When Alex woke up he scratched his chin expecting the usual feel of the stubble that began to grow but was surprised to feel the hairs were a lot softer, "right the bath" he thought to himself turning over to see if he could wake up Nina or Scorch for a bottle after the events last night he didn't feel like he could stomach solids this morning but still wanted something to keep his gut from feeling hollow.
The blush that haunted him every day returned when he came face to face with Nina's breasts, something Alex noticed is that every day more pokemon had altered appearances that he had thought just surface level but very clearly from what he was staring at became biological. Secondary sex characteristics like breasts on pokemon like gardevoir often contained no detail with things like nipples becoming noticeable to the human eye after the pokemon has laid an egg, but as far as Alex was aware Nina had never laid an egg yet both tits were the size of his head and why had she gone to bed shirtless?
He felt stupid for falling asleep in Scorch's arms but then recalled the fact every time he woke up in their bed she was usually facing away from him, it dawned in his head that she always slept commando. "Morning baby boy," Nina said softly before sitting up and stretching her arms "what's got you all flustered? Need another change?"
"N-no but I do have something to ask" Alex said nervously as Nina went and put on a dressing gown before picking him up and floating out of the room, "ask away but I too have something to ask" Nina said as they glided down the stairs "think I could just have a bottle this morning? I honestly don't think my stomach can handle anything this morning" Alex asked looking up at her.
"Then we should pack a few extra diapers today then but sure" Nina said and Alex stared up at her puzzled "well your question?" "Ah right that," Nina said with a blush "I know you were asked that if you would prefer if the milk came from me and Jessy instead of the indeedee just to get you to actually drink it, but would you actually prefer if it came from us?"
Regardless of how much the order of things were changed even after the psychic types plot and take over of the governments what Nina was asking was still extremely weird as a lot of humans wouldn't of had a choice in the matter, sure any Pokemon families with money could just buy milk fit for humans even normal store milk would do but for some that had a slight obsession with the intimacy of caring for adult humans a good portion like the milk to come from them.
Alex stammered at both how brazen of what she was asking as well as the idea of actually doing it felt genuinely insane, 2 years ago a grown man drinking from a baby bottle regardless of the milks origin would have been weird but with it being the new form of normality he genuinely found himself asking himself if he wanted it to come from his gardevoir and lopunny.
Bracing himself for the reply he just let his mouth answer and said "with full honesty? Yes" then closed his eyes genuinely expecting to be slapped but the only thing he was slapped with was a kiss on the forehead, "Then we will stop in the village on the way back to pop by the chemists" Nina said gently before taking Alex to get his bottle.
After Alex's short breakfast followed by being left with an indeedee to watch him in the function room whilst he watched TV as everyone else had their breakfast him, Scorch and Nina were in the caravan on their way into town.
It didn't take as long as usual but when the caravan stopped Alex woke himself up from the nap he took along the way stretching he asked what they were doing in town. "2 things actually," Scorch said unlocking the prams breaks "1st off we gotta pick up your temporary prosthetics they will be extremely simple but at least we can try to get you learning how to walk again."
The idea of learning how to walk again was incredibly appealing to Alex as much as he enjoyed scuttling along the ground (which he didn't) he would prefer even a pair of logs shaped like legs to crawling. It was the other thing that came out of Scorch's mouth that snapped Alex out of his train of thought, "the second is the hunters agency wants us to actually physically show you to collect your bounties" Scorch said getting Alex to stare daggers at him.
"I thought you had that covered" Alex said as Nina pushed the pram out towards a conventional appearing block of offices with the name "Rosalins Rise" emblazoned on the building in chunky metal letters, "I thought I did," Scorch said as they got to a set of doors that slid open for the family "but to prove we actually have you our boss has to actually SEE you since 1 human having 2 bounties by mistake isn't exactly common" he adds smoothing out his fur.
When the family went in Alex's eyes automatically began scanning for threats but mostly saw office workers both human and pokemon alike, the human hunter agents were obvious wearing some sort of suit with a plate carrier almost always accompanied by some sort of much larger pokemon but the pokemon agents just looked like normal pokemon.
"How many did you guys bring in?" Alex asked feeling both their eyes stare at him for a second then look away, "together we think we may of bagged about 287 alive including you most being grunts from team Rocket, Flare, Yell even picked up a Galactic straggler" Nina said getting a look from Alex. "Before you say it we had no idea what a team Galactic agent was doing outside of Sinnoh but he did put up a fight" Scorch said giving a level of respect to the runaway.
