#we will get piplup back I swear

[kyokopi]

Smut continuation of this ask! because I couldn’t help myself MDNI!

Warnings under cut!

Tags: Switch!Soul Handjob,Oral Sex (both receiving) Masturbation Mention. Fem bodied reader,cum eating (I’m ashamed) Dirty Talk

Before drifting off you feel one of your legs brush across Shota’s crotch totally by accident. You felt a familiar semi-hard bulge under his sweats and of course, it twitched.

“Are you seriously hard right now?”

You whisper yell at him in a joking manner pushing the piplup’s head down so you can see Shota’s reddening face.

He starts to ramble explanations and excuses swearing he didn’t climb onto your porch for sex bla bla bla.

You two have messed around before but never at your place always at his dorm usually when his friends aren’t around in his room when his roommate isn’t there. He even recently ate you out in his living room when his roommates went to bed after movie night then took you home like it was absolutely nothing.

Shota stops rambling when he feels your socked foot tracing his length in his sweats he sighs eyes closing, and reflexively he starts rubbing your upper thigh slightly bucking his hips.

you throw piplup to the side out from between you before light pushing him on his back straddling him.

“oh my god nooo, y/n piplup’s watching” he jokes leaning up and kissing you on the cheek.

“Shut up ”

You say laying your head on his chest and reaching your hands under his hoodie feeling his bare skin before lifting it over his head.

Shota snakes his hands under your oversized shirt caressing the dimples of your back and groping your ass with the full palms of his hands.

You lay kisses along his neck trailing down to his belly button toying your fingers around his waistband to his sweats.

“you want me to repay the favor soulie?”

Pushing your hand in his pants cupping his length through his boxers looking up at him making eye contact as a visible tremor goes through his body. Shota swallows and nods lifting his hand to pull his hair out of his face his cheeks visibly flushed.

“from last week?” he stutters out while you trail your fingers up and down his member wishing it was your bare hands on him.

you hum in response pulling his sweats and boxers down in one swift motion being faces with his half-hard cock not too girthy but long and curved upwards.

“I wish I could’ve solved your problem then but it was too late I’m sorry baby”

You say licking your palm before lightly caressing his length to full hardness.

He swallowed sitting up on his elbows catching your eyes once again.

“d-don’t say sorry you had finals the next day…fuck don’t look at me like that”

you turn your head to the side keeping eye contact while pumping his cock.

“You made me cum so hard my legs were shaking and were still worried about me getting sleep?”

His eyes darken nodding slightly as he watches you lean towards his tip letting out a soft moan as you begin slapping it against your tongue before kissing his tip.

“Did you jerk off after you took me home?”

You keep a steady pace and rub your hand on his thigh. Shota sighs with his eyes barely open.

“I couldn’t help it I wish I fucked you on that couch we had enough time”

He bucks his hips up to your thrusts a few times before restraining himself groaning in frustration.

“must have been hard keeping yourself together huh baby?”

he leans his head back against your bed frame taking in deep breaths trying not to cum just from a handjob.

“You were so wet I could’ve slipped right in-holy shit y/n”

you took this opportunity to lower your mouth onto his cock letting it enter your hot wet cavern. sneaking a hand down to your panties to start playing with your clit at the gasp he lets out while his cock twitches his hips stuttering he puts both of his hands on the nape of your neck.

“I needed this when you sent me that video”

You had sent him a short video of you playing with a dildo, playing meaning deepthroating it just to help him out a bit.

you take this as a sign to relax your muscles letting him hit enter your throat causing him to roll his eyes back and bite his lips.

“Can I?”

you look up at him feeling his fingers circling your neck and let out a moan vibrating around his cock.

he begins picking up your head and burrowing it into his lap slowly thrusting up into your mouth.

“I’m trying not to cum so fast but-“

He pulls out giving you a break while you’re still catching up on your breath your tongue is out millimeters away from his tip.

Shota makes a soft cooing noise while tapping his tip on your tongue.

“you’re unreal”

you spit on his tip and take an agonizingly slow lick from his balls to his tip before stroking just his tip watching his sanity slowly wither away with a smile.

“If nobody was home I’d fuck that smirk off your face.”

His raspy harsh whisper had you clenching around nothing obsessed over his soft voice briefly slipping away. dripping in anticipation giving you half a mind to drop all caution.

He lifts you to his face as you take both your hands now slicken with your juices and lay them hooked together at the base of his cock.

“If nobody was home how would you be fucking me right now”

Foreheads both dripping in sweat face to face he looks into your eyes letting out labored breaths. Shota begins to roll his hips slowly before roughly thrusting into your fists covered in saliva slick and precum. Each thrust gets stronger and quicker as he swallows again trying to keep his volume down as he’s nearing his end.

Using his free hand to shove your lips together like the only way he could breathe is by sucking your tongue as you pump his cock. His thrust slowing down he uses all his energy into the force of his thrusts. Laying his head on your shoulders with one last thrust he stills before cum spurts out releasing over your fingers and the bottom of your shirt he’s twitching with every spurt trying his best to deafen his moans in your shoulder.

Coming down from his release lets out an exasperated sigh before Shota pulls his boxers back over his softening member. wraps his arms around you in an embrace before shoving your back onto the pillows and settling himself between your thighs.

You immediately grab a the hem of your shirt biting it to muffle your moans as Shota licks you through your pantie while stroking the under side of your thighs.

He pulls your panties down and spits on his pointer and index fingers before inserting them into you.

Shota humors himself by tracing a wide variety of shapes with his tongue on your clit, loving the way your thighs try to close in on his head. he begins to pump his fingers faster hitting your g-spot repeatedly.

You grab more of your shirt to bite eventually getting the part of it covered in his semen instinctively sucking the stains into your mouth.

Shota uses his other hand to massage your clit with his thumbs as he moves his tongues attention your dripping holes.

“oh my god fuck i’m gonna cum”

You barely whisper whine out not being able to stop yourself from bucking your hips to meet his pumps.

Hearing this he retreats his fingers focusing his hands onto your thighs shoving his face between them lapping at your flowing juices like his life depends on it.

You reach your hand down to push him away the pleasure getting too much for your to handle as your breathing starts to slow.

Shota crawls up to you and finally drops to your side exhausted wrapping his arm over you kissing your cheek as you pull your blankets over both of you once more.

[kariachi]

I forgot I needed to follow up on this. What happens when you let me run a long term project.

Julie's run is complete and we got another fucking tie! This fandom is so divided I swear...

In the back, with no votes, we have Cyndaquil, Treecko, Mudkip, and Turtwig! How did Mudkip get no votes, the thing has been so popular for so long? The others, I can see why Cyndaquil and Turtwig might not be considered, not pokemon one would associate with athletics or such. Treecko doesn't have quite the same problem, but then likely the attitude was the problem there.

In third place with 1 vote each we get Totodile, Torchic, Piplup, Snivy, and Tepig! These ones, there's a lot of 'can't see an athletic side there' potential, a lot of 'can't see a studious side' potential, lot of 'not an attitude she would go for' potential, but all to a lesser degree than the others. Except Snivy, I'm not sure why Snivy got a vote when Treecko didn't, but I'm sure there was a reason I'm just not thinking of.

Second place had only one entry with 2 votes, Chimchar! Understandable, as a primate pokemon Chimchar hits both her intelligence and also has the energy and ability to join her in her athletics.

But first place was another tie, 3 votes each, now between Chikorita and Oshawott! I'll admit, at first I looked at this and was like 'wtf?' but in thinking about the potential motivations I realized that between Chikorita's leaf and Oshawott's scalchop these are the two I can most easily see playing tennis and- I gotta give you guys that, while the evolutions aren't necessarily a hit the pokemon as they are work and that's just as if not more important.

Now, this is a tie, which means the same thing we did with Kevin applies- all tied winners will be counted equally, up to a total of six. So-

Julie's starters are- Chikorita and Oshawott!

The Great Ben 10 Starter Polls- Julie Round II

Round 2 everybody! Time to get an actual starter for Julie!

In her first round the winners were- Johto! Hoenn! Sinnoh! Unova! And so these are the regions from which our starter options will be pulled.

Starter options are described here, with a bonus link to each one’s wiki page.

[jadenoryuu]

Chapters: 18/? Fandom: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness & Explorers of Sky Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu, Totodile & Charmander, Torchic & Piplup Characters: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu, Waninoko | Totodile, Hitokage | Charmander, Achamo | Torchic, Pochama | Piplup, Other Character Tags to Be Added, Densetsu no Pokemon | Legendary Pokemon Additional Tags: Action/Adventure, Dimension Travel, Mystery, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Canon-Typical Violence, a sprinkle of Angst here and there, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, any trigger warning is tagged at the start of the "offending" chapter, Just to be sure, references to other media, nothing intrusive I swear, Not a Crossover, at least not outside the Pokémon area, should I tag all of them as I go? Probably it could cap the max Tag limiter..., no beta we die like first movie Ash Chapter Summary:

After the rescue and the departing of the Delivery Knight's Team, it's time to get back on track. What does wait our heroes in Scogliera Calcedonio?

@watarnarodt I finally did it! A whole year later I updated new content (since I published Chapter 17 on FFnet)! (╥﹏╥)

As promised, this page is April Fool Free, so please enjoy the new chapter of my madness!

(After all it's the anniversary of the Pokémon Anime first airdate in Japan, sooo... it's worth celebrating!)

[snarkylinda]

Why do you want Ash to be sad? Man, people these days can't let characters be happy. What do you mean I'm the same? (Shoves angsty fanfic behind my back) I have no idea what you're talking about.

But on the subject, I am so confused about where I stand on this. Like, I want him to win so bad because my boy deserves it, but like... there has been no conflict this season aside from Bea who vanished a while ago, so losing would hit hard. And serve as a nice segway into SV anime. I want him to win, it would be epic as all hell, but also the angst of losing? Is there no way to have both? JN is all about breaking tradition despite its poor execution, so I want a choose your ending lol.

You got me on the first half, ngl. I was ready to get anxious lmao No anon, I don't want him to be sad.....I want him to feel anxious, insecure, guilty, desperate, defeated- but yes sad in sintesis.

I normally wouldn't want him to lose, he deserves everything. But both from a logistic and emotional point....it would be better if he did. Like image how POWERFUL it would be if executed right-not only on Ash himself but on his surrondings- showing all of Ash's friends after years....only for to see him lose?-

-lemme go full fanfic real quick cause I like angst and apparently, so do you-

image little Bonnie and Max crying on their respective's siblings's arms, Delia and Burnet tearing up at the sigh of their little ray of light losing like that as Lei looks up at his mom all confused- Dawn "daiyobuu, daiyobuu" at a tearful Piplup as she herself smiles through her tears; Paul leaving the room as Regi asks him if he doesn't want to see the closure ceremony, getting a lone "what for?" in response; the Alolians slowly lowering their "champion" signs, image all the POKEMON both in the ranch and in Alola, lowering their ears/heads as Tracey tries to give a comforting pat to a tearful Bayleef, Rowlet comforting an teary eyed Melmetal (he can get tear-eyed trust me) as Gladion's lycaroc pets an whining Dusk doggo, the RELEASED pokemon like Greninja, Nagadeel, Nebby, Squirtle, etc FELT something went wrong cause even through the distance their hearts are with Ash's, so they do that anime thing where they stop what they were doing to look with concern over their shoulder; Gary who just recently got back home in time to watch his bestie perform simply pats Infernape on the shoulder and whisper a little "He has come a long a way, but still...." and speaking of bittersweet reactions, Brock and Misty met to watch it together (he went to her gym cause he is a sweetie and knows of her schedule) and share this looks that is all "we are proud of how much our lil bro had progressed (that is how I see the trio's dynamic) but....darn" (if they were allowed to swear you know Misty would utter an "fucking hell" with a smile, but with tears on the corner of her eyes); Cilan and Iris also got together to watch it, he wanted to cheer her up too, after all. Welp, his job just got doubled. Back in Alola after the initial shock is wear down Kiawe lets out a "tsk" thing and kicks a nearby table, being scolded by Lana....because he didn't kick it hard enough, and proceed to do so herself. "Should we stop them?" utter Principal Oak toward his stellar teacher, who simply shakes his head with eyes hidden by the brim of his cap (heh, like father like son) he also, wants to kick the stupid table. Like the two mentioned older siblings, Gladion is also comforting his younger sister, but albeit a bit more awkwardly since one, he is not used to it and two, he also wants to kick the table. Mallow sadly at a cake she made as a present for Ash as they were planning an Alola surprised after the M8- well, it could be used as an consolation price, she guessed. Serena is about to enter a new contest, dress and all, but stopped to watch the match on the TV of the hall and was called for it shortly after it ended- despite her best attends to smile, she knew she couldn't bring her 100% that day. Back in the stadium, with Goh in tears, Hop is looking at the stadium, pussled, Goh tries to be polite and congrats him for his brother victory but "He....doesn't look too happy about it" and he is not.

