A week had passed since Alex had first picked up his Charmeleon, and he still had no name for her. He was never very good at the naming process, and tended to obsess over it until he found the perfect one. After all, it had taken him almost three weeks to figure out that he liked "Ty" as his Scyther's name... and his only other pokemon, a Lanturn, had him waiting even longer until he finally settled on "Hunley". He had asked the fire lizard if she already had a name from her old life, and she had nodded her head yes in reply, but trying to figure out what it was got him nowhere.

Alex had decided that he needed to borrow a talking pokemon and get it to ask her, but he didn't know anyone who could help. So, for the time being, Alex had taken to calling the pokemon "Char". It was a horrible nickname, but it was all he had at the moment.

The Charmeleon was a problem for Alex to handle sometimes. He had rescued her from a seedy, illegal pokebrothel... and it was clear that she had been abused and neglected for much of her life. Although she was looking much healthier now, the lizard used to be quite skinny and frail. While a human would have taken many weeks to recover, a few days of power leveling can have wondrous effects on a pokemon, and the rigorous training quickly had gotten the Charmeleon's health and strength back up to snuff. Various expensive vitamins and a heaping dose of affection helped the pokemon along as well. And although Alex thought the Charmeleon was learning quickly, sometimes it was difficult for him to get her to adjust to her new life.

... Mostly because the horny little fire lizard wanted to fuck him silly.

She would often present herself to Alex, or try and come on to him, but Alex would have none of it. Alex also found that the Charmeleon liked to hug him a bit too much. Sometimes she would be content to stare at him cooking, watching TV.... or even sleeping. That last one creeped him out a bit. One time she had even carefully crawled on top of him while he was taking a nap, resting her hips on top of his crotch. When she started to dry hump him, Alex had awoke with a jump, causing the Charmeleon to fall backwards with a shout. In the confusion, her tail flame had almost set his bed on fire. He shuddered as he wondered if that was not the first time she had done things to him in his sleep.

 Alex struggled to correct her deviant behavior constantly. He thought that she was just used to her old life, where he assumed the pokemon was forced to have sex with humans whether she wanted to or not. He didn't like her acting like this at all.

But as she stood, staring out the living room window of her trainer's small apartment, the Charmeleon wished she could prove otherwise. She adored Alex... who was the first human she had ever met to treat her so kindly. He fed her, pet her, played with her, trained her... and loved her. The pokemon had never been more content in her life. Alex was the first human she looked up to as a guardian, a companion... she loved being by his side. And the Charmeleon desperately wanted to show her feelings for him the best way she knew how.

The pokemon put her claws on the window sill and gave a sigh, thinking that she was doomed to keep her desires to herself for the rest of her life. The pent up feelings were taking a toll on the pokemon, who was used to pleasure on a daily basis in her old life at the brothel. Sometimes she was forced to get herself off just to relieve the tension. Alex was the first human she had ever remembered meeting that didn't accept her advances. It got her frustrated constantly, sometimes causing the pokemon to sit and brood. And although she had tried many times, she had no idea how to get through to her trainer.

Suddenly Alex walked into the living room. The Charmeleon turned, seeing what he was up to. Ty, who was lying on his stomach, asleep on the couch, woke up at the sound of Alex's footsteps.

"Hey, guys.... I just realized I need to pick up some things for dinner tonight. Ty, you wanted to make fajitas, right?"

The Scyther sat up, giving an excited look and a happy-sounding "Scyther Scy!". The Charmeleon also perked up at the sound of food. Alex knew she loved food possibly more than life its self.

"Heh, alright! Tonight we're gonna break out the pots and pans and cook something awesome! I gotta go pick up some ingredients at the store first, though. No staying in pokeballs if all three of you are good. Ty, can I trust you to watch over the place while I'm gone?"

The Scyther gave a stoic nod.

Alex took a step toward the bathroom and opened the door. "Hunley, you hear that?"

The Lanturn was in the bathtub, up to his snout in water. Alex liked to let him splash around in the tub occasionally... although he was a better fit for it back when he was just a Chinchou. Now that he had evolved, his larger body was far too big to swim around. He looked over at Alex and placed his fins on the rim of tub to lean out and give an affirmative "Lan!". Alex frowned as he saw the huge puddle of water on the floor.

"Aw, Hunley... you're killing me with the splashing, here."

 The Lanturn looked down and saw his own mess, feeling guilty. He had forgotten to try and keep the water inside the tub. Alex grabbed a couple of towels to mop up the water and then hung them up to dry. He then grabbed the last few clean towels and laid them down on the relatively dry floor.

"There. That's for the next time you get out. Just try to keep it the tub, please?"

 Hunley responded with a "Turn... Lanturn." and ducked his head back under the water, happily blowing bubbles. Alex smiled and left the pokemon to his cramped, makeshift fishbowl as he closed the door behind him.

Alex smiled. "Alright. I'll see you guys in about an hour or so." He grabbed his bike, which was propped up next to the door. "Oh, and Char.... I'm also going to pick up a few extra fire extinguishers... just in case you have any more incidents."

