A/N: Massive trigger warning for the Rape/Non-Con. If you're sensitive to that, you might want to skip this chapter entirely, or only read the summary. Past here, we're safe from active, explicit rape. It will all be only dialogue and remembering it.

Summary: Ross is trapped in Talbot's basement and suffers the abuses Talbot inflicts. He's already lost track of how long he's been there when another prisoner, Lucario, starts to offer himself to be raped to spare the rest of the captives. Lucario's attempts work, to an extent, but when Talbot comes down angry and targets Ross, it only makes things worse for the both of them.
Trapped together, their only comfort is each other, and they take from that what they can. But then Talbot comes in a rage beyond anything they'd seen before, and he ferries Ross off, alone, to the Hideaway, where he is left for someone else to claim. Three people try, but Ross uses his powers of illusion, inherited from Rocco, to impress them and trigger an argument over who will claim him. Using that as a distraction, he is able to look around enough for a Hideaway host to recognize him.

Talbot had had one goal in mind regarding Ross. Ross knew that. He recognized it right away. He wanted to break him. And, Ross thought, curled up once again on the concrete, covered in dried fluids and reeking of all manner of things, Talbot had succeeded.

He didn't accept his situation, he didn't get used to it, or hate it any less. He just gave up. Gave up hope of escaping. Gave up hope that his friends would find him. He couldn't count the days, the number of times Talbot had used him. He'd lost all sense of time.

The only glimpse of the passage of time he got was Talbot's clothes – he remembered enough from a fashion career to know that they were entering spring – and then more time passed and he lost track again. Every once in a while, very rarely at first, Talbot would come down and string him up like usual, but rather than using him he would get a bucket and a rag and clean him until he was spick and span. In those moments, the only evidence of what had been happening to him was the chafing around his wrists and ankles – that only an irritation because Talbot had lined the cuffs, so that when he was taken to another location and used by strangers who'd come to fuck the rumored hybrid, they would not have any idea what Talbot had been getting up to in his own home.

Part of him thought he'd given in too easily. Another part thought it was too familiar. He had no power. He had no choice. What point was there in struggling? It eventually reached the point where Talbot didn't even bother to lock him up. He was kept in the basement, bound when he was taken out, and released in whatever new room. The people who paid Talbot for him appreciated that. They liked to think they weren't raping him. They liked to think that they were good people.

And what was the point of fighting back? He wouldn't escape. Talbot was outside the door. When a girl wanted him to take control, he was in no more control than when Talbot had him in the basement. When she bent over for him, he had no more choice than when he was bent over.

It was all the same.

He pleasured because he had no choice. He submitted because he had no choice. He dominated because he had no choice. The role didn't matter, because it never truly changed, no matter where he was laying in the bed.

Enough time had passed that Talbot got bored of him. When he wasn't being used to make money, he was thrown to the corner, to watch as Talbot used another pokémon. An expressionless delcatty, a terrified smeargle, a crying zweilous.

Sometimes, one of them would call for help. Cry desperately for something that wasn't there. Ross just hugged his knees and tried to block out the sound.

That was one interesting thing that happened because of the fusion. He could understand pokémon. Shame that the only words he hears are those ones.

He didn't know when it happened, only that Talbot had taken a grumpig who was crying for mercy. Another captive, a lucario, jumped in and pushed Talbot off of her.

Ross stared, terrified and in awe of this lucario who was braver than he. He winced when he saw that the metal spike on the lucario's chest had been filed down to a mound. He'd seen that particular pokémon, of course, they were trapped together, after all, but no one ever spoke and neither did he, so he didn't think anything of him.

Talbot flared with anger. He rose his fist to strike the lucario, but rather than fight, the lucario just turned around, lifted his tail, and presented himself to Talbot. The angry fist lowered. "That eager, are you? Fine then."

Talbot was excessively rough on the lucario. He normally wasn't the gentlest, but he was careful because all of them in that basement were merchandise that he needed to let others use. He couldn't damage them physically too badly.

But clearly the defense of the grumpig was a transgression that required punishment, even if it meant that the lucario couldn't be sold for a few days.

Truthfully, that money would not even be noticed by Talbot. Ross wondered why he even bothered whoring them out when he was already sitting on more money than he could possibly spend.

He turned his back on the scene.

In that basement, he had a lot of time to think. Ross. I should probably change the name, shouldn't I? It was given to me by a man who sold me into this. There are no good things about this name. He remembered playing with Amy, smiling and laughing as she pulled gently on his ears and screamed as he ran around with her on his shoulders. That's not entirely true, but by and large.

Still. I don't know how long I've even had this name, yet… I suppose a name just describes a person. I can't get rid of this experience, so shouldn't the name reflect that?

I guess it doesn't matter. Not like anyone will ever use a name for me again.

Talbot came in again. Lucario cut him off at the stairs, presenting himself before Talbot even undressed.

