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Fresh Air

My mind was in pieces. It was actually happening. It wasn't that I couldn't think, it's that I didn't want to. There was no need to, no want... No desire. All I wanted was to enjoy the fact that my mind was free to do what it felt. I had no guidelines to follow, no rules in place after what had just happened. I didn't know what Nion thought though. I knew what I did have, now have, and eventually want, but as for Nion. I didn't know. He just stared at me blankly, as if not expecting me to return his feelings. But that happened to be the case, I could assume what he thought, but it wouldn't be any better than a guess.

"You know Draye thinks you hate me..." Nion spoke slowly and clearly. As if my last action had not affected him at all. Maybe it was because Draye was in the other room and didn't want him to wake up so I wouldn't spend tomorrow in a pokéball. Maybe he was screaming on the inside and waiting for the right time to show his happiness. Maybe he had missed the whole thing altogether. That last one was highly unlikely, although if it were true, I wouldn't want to go through all my nerves again. "So he-"

"Thinks I still want you dead?" I finished for him. I stepped back onto my bed and curled up, my body facing towards Nion.

"Exactly." Nion too turned his body like I did. We sat on the edge of our respective beds as close to each other as possible without actually leaving our space. "Maybe there will be a way to avoid being locked in the room together next week."

I immediately came to attention, wanting to know every detail about his next few words. "How?" Was all I could ask, it wasn't that I didn't want to mate with Nion, it was the reduction of space that would drive me crazy. From the angles of the house I had found out that the balcony wouldn't reach sunlight until after midday, and I had made quite a habit of sleeping in the sun in the morning.

"I'm not entirely sure, but a few months ago, when Draye had just found out where you were living around, he watched a documentary about the mating rituals and patterns of pokémon." I nodded my head slightly, watching as Nion wedged his eyes shut in an attempt to think harder. "If I remember correctly, it was said that a pair wouldn't mate if, by chance, the female would rather see the male dead." Nion opened his eyes once more, like the thought had been complete. "This is the usual response to cross bred pokémon, although there are no genetically distinguishable defects from cross breeding, in rare cases, the offspring could use any respective elements of either parent." During the last part Nion had changed his voice to one that would mimic an announcer on the show. I had a short laugh at Nion, but mainly at how we could avoid being denied freedom of space.

"So all I have to do is want to kill you?" I wanted to make sure that was the only thing I had to do. But it wouldn't be that hard.

"I... I- think so..." He wasn't too convincing, but I still had trust in Nion. He hadn't led me wrong yet, since I started listening to him.

"I think I can do that. But since we're going to the park tomorrow, I want you to promise me something." I looked Nion straight in the eye, wanting to be deadly serious about the next part.

"Promise you what?"

"Well, since it would aid our cause, and be remotely exciting for a change. I challenge you to a battle in the park tomorrow. And I want you to promise me that you won't go easy on me. Because I won't go easy on you."

"But, does it have to be a battle? Isn't there another-"

"There probably is," I interrupted Nion. This was something I wanted to do. "Ever since the day I was caught, I wondered if I was actually stronger than you. Since you collapsed in my cave from exhaustion, and I was paralysed, I believed that I won."

"But I won, you were caught."

"That's my point. I want to know who won that battle, and so I am challenging you to one now. Who knows, maybe one of us will get injured and so we won't have to fake hating each other." I saw Nion nodding slightly, maybe I would get my wish.

"Alright, you have your battle, tomorrow, right before we leave the park. But, I want you to promise me something." This was intriguing. Even though it was something Nion didn't want to do, he did. Maybe he also wanted a rematch, but because he said that he loved me Nion was afraid to ask for another one on the risk of sounding hypocritical. What was the worst that could happen?

"Alright, what is it?"

"I want you, to promise me, that even though we're trying to hate each other, when your time does come, you won't want to kill me."

