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Warning this contains death and dismemberment, and is a work in progress that may also include Lemons or similar content nothing decided yet. I do not own Pokémon or associated media. If you do not like the described content do not read.
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Authors Note: okay guys sorry for the delay this chapter has some Mature elements, no lemons.
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Truth or Fear

Nicole found herself atop a windswept tower; rain stung at her eyes blurring her vision as she over looked a vast forest. She turned to see her trainer standing amidst the storm facing down a monstrous opponent. With a deafening roar the creature charged forward, as Victini cried out only to discover her lack of voice. She could see Arthur turn to look back at her; fear evident in his eyes before he was thrown into the air like a doll swept away by the wind.

Nicole felt her inners clench as she chased after her helpless trainer once he disappeared over the edge of the tower his white coat fluttering around him like broken wings, “ARTHUR…!”

She screamed reaching out for him with her tiny fingers unable to catch him as they passed through the branches of the trees below. She crashed to the ground, landing several feet away from her trainer’s unmoving body. Slowly the tiny Pokémon made her way over to the boy’s form, unable to clearly see him through the down pour.
He was looking at her his eyes hollow, and his breath shallow, “Arthur…?” She squeaked feeling scared, “Arthur, please…”

“Nicole…” He voice was soft, almost nonexistent as he lifted his shaking fingers toward her. Victini held them against her cheek, weeping softly.

“Arthur, I’m so sorry… please… please… I love you… I… I…” She felt his fingers slacken as his strength left his arm. She looked back at his dark brown eyes to see the life slowly fade from them. “No… no don’t leave me… I… I don’t want to be alone… Please… ARTHUR…” Nicole shook her head as heat began to radiate from her tiny form. “No, I won’t let you go,” She screamed as she poured her power into his hand.

Arthur awoke to a burning sensation in his hand. He glanced over abruptly to see the glowing Victini clinging to his wrist. “Shit, AURA!”

The Lucario snapped awake looking to her trainer to see him trying to wake Nicole as the smell of burning flesh assaulting her nose “Arthur what’s going on,”

With every shake the boy gave the Victini clung tighter increasing in temperature scorching his flesh, “Aura, get me something anything to wake her up!”

“On it,” she replied running over to his bag. She tore open the pouch that held the berries spilling an assortment out onto the ground searching for a Chesto Berry.

“Aura hurry!” Arthur grunted as the pain intensified. Finally the Lucario caught hold the blue acorn shaped berry and tossed it to her trainer. He nimbly caught the berry before pressing it to Nicole’s mouth, jolting her awake. She looked around confused until she caught sight of the worried expression on her trainer face.

“Arthur!” she cried latching onto his neck, tears streaming down her face.

“Shh, I’m here, it was just a dream,” he said wrapping his arm around her in a tight embrace. Pain emanated from his left hand as he inspected it over Nicole’s shoulder, the charred flesh took the shape of a near perfect ‘V’ on the back of his hand.

“Are you going to be okay?” the Lucario asked standing over the pair.

“Yeah it’s just a burn, I’ll be fine,” Arthur replied quietly not wanting to alarm the distressed Victini any further, “bring me a cold pack,”

~ A...are you hurt? ~ Nicole mentally conveyed, pushing out of his grasp. She caught sight of the V shaped burn on Arthur’s hand, recognizing it as a burn from her forcing too much energy into his arm.

~ I, I’m sorry! ~ She gasped

“No, no it’s fine; don’t worry about it okay, I’ll be fine,” the trainer said covering the burn.

~ No, no you’re not fine, I, I burned you, ~ she stuttered floating farther away from the teen.

“Nicole wait!” he called but the Victini already disappeared into the forest. Arthur fought free from his sleeping bag and tore off into the dark after her.

“Aura stay here and keep an eye on the camp!” he called back.

“I’ll get the fire going then,” the Lucario replied weakly. Arthur could never keep up with Nicole when she was in full flight, but she seldom flew very far. The only problem that the trainer faced was that she could turn invisible if she really wanted to hide; he circumvented this by using aura sight. Though he wasn't as skilled at it as Aura was he could still make out the brilliant orange flame that marked the invisible Victini off in the distance. The trainer slowly made his way to the distant flicker until he found himself in an empty grove nestled next to a slow moving river.

“Nicole, please show yourself, I’m not angry or anything, I’m just worried,” he said to the moonlit clearing.

~ I’m sorry I burned you, ~ the trainer heard in his head.

