FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was the second week of the summer in Azure. The days were getting hot, and the fishing was in full bloom once again, with boats heading out every day to make their catch. Farmers from outside the forest had come with their spring crop for sale at the market. In the sleepy port town, it was like any other summer.

But for a certain captain of a local Rescue Team, it was the first day of possibly his biggest challenge...

"Is this really a good idea, love?" Volcan asked Luke, cradling Ignus gently in his arms, thankful for the Rockruff being mostly catatonic since he had only just woke up from a nap. "I'm not sure I'm ready to do this by myself."

"No one is ever truly ready to be a parent on their first run." Luke answered as he slung a bag over his shoulder before turning to look at his beloved Blaziken. "Hell, I wasn't ready when I fathered my first child, and unlike you, I didn't have anyone else to help me out. I was pretty much learning on the fly," he added with a slight chuckle, "You're pretty much getting off easy with you having motherly figures to go to if you need help with something."

"Well even so..." He looked down at Ignus, grimacing. "We've only had him a few weeks. You've done most of the work. All I did was hold him a few times, and help feed him... What if he doesn't feel any real connection with me yet?"

Luke reached up and held his paw over Volcan's beak in order to silence him. "You're worrying too much... Relax. Take a deep breath and push those negative thoughts out of your head," he instructed calmly. "You'll be fine. Remember, you'll have Mother and Degra to go to if you need advice, and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to spend some time with their grandson if you ever need to take a breather."

Following Luke's advice, Volcan took a few steadying breaths, and once again regarded the Rockruff in his arms. "I want to do right by him," he said honestly, "If I just keep running to our mothers to look after him, I'll never learn... I agreed to adopt him, so I owe it to him to try."

"I know, and I have faith you'll do just fine." The Lucario answered with a reassuring smile. "I won't be gone for too long, and when I do return I plan to make it up to you as best I can. I promise," he added before leaning up and gave Volcan a light smooch to his beak before turning his attention to the Rockruff in the Blaziken's arms. "Now, you be good for your father, young man. I don't want to come back and find you've been running him ragged." He said in a firm tone, but never lost that warm smile of his.

Ignus responded with a few yips before he started licking Luke's cheek a few times excitedly, to which Luke nuzzled and kissed the top of his head in response. "Well... I better be off. I've got a fair amount of work to do and a short amount of time to get it right."

"This training you're doing," Volcan asked warily. "It's not going to be dangerous for you, is it?"

Luke sighed. "Well, I'm not going to sugar coat it, Volcan. This training will be strenuous on both my mind and my body, but I really don't see any other way I can get stronger in the time we have," he said as he looked at his paw for a moment. "The last time I talked to Minato about our missions together, he made mention of some... Underlying power that sprung out during times of intense stress, such as when I'm purging the Shadow Energy from another, or when I was cleansing the Southern Nexus during our rescue mission. If I'm going to continue to purge the world of Calhoun's essence, I need to figure out how to control this dormant power, so that I can call upon it at will."

"Is it really necessary though, to unlock this power? You've done so well..."

"And I can do better if I can tap into it," said Luke, "Don't worry, Volcan. While it will be a difficult challenge, I will have the Shifu Brothers to watch over me. They will ensure my safety."

Volcan nodded in understanding. "Just... Don't overdo it," he said, lifting a hand to caress Luke's cheek. "Come home to us safely."

"I plan to." Luke answered, leaning into Volcan's hand gently and giving it a small kiss as he locked gazes with the Blaziken. He didn't really want to go, but deep down he knew it was the right thing to do. He needed to get stronger, and Volcan needed to get his feet wet as a parent. He quickly leaned forward and gave Volcan one last loving kiss on his lips, holding it for as long as he could before he pulled back and started walking toward the door.

"...I love you." He whispered silently as he backed away.

"I love you too," Volcan returned, lifting his hand to wave to Luke as he headed out the door. "Say bye, Ignus," he said to the Rockruff.

Ignus gave a few yips in response, though as Luke got farther away the Rockruff started to scramble in Volcan's arms, wanting to go after his other father even after Luke closed the door behind him. Volcan held onto him, gentle but firm, shushing him and rocking him to try to calm him down.

"It's okay, Ignus," he said softly, "Easy now."

He looked up to Volcan and began to whimper at him. His scrambling subsided as he gave the Blaziken those sad puppy eyes while his ears wilted. He started yipping at Volcan before looking back toward the door again.

"Not to worry, son," said Volcan, moving over to the couch to sit down, laying Ignus on his lap and petting him in an effort to reassure him, "Luke will come home soon, I promise. For now, it's just me and you," he added with a gentle scratch behind Ignus' ear.

Ignus of course didn't understand much of what Volcan was saying, if anything at all. Besides the language barrier - with Ignus having not been brought up withtheir spoken word, he was still learning to speak. He'd been brought up on the islander's tongue if any language at all; he understood a few words, and at least could recognize someone's name when he heard it.

Then, Volcan had an idea. "Here's a thought," he said, "We could go visit Caulin. You want to go see your buddy?" He asked.

Hearing Caulin's name seemed to liven the Rockruff's mood, as his ears lifted and his sad puppy eyes became an excited gaze once more. He yipped happily and hopped out of Volcan's arms, landing on the floor and spinning a few times in excitement before he looked to Volcan again, panting and hopping on the spot.

Volcan chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes," he said as he stood up, "Alright, let's go see what he's up to then."

They crossed over to the door, Volcan resting his hand on the knob and opening it. Ignus, though, was already heading out before he fully opened it. "Wh-Whoa, hey, stay with me kiddo!" He called as he hastily followed Ignus outside, closing the door behind him.

Ignus gave Volcan a bit of a run-around outside the house before the Blaziken managed to catch up with him. After a moment, he convinced the Rockruff to stay beside him as they headed next door to Minato's house. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door, and it was answered by Minato.

"Well well, look what the Delcatty dragged in." He remarked with a chuckle before he bumped fists with the Blaziken, "What brings you around our neck of the woods, man?"

