Saved from Slavery
DISCLAIMER: All characters and properties are copyright their respective owners. All writing and original characters are copyright 2008 Zephyr Paws. The author is in no way associated or affiliated with any third-party. This original fiction was created with no intention of any copyright infringement against any third-party, and is purely for fan enjoyment.

WARNING: This story contains explicit descriptions of sexual acts, rape, abuse, and sex between human and Pokemon, and two Pokemon. It also contains violence and a lot of sad stuff, so if you don't like sex, violence, or sad stuff (it's not all sad, don't worry!), or if you're younger than 18 years of age (or whatever the legal age is in wherever you're reading this), get out and turn away, because you shouldn't be reading this story! I warned you, so if you decide not to heed my warnings, I take no responsibility for your mental status afterward. Nope, none at all. But let's hope that you are in check with all of the above and enjoy this story I wrote! Uh... enjoy!

---

Pokemon as we know them today are loyal, obedient, and friendly creatures. We use them casually, as either partners for battle, prestigious trophy showcases, or just as simple friends. The countless uses of Pokemon in our daily lives are often times taken for granted. We think of them as the norm, as a part of life that has always been there, and they most commonly think the same in return. Just as we Trainers, Coordinators, Breeders, or simple enthusiasts cherish their Pokemon as close friends, their Pokemon return such affection and are proud to be loyal to their Trainers.

We live in an era where this kind of bond is commonplace. It is a foundation of society in the Pokemon world as we know it. However, no one alive today can remember the world of Pokemon as it once was. All that remains of the old world are a few stories, a few books spared from the great purging, and the lore that many of the ancient cultures pass along their people.

About nine centuries ago, Pokemon lived apart from humans in a land far beyond their reach. Humans had no means of flight and limited means of sea travel, although they were a very territorial and dominating breed that sought to explore and control the entire world.

Upon the humans conquest of the planet and exploration of its masses, they discovered a land where strange and powerful creatures resided, possessing varying powers and abilities. The creatures were hostile, cautious of the intruders. At first, the island was explored by only a few brave sailors, but as they retreated to their king and gave word of such a place, the king ordered his army to seize the land, however small or large it may be.

"If such creatures possess powers that may threaten our people, the control and sanction of such creatures is not only mandatory, it will ensure dominance and control over all those that lack the possession that we shall possess. Failure to tame and control such creatures will lead to our adversaries victory if they are able to do that which we are not; for survival of this kingdom, any means to either ensure control or ensure destruction of such creatures must be exercised in full."

The proclamation by King Kantovier III was written and for the next several decades, the entire area was seized and conquered by his kingdom. The creatures of the island -- which would not be known as Pokemon for several hundred years -- fought back with unrelenting determination, but were ultimately overpowered by the military of Kantovier's kingdom.

One century after King Kantovier's conquest, or about 750 years ago from today, the entire known land of Pokemon was under the control of the kingdom of Kantovier, although several newer regions and governments were upheld in the surrounding areas to the kingdom of Kantovier. The majority of the Pokemon natives of the island that once fought against the moving army had given up hope of victory and instead submitted to the whim of the nation, losing their will to fight and becoming slaves, beasts of burden, and tools of war to their owners, which were referred to as Masters.

Should any owned Pokemon disobey, it would be slashed with a sword, stabbed with a spear, or in any other way physically or psychologically damaged. Through the ten generations of Pokemon that had been born in that timespan, they had become domesticated and submissive to their masters for fear of punishment as their parents had suffered, and their parent's parents, and so on.

There would be many wars waged between man and Pokemon, with most of them ending in defeat for the Pokemon's side, although with each defeat it led them one war closer to victory. It wouldn't be for another several hundred years, though, or about 300 years ago from today, before the Great Enlightening and the Pokemon Unison which served as the starting point for positive relations between humans and Pokemon.

However, this story is neither of the conquest of King Kantovier almost a millennium ago nor is it of the dawn of Pokemon and humans living in harmony as we know now. It is a story somewhere between, when humans still owned Pokemon as slaves or workhorses, and it takes place perhaps 400 or so years ago from the present day.

---

"Prince Marcus! I have finished my reconnaissance mission of the human village!"

"Agrith, you need not refer to me as 'prince.' The title makes me feel arrogant!" answered Marcus to his Sneasel spy.

"My apologies, sire. Shall I inform the king of my findings, or do you intend to hear my report for yourself first?" asked Agrith in a sly tone.

"You know I oppose any concept or prospect of another war, particularly one on our land's lives. It's his decision to make."

"As you desire, sire." With that, the Sneasel gave a bow, and then headed off towards another room, leaving the Infernape prince on his own.

Pokemon possessed far inferior construction abilities, thus the forts and tents they could build paled in comparison to the structures of the humans, but Pokemon were also very adaptable and could use nature's resources as homes rather than being bothered to build their own.

Marcus spent most of his time at the royal fort, which was the closest thing to a castle the Pokemon serving under King Garclif could build and was built out of wood. King Garclif, a powerful and mighty Slaking, had several mates and many children -- much to the anguish of many of his citizens, his own son, Marcus, included -- but all of them were a part of the royal family. Marcus, though, was his eldest and next in line for becoming king of their regime.

"Father's actions do worry me... I do so hope he doesn't truly proceed with starting a war with the humans. They are truly despicable creatures, but even they I do not feel deserve to die."

The Infernape had been pacing around in his room ever since Agrith left. He knew that, after hearing the Sneasel's reports, King Garclif would surely go to war. He loved war almost as much as he hated humans.

Marcus decided to head out into the training grounds and practice his mastery of martial arts against the dummies they had set up for sparring with.

He unleashed a vicious barrage of fighting moves with masterful speed, power, and finesse on the target, causing it to recoil wildly -- a clear indicator of the Infernape's strength.

"Wobb-uffet!!" the dummy shouted.

"Good work," said Marcus as he prepared for another punch. Just as he was about to swing his fist, though, he heard his name.

"Marcus," said a familiar voice. It was Commander Talon, a mighty Staraptor and the commander of the Garclif battle force. "I am here to inform you of your father's recent decision."

Marcus looked at the bird with both a look of anticipation and a look of nervousness. "His recent decision? Not about the war already?"

Commander Talon nodded his head. "Yes, indeed, you see... after much careful deliberation and analysis of the human's defenses, we have concluded that attacking the village at the base of the mountain would be to a great strategic advantage. It is a small village, perhaps only consisting of a few hundred humans and a dozen or so enslaved Pokemon. If we strike now, we will divert just enough attention among the surrounding cities to initiate a strike against them as well."

"Do we really have to resort to war? We have been at peace for months; why can we not just enjoy this prosperity?" Marcus truly hated war. He hated having to hurt and kill humans and Pokemon alike. He hated the feeling of destruction and the infliction of chaos. The danger didn't bother him; he was born a fighter and trained up to an Infernape even despite his comparatively young age. It was just the killing and war that he wished wouldn't have to happen.

"Indeed, we do have to resort to war. The prosperity can only be enjoyed after we have claimed more territory of our own."

"I only wish it didn't have to be this way."

The Staraptor nodded its head and gave a short flap of its wings. "Marcus, we are friends. I understand that you are against war and its consequences, but you must understand that it is an important inevitability of life. Humans are a threat that will not go away unless we persist in fighting. If we simply give up, we as a Pokemon race will forever fade away."

"I truly cannot believe that fighting is the answer. It has never worked for us in the past and I feel will never work for us in the future."

"Do you wish to just give up, then? Do you want to see us all enslaved by the humans?" Talon inquired, trying to convince Marcus.

"No. I just believe that there is another way. There's always another way."

"I take it that you will not be joining us in the fight, then?"

Marcus looked at Talon with a depressed look on his face. He had to fight; he knew it. He didn't like it, but he knew that, until he was king, fighting would be an inevitability. Even though he hated killing, Marcus would fight and fight bravely in any of his father's wars, fighting and even killing to help save the lives of Pokemon. He was of the belief that, if lives have to be lost, he'd rather them not be the lives of his own kind.

