Project Rabere

by Erk Rauorfox

When a virus outbreak is found rapidly spreading across Kanto, Ash Ketchum, a high school student studying in Saffron City must make the perilous journey back to Pallet Town to reunite with his mother. Battling through infected pokemon and humans, he must mustered up the courage to lead a group of survivors in his hometown and flourish under these dire times. (Harem, incest)

7. Looming Threat

Under the foliage of the lush vegetation and dense trees, Ash took out a makeshift binoculars made with magnifying glasses and wooden barrels strung together by Xenia's brilliant woodworking skills. Clad in his riot suit armor that was modified for slimmer and tighter wear, the cold breeze of Autumn had finally made its mark. The fashionable brown fur jacket he was currently wearing was salvaged from a boutique shop, with the pair of fingerless gloves protecting his hands from the cold while providing tactile and dexterity to his fingers. All and all, they satisfied both panache and practicality.

He peered through the lenses of the binoculars to identify the threat from afar, a large group of infected humans can be seen roaming around in the grassy foothills. Judging by the severity of necrosis on their skin, they were freshly infected. The poor souls slowly shambled their way towards the direction of Route 1, near the alarming vicinity of Pallet Town. The sheer size of the horde was within the few hundreds, women, men, elderly and unfortunately, children can be seen groaning and growling. Despite Ash witnessing so many grotesque sights and numerous close calls with infected, the fact young children can be- it's just horrible to see it with your own eyes.

Yet for all of his sympathy and compassion, he knew he couldn't afford to be soft in the face of adversity and danger. Should the situation call for it, he is mentally prepared to do what he must. He sighed and placed a hand on his cheek to support the weight of his head, wondering what he should do about this situation. Xenia had specifically instructed him to not try anything on his own and he would do well on listening to her advice. The last thing he wanted was to invite unwelcome guests to their home in the middle of the night just because he wants to play hero. He turned to his two pokemon who had been through thick and thin with him, patiently awaiting for his orders and command. This was the third scouting mission they have done with him, and it was as boring as the first two.

"Let's head back, we need to warn everyone about this." The salutes from them earned a chuckle from Ash, he patted their head and glanced at the corpses of the infected humans not far from him. The company caught a couple of stray zombies in their path when looking for an optimal viewing spot, but a chokeslam by Makuhita and a thorough beheading from Ash's machete was quick to resolve the situation. Pikachu's offensive capabilities, while impressive, also draws in too much noise and visual flair. The young human inspected his dull machete that was lodged into a nearby trunk, the little wear and tear was starting to affect its cutting profile and blade symmetry.

"I need something more cutting edge." The inner weeb within him screamed for a katana, the badass image of him cleaving and cutting zombies down in the blessing of the moonlight while sakura petals decorating the battlefield was cool enough of an idea, but saner thoughts prevailed that the upkeep of such a delicate blade may not be practical and life isn't an anime. He needs something that is low maintenance, efficient and deadly, nothing fancy that only cuts good after a few swings. A short sword or combat knife would be the perfect candidate, easy to carry too. He sighed and twirled the blade into his knife sheath, ready for the journey ahead as he tightened his jacket for warmth sake.

The group traveled back to Pallet on foot, branches, shrubbery and thickets were weaved carefully to block the main path to Pallet Town, creating a natural looking barrier. In truth however, Xenia devised a plan to have the pokemon create an artificial overgrowth to impede any trespasser's path, giving the illusion that there is nothing but forest and trees up ahead, leaving curious fools or shambling dead none the wiser. Confuse, disorientate and deceive, these tactics would serve them well from preventing infected or highwaymen accidentally stumbling upon their little town. All the signposts that give travelers direction to Pallet town were also all mysteriously destroyed, so only the surviving members of the town can make the track to it.

After a lengthy walk and following the exact map that Xenia gave him, the company finally reached their quaint little town, filled with giant logs and palisades forming a study wall that repelled even the most ferocious of foes. Natural cement like mud and sharp rock spikes accompanied the fortification, leaving an imposing and highly porcupine defense that prevented anyone from scaling or climbing over the walls. Makuhita and Archeops had diligently carried around the lumber and timber needed for construction while Xenia and Ash proceeded with the woodworking and rock structures. Ash's phone of a pokedex proved insanely valuable as they used the internet archives as references and tutorial for building fortifications, suffice to say the information taught by numerous Youtube tutorials contributed immensely. Little watchtowers fit for pokemon can see around all corners with a wooden platform connecting between them, allowing Sentrets or any other small pokemon to quickly run through different posts for lookout purposes. Ash smiled and placed his hand on his hips, Pallet Town is looking much protected and safer now with these walls.

"Sentret it's me!" Instantly, a pair of long ears popped above the walls. The tanuki pokemon used her tail to elevate her height to get a better look and scouted out for any unwelcome interlopers following the unsuspected group, so far nothing. She squeaked and alerted Archeops to open the gates, allowing the First Bird Pokemon to open the giant gate latch for their founding members.

"Sentret!" The Scout pokemon leaped onto Ash's head and sighed in content by hugging his long and scruffy hair, earning a giggle from Ash as he patted it. The sight of a fluffy tanuki latching onto Ash's head drew chuckles from the human occupants from within, all of them were beautiful ladies who came out to greet the young teenager, though one of them was noticeably missing.

"Welcome back Ash, did you find anything?" His mother's bright and beautiful smile was up for precious display. He nodded as Sentret leaped onto Delia's arms, eagerly awaiting for a hug from the warm and lithe woman. He eyed their apparel and outfit, equipped with basic leather shoulder guards and a thick layer of gambeson knitted to withstand blows or bites, they looked much more prepared and protected against the infected. The basic combat skills and martial arts had been taught to them, basics such as using elbows or shoulders to bash away the infected serves as simple but effective tactics.

"I did, large numbers of infected humans are spotted around the foothills in Route 1. They are slowly but surely heading towards this direction." Xenia frowned and rubbed her chin, how on earth could this have happened? They started venturing out of Pallet Town two weeks ago, so a routine surveillance and scouting meant they would have caught any infected movements. For them to suddenly appear out of nowhere is honestly concerning.

"All of a sudden? Like a flash mob?" Ash only could sigh and nod. Though the natural barriers that shroud their town is a genius move, all it takes is for a few infected to stumble upon their sanctuary to alert the horde. Delia crossed her arms and gave more thought to the matter, the only source of unaffected humans is Viridian City, controlled by the nefarious Team Rocket.

"The only sizable population to bolster the infected ranks is Viridian City." His mother's serious and no-nonsense tone sent a chill down his spine, even if he wasn't the one in trouble there was something about her acting all serious and cool that made him scared and flustered.

"It's possible that they have been breached." Ash would not discount Xenia's words, entire cities had fallen to the infected before, but in reality the young man suspected that Team Rocket was employing the same tactics the military is using in the pandemic.

"Or they released small pockets of survivors to be used as bait to draw the infected away from the city." The three women stared at Ash with an unreadable look, the fact he said it so nonchalantly with a straightface was concerning if not baffling. They never considered that before and it was horrible to imagine that Team Rocket would forcibly expel groups of innocent people to the wilds, only for the infected to round them out and hunt them down.

"That's- plausible if not horrifying." The young man noted the uncomfortable and tense mood from their conversation, no doubt they were thinking of the various worst case scenarios. He conjured a mental image of the from Viridian to Pallet, a route that he memorized after extensive travel and research. There is a valley between the town and the metropolitan city, perfect for bottlenecks and choke points. Prior to the hellscape they were in, it was a checkpoint between Pallet Town and Viridian for vehicle inspections. Now, the post lies abandoned but the strategic implications of capturing that point is enormous. If they can block that path it means no infected can get through unless they climb up treacherous steep mountains, which is unlikely given their necrosis and shambling state.

'That's provided they use the main road and we are willing to cut off our access to the outside world too.' Such a pain to think things through, Pallet Town has only one main road that leads to the rest of Kanto, block that point off and nobody can reach you. Good if you wish to be a hermit, but troublesome for any timely intervention from outside forces. Part of them were still counting on military or government rescue but the more cynical side of Ash accepted they were on their own.

"We will remain vigilant then, Pikachu, you will help Sentret to patrol the watchtowers." Xenia's commanding tone broke his train of thought, they could think later. For now it's imperative they step up their patrols and set up a defensive perimeter. The electric mouse saluted and squeaked, he would do his best to protect Pallet Town with a fellow friend. The raven haired teen chuckled at his starter's enthusiasm and patted his head, the lack of a bubbly scientist's presence was sorely felt in these tense times. He peered over the laboratory direction and looked around, where is she anyway?

"Where's Aurea?" Rosa pointed towards the laboratory, the Unovan was busy compiling data and research regarding the origin of the virus. It was a tedious and boring job, not to mention soul sucking too. Can you imagine staring at Excel sheets 12 hours a day and not getting paid?

"She's busy in her lab, why don't you pay her a visit?" The young man would do just that, he bid farewell to the cop and nurse who made their way back to the laboratory. Seizing the moment, he sneaked a kiss to his mother once he was certain the other two weren't looking, earning a delighted moan from her and a much well received Kalos kiss that had him enthralled. The taboo relationship between his mother and him was still exciting as always, nobody here questioned their decision to share a room. Arceus forbade if they entered their room in the early mornings, the sight of them cuddling half naked would have raised hell among them.

Ash parted ways with his mother after slapping her ass as a goodbye, earning a yelp from her and a deadly glare that made him smirk. Their physical intimacy had gradually broken the taboo barriers of society, but the young man was keen on developing the emotional bond between them to show his sincere and genuine love for her. His mind drifted away from his MILF for the time being as he entered the research facility of the laboratory. He popped his head into her lab and gazed upon the horrible sleep deprived scientist that hunched over the chair. The heavy scent of coffee that permeated the room and the numerous empty coffee mugs that littered across the desk made Ash sighed inwardly, she takes work too seriously.

"Hey Professor Juniper, whatcha doing?" The sleep deprived woman yawned as she waved hello to Ash. She had forgotten that the young man was off early in the morning to scout out the situation outside of Pallet, she would have sent him off too had she not been busy snoozing on the desk to catch some much needed sleep.

"Welcome back Ash. I'm just using your pokedex to search for any news regarding the infected, though Kanto's internet has stopped updating, the preexisting data is still there." Thank the stars that he encountered Bill at that little fuel station then, they owe that man their life with this device. He placed a hand on the back of her chair and scanned across the monitor screen that had a detailed logbook of her findings, suffice to say, Ash didn't understand anything.

"Any leads or news?" She perked immediately and nodded, proudly showing off the fruits of her labor. She rapidly danced her fingers across the keyboard and pulled out a forum website with a flick of a tab.

"This might interest you, take a look." He squinted his eyes, judging by the contents the forum seemed to be medical or health related. Majority of the users seemed to be Kantonians, at least according to the slang and internet lingo they use. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just people asking the internet about symptoms they may have and as usual, it ranged from "you're probably fine" to "you are probably going to die".

"Looks like a health forum." She snapped her fingers coolly, crossing her arms beneath her ample breasts that accentuate her figure further.

"Mhmm, this is a popular health forum where users can ask questions about their symptoms and illnesses, take a look at this thread that opened during April." There was something oddly nostalgic using the internet again after a month of online celibacy. It was as if Ash was a different man now, free from the corrupting influence of viral memes, short-form dopamine content and trending internet topics. He pulled a nearby chair and sat down next to her, reading the specific thread she highlighted that was opened to public viewing.

"I've been feeling ill after a Rattata bit me, should I be worried? Wow, that sounds like every zombie apocalypse patient zero plot." Aurea chuckled at his deadpanned tone and leaned against the table, eyeing the data she tabulated after the late nights. What she discovered was concerning given how quickly the virus spread.

"You're right about that, after research I realized that all of the users who posed the same question or replies are all from rural Pewter, potentially making it ground zero. The most perplexing thing about this virus that I still struggle to comprehend is how quickly it evolved. From the posts, they experience symptoms for longer periods of time, flu-like symptoms like cough, fever and fatigue, but the infection we see is instantaneous. In a span of a few months, it evolved from a silent disease to a deadly pathogen." If what she says is true, that means the virus is highly adaptable and can mutate extremely quickly. It's possible that the virus a few months ago and now is a different strain, leading to different outcomes. Ash crossed his arms and legs, how the hell could this happen in such a short span of time?

"Is that even possible? Doesn't a virus take years to mutate?" Juniper wished she could explain more in detail, the truth is viruses mutate all the time, it's just microscopic levels of changes. The ones you see in movies or video games are exaggerated cases, not enough to pass as myths, but enough to make their reality as it stands now.

"Some viruses are known to mutate rapidly when they cross species, it gathers different DNA from different pokemon and mixes them together to create a novel virus. Considering this strain can affect any pokemon that comes into contact with it, I would not be surprised by its ability to evade antibodies or overcome vaccines even if we can procure one. Interspecies transmission is extremely dangerous and scary." Ash sighed and leaned against the chair, the absolute lividness and dread swelling within him was just suffocating.

"We're doomed then." Aurea ruffled his hair and shook her fingers, the bright and optimistic smile was still up for precious display despite how tired she was. The young man chuckled at her attempt to cheer him up, it worked marvelously to be fair.

"Not quite my dear student, viruses like these, while deadly and devastating, are quick to burn themselves out once they are no longer any suitable hosts to sustain its infections." Ash bit his tongue lightly, he won't exactly call that good news. Achieving such an outcome meant at least a large majority of Kanto's population was infected or dead, not much of a win if you ask him.

"So you're saying even if there is no cure, the infected would just die by itself?" Aurea nodded with her coffee mug in hand, that is how most viruses and pandemics come and go.

"Usually for viral infections that quickly kill their hosts before they can further spread to others, yes. Which is why I am grateful this is not airborne or asymptomatic, I can imagine the very painful process of watching your loved one slowly turning while you are powerless to do anything. It's traumatic…" Her voice trailed off into the distances, peering off to the grassy fields outside from the office window. She sighed but felt a warm hand interlocking her fingers, earning a puzzled look from the young professor. She turned and was caught off guard by the gentle smile plastered on the young man.

"Aurea, why don't we go for a walk? Let's take a breather from all of this." Her lips curled upwards and placed the mug back on the table. A walk sounds lovely right now, away from the cold numbing realities of their situation.

"I would like that." Charmed by the young man, the older woman followed him along as they walked outside the laboratory. The beaten path covered with fallen brown leaves and brittle twigs was a sign of the Autumn's spell working its magic on the natural scenery. Aurea extended one hand out to catch the cool breeze, watching the gust kicking up the piles of leaves that scattered in the wind.

"Wah, the leaves are turning into a beautiful shade of orange and yellow, it reminds me of the scenery in my hometown during fall." The nostalgia laced in her voice earned a smile from Ash, he stared at the lovely scene and sighed at how tranquil and clean everything was. Pallet Town had really come a long way from the initial disaster. There was something cathartic about the rebuilding process, watching how everything slowly piece back together one by one was a purifying experience.