The Charmeleon blushed. Yesterday she had accidentally caught the drapes on fire with her tail flame. Alex was there to see it and thankfully called out Hunley to stop the fire with a Water Gun, but nevertheless, the damage had already been done: Alex now needed new drapes.Â

Alex swore to her that it wasn't a big deal, but the incident had actually scared him greatly. If his lanlord ever found out, he would kick Alex out in an instant once he saw that Alex was keeping dangerous pokemon inside the building.

Yet his trust in his pokemon repeatedly got the better of Alex because he continued to let his Charmeleon wander the house.... albeit now only when Ty and Hunley were watching. He knew it was somewhat reckless to keep her out, but with Hunley around to douse any of the Charmeleon's accidents, he felt a bit safer. Smoke alarms also helped. Her tail flame wouldn't set them off because it burned clean, but if anything else caught fire.... he would know.

The trainer quickly said his goodbyes with a wave. He then headed outside to the apartment complex's hallway with bike in hand.

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After a few seconds, the Scyther laid back down on the couch with a grunt.

Ty looked up at the ceiling with a grin and spoke to the Charmeleon in his native pokemon tongue. "Ah... Fajitas! I can't wait. Alex makes 'em really good. He even has me help in the kitchen: I get tot everything up before he stir-fries it!" The Scyther exclaimed proudly. "You ever have fajitas, Char?"

The Charmeleon only continued to stare out the window and gave a sad sigh. ".... No."

The bug pokemon rolled over and looked her way. "Oh, not this again..." He gave her an annoyed look. "You're not going to breed him, Char... I've been by our owner's side for years. I know Alex... and he isn't interested. " Ty felt a bit protective of his trainer, and didn't like the idea that this newcomer pokemon wanted to breed with his trusted companion.

"He's not even in your egg group." The Scyther added.

She turned at looked back at Ty. "I just.... I want him to....."

"You're in heat. I've smelled it since yesterday. You're acting worse than usual."

She shot Ty an angry look, but then hung her head. "I know..... I wish he noticed. He could help. You know.... you could help too, Ty." She turned away, but looked back at the Scyther and licked her lips seductively.

He gave a surprised look and shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. "Um... well... Look, I'm not in your egg group, either.... "

"What do egg groups even have to do with anything?" the lizard asked derisively.

"Well.... I don't know, to be honest. I.... I've never bred. I just overhear things when other trainers talk about breeding... " Ty looked down, a bit embarrassed at his lack of experience.

The Charmeleon giggled. She thought his naivety was a bit cute. "Is that all?" She playfully asked.

"Well...." The Scyther pondered, staring at her tail. "I'd be scared out of my mind about catching a burn." Ty's mind filled with horrible thoughts of getting too close to her flames. Like most bug pokemon, the Scyther wasn't exactly fond of fire, though he had to admit the flames were mesmerising to watch.

She took a step towards him and leaned forward, placing a hand on the coffee table. "You're just giving excuses. You should try breeding sometimes, Ty... Its fun. More fun than battling..... " She winked at the Scyther.

The Scyther nervously scratched the back of his head with the back of his scythe. "Uh... heh. Well, maybe some other time." Ty laid down on his back and covered his eyes with a pillow to block the light. "I'm tired."

The Charmeleon was a bit put off by Ty's behavior, but she didn't push him further, deciding, as humans say, to let sleeping Snorlaxes lie. She turned back to the window and idly looked outside, barely realizing a claw was traveling down her belly and between her legs. A few minutes had passed by before she realized that already there was a claw pressing in between her swollen lips. She let out a soft grunt of pleasure.

The Scyther flinched at the noise. "Oh, for crying out loud... If you're gonna do that, I'll just sleep in Alex's room." Ty abruptly got up and disappeared down the hallway, but not before yelling out to her: "Just don't catch anything on fire or I'll have a fit!"

Ty then nudged the door to Alex's room closed, leaving the lizard to herself. She sighed and waited a moment, then turned her attention back to her own body.... The pokemon restlessly continued her claw's little exploration. Bracing herself against the window sill, she began to insert a claw deep into her own passage. She began to rock that claw in and out gently and gasped at the sensation, eager to fill herself up. Her thoughts inevitably turned to Alex as she continued, imagining him taking her in his muscular arms.... pressing her against his toned chest muscles... Her slit was already very wet from her heat, and her claw easily became soaked after a couple thrusts.

She had just begun her fingering session for only a few moments when she heard a loud sound.

 The sudden sound startled the Charmeleon, causing the pokemon to lose her focus. She froze in place, listening carefully.

The loud noise came again. The sound was a firm knock on the door. Someone was outside. The Charmeleon reluctantly removed her claws from her passage and cautiously crept towards the door. The knocking continued for a few more moments and she listened quietly on the other side. The knocking then stopped for a second and the pokemon heard a muffled voice from the hallway.

