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Greetings! Safe to say this is gonna be an interesting one. A much more somber story, a bit sad as well. There is some smut but it's much later I recommend reading through it's entirely. For some clarification it takes place in the same universe as the previous story A Wonder Filled Life. I hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think. Huge thanks to Itzmeal for whom without this story would be in much sorrier state. oh and please be gentle!
Rolling Thunder
CHAPTER 1
—
Never Back Down
"There is a cost to be the very best. Some are more willing to pay for it than others."
In the dim, cold night, from the town's outskirts abandoned buildings. Cheerful screams can be heard from a warehouse in the distance. Only the form of illumination of the surroundings is the moon up high the sky.
Inside the building is just as lively as any major event, the spotlights within are swinging and flashing every nook and cranny of the place and the crowd are cheering, shouting and chanting wildly in excitement, focusing on the fighting ring in the middle of it all.
"LLLAAADDDIIIEEESSS AANNDD GGGEEENNNTTTLLLEMMMEEENNN!" Roared the announcer a few meters away from the ring. He is a portly bald man with tree trunks-like arms, almost telling if he's a fighter or a coach from his former years. His voice is like a cannon even with the microphone, blasting over the crowd gathered around.
"ARE YOU READY FOR THE MAIN EVENT?!"
The crowd...screw it, the mob of people; a mass of punk rockers, thrill seekers, blood junkies of every shape and size begins to chant.
"ROLLING THUNDER! ROLLING THUNDER!"
As if on cue, a scantily-clad lopunny started to skip through them going towards the ring. Her globe-sized breasts barely contained in her near-nonexistent bikini as she held a large sign over her head saying "MAIN EVENT — Man Vs Mon!"
She arrives at the ring and looked towards the announcer. He gave the pokéwoman a slight nod as the cheering crowd were standing behind the steel blockade. She bit her lip as she sashays around the ring, taking every careful step to keep just out of arm's reach of any potential gropers.
The announcer spun to his left pointing to a darkened corner outside of the ring and an over headlight burst on cue.
"IN THE LEFT CORNER. WE HAVE OUR UNDEFEATED, UNBEATABLE AND UNSTOPPABLE FIGHTER OF THE SINNOH! OUR VERY OWN WILD EYED, WINNONA!"
Her head was bowed until the lights came on, the crowd roared her name as she raised a fist, gritting her teeth at the unbearable noise. The female lucario's chest was wrapped tight in a white wrap covering her impressive bust, the spike between her breasts is just poking through the wedge of the wrap. She wore a pair of loose fitting shorts, but compared to the sexy lopunny she felt somewhat overdressed. Behind her was her trainer named Ruby, a middle aged woman with striking red hair, rubbing her lucario's shoulders, muttering words of encouragement.
Again the announcer spun to his right, rather deftly for man his size pointing directly across from her.
"AND IN THE RIGHT IS A RISING STAR OF THE NIGHT! WILL HE BASK IN GLORY OR GO DOWN IN FLAMES? FROM THE SHORES OF JOHTO, WE HAVE JERICHO!"
The crowd's reaction were a mix, some cheered and most booed. The man was shirtless with a stern look in his face not even being fazed with the crowd, his long black hair was tied in pony tail and wearing baggy shorts, his hands were wrapped tight in many stripped cloth and clenched his fist facing his opponent.
Just a man, Winona thought, a smirk playing at her lips as she raises her similarly wrapped right hand, the spike on her wrists flashed under the harsh halogen lights.
Once again, the mob began to chant. "NEVER BACK DOWN! NEVER BACK DOWN!"
The lopunny settled in front of the announcer, making extra sure to bend over long and low, showing off her cutesy butt before him. A wicked grin peeled across his face and he took several steps back to a pillar and everyone began stomping their feet in unison. A pillar rose up and attached to it was an old fire bell, dented from years of use and abuse and underneath it is a mallet.
"NOT UNTIL YOU FACE IS ON THE GROUND!" The announcer yelled, grabbing the mallet and he beats the bell, and so the fight began.
She had to focus.
That was the key. No room for error.
Winona drowned out the noise and buried it deep, so deep until nothing remained. The room went dark, her vision was practically black. Everything slowed to a standstill, nothing moved as she could feel her breath and hear her opponent's movements.
FOCUS. On him, just HIM.
Her opponent, Jericho.
He hadn't moved. He was going to feint her blow.
She knew his thoughts from the slow beat of his human heart.
Winnona moved. The cement cracked beneath her feet, she was a lightning strike made of flesh. Fast as the light, a million times more deadly, her fist would hit with the force of an atom bomb. She was going to kill this foolish man, not the first death nor will it be the last.
It was like moving through molasses, everything hurt. The air felt like shards of glass, blood was molten as lava, the synapses in her brain like a army of ants in her skull.
She was on him faster than an instant.
He was going to feint her blow.
Until he didn't.
Winona saw what happened while everyone else gapped in confusion. No human had ever moved like he did, no feint came. Her fist hit the air and the world turned into a vertigo and she hit the concrete at light speed.
Anyone with twenty feet was sent airborne, she bounced eyes wide open and a fist found her nose, sending her to the ground permanently. The lucario gasped, blood pooling from her mouth and nose a imprint had been left where she'd made impact where she now lay.
Some seconds had passed.
Now there was only silence.
Jericho stood still, his right fist bloody and he turned to the announcer whose face was that of pure disbelief.
"Can I get a ten count?" Jericho asked with smirk.
The mob at that point erupted.
It had something to do with love.
That's the leading theory on the sudden change of Pokémon to more humanized forms. The largest portion were those who had masters, for some it was a gift others just as easily been a curse.
Don't you want to be the very best? Winnona remembered the first time Ruby had said it. She was a riolu back then, so wild, young and free. They'd battle and Ruby would be happy, oh so happy.
The more she won, the more they trained.
She had to be the best, to make Ruby happy.
Weakness couldn't be tolerated. So it was eliminated.
Sticks at first after every fight, hours of jabs and slaps while she held weights in both paws. Scalding water to tougher her hide, light and sleep deprivation to boost her awareness, spoiled meals on and on as her training intensified. From sticks, to belts, to bats, till the last one shattered across her back just before she evolved.
She could take it. Because Ruby was happy.
The rebar was the worst, it dug into the skin the hardest and can struck bones enough to break. Its rusted tip pierced her skin like a knife leaving wounds that festered.
Then came the change, like so many others her form became so much more human so much like her beloved master.
Ruby was furious, Winnona had never felt such shame. The training became more rigorous.
Hours turned to days in the rain, in the snow, beatings came more regularly, meals less so.
A rebar made a particular noise when it slams across concrete and Winnona heard it twice. She knew its sound meant failure, which was something Ruby couldn't tolerate.
"Get up!" She roared, they were still in the arena the crowd had long dispersed. Winnona coughed, tasting iron and she blinked away and starts rolling to her knees.
The sound of the rebar echoed throughout the warehouse, Ruby grits her teeth and held the rebar in absolute fury.
"All you had to do was win!" The blow came suddenly to her midsection, knocking what little air left in out. Another blow to another, Winnona finally found her feet. Ruby was relentless in her swinging. Blood leaked from her mouth, arms, legs likely internal as well.
She had to focus.
This was all part of the training.
To be the best.
"Fucking whore!" The blow hit her spine, forcing the lucario to the wall. She raised her arms like a thousand times before one eye was nearly sealed shut. Ruby was barely an outline pacing in Ruby's peripheral sight.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY *WHAM* IDEA *WHAM* WHAT I'VE LOST BECAUSE OF YOU?!" Winnona's arms took every blow, bleeding from every strike, her ribs were cracked and unsure how many were. She took it because this was all part of the training. Her breathing hurt, standing was like murder, and living was hell. Ruby made it worthwhile to see her smile again like she used to. Winnona smiled through bloody teeth as Ruby beat her to the floor.