“I forgive you, but I really don’t blame you; you were having a nightmare,”

~ But I should start sleeping alone then I won’t hurt you anymore, ~ the unseen Victini replied. Nicole’s voice betrayed how scared she was about the prospect

“No Nicole I know that you can’t sleep alone, besides a tired, cranky pyrokinetic fairy is a frightful thing to behold,” Arthur jested, “now do you want to tell me about that dream.”

~ You fell, I… I couldn’t save you, ~ the Victini explained as she dropped out of her invisibility. The trainer sighed and moved to hug the little fairy, “Nicole you are a very strong Victini, and you have a heart of gold. I am glad that you care for me, but if you feel that you’re not strong enough to save me then I will help you get stronger, I promise. I’ll even teach you some more first aid stuff okay.”

~ Thanks Arthur that… helps, ~ she replied returning the hug, ~ but first let’s get that burn taken care of. ~

“Oh it’s not that bad, it hasn’t fallen off yet,” he joked to relieve the tension, “Come on let’s get back before Aura starts looking for us,”

The Lucario sat next to the small fire pit stoking the coals to life bringing light to the clearing. She was silently lamenting on the events of the months prior, it had started with the death of her mate under the watch of her trainer. Even though time had diminished her pain she couldn’t bring herself to forgive Arthur just yet, but she no longer wanted to lash out at him.

“Fire!” called a shrill voice. The Lucario jumped at the cry, she scanned the trees looking for the source.

“Where’s the fire?” she asked in response worried.

“Where fire?! There fire!” responded a Chatot fluttering down from a high branch gesturing to the small fire pit.

“How cute, a tiny bird thinking himself brave to fight a small camp fire,” she mused relieved that there was no real forest fire.

“Tiny bird thinking himself brave, fight stupid Lucario,” it huffed annoyed.

“Stupid bird,”

“Stupid Lucario,” it jabbed back

“Do me a favor and shut up,” the Lucario snapped venomously.

“Do me a favor and shut up,” the Chatot copied with a smirk.

“Go away,”

“Go away,”

“Don’t make me hurt you,” Aura threatened

“Don’t make me hurt you,” the Chatot cheerfully mimicked

Aura got a sly smile and said, “I’m an idiot,”

The little bird had the look of surprise and amusement, “Yes, yes you are,”

The Lucario’s eye twitched out of annoyance as she primed an aura sphear.

“Hadouken!” the Chatot shrieked as it jumped in time to avoid the blast.

“Stupid bird,” she whispered to the retreating bird.

“Hadouken!” it retorted spitefully as it fired back a similar sphere. Aura barely dodged the bolt in time, rolling away and dropping into a low stance. Light gathered between her paws, the Flash Cannon glowed brightly casting harsh shadows about the camp site.

“Uh oh,”

Arthur and Nicole neared the clearing that they were camped, but they were stopped by a blinding flash, and a loud squawk. A small Chatot landed before them still smoking from a Flash Cannon.

“Uh I think Aura is making friends,” the Trainer said scooping up the tiny bird.

~ I’ll get a potion, ~ the Victini sighed floating into the clearing.

“Aura, why did you shoot this poor bird with a Flash Cannon?” Arthur asked as he walked into the camp.

“Because he is a stupid bird that wouldn’t leave me alone,” she retorted

“That is no reason to pick on poor defenseless Chatots,”

“Defenseless my ass he shot an aura sphere at me,”

“He can’t learn aura sphere, and he could only mimic them once he sees how its done, which means you fired first,” the trainer scolded petting the Chatot’s head. Nicole returned with a super potion which Arthur accepted.

“Chatots are almost unheard of here in Unova kid, where you released?” the trainer asked as he sprayed the potion on the weakened bird. It whistled a conformation as the potion took effect.

“Probably for annoying its trainer with its incessant mimicking,” the Lucario huffed folding her arms.

“Don’t be like that Aura; he’s probably just a release from an old storage box,” Arthur replied knowing that he had released most of his Pokémon when he stepped down from the championship.

“Why would a storage system administrator release a nonnative Pokémon into the forests of Unova?” Aura retorted smugly.

“Well then it’s a good idea to catch him then,”

“What no, he’s a bird, he’ll be just like Myrtle and she was enough of a terror,” the Lucario bit back remembering the antics of the team’s flyer.

“Myrtle was a Honchkrow, they not known to be great team players Aura. This little guy is a harmless Chatot, they’re sweet and mild mannered, and I like him,” the trainer recounted as Aura rolled her eyes, “anyway do you have a name kid,”

“Name! Name! Name! Name Pete!” it chirped excitedly hopping up onto Arthur’s shoulder

“Ouch, watch it Pete that shoulder’s injured,” the teen hissed easing the Chatot back onto his hand.

