"I think this is a good place to rest."
William stretched out, feeling more bored than tired. They had been walking through the forest all morning, fighting weak wild pokémon after weak wild pokémon, but not much of interest had happened. He let down his massive backpack and searched it for two water battles. He kept one himself and gifted the other one to the shorter Braixen that rarely ever left his side. As she greedily drank the colorless liquid to sate her accumulated thirst, William couldn't help but stare. There was something oddly alluring about the way the water made her throat bulge as it traveled down it.
The Braixen finished drinking with a loud pant. As she closed the bottle with minor difficulty using her paws, she looked up to William with a knowing smirk. "Were you imagining the bottle was something else, perchance?"
"Whatever could you mean." William picked up her bottle and placed it back in the bag along with his. After taking a brief glance around to confirm the area was safe he sat down on the stump of a felled tree. His Braixen didn't hesitate to sit by his side on the same stump, even though there was another stump right in front of them. They barely fit together in the same tree stub. "We could use some rest, Ada. I don't know about you but I'm nearly dead from all the walking we've been doing today."
Ada placed her head against his arm and nodded, brushing him. "We've advanced a lot today, yes! I guess we were pretty well rested after yesterday. I told you that sleeping together was a good idea."
"It was indeed." William stared ahead, careful not to glance at the Braixen by his side even accidentally. He still remembered the previous night, and the intimate and questionable conversation that took place. He wanted to continue the discussion after having spent all morning collecting his thoughts, but he wasn't sure how to bring up the topic. He began to scratch his neck with the arm that wasn't taken by the Braixen. "So about yesterday…"
"Oh! You finally bring it up!" She held on tighter to his arm. It hurt a bit, but she was fluffy so it evened out. "I thought you were going to play dumb all day long. I swear I would have smacked you in the head if night arrived and you hadn't said anything yet."
"Poképhilia is an awkward topic to introduce, who would have figured." He reflected in silence for a moment. He had rehearsed this conversation in his head many times, but he still wasn't sure how to begin. "Let's first make sure I'm understanding you correctly. What is it you want for us exactly, Ada? What do you propose?"
Ada released his arm, anticipating the conversation was about to get rockier, although her legs still brushed against his. "Let's lay the evidence on the table and see if we can formulate an hypothesis from there. Fact A: I love you deeply, more than I love any other living being. Fact B: I find your very presence highly sexually stimulating, to the point where I have trouble concentrating if I don't tend to my urges. Now, so that we are on the same page, can I ask you a few rather sensitive questions and request that you reply with as much honesty as you can muster?"
"Fire away," he said slowly, dreading what was about to come.
"Do you love me?" she asked, her shiny orange eyes staring straight into his.
She was throwing hardball questions already? William tried to hold her gaze, but only managed to last a few seconds. "I love you, yes. Platonically. Do not read more than necessary into it."
"Am I the one you love the most? More than any other human or pokémon?"
He found it increasingly difficult to speak. "We're together all the time, Ada. You are my only constant companion in this journey, so of course you are the one I appreciate the most in this world. Who else would it be if not you? But although I enjoy your company and I'm infinitely grateful for everything you do, I'm not sure if I would qualify my feelings at romantic."
Ada nodded to herself, her mouth twisting into a small smile. "So there we have Fact C: You love me. Whether you label your love as 'romantic' or not, that doesn't change the fact that you love me more than you love any other living being, by your own admission. Do not feel forced to label your feelings. That you cherish me at all already means the world to me, my dear trainer." She lowered her head in an odd display of self-consciousness, although it didn't last. "Now, although I already know the answer to this one, I will still ask anyway to ensure there are no misunderstandings. Does my body sexually arouse you?"
William averted his gaze in the most casual of fashions, as if he always meant to look at that random tree in the distance. What a very blunt question. If the Braixen had at least asked if she was attractive maybe William could have danced around the question a little, but her query was as univocal as they came. "You already know the answer."
"I do indeed, but I still want to hear it explicitly form your lips in order to discard the very unlikely possibility that I have misinterpreted your words. Well? Do I turn you on? Or are you too shy to speak it out loud? Nod once for yes, twice for no."
William looked at her dead in the eye, then nodded three times. "Don't get cheeky with me, vixen. You want an answer? All right. If I stare at your hips for longer than three seconds I instantly become rock-hard. Happy now?"
Grinning from side to side, Ada brought an arm to her waist as she sensually traced a finger up her hip. "I suppose I cannot blame you if these birthing hips get that reaction out of you. But I appreciate the brutal honesty, I really do. And that would be your Fact D. I'm not telling you what the D stands for." She affectionately nuzzled against his arm a few times as she lined her waist with his. "Let's recap. I love you and you love me. I want to mate with you and you want to mate with me. You asked what I want? Here's my proposal: we become a couple and mate. Preferably tonight. But right now would be a good time too."
He placed a hand on her head as a show of rapport. "I cannot accept that, Ada."
"Why not?" she nearly shouted, her tone louder than she intended. It's not like she hadn't anticipated this response, but it didn't hurt any less. "So what do you propose? That we do nothing? Are we just supposed to ignore these urges we have?"
William knew his starter well enough that he was certain that, if he were to adopt a serious expression and sternly tell her to drop the topic and never mention it again, the Braixen would comply if begrudgingly. But she deserved better. He didn't want her to feel like he was disregarding her feelings. He wanted them to reach an agreement. Although Ada had always been on the passionate side, she also had an analytical and rational part to her. He hoped he would be able to appeal to that side.
He stroke her head as he spoke. "I'll meet you half-way, Ada. Here's my counter-proposal: I will caress, pet and hug you as much as you want. Maybe I can even give you a kiss every now and then." Her ears raised. "Uh, in the cheeks, I meant." Her ears dropped. "Um. Fine. Very, very occasionally also on the lips." Up her ears went again. "B-But that's the extent of it. We can sleep next to each other if you want, but we will not go any further. Is this acceptable?"
"Does that mean no mating?"
"It does mean no mating."
