Chapter Text
Two pairs of eyes observed the scene unfolding from a nearby grassy knoll. A sixteen-year-old boy sat beside a female Absol. He stroked her fur while his HUD improved the image in front of him. The duo came to this location for their mission, but they chose to leave it behind to intervene.
Looking down at his bristling companion, he could tell that the bullies had piqued her anger. She raised her hackles and let out a low growl. He knew better than to stand in her way of dealing with scum such as them. He shook his head as he rose from his kneeling position. His only good arm reached for the blade holstered at his tailbone, only for her to tap his leg.
“They're mine,” she hissed.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I'm sure. Assholes like that get what's coming to them.”
The male removed his hand from his blade. His mind considered how they would want to go about this, but he knew that she would go overboard. Which meant, he would have to be the one focused on recovering the couple.
“Be careful,” he warned.
“You know I always am,” she replied, blowing him a kiss. Within the sound of a whisper, she was gone. Kyle watched her disappear and let out a low sigh. He couldn’t help but admire her strength and resolve. It was one thing they had in common, but she was quicker to act on it. Moving a strand of brown hair from his eyes, he followed after, ready to save a life. Two if he could help it.
“Shit. You went too far, Grim,” the leader swore at his Pokémon. He nudged the unmoving Eevee with the tip of his shoe. Her fur gave way as she let out a weak whine. His dismay turned to delight at the sound. It meant she was still alive.
“Let’s get out of here before Jenny or someone else shows up,” Karen said, glancing around with unease.
“Get your panties out of your ass, K. Ain't nobody coming,” the grunt to her left said as he inhaled his cigarette.
“And you know that how asshole?”
“Coronation of the new chief is tonight. Mandatory that they all be away. Grab her, and let's go.”
As the head leaned down, the lamppost flickered out. All the goons froze, uncertainty and panic rising with each moment.
The only light in the area was the burning embers of the cigarette.
“I don't like—"
CLICK.
The light returned with a loud hum. Yet, where the Eevee had been lying in a pool of her blood along with her stupid OT, there was nothing. The fluid was still there, but something had whisked the bodies away. No drag marks. No trail. Only missing bodies.
“SHIT. Shitshitshitshit,” one of the goons started, spooked by the scene.
"Quiet, dumbass,” Karen snapped.
“My grandma warned me if I did evil stuff, a Gengar would take me away in the night.”
“It's not a Gengar,” the male to his left said.
“How do you know that?”
“Everyone shut up!” the leader scowled. His brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to decide the next course of action. He stroked his beard and his eyes widened. A single Pokémon had slipped into their group without a word. An abnormal shiny Absol remained still, observing the group with a watchful gaze. Her fur was pastel pink and much thinner compared to others of her species. Golden orbs bore into him as she cocked her head to the left. Her long, thin sickle sat opposite her head, which was atypical for her species. Moving a hand to his belt, the leader prepared to grab more Pokémon.
On cue, a Zubat and Poochyena materialized and launched themselves at the female. The two mons went straight through the image, which dissipated upon contact. Alarms started to ring in his mind, recognizing the danger of the situation.
"We—we need to go. Now, guys!" he ordered.
“It's fifteen vs. one boss. This bitch ain't nothing. Here. I'll dispose of her now!”
“Karen! No!” he screamed to no avail. The female drew a black pistol from her waistband and aimed at the Pokémon. Karen began to squeeze the trigger as she sighted in on the Absol. For a second, she had a clear picture. Before she could understand what happened, her opponent redirected the weapon. It was now pointed at her own kneecap. The gun fired, sending hot metal through the unprotected extremity of the female. Time flowed and returned to normal. Karen fell to the ground, wailing in pain, clutching her leg.
“Fuck!” she sobbed. Crimson magma spurted from the wound despite her attempts to stem the flow. Everyone backed up a step as the Dark type stalked toward the incapacitated female.
“That was stupid. Really stupid,” it said. Disappointment and mirth filled the feminine voice as the events unfolded. The fact that she spoke human stunned the group. While it wasn't uncommon, in this situation it was unsettling.
