Author's Note: Typical disclaimer here. No minors, no offense, no legal violation, etc. Yes, this lemon is a bit of a stretch. Yes, there's a lot of non-porn involved. Yes, I'm working on the projects I'm -supposed- to be working on. This was just sitting on my computer since... December? And I decided to upload it when I saw it on here.

Enjoy. Or not. ... vote 10, biatch. And Fanart! >_>!!!

... yeah, I love you guys too. :3 I just love writing these little things... never get tired of it. Now, back to work... ho hum.

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~There are many legends in the world... and every single one is born from a seed of truth. Some have been around from the very beginning of time, others have developed out of necessity, and some still for simply the sake of being. And there are some that lay just beyond the hearts of most men and pokemon alike.. or so I've been told.

The ocean is so vast, and the land so beautiful... and somewhere, beyond the stars, something more. I want to see it all.. but first I want to meet them. Every last one.

After all, I've all the time in the world.~

-Guardians-

I.

Tarin stood on the balcony of his modest apartment in Coral City. He was a lithe fellow, but hardly effeminate, with a full mane of red hair and a strange sort of grace, despite a bit of padding here or there. He was his own man at a fairly young age, and had his own slice of living space. While the complex itself wasn't in shambles, the railings on the balcony were completely rotted, and the floorboards were hardly any better. One misstep, and he'd plummet a good five stories to his death. But a little risk was worth the view.

When he moved out a couple years ago, all he could think of was getting as far away from the urban hell of Saffron as possible. Convenient finances and the overall inaccessibility of the coastal town made it an obvious choice. Cellular communication was null, and the video-phones were only accessible in the pokemon center, and other government buildings. Otherwise, the region was fairly technologically independent.

And my, were the people there certainly something! All the world's culture seemed to revolve around the pokemon, creatures that they lived with, but they took it to a whole other level in Coral. Everyone had their own personal guardian at birth, and even Tarin inherited his own companion when he'd arrived. The thought cued him to look back through the glass doors to Dianna, his Delcatty, lying curled up on the foot of his bed.

Content as always, he mused to himself, and then turned his gaze back into the street. Today was the seasonal festival. Around this time, all sorts of dragons paraded the streets. Three dragonair weaved about a giant paper likeness of itself, which three people manipulated to dance about the street. There were drummers, dancers, flute players... all manners of creatures and people flooding the city. For such a small town, they were rather populated, and did they love their festivals! A major one each season, a celebration every month, some sordid affair on a daily basis, and everyone had their own individual beliefs and holidays to follow...

Because there was a spirit in everything. Pokemon inhabited everything; every rock, every tree, every creature and inanimate object in some way or form. People, too. That's why they had their guardian, if they could obtain it. Somehow, their ritual had failed on Tarin. They could not read him, and so he could not seek his own path here- but they did not expel him. Rather, they paired him up with a similarly stray feline, and together they made a good pair.

So the dragon festival would pass, with the dratini family at its heart. As winter shifted to spring, the people of Coral celebrated their enchantment of the weather, and the legend of the dragon breed as a whole- the legends were sacred in that sense. But they were just that, legends, for they'd never once appeared in this region- and yet, somehow...

A flash in the night sky startled Tarin. He leaned forward for a better view of the odd shape as it whisked across the sky. A strange wind reached him, shaking the foundations of the buildings in the district. Something in the sky, silver scales gleaming, and those eyes- beautiful cerulean pools, deep as the ocean, that seemed to penetrate into his soul. He reached out... and the sound of damp wood wrenching in on itself echoed through the air. He screamed as he plummeted downwards.

He couldn't help but laugh at his own foolishness as the stories whizzed by.

Five...

It would only be a matter of seconds. Ahh well, the world wasn't that great, anyway. What exactly did it need him for, to begin with?

Four...

The rush of air was exhilarating. For the last few moments of his life, he was flying. What better way to go out?

Three...

Dianna... who would take care of Dianna? For a split second, he worried, but then he realized that the town wouldn't let her sit there and starve in his apartment. Especially since they'd witness his sudden splat on the sidewalk.

Two...

So that was it, then. Sure, it was short, but he'd seen enough. He was clear to go. All he could cherish was the memories of his rental 'mon back in school...

One...

But what if there was something he was supposed to do? The desperation seized him at the last moment. Not that there was much that he could change, but he struggled as the decorations and the pokemon and the spectators whizzed by. When everything stopped, he could hear people gasping in horror.

And then a sudden relief that settled over the city with a sigh. For a split second, he felt his stomach lurch and his body slow like an odd sense of vertigo. And then he was in the massive, soft-scaled paw of a dragonite. It smiled down at him with a rather bemused, crooning and then set him delicately on the ground. The crowd applauded as if it were some sort of show, some sort of plan to the celebration. So he would play it that way, and spare himself the embarrassment. From the broken balcony above, Dianna mewled at him chidingly. Did a day go by when he didn't get into trouble?

The parade began to move again, and the dragonite neatly nudged him along with the pace. Tarin needed no encouragement to move aside from its enormous feet, which caused faint tremors along the street on each step. He tried to move aside, and get out of the parade, but something held him back. An elder man, bald and wearing a cascade of gray robes pulled him forward and beckoned him to keep stride. With a deep sigh, he swung his arms and began to make his way along.

"I know a scamp like you is bound to get in trouble." he chuckled, glancing to the broken balcony. "That much is natural for a boy your age. But to take a fall like that... hardly what I expected. You gave us all a scare."

"I don't know what compelled me. I just saw..."

His gaze drifted towards the skies again. What was that, anyway, that flash? That had stared to the very center of his soul...
The old man tugged him along again, and he nodded his head in apology.

"Well, regardless of that, why won't you let me go my merry way, out of this parade? It's uncomfortable... people keep staring."

The elder laughed heartily, fingering at his beard. "Therein lies the trouble. It was this dragonite who caught you from your fall, after all... do you recall his significance in this celebration?"

