Partners

by Darth-Vulturnus

"We don't always get to choose our partners. But we have to trust them, all the same." In a world where polygamy and slavery are integral parts of society, good and evil as we know them have no meaning. Two's company, three's a crowd, and a harem is nothing but a load of trouble- so how do we stay true to ourselves when the immoral so quickly becomes the norm? AU, SI, Slow Paced

37. Development IV: Connections (Stall)

Arc IV- Development IV: Connections (Stall)

US- curse thee fanfiction dot net! It's 2021… and you still have a ridiculously small character limit on your chapter titles! I know you don't mean to drive me away and that deep down in your advertisement ridden heart you truly and sincerely value us, but that thot a03 sure is looking mighty appealing right now with integrated links, no adverts and all sorts of fancy formatting...

DV- Truly, the bane of the way we've chosen to do chapter titles for this arc. Anyhow, it's time for another chapter to drop. That we don't have to spend a paragraph explaining obscure mythology is a load off of us for sure, even though it was our decision in the first place, but that's totally unimportant~

US- eh. We are what we are: pretentious af. Either way, enjoy the chapter. More on its way soon.

Disclaimer: own or do not own, there is no try. Wait, that quote doesn't sound right… Let's try this again. I don't like Pokemon - it's coarse and it's rough, and it's owned by Game Freak… nope. Still not right…

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Ben POV

It's strange. Life, that is. Sometimes the turns it takes can be seen from a ways off. Sometimes they can catch you by surprise, but are still within the realm of reasonable possibility. Then there are events so out of the blue that no one expects them, with the possible exception if it's an event with a perpetrator. For all my life I've only believed in those three. Then I became an isekai protagonist and have been forced to accept a fourth type: events that you believed to be legitimately impossible, but happen in spite of your belief.

I should hate it, rage against such events. And yet, here we are. Maybe in a different world, or if I was a different person, I would. It's happened all the same and I can't change it.

Do I regret that it happened? Yes and no. Pros and cons. On one hand, I'll likely never see any of my family or old friends again unless I can figure out what brought me here and a way to use it. I have no high hopes there. Giovanni, for all his faults, is… or I suppose was, one of the top tier Gym Leaders, some of the strongest and generally some of the most knowledgeable people in the world. If it even stumped him, then I don't exactly have high hopes. I've considered the possibility that he was lying, trying to keep me closer to him, but I'm not sure. He tries to avoid lying as much as possible, less to keep straight he says.

Really though, what did I have back at home, my… at this point I'm hesitant to call it my true home, honestly. Old home perhaps? Maybe just Earth? I suppose either one works. Sure, Ferals are fairly terrifying, but I rarely left Olivine, so it was mostly someone else's problem. Here I was someone important, someone people listened to, privileged in a way that I never was, never could be, back on Earth. Here I had Katsumi, a woman I'm even pretty sure I love, with me and the particulars of Pokegirl culture means I never have to look back over my shoulder and wonder about her fidelity like one has to do with a human spouse.

Wealth, power, stable romantic love and I was even getting familial love back soon, though I'll be the father instead of the son. Things worth giving up existing family and a good set of friends for? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps if I'd been given the choice on whether to come here or not, I'd lean more strongly one way or another. But that's neither here nor there, is it? No use speculating on changes in the past, is there? What's done is done. All that we can do is look forward and decide how to make the best of the situation, regardless of how we got into it.

"I wish it need not have happened it my time." I say, quoting Frodo Baggins. It's not a perfect fit for the occasion, but it fits well enough I think. What was it Gandalf told him in response? I wrack my brains for a few moments, old memories from years ago. "So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

You were onto something Tolkein, weren't you? You knew how it was. Fuck if it's not good advice though. Can't think too much on what-if's, even if that's hard to do.

I look out on the water from where I've wheeled myself to on the pier, listening to waves crash against the rocks. It's the little things in life and better still, sounds and smells no different. If I close my eyes, I can even almost pretend that I never left, that my injuries came from an automobile accident or the like and all the irregularities are just fever dreams or drug-induced hallucinations.

I know it's not, however. Not after all this time.

It's not some coma dream… well, I hope not. Mixed feelings on that. On one hand, that would mean I'd dreamed up all the trouble with the mob, maybe even dreamt up my injuries, though I doubt it. On the other hand, that'd mean I'd probably dreamt up the girls too. Klara, who I'm just getting to know. Lorraine, who's as close a friend as any despite her snipes at Katsumi. And of course Katsumi herself. God, I hope she's not a dream, even if everything else is.

I still don't even know where to start with her. What, just come out and be like 'hey, I'm actually a dimensional immigrant? Sorry I've been lying and telling half-truths for months on end even though you're my wife, Hand and soon to be mother of our child.' That'd be such a Joseph way to go about it, tactful as a sledgehammer to the face.

Still… . Perhaps a more pertinent question. Are there any good ways to break news like that?