Just as Volcan opened his beak to answer, Ignus darted between Minato's legs, surprising the Lucario as he rushed into the house. He had found Caulin's scent, and seconds later, they heard Lashanne let out a surprised yelp from the living room.

"Whoa! Where'd you come from, turbo? Hey, careful with the books!"

"Ack! Hey, Ignus!" Caulin's voice rang from within the house, followed by happy giggles as he was assailed with kisses from the excited Rockruff. "T-That tickles! Cut it out, haha!"

"Well... I was hoping Caulin was available," said Volcan, sheepishly,"Wanted to talk to you and Lashanne as well, if you guys have a moment."

"Lashanne's currently home-schooling Caulin, buuut... I think we can afford a break from the books," he said before he looked over his shoulder. "Hey honey? Think Caulin could have a break and play with Ignus for a bit?" He called into the house.

They heard Lashanne let out a sigh. "Well, he kinda dropped into the lesson anyway. I suppose a recess wouldn't hurt," she answered, "Alright, Caulin. Take Ignus outside and play for a bit."

"Awesome! C'mon Ignus, let's go!" Cauline exclaimed as he pushed himself back to his feet and raced out the door with Ignus hot on his trail. "Race ya to the clearing!" He challenged the Rockruff, who barked happily in return as he sprinted full tilt after the Riolu into the forest.

"Careful now! Don't go too far!" Minato called after his son as they disappeared, then he shook his head and sighed in defeat. "Oh, what I'd give to be that young and spry again..."

"Wouldn't we all?" Lashanne asked as she came up behind Minato, kissing his cheek before looking at Volcan. "Hey there. I heard you mention you wanted to talk to us?"

"Ears as sharp as ever," said Volcan, chuckling, "Yeah... Mostly I need a bit of advice, from one veteran parent, and one settling into the role herself." He gestured to them respectively.

"Coming to us for parenting advice? Can't say I ever saw that coming," Minato joked as he stepped aside to allow Volcan into their house. "I'm kinda surprised you didn't think to ask Luke first. From what I've heard, he's already been a parent himself."

"That's the thing. Luke's gone away for a little while," said Volcan, "He's headed out to do some specialized training with the Shifu Brothers, and he'll be gone at least a couple of weeks. So, it's just me and Ignus for now."

"And you feel like you're not ready," Lashanne piped up, reading the Blaziken.

"Yeah, pretty much. At least, not ready to do it alone," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "Minato knows this, but I have zero experience with fatherhood. I never knew my dad, at all, until we met him recently - and you guys remember how that turned out," he couldn't keep the disgust out of his voice, "The closest thing to parenting experience I have is when I babysat Caulin whenever Minato was out of town. But now... I've got to look after Ignus, and if I'm being honest, Luke's done most of the work since Hank left him with us."

"...And he didn't even think to leave you any tips of his own before he left?" Minato asked with an arched eyebrow. "Yeesh... yea, you're in for a wild ri-Ow!"

Minato's comment was cut off when Lashanne lightly swatted him on the back of the head. "Don't make it sound like something to dread," she chided him.

"Well of course he left me some advice, but Luke's just settling back into this role too," Volcan pointed out, "He raised a kid once before, but that was a while ago. I'm looking for firsthand experience, and, like I said," he gestured to Lashanne. "The advice of someone who's also just settling into the role."

Lashanne shrugged. "Fair enough. As a step-parent, I see where you're coming from," she nodded in understanding. Then, she stepped around Minato to join Volcan outside, "Why don't we follow them for a bit? Walk & talk. We can also keep an eye on the kids that way."

"Yea, that might be the best idea." Minato concurred, still rubbing the back of his head with his paw. "...I dunno what's worse. Getting punched in the cheek or slapped across the head from you." He bemoaned.

"Well look at it this way," she remarked as he stepped out. "Only the first time was meant to hurt."

Minato's face seemed to pale a little as he looked to the side, rubbing his cheek from where she first punched him. "Ehhhh... Yea, you have a point there." He conceded. "Still, you could stand to tone down the physical abuse somewhat, honey."

Lashanne shrugged. "I only do it when ya deserve it," she said, lightly patting his cheek as she passed him and started for the trees, following the same path Caulin and Ignus had taken.

Volcan looked at Minato. "You sure know how to pick 'em, pal," he remarked with a snicker.

"Oh, shut up," Minato retorted as he shoved him slightly with his paw as the three of them headed into the forest together to follow their respective children.

"So... where to start?" Volcan wondered aloud as he fell into step with his friends, "So far, all I've done for Ignus was feed him for Luke, and he's slept beside me a few times, so he is at least comfortable around me. But we're still trying to get the 'wild' side out of him."

"Considering his background, that will be your most challenging task," Minato answered, "It might not even be possible to fully 'tame' him - and I mean that for lack of a better term. I mean... look at Caulin. He's about to turn fourteen and he _still_has the energy of a Buizel on a sugar high." He added with a small chuckle. "It was a mystery neither me nor Linda could figure out at the time, so we never really did find a solution."

"Believe me, I remember. Getting him to settle down was always the hardest part for me too," said Volcan, chuckling, "At least he liked it when I read to him, but Ignus... I'm not sure how much he understands what I'm saying."

"He doesn't really have to," said Lashanne, "Just hearing your voice is enough to reassure him, especially while he's still a toddler, which is about where I'd put him." At the surprised look from both males, she shrugged. "So, I bought a few parenting books when Minato and I hooked up. I read that one in the baby book. You know," she regarded Minato with a wry smirk. "Just in case..."

He smirked back and slid an arm around her hip. "Already formulating a retirement plan after this is all over?" He remarked with a chuckle before sneaking a light peck to her cheek.

"Retirement? Not likely," she replied, chuckling, "But luck favours the prepared."

"Would I... possibly be able to borrow that book?" Volcan asked.

"Ignus is a little past 'infant' so it might not do you much good," said Lashanne, "But, I happened to grab something for the later stage too, so I can lend you that one."

"Arceus knows he'll need it." The Lucario teased under his breath, though he shuddered when Lashanne shot him a dangerous look, making him clam up immediately afterward.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, old buddy," Volcan remarked sarcastically, shooting Minato a glare of his own.