"Come on, Alex! You said I could stop by any time today!"

"This man knew Alex?" she thought. The pokemon weighed her options. She didn't trust strangers, but the pokemon reasoned that if this person knew her trainer, it might be important. She turned the lock and fumbled with the doorknob a bit before cautiously opening the door just a couple inches. She saw a young man in his late teens standing outside, dressed in traveling clothes and eating a sandwich.
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The man was a bit startled to see instead of Alex, a shy-looking Charmeleon staring at him from behind the door. He bent down to her level and smiled warmly. However, the pokemon backed away at his friendly gesture, closing the door until it was open only a crack and peeking out cautiously.

"Hey, girl... I'm a friend of Alex and I'm here to drop off a pokemon. He's gonna look after her while I'm away for a few days. Do you know anything about that?"

The Charmeleon slowly shook her head no.

The man frowned. "Well... Do you think it's ok if I wait inside?"

The Charmeleon shook her head no again.

The man pursed his lips, thinking. "Hm... Alex told me you like food. What if I let you have my sandwich?"

The Charmeleon's eyes lit up at the word "food". She paused for a moment, then tentatively nodded and opened the door wider. The man chuckled and handed over his half-eaten sandwich, which turned out to be peanut butter and strawberry jelly. She took the sandwich with a a happy "Char!" and ate with a content look on her face as the man let himself in, closing the door behind him.

"My name's Stephen. I'm friends with your trainer. I live on the other side of Goldenrod and I'm headed to this place called Shinnoh on a business trip. I asked your trainer to look after my Gardevoir while I'm gone." Stephen walked over to the nearest chair and sat down, content to wait for Alex to get back. The Charmeleon followed him as she ate, cautious enough to keep the stranger in her sight.

Stephen continued. "I'll be gone for a couple days so you'll get to know my Gardevoir. Her name is Haley and she's quite easy-going. I hope you two can get along." He smiled and gave her a pat on the head. The pokemon was so busy smacking her peanut butter-smeared lips that she barely noticed.

"Heh, you're the quiet type, aren't you? It's actually pretty cute."

The Charmeleon watched him talk as she finished the last bite and licked her claws clean of peanut butter. This human apparently liked to talk a lot, and continued to ramble as she watched. The pokemon pondered his use of the word "cute". She was very familiar with the word, as she was called that often by the customers at her old home in the brothel. It triggered memories... both good and bad, of her old life. She remembered the starvation and beatings... but also the constant sex. It also caused the pokemon to remember the ache deep in her pussy... the desire to breed.

Her heat... this trainer...

She had just realized that here she was just wishing for a mate not two minutes ago, and now she was alone.... with a trainer. And it was a nice trainer who gave her food... like Alex. Only he wasn't Alex: he didn't care for her like Alex did. Still... Alex still would not breed with her. This human might.

She mulled over the possibility of mating with him to satisfy her heat. Â It would be just like her old days at the brothel... No big deal. And if she couldn't have Alex in the mean time... Well, she reasoned that this human certainly wasn't a chance to pass up.

The Charmeleon looked up and smiled at him, drawing close to his lap. Stephen looked a bit confused at her sudden change in behavior. The pokemon let out a quiet "Char?" and placed a clawed hand on his thigh as he talked. She narrowed her eyes and gave a sly smile.

Stephen stopped and gave a quizzical look. "What's wrong? Do you want something?"

The Charmeleon shook her head yes and gave a firm "Char".

"What is it?"

The Charmeleon then placed her claws right on his crotch and groped him gently. She then looked up at him with a smile, searching for a reaction.

Stephen did not jump, and did not yell... he only opened his eyes wide in surprise and tensed up. However, the human did not make any objections. The Charmeleon took this as a good sign and continued to rub her claws across his pants. She gently squeezed the area, feeling his flaccid shaft underneath. Stephen's jaw dropped slightly and gave a short gasp. She looked up at him again and giggled.Â

"... You... Uh... want to...?"

The Charmeleon blushed and shook her head yes.

"Uh, heh.... Um.... Won't Alex be back soon?"

The Charmeleon shook her head no firmly.

Stephen bit his lip. He couldn't think of anything else to say. The fire lizard let out a pleased "Char!" at his silent consent and went back to his crotch. The pokemon trailed her claws up the front of Stephen's pants and found his zipper. She then grabbed it firmly and pulled down, unzipping him in one motion. Stephen felt his heart race. She was a pokemon... and she was coming on to him like a horny chick. He couldn't believe it. He looked down and watched her as the pokemon yanked his pants open with a grunt. The lizard then brought a claw to his boxers and grabbed his dick, squeezing it through the fabric. One thin layer of fabric was the only barrier between him and wandering, horny Charmeleon claws. The pokemon let out a pleased growl as she fondled the human.

Stephen gasped in surprise at her claws wrapping around his cock. He had never thought of pokemon as sexual creatures before.... yet here was this obviously horny Charmeleon trying to get in his pants. He was shocked by how up-front she was... and how fast this was all moving.... But he couldn't deny it all felt really good. He leaned back in his chair and spread his legs for her.