She could just see her through lidded eyes. Everything was moving slowly now. Her arms weren't able to move anymore Ruby wasn't going to stop.
She could take it…
She could…
She…
…
There was a blur as something fell within her vision. Winnona's only good eye made out a shape standing over another.
She was being picked up.
Words were spoke.
Where's Ruby?
Where will be she carried to?
A light and an unfamiliar smell hits her as her consciousness gradually fades.
Then darkness.
She floated in between her mind.
In deep meditation she'd come to this place before. A place of endless, serene silence, it's where enlightenment was gained from such a tranquil place. Now though, she floated adrift in the in between.
No enlightenment would be found.
There was nothing...except the silence.
Her eyes snapped open.
She was on her back laying on a bed, in an unfamiliar room. She attempted to sit up only to cause lancing pain quarter-way up. Panic set in as she tried to speak, her mouth moving made no tone, tears starts bursting out her eyes.
"Hrrrgk!" Was all she could ounce out, shifting around the bed.
Something moved beside her, she froze as a scaled, prehensile tail brushed against her face. A massive flared head greeted her vision, the yellow slitted eyes bored into her as panic filled the lucario.
"Hush little one." The arbok murmured in a feminine tone, her mouth opened and her fangs were exposed, flashing in the dim light. Winnona rocked, desperate to flee from this nightmare.
"Hush…" The arbok spoke, and pinching sensation went through her right arm.
"Hush…"
Winnona's eyes rolled back as numbness filled her whole body.
"Hush…"
And so did the darkness, her old friend come again.
•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•
Chapter 2: A fate of broken glass
It was all part of the training.
In the few moments of lucidity she would awake in the same room. Sometimes it would lit other times dark. The door remained closed; its walls were a ugly moss green like it grew on the previous paint. Then there was the pain constantly lancing, attempting to move found her face to face with the nightmarish visage. Fangs would flash and the numbness then dark.
Winnona lost count of the days it could have weeks for all she knew laying trapped on the bed. Wasn't the first time she'd been tested this way, Ruby was just outside the door watching through the peephole. Like in the basement at home locked tight holding weights above her head. Dropping them as she learned brought nothing but a longer sentence of solitude and an empty belly for days on end. So she held them high even as her arms went numb as her knees begged to buckle. When the door would open Ruby would be there a smile tugging the corner of her lips. She would know by arceus she would be so proud.
Winnona wouldn't break.
–
On an endless day she opened her eyes.
Today was different.
The door was open.
Another test. She could leave, but at what cost? Tentatively Winnona found the strength to lift her arms. They felt like a million leaded weights attached to her body. How had she become so weak? No wonder this had lasted so long she though putting everything she had to sit up. A solitary chair sat agacent to the bed the lucario lay, the Arbok hadn't been here in some time. Winnoa swung her legs off the bed attempting to stand. If her arms had been a sign her legs were a billboard of failure. Stars burst in her vision, she clenched her teeth taking a step forward.
It was like fighting the ocean, she'd lost weight, her muscles hardly any strength in them. Winnona made it to the door peeking through the opening, this wasn't home it smelled wrong. Keeping to the wall kept her upright every few feet she would stop. Waiting for Ruby to scold her to grab her shoulders make her walk unassisted.
This place was well lived, a flurry of scents assailed her nose the arboks the most distinctive and one other she couldn't quite place . Where was Ruby? Where was her masters scent? Frustration lead to a bubbling panic as she shuffled down the hall to a furnished living area.
It was daylight outside, nowhere she knew somewhere outside the city. Winnona blinked trying to make sense of it.
"Repeating cry of a fragment of metal hm hmm hmm…" Jericho hummed tunelessly, he stood infront of a massive stove far larger than any conventional human one. His back was to her Winnona felt fury build deep in her gut. Fitting Ruby would test like this, weakened bones broken somewhat delirious, against her most hated opponent. A growl built in her throat, Jericho jumped startled and glanced her way with a coy grin on his lips.
"Lorilie what have I tol-woah!" she put everything into the punch, so much her legs gave out. He caught under her armpits, underdetered she went for his throat. The man cursed pulling her close Winnona squirmed weakly as he dragged her to an open chair. Jericho flopped her down, she bared teeth and he responded by grabbeling her snout firmly. The lucarios eyes bugged with panic as he effectively disabled her.
"You gonna stop?" He asked, tightening his grip, her eyes stared daggers into him. After a few heartbeats she nodded and his release was slow, a silent warning not to test her luck. The smell of burning eggs filled the kitchen. Jericho darted to the stove top quickly shutting off the burners. He grabbed several sets of plates from an overhead cabinet, setting them on the counter. Most of the food was meat and some fried vegetables he poured a portion onto each of the plates. Jericho paused at the last one glancing her way.
"Scrambled eggs?"
"Fuck you."
"Scrambled eggs then." He shrugged pourning the rest of the slightly burnt food onto the plate. Jericho grabbed three of the six plates carefully navigating around her to the large table in the dining area. She never took her eyes of him Ruby was waiting nearby had to be waiting for her to drop her guard.
"Hush now. Little one." Winnona attempted to jump only to be bound to the chair by a thick majenta tail. She was forcibly whipped around a scaled hand snapped to the back of the chair. The Arbok gave her an amused stare, Winnona squirmed helplessly practically chest to chest with the other female. Her free hand felt up her face, fingers tracing around her wide eyes. The Arboks head cocked slightly a smile forming across her mouth a gaping hole of death. A memory long buried deep in the brush before Ruby; one of screams, of gurgling howls, and snapping bones. Fear is something all Pokémon are born with, terror is bred with the dreaded flare of an Arboks massive yellow eyed hood.
The Arboks milk pale eyes, old scars cut through them blinked twitching in there confines. Her forked tounge flicked a hairsbreathe from the lucarios snout. A sign near that a moan rumbled from the serpents maw.
"I can FEEL your fear little one. Oh it's been ages , AGES like fine wine succulent deep in texture…" the coiled appendage tighter around her chest stealing the breathe from stressed lungs
"And oh. So. SWWWWWEEET…." The jaws opened wide unhinged what strength left Winnona she went limp and conceded to her fate.
"Coco!" Snapped Jericho setting down the last plate loud enough that Coco clamped shut just shy of Winnonas eartips. She crossed her arms in a huff muttering unintelligiblely, uncoiled and slithered around the table settling to the mans left side. Winnoa gasped shaking in her seat, Jericho shot a mean look to Coco who was busy pretending she could see her finger nails.
"Ah I see our guest has finally awakned." Chirped a female Scythor strolling into the situation with a stretch. Her tee shirt only covered her midrif showing of toned stomach and legs, the right arm hole was sewn shut. The early morning light caught the edge of the razor sharp bone of her left forearm. She smiled at Winnoa taking a seat opposite of her.
"Hmm what time is it?" Following suit a male swellow strutted in visibley yawning, his plumage while ruffled was impressive even in such a state. He cracked an eye seeing Winnona paused glancing at Jericho who was fuming still, then shrugged and took his seat.
"Uff to early."muttered an off colorered Vaporion one hand on her lower back the other on the gentle swell of a pregnant stomach. The swellow pulled a chair out for her and she sat promptly rubbing tired eyes. They all started to eat with gusto until Jericho rapped his knuckles on the table. He gestured to Winnona who found herself suddenly under their collective gaze. With a chuckle the Scythor stood and gave a bow.