Ross turned away once more. Idiot.

"Hey." Ross was shaken awake by a paw on his shoulder. He turned to see who had bothered him and found the lucario kneeling over him. Ross growled softly and turned away again. "Hey." The lucario said again. "Can I talk to you?"

Ross sighed and sat up. No one's ever tried to talk down here. May as well hear him out. Might be nice. He tilted his head, a silent question.

The lucario shifted uncomfortably in front of him, wincing a little from the pain. "Can, uh, can you talk?" He asked.

Ross frowned. I don't actually know. I haven't tried in a long time. He swallowed his spit and opened his mouth. "I… used to." His voice was rough, hoarse, a different pitch than he remembered, but he couldn't tell if it was higher or lower. It was rough and inhuman, but he understood his words, and so did the lucario.

The lucario looked carefully at him. "Do you have a name?"

Ross shook his head.

"Hah, yeah. Me neither. But how do you not? I was raised by humans, so I was always just called Lucario. You're a human yourself. I thought all humans had names."

"Only partly." Ross said.

"What happened?"

"My mother fused me."

Lucario tried a few times to form words. "Fused? I'm sorry?"

"Well, sort of my mother." Ross clarified. "I used to be two people. One human and one zoroark. The mother of the human fused me into… me." He shook his head. "It's confusing, I know."

Lucario shook his head. "Well, it's alright if you just call me Lucario. What should I call you?"

Ross shrugged. What does it matter? "Ross, I guess."

"Ross." Lucario smiled and wagged his tail "That is a name! Was it your human name?"

Ross shook his head.

Lucario deflated a bit, his enthusiasm dying. "Oh. Okay."

He sat awkwardly as the silence stretched on. Despite his own attitude, Ross was beginning to enjoy the conversation. He hadn't had one in… well, he didn't know, but it had been too long. He appreciated someone wanting to talk to him. "What did you bother me for?" He asked, a bit more gruffly than intended.

"Oh, right, I was just wondering if you could talk to him." Lucario gestured toward the only door in the room. "Because you're part human, I thought maybe you could speak his language."

Ross worried his lip. "Why?"

"So you could ask him to let everyone go."

Ross barked with laughter. "Nice joke, buddy. Been a while since I've had a laugh."

"I'm serious!"

"That's almost funnier. You've gone totally insane!"

Lucario pouted, crossing his arms and making puppy-eyes at him. "I'm not joking! I'll stay. He can use me. The others can go."

Ross shook his head. "You don't get it, do you? We're not here because he needs to get off. We're here because we're his income. Using us himself is just gravy."

Lucario tilted his head. "Um… gravy?"

"Idiom. Means it's just extra. Nothing to do with the real reason we're here."

"But there has to be a way out."

"There isn't."

"You don't know that! I've been here longer than you, I know better than you do."

"Evidently not."

Lucario growled. "Look. I'm at least trying to do something."

"You're an idiot. You're letting him use you for what? So one of us gets a day off? What difference does it make?"

Lucario stood and took a step back. He looked away dejectedly. "Sorry for bothering you. I can tell you're not willing to help, so I'll just figure something else out."

As he walked away, Ross watched after him. He shook his head. Idiot. He laid down again to get some more sleep. Total idiot.

Talbot came down the stairs in some kind of state. He stomped as he descended. He threw his expensive suit jacket on the floor rather than hanging it up and followed suit with the rest of his clothes. And he made a beeline for Ross.

For the first time in a while, Ross found himself strung up by chains. In Talbot's haste, and perhaps fury, he hadn't been careful about keeping the lining in place, so they chafed and rubbed his skin raw. And Talbot was rough. Ross couldn't help but yelp at the force of him, and he earned a hand around his throat for that.

Ross was suffocated, deprived of breath as Talbot pounded at him, until Talbot decided any further would lessen the fun and Ross was left gasping, desperately refilling his lungs with stale air. And then the hand closed over his throat once more.

After the fifth pass at that, when Ross was desperate for any sort of respite, Talbot stopped suddenly. Ross regained his breath and twisted to see what had happened.

Lucario stood, a single cuff around his ankle, and presented himself to Talbot.

"Not today, you stupid slut." Talbot growled. "Not today. Today, this one is getting what it deserves."

Ross didn't know what pissed off Talbot so much. But it didn't matter. Nothing did. So, he was rough today. Ross had been tortured before – or more accurately, Rocco had – he could handle it. And then he'd recover and maybe Talbot would be rough again but that's just how it was. But what Lucario was doing was just stupid. Stop trying to be a hero.

Lucario gave him a meaningful look. One that told him, "Even if you don't appreciate it, I'm going to do what I can because I think it's the right thing to do."

Ross glared. You didn't think it was the right thing before. Or were you just a coward? Go back to being a coward.

