Chapter 2: A fox named Fox

Tsuna probably would have left the conversation trail off there due to his hikikomori social skills.

However his mother was not burdened by hikokomori social skills and was actually intensively active in both the local and pokegroomer communities; she had actual adult social skills!

She could also pretend to not notice things so well that people thought she was a bit dim instead of polite; world-class grooming skills did not appear without a brain. Today, his mother was pretending that the awkwardness between him and Daemon didn't exist.

She did it quite well; lots and lots of practice with various topics and things. It worked well for her, but not for Dame-Tsuna.

"So what are you going to name your Fennekin, Tsu-kun?"

"Er," He stalled, while trying to think of an appropriate name.

"I suggest something that his Fennekin won't outgrow. So nothing like Fennel as Fennekin evolves into a Braixen and then a Delphox." Daemon suggested. His Ninetales' name was Maria right? Not that it was Tsuna's place to say so, but he thought people that gave pokemon people names were a bit strange.

"Well, Tsu-kun has to be grown-up in his own way. He can't borrow Papa's naming scheme!"

"Naming scheme?" Daemon asked in what Tsuna knew was something like morbid curiosity and dread; something Tsuna felt anytime his father was mentioned. The ferries to, from and around the Gravity Isles had issues on a regular basis but television never had that problem and his mother was an avid watcher of all of his father's events; that he hosted or participated in. Sawada Iemitsu spent far more time on the small-screen in the house than actually in the house. He hadn't even visited for years.

It was also terrible that most of his classmates also did watch the same shows for the same person if for a different reason; his father was embarrassing for Tsuna. For everyone else, he was very entertaining and ammo to make fun of his son with.

"Spices and herbs! Parsley is his Pyroar, but he has Salt and…" Nana continued to say, listing a few more pokemon as an example.

"Can I not name it?"

"Him." His mother reminded him. "And while some trainers don't name their pokemon, I believe that naming pokemon allows for new trainers and pokemon to bond faster, so long as the pokemon likes the name of course."

Which meant his mother would be disappointed if he didn't, especially since this was his first pokemon. His starter.

What to name his starter… there was a reason he nearly flunked the art classes too. Creative he was not. If anything, he was distressingly dull.

Some sort of quality? Fennekin were a fire-type, warm and fluffy. Liked to eat twigs, from what he could remember. The fur in the ears could get brittle due to the heat that the fox-type pokemon could give off.

Maybe something like the pokemon's nature? No, he hadn't really spent much time around Fennekin, but Tsuna was certain that the fox was of a more serious nature than his mother's Furfrou, Puff. It was probably a good sign for him except, it didn't solve the name issue.

Naming it -him- after a color would be shallow and a cop-out, and well… there really wasn't a clever name he could think of that didn't involve Inari, the fox god or some sort of pop culture about foxes. He really should use his pokedex for more than games but he had beta-tested a lot of the apps for Shoichi and his more normal online friend Spanner. At this rate he'd have to name his fox-pokemon Fox.

There was an idea. Foxes…. Fennekin was a fox and it was probably the most clever thing he could think of.

"Fox." He decided, seeing how the Fennekin adjusted to the new name.

"You named your fox-pokemon, Fox." Daemon said. Tsuna heard tones of incredulity with 'you simple-minded twit' coloring his voice. It was the very sound of cultured offense. It sounded like Tsuna had just offended Daemon down to his bones.

Good.

(His poor self-esteem has not only died but has been mutilated. It is probably a just revenge. Not quite mutually-assured destruction but close enough for Dame-Tsuna.)

"What a wonderful name Tsu-kun!" His mother cooed. "What do you think Fox?"

Fox the Fennekin yawned.

"I think he doesn't mind it." Tsuna said. Plus with this sort of name, he could remember it. It wasn't an elegant name but Tsuna wasn't an elegant person either. Besides the only 'elegant' name he could remember was Voltair at the moment and he wasn't sure who that was. Some history-person so it was off of his potential name list because it was a person's name anyway. Plus it really was terrible of him history-wise considering he was named after a shogun of some other region. He could never remember if it was Johto or Kanto though as some sort of family tradition thing.

