Gem was a Rescue Ranger or Rescue Team Member, whichever was preferred really. Today, however, she was currently just a passerby, walking gracefully through the paths of the village with a smile. Her dress flowed lightly in the breeze as she came closer to the west side of the village, and her head turned softly towards the familiar energy of two small pokemon.
The Gardevoir shifted her form in their direction, coming to the home of Rai the Riolu and Raz the Blaziken, her own Rescue Partner. An often seen sight, Rai was outside with his own 'partner', at least in the future when they actually became a Rescue Team, Todo the Totodile. They were busy discussing something together, Rai moving his paws animatedly as the shy Totodile just nodded along and responded. How those two became so attached with such opposing personalities, Gem was sure she might not ever know.
Avoiding reading their minds out of principle, Gem was curious as to what they could be discussing. So, she moved close with a soft smile across her features. "Rai, Todo, hello. How are you two?"
The two pokemon squeaked in surprise, not hearing the approach of the psychic type while in their own discussion. They quickly relaxed, however, when they were aware of who it was. Rai spoke up, the Riolu sighing a bit with a smile.
"O-Oh, hey Gem. We were just talking about maybe uhm… taking up a mission around the village?" He said with a bit of reluctance, which turned into a slight embarrassment as the Gardevoir raised a brow softly, a little bemused smile playing across her lips as she giggled softly.
"Nothing dangerous, I hope. The last time you two did something like that, you were treated to a rather thorough lesson from Raz and I, weren't you?" She hummed a bit, folding her arms over her chest as she looked down. Both of the boys blushed a bit, each trailing a paw to their rear in remembrance of the 'talk' they received from the Rescue Team.
Rai shook his head quickly, stammering a bit as he waved his paws in the air. "N-No! Promise! Nothing dangerous this time!"
Gem smiled softly, reaching down and patting the two on their heads affectionately with a giggle. "Alright alright, I'm just teasing. I know you two are good boys, at least for a while after such shenanigans anyway~ Well then, what is this mission you two are talking about?"
She came down to their height, crouching in front of them as she rested her arms on her knees and put her chin on top of them. Gem found that most of the auras of smaller pokemon tended to calm when she did this, and she was more than happy to put this into practice for two of her future favorite Rescue Rangers.
Todo spoke up this time, a bit more timidly than Rai, but he still had a giddiness to his voice. "W-We heard that some pokemon were g-getting spooked in the w-woods around the village. S-Some have been having trouble sleeping. S-So we decided that it would be a g-good idea to kind of uhm…"
"Scout?" The Gardevoir added helpfully to the Totodile's explanation, and he nodded in thanks as he stammered to continue.
"Y-Y-Yeah, scout the woods. There isn't any uhm, big pokemon or anything s-seen so far. So, Rai and I thought w-we could h-handle it." Todo huffed softly as he finished his explanation, looking at the Gardevoir with a little wiggle as she smiled slightly, a little hint of pride in her chest. Oh, her boys were gonna be the best Rescue Team ever. Of that, she was very sure.
"Now I see~ Well then, I certainly won't stop you from looking into things. At least if you're around town, you're at arms length in case you need help. It sounds just like a little trickster, so I'm sure it's nothing you two can't handle~"
Rai and Todo nodded, both smiling at the Gardevoir as Rai spoke. "Yeah, thanks Gem! We'll be sure to tell you how it goes after tonight!"
"I look forward to the report, little ones. Tell Raz, I said hello~ I have a bit of meditation to do on my free day, and I don't want to bother him during his." She smiled and stood, waving at the two as she headed out from the little home. Gem giggled gently as the two waved back, already excitedly going back into their discussion as she shook her head.
Gem's day went about as it usually did from there. She always drew a bit of peace from a quiet spot within the woods, covered in bright flowers and scented with some berry bushes that offered a genuine peace of both mind and body. It was in this area that the Gardevoir could sit and relax, her whole body just reveling in the gentle breeze that flowed the clearing. Her mind was free from the humming din of the many pokemon in the village.