I seriously need to put this on fanfic format

[soulmate-game]

Okay, I’m not sure if what I was trying to say in my last post was said very well.

I completely understand the tagging situation from the First Wave with the DC fans. That’s discourse that is mostly solved and we can’t do anything about those who are forever gonna be bitter or lazy. I’m not talking about that stuff.

The stuff I want to prevent/limit is the hate that comes after our fandom deliberately. And yes, I know I can’t stop it. None of us can stop bitter, antagonistic people from being bitter and antagonistic. None of us can stop people who just want to be angry.

I’m not talking about stopping them, though.

I’m talking about what we can do to protect ourselves as creators and consumers in this fandom. As people who love and appreciate what the creations and people in this fandom have to offer. In simplistic form, I’m saying we need to learn how to shield ourselves from bullies. And there are methods we can use to make ourselves less of a target to the people who go after us, and methods to cut their attacks off short. None of these methods are fool-proof, but they will work to filter out a good majority of the shit we would otherwise be showered by, like a big umbrella against Assholery. Sure, the wind might still blow some in our face and we might splash in a puddle or two by accident, but at least we aren’t soaked.

So let me list the various things that can help you shield yourself from hate/harassment/antis who might just be out to get you.

1) leave the fandom.

The most effective, but least attractive method possible. This is limited to being a last ditch effort, if things have just gotten too hard to handle. I’m covering it first though, because we have to acknowledge that it is a viable method. If you feel trapped, hated, bullied, I’m sure all of us in this fandom would prefer you take a break and leave us for a while in the sake of your own health and safety then stay where you are miserable. This is less of a problem for us though, because mostly this option is gonna be for fandoms where the discourse and attacks are internal. Maribat is largely a peaceful and supportive/healthy environment once you’re inside our little bubble, the main discourse comes from outside in. So let’s focus on the main point of this post— how to keep our bubble from popping.

2) Make it apparent right away that you are Unapologetic.

Whenever you post content or are approached by someone about the topic of your fandom, don’t you DARE ever apologize for liking what you like or posting unproblematic content. You need to make it clear right off the bat that you are not gonna be swayed, bullied, or shamed out of your fandom. Stand with pride and make it clear, but don’t be verbose about it. A simple “Don’t like, don’t read” is classic but sometimes if you’re posting/talking during a more confrontational period of the fandom, you need to up your game to reflect that. The funny thing is, people can easily be intimidated by swearing if it isn’t directed at them or clearly antagonistic. If you’re swearing in a joking, casual or even in a manner that shows you’re not taking yourself too seriously, people will usually avoid picking fights with you. For this, my favorite lines to use on my work include;

“Don’t like, I don’t fucking care. I fell down the rabbit hole.”

“Don’t bother reading if you’re not into this, this shit bitch-slapped me and dragged me along on it’s adventure.”

“I’m addicted to this fandom, don’t bother trying to save me. If it bothers you, I don’t give a fuck. Save yourselves.”

3) Don’t approach or interact

Unless someone comes at you first, never try to persuade someone away from hating us. That just makes you a target in an empty field, for the vultures to surround and gang up on. If someone approaches you with provocative but not overly insulting or intelligent language— I.e; trying to start a fight, vague insults not always relating to the fandom itself, trying to insult your character/judgement— do not respond. Delete the message, block the account, and surround yourself with fluffy good stuff to forget the wanna-be harasser. These people are often not brave enough to outright start a fight, and want you to get defensive first so they know the weak points in your armor to exploit. Defensive statements declare your own insecurities, don’t get defensive. It gives them a way to win without having to defend themselves or feel vulnerable— it’s like exploiting type differences in Pokémon. You wait for an unfamiliar Pokémon to expose it’s type, then snipe it with the moves it’s weak to. Then, you have a near sure-fire win even with under leveled Pokémon on your team.

Don’t be a proud Infernape that gets sniped by a weak-ass level 5 Piplup. We’re strong, don’t show them the chinks in our armor.

4) Have a support network. Even if they don’t know they are your support network.

The fandom as a whole serves this purpose, and this is mostly gonna be a tactic you use when the discourse is inside the fandom, but there can be uses for this in discourse from outside the fandom as well. If someone tries to act like they like your story/art “but...” they passive aggressively state things they “would prefer” or they try to make it sound like you made stupid mistakes (a tactic to make you insecure about yourself) instead of kindly pointing out errors or offering constructive criticism (ex: “you know you put your trigger list somewhere where it’s useless right? Love your story though.)—THESE ARE ALL PROVOCATIONS. They are trying to make you insecure so that you change things about yourself, your work, or jump through hoops to try to “make it up” to them when you did nothing wrong and there are no problems to fix. Do not fall for it! Instead, politely as possible, bring the issue into a public space where you feel safe/trust the people in that space to keep the bullshit from escalating. For me, I straight up explain my reasoning for the placement of my trigger list as if I’m advertising a particularly boring but important product that I’m selling, then offer places for them to bring the issue into a discussion with others. I send them to a discoed group or right here to my tumblr, and I immediately make the issue into a big discussion (do YOU think there is anything to change? Let’s ALL talk about it) so that I am no longer isolated and easy for them to harass. They might refuse to join the discussion and further try to pressure you, but do not cave. Merely say that a public discussion has been started, and if they are actually, legitimately concerned about the way you do things then they can debate it in a public setting. This way, you have back up. 9/10 people who try to target you this way will back off and never enter the conversation you started.

5) Do not fight back.

This sounds counterintuitive, but a lot of the time once discourse gets this bad, arguing/defending/ trying to prove your point only fuels their rage more. I have found that people hate very little in this world more than they hate being wrong. And people who hate being wrong will fight to the bitter death about their opinions, no matter how invalid or hurtful they are, in the favor of their blissful ignorance. Remove yourself from harmful discussions or those that seem to be going in circles as soon as possible, and try to surround yourself in your support group. Never let people make you feel stupid, your opinions illegitimate, or your likes/dislikes invalid or evil.

6) Try to learn how to recognize bullies in disguise

It’s too much for me to try to cover here, but you need to PLEASE look into how to spot gaslighting. Tactics of gaslighting are often used to attack others and try to make them feel like their own opinions are invalid or their mindset untrustworthy. People will often approach you in the guise of friendship/support/ “I am not into this, but...” and while this is not always a red flag, we have to keep our eyes open for any signs of this person or their approach being rooted in anything other than legitimate curiosity or kindness. Not all suggestions that say they are out of concern actually ARE. Keep an eye out for warning signs, and cut off interaction once things seem like they may lead to an argument or you being in a vulnerable position if you continue interacting.

(Brief mention of s**cide and threats in the section below)

7) If all else fails, BLOCK THEM.

No hesitation, we don’t need this shit. They make a second account? Block that too. Don’t respond, only take screenshots or reblog if it is directly harmful information that can/should be documented (words that encourage suicide, threats, insults that seem a little too specific for comfort) and give the evidence to someone you trust to look out for you. A therapist, a family member, or even the authorities if you deem that necessary. Just don’t handle it alone.

We are not responsible for other people’s actions, opinions, or anger. Take the steps to protect yourself instead of trying to reconcile. Sometimes, reconciliation isn’t an option. Both parties have to be willing to reconcile, and it is clear they have nothing in mind but hurting us. So raise your shields and protect yourself and your friends, we’re not gonna lose a war to petty jerks.

[forgxtmxnot]

Study case: iron island

Part 1 of a discord thread with @auraguardians !

Part 2  | Part 3

Description: 20 years prior to Platinum’s events, Rowan still is a lab assistent who comes to Iron island in order to make progress on his research in the local’s species. But he ends up getting a lot more than he anticipated.

Rowan had taken these days off from the laboratory, in order to take a look at Iron Island- the next step into his research.

A place that used to thrive with humans a few years ago, but once the mine ran out of ore- the area had become almost completely devoided of them. It was the perfect place to study, how the wilderness had reclaimed that land. How many species have returned since? Was there any hope for those that went missing to return? Those were some of the questions Rowan asked himself, while he built his camping spot by the mine's entrance.

He just hoped the weather would cooperate with him.

He knows how dangerous this place can become, at this time of the year- if the temperature already didn't speak by itself. Communication with the mainland was nonexistant from his spot. The man's focus would be interrupted, when he heard the noise of footsteps coming towards his direction.

Much to his surprise it was a familiar face.

Rowan stood up, and greeted the man with a wave of his hand- with a stern expression on his face.

"Good evening, I wasn't expecting to run into anyone around here really- I assume you must live here mr. Richard."

It is strange, to see someone making camp here, on this island. Rick would smile as he was addressed and give a nod in response. "That's right - my family owns these islands, and... well, I suppose we still technically own the mines. I hope everything is going well for you so far!"

He would approach until he was standing next to the tent, inspecting the camp setup a little bit. Will this be warm enough...?

"I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed - and knew where to call if there is any trouble. The mainland, of course, is not an option for most devices... especially not in a storm. But I would be able to get a distress signal."

He laughs a bit, hoping to not worry Rowan too much. "Protocol, you know? I'm supposed to make sure you know that. But you should be fine, as long as you bundle up in the night." 

"Considering I had to traverse Mt.Coronet- you could say I'm used to what our region has to offer..."

Rowan stated, as he noticed the way Richard was inspecting his camp. Did he underestimate what these islands truly are capable of?  He thought to himself while nodding in agreement with what had been laid out for him.

"I will be staying here for a few days, studying the wildlife. I have done some research on the island's history, but I would like to hear it from someone who knows this place a lot better than I ever likely could- if you wouldn't mind it of course."

"The history? Of course. The farthest we can trace it back is to the time these lands were owned by a kingdom called Valora. They were the first to use the iron from these islands to forge their weapons... and from those days until very recently, these mines were the main source of the wealth of these lands. And my family - we also trace our lineage back to the lords of Valora, who knew how to make steel better than anyone."

He gave a little sigh. "Of course, more recently... the mines became less lucrative and more dangerous, so we shut them down. As for the wildlife - I, for one, always thought the mines were bad for it. The Pokemon did not like their noise, or the smoke, and the people scared the most skittish wild ones off. In the past few years, I've seen more of them than I ever remember seeing as a boy."

"My younger brother even swears he saw a Lucario last month - which is auspicious if it's true. Our family used to consider sightings of them lucky, in recent years - and he's just started seeing a girl."