"Then it is not acceptable." Ada began to tap an accusing finger against his arm. "You cannot caress me, praise me, help me grow, fill me with awe and treat me like a princess, and then expect me not to fall head over heels for you. And, although I would argue that we are rather mature for our age, you are a teenager and I am in the adolescent stage of my species, so since we're spending so much time together it was only a matter of time before we wanted to meet each other in a more carnal fashion. I'm always so pent-up with lust, and it's your fault! What are you going to do if this starts to affect my performance in battle? As my trainer, I would say it is your responsibility to help me out with this."
"I get excited around you too, but that's only because we're young and inexperienced, so the constant presence of a member of the opposite sex makes our hormones go crazy. We'll get used to it. I'm pretty sure you have better self-control than I do, so if I can resist this so can you. It's not like you are in —" He withdrew his petting hand, leaning back a little. "Wait. You are not in heat, are you? Oh fuck. I forgot female mammalian pokémon like you go into heat. Is that the issue, Ada?"
She began to fix the unruly fur emanating out of her ear as if it were a twintail. "You don't need to worry. Not yet. My species doesn't immediately enter its estrous cycle after reaching sexual maturity, but I do feel it arriving soon. I imagine I will enter my first heat in a month or so with the changing seasons. And although it's not the only reason, it is one of the motives behind my sudden urgency, yes. Have you given it some thought, Will? What will we do when the time arrives?"
Oh damn. William had considered the scenario on occasion, but had never formulated a specific plan of action. It seemed like the kind of problem that was so far away in the horizon that he never felt any pressuring need to sit down and figure out a practical solution. "How bad are those cycles anyway? Do you figure you can endure them even if you don't mate?"
"I wouldn't know since I've never been in heat before. Maybe I can just grit my teeth and endure it, but it doesn't sound fun from what I've read." Ada grasped her fluffy breasts hidden beneath her chest fur. "My hormones peak and I become extremely sexually receptive. Reddened labia, swollen breasts, mild lactation; the whole shebang. It should last for one or two weeks, approximately. I can just endure it, it's not like I become a wild animal devoid of judgment, but my understanding is that it is painful in a very acute kind of way unless I get a male to help me with it. Certainly, the nearby presence of a compatible, sexually mature male that refuses to lend a hand would only worsen the condition."
William scratched his chin. He had already envisioned some tentative plans, but none of them convinced him. "What if we lock ourselves up in an inn or something for a week until your heat passes?"
"That depends. If your plan is to repeatedly bang my brains out every day, then that's a splendid plan like few others. That would be nice. But if your plan is to just have me wait it out, I would be appalled that you would want me to suffer so. The fact that you would be in an adjacent room would drive me insane. I might literally spend every waking hour masturbating, and if you crossed my line of vision I'm not certain I could guarantee your safety."
William fought the urge to visualize the Braixen playing with herself. "Okay, then maybe we could find you… ugh, I don't know, a male other than myself or something? One that's more appropriate for your species? I know there are many breeding centers out there that offer those kinds of services. You could pick any stud you wanted."
Ada leaned in and began to poke his chest hard, to the point where it hurt a bit. "But I've already picked one. Just you try taking me to one of those places, see if you make it in one piece. The only things allowed entry into my sacred temple are my fingers, the branch in my tail, and my trainer's dick. I don't want my first time to be with some random dumb pokémon I've never met."
Honestly, he didn't like the idea one bit either, even if he couldn't entirely explain why. Not that he would admit it. "Then what is the solution? You say you cannot endure it, but you also don't want a male to help you get through it."
"I do want a male. The one sitting in this stump with me. I thought we had already discussed this."
She was so persistent. William looked up to the clear blue sky, lost in his thoughts as he began to pat the Braixen's head, comforted by the softness of her pleasant fur. He was only brought back to reality by her sweet coos. "Ada, this is all happening only because we're young and we're still not used to controlling these urges. We're spending every waking second with an attractive member of the opposite sex, so it's not too surprising that we would get hot and bothered all the time. But we will get used to this. We will outgrow this silly mutual infatuation. I'm sure years from now, when you're a Delphox and I'm a full-fledged adult, we will look back and laugh about all this."
"Agreed. We will find it very silly that we spent our time talking instead of going at it like a pair of Lopunny." Ada puffed out her chest to appear taller. "This will only get worse after I evolve! I'm a starter pokémon! We are meant to bond with humans! Once I become a Delphox I'm only going to like you even more and get even more aroused around you. Evolution will make me taller, bustier, more assertive and way hornier, all with the explicit goal of helping me seduce my trainer. That's why the evolution of a starter pokémon usually coincides with the sexual maturing of her human."
William imagined his partner as a Delphox for a second. If she grew just a little bit taller and gained just a few extra cup sizes, she would become extraordinarily difficult to resist. He had to solve this issue before she evolved and her beauty eclipsed his better judgment. "At some point I assume I will settle down. Cannot go on adventuring forever, and research doesn't pay too badly in this region. So what will you do if I get a girlfriend or even a wife in the future? Have you considered that?"
"Ideally, that wife would be me."
He pictured her in a bridal dress for just an instant. She would look so charming, clad in soft white. No, bad thoughts! "You know we cannot legally marry."
Ada clicked her tongue as she looked aside. That seemed to hit a sore spot. "Whatever. I don't need a stupid paper telling me that we love each other. It's not like you will need any other girl anyway since I will fulfill all of your romantic and sexual needs myself." She sneaked her paws under her chest fluff, feeling her modest breasts up. "Just you wait until I evolve. My boobs will get so big you won't be able to fully grasp them in one hand. See if you still have any interest in pursuing a relationship with a human then."
William began to scratch her ear. He knew she always appreciated that, and he didn't like seeing her sad. "You are plenty beautiful as you are, silly. That is not the issue. But we have to be realistic, and there is no way this would work."
She raised her head to meet his gaze ahead, her eyes on fire. "You keep uttering nonsense like that! What do you mean this would not work, Will? I like you, you like me, and we both want to get dirty with one another. Why are we still talking? You should be pushing me against the ground and claiming me as yours!"
"I keep telling you I cannot do that. I will give you as many headpats as you want, okay? And caresses, and massages. And kisses too, in private. But I cannot — it would be wrong to do that."
"Wrong?" Ada fixated on that word, staring at him with questioning eyes. "What do you mean by wrong?"