"You know I must," he eventually said. The Infernape shrugged, disappointed with himself for agreeing to such a thing, but knowing he had essentially no option. He was the strongest in the battle force and without his assistance, the force would be severely weakened.

"We go to war in the morning. Say your farewells tonight," said Talon, giving the prince a salute, then heading off before Marcus had a chance to respond.

***
In the human village of Glorine, at the base of a nearby mountain, the unsuspecting villagers went about their daily lives as usual, living in their nicely-built homes and working at their jobs. Some humans would produce weapons to serve in wars; most wars being against other Pokemon-controlling regions, which had become broken up and separated from the original nation that King Kantovier ruled many hundred years ago.

Other humans designed clothes, such as Marie, a dressmaker living in Glorine. She would stay at home and design dresses for other women living in the village and in the surrounding cities while her husband, Bruno, ran the local bar.

He would always return drunk and aggressive, yelling at his wife and their Pokemon servant, an Ambipom. Occasionally, Bruno would beat either Marie or the Ambipom in his drunken rage; sometimes both. But the bar was a very lucrative business, and he wanted to make sure that she knew who was in charge.

The Ambipom's name to the humans was just simply "slave," which was the same name her now dead mother bore. Her mother gave her the name Lei before she passed away. Lei would loyally obey without question the commands of either of her Masters. She was a slave; that was what slaves did.

At the end of the day, she would be free of orders and punishment for several hours at night while her Masters slept. She used that time to talk and communicate with another of the slaves of the village, a Bidoof named Chloe, who would peer in from the window to chat every night. Chloe was her only friend.

"It was horrible today, Chloe..." said Lei to the plump rat, who spent her days helping carve wood for houses and decorations.

"What happened?" she asked Lei.

"Master came home and... and... I..." Lei couldn't even finish. Chloe knew what happened; Lei wouldn't have to tell her it happened again.

"Lei... I'm sorry." The Bidoof felt so sorry for her friend. In comparison to Lei's situation, Chloe knew she had it easy; she only had to work 8 hours a day carving wood. Lei, on the other hand, had to deal with abusive humans.

"I... I'll be fine. I just wish that-"

Before Lei could finish, Chloe interrupted her. "Don't just wish! Pray! Mew will hear your prayers."

"Yes, Mew... please, Mew, please... please end this. Please..."

There were several different Pokemon religions being practiced among Pokemon. Mewism, Arceism, and Regism were just a few of the three that all focused their beliefs towards specific Pokemon told to have god-like abilities.

"Think. Think, what would you do if you were free? If you owned the humans?" Chloe encouraged her friend to try and believe in a world where she wouldn't be bound and would have the control.

"I... I would... I just want... I don't want to own the humans. It just... isn't right. All I want is to someday have children that my mother could be proud of and not have them live a life as hard as mine..."

"That's very sweet, Lei. Personally, I'd like to see each and every human burn in the fiery pits of the earth's core, but that's just me!"

"Seeking revenge is the best way to receive it in return... that's something I have learned. I just want peace and can only hope that Pokemon won't always be forced to do the bidding of humans."

"Here, here."

The two slave Pokemon continued to talk for the next half hour before finally parting and letting each other get some sleep.

"Please, Mew... how many nights have I prayed, yet never have my prayers been answered? All my prayers do is give me false hope... the torment of my Masters never ends. Please... can you not spare just me? Or am I being too selfish? If even, just someday, you could hear my prayers... if I could just not live my whole life, every last day of it, in slavery... please... hear my prayers... Mew..."

Lei then drifted off to sleep, surely to be awakened just a few hours later to make breakfast and clean the Masters clothes.

***
Day had yet to break. Marcus was already awake in anticipation of the strike. He left the tactics and command to Commander Talon, who instructed the group of 30 or so Pokemon their instructions to take control of the village.

"Pokemon, you are here today to engage in a militaristic strike against the human village at the base of our mountain kingdom. The village consists of several hundred humans and roughly a dozen Pokemon. Understood?"

Everyone agreed.

"Our attacks this morning will be swift and unrelenting. We will strike before day has broken, when the enemy is still asleep. It is a devious tactic that could be perceived as underhanded and ruthless, but it is a tactic I feel we will need to follow if we seek success in this strike."

Marcus couldn't help but feel disdain towards the prospect of attacking while the humans -- or anything, for that matter -- were sleeping. It seemed to have crossed the line of decency into the same savagery the humans possessed.

"Commander," said Marcus to get the Staraptor's attention. The Staraptor immediately grew silent, ready to hear what the Prince had to say. "Does it not seem morally wrong to strike while the enemy is asleep?"

"As I have stated, Prince Marcus, it is a devious tactic, but it is necessary to ensure our success for this morning and allow us time to regroup and strike the northern city while attention is diverted to the village. It must be and will be done."

Marcus sighed. "I do not doubt your tactical expertise, Commander. So be it."

"Allowing myself to continue, given the severity of this mission, you are under these strict orders: kill everyone and take no prisoners. There shall be no mercy for human and slave Pokemon alike. We must dispose of any threats before they can figure out we have struck."

That was crossing the line. "That is too far, Commander Talon. As Prince of Garclif, I cannot allow you to proceed with that."

"That is not your order to make, my son." A booming voice could be heard as it approached the room. It was King Garclif, a ferocious Slaking, who had heard just enough to decide to step in. "This is my kingdom. I must do what I feel is right for my kingdom."

"Father," said Marcus, "you have never given the order to kill without question in the past. I thought you would have some form of respect for the lives of innocent humans and enslaved Pokemon."

"They are one in the same threat, Marcus. The lives of humans are of no value, just as the lives of those that choose to be dominated by them have no value."

"Father, they are slaves! They have no other-"

"Son, you are wrong. Slaves are only slaves because they are too weak to act otherwise. There is nothing stopping them from fleeing their human owners and joining us, but they choose not to do so. As such, they are the enemy, and they deserve to die."

Marcus could tell that there was something very different about his father. Perhaps it was just a militaristic side of him he'd never seen before, or perhaps there was something more to it. Whatever the case was, Marcus knew that there would be no reasoning with him, as much as he was against the idea. His father was far too stubborn and obstinate to listen to reason.

"Father, I will not participate in this fight if lives are to be so cruelly devalued and disregarded. At the very least, spare the lives of the innocents and slave Pokemon. Should a slave Pokemon not fight against us, I see no need for us to-"

"Enough. I have given my orders and you are bound to oblige them. You are my son and you are the finest combatant in our kingdom's battle force. You are not the one that makes or shapes the orders; you are the one that follows them. You are not king, Marcus; I am."

Marcus was really becoming disturbed by his father's harsh actions and lack of reasoning. He absolutely would not stand for the slaughter of the innocents, no matter the consequences. He hated killing enough if it was the enemy he was killing, but the thought of murdering innocents and slaves that wouldn't fight back was beyond what he would stand for.

"No," said Marcus defiantly. "I will not be a part of this." The upset Infernape walked away and towards the exit of the hut.

"Marcus," said King Garclif with a pause. "You are no son of mine."

Those six words shot like an arrow through Marcus' heart. He had never disobeyed his father before and was always proud to be his son, but standing up for his beliefs cost him his nobility and his family. Though, he knew that if he could take back his actions, he'd do exactly the same thing. If that was what it cost, that was what it cost.

"Tell mother I love her." With that, Marcus left the fort and made his way down the mountain and towards the village, never to be a part of his family again.

On his way down, he couldn't help but hear those six words echo again and again in his mind. "You are no son of mine." It rang over and over, haunting him, causing him to worry greatly. He had a fair idea of just how dangerous the world was; he was no rookie to fighting and seeing things. At the end of the day, though, he always had his kingdom to return to. He always had Pokemon that would protect him should he need it, which he rarely did. Additionally, he was also destined to be king. Now, that was just a faint hope fading away in the back of his mind. Perhaps he had made a mistake after all.

"It... it can never be a mistake if something greater is gained than that which is lost. If my family and my kingdom have been lost, then I must gain something greater than that... and I must do so now, as a result of my decision."