Rick would chuckle a bit. "Of course, that's if you believe in that sort of stuff. I like to see evidence first."

Rowan quietly listened to Rick, paying attention to what was being shared. The other's report only confirmed everything he had read at Canalave's library, the iron island was one of the region's environments that suffered the most drastic changes throughout the ages. Although his expectations were low, he still carried the slightest bit of hope in running into at LEAST one specimen of these declared extinctic kinds.

"I don't like getting my hopes up first Mr.Richard."

Rowan silenced himself when his Togekiss, descended from the skies while carrying a camera around its neck. The pokemon greeted both men with a soft cooing and chirp, before standing up so his trainer could get the equipment out of it.

"Speaking of... How's that Piplup doing? Are you two getting along just fine?"

He asked in the same calm tone, now facing the other man.

"I know, I know - but I doubt my brother would lie. I just hope you find some hard facts to back his story up. It would be nice... to know what creatures have decided to make these islands their home. We might even make it a preserve..."

He would smile, a little twinkle in his eyes as he scanned the mountains and sea, then turned back to face Rowan with a grin. "Ah, Piplup? He's doing fine! I'm thinking he may evolve soon, with how enthusiastic and adventurous he's been getting... and the house is always full of so many bubbles." 

"I see, usually after they learn the move bubblebeam it shouldn't really take much longer for the evolution to happen."

Rowan commented, while he retreated his Pokemon back to its pokeball and pocketed it away. With the upper view retrieved, it meant he could start taking his first steps into the mine.

"Is there anything else I should know about this place? Perhaps the most dangerous areas so I can avoid them? How would you describe the wild pokemon's behaviors? Are they friendly? Territorial?"

Many more questions were asked by him, his attention was completely put on what Rick had to share.

"Yes, that was my thought as well. Any day now!"

But the question about the local wildlife had Rick humming slightly in thought. "I'd say... don't go in too deep. The tunnels get harder to navigate deeper underground, and it is harder to find your way out. The wild pokemon vary a bit - they tend to be more skittish than anything, easy to spook. Some, though, can be territorial - though mostly during mating and nesting seasons. It's neither of those right now, so you should be alright if you're cautious."

He had only just finished speaking when he heard the familiar noise of Piplup's pokeball - and the little penguin was suddenly between the two men, preening his little feathers.

"Ah, Piplup - "

"PIIIP!" He squeaked, a few bubbles appearing in the air. But it was a distraction, as the tiny pokemon quickly made a beeline for the nearest cave entrance.

"Whoa! Pip, no!" 

The fact that Piplup managed to break free from its confinement, already was a surprise to him by itself. Rowan instinctively shielded his face using his arm from the bubbles- which led him to not clearly keep track to where the small creature headed to.

"He went into the mines!"

He exclaimed while staring at the entrance, quickly running into it- from there he could hear the pokemon's footsteps as well its movements echoing through the halls.

"He took the route on the left Richard!"

Before Rowan took one more step in- he glanced up and could clearly notice Golbats hanging upside down on the roof, a Piplup would be a perfect sized meal for this kind of pokemon.

Oh dear. Rick ran in right after Rowan, clearly concerned for his slightly too ambitious little Pokemon. "Yes, I see - we must just follow the bubbles."

But Rowan's pause at the entrance to the deeper cave, he followed the researcher's eyes upwards and gave a little intake of breath. "Oh dear," the words slipped out as a whisper. "Just be quiet, and do not spook them."

He would lead the way in, doing a mental check of what other Pokemon he had on hand in case of a situation. But still, it was his little Pip he was worried about.

At least until he saw the little Pokemon up on some machinery making more bubbles and preening himself quite proudly. 

This chase didn't last much- thankfully.

Or at least Rowan thought so, until he noticed what kind of material the pokemon was standing on- it was metal his concern wasn't so much on whether the machine couldbe turned on rather the fact that it could amplify the small creature's noises.

More precisely its footsteps.

The lab assistent was trying to think in an way to get to the creature, however he wasn't fast enough to try and stop Richard on time.

Clearly this- had to be a trap set up by the little guy. 

Richard was already rushing in to help the little Piplup, who just sat and waited for his trainer to get on the machine before it would flap about and dash over to one of the wheels it had presumably used to get up on the machine itself.

However, this time it's dash made the wheel turn and the machine made a hideous screeching noise as it powered on, beginning to move the old ore processor in this particular room.

"Shit!" Rick shouted, though the Golbat had already been startled awake and were making a cacophony of noise. "Pipsqueak, you sly bastard!"

"Piiiiip!"

"Get over here - ah, fuck. Rowan! Help!"

It wasn't just the Golbats that had been startled by the machine.

Gravelers could be seen rolling around the place, trying to escape the chaos- even Onix (which supposedly- would only be found in the lower levels) had been caught up in the whole thing. Rowan's attention however was on Richard and his pokemon, he tried to shout for the other to stop- but the cacophony made it impossible for him to be heard.

He needed to clear this area up.

He reached out for one of his pokeballs- rightaway hurling it up in the air, releasing his Togekiss in the process.

"Togekiss, whirlwind!"

Rowan yelled at the flying type, who flew towards the wild creatures- and started flapping its wings creating a gust of wind so powerful it was dissipating the Golbats as well as other species- in hopes to prevent Richard from running into any wild pokemon. He wasn't sure whether or not the other had any other pokemon with him there.

It seemed to be working- until a Steelix bursted right through a wall, it is evident he had been enraged by the machine's noise. With a single iron tail- it sent Rowan's Togekiss to come crashing down onto the floor.

"Richard! Watch it!"

While Rowan was dealing with the wild Pokemon, Richard had maneuvered around the machinery in an attempt to capture Pip - but the little bird slipped away at the last minute and wound up on the ground again...

...right in the path of the Steelix.

"Pip! Shit - " Rick thought fast, tugging a pokeball out of his shirt to toss out, summoning his Roserade to the field. "Thorn, use magical leaf! Trip it up - then put it to sleep!"

"Ro-se!"

It would do as it was asked, shining leaves quickly coming out to  push the Steelix back, then - just as it began to sprinkle sleep powder, Pip jumped out to blast a stream of water at it as well.

The combination of attacks was just enough to make the Steelix groan and faint, collapsing against the wall of the tunnel.

Richard sighed in relief and climbed down from the machine, scooping up the naughty Pip even as Thorn looked miffed that his finisher was stolen by the proud little penguin.

"Now, Pip, that was - "

It was only now, Rick noticed Pip was starting to glow.

Once things seemed to have settled down, Rowan ran up towards his pokemon first- doing a brief check up on it before retreating it to its pokeball. Thankfully the attack wasn't strong enough to badly hurt the Togekiss- with that out of the way he could make his way towards Richard.

That is- until the Piplup started shining bright, enlightining the cavern they found themselves in. Pipsqueak had successfully evolved into a Prinplup!

"It appeared Pipsqueak knew he was close to evolve after all...Are you two alright?"

He asked walking towards the duo- however, his attention soon went towards the unconscious Steelix- rightaway Rowan could tell something looked off on the pokemon.

This pokemon seemed to carry quite prominent battle scars, over the boulders that composed its body- scars that couldn't have possibly come from Richard's pokemon. They seemed to have come from a prior battle, the marks resembled a pokemon's paws- as though they had pummelled the steel type's body- chipping away shards of it as well. A fighting type attack perhaps?

Obviously the lab assistent didn't point those things out to Richard, instead his gaze quickly returned to him.

"That was quite the scene, impressive I didn't know you had others besides Piplpup- or Prinplup as I should call it now... Shall we go back to the surface? I doubt the pokemon will be coming back here anytime soon."

"Ah... yeah. We should go - just let me turn this monstrosity off."

Richard went over to the wheel Pip had turned, and turned it back the other way - which proved to be surprisingly difficult, due to some parts being a little run-down.

Finally, though, the noise stopped - and Rick rejoined Rowan, running a hand through his hair as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. "There, that's better. C'mon, you."

He plucked Pip up to carry gently, like a baby, and chuckled at the way the Pokemon was acting - all proud of himself. As they made their way back to the surface, though, Rick would continue talking to Rowan.

"I have a few other Pokemon, actually. My first was a Shinx I call Flash - but his other nickname is Sparkles. You may guess why. Then there's Thorn, here - he's a bit of a diva."

Thorn made an indignant noise, which only made Rick laugh aloud and turn to face him, briefly. "I mean it as a compliment, sir! And I also have a Lucario, Luci, but... she was tired so I left her at home today to rest. She's not native to the region, by the way - my father picked her egg up from a breeder in Kalos when I was a boy."

Rowan quietly listened to Richard's words, while still making reminders to himself in regards to what he had just caught a glimpse of.

At the mention of a Lucario however, it made Rowan raise an eyebrow- at least that may assist in either confirming or denying his suppositions. Even if they come from another region.

"I see... If you wouldn't mind mr.Richard, do you think I could take a look at your pokemon? I don't think I will be returning to the mines until tomorrow."

He asked in the same calm demeanor, as his hands rested on his back. His walking pace is slow, but enough to keep up with both Rick and Roserade.

"The machine most likely forced the Pokemon to hide deeper into the caves for the day."

"You're probably right - of course, that's fine!" As they stepped outside again, Rick gave a little concerned hum and nodded.

"It's probably for the best anyway - I think a storm is brewing. It's the wind. It shifts a certain way when there's something coming in from the ocean."

He set Pip down again and stretched, glancing to the little campsite Rowan had set up. "I'd take anything you don't trust not to get damaged with you - and, ah. Well. If we hurry, I can let the cook know to make enough dinner for a guest..."

Rowan took a look at the sky- although the sun was still shining bright, he knows best to not go against locals advices.

"Well, if it won't be a problem to you Mr.Richard... I hope I can stay in until it is safe again."

-------------------------------------------

The winds have definetely shifted- so did the weather and the temperature. Rowan was setting the camera up once more on his Togekiss' neck before sending the creature to take off.

The storm isn't a problem at all to its kind- he knows that very well it should be back in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile his attention returned to his host, as he stood back up.

"As I was saying, Torterra was the first one to be evolved despite being the last one of the bunch that had hatched from its egg."

Said Pokemon had helped carrying all of Rowan's belongings, and remained still until his trainer took the very last remaining object off its back.

"You have already seen Togekiss, I also own an Infernape, a Glaceon, an Ampharos and even a Prinplup."

"Ah... I hope your Prinplup is less of a handful than Pipsqueak!" Rick said, laughing as he watched the Pokemon waddle about the room, still letting out bubbles every so often.

"And hopefully now that he has evolved he will not be taking so many foolish risks, psh. Silly Pip..."

He took a seat on the couch, having already let the staff know Rowan would be staying for the duration of the storm. "Hm... I am still a little concerned about Luci, though. I was training her in prep for an event I'll be going to soon - but I could tell she wasn't feeling up for it. So, she's been resting for about a week now. Poor dear, I hope she isn't falling sick..."

Speaking of, however, a little noise came from the other room and a few moments later the Lucario appeared - looking as though she had just woken up from a nap. Pip squawked and ran over to blow some bubbles at her, but she just looked annoyed. "Caaario."

"Pip, stop that - she's not in the mood."

Rowan noticed the Lucario, and right away noticed something looked off about her. It raised a few red flags in the back of his mind.

Finally he had removed the very last bit of his equipment from Torterra's back, who in response let a drawn out yawn before sitting down on the floor.

"Would it be alright if I brought my other pokemon out? Do you think your Lucario would be annoyed by their presence?"

He asked, now looking at Rick. The truth behind this, was to run a few tests. He has an intuition he might be extremely close to an evidence.