The Charmeleon churred and reached a claw down underneath the elastic on his boxers. Stephen jumped as he felt her claws touch his stiffening cock. She used her other hand to yank the waistband down and pull his dick free from its little cloth prison. The human watched with awe as the Charmeleon began to massage his shaft, squeezing and rubbing the loose foreskin gently. Her sharp claws delicately grasped his member, and her tough skin was slightly cool to the touch. Her hands felt amazing to Stephen, and more than a bit naughty coming from a pokemon, but he loved it. His cock was already more than half erect due to the squeezing and rubbing of her surprisingly gentle claws.

"This... this is insane... I've never even imagined sex with... a pokemon before...." Stephen panted.

The horny fire lizard gave him a lusty smile and an excited "Meleon!"

"Do you.... you know, with Alex?"

The Charmeleon gave a disgruntled look and turned her head away. Clearly, he had touched a nerve.

"Hmph... okay. I'm sorry... Please, don't stop."

"Charmeleon!" the pokemon looked up at him and happily agreed. She continued to stroke his shaft firmly, staring back at Stephen intently. The Charmeleon was antsy. Right now, there was cock in in front of her. Cock that needed to be in her aching cunt.

But first she needed to finish getting the human erect.

The pokemon stepped in between Stephen's legs and spread them wider with a nudge. She then leaned forward and put her lips to the head of his shaft. The human let out a gasp as she ran her lips over it a few times before lapping at his flesh softly. She mouthed at the loose skin on the underside of his cock a bit, enjoying the feel of his firm organ. She then opened wide and placed the first few inches of his shaft in her mouth. The pokemon had done this many times before at the brothel... and it was always an effective tactic.

"Oh man..." Stephen moaned. "I had no idea... that pokemon were capable of something like this..." He caused the Charmeleon to chuckle.

Indeed, the human had already grown to nearly full arousal by the time she began to suckle at his cock head. She then closed her eyes and pushed her snout lower on his shaft, and began to bob her head slowly. Her strong tongue massaged the underside of his shaft, showing a patient experience the human would have never expected. Stephen moaned softly at her efforts. Her mouth felt like an oven... it was expected for a fire-type, and more than a bit pleasant. Her soft sucking motions and undulating tongue worked in perfect unison. He couldn't believe this... she was just too good. Its like she had done this before.... many times before, in fact.

He didn't know it, but Stephen was very right about that little thought.

The Charmeleon may have only started battling a week ago, but it was very incorrect to say she was not a highly trained and experienced pokemon.... though exactly what she was trained in was a different matter altogether. The pokemon was very familiar with the ways of human breeding from her old life at the brothel. She knew well the various turn-ons and sensations that humans preferred... and she exploited them all with great effectiveness.

The fire lizard soon tasted a bit of pre in the back of her mouth, and she savored the flavor before coming off of him and giving the shaft a firm squeeze and licking at the tip. He was ready.

"Mmmm... I want your cock so bad.... I need it in me!" She cried.

The human heard only "Mmmm... Meleonnn... Char-meleon char!" but she thought he got the gist.

Relaxing in the bathtub just down the hallway, the Lanturn had heard the Charmeleon as well. Hunley was a bit confused at the outside voices at first, but what he heard just now was more than enough to know exactly what was going on.

Hunley bit down on the water valve and turned it, starting up the shower. He then flipped the bath plug, so he could drain the standing water. The pokemon knew he could at least drown out the sounds coming from outside and relaxed under the massaging spray of warm water. The Lanturn sighed. "Just as long as she doesn't make a habit out of this..." he thought.

Outside, neither human nor the pokemon paid much attention to the sound of the running water from the bathroom. The Charmeleon gave his firm erection one last squeeze and then surprised Stephen by jumping up on his lap. She straddled his legs and stared into his eyes as she pressed her belly up against his saliva-covered shaft, grinding against him. Her cunt ached with a burning desire, and the pokemon could wait no more. She placed her hands on his shoulders and lifted her self up. The Charmeleon's claw snaked down below her legs, grabbing his shaft firmly and giving it another squeeze. She then lowered herself on the human. Once she felt his tip pressed between her folds she moaned softly and began to lower herself down.

The poor guy could barely believe what was happening. He had just walked in to drop off a pokemon and 10 minutes later he was being screwed by an incredibly horny Charmeleon. He looked down at her body, taking in the whole scene.

The pokemon's hips were pressed against his and she was pulling herself up on his shoulders to help lift her body up. Her slit, normally somewhat inconspicuous for her species, was slightly puffed with arousal and pink on the inside. Her inner lips were spread wide on his cock. Above her vagina, nestled in the top of her slit was a small hood that hid her clitoris. The Charmeleon's head was bent down, intent on watching her own body... her tongue hung out and her expression was full of lust.