"Pallet Town is really lovely during Autumn, I always looked forward to Halloween when I was a kid." She chuckled at the nostalgic grin on his face, he was still a young child in her eyes. A child that defied all odds and overcame the impossible, but still a child nevertheless. The women of Pallet have all unanimously agreed that they should not treat Ash as an adult despite his insistence, for his own sake.

"You're still a kid." He ignored her comment and spoke with his nose high, pointing a thumb on his chest.

"Well this kid is planning to throw a Halloween party." The absolute look of disbelief on her face was priceless. The professor's mouth was agape before she shook her head, did she hear him right? Organizing a party in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? Never mind the fact that nearly half of his countrymen were infected or homeless, but this was such a sudden decision?

"Are you serious?" Ash shrugged and spoke nonchalantly.

"It's just a zombie apocalypse." Seeing her dumbfounded state, he chuckled and waved his hands in the air to explain himself. This was the right time to bring up the ideas he had in his head.

"Okay I mean, we are in a good spot now where we can afford to do fun stuff. Running electricity, stable source food and clean water, a proper defense system. I think having events to celebrate or festive stuff to look forward to is important. Give us hope, you know? Otherwise, everyday it's just the same thing again and again." Aurea rubbed her cheeks, she won't necessarily disagree with Ash about having important occasions to celebrate for, a break from monotony does help with their morale in the long run. But she was still concerned whether they could afford the "fun" stuff as he said.

"I will agree on that, things get awfully dull if you don't have special occasions to celebrate for. Everyone put a lot of effort into making Pallet Town habitable and safe." Ash nodded vigorously, he had already established that Pallet Town is in a very good position. The infected gathering near Route 1 while a cause for concern should not thwart any future plans he has in mind. He had the perfect solution to counter the infected humans, the very same tactic he discovered when facing hordes of infected for the first time.

"Mom has put forward a weekly town hall meeting to discuss our next step. I think building a proper filtration and boiling system for our water source is on the agenda, right now we are just reliant on rain water and manualling boiling it." Aurea frowned at the heavy and complicated task, none of them were engineers or have experience in plumbing, this was going to be a long and arduous journey back to modern infrastructure and convenience. Theoretically, they can jolt back the water plant in Pallet Town and restore power to the local power station, but that requires so much energy and electricity. Unless they can gather a group of electric types to constantly generate enough voltage for residential use, they best stick to manual labour.

"Rosa and I plan to visit Pallet Town's clinic to salvage any equipment we can find, things like rubber gloves, scalpel, syringes and over the counter medicine. We plan to fully furnish the medical bay room like a doctor's office." The young man perched one hand on his hips before a light bulb materialized above his head, he always wanted those beds you can lay down in the doctor's office in his own bedroom.

"Ooh can you guys get the bed where we lay down and the doctor treats us?" The professor chuckled at the excited tone from him. A few days ago the inner child within Ash squealed in excitement when Delia and Xenia brought back three sets of bean bags from a nearby office space after their routine scavenging session. Suffice to say, he became like a little kid and sunk into the squishy bean bag with his mother joining in on the fun, very wholesome sight all things considered.

"You mean the examination table? Gotcha, that was already on our lists." Instantly, the sweet young child became stern and serious as he crossed his arms, his mind rapidly browsing through the various logistical scenarios and resource management issues they would encounter when transporting equipment.

"Bring Makuhita and Archeops with you if you girls need extra muscles, mine is thoroughly spent. Make sure Makuhita uses Bulk Up and Taunt when entering the clinic first okay? He should know the routine but please remind him just in case." A simple strategy Ash devised after witnessing Makuhita impressive tanking capabilities, the combination of improving his defense and luring in any foes that hid among the shadows is a surefire way to clear the building of any infected. Ash even had a handy dandy notebook that contains different strategies and tactics for different infected scenarios they would encounter. One for defending Pallet Town and another for breaching areas of key interest.

Aurea merely nodded and assured him that they would take every precaution they could. She stretched her limbs and eyed the jagged log walls that protected the residents from the outside threats. Although primitive and medieval, there was something undeniably surreal witnessing all of this with her own eyes.

"How's the situation outside? I'm always in my lab these days, ugh should really get out there for once." Ash scratched the back of his neck, now is a very bad time to go outside.

"Maaaybe stick to staying in doors. Last time I checked, a large group of infected is sprawling around Route 1, potentially heading towards Pallet. Don't worry though, Xenia and I have a plan if they do begin attacking." Aurea was neither pleased or thrilled to hear what Ash informed her. She sighed and glanced at the farm fields that stretched far, harvest seemed to be looking good judging by the greens sprouting up.

"Okay I changed my mind." The two soon stumbled upon the lovely Lady Ketchum. Ash hastened his steps just slightly to walk ahead and wave a chirpy hello to his mother, earning a smile from Delia as she was just plucking up the fresh harvest.

"Hi mom, let me help you with that." In the eyes of the very proud mother, her little Ash had become a big strongman. He had grown so much during his tenure as Pallet Town's leader, and while it is an unofficial title between all of them, the ladies had all viewed Ash in a high regard with his tenacious and determined attitude. Certainly, Delia has been a little wary at his interactions with the others, some were more physical than she liked, be it a hug or a hand on shoulder. But as a growing adolescent surrounded by beautiful women, this was a natural response for Ash and given the current scenario, she was certain that their relationship as a whole would be anything but conventional. Some of the ladies here weren't so suitable with how they flirted with her oblivious son.

"Hey good to see you two, going for a stroll?" Aurea was quick to nod, she perched one hand on her hips as she spotted her Archeops proudly showing off its flying capabilities to an unamused Makuhita in the distance.

"Mhmm, I need to get my stretches done, are those cabbages ready to eat? They look so juicy and big!" Indeed, his mother had the magical ability to make any crops sprout in this nutrientless soil. The farmfield seemed to be brimming with leafy greens and stalks waiting to nurture and grow, right before the spell of the cold winter. Delia beamed and held the leafy delights in her arms proudly, the first sign of harvest and all is going swell!

"Yes! I just harvested them, they are perfect for a hearty cabbage soup." The young man internally cringed at the thought of eating vegetables only for the rest of his life, now a pescatarian diet he can do, no problem.

"Does that mean we are going to be on a vegan diet mom? Like, for a long time?" Delia smirked at her son's unamused look, she personally has no problem consuming salads and greenery on a daily basis. After all, they still have Chansey's eggs providing them protein, but her carnivorous son thrives on eating meat to live.

"For the time being, yes. Unless you fancy fishing for some Magikarps." Unfortunately, contamination of infected and waterborne viruses still runs rampant in their little town. Despite living near the sea and the abundance of fresh seafood, the high likelihood of an infected Magikarp sinking their razor sharp teeth on him when he reel in the rod was enough of a deterrent.

"I like to avoid that for now, infected Magikarps could be a thing." The young mother sighed and ruffled his hair to comfort her grumpy little Ash.

"Well then we are stuck with the vegetables, whether you like it or not." The authoritative motherly tone left no room for a rebuttal or protest, Ash accepted his fate of consuming nothing but vegetables and eggs for the rest of his life, Arceus help him.

"Okay." Aurea didn't resist the urge to laugh at the mother and son interaction, a pouting Ash and a comforting Delia was just the most adorable thing ever. It was nice to see Ash still being so obedient and filial to his mother despite everything, a momma's boy would always be a momma's boy even when he matures and grows up. The fit of laughter from the professor brought red cheeks to the young man, why must she laugh at his suffering?

"Ahem, that reminds me mom, when is our town hall?" Delia chuckled and let go of her embarrassed son, look at him! Acting all serious and responsible to mask up his initial embarrassment. She placed her arms around his shoulders and pulled him in for another hug, dismissing his grumpy reaction of being coddled like this.

"Around 3 PM." The young man gave more thought to the timing, he has to do a training session with Xenia later. One of the most interesting things about pokemon is their ability to create different variations of the same move. A flamethrower from a Charizard may be different from a flamethrower by a Magmortar, this diversity allows them to adapt to any situation a trainer's see fit. In their case, burning and killing infected. Makuhita's Guts may come in handy when combined with certain status afflictions too.

"Can we delay it to 5? I need to do our pokemon's training session with Xenia." Delia sighed inwardly, part of her was not thrilled that Ash is hanging so much with Xenia. The more rational side of her knew they were indeed training their pokemon for defense sake but the more jealous side of her knew Xenia was seeking the opportunity to bond with her Ash. That being said, she held no animosity towards the young officer, it was just that Ash is really special to her. The thought of him being whisked away by a much younger woman honestly scares her after everything they've been through together, but she would much rather be Xenia than some wench he met on the street. She stared back at his hazel brown eyes that she adored, he was still waiting for a response from her isn't he?

"No, because I need to prepare dinner by then. How about 4 PM?" He gave a thumbs up, he could wrap up by then. They mainly have to go over Pokemon battlefield roles, frontliners that would absorb the pressure and tank the infected onslaught with ranged attackers supporting them from behind. In many ways, it's like playing a JRPG where you have to be considerate of the party composition.

"Deal! I see you two around dinner then, I still have pokemon to train." Delia let go of her son and watched him wave goodbye to them as he ran off. Arguably, he was excited at the prospects of becoming a pokemon trainer again, a dream he always coveted when he was young. The proud mother clasped her hands together and smiled softly at his running figure, an image of a much younger Ash running with a Pichu by his side invoked so many fond memories of their time together.

"Stay safe Ash." The emotionally charged whisper from Delia earned a smile from Aurea, it's been ages since she called her own parents too, she dearly hopes that they are safe and sound in Unova. The esteemed professor sighed and placed a hand over Delia's shoulder, reassuring her that her son would do just fine. She stared at the young man's direction, his growth as a person has been an incredible witness.

"Ash certainly has gotten more lax and talkative, I remembered he was quite serious and pensive when I first met him, it was hard to get a smile from him. Now he seems so much happier." Delia beamed and nodded vigorously to the busty professor's words, eagerly agreeing that her son had opened up much more since the start of their union. His self-confidence and social skills improved by leaps and bounds, always quick to come up with light-hearted jokes to cheer people up when they are feeling down.

"Hehe, that's my Ash for ya. He is always quick to adapt and cheer you on." The chuckles from Delia didn't seem to go unanswered, the young mother paused and stared at Aurea who seemed very tense and stressed all of a sudden. She frowned and placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to understand what's going on, her Ash is amazing right?

"I received a letter from Cinnabar yesterday Delia." The grave and ominous tone from Aurea made her heart race. Letters ferried between Cinnabar and Pallet happen frequently to keep in touch with the latest development yet all of them were privately read by Aurea and Aurea alone. For her to share this with her must be of grave importance.

"What did the letter say?" The hesitancy and the avoidance of eye contact, it has to be serious. Delia placed a firm hand on her shoulder, reassuring and soothing her worries to give the professor the courage to force the words out of her mouth.

"Vermillion City has fallen to the infected." The revelation sank Delia's heart at that very instant. The port city was fortified and her Ash sung praises on how well defended and professional the soldiers were, how could a city that is prepared and led by a veteran of war fall to the infected in such a short span of time?

"W-What? Are you sure?" Aurea nodded and clasped her hands, firmly linking them for emotional support.

"Yes, please keep this a secret from Ash. I already told Rosa and Xenia but according to Rowan's letter, the port city has fallen after Digglets dug an underground tunnel system and flooded the streets with infected Rattatas. The soldiers were overwhelmed and chaos rapidly spreaded." This was a nightmare, the nearby Digglet Cave has been a monumental and historical importance to Vermillion City, the very foundation of the port town was found because of Digglet's efforts in creating suitable and arable for the residence. To think they would also be responsible for its destruction and devastation, it was heartbreaking. An underground system that bypasses walls and fortifications, Delia grips Aurea's hand and turns to their own wooden walls. What if they come to Pallet Town?

"This- This is insane Aurea! Vermillion City was supposed to be impenetrable. Ash said they have watchtowers and soldiers patrolling everywhere." Juniper rubbed her temples, she could hypothesize based on the information she received from the letter's content.

"According to the letter, eyewitnesses reported that the local Digglets and Dugtrios in Diglett Cave were all infected, and they tunneled underneath Vermillion during a stormy night. But this doesn't make sense either, the vibrations would have been felt when they were digging through won't it?" Delia frowned at the ramifications, Digglets are community based pokemon, they share everything from water holes, food and burrows. If one is infected, it would not take long for the entire populace to be infected in the span of a few days. But for wild pokemon to take on an entire fortified city that is constantly vigilant and on guard is nothing short of horrifying and unbelievable. The only way the Digglets can penetrate through Vermillion's walls is if they dug a tunnel underground together at mach speed!

"Unless all of them dig together at the same time." Aurea shook her head, can infected pokemon who lost all sense of their inhibitions and intelligence be so coordinated?

"That's possible but to achieve such speed and coordination- ugh! What matters is that Vermillion City is lost. I don't know about their leader but the entire port was overruned. Majority of their pokemon are electric types and they stand little to no chance against the ground types, many of the infected pokemon that bordered outside of Vermillion also began pouring in." The news was absolutely horrifying, the infected pokemon were opportunist too, preying on their moment of vulnerability. The young mother pulled Aurea into a hug for support, embracing the Unovan woman tightly as she felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Even if she didn't know any of the Vermillion folks, she felt nothing but sorrow and sympathy to the people who helped her son to reunite with her.

"Ash would be devastated. The soldiers that escorted him and reunited us, oh I hope they are okay." Aurea rubbed Delia's back soothingly, the despair and hopelessness she felt when she first read the letter was suffocating. She could envision the screams of people running away as infected pokemon kept pouring into their walls, the very walls that protected them also became their tomb. If the horde ever reached Pallet Town, it was over.

"Exactly the reason why I don't want to tell him, his spirits and morale is very high right now, I don't want to dampen it. Delia, these infected pokemon are coordinating their attacks with one another, not just blindly ravaging everything they see in their path." Delia wiped away her tears and sniffles, that's right her Ash can't learn of this. He is always constantly stressed about keeping everyone safe. If he learns that the mighty city of Vermillion has been overruned, he would lose all sense of hope and fall into depression. Morale is by far the most important asset they have right now, and Delia was keen on making her son retain the fiery determination and warmth that brought them together in the first place.

"Any news of survivors?" Aurea bit her lip and shook her head.

"So far the letter didn't mention anything, but he mentioned this letter would be the last. Too risky to send out letters now, Cinnabar is further tightening their control and security after Vermillion's fall." Delia suspected as much, communication is still down and any information they can get is murky at best. Cinnabar's decision to cut off all access to the outside world was not surprising either, Cinnabar has always been an autonomous city that dictates its own policies and security. Blaine is a brilliant if not iron fisted leader whose interest has always been safe-guarding Cinnabar's autonomy from the federal government. She took a deep breath to absorb all of the information, any semblance of Vermillion sending help has been dashed. Now, they are truly on their own.

