A Lesson Learned

Story by Sludawg on SoFurry

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#14 of Pokè-Treat


(( since I have not done it in a while: Pokemon(C) goes to Pokemon Inc. and original characters goes to me. If you do not like self pity type stuff, then you may not want to read this, but I suggest you do to make me feel better about myself ;) Enjoy and sorry I got behind on my typing this month))

Azu gasped as she saw the balls, mostly when Jason tapped his son on the forehead with one. He handed the other open Net Ball to Azu before letting his son back out. Azu drew a deep breath and tapped the ball on her chest, she let out a fearful squeak as she was engulfed by a bright, red light. The ball took her inside. She screamed and kicked briefly before Jason's voice boomed loudly. She stopped moving and relaxed her movements though she still screamed to be let out. A warm breeze over took her and silenced her fear. Then an ear splitting ping sounded.

Jason called for her then the red light sucked her out of the darkness and brought her standing beside Jason. She breathed heavily, eyes dilated. Jason smiled at her as their son chewed on his ball. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the brow.

"Too small for you?"

"Actually... yes."

"As long as you are safe. Your balls are going to be on Grace's belt, and just in case, you will need to learn how to defend yourself. Now, I really need you on the bed and me to get Mickey in Clair's claws. I'll see you in a few to continue this conversation."

"Are we... going to get physical?"

Jason chuckled and get the Azumarill a wink before walking out of the room and to the Charizard's den. As he knocked and opened the door, Clair glared at him with her twins at her belly. He swallowed hard then gave her a questioning look.

"He went for a flight an hour ago. Said there was something he did not understand before leaving."

"Take Mickey, I'll find him."

"No, he'll return, he said he would. Go to your mate and relax. If he does not return soon, I'll find you."

"Thank you."

"Jason... do you think he try to dominate other males?"

"I wouldn't call myself a Trainer if I said no. But for him, I really doubt that he would try. I would think he would be lost without me to cover his back."

He turned to head out the door, but froze when an all-too-familiar prick touched his thoughts.

"Moon?" He asked aloud and in his thoughts.

Sorry, I was a bit out of range. Champ has gotten himself in trouble, I'm getting him to the landing area. Get that Chansey up here! Moon shouted at him which made him move. His speed grabbed Clair's attention, but she stayed put with the children.

As he came to the main stairs, he jumped several steps at a time to get to the ground floor. Chansey was starting to pack things up for the week. He jumped the final turn and landed firmly on the ground, huffing away the pain, he rushed the Pokèmon.

"Chansey, your needed upstairs. I'll grab your gear." Jason picked up her closed up med kit as she started up the stairs.

"You do know that you don't have to call me Chansey, right? My name is Morning Glory, odd I know, but it was my mother's name."

"Sorry, habit. Champ is on the landing I don't what condition he's in, Moon just told me to get you."

"I'll make it." Morning Glory seemed to float slowly up the stairs. "Go on ahead."

Jason bounded passed her with the heavy bag. She remained behind him until the final turn then rushed by him. Jason gasped as he saw his partner, one wing was shredded, his nose bloody, and his tail broken in several places. That was just the visible problems.

"What the hell happened!?" Jason shouted as he slid to a stop beside the Chansey and laid the bag down before taking the Charizard's head into his hands. "Champ!"

"Easy, Jason. He was attacked from behind by a Skarmory then fell through the tree line. I just barely saw him as I was walking through the woods." Moon crept up beside her Trainer.

"Oh... my Champ..." Jason placed his forehead on the Charizard's.

"Please... get off. It hurts." Champ muttered.

"Certainly." He lifted his head with a sigh.

"He needs surgery, I can stop the bleeding but the healing needs to be done at the Center." Morning Glory started to bandage Champ as Mitch and Ditch teleported into the mix of things.

"Ditch said there was an injured member. I am sorry."

"Mitch, watch over things for a bit. We're going to the Center."

"Go, I'll tell your team." Ditch rushed off.