"Immoral. I mean that it would be immoral for a human and a pokémon to lie together."
She shifted her position to get a better look at the face of the human sitting by her side. "That is a wild assertion and I contest it. Immoral? I will need you to justify that."
He stared at her with wide eyes, trying to discern her intentions. "Surely you're not suggesting that poképhilia is not immoral, Adelaide."
"That does indeed seem to be what I'm suggesting. I would never propose something unethical, and I would perfectly understand you rejecting such a proposal even if it came from your trusted starter. But I disagree with this notion that engaging in anthrophilia and poképhilia is inherently immoral, so long as sexual maturity and willingness are present, which they are in our case. Again, can you justify your position?"
He felt his arms grow cold as he shifted uncomfortably in the rough tree stump. He needed a moment. Oh god. "Please, tell me you're not suggesting a debate on morality or some such bullshit."
"I love debates on morality!" she said as she shook her fists excitedly, her fuzzy tail wagging and brushing against her trainer. He suddenly regretted buying her all those complicated books as a gift for winning that last gym badge. "How about this: if you can convince me of the immorality of anthrophilia — or poképhilia in your case — then I will concede and give up the topic. But if I can convince you that they are moral, will you at least be willing to consider it?"
William covered his mouth as he studied her form, wondering if this was some kind of trick. "Very well, but good luck with that." No, this was not a trick. The Braixen just liked arguing about everything and anything. And she was a little too good at it, but William liked to think he was no slouch either. "But do humans and pokémon even have the same moral framework?"
"Bah. Are there any two humans that share the same exact moral framework? I've been with you long enough to know that the things that make us tick aren't all that different. Whatever little differences there are in our ways of seeing the world, I'm sure we can find common ground." Ada jumped off the stump with a little hop until she was standing, then turned towards her trainer with a cute spin. "You want to prove that poképhilia and anthrophilia — ugh, let's just collectively refer to both as 'poképhilia'. So, you want to prove that poképhilia is immoral and I want to prove the opposite. Who does the burden of proof rest on?"
"…You? You are the one challenging the established status quo."
"Mmmh. It is an activity we would both find enjoyable and that would cause no harm to anyone. On the contrary, failure to do so will cause me great pain once I enter my estrous cycle. On what grounds would you dispute this? I think you should be the one to prove poképhilia as immoral, since you're the one arguing we should avoid doing something we both want to do. For what reason are human-pokémon relationship immoral?" She frowned, cocking her head to the side. "And please don't say something dumb like 'because it is wrong for different species to lie together!', because it is perfectly normal for pokémon to mate with those outside of their species. A little kitty can mate with a gigantic whale, so I don't think that kind of argument would hold water here."
William shook his head as he stood up, towering above the Braixen. "I know some humans would say it's depraved or sick, or perhaps make appeals to tradition — which is stupid knowing olden Sinnoh myths. I don't care about any of that. I don't think whether something is common or appeals to the masses has any bearing on this topic. Instead, here are four more subtle arguments against poképhilia: differing intellects, differing social contexts, power imbalances, and differences in physiology and anatomy."
She gave a slow nod, her eyes half-closed, judgmental. "Okay. That sounds like something you read on a book, honestly."
"No! It's — Look, I've thought a lot about this, okay? I'm not so dense to not have noticed how you felt, and I wanted to take this seriously. And I've read a lot of books, yes. You're not the only one that's obsessed with reading about useless philosophical topics."
Ada took a moment to fix the disheveled fur on her chest, her cheeks flushed lightly. "In case you somehow cannot tell, I sincerely appreciate that you aren't taking this as a joke or as a childish crush. I would say thanks, but I think a better way to show gratitude is to destroy those ludicrous arguments of yours in fair combat so that you can finally learn just how warm and comfy it feels to be balls-deep into a Braixen. So fire ahead, Will. I'll listen to your case."
William took a deep breath. He had practiced this conversation in his mind many times, but the Braixen was far too smart for him to model even remotely accurately. "So here's my first argument against poképhilia: our species have inherently different intellects. There are plenty of pokémon species out there that lack a human's capacity for abstract thought and complex cognition. A Magikarp would never stop to wonder if its actions are morally justified, or what its place in the universe is. Lacking our self-reflective nature, many pokémon are led only by a beast-like instinct to survive and reproduce."
Ada wagged a finger as if asking for his attention. "Now hold on a second. It is true that I don't imagine a Scatterbug and a Fletchling engaged in deep philosophical debate about the nature of existence, but I'm not trying to make a general case for poképhilia. I am only arguing for our case. Maybe it would be wrong to bone a Scatterbug that doesn't understand anything more complex than finding food and avoiding predators, but what is wrong about getting frisky with a cute little Braixen that is intelligent enough to hold a conversation about this very topic?"
"Fair enough." William began to scratch his shoulder, wondering how to get out of this one. "Although most pokémon aren't this lucky and cannot speak."
"I cannot speak! I'm only relaying my thoughts to you via telepathy!" Ada said. Oh, right. He had gotten so used to the Braixen's telepathy that it often didn't even register that she technically wasn't speaking. "And even then, most pokémon that spend enough time around humans can pick up the language at least to the point where they can understand it, even if the particular morphology of their vocal cords may make it difficult to speak. They can communicate in other ways. Even if I hadn't practiced my telepathy you're smart enough to tell that if I kick you or claw at you I'm probably not liking what you're doing, but if I'm cooing and caressing you then I want you to continue. Or is mating with a mute human always immoral?"
William tapped his foot against the cold grass as he looked down to her. He had no counterargument. "I can grant that you being a telepath is a big point in your favor. Transmitting information directly to a brain must require quite a bit of gray matter."
"Oh, it's not like I can communicate with about anyone. I'm not a psychic-type — yet — so I can only speak to you because I've known you for very long. But yes, I'm highly intelligent by pokémon standards, or even by my species standards." Ada crossed her arms and turned her head aside with closed eyes and a proud grin. "I'm smarter than maybe three out of every four humans, and I'm not even fully evolved! Once I grow into a Delphox it might actually be difficult to find a human on my intellectual level." She gave the human a sidelong glance with a sly smirk. "Maybe you'll be kind of close."
