Hello all.

Here is a new oneshot for Days of Our Lives, this time exploring the interaction between Lucario and a particularly hungry puffball. On a separate note, the last chapter of Remembrance has been updated, thanks to Souldin's comments and lupyne's support.

Criticism on writing style and such are much welcomed. Thank you for reading!

And without any further ado, please enjoy.

hawk

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Berries and Kids

A sharp ray of light broke through the atmosphere of the Smash Mansion, casting shadows and light onto its exterior walls. The dawn found the blue-furred Aura Pokémon in the Mansion's Garden, unmoving, his black paws raised high above the tips of his ears.

Suddenly Lucario swiped his paw downwards, aflame with blue Aura emanating form it. In one swift motion he turned, following the blow with two kicks and one more strike from both paws. Dropping gracefully to the ground, he kicked in both directions, his hindpaws flaring too with blue fire as he executed a swift series of kicks and punches. After thirty seconds of non-stop movement, dodges and punches, Lucario came to a stop balancing on the tip of one hindpaw, his forepaws held in a defensive stance about him, and his eyes closed in narrow slits, a few blades of grass floating lazily in the air about him.

Tch. Lucario dropped his stance. Shielding his eyes with his paw, he stared upwards, silently admiring the breaking dawn. The sky was now considerably brighter than when he first started, being tinged with a light blue hue, and throughout the Mansion stirring sounds could be heard as some Smashers woke up and sleepily threw off their blankets, yawning.

His morning training completed, Lucario stretched his paws, then padded back towards the Mansion. Making his way to the Mansion's cafeteria, he closed the double doors leading to the Gardens behind him, before turning around and noticing the short Smasher staring up at him.

"Morning." Lucario nodded at Meta Knight, who now sheathed his shimmering sword Galaxia. The Star Warrior had obviously just finished a good round of pre-morning training too, Lucario thought, observing his Aura. Together the two Smashers made their way to the Mansion's canteen, where they sat opposite each other while eating. They didn't talk much, but enjoyed each others' company anyway. Lucario couldn't help but half-smile inwardly every time Meta Knight slipped a piece of food under his mask to eat, while he himself picked Oran berries from a slightly-battered tin can.

---

Lucario walked slowly out of the cafeteria, his paw still digging about in the small tin can for another berry. He got a few in his paw's grasp. Pulling them out, he was about to eat them when suddenly he felt eyes on his back. Turning his head around, he saw no one at first – until he noticed the pink puffball staring back up at him.

Good morning, Kirby. "Poyo," Kirby bobbed his head – his body – up and down a little. His response seemed muted, and at this Lucario's entire body turned. Facing Kirby, Lucario noticed that he had not yet taken his eyes off the Pokémon, but continued to face him with a sort of expectant attitude, his large eyes staring at Lucario's own. Lucario started to feel slightly awkward now, with the pink puffball's large but pleading eyes continually peering upwards at him.

Scratching the back of his head with a paw, Lucario wondered about the reason for Kirby's latest fixation with himself. Kirby was positively transfixed, looking up to Lucario like a baby Pokémon hoping for food – it was then Lucario noticed that Kirby's gaze was constantly shifting between his face and his free paw – but mostly resting on his free paw – the paw holding the mostly-empty tin of Oran berries – Oh.

Lucario poured out the remaining berries onto his paw. True enough, Kirby's gaze shifted from the now-empty can in one paw to the bunch of berries in the other. Didn't know Kirby liked Oran berries, Lucario mused to himself, dropping to a knee and holding the pawful of berries towards the little pink puffball.

Do you want some? At those magic words, Kirby's entire face lit up. The begging expression disappeared completely, and he opened his mouth in a wide smile. Lucario's own mouth formed a small half-smile. A small wind blew past him, causing him to reflexively turn his head to see who had opened the door behind him, letting in a blast of air.

The door was firmly closed. Lucario had hardly time to think further when the small breeze exploded into a violent gust of wind, and Lucario suddenly found himself falling forward.

He blinked once. The environment had changed entirely - literally in a blink of an eye. He didn't see the flooring of the corridors or the wall that was next to him. In fact, he didn't see anything at all. He quickly blinked again, but the inky murkiness and blackness still persisted.

Immediately he tried to move, and that was when Lucario made another startling discovery. The floor had turned slippery, and when he extended his paws to stabilise himself, they met rubbery walls which expanded outwards slightly under his touch. Above all, he couldn't stand up, remaining scrunched up in an uncomfortable position, his tail pressed close to his body and knees brought up to his chest.