"Mm? I don't know... She's been like this for a week or so, and nothing I've done has been helping. If you think you can get to the bottom of it... By all means, do whatever you must."

Pip, meanwhile, just made a sad chirp and waddled away from Luci to sit by Rick's leg instead - occupying himself by blowing some steam-filled bubbles.

Luci just eyed Rowan suspiciously, before giving her ear a scratch and glancing out the window, presumably at the storm clouds that were now rolling in the sky. "Luu..."

It is unlikely they would show up- after that chaos caused by the machine, as well as the imminent storm.

Rowan nodded- while he brought out his pokemon, everyone was there- except for the Togekiss who was gone for awhile.

"And did your brother tell you when he saw a Lucario in these lands?"

His pokemon slowly started to take in the surrounding they found themselves in, as they tried to act accordingly to their usual- making sure to not come off as intruders to the ones that lived in this place. His Infernape would climb up on Torterra's back hanging upside down on the tree located there. The Ampharos sat down on the floor, and remained there- bobbing its head to the sides, minding its own business.

It didn't take long for Rowan's Prinplup to notice the other of his kind's presence- it is easy to tell how older,and less childish this one was. As all that he did at first was to just stare Pip down from where he stood.

Glaceon on the other hand- picked up on what seemed to be a peculiar scent, emanating from Luci. And she dared to wander towards the Lucario- her movements are slow, while sniffing the air- the floor leading her towards the other pokemon.

"Oh, that was about a month ago... We had a small get together and he introduced his girlfriend to all of us, which... I suppose means he's actually pretty into her."

He shrugged, then leaned back on the sofa as he watched Rowans Pokémon do their antics - though indeed, it was Glaceon that soon caught his attention. How odd.

Especially as Luci was eyeing the others with a bit of disinterest, only reacting when Glaceon got closer to her than she liked - which made her bark a small warning, even as she growled a little bit.

"Whoa, careful! I... guess she doesn't want to play. Yikes. Really, though - this isn't like her! She's usually such a sweet girl, who loves having her fur brushed and fluffed. Hasn't let me do it in a while, though."

The bark startled Glaceon, who reacted to it by running back- towards her trainer.

The scene as well as the information Rick had just provided him with, simply confirmed Rowan's suppositions so far. He proceeded to take a seat at a nearby chair, he kept his gaze fixated on the Lucario.

"She is in her heat."

He stated bluntly- now his gaze rested on Richard, as he started to look for the words on how to formulate his answer.

"Your Luci, ran into a male of her kind- a wild one. Unless there happens to be anyone else in this island, with another Lucario- to which I highly doubt it. She is waiting for him, and he is trainning himself- to show her he is a worthy mate."

"The drastic change in her behavior, this is a prime sign of what she is going through at this moment. It is normal for her kind..."

Rowan interrupted himself- as he took a moment to think a little more, everything is adding up to it- however he still shouldn't jump the gun like this. Even if everything is clearly pointing to it.

"Pardon me, I shouldn't have used the term wild. But know that mr.Richard, your Lucario might have become a shill to males...Her kind doesn't go through heatwaves like most pokemon, instead their needs are related to availability..."

"Somehow, a some point awhile ago- she had the chance to interact with a male... She should be fine within the end of the month- if the male stops showing up."

A wild Lucario. Rick found himself beginning to smirk at the idea, that Luci's behavior was because of such a simple reason.

"Ah, so Luci has a beau? I should have known! My dear, why did you not tell me?" He asked, feigning heartbreak - which did, to his credit, get an amused reaction from the Lucario.

But then Rick was right back to his usual self, grinning at Rowan. "So my brother was probably right, if that's the case. Hm." He stroked his chin thoughtfully and tilted his head, as he glanced to the Pokemon again.

"Would there be any harm in seeing what happens? If the male is good enough for my Luci, he is good enough for me. It might not be so bad to have some Riolu puppies around... they are, after all, the ancient guardians of these lands."

"Then, would you be willing to let go of your Luci?"

Rowan shot back the question- it's easy to tell how Rick didn't have a grasp of the situation's depth. He may have come off a little- too harsh with his words, just like how his mentor had warned him about- but at the same time he needed the other to understand the true meaning behind this.

"Lucarios stay together, and it is usually up for the male to pick the place for their nest, as they are the ones that builds it... And chances are: it will be as far away as possible from us."

He tries to be as clear as he can, before going silent once more. His attention averted from Rick, once he heard his Togekiss' cry as well as its forehead smooshing bumping against the door. She was drenched- completely soaked, a chirp- signalling how cold she felt left her while Rowan looked for a towel to help dry her up in his belongings.

That comment made Rick pause, his brow furrowing as he gave that some thought. Rowan was probably right. And now Rick found himself facing that awkward choice.

"Ah - I don't know. She was my second partner - she's been part of my team so long, I can't imagine not having her with me..."

Luci made a soft noise, actually moving over to Rick and - actually allowed him to scratch behind her ears. The trainer smiled fondly and made a happy hum himself. "Ah, see? She loves me, the dear girl. I'm sorry, Luci... I should have realized what was up with you."

As Togekiss came in, all dripping wet, however - Luci would dash away to the other room again, and Rick got up to fetch an extra towel himself, bringing the big fluffy thing over to offer it to Rowan. "Here, this should help."

The Togekiss chirped in response as the water was rinsed out of her oh so soft coat of feathers, Rowan simply hoped this storm didn't damage the equipment- which he was carefully removing out of her.

"I am sorry if I came off too harsh like that Mr.Richard."

Rowan said, as he looked over at the other man. He can tell how- things have yet to truly sink in for him, a sigh left him once he was done tending to his Pokemon.

"However, your Lucario will be required to find another of her kind..."

His voice trailed off- followed by a pause.

"... Obviously...If you are up for it, you shouldn't feel pressured into... Partaking in any of this."

"No - you're just being realistic. I appreciate that. Not many would be so blunt with me." Richard sighed a bit, running a hand through his hair as he watched Rowan dry off the Togekiss.

"I'll let Luci make the choice. If this wild boy is the one for her, then... I will not come between them. In fact, it would be an honor - to play a small part in bringing them back to the wilds here." Even if it meant he would have to let his girl go free.

"But anyway - this storm is going to put a damper on their courtship as well. It's a bit hard to stoke the fires when it's this cold and damp, eh?"

"And by the looks of it, it will likely extend itself until the next day as well..."

It definetely was being an obstacle to Rowan's plans, he could risk to venture the next day under this rain- it would mean he could make progress on his research. But it would be an immense risk for him and his Pokemon's well being as well.

The image of his daughter made the lab assistant change his mind in regards to the following day.

"I am sorry for asking this once more, but could I possibly extend my stay here until this storm is over? This is definitely something I didn't count on my plans."

"I believe you can take this time, and make up your mind about it..."

"As if I would kick you out into a storm," Rick said, reaching out to pat Rowan's shoulder firmly. "Stay as long as you need to - I'd hate for you to get hurt on my watch. And of course, we will have to make sure you get the data you need before you go as well..."

Richard sighed and gave a quick glance around the room. "Would you like a quick tour? So you know where to find things. Like these towels - they're from the bathroom over there. And there is a guest room near the kitchen."

As he led the way to that room, Rick would pause. "Oh! You may also snack on anything that isn't in that fridge there - that's what the cook uses. Everything else is fair game, so - make yourself at home, please. I don't have company here often, so it's no trouble."

He'd even grin and tug open one cabinet in particular. "Perhaps later, we could even crack one of these open. They do help stave off the bitter chill these winds can carry."

Thanks Due to the storm it means he won't hear anything from wife. He listened closely and paid attention to his surrounding.

"I appreciate your hospitality mr.Richard- although maybe, I shouldn't drink while working..."

Rowan responded in a friendlier manner, while he settled his belongings in the guest room before returning to his host and continuing with his tour. Even though the offer was- quite tempting, he can't deny how alcohol in a time like this- fell like a glove.

"...Maybe a glass won't hurt."

"It is up to you," Richard said, turning away as Rowan left to get settled in. In the meantime, though, he would take out some things they could eat and pour a single glass for himself, at least.

However, the other's statement after returning had Rick flashing a smile as he fetched a second glass and poured a bit of the liquor in, sliding it over to the researcher.

"I don't see how it could - you are not technically working tonight. Not in this weather. Oh! Have you ever tried these chocolates? They are from Kalos. I love them - ah, so sweet."

Rowan quickly reached out for his drink, just the first whiff at the drink- and he could tell how strong it was. A quality above the usual kind of alcohol he consumes, something about it reminded him of his graduation at Kanto. His moment of nostalgia would be interrupted at the mention of chocolate, if the drink spoke for the kind of quality he would be served tonight then he knows he is in for a treat.

He deserves it- after all, he worked so hard today.

"Don't mind me if I do then mr.Richard..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours had passed, and many- many more shots were taken. So much so- that a new bottle had to be opened for them, their talk was harmless- Rowan shared some of his experiences during his stay in Kanto, some other projects he is working on and even his family subject was brought up.

"Ah yes...My daughter, she is a prodigy- her intuition is as sharp as a knife... Me and her mother are so proud of her."

He said, while taking yet another piece of chocolate into his mouth before taking the child's picture back and tucking it away in his wallet. By now the lab assistent's pokemon found themselves sleeping peacefully in the room they found themselves in- all cuddled up to his Torterra.

"So...You participate in contests? What rank are you on at the moment?"

Despite usually being disinterested in certain topics, like family, the way Rowan talked about his was... actually endearing. He truly loves his child so much. And it was refreshing to have the subject mainly focus on Rowan's child rather than turn (as these things so often did) to Richard's bachelor status.

"Mm... she is lovely, Rowan. And I can tell she is brilliant - she has the same look in her eyes as you."

Once the topic turned to contests, though (all thanks to Rick having mentioned it casually earlier while discussing his Pokemon) Rick would preen just like Pip.

"Ah - well. With Thorn, I am up to the Hyper Rank... we've been trying to qualify for Master, but we keep getting tripped up! I had to take a break, to... ah, ease the bruising of his poor ego. But we have been practicing, and I am sure we'll make it soon. Then, everyone will marvel at our beauty, even... even the likes of Hoenn's Juan! Magnifique! Haha..."

Not that he doesn't already.

"Sparkles does quite well in the cool contests, though, and I was thinking... I might enter Pip in a cute one. But Thorn, he is currently my star."

"What about Luci? Were you planning to use her? Or..."

Rowan's voice trailed off as he chewed on the sweet and sipped away on his glass, emptying it in the process. The man quietly poured more for himself while waiting to hear the other's answer.

His facecheeks had become flustered due to the alcohol cunsumption- but also because for the past few minutes- he was starting to look at Rick under a different color- perspective?

How- when did Richard become so appealing to him?

Clearly, he needs more alcohol.

Despite all that, somehow- Rowan kept the same stern and serious looking expression on him.

"Mmhm... I use her in more typical battles more, but she's my Tough queen. Ha. I suppose the only one I'm missing is a smart guy, but... well, I guess I haven't found the right one yet."

He sighed and downed another shot himself, running his hand through his hair. "If you ever want to watch a show, I go by Dick the Magnificient - all to keep my father from catching on, ha. He thinks they're a waste of time."

If only he knew.

"Ah - but I am sorry for getting on that subject. Let's... move on." But they were running out of topics, what with Rowan having already discussed family.

"Is there anything else? I'm afraid my life is rather boring by comparison to yours - it is just me and the pokemon, after all. Not that I'm lonely - I don't mind. Really."

God this was not really a safe subject, either.

Upon hearing Rick's stage name, Rowan couldn't hold back a snort- as he held back his urge to spit out and likely choke on his drink. Talk about subtlety, he recomposed himself by gently patting against his chest.