Marcus thought about it for a moment. He was always of the belief that mistakes only happened if nothing was gained from them or if something was lost. If there was something that he could do to help prove to himself that he did the right thing, he could clear his conscience and reassure himself that all was not for naught.

"It may not be much, but if saving the lives of innocents is what I stood up for, that should certainly be what I fight for. My only hope may be to get to the village and at least save one life. I cannot turn traitor to my kingdom, though I feel I already have, but I also cannot turn traitor to my beliefs."

He looked down to the village, which he had almost arrived at. "If I just save one that wasn't going to fight anyway... I will be doing the right thing. That is it, then: to truly redeem myself, I must save the life of one slave.

"Even though I hate placing a value on life, the life of a slave is worth far more than the life of a human owner. But with that kind of army, even without myself, we could easily overtake the town after dealing with a few key humans and Pokemon. If they are all to be killed..."

Marcus shook his head, trying not to think of the massacre. It was definitely overkill. Instead, he decided to focus his thoughts on trying to free a slave from the wrathful hands of its owner.

"Better yet, I could use all of the time before the battle force arrives to try and save as many non-hostile slaves as I can and weaken any threatening humans... hmmm... but I had better not risk revealing the intentions of the kingdom's attack. Their lives still should not be lost.

"I suppose my best plan of action is simply to sneak in stealthily, try to find and communicate with enslaved Pokemon that I feel are non-hostile, and then take as many as I can away to free them."

The Infernape shook his head once more, then slapped his palm across it. "I also suppose... I talk to myself a bit too much."

***
A few minutes later, the Infernape arrived in the village just before sunrise. No one was awake and all of the houses were dim. No fires were burning anywhere -- anywhere except the fire monkey's crown, that is, which illuminated the immediate surroundings.

Marcus walked around the village, looking around at the houses and trying to pick a target. He saw the sight of the human bar, which was noted by Agrith as a dangerous and hostile location and a stronghold of a lot of the aggressive humans. The possibility of lighting it on fire struck the Infernape's mind, but he decided against it just since it wasn't for him to judge everyone in that building as guilty and hostile.

As he continued walking along, he saw a house with a sleeping Bidoof on a leash next to it. It was sleeping outside, but it was tied up with some rope to a tree in the yard of the house.

'That doesn't look too threatening. I would bet it is a non-threatening slave Pokemon, undoubtedly used to serve some human's bidding,' thought Marcus to himself, eying up the sleeping Pokemon.

He approached it, sneaking up stealthily to it, then lunged forward, grabbing the Bidoof and restraining it, using one of his monkey-like hands to seal the Bidoof's mouth.

"Shh, listen, I will not hurt you, alright? I just do not want you to make any noise. If you are a slave and will not fight me, I would like to save you. Do you understand?"

The Bidoof, which was at first squirming around wildly and trying to break free, calmed down and nodded its head in response.

Marcus released his hands from the Bidoof's mouth, allowing it to speak. "I would rather not get discovered by your owner, so please, follow me behind the house so we can talk."

The Infernape grabbed on to part of the rope that was binding the Bidoof to the tree and then snapped it apart, freeing the Bidoof. He then let go of the Bidoof and walked over behind the building, waiting for the Bidoof to follow him.

It had little hesitations to follow the Infernape, so it made quick work of doing so. "You saved me! Why? I don't understand?"

"There are going to be a lot of deaths inflicted on this village. I'm Prince Marcus, or rather, was once the Prince of the Garclif Kingdom. The Garclif Kingdom is preparing an attack on this village in not more than an hour. I did not agree with the king's means of attacking and slaughtering the innocents, so I left and now feel that I must save at least one."

The Bidoof looked up at him completely awestruck. "But... why me? You're... a hero! Why?" It was completely confused and dumbfounded by the kindness of the fiery monkey Pokemon.

"You just happened to be the first slave Pokemon I came across. No offense, but you also looked far from threatening and dangerous, although that is one of the reasons I saved you. I'm certain that you are also a very deserving Pokemon to free, so please, if you would be interested, I will take you to the forest to the north where you can start a new life."

"I don't know how to thank you, Prince Marcus. My name is Chloe. I... I would love to be free! You have no idea! But..."

"Are you having reservations...? Is there something wrong?"

"I can't... I can't go... I'm not deserving enough. Please, I would love to, but if you can only take one... please, can you free my only friend, Lei...? Please?"

Marcus looked at Chloe with a confident look on his face. He saw complete and utter selflessness in the Bidoof's eyes. She really felt that, for whatever reason, she would turn down the opportunity to be freed from slavery if it meant her friend would be free. That showed a significant amount of honor to Marcus, and he simply had to do his best to save Lei.

"Whatever it takes, I will save Lei. Where can I find Lei, Chloe?"

"She's over there, in that house right next to this one." Chloe pointed over at the adjacent house, right towards a window.

The two Pokemon walked over to the house and peered in through the barred window to see an Ambipom sleeping on the floor, looking slightly bruised. There was only one door leading into the room, and it was most likely locked, so it would be rather difficult freeing her.

"Lei! Lei! Wake up!" whispered Chloe, trying to wake her friend up without attracting too much attention. "Lei! Come on, Lei!"

"Mmmnnn... uhhnn... Chloe...?" mumbled Lei as she started to come to, sitting up and rubbing her eyes with her two tail-paws. "Chloe, what are you... ...!!"

Lei gasped as she saw not just Chloe looking in at her, but an Infernape wearing a burning crown as well.

"You must be Lei, I take it?" asked Marcus politely.

"Y-yes, I am. At least, that's what Chloe calls me and my mother called me... Who-who are you?"

"I am Marcus, and I was once the Prince of Garclif, although my father disowned me and now I am just trying to save whatever slaves I can before the village is attacked by Garclif. They should be striking soon."

"W-wait, save slaves?! Why...?" asked Lei in disbelief.

"That's what I said, Lei! He really wants to do it! He's the answer to your prayers!"

Marcus couldn't help but feel a bit proud of himself for being such a savior, although he also knew it was the right thing to do. These two perfectly fine sounding slaves -- no, Pokemon -- would have been killed by the forces of Garclif.

"It's just too good to be true..." said Lei, still completely overwhelmed by what was happening. "Please, what can you do? How can you save me?"

"Just remain calm and I'll think of-" His speech was interrupted, though, by the frightened cries of humans and the warlike screeches of some of the Pokemon he recognized from the Garclif battle force. "Damn! They're here already!"

"They?" asked Lei.

"My kingdom. Think, hmmm... it isn't too late. Lei, can you tell me, how do the humans in here treat you?"

"My Masters?"

"You don't need to call them that anymore. How do they treat you?"

She sighed. "Horrible..."

"I don't mean to risk their lives, but if it's to save yours... hyaaaaaahhh!!" With a loud screech, the Infernape fired up his fiery crown, jumped back away from the window, and shot a powerful fireball at the wall of the house, burning a hole right through the wall. "You need to get out quick, but wait just a few seconds for the fire to spread, got it?"

"G-got it!" exclaimed the Ambipom, preparing to exit the room when she was at less risk of getting burned. Any way she figured it, she was still at risk, but it could be the last risk she'd have to take if he really could save her.

All of a sudden, a blindingly fast object struck Marcus and knocked him back a few feet on his back. It was a Staraptor, and it flew back and landed on the ground next to the fallen Infernape.

"Marcus, dare I ask what you are doing here? Assisting the enemy, are you?" inquired Commander Talon with a scowl.

"Ungh, Talon, you know why I'm here. These Pokemon don't deserve to die. They're all I want to save."

"They are they enemy, though, Marcus... You know that... You know it's treason to assist the enemy."

Marcus sighed. "I know... I will have to fight you for it. I know that you won't simply let me go for what I believe in, will you?"

"I'm sorry, Marcus... but you know where my loyalties lie."

"I figured. Fine, let's get it over with, but I would trust that you would be more than honorable to fight one-on-one, just against me, am I correct?"

Commander Talon smirked and chuckled. "Heh, you know me too well, Marcus, you know me too well. If you beat me and you escape, I wouldn't be committing treason if I was beaten and too wounded to fight back. Let's just leave it at that."