"Hey, I was in the same boat as you are once. I didn't know the first thing about being a parent, and my pride wouldn't allow me to accept help from anyone," he stated defensively. "At first, anyway..."

Volcan started to speak, but paused as they heard a yelp. They followed the sound and saw Ignus seemingly chasing Caulin around the clearing. But as they looked closer, they saw the real reason for Caulin's pained yelp, caught between Ignus' teeth.

"Hey, Ignus!" Volcan called, jogging over, "Let go of his tail!"

The Rockruff's ears perked up at the sound of Volcan's voice, and he immediately released Caulin's tail so he could rush over to the Blaziken and leap headfirst into his arms, yipping excitedly as he did. Caulin was gingerly nursing his tail after Ignus let him go, wincing a few times as he ran his paw over the bite marks before looking at the Rockruff with a slight frown.

"That hurt, Ignus. Not cool." He commented.

"Bad, Ignus," said Volcan, looking scathing at the Rockruff, "You don't bite your friends."

Ignus tilted his head as he looked at Volcan, his happy demeanour fading into a more inquisitive one as the Blaziken scolded him. He then placed his forepaws on Volcan's chest and leaned up to start rapidly licking his face.

"Now, now, don't try to butter me up," Volcan said sternly, holding Ignus away from him without losing his scolding tone, "You owe Caulin an apology. You hurt him."

This time Ignus seemed to understand that Volcan was displeased with him, sensing the angry tone in his voice. His expression saddened, and he seemed to understand that what he did was wrong. He turned his attention to Caulin and tried to get out of Volcan's arms. The Blaziken understood and gently set Ignus down, letting him trot over to Caulin, where he sat down and lowered his head to show the Riolu that he didn't mean to hurt him.

Caulin sighed and gently petted his head. "It's okay. I know you were just trying to play around." He assured the Rockruff. "Just... no more biting the tail, okay?"

"That's right," said Volcan, patting Ignus on the back, "We don't bite our friends," he stroked Ignus' back for a moment before looking at Caulin, "Didn't draw any blood or anything, right?"

"Nah, it just caught me by surprise." Caulin answered, showing Volcan where Ignus bit him. Only small bite marks were present, but no blood was drawn. "I get that he's still really young, but..."

"He's also still a little wild," Volcan added, shuffling forward to kneel beside Ignus, "That, we're working on, right son?"

Ignus looked at Volcan and started wagging his tail excitedly again before he began running in circles around the Blaziken, yipping repeatedly as he did.

"Emphasis on the wild aspect." Minato remarked with a chuckle, "That being said, it sounds like you're off to a decent start, Volcan."

"We're trying," replied Volcan nodding.

"Just remember to be firm, but not overbearing," the Lucario instructed Volcan, "He now understands he hurt Caulin through his actions, but that's not to say he won't repeat the same mistake on others. It'll take lots of time and repetition for him to fully understand not to bite his friends and family." He added as he clasped a paw atop Volcan's shoulder, "Also, if you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up - which you're prone to doing. You're going to make a lot of them, but you'll learn from them just as Ignus will learn from his mistakes."

Volcan nodded and looked at Ignus as the Rockruff stopped circling him, stopping in front of the Blaziken, tail wagging and mouth open to pant as he looked up at his adoptive father. "We'll learn together then."

"That's the idea." Minato answered with a nod, while Ignus responded with a happy bark and lifted himself up on his hind legs, motioning that he wanted to be picked up.

