Chapter 6 - Hornet's Nest
Almost two weeks later Wolf and Eve stepped onto the shores of Murcott Island, the pokemon having fully recovered from the injuries sustained on Sunburst Island. Wolf had insisted on staying put until he was sure they were ready to travel, leaving them to rest in the pokemon centre while he and Happy wandered around the city. Wolf had been glad when they were ready to travel, the constant adoration and idolism with which Sunburst's citizens treated him strangely unnerving. Shaking himself out of such thoughts, he turned to Squishy, raising her poke ball.
"Thanks for the ride, Squishy!" he said, the Milotic beaming at his praise. "Time for a rest." Recalling her to the poke ball, Wolf began to trek into the forest in search of the nearest pokemon centre, Eve keeping a secure hold on his shoulder.
It wasn't long before they came across a path through the forest, a winding dirt trail created by repeated use of both humans and pokemon. Eve craned her neck while they walked, feeling the same unsettling feeling she had when they had first arrived in Eyllisithek. The reason was apparent to her after a moment, the Chimchar tapping Wolf's cheek to get his attention.
"There are no wild pokemon here." She said, still looking around in case she missed one. Wolf stopped, frowning as he realised that she was right. The only thing stirring the leaves was a faint breeze.
"You're right." He said unnecessarily, setting off again with a much more cautious pace. He didn't like the fact that a forest that was supposed to be teeming with bug pokemon was so utterly devoid of life. The memory of the Lucario ambush was still a little too fresh in his mind to allow him to relax even slightly, especially since he was certain no one would stop any attackers.
Faintly, Wolf could hear a persistent buzzing noise. He exchanged worried glances with Eve, his pace quickening as the buzzing slowly grow louder in spite of his caution. Soon he was hurrying along the path on the balls of his feet, something he'd picked up from sessions in the gym with his dad's pokemon they said was good for both moving quickly and readying himself to evade an attack, keeping one hand stretched out in front while the other clasped Eve to his chest, the Chimchar watching the forest behind them uneasily. The buzzing grew much louder, and Eve's jaw dropped as its source descended to the path in pursuit of them.
"Beedrill!" she yelled, Wolf risking a quick glance behind them just long enough to make out the forms of six angry looking Beedrill, the sight encouraging him into a full on sprint for cover, the pokemon chasing them through the trees focussed on attacking him.
"This place is our territory!" one of them declared, even while they chased the pair. Wolf didn't really listen, hoping that the constant bumping wouldn't upset Eve too much for what he had in mind.
"Eve, flamethrower!" he cried, the chimp complying by sending a stream of fire at their pursuers. The bug pokemon scattered before they flew into the flames, the distraction buying Wolf and Eve the break they needed to outdistance the hunters.
***
"You were lucky. The Beedrill don't usually give up so easily."
Wolf panted, having reached the pokemon centre in what he believed was record time. He was slumped in a chair, watching and trying to recover while Nurse Joy performed her routine checkups on his pokemon. Once he and Eve had reached the human settlement, they had been astounded to find that many of the forests bug pokemon had taken up residence there as well. He had told Joy about their encounter in the forest, also having questioned her about the abundance of bug pokemon in the town.
"They were driven out of the forest by the Beedrill." She said sadly, finishing up with Squishy and turning to him, having found nothing wrong with any of Wolf's pokemon. "No one's been able to find out why the Beedrill are acting this way." Wolf nodded, thinking about what he had been told. Getting up, he walked over to the telephone and picked up the receiver, finger punching in a number he had only needed to call a few times before.
"Maybe Professor Birch will know." He said, Joy leaning over his shoulder as he dialled the pokemon professor. After the phone rang a few times, Birch appeared on the screen, smiling as Wolf's own face appeared on his side.
"Wolf!" he said, smiling broadly. "This is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"
"Hello professor," Wolf began, flashing him a grin that didn't entirely hide the after effects of his headlong sprint in the forest. "I was wondering if you knew anything about Beedrill." Birch blinked at him, scratching his head at the question.
"Not much I'm afraid." He admitted, grimacing. "They're a very rare sight in Hoenn, but Professor Oak would know a great deal about them. I'll put him on conference." Wolf and Joy waited patiently as Birch fussed around with his own keypad, and Oak's face flashed up on screen in a short minute, the screen splitting vertically to accommodate both pokemon experts.
"Professor Birch, it's good to hear from you." Oak said, beaming. "I was going to call you later to discuss one of the points in your last paper that I found quite interesting."
"I'm glad you liked my paper on pokemon habitats, but I have Wolf O'kai on the line as well and he wanted to ask about Beedrill." Oak turned slightly, the older professor taking in the veteran trainer's presence in the call for the first time.
"Ah, young Wolf O'kai!" he said, leaning forwards slightly. "I must confess that I found your performance in the Sinnoh league incredible! I've known Ash for a few years now, so to beat him was quite a feat." Wolf nodded in acknowledgement, slightly surprised that Oak would bring it up like any fan.
"Thank you for your words, but like Professor Birch said I really wanted to ask about Beedrill." He replied, trying to get the conversation back on track. Putting the phone on speaker, he let Joy outline the problem for him, the professor nodding throughout her explanation.
