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File Name: Fugitives' Desire - Lucidity, Part 2

Owner: Dark Violet

File Location: www.patreon.com/SomeonesPC

File Type: Story:Adult:F/M:Human x Mightyena

Caption Text: Support us on Patreon for special art, stories, and more!

Details: A sequel to 'Beware the Hounds' - the story is not over, and it looks like I can't quite lay this tale to rest. Perhaps, also, that is true of others as well...

Fugitives' Desire

Lucidity, Part 2

Reese looked out across the ocean to the north of Kalos. This far away, even great waves rolling in towards the shore were barely more than dark, ponderous ripples, the deep sea not even able to crest them with foam. Up here, the wind was cold, and tasted of the invigorating ocean.

Cuts and gashes criss-crossed her arms, the raised skin of the barely-healed wounds catching the first light of the day. That salt-laden breeze played over them, once more making them ache and sting.

Oh, how they'd been worth it.

She breathed in, tasting the morning air, and then let it out. Her chest rose and fell--and more of those lacerations pressed into the thin fabric of the old t-shirt. She suppressed a wince, opting instead to stare out at the distant horizon.

There was something undeniably lovely and refreshing about the dawn. Rays of gold playing over the wisps of high clouds, before finally breaking over the distant horizon in a splendour of cyan sky, bringing warmth to a world of retreating, cold breezes from the disappearing night. It was quite fitting to her mood.

"Reese?" The cry was distant, indistinct, fragmented by the wind whipping up the cliff face. "You'd better not be doing what I think you're doing!"

"Would it make you feel better if I wasn't?!" Reese shouted back, grasping the pinnacle of rock beneath her a bit tighter.

"Yes!"

"In that case, sorry!"

She leaned back, watching as the plump, round face of Sammi appeared over the edge of the cliff, several metres above her. "REESE!"

Reese grinned. "Hey!"

"Get up from there!"

"Why?" Reese wobbled from side to side happily.

"You know why!" Sammi's face was a picture of terror and shock.

Reese raised an eyebrow, and peered downwards.

She was holding loosely onto the very end of outcrop of rock, fingers curling around the sparse moss that grew there. The rock itself wasn't even a foot wide; her thighs rested on either side, her bare feet dangling off it. A good fifty metres below them, waves crashed against the base of the cliff, white foam and ocean spray misting in the new rays of the sun, swirling around jagged boulders and seaweed-covered stony teeth.

"Reeeeeese!"

Reese sighed inwardly. Sammi had that terrible style of imploring that brought to mind a child begging for a single present on their birthday. She was a barely negotiable terrorist that held your heartstrings hostage. Try as you might, you had to give in.

So she planted her feet on the outcrop, and stood up.

"REESE!"

Reese laughed, tightrope-walking to the cliff face. "You know, I could fake losing my balance, but..."

Sammi made a crackling, strangled sound. Her eyes were so wide they were not just threatening to not just pop out of her skull, but leap down and try and pull Reese up.

"...but I won't." Reese finished, and started to scramble up the cliff face.

Trees closed in around her as she reached the top, the woods reaching right to the edge of the land. She saw Sammi completely prostrate on the ground, slowly worming herself away from the edge, leaving great gouges in the dirt where her hands and feet had dug in.

"Enjoy the view?" Reese smiled, folding her arms.

Sammi glared at her, her face running through a gamut of worry and nervousness and anger, before finally settling on reluctant, yet genuine, relief.

She wobbled up to Reese, and hugged her tightly--pressing down on the cuts across her torso.

"Ow!"

"Ayiee! Sorrysorrysorry!" Sammi stammered out, retreating back, arms behind her back.

Reese let out a quick giggle at the show. "It's okay, I'm fine. C'mon, let's head back."

The sunlight was playing through the forest, leaving streaks of light and shadow across the grassless, twig-cluttered floor, and kicking up the heavy scent of leafmould. The far edge of the woods was hidden by the undulating landscape and the low canopies of fresh spring growth, leaving the only other object of interest; an old brick building, looking like it had been abandoned about ten years ago and little more than a hut.

"How's Dactyl?" Reese asked as they passed across the threshold, the frame rotting and the old door half-buried under a fallen branch next to it.

"He's alright! Sleeping already, poor thing..." Sammi followed afterwards, and then knelt down, tugging away a sodden, dirt-heavy mat from the floor to reveal a heavy trapdoor. Reese tugged it open.

The inside was predictably dark, the air feeling cold and clammy, and the scent of wet stone felt almost too suitable. Still, the two of them clambered down a dark metal ladder, and landed in the diffuse pale glow of a single electric lightbar.

The cellar was made up of two rooms, and hadn't been used in almost as long as the building above it. In the one they were currently in, an old barrel lay in the corner, holding nothing now but traces of soil and various sheddings of bugs. A pallet leaned against the wall, planks partly stripped for firewood, judging by the pile of ash badly swept into one corner..

They went through a rusted iron door set into the wall into an equal-sized room. Here was pretty much the same in terms of total lack of decor, only with a few objects from within the last decade too. A second lightbar propped against the wall illuminated two rolls of bedding and two full, heavy-looking camping bags. In one corner, a Staravia perched on top of a metal hook that protruded from the wall; his feathers were excellently groomed in reward and belly plump with Poképuffs. His head was tucked beneath his wing, body softly undulating with silent snores.

"Do they get on?" Reese asked, looking at him.

"Mmm..." Sammi mumbled, distantly.

Reese turned to the opposite corner to see what she was looking for. Shrouded in one of the many shadows the lightbar couldn't dispel, the dark form of Howling Gale lay like a watchful guardian. The Mightyena's front paws were together, his head held high, with red eyes reflecting the light as he silently observed the two of them. Reese couldn't help but smile as his gaze rested on her.

"Oh, I got the full amount!" Sammi said suddenly, going to one of the bags and looking inside.

"Oh?"

"Twenty-three million, four hundred and thirty six thousand exactly." She smiled, pulling out a wad of cash from the bag.

Reese could just see more bundles hidden within. She stared at it for a moment, feeling a small modicum of pride, before turning back to smile at Howling Gale; he just stared impassively back at her.

"Y'know, I thought they'd be bigger." Sammi muttered, leafing through the notes like they were a deck of cards.

Reese raised an eyebrow. "What, were you wanting to build a throne out of them or something?"

"Hey, maybe!" Sammi said, fanning out the notes and grinning like a Liepard with a fresh kill.

"I guess I can't speak. You don't know how tempted I was to use them for bandages." Reese sighed, and glanced back at Howling Gale again as she went to sit down against a wall nearby. Again, the Mightyena was motionless, but his chest rose and fell with deep, quiet breaths. "Any news, by the way?"

"Oh... um..." Sammi blinked staring at her. "None, no."

Reese laid her head back against the wall with a contented sigh. News of the "Great Parfum Heist" had made headlines that first day, much to Reese's rather self-indulgent delight. Reports had talked about the stolen money, and that "Police were baffled by the sudden disappearance of the perpetrators", with fortunately no mention of her or Dactyl.

But even by the second day, the story had already been relegated to "In other news..." segments, with only occasional updates usually accompanied by the words "No further evidence has come to light" and "Police are appealing..."

That was yesterday. And with no news today, all in all, it had begun to feel like a job well done.

Strangely, there had been no mention of a Hound missing. Reese had eventually reasoned that it was only smart; the Parfum Hounds have a reputation for their loyalty and viciousness, after all. If word got out that one had defected...

And yet, Sammi hadn't seemed so sure.

Reese turned back to watch her; she was looking up from the notes with a frown, her usually large eyes squinting in the dusky artificial light.

"How're you feeling?" Sammi asked quietly, curiosity etching worry lines into her slightly chubby face. "Better?"

"A little." Reese muttered, lifting a hand to stroke over her face. "Thanks for the help with that."

She flushed. Reese suppressed another smile at how utterly adorable her friend could be. "No bother." Sammi said eventually with a delightful hint of a stammer. "I'm just glad you got out of there okay..."

"Well, we both know who to thank for that." Reese replied, glancing at Howling Gale. He dipped his head almost in recognition.

"Must have been strong." Sammi murmured, flicking through the notes again slowly, her eyes fixed on the Mightyena with a very slight squint. "I mean, to take on the rest of the Hounds..."

"Hey, I held my own too." Reese forced a smile, her face flushing now, guilt suddenly catching at her chest. She cast a glance to Howling Gale; his face remained impassive.

"Still... you two managed to fight off the rest of the pack yourselves. Those were the Hounds!"

"Yeah, and he was one of them." Reese turned her gaze away, rubbing her face, trying to hide her expression lest it give anything away. "He showed that, for sure."

"Was..." Sammi simply repeated.

There was a brief silence, aside from the distant whisper of trees. Reese turned back around.

"You really don't trust him, do you?"

Sammi drew breath. Her face went through several different expressions as she tried to avoid Reese's gaze - worry and concern seemed chief. "Well, I... I mean..." She started, then stopped. She sat down heavily, dropped the money onto the floor, and crossed her arms. "W-well, look at it this way. You said that you made it half-way up the hill, and then the Mightyena come out from nowhere - and just when they're about to attack, he turns on them? And you both manage to fight them off?" Her forehead was crinkled with the incredulity on her face. "That was several Hounds, Reese, and he was only one, and... n-no offense, but you're not... you're not really, um, y'know... a Hound."

She stopped, staring at the notes on the ground - but Reese noticed her eyes flick up, glancing towards Howling Gale. "Maybe he wanted to find out if others were involved, maybe he wanted to find more information about you, tail you. I dunno, I just... think it seems a bit... suspicious."

"Hey!" Reese said, sitting up. "How d..."

Then she paused. Her fists were clenched. Any reply right now would be her verbally lashing out, and how, how she wanted to! To deny, to retaliate, to do anything against her friend...

Reese took in a breath, and then let it out. The knot in her chest didn't disappear, but it did loosen. She briefly glanced at Howling Gale, but he simply laid his head between his paws. He seemed to be studiously watching the opposite wall, both ears turned stoically towards it. "I... suppose." Reese forced out, eventually. "But you do realise that you just mentioned your suspicions right in front of him. He can understand you, you know."

Sammi pushed around a few of the notes. "I know. And if he's playing us, he knows I'm on to him. It's a warning." She hesitated before continuing. "...I owe him that much. After all, he did... y'know, save you."

A smile returned to Reese's face. The anger might only have been subdued, but the concern of Sammi was something quite special. It was a lesson she'd gratefully learnt over the years. She hugged herself, feeling warmth in her chest - she didn't even mind that she was pressing down on a few of the scars.

"And anyway..." Sammi continued, looking up. "Dactyl got back okay!"

Reese smiled, forcing a chuckle. "He did his job well." She looked at the now harmless-looking bird. "Maybe not to our hopes, but it bought me time. He's very courageous."

Sammi giggled, staring up at him for a few more seconds. She swayed from side to side, hips wiggling. "Yeah, I knew it. He's a good boy." She dropped her gaze again, poking at a note. When she spoke again, her voice was lower. "Just... I dunno. Be careful... okay?"

"But that's boring, Sammi!" Reese said with a grin, then looked back.

Sammi was staring at her with wide, worrisome eyes. It was a sight that could take the harshest despot and turn them to a mewling kitten. Reese's heart leapt to her mouth instantly.

