Just as it did every morning, the infernal buzzing interrupted whatever dream I was having at the time. Down came my hand, reacting faster than my brain could even wake up; a well-rehearsed reflex borne from years of annoyance. While the buzzing or even beginning the movement didn't really wake me, the smack! of my hand on the little device next to my bed did the trick.

The alarm clock, as always, took the hint.

I frowned for a moment, trying to come to my senses as the images in my head melted away. Home. That's right. Despite some lingering remnant of the dream telling me I was on the road, here I was, comfortable in my own bed. The lights in my head blinked back on despite my desire to stay in bed. Thoughts and memories swapped seats with dreams, reminding me of where I was, what day it was, and...

Oh. Right.

Today was the hour-long victory interview with Hoenn's largest news network (creatively named Hoenn News Network). The trophy for that victory sat on my dresser across the room. Next to it was a picture of we, the winning team. Mira... My head hit the pillow again, warmth filling my heart. It was shaded by a pang of loneliness, and suddenly the bed felt a bit too empty. My alarm went off again, reminding me that if I wanted to brighten that cloud I'd have to get my butt moving.

With limited success I tried to ignore a faint scent, her scent, on yesterday's clothes. I grabbed casual clothes from the closet, not wanting to wrinkle or damage the outfit I'd picked out for the interview. I'd studied a few past interviews to get an idea of what would happen, and found that the victors tended to wear some fashion statement, trying to set themselves apart. Let the talking heads go back and forth over my fashion statement - I had a particular goal in mind with the relatively plain (but hardly dull) suit.

Breakfast consisted of eggs, crisp bacon, and a microwaved something-or-other. My to-do list was in front of me: pick up Mira at the Pokémon Center, present her present, go to the Spa, interview, meeting with a few of my sponsors and potential sponsors, and a headache.

Well, now that Mira could come back home, tonight might not be a headache at all. I smiled, my muscles still a bit sore but more relaxed as I grabbed my jacket and headed out.

Thanks to contest rules, Mira was at the stadium's Pokémon Center rather than at Sunbloom Township's. Not long after the contest they had taken her for "extended recovery" - that is, testing her for any illegal substances and transferring her back to her original ball. Slightly ridiculous, but at least the half-hour walk gave a good view of the beach. Our beach. My smile broadened at the sight and recent memory of the pristine white sand, its natural beauty having made Mira look angelic beyond anything I had imagined in the evening moonlight. Any doubts of her winning the contest had been erased when I saw her silhouetted against the stars.

Any doubts between the two of us had been erased a short time after.

I'm the luckiest guy alive, I thought. It was going to be a long day, but no matter what happened, we had already won beyond all of our wildest dreams.

=*=*=

"Well, you certainly blew us out of the water - so to speak." The judge I had spoken with earlier rubbed over his receding hairline, chuckling softly. "Last place to nearly making top twelve? They'll be talking about it for years to come." I bowed my head, still rather overwhelmed by the day's events. The man - Roberts, I reminded myself - paused for a moment, and then continued. "Officially, I must inform you that despite your comeback, your scores are still too low to qualify you for this season's regional semi-finals."

My heart sank again, trying to fight back a rush of emotion. "I... understand, sir. It probably would have been better to wait, or just not join at all. We didn't stand much of a chance anyway."

I felt his hand on my shoulder, and forced myself to blink back moisture and look at him. His eyes were kind, a contrast to the neutral expression he'd held earlier. "You started out as a trainer, correct? Let me tell you something. Every single one of your competitors was either backed by sponsors or years of training. They may have looked down on you before. They probably still do, but now they'll be watching their backs. You're a rare breed, Ken, and I want to see you back here next season."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir, but I only got in by lottery." I didn't like revealing my financial situation to strangers, but here it was. "I don't think I can afford the entrance fee..."

He nodded, withdrawing his hand. I could feel my cheeks flushing with embarrassment, replaced with confusion when he drew out a slip of paper and pen.

"In that case, this is a voucher pass. It's rarely used since the Contest League frowns on anything they consider favoritism, but don't concern yourself with that." He wrote my name over a couple lines, then signed at the bottom and handed it to me. "Present this - with your signature, of course - to the secretary. If you can't make it, I understand, but I certainly hope to see you back here. Once Mira gets used to her new form and capabilities, I think a pair with your dedication and courage will make it quite a ways." He smiled. "Besides, everyone loves an underdog."

This time, I couldn't hold back the surge of emotions. Self-consciously wiping at the sudden wetness on my cheeks, I whispered, "Thank you. This means... wow. We won't let you down, sir." He chuckled, patting me on the shoulder again.

Here was our second chance.

=*=*=

"Let's see, Mr. Adon... ah, I remember you from yesterday! Congratulations on your victory, sir. One moment please, I'll have your Pokémon right out for you."

I nodded, watching as the nurse ran (almost literally) to the back room. The place was fairly deserted now that the contest was over, and while I got a few awed looks nobody approached me just yet. It was probably a good thing considering the impending interview had me a bit nervous. At least, I was pretty sure the jitters were stage fright...

"And here we are!" The brunette behind the counter handed over a quite familiar-looking Premier Ball. "She's all ready to go. I'm sure the two of you can't wait to see each other!"

You have no idea. "Thanks." I smiled and bowed, navigating my way to one of the contestant locker rooms under the pretense of collecting some belongings. They were surprisingly hygienic, and certainly large enough for a private reunion. Thanks to the overnight diagnostic (and my tendency to be a Noctowl), we'd only have a couple minutes before we had to leave. It had been an exercise in self-control to leave her at the Center even with contest rules. However, after the events of yesterday I needed eight hours of sleep and she needed a full restoration.

