It wasn't a warm spring rain cascading off the corners of Daniel's umbrella, turning the green nylon dark and heavy. It wasn't the sort of rain which invited children to run about, jumping in puddles and laughing as t-shirts gradually plastered to skin. This was the kind of rain that chilled to the touch, pebbling one's arms with gooseflesh; where a careless step meant soaking the hem of your pants and the tops of your socks. This was a true dreary February downpour slicking the streets, wind rattling the lids of garbage bins and shaking the limbs of boulevard planted trees, adding even more flying water to the mix.

Turning off of Hibernal avenue onto North boulevard, Daniel huddled under the tiny cone of his umbrella's protection, one hand shoved as far into his jacket pocket as it would go, the other maintaining a death grip on the umbrella's handle. All the other pedestrians he passed bore a similar urgency in their step, head down, heading for home and shelter. Even those dressed to enjoy the Friday night splendor of Lumiose city looked to be having second thoughts, some giving in and hailing taxis.

Soup, Daniel thought. And garlic bread, after a hot shower. Then, screw working unpaid overtime editing that storyboard he'd had dumped in his lap. If the client wanted it by Monday night, they damn well should've sent it sooner than six-thirty on a Friday. He was going to enjoy the new episode of Kalos! Prime and maybe a few games of Destiny of Heroes. According to his friend Paul, a new PVP map was releasing soon, and-

A low, pathetic whine cut through the patter of rain. Daniel's stomach flip-flopped at the keening sound, instinctive sympathy bubbling up in response to the wordless distress. He paused at the edge of the gloomy alley he'd been about to pass by without a second glance. A rusted drain pipe attached to one building sluiced a steady stream, much of the water bypassing a poorly set drain and puddling in the mouth of the alley. Trash bins set against the brick and concrete walls of the alley overflowed onto the uneven pavement, the detritus mixing into a muddy soup.   

Okay, where and what are you?

As if in response to his thought, the sound came again, longer and somehow even more pitiful, with a distinctly feral note. It rose from the depths of the alley, beyond where the yellow ovals of the main street's lamps touched. An injured raticate maybe? Daniel leaned forward, squinting in a vain attempt to pierce the dimness. None of the shapes slouched in the darkness materialized into recognizable form. Investigation would require additional effort.  

What the hell.

The idea that any mugger might be waiting out in a rainstorm seemed ludicrous, but there was no sense taking chances. Daniel fished into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and flicked on its flashlight. Another soft, plaintive whimper. He walked a few steps into the alley, his shoes squelching and splashing, the feeble light of his phone gradually stretching a pale glow into the gloom. Between the two buildings, the steady drum of rain seemed louder, reverberating off the walls. A sour reek clung to the air; dampened by the downpour, but still strong enough to wrinkle his nose.

“Hello?” he called, instinctively keeping his voice low. No need to scare whatever it was. “What’s wrong?”

A flicker of movement to his left. He swung the light over, and nearly dropped his phone and umbrella when two pairs of animal eyes glittered from the shadows, feral gleams focused on him.

“Shit!”

Heart pounding, Daniel thrust the light closer, revealing two smallish creatures huddled together against the wall of the brick building, neither one coming much higher than his knees. Still, even small pokèmon could be dangerous, especially if threatened or injured.

“Hello there,” Daniel murmured after a moment, gradually relaxing and crouching to eye-level with the two pokèmon. “What are two critters like you doing out in the damp and cold?”

Both were four-legged canine-types, seated on their haunches, with rusty orange fur and wide, dark eyes staring up at him. The one on the left was more petite; delicate paws, a narrow muzzle, and bore a curl of thick fluff piled between its ears, matching the fan of seven tails curled around its hinds. The fur of its chest blended to a cream underbelly, though even in the faint light he could see the dirt marring the vulpix’s coat. By contrast, its companion was a touch stocky, with heavier muscles and a wider chest, decorated with a thick white mane, and a fluffy white tail tucked primly around its forepaws. The flareon’s long ears perked at the sound of Daniel’s voice, swivelling toward him like a satellite dish seeking a signal.

“Piiix,” the russet fox ‘mon said, the tone of its voice revealing it to be the source of the whimpers. “Vulll?” This last ended in a questioning note, cracking slightly as if the tiny fire type had worn its throat hoarse. Both were decidedly soaked, even the flareon’s thick pelt looking more bedraggled than luxurious, rainwater dripping from the tips of ears and black noses.  

“Easy,” Daniel said, stretching forth a cautious hand. First the flareon, then the vulpix gave his fingers a tentative sniff, the smaller ‘mon’s tongue darting out to steal a quick lick. “No collars, and I can’t see any trainer worth his badges leaving you uhhh…” he glanced down, stealing a cursory glance between the two ‘mons forelegs, “girls behind. Strays? Or wild?”

“Flaaare,” the larger fire-type trilled—perhaps some kind of answer, though it could equally have been a demand for food. He’d never been skilled enough in reading pokèmon body language to interpret their vocalizations beyond basic animal emotion.  

“Either way,” he mused aloud, “doesn’t take a professor to guess you two want out of the rain. Right?”

“Pix!”

“Flllare!”

The immediate perking of ears and wag of tails would’ve been clear to a pre-schooler. Daniel couldn’t help a small chuckle. “Alright, don’t start the party just yet. I’m not exactly prepared to take in strays, you know. My place is tiny.”

“Pii…”

How the hell did a feral creature manage to both melt your heart into a puddle, and make you feel like human trash, without a single word?! All the happiness which had infused the two ‘mons puffed away like fog, ears and muzzles drooping, tails tucking dejectedly back around legs. Even the damned storm seemed to get in on it, thunder rumbling as if on cue, and a fresh sheet of rain pelting down, slicking fur and making both canines shiver. The thought of any creature soaking in the cold was bad enough, worse still for fire-types, who must surely be in the depths of misery with this weather. He’d have to be a monster to leave them to their fate.

So much for a quiet evening.

“Fine,” he said, switching off and pocketing his phone. “Come along then.” Standing, he fixed them both with a stern look. “I’ll take you in out of the wet, so long as you don’t go getting all attached, y’hear? I’m not able to afford permanent boarders.”

Both gave happy cries, and were under the umbrella and nuzzling against his legs so fast as to almost seem like magic. Daniel grimaced as wet fur quickly soaked through the still passably dry fabric of his pants.

“Yeah yeah, your hero, I know. Ease up, ladies, It’s not far, but I still need to walk.”

The pair backed off with apologetic purrs, settling for matching his pace out from the alley’s murk and back onto the sidewalk. Out in the light of the streetlamps, he could see that the two looked reasonably well fed, and the vulpix had a surprising spring in her mincing step, given her hunched and weary posture back in the alley. Considering all the cafès in this area, they probably ate just fine off scraps, but why did he get the feeling he’d been hustled?

Don’t be a miser, he scolded himself. What’s a little frozen hamburger? Besides, once they warmed up and dried off, they might turn out to be decent company on a rainy night. He’d never spent much time with one himself, but he’d heard fire-types were far better than an electric blanket. At least these two were small and cute. A full-sized arcanine or even a ninetales would’ve presented a challenge to find space in his apartment, and he preferred ‘mons that couldn’t easily pin him down and do who knew what. Like that mightyena he’d once taken care of at a friend’s request… He shivered at the memory. What a weekend that had been. Fun, but she'd had some odd ideas of 'play'..

The two ‘mon stuck close during the remaining three blocks to his apartment, sharing the shelter of his umbrella. Idly, he wondered if they had names. Probably not human-given ones. Did pokèmon give themselves names? He knew enough not to associate ‘walks on four legs and can’t speak the language’, with ‘unintelligent and non-sentient’. But, how did pokemon identify themselves?  Not a philosophical dilemma he was likely to solve tonight in any case.

Arriving beneath the arched canvas awning at the front of his building, Daniel stamped rainwater off on the mat and flicked his umbrella to some semblance of not-soaked before ushering the two canines inside the lobby. Halting, he looked down at his two companions, fixing them with a stern expression.

“Now, there’s a couple rules I’ll expect you two to observe upstairs. Rule 1, no sha-”

As if cued, both the flareon and the vulpix gave vigorous shakes, gyrating from nose tip to tail, flinging a hail of droplets every which way.

“-king.” Daniel’s pants, previously dry above the knees, now looked like he’d been treated to an express wash at JiffyScrub. The vulpix tilted her head to the side, meeting his scowl with a perfect ‘what did I do?’ He’d intended to change anyway, but really.

“Fine. If you’re done with that. Rule 2! No chewing, clawing, maiming, or setting fire to any of my furniture, if you please.”

“Fllaare.” Was it his imagination, or did the flareon’s canted ears and slow blink looked a touch... practiced?

The vulpix glanced at her companion, then up at Daniel, her tails giving a short wag. “Pix!”   

Who could resist that face though?

“And rule number 3: one night, okay? No ifs, ands, or buts in the morning.”   

“Fla.”

“Vull!”

“Glad that’s settled. Come along then.”

