Chapter 10

Binding Darkness, Piercing Light

z88;

Kirin's dark eyes stared into the night, frustration building up inside her at her inability to fall asleep. It had been a couple of hours since her fatigued looking trainer had gone inside his own tent. Her large ears twitched at the deep even breaths of sleep coming from inside the tent, accentuated by the little sighs coming from her sister as her leg twitched in some dream.

Kirin looked down at the peacefully sleeping Hina. She appeared to be in a deep enough slumber, and Kirin gently disentangled herself from her sibling. It was just getting to be too much! The burning, itching sensation in her groin had started to rise to a crescendo, robbing her of sleep. It had been a low, persistent irritation for the last couple of days, likely a partial cause of the trouble she…d had in that battle earlier. Now though, it was getting to be too strong to ignore easily.

Rising to her feet, she padded off a few metres out of the clearing, lighting her way by allowing sparks to dance through her fur. "This should be secluded enough," she thought, finding a nice hollow under a small group of bushes. Laying on her side, she lifted her back leg into the air, craning her head down to examine the source of her annoyance.

This was the first time she had taken a close look at her nether region since she had evolved, and she was a little surprised at how much the same it looked. Aside from the yellow fur and slightly larger slit, it was no different than it had been last time this had happened. She blushed slightly as a thought struck her. …Of course, I don't have much of a tail anymore, which means that everyone can see this now."

The thought of others being able to see her genitals all the time normally wouldn't bother her, even if this was the first time she had really thought about it. At the moment though, she thought it looked a bit silly, with the slight puffiness around the lips, the dribble of fluid beading up on them. …Going around like this is like wearing a sign that says, "Mount me!"" she thought.

She recalled the first time this had happened to her, when she had gone running to her mother in a panic. It had taken her mother a few moments to calm her down enough to explain what was the matter. She had finally rolled onto her back and pointed between her legs, eyes tearing up slightly at all the odd feelings.

Her mother had quickly soothed her, assuring her that nothing was wrong. "That just means you're in heat dear. It's perfectly normal."

"Heat? What's that?"

"It's something that all of us females go through once in awhile, it means you're ready to mate."

"Mate?" This had been the first time the young Eevee had heard of such things.

Her mother had sighed, rolling onto her side and pointing to her bulging belly. "Yes, mate. That is when a male joins himself with you, so that the two of you can have an egg. Like the one that's growing inside me now."

The ensuing questions and responses had been Kirin's introduction into the world of poké mon reproduction.

"Do you remember a while ago, when I was grouchy and snapping at you for no reason? And then that male Vulpix came by, and I told you to go and play by the pond?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, he mated with me. That's why I have another egg now."

"But, if I don't mate, will it stop hurting?"

"Yes my dear. Even if you don't mate, it will pass in a few days."

She had shuddered slightly. …Good, I don't know if I like the idea of a male…putting something in there. It sounds like it would hurt!"

Her mother had smiled a bit at this. "It does the first time, but it passes quickly. Then it starts to feel nice. BUT! You're still too young to mate in any case! It's only your first heat. Don't worry, you can tough it out. You're my big strong girl! You're growing up so fast."

Kirin smiled fondly at the memory. She had indeed toughed it out, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. It had started simply, using her paw to rub herself, trying to get relief from the itch. It hadn't hurt at all, it just felt soft and squishy under her pad as she pressed it down on her entrance. The action had caused a little tingling sensation to shoot through the other feelings, but that was all. She had raised the paw to her mouth, sniffing at the little bit of fluid coating it.

Curious, she had licked it, puzzled by this strange bodily emission. The taste hadn't been bad at all, and she had curled up for another, to see if it was all like that. Those first flicks of her tongue had been magical, opening up a whole new world to her that she had been completely oblivious to. Her private region could be used to make her feel nice? Was this what her mother had been talking about?

She had performed the act multiple times during that first tormenting heat cycle. Several times a day she would run off into the bushes, licking herself until the nice feelings overwhelmed the itch. Her mother had never said anything about it, but she had always had a knowing smile on her muzzle when Kirin would return.

After those few days, the feelings had indeed gone away, her lower lips returning to their normal state. She had tried a few more times to bring the nice feelings back, but they didn't seem quite as strong when everything was normal. She had largely left it alone since, aside from a few innocent passing licks from Hina when they groomed each other. Now though"

She breathed heavily as she drew her tongue across her opening, lapping up the little bit of fluid there. The padded outer lips were spread slightly from the swelling, allowing her easy access into her inner folds. She pushed her tongue more insistently against them, slipping the tip inside. Her pulse sped up as it slid against that little bead of flesh, the wonderful feeling cutting through the pulsing need.

She extended her tongue further, worming it inside her snatch as she sought relief. The organ dragged along her clit, and she stifled a cry as best she could. This! This was the best way she had discovered to get her through this. She attacked the engorged bud, nose pressed against her vulva, her nostrils flaring as the scent of her own arousal flooded them. The rapid tonguing was bringing more of her fluids to the surface, and she sampled them interestedly.

Her flavour was a bit different than what she remembered. It was now a fair bit'tangier, sharper. Not unpleasant really, but she doubted it would be something she…d willingly go in for if this didn't bring her such pleasure.

The delightful tingling was getting far stronger, shoving away the itch as she delved into her pussy. Her awareness of her surroundings faded, the only thing on her mind was the blessed relief from the torment. Her entire focus was on her crotch, soft moans escaping her as she crammed her muzzle in as close as she could, feeling her insides ripple slightly around her tongue.

"Whatcha doin" sis?"

She jolted back with a startled cry, a few small beads of juice flying off her nose as her head whipped up. Hina was standing just inside her little haven, her head cocked inquisitively to the side.

"Arceus sis, don't sneak up on me like that!"

She pouted slightly. "Wasn't sneaking! You woke me up!"

Kirin groaned inwardly. She thought she had been far enough away, but apparently not. It had been starting to feel really good again too!

Her sister walked closer, sniffing curiously at Kirin's crotch. "Why're you licking there?" her nostrils twitched slightly as she caught the sharp aroma.

