W00t! Longest chapter to date, on anything. Steamy romance ahead. ^_^ You've been warned.
The following has been approved by FireHybrid himself, just in case you wanted to know. Go read Chapter 5 of his Intertwine Dreams to make sense of this.
Chapter 4
The Lover
I'm in the money. . . I'm in the money. . .
Even though it had been a couple weeks since the previous chapter, I still couldn't get that song out of my head. Even just three days ago. . .
Mating week was over now, but I still remember it as if it were seared onto my brain. Especially when Phoenix tied me up in the basement of Xavier's house. I'm not very sure how she sedated me. . . I sleep rarely, am partially immune to drugging, and can shake off any blows to my body.
But I'm repeating myself and my somewhat-landlord. For the rest of that story, go read FireHybrids' Intertwine Dreams.
But currently, I was sitting in Xavier's living room just sketching some random objects for practice. It had been maybe months since I had drawn a single dragon. . . except for that dragonite girl that wanted her sketch. But that doesn't exactly count.
Xavier had been awful quiet the past few days. Something was on his mind, I could tell. And I thought I would eventually be able to figure out what it was, until the awesome twist on my life he gave to me right then.
"Hey, Rick."
"Hey."
"Listen. . . I'm not used to doing this, so here goes. . . how would you like to go on a date?"
I knew what he meant, but the line was too good to pass up. "Not with you, I hope."
"What? No!. . ." He he he. "Remember that Raichu Hybrid that was with you guys when Phoenix tied you guys up in the basement and you broke that door down?"
How could I forget that? That must've been the sweetest girl in the world. "The cute girl? Yeah, I remember her." I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME FOR SOME REASON, THOUGH! How absolutely ironic.
"Yeah; how would you mind going on a date with her?"
And I was considering that her and 'date' were going to be two mutually exclusive events. I blinked. ". . . and she's willing to go too?"
He blinked as well, "Uh, yeah; would I ask you if she wasn't?"
My jaw dropped. My cute girl section of my brain, aka The Babble Like An Idiot section of my brain, was set off. "I'd. . . love. . . to. . ."
"Good. . . before you go, though, there's some stuff you should know about her."
I was barely paying attention, staring into some space right behind Xavier. "Yeah. . . go on. . ."
"She's 16, a junior in my high school. . ." He paused for a second.
"Date. . . going. . . me. . ."
"Uh. . . Rick? Hello? You still with me?"
Well, of course I was. "Yeah. Date. Me. Cute girl. Raichel. 16. Junior in High school. . ." High school. . . who needs it?
"O.K. . . listen, she's kinda special to me, so I just gotta ask you to make sure you don't do something to upset her or anything. She's in a tender state at the moment. . ."
The word 'tender' brought me to full attention lightning fast. "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait. . . what kind of 'tender state'?"
"It's. . . a really, REALLY long story. . ."
"As long as it's not easily explained in some sort of medical term, I'm okay with it."
"Not sure there's a medical term for, 'Telling your dream girl that you come from a world where she was your only female companion until you came to this world and she was replaced from another girl from that world. . . at' "
"Oh. Is that all."
"Yeah, that's about the sum of it. . ."
"I might be surprised by that, but too much weird stuff has already happened."
"You think?. . . Anyway, she's really lonely now, and I still care about her. . ."
Again, click. "You still care about her?"
"That's why I'm doing this, for her and my sake."
And my sake.
"It was either you or Bob, and I really don't trust him with a pencil. . ."
". . . much less a former unknown girlfriend. Right. Me either." With any luck, I am currently not in his same position. And considering I was going on a date with a cute girl. . . well!
"Now there's a few things that you might need to know about her. . ."
"What movies does she like?"
"Uhm. . . she doesn't like chick flicks, if that's what you're asking, but. . ."
"Good! What movies are playing?"
Xavier handed me the newspaper. As I read through the pages for some movies, I only caught a hint of what he was trying to tell me.