Talbot saw the exchange and laughed. "Actually, I've got a better idea." He said. He approached Lucario. "You've been so… compliant recently. I think it's time I rewarded you." He reached out and stroked Lucario's face. Lucario bravely faced him down. "So, you have this one, yeah? You deserve some pleasure too."

Lucario's eyes widened. Ross closed his eyes and faced forward. Do it. Just do it and let's get it over with. He felt Lucario's paws on his hips. He heard Lucario's gentle whine. "Sorry." He said. Ross just grunted, feeling Lucario press against him.

He didn't know why he thought of it, then, but it occurred to him that this would be the first time he'd done something like that with a pokémon. Would've bothered me, at one point. In one life. Wonder if it's the zoroark part or the situation that kind of cancels that out.

Lucario was gentle. Almost excessively so. Ross knew he didn't want to do it any more than Ross did, and knowing what it was like in Ross' position, he tried to make it as easy as possible. But Ross knew better. Talbot wouldn't be satisfied with that, and even if he was, he wouldn't be satisfied until Lucario finished, and that kind of gentleness only prolonged everything.

"Come on." Talbot said. "Where's your passion?" He circled to Ross' front. "Let me show you how to do it."

Roughly, Talbot grabbed Ross' head and forced him down on him. It hurt, both from gagging and suffocating on Talbot and from the awkward wrenching of his shoulders from his hands still cuffed in the chains. Ross was honestly more concerned with dislocating his shoulders than with anything Talbot was doing.

But Lucario stayed as gentle as he could possibly get. It pissed Ross off. He thinks he's helping. You fucking idiot, you're just making it worse.

Ross did appreciate the sentiment, but his throat, his shoulders, his wrists and ankles, and his butt all very much did not. On one momentary reprieve from Talbot, just a moment to allow him a breath, Ross growled. "Just do it! You fucking coward!"

The expression Talbot gave him made Ross think that maybe he wasn't speaking a language Talbot could understand. Didn't know I could do that. Even better. And then he was being forced back down, no more time to think about anything but his next breath.

"But…" Lucario said hesitantly. Ross growled deep in his throat. Talbot moaned in response. Ross really didn't care. He pushed back as hard as he could with the painful and awkward position he was in, trying to force Lucario to just go at it.

Finally getting the hint, Lucario apologized and started going harder. Talbot laughed. "That's the way! Knot the freak!"

Ross really hoped he didn't need to repeat himself when he felt Lucario hesitate. He's not letting this stop until you do. Stop acting like either of us have a choice in this.

He understood it would take Lucario a while. He'd end up climaxing from the physical stimulation, but without his head in the game it would take much longer than otherwise. Still, Talbot was so long done that he had pulled Ross down for a second run before Lucario finally started going with any sort of force. Ross felt Lucario's fur against him, and knew he was as deep as he'd go. Then the inflation started. Fuck he's a lot bigger than I expected.

Needless to say, it hurt. Ross was positive he'd be bleeding when it was all over, but Lucario stopped moving. He just panted and stayed stuck inside Ross.

Talbot seemed satisfied to let them sit there, and once he was done he loosed the chains and left.

Lucario collapsed on top of him, pulled down with him when the chains stopped supporting him. Oh. Good thing his chest spike was filed down, I guess. Probably the exact reason, actually.

Lucario's soft voice tickled his ear. "I'm sorry." He said. "Are you okay?"

"No."

Lucario whined.

"How long are we going to be stuck?"

"Few minutes, probably. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing. You didn't have any more choice than I did."

"Still." Lucario licked his ear and hugged him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't do that." Ross growled. "Stop caring about me. You're only making it worse for yourself. And me."

He felt Lucario's face press into his back. "I can't help it."

Ross sighed. I suppose there's not really any other choice. "What changed?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been here longer than I have, yet you only started being a hero a while ago. What changed?"

Lucario was quiet for a little while. "You."

"What about me?"

"Your aura. It's sad."

"No shit."

"I mean, I've seen a lot of pokémon whose auras changed from being in here, but yours… it's like it's fighting with itself."

"Maybe my aura still hasn't settled from being fused."

"Maybe." Lucario said. "I don't know what happens to your aura after fusion. But I know pain when I see it. You've been through a lot, even before coming here."

"So?"

"So, I had… I forgot that people like him exist outside this place. But they do. I can't let him stop me because I need to help the others, not just myself."

"What about the others in here?"

"I don't know. I'm not saying it was a particularly well thought out motivation."

Ross huffed with a short, bitter laugh. "Yeah, no kidding."

"Either way, I can't sit by anymore. Can you understand that, at least?"

Ross sighed. On his side, with Lucario pressed against his back, hugging him. Even though they were like that for a terrible reason, Ross did feel just a little bit less alone. He remembered his friends. He remembered Adrien. I'd do anything for them. "Yeah." He said. "I can understand that." He felt Lucario's hot breath on his spine. "But you aren't really helping. We both know Talbot wasn't going to let us off. Being gentle with me only makes things worse in the long run."