I've really cocked this up right and proper, haven't I? There are no good options here, I think. I certainly don't see any. Too far gone for that, too many lies building up, the hole dug too deep.

Maybe Joseph had the right idea after all. Just rip the band-aid off and get the pain over and done with. Of course, easier said than done. And it took him nearly letting one of his girls go totally Feral before he managed it.

In certain ways, fraternising with Joseph was an abject mistake, a flight of fancy that's going to backfire at some point because now the secret is loose in a way I can't control. Given his obnoxious self-righteousness, it wouldn't surprise me if he goes over my head on the issue if he thinks I have no intention of dealing with it. In that regard, I suppose it works out to my benefit that Pokegirls don't normally have their own Pokegears. There's no law against it and some richer Tamers do it, but Katsumi is traditional enough that my group doesn't. So aside from another freak meeting between his crew and Katsumi, he doesn't have a way to talk to them without me there to run damage control.

Is… is he really someone I consider a friend then, if I'm that worried about him going behind my back? I don't know, truth be told. A friendly acquaintance, definitely. I understand his point of view, understand why he feels he might think he's doing the right thing. Arguably, he would be doing the objectively right thing. But in the end, it boils down not to morality, but jurisdiction of authority. In other words, it's not his call to make.

Lord above, that's so petty of me, isn't it? Dismissing the objectively right thing because of personal concerns. But that's what I've done since I got here, hasn't it? Have I come too far to stop now?

I'd blame Giovanni for this whole mess in the first place, and maybe he has a hand in this, but it was my choice to go through with it. He doesn't keep twenty-four seven surveillance on me after all. If I wanted to tell my girls without him knowing I spread the secret, there were plenty of times I could have done so. I should have at least told Katsumi, even if I just left it with her.

This whole situation is kinda like that Jimmy Buffet song 'Margaritaville,' isn't it? I come up with excuses and blame other people, but in the end, the blame ultimately lies with me. Should of, could of, would of. I should have told Katsumi a long time ago, but I didn't want her opinion coloured by that. I could have told the girls at any time, if I really wanted to. I would have told them, but I've never been sure how to.

I close my eyes and prop up my head with my right hand, letting the waves roar. It'd be easy, wouldn't it? Easy to be a bloody coward and keep running from my issues. If I really, really wanted to, I think I could. Hard to swim with one leg, even if I got cold feet once in the water.

Not that I have any intention of actually doing it. Not a chance in hell. That'd be taking the cheap way out. My girls, Mikhail, his mother… who knows what'll happen to them? Their lives would, at least in the short term, all get abjectly worse. And for what?

I don't deserve what I have really. I've lied, bought, cheated and killed to get it. If Joseph knew even half of what I'd done, what the real me was capable of, the evil in my soul and the blood on my hands… he'd go running to Whitney in an instant to have me put away. He's a nice guy, but that's the problem.

I'm not.

Klara doesn't know what she's getting into, doesn't know she's joined a pack of killers. It feels wrong to take a teenager and turn them to murder, but that's exactly what I intend for her. It's perhaps vile, but at the same time, needs must.

Lorraine is a better confidant than I thought or deserve, given she's given no slips to Katsumi.

And Katsumi, a better woman and partner I couldn't ask for. And what have I rewarded her with for her trust, love and loyalty? Lies, diversions and general dickery.

No, I need to do something about this. The question is no longer 'if.'

It's 'when' and 'how.'

I give a long sigh as the sea breeze hits my face. Fuck man.

I hate this. This situation, those damned Gym Leaders, Giovanni, that Venusaur, Joseph's holier-than-thou and… myself… my cowardice that brought this situation about in the first place. I fucking hate all of this.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Joseph POV

The wind carried with it a terrible chill that promised a colder tomorrow, and I was rather glad I had my coat wrapped around me. I glanced sideways at my 'companion', dressed in such a flimsy dress that it was a wonder that it hadn't shredded itself from a stray breeze. I had no clue how women could deal with the chill that came with outfits like that. Her eyes caught my own wandering, and I looked away deliberately.

Gosh, this was a mess. I'd hoped we'd have a chance to chat and maybe figure out why she hated my guts so much, but all we'd done is walk in awkward silence. I tried to go over all our encounters in my head, and while I understood her to a certain degree, I felt like my understanding was just… off.

But alas, Subtle, thy name is not Joseph. Subtle I am not.

"You know, I think that this is the first private conversation we've ever shared. Just me and you, that is." We'd only ever interacted with third parties present. She was very much tied together with Mia - a package deal.

"With good reason." she replied, coldly. I winced at her tone - perhaps it was the dichotomy between what she was saying, and how she was saying it. Like she was annoyed with me, but very much trying to not let it show, but being too pissed off to really succeed.

"I know. You hate my guts with a burning passion or something like that." I replied with a shrug. "Not sure exactly what I did to leave you with such an impression, but there you go."

