Chapter 12

Bonds

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Shawn adjusted his pack with a soft grunt as he set a steady pace down the path. The pain in his side had faded to a dull ache, so long as he was careful, but he was still sore all over from the intense battle the day before. He was still recovering in other ways too. It would take a day or so for his raw power levels to regenerate fully, as well as his elementals.

Although using his elementals didn't drain him in the same way that using wizardry did, it still took mental concentration, and the sword's stores of elemental energy were limited in their own ways. There was a kind of'resonance…between his raw power and his elementals. If his raw power was low, he wouldn't be able to access the greater portion of the stores of elemental energy.

The encounter with Nash had him on edge. This seemingly simple mission was turning into something much bigger. "It seems unlikely that Nash would have gotten out on his own so soon. He must have had help. That means…" What exactly? There were just too many unknowns at this point. The only thing he knew for sure, was that this dimension held some importance to the Lone One.

Was it the lack of a human Choice? That seemed the most likely at this point. So, was Cyrus' plot actually a ploy of Darkrai's? To force a human Choice? He just needed more information. But the only way to get it would be to track down a legendary, which would be nigh on impossible. The Powers That Be chose when and where to reveal themselves, an annoying trait at times like these.

In the meantime, he would just have to continue on his mission as best he could. Things were progressing faster, which meant his team would have to train hard in order to take down Cyrus when the time came. Spin-off dimensions were a bit funny in the way they worked sometimes. In one as unstable as this, restoring the balance was tricky business, requiring sticking to the "destined outcome" as much as possible. If a dramatic event were to happen to alter Cyrus' plan drastically, everything could collapse.

Despite the fact that his power was low, Shawn was once more wearing his emergency shield. It didn't hurt to be careful, and the cost was balanced by the reassuring safety against surprise attacks.

The sun peeked curiously through the clouds, already a fair ways into its journey. They would indeed make it to Oreburgh today, even travelling slowly. Everything seemed to be bathed in the golden light, an odd contrast, seeming too cheery to follow the events of yesterday.

Hina scampered along in front of him, her boundless energy still showing through, despite the effects of Nash's attack. She did seem a bit more subdued however, as she stuck close, not dashing all over the place to investigate everything in sight. "At least she doesn't seem to have any lasting injury." The night's rest had restored her aura completely.

She had indeed slept through the night thankfully, curled up on Shawn's chest. They had all awoken late, Shawn needing the extra sleep to recuperate somewhat. Cheri had almost immediately gathered up the little Eevee, giving her a thorough grooming in spite of her squeaks of protest.

"Hold still dear, I'm just checking to make sure you're alright," she had said.

"Hee hee! But it tickles!" Hina replied, finally making her escape from the concerned Arcanine.

Shawn couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange. It seemed that Hina hadn't suffered any ill effects from Jasmine's hypnosis. That was a relief, the ghost would be spared Cheri's wrath. But" "Come here for a moment Hina," he said.

She pouted. "No more cleaning! I want breakfast!"

"In a moment." He patted his knee, gesturing the little poké mon over.

She complied sulkily, giving Cheri as wide a berth as possible as she shuffled to Shawn's side. The tent had been a bit crowded, with all four of them sharing the small space. Kirin was absent at the moment, she had wandered outside a few minutes earlier.

Hina looked up at him curiously, closing her eyes and starting to purr as he scratched behind her floppy ears. As she leaned into the treatment, he took a closer look at her. Yes' there it was. Not much, but still there.

Tangled up in her long fur, a few dark flecks swirled as he brushed his hand past them. That was worrisome. He knew those hadn't been there the night before, he had made sure of that. In his other hand, he built up a small dose of Light energy, using it to sweep the flecks away. Kirin poked her head back inside the tent. "Master Shawn, are-" she cut off as she saw what was happening.

"What was that? Is she alright?" Cheri asked, getting to her feet and peering worriedly over his shoulder. Hina's eyes popped open at the question, giving a vigorous shake as she felt the tingle of the gentle cleansing Light sweep over her.

"Yes, she should be fine. It's just some residues, nothing serious," Shawn said. Cheri gave a sigh of relief. He didn't let his concern show in his voice. If any of them noticed that he didn't say it in The Speech, they didn't comment on it.

"It's not'still hurting her, is it?" Kirin asked.

"No…not that I can tell," he responded truthfully. Her aura was fine, and she didn't seem affected in any way, but still" Why were there still flecks?

Hina shivered slightly. "The dark…"

"Can't hurt you!" Shawn said firmly. "I'll make sure of that, don't worry."

She perked up, snuggling against him affectionately. "Thanks Master Shawn!"

Kirin smiled, also seeming reassured. Shawn didn't like keeping his thoughts from her and Cheri, but making them worry wouldn't accomplish anything. Besides, he didn't have any proof that the dark flecks meant anything after all. His scanning spell hadn't picked up anything. Perhaps it really was just residue of some sort.

They had eaten quickly, Shawn intending to make up for lost time on the road. A day or two of rest in a poké centre would do them all good, and Nash's appearance wasn't going to sidetrack him from his goal of challenging the Oreburgh gym.

Although Cheri's fears hadn't been realized, she non-the-less made good on her promise to "keep an eye" on Jasmine. The two didn't speak to each other, but Shawn noticed how Cheri watched the Mismagius with her penetrating gaze, the distrust seeming to come off of her in waves.

For her part, Jasmine seemed to mostly ignore it, but she would occasionally glance warily at the Arcanine, before quickly looking away. Shawn had let it pass for the moment. He would bring it up with Cheri later. He couldn't have bad blood between his team members.

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Shawn glanced down at the Jolteon walking by his side. She had been a bit surprised when he hadn't returned her to her ball after breaking camp. "It's okay, Hina can have my turn."

"No, I want you to walk with me too, I need to talk to you for a bit," he had replied. Until Hina's fear of the dark was kicked, she would have to remain outside her ball. There should be a custom poké ball maker in Oreburgh, who might be able to do something about the problem.