Tarin stuffed his hands into his pockets and swallowed uncomfortably. The dragonite would, towards the apex of the parade, select a person to become the dragon dancer- to be infused with the spirit of the dragon, and perform to honor them.

And now that he'd thought about it, everyone should have stopped staring at him by now. He looked to the old man and pointed a finger at himself questioningly, and he nodded.

"W-wait a second," he said, waving his hands in front of him. "Are you kidding me? I've never even practiced the..."

"The dragon dance is unrehearsed," the old man chided. "When the drums kick up, just move your feet. Let the spirits guide you... and you shall perform fine. Perhaps it's fate that you were chosen in such a way. But, the dragon, whether by his volition or sheer coincidence, has taken you from the spectators. So, this year, you will dance for us."

Tarin balked. The man did have a point- none of the dance was rehearsed, though he knew well that most of those at the festival would have spent the last few days stepping about, just in case. It was hardly a situation, though, and perhaps it might serve to be fun. The parade stopped abruptly, and everyone- Tarin included- fell to one knee.

A hush came over the city, and then it began to rain. The gentle drizzle fell in spite of the lack of clouds above, and the clear water warmed everyone, body and spirit both. Somewhere behind the dragonite, Tarin heard a click, and then many enamored gasps from the crowd. He'd been around long enough to see this once; one of the mobile platforms would have opened up at several points in the line, revealing scores of drummers and a handful of flute players. Another moment of silence as it rained... and then the first beats echoed through the air.

Streamers exploded over the streets, showering those within with wet confetti and wraped candy. The music picked up in an instant, and the performances began once more. They were up and on the move, and Tarin took his first steps into the dance.

Trying to clear his mind of everything that had happened in such a short time proved difficult. No danger presented itself- for his life, at least. If he made a fool of himself, he wouldn't be able to show his face in town for as long as he lived. Putting on an impressive display would be troublesome. He jumped ahead of the old man and the dragonite, into the open space before a large flygon float, and began with a flourish.

The crowd cheered, and the drums pounded so loud that his body felt heated with the very rhythm. As his heart raced, he moved and danced and spun, letting his arms flow about him. Not seconds into it, and he had already been drenched and covered in specks of glittered paper.

Some of the spectators further up the street rushed down, not wanting to miss the main event. Everyone slowly ushered on, behind the parade, some mounted on their pokemon, others carrying them along. Each beat, every splash of water seemed to fill him with life, and as the street widened, he felt something brush against his side.

A dragonair- no, two of them- joined him in his movements. They spun and let their coils push his body along, weaving around him. A faint aurora grew about them, and the rain intensified. As the pace picked up, one brushed close to his face and smiled.

~Just let us guide you... trust us.~

Tarin blinked a couple times... and soon their movements became more forceful. He allowed their smooth scales to direct his arms and legs, to step and turn and on occasion leap. A faint glow surrounded him, and despite the obvious haste with which they urged him on, he felt as if he were suspended in the air for minutes at a time.

So that was nature of the dragon dance, he thought. No mysterious possession from beyond the veil. The dancer did not become one of the dragons in the parade, but rather one with the ones that guided him or her... their minds did connect with his, even if they did not say anything.

Ten minutes felt like hours, but soon the parade and the congregation had made their way up to the platform bordering the ocean. While the majority of the performers formed a ring around the enormous stage, some of the drummers and the flutists moved up onto it, and took to the sides. The dragonite swooped over his head, onto the back of the stage. An enormous drum rested there, and as soon as Tarin ascended the staircase to the center floor, he began to strike it with his bare fists. The sound was defeaning, but the very air around him lifted him upwards. Each echoing thrum spun him one way, and then back the other. For a few brief moments, he flew, dancing on thin air while the two dragonair swept around him. All of the cheering and applause was muted by the sheer volume of the drums.

Abruptly, he fell to the stage below and winced as he landed, falling to one knee. He panted, realizing just how hard he'd been pushing his body, when he realized that the entire city had gone silent. The dance was supposed to end there, wasn't it? Then why was everyone still staring...?

A violent crash eminated from the ocean, and seafoam sprayed all the way into the city. People's fascinated stares turned quickly to stunned, and then to horror as water began to work its way through the streets in currents. Then came the sound of... wings? They were far too loud to be that of any bird's, Tarin thought...

He whipped around to see what caused all of the chaos, and found himself face to face with the same ocean-deep eyes that stared at him from all the way across the horizon. The horror suddenly overtook him as well as he stared the very legend in the face, and its breath fell hot against his neck.

Lugia.

The legendary bird had appeared, and the result was disastrous. A violent wind knocked the roofs off of houses, and people washed away in the tides. Lightning struck about the city. Now screaming filled his ears, and as the water and air rushed around the stage, he stood alone with the lord of the seas...

and promptly blacked out.

II.

Tarin's senses returned, although just barely. He tried to look around, but he was still floating in blank space. The world around seemed nil... and he couldn't comprehend anything but his own presence- poorly, at that. What became of the city, and of the Lugia? Now that he thought about it, it had not done anything to cause the destruction of the city. No, it simply watched, and waited. For him? That made little sense.

Even if he could find the pieces to fit together, he was given little time before he fell. The sensation only increased, until it felt like something was pressing into his gut. And though he fell, no ground waited for him. No sky looked down upon him. He was trapped, blind, as something batted him around like a toy.

Tarin screamed. Excruciating pain worked its way into him, starting at his head and washing over him. It was liquid magma, it was the arctic wind, it was... incomprehensible, as if every nerve in his body was being torn apart and repaired at the same time. He struggled to breathe, and flailed his limbs. Despite the torturous pressure, he could move just as much a he pleased, to whatever direction.

It increased, and then there was an odd suction around his groin. His eyes flared wide, inviting more of the darkness within as the peaks of pleasure began to force their way through the numbing pain. He squirmed and writhed as the pressure worked his member, until it was erect... and then, starting at the top, worked its way down. Unseen fingers of silk, the smoothest of tongues brushed and washed over him. As his hips thrust automatically, something thrust back. Simultaneously he moaned and blushed... the pleasure was so overwhelming that the pain was only on the back of his mind.