I recoiled my head slightly. Why, under any circumstance, would I fight him off just because we were pretending to hate each other? I was going to object on account of the fact that I would've anyway unless, we did in fact become injured, but he asked it of me, so I did what anyone else in my situation would.

"Of course."

I still didn't believe that he was deathly serious about it, but he was. I mean, why be so serious about something that I wouldn't be able to control? Of course we would mate together, that was always a matter of time as of when I had kissed him, but again, it was his promise for me.

The room illuminated slightly as another vehicle drove past, the darkness reclaiming us as it continued down the road. I sighed heavily and placed my head down in the cross of my forelegs. There was a serene vibe in the air as I continued to look at Nion. He followed my action and closed his eyes slowly, leaving them at nothing but a wedge for him to see through. I closed my eyes completely, waiting for sleeps embrace to take me, only to feel something lightly tapping against the end of my tail.

I thought for a second, feeling it playfully tap against my tail-blade. I knew that it was Nion, so I didn't bother worrying about it. I enjoyed the contact as it was subtle enough to be ignored if I wanted sleep, yet there was enough motion for one to feel wanted. I didn't know how long Nion had been planning on telling me how he felt, but looking back on everything he had done over the past five days truly spoke of his actions, intentions, and feelings. I had just been too involved with the facts to notice.

I followed suit of my first thought and slowly tuned the slight tapping on the end of my tail in rhythm to the beat of my heart. It was all I had to listen to, and it was all I needed. Sleep would soon overcome me.

* * *

Morning rapidly approached, only for me to awaken in shock. Draye was sitting on his armchair watching Nion and myself sleep. I took a quick glance towards him only to see that he was smiling, if not only slightly. What had happened? Was Nion awake? Why was he staring at us? I then moved every one of my limbs in just the slightest amounts for me to recognise their positions relevant to how I had fallen asleep. My tail... I snapped my head up, feeling Nion's wrapped loosely around mine. As much as I didn't want to act against it, I had to for any of our plan for that day to work. Please forgive me Nion...

I ripped my tail out from his grasp. I tried my best to avoid cutting Nion, but I slightly nicked his appendage, leaving a slight trail of blood from it. Nion immediately shot awake with the slight pain.

"What are you doing now?" He shouted at me, sounding perfectly aggressive.

"Nion! Remember what we made a deal of last night?" Although what I was speaking of wasn't angry in any way, I made sure that I sounded the part. "Draye is watching us and I had to! I'm sorry for what I did, but unless you want to-"

"Yes, of course I remember!" Nion caught on quickly. He too had sounded angry, but I could tell he didn't mean a word of it. "But it still hurt, could you try to be a little more careful next time?"

"I did try Nion! But I needed to give Draye some-"

"Alright you two, calm down." Draye intervened finally, taking hold of Nion before he made it to his feet. "Look, do me a favour, ok? Now I did have plans on taking you both to the park today, but if you two can't get along before it's time to go, then we'll all just stay here." Draye looked at me while scratching the back of Nion's neck after he had checked the wound on his tail, seeing if it would heal quickly enough by itself. Luckily for me, I had only just broken the skin. Draye stood up and started walking towards the junction of rooms. "Luyo, if you even look like attacking Nion again today, we're not going to the park. And if you do it there, then we're heading straight home afterwards." Again, Draye sounded deathly serious. This wasn't the first time he had gotten angry at me, and I'm sure that it wouldn't be the last. But for now, he was out of sight.

I immediately jumped to my feet and stepped over our empty food bowls towards Nion who was licking the end of his tail near where I had accidentally cut him. "I'm sorry Nion. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright Luyo. I'm glad that you woke up first though since Draye knows that I like you." Nion turned his attention away from his wound to face me. Since I had stepped closer it left our faces less than a foot apart. "But he doesn't know that I actually love you." Nion moved his head closer to mine, I could hear his breathing. It wasn't like it's normal self. Soft, silent, almost calming. But now it was different, the closer he came to me, the stronger it became. I leaned in closer still, pressing the tip of my nose against his.