With a small sigh, Gem smiled as she leaned back gently, laying on the grass much like a blooming flower as she spread her limbs out and letting her mind just wander and flow like the river within the village. It wandered freely, unabated by the need to be constrained or stifled for the sake of modesty, and Gem herself felt her psychic influence expand freely about her. She rested like this for a while, her eyes closed as her mind danced among the vast emptiness of the space.
Hours passed before a little flutter of thought appeared on her free flowing river of psychic energy. Gem opened her eyes curiously, sitting up quietly as she peered past the leaves of the tree she sat beneath. It was approaching the evening; the sky held a darkening hue of reddish orange that expanded over the horizon like a snorlax laying down for rest. With a little huff, she floated to her feet, focusing on the location of the underlying thoughts that made a ripple in her mental pond. The Gardevoir moved in a slow stride, approaching through the brush and past several of the forest trees as she drew closer and closer to the source.
She was surprised to see a Braixen, much less one that was currently dangling from a tree with a few weak little kicks of its legs. The fox-like pokemon grunted and squirmed, but it was to no avail as it seemed to be unable to draw its form onto the branch it fell from. The Gardevoir hummed softly and reached out a hand, the familiar glow of her psychic energy surrounding the smaller pokemon as it squeaked, being lifted off from the branch and down to the ground slowly before being dropped to its feet.
"There now~ You should be more careful climbing trees, little one, especially if you do it alone." Gem spoke softly, smiling a bit as the Braixen seemed to flush along the fur of its cheeks. It spoke, revealing the pokemon to be a she as a feminine yet slightly huffy tone came from the muzzle.
"Yeah, thanks. I was going to get up myself, you know? I just needed a bit more time." The Braixen said with a huff. The tail behind it twitched, jostling the stick in its fur as it seemed to look more than a bit irritated.
"I apologize, but you seemed to be struggling. So, I just thought I would help." Gem said with a slightly thinner smile, takin gin the aura of the Braixen. It was… jittery, a bit wary, like a young pokemon caught doing something they shouldn't be. She couldn't figure out what that might be, however. Perhaps the little fox-like pokemon wasn't allowed to climb trees? She shook her head as the thought came to her. It wasn't much of her business. "If you don't need any more help though, I'll just gladly head back to my relaxation then~"
"No, thank you. I am fine." The Braixen spoke, huffing a bit as she turned to the tree and began to climb it again, this time being much more slow and methodical with her movements.
Gem shrugged to herself and made her way away from the Braixen and toward the village. In truth, her relaxation had been disturbed when it was close to time for it to have been over anyway. The path brought her back to one of the main forest roads that lead to the village, but, as she stepped out from her long walk, she became aware that coming towards her was Rai and Todo.
"Oh, hello there, little ones~"
The two perked, smiling as they came up to the Gardevoir. "Oh hey, Gem! Were you coming from the forest?"
The Gardevoir nodded at the Riolu's question, giving a gentle smile. "I was. How has your little search for this phenomenon that has been bothering the village gone?"
"W-Well, we haven't found a-anything yet. B-But we think w-we're making an a-alright progress." Todo said with a soft stammer next to his friend. "W-We were going to uhm, s-search this part of the woods next."
The Gardevoir looked back at the path that she came from, where the small water-type was pointing. "Ah, I see, I did not notice anything spooky on my own way back. But, maybe you two will be lucky~"
"Hope so! Thanks for letting us know, Gem. Come in Todo!" Rai said with a grin, running forwards with the Totodile following suit as they went into the forest. The Gardevoir smiled softly as she giggled at their enthusiasm, shaking her head as they disappeared into the path.
She stood there and let herself focus on the seemingly always excitable auras of the two smaller pokemon, taking in their giddiness and determination as they strode on through the forest. Raz always called it a strange habit, but Gem adored letting herself wander into another's feelings mentally and sharing them within her own mind. She knew few other psychic types that did it.