"Names please," said a tired looking Persian receptionist before looking up at the two "Ah mister and misses Trix a pleasure" she added getting up then looking over her desk to look down at Alex, "And what do we have here?" She said in a very curious grandmotherly tone Alex guessed was trying to be calming but all it did was conjure ideas of her smoking so many cigarettes it would make a train jealous of the emissions.
"How many packs have you been through today?" Alex asked bluntly hating the smell of her breath and when Nina kneeled down raising a finger to scold him but she stopped before most of his first name parted her lips as the receptionist let out a wheeze of a laugh, "you two know how to pick them, I thought when you guys said you were taking in a human to raise you would have picked a cute little girl that would just do as you said" she said before plopping herself back in her seat.
"Watch out Scorch you got one with larger balls than yours," She said calming her laughter before regaining composure "Anyway what can I do for you.. three today" Scorch and Nina looked at each other then at Alex then nodding looked right back at the receptionist. "We are here to claim 2 bounties under orders of the boss" Nina said as Scorch nodded getting a confused look from the Persian, "name the bounties" She said pulling up her keyboard "Alexander Edwards and the Rifleman bounties please" Nina said leaning against the desk.
"Those two? Says here you need to actually bring him here but have you?" the receptionist said and Alex slowly let his arm creep up and give a weak wave, "yup that would be me… both of those are me" he said with a weak and sheepish smile he has not used since he was in secondary school. "THAT is the Rifleman?" the receptionist said confused getting a nod from both Pokeparents, "please proceed to the bosses office taking the lift up to the 10th floor last door on the right you know the drill" she said as the family walked off.
"Ok at what point should I piss myself in fear?" Alex asked as the lift went up "well if we prove it's you the only thing they want to chase you on is illegal possession of a firearm, theft, breaking and entering, trespass and of course what can legally be called mercenary work" Scorch said listing the charges off on his fingers. "And I didn't have police escort because?" Alex asked rolling his hand to indicate to continue the explanation, "because we made a deal that if we proved you and the Rifleman are the same person we can have the charges dropped if we adopted you from then on we take full responsibility for any of your future actions" Nina said with Alex's eyes taking a level of understanding.
"Sooo legally speaking I am considered?" Alex asked with Nina giving a smile "a little cutie" she said giving him a kiss on the forehead as the lift opened up allowing the family through into the wide corridor, the walls were covered in pot plants and various pictures of wanted notable runaway's with capture status under each. As they travelled through the corridor Alex noticed one for the Rifleman declaring identity is unknown, status unknown which filled him with the dread of what was going to happen but also the odd curiosity of how much money was he worth to them?
"Come in, please" came a deep throated voice followed by a chuckle, "Mister Bloomer good to see you" Scorch and Nina said in a combined joyful tone and smile as Alex laid his eyes on the Venasaur sat behind a desk. "Good you're both here and gosh who's this little one?" mister Bloomer said lowering his desk into the ground so he could have a better look at Alex, "sir this is Alexander Trix formerly Alexander Edwards and the Rifleman" Nina said before looking down and seeing Alex was terrified.
"Sorry little one I know big pokemon like me can be a bit intimidating," mister Bloomer said gesturing with one of his vines "but I wouldn't hurt a fly but I do have some questions for you like would you, like a chocolate?" he said in a tone much more befitting a friendly grandfather as he used a vine to offer a bowl of various wrapped chocolates. Digging through the bowl Alex found a milk chocolate one then squeezed it until it popped out of its wrapper and into his mouth, "now get him out of that pram poor thing needs his mummy I think" Bloomer said raising his desk back up as Nina picked up Alex and the trio took their seats.
"Now let's see here do you prefer Alexander or Alex?" Bloomer asked "Alex" Alex answered resting the side of his head on Nina's shoulder, "ok Alex," Bloomer said as Alex's eyes rotated back towards the venasaur "so if some of the questions I ask get a bit much for you just say so and I can skip them, plus don't think you're on trial here they brought you specifically so you don't have to" Bloomer said preparing his keyboard.
"Lets start with something only the Rifleman would know," Bloomer said looking at the family Alex in particular "the Rifleman is known for being able to get into and out of town without being detected, how?" Nina looked at Alex questioningly "Yea now that he brings it up how did you get into Motostoke without us picking up you were there?" Nina asked calmly.