"Hmm, it sounds like they're stirred up about something all right." He agreed, stroking his chin. "My guess is that it would have something to do with the queen of the swarm."
"The queen?" Wolf echoed. Oak nodded, happy to explain.
"Beedrill are always quite territorial, though other bug pokemon are almost always permitted to stay in their territory so long as they don't interfere." Oak replied. "If they're going to the trouble of driving them out, the queen must be angry at something."
"Do you know if anything has changed on the island as of late?" Birch asked, directing the question at Joy.
"No, nothing unusual has happened." She shook her head, sighing. "I can't think of anything that might have upset her or the swarm." Oak closed his eyes, deep in thought.
"Whatever it is, things will remain like this until the queen is happy." He said, a sudden noise from his end causing the professor to turn. "I'm afraid I have to go, one of the pokemon is messing with my equipment! Muk, get away from that!" Oak's side winked out, leaving Birch's face filling the screen.
"I hope that's enough to help you Wolf." He said, almost apologetically. "I'm afraid I have to go as well. I'm running late for an appointment." Hanging up, the screen went completely blank as Wolf put the receiver back up. For a long time neither Wolf nor Joy spoke.
"I guess I'll have to go and see what's going on." He said finally, Joy gasping at the nonchalant way he suggested walking straight into a Beedrill nest.
"You can't go in there! It's too dangerous!" she cried, trying to make Wolf see reason.
"You're looking to find the queen?"
Wolf and Joy turned to find a Scyther standing in the doorway, an ugly gash in his forehead. While Joy couldn't understand the Scyther's words, Wolf nodded in response. Scyther looked at him with something approaching respect.
"You're brave, I'll give you that. But you'll need a guide."
***
Roughly ten minutes later Wolf and Scyther left the pokemon centre, the bug pokemon leading the trainer through the undergrowth towards the Beedrill hive. Wolf's pokemon had insisted on coming with them, though Scyther maintained that it would be difficult enough leading Wolf there without being discovered without them adding to the noise. Finally, Serenity had convinced him to allow her a psychic link to Wolf's mind so that they could come to the rescue if things got completely out of hand. She was now sitting in the pokemon centre in a trance, the others crowding around her worriedly while she saw and heard everything her trainer did.
"This is weird," Wolf muttered, Scyther shushing him and Serenity giggling in his mind. The blade limbed pokemon turned to him, staring hard into his eyes.
"You humans aren't the most stealthy creatures." He said bluntly. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be." Wolf smiled back, before transforming into his Lucario form.
"Will this help?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Scyther's surprised look. Nodding after a moment, Scyther turned back to the path and lead Wolf on.
The transformation not only made Wolf much more silent when walking, it had the added benefit of allowing the pair to move faster through the tangled vegetation. Soon enough they came to the edge of the forest, Wolf's jaw dropping at the sight that greeted him. Built onto one of the largest trees he had ever seen was an immense hive, a massive yellow framework that saw hundreds of Beedrill flying in and out carrying staggering amounts of berries. Scyther nodded, turning to Wolf.
"Well, there's the hive." He said, though Wolf didn't respond. "Good luck." As he turned to leave, Wolf shot him an incredulous look.
"You're not coming then?" he challenged, the bug pokemon rolling his eyes.
"Just because you're crazy enough to walk into a Beedrill hive doesn't mean I have to follow you." He replied, taking off back through the forest. The trainer watched him go, shaking his head before turning back to the hive.
As he watched, he noticed that one of the entrances wasn't being used. None of the Beedrill seemed to be anywhere near it, and it wouldn't be too difficult for him to climb into it while in his Lucario form. Figuring it would be his best chance, he circled the edge of the forest until he was just outside the abandoned entrance, slipping out of the trees and over to the edge of the hive. Using his claws, he scrambled up the side of the yellow frame before pulling himself up onto the ledge of the unused entrance. Wolf held himself flat against the wall of the hive, taking a moment to make sure none of the Beedrill had seen him. Once he was certain that nothing had changed, he crept further into the hive.
The inside of the hive was a sticky, bright yellow tunnel in the old entrance, Wolf feeling old residue sticking to the pads on his feet as he cautiously moved deeper into the Beedrill nest. From up ahead, he could make out a few voices over the constant buzzing. One was a loud, demanding voice, and Wolf guessed from the slight feminine tone that it must be the queen. The two others sounded masculine, though they were also highly subservient in their speech.
Probably the males, Serenity observed, her telepathic thoughts almost causing Wolf to yelp in surprise. Throughout his trip, he had almost forgotten that she could see and hear through his own senses. He shook his head, a smile creeping onto his face in spite of the situation.