Lucario whined. "Yeah. I figured that out."

"Good. Then you know what to do if it happens again."

"Yeah." Lucario sounded extremely uncomfortable at the thought.

Ross just sighed. He's hopeless, isn't he?

Talbot was angry more often, as the days passed. More and more he'd come storming down the stairs and he'd target Ross for the worst he could dish out. Once, in a fit of rage, he had brought a whip. Ross' back was still raw and bloody but fearing for his profits Talbot had quickly bandaged him and regularly checked on him to make sure it didn't get infected.

Lucario tried a few more times to take the heat for Ross, but they ended up in the same position as the first time. Once, Talbot even made Lucario pull out while his knot was inflated, just to hurt them both. That incident finally convinced Lucario to stop.

Still, Ross did owe Lucario. It has him who snapped Talbot back to his senses when he'd brought the whip. Ross wasn't sure if he'd even be alive if Lucario hadn't stepped in. He'd certainly be in an even worse state than he was. So, it wasn't all bad, he supposed.

Strangely, the thing that gave Ross hope was something that he had just stumbled across on one of the periods between Talbot's visits. He hadn't been out for people to pay for in a while, since Talbot had been abusing him so much, and those were always the longest times Talbot was absent.

He took out a small collection from the group and left supplies in the basement, ordering Lucario to help Ross with the bandages to keep the wounds clean. And then they were alone, with only the silent menagerie and each other for company.

Ross groaned from boredom. It was better than when Talbot was there, but still it wore on him.

"Let's play a game." Lucario suggested. He turned to some of the other pokémon and gave the same offer, trying to get someone else to play as well. No one did.

"What game?" Ross asked. He was in desperate need of something to do. It could be the stupidest game in the universe and he'd probably agree. So long as it wasn't sex.

"Charades! My old trainer used to play with me all the time. You know how to play?"

"Yeah, I know charades." Ross shrugged. "Why not. Let's do it."

Lucario stood and began miming. He made big, explosion movements with his paws, then mimed holding something in both hands at his side and growling at the explosion he'd set up earlier. Ross hummed. "Soldier. You're shooting someone."

Lucario shook his head and mimed shaking, as if the thing he was holding was pushing back on him. "Firefighter?" Ross guessed.

"That's it!" Lucario exclaimed. Ross chuckled. He at least seems to be enjoying himself. And it beats doing nothing. "Your turn!"

With a heavy sigh, Ross got to his feet and began the game.

They went through several rounds before it happened. Lucario was sitting attentively while Ross mimed being a buneary. He was making a complete fool of himself, his hands over his head mimicking ears and jumping around all over the place, but the genuine, pure laugh that he got from Lucario was more than worth it. Anything for a bit of sunshine in that dank basement.

But then, all of a sudden, Lucario yelped and jumped back in surprised. Ross dropped the charade and looked at him, somewhat concerned. "What is it?"

"I…" Lucario stuttered. "B-buneary."

"Yeah, dude. That's what I was doing."

"No, I mean I actually saw a buneary. You vanished for a moment and there was a buneary there instead."

Ross blinked slowly. "Wait. You're saying I…"

Lucario grinned. "You can use illusions! I'm sure of it!"

"But…" Ross looked at his hands. If I can use illusions… that's very interesting. Something inside him knew he could. Something inside him wanted to use illusions the entire time. It never truly occurred to him to try, he had just assumed his human physiology wouldn't allow it, and yet Lucario said he had done it. What's more he had done it while Lucario was watching. Somehow, he knew that that was the hardest kind of visual illusion, to trick the mind that already saw what should be there.

"We should train!" Lucario said. "Until you master your illusions!"

The idea was frightening to Ross. He felt, remembered – though not clearly – that the power was dangerous. He had promised not to use it. Does a promise made by one of my past selves apply to me?

"You can trick Talbot! When he comes down here for one of us you can just make him use an illusion instead."

Ross shook his head. "That's not how it works."

Lucario frowned. "No? How do you know?"

"I… remember. Hold still, let me try something." Lucario waited patiently, and Ross imagined a velvety cloud behind him. "Don't freak out. You might feel something touch you, it's just me." Lucario nodded, and Ross brought a tendril out to snake around Lucario.

Lucario shivered but stayed still. "It's cold." He said. "But soft."

Ross knew how it worked. Now that he knew he could do it, all of his experience came back to him. He changed the cloud into a snake. Lucario jumped. "Woah. It's heavy. And… that's amazing." He reached up to touch something in front of him, right where Ross imagined the ekans' head was. "But…" Lucario hummed. "I get it now. It's not good enough, right? It doesn't have scales."