Neither of which we'd get if we were in the same bedroom for a night.

I silently vowed to make up the sacrifices to her. Again. At the rate I'd been vowing over the past few mornings, days, and nights, I'd be making it up to her for weeks and weeks to come. Not that I'd mind...

Shaking off wayward thoughts, I rounded the bend and pulled out my contest ID, swiping it across the electronic lock on the door. The interior was easily the size of a two-car garage, complete with lockers (surprise), a small bathroom and shower, some high windows, and a couple other niceties. My property retrieval excuse wasn't a complete fabrication; I had left a certain item for this very moment.

My hand trembled a bit in anticipation, fingers clasped perhaps a bit too tightly on the smooth plastic of the ball. Relax, Ken. I took a breath, trying to calm my giddy anxiety. You'll see her in a moment. I opened up the "personal items" locker with my free hand, pulling out her present before giving the orb a casual toss.

A swirling rush of dew and tiny bubbles surrounded the similarly swirling burst of energy as it leaped from the ball, light filling the room as it coalesced into a familiar serpentine form. The narrow beams of sunlight refracted off the droplets and created dozens of faint rainbows, only accenting the most beautiful of Pokémon as she emerged.

"Milotic."

My smile was wide as I stepped closer to her and raised a hand to her muzzle, murmuring, "Good morning, love." She smiled back, the cream-colored hide on the upper half of her body all but glowing in the light. Her tail gently curled around me, the blue and pink scales covering that end of her coils striated with obsidian black; four scales on the tip of her tail overlapped like blades of a fan. Her deep pupils were framed by shades of red that made rubies look dull.

If beauty had a physical form, it would be hers. It was hers. And as my hand stroked along the crimson fins that fell like hair from her head, I thanked whatever deities existed that she had entered my life. We both drew closer, our lips meeting, warmth filling my chest.

Thankfully, nobody was around to peep in on us.

"How was your night?" I whispered a moment later, barely breaking the kiss. She replied in her tongue, and although not a word of it was English, it conveyed worlds of meaning and clarity to me. "I missed you too. But, I did get a couple presents..." I grinned, presenting the small package and watching as my lover sniffed and nosed at it with a querying tone. Moving just slow enough to prompt a playful headbutt from her, I unwrapped the package to reveal several small, colored blocks.

My grin widened at her pleased trill. "I thought you might like them." I held up an indigo-colored Pokéblock for her. "Courtesy of our friends at Lancaster Shops. Nothing like a gift from our favorite sponsor." Her tongue swiped along my fingers a bit more than necessary as she scooped up the treat, rolling it in her mouth and purring with satisfaction. It had come as a surprise that she liked that particular flavor, but then, Mira had always loved a slight air of unpredictability.

"Milo, lotic." She smiled back at me, quite pleased with the feel of the block. I had been surprised at the quality myself... up until I remembered how much business Lancaster's was getting from our little rise to the top. An underdog entrepreneur funding an underdog competitor was a fan favorite.

I'll have to send them a thank-you note, I mused.

"So, my dear," I murmured, scritching at her favorite spot just behind and above the long "eyebrows" above her eyes. "I have another present for you, but this one's a secret." She squirmed a bit, trying to concentrate through the cute sounds of mock distress she was making. "Are you ready for our big interview?"

She pulled out of reach from my questing fingertips, adopting a nigh-perfect poker face. The expression slowly devolved into listlessness, her posture slipping as she gave a rather perfect bored-student impression.

"Forgive me my doubts, oh goddess of beauty and power." I kneeled before her, trying to restrain a broad grin. "For I have no doubt you will be an inspiration to all!"

"Milo," she said with a nod, leaning forward to rest her head on my shoulder, even giving a light snore.

A moment later, we about fell over laughing. Somehow, being together made even the silliest of things we did quite amusing.

"Alright, you win. Your present is this way." I gestured towards the door, my hand at her back as I guided her along. I was tempted to blindfold her, but I was sure she'd close her eyes without peeking. Maybe. She did have a bit of a devious streak at times...

And oh, did it make things fun.

=*=*=

"Kenneth Adon, please step forward." The judges waited until we had approached the bench. "Your performance was alright. The two of you had no problems with form or timing, but..." The balding man - Roberts? - paused for a moment. "I'm afraid we all agree that the execution left us lacking a bit. Your Pokémon is spirited, and I'm very impressed by the beauty she has in comparison to the rest of her species." He removed his glasses, looking down at me. "But she simply doesn't have the power to match the choreography and precision of her fellow contestants."

I nodded slowly, trying to keep my expression level. Knowing it had been coming didn't make it hurt any less. "We're last place in this round, too, aren't we."

"Well, technically second to last." The judge kept a straight face for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "But a disqualification doesn't exactly count as a placement. And unfortunately, your scores aren't high enough to advance you even with perfect performance in the coming round. I'm sorry. If you'd like, I can give you a pass on your final round so you don't have to compete."

"I'll think about it. Thank you for your consideration." I said, bowing my head and turning back to the restoration center where Mira was staying. What the hell was I going to tell her?

She looked up at me, scales glittering from the overhead lights, expression falling as I gave her the news. "He said we can have a pass on the final round, so we don't have to work that last routine. I know we have trouble with it. Hey," I murmured, gently hooking my hand under a fin to keep her from looking away. "We did good out there. You did good. I was the one who messed up in the appeals. I was the one who didn't push enough endurance training before we signed up." She shook her head, trying to refute me, and I simply smiled.

