Chapter 4 – Heart to heart

The black boat…

Pikachu had no idea whether that was in fact its name. Or, indeed, whether it actually had a name. It was just a boat that was black…

There was nothing particularly remarkable about it. It was just a regular yacht. The type the rich humans rode across the water in. The kind with three levels, luxury staterooms and hot tubs. The kind you really only saw on TV. Only instead of being white and elegant, it was painted jet black.

Yet still, the sight of it moving slowly through the water alongside them made the electric mouse feel uneasy.

"Pikapi Pikachu." Pikachu tugged on Ash's hair and pointed drastically towards it.

The grey overcast afternoon saw our heroes traveling along route 105, the water route between the mainland and Dewford town. Two Samurott's, Cameron's and Oshawott in his Ashurott form, using surf, carrying the three trainers and their Pokémon across the sea.

Ash, Pikachu and Jimmy rode Oshawott, while Cameron and Lucario rode Cameron's Samurott. All the other Pokémon remained in their Pokéballs. They were making good time too. The formidable Pokémon speeding through the water like a pair of furry torpedoes. The waves and currents not bothering the powerful water types.

"Hmm. What is it Pikachu?" Ash asked curiously, his eyes turning to where Pikachu was pointing with his little paw.

"The boat. Over there." Pikachu replied.

Ash frowned. "I don't see anything."

"It's right…" Pikachu had to blink in astonishment. The boat was no longer there. What had happened to it? Had it disappeared behind one of the rocky islands jutting out of the water that filled this part of the coast? Had it sped ahead of them or fallen behind? Had it sunk?

"It was right." He looked all around for it, but could see nothing but blue sea, gray skies and green and gold of the coastline beside them. "There…where'd it go?"

Ash shrugged. "Maybe, it'll turn up again."

Pikachu couldn't explain why, but at that moment he felt deeply uneasy. A boat like that didn't just disappear… Did it? He clung a little tighter to his trainer's shoulder. Needless to say the mouse was relieved when they finally reached Dewford Island early in the evening…

A tiny island in the blue sea…the town's motto was certainly an apt description. Dewford town didn't consist of much more than a couple of houses on the beach, a Pokémon centre and the gym.

"Should have made their motto Dewford Town. Look, we know," Cameron, joked as they arrived on the shore.

"I like it here," said Ash.

And he did like it here. The town was certainly quaint with its little white buildings, with the sea on one side and the lush rainforest on the other. With no roads and few humans it was as close to nature as most human settlements got and there was an abundance of Pokémon. Certainly it was a good place for training.

The last time Ash had been here he'd met Stephen Stone, heir to the Stone fortune and now, he had heard, champion of the Hoenn region. Though he doubted he would meet anyone famous here this time…

"Oh well. Let's go find the gym…Thanks Samurott. You take a long rest now." Cameron took out a Pokéball and promptly returned the formidable Pokémon, who gave a quick nod of her head to acknowledge his compliment.

Ash had been about to do the same thing for Oshawott, but at that moment, the otter, now back in his regular form, threw himself onto his shoulder with a happy "Osha Osha." And so, the boy just shrugged, before giving Oshawott a pet on the head and courteous, "thank's buddy."

"Osha." Oshawott blushed and then, just to show his affection, gave Ash a brief lick on the cheek.

This earned him a jealous glare from Pikachu, which Oshawott replied to by sticking out his tongue. Pikachu was tempted to shock him, but fought back against the urge. Oshawott just wasn't worth it.

"Come on," Cameron said impatiently, beckoning the other two trainers to follow. He had already stridden a good distance up the beach.

Ash sighed and raced after him. "Cameron," he groaned. "Can't it wait? It's getting late. I don't think the gym' lol be open."

At this Pikachu let out a little snigger. "And now you know how everyone else feels Pikapi," he whispered into his trainer's ear.

But the gym was not open…the doors were locked and the lights switched off. And despite Cameron's banging on the door so hard Ash wondered whether it might come off its hinges…

"Hello. HELLO. I'm here to challenge the gym!"

