[Hey y'all.
Ten years ago this year, I published Appearances on this website. The reception to it was surprising, to say the least. So many people seemed to enjoy my silly writing, and I've kept it here for them despite how much I wince at its shoddy writing nowadays. It remains as the first fully fleshed out love story I've written, but it certainly hasn't been the last.
I've never stopped writing since then, and I especially haven't stopped writing cheesy romances with the big aura doggo we all love. And more than anything, the incredibly kind reviews I've gotten on the several stories I've posted here have always encouraged me to keep going. To those people : thank you! I would have kept this story to myself, as I do tons of others, if it weren't for your words. If this story makes even one person smile, I'll be overjoyed.
Here we are in 2024, and I've got another Lucario story to share. As usual, it's Lucario X narrator. I wrote the narrator to be as genderless as possible, so any of you can feel like you're part of this story if you wish.
I hope you'll enjoy being transported into the arms of a big Luu. Happy reading!]
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If there's one thing that I always resented about living in Jubilife for all these years, it's the relationship people have with pokémon here. Despite the search teams' best efforts to study them and allow us to live peacefully with them, the general fear that most people arbored towards them meant that there really was no progressing towards a more harmonious life. We were sheltered behind these walls, rarely going out farther than the obsidian fields lest we got attacked by something we couldn't handle.
I wasn't sure what I could do, as a twenty-something year old person, living alone in that wretched city, but I didn't share any of these thoughts. Some people here have their own "partner" pokémon, and I had dreamed of having one for a while. Tradition and ignorance had kept me from acting on my dreams, but I was certain this would end on that day. Pokéball in hand, multiple in my bag, I had ventured in the obsidian fields and was about to cross the threshold into the crimson mirelands, without the aid of search teams. Reckless, I realized, but I had done well for now.
I was sitting at the base of a tree and taking a small break, after having avoided most aggressive 'mons I came across, building up confidence now that I had proved to myself that I could hold my own for so long. It had taken a good hour or two to reach the other end of the fields, and I hadn't yet seen a pokémon that I wanted. I wanted one who was fierce, and big... A pokémon that would prove to everyone in the village that it's possible to befriend any of them, with enough patience and kindness.
As I lowered my little waterskin and gazed idly at the small, forested area I was on the border of, something caught my eye. Some kind of movement coming from something large. Larger than anything I had seen today. One hand on my stuff, ready to get up and bolt, I observed without a single motion as the shadow, moving from tree to tree, got closer. It didn't seem to be heading for me specifically, and was moving slowly, but it was large enough that I became worried.
I didn't have to wait for much longer to see what it was. I saw some blue, and some yellow. Then out from behind a tree, a blue and black muzzle, sniffing the air. Closer now, I could see it was a Lucario. And a massive one at that. An alpha.
Easily more than seven feet tall, with gigantic paws gripping at the bark of a tree, stepping forward near where I was. I grabbed my bag hastily and repositioned behind the tree, my instincts screaming at me to hide ; I had no idea if I had been fast enough to avoid his eyes, but there was little doubt he had noticed me. I had one pokéball in my hand, a last resort, as I waited. Hearing grass shuffle closer and closer, my heart raced, and it was difficult for me to keep my erratic breathing quiet.
The steps, heavy, large, coming towards me. A little faster.
Then a hand, massive, on the trunk I was leaning back against, appearing right next to my face. A low growl.
Then his face. His red, burning eyes.
In one quick motion, the ball was thrown, and I had pivoted, bolting for another mass of trees. In my panic, I only heard him get into the ball before I was gone from there, legs taking me as far as they could into the woods before I dove headfirst into a bush and tall grass, and waited.
Waited.
And waited.
...
Just... silence. The sound of Starlies in the distance. Nothing else.
Had he... Had he lost track of me ?