In revenge, William moved in closer and began to stroke her ear until she started giggling. He liked to think he was smart and well-learned, but he had no qualms admitting the Braixen was his intellectual equal, and maybe even outclassed him in some fields. He would have to really double down on his studies if he wanted to measure up to her after she evolved again. All in all he really enjoyed his long dialogues with her, often deep into the night. The Braixen was a very fun conversational partner.
"Speaking of evolution," he said, "that's another reason that makes this whole thing really awkward. I cannot get over the fact that, well, you used to be on four legs."
"What's this? Were you never a baby crawling on all fours yourself, Will? Were you born already knowing how to run on two legs? Perhaps copulating with the instinct-driven Fletchling we mentioned before is a questionable idea, but what is the issue once it grows into a rational adult Talonflame, assuming one is attracted to their avian form?"
"That is what's weird, Ada! Some of you guys suddenly develop rationality after evolution, and that's awkward because you're still the same pokémon in the end."
Ada's response was immediate, as if already anticipating that line of thought. "The same is true of you humans. At some point you are babies that do not know their place in the world and are only driven by an instinct to not go hungry, and then one day you are grown-ups capable of questioning the meaning of your lives. It is the same with us pokémon, except that for many of us that change happens in just a few seconds of evolution, although we still mature up even within the same stage. I am now much wiser than when I was a Fennekin, but I am also a bit wiser than when I first evolved into a Braixen."
"That's one of the things that rubs me the wrong way about this whole debacle. You were a Fennekin when the professor paired us up years ago. Do you not find it… creepy in some way that I am attracted to someone that used to be a Fennekin?"
"No? Why?" She slanted her head, genuinely confused by his question. "You were not born looking like the stud you are today, Will. If you were to get carnal with a human girl, would it cause you discomfort to know that she must have been a child in the past?"
"What? No."
"Then why would you feel troubled that I was once a Fennekin? I am not anymore." Ada winked an eye as she tapped a finger against her lips, then fell down on all fours and made a playful gesture with a paw. "Besides, even as a Fennekin I bet I was already smarter than your average human. Even without speech or telepathy we never had trouble communicating with each other. If I had not evolved into a Braixen for some reason and I had developed into a sexually mature Fennekin, what would be the problem?"
"Uh… size? And I'm not sure if I'm into feral-looking creatures."
She stood up again and placed a closed fist to her fluffy chest. "Which is why so many pokémon co-evolved with humans to depend on each other and thus developed breasts, hourglass figures and the like to attract human attention. Evolution at its finest, really. Specially with the species you humans call starters." Ada shrugged, closing her eyes. "But hey, if a Fennekin isn't your thing, it is what it is. That is fine. Thank goodness I have this alluring gropeable body then, uh?" she said as she traced her paws along her waist. "And it's only going to get even more curvaceous after I evolve again. Just imagine."
William made a conscious effort not to imagine. "Okay, okay. I'll grant that, at least in your case, intelligence is not an impediment towards moral lovemaking."
"So do I win? Can we get to the part where we bang already?"
"No! Even if the intelligence issue is irrelevant when it comes to you, I still have three more arguments on the ready and these are relevant for all pokémon species. For instance, there's the concern over the differing social contexts. Our species use different frames of reference when dealing with sex."
Ada covered her mouth as she raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Will? Both humans and pokémon like having sex. We are not any different in that regard."
"But we are, my dearest partner!" he said as he clapped his hands in an exaggerated fashion. "True, both humans and pokémon enjoy and seek out sex, but they do so for different reasons. Us humans mainly engage in lovemaking for the purposes of procreation, love and pleasure. There are important social, emotional and even spiritual factors to it. But what about you pokémon? Are you not mostly driven by instinct?"
Ada had an annoyed pout on her lips. "We are, yes. But so are you humans, at the end of the day. It's all hormones pushing you to find an appropriate partner to secure good genes for your offspring, and all other reasons feed back to that one. At least we're honest about it."
William closed one eye as he gave it some thought. "I do understand the evolutionary role of reproduction in shaping our behaviors, but I still think humans differ significantly from pokémon when it comes to our motivations to seek lovemaking. I mean, what moves your kind to have sex, Ada?"
"Lots of reasons!" she proclaimed in a loud voice, her tail wagging. "It will depend a lot on the specific species, but there is usually a matter of our most feral instincts pushing us towards seeking out a suitable mate for reproduction. For many species there is an element of excitement and adventure, and some mate just for fun or pleasure. It's also an efficient form of stress reduction, which is necessary given how often we are involved in battles. For plenty of species like mine it's also a way to deepen intimacy and strengthen bonds, as a show of love and affection."
William looked down to the Braixen as she timidly looked aside. So even someone like her could still feel flustered by this line of conversation. "Okay, but what would cause you to be attracted to a human specifically? Can we — uh, can a human and a pokémon even have a child together?"
"It is exceptionally rare, but not impossible! I know there exist plenty of documented cases in the medical literature. And in any case, from what I've read it is not too uncommon for starter species like mine that co-evolved with humans to easily develop an attraction towards our trainers, since it is actually very beneficial for a pokémon to secure a human mate if you think about it."
"How so? Wouldn't it be easier to just find a mate of your own species?"
"For some kinds of pokémon, maybe. But there are species like mine that are adapted to life in civilization. Think about it. In the wild you have to hunt for your own food, fight for your life, heal your own wounds and protect your offspring in a hostile world. But if you associate with humans you gain access to abundant and delicious food, housing for shelter, safety due to your human laws, free healthcare and opportunities to improve and get stronger in a safe setting, plus it becomes much easier and safer to rear our children."
He thought about it for a second. It was easy to forget the benefits of industrialized society if you had lived your entire life surrounded by it. These last few years in the wilderness had certainly made him re-appreciate it. "Very well. But still, isn't having to procure a human mate a significant headache? Wouldn't it feel more natural to go after a fellow pokémon?"