Volcan happily obliged, picking Ignus up in his hands and smiling at him, then brought him close to hug him, "Yeah. We'll figure it out together, won't we?"

~~~~~

Later...

Volcan thanked Lashanne for the book, and returned home with Ignus in tow, shutting the door and placing the book on the table while turning to regard his son. "Alright. Almost lunch time now. What shall we have?"

Ignus tilted his head curiously, before giving a bark in response. Volcan eyed the Rockruff's teeth; he remembered Jora mentioning that he had all of his adult teeth, through which she had gauged his age to be approximately four or five years - quadrupedal Pokémon aged differently than bipedal Pokémon like him or Luke, maturing in half the time and reaching adolescence around their first evolution, something he expected was probably still a ways off, but it would come sooner for Ignus than it had for Volcan himself, who had evolved to a Blaziken when he was eighteen.

He and Luke had been playing it safe, using a syringe to feed Ignus a nutrient-rich paté while they tried to learn the best foods for him; Rockruff and their evolved form Lycanroc were of course carnivorous, so they learned quickly that he thrived on a high protein diet. He didn't seem to mind berries or bread, but the smell of cooked meat appealed to him more.

"I think now that we have a better idea of your palette, we can take you off syringe feeding," said the Blaziken, "How about we try making a sandwich?"

Ignus followed Volcan into the kitchen, and the Blaziken retrieved items from the fridge and pantry to make a simple sandwich. Ignus hopped up onto the countertop to watch him work, and Volcan fed him a piece of bacon for an appetizer that the Rockruff happily devoured. With that, Volcan started putting together the sandwich, starting with a base of butter he spread over the bread.

He was about to add mustard when he noticed Ignus frowning as he smelled the yellow spread. He snorted and stepped back, whimpering. "Don't like the smell of the mustard?" Volcan asked, "Okay, we'll not have any on this one. But you're missing out," he added with a smile.

He added meat, thinly sliced tomato and shredded lettuce, then put on the top half of the sandwich and pressed it together gently. "There we are," he said. He picked up the sandwich breaking off a piece - asking sure to get as much of the filling as possible, and offered it to Ignus. "Want to try the first bite?"

Ignus leaned toward the sandwich, nose twitching as he smelled it. Eventually, he took the sandwich in his teeth, and Volcan released it, letting Ignus lie down on the counter and hold the sandwich between his paws as he bit into it. Volcan watched him chew and swallow and saw his tail wagging as he went back for more.

"You like it? Good," said Volcan, smiling and bringing his half of the sandwich to his beak to bite into it. He frowned as he found himself missing the addition of the mustard, but he kept that complaint to himself, sharing more of the sandwich with Ignus while he ate the rest.

With their lunch eaten, Volcan knew Ignus would want to play soon, to burn off the energy he now had. Retrieving a Frisbee from the closet, he left the house with Ignus in tow once more, locking the door behind them and motioning for his son to follow him as he headed for the woods, to the clearing frequently visited by his and Luke's teams.

He threw the Frisbee for Ignus, and applauded when the Rockruff chased it down and caught it in midair between his teeth. Volcan followed him to retrieve the Frisbee from Ignus to throw again. Once more Ignus chased it down and caught it before it ever touched the ground.

"Man, you're a fast little pupper, aren't you?" He asked, though Ignus offered no answer.

Briefly, Volcan wondered if that speed was a sign of that Ignus would be a Midday Lycanroc when he evolved. Jora had told him and Luke that they were swift on the run; better for chasing down prey out on the plains - which Luke had also seen first-hand, having battled a pack of Lycanroc near Hadleigh.

"Eh, too early to be thinking about that," he told himself. Ignus was still a long way off from evolving yet.

He threw the Frisbee for Ignus a few more times. At the eight throw Ignus surprised him. Rather than wait for Volcan to come to retrieve the toy, Ignus spun and threw his head in Volcan's direction, tossing the disc back to him. The Blaziken's reflexes were all that saved him from having the Frisbee hit him square in the chest, catching it between his hands with a look of surprise. He looked between the Frisbee and Ignus, blinking as his mind struggled to process what had just happened until Ignus barked at him, hopping in place as he waited for Volcan to throw the Frisbee again.

"...Did that really just happen?" He wondered aloud as he stared at the Frisbee in his hands. The one Ignus had thrown back to him, something he and Luke had never taught him how to do, and he certainly couldn't have learned it from his old pack... By all accounts, Ignus had just figured out how to do that himself.

Ignus barked again, dropping onto his chest and wagging his tail more. Volcan smiled, and he threw the Frisbee, further this time. Yet distance was no problem for the Rockruff, who was up and after it immediately. He moved like a blur across the field, outpacing the Frisbee and jumping up to catch it again. He landed on his paws with almost cat-like grace, and then wheeled about to run back to Volcan. Halfway to him, he repeated his earlier maneuver of spinning and releasing the Frisbee to and throw it back to his father.

Volcan caught the Frisbee once more, more prepared this time, and once again threw it. He only realized too late that he might have thrown it too hard, watching as Ignus chased it down again, jumped to catch it, and then went sailing into a tree with a thump and a yelp.

"Ignus!" Volcan cried, breaking into a run toward the Rockruff. "Are you okay?"

He fell to his knees and slid across the grass as he reached Ignus, who was whining as he tried to stand, lifting his left forepaw. Tenderly, Volcan leaned over and took Ignus' paw in his hand, being careful not to pull or squeeze it as he examined it. He caressed the paw with a finger, watching for any response from Ignus, but the Rockruff neither whined nor shied away from his touch, watching his hand.

"Okay. Doesn't feel like a sprain or anything. Probably just a bruise," he said, "I guess we both got a little carried away, didn't we?" He asked with a light chuckle.

Ignus looked up at him blankly, tilting his head at his father. Volcan scooped him up in his arms, which seemed to delight Ignus, not missing the opportunity to try to lick Volcan's face. Volcan laughed at the pup's kisses, unable to resist hugging him. "Maybe I was worried for nothing," he said, "But hey, I'm a parent now, aren't I? Mom always said worrying is part of the job."

Despite Volcan thinking to end their game, Ignus convinced him that he could keep going when he picked up the Frisbee in his teeth and tossed it back into his father's hands, once more showing how clever he was when he put the open field behind him away from the trees. Volcan capitulated and threw the Frisbee again.

The game of catch continued for some time, until Ignus started to slow down, tired from all the running. He didn't argue when Volcan decided to scoop him up in his arms and carry him home, rewarding his father's kindness with more kisses as they headed back to town.

On the way out of the clearing, Volcan heard some heavy footsteps ahead, and looked up to see Tristan coming his way. Volcan waved to him, and Tristan waved back, the Aggron quickening his pace to meet his captain.