"Old train tunnels, I sort of just pick up information as time goes on but I saw that the tunnels were closed off not filled in so all I did was find an open spot then I could travel for miles without being seen even by psychic types scanning the surface" Alex said getting an impressed nod from Bloomer.
"Resourceful, now you said you looked for an open spot where exactly is it?" Bloomer asked and Alex blushed "the one I hid in for a year was an abandoned train station I am not sure where when I needed stuff I just followed the directions on the stations map" Alex admitted with Bloomer giving another nod as Nina rubbed his back.
"How would you say the living arrangements were?" Bloomer asked and Alex took a moment to think, it has not been very long since his new life had started yet his old one on the run felt like a century ago. "Bad.." Alex said simply comparing the two stages of his life "the station had no heating, used clothes literally twice my age for blankets and an old locomotive that by some miracle still worked for power."
"Food and drink?" Bloomer asked a look of concern spreading on his face as he eyed the skinny boy with Nina's and Scorch's faces taking on their own, "what ever I could find in the surrounding woods for food though I dared not to fire my rifle so close to my hiding spot not unless I HAD to so very little food" Alex said stressing the word 'had' giving Bloomer the idea that Alex was focusing on survival rather than personal gain.
"The Rifleman is known to of broken into and taken goods from several food shops around town, what items would you of taken if you were the Rifleman?" Bloomer asked and Alex looked puzzled at him, "Broken in?" Alex asked annoyed "I picked the lock I broke nothing also I paid for those items I did not just take them" he said as Nina's hand crept up and down his side in an attempt to sooth his rising temper.
"That actually answered that question a lot more than just what items, I guess you are the Rifleman then" Bloomer said as Nina calmed Alex down, "do I get to keep the nickname? I kinda like it 'The Rifleman'" Alex said letting the nickname echo off his tongue getting a laugh from the pokemon. "You sure can once you get a firearms licence though speaking of," Bloomer said sliding the bowl of chocolates back towards Alex letting the human have another square of milk chocolate "now we can approve for any charges brought against you to be dropped due to lack of malicious intent and the 'Runaway Survivor' doctrine" Bloomer added giving a gentle giants smile.
"The what?" Alex asked in a curious tone that to his chagrin sounded childlike, "basically because you felt like you HAD to do those things in order to survive plus lack of proof of you doing it because you wanted to, you get protection under the law as a 'Runaway Survivor'" Bloomer said getting a smile from Alex.
"Mama?" Alex asked getting a look from Nina and a smile from Bloomer "yes sweetie?" Nina replied with her usual friendly look, "do I get to keep the money they put on my head? It literally has my name on it" Alex said getting a shocked look from Nina and a laugh from both Scorch and Bloomer.
"Calls you mama then asks for pocket money? HA! that is actually funny, though I got a meeting to be preparing for lovely having you here" Bloomer said shaking Nina and Scorches hands before giving Alex a pat on the head, Alex wouldn't admit or let it register on his face but not only has he gotten used to being patted on the head but actually started to enjoy it.
When the family left the building Alex found himself being strapped back into the pram and Cinder was gone, "why isn't he here?" Scorch asked getting a cheeky smile from Nina "thought we could use the exercise" she said. "Exercise? Coming from the pokemon who literally uses her powers to move about" Scorch said shaking his head, "Can't have my honey bunny becoming a chubby bunny" Nina said patting Scorch on the cheek before getting a mock gag from Alex "if you two love birds are done I would like to ensure any arguments I have actually have a leg to stand on" Alex said getting a nod from the two.
"Well we can at least use public transport to get to the hospital walking there from here has always been a pain" Scorch said getting a nod from Nina "that's acceptable since it makes you walk you're getting it now" Nina said getting an eye roll from Scorch, "done playing princess so you decided to start playing doctor?" Scorch asked lovingly "il need to see you in my examination room later" Nina said as Alex rolled his eyes as he was pushed along. "You'd think having a baby would kill your sex drive" Alex said getting an odd look from a passerby as they stood by something that looked like a bus stop, "not sure in humans but certainly doesn't for us it just means we have less opportunities to" Nina said and Alex looked up at the two in horror.
"I am not even going to ask how often that's the sort of stuff I prefer you guys NOT to tell me" Alex said up at them getting a giggle from the both of them, Alex's pram was facing away from the road and towards his Pokeparents so he didn't really see what they were waiting by. All he could hear next was the horrifically familiar sound of brakes steel grinding up against steel as a tram stopped making Alex clutch his legs and scream.
