FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. So yeah, don't sue me.

Sweet shitless in a birch bark canoe!

It's another chapter.

That's right, and while I feel bad that I didn't get around to putting sex in it, I took the liberty of setting it up quite nicely.

But why am I still talking? You have waited far too long to have me bore you to tears, so, without further ado, here is chapter 15.

=============

"Well, that was fun," said Kat with a contented sigh as she was gently splashed with another wave of warm water. The absol and I were bathing, using the hotel's generously large tub to wash us both clean of our rather carnal night. We didn't get much sleep; choosing instead to take short breaks while we thought of new, interesting ideas for us to try. I didn't have a drop of semen left inside me, and the evidence of that was currently being washed out of my Pokemon.

The best part was, despite how... worn my absol probably was now, a simple stay in a Pokemon Center revitalizer will have her body, and libido, back to normal.

I love abusing technology.

"Yeah," I finally agreed, foaming a bit of soap in my hands and using it to wash my disaster Pokemon. When her back was good and lathered, she leaned against me, washing my front with her fur as my hands moved to hers, washing her stomach and just under her mane, wanting to save the dirtiest part for last.

Her blade-like tail flicked up when my fingers slightly tickled her. The water was murky with a mixture of dirt, sweat, soap, and other fluids that would certainly raise questions with the hotel staff. I gave out a deep humm as her warm, wet body rested against my own like a true lover, the muscles at the base of her twitching tail contracting and jolting against my groin. She purred in kind, leaning her head backwards over my shoulder to give my face a soft lick.

I envied her, though. One session in a revitalizer and she would be completely healed, but not even my father's company had completed development on one that would work on humans. I'll be worn out all day, and as far as I know, Celia is still going through her heat cycle. I thought about asking Trent to help her, but I knew that he was still a virgin, so it probably wasn't a good idea to ask him to use his first time to help me out when he's done so much for me already. Besides, I've just taken the first step to making some headway with May.

I'll just have to bite the sexy bullet on this one.

"What are you thinking about, Master?" Katherine's tired voice bounced around in my head, knocking me back into the moment. "Oh, about all the things I have to do today. I have to get back on the road, to stock up on supplies for the trip with the little prize money I have left, and what to do with Celia."

"Oh yeah," said Kat, the water sloshing a bit as she brought a wet, white paw to her face, her black claws tapping against her chin. "She is still in heat. You could keep her in the ball, but-"

"That'd be cruel," I finished, already having skimmed and quickly dismissed the idea.

"Yeah," the absol nodded. "Could Trent help?"

"No," I said with a sigh, shaking my head and hoping she didn't ask why.

"Hmm... that is gonna be a problem," she said, making me happy she didn't question my response. I spoke out as more thoughts that came into my head. "May's Pokemon could help... but I don't entertain the idea of tossing my mates off on other males simply to relieve them."

"I like that answer," said Katherine with a purr, leaning deeper into my chest, the warm water on her fur beginning to cool. Her horn glistened in the soft flourescent lighting of the bathroom, her body melting into mine as she continued with a cooing voice. "I'm sure we'll find some way, Master. The harem has to stick together, after all, and you need the rest."

"Of course," I replied with a smile, happy to have some help. My hand had subconsciously travelled between my Pokemon's hind legs, using my soapy fingers to probe and wash Kat's spent nether-regions. She didn't react with more than a soft "Ooh," my ministrations more soothing than erotic at this point.

Suddenly, there was a gentle knocking, barely heard through the open bathroom door. I shifted my weight to the side to get a good view of the front door. "Yeah?"

"Er... your laundry, sir," said a soft, feminine voice from outside the room. "You left it with us last night, and I've come to deliver them. Hotel courtesy."

"Oh? Well, that's very generous," I said, beginning to stand up despite the disappointed murmurs of my absol. I whispered to her, "We're as clean as we'll ever be, Kat. Believe me."

I walked out of the bathroom with a little giggle trailing from behind me, an amused Katherine laying down in the water as though she were preparing to pounce, cleaning her black face with a smile. Coming to the front door of my room, I turned off the lock, clutched the handle, and swung it inwards towards me.

"Ah, here you g-"

She was a cute girl, just as tall as I was, combed brown hair underneath a little maid outfit, it was adorable.

So was the expression on her face. She nearly dropped the bundle of my forest green clothes in her arms as her eyes went wide and her mouth stopped mid-sentence.

"Ooo," I said, my naked arms reaching out and plucking my gear from the very confused young woman. "Impressive; you even got the grass stains out. You'd think they wouldn't show on green pants, but you'd be surprised. Nice work!"