If so... I needed to go back and get my bag. In the panic, I had dropped it at my feet. But I was shaking. Nearing a panic attack, as well. Holy fuck, he was huge. Huge. Bigger than any pokémon had any right to be, especially a Lucario. And what was it doing here anyway ? Lucarios aren't supposed to be here. Not in this region. Especially not an alpha.
But he hadn't chased me. He was nowhere to be seen. Moving as slowly as possible, I made my way from tree to tree, moving back to where I had dropped all my stuff.
It took me a while. I had run for a bit, and was now moving at a snail's pace. But I did eventually get back, almost holding my breath the whole time and jumping at the slightest noise, even having to avoid a Shinx on the way before I got my hands on all my stuff. Hurriedly, terrified, I slung my bag over my shoulder, determined to go back and put an end to this fool's errand.
But I noticed something at my feet. The pokéball that I threw. Intact.
Had I... missed? No, it was right there. And I definitely heard him get inside the ball. It couldn't possibly...?
I held my breath once more as my shaky hand went for the ball. Grabbed it, ever so gently. It was... slightly heavier. I stood in utter silence for a while. Staring at it. It's not... It couldn't...
Had I caught him?
An alpha like him, caught by a single pokéball? That couldn't possibly be the case, right?
I pondered these questions on the way back, and at home, and the whole night. And the day after. Staring at this damned ball, sitting there on my table. Staring sometimes for minutes. Wondering if I should try and take the Lucario out of it. Or if he was even there. I thought I was going mad. There was no way an alpha like him would get caught so easily, unless he was extremely unlucky. Yet here he was. In my heart I knew. The ball had been there, and it felt different. Yet how was I supposed to go about this ? What should he see when coming out ? How would he react ?
I asked these questions out loud multiple times, but I already had an answer. My theory was that if he was brought out in a more casual, less defensive environment, that perhaps he wouldn't attack, or be on the defensive as well. I would bring him out here. In my home. I would show him that he belonged here and that I would take care of him. Besides, if I managed to befriend him, he would be the perfect example of what I wanted ; a reputedly untameable and dangerous pokémon becoming friends with a human. It was possible. Maybe...
As mentioned before, it took me a few days to gather the courage to actually bring him out. It was night, and I was standing in my living room, shaking while holding his ball in my hands. It was strangely warm, and I could almost feel something like a heart beat inside, waves of warmth that made my fingers tingle. There was no doubt to have, something was inside there, and it had to be him.
I breathed hard, and let go of the pokéball, in the middle of the room.
A large, red shape began to form out of the pokéball's energy. Massive and tall. Powerful arms appearing, powerful legs hitting the ground, his long hair quickly forming out of the red light that he had been a moment ago. Then his bright red eyes that he opened and blinked, as if he had gotten out of a long sleep : yet he looked perfectly aware, looking around the room while I froze. I was waiting for a reaction, any reaction. Alphas were known to be beligerent, to say the least, and I was hoping that a show of non-agression would appease him : and for now, he simply was taking in his surroundings. Until his eyes fell on me.
Almost immediately, he stepped forward towards me, with such intent that I gasped and began to walk back. I hit the wall behind me quickly, but he kept walking, his height meaning I had to lift my head to keep looking at him, his expression almost neutral, if not for the slight scowl I could discern. He was focused. When he was right in front of me, he leaned down to be at eye level with the little human that was trembling in front of him and clutching the poké ball, his forearm against the wall, next to my head. He stared daggers into me, and growled deeply at me, vibrating the air and making me shrink even further against the wall. His eyes began to shine brightly. I felt a sensation akin to a brief stab in my mind, like the prick of a needle, before the pain disappeared. Then a voice filled my head.
"You're the one who captured me. Where am I?"
"In... In my home... Not far from the obsidian fields..."
His tone of voice, despite being purely telepathic, was deep and commanding. So much so that I found myself replying before I could be shocked at the fact that a pokémon was communicating with me. His piercing gaze was nearly hypnotizing, the shine having faded mostly, but I couldn't look away. His sheer force of presence was keeping me docile, his size impressive for a Lucario, and the fact that he remained at eye level made me shudder and my heart beat.