“Wh..who are you and what do you want?” one of the grunts demanded, as everyone released their team. They prepared for a fight regardless of how futile the effort would be.
She smirked, her gaze sweeping over each Pokémon before she replied.
“I'm here for you guys. My teammate has whisked the two away for medical care. As for who I am, I’m your judge and jury.”
She licked a claw idly as she sat there. Team Aqua members encircled her. They readied themselves for battle and drew pistols from their wristbands. The Absol remained motionless, even as a male grunt fired the first round. The gunshot was loud. It would have brought Officer Jenny to the scene, but her teammate told them to stay away. She moved aside, a foot from her face, as the slow projectile passed. Then, she countered with a light Night Slash from her horn. The attack whipped into him, slicing the tendons in his wrist. The metal weapon slipped out of his grasp, hitting the floor with a loud thunk. As the next person moved to fire, the Dark Type had closed the distance. Her fangs sank into his wrist, causing his weapon to shoot harmlessly into the floor. Then, she landed a heavy kick to his temple. She withdrew her claws before impact, watching as it rendered him unconscious. She flung his body with care to prevent his head from cracking into the concrete. He slid down the brick before remaining inert on the concrete.
“Sharpedo! Kill the bitch!”
She turned to face the newcomer, recognizing the power level difference. A smirk formed as she fully extended her claws. The Water type squared up with her before sneering and speaking in PokéSpeak.
“You Absols are sniveling cowards. No wonder you are the bottom feeders of all Dark types. I'll dispose of you. Nothing personal.”
A snarl filled the air, as the female Pokémon glared in anger at the shark. The fish Pokémon opened its jaw in response. Sharp teeth exposed themselves as a massive orb of water formed in its maw. With a grunt, he fired the Hydro Pump, which slammed into the female. The attack engulfed her, as the team watched with glee. The ground cracked from the power of the liquid, as it surged around her. The group cheered the Sharpedo on until the attack fizzled out. Leaving a soaked but otherwise unharmed Absol. Her eyes gleamed with power as she took a step towards the fishy Pokémon.
“What?”
“Impossible…”
"We're so fucked..."
The Sharkpedo glared at the female who stalked forward, step by step.
“Pathetic. I didn't even need to activate Detect or Protect,” she taunted. The enemy readied itself to attack again, only for fear to root him in place. Everyone within 10 feet of the Absol felt intense fear when it showed its true power. The energy rippled outwards, making them fall to their knees. The Sharpedo struggled to remain afloat as the female towered over him.
“Looks like the only bottom feeder is you,” she responded. Her horn became imbued with a green light as the attack formed around it. Within a second, the Megahorn was triple the size of the wielder. The Water Type glanced at its trainer, hoping he would call it back. That moment of hesitation was all she needed to land the strike on his face. Hot red pain flashed before the shark's eyes before the attack exploded. The ground shook and screeched as she pressed her horn deeper into the mon. The Shockwave blasted her back 15 feet. It sent up a cloud of smoke that hid the results of the strike. Seconds passed as the haze faded away. The Sharpedo's owner felt his face drain of color. The destruction from a single attack was beyond comprehension. His teammate lay on the ground unconscious and battered. Yet, that was only an afterthought. A mile-long and ten-feet-wide crack had formed in the pavement from the tail of his mon. A single lamppost fell over, slamming into the ground. The group turned back to the origin with a newfound outlook on who exactly they were dealing with. Silence permeated the air as the Absol stepped over the unconscious body, her fangs bared.
“Want to continue?” she asked. Her hope for peace was tainted by a fleeting disappointment. It turned into glee, as the four remaining grunts sent forth their Pokémon to do battle. They raised their weapons again in defiance. Pain it was. She was okay with that option, but they wouldn’t be.