"What exactly was it you wanted to talk to me about Master?" Kirin asked, breaking the silence.

Shawn took a moment to respond, gathering his thoughts. "Kirin" I apologize for not asking you earlier. It was remiss of me. Are YOU alright? Did Nash…hurt you?"

She seemed a bit troubled, an odd expression on her face. "No, he didn't. I just" felt so powerless. Even with everything you've taught me, when he had Hina" I couldn't protect her. It was'terrifying."

Shawn nodded in understanding. The feeling wasn't a foreign one to him. "It's okay to be scared Kirin. Nash is a very dangerous person. The important thing is, you did your best. There's nothing you could have done differently. You were ready to put yourself on the line for your sister. That shows far more strength than being able to summon a lightning bolt does."

She seemed comforted by this. "T-Thank you Master. I mean" I know I couldn't have beaten him. He even managed to hurt you, and I know you're far more powerful than I could ever be. It just'shook me. To feel so insignificant."

"Kirin, you are anything BUT insignificant. If you hadn't been there, Nash might have killed Hina. Beyond that, you're an important member of my team. And" you're a great friend. I can't imagine not having you with me."

She smiled slightly. "You'really mean that?"

"I do."

She took a deep breath. "That" means a lot to me Master. More than you know. I…like being with you too."

He returned her smile, reaching down to give her ears a quick scratch before resuming his stride. They had slowed a bit as they talked, and Hina had gotten ahead of them a ways. The Eevee was sitting on the road ahead, peering back at them, her head cocked inquisitively to the side as they caught up.

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Kirin's mind was whirling, her emotions in a horrible snarl. Nash's attack had shaken her confidence, but Shawn's words were comforting. It was a frightening thought, that there were such powerful beings out there, bent on evil. At the same time though, there were people like Shawn"

It didn't seem appropriate, to be thinking of her own problems right now, but she couldn't help it. The irritating sensation between her legs was still there, strong as ever, despite the distractions of yesterday.

She just couldn't sort it out. "He really is…pleasant to be with." Even through her concern for her sister, who thankfully seemed okay at the moment, her mind just kept wandering back to her trainer. The things Cheri had said wouldn't go away. "I don't know how she would be that comfortable with it. I suppose it's from her own culture." Eevees didn't form those kinds of mating hierarchies. They usually formed brief pairings, accomplishing the deed and then moving on. At least, from her understanding of things.

"But…do I really want to…do THAT with him? Would he even be willing?" How would she even ask that kind of question? He was her trainer! She didn't want to jeopardize the relationship they already had.

"But" He said…" No! She wasn't going to go down that road! It was'selfish. He had bigger things to worry about than that.

"He said he loved you…" a little voice in the back of her mind whispered.

"He didn't mean it like that!" she shouted back mentally. "He's in love with Cheri! Besides, I don't even know if I WANT a male!" There it was again. Full circle.

The revelations he had made yesterday didn't bother her. Although it was a bit disturbing to think of someone as powerful as Shawn flying into a killing rage, she knew that it wasn't a natural emotion for him. His grief over the incident was testament to that. And in truth, could she really say that she wouldn't have done the same thing? She couldn't imagine the pain he must have experienced.

No, Shawn wasn't a killer. He was compassionate, caring. The thought of him being forced to leave them behind had sent a stab of sadness through her. "IF that happens," she reminded herself. She sincerely hoped it did not. That was one thing she DID know; she wanted to stay with him.

Whenever he was around, she just felt'safe. He just seemed to exude that feeling, that he would protect her. A bit of a contrast perhaps, considering the kind of people who were after him, but there it was. "With those kinds of evils loose in the world, I can't think of anyone else I…d rather have on my side." Well, barring Arceus himself appearing in a beam of light perhaps. That seemed highly unlikely however. And Shawn had proven himself already, even taking a terrible injury to protect his poké mon companions.

She wanted to help him on his quest, to help stop whatever terrible thing that Darkrai was trying to unleash. No matter what hardships may come, if it meant being by his side, she would do her best. She couldn't deny the surge of pride she felt when he praised her, and the secret thrill that ran through her at his touch. But" Did that mean she was ATTRACTED to him?

Her heat pulsed, tauntingly. She barely stifled her growl of frustration. "I almost wish I was male. Then I wouldn't have this problem."

"But then you wouldn't get a chance with him either," the voice murmured.

"Shut up!" The whisper cut off abruptly.

"I must be losing it," she thought. "Talking to myself in my head" Fantasizing about my trainer…"

Her thoughts were scattered by Shawn's voice. "Kirin, there's something else, isn't there?"

She quickly shook her head, not wanting to betray her tangled emotions. "No" It's nothing."

He held her gaze for a long moment, obviously not convinced. He didn't press her however. "Alright, if you say so. You know you can ALWAYS talk to me if something is bothering you though. I'm here for you."

"I…I know. This is something I need to figure out on my own though."

Shawn nodded, respecting her privacy, for which she was grateful. If he had pressed for an answer, she doubted she could have denied it to him. He had bared his soul to them after all. Was it really fair for her to keep secrets from him? But'she just wasn't yet ready to reveal the kinds of thoughts she had been having. She wasn't sure which she was more afraid of" Him saying no? Or him saying yes?

Until she had the answer to that…She would just have to endure.

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Shawn pushed away his curiosity. He had no right to pry into Kirin's thoughts. He just hoped it didn't have anything to do with what he had told them yesterday. She had understood his guilt over the deaths on his hands, and he hoped she wasn't reconsidering her assessment of him.

No, of course not. Nothing she had said was any indication of that. She may not have dismissed it like Cheri had, but she didn't think he was a killer.

