Story Notes:
This is the first posted edition of my story Luca.
Luca is a special riolu who is given to the trainer Felix. Meant for each other, the two endeavor to make the best of their lives together. However, what is life without trials to make bonds grow stronger?
Heading Home
After about half a day of sailing we saw the mainland coast. Shortly after we saw the coast a coast guard vessel intercepted us and asked what we were doing out here. We explained ourselves and they gladly gave us an escort to the docks behind the police station, where we unloaded the pokemon and entered the building. Officer Jenny was astonished and demanded an explanation to this "raid." After we explained she was simply amazed that we had managed to pull this off and rescue so many pokemon. She began cataloging the free pokemon after releasing a public service announcement saying that anyone who had ever had a pokemon stolen by team Darkrai should come to the station. The trainers soon began flooding the station wanting to know if they had found their pokemon.
Silka and Razor took on the task of trying to keep everyone organized, and with the strong pokemon they had it was turning out to be a piece of cake. Meanwhile Jenny had given me, Luca, Umbreon and Lady the task of getting the free pokemon back to their trainers. This was fairly easy as well since the pokemon were ecstatic about getting back to their trainers and could remember their faces. Once the last of them was returned we began cataloging the hundreds of pokeballs that we had "stolen" from Darkrai. Once we had cataloged a pokemon its picture would appear on a screen in the main lobby. Many of the trainers could pick out their pokemon in a heart beat but for the duplicate pokemon we had to let them out of their ball to identify their trainer. This method was working very well with Luca acting as a mediator between humans and pokemon, and Lady and Umbreon helping me catalog the pokeballs as quickly as possible.
Before long the crowd had thinned down and eventually disappeared, but we still had about 150 pokemon that hadn't been claimed. Jenny said that she could take it from here and transmitted the cataloged list to the other stations along the coast and to any town/city that Darkrai activity had been reported in. She thanked us for this heroic act and assured us that the remaining pokemon would find their trainers. We made sure we all had our own pokemon before we left the station and to our surprise there were a good many trainers waiting for us outside.
The three of us all shared the sentiment that this was either really good or really bad. The trainers either wanted to thank use for returning their pokemon or wanted to battle the "heroes"... Luckily they only wanted to express their gratitude one last time before letting us go on our way.
After the island ordeal we endured, all three of us just wanted to go home. So after stocking up on supplies and exchanging phone numbers, Razor, Silka and I went our separate ways. With Umbreon and Lady in tow we began the long trip home. This was the farthest I had ever been from home and I really didn't know what to expect in the way of pokemon but I figured with Umbreon and the girls I would be fine.
When we got to the next town I figured it would be a good idea to give mother a call. I knew Umbreon would be skittish but he would have to meet her, I also knew she would love him as soon as she saw him. We made our way to the pokemon center so I could call home, and to my surprise Ashley answered the phone. Latias was happily floating behind her and when she saw me and Luca on the screen she got really excited and kept fighting with Ashley to talk to us. Lady was sitting next to us and heard the commotion on the other end, so she put one of her tails up into the middle of the screen. When Latias saw this she squealed and hid behind Ashley. We all laughed at what had just happened and Latias soon joined us once she calmed down.
I told Ashley I had a new addition to my team and she replied "Really? Who?" As she asked I bent over and picked up Umbreon. He tried his hardest to get comfortable with me showing him off but he still didn't like it when I did. Ashley loved his bright blue rings which had begun to glow more as he got somewhat embarrassed. Ashley called my mom over to see Umbreon. Mom came over and immediately said "Aww he's beautiful!" Umbreon got really embarrassed and his rings only glowed brighter, finally he wiggled to try and get me to let him down, so I did and he happily sat with Lady. Mom told me how she couldn't wait to see him, then we continued our catching up. When I told her what had been happening over just the past week she almost fainted. She had to sit down and Ashley took over for a bit.
Ashley came over and we began talking about the Darkrai research lab. She couldn't believe that had happened and she began trying to apologize for not being there. But I convinced her it was for the best by saying "I wouldn't want Latias there anyway and we managed just fine."
By this time Mom had calmed down and come back to the screen to talk. Before she could start asking anything I assured her that we were all fine. She was still pretty much speechless so I continued to tell her what we had done. I mentioned that we had managed to save hundreds of pokemon and return them to their owners, and also freed a Deoxys, let alone I saved Umbreon from his neglectful pack. She asked why he would be treated that way and I told her about his special colors, but we both thought that he should have been treated like royalty not scum. Either way, he was with us now and I wasn't about to let anything like that happen to him again. She asked how Luca and Lady were doing and I told her, leaving out the little detail of me and Luca becoming mates, for now.
Ashley had filled her in on Lady's injury and she really wanted to make sure Lady was alright. I assured her again that we were all fine and that she was healing nicely. I could tell that Luca was feeling a bit left out, and I suddenly remembered that we had never explained Luca's ability to mother. So I brought Luca's wave guidance up in my story and explained it to mom as best I could. Luca blushed at how highly I was speaking of her, and she kept trying to tell me to stop exaggerating when I really wasn't, still I could tell this had cheered her up.
Mom was still worried when we finished talking, but all she could find to say was to be careful. We were just about to hang up when Ashley came over wanting to tell me her bit of news. She began her story from when we split at the port. She went on to win her fifth ribbon at that contest and was entered in the grand festival which was scheduled for two months from now. I congratulated her but she said that wasn't the best part. It turns out that some where along the way Whiskers had gone into heat and found a male to mate with. Ashley hadn't seen the male but Whiskers was pregnant none the less, and pretty far along at the moment. I didn't quite know how to take that bit of news, but she seemed happy so I told her I was happy for her. Of course all I could do was wonder what her kittens would look like.
