I tugged at my sleeveless t-shirt, adjusting it as I walked the familiar road to the Pokémon Center. A light sheen of sweat covered my body, a testament to the harsh Kanto summer sun overhead. There was no way I could wear a jacket today, as I usually did; it was unusually hot. I glanced down at my clothed torso, feeling a surge of satisfaction at the sight of my lean, muscled physique.
All my physical training, along with my team, was certainly paying off.People bustled past me in both directions. A couple rode by on bicycles, laughing loudly. Kids, definitely younger than me, zipped along the sidewalk on skates, shouting and nearly crashing into each other before swerving away at the last second. Life moved easily here
It had been two days since I returned from Cerulean and my attempt to tame that angry little Larvitar.
Tame. I grimaced faintly at the word.
Such a harsh term. But there really wasn't a better one. I'd never dealt with a Pokémon that feral before one that didn't just lash out in fear, but in pure, learned aggression. She hadn't trusted anyone. She still didn't.
At least there'd been progress. She stopped trying to attack me the moment I entered her enclosure now. That alone was huge.
But I wasn't delusional.
If given the chance, she would try to maim me. Maybe worse.
And yet…
I slowed my steps for a moment, eyes narrowing in thought.
I'd planned to leave this weekend. After my birthday. After I turned sixteen. My official journey, badges, gyms, the League, everything I'd worked toward since I was a kid.
I had planned to leave this weekend, after I turned 16, for my journey...
There was no way I would leave without taking that little Larvitar with me, I thought, a little greedily and I didn't bother denying it.
I passed a fenced farm on the outskirts of town, rows of berry bushes and grazing Pokémon stretching back toward the trees, and soon the familiar shape of the Pokémon Center came into view. The three-story building stood out against Pallet's smaller homes, red and white accents clean and bright, the large Joy clan emblem mounted proudly above the entrance.
I stepped off the road and approached the automatic doors. They slid open with a soft chime, and blessed cool air washed over my face.
Inside, the Center was moderately busy. The decor was familiar and comforting, red carpeting on the first floor, worn smooth by decades of trainers passing through. Low couches lined the walls with small circular tables between them. A few people sat talking quietly, Pokémon resting at their feet or perched on shoulders.
The large reception desk sat front and center, polished white with soft pink accents. A Nurse Joy stood behind it, typing something into her terminal. She glanced up as I walked past and smiled warmly.
I nodded back and headed toward the side room where the four video-call terminals were set into the wall.
Unfortunately, all the terminals were in use. I went to the vending machine near the wall and bought a soda. I opened it and took a drink. Man, it was good to drink something cold in this summer heat. I leaned back against the wall, savoring it, eyes half-lidded as I let the chill spread through my chest. Summer in Kanto was brutal
Finally, a man using one of the terminals finished and got up to leave. I sat down in the soundproofed booth and logged into my messenger, calling Hailey.
It took a few seconds for the call to connect. I saw my aunt's face on the screen, and she smiled, brightening immediately.
"Ha! My dear nephew, you're looking good!"
"Hey, Hailey, how are you?" I asked happily. I looked as she moved a bit back from the camera. I smiled a bit, noticing she wore an apron and a very housewifey dress, and her hair was neatly combed and held back with a band.
She really has been tamed by that guy, huh... I thought humorously.
Her countenance immediately darkened. "Are you thinking something rude about me?"
I chuckled awkwardly, denying her uncalled accusation.
"No, no, how could I ever do that? Anyway, I just wanted to call and let you know that I might have to start a little late on my journey."
She cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Weren't you the one who couldn't wait to start collecting gym badges and CONQUER THE LEAGUE?" She deepened her voice dramatically and slapped on a shit-eating grin.
I glared at her and grit out, "I don't sound like that..." She snorted as I continued, ignoring her. "I might have an opportunity to gain a new member for the team, so I might push back my journey a week or two, depending on
circumstances."
"And you're not gonna tell me what Pokémon it is, are you?" she stated, deadpan.
I smirked at her. She sighed as she said, "It's your decision then, Arata. And on the same topic, advanced wishes on your birthday. You're gonna be a man tomorrow ~~!" Her tone softened, genuine pride shining through.
"Thanks, Aunt Hailey." Before I could say anything else, she cut me off, saying, "How are your friends? Have you kept in touch with them?" She asked, looking at me for a reaction.
"We keep in touch..." I said vaguely.
She sighed, studying my face. "I know friends drift apart sometimes. But there's no reason not to reach out when you can. Trust me, it gets harder the older you get."
"Yeah, sure..." I tried cutting in, she didn't seem to hear me and continued, "Mira asked how you were. She's doing well on her journey for your information. Text your friends, Arata.," she stated.