"Pardon me..."

He spoke faintly, as a silence between would settle in- allowing the sound of the storm from the outside to find its way in. The older man gave it a moment, as his gaze never left Rick. He looked nervous, a thin layer of tension could be picked up.

Again those thoughts didn't dissipate from his mind- if anything it seemed like they have only grown within him.

Maybe consuming almost the equivalent of a bottle and a half wasn't a good idea after all.

Regardless of it, the older man simply takes another sip out of his glass.

"This silence is quite strong, isn't it mr.Richard? Are you alright?"

His words carried a slurred tone to them- giving out how intoxicated, he could possibly be in that moment.

A bit of a chuckle left Richard as Rowan choked a bit at the reveal of his name - ah, so the man did have a sense of humor! - but the silence did stretch out uncomfortably.

He really should not be on this topic, especially not when he is more than a little tipsy.

"It's nothing - just... gah. I feel like the pressure of my family keeps me from enjoying my life - the latest thing they are poking and prodding about is marriage and - fuck that. I don't even like kids. Or..."

Or women.

"I mean... it's not that I hate them. I meant what I said - your child, she looks brilliant. Smart ones are easier to... be around. Women, too. But I... just have no interest in them."

Perhaps Rowan is so drunk he won't remember this.

He glanced to the researcher again, and felt his cheeks get a little hot - from embarrassment at how much he'd just said, but also at realizing his gaze was truly quite intense.

"Please, forget it. I am... quite content, Rowan. I am not lonely... especially not right this moment."

He could feel his cheeks burning- please let it be because of the alcohol.

Rowan went into a quiet state- it may seem like he was giving Rick some kind of judgemental stare, but the truth was far from it. The alcohol has finally caught up to him, making his ability to talk coherently extremely limited- his tongue felt lazy and heavy, there is no way he will be able to properly give Richard any kind of comforting or helpful words.

Instead he puts aside his glass, and let out a drained sigh followed by a hiccup.

Richard was still looking extremely appealing to his eyes- why won't this sensation go away?

"...Par-don me...Mr... Richard- I will retire myself for the night."

Rowan said as he tried to stand up- his cheeks had a deep shade of red to them, it is impossible to cover it up.

He'd said too much. Rowan's glare was different, now, and Rick had the sinking feeling it was because the researcher had figured him out and didn't want to be near Rick any longer.

When he spoke again he was careful to keep his voice cool and neutral, but it still shook a bit. "Of course. I... would offer to assist you, but - I will respect your desire. Good night, Rowan."

And yet, the researcher was clearly having trouble even getting up, and despite the pit in his stomach Richard would not let him stumble without reaching out to catch him.

Another hiccup- and his hand went straight to his face in order to cover his eyes up. Everything was spinning, he definetely had way too much this time around.

Due to their proximity- Rowan was able to take a whiff out of Rick, there was his breath's smell but it also had the faintest scent of- a cologne? A scented shampoo? It smelled nicely- so much so that he actually wanted to get more out of it.

He really shouldn't be placing his head- so close to the other's collarbone like that, to a point where his moustache was gently brushing against that smooth skin. It was a shampoo- it came from his hair! The hair was so smooth as well...

His hazy drunk mind already wanted so much more than just that- but his body clearly just wanted to crash down onto something and stay there.

This was a mistake. Rowan, in his drunk state, was actually nuzzling Richard's neck and taking deep breaths of his hair. A flash of heat went through Rick at that - and suddenly, he found himself wondering if part of Rowan's disdain was caused by a feeling of attraction.

But that is a dangerous thought to dwell on.

Rick pulled away a little, grunting as he held the other up and started to guide him toward the guest room.

"Rowan, I think... you are less used to this drink than I am, and... you are not thinking clearly. At all. You should... sleep it off."

The lab assistent nodded his head at Rick's words- but that only made his facial hair brush even more against the other's neck. There was nothing in his mind- besides a drunk lust.

"Yes..."

And when he spoke- he basically breathed onto that smooth and soft skin, it is warm- his voice came out in a deep low tone as well. 

Oh fuck, not the neck.

Richard suddered a little, perhaps shoving Rowan away a little too quickly onto the bed - his eyes taking in that sight for a moment before he slowly backed away.

"Rowan... we can talk tomorrow, okay?" He kept his voice smooth and quiet. "Get some sleep." 

There was some drunk slurred nonsense that came from Rowan, as he tried to pull himself up on the bed.

[electricprincess96]

Favorite starter from each generation and favorite character from each generation? Go!

Just quickly from like Gen 1 through 4 I like all the starters and have used all the starters pretty evenly. These will just be my personal favourites but picking a fav amongst those 4 generations was harder that the others. Also Cyndaquil remains my favourite starter because it was my first ever starter.

Gen 1: Charmander

Gen 2: Cyndaquil - Favourite Starter overall

Gen 3: Treeko

Gen 4: Piplup

Gen 5: Oshawott - Snivy a close second

Gen 6: Fenniken - Honestly this is the only gen that I regularly box my starter after I get the Kanto starter

Gen 7: Popplio - Rowlett a close second

Gen 8: Sobble - So far it's all I've used so this might change

Favourite Character from each gen..... Ok I'm gonna have to like include Fire Red/Leaf Green as Gen 1 same with Heart Gold/Soul Silver and Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. So when I say someone for Gen 3 is my fav just assume I'm referring to their remake version.

Gen 1: Blue Oak - This Gen doesn't have much to work with but he is the most famous rival in the series for a reason, they made you WANT to beat this guy.

Gen 2: Silver - I swear my answers won't always be the Rival. One of the best Rival arcs in the series, was the only proper rival for a long time to even have a proper arc.

Gen 3: Steven Stone - I just like him, especially in Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire.

Gen 4: Cynthia - Still the hardest Champion Battle I've had in any game, her moments with Cyrus in Platinum are good at showing the difference in world views between the two. Plus she's got a fucking Garchomp how can you not love that?

Gen 5: N - Do I even need to explain this one? The emotional conflict in Gen 5 is driven by this poor confused, abused and lonely young man who only is doing what he thinks is right but later realised his entire life has been a lie. It's heartbreaking but the fact he gets back up after it all is inspiring, he even tries to come to the rescue 2 years later when his good for nothing abusive father is trying to wreck shit again.

Gen 6: Professor Sycamore - Now I'll admit X and Y did not leave a massive impact on me but Professor Sycamore did, from actually battling the player to being friends with the Bad Guy and feeling guilty about not noticing the red flags sooner I wish we could have seen more of Professor Sycamore in game, I think there's a lot of interesting material there. Sina and Dexio are close seconds just for how memorable their antics are.

Gen 7: Lillie - Similar to N I don't feel like I really need to explain this one. Sun and Moon at its core is a story about Lillie, about how she handles her abusive mother and how slowly she learns to become her own person rather than the one her mother wants her to be but that she doesn't become bitter, she still wants to save her mother even after what she's been through. Lillie is great.

Gen 8 - oh hard one, I'd have to say Piers. Getting to work alongside him in the post game section and during the storming of Rose Tower was great.

[zdbztumble]

“Nostalgia”

Another themed Pokeshipping fic from @fairrytype‘s Pokeshipping Discord. As with the last two, it’s set in the continuity of that Discord’s group fic. Necessary context: Brock regularly does karaoke with a band, and since May, Dawn, and Miette all live in Kanto, they sometimes go out with Misty. One of those times involved Misty and Miette doing a duet.

Woah, we're half way there Woah, livin' on a prayer Take my hand, we'll make it I swear Woah, livin' on a prayer...

Misty shoved her palms down as hard as she could over her ears, but the sound still made it through. May was biting down on her lip, Dawn had her hands clamped down around a whimpering Piplup’s ears, and Miette was cringing. They were at a table well in the back of the bar, out of the lights and out of view from the stage. Not that Brock would’ve been looking for them anyway; he was in the moment, dancing up and down the stage with abandon as the band played on.

“Er...the crowd seems to be having a good time,” May offered. “Crowd” was a generous term in Misty’s opinion. There were less than twenty people in the audience, including them. But it was true; everyone seemed happy.

“That one guy really likes it,” said Dawn. She pointed to a table near the front, where a heavyset bald man and his Haunter were leaning against each other for support in their laughter.

“Yeah, but are they laughing with them, or at them?” Misty quipped.

“Mon dieu,” sighed Miette. “Why could zey not let us go first, Ondine?”

Misty raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Who said I’d sing another song with you?”

“You wound me, Ondine.”

“You know,” said May. “We could put together a big karaoke night with the boys. Drew won’t like it, but he and I are pretty good at ‘A Whole New World.’”

“I’d never get Gary to go for that,” Dawn sighed, with Piplup adding in a gruff chirp.

“And you don’t want Ash anywhere near a microphone,” said Misty. “Trust me.”

“Ooh, good point.” May winced. “I still remember him trying to carol at his mom’s Christmas party two years ago.”

“Not to mention the one time I took him to karaoke was a disaster.”

“You took him to karaoke?” Dawn asked.

“After he got back from Alola. Before we started dating. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh?” Now it was Miette with the raised eyebrows. “He made a fool of himself zen, Ondine?”

“Something like that...”

“Misty,” Ash whined. “I thought we were going for ice cream!”

“’When we’re done,’ I said,” Misty shot back. “We ate dinner, and now we’re doing karaoke. We’ll get ice cream after.”

“But I don’t wanna sing.” Ash crossed his arms and sunk down in his chair, a pout on his face. Atop his head, Pikachu sighed and shrugged.

“Hmmph. Fine, Mr. Pokemon Master - be that way. Just sit there and listen to my song then, and we can go.”

“Don’t pick anything too long!”

(”I’ll agree with that,”) Pikachu yawned. (”We need to get to the ice cream before I pass out.”)

“Boys,” Misty growled. She pushed herself away from the table and made her way to the stage at the back of the restaurant. The karaoke box had been dominated by a group of school children earlier, but there was no line left anymore. Misty grabbed the microphone off the stand and started scrolling through the song list.

“No...no...ew, now...hmmm.” She rested a finger under the forth title down. It’s - well, its us. And after that little incident at the pizza place, maybe he’ll pick up on it...

Misty glanced up toward their table. Ash was still sulking, but he was looking back at her. The rest of the diners were busy with their food and talk. It was almost like having an audience of one. The thought made Misty’s stomach churn a little, but she popped in her coins, pressed the button, and started on the cue...

Why you gotta hug me Like that every time you see me? Why you always making me laugh Swear you're catching feelings

I loved you from the start So it breaks my heart

When you say I'm just a friend to you 'Cause friends don't do the things we do Everybody knows you love me too Tryna be careful with the words I use I say it 'cause I'm dying to I'm so much more than just a friend to you

Mmm, mmm, mmm When there's other people around You never wanna kiss me You tell me it's too late to hang out Then you say you miss me

And I loved you from the start So it breaks my heart

When you say I'm just a friend to you 'Cause friends don't do the things we do Everybody knows you love me too Tryna be careful with the words I use I say it cause I'm dying to I'm so much more than just a friend to you

You-oh-oh-oh-oh You-oh-oh-oh-oh You-oh-oh-oh-oh You-oh-oh-oh-oh

You say I'm just a friend to you Friends don't do the things we do Everybody knows you love me too I tried to be careful with the words I use I say it 'cause I'm dying to I'm so much more than just a friend to you

A friend to you A friend to you A friend to you...

She’d closed her eyes to sing the song; when Misty opened them, everyone else in the restaurant was still minding their own business, but Ash was standing. There was a funny sort of frown on his face, and a knowing look on Pikachu’s. A promising sign...

