A Tale of Fire
-.-.-.-.-.
Once upon a time, when the wild, untamed lands of Kanto were still ruled by Pokemon, an unforeseen crisis occurred on the island now known as Cinnabar.
The Magmortar that lived inside the great volcano was known to the other islanders as a powerful and wise ruler, and his reign was as long-lived and unchallenged as any before him. To the Fire-types he ruled over, he was perfection in every way and his wisdom was the undisputed law – there were some that even said he was the incarnation of Moltres itself. And the Emperor's daughter, Princess Ninetales, was just as loved, with her strange silvery coat and warm eyes that indicated a heart full of kindness and passion. It was said that her beauty was so otherworldly, she was not even of the mortal realm.
That, unfortunately, brings us to the crisis that Cinnabar Kingdom faced at this time.
A single figure climbed diligently up the stone steps that led to the volcano's crater despite his aching paws. Clad in the armor of a brave samurai, which gleamed with rich tones of red and gold – the colors of fire – he was an imposing Pokemon more powerful than a Stoutland and swifter than a Lycanroc. The knight's name was Arcanine, the greatest in the land of Kanto, and he was here to meet with the Emperor, who had requested a meeting with him beforehand.
Arcanine finally made it over the last step and into a blisteringly hot cavern, one whose walls glowed orange-red from the light of the lava that flooded it. The temperature was so terribly extreme that the air was wavering. A stone bridge extended from the entrance and all the way across the lake of lava to connect with the platform in the very center. Located directly beneath the volcano's open crater, this was where Emperor Magmortar sat upon his throne of igneous rock.
Upon taking the last step off the bridge, Arcanine sunk into a submissive posture with his ears down and belly scraping against the stone floor. "Your Magnificence, you requested an audience with me?" he asked reverently.
"Rise, loyal knight," Magmortar boomed, his slow and powerful voice like the stirring of the lava in the chamber. "I have called you to my throne room under grave circumstances indeed."
Doing as the Emperor ordered, Arcanine rose back onto all fours and cocked his head to the side, curious as to what reason Magmortar had called upon him. He may have been the most revered knight in all of Kanto, but he was still a knight – humble no matter his skill.
"Grave circumstances, Your Magnificence?" he repeated questioningly.
Slowly, Magmortar stood from his throne and descended the many steps leading down to the platform on which Arcanine stood. When he reached his company, he stopped, standing directly before the canine with a serious expression that at first seemed unreadable. But soon, Arcanine realized that the Emperor's eyes, normally blazing with a passion like fire, were dull and swimming with sadness.
"It is my daughter, Princess Ninetales," Magmortar finally rumbled, his defeated sigh sounding like a distant earthquake. "I arose this morning to find her bedchambers ransacked, and the fair lady nowhere in sight."
"A kidnapping?!" Arcanine blurted in horror, then when he realized what he'd said, kneeled apologetically. "Forgive my outburst, Your Magnificence. This terrible news shocked me to my core."
"That is quite alright, sir knight," Magmortar allowed. "I admit I was terribly shocked myself. As soon as I was able to speak again, I had my servants search every inch of the castle I have built inside this volcano. When they came back with nothing, it confirmed my greatest fear – Princess Ninetales has indeed been kidnapped, and the only villain possibly able to pull off such a feat is my oldest and most hated enemy from the northern mountains."
Once again, Arcanine could not contain himself, and gasped so loudly that his red-and-gold armor clanked softly in protest. "Your oldest enemy…? But surely that could not be –"
It took only a nod of confirmation from the Emperor to silence him. "Yes, the notorious warlord… none other than Charizard himself."
The great dragon of the northern mountains was spoken of as nothing more than a rumor or a horror story these days, many years since he had last blighted the many separate kingdoms of Kanto with his fell presence. But in those days, Charizard had been the most feared warlord in all the land, burning down lesser villages with his breath and even going head-to-head with entire armies. Eventually, when Charizard finally traveled to Cinnabar Island in order to conquer it and was soundly defeated by Emperor Magmortar himself, he fled back to his lair and was never seen again. To hear that he was back after so many years of much-welcomed absence… well, Arcanine's bafflement was well founded.