Kirin sighed, putting up with her sister's curious examination. "I had an…itch. I was making it go away."

"By licking where you go pee?"

"Kind of. It's not exactly the same thing."

"Why did it itch?"

"Because I'm in something called heat."

"What's a heat?"

Kirin found it hard to suppress a giggle at the sense of déjà vu, her irritation at the interruption fading. "Mom never told you where eggs come from, did she?"

Hina shook her head, appearing to be fascinated by this foreign topic. "Nope!"

"Well, every once in a while, females who are old enough go into heat. That means that her body is ready for a male to come along and mate with her, so she can have an egg."

"How do they do that?"

Kirin thought for a moment. This was something she had seen firsthand once. A pair of Houndours, consummating their union in the little valley she had shared with her mother and sister. She had figured out what they were doing, thanks to her mother's explanations, and had observed from a distance. She still didn't think it looked all that fun, but then again, if it felt anything like how licking herself did"

"Well, males look a little different than you and I do. They don't just have a little slit between their legs." She rolled fully onto her back, gesturing at her girlhood. "That's called your vagina by the way. Instead, they have something called a penis. When you mate, he sticks it in your vagina."

Hina processed this information. "In there?" she asked, pointing between her own legs. "Yes."

"What does it look like?"

"It's…different. It sticks out a bit, and has two little round things underneath called testicles. They look kind of like berries, but inside a little pouch of skin."

"All males?"

"Yes, although they don't all look the same."

She looked confused. "Master doesn't look like that."

"That's because it's under his clothes most of the time. Trust me, he has one."

"You saw?"

Kirin giggled, recalling the incident. "Yes, I caught a glimpse of him without his clothes on, when he was coming out of the shower. The door was open a bit, and he didn't know I could see in. It's sort of dangly and floppy."

Hina started giggling too. "That sounds funny!"

Kirin grinned. "It was, kind of. It was wiggling all over the place as he moved."

"I wanna see!"

"I don't think he…d be too happy if you asked. Cheri is the only one he lets see him naked."

"Awww, why?"

"Because he mates with her. Humans aren't like poké mon, they cover their bodies with clothes. They don't like being seen naked."

"That's silly!"

"It is a bit, but you need to respect Master's privacy."

She thought about this for a moment. "Okaaay. Marty doesn't look like that either though."

"No, like I said, all males are a bit different. Marty's is hidden somewhere in his body to protect it."

"Why does it need that?"

"Because it's really sensitive apparently. Just like our vaginas are."

"Master's too?"

"I suppose so."

"So he sticks his thing in Cheri?"

"When he mates with her, yes."

The image of Shawn mounting Cheri suddenly invaded her mind, as it had when Cheri had threatened to mate with him in front of all of them. She transposed the mating Houndour's in her head with the human and Arcanine. Oddly enough, the thought was strangely…arousing. She could feel the itch start up again in her crotch, now that it had been unattended to for some time. Did it really feel THAT good to be penetrated by a male? Cheri had certainly seemed to think so! Strange, she had never really thought of a male in that way before. And certainly not her trainer! Granted, her experience was limited, but still! She wasn't actually attracted to Shawn…was she?

Suddenly, her thoughts were broken into by the feeling of a tongue sliding over her folds. She gasped aloud. "Hina! What are you doing?"

Hina drew back slightly, licking her lips. "You said it itched, I want to help."

"HinAAA!" her voice rose in pitch as her sister plunged back in, little tongue flicking into her dripping cunny.

Somewhere in the vague recesses of her mind, she thought she should stop her sister. This kind of thing was for mates! Wasn't it? But, oh! It felt so good! This was even better than doing it herself! She could lie back and relax, focusing on all the good feelings her sister was giving her. Maybe, just this once, it would be okay. "It's not like we're…doing THAT! And she doesn't really think of it that way anyhow. She's just helping me out."

Kirin panted as the Eevee's questing appendage explored her intimate folds, cleaning up the juices as they ran out into the short, vibrant fur surrounding her pussy. She didn't really focus on any one spot, but her energetic vigour made up for that. She could feel Hina's eager tongue play across her clit, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her that drew a moan from her lips.

"This tastes pretty good sis!" Hina said, raising her head from her ministrations.

"Ummm. P…please don't stop,"

"Okay!" The playful poké mon happily dove in again, sending the Jolteon to heights of rapture she didn't think were possible. Her tongue ravished Kirin's slit, and her hips bucked slightly against the penetration. If having such a small thing inside her felt this good, how would it feel to have a male? The image of Shawn and Cheri came up again, and she recalled just how eager the Arcanine had been. "Come to think of it" Mom seemed VERY happy when she came back from her time with that Vulpix too…"

Hina pressed her snout into Kirin's crotch, burrowing her tongue inside as far as she could. Her soft, flexible little organ swirled around Kirin's warm, squishy insides, bringing the Jolteon right to the brink. Kirin let out a cry as the pressure on her clit increased, a veritable tsunami of pleasure crashing through her. Hina squeaked in surprise as Kirin's walls clamped down repeatedly on her tongue, a small wave of fluids flowing out, causing her to pull back and snort as a bit got into her nostrils. "Wow!"

Kirin slumped back as the feeling of nirvana slowly faded, leaving her pleasantly tired. "T..that was great sis! Thanks for helping me."

"No problem! It was fun!" Hina replied, licking the juice from her lips.

Kirin got unsteadily to her feet. "Just…don't go around talking about what I told you alright? Those kinds of things are meant to be a bit private. I don't think Master wants to hear you jabbering away about what you've learned."

"Really? Okay, if you say so."

"I do. Now, let's get back and get some sleep."

The sisters made their way back to the campsite, Hina skipping along happily behind her exhausted sibling.

z88;

Shawn gasped as he woke up, an immense pressure on his torso, squeezing the air out of him. A sloppy tongue drew across his lips repeatedly, pressing against them and demanding access. His eyes met Cheri's as she licked her lips. "Gooood Moooorniiiiinnnggg!"

"Ooof, you're squashing me!" he panted, pushing up against her weight.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Master!" she exclaimed, her expression flicking from contentment to concern as she shifted more onto her paws.