"How did you do it?"
"W...what?"
"How did you capture me?"
"I don't... I don't know..."
His growl increased and he ever so slightly bared his fangs. His other hand traveled up to my chest and he pressed his claws against the fabric, softly, but enough to be a reminder.
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm n-... I'm not!" I replied, panicking. "I promise you, I... I just... threw the ball, and it happened..."
He stared some more, my chest rising and falling quickly against his large paw, most of his agression fading. His hand didn't move, however, and I remained completely frozen, realizing I had dropped the pokéball and was now holding his paw. The pokémon straightened up again and smelled the air. Then he let go of me, and began to walk around the room.
"Mh... I can smell humans alright. I've always been curious of what you hide in those big wooden boxes..." he continued.
"You mean our houses...?"
"What is this?" he asked while pointing to a plate with a wicker dome on top of it.
His apparent curiosity contrasted with the way he asked his question : it was an order, nothing more, nothing less. I had to answer. Still shaking from the adrenaline, I walked past him, carefully, and removed the little dome, revealing a plate of onigiri that I had prepared before getting him out, hoping food would be a good bargaining chip.
"These are called onigiri... It's human food."
He stared blankly, and continued to walk around the room, opening drawers, examining everything.
While he did, I half-mindedly picked up his pokéball. I felt guilty, now. I don't know exactly what reaction I had expected ; perhaps that he'd try to kill me or become far more furious ; but whatever it was, I don't think any reaction would've made me feel better about keeping him in this weird ball for days. I walked towards my futon and sat down on it while he was busy looking at the big jar of water in another corner of the house. I turned the ball around, reaching for the little button at the back, and pressed it. The poké ball shattered in my hands.
Lucario turned towards me almost instantly. I looked up at him, and he looked... shocked? Surprised, I suppose, but there was more to his expression than simple surprise.
"...You've released me."
"Yes... I'm sorry I kept you inside there for a few days. Um... I guess you're free, now... Sorry, again."
The pokémon's only reaction was to walk towards me. He towered over me, even more so now that I was sitting. He kneeled in front of me and my heart began to race again, unsure of what to expect from him.
"What a curious human."
"H... huh?"
"Your kind would usually want to keep a pokémon like me, no? Am I not powerful enough for you?"
"W-what? No! You're... You look very powerful. But I don't do battles, so I don't really care about power."
"Then what do you care about? What did you come to the obsidian fields for?"
A blush spread across my cheeks. I felt ashamed of having to put into words the naive purpose of my venture into the dangerous fields.
"Companionship," he said, very matter-of-factly.
"In a way, I suppose... Huh?"
My eyes darted to his hand, which he had brought to my chest once more. Softly, this time, but still dominantly enough to where I couldn't resist very much, he pushed me down. My breathing increased and my face flushed completely when his hand lifted my shirt and slipped under it.
"Lucario...? What are you..."
"Trying to understand what these strange accessories you have are for. The lack of fur, I suppose... I'm surprised at how soft your skin is, with how few natural defenses you have."
"H-huh? I... why..."
I tried not to get too flustered. But his paw, soft and fluffy, was caressing my belly and chest, lifting my shirt until it was nearly off. The tall pokémon was on all fours above me, looking down with half-lidded eyes. I lied shaking on my futon, hands joined on my chest, breathing hard, utterly confused as to why I was feeling so affected. It was a pokémon, right? There was no need to feel like this. Yet the way he petted my body, the way he leaned down to sniff me softly, his low murr, all turned me into a complete mess.
"Your face is red," he said while staring into my eyes.
"S... S-sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing? You're breathing quite heavily, too."