"Okay, okay..." She scratched her cheek, glancing away from the sickeningly adorable display. "I understand."

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes as Sammi collected the notes, wrapped them up, and walked back to the bag. She stuffed them in, covered them up with a couple of rolled-up clothes, and then closed the pocket.

"Were they sequential?" Reese asked, watching her.

"Yeps, all of 'em. I've started shuffling them, I'll do some more later. But for now, both of us should follow Dactyl's example and head to sleep. The plane leaves in about thirteen hours."

Reese nodded. "Sounds good. And Sammi..." She sat up, looking over at her companion with a small smile. "Thanks for your concern."

Sammi's smile reminded Reese of a Sylveon that had just been awarded a pat on the head. She prodded the bag. "You've done so much for me. Almost twelve million things, in fact."

Reese chuckled. "Have a good night."

Sammi smiled, the expression bulging her chubby cheeks. "Nighty night...!"

After taking one of the rolls of bedding and a bag, Sammi woke up Dactyl, and the two of them retreated through the door back to the other room; it ground closed, shutting with a heavy thunk. Two rooms meant two bedrooms, after all.

Reese sat there for a few minutes. Fatigue had already been tugging at her slowly healing body, and she enjoyed the feeling of letting her muscles and mind just relax...

Eventually, she felt someone looking at her. She turned back to Howling Gale; he still hadn't moved from his corner, but his expression had changed; he met her gaze with sharp, questioning eyes.

"Alright..." she said eventually, shrugging. She kept her voice low to avoid being overheard. "Alright, alright, so I still haven't told her about the... y'know. Sex."

Howling Gale tilted his head forwards, those deep red irises still fixed on her.

As if on cue, there was a thump from the adjacent wall; Howling Gale flicked up an ear to listen in as it slowly developed and continued, becoming soft and rhythmic...

Howling Gale raised his eyebrows, and sat up onto his haunches. His claws clattered against the floor as he fixed Reese with another meaningful gaze. Reese giggled, sticking a hand over her mouth hurriedly to suppress it as the telling sounds continued to come from Sammi's makeshift bedroom.

When she finally composed herself, she stared at the ground, drumming her fingers against it awkwardly. "Look, she and Dactyl have been together for a while, but I... I've never been into the whole Pokémon thing, y'know?" She prodded the ground with her toes. "That's personal, and... I guess I just don't feel comfortable telling her about it. I mean... just yet, anyway."

She pushed herself up, and knelt down next to Howling Gale, coming almost to eye-level with the Mightyena. "Look..." She whispered, leaning in. "Humans and Pokémon, you must know it's not... y'know... done. It's illegal for one thing."

Howling Gale let out a sudden huff of surprise. Reese grimaced comically.

"Okay, okay, so that's a little hypocritical of me! I guess... I've never been attracted to Pokémon, I barely considered it. What happened was because I was scared, I thought it was the only way out. I didn't..." She bit her lip.

She didn't expect to enjoy it.

Howling Gale almost smirked. Beyond the wall, the sounds subsided... only to return with renewed vigour and a faster pace.

Reese coughed. "I mean, technically, she hasn't actually told me about her and Dactyl yet - we just have this unspoken ladies' agreement, I guess. She pretends I don't know, I pretend not to hear. You know...?"

Howling Gale regarded her unresponsively.

Reese stared at his face, looking for any signs of comprehension. Eventually, she sighed, feeling a little pang of guilt. "Okay, okay, I'll tell her eventually. I'm sorry, I just... I don't know. Eventually. Deal?"

Howling Gale flicked an ear, turning his gaze away. He rose, padding to the roll of bedding.

Reese sighed, and moved, taking the bedding and unravelling it on the floor. He stalked onto one end, turned around a few times, then lay down. Again, it was almost as if a smirk was on his muzzle as he stared at her with a single, gleaming red eye.

Reese sighed, and stroked a finger across his ear. A low, canine huff made the fur of his tail twitch; his eyelid drooped, and he shifted minutely against her hand. Her heart leapt.

She stroked his head again, before standing up, sighing. "Sammi's right with one thing though; plane leaves early tomorrow. We should both sleep." She pulled the other end of the bedding up and climbed into it, legs slipping in just next to him. His paws rested against her shins through the covers, and goosebumps rose on her skin.

Forcing herself to ignore it, she reached out and switched off her lightbar, plunging the two of them into total darkness.

Sammi had a point though, she thought, as the knot in her chest returned. Even though what she'd been told of the events was wrong, even with the true explanation? It was certainly a possibility. Even now, Howling Gale could be luring all three of them into a trap.

But even her worry of that possibility felt off, in a way she just couldn't identify.

She sighed again, absently focusing on nothing but that gentle pressure of Howling Gale's paws on her leg. Eventually, the sounds of thumping from the other room lulled her into a heavy and dream-filled sleep.

* * *

Goldenrod! A vast metropolis of tall buildings which had gleamed like fire in the setting sun as they'd come in for landing. As the darkness crept across the city, it was replaced by a million shining jewels of light, turning the increasingly heaving streets into a nocturnal paradise: Neon signs declared a thousand vices; shop fronts tempted with everything from overpriced souvenirs to fine food; and cascading down the sides of buildings, in glittering purple waterfalls, were advertisements for the city's uncountable nightclubs.

The signs at the airport had declared it to be "The Capital of Johto" or "The Festive City of Opulent Charm". Reese, however, preferred the description she'd read emblazoned across the heights of the largest department store in the region, sparkling like a gem near the city's harbour; "The Bustling, Brilliant City of Luxurious Splendour".

Luxurious Splendour was right. Right now, the four of them were marching down the oceanside promenade; Sammi had found a red dress topped with an off-the-shoulder sequined top that glittered like stars, with an unbelievably eccentric hat to match that held almost as many feathers as Dactyl did (though the Staravia didn't seem to mind, perching on top of it looking like a king in a sedan chair). Reese had found something in gold; a dress that covered her right to her neck, hiding all the gradually healing wounds whilst still being stylish enough to be covered in a series of spiralling, elegant patterns.

Even Howling Gale had his own outfit of sorts - a small bit of fur-dye applied before heading to the airport had hidden his unique markings, making him appear as normal as any other Mightyena; at least until a passing groomer had got his way, and was already half-way through a quick cut-and-style before Howling Gale had made his objections known. Now he was left with a half-cut mane that slumped almost over one eye - rather fetching in its own way, especially with a rather handsome scowl from the act that Reese hadn't been able to help but laugh at. Still, in the end, his identity was hidden, and with all of them in a foreign region, they were about as far from danger as they could get.

Together, they marched along the boundary that separated city and sea. To their left was the bright lights and bustle, partiers and revellers and hedonists all celebrating their joys with the night. On the other, the cold black ocean to the west was a void, speckled only by the occasional fishing or party boat, or sometimes even a distant ferry. Small waves lapped languidly against the low sea wall.

"This is life!" Sammi shouted, sticking a fist in the air, which rang with clashing bracelets. "This! Finally! This is for us!"

"I thought I was the loud one." Reese grinned at her delighting friend.

"We have the money, Reese!" Sammi implored. "Finally, this delight is for us! I've always wanted to do this!"

"You know, I think I like you like this."

"What, rich?"

"Loud."

Sammi smirked. "Well, it's rich too. You know, I've been giving a loooooot of thought as to what I'm gonna buy."

"Another drink?"

"YES!" Sammi said, waving her arms. "And after that, a really nice computer--one of those with the built-in Pokéball Transfer systems."

Reese raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you wanna do that? You only have one Pokémon."

Sammi waved a finger underneath Reese's nose. "Because, after careful consideration and a lot of forethought, I've come to the conclusion that I want it because I can afford it."

Reese was going to say something, but quickly decided that Sammi's reality was far better than anything she could impose on her, and just continued to grin.

"So what about you?"

"Hm?"

"What're you gonna spend your money on?"

Reese lapsed into sudden silence. Despite the heist, despite everything being planned for this... she suddenly found nothing in her mind she wanted.

"So what, then?" Sammi said, as a passing couple dodged out of her way. "What you gonna buy?"

She'd pondered the question several times in the run-up to the heist, of course. She'd had a vision of a lovely house in the hills, financial security, maybe even a cute young waiter or pool boy at her beck and call. Lovely views through her window, with distant hills just visible through the fronds of nearby palm trees casting grateful shade across her own private swimming pool.

But now...

Something was different. That fantasy didn't hold the power it used to have. She no longer ached for that life of luxury.

Why...?

Sammi was getting impatient. Reese surfaced from her musings; she couldn't say that. A moment of sudden clarity and worry about the future was too much to dump on her friend, especially tonight. She cast her eyes around hurriedly before spotting something suitable.

"That." She said, putting a hand on her hip and grinning at it.

Sammi looked around her. "Oooooh..."

In front of them, the stone railing of the sea wall opened up, and some steps led to a jetty that stretched out into the ocean. Moored about three quarters down and bobbing gently with the waves was a thin, sleek, silver arrow of a speedboat. Despite the distance, chrome highlights outlined and accentuated every feature; a curved windscreen at the front formed the base of its sharp, pointed bow, a crystal top to the almost chrome surface and the scarlet lines that slid across the hull. Behind the driver's seat, a thin tarpaulin covered the back section, no doubt protecting the engine. The speedboat proclaimed sleekness and expense in every last facet; the boats either side of it looked positively primitive in comparison.

"That really nice one? Is that a Sharpedo Lines?"

"You know boats?"

"Well, you know how my Father took me fishing a lot as a kid? I saw a lot of speedboats, even rode in them sometimes. I don't know a lot, but I know that's a good company... expensive, but good!" She hesitated. "So, do you not know anything about boats either?"

"Nope." Reese smiled. "But I know I like it."

Sammi grinned. "Wanna buy it?"

Reese paused. She looked down; Howling Gale was regarding her with a slightly odd expression. She frowned as her chest suddenly tightened.

What was wrong with her?

She rubbed her cheek and shrugged, suppressing the worries.. "Maybe later. C'mon, anyway, we still gotta do the Plan."

"Alriiiight..." Sammi said with a happy grin. "But I know you want it."

"Shush." Reese said with a smirk, and glancing again at Howling Gale's confusing look, walked off towards the gleaming city.

* * *

The Plan was simple; so simple that it barely warranted the capital letter.

The money they'd got from Parfum was old - not too old to cause suspicion at most stores, but enough to raise eyebrows at banks. Not only that, but their serial numbers were sequential, which was always a big sign that something wasn't quite right with a transaction. And not only that, but anyone coming in with sudden millions of dollars just screamed illegality. Put one, one and one together, add in a widely-publicised heist, and you got police being called if you even thought too hard about banking the cash straight up.

They could, of course, go to the bank several times with multiple deposits over time; but the longer they waited, the more likely that banks would keep a record of serial numbers, so even shuffling the notes would be no use. Plus, there was no guarantee that banks wouldn't be able to track back which notes were handed in by whom. No; banks were off fairly early, at least for the original notes. So what to do?

First, get rid of the original notes somewhere where large sums of money were perfectly normal. High-end department stores were fine, but when you wanted legal tender instead of goods, you needed something more - somewhere you could get notes back. So, you needed a place where you could pay in lots of money, and then get back different money, maybe straight to your account, in a place where big transactions were not seen as suspicious and - preferably - the management never looked too hard at where the money came from.