"But why, Your Magnificence?" the canine Fire-type demanded. "What could motivate this fire-breathing scourge of old to reappear out of the blue and steal away the beloved princess?"
The temperature in the crater seemed to increase as Magmortar stomped a foot angrily, the air around him starting to smolder with embers that floated off of his fiery body. Arcanine could not help but take a step back, as the heat was growing too intense even for him.
"Since when does a Pokemon as mad as he need a reason to resume his petty goals of conquest?" Magmortar answered vehemently. "But mark my words, there is a reason this time – my old enemy is doubtlessly out for revenge after I ended his reign of terror in years past. And robbing me of my only daughter, the one Pokemon in all the land I hold most dear to my heart, is the best way he could think of to finally achieve it."
Arcanine was, by now, seething with as much anger as the Emperor. The princess was loved by all Pokemon on Cinnabar, almost as much as the Emperor himself was. Truly, only the most black-hearted and twisted of beings could think to steal away someone so kind, so beautiful, so innocent.
"Your Magnificence, this is why you have requested my presence, is it not?" Arcanine asked, dutifully shifting into a more attentive posture with his head held high and proud. "You wish me to track down the warlord Charizard and bring Princess Ninetales back home to your kingdom of Cinnabar."
"Indeed," Magmortar nodded. "For this task, a special kind of Pokemon is needed. He must be strong in body and in heart, fleet in foot and unwavering in loyalty. Alas, I am none of those things – I am old and tired, and still have the weight of a kingdom on my shoulders. Sir Arcanine, I ask of you… no, plead of you, make sure my daughter returns safely."
For the first time, Arcanine saw his grand ruler's composure crack just the tiniest bit. Magmortar's knees shook slightly and his eyes betrayed the sheer depth to which this loss had wounded him. They were the eyes of a desperate Pokemon, those of a father who had just lost his most precious possession, his only offspring.
In that moment, Arcanine truly felt just how important this request was. Even if he had not been part of the nation of Cinnabar Island, he was still a noble and courageous knight, and it was out of his love of peace and determination to right all wrongs that he decided to take action.
"Yes, Your Magnificence," he said with a reverent bow. "Out of loyalty to you and your kingdom, and to my own good conscience, I will do everything in my power to rescue Princess Ninetales."
-.-.-.-.-.
The journey had been long and tiring, as Arcanine had run like the wind, swift and elusive, for several days nonstop. There was no time for him to rest any more than a few hours each night, not when so much was at stake. Every second he delayed was another second Charizard had to reach his destination – and it was knowledge of this destination that spurred Arcanine on as surely as his dedication to his emperor and kingdom.
The dragon-like Pokemon was flying the kidnapped princess eastward to the lonely Lavender Tower – the place where Pokemon went to die.
It was a journey that passed by with astounding swiftness, but for Arcanine, it felt too long. He traversed the great Viridian Plain, bartered with the Water-types of Cerulean for safe passage across their rivers, and briefly battled with the Grass-type armies of the Celadon Forest. With every delay, Arcanine privately started to doubt that he would ever make it to Lavender Tower.
But finally, the terrain was starting to turn rocky and uneven, the atmosphere was becoming saturated with fog, and the sun was setting and letting darkness greedily swallow up the sky. By pushing his muscles to the limit and running with everything he had, Arcanine had traversed what remained of the Kanto region in less than a single day. In the fading light of day, he could even see the grim obelisk of Lavender Tower silhouetted against the dark blue sky in the distance. Whereas most Pokemon would be dissuaded by the sight, Arcanine was encouraged and rushed forward with the last of his strength.
Only when he reached the valley in which the Tower was built, did he stop. And when he stopped, he noticed for the first time the eerie stillness that pervaded the place. There was nothing here but the fog, the Tower, and the steep mountain walls rising up to entomb those who rested here in eternal slumber. Arcanine didn't even see any Ghost-type Pokemon… but that was a false assurance, as they could easily be closing in on him right now without him knowing.