"...Duly noted," I said with a touch of sarcasm.
Friends drift apart; it's common... I think...
"Well, I have to go; the food's almost burnt..." she said.
"Yeah, you take care, Hailey," I said, moving the pointer on the console to end the call.
"Bye, nephew..." She said as the call disconnected.
Friends, huh... I really have drifted away.I thought about Mira and... Rin, even Taro.
I shook my head and stood, finishing my soda before tossing the can into the recycler. I stepped back out into the sunlight, greeting Mrs. Feller as I passed—she waved cheerfully from the doorway of her clothing shop, bolts of handmade fabric visible behind her.
I made my way back to Delilah's place through a familiar winding path. I looked around Pallet Town spread out around me, green trees, tidy farms, small houses with open windows and wind chimes. People waved as they passed. Pokémon lounged lazily in yards and fields. and thought, Man, Pallet is an idyllic place, and quite calm, too. Nothing really happens here.
I reached the inn and made my way inside, calling out, "I'm back!"
"Arata~! I need some help! Can you come to the back?" I heard Delilah calling out to me.
That woman, I thought with fondness. I'd grown close to her and Ash in the past year. It was hard not to, living together like this.
Well, it does tend to happen living with each other.
I made my way through the receiving section and to the door that led to the large backyard that Delilah had diligently cultivated with a variety of fruits, berries, and even fancy shrubs you wouldn't find in Kanto . I reached the door, slid it aside, and stepped onto the patio. To the side, I saw Delilah standing there with a sheen of sweat on her face as her brown hair stuck to it. She wore an unflattering green garden romper with wet mud all over her body. She smiled as she saw me walking towards her.
"Boy, am I glad you're here. Do you have anything to do today?" She asked with a smile as she took out her gloves and put them on. The sunlight shone on the ground, pointing some light on the wooden floor.
"Not really. It's a rest day for me and the team. I'm kinda free," I said carefully because I really didn't like the look on her face. It was the same smile she wore when she wanted me to do some heavy labor.
"Well, I need help trying to plant some Custap berries, and they only grow with marsh-like soil," she said, pointing at her clothes and herself, highlighting all the sludge on her.
"And now all I need is a strong young man to help me. If only I could find him," she cocked her hips and rubbed her chin as if she was contemplating
life's problems.
"Don't make it dramatic, Delilah. What do you need me to do?" I said, smiling at the woman and rolling my eyes.
"Excellent! I knew keeping you around was useful!" She turned in a flourish and walked to the shed towards the end. I followed right behind her, trying my best to ignore her behind.
She opened the shed door and crouched near a four-by-four wooden box. "This has saplings that have already germinated; we just need to plant them. Help me move it to the patch I prepared."
I sighed before saying exasperatedly, "You could ask Mimiy, you know. He could just teleport them."
"Huuu. There are no shortcuts in growing berries," she said, huffing slightly as we both lifted the surprisingly heavy box and made our way into the berry garden.
"Sure, sure, whatever you say," I mumbled, struggling to walk as it was hard to find proper footing while carrying the box and also ignoring Delilah's… heavy assets pressed lightly against the top of the box as we moved.
"Where is this patch exactly?" I asked, looking around.
"On the other side of the yard." I stared at her with gimlet eyes as we slowly ambled our way to the section.
When we reached the far end, the ground changed. Grass gave way to a dark, wet patch of churned mud that glistened under the sun.
Water pooled shallowly in depressions, reflecting the sky. A small Poliwag stood nearby, round body bobbing gently as it released a stream of bubbles into the muck. Each burst loosened the soil further, splashing mud onto the surrounding grass and our ankles.
She took out another pair of gloves from her pocket and gave them to me.
"Shall we?" she puffed out her chest and placed her hands on her hips.
I tapped my belt. White light flashed as Caesar's large form materialized with a heavy thud. He growled low, scanning the area, then calmed when he saw Delilah and me. Orin appeared next, shaking himself before looking around curiously. Livia burst into the air with a sharp cry, wings catching the sunlight as she spiraled upward.
I looked at them with a smile and asked, "You guys want to relax by the beach side?" I pointed toward the far edge of the property, where the land sloped down, My Pokémon loved to relax there. They all grunted, growled, and chirped in affirmation, and Livia flew off into the sky as Ceaser and Orin ambled after her. "Come back by nightfall!" I
yelled.
"They've grown strong," Delilah said quietly.
I smiled in pride. Yes, they have.
"Shall we?" I asked, pointing at the field while wearing the gloves, removing my shoes, and hiking up my pants.