I told Ashley I would be coming home as soon as possible and couldn't wait to see the family again. I hung up and turned to my pokemon who were patiently waiting. Then went over and asked nurse joy to give each of them a check up. Lady needed one the most since she was still healing and had a tough time on the island. I wanted Luca to get one because she had been working really hard over the past two weeks and I wanted to make sure she was ok even though she seemed to loosen up with our time on the island. Finally I wanted to get Umbreon a checkup to make sure he was ok both physically and emotionally. Nurse joy got Lady all taken care of and began on Luca. I could tell Umbreon was getting nervous so while Luca was occupied I asked him if he'd feel better if Lady accompanied him. He looked up at me and nodded so when Luca came back out Lady went in with Umbreon. Nurse joy could tell that Umbreon was timid so she just smiled and allowed the extra company.
This gave Luca and me a little more time to ourselves. We sat down on a nearby bench where I asked if she was ok. She rested her head on my shoulder and replied "I'm fine, just exhausted." Hearing this I rested my head on hers and put my arm around her to rub her shoulder, she smiled and closed her eyes as I did this and said, "Mmm, Thank you."
Luca and I continued talking until Umbreon and Lady came walking over from Nurse Joy. We then got up and met the two halfway across the room. Nurse Joy gave me the report and offered to get a room for us for the night. I gladly accepted and we followed her to it.
Umbreon was fine physically, but like I thought he was very withdrawn from others. Joy asked how this had happened and I explained how I came to meet him. She understood completely after that and offered some advice to help him feel a bit more comfortable. I thanked her as she left us at the room, and the four of us got ready for bed.
We fell asleep quickly that night, I don't know exactly what it was but we were all exhausted. Luca took her usual place snuggled up beside me while Umbreon curled up with Lady at the foot of the bed. I watched the two of them for a while and realized that they had something special together, somehow I doubted that I could ever get as close to Umbreon as he was with Lady. Before Luca and I fell asleep I gave her a kiss on the lips, Luca returned my kiss and we fell asleep with smiles on our faces and our heads resting together.
The next day we got up early to get supplies for our next trip. I had stopped by the pokeball shop briefly the day before and ordered a ball for Umbreon. The four of us walked in together and as usual Umbreon was wary about every little thing. I wanted to surprise him with his new ball so I had told Lady not to tell him. Umbreon looked around the shop as I paid the clerk for his ball. He was no doubt wondering why we were in there in the first place. I could tell from the look on Luca's face that she couldn't wait to see Umbreon's reaction. The clerk handed me the ball and I turned and knelt to show it to Umbreon. He looked at the ball then back at me with a look that said "Is that really for me?" I smiled and asked him if he liked his new ball. He looked back down at the solid black ball with a bright blue ring around the middle and an oval of the same color above the activator on the upper half. The activator was a dark shade of red, the same color as his eyes. He got a somewhat teary eyed expression on his face, smiled lightly, and yipped his approval. Luca and Lady were both happy he liked his new ball. Seeing his reaction I replaced his old ball on my belt with his new one and we left the store to continue our way home.
Over the next three weeks we continued our way home. I wanted to use Umbreon in a battle but didn't know if he knew many offensive attacks. So during our travels I found time to have Luca and Lady teach him some attacks. He picked up right away on the ones Lady taught him, but the few that Luca could show him took a bit more practice. Though Umbreon's relationship with Lady was strong, Luca and I came in a close second. He knew we were his friends and would protect him just as much as Lady would, but he had actually seen what Lady would do for him, which no doubt had strengthened their bond in the first place.
Luca was also starting to act a little different. Ever since that night on the island she wouldn't leave my side, which I understood, but she had been gradually eating more over the past few weeks and would sometimes ask me for something she normally didn't like. She was also starting to put on some weight. We came to a town and I decided it was about time to figure out what was going on with my lover and if Lady's injuries had healed, which was my excuse to go to the pokemon center. I had a sneaking suspicion of what was happening to Luca, and if I was right I would have some explaining to do with my family, but I couldn't have been happier, especially if I turned out to be correct.
We made our way to the pokemon center when we entered town. Lady's contest injury had been healing nicely and she was back to her old self again. I continued to wrap her chest as I had done for the past month, but when Lady came out from her little check up Nurse Joy had removed the bandages. She was much happier now that her fur was open to the air again and Umbreon really seemed to like it as well. Nurse Joy told me that she was completely healed and no further complications had developed. That was a huge relief for me, over the past month I had been fretting about her injury. Now that she was better, I could forgive myself a little more for getting her hurt.
Next up was Luca, and I wanted to go back with her for this. Nurse Joy didn't know why but allowed it just the same. Lady and Umbreon stayed in the lobby where Lady started teasing Umbreon with her tails to keep him occupied.
Nurse Joy had Luca sit on a stretcher while she started her check up. She soon asked me if Luca had been acting strangely over the past week or two. I told Joy yes and explained what I had noticed, all the while fighting back a smile and the urge to watch Luca's reaction. Luca seemed insulted at the question and just as insulted at my answer, but she suddenly realized that she had been acting different and she immediately put the paw that I wasn't holding in my hand to her belly then looked up at me. I knew she had now figured it out, but I couldn't quite tell from the look she gave me whether she was scared, happy, or sad. She began to get tears in her eyes and she wrapped me in an embrace, laying her ears back and burying her face in my chest.
Nurse Joy turned around, saw this, and began wondering what exactly had just happened while her back was turned. I held Luca close to me and looked up at Nurse Joy. She smiled when she realized I had already known and was just trying to get Luca to realize as well. She knew I wanted to be alone with her so she left us and returned to the front desk. I wasn't quite ready to share with another human what Luca and I had done. Human pokemon relations weren't very common in the world, but they weren't completely unheard of.
Luca had started crying in my arms and I just rubbed her back, I still couldn't tell how she felt about this, but I knew I couldn't be happier. I had finally found the one girl that I wanted to spend my life with and raise a family with and it was actually happening!
Luca eventually calmed down and I asked her if she was alright. She looked up at me and apologized with tears still in her eyes. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and it hurt me to hear her say that. I released her but kept my hands on her shoulders and locked eyes with her. She was a bit scared at this, but soon saw how sad the look in my eyes was. I asked her why she had apologized to me, I just couldn't understand why she wasn't happy about this! She wiped her eyes and said "Your... not... mad?" through her sniffles. Still stunned I replied "No. Why would I be?" I saw a wave of relief wash over her which only confused me more. Before I could say anything else Luca started weeping again and hugged me tightly while she began speaking. "Oh thank god! I was afraid you'd be upset if this happened. I never got the chance to ask you how you felt about kids and thought you had been hoping we weren't compatible!"