Makes sense, he thought in response, stalking forward and peeking around the corner. His jaw dropped again at the splendour of the main chamber, a vast, open area that saw a great many Beedrill flitting about on their business. Several of them were dumping their loads of berries into a massive pile on one side of the chamber, where more would sort out the different kinds and separate them into their own piles. Wolf stood in awe as he looked at the largest of these, which was also crawling with Weedle that were feeding on the berries. As he watched, one of the Weedle began to glow, evolving into Kakuna before his eyes. Once the transformation was complete a Beedrill scooped up the cocoon and carried it to the ceiling, the newly evolved Kakuna shooting out a small burst of string to attach itself to the relatively dry surface. Snapping himself back to focus, he turned his gaze to the centre of the chamber where three Beedrill were hovering scant inches off the floor. One of them looked to be close to Wolf's current height, the other two noticeably shorter. The larger Beedrill appeared to be giving the other two orders of some kind, Wolf guessing that it must be the queen of the hive.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Wolf froze, the voice having come from behind him. He had been so focussed on what was in the chamber ahead he hadn't heard the buzzing of the Beedrill as they came in behind him. Worse, he saw with widened eyes, the queen and her two cronies had heard the noise. Before he could react, he felt the sharp points of their arm spikes pressed into his back, prodding him forward into the chamber and before the queen, the Lucario stumbling and cursing as he was poked by the Beedrill. Shoved roughly to his knees before the queen, his ears fell when he saw that every member of the hive was looking at him.
Oh, crap. Serenity intoned in his mind, not helping to ease Wolf's own mind. He didn't listen to her, the queen's imperious stare keeping his fearful eyes focussed completely on her.
"What do you think you're doing, sneaking into my hive mammal?" she demanded, Wolf cringing at her outright hostility.
"I was just-" Wolf stammered before she cut him off again, putting one of her own spikes up under his chin.
"I don't care!" she yelled. "I don't need this! I don't need you gallivanting around my hive! I have enough problems already!" Wolf swallowed, his Adam's apple scraping uncomfortably along the very point of her spike.
"That's what I'm doing here." He said quickly. "I want to fix this problem so that the other bug pokemon can live in the forest again." She looked at him intriguingly, before forcing his chin up again. His eyes hurt from trying not to blink, the trainer convinced that she would skewer him if he did.
"And what would a mammal like you know of my problems?" she asked menacingly, Wolf unable to inch his head back any further without impaling himself on the points of the Beedrill behind him. "One of my workers ran off with some tramp of a Vespiquen. What could you possibly know about such things?" Wolf's terrified expression melted in the face of this, only to be replaced by a disbelieving look.
"Wait, that's it?" he asked. "That's what all this fuss is about?" Serenity sighed in his mind as the queen jammed his head back as far as it would go, the Lucario convinced that he could feel a trickle of blood sliding out onto his fur. When he could see her eyes again, scant inches from his own, he was sure that she was about to kill him.
"You think this is nothing?!" she shrieked. Panic raced through his mind, although Serenity fought it back, giving him enough clarity of thought.
"Well if he left you for some Vespiquen he's clearly not worthy to be yours!" he cried, his voice rising as the thought came to him. It seemed to work, the pressure on his neck subsiding enough so that he could breathe without the point piercing his flesh. She drew back from his face, the murderous rage in her eyes dimming slightly.
"Go on." She encouraged, though he knew he was still on very thin ice.
"Well," he began cautiously. "If he would run off with her, he obviously lacks any standards. I mean, who would want a Vespiquen over you that isn't a masochist?" The beginnings of a blush spreading on her face, she slowly withdrew her spike and motioned for her underlings to do the same. Wolf nearly collapsed with relief, Serenity sighing telepathically.
"The mammal speaks the truth." She declared to the hive, her underlings staying completely silent and hanging on her every word. "Those who do not recognise worth are not worthy of my attention. It is a lesson you must all remember." Her address finished, the whole hive erupting in cheering and buzzing as they went back to their tasks, putting in their maximum effort so that they could please their queen.
"Does that mean the bug pokemon can come back to the forest?" Wolf panted.
"What? Oh, yes, yes." She replied, conferring with one of the Beedrill he had seen her talking to earlier. Getting to his feet unsteadily, Wolf made for the exit when her voice rang out again.
"And where do you think you're going?" she asked domineeringly, Wolf freezing in his tracks as she spoke. He turned, fidgeting nervously with his paws as he did so.
"I was going to go and tell the bug pokemon they can come back." He said meekly, slowly inching further towards the exit. He had never wanted a drink so badly in his life; even though alcohol was something he rarely touched. Queen buzzed over to him, her bodyguards flanking him as she did so.
"I cannot allow you to leave without being rewarded." She said, her tone suggesting she would brook no argument. Gesturing to him, the bodyguards seized him and flew him up to an entrance midway up the back wall of the hive. Once they deposited him into it, Wolf found himself in a quite large alcove, one side dominated by a pool of the nicest smelling honey he had ever encountered. The other had a platform built out of the same material as the hive itself, though it was strewn with what Wolf could see was a bed of leaves. As Queen entered the bodyguards left, casting jealous glances at Wolf as they did so.
"You like it, yes?" she questioned, though Wolf stood in awe of the area. For something so simple, it stirred an instinct deep within his psyche, leaving him thoroughly impressed. She moved in front of him, indicating that he should sit on the bed. She remained standing, looking at him as though he were a puzzle.