"I know where you're going with this conversation. Stop it." she ordered. "I tolerate you. You aren't going away any time soon, and that's fine. We aren't going to have some sort of 'heart to heart' and somehow leave this closer than we started.."

"Not with that attitude, we aren't." I joked. The deadpan stare she gave me showed that my comment was unwanted. "Look, maybe we can't be BFF's, but since I'm friends with Mia, surely we should try to get along?"

"Exactly." she agreed with a tepid smile. "Which is why I don't… excuse the language… 'psychically bitchslap you across the town'." I think I could be excused for taking a loooong step to the side at that comment. "So I'll tolerate you. As much as I dislike it, you are a good friend to Mia. I can't fault your behaviour in that regard. So for her sake I do the absolute most to minimise the time I spend around you. Because Mia wouldn't like it if we fight. Understand?"

Okay - maybe she dislikes me a little bit more than I anticipated. But she tries not to act on that dislike because I'm Mia's friend? But is it me as a friend she dislikes, or me as a friend? "I understand. We're united in wanting to cause less problems for her, anyway. That's why you came a'knocking for me, right? I might have been the only guy available, but if you thought I wouldn't help, then you wouldn't have bothered me, right?"

There was no reply from her, so I could only assume that I was correct. "So… is it her Tamer friends in general you dislike, or just me?"

She stopped walking and turned to give me her full attention. "I dislike anyone on principle who keeps trying to flirt with my Tamer." I winced at that comment. I wasn't doing that, right? Sure I was interested, but I was deliberately trying not to take shit any further than that embarrassing crush. I knew that she was a Tamer and involved with her Pokegirls - however, I didn't know if it was just business or any of it was romantic, or if she was flat out not interested in men. Didn't matter either way - I was trying to keep my mouth shut.

I opened my mouth, to try and talk her down, tell her that I had no interest in pursuing Mia, but -

"Don't even start." she snapped again. Her cold tone was gone. As much as she disliked it, her true feelings were slipping out. "I'm a Psychic type. I can feel people's emotions when they're close to me, dumbass."

"Oh."

"Yes. Oh." She gave me a look like a housewife watching a particularly annoying bug and wondering just which slipper she wanted to use to squish it. "I feel it every time you look at her like that, you see? It's nothing personal… but as long as you feel like that, my feelings on you won't change."

"I can't help how I feel." I justified myself. A man without emotions is merely a machine - and even if it was inconvenient, I wasn't ashamed of what I privately felt. "I don't want to feel it!"

"I don't care." Ayame tsked and turned her back on me. "At the end of the day, it doesn't change how you feel, does it?" Unfortunately not. "Do you now understand why we can't reconcile? Why we are never going to be all 'buddy-buddy' with each other?"

Her dislike was definitely a lot more understandable. Bizzaro World's odd morals had made me forget that keeping everybody off your girl is the normal behaviour. I sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. If it makes you feel any better, I am sorry. But Mia is a damn good friend. And I'm not the kinda guy who throws friends away so easily."

She nodded her head in agreement. "And that, perhaps, is your only redeeming trait that I will acknowledge. I may dislike you, but I'd loathe you more if you were the sort who'd throw away a friend over such things." Small steps, I guess. "So I won't cause any problems, as long as you don't. Now, any other dumb topics you want to bring up, or can we finally finish this ridiculous errand?"

I put up my hands defensively. "Okay! Learned my lesson. Let's just… get this over with."

"Great. Rodrigue's Cocktail Bar is only a few minutes away now. So let's have a nice, quiet walk shall we?" I did as she instructed. I had enough things to go over in my mind now, and talking any more to Ayame tonight felt to me much like putting one's hand into a running food blender: messy, painful and bloody.

XXXXXXXXXX

As expected of my luck, by the time we reached Rodrigue's Cocktail Bar, Mia was already gone.

"And so our quest continues?" I asked Ayame.

The Gardevoir in question just looked completely out of shits to give at this point. "Come on. I know a few other bars in the area she might have stumbled into after getting kicked out of this one."

Four stops later found us at the Azure Slowpoke, and our quarry of the night - midway through some beer of some kind. Ouch - she was gonna regret mixing drinks in the morning.

"Darling, I'm back." Ayame said loud enough to be heard over the music. "We need to go."

"G'way!" she drawled in the tone that can only be reached by one that had more alcohol in their bloodstream than actual blood. "'M drinking still! Go 'way or or I'll… I'll…" she was scrambling for her Pokeballs and failing miserably.

I sighed, stepping forwards. Time to do my part. "Come on Mia. A Senpai should always be at their best around their Kohai, right?"

"Joe!" Her face brightened up. She was out of her chair in moments and her hands clenched tight around my arms. I barely had time to register how strong a grip she had before she'd all but pulled me down onto herself and the seat. "Drink with me!"

Around me I saw a few people stifling laughter. I didn't blame them. From an outside perspective it was probably hilarious, but for where I was actually sitting, it was more mortifying than anything. "Mia, it's late. Can't we go home?"