She paused and I took the chance to tell her how I felt. "Luca, I couldn't be happier! I knew this might happen from the start and if I really didn't want it to I would have told you!... I don't think you quite understand how I feel about you. Ever since that night on the island I realized you were the one I had been trying to find for half my life and I don't care what happens I will always be with you... As for kids how could you think that I wouldn't want to share that with you?! I was so happy when I figured it out, I could barely keep myself from asking you!" I stopped there and continued to hold her tightly. She was starting to calm down a bit, but hearing me say what I did only made her cry more. However, this time I could easily tell they were tears of joy. When she finally regained herself she quickly forced me into a passionate kiss. I returned her sentiments letting our tongues intertwine. When we broke the kiss I could think of nothing more to do to show her how I felt so I continued to hold her close. She was still nuzzling me lovingly with her eyes closed and a few tears still leaking from them, but she had a happy smile on her face. I gently picked her up in my arms and carried her out to the lobby, not wanting her to stop nuzzling me.
Nurse Joy had heard some of Luca's reactions and was glad that she was finally happy. I asked for a room and Joy happily obliged. Lady and Umbreon had taken to getting a little rest but got up to join me and Luca when we emerged. Lady had a concerned look on her face and wondered why I was carrying Luca. I saw her concern and told her with a smile that I'd explain in the room. By the time we got there Luca was half asleep, but still smiling with her head resting against my shoulder. It was still only mid afternoon so I figured she would wake up after a short rest. Conversations like that always took a lot out of her.
I laid Luca down on the bed and covered her up for the time being while I turned to explain to Lady what was going on. When I told her of Luca's "condition" she knocked me over in her excitement and gave me what I interpreted as a congratulatory face lick. When she was done with me she could hardly keep herself from waking Luca. Umbreon wasn't sure of what was happening, and I figured I'd have to have Lady explain some time.
We stayed in the room relaxing while Luca rested, Lady and Umbreon decided to join Luca and the two of them curled up together at the foot of the bed. I couldn't sleep though and continued to watch Luca. I found myself wondering what her baby would look like. I suspected it would probably take after her mostly simply because most pokemon pregnancies, that I had heard of, between oddly matched species followed the female's figure. I didn't care though, I was just happy to be with her like this.
Luca woke up an hour and a half later. She stretched and yawned then saw that I was watching her from a chair in the corner of the room. When she got up off the bed I got up as well and met her halfway across the room. She wrapped me in yet another embrace, which I eagerly returned then asked her if she was alright.
"Yes. Now that I know exactly how you feel." She replied.
"Good, and just remember. I will always be with you... no matter what happens." I said before I released her.
Lady and Umbreon woke up shortly after Luca and we set out to get some dinner. Once we had, we returned to the center and got cleaned up and ready for bed. I fell asleep quickly with Luca in my arms, while Lady and Umbreon curled up at our feet.
The next day we began the last leg of our trip home, it would take us at most another week but we were in no real hurry. This time we made it almost all the way before something distracted us. We knew we were getting close when we arrived at a familiar town. It was the town where we had first met Luca. When we got to the path where we met the strange guy and his Lucario we stopped for a while to rest in the clearing. I had explained everything to Luca before but this clearing still meant something to me. I would never forget the first time I saw Luca sleeping among Lady's tails.
After resting for a while we continued down the path towards home. It was less than 6 miles now and we could probably make it before dinner if we were lucky. As we walked Luca suddenly stopped cold. I knew something wasn't right because she never acted like this. The three of us stopped a step in front of her and turned to ask what was wrong. Luca had a confused look on her face at first but then she started using her wave guidance. She turned her head and ran into the brush to her left, all the while keeping her eyes closed. This really scared me and I started chasing her saying "Luca wait! What's wrong?" She seemed to be ignoring me, but she wasn't running fast enough to loose me which I knew she could do if she really wanted to. Lady and Umbreon followed close behind both wondering what was going on. After running about an eighth of a mile through the dense undergrowth Luca reached a grassy clearing and stopped to look around. I caught up with her and put a hand on her shoulder to ensure that I got an answer to my question. She looked frantic and I couldn't think of anything that would make her act this way. She finally calmed down enough to look at me and explain.
"I'm sorry but there was someone talking to me! I thought it was my... father. I was sure he was here!" Hearing this I understood why she had run off. I had almost forgotten that she didn't remember playing with her dad that one time, and that was the only other time we had seen him. I tried to calm her down more, but it wasn't working to well. I looked around for any sign of the stranger but there was nothing. Luca kept trying to find something with her wave guidance but continued to come up empty handed. Lady and Umbreon were trying their best to try and find a scent or something but they too weren't having any luck.
After 10 minutes of searching we came back to Luca and I said "I'm sorry there's nothing here." I could tell she was disappointed, but she knew we should continue home. We made our way back through the brush trail that we had made and to our surprise when we reached the main path the stranger and his Lucario, Luca's father, were standing there waiting for us. Luca and I were just stunned, but Lady treated Lucario like an old friend. She went over to him and he smiled and put his paw on her head. Once the initial shock had worn off Luca and I joined them and we began walking down the path. Umbreon was trying to hide beside me since Lady had already taken to walking with Lucario and Luca. Those three were a short ways ahead of us talking about who knows what, but Luca seemed a bit uneasy talking to her dad.
Meanwhile I took the time I had to talk to the stranger again, even though I was truly afraid that he might ask me about Luca's condition. He was very interested in how Luca was doing and he seemed really happy that she was doing well. He was surprised to see that she had evolved already. I asked him why and he said that it usually took at least two years for a Riolu to get close enough to their trainer to evolve. He looked ahead at Luca, smiled and said "You two must really have something special if she evolved after just one year." I too looked ahead to Luca and said "Ya, we really do." At one point the stranger noticed Umbreon peaking around my leg and said with a smile, "You know, I won't bite." Umbreon saw the stranger was talking to him and went back to trying to hide, timidly laying his ears back as he did. The stranger chuckled a little and asked how I came to have such a rare colored Umbreon. I told him it was a rather long story but he replied "Lets here it." So I began explaining what had happened to us and how Luca had managed to get us out of it with her wave guidance. At one point Lady had gotten bored and came back to play with Umbreon. This made him much happier, and he was able to relax even around the stranger, while Luca and her father were left alone to talk.