He didn't wait for an answer. He gently grabbed my arm and looked at it, gently manipulated my hand to examine it. Then he had me turn my head and pressed his snout against my neck, which had the effect of making my entire body quiver all over again. Holy shit. Holyshitholyshitholyshit. There was no way for me to control my own breathing at this point. It was an explosion of emotions I was too panicked to understand. I was getting so flustered, in fact, that I brought my hands to the Lucario's chest and gripped his fur softly, some sort of instinct kicking in knowing his fangs were so close to such a vulnerable part of me. I wasn't ready to accept how much I was loving this tenderness, all this petting and touching, no matter the reason why he was doing this.
"You humans are so... fragile," he continued, after having moved his head back, brow furrowed in confusion. "No fur. No claws. Nothing to protect your neck. Any predator could bite down on it so easily. And you need these cumbersome things to keep you warm."
I simply listened to him. Some kind of switch was being flipped inside me. This big, warm predator above me, radiating dominance, was getting me worked up in ways I had never been before.
"C-could you... could you keep... petting my body...?" I asked with the weakest voice.
He looked at me curiously and his ear twitched, mouth half open. He blinked, hesitated, then, slowly, he brought both his large paws to my body, the both of them probably big enough to grab me by my midsection. He began to run them up and down my bare skin, and it was all I could do not to appear happier than I actually was. I looked deep into his eyes with intensity and submisiveness, perhaps hoping he would understand the effect he had on me. I could see confusion, and worry in his eyes.
"Are you cold?"
"Yes, a little..."
"Is this helping?"
"Yup! Just, huh... If you don't mind... Keep going?"
I was trying not to breathe too hard as he continued to stroke my body in slow motions. His hands were unbelievably soft. I closed my eyes, enjoying every second of this drawn out interaction, silence falling upon the room for a moment, with only the subtle sounds of fur brushing on skin.
"This is less than optimal. I know of something that might help more," he said.
I opened my eyes again, to see his chest spike glow and change form, becoming flat on his chest. Then he grabbed and lifted me, making me gasp in surprise, only for him to stuff my body against him, face in his chest fur, his arms wrapped around me. My mind seemed to process everything in slow motion and way too fast as he lied down and kept me here, hugging my frail body. He let out a long sigh.
"Consider this a favor, human," he said in a low voice, "for releasing me, when most of your kind wouldn't. But don't expect this again."
"Th... thank you...?"
I hugged him as well, albeit in complete disbelief and unsure of what to do for a moment, before I began to rub my cheek against his chest.
At this point, what I didn't see was the Lucario's slight blush.
Even he, at this point, was realizing that the human he was holding close to him was acting a little strange. It didn't bother him too much, but the way the human was squeezing him made him feel slightly warmer, too. And not just physically. He wasn't really used to helping others in such a way in the clan he had been a part of, and was purely going off of instinct. A instinct to protect this frail creature that didn't seem like it could survive on its own, having to hide in big wooden boxes, or "houses", to stand any chance of living in the wild. It wasn't exactly out of pity that he was helping this human, but perhaps out of worry. Or because he felt indebted for having been released. But he would leave the next day, he thought. This was just a favor. For now, they'd sleep, and he'd thank them and bid them farewell in the morning. Lucario gently nuzzled the top of the human's head and kept his muzzle there, making sure to keep them wrapped up in all of his large, fluffy body, to give them warmth for the night.
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The sounds of the waking world, with people talking and walking here and there, welcomed me as I awoke, muffled ever so slightly as I realized my position had barely changed. I sighed and shifted slightly, rubbing my cheek against Lucario's chest, as I realized that he was slowly stroking the back of my head. I was so comfortable. So warm. I didn't want to let go, even if I knew he was awake. My heart raced as I remembered everything that had happened yesterday, overjoyed at the fact that it hadn't been a dream, and I was still embraced and coddled by the large pokémon.
Carefully, I lifted my head and opened my eyes to the blurry sight of the Lucario's face. I attempted to blink the drowsiness away, my sight clearing gradually, noticing that he was looking off into nothing, lost in his thoughts. His hand kept idly caressing my hair, and I had to move up a little, nudging his chin with my nose for him to notice.