"Nion, come here." Draye called from the other room which caused me to pull back immediately. Nion however, stayed still.

"You should go before he thinks something's up." I warned softly, not wanting Draye to draw any conclusions from the situation.

"I don't care if he knows Luyo... But if this is the-"

"Nion! Now!" Draye shouted, interrupting Nion, which only spurred him into continuing.

"If this is the way you want it, I won't argue." I almost wanted to tackle him then and there, it was knowing the fact that he went against his own thoughts, just to follow what I had suggested we do. In that moment any doubt in my mind was completely washed away. Not that there was any in the first place. I did love him.

I watched as Nion walked slowly into the other room, eyeing me as he disappeared around the corner. I figured that Draye would be asking Nion if I was actually trying to fight against him, not that he could figure out what Nion would say in the first place. We had no risks, no worries about being caught out, both Nion and myself were smart enough not to get caught.

Staying on my cushion I couldn't hear anything more than a faint murmur from Draye, and that wasn't going to get me anywhere, so, I decided to just ignore everything and focus on the task at hand. We had a plan, and so far everything was going to work fine. But the warning Draye gave me had no loopholes, so the planned battle Draye and myself had organised put us at risk of being separated for longer than just a single day, and that was something I didn't want to have to do. Even if I had to break my word to stay free, I would do it.

I turned my head back towards the junction of rooms, wondering if I was ever going to know what was inside the other room. I assumed that it would be set up for Nion, myself and any offspring I was expected to bear, but at this rate it was never going to happen, but that didn't bother me. Draye didn't know, and so that was all I worried about. I would see it in time, if I was willing to wait for it. And that is, the way it is. Regardless of whether or not I agree to it, my life would go on if I didn't know.

"Luyo!" I heard Nion call from the other room. "Draye wants to see you." He didn't turn around the corner to look for me. I naturally assumed that was because Draye would think something was up, but either way, Nion asked for me to come. I stepped off my cushion and headed towards the other room, turning the corner to find Draye leaning over Nion who had a black and silver strip of leather around his neck, a small deep blue tag hanging from the bottom of it.

"Why am I needed?" I asked Nion, sounding a little aggravated for show. "I thought he was talking to you about me."

"If you want to go to the park, you have to wear a collar."

"A collar? What? You mean that black thing around your neck?"

Nion nodded slightly as Draye spoke. "I assume that you and Nion are about the same size." He stepped forward holding a pure white collar with a small grey tag in the middle of it like Nion's. But I didn't want it.

"Don't fight against it or you won't go."

"Isn't it choking you?"

"No... Just trust him, for once, like you trusted me. I have one, and I'm fine. Just don't think about it." Nion soothed me into submission. I held my ground, and stayed perfectly still as I felt Draye slide the object around my neck and tightened it until his free hand was held against the side of my neck by the collar.

"There." Draye said proudly, looking over the almost invisible piece of material. He then threaded two fingers around the collar and tugged at it gently enough for the locks, or whatever held it in place, to hold, and that it wouldn't fall off me, which I thought impossible as it wouldn't ft around my scythe blade anyway. Unless I cut it off, which did sound appealing. "Now, we'll leave here in five minutes, just let me find the cooler. Now, can I trust you two to be good for five minutes while I pack a few things?"

I looked at Nion who stared straight back at me. He twitched his eyes towards the exit, signalling for me to leave first. He was so nice that way... Draye however noticed Nion's action too, causing him to exchange a wary glance with me, then stare back to Nion as I left only to see that he had followed me almost immediately.

"They're up to something... I kno-." I heard Draye mutter silently behind me, being cut off by Nion.

"That was a close one..." Nion spoke softly underneath Draye's words. "I think he's onto us..."

"Don't worry Nion, he can't figure it out. Besides, we still have our battle to take place. Or are you just saying that because of the cut on your tail?"

"Never you mind about that Luyo, besides, even if it did in-fact cause me trouble in any way, I could show that and use it as another excuse not to be clamped up in that small space."