I couldn't hear what they were saying but Luca still seemed anxious, and I couldn't help but wonder if Lucario had found us out. It was almost as if she didn't know what to say to him.
I had continued the story while watching Luca and when I finished I asked the stranger why he had come back to see us again. The stranger wasn't very specific, and as far as I could tell it was only to check in on Luca and see how her abilities were progressing, but I couldn't help but wonder if there was some other reason...
We continued on down the path exchanging stories and experiences, until he finally asked the question I had been dreading. He started off by saying "I can tell she really loves you... You're the father right?" which scared the hell out of me. I wasn't sure what his view on the subject was and I was more than a little hesitant to find out, let alone he said it in the tone of voice that didn't give any clue as to his position. I knew there was no denying it though and replied with a quiet but sincere "Yes."
Much to my relief he smiled, but he also closed his eyes, obviously thinking of something. I was too afraid to say anything else so I kept silent until he asked his next question "Do you feel the same way about her?" I knew my answer but again wasn't sure how to say it. I looked ahead to Luca to see if she was having the same conversation. She didn't seem to be having such a hard time talking to her father now, and in fact she seemed very happy and talkative. I smiled as I watched her then unconsciously replied to the stranger's question "Yes I do." I realized what I had said and snapped out of my little trance with a bit of a scared look. The stranger only smiled again, then called Lucario and Luca back to us. Luca came back to be with me and realized I looked uneasy. Her conversation with Lucario had also covered our relationship. Lucario was surprised at first when Luca told him I was the father, but to my surprise he seemed ok with it. We stopped walking and the stranger and Lucario turned to look at me while Luca and I both looked at the stranger. I was still scared of what he was going to say, and my only consolation was that Lucario wasn't upset, but he was giving me quite a serious look. The stranger firmly laid a hand on my shoulder, and began to speak "I'm glad you and Luca have connected like this, but I can't let her stay with you... unless you promise me right now that no matter what happens you will never leave her!" My heart sank after the first part of what he said, but lifted again when he finished. I didn't even have to think of my answer, it was self explanatory, but again I didn't know how to say it. I looked to Luca who had a look of concern due to my hesitation. I then turned to the stranger and gave him my answer, "I don't have the words to say what I want to... but for what its worth you have my solemn word that I will always take care of Luca!"
The stranger looked me square in the eyes, and I returned his gaze. Lucario relaxed a bit when I replied, as did Luca, but she was trying not to loose her composure in the tension. After a long moment the stranger released me and calmly said "Alright... Then she stays with you." Luca heard this and leapt at me. I was startled by her sudden action but caught her and returned the embrace she had locked me in. Lucario smiled at the sight, he was finally able to see how much I loved Luca and he knew they had made the right choice in asking me to take care of her.
Once I set Luca down we continued walking and talking with the stranger. Luca was now holding my arm as she walked next to me, but after a while Lucario wanted to talk with her in private again. I didn't mind, but Luca seemed to be reluctant. Still she knew her father and the stranger weren't going to separate us, not that she expected it in the first place, so she agreed.
While our companions talked I continued to ask the stranger about Luca's "heritage." I was expecting him to be just as tight lipped as our last meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised when he started telling me more of what he knew.
He began explaining that there aren't many Lucario around these days. There used to be many more in ancient times, and they all had human companions whom they stayed with by choice. After many years a few of the humans began to develop abilities like the Lucario, they could use wave guidance. Before long every human in the clan could use this ability, which only strengthened the bond between them and their Lucario. However this clan was fairly isolated from the rest of the world and eventually their numbers began to shrink. There started to be too many Lucario for all of them to find human companions.
By this time a select few of the humans had mastered the wave guidance ability, and one advantage they found to using this power was the ability to bend time. They could choose a time and create a portal to it. This could only be done by the masters and they also needed the help of their Lucario to do it. This put a great amount of strain on them, but with practice a portal could be opened once a day. The clan's council realized the potential for this ability and began to assign the masters and their Lucario, missions to deliver Riolu to the trainers whom the council found "worthy." The clan eventually shrunk to a point where the members scattered and became nomads. The wave masters, however, continued to carry out their missions to find the Lucario their human partners. When the clan dispersed the Lucario that didn't have companions became wild pokemon. Their numbers weren't sufficient enough to become a common pokemon, but they managed to survive all this time and keep their lines alive just fine, mostly by living together in isolated communities. Sadly their wave guiding traits began to fade without human companions.
The Riolu that were given to trainers were of a special breed, they had the strongest parents and the wave guidance trait was more prominent in them. I began to understand, this was why they had given her to me. They didn't want her to live her life with this trait and not be able to use it fully, but that still didn't quite explain why it was me.
Satisfied with his explanation about her past I then asked about Luca's wave guidance, and if there was anything else I could do to help her develop it. He told me that she was actually more advanced than any other Lucario he had seen. I asked him why he thought that was and he replied, "I know why she is... It's because of you. She shares such an amazing bond with you that she's grown faster and farther than any other Lucario I've seen. The best advice I can give you is to just continue what you've been doing." As he said this we cleared the last hill before my home.
We continued down and said our goodbyes in front of the house. Luca gave her father one last hug before he and the stranger turned and continued down the road. Lady and Umbreon stayed with us the whole time. They continued to walk quietly with me while I talked to the stranger about Luca, but now that we were home Lady couldn't wait to see everyone again. I bent down to pet both her and Umbreon and thank them for being so well behaved while we talked. They both enjoyed the attention and really didn't mind me taking the chance to talk with the stranger. After all they had each other to talk to. When I finished we headed inside. Lady was first in, but Umbreon wasn't sure and wanted to go in with me and Luca.