"Yeah." Ross said. "I know how to fool touch, I think. But with something like this, that's not enough. Talbot would see through it and take precautions."

"So, we should train, and only use it when we escape!"

Ross got rid of the illusion. "I suppose that's the best option." Lucario paused. Ross frowned at him. "What?"

Lucario started giggling. "That's the first time you agreed that we can escape."

Ross huffed. "I did not. It's still stupid."

"You can't fool me. You agree with me!"

"You're crazy." Despite himself, Ross found it hard to fight back a grin.

Ross had seen pokémon come and go from that basement. Some held out longer than others. Some spat and fought, but they all gave in eventually. It was whether they closed off and became unresponsive that determined whether they were worth keeping. Ross didn't want to think about the ones who were taken out of there. He was still one of the newer ones, but older ones who'd broken too much, who didn't have any life left in them, they were disposed of. He saw quite a few of them being carried off.

Lucario played pretend and thought up all kinds of happy scenarios for them. They were thrown to the streets and found by some nice people who took care of them and gave them a good life. They were given to the Pokémon Center and fixed up and forgotten by Talbot and they went back to something resembling a life.

Ross wasn't so optimistic. He figured, more likely than not, those individuals were dead. But he couldn't shut down Lucario, not when he was trying so hard to be optimistic. So, he just didn't say anything. He just listened and let Lucario daydream.

It was in the middle of one such daydream that Lucario trailed off and asked something they had silently agreed not to talk about. "Hey, Ross? Can you tell me about the outside? You remember better than I do."

Ross turned over to face him. "Lucario, I don't really want to talk about that."

"I know. I know you think it's silly to remember." It is silly. What's the point of reminiscing on something we'll never see again? Better to just make the most of the situation we have, not hope for one we don't. "But please? Just… tell me a story?"

Ross sighed. In the time they'd been together, Lucario had gained an unfair amount of influence over him. Especially when he pulled out the puppy eyes. If it makes him happy, I guess. "Fine." Ross sat up. "What do you want me to talk about?"

"You! Tell me about your life before you came here."

Ross groaned. "That's a lot more complicated than it sounds."

"Well, um, how much do you remember of either specific life? Before you were fused."

"Well, I was a pokémon. And a trainer."

"Were you your own trainer? Or…"

"No." Ross shook his head. "No, my trainer was Adrien. He was also a good friend, from the other side. I think."

"Adrien." Lucario repeated. "So, did you know yourself before you were fused? Or… how do you even say that?"

"Pfft." Ross chuckled. "I know it's confusing. I guess for the sake of the story, we can just refer to myself by the names I had before the fusion. Josh was the human, Rocco was the zoroark."

"Oh! Okay. So, did Josh know Rocco?"

"Yeah. Actually, Josh was there when Rocco met Adrien. Rocco came from a bad place. He didn't trust humans at all, but he was desperate. Josh and Adrien were models, they were working together on a photo shoot when Rocco found them. At the start, he just wanted food. There was a table of food set out, so Rocco waited until Josh was occupied, and used his illusions to take Josh's image."

"Rocco disguised himself as Josh?"

Ross smiled. He remembered the moment. In hindsight, it was actually pretty funny. "Yeah. Ironic now, but at the time he just wanted food. He was at the food table when Adrien came up to him. Adrien and Josh were already friends, so Adrien started talking and joking and Rocco was kind of freaking out because he knew he was going to be caught."

"That must have been scary."

"Very." Ross nodded. "But it ended up being the best thing to happen to him." He smiled, thinking about the time he spent with Adrien. There were ups and downs, of course, but he'd never felt so loved. "But funnily enough, Adrien wasn't the one that caught him. Adrien just chatted until they were called back to the shoot and Rocco was dragged into actually modelling." Lucario giggled at the thought. "But, you know, illusions don't work on pictures. When the photographer looked at the picture he'd taken he freaked out." Ross laughed. "Full on scream, threw the camera up in the air and everything. Adrien caught it, thankfully, but then he saw the picture."

"What did he do?"

Ross grinned. "He laughed. He threw his arm around my shoulders and asked where I came from."

"He sounds really nice."

"Mhmm. He is. Josh came back not long after, and together they made sure that Rocco could stick around. After that, Rocco started showing up to other shoots sometimes, and things just went from there."

Lucario grinned and suppressed his giggles. "That's a great story. So, Rocco was friends with Adrien ever since?"

"Pretty much. Josh didn't see them as much, since they only really got together for photo shoots, but they hung out occasionally. And me, I remember all those times. All the times Rocco spent with Adrien, as well as how Josh felt about him."

"Oooh, do you like him?"

Ross huffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"You do! You do! That's adorable!"

Ross hugged his knees close to his chest. "It doesn't matter." He said. "It's not like I'll see him again, so… it doesn't matter."