"Cinder pleasure to be acquainted with you!" She said with a tooth filled grin, next stood the swellow with a shake of his head.
"Butter, likewise." He winked to Jericho who scowled. The Vaporion waved a hand, her eyes still half open.
"Lorilie, I'd stand but…" She scratched the underside of her chin and shrugged. Jericho glanced to the Arbok who had kept eating.
"Ahem." She stopped mid chewing and the large predator seemed to shrink, clearly uncomfortable.
"Coco." Was all she said continuing to eat. Winnona rubbed her arms, eyes darting between them.
Hunger gnawed at her belly but she wouldn't be so easily fooled. Never had she eaten from Ruby's table, only the small silver bowl since she'd been a pup. A test always one after another ,she'd failed the first her master was watching always, failing twice wasn't a remote option.
"Hey." She flinched ,Lorilie had placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The Vaporion took a spoonful of the eggs and ate it with a kind smile on her tired features. Winnona shrank into the seat, eyes still darting.
Hunger beat her that day.
She stuffed her face, shoveling the food as fast as her hands aloud. Arcius so that's what people's food tasted like, it was gone in an instant. Winnona blinked looking up sharply at a cold dread filling her tired bones.
What had she done?
–
Before…
The machamp hit like a freight train, for a grappler he was rather adept at boxing. Didn't matter, never did in the end. Her bones rattled at each impact down to her teeth, she could take it.
Jab, upper cut, a haymaker that caught her between the eyes. That set her off her feet she felt the world go slow overhead halogens bursting like stars. She grabbed the machamps wrist twisted midair violently, something snapped there was a howl of pain as Winnona landed feet first. The machamp fell to his knees, tears falling holding his ruined wrist. She spun her heel hitting the Pokémon on the side of the head. There was a subtle crunch of bone as he crumpled like a sack onto the floor.
They loved it, a deafening roar assaulted her senses as she held a bloody fist high. There was no ten count, a pool of blood was forming from the machamps open mouth. Ruby grabbed her other arm throwing it skyward , she smiled a beautiful warm smile that sent all the pain away. Winnona forgot everything and focused just on the joy she'd brought her master.
"You did it! You really did it!" She said afterward in the small office space. Winnonas tail thumped loudly on the floor ,beaming as she was lavished with praise. Ruby was ever in motion grabbing various items lying around.
"Were set for the next month! More fights like that and maybe they'll let in on the high stakes matches!" Ruby pulled out a wad of dollars kneeling infront of her.
"Fights thatll put this to shame, real money you hear me? The big leagues kinda money." there was knock on the door, Ruby stood quickly grabbing her jacket laying on the couch and her purse nearby it.
"Stay, I'll be back shortly! Gonna eat good tonight!" And like that she was gone.
Her tail thumped on the floor, the smile never leaving her lips.
Everything hurt.
Breathing makes her twitch as fractured ribs flexed with bruised lungs.
Blood leaked from her nose, mouth, hands and legs slowly staining the floor.
Hunger gnawed like a cancer in her aching stomach, a whine wanted to escape falling numbly into a bone dry throat.
Still she smiled, tail thumping, sitting on the floor. Eyes never leaving the door, she waited.
And waited.
Hours past.
It was well into the early hours in the morning that the door finally opened. Ruby stumbled in smelling of cheap beer and liquor. Winnonas tail thumped even louder as her master ruffled her head fur.
"Heeeeeey girl Ive had the bestest of time *hic* who's a good girl hehehe *urp*" she stumbled past landing face first into a makeshift cot. Ruby laughed at herself burying her face into the pillow. After a short while a snore filled the room, Ruby was out cold. Winnona sat patient waiting, the smile never leaving her.
And waited just like she was told to…
–
Now…
Her eyes opened to daylight.
Back again in the moss colored room, the pain was still there faint now but lingered with every breath. How had she gotten here? Her memory was a blur; it felt like her brain was full of cotton.
"Morning again." Yawned Lorilie sitting in the chair, this one was much more furnished than the previous one likely due to her pregnant condition. Winnona grimaced as she sat up warely looking at the Vaporion who smiled her way.
"Why am i..?" Winnona touched her throat not realizing just how sore and dry it was. Lorilie reached down grabbing a cup and held out to her. Winnona sniffed, still trying to understand what was going on.
"You're okay, you passed out at the table. It was too early to let you out. He thought it'd help but we can build up to it." She explained, still holding the cup out. Winnona took it gingerly, taking a careful sip, aware that she was being watched somewhere by Ruby a second passed before she downed it in gulp. Still keeping an eye on the door expecting at a moment's notice for it to burst open, the Lucario handed the cup back, her hands trembling.
"It's just us." Lorilie said reassuringly, setting the cup on the floor. Winnona kept both eyes locked on the door as she shifted to the wall bringing her knees to her chin. Beneath the springs of the be-
Bed.
She was on a bed . It dawned most suddenly breaking her eyes away from the door. The cold returned, her breathing turned shallow, a dryness filled her mouth.
"I'm.Not.Aloud…" she grimaced, speaking still hurt.
"On. The bed."
Lorilie cocked her head at the Lucarios clearly distressed state. Winnona started to scoot off the bed overwhelmed. She was stopped by Lorilie who a stood suddenly putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Ruby…said it was okay."
At her master's name Winnona froze.
"What?"
With a smile the Vaporion sat down again smoothing out the wrinkles in the sundress she wore.
"You're aloud on the bed. And aloud to do...other things too." She explained, of course Ruby had given instructions ,so like her master. Explained why her scent was nowhere to be found. All of the training made the most sense.
"You need to heal Jeri-Ruby insisted. You were hurt, do you…remember?"
Remember? What was there to remember? She fought, she lost, and then…then.
Then…
What happened?
Her head felt like it was filled with cotton. Ears started to ring and she slid holding her head teeth bared. She felt a hand on her side blackness danced in the corners of her eyes. All part of the training, always.
Remember….
Remember…
—
Chapter 3: Know who I am
Consistency begets discipline.
That as she understood mad the most sense for anything really. Waking in the room became the norm. To its mossy walls and Lorilies assuring presence. Only her, none of the others.
"For now." She would say kindly helping the Lucario with her food which she ate messly. The Vaporion never scolded, never raised her voice, just smiled picking up the flecks off the floor. It occurred to Winnona that she'd never actually interacted with other Pokémon outside the ring not since…
Whenever she tried to remember the cotton feeling in her head came back. Lorilie would be there holding on as the darkness came. There was a word she felt that best described the Vaporion Ruby had said it once?
Friend? Was that it?
Someone who was just there in kindness?
Consistency, she focused on that.
The days were long, the nights longer. She'd sleep restless; the bed was softer than anything she'd ever slept on. It felt like a springy cloud shifting beneath her weight. Lorilie was always smiling, helping her out of bed onto shaking legs. They would walk the room, Winnona would collapse most times staring at the floor frozen waiting for the reprimanded for weakness. Lorilie would crouch (as best one could in her state) and wait.
This went on for a few weeks.
Speaking was not something Winnona was good at. Or rather aloud to do, in the time they'd spent together words were rarely shared. On one particular day Winnona made a decision.
"Can I ask you…something?"
This made Lorilie blink in surprise she was holding the Lucario's hands as she took steady steps around the room.
"Absolutely! What's on your mind?"
For a moment Winnona chewed lip trying her best to phrase her question.
"What's it like being…" Her gaze drifted to other females belly which had grown slightly of the last few weeks.