The Charlemeon's passage felt like a furnace, and her small size made for a somewhat tight fit. She humped against him wildly, excited to get a real fucking for the first time since before she was captured. Her claws traveled to the human's chest as she began to grind her hips on him, eager to feel some deep penetration. She caressed Stephen's chest muscles, crooning at the feel of his modestly toned pecs. She then leaned forward and wrapped her hands around his strong back, resting her head on his shoulders. She squeezed the human in a hug as she continued to hump him, caressing his skin through his shirt with her claws.

Neither of them noticed as the chair began to rock. The weight of the Charmeleon leaning into the human, combined with her aggressive humping pushed back their center of gravity, and suddenly, there was a creak as the chair began to tip backwards. The Charmeleon let out a shriek and the human yelled as they fell to the ground with a loud thunk.

Meanwhile, in Alex's room, a groggy Scyther grumbled at the muffled crash coming from the living room. He had just fallen back asleep when the sound had startled him.

"If she broke anything, I'll smack her so hard she won't even remember how many teeth I will have knocked out." He thought, only half serious. As Alex had put him in charge, Ty felt obligated to go out and inspect the disturbance... but right now the pokemon was comfortably sleepy and the last thing he wanted to do was get up. Ty decided to let things slide just this once. He nosed his head under Alex's pillow and tried to fall back asleep.

With the chair on the ground, Stephen was now on his back, and the Charmeleon was planted on top of him, having almost been thrown off in the fall. She giggled at their unexpected little accident and leaned forward, placing her claws on his chest. She then licked her lips and stared at the human with eyes full of lust and continued to hump him. Using her legs for leverage, she slammed her hips down on his crotch repeatedly, savoring every thrust. Her juices were smearing Stephen's boxers and jeans, but he didn't even give it a second thought.

The encounter was so exotic to him... being seduced by a horny pokemon: it felt so naughty... And she was so good, too. He wondered where Alex had gotten her... but he found it hard to concentrate with the fire lizard's hot vent enveloping his shaft. He began to moan softly the pressure inside of her increased due to her quickening pace. Stephen started thrusting his hips gently into her as she aggressively humped him, causing the pokemon to churr in pleasure once more.

The Charmeleon was already approaching her climax, as her heat had made her sensitive and easy to pleasure. She gave a soft grunt every time she came down on him, and grabbed at his shirt. She leaned in close to him and said:

"I want your seed, Stephen. Come inside me!"

Of course, all Stephen heard was a whispery, sexy "Charmeleon, Charm. Me-leon char!" But he thought it was pretty hot regardless.

It was just enough to push him over the edge. Groaning, he began to thrust up into her hard, pleasantly surprising the Charmeleon. His sudden thrusts caused her to shiver, and she hit her own orgasm just as the human released his spunk into her depths. She gripped his shirt hard, not realizing that her sharp claws were tearing through the fabric, and moaned under her breath. She bounced on him in a frenzy, feeling his shaft throb in her depths, and enjoying the faint sensation of his warm cum being shot deep inside of her. Her legs quivered and her back arched as she rode out her pleasure to the end.

Coming off her high, the pokemon began to relax and looked down at her mate. Stephen's wide-eyed expression made it clear that was still in shock of the whole ordeal, but both of them knew he definitely enjoyed it. She giggled and lied on top of him, giving the human a hug. The human began to feel his wits return to him, and started to feel a bit awkward in the afterglow.

He muttered to himself: "Holy shit, what did I just do!? I... I just screwed a pokemon..." He couldn't believe it.

Snapping out of his little revelation, Stephen looked up at the Charmeleon cuddling against him. She looked content.... happy.... cute.  He returned the hug graciously. The pokemon gave a satisfied sigh as she felt his arms embrace her and nuzzled his cheek. It had been an incredible orgasm for her, sating her desires adequately, and she relished the opportunity of post-sex cuddling.

After a few moments of quiet embrace, Stephen felt the need to gently push her away.

"Hey..." He whispered. "Um... I think we should clean up... for when your trainer comes back."

The Charmeleon blinked, looked back at him and gave a short nod. She reasoned that Alex might be back soon. The pokemon climbed off of the human reluctantly.

"I'm just... well, you're... Um, that was just amazing, by the way." He stammered. Stephen then gave her a pat on the head to show his gratitude. "I never even imagined a pokemon would want to have sex like that... Oh, and, um...  let's keep this a secret, please....  Can you do that?" The Charmeleon gave him a smile.

...

Alex unlocked the door to his apartment and guided his bike through the narrow doorway. A backpack full of groceries and small, home-use fire extinguishers was slung on his back. Once inside, Alex was surprised to be greeted by a friend of his. Stephen was on the couch, watching TV with the Charmeleon.

"Steve? Holy crap, I forgot you were stopping by with your Gardevoir today. My bad."

"Nah, that's ok..."Stephen shrugged. "I haven't been waiting too long... I've just been watching some TV for a bit."

"Hey, how did you get in?"

Stephen looked at the Charmeleon with a smile. "Food."