He may have relatives over there on his father's side of the family, so it was best to avoid them in case they were like his father; he could also have traveling relatives but no one bothered a hikikomori who had no redeeming skills and few people came to the Gravity Isles anyway. What was Daemon doing here anyway?

And while Fox was a 'plain' name, it was a little better than Puff for a Furfrou right?

"He looks a little bored. Do you know how to battle pokemon? Or even defend yourself?" Daemon asked, in a pained voice. Like he was asking why Tsuna was so pathetic. Was Daemon expecting something from him that wasn't Dame-Tsuna?

"Um, yeah." Because all those hours playing games on his pokedex had to be good for something right? And while he had generally the worst stats in the subject of physical education at school, the Gravity Isles also included a mandatory self-defense course involving lots of things. Tsuna had paid attention during those and his skill at dodging was very good until his horrible stamina caught up with him. Then he was doomed.

"Good. Let's see how you and Fennekin do." Daemon suggested in a way that was pointedly not a suggestion.

His mother and new pokemon were all for it too. Traitors.

There was a small clearing not too far from his mother's home. With two fire-types, there was a lot of reasons to not have them 'battle' inside his home.

Not unless Daemon was going to use a different pokemon and then they'd still have a fire-type pokemon fighting inside.

"Maria, are you willing?"

The Ninetales did not look willing. In fact she looked distinctly unimpressed and offended to be asked. Sassy then? Maybe some other nature; Ninetales lived a long time.

"Ah, so another pokemon then. Come Dawn." Daemon called. One of the pokeballs on his belt cracked open, revealing an Espeon. Daemon was psychic then? Had to be.

Fox howled and then spat embers at the Espeon.

Espeon quickly dodged the burning embers, bouncing off a tree and-

"Fox, dodge and scratch!"

The little fox pokemon did so, scoring a glancing blow on the Espeon. That's right, Tsuna remembered. Espeon fur was very sensitive and Dawn's tail was twitching so it was using its psychic powers to determine the flow of battle.

Well, mom did say she got Fox from the breeder and breeders were all about teaching pokemon moves they didn't normally learn from their other parent species. Plus Mom didn't really deal with sub-par breeders so best to take his chances here.

"Make a Wish and follow it up with Heat Wave." Tsuna ordered. Fox sat on his haunches and put his little paws together. To make a wish. That was terribly cute.

"Swift" Daemon called out; mostly for Tsuna's benefit. Stupid psychics and their psychic pokemon not having to speak to coordinate attacks.

The Swift hit, but so did the recovery effect of the Wish. Then the Heat Wave hit the Espeon, but was too weak to do a significant amount of damage.

"Quick attack." Daemon commanded, and his little Fennekin was done in and rolled right into Tsuna's legs.

"Good job Fox." Tsuna told the little bundle of fur, reaching to pick the Fennekin up. Fox had bit him. "Ouch! Mom, I'm bleeding." He said holding up his hand.

"Oh, poor Tsu-kun! I'll bandage that right up." She promised.

"Mrs Sawada, if Tsuna's going to be leaving on his pokejourney soon, shouldn't he know how to bandage his own wounds?" Oh, there was the polite condescending vocal sub-text again.

"Oh, right. I just want to fuss over him some more, before he leaves. He's just grown up so fast that I just can't help myself."

"Aw, mom don't cry." Tsuna told her. "I'll be fine. Daemon will bring me back in a year, and I'll be all healthy and happy with lots of stories to tell you."

"Promise?"

"Well, we could be a little late if the ferry goes out." He admitted. The benefit of this sort of promise was that Daemon couldn't kill him and drop his corpse in a ravine or in the ocean somewhere until after Tsuna had seen his mother at least one more time.

The only drawback would be spending a year with the creepy psychic Daemon and his pokemon but that would happen anyway; this way Daemon at least had to return him to his mother.

Author's Notes: Finally put up on this site. Also Fox's nature is not set in stone; pretty sure it is a seriously serious little Fennekin though.