"Don't be a sourpuss too, Joe!" She yelled, red faced. "Gotta… gotta celebrate. Me and Thomas and Yuskuke and… where's everyone gone?"

"Home." I repeated.

She blinked in confusion. "Oh. When'd you get here."

"Just now." I said as I tried to shuffle off her lap. My attempts were unsuccessful, because by god was her hug a strong one. I looked to Ayame for help, but upon seeing her furious face, I knew better than to seek aid there. "They're closing the bar soon, Mia."

"Cowards won' give me another round!" Gosh, Mia really wasn't holding her alcohol well tonight, was she?

"Mia, will you stop drinking, for me?" I asked her sincerely, trying to give her a hopeful look.

"Hmmm…" she analysed me with over the top seriousness. "Y'gots to give me something else instead!"

"Sure, as long as we leave right-"

Smooch. She leaned down and her lips touched my own. My mind blanked for a moment and I tasted the alcohol in her breath. It was far from a romantic moment - the wolf whistles were distracting, and the entire thing sloppy at best. There was a tongue of some kind involved, then she was breaking away and giggling like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Even so. Shit or not, Mia. Kissed. Me. I tried not to react to that. She kissed me. She kissed me. She kissed me.

And she'd probably have forgotten about it by tomorrow.

"I've paid up." I said, with a little bit of disappointment in my gut. "Let's go."

"I ever tell ya you're cute when blushing?" she poked my cheek. I didn't deem that with an answer. "Geez! Yer a sourpuss. Like Ayame."

"She worries." I reminded her.

Here, Mia's face fell. "I'know. But I'm fine! See! I'm having a good time! We're having a good time! Right? Right?" Oi, putting words in my mouth.

"What if we drink back at your room?" I suggested. "Sounds good, no?" And most importantly, by the time we get you back, you'll be so dead to the world that you won't want to drink.

"Yes!" She said excitedly. With that she untangled herself from me with the exaggerated carefulness of a drunk-trying-not-to-present-herself-as-such, and stumbled to her feet. "Drinks!"

She then almost immediately fell over. Or would have, if Ayame wasn't there to gently catch her, hoist her back to her feet and throw her arm around her shoulder. "O-oi! I can walk 'lone!"

"True," I said, getting her other arm around my own shoulder. "But this is more fun, no?"

Then, we frog marched her out of the bar.

"Let go!" She roared, practically snarling. "Gonna- gonna hurl." Me and Ayame shared a look, and we let go so she could fall to the floor and vomit all over my shoes. I was pissed. I liked my shoes. But I also liked Mia more, so I dutifully got down to my knees and rubbed her back gently as she sputtered out more puke. I looked up to Ayame - it surprised me that she wasn't down here with me, but she was just watching.

Either way, I patted her back as she sniffled. There was vomit staining her beautiful dress, snot running out her nose and tears down her cheeks.

"There, there." I swapped to rubbing her back - that's something you do for drunks, right? "Come on, you're okay."

"I threw up on you." she cried. "I - I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it."

"I look so ugly right now." She cried, and she was right, she certainly wasn't showing her prettiest side.

"Your hair is nice though." I noted. "Now, come on, to your feet. I'll see if I can get you some water from the bar…"

"Don't worry, I'll handle that." Ayame said, a softer look on her face than normal. "You just… talk to her, okay?"

And so Brave Sir Ayame, she Bravely Ran Away. And I was left to deal with my one true kryptonite: crying girls.

"I must look like a real mess, huh? Some reli'ble sempai I am…" she murmured.

"Hey, I like my reliable senpai just fine, thank you." I said. "Come on, where's your usual confidence gone?"

"When I became the only senpai left." she said, dumbly, blinking.

Ah. What was his name? The Tamer that had apparently died recently? "Joel?"

"Thasshisname." Mia murmured. "I liked him. Dumbass. But he was my senpai. Kinda. Like, a little. One of 'em, I suppose. I had lotsa sempai! Lots and lots and loooots." she made a large exaggerated motion. "But they're all dead now, aren't they? I'mma eldest now."

"You aren't drinking yourself into a stupor because Joel died. You're doing it because you're scared you're gonna be next." I muttered. It suddenly made a lot more sense. If it was as she described, I guess it would be like joining a club as the youngest member, only to stay there long enough to become the senior member. Just with… you know… more death.

"Gotta be strong."Sobbed the elder Tamer. "For 'yame and everyone. For you. Gotta be 'liable senpai."

Screw protocol. I wrapped her up in a nice big hug. Sometimes someone just needs a hug, and I didn't care that I was getting more puke on myself. "I care more about Mia the friend than the senpai. Now stop being defeatist. Nobodies dying, m'kay?"

"You promise?" she said, surprisingly vulnerable.

I said nothing, holding her closer. Can't make a promise I probably can't keep. "I'm sure as hell not trying to die."