“So,” Misty said as she walked back over to them. “Whatcha think?”

He stared at her a moment, and cocked his head at that adorable angle he always used when confused. “That...wasn’t bad.”

“That’s it?” Misty laughed. “‘Not bad?’“

Ash shrugged. “Whaddya want me to say? I kinda forgot over the years, but - you’re a good singer.”

“Aww...that’s sweet, Ash. And what about the song?”

“What about it?”

Pikachu slapped a paw to his face, and Misty struggled not to keel over. “Did...did you notice anything about it?”

“Um...was that a ukulele at the start? Those sound fun.”

“You...it didn’t make you think of anything?”

“Should it?”

Misty just stared at him. Atop his head, Pikachu mimed pummeling it. That’s definitely an option, Misty thought. Along with kicking, screaming, dragging him up to read the lyrics, or just flat-out telling him...

“Misty? Was there something in that song I should’ve gotten?”

“...No, Ash. Nothing. Let’s get that ice cream...”

[call-me-maggie13]

Absolutely crazy shit I’ve had to say since starting to work with children

“No, {redacted 1}. You cannot lick {redacted 2}’s toes. It doesn’t matter that he wants you to.”

“{redacted 3}, please stop calling the younger kids m*dgets, it’s offensive and rude. Yes, I am aware you are the smallest person at this school, but that’s still mean.”

“{redacted 3}, thank you for sharing but no one needs to learn how to make crack.”

“Please don’t put the baby in the microwave. Nor the oven… The freezer is not any better of a place for a baby.”

“Please stop trying to lick your bellybutton. No, don’t ask other students to lick it either.”

“{redacted 1}, please stop asking me to date your father, he’s married to your mother.”

“Yes, Lizzo IS fire, but that does not mean we can sing the uncensored version of WAP during nap time.” [I am aware that Lizzo was not involved in the making of WAP at all, but I’m not going to correct a five year old over their “favorite singer”]

“Yes, {redacted 1}, I do love Biggie, but you cannot sing Big Poppa for show and tell. Yes, part of it is because you are a ‘little white boy’ [his words not mine], but you also can’t tell the girls they should be having your baby, baby.”

“Look, {redacted 4}, I don’t care what you do at home, at this daycare we do not put the baby dolls in the oven and scream I’m makin’ baby-pot-pie.”

“I understand how frustrated you must have been with her, but you cannot pick up my friends and slam them into the ground… no, we are not Mortal Kombat, we are a daycare.”

After like two weeks of being reverse pick-pocketed and given a Wooloo Pokémon card literally every time: “If you are going to put Pokémon cards in my pockets, do not give me a Wooloo. My favorite Pokémon is Piplup, my second favorite is Mimiku. The next time I get a Wooloo, I am going to quit and you will never see me again.” [I was gifted a Charizard that day, and later received a shiny Mew, a Piplup, and a Mimiku]

“Do I need to call your mother?” [student dares me to call their mother before his younger sister stops me and informs me their mother just went to prison] “I’ll call your momma in prison, which one does she stay at?”

“Just because she’s wearing a rainbow jacket doesn’t mean she’s gay…” [other student informs me she is wearing the rainbow jacket because she is gay]

“I swear to god, if I find another stalker picture that one of y’all took of me printed out and taped to my classroom door, I will start recording how y’all act in the halls and send it to your parents.”

“Please do not yeet the fish. The fish is just trying to vibe, he does not need to be taken on a transcontinental flight into the wall.”

Upon receiving a sticker from a student’s younger sibling : “Oh! Thank you so much! You think I’m the best teacher ever?” Student’s sibling shakes head and says they can’t read, when I tell him that’s what the sticker said, he took it back.

[turnaboutwriter]

Safe Travels - Part 1: In Abundant Relations, Chapter 1

Surprise! Happy Ikarishipping Day! 

Pairings: Paul/Dawn, May/Drew, Candice/Zoey, Steven Stone/Cynthia, Wallace/Winona, and a lil Togekiss/Honchkrow

Rating: General

Summary: Paul loses to Brandon at their rematch in Snowpoint City and intends on challenging him once more in Hoenn. Dawn, who intends to participate in Hoenn contests, runs into him on the ship ride to Slateport City. Paul seeks Dawn’s coordinating expertise for a contest that Cynthia tells him he should participate in, and so, while Dawn is puzzled as to why Paul has to partake in the contest, so begins their journey together — ikarishipping.

This can also be found on AO3. (Please note: This will not be posted on Ffn until I finish it posting the first part completely on AO3 or until I decide how to approach posting the multiple parts on Ffn, since it doesn't have a series grouping system like AO3.)

Notes: I'm not done with this series yet, but I wanted to post at least the first two chapters of the Part 1 in celebration of the ikari revival! I will also post the remaining previews left on Tumblr soon, so be sure to check them out! From what I have planned, the setting of this fic is not just restricted to Hoenn, but will feature other regions as well. There will be A LOT of characters, needless to say, and I’ll probably squeeze in a few implied or minor ships in there, too. There are quite a few twists that I’m excited but also nervous to write and put out there, but buckle your seatbelts, guys, because from here on out, it's going to be a very, long ride.

“Pip, piplup!”

Dawn’s Piplup races to the other end of the outer deck, nearly tripping on his way there.

“Hey!” Dawn pants out. She is crouched down, with her hands on her knees, trying to recover her breath. “Slow down, Piplup!” With a final huff, she straightens up and continues running after her Pokémon.

The ship that Dawn is on has only left Sandgem Town a few hours ago. Things have moving in such a whirlwind that she still can’t believe that she is on her way to Hoenn – the land of the birth of contests. She is overwhelmed and is nervous to be traveling far from home, but also excited to see what new adventures she will embark on.

When she finally catches up to the Penguin-like creature, she is surprised to see the familiar, purple-haired boy Piplup is pointing to.

“Pip, lup!”

“Huh? That’s Paul,” Dawn states in surprise. “Hey, Paul!” she calls out, waving her hands. Piplup waves and cries cheerfully as well.

He turns around at the sound of her voice and meets her face. His eyes light up in recognition and he raises his hand slightly. “Hey.” He’s quiet for a moment while Dawn walks up to him.

She grins. “Remember who I am this time?” she teases.

He ignores her words. “Is Ash with you? I’d like a battle with him.”

Her elated smile falls into a frown, though not by much, because he does remember her as Ash’s friend. “Oh, I’m sorry, Paul, but he went back to Kanto last month . . . though, I think he’s in Unova now.”

“I see . . .” he trails off, as his eyes inspect her face, struggling to remember.

You’ve got to be kidding me! Dawn scowls, feeling the annoyance bubble in her chest. He really doesn’t remember her name. She opens her mouth, ready to shout. ‘Excuse me, Sir Rudeness, it’s Dawn! D-A-W-N!’

“Dawn. The coordinator friend.”

Her eyes widen in surprise, before her lips curl into a smile. “You do remember!”

He says nothing, but stares at her smiling face blankly for a few moments. “See you,” he finally says, before walking away.

Dawn’s smile slowly fades away, and then she sighs to herself and shakes her head knowingly, as Piplup cries in confusion.

“Pip, pip?” That’s it?

“No need to worry, Piplup. That’s just Paul for you.”

“ . . . and I have to show you all of the best places to eat in Petalburg!”

“Only in Petalburg?” Dawn teases the girl on the screen in front of her. “What about the rest of Hoenn, May?”

On the screen, she sees May smirk. “I’m going to give you a list of the best restaurants in Hoenn before I go back to Johto, silly!”

She smiles back at her friend cheerfully. “I’ll hold you to it!”

Dawn is about to ask May about Professor Birch, but she swears she sees a flash of purple from the corner of her eye. She turns her head from side to side, as her Piplup, who is in his usual spot in her arms, questions her.

“Pip, pip?”

“What’s wrong, Dawn?”

She shakes her head. “I thought I saw something, but I think I might have just imagined it. No need to worry. What were you going to say?”

“I was going to tell you that Drew and I talked to Professor Birch and he’s more than happy to give you one.”

“Awesome!” She looks down at Piplup. “Did you hear, Piplup? We’re getting our first, new Hoenn Pokémon added to the team!”

Piplup chirps back at her happily, “Pip piplup!”

May goes on to explain the three Hoenn starters Pokémon to Dawn, and they chat a little more until Piplup’s stomach growls loudly, much to his embarrassment. With a laugh, Dawn decides to bid an also chuckling May goodbye and head down for dinner.

The trainer’s dining area is not so shabby, though it is not too formal, either. It’s a huge, bustling auditorium where trainers partake in a buffet, sit together and dine; because of the ample space, they are able to let their Pokémon out of their Pokéballs and feed them as well.

Dawn’s eyes scan through the hall to find a place to sit. Though she doesn’t mind sitting with strangers, there aren’t a lot of empty seats in the first place. She did not realize that she was on the phone with May for so long.

“Piplup!”

“Huh?” Dawn glances to where her Pokémon points. She smiles at him graciously. “Thanks, Piplup! I can always count on you!” She pushes the cart of her and her Pokémon’s food hurriedly to the table before someone else can take the unoccupied seat.

“Hey, Paul,” she says, as she approaches his small table, where he and his Pokémon, on the ground near him, eat, “ do you mind if we sit here?”

His hand, holding a dinner roll, pauses in the air. He seems mildly annoyed but shrugs anyway. “I don’t care.” He takes a bite into the bread.

Dawn turns to Piplup. “Alright.” She takes out her Pokéballs and throws them into the air. “Time to eat, everyone!”

A chorus of her Pokémon’s cries is heard as they’re released from their Pokéballs and cheer in happiness.

She then pulls the Pokémon food from the cart and sets each bowl down in front of her Pokémon, the biggest going to her Mamoswine, of course. She then rummages through her backpack and pulls out her big container of poffins (and though it doesn’t look that big, it holds a lot more than one might think, which is why Dawn loves it so much). She puts a few poffins into each of their bowls as well.

When she gets to Togekiss’s bowl, Paul’s Honchkrow comes forward to them.

“Hey, Honchkrow!” Dawn smiles warmly, petting the top of his head lightly. “Would you like a poffin?” She holds a pink one out for him. He sniffs it hesitantly, but Togekiss reassures him that it is good. To Dawn’s surprise, Honchkrow has a sudden infatuated look in his eyes, and opens his mouth wide for the poffin. She giggles knowingly and feeds him, and then stands up from her crouched position, stretching as she does. She then walks over to the table so she can sit down and finally eat.

“What did you do to my Honchkrow?”

Dawn looks up to meet Paul’s narrowed eyes. “I fed him a poffin,” she informs him innocently, deciding to withhold that his Honchkrow has a crush on her Togekiss for now. “You don’t mind, right? They’re supposed to be good for Pokémon.”

He looks displeased, and opens his mouth to say something, but she beats him to it.

“Reggie would approve of them. They’re not store-bought or anything – I make my poffins myself using different types of berries. No need to worry, Paul!” she assures him.

He turns his face away and grunts before answering, “Fine.”

Dawn is satisfied with his answer, and quickly digs into her food. Arceus, she’s starving.  

“Fros, froslass?”

Dawn looks up from her meal to see Paul’s Froslass in front of her. It looks like Honchkrow has spread the word. She holds back a giggle at the thought. “You want a poffin, too, Froslass?”

“Froslass,” Paul warns, giving her a steady glare. “Go eat your food.”

“Fros.” Her little shoulders slump, as the Pokémon turns around.

“Hey,” Dawn exclaims, grabbing Froslass’s shoulder, feeling the Pokémon’s cold skin beneath her fingers, and then turning to frown at Paul. “Don’t do that. I have more than enough to go around. I made a fresh batch last night before we left Sinnoh.” She passes the open container on the table to Froslass, who takes it hesitantly from her. “Here,” she says softly. “For you and for the rest of Paul’s Pokémon, too.”