The pair all but bounced after him up the three flights of stairs. He half expected them to burst past him into his apartment, but they waited peaceably while he unlocked the door, following him inside like perfectly well-mannered ‘mons. They were wild, definitely, he decided, but not completely feral and out of control. He could work with that. It was all about the right body language and tone, if they didn’t understand his words, though he suspected that these two had a pretty good idea.

“Mi casa, su casa, ladies.”

“Pix?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jacket, umbrella, and wet shoes were all stowed into the small closet directly inside the front door.

Next order of business, getting the three of them warm and dry. Walking past his cozy kitchenette and its gleaming chrome, then the entry to his common area with its associated leather couch, funky wall art, and wide-screen TV (with all the latest gaming consoles hooked up of course), the pair of them, the flareon in particular, had their heads on a swivel. How many human dwellings had the two of them seen before? His apartment was modest, but he’d never been one to fear spending a bit in order to improve his lifestyle. What was the point of making money if you didn’t enjoy it?

Passing the closed door to his bedroom, he led the two fire types into the white-tiled adjoining bathroom. Aside from his handful of personal care products arranged in a semicircle around the sink, every surface sparkled. He’d never been one for grime either.

“Right. Now I know water isn’t your favourite thing in the world, but a nice hot bath will still serve you two well.” Crouching over the tub, he stoppered the drain and cranked the handle as far as it would go to the ‘H’ side of the dial. His poor little hot-water tank would barely be able to handle this. He’d been looking forward to a hot shower himself, but, these two needed it more.

“Piii? Vulpix!” The russet fox reared up, placing her forepaws on the edge of the tub and looking down at the rushing water. She tilted her head to the side, glanced up at Daniel. “Vul?”

“First time seeing one of these? Yes, that’s for you.” The flareon seemed more interested in inspecting the fur of her tail than the current action, but she did glance up as Daniel rummaged among the bottles lined along the edge of the tub, her nostrils quivering when he found the one he was looking for and popped the cap.

“Like that smell?” He waved the bottle under her nose, grinning as her sail-like ears perked, her nose twitching. “From a friend of mine. It was for his mightyena, but he forgot to take it back, and it ended up getting left here when he went traipsing off to Johto.” The dark-type canine had reacted much the same way to the stuff. Nice to see that it wouldn’t go to waste.

Turning the bottle of ‘Aspear Scented! DeLuxury Pokècare Bubble Bath’ over the rising pool, he squeezed until fruit-fragrant bubbles began to boil out over the surface, some carried up and away on curls of steam. One landed on the vulpix’s nose, the resultant pop startling a, “Pix!”

Daniel chuckled. “Careful, wouldn’t want to be defeated by bubbles now, would you?”

The flareon made a noise that sounded a lot like chuffing laughter, followed by a languid, “Flaaaa.”

The Vulpix’s ears flattened, and she loosed a growl at the other ‘mon.

“Easy now. Remember rule number two! No spitting embers at each other.”

“Vull.” The smaller ‘mon subsided, and slipped from the edge of the tub back onto all fours with an apologetic nuzzle at Daniel’s knee. Should he? His heart tripped up a beat as he rested his free hand on her head, gently scritching through the damp curl of fur between her ears. The canine immediately butted her head against his fingers, purring. A good sign, though he should still be cautious. Impossible to say exactly how a wild ‘mon would react to his actions.

“That’s it,” he murmured, glancing over at the flareon. She seemed content to watch, now stretched out on her belly, observing his actions with rapt attention. Less trusting? Or simply indifferent? Even if it would only be for tonight, he hoped he could get her to warm up. Idly, he wandered his hand lower on the vulpix, stroking her neck and shoulders, her vibrating purr tingling his palm. What was it about the velvet sensation of fur, to make it so utterly relaxing to touch?

Fifteen minutes later, with the bath adequately filled and the room decidedly sauna-like (probably the natural body-heat of these two adding to the steam), Daniel disentangled his fingers from exploring the vulpix’s fur, and stood from his cross-legged position, grunting as his knees creaked in protest. Her lidded eyes popped open the moment his strokes ceased, and she cracked a yawn, displaying sharp little fangs.

“Lovely as you are to pet, your bath is drawn, m’ladies,” Daniel said, giving a short bow like an old-fashioned butler. The flareon let out another of those chuffing snorts, which he chose to ignore. “Please, enjoy.”

The vulpix didn’t hesitate, hopping up on the side of the tub and dropping in with a splash, disturbed bubbles rocketing skyward.

“Piiii!”

It appeared he’d judged well, the vulpix was submerged to her neck only. Her companion rolled to her paws, tossed her head as if to say, “only if I have to,” and followed with a touch more grace, slipping into the water, and seating herself on her haunches, looking up at Daniel with a tilt to her head and a cocked ear.

“Hot enough for you? I’m afraid that’s as close to boiling as I can get.”

“Fla.”

“Vull!”

That seemed enough of an affirmation. One last touch to add. Rummaging beneath the sink, Daniel found a small incense burner he’d purchased a while back, and gave it a small shake. It rattled, indicating it still held a good measure of the herbal mix. He’d read about how the stuff could subtly influence the consciousness, and how certain blends were particularly enjoyed by pokemon. The mightyena had certainly seemed amenable to the stuff, and hopefully it would have a similar effect on these two. Holding the wrought metal bowl by its attached chain, he held it out to the two fire-types.  

“If one of you would be so kind, a small ember?”

The vulpix shot him a quizzical look. The flareon’s ears wiggled. Then, the larger canine leaned forward over the edge of the tub, her muzzle parting, and loosed a glowing orange marble of pure flame into the bowl. Its contents immediately ignited, venting a puff of spice-musk smoke into the swirling steam, before settling to a smoulder.

“Flaaaare.” Feral or no, he knew a smirk when he saw one.

Huh. That didn’t look like a low-level attack. How strong are these two?

A useful reminder to play his cards right. Hopefully, they’d remain friendly, and he wouldn’t find out first hand. He’d already traded a quiet night for an interesting one, but he’d rather it not end in a call to the fire department. Placing the incense burner on the counter, Daniel sketched another mock bow, retreating for the doorway. “If you’ll excuse me for a few moments, I would like to dry off myself, and start on our dinner. Don’t miss me too much.”

As he ducked into his bedroom to change, he heard the flareon’s distinctive chuffs of laughter.   

 

***

 

“Good riddance, this one is so noisy! I thought he’d never stop blathering on.”   

Karma’s ears perked, intent on the soft pat-pat of the human’s retreating steps. When a sharp, mechanical click followed, an invisible chord of tension released, her posture loosening and allowing her tails to bob freely in the deliciously hot, berry-scented water.

“There,” she said, fixing her flareon counterpart with a glare. “Now we can speak freely!”

“Oh, lighten up,” Varice drawled, trailing a dainty paw through a mound of bubbles, and watching with fascination as they yielded to her touch. Pop. Pop. Pop pop. “It’s clear he can’t understand us. We can say whatever we want.”

“You can’t be sure, of that, Vari!” A frustrated growl rolled in her throat. Sometimes, her friend could be so cub-fool reckless! “One of these days, you’re going to blow our cover.”

“Nah. I’ve met humans who can speak proper before—they’re always so eager to show it off, they’ll start yipping away and hardly let you get a word in edgewise.” She tilted her head to the side, her dark eyes pinning Karma in place with the weight of secret knowledge. “Besides, it’s clear you’ve got him all wrapped up in those tails of yours. Didn’t you see how he had his paws all over you? He’d do anything for us ‘adorable pooky poos’.”

Karma had to concede that point. She quivered, recalling the disturbingly pleasant sensation of agile fingers massaging her hide, nearly soothing her into letting her guard down completely! “But, that doesn’t mean we give ourselves away. We stick to the plan, alright? Clean, quiet, after he’s asleep.”

Varice’s eyes half-lidded, her ears twitching with humour. “Fine. And what’s wrong, dearie? Why, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were the one getting attached. You don’t think he’s one of those humans, do you?”

“Doubt it. He seems too innocent. I’d expect one of those to keep trying to look under our tails, or stripping off his clothes and waggling his cock at us. He kept it all above my belly. He’d be sporting a few burns if he hadn’t! It was actually pretty nice. You should try it.”

The flareon chuckled, her throaty voice drawing words out like warm sap. “Oh no, Kaaaarmaa. He’s aalll yours. I wouldn’t dream of stealing a male from you.” She leaned back onto her haunches, closing her eyes and seeming to absorb the steaming heat around them. Her muzzle twitched, but she didn’t quite have the gall to finish the statement with the unspoken, ‘yet.’

“Because you know I could still smack your muzzle into the dirt if I have toooo,” Karma returned, finishing in a sing-song note.

“Of course, dearie. You’re the muscle, I’m the beauty. That’s what makes us such a great team. Just don’t go getting mud in my mane, hmm?”

Karma snorted, and, focusing her thin psychic ability—one day, she’d be able to do a proper Extrasensory—flipped a small cone of bubbles free, dropping them to land perfectly on the tip of the flareon’s nose.