---

Hazel brown eyes stalked the horde of infected from afar, armed with a sharp machete and clad in a sturdy riot suit, he ushered a group of pokemon to follow his signal as they slowly trudge through the dense branches and shrubbery. The young human male exhaled and breathed out a pent up sigh, there was so much at stake here and he can't afford to falter those who believe in him. The gray storm clouds above boomed with streaks of lightning branching across the skies, a thunderstorm was approaching, the perfect opportunity for what's about to come. A sudden squeeze to his shoulder sent a chill down his spine as brief panic overwhelmed him, but the tender touch and warmth swiftly calmed his senses. He turned to face the young Jenny who had stood by his side and gave a confident smile that soothed both their worries. They can do this, they would see this through. With confidence rapidly returning back to him, the Pallet Town native raised his voice to assert his authority and control of the situation.

"Positions everyone." Xenia's lips curled upwards at the salutes and cries from their furry friends. They all stood before the young man, awaiting his orders and the presumably rousing speech that would motivate them to defend their hometown from the infected. A lot was at stake here, they must prevail against the infected if they want to stand a chance in the event of a sieged attack.

"This would be our first organized attack against the infected, everyone knows their roles?" The symphonies of nods earned a confident smile from Ash and Xenia, they have meticulously planned out a strategy to lure the infected in and kill them whole. Stretched before them was a vast lake, shallow enough for people to stand on but wide enough to cover an entire football field. By luring the infected to the lake, it inhibits their movement and allows Pikachu to electrocute them whole. The only sacrifice they would make is the forfeit of the lake, rendering it unsuitable for farming or be used as a water source, but Xenia had other ideas of how they can use the lake to their advantage. The infected in Route 1 had wandered closer to Pallet Town since the day Ash discovered their presence, but the good news is that many of the infected were all human, making this so much easier for the Pallet Town residents. Stripped of their intelligence and memories, the shambling diseased make easy pickings if a proper strategy is in place.

"Ash, we're ready." With Xenia's blessing and the pokemon's unwavering devotion, the young man narrowed his eyes and sent forth Makuhita to position himself.

"Good, then let the light show begin." Pikachu saluted and swiftly routed to the top of the canopy, allowing it to stay in safe distance to gather its strength. Sentret leaped onto the other branch, its eyes glowed white with its tail lifting it up further to get a vantage view of the infected that were far below.

"Archeops Stone Wall." The fossil pokemon grunted and slammed the ground, summoning jagged rock spires and pillars from the ground as a makeshift fortification. The construct had a platform that allowed them to stand on, preventing infected from clawing towards them on the ground with many rock spikes below impaling any infected that dared wander close. Preparation set in hand, Ash gave the command to Pikachu as Makuhita stood in the center of the lake, bulking up and mediating to hone its body in preparation of what's about to come. A visual white aura engulfed Makuhita as it continued to relax its body and loosened its muscles, heightening it up its sturdy defenses and powers with every passing second.

"Gather the storm!" The ferocious shout from his trainer gave Pikachu the confidence to summon a large bolt of lightning that converged together on the clouds above, sending a bright yellow beacon that gave away their location. The lightshow swiftly drew the attention of the shamblers as they slowly made their way towards the disturbance. Their eyes slowly followed the visually stimulating attack until their eyes were set on two humans. Instantly, the lethargic and cumbersome movements of the infected became one of wild predators in pursuit, they let out cannibalistic groans and charged forward with their mangled limbs or deformed bodies, fully ignoring Makuhita who stood in the lake with a stoic expression. The sight of hundreds of infected running towards them made Xenia uneasy as panicked pounded her heart, but the tight squeeze from Ash's hand soothed much of her worries as he looked unfazed at the sight. Sound of water sloshing around and groaning grew louder with every step the infected took, but Ash waited until every last infected he could see entered the lake before he launched a counter attack.

"Now!" Sentret used Helping Hand to further boost Pikachu's ability as the electric mouse muttered a few mantras and focused on converging the distant bolts of lightning that gathered above. A large bolt of lightning slowly grew in size with branches of electricity from the gray clouds merged into one another, gale winds picked up in pace with trees, leaves and shrubbery dancing to the harsh wind generated by the spiraling storm clouds above.

"MAKU." The steadfast sumo pokemon's eyes glow violent red, provoking and taunting all of the infected within its vicinity to attack him. Ash watched in gut wrenching horror as the attention of infected swiftly turned to Makuhita who stood in the thick of the horde, they clawed and bit the gutsy pokemon as the fighting type retaliated by slamming them to the waters. The force generated by its swings and stomps unleashed tidal waves that swept the infected off their balance, further agitating the unprovoked infected who were out of range of his Provocation. Yet for all of its high physical defense and sturdy physique, the sign of exhaustion was obvious with the sluggish movements and less powerful swings as fang and claw from infected sunk into the sumo pokemon.

"Ash Makuhita can't hold much longer!" The young man's eyes turned to Pikachu and Sentret, the two were still channeling their attack together with Sentret buffing and providing support to enhance Pikachu's next attack. He glanced at the sky above and was alarmed at the sheer scale of the spiraling vortex of pure lightning that threatened to engulf all of Route 1.

"Pikachu, release!" At the command of its trainer, Pikachu focused all of its concentration to deliver one precise lightning bolt attack sent by the pinnacle of heavens themselves. Empowered by Sentret Helping Hand as it built up the lightning storm, Pikachu let out a triumphant scream and summoned every fiber of energy within him by using Lightning Rod to electrocute the entire lake and burn the infected into oblivion."

"PIKACHU!" Archeops slammed the ground to create another wall in front of them to shield the humans from the blinding light show. The intensity of the beam of lightning nearly blinded them whole as Xenia pinned Ash to the ground and held him tight to her, their eyes were firmly shut as the very construct they stood shook with the shockwave of attack. The rapturous sound of thunder and lightning engulfed the entire lake, killing all the infected in one fell strike with the deafening screams of the infected howl in pain and agony. Makuhita gritted his teeth by the tingling electricity that his body could barely withstood, yet thanks to its innate ability Guts and the use of Endure, it was able to withstand the numbing paralyzing electricity and convert it to raw strength and endurance. The intensity of the lightning bolt evaporated the lake within seconds, leaving burnt bodies and the hot rising steam and smoke in its wake. Pikachu halted his attack and winced at the lethargy that kicked instantly, nearly knocking him out cold by how much energy and pressure he put on that one singular attack. Fortunately Sentret managed to get caught in her arms and squeaked a good job to the exhausted electric type.

"Ash are you alright?" The young man groaned and found himself between two pairs of mounds that shielded his eyes from the blinding light. He slowly readjusted his eyes to the light and found himself hugging Xenia's waist towards him. The warm hand placed on his cheek made him flushed red, yet it was the concerned hazel brown eyes and the gentle smile that made him nod wordlessly. The two helped each other up and patted Archeops head for a job well done, the ancient one was completely conscious and awake throughout the ordeal, ready to catch any strat infected and pummel them to smithereens by launching boulders at them.

"No way…" Ash's mouth was agape, the entire lake was just gone, instead it was replaced by a large crater that still sizzled with smoke and steam. His eyes widened at the lone figure that lay unconscious on the crater, and threw all sense of caution away.

"Makuhita!" Before Xenia could reached out and calm Ash down, the young man vaulted over the platform and landed on the ground. He sprinted his way towards the crater and ignored the hundreds of skeletons and corpses with charred flesh piling around his pokemon. The pungent smell of charred corpses was repulsive but Ash bravely trudged through and threw away the corpses that piled on top of his pokemon and pulled Makuhita into his arms. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists at the severely injured state of Makuhita. Lacerations, bite marks, charred skin and skin swollen with bruises and internal bleeding… this was awful.

"Makuhita has to suffer because of me." The bitter tone of resentment from him drew much worry from Xenia. She turned to her partner pokemon who sniffed around for any signs of infection, unfortunately the smell of burnt bodies was too strong and overloaded its senses, making it impossible to differentiate between scents.

"Growlithe anything?" The whimper from him made Xenia sigh, she patted his head and slowly hoisted her gun out just in case any infected managed to survive such a devastating attack. She slowly walked down the incline of the crater and felt her heart sink at how angry and saddened Ash looked. Makuhita was used as bait to lure in the horde, since trainer pokemon are immune to the virus, the infected would ignore them and instead target their human trainers. Even when directly provoked, the infected would rarely fight back unless they spot their prey. Thus the use of Taunt and Bulk Up was necessary to stall the infected in the lake while Pikachu and Sentret gathered their strength to deliver one powerful attack to wipe them out. Yet it seems, they might have overestimated how powerful Pikachu can be when empowered by Sentret, Lightning Rod and favourable weather. Xenia sighed and held her breath, kicking the nearby corpses aside as she made her way towards him.

"Ash, I think we got them all." His silence was expected, drowned in his own self-loathing and blaming. In hindsight, there were many ways they could go about dealing with the infected, but the key focus would always be minimizing prolonged battles and to get rid of them before they group up. Endure and Guts just makes Makuhita the ultimate martyr who would absorb any damage or blow from fellow allies just to wipe out the infected.

"Makuhita would be alright, he just unconscious. Rosa and Chansey can patch him, the little fella is a trooper."

"But I should have-"

"You should have more faith in others and yourself. Makuhita knew what he volunteered for and he did his part." Xenia's blunt and stoic delivery was curt as always. She narrowed her eyes at Ash's numbed state and swiftly took Makuhita's pokeball from Ash's belt and recalled the fighting type to let him rest. She nursed a more stoic and serious expression as she stood before him.

"Take heart Ash, we have what it takes to deal with them." Ash's lips slowly curled upwards, the majestic sight of Xenia extending her hand to him with a confident and determined smile was hell of a morale boost. He gratefully took her hand and pulled himself up, the sight of charred corpses piling together reiminded Ash the sheer gravity of the situation. They didn't just kill the infected, they obliterated them to mere dust and bones. Although a cause for celebration, the more cynical side of Ash couldn't help but to worry of the consequences of such a devastating attack.

"Maybe, but we might just attract some unwanted attention with how bright and loud that was." Xenia sighed and crossed her arms underneath her bust, why can't the young man take a victory and celebrate it as such?

"Rockets?" Ash merely nodded, Team Rocket is still a very real threat to them. Should they discover that Pallet Town is habitable with fortifications already built, there is no doubt they would launch an offensive to capture the value point. Arable land for long term farming, clean rivers that trickle from the nearby mountains, everything was needed to form a city.

"Yeah, I'm worried if they do stumble upon here." A playful finger lifted Ash's chin upwards, his cheeks flushed pink at the confident yet undeniably reassuring smile from Xenia.

"Don't worry, the road is blocked with debris and overgrowth, they would have to travel on foot if they want to get to us. Besides, they have their own troubles to worry about." The last part piqued Ash's interest, he held her forearm and leaned closer. Eager to know what she meant by Rockets having their own troubles.

"What do you mean?" Xenia chuckled at how curious and desperate Ash's sound was. In truth, Team Rocket's hold around Viridian City is shaky and uncertain. Though they command a formidable force and have an abundance of resources in their grasp, dysfunctional leadership, infighting and rumors of coups from an unhappy populace has become an increasingly recurrent worry for them. Criminal organization is notoriously hierarchical with an emphasis of brotherhood and loyalty to one's own gang and turf, however that is only true if everyone is given their share of the pie. In an apocalyptic world of dwindling resources, every Rocket member from the lowest of grunts to the top echelons of the consiglieres, they all dream of the same thing, consolidating more power. The apocalypse presents an opportunity for the wicked.

"Let's just say my tapping skills are second to none." The cheeky statement earned a pout from him, why does Xenia insist on withholding crucial information like this, Ash had never liked the feeling of being left out, especially now when he is the de facto leader of Pallet Town.

"Tell meeee." The young law enforcer patted his arms and winked at him, she would tell him once they got home safe and sound. Growlithe looked noticeably tense and on edge, perhaps the smell of the burnt corpses was getting to the poor canine's senses.

"Hehe later~" While the humans were busy chatting with one another, the pokemon sensed something was amiss among the pile of corpses that lay in tatters next to Ash. Pikachu squinted his beady eyes and took a more defensive stance, all the infected should have been smited by his Heavenly Thunderbolt. Sentret widened its eyes at the subtle sign of movement from the dead corpses and quickly screeched to an oblivious Ash.

"Come on Xenia, you can't-" The wretched coarse shriek from the infected did little to alert Ash as he felt a pair of cannibalistic jaws clamping down on his shoulders at that very moment, his pupils dilated wildly with his left arm paralyzed from the sheer force and pressure crushing his shoulder blades. He barely could let out a scream as the heart breaking sight of Xenia's horrific expression quickly pierced his own heart.

He was bitten.

"ASH!" Before Ash could unsheathed his machete with his other hand, two rounds of bullets instantly shot the infected in the head. The fierce iron jaw grip on his shoulder loosened and the infected dropped dead on the floor with Pikachu delivering a heart piercing bolt of lightning just to ensure the infected stays dead this time. His eyes turned to Xenia and paled at the sight of the gun directly aiming at his torso. Is she- is she going to shoot him?

"Xenia-" Any movement or attempt to call for calm from him was met Xenia distancing herself away from him and the muzzle aimed directly at his head this time. Though his whole body was protected by the riot suit, a direct shot to the head would be his demise.

"Don't move! P-Please, I don't want to do this." Her body trembled as her finger inched closer to the trigger, any missteps or sleight of hand and he was dead. His heart-beated rapidly with his core body temperature spiking drastically, is the first sign of infection? Is this how he really dies? He came so far. No, no, no, he hasn't turned yet, there is still hope.

'Calm down Ash, you've been bitten but you should have turned by now. You don't have a convulsion, you're not craving for flesh, you're still thinking straight.' He winced at the soreness on his shoulders and a startling realization hit him. The bite itself did not feel sharp or serrated, the pain he felt was just blunt force and concussion, not sharp teeth that penetrated through his shoulder guards and into his flesh. In other words, his riot armor had protected him from the bite, but there was no way to confirm if he was truly safe unless they inspected the wound, teeth can still penetrate through the armor and saliva can leak beneath the armor. If he truly was infected, he would have immediately collapsed on the floor and begun to convulse.

He closed his eyes briefly, thanking Arceus or whatever deity out there that he was still human. But he could deal with those feelings of dread and gratitude later, right now he must be careful to not make any sudden movements that Xenia may interpret as hostile.

"Xenia." She bit her lower lip and found her steady hand shaking from the conflict and turmoil. She had replayed this exact scenario in her mind time and time again, whether it's Ash, Rosa, Delia or now Aurea, the frequent nightmares she experienced always boils down to her pulling the trigger to kill someone near and dear to her after they have been bitten. She had mentally prepared herself for this, just close your eyes and pull the trigger. Think nothing of you shared memories together, don't think, don't think, don't think-

'Damn it why!? Why now?' Waterworks began to flow as tear trails flowed uncontrollably. Xenia gripped her handle tighter to recompose herself, desperately suppressing her storm of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. The man before her was no longer the Ash Ketchum she grew attached to, no longer the young man who cheered her up and stargaze with her during quiet and lonely nights. So why, why can't she just pull the trigger to end the heartbreak, make it swift and quick for Ash?