Once that conclusion had been reached, the plan formed rather quickly and organically.

Goldenrod's Game Corner, the premier gambling establishment in the entire city, was a beacon to financial debauchery. It sat there in the night like a gluttonous king, its wide multiple doorways were constantly claiming and disgorging visitors and bidders, gamers and gamblers in a never-ending stream. In this crowd, elegant clothing and raucous dispositions were practically a necessity.

The four of them fit right in as they entered right through the main entrance. The room opened up around them, a high-vaulted ceiling in hues of gold and amaranth, with a number of marble pillars spiralling down to land in the maelstrom of slot machines, craps tables, voltorb flip, roulette wheels, tongo, blackjack...

The air was thick with the smell of sweat and cigarette smoke (despite numerous no-smoking signs), and from every direction there was calamitous, overbearing noise - beeping, clanging, trilling, whooping, shouting, blaring. All in all, it was a tempest of selfishness; and with Dactyl still sitting regally on Sammi's hat and Howling Gale following close by Reese's legs, they made their way through the crowds almost unseen; here, they were just another few unimportant faces in the background.

In no time, they were part of the lines for getting game coins. This part was where the actual plan was to happen; they would fork over a random selection of notes from the Parfum stash to prevent suspicion from the sequential bills, and get back a pile of game coins - with how they looked, it could be anything from payday to inheritance to any other perfectly reasonable explanation as to why they'd be carrying around such amounts of money.

They'd then head to one of the tables or slots, have a game or two to blend in with low stakes, and then head back to a separate teller to get more game coins. Continue for a while, then head off to cash in their aggregate game coins for entirely different notes - or sometimes money credited straight to an account. The original notes would be out of their hands and distributed to the local gamblers within hours, and no-one would question a sudden influx of cash credited by a casino too hard.

Bing. Bang. Done.

Reese tossed another thousand-dollar game coin onto the table. "Red twelve!" She shouted, leaning over as the roulette wheel span by in a whirl of colour. A white ball clattered onto it, jumping and prancing like a hyperactive Spinda, before the whole thing slowly clicked to a stop on black four.

She made a show of clicking her fingers in frustration and grimacing as a completely negligible amount of their new fortune was slid away by the croupier. She stuck her hand into her pocket, and drew out another few coins.

"Shame, lil' lady!" laughed a tall, vaguely bearded man next to her in a thick, southern Sinnoh accent. "Sometimes, luck just ain't on your side, eh?"

Reese stopped to look at him. His hair was trimmed, but still showed a little rebellion on the sides. His beard seemed well kept, deliberately so, just showing the line of his pointed, strong chin. His smile even seemed genuine. Reese couldn't help but mirror it.

"I got a few coins left." She rubbed those together in her hand, and then tossed one onto the table. "Black eight."

"Lady, you never play black when black just been." The man's voice was smooth, even with his accent; it was a surprisingly intriguing combination. "Red." Another coin fell to the table.

The ball clattered to a halt. "Red fourteen!"

The man smiled warmly, taking up both his bet and winnings. "Name's Eric. You new here?"

"Janie." Reese smiled. "And, sorta." Reese said, fingering another coin. "Came into a bit of money. Decided to live life for a little while." She returned the smile, grasping the edge of the table firmly.

"You're a girl after my heart; I never lived by a finer idea. So this ya first time in Goldenrod?"

"Actually, yes."

"Well then--stick by me, my girl. I'd be more than happy to show a vision of loveliness like you around." He gave a wink--a smooth, slick action that moved like honey--and then tossed a coin to the table again. "Black."

"Black two." Reese clambered to catch up.

The ball ricocheted around the wheel, coming to a land on black ten.

"If you want my advice? Don't always put it on individual numbers!" Eric said, picking up the extra coin. "Payout's good for sure, but those chances won't have ya screamin' in joy - gotta get those higher chance payouts."

"You like to live safely?" Reese teased, feeling a playful smirk tug over her face.

"Ah know when I'm making a good decision." He said, turning to face her as the next round continued without them. "Like talkin' to you."

"Ooooh, smooth!" Reese said, grinning as she rubbed the last coin in her hand. "You say that all the time?"

"It's only been a good decision to say it now." Eric's smirk could have been cast from gold.

Reese's mouth fell open. "Goodness. You're incorrigible."

"I certainly ain't gonna regret that. What was it you said? Deciding to live life? How could I pass up this lover-ly conversation?"

"Depends, what are you angling for...?" Reese leaned forwards. She felt light, playful, with mischief tumbling through her veins.

"Just a friend to live that life with, at least for an evenin'." He cast a manicured hand at the crowded room around them. "There's so much anonymity here! People are in a crowd, but they're spending it by themselves; a room full to bursting with the loneliest folk in the world. Lady, on these tables, you either make money or you lose it--either way, it's meaningless. Why not make the night meaningful by spending the time with someone delightful? Someone who really tickles your fancy?" He showed his teeth in a broad smile. "That's what I'm tryin'! ...Black."

Reese bit her lip, and then laid the coin down on the table "Red twenty-five. And if I'm not interested?"

Eric gave an exquisitely calculated tilt of his head forwards. "Are you not?"

Her heart was a jackhammer in her chest. He was a damn handsome man; she stared into his eyes, trying to figure out any agenda behind that pretty green-eyed gaze. Maybe he was just fishing for sex, not that she was opposed to that. Maybe he was looking to inflate his own ego. Maybe he was just genuinely nice. Either way, spending time with him was a prospect that definitely seemed...

Something caught her attention. From the other side of the table, Howling Gale peered over the edge. He eyed the flying ball, watching it spin around the roulette. His eyes were gleaming in the light, his face a lovely set of furrows and ridges; the fur had been brushed, but by now was once again unkempt. That glare though, how he stared at the table with such unwavering focus. The gentle twitch of the ears to every little sound, how a flash from a nearby slot machine outlined his tapered snout in a perfect glare....

"Red twenty-five!" shouted the croupier.

She was started from her reverie. She glanced up at Eric, and then over at Howling Gale again, the smile disappearing from her face. Her mind was a sudden turmoil of emotions.

"I'm afraid... I have to go... now." She muttered, just loud enough as a pile of game coins were shoved towards her. She was dimly aware of a clamour of applauding patrons.

"But-" Eric started, but she cut him off with a distracted glance.

"Sorry." She said, looking away and meet Howling Gale's gaze. The Mightyena immediately dropped from the edge of the table to make his way towards her.

"But, darlin', your winnin's...!" Eric shouted, but she'd already turned and left, a hand stretched in a caress of the Mightyena's mane.

A moment later, across the room, all that Sammi saw was a flushed face appearing as if from nowhere beside the slot machine, before a handbag full of game coins and notes was thrust into her hands. "What th- Reese?" She spluttered, taking her hands off the whirling slot machine's controls to try and grab it.

"I'm getting some air. Howling Gale's coming with me."

Sammi's questions stumbled over each other like a pile of Eevee. "Wait, but where are you going, and what about the plan, I-"

"It'll only be for a short while." Reese's attention already seemed towards something else; she was staring between the exit and the Mightyena standing nearby. "If I'm not back in two hours, meet me by that jetty, okay? The one with the speedboat."

"Wait, why-"

But Reese was already jogging away, with Howling Gale by her side.

Sammi stared at her retreating back in a mix of shock and worry. "Oh cripes..." she muttered to herself. "I hope she's okay..."

Beside her, Dactyl squawked, shrugged, and jumped onto the lever, jolting the slot machine back into life.

* * *

"Two emerging from North-East entrance. Woman in gold dress and Mightyena."

"I see them."

"Think we should pursue?"

"Markings don't match. Anyway, Mightyena are too common as pets or bodyguards; most likely just another rich kid living off inheritance."

"You sure?"

"Keep your eyes peeled for the Staravia. That's a high probability target. Backup will be in position soon, then we can head inside for an ID. Don't worry--we got them."

* * *

After the tightly packed confines of the Game Corner, the promenade felt practically empty; but it still wasn't enough for Reese. She marched along in silence, Howling Gale barely a pace behind her, until she got to the jetty.

The thin walkway of wood stretched out into the water, disappearing into the darkness at its far end. The only movement came from the moored boats, bobbing gently up and down in the dying wake from some long-passed ship further out in the bay; no-one was around on the night-shrouded planks.

It would do. She strode out across the walkway, Howling Gale close on her heels.

It was almost like walking into a one-way mirror. The world around her remained the same; the sharp, glowing front of the city stretched across half her horizon, as vibrant and as conspicuous as ever. Around the water, ripples split lights from across the bay into tumbling lines of purple and yellow and red. A distant party boat glowed orange from its windows, with dancers and revelers just visible through the windows.

And yet, when she looked down, she could barely make out her own outline. She'd only seen the end of the jetty because she'd been focusing; the planks were nigh-on invisible beneath her feet, and at a glance she only knew they were there because of the absence of reflections scattering the scene's light from passing waves. Only when she looked closer could she begin to see the joins in the wood, while the whorls and lines in the worn planks were lost to the night.

Perfect. She sat down, letting her feet dangle over the edge--the low tide meant that they hung far over the surface of the water. Cool air swirled under her dress and around her bare legs, making the gashes across her shins tingle. Howling Gale sat next to her, tail still against the planks, his dusky face turned to stare at her almost expectantly.

"What's wrong with me?" She asked him, supporting herself on her arms as she leaned back. The pier was cool and wet, almost refreshing.

Howling Gale tilted his head.

"Look, something's not right." She started again. "Back there, in the casino, that man. Eric. He was... charming. Lovely. Handsome. Smooth. Now, I've been to nightclubs and bars and strip clubs, I've met dozens of people like that, and nine times out of ten they're a hoot for the rest of the evening. Playful conversation, a non-stop line of drinks, and sometimes I even get one into bed for the night."

She paused. The sickly treacle of guilt was once more inexplicably rising in her. She rubbed her fingers across the wooden planks, looking up at Howling Gale; he sat there, one eyebrow raised, leaning in attentively.

Reese sighed. "But, I mean, this time... this time was different. I had him right there, a bit of fun for the night, and then... it just disappeared. I lost interest."

She hesitated before continuing. "And... then there's the plan. It's a big plan, and if we're found, then... yeah. I'm nervous--but don't you see... that's the problem!" She leaned forwards, gesturing with her hands. "I'm nervous, but... not the right kind of nervous. You see... I'm a risk taker, I'm an experience junkie. I once spent a free week on a skiing holiday in Sinnoh because I snuck onto a bus and bluffed my way past the leaders. I sleep with people I just met because it feels good, and damn the consequences because if there's no risk, then what's the point? I place high-stakes bets because those are the only ones that are fun!"

She paused again, finding herself almost short of breath. She leaned forwards, putting her hands on her knees, and turned to face Howling Gale. He'd leaned back, but seemed as attentive as before.

"When I stole from Parfum, I was nervous too, but it was different. It was exciting. I'd just stolen a pile of money from one of the most expensive mansions in the world, and I was getting away with it. Sure, I was scared, but I was loving it at the same time because I was scared--that's half the reason I even did it! But now..."