"Hey, Volcan," he said.

"Hi Tristan," the Blaziken returned, "Coming out for some exercise?"

"You could say that," Tristsn replied, grinning, "I'm meeting Katsu here for a wrestling contest."

"Another one?" Volcan asked, chuckling, "You already lost to Sol yesterday."

"All the more reason to keep training!" The Aggron bellowed, resting his fists on his hips as he chuckled, "If I can get strong enough to beat Sol, maybe I should move on to his dad if he comes back - he keeps bragging how crazy strong his old man is."

Volcan arched a brow. "Tristan, have you even seen Nido?" He asked, "The guy is the size of a mountain and, from how Luke talks about him, could possibly break one! Don't you think you're aiming kind of high?"

"We wanna be the winners in this war with the Crusade, we gotta think big, right?" Tristan asked, not losing his grin.

"Pacing really isn't in your vocabulary, is it?"

"Hey, twenty years ago I couldn't even spell the word," Tristan replied, not losing his smile despite the dark meaning behind that claim.

Sometimes, Volcan had to remind himself that Tristan had not originally been from Arc Island. He was from Gladiator City, and like most of the underprivileged of that place he had grown up as another pit fighter in the arena just like Romulus. Why teach Gladiators how to read in a place where it was widely accepted that any day could be your last?

Tristan turned his gaze to Ignus then. "How's the little guy doin'?" He asked, lifting a claw to pet Ignus; the Rockruff let him do so, having come to know Tristan well enough to trust him.

"He's alright. We were just playing catch in the clearing," Volcan replied, "Clever little guy even figured out how to throw the Frisbee even though he doesn't have hands."

Tristan chuckled. "Clever kid indeed," he said, "Just like his pops."

"Do you mean me or Luke?"

Tristan shrugged his rugged shoulders. "Mostly you. Luke's a smart fella himself, but I'd say you are the real brains."

"Luke's been just as successful leading his team as I have been. Probably more," Volcan reminded him.

"Yeah, but while he's got the council of that Kage guy, we've been getting by with just you," said Tristan, pointing at Volcan's chest.

"...Not sure that came out as much of a compliment as you were intending, buddy," Volcan commented, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying, you came up with this team's whole shebang. The name, the specifics, our battle formations - those were all you; it sure as heck wasn't me or Minato. It was you that molded and shaped us into an effective team," he nodded to Ignus, "Just like you and Luke will shape this little fella into a fine young slugger."

Volcan had to smile at Tristan. "You know, for all the flak we give you for being thick-headed, you have your moments," he said.

"Eh, you guys are right to," the Aggron said, lifting a clenched fist to rap it against his head with a metallic ring from his knuckles, "It is mostly pebbles and scrap iron up here. But what's that saying about broken clocks?"

"That they're still right twice a day?"

"Yeah, that one."

Volcan chuckled. "True enough," he admitted, "Alright, I'll leave you to it. Good luck against Katsu."

"Ha! I don't need luck, pal - it's me here," he said.

"What's the score between you two?" Volcan asked, arching a brow at the Aggron.

"Uh... I forget," Tristan admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "But I think we're mostly even."

"Last I checked, Katsu had two wins on you."

"If that's so, I'll catch up!" Tristan barked, "Now scram - go spend time with your kid. I got a fight to get ready for."

"Just try not to shake the whole town," Volcan said as he walked around Tristan.

"No promises!" Tristan called back as he walked further into the clearing.

Ignus had been mostly quiet during the conversation between Volcan and Tristan, content to listen to their exchange, but as soon as they were on their way home he stirred again, leaning up to lick his father under his chin, making Volcan laugh and reward the Rockruff with a belly rub, which had the pup kicking out his hind legs in delight as Volcan's hand danced over his little belly, panting happily.

"Gods, you are just too cute," Volcan remarked, smiling at him.

That evening, after serving supper, Volcan put Ignus to bed. It took some time for the still energetic pup to settle down, but eventually he curled up on his bed and yawned, settling in while Volcan read him a story. When the Rockruff was silent, Volcan knew he was asleep, and gently closed the story book before standing up from the bed.

"Good night, son," he said softly before leaving the room, heading out to the living room to sit at the couch. He picked up the book he had borrowed from Lashanne, intent on reading it, but he paused and held it before him, staring at the cover.

The cover held the picture of a Chancey and a Happiny, the latter infant Pokémon held in the arms of the larger Pokémon that was evidently its mother. The title read "Toddler Trials", a title which he had found uninventive at first glance, but it was not the book he was thinking of. He stared at the image, in his mind seeing himself - as a Torchic, being held in the same way as the Happiny by his mother Degra. A happy thought, but a brief one, for another image formed in his imagination.

An image of him, standing alone, in the shadow of a yellow bird Pokémon. One that stood with its back to him, refusing to look at him despite his attempts to get his attention. This was not a memory, but more of a poor dream Volcan had had since meeting his father... His true, biological father. The one that had never wanted him... That had abandoned him, shortly after he was born, only to come back again as a Shadow Pokémon.

Volcan had rescued him, together with his husband and his team... Yet Torden had no more love for his son now than he did back when he had hatched. Volcan was still unwanted, still a reminder to Torden that he could not have more children born of the same species as himself. His first-born son, Lighris, had been a Zapdos, and an anomaly, for when it came to Pokémon, there was only a one in ten chance of the child being the same species as the father. Degra had given him a rare gift when she had carried and hatched Lighris, but her second son - their second son, a Torchic, and very likely even if they had nine more, they would all be Torchic. Rather than accept that fate and be with his family, Torden had chosen to run away, never to be seen again...

Volcan shook his head hard and held the book tighter as he scowled. "I won't," he said to no one in particular, "Ignus may not be my blood... But it doesn't matter. He is my son... I won't be like you, father."

He'd promised that much to Ignus... He intended to keep that promise. He opened the book, and began to read...

Volcan awoke later that night. The room was still lit by the lamp on the side table, but when he looked out the window it was pitch black, with only the lamps in town to shine like stars in the night, as well as the glow from the lighthouse occasionally passing over the town.

He looked at the book still held in his talons. He had read three quarters of the way through, but at some point, he'd fallen asleep. He marked his place and set the book down, rising to his feet and stretching. "Time that I get myself to bed, I suppose," he muttered to himself.

Despite this thought, he decided to check on Ignus first. He rounded the corner to the bedrooms, following it past his and Luke's bedroom to the second door, pushing it open gently to peek inside.