"You interest me." She said, tilting her head while moving his from side to side, as though she would be able to see his thoughts. "You are a mammal, yet you can recognise true beauty when you see it." Wolf didn't respond, letting her aggrandise herself as much as she liked. Turning, she scooped a portion of the honey from the pool and offered it to Wolf. Taking the spike gently he licked along the sticky appendage, his taste buds instantly tingling at such an experience. This honey was like nothing he had ever had before, sweet but not overly so, and he felt that this was something only a divine being should be allowed to enjoy. Unable to stop himself, not listening to the warnings Serenity was giving him, he greedily licked the spike clean, devouring every last drop. Once he was finished, she placed a spike on his shoulder, keeping him on the bed.
"Now you will experience another honour, one that I will only ever grant to those who truly impress me." She moved closer, her abdomen moving back and exposing her slit as she straddled his legs, Wolf not moving to help her. He seemed as though he was in a daze, Serenity groaning in his mind.
Great. She muttered sourly in his mind, Wolf only barely fixing onto the words. Queen honey isn't meant to be eaten by non-bug pokemon. I guess you're not going anywhere for a while. He didn't respond, a dreamy smile plastered on his face as Queen took off his shorts, seeing that he was already erect from anticipation. She wasted no time in sliding onto him, the honey in his system making his nerves even more sensitive, the Lucario crying out as he felt her warm passage envelop him completely. Every inch of his skin tingled from the heat of her on the outside and the honey on the inside.
Queen seemed to be enjoying his dazed state as she slid along his shaft, soft moans escaping her as she kept her movements slow and lengthy. She hooked one arm around his neck, using the flat of the other to brace herself on his legs before upping her speed, Wolf gasping loudly as his hypersensitive nerves were set aflame by her. Looking up at her, Wolf could swear the look she was giving him was almost mocking. He let his eyes close in pleasure, the view of her mandibles not really doing much for him while he could still enjoy her body.
She paid him little notice, her speed only increasing further as they rocked against each other on the side of her bed. She was enjoying the feeling of him, his shaft much larger and harder than anything she had ever experienced from her hive. She tilted her head back in ecstasy, her own moans becoming much louder as they continued. Soon she was humping him as hard and fast as she could, unable to regulate herself as all other thought besides him was driven from her mind. This increased speed was too much for Wolf to handle, due both to her wonderfully tight passage and her honey elevating his nerves to such a level. He howled one final time before he released, ejaculating deep into her and filling her completely. She screamed out loud, the warmth of his seed feeling so incredible, climaxing onto his shaft and draining him of everything he had.
Spent, they both collapsed onto the soft leaves of the bed, Wolf panting heavily and Queen nuzzling him while she recovered from the sex. She could feel him softening, easing her abdomen off him and standing, letting him lie there with an idiotic grin on his face.
"I expect you to leave once you've recovered." She said, turning towards the entrance. "I appreciate your contribution to my hive, so you will be allowed free passage back to your home." With that, she turned and left the chamber to attend to the hive. Once sure she was gone, Serenity teleported into the chamber to stand over Wolf, a sad smile on her face as she regarded him.
"Wolf, can you hear me?" she asked, pulling his shorts back on while he fixed his bleary gaze on her. He smiled happily, trying to grab her hand in a playful manner.
"Hi..." he mumbled. "Did you want to play too?" She stroked his head comfortingly, smiling down at him.
"Maybe later." She replied, amazed at just how far gone he was. "Wolf, listen carefully. I need you to turn back into your human self. Can you do that for me?" He frowned for a second, concentrating on trying to do what she said, until he finally managed to turn back into himself. She helped him sit up, the trainer trying not to lean too heavily on her thin frame, before they teleported back to the pokemon centre.
***
The next morning, Wolf stumbled out of his room and over to where his pokemon were having their breakfast, one hand on his temple and still recovering from the taste of Queen's honey. Squishy was the first to notice him, slithering over with a happy smile on her face.
"Good morning Wolf!" she said, Serenity rushing over to rein her in as Wolf winced at the Milotic's loud voice.
"Wolf's still a little worn out from yesterday Squishy." She explained softly, turning the Milotic's head so that she faced her. "We need to be quiet around him so that his head doesn't hurt." Understanding, Squishy contented herself with a gentle nuzzle before turning back to her breakfast. Now the Gardevoir turned to him, slipping one arm around his waist in support.
"I suppose it wouldn't have done much good to warn you about the honey." She said apologetically as she guided him over to the table. "She probably would have gotten really snitty about it and forced you to anyway." Nodding at her logic, then wincing again at the movement. He was still quite sensitive from the honey, slumping in his seat while Happy moved to sit over him in the hopes that she could keep the sunlight out of his face. At least the buzzing of the bug pokemon is gone. he thought to himself. Once they had received the message, Wolf's pokemon had told the nearest group of bug pokemon and let them spread the word while they worried about Wolf. Joy walked over, seeing that Wolf was back and not too badly injured.
"Will he be alright to eat?" she asked Serenity, the Gardevoir turning to acknowledge her presence.
"Just some water, for now." She replied. "If he has enough of that, he should be able to eat by lunch." Joy hurried off for a jug and a glass, leaving Serenity to comfort him.