"Uhum." I looked up to Ayame clearing her throat, paper cup of water in one hand.

"You ready to get up?" I whispered. I felt her nod, so I let go of her and helped her to her feet so that Ayame could give her some water to swirl around in her mouth and spit back out… before downing the rest.

"I feel sick." she whimpered.

"Then let's go home then, okay?" Ayame pressed.

"... okay."

Well, mission complete, I guess.

XXXXXXXXXX

So we hauled her ass back to her hotel room and Ayame tucked her into bed, while I awkwardly waited around in the living room on the doormat so I didn't track anything vomit-y inside. Kinda silly since Mia had gotten her stuff everywhere already, but hey, who am I to piss off the badass Psychic?

"She's in bed now." Ayame said as she came out of the bedroom. I noticed that she had gotten changed while she was in there, as she was now wearing something much more modest than the cocktail dress she'd been wrapped in before.

"Everything okay?"

"She'll be better in the morning." Ayame noted. "She bounces back really quickly. But… she doesn't normally drink this much either."

"About that, I found out that while she was bothered by Joel's death, he wasn't why she was drinking." I noted. "I mean, maybe it was a little. Friend dies, have a few in his honour. The usual. But she said she was scared. That all her own senpais' were gone, and now she was the only one left."

Ayame sighed, then did something surprising. Facepalm. "I should have guessed. She's… she's lost a lot of friends. I hadn't realised that Joel made up the last of the Old Guard. Sure, there are still many others left, but none of them quite like Joel, or quite so experienced as him either…"

I knew nothing of the man save that he was dead, and that he was just another in a long list of dead friends. Even so, if he'd mattered so much to Mia…

"Anyway, I have something to say to you…" Ayame said, approaching me until she was in striking range.

"If this is about the hug, then I'm sorry." I told her immediately. When in doubt with a woman, apologise. These words of wisdom were passed down from father to son for countless generations. "And she kissed me."

Once more, something unusual happened. Ayame laughed. Not very long or loud, and there was nothing cruel scathing about it. For a single moment… it was just genuine amusement. "No. For once, I'll give you a pass on that. No. I was going to thank you. After all, you went beyond the bare minimum, and covering yourself in her vomit more than makes up for that. So… thanks."

"No problem." I said, awkwardly. "But this changes nothing, right?"

"Right." Blink. "Now take off your trousers."

"... Ayame, if you're being a Tsundere about this, I swear to fucking god."

"Shut up." the Gardevoir gave me a look promising death. "I don't know what a Tsundummy is, but I don't care. Now stop being a baby and take them off. It would be harsh even by my standards to let you walk home like that after you helped me out, so I'm going to put on a quick laundry load for you. You can call your girls too, and maybe even have a shower if you're quick."

"That… sounds good. I appreciate it." I don't feel like anything has changed between us tonight. She was right - this was never going to be some magical bonding exercise. But it was nice to be on the same page about where we stood with each other (namely, grudging acceptance), and that if you subtract the strange love triangle we could at the very least tolerate each other.

So I accepted the one kindness she offered for my hard work this evening.

XXXXXXXXXX

Come morning, I saw no trace of Mia. Instead, I went to the local Battle Club to get us back onto a proper training routine. But afterwards, we met up for a quiet dinner at the local equivalent of a Mexican fast food restaurant.

"So, do you remember last night?" I asked her.

The elder Tamer frowned. "Not really. Most of it's a blur. Though I think I threw up on someone."

I considered telling her what happened between us, only to stop at the look Ayame was giving me. A simple shake of the head. But she was right. A brief drunken make out session wasn't worth causing problems for. "Eh, I figured. Now pass me the salsa."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Ben POV

"Ben, my love, we need to talk."

Welp. When a woman you care about tells you that you need to talk, it's usually a harbinger of bad news. This is true irrespective of whether it's your girlfriend, wife, mother, sister, aunt or even grandmother.

"Of course. I agree." I give a small sigh. I'm pretty sure I know what's coming and I'm not looking to Katsumi taking apart my feeble level of misdirection that is about on par with the 'pay no attention to the man behind the curtain' hiding from the original Wizard of Oz.

"Why are we going to Floraroma?" Katsumi holds up a hand as I open my mouth. "I know that we're going because Pryce heavily suggested we go. I'm asking you why we're following his…" She pauses for a moment, likely mulling over word choice. "Advice."

"Truth be told." I say. "It's because we really don't have much else to do. He advised we stay away from Johto for a while. Titan is being looked over with a fine-tooth comb to find any trace of Rocket, which is what we're planning to do anyway. I suppose our other option would be to mostly sit and twiddle our thumbs? I suppose we could find something to occupy our time if we really tried, but…"

"But?"

But I need these answers. I need to know anything I can about those who came here before Joseph and I. If Floraroma has even a fraction of the answers, then it will have been well worth it. "There are a few things I've found unclear and Pryce thinks I'll find some of the answers there. I don't know if he's right, but this is basically a golden opportunity to go check it out, an opportunity we probably won't have again, assuming we manage to not get arrested when we go back to Johto."