Marcus understood what Talon meant by it. He wasn't exactly out to do Marcus in, but was merely trying to do his duties. He really did agree with Marcus on a lot of it. He also knew from past sparring fights that Marcus would win and that he'd get away. Talon was fine with that, again, just so long as he was doing his duties.

Talon flapped his wings, then flew up in the air and swooped down towards Marcus, who nimbly dodged the attack. Marcus leapt over to where Talon was flying and gave a sturdy punch right to the bird's wing, damaging it slightly.

The Staraptor then jumped back and pecked his beak right at Marcus, hitting him head on and knocking him down to the ground. He then pinned the Infernape and kept pecking at him over and over, striking his body and causing repeated minor injuries to the fiery monkey.

All while that fight was happening, Lei took the opportunity to jump out of the now-burning building and proceeded to watch the fight between Marcus and Talon unfold. It really wasn't looking good for Marcus... Talon had him in a very precarious situation.

"Do you think I should try to... try to fight?" asked Lei to Chloe.

"If it could help him, it'll help you, so I say yes!" Chloe answered.

Lei then ran over to where Talon was pecking away at Marcus and punched at the Staraptor, using her two tails like fists. It was just enough to knock the Staraptor off of Marcus and give him a chance to get up.

"You deceive me. I thought this was going to be a fair fight!" shouted Talon, mildly disappointed that his excellent combat strategy just got foiled.

Marcus regained his composure and, although bleeding, still looked ready for more. "My apologies, Talon. I agree. I like a fair fight as well." He looked over at Lei, who was standing right by him. "Lei, please, I want you to stand back for this. If I'm defeated, you will need to make a run for it, but I need to fight on my own, otherwise he should have a fair chance to get a partner."

The Ambipom didn't quite understand the concept of honor in combat, so it was rather confusing that he didn't want her help, but she wasn't going to argue it. "T-thank you... and I'm sorry..." She walked back by Chloe and gave Marcus enough room to fight.

"Shall we resume? I'll let you take the first shot to make up for that," taunted Marcus.

Talon chuckled briefly, then smirked. "Heh, call it a lucky break."

Marcus ended up waiting a few seconds for Talon to take the first strike, but Talon was biding his time as well, so eventually Marcus decided he'd go ahead and strike, to which Talon was quick to retaliate. Marcus punched Talon head on while Talon slapped Marcus with his wing.

The Infernape quickly turned around and fired a powerful blast of fire right at the unsuspecting Staraptor. Talon didn't think he'd use a fire attack like that right then, so it caught him off guard and hit him directly, burning and singing him pretty bad.

"Sorry, friend," said Marcus as he quickly dashed forward and punched his once-friend Talon across the way with a quick surprise punch, sending him flying several feet forward. It looked like Talon was unconscious at the very least, so Marcus would be able to assume victory was his.

"You did it!" cheered Chloe as she galloped over to Marcus, with Lei following closely behind and then actually smiling at her savior.

"Wow, you were incredible, Prince Marcus!" exclaimed Lei. Lei didn't know how exactly to show her gratitude, so she performed an act of kindness and compassion that she'd only seen and never tried before: she gave Marcus a hug.

The prince was pleasantly surprised by her gesture and gladly returned it. He couldn't help but blush as he enjoyed the feeling of holding her close. It somehow gave him a lot of fulfillment in knowing what he did was right.

"Thank you, Lei. Now, Lei, Chloe, they are already attacking the village, so we need to make haste. I would have loved to save more, but already I know I have saved two amazing Pokemon from the likes of humans. Follow me and let's get out of here so we can talk more." Marcus signaled to the two Pokemon to follow him, to which they did without question, and the three Pokemon ran away from the battle scene before it escalated into a truly brutal fight.

"Good luck... Marcus..." mumbled Talon as he regained consciousness just long enough to see Marcus and the others flee.

***
The three Pokemon ran throughout the forest, trying to make as much distance between themselves and their old homes as they could. Marcus had traveled through the forest on a number of occasions, but it was completely foreign to both Lei and Chloe.

"Just a bit further and we can rest," said Marcus, leading the group and walking at a hastened pace. Although he could run faster, he wanted to make sure that his companions could keep up and he also felt little sense of urgency now that he was away from the thick of the battle.

Eventually, Marcus led them to a small cavern that he once used as a hideout for a strike against the humans. It was dark and a bit damp, so using a trick he learned from the past, Marcus took a few branches from nearby trees before entering the cave and threw them down onto a pile inside, proceeding to fire a blast of flame to ignite the wood and start a campfire, lighting up the cave and providing warmth.

"That should do," he assured them, giving them both a smile. "I hope that you will be able to adapt to your new lives, free of bondage and enslavement. It must be quite a shock..."

"Prince Marcus, I don't know how to thank you... I have nothing... I have always had nothing..." said Lei regretfully.

"Please, Lei, there is no need for such formalities. I'm no longer a prince; I'm just a free Pokemon, just like you. We both have nothing, so I could only ask for nothing in return. Lei, Chloe," he looked at them, "I want you to understand something: you are free. You do not owe me, nor are you owned by me."

"I don't know what it's like to be free..." said Lei, sighing, although also feeling a true sense of opportunity and like her entire life was finally starting to have value.

"If you wouldn't mind, would you care to tell me your story? Both of you, actually. I have lived a much more gracious life than that of slaves, so hearing your stories would offer me insight on not only how fortunate I was, but how much you had to endure to get to the freedom you now have today."

Lei and Chloe both nodded and agreed to tell Marcus about their lives as slaves. Lei was the first to talk, explaining how she was born as a slave and forced to work only a few weeks after birth, as just barely a child in Pokemon years.

"My... my Masters cared nothing about me or my mother. Marie, the female human, forced me into making dresses and other clothes for her. She tended to be a lot more kind and compassionate than the male human, Bruno. She would feed me and my mother a piece of bread every day and allow us a drink of water.

"At the end of the day, we were forced to put away all of the clothes that she didn't sell and move them into the other room. After that, Marie would lock us both in that room you saved me from.

"I remember my mother, an Ambipom like me, singing me to sleep and praying to Mew that at least I could be spared, but her prayers were never answered.

"When I was still just an Aipom, something happened that I would never forget. Bruno had just opened up a bar, which is a human leisure building where they drink brews that affect their minds, and while my mother and I were sleeping, he opened the door and proceeded to lock himself inside with us.

"He removed his human clothes... and... ..." Tears were forming in Lei's eyes as she tried to continue her sentence, but ultimately failed and broke out crying.

Marcus, who was sitting down listening intently to the story, was filled with sadness over hearing Lei's story. He scooted over to where she was and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, attempting to comfort her. "There, there... if you wish not to talk about it, you don't have to. You're free. You don't have to tell me everything just because I asked you."

The Ambipom glanced downward in shame. These were some of the worst memories she possessed in a blood-stained pool of what she could recall. However, it wasn't since she met Chloe that she had a chance to open up, and Marcus was not only kind and considerate, but the sole reason she had a chance at freedom.

After a few seconds of silence, Lei looked up and over to Marcus, still being held by his comforting arms. "He... he forced her to the ground and had sex with her. I... I watched him violate and abuse her. I was completely powerless to stop him and was overpowered by fear and shock. As it was happening, I saw my mother glance over to me with the most shameful and disgraced look I'd ever seen her give me. I called out to her, but she didn't dare respond as not to upset Master -- I mean Bruno.

"I cried myself to sleep that night."

"Lei..." groaned Chloe, feeling awful for her friend. She'd heard the story before, but only once. Hearing it again was painful for her, especially since she'd had a comparatively easy enslavement.

"That's... awful. I'm so sorry, Lei," said Marcus, truly sympathizing for her.

"It's... that's not all... The next night, he returned and proceeded to force himself upon her once again. She merely gritted her teeth and let out a tattered sigh as I watched him abuse her yet again, trembling in fear and sorrow. When Bruno finished, he threw her against the wall and then set his sights on me.

" 'You're next, runt,' he said to me as he stroked his manhood with his hand, approaching me. I'd never been so afraid in my life...