By the time the thought entered him to reach down and stroke himself, he found that he couldn't move at all. Instead, he was simply held helpless as the unseen force sucked messily at his shaft. His pulse raced and he cried out until his mind was filled with nothing more, and he shot his load into the abyss. The pangs of orgasm wracked over him, and still he kept on shooting streamer after streamer of hot semen...

He couldn't stop, and the pleasure began to inch its way into madness. He struggled to get away, more sensitive by the moment, and then the sparks of pain began again, this time isolated somewhere in his balls. Something squeezed them, he was sure of it, and wouldn't let up. Harder and harder, beyond any pain he'd ever felt... until they felt like they were going to pop. Tears ran down his cheeks as he tried to cry out for help, and found that he couldn't do that. And for a moment, he could swear that something broke inside of him, before he snapped awake.

III.


When the world came spinning back into place, Tarin gripped at his sheets. He seemed to be lost in a sea of blankets and... no, even though the sensation of cold sweat had been there, there wasn't a single drop of moisture to be felt on his form. Aside from the startled chill, he felt quite warm, filled with a sensation he could only think to call fuzzy. The room was dark, and quiet, and the curtains remained closed.

"What... happened?"

"You're awake?"

Tarin sat up with a start. There shouldn't have been anyone in the apartment to respond, if everything had really been a dream... his eyes widened as Dianna stepped out from the kitchen. Before he could question his sanity, she addressed him again.

"Good," she mewled, and leapt up onto the bed beside him. "I was worried about you. There was nothing physically wrong with you, but they said you just passed out after the dance ended... at least, that's what they were muttering when they left you in here. There wasn't anything wrong with you, so they just..."

"Left me here?" Tarin replied, and then did a double-check. Everything she said came out clearly.. he imagined that the voice would belong to someone in her mid-twenties.

"Wait a minute. Why can I... and why can you..."

Dianna moved across the bed and curled up in his lap, on top of the sheets, purring gently. So that much had been a dream- the Lugia, the torture... it was probably just his reaction to the mental interference on the dragon's behalf. Their choosing him was an accident, and the nightmare had been a result.

"The answer should be obvious," Dianna murmured and rubbed her cheek against his stomach. "The elder brought you in, but something compelled him to leave. He seemed... frightened."

Everything didn't add up, though. Tarin sighed and reached a hand down to stroke Dianna. As she purred away, he stared at his hand, frozen in place. Instead of the pale skin he was used to, it was covered in a fluffy white fur. He retracted it quickly and turned it over to reveal the small pink pads on it.

"This can't be..." he murmured, and squirmed. Dianna begrudgingly slid from his lap, and he ran to the mirror on the bathroom door.

The green eyes that met his were his own, but beyond that, nothing else remained of his former body. While he'd maintained his height, most of his weight was gone. Tufts of white fur fluffed out where that mass should have been, on his chest and near his hips, replacing every semblance of skin, except for the pink pads located on his hands and on the bottom of his noticably enlarged feet. His ears had become long, arching back to end in strange little puffs. And for the first time, he felt control of the long tail protruding from his rump. It was at least several feet long, and ended in another fluffy crescent. Without even thinking about it, he could move it. It swished back and forth...

And did it swish! He let the tail bob and sway back and forth in the air. He giggled a bit and let it flow, deliberately, noticing that his voice had become much lighter. As he entertained himself, Dianna came over and began to bat at it as it dipped low. He folded his paws, turned, and sighed, smiling.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," she commented, trying to bat at the tail.

"You too," he mused, trying to soak it all in. So he'd become a pokemon. It'd happened every now and then to people, but usually as a result of a failed data transfer, or other such machinations. Nothing made any sense, but was it really all that bad? Life as a human seemed so dull, and who knows what awaited him in this form... some great destiny?

Now that he studied himself again, he thought the he did kind of resemble the legendary Mew, but... no, he was too tall, too fluffy, too... a lot of things. As he turned, he noticed six tails of light rolling down his back, almost like a cape. He prodded at them, but his paw went right through.

"Now, what in the world am I? That's the question..."

Dianna mewled and rubbed past his legs once more. "You're Tarin. That's about all there is to it."

He smiled at her, letting one of his ears splay aside- a sensation that made him giddy- and then nodded. "Taaaa...." he called out, much to the delcatty's disdain. She coughed and swatted his posterior with her tail. Squeaking, he glared at her accusingly, but she simply yawned.

"If you're really that curious, maybe you should check that silly device of yours. Really, I wonder why you don't just ask sometimes."

Tarin moved back into the bedroom, and looked through his desk drawers. There was his pokedex, unused for some time- he wasn't exactly a full-time trainer, as much as he loved pokemon. As he plucked it out and booted it up, he sighed.

"Until now, I haven't been able to understand a word you've said."

"You've always seemed like it... is that any different?"

Tarin couldn't help but smile a little. She was so stubborn!

"A little. But not much, I suppose."

As soon as the pokedex had turned on, he turned it about and point at himself, entering the scan command. A few moments passed as it beeped... and beeped again in a rather confused manner. After a few moments, it trilled and announced its failure.

"Pokemon type and DNA unidentified, no entry exists. Please consult your local league offical for further information. Unknown data has been scanned and uploaded to the league database for further study."

And then it returned to standby. Tarin stared at it for a few moments, and then closed it, carefully setting it down.

"That thing probably sent GPS coordinates..." he mutterd, shaking his head. "Someone's going to come looking. And I can't exactly stay inside forever. You just know they're gonna throw me in a lab or something, if they figure out what really happened..."

Dianna grinned and raised her paw, showing off her razor sharp claws. She spoke, but her words were inaudible as a violent explosion shook the apartment. As Tarin rushed to keep stacks of household items from plummeting to the floor, it stopped, but he could smell smoke.

"They don't waste any time, do they...?" He joked, but the building shook once more, so violently that shelves began to topple. He looked around in a panic. It wasn't any sort of military strike... not that there were any alarms to sound. Taren shot a look at Dianna and dived for his desk.