Raichel's parent's didn't like hybrids, even though she was one. I wonder how that happened. Xavier was trying to explain it to me, but I only caught a little wind of it, namely 'blood' and 'psychic attack'.
"The Musketeer is still playing. . ." I murmured to myself. "So. . . she really likes me?"
"That's what I said."
"Well all this needs careful planning and consideration! Dinner movie! Movie dinner! Must choose a restaurant!"
"Will you slow down. . ." I was frantic about now, so I could understand, "The date is for tomorrow night, if you want. Everything is up to you, though."
"Cool. . . I might want to wear that tight black T that shows off my abs. . . You know, I haven't been planning to see thirteen ghosts, but it might be a good movie, so maybe. . . I also need to take a shower. . . possibly shave. . ."
"Um, Rick? You don't have facial hair."
"I know that. You think I don't know that? I just want everything to be perfect. And I only have. . ." I checked the clock on the wall, "THIRTY-SIX HOURS TO GET READY!"
"Calm down!"
"I will! I will. . ." Deep breaths. Deep breaths. "I'll go take a shower and do a couple hundred push ups. . ." I wandered in the direction of the bathroom.
"Good! You do that!" he called after me.
I didn't take a shower. I took a bath. An ice cold bath. With lots of soap bubbles. I needed to take my mind off of things for a while.
The water got very warm quickly because of my body heat, but I didn't notice. I just stared off into space for a while and thought about what all the possibilities were with a girlfriend.
That made the water even hotter.
I forced myself to stop thinking about it. We hadn't even met for five minutes that day. . .
I drained the bathtub and took a cold shower. I needed something really, really cold, fast. But I still couldn't stop.
I shut off the water and did six hundred push ups on the bathroom floor. I still couldn't stop thinking about her.
I – HAVE – TO – STOP – THINKING – ABOUT – HER!
Thirty-five hours left. I was never going to make it.
Xavier was very serious about this entire date thing, if for some reason or another. He lent me the car so I didn't spend an hour walking anywhere. He had directions to her house, and even reiterated what he said about treating her well. I, meanwhile, was busy trying to figure out directions to the restraunt and movie theater.
Even then, it started out quite awkward.
"Hello, Rai," I said to her as I opened up the passesger door for her to get in.
"Hello, Rick," She responded as she got in, "How are you?"
I pulled the clutch into gear. "I'm doing well, how bout you?"
"As good as I can be I suppose."
Reeeally awkward. "Oh. Um. . ."
"Well, after what happened with Fire Storm, and what he told me... I just need to relax."
What, indeed. . .I just sighed. Nothing worth conversing then could come to mind. I couldn't even think of a subject to change to.
"So. . . Fire Storm tells me you're an artist?"
Whew. . . "Yeah. . . yeah I am. I try to make a living off of it."
"Sounds nice. I might like to see some sometime... if you don't mind."
"Oh, no. . . I never mind. Usually."
"Thanks... you a trainer?"
"Not yet. I plan to be, though."
She nodded. "That nice. I've been thinking about starting again myself."
That phrase right there just shot off a bullet in my head. Rick, look at yourself. A few months ago this conversation would seem strange to you. You're talking right now to a spinoff of a popular video game (a really hot one at that) about an occupation or hobby that never should have existed that involves fantastic creatures of said game.
Are you losing your sense of wonder?
I was ashamed of myself. I was starting at my paws, and thinking about how quickly I got used to it all. . .
"Rick?" Rai was very obviously concerned, "You okay?"
"Sorry. . . you just got me thinking again. . ."
"Oh. . . about what, if you don't mind me asking."
How much does she know. . ? I sighed. "I'm. . . not sure if I can tell you. . ."
"Oh. . . well, it's okay if you can't."
I looked down at my paws again.
Rai tried to change the subject, "What are we going to see, again, tonight?"
"Thirteen Ghosts. But that's later. . . I wanted to take you to a semi-fancy restaurant. . ."
"Sounds nice. What's the name of the place?"
"All I know is that it's Mexican. Chevy's, I think. . ." I have been there before. The name always seems to slip my mind.