"She truly is quite amazing," he thought. Considering how relatively young she was, her insight and understanding was remarkable. She might not understand the depths of his grief, or the sorrow he felt when he was forced to end a life, but she had still managed to bring him out of his self-pity with a few choice words. When shown the truth, she had stood by him, supporting him. As all of them had, each in their own way.

Shawn's reverie was broken into by a shout from behind.

"Shawn!"

He whirled, ignoring the twinge of pain from his side, senses on high alert. His hand was instantly on his sword hilt, and Kirin's reaction echoed his own, sparks crackling in her fur as she set herself.

A lone figure was running towards them, one arm waving furiously. He relaxed slightly, although he kept his hand where it was, ready to draw at a second's notice. It seemed unlikely that an enemy would announce himself, but who was that? And how did they know his name?

"Wait…no, it CAN…T be…"

The person came to a halt a few paces away, out of breath. "Shawn! I finally found you! Good thing I had the tracker. I got put out miles away from you. Had to teleport a whole bunch of times."

"….Marek?"

The guy nodded, running a hand through his messy, almost black curls. He was a couple inches taller than Shawn, beanpole thin, and bore the scars of teenage acne. Ironically, he was dressed almost identically to Shawn, in blue jeans and a dark shirt.

Kirin hadn't relaxed at Shawn's identification of the guy, and Shawn himself was not yet sure. "Why the hell is MAREK here? Of all people?"

Aloud, he said, "Prove it." His hand tightened on his sword hilt.

He looked taken aback, but responded in The Speech. "I am Marek Donovan."

Kirin started at the words, sparks still dancing dangerously in her white mane. Understandable, considering the only other wizard she had met had been Nash.

Shawn didn't want to take any chances either. Dark wizards were known to lie in The Speech when pressed, in spite of the risks. He summoned his manual to his hand, holding it wordlessly to Marek.

Marek shrugged, taking the book and flipping it open. He pressed his hand to the last page, causing a glowing string of characters to flow around it. After a brief moment, several characters floated up from the page, reading, "Identity confirmed."

Shawn let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, reaching out to take the manual back. "It's okay Kirin, I know this guy."

The Jolteon finally relaxed, the crackling energy dissipating as she nodded. "That's a relief."

Marek glanced at her briefly, before turning back to Shawn. "Why so suspicious? You didn't think it was me? And…are you wearing a shield?"

Hina came running up, finally realizing she had once more left her trainer and sister behind. She stopped by Kirin, huddling behind her sister slightly as she stared wide-eyed at Marek.

"There have been some…complications. Nash was here."

The colour drained from Marek's face, his eyes widening. "N-Nash? He was out?"

Nash was a known figure in the DBW, although few knew any details about him. His true nature was a highly classified secret, and most only knew that he was an extremely powerful dark wizard, one with some connection to Shawn. The standing orders were that none but Shawn were to engage him, should any have the misfortune of encountering him.

"Yes. I've locked him up again, but…"

Marek shook his head, his face pale. "Oh, this is bad" This is very bad…"

"Master Shawn?" Hina said hesitantly, still peeking out from behind Kirin. "He's a good guy, right?"

Shawn glanced down at the little poké mon, noting that she seemed to be doing her best not to look scared. "It's alright Hina. Marek is an" associate of mine. He's a wizard too. And yes, he's one of the good guys."

Marek finally seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts he was having, focusing on the poké mon and giving a hesitant wave, and the standard wizard greeting. "D…ai sti…ho cousins."

"Marek, this is Kirin, she's a Jolteon. This is her sister, Hina. She's an Eevee. Kirin, Hina, Marek."

"Pleased to meet you both," he said.

Kirin nodded. "Likewise. You'll have to forgive our caution. We had a bit of a" rough time."

Hina finally came out from behind Kirin, walking up to Marek and sniffing his outstretched hand cautiously. He apparently passed inspection, as she nodded once before giving him a quick nuzzle. "Hi!"

A grin broke out on Marek's face at the cute little Eevee's greeting. He gave her a brief scratching before standing up again.

"Well, you seem to have made some progress in your mission at least. Not that that's any surprise."

"Yes' You know the details? Isn't that above your security rating?"

He shook his head. "I was awarded temporary clearance for this."

"I see. That still doesn't tell me exactly WHY you're here though. I don't mean to sound rude, but, you aren't even a field agent."

He seemed a little flustered, fidgeting with the straps of his backpack and running a hand through his already tousled hair. "Well" as you said, there's been" complications. Things are moving faster than we originally thought. And" there could be more to it as well. There could even be a Choice involved here. The council decided it was necessary to warn you."

Shawn nodded slowly. "Yes, I had already figured that part out. Events here are even bigger than they seemed at first."

He looked a little surprised. "Oh... Well, that makes me feel kind of unnecessary. Um, anyways' They decided that, because of my unique skills, I should be the one to go. Even though I'm not a field agent. If things get to" that point" I might be able to help you stop it. Even if I don't have your kind of power…" he trailed off, seeming uncertain.

Shawn snorted. "Heh, at the moment, we're actually pretty even." Marek's normal power level was quite low, but it was roughly equal to what Shawn's current cap was at. He would have been able to get through a gate with no problems.

It actually made some sense that he would have been sent. Marek was a tech, one that displayed a remarkable ability for reading dimensional pulses, as well as a delicate touch for repairing unstable gateways. If things came down to having to physically keep the dimensional fabric from collapsing, Marek's help would indeed be useful.

Kirin was sitting quietly, just listening to their conversation. Most of it would be going over her head, the terminology being outside of her range of experience. Hina had lost interest in inspecting Marek's shoelaces, and looked a bit bored.

"Well, at any rate, your assistance may very well come in handy. Welcome aboard Marek," Shawn continued.

He perked up a bit at the endorsement, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah" I hope so. This is the first time I've been…" he trailed off, glancing at Kirin and Hina. "Away" like this."

Shawn nodded. Although Marek would have received regular wizarding assignments in the past, this would be his first mission for the DBW. Quite the trial by fire too.

