The golden-colored jolteon treeked slowly through the field with her head bent down and her heart filled with a mixture of joy and fear. It had been almost three days since the headache and nausea began and she was hoping it was some sort of sickness that was passing by. Unfortunately, the headaches had not left and the nausea had continued to plague her; she was already coughing up large amounts of excess waste from her body each day and it hasn't even been a week. Although she had prayed to Arceus that it wasn't what she thought it would be, the jolteon had a strong feeling that it was what she dreaded it would be. When she made it to the top, the golden pelt jolteon could already make out the silhouette of the ranch house her caretakers lived in. Hopefully, the Pokemon she was hoping to speak with was in there and not him.
Please, let her be in. she prayed desperately.
"Jolt," the luxray spoke calmly toward the nervous Pokemon. "Is that you?"
The golden pelt jolteon quietly made her way into Luxray Voltclaw's guestroom.
Voltclaw could already sense the uneasiness prickling through the young jolteon's quills as her body continued to shake uncontrollably.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
Jolt continued to stare at the ground. When she lifted them to face Voltclaw, the luxray could make out a multitude of emotions that were surging through the jolteon's emearld-colored eyes. "Can we talk?" her voice sounded like a plead instead of a request.
With a beckon of her tail, Jolt found herself seated on a mat while Voltclaw began stretching her legs before sitting back down. A smile appeared on the jolteon as she watched the older Pokemon; although her mane looked dull and her eyes looked dry, the female luxray was still as wise and beautiful as she always been. After she had finished, Jolteon licked the tip of her paw and forced her fur to lie flat before turning her attention toward the older Pokemon.
"Well, what seems to be the problem," Voltclaw asked. "Have your sickness gone away yet?"
"No, mam." Jolt said flatly.
"Well," Voltclaw went on." I hope you get well soon."
Jolt did not say anything.
"So how are you and Aura doing?"
Jolt immediately perked up at the name of her mate. "We are doing quite well," Jolt exclaimed. "Being the 'Mate of the Shadowaura' has its perks, you know!" Jolt smiled at the thought of her mate, Riolu Aura, formally known as the 'Shadowaura' Pokemon. Originally, he was a shadow Pokemon who was trained to fight and kill other Pokemon. He, Voltclaw, along with the others, including their master, decided to betray the cindicit and begin saving other shadow Pokemon who needed it. In the past, Jolt utterly despised the actions Aura and the others had done, but somehow, she managed to see past all that evil, and gotten to know him better; it wasn't long before they became offical mates after that.
"I bet it does." Voltclaw chuckled hoarsely before continuing. "So, what is it that you need me for?"
The lightning-type Pokemon fell silent as her head gazed onto the mat she was sitting on. Voltclaw could already see that something was wrong, but she didn't want to put any pressure on the youngling unless she felt like she could speek freely. Finally, Jolt raised her head to face Voltclaw and oddly enough, a mixture of pride and anexiety spiraled behind those emerald eyes of her.
"Voltclaw," Jolt took a deep breath before continuing. "I believe I am expecting a youngling."
Voltclaw went completely still. Jolt nearly cringed as her eyes switched from concern to serious. Her teeth was baring, her fur was bristling, and her expression was as sadistic as a houndoom's snarl.
"You're what!"
Jolt nearly fell back in fear but she stood her ground. When she saw the menacing look in the older Pokemon's eyes she lost her ability to breathe properly.
"Jolt..." Voltclaw growled.
Out of fear, Jolt closed her eyes and shouted, "I'm expecting!"
When she opened her eyes, she saw that Voltclaw had a look of sympathy written on her face; Jolt managed to breathe again, knowing that her friend had calmed down. Once the two dame re-adjusted themselves onto the mat, Voltclaw closed her eyes to assess the predicament the young jolteon and how to deal with it.
"How are you certain that you are right?" Voltclaw asked while her eyes were closed.
Jolt placed a paw on her stomach before continuing. "I can feel it...I can hear a second heartbeat trying to match my own even though it's not mine, and I whenever I close my eyes to sleep, I see a weak but present light before me."
Voltclaw began to ponder this as the young jolteon continued to speak.
"Have you and Aura ever considered having younglings'?" Voltclaw asked.
Jolt looked down at the round silver ring that was wrapped around her left paw. "I asked him about it, but he discarded the idea," she spoke with a hint of sorrow in her voice. "He said that he wouldn't be much of a father."