Another pause. Cool ocean air swirled around the legs once more. She found herself staring out across the water again, reminded of something.

"This morning, at the safehouse, back in Kalos? I watched the sunrise, sitting on a rock above the sea. I could have fallen at any point, and therefore, it was fun. But something was missing. Just like with the bets, just like with that guy...."

She stopped again, staring at him. He stared back--but something had changed. It was like the answer was buried in his sparkling red eyes.

"Who are you, Howling Gale?" She muttered, almost absently, staring into his eyes. "What happened? Why is it that that same excitement I felt for performing a heist... I only seem to get now whenever I think about being surrounded by those Hounds, on top of me, inside me... with your teeth around my neck...?"

Howling Gale leaned in, dipping his head. A deep, guttural growl swirled from between his lips.

She brought her legs up onto the wooden planks as she turned to face him. She brought up a hand to stroke across his cheek gently; he leaned into it, his eyes lidding.

"Why do I not care about the millions of dollars I have?" Reese brushed her fingers across the Mightyena's jawline. "Why can't I think about anything but this?"

Howling Gale pushed forwards, his head pressing against hers suddenly. His muzzle brushed over her nose, lips, chin, his eyes staring right into hers as he half-stepped over her. The growl had risen now; louder, deeper, more guttural. Black wisps trailed from his mouth like steam.

"Yena..." He rumbled, his voice almost intoxicating. "Mighty-YEna..."

Reese's heart hammered in her chest. She'd never understood the Pokémon language; she'd figured that anyone who claimed to was just making it up. But now.... Maybe it was the body language, maybe it was some strange mental connection, or maybe it was just her inner voice projecting her own emotions and wants onto him; either way, right now, she knew his exact meaning.

"Miiiiiightyyyyy..."

Go on then.

"Mighty-YE, Miiiiiiightyyyyy..."

If that's what you want, then go on.

"Mightyena..."

Do it.

She trembled, almost withered under a gaze that seemed to pierce into her very mind. She couldn't move away, couldn't stop her hands from sliding up and down his neck.

"Mightyena, Mighty-ye..."

Why fight what you really want?

"Mighty, Mightyenaaaa..."

Right now. Let's do it.

She breathed out slowly.

Throw caution to the wind. Live a life of high stakes and high rewards. Abandon yourself to the moment, and do whatever makes you feel happy; whatever makes you feel alive.

And so they kissed.

It was rough, it was passionate, it spoke of their needs and their desires. Her tongue played over his teeth, feeling the sharpness, the strength, the power in each one. His canine tongue was rough, and wet, and oh so dextrous as it lapped and curled, delved into her mouth, letting her taste the canine drool she'd been yearning for.

And it wasn't just Reese kissing him; every tilt of her head was immediately echoed by Howling Gale; he pushed back into every retreat, slid and lapped his tongue against her lips, leading and following. This was a shared kiss; and Reese's heart leapt at every twitch, every lick, every last facet of the taste....

When she eventually drew back, Howling Gale's teeth tugged gently, sensuously at her bottom lip. She gasped, mouth hanging open as she tried to catch breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. Her vision quivered, her hands trembling as she rubbed his soft, thick mane. She stared into his eyes; deep wells of intelligence and viciousness and passion....

And he stared back, the expression on his tapered, refined muzzle an undeniable smirk.

"Here?" She asked, words barely above a whisper.

Howling Gale pushed himself to his feet slowly, claws tapping against the wood as he turned himself to the side. Reese leaned back, staring at the dark bulk of the Mightyena silhouetted against the lights of the promenade.

He was beautiful. A paradoxical mix of bulky and agile, toned and lithe, his body spoke of training and strength barely contained beneath the surface. That fur, oh how that fur rippled down his body, twitching with every muscle movement, rolling with deep, panting breaths! And how at the edges, that fur shone in the city's lights, positively glowing in a sharp, artificial halo! And those eyes, too... those steady, focused, confident eyes that gleamed with the light of a distant boat, shining orange in stark contrast against his dark face, with his lips pulled up right at the end in a gloriously disconcerting smile.

It was a smile he deserved to wear. Between those thighs, nestled in a forest of thick grey fur, the deep red flesh of his tip of his shaft shone with pre.

Reese grinned broadly. "Here." She repeated, sliding to her knees and leaning down to press her head beneath his stomach.

She wrapped a hand around his sheath, gripping it, her fingers sinking into the fluff. It was hard underneath, and she felt the flesh sliding around as she handled it. She giggled excitedly, rubbing up and down the length with her fingers and thumb.

Howling Gale twitched, raising a hind leg to allow her better access--she bit her lip, supporting herself on her free hand as she leaned in closer, coaxing more and more of that delicious veined shaft from the sheath.

It was thin at first, small almost--she found herself slightly confused. She'd sworn it had been bigger that night in the forest, but right now it easily fit in her hand. But just as a shot of disappointment began to ripple through her mind, Howling Gale gave a jerk against her grasp, bucking his hips forwards, and the shaft suddenly pulsated beneath her fingers and grew.

Oh, it was a sight to behold--the flesh stretched as blood pumped into it, engorging the once thin shaft. With every passing second it was growing, sliding from the sheath, swelling with the Mightyena's arousal. In a moment, it was as thick as two fingers, then bigger, and bigger...

She bit her lip harder, the sharp pain of her teeth just enough of an awakening, getting her to restrain herself. She took in a quick breath as the shaft twitched and suddenly spurted a stream of pre across her chest, the wet, musky liquid leaving a thin trail across her dress. She eyed the bulbous tip--even that had swollen with deep, instinctive lusts, gleaming now as more pre beaded on it.

She angled the next shot so that it hit her face, splashing inaccurately across her cheek and dripping down to her lips. She lapped it up, before shuddering involuntarily at the taste--powerful, strong, simply full of his thick Mightyena musk...

And still the cock was growing. She palmed it, grasping firmly and rubbing over the top with her thumb. The flesh rose with veins that tumbled down the shaft like rivers, dappling the red surface with hues of purple and maroon. She squeezed it, rubbing up and down, the pre making adequate lubricant for the task.

Again, Howling Gale jerked, more pre spurting out to land across her chin and neck. His raised hindleg pressed down onto her shoulder, claws catching on her dress as he tried to keep himself stable. The motion just pressed Reese on as she trailed her thumb up and down the length, drawing her hand to the tip, sliding it between her fingers...

She needed to taste it. She pressed her tongue against the angled tip, taking in at once the thick, musky taste, the salty pre! She licked again and again, and when another shot of pre splashed over the side of her face she just returned to licking faster and faster with unbridled voraciousness.

There was no stopping this lust; she gave into it, letting the dark, taboo feeling spread through her body, taking control of every last part of her. She surged forwards, lips sliding over the bulging, throbbing shaft, now almost three fingers in thickness and still growing, still swelling oh so delightfully!

The taste, the feeling of that canine shaft in her mouth, how it twitched and grew. How could she have been missing out on this for so long? She grasped tighter with her hand, rubbing it back and forth across his length, right to the entrance of the sheath which now bulged with the shaft it could barely contain. Gripping there, she pushed her head further forwards, sliding that tip across her tongue, pre leaking its incredible taste across the back of her mouth as she sucked and tugged and tasted that length.

Howling Gale growled, quieting the rest of the world into an indistinct conglomeration of muffled shouts and unheard clamour at the all-encompassing, powerful rumble. Adjusting his hindleg, he pressed it down across her shoulder blades, claws sharp on her skin as they pressed through the dress--she lowered her body in response, stretching out her neck as the shaft delved deeper into her mouth.

Oh, it was glorious. It jabbed against her throat suddenly as an unrestrained thrust caught her off guard--she tightened her grip, but that just made the shaft jerk again, Howling Gale grinding and thrusting against her hold. She gasped, the shaft falling from her lips with a thin line of saliva, and let out a peal of laughter.

"Oh fuck..." she managed to say between gasps of laughter, her hands trembling. "You taste fantastic..."

Another growl from overhead told her all she needed to know. She ogled the shaft again in her grasp--this was a lot more like what she remembered, her fingers barely able to touch around the shaft of the cock as she squeezed and rubbed it over and over.

In a moment, she was back underneath him, that shaft once again in her mouth--she couldn't possibly stay away. Even as a paw landed on her hips, and that Mightyena tongue lapped across her rear even through the material, she didn't pull her attention away from sucking on that length.

Oh, how he bucked into her mouth, how he tried to delve that shaft further and further in, only to be held off by the back of her throat. She suppressed a cough, and just slid her tongue over the underside, drawing back to suckle on the tip before another thrust forced her to take more of that succulent, wet length...!

The wood beneath her vibrated suddenly. She knew instantly that something was up--Howling Gale had barely moved, at least had done nothing that would cause that strong of a motion. Still holding the shaft, she pulled her head back, pressing it against the inside of his thigh as she turned.

Howling Gale's head had lifted, and his ears pointed towards the promenade. Her heart suddenly catching in her chest, she stared out from between his legs.

The dark shape of a heavy-set man in some thick clothing had stepped onto the jetty, and was walking towards them.

"Fuck!" She whispered, and ducked out from underneath his legs. "Fuckfuckfuck..."

Howling Gale staggered to the side, but his movements were awkward; his shaft waved below him, twitching, jerking, still splashing pre onto the already-wet surface below.

Who was he? Police? Had someone seen them? It was hardly worth the risk to stand around and check. "Fuck, um..." Reese scanned her eyes, taking in her surroundings. The few boats near them were little more than rowing boats, or at best ones with an outboard motor; no cover against anyone coming towards them.

The darkness was protecting them for now, but that would barely last a few more seconds before they'd be spotted. She whirled her head around, trying to spot something, anything that could hide them.

Fuuuuuck...!

* * *

Sammi waddled forwards from the queue, and dumped the armful of game coins onto desk in front of the teller's window. "I wanna cash these! If that's okay!"

The teller was a prim, uniformed woman, with her hair tied back in a thick bun. She stared at the pile; her face barely flickered from its bored expression. "Cash or Credit?"

"Cash, please!" Sammi stammered, her heart hammering in her chest. She was beginning to wish Dactyl was there, instead of reserving her place at the slot machine.

The woman's face remained completely impassive as she span the turntable, the pile of coins swinging underneath the glass to her side. She didn't even seem the tiniest bit fazed as she shovelled them into a small hopper, watching a screen to her side as they clattered down a metal chute.

"Cedric?" she said suddenly, and leaned back. Sammi's eyes went wide, her grasp tightening on the counter.

An Alakazam wandered into view, and peered over at the screen. Then he walked off.

"Please wait a moment." The woman said, not looking up as she began to type something.

Sammi stared straight ahead. Could they hear how hard her heart was beating? Cripes, this wasn't good! Had they seen something, or-

The Alakazam came back with a few wads of money in both hands, and put them on a side desk next to the window. Then he picked up one pile at a time, flicked through the notes in a matter of seconds while staring at them intently, and placed them down by the woman.

"That's two million, one hundred and ten thousand dollars." The woman said, still staring at the screen as the last lot of money was put down, and the Alakazam gave a nod before wandering off. The woman reached out to spin the turntable without even looking.

Sammi smiled and nodded happily, immediately taking the piles and stuffing them into a separate pocket in her bag. "Thank you...!"