"Mh? Morning, human."
"Morning, Lucario. Everything alright...?"
His only answer was a nod. Seeing how I was awake, he began to move away, slowly ; slowly enough that I gripped his fur and body possessively for a moment, before sadly letting go. He noticed and stopped for a second, before he eventually sat up next to me, as I lied on my back. The air was thick with uncertainty, as we both looked into each other's eyes.
"I'm going to need to go," he said, very matter-of-factly, almost coldly.
"Ah... I... I understand."
I certainly tried to convince myself that I did. I sat up again, putting my hand on his thighs. Despite his words, he seemed to struggle to get up from my futon.
"Can I... offer you some food?" I asked, sheepishly.
"I'll be alright."
He managed to give me a hesitant smile before turning his gaze away once more. I took this opportunity to put my hand softly on his paw, and just like I hoped, he didn't move it away. I wasn't too sure what this would mean to him, considering physical affection had been somewhat foreign to him, but I tried to convey as much tenderness as I could in the way I caressed him with my thumb.
"Will I see you again...?"
A heavy silence met my question.
"I know we... we didn't meet in the best terms... But... I really want to get to know you more," I continued, a little desperately. "It's the first time I've been able to be around a pokémon, let alone one who can speak to me. You'll always be welcome here if you want to."
This time, a sigh was his reaction. He stood up, finally, and I stood up too, hastily putting my shirt back on.
"I-I would love to know where you come from ! I've never seen a Lucario around these parts, and... I don't know... I want to see you again... Please?"
The Lucario hesitated, more than he was comfortable with, more than he expected. He was used to pushing everything and everyone away. His mind was screaming ; it's best we don't meet again. I'll disappear. Otherwise I'll hurt you. I can't afford to...
"I can't afford to hurt you"?
The Lucario was taken aback by his own thoughts. What was it about this vulnerable little creature, that had so obviously taken to him, that had him become so protective ? He worried, wondered if it was really right of him to want to remain. That perhaps it would be taking advantage of this human and the soft admiration he felt in their aura. He wasn't trying to read their thoughts, but the closeness they had experienced for a full night had made their feelings merge ever so slightly, influencing the Lucario's dreams. He chased the memories of these soft dreams away, trying hard to remain aloof. No. It would not be right to act on these feelings. He had to remain steadfast.
He had moved silently to the door.
I followed the pokémon, shaking, confused, unable to understand why he was so silent, why he seemed to avoid speaking to me. Had I done something wrong? Had I said something wrong? I was right behind him as he put his paw on the door and I gently, but pleadingly grabbed his arm.
"Lucario, please..."
Finally, he looked back at me. He seemed to snap out of his own thoughts and blinked, his expression softening somewhat as he noticed my subtle shaking and the uncertainty in my voice.
"I... Yes. I'd like for us to meet again."
Then he opened the door slightly, almost in a hurry. Checked that no one was around. And he slipped off into the morning light, silently. Disappearing in a moment.
I closed the door after about a minute. Remembering the previous night had suddenly become bittersweet.
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A week passed.
A week of thinking, every single day, of going back to the obsidian fields.
Of even going, once or twice. But never seeing him.
A week of thinking about him.
About his voice, about his scent, his soft hands, his warmth.
The first time I went out, I began to wonder what I was even doing looking for a Lucario that I had hugged once. I suppose I felt ashamed for craving more of his affection, or attention, and I soon after headed back home, feeling utterly ridiculous. It was more difficult to brush off my frustration at his absence the second time I went out into the obsidian fields. I wondered if he'd find me strange, venturing out into the wild several times in the hope of finding him. A part of me hoped it would endear me to him. But that was all wishful thinking, and ultimately my search yielded no result, no trace of the pokémon. I had to face the disappointment of not being able to talk to him more. In fact, that point stood out to me as well, although, somehow, perhaps a little less than the night-long cuddle : he had used telepathy. This proved several things. One, some or all pokémon were fully sentient. Two, some of them had means of communicating. Three, some of them chose out of their own accord to be the friends, or pets ? of other humans. That raised more questions about exactly what level of sentience some of these pokémon species had, but there was no doubt that a Lucario had the same intelligence as a human, if perhaps ignorant of some of our social codes.