"Xenia, I'm fine. Look at me." His voice brought her back from her trance, she blinked away the tears and focused on him. The friendly demeanor, the adoring facial features, the warm hazel brown eyes, everything about Ash was still Ash. No sign of leprosy, no aggression nor any bloodthirsty gaze, this was just Ash Ketchum staring right at her.

"A-Ash." The smile that formed despite the tears made his heartbeat rapidly, the fear of Xenia pulling the trigger has subsided, instead new profound emotions quickly consumed him. The overwhelming desire to see her smile and to prevent these tears had strangely become his new source of strength and motivation. Despite everything he has been through, seeing the ones he loved happy and safe had begun to define his way of living and sense of purpose.

Xenia is important to him, no doubt about it.

"My suit took the blow, see?" Using the gentlest of voice he can muster, Ash slowly placed his hand on the firearm directly pointed at him and pulled the safety trigger before lowering the muzzle directly to the ground, mirroring what Nathan did for him when he broke down in his childhood home. He grasped her free hand and intertwined their gloved fingers together, reminding her that he was still human and still Ash.

"Y-You're okay?" Her shaky voice earned a tight squeeze to her hand and a nod from him, she pulled their joint hands to her chest to feel the warmth. She stared at his shoulders, clear bite marks were visible on the armor but it did not penetrate through the sturdy guard reinforced with kevlar and leather. She smiled widely and ignored the tear tracks that stained her cheeks, they can ill-afford to wipe their eyes with their hands or their clothes without any proper sterilization or disinfectants.

"Yeah, the bastard barely punctured through the shoulder guard." Xenia breathed a deep sigh of relief, the ragged breath and raspy exhale made Ash realize how much pent us stress she was holding back. Going forward, they have to take even more precautions, getting everyone armor is now crucial, whether makeshift or industrial made, anything helps. But any form of discussion should be dealt with later, for now they must retreat and rest.

"Let's get out of here. Growlithe burn the bodies, Archeops bury them. Sentret stayed with them and be on the lookout for any infected. All of you return to Pallet once the burial is done. Pikachu with me." The authority asserted by their master was certainly surprising, how can Ash maintain his sense of calm and composure after breaking down over Makuhita's injuries and almost being bitten was beyond them. But this was the standard post-battle procedure Ash developed after witnessing Vermilion's soldiers method of cremation, hopefully the soldiers are doing well.

Hand in hand, the two humans slowly made their way back home. Pikachu squeaked at the sight of Xenia leaning onto Ash's uninjured shoulder, practically leaning onto him as the two savoured the warmth and comfort from one another. While a sweet moment, the yellow mouse frowned briefly at the possibility of another ambush like that, it seems when infected bodypile one another, any attack designed to wipe them out in one powerful blow can be ineffective. The sudden burst of speed and energy was also surprising too, perhaps it used the last vestiges of its energy to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. Therefore, a solution must be in place to spread the infected out evenly to prevent their bodies shielding the others below them.

The young electric type leaped from forest floor to tree branch, leaping from canopy to canopy to get a good view of their surroundings. The overgrowth and shrubbery that weaved had grown nicely, it naturally blended with the surroundings with no sign of artificiality or man-made construction. The little crater he accidentally created might draw suspicion but nothing a rainstorm can't fix, in time the lake would resurface once more.

While walking hand in hand, Ash almost had a heart attack when Xenia stopped all of a sudden. The pensive and serious expression made him worry over any sudden mood swings, but fortunately her mind was set on practical and important manners.

"Ash, we need a psychic pokemon to sense any presence of infection, Growlithe can't pick up their scent given how putrid it is." The high schooler assumed a thinking pose, what would he do without her eh? Pokemon who rely on scent to identify or detect any incoming threats may not be a good choice here, traditionally scent identification is only useful when tracking down specific people or pokemon, not for environmental surveillance. The problem wasn't necessarily detection, they have Sentret for that and even then, the Sentry pokemon has her blind spots. No, the issue at hand was how their pokemon can protect them at a moment's notice. If a few infected stray away from the main fight and pounced on them, could they really hold them off? Ash distinctly remembers that during mock battles in school, trainers in the battlefield are always protected by a shield to protect them from any accidents. As one can imagine, being engulfed in a Sandstorm or inhaling toxic smog may not be safe for young children.

"Or a pokemon that can use Protect or Light Screen to shield us immediately. In my school examination battles, students are always protected by a shield of bubbles to prevent misfires or accidents." Xenia snapped her fingers, they need just that! In addition to creating shields that can impede the infected's movement, they can also form makeshift bridges to cross paths and dissipate the effect once they cross. In conventional settings it's limited to pokemon battles or law enforcement, but now the sheer utility of Light Screen or Reflect can be numerous if you are creative with it.

"That makes sense, even the shockwave of a pokemon attack can be very dangerous. Do you plan to have Pikachu to learn Light Screen then?" Pikachu cocked its head to the side, Ash never liked defensive moves and always opted for a lightning fast offensive assault. Speed and strike defines his trainer's battle style but perhaps practically should triumph over pride.

"Honestly I thought of that, if we're able to get a psychic type to help Pikachu out then sure." Ash trailed off slowly before rolling his eyes when Pikachu leaped onto Xenia's shoulders and nuzzled against her cheek. The staunch officer eagerly scratched its ears and giggled at its adorable antics, she probably didn't even listen to him! But a sweet and wholesome sight like this is always welcomed, admiring cute girls doing cute things is his new hobby given the absence of social media and internet.

It wasn't long when the two reached home base, the sight of the palisades and study gates really gives off a post-apocalyptic scrap base that Ash often sees in movies or video games, now he is living in this horrific reality. He glanced at his injured shoulder and bit his lower lip, what would the others say if they found out? Sure he wasn't infected but this was way too close for comfort, his mother would absolutely lose it if she found out the truth. Before Xenia could open the gates, Ash clutched her arm to get her attention.

"Xenia, don't tell anyone what happened." Her expression softened and nodded to his request, though she hates lying or hiding the truth from others, white lies like these are something she can promise to keep. Still, the sight of infected sinking its wretched teeth into Ash's shoulders as he screamed in pain was just traumatizing.

"I will, but at least let me see that wound of yours, just to confirm. The force of the bite must still have fractured your shoulder blades." Sneakily as they went, the two humans darted their eyes to ensure the coast was clear before slipping into the laboratory. Keen on his stealth and Metal Gear Solid skills, Ash peered at the laboratory window and smiled at the sight of his mother, Aurea and Rosa exchanging laughter out in the grassy fields. He gave a thumbs up to Xenia who took a few towels and wet wipes from the bathroom before she ushered Ash to her room.

His heart pounded rapidly when Xenia locked the door shut, leaving him with no room for escape should the situation require him to do so. Worse comes to worse, he can always jump out the window if the situation is truly dire. He calmed his beating heart when Xenia began to take off her jacket and paddings, she loosened her hair bun and allowed it to cascade beautifully behind her back naturally. The sight of her black tank top that showed off her muscular midriff made Ash screamed internally at how risque the scenario he found himself in. Sharing a room with a hot sweaty tomboy police officer while she inspects his body is an otherworldly experience.

"Take off your suit Ash, let me see the wound." The awkward movements from the young man made Xenia sighed inwardly, he had seen her like this countless times during their numerous sparring sessions, so why is he getting shy and flustered around her now? Fortunately, he obliged and began to unbuckled all the protective gear to set it aside. Now clad in t-shirt and jeans, he felt a sense of freedom and weight off his body.

"Sit down and take your shirt off. I would apply an ice pack." Heeding her request with great reluctance, Ash felt his face flushed when he took off his shirt and placed it neatly on Xenia's nightstand. The various accessories, self-care products and hair bands on the wooden dressing table made Ash realize that Xenia does take care of herself. Her room was also well decorated, filled with posters, pictures and shelves. She really stays true to her word and makes it more homely, many of the items in her old house seemed to be here. Photos of family, her achievements and trophies and even souvenirs from Kalos, it was honestly pretty cute.

"Like my room?" An excited Xenia placed her hands behind her back and leaned next to Ash, the little grin and sparkling brown eyes made Ash bashful that he has been caught admiring her room.

"Yeah. It's really nice, far better than my room." The shared room between the mother and son was simple, not much room for activities. Instead, the two either share cuddles, hugs or the occasional bedtime stories where Ash would lay on his mother's lap as she reads her favorite novel to him, his personal favorite.

"I put a lot of effort in decorating it, now sit down." Xenia placed Ash down on the stool before the dresser and soaked the towel into a pail filled with water. Though they should ideally shower to wash away blood, grime and mud, clean water is a very precious commodity and wet wipes are the best way to conserve water while maintaining hygiene.

"Okay okay, don't need to be so bossy." Xenia rolled her eyes and placed the frigid ice pack against his cheek, making him jolt and yell from the numbing cold. He glared at her as she chuckled at his reaction. So when in front of others she is always prim and proper, but when it's just him she becomes mischievous, unbelievable!

"The ice is going to melt if I don't apply it now." He ignored her statement and relaxed his body once the ice pack was placed next to his injured shoulders. He winced at the cooling sensation and sighed at how good it felt, the condensation of water droplets trailed down his bare skin while Xenia's strong fingers held his forearm in place. Frankly speaking, it was a weird experience being half naked with her. On closer inspection of his shoulder wounds, there was indeed swelling. Even with all the padded protection, the infected seemed to have iron jaws that clamped down on their victims, the sheer force generated swelled his shoulders and left a bright red mark. Between his train of thought, the tingling sensation of the ice pack was suddenly replaced by a pair of lithe arms hugging him.

"X-Xenia?" He stared at the mirror's reflection, Xenia pinned her body against his and placed her chin above his uninjured shoulder. Though an act that would have him flustered and stammering, Ash maintained a steady composure when he noticed how stressed and worried she was. He placed a hand on top of hers, squeezing it lightly to soothe her worries.

"Sorry it's just- I was so scared." Her voice faltered as she squeezed him tighter, the thought of losing Ash was just something she wasn't mentally prepared for. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him to a tighter embrace. The clingy behavior stiffened the young lad but he understood that Xenia had many traumatic experiences of delivering mercy killing to Pallet Town residents when they were bitten, so for it to happen again just reopen old wounds and nightmares.

"I'm here with you now aren't I?" She nodded and buried her nose against the side of his neck, her lips centimeters away from his sensitive collarbone.

"I almost pulled the trigger, Ash." Pikachu watched in amusement over his trainer's red expression, the steam emanating from his ears was a hilarious sight despite the heavy topic and conversation. His trainer had always had the ability to lighten any mood at a moment's notice. Ash was quick to compose himself and sat upright, breaking away from the intimate position between them.

"Hey, anyone would in that situation, it's alright I'm not angry." The lighthearted chuckle was meant to be in jest, what Xenia did was perfectly reasonable and expected. If he was bitten, he would have preferred to be put down before he could hurt anyone, he has stated that much before. So he never blamed her for pointing the gun to his head, just surprised at how much pain and distraught he caused her.

"I don't want to lose you." The sudden statement from her froze Ash solid, the raw emotional tone and the sincere inflection keenly made him realize that he was far more important to her than he initially thought. They have grown quite close after the Nidoran incident, and if he wasn't in a relationship with his own mother, Ash would have definitely pursued one with Xenia in a heartbeat. She reached for his arms and pulled him down back to her embrace, pushing her breasts against his back as the sound of wet cloth sloshing around the water made Ash stiffened as a rock given how sensual everything was.

"Stay for a moment, let me clean you up." Her soft whisper and the pleasant cold cloth on his skin felt good, euphorically so. She slowly wiped his torso with the cloth, trailing her fingers down to his back. Naturally, Ash accepted such generous service by Xenia and sat there with his eyes closed. The soreness of his shoulder seemed to be alleviated, though another matter of soreness did arise from his lower region.

'Arceus Xenia, what are you doing to me?' He shifted his legs given how uncomfortable it was, but he didn't exactly have the heart or let's be honest, desire to ask Xenia to stop. Unfortunately for Ash, Xenia seemed to catch to the potent effects she had on the young man and doubled her efforts, thoroughly cleaning every exposed part of his upper body to ensure no residue of blood or grime was on his body, which was nonsense given Ash's body was protected by a form fitted riot suit. Her lips curled upwards when Ash crossed his legs and he began to shiver in her arms, perhaps she was taking things a little too far?

"Do you need me to clean your lower half?" Nope, nope, nope. Ash was near limit's end at how much torture he can get from this, he cleared his throat and carefully raised turned to face her. The smug smile and the playful bedroom eyes had Ash stammering like a fool, he needed to get out of here fast and retreat to the confines of the bathroom. A cold shower is in order and yes damn the precious clean water supply!

"N-No it's fine Xenia, I can do it myself. I still have my other hand." Indeed, his other hand would serve him well for what's about to come. The turquoise haired beauty pouted but nodded nevertheless, releasing Ash from her grasp.

"No sudden movements and get plenty of rest alright? I will check up on you tonight. I will deal with the others and say you were tired so they don't disturb you." A fine excuse that would spare them from asking 101 questions, particularly his mother and Rosa. The young nurse can be quite feisty and scary if you try to hide any injuries away from her, a house rule she made was that in the event of any injuries, she would be the first one to be informed.

"S-Sure, can you take care of Makuhita?" Xenia nodded and took Makuhita's pokeball, poor fella must be snoozing in his pokeball right now.

"I will leave the little one with Rosa, you get some rest." Ash swore he saw Xenia's eyes lingered in his bulge before looking back at him, the small triumphant smirk made him scream inwardly out of embarrassment and agony. Why does every woman in his life love tormenting him? He excused himself from Xenia and swiftly went to the showers for a nice long cold bath. After dealing with the inconvenience between his legs, he emerged freshed and relaxed from the bathroom. He tiptoed around the halls after hearing Xenia conversing with the others regarding their success in thwarting the infected and entered his room. The fluffy bed looked awfully inviting with how tired he was, perhaps getting some much needed sleep is in order. He threw a new pair of clothes and fell face forward into the pillows, nuzzling around the scent of his mother's perfume that still linger on their shared bed. Content and drowsy, Ash slowly closed his eyes as Pikachu jumped to his bed and placed his paws against the air-conditioner's remote control to turn it on, a routine that they developed when they were still students in Saffron academy.

"Heh thanks Pikachu, we better check on the power tomorrow and see if we need to recharge it." The electric mouse squeaked at his trainer's yawning statement, it would do just that to ensure everyone in town has electricity running for their daily use. But that's for tomorrow, for now he will join his trainer and get some much needed sleep.

---

Delia slowly opened the room door and felt the chilly air conditioned room. Shaded in darkness, the only mote of light seeping through were from windows that allowed moonlight to illuminate the otherwise pitch black room. Her lips curled upwards at the adorable sight of Pikachu snoozing away in its wooden cot. She closed the door shut and sat on the bed, watching her son sleeping with the most blissful expression on his face. She beamed and leaned in for a tender kiss on the forehead, the fits of murmurs from him were a delightful sight to behold.