"He grabbed me and squeezed me tight so I couldn't escape. He then took his hand and... he... he proceeded to mol... molest me."

"He didn't," muttered Marcus, completely disgusted by the thought of that.

Lei sighed. "He did. I... I'm sorry if what I'm about to say offends you, but he didn't just stop there. He thrust his finger inside of me, taking no precaution and having no consideration of how painful it was that first time... I was still just an Aipom, so I was much smaller than I am now. That was also the first time I'd ever been touched or abused down there...

"I bled while he continued driving his finger in and out of me, delighting in the pain it was causing me. He eventually took another finger of his and stuffed it into my ass, which hurt even more.

"I was in tremendous pain, crying and screaming my lungs out, when finally my mother got up and struck Bruno with her tail. Bruno shouted obscenities at her, threw me as hard as he could against the wall, and proceeded to beat her with his fists.

"After she was beaten unconscious, I worried that she was dead. I was so afraid... and then, he walked back over to me, still waving his member in the air, and grabbed me by the head. He slammed his penis against my face and into my mouth, practically strangling me on it. It wouldn't even go in all the way before it was jammed so deep into my throat... I eventually ran out of air and blacked out, but I found myself the next morning with a disgusting taste in my mouth and bruises all over the place."

Marcus looked absolutely horrified by what he was hearing. He kept silent as not to interrupt her, but hugged her closer to let her know that he was there. Chloe also trotted over to her and laid down by her other side, resting on one of her legs and looking up at her.

"My mother apologized to me at every chance she had for giving birth to me in the first place. She kept telling me that I didn't deserve to live a life like that. She also told me that she would do whatever it took to keep me safe from Bruno.

"A couple of nights later, Bruno returned, and rather than starting with my mother as he'd done in the past, he set his focus on me. My mother tried to fight him to stop him... and... ... ... I... I watched in horror... as... ... ... as she was taken from me by his hands... he... ... he strangled her to death, while forcing himself on her.

"He finished, but left afterward without bothering me, leaving me to cry at my fallen mother's dead body. I... I was never so sad in my entire life. Every single moment of living seemed to be a blessing in comparison to the horror and despair I felt right then."

Once more, Lei sighed, although her sighing quickly grew into sobbing, and before long, she was crying into the chest of the fiery Infernape, who was patting her on the back, feeling truly awful about what he had just heard. No one deserved having to go through that. No one.

"Lei... it's alright... it's over now... your mother would be proud of you."

Lei was far too sad to stop crying. Reflecting on the memories of her mother's beating was just too much for her to bear. Now, though, she finally had some comfort that perhaps her sacrifice wasn't totally in vain. Marcus was right; her mother would be proud of her.

Eventually, Lei cried herself to sleep, still in the strong arms of the Infernape. Marcus set her down on the ground, allowing her to rest, and then got up to look around. He looked over to the entrance of the cave to see that it was raining outside and wondered what kind of an impact it'd have on the kingdom's plans. Of course, none of it really mattered now; he truly had to adopt a new life as consequence of defying the king.

"What're you thinking of?" asked Chloe, who walked over to him and looked outside of the cave as well.

"Home," he stated quite simply, not being able to conjure up any other explanations.

"I miss home, too... Now that I'm free, maybe I'll try and return."

"Return?" asked Marcus. "You had a home before your life as a slave?"

Chloe nodded. "I did. I was only captured a few months ago to serve my use as a slave. I helped my Master make wooden decorations and even buildings, sometimes. Although, in comparison to poor Lei's life, mine has been real easy. That's one of the reasons I try to talk to her every night; to let her know that someone cares about her."

Marcus looked down at the Bidoof, sighed, then stared out the cavern again. "I can not imagine what life must be like as a slave. To work under the rule of humans... But, to be honest... Perhaps I would have preferred being born as a slave rather than born into royalty."

The Bidoof looked shocked by what Marcus had just said. "What do you mean?! You were royalty! You probably had slaves of your own!"

Marcus shook his head. "I didn't believe in slavery. Neither did my kingdom. Our kingdom believed in war and killing humans. However... that is a sentiment that I far from share. As a slave, you do what you are told and you don't enact violence unless directed to; as a prince, I was trained to be proficient in combat and as a result had to take the lives of many humans and several opposing Pokemon."

"But as a prince, you had power; you could command armies and actually stand up to the humans."

"Yes... but I didn't have enough power to stop the kingdom from its plans to ruthlessly kill without question. Had I not of saved you then, you and Lei would likely both have been killed for no reason other than to create a distraction. As is, I am certain that many of the other slave Pokemon in the village have been slain by my kingdom. How can I associate myself with such a cruel force?"

The rain was starting to lighten up. Marcus took a step forward and approached the entrance to the cave. "Chloe, I would like you to remain here while I gather some food. I am certain that you and Lei will both be hungry for real, satisfying food."

"But you're hurt! You shouldn't be going out like that!" exclaimed Chloe, worried about Marcus' wounds from earlier.

"These wounds are more bark than bite, don't worry. I can barely feel them and they feel better already. Now, will you wait here and keep watch over Lei for me?"

The little Bidoof nodded her head. "Yes, I will, you have my word!"

"Excellent," said Marcus, saluting the Bidoof and then heading out into the forest in search of food.

***
Marcus had been gone for half an hour or so when Lei regained consciousness. She saw Chloe looking at the flames. "Chloe... where's Marcus?" asked Lei as she got up on her feet.

"He's out gathering food. Don't worry, he'll be back soon, I'm sure." She walked over to her friend and sat by her side. Lei sat down on her behind as well, sitting right beside Chloe.

"Chloe... what now? What happens now that we're free? I've never been free before..."

"It's a matter of doing whatever you want. You'll need to learn to find food, where the water spots are, find and build a den... then, maybe when you've got all that figured out, you can find a mate and start a family."

"A family... a free family... Oh, Chloe, I don't know how to do any of those things. I've never been outside before. Everything is so large and intimidating out there!"

"I'll show you anything you need to know. Marcus might be able to help, too. I don't know what he's going to do now without his kingdom. He'll definitely want some company."

"Marcus..." Lei started thinking about her savior, Prince Marcus, the Infernape. He was just an inch taller than her, enough to seem like he could protect her yet not so tall that he felt threatening. He was strong, intelligent, and extremely kindhearted. For no reason other than moral obligations, he set her free and gave her an opportunity for a whole new life. That was the kindest and most considerate thing any Pokemon had ever done for her, even including her own mother, although Lei knew that if she could have she would have.

"Lei? What about Marcus?" asked Chloe, breaking Lei's train of thought.

"How can I ever repay him...? He didn't just save me, he gave me hope for a new generation that wouldn't be bound to slavery."

"I'd say do whatever he asks and try to be there to listen to him as well. You aren't a slave anymore, so you don't need to feel like you have to bend to his every whim. He's also not a prince anymore, so like I said, he will probably need friends to make sure he can get by."

Marcus really was incredible. Lei couldn't explain why she was having so many thoughts about him. It was driving her crazy, especially because Marcus wasn't even there at the time. All she knew was that she felt an extreme sense of gratitude towards him and that she really wanted to hear about his life as well.

"Maybe you're right... I don't have to be a slave or a subject to be there for him the best I can. He saved me, a Pokemon with no value and no worth other than just being a helpless slave. He had no reason to save me or even you, yet he did. Chloe, our prayers really have come true..."

As the two Pokemon continued talking, Marcus finally returned carrying a bunch of berries and other assorted vegetables. "Lei, I'm glad to see that you're awake!" he said to her, dropping the food on the floor and going over to pat her on the shoulder.

Lei immediately got up and jumped into Marcus' arms, hugging him tightly and relieved that he was back. "Marcus!" she exclaimed, genuinely happy to have him back.

As Lei opened her eyes she found herself staring right into Marcus', which were staring right back into hers. The two monkey-like Pokemon had their gazes fixed right into each other's eyes, staring into the souls and saying more to each other than what could be said with words. They both wanted to say something, they both wanted to do something, but both were merely too fixated on each other to act.