"Pregnant?"
"Yes, I've never seen it before."
This made Lorilie pause in step, letting go of her hands. For a moment Winnona feared she'd erred in some way wobbling as she was suddenly held up by her own volition. Lorilie smiled, always but now she beamed as the Lucario took unaided steps around the room. Winnona wandered for a period before easing herself back onto the bed. Lorilie sat next to her, grabbing the Lucario's hand and putting it to her belly. Caught off guard her hand pressed against the hard surface Winnona gapped unsure what to do.
Then there was kick.
It came so suddenly she flinched, Lorilie gasped, placing her free hand on the other side.
"Its hard to explain really. To feel something else is inside you moving around, sometimes kicking when you least expect it." Her hand went up and down the side of her womb, eyes closed as her child rolled around inside.
"Do you know that Vaporions are the most compatible Pokémon for humans?" She said with a rueful smirk.
"Compatible?"
"75 percent of our body is water, much like that of humans. Though it does have a less than…educational meaning as well." Lorilie explained as Winnona felt around her belly in curiosity.
"I had a master once, though I guess it was much more recent than anything. He was a good man. I loved him and he me. But the love I felt was that of companionship like one that a child might have that of a parent."
Lorilie paused, adjusting herself on the bed so her back was to the wall.
"I can say now that I was truly blind to his affections. Naive to how he pampered me, dressed me, and even fed me lavishly under candle light. It feels like a lifetime but it was just a few months ago…" her head back against the wall Winnona picked up the saddness edging into her words.
"Daro moved in next to us, a Houndoom tall dark furiously handsome. His master had passed away leaving unto him a good sum of money. The first time I saw him in the yard axe in hand cutting massive chunks of wood. Glistening sweat trailing down his broad back muscles bulging, flexing, rippling in the…" Lorilie's face flushed in embarrassment caught up in the cherished memory.
"It took me months to talk to him, longer to ask him to dinner. He was older than me and gray fur formed around his snout. I felt so embarrassed, I fell in love hard and fast. My master was none the wiser for the longest time. I hadn't felt the need to tell him I was still blind to how he felt for me." She placed a hand on her belly again, rubbing it in slow circles.
"Then this happened…Daro didn't know but my master he…" lorilie sniffed rubbing her eyes.
"He was furious. Murderous even, he raged for hours. Called the police on Daro I remember the sheer look of shock on his face when they took him." Tears streamed down her cheeks, Winnona watched unsure on how to approach the situation.
"I became nothing to him. My master, I suppose, thought I was only meant only to be his. When I wasn't, he didn't need me anymore. Compatible became incompatible, thrown out with nothing but the clothes on my back. I was alone for the longest time, then Jericho found me and well…" Lorilie shrugged with a yawn.
"You asked what its like? Well to be honest it's the strangest thing in the whole world."
–
Chapter 4: knock me down…
A week later….
"Are you ready?"
Winnona sat on the edge of the bed, hands on her knees staring hard at the floor. Lorilie stood beside the door, hands behind her back, long tail swishing back and forth.
"I don't see why-"
"It's entirely necessary, Ruby insisted."
Her ears shot up at the name, she frowned standing up. Lorilie looked her up and down, she'd been given a pair of sweatpants and a sweater to wear. Her weight had slowly returned, much of the muscle she'd had was still gone. Standing didn't hurt as much, they'd worked on getting her mobile over the last few weeks she could walk around unassisted.
Now Lorilie wanted to get her to leave the room at Rubie's behest. Winnona rubbed her arm taking wary steps toward the Vaporion. With a smile Lorilie opened the door leading her out to the rest of the house. A flurry of scents hit her nose again as they slowly walked through the hall. Outside had changed, the leaves once green now a deep yellow. Had she really been here that long?
"Oh hey!"
Winnona jumped, it was the Scythor Cinder she vaguely recalled. The Pokéwoman was in the kitchen leaned against the counter waving with her one good hand. She was wearing an outfit of shorts that hugged her toned legs and a shirt that was cut off at the midriff. Lorilie, who was behind Winnona, scowled having wanted to ease the introduction. The Scythor stuck out her tongue playfully, confusing Winnona.
"Glad to see you up and about again. On your own two feet none the less." She stuck out a hand palm flat towards Winnona whom stared at it. Wary, the Lucario reached out and touched the other Pokéwomans hand. Cinder jerked back, wagging her fingers and making an exaggerated exploding noise.
"I'd say you get used to her but…" lorilie tutted going past Winnona and flicked the Scyother between the eyes. Cinder went cross eyed pretending to swoon making a series of animated gagging noises.
"I've yet to do so."
Winnona eyed them both, unused to any interaction outside that of what she had with lorilie. She sniffed taking the Scythors scent to memory, the Pokéwoman smelled like sweet grass and smokey wood. Much unlike Lorilie who had the scent of rain and willow.
She sniffed again, then froze another scent was present. A scent of pale earth and death.
Coco froze just in the hall, aware she'd been caught. Cinder quit her mock dying spotting the Arbok, Lorilie turned to see her as well. Winnona was shaking hands trembling; she refused to face the hooded serpent. The bone on Cinders arm elongated slightly curving becoming more blade in nature.
Coco's tounge flicked in and out, pale eyes squinting. She crossed her arms turning in a huff heading back down the hall. Cinder breathed out looking down at her arm and shaking her head.
"One you should never get used to…is her." Breathed Cinder, the blade on her arm reducing in length.
"Not if you value your life that is."
–
Routine always begets discipline.
With Lorilie she'd been coddled to say the least. With Cinder, Winnona began to be put through the paces. The Scythor was energetic as she was loud in contrast with the more reserved Vaporion. Quite mornings became bounding days Cinder often barging into the room shaking her awake excited for a day of physical activity.
Just not the physical activity Winnona was used to.
They started with her lower body , getting the muscle back into her legs. It was getting colder when they went out the first time. Winnona expected to left tied to a post somewhere made to endure the impending cold as Ruby had. In the yard was a course of sorts: pull up bars, sand pits, an area for weight etc. Lorilie watched from a distance smiling all the while as she was made to do a variety of calisthenics. The first few day showed just how weak she'd truly become. Winnona fell to knees by the end panting in deep gulps of air her whole body felt like jelly. Cinder, who had hardly broken a sweat, stood over the fallen Lucario making to help her up.
A sudden snap stopped her dead.
Another set of eyes watched them, attached to a body leaning on a rail above them. Winnonas ears rotated to the noise, even over her ragged breathing she could make out the slow beat of his human heart. Jericho watched his expression neutral, Winnona bared her teeth hissing through them.
Always a test, Ruby was her master for just this reason.
Winona stood on her own legs shaking. She could take anything Ruby threw at her that male meant nothing, she'd beat him no matter what.
Cinder glanced up to Jericho who had pushed off the rail going back inside. Lorilie shook her head adjusting the layers she wore.
"That's enough for today, let's go inside eh?"
It took both of them to drag her in.
Thus became her routine Cinder building her up Lorilie keeping a watchful eye. The Scythor pushed but not to the point of failure, rather to improvement. Encouraged to do another push up, another lap, to get up when she would fall. And if she couldn't, would stop and move onto something else. It was unnerving so unlike anything she'd grown so used to doing.
But it was working.
She started to run faster, lift more weight, falling less and less. On one particular day she actually managed to outrun the Scythor who always outpaced the Lucario. To which she earned a cheer from both Cinder and Lorlie who clapped from the sidelines.