He forced himself not to think about the fog that chilled his bones, or the beady eyes of the Ghost-types. There was only one thing that mattered.
Charizard was undoubtedly here, and Princess Ninetales awaited his rescue.
The opening to the tower soon yawned wide before him, a cleft in the rock framed by a neatly arch carved into that same stone. Ancient runes were, in turn, carved into the arch, their meanings unknown to Arcanine. When he looked up, the dark Tower loomed high into the sky, its empty windows as black as pitch – and a hollow sound came from within its depths, as if a chilling wind constantly blew through it to comfort all that were brought here in its cold, eternal embrace.
Shivering, Arcanine steeled himself and forced himself not to think about that, or what may lie within the Tower, or anything else. He needed to concentrate on his goal. That was what would get him through.
Immediately upon stepping inside, Arcanine felt an inexplicable chill swallow him up, making his thick fur coat feel useless. Whispering sounds constantly floated in and out of his ears as he progressed into the darkness, which may have been voices but also may have been the wind. Faintly, as his eyes got used to the lower light conditions, he could see the outlines of gravestones sunken into the ground. They stood firmly there in the dark, protecting the bodies they were built to commemorate.
Arcanine strode forward, moving further and further away from the light of the entrance, which he only just noticed now looked so, so inviting. His foot touched metal – a metal staircase, he realized. The knight felt emboldened, knowing that only a set of steps stood in his way to rescuing Princess Ninetales.
(No, he hadn't forgotten about the bloodthirsty dragon.)
Flight after flight he climbed, listening to his footsteps echoing through the vast emptiness on each metal step. Occasionally, he would breathe a tongue of flame to give himself some light, and there was nothing but shadowed walls and gravestones to keep him company. He'd listen to the whispering all around him, and shudder with repressed unease. Maybe it was the spirits, sensing a mortal in their midst and circling close to fill his ears and bones with cold.
Soon, Arcanine stopped. There was light ahead… an uninviting, bluish light.
Cautiously, he entered. The room he found himself in next was still large and filled with gravestones, but narrower and longer than what he had seen so far. Torches lined the walls, a weak blue flame flickering in each one, and they collectively gave the room its dim, cold light.
But at the back of the room, there was what looked like an old altar. In front of it, Arcanine realized with a sudden thrill of excitement and determination, crouched two Pokemon. One was standing tall, its stance tense and aggressive, the flame on its tail leaping wildly and angrily. The other was slumped in a more defeated posture that radiated loneliness and hopelessness, and its once-magnificent tails were drooping and matted with dirt, diminishing their mystical silver glow.
"What do you mean, you can't?!" roared the first Pokemon, clenching his claws furiously. "You have to! You have to!"
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," the second one murmured, her otherwise silken tones dragged down by despair. "There's nothing I can do…"
"NOTHING?!" Charizard bellowed, and dust fell from the decrepit ceiling. "I didn't come all this way to hear you tell me nothing! I swear upon Moltres, if you don't bring him b–"
A Flamethrower roared down the passageway, cutting off the warlord's rant and separating him from Ninetales. Although both were resistant to fire, the sudden heat startled them and drove them back instinctively. They turned around to reveal their surprised expressions, which quickly transformed into rage in Charizard's case and hope in Ninetales' upon seeing the knight standing in their midst.
"In the name of the great Emperor of Cinnabar Island, I demand you release the princess, Charizard!" declared Arcanine.
Charizard responded with his own Flamethrower aimed straight at Arcanine, who managed to avoid it, but not enough to stop his metal armor from growing hot from its proximity. Clenching his teeth to endure the pain, Arcanine kicked off the ground with all his might and used Extreme Speed to barrel into his enemy's gut.
There was a resounding crash as the two Fire-types slammed into the wall next to the altar. Even with his head spinning from the impact, Arcanine could vaguely make out Ninetales' panicked voice telling them to stop. The whispering sounds that he had been hearing ever since entering Lavender Tower suddenly increased, implying that the sudden noise was disturbing the resting spirits.