"I... um... thank..." The hotel worker was practically paralyzed. I suppose I should have apologized for opening the door naked, but hey, she had my clothes. Despite the fact that I have another set of clothing, it should have been expected!

Or not. "Anyway, thanks. My regards to the... uh.. guy who runs the place." I closed the door, giving a bit of an impromptu show to the young woman as I turned around.

"She was cute," said Katherine, poking her head up from the bath. "Maybe you should open the door and ask her to join us?"

"No," I laughed, "We don't want the hotel staff seeing the mess we made of their room until after we're gone. Now come here; I want to dry us off and comb that hair of yours before I get dressed. I like your fur, but I don't want to wear it as a coat. It's too hot for that."

* * *

"Are you shedding or something?" I asked my absol, running the brush down her mane; the final objective in this arduous, maddening task of grooming a squirmy, fiesty Pokemon. An ocean of white fur pooled at my feet, and the bristles of the comb I had bought were completely covered in the stuff. Despite how much would fall, there always seemed to be more!

"Unf, watch the knots!"

"It'll be easier just to shave you down."

"Don't even joke about that! How would you like it if I cut off all your hair?"

I laughed, "I dunno... shaved head is a style, after all... but I'll stick to red hair. That reminds me; I need to dye it again later."

"Aww... but I like your white head. You look like an absol!"

"Yeah, but if I keep this up, I'll have to pay for a new ID. It was hard enough checking in with what I had; if I wasn't on TV just before I walked in, they never would have given me a room with my current ID looking nothing like me."

Katherine whimpered as she hopped out of my lap and shook the excess hair from her body, her tail twitching up and down as the bladed edge reflected light off of its glossy, ebony surface. She shone, a beautiful halo of white surrounding her fur. I forgot what I was talking about, and just sat there, looking at her.

"You look good, Kat... I'll have to groom the others now so they don't get jealous!"

"I doubt it, Master," said Kat, smiling at my compliment. "The only other one of us with fur is Fara, and she goes crazy if a single fur is out of place. Well... Kiki too.. but I don't think her fur is long enough to get tangled..."

When my absol mentioned my ninetales, I was suddenly reminded of this dissension in the ranks. Fara went over my head to talk to May about something, and I was going to find out what.

"I'll be right back," I said, brushing the absol fur out of my naked lap and putting on my fresh, clean clothes in the blink of an eye. "I'm going to pay our little foxy lady a visit."

"Alright... I guess I'll... drain the bathtub! Yeah, we forgot to do that..."

"Oh? Huh, yeah, I guess we did. Okay, I won't be gone long," I said, walking towards the door, not even bothering with my hat. It had actually grown uncomfortable with the dent that Celia's head had made in it yesterday, but I wasn't going to tell her; she's neurotic and apologetic enough as it is. I'll just bang it straight later, but for now, I had a mission.

A little ninetales was going to get a stern talking to... if I could find a way to bring up the situation without revealing my intentions to her and May.

I opened the door and stepped out, giving Katherine a short, two-fingered wave before shutting it behind me. I half expected the little maid to still be there, but I imagine she fled the scene. It was only a few steps down the hallway to get to May's room, but I was... distracted.

The sapphire-clad Seth stood only a few doors down, nodding at another hotel attendant with a smile. He seemed to be handing the young blond woman a card; probably an autograph of some sort. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to get to know my competition better, and to ask him about his knowledge of me.

I took a step forward, but some inner reflex halted my advance. It was strange... I was never nervous of approaching anyone else in my life, but this man... after seeing him fight, I no longer saw him as another trainer to take out, I saw him as the epitome of what I strived for, and the mountain summit I had to one day reach, and surpass.

Taking a breath, I continued towards the champion, passing May's room with a silent promise to return and deal with that insubordinate vixen. When I was within speaking distance, I let out a simple "Yo, Seth."

Either he was not being used to talked to in such a way, or he was surprised to see me in different clothes than yesterday. Either way, he looked at me with a curious expression. After a while, his brow raised, and he said "Ah, Zack! I was hoping I'd meet with you again before I returned to the League HQ."

I grinned. "Quite a show you put on yesterday, man. You had pretty much everyone on the edge of their seats."

"Thanks," he said with a calm demeanor. I found it odd his face seemed happy and soft, but his voice always had a monotonous, expressionless tone. "You had a good run yourself, you know. I'm not the one who won the day; you really showed those people what it was to be a trainer."

I should have felt flattered, but I had other questions on my mind. Thanking his compliment with a simple nod, I continued. "Yeah... about that. I... man, I must sound insane, but... my flygon told me you talked to her yesterday."