"You'll be safer in here," he said as he pulled out her pokeball. Normally, he didn't keep her in there, and let her roam free, but this was something of an emergency. She nodded hesitantly and rubbed up against his legs.

"Alright, but if you get yourself hurt again, I won't forgive you..."

He nodded and tapped the button on the ball, extending it to her. In an instant, she vanished in a red glow. It was at that time that he realized that carrying her might be troublesome, what with his incapability to don his clothing. Maybe if there was a bag...

Faint screams reached through his walls, and he winced. Hopefully they were just panicking. Nothing was happening to them... he searched around the room, desperately looking for his old bag as the chaos continued. Before long, he felt a powerful, distinctly feminine voice echo through his mind.

~Leave her. She will be in danger as long as she is with you.~

He froze in his tracks and looked around again, clutching Dianna's pokeball tight. He tried to think back as hard as he could, to whatever source was around him.

~FIRST OFF, HOW CAN I TRUST YOU? AND FOR THAT MATTER, WHERE DO YOU PROPOSE I GO? WHAT IS GOING ON~

A powerful gust rushed through the room, nearly knocking him off of his feet. He looked towards the balcony curtains, which swayed closed once more as soon as the wind ceased.

~Not so loud,~ the female thought back. ~Had you been linked to me directly, you could have seriously injured me. As for your question, if you wish to survive, you must trust me and come with me. Do not be afraid. I am Lugia, guardian of the ocean, protector of all who live.~

Tarin's jaw dropped. Although he couldn't see her, he could very well feel her presence and know that it was true. The great bird of the oceans appeared in his dreams, and now held his life in her wings. Had it been a dream? So many questions flooded him, at least until the building shook again, and this time, the ceiling cracked.

~Tarin!~

The urgency finally overcame him, and he nodded, bolting for the curtains. Halfway there, he sighed, and turned back, gently depositing the blue and pink pokeball upon his pillow. Again, he hesitated, but Lugia probed out to him once more.

~I have explained to her already. The moment you leave this apartment, she will no longer be in danger. Step out onto the balcony.~

He swallowed and nodded, although he knew she could not see it. As quickly as he could, he swept the curtains aside and charged out onto the balcony, running face-first into Lugia. As he stumbled back from her nose, she shook out her wings.

Lugia'd actually managed to perch, albeit uncomfortably, on the space of the balcony that had broken earlier. Her back-fins rustled, and her eyes glowed as she stared down at him. Although she frowned, her presence still held a friendly aura.

"H-how am I supposed to..."

He started, but before he could continue, he felt himself lifted by a psychic force. At first he fought it, but found that his struggling only made breathing harder, so he submitted. Within seconds, he was dropped between her backfins and her neck, her legs draped over her shoulders, and she quickly turned about.

~Hold on.~

Without warning, she launched herself from the balcony. Tarin latched onto her neck as tightly as he could, and quickly loosened his grip as she began to choke. Flustering, he watched the apartments quickly shrink beneath them.

~So what is causing all this trouble?~ He sent to her, much 'quieter' this time.

Her only explanation was a nod of her head to their left, to where Zapdos swooped down from a cloud. It unleashed an array of lightning, all of which bounced harmlessly off of a blue sphere around Lugia. Tarin squeaked and ducked his head against her, despite the protection, and trembled.

~They're after you...?~

~No. They're after you, Tarin.~

He stared up at the bird in terror as it made another strike, and its energies dissipated but inches from his face. What was worse, he'd began to develop a sense of vertigo from how fast they ascended, and it if he fell, it would be much further to the ground. No dragonite to save him this time.

~Why... why are they doing this?~

She crooned sadly and swept to the side, this time evading the strike altogether, only to become forced to deflect a sweep of fire from the opposite side.

~For what you have become. The truth shall soon become apparent. That is, if we can escape. I'll do my best to get you away from them.~

Tarin only clung tighter and shut his eyes, hearing the attacks of the elemental avians striking the shield about Lugia. She screeched in pain, obviously still feeling the attacks, but they were safe for the moment. Why, though, had they suddenly decided to kill him? He didn't even want to become... whatever he had become. What had he done to evoke such a fortune?

Lost in his own thoughts, he barely noticed as Lugia maneuvered through the skies, straining herself further as Articuno joined the scene. She rolled to the side, and then stalled, plummeting back down to narrowly evade a mesh of the three elements. Tarin held onto her desperately, with all four limbs, and his tail. Sensing this, she smiled back at him.

~Now that you're well enough situated... we can get out of here. Don't move.~

Tarin didn't need told twice. Suddenly, he felt the air run fresh by him... she'd dropped the shield, and instead, put all of her energies into flight. For a few brief, catastrophic moments, lightning and fire flashed around them, and hail pelted at his fur. Still, Lugia evaded them with amazing ease and swept up, higher and higher, until they began to reach the upper section of a layer of clouds. Tarin gasped for breath... the air was so thin... and he'd begun to slip.

Then as soon as it began, it became eerily quiet. Only the flapping of Lugia's wings filled his ears, and after a few good moments, he lifted his head and looked around.

Only clouds filled his vision. The air was so thin that he barely had enough oxygen to remain conscious. His muscles ached from how he forced them to hang on, until he simply could no longer. Fortunately, she'd leveled out, so he simply slumped against her back.

~What... happened?~ He sent.

~There is no way we could have won that battle. I confused them with a mental blast long enough to get into the cloudcover, and now I'm masking our presence. They're still searching desperately for us, but they're lost, and won't be catching up for quite some time.~

"Thank goodness..." Tarin said this time, relaxing. As hard as it was to breathe, the air felt very nice, and his fur protected him from what might have been harsh cold, otherwise. "Now can you explain to me just what is going on? I didn't ask for this transformation, and I don't know what has those birds so freaked out. Yet you seem to..."