The Poochyena and Zubat rushed her at the same time as the pistols fired rapidly. She weaved through the rounds, knocking out the Zubat and Poochyena with a single Slash. She held back as much as humanly possible, so as not to outright kill the weaker Pokémon. As both Pokémon fainted, she closed the distance to the leader. Her maw latched onto his outstretched arm. Using it as a central point, she spun around it before wrenching her head right. The violent motion broke the wrist and radial bone with a loud "SNAP." She released his limb and kicked him out of the way of two rounds that would have hit his chest had she not done so. As she landed, a Mightyena slammed into her, pinning her down. As his mouth went to close around her throat, he whined out in pain. Her hind leg claws had latched into his gut, preventing him from finishing the motion. With a thrust of her hips, she launched him skyward. Shock etched itself into his expression, as the female’s smile grew. Twisting to a prone position, she delivered a nasty Sucker Punch to his chin. Despite the attack being 1/2 times damage, it still resulted in a solid knockout. He bounced once off the asphalt before sliding on his side. Eyes rolled into his skull, unconsciousness occurring before he had even landed. The Absol looked at the last member. He had called back his Crobat and was now on his knees, begging.
"I'm sorry!”
“Too late for that, I’m afraid,” she replied, licking her canines as she advanced on her next helpless victim.
Sean awoke to the steady beeping of a machine. He opened his eyes and shifted on the hospital mattress, feeling a sense of discomfort. Letting out a groan, his eyes flicked around the blank white room. He had cables from various machines hooked up to his body. He inhaled, and the hoses plugged up his sinuses, causing him to cough. Groaning, he looked at the foot of the bed and froze. He shut his eyes and fainted, sleeping only until his ruse was discovered.
“I saw your eyes open. I’m not much for games,” a sharp female voice snapped. Opening his eyes again, he stared at the Pokémon, confused. It took him a moment to recognize the feminine Pokémon as an Absol. She focused her yellow orbs on his face to the exclusion of all else. He sat up, taking a moment to adjust. Initially, his thoughts were sluggish, but then one idea surged forward. His best friend lying in her own blood.
“Al’ya!” he croaked, grabbing at his dry throat. His eyes scanned the room for something to drink, only for a cup to press itself to his lips. He glanced at the source and felt taken aback. The Absol had a clear plastic cup in her mouth. She tilted it, spilling water toward him. He took a deep draw from the icy fluid, swallowed, and nodded to let her know he had finished drinking. In almost the blink of an eye, she was back at the foot of his bed, sitting on her haunches.
“Wh-where is she?” he demanded, starting to reach for cables.
“Don’t.”
She spoke the word with an air of authority that commanded respect.
“Al’ya? Is she alive? Is she okay? I don’t care what you want from me, but—"
“Lay back down. Now,” the Pokémon replied, her paw tapping his leg. He considered arguing but returned to his prone position, keeping his gaze on her the entire time.
“She’s alive. For now. Kyle… my partner is taking care of her wounds now. They are severe. We aren’t sure if she’ll survive them.”
Fear grasped at his chest as he stared at the mystery Pokémon.
“Wh-what do you want? Who are you?”
There was a silent pause, as the female let her right paw’s claws unsheathe with an audible click. She briefly rolled her tongue around the right one, then let out an exasperated noise.
“You can call me Rose for now. I’m a friend. I’m here to make sure you recover and keep you company. Boring? Yes. But I don’t mind for now.”
“Th-that doesn’t answer my question though…who are you? Why would you care about some stranger?”
His question caused her eyes to widen comically before a small smile formed on her mouth.
“Oh. You obviously don’t keep up with the news. Kyle and I are Pokemon Rangers.”
Kyle’s throat closed reflexively and his heart tried to jump free from his chest. He had heard the myths and legends surrounding Pokémon Rangers. They were said to be some of the strongest people and Pokémon in all regions. They faced a grueling training routine. It would make any hopeful Pokémon Champion want to give up at once. The leader was former Champion Diantha, who led the academy. Rumors spread that she had defeated level 100 Pokémon on her own. Sean stared at the female as he garnered a newfound respect for the female who had saved his life.
“Th-thank you.”
There was a pause as her head tilted before she spoke again.
"So… let's talk about something. I’m very good at reading people. So I have a personal question for you.”