"Wait a moment," the woman continued, and then pulled out a slip that had been ejected from the nearby machine.

Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump. Sammi hated how loud her heart was sometimes.

The woman span the turntable again. "There's a voucher for free drinks for the rest of the night. For all our millionaire winners. Well done." Never once did her voice break from the monotone, uninterested drone. She didn't even look up from the screen.

Sammi snatched it up. "Thank you! Thank you again! Have a great night!" She stuffed it in a pocket, and wandered away, grinning in a mix of joy and relief.

Arceus dammit, that was close. She didn't need any more of that tonight.

Feeling the worry begin to flow off her like drops of water, she began to let herself relax. Passing conversations floated over her as she made her way through the crowd, and she distracted herself by listening into them.

"...you've gotta check this out, man. First thing I saw, I thought that it must be fake--computer generated or something, but no--it was an actual Absol! It was in Lumiose too, and..."

"...hear about the recent excavations over there? An old temple to Zekrom and Reshiram. Legends say that the priestess..."

"...telling you. Clarity Envisioned, it's a corrupt business. Some dumb bitch got the job just because the Quality Control Supervisor liked her or something... he's a fuckin' Luxray, what's she got that he..."

"...ten-four, in position now. You have eyes on the Staravia?"

Sammi stopped suddenly. That conversation was coming from just in front of her. She focused on a man standing just by a marble pillar; he was a good foot and a half taller than her, and his tailored suit doing a commendable job of barely containing his broad shoulders and thick muscles. His short-cropped hair revealed a small earpiece.

"Good." He said, just heard above the hubbub of the crowd. "Backup will be in position in two minutes. Get ready to move in."

Sammi swallowed, her hands clutching the bag hard enough to make her knuckles go white.

No. It couldn't be, she thought, as she watched the man slowly walk off into the crowd. Come on, this was her being paranoid, just like with the Alakazam....

Next thing she knew, she was running towards the slot machines, the sounds of the casino muted by the blood pumping furiously in her ears.

* * *

The water's surface lapped at the very base of Reese's shoes as she pressed her feet firmly into the nook of a crossbeam. Her arms wrapped tightly around the wet, barnacled wooden pillar of the jetty, slimy with seaweed. Her fingers ached from the strain of holding up not just her own weight, but also Howling Gale, who she'd pulled onto her back and now hung there; forelegs over her shoulders, hindlegs pressed against her thighs to stay on...

Oh, and one hot, thick and very hard cock pushed roughly against the small of her back.

Above them, the wood shuddered as the thuds of two heavy boots tramped across it. She stared up between the gaps, unable to see anything more than vague, barely illuminated shapes; but above the lapping over the waves, someone was breathing and muttering...

Her grip was beginning to falter. She jerked forwards, wrapping her arm tighter around another crossbeam. The motion made Howling Gale grunt deeply into her ear.

"Shhhh..." she tried to make the sound as quiet as possible..

He grunted again, a lot quieter, and started to shuffle.

"Quit moving!"

A grunt of annoyance. Above them, the man took another few steps.

"Remain... still..." Reese breathed.

There was a pause.

Howling Gale bucked his hips against her, pressing his shaft a lot more roughly against the small of her back.

Her eyes went wide, and she barely held in a yelp of surprise. She turned her head slowly to glare at him, only to be met with a dark, smug grin right in her face.

"You're terrible!"

Howling Gale gave a soft, almost imperceptible growl, and ground against her again in a firm, meaningful way.

Alright, c'mon Reese, think. The man above might be looking for them, or he might just be some tourist, hard to tell. Either way, he wasn't looking to be leaving anytime soon... staying here wouldn't be an option for long, especially with Howling Gale weighing her down, and refusing to stop grinding that hard cock against her, the warmth shoved against her spine, the pre wetting the back of her dress as-

She gritted her teeth. Okay, think, but not about that.

So... escape. That's what she needed. The water was barely an option; it was so still that she'd make a noise regardless of speed, and she didn't want to get what money she had stashed in her pockets wet. She looked to the side instead, past the softly undulating boats, off towards the distant lights of the promenade. She could feasibly climb across, right? Get about halfway along the jetty, at least... maybe there'd be some easy ladder or something, or she'd be far enough away not to attract the man's attention...

Grind, grind, growwwwwl...

She lunged to the side, pulling herself along the wet, worn planks of the jetty, barely finding purchase on the seaweed-heavy crossbeams. Still, she wrapped her arms around one pillar after another, over and over again, painfully aware of the water lapping just inches below her at every moment...

The grumble of a motorboat rumbled from somewhere on the other side of the jetty, getting louder, closer. For a moment Reese could picture it swinging into view around the far end, searchlights picking her out, and from the feel from her rear it was currently a very compromising position to be in!

And then, in a moment, the sound shut off. She paused in mid-reach, fingers grasping some worn nook in the next pillar, as a wave lapped over her ankles.

Thumps from above signalled a rope being thrown onto the deck, and then more boots thumping along the planks.

"Can I help you?" The voice was deep, with a local Johto accent in it.

"Officer Louis, Goldenrod Police. This is Officer Jennifer."

Reese's eyes went wide. Howling Gale hadn't seemed to react--in fact, he just kept humping. At this point, she was more impressed at him than anything..

"Yes, officers?"

"We've been called in to patrol this area. Are you the owner of these boats?"

"Er, most of them, yes, I just lease some of the spots further up... er, my name is Cole, Cole Nakamura."

"Right. Officer Jennifer, if you could please stay by the promenade. Mister Nakamura, I have a few questions..."

Reese cursed internally. Shit! This was going to take a while, and between the strain on her fingers and the weight of Howling Gale (who was still going at it), she had to admit that chances were beginning to rapidly thin.

She pulled herself slowly to the next pillar, barely able to grasp the sparse handhold before a particularly large wave splashed across the base--salt spray swirled around her legs, sending spikes of pain through her as they touched the cuts in her skin! It was all she could do to hold on tightly....

The two men above were still talking, just a few metres away. She couldn't drop into the water, not now, and climbing up onto the jetty and walking down would definitely attract attention.

Her heart pounded in her chest as their options narrowed. She span her head, searching for something, anything that would give them a chance...

That's when she saw which boat she'd ended up next to. Bobbing in the water just to her side, like a chrome-highlighted gift from the Gods, was the Sharpedo Lines speedboat she'd seen before--and covering the entire stern was that shiny, tan tarpaulin.

The word 'perfect' floated through her mind on a warm bed of relief.

She edged herself along the next crossbeam, then got a firm grip on the wood before leaning back.

"Jump in there..." she whispered, feeling the stern of the boat bump against Howling Gale as the Mightyena finally decided to stop grinding and humping. He looked around, claws digging into her sides as he inspected the view... and then, with surprising smoothness, dropped to the side of the boat, shoving his snout beneath the edge of the tarpaulin and sliding underneath with barely a sound.

Reese hung from the wood, her sides aching from where the claws had dug into her. She cocked her head, listening to the conversation above.

"So you arrived here five minutes ago?"

"Yes officer, if that...."

She smiled. They were oblivious. She and Howling Gale were actually going to make it! She turned to see her Pokémon compatriot holding open the tarp, eyes gleaming in the darkness underneath it.

Grinning, she leant back, and in a smooth motion she slipped in after him, leaving the lights of Goldenrod behind.

* * *

Dactyl squawked in surprise as Sammi wrapped an arm around him.

"Weneedtogetoutofhere!" She tried to whisper, the resulting sound just a hastily assembled jumble of letters. She tugged both handbags further over her shoulders, knuckles white as she gripped them, tugging Dactyl with her other hand. "They've spotted us... come on!"

Dactyl fixed her with a worried, questioning gaze--but it blurred as she yanked him onto her shoulder, already turning to run. The myriad of squeaking and clicking sounds he made were lost to the air.

The bustle of the Game Corner was becoming increasingly claustrophobic, angry screams of slot machines and yelps of patrons becoming a maelstrom of noise around them. She was running through a blurred world, her skin cold and a lump rising in her throat. The ground whizzed by beneath her feet as she ran to the exit, coming around the end of the slot machines and heading straight for the doors.

A man stepped out in front of her. She got a sudden glimpse of his black suit, sunglasses, and wired earpiece beneath excellently cropped and styled hair. His expression could have been described in many different ways, but 'friendly' was certainly not any of them.

"Excuse me, Ma'a-"

She didn't even think about it. One moment she was running, the next, he was falling to the floor, her hand coated in sweat and curled into a fist with aching knuckles.

She stopped dead in her tracks, gasping as she stared at the prone man that must have been a foot taller than she was.

"SORRY!" She shouted, taking a few steps back. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it...!"

The man stared at her with a bemused expression, one lens of his sunglasses cracked in a web of gleaming shards. For a moment, she wondered if he'd forgive her....

He brought up a hand to his earpiece. "Ten-thirty-three, target resisting arrest, move in!"

Sammi stood there for another moment, staring in disbelief down at him--before Dactyl suddenly unfurled his wings, dragging at her shoulder with his talons as he pulled her forwards, yanking her out of her trance.

She staggered forwards behind him, feet barely hitting the floor as she pounded once more towards the exit. Ahead, the glass front to the lobby showed the bright street scene outside. Two bouncers standing outside began to turn--but she slammed both doors in front of her open at once, catching both off guard in a sudden flash of glass, feathers and falling bodies.

"Ohcripesohcripes, sorry, it was an accident!" She yelped, dancing over them and running off down the street. Cold city air swirled around her as her feet hammered at the sidewalk, the cacophonous nighttime city surrounding her, bearing down on her.

The wail of sirens cut through the air like a hyper beam, and glaring blue and red lights gleamed in the sequins of her dress.

"Oh criiiiiiiiiiipes...!"

* * *

The sensible option would have been to wait patiently, silently, twiddling thumbs (or paws) and generally biding time until the police left.

But the moment Reese had slid into the back of the boat, their eyes had once again met--hormones were flowing, adrenaline was pumping, and the air was thick with the scents of both species' arousal. Right then, it was clear; neither of them were going for the sensible option.

And so, on the edge of the busiest city in the region, with investigating police officers metres away, in a boat that didn't belong to them, Howling Gale pushed his way between Reese's legs--and Reese goaded him on.

His tongue was glorious. It lapped across her cunt over and over again, so delightfully slick as it delved between her folds, tasting, exploring. She could just see his teeth gleaming in the low light as she leaned back against one of the seats, dress hoisted up over her waist, and one foot planted against the engine compartment as her body swam with that tingling, giddy warmth.

"Nnnnn-ah..." she breathed, staring at her taboo lover through lidded eyes, little more than an outline in the shadowed surroundings. Canine tongues--how fantastic. How had she missed out on this? She'd had a variety of humans go down on her with... mixed results, and despite the heights they'd taken her to, none of them licked with this eagerness, no tongue had curled around her lips with such all-encompassing delight, and no-one had pushed forwards with such feral, animal need!

"H-Howling... wow..."

He glanced up, pausing in mid-lick to stare at her. Those deep red eyes, shining gently even here, bore into her mind. He licked again-

Oh, so painfully, agonisingly slow that lick was! And yet, how that tongue pressed right between her folds, how it tantalised and teased and yet still gave her the pleasure she craved! She writhed, pressing a foot against the cold side of the boat, biting her lip as her hips trembled from the intense, irrepressible feeling!