"Oh? Heh, well yeah, I met her on top of that cliff just outside of the town. She seemed to be crying, so I... well, she probably told you what we talked about."

"Yeah, and I was a little concerned. She said she let a few things slip that-"

"Forget about it," interrupted Seth almost immediately after I started down that train of thought. "Any trainer willing to go that far for his Pokemon is alright in my book. If you were using your Pokemon strictly to your advantage and personal gain, I'd already have your license revoked, but the way she said it... didn't sound abusive at all. I'm glad, actually, that your Pokemon look to you as one of their own instead of a human that keeps them on a leash and forces them to battle. That's the essence of a true trainer. I'm happy that's how you turned out."

*How I turned out?* I pondered his words a little before moving on, relieved that the champion was on my side. "Well, thank you, but that brings me to my next point... how were you able to understand her? I just started to talk to her yesterday, and I can't speak to anyone else's Pokemon."

"Be thankful for that," said Seth before taking a long breath. "The rumors about my... extended training period amongst Pokemon druids was true."

"Druids?"

"Yes. I thought everyone knew the legends. Anyway, druids are humans who keep to the old ways. They live in secluded parts of the world in secret, so forgive me if I exclude their true location from my story." He seemed to be extremely comfortable talking about something that was supposedly a secret, but I wasn't going to stop him. . "Anyway: the druids live side-by-side with Pokemon, sharing and working together in harmony with what nature gives them, and-"

"Wait, hold on," I said, interrupting him. "If they're so secretive, how did you find them?"

I couldn't tell whether or not the champion was annoyed or amused that I was speaking to him so informally. Nevertheless, he turned his head away, gazing at the wall and saying. "Well, at the time, I needed... guidance. They appeared to me when I had gotten close to one of their camps. There were other circumstances, but I won't bore you with the details."

As he turned back towards me, I noticed his brow furrow. "I tried to battle one of them, and was beaten down so harshly that I couldn't help but wonder how they were able to fight like that. Both the trainer and the Pokemon battled without instructions or hesitation, and I was overwhelmed while my Pokemon were bashed aside, still awaiting their first command from me. It was brutal."

My eyes went wide; Seth was defeated? It was a comfort to know he could be taken down, but... who knows how long ago this was. He could have become much more powerful in such a small amount of time, so my chances were back at square one. Still... it did give me a hope: I no longer thought of him as unbeatable. He was human, like me, which is something that most people who saw his performance last night would deny.

Straightening his blue coat, Seth shrugged his shoulders, as if letting a bitter memory fall over his back and allowing him to resume his tale within a few seconds of pondering. "I was able to convince them to teach me how to communicate in such a way, and they did, to an extent. Apparently, it takes a lifetime to develop the wordless bond that they possessed, but I learned how to understand the language of the various species that I lived around. It was amazing at first; to wake up and decipher the inner workings of a swellow's mind as it chirped and fluttered about, but after a while... awaking to conversations in lieu of the gentle songs of bird Pokemon... it becomes tedious."

Another pause, and he looked back to me. "So, as I said, be thankful. I'm glad to hear that you can understand your own Pokemon now. When you start contemplating what the birds are talking about instead of simply enjoying the music, then you run into trouble. It's like waking up inside an auditorium, where everyone has a topic about how 'This tree is mine,' and 'That wurmple looks extra juicy, I think I'll have it as a snack.'"

I chuckled. I could understand how that would get annoying after only a few short minutes. However, he said I could understand my own Pokemon, but I couldn't. At least, not all of them. I gave a voice to my concerns, and he said "Well, then you're not curious enough."

I cocked my brow. "Eh?"

"To understand a Pokemon, you have to put yourself in it's shoes. Think about what it wants. There, you slowly build a bond, and eventually, your mind will click, and everything they utter will become as clear as the speech you and I both share. It's not about understanding their language more than it is their intentions. Many trainers achieve this, to a degree, but only a few actually hear words when their Pokemon speak."

"Ah," I said, still completely confused, but getting a little better at it. "So... all I need to do is find out what angle my skitty is playing at?"

Letting out a deep laugh, Seth brushed off his sleeve, cleaning it of unseen dust as he said: "You make it sound like she's plotting against you, but yes, that is what you need to do, and for you, it shouldn't be hard at all!"

"Why do you say that?"

"Well... for most trainers, the natures of their Pokemon represent an aspect of themselves. When one aspect of the trainer that corrosponds with the Pokemon is strong, then they share a bond, which carries immense power on and off the battlefield. Perhaps the reason you cannot understand your skitty so well is that the part of you that she represents is getting less and less attention."