I had been trying to prepare myself for this moment for some time now. Telling my mother about Luca wasn't going to be easy, especially because I wasn't sure how she felt about the topic. Luca saw I was hesitating, grabbed my hand with her paw, and told me not to worry. I looked over at her and thought "Well as long as I have her with me I really have nothing to worry about." Comforted by her words we went inside to see the family.
Silka and Razor took on the task of trying to keep everyone organized, and with the strong pokemon they had it was turning out to be a piece of cake. Meanwhile Jenny had given me, Luca, Umbreon and Lady the task of getting the free pokemon back to their trainers. This was fairly easy as well since the pokemon were ecstatic about getting back to their trainers and could remember their faces. Once the last of them was returned we began cataloging the hundreds of pokeballs that we had "stolen" from Darkrai. Once we had cataloged a pokemon its picture would appear on a screen in the main lobby. Many of the trainers could pick out their pokemon in a heart beat but for the duplicate pokemon we had to let them out of their ball to identify their trainer. This method was working very well with Luca acting as a mediator between humans and pokemon, and Lady and Umbreon helping me catalog the pokeballs as quickly as possible.
Before long the crowd had thinned down and eventually disappeared, but we still had about 150 pokemon that hadn't been claimed. Jenny said that she could take it from here and transmitted the cataloged list to the other stations along the coast and to any town/city that Darkrai activity had been reported in. She thanked us for this heroic act and assured us that the remaining pokemon would find their trainers. We made sure we all had our own pokemon before we left the station and to our surprise there were a good many trainers waiting for us outside.
The three of us all shared the sentiment that this was either really good or really bad. The trainers either wanted to thank use for returning their pokemon or wanted to battle the "heroes"... Luckily they only wanted to express their gratitude one last time before letting us go on our way.
After the island ordeal we endured, all three of us just wanted to go home. So after stocking up on supplies and exchanging phone numbers, Razor, Silka and I went our separate ways. With Umbreon and Lady in tow we began the long trip home. This was the farthest I had ever been from home and I really didn't know what to expect in the way of pokemon but I figured with Umbreon and the girls I would be fine.
When we got to the next town I figured it would be a good idea to give mother a call. I knew Umbreon would be skittish but he would have to meet her, I also knew she would love him as soon as she saw him. We made our way to the pokemon center so I could call home, and to my surprise Ashley answered the phone. Latias was happily floating behind her and when she saw me and Luca on the screen she got really excited and kept fighting with Ashley to talk to us. Lady was sitting next to us and heard the commotion on the other end, so she put one of her tails up into the middle of the screen. When Latias saw this she squealed and hid behind Ashley. We all laughed at what had just happened and Latias soon joined us once she calmed down.
I told Ashley I had a new addition to my team and she replied "Really? Who?" As she asked I bent over and picked up Umbreon. He tried his hardest to get comfortable with me showing him off but he still didn't like it when I did. Ashley loved his bright blue rings which had begun to glow more as he got somewhat embarrassed. Ashley called my mom over to see Umbreon. Mom came over and immediately said "Aww he's beautiful!" Umbreon got really embarrassed and his rings only glowed brighter, finally he wiggled to try and get me to let him down, so I did and he happily sat with Lady. Mom told me how she couldn't wait to see him, then we continued our catching up. When I told her what had been happening over just the past week she almost fainted. She had to sit down and Ashley took over for a bit.
Ashley came over and we began talking about the Darkrai research lab. She couldn't believe that had happened and she began trying to apologize for not being there. But I convinced her it was for the best by saying "I wouldn't want Latias there anyway and we managed just fine."
By this time Mom had calmed down and come back to the screen to talk. Before she could start asking anything I assured her that we were all fine. She was still pretty much speechless so I continued to tell her what we had done. I mentioned that we had managed to save hundreds of pokemon and return them to their owners, and also freed a Deoxys, let alone I saved Umbreon from his neglectful pack. She asked why he would be treated that way and I told her about his special colors, but we both thought that he should have been treated like royalty not scum. Either way, he was with us now and I wasn't about to let anything like that happen to him again. She asked how Luca and Lady were doing and I told her, leaving out the little detail of me and Luca becoming mates, for now.
Ashley had filled her in on Lady's injury and she really wanted to make sure Lady was alright. I assured her again that we were all fine and that she was healing nicely. I could tell that Luca was feeling a bit left out, and I suddenly remembered that we had never explained Luca's ability to mother. So I brought Luca's wave guidance up in my story and explained it to mom as best I could. Luca blushed at how highly I was speaking of her, and she kept trying to tell me to stop exaggerating when I really wasn't, still I could tell this had cheered her up.
Mom was still worried when we finished talking, but all she could find to say was to be careful. We were just about to hang up when Ashley came over wanting to tell me her bit of news. She began her story from when we split at the port. She went on to win her fifth ribbon at that contest and was entered in the grand festival which was scheduled for two months from now. I congratulated her but she said that wasn't the best part. It turns out that some where along the way Whiskers had gone into heat and found a male to mate with. Ashley hadn't seen the male but Whiskers was pregnant none the less, and pretty far along at the moment. I didn't quite know how to take that bit of news, but she seemed happy so I told her I was happy for her. Of course all I could do was wonder what her kittens would look like.
I told Ashley I would be coming home as soon as possible and couldn't wait to see the family again. I hung up and turned to my pokemon who were patiently waiting. Then went over and asked nurse joy to give each of them a check up. Lady needed one the most since she was still healing and had a tough time on the island. I wanted Luca to get one because she had been working really hard over the past two weeks and I wanted to make sure she was ok even though she seemed to loosen up with our time on the island. Finally I wanted to get Umbreon a checkup to make sure he was ok both physically and emotionally. Nurse joy got Lady all taken care of and began on Luca. I could tell Umbreon was getting nervous so while Luca was occupied I asked him if he'd feel better if Lady accompanied him. He looked up at me and nodded so when Luca came back out Lady went in with Umbreon. Nurse joy could tell that Umbreon was timid so she just smiled and allowed the extra company.