"Wolf," Jazz said, touching his chest lightly as she hopped up onto the seat. "What was it like doing a bug pokemon?" Serenity fixed her gaze on the Raichu, one eyebrow raised in exasperation.
"Do you ever think of anything else?" she asked, Jazz shrugging at her question.
"Only when I'm battling." She replied with a grin. "Sometimes not even then."
"Thanks for the ride, Squishy!" he said, the Milotic beaming at his praise. "Time for a rest." Recalling her to the poke ball, Wolf began to trek into the forest in search of the nearest pokemon centre, Eve keeping a secure hold on his shoulder.
It wasn't long before they came across a path through the forest, a winding dirt trail created by repeated use of both humans and pokemon. Eve craned her neck while they walked, feeling the same unsettling feeling she had when they had first arrived in Eyllisithek. The reason was apparent to her after a moment, the Chimchar tapping Wolf's cheek to get his attention.
"There are no wild pokemon here." She said, still looking around in case she missed one. Wolf stopped, frowning as he realised that she was right. The only thing stirring the leaves was a faint breeze.
"You're right." He said unnecessarily, setting off again with a much more cautious pace. He didn't like the fact that a forest that was supposed to be teeming with bug pokemon was so utterly devoid of life. The memory of the Lucario ambush was still a little too fresh in his mind to allow him to relax even slightly, especially since he was certain no one would stop any attackers.
Faintly, Wolf could hear a persistent buzzing noise. He exchanged worried glances with Eve, his pace quickening as the buzzing slowly grow louder in spite of his caution. Soon he was hurrying along the path on the balls of his feet, something he'd picked up from sessions in the gym with his dad's pokemon they said was good for both moving quickly and readying himself to evade an attack, keeping one hand stretched out in front while the other clasped Eve to his chest, the Chimchar watching the forest behind them uneasily. The buzzing grew much louder, and Eve's jaw dropped as its source descended to the path in pursuit of them.
"Beedrill!" she yelled, Wolf risking a quick glance behind them just long enough to make out the forms of six angry looking Beedrill, the sight encouraging him into a full on sprint for cover, the pokemon chasing them through the trees focussed on attacking him.
"This place is our territory!" one of them declared, even while they chased the pair. Wolf didn't really listen, hoping that the constant bumping wouldn't upset Eve too much for what he had in mind.
"Eve, flamethrower!" he cried, the chimp complying by sending a stream of fire at their pursuers. The bug pokemon scattered before they flew into the flames, the distraction buying Wolf and Eve the break they needed to outdistance the hunters.
***
"You were lucky. The Beedrill don't usually give up so easily."
Wolf panted, having reached the pokemon centre in what he believed was record time. He was slumped in a chair, watching and trying to recover while Nurse Joy performed her routine checkups on his pokemon. Once he and Eve had reached the human settlement, they had been astounded to find that many of the forests bug pokemon had taken up residence there as well. He had told Joy about their encounter in the forest, also having questioned her about the abundance of bug pokemon in the town.
"They were driven out of the forest by the Beedrill." She said sadly, finishing up with Squishy and turning to him, having found nothing wrong with any of Wolf's pokemon. "No one's been able to find out why the Beedrill are acting this way." Wolf nodded, thinking about what he had been told. Getting up, he walked over to the telephone and picked up the receiver, finger punching in a number he had only needed to call a few times before.
"Maybe Professor Birch will know." He said, Joy leaning over his shoulder as he dialled the pokemon professor. After the phone rang a few times, Birch appeared on the screen, smiling as Wolf's own face appeared on his side.
"Wolf!" he said, smiling broadly. "This is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"
"Hello professor," Wolf began, flashing him a grin that didn't entirely hide the after effects of his headlong sprint in the forest. "I was wondering if you knew anything about Beedrill." Birch blinked at him, scratching his head at the question.
"Not much I'm afraid." He admitted, grimacing. "They're a very rare sight in Hoenn, but Professor Oak would know a great deal about them. I'll put him on conference." Wolf and Joy waited patiently as Birch fussed around with his own keypad, and Oak's face flashed up on screen in a short minute, the screen splitting vertically to accommodate both pokemon experts.
"Professor Birch, it's good to hear from you." Oak said, beaming. "I was going to call you later to discuss one of the points in your last paper that I found quite interesting."
"I'm glad you liked my paper on pokemon habitats, but I have Wolf O'kai on the line as well and he wanted to ask about Beedrill." Oak turned slightly, the older professor taking in the veteran trainer's presence in the call for the first time.
"Ah, young Wolf O'kai!" he said, leaning forwards slightly. "I must confess that I found your performance in the Sinnoh league incredible! I've known Ash for a few years now, so to beat him was quite a feat." Wolf nodded in acknowledgement, slightly surprised that Oak would bring it up like any fan.
"Thank you for your words, but like Professor Birch said I really wanted to ask about Beedrill." He replied, trying to get the conversation back on track. Putting the phone on speaker, he let Joy outline the problem for him, the professor nodding throughout her explanation.
"Hmm, it sounds like they're stirred up about something all right." He agreed, stroking his chin. "My guess is that it would have something to do with the queen of the swarm."
"The queen?" Wolf echoed. Oak nodded, happy to explain.