I'm sure that statement would have been deep if I could make sense of it, but I simply smiled and nodded. Then, another thought occurred. "So, is that bond why you're able to shoot fire out of your wrists?"

"Huh?" Seth seemed a bit off-put by the sudden shift in the line of questioning, but didn't object, so I pressed further.

"You know, like last night. The way you caught on fire; how did you do that?"

Smiling, the champion regained his composure. "I get asked that a lot, but most people don't believe the explanation," he let out a breath and pulled back his sleeve, showing the silver bracer that he kept just beneath his wrists. I noticed that they were studded with small yellow gems, each one seeming to glow with its own internal flame.

"Fire stones," he said after a while, giving me a chance to figure it out for myself. "Part of my training was learning how to control the same energies that Pokemon are able to utilize. I admit; it wasn't easy, but-"

"You what!?" I said, being unnecessarily loud. I was apparently in a very interrupting mood today. "Hey, I don't doubt that you had to go through some pretty serious training to get that good at fighting, but come on; controlling energy? That's pretty far fetched."

Seth closed his eyes and huffed out a short laugh. "See what I mean? You don't believe me either."

I paused; he was right. I was thinking about how the guy could just be leading me on with an awesome tale, but then I thought about something: The way he fought yesterday... that wasn't an act. He had no reason to make himself look better than he already was; he was the champion!

"How did you do it?"

"Hm?"

"Controlling fire. I take it you get the energy from the stones, but... how do you release it? It's not like humans can shoot fire out of their mouth at will."

"Exactly, and to say I control it is a bit of a stretch. I merely call it. To explain how would be pointless, as I don't have any instructions on how to attain what little power I have over it. It was part of my 'Blaziken style' training; a martial art involving using powerful leg muscles and high altitudes to your advantage. Let's just say that it took a lot of guts, and one hell of a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice?" I was listening to the champion like a kid at story time. I don't know why, but I needed to know more.

However, all he said of the matter was "Yeah, I really hurt a good friend of mine. But that's all in the past now. I'm taking care of it, so there's nothing to worry about."

"I suppose," I receded my curiosity, instead posing a new question. "You said that the fighting style you learned involved kicks and such, right? I only saw you throw punches last night."

Seth nodded. "An excellent question, Zack," he said, making me curious as to why he said my name with such an upbeat, but almost teacher-like tone. "That's because Blaziken style wasn't my only realm of expertise. The easiest way for me to bond with Pokemon is to battle, and I was quick to learn several types of martial arts if it meant being able to understand more creatures. You have to understand: I was young, and fascinated with the idea of omniscient knowledge of the Pokemon language, but I emerged from it all with more than a little combat expertise."

I smiled; being young and reckless was my game, and I was the best damn player there was. "Alright, what kind of styles did you pick up?"

"Well, Hariyama style is a martial art that focuses on using your own body weight to overtake and grapple your opponent. It wasn't very easy, because I was a skinny kid, but I learned how to make the best of my body by doing it. Another style was Machoke, which involved Hariyama style in much more... showy maneuvers. It's effective in a way, but it's mostly for show."

Feeling I had come to a revelation, I spoke up. "Ah, is that the one you used last night?"

"No.. that style... was new. I'm actually still trying to perfect it, but it involves seeing beyond what is physical and reading the aura of another creature to determine it's thoughts and actions."

"Aura?"

"Yes. I'm not going to try to explain it; you'd be better off learning it for yourself if you're curious."

"Well, what Pokemon taught it to you?"

"A creature known as lucario."

I tilted my head, much like Katherine does when she doesn't understand something. "Eh? Is that a name, or a Pokemon?"

"It's a Pokemon, alright, but it's not native here. As a matter of fact, they've only been spotted in Sinnoh, but they're the greatest species for studying the connection between Pokemon and humans. They are born with the ability to understand us, and they have an almost innate ability to help us. Granted, they are rare, so the chances of even seeing one in Sinnoh is a million to one, but I hope you get a chance to meet one some day. They're really... magnificent creatures."

I felt I should let him have his memories for a moment, as they were apparently making him very happy, though I had one more burning question.

"Is there an absol style?"

"Why do you ask?"

I smiled, "Well, I'm just curious. I was just thinking of ways I could grow closer to my Pokemon, and I thought I might borrow a page out of your book."

"Heh, well, you should probably ask for a different page, then."

"Why's that?"

"Because the absol style is practically impossible to learn. You have to have an inborn talent for reading your opponent's every move. I tried it once, but apparently I lacked the necessary skill, so I took what I learned from the experience and let it be. You have to be born with the knowledge."