This gave Luca and me a little more time to ourselves. We sat down on a nearby bench where I asked if she was ok. She rested her head on my shoulder and replied "I'm fine, just exhausted." Hearing this I rested my head on hers and put my arm around her to rub her shoulder, she smiled and closed her eyes as I did this and said, "Mmm, Thank you."
Luca and I continued talking until Umbreon and Lady came walking over from Nurse Joy. We then got up and met the two halfway across the room. Nurse Joy gave me the report and offered to get a room for us for the night. I gladly accepted and we followed her to it.
Umbreon was fine physically, but like I thought he was very withdrawn from others. Joy asked how this had happened and I explained how I came to meet him. She understood completely after that and offered some advice to help him feel a bit more comfortable. I thanked her as she left us at the room, and the four of us got ready for bed.
We fell asleep quickly that night, I don't know exactly what it was but we were all exhausted. Luca took her usual place snuggled up beside me while Umbreon curled up with Lady at the foot of the bed. I watched the two of them for a while and realized that they had something special together, somehow I doubted that I could ever get as close to Umbreon as he was with Lady. Before Luca and I fell asleep I gave her a kiss on the lips, Luca returned my kiss and we fell asleep with smiles on our faces and our heads resting together.
The next day we got up early to get supplies for our next trip. I had stopped by the pokeball shop briefly the day before and ordered a ball for Umbreon. The four of us walked in together and as usual Umbreon was wary about every little thing. I wanted to surprise him with his new ball so I had told Lady not to tell him. Umbreon looked around the shop as I paid the clerk for his ball. He was no doubt wondering why we were in there in the first place. I could tell from the look on Luca's face that she couldn't wait to see Umbreon's reaction. The clerk handed me the ball and I turned and knelt to show it to Umbreon. He looked at the ball then back at me with a look that said "Is that really for me?" I smiled and asked him if he liked his new ball. He looked back down at the solid black ball with a bright blue ring around the middle and an oval of the same color above the activator on the upper half. The activator was a dark shade of red, the same color as his eyes. He got a somewhat teary eyed expression on his face, smiled lightly, and yipped his approval. Luca and Lady were both happy he liked his new ball. Seeing his reaction I replaced his old ball on my belt with his new one and we left the store to continue our way home.
Over the next three weeks we continued our way home. I wanted to use Umbreon in a battle but didn't know if he knew many offensive attacks. So during our travels I found time to have Luca and Lady teach him some attacks. He picked up right away on the ones Lady taught him, but the few that Luca could show him took a bit more practice. Though Umbreon's relationship with Lady was strong, Luca and I came in a close second. He knew we were his friends and would protect him just as much as Lady would, but he had actually seen what Lady would do for him, which no doubt had strengthened their bond in the first place.
Luca was also starting to act a little different. Ever since that night on the island she wouldn't leave my side, which I understood, but she had been gradually eating more over the past few weeks and would sometimes ask me for something she normally didn't like. She was also starting to put on some weight. We came to a town and I decided it was about time to figure out what was going on with my lover and if Lady's injuries had healed, which was my excuse to go to the pokemon center. I had a sneaking suspicion of what was happening to Luca, and if I was right I would have some explaining to do with my family, but I couldn't have been happier, especially if I turned out to be correct.
We made our way to the pokemon center when we entered town. Lady's contest injury had been healing nicely and she was back to her old self again. I continued to wrap her chest as I had done for the past month, but when Lady came out from her little check up Nurse Joy had removed the bandages. She was much happier now that her fur was open to the air again and Umbreon really seemed to like it as well. Nurse Joy told me that she was completely healed and no further complications had developed. That was a huge relief for me, over the past month I had been fretting about her injury. Now that she was better, I could forgive myself a little more for getting her hurt.
Next up was Luca, and I wanted to go back with her for this. Nurse Joy didn't know why but allowed it just the same. Lady and Umbreon stayed in the lobby where Lady started teasing Umbreon with her tails to keep him occupied.
Nurse Joy had Luca sit on a stretcher while she started her check up. She soon asked me if Luca had been acting strangely over the past week or two. I told Joy yes and explained what I had noticed, all the while fighting back a smile and the urge to watch Luca's reaction. Luca seemed insulted at the question and just as insulted at my answer, but she suddenly realized that she had been acting different and she immediately put the paw that I wasn't holding in my hand to her belly then looked up at me. I knew she had now figured it out, but I couldn't quite tell from the look she gave me whether she was scared, happy, or sad. She began to get tears in her eyes and she wrapped me in an embrace, laying her ears back and burying her face in my chest.
Nurse Joy turned around, saw this, and began wondering what exactly had just happened while her back was turned. I held Luca close to me and looked up at Nurse Joy. She smiled when she realized I had already known and was just trying to get Luca to realize as well. She knew I wanted to be alone with her so she left us and returned to the front desk. I wasn't quite ready to share with another human what Luca and I had done. Human pokemon relations weren't very common in the world, but they weren't completely unheard of.
Luca had started crying in my arms and I just rubbed her back, I still couldn't tell how she felt about this, but I knew I couldn't be happier. I had finally found the one girl that I wanted to spend my life with and raise a family with and it was actually happening!
Luca eventually calmed down and I asked her if she was alright. She looked up at me and apologized with tears still in her eyes. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and it hurt me to hear her say that. I released her but kept my hands on her shoulders and locked eyes with her. She was a bit scared at this, but soon saw how sad the look in my eyes was. I asked her why she had apologized to me, I just couldn't understand why she wasn't happy about this! She wiped her eyes and said "Your... not... mad?" through her sniffles. Still stunned I replied "No. Why would I be?" I saw a wave of relief wash over her which only confused me more. Before I could say anything else Luca started weeping again and hugged me tightly while she began speaking. "Oh thank god! I was afraid you'd be upset if this happened. I never got the chance to ask you how you felt about kids and thought you had been hoping we weren't compatible!"