"Beedrill are always quite territorial, though other bug pokemon are almost always permitted to stay in their territory so long as they don't interfere." Oak replied. "If they're going to the trouble of driving them out, the queen must be angry at something."
"Do you know if anything has changed on the island as of late?" Birch asked, directing the question at Joy.
"No, nothing unusual has happened." She shook her head, sighing. "I can't think of anything that might have upset her or the swarm." Oak closed his eyes, deep in thought.
"Whatever it is, things will remain like this until the queen is happy." He said, a sudden noise from his end causing the professor to turn. "I'm afraid I have to go, one of the pokemon is messing with my equipment! Muk, get away from that!" Oak's side winked out, leaving Birch's face filling the screen.
"I hope that's enough to help you Wolf." He said, almost apologetically. "I'm afraid I have to go as well. I'm running late for an appointment." Hanging up, the screen went completely blank as Wolf put the receiver back up. For a long time neither Wolf nor Joy spoke.
"I guess I'll have to go and see what's going on." He said finally, Joy gasping at the nonchalant way he suggested walking straight into a Beedrill nest.
"You can't go in there! It's too dangerous!" she cried, trying to make Wolf see reason.
"You're looking to find the queen?"
Wolf and Joy turned to find a Scyther standing in the doorway, an ugly gash in his forehead. While Joy couldn't understand the Scyther's words, Wolf nodded in response. Scyther looked at him with something approaching respect.
"You're brave, I'll give you that. But you'll need a guide."
***
Roughly ten minutes later Wolf and Scyther left the pokemon centre, the bug pokemon leading the trainer through the undergrowth towards the Beedrill hive. Wolf's pokemon had insisted on coming with them, though Scyther maintained that it would be difficult enough leading Wolf there without being discovered without them adding to the noise. Finally, Serenity had convinced him to allow her a psychic link to Wolf's mind so that they could come to the rescue if things got completely out of hand. She was now sitting in the pokemon centre in a trance, the others crowding around her worriedly while she saw and heard everything her trainer did.
"This is weird," Wolf muttered, Scyther shushing him and Serenity giggling in his mind. The blade limbed pokemon turned to him, staring hard into his eyes.
"You humans aren't the most stealthy creatures." He said bluntly. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be." Wolf smiled back, before transforming into his Lucario form.
"Will this help?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Scyther's surprised look. Nodding after a moment, Scyther turned back to the path and lead Wolf on.
The transformation not only made Wolf much more silent when walking, it had the added benefit of allowing the pair to move faster through the tangled vegetation. Soon enough they came to the edge of the forest, Wolf's jaw dropping at the sight that greeted him. Built onto one of the largest trees he had ever seen was an immense hive, a massive yellow framework that saw hundreds of Beedrill flying in and out carrying staggering amounts of berries. Scyther nodded, turning to Wolf.
"Well, there's the hive." He said, though Wolf didn't respond. "Good luck." As he turned to leave, Wolf shot him an incredulous look.
"You're not coming then?" he challenged, the bug pokemon rolling his eyes.
"Just because you're crazy enough to walk into a Beedrill hive doesn't mean I have to follow you." He replied, taking off back through the forest. The trainer watched him go, shaking his head before turning back to the hive.
As he watched, he noticed that one of the entrances wasn't being used. None of the Beedrill seemed to be anywhere near it, and it wouldn't be too difficult for him to climb into it while in his Lucario form. Figuring it would be his best chance, he circled the edge of the forest until he was just outside the abandoned entrance, slipping out of the trees and over to the edge of the hive. Using his claws, he scrambled up the side of the yellow frame before pulling himself up onto the ledge of the unused entrance. Wolf held himself flat against the wall of the hive, taking a moment to make sure none of the Beedrill had seen him. Once he was certain that nothing had changed, he crept further into the hive.
The inside of the hive was a sticky, bright yellow tunnel in the old entrance, Wolf feeling old residue sticking to the pads on his feet as he cautiously moved deeper into the Beedrill nest. From up ahead, he could make out a few voices over the constant buzzing. One was a loud, demanding voice, and Wolf guessed from the slight feminine tone that it must be the queen. The two others sounded masculine, though they were also highly subservient in their speech.
Probably the males, Serenity observed, her telepathic thoughts almost causing Wolf to yelp in surprise. Throughout his trip, he had almost forgotten that she could see and hear through his own senses. He shook his head, a smile creeping onto his face in spite of the situation.