Ignus was still sound asleep on his bed. He had shifted position to lie on his side, legs sprawled out below him as he slept. Volcan couldn't help but smile, once again finding the Rockruff adorable, but resisted the urge to enter the room and stepped back out, slipping into his own room instead to go to bed.

Volcan slept until the sun rose, shining through the window above the bed and waking him with the light in his eyes. He yawned and stretched once again, climbing out of bed to head out of the kitchen, and went to start making breakfast after checking on Ignus, who was still fast asleep. He slept late into the morning and was slow to come to breakfast, still groggy.

For that day they went out for a walk. Volcan hoped the fresh air might be what Ignus needed to perk himself up. It seemed to help somewhat as the Rockruff enjoyed being outside, though he didn't run around as excitedly as he usually did. Volcan didn't think much of it, thinking maybe Ignus just hadn't slept well. During their walk, Ignus stumbled upon a Weedle that, in reaction, had lunged at him with its toxic barb. Ignus yelped and jumped away from the bug; hearing his son cry out, Volcan dashed over and picked him up and away from the Weedle as it scurried back into the foliage,

"You okay, son?" Volcan asked, concerned.

Ignus barked in reply, smiling at him as he wagged his tail lazily. Volcan breathed a sigh of relief, seeing no sign that the Weedle had managed to sting Ignus when he had scared it.

They went home after that. Volcan made supper again that night, making some fried fish for both of them, which Ignus only ate half of his. Volcan started to feel concerned, seeing how tired Ignus was; normally, the pup was full of energy all day long. He still hoped it was only that Ignus just hadn't slept well, so he decided to take him to bed early, laying him down and reading him a story until he was asleep.

To his dismay though, before he was due to go to bed that night, he went to check on Ignus and was shocked when he didn't find the Rockruff in his bed. He was lying on the floor, next to a puddle of... Volcan stiffened when he saw the vomit and pushed the door open. Ignus raised his head when he heard the squeak of the hinges, looking up at his father with a tired gaze.

"Ignus!" He exclaimed, dropping to his knees beside the pup, "What's wrong?"

Ignus answered him with only a whimper, staring at him with half-lidded eyes. Volcan put his hand against Ignus' forehead, the Rockruff whimpering more in response to his father's touch. He was hot... He had a fever, and at that Volcan immediately felt his heart sink.

"Oh no, you're sick," he said, gently picking up the Rockruff to return him to his bed, "Was it dinner last night? That fried fish didn't agree with you?" Had he not cooked it properly? He had followed the recipe he'd been reading from; he was sure of it.

"Okay, you stay here," he said gently, covering Ignus with a blanket. "I'll make you something."

Volcan stepped around the puddle of sick, heading out to the kitchen to fill a kettle and put it on the stove. While it heated up, he went back to Ignus room to clean up the mess, wiping it up with a dry towel before taking a wet towel and soap to wipe away what remained. By the time he was done, he returned to the kitchen and added some stock to the hot water, stirring it into a broth.

Using a ladle, Volcan filled a bowl with the hot broth, dropping a spoon into it and carried it to Ignus' room. He sat down on the bed, setting the bowl on the table at the foot before he moved to check Ignus' forehead again. Still hot, but the rest of his body was cool to the touch through his fur.

"This isn't just food poisoning," he said; Ignus had been fine when Volcan had put him to bed, and still seemed okay when he had checked on him later that night. Somehow over the course of the night, Ignus had become ill.

"Okay son, come here," he said, gently moving Ignus to lay against his thigh. He brought the bowl of broth over to rest it in his lap, and lifted out the spoon, blowing on it gently to cool it before offering it to Ignus. "Come on, Ignus, drink up," he said, using his free hand to stroke Ignus' back reassuringly as he held the spoon close enough that Ignus could smell it.

The meaty scent of the broth stirred the Rockruff, opening his eyes to look at the spoon. He leaned forward, and Volcan brought it to his lips, tipping his head back to let him drink it. "That's a good boy," Volcan said with encouragement, "This will help you feel better."

Spoon after spoon, Volcan fed Ignus the broth. When it was gone, he set aside the spoon and empty bowl, and lifted Ignus gently to hold him. He was a little warmer after consuming the hot soup, but his fever was still persisting. He nuzzled into his father's chest, as if trying to bury himself in his warm feathers and shivered.

"You have a chill too," Volcan observed, "This is definitely not food poisoning. You've caught something..."

Ignus answered him with only a whimper, shivering as Volcan caressed him, trying to warm him. Deciding, Volcan stood up, still cradling Ignus in his arms. "Okay, that does it," he said, "I'm taking you to the clinic."

Though Port Azure medical centre was still small enough to be considered a clinic it was, in truth, a small hospital providing medical care not only to Azure but other nearby communities. It had a staff of nurses and doctors alike, of course including Luke's brother Mikhail and his husband Mordecai, but neither of them were on that evening.

Instead, it was Gex running the checks that night, checking on their overnight patients and ensuring that the nurses were bringing them a hot dinner. He concluded with a final headcount before he signed off on the form, and brought it to the nurse's station to add to the morning paperwork.

"There some water in the kettle in the lounge?" He asked the Audino at the counter.

"I think so," she replied, nodding.

"Thank you," he said.

Gex was halfway to the door of the lounge when the bell for the front door chimed, and out of curiosity he looked over to see who had come in. The Feraligatr saw a Blaziken approaching the reception counter; not one he had met before, but one he knew nonetheless. There were only three Blaziken he knew of living in Azure, and only one of them was male. His husband had told him about this one often enough Gex could identify him.

What caught Gex's attention though was the furry form curled up in the Blaziken's arms. This Pokémon, he had never seen before in his life, knowing it only by a description his husband had given him of an orphan pup he had rescued on his last mission. A pup he had handed over to his captain, who had taken him in for adoption.

"Excuse me," the Blaziken said to the nurse, "My son has a fever."

"Oh no," said the nurse, standing from her chair to look at the Rockruff. "How long has he had it, do you know?"

"I just found out this evening. Last night he seemed perfectly fine but when I went to check on him tonight, there was vomit on the floor and his head was hot," explained the Blaziken. "I fed him some broth but now he has a chill."

"What's his name?" The nurse asked, hastily filling out a patient form.

"Ignus."

"And your name?"

"Volcan."

She filled in the paperwork, but that was when Gex came over. "Right this way," he said, pushing open the door to the back of the clinic, "Let's check on your little one."

"Thank you," Volcan said, not hesitating to follow Gex to the back.

They took Ignus to an empty bed, where Volcan laid him down while Gex collected the necessary instruments. He came over first with a thermometer, instructing Volcan to lift Ignus' leg so that he could press it to the pit of his forleg, waiting for it go register before taking it back and reading the results.