"Heh, well, I think I'm pretty good at predicting. What if I wanted to learn?"

"You'd have to be good with a sword. The absol martial art is a weapon style based on defense and protection. It's fitting for what was basically the "Front guard" during ancient times. The absols were supposed to alarm everyone else with their cries and then use a combination of their defensive, deceptive techniques and powerful, almost insanely precise attacks, landing a vital blow with every strike and wounding the enemy forces before they even got past the front gates."

"I know some kendo; think that would count?"

Seth turned to look at me with an amused smile, and we both stared at each other for a while, as if he was testing my resolve. and reached into his pocket, bringing out a green item capsule. With a click, the pokeball-like container clicked open and, in a flash of white light, a box materialized in his other hand. "Well, then you had better start with this," he said, reaching into the box and tossing a small, grey rock towards me. I grasped it as it flew at me, and as soon as my fingers wrapped around the rough stone, I instantly felt a warm, vibrating pulse within it.

"Huh?"

"That's a moon stone. The druid that you're going to want to look up won't even give you the time of day unless you're able to use that stone in battle."

I took a step back. What was he talking about?

"What are you talking about? Use it in battle? What, like throwing it at someone's head?"

"Were you listening?" Seth's smile faded, and his face immediately hardened as he held his arm out. The gems on his bangle flickered and softly blazed like a torch in the well-lit hall, making one passerby freak the fuck out and run. I have to admit, it was pretty damn intimidating to stand in the face of such power, but I continued to stand, the pulsing rock in my hand almost seeming to provide a bit of protection to steel my mind against cowardice.

"This would be the basic technique for my style, using stones to manipulate fire and add an energy to my attacks that allows me to bypass my enemies defenses," said the champion, the fire adding an ominous glow to his face. "Have you ever noticed that, while a Pokemon undergoes rigerous battles and at times is seriously wounded, their bodies are never in danger? They never lose a limb, or even suffer a fatal wound? That is because that this energy is not only their strength, but a definition of their will to fight. Without it, all they can do is struggle, harming themselves in the process. Once they lose the will to fight, then no trainer could force them to without risking serious injury on both their parts. Energy is their weapon, and will is their armor. Even a simple tackle involves a small amount of white, or 'normal' energy. Every Pokemon possesses it, because it is the most basic form of energy there is."

The fires calmed, and his sleeve, apparently fireproof, slid back over the bracer, hiding their glinting silver from my eyes. The scene had attracted a little bit of a crowd, but some of them had already walked away when the flame died out. Unperturbed, Seth began to speak again, crossing his arms. "It's also an excellent place to start. That moonstone is a rock radiating with nearly limitless levels of normal energy. The next time you practice your kendo, try concentrating on drawing power from that rock. If you can send just a little bit of white energy into a shinai, then maybe the absol teacher will take you up as a hopeful."

I looked at the stone with a glint, almost mischievous as I thought of the ways I could utilize it. It had power, a great deal of power, and I had it in my hand. If I could draw it out... I could use it.

Then I shook my head, nearly laughing at myself. What do I need power for? I have friends, my Pokemon, and my own damn instinct. I thought about giving the stone back, to outright refuse this power that I didn't need, but he had already turned to walk away, saying "Don't worry if it just feels like a cold rock at first. Eventually, if you stick to it, you'll be able to feel the power. Just remember; you shouldn't rely on yourself. I made that mistake once, and it nearly cost me a friend, so only use it to grow closer to your Pokemon, alright?"

My eyes widened, and I nodded. The guy must have read my mind or something. "Hey, what about the teacher? What's the guy's name?"

"Hm?" Seth looked back, placing his hand on the back of his head with an unbecoming, sheepish grin. "Oh, right... well, I can't actually tell you."

There was a break in the action, both of us looking at each other, until I ended the silence with a simple question.

"What the fuck, man?"

"See, the druids are so secretive that I pretty much broke the rules letting you know they really exist in the first place, especially the absol leader. Sorry, Zack, but you'll have to find them on your own, or better yet, have them find you."

"But... ah, damn it, alright." Dejected, I crossed my arms, still staring at the oddly pulsing rock in my hand. Looking up at the champion, I grinned, a newfound resolution cracking my face. "I suppose I'll have to try my best to get their attention, eh?"

Laughing, Seth began walking, his long coat dusting the ground behind him. "Well, chances are you already have. If you continue doing what you're doing, they'll be knocking down your door in no time. Keep up the good fight, Zack; a guy like you has allies everywhere he looks."