Moon took the small party to the center then levitated Champ through the doors. Morning Glory went to the counter and hit the P.A. and called out. Joy rushed out and gasped she flung open the doors and beckoned for the injured Pokèmon to be brought through. Champ was laid on a gurney then the nurse and aid pushed the Charizard into a sterile room were machines would automatically repair the injuries. As soon as the two left the room, Joy turned on the machine. Champ roared in pain as his bones were cut by lasers and moved by gravity conductors. Flesh began to mend and blood cleaned up.

Jason watched wordlessly as Moon answered questions for him. Joy eyed the boy and saw pure fear for the being on the table in the other room. Jason's features only contorted into a forced lax form when the vital monitors showed all stats in green levels. Jason could see large whitish scars on the wings. The Charizard's tail looked normal again and it looked like he was pain free again.

The machine wheezed as it began to shut down as the injuries were fixed. Once the machine stopped spinning around the Pokèmon, Morning Glory went in and helped him off the table. She probed and prodded every bit of the male including making him blush as she forced him to reveal himself to her. She turned the rather lax meat over in her paws as she examined it then patted the head and told him to put it away. She moved to the side of the male and saluted her boss before heading out of the room. She went straight to Jason and crossed her stubby arms.

"Something tells me that you need a full time Nurse. If you translate, I would like to tell Joy that my leave will be permanent. Then I'll contact the academy for you to get a station Nurse to settle in."

"Okay."

"Okay what? Don't tell me that your Espeon is translating for you and not me."

"On the contrary. I can understand the language perfectly. She wants me to tell you that her leave will be permanent feeling that her services will be needed far more often than once a month."

Morning Glory nodded her agreement.

"After seeing this, I can actually understand her decision. Permission granted, just promise that you will check in with me, my dear."

Morning Glory chuckled then nodded.

"Good, go pack while I talk to your charge."

The Chansey shuffled off as Nurse Joy looked at Jason sternly.

"You better take care of her, she's like a sister to me. We both graduated together, I am both sad and happy to see her move on. Glory should be proud of her. Go, I'll mark this down as an emergency, no tags."

"Thanks and I will. I am actually shocked that she wants to stay. Oh, Champ, feeling better?"

"By far. I will get that birdbrain back." Champ growled and slammed his fist into the door jam.

"In due time, let's not get ahead of yourself."

"He's planning revenge, right?"

"Don't blame him, I would too. Moon, is she ready? I did have an engagement before the incident."

"Mister Multitask... not yet. She is gathering odd things. Champ and I shall go help." Moon's eyes glowed as she forced Champ to follow her, he grumbled.

Jason sighed as he was left alone with the psychotic Nurse.

"While those two are occupied, there was an anomaly found within the Charizard's right wing shoulder. If it starts to irritate him, bring him in to have it removed. It may be a talon from what it looks like from the scans."

"Should it be removed now to avoid that?"

"Is that what you want, Trainer?"

Jason gave her a glare. "To avoid complications to flight, I would like to see it looked at, at very least."

"It very well could be a muscle knot, I personally would like to wait a week to allow him to relax and the minor injuries to heal."

"Fine, make the appointment, I'll keep him grounded until then."

"It would be wise."

With a grumble, Jason turned to stare into the empty O.R.. Before he could make a fool of himself, the three Pokèmon entered the room with several bags in Champ's arms. Moon asked if he was ready, he answered quickly then they phased out to reappear at the base of the tree. Jason then proceeded to tell Champ that he was grounded and was not allowed to leave the tree.

"I understand. Rest up and heal up before going after the bird that blindsided me."

"You have to go back in a week. So I have to keep you on the ground with nothing straining your wings."

"As you wish, but I will kill it." Champ muttered as he stormed off leaving Jason and Moon with their jaws dropped.

"Never thought I would hear that from him."

"He feels weak and outright humiliated by that bird. For the bird's sake, I hope it flies south permanently." Moon sighed and slowly edged her way to the dark hole of an entrance. "I think I could in his claw steps rather easily. I'll go to the mutt, you just make sure Champ doesn't leave the family behind."