"NO! NO! MY LEGS! STOP!" Alex screamed his mind clouding everything around him as he felt scars on his body reopening, bone being re-crushed and the sensation of his blood leaving his body as phantom sensations of pain racked his body, limbs that he knew were already gone felt like they were there again just to be ripped off again but not so cleanly this time.
The noise echoed in his mind again and he wanted to either throw up or pass out from the pain but had no idea which, that is when he felt his hands being moved as well as the sensation of being wedged between 2 extremely large warm objects. "Alex! Alex! Come on baby" Nina said holding his arms up away from the scars he damaged scratching at in his panic, "we are here little guy it isn't happening, we wont let it" Scorch said in a slightly panicked but soothing tone as the two held their baby between them.
"It isn't working" Scorch said with Nina starting to show panic on her face "just hold him" she said quickly as the people at the stop the stared at them, "ok my turn to do something stupid" She muttered licking her lips and channelling dream eater. Whilst Alex wasn't asleep he cried more when the memory replayed again making him thrash unknowingly against his pokeparents restraint, then the delusion began to quickly crumble away as his mind was ripped back to reality by dream eater.
"MAMA!" Alex screamed out indicating to the two that he was back to reality, "I know it's ok to cry you're not there" Nina said kissing Alex's cheek a few time mostly out of desperation and relief but also to not let his mind slip. "Honey think we should get out of here" Scorch said nodding towards the crowd and without a further word they walked away settling down on a nearby bench, Alex's crying was muffled when he buried his face in Nina's shirt but were not stopped.
"So… taking a tram is a bad idea no real surprise there thinking about it" Scorch said with a sigh the statement making him feel stupid, "yea.. think we might need to hire a therapist, I am a body doctor but minds yea not the best at it" Nina said rocking Alex back and fourth settling her boys crying into minor sobs. "Need a lift then?" came Mister Bloomers gravely voice striding towards the trio "sir?!" the pair said standing up with Bloomer giving a dismissive wave with his vines, "please cut the sir stuff meeting got cancelled so I am making my way to my doctors appointment do you three need a ride?" he said smiling.
"I can always just use teleport sir" Nina said with Bloomer shaking his head "last time you did that you not only passed out from the effort but you crashed into the office printer, please I insist" Mister Bloomer said lowering his leaves. "Well if you're sure but if my nurses tell me you shouldn't be lifting weight like us I am going to be the one telling you off" Nina said as she got on her bosses back Alex still in her arms, "cheers for this sir" Scorch said getting on as Bloomer used a vine to grab the pram to push it along.
When they got to the hospital Alex had calmed down and a human woman came running up to them "DAD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CARRYING THAT MUCH WEIGHT!" she cried out getting Nina and Scorch to hop off, "before you start yelling at me too" Mister Bloomer said looking at Nina "oh I am not going to yell I am just going to say as a doctor the fact that someone is informing me that you really shouldn't be doing that is disappointing sir" she said in a tone that even Alex knew that was her 'you're in trouble' voice.
"But I will leave the shouting to be done by your daughter" Nina said striding off with Scorch taking the stroller the human giving Nina a fistbump as she passed. "Who was that?" Alex asks still feeling drained and looking it too, "the boss's human he trusts her to be able to get herself around and hopefully we can trust you with that too" Nina said with Alex letting out a short chuckle "oh you're gonna regret that" he groaned out jokingly.
"We know your track record 'Rifleman' you wont slip through our fingers again when it comes to your up coming nap time" Scorch said adding a flair of theatrics to his voice smiling when Alex laughed, "careful one wrong move and he might start resisting 'a rest'" Nina said getting all 3 to laugh with Alex's laughter being cut short by a warm sensation in his diaper.
"Fuck I hate telling them.. this feels like it can wait" Alex thought giving an experimental shift of his thighs to double check as they went back to the same outpatients ward they came to last time.
"ALEX!" came the happy voice and leaping figure of Lucy as if she set up an ambush for him the minute he came in, "UM HI!" Alex said startled accidentally dumping the rest of his bladders contents in shock. "You were almost late for your appointment!" she said pointing one of her shiny glittery plastic fingers from her prosthetic towards Alex's face, "well sorry tad bit difficult to get around without well you know," Alex said making a gesture towards his stumps "hang on did you add glitter to that?" he added puzzled.
"Starters yes I did," Lucy said before pivoting on her heels "but please follow me doctor Molos would love to see you now" she said with an air of mock professionalism like she was playing a game before striding away, though Alex found the crinkling noise coming from under her skirt slightly amusing wondering if her mummy picked it so she could track her by sound.