Fla!

A small gout of fire blasted into the tub with Varice’s sneeze, immediately fizzing into steam. For a split second, the pair stared at one-another.

Did she really just...

Both of them collapsed into giggles, more bubbles flying and water rippling from their shudders.

“Your face! Oh Arceus!”

“Oh my, how unsightly,” Varice gasped. “I haven’t lost control like that since… well, it would be rude to say.”

“I was there, remember?” Karma said, tails lazily swishing beneath the surface. “ Fun night, with that mightyena and the manectric. What were their names again?” The manectric in particular had possessed a fine curve to his haunches, and those forelimbs! Properly battle-trained ‘mon were always well-honed specimens, at least in body.  

“Don’t recall, don’t especially care. It was almost traaagic, how desperate they were, always locked up by their trainers, and no females on their team.”

“Easiest marks ever, and one of the best hauls we’ve had.” She’d almost felt bad, dragging away the human’s loaded backpacks while the two exhausted and satisfied canines snored away, but it wasn’t like decent trainers couldn’t earn enough to buy it back. She poked her friend with a paw. “And talk about me going all melty for a male. I thought you were going to demand we take the mightyena with us!”

“What?” Varice affected a wounded look. “I wouldn’t dream of saddling us with a male, no matter how good he is. Far too whiny.”

Both of them felt that worth a shared chuckle. They lapsed back, lounging in the delightful heat of their bath. Karma inhaled, filling her lungs with the gorgeously humid air. It was almost enough to make sitting in the pouring rain for who knew how long worth it. Almost.

Her nose twitched, sampling the aromatic blend of the room. Fresh, clean berry covering a universal crystal resonance—the bubbly water. Damp, subdued spice, touched by a hint of charcoal, at once familiar and welcome—Varice. That fleeting, foreign scent, masculine musk diluted by artificial odor, and rife with the fog of emotion humans gave off without knowing—their nameless mark. And… something else, piercing through the others on its own distinct wave. Sharp, vibrant fragrance, tingling in her nose in a manner that shot straight through her, electric current from muzzle to tails, weakening her knees and clouding her thought almost like-        

“Speaking of,” Varice said, stretching and resting her forepaws on the edge of the tub, “Where do you suppose he’s wandered off to?”

Could she not smell that? “Dunno. He said something about food.”

“I hope it’s not that awful… what were those brown rock things some of the other humans gave us? Kee bell?”

“Doubt it. He’s being a lot nicer to us than most humans, don’t you think?”

“Mmm, I suppose. This bath is lovely. But, that’s what they call a, ‘sucker’, dearie. I bet we can get plenty of loot here. He was moaning about his den being small, but I saw plenty of shinies that Pico would trade for.”      

Karma nodded, only half listening. Pico, the honchkrow they traded their hauls with for other, more useful things, was far less interesting than that elusive scent. Karma raised her muzzle, trying to take in more. It was coming from that little metal bowl Varice had set on fire. Knowing the source kept the urge in check, but a part of her still wanted to climb out of the tub, float over to the origin, let it carry her away…

“It’s rather sweet though. He’s not like the others. I almost don’t want to take advantage of him, with how hard he’s trying, and are you getting that smell?”

“What smell? Please, don’t tell me you’re planning to back down, I-” The flareon’s nose quivered, her ears resting flat, then immediately springing erect. “Oh. Oh my.”

“See?!”

“Is that what I think it is?”

“No. It’s that thing.” Karma nodded at the metal bowl.

“We are taking that with us. I don’t even care if it’s worthless.”

Karma silently agreed, despite the needling voice of her conscience nagging about how unfair it was, to repay this kindhearted human with theft. It wasn’t like they needed to steal from him. It was just… fun! A vixen had to do something with her time, and she and Varice made such a stellar pair. Humans were odd, never suspecting small, unassuming fire-types. But if you were an absol or a haunter? Best be on your finest behaviour! Even now, with her fur soaked through, mane hanging limp and dripping onto the floor from her lean on the tub’s edge, the flareon had mastered the guileless air, her posture at once relaxed and devoid of secrets.

Their talents would be wasted on anything else. They never actually hurt anyone.

Another smell wafted through the open door to the room, this one immediately identifiable with its rich, heavy savour of salt and grease, peppered by a myriad of earthen spices. He was frying meat for them! Instinct prompted her tongue to whisk away excess saliva. They hadn’t had proper cooked meat in at least a week, maybe more. Jirachi was surely watching over them tonight!

Moments later, the human bustled into the room. “Okay ladies, sorry to keep you waiting. Dinner is simmering away, but we have to make sure you two are presentable first.” He'd switched out his clothing at some point, the wet outerwear traded for fresh lighter things; loose fitting pants of a golden shimmering material that swished as he moved, and a bright coloured short-sleeve top revealing pale, thin forelimbs with a layer of blonde fuzz matching the shock of fur on his head. The actual colour was hard to say—some of the things humans wore were so strange!

“What is he mewling about?” Varice said. “I'm always presentable.”

As if in answer, the human knelt down beside the tub, raising his hands open-palmed toward them. “May I?”

“I... think he wants to groom us?” Karma said. No human had done this before. “Either that, or he thinks we want to groom him?”

“No way am I putting my tongue on those paws. But, if he wants to pamper us further, I'll allow it.” Varice arched her neck, offering her head to the human and giving one of those soft, inviting mewls she had perfected.

“Much obliged,” the human said. Reaching out, he began to massage Varice's neck and mane, squeezing bunches of wet fur and working the bubbles and water through, sluicing it clean. Varice's breath hitched in a breathy sigh, and Karma noticed the tips of his nails digging in, adding the same delightful scritches he'd previously bestowed on her. Her tails twitched. No way was Varice going to manipulate all the attention! Before she even registered the urge, she headbutted the human's elbow, flicking her ears and yipping.

He glanced down at her, his lips parting to reveal teeth—that meant happy, not a threat—and he shook with one of those strange belly laughs. “Don't worry, you'll get your turn!” One hand fell between Karma's ears, twiddling between her head fur and sparking that strange, nose-to-tails delight, before he shifted his attention back to Varice, who was glaring at Karma.

Mollified, Karma backed down. How could she lose control of herself? Was it the smells? Their curious blend were indeed playing havoc with her perception, but no, not only that, though it wasn't helping.

“Sorry, Vari, dunno what got into me.”

“I do. Oooh, you were right, this is divine.”

She nearly stepped in again. It was her attention, dammit! How easy it was for the flareon to wind up a male, with her perfect mane and coquettish ears. But, no, she could let Vari have her turn. Even if she did always get her way.

“What should we call him?” Karma said, distracting herself. The human had worked his way down Varice's back, and was massaging her haunches. By the way the flareon's eyes were half closed, her mouth hanging open...

“Chump is—oooh—always a good—ahh—go to if you ask me.”

“I dunno. This one is different. He deserves something special.”

“Can't—eeep!—argue with thaaat tickles!”

“You two are rather talkative, aren't you?” The human murmured, squeezing excess water from Varice's tail. Karma noticed he left her tailbase alone, keeping his hands away from anywhere inappropriate. “Wonder what's so interesting?”

If you only knew, Karma thought. Patience. That was the key. “How about Pet?”

“That will do. He is rather cute, in a dopey, human way. Care to go back to my shoulders, Pet?”

Much to Varice’s disappointment—and Karma’s subsequent satisfaction—Pet withdrew from the Flareon, rinsing his hands in the water before shuffling over to Karma’s side of the tub. She tilted her head forward, presenting her ears for the human’s attention. He didn’t dawdle, caressing her cheeks delicately before sweeping up to tousle her headfur, combing through the curls and brushing down to her skin, the graze of his blunt nails sending delightful quivers down her spine.

Karma closed her eyes, uncaring of the soft sighs and groans he was enticing from her as rubs and squeezes oozed down her neck and shoulders. His touch was swift, efficient, but also careful, paying special attention to thicker patches of fur, and massaging tensed muscles beneath. Ordinary grooming couldn’t compare—this was simultaneous care and outright worship of her body! Tiny electric pulses prickled through her where he squeezed, leaving appeased muscles behind, while the brush of fingernails sent confused signals sparking across her pleasure centers. She wanted to moan, wag her tails (they were probably already doing so on their own), roll around, lick his hand, dash about in circles, pin him down and hump him madly, all at once!

Karma’s breath caught, conveniently as he stroked through the fluff of her tails, paying special attention to each one. Analyzing through the static crackling across her mind was a struggle. Did she actually want to do that, consciously? Or was it her body and instincts gone haywire from the bizarre blend of sensations he was inflicting on her? Sex was sex, sure, but with a human? Nothing particularly wrong with it, but she’d never considered it as an option before, probably because human males weren’t focused on getting under her tail like members of her own species were. That, and they were ashamed of their bodies, and covered themselves up all the time. It gave them a strangely innocent quality, almost like a kit.