"Mira, I know that losing isn't easy. I've wanted to be in one of these contests for years. Imagined myself as champion. Right now, I'm just happy for the chance to have been here with you. We probably won't get a second chance, but that doesn't matter." I looked into her eyes, making sure she knew how serious I was. "Before I met you, I didn't know where I was going... but now, the destination is meaningless. You've helped me realize that life isn't about contests or getting to the top. You have given me a whole new appreciation for everything, for the true beauty that can't be decorated or polished into existence." I smiled, petting over her scales that I had spent hours each day scrubbing, and leaned in to kiss the top of her head. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and no silly contest can change that."

The sudden flash of light had me wince, thinking some photographer had just gotten a cute shot. I backed up a bit only to realize that the light was holding steady, and it wasn't from some camera.

It was coming from Mira.

=*=*=

"Alright, another few feet... now, open your eyes."

"Milo?" She blinked in the light, her ruby eyes settling on the structure in front of us. "Milotic..."

My grin was ear-to-ear. "I thought you might enjoy a nice, long bath. They haven't made a spot of makeup that can match your beauty, so I opted for a top-line grooming instead." I nudged her with an elbow, my hand rubbing along her side. "Hope you like it!"

Her gaze met mine, and although she didn't make a single sound I knew that if we were in private, she would have kissed me quite thoroughly. And as it was, I could also tell that she was sorely tempted to anyway.

Damn paparazzi, and double-damn taboos.

"C'mon, I called ahead earlier and made sure our bath was ready." She matched my even pace through the double doors, having to duck a bit to make it through the entrance. Her body floated a few inches off the ground - she preferred to use her limited levitation abilities whenever possible, given how careful she was about her appearance. While she was hardly vain, there was a vested interest in keeping her perfect appearance perfect.

And I helped whenever possible.

"Adon, reservation for one and partner." I showed my ID to the lady at the desk, who handed me a keycard. We'd already gone through the preparations the day before, and as we entered the room I was quite impressed at their thoroughness. The water was steaming quite nicely, with a variety of soaps and cleansers arrayed on a nearby shelf. Towels, brushes, and even some beverages were set out for us.

"Shall we, my dear?" I had opted to bathe her myself, given that I already knew exactly how to do everything. That, and I wanted to spend some quality relaxation time with her before the big interview. By my estimates we had at least a couple hours before they started the initial stuff. I gestured to the water, shucking my shirt and tossing it to the side as she eased into the wonderfully hot water, purring. After divesting myself of the rest of my clothing (save a bathing suit), I joined her in the tub with a brush and bottle in hand. "Now, no pulling off my suit this time..."

An hour of lathering and scrubbing and rubbing later, I was pretty sure we were both thoroughly clean save for a few spots on her head.

"Come closer, dear... There we go. Just a bit of attention right around here..." I murmured, working my way behind the long fins draping down each side of her head and neck. She leaned into my palms, eyes closed, subtly shifting to make sure certain areas got extra care. Her coils were loosely wrapped around my waist and legs, the water cool enough now that our closeness wasn't uncomfortable. Not that it ever was.

Her head shifted against my shoulder, presenting a new spot for me to scrub. "Milo."

"And here we are. Just about done." I gave her forehead a kiss, smiling at her light blush as my fingers traced over her hide, searching for more work. They found some when my fingertips brushed over a patch of smoothness that made her jump a bit. "Ahh, maybe not quite done, my love?"

"M-milo!" She squirmed against me, the expert teasing behind her "eyebrows" melting her self-control. I added a light nibble to one of the red (and mildly erogenous) lengths, tempting fate. Sure enough she let out a gasp, involuntarily constricting her coils around my body. She blinked a couple times, trying to muster a stern-ish glare.

I simply smiled. "You know, this bath was a real winner to get a hold of. Large, well-stocked, and," I leaned in, whispering, "Private."

She kept up the semi-glare, but the shiver that ran through her body told me the truth. It didn't help that her blush was growing, and I leaned in to plant a slow kiss on her lips. After a moment she surrendered, returning the kiss for what seemed a blissful eternity - at least, I thought she had surrendered until I felt something brush my waist. Now it was my turn to give the Look.

"Miiira..." I murmured, trying to ignore the feeling of fabric sliding down my legs. "What did I tell you about pulling off my suit?" She simply gave me a much different look in return, her eyes lidded almost enough to hide that too-familiar, devious glint I found myself generally unable to resist. Turning a portion of my attention back to the rest of my senses, I cracked a grin and pulled her closer.

"I didn't tell you to stop..."

Our lips met at a more heated pace this time, arms wrapping around her back while her sinuous form slid along my skin. My hands started exploring a bit; her tail drew the suit away from me and then twined around my ankle. It was suddenly much warmer in the room, a temperature born of passion as our lips parted. Her warm, strong tongue curled around mine as dextrously as her coils around my body, our hearts beating quicker with every mingled breath.

One of my hands held her head against mine while the other migrated downwards, seeking and finding a familiar section of coils. Mira tensed slightly as my fingers encountered a hotter, softer spot, right against a coil that was now pressed against my hips. I allowed my fingertips to trace along the outline of that slight parting half a foot above the scales before moving my hand to her 'hip'.