She pulls up her chair next to my wheelchair, rests her head on my shoulder and intertwines our hands. "What are the chances of that, you think?"

"Probably low. Giovanni generally kept me within Titan. That I was a part of Rocket at all was probably more a formality that'd make it harder for me to ever betray him. Not that I was planning to, but it was an added incentive, I suppose. I'm pretty good at covering my tracks and even then, the most they can actually get me on is white collar crimes."

"White collar?" Katsumi asks.

"Higher brow work." I say with a little bit of a shrug. "They could nail me for money laundering, tax evasion and bribery of public officials. Any of those would be, I hate to say it, legitimate things I've done. I'm no thug or hitman though. And if we were going to be investigated for Karev or Brasi's deaths, that'd have happened already. It works to our favour in those cases that criminals getting killed tends to get less attention from the Jennies. Still, you know the law a little better than I do, Katsumi, what would you recommend if they issue an arrest warrant for us while we're still here?"

She pauses for a moment. "Well, if we were still here, we'd be okay. Sinnoh doesn't have an extradition treaty with Johto, so we're not going to be arrested here, though we would be permanently, unless we went back to Johto and got our innocence proven, blacklisted from holding any sort of public office or collecting more than four gym badges. Still better than rotting in jail because of things Giovanni basically forced you to do."

Maybe technically, but it's not like I ever protested very hard. Or at all.

After a moment of me rubbing circles on the backs of Katsumi's hands with my thumbs, she spoke again. "You know, I've been thinking lately."

"Don't hurt yourself." I snark at her.

She rolls her eyes and reaches up, flicking me in the shoulder. "Ass. Seriously though, I have. When we fought that Venosaur, we got out due to what was basically dumb luck. Any number of small changes and you'd have died there."

"True. Still, the defeat was only so crushing because of type weakness exploitation."

"Is that what you think?" Her voice is small, unsure and so, so unlike her. "That it was only because she was a Grass-type that she won?" She takes a deep breath before leaning over and giving me a quick kiss. "I'm glad you have such faith in me, really. But… it's undeserved. I'm not really a fighter."

She puts a finger over my lips as I move to speak. "Let me finish. As much as I want you to compliment me more, to say things that make me hot and tingly, I need to say this. I'm stronger and tougher than the majority of all Pokegirls out there. That's because I'm a Pupitar, not because I'm a good fighter. My sisters and I were all raised to be trophy wives and then I was the only one that went through Threshold, so I do have some training."

Katsumi lets out a long sigh, equal parts resignation and frustration. "That Venusaur? She doesn't have that problem. She's older and more experienced, she's not just a professional fighter, she's a professional killer. We all would have died if she was in the right mind. I… I don't want to have that happen again."

"I understand."

She rests her head in the crook of my neck. "No, you don't. Not really. You probably want to, but you physically can't. I envy my sisters. They never have to worry about going Feral. They have so much more freedom, even as trophy wives."

"I see." Is what I settle on after a moment. I'm not really sure how to respond to that, even though we've been together for a while. Does she just want me to listen while she vents? Does she want reassurance? Does she want something else entirely? Why are women so complicated? "Is there something you want me to do here?"

Katsumi laughs slightly, but it's hollow. "I don't really think there's anything you can do for me here Ben, unless you can change the past. You've been a better Tamer and husband than I had been expecting, given how once I went through Threshold all my sisters used to tell me that Grandfather was going to sell me off to one of his equally old friends as a fifth or sixth girl in a harem to be used a breeder. That said... " Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm less than pleased you're still keeping major secrets even from me. The other two still being in the dark, I understand, but I'm hurt you evidently still don't fully trust me, especially since I'm fairly certain your unknowing minion Joseph is in on it as well."

I give a small snort at that idea. "Joseph isn't my minion Katsumi." Though it certainly would be convenient in certain ways if he was. "He's a friend, of sorts, I think. As for him being in on it, well, that's actually not my fault, amazingly enough. He… he came into the secret on his own and there was a time neither of us realised the other was in on it. Until then, as far as I knew, it was restricted to just Giovanni and I and was something both of us had every intention of taking to the grave."

Looking at me in surprise, Katsumi raises both eyebrows in question. "What secret could be so horrible that you and your uncle would let it weigh you down till death?"

"Not horrible, just…" I stop, trying to think of a suitable descriptor. "Unbelievable, really. It's the kind of thing that, if we hadn't had a front row seat to the evidence, would make some of the conspiracy theorists look tame."

"Ah. Is that why you wanted to wait till we get home?"

I nod. "A controlled environment."

"I suppose that's understandable." She sighs. "Very well. I've waited this long, albeit unknowingly. I suppose a little longer won't hurt."

"Thank you Katsumi."