"Goodbye romantic night..." Jason sighed then followed the Espeon inside.

Sometime during the transference of the dark tunnel and merging into the light, Moon had used Teleport leaving Jason alone. Lucky for him, Champ left a trail of angry females scattered about thrusting various appendages in the air to shake their anger to him. He rushed by them and found the Charizard milking Nidoqueen for a stiff drink. The queen sternly told him no then turned her tail to him, he cursed her then turned to see Jason with his arms crossed and foot tapping away like an angry housewife.

Champ growl deeply then pushed passed the lightweight human to find a new moping spot. Jason sighed then followed his partner leaving a good deal of space behind him. The angry fire dragon found his way to the Landing Branch and slumped against the outside wall. Jason stayed inside in the shadows waiting, it was rare for his partner to openly show his major emotions. But as soon as he heard Champ sniff, he knew that the Charizard was crying.

He just sat there, allowing the Pokèmon to cry. Jason was there just to catch him if he tried to fly off. He felt Moon prod his mind, he gave his location to her silently. Moments later, Moon and Azu appeared next to him. He motioned them to be silent as Champ finally let out a solid wail of grief. He could not handle this, but it was something the Charizard needed.

Moon nudge him, he huffed them slowly moved out into the open. Champ toughened up his façade and wiped his eyes quickly. Jason said nothing as he sat next to him. He leaned against the Fire type and just stared out into the distance.

"Go away... please." Champ whispered out.

"Can't do that."

"Can't I just wallow in my own grief?"

"Not alone, you can't."

"Why?"

"Because I would not be able to call myself your Trainer honestly anymore nor would I be able to consider myself a good friend. If you want, I could have Moon hex you so you can't use your wings until I told her to reverse it."

"No," Champ said after a moment of hesitation. "Don't involve her. I wouldn't leave alone anyway. I just want to be able to hide."

"The best place for that is in the ball, but I rather not have you hide from your family when you need them the most. And I am not just talking about Clair and your kids, all of us. If you want to get the frustration out, challenge Rex to a duel. He is older therefore you should go to him and ask for advice or something."

"You know I don't like him, right?"

"Yes, do it anyway... for me." Jason patted the dragon's leg.

Champ sighed heavily, "Fine, but I won't be responsible for hurting him."

"I'll be watching and will step in if need be."

Champ growled, though it was rather timid and submissive. The Charizard stood and went back inside, Jason followed quietly.

Azu stopped Jason as he passed. "Stay with him, Clair and I are going to have a mommy's night in."

Jason nodded then caught up to his partner. They walked down a level to where they knew Rex liked to stay. They found him, then quickly turned the other way as they saw him openly declare his emotions to the Magmar cook right in the hallway. With a sigh, Jason just asked Moon to send them to town, he knew should would be listening in just in case Champ were to get unstable.

She appeared between them and smiled as the three phased out of reality. They came back in front of the Center, but Jason had different plans. He told Moon that she could return to the Tree, but she bluntly said she would not miss this night for nothing. Jason guided them to the local bar which only had a small neon sign at the door. There was no age limit posted so he guided them inside.

They went straight to the main bar, at which the tender immediately asked Jason for his ID. Jason handed it over then told the tender he was not there for the alcohol, just there to make sure his companions did not drink themselves to death. The man growled but accepted it. Jason ordered for Champ, a dry gin, while Moon as for a Oran/Persim berry daiquiri.

The tender fixed up the drinks and served appropriately. Moon thanked the man for serving hers in a bowl, which she did not expect from him. Jason sat silently on the stool in between the two. Champ would open up, he knew alcohol would do that to anyone eventually. He closed his eyes and breathed in the atmosphere. Stale cigarette smoke, sweat laden brutes, and stale beer. It was enough to want to make him gag. He would have if a familiar voice had not startled him.

"I'll have a 'Sex on the Beach' with a 'Fuck me Hard' for my companion." Nurse Joy leaned over the counter beside Moon. "How is he doing? I would not have recommend drinking, but he is mature enough to handle it."