We were panting into each others' mouths now, our rubbing slowly turning to a more familiar and regular rhythm. I had been long since fully aroused, my shaft pressing against her body, my need growing to an almost painful height. Judging by her soft whimpers and twitches, she felt the same. I straddled just below her entrance, the heat palpable from an inch away. We both maneuvered ourselves closer until my tip was placed squarely against the lips of her sex.

The contact had us both gasp hard enough to break the kiss, but just barely. Our eyes made fleeting contact, and we shared a grin: we didn't need words to convey how much we wanted each other. The half-week of forced celibacy was about to end, right here in this tub. We kissed over the other's lips, nuzzling, soon unable to resist our primal instincts and repressed emotions from driving us forward.

I moved closer and slid the first inch into her, mouth parting at the feel of her hot folds surrounding me. I wanted to hold her close in this moment, I wanted to hilt her right now and mate her like a frenzied beast, I wanted to make love to her for the rest of eternity - all at the same time. My shaft was halfway inside her now; the silky feel of her scales and hide pressed against my skin while her muscular folds skillfully rippled and clenched, rubbing along my length and pulling me deeper into her. We locked gazes, both readying ourselves for the plunge, to cast away all inhibitions and...

And that's when the door opened.

"Shit," I muttered, my heart suddenly deciding to pound like crazy. "Holy shit. Damn" I didn't blame it for trying to escape; my thoughts immediately flitted to Mira. How the hell am I going to get her out of this? The thought occurred to confess forcing her into it, but even that would mean painful hours of "therapy" for her. Out of all the situations I'd planned out to keep her safe, none of them seriously included this.

"Mister Adon?" The voice was female. Great. "Kenneth Adon?"

"Yeah, uh. What is it?" I said, trying to subtly work with Mira to disentangle myself from her coils. It was tough going, and if the young woman could see...

She couldn't. I almost laughed aloud, and judging by the relaxation of her body my lover had picked up on my realization. Not only was the woman not entering the room at all, but the shelving and lip of the tub easily concealed any incriminating perspectives. Mira was safe. We were safe.

"Sorry to disturb you, sir, but I wanted to inform you that the groomers are ready whenever you and your Pokémon are." She was still out in the hallway. I'd have to tip extra for that unknown kindness.

"Thanks. And, how long until we're, um... rushing it?" Stop stammering like an idiot, Ken.

"That would depend on them, sir, but I'd say no more than ten minutes tops. We'd hate for you to leave without full benefit of the services offered."

Now that we weren't in imminent danger of destruction, I found shreds of my bravado returning to me. "I'd hate to leave with anything less than a winner either." I smiled, knowing that I already had a winner regardless of any grooming. "Let them know we'll be out with a couple minutes to spare. And, thanks."

"You're welcome, sir. I'll tell them right away." The door closed.

Silence reigned over the room for a few moments, and the two of us finally met gazes again. I could still feel the fires burning in my heart, my loins. I saw the same reflected in her eyes. More than anything I wanted to throw sense aside and relieve her need, even if it meant ignoring mine... but I knew that if we did, we'd be jeopardizing all that we'd worked for.

I wouldn't, couldn't, let her down like that.

"Listen, love, we have to go get ready." Her shudder almost broke my resolve, but by some last desperate thread I clung to reason. "I know, I want to be with you more than anything... but we can't ignore what we need to do." It hurt to say it, it hurt to see her hear it, but her accepting nod soothed at least some of the pangs.

She drew back a little, giving me enough courage to say my next piece. "And I promise you this. Once this is over, when we're off the hook... we'll have a whole night to ourselves. A whole week. The rest of the summer and fall, if that's what it takes. I will make up to you all the time that we spent apart and then some. I love you, Mira, and no interview will take that away from us." She intoned her own loving sounds, bringing a smile to my face. "Every second, love. Starting tonight..." I whispered.

I allowed my fingers to brush along her cheek, not trusting myself to do anything more. Her expression turned contemplative, but I had bigger problems on my mind. My still-strong arousal was becoming more and more apparent as I climbed out of the tub, the pulsing of blood and lust bordering on the edge of pain. Wincing in anticipation, I pointed a shower head towards myself and turned a knob...

Sonofabitch that water was WAY colder than I had thought.

I used all my willpower to stay under the stream for six seconds, jumping out with a low yelp when I couldn't stand it anymore. "Damn, that has to be just above freezing!" While I could barely feel my front half anymore, the immediate turn-off was worth it. Maybe. I was about to turn off the faucet when a pressure to my side forced me away.

Mira let out a sharp whine, shaking, almost losing her levitation for a moment as she butted past me and ducked her form under the stream. Or more to the point, ducked her face and a certain segment of her form into the cold.

"Sharp, no?" I chuckled at her glare. "Hey, it works." I quickly finished toweling off, noting how much more collected she seemed. She held out for a moment before giving a grudging nod, nosing me a bit harder than necessary. I simply chuckled harder, tossing the towel at her before slipping into my suit and gathering my belongings. At the exit, we leaned in for a tender kiss before opening the door to the grooming room.

Even ice-cold water couldn't douse all of our fire.

=*=*=

Her scales were gleaming whenever the light played over them, a testament to the hours upon hours I had spent grooming and polishing. Worn blue fins now looked good as new, seeming to shimmer in tandem with the rest of her. Best of all was her expression: where once it had been frowning and drab, life all but burned behind her large eyes. I'd found a diamond in the rough, and although it took hard work - and most of my savings - even I was amazed at how far she'd come with the right diet and care.

I pulled a package out of my pocket.

"Feebas?"