Karma blinked, realizing that the lovely sensations had ceased, and that Pet was standing, rolling his neck from side to side and drying his hands on a towel. “Right, much better,” he said. “Why don’t we have you two fine looking ladies step out now and get dried off?” Maybe they should keep Pet around. A daily pampering like this would work wonders for her fur…

“If you are quite finished panting and rolling over for him,” Varice drawled, placing her forepaws on the lip of the tub, “I would like to investigate that lovely smell.” She hopped out, droplets scattering in her wake. Karma smirked at her back as she followed, dropping down onto the smooth tile floor. Who was the jealous one now?

“I’m afraid I don’t have a hair dryer,” Pet was saying, pulling the fluffy towel he’d used to dry his hands off the rack, and holding it up to them like a prize he wished to present. “This will have to do.”

“Any idea what he wants with that blanket?” Varice said, eying it with suspicion.

“He thinks we need help drying, I believe. Shall we show off a bit?”

“But of course.”

Focusing on the banked embers of her internal fire, Karma willed it into a proper flame, fed it, nursed it, held on until just the right moment, and…

Whump!

The human yelped as twin bubbles of expanding hot air whipped the towel he was holding into a frenzied flutter, his loose clothing flapping. Steam roiled from the tub, the top layer of water flash-heated. Karma shook, settling her dried, but slightly frizzed, fur. Better.

“Aww, poor pup.” Varice giggled, nodding up at the male. “I think we scared him.”

“Fire types,” Pet mumbled, looking at them with that comically wide-eyed expression humans adopted. His scent now bore the distinct harsh sourness of shock. “My services are not needed, I see, and I’d also like to remind you of rule number two.” Dropping the towel back onto the rack as though burned by it, he had to lean over Karma to pull the plug from the tub, water gurgling away.

In that moment, his shirt hung free, granting her a view of smooth, pale skin, drawn taut over a flat belly and decent, if not impressive, musculature. The loose, swishing fabric of his pants failed to disguise a pendulous bulge, sparking the briefest curiosity—what did a human look like when they weren’t hiding themselves? The fear-smell was fading back into what Karma now recognized as his normal scent—though, there was another quality in it she hadn’t previously detected, as it had been masked beneath the scent of soap—artificial, not-human, spicy-musk, nearly as interesting as the scent still wafting from the metal bowl, and bearing a similar essence that made her nose quiver. The manectric had given off a smell like that, as had Varice’s mightyena plaything, but she’d never smelled it on a human before. Did he secretly have a male pokèmon around? No, his house would have reeked of it if so.

“If you’ll follow me once more, ladies,” Pet said, stepping away from the tub towards the doorway, “dinner shall be ready shortly.” He bent at the waist, sweeping his arms at them and pointing through the door.

“Dear, if you keep staring at him like that, he’s going to get nervous and kick us out,” Varice said, nudging Karma’s shoulder and snapping her out of her musing. “I don’t know about you, but I’m famished, and we have work to do!” She trotted out, fluffy tail flicking.

She was being a bit of a scatterbrain tonight, wasn’t she? How silly, to be so caught up by good smells and nice feelings, to entirely forget herself and why they were here. Following her friend, she rewarded Pet with a nuzzle against his legs as she passed, a small repayment for his kindness so far. The gossamer fabric of his pants slid pleasantly against her cheek, reminding her of the slick fur of a buizel she’d once spent time with. Pet mumbled something too low for her to make out, but she caught the word ‘sweet’.

That’s right, sweet and innocent. Keep thinking that. It would be a true shame to shatter his illusions.

Pet ushered them along back the way they’d come, passing a previously closed door, which granted a glimpse of a large, well-padded bed surrounded by a sheer curtain, all tinted a pleasant shade of molten gold. The room Karma recognized as the ‘food room’ followed, with its clean metallic surfaces—many of which looked quite new—and the source of the delectable meat smell steaming away atop the one which radiated heat. The food room opened onto an alcove with a small table, and four white bowls set on the floor next to it. Two were filled with water, while the other two awaited filling.

“You’ll have to excuse the silverware,” Pet said. “I was rather unprepared for guests I’m afraid.” Ducking back into the food room, he took up the simmering metal bowl from the cooking surface, and with a wooden utensil, scooped a generous portion of ground meat into the empty bowls. His own serving, judging by the little Karma could see from beneath the table’s lip, went onto another plate set on the table.

Seating himself, he fluttered his hands at them. “Bon appetit, ladies! As they say at Le Wow, don’t hold back.” He picked up a thin, black object which had been lying on the table, and pointed it into the sparsely furnished open room behind him. The large picture screen across from a single couch clicked on, displaying the image of a rain spattered forest, and producing crystal-clear, soothing music over the steady pitter patter of falling water. It was difficult to say which rain was artificial and which was merely the ongoing storm outside.         

“I assume that means, ‘eat’, but if it doesn’t, I don’t care,” Varice said, her nose twitching as she inspected her bowl. Dipping her muzzle, she chomped down. “Oh, lovely, you must try this,” she mumbled through her mouthful. “Pet knows what he’s doing with meat.”

“Does he now?” Karma smirked, but Varice was too busy eating to rise to the bait. Besides which, her own belly’s growls would not be ignored much longer, and that aroma! She took a bite. Hot, salty grease dribbled over her tongue and down her throat, the meat’s rich texture stimulating her primal instincts to devour. Flecks of a spicy herb peppered the mixture, granting a lingering sizzle on her tongue that had nothing to do with its temperature; much like a mouthful of her favourite in-season figy berries.

“I’ll take it the offering is satisfactory,” Pet said, chuckling. “Lucky I had some ready to go—I don’t think you two would enjoy kale and quinoa quite as much.” Karma didn’t bother to look up, her wagging tails and voracious chewing surely giving enough answer. The pair of them tended to eat well enough on the streets, but a hot meal cooked with fresh meat, and spiced to the taste of a fire type? A rare treat indeed. Leagues above that kee ball stuff!      

Far too soon, she and Varice were competing to see who could lick their bowl the cleanest, nudging them around until without question, not so much as a drop of grease remained. Karma dampened the tingle dancing across her tastebuds with a few swallows of water, settling into the contented delight only a full belly could bring.

“Bet you I can guilt him into giving us what’s left,” Varice said, licking her chops and looking up at Pet, who appeared focused on his own meal. He’d wrapped his in some sort of thin bread, and ate with delicate, mincing bites. Did all humans treat food with such dainty regard, or just this one? “You know he can’t resist us poor, half-starved, strays.” Varice reared up, placing a paw on Pet’s knee, and mewled, infusing her cry with the same pitiful note as she had in the alley.

“Leave off,” Karma snapped, abruptly irritated with the flareon’s lack of respect. “We don’t need more, let him eat in peace.”

Pet was chuckling again, awarding Varice a scratch behind those long, perfectly folded ears. “Oh come on, you already worked those puppy eyes once tonight, you can’t expect it to work twice? No, of course you do, they’re the ultimate weapon!”

“What’s wrong, Karma dear? Afraid you won’t get any?” Varice broke her mesmer of the hapless male long enough to shoot Karma an insolent glance coupled with tail flick. “I can share, you know, though I’m sure he’d give his favourite more too.”

“I said, leave off,” Karma growled, muscles stiffening, tails splaying outward. “You’re just taking for the sake of it, Vari.”   

“Well, yes.” Bewilderment marred Varice’s pretty features. She dropped back to the floor, Pet and her false begging forgotten for the time being. “That’s sort of what we do, lovely, or have you forgotten why we’re here?”

“No, but, I… I don’t like it; the way you’re goading him is a bit cruel.”

“Cruel? Me?” Varice’s muzzle gaped—an oddly satisfying expression. “Karma, what’s gotten into you? It’s all in fun! It’s not like I’m hurting him. I would never do something so base. Outsmarting them is the true amusement.”

Pet’s eyes flicked between them, as if trying to divine their conversation through their body language. “Easy you two, let’s keep the bared fangs and firepower for outside?”  

Karma ignored him, seeking the words to articulate what she’d been mulling over. Why did she balk here? Was it the human’s whole-hearted welcome for them? His sincere care and obvious pleasure from giving them this royal treatment? Or, was it the pure naievety he wore like an aura, chattering happily at them, animated with over-the-top gestures and posturing?   

“Generally, I agree with you, but, this one isn’t like the others. He feels so… innocent. Look how far he’s gone out of his way for us; two wilds to whom he owes nothing. I can’t shake the feeling that the world would be worse off if we were to steal from him after all of this, and that we’d regret it later.”

“Hardly. Have you seen some of the loot we could swipe? He’d probably barely miss it. You know how humans are, piling up things they don’t need, and leaving them to gather dust. What’s the harm in us having a bit of fun?”

“It’s the principle of the thing! Most of our marks don’t treat us like league champions after they invite us in. He’s already given us better than we’d get by filching a few shinies from him.” Karma growled, certain of her logic. Varice’s lack of ability to see reason could be truly astounding at times. The flareon could give a tauros lessons.

“Come on, enough of that,” Pet murmured, laying a hand on Karma’s head and ruffling behind her ears. “Whatever it is can’t be important enough to bite over.”