"He's in the middle of a breakdown, I'll be with him when he finally does break. It's what friends are for right?" Jason answered her as another woman with a huge rack that barely fit into a red top and an ass that looked just as tight in the skirt she wore.

"Hey there, sweet stuff." Joy gave the woman a deep kiss before turning back to the bar to gather the drinks. "Just don't let him drink too much, I really don't want to call my date off too early." She walked off with the brightly colored drinks.

"Figures." Jason eyed the ladies for a moment before looking at Moon whom had downed her drink and was licking the bowl clean. "Don't run the place dry, I'm sure the locals will come after you."

"One more and I'll be done. Oop, maybe not." Moon stumbled as she turned on her stool then chuckled. "Guess it has been a while since I snuck into that slaver's store. You know, in this light... you're cute. No wonder why Azu is so fixated on you, the lucky bitch. I can't even get a decent male to chase me."

"Moon, keep yourself together, please." Jason retorted ignoring her comment.

Champ slammed his glass down and gestured for more. The tender poured some more into the glass then tapped on Jason's shoulder. Jason turned around to see a bottled water in his face. He took it and thanked the man. He knew he would pay at least three times the amount than normal for it and he didn't even ask for it.

Jason watched the Fire type down his glass as though it were nothing. Champ stared into the bottom of the glass as he searched for answers. Most of which he knew would not be answered from the glass nor the gin. He sighed then basically begged for another shot. The man sat the gin bottle beside the glass then went to tend to the other customers. Jason just watched as Champ drained the bottle then sat it down. He pushed the glass and bottle away.

"I'm done. Can I go find a mindless fight now?"

"You haven't even stood yet. I doubt that you can even do that."

"Bah. I'll make it. I know I am strong enough for that."

Jason flinched as Champ stood then went down... hard. He felt his partner's neck then recalled to his ball. Jason then prodded Moon, she was busy licking the underside of the counter and laughing about. She looked at him and blinked lazily before returning to the pressboard counter. Jason sighed as he recalled her as well. He stood passed his bank card over to the tender then signed the receipt before putting away his card and leaving.

He went window shopping while he tried calling to Ditch. He figured that he would have to wait for Moon to sober up. He released Moon then after the ball system shut down, he picked her up. Moon moaned and kept her eyes shut tight. Her stomach tightened before she started to gag. Jason rushed to a nearby street side trashcan and let her heave the pure alcohol from her stomach.

He rubbed her back as her body tensed up for another release. As she heaved, she thanked her Trainer with Telepathy. He said nothing, but he did raise the side of his shirt up to wipe her muzzle once she was done. Again she thanked him with no response in return.

He kept her in his arms and went into a public restroom to wash her face and his shirt. A few male Pokèmon grumbled as they saw her but silenced themselves once the smell of vomit hit their senses. Jason just cleaned himself and her up without acknowledging them then he went back outside.

With a sigh, he sat her down and looked at her with no readable emotion on his face. She apologized for drinking all of the daiquiri, but his thoughts and face remained unmoved. She shivered under the stare, a dead stare, she asked what was wrong and he just shrugged. His mind was focused on his partner, nothing else. She could not tell if there was any worry for her or not. That alone scared her. He turned and went back to the general stores and stared at one particular store, its window had mannequins in front of a black backdrop. They were dressed in the latest male fashions to hit the town. He went in without looking to see if Moon followed.

Which she did. Upon entering she saw wall to wall male clothing of all species many of which matched the mannequins. Jason went to the section marked 'Human' then went to the suits. He had all the Weedle silk he could wish for, she wondered why he wanted a suit until she saw him pick out one red suit that actually slimmed his already thin body. He went to try it on then came out to admire himself in the wall mirror.

Moon gasped as he actually looked stunning in it. In her mind, she saw him donning a pair of solid black shades to pull off the maniacal businessman look. She smiled at her own mental picture of him as he went to change back. He came out with the suit draped over his arm as he continued to shop around the store. He picked up a leather jacket and admired it until he saw the price then turned his nose up at it. He shook his head then went to pay for his selection.