Alex sighed. "Ugh... I'll have a talk with her about letting strangers in the apartment. I'm surprised Ty didn't do something." He scratched his head.

"Hm. I haven't seen him" Stephen replied.

"Ah, well... Maybe he's asleep in my room again... So, how's it going, man?"

The two friends continued the pleasantries for a few more minutes as the Charmeleon aimlessly continued to watch the moving pictures on the screen. Stephen nonchalantly explained that his ripped shirt was from a freak wild Sentret attack, and that the chair's newly cracked back brace was entirely his fault when he leaned back to stretch and fell over. He offered to pay, but Alex told him it wasn't a big deal. Stephen then brought out his Gardevior and went through the usual meet-and-greet before giving Alex a list of do's and dont's of handling his pokemon, her likes and dislikes, and a few extra important things to know.

"... Now I know you don't like psychic pokemon so I asked Haley to keep her mind reading abilities to herself. Just remember to bring her along for a battle or two so she doesn't get bored, okay?"

"Got it."

After having a few words with his pokemon, Stephen returned Haley back to her ball and handed it over to Alex, before thanking him for the favor and getting on his way.

Alex took a look at his Charmeleon and grinned. "Looks like it's gonna get a little crowded, here."

...

Making dinner was fun. Alex had all 4 pokemon around the kitchen. He was right about earlier: it WAS pretty crowded.... but still: definitely fun. Hunley was sitting at one of the chairs, propping himself over the back brace with his fins and eagerly watching. Ty was standing on the kitchen stool in front of the counter, excitedly chopping away at the the meat and vegetables. When Ty finished a batch, he would gather up the food on a scythe and scrape it off over the frying pan for Alex to stir fry. The Charmeleon was pressed up between Alex and the stove, bringing her nose as close as it could get to the pan, trying to smell everything. And Haley, Stephen's Gardevoir, was silently watching from the threshold of the kitchen. Alex had asked the two girls to set the table, and watched as plates and pokemon food dishes floated across the room from Gardevoir's telekenetic powers while the lizard picked out silverware and a glass for her trainer.

 Every so often, Alex would give a nervous glance at the Gardevoir... he tried hard not to, but couldn't help himself. Psychic-type pokemon unnerved Alex. He didn't like how many could read minds and know what you were thinking... it creeped him out. Having his private thoughts being constantly sensed by someone else just really made him feel uncomfortable. He even heard stories of particularity powerful pokemon that could induce limited forms of mind control through hypnotic suggestion. It always made him wonder if some pokemon could manipulate their trainers to do their bidding. He knew it sounded ludicrous, but still... potentially, it could happen.

Alex knew that the entire Ralts evolutionary line could naturally sense other people's emotions. That only made things worse. He knew she felt his awkwardness... she felt that Alex was uncomfortable with her abilities... And that made the situation even more awkward for him because she floated there saying nothing about it. As he stirred the contents of the sizzling pan, he only felt the tension in the room rise even more as she remained silent.

Finally, Alex snapped.

He put the spatula down and turned to the Gardevoir. "Look, Haley.... I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Alex." The Gardevoir replied through telepathy, relaying thoughts directly into his mind.

 ...That was another psychic trait that unnerved him.

"It's just that-"

"I know. You feel uncomfortable about my ability to read emotions and thoughts. I've felt that about you for some time."

Alex pursed his lips. "You reading my thoughts and cutting me off before I can explain myself is not helping, Haley. I'd like it if you could stop."

The Gardevoir looked down. "I apologize. Sensing emotions and reading minds are things that comes naturally to me... but, I will try to limit my habits."

Alex turned back to the simmering skillet and added some more oil. He frowned, feeling like he treated her a bit harsh. He decided to mediate things a little. "Hey... I just want you to know that... Well, I'm trying to adjust too. Just because I'm not used to your abilities does not mean I dislike you. I just want you to know that."

The psychic type put a hand to her chest and bowed gently. "I know... Thank you, Alex."

Alex couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. "She... knew?" Was she reading his mind then? Was she reading it right now, even? Alex frowned, but said nothing. He had no option but to trust the pokemon's word that she would keep out of his head.

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Several minutes later, everyone was situated around the table. Alex had prepared enough fajita bowls to feed a small town. The food was delicious and everyone ate in silence, too engorged in the meal to talk. Alex, the Gardevoir, Charmeleon, and Scyther all ate at the small table. The Lanturn was the odd man out, as the kitchen table was too small to seat five. It mattered little to him: Hunley was content to have his food dish placed on the kitchen stool where it was at an easy-to-reach height.

Alex loved watching Ty eat. It was a little guilty pleasure of his.... mostly because it was so unintentionally funny. The poor bug type had arms but no hands, so he often had to stuff his face in his food, looking like he was in a pie eating contest... or better yet, he tried to pick stuff up between his scythes and guide it to his mouth. Either way could end in a sloppy mess, depending on the type of food.

And with all the tiny grains of rice, sour cream, chopped meat, and vegetables... fajitas were one of those foods.