~I know,~ Lugia sent in return as he drifted away. ~You had no choice in the matter. The fact is, from the moment you were born, the seed was planted within you to become what you have. This is but one way that unique pokemon are born into this world.~

Tarin stared blankly ahead. "Unique... pokemon?"

~I believe that your former people refer to us as legends or ancients. Sometimes there are a few of us, sometimes there is only one. There are an infinite number of ways that pokemon are found... created... and born. You are but one case. When the dormant power that lay within you awakened, when your spirit reached its peak, the transformation began to take physical form...~

"Then that dream that you were in...?"

~I wished to give you some warning, but in your state, I could not do more than plant those images. The rest... is what one experiences, I think, when they change. Your body is completely different... your spirit has shifted... and you are no longer fertile, so that your bloodline cannot destroy or overrun our world.~

Tarin flushed and mentally glanced between his legs. "You mean they don't... work?"

~You will no longer produce a seed,~ is all that she replied. Tarin flushed further, and decided to return to the topic at hand.

"That still doesn't explain why those three are after me...."

She looked back, once, craning her neck about to stare at him for a brief moment, then righted herself again.

~As I did, they sensed your awakening. The birth of a legend is a frightful thing. There is immense potential... their power could grow limitlessly. So, some decide to destroy the new pokemon before they become too powerful, and thus a threat to the world.~

He closed his eyes. Did that much power really rest within him? At the moment, he felt like he could barely lift his head, let alone rain destruction upon the planet. Better safe than sorry, although he knew that he would never do such a thing.

"... then why are you protecting me, instead of joining them?"

Again Lugia looked back, this time smiling, bringing her face close to his. She licked his face with her massive tongue and flew forth once more.

~Because I sense a pure heart within you... and I cannot simply let you perish. For as long as you need me, I shall be your friend and guardian.~

Still flustered from her sudden show of affection, he didn't quite know what to say in response. But he did smile. As odd as it was, it felt as if there was a sense of security and stability in his life, if she truly intended to stay beside him. That moment, he felt just a little more fuzzy.

"So... where are we going?" He asked, finally forcing down his shyness, looking around. Lugia tipped her heads downwards, through the clouds.

~To a place that only I know, that you as well can call sanctuary. It is a peaceful place that I have shared with no one else... for it is the only escape that I have from the world. I may be a guardian... but I am also a living part of this world.~

Tarin felt the blush return, and rested against her back. "I... I'm honored that you would take me there."

He could not see it, but he knew that she smiled. ~I'm honored to have you with me.~

IV.

Lugia descended into the valley with Tarin on her back. The large, Mew-like creature flicked his long ears, casting his gaze across the land as they plunged through the clouds. He laughed, and found that he rather enjoyed the sensation of flying, watching the landscape far below.

A field of dense green rested in a bowl of mountains in the range that bordered the coastal region. As they lowered still, Tarin saw that it was enormous, and it took minutes just to get close to the ground. Pine and birch trees grew in great numbers, and fields of grass ran to the slopes that lead back up to the mountains. A single stream cut through both plains and woods, creating a lake, and then vanishing under the rock once more. And the air was so very fresh, and unlike the skies above, it invigorated Tarin with each breath.

Lugia set down on the ground without any impact whatsoever. Patiently, she slid her wings to the ground and stooped low so that Tarin could slide off. He hugged her firmly from behind, and then did so, giggling at the feel of grass against his feet. Amazed, he looked around for a few moments... then back to her. She nudged him along with a wing until they walked together, side by side, through a sparse orchard.

"You really could stay up here forever, couldn't you...?" He asked.

~If you really wanted to,~ she replied, shrugging. ~But would you really want to? It gets so lonely, and the world isn't always going to be safe...~

He nodded in agreement. "Probably not. But would it really be so lonely with me here?"

Tarin'd intended it in a playful manner, but she looked over, placing her eyes upon him in an affectionate manner, and he felt himself turn flush once more.

~No, I don't think it would...~

Tarin swallowed the lump in his throat and quietly walked alongside Lugia. It was difficult at first, being completely in awe of her- the legendary guardian of the ocean and all, like standing by a lesser god. Now that he'd grown to know her true personality, he knew that she was entirely woman when it came down to it. And that made him turn cherry, gush, and try to hide any semblance of a dirty thought.

Lugia must have noticed, because she folded her wings neatly about her breast, swifted ahead, and swayed her hips in what he could swear was a seductive matter. The fins of her tail brushed against his hip, and he shivered... she couldn't be doing that on purpose, could she?

Every now and then, she'd look back at him and smile thoughtfully. Although he couldn't read her mind, he could feel that she was very content, and this put him at ease. All the craziness over the past couple of days was well worth it now, he thought.

"So... what becomes of me now?" He asked quietly, looking down to the grass in a moment of somberness. As soon as he started to feel depressed, though, she turned about and licked his cheek once more, her tongue pushing his muzzle back.

~That much is up to you, when you've finally discovered what power lays within you. For now, do not worry about it. Stay with me... and I will protect you.~

Tarin closed his eyes and smiled. ~Thank you...~

~Mm. You know, your thought-voice is really beautiful.~

He blushed again, and squirmed in place. Lugia really knew how to press his buttons... but then, she could read his every thought, and sense his every feeling. Of course she would know him inside and out... that's probably why she trusted him so much.

They walked again, and this time he pondered to himself what life would be like as a pokemon, legendary or otherwise. He didn't feel hungry, but he would have to find food sooner or later, although something told him that she would be taking care of that for some time, too. After all, the berries in the area looked incredible. And he could talk with her, and Dianna... could he communicate with every pokemon? A whole new world would open up for him... if only he could adjust to this form, and other legends stopped trying to kill him.

~They'll do that once you've demonstrated your power over them, and the responsibility to exist peacefully in this world...~

Taren startled. Right, she was reading his thoughts again...

~No, that's not quite it. I'm sorry, but whenever you think, unless I'm trying hard to block you out, it's like you're speaking there behind me...~

"Don't worry about it..." he shook his head and sighed. "I have nothing to hide from you."

