Chapter 7: Forthcoming Generational Shift

Two weeks have now passed since the incident with the Feraligatr occurred. The morning begins bright and early on a pleasant May day, the skies clear to the horizon and the air crisp with a gentle moist coolness from the lake's proximity. Aquamarine is up earlier than usual at the crack of dawn, Leafy still fast asleep. However, shortly after awakening, she notices something unusual: her monthly period that would normally happen on roughly the last day of the first full week of the month did not begin on schedule. "That's weird. This hasn't ever happened to me before ever since I started having them. I hope everything's all right…," she thinks, explaining the situation to Leafy as soon as he wakes up. "That does sound strange. Are you sure this hasn't happened before?" he asks, making sure to cover all his bases with this before making any conclusive judgment calls. "Yeah, positive. Perhaps we should wait 'til tomorrow to see if it still doesn't start?" she suggests. "Good idea, we'll do that. I hope everything's okay, especially since that dumb Feraligatr did a number on you a couple weeks ago," he notes, sighing at the thought of any residual damage to his wife's body. They spend the rest of the day postulating on any further reasons this might have happened.

The next day, the results remain the same: Aquamarine still has not begun her monthly period. "Honey, this is worrisome. I think we should ask someone else more knowledgeable than us about such a matter. Another mammal, too, and female at that, since this seems to be something only you guys experience," Leafy explains. "Say, I know someone that could be perfect for the job. There's this elderly Floatzel I met by the riverbank one day a couple years ago not too long after I first discovered this place. We're good friends now, and I'd bet an entire sitrus berry bush she'd likely know something about this. C'mon, let's go!" he states excitedly, leading Aquamarine about a quarter mile up the river from the point it converges into Lake Watercress.

Arriving at a small den by the riverbank, Leafy acknowledges that they are at their destination and enters the mouth of the den with Aquamarine right behind him. "Florence, it's me, Leafy! Remember?" he calls into the den, waiting patiently for a response. Surely enough, an older-looking female Floatzel walks carefully toward the entrance of the den, a bright smile lighting up her white-muzzled face. "Hello Leafy, it's been quite some time since we last met. I see you and Aquamarine are still together, just as you mentioned previously. Are you two mates now?" Florence inquires, offering her paw for Aquamarine to shake. "Pleased to meet you ma'am!" Aquamarine says as she graciously shakes her paw, smiling. "Why, such manners! What a fine young lady you've been blessed to have, Leafy! You should be forever grateful for her," Florence advises. "Oh yes, I'm certainly most grateful for her, to God most of all. We're indeed mates now, as you already surmised. We actually came to visit you to ask you an important personal question about Aqua. Baby, go ahead and ask her it, if you please," Leafy states.

"Sure thing honey. Anyway, Florence, yesterday morning, I woke up and discovered that I had skipped my monthly period, which always usually occurs the last day of the first week of each month. That's always been the case since I first started having them couple years back, and I found it very unusual that I had neither the scent of it nor the urge to expel it. Today, the same thing happened, and we're wondering if something's wrong with my body or if this is somehow normal. So, Florence, do you have any idea as to how or why this is occurring to me?" Aquamarine questions with a long sigh, looking over at Leafy for comfort. "Hmm… is this the first time this has happened since you first became committed mates to one another?" Florence asks. "Why yes, I do believe it is. Does that matter?" Aquamarine replies. "That depends… I assume you two have already been trapped in the clutches of deep romantic passion at least once since that time?" Florence wisely inquires, a small smirk creeping upon her face. "Oh, heh heh, well… yeah. What do you naturally expect, really? We're young, in love, and share the same den now, so yeah. Multiple times now, too, in case you're wondering about that as well," Leafy reveals, chuckling in slight embarrassment and blushing beneath his facial fur along with Aquamarine. "Just as I suspected, then. I do believe the answer to your problem is none other than this: Aquamarine, you're pregnant! There's no other logical explanation for this, I'd imagine. That's the best my elderly instinct would say, though. I had a mate myself for many years before he eventually passed on to the next life around the time you would've been just a young pup, Leafy. Of old age, thankfully, rather than due to predators or disease," Florence concludes, Leafy's and Aquamarine's jaws dropping at the word pregnant.