"Mexican sounds nice."
"I just hope it's spicy." My main reason why Taco Bell is not Mexican. You cannot have Mexican without spicy. Rai nodded in agreement with me. I looked, up and the restraunt was in view. I must have spaced out for longer than I knew. . .
I pulled into the restaurant. "I'll pay for absolutely everything, so don't worry about price."
"Oh. . ." She looked surprised. "Thanks. . . are you sure? I can pay for myself."
Stupid pent up guilt of mine, always popping up when I don't need it. What you do for Rick! I really had more than enough money for both of us to live comfortably on for the next ten years. . . "I have more money than I know what to do with right now, so don't worry about me." I got out and opened up her door for her.
She smiled, and I think if she didn't have a face full of fur, she would have blushed. "A gentleman, I see."
Not usually. But it's your night. . . "Well I try. . ."
We walked into the restaurant together. After a brief chat with the waiter, I turned to Rai, "We're lucky. There's a table open right now."
"Nice timing, I guess."
We walked, again, together to the table. I only ordered water, I fondly remembered having only soda to wash down the food with. . . it's not pleasant.
Rai sat across from me, and looked around the place. "This is a nice place."
"I thought you might like it." The waiter brought us our complimentary basket of chips and little bowl of incredibly hot salsa.
Rai thanked the waiter, and took a little sniff of them. "Smells good."
I took a bite. The salsa was a lot spicier than I remembered. . . it knocked the rest of my wind out of me. "Spicy enough. . ."
Rai took a chip herself. "Wow, yeah. . ."
I picked up the menu and looked for the thing that sounded like it tasted the best. "So Xavier tells me you're in Junior Hi. . Ah, er, a Junior in high school." Almost slipped up there. . .
"Yes, I'm in the same grade as Xavier."
School. Silly people and their pointless mathematics and social studies. . .
"Are you still in school?"
I choked. "Well. . . I. . . er. . . I don't. . ." I didn't have a response ready for that. I don't think I could've if my life depended on it.
"Oh. . ." She was obviously very surprised, "It's alright. It doesn't really matter; you seem like a smart guy as it is."
Still, I felt as though I was disappointing her, "But what I meant to say. . . Um. . ." I was frustrated with myself, so I shifted the topic, "How much has Xavier told you about me?"
"A little. He told me what you like, where you came from; that sort of thing."
"Where I came from? What did he say about where I came from?" Hopefully, for both our sakes, I didn't have to do an elaborate cover up right now.
"He said you came from a van on the side of the road. He couldn't remember much else. . ."
"At least he was truthful. . ." Not to mention blunt.
"Maybe you could tell me a little more?"
I intended to, but the waiter dude came by and took our orders. He was actually quite polite, considering we were both hybrids.
"So. . . What else do you like besides art?"
"Oh, various things. And um. . . I don't really do all that much. I play video games all day, and try to find something to do that doesn't bore me out of my skull. . . I took to exercising a lot recently."
"Sounds like a good life to me."
"But I really want to do something with my life. . ." According to me, when you struck thirty you were officially old and you wasted your life, you pathetic fool you.
"I understand that, but maybe you should enjoy what you have while you can." True. . . I did consider the fact that's that what I usually wanted to do all day anyway while I was still in school. . .
"Yeah. . ." I sighed. I had to let her know soon. . . I hate having awkwardness build up like that. . .
"What's up?" She was so very concerned about me. . .
"I'm not sure if I know how to tell you this exactly. . ."
"Just say it and get if off your chest; I promise I won't get mad if you're worried about that."
"I. . . um. . . You know how Xavier told you I came from a van on the roadside?"
"Yes."
"I don't. . . remember anything before that. . ."
"Oh... you mean you don't anything else that's happened here?"
"No, I mean. . . really. I woke up in a van one day. I don't remember anything before that." Well, I thought she misunderstood. . .
"You mean, everything? Even your life in the Shadow World?"
I knew that term. I knew that term. . . "Shadow world. . . Xavier told you?"