The effect was immediate, allowing him to draw air freely. "It's alright, you've just gotta remember that I'm quite a bit smaller than you," he said, grabbing her cheek ruffs and pulling her into a full kiss.

Her eyes still looked a bit worried, but he quickly erased that with the enthusiastic kiss, exploring her palate as much as he could with his small human tongue. She didn't wrestle her tongue inside his mouth this time, allowing him to take control, submitting to him in apology. He pulled himself up, hugging her around the neck and entwining his tongue with hers to let her know it was okay. All was forgiven, and she perked back up as they gleefully swapped saliva.

Finally, he broke off, both of them breathing hard from the long, intimate oral dance. "Even if I can't breathe, that's still a great way to wake up," he said.

"You were doing a good job of taking my breath away too Master," she panted, her lips parting in the canine expression of a smile.

He smiled back. "I do my best." Glancing at his watch, he exclaimed, …Wow! I really slept in!" The mental fatigue of the night before had put him right out, and it was a full two hours later than his usual start time. He just hoped that April hadn't woken up yet. She would be very confused by her strange surroundings.

Cheri stepped off of him, allowing him to dress hastily and make his way outside. The sun was already well up in the sky, the time of year lending itself to fairly long hours of daylight. He breathed a sigh of relief, the other tent was still there, and he could just hear the sounds of movement coming from within.

He glanced over at Kirin and Hina. They were just waking up too, Kirin letting out a jaw cracking yawn. She blinked sleepily. "Good morning Master."

Hina bounced right to her feet. "Master Shawn! Milk?"

"I'll get your breakfast soon, just hang on."

Despite the fact she was eating solid food now, she still liked milk for her breakfast. To avoid awkward questions from April, it would be the Moomoo milk this time. The flap of April's tent unzipped slowly, and she stepped hesitantly out into the clearing. She froze when she caught sight of Shawn, hand moving to her poké ball belt.

"Good morning! Feeling any better now?" he asked, giving her a friendly wave. Cheri came up and stood beside him, eyeing the other trainer warily.

She paused, looking confused. "I'm sorry…do I know you?"

"I don't think so. I found you in the woods near my camp. You've been out of it for awhile. Did you fall and hurt yourself or something?"

"I…I don't remember. How did I get here?"

"Well, I couldn't just leave you there."

"Oh'thank you. I just…are you SURE we haven't met before?"

Shawn felt a moment of alarm, had he missed something? "No, I'm pretty sure you don't know me."

She shook her head, as if to clear it. "I guess not. This is so strange, I don't remember much of anything about these past couple weeks."

"Huh. Selective amnesia maybe? Who knows. Do you remember where you were going?"

She thought for a moment. "I…yes. I remember now. I was…going to Oreburgh. I think. That must be it. I remember I was trying to find a breeder for my Arcanine, the one in Hearthome didn't have any of his type. I know there's one in Oreburgh though. Say…is your Arcanine female?"

"Yes, but I don't think she…d be interested. She doesn't like other Arcanines much." Cheri nuzzled against him thankfully.

"Alright, if you say so. What's your name anyway?"

"Shawn."

"Well, thank you for your help Shawn. I'm April. Once I get my stuff together, I'll be out of your hair."

"No problem, happy to have been of service."

"It worked!" Cheri said, as April turned to go back into her tent.

Shawn nodded, giving her a scratch behind the ears, before starting to get breakfast going for his team.

April came back outside a little while later, seating herself on the ground and digging some food out of her bag.

"This is just'so strange," she said between bites. "I can remember pieces of last week, but it's all…garbled. I'm just glad it was someone like yourself that found me. You seem like a nice person."

"Thanks. Like I said, it wouldn't have been right to just leave you there in the woods."

"Well, you didn't have to help me, and I appreciate it. I wish I could offer you something in reward, but I don't have much with me right now."

"It's okay, I don't need any reward."

Cheri had finished eating a moment ago, and had started sniffing the air curiously. Shawn glanced at her as she got up, padding over to Kirin, who had also eagerly gobbled down her food. She murmured something in the Jolteon's ear, and Kirin got up and followed Cheri off into the bushes behind the tent. Shawn was a bit perplexed at the odd behaviour, and made a note to ask Cheri about it later. Hina was still eagerly attacking her bowl of milk, making a mess of her muzzle with the creamy liquid.

Suddenly, a shadow passed over him, and he looked up to see April standing right beside him. She crouched down, placing a hand on his cheek. "You may not think you need a reward, but I can't just leave it at that," she said, leaning in close.

Realizing her intentions, Shawn placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, really, it's okay. Just the fact that you are alright is reward enough."

She pulled back, looking a bit hurt. "I don't even get to give you a kiss?"

"I…don't think that's a good idea. I am…currently attached."

"Oh…But we're alone right now…And it's just a kiss." She leaned in again, breathing a bit heavily.

Shawn tried to pull away, but she held his head in place. Without physically shoving her, he couldn't stop her. She pressed her lips firmly against his, doing her best to work her tongue into his mouth. He kept his lips firmly closed though, and she pulled back with an irritated sigh. "Fine. I guess I'll have to be happy with that. You are very loyal. I like that in a man most of the time. Well, if you ever get lonely, give me a call hmm?" She pulled out her poké dex, and his beeped as it registered her info.

"I'll…keep that in mind," he said, relieved that Cheri hadn't been here to see that. He didn't know if it was just the fact that April was a human that Cheri didn't like, or if it was because she hadn't displayed any qualities that the Arcanine could appreciate. After all, compared to poké mon, normal humans were indeed weak, at least as far as physical power was concerned.

Regardless, his mate would NOT have been pleased, even if he hadn't reciprocated the affection. It seemed she was pretty serious about him having other mates though, so long as they met her approval. He still didn't know how he felt about that. All he knew for sure was that he had absolutely no attraction to this girl, and he definitely was not going to take advantage of her like that even if there had been some attraction.

He slowly finished his own breakfast as April packed up. Kirin and Cheri hadn't come back yet, and Hina was now just starting to groom herself a bit. Marty he hadn't released yet. He would be full from last night's meal still, and Shawn knew he was perfectly content to stay in his ball until he was going to see some action. "Might as well let him keep sleeping."

