard and Tera right now. "I hope it does." Ethan responded.
Richard was about to leave the kitchen, but then he remembered something, he remembered Ethan and Zangoose holding hands when they came down the stairs. He just had to ask. "Have you told Zangoose about how you feel about her yet?" he asked with a knowing smile.
A smile grew across Ethan's face as he answered. "Yes, I did. But she was the one to tell me first." he replied.
Richard was sure that when he said 'tell' he meant 'show'. "Good for you two." He told him with a smile.
10 minutes later...
Ethan was now in his room and sat on the bed, with Zangoose. He called her up to his room so they could be alone, and so he could finally hear her voice.
Zangoose did not yet know about what the earpiece he was now wearing does. Ethan got ready to tell her that he could understand what she was saying now. "This thing on my ear, it's a translator. It will translate what you say, so you won't have to keep and nodding or shifting your head to say yes or no all the time anymore."
Zangoose looked at the black device on his ear, she thought about what to say, what her first words to Ethan would be. Zangoose looked into Ethan's hazel eyes and put her paw on the side of his face as she pressed her lips against his.
They kissed lovingly, enjoying the warmth of each other's mouths until they had to pause for air, that's when Zangoose said her first words to Ethan. "I love you." Zangoose's elegant voice rang in Ethan's ears.
Ethan felt like he was complete again, that missing piece inside him was no longer missing. Ethan didn't say anything, this time he just kissed her, saying 'I love you' through his actions.
The silent role was played once again.
30 minutes later...
Ethan and Zangoose stayed in bed with each other, they didn't want to be anywhere else. Ethan finally got to ask her the questions he wanted to ask her, he wanted to know more about her. "Why is your name Zangoose? That's kind of like me being named human." Ethan asked.
Zangoose never really thought about her name before. "Well that's what my trainer called me." She answered.
Ethan had a puzzled look on his face, he had suspected that she lived with humans before but this was the first time he had heard that she once lived with a trainer. "You lived with a trainer?" Ethan asked.
Zangoose smiled when she thought about her trainer. "Yes, she was really nice to every body but... she passed on." She told Ethan as the smile faded from her face.
Ethan put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "I'm sorry, how did she go? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
It was hard to talk about for Zangoose, but she wanted to tell him, if she wanted to love him, she couldn't keep secrets. "She had an illness, it was terminal... Whatever that meant. I stayed with her until she passed on. She took care of a lot of us Pokemon, we felt like we owed her so we helped her with all the things that she couldn't do." Zangoose said as tears started to form in her eyes.
Ethan rubbed her back to calm her; he hated to see her so upset. "I'm sorry I brought it up, we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."
Zangoose felt comfortable around Ethan, like she could tell him anything. "It's fine... I want to tell you." She said.
Ethan was glad to hear that, he wanted to learn more about her. "Alright, what did you do after she passed on?" he asked.
Zangoose cuddled up to Ethan as she told him what she did next. "When she passed on there was no reason to stay around there anymore, so I decided to travel. I lived on the berries I found in the forest and took shelter under thick trees or inside caves but I always missed living inside a house."
Ethan quickly figured out that must have been why she was scratching at Derick's door. "Hey, how would you like a new name?" Ethan asked.
Zangoose smiled. "I'd like that." She said as her smile grew.
Zangoose and Ethan talked about names for what felt like an hour until they both found a name that they both liked. "Lucy it is then." Ethan said.
Zangoose's face lit up with a bright smile although she knew the name was going to take some getting used to.
"I love you." She told him. Her sweet voice was like candy for a kid to Ethan, he would never get used to it, because it was so good.
Meanwhile...
Richard was still on the couch with Tera who was talking to Kiara. He couldn't stop thinking about the mission, and Owen, he didn't even know if Owen was really telling the truth about anything.
He thought about ripping out his throat if he was lying to them just to get some of his dirty work done.
Richard wondered what the hell is going to happen next, in these past few months he's been in war zones, lost his only friend, fell in love, became a cop, found out about his parents, he was going to get married, but now that would have to wait, and now he's just been told that he's been selected for a team to bring down Silas, the most powerful and dangerous man in the world.
'What's next? Will the whole world come crashing down?' A voice in his head asked himself. Richard didn't mind putting his life on the line to protect others, but he knew that Tera worried for him like he worries for her.
It all seemed so unfair, he was just starting to lead a happy life with the woman, or Pokémon, he loves, its all put on hold for a mission. Richard knew that this may be the last 'normal' day they spend together.
Richard's mind went from the mission to the communication device he gave to Ethan; he wondered what excuse he could make up for no longer having it.
He didn't really care if they didn't take him on the mission because he gave away the device, he felt like it was the right thing to do, besides part of him hoped that they wouldn't take him on the mission.
Richard snapped out of his deep thoughts when he heard Tera and Kiara giggling, hearing Tera's giggle made him smile, although he did wonder what they were giggling about.
5 hours later...
Ethan was just coming out of the bathroom when he saw Richard coming out of his room; he had swapped his deputy uniform for jeans and a black T-shirt. "Hey Richard, just want to thank you again for the translator but wont you get into trouble for giving it to me?" He asked.
"We're putting off our wedding for this; I don't care if he doesn't like it. You need it more than I do anyway. So, I guess that means the device translated what she had to say then." Richard replied.
"Yep, I was talking to Lucy all day. I had no idea how much we have in common." Ethan told him with happiness in his voice.
"Lucy?" Richard said in a confused tone.
"Oh, that's her name now. I think it suits her." Ethan stated with a smile.
"Yeah, I think so too. You know me and Tera always did think that you two make a cute couple." Richard said with a grin on his face.
"Heh, me and Lucy thought the same about you two." Ethan replied with a chuckle.
Richard quickly remembered that he wanted to talk to him about Owen. "You know that Owen guy; do you really believe he's working for four regions?" He asked.
Ethan thought about his answer for a second before he replied. "I think I believe it, couldn't see any tell tail signs in his voice or body language but I think you should still keep a close eye on that guy." he replied.
"I will." Richard said sharply.
1 hour later...
Richard and Tera were once again in the forest on top of a rather large hill, they weren't there to spar, and they just wanted to be alone together for a little while.
They were both sat on grassy ground and looking at the peaceful view, the sun was setting on the horizon, it lit up the forest in a light green color and the hills far off seemed to be a dark blue, the sky its self was a mixture of a orange-pinkish color.
Tera rested her head on Richard's shoulder. "Richard, when we leave for the mission, when do you think we'll come back here?" Tera asked softly.
Richard didn't quite understand what she meant. "You mean back to this spot, or back home?" Richard asked, it slipped out, but he really did feel like his home was Ethan's place.
"Back home." Tera said quietly.
"I don't know... I just hope it's soon." Richard said.
Tera snuggled up to Richard as he wrapped one arm around her waist. They both watched the sun slowly disappear before gazing into each other's eyes and lovingly kissing each other.
Midnight.
Richard and Tera were now in bed, silently sleeping.
Kiara was outside; she wasn't sleepy, not yet, so she looked out for anything suspicious. She wasn't expecting anything to happen but it was always good to be prepared.
Ethan was in his bed, he usually felt lonely when he fell asleep... but not tonight. He looked to his right, and there was Lucy, quietly sleeping.
He looked at her furry red and white face, he thought that he could never love anyone again after his breakup with his last partner, but the Zangoose sparked something inside him, something he couldn't quite describe... But it felt really good.
They could relax... For now, at least.