The Scyther had cleared most of his bowl easily enough, but the last few bits of meat and rice were giving him massive trouble. Alex watched intently, trying to hide a smile, as Ty scraped some onto a scythe and flicked it in the direction of his mouth. Over the years Ty had gotten pretty good at this, but sometimes it still ended up in disaster.... like this time.

Bits of rice and cheese flew across the room as his Scyther tried to land some in his open jaws. Alex burst out laughing when Ty tried again and snapped at the air wildly as rice grains hit him in the face and stuck to the wall behind him. The Scyther then grumbled something and sat back on his stool, staring angrily at his mostly-finished plate. He was done for the night.

"Oh, come on, Ty.... don't be like that." Alex teased. "I know you were looking forward to this meal all day today. Here.... how about I spoon the rest for you?" He grabbed his spoon to gather up some strips of meat and offered it to the pokemon. The Scyther turned his head away stubbornly, not wanting to be fed like a baby. He gave a disgruntled sounding "Scy!"

Alex couldn't hide his grin as he raised the spoon a little higher. He then spoke to the pokemon in a taunting tone of voice. "Ty... I'm gonna let Hunley eat it if you don't." The Lanturn picked up his head at the trainer's words.

The Scyther looked at his trainer once, giving him a grumpy look, before tentatively leaning forward and opening his mouth. Alex offered the food with a chuckle. Ty closed his mouth around the spoon and took the entire mouthful. As he savored the delicious flavor of the spiced meat, the Scyther couldn't help but let his grumpy expression slowly disappear. Despite himself, he really enjoyed Alex's cooking. Ty swallowed and happily opened his mouth again, and Alex laughed, spooning another bit of meat off of the Scyther's dish and letting his pokemon continue to eat.

...

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When dinner was over, most of the pokemon cleared out the kitchen, content to lounge about and let their stretched bellies begin to digest. But as Alex started cleaning the dishes, he noticed that the Gardevoir lingered behind.

Alex didn't look up from the sink as he called out to her. "Yes, Haley? What is it?"

He heard the pokemon's melodic voice appear in his head. "I just wanted to thank you for dinner. It was delicious."

Alex smiled. "Better than Stephen's cooking?"

The Gardevoir blushed. "... Definitely." and Alex shared a laugh with the pokemon.

"Hey...." Alex trailed off, just remembering a great opportunity. "Haley, the Charmeleon that I own used to live with someone else. I was wondering.... since I don't have a name for her yet, if you could ask her what her old name was?"

The Gardevoir smiled. "Of course, Alex. I'll be right back." The psychic type then gracefully floated out of the room.

Alex turned back to his dishes, a bit excited. He was finally gonna know what to call his Charmeleon....

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...

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... However, over a half hour had passed, and Haley had not reappeared. "Where did she go?", he wondered. Alex had just finished cleaning the dishes and was drying his hands when he decided to go find her. However, no sooner than he took a step out of the kitchen that she found the pokemon coming in his direction.

"Ah! There you are!"

"Alex...." The Gardevoir's melodious voice appeared in his mind. "I apologize. Me and your Charmeleon were talking for a moment. As for your pokemon....." She suddenly paused and closed her eyes.

Alex waited a bit, before speaking up. "Yea? What's her name?" He was eager to find out.

The pokemon flinched, as if momentarily distracted. "Ah. Sorry... She told me her name is... Amber. She sounded pleased to finally let you know."

Alex pondered the name. "Hmm...Amber. It fits. It really does fit." He smiled broadly. "Thanks, Haley. I really appreciate it."

She bowed her head slightly. "You're welcome, Alex."

She turned and left. Satisfied, Alex went to the bathroom to take an evening shower, whistling along the way.

...

Moments later, the Gardevoir reappeared next to the Charmeleon, who was alone, idly watching some dumb reality TV show about pokemon beauty contests with the lights off. She turned to the psychic type eagerly.

"Well... did you tell him?" she whispered.

"Amber..." The Gardevoir paused. "I... I took a glimpse into the future as I talked to him. I foresaw that it was not a good time to mention it."

"I see.... " her shoulders drooped.

The Gardevoir comforted the fire lizard. "Amber... I feel for you. I really do. You've come from a difficult past and you are a stronger Charmeleon for persevering through it. And I understand that you have powerful feelings for your new master... but getting him to come around will take time."

"I... I know, Haley. Thank you." She stared back at the TV screen, not really paying attention to it. "You know, that's the same thing he told me... that getting me to come around will take time..."

"Alex seems convinced that your behavior is born out of habit, not feelings, which is why he tries to discourage it. He wants you to forget your past life."

The Charmeleon mulled over her words in silence. She needed to prove him wrong.

"Hey... I was wondering something... " the Charmeleon eventually spoke up. "Would you ever... want to breed with your trainer?"

"Stephen, my master?" The Gardevoir mulled over the thought. "Well... maybe. I had considered it before. But my trainer has never shown an interest in it, not even a latent thought.... I would have known otherwise. He has no desire to, and I respect his preferences and will not press the matter."