"Mom?" Delia placed a hand on his head, stroking the soft lock of hair that grew noticeably longer since he reunited with her. The young teenager groaned and slowly sat upright before the startling realization of nightfall made him sigh, did he really sleep that long? What time was it? He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand, 9:08 PM. Brilliant, looks like he won't be sleeping tonight.

"You were out like a log, Xenia told me that the attack on the infected took a toll on you." Ash smiled at the subtle voice of concern from her and leaned in for a snuggly hug, pulling her into embrace as he sat a little taller than her now. He gingerly rubbed her back, feeling the soft and lithe warmth of a mother's love and her thick thighs that rested on his lap.

"It did, sorry for worrying you." She chuckled and nuzzled against his chest, she was just glad he came back to her safe and sound. She had her concerns but Xenia was quick to brush them off.

"It's alright, I made you dinner, let me bring it in for you okay?" Before he could protest and voice his independence, his mother had already left the room with her hands clasped together. He sighed and placed the pillow against the bed, dinner in bed with his mom was something he never knew he needed in his life. It wasn't long when the smell of tomato stew drew saliva from his mouth, he grinned like a little child when Delia brought in a medium size bowl of tomato stew, laced with fresh thyme herbs, mushrooms, onions, potatoes and cabbages. The young mother had recently increased her recipe repertoire after realizing that their future food and sustenance would be vegetable based, so stews and salads are the way to go.

"No eating on the bed." The stern tone made him sigh, Arceus forbid if she ever found out that he always had cup noodles on his bed when he was still a student at Saffron. Begrudgingly, he left the comforting warmth of the covers and sat on the chair with a study desk. His eyes gleamed at the savoury thick broth of the tomato stew, hard to believe it's all vegetables! This smells wonderful.

Delia leaned against her hand as she watched her son chow down on his dinner, poor boy must be hungry after skipping lunch. Her sharp eyes caught wind of his sudden jerk of his left arm whenever he tried to move it around, she narrowed her eyes and poked his shoulder, earning a yelp from him over the sting of pain.

"You're injured?" He gritted his teeth, why does his adoring mother have to be so attentive and observant when it comes to him. He had two choices here, lie and fail spectacularly or pretend that the injury was nothing major.

"It's nothing." Delia resisted the urge to roll her eyes, whenever her dear son of hers tells her that nothing is wrong, everything is wrong.

"Nothing is always something, let me see." He sighed and took off his shirt, revealing a bruised shoulder that was swollen. She gasped at the size of the swelling and leaned closer, inspecting the wound for any signs of lacerations or cuts. It can't be from a bad fall can it? His other body should have suffer bruises too, the only thing was-

"Ash? Were you bitten?" His mother's quivering voice and shaking body was disheartening, he pulled Delia into a short embrace, placing a soft but long kiss on her cheek to soothe her worries. Frankly speaking, he anticipated a fiercer reaction from her.

"I'm fine, they did bite me but my suit absorbed the blow. I'm sorry for hiding this from you but I just didn't want you to worry." A flare of anger surged within the sweet mother, she crossed her arms and glared at him, how could he hide something as huge as this from her? What other grave secrets or incidents is he hiding from her? But for as furious as she is, she needed to tend to the wounds and ensure he is okay first. A firm but gentle approach has always been her style of parenting and dealing with others.

"Does it still hurt?" Ash tensed up noticeably when she placed her hand on his bare shoulders, stroking it and feeling the wounds before trailing her finger down his forearm.

"No Xenia put an ice pack on already, she's been taking care of me." Delia grunted at that, she did suspect something when Xenia made it clear that no one should disturb Ash, it seems like she helped cover up his injuries. As for the officer taking care of her son, Delia had a few ideas at what Xenia was doing to Ash when she applied the ice pack. She could practically smell the scent of another woman on her him.

"Thank goodness." She pulled him into an embrace, smelling the scent of his hair while resting her hand on his tummy. Though the young man relished the warm embrace, he did wish he could finish his stew while it's still hot.

"Mom, can I finish my food first?" She held back a chuckle at how pouty he sounded, exactly like when he was a young kid. She released her hold around him and watched him finish his dinner until a thought surfaced in her mind.

"You're quite close to Xenia aren't you? Fancy her?" The matter of fact tone from his mother nearly made him choke on his food. He coughed violently for a few moments before he received a pat to his back from Pikachu. The electric mouse sighed at the rude awakening and perched both its paws on its waist, glaring at the woman who caused his master's distress to happen in the first place. The sheepish smile on Delia's face made Pikachu place a paw on his temples. Arceus, she is so playful when it's just Ash and her. The electric mouse was not amused by the many cuddling and kissing sessions between his master and Delia, which is why he often escaped to Sentret's side to join her in staking out.

"Hey don't give me that look, my little Ash is cheating on me!" Immune to such provocation and needless teasing from the beautiful witch, the juvenile pokemon huffed and jumped onto his bed. Whatever melodrama conversation his master would have with his mate of a mother shouldn't involve him. Though Delia meant the words in jest, she quickly took aback when Ash suddenly interlocked their fingers and hugged her fiercely.

"No! She's nice and all but I-I'm not cheating on you mom! I love you! You're the only one for me!" The frantic cracks in his voice and the desperation to hold her close to him was startling Delia. She sighed and kissed his cheeks tenderly, did he really think that she is not aware of his feelings for her? Her little Ash is always shy yet genuine with his emotions, she knew him better than anyone else. She pulled away from the hug to get a good look on his adoring face to cupped his cheeks and rubbed them with her thumb, his warm hazel brown eyes shimmered between tears and whimpers.

"Geez calmed down, I was just joking. I already told you that our relationship is special isn't it?" He clenched his fists and nodded, feeling embarrassed that he let out such a reaction. Deep down, he was scared that his mother might view him as unloyal and that he was just toying with her heart just like his father.

"But it doesn't feel right." The auburn haired mother sighed and sat upright, she needed to set him straight. He is still a young man, plenty of room to grow and explore new boundaries to other people. It didn't feel right to hog him or limit his interactions with the other girls when she inevitably grows old herself. It wasn't as if she was thrilled with the prospects of her son chasing other girls but she acknowledged that given the circumstances they find themselves in, she did understand that as the only male in this town, Ash would be at the receiving end of many affections.

"How do you feel about Xenia then?" It was a simple question, but one that made Ash feel so guilty. On one hand, she had been his mentor and best friend, actively encouraging him and showing him all the ropes. On the other hand, she was beautiful and strong, always one to cheer him up and tease him to bolster his confidence, their relationships danced between flirting and being playful to one another. She was important to him, enough to make him wish he could be with her if things were different enough.

"I don't know." Delia smiled at the answer, it was what she expected from him. She ran her finger through his hair and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"When you do know how you feel about her, promise me you will tell her." He bit his lower lip and grasped her arm, what about them? Was she willing to give it all up just so he can date other people? Is she doubting his devotion for her?

"But what about us? I'm serious about our relationship Delia." Her breath was instantly taken away when Ash spoke her name in such a deep and serious tone. It was a small thing, but frankly speaking there were many minor things Ash can say or do to turn her on. She cleared her head for a moment, she needed to set out the ground rule for her son here and stop being flustered.

"I know you are Ash, but we have to be honest with ourselves here, I'm still your mother and I'm older than you. In 20 years time, I will be an old woman while you're still in your prime." He squinted his eyes, he didn't give a damn about their age gap. She would be in her early 50s and will still be radiant and beautiful as ever, no matter the age difference, he would still love her the same.

"I don't care about that." She sighed and crossed her arms, her son is too naive and idealistic for his own good. She mustered a stricter tone, eyeing his maple brown eyes that spoke of his passion and warmth.

"I do. I won't be around to be with you forever Ash. I don't like the idea of you being with someone else, but the notion that you will be lonely scares me more than anything." The downcast eyes from him pricked her heart, she knew one day she would leave before him be it old age or an accident, her son would be all alone. It's an inevitable part of life that they all must learn to deal with and now stuck in a zombie apocalypse, the threat goes beyond the infected hounding their walls. Instead, staying warm during the winter, gathering enough food and having appropriate medicine for sickness is now a daily struggle. Their relationship itself was a gamble, if their time together ended up being bitter, then was it worth it in the first place?

"So you're asking me to go for her mom?" The awkward string of words highlighted the sheer ridiculousness of the scenario.

"Anyone you fancy." It was a dream come true to boys of his age, your girlfriend/mom agreeing that you can date other girls? It would have been an euphoric trip. Yet Ash knew that polygamous relationships have many dysfunctional issues, any attempt to date the others and for it going south would severely hinder their teamwork capabilities. But the temptation is strong, Xenia, Rosa and Aurea are all very attractive ladies, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that his mother had given him, he would be a fool to not take this chance. At the same time, he was also not sure if pursuing such a relationship would work out in the end. He never dated before and his first relationship is with his own mother, not exactly something to be proud of or a good litmus test.

Seeing his struggle and inner turmoil, she cupped his cheeks and raised his head to meet her eyes. She softened her look and her sakura pink lips curled upwards, her Ash is such a cute little boy.

"I will still be your girl right?" He nodded vehemently, clutching onto her hand that rested on his face. His mother would always be his best girl, all these years of raising him with all the love and care she could muster, the sacrifices she had to make just to make sure he grew up in a safe and comfortable environment was enormous, she had endured so much for him and he would do anything he could for her.

"Of course! No one can replace you mom!" That was all she needed to hear, the mother closed her eyes and leaned against him, hugging his bare top that pressed against her breasts. Her soft whispers tickled her son's earlobe, with her strands of hair nuzzling against his cheek.

"Then that's enough." The two shared a tender embrace, with Ash holding onto her for dear life. He really did love her, more than words could possibly convey. But he has to temper those feelings of him and adjust them appropriately, he has to let his mother know that he is an independent person that she can depend on wholeheartedly. Be it emotional maturity or responsibility, he was determined to let people know that they can rely on him.

With the stew finished and his stomach filled, Ash went to the kitchen to wash the dish. He glanced at the quiet night of the house and wondered where everyone was, but the sound of giggles from Aurea's room indicated that Xenia, Rosa and Aurea were having a conversation. The idea of 3 grown ladies having a slumber party in their pajamas was quite the wholesome and interesting image. He wiped the bowl clean and placed it on the dish rack before retreating to the bathroom to attend his oral hygiene, he absentmindedly stared at the shower drain and felt his face flushed at what he did earlier before he brushed his teeth harder to rid his mind of impure thoughts. It didn't take long for him to spit out toothpaste and gargle his mouth, leaving his mouth clean and fresh for a good night's sleep.

'Ah who am I kidding? There's no way I can sleep.' He sighed and entered the confines of his room, hoping to at least get some cuddles with his mom before she sleeps. What greeted him however, was nothing short of euphoric and memorable.

"M-Mom?" Dressed in her black lingerie that scooped her breasts and frilly thigh straps that accentuated the softness of her thighs, her chocolate brown eyes dance between innocence and playfulness as she lay on the bed with her elbows supporting her head. Her long ponytail hair was loosened past her shoulders, with her fingers trailing across the side of the bed, circling her finger around the bedsheet with a seductive smile on her face. She raised her hand and beckoned him to come to her, opening her arms wide open to reveal her beautiful breasts and soft navel.

"I think you deserve a massage sweetie." Without a shadow of a doubt, her son had lost his ability to function normally like a human being. She resisted the urge to laugh at his expression of disbelief, even after all the nightly tongue plays and wandering hands, her Ash can still be very shy around her. Unlike her inexperienced son, Delia was more of an aggressive type who was not afraid to express her intimacy or desire to the person she loves.

"A m-massage?" Akin to the world's most effective hypnosis, Ash slowly walked to her and found himself kneeling in front of his goddess of his mother. His arms trembled and his ravenous eyes trailed her thigh and asscheeks that were plump and soft. Delia's lips grew wider, she playfully twirled her fingers around her son's chest, trailing her hand over his nipple before applying tiniest of pressure on them to harden them. The soft pants from him and the rapidly growing bulge on his pants made her predator and motherly instincts flare up uncontrollably, one out of desire to make him squirm and writhe in her mercy, the other out of providing comfort and relieving his pain.

"Don't be shy, I promised I would give you a massage right? What better time than now to soothe your injured muscles hmm?" The young man gripped his thigh tightly to suppressed his aroused as fuck state. His mother's hands worked their magic as she began to disrobe him entirely, taking off his shirt and trailing her hands from his shoulders to his pants. The large bulge that yearned for freedom in his pants was briefly entertained by his mother's soft hands as she cruelly brushed against his pitch of tent.

"M-Mom." The pathetic hiss and squirm from him was delighting Delia, awakening a part of her that she suppressed for so long. The devious smirk on her face made Ash cower in fear, akin to a prey being cornered by a fierce predator. He trembled when his mother slowly pulled down his pants, pulling past his ankles before stopping it right there due to angle constraints.

"I think you need to take those pants off for me." Without needing any further explanation or motivation, the young man swiftly took off his pants by leaning back, tossing it across the corner of the room with his face flushed red and heavy breathing. Now in just his boxers that stretched to its material limits, Delia trailed her hands around his thighs and squeezed his calves. She was mildly surprised by how muscular they have become now, the quad legs that powered him through the entire apocalypse had indeed developed nicely.

"You've been working hard Ash." He snuggled his back against the pillows, watching his mother becoming fascinated by his thighs. He placed his arms behind his head, breathing out a confident sigh that made Delia chuckle. He looks like a king satisfied with the service he is receiving, cocky little boy.

"Having 4 beautiful women to take care of is a heck of a motivator." Her son is certainly not shy about how he feels about them, at least in terms of physical attractiveness. Many of the times their bedtime conversations revolve around them, Aurea had particularly become a person of interest due to how overwork she forced herself to be. Perhaps her little Ash can ask her to take it easy and maybe help her de-stress. Delia leaned right next to her son and rubbed his chest, feeling the soft skin and the rhythmic rise of his breathing.

"Hmm~ Do you have any plans for them?" Bewitched by his mother, she leaned against his ears and nibbled his earlobes, earning an aroused pant that satisfied her desires. Though she loved him deeply, she was also deeply curious if Ash is susceptible to a more open relationship. The three ladies are lovely if not lonely from the isolation and separation from others, a little fun and fling won't hurt anyone's morale.

"H-Huh?" She giggled at his reaction and kissed his cheek, her seductive whisper rousing even the most stoic of men.

"Don't be shy, we can be honest with each other Ash. Here we are, stuck in the middle of an apocalypse where society has collapsed, where we're free to do whatever we want without any consequences. Sounds exciting don't you think?" The young man had an inkling of an idea of what she is insinuating, but this was absurd. He turned to her and found himself strangely at a loss of her behavior, was his mother always this foxy and mischievous? Perhaps the image of a prim and proper mother was all of a facade and that her true nature was unleashed after finding a beloved, a decisive victory for the horny son.