But Arcanine didn't have a choice. It was his duty to defeat Charizard and bring back –
The orange dragon came charging out of the dust cloud that had bloomed with the impact, claws glowing brightly. The Slash attack smacked Arcanine in the muzzle and sent him tumbling into the side of the altar. An even louder crash rang out into the otherwise silent room, the result of his armor slamming into and toppling the piece of furniture. Now the whispers sounded more like distant shrieks and were accompanied by what looked like transparent figures flying agitatedly back and forth – although it could've simply resulted from Arcanine banging his head against the altar.
He got to his feet shakily, blinking away the flashing motes of color that danced in his vision. Flames were already gathering in Charizard's jaws, ready to be spat out in a blazing rush of red and orange at any moment. Arcanine backed off a pace, his hind leg kicking against some kind of small object. Reflexively, he looked down to see what he had made contact with, and –
"NO!" yelled Charizard, and rushed forward to roughly push Arcanine to the side. Rage all but forgotten, the reptilian Pokemon knelt down and picked up the object, appearing mystifyingly worried about its condition.
Arcanine wrinkled his brow underneath his helmet, confused at the odd behavior the bloodthirsty warlord was displaying. He walked around Charizard's wing to get a better look at the object – and stopped dead, unable to tear his eyes away from what he saw nestled in his foe's arms.
A small, orange form was slumped there with its little tail drooping over Charizard's arm. It bore no life-giving flame, which made its fate horribly clear.
The knight flicked his eyes over to where Ninetales stood, and he locked his horrified gaze with that of the princess. She looked vulnerable and helpless. Slowly, Arcanine started to get a better idea of why Charizard had come here with Ninetales in the first place.
"That's… a Charmander…" he murmured, numbly.
Without looking at him, Charizard answered him in an emotionless voice tinged with an undercurrent of despair. "My grandson. An illness struck him a short time ago, and now he is no longer with me."
Ninetales slid closer to him like she wanted to help in some way, but Charizard acted as though she didn't exist. He silently moved forward and bent down to reverently place the deceased Charmander back on the altar, seemingly not caring if it had been knocked over. Just as silently, he backed away to give the horribly small and vulnerable-looking body some respectful space. The formerly violent and rage-filled warlord had become quiet and meek, his neck and shoulders drooping as if the death of his grandson was a physical burden to bear.
"I brought Magmortar's daughter here against her will," Charizard willingly confessed, his voice similarly weighed down by the loss. He still refused to look at anything but the altar. "It was so sudden. I was desperate. The legends say that Ninetales have a connection to the spirits unlike that of any other living Pokemon, so I thought… I thought that I could make her bring him back to me."
Wordlessly, Arcanine approached until he was standing next to Charizard, his head bowed as he took in the sight of the little body curled up on the altar. He, as well, had lost his motivation to fight. As part of the great kingdom of Cinnabar, and having been given a personal request from the Emperor, Arcanine felt an obligation born out of loyalty to his ruler to bring Charizard to justice. But as a knight, he felt the opposite – the desire to be there in a suffering Pokemon's time of need.
Perhaps sensing this, Charizard made no move to stop him from joining him around the body of his grandson. Ninetales soon joined them, sidling up to Arcanine's other side and leaning sadly against him. Together, the unlikely trio shared a moment of silence for the Charmander resting on the altar, wishing for the child's fortunes to be better in the next life. No Pokemon should have to experience death so early in life, they all recognized – and no grandfather, not even Charizard, should have to go through such agony.
Her voice tight with pain, Ninetales softly spoke up, "I wish I could do something. Truly, I do. But, no matter how much you may want to lash out at me for saying it, there is no way I can help you… except to help you accept your loss. I am uniquely connected to the spirits, this is true – but not even a Ghost-type Pokemon can bring back the dead. I am as powerless as you are, Charizard. I am sorry."
This time, he didn't react. Arcanine cautiously glanced up at him, only to see that his gaze still hadn't wavered from the unmoving form of his grandson, and that there were now tears running down the side of his face and dripping down to stain the floor beneath him.