Her smile, however, replaced with a frown as the two felt further away. It wasn't because she was losing them from her field of energy. Her mind suddenly registered a shift in their auras, switching from their previous jubilation to a sudden onset of fear and worry. They soon molded into full-blown panic, and Gem moved quickly back along the path as she heard a familiar twin cry come from both of her boys.
"Heeeeelp!"
Gem sprinted towards the noise, her eye catching the flash of movement as she turned to see the boy's sprinting across the path with a pack of Rhydons chasing after them. She pivoted, running in a straight cut across the path and stopping in front od the group, holding her hands out.
"That is ENOUGH!" Her voice boomed as her whole form glowed, and a little shockwave sent the area around her trembling. The boys squeaked behind her, falling over in a heap. But, the Rhydons seemed to shift, stumbling themselves before stopping in place with shocked looks.
Gem frowned as she reached out to read the aura of the group, trying to determine their intentions. But, as she did so, she was surprised to find that they had no aura. The Gardevoir's anger turned to bewilderment as she came across only a singular, smaller aura within the seemingly large group of Rhydons. With a hand, she reached and gripped onto it; she wasn't surprised now when the illusion dissipated, revealing the same Braixen she had helped only a short while before.
The fox-like pokemon squirmed, struggling against the psychic type's grip around her as she yelped. "Hey! Let go of me already!"
Gem's eyes narrowed, but she ignored her as she turned to the two sniffling pokemon. Both Rai and Todo looked absolutely confused as the terror in their auras melted away. A little fire of ire bubbled up in her at their tearful looks as she knelt down and wiped both their eyes with her thumbs.
"Are you two alright?" She quietly asked, ignoring the sounds of struggle from behind.
"Y-Y-Y-Yeah, t-thanks G-Gem." Todo sniffled softly as he nodded, Rai following suit.
"S-So that wasn't real?"
The Gardevoir shook her head with a little sigh. "No, dears. It was just an illusion. On the bright side, I think you might have found the thing that was causing trouble around the village."
She peered back at the Braixen, who was squirming a good bit less now, glaring directly at the Gardevoir. Rai nodded a bit at the larger pokemon's explanation.
"O-Oh. Well that's good at least. Uhm… s-so what now?"
"Now, you two are going to head back to the village and let them know that the problem has been dealt with, okay?" Gem smiled softly, rubbing the top of both of their heads gently.
"O-Okay uhm…" Rai looked past her at the Braixen, who shifted her glare to him. "What are you going to do?"
Gem smiled and stood, helping the two up. "You just let me worry about that, okay?"
The two nodded a bit, looking warily between each other before heading off at a quick jog back to the village. Gem watched them leave, her smile melting again into a frown as she turned towards the Braixen. She sighed heavily, eyes opening just in time to catch an Ember flying past her cheek. It surprised her enough to make her drop her psychic hold on the smaller pokemon for a moment.
The Braixen huffed and drew her stick from her tail, making it alight in flame as she moved into a Flame Charge. Fire wreathed her in its grip, the fox-girl fashing forwards as Gardevoir barely moved out of the way. The Braixen huffed and landed, charging again but faster now. This time, she burned across Gardevoir's side, making the taller pokemon hiss as she held the mark and turned quickly.
She grit her teeth, her patience being wrung dry quite easily. Her feelings were already on edge at the fact that she had found her boys scared to death. Now, with this Braixen fighting her like a wild pokemon, the Gardevoir found she had just about been tapped on generosity. She reached her hand to her head, touching it with two fingers as her eyes glowed.
"That. Is. It " A Psybeam launched from her forehead, tearing through the air with sharp precision as the Braixen's eyes widened behind her blaze. It struck her decisively, making her yip and squeal as the psychic strike cut through her thoughts and made her fall to the ground. She laid there groaning as Gem sighed, walking over and snuffing out the burning stick before placing it in her hip pouch.