"Yes; that's why we're just friends again; his relationship with Serena back there... didn't he tell you that?"
Well you just did right now, thanks a lot. . . "No, he didn't. . ."
"I'm surprised. He said he would... might've forgotten."
"He really might have. I might not have been paying a lot of attention. . ." At least everything that was slightly confusing fell into place. . .
"I see. . ." Rai nibbled on another chip.
"So he really did tell you everything."
"Yeah; he felt I deserved to know why he was breaking up with me."
ALERT! Avoid the subject! "I really didn't want to bring it up. . ."
"Oh. . ." She looked a little embarrassed, "Sorry, I didn't meant to either. . ."
"I do, however, remember everything that happened in the Shadow World, if you wanted to know. . . I don't prefer the term 'Shadow World', though. I always think in my mind 'Old World'."
"I see. I'm just used to Xavier saying it; sorry. . ."
Again with the sorry. . ."No, it's no problem. That's why I told you right now."
"Okay; thanks. . ." She paused.
I leaned forward on the table, the silence becoming less awkward between us. . . or it might have become moreso. . . I was just looking at her beautiful amber eyes. . .
The waiter interrupted me, and delivered the food. Rai thanked him.
"I'm sorry, was I staring?"
"Not that I noticed. . ."
"Okay. I hate to be awkward. . ." I took a bite from my food.
Rai did as well. "This is good, how's yours?"
"Spicy. . ." I coughed to one side, idly emitting a small flare. I quickly snapped my mouth shut and put a paw over it.
"You okay?"
"Quite spicy, I might say. . ."
"I noticed. . . hope I don't start burping fire.
I wish I had something clever to say then. But I didn't. I just laughed a little. Rai smiled.
She didn't eat as fast as I did. I like to eat, and usually as much as I can shove down my throat before it all catches up with me. "This stuff is delicious. . . I might want to come back a lot more often."
"Same here."
I might have paused my eating right then, because I just looked up and caught a glint of the overlights in Rai's eye. . .
I blinked. "I was staring. I know I was staring. . ."
"Were you? I didn't notice."
"No, I was staring, I know it."
She shrugged. "If you say so, Rick."
I blinked, then shook my head. "Um. . . sorry." I went back to eating.
She smiled and looked at me.
Oh. . . duh. She knew I was staring at her. . . and she was staring back the entire time. . . So I politely just spaced out into the beauty of her eyes. . .
"Rick. . . I hope you don't mind me saying this, but. . ." She looked down.
I blinked back. "What?"
"You're. . . pretty cute. . ."
I was only a little surprised. Really. Okay, I was quite surprised. "Um. . . You're. . . absolutely beautiful. . ." I think I overdid it. . .
She blushed. At least I think she did. "You really think so?"
"Absolutely."
She just sat there, contemplating that for a moment, then leaned across the table and kissed me on the cheek. Make a note. "Thanks. . ." She said.
It has been said many times your first kiss, that it usually isn't the best you'll ever have. That technically did not count as a kiss, but as far as I was concerned, I could die happy.
Rai was watching my reaction, which was probably quite humorous.
I coughed slightly and blinked. "No one's. . . ever kissed me before. . ."
"Did. . . you like it?"
"Y. . . Y-y. . . Y-yeah. . ." I brought a paw up to the cheek where she kissed me if for nothing else than effect.
"I'm glad. . . I don't know. There's just something about you. . . I feel really attracted to you."
I ran out of everything at that point. There was nothing I could say. That didn't mean I didn't try. "I. . . I, uh. . ."
"You okay, Rick? You look like your gonna pass out."
"I don't know what to say. . ."
She smiled. "If I knew this is how you'd react, I probably wouldn't have have done that."
Perish the thought. "No no, It's okay. . . I liked it a lot. . ."
"I'm glad. . ." She idly looked at me again. I said nothing, just looked at her face again. . . time seeming to be no object. . .
Time. Time!
"The movie is starting in twenty minutes!"