There was no response. And so with that, our heroes decided to check into the Pokémon Centre and retire for the evening…

"Alright Ashachu, Geyser. Come on out."

Standing on the beach, much later in the evening, Ash threw his two Pokéballs into the air. The Pikachu and the Dewott appeared before him in a flash of light. The two Pokémon looked around surprised for a moment before each caught sight of the other.

"What is he doing here?" They both asked at once, pointing to the other.

"You're both here because you need to stop fighting," said Ash sternly folding his arms.

"Pika Pika," added a defiant Pikachu, nodding his head approving at Ash's words.

"Ashachu! I want you to tell Geyser you're sorry for attacking him earlier. Then I want the two of you to shake paws and make up."

Ashachu turned and stared incredulously at his trainer. "What! You can't…"

"I mean it Ashachu," said a defiant Ash, cutting his kit off mid sentence. "Tell Geyser that you're sorry."

"And you'd better mean it," Pikachu added.

As if mimicking his trainer, Ashachu folded his arms and shook his head. "No way. Geyser was the one who…"

Ash let out a long sigh and Pikachu snapped, "Ashachu, if you don't tell Geyser that you're sorry for attacking him on the count of five you'll spend the next week in your Pokéball. And there they'll be another punishment!"

"But."

"One." Pikachu raised his tail above his head, and then swished it to the side, so that it touched the ground by his right foot.

Ashachu remained motionless. "Uh-uh. No way."

"Two." He swished it to the other side, bringing it to rest by his other foot.

Throughout the exchange Geyser stood there looking awkward. His eyes darted from Ash, to Pikachu, to Ashachu and back to Ashachu. He scratched the back of his head with his paw. Part of him wished he could just evaporate on the spot.

"Three." Swish went the tail, back the right-paw side.

Ashachu closed his eyes and sighed, realising he was going to loose. He then walked right up to Geyser and stuck out his paw. "Geyser I'm sorry."

Pikachu smiled and nodded. "Good. Knew we'd get there."

"For what Ashachu," said Ash?

"I'm sorry I attacked you," continued Ashachu. "That was wrong of me. I shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

At once, a wide smile spread across Geyser's face. "Ashachu, I accept your apology. And I forgive you." The otter took hold of Ashachu's paw with his own and the two shook. Then they spun around and tapped the ends of their tails together.

Ash nodded. "That's better."

"And we don't want to see you picking fights again Ashachu," squeaked Pikachu. "Do you understand?"

Ashachu didn't reply.

"I said do you understand."

Ashachu sighed again. "I understand…"

"You can go back to playing with the other Pokémon tomorrow," said Ash. "And I you don't have to go back in your ball tonight. But I have to warn you Ashachu, if you don't change your behaviour soon, you're going to be in a lot of trouble. Now come on, let's go get cocoa…"

[Pokémon]

Many hours later another Pokémon in conflict roamed the beach. But unlike Ashachu and Geyser, this Pokémon was not in conflict with another creature. No he was in conflict in with himself…

Just as he had the previous night, Hunter had awoke to find himself drenched in sweat, with his fur sticky and his pink fleshy Riolu member poking out of its sheath. His dreams, or nightmares depending on your perspective, once again filled with scenes of himself and Geyser standing together in the middle of the stadium.

"Where are our trainers?" "Let's train ourselves!" Long blue fur, soft to the touch and a delicate paw brushing up and down his side. The otter's soft kiss on his lips and the warmth of his body.

Hunter tried to put the images from his mind and focus on something out here on the beach. It was peaceful night. The only sounds were the waves washing against the shore. The only light, other from the few houses that made up Dewford town, coming from the stars above, like a million tiny Charmander tails. It was a waxing quarter moon tonight. A singe beam of silver fell across an otherwise inky ocean.

"It was only a dream," he told himself. "It's not like I'm actually interested in Geyser. Am I?"

He wandered out across the beach, until he could feel the waves washing over his foot paws. Then he knelt down and tried to wash the stickiness out of his fur. Unfortunately the salt water didn't seem to help.