"Hell yeah! Gimme five!" This was a term Winnona took sometime to get used to as Cinder would extend her good hand to have it struck. As the Scythor approached instead of the left she made to use the right. They stared at one another for a few moments before Cinder coughed rubbing the back of her neck embarrassed.
"You did good today." She grinned playing it off.
"...how did it happen?" Winnona blurted out the question before she even realized it. Cinder cocked her head staring long and hard at the Lucario who wouldn't meet her gaze.
"Poachers." She explained looking down at her missing limb.
" We, as in Scythors, arent excactly the best Pokémon around. We do however have a unique feature most don't." Cinder raised her good arm showing the bladed edge.
"Living blades sharp as obsidian when it dulls just grows back. Perfect for chef grade knives or good ol' fashion pig stickers. We've nearly been hunted to extinction for these thus are rarity." She looked up to the cloudy sky, it was likely to start snowing soon given the steady drop in temperature.
"They killed my family. My mother, then my father…caught us out in the open far from the trees we'd grown so used to hiding in. Arm got blown off when I tried to run, essentially ruining it. I'm not sure how I survived. I can remember bits and pieces but never the whole." Cinder sighed, holding up her arm looking between widened fingers.
"I'd have bleed to death if I hadn't literally run into Jericho. That was some three or four years ago then came the change kinda wished I'd got the arm back but I live with the breasts!" She enfisised her bust by grabbing a good handful grinning as Lorilie rolled her eyes.
"I lost one thing. Gained others, not how I expected it all to turn out. Then again who does? Now let's do that again, this time I'll put some effort into it!"
–
Sleeping got easier, though she would remain awake some nights watching the door ready to fling herself to the floor the moment Ruby changed her mind. On this night a certain restlessness came over her. She sat up in the bed , got of it and padded to the door. It wasnt locked as she pulled it open stepping into the hall. The house was dark but her eyes adjusted quickly aware that her actions could be punished. Her steps were carefully measured. She'd had made it out to the kitchen if raised voices had not caused her to pause.
The last door in the hall was slightly ajar dim light filtered through. A surge of curiosity filled Lucario as she put an eye to the crack in the door. In an instant she very wished she hadn't.
Coco stood chest to chest with Jericho staring each other down. The serpent wore a white shirt perhaps large on a human but rendered small by her massive form and bust. She reared a full head over the man who gazed unflinching at her.
"..I fail to see the relevance." Growled Jericho his voice slightly muted by the door. Coco put a finger to his chest pushing in slightly.
"You fail to see? It was none of your business and yet you got involved again!" She hissed tail coiling angrily between them.
"I had to."
"You certainly didn't have to do shit."
"It was my faul-"
Winnona stuffed a gasp as Coco struck, her lower body wrapped around the man in an instant. Only the upper body remained free, his arms crossed as he remained definitely unafraid of her. The Arbok brought him to her chest arms looping under his she 'looked' down her once angered expression now mixed.
"Why do you always see it like that?" She whispered, leaning down a hair's breadth from his face. Jericho closed his eyes, jaw working back and forth as her forked tongue flicked against his nose.
"Someone has to." he finally replied his voice shaking.
She kissed him ,slowly at first a hand cupping his chin. There breathing spiked become more desperate her hands roamed lower as his found the hem of her stretched shirt. Winnona found she couldnt move from where she stood watching entranced as they stripped . Cocos massive breasts spilled from prison Jericho grabbed them squeezing earning a throaty growl from her as she pulled them both to the bed in the center of the room. Somewhere in the entanglement the human had stripped now finding himself beneath the larger Pokéwoman. His hands went to her waist he thrusted upward Cocos back arched her hands frantically looking for something to brace against. Gradually a rhythm was built they both began to pant sporadic moans in-between the humans hand would latch onto her bouncing chest tweaking the areoles making the female arbok twitch coils flopping intermittently. In what seemed like a lifetime Coco broke first cumming hard as Jericho gave a few powerful thrusts her jaw unhinged fangs flashing in the dim light. The male grunted as she spasmed releasing himself inside her.
Coco collapsed on top of him almost smothering the man with her bulk. She rolled eyes shut, mouth wide, sucking in air.
Winnona finally managed to pull herself away from the door. Slowly slinking back to her room. The bed suddenly felt a lot more easy to sleep into that night.
–
Chapter 5: Whispers in the air…
Change was something Winnona was coming to terms with, more for herself than anything. The repition helped, waking up in the same bed Lorilie and Cinder to greet her. Little nuances came and went like letting her get up and dress herself , picking which food she wanted to eat, what exercises she felt she needs to do. Each day, the Lucario looked forward to the beginning and the end.
On such a morning Lorilie was sitting in her room. Her belly was much bigger now, the wrinkles in the dress now naturally stretched out. Winnona sat up in bed swinging her legs off in a tandem.
"Good morning." She said with a yawn, they'd let her sleep in for once.
"It'll be less good here soon." chuckled the Vaporion as the door opened. As if on qué , a beaked face poked in .
"Ah your awake!" Chirped Butter easing himself in the room. He was dressed formally a swede button up and charcoal slacks. Under a wing he carried a large satchel which was promptly sat beside the door. Winnona glanced at Lorilie who nodded affirming everything was still alright.
"Your looking healthy, far better than when you were-" Butter went on to say when a sharp cough from Lorilie made him other wise.
"Anyway, it's nice to meet you again. Can I shake your hand? Is that alright?" He asked holding out a hand, his nails were black sharp as razors. Winnona gently took it, shaking it as she'd learned from Cinder. Butter visibly puffed up the bird Pokémons way of showing excitement. He reached down as she let go rummaging through the satchel, after a fashion a set of cards were held out. Winnona squinted at them all three had a variety of lines and shapes on them she didn't recognise.
"Today we're going to explore a few things. It'll hard at first but I think you'll come to like it." Butter crunched more level with the Lucario now.
"Tell me what do you see, Winnona?"
"The cards?"
Lorilie chuckled to herself, Butter blinked then shook his head
"What's on the cards, I mean do you know what's on them?"
She looked at them again, then shrugged.
"Human words?"
Again the swellow puffed up, his impressive plumage nearly burst through his shirt. Winnoa flushed realizing that couldn't take her eyes of his chest.
"Very good! Yes, see this is what we'll be doing with everything and everyone else now. Teach you how to read and in time if your willing to write as well!" Butter chirped his eyes gleaming at the prospects. Winnoa gave Lorilie a worried look the Vaporion smiled and shrugged confirming the Swellows plans.
Change was something Winnona was still coming to terms with.
–
She had been drowned, left in blizzards, eaten rot unfit for carrion. All to be the best to make Ruby happy. Everyday, every night always tested. It was perhaps hell but then she'd never known anything else. All of that compared not to the feat of what lay before her now.
Math.
Reading had come easy, much to Butters credit. Between time with Lorilie and Cinder he would pull her aside letting her 'hit the books' as he put it. Cinder would join at times, Lorilie as well but less and less as her pregnancy progressed. Butter enjoyed it immensely starting with the alphabet, when she'd gotten that down they went to individual words. In time she could read full sentences without having to pause to know how to pronounce a word and what it ment.
Then the math started.
Stuiped, stuiped math.
Adding and subtracting were easy enough. But then there was multiplying, division fractions.
"I don't get this." Winnona huffed pencil in hand staring at the work. Butter who was standing behind going over previous questions shuffled over her shoulder leaning over to see what she was stuck on.
And then there was this issue.
It happened by accident the first time at least. She'd never been…alone a male before so when she struggled on questions Butter would get close to help. Suddenly her heart would beat faster, ears would start ringing, he smelled…Arcius he smelled like honey. In the late hours of night she would take in deep breaths trying to pick up his scent. She had no idea as to why this alien feeling filled her to the core.