"It is but- what would you want me to do mom?" Delia placed her finger on cheek, poking it before snuggling closer to his body.

"That's for you to decide." The choice was his and Ash had always prided himself as an avid risk taker, yet for all of the salacious glory that might await him, Ash was more interested in the beautiful mother laying right next to him. To him, he could only love one person and that is his mother. Of course as time changes people and the situation evolves, maybe he would reconsider his mother's offer in his moment of weakness but right now, all he cared about was Delia.

He reached for her abdomen and slowly rubbed them, his fingers itching dangerously close to her panties. Delia bit her lower lip when he leaned to her and pinned his knee between his thighs, rubbing against her labia as she suppressed a moan by the sudden aggression.

"Well I don't know what I want in the future, but right now I know I want a massage from my sexy mother." The delightful moan from her as her son captured her lips so aggressively made her wrap her arms around him. She groaned when she felt him sucking her tongue so greedily, the strings of saliva that intertwined together and the caress from his finger was just too blissful to Delia. This is everything she wanted from a partner, to be pampered, spoiled and loved so wholeheartedly. She let out another pant out moan when Ash's knee kept grazing against her panties like a pokemon in heat, his bulge pressed against her thigh and humping it so wantonly. Yet as turned on and heated she was, her Ash was still injured and preferred to take their love to heights when both of them were truly prepared. She straddled on top of him, showcasing her strength and resolve by giving him a lustful leer.

"Turn around." The deep commanding tone from her earned his absolute cooperation. He lied onto his front and felt a shiver down his spine when she slowly and agonizingly trailed her finger from his nape to the edge of his underwear. She straddled above his butt and pushed placed her hands on his shoulders, the stiff shoulder blades and the soreness of his left arm can be thoroughly felt.

"Mommy is going to begin her massage okay?" Ash only nodded, feeling absolutely pampered and safe in his mommy's hands. He let out a yelp when she began to apply pressure on his joints, the pain and pleasure accumulated into the relaxation of his bones as he let out long drawn out moans. The numbness of pleasure and the saliva drool that stained his pillow, he could understand why a spa massage is so expensive now.

"It fewls soh gud." Delia giggled at the gargle of words from her dazed son, the euphoric look on his face and the half closed eyes just made her double her efforts. The erotic noises of his groans and grunts just tingled her nether regions and warmed her body, her little Ash is letting her know that she is doing a good job.

"You're making a lot of naughty sounds Ash." The auburn haired mother grinned when her son burrowed his head underneath the pillow, bashfully looking away as he flailed his legs up and down. The long pout from him and the absolutely adorable red cheek just flared her instincts up, gosh she wishes she can pamper him and cuddle him right now!

"Sorry, I have never been massaged before so this feels really nice." The muffled explanation from him made her chuckle at how cute he is. A 15 year old boy who has no experience with girls, of course he is going to be flustered and shy. She pulled the pillow from his head and placed it aside, allowing her meek son to slowly meet her eyes with the red cheeks she adored so much.

"Hehe I don't mind, it lets mommy know that she is doing a good job." He turned around to face her, holding her arms as she pinned her entire body onto his chest. She rubbed her succulent breast against his chest while her soft hand reached for his cheek for a gentle caress. The lust filled eyes dilating her amber eyes made Ash clenched his hold around her tighter. He let out a hiss and whimper when he felt a hand tugging his boxers, a lithe palm pressed against the shaft that was trapped within the confines of cloth. The dexterous hands squeezed and caressed his cock tenderly, making Ash let out another pant of pleasure and frustration over his mother's action.

"M-Mom." Her son looked so helpless and in need of release, the way he gazed at her with the pleading eyes that yearned for his mommy to help him made her kiss him tightly. She skillfully took off his boxers to his knees, freeing the beast that swelled and jerked out for its freedom. Delia bit her lower lip and chuckled at her son's reaction, her fingers grazed upon his cock and gyrated the crown. The veiny member that was at limit's end twitched in response, eagerly begging for any stimulation or touch.

"Shh, let me take care of you." Ash panted and groaned when she began to massage his cock, Arceus a handjob from his hot MILF of a man was everything he could dream on. He couldn't wait for her sakura pink lips to wrap around his member and devour it whole with her sultry bedroom eyes staring at him like a good girl-

"Ash? Are you okay?" The voice of Xenia that echoed through the room sent panic among the mother and son duo. They frantically looked amongst each other and Ash quickly cleared his throat to think of something. Shoot! He forgot Xenia was supposed to visit him!

"I-I'm fine Xenia!" As quick as she can, Delia put on Ash's boxers and tossed his clothes and pants onto him. Her eyes darted around until she saw the dressing wardrobe next to the bookshelf and went in, earning a dumbfounded look by her son whom she quickly waved her hands off at her actions.

"Can I come in?" Crisis mode activated at that very moment, Ash raised his voice and began to get decent, his mother managed to find a comfortable spot in the wardrobe and closed the door while leaving some room for breathing. How they got into such a ridiculous situation was beyond Ash. He can't believe how fast his heart is beating right now.

"Uh let me get dressed first!" After thoroughly inspecting the room and finding no signs of MILFS giving services to their sons. Ash opened the door and was greeted by Xenia who gave a cheery smile at him, she ruffled his head and placed the back of her hand on his forehead, making sure that he was okay and didn't develop any sickness in his sleep.

"Where's your mother?" He mustered the finest poker face and spoke casually, keenly aware that his mother was hiding in their wardrobe from a discerning Xenia.

"Outside." Xenia nodded and entered the room, she rubbed her arms over the cool air conditioned room and sat on the bed. The warmth and scent of the bedsheet were still lingering, Ash must have had a really good sleep.

"I didn't see her in the living room, anyway I'm just here to check up on you." Her concern is touching, but she came at a very wrong time. He shuffled closer and sat next to her, his fists clenching the duvet to calm his heart palpitations.

"O-Okay." The busty police officer frowned at how skittish and flustered Ash was, is he truly okay? Maybe he was recovering from a nightmare. The poor boy must be putting on a brave face for her sake.

"You alright? You looked flushed." The gentle warmth from her was soothing in itself, but she pulled him to her side and held his shoulders. Her long turquoise hair and the black button up shirt really match well with one another, so much so that Ash was beginning to suspect that she purposefully dressed up like this before visiting him.

"I'm okay, just been sleeping a lot, don't think I will be sleeping tonight." She sighed and nodded, she could understand that. Ash's been sleeping since afternoon and teenagers of his age either sleep for 12 hours or they sleep less than 6 hours, there's rarely in between. Her cheeks flushed lightly for a moment, she had an idea of what they could do in their free time.

"Well I won't mind some company, I will be outside watching the stars as usual. Bring a blanket and some tea if you do sneak out okay?" The little wink from her at the end sent a fluttering feeling to his stomach. Gosh why does she look so cute doing that!? He steeled his emotions and keenly remembered that his mother was still with him in the room, so fluttering feelings became emotional guilt quickly. He sighed, he really didn't have anything to do and his mother did say it was okay to explore his boundaries. Maybe, it was time for him to learn more about what he wants too.

"Sure Xenia. How's Makuhita?" Her eyes lit up at his agreement and placed her hands on her lap. Their sumo fighter was currently snoozing in his pokeball no doubt, the fight took a lot from him but he would make a speedy recovery. Fighting types recover their wounds faster compared to other pokemon because of how much brawls and scuffles they are involved in. The pokerus just boosts their natural healing to new heights.

"He is doing well, Chansey gave it some soft boiled eggs and he is resting right now. I think I should go before your mother comes in, don't want to give her the wrong idea right?" The temperature room dropped to frigid levels of cold, Ash slowly turned his head to the wardrobe's direction. Xenia's affection towards him is murky at best but his mother seemed to pick up on something that he didn't.

"Y-Yeah." She nodded and stood up before him, eyeing his hazel brown eyes that reflected the warm bedroom light. Without warning, Ash found his head pressed against her midriff as she wrapped her hands around his head, gently ruffling and stroking it.

"Make sure you wear your jacket, it's cold outside." The warm and soft whisper from her earned an awkward nod. He could feel her soft navel between the thin fabric, her fingers stroking his hair and softly patting it like a mother comforting a child. He reluctantly raised his head and found herself bashful and embarrassed, perhaps not expecting her own boldness.

"See you later Ash." She hastily left the room, leaving a perplexed and confused Ash sitting there on the bed. What was that? Why did she suddenly just pull him to her stomach and hold him like that!? The sound of the wardrobe sliding door opening made Ash's heart drop, dear Arceus his mother saw everything! Trembling and quaking in his feet, he slowly turned to his mother and found her gasping in shock rather than anger.

"My goodness, she is so assertive and bold! You may not know how you feel about her, but I'm sure you know how she feels about you." Somehow sounding impressed by Xenia's actions, Ash averted his gaze and attempted to reason with his mother to permit to go stargazing with her. It was something they do quite often and almost become a routine of theirs, Pallet Town's lack of pollution and factories just made it the perfect spot for seeing stars. But of course, he knew Xenia's intention of bringing him out to watch the star with her was anything but platonic.

"Mom I-" He halted his sentence when his mother handed him a spare blanket from the wardrobe. Fluffy and undeniably warm, Ash took the rather small blankets in his arms and stared at his mom who smiled at him.

"Here, take this blanket." He glanced at the red wool blanket that was undeniably comfy and warm, but the size was lacking to say the least. It could barely cover two people unless they squeeze together.

"It's a bit too small mom." Delia sighed and raised her finger, her son has much to learn when it comes to making moves.

"That's the point." Ash blinked at her blunt explanation before his face flushed red at the intent, man his mother is the helmwoman of this ship now isn't she? She crossed her arms beneath her breast and spoke in a strong motherly tone.

"The tea leaves are stored in a jar, in the cabinet next to the fridge, make sure you take the chamomile one. You know how to boil water right?" Ash was livid at how casual she made it sound, of course he knows how to boil water! How do you think he survived in Saffron? No, not when the zombie apocalypse happened but during his time as a student. Instant noodles, cup ramen and oatmeal, very complicated meals that require advanced knowledge of pouring hot water into a bowl.

"Yes! I know!" Huffed, he went to open the door to meet Xenia when his mother pressed the door to prevent him from opening. She sighed, did he not remember what he said to Xenia?

"Wait! Your mother is supposed to be outside isn't she? I will tell the others I am going to sleep early for the night then you can sneak out a few minutes later." Ash nodded in awe, his mother is really perceptive isn't she? No wonder she managed to get promotion after promotion, she is really detail oriented.

"Oh yeah I did say that, wow mom you're good at this." She patted his head and went to pick her clothes from the wardrobe. She was not oblivious to her son who stared at her ass for the entirety of their conversation and decided to arched forward to give him a better view as she chose her nightwear.

"Well I was young once, fooling around and trying to not get caught was always a fun experience. Now wait here, I will bring the tea leaves out for you just in case you take the wrong one." Fully dressed in her negligee, she straightened her hair with the comb and made sure she looked proper before stepping out, but not without giving Ash a little boop to his nose. The young man stared at the door she went to and sighed.

"Man, she still treats me like a little kid who messed things up easily." Half true and half baked, Ash still struggles to do things correctly. Obviously he wasn't perfect and his culinary skills are questionable, but Rosa had been very helpful in teaching him how to make breakfast and other easy to make food. He sat on his bed and patiently waited for his mother to come back, thinking about what Xenia wants to talk about when they sit underneath the blanket of stars.

It wasn't long when his mother came back and instantly placed two firm hands on his shoulders. She gave him one long hard stare, the sheer concentration and intensity of her gaze spoke of the gravity of the situation at hand.

"Ash, don't be afraid to push back, make some moves and assert your authority and set boundaries okay? Regardless of how you feel about her, stay on good terms with one another." The young man gripped his mother's hand and nodded, understanding that beyond their interpersonal relationship with one another, the group's survival also depends on their overall cooperation and bond.

"I will mom, Xenia is very important to me." The small genuine smile on him was all she needed to hear. She kissed his forehead and pulled him to the bed next to her, they still need to wait for a moment before he can leave.

"Good boy, now stay for a few minutes." Ash rolled his eyes over how seriously his mom was taking this, who knew that his mother would be the best wingwoman he could ever ask for eh?

---

The blanket of stars that pierce through the veil of night sky dazzled Xenia. She held her lap close to her with her eyes focused on the twinkling stars, different constellations darted across the sky though in all honesty, Xenia could never figure them out and appreciated the more simpler sights. The sound of the door opening brought a smile to Xenia, he is here just like he said he would.

"Hey Xenia, I brought tea and blankets." She turned around to face and smiled with her eyes closed. Ash regulated his breathing and wondered what he did to earn such a lovely sight. He sat down on the lush grassy fields and played down the tray of teapot and cups. Why his mother insisted on Chamomile tea is beyond him, perhaps it had something to do with lack of caffeine or it makes you sleepy? The teenager poured a cup of tea for the older lady and noted that she kept staring at him with a smile.

"Is something wrong?" She shook her head and glanced at the comfy blanket Ash bought. The Autumn night is particularly cold and windy, and it had always been Xenia's dream of sitting in front of a hearth while cuddling with a beloved. It was undeniably cheesy but she just loved the idea of someone she loves tenderly hugging her while they whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

"Nothing it's just- I'm glad you're here. Anyway! I promised you that I will tell you about the Rockets right?" Ash managed to hide his reaction, to discuss such a heavy topic during their supposed stargazing session is a little weird, but information is crucial especially with the blackout.

"Yeah, what about them?" Ash draped the blanket around Xenia and him, allowing the two to sit closer to one another with their shoulders pinning against each other. The turquoise haired officer sighed and sip on the cup of tea, how does she break the news to Ash regarding the Rockets?

"They are having a lot of infighting now to put it bluntly." That was news to Ash, he always thought that Team Rocket is like one united force led by a cruel dictator. Much of Team Rocket's organizational structure has been debated and talked about by scholars, but Ash suspects like any crime ring, power and money is the only thing that matters.

"So the Rockets are divided?" Xenia nodded along, leaning against the young man who seemed very interested in her story.

"Mhmm, there are many camps within the organization, I overheard that each of the Rockets admins are planning to take over once Giovanni leaves Viridian." To think Giovanni would leave Viridian… is that man insane? Here they are, stuck in the middle of an apocalypse where the situation is most dire and he intends to abandon his stronghold?

"Where is the traitor going?"

"Apparently to Sevii Island, it's their headquarters." Sevii Islands are not really known for everything, isolated and devoid of any economic advancement of infrastructure, the towns and villages there are a constant reminder of Kanto's rapidly depopulation and the growing number of elderly with no one to care for them. Frankly speaking, a sparsely populated place where the central government doesn't care about is the perfect location to set up a base for illicit activities.

"So that is where they've been hiding this entire time. Hmm I remember someone important and famous is native to Sevii too, can't remember." Xenia leaned onto his head and stared at the stars above, the young man must be thinking of Lady Lorelei. The Ice Type Mistress as people came to call her is equally strong and compassionate, an idol to all young girls alike, she embodies the cool yet calm nature of Ice types. Many young boys also look up to her, though it was mostly fueled by a perverse infatuation with the beautiful ice type mistress.