"So…What's the plan from here?" Marek asked.

"I'm on my way to a place called Oreburgh city. How familiar are you with how things work here?"

"Not very."

"Alright. You already know that I'm training a team of poké mon to help me, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so that's my primary objective at the moment. There's a poké mon gym in Oreburgh, challenging it will be a good experience for my team. After that" I haven't quite decided yet. We'll discuss that as we travel."

He turned, beginning to walk down the road once more. Kirin resumed her place at his side, Hina giving a happy little cry as they started moving once more. Marek matched his stride, keeping pace with little trouble.

"Why don't we just teleport there? With both of us, we could do it in one shot," Marek asked.

"No real need to waste the energy. Besides, you're probably tired from finding me I imagine."

"True. I can't say I'm a fan of walking though."

"Get used to it. Cars aren't a common thing here. And I don't want to teleport unless I have to. The distances are a bit shorter than we're used to as well. The communities are fairly close-knit."

Marek conceded the point. Teleportation wasn't something that was limited by using massive amounts of raw power, as healing was, but it DID have to do with how much power a wizard could use. The more power available to a wizard, the farther they could teleport in one shot. Trying to extend that distance was dangerous. Extend it a little, and it would bring nausea. Extend it too much, and it could kill.

At his normal power levels, Shawn's teleportation tether was hardly an issue. Now though, the distance he could travel with it hardly justified the energy expenditure. By combining with Marek, he could double that distance, but there was still no real need.

"So, you come from the same place Master Shawn does Marek?" Kirin asked.

"Err, yes, basically." He turned to Shawn, saying in The Speech, "You told them?"

"Sort of, they know I'm not from here. I haven't told them about the other dimensions, but they know everything that's relevant to them," he responded. When talking to each other in The Speech, Kirin and Hina would not be able to understand their conversation.

Kirin looked up with a perplexed expression, obviously wondering what they were talking about, and why she suddenly couldn't understand it. He gave her a reassuring nod, and she didn't vocalize the question.

Similar to how it was sometimes difficult to translate things that were said between other poké mon, The Speech took slightly different forms depending on who was speaking it, and whom it was being spoken to. As they weren't natural speakers of The Speech, poké mon would only understand it when it was being spoken to them.

"Are you sure that was alright? I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that."

"Generally yes, but I trust my teammates. They deserve to know what they are getting into. And I didn't tell them anything that would…disturb them." That was one of the main reasons such subjects were taboo with inhabitants of other dimensions. Dropping the knowledge that their existence was in one of many dimensions, and in one dimension, their world was a game" Many would not take such a revelation easily.

Marek gave a nod of understanding. "So" Have you had any contact with the Powers?"

"No. You know what they're like. Although, that could be our next move. After Oreburgh, we might head to Celestic town. It apparently has some historical information about legendary poké mon, that could help us find one. It would be nice to not be so in the dark about what's going on."

A gentle breeze whipped up, almost as if it were a reply to Shawn's statement. Briefly, he fancied he heard a voice whispering with the wind, but it was surely just his imagination.

"Legendary poké mon huh? Even the One and the Lone One?"

"Yes, those two would be Arceus and Darkrai respectively."

"You don't know who Arceus and Darkrai are?" Kirin said incredulously.

"Err, I do, I just know them by different names," Marek replied.

Kirin seemed satisfied by his answer, although when she looked at Shawn, her expression seemed to say, "Has this guy been living under a rock?"

Shawn decided it was time to change the subject. "Um, Marek, you DID bring a tent, right?"

"Yeah, I have everything I need. I won't be training any poké mon, so I don't have to worry about that. I have plenty of local currency though."

Shawn nodded. That was a bit of a relief, on both counts. "They probably just did a swap spell, like usual." Taking ordinary cash, they could convert it into any universe's currency.

He was especially glad he wouldn't have to share his tent. Aside from the fact that it was already crowded with Cheri, who would not have been pleased to be forced to make room for another human, sharing a living space with Marek would have been" awkward.

Shawn had known for some time that Marek had a bit of a not-so-secret crush on him. It had started about a year ago, when he had often noticed the younger wizard staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Whenever he had turned towards him, Marek would look away, pretending to be busy with something. He would often run into him in random places, and if they spoke, Marek sometimes seemed a bit out of sorts.

The clincher had been the time Marek had accidentally dropped his wallet, and before he could cover it up, Shawn had seen a little picture of himself inside. A little creepy perhaps, but nothing to really be concerned about. Shawn had pretended not to notice, and Marek's relief had been obvious.

He had never acted on it, for which Shawn was grateful. He wasn't offended by it, he just had no interest in guys. He didn't want to have to hurt Marek's feelings by turning him down. At least Marek seemed to understand that Shawn wasn't interested, even if he did still think it was a secret.

They continued on for a ways in silence, Marek's expression looking like a kid in a candy store. Even the perfectly ordinary things, like the trees and sky, were observed with a look of wonder, as if he had never seen them before. Shawn supposed it was a natural reaction, he had probably been more or less the same on his first trip to another world. Marek would have been mostly focused on finding him when he crossed over, and was only now taking in the scenery.

"So, how have things been since I left? Quiet still?"

"Yeah, mostly. There were a few government types poking around again, but it got taken care of in the usual fashion."

Shawn had to chuckle at that. "That should keep us safe for a few more months at least. Their book-keepers have been feisty lately." Marek nodded in agreement.

Despite the fact that the DBW agents focused a lot of their attention outwards, they still had to live their day-to-day lives like anyone else. That meant finding a way to fund the agency. The work was far too much to hold down an ordinary job at the same time. Obviously, their existence also needed to be kept a secret.

Back when the Watch was founded, a few selective alterations in the right places had set it up as a top secret branch of the CIA. Unfortunately, that meant that every once in a while, someone would start wondering just where the money was going. A memory alteration usually took care of it with no problems. They had a few agents whose sole task for the agency was to make sure their existence was protected.