Maybe that's why I was so flustered when I thought about him, even knowing so little about him. The way he was kind and patient with me when I thought he'd end me, the hug, and the many dreams I had had about him that night, which surprised me. Dreams of more affections, of time spent together, and vivid ones at that, which was not the usual for me.
A week later, I was sitting, in the darkness of a spring evening, at my table and preparing a simple meal. I had finally managed to function without a part of my mind always being focused on the memory of this pokémon I craved and missed. However, everything felt a little more... bland, now. The bitter taste of something unfinished remained in my mouth constantly. I didn't regret releasing him, but there were many things I wanted to ask him. Or perhaps I just wanted to spend more time with him. Cutting vegetables and boiling rice felt so banal, and evenings, nights, felt lonely.
I was surprised at how affected I was from his departure. We had only spent one night together, yet-
SLAM.
I jumped and screamed, as the front door to my house slammed opened. I stumbled back, seeing, for a moment, nothing but a towering, shadowy shape. Who walked in and closed the door behind them. It took me a moment, through the panic, to notice that it was a blue-furred, tall pokémon. A Lucario.
My heart jumped at the thought that he had come back. But his eyes were different. He was noticeably smaller, although still big for a pokémon of his species. He glared at me, far more viciously than the one I knew would. I crawled, attempted to get on my feet, but he was on top of me and had grabbed me by the collar, staring daggers into me. I felt a sharp, painful stab in my mind as he got into my head.
"I can still smell him inside your house, even if it's faint. Are you hiding him here?"
"W...What...? W-who are you?"
My vision suddenly went white for a moment and I did not understand why. I was first aware of my ears ringing before an intense pain flared on my cheek and I realized, after about a second, that he had slapped the hell out of me. He lifted me, still by my shirt, who began to tear at the seams, and slammed me against the wall, knocking all air out of my lungs.
At this point, fight or flight began to kick in. I squirmed, tears rolling down my cheeks and tried to scratch at his arm, but it had about the same effect as trying to punch a rock. Breathless whimpers came out of my throat, which quickly became squeezed by the Lucario's hand. What little thoughts I could have were that of fear. Death suddenly became a very possible reality.
"You know who I'm talking about, you worthless trash. He came over here, didn't he? Where is he? Where did he go?"
"I'm... I'm sorry, ple...please... I... I don't know..."
"You better answer me, before I snap your neck in two !"
The added pressure on my neck, enough to make me feel my verterbrae strain ever so slightly, made me cry out desperately.
"Ye... yes, he came over here!" I shouted out desperately, "but I... I have no idea where he left! He... He was here a week ago... Y-you have to believe me..."
"So you're just useless trash to me."
I noticed, from the corner of my eye, claws of aura forming on his free hand. I began to breathe heavily, panic making my mind flutter and my limbs numbs. I tried to kick him, his legs, his belly, anything, but he didn't even flinch.
"I'm going to enjoy this, you know," he continued, a perverted smile on his face. "You humans disgust me. Taking over our land. Capturing our prey and sometimes friends. I'll enjoy seeing you bleed out."
"Pl...ple...ase... Save me..."
I saw his arm move back. He breathed in deeply. I closed my eyes, crying. This was it. This was how I was going to die. Confused, humiliated, powerleess.
A furious growl suddenly rung out from the door.
And an explosion of sounds followed.
I was dropped on the ground, where I landed on my knees, gasping for air, confused. A rush of air hit me, and I suddenly noticed that two pokémon were now inside my house.
The one with the aura claw had been slammed on his back, and was now snarling furiously, while another, a bigger one, one I instantly recognized, was snarling just as angrily, pinning him by the wrists. I gasped, but knew better than to get in their way.