April gave him a cheery wave, blowing him a kiss as she left the clearing. He hesitantly returned the wave, glad to see her go. Even without her memories, she was trouble. A slow smile came to his face though, as he recalled what he had seen in her head. …Good luck Schrade, she's going to be a handful for you."

z88;

Kirin pulled back from licking her bowl clean as she felt a heavy paw rest on her shoulder.

"Kirin dear, can I talk to you for a moment?" Cheri asked, the large fire type looming over her.

"Um, okay, sure," she said, glancing briefly at Shawn, who was still talking to April. Getting up, she followed the Arcanine behind Shawn's tent.

Suddenly, it hit her like a Mega Punch as she recalled the previous evening. Cheri would be able to smell her heat…If the way she had acted towards April last night was any indication" Kirin started to feel a bit nervous. "She wouldn't…do anything to me…Would she? Does she think I'm after Shawn too?" Guiltily, her fantasies of last night sprung back into her mind.

Cheri stopped a short ways into the forest, turning to face her. "Kirin" you are in heat."

"I'm sorry! Really, I'm not going to go after him!"

Cheri looked perplexed at the outburst. "What are you talking about dear?"

"Master Shawn! I…I don't intend to try mating with him."

Cheri stared at her for a moment, before breaking into a deep, rumbling laugh. "Kirin dear, it's alright. I'm not angry about anything."

Kirin scuffed her paw on the ground. "That's…good to hear. I just thought, after how you reacted to April last night…With me in heat…"

"That IS what I wanted to talk about, but not for the reason you think."

"What do you mean?"

"I take it this isn't your first heat?"

"No, I've had one before."

"But you've never mated?"

"No."

Cheri looked thoughtful for a moment, a slight smile on her muzzle. "Kirin, how do you feel about Master Shawn?"

She was a bit taken aback at the open question. "Well…I respect him certainly. Admire him a lot. I'm very grateful to him for all he's done for me and my sister. I trust him completely. And I enjoy talking to him. He's…nice to be around."

She nodded approvingly. "And…are you attracted to him?"

"I…don't know."

"It's alright if you are. You see, I would approve fully if you wanted to mate with him."

Kirin's head jerked up in shock, eyes widening. "What! But…he's your mate…and, how you felt about April…"

She tossed her head. "Her? Absolutely not! I would have torn her to pieces if she had tried. Unless he had stopped me. You on the other paw…I know that you care for him, and I know that you are strong. I like you Kirin, and Master deserves to have more than one mate. If you want to, you are welcome to him. Hina too, once she's old enough."

Kirin's mind had a hard time processing this information. "She actually WANTS me to?"

Aloud, she said, "I'm still not even sure how I feel about mating with a male."

"Oh, trust me, it's WONDERFUL! The first time will hurt a bit, but that passes quickly. Relieving yourself doesn't even compare." The Arcanine had a wicked, knowing grin on her muzzle.

"Wait, you think Hina should mate with him too?"

"Well, not NOW obviously, she's too young. But when she's older, I can't think of a better future mate for her. At least, if that's what she wants as well. I consider both of you as my own pups to some degree, and I want you to have the best. Master is the best."

Confused emotions raced through Kirin. She wasn't REALLY attracted to her trainer…was she? She couldn't deny that the thought made her arousal surge. The sensation had dimmed slightly thanks to Hina's assistance, but was still there. "Does mating with a male make it stop?"

"It helps a lot! He can't impregnate you, so it won't stop right away. But it's one of the greatest feelings in the world. And he has a lot of stamina…"

Kirin blushed slightly at this discussion of her trainer's sexual prowess. To be rid of this irritation…It was worth some thought.

The Arcanine had a huge smile on her face as she watched Kirin's thoughtful expression. "Don't do it unless you want to, but just know that you have my full support in the matter. Just leave some for me mmmkay?"

"Thank you…I will need to think about it a bit."

Cheri gave her a nuzzle before trotting back towards the campsite. Kirin watched her go, mind whirling. "Master Shawn…as my mate too?"

z88;

Shawn strode down the path, Hina scampering along in front of him. It was the energetic Eevee's turn to walk with him again. As usual, she was dashing all over the place, investigating anything that looked interesting. He grinned as she leaped back from a startled Starly, the bird poké mon indignantly flapping away from it's hiding place in the long grass. "Careful about that Hina, some poké mon might object more strongly if you disturb them," he cautioned.

"Okay Master!" she cried, before dashing off again.

He shook his head. Her innocent playfulness was charming. It was nice to be able to understand her now, even if it was still a bit tricky. Thanks to their late start on things, they wouldn't make it into Oreburgh today. They would have to spend another night camping it seemed. He didn't mind, he was just as comfortable outdoors as in.

Hina came dashing back suddenly. "Master, when we gonna battle?"

He smiled at her. "Not yet, you need to learn a few more Normal attacks first."

"But sis has been showing me stuff. See?" She bared her little fangs, growling cutely.

"Well, I'm sure that would terrify a few opponents, but maybe wait until you learn Quick Attack at least, okay?"

"Okaaayyyy." Her floppy ears drooped slightly. She perked up as something else struck her. "Can we have lunch?"

Shawn glanced at his new watch. They had been walking for a few hours now, and Hina still had a fair appetite thanks to her growing body. "Sure, I guess we can take a break."

He veered off the trail, followed by the happy poké mon. Laying his hand on his sword hilt, he stretched out his senses. Somewhere nearby, there was a water source, and he angled towards it.

They walked for a couple minutes through the sparse trees. This part of the route had been pretty devoid of trainers, they mostly seemed to stick near Mount Coronet. Since the guy yesterday, and April of course, he hadn't seen another soul.

They passed into a small, shady open space, tucked a ways back from the path. "This looks like a nice spot. I'll go get us some more water," Shawn said, also removing another ball from his belt. He thumbed the release, and Kirin appeared in the beam of red light.

"Kirin, can you stay here with your sister? I'm going to find some water."

"Okay, and…Hina, stop that!" she exclaimed, as the Eevee pounced on her.