"Did he show any signs of this last night?" Gex asked.

"No. When I put him to bed, he was perfectly fine," Volcan replied. "But this morning, he was slow and didn't seem to have much energy. I had thought at first that maybe he just didn't get enough sleep, until I checked on him this hour and found he'd thrown up. That's when I realized he had a fever."

Gex went back to the bedside and began to look Ignus over, combing through his fur with his claws to look at his skin. At the sight of that, Volcan perked up. "Oh no... We encountered a Weedle when we went out for a walk today. It tried to sting him - I'm sure I got him away from it fast enough, but-"

"He's not poisoned. There's no need to worry," Gex assured him, "I see no open wounds that indicate a sting, nor any signs of an infection. He's okay."

Volcan breathed a sigh of relief. "That's a relief," he said, "But... If that's not it, what's wrong with him?"

"I can't be sure yet," replied Gex, "Correct me if I am wrong, but he's not from around here, is he?"

Volcan blinked and didn't immediately reply as he stared at Gex for a long moment before he lifted his hand and pointed at him. "...You're Gex, aren't you? Hank's husband," he said.

The Feraligatr smiled. "That'd be me," he said, "Hank told me about the little pup he'd rescued down south and brought back with him. This is him, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah," Volcan replied.

"He said he'd given him to his captain to take as his own," Gex went on, though his eyes were on Ignus and the thermometer still tucked under his leg, "Which would make you Volcan, Luke's groom to be, right?"

"Right again," Volcan replied.

"Cute little fella," Gex said, studying Ignus again. He took back the thermometer, studying it and rubbing his chin as he pondered. "You said he threw up, but his symptoms are persisting. That rules out food poisoning, and we've ruled out the sting from that Weedle as well." He looked at Volcan, "Has he been able to stomach anything since you found he has a fever?"

"I fed him some broth," Volcan replied, "So far he's kept that down."

"Good choice. How long have you had him? Or, rather," he spoke up again, lifting a claw. "How long has it been since he was taken from his native homeland?"

Volcan looked up at the ceiling, taking a moment to recall. "Three... Four weeks; a month at most," he said.

"This could be related to that," Gex suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"He's still acclimating to this new environment," replied Gex, "He's accustomed to the humidity of the southern isles, but now he's been moved to the more temperate climate of the East Continent, and he's been introduced to the type of viruses that are commonly found here - viruses he isn't adapted to. From his symptoms, he's caught a flu."

"Will he be okay?" Volcan asked, concerned.

"There's not much that can be done at this stage," he said, "We can give him something to bring down the fever - make it easier, but he's just going to have to wait it out."

"What else can I do for him?" Volcan asked.

"For the time being, avoid giving him anything dairy," Gex began as he walked over to a cabinet, "He won't be able to stomach it; no milk, yogurt or cheese. Liquid foods like the broth you gave him will be best, and plenty of vitamin C to boost his immune system. Does he eat berries?"

"We've been syringe feeding him until we had a better idea of his palette, but he doesn't seem to mind the berry puree we mixed in with some of it, so I would say yes."

"Lum and Sitrus berries should be safe too, and they should help him fight the virus," Gex went on as he retrieved a small foil envelop from the cabinet and brought it over to Volcan. "Keep him warm, keep him hydrated, plenty of rest and keep him inside for at least a week. It should clear up by then."

"Okay," Volcan replied, looking at the envelope as Gex handed it to him. "What's this?"

"Medicine. When you make more broth or soup for him, add some of that powder - no more than half a teaspoon per day - he's still pretty small, and mix it well until it dissolves. It'll help break the fever and help him rest."

Volcan nodded. "Thank you, doctor..."

"You can call me Gex," the Feraligatr assured him with a smile, "Hank talks highly of you, you know. Anyone who can earn his respect like that has mine as well, and on that note, I think this little guy is lucky to have you," he glanced at the prone Rockruff on the bed. "Now, I'll give him something to help him sleep, and then you can take him home."

Volcan nodded. "When should I give him the first dose of medicine?"

"Around lunch or dinner time tomorrow. Make him some more soup and mix the powder with it. Just remember, no more than half a teaspoon per day - it's strong."

Volcan nodded again. "I'll remember, Doc-" he shook his head. "Gex."

Throughout the week that followed, Volcan remained with his son at all times. When he didn't show up for training the following day, Minato came to check on him and Volcan explained the situation about Ignus being sick. Minato nodded in understanding, and promised to pass the news to the rest of Team Phalanx. Later that day, he and Caulin stopped by again with a basket of berries for Ignus - healthy berries that would help with his sickness and give him something other than soup to eat.

Volcan prepared another broth for Ignus at dinner, adding the medicinal powder to it and sat with him on the couch as he fed the Rockruff the broth. It saddened Volcan, seeing his son so unlike his usual self; the Rockruff's pep and energy nowhere to be seen... He had to encourage the Rockruff to drink the broth, feeding it to him by the spoonful, and when it was done, he set the bowl aside, wrapped him in a blanket, and sat with him on the couch, gently rocking him until he fell asleep.

The next day, Ignus showed a little more energy, enough that Volcan felt safe feeding him a few of the Sitrus and Lum berries that Minato and Caulin had left for him. Afterwards, Ignus went to the front door and pawed it, but Volcan had to shake his head and pick up the Rockruff.

"No, son. Can't take you outside yet," he said, "We need to wait until you're better first."

Ignus whined in response as Volcan took him away from the door. "I know, I know," he said, "It's boring being cooped up like this, but it has to be done. Just a little longer, okay?"

Eventually he helped Ignus relax by reading to him, and when dinnertime came, he made the Rockruff another batch of broth and added the medicine to it to feed to him again. As before, it made the Rockruff lethargic, and Volcan sat with him in his bed until he was fast asleep. This time, though, the Blaziken stayed with him through the night, falling asleep beside Ignus. The Rockruff unconsciously cuddled up against his sleeping foster father, and rested more comfortably with the warmth of his feathers.

The next day went by much the same, with Ignus showing a little more strength again. He ate a breakfast of berries, and despite how much he wanted to go outside, he obeyed when Volcan told him he couldn't yet. They spent that day with speech lessons; Volcan gave Ignus some simple words to try to repeat, and the Rockruff tried his best to say them. He still had trouble formulating longer words, so Volcan stayed with shorter words, or names of people Ignus had come to know - like Caulin.

He could say 'daddy', and Volcan loved to hear him say that word; he had learned how to say 'love' as well; he didn't know where Ignus had learned to say that, or how he understood what it meant - perhaps hearing his fathers say it to each other? Volcan didn't know... But Ignus managed to melt his heart every time he heard him say those two words consecutively.