"Don't you dare!" Lucario shouted at his former acquaintance below him.
"You traitor! Have you fallen so low that you're now willing to defend a human?!"
"I will tear your HEAD off!"
The intruder couldn't contain the surprise that appeared on his face at this intense, uncharacterestic rage. Then he laughed uproariously.
He didn't have time to continue. His body was flung by his opponent faster than he could begin speaking : grabbed by the throat, dragged on the ground and then thrown out the door, he hit the ground violently, spinning for a moment before skidding across the dirt on his knees as the Lucario regained his balance by planting his real claws on the ground. He looked up, annoyed, but was suddenly rammed into by the alpha, who tackled him by the stomach and pushed him until he slammed his back against a wall.
The cornered one, with one cry of rage, tried to stab his three aura claws into the side of the bigger one, who screamed in pain, even though he was only scratched : but his anger only increased and, blinded by his feelings, blinded by the pain shooting through his torso, he began to pummel the pokémon who had dared threaten his human. A first punch landed square on the clawed one's jaw.
"How dare you!" the alpha repeated, seeing red.
"Y... You can't keep running from u-"
A second punch flew through the air and cracked the pinned Lucario's jaw, nearly knocking the lights out of him.
"LUCARIO!"
He snapped out of it, suddenly. His opponent's eyes were half lidded, and he seemed to be struggling to remain conscious with the two punches he had just taken. The wall behind him was cracked.
He turned his head, only to see the human he wanted to protect, crying, calling out to him.
"That's enough! You're... You're going to kill him..."
"He- He tried to kill YOU!"
"He doesn't deserve to die anyway!"
The alpha released the other Lucario, who landed on his rear, coughing. Watched his human walk over to him, examining him. The wounded pokémon could barely stand to have a human examine him and nearly lashed out, beginning to lunge forward as he felt them gently lift his lips and reveal a broken fang ; but he was still a little dizzy, and a glance towards the alpha, who was glaring, as if saying, "I dare you to try anything," made him reconsider. So he suffered the short examination, against his will, even though the human looked visibly uneasy, watching for any sign of the pokémon wanting to attack them again.
"You... you broke one of his fangs... We need to bring him to a doctor, now."
"Human, you can't possibly be serious?"
"I-I know, he didn't exactly make the best impression, but he still doesn't deserve to be pummeled into unconsciousness!"
Both the pokémon were left speechless. The one who was barely conscious could only glare at the human who kneeled in front of him, a low growl constantly arising from his throat, with clenched teeth and fists.
"Please, I... I get that you don't like humans, but you're hurt. Will you please follow me to a doctor?"
"F...Fuck off..."
The alpha could only watch, feeling a mix of shame and confusion as the human now was trying to fix whatever had just happened. He began to walk back, as he noticed the number of people that had come out of their house and were now watching. He spun around, panicked. The other pokémon wobbled onto his feet, noticing the same thing.
"E... everyone, it's okay! They don't mean any harm! This was just an accident, they're not here to attack us-" the human began.
But it was too late, the guards had already been called.
The alpha looked at his wounded peer. He growled, extremely unhappy about what he was about to do.
Then he grabbed his arm over his shoulder, and they both left, jumping onto rooves and leaping off into the night.
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That evening was utterly awful. I was summoned to explain why two Lucarios had been spotted with me, and fighting, to which I could give no real explanations. Trying to tell them that one of them was protecting me only raised eyebrows, and justifying it by saying that I had met him once made my story nearly impossible to believe. I had to settle by saying that I didn't know, which was partially true. All I could say, with complete certainty, was that they didn't want to hurt us. Not the alpha, at least. And the other had only tried to hurt me, I suppose.
This raised concerns about the village's security. They knew no amount of security could be enough to stop intelligent and powerful pokémon like a Lucario, but a fight breaking out in the middle of the town was unacceptable.