"Again, it depends. Seduction among wild pokémon is based on a complex combination of obtuse courtship rituals, fierce fighting among competitors to gain access to the best mates, and fierce fighting against the potential mates to prove that your genes are valuable and result in great combat ability. A lot of this is out of our control — individual values are a lottery! — plus it is rather dangerous. And, mind you, a lot of pokémon live and breath that kind of lifestyle and wouldn't change it for anything. But species like mine tend to prefer the calm life promised by human society, as do many others of the ones you call starters."
"And I take it you're in that camp yourself?"
"I was raised in a laboratory. I am used to living among humans, and I would have a miserable time surviving in the wild." She placed her hands on her hips in a provocative fashion as if to bring attention to them. "Think about it from the perspective of a female of my species looking for a mate. I could try with a pokémon and deal with all the nonsense I mentioned before. But instead, in comparison, all human males ask for is respect, love and sex, which are easy enough to offer. That is such a pitifully small price to pay for all the benefits offered by human society that it almost feels like we're scamming you. I get free food, shelter, knowledge and training, and all I need to do in exchange is pamper my human and let him pump me full of kits that he will then help me raise? Sign me right in. Like, right now."
William sat down on the tree stump back again. No point standing up like a fool. He crossed both arms and legs as he thought, his eyes fixed on the Braixen but looking past her. "I suppose that makes perfect sense coming from you, Ada. No way you're saying goodbye to civilization given how obsessed you are with all those cheesy romance novels you make me buy you."
Ada leaned her whole torso forward with a frown, letting her breasts hang low. "They are not cheesy! They are whimsical and fascinating! And maybe if you read a few of them yourself you would not be so bad with women!" She brought a single finger to her lips before he got a chance to complain, as if to shut him up prematurely. "You have a female starter pokémon traveling with you. Given our natural predisposition towards humans, traveling around with a trusted male trainer is bound to awaken urges in me that need to be taken care of. And you somehow never thought of that?"
"I did think of that," he said with a light scowl. "I just, uh, didn't think about it too deeply." His pokémon had matured so fast, really, that he had no time to adapt. Or perhaps he had preferred to think that this was still his innocent little Fennekin and nothing had changed at all. There was a part of him that regretted not taking her maturation a little more seriously. "Still, you seem to be granting that humans and pokémon pursue sex for different reasons, which was my entire point."
"To some extent, sure, but it again depends on the particular pokémon species to consider."
"Fair enough. Then instead of asking about pokémon in general let me ask a more explicit question: what motivates a Braixen, or a Delphox for that matter, to seek out sex?"
Ada began to poke her own cheek, pretending to be deep in thought as she approached the human. The answer easily came to her as it was written in her genes, but it was always a little embarrassing to answer such a personal question. "We're not much different from humans in that regard, I don't think so. We engage in sex to please our partners and deepen our connections to them. Plus, we are in dire need of relieving sexual tension since we're constantly fighting, and our hormones make us a little too eager when around a human we have devoted ourselves to." She lowered her head a little before continuing. "Sex is also a way to siphon off even more attention from our trainers, and potentially prevent them from seeking other females that might wrestle attention or time away from us. Um, not sure if you noticed, Will, but I'm kind of needy when it comes to the TLC department."
"First news I get on this." William bent forward and started to scratch one of her ears. "You silly thing. I will keep coddling you and spoiling you rotten regardless of what happens, even if I get a girlfriend in the future."
Ada just stood there with one eye closed, trying to act indifferent, although her rebellious tail swished fast from side to side. "I don't know if that hypothetical girlfriend of yours would get too happy about you getting so affectionate with another female."
"Then I wouldn't get too happy about her. I'm not accepting anyone that doesn't accept you." He began to attack her right under her chin next. Her purring marked that as a weak spot of hers. "You know how important you are to me, Ada. I don't want you to ever question that."
Ada began to pet the hand that was petting her, perhaps a little too effusively. "Is that so? Because there is a very easy way for you to prove it."
He stopped the petting, although she didn't. "And that is the one thing I'm not willing to do, Ada. As we have talked, humans and pokémon understand sex differently, and our contexts, motives and consequences for engaging in intimacy are not the same. Although we are admittedly more similar than I had originally thought, a pokémon's sexual instincts still differ from common human practices. As such, it would not be right for us to copulate."
"…And that is your second argument?" She waited for him to nod. "Well, it's a dumb one. What is even the point you are trying to make right now? So the social context through which we understand sex isn't exactly the same for humans and pokémon. Okay. Cool. Noted. What about it?"
William tapped a finger to her nose. "As you said before, most pokémon species co-evolved with humans, specially starters like you. That makes you biologically predisposed to protect and trust humans, doesn't it?"
"Correct." She enveloped his arm with her own arms for emphasis. "Again, it is an enormous advantage for a pokémon to be partnered with a human in order to gain access to the benefits of your societies, so we are instinctively driven towards protecting and assisting a single human worth our trust in the interest of garnering their sympathies. That's kind of the entire reason the trainer system was established, isn't it?"
"That's the issue, Ada! You are telling me you are instinctively driven to want to mate with me. But that would have been the case if your trainer had been anyone else too! In that case, wouldn't I be almost taking advantage of you by abusing that ingrained trust in humans?"
Ada crossed her arms as she grunted in a marked fashion, crossing her legs too. "Whoa, now hold on a second there, mister. I am not an automaton. Just because you have some instinctive drives doesn't mean you are a slave to them. You may feel sugar cravings when visiting a supermarket, but you can control yourself enough to avoid laying waste to the cake aisle. Yes, my nature drives me to seek out a human to partner with and, potentially, in the course of time, mate with. But please don't just assume that a pokémon would be willing to lay with literally any human. It was chance that brought us together, but if you had been a cretin I would have no interest in you. I'm not in love with you because you are a human. So long as it was you, I wouldn't care about species or even gender. You being a human is just a nice boon, and you being a male just makes a couple of things easier."
William pressed a hand against his mouth as he rested his elbow on his leg. He wanted it to look like he was deep in thought, but in truth he was worried that his face had turned one shade redder and wanted to hide it that just in case. "Well, damn, that's awfully nice of you, Ada. I also like you for who you are and would still cherish you if you had been like a Caterpie or something."