“You’re working yourself up over nothing, dearie. I’ll drop it if it really means that much to you of course, but-”

“Not good enough,” Karma interrupted, fixing the flareon with a warning glare. “I’m saying we lay low tonight, enjoy what he’s provided, and leave it at that.”

“You can’t be serious. What about all that work sitting in that dreadful storm?!” Now Varice’s posture mirrored Karma’s, ears flat, lips curled to show fangs. “I’m sorry, but a nice meal and a bath are not adequate compensation for being soaked to the bone.”

Pet snatched his hand back from reaching out to Varice and stood, shoving his chair between the pair of them, silencing Karma’s retort. “Alright, no more of that, ladies,” he said, folding his arms and fixing them each with a stern stare. “If you’re going to fight, you can do it outside.”

The word worked better than a good Roar for silencing her and Varice’s growls. He wouldn’t kick them out, would he? Thunder rumbled like impending judgement, punctuating the threat.

“Much better,” Pet said after a moment of their continued silence. “We can keep things friendly, can’t we? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get your beds ready.” Taking his plate with him, he maneuvered past Varice and shuffled off through the large common room.

“Now look what you’ve done!” Varice hissed, once Pet was out of immediate earshot. “He’s upset!”

“What I’ve done? You-” Karma quivered, but suppressed the urges to lash out. “Maybe I’m not explaining myself properly. I’m not suggesting we walk away with nothing.”

“Then what are you suggesting?”

“I…” The seed of the idea in her mind trembled on the brink of blossom. “What if he gives us something, rather than us taking things? Something that would make up for us sitting out in the rain?”

Varice inspected one of her forepaws as if there might be a fleck of dirt the bath had missed. “Honestly, Karma dear. He’s been sweet, I’ll agree with that… and perhaps I went a bit far, but I don’t see him giving away his things to us.”

“That’s not what I had in mind, Vari.” It was a crazy idea, and might not work, but at the same time, oddly alluring. What better way to top of the night?  

The flareon’s ears perked, her dark eyes meeting Karma’s. “I’m listening.”

“How long has it been since we had fun with a male?”

Varice’s muzzle opened, then shut. Her tail flicked, attempting to both curl and twitch at the same time. Her scent roiled in Karma’s nose.

How deliciously satisfying.

Of course, it didn’t last. Varice composed herself, resting on her haunches, tail curled about her, once more the image of serenity. “You’ve had some strange ideas before,” she said, “but you’ve outdone yourself here.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. How long, Vari? Since the mightyena, no?”

She huffed, mane ruffling. “I don’t share all my experiences with you, lovely. I’ve never had issues getting a male to see to my needs when I want one!”

“Avoiding the question; as if I wouldn’t smell it if you’d mated?”

“If you think I-”

“I’m not questioning your ability to seduce, Vari,” Karma hastened to douse the spark of anger in the flareon’s dark eyes. “In fact, I’m counting on it! What better way to make use of our Pet, without stealing from him? Arceus, he’ll be getting a reward. Surely the least he can do is please us, for all our trouble. Besides, aren’t you curious? It has to be different than with other pokèmon.”

The blossoming plan had flowered. Varice stared at Karma, but the scent of the challenge, coupled with conquest and the prospect of gain, had her nose twitching. “What makes you believe he’ll do it? You know how funny humans are about such things, and we agreed he’s probably not one of those humans. What if he gets spooked, or doesn’t clue in to what we want?”

Karma’s tails shifted—the ghost of a wag. She’d won! “You’re saying you can’t change his mind? I thought you could always get a male if you wanted one?”

Varice allowed a low chuckle. “Oh, Karma dearie, I have yet to meet the pokèmon who could resist this.” She ran a forepaw from the top of her muzzle down, circling across the thick ruff of her mane. “But a human? They can barely smell. Would Attract even work?”

“Good question, but I’m not sure we need that. What if we put on a display for him?  He may be nose-blind, but I doubt there’s anything wrong with his eyes. I think if we’re clear about what we want, he’ll take the offer.” He’d be a fool not to! Males tended to be single-minded about such things, but humans could indeed be odd.

“If he doesn’t? Or if he’s not worth the effort?”

“Then he had his chance, and we’ll go back to our original plan. Pleasure, or loot. Either way, we win.” So did Pet. At least, with the first option.

“Can’t we at least take his wallet?”

“No! Those don’t even have good shinies, and-”

Her friend’s rich laughter tickled her ears. “A joke, Kaaarrmaaa my dear, don’t keel over. I like the way you think. This is exactly why we make such good partners! I reserve the right to judge if he’s earned our indulgence or not though.”

“Fine, so long as you’re fair about it.”

“I’m never anything but!”

The weight which had been resting on Karma’s conscience lifted, allowing her to relax. Moreover, it had been some time since the manectric and mightyena. If this worked, it would do both of them some good.

Varice sidled closer to Karma, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Do you have a plan in mind? Are we taking turns, or both working our charms on him at once?”

“You’re the expert here. I was hoping you would take the lead?”

A purr rumbled in the flareon’s throat. “Oh, darling, he’s as good as in our clutches.” She glanced up, as, with an impeccable sense of timing, Pet emerged from the sleeping room, carrying an armful of blankets. He dropped them to the floor next to the long leather couch, spreading them out with his bare feet, then picked up the black stick and pointed it at the picture screen, silencing the music and turning the screen dark.

“Your beds, ladies, when you’re ready to retire.” Pet dropped the stick onto the clear-topped table next to the couch, and patted the blankets with his hand, looking at them expectantly.

“He expects us to sleep on that.” Varice might have used the same tone when referring to a pile of excrement.

“Seems so, but we can make our own arrangements.”

“No rush,” Pet said. “Chatter among yourselves as much as you like, but keep it down, eh? I’m going to turn in early myself.” He stood, turning to head back into the sleeping room.

“I saw a much more fitting bed in there,” Varice said, arching in a languid stretch, then trotted off past Pet, fluffy tail waving. “Come along, lovely, I know just how to deal with a stubborn male!” She disappeared through the sleeping room’s open doorway.

There she goes… Karma’s own tails stirred the air. Once Varice had her teeth in a challenge, she wouldn’t let go until she’d beaten it, or fainted trying. She followed, glancing up at the human as she sauntered by. “Sorry, but you’re in for it now, Pet.”

“Or, help yourself to my bed, I suppose,” Pet grumbled. “Fine, but you’d better not steal the covers!”

Karma couldn’t suppress a giggle. It was cute, how oblivious he was. It would be a shame if he did get spooked and turned them down. He was sure to be fun to play with.

The sleeping room was only about half the size of the common room, and the bed dominated most of the space. Its padding made it over twice Karma’s height, and with the canopy of thin curtains surrounding it, the overall image was of the world’s softest den. A hooded lamp burned on a dresser next to it, providing a pleasant warm glow, and Pet had shown the courtesy of moving the divine-smelling metal bowl from the cleaning room next to the lamp. How thoughtful of him! Did he enjoy the scent equally as much?

Varice was already situated on the bed, testing its spongy surface by bouncing up and down, letting out a joyous yip. “Hon, you must come up here! This is far better than that ratty bed we found in the alleyway.”

Tensing, Karma jumped, powering from her hinds. It nearly wasn’t enough, her forepaws clearing the edge of the bed, while her back paws flailed before catching fabric, allowing her to scramble the rest of the way. A bit lacking in grace, but she’d still made it! Plush mattress welcomed her, paws sinking in slightly, before the surface firmed and contoured itself to match like it had been made solely for her. She leaned on her forepaws, watching in fascination as it moulded around them. What would it be like to sleep on this?

“Does it meet your approval, ladies?” Pet said from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, the hair over his eyes scrunching up over his nose. “I don’t mind sharing, but it’s still my bed.”

“He’s looking a tad grumpy, dearie,” Varice said with a giggle, ceasing her bouncing. “Perhaps it’s best if we give him a distraction.”

“Ready when you are.”

“Favourite or not, I bet I can make him mount me first.”

“Not a chance, he’s mine! Loser has to deal with Pico next?”

“Consider it a deal.”

Tiny spinarak skittered in Karma’s belly, tingles running from nose to tails. Would their plan work? This was the thrill she loved! The anticipation, the uncertainty, the risk of failure… Not to mention the prospect of reward! Would he be any good with a female? She had a rough idea of his size, based on what she’d glimpsed earlier, and it hadn’t looked to be disappointing. Her inner fire crackled, feeding on her rising excitement.

Varice rolled onto her side, easing back and spreading her hinds, capturing Pet’s gaze with hers. Karma sensed the energy pulsing from her friend, a full force Attract blasting straight at the unsuspecting male as Varice raised one hind leg high. That fluffy tail jumped aside—pure coincidence, nothing to speak of. Never mind that it put the perfect raindrop shape of her lower lips on open display, a hint of forbidden moisture glistening. Curling over her belly, the flareon’s eyes never left the humans as her small pink tongue crossed her lips, meeting the fur of her inner thigh. A slow, sensuous drag up her muscular haunch, slicking down fur already silken from the bath, before circling about and repeating the motion, gradually starting from lower and lower on her thigh...    