"Can't catch me!" she cried, dashing away.

Kirin sighed. "Hurry back Master? Please?"

Shawn laughed. "Oh, you'll be fine. Thanks Kirin."

She nodded, and he trekked off towards the water source.

He quested out with his senses again, feeling the direction. There it was! A small stream, cutting through the woods. He made his way towards it, sliding down a small embankment. He smiled as he dipped the water bottles into the stream. This was one of the things he loved most about this dimension. The ability to get clear, pure water just about anywhere. He examined it with his Water element anyways, and as always, it came up just fine. In his own world, this kind of thing was hard to find, even in the wilderness. There was usually some kind of bacteria or other contaminant.

He frowned thoughtfully. It was sad really. His world was dying, rotting even. Even with all the effort wizards had been putting in recently, the damage done by his species would take years to recover from. He could only hope that now, as people became more conscious of it, that the situation would begin to change.

He was pulled out of his melancholy thoughts by a beeping coming from his poké dex. He looked down at it curiously. It showed both Hina's and Kirin's stats, since they were out of their balls. His jaw dropped as he got a good look at Hina's aura. Dropping everything, he sprinted back towards the clearing.

z88;

Kirin looked up as someone pushed into the clearing. "Back already Master?" Hina scampered over to her, nuzzling her affectionately. "Wait…you aren't Master!" This person looked very much like him at first, but his clothes were different. And…his face…it had a darker cast to it. "Tell me, who is your master?" he said. His voice was soft, and carried a hint of menace.

Kirin stepped in front of Hina protectively, sparks dancing in her fur. This stranger…he spoke like Master did. But'she didn't trust him. "Who are you?"

He regarded her calmly. "Do not thwart me creature. Tell me what I want to know."

"No, answer the question first."

He didn't speak. Suddenly, there was a rush of air behind her, and Hina squealed in shock.

Kirin whirled around, eyes widening as her sister was pulled inside a dark, greasy looking sphere. Furiously, she spun, building up the most powerful Thundershock she could. "Let. Her. Go."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she heard another squeal from Hina. "Drop that attack. Now."

Kirin stared him down, but she couldn't afford to risk her sister. She let the energy dissipate, growling fiercely.

"Much better. Now, who is your master?"

Kirin cringed as Hina shrieked in pain. "Stop it! Please! I…I'll tell you what you want!"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

She licked her lips, feeling completely powerless. "Our master is-"

"HINA! KIRIN! RETURN!"

z88;

Shawn slid to a halt from his Earth enhanced sprint, the return beams flashing out and recalling his poké mon. He clipped the balls safely back to his belt, rage rising up within him as he drew his blade. "Nash."

The figure turned leisurely towards him. "So there you are," his archenemy said conversationally. "I was wondering when you…d show up."

Slowly, Nash drew his own blade, the ruby set in the hilt glinting evilly in the sunlight. His cloak swirled slightly as he held the sword casually to the side. "You are quite hard to find you know, they must have capped you pretty harshly," Nash continued. "If it weren't for that memory alteration spell you performed last night, I might have had trouble finding you even now. As it was, I had to use a lot of power in the detection spell, I hope you're proud of that. It's really a shame I don't have any of your DNA."

"There's a reason I'm careful about that." Back in his own world, Shawn always wore his emergency shield, which prevented small particles from escaping. He also regularly performed magical sweeps of his home just in case. If a dark wizard got ahold of anything that contained his DNA, they could use it to find him anywhere. The only sample in existence was safely inside DBW headquarters. Even Nash wasn't dumb enough to try getting in there.

"How did you get here Nash? If you had come through a gate, there would have been at least a ripple, assuming this dimension didn't collapse."

"How do YOU think?"

"Don't tell me... Aren't you evil enough?"

Nash shrugged. "Maybe I LIKE the influence of Dark Tunnels."

Shawn circled warily further into the clearing, Divine Edge at ready, strategies running through his mind. "Yeah…you would. You were always a bit of a masochist."

He snorted. "And yourself? Like I said…quite the power cap you have there. Well, don't expect me to be like one of those stupid anime characters. Just because you can't fight at full power doesn't mean I won't."

"I wouldn't expect you to." Shawn muttered the word to drop his shield into place. He was taking a huge risk, using nothing but an emergency shield against an opponent as dangerous as Nash. However, it would allow him to spare power for attack spells, rather than using everything for his shield. He just wouldn't be able to take a hit. His normal method of going toe to toe and pounding Nash into submission wasn't going to work here.

Nash smiled. "Getting ready are we?" He muttered something, and a gun dropped into his hand. He levelled it at Shawn. "Fine by me!"

Shawn threw himself sideways, rolling as the first killing spell flew from the gun's muzzle. He drew Earth, powering up into a flip that took him over the second and third shots. Despite his words, Nash was indeed toying with him. That spell was the most basic killing spell known to wizards. Even if it was in the form he had invented himself, a ten shot gun rather than a single shot spell. Of course, Nash would still have enough power in each shot to blow up a whale, as evidenced by the trees exploding as they were struck.

Shawn juked and dodged with inhuman speed, relying on Earth to keep himself ahead of Nash's aim. He pulled with Air, swirling dust and leaves into the air to obscure his trajectory. He heard Nash laughing as he stood in the centre of the clearing, carelessly emptying his ammunition. …He knows I'm already in trouble. If he came here through a Dark Tunnel, he's at his full strength. Just even more corrupted, if that's even possible." Nash's blade worked in a similar fashion to his own, except that it only had access to Dark energy.

Nash's ammunition ran out, and the gun dissipated as Shawn landed, unscathed so far. "How did you get out this time? Did that One send you?"

Nash smirked. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Do I really need a reason to kill you?"

"It might kill you."

"But you…d still be dead. I'm willing to take that chance."

Shawn drew Earth, leaping forward with blurring speed. His blade flashed with Light energy as he swung it in an overhead arc. The sound of metal on metal rang through the clearing as Nash parried the blow, needing both hands to stop it. "Done with the questions already?"