"Oh damnit!"

"Hunter! Are you there."

'Shit!' Hunter froze as he heard a familiar voice barking out his name. He hoped if he stayed silent that he would just leave him alone. Not notice him. No such luck.

"Hunter, you can't seriously think you can just hide from me…."

Hunter felt a warm paw touch his shoulder. He looked up and he found himself face to face with Lucario. The aura Pokémon was leaning over him so cellist that their noses were almost touching.

"D-dad. What are you…how did you?"

"Hunter, I can sense and read your aura remember," said Lucario. "And if you don't remember than you really are Cameron's pup. You've certainly inherited his scatterbrains."

Hunter glowered at him, making Lucario smile.

"Now, is everything alright Hunter?"

"Umm yeah," Hunter replied hurriedly, his heart suddenly beating very fast. He sure hoped his dad hadn't noticed what was sticking out between his legs. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Cause you know you shouldn't be out here, all by yourself late and night." Lucario put on a tone of mock sternness and winked at Hunter.

Even so, Hunter felt a nervous lunch in his stomach. "Uhhh I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright Hunter." Lucario patted him gently on the shoulder. "Do you want to go for a walk?" He held out his paw.

"Uhh sure," Hunter replied. He reached out and took hold of Lucario's paw and allowed the older Pokémon to pull him to his foot paws.

They strolled off together, paw in paw, across the beach.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Lucario asked kindly after a moment or so.

Hunter looked up at him and then quickly turned his head to face the ocean. He couldn't take those soft red eyes staring at him. It was like they were piercing him, as if Lucario could see right into his soul.

"Hunter there's no point in pretending something's not bothering you," Lucario added when Hunter didn't reply. "I can feel it in your emotions. Plus you're not exactly acting like your usual self."

"Uhhhh." Hunter tried to say something, but couldn't get the words past the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Is it Ashachu? Did you two have a fight?"

The question pierced Hunter like a spear through his heart. At once all of the emotion and the hurt inside burst out of him. The poor Riolu started to cry, hot tears pouring from his eyes and down the bridge of his muzzle.

"Oh Hunter!" Lucario knelt down beside his crying pup and gave him a hug. Hunter resisted for a brief second, before accepting the embrace. He buried his face in Lucario's chest and cried into his fur. "I'm sorry."

Lucario held Hunter closely, letting the Riolu let out his pent up feeling until his fur felt quite damp. When Hunter's sobs gradually started to subside, he asked gently, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Hunter raised his head slight and again looked into Lucario's soft red eyes. Suddenly he felt a lot calmer. For no matter how bad he was feeling, or whatever was bothering him, he could tell Lucario about it. And that made him feel slightly better for the first time since the Aether Foundation…

"Well. You see…" Slowly, he begun to recount what had happened between Ashachu and Blade at the Aether Foundation. About Geyser kissing him on the cheek after the battle. About Axew and Geyser talking in the pond, and Geyser's feeling for him. About the conflict within him.

"And the thing that hurt the most." Hunter begun to tear up again at the memory. "Was when Blade. When he. He told me that Ashachu didn't really love me. He just didn't want Blade to have me."

"I see." Lucario had listed to Hunter intently, his expression never wavering from his kind smile. "That was a terrible thing for Blade to say. But you don't believe it do you?"

"That's the thing. I don't know what to believe," whined Hunter. "Ashachu didn't deny it. He didn't say anything. I want to make up with Ashachu. But it's like every time I see him, all I can think about is that."

"Hmm I understand," Lucario replied. "But you know you can't let your relationship with Ashachu be defined by what other Pokémon say. The two of you need to sit down and talk about this."

"And what about Geyser?"

"What about him?"

Hunter sniffled. "I keep having these dream about him. Dreams where we're doing…things."

Lucario coxed his head. "What kind of things. Like mating things."

Hunter nodded. "What does it mean? I mean I don't like Geyser that way. At least I don't think that I do."