She wanted to bury her muzzle into his chest, take gentle handfuls his feathers do the things she'd seen Coco and Jeric-
"...since the number is squared all you have to do is separate it and add-hey you ok?" Butter cocked his head, Winnonas eyes were hazy her mouth slightly open, breathing heavy. She stood suddenly Butter took a wary step back. The Lucario advanced, Butter retreated until his back was to the wall. He was speaking… words?
The ringing drowned it out
God's his scent was intoxicating.
He tried to wiggle free, she pressed him to the wall muzzle to his long neck. So soft like a living pillow his hands went to her waist the talons pinched into the skin beneath her fur. The pain was nothing she hadn't felt a million time before.
Winnona was hot.
Molten to the core.
Math stuiped beautiful math.
"What the FUCK! Is going on here!?" Roared Jericho standing in the doorway arms crossed. Winnona shot back Butter scrambled away out of the room. Behind the man Coco, Cinder and Lorilie both of whom were trying to get past him.
Winnona was in the corner of the room shaking, the man was furious like Ruby. She'd failed, so badly it hurt
This was it ,wasn't it?
The moment had come. She raised her arms hands clenched ready for the blow.
"Hey hey hey…" Lorilie murmured embracing the trembling Lucario, Cinder stroked her head giving a single head shake to Jericho. Coco made to enter the room he raised a hand making her pause.
Winnona crumbled unfamiliar tears streaming down her cheeks.
What had she done?
–
Later
"It's entirely natural." Butter assured Lorilie and Cinder sat at his side at the table. Winnona was hunched in her seat unable to meet the Swellows eyes.
"We just didn't expect you to try to jump Butters here bon…" Cinder started to say with a laugh only for a warning look from both of them that maybe she just shouldn't.
Winnona was desperate to make herself as small as physically possible.
"I'm not upset."
"Does Ruby…" Winnona whispered arms crossing over her stomach.
"Does she know what I did?"
They looked amongst themselves, Cinder and Lorilie shook their heads adamant. Butter signed and spotted Jericho coming onto the porch outside. He saw them stopping short of the glass door.
"Of course not, she doesn't… promise."
–
A few days later…
Math.
She hated it.
On the same problem, Butter is across from her at the table. His heartbeat is like a marching drum, he's nervous but his features are set.
"Um…" she mumbles shifting in her seat, Butter looks up sharply seeing that Winnona was pointing to the problem being worked on.
He stares for a long time, his heart is pounding.
"You surprised me." He says finally to her confusion.
"I-what didnt- huh?"
"Bird Pokémon are a notably proud species. From Wingulls to Fearrows it's in nature to say the least." The swellow stood slowly walking around the table to her side. If she could sweat she'd be drenched by now.
"Why it's so rare to see us like…well how I am now." He explained with a humored chuckle leaning on the edge of the table beside her. Butter tilted his head back staring at the ceiling arms crossing his chest.
"My master died. I loved him dearly, he was old when I changed. His family was long out of the picture ,he needed someone to take care of him. I put my pride aside. He didn't need a Pokémon, he needed a caretaker, my purpose was him and I did so with diligence." The Swellows hands drifted to the table his head still back eyes locked on the ceiling.
"Then when he passed…I didn't know how to live. I can still fly but others of my kind just…to put it frank they shunned me. Because I-"
"Put love before pride."
He glanced down, head cocked. Winona smiled ,awkwardly shrugging. Butter shook his head, a laugh escaping his beak.
"Exactly that, I drifted for the longest time doing what I could for scraps. Came across Jericho one day or rather…" he paused shivering .
"Coco. So uh that was a day for sure. The most terrifying day of my life but a day non the less." Butter picked up the pencil off the table, spinning it between his nimble fingers. He edged closer to her leaving down so he level to her.
"You surprised me, Winnona. I've met many a female Pokémon in my day but your the first to actually want me…." The Swellow said in a whisper making slow marks on the paper. She swallowed as his free hand found itself placed between her shoulder blades. Involuntary her back arched into his touch not that she minded in the slightest.
"I wouldn't mind getting to know you in less educational setting. But I insist on dinner first."
Winnona was having difficulty breathing at this point only able to bob her head up and down. He finished marking the paper taking a step away, much to her disappointment.
"But first, math."
God's she hated math.
Though, not as much as before.
–
Chapter Six: Rolling Thunder.
It was to be expected that it would end one day. Ruby was a benevolent master, but even she had her limits. She'd let her live a whole different life all for the sake of training to make her better. Would she miss it? Waking up to a warm meal? Lorilies smile? Cinders workouts? Butters kind teaching? There would be moments she'd miss the most. But they were just things in the end, having served a greater purpose.
To be the very best. To make Ruby happy.
It ended on a Friday, which she only knew because Butter had taught her about how humans tracked days.
Jericho sat in Lollies chair, his arms crossed one legs over the other with a toothpick between his teeth. Winnoa sat up in the bed slowly eyeing the man up. His demeanor was most unsettling, completely exposed to an attack. All she had to do was launch herself forward all her strength into a tackle his bones would break beneath her weight.
"Your doing well." He said uncrossing his arms rubbing underneath his left eyelid.
Winnonas feet touched the floor, her fingers dug into the bed the anticipation was killing her.
"You keep asking about Ruby."
Winnonas heart jumped to her throat.
His cold eyes meet hers suddenly. Taking away the notion of attack .
"Do you know how long you've been here? Butter had been teaching you, as has Lorilie. So you have a basic understanding of time at least?"
Winnoa clasped her hands together in her lap breaking eye contact.
"A few weeks." She muttered with a shrug.
" Wrong."
"A mont-"
"Wrong again."
"A few month-"
"Still wrong."
Winnona stood up in frustration baring her teeth at the man.
"Tell me then! Just how-"
"You've been here for two years."
A cold weight settled in her chest.
"Your-Your lying." Winnonas voice shook the words forced. Jericho leaned forward elbows on his knees, both hands rubbing his neck.
"I'm many things but a liar is not one of them. I'm going to tell you a story, you've heard the others they've told me as such. So now I feel that mine and yours need to be told." There was a click as the door opened, a scent of pale earth wafted into the room. Coco slithered in her tongue flicked in and out as she took her place at his side. The Arbok had a strange air about her previous aggression dampened, the dreaded hood didn't glare such as it had.
Winnona backed up till she was pressed to the wall, in a fair fight maybe she could take on Jericho. The snake was a whole different battle altogether.
"I used to be part of an organization called Team Rocket. At the time I needed the money, and somewhere to live. They provided both. At the cost of having to do…some bad things to people who didnt deserve it." His eyes closed as he told the story, Coco put a hand on his shoulder rubbing it gently.
"None of it mattered for the longest time. Break into a lab? Done. Steal some business documents? Easy have it by lunch tops. Burn down a convenience store because the owner won't sell? Just say when. If it needed to be done I would do it no questions asked. I'm not a good man, I've done terrible things to people. But it was only people, and I could live with that."
Jericho took the toothpick from his mouth letting it fall to the floor.
"When the change happened, when Pokémon started to be human… So did the work. A whole new world of opportunity opened up for Team Rocket. If they could change what's to say we couldn't? That became the new goal, just a pipe dream now made reality. We started catching Pokémon by the dozens. I didn't ask why. Didn't care. Then…."
He glanced up to Coco, who nodded her hooded head once for him to continue.