~I'm glad.~

Lugia stopped again, this time at the edge of a stream. He paused and watched as she leaned forward, dipping her head to the water to drink. In the back of his mind, he felt compelled to join her, but he couldn't help but study her as she bent over the waters. It wouldn't have made much of a difference, but her tail had plainly lifted, and he could see the sleek curves of her underside...

She was beautiful. He professed that much from the moment he'd seen images of her in textbooks... she wasn't exactly unknown in the world. But to behold her like this, and exist with her as a fellow pokemon... it sent shivers through his spine. And what's more, she seemed to almost be showing off for him... he trembled to gaze upon the thin slit just below her tailvent, a deeper blue flesh winking to him from there.

For a minute, he panicked, hoping she hadn't noticed his ogling, but there was no way around it. Yet she simply continued drinking, stretching and relaxing her fins. Every aspect of her... the flukes on her back, the mask of her eyes, her perfect white 'skin'... everything seemed so perfect.

Tarin shook himself out of his daze and strode up behind her. Experimentally, he tried shifting onto all four paws and found that the position was actually quite comfortable. He wriggled to the left, and the right, and finally dipped his muzzle down to the running water. It tasted almost sweet, and incredibly cold, as he drank clumsily away at it. He couldn't seem to get enough, unfamiliar with the way that his new form worked.

As he continued to satisfy his thirst, Lugia stepped over him, brushing her wing over his back. He chrred... the touch was so very warm, and he longed to feel it again. Still he lapped away, though, thinking shyly, until he heard a faint splash and the current of the water shifted. Tarin looked up, and then his white cheeks turned red.

Lugia lay upon her back in the stream, letting it cascade about her. Her wings stretched, and she rested one behind her head, letting the water flow over it, the other stroking her stomach, wingtips spread to caress her feminine sex. She lifted her head and smiled, crooning to him invitingly... she didn't need to speak to him. Her very form emanated her desire for his presence.

Another strange sensation overcame him. He looked down to find the pink, tapered tip of his length pressing through the fur of his crotch. He bit his lip and grinned nervously. ~Haa, looks like it does still work after all...~

As he neared her, she gave his posterior a little nudge, helping guide him up onto her belly. At first he thought that she may be too large for him... but with his legs rested down her waist, his head came up to about his neck. He hugged against her front and sighed, and then squeaked as she drew a wing around him.

"I-I've never..." he stammered, staring up at her shyly. She laughed, crooning musically, and curled her neck so that she could look him right in the eyes.

~I know. It's okay. Just let yourself go. Just you and me...~

Tarin nodded slightly, and licked out at the blunt end of her beak. She licked him in return, and then let her neck relax once more. Just let go... he exhaled and drank in here warmth, her presence, feeling her heartbeat through the sleek, skin-like scales of her chest. The tips of her wings brushed over his fluffy rear, and caressed... he shivered and hiked himself instinctively against her form.

And the thick, pink rod between his legs continued to grow, jutting out and leaving a smear against her blue stomach. She giggled and pushed him a little lower on her, still holding and caressing him. Shyness overcame him again, but she arched forward, and he felt the damp, warm folds of her entrance across his stomach, smearing the fur there.

He spread his legs against her, nuzzling her cheek against her front. Again her wing came over him, all but hiding him against her, as if hiding their actions from the world outside.

Not that anyone would know. He felt his shaft pressing across her slippery flesh, and upwards as he scrambled with his legs. At the apex of her underside, he shivered, finding himself at her entrance at last. Never before had he mated, with male or female, human or pokemon. Lugia, knowing his position all too well, gave his posterior a little nudge with her wing. A faint moan escaped Tarin's lips as he began to contact her, and in but a few moments, slid his throbbing cock into her tight passage. She simply let him lay there against her, hilted, panting raggedly, until he let his instincts take over.

They did, more than he'd ever thought possible as a human. The need to penetrate her seized his mind until all he could register was the movement of his hips, back, and against her belly again, guiding him into her in short, quick thrusts. She crooned and arched against him; the water splashed around her as she too began to give in to the throes of pleasure and desire. There would be no point to their breeding, no children to come, but they kept at it anyway, in a slate of love... and lust.

Each little roll of his hips sent waves of pleasure through him, and though she was much larger in comparison, her folds seemed to squeeze and contract around him like any other his size. And move with her will, the Lugia's dripping passage squeezing and milking his shaft through each labored thrust. Tarin pinned his ears back as he sunk into her, guiding his rod into what seemed like endless depths...

What he couldn't possibly comprehend was her hunger... several hundred years of self-pleasure and loneliness, centuries of celibacy, all wrought into one moment and realized with the sudden presence of a willing cock inside of her. She sang and groaned in intervals, and all at once turned him with her mighty body, pinning him easily with her wings and breast, riding him into the water.

Her liquids ran between his legs like the stream beneath him, much warmer and sweeter in scent as she rolled and rid him as hard as she could without hurting him. The water ran around his muzzle, in a pocket of air she'd easily secured for him to breath. All he could do was watch her gorgeous blue skin rise and fall against his soaked fur, and meet her hips with a firm press of his, squeezing every drop of energy he had forth.

Only when she really seized control did he realize how helpless he was to her whims. More than before, the silky folds of her sex squeezed and rippled around his length, touching every nerve and practically sucking him into her body. While before she simply ground him to her pleasure, she wanted the sensation she'd not known for almost as long as she could remember...

~Tarin...~

"Lu... lugia..." He spoke aloud, forgeting himself entirely, whining in ecstasy. All at once he came, and, fertile or not, his body still produced plenty of thick cream to be spent into her. As he moaned, she sang, drowning out all other noise with her glee, hilting and pinning him to the streambed. Her own liquid poured down his shaft and pooled in his fur, coating him in her scent. And she did not relent, forcing him to cum until he could swear he'd put out enough for even a creature her size.

And as soon as it had began, it slowed to a stop. Lugia exhaled, and rolled to her side, drawing Tarin up into her wings. Although the stream seemed near-freezing, she seemed to be able to keep his body heat at a comfortable level regardless.