Shawn didn't answer, instead disengaging and launching into a complex attack pattern. "Flank, chest, step back and parry, forearm, disengage, flank." Shawn moved fluidly from attack point to defence and back again, the pair of them dancing an age old deadly waltz. The forest echoed with the sound of clashing blades, and sparks of light mingled with flecks of darkness in a blizzard around them. The energy crackling down their swords sizzled as the blades met, the opposing energy forms attempting to cancel each other out.

"Feint left, step in, draw slice, parry low, slip to high, leg slice." Shawn pressed his offensive, drawing on Earth to increase his speed. Nash grunted as the flurry of attacks grew faster than he could handle, several Light-charged strikes slashing against his shield. He stepped back, ignoring Shawn's direct thrust to the chest as he brought his Mortal Blade down with full force. Shawn dropped to his knees, bringing his own sword back just in time, placing a hand on the flat of the blade to block the strike. The jarring blow vibrated through his elbows and shoulders, and he had to roll back to avoid the second.

He had managed to do some damage to Nash's shield, and as he warily closed the distance again, he activated the spell that would let him see wizardries. Nash's shield sprang into view, and Shawn leaped to the side as a killing spell whizzed towards him. "The arrogant bastard isn't even repairing his own shield. Well, I guess hubris is to be expected. He is ALL of my worst traits after all."

Nash wasn't going to allow him to get close again it seemed. Several bolts of Dark energy lanced out, which Shawn slapped aside with his glowing blade. Nash had a strange expression on his face though, as if there were something happening that he didn't expect. "Not even your vaunted "battle form" Shawn? I'm disappointed. Of course, if your standard stuff isn't working, there's always one that will…"

"I'm not touching it Nash. Just because I can use Dark energy doesn't mean I will. Besides, you think I don't see that cloak you're wearing? I know what that does."

Nash shrugged. "Oh well, doesn't hurt to ask." His cloak swirled around him as he set himself, the silver etched patterns on the inside coming into view briefly. Shawn still didn't know where he had gotten the artefact, all he knew was that it absorbed Dark energy. Fortunately, Nash didn't seem able to use it to heal himself with his own powers.

Spears of darkness began raining down around Shawn, each one quivering into the ground. He dodged the first salvo, and struck out at the second with an umbrella of Light. The spears passed right through, and he was forced to spin to the side as one narrowly missed him. "They're physical! Not just energy." He switched to a ceiling of Air, and the next round bounced away.

Nash changed tactics, a black hand rising from the ground and barrelling towards Shawn. The spears kept coming too, and Shawn had to split his concentration. Retaining the solidified Air, he channelled pure Light to slice the hand in half, and the one hiding behind it as well. He knew Nash's tricks as well as Nash knew his. Shawn didn't let the attack dissipate, holding onto his concentration to slash at Nash with the blade of light.

He knocked it back with a flare of darkness, but Shawn used the opportunity to rush forward. Nash parried his opening flurry of blows, the spears stopping as he was forced to concentrate on Shawn's attack. "Seriously? Is this all you're going to do?"

"No." Shawn entangled Nash's blade in the tip of his own, twisting it down and to the side. Spinning, he kicked Nash with an Earth powered strike, sending him shooting backwards. Right into a glowing split in the air.

Shawn sealed the entrance to the Light Pocket as Nash was tossed in, using the short time to catch his breath. It wouldn't hold him long, but the cleansing energy would do some damage at least. The Light Pocket was the twin of the Dark Tunnel, and if you were dumb enough, either could get you between dimensions. So long as one didn't mind being ravaged by elemental energy on the way.

Shawn used the time to prepare a few attack spells, wincing at the reduction in raw power. So far, he had only used his shielding wizardry and the revealing wizardry, so it was a good start. Nash still had a lot of power in his shield though. There was a ripping sound, and a pulsing rift appeared in the air. The dark power leaked out, staining the edges of the hole as it fought the Light energy from the pocket. Nash leaped through, a snarl on his face. "That was a dirty trick."

"You should know all about that."

Shawn let loose with the first attack spell, a shimmering column dropping around Nash. A high pitched whine filled the air, as a thousand magical drill points attacked Nash's shield. It only lasted for a couple seconds, as Nash vanished with a thunderclap. Shawn spun, activating the second spell. The gun that appeared in his hands was long, like a rifle, with an exceptionally wide muzzle. As Nash reappeared, Shawn pulled the trigger.

A brilliant beam lanced out, appearing like a negative image of the air around it. The edges of the beam had a rainbow of colours, the air molecules from its passage being ionized and forced to the edge of it. Nash was blown backwards as he was struck, but he had ducked, so he only caught a glancing blow from the powerful attack. The beam continued on, slicing holes through trees as if they weren't even there. The weapon disappeared as the attack wore out, and Shawn parried Nash's responding whip of darkness.

Nash was finally repairing his shield, but it was going very slowly for some reason. He seemed…frustrated by something. An oily residue started to rise from the ground, and Shawn leaped back with Earth before it could seize him. He lashed out with Fire, a burning whip countering Nash's dark one.

Shawn extended his senses, questing down into the ground. There! He could use that! He pulled on the underground pocket, and a geyser of water burst up through the earth, flinging Nash into the air. Shawn called lightning, pulling it through the other wizard's flying form.

The bolt struck Shawn's extended blade, and he pulled in the crackling energy. Nash teleported in mid-air, appearing back on the ground. Shawn released the collected electricity, a dual-pronged attack lashing out. Nash enveloped himself in darkness, and the attack ravaged the surface of the sphere. A blow struck Shawn from behind, sending him sprawling. The dark bolt hadn't been a killing blow, so it didn't break his shield, but he still felt it waver as he rolled up.

Nash didn't release the darkness around him, and Shawn watched incredulously as it'morphed. The sphere around Nash grew, bulging hideously, sprouting a head and eight legs. A single, giant red eye rolled open on the head, glaring at him balefully. Shawn released a scorching Fire attack, the flames licking at this…creature that Nash had ensconced himself in. The darkness solidified into a shiny black shell, and the eye slammed shut as the attack hit it.