Giggling, Ada placed her paws on her chest fluff. "But me being a cute female Braixen with fluffy, warm fur makes me all the easier to love and want to pamper, doesn't it? Go ahead, pet me. We know we both love it." She needed to wait just a second while standing in a dainty pose for the human to bite the bait and begin to caress her cheeks. "Would you argue that I am taking advantage of you, since my species evolved to look adorable and charming to humans to attract your attention? I'm sure you would have treated me nicely if I had been born a Caterpie, but I certainly prefer to have a body that you actively want to fondle. Does that make me a bad person?"
He was only half-listening to her as he felt his fingers grazing the velvety fur on her arms. "I cannot really blame you for playing the cards you've been dealt. It wasn't your decision to be born such a cute Braixen, so I cannot fault you for capitalizing on your stronger points in order to advance your interests. You're not 'taking advantage of me' just because your fluffy fur happens to be the most addictive of drugs."
"Agreed. And in the same vein, you're not exploiting me just because I happen to have a predilection towards humans and a vested interest in finding one to mate with. If anything, we are lucky that we are attracted to each other on a personal level while also being biologically driven towards wanting to screw one another, even if not for the same exact reasons. You cannot decide who arouses you and who doesn't, but you can decide who to actually fool around with. Your instincts are only a part of the picture when it comes to sex. An important part, but a part nonetheless."
William found it difficult to put forward a convincing counterargument while he was in the middle of patting her head. It was always surprising how the Braixen managed to remain so calm even when he was being so effusive, occasionally humming and purring but never losing her train of thought. But then again by this point she was more than used to receiving his affections. "So my second argument doesn't convince you either."
"Hardly. It may be true that our motives for pursuing sex aren't one-to-one, but that isn't unique to human-pokémon relationships. Two humans wanting to play around will probably not have the same exact reasons for doing so either. And even if our differing species do result in a wider variety of motivations, we pokémon can still apply our social intelligence to understand the purpose and implications of having sex with a human and decide accordingly. As for my case, I understand what engaging in carnal relations entails for humans, and I want to be in that kind of relationship with you, Will. The Delphox species mates for life even in the wild, anyway."
After but a moment of contemplation, William clapped his hands once. "Ada, you're doing a pretty decent job there, I must admit. Two arguments down. Two more to go."
She made an exaggerated pouting face as she brought a paw to her waist. "We're still doing this? You could just give up already so that we can skip to the fun part."
"Sure, keep pretending like you're not enjoying the hell out of this."
She couldn't keep a smile from forming on her lips. "It is fun to bicker with you, and I am not pretending otherwise. But if we are talking about ways to kill time together, while nerding out about philosophy is near the top, it is a different activity that takes the crown and I would rather we were participating in that one instead." She blew him a kiss, even though she was close enough to actually kiss him if only she leaned in. He responded by stroking her head again. "So let's get this over with, Will. What was your next point? Something about a power imbalance? I hope this isn't some nonsense about the tyranny of pokéballs."
"It's not nonsense!" William picked up the Braixen's pokéball, which he always stored safely in his pocket. "Let's say I grant the two previous points. Some — many? — pokémon species have an intelligence comparable to that of humans and are capable of understanding and accepting the unique human context that surrounds sexual relationships. Okay. If a random adult pokémon happened to meet a random adult human and they decided to tango together, I might just turn a blind eye. But that's not our situation, Ada. We are a trainer and his pokémon. Even if we accept human-pokémon relationships in general, ours would still represent a thorny case."
Ada took the pokéball from his hands and began to balance it in one finger. "I've read opinion pieces and even treatises on this topic, and they always mention the power imbalances when it comes to sexual relationships between a trainer and his team, but nobody ever seems to care about those imbalances when it comes to catching pokémon and making them fight in sanctioned tournaments for the entertainment of humans. It's only sex that makes them draw the line. Why is it okay for a human to make us fight, but it suddenly becomes immoral when that human decides to give us a bit of loving care? Kind of hypocritical, don't you think?"
"Note taken, Plasma Grunt Ada." William stared as the Braixen kept playing with her own pokéball. She was now massaging the sphere within her hand. "You know I'm not all that fond of these things either. I only keep a pokéball for you around because our laws mandates that I do so."
"I'm not complaining. Again, I want to enjoy the benefits that human society offers. And don't forget that we pokémon are far more durable than your kind, more resistant to pain, and we release disproportionate amounts of adrenaline during competition. Wild pokémon show themselves before humans and challenge them to a test of strength and wits because they want to be caught by a worthy trainer, since being with a human gives us many chances to challenge difficult opponents and we passionately love battling. But the thing is, we also passionately love fucking, but that one is apparently a problem. I take no issue with the trainer system. We want to fight and humans want us to fight. So we all win. But we also want to mate and some of our humans might want to mate too, so why is that suddenly wrong?"
William took the pokéball again and scrutinized it from up close. It was certainly a technological marvel. "I'm not sure if the two are comparable. As you say, pokémon cooperate with human trainers because you love fighting and we have designed an entire nation-spanning system of gyms and tournaments to grant you opportunities for improvement you would never find in the wild. You join us because you want us to help you become better fighters, so it makes sense that we make you battle. But, again, you join us because you want to fight, not because you want to bone a human, so it would be a breach of trust on our part to make you engage in such an activity."
Ada placed a warm hand on his knee, moving in closer and placing herself in between his legs. "Sure, you cannot assume that a pokémon wants to get physical with you simply because they have agreed to receive your training. But it's not unthinkable that an attraction might naturally arise, more so given that most rookie trainers and starters are matched up when young, so they will be spending a lot of time alone together right at that time when they begin to experience their respective sexual awakenings. So long as the pokémon makes it clear that they want the trainer-trainee relationship to evolve into something more, then what is the issue?"
William tapped at the half-red half-white sphere in his hand, careful not to accidentally press the large button on its center. "You are still, in some way, subservient to us." He grimaced for a moment. "God, I hate how that sounds. What I mean is that your instinct compels you to obey us, and reason can make you infer that keeping us content and satisfied is beneficial for you in the long run. Wouldn't all this encourage your kind to offer sex to your trainers as a way to better harvest their attention and resources?"