~ don’t go hopping on the other shoulder either that’s my perch, ~ Nicole warned, but the bird could see that the Victini was kind unlike that mean Lucario

“Don’t worry about it too much Pete once my shoulder is healed a little more you can sit up there, but right now let’s get you a pokeball,”

“I still don’t like him,” Aura protested, “but you’re the trainer, he better not be another Myrtle.”

“He’s not going to be another Myrtle…he’s not a dark type. Now since you’re the cause of his injuries and you still oppose his addition to this team; you will learn to get along with him or so help me I will sic Nicole on you,” Arthur said in a tone of finality, while the Victini gave a cute growl. The trainer fished out a pokeball from his pack and popped it open; it was a practice that Arthur implemented to remove the obedience chip from all of his pokeballs before offering it to the team member-to-be. Pete remained on Arthur’s hand allowing the trainer to touch the modified device to it. In a flash of light the tiny bird vanished into the confines of the pokeball, soon the ball dinged signifying a successful capture.

“Well it’s about an hour before sunrise shall we get some breakfast going,” Arthur said releasing the newly caught Chatot.

~ Sounds good, ~ replied Nicole, ~ but we’re just about to Skyarrow so I suggest something light. ~

“Agreed,” Aura nodded.

“Okay, Aura could you break out some more berries while I release Jack and Link, they need to be informed about Pete.” The trainer added as he moved to his bag to grab his belt and a handful of trail mix, “here you go Pete, I’m pretty sure that you’re fairly hungry.”

Lastly the teen removed two pokeballs from his belt, releasing a paralyzed Floatzel and a three legged Glaceon,” Jack, Link this is Pete he’ll be joining our team,”

The Floatzel beckoned Nicole over so she could help him get propped up against the bag. Pete found the fact that the weasel couldn’t move a whole lot on his own fascinating, and promptly settled down next to him.

~ It seems that he and Link get along already, ~ Nicole remarked as she settled next to Arthur, bandages and a cold pack in hand.

“Link can get along with almost anybody, and Pete lacks the bad vibe that I got with Myrtle,” he responded.

~ Is that why you gave her to your sister, ~

“Yeah it was one reason, but also Myrtle wanted to keep battling in the league, and she wanted to keep my sister safe, I guess she just didn’t like men,”

~ Yeah that’s right she just started her journey, ~ Nicole finished tending to the burn on Arthur’s hand, ~ there you go, it’ll leave a scar unfortunately, ~

“I’m not worried about it, besides it’s a Victory scar, add that to the Victory Charm and you the Victory Pokémon, I have three times the Victory,” Arthur jested earning a punch from the Victini.

“So how are you holding up?” Jack asked as he settled down next to Aura.

“I miss him, but I think I’m getting better,” the she responded, “I wonder how my kids are holding up. I’m pretty sure Lily’s told them by now.”

“Don’t worry too much about them Lily’s a good mom,” the Glaceon sighed, “but you shouldn’t blame Arthur. What happened was a tragedy, and if anyone is to be blamed its team Plasma. Still that doesn’t stop me from missing Captain.”

“Weren’t you two at odds with each other all the time?”

“We were, but he was truly a good friend and teammate. We watched each other’s backs, except that last time. You see I was occupied with the dragon chewing off my leg while he was busy pummeling the Bisharp into a bloody paste.”

“You were in your ball when he died?”

“Yeah but from what I was told one of the grunts ordered a Focus Blast, it missed and slammed into the ceiling.”

“I see,” the Lucario nodded, “I don’t think I can continue to travel with Arthur anymore. He’s been a great trainer, but I just want to… be with my kids.”

“Look Aura I’ll stay in Nimbasa for a little while. I’ll train to get my agility back, and with any luck Arthur will let me continue traveling with him; one thing I love more than beautiful women is seeing the world.”

“Thanks Jack I appreciate the support,” Aura smiled wrapping an arm around the Glaceon, knowing the real reason why he’s staying behind, “you might not be good with kids, but you’re a good friend,”

“I’ll visit as often as I can when I’m traveling, and I’ll make sure Arthur visit as well.”

Soon the ragtag group set out for Castelia City arriving at Skyarrow Bridge shortly before the sky began to turn red with the evening.