I nodded as Seth stepped into the elevator, the crowd either returning to their rooms or chasing after him to get an autograph. I was happy; I had met my competition, and it turned out he was an alright guy! That, and he cleared a lot of things up. I pocketed the stone, and looked behind me, at the door to May's room. I was surprised to see she wasn't among the crowd of Seth fans. Cracking my knuckles, my original mission came flowing back into my head.

Discipline.

Meeting the champion was nice, but he was more or less an enlightening distraction. Granted, I had never told Fara not to hang out with May, but by becoming her bedmate and ruining a perfectly good chance to have Trent and her have a private moment together really through a wrench into my plans. I drew my hand back, and brought it forward, aiming to alert the two within to my presence.

But then I felt something...

It was a dark... distressing sensation that throbbed in my temple...

Something bad was happening...

Someone was in trouble...

...It was Kat!

I don't know how I knew, but as soon as that thought sparked inside my head, the shrill, siren-like cry of the absol echoed from my room.

I was in front of my door before I could blink, my body reacting much faster than my mind could ever hope to keep up with. Deftly unlocking the door with the card, my arms pushed it open, my legs leaping into the room as my eyes scanned my surroundings, reacting like a primal male who knew his mate was in some sort of peril.

My mind gave the animal within me a nudge in the right direction, and I was able to remember the last command I gave Katherine: Empty the bathtub. Without so much as a thank you, my body twisted and lunged for the open bathroom door, and we were both shocked at the scene before us.

There was red everywhere. The floor was pooled in a dark, crimson mess as the bathtub was practically a ruby-red pool, my absol lay deathly still in the water, her face frozen in an expression of shock and fear as she looked up at me, her fur marked the same color as that which stained the floor, a great deal of the liquid pouring out from beneath her mane.

I almost felt my heart stop; what happened? What was going on?

What...

Why...

How...

"Oops," came Katherine's voice, sending my mind from shock, to confusion.

Then I smelled it. I recognized that sharp, almost amonious scent anywhere.

"...My hair dye."

Katherine sat up, and the punctured, open bottle of red hair dye dropped from her mane, splashing into the water and further darkening it. It was a nearly full bottle, and now it was gone, the remainder coating the disaster Pokemon's fur.

My absol's crimson eyes stared into my own, and she let out another shuddering, yelp-like word. "...Sorry?"

* * *

"Thank you," I nodded to the customer service rep from the company that made my hair dye, hanging up on him and turning to the bathroom, where my absol was still trying to wash the smell of dye out of her fur, refusing to leave the locked restroom until it was gone.

"Hey Kat! I have some good news. While they claim to have never tested their product on a Pokemon, they assured me that it's not harmful to ya."

"I don't care! I'm hideous, and I smell like a chemical spill!"

I shook my head at the closed door saying: "Aw, come on. You know, you wouldn't be in this predicament if you hadn't tried to pour out my dye."

"No," replied the Pokemon, growling at the obviously stubborn odor. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if I remembered to actually pull the plug on the bathtub before trying to pour out your dye. Tripping and falling into the tub was only a consequence of trying to find the damn bottle in murky water after dropping it in!"

"You could have poured it down the toilet," I said, masking the beating heart of my past concern with humor. I still shook from the shock; I thought something serious had happened to her. If something did... I didn't want to think about it. I refuse to.

I simply won't.

"I don't know how to work that damn thing. Besides, it scares me."

"You're scared of the toilet?"

"It makes noises! Dirt doesn't make noises, so why don't you humans just go outside like the rest of us?"

"Human decency, Kat, remember?" I stifled laughter, planning on using the toilet as my new weapon.

"Yeah, yeah," said the absol. "Well... the stink is gone, but... oh, damn it, it won't come out!"

"Yeah, it's supposed to stay put for a few months on humans. At least, that's how it worked on me, anyway. You should be fine within a couple weeks."

Another growl, and Katherine knocked something over in the bathroom. "I can't live like this!"

"It can't be that bad. Hey, if it changes my hair orange, it couldn't be that bad for you, right?"

There was a long silence, and then, timidly, my absol spoke. "Is anyone else around?"

I took a look behind me. I had still neglected to close the door from my sudden entry before, so I took the time to do so now. Turning around, back to the bathroom door, I said "Nope, it's just you and me."

"A... alright."

A minute of complicated human lock manipulation later, followed by another minute of infuriating human doorknob turning, and the bathroom opened, revealing, what I thought, was among the greatest moments of my young life thus far.

Seeing Katherine in pink.