"You know what today is?" She waved her fins a bit, and I chuckled. She wasn't exactly the best with calendars. "It's been a year since we first met. A whole year, can you believe?"

"Feebas. Fee." Her head ducked underwater, then resurfaced. Her equivalent of a nod.

"You got me at a disadvantage there, Mira. I can't believe it's been so long... or short? Anyway, I got you this." Kneeling beside the pool, I showed her the paper-wrapped present. "A little treat for... well, your catching-day. I don't know when you were born, so we'll celebrate an easier date. Okay?"

Another head-duck, this one more animated than before. I grinned, unwrapping the package to reveal a couple small, candy-like blocks. She tilted her head (which ended up tilting her whole body), examining the unfamiliar yet interesting objects.

"They're Pokéblocks. Kind of like candy, I guess. Took me a while to get the recipe right, and the local master ended up giving me this one at the end." I pointed to the only indigo one of the bunch. "Not sure which flavors you like, but I have a pretty good idea..."

There weren't too many to choose from, but fortunately my entire selection seemed to at least earn a somewhat positive response. I saved the purple one for last; judging by her reactions to the others I doubted she'd like it. But, my tolerance for cute only went so high, and after a few fin-flaps I couldn't resist any longer.

"Feeee..." she offered after a long moment, slightly muffled as she still rolled the block around in her mouth. I was seriously worried that she wouldn't enjoy it up until I noticed that she wasn't keeping it in her mouth because she didn't want to eat it. She was enjoying the flavor. "Feebas!"

It didn't occur to me until later why her scales looked so much brighter.

=*=*=

"And on this lunch hour we have a special guest here: Kenneth Adon and Mira, the winners of yesterday's regional beauty contest!" The camera panned out to include the two of us with the interviewer, and we both smiled for the audience (both in-studio and elsewhere). "It was certainly a mind-blowing performance from the two of you. We're honored to have you with us here today."

"Thank you, Jackie. The pleasure is ours." Mira inclined her head a bit, the glow of the overhead lights making her look angelic. I was told the effect would look even better on camera, but somehow, I doubted that was possible.

"You know, your story is simply amazing. You left home to become a trainer, correct?" I nodded, adopting a bit of a solemn expression. "You lost your Pokémon, and after that you say you found Mira completely by chance?"

"I'd call it more of a miracle. I took a wrong turn, and happened on a lonely Feebas tangled up in an old net. I would have let her go, but something made me keep her. Birds of a feather, was my thought at the time - I had almost no money, no direction, and probably looked a bit worse than she did." Chuckles from on and off stage. "She was a glimmer of hope for me, like a tarnished and uncut gem. I saw a gem in the making.

"And I ended up with a diamond." Mira and I met gazes and smiled; everyone else was oblivious to the story between the lines.

Jackie nodded, brushing a strand of auburn hair from her face. "I see. For several years you had been a trainer, and by your admission a mediocre one. How did you start down the road to becoming a beauty contest coordinator?"

"I'd always wanted to be a coordinator, but anyone sane wouldn't have thought Mira had it in her. She was shabby. Dull. A boring, unloved Pokémon that nobody wanted. I started taking care of her out of sympathy, and one day I realized: if this seemingly ugly Feebas can become beautiful, what's to stop anyone from doing the same thing?"

The questions plodded on, some halfway decent, some trivial. What kind of food did I feed her? What was my secret? (Love and lots of scale polish, of course.) How did we practice our techniques? I took comfort in Mira's presence behind me, in her warm breath brushing over my neck. She was also asked a couple yes/no questions, to which she would nod or shake her head. Occasionally she'd offer a reassuring nuzzle.

Then, out came the curveball.

"We're about to wrap up here, Ken, and there's one thing that I am personally curious about." She took off her glasses, looking me straight in the eye. "You decided to enter into your first contest with a beautified - but underpowered and unprepared - Feebas. No formal training, no sponsorships, no financial backing, and no experience. If Mira hadn't evolved, you would likely have never been able to afford or attend another contest. What drove you to gamble what little you had, to jeopardize the self-esteem you had built in her, and enter a contest you knew you could not win?" If any parts of my attention were roaming they suddenly snapped back in force. "I mean nothing personal, but it could be argued that your victories, then and now, were all thanks to luck instead of skill. How would you explain your actions in that context?"

There was dead silence in the studio. I could see glances exchanged by the staff, and I highly doubted that such a blunt and cutting question had been included in the script.

Challenge accepted.

"Yes, it was risky. I wouldn't have even entered had it not been for the contest pass lottery. You'd do a double-take at a before-and-after picture of Mira, but she was still a Feebas and we hadn't had the opportunity to train much. We caught a break at the end. I would, however, disagree that our success was entirely due to luck."

She took advantage of my breath to push further. "Then what was it?"

I held up a hand to one of the studio members that seemed about ready to cut her off. Time to break out what could be described as a winning grin. "Not gonna let me off easy, I see. It's only fair to be honest in return. As I said earlier, finding Mira was something of a miracle considering my situation. Winning that contest pass was pure luck. Beyond that, I can't accept luck as an explanation for anything beyond a few circumstantial events.

"Forgive me if I seem self-appreciating. I'm normally a modest guy. But it wasn't luck that polished each of her scales every day before and after she evolved. Luck didn't have anything to do with her evolution. And luck didn't earn me that trophy yesterday." I took in a breath and looked into the eyes of the audience as I spoke. "That was determination, both hers and mine. We worked hard. We sacrificed, more than anyone can imagine. But once we had our second chance we had a mission.