I was not of much use to them. Trying to advocate for understanding the pokémon and being patient with them was fruitless in the face of anxious and furious traditionalists. I was dismissed, the elder unsure of what to even do with me.
Sent back to my home, I came back to an empty and surprisingly intact abode, despite the beginning of a fight having broken out here.
I locked the door. Did not sleep well that night. Had nightmares of my house being broken into, and my throat slashed in my sleep. Tossed and turned ; thinking about Lucario in every waking moment. Wondering if I'd ever see him again. If I'd been too harsh.
At one point, during one of my many dreams, I realized something that made my chest tighten painfully. I had never thanked him for saving my life.
What if he never forgave me?
·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·
They landed, a few minutes after the fight, deep in the obsidian forest. The alpha, panting, released Alkair, who leaned on a tree for balance.
They both remained silent for a moment. If not gauging each other, at least lost in their thoughts. They were staring at the ground, and Alkair rubbed his head, an intense headache beginning to spread in his skull.
"You... didn't need to punch me like that."
"You were about to kill them. Be thankful I didn't kill you instead."
Alkair spun towards the alpha, clear anger, and confusion, on his face.
"You mind explaining why you're protecting a disgusting human like them? This is a disgrace to the entire clan."
"I've long since stopped caring what any of you think. And I don't need to justify myself to you."
The alpha's answer was defensive and he had raised his voice in authority. Alkair growled slightly and leaned back against the tree, looking pensively at his former friend, whose expression softened somewhat, although they maintained a shared, intense glare.
"I know you saw it, too," continued the bigger one. "When they came up to you. You could've attacked them easily, but you didn't expect them to be gentle with you."
"I- What are you talking about? I would have attacked them if it weren't for you."
"Liar."
Alkair bared his fangs, but couldn't answer just yet. Now that the adrenaline was beginning to subside, he could more clearly remember the events that had just transpired, and the unexpected gentleness he had been shown, despite everything. He refused to face the surprise and softness he had felt in this moment. Denied it utterly.
"They're an idiot, is what I think. Showing kindness to the enemy is foolhardy at best."
"Maybe. Maybe it is. But that's for you to think, and for me to decide."
Alkair squinted, and threw a more intense glare at the alpha, who had straightened up. Then he opened his eyes wide.
"Y- You can't possibly mean-"
The alpha walked up to him and forcefully pushed him back against the tree with a hand on his chest, muzzle right in front of his, his voice growly and threatening.
"But let me be perfectly clear. They are mine. If you or any other in the clan get close to them, heads will roll. And I don't mean this as a figure of speech. Do you understand me?"
"Fine, fine ! What are they to you anyway, some kind of pet, huh?"
The alpha's aura grew in dark intensity. His eyes shone red, his hair began to float, and long, sharp aura claws grew from one hand as the other gripped Alkair's fur, who began to shrink against the tree despite his usual bravery, holding his hands up in capitulation.
"Fuck! Okay! I was just joking!"
The alpha stepped back, claws still long and bright. Alkair stepped aside, panting a little, anger taking the best of him, in this moment where he fought the shame of having been so utterly overpowered, and disciplined in many ways. He knew his broken fang would be an permanent reminder of this day, and his shame distilled into rage.
"You were the alpha! You were... You were supposed to lead us. You're a disgrace. We'll leave you and your stupid little human alone. But don't show your face to us again."
Then, with one last glare and snarl, he left, leaping clumsily into a tree and disappearing in the boughs. The alpha settled. He knew his clan and his fellow Lucarios enough to read between the lines. He knew Alkair was doing him a favor. Being banished was of no concern to him ; but the promise of peace was not one given lightly, and despite the venomous anger with which the words were conveyed, there was also understanding, for which he was grateful. He muttered a quiet thanks towards the fleeing Lucario, and then stood. Remained here, for quite some time.
He held his side, where three bloody gashes were beginning to sting. He hissed, then grinned. Good, Alkair, he thought. That's the first time you've landed a hit on me.