On top of that, several world-wide dummy charities were in place, to help pay for their operating costs. "It may be a deception, but it's only fair. We ARE saving the world on a regular basis after all."

"Um, Shawn, I've been meaning to ask…" Marek said hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"How come whenever you capture" Nash." Marek shuddered slightly at the name. "Er, what I mean is' Why don't you just lock him up at headquarters? Or…Since you can obviously beat him" Put an end to it?"

Shawn was silent for a moment, and Kirin glanced up at him curiously. "For the first question, those cells aren't strong enough to hold Nash. For the second…" he paused, then continued in The Speech, "Aside from the fact it is against our code? It is classified. I'm sorry."

"Fair enough," Marek replied, accepting the brush-off answer.

Shawn nodded curtly. It wasn't information that was relevant to Marek, and he didn't feel comfortable talking about his past with him as he had with his poké mon. Although they worked together, they were more associates than friends. Even if Marek WAS attracted to him.

"Can we please change the subject? I don't really want to think about that'thing…anymore," Kirin said.

"Of course Kirin, I'm sorry," Marek said.

She nodded. "It's alright, I just" want to forget about him right now."

"Don't worry Kirin, Nash is safely locked up again. Besides, the bad guys have to go through ME to get to you. All you need to worry about right now is your training," Shawn said.

She smiled up at him. "Thanks Master, I'll do my best."

"I know you will."

Hina came scampering back to them, excited about something. "Master Shawn! I could see the city!"

Shawn looked up, the view ahead blocked by a slight rise in the road. "Great! We've made good time." The past few days had been eventful, but they had reached Oreburgh at last. Shawn felt a little bit of his optimism return. "It was a good try Nash, but you're not stopping me!" They were moving forward.

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April strode purposefully into the cramped "reception" area of the breeder's office, Dek following closely behind her. The Arcanine had been acting moody for awhile now, and she was determined to set him up with a nice date to get him out of his funk.

The woman sitting behind the desk glanced up with a bored look on her face, twirling a nail file absently between her fingers. "Yes? What can I do for you dear?"

"You can start by putting on less makeup in the morning DEAR," April thought. Aloud, she said, "Hi, I'm looking for some services for my Arcanine."

She glanced over the counter, peering over her half moon spectacles. "Hmm, this one here I presume? He looks in fine shape. Regrettably, it is out of the question. Our only Arcanine female is currently pregnant."

The point blank rejection felt like it had smacked her between the eyes. She had come all the way here for this? "Oh" I see. Um, do you have any others that would be compatible?" Dek whined, nuzzling against her, his great head almost level with her own. She ruffled his headfur absently, not really paying attention to what he might be saying.

She drummed her long nails thoughtfully. "Hmm, I don't know. We DO have a Ninetales, but she is not currently in heat. She is rather touchy about the attentions of males."

"April…Arrc!" Dek said. She ignored him. "A Ninetales? I don't think he…d mind that, would you sweetie?" She finally turned to face him, noting his embarrassed expression with an evil grin.

"I don't think that's a good idea. The last time we tried to breed her when she wasn't in heat, she just about bit the poor male's head off."

"Oh, that bad huh? I guess I can understand that, I doubt I…d like a male who was too pushy either," April replied with a giggle. "Any other options?"

"Hmm, I'll have to take a look and see what our affiliates have," she replied, turning to her computer.

Dek began nudging her more insistently. "No April, Arcanine arc I want" arrc mate arrc" you. April…I want you."

Her jaw dropped, unnoticed by the woman behind the desk. "Dek? Wh-what are you talking about?"

He licked her face affectionately, his sloppy tongue drawing a wet line along her cheek. "Arrcanine, mate arrc you. Arrc."

She stared into his dark eyes, absolutely thunderstruck. Suddenly, a lone memory from a couple of weeks ago stood out in her mind with perfect clarity. Waking up at night to find Dek standing over her, all hot and bothered about something or other. He had been" out of sorts ever since that time, and now this?

"Sorry, but there doesn't appear to be anything else nearby at any of our networked locations. The closest Arcanine I could find is in Sunnyshore. They aren't a very common breed around these parts, most of them come in from Kanto." She glanced up from her computer screen, noticing April's stunned look finally. "Are you alright dear?"

"Umm, yes, yes, I'm fine," April replied hastily, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. This was NOT the time or the place to have a discussion with Dek. "Okay, thanks for your help I suppose."

"Of course dear. Good luck finding a partner for your boy. He really is a handsome one."

"T-thanks," the flustered trainer replied, turning on her heel and beating a hasty retreat. Dek followed close behind, giving a concerned whine over her obvious distress.

"April? Arrcane aarc, alright? You arrcc upset," he said as they were once more welcomed into the embrace of the sunshine.

"Umm, yes, I'm alright Dek. We need to talk though. We're heading back to the poké centre."

He nodded, heeling her as she started walking, doing her best to remain calm. Her poké mon wanted to" to mate with HER? It wasn't just a case of blue balls, he specifically wanted" HER?

Her mind spun, trying to wrap itself around the concept. It wasn't like she was horrified by it, or stunned by the idea. She had heard of poké mon/trainer relationships before of course. In fact, the thought had always been one she found secretly arousing. But, she had never once considered actually DOING it!

"Alright April, think this through. You KNOW what Arcanine mating habits are like. You almost became a breeder yourself. Is there anything REALLY inherently odd about this?" She reviewed her knowledge of the subject, trying to figure out if Dek was honestly into her, or if he was just looking for an outlet. Now that she was looking for them though, all the signs were there, evident in his recent behaviour.

She glanced at the impressive looking poké mon trotting by her side, evaluating him. It was certainly very flattering, that such a noble creature would want to do the horizontal mombo with her. She certainly wasn't outright opposed to the idea, despite what her cousin might say if she knew.