“Lass?” Froslass gives her trainer a questioning stare; Paul nods curtly.

After Froslass drifts away, he glares at Dawn, who resumes eating. “Please, don’t spoil my Pokémon. I’ve worked hard to get to where I want them to be, and I don’t need you to ruin it for me now.”

“Now, hold on, Paul.” She puts her fork down and her eyes meet his. “There’s a difference between taking care of your Pokémon and spoiling them. I understand them you feed them regularly and all, but, sometimes, it’s good to treat them for all of the hard work they’ve done, you know?”

Paul sighs. “I already told you once that I’m not like Ash. I’ll admit that I’ve learned some things from him . . . but this pampering . . . it’s just not my thing.” He looks up at her, and, for the first time ever, Dawn sees uncertainty in his eyes.

Dawn smiles softly, almost in reassurance. “You don’t have to do what Ash does. And no one said you have to pamper your Pokémon, either.” She turns around to see his Pokémon eating the poffins happily, while they also talk and play with Dawn’s Pokémon.

“They work and train hard to fulfill your desire of getting stronger and stronger, and they don’t mind that you may get a little too hard on them – you can tell that they love you a lot. All they need in return is just a little love from you, too. Maybe playing with your Pokémon isn’t your thing, but a little treat now and then, a little break every once in a while, or even some words of encouragement from you . . . it would mean the world to them.”

She looks back at Paul’s pensive face. “And with that, your bond with them will grow stronger. You and your team will grow stronger, as well.”

It’s quiet for a moment before Paul shrugs, and then resumes eating. Dawn sighs in defeat, as it seems that her words probably haven’t gone through his thick skull, and goes back to digging into her food.

“Which starter are you picking from Professor Birch?”

Dawn’s eyes widen and she then sets her dinner roll down onto her plate – she’s never going to be able to finish this meal. “Aha!” she cries out triumphantly, pointing at him. “I knew I saw you! You were eavesdropping on my conversation with May!”

He narrows his eyes at her. “And? You once eavesdropped on my conversation with Reggie.”

A warm blush rises to her cheeks. “A-Ah! Right. I forgot about that.” She scratches the back of her head and smiles sheepishly at him. “Let’s consider it even, then.”

“Whatever.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Answer the question.”

Geez, he’s so bossy. “I . . . I don’t know. They all sound great, really.”

“Pathetic.” He sighs and rolls his eyes. “I should have suspected as much from someone like you.”

Dawn narrows his eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean!?”

“Exactly what I said.” His smirk is taunting, causing feelings of impatience to arise within Dawn.

“Oh, yeah? What Hoenn starter would you choose?”

“I didn’t get a chance to receive one, so I haven’t given much thought to it.”

“Huh.” That causes Dawn’s annoyance to cease. “You know, I can ask Professor Birch to give you a Pokémon as well,” she offers, but the words surprise her. She doesn’t know where that came from – hell, she doesn’t even know if the Professor would be willing to give him a Pokémon as well, since May was the one who asked him to give Dawn one. She begins to anxiously pick at and rip apart her dinner roll as she waits for his answer.

“No, thanks. I’m not interested.” His voice is curt. Dawn looks at his plate and realizes that he has finished eating.

“Why?” she questions, twisting the bread further in her hands. “You can train it up to participate in the Hoenn League!”

He exhales sharply in frustration, the fork in his hand dropping onto his plate with a loud clank. Dawn takes the moment to munch on the deconstructed roll. “I’ve already beaten eight gym leaders, and have fought and lost in the Ever Grande Conference.”

She swallows down her food before speaking. “Oh. I forgot you travelled through Hoenn already.” She rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. “I figured you caught some of your Pokémon from other regions, but I wasn’t able to tell if any were from Hoenn.”

He nods. “Hoenn was the second region I travelled through. I caught my Hariyama, Froslass, and Aron there.” He reaches into his pocket to grab his Pokéballs and recall his Pokémon.

“I see. Is there a reason that you’re going back again, then?”

“Hmph.” He stands up from the table, empty plate in hand. He reaches down to pick up the bowls his Pokémon ate from, stacking them one on top of the other and carrying them effortlessly, and it makes Dawn slightly envious of how easy he makes it look. “That’s none of your concern.”

She feels irritation rush through her once more – Paul has a talent for stirring such feelings within her. “Well, excuse me for trying to make small talk,” she grumbles scornfully, as she crosses her arms over her chest.

“There’s no need for that.” He exhales sharply. “What a troublesome girl,” he mutters to himself as he walks away from Dawn’s fuming figure.

Her eyebrows shoot up to her forehead, gone from irritated to furious. “What did you call me!?”

He smirks, tilting his head slightly to the left so it is angled towards her. “Hm, like I said – troublesome girl.”

And then he walks away, leaving behind a fuming Dawn.

Dawn and Piplup are enraptured by the lights.

Being from the small Twinleaf Town, Dawn never got to see the city lights often, until she travelled through cities with Ash and Brock. But none of those city lights compare to what she sees now – not even the gorgeous Valor Lakefront, where Dawn had participated in the Wallace Cup and Sinnoh Grand Festival.

“Look at all of the lights, Piplup!” she tells her penguin companion, as they marvel from the upper deck of the cruise liner. “That’s Pokétopia! It’s where really powerful trainers go to participate in coliseum battles.”

“Piplup, piplup!” Her Pokémon points to one of the skyscrapers and puffs his chest out proudly.

Dawn follows where Piplup is pointing to and gasps. “There’s a Piplup on the top of that building!” She points to the other buildings with widened eyes. “Ahh, there’s a Toxicroak, Turtwig, and Chimchar, too! Oh, and look at the Bronzor Ferris wheel!”

“Pokétopia has a lot of Sinnohan influence, since the head architect who designed the buildings is from Sinnoh.”

A “Huh?” slips out from Dawn’s lips, before she turns to her left to see Paul standing next to her, staring at the Pokétopia Skyline intently. When did he get here? She’s not mad at him anymore, of course, but she is surprised that he is voluntarily approaching and talking to her, without her prompting him to.

He moves to look at her, his onyx eyes boring into hers. It takes her a moment to realize that he has his finger outstretched towards a pink building and is talking.

“See that skyscraper?”

She snaps out of her trace and glances at the structure in question. “Y-Yeah, it’s a Lickilicky.”

He nods as his eyes leave hers to look at the building once more. “Look at its tongue.” His finger trails the length of the slanted line. “The yellow line in its tongue is actually the transparent roof of the escalator inside the building.”

Her eyes widen as she sees “Oh, wow, I didn’t even notice that!” Dawn pauses for a moment before she gathers the courage to ask him a question. “Hey, Paul, how do you know so much about this place anyway? Have you been here before?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Dawn huffs at him, and puts her hands on her hips. “Well, your rudeness, I’m sorry for trying to be friendly.” Oh, well. She knows she wouldn’t be able to get Paul to open up so easily, but it was worth a shot.

And so they stand next to each other in silence to stare at the bright, flashing lights of the buildings of the lively city and the spotlight beams waving around in the night sky. Dawn enjoys the night breeze and, surprisingly, Paul’s company, while Paul appreciates the silence between them contently.

After that, they – Paul with his hands in his pockets, and Dawn not having Piplup in her arms for once, since he was sleepy and was put back into his Pokéball – walk back to their rooms together.

Dawn is surprised how pleasant Paul has been. His final battle with Ash must have changed his demeanor significantly.

“Oh!” Dawn suddenly exclaims, as she stops walking. “Ash told me you were going to battle Brandon again. How did your rematch with Brandon go?”

He stops walking as well, and turns to face her. “I lost.”

She frowns, suddenly embarrassed to have asked him at all. “Oh . . . I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I don’t need your pity. My team just wasn’t strong enough.”

She is pensive for a moment, before realization hits her like a brick. “Is that why you’re going to Hoenn? To train more?”

“Among other reasons,” he answers, his face impassive once more, and Dawn feels happy that he’s finally revealing some information about his plans. “Brandon is in Hoenn to work on the Battle Frontier Project. After training my team more, I’ll challenge him there.”

She furrows her eyebrows. “Isn’t the Battle Frontier in the Kanto region, though?” she questions, recalling that Ash fought Brandon in Kanto.

“They’re planning on moving it to the Battle Resort island area in Hoenn.”

“Oh.”

They don’t continue walking to their rooms. Instead, Paul just stands there in silence, lost in thought, while Dawn watches him, pondering as to what he’s thinking about.

“Let’s battle,” he suggests suddenly, causing Dawn to let out a gasp. Did she just hear him correctly?

“Uh, a battle!?” she sputters out. Paul is surely going to win – he is a more powerful trainer than her for sure.

Paul shakes his head. “A contest battle.”

She blinks. “Huh? A contest battle?” It’s nearly 1AM in the morning, and he wants to have a contest battle with her? Is she so tired that she is starting to imagine things? What business would he have in a contest battle with her, anyway?

He groans and slaps a palm to his forehead – he seems to be frustrated by her response. “Forget it.”

“W-Wait, no – ”

Her arm stretches out, trying to reach for him, but he’s already walking away.

[mariposalass]

Tagged Muse Q&A

Pick one of your muses. Fill in the questions/statements as if you were your muses in a new post. Tag five people to do this meme.

Tagged by @skipper-self-shipper

I already did one for Issa, now I’m having my big brother Harry on the spotlight, even if he ain’t comfortable with it, hehehe!

1. What is your name?

Harry

2. What is your real name?

Harry James Potter

3. Do you know why you’re called that?

My birth dad must’ve taken my birth Gramps’ naming advice when I was born: don’t name your kid after your mother’s maiden name! Also, they named me after my great-gramps and my birth Dad threw in his first name for fun.

4. Are you single or taken?

Taken, dating Isabelle Miravelez who’s also my little sister Mari’s friend.

5. Have any abilities or powers?

I’m a half-blood wizard, so I have quite a wide range of magical abilities on hand, such as wand magic, non-verbal magic, apparation, wand duelling, broom flying, potions (only improved under Horace Slughorn, my birth mum’s old professor), transfiguration, charms, magical creature tamer skills, and, weirdly enough, being the Master of Death. I used to speak Parseltongue as a former Horocrux, but not anymore.

6. Stop being a Mary Sue.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?! (pulls out his wand out of anger at the interviewer)

7. What’s your eye color?

It’s blue, I swear! (Remember this Harry’s appearance is based on the film version, not the book appearance. - Mari)

8. How about your hair color?

Dark brown that some might mistaken it for black. (Again, his looks is based on the films. - Mari)

9. Have you got any family members?

Not counting dead ones and my birth aunt’s family? I got my adopted folks, a Time Lord grandfather figure, a supervillain uncle, an agent aunt, 3 girl cousins, and, of course, my 2 adopted sisters!

10. Oh? What about pets?

They’re actually Mari’s pets, but Torchic, Piplup, Rowlet, Marie, and Scooby-Doo are also my pets by default as well. I used to have a barn owl named Hedwig, but she died during the fight over Little Whinging. It’s quite painful for me to talk about...

11. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like?

Being too famous for my own good, Voldemort, my hot-headedness, that one fight with Ron during the Horocrux Hunt, being Issa’s accidental magic lessons punching bag. Not that great.

12. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?

I like to play Quidditch back in Hogwarts (but never had time to do it in Daly City though), but I also enjoy flying on my broomstick, learning magic, listening to music, cooking (starting when I returned to the States), and teaching magic to Mari (she did got a wand I gave her for Christmas a few year back). I have since started swimming before I started college, and I work as a journalist these days, so that’s a thing.