That’s almost not fair.

Not to be outdone, Karma arched her back, stretching out her forepaws as far as she could reach, shuddering with the delight of muscles tensing, then relaxing. Holding the pose, she hiked her tails, fanning them in the traditional invitation of her species. Cool air swirled across her exposed rump and folds, sparking a different kind of quiver. Not as dramatic as Vari’s display, perhaps, but unmistakable, even to a human! Judging by the sharp intake of breath from behind her, confusion wasn’t going to be a problem. Or, perhaps Vari had simply done something even more suggestive.

“Umm, this isn’t what I… I mean…”

So cute when they were speechless! If Pet were a canine, he’d be getting a good whiff of her right now. Vari too; the flareon’s natural scent sharpening, turning to liquid spice in the air. No male could mistake the scent; sweet, exotic, alluring… almost like the aroma rising from the bowl, come to think of it.

“Here, Pet, come closer—get a better look at what you’re missing,” Varice purred. Karma looked back over her shoulder, catching the flareon with her head now fully between her hinds, teasing herself and the dumbstruck human with unhurried licks surrounding her exposed sex.

Varice wasn’t the only one with tricks though. Looking to Pet—the bare astonishment on his face was fading, replaced by curiosity and interest—Karma captivated him with a flick of her tails and wiggle of her hips, followed by a plaintive whine that required no translation. She didn’t have to be in heat to remember the sensations of need and echo them, particularly with the rising buzz of arousal in her lower bits, spurred by the thrill of showing off and luring a male to tend to her.

Pet’s eyes met hers. For an instant, his lips quirked upward at the corners, a sparkle of playful mischief dancing in the blue of his eyes, before it vanished like morning mist, and he cleared the distance between doorway and bed in several long strides. The front of his thin pants protruded, swishing fabric stretched out to define hidden flesh, and a wave of distinctly masculine scent wafted to her, heady and rich even through the swirl of other aromas filling the air.

As he stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at the pair of them, Karma was struck that he was in fact significantly larger than either she or Varice. Not that he was particularly big for a human, but it presented the challenge they previously hadn’t considered—what if they’d taken on more than they could handle? But no, that Manectric certainly hadn’t been a slouch in the size department, and she’d managed well enough. Pet couldn’t possibly be larger than that, and the electric canine had been good fun, if a tad over-zealous.

The absurdity of her own musings brought a giggle, and relaxed the tension in her limbs. The curiosity which had been smouldering inside her since this bizarre idea first formed was driving her crazy. What was it like, with a human? Time to see if Pet could perform. She took a step back toward him, flaunting her assets and desires, vocalizing them in a wordless moan.

“So that’s the game we’re playing, I see,” Pet murmured. “How long were you planning this? Am I just lucky?” A hand rested on Karma’s haunch, lightly squeezing, the warmth of the furless skin seeping into her. A shiver of anticipation ran up her spine, her tails fanning. One finger furrowed the fur down the curve of her hip. “Is this my reward?”

“You’ve got it all wrong, dear Pet,” Varice said with a husky chuckle. The mattress bounced as she rolled to her paws, sauntering to the bed’s edge, bumping up against Karma’s side. The fluffy banner of her tail flicked, filling Karma’s nose with the spicy aroma of aroused flareon. “You’re our reward. Why not let us see if you’re a worthwhile one?” Without hesitation or shame, she nuzzled against the bulge in the human’s pants, sliding her cheek across the covered length, marking it with her scent.

She was not getting away with that! Pet was hers first, and she would hardly allow the mincing minx to win without a fight! A low growl curdling in Karma’s throat, she shouldered Varice with enough force to knock her aside and spun about, smacking Pet’s hand away in the process.

His yelp of surprise fell on deaf ears as she stared down his hidden maleness, all thoughts of seduction replaced by more pragmatic concerns. His heavy scent hit her full force, calling to her instincts, fuzzing her rationale. Get rid of the stupid clothes first, have him properly bare. Then they’d see who he belonged to! Her frustration rolled out in her growl as she pawed at the upper edge of the pants, her paws sliding uselessly off the slippery fabric, and only succeeding in dragging the edge down, bouncing the tented portion, but not revealing it. Why did humans insist on the silly, troubling things?    

“Woah, easy, I get it!” Pet fended off her assault gently, but firmly, grabbing her paw. “Play nice! There’s delicate things down there! I’ll take them off, okay?”

Varice’s soft giggle drew Karma’s ire, earning a glare for the flareon, who sat back, one paw on her muzzle, ears perked and tail furiously swirling the air. If she thought-!

“So fierce! Well done, lovely, despite scaring him. That’s the Karma I know and love. You have to take what you want, my dear, and you do it with such force! Could be more elegant, naturally, but you’ve always had a flair for the dramatic, and one can’t argue with results.” She nodded towards Pet.

Moving away from the bed, he stripped off his shirt first, allowing it to flutter to the floor, and revealing the pale contours of his chest. A small triangle of blonde hair sprouted between the muscles of his upper chest, mirrored by a thin line down the center of his belly leading below his waist. Slight as he was, his body bore a decent tone with little excess fat. Hardly a pinnacle of physical fitness, even by human standards, but no layabout either. Why in Arceus’ name did he have such large nipples though? Must be an oddity of humans. Maybe both females and males nursed young?

Pet eyed the pair of them as he reached for the waistband of his pants, gauging their reactions. The sparkle of mischief had returned, and the slow, precise movement of his tugging on the pants seemed calculated to tease. They inched down his hips, the stretchy fabric keeping his front covered until the last possible moment. With a final jerk and wiggle of his hips, that barrier dropped away, and he allowed the pants to form a golden puddle at his feet, which he stepped out of toward the bed.

“Like what you see?” He asked, smirking at the pair of them. “This was what you wanted, wasn’t it?” He didn’t have a sheath or slit to protect his arousal, and it wobbled about as he walked; a straight, firm shaft of flesh the same colour as the rest of his skin, widening out into a rounded, dark head covered by a small roll of skin. The base nestled among a thick tangle of wiry hair, and a similar fuzz decorated his dangling sac.     

“Not quite what I expected,” Varice said, looking the human up and down, long ears twitching. “But not bad either. Smells lovely too.”

Karma’s tails wagged in silent agreement. No bulging knot to fill her slick entrance with, but the girth of the shaft looked to be a pleasant substitute, and that meant he wouldn’t be stuck either. Did that mean he might be able to offer another round quicker than a canine male? Hopefully so—otherwise, without a knot, human females were missing out!

“You two have proven to be full of surprises.” Pet murmured. “What now then?”

A fair question. ‘Take what she wanted’, Varice had said. In that case…

Potent fragrance sizzled in her nose as she leaned in; an essence that transcended species, flaring her own arousal. She buried her muzzle in it, bumping his sac, and breathed deep, surrendering to the inrush of giddiness. Nothing screamed pure sex like the wild scent of a ready male. Her tongue dragged along the curve of his sac, gathering the brine of sweat and concoction of bitter-sweet clinging to his skin. He hadn’t serviced a female recently—good. He’d be an eager stud for them!

Pet groaned, a hand falling lightly between her ears as she travelled up the length of his shaft, tasting, sampling. Halfway, Varice’s muzzle appeared on the opposite side of the throbbing meat, the flareon’s gaze briefly meeting hers. Karma made room, allowing Varice to mirror her licks, quick kisses shared while they explored their prize. It twitched and pulsed beneath their assault, soft gasps and convulsions of his fingers echoing the path of their attentions.   

“Good god...”

A giggle escaped her, even as she and her friend met at the engorged head. Varice’s dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction, her tongue tangling with Karma’s across the thick maleness, swapping flavour among the dribble of juice resting on the dark flesh. Salt, bitter, spice… a kick as it rolled across her throat… A blend designed to zip through her, her own sex throbbing.

“I think we blew his mind, dear,” Karma whispered as their kiss broke, saliva clinging between them for an instant.   

“Good.” Elation bubbled in her chest. Why had she been worried? He was theirs, no question. “I want him worshipping us.”

“Consider it done, Kaaaarmaa dear. But, he’s still taking me first.” Varice’s muzzle dipped, slathering a fresh wet line down the entirety of Pet’s length.

Not a chance! He’d quivered and vocalized more when they focused on the head, and if she curled her tongue just so…

“Ah!”

Pre spattered across her nose, but she didn’t care, greedily attacking the ridge between shaft and head, cleaning the fresh dribbles oozing steadily from his tip. His grip tightened on the back of her head, his hips spasming, driving the engorged girth past her lips, forcing her muzzle wide.

Karma’s breath caught, delicate flesh grinding against tongue and muzzle, smearing his essence across the back of her throat, her jaws trembling as she fought the instinct to tense. Pet’s soft hiss spoke to the accidental touch of her fangs, but he withdrew slowly, savouring her maw. A quick scratch between her ears—no harm done. Karma blinked, staring at the retreating cock while her chest heaved. That was… new. The tip nudged up against her lips, and her tongue flicked out to clean the head, earning renewed spasms and an erotic spurt across her palate.