"We set out to prove that a nobody underdog from Azalea Town could make it big, that our hard work and skill could overcome the professional training, big sponsors, and wealthy backers of our competitors. It's about time we opened the doors for those who may not think they're good enough, or beautiful enough, to make it." I reached up to stroke Mira's muzzle, and she nosed at my shoulder. "It should still take skill and effort, but I know that if anyone truly wants to accomplish what we did, they will be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed."

I looked back at Jackie, smiling softly. "I hope that answers to your satisfaction."

She nodded. "It does indeed. On behalf of HNN news, I'd like to thank you for joining us today. I wish you many more victories." I bowed my head, as did Mira. The camera panned to Jackie to pitch for the following news broadcast, and after that was over the hawks descended.

"Mister Adon, we're incredibly sorry that she went off-script on that last question. I hope we can-."

"Sorry for what?" I grinned again, brushing off the apology. "That was the most honest and forthright question I've been asked all week. Been waiting to give a meaningful answer to someone. Sure, what kind of brush I use to groom Mira might help someone starting out, but you can that kind of info from the Internet. I did. People want to hear the hows and whys the most. It inspires them." It took another minute of convincing them that no, I was not offended, and yes, I wouldn't mind coming back at a later date for more interviews. The execs were finally satisfied with my answers, and the attention then turned to the studio audience and the many pieces of paper they held in my direction.

I pulled out my pen, secretly envious of Mira's lack of opposable thumbs.

=*=*=

I looked over my "catch" with a fair bit of curiosity. Craggy brown scales dotted her hide, looking uneven and rather drab. Her blue fins were tattered and dull; large eyes looked up at me (I assumed) without any real focus, and large lips seemed to be locked in a permanent frown.

"Feebas."

What to do? She would probably be better off in the wild... but not really. Nurse Joy told me that she looked familiar, and had probably been abandoned at least once by a trainer. Might as well pair a reject with a reject.

"Hey, remember me? Ken?" Her head ducked underwater, then resurfaced. Not sure what that meant, but I continued. "I'm afraid I'm not much of a trainer, but if you don't have anywhere else to go I was thinking you could stick with me for a while? I promise to take care of you the best I can."

"Feebas, fee." Sounded like an affirmative to me. She actually seemed a bit excited, flapping her fins and ducking her head again.

"Good to hear!" I then frowned, rummaging in my backpack and grabbing out a small brush I still carried from... well, those days. "Here, let's clean you up a bit. Bet nobody's given you a good scale polishing lately."

There was a slight glint in her eye then, a spark of what looked like hope. It cemented my decision to keep her as I started gently scrubbing at her scales.

"We're gonna make a great team... Mira."

=*=*=

I didn't even bother hanging up my jacket, opting instead to throw it over the nearest chair. We'd had a light dinner before coming back home, and although I was a bit tired from the events of today, my earlier promise bubbled back up in my mind.

"Been a while since we've been back here, hm?" She nodded. I'd had to leave her at the Center for restoration each night since our first time, so she hadn't even seen the house in days. I double-checked the door locks, then chuckled, eager to get on with things.

"So, my love... we're all alone in this house for the whole night." I closed the blinds and drapes to keep the camera-toting tabloid vultures at bay. "Whatever shall we do with each other, hmm?"

I turned, only to get struck in the chest by some red-and-white object. Mira had that smile on her face, and I eyed the toy Poké Ball with a bit of trepidation. That devious glint in her eyes meant she wanted me to start guessing.

"Let's see, a Poké Ball." It occurred to me immediately. "Ahh. You just caught me, didn't you." A nod. "So I'm your Pokémon now, and you're my trainer?" Another nod. "I guess this means I'll have to call you Mistress, doesn't it?"

"Milo." Good boy. Her smile grew wider. I would have smiled too, but it didn't fit the game.

"Very well, Mistress. What do you require of your new catch?"

She circled around me, the action allowing her to surround me with one of her coils. A moment later she gestured with her muzzle in the direction of my clothing, then met my gaze again. Disrobe.

"Does this please you more, Mistress?" I said, having removed every strip of fabric on my body. I double-checked that the thermostat was on, though with the way things are going it likely wouldn't be needed...

"Milo, lotic. Milo." Pay attention to your Mistress. I bowed my head, my gaze on her as she looked me over. Her warm nose poked here, brushed there. "Mi." Stay. I obeyed, not saying a word as she darted almost out of sight to rummage through a closet. I was about to wonder what she was doing when she returned with a small basket.

My eyes widened, and so did her grin.

"Where did you get those?" I matched her stern glare, breaking the mood for a moment. "No, seriously. You better not have stolen them." She slowly shook her head, that devious gleam in her eyes only getting stronger. There was an adult novelty store down the road a few minutes (not that I'd know)... but where had she gotten the money for those? Had I misplaced some of my credits?

I trusted that she hadn't stolen them, so I sighed and resolved to ask later. Something about her expression had me thinking this would be one hell of a story.

At her urging, I picked up the handcuffs. They were hardly police-grade, but they'd still do their job. A low purr rumbled through her throat as she guided my hands behind my back, using a combination of her muzzle, tongue, and my hands to secure the bindings. Mentally shaking my head, I remembered too late that I should be back in character.

"Mira love, you got the key for these, right?"

Her coils constricted around my legs, knocking me off balance and into her waiting embrace. "Milotic-lotic, milo! Milo-mil..." That's Mistress Mira, and good Pokémon shouldn't question their trainers! Disobedient Pokémon must be punished... She reached into the bin and grabbed the second item, flashing me a sly look as I wondered what she possibly had planned.