~You wonderful creature...~ She purred into his mind, panting. His breaths rose and fell with hers, his mind lost to the sheer sensation. The blushed returned to his cheeks, fiercer than ever, as he slowly realized that he'd practically had just had sex with a goddess.

"You... you too..." He gasped, and then closed his eyes. ~T... thanks.~

~Shh...~ she replied, and drew him closer into the shelter of her breast. Soon they were moving, and then sinking, away into some body of water... a lake, he thought, but didn't want to open his eyes. Then they were in a cave, filled with warmth, and the sweet smell he'd grown so familiar with. It must have been a lair of hers.

~Stay with me...~ She cooed again, and he simply nodded, resting against her.

Even if he had a choice in the matter, he wouldn't leave her side if he could help it. All the trouble in the world seemed to fade away. He was here, now, with her. Happy, and at peace. And more, in love.

Knowing that together, they drifted into peaceful, dreamless sleep.

V.

The next morning brought with it a fear that Tarin couldn't grasp. How could the world, when it had seemed so perfect, suddenly haunt him so? The three hunting him knew they could not find him; so they would resort to drawing him out by attacking the place he called home. His mind filled with visions and images of their destruction, first on the countryside. They would not harm the people yet, but if he did not come to them...

Dianna. Even the townsfolk that treated him so well. He couldn't be responsible for any harm done to them, and live with it.

He took a moment to gather his bearings. Last night, Lugia had indeed taken him to her lair, a sub-terranean cavern beneath the lake. A few fires seem to burn constantly, without source, casting orange light on sparkling gray walls. The ledge that they slept on was padded with soft flora, and a few pillows, likely tributes she'd decided to take, by the look of it. It was quaint, the only exit being through a stream that ran by the landing, bubbling in through the lake. It wasn't a grand lair, but it was one of her homes.

It did not take much longer for her to stir from sleep, and watch him quietly.

~You're not ready to go...~ she spoke to him, hesitantly, but already knew of his determinations.

~I can't let them destroy that town. Especially if it's because of me. I'll stop them. Even if it's because I...~

~Don't.~ Lugia warned, narrowing her eyes a bit. ~... I was afraid you'd say that. But, if you do, I'll go with you. Even if you haven't developed yet, you should have a chance...~

Tarin blushed a little and looked up. Before he could say anything, she smiled, winked, and said ~you're welcome.~

With that, she beckoned him onto her back, and once properly mounted, exited the cavern. Again her psychic barrier protected him, allowing him to breathe air freely with no worry of drowning as they made their way to the surface. The tunnel of water winded, up, down, and in spirals, before they came to open water and finally the sky.

He knew it was urgent, from the pace that they left. Lugia exited the water and went to the skies in a single motion, her the wind seeming to bend beneath her wings as they went into flight. Tarin tasted the clouds, and watched the valley fade away. Somewhere inside, he wondered if he would see it again, or if he would die trying to save the town that had given him sanctuary for so long.

Now that they had no need for stealth, their flight back to Coral was quick. He clung to her neck tightly, without restraint, and she kept him pressed to her with the slightest psychic pressure as they dived out of the sky. In the distance, he could see Coral, coming quicker and quicker... and the three birds that waited for him. No longer did they torment the townsfolk; they knew that he was coming, and could focus on nothing else. Before they even reached the city, the legendary birds were upon them.

Zapdos struck first.

The lugia banked to the right, rolling out of the way of a clash of lightning. Tarin held his breath, and onto her neck for dear life as they weaved in and out of the legendary birds' assault. All the while, his stomach churned... it was his fault for putting the lugia in danger. She wanted to protect him, and they wanted to kill him, and there was no way to claim his life back. What was he doing up to this point, anyway? Drifting from place to place, watching from a fifth story window as the excitement of the world passed?

She swept into another roll, and he ducked his head close to her this time so that the rush didn't hit so badly. They began to move more quickly as the three elements converged, spikes of charge and heat raking over the pair. Lugia cried out in pain, but would not give in. Again she swept, this time close to the ocean, where the bolts and fire faded harmlessly away. Then the current froze and she rose again, spinning about. There, just beyond the swell of ice, Articuno glided, posed to strike.

At this rate, she couldn't last, playing entirely defensive. There was no way she would die because of him.

"Just let me go!" Tarin cried, but she would not drop him. And though he had the courage to say it, he couldn't make his nerves respond enough to throw himself to the frigid crags below.

~If I fall here, then I shall fall with you, Tarin!~

As her voice echoed in his mind, he could swear even the great bird of the ice yielded for a moment. But they still careened forward, towards the pool of pure blue energy emanating from the other bird's beak.

If she intended to sacrifice herself for his sake, he would have nothing of it. Catching a sudden burst of determination, he let go of her back-fins and scrambled up her neck. As the burst of ice fired, it
finally shattered through the barrier of psychic force that once protected the pair. Tarin braced himself against her head to take the brunt of the impact. If only he could protect her- well, in the case that he died, the birds would relent, anyway.

Tarin felt a massive chill engulf him first, as the beam of energy neared. Then something burned deep inside of him, like a white fire threatening to burst out. For a moment, he tensed, and on instinct, channeled all of the energy to his front, to where the attack would strike. Without warning, a field of light enveloped his form, and his outstretched hand as the bolt closed in... and then bounced harmlessly off, flying into the sky where it dissipated.

Still, the force knocked him backwards, and he just barely caught onto one of her fins. As she flew away, the Articuno went straight towards the waters, dumbstruck.

"W-what..." Tarin started, but he couldn't believe what he had just seen. For a moment, Lugia looked back at him and smiled.

~You did not think that you simply awoke with a coat of fur one day, and that you'd simply suffered some hideous transformation? There is a power that waits in your spirit, if only you would draw upon it... that
is what makes you worthy of legend.~

He could only nod in response. No words suited his response, but finally, he knew well what lay before him. The three elements closed in once more, gaining on them in an almost panicked flight, their wings causing the wind to move so quickly that it screamed past Tarin's ears. The colors of their energies filled the sky as they began to unleash everything that they could muster. He stretched his paws, grinned, and then leapt. Lugia turned just in time to see him falling through the air.