When Charizard finally spoke again, it was in the voice of one whose own spirit had been broken. "Go. My days of conquest are long over… I no longer desire to bring your people or your emperor harm. My only wish now is to grieve for my dear Charmander. Please…"
Unhappily, Ninetales respectfully backed away from him. As she retreated, she exchanged a look with Arcanine – he could see the expression on her face, like she wished she could do something more, as Charizard had hoped.
But when she next spoke, she sounded resigned. "Let us go, sir knight. He is letting is leave without trouble… and I would not like to keep my father worried for any longer than he has to be."
Arcanine didn't know if anything Charizard said could be trusted. But deep inside, he knew the dragon's grief to be real. He nodded at Ninetales' request, and allowed her to exit first before he followed, his gaze lingering on the slouching orange lizard on the other side of the chamber.
He had not kept his word to the emperor, letting Charizard go free. But Ninetales was safe and on her way home, and another part of him – the knight in him – felt satisfied. He'd rescued the princess, as promised, and he trusted that Charizard was no longer a threat to his kingdom. He'd done his duty. Emperor Magmortar would hopefully be satisfied with that.
Left all alone in the confines of the hallowed Lavender Tower, the once-great warlord stayed still and silent, his head bowed in mourning as, slowly, the disturbed spirits settled back down to continue their eternal sleep.
-.-.-.-.-.
The journey back was longer than before, now that there was no desperate rush. At the first town Arcanine and Ninetales came to, they hired a messenger Pidgey to fly to Cinnabar Island and inform the emperor of their success. It was best to put his mind to rest as soon as possible so he wouldn't spend several more days worrying.
Arcanine hadn't had any thoughts of what travelling back home would be like, but he assumed it would be quiet and uneventful. He certainly didn't fancy any notions of socializing along the way – a knight and a princess engaging in casual socialization? It was unheard of.
And yet, throughout every day of travel and every night spent beside a campfire, Princess Ninetales seemed not to care about this. With flagrant disregard for common social customs, she peppered Arcanine with questions, asked him to tell her about his past adventures, even teased him whenever he showed any signs of discomfort. When he'd mentioned getting captured by the Grass-type warriors of Celadon Forest, she didn't let that go until the next morning.
Uncomfortable with her attempts to strike up a conversation, Arcanine tried his best to remain silent or stem the flow of questions with short, minimalistic answers. But Ninetales was adamant, it seemed, in trying to drag him out of his proverbial shell. Sometimes, she'd stamp her paw and complain – although not so much that she came off as haughty or spoiled – that he was being vague and difficult with her when she was just trying to be friendly.
His standard answer to her complaints was some variation of: "It's improper for a knight to talk so openly with royalty."
Which would most often be met with: "If I have to travel across Kanto for several days and nights with only one Pokemon, I'd like that Pokemon to at least be fun to spend time with."
Every night, Arcanine would look into the campfire and reflect on this. He'd most often be frustrated. It wasn't like Ninetales was being mean or deliberately annoying – she must have been quite bored, honestly, with nothing to do to pass the time on her journey back home. Arcanine, as a knight, was used to being on his own with no company, while she was royalty and not used to being alone.
And, if he was being honest with himself, he found it a little enjoyable to hear the silvery fox poke fun at him, or make a sarcastic comment about the Pokemon they passed by, or put a spin on his tales that made them seem less noble. Normally, wherever he went, he was treated with almost as much reverence and respect as a king was – either that, or he was being attacked by those who were hostile to Cinnabar. He had to admit that Ninetales had a refreshing perspective on life, and he secretly welcomed the amusement she brought to their journey.
Still, he would not waver. He was a humble knight, and she was a princess. It was as simple as that.
"Hey," Ninetales' voice came to him, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Are you trying to see the future in that campfire? Oh, wait, you're not a Delphox. You probably just fell asleep with your eyes open."