"Uh… possibly?" she said, cocking her head as she eyed his face. "But I still don't see the issue, Will. Even among humans lust is mostly driven by biology and instinct. Is it unethical for a human to accept the advances of another human that is attracted to them because of genes or hormones or the like? It is not too different across species, except that the particular hormones involved might be different and result in more heterogeneous behaviors. Sorry, but is this meant to be an argument against humans or against pokémon?"
"I'm… not entirely sure? I could argue that this is an abuse of trust on the part of the human, since you rely on them for training and support, so you would have a hard time saying no to their advances."
"And I could argue that a pokémon could use her feminine wiles and sex appeal to charm a sexually inexperienced human and ensure she becomes the center of his world to funnel all his resources to her. Would that be manipulative?" She raised her head, meditative, but soon shook her head dismissively. "I guess humans and pokémon might get slightly different deals out of a romantic interspecies relation, but even if the resulting relationship isn't one-to-one symmetrical, is that such a big deal so long as both parties are honest about what each side is reaping and all agree to it? No relationship is truly equal. Not even among humans. It just becomes more apparent if a pokémon is involved."
William grunted in annoyance, but that didn't stop him from stroking her fluffy ears. "I understand that each individual is unique, and I am not arguing that each partner is expected to make the same exact contributions in a romantic twosome. But even if each partner contributes in a different fashion, a stable relationship is still supposed to be balanced and fair. How can a pairing be fair if it involves a human with our technologies and a pokémon with your otherworldly powers?"
She placed a paw on her pokéball while casting a small flame on her other hand. "Why not? What exactly makes us incompatible? I ask that you offer me cuddles, love, sex, money and training, and in exchange I will offer you cuddles, love, sex, loyalty, protection, and bring you untold glories. You could argue that there is an imbalance — in both directions — but no one is being deceived. We help each other in ways that are unique to our respective species, and support each other according to our unique talents and skills." She licked the air. "So to speak, I suck your dick and you lick my clit, and everybody wins. Metaphorically. But, uh, also not metaphorically if you want."
"Not for now, thanks." As the Braixen stuck her tongue out in a playful fashion, William had to make a conscious effort to avoid thinking of that warm tongue traveling along the length of his member. He wondered if this was a tactic of hers to distract and destabilize him, or if it just came naturally to her. "Like, I get it. I know pokéballs aren't mindslaving devices. You can break out of them if necessary, and you may ignore orders if you don't respect your trainer enough or if you think that a particular command is ill-advised. But still, given how much you pokémon depend on us humans, the very concept of pokéballs and trainer tutelage already opens the way to so much potential abuse."
"I don't deny that," she said with a shrug. "I know there are cases out there of terrible humans that force their pokémon to do things they would rather not do, and meek and shy pokémon that will still obey due to misguided trust. Just like there are savage pokémon that impose their will on their trainers with their superior strength and elemental powers, since no amount of pokéballs is going to stop a lascivious Salazzle from having her way with you. You could use your technology and position of command over me to subdue me, just like I could use my fire and mental powers to overpower you and have you at my mercy. But we don't. That's what matters. An equal relationship isn't one where we cannot hurt each other, but one where we can but choose not to."
After giving the pokéball one last glance, William placed it back into his pocket. In front of him — specifically between his legs — stood a sorceress capable of turning him to cinders with a flick of the wand on her tail, capable of bending each of his limbs using abstruse thaumaturgy with but a thought. And yet, he thought that the safest place in the world was wherever the Braixen happened to be. She could crush him if she ever so desired, but that knowledge didn't cause him any distress since he trusted her fully. He wondered if the Braixen had a similar train of thought, where she trusted him not to abuse his position as trainer.
Ada reclined her head and upper body against his chest, letting him enjoy her warm, fuzzy fur as she gently massaged his abdomen with a tender paw. "I understand that there are unique difficulties that emerge in a relationship like ours. There is a lot of potential for power and influence abuse, in both directions. In some aspects this could perhaps be easier and less risky if we were not a team, but in many other aspects it becomes more practical and singularly more intimate. At the end of the day, it is what it is. I never chose to fall in love with my trainer, but it still happened because feelings are mighty rude and never ask anyone for a second opinion. So don't berate yourself for emotions outside of your control, my dear trainer."
William stared at the gentle smile on the Braixen's face as he stroked the back of her head without realizing it. She had a particular womanly kind of elegance to her that made her appear more mature than she was. "So my third argument doesn't convince you either."
She shook her head against his chest, her ears brushing him as she did. "Power imbalances are present in every single relationship, romantic or otherwise. This might represent an unsalvageable impediment in some cases, but in many others you just need to approach the affair with a little bit of extra care. Again, it is not my intention to make a defense of poképhilia in all of its shapes and forms, since it will sometimes manifest as abuse. What I argue is that a relationship between trainer and pokémon needs not be inherently wrong, so long as caution and diligence are applied when examining it. Each such occurrence should be criticized in a case-by-case basis, without making sweeping judgments just because the basket happens to contain a few spoiled apples. Don't you think?"
William embraced her and they stood in silence for a brief respite, enjoying each other's warmth. "Ada, how can you know that I will never exploit my position as your trainer to your detriment? You are obedient to a fault. We both know that if I ordered you to do something you hated, you might complain but you would ultimately acquiesce."
"What can I say? I aim to please. It's a starter thing, you wouldn't get it." Ada climbed up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling her cheek against his. "You have seen me fight. You are well aware of how trivial it would be for me to maim you. Are you ever scared that I might at some point threaten you to get my own way?"
"Not really. That doesn't suit your style. You would rather pester people with arguments and counterarguments." He sincerely had a difficult time envisioning a scenario in which the Braixen would disobey him openly or threaten physical harm, short of actually maltreating her. And maybe even then.
"If you can trust me like that, then you understand why I can trust you in a similar fashion. I can love you because I know you wouldn't abuse your station of trainer over me, Will."
"Thanks, Ada."
They stayed in a lull, not sharing another word for a few more seconds as William rubbed her back, feeling her soft purrs on his neck. He was really glad that he decided to pick the fire starter all those years back. So warm. So comfy. Too comfy. He had relaxed so much that when he realized it he had developed quite a sizable erection under his pants. And given how the Braixen was sitting on his legs, there was simply no way she wouldn't have noticed.