“That looked fun! Mind if I try?” Varice bobbed up from her place between Pet’s legs, licking her chops in anticipation.

Part of her didn’t want to share the unique delight she’d discovered, but, there was no need to be selfish. Awarding Pet another lick, she stepped aside, her tails now fiercely fanning the air. Knowing Vari, she’d try to prove herself better at the trick, but she was in for a surprise. Judging by Pet’s warm chuckle, he shared the same thought as the flareon nudged his shaft, inviting him with an open maw.

“You two act like you’ve done this before.” Pet’s free hand fell between Varice’s quivering ears, holding her still. Turgid flesh slid between dark lips, bulging Varice’s cheeks, the human’s hips rocking in gentle thrusts. Her eyes flew open wide, a soft “Mmph!” escaping. Karma couldn’t help a giggle. Pet withdrew, leaving the flareon panting.

“More than you bargained for, Vari?”   

“Not… at all…”

She’d never admit it, but the flareon’s tenacity was one of the qualities Karma admired in her friend. It challenged her to push her own limits! Dipping down, she caught the dripping cock lightly between her lips, working it into her muzzle until the wide head nudged the back of her throat. Pet obliged her, trading thrust for bob until she too gasped for air.

Varice was ready the moment he popped free of Karma’s maw, treating Karma to the exotic sight of her friend’s throat bobbing while she swallowed the male’s leaking essence, the flareon’s husky moan speaking her appreciation. A few rolls of Pet’s hips, and the glistening head again sprang free, allowing Karma to trade places and her friend to catch her breath.  

Lewd slurping punctuated the human’s soft grunts, heat rising in the room with the excitement of the fire types. Each swap allowed Karma to test herself, aim to hold out longer or startle new groans from Pet. Vari would not beat her, no matter how her jaw ached! Pet’s thrusts were growing erratic, savoury pre leaking steady, and as she withdrew with a gasp, he stumbled back, fending off Varice’s fevered lunge.

“Easy! Don’t want to end the fun too quick, do we?” A flush darkened his chest and cheeks, his entire scent heavy with arousal. “My turn to teach you two a few things.”

“If that means mounting us like a mad lopunny, I’m all for it,” Varice said, licking her lips and turning about, tail flicking aside to flaunt her engorged and dripping sex. “Come, lovely, let’s see who he picks first.”

“I know you hate to lose, Vari, but you’re not getting out of this bet!” Karma spun about, dropping her chest and fanning her tails, granting their male an eyeful of her own swollen femininity.

“Confidence looks good on you, dear, but you’d best prepare to wait your turn…”

Pet’s weight on the bed cut off Karma’s retort. He climbed on from the side, rolling over onto his stomach facing them. Karma cocked her head to the side as he flashed his teeth at them. What was he playing at? Didn’t he know they were ready?

“Turn around for me, ladies?” He twirled a finger in the air. “Those lovely rumps could use some attention.”

No argument there! Karma turned again, keeping her tails flagged, and peering over her shoulder. Varice mirrored her, the flareon’s own bewilderment apparent in the angle of her ears. Was this how humans mated? Didn’t human females know how to get the male to mount them properly?

Pet reached out, cupping his hands over each of their mounds as if to hide them from prying eyes. Light pressure on her sex—a shock of delight at the touch to her lower lips. Long fingers circled, tracing the droplet shape, ruffling moistened fur. Karma quivered, each tail flicking in turn with the bizarre euphoria of foreign sensation. He parted her folds, gently teased her entrance, drew a soft yip with an exploratory stroke of her hidden flesh…

Perhaps human females had the right idea after all.

Her tunnel clenched as a finger dipped inside, testing her slick walls, fuzzing her nerves. Male, her body crooned, pleasure, mate! She pressed against the penetration, tossing her head back and sighing happily as it sunk deeper, soothing the burning itch of desire. More, she needed more. The invader wiggled, pumping slowly, easing tight muscles and inflaming her arousal, exploring the shape of her passage.

A second finger joined in, gradually spreading, preparing her for a larger intrusion. Instinct spread her hinds, permitting the human free access to her body. His questing digits seemed to know precisely where to rub or dig in, a third squeezing inside and finding the hard nub of her clit, sending her hips into frenzied grinding. Delicate flesh tingled, alive with sensations she’d gone without for too long; the madness and ecstasy of breeding. Heat flashed through her, the walls of her sex clamping down, desperate to heighten this wild bliss! If he’d just rub a bit more there, press a bit further, pump slightly faster…  

Without warning, the exquisite touch drew away—a suggestive slurp—drawing a gasp from her throat and leaving her trembling and feeling oddly empty. Vaguely, she registered similar pants and ecstatic purrs from Varice. Pleasing both of them like that at once? Pet had surprises of his own. A glance back treated her to the sensual sight of the human cleaning the glistening, sticky juices from his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face as he sampled each flavour in turn.

Several surprises.

“Hot and spicy,” he said, closing one eye at her. “Nothing like fish. Shouldn’t be surprised I guess.” Propping up on his elbows, he rose to his knees, revealing the bobbing length of his still-hard cock. Her sex tingled, anticipating that thick shaft plunging inside her, spreading and filling her with delightfully warm flesh, meeting her need and connecting them with intimate embrace…

Warm breath across her entrance—a quick touch of tongue gracing her lips, teasing forth a soft yip.

“This one has more zip…” He ducked between Varice’s hinds, awarding her sex the same sampling lick. “And this one is hotter. Tough choice.”

Varice giggled. “Hear that, Karma dear? He’s picking meeee first!”

“Mouth burns aren’t in my idea of a good time,” Pet continued, looking between them, one hand on his chin, the other drumming lightly on the bed. “And you’re both so darned cute. It would be rude to disappoint either of you.”

“Don’t be so sure of yourself!” Karma said, giddy with the prospect of what their strange mate would try next. “I think he’s-”

“So why don’t we try this? Mind scootching over here, Miss Flareon?”

Karma’s hopes crashed as he seized Varice around the hips, tugging her back towards him. Her friend’s triumphant ‘told you so’ expression didn’t help. Did she always have to get her way? Jealousy tussled with arousal as Pet pulled Varice almost into his lap, then leaned over her, hunching into position. She ached for the sensation of that hard length prodding her, seeking entry…

“And if you could roll over, Miss Vulpix?” Pet nudged her hip.

Karma stared at him. Roll over? Onto her back? What might he be planning? Intrigued, she complied, fanning her tails and spreading her hinds, allowing her to rest comfortably in the soft bed, looking up at Pet’s grin and Varice’s smirk. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, gently pulling her closer until her rump nearly met Varice’s forelegs.     

“Perfect.” He bent down, leaning over Varice, and planted a kiss on her exposed pussy, lingering for a heartbeat, tongue sampling her folds, before drawing back with a satisfied sigh. “A compromise that should work for everyone, I think.”

Clever male.

“Your face, dear!” Varice loosed a throaty laugh, nudging Karma’s hip with a paw. “You looked about to faint!”

“Not a chance. He’s proving more resourceful than expected is all.” Disappointing to have lost the bet, but human ingenuity was turning out to be eye-opening.

“I’ll say! Though if he doesn’t get started soon, I might have to-oooooh!” Pet shifted, and Varice’s ears shot up straight. A juicy slurp, followed by a mutual sigh from the pair as his hips rocked, easing his girth into the smaller female. Varice’s forepaws braced on either side of Karma’s haunches, her eyes closing as she revelled in the ecstasy only a well-equipped male could provide. In unison, their bodies rolled against one another, flesh connecting with fur, her tail shoved aside and flattened against his belly. Mingled aromas swirled, their twin scents blending into an erotic soup.  

“Arceus, lovely, you must try this.” Head tilted back, eyes closed, mouth half-open in a pant, Varice was the image of sexual bliss. “He’s a lot to handle at first, but it doesn’t grow any bigger than that, and he gets so de-eep!” A roll of Pet’s hips forced the breath from her. Seeds of envy threatened to sprout again, though watching Vari brought its own form of satisfaction.

“Don’t think I’ve… forgotten about you!” Settling into a measured rhythm of shoving himself into the flareon, one arm around her chest to hold her steady, Pet buried his face between Karma’s hinds, his heaving breaths warming her sex. Tingling fire flared through her tunnel, anticipating for several heartbeats... Until wet firmness nudged her needy snatch, his tongue greedily cleaning her dripping juices.

Pleasure lanced through her, hips bucking instinctively, aiming to impale herself on that agile muscle, her inner walls rippling. Her moan mixed with Varice’s, drowning out the lewd slap of tender flesh, and the soft suckling slurps of Pet’s ministrations. A lick across the entrance, followed by a plunge into her depths, wriggling about and stimulating her sensitive passage, sampling every inch he could reach...