"H-Hey, give that b-back." The Braixen groaned, standing up in a wobbly state now as Gem shook her head. The Gardevoir raised a hand, and the smaller pokemon lifted into the air while struggling against the psychic energy once more, albeit much less vigorously.
"YOU do not have the position to make demands, little one. Not until we have quite the thorough conversation." Gem hissed as she felt her side twinge, stinging from the burns as she looked around. Finding a stump not far off, she walked over and sat down comfortably with a sigh. At least like this, she didn't have the fear of falling over before their talk was finished.
The Braixen floated over, a bit more energy in her sluggish form as the side effects of the Psybeam began to wear off. "Look, Gardy. I'm not going to talk with you now or ev- YIPE!"
The loud yip that sounded out as a small pocket of energy exploded against the Braixen's left butt cheek was almost cathartic for the Gardevoir. However, she really was just looking for the effect it had. As she spoke, the now worried and squirming Braixen was a bit more silent.
"No, you are. The first thing you're going to answer is: what did you think you were doing pulling a prank like that on those two?" Gem huffed softly, her frown only deepening as the Braixen stuck her tongue out at her. She closed her eyes, and the series of yips and yelps that followed made her sigh.
The Braixen squeaked and squirmed, trying her hardest to block her rear with her tail, but the strikes were centered quite well on her cheeks as she felt tears prick at the corners of eyes. She was beyond embarrassed that she had been caught like this, but how was she supposed to know that this psychic user would be wandering around here still?! Another yip escaped her mouth as a center strike of energy left a sharp sting in the middle of both cheeks.
"Ah! Okay okay! I'll talk, I'll talk! I just thought it would be funny to scare them with an illusion!" She hissed as the assault stopped on her rear, feeling the sting really center into a burn now that her bottom had a break to feel the cool air again.
Gardevoir opened her eyes again, gently huffing as she pulled the Braixen closer to her form. The pokemon still floated in front of her, unable to touch the ground as she spoke again.
"Well, I don't think it's funny to scare smaller pokemon until they're in tears, do you?" She waited for her answer as her arms folded softly.
The Braixen wiggled in her spot in front of her. "Yeah sure I guess…"
She squealed as a particularly sharp burst of psychic energy landed a paddle across her thighs.
"Alright alright! It's not funny!" The Braixen groaned out, wanting so desperately to rub her bottom. She couldn't move her arms or legs though, and the pokemon was becoming more resigned as she realized the psychic type had a far better grip on her powers than she did.
"I'm glad you can see that. Now then, are you the one that has also been making it so that the village has been having trouble sleeping? Spooking pokemon that wander near the woods?"
"If I say no, will you drop me already?" The Braixen yipped as she saw the Gardevoir start to close her eyes. "Ah wait wait! Yeah yeah it was me! Okay? I'm sorry!"
Gem huffed softly and shook her head. "I doubt that, but I assure you that by the time we are done you will be. I don't think you're aware that pranks like this are not harmless. Causing fear and uncertainty is NOT an acceptable type of 'fun' to have, young one."
The Braixen felt a bead of sweat drip from her muzzle, squirming still against the psychic bond around her. She already felt her rear throbbing as a few stray tears dripped down her cheeks. At this rate, she was going to become a crying mess, like a baby Fennekin, and she did NOT want that. "O-Oh come on, I think I learned my lesson. Can't you just let me go?"
Gem shook her head, having a very clear read on the girl's aura. There was apprehension, frustration, and a bit of panic. But, the Gardevoir did not sense a hint of remorse in her yet. She raised her hand, flipping the Braixen about as she squeaked. Her eyes landed on the rear, currently a rosy pink from the constant strikes. If she was going to make the pokemon realize the error of her ways, she was going to have to deal with her a bit more harshly than she first intended. Her mind suddenly flickered to the twig still in her back.
"Very well, I can see this is not working…" She said with a gentle shake of her head, lowering the Braixen to the ground and letting the psychic energy disperse around her. The Gardevoir pulled the twig from her waist pouch, holding it in both hands a moment as her eyes flicked up to the Braixen once more, who currently had both paws attempting to rub out the sting from her rear furiously. Her smooth hand clasped around the wrist of the smaller pokemon, tugging her up onto her lap with a surprised yip from the Braixen.