Gesturing to an open door Alex thanked her before she skipped off happily, Alex looked inside the small room where a Abra stood on a stool floating an empty box onto a pile before noticing the family. "Ah yes please do come in" he said bringing up a picture of Alex that Alex himself assumed was his file on the screen, "Doctor Molos a pleasure to see you outside of the staff room" Nina said with the Abra smiling widely before nodding "It's no problem Doctor Trix so this is Alex in the flesh? Stick him on the bed" he said waving a hand over to the simple paper sheet topped examination bed.
Laying flat on his back Alex turned his head towards the doctor who humming a tune to himself floated down several boxes sending up all but 2 after looking at their labels, "Ok so I do have some questions about exercise and diet at home what is it that he does and eat? The boy looks a tad bit on the thin side" Molos asked with Alex's face taking on a blush as the Pokeparents look at each other.
"Well considering it's still very early stages in terms of his recovery," Nina said with the tone of her voice taking on an air of professionalism as well as her eyes narrowing down into a more analytical expression "whilst his arm muscles have started to get better the muscles in his thighs and remaining knee joint need some stressing before any of us are confident he can actually walk around on his own, though he can crawl around with a bit of a struggle though it was funny when he was stopped with a babygate" Nina said her expression becoming strained as she held back a laugh.
"it wasn't funny," Alex said with indignation "I wanted to go down stairs and watch TV." The doctor nodded taking notes on his computer "and diet?" he quizzed. "That I can answer," Scorch said smiling "we knew before the revolution he had an aversion to boiled foods and foods with high amounts of moisture-" "slimey I hate slimey foods" Alex interrupted.
"Yes that, so we have cooked his favourite meals and supplemented with a bottle of indeedee milk with flavourings and human feed supplements mixed in" Scorch said finishing his statement with Molos taking note of every piece of information. "Great once you take these home be sure to get him in them once a day and moving around" Molos said opening the box's and floating out a pair of extremely simplistic prosthetics.
"Is that it? Lucy got a mechanical one" Alex whined as the doctor placed both legs with the one under his right being shorter and not having a knee joint but both looked like metal sticks with a suction cup on one end with plastic human feet on the other, "now we did take your measurements during your coma so if they are not comfortable please tell me" Molos said hopping onto the table and pulling the compression socks off of Alex.
A pair of skin toned socks flew to the Abra's hands and Molos rolled them up Alex's stump getting a few small laughs from him as it tickled, "hmm gonna need to change him after you three take your leave" Molos said with Alex suddenly wanting to smash his head into concrete.
The protheses slipped over the new socks and bugged down on his thighs, "how does that feel?" Molos said using psychic to help Alex to sit up with both legs swung over dangling only a few centimetres off the floor. "Strange, like the old ones are still there" Alex said cocking his head at the sensation, "Phantom limb sensations are normal now," Molos said with a clap "now this is where I need you two get up and let him lean on you lets take these out for a test run."
Nina and Scorch looked at each other before getting up then stood either side of Alex holding out a hand each for him to hold, "I would prefer if you didn't try to run anywhere" Nina said with Scorch nodding. Alex gripped both their hands feeling both his and their muscles tense in preparation, "you need a count?" Molos said with Alex shaking his head as he slid himself forward.
When his new feet hit the ground he both heard the click and strain of the springs on the ankle, the feeling of weight on his old ankles ebbed into his mind then pushed down with Nina and Scorch putting in some extra power up as their boy pushed down with everything he had. Alex seethed at the odd feeling of the flesh of his stumps being squeezed down a centimetre more allowing more of his weight to be focused on the stumps rather than his hands.
"That's it" Nina said encouragingly "you're doing it baby boy" Scorch added on in a proud tone, "can you turn to me?" Molos said and Alex shook his head "have you tried?" he asked with Alex screwing up his face. "Mama move" Alex commanded moving his left hand forward using his daddy as a pivot point, walking seemingly was a lot harder than he remembered as Nina moved from his left forward allowing Alex to follow the motion with his left foot that hit the ground with a click then hopped his right foot like he was limping.
"Needs work, a lot of work," Molos said with a shake of his head as scorch scooped up Alex balancing the human on his hip "keep him in those for the rest of the day and again make sure he tries to walk somewhere in the house" he added jotting that appointment as done.
authors note:
so a much longer one i want to do long chapters with all the details i can cram in but honestly i am going to write a chapter, look it over and if it's done it's done