She’d never experienced anything like this! Canine males usually offered a few licks, either to prepare her, or to clean up after, but this was worship, performed for her pleasure alone. She squirmed, seeking more of this exotic delight. The way he pressed inside, spreading her with the flat of his tongue… The loving attention to her clit, each flick against it igniting new blazes of ecstasy…

Varice’s purrs rose to a squeal, trembling as Pet increased the speed of their mating without lifting from his other task for more than a quick breather.

“Ooh yes, take me, Pet! Harder!”

Her friend wore an expression of rapture, surrendered fully to the feelings coursing through her body. Of course, even while being pinned down and wildly railed, Vari still managed to look lovely and perfect! Part of her wished she could get a closer view of the action, more than just Pet’s quivering rump raising and slamming back home, though that in itself was a thrilling sight. She was absolutely having him next!

Karma mimicked their frenzied rut, grinding into Pet’s eager tongue, bathing him with her arousal. His free hand had fallen to her belly at some point, a finger brushing the bottom of her swollen mound, while another played with one of her lower nipples, adding new sensations into the passionate act. The flames coursing through her roiled into an inferno, her body tensing, tails quivering. If he kept circling her clit like that, she’d-

“Arceus, yes!”

Pet emitted a feral growl, burying himself deep into both females at once. Karma shuddered, tipping so close to the edge, rubbing frantically against his tongue... Varice’s long moan, the heaving grunts of his release inside her… His hips spasmed, slamming into the flareon, claiming her depths, the aroma of a consummated mating wafting into the air, both their scents, mingled as one, titillating Karma’s senses…

A twitch of his finger was all it took to set her off, hips bucking wildly, hot juices splashing across his tongue, dripping onto his chin, matting her fur. Sparks popped in her vision, breath escaped her in a feral cry, waves of glorious heat rolling through her. Tucked inside her entrance, that devious muscle wiggled, teasing her clit, drawing out her powerful climax until she collapsed, panting and sated.

Pet drew back, leaving her wet folds with an obscene schluck. A moment passed, none of them moving or speaking, merely recovering their wits. Karma blinked, gradually piecing thoughts together, her limbs trembling. The human was watching her, looking extremely pleased with himself. Just like a male to think he was the center of the universe! Still, she had to admit, his performance had been… impressive.

“Good Pet, oh you wonderful, lovely male,” Varice crooned, tilting her head back and licking under his chin, cleaning off some of Karma’s nectar. “He managed to finish you off too, didn’t he dear? Who knew humans could be so talented?”  

He grunted, chuckling and licking his lips, before pushing up onto his hands and rolling back onto his rump, pulling his softening maleness free of the flareon’s sex. Reclining onto the pillows, arms behind his head, he eyed them with a ‘what now?’ look. Feminine liquids glistened on his crotch, marking him as theirs, even as his arousal temporarily flagged. She planned to change that...

Varice gave a disappointed sigh, looking over her shoulder at him, her tail flicking. “I’m sorry, I think I might have worn him out some, lovely. You know how males are. But don’t worry, the way he’s looking at you, I think he’s just dying to give you a turn!”      

“He’d better be. You may have won the bet, Vari, but I’m going to take his best effort.”

Her friend giggled, dropping to her haunches and leaning down to groom fur matted by lovemaking, a pearl line of cream standing out against her coat. “Don’t break him, Karma dear. He is fun, and I’d like another round myself.”

Karma rolled to her paws, wobbling slightly. Drat this unsteady bed, making her look like he’d tired her out! Fixing on her prey, she stalked toward him, her entrance still abuzz. If he could make her feel like that with his tongue…

His eyes widened slightly, showing the whites. “H-hey now, slow down. I need a few minutes!”

“Too late, Pet,” Varice murmured. “She knows what she’s after, and she’ll have it.”

Reaching her prize, Karma placed a paw on his chest, shoving him back onto the pillows. How satisfying, the way his smugness drained into uncertainty. Served him right for forgetting who was in control here! Purring, she straddled his belly, grinding her slick folds against the flaccid bulge of his cock. She was rewarded by a stirring twitch. Good, he’d be ready again soon.

“Now, Pet, here’s how this is going to work…”

 

***   

 

As often after a storm, the morning dawned golden and perfect. Or, at least, Daniel assumed it had, judging by the bright sun streaming into his apartment from a cloudless sky by the time he clawed his way back to consciousness.

He felt like he’d been used as a trampoline by a herd of skiddo, sticky portions of his skin demanding a shower. His crotch ached, morning wood the furthest thing from possibility. The two pokèmon of course still slept soundly, one on either side of him, the vulpix in particular looking smug. That one had started out so sweet and mild, but damn was she a fighter!

Extricating himself carefully, he stumbled to the bathroom to clean up, hot water easing the stiffness from his limbs. Hell of a night. He’d have to make up some excuse to Paul for missing their HyperVoIP call. Though, hearing his friend’s reaction if he told him he’d spent the night having wild sex with two insatiable pokèmon would almost be worth it.

When he returned to his bedroom wrapped in a towel, clean and dry, the vulpix was yawning and stretching on his bed, while the flareon busily groomed herself, pink tongue stroking her paw, before sweeping that paw across her ears. Her fluffy tail stirred as he entered, and the vulpix’s welcoming cry brought a grin to his face.

“Morning, ladies. I trust you found your stay satisfactory?”

“Vulll.”

It was still impressive how much they could convey without speech. When he dropped the towel to slip into his abandoned silk pajama pants, the resulting purr and low growl practically dripped innuendo. He pulled on a fresh shirt, leaving the other where it lay. Rather nice to be appreciated, though if they expected a repeat performance, they would find themselves disappointed. The only thing he’d be getting up today was a few videos to his private server.

“How about some breakfast then?”

“Fla!”

“Piiix!”

In unison, the pair gracefully jumped to the floor, nearly tripping him up in their eagerness to follow him to the kitchen. Luckily, he had enough eggs and bacon to feed all of them to satisfaction, and before long, all three of them were cleaning greasy plates.   

While he cleared the dishes, the pokèmon chattered away, small twitches of body language the only clues as to their discussion. A shame to have them leave, but he was no trainer; he couldn’t care for a pokèmon long term, especially with his job taking up so much of his time. Besides, these two clearly knew how to look out for themselves. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d bamboozled their way into a free meal, but honestly, who was he to complain? He’d certainly come out ahead on the deal.

“Well, ladies? Much as I’m regretting it, rule number three still stands. I’m afraid it’s time for us to part ways.” It was already past noon, and he had a fair bit of work ahead of him.

Disappointment etched every inch of the vulpix’s posture, and the flareon’s long, “Flaaaa…” managed to convey sorrow more effectively than bursting into tears. Daniel’s chest clenched. Stay strong, stay strong!

“I know, I’m a monster, but a deal is a deal, right?” He stood, expecting them to trudge after him to the door, but they again surprised him by nuzzling against his legs, then trotting with dainty steps, beating him there and looking back at him as if to say, ‘Get on with it, would you?’

Opening that door, part of him still felt like the scum of the earth, no matter how fresh and bright the world outside looked now. He squatted down and gave the vulpix a friendly scratch behind the ears, grinning at the resulting purr.  

“Stay out of trouble, alright? I can’t make any promises, but if you really need it, I won’t mind if you come back from time to time.” He reached to give the flareon’s fluffy mane one last ruffle, but she sidestepped, his hand instead falling to her rump.

“Flaaa… Flare, fla.”

“Vul, vulll!”

That devious pink tongue drew slowly across the vulpix’s lips, her gaze dropping from his face. If he had any doubts as to the suggestive nature of their commentary, they were erased when the flareon flicked her tail to the side, giving him a glimpse of that heated crimson snatch.

“I didn’t mean that as a booty call! You two are downright ravenous.” He awarded the flareon a pat anyway and rose, shaking his head. “I had a good time too. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you girls around, next time I’m passing a dark alley in the rain.”

“Piii!”

Together, they turned, walking down the steps into the street. The vulpix looked back once, met his gaze, her tails wagging gently, ears perked. Those tails jumped, fanned, shamelessly flashing him. Then, the pair was gone, the flareon’s huffs of laughter trailing behind as they pranced off into the streets of Lumiose.

They’d definitely be back; a prospect which widened his grin. He’d be ready for them. More hidden cameras, offering better angles of the action. He’d set up the best he could, but he hadn’t predicted the crazy blow-job the pair had given him—probably only a bit of usable footage from that. Editing everything from last night into proper videos would take some work, but once he did, they’d surely sell far better than his mightyena film had. Vulpix were almost as popular as ninetales in the pokèphilia community.

Possible titles rolled through his head as he closed the door and wandered back to his bedroom, collecting the micro cameras from behind the headboard, the top drawer of his dresser, and nestled beneath the lampshade. Heated Memories? No, too vague. Scorching Passion, perhaps? Maybe he’d browse the Violet Enterprises collection in search of inspiration.

It almost didn’t register that his nightstand was more bare than usual. Alarm clock: Check. Incense burner with its special blend of pokèmon aphrodisiac? Yup. His grocery list remained, as did his keys.

Where had he left his wallet?