It didn't seem phased at all, and Shawn could no longer see Nash's shield. "This is new. He didn't form shift, and there was no teleportation, so this isn't something he's summoned. This is a pure Dark construct, so why isn't it being damaged?" Several spears of Light bounced of it as well, and Shawn bent backwards to avoid a swipe from one of the legs.

The eye remained shut, and a shadowy web started creeping across the ground towards Shawn. He brought a blade of Light down on the web, running to the side. The creature's legs swiped several times through where he had been standing, and several bolts of darkness whizzed by. "He can't see me when the eye is closed. So why isn't he opening it?" Shawn lashed out with lightning, and suddenly felt the ground beneath him grow cold.

He looked down, that the shadowy web was now beneath him. It had regenerated from his slice. It quivered as he moved, and he needed Earth to fling himself ungracefully to the side of the next flurry of strikes from the spider. "The web!"

Shawn formed a platform of solidified air, leaping atop of it. The web quivered under the four corners of the platform, and several explosions rocked the platform. The spider paused in it's flailing, and Shawn channelled Earth. The ground beneath the spider split in two with a loud rumble, the creature's obese body dropping into the fissure. Shawn slammed it shut, and the creature shrieked. Shawn gritted his teeth, exerting as much pressure on the hard shell as he could, trying to crack it like a nut.

The spider's legs were still firmly planted, and it used them to lever itself slowly out. The fissure slammed closed, the tremor rocking Shawn's platform. Ripples spread through the web, and with an extremely loud thunderclap, the spider vanished. It reappeared right in front of Shawn, rearing up on his platform, and its curved mandibles snapped closed on him. With a sound like breaking glass, his shield shattered.

The shock from it was small, one bonus to a weak shield, but Shawn gasped as his side was punctured by the spider's mandibles. The shield had made the blow slide to the side, and it had caught him just below the right kidney, the mighty jaws piercing straight through and clacking together. Blood poured from the wound, and it was all Shawn could do to retain his hold on his sword.

The blood red eye rolled open, gazing at him emotionlessly. Shawn blocked out the agonizing pain, and somehow summoned his concentration. A bolt of pure, shining Light lanced out, straight into the open eye. An unearthly shriek rent the air, and the beast jerked back. Shawn was tossed about like a rag doll, still impaled on the fang of the creature. Through numb lips, he spoke the short form of the teleport spell, and winked out of existence.

Shawn reappeared in the cover of the trees, doubling over and holding his side. He had taken the extra power to silence the spell, and it had cost him. Short forms of wizardries were faster, but usually came with some penalty. Either it would take more power, or it would be less effective in some way. This was one of the former. Digging his sword into the ground, he panted as the bloodstain on his shirt spread. No vital organs had been struck thankfully, but he would need to fix this fast. Wincing at the power cost, he quickly spoke the spell to summon the first aid kit from his bag, keeping an eye on the thrashing spider.

The attack he had unleashed had been quite potent, and seemed to strike right into the heart of the creature. As he hurriedly pulled out one of the pre-packaged healing spells, it let out another scream, sparks of light dancing all over it's body. It shimmered and dissolved, leaving Nash on his hands and knees in the clearing. Shawn shuddered as the healing spell took effect, closing up his injury. It didn't heal it completely, but at least he wasn't losing any more blood.

Shawn crouched in the relative cover of the forest. He had stealthed the teleport spell, and it had had enough time to dissipate that Nash wouldn't be able to see exactly where he had gone. Nash was standing up now, turning around slowly, trying to find him. Disturbingly, his shield was only slightly weaker than it had been before. "Come on Shawn, don't make me come find you. I can play the invisible game too you know."

Shawn's mind raced furiously. His raw power was low, and he had used a lot of elemental power too. The siren song of the completely full reserve of Dark energy whispered in his ear. "No. I'm not using it. It'll just heal him anyways." He needed an edge. Something Nash wouldn't expect.

Nash began summoning Ionizers of his own, spinning and firing randomly into the forest. The brilliant beams lanced out in all directions, erasing everything in their path. Shawn kept his head down as one passed dangerously close. He fingered the balls on his belt absently, hating himself, but knowing that it could be his only chance. Running was not an option, Nash would just follow. "On the other hand, there is a good chance that I could die if this fight keeps on the way it is.

He threw up a silence circle around himself, taking the extra power and care to keep the residues hidden. Even with a small spell like this and hidden in the trees, Nash still would detect it if he wasn't careful.

He released Marty and Cheri. His strongest two. Both poké mon appeared from their custom balls, their cries not passing beyond Shawn's ears thanks to the spell. "Shawn! You're hurt!" Cheri cried.

"Cheri, Marty, listen closely. I am fighting a VERY dangerous opponent. One that…at the moment, I can't fight alone. I need you to help me, but you have to understand that there's a very real chance that he could kill all of us. I had to rescue Kirin and Hina from him already. Our one other option is to try and sneak away. What do you think?"

Cheri growled ferociously. "Over my dead body! Let me at him!"

Marty's typical happy expression faded slightly. "Is this…one of those people you mentioned Master Shawn?"

"A bit different, but same situation." Dark lightning bolts began raining down on the forest, splitting trees.

Marty nodded. "I don't want to see you get hurt Master Shawn. Let's battle!"

Cheri's eyes narrowed. From their vantage point, the clearing was easily visible, although they were hidden by foliage. Nash was standing dead centre, sword raised overhead. "What do you want us to do?"

"I am going to freeze him. When I do, both of you hit him with your most powerful attacks. DO NOT attack him at close range. Keep your distance. Clear?"

They nodded, and Shawn stood up, steeling himself to head back into the fray. Drawing once more on Earth, Shawn charged forward with incredible speed.

Nash finally caught sight of him, and several tendrils of dark power whipped towards him. Shawn leaped over these, flying through the air and summoning more water from undergound. The attack crashed over Nash, knocking him off balance and throwing off the aim of his next Ionizer shot. As Shawn landed, he sucked the heat out of the water, and Nash was frozen in place.