Once outside, he asked Moon if she was feeling any better. She answered him then teleported him back to the Tree. He thanked her then released Champ. As soon as the Charizard rematerialized, he vomited the contents of his stomach onto the grass. Moon moaned and turned away, her stomach twisted at the sound. Jason seemed distant as the puddle in front of the Pokèmon grew. Once done, Champ wiped his muzzle then spat.

"Why did you let me do that?" Champ asked bluntly as he hovered over his vomit.

"For a lesson. Now, let's go for a walk. Moon, I advise finding a bath, though I know you'll do something."

Champ rose to his feet, Jason slid his arm behind the dragon and held onto his shoulder. "Where are we going?"

"No where in particular."

Champ mindlessly followed his Trainer's guidance as they walked into the forest. They stopped a good distance away from the tree base then sat down on a log that was starting to rot and grow oddly colored fungi. Nothing was said for the longest of time, only the rumbling of Champ's stomach and their breathing broke the silence. Then Jason sighed deeply as he looked into nothingness.

"I don't know why you are acting like this. You never was hostile before. Why now? Is it because you were beaten by another who knew to attack from above?"

Champ did not answer, he only shook his head.

"Is it because of Rex then?"

"I... do not know." Champ said carefully and quietly.

"Unfortunately... I think I do. You think you feel inadequate as a male and you need to assert yourself to prove you are worth keeping as a mate. Therefore, you must throw yourself around and force yourself into battle and either kill a worthy opponent or die trying. Stop me if I hit it. Anyway, I also feel that you are jeal- "

"Shut up. Just shut up. I am not jealous of that big-tailed idiot."

"Hit the nail on the head, did I?" Jason smiled grimly. "Of course I did. I would not have ever expected that my best friend in this entire, twisted world was jealous of his gal's cousin. No, never. I always thought it was the testosterone that was making you insane."

Champ hunched over and sniffed slightly.

"That's my boy. Let it out. I won't judge you. You know that." Jason spoke softly as he glanced to his peripheral and saw that the Charizard had a tear roll down his cheek. "I am here to listen, if not make you talk about this. I won't let you leave until you do."

"I really don't have a problem with Hia'atus. It is just that she is too comfortable around him. That is one reason I am riled up. The other is that damn bird."

"Something tells me that is not the entire problem. Is it?"

"If there is something else, I am not seeing it." Champ spat a little bit of acid on the ground and watched it melt away the grass. "I don't even know why I felt like I had to drown myself in alcohol. You know I never been near the stuff until we came into that town, right?" He spat another bit of acid and the ground combusted. "I think my life is going the way of my own acid glands... splitting to form two highly reactive acids. And the flame that comes from the two is just reality exploding around me. I don't know any other way to explain things."

"I think I understand. You can't see the world in front of you even though your eyes are open. You feel blind to yourself, right?"

"In a way, I guess so."

"I'll tell you what, you promise me that you will train. Not just your body, but your mind too. Then we can go back."

"Why my mind?"

"You are mentally weak, start meditating. If anything, I can ask Sam to make a shallow water area and possibly a waterfall for you to sit in."

"Are you kidding me? I would die from that!"

"Only if you are unhealthy. When I was younger, I used to go to the circus and watch this Magmar/Charizard pair high dive into the pond they had encompassed for the weekend. Not only that, but an Onix came bursting out afterward as though the two became it. I still have the little porcelain figurine in a shoebox in my closet... if mother hasn't moved it yet."

"You're full of Tauros dung. No Magmar would willingly plunge into water, they would harden into rock."

"Ah, very true. But those who are accustomed to water do quite well. But we are getting sidetracked, I want you to train. Will you do it? Or do I have to do it the old fashioned way and make you battle random Wilds?"