It was mean, perhaps even hurtful, but I laughed. Oh, how I laughed. One could not understand what seeing the proud, invincible, sharp-tongued devil of my team suddenly sheathed in pink fur did to me.

"See, this is what I'm talking about," said Katherine, looking away from me as I continued to chuckle, attempting to calm myself.

"Ah, aha, sorry, Kat... it's just... I didn't think it would turn you pink!"

Katherine nearly roared with a loud "You're not helping!"

I finally managed to cut my laughter, reducing it to an errant snicker every once in a while. I have to admit, it really cheered me up, and practically wiped away the stress and jitters that I felt seeing her before. I walked up to her and patted her on the head, saying "Aw, I think it looks cute!"

"Shut up! I feel like an overgrown skitty."

"It's a new look for you."

"I'll murder you."

"Oh no, attack of the giant skitty!"

I smiled, but Katherine sat, looking down. My smile soon faded; it wasn't really the time to be laughing, I suppose. "Kat, you're still you, alright? You haven't grown weaker, you'll just have a new look for a few weeks."

"But... aren't you mad at me? Now you'll have to get a new license or whatever, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but that's not much of a problem. A hassle, but maybe it's time I moved on from my old look. Maybe even get some new clothes! A new look doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Katherine let out a little laugh, but it wasn't sincere. "Yeah, but you probably don't want a pink powerhouse leading the charge against your enemies, huh?"

"Kat... I wear Kiki on my head like a hat. I couldn't give a damn what you look like; and you're not going to either."

"Huh?"

"Katherine, as long as your claws are sharp, and as long as you stay by my side, you could be a pretty blue color, and I wouldn't care. You're still you, and that's the only thing that I won't allow to change. Am I clear?"

My absol stared into my eyes, a faint glimmer flickering in their corner as if a tear was trying to well up. "I... Crystal, Master."

"Good, then stand up. We still have a rebel within the troupe to take care of, and your pink fur gives us the strategic advantage of surprise in battle against others. So long as people don't think I'm trying dyes out on you, I shouldn't get in trouble anyway."

"Haha, 'help, help, my master is using me as a test subject for his wicked dye company.'"

"Do that outside, and you're back in the ball."

"Aww... heheh, okay. Oh, and... Master?"

"Yeah?"

"...Thank you."

I smiled, clicking the remainder of my Pokemon onto my belt. "Think nothing of it, my mate," I said, hefting my item bag over my shoulder. Opening the door, I silently encouraged my absol to follow, which she did proudly. I was glad she wasn't afraid to be seen in public in her new wardrobe, and I actually found it quite interesting how the light now cast several different halos along her shining fur, a brilliant array of pink and reddish hues cascading over her as she proudly plodded down the hall to May's door, sitting at it and looking to me as if to say: "Are you coming?"

Nodding, I stepped to her, leaving what was probably the most unclean hotel room in history behind me as I shut the door, hoping that I cleared the history on the computer before I left.

* * *

"Haha, you're pink," was pretty much all May could say as we walked out of the hotel, confusing the hell out of the clerk as she watched me leave with a much different absol.

At Katherine's behest, I released all of my Pokemon, letting them get used to Katherine's temporary change in appearance as I overlooked them all, judging their expressions.

Suddenly, a summary of Seth's words popped into my head.

*The natures of a trainer's Pokemon represent an aspect of the trainers themselves.*

I crossed my arms, and then, one by one, began to decifer my Pokemon's natures amidst the way they talked, acted, and responded with each other.

Katherine was obvious to me. She was my passion, my fire, that spark in my soul that couldn't be extinguished. When she wants something, she goes after it, and doesn't allow anyone to stand before her.

Fara, was a less utilized, but still important part of myself. She was my wisdom. While, I rely more on instinct, she served as an adviser, lending me help where I thought I had lacked in knowledge, but simply was overlooking the obvious. She also represents my mischievous, secretive side, but I was going to get her to spill the beans on her little visit with May later. I couldn't approach her just yet, as not only would it be blowing something simple out of proportion, but I had nothing to go on other than her going over my head to May without telling me. An act that would have to be punished the best way I know how...

But I digress. I saw Celia, who I was happy to see was not suffering from her heat. While I did notice a slight swell where I knew her maidenhood to be, she was still nervously laughing and then looking away like she always does. That girl was obvious to me, too; my gentle side, my compassion, and my ever-present kindness towards the good in people. While I didn't share her timid behavior, I noticed that she was growing braver and braver by the day, making me think that perhaps, as I was being shaped by my Pokemon, they were likewise responding to my own behavior in kind. She still wore the ribbon she earned, and seemed to use it as a shield to defend herself against her own timidity.