Small? Meaning what? Meaning that the room itself is smaller than this one? I assumed that, but how much of the room was the balcony? And why would such a small space be used for an expecting family of pokémon? Something didn't add up. Maybe Draye didn't plan on us being locked in that room, he did manage to take good care of us while he actually was around, but leaving both Nion and myself in a room that was just the size of his one, or less, was near on cruelty. Something didn't add up, But I didn't have time to think about it.

"Ok, are you two ready?" Draye spoke while carrying out a plastic box that I would fit into, if forced, and a rolled up material that was coloured a very dark red. "Nion, you know where to go, so Luyo you follow him. But once we get there I need you both to stay until everything's set up. Ok?"

I looked at Nion, who looked at Draye, who looked at me. I didn't care what I had to do, I just wanted to get outside. Draye reached towards the door and turned the handle, opening the wooden object allowing for Nion and myself to reach the corridor to outside. I just then remembered to check who the human watching the door was, just in case it was the hysterical woman from last time.

* * *

We reached the park just before midday, and everything was wonderfully coloured compared to the dull cream walls of my new home. The trees were brown and earthy, the grass was soft and moist, the air was crisp and fresh, Nion was ever so inviting, the other pokémon ignored me to no end, the berry's were plump and juicy. Everything was so perfect that I almost felt like shouting to the world everything that was on my mind, but from the constant directions from Draye, the calming voice of Nion, and quite a bit of luck, I managed to keep my thoughts to myself... For the moment anyway.

After several more minutes while my senses were in heaven Draye lead Nion and myself to a clearing about the size of our home. The only difference was that the biggest tree was surrounded by a small group of Glameow, Buneary and Bidoof lying underneath it.

"Damn it, they're in my spot..." Draye put the plastic box on the ground beside him and immediately started searching for another position.

I, however had already scanned the area and saw nothing that would suffice. So, I took the matter into my own hands. While Draye and Nion were searching for another tree, I walked over towards the collection of pokémon, easily standing over all of them. One of the Buneary heard my footsteps and looked to see what it was. "Absol! Run!" Were it's only words before the entire group picked themselves up and bolted through the rest of the park.

I guess the legacy of my kind could be put to good use.

Nion heard the other pokémon's cries of an Absol and looked towards me, lying underneath the tree enjoying the feeling of grass against my fur. He promptly barked at Draye who looked down at Nion, then to me. "I guess we can sit there."

I didn't care, and I was sure that Draye wasn't going to complain either.

After Draye had unfurled the red material, which covered several metres of the ground, and placed the plastic box in the centre of it, Draye sat down on the back edge facing the open field. "You two are free to play anywhere where I can see you, as long as you don't attack, harm or threaten either yourselves, or others. I'm not in the mood to fill out a medical bill for another person's pokémon."

I scanned the area once more, remembering what trainers and what pokémon were around at the time. A young boy and his Pickachu, an old man and his Growlithe, a woman about the same age as Draye with her Roserade, and an out-of-shape man and a tall thin woman having a battle against each other with a Graveler and Monferno respectively. The entire park was full of life, whether it be from the trainers and their pokémon, the odd Chatot or Starly that flew past, or the constant breeze that kept the grass moving, the trees rustling, and my fur stirring. Nothing was too dull to stare at, the only thing I couldn't look away from was Nion, he seemed to have the same problem with me, but my mind forced us to separate on risk of Draye catching us. I looked back at Draye only to see him watching me.

"Go on, you wanted to get out of the house didn't you?"

He was right, but I was content just watching the world pass by like I always had. "Come on Luyo, maybe we can find something to do." Nion stood up and started to pace away in search of something.

"Hey, wait up!" I shouted out to Nion, catching up within a few steps. I almost didn't care if Draye knew, I was almost too overjoyed to be outside. Oh well. I guess Nion would be the judge on if he found out or not.

But for now, freedom was upon us.