Champ bit his lip in thought. After a full minute, he sighed then nodded. "Talk to him, I'll train against my natural weaknesses and be come stronger. I am sure we have rock types here as well, but I will talk to them."

"Good. Let's get back and eat."

The Charizard stood and silently sighed. He followed the human he once considered a boy, anymore... he just considered that person as a worthy male to battle for dominance. Whether or not that was an instinctual judgment, he could not tell. But Champ did not that his place would always be beside that young man. Too many times he had told himself that home was with the others of his kind, now, now home was truly where his Trainer would be at.


"Alright, swing left, aim for the soft flesh to side. Good! Now swing harder, make him scream!" Lisa gave a wink to her mate as Mona struck her father in the gut. He slid back slightly from the force but was not hurt.

"Come on, he is still standing. If this was a true fight, you would be going through the wall by now. Use his weight against him, he may be stronger but you can out run him!"

Lisa's 'Trainer's' voice needed work, Adrian was sure of that. But it was needed if their daughter was to grow stronger than them. Adrian dropped his open stance and brought forth a low kick. The attack struck home, he expected her to jump over his leg. She went flying across the open room and into the wall. Adrian rushed her, she was crying for the first time he could remember. But as he bent down to pick her up, Mona threw in an Uppercut and socked her father square in the jaw. The force of the blow actually made him leave the ground enough to force him to land on his back straining his tail painfully. He cringed as he rubbed his jaw, his turned and spat as blood filled his maw. He grinned as the room spun slightly. The next thing he knew was that a sharp pain had hit him in the back of the head. The room went black then the pain vanished.

"Momma?" Mona had smacked her father's head and had thrown him into unconsciousness.

"I'd call that a win. Great work, you could work on the Fake Tears though. Make them flow more. Now, Let's get your father down to the Chansey, hmm? We don't need him bleeding everywhere."

"I win?" Mona look down at her father's prone body quizzically.

"You won."

"I... won." Mona smiled up her mother then jumped away from Adrian as Lisa tossed him over her shoulder.

"Grab Mommy's tail and don't let go." Lisa's tone changed dramatically as they moved on. She could not wait to tell Jason on the progress they made.


"I don't know, Clair. Sometimes I think him being a Trainer gets in the way of raising our son." Azu balanced Mickey on her head as she spoke calmly to the larger Fire type mother.

"And here I thought I had it rough. Honey, males just do that type of thing. They have to prove their worth, humans are just worse. They think they have the right to dominate everything in their path. The gods may have made them that way, but I am not the one to say that they are not in their right to do so. I am trying to say that humans are chaotic and will never stay put. Those of us around them will very quickly fall in line with them. We have no choice but to follow their paths. Just be patient with him."

Clair smacked Angel's claw as she reached for little Jason's tail. The golden female whimpered then went to cower in a corner. Her brother just watched curiously.

"I am, at least I am trying to be. I just wish I could feel what it's like out there beside him, but I fear I would be stuck inside a ball on a belt."

"I doubt that. He would pass the sisters over to Grace before he left you in the ball."

"He directly said that our balls will be on Grace's belt."

"Still, my point stands. The only time we go into our balls any more is when there are too many of us to travel together openly. We still can hear everything, even if it is still dark. Some can even open their own balls from what I have heard. I wouldn't try it myself, could send yourself out into the of air or in the middle of a Teleport jump. No thanks, I don't want to die that way."

"Nor do I. But I rather not get stuck in there if he dies unexpectedly."

"You never talked to Lisa about her past Trainer, have you?"

"No, should I?"

"In deed you should. All I will say is that she felt it."

"Felt? How could you feel it?"

"Not only was he her Trainer, but her mate. She felt him go."

Azu fell silent as she stared at the fire dragoness. She could not help but think as how the Lucario could feel such a thing, though she knew that the Steel type did have some latent Psychic powers. She would bet her own tail that, if there were a third growth to the Lucario, Psychic would be a secondary trait rather than Fighting. With a sigh, she turned her thoughts to her son and groomed his cheek fur a little before sending him off to play with the other two.