The Charmeleon listened carefully, saying nothing. However, the Gardevoir sensed the lizard's emotions and felt grief.... Hearing the Gardevoir talk of respect to her trainer made the fire-type realize that she had not been entirely respectful to her own trainer's wishes.

 "... I do not mean to discourage you, Amber. Your decision is your own to make, and I support you in your efforts."

The Charmeleon got up and paced. Her tail flame cast dancing shadows in the dark room as she walked. "Well... did you at least look into Alex's mind and see if he might have.... preferences?"

The Gardevoir shook her head. "My master has commanded me to obey your trainer for the time being, and Alex has asked me to limit my view into his psyche. Therefore I have kept my head out of his thoughts when possible. However..." She gave a wry smile. "Perhaps I could make an exception."

The Charmeleon graciously looked up at the psychic type floating just off the ground. "Thank you, Haley.... Thank you so much! You're very kind."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Amber. Don't mention it. Like I said... I feel for your situation and respect your inner strength. Just hang in there." She sensed the lizard's emotions, feeling excitement... Amber was busy thinking she and Alex could finally come to an understanding.

Haley closed her eyes again, and began searching the future for helpful knowledge. She focused her psychic energy, concentrating hard until whispers of images and voices flashed through her mind. She sifted through the visions carefully as they whirled around in her mind, trying to pick out one that could help Amber. Suddenly, she saw it: a vision of Alex and Amber.... And another man. She paused and focused hard on the vision.

 This man... he was on a bike. There was coldness in his heart. He and Alex were yelling. There was a blast of fire.... a big explosion.... and..... crying. Who was crying? She could not find the source. Focusing again, she searched the future for more clues.

Amber watched the Gardevoir intently, trying to read the tense expressions on her face. Haley stayed deep in concentration for over 15 minutes. After a while, the Gardevoir suddenly opened her eyes with a gasp.

"What is it?" The lizard asked.

The Gardevoir paused and turned away. "Amber.... I urge you to stay close to Alex in the near future. Stay out of your pokeball, Walk with him, eat with him, watch TV with him.... just stay by his side when you can. Something important will happen."

The Charmeleon was confused. "What? Can't you just tell me what happens?"

Haley closed her eyes. "I only can tell you what I hear, feel, and see.... and most of what I learn is more vague than not. Predicting the future is not as simple as recalling a memory. It's... hard to explain."

"Well, what did you see?" The Charmeleon asked.

The Gardevoir turned away. "Amber... I saw a man on a bike. And I saw the experience was.... difficult for you. You will feel that you should avoid him at all costs, but do not listen to your emotions. You should confront him."

The fire lizard looked worried but said nothing.

Haley paused. "I also saw one more thing.... It was a faint vision.... usually that means it's only a possibility, not a certainty."

Amber was tripping over her words. "Go on..."

"Well, you and Alex were sharing an embrace in the dark. A long, quiet embrace..... And you..." She blushed "Were leaning in for a kiss."

The Charmeleon opened up her eyes wide and jumped up. "REALLY?"

The psychic-type tempered her excitement. "Be calm, Amber... and listen. The future is never set in stone. It is rare to have a vision clear enough to be certain of it's accuracy. You must plan your actions carefully and act wisely if you want your fortune to become reality. Like I said... you should stay by his side for the next few days."

Amber was giddy. "Oh, thank you, Haley! Thank you thank you!" She spun around in a circle.

Just then, both pokemon heard the door to the bathroom open. Alex appeared in the doorway, with a towel around his waist. Hunley was right behind him grinning broadly, having gotten to enjoy his second warm shower of the day.

"Ok, everyone... it's time for bed!"

He walked over to the counter and grabbed his pokeballs before turning around. He went back to the bathroom, where Hunley waited at the threshold of the doorway.

"Goodnight, Hunley." he said with a smile.

The Lanturn let out a happy "Lan!" and shook water off his body as Alex activated his pokeball and recalled the pokemon in a flash of red light.

 The pokemon overheard Alex as he walked down the hallway and out of sight. "Comeon, Ty... where are you-Ah, get out of my bed, you lazy bug...."Â

 The Charmeleon then heard Ty yawn loudly, before letting out a groggy "Scy...". She then heard the sound of Alex recalling him to his pokeball.Â

Alex then came up to the two female pokemon, still wrapped in his towel.

The Gardevoir looked at Alex for a moment, and the two stared in silence for a few seconds. Alex then replied "Haley... goodnight to you too", and suddenly the Gardevoir was gone.

The Charmeleon smiled broadly, her mind already thinking about what could happen in the next few days. She kept her eyes on her trainer as he activated her pokeball. "Amber... goodnight to you as well" he said. The Charmeleon's heart welled up inside as she heard her trainer speak her name for the first time. Immediately, she felt a warm, red light envelope her body as she was transferred to her pokeball...

... She would sleep well tonight.