What in the – was all Lucario could manage before the next few senses kicked in – the air felt warm – moist even – and there was a distinctive smell of – Lucario made a motion to move, but his hindpaw slid across something roughly spherical and soft, flattening it. Oran berries?

This can't be good, Lucario thought, and sighed audibly.

---

After two seconds of frantic poking, one of Lucario's long forepaws shot through Kirby's mouth. It immediately felt around, feeling Kirby's soft face, before its partner found the mouth too and joined it. Fortunately for Kirby, Lucario took care to not let his paw-spikes come into contact with Kirby. Together they pressed on opposite sides of Kirby's mouth, quickly bringing the tip of Lucario's ears, then his entire head from between Kirby's lips.

Kirby. Kirby seemed surprised at the sound, and looked down to see Lucario's head protruding grotesquely from his own mouth. Spit me out. Lucario guessed that he had made the right decision – calling Kirby while he was still inside his mouth would probably get the little puffball panicked, believing that an invisible Lucario was addressing him.

Kirby obliged, Lucario tumbling out in an unceremonious slump on the floor in front of him. Glancing sideways at Kirby, he realised that Kirby acted as if nothing had happened – and was now waving at him with his trademark greeting "Hii~". Behind him was the large bulk of the penguin self-styled monarch, King Dedede, who had just come out of the cafeteria to witness the scene.

Picking up Kirby with both paws, he presented the penguin with a pink puffball, who now started to wave at him. King Dedede chuckled a little, before being stopped short by Lucario's glare. How do you stop him from doing that?

"Oh, that's simple. Just wave back to him, and he'll –" No, not that... – Lucario's voice carried a little more resignation than normal – I mean where he goes around trying to eat everything he sees! Does it not occur to him that eating something with spikes might just be dangerous? King Dedede chuckled nervously as Lucario gingerly put Kirby's feet back on the ground.

"Ah, there's not much to be done about that," Dedede twirled his hammer a little. "He's just a kid, and needs his food – besides, he eats an insane amount of food anyway. Just don't feed the Kirby, or you'll wind up like that again." Lucario nodded slowly. He ate the can... Dedede laughed. "You won't believe the things he eats. Why, this one time he – " Lucario suddenly turned his head around and looked down.

Kirby was tugging on Lucario's tail. Lucario flicked it right out of his grasp, but Kirby still looked at it with curiosity, trying his best to get his short stubby arms on it. He flung himself at it, but the blue fur twisted just out of his grasp, and he blinked twice before hopping towards the interesting furry tail again. Lucario responded by flicking his tail each time Kirby got close, then ending the short game by brushing against Kirby's face with the tip of his tail. Kirby laughed, then fell over backwards, chuckling softly.

"See? He's just a kid," Dedede looked over at the pink puffball with a mixture of adoration and envy. "Oh well, just don't feed him again and that'll be fine..." Thank you. Lucario bowed, but Dedede clapped him on the back, laughing.

As the two older Smashers turned to head towards the Smash Lounge, Lucario felt another tug on his tail. Kirby held the tip of his tail in one hand, but wore a sad expression and pointed to his open mouth with his other hand.

The kitchen's that way, Lucario pointed Kirby to the door right next to the puffball. Kirby's face brightened once again, and he bounded into the kitchen, the closing door hiding him from Lucario's and Dedede's sight.

"That kid, all he does is eat and sleep!" snorted Dedede, but his voice carried a vague hint of admiration. Hm. Lucario allowed himself a half-smile as they walked down the corridor.

---

The dawn once again found Lucario in the Garden, slashing repeatedly in the air with Aura-powered paws. On his final blow, he kicked powerfully with his hindpaws, drawing his hindpaws backwards, and ended that day's training balancing on the tip of one hindpaw.

"Hia!" A surprised Lucario glanced behind him, and saw Kirby desperately trying to replicate Lucario's actions, but only ended with him achieving momentary balance, toppling over, grunting and yawning.

Maybe you should just stick to Meta Knight's trainings – he would teach you better, Lucario walked with Kirby back towards the double doors leading back to the Mansion, the short puffball happily waddling beside him. "Poyo."

Lucario opened the doors, allowing Kirby to enter first, before shutting it behind them. The two of them slowly walked down the common corridors, the yawning Kirby holding on to the tip of Lucario's tail as they rounded the corner and entered the cafeteria. Breakfast?

Lucario watched with a small smile as the pink puffball – energy miraculously present – sped towards the counters, settling in beside Meta Knight with a veritable mountain of food and waving to the masked warrior from across the small table.