"These berries look delightful! Let's eat!" said Chloe, breaking the state of mesmerization that Marcus and Lei were in. They broke their hug and then walked over to the pile of berries and veggies, where Marcus was quick to explain all of the spoils he gathered and how to properly eat them.

The three Pokemon enjoyed their lunch together, Lei getting a chance to sample food other than bread and semen for the very first time. The berries tasted sweet and juicy. The vegetables tasted lush and satisfying. Everything tasted so amazing and the concept of taste was really something she never grasped before.

After their meal, the Pokemon carried on conversation. Marcus told the two females about his life at the kingdom and what it was like to be a prince. He also told tales of his battles, a lot of which he regretted but also felt that it was what he needed to do. Chloe talked more about her past and what her life was like before she was captured and enslaved, and then the two ex-slaves opened up to Marcus about more.

Lei revealed that, after her mother was murdered, she was abused, molested, and raped daily by Bruno, causing both Marcus and Chloe to feel the utmost sympathy for her.

"It's inexcusable to mate with empty intentions. Mating should be a bond of love and affection, and the pleasure that comes with it should be a reward of that love. No Pokemon should be forced into mating... I'm sorry you had to go through that, Lei."

"I... It's alright. After awhile, the pain began to dull out and I got more used to it, but I still despised that he would do that to me." Lei was able to talk a lot more openly about her past now that she'd warmed up to Marcus a bit more. "Marcus..."

"Yes, Lei?" he answered casually.

"Do you... have a mate at the kingdom?" she asked him shyly, almost dreading the response. A noble Prince like him would be sure to have females swooning all over him. Self-confidence was something that Lei quite obviously lacked.

"No, I do not," Marcus answered honestly. "Why is it you should ask?"

"I just... I wanted to know if you knew what it was like, to be in love like you spoke of."

The Infernape looked at her and blushed a bit. "I... to be honest, I do not know. Despite my appearance and manners, I am still rather young and inexperienced when it comes... to those things."

Lei paused. She couldn't believe that he had never had a mate or been in love before. Even though she had little clue of the concept, Marcus was quite possibly the most deserving mate out there. If females didn't flock to him, finding a mate must have been absurdly hard and hopeless.

"Oh... I see..." She didn't know what else to say in response. Something finally hit her. "I thought for sure that a royal Infernape like you would have no trouble finding a mate."

Marcus blushed even more. "My father had tried to establish several choices of mate for me, though I simply could not love and adore them so emptily. They were fine females, but it was a matter of force, not choice and free-will that led them to me, and I could not accept."

"I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding someone to fall in love with, Marcus," said Chloe, trying to chime in after feeling a bit left out of the conversation.

"Yes, you're a sweet Pokemon that has a big heart. You saved us for no benefit of your own. I don't know what's right and what's wrong when it comes to mates, but you really do deserve the most caring, loving mate and family in the world for helping us. I pray to Mew that you find that mate..."

"As do I... I would want nothing more. And thank you, Lei, Chloe."

***
The three Pokemon continued their conversation into the night, discussing their plans, their dreams, their hopes, and their prayers with each other. Now that they were all free from the chains that binded them -- be it from slavery or royalty -- they would need to think of where they'd go from there.

But they didn't need to decide it all in one day. For the time being, the three Pokemon slept inside of the cave after wearing out from all of their discussions. They all felt better about themselves and their future than they ever had before.

However, Lei was having a difficult time sleeping. She walked outside of the cave in the middle of the night to think about things. The thought that was bothering her most was of her mother. Why did she have to die? Why did she have to even be enslaved in the first place? Why couldn't they just have lived a life together free of slavery?

Eventually, her thoughts drifted even further way, internally asking herself even more questions. Why do humans even have to enslave Pokemon? Why aren't more enslaved Pokemon strong like Marcus? Why did Marcus save her and Chloe? Why was she thinking about Marcus so much?

"Marcus..."

She then started thinking more about Marcus and just what a great Pokemon he has been. How could it be that he really had never mated? She hated to acknowledge the fact that she had mated many, many times, even though it was against her will, but the way Marcus talked about mating... how it should be out of love and affection... that it felt good... what would that be like?

"Oh, Marcus... you do want a mate... but you're royalty... you could never love a slave like me." Lei sighed, wishing that she was a Pokemon that would be worthy of Marcus' love. She was beginning to realize that she had feelings for Marcus. After all, the only other Pokemon she knew were Chloe and her mother, but her mother was now dead. And besides, as she said to herself before, Marcus has treated her nicer than any other Pokemon.

"Lei... you're wrong."

Hearing that shocked Lei. She turned around and looked behind her to see Marcus and his fiery crown glowing.

"Marcus! I- I-"

"You need to stop doubting yourself. You're not just a slave, you're a wonderful Pokemon." He walked over to Lei and hugged her close to him, then leaned back and gazed into her eyes as he did earlier.

"You're just saying that... I have nothing. I haven't done anything. All I've done my whole live is serve without question. How can that make me wonderful?"

Marcus placed his hands on the Ambipom's face and gave a look of sincerity. "Because you have had to endure so much. Lei... I spent my whole life in royalty, able to give orders and get what I wanted. You're not weak because you never stood up, no; you are strong, strong for enduring and putting up with the challenges you were forced to take!"

Blushing and practically in tears, Lei couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was taken by the strong, soothing words of the handsome Infernape. He wasn't treating her like a slave or like anything other than a great and decent Pokemon.

"Mar-cus... I... I have to say something."

Marcus released his hands from Lei's face, and looked at her with intensity. "What is it?"

"Please... I don't want you to think any less of me, though I know it isn't possible, but I have to be honest... Marcus, I... I love you. If I had to spend the rest of my life with any other Pokemon, I'd spend it with you. You are the only light in my world of darkness, and the very reason I'm free today."

There was a moment of silence between the two Pokemon. Marcus was taken by surprise by what she said, although felt a great deal of adoration towards the poor Ambipom that he couldn't help but feel the same way in a lot of ways.

"I... I'm sorry, I never should have said that. I understand that I'm just a slave and you were once a Prince. I really am worth nothing... but I just had to tell you that I do love you, Marcus, and I always will."

Without saying a word, Marcus moved his hands back on her cheeks and then leaned in to give her a sweet, tender kiss. It was the first kiss she had ever received, and for that matter, the first kiss that Marcus had ever given.

Lei's eyes lit up, completely taken by surprise from his actions. It felt like Beautiflies were fluttering around in her stomach. The whole concept of happiness was still very new to her, but even more foreign was the concept of love, real love, which she was finally feeling.

That magical kiss lasted for half a minute, both Pokemon too attracted and in admiration to pull away from their show of affection. Eventually Marcus pulled his lips away and looked deep into the Ambipom's eyes. They were starstruck. She was starstruck. She couldn't believe how amazing it felt, to be admired, cherished, adored, and most importantly, loved.

"W- why? How? I... you love me, too?" asked Lei shyly and in confusion. She wasn't actually expecting him to feel about her the same, as he had many, many more Pokemon to compare her to.

"Lei... you are truly so sweet. I believe I do. I have not been able to think of thoughts other than of your own safety since I have rescued you. You truly are a remarkable, beautiful Pokemon, Lei, and I don't think you fully understand just how wonderful you are."

"I... I don't understand. I'm just a slave. I mean, I was just a slave. I... I have nothing. I'm nothing compared to you..." remarked Lei as she almost began crying, feeling almost sad that Marcus loved her as she felt he deserved much better.

"You being a slave is one of the things I admire most about you. It is your character, your personality. It is your strength. You had to endure what so many other Pokemon endure, except perhaps on even more of an unfortunate scale. Not all slaves are abused. Not all Pokemon have to live with the image of their mothers being killed before their very eyes. No Pokemon should have to endure that kind of life, and that is honestly what draws me to you, Lei. You are a Pokemon that deserves the world and more after what you've been through."