“I’m going to jog up a head, give myself some time to think,” Aura informed before setting into a swift jog, creating a lot of distance between her and the main group.

“Okay,” the trainer grunted in reply to the distant Lucario as he shifted under the weight of the paralyzed Floatzel he was carrying.

~ Arthur how about I take Link so you can see if you can catch up to Aura, ~ Nicole suggested, ~ besides you need to bleed off that excess energy I gave you this morning. ~

“If you say so,” Arthur sighed allowing the Victini to grip Link in Telekinesis before setting into a brisk pace to catch up to the Lucario.

“Pete, go make sure that those two don’t fight okay,” Nicole said to the bird before turning to Jack and Link, “Guys I, I need to make a confession to you two.”

“We know,” they said in unison

“What you… you do?”

“Yup it’s hard not to see that you have fallen for our trainer,” Jack supplied.

“I say it’s about time given how much he cares for you,” Link added folding his arms and nodding knowingly

“Wait you two approve of my falling in love with Arthur?” the Victini asked shocked.

“Well yes, he never really seemed all that interested in other girls,” the Floatzel explained

“Well aside from the girls in his dirty magazines, but that’s more for relief than actual attraction,” the Glaceon pointed out bluntly causing the Victini to blush harshly.

“I can’t believe you just said that Jack,” Nicole said still blushing

“It’s a fact of life little one, but you yourself are far from innocent given that vocal performance the other night,” Link teased, “but a question needs to be asked, how far are you planning on going with Arthur?”

“Um,” she squeaked out embarrassed, “you heard that,”

“Don’t worry we covered for you,” Jack assured, “we just told Arthur that it was just a couple of birds in season, but it was harder to pass off the aroma.”

“A…aroma?”

“Yeah potent stuff, nearly all of us had to… alleviate ourselves,”

“How did you…”

“Lilligants,” Link added, “when in season their spores act as an aphrodisiac, and Arthur isn’t allergic to them.”

“Oh,”

“However the question still stands how far are you going to go?”

“Well I have given it some thought, and I know that I’m too small for him,”

“Ah that would be the fact, unless you can somehow grow bigger that sort of intimacy would be quite painful,” Link assessed, “but there are other ways to be intimate, right Jack.”

“Oh yes let’s see here, are you familiar of ‘heavy petting’,” The Glaceon informed

“Heavy petting?”

“Yes it’s where…”

“It’s where he would caress your flower,” Link interrupted to spare the Victini from the blunt version.

“But I don’t have a flower,” Nicole said confused.

“The term ‘flower’ is a polite way to mention your private place,”

“He… he would touch me… down there?” she said apprehensive about the action, her tiny hands wandering down.

“Hey Nicole could you float down a little lower I don’t need a free show,” Jack said averting his eyes downward.

“Pervert,” was her response as she complied, floating down and placing her hands behind her back.

“Anyway, that’s just one alternative to enjoying each other’s company,” Jack continued

“I’m afraid to ask,”

“Before we continue this awkward conversation perhaps we should ask how you intend to inform Arthur of your feelings towards him,” Link once again interrupted, “also to know if you are… untouched.”

“Untouched?” she asked once again confused

“Link would like to know if your ‘flower’ has ever been deflowered,” Jack supplied imitating the Floatzel.

“Huh?”

“Could you smack him please,” Link said annoyed, “what I’m trying to say is if you ever slept with another,”

“Oh no I haven’t, Arthur would be my first.” Nicole replied finally catching on.

“Then that might be a problem if Arthur gets a little over zealous with pleasuring you,” Jack added, “it stands to good reason that your hymen is still intact and the act of breaking it is… painful, and bloody,”

“It would also stand to reason that Arthur doesn't know about that, the poor boy is still pretty naive,” Link finished, “but now that you know it won’t be much of a surprise.”

“Okay,” she said weakly now very unsure about proceeding with her current path.

“Now, now don’t worry about it if you two happen to get intimate Arthur will be very gentle,” Jack assured the nervous Victini.

“But first ask him if he feels the same way about you, I’m sure he does but it helps to confirm it” Link added, “but I would tell him soon.”

“And if you need our help with talking to Arthur, don’t hesitate to asked,” the Glaceon finished.

“Thanks guys,” she smiled giving each of them a hug, “let’s go catch up to Arthur, I think he’s starting to lag behind Aura,”

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I must give thanks to Stormdrake0100 for the dream sequence; I have very little experience in writing out dreams/nightmares. Again apologies for the late Chapter but life got in the way crappy job and what not. As always please leave a review and no flames please.