Makes sense, he thought in response, stalking forward and peeking around the corner. His jaw dropped again at the splendour of the main chamber, a vast, open area that saw a great many Beedrill flitting about on their business. Several of them were dumping their loads of berries into a massive pile on one side of the chamber, where more would sort out the different kinds and separate them into their own piles. Wolf stood in awe as he looked at the largest of these, which was also crawling with Weedle that were feeding on the berries. As he watched, one of the Weedle began to glow, evolving into Kakuna before his eyes. Once the transformation was complete a Beedrill scooped up the cocoon and carried it to the ceiling, the newly evolved Kakuna shooting out a small burst of string to attach itself to the relatively dry surface. Snapping himself back to focus, he turned his gaze to the centre of the chamber where three Beedrill were hovering scant inches off the floor. One of them looked to be close to Wolf's current height, the other two noticeably shorter. The larger Beedrill appeared to be giving the other two orders of some kind, Wolf guessing that it must be the queen of the hive.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Wolf froze, the voice having come from behind him. He had been so focussed on what was in the chamber ahead he hadn't heard the buzzing of the Beedrill as they came in behind him. Worse, he saw with widened eyes, the queen and her two cronies had heard the noise. Before he could react, he felt the sharp points of their arm spikes pressed into his back, prodding him forward into the chamber and before the queen, the Lucario stumbling and cursing as he was poked by the Beedrill. Shoved roughly to his knees before the queen, his ears fell when he saw that every member of the hive was looking at him.
Oh, crap. Serenity intoned in his mind, not helping to ease Wolf's own mind. He didn't listen to her, the queen's imperious stare keeping his fearful eyes focussed completely on her.
"What do you think you're doing, sneaking into my hive mammal?" she demanded, Wolf cringing at her outright hostility.
"I was just-" Wolf stammered before she cut him off again, putting one of her own spikes up under his chin.
"I don't care!" she yelled. "I don't need this! I don't need you gallivanting around my hive! I have enough problems already!" Wolf swallowed, his Adam's apple scraping uncomfortably along the very point of her spike.
"That's what I'm doing here." He said quickly. "I want to fix this problem so that the other bug pokemon can live in the forest again." She looked at him intriguingly, before forcing his chin up again. His eyes hurt from trying not to blink, the trainer convinced that she would skewer him if he did.
"And what would a mammal like you know of my problems?" she asked menacingly, Wolf unable to inch his head back any further without impaling himself on the points of the Beedrill behind him. "One of my workers ran off with some tramp of a Vespiquen. What could you possibly know about such things?" Wolf's terrified expression melted in the face of this, only to be replaced by a disbelieving look.
"Wait, that's it?" he asked. "That's what all this fuss is about?" Serenity sighed in his mind as the queen jammed his head back as far as it would go, the Lucario convinced that he could feel a trickle of blood sliding out onto his fur. When he could see her eyes again, scant inches from his own, he was sure that she was about to kill him.
"You think this is nothing?!" she shrieked. Panic raced through his mind, although Serenity fought it back, giving him enough clarity of thought.
"Well if he left you for some Vespiquen he's clearly not worthy to be yours!" he cried, his voice rising as the thought came to him. It seemed to work, the pressure on his neck subsiding enough so that he could breathe without the point piercing his flesh. She drew back from his face, the murderous rage in her eyes dimming slightly.
"Go on." She encouraged, though he knew he was still on very thin ice.
"Well," he began cautiously. "If he would run off with her, he obviously lacks any standards. I mean, who would want a Vespiquen over you that isn't a masochist?" The beginnings of a blush spreading on her face, she slowly withdrew her spike and motioned for her underlings to do the same. Wolf nearly collapsed with relief, Serenity sighing telepathically.
"The mammal speaks the truth." She declared to the hive, her underlings staying completely silent and hanging on her every word. "Those who do not recognise worth are not worthy of my attention. It is a lesson you must all remember." Her address finished, the whole hive erupting in cheering and buzzing as they went back to their tasks, putting in their maximum effort so that they could please their queen.
"Does that mean the bug pokemon can come back to the forest?" Wolf panted.
"What? Oh, yes, yes." She replied, conferring with one of the Beedrill he had seen her talking to earlier. Getting to his feet unsteadily, Wolf made for the exit when her voice rang out again.
"And where do you think you're going?" she asked domineeringly, Wolf freezing in his tracks as she spoke. He turned, fidgeting nervously with his paws as he did so.
"I was going to go and tell the bug pokemon they can come back." He said meekly, slowly inching further towards the exit. He had never wanted a drink so badly in his life; even though alcohol was something he rarely touched. Queen buzzed over to him, her bodyguards flanking him as she did so.
"I cannot allow you to leave without being rewarded." She said, her tone suggesting she would brook no argument. Gesturing to him, the bodyguards seized him and flew him up to an entrance midway up the back wall of the hive. Once they deposited him into it, Wolf found himself in a quite large alcove, one side dominated by a pool of the nicest smelling honey he had ever encountered. The other had a platform built out of the same material as the hive itself, though it was strewn with what Wolf could see was a bed of leaves. As Queen entered the bodyguards left, casting jealous glances at Wolf as they did so.
"You like it, yes?" she questioned, though Wolf stood in awe of the area. For something so simple, it stirred an instinct deep within his psyche, leaving him thoroughly impressed. She moved in front of him, indicating that he should sit on the bed. She remained standing, looking at him as though he were a puzzle.
"You interest me." She said, tilting her head while moving his from side to side, as though she would be able to see his thoughts. "You are a mammal, yet you can recognise true beauty when you see it." Wolf didn't respond, letting her aggrandise herself as much as she liked. Turning, she scooped a portion of the honey from the pool and offered it to Wolf. Taking the spike gently he licked along the sticky appendage, his taste buds instantly tingling at such an experience. This honey was like nothing he had ever had before, sweet but not overly so, and he felt that this was something only a divine being should be allowed to enjoy. Unable to stop himself, not listening to the warnings Serenity was giving him, he greedily licked the spike clean, devouring every last drop. Once he was finished, she placed a spike on his shoulder, keeping him on the bed.