"No... I... I deserved it... I'm sure I must have, somehow... ..." Lei began to cry after hearing what Marcus had to say. He was blunt and unrestrained, but it was so amazing to her that he thought that way about her. She had always figured that royalty kept amongst royalty, and for the most part, that was correct, but Marcus had always sought the true colors of Pokemon and couldn't stand for violence. Having to withstand so much pain and suffering should at least merit something in return.

"Stop it! Lei, please, I want you to understand this: you are free! Put everything in the past now. All the pain and anguish you had to endure... it's over now. You'll never have to go through it again. I'll... I'll make sure of it."

"I... I can't! You d-don't understand! Someone like you deserves so much more than someone like me... regardless of if I'm still a slave or not. I really... I really d-didn't expect or even want for you to love me back..."

"Well, I didn't expect to fall in love with you, either, but from when I first saw you, sleeping in that cold room... I knew I was meant to help you. And when I discovered what a truly caring and grateful Pokemon you were amidst all of the suffering and despair you went through... truly, I knew that we would talk like we are now."

"Oh, Marcus... you're all I have... you and Chloe, that's it... you have no idea how much it means hearing you say that about me..."

"Remember, you two are all I have... I'm no prince now. I have no further resources. I'm about as much of a slave as you are, now. We are far from different, but even if I could become prince again, I would much rather just live a quiet life away from the constant wars between humans and Pokemon and just live with my family."

His last two words echoed in the ears of the purple monkey. 'My family.' That was what she had prayed for, being able to raise her children free of slavery. Not only was Marcus in love with her, which already seemed unbelievable, but he also clearly wanted to raise a family.

"I... I'm not sure if it's too soon or not, but... one of the only hopes that kept me going in that prison was that one day, I would be able to have children that weren't born into slavery like I was, so they could have a better life."

Marcus nodded and held the Ambipom closer to him. He stared into her eyes and listened carefully to what she was saying.

"M- Marcus... w-would you... like... would... ...would you like to start a family? ...with me?" Lei shut her eyes in fear of how he might respond. She was quite forward, but had no reason to restrain herself.

The fire ape responded by pulling Lei right up against his body and giving her another sweet kiss, confirming his answer to her. After he broke it, he followed up by saying, "There is nothing I would rather have right now than a family with you, away from the wars and fights, where we can live in peace. Truly the life I've lived has been a lot like that of a slave, merely in the sense of we both were forced to do what we were against. I had to kill and fight; you had to work and submit to cruel torments. Lei... let's not have our children have to go through that..."

Lei could hardly believe that her prayers were finally coming true, and so suddenly, too. In just one day, she has gone from a lonely slave to a loved mate. At long last, things were looking up for her, just as they were for Marcus, who had just earlier that day lost his kingdom and had his family ties severed. He knew that he may never see his family again, but realizing that he now had a chance of making his own, it seemed less like a loss and more like an opportunity.

Feeling that it was her turn to return the affection given to her, Lei leaned in towards Marcus, grabbed his face with her tail-paws, and did just as he did to her: gave him a loving kiss. He wrapped his arms around her back and rubbed them around, squeezing her snugly and enjoying the feeling of finally being in love. It was a feeling new to both of them, and they each handled it differently, but they both knew without question that it was meant to be. They both knew that they were meant to be.

"Oh, Marcus... my... my whole life, I've never felt as happy as I do now..."

"Likewise. I never would have thought that my defiance to my father would have led to this... I was frightened at first and worried that I would be all alone. You and Chloe could have just left after I set you free, although I am so glad that you stayed."

Lei gave Marcus another kiss, now using her tail-paws to rub at the back of the Infernape's head while using her frontal hands to rub his cheek. She pulled away and shot him a shy look. "Would... would you like to start our family... now?"

Rationality told Marcus that he should wait and become established, make sure that they've secured their location, and are both completely ready to start a family. However, love isn't always rational, as he realized. He had everything he could possibly want now, except for children. He knew where to find food and figured that the cave they were near would make a great makeshift home until they found a better one.

The thought of becoming a father was a fascinating thought to the still-young Infernape. He was certainly old enough to become a father and had the maturity to raise a son or daughter with the love and care he or she deserved. He knew he'd be a much better father than his own was, even if he weren't a powerful ruler that was trying to fight against the humans.

"Lei... I would love to, but I need to know something first. I simply must hear it again. Do you love me, Lei?" he asked the Ambipom.

She gladly smiled back and said it in her own words. "I do, I love you, Marcus!"

"I love you, too, Lei. I'm so happy that I saved you. Things have a way of working out, do they not?"

Lei giggled, actually finding amusement in what he said. "They do. I want us to love each other forever."

Marcus now smiled and closed his eyes. "We will. Destiny has brought us together for a reason. Now, Lei, I won't lie... I am nervous about becoming a father. We have just met each other, just today... but I know that you are true and loyal. I know you love me back. And I know that we can start a wonderful family together. Our children... I'm sure they will be much better off than we both were."

"You were a prince, though. It is hard to top that..."

"Ha, let us just say, then, that I am now a king, and you are now my queen. A title is merely a title."

Lei gave a quick kiss to Marcus' cheek. "If you insist, my king."

"I also must confess... I am a virgin. You have probably figured it out yourself by what I've said, but... I just want you to know that you will be my first and I hope my only."

Lei nodded, then sighed. "Yes... I... I'm sorry... you know that I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Marcus cut her off by placing a finger over her lips. "No, don't say it. To me, you are a virgin. You never gave yourself to that human... That all happened while you were enslaved. You're free, now, and... when we do mate... it will be of your own free will."

"You- you're right... yes, you're right!" exclaimed the Ambipom. She paused for a few seconds, then asked him something she hadn't yet gotten an answer to. "So... would you like to... start that family now?" asked Lei with a shy smile.

"Yes, I would. I would. Please, though, I have a request..."

"What... what is it?" asked Lei, who was confused at the thought of a request.

"Would you please... be on top...? I want you to know that I'm not forcing you into anything and want you to be free to do things to your own accord." Marcus took a step back and shifted his hands from her back down to her hips, still looking at Lei's face. "Besides... you have a better idea of how to do it than I do."

Both Marcus and Lei blushed at his statement. "Perhaps that's one good thing that came out of it," said Lei jokingly. "Yes, I will..."

Marcus grabbed and then kissed her paw, followed by sitting down on the ground and positioning himself so he was laying on his back.

Lei knelt down, then got on her hands and knees and crawled over Marcus so she was laying on top of him. She snuggled up on him, hugging him and nearly forgetting what they were originally intending on doing.

The Ambipom sat up on him and turned her torso and neck over so she could see Marcus' stiffening member appear from its sheath. She used one of her tail-paws to reach over to it and grab it, then stroked it up and down to help increase his arousal. A light moan could be heard from Marcus as she began her tail treatment.

Using her other tail-paw, Lei brought it over to the entrance to her womanhood and slowly inserted one of the digits on it inside of her. She proceeded to insert the tail-digit in and out of her to help get herself ready for him. It was a trick she learned to do for when she heard the Master coming to help prepare her for his girth, although fortunately for her, Marcus was much, much shorter in height than the Master, and had a slightly smaller cock when it was fully erect. However, that was just what she wanted.

"You don't have to do that yourself..." said Marcus, getting an idea. He used his dexterous feet to his advantage and reached one over to where Lei was inserting it into herself. The Infernape could use his feet almost equally well as his hands, and they even had opposable thumbs on them as well, so he used it to feel around for where she was inserting the tail-digit and then pulled it out, offering his toes as a service instead.

It worked out excellently. The two Pokemon laughed, then kissed each other, using their frontal hands and paws to embrace each other while pleasuring each other through other means. They kept it up for the next few minutes, until Lei stopped masturbating Marcus' manhood and sat up on him again.

"I think we're ready now, do you?" she asked him.

"You tell me. If you think so, I think so," he answered with a smile.

Lei laid back down on top of him, hugged him tightly, then tried to slide herself down onto his member. It was a little difficult positioning it at first, but with the assistance of one of her tails once more, she was able to direct it right into her sex.

She gave him a kiss, and then slid down his body further, sliding the virgin Infernape's member inside of her vagina. He moaned out and felt amazed by the pleasurable feeling that her insides provided him, squeezing his cock in a very comfortable and arousing way.