Then onto my lanturn, Angel, who was on her side, still laughing. I couldn't tell whether or not I could understand her yet, for all I heard was laughter, but that also clued me in to what part she represented. My happiness. Angel was joy packaged in a big blue ball of giddy, and I could relate. Hell, I was making jokes about Katherine's condition not moments before, calling her a big ol' skitty and laughing about it in good fun.

Of course, this brought me to my own skitty, who was joyfully hanging off of Katherine's pink mane and attempting to blend in with her fur. Kiki was... I don't know. It took me a while, but I took a shot in the dark. That skitty represents my apathy, my naiveness, and my overall childishness. Not only did I possess all those traits, but I knew that I was growing out of them, so perhaps that is why I was unable to understand her. Maybe if I loosened up a little and started taking things less seriously, like she did, we'd be on equal footing.

My eyes then fell on Trent. This one was another obvious catch. That guy has been there with me since day one, growing stronger to further our goals. We worked so well together because he shared my most valued trait. Resolve. We would never give up. We couldn't afford to. Not if it meant losing site of our dreams. We strive to protect others, as well, defending innocents against the Lilycove incident and fighting side-by-side to ensure that we couldn't be defeated by anyone. He was similar to Kat, in a way, but in the place of passion, he had pure, rock-solid determination, all wound up in a calm, collected shell of grass-type harmony. In a way, I aspired to be like him, so cool and calm in the midst of battle, and I manage to achieve that very feat whenever I call him out, making us a team that the even the strongest trainers kneel before.

He was my strength.

I uncrossed my arms and let the wind tussle my white hair around my eyes, reminding me to get another picture taken for my ID. I took a step to join my fellows, but I heard a soft, familiar voice behind me.

"Um... excuse me, Zack?"

I turned to see the nervous maid girl from before. "Oh, you! Listen, sorry about the naked thing. I do that a lot... well, not get naked! I mean..."

She giggled, obviously much more comfortable around me now that I was clothed. I smiled, "Heh, so... do you need something? I hope the mess we left in the room wasn't that bad..."

"Oh! It's not that. I just forgot to give you something when I was... well, disarmed, to say the least."

I scratched the back of my head as she blushed a little. I then noticed, in her arms, that she had a small, clear bottle with a note attached to the head. It was like a perfectly clear cylinder with an air-bubble that moved slowly, as though swimming through a thick ooze. The note was on a strange, dark brown piece of paper that felt as though it would crumble at my touch. "An anonymous fan told me to give this to you. She-ah! They asked if I would make sure you read the note."

I nodded, opening the letter with my thumb. It smelled of sand, and I instantly knew who had sent it to me. Of course, the message cleared all doubt:

"Hasani,

You are much stronger than I would have imagined. I am sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye, but I had important business to attend to. As a matter of fact, you may be able to assist me! I need a powerful trainer to help me in searching for an ancient Pokemon. I know that you are busy with your journey, but if you could spare the time, I would love to have you join me in my own adventure. I look forward to seeing you again.

Tameri

P.S. The oil is made of several minerals and herbs found in the desert where we met. It's used as a muscle curative, a relaxing agent, a wound solvent, and... well, I'm sure a young man such as yourself could find other ways to enjoy this gift. When next we meet, perhaps I could show you a favorite of mine?"

I pocketed the note, biting my tongue to give myself a bit of pain to distract my mind from the extremely dirty thoughts it was trying to come up with. "Thank you," I said at the girl, who was puzzled at my odd expression. However, she nodded and left, giving me one last look before going back inside.

Was I some kind of magnet for females now? Did I have a "Fuck me" sign on my back or something? I'm not complaining, of course. If this is a dream, I hope I'm in a permanent coma!

The rising sun cast shadows over the cliff that I had mated my flygon inside of, and, while I had a lot ahead of me, so much to do, so many things to still learn, I do know one thing for certain.

I am Zack Stone, the luckiest son of a bitch on two legs.

=============

Not bad, I think. I'm going to try to post weekly again, but don't hold your breath. It's bad for you. I also have a mystery dungeon fic I plan on doing, but I'll let you, the audience, decide what needs to be done. You guys want me to continue with this, or do you want me to branch off a bit? Try some new things? I'm all ears.

Also, sorry if my return seems a bit... bland. I'm sure I could throw down all the excuses about my computer HD failin' and my job and such, but meh, I won't dwell on such things. The next story has a bunch of goodness lined up, I hope, but let me know if you enjoyed this chapter!

Thank you for waiting,

Matt, the Z-Byte