The thing was like a strap-on without the straps... was it a dildo? There was a protrusion on the non-business end that looked like a sort of bulb. As Mira maneuvered the dildo against her slit and pressed it in, I could see just how much she was getting aroused by her power trip. Her gasp was slightly muffled by the toy in her maw, working it back and forth inside her, letting me watch the show.

When she pulled it back out it was practically dripping with her juices; she pivoted it to place the bulb inside her. Now I could see how it worked: the bulb held the toy in her without resorting to straps. Her coils shifted against me, still holding my legs firm and apart while she shifted position, and my eyes followed the movement of the toy behind me until her alluring ruby eyes captured my gaze, seeming to swallow up my attention as...

Oh god.

The Captivate had already hit me by the time I realized what it was. It was like the room and every sensation became distanced. Floating. My mind barely registered the feeling of the Milotic-lubed plastic pressing against my rear. I was indifferent to anything but that seductive glare.

"Milotic, milo," she said, bringing her face to within an inch of mine.

"I will obey my Mistress," I repeated in what sounded like monotone. I couldn't think.

Her tongue grazed my lips, a sly smirk on her face. I didn't care to notice when her coils moved again, but I did feel the cool head of the shaft parting my tight pucker and begin sliding into me.

"Ohh, whoa..." I managed. Mira gave what sounded like a chuckle before thrusting even deeper into me, the sensation fairly uncomfortable close to the point of pain. I'd never had anything up there before, and the feeling was enough to break most of the hypnotic effects of her gaze.

A moment later, I felt her warm hide against my ass as she hilted the thing inside me.

"Please, Mistress... easy..." I begged, my hands jerking impotently at the alien feel of the thing. She held for a moment, letting me get used to it but still giving me that look, the smile of oh, this is juuust the beginning...

Her warm muzzle rubbed along my cheek, moving back to nibble at my ear. I'd be lying to myself if I said this was the strangest situation I'd been in... and I'd also be lying if I said this wasn't turning me on. As if reading my mind, her rumbling purr dropped an octave, warm tongue tracing my earlobe.

Tease, I thought, just before a surprise thrust drew a gasp from my throat. At this point I had to make an admission. I've never been interested in homosexual stuff, and finding Mira to be damn sexy was the closest I'd ever gotten to a fetish. But dear god did that thrust feel good. I didn't know how, or why, but with my shaft suddenly at full mast I couldn't be bothered to question.

All I knew was that I wanted more.

Mira watched my expressions, her gaze still holding at least part of my mind hostage. Between the cuffs and her coils I couldn't move. I did feel her slowly pull back, letting the last couple inches of the toy exit me before humping the thing back into me. It hit a couple spots I didn't even know existed, my whole lower body tensing up. Already, my pre was literally starting to drip from my shaft.

"Mistress... more, please. I want mo-." I tried to beg, only for my train of thought to fall right off the tracks as her hips shifted upwards, changing the angle to press the tip of the toy a bit lower. This was followed by the whole damn train yard exploding at her next thrust. My mind whispered prostate-something, but I couldn't hear it. I wanted to moan, to scream, to cry, but all that made it out was a strangled whimper.

Her muzzle pressed against my parted lips, more of a nuzzle than a kiss even when her tongue joined in. I tried to kiss back, only for her to pull away with a grin. Smooth, muscular coils rubbed my exposed skin, solidifying her hold on me in preparation for her next move. With a pleasured growl, she started to thrust with a steady rhythm into me.

Oh god. Oh god, ohgod ohgodohgod...

I honestly lost track of where I was. All I could feel was the toy within me, hard enough to keep its form but having a soft give to it, warmed by the combined heat of our bodies; I could feel her similarly hot and sinuous length surrounding me, pressing in from all sides and imprisoning me with the overwhelming pleasure. I wasn't aware that my eyes had closed, but when I opened them again I could see that Mira's head had moved.

Her face was now mere inches away from my steel-hard, drooling shaft; long body uniquely capable of executing such a maneuver while still humping into me from behind.

Warm breath washed over my groin, and I found myself shivering in anticipation. I twitched at a particularly firm thrust of her hips, and to my surprise (had I been capable of anything approaching surprise) a bit of pre actually spurted out far enough to land on her cream-colored muzzle. She purred louder, pink tongue emerging to languidly swipe up the liquid, audibly smacking at the taste. My own breath came in hard pants; where I had previously struggled to get away, now I only wanted to get closer.

Her eyes once again locked with mine. I saw her tongue slowly, teasingly inch out of her maw, the nearly hand-length muscle touching the underside of my shaft. It ran up the length, lapping up my pre, leaving a cooling trail of a different wetness. My eyes snapped back shut as the member curled around the head of my shaft, my long groan hitching into a soft cry as I felt a warm, moist prison engulf my dick. My entire groin seemed to be filled with a burning ache, the feeling of blood pulsing magnified a dozen-fold. She suckled lightly, like she was drinking out of a straw, each draw matching with a thrust.

If I had any higher brain functions left, I'd have wondered how I hadn't gone over the edge yet. Her tongue firmly curled and rubbed along my length. My arms strained against the cuffs, hearing the metal creak a bit as my body tensed up more with each movement, the pressure building...

And suddenly, it was over.