A moment of awkward silence ensues before Leafy eventually gets the gumption to speak up. "You mean… Aqua and I are gonna be parents?!" he queries, still stunned at that prospect being true. "Gonna be? You already are, Leafy. Life does begin at conception, after all. As your elder, I can assure you both of that very fact," Florence expresses honestly. "This news… it's amazing! It's exciting! It's almost hard to believe, but Leafy, we're parents! Parents, Leafy! P-A-R-E-N-T-S! Can you believe it?!" Aquamarine remarks hysterically, shaking almost uncontrollably with pure excitement. "Yeah, it's awesome! I can't wait to live life as a complete family, heh!" Leafy exuberantly proclaims. "Well, I wish the best for you both in doing so. If you ever need a pupsitter, come see me sometime and just let me know. I'll do my best, despite it being many years since I last raised a litter myself," Florence offers, giving the two a pair of rare berries, one wacan berry and one yache berry. "Cultivate a hefty crop of those, and you'll be well protected against two of your most common type weaknesses, respectively. Godspeed Leafy and Aquamarine, and may your heavenly faith light your path and your love for one another forevermore!" Florence blesses them, giving them each an approving hug before bidding them farewell for the day.

The rest of day comes slowly for Leafy and Aquamarine, as they begin discussing all their future plans for their expected children. From names to games, feeding to reading, and teaching to preaching, their conversations cover a broad range of family-oriented topics. Leafy also takes time to plant the two berries they received from Florence, as well as some sitrus berries, too. "You can never have too many sitrus berries, as I've always said. They're basically free healing items, in addition to a key ingredient to many tasty meals," Leafy says while discussing his primary reasons for gardening with Aquamarine. His secret technique is to use his natural grass powers to stimulate growth in his crops so they bloom and bear fruit much faster than usual, while Aquamarine waters them with her own natural water powers combined with an abundant source of local fresh water in Lake Watercress, assuming it has not rained too much lately. Individually, either one of those techniques would be rather ingenious, but together, they are a truly winning cultivation combination. "Leafy," Aquamarine says while watering a few of the vegetable plants already growing there, "do you really think we'll do well at raising our pups? I'm still a bit nervous about it all, 'cause you really only get one chance per litter to do it right." "Hey, I'm confident in our abilities as both marriage partners and parents, so I believe we'll do just fine. Remember that as long as we remain faithful to Him, God will lead our way through life in all things, big and small," Leafy reminds her, giving her a loving nuzzle between examining plants for any signs of blemish or blight. "Yeah, I know. We'll continue to trust in Him always, no matter what!" Aquamarine chimes cheerily, finishing watering the row she is currently on and beginning the next.

That night, after another wonderful dinner from scratch as always, the two young Eeveelution mates decide to finish marking the occasion of identifying Aquamarine's pregnancy by reading a small Bible passage together curled up by the fire. "'Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks to his enemies in the gate.' – Psalms 127:3-5. Interesting… children are, according to this, a reward. I couldn't agree more Aqua! How about you?" Leafy reads, pausing to await his mate's answer. "Totally baby!" she replies, yipping briefly and flicking her tail playfully against his. "Heh heh, all right. Well, that concludes our nightly Bible reading. On this note, I believe we should go celebrate the means by which we originally conceived our pups, don't you Aqua?" Leafy hints, suggestively growling under his breath and winking at Aquamarine. "You know I can't resist ya you lovable furball you!" Aquamarine replies, giggling like a big pup herself. After putting the fire out safely for the night, the two playfully trot over to their den together and fulfill their loving desires for one another, eventually passing out in each other's arms. With their plans for the future decided upon and their desire for one another and their imminent pups stronger than ever, their lives seem to be headed in the right direction, God Himself being their faithful guide from on high as they journey to life's next destination for them. No matter what might come upon them, whether good or bad, one thing was certain: they would find a way to get through it all no matter what, for even in death, all things shall be made new for God's faithful!

The End!