~Tarin!~

She could not veer back fast enough to catch him in his descent. The sensation of falling rushed through him once more, but this time he stretched his mind to the limit. Again the burning light consumed him,
until all of his weight seemed to fade altogether and he was flying upwards through the air. Then the onslaught came, waves of fire, ice, and lightning, all twined, aim for his fuzzy self.

A laugh escaped him as he rolled to the side and evaded the first prong with ease, and then another. Waves of energy that could well eradicate him entirely were headed this way, and he found that he was enjoying himself. The energy flowed to him as easily as he would let it, and he formed another barrier of light directly in front of him, letting it spread across the horizon. The birds' attack hit, and bounced harmlessly away once more.

Time came at last to turn them away. Not another strike would they lay on the lugia, on fault of his own or otherwise. The air around him seemed to melt as he dived towards the zapdos. It surrounded itself
in a field of lightning, but he seemed to feed off of the very energy it provided. In an instant he passed and struck, slapping the god of lightning with a field of light, looking much akin to lugia's wing. It
screamed and tumbled towards the ocean, regaining its altitude only moments before it hit the water.

It hardly seemed eager to resume the pursuit, and the other two started to fly around him, rather than going for a straight-out attack. He dived past the Moltres, just grazing it with the shield that surrounded him, and it pushed away, although for a moment he felt its heat threatening to incinerate him. Once more they struck him with the tri-elements, but he easily she them with the field of light.

Again, a chance to retaliate. Light seemed to bend before his very fingertips, and what's more, the lightning that coursed through him from contact with the Zapdos seemed to make him aware of its presence
within his core. He forced it out through his fingertips, twined it with a ray of light, and sent it into the fray. It struck dead-on, causing Articuno to stiffen and plummet.

It was easy. So very easy. So much power lay within his grip, to bend the ways of the world...

The legendary birds began to retreat, and the articuno lagged behind with its wounded wing. As he dove again to pursue them, they strained themselves as much as they could to get away. The distance closed. Before he could reach them, Lugia's voice echoed in his head
once more.

~Tarin, that's enough! You've won, so stop it!~

Only her voice jolted Tarin back into reality, and he floated there as his former assailants disappeared into the horizon as quickly as they could muster. The cool air caressed him, soothing down the fires of
strength that threatened to consume him on their awakening. So easily had he gotten carried away with just a simple display. If he had continued unhindered, and grasped his full potential...

It's no wonder the legends had seeked to kill him before he learned as much, he mused. The guilt of almost losing himself tugged on his heart, but faded quickly away as Lugia wrapped her wing around him and
drew him against her breast, holding him there.

"Lugia, I..."

~For a moment there...~ she started, craning her head about to look into his eyes. ~I thought I would have to turn against you as well.But your heart is not one to fall to meaningless destruction, even if the capability should tempt you. That's why I've protected you. Not for what you've become, but who you are.~

Tarin smiled up at her, and she returned the sentiment. They gazed at one another for a few moments before she dipped her head further and planted the crease of her beak on his lips. His fur turned a light tint of red as he returned the kiss, shyly, and remained with his muzzle against hers.

As her tongue gently pushed its way into his mouth, he let himself go. He brushed his own back against her and suckled delicately on it. Not wanting to pull away, he reached out with his mind and grazed at hers
with a simple thought.

~Lugia, I love-~

~You too, Tarin.~ She replied before he could finish, winking. ~Not only can I read your mind, but I can sense your feelings, too. You may learn to do the same in time.~

~Will you teach me?~

~I was hoping you'd ask.~

~Any excuse for me to stay?~ He returned the wink, and she nodded faintly, pulling her beak from his mouth. For a moment he basked in the bliss of his existence, and then leaned back on thin air.

~... what should I do, now? So I can use this form I'm in, but... what am I supposed to do with it?~

~I don't know.~ The lugia shook her head and began a slow descent towards the ocean. ~Maybe it's fate, but I think you get the choice. Whether you want to protect, or dominate, or simply watch the years pass by from the shadows... it's what you do that makes you the legend that you are.~

Tarin nodded and began to drift after her, although he hesitated as she descended beneath the tides. Just beneath the waves, she peered up at him expectantly.

~Even with this body... how can I breathe underwater~

She laughed in a musical, vocal cry that echoed across the islands, and waved a wing.

~You should be able to filter the oxygen in the water with the barrier you control.~

~... and if I can't?~

She gave him a long stare, and then smirked. ~Then you'll have to hold your breath.~ she turned away and dived closer to the water. ~And let me take care of that part for you.~
First a blush, then a laugh, and then Tarin at last joined her side in her descent.

~Dianna might be upset if I just left her...~ he sighed.
~Could I bring her as well?~

~If she desires it, she is welcome as long as you are...~

Tarin nodded. What threat could she possibly be, anyway? A dear friend, to help and be helped in his new life... if she could accustom to his crazy plans. The surface of the water drew nearer.

But for a moment more, he stopped, and stared at his refletion in the ocean surface. THEIR reflection. By fate, they were meant to live forever, or as close to forever as was possible. So it seemed, for the legends traced back to the beginning of mankind, and would likely extend beyond. Some would be alone by choice, others by circumstance. Some would not survive to become legends at all. And of all he'd ever meet, he knew he'd love her more than any other. But he could not simply remain, although he would return as often as possible. She had duties as a guardian. And his... he would decide.

After he had met them, and known their lives.

~After you've taught me all you can... I want to travel, and see others like us...~ He finally said, although he knew she'd heard his thoughts. She simply nodded and licked his cheek.

~Then you'll know your place in this world. As I, before all, am its guardian. Perhaps you shall be one as well... perhaps not. But even if just in mind, I will always be by your side.~

~And I by yours...~ Tarin replied.

They exchanged glances. And knew this to be true, without a thought, without a word. And together, they descended towards the ocean.

~Fin~