Arcanine snorted softly at her remark and looked up, giving her a mildly stern look. The princess was lounging on the other side of the fire, her red eyes sparkling with mischief to match her upturned smile. Despite being a bit disheveled from being out on the road so long, her silvery-gray coat, so different than most of her kind, still glistened magnificently in the firelight. Her beauty could not be denied.
"And now he's staring," Ninetales grinned. "Maybe he actually thinks he's a Natu."
"I like to think I'm a little more dignified than that," he rebutted. "I would recommend getting some sleep, Your Highness. If we arise early tomorrow, we can make it to Cinnabar by sundown."
She gave him a smart remark back – something about finally growing a sense of humor – but otherwise did as he said without fuss. As she stretched herself out and curled up in preparation for sleep, Arcanine once again allowed himself to become lost in thought. Over these many days of trekking back to Cinnabar Island, he'd learned more about Princess Ninetales than he'd ever thought he'd learn. She was not only as beautiful and intelligent as the rumors claimed, but she had a surprisingly playful personality and wasn't all that unpleasant to be around.
In truth, the real reason for his reluctance to interact with Ninetales was that… well, he liked her. He'd never held any notions of one day falling in love, not once in his life, and now here he was – falling for a princess of all things, and the daughter of the emperor he had devoted his life to, to boot. It felt almost like a betrayal.
Troubled, Arcanine realized that he wouldn't be able to set these thoughts to rest in a single night. He, too, needed his rest. He would sleep off his worries and focus on bringing Ninetales back home in the morning.
As he gingerly lay his head down atop his paws and drifted off into slumber, Ninetales hesitantly looked up. Seeing his eyes closed and his back rising and falling with sleep, she made her way over to his side on feather-light paws, careful not to make a sound. She regarded him with a tender, almost pitying look before laying down right beside him, her flank making contact with his.
Peacefully, they slept together like this, each of them keeping the other warm against the night's cold chill.
-.-.-.-.-.
Arcanine watched from the sidelines as Magmortar dissolved into tears upon embracing his daughter, overjoyed to see her alive and well after all that had occurred. He shed no tears, but there was no denying the same feeling of joy welling up inside of him at the sight of the reunion.
"Words cannot capture the emotions spilling forth from inside me," Magmortar said tremulously, a wobbly smile easing his features. "Part of me feared that I would never see you again, dear daughter."
"I'm happy to see you as well, Father," Ninetales replied, with a similar expression. "But you never had to fear. After all, it was your best knight you sent to my rescue, was it not?"
She glanced over and spared Arcanine a knowing smile, to which he stood up straighter, glowing with pride from her praise. When the emperor looked over at him as well, though, he tried not to look too proud. He was to remain a humble knight in the presence of His Majesty, after all.
"Indeed, I should never have doubted that Sir Arcanine would succeed," Magmortar rumbled. His eyes still glistened with joyous tears as he regarded his loyal servant. "Forgive me, sir knight, but it is but a ruler's duty to worry over his subjects, and a father's instinct to worry about his children."
"Of course, Your Magnificence," the canine understood.
Emperor Magmortar nodded, then suddenly frowned, as if remembering something. He checked over Ninetales again, stressing, "You're sure you are not injured? Not after what that infernal reptile did to you?"
She shook her head, somewhat indignantly. "The kidnapping itself was fairly rough, and I could use a bath, but I am overall unharmed."
His face cleared up a little bit when he heard this, but not entirely. "And what of Charizard himself? Surely you battled and forced him to relinquish my daughter, yes?"
He looked directly at Arcanine when he asked this, knowing that the knight was the best Pokemon to give him an answer. Arcanine felt a tiny pang of guilt upon hearing of Emperor Magmortar's expectations, but he answered truthfully and told the full story of what had happened at Lavender Tower, with Ninetales occasionally pitching in to add a detail or two. When they were finished, Magmortar looked grave, but not angry or disappointed.
"So that's how it is," he let out a heavy sigh. "Well, it is not how you did it that matters – the outcome is the same. I sent you to rescue my daughter, and you did so. Whether Charizard lives or not is, at the end of the day, irrelevant."