That night, Volcan fed Ignus another bowl of broth, with the last of the medicinal powder. He checked Ignus' fever when he put him to bed and was pleased to find that it had noticeably lessened. As he was reading his son to sleep that night, he was surprised when Ignus crawled onto his lap and curled up, and eventually fell asleep that ways Volcan continued to read to him.

Volcan didn't have the heart to lift him off to head to his own bed when Ignus was asleep. He set the book aside, and leaned his head back against the wall, sleeping with his son draped across his feathered legs...

On the morning of the seventh day, when Volcan checked Ignus' forehead, he couldn't feel the fever anymore. With that he took Ignus' temperature while the Rockruff lay across his lap on the couch and was pleased to see that his temperature had returned to normal.

"Well, well," he said, looking down at Ignus who looked back at him, almost hopefully. "Looks like you're all better, son. The fever is gone. You've been very brave throughout this whole ordeal."

"_Br... Brrr-!"_Ignus struggled to say, his tail wagging, "_Braaah... Brov!" _

"Close enough," Volcan said, chuckling as he patted Ignus' head. "Either way, I'm proud of you."

Ignus let out a happy bark, smiling widely. But then his smile disappeared as his ears twitched, his gaze turning sharply to the door. Volcan started to ask him what was wrong when he sprang off his lap, barking as he ran toward the door. Volcan heard the knob turning, and rose to his feet as it opened, and Luke appeared in the doorway.

"Pa!" Ignus exclaimed as he ran up to Luke, jumping at the Lucario.

Luke caught Ignus in his arms and stumbled as the weight of the Rockruff slammed into him. Volcan, excited to see his soon-to-be husband come home, lost his smile when he saw how ragged Luke appeared. Luke looked exhausted, more tired than Volcan had ever seen him before; his eyes were reddened and the sockets dark from lack of sleep, and he seemed unsteady on his feet even as he held the Rockruff that had leapt into his arms, staying strong despite obvious fatigue.

"W-Whoa, hehe. Easy there, son." Luke answered as he regained his footing, lightly patting Ignus' head as he held him against his chest. He started sputtering when the Rockruff assailed his face with countless licks, making him tilt away at first before surrendering to the display of affection. "I missed you too, Ignus..." He added, kissing the top of his head.

"Welcome home," Volcan said as he approached, getting a closer look at his husband's face. He placed his hand on Luke's cheek, and then leaned in to kiss him, before pulling back to eye him studiously. "...You look terrible... Have you not been sleeping?"

"Well... I have, just not as much as I should have been." Luke answered, leaning into Volcan's hand gently. "Hindsight, I probably should have increased my time away to two or three weeks so I could at least rest properly." He admitted. "What about you? How was your trial run as a solo parent?"

"Quite a trial, for both of us," he said as he looked at Ignus, still nuzzling against Luke's chest in his arms. "Our little one here came down with a flu only a couple of days after you left. He's all better now, but it gave me a right scare when I woke up that morning and found he had a fever."

"He got sick?" Luke asked, somewhat alarmed as he looked down at his son, who only looked back at him and panted happily. "Well, it's good that it wasn't anything too severe... He looks as if he never even had it in the first place."

"Doc gave us some good medicine, and I stayed with him the whole week to make sure he got better," said Volcan, moving his hand to stroke Ignus' head. "Been a good boy, haven't you son?"

The Rockruff turned and nuzzled Volcan's hand happily, barking a couple of times in response before he leapt out of Luke's arms and started running around them quickly.

"Whoa, hehe. Careful Ignus, don't want to accidentally step on you." Luke remarked with a laugh, watching his son run circles repeatedly around them. "He's certainly still as spunky and energetic as ever."

"Going to take more than a bug to chase that out of him, I sense," Volcan said with a snicker, before turning to Luke. "And now that he's better, it's your turn." He said as he put his arm around Luke, leading him away from the door toward their room. "You are definitely in need of some proper sleep."

"Y-Yea. That much I can agree on." Luke answered, slowly limping with Volcan to their room, stumbling as he moved. "I'm also going to need a huge protein rich meal once I'm rested... Can I count on you to make it happen?" He asked with a weak smile.

"I'll give it my best shot," Volcan promised as he helped Luke to their bedroom, hearing Ignus follow them as they entered the room and Volcan brought Luke over to their bed.

The Lucario slowly crawled onto the bed and rolled onto his back with a groan, wincing and rubbing his shoulder with his opposite paw. Ignus sensed his father was in pain and let out a whimper, to which Luke looked over and smiled reassuringly at him.

"Don't worry. I'm just sore from my training... I'll be back to normal before you know it." He said with a wink.

Ignus tilted his head at Luke curiously, then he growled as he tried to formulate a word. "Hrrrr... Nnnn... Nomal." He answered, then tried to wink back at Luke, blinking one eye before the other instinctively blinked afterward.

"Well... he's certainly learning quickly." Luke commented, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Been working on that all week too," Volcan said with a chuckle, "Should've seen him when we were playing with the Frisbee the day you left - he even figured out a way to throw it back, all on his own."

Luke's eyes widened further in shock, staring back at Ignus who stared back with a happy smile. Luke started to smile himself as pride filled his soul, gently reaching over and stroking under Ignus' chin.

"That's my boy~" He whispered softly.

Volcan leant down, placing a hand on Ignus' back to get his attention. "Now, you keep papa company for me while I go make us a delicious supper, okay?" He asked.

Ignus yipped and nodded back in reply, crawling over to Luke and curling up next to him. Luke smiled even more and gently draped his arm around his son, idly stroking his head and sighing in bliss.

Luke then turned to Volcan and smiled. "Can I get a little appetizer before my entree?" He asked warmly, beckoning Volcan over with his other paw.

"Like you even need to ask~" Volcan replied, leaning in to press his beaklips to Luke's.

Luke hummed in bliss as they kissed, tilting his head to deepen the kiss for a little longer before they pulled back, smiling at one another happily.

"I love you..." Luke whispered softly.

"I love you too," he returned.

Luke then patted Volcan's cheek as he lay back again, getting comfortable with Ignus and sighing as he relaxed.

"One last thing," Volcan, halfway to the door, stopped to ask, "Did you succeed? Was all the training worth it?"

Luke peeked an eye open and looked lazily over at Volcan. "Well... Yes and no." He answered honestly. "I succeeded in what I intended to do... but it's not something I can rely on. Not yet at least."

Volcan grimaced at that but decided to let Luke rest and they'd discuss it later. With that he left Luke to sleep while he went to prepare supper for them. The Lucario was out in a matter of moments, letting fatigue claim him and send him off to much-needed rest...