"H-Hey! What gives?! I thought you were letting me go!" She kicked and wiggled her paws, squirming with renewed vigor now that she wasn't restrained by Gem's energy. However, her struggles soon ceased as the feeling of a red hot stripe exploded across both her cheeks, making the Braixen wail in surprise.
"No, young one. I merely decided we needed a change of pace in your punishment as the previous method wasn't working." She spoke softly, another line landing just below the first as the twig whistled through the air once more. Red stripes blossomed on the pink skin below her fur, and Gem felt a small bit of remorse as the Braixen wailed again, tears starting to pour down the smaller pokemon's cheeks.
Now, Braixen was a fire type, but she wasn't ever imagining she could be prepared for the heat that laced itself across both of her cheeks. It was like sitting in a lava river on a hot day, and the tears flooding down to the forest floor below did little to soothe any of the sting that was built up from before. She just wanted to have some fun, Arceus dang it! So what if she scared a few pokemon half to death? They'd get over it… right?
The fox-like pokemon gave a soft hitch of breath and a loud sob as the next strike landed below the first two, her own twig being used in a way that she never thought it might be used before. She sniffed loudly, kicking and squirming to try and pull off the Gardevoir's thighs, but she was brought back easily by a gentle hand wrapping around her waist before another strike made her let out a cry. Oh come on! Why couldn't this psychic type just mind her own business?! It wasn't her fault that the pokemon in the village were such scaredy Meowths! She didn't mean to make them cry!
She sobbed as tears pooled on the forest floor below, her small form wiggling with a lot less vigor now as a rolling feeling of once-absent guilt began to fill her stomach. It was like a slow wave, stifled only a little bit by the heat of her rear. She really didn't mean to make them cry, but they were just as freaked out as some of the other pokemon during her 'pranks'. The Braixen just wanted to use her powers to have some fun! She didn't… didn't…
Gem landed another quick three switches below the growing bundle of lines on the Braixen's bottom, watching as the kicks died down from the smaller pokemon as she began to cry in earnest. The Gardevoir sighed softly as she finally felt that familiar soothing cool of remorse began to fill the aura of the pokemon, deciding that now would be the time to finish up. She brought the switch lower, being careful as she landed three sharp, heavy strokes along the Braixen's thighs, where she knew she would be sitting rather uncomfortably for a while. As the last three red lines welted on her dark pink skin, Gem placed the stick next to her on the stump, shushing the smaller pokemon as she wailed continuously now.
The Gardevoir was careful to lift the smaller pokemon up onto her lap, setting her to straddle one of her knees, being wary of her obviously very sore rear. She hissed as the Braixen suddenly gripped her tight around the midsection, squeezing as she pushed her face against the chest of the larger pokemon and making Gem breath deeply to keep from crying out herself at the burn on her side. Luckily, it was something that could be treated with a berry quite easily when they got back. It just hurt an awful lot at the moment, but she tried not to let that distract her as she wrapped her own arms around the Braixen's form, listening to her blubber out incoherent sentences from her chest. Her fingers traced along the girl's spine, soft words coming from her own mouth as she tried to soothe her. Her punishment was over after all, and the Gardevoir was more than happy to give comfort.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry…" The Braixen sobbed as she buried her muzzle into the chest of the larger pokemon, whimpers trailing from her lips as she hugged close with her tail falling limply over her bottom. Her tears fell freely along the Gardevoir's chest, barely registering the warm ministrations of the pokemon over her own cries.
"I know you are, little one. Deep breaths now." Gem said softly, her fingers tracing slow, soothing circles on the Braixen's back as she breathed deeply, exhaling slowly with the pokemon's head placed against her chest, one hand tucking her head closer so she could listen. She smiled when the fox-like pokemon began to try and mimic her in between sobs, her cries beginning to slow as she sniffled and hiccuped gently with each passing minute.