Sean nodded quietly as he bowed his head before her.
"Anything you want.”
“Good. Why don’t you fuck Al’ya?”
The question was so out of left field it left him speechless and confused. The stun continued for a minute before he asked the obvious question on his mind.
“Ho-how would you even know that? Could you know that? Why… what?"
She held up a paw to silence him from further questions to which he acquiesced.
“Skipping the bullshit, Sean, I know because of how intense your relationship is with her. Do you know she cried for you and called your name while Kyle was tending to her? That’s not a common reaction when we work on Pokémon or humans. It signifies a strong bond between you two."
Sean nodded in agreement, unable to respond with words.
“That being said, you were also checking me out a second ago. So my point and question remain. Why don’t you? ”
When he didn’t argue against her, she continued on.
“How do you know I haven’t?” Sean tried to reply, his face flushing a deeper shade of crimson.
"Your defensiveness proves you haven’t.”
Sean contemplated the proper way to voice his arguments. Once he was certain about what he wanted to say, he presented each one.
“One. It would be wrong of me to take advantage of her. She’s still a pup. She's not old enough to make decisions about that right now. Two. Pokephilia is illegal. If we did it, she could end up in a shelter again. I could go to jail. I don't want that. Three. “I’m not sure if I’m physically attracted to her,” he said with a stutter. The Dark type loomed over him. Her eyes lidded as she leaned down until he could feel her breath on his lips.
“I–I-”
“You could kiss me right now. No one would be the wiser. Do it,” she impressed. Her body lowered until he could feel her fur through the blanket. Her yellow orbs seemed to see through him. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils. Sean’s heart fought the urge as he turned his head away. He couldn’t betray Al’ya. She meant too much to him to hurt her like that.
And like that, the pressure was gone. His eyes opened as he looked back to where she had been a second ago to see her smiling at the foot of the bed.
“Loyalty is a very desirable trait. Now… counterarguments. Taking advantage of her? If she’s conveyed interest, she knows what she wants. Two...those are big coulds. They aren't guaranteed. Lastly, you've been ogling me the whole time. I'd say you find us attractive. So again…why don’t you?” she asked, gesturing with a paw.
“I’m a… virgin," he admitted, his face flushing with shock.
“You’re worried it’ll suck for her. Jeesh. Men with their inflated egos. If she wants you and you want her, there's no harm in learning. That’s why you go as many times as possible to please her. That’s what a woman wants: for you to put in effort,” she retorted, lying down on his legs. The feeling of her warmth sent shivers down his spine as he stared at her.
"H-have you slept with a human?” he asked. She was silent and seemed to pull it over.
“Yes. A few times. And each time was better than it is with us Pokémon.”
His eyes fell to his chest as he considered what she was saying. His mind mulled it over before his fists balled up. If he had been stronger, maybe he could have protected her. His best friend was dying, and all he could think about was getting laid. His teeth ground against each other audibly, only for a sharp pain in his leg to draw him out of his thoughts. Her talons dug into his foot, enough to get his attention. Rose glared at him as she pressed a little harder.
“Wh-what?”
“I knew it would be a matter of time before your thoughts went there. What happened last night was not any fault of your own. How could you have prepared for a five-on-one fight? Al'ya is level fifteen. Their Sharpedo was level 37 with combat experience. Not to mention you had two literal seconds to avoid the spike strip they threw out. The ambush had been set up after you left your house.”
“How could you know that?”
“We were watching certain people in the region. Your life took us away from our mission. To be honest, I was furious and needed a good outlet: 9 Pokémon and trainers in total.”
Sean raised an eyebrow.
“All by yourself? I find that hard to believe.”
His comment clearly upset the Absol as she shuffled her weight and tilted her head.
“You doubt me? That’s rich,” she stated.
“I find that stories and rumors are often exaggerated,” he replied. She scoffed at his comment before sitting up. She prowled towards him before snatching the solo red cup from the nightstand. She upended the water onto the floor before facing him.
“Say Ahhh.”
“Ahhh-”
“Wider,” she requested.