"No, don't say that." Lucario moved next to him and nudged him gently. "You'll see him again. He's probably doing everything he can to find you right now. You'll see. He'll be here any day to rescue us."

Ross shook his head. "I wish I could believe that."

Lucario linked their arms together. "I'll just believe hard enough for both of us, then."

Ross looked at him and smiled weakly. Where does he get his strength?

"Does he know?"

"No." Ross shook his head. "Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out my feelings, so it's better that he doesn't."

"Oh. Because of the fusion?"

"Yeah, I think. Rocco loved him, but it was platonic. Josh loved him romantically, and all of Rocco's experiences only makes that stronger, but… I don't know what I feel yet. Everything's so jumbled, especially with Adrien. I think the parts of my life that Rocco and Josh both experienced are the hardest for me to sort out, because I have two different histories with them."

"That makes sense. You'll figure it out."

"Maybe."

"Definitely. You just need some more time."

Ross sighed. "I don't even know how much time I've had. Must have been a few months at least by now, right?" Lucario hesitantly shrugged. He doesn't know any more than I do. "It does seem a little easier to think about them as different people." He said. "There was Rocco, there was Josh, and now there's Ross. I'm them, but they aren't me, if that makes any sort of sense."

"It makes sense to me. You're a fusion. You're Rocco and Josh together. Without the other one, neither of them was Ross."

"Yeah. That's a good way to put it."

"And Adrien loved both of them, so he's going to love you double!"

Ross snickered. "Sure. If he doesn't associate me with losing both of them."

"He won't. I can tell by how you talk about him. He's too good a person to-"

Lucario was interrupted by the door slamming into the wall. Everyone in the basement who wasn't already too numb to respond jumped. Lucario quickly shuffled away, making sure Talbot couldn't see how close they were sitting. That would only end badly for both of them if he did.

Talbot entered and Ross curled up tighter. He never came in there with such rage and didn't target Ross. He knew what was coming. A large hand closed around his neck. "It's your lucky day." Talbot said. "You're more trouble than you're worth." Ross was lifted until he was suspended in the air, hanging by his neck. He choked helplessly and clutched at Talbot's wrist. "But if those high-and-mighty Hideaway types think I'll go quietly, they've got another thing coming."

Hideaway? How is the Hideaway involved in this? Talbot started walking with him back to the stairs. Ross looked back at Lucario, who was wide-eyed in shock. "If they're going to take me down," Talbot said, "I'm taking them with me."

The Hideaway is trying to stop this. They said they were against this kind of thing, so maybe they found a lead. And if they are… then my friends might be with them. Lucario jumped to his feet. "Hey! Let him go!" Don't. You idiot, just leave me be!

Talbot cut off Lucario's assault with a single, powerful kick that sent Lucario tumbling down the stairs. "Aw, look." He said. "Your little boyfriend wants to help you."

Ross growled instinctively. "Fuck you."

"You know, I always did wonder if you could talk." Talbot said, closing the door, cutting off Ross' view of Lucario. "Guess not. You can only squeal like any other pokémon."

Ross heard pounding on the door to the basement but knew from experience that Lucario would not get through. Talbot threw him onto a couch. He bounced and fell off, banging his knee hard on the wood floor and gasping for breath. Shit. He's lost it. This isn't good.

"I should put you down right now for all the trouble you've caused me." Ross sat terrified, unable to move. "But your friends would never let it go." My friends. "So, from today on, you're someone else's problem." Talbot tied his hands behind his back, then shoved a ball gag into his mouth. My friends are coming. Talbot's scared because they're close. Everything went dark when Talbot slipped a blindfold over his eyes.

By touch, sound, and smell, Ross tracked his progress. He was picked up and thrown into a truck. It was a familiar place. The scent of the truck bed and the asphalt below him was something he experienced often when Talbot brought him out to make money.

The truck stopped, and he was hefted out and thrown onto a bed. The sheets felt and smelled familiar, but without more information Ross couldn't be sure where he was. Talbot stood him on his knees at the edge of the bed. Ross sucked in a breath when he felt Talbot's hands roughly explore his body. "Enjoy it, freak." Talbot whispered in his ear. "This is the last time."

One way or another.

When Talbot left, Ross was alone. He waited, gagged and blind, for something else to happen. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard the door open once more. His ears twitched to follow the sound, he heard the footsteps. Three people, maybe four, piled in. They circled the bed. Ross' lips twitched, but he didn't bother showing his teeth. Never stopped anyone else.

"I still can't believe Talbot is giving him away!" A high voice with perfect enunciation exclaimed.

"Me neither." A deeper, gruff, breathy voice said. "There's got to be a catch."

"Maybe he's not a good lover?" The high voice suggested.

A huff. "A hole is a hole."

"My, you are crude. Such a man."