"So is that all the arguments?" Ada asked in a jovial pitch. "Let's recap. First, my intelligence is comparable to yours since I can communicate telepathically and all that. Second, even if the framework through which I understand sex isn't one-to-one to that used by humans, I am perceptive enough to understand the differences. They are similar enough anyway. You humans put a lot more emphasis in kissing and your males have a most quaint obsession with mammaries, but other than that the way we understand intimacy is close to identical. And third, while power imbalances may exist, that's not the end of the world so long as we trust each other not to abuse them. Honestly, it seems to me like a big reason why poképhilia and anthrophilia enrage so many people is because it implies an equal standing between our species." She paused for a second, trying to recall their previous conversation. "Was there a fourth point, Will? I think you mentioned four."
"I did, but…" William noticed he was sweating more than usual, given how tepid this winter morning had been. The hot — in many ways — Braixen that he was hugging and caressing was probably making him feel even warmer. He required a moment to call his focus away from the uncomfortable hard-on beneath his clothes. "It is kind of a silly one in retrospect. I didn't think we would make it this far."
Ada shifted around, brushing against his legs. "Was it something about differences in physiology?"
"Yeah. But compared to the rest of arguments this one kind of falls under its own weight. Having different anatomies might result in some hurdles to jump and might require a bit of meticulous prudence, but it is hardly a moral argument. If a human and a pokémon love each other and are willing to have intercourse, then one can assume they will be mindful enough to avoid hurting each other."
Ada giggled against his neck, and her laughter somehow felt warm. "Well, that argument didn't last. At least the evolved forms of my species have bipedal bodies that match yours, so that makes things easier. I suppose I am shorter than you by a bit so there might be some complications involved with certain positions, but I don't think it will be that much of a deal for us. My Braixen pussy might be a little smaller than a human's, but don't worry, we will make it fit. It will likely feel tight around your big human cock, but the comfortable warmth should make it far more tolerable and enjoyable." She repositioned herself to stare into his eyes, then licked the tip of his nose. "And, yes, I said those things on purpose in an attempt to make that erection pressing against my legs grow harder."
Of course she had noticed. William showed no surprise. "Who could have known that having a cute Braixen on your legs caressing you and pretty much grinding on you while talking about sex would have this effect on a male. Literally impossible to predict."
"Aren't you just adorable. So can I take this as a victory? Have I defeated your four arguments? You seem to be conceding all the points."
"Not necessarily. I can always play devil's advocate. First, although you're clearly intelligent and sapient, it is hard to qualify to what extent intellects are compatible across species. Something is always lost in translation, so to speak. Second, even though you can use social intelligence to help you understand how humans see sex in a social context, there will always be environmental clues you're missing. By virtue of being a pokémon, you may rationally comprehend and imagine what sex implies for a human, but you will not have an instinctive comprehension of it. Third, acknowledging a power imbalance isn't the same as getting rid of it. I will grant that it's not impossible to overcome this predicament, but you might be trivializing the hardships involved a little too much. And fourth, please refrain from talking about your warm and tight Braixen pussy when sitting on my lap. Thank you very much."
"I'll consider that request, but I have so much on my plate right now that I cannot make any promises."
"Cute." William brushed one of her furry cheeks with his fingers, before his hand traveled towards her alluring ruby lips, his fingers journeying across the twitching corner of her mouth. Slight salivation got one of his fingers wet, and then he realized what he was doing and went back to stroking her cheeks. He couldn't drop his guard for a second with the vixen nearby. "I can concede that your position is… not as far-fetched as I had imagined. I cannot believe I am about to say this, and if anyone asks in polite society I will forever deny it, but I guess there might be some instances of human-pokémon relationships that are kind of fine. The points you raise are very valid and are duly noted, Ada, but I need to think a lot more about it. I'm still not totally sure where we fall on all this."
The little fire devil leaned in as if going for a kiss, but stopped midway through. "I just want to note that you have your enthusiastic Braixen sitting on your loins, with only a thin piece of clothing separating your hardening swollen dick from my continuously dampening pussy. If you just gave the order it would be trivial for me to remove your trousers using my mind — it would take me all of five seconds and you wouldn't even need to move a hand. So if you wanted, in less than five seconds you could have your stiff shaft buried inside my warm, drenched slit. Just five seconds. Just think about it. Five seconds."
The human took a deep breath, then released it. Then he took another deeper breath, and also released it. "Ada, I hold no doubt in my mind that it would feel immensely satisfying and I would enjoy every second of it. But I really need to think about this, love."
Her nose turned down a notch. "Aw… I just want to give my trainer pleasure. All while you give me headpats and tell me how good of a girl I am. It's a common fantasy among starters. But really, just imagine it. It could happen in as few as five seconds, if you asked for it. The offer is, much like your penis, still up. Just imagine…"
"Given it's taking all of my willpower to not rip out my pants myself, I'm afraid I will avoid imagining any human cocks entering wet Braixen pussies, just in case." He felt another twitch. He really should stop playing with fire already. "Give me some time to think about it, okay? There is so much to unpack here. I need to mull it over to make sure this isn't a mistake, but I will sincerely contemplate every option. I promise I will try to give you an answer as soon as possible, and I'm sorry I'm making you wait again, Ada."
"It's okay. I'm used to it at this point." With a neutral expression on her face Ada hopped off him, then took a moment to tidy up her messy tail. She would feel bad if she tortured him any more. She could see his bulge from her position and, boy, that had to hurt. She almost regretted stirring him up. "Um, and sorry about that. Since it kind of is my fault, I would totally understand if you ordered me to assume responsibility and take care of it. In fact, you don't even need to say anything. I'm on it."
William raised an open palm at the approaching Braixen. "Uh, no."
"Bit of a coward, aren't we? Maybe another day, then."
They both excused themselves for a moment to find a moment of privacy to tend to the rising urges they had accumulated during their interaction and then they resumed their adventuring, now feeling even more comfortable around each other than before.
If the Braixen was right — and of course she was — she would enter her first heat roughly a month from now. The human would need to make a decision before then.