Typical. Voltclaw thought. More likely, he doesn't want to suffer.
"I know I should worry," Jolt whispered. "But instead...I feel happy."
Voltclaw opened her eyes to see Jolt perk up a bit.
"I know about the dangers of a Shadow Pokemon being born, but I'm not worried."
Unlike normal Pokemon reproduction, Shadow Pokemon reproduction can life-threatening; although male Shadow Pokemon are designed to breed with any existing female Pokemon, the chances of development occuring is impossible because the genetic coding is too altered. If a male shadow were to mate with a female shadow, the chances of them reproducing is possible, but because of the difference between the couples genetic code the mother could die while giving birth. Also, the youngling itself could be affected by this: disfigurement and early deaths are the possible outcomes, and the chances of that occuring was great-espically when the Pokemon is giving live birth. The only Pokemon to survive and give live birth was the same female shadow Jolt was speaking to right this minute.
"Was it painful?" Jolt asked.
Voltclaw was surprised to hear the young jolteon's question, to which she answered. "It's excruciatingly painful," the lion Pokemon spoke calmly. "It felt as if a pack of Weaviles were slashing at my underbelly. I truly thought I was going to die until it finally came to an end.!" Voltclaw gave a rasp laugh even though Jolt knew it was fake. She knew that there were some things the older Pokemon didn't wish to discuss, one of them being her son. Voltclaw noticed her sympathetic gaze and immediately changed the subject.
"Have you informed Aura of this?" Voltclaw asked.
"Informed me about what?"
Jolt was about to respond when all of a sudden, the door opened and appeared her mate, Riolu Aura, accompanied by Croconaw Sharpteeth and her little brother, Shadow Eevee. charmander dung! Jolt cursed in her mind. Of all the times he could've come! All three Pokemon stood there wondering what they have misssed.
"What is it you two were about to tell me?" Aura asked again with a hint of worriness in his voice.
With a glare from Voltclaw, Sharpteeth took Shadow out of the room and made their way outside, ignoring his questions. Afterwards, Voltclaw made her way outside, but not before giving Jolt a nod in approval. When the couple were alone, Aura stood where he was, awaiting his mate's explanation.
"Jolt," Aura asked the young jolteon. "What is going on?"
Jolt looked at her beloved once more before continuing: his navy blue fur and black zigzag patch was well-groomed and shone darkly in the room and his golden eyes attempted to pierce her very soul. Unlike normal riolu's, he was as tall as she was whenever she stood on her lower legs, he has two pairs of black stripes wrapped around her arms and his three bangs covered parts of his face; another thing that seperated him from other riolus' was his genes. His genes were altered with shadow essence that made him into a full-fledge, shadow-type Pokemon. He's technically considered a lucario by some, but because of his genetics, he's still considered a riolu by some.
"Jolt!" Aura shouted, bringing back Jolt from her mind-state.
Jolt saw the seriousness in his eyes as golden pupils began to burn. Gathering the remainer of her courage, Jolt walked to her mate and told her what she was hiding from him. "Aura," she spoke boldly. "You're going to be a sire, I'm carrying your young."
Time seemed to have stopped as the news of Jolt reached his ears and found their way to his brain. He stared at his mate in disbelief as his head tilted downard a bit. Jolt is...expecting? Aura turned to his mate to see a trace of fear and anexiety floating in her eyes. Instinctively, he held out his arms and embraced Jolt in a loving hug. Jolt was almost stunned by his actions but didn't respond. Instead, she accepted the hug and wrapped her paws around the Shadow Pokemon, returning the favor.
The two did not say a word, out of fear of ruining the moment. When Aura finally spoke, his voice sounded weak and dry.
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be." Jolt replied.
She licked the tip of his head, indicating the riolu that things were going to be alright. Aura doubted the idea because he knew of the possible hardship they would have to go through when caring for their unborn child. Still, it was nice of Jolt to try to cheer him up.
"Everything will be alright," Jolt whispered soothingly to her mate. She looked to see Aura trying desperately not to shead a tear for her sake and had to comfort him. "You'll be a good father-I just know it."
Aura pressed his face further into her pelt at hearing her gentle voice. As he did so, he sent a silent thank-you to Arceus for giving him a mate like her, even though he didn't deserve it.
"Thank you," He whispered as a single tear rolled down his face. "Thank you..."