She stopped thrusting and pulled off my cock simultaneously, holding me more firmly. After a moment the absence of stimulation was too much to bear; I wriggled, then thrashed, desperately trying to keep going. Her coils held me fast, keeping me locked in place despite all my efforts to move, to finish what she'd started. I growled, whined, pleaded, but she simply looked into my eyes with a maddening smirk.

I'd always thought that it was a stupid cliché to cry from sexual frustration. Sure it'd be uncomfortable, but how could you cry from it? Now I knew why. It wasn't just uncomfortable, it goddamn hurt. It was bad enough to have all that pleasure building; but now, it was pure torture.

"Mira... Mistress..." I gasped, shuddering impotently in her unyielding grasp. "Please, I need... I need." The words came out chopped, broken. Fragments of thought. She drew her muzzle closer, those beautiful eyes telling me I had to do better than that. "Please!" I would have begged for an hour if the words were there.

"Milo." Her muzzle traced lightly over one of the streaks of moisture on my cheek. Good boy.

I barely settled in my struggles as she repositioned herself, still holding me firmly. While the coil with her slit was now running between my legs, the toy had been left hilted in me. I briefly wondered at her intentions before feeling her mouth against mine, tongue pressing and seeking entrance.

I let her in, pushing needfully into the kiss. I tasted the salty, somewhat musky flavor of my pre on her lips, her tongue, mingling with the hint of her own juices from when she'd handled the toy. The hormone-charged array of tastes had me whimpering again, even more so as the smooth warmness of her scales brushed my throbbing cock. The pressure of her muzzle grew more forceful, deepening the kiss; my tip was now resting against her hot, slick folds.

Without warning, she dropped onto my lap, taking me into her. We moaned in unison, tensing and barely keeping the kiss together. Her tight walls surrounded my shaft, inner muscles flexing and rippling to pull me deeper. It was all I could do to keep from coming right there, and judging by her momentary relaxation she must have picked up on that. I realized then just how close she was to her own climax, her body shuddering lustfully as my cock filled her.

When we were both settled, she rose and fell, rolling her hips against me. The hide around her sex was practically soaked from her fluids, and like the first night I suspected that her Water-type had something to do with the volume. Within seconds my groin was quite damp, each thrust squeezing more of her natural lubricant out onto the both of us. Every movement was almost frictionless, giving her insides a silky feel.

She was bouncing on my shaft now, walls pulling me as she withdrew only to relax as she fell back onto me. I could feel a tightness growing in my loins, replacing the ache from before. The toy was pressed right up against that tightening spot, and I could feel it giving more and more pressure there. My leg muscles twinged from the sparks of pleasure shooting along my spine. Had it not been instantly lost among her own fluids, I imagine my pre would be all but flowing by this point.

Then, she pressed her hips against mine, holding me completely still and letting her inner muscles do all the work.

She squeezed tighter around me, and it felt like several strong tongues were rubbing and working along my length. It was she who broke the kiss, nuzzling firmly along my cheek and down to my neck. I tilted my head to bare it for her, shivering uncontrollably at the light nips she gave. It was hard to tell whether her actions or my reactions were giving her more pleasure, but she was more than keeping a match with me. The constant pressure of her body against my groin, my belly, my legs, and the steady rhythm of her skillfully manipulative muscles had both of us right on the edge. My moaning trailed off with soft whines. I knew she had total control over my pleasure, that she could leave me waiting again... and being loyal to my Mistress's wishes, I surrendered any shred of resistance to her, giving myself over to her completely.

The sudden clench of her walls combined with a shift in the movements; she was now going at me with a strong milking motion combined with a nigh-unbearable tightness. I was all but thrown off the edge, and the handcuffs creaked dangerously as I stiffened. She somehow started tightening even more, a rush of her juices spilling out to further soak our undersides.

Where my climax had tossed me off a cliff, the advent of hers threw a freight train after me.

The toy in my rear pressed hard against my pulsing prostate, aided by the movement of one of her coils. It was like a dam broke inside me, the pressure bursting forth through my loins, my chest, and I could swear that every single muscle in my body locked up. Our cries filled the air, more so as my cock throbbed and shot what felt like the biggest load I've ever had into her depths. Her walls redoubled their milking, tugging so hard I doubted I could pull back even an inch. My vision blacked out, and for a few moments it felt like I was going to fall backwards into oblivion.

Then, the eternity was over. Her folds still rippled and clenched around my length, but I was shooting blanks by then. Neither of us moved for the longest time, each trying to catch our breath. Her muzzle left my shoulder, and by the time my thoughts got around to wondering where she'd went I felt a cool object pressing into my hands. The key.

It took a minute of fumbling to free myself from the cuffs, and I was thankful they weren't double-locked. I rubbed my wrists, quite certain they'd be a bit bruised tomorrow. Worth every moment, I thought, wrapping my arms around my lover's back. We rested there in silence, holding each other without any need for words. None could convey the volumes we exchanged in every moment we lay there, still joined; her walls still moved slightly around me, but they were more of a soothing motion than arousing.

I thought it was another stupid cliché when writers talked about hearts beating in unison. How could two different people (and in this case, species) have the same heartbeat? Well, as my hands traced along her back, her chest, and I felt her pulse... I understood. It was still cliché, and it may have just been my imagination since we had become one in every other way. But I understood.

And smiled, knowing that nothing else could ever matter while I was here, in her embrace. In all the world, there was nowhere else I would rather be. We tenderly kissed, only moving to a more comfortable position on the carpeted floor. I had no doubts that we'd be back at it soon enough, and likely for the rest of the night, but in this moment we were content.

We were together.

We were complete.