A small smirk comes over her mouth as she tilts her head up, imperiously looking down her nose at me, though the effect is somewhat ruined by the smirk. "As is only natural. Be grateful that your empress has seen to bestow such benevolence upon you."

A moment later, we both burst out laughing as she drops the pose. She gets a hold of herself a moment later. "You know, I wanted to have a serious discussion and this is where we ended up. We've been totally sidetracked."

"True." I acquiesce. "Somehow, I have the feeling that what you wanted to actually discuss wasn't any of the things we actually did. So, love, what was it you did want to discuss?"

"You know, you won't get back into my good graces with pet names alone, but it's a start. I do so love it." She coughs and straightens herself out, her tone moving directly from sultry to business without passing go. "Anyhow, I've been contemplating our potential options to prevent situations such as this Venusaur one in the future and in the end, they all boil down to one strategy. Namely, become so powerful that no one would dare challenge us, to a point where the news of us entering a city is considered region-wide news."

That seems… like an extreme. Has it bothered you so much that now you want to overcompensate in the opposite direction? Still, it's the most basic strategy, the one with the least moving parts, so I suppose it's somewhat understandable. "You're talking Gym Leader, Elite Four or even Champion tier. Is that even possible, never mind reasonable? There are only so many hours in the day, between all our other responsibilities, when in the world are we going to have time for the extensive training that would require?" I give her somewhat of a look. "On top of that, you're pregnant, so forgive me for not exactly wanting to sanction a plan of yours that could involve serious damage to both you and our child. I'm sorry Katsumi, but unless you're hiding a Celebi up your sleeves, I just don't think it's a totally reasonable plan, at least not right now."

Katsumi narrows her eyes for a brief moment when I mention Celebi before they return to normal. "I get it. Truth be told, I don't like it either." She gives a long, melodramatic sigh. "For all my calculations of it being mathematically possible, working out is just awful. I hate it. Still… " One of her hands slips down to her stomach, where the beginning of a bulge is slowly starting to become visible. "I have no intention of putting our child at risk. I've considered more subtle or diplomatic plans, but ultimately they can be defeated by any suitably determined and powerful force deciding they don't want to play by our rules and just plowing through our intricate plans. That doesn't mean those plans are bad, per se, because they aren't, I came up with them myself after all."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Where are you going with this?"

"It does mean." She continues. "That we really need to start getting in order to start taking on gyms. Lorraine is the most powerful of us, but at the end of the day her fighting style is rough and informal. Klara is young and probably has little experience in fighting at all. I, well, have only the very basics of a formal fighting form and have basically been improvising like Lorraine, though I've been relying on my natural defenses to make up my deficiency in actual experience compared to her. This state of affairs can't stand. At the very least, cleaning up Lorraine's fighting style to be a bit more efficient and less street brawler would go a long way, which is easy enough without me having to do any combat myself. Speaking of which, what did Mikhail want from you?"

Ah. Drat. I was hoping you wouldn't ask that, Katsumi. "Now that he's in a better position and has started his own proper harem, he's not sure how to handle the situation with his mother. He asked if I would be willing to accept her."

"He did, did he? He must have good faith in your benevolence, many Tamers would cut ties for being asked to take on a Pokegirl who has her own children already. It's generally considered extremely rude, to the point that it was sometimes used historically as a diplomat's insult."

I shrug. "I mean, I guess? It doesn't really bother me overly much. Where I'm from, stepparents were a pretty common thing. Besides… " I squeeze her hand. "She'd be number four if we did accept her. You'll always be number one in both my harem and my heart, Katsumi. However, you never really did answer the question of whether you thought it was a good idea or not."

She tilts her head and muses for a few moments. "Just what kind of place did you grow up, and with what values, that stepparents are considered common… ? Anyhow, I think that we probably should. With the Titan situation in the air, our ability to keep Mikhail on our payroll is somewhat questionable. Having his mother, who he obviously cares deeply about, with us could serve as a useful weight in making sure he stays loyal to us."

I sigh and put my face in my hands. Of bloody course. Why did I expect anything else? Naturally Katsumi would support it because then we can dangle the 'you wouldn't anything to happen to your mother, would you' card at him in case of issues, or for a less extreme measure, have his mom just guilt trip him.

"What I told Mikhail." I say. "Is that I'd like to spend some time with her while we're here and if we get along well, I'd probably agree to his request. That alright with you?"

"That's acceptable. It wouldn't due for her presence to cause issues, no matter how useful she is otherwise."

"So, how about we get Lorraine started with something a little more formal tomorrow and then we can draw out a more formal plan based on how well she takes it up, while we can also use the time it takes us to get to Floaroma to perhaps get Klara some basic combat experience? I highly doubt we'll run into any Ferals that could overrun Lorraine, Klara and Mikhail's girls all at once, so it should be a fairly reasonable controlled environment."