"Test him out, then, if you're so concerned." A third voice said. It was smooth, silky, slippery. "That's what we're here for, isn't it?" Ross knew escape wasn't an option. He didn't even know where he was, and there were too many people to stop him. So… what do I do? "Oh fine. If you all are such pansies, I'll go first." The silky voice said.

Hands, calloused and rough against his skin, but not handling him roughly, moved Ross to the edge of the bed. Those hands lifted Ross' legs in the air and the silky-voiced man did what he came to do. Ross hissed, not from the man himself, but from his back being pushed into the mattress. The wounds from Talbot's venture into whipping were still not fully healed. The man seemed to notice that, then. "Oh, look at what Talbot's done." He said. "Tsk. Tsk. Here, why don't you flip over."

Ross complied with the hands that guided him. What else was he to do?

Another hand, supple with long, razor-like nails, brushed along the healing scars on his back. "I wonder what this is about." The high voice said.

"Had to break him, probably." The breathy one said.

"Such ugly scars. Oh well, I'm sure I'll find clients who like it."

"Assuming you get him."

The silky voice huffed. "Oh, will you shut up? You're totally ruining the mood."

"I'll tell you what's ruining the mood." The high voice said. "That ridiculous get-up Talbot has him in. Where's the fun if you can't see your lover's eyes, or feel his breath on your skin?"

The breathy one huffed. "Women."

"Well on my turn I'm taking it off. You can put it back on if you're so impersonal."

"He's merchandise, not a lover."

"Just because we sell flesh, darling, doesn't mean we have to kill passion everywhere we find it."

The silky one finished. That was quick. Thought you did this for a living. He gave a great sigh and patted Ross' hip. "Your worry is unfounded, love. He's excellent."

"That is not how you determine the quality of a lover." She huffed. The silky one laughed as he backed away. "I'll show you. Come here darling, let me get that for you." Her hands stood him up on his knees and began fiddling with the bonds around his wrists.

"You sure that's a good idea?" The breathy one said. "We don't know his temperament."

"That's exactly why we need to release him, darling! Besides, I have two strong men to protect me if he acts out, don't I?" A grunt answered her. Ross felt the rope slacken and fall from his wrists. She's an idiot. But… what could I really do? I can't fight them. Even if I escaped, where would I go? I've no idea where I am. I guess… I just need to cooperate. For now. Until an opportunity presents itself. "There." She said. "Isn't that better?" Ross rubbed his wrists. They hurt from being bound for so long.

"Now," the high voice said. "Let's do something about that blindfold." He felt shifting on the bed and her hand trailed over his shoulder. He shuddered involuntarily as her hands caressed his neck and ventured up to the tie of the gag, and then the blindfold. He let the gag fall from his mouth and squinted when the blindfold fell. The light hurt his eyes.

The woman, who had a shirt that looked far too expensive for what they were doing and no pants at all, leaned in close and pressed her lips to Ross'. "Now, why would Talbot hide this? You really do have the most beautiful eyes."

He raised his eyebrows. Good point. I don't even know if my eyes changed since the fusion. Didn't as far as I could tell while I was with the Muldooneys, but I was still changing quite a bit.

"Do you have a name?" She asked, sitting on his lap and murmuring into his neck.

The burly guy with the breathy voice sighed. "Of course he doesn't." He said. "He's merchandise."

"I'm not asking you." The woman retorted. "I'm asking him."

Ross swallowed hard and murmured a response. The first time he'd truly tried to speak to a human since Talbot got a hold of him. "Ross."

The woman frowned. "Oh, dear. Can't you speak?" She touched his throat.

He closed his eyes and tried again, trying to separate in his mind what sounds he needed to make. "Ross." He said, slowly and tentatively. It didn't come out like a human sound. Frustrated, he moved a hand to sign his name instead.

"Ross." The woman repeated, seeing his hand gestures. I can't believe she actually understood that. "A beautiful name."

The silky one laughed. "Wait, you actually understood that?"

"Naturally, darling. I'm not fluent with sign language, but I at least know my letters. We serve all kinds of people after all." She smiled and looked Ross in the eyes. "Did Talbot treat you well?" Ross raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "That simply won't do. Tell you what, Ross. You impress me right now, and I'll make sure you're well taken care of. You won't need to worry about crass men like Talbot treating you badly. Does that sound good?"

Ross narrowed his gaze. I don't trust her for a second, but like I said, I should probably go along with it for now. He put on the smile he knew would make her happy. It was a model smile, one that he'd discovered Talbot's clients enjoyed.

She pulled him on top of her, so he had her between him and the bed. He thought of Lucario, still trapped in Talbot's basement. These three are deciding who's going to get me. He thought. If I make sure they all want me, I might get them fighting amongst themselves. Then I can use the opportunity to… not escape, probably, but try to get a little closer. He smirked. So, to impress them. I've never tried this before, but I bet I can… He knew from experience that he could trick the sense of touch. Rocco used it to hurt people, but he figured it wasn't too different to try a different angle on the technique.