She paused and I took the chance to tell her how I felt. "Luca, I couldn't be happier! I knew this might happen from the start and if I really didn't want it to I would have told you!... I don't think you quite understand how I feel about you. Ever since that night on the island I realized you were the one I had been trying to find for half my life and I don't care what happens I will always be with you... As for kids how could you think that I wouldn't want to share that with you?! I was so happy when I figured it out, I could barely keep myself from asking you!" I stopped there and continued to hold her tightly. She was starting to calm down a bit, but hearing me say what I did only made her cry more. However, this time I could easily tell they were tears of joy. When she finally regained herself she quickly forced me into a passionate kiss. I returned her sentiments letting our tongues intertwine. When we broke the kiss I could think of nothing more to do to show her how I felt so I continued to hold her close. She was still nuzzling me lovingly with her eyes closed and a few tears still leaking from them, but she had a happy smile on her face. I gently picked her up in my arms and carried her out to the lobby, not wanting her to stop nuzzling me.
Nurse Joy had heard some of Luca's reactions and was glad that she was finally happy. I asked for a room and Joy happily obliged. Lady and Umbreon had taken to getting a little rest but got up to join me and Luca when we emerged. Lady had a concerned look on her face and wondered why I was carrying Luca. I saw her concern and told her with a smile that I'd explain in the room. By the time we got there Luca was half asleep, but still smiling with her head resting against my shoulder. It was still only mid afternoon so I figured she would wake up after a short rest. Conversations like that always took a lot out of her.
I laid Luca down on the bed and covered her up for the time being while I turned to explain to Lady what was going on. When I told her of Luca's "condition" she knocked me over in her excitement and gave me what I interpreted as a congratulatory face lick. When she was done with me she could hardly keep herself from waking Luca. Umbreon wasn't sure of what was happening, and I figured I'd have to have Lady explain some time.
We stayed in the room relaxing while Luca rested, Lady and Umbreon decided to join Luca and the two of them curled up together at the foot of the bed. I couldn't sleep though and continued to watch Luca. I found myself wondering what her baby would look like. I suspected it would probably take after her mostly simply because most pokemon pregnancies, that I had heard of, between oddly matched species followed the female's figure. I didn't care though, I was just happy to be with her like this.
Luca woke up an hour and a half later. She stretched and yawned then saw that I was watching her from a chair in the corner of the room. When she got up off the bed I got up as well and met her halfway across the room. She wrapped me in yet another embrace, which I eagerly returned then asked her if she was alright.
"Yes. Now that I know exactly how you feel." She replied.
"Good, and just remember. I will always be with you... no matter what happens." I said before I released her.
Lady and Umbreon woke up shortly after Luca and we set out to get some dinner. Once we had, we returned to the center and got cleaned up and ready for bed. I fell asleep quickly with Luca in my arms, while Lady and Umbreon curled up at our feet.
The next day we began the last leg of our trip home, it would take us at most another week but we were in no real hurry. This time we made it almost all the way before something distracted us. We knew we were getting close when we arrived at a familiar town. It was the town where we had first met Luca. When we got to the path where we met the strange guy and his Lucario we stopped for a while to rest in the clearing. I had explained everything to Luca before but this clearing still meant something to me. I would never forget the first time I saw Luca sleeping among Lady's tails.
After resting for a while we continued down the path towards home. It was less than 6 miles now and we could probably make it before dinner if we were lucky. As we walked Luca suddenly stopped cold. I knew something wasn't right because she never acted like this. The three of us stopped a step in front of her and turned to ask what was wrong. Luca had a confused look on her face at first but then she started using her wave guidance. She turned her head and ran into the brush to her left, all the while keeping her eyes closed. This really scared me and I started chasing her saying "Luca wait! What's wrong?" She seemed to be ignoring me, but she wasn't running fast enough to loose me which I knew she could do if she really wanted to. Lady and Umbreon followed close behind both wondering what was going on. After running about an eighth of a mile through the dense undergrowth Luca reached a grassy clearing and stopped to look around. I caught up with her and put a hand on her shoulder to ensure that I got an answer to my question. She looked frantic and I couldn't think of anything that would make her act this way. She finally calmed down enough to look at me and explain.
"I'm sorry but there was someone talking to me! I thought it was my... father. I was sure he was here!" Hearing this I understood why she had run off. I had almost forgotten that she didn't remember playing with her dad that one time, and that was the only other time we had seen him. I tried to calm her down more, but it wasn't working to well. I looked around for any sign of the stranger but there was nothing. Luca kept trying to find something with her wave guidance but continued to come up empty handed. Lady and Umbreon were trying their best to try and find a scent or something but they too weren't having any luck.
After 10 minutes of searching we came back to Luca and I said "I'm sorry there's nothing here." I could tell she was disappointed, but she knew we should continue home. We made our way back through the brush trail that we had made and to our surprise when we reached the main path the stranger and his Lucario, Luca's father, were standing there waiting for us. Luca and I were just stunned, but Lady treated Lucario like an old friend. She went over to him and he smiled and put his paw on her head. Once the initial shock had worn off Luca and I joined them and we began walking down the path. Umbreon was trying to hide beside me since Lady had already taken to walking with Lucario and Luca. Those three were a short ways ahead of us talking about who knows what, but Luca seemed a bit uneasy talking to her dad.
Meanwhile I took the time I had to talk to the stranger again, even though I was truly afraid that he might ask me about Luca's condition. He was very interested in how Luca was doing and he seemed really happy that she was doing well. He was surprised to see that she had evolved already. I asked him why and he said that it usually took at least two years for a Riolu to get close enough to their trainer to evolve. He looked ahead at Luca, smiled and said "You two must really have something special if she evolved after just one year." I too looked ahead to Luca and said "Ya, we really do." At one point the stranger noticed Umbreon peaking around my leg and said with a smile, "You know, I won't bite." Umbreon saw the stranger was talking to him and went back to trying to hide, timidly laying his ears back as he did. The stranger chuckled a little and asked how I came to have such a rare colored Umbreon. I told him it was a rather long story but he replied "Lets here it." So I began explaining what had happened to us and how Luca had managed to get us out of it with her wave guidance. At one point Lady had gotten bored and came back to play with Umbreon. This made him much happier, and he was able to relax even around the stranger, while Luca and her father were left alone to talk.