She snapped out of it. "Huh? Oh; Okay. . . We'd better get going then."
I hastily paid the bill at the front desk, but I was still looking at Rai the entire time. All the way out to the car. . .
I only broke eye contact when I opened the door for her. She thanked me, and I stepped around the the driver's side, got in an started the car. "I really meant to tell you this earlier. . ."
"Tell me what?"
"When Xavier told me I was going on a date with you, I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Oh. . . really?" She sounded a little embarrassed, but awfully pleased.
"Really. You were plastered into the walls of my head, and as much as I tried to think about other things, I couldn't stop."
She paused before she spoke again. "It's funny; I felt the same way when Xavier described you... you sounded so mature and nice. . ."
I parked the car in the movie theater parking lot and shut off the engine, but looked at the clock before doing so. "We have about ten minutes to kill. . ."
She smiled. "Any ideas?. . ."
"Well, I don't want to be too forward. . ."
She kissed me on the cheek again. "It's okay; really. . ." Pause. "You're very handsome. . ."
I got the nerve up to kiss her back. "Thank you. . ."
She smiled, holding one of my hands. "That felt nice. . ."
"Well then. . ." I kissed her again.
She took hold of my other hand, and then kissed me lightly on the lips.
This was all very new to me, but I was certain I liked it. I kissed her back on the lips, for a little longer.
Rai let out a little moan of pleasure. "Rick. . ."
"What?" I kissed her again.
She slowly rubbed up and down my bare arms, "I really like you. . ."
"Same here. . ."
She kissed me again, slowly opening her mouth to mine, so I decided to do the same, to lock a kiss. She placed her hands on my shoulders to steady herself, and kissed back a little harder. I crossed my arms behind her back and leaned against her, and in response she moaned a little louder and pressed her body against mine, while wrapping her arms about my neck.
Knowing myself, I had to stop this for even a little while to tell her, "So this is heaven. . ." And immediately went back to kissing.
"You smell. . . good. . . strong. . ." Rai said between kisses.
"I might even go. . . so far as to say. . . I love you. . ."
"Same. . . here. . ." She moved her hands around my back and felt the muscles I worked so hard on developing.
"Mmm. . .That feels nice. . ."
Rai tried climbing into my seat with me, while we were still kissing and holding each other. . . I told her "Move as far as you want. . ."
"Thank you. . ." She replied. She practically fell onto me, kissing and hugging, and rubbing slowly lower on my back.
"This is even nicer. . ." Kiss again.
"Rick. . ." Kiss. "More. . ." Kiss.
"We're probably" Kiss. "Missing that movie by now. . .
Rai pulled away, smiling, "I'm not missing it. . ."
"I never wanted to see it anyway." I pulled her back for another, you guessed it, kiss.
She was obviously ready to go much farther, slowly rubbing at my chest, while I moved my paws lower, to rub the back of her legs. I leaned forward into the kissing.
This is so absolutely absorbing. . .
Rai moved her hand a little awkwardly down the front of my body, feeling and examining it.
"I've been working on those abs." Again, kiss.
She kissed back harder. "I can feel it. . ."
I ran a hand down to the side of the seat and flipped up the lever, lowering the seat back. "Let's get a little more comfortable. . ."
Rai spoke between kisses again, "Rick. . . I've never. . . desired someone. . . as much. . . As I do you. . ."
"Are you sure? . . . I'm willing. . . to go as. . . far as you want. . ."
She kept kissing me, working her hands under my shirt, rubbing through my stomach fur, moaning pleasurably when she felt my chiseled stomach. As she slowly worked her way up, I stopped kissing her, and just leaned back to feel her hands rub there. . .
She pulled back, watching my reaction. "You like?"
"Yeah. . . keep going. . ."
She moved her other paw up in there to get more feeling going.
"Oooh. . ." I closed my eyes and sighed.
She started to massage my chest, smiling as she watched me enjoy this.
I collected up the nerve to do the same for her. . . I lifted a paw up and slid it under the back of her shirt, rubbing.
"Chu. . ." She sighed happily.