"An Arbok can regenerate from just about anything aside from it's whole head coming off. It's a nifty trick for a Pokémon not real helpful to people. Till the change that is. There were so many brought in, scared taken from their owners thrown in cells. We could hear them, as the tests were done. Their screams I'd never heard anything like it, sheer raw terror. They cut them apart let them grow it all over and over…I still hear them. In my dreams I hear them beg for deliverance. I see their eyes begging in cages meant for things half their sizes." His words shook, he covered his eyes clearing his throat before continuing.
"By the time I worked up the nerve to do something about it. Only Coco remained, how many died I still don't know. She'd survived being taken apart little by little but the only one that had lived. I did what I could, what I'd gotten so good at doing. I burned it all to the ground and let as many Pokémon I could go free. A Lot of people died, from fire or from vengeance. I would have died if not for her. Cost her eyes not a fair trade I say but…" The Arboks grip tightened, he winced looking down to his hands.
" It was just us, living on what we could. Was finally able to get settled. For a while it was enough just enough. But that wasn't good enough for me. So I fell into habits I was good at. I could fight like the best of them, so when I did I won. I didn't care what happened to the other guy. Worked my way through the underground circuit putting down all the competition. That was at least until you came along."
He smirked, shaking his head.
"God's you were a sight. Straight murder in your eyes. Didn't even care who I was just wanted me dead for being alive. When you launched yourself at me a part of myself thought about letting you just end it for me. Put me under for good, it'd less than easy for you. But then I decided nah fuck that. And dropped you like a bad habit."
Winnona gave a warning growl, Coco hissed in tandem Jericho hushed them both.
"I didn't care, just another fight to me. Got my money at the end of it. Was going to leave when….I saw your Ruby."
His eyes met hers, she'd bore through this tale till now hearing Ruby's name earned her rapt attention.
"She was killing you. I could hear your bones breaking as she drove you to the floor. Your beloved master wanted you de-"
"LIAR!" Winnona snapped, having heard enough of his lies.
"Good God, how are you this stubborn? She was beating you to death! With a peice of rebar! I saved you! I put her down like the dog she was. You were barely alive, by the time I got you to a pokemon center you weren't even breathing!" Jericho stood running both hands through his air long hair pacing the room.
"They fixed you all they could, full body cast for half a year before they let me take you in. You were in a coma; they didn't know when you'd wake up. Waking up at all was nothing short of a miracle." Finally he stopped his back to her head bowed shoulders hunched.
"I've done terrible things, and have been trying to make up for them. I took in Butter when he was without a purpose and home, Cinder when she orphaned and swarmed, and Lorilie when her world collapsed and was left with a child of a lost love. I've done these things to make up for my sins. Ive done what I can for you, if your unable to see that then I don't know what to do anymore." He turned his cold eyes locked onto hers one more time.
"Just know that Ruby is gone. She's been gone for a very long time."
–
Truth hurts most when it's hidden by lies.
They knew all of them.
Let her believe that her master had wanted this. To do everything she'd done in her name. Winnona wouldn't leave the room, shoving the bed into the door barricading it. She cried an unfamiliar sensation, deep sobbing followed pounding the floor until her arms ached.
Two years.
Ruby had been gone for two years.
Where was she now?
Why didn't she come for her?
She curled into a ball weeping , what was she going to do now?
"Winnona?" It was Lorilie the Vaporion rapped at the door gently. Winnona sniffed sitting up wrapping her arms around her legs.
"Can I come in? Please? I have food." A bride nothing more, hunger gnawed at her belly having gotten so used to eating on a daily basis.
"I trusted you! Why should I now!?" Winnona shouted.
There was silence, a hollowness filled her chest. Winnona quickly moved the bed and thrust the door open. Lorilie held a plate of food in one hand her large belly with the other. She winced, rubbing the taunt surface and Winnona took a step back letting the Vaporion in.
"Thank you." She said quietly, handing the plate to her. Lorilie sat down with a grunt on the bed tail taking up a large portion of it. Winnona held onto the plate doing her darndest to be tempted to eat it.
"It was necessary, you have to understand." Lorilie explained rubbing her belly with both hands. Winnona frowned, sitting beside her anger coming off in waves.
"Well I don't, I thought you were my friend."
"Of course I am it was just-"
"Just what?!" Winnona snapped jumping to her feet, the plate of food spilling to the floor. Lorilie flinched with a gasp as the Lucario raged.
"I wasn't ready?! I was to weak?! Ruby needed me strong so I was-"
"Winnona…"
"I endured everything she put me through! The fear, the pain, even my own death! I did it for her happiness-"
"Winnona."
"I didnt need to live! She needed to! It was always about her! Im nothing without her-"
"Winnona god dammit!"
Winnona recoiled at Lorilies outburst, she was panting and a puddle of water was forming on the floor between her legs. The Vaporion grabbed her arm nails digging in.
"Go-hn! Get the others." The nails dug in deep as a contraction rolled through.
"Now!" She cried.
Winnona didn't have to be told twice.
–
It all became a blur, a motion of bodies in action. Butter and Cinder grabbed the laboring Lorilie. Coco with Jericho handed a series of bags for her to carry to a van they piled into. She'd never ridden in a vehicle perhaps would have enjoyed it more if not for the situation. Jericho drove, Lorilie was crying out in pain, Cinder and Butter did their best to soothe her through the contractions.
Winnona sat in the back with Coco who hand clambered in last before the man had tore away from the house. A lifetime or what felt like one passed before they screeched up to the Pokémon Center. A nurse was waiting hurrying to the van as those in front seats clambered out. Words were exchanged, Lorilie wailed signaling her lack of patience.
And then it was over.
At least, in the sense they were gone. Winnona and Coco remained, though the snake had made no effort in attempting to leave the vehicle. Winnona was incapable due to Cocos bulk pressed against her. So they sat in silence for a time.
"I did far worse things to survive." Coco finally spoke breaking it. Winnona swallowed folding her arms across her empty stomach not wanting to look at the Arbok.
"I'm a predator I have hunted all that roam the forest floor-Look at me when I'm talking you ungrateful bitch." A hand grab the Lucario's snout forcing her to face the dreaded hood. Her eyes pale but burned in a blind fury out of reflex Winnona growled struggling in her grasp.
"They put us in cells, crammed to capacity. Dragged us out ripped us apart. The lucky ones died early for the horror that followed, they had nothing to feed us but the dead. Ive eaten corpses of my brother's and sisters. I've eaten those weaker than me alive tasted fear reveled in the fullness it gave me." Coco let her snout go Winnona glared daggers holding the sides of her mouth.
"I became a monster to live. I did what I had to, just as he did to survive. I have no capacity for remorse what is done is done. I live in the now forgetting is a luxury I can afford. "
"You expect me to forget?" Winnona retorted with a scoff.
"No. I expect you to make a choice." Replied Coco, with a click the sliding door of the van opened. The top of her tail pointed past the Pokémon Center towards the road leading to a long black road.
"Go and try to find your Ruby. Maybe she is out there, maybe she's changed, just maybe you'll find a life worth living with a modicum of happiness that you so crave."
Her tail shifted pointing towards the door of the Center.
"Or you go in there right now find them be there for Lorilie. They will embrace you with open arms. Leave your memories behind make new ones. Do that and survive. Your choice I don't care which."
Coco moved over the seats grabbing a few of the bags sliding out groping the side of the van to stay upright. She left Winnona alone heading towards the center a few nurses outside stopped in shock as the massive snake slithered inside.
Winnona quickly clambered over the seats, and found herself standing outside the vehicle.
A sudden choice.
Go to the road or go inside.
The choice was easy, go and find her master.
Easy.
So why couldn't she move her feet?