She wasn't like other trainers, who treated their poké mon like tools to achieve their own selfish ends. She knew that they experienced complex thoughts, emotions, and desires in the same way that humans did. Dek had been with her for some time now, long enough to build up enough of a bond that she could understand him somewhat. Although not as well as she could understand the other members of her team.

"He's probably been feeling lonely for awhile now. Arcanines usually have several mates," she thought. It had been several months since she had captured him, and he had proved a very valuable asset on many occasions. More importantly, once he had warmed up to her, he was really quite the sweetie, doing his best to make sure she was comfortable and warm on chilly nights' Lighting her fires for her" Letting her ride on his back when she got tired"

She had never really looked at any of her poké mon like that before. Of course, the only other one who was really "eligible" was Kyle, her Sceptile, and he had never shown any interest in her in that way. She couldn't imagine getting into a relationship with Hoarce, her Seaking, or Jet, her Plusle. "But Dek actually wants to…" she couldn't finish the thought. Unbidden, some of the naughty pictures she had seen sprung into her mind, bringing a flush to her cheeks.

"Could I really bring myself to" go that far with him? I mean, it looks like fun, but" I could get any guy! Do I really want to do it with my poké mon?" Of course, there was the other side of it too, the side of her that whispered, "You KNOW you want to. Give him what he wants!"

Then again, if she said no, the rejection might crush his spirit. She certainly didn't want THAT! She wanted her lovable little Arcanine back to normal again! And if there were future benefits that came with that"

It wasn't like she didn't think she would enjoy his company, so long as he didn't get TOO rough. "That IS how I like it of course, but he could hurt me if he's not careful." She knew he was smarter than that though, and she…d always been a bit of a risk taker. She knew he wouldn't do anything to harm her on purpose, and figured he was aware enough of their body differences to avoid accidents.

"So what's it going to be April?" she asked herself. "Are you in the mood for a LITERALLY hot date tonight?"

z88;

Dek strutted proudly beside his trainer, watching her run through her emotional gamut. He no longer thought of himself as Schrade, fully accepting the name she had given him. "Finally, she understood what I've been trying to tell her." If someone had told him a year ago that he would be making a move on a human, he would have laughed in their face. Now though, here he was, doing exactly that.

He had been enraged when she had first captured him, fully prepared to do whatever it took to get away from what he had then viewed as his jailer. The thought of being subject to the whims of a weakling human! That was, until she had shoved that funny looking piece of metal under his nose.

She had called it a "badge…, and she had an impressive collection of them. He wasn't sure exactly how, but the thing seemed to emit an…aura. A sense of power, of hidden strength. He shuddered at the thought of where else he had felt that sensation. That male human who had captured Cheri" He had emitted the same kind of aura, only tenfold. "I haven't felt a fear like that since I was a pup, when I was running from that Arbrok."

April's badges were impressive too though, and they belonged to her, won in rightful combat. That had been his first indication that perhaps she wasn't so weak after all.

That impression shattered further as she worked with him in battles. She had expertly coordinated his abilities, taking down opponent after opponent with ease. It was a far different experience than he was used to, but it made fights so much easier to win. He just had to focus on what he was doing, she would take care of all the strategy.

She was a bit like a combination of all his former mates. She had Cheri's vivaciousness, Arica's sensuousness, and Felicity's intelligence. A small grin crossed his muzzle at the thought of the Ninetales. It had taken a bit more convincing to win her over, but once he had, she had been just as willing as the others. He truly wished he could have had more time with her, before she had disappeared. "Likely captured by some trainer." But April'she displayed all the same qualities. If you ignored the lack of fur and the fact she stood on two legs.

It had been a bit of a struggle for him at first. He was unused to going so long without mating. All of April's other poké mon were male, aside from Riki, her recently hatched Riolu. She was just a pup still. He got along well enough with them, but they were hardly eligible mates. The more time he had spent with the team, the more and more attracted he began to feel to April. Perhaps it WAS mostly because he had gone so long without a female, but he felt that he really did harbour legitimate feelings for her.

A few delicate questions had revealed that none of the others had really thought about their trainer as a potential mate. He suspected that Jet was actually gay, although the feisty little electric poké mon hadn't admitted it right out.

He couldn't understand the attraction, that of a male to another male. He had seen it a few times before in his travels, the first time prompting a long period of incredulous spying to confirm what his eyes were telling him.

Regardless, it had been a relief to find that none of them were attracted to April. As one of the newer members of the team, he would have been forced to relinquish courting rights, if either Kyle or Hoarce had so desired.

Now though, it looked like he might have his chance"

z88;

April plunked herself down on the edge of the bed, resting elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands. Dek seated himself obediently before her, gazing into her eyes expectantly. He looked positively regal, his striking orange and black coat standing out vividly in the bland colours of his surroundings.

She sighed heavily. There was no more putting it off. "Dek, did you really mean what you said back there? You want to'mate with me?"

He met her eyes steadily, his expression leaving little doubt. "Yes. I arrcane you April, I arrc arcanine mate arrca…" he trailed off, looking a little less secure than he had a second ago.

"Do" Arrcanine, arrc you arrcanine arrc mate arc me?"

She couldn't resist a little giggle at the simplicity of the direct question. Although males did the courting in Arcanine relationships, the final decision came down to the female. He looked so cute when he was unsure of himself like this!

"I don't know Dek, do you think you could handle me? I can be pretty" forward…when I want to be," she said, only half teasingly.

He stiffened, as if she had just insulted his pride. "Arrc! You arrc arcane strong enough!"

She laughed, pulling him into a hug. "Oh Dek sweetie, I know you're strong. I'm just teasing you." He relaxed a bit as she clutched his mane, his head resting on her shoulder. "But seriously though" You…d rather have me than a poké mon mate?"

He pulled back, his dark eyes meeting her light ones again. He nodded firmly. "Yes."