"You're thinking of Lorelei." He snapped his fingers, right Lorelei! How can he forget about that? He only saw her matches a handful times and he dreaded the idea of facing such a formidable foe. In addition to immobilizing her foes, ice types have insane defensive coverage and value in deciding the pace of battles. Against Offensive Speed oriented teams? Use hail to slow them down and reduce visibility then freeze them well. Against Defensive Stallers and Status Infliction teams? Use Mist and Safeguard to waste their turn and retaliate with Sheer Cold to instantly knock out the tankiest foe. Ice types are really strong as they are rare, so Ash really respects Lorelei for being able to master such graceful and elegant pokemon.

"I wonder how all the Elite 4 members are doing."

"I'm sure they are doing well, she's tough, don't worry." Ash wouldn't doubt that, if anything, the Elite 4 stands the greatest chance to survive and thrive too. Honestly, Lorelei's composure and aura reminds him a lot of Miss Roxanne, both are teachers and are very enthusiastic when it comes to passing down knowledge to students.

"She gives off Miss Roxanne vibes too." Xenia caught the longingness in his voice, he did mention her numerous times, attributing her to the reason why he is alive right now. But from how passionate and giddy he talks about her, Xenia presume they were close.

"Miss Roxanne? That's your teacher right?" Ash nodded at that, she is a very good teacher.

"Yeah." Xenia smirked and leaned her head next to him playfully.

"Are you close to her?" The image of the two holding one another in their half naked state was enough to make Ash's cheek flushed red. That was by far the first time he slept with a woman other than his own mother and it was his own teacher! He cleared his throat when Xenia's stare gradually grew closer, eager to squeeze any information he had regarding Miss Roxanne.

"I won't say that, but she looked after me when the outbreak first started. I would have been one of them if it weren't for her. She took care of me and the others." Laced with emotions, Ash's voice spoke of longingness and the desire to see her again. He gazed upon the sea of stars that flickered about, it reminded him where Miss Roxanne and him were hugging each other for warmth, staring at the same night sky as he did with a blissful smile on her face.

"I would have to thank her then." He nodded to Xenia's words, if fate is kind, then perhaps one day they would reunite with each other. Deep in his heart, he knew she is a strong woman capable of taking care of herself and others. He can only hope he can live up to her expectations.

"Yeah, I hope I get to see her and all of my friends again." Ah the boys, he ponders about their fate. No more late night gaming sessions, having pointless arguments on Discord and making a fool of themselves in public like the idiots they are. All of that and more is but a distant memory now, he dearly hopes they are reunited with their families again.

"You will Ash, don't worry." The reassuring smile from Xenia brought much solace and comfort to him, he leaned in and pulled her into his arms, catching her by surprise as she meekly sat between his legs. She gasped shyly when he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her from behind. Though she would have thrown a fit and asked Ash to explain itself, at this point they were past theatrics and putting on a show for each other now.

"Thank you Xenia." The soft whisper from her earned a smile, she leaned behind on his shoulder and sighed at the warm comforting embrace from him. Though it is no replacement for a fireplace, this was as close as it can get to her dream. The rhythmic breathing from each other was the only source of sound in the tranquil silence, Ash wasn't necessarily sure what he was doing but it felt nice hugging her like this, in a way he can't quite describe.

"Hey you two." Ash almost had a heart attack when he heard Rosa's voice. He slowly turned to face the house and found his face devoid of any color. He screamed internally over the risqué situation and quickly let go of Xenia, feigning ignorance by almost knocking the teapot and cups.

"Hi Rosa." Calm as ever, Xenia played cool and calm as a frantic Ash began to roll away from the scene with his legs to his chest. Rosa chuckled at his reaction, she couldn't help but to notice that her dear Xenia's cheek is red too.

"Mind if I join? Not the cuddles, you two can have it to yourself." Ash was physically dying on the inside, Arceus kill him right now. Rosa is absolutely the type of person to tease them relentlessly about their relationship and now being caught red-handed, the young Ketchum was certain that she would tell the whole wide world.

"Of course Rosa, and for the record, I don't mind sharing." The little wink from Xenia and the giggles the two girls shared made Ash question the esoteric and abstruse nature of life and why fate had pitted him against two girls who were capable of making him feel like an idiot more so than he already is. He sighed at their teasing and grumbled his way back to Xenia's side, Rosa eagerly sandwiched him next to Xenia and stared at the violet night sky above.

"Wah the night sky is so beautiful here." It was a sight they have gotten accustomed to for many nights, yet it was still as enchanting and captivating as the last. A starry night sky is the perfect setting for barbeque dinners, heartfelt confessions and proposing to your beloved. Honestly Rosa was interested in writing stories just to pass time.

"Mhmm, Pallet Town is famous for stargazing, it's something I always did when I was a kid." The vivid memories of his younger self sneaking out the bedroom window to sit on the roof to stare at the stars were numerous. His mother never caught him doing the act until one day she did, instead of reprimanding however, she made him promise that whenever he wanted to watch the stars, he would tell her and she would always join him in the stargazing sessions. Awesome mom. He placed two hands on the grass and noticed Rosa's sudden downcast expression, is she okay?

"You alright Rosa?" The rose haired nurse smiled and nodded, she huddled closer to a blanketed Ash and leaned against his body for much needed warmth and comfort.

"Just feeling homesick." Xenia understood her feelings completely, it's been nearly two months since they were cast into the apocalypse. It was a miracle that made it this far without going mental.

"I know how you feel, I want to return home to Kalos too. I miss Lumiose City and its tasty crepes. Ugh, the strawberry crepes were to die for." At the mention of desserts, Rosa's mood perked up considerably. As a sweet tooth and a self-proclaimed dessert connoisseur, it was absolutely her duty to try everything sweet and yummy under the sun. Sadly, her escapades ended when adult life and responsibility came into the picture, a fate that many had succumbed to.

"I always wanted to try the parfaits in Kalos, every time I scroll on Instagram I get so jealous of people eating them." Xenia grinned with pride at the mention of her native region. Kalos is by all means not perfect, but there is one thing they get it right and that is pastries and desserts.

"Oh man, the parfaits are amazing. I know a very famous patisserie in Lumiose, only tried it once but to this day, I still remember the taste." With queues stretching across three different blocks, Xenia had to wait three hours just to have a bite of its luxury. Now was the parfait worth the three hours wait? Absolutely not. Would she do it again? Absolutely.

Rosa sighed at Xenia's drooling expression and laid on the grassy fields to enjoy the cool crisp wind. Kalos seemed so far from her reach now, in fact everywhere else besides Pallet Town is all so far away.

"Now you made me want to go to Kalos even more now. I actually planned to use all of my annual leaves for my year end trip before everything went downhill." Ash was mildly concerned about how down Rosa sounded. Though he didn't want to be overly concerned, a negative outlook and pessimism does not bold well for morale and their overall survival. Fortunately, Xenia came clutch as always as she poked Rosa's cheek to cheer her up.

"Well we might not be able to go to Kalos, but~ how about I bring the taste of Kalos to Pallet? I may not look like it, but I'm a pretty good patissier." Rosa and Ash stared at her incredulously, how talented is this woman? Woodcraft, self-defense, radio tampering and now a patissier? People from Kalos are built different aren't they?

"Really?" The turquoise haired lady chuckled at their unison and nodded. The Jenny family are very fond of family gatherings, so cooking and gift-giving come hand in hand when it comes to welcoming family members. Although ingredients are difficult to get now because of factories and farms no longer working, the pre-existing stuff like sugar and flour should be easy to get a hold on.

"Mhmm! Ingredients are a little hard to come by now, but I'm sure I'm able to create something equally as authentic!" The young man was certainly blessed with these amazing women by his side, all of them excel in so many fields and always look after each other. Perhaps his mother's generous offer should not go unwasted to those who cannot appreciate their finer qualities…

'Damn it I'm way too worked up to think straight.' He sighed inwardly at his primal instincts consuming him whole, he needed to get out of here to clear his head. He glanced at the tea cups and noticed that Rosa is in dire need of one.

"I will go refill the tea and get an extra cup for you Rosa, be right back." Xenia poured the remaining tea into her cup and waved to the young lad. As he walked back to Oak's lab, she turned to Rosa who shifted her demeanor considerably once the young man was out of sight.

"Xenia, have you told Ash about Viridian yet?" The police officer place down her cup and gave a curt nod.

"Yes but not the full picture, just about their infighting. I don't want to ruin his morale after we thwarted the infected in Route 1." The head nurse of Pallet loosened her ponytail hair to let it down naturally. Her eyes staring at the tall palisade walls that kept them safe throughout their time here, their adorable little Sentret can be seen scurrying between outpost to outpost while Growlithe patrolled the walls with its heightened senses.

"Realistically, how long does Viridian have?" No more beating around the bush, Xenia crossed her arms and sighed at how much had transpired over the past few days.

"Lack of leadership, infighting among subordinates, corruption, I give the Rockets a week max. There are alarming reports of a large amount of infected pokemon gathering outside the walls of Viridian, it's like they knew when to take advantage of the situation." Rosa raised her eyebrows, so the infected are indeed acting like a hive mind, just like Aurea said they would. It would explain how they are able to take down Vermillion so quickly, almost as if they have an insider exposing the city's moment of weakness and vulnerability.

"Does Ash know about Vermillion yet?" Xenia shook her head, that was one secret she intends to keep it to her grave.

"No, and we should keep it that way." The young nurse bit her lower lip and sat closer to Xenia, her voice barely above a whisper as she went to hug her for much needed support.

"Xenia… I'm scared." The staunch policewoman held her close, rubbing her back to comfort her as she too struggles to cope with their rapidly unfolding reality. Should Viridian City truly fall to the infected, then the spillover of the infected would rampage their way to Pallet Town. It would not take long for the horde to gather outside their walls and tear down their defenses in a matter of seconds.

"I know, I'm scared too Rosa but we need to pull ourselves together. Delia and Aurea have not been in the best of mood lately, Ash definitely knows something is up. Honestly speaking, I don't know how much time we have left. If Viridian falls, the domino effect would spill over to us. It's not good news if the Rockets fall, at least right now they are a buffer that can absorb the pressure. Big cities attract hordes, small towns attract strays. We already have so much trouble dealing with them in Route 1 and that is without infected pokemon. A whole city worth of infected is-" She halted her words when Ash was walking back to them. She sighed and squeezed Rosa's hand before letting go of her, they can talk about this in private.

"Here you go Rosa." The pretty nurse accepted the warm cup of tea in her hands and allowed Ash to sit between them. She was indeed scared of the future but for now, the comforting presence of her dear friends was enough to make her feel safe and secured.

"Thank you Ash." He gave a thumbs up and sipped on his tea, letting out a long sigh once he finished his cup in one gulp. The trio continued to stare at the stars, exchanging conversation and pondering about their future, yet as time slowly passed with every conversation and topic, a yawning Rosa and a drowsy Xenia meant it was time to hit the hay.

"It's getting late, we should get some rest." Ash sighed inwardly, he is not sleepy at the slightest and he already has 6 hours of sleep, what can he possibly do now?

'Maybe I will read a book or something.' The nightlight in their room was dim enough where it wouldn't wake his mother. Maybe he should use his pokedex to do research too? Yes, that was the most preferable way to pass time, research more on survival guides or how to prepare for a zombie apocalypse, there should be an abundance of those in the internet archives.

Thus with the monumental task ahead of him, he went to Aurea's office and kindly asked back for his Pokedex, only to realize the poor scientist was sleeping on her desk again. He sighed at her overworking nature and scooped her up in his arms before making his way towards her bed and laying her down. Undoubtedly she was taller than him but Ash's rugged strength had grown since he came to Pallet Town, no longer the scrawny little kid incapable of carrying logs and furniture, now he was rivaling Makuhita's strength and finesse! Okay that last part was a lie but he was getting stronger and that's all it matters to him!

"Aurea you can't keep working like this." He shot a disapproving look to the snoozing Unovan and loosened into a smile, he covered her lower body with a blanket before leaving the room with the pokedex in hand. Of course, he failed to notice the smile forming on her face as he closed the door.

'Hmm?' Echoed across the hallway was the voice of Xenia and his mother talking to one another, from the sound of the intonation and inflections of their voices, it sounded as if the two were arguing with one another. He slowly hid behind one of the empty rooms of the hallway and listened closely to their conversation. What on earth are they talking about that got them so heated?

"Delia, now that we cleared out the other rooms in the laboratory. There are spare rooms available, you don't have to share with Ash." The young man felt his heart pounding rapidly, did Xenia suspect something between his mom and him? Arceus, did she know his mother was hiding in the closet just now!?

"Having him by my side made me feel at ease, I don't mind sharing a room with him." The meek and soft tone from his mom made his stomach flutter now. It was nice knowing that he can provide succor and comfort to her by being by her side. An audible sigh from Xenia and her voice sound strained and angry?

"I understand, but he is essentially an adult now, it's inappropriate for someone his age to share a bed with his mother."

"I know but-"

"I don't mind sleeping with mom. Is it a problem Xenia?" The tone laced with ice from Ash spooked the occupants of Pallet. Xenia noted the subtle edge of his voice and the displeased look in his otherwise warm hazel brown eyes. There was no doubt about it, he overheard their conversation and was not pleased with it.

"No no of course not Ash! If it's okay with you then it's fine, it's just well-" Seeing an inevitable conflict would occur, Rosa tugged both of Ash and Xenia's hand and let out a bright cheery smile.

"Uh let's go to sleep now alright? We are all tired, good night Delia! Night Ash!" The mother and son duo entered their rooms soon after with a disgruntled Rosa placing both hands on her hips. She turned to Xenia and sighed at her how embarrassed and quiet she is now. Of all the times to raise the issue, she chose to raise it now?

"Xenia, that came out a little strong don't you think?" The police officer scoffed and sat on the living room couch with her arms crossed. The way Delia dressed told her everything, that nightwear is way too revealing and scandalous for sleeping with her own son!

"You saw the way she dressed, what was that?" Tethering on the edge between concern and jealousy, Xenia was fuming over what appears to be improper conduct between mother and son. For Rosa however, she was indifferent towards what Delia was wearing as it was her room and Ash didn't seem like he was complaining, if anything she was sure the young man loved the idea of his mother being comfortable around him.

"She just feels comfortable around him." Xenia rolled her eyes at the reasoning.

"It's weird."

"I understand but let's not make this an issue. I know how you feel about Ash but- there's no need to accuse them of anything that can ruin our relationship." The Kalos native sighed at Rosa's calm and collected composure. She knew better that the two were close and she is okay with them showing a little affection with one another, but in her view Delia is just mollycoddling her son.

"You're right, the two are probably just glad they are together again. I'm sorry, it's just- he means a lot to me. Seeing Delia still treating Ash like a little child is stifling Ash's independence and growth." Rosa didn't see it that way, in her view Delia is treating her son like a man, expecting him to deliver on certain aspects like their safety and security. As for the little skinship, Rosa supposed that Delia was exposing her son to more mature topics that requires a delicate mother's touch, or they could end up fucking with one another who knows?