"He did come ready to battle, and he stopped when he realized what the situation was really like," Ninetales observed, sending another smile in the knight's direction. "He demonstrated both bravery and nobility."
Somewhat shrewdly, Magmortar glanced between his daughter and the bashful knight, as if picking up on something. "You speak of him and his actions with much admiration, my dear. Do you perhaps wish to court him?"
If Arcanine had been drinking something at that moment, he would have spit it out. Having no drink at the moment, his body settled on a slightly more subtle reaction – that of almost tripping over his own feet whilst standing still.
Court him?
The pang of guilt hit him again, but for a different reason this time. He shouldn't be experiencing hope alongside the shock this possibility brought.
Ninetales made a big show of considering her father's words, deliberately drawing out her response as just another way of playing with Arcanine. "I wouldn't be averse to giving him a chance. He's brave and loyal, he's a hero to the kingdom and he has your complete trust, Father. Plus, I won't deny that he's good-looking, either," she said contemplatively.
"W-Wait, Your Magnificence!" Arcanine managed to blurt, feeling the shock wearing off a little bit. "I'm… I-I'm flattered, b-but I'm a – and she's a – and that doesn't – wh-what I'm trying to say is…!"
He blushed heavily under his fur when Emperor Magmortar started chuckling, a sound that brought to mind bubbling lava. Ninetales' eyes were twinkling with mirth at his sudden bout of floundering, making a wave of heat rush through him.
"In all seriousness," she giggled a little, stepping forward to address Arcanine more directly, "I would like to get to know you better, Sir Arcanine. You weren't exactly the most talkative Pokemon out there on the road, you know."
Cautiously, Arcanine shot a furtive glance in his emperor's direction. Magmortar caught it, and his smile grew a little wider, silently reassuring his knight that he had nothing to fear from him. If the princess wanted to court the brave Pokemon that had gone to such lengths to save her from peril, what kind of a ruler – or indeed, a father – would he be if he denied her?
He had his unwavering faith in Arcanine, and always had. That was the unspoken message his expression sent to the canine, soothing his fears.
"Very well," Arcanine nodded, and bowed low to show his respect and gratitude to the two royals. "I promise that I will be as reliable, honorable, and trustworthy as I have always strived to be for you, Your Magnificence, Your Majesty."
A wry grin was present on Ninetales' muzzle as she playfully poked him with one of her silvery tails. "Well, that's a relief. Now get out of that ridiculous bow and come join us for dinner. You must be exhausted and hungry."
Arcanine stood up at her request, only to catch her giving him another teasing look. "And I'll have one of the servants draw you a bath. I don't want you getting your fleas all over the palace, sir knight."
He wrinkled his nose at her, taking mild offense to her remark, and she merely poked her tongue out at him in response. That action was so unexpected and immature that he reacted with amusement, giving her the same rude gesture on impulse. That got a bark of laughter out of her, and Arcanine grinned proudly even as she jabbed him with her tails again.
Emperor Magmortar, seeing this playful exchange, inspired a rumbling series of chuckles from him. Oh, to be young again… he could see that Arcanine liked Ninetales, and Ninetales was similarly interested in Arcanine. When one had ruled this land for as long as he had, it was easy to spot where young love sprouted and later blossomed.
Arcanine was a skilled and courageous knight, and Emperor Magmortar knew that he was totally devoted to his duty and to the kingdom he served. Indeed, he could be trusted with Princess Ninetales' safety, and eventually, her love.
And, someday, Magmortar knew that he could be trusted with the kingdom as well.
-.-.-.-.-.
It's finally done. Sorry for the delay, I really wasn't that enthusiastic about the pairing and it took a long time to figure out how to do the ending. I'm still not entirely satisfied with it, but I hope the person who requested this likes it.
It's particularly disappointing because I was looking forward to writing the "knight saves the princess" narrative, but in the end I had no idea how to finish it. Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but it feels sloppy to me.
I'm planning on making this a series of sorts, so if there are any Pokemon you'd like to see me pair up, feel free to send a request. (Next story will be an unusual request – Krookodile x Beautifly! This will be interesting!)