He stretched his jaw as far as possible. A moment later, the she forced the cup into his mouth.
“MMMM! Wmghar mmmm fmckmmm!”
“Good! Now stay still if you value your nose,” she replied sweetly. He stared as she jumped off the bed and made it to the other side of the room. Observing her form, he didn’t feel that intimidated by the Mon. She seemed relatively harmless. He winced as his jaw started to ache.
“Tilt your head a little further back, please.”
He shifted his head as far to his spine as he could. It made his jaw bulge, but leveled the cup out. He remained motionless, closing his eyes. His eyes opened a second later as the hairs on his entire body stood on end. The air felt electrified, as goosebumps formed on his extremities.
“Mmmmm! IMITGRKKAFMME?” he tried to cry out around the object gagging his ability to speak.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she chastised.
His gaze went downwards as he tried his best to observe what was happening. His eyes widened in fear. She sat against the farthest part of the room, but held up a single claw on her left paw. The digit flexed as she tilted her head left and right. She appeared to be trying to discern the best angle to strike.
“MMMMM URP!”
“Fine. Remember. You rushed this.”
She closed her paw into a fist before setting it down on the ground. Silence permeated the air as the sensations faded away. He returned his head to its normal sitting position. He gasped audibly as the cup in his mouth fell out, sliced to literal ribbons. The base fell out, sliced in half. The accuracy and speed with which the attack had happened left him stunned into silence. He sat there dumbfounded as he held the cup in his hands. Looking at the female again, a shiver ran down his spine. She leaped up to his hospital bed and sauntered forward a few steps.
“Well? Impressed?”
Sean nodded, staring at the female.
“Good! I wish Kyle could have seen that.”
"What happened to the Team Aqua Grunts?”
Her smirk turned into a grin as she cackled.
"Oh... They are in the ICU in a Pokémon Center down the road. They won’t be bothering anyone for the next week or so. Broken bones. Bruises. Concussions. The works.”
Sean gulped as the Dark-type flopped onto her back. Her warmth and fur brushed against his legs, causing an unexpected reaction. Shifting his weight to hide his stiffening manhood, he noticed her gaze affixed to his face.
“You know I can smell your hormones, right?”
His cheeks flushed harder as he clenched the sheets between his fingers.
“While I appreciate the notion that you find me attractive, nothing will happen. I can respect your love for her a lot,” she stated in a kind tone. “I feel that way about Kyle. That said, treat her right. I can tell you both have a lot of baggage to work through. She cares about you, though. Don’t let her down by hurting her further.”
Sean bit his lip before exhaling for dramatic effect.
“I’ve given her the space and time to work through it, but she hasn’t opened up about it. I wonder if it's something to do with me. Maybe I-”
“It’s not about you, this time. I can assure you that,” she replied.
“How do you know? It’s not like you can read her mind,” Sean responded. His hands clenched together. Guilt racked his brain like an itch he couldn’t scratch. He wanted to help her but never got the chance. It felt bad that he was always the one supported by the Eevee. It wasn’t fair.
“You are doing more than you realize. But that’s not my point. Perhaps she hasn’t opened up not because of anything you could have done. Maybe she’s more worried about what you will do once you know what happened. What if you abandon her after hearing she’s done something horrid?"
Her sad tone took him out of his thoughts. He could sense it by how she spoke. It almost sounded as though she was speaking from experience. His heart went out for her.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, reaching out to stroke her fur. At first, he expected her to withdraw or snap, but instead, she nodded twice. His hand touched the pink hair, surprised by how lush it felt despite being thinner.
“Wowwww….”
“Mmmm. That feels good. Thanks, Sean. I know you want to go see her, but I need you to be patient. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
Despite his desire to go straight to the Eevee, he needed to rest. He fought against his needs, but only delayed the inevitable. His jaw stretched as he out a loud yawn. His heavy eyes closed as he fell into a dreamless slumber. Rose listened to his snores with a small smile. After being awake for four days straight, a nap was definitely in order for the Dark Type. Curling into a ball on his legs, she followed suit, drifting off.