"You're not the only one who feels that way, and I personally do not think Delia is doing that. But, if the two do end up, you know, then we should have a proper discussion about it." The silence that accompanied soon after from Rosa was met with a serious and stern expression on Xenia's face. She glanced at the room where Ash and Delia slept, before turning to the nurse who stared back at her with her eyes shifting away.

"You knew?" The soft whisper from her police officer earned a sigh, of course she knew about the two. In fact, she was near certain that everyone knows.

"How can I not, the walls aren't soundproof. The amount of times the two disappeared to the showers together is absurd." Xenia scoffed, she didn't need to be reminded of that. Everytime, every time she passed by the showers she swore she would hear a feminine giggle or moan escaping from the running waters. Ash is always nowhere to be seen and he would always smell like fresh scented lavender whenever it was Delia's turn to shower despite the fact that he would only shower at night. At first she thought- well she thought the behavior was totally unacceptable but now with Rosa agreeing with her, they knew that their relationship went beyond sleeping in the same bed.

"I thought I was the only one who thought- ugh. You think Aurea knows?" Rosa only nodded to her question. The astute professor had always teased how close the mother and son duo are with one another, there was no way she didn't know.

"Of course she does, she is always awake at night." Xenia leaned behind the sofa and stared at the ceiling. What do you do when your supposed crush is in a relationship with his own mother? Dear Xerneas, please give her the strength to do what's right.

"What do we do?" The defeat in her tone just made Rosa leaned her head onto her hand, as far as she knew, the two weren't hurting each other. If Delia was grooming Ash or abusing him, it would have been obvious by the conduct or the noise they make at night. No, so far Ash's confidence and charisma have increased by leaps and bounds since he first came.

"Let them be, they aren't hurting anyone. Well, except you anyway." The dig at her feelings towards Ash was totally uncalled for!

"Shut it, and don't act like you don't like him too. Seriously, hugging him from behind just to teach him how to cut vegetables?" Rosa looked away and feigned ignorance, she had no idea what Xenia was talking about.

"I'm just teaching him how to cook." The Kalos beauty grumbled and covered her face with her hands, to think the infection and food security would be easier to deal with than this dramatic fiasco. She let out a long frustrated groan, what in Xerneas name does she do now? Rosa extended a sigh and sat next to Xenia, patting her shoulders before giving a curt answer.

"Xenia, you have no grounds to judge them either. Ash is only-"

"I know, I know. An Officer Jenny having feelings for a 15 year old? My family would have disowned me and locked me behind bars without batting an eye." Rosa winced at how bitter Xenia sounded. The painful truth was just laid out like that, a police officer having a romantic interest in a minor was just an inexcusable offense. Their age gap might just be five years, but Ash was still a minor even considering the mature and outstanding feats he was capable of. Personally, Rosa never thought ill of Xenia for liking Ash despite the questionable moral dilemma, in fact she thought it was natural for the two to like each other after all the faith and trust they put in with one another. She personally finds it cute.

"We're free to do whatever we want now Xenia, am I not talking about breaking societal taboos or the law here. We're no longer chained to our family expectations." Xenia's lips curled upwards when Rosa leaned and hugged her arms like a needy Skitty. Though the last part may be alienating to others, for Xenia she perfectly understood Rosa's sentiments fully.

"More than Joys and Jennies?" The Nurse Joy nodded glumly.

"Mhmm, you know how it is right? Every Joy and Jenny would always dream of becoming something more, someone different but in the end, we would all go back to fulfilling our roles. I always wanted to become a trainer, traveling between different regions and seeing different sights! But duty and family comes hand in hand, I was forced to give up my dream to become a Nurse Joy. I've never hate the idea but-"

"You wish you had a choice." The sympathetic look from Xenia just validated all of Rosa's feelings, part of her always felt like she was a coward for wishing to step out of familial duties and responsibilities, so it was nice to know Xenia feels the same way too. She grasped her hand and held it firmly, letting Xenia know that she is always right with her.

"Tell him how you feel okay? No matter what happens, Ash will still treat you the same." Xenia averted her gaze, it was embarrassing enough when Rosa realized her crush on him, now she actively roots and supports her now. But the young Jenny also questioned if Rosa also had feelings for Ash too, the many moments of the two laughing and spending time together when preparing breakfast seems to be the highlight of her day.

"Same could be said for you Rosa." The young nurse chuckled and waved off the all-knowing tone from Xenia. She was sadly mistaken for her teasing for Ash as infatuation.

"Unlike you I don't have any serious feelings for him, it's more like he is the only guy here and I have no other way of showing my affection you know? I'm just teasing him. Now, if there was another random stud then things would be different." Xenia raised her eyebrows, maybe Rosa was into the more wild ones compared to Ash. Her prim and proper appearances asides, Rosa could be absolutely wild and unhinged in their private conversations, almost as if she was trapping a part of her to keep up the pure and innocent reputation that all Nurse Joys have.

"So what I'm hearing is Ash is not enough of a stud for you." Joy rolled her eyes over the teasing tone, by all means Rosa didn't think Ash was boring or uninteresting. On the contrary, a teenager has a thing for his own mother, is anything but conventional or boring, but the young man is way too sweet and in her eyes, nice for someone like her. He looks up to her a lot and it would feel wrong to try anything to him.

"He's like a little brother to me, it's hard to see him as something more you know? So don't worry about competition, I don't have feelings for him." Just as Xenia was about to add on, she caught wind of a figure approaching them from a corner, the fashionable scientist coat and the unique hair told her everything already.

"So it's a competition now eh?" The Unovan spoke with her hand on her hips, an excited grin plastered on her face as she eagerly sat down next to them.

"Aurea, how long have you been eavesdropping?" She shrugged and crossed her legs, she had just woken up from her nap after hearing all the commotion from Ash and Xenia.

"I wasn't eavesdropping, I just happened to overhear the entire conversation by accident." The mere eyeroll from the Joy and Jenny duo made her chuckle, she really likes small gossips like these. Xenia sighed and crossed her arms, resting her expression into a more serious one befitting of the topic of the conversation.

"You think Delia and Ash are together?" Aurea nodded with a pensive expression, no point playing dumb or dancing around the matter, they would need to come up with a resolution and answer to this delicate and fragile issue.

"In an incestous relationship? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. The boy's oedipus complex and interest for older women is very obvious, one look at Delia and you could tell where he got his interests from." Blunt as ever, Xenia expected nothing less from the observant scientist. Delia is a very beautiful woman and with almost all of Pallet Town's men actively trying to court her, how she maintained her single status for so long baffled all of them. Did she really have her eyes set on her own son for the longest of time? Or was she just indifferent towards the idea of dating again?

"What should we do?" Aurea dismissed Xenia's serious tone, this was nothing to sleep or brain cells about, at least compared to the myriad of other more pressing issues.

"Nothing, let it be. Truth to be told, I've already asked Delia about this in private, she had already confessed that Ash and her are indeed in a relationship." Rosa jerked upwards, Delia had already revealed the truth to her? So the Pallet Town mother trusts Aurea more than the two of them who have been around longer than her? Talk about playing favorites here!

"She told you? She must trust you a lot." Aurea picked up the subtle signs of jealousy from Rosa and sighed inwardly, she didn't have time to entertain melodramas right now.

"Not really, I just happened to overhear the two fooling around late at night. I approached Delia in the morning and well, she just told me everything. The guilt must be getting to her, she never liked keeping secrets." The tears, the cracking voice and the guilty expressions, Xenia had never felt so sorry and sympathetic to someone before. After hearing the single mother's story, she could understand where she is coming from given the man she loved abandoned her when she needed financial and emotional support the most. Family and friends that once revered her left her in disdain and she was forced to raise Ash alone in a town that she never knew. Yet thankfully, Oak and the residents of Pallet Town were all very kind and generous to the young mother. Now, the town they grew up in lies barren and in a state of disrepair and decay, with many of the residents dead or missing.

"How did she take it?" Aurea broke her train of thought and sat more upright.

"I didn't judge her and just listened. Look, I know it's an uncomfortable topic to be around but so far I don't see signs of abuse from both parties. Ash is- well let's be honest here, already more mature than most of us here. If he is old enough to launch an offensive against hordes of infected, help rebuild his hometown after its devastation and lead a bunch of adults through this hellscape, I think we should give him credit that he is more than capable of deciding what kind of relationship he wants with others." The silence from the two ladies was surprising, but Xenia seemed to struggle for a moment and let down a defeated sigh.

"But with his own mother?" The low tone of disbelief from Xenia was understandable, but Aurea must caution that Ash is not mentally deranged or desperate. She does understand how unacceptable and disgusting the concept of incest is, news regarding it is always about abuse and sexual exploitation, not to mention the fact of birth defects and societal taboos. But, she genuinely believes that so long as it's consensual and the two do not show signs of danger to others, the Pallet Town community can be more forgiving to the concept of two souls who love each other in a world of uncertainty.

"I understand that, but in times of uncertainty Ash has chosen someone he finds solace and familiarity in, it can't be helped. Both of them had always relied on each other before this and this apocalypse had brought them together again, their relationship is out of genuine love and care for each other. Or are you vexed that Ash would rather choose his own mother over you?" The forward tone made Xenia cross her arms bitterly, refusing to meet the cold gray eyes of Aurea who showed no sense of emotion or faltering. Stoic and calm, she clapped her hands together and continued with her legs crossed one another.

"Let's just continue as if nothing has happened or we find a resolution to our problems and talk it out. Frankly speaking, I'm happy with the arrangements we have here. Please don't ruin what we have built together because of personal feelings. I know that you feel jealous and maybe bitter, but you have to think more rationally about this. We only have each other to rely on, no one else. We can be a little lenient with the rules established here, so as long as they practice proper safe sex and boundaries, they can do whatever they want." In truth, Rosa and Xenia expected such calm and logical thinking from Aurea. Even if they were against the idea of Ash and Delia's union, what could they realistically do? They can't expel them out of their own hometown and Ash would surely fight back with every ounce of vigor and fiber to protect his mother. They couldn't forcefully separate them either because Ash would just assert his authority as de facto leader of Pallet. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Xenia knew that have to sit down and chat like proper adults regarding this fragile manner.

"You're right Aurea. I think we should sit down and talk to them in an open manner. Let them know that we are aware of their relationship and we are okay with it. It's incest and it's very wrong but- they are happy at least. Most incest cases occurs because of abuse, power dynamics or simply put, a lack of suitable romantic options. I doubt the two have any of those issues." Rosa wouldn't discount any of those factors, no matter how sweet and cordial the two are on the surface, what goes beyond the intimacy in their bedrooms is still something they do not know fully. For all intents and purposes, they would have to monitor Ash and Delia's mood and relationship to ensure it's truly safe for both parties.

"Lack of suitable partners might be one factor of concern, especially right now." The Unova professor understood Rosa's sentiments, but she felt the issue of gender imbalance in their community would mostly affect them.

"I am aware of that Rosa, but that issue applies to us more so to Delia or Ash. Frankly speaking, we like Ash because he is the only person around to be liked. Of course if you swing both ways then you have more options but as far as we know, he is the only male here." In times of emotional distress, people tend to bond with others very quickly. They were not naive to the fact Ash's status as the only virile male in Pallet Town would eventually cause issues down the line, especially for their overall long term planning. Aurea has a hunch that rebuilding society and repopulating Kanto would be a mandate rather than a choice.

"I'm not that desperate to be in a relationship with a minor." The Unovan academic grunted at Rosa's quiet and pensive expression, this was indeed a strange and uncomfortable topic, but it was best to get it out away as quickly as possible.

"Neither am I, but we can't pin our hopes that society would go back to normal as if nothing had happened before. This would take such a long time, until then I'm perfectly fine flying solo. Naturally as our group expands, we will hopefully find more male survivors who is mentally sane and capable but right now, I like our little ragtag group." Xenia herself was not looking forward to the idea of welcoming more members, the issue of accommodation, food security and water scarcity would become a vital concern. Bigger groups means more conflict between members of different interests and backgrounds, and given their lack of firearms or security measures, this would be just another headache added to the list of hassles.

"Alright, if all of you are so level-headed about this, then I have no objections either. We should find a time to sit down and discuss in an open and civil manner with them." Aurea grinned and clasped her hands together, she was glad that the two would see it her way. She could only hope that when they do sit down for the inevitable awkward as hell conversation, Ash can maintain his cool. While he is mature and composed for boys of his age, when it comes to his mother he could absolutely lose it and lash out angrily.

"Yes, that would be good for everyone's sake. Don't worry Xenia, I'm sure Delia won't mind sharing her little boy with you." The livid look from the officer's face made her slam the coffee table with force of a Machamp, she glared daggers at the cackling professor and felt the glowing red blush of embarrassment tingling her cheeks.

"A-Aurea!" Maintaining the faintest of pleasure at teasing her dear friend, Aurea leaned behind the sofa and hugged one of the cushions.

"What? She told me herself she's okay with it so long as Ash gives the greenlight. Honestly, I won't mind joining in the fray if Ash tries anything on me." How Aurea could say that with a straight face and nonchalant expression was perplexing to the two. They stared at her with displeased eyes, one out of jealousy and the other out of concern from the young man over the apparently cougarlike situation he found himself in.

"Don't look at me like that, he's a nice young man who actively looked after me throughout my time here. We're going to be stuck together for a very long time, so getting to know each other on a deeper level won't hurt. The fact he was very excited to talk about my work in pokemon research and told me that he used many of my materials for his academics studies makes me very happy, other than my close associates in Cinnabar, no one else really talks about my field of work or appreciates all the hard work I put into them. Most of the men who are interested in me are either clout leeches or old men who think I would sleep with them to further my career. Ash is nice and sweet, really dashing with his suit and jacket too. Sometimes he would check up on me at night and let me lean on him, the way he hug me and tell me how good of a job I'm doing is just so-" The professor's tone went from professional, to soft and endearing, to sultry delight real quick as she recounted the memories of Ash checking up on her at night. The dazed expression on Aurea made Xenia physically cover her ears and closed her eyes.

"Okay, okay we hear you! We don't need to hear how a 15 year old teenager turns you on." Says the hypocrite who has feelings for the said 15 year old! Aurea leaned forward and flickered Xenia's nose with her fingers, how dare she judge her when she is in the same boat as she is?

"Well pardon me then! I'm just being open, we can hear your side of the story then Xenia!" The officer conducted evasive maneuvers and skillfully dismissed the topic by maintaining a strong and proud expression.

"No, it's okay. I would prefer to keep those thoughts to myself. Delia would kill me if she knew what we were doing this afternoon-" Xenia bit her tongue lightly at that very instant, nearly revealing the raunchy body wiping service she gave to Ash. At that very moment, she felt two pairs of gleaming eyes of undying curiosity staring right at her before she made the decisive decision to bolt out of the living room and into the safety of her room.

"XENIA! Come back here!"