Another lick made her jerk suddenly, gasping in pleasure--a hand shot out, grasping the mane on his back, fingers curling through that coarse fur as she tightened her grip. She stared into his eyes, as if trying to tell him with gaze alone just what she wanted.

And he knew. Of course he knew. He wanted it too.

Reese stared at that shaft, a darker shadow against the backdrop, a shadow burned in her mind with the untameable fires of passion. She would have tugged him forwards had he not done it himself, stepping over her in slow, purposeful strides. He straddled her torso with his forelegs of his own accord, a spectre looming over her like some powerful incubus. Hah... if he was a demon, what wouldn't she do for him right now....

She curled her legs up, reaching back to grasp the shaft in one hand, dragging the tip over her cunt. She shuddered, lolling her head back as she grasped it tighter, the flesh barely giving under her grip as she shakily tried to slide that bulbous tip towards the correct hole.

Howling Gale leaned forwards, bucking his hips frantically, his rear twitching and claws scraping at the floor of the boat. It was hard to get it in place, with how he eagerly humped against her grip, hand and crotch wet with his pre and saliva. Reese swallowed, trying to focus, pulling the tip up and pressing it finally at the right hole-

Ow, ow ow owwwww! Reese choked back a yelp as Howling Gale suddenly shoved that tip into her barely prepared cunt. The punishment the Hounds had given it the other night hadn't faded, and giving herself so little time to recover, here she was doing the exact same thing! She gritted her teeth, a catherine wheel of light spiralling in front of her eyes as she tried to deal with the pain--horny Mightyena bad, horny Mightyena bad!

But Howling Gale didn't give her the moment she needed to recover. The moment that tip had been shoved into her, he'd let out a stuttered growl of relief, and his already frenzied thrusting had suddenly spiked in intensity--now, that shaft was forced into her, so thick now, so firm and so hot. With gritted teeth sharp as sickles and glinting with saliva, revealed by a wide and selfish grin, he didn't slow his thrusting for a single moment. And that was perfect, because deep down, despite the pain, Reese didn't want him too.

She wrapped her arms around his chest, sinking into his black fur as she tugged him closer. She could feel his warmth through the dress, a comforting, exciting warmth that spread right to her heart. His breath, ragged and sprinkled with growls, echoed in her mind as she buried her face against his neck. Oh, how every one of those sounds made her curl up tighter, pressing her crotch up to him, her very being begging for him to go deeper and faster and harder!

And his scent, oh, his scent! This was no shampooed and conditioned Furfrou with delicate, Oran flower aromas--this was a creature of the night, of the wild, of instinct and lust. Strong musk surrounded her, that smell of deep forests, sweat and seed. He'd had no proper wash since he'd left Parfum, so every last smell he'd gained on that fateful night was still there, and oh, how Reese wanted to experience it all again, how she revelled in it....

A thump from outside the boat--someone was walking along the jetty. Distant thumps and sirens floated above the bed of pants and growls by her ear. It was a jolt back to reality, a sudden surfacing from the heady sensations of the feral rutting. She opened her eyes, clutching Howling Gale closer as the indistinct words continued outside the tarpaulin.

This time, Howling Gale slowed, his growl becoming little more than a rumble in her ear. His shaft slid further into her, gradually coming to a stop.

And this time, it was Reese that leaned forwards, mouth pressed up against one of those perked, triangular ears.

"Don't stop."

She was going to say more. She was willing to goad him, or even to plead for him to continue. But Howling Gale didn't need more--and before she could take another breath in, he thrusted forwards, burying himself inside her right up to the forming nubs of that knot.

Reese almost cried out once more, mouth open, eyes wild and unseeing as her legs quivered with the feeling. And of course it didn't stop there--he thrusted again, head pressed against hers, his paws wrapping around her shoulders to grasp and claw and hold her in place as he humped her over and over and over...!

Outside, the talking continued, but it was a different world--in here, in their haven of taboo debauchery, they continued their restless, selfish desires. She curled tighter again, head shoved right against the seat uncomfortably, once more lifting her hips up to him as she listened to the wet sounds of the knot grinding against her cunt. At the moment, the nubs just small enough to be shoved inside--but she knew it wouldn't last forever. Even now, that pain was building, reaching a breaking point.

The pain hadn't faded. Stopping had been the last thing on Howling Gale's mind, so she'd had no time to recover, but she hadn't even asked--because ultimately, she wanted this. This treatment, this pain, this pleasure, it was incredible...

In fact, she realised, thoughts sluggishly wading through the sea of desires flooding her mind, it was the first time since that night at Parfum where she'd finally felt alive again. Excited. Standing on a rock above the sea had made her feel only the tiniest bit energised, betting with stolen money had almost fed the smallest of her desires for risk, and being the owner of millions of dollars hadn't even begun to give her the smallest satisfaction that Howling Gale was now providing; that canine cock, wet with pre and her juices, slammed into her and then pulled back out again and again in a non-stop cavalcade of carnal pleasure.

That was it. Yes... yes! That was it! This was what she wanted! Money, heists, human males, they paled in comparison to this height of taboo and ecstasy. She gasped, almost laughed even, the sound amplified in their close confines--but right now, she hardly cared. Howling Gale surged forwards, the boat rocking beneath them, their private salacious world whirling in delights. She dug her nails into Howling Gale's hide, bringing her legs up further, feeling the nubs slamming into her cunt over and over as they began to swell....

Yes, yes... all of it! Howling Gale suddenly reared his head back, and for a moment their eyes met, his red irises almost shining in the blackness, before he lunged forwards.

The kiss they shared... this was not a human affair. No human, with blunt teeth and fat tongue, could hope to match this incredibly feral event--sharp teeth grazing her lips, his tongue lapping and curling, sliding over her cheeks like he was trying to drink her lusts. His muzzle wrapped around her mouth, practically biting down against her skin...

His shaft jerked and pulsed. He hadn't pulled out. Of course he hadn't--neither of them had wanted it, his hips shoved against hers with claws scouring the floor, her legs crossed behind his tail to keep him in against her. She felt every painful, incredible pulse of that knot as it grew inside her, spreading those inner walls apart, a seal inside her to keep her in place and to excite and delight, and didn't it do every last one of those things and more...!

Every last facet of his orgasm resounded from him--she could feel every pulse of that shaft, how it bulged to a final and unbelievable size inside her, how it jerked with each spurt of virile, canine seed. His body tensed, his front paws wrapped behind her shoulders, claws piercing silk and skin as they dug deep into her. His body shook, his tail wagging back and forth against her feet as those balls resting on her rear jerked and pulled up with every twitch of the shaft. He dragged his muzzle back from her mouth, only to drive it forwards and catch her throat in his teeth--a mating bite, the agony of his fangs ascended to a fierce and intense pleasure as she, too, danced and exploded into orgasm at the very sensation!

His growls were muffled, but she could still hear them, speaking of eons-old instincts and passionate lusts let loose. The air stunk of musk and sweat, a potent potpourri of erotic aromas.

So there she was, encompassed by cool night air, wrapped around a large, warm Mightyena, and a hot shaft knotted inside her, filling her with that seed she begged for. She almost laughed from the sheer inanity of it, from her body swirling with glee.

And that was when the boat's engine suddenly revved into life.

In an instant, adrenaline kicked through her body, with the descending feeling of dread following in its wake. She jerked, her legs kicking against the covered engine block in sheer surprise, the loud thump from the impact shaking the cold floor of the boat. Her eyes shot open, staring up at her lover; Howling Gale whirled his head back and forth, one ear turned to the engine, the other to the front of the boat. She felt his tail extend, straighten, his entire body tensing around her.

Then there was a kick of acceleration, and the two of them were bounced in place as the boat jerked forwards, the engine roaring in sudden strain. From the back came the sound of spraying water.

Reese's grip tightened on Howling Gale. The rest of this night had been risk after risk, but this? This was something else! She was knotted to a Mightyena, about as red-handed as one can get caught, and now she was being driven away!

She stared back at Howling Gale, his teeth bared as he stared up at the closed section of the tarpaulin, leading to the front of the boat.

And then she paused. She pulled on Howling Gale's fur, the feeling of it curling around her fingers, the warmth beneath her grasp, spreading a blanket of comfort over her.

She'd only managed the heist at Parfum because she'd been calm and methodical. True, being crazy enough to cover herself in female pheromones in front of a pack of vicious dogs had also come into it, but the first two aspects were more important now.

So, as the boat continued to speed forwards, she took in a breath and let it out. The smell of Howling Gale surrounded her; she could almost taste his adrenaline.

With a steady hand, she reached up, placing it on Howling Gale's chest warily. He flicked his gaze down, and ear twitching; she put her other hand up to her mouth.

"Shhhh..."

Then, being careful not to make any noise that would be heard above the roaring engine, she reached out to her side to feel around the compartment. Surely, there must be something here...

Her fingers touched cold metal. She grasped it, pulling it free of whatever it was caught on, and bringing it closer; the red metal of a small fire extinguisher was just discernible in the low light.

Alright. Mindset, check. Weapon, check. Now to recon...

She pushed herself back up against the seat, and reached out to the edge of the tarp. It was only loosely tied down--all she had to do was unknot this string like so, and then raise the fire extinguisher, and then just lift the tarp and...

Reese stopped.

"What!?"

Sitting in the driver's seat, her dress and two handbags flowing in the whistling wind kicked up by the speedboat's motion, a very familiar little figure outlined in the distant city lights. Latched onto her shoulder, with feathers streaming behind him, a Staravia was already staring at them with black, judgmental eyes.

"Sammi!?"

Sammi turned, her face holding something of a thousand-yard stare as she focused on Reese...

Which then seemed to cycle through several conflicting expressions at once. For a few seconds, she didn't say anything, and they stared at each other in silence accompanied only by the engine's continued roar.

Then, as if suddenly realising that what she was seeing was real, Sammi's eyes became dinner plates.

"Reese!?"

Reese blinked as another pause surrounded them. "So..." she said, finally, trying not to glance at Howling Gale, still straddling her chest and pressed right up against her hips. "...how're things...?"

"ErrRRrrrRrrr..." Sammi started, staring slightly past them. "Not bad. Uh... Reese?"

"Yep?" Reese replied with forced casualness.

"What thehell in criminy is going on!?"

There was a sudden, echoey crackle across the scene, before a muffled, barely-understandable voice rose above the noise of the engine.

"This is the police. Cut your engine and put your hands up."

Reese felt her heart rise in her mouth. "I could ask you the same question."

Sammi turned back to the dark ocean for a moment before facing her again--and then, with no warning or time to prepare, the explanation hit like an avalanche sped-up.

"Well... I was in the Game Corner and I heard a man say they located Dactyl and he looked like Parfum security or something so I went to find Dactyl and told him to get out of there with me and then one came up and I punched him, and then I went outside and knocked over a few more, and then I ran into the city trying to find you, and you said to meet by the jetty so I went there, but you weren't there, but I was there, and the police were there, and they were everywhere and there were sirens and lights and Pokémon and I was scared and I just ran along the jetty and I couldn't see you but I found the owner of the boat and I gave him money and bought the boat and jumped on the boat and started the boat and now I'm trying to escape the police and then you show up and-"

A split-second went by.