Katsumi just puts her head in her hands. "Ben, I swear. You just had to say it out loud, didn't you? Well, if we all die, I'm blaming you."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Joseph POV

Before, I described Whitney as a force of pure chaos made flesh - existing solely to kick off plots and stir up trouble. Then there was Morty - less said about him, the better. Jasmine, about the same really.

And then there was Gym Leader Chuck. He was... more like the Spanish Inquisition. He's fucking unsubtle enough that you should see him coming from a mile off, but he still gets the drop on you somehow.

"Surprise, motherfucker!" he says, muscular arms reaching out and grabbing me before I had time to blink, and executing a perfect judo flip "... next time, dodge. Also, this isn't a murder attempt."

"How reassuring." I groaned from the floor. How had I gotten in this position? Physically, I was thrown. Metaphorically, I was led here. Constable Hawaiian Shirt had found me in the local battle club working with Keiko to get some training in for Amora, and told me that there was some bureaucratic red tape I needed to go through. I, being the Lawful Good character I am, followed him. Then, he led me to the gym, left my Pokegirls with several Fighting Types training there, and then shoved me into this room without an explanation.

In hindsight, I really should have seen this coming.

"Now, time to see if the lessons sunk in!" roared Chuck, and to my horror I saw him wind up for a large jump I just knew was going to end with him landing on me. I was only just able to scramble out of the way in time, seeing his feet touch down only inches away from my torso.

"The fuck are you doing, you psycopath!?" I shouted, finally scrambling to my feet now that my flight or fight instincts were racing.

He rose to his feet and brushed his hands off. "Well I did tell you to dodge." he raised an eyebrow. I countered with my own, so he shrugged and carried on. "As for what I'm generally doing… when I heard that my favourite verbal chew toy was getting up to some training at the Battle Club, I said to myself, 'Chuck, old boy, what can I do to brighten up his day?', and the answer was obvious."

"Kill me?"

"Train him!" he said instead. "Yeah, he's a Gym Leaders boy toy, after all. That gives him privileges."

"Shoot me. Now. Just end my pain." Would that reputation ever leave me?

Chuck continued on, as if I never spoke at all. "Why should he train on his lonesome, when I have plenty of scrubs training at my own Gym anyway? Not like one more punching bag is gonna make too much difference to class rosters."

And suddenly, it clicked. A bit of information I'd been told in passing a while ago, that hadn't come up until now. "Your Gym helps train up Rangers for the League, doesn't it? Yeah, you're like a boot camp for those in active service."

He clapped his hands together in satisfaction. "Right! Chuck's Boot Camp! Where Boys sweat off their baby fat through pain and agony, and emerge as Men!"

"And you're offering me a place." I stated. On the one hand, I was excited. Not many get a chance to get actual formal training, and fewer still are taken in by a Gym. Normally, you need to be on contract to the Gym Leader in question to qualify for their training. Chuck's a little different though, as a large chunk of what he trains is martial ability, so he gets a lot of part-time students.

I'd been musing on needing to be stronger for awhile. Both as a Tamer, and as a person: physically and mentally.

But on the other hand, I'm fairly sure Chuck is the sort to put the 'hell' back into 'Training From Hell'. Like, if Full Metal Jacket was ever to be released in Bizarro World theatres, he'd undeniably say 'I like that drill sergeant's style'.

"Damn skippy I am." He laughed boisterous. "No hidden costs or charges! Consider it my good deed for the week."

"And a chance to have one over on Whitney and maybe kick my ass?"

"Well, that too. But I am a many faceted Certifiable Badass, I'll have you know. I can have multiple reasons for doing shit. And if one of those is that I want to fuck with you and those you love… then who really cares?"

"I know I'm gonna regret this… but fuck it. The fishing trip didn't turn out as badly as expected either. So yes." I agreed, bracing myself for the worst. "I'm guessing that my Pokegirls are being put through the wringer too?"

"Yup." He nodded. "All of you are. And on that note, let's get started!"

"Wait, immediately?"

"I! Told! You! To! Dodge!" Again, he was inside my guard, his leg was positioned behind my own, and then I was tumbling down to the ground in a perfectly executed throw. "Watch your legs, scrub!"

"Ow." I whispered, but grit my teeth and got back to my feet.

His grin became wider, and he cracked his knuckles. "Great! You've already been introduced to the Floor! The two of you will become very good friends over the course of the next two weeks! I might only have your ass for an hour every three days, but damn am I putting you through your paces!"

"It's what I asked for, or rather, didn't ask for, but wanted. So suck it up." I told myself. So I shut up, and focused. This wasn't the kind of teaching I expected or had any experience in, but I'm guessing the rest of my time not with Chuck will be more what I expect from a traditional boot camp. Either way, I'd be a fool to not take advantage of this opportunity now.

"Next lesson! Since you'll be sucking face with your new vertically challenged friend so often, it's only fitting that I teach you how to fall properly this time, hmm?"

And I would fall down oh so many times across the day. And get back up again oh so many more too.