She leaned back a bit, her arms reaching back to support herself as she thought. "Yup, there's no doubt, that's what he wants. And it's completely of his own accord, I haven't led him on at all. At least, not that I'm aware of." She could feel herself getting a bit turned on at the thought, lewd scenarios running through her mind. It had been awhile for her too, she hadn't found any guys worth seducing for some time. Well, aside from perhaps that Shawn guy, but he had been clearly uninterested.

She started as she became aware of Dek's presence, much closer than he had been a moment ago. Her denim clad legs had spread slightly, and his head was now resting right in her lap. She could see his nostrils quivering, his eyes widening slightly as he took a deep breath.

"Oh god, he can smell that I'm getting riled up!"

Could she go through with it? Could she allow her poké mon to have his way with her? She wanted to help him feel better, but damn it, SHE was the one who was supposed to do the chasing!

She jolted as Dek's sniffing became a bit more insistent, snuffling at her crotch directly. "Dek!" she exclaimed, causing him to pull back with an apologetic whine. He sat back on his haunches, and she gulped as she caught a glimpse between his hind legs.

He was getting aroused too, a couple inches of red flesh poking out from his fuzzy sheath. She couldn't take her eyes off of it, her vantage point giving her a nice little peep show.

She could see his furred balls hanging down, the plump orbs rolling slightly in their home as he shifted his position. His shaft twitched slightly, the tapered tip sliding forward just a bit, the pillar of flesh seeming to throb and pulse.

The sight of him getting turned on by her seemed to boot the last bit of hidden restraint from her mind. If he wanted her that badly" She figured it was probably worth giving him a chance. It certainly wouldn't be an unpleasant experience! She was definitely feeling in need of some lovin" as well. "Yes, I can definitely do this. Okay god, I'm about to have sex with a poké mon. If you're real, strike me down now if you disapprove."

She waited for a long moment, keeping her eyes firmly on Dek's. No lightning bolts, no fire from heaven. "Looks like I'm in the clear."

"Okay Dek, looks like today is your lucky day," she said, starting to pull her shirt over her head. He gave a happy bark, rising to his feet as she began disrobing. "If I can't make him pop in less than ten minutes, I should probably just give up the chasing game altogether."

She tossed her shirt aside carelessly, then leaned down to untie her boots. Dek moved closer, breathing heavily in her ear as he licked her neck. She felt a shiver roll down her spine at the contact, the gesture taking on a whole new meaning in this context.

She rolled up onto the bed, shoes and socks abandoned on the floor as she shucked her bra and pants. "It'll probably be a lot more comfortable up here than on the floor. I don't want to get rug burn."

She flipped onto her stomach, grabbing the pillows to help position herself. Her heart leaped into her throat as she felt the bed shift, the springs creaking as the Arcanine effortlessly bounded onto the mattress. Despite her resolve, he was awfully big"

She froze as she felt him once more inspecting her groin, her hands on the elastic band of her panties. His nose pressed into the slightly damp black cotton, inhaling deeply. "April…arc arcane good."

She jolted as he started lapping at her slit through the material, his saliva adding to the bit of moisture that had accumulated. It was a bit tickly, the panties being pressed right into her lips, forming a nice camel toe. "H-hang on a minute Dek," she said shakily.

He obliged, allowing her to slip off her last line of defence and toss it aside. She got up on her hands and knees and looked back, seeing him lick his lips as he stared at her exposed girl bits. That hungry gaze, with his desire for her painted all over his features, combined with the cool air now touching her exposed mound, sent a lustful quiver through her.

Without further warning, he dove back in, and she moaned as his long tongue played across her entrance. He attacked with eager strokes, rapidly raising her arousal as his long organ flicked against her clit. She stifled another moan as he plunged his canine appendage into her folds, the wide pink tongue penetrating a couple of inches into her insides, which had been unattended for far too long.

She clenched down on the slippery little devil, a pleasured grin lighting up her features as she felt it squirming around inside. On the way out, he drew it firmly against her clit, making her hunch back involuntarily.

"Uhh, Dek baby, don't stop."

He happily resumed his duties, pleasuring her in a way that would be impossible for a human male. If she had had any lingering doubts about her decision, this sensation squashed them firmly.

His eager oral assault was flipping all her switches, the heady rush of sensations making her feel a little light headed, her pale skin flushing as he stimulated her needy cunny. Her arousal spiked with each sloppy kiss, the large tongue working her clit on almost every stroke.

Tingling waves of bliss shot through her, her love tunnel producing more and more of its natural lubricant, preparing her to take the final plunge off the cliff of poké philia. She let out a little gasp as he licked from the base of her mound all the way up to her back door, trailing her femme nectar across her soft skin. Each lick brought her slowly up the trail to climax, the high building in her groin and making its way up through her body. Like oil on a pool of water, the sensation spread steadily through her.

"Just a little more, just a little more!"

But, suddenly, there was no more. The delightful ministrations stopped abruptly, causing her to look back in irritation. "Hey, what are you-" she cut off as he loomed over her, standing beside her and looking down with an imperious gaze.

Her mouth dropped open as he placed a massive paw on her shoulders, the soft pads belying the dangerous claws sheathed within.

"Oh shit, this isn't right! He's DOMINATING ME? I'm the master damn it!" But she didn't have much choice. Now that he was fully in "mate" mode, there was no way she would be able to stop him from getting what he was after. Of course, the little thrill that ran through her spoke of her true, secret feelings on the matter.

In a swift motion, he positioned himself behind her, his one paw remaining on her back, the other forming an orange furred pillar beside her head. She felt her breath catch as his belly fur slid across her back, his body heat radiating into her skin.

He hunched himself up, his paw pulling on her shoulder, and she felt his tip prod between her cheeks, sending a shudder of anticipation through her. Her arms strained to support herself as he humped forwards, a lot of his weight thankfully remaining on his back legs.