"-and are you having sex with him!?"

Reese grimaced. "Well, long story, I-"

A sheet of water erupted in front of them. Sammi yanked the controls to the side in a panic, the boat skidding across the top of the water, with Dactyl's sudden frantic flapping to stay on sending feathers everywhere. The sudden, sharp turn that made Reese and Howling Gale slam against the opposite side of the boat with a painful grunt as water cascaded over them.

"Repeat, this is the police. Cut your engine or we will be forced to disable you."

"OKAY I'm NOT VERY GOOD at OUTRUNNING THE POLICE!" Sammi yelped, her voice quivering.

"Well maybe-"

"ANSWER MY QUESTION!" Sammi suddenly yelped as they set off on their new course, the lights of Goldenrod illuminating the terror on her face. "Why are you here!?"

Reese coughed. "Well... we wanted privacy, and..."

"Why did you want privacy!?"

"To... fuck."

"Why are you fucking him!?"

"Because I want to!"

"He's one of the Hounds!"

"And I fucked them too, alright!?"

"WHAT!?"

Sammi yanked at the controls again, the boat kicking up water--flashing blue and red lights played over them as a siren suddenly wailed into life just off the starboard bow, before dopplering away behind them as the boat turned.

Reese yelped--she'd had to shove her feet against the engine block to stop herself from sliding that time, but Howling Gale hadn't been holding on as tight, and the momentum had tugged his knot against her cunt. She bit her lip as a spiral of pain shot through her.

"Alright, look!" Reese yelled suddenly, feeling a little short on breath. "Yes, I snuck away to fuck Howling Gale. I'll explain it all later--for now, I think there's the slight problem of-"

"This is the police. This is your last warning. Cut your engines and prepare to be boarded, or we will open fire."

"...yeah, that." Reese finished, rather lamely.

Sammi was silent for a moment. Then, she nodded. "Alright. Alright. I think I can do it. I think I can do this, just... one question...."

"Yeah?"

"How do you outrun the police?"

The water suddenly exploded again in front of them. The boat jolted into the air, leaving the surface of the water for a second, before crashing down again with enough of a bang to slam Reese's head against the side of the seat--she reeled away, her vision spinning.

"Fuck! Gah... well... how did you get past the ones on the jetty?"

"I, kinda, um, shoved them into the water...?"

"You..." Reese said, frowning. "You managed to shove them into the water?"

"I'm sorry! I was scared!"

Another explosion of water, this time right next to them. The boat jolted to the side, and Reese yelped as they were shook in place, Howling Gale's claws digging into her again to hold on.

"Dammit! Just... zig-zag! Zig-zag!"

"Right!" Sammi yanked the controls to the side.

The boat screamed around another sharp turn, and this time Reese just had enough strength to stop herself from sliding. Behind them, there was a pitter-patter of smaller bursts of water.

"What are they shooting at us with?" Sammi yelled, trying to wrestle the controls the other way.

Reese panted, turning back the other way, pushing herself up to stare back behind the boat, trying to ignore the ringing in her ears.

Despite the distance, the shining beacon of Goldenrod still took up almost the entire horizon, seated like a crown against the black night sky. Its namesake colour glowed in the reflection of the water, like it was slowly being washed away into the bay it pressed against. Sitting amidst that reflection was a network of black shapes, spiraling red and blue colours, rushing away from the land.

There was a sudden flash from one of them, and Reese brought up an arm reflexively as a sparkling beam scythed through the water behind them, missing the boat by metres. It crashed across the surface, sending what seemed to be icicles whirling through the air.

"Well that looked like an Ice Beam!" Reese shouted to the front of the boat. "So they're using Pokémon!"

"What Pokémon!?"

"How do I know!? You're the geek!"

"That's a nerd! Which I am as well!"

"Then which Pokémon can learn Ice Beam?"

"Practically all of them!"

Reese breathed hard, staring at her. She wasn't looking good. "Sammi... Sammi... alright, alright, breeeeathe..."

Sammi still stared wildly forwards, but she breathed in.

"And out..."

Sammi breathed out.

"And remember to keep zig-zagging-"

Sammi yanked the controls to the side, sending the completely unprepared Reese sliding to the other side of the boat. Howling Gale was dragged along with a complaining growl, landing on Reese's front.

Reese gasped in shock, staring off to the side, eyes going wide.

"Sammi! Police boat, port side, coming in fast!"

"Aiaa! Dactyl!"

There was a sudden rush of air as Dactyl unfurled his wings, leaping up onto the windscreen. He reared back, his form suddenly glowing with a yellow light, before a hail of shining stars shot out and sped towards the craft. Each one landed just in front of it, repeatedly shooting sprays of water into the craft--blinded, it turned to the side in response, careening away from them.

"Damn..." Reese shouted. "You sure you haven't done this before, Dactyl?"

Dactyl ruffled his feathers, looking imperious.

"Alright!" Reese shouted. "Dactyl, you need to keep doing that! Sammi, time to turn again!"

This time, Reese just managed to hold herself in place as the boat skidded around once more. She scanned the horizon, counting the boats behind them, when she saw a trio of dark chevrons diving down from above...

"Flying Pokémon, coming in!"

What were they--Pidgeotto, Pidgeot? It was hard to tell from this distance, but one had a figure sitting astride it, silhouetted against the shore. They flew in low, kicking up spray behind them as they came closer and closer....

Dactyl suddenly landed by Reese's head, clawed feet grasping the seat as his wings once more unfurled. Reese pulled Howling Gale down against her as the glowing spearheads of a pin missile attack screamed over them, sending up more sprays of water as they hit the surface. The trio broke formation, scattering, climbing--but a moment later they were arcing back towards the boat, one on either side, and the one with the rider from above. Even from this distance, she could see sharp claws beginning to glow with energy.

"Sammi, speed up, speed up!"

"I'm going as fast as I can!"

"Slow down then!"

"I can't! I... I can put the engine in reverse, though, that might-"

"Do it!"

The engine coughed, spluttered, and then roared again. A cascade of water erupted from just off the stern, and Reese was shoved against the floor as the bow suddenly dipped, the stern jumping up from the sudden change in momentum, the entire boat decelerating suddenly.

The birds were too close to compensate for the sudden change in speed of their target, and Reese stared through the front windscreen as they sliced through the water's surface just off the bow--at least one of them, desperately trying to correct its course, hit the surface of the water hard. Meanwhile, overhead, air screamed as the third one whipped passed them before banking again and rising into the air. Reese stared, just able to make out the figure on it holding something in their hand, something that reflected the light of the shore.

"Sammi... go, go, go!"

Sammi shunted the engine back into forward gear, and the speedboat's bow rose again, pushing them forwards--but not before the ethereal red beam of a Pokéball struck the boat. It coalesced quickly into a solid shape, shining with that sickly, terrifying light, before it resolved into the figure of an Ampharos-

-which lashed out with one electricity-covered arm, slamming into Dactyl's chest and sending the bird flying into the windscreen with a sickening thump.

"DACTYL!" Sammi stared in horror at the Staravia as he slumped onto the front seat, still crackling with the electric aura, wings weakly flapping to try and get back to his feet.

Reese stared up as the Ampharos turned, not even looking down as its arms sparked once more. Its dark eyes focused on the engine block as it pulled back-

And then Reese's vision blurred as Howling Gale shoved himself off her, a sharp snarl cutting through the air. Once again, his knot yanked at her cunt, but he pivoted around it and lashed out with his jaws, catching the Ampharos on the leg. Adrenaline overrode the pain, leaving Reese with wide-eyed surprise as Howling Gale hauled the Ampharos' leg aside, the towering Pokémon coming crashing down onto the deck of the boat.

Reese shoved herself back, bringing up her leg for a sharp kick against the Ampharos' side, shoving it off-balance again just as it tried to recover. Howling Gale lunged forwards again, grabbing the base of the Ampharos' tail.

Reese knew was was coming, and tensed her body as Howling Gale threw himself to the side, the action pulling at her crotch, claws catching on her legs as he did so. The Ampharos sailed through the air, passing straight over the engine block, before Howling Gale released his jaws. All that they heard was a quickly fading cry before the Ampharos splashed into the ocean.

"What happened!?" Sammi shouted from the front.

Reese actually laughed. "Howling Gale just saved our asses." She stared at her panting lover, almost spread-eagled on the deck from the sudden exertion. "Is Dactyl okay?"

"He's injured! That bastard got him good! FUCKER!" Sammi yelled behind them. Reese glanced back, watching the ridden flier circle around the surface, before a Pokéball's beam shot out to recover the fallen comrade. They banked, flying away, glowing faintly in blue light...

Blue light...

Reese whirled around. Sammi was staring at Dactyl, both hands holding him, stroking him--and straight ahead, shining that blue light, the awe-inspiring spectacle of a glass-covered tower loomed before them.

"Sammi! Eyes on the water!"

"What!?"

"The Global Terminal!"

Sammi turned--paused--shrieked--and then grabbed the controls and hauled them to the side, Howling Gale thrown back against her from the force of the turn. The Global Terminal, hub for trainers all over the region to gather, cut across their vision as the speedboat roared to the side. Reese's breath caught in her throat as the sharp slope of the small island it sat on whizzed past just metres away.

Reese let out a breath as the tower slid around behind them, the speedboat once again heading out into the ocean. Blue and red flashes navigated their way through the boulders near the island, still on their tail. This was getting intense.

And aside from the tryst with Howling Gale, it was the most fun she'd had all day.

Sammi, meanwhile, didn't seem to be enjoying it quite as much. "Reese! I can't do this forever!"

"Think, then! Come on, you planned the Parfum Heist down to the smallest detail, so think--where do we go where they can't find us?"

Sammi paused for a short while, the boat's engine grumbling away, the distant sirens growing in volume...

"Whirl Islands!" She said suddenly. "Those police boats, I think they're only short range... and any that do follow, we can hide from them and from those in the air in the Whirl Islands!"

"Alright, so all we have to do is get away from the police here, right?"

Sammi's face was suddenly set with determination. "Right!"

Reese turned back to their wake as Sammi began to adjust course. Something had appeared in the intervening water, white surf occasionally cresting passing waves. She watched it, hands gently stroking Howling Gale as she did.

"Something's coming..." Reese warned, trepidation rising within her like a bubble from the ocean depths.

"Maybe it's friendly!" Sammi added with hopeful naïveté.

Just then, the water slid to the side as a great bulk emerged from the water, just metres away. Light shone from its wet hide, the white glare almost hiding its blue scales. Beneath a jutting, heavy brow, two eyes poured with pure anger--and as the creature rose, a wide, dark mouth was revealed, thick lips pulled back in a constant snarl.

Reese gulped as fear once more leapt up at her mind from the very sight of the Gyarados. "Nope--duck!"

Reese curled up, forcing Howling Gale down with her other hand as a blast of water rocketed just over her head. There was a loud bang and a cry of screaming metal, followed by the tinkling of glass--Reese yelped as some cut into her already wounded skin. A moment later, the dying beam of water slammed into the boat, drenching Howling Gale and herself in a sudden deluge.

When she eventually looked up, pulling her sodden hair from her face, she saw the damage; the front windscreen had suffered the hit, a hole cut right through the centre of it. The chrome borders had buckled and bent, the middle section completely missing, and what remained of the glass was streaked with huge cracks.