"Now you will experience another honour, one that I will only ever grant to those who truly impress me." She moved closer, her abdomen moving back and exposing her slit as she straddled his legs, Wolf not moving to help her. He seemed as though he was in a daze, Serenity groaning in his mind.
Great. She muttered sourly in his mind, Wolf only barely fixing onto the words. Queen honey isn't meant to be eaten by non-bug pokemon. I guess you're not going anywhere for a while. He didn't respond, a dreamy smile plastered on his face as Queen took off his shorts, seeing that he was already erect from anticipation. She wasted no time in sliding onto him, the honey in his system making his nerves even more sensitive, the Lucario crying out as he felt her warm passage envelop him completely. Every inch of his skin tingled from the heat of her on the outside and the honey on the inside.
Queen seemed to be enjoying his dazed state as she slid along his shaft, soft moans escaping her as she kept her movements slow and lengthy. She hooked one arm around his neck, using the flat of the other to brace herself on his legs before upping her speed, Wolf gasping loudly as his hypersensitive nerves were set aflame by her. Looking up at her, Wolf could swear the look she was giving him was almost mocking. He let his eyes close in pleasure, the view of her mandibles not really doing much for him while he could still enjoy her body.
She paid him little notice, her speed only increasing further as they rocked against each other on the side of her bed. She was enjoying the feeling of him, his shaft much larger and harder than anything she had ever experienced from her hive. She tilted her head back in ecstasy, her own moans becoming much louder as they continued. Soon she was humping him as hard and fast as she could, unable to regulate herself as all other thought besides him was driven from her mind. This increased speed was too much for Wolf to handle, due both to her wonderfully tight passage and her honey elevating his nerves to such a level. He howled one final time before he released, ejaculating deep into her and filling her completely. She screamed out loud, the warmth of his seed feeling so incredible, climaxing onto his shaft and draining him of everything he had.
Spent, they both collapsed onto the soft leaves of the bed, Wolf panting heavily and Queen nuzzling him while she recovered from the sex. She could feel him softening, easing her abdomen off him and standing, letting him lie there with an idiotic grin on his face.
"I expect you to leave once you've recovered." She said, turning towards the entrance. "I appreciate your contribution to my hive, so you will be allowed free passage back to your home." With that, she turned and left the chamber to attend to the hive. Once sure she was gone, Serenity teleported into the chamber to stand over Wolf, a sad smile on her face as she regarded him.
"Wolf, can you hear me?" she asked, pulling his shorts back on while he fixed his bleary gaze on her. He smiled happily, trying to grab her hand in a playful manner.
"Hi..." he mumbled. "Did you want to play too?" She stroked his head comfortingly, smiling down at him.
"Maybe later." She replied, amazed at just how far gone he was. "Wolf, listen carefully. I need you to turn back into your human self. Can you do that for me?" He frowned for a second, concentrating on trying to do what she said, until he finally managed to turn back into himself. She helped him sit up, the trainer trying not to lean too heavily on her thin frame, before they teleported back to the pokemon centre.
***
The next morning, Wolf stumbled out of his room and over to where his pokemon were having their breakfast, one hand on his temple and still recovering from the taste of Queen's honey. Squishy was the first to notice him, slithering over with a happy smile on her face.
"Good morning Wolf!" she said, Serenity rushing over to rein her in as Wolf winced at the Milotic's loud voice.
"Wolf's still a little worn out from yesterday Squishy." She explained softly, turning the Milotic's head so that she faced her. "We need to be quiet around him so that his head doesn't hurt." Understanding, Squishy contented herself with a gentle nuzzle before turning back to her breakfast. Now the Gardevoir turned to him, slipping one arm around his waist in support.
"I suppose it wouldn't have done much good to warn you about the honey." She said apologetically as she guided him over to the table. "She probably would have gotten really snitty about it and forced you to anyway." Nodding at her logic, then wincing again at the movement. He was still quite sensitive from the honey, slumping in his seat while Happy moved to sit over him in the hopes that she could keep the sunlight out of his face. At least the buzzing of the bug pokemon is gone. he thought to himself. Once they had received the message, Wolf's pokemon had told the nearest group of bug pokemon and let them spread the word while they worried about Wolf. Joy walked over, seeing that Wolf was back and not too badly injured.
"Will he be alright to eat?" she asked Serenity, the Gardevoir turning to acknowledge her presence.
"Just some water, for now." She replied. "If he has enough of that, he should be able to eat by lunch." Joy hurried off for a jug and a glass, leaving Serenity to comfort him.
"Wolf," Jazz said, touching his chest lightly as she hopped up onto the seat. "What was it like doing a bug pokemon?" Serenity fixed her gaze on the Raichu, one eyebrow raised in exasperation.
"Do you ever think of anything else?" she asked, Jazz shrugging at her question.
"Only when I'm battling." She replied with a grin. "Sometimes not even then."