Gem's hands shifted now to the smaller pokemon's shoulders, lightly pulling her from the tight hug with another soft hiss. Ah, she was going to feel much better when those burns were finally out of the way. Yet, she put on a stern, yet gentle, gaze when looking at the Braixen.
"Now then, we're going to behave from now on, aren't we, little one? No tricks or attitude?" She raised a brow as the Braixen sniffled and gave another hiccup, nodding her head in the affirmative as the Gardevoir smiled. "Good. Now then, you best run along. And, don't think I won't hear about it if some more trouble is caused around the village."
She gave one last hug to the remorseful little pokemon, setting her down and handing her twig back to her. The Braixen was silent as she scurried back to the brush, heading deeper into the woods as the Gardevoir sighed and began to walk back in her own direction.
"Ah, finally, I can go deal with my own burn…"
An easy few days passed uneventfully after the Gardevoir had her 'talk' with the Braixen, and the village did indeed seem to come back to it's peaceful ways. There were no longer any talks of strange spooky noises from the woods, the village pokemon seemed a bit more lively, and Rai and Todo both were rather still as chipper as before after their brush with the trickster fire type. Gem sighed softly as she left her small little hut home, humming as she closed the door behind her with a little push of her psychic energy.
"Ah uhm… h-hello?"
Gem stopped, her eyes gazing down in front of her where the form of the Braixen currently stood, fidgeting with her paws while looking up at the taller pokemon. The Gardevoir smiled a bit, taking in the nervous, hopeful aura the Braixen had around her form. She came close, kneeling down in front of the pokemon with a nod.
"Hello again, young one. It's nice to see that you are well. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" She raised a brow, smiling gently as she looked the Braixen over.
"I well…" She rubbed the back of her head, her tail flicking softly as she tried to find the words. Her stick shifted within her tail, the same one that was used only a few days before, Gem noticed. "C-Could you… teach me?"
"Teach you?" The Gardevoir raised both her brows, this time in surprise. "Teach you what exactly, little one?"
"To use my psychic powers, like you do." She said with a little more confidence to her voice, giving a gentle huff at the sudden disapproving look.
"You're not going to use it for pranks, are you?" Gem questioned suspiciously, reading the Braixen's aura, it flared with a bit of embarrassment and indignation.
"N-No! Promise! I learned my uh… lesson from last time." She huffed softly, blushing as she said so.
Gem was quiet for a moment, but she nodded softly after giving it some thought. "Alright then, I think it would be better if you had someone teach you properly."
"W-Wha- really?" The Braixen looked up, hopping in place a bit. "You really mean it? Can you teach me?"
"Well, I don't think you would use it for anything mischievous, at least not while under my tutelage. For now, however, this means also accepting the consequences if you do misuse your powers. You would be fine with that, despite what you might know it to entail?"
The Braixen nodded softly, a hand rubbing at her rear absentmindedly, but she gave a sure nod. "Yes, I would love to learn, Miss Gardevoir!"
"Heh, alright. Please, don't call me that though. My name is Gem. What is your name, little one?" She smiled a bit, appreciating the surety in the little Braixen's words.
"It's Flick, Miss Gem." She nodded towards her, giving a little smile now. The little pokemon seemed quite happy she was actually accepted the Gardevoir, a feeling that was not lost on the psychic type.
"Alright then, Flick. I hope you look forward to my teaching then, because we have quite a road ahead. You may have some basic grasp on psychic powers, but to get to a level like mine, you're going to have to work hard, alright?"
"Y-Yes! Promise I will!" Flick grinned as she hopped in place with a little cheer, grinning.
"Good~ But first…" The Gardevoir took the Braixen by the hand, pulling her along as she squeaked. "I think there are two little pokemon you owe an apology to."
Flick opened her mouth to protest, but she shut it quietly as felt a tingle in both her backside and stomach. She nodded as she swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, Ma'am…"