As for Lei, for the first time she could recall, she felt no pain; only pleasure. Pleasure, lots of it. It felt so fantastic to have her love inside of her depths instead of that awful, awful human. What Marcus said was right; she really was a virgin, just like he was. The whole experience was entirely new to her, and it turned what was once a most dreaded thing -- sex -- into the most amazing physical sensation she'd felt.

Lei managed to get all of Marcus' manhood inside of her without much effort. He body had already been accustomed to taking in much more, but that was all in the past for her. She wanted to enjoy the present and make the most of the future. The Ambipom kissed the Infernape beneath her, who was smiling right before their lips joined.

Keeping their lips and genitalia connected, the two Pokemon began rocking back and forth; Lei sliding up and down the body of the Infernape, while Marcus shifted his hips to thrust inside of her. It look little time for the two lovers to develop a rhythm.

"Lei... this is what you deserve," said Marcus, reminding Lei that her whole ordeals of the past were truly over.

"Oh... oh, Marcus... I didn't know that sex felt so good..." moaned Lei, taking an opportunity to speak while they took a brief pause in kissing. They took no pause in their gyrations, though.

"Call it 'mating,' Lei. 'Sex' is a human term that makes no point of us being mates."

"M-mates...? We... we are, aren't we...?"

Marcus smiled. "We are."

Lei smiled back as well. It just hit her; it was really happening. She really was here, making love, mating -- not just having sex -- with the most amazing Pokemon she could have ever dreamt to meet. She didn't know how exactly she deserved such happiness. She did nothing special or grand with her life. Even in comparison to Marcus, who although did feel regrets for his actions, made an impact in the world. It just was incomprehensible how she could really deserve such happiness.

It wasn't a mystery to Marcus, though; he knew exactly why and admired her greatly for all of the hardships she had to endure. He even couldn't fully understand what it was about Lei that brought him so much happiness and fulfillment. It was far more than just the fact that she was a slave; she had a personality that managed to shine through even through enduring the greatest pain he could possibly think of. Plus, he found her incredibly attractive, like a shining and radiant beauty he'd never laid eyes upon before.

To the two Pokemon, the act of their mating was more than just wanting to feel the pleasure of sex and lust. It was something much greater. They truly wanted that bond to each other. They truly wanted to put their pasts behind them and start a new life together. They truly wanted a family together, a family that they could love, raise, and keep free from the pains and turmoils they both had growing up. They wanted peace.

As such, the two mates kept to only one pose. They simply enjoyed how much pleasure it was providing them, both on a physical and a emotional level. Additionally, as they were, they could remain kissing while they made love, which, to them, felt almost as good and fulfilling as the mating itself.

"I... I think I'm getting close..." moaned Marcus, feeling his orgasm approaching.

"C-close...? Close to...?" asked Lei, who, despite all of the times she had been touched, abused, molested, and forced to have sex, had never experienced a real orgasm -- an orgasm that she could feel pleasure in. She had orgasms, just they were so buried in the pain she felt that it was actually painful having them.

"Orgasm... a new family. Just relax, Lei, and let- uhhnnn- let the feelings flow."

She did start to feel something. It was a familiar sharp feeling growing in her groin, though it felt a lot more soft than the knife-like feel it had in the past. It actually felt... satisfying. She actually felt anticipation for it.

It was unknown to her how anything could feel any better than what she was feeling right then, but as that sharp feeling turned into a sharp pleasure that caused her to cry out in bliss, she realized what Marcus meant.

Although it was tough for her to not get tense, she tried to relax and let loose the best she could, as per Marcus' suggestion. Marcus could sense that she was ready, so he used whatever willpower he had to hold back his orgasm in hopes of sharing it with her. It was extremely hard to resist, though, as it was so tempting to, but he felt it was important that he could restrain himself for just that long.

"Ah! M-marr-c-cus! I-I feeeel it...! Ah! It f-feeeels so... ahhh...!!"

"Oh, Lei! Lei!! Just let it g-ahhh-ohhh...!!"

Just as Lei slammed down onto Marcus' shaft, Marcus thrust his hips forward and pulled her in to a deep kiss, connecting the two both physically and spiritually. With that, Lei felt the sensation of orgasm, except rather than excruciating pain, it was instead overwhelming pleasure, forcing her to cry out in pure ecstasy into Marcus' mouth.

Her internal walls squeezed and gripped tightly against Marcus' member, which had finally begun experiencing an orgasm of its own. The pleasurable sensation swept through all of Marcus' body as he felt his member expel its life-bearing seed deep into her body, in hopes of entering her womb and creating a new life. He shot several spurts of his semen deep inside of her, pulsing and enjoying the ecstatic sensation of her climax squeezing and milking every last drop of his seed out of him.

Finally worn out and exhausted from their orgasm, the two Pokemon broke their kiss, panting and sweating heavily.

"Ha... Lei... I love you... I want you to know that."

"Marcus... I love you... and thank you..."

"Thank you?" he asked her, unsure of what exactly it was that she was thanking him for.

"Thank you for saving me... and for loving me back. My mother... she may have been the one that gave birth to me, but you're the one that brought me to life."

Marcus couldn't help but blush after hearing that. He was glad that he could give her an opportunity to truly be happy, especially after having to endure so much torment throughout all her life.

"Lei... you don't have to thank me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Marcus..."

"Lei..."

Marcus and Lei, now truly mates in every sense, embraced each other in another kiss, which lasted for several passionate minutes until both Pokemon finally ran out of energy and fell asleep in each other's arms.

***
The two new lovers slept peacefully with each other until morning, when they awakened and greeted the new day no longer bound by bondage or royal pressures. No, now they only had a new peaceful life to live, and that was really all they could have hoped for all along.

Chloe discovered the two outside, and after being told the news about Marcus and Lei becoming mates, was delighted for them, albeit perhaps just a slight bit jealous.

All three Pokemon discussed their plans for the future. They decided that they would all travel to the west, towards another range of mountains known to be sparsely populated by humans and no longer under the rule of the Kingdom of Garclif.

Although she wasn't bound to them as they were each other, Chloe wanted to follow Marcus and Lei wherever they should go, both out of friendship and gratitude. She knew that it would be a good decision and Marcus and Lei certainly didn't object. They loved Chloe as a friend.

The three Pokemon set off on their journey the next day, after gathering enough supplies to make their track. As they traveled, they reached a hill where they could see both the mountain that the Kingdom of Garclif resided on and the village of Glorine resting at its base. They looked back at their past homes one final time before looking at each other, smiling, and truly putting their lives behind them.

Three months later, Lei had given birth to an adorable baby Aipom. The baby bore both the blood of slaves and the blood of royalty, but despite coming from such extreme backgrounds, she would never have to worry about the hardships her parents both had to endure. Lei's hopes and prayers really had come true and Marcus finally found the peace he had always longed for. Even Chloe had found a mate and would soon give Marcus and Lei's child a friend to grow up with.

The two families continued to live the rest of their lives in their new home, never bothered by the wars and the fighting, and never again being forced into slavery or acting against their will. They may not have saved the world or brought an end to the constant wars, but they found happiness in each other and would always seek to keep it.

Never again did they or their family have to worry about slavery or royalty corrupting or destroying them. Through the next few generations, peace began to spread across where they had traveled to, and just one hundred years after they had both met and fell in love, the wars finally ended and Pokemon and humans were finally able to coincide with each other.

Whether it was Marcus, Lei, and Chloe that brought about that change -- directly or through their offspring -- or whether it was just an overall shift in the global consciousness could never be known. But what was known was that the dreams and lives that they were fighting for were finally realized by the world and their hopes and prayers were heard.

***
We often take for granted the hardships that others have to or have had to endure.
Some are more fortunate than others and don't realize just how good they have it;
others are left with nothing at all except a hope and a dream.
One thing is certain, though: peace and freedom are always the answer.
Revenge and fighting are reciprocal and never-ending if left unchanged.
Peace and freedom are as well.

Which would you rather live for?

---

- The End -