Lucario sighed before raising a paw to wipe the tears out of Hunter's eyes. "It doesn't need to mean anything Hunter. It's just a dream. We all feel sexual attraction to other Pokémon. Or human. Even Pokémon who aren't are mates. Even when we don't have romantic feelings for them. It's all part of being a Pokémon. Plus I think its safe to assume we're in a mating season for Oshawott's and Dewott and Geyser's scent might be having an affect on you. Do you want to date Geyser?"

"No," replied Hunter. "I mean, I don't know. I'm so confused. Deep down I still have feelings for Ashachu, but…He's kinda hard to like these days."

"How so."

"He so aggressive and moody. He tries to bully Geyser every time Geyser tries to talk to me. I don't like it."

"I think he may be jealous," Lucario suggested. "He's worried he'll loose you to Geyser. He thinks Geyser will take you away."

"But…Why would he feel that way," asked Hunter, confused. "He doesn't own me?"

"Do you remember the way you felt, when Nova and Sniveon were flirting with Hunter?"

Hunter remembered how he'd felt the night Nova had told him I like Ashachu. Sitting in the secret base, while they were lost. Waiting for their trainer's to find them. "Oh yeah. But I never wanted Nova not to talk to Ashachu."

"I know. And Ashachu shouldn't either," said Lucario. "That's something he's going to have work on."

"So what do I do?" Hunter asked. Well more like pleaded. He stared desperately into Lucario's eyes, wishing for his dad to impart some wisdom or say something that would make all this go away. To make things how they used to be. Before Aether paradise, before the centurion and before Blade.

"Well, I think the most important thing is to talk to Ashachu about it," Lucario suggested. "Tell him how you feel. Ask him how he feels. Decide on rules and boundaries for your relationship. A good relationship has to be more than just feelings Hunter. There has to be trust and communication. You and Ashachu are you; you're still working things out. I you're going to have a future together, you need to talk about it."

"I want to talk to him," said Hunter. "But. I don't feel like I can when he's acting so aggressive. And…I'm kinda scared. What if he has more feelings for that Sneasel than me."

"Maybe he does," Lucario admitted. "But you still need to talk to him about it either way. Or you'll never know and you'll never be happy. True, it's going to hurt a lot, but at least you'll know. Then you can move on with your life. Do you want to know something Hunter?"

Hunter was curious now "What."

"You other dad hasn't always been entirely faithful to me."

Hunter sat bolt upright, his eyes widening in shock. "No way! What."

"I caught him and your uncle Hirosaki together."

Hunter almost couldn't believe what he was saying. "N-no. That can't be true."

"I'm afraid it is. And for a while I was really angry with him and I didn't know if our relationship would work out. But we talked about it. And your dad apologised, and he made a choice to be with me. And we both decided that we loved and cared for one other too much to let one mistake come between us."

Hunter's jaw dropped. Dad and his uncle Hirosaki. Really. "But…Why."

He couldn't get the sentence out, but Lucario sensed what he was trying to ask. "Because your dad and uncle used to be a lot more than brothers. They were mates and they had a mating relationship. Then they decided that they didn't love each other in that way anymore and went back to being brother. And then your dad fell in love with me. But even so, the two still had strong feelings for each other. Pokémon emotions are complicated Hunter. It's not as simple as everybody having one perfect match."

"Wow," Hunter exclaimed. "I never knew that." He had literally no idea what to think about Cameron and Hirosaki.

"Maybe what you and Ashachu need to do is take a break," Lucario suggested.

Hunter coxed his head. "A break." He felt an odd twinge of dread in his stomach.

"A break from being boyfriends," continued Lucario. "Go back to being just friends and used the time to work out how you really feel. If you miss each other, you can get back together. If you don't, then just stay friends."

Take a break…it was an ominous prospect and Hunter wasn't sure how he felt. On the one paw, he didn't want to risk loosing Ashachu. He knew he still loved him and didn't want to end their relationship. And on the other he thought giving them some breathing space to figure things out might be a good idea.

All he knew was he couldn't stand things the way they were now…