She squeaked as she felt his hardening member poke against her, a bit off target. "Ack! No Dek, not there! That's the wrong hole!"

He growled something unintelligible, pulling back and drawing a sigh of relief from her. She definitely wasn't prepared for THAT! She knew just how big a knot could get.

Suddenly, both of his paws came down on her shoulders, his weight bearing down on her and forcing her chest down onto the blankets. The air whooshed out of her lungs as he held her down, a dangerous sounding rumble coming from his throat. She gasped as she felt the weight lift briefly, this new position raising her rear a bit higher and spreading her legs more.

The respite didn't last long, as he wrapped his forepaws tightly around her midsection, once more positioning his hips to take his prize. It only took a couple more blind thrusts, before she felt his tapered tip make contact with her vulva.

There was no more warning, no questioning whether or not she was ready. With a fierce growl, he sunk himself into her, his canine tool shoving into her love tunnel. There was a brief moment of pause, as he got himself situated properly, and then he began taking her in earnest.

Each heavy thrust drew a new sound from her, his incredibly warm pole mercilessly pounding her sopping pussy. Her arousal had dropped somewhat from the break in stimulation, but that problem was quickly being rectified by the jack hammering thrusts of her lustful Arcanine.

The powerful impacts slammed their hips together, shaking the bed, and making her slide forward on the blankets. Her breasts were squashed beneath her, her sensitive nipples dragging across the fabric as she was forcefully bred.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she was taken for a wild ride, his mighty paws holding her tight, allowing no chance for escape even if she had wanted to. She groaned in delight as he pounded her clit, his member still not yet at its full glory, but the forming wad of flesh at the base sending bursts of pleasure through her as it kissed her nether lips roughly.

She wasn't going to last long under this all out assault on her senses, as he somehow sped up his humping even more. She could feel the exotic, alien shape of his maleness, the narrow tip tickling her depths, the wider centre stretching her walls. He was pretty long, at least a good nine inches without the knot, and she was feeling pleasantly filled by the heated rod. Her walls rippled as she neared the brink, and she fancied she could feel his pulse beating in time with hers through their union.

Her slicked passage allowed him easy access, and she could feel spurts of his pre adding to the carnal stew as his member reached its full state. The virile Arcanine was indeed having his way, little growls and grunts reaching her ears as he rocked her body with authoritative thrusts. She did her best to meet him, to grind her engorged clit against his pistoning member, but she just couldn't keep up. He was in full control here.

This wasn't just sex, this was full out mating, the powerful poké mon ploughing her pussy as hard as he possibly could, intent on bringing himself to climax and pumping her full of his potent seed. Each thrust of his raging erection sent lightning arcs of incredible sensation through her, a burning fire of ecstasy stoking up in her groin as he claimed her. Her walls bore down on his canine pride, trying to hold him inside her to bring her that last little bit of stimulation she needed.

He roared fiercely, and she cried out as he hammered himself home, slamming his engorged knot into her. The solid bulb of pulsing, smouldering flesh ground against her clit, distending the entrance to her pussy as she was hurled over the cliff of orgasm. An avalanche of pure pleasure took over her senses, her mouth opening in a soundless cry as her passage clamped down around his feral organ.

His thrusting didn't stop, even though he could barely move now that he was lodged inside her. She felt her heart skip a beat as he clamped his mighty fangs down on the back of her neck, her eyes widening as the sharp points dug into her skin, dangerously close to ripping her throat out.

The domineering Arcanine was more careful than that though, exerting just enough pressure to let her know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she was HIS!

With a few last short thrusts, he tensed up, and oddly enough, in that climactic moment, she took note of how his soft belly fur was such a strange contrast to the pressure on her neck and the stuffed fullness of her vagina.

That thought was quickly obliterated as she felt his member jump inside of her, another cry escaping her lips as the first jet of heated ejaculate shot out into her depths. The sensation was bizarre, she could clearly examine each individual pulse of cum. The temperature of the liquid was just shy of too hot, and she could feel the forceful spurts doing their job of filling her womb, his doomed sperm seeking out her incompatible eggs.

It was just too much. The exquisite pressure on her clit, combined with the warm, sticky cum painting her innards pushed her over the brink once more. The delightful climax ripped through her like a wave of lava, and she rocked back against the penetration to ride it out, a blissful expression on her face at the release.

He released her neck as she came down from the high, huffing as he slid off her back. She started as she felt the tugging on her stuffed entrance, the Arcanine raising his hind leg and turning his body in the opposite direction. His knot was still too big to pull out easily, and they remained tied, an occasional extra spurt adding to the Molotov cocktail inside her as his rear brushed against hers. His fluffy tail settled over her back, the long appendage making her giggle as it tickled her bare skin.

She looked back, noticing that he was crouched slightly to keep from pulling out of her. She was grateful for that. If he had stood up all the way, he would've been pulling her into a rather uncomfortable position. His knot had her entrance firmly plugged, keeping the majority of their mixed juices inside. "Looks like we'll be here for awhile," she commented.

He looked back at her, his tongue lolling out with a happy expression. Gone was the royal alpha, in his place a contented puppy dog. "Ohh, that was great!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I can understand you completely now!"

He looked as shocked as she felt. "Really? That's wonderful! My mate…"

She grinned, clamping down a bit on his embedded cock. "Your mate indeed. Hmm, I think you have a few things to learn about how to treat a lady…"

Dek lay on his side, panting as April snuggled against his back. The bed was a complete mess from their activities, the blankets strewn every which way, spots of wetness staining the sheets. A happy sounding sigh came from April, as he felt their combined fluids leaking into his fur from her lower lips.

"Arceus! And I used to think CHERI was insatiable." He felt more exhausted than he ever had in his life, his balls feeling like withered berries. "That thing she did with her mouth…" He shook his head slowly, feeling the drowsiness overtake him. "Just what have I gotten myself into…"