"Now!" Shawn yelled. A Fire Blast came ripping past him as Cheri charged into the clearing, striking Nash's shield squarely. This was followed by a rolling Surf attack from Marty, and Shawn leaped forwards to follow it up. He crashed into Nash with an Earth powered swing, blade crackling with lightning, the strike digging into the remaining ice around the shield. Shockingly, he felt Nash's shield splinter. "That attack wasn't THAT powerful, how did his shield break already?" In his surprise, Nash's counter-strike caught him off guard.

The dark hand slammed into Shawn's unshielded form, and he was sent flying. He countered with a massive hammer of Air as Nash shattered the ice, and heard the sound of Nash's shield breaking completely. "Shawn!" Cheri cried, and he felt himself crash into her, his mate using her body to cushion his fall. Shawn felt his wound break open again from the hit, and pulled himself unsteadily off of his Arcanine.

Nash was lying on his back, the shockwave of having his shield broken leaving him temporarily stunned. Shawn rapidly spoke the words for a spell lock as he stumbled towards Nash. He kicked the sword out of Nash's hand, then fell to his knees beside his opponent, touching him and releasing the spell. Nash convulsed as his limbs snapped together, the inverted shield preventing him from forming any wizardries even if his lips could move. Nash glared at him as his senses returned, his eyes the only part of his body with mobility.

Shawn breathed heavily as he stared down at Nash, holding his side. "Not this time. Not ever." Something didn't add up though. It shouldn't have been that easy to break Nash's shield. And yet, here he was, captured once again. Shawn just sat there for a moment, catching his breath as his poké mon joined him.

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"Master, who is this person?" Marty asked.

"That, is a bit of a long story," Shawn said, wincing as he pressed his hand against his wound.

Cheri could barely contain her anger, pressing her nose against the other human's and glaring into his eyes. "You are lucky, the only thing stopping me from killing you now is that my Master hasn't done so."

His dark eyes stared into hers. At first, this person looked almost identical to Shawn, until you examined the face a bit more closely. And the eyes'they were almost black, with wider than normal irises. It was a disturbing sight.

Suddenly, she heard a voice in her mind, a low hiss, …If you want to kill me, then go ahead."

She hid her surprise, replying in thought, "I would love to. But Master gets the privilege of that." Vaguely, she heard Marty say, "Are you okay Master Shawn?"

"I'll live," he replied.

"Why are you so loyal to him? You can't have been with him that long…" the voice trailed off, a soft chuckle sounding in her head. "I get it. You're letting him screw you, aren't you?"

"None of your business!"

"So, has he told you any of his dirty little secrets? Or are you too busy being his bitch to bother asking about his past?"

With a roar of rage, Cheri broke the mental contact, unsheathing her claws and preparing to put an end to this vile creature. He had attacked her pups, wounded her mate, and now was trying to cast doubt on her love?

"No!" Shawn shouted, grabbing her upraised paw.

Cheri snarled. "He doesn't deserve to live!"

"You can't kill him! If you do…I could die too."

Cheri's eyes widened, and she fell back on her haunches in shock. "What…what do you mean?" Marty was looking on worriedly.

"I…I can't explain right now. I have to finish dealing with him first. Don't make eye contact, he's somewhat telepathic. I don't know what he said to you, but he's just trying to mess with your head."

Cheri sat back numbly as Shawn pushed himself up slowly. With a small pop, his bag appeared beside him, and he started rummaging inside it. It was…jarring. To hear her seemingly invincible mate admit his own mortality. And…just what had the other human meant? She hated him for what he had done, but…did that mean…NO! She would NOT doubt Shawn! She felt her love blossoming as she watched her mate prepare some kind of spell, ignoring the small seed of doubt that had been planted in her.

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Shawn finished up the modifications of the auger. He had barely enough power left for even this, his normal method of imprisoning Nash was out of the question. He could only hope that this would hold long enough. He activated the wizardry, a rip appearing in the air. Grabbing onto Nash with Air, he placed him inside the half-pocket, sealing the entrance behind him. This was the wizardly equivalent of tying him up and stuffing him in a closet, but it was his only real option right now. He fought down nausea as his resources were drained, and he plunked himself down at the edge of the clearing.

Cheri and Marty joined him as he surveyed the wreckage of the once peaceful spot. He leaned back against one of the few still standing trees, debris and torn earth strewn everywhere in sight. He had survived once more.

Wearily, he pulled out Hina's and Kirin's poké balls, turning them over in his hands. He released Kirin first, the Jolteon appearing and looking around frantically. "Where is he! Where's Hina!"

"It's alright Kirin, it's over. Hina is here too," he held up the other poké ball, pressing the release.

Hina appeared in a red beam of light, and immediately collapsed on weakened knees, Kirin and Cheri leaping towards her in concern. "No, no, no, please, don't put me back there! The dark! The dark!" Frantically, Shawn scooped up the little Eevee, Cheri and Kirin crowding close as he cradled the trembling poké mon. Flecks of Dark energy were tangled in her fur, and he brushed them off with a small dose of Light energy in his hand.

"Please...not the dark. The dark. The dark," she sobbed, tears leaking out as Shawn held her tight. "Oh god…Hina…I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." His hand clenched into a fist as he comforted the shaking Eevee, a cold anger at Nash building inside him. A breeze blew through the clearing, swirling debris over the little group. The world had just become a more dangerous place.

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High atop Spear Pillar"

"Are you sure that was wise Arceus?"

"You question my judgement Celebi?"

The time travel poké mon was silent for a moment. "No. The human would have certainly been killed if you hadn't intervened. Still though, the risk!"

"Is negligible. Have you sensed the Shadowed one moving again?"

"No. But when he finds out about this…"

"You must trust my discretion Celebi. I will deal with that one when the time comes. Do you truly believe I would jeopardize the balance?"

"Of course not, but he has been slumbering for some time. I don't understand why you think he won't notice."

"It isn't that he won't notice. It is that he cannot do anything about it. He moved first Celebi."

"I did not detect that."

Arceus just looked at her, his deep, knowing eyes filling her with peace. "And do you know all Celebi?"

"No…I trust you Arceus. I just…find it hard not to worry."

"Believe Celebi, believe. There are no accidents"

"I do. There are no accidents."

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Somewhere off in the darkness, a pair of ice blue eyes slowly blinked open"

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