I couldn't hear what they were saying but Luca still seemed anxious, and I couldn't help but wonder if Lucario had found us out. It was almost as if she didn't know what to say to him.
I had continued the story while watching Luca and when I finished I asked the stranger why he had come back to see us again. The stranger wasn't very specific, and as far as I could tell it was only to check in on Luca and see how her abilities were progressing, but I couldn't help but wonder if there was some other reason...
We continued on down the path exchanging stories and experiences, until he finally asked the question I had been dreading. He started off by saying "I can tell she really loves you... You're the father right?" which scared the hell out of me. I wasn't sure what his view on the subject was and I was more than a little hesitant to find out, let alone he said it in the tone of voice that didn't give any clue as to his position. I knew there was no denying it though and replied with a quiet but sincere "Yes."
Much to my relief he smiled, but he also closed his eyes, obviously thinking of something. I was too afraid to say anything else so I kept silent until he asked his next question "Do you feel the same way about her?" I knew my answer but again wasn't sure how to say it. I looked ahead to Luca to see if she was having the same conversation. She didn't seem to be having such a hard time talking to her father now, and in fact she seemed very happy and talkative. I smiled as I watched her then unconsciously replied to the stranger's question "Yes I do." I realized what I had said and snapped out of my little trance with a bit of a scared look. The stranger only smiled again, then called Lucario and Luca back to us. Luca came back to be with me and realized I looked uneasy. Her conversation with Lucario had also covered our relationship. Lucario was surprised at first when Luca told him I was the father, but to my surprise he seemed ok with it. We stopped walking and the stranger and Lucario turned to look at me while Luca and I both looked at the stranger. I was still scared of what he was going to say, and my only consolation was that Lucario wasn't upset, but he was giving me quite a serious look. The stranger firmly laid a hand on my shoulder, and began to speak "I'm glad you and Luca have connected like this, but I can't let her stay with you... unless you promise me right now that no matter what happens you will never leave her!" My heart sank after the first part of what he said, but lifted again when he finished. I didn't even have to think of my answer, it was self explanatory, but again I didn't know how to say it. I looked to Luca who had a look of concern due to my hesitation. I then turned to the stranger and gave him my answer, "I don't have the words to say what I want to... but for what its worth you have my solemn word that I will always take care of Luca!"
The stranger looked me square in the eyes, and I returned his gaze. Lucario relaxed a bit when I replied, as did Luca, but she was trying not to loose her composure in the tension. After a long moment the stranger released me and calmly said "Alright... Then she stays with you." Luca heard this and leapt at me. I was startled by her sudden action but caught her and returned the embrace she had locked me in. Lucario smiled at the sight, he was finally able to see how much I loved Luca and he knew they had made the right choice in asking me to take care of her.
Once I set Luca down we continued walking and talking with the stranger. Luca was now holding my arm as she walked next to me, but after a while Lucario wanted to talk with her in private again. I didn't mind, but Luca seemed to be reluctant. Still she knew her father and the stranger weren't going to separate us, not that she expected it in the first place, so she agreed.
While our companions talked I continued to ask the stranger about Luca's "heritage." I was expecting him to be just as tight lipped as our last meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised when he started telling me more of what he knew.
He began explaining that there aren't many Lucario around these days. There used to be many more in ancient times, and they all had human companions whom they stayed with by choice. After many years a few of the humans began to develop abilities like the Lucario, they could use wave guidance. Before long every human in the clan could use this ability, which only strengthened the bond between them and their Lucario. However this clan was fairly isolated from the rest of the world and eventually their numbers began to shrink. There started to be too many Lucario for all of them to find human companions.
By this time a select few of the humans had mastered the wave guidance ability, and one advantage they found to using this power was the ability to bend time. They could choose a time and create a portal to it. This could only be done by the masters and they also needed the help of their Lucario to do it. This put a great amount of strain on them, but with practice a portal could be opened once a day. The clan's council realized the potential for this ability and began to assign the masters and their Lucario, missions to deliver Riolu to the trainers whom the council found "worthy." The clan eventually shrunk to a point where the members scattered and became nomads. The wave masters, however, continued to carry out their missions to find the Lucario their human partners. When the clan dispersed the Lucario that didn't have companions became wild pokemon. Their numbers weren't sufficient enough to become a common pokemon, but they managed to survive all this time and keep their lines alive just fine, mostly by living together in isolated communities. Sadly their wave guiding traits began to fade without human companions.
The Riolu that were given to trainers were of a special breed, they had the strongest parents and the wave guidance trait was more prominent in them. I began to understand, this was why they had given her to me. They didn't want her to live her life with this trait and not be able to use it fully, but that still didn't quite explain why it was me.
Satisfied with his explanation about her past I then asked about Luca's wave guidance, and if there was anything else I could do to help her develop it. He told me that she was actually more advanced than any other Lucario he had seen. I asked him why he thought that was and he replied, "I know why she is... It's because of you. She shares such an amazing bond with you that she's grown faster and farther than any other Lucario I've seen. The best advice I can give you is to just continue what you've been doing." As he said this we cleared the last hill before my home.
We continued down and said our goodbyes in front of the house. Luca gave her father one last hug before he and the stranger turned and continued down the road. Lady and Umbreon stayed with us the whole time. They continued to walk quietly with me while I talked to the stranger about Luca, but now that we were home Lady couldn't wait to see everyone again. I bent down to pet both her and Umbreon and thank them for being so well behaved while we talked. They both enjoyed the attention and really didn't mind me taking the chance to talk with the stranger. After all they had each other to talk to. When I finished we headed inside. Lady was first in, but Umbreon wasn't sure and wanted to go in with me and Luca.
I had been trying to prepare myself for this moment for some time now. Telling my mother about Luca wasn't going to be easy, especially because I wasn't sure how she felt about the topic. Luca saw I was hesitating, grabbed my hand with her paw, and told me not to worry. I looked over at her and thought "Well as long as I have her with me I really have nothing to worry about." Comforted by her words we went inside to see the family.