She moaned immediately. The silky-voiced man laughed. "Geez, and he hasn't even touched you yet."

She gasped with pleasure. "H-he's…"

She couldn't seem to get her words out, so Ross decided to just show him what she meant.

It was strange. He knew he was powerless. He was just as powerless as every other time he was made to take the lead. Yet something felt different with the three people writhing in pleasure. He grinned, for real, because for the first time he really felt like he had control.

Like he had told Lucario back when he learned he could use illusions, it would never trick them. He couldn't conjure an image to pleasure them that they would mistake for him. But he could definitely pleasure them. There was no doubt how he was doing it, but he figured for them it was pretty impressive nonetheless.

He didn't have power, not really. When the woman ordered him to enter her, he was in no position to refuse. But surpassing their expectations, going beyond what they thought possible, that gave him some pride. It gave him something that was his. A small victory not granted to him but taken by him.

All of them finished quickly. How could they not? He had, after all, sent them into the most intense pleasure they'd ever experienced with just a thought.

All of them huffing, the silky-voiced one was the first to speak. "Woah."

The woman laughed. "Haha, indeed. That was amazing."

The breathy one pursed his lips. "That was… unexpected."

"Why didn't Talbot tell us about that?" The woman asked. She stroked Ross' cheek. "I would have bought you on the spot." She grinned savagely. "But it's his loss. Now I get you for free."

"Woah hang on now." The silky one said. "You can't just claim him. I've got just as much a claim on him as you do."

"Me too." The breathy one said. "I want him."

"Yeah, well," the silky voice said, "we all do. So, we need to figure out how this'll work."

Ross grinned and rolled off of the woman. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched the trouble he'd started. It's working.

"You two will simply have to find others." The woman said. "He's coming with me."

"Says who, now?"

"Says me! You two couldn't possibly appreciate him the way I can."

"Oh, can't we? I've half a mind to keep him for myself with that power he's got. Clients be damned."

"That's impractical." The breathy one said. "And I've got the best business. He'll thrive at my place."

"Thrive." The woman mocked. "Hah! I've never heard a funnier joke."

I wonder if I can just kind of… take a peek outside. With their arguing, an illusion might fool them for long enough to look.

Carefully, he got out of the bed and stepped around the bickering people until he reached the door. I need to make sure they don't hear this, or see it opening too. It was a test of his power. He knew Rocco would have had no problem doing it, but though he had Rocco's experience, it was still relatively new for him as Ross. Still, he pulled the door open a crack and the three in the room with him didn't even pause their exchange.

He looked down a long hallway. Lavishly decorated, with a silver stripe running along the carpet like a runway. He'd never seen the place before. Unsure, he stepped out just a little further. Then, suddenly, a pokémon rounded the corner. A large arcanine that bounced on his toes as he walked. That can't be. The acronine spotted him and adjusted his course to go to him. Is it… Rex? The one from the Hideaway?

"Woah, hey! You're pretty interesting!" Rex barked.

Ross jumped. It was too loud. The three in the room surely heard it. He quickly shut the door and returned to sit on the edge of the bed. Luckily for him, the three didn't seem to notice he'd been up. They went to the door. "It's one of the hosts." The breathy one said.

The silky one cursed. "Fine, you get rid of it. I'll take Ross for now, and we can talk more about this another time, okay?"

"No!" The woman said. "Why should you take him?"

"It's just until we get a place we can make a deal in safety."

"And why should we give you that advantage?" The breathy one asked. "The one who has him has the most leverage."

Scratching at the door sent all of them into a panic. Ross grinned to himself and returned to his position on his stomach, watching the scene unfold. "Hey!" Rex, from beyond the door, barked. "Why'd you hide? Want to play? Come out!"

Slipping back into the vocalizations the three humans wouldn't understand, Ross growled a response. "Sorry. I can't."

The humans stopped arguing and looked at him. "Can you tell it to leave?" The woman asked.

"Shouldn't let him talk." The breathy one said. "If we can't understand him." He's right, you know.

The silky one banged on the door. "Hey! Get out of here! We don't want your service!"

Rex's growl reached Ross' ears. "I don't understand."

"I said get!"

"Why can't you play? Are these people keeping you here?"

Ross grinned. Smart boy. I think he can piece everything together. Better I don't alarm these three by saying anything else. "I'm going to complain." The woman said. "It's uncomely for a host to treat guests like this."

Ross heard the scratching stop. The breathy man pressed his ear to the door. "I think it's leaving." He said.

Rex knows where I am, and probably knows these people too. I'll be out of here before they know what hit them. He closed his eyes. And then I'm coming for Lucario. Talbot thought pawning me off would get my friends off his tail, but he didn't consider me. He stifled a laugh as he thought about it. Lucario was right. The opportunity did come.