Also, I love hanging out with my sisters and our friends, watching shows and films (but not the ones with me in them though), playing video games with the family and friends, and being with Issa.

13. Ever hurt anybody before?

Yeah, I actually did that to some people and creatures, during my Hogwarts years. Not pretty.

14. Ever… killed anyone before?

Killed a former DADA professor by accident through my birth mum’s Sacrificial Protection in my first year, a Basilik in my second year, then several Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts, and finishing off Voldemort at the end. Ouch!

15. What kind of animal are you?

My Patronus is a stag and my birth parents had deers for Patronuses as well, so maybe a deer? If not, perhaps an owl like Rowlet and Hedwig.

16. Name your worst habits.

Hard-headed, sometimes being unable to control my temper, nosy as hell, being rude at times, can be obsessive over stupid things at times, and getting accused for being an arrogant c*nt. Also, having the martyr behaviour of putting others first before me, but I’m just that over-protective, okay?

17. Do you look up to anyone at all?

I kinda did with Dumbledore, even after discovering some unsavory things about him (like his friendship with Grindelwald and possibly murdering his own sister), but nowadays, I look up to the Doctor and my adopted parents moreso than him these days.

18. Gay, straight or bisexual?

Straight

19. Do you go to school?

I went to a normal school for elementary (and it sucked with Dudley’s bullying), went to Hogwarts for 6 years, then I had to take one year of normal high school, before going to college at the same uni as my sisters. Go USC Trojans!

20. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day?

Yeah, I would and so does Issa, but we are not at the right time as of the moment.

21. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls?

Agh, one too many! It’s that embarrassing especially when you’re also the main character of the franchise bearing your name on it, so it was a change in pace that my neighbours didn’t went overboard when I moved to Daly City after the adoption and later after the Battle of Hogwarts.

22. What are you most afraid of?

Losing the people I love the most, bloody Dementors, being in the dark (of the metaphorical kind), and those bloody stupid PIGEONS!!!

23. What do you usually wear?

I’m more of the casual t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers guy, although I have since upgraded my wardrobe for my journalism work in recent years.

24. Do you love someone?

I used to date 2 girls but they ended in disaster. Of course, my family, friends, and Issa especially take a big part in my heart!

25. When was the last time you wet yourself?

Honestly, I don’t recall that much as a baby....

26. Well, it’s not over yet!

Alrighty then...

27. What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class)

Upper middle class, although my birth family was quite wealthy before I was born.

28. How many friends do you have?

Plenty these days, I still have my Hogwarts pals (Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and just recently, Cho Chang with the whole email & FB communications), most of the Weasleys (minus my ex who is also Ron’s sister), Tonks, Remus, my godfather Sirius, and Hagrid, but I also got my sisters, my girl Issa, Kirby, and Vinny. I’m sure I’ll gain more friends over at Daly City and the rest of the world with time.

29. What are your thoughts on pie?

Nah, I like dessert croissants, ice cream, and S’mores better.

30. Favorite drink?

Hot chocolate. You probably think that I’m British therefore I’m drinking tea all the day? Sorry if I broke that stereotype for you. (This is based on a Tumblr ask Daniel Radcliffe answered to on drinks for the promotion of the indie rom-com film What If / The F Word in 2014. - Mari)

31. What’s your favorite place?

I’m gonna say Scotland, since that’s where I used to go to Hogwarts, and San Diego as it’s a lot different in vibrancy compared to Daly City.

32. Are you interested in someone?

I’m dating Issa for 9 years, are you not getting the memo!?!

33. What’s your cup size and/or how big is your willy?

Eww, you’re making me grossed out with that question!

34. Would you rather swim in the lake or ocean?

Ocean. I had swam in a lake once for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament and it was filled with human-eating merpeople! It was horrible, but I was able to my friend and his sister-in-law’s little sister though!

35. What’s your type?

It changed over time from feisty passionate girls (aka my ex Ginny) to strong sensitive women who aren’t afraid to speak their mind out without losing some form of femininity, aka Issa in a nutshell.

37. Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive?

Nope, not gonna answer it!

38. Camping or indoors?

I’m actually partial to both, but I’m more of Team Stay at Home nowadays.

39. Are you wanting the quiz to end?

Thank Merlin, it’s all over!

40. Now it’s over! Tag five people:

Hey, self-shippers! You can answer this at your own leisure.

[tamisdava2]

PMBG: Begining

Yea i decided to write posts about my pokemon blazed glazed, and the main character is my OC Erika.

My name is Erika Oqro, i am 14 years old, and 4 years ago i shoud have started my pokemon journey, but i am stuck here in this damn school, let me explain. I am daughter of Cornelius Oqro, one the biggest businessmans in Tunod region. And when says no, it means no, so he did it when it came my time to go on the journey. My uncle and mother calmed me down, mostly the children of rich people are getting education in schools and then they are going on pokemon journeys or they aren’t going somewhere at all. 

-Erika tell me how many times we told you to stop punching people! 

-Sorry but they deserved it dad, those stupid, idiot, brainless vegetables.

-What people are going to say Erika?

-They can say whatever they want.

-Why are you such a “i fucking dont care” child?

-Because you didn’t let me go on my journey!?

-How many times can i say no?

-Until you wont say yes?

-Seriously Erika someone like you shouldn’t act like a child?

-Again, they deserved it, and what you waited in this damn school? There are only stupid girls that only think about their appearance and they laught like “booo, look she doesn’t wear fashionable clothes” or those stupid boys that laught about everything, and everyone there are so arrogant that i am already sick. Arceus was so proud when he saw the universe all done, but those mother-

-No swearing!

-Ok, those schmucks are so self-proud that even Arceus wasn’t self-proud when he saw this universe done! 

-Can you stop?!

-NO!

-I understand that you are teen and you have hormons and etc but can you calm down?!

-NO! Because you think that i amn’t capable of anything! Even at pokemon journey!

-It will be better for you if you wont go on this journey!

-And what will you order me? To rot in that school where i dont even have friends?

-If you would act differently then you would have friends!

-I’ll never be their friends! AND I AM OFFENDED!

-BY WHAT?!

-YOU KNOW ALREADY!

And then we heared ring ringing, thats when my mom came in.

-Hey guys i came back-and she sighed out, it was that obvious that we were fighting?-dont tell me that you started it again. 

Few mins later i tried to convice my dad again, but it was without success. Then i went to my mom.

-Hey mom how grandma is doing without grandpa?

-She sniffed-she is doing fine, i think.

-So, you said that dad got pretty good reason to hold me here, atleast in his opinion, maybe you should tell me? I am already big girl.

-I really dont want to do so.

-Come on!

-Ok, calm down, when your father was on his pokemon journey with his brother there was an accident that changed his life, that made him forget about his other pokemons, that turned him into the person that he is today.

-And what it is?

-I dont want to tell you that story Erika, but do you know where your father is going every morning?

-On walk? Oh i already understand about what you try to hint =)

-No, you cant follow him while he is on his walk!

-Ok i’ll ignore the last words that you said and i’ll do what you told me to not do.

-DOOONT! Maybe you should ask your uncle instead?

-... Thats actually a good idea, how i didn’t thought about it yet?

And at that evening i called my uncle.

-Hi uncle Jordon, Sorry if i am distracting you from work.

-Dont worry thats fine, i’ll always have time for my niece.

-I have question.

-About what?

-About why dad doesn’t want to let me on my journey.

-Sorry Erika, i told you, i tried to change his decision, but you know your father as well as i do.

-No, i wanted to ask about the accident that happend to him on his journey.

-He was silent for a good 1 minute- Beighid told you that?

-Yea mom did it.

-Well, when Corny will hear that i told you then he is going to kill me. But i think it is time for you to know about it. Corny doesn’t like to talk about it. We both traveled together as children, but when we would get to another city or town we would split up, we would do different things, he fought gym leaders, while i just looked for special places to take photos, we rarely were together and the new friends we found were different from each other, like us. One day we reached to the palmtree, the 7th gym Corny want to buy some Oran berries and some Medicals that costed back then way more than now. And i decided to look at gym, take some photos, and i saw someone running out from there, boy with our ages, he was covered in blood. He ran straight to me, i was shocked, he told me that it was gym leaders fault, he was so rought in battles that he literally killed every trainers’ pokemons that challenged him. League already knew it, the league dismissed him and they hired new one 6 months ago, but not so long time ago he came back and defeated the new gym leader. They say that the league is sending elite 4 and even champion is coming, they are going to defeat him and put him into jail. The boy told me that he went there, because he thought that he would be able to defeat this bloody killer himself, but he failed, and 3 pokemons got ripped apart by sharp rocks. When i heared everything, i was terrafied, because i knew that Corny was coming there, I ran back to the shop, and told him everything, he said that he already heared about it and he still was about to challenge gym. I told him that he doesn’t even has 1 super-effective type pokemon! He told me that his Typhlosion learned Dynamic punch and no matter what his Typhlosian will be able to defeat those stupid rocks. I screamed and yelled at him. He told me that if i’ll defeat him in pokemon battle then he wont go there, i accepted battle, and lose. My pokemons weren’t for fighting, i rarely made them fight and now i regret it. He went in gym, i went to but medicals so i would try to stop him again. It took some time, there was big row, it took 20 minutes to finally take those medicals and to put my pokemons on their feet. I walked to the enterance. then when your father came out, i immeditly noticed by his eyes, that something bad happend. And i noticed little blood drops on his clothes. His eyes were tearing, i asked him what happend, he just stared into emptiness, shocked and confused. Then there came elite 4 and champion himself. They went in we waited 20 more minutes before they came out, there we heared such a loud noises, rocks were smashing and even some explosions, and here the elite 4 came out they were sure hurted and champion came out his eye was bleeding. Then everyone went inside, when i went inside i saw Corny’s dead Typhlosion. After few days Corny and i went back to home, Conry was depressed, he wasn’t smiling for an entire year. He releasd all his 5 pokemons into wild, he said that he doesn’t want to have any touch with pokemons, he blamed everything on himself. We were only 10 years old back there.

-Oh Arceus...

-Now you know everything. But please can you not talk to your father about it. Now you know where he is going every morning, to Typhloson’s grave, he did it all those years.

All night i searched information about this event in internet, i truly found some shocking photos and many other things. The next morning i woke up early and i followed my father, and it truly was pokemon’s graveyards. I followed him, and we came to the lonely grave. There was written Saif.

-Dad.

-He didn’t even turned around-you followed me all the way huh?

-Dad, i understand it hurts, you lost your starter, you dont want the same for me, but league in nowdays are more safer. Alot of years passed, 39 years, and something like it never ever happend again, and it wont happen ever again. 

So after that, few days later, i got permession from both parents for my pokemon journey, if we would be normal people we would waited for an answer from professor and league for month atleast, but my dad beign my dad changes everything.

-Willow, my daughter deserves the best starters that you can ever have, dont dissaping me Willow.

-Sure, it is will be done mr. Oqro.-and he droped the call.

-You know Erika i heared that Willow brought new starters.

-Yes, from sinnoh region: Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup. I also heared that he added to the starters Shinx and Riolu from here.

-So are you sure that you’ll buy everything with your own money? I mean 3/4 of your money should be wasted on your pokemon, but because of your needs everything will be reversed. 

-I’ll be totally fine.[Finally i’ll leave this fucking school]

-About your future missed lessons.

-I know, i gotta learn what i missed this year at summer. [that sucks]

-all summer. Lets go in the kitchen.

-and there was standing my mom and uncle with a cake, they screamed-Happy pokemon journey begining!

I was so happy. My pokemon journey is starting, finally.