Sammi stared back at the Gyarados, the side of her face crossed with small cuts. One hand went out to her side, and Dactyl's unharmed body could just be seen over the seat.

The Gyarados roared in anger, capturing Reese's attention once more. It dived down with another crash of water, finned tail whipping as it sped towards the speedboat.

"I don't know what to do, Reese!" Sammi shouted from the front, voice shaking with despair. "Dactyl can't fight! Mightyena are close-combat attackers! We're done for!"

Reese breathed quickly as her mind span. She was right, but they had more than just Pokémon to work with. Not just that, but Howling Gale was trained, so that might mean...

"Howling Gale!" Reese said, shoving the Mightyena up. "Do you know Shadow Ball?"

Howling Gale squinted up, flickering lights playing across his face. He nodded quickly.

"What's that gonna do?" Sammi shouted. "It won't dent a Gyarados of that size!"

"Don't need to dent it, just need to get it off our tail for a while." Reese cast her eyes around until she found what she was looking for, wedged against one of the supports for the seat from where it had fallen earlier. "And I've got a plan for that! Sammi, on my signal, cover your ears."

She reached out, grabbed the fire extinguisher and yanked it away, brandishing it in one hand.

"Where did you get that from!?"

"I found it earlier! I was going to use it when I thought you were a Police Officer taking the boat." Reese kept glancing back at the rapidly approaching bulge of water.

"You were going to hijack the boat with it?"

"Never done it before, but there's a first time for everything!"

"While you're knotted to a Mightyena!?"

Reese shrugged. "Might as well do it in style."

Sammi was about to retort when her words were suddenly cut off as the Gyarados broke the surface of the water right behind the speedboat, suddenly looming over them, outlined in a rainbow of surf kicked up by its appearance. It leaned down, wide mouth dripping water and saliva, a perpetual yell of dominance and anger.

Reese yelled back as she drew back her arm, and threw the fire extinguisher right towards the Gyarados' head.

"Now!"

Reese pushed Howling Gale back, and the two of them fell together. Still locked at their crotches, she shoved him onto his back, landing on his hips and staring down at his suddenly-illuminated body. He glared upwards, right past her head, and she caught a momentary glance of his lips drawn back over his sharp teeth, black light flickering and oozing from his jaws-

She recoiled as the ball of pure darkness just missed her, just able to bring up her hands to cover her ears in time.

Even with her hearing muted in such a way, the bang that occurred as the fire extinguisher exploded in the air above them was still enough to make her head ring with the sound. She screwed her eyes shut, a jolt of a headache suddenly hitting her as the shock wave passed over the two of them.

Then, Howling Gale's incredible, commanding Roar flowed just past her; a torrent of rushing air and dark aura. She shuddered as she felt her core self scream at her to run, to flee, to do whatever was needed to get the hell away from here.

And she hadn't even been hit by it.

Blinking, gasping, she looked up, just in time to see the dazed Gyarados crash down into the water. The resulting splash landed on their boat, once more coating them in a torrent of water.

Reese leaned back, supporting herself on her arms as they sped away. Her chest rose and fell, her arm aching from how hard she'd tossed the fire extinguisher. She laughed as they sped away, even some of the pursuing boats having to judder to a stop to prevent hitting the floating, immobilised Pokémon.

Not that it was all of them. The rest were still on their tail; at least six of them, in a line, coming closer and closer. Behind the spiraling blue and red lights, she could see faces on each one. Flashes of light and aura were began to build; water erupted from either side of the boat.

"Reese!"

And then, something yanked at her attention. It was a moment before she realised it had been a spike of pleasure--Howling Gale's cock had jerked suddenly, making her shudder. She stared across at him...

The world seemed to slow down around them. The dye on his face had been worn away; whether it had been rinsed off by water or burned off by the creation of that Shadow Ball didn't matter--because regardless of that, Reese stared at the intricate swirls of dark fur playing over his face, at those surrounding eyes that stared into hers... with confidence. Trust.

Reese's breath caught in her throat.

"Reese!"

The plan fell into place. It was simple.

"Think you can do this one for me?" She said, leaning down, her hair tumbling around his head as she stared at him with a small smile. "One last effort?"

Howling Gale was already weary--between the fucking, the Ampharos, the Gyarados, and nowhere comfortable to sleep for the past few days, of course he was.

But still, a grin pulled at his muzzle. He slid his head towards hers, and nipped gently at her lips, never once breaking eye contact from those lidded eyes.

And then, he pushed himself up. Reese let herself fall, landing on her back on the floor of the boat, her hair falling around her as she stared up at the vision of Howling Gale. Her hips were tugged up, dangling from his knot as he stood tall, illuminated in shards of blue and red which battled for dominance over his hide as around them, gleaming Pokémon auras barely missed their boat.

Howling Gale reared back, opening his mouth. The pink flesh was lit by a flickering light as those jaws stretched wider and wider, little sparks and orbs of glaring white lancing from tooth to tooth, and as that light crackled and threatened to explode right there...

The Hyper Beam lanced from his mouth like a cannon, the force of it making his claws scrape against the boat's floor and dragging Reese back with him. She glanced to the side to see it hit the water in front of the first of the boats; in an instant, a plume of spray and superheated water vapour erupted in front of it, the expanding wave of pressure lifting the bow up, and sending the entire boat flying into the air in a reverse-somersault.

As she watched, Howling Gale cast the beam across the surface of the water, creating a wall of steam in front of the boats hanging above bubbling, tumultuous water. As they hit it, they careened to the side or were lifted up like the first, crashing into one another, kicking up spray as they skidded to a halt or even capsized right there and then.

Howling Gale's body pulsed with energy, the exertion of the Hyper Beam making him twitch, tremble, scratch...including his cock, which buried as it was in Reese, seemed to swell and pulse with every last moment of the sheer expulsion of aura.

It was incredible. Almost poetic.

The Hyper Beam finally began to taper off, trails of aura leaking from Howling Gale's mouth as he closed it. Reese's eyes still burned with the afterimage as she watched him stagger, stumble--it was only quick thinking that made her reach out and pull him down onto her chest, just before he fell over.

"Hey! I think... I think I just found a booster on this thing!" Sammi suddenly shouted from the front.

Reese paused... and then laughed. She laughed loudly, freely, feeling her concerns and fears suddenly dissipate. She took one more glance out at the ocean behind them, every last boat of pursuing forces stopped dead in the water. The skies were clear, the water was free of all but their ever-expanding wake, and the distant cityscape of Goldenrod was becoming nothing now but a distant, jewel-studded line on the horizon.

"Hit it, Sammi." She said.

The engine suddenly snarled, kicking the boat forwards with a punch of acceleration that lifted the bow right out of the water. Reese stuck a leg out to steady the two of them, suspended dangerously above an almost sheer drop into the the rotor-mashed waters behind them. She held tightly to Howling Gale's tired body, and leaned her head back, letting out a sigh at the vast, nighttime sky.

* * *

"Ow... ow ow ow, owww..."

"You see, this is why I've heard you shouldn't knot them, because-"

"Shut up, Sammi."

"Eeep! Sorry..."

Reese put a hand on Howling's rear, spreading her legs further, tugging again at the tie. The rocks of the cave jutted painfully into her back, her cut dress laying on the rocks to the side--she'd removed it for ease, and anyway, Sammi had already seen enough. What was the harm in showing more?

She panted, relaxing her grip. "Okay, once more... ready?"

There was a grunt from the other end. Howling Gale braced his feet against the wet stone.

"One... two... threeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhh-OW!"

The knot was yanked free at last. Reese's head span as she jolted backwards, before it banged against the cave wall. Her vision blurred, and she screwed her eyes shut, lifting an aching arm to rub at the back of her head. "Ow, ow, ow, now both ends hurt..."

"Oooooh..."

She opened her eyes. Sammi was staring between the two of them, eyes wide and practically bursting with intrigue. Reese's vagina had been stretched open by the knot, and now leaked a steady stream of diluted seed.

More dripped from Howling Gale's cock, too, as he staggered to his feet, turning to look as well. A mix of cum, pre and vaginal fluids pooled beneath him.

"Stop smirking." Reese shot at him.

Howling Gale tossed his head in deliberate disobedience.

Reese sighed, bringing her legs in. "Alright... okay, I'm okay." She leaned back against the cave wall--carefully this time--and looked around.

They rest of the trip had been mostly uneventful. The only significant event once the boats had been dealt with were the whirlpools that gave these islands their names--and it turns out, if you're going fast enough, whirlpools don't really matter much.

And so they'd ended up in safety, at least for now, hidden in some side cave near the south side of the Whirl Islands. An electric lantern had been found beneath one of the seats and now illuminated the surroundings--at least, what of them there were, the tiny cave barely enough to support them and a small puddle of water. The boat sat in that puddle, the broken windscreen pressed against the stalactite-covered roof, and with an occasional ripple lapping against the almost completely beached rotors.

"I'm still surprised..." Sammi said, sitting down on another shelf of water-eroded rock next to Reese. "I mean... fucking a Pokémon... it's not really, y'know..."

"Pff." Reese grunted, enjoying the cool air curling around her naked body. "I'd have thought that you'd be a lot more open to it, what with you and Dactyl and all."

"What about me and Dactyl...?" Sammi said warily.

"You know, the fact that you..."

Reese stopped and looked at her friend. Her face was as red as a Pokéball.

"You didn't know I knew, did you?" Reese said with a half smile.

"You knew about Dactyl and me!?" Sammi almost screeched, bringing her hands to her mouth.

Reese laughed, staring across the cave. Dactyl was sat in the boat, sleeping off the pain from before, hunched up in one corner of the seats with his wings curled around his head. Howling Gale, meanwhile, had sat down near the entrance to the cave and was staring out at the small tunnel that led to the outside world.

Reese just noticed the sideways glances he kept giving her when he thought she wasn't looking. She smiled widely.

"Thanks, by the way."

Sammi tried to look at her, but the poor girl was flustered. "F-For?"

"Getting us out of there. You're a damn fine sailor."

Sammi bit her lip, looking away, scratching at her cheek with one hand. "Oh... thanks...." She paused here. Reese gave Howling Gale a few more sidelong glances of her own. His tail twitched behind him.

"Um... sorry for not telling you about Dactyl..."

"Don't worry. The way I see it, you were telling me every night, with how thin the walls were."

Again, red as a Pokéball, this time with flustered speech. Once she'd calmed down, Reese was able to understand a few of the words.

"Do... do you, um, y'know, do you mind... about it, y'know, um, us, Dactyl and me...?"

Reese smiled. Oh, she smiled. This time she looked over at Dactyl, still sleeping peacefully in the boat. Then, she looked right at Howling Gale--no sidelong glances, just a confident stare. He turned his head, glancing over at her out of the corner of his eye. His face was expressionless, but his tail wagged once.

And once again, like an island breaking the ocean's surface, the plan fell into place in her mind. It was like she'd been dreaming all her life, her future a shadow--and now, she was suddenly, starkly, lucid.

"Not at all." She answered Sammi's earlier question eventually. "Doesn't bother me at all. In fact..."

Laughter welled up within her. How could she not smile?

"In fact... now I know what we can do with the money."