That was so cute. . . I rubbed up to her shoulder blades, pressing her body against me again.
She slid her arms out from between us, and started to lift my shirt, and started kissing me again. I didn't stop her. I just took the rest of the shirt off when she oulled it up to my armpits. . .
"That feels a lot better. . ." In more ways than one. That T was a little to tight. . .
"I agree. . ." She worked her hands behind me, rubbing my back again.
"Mmmm. . ." I brought my paws around her again. She nuzzled her nose to my neck. "We must do this more often. . ." I continued.
"Definitely. . ." Rai started to wrap her tail around my waist.
"Tails are a peculiar thing. . . I wish I had one."
She kissed me again. "We'll share mine."
"Sounds like a plan." Kiss again.
She kissed back, "Do more, Rick. . ."
"How much more is there?" Kiss.
"As far as you want. . ." And she knocked me farther into my seat with another kiss.
I mmphed at it, "Using my own words against me, I see. . ." As far as I want. . . I started to lift up her shirt. She pulled away for a second so I could get it off. "Much better. . ." I said, eying her pearl white bra.
"Much. . ." She replied. I pulled her back for another kiss.
This time she obviously wanted to go french style. . . I complied, letting my tongue into her mouth. She felt all around mine, and all around the inside of my mouth. I understood what made it so fun, now. . . She moaned into my mouth, enjoying every minute. I ran my paws up her bare back. She stroked the back of my head.
I never want this to end. . .
I ran a finger along her bra strap. . . hers along the waist of my pants. . .
I'm in paradise. . . and Rai is right behind me. . .
I pawfingered the clip on her bra. . . waiting. . .
I think I'm about to lose my virginity. . .
She slowly started to unbutton my pants. . .
Out of all the days in the year. . .
Days. . .year. . .
Wait a minute. . .
WAIT A MINUTE!
The shocked look on my face was very obvious, even to me. "Waitwaitwaitwait! . . . I just remembered something. . ."
She stopped and looked up at me. "What?"
I double checked. "Monday. . . Tuesday. . . It's still Mating Week. . ."
"It is? . . ." She blinked, as though she were trying to focus on something, "Yeah. . . geez; I don't think I took my medicine before I left. . ."
I looked down at her shirtless body. "I'll say. . ."
"Oh!" She looked embarrassed, "Sorry. . ."
"This was entirely my fault. . . I should have kept track better. . ."
"No no; I'm as much to blame. . ." She took her shirt and put it back on, "We'd better stop before something happens. . ."
"Yeah. . . something highly illegal. . ." I pulled my shirt back on as well.
She clambered off me back into her own seat, a little too embarrassed to say anything.
I lifted my seat back up. ". . . I'm sorry. . ."
She shook her head. "I think we're equally at fault here. . . I should probably go home and take my medicine before that happens again. . ."
I started the car, and drove out of the parking lot. Awkward silence followed.
". . . you probably hate me. . ." I admitted.
Rai shook her head, "No; it's not your fault. . . I should've remembered too."
". . . Well I want to let you know. . . back there when I said I loved you. . . I meant it."
She said a little embarrassed, "Same here. . ."
I wry smile spread across my face. "So. . . you wouldn't mind going out again sometime?"
She smiled again, finally calming down. "Not at all. . ."
"How about next week, then? Same time and place?"
"Sounds good."
I sighed in relief.
Another five minutes. . .
"It's funny how things happen the way they do. . . five more minutes and my life could've changed all the way around. . ."
She nodded in agreement, "Me too. . ."
That oddly reminded me about how I came across the $20,000. . . "Not the first time it happened, though. . ."
She looked confused. "Really? Mind sharing?"
"It's actually quite a long story. . ."
Yaaay! And um. . . Send me Fianl Fantasy: The Last Hero characters before I start writing the story. . . OH FOR THE LOVE OF. . . Go ahead and send them in at any point in the story. Go ahead. I don't care.
Next time on Vagabond: I said it over and over again. . . Time to start that Pokémon training!