"Move." She hissed taking a deadened step forward. Why was this so difficult?
So what would it be then? Asked fate.
Go back to…Ruby back to long hours in the rain. Waiting for relief, waiting for food, the next blow the next fight. The next time would she smile in victory? Would she be then the very best?
Or…
Winnona set her jaw sucking in air through clenched teeth.
"Fuck."
–
One year later….
"Five….sixxxxx….seeeeveen…." Cinder grinned hand over her eyes. There was muffled giggles followed by excited hushes.
"Eiggght….niiiine…ten! Ready or not here I co-ah!" The Scythor was hit by a torrent of water bowling her over. On the end of the stream was Lorilie laughing alongside a miniature version of herself just a much darker shade of blue almost black. Cinder rolled out of the way scrambling to her feet nearly falling over on the soaked grass.
"Water drat! My only weakness! Nooooooo!!!!!" She croaned ducking and dodging the combined effort. This only encouraged the one year old and mother who started to chase the fleeing Pokéwoman across the yard. From the porch Jericho sipped a tea Coco at his side he smiled warmly watching them play.
"Livily today eh?" He mussed, Coco shrugged leaning on the rail tounge flicking in and out.
"Not all of them…" She hummed her tail wrapping around his leg. Jericho paused mid sip as the limb worked it's way north.
"Still in bed?"
"Yep."
"Did you-"
"Twice."
"How uncharacteristic of you to- AHH hah hah!" The appendage worked it's way suddenly through the front of his pants . Coco tilted her head his way a cheeky smirk growing as he flushed to her minstractions.
"I can be nice."
"No. You can be-holy shit!- horny. Not both." He grunted bracing himself on the rail. On the ground Cinder saw them both, waving as she danced around playfully. The way she grinned told him she was fully aware of what Coco was doing.
"You both are unbelievable, you know that right?"
"Its what I do ."
"Room ten minutes."
"Done."
–
Butter rarely found the need to sleep in, the early bird philosophy and all that. So much to be done in a day so why sleep? But then sometime he relished in letting the sun rise to noon waking with it at its highest. If today was such a day staying in bed was welcome.
Expect it wasn't.
Not that it was a bad thing.
He just found himself occupied.
Or rather he was physically unable to leave a weight kept him pinned to the bed.
"Well good morning to you to." He chuckled eyes blinking slowly.
Winnona buried her face into his chest feathers rubbing herself in his honey scent. She unashamed clung full bodied onto him, hands working his chest and legs.
"Sorry, I just love this."
"I try."
"Hmmm"
He stroked her back, she arched into his touches soft feathers sending tingles down her spine and burning core.
"Eager are we?" He whispered into her ear as her hips flexed against him. Winnona ground her face deeper into his chest one hand finding his hip the other trailed to his crotch.
"Can…Can…" she managed to say using what little sense of decency to utter the words. Butters response was grabbing her hips and drive her soaked slit onto his length. She sat up ,back arched, eyes rolled back breasts bouncing as he proceeded to rearrange her insides. Winnona matched his thrusts driving him deeper bracing her hands on the head board. Butter stiffuled a laugh at her look of rapture eyes crossed tounge loled drool pooling onto his chest fur. She came hard burying his tool as deep as it would go after a few more thrust heat bloomed in her belly from his release.
They panted in time with one another. She lay on his chest working her hips slowly up and down little shocks making her twitch getting as much sensation as could from him.
"We do need to get up."
"Uh hu…"
"Days wasting"
"Mh don't wanna…"
"I'll let Cinder join."
This got her moving, she sat up pining his arms down.
"For real?" Her whole body was shaking tail swishing back and forth in sheer excitement. Butter nodded Winnona kissed him hard shoving her tounge down his throat.
–
Cinder sneezed, shivering she was positivly soaked to the bone. She'd finally managed to escape the assault making it up the porch. Lorilie was chasing her kid around trying to catch the squeaky tike who was having absolutely none of it.
"You go kid." She saluted rebel as she adressed her state of clothing. Which were now practically see through, a smug grin peeled across her lips as she bounced up the steps.
"Hey you two." Cinder called making sure to take long skips as she passed Coco and Jericho. They both stopped to stare at her bouncing bodice, a notable extra sway in her hips as she headed inside. The Arbok rolled her blind eyes while Jericho took a moment to appreciate the view. Cinder was fit to burst by the time she got inside. Just in time to see Winnona stroll from…
Butters room. So that's where they'd been, Lorilie owned her five bucks.
The bird followed the all but satisfied looking Lucario who step was notabley extra springy. Before she could heckle theo pair there was a nock of the front door.
"I got it!" She yelled wagging her fingers at the two of them. Winnona beamed tail like a fan wacking Butter in the side.
There was another knock by the time she flung open the front door.
"Whadya wan-hello nurse!" Cinder whistled looking the figure at the door up an down. He was a tall broad-shouldered Houndoom his coat was black with notable patches of white. He looked like a old time gentleman even had a fedor tucked under his arm along with a jacket. He took a step back from the door shocked at the sudden opening and her tone. The Houndoom went to speak then noticed how see through her shirt was, along with the fact that she was fully aware of it leaning profocitivly against the door frame.
"When I said to sent the cutest delivery boy I certainly didn't expect them deliver." She cooed biting her lower lip. He rightly flushed very much wrong footed but the entire situation.
"Ma'am please I'm looking for someone."
"Oh honey Ill be anyone you want."
"Thats-what? I'm looking for a Vaporion goes by Lorilie I was told she lived in this area could you ple-"
There was a cry behind Cinder, who barely had time to move when a blue blur slammed into the Houndoom. He was tackled to the ground by Lorilie who was barely gave him a chance to recover before she slapped him across the face.
"Where have you been!" She yelled tears streaming making his ears fold back in reflex.
"Looking for you wha-ow ow ow!" The slaps kept coming battering his features.
"You ass! You took so long! I thought-i thought…" she hunched over sobbing taking fistfuls of his shirt. He braced himself up on his elbows as she sniffed, brushing away tears. A 'crowd' had gathered at the door Cinder flanked by Jericho, Coco, Butter and Winnona who held a near black Vaporion baby who clutched the Lucario uneasy. Daro gapped his eyes wide darting between the two of them.
"Is that?" He asked in a whisper, Winnona stepped forward letting Lorilie take the child.
"Yes." She smiled, letting their child reach out and touch his face. Tears fell from his face and a giddy grin bloomed on his aged features. It was a beautiful scene he embraced them Cinder bounced up and down pulling Butter into a hug who winced but couldn't help but join the celebrations. Jericho looked up to Coco who was trying her best no to look at all pleased with the event. He nudged her side chuckling as the Arbok face turned a dark shade of purple.
She could hear it.
Far in the distance buried in memory.
Rolling thunder, much like the beat on a concrete floor. A flash, yellow halogen burning bright. The smell of sweat and blood. A ring, an opponent, a mob screaming her name.
There was the memory, like it was yesterday.
Then Lorilie picked herself up, Jericho grabbed Daros hand helping the old man of his back. He was all smiles, the Houndour had so much to say.
Another story to be told.
Winnona let the memory go.
And chose to forget.
The now was important, she'd never back down from it ever again.
The End.
—-
Thank you for coming this far. It took me awhile to get this done, mostly because I wasn't sure how to end it. I also wasn't sure the best way to articulate some of the thing that happened. I hope you enjoyed, it's been a pleasure. A big thank you to Itzmeal for editing this tale, without him frankly this story wouldn't be worth ready. As always, if you but follow me, I shall release you from the burden of free will.
Olyolyoxenfree