We spent the day knee-deep in mud, planting saplings in careful rows. Custap berries needed space, water, and patience. Delilah showed me how to settle each one, how deep to place the roots, how to pack the soil just enough without choking them, we'd missed lunch.
We spoke about our day and other things, laughing at inane things. This was a common occurrence in the past months, inane things like the hottest boy bands and how she thinks contests were the next big thing in Indigo.
"I don't think they'll beat battling. We are a community that respects strength," I countered, crouched low as I pressed soil around another sapling.
She gave me a dirty look and said, "It's not easy to raise a powerful Pokémon that's capable of handling higher-end battles. Contests have a lower ceiling. Humph."
I shrugged.
The evening sunlight shone on us as it grew darker. We trudged back, dirty, to the patio near the shed as she led me to the outhouse-style shower.
"We'll wash away the mud here, alright?" She said, looking back at me as she made her way into the separate wooden stall. So did I.
We removed our clothes slowly and showered with hot water and cleaned ourselves. It was awkward. Intimate in a quiet way as we could see our faces even though the wooden board covered our bodies. When I finished, I wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped out the stall.
I stared from the corner of my eyes at the water cascading from her hair and how the wet towel hugged her wet, voluptuous body. I had to actively focus on not looking at her bare shoulders and supple legs as the towel only covered what needed to be covered.
She either ignored the awkwardness or didn't feel it."Go inside and get dressed," she said casually. "I'll make something to eat."
I nodded, heart beating a little faster than I liked, and headed back toward the house.
I plopped onto the sofa after finishing the hearty lasagna Delilah had made. It was absolutely delicious, perfect after a hard day's labor. I reclined a little more I shifted, sinking deeper into the cushions, when she came back from the kitchen. Ice clinked softly in the glass she handed me.
"Here," she said. "Lemon soda."
"Thanks." I took a long sip, eyes closing for half a second. Cold, sharp citrus, just sweet enough, bubbles stinging pleasantly. "That hits the spot."
She sat next to me and asked, nodding at the TV I had switched on, "What's on?"
They were broadcasting live a tournament from Goldenrod, one that takes place after the Indigo Conference each year for trainers with fewer than five badges It was a way to motivate them, pushing them forward by challenging trainers at their own level .the broadcast cut between the roaring crowd and the massive indoor stadium in Goldenrod. Bright lights. Banners. The announcer's voice carried that familiar mix of hype and reverence.
"It's the Junior Conference," I replied. "The finals."
She hummed and sipped her own drink "And trainer from vermillion - Mira Silva!"
I blinked.
"Huh," I said before I could stop myself. Then, quieter, "She really is doing well…"
Delilah glanced at me. "Who's that?"
"A friend," I said. "From Vermilion. She started her journey last year."
"Oh, She's pretty," she said as the camera panned to Mira, standing on the podium with a confident smile as she released her Flareon.
Her Eevee evolved, huh? I thought, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm...to be young again," she breathed out, watching the broadcast as the fight began against a Rhydon.
Before thinking, I said, "You are young...and beautiful, Delilah." I stopped awkwardly as she turned to me, smiling a small smile and cocking her head to one side, looking at me with an indistinguishable expression.Amused? Touched?
I didn't face her, as I could feel my ears turning red.
Mira's Flareon finished the Rhydon with a Flame Wheel. It was quite impressive. She switched Pokémon as her Machoke came out against an Onix.
She suddenly leaned towards me and said, "Isn't it your birthday tomorrow? I should bake you a cake!"
"No, no, don't. Me and my family don't do that. We just have a small feast," I said, laughing slightly, forgetting my earlier shyness.
"A shame. Then I'll cook a feast. It's not every day one becomes a man," she said with a strange tone.
"Uh...huh, thanks," I chuckled a little. "Where's Ash?" I asked quickly.
"He's at Gretchen's house for a sleepover with his other friends."
There was a comfortable silence as Mira won the tournament. We sat there, shoulders almost touching now, the quiet settling in naturally. Her leg brushed mine. I didn't pull away. Neither did she
Later that night
(NSFW Ahead, skip if needed)
I woke and turned over, slowly opening my eyes to the darkness as the door creaked open.
Bare feet padded closer. Reaching out from under the light blanket, I switched on the night lamp. Squinting, I saw Delilah standing there. It was 3:47 a.m.
She wore only a thin, open coat, revealing a lacy black bra and matching panties. I watched the slight wiggle of her voluptuous form as she walked to my bed, wearing a hesitant yet saucy smile. I tried to sit up as she climbed onto the bed, straddling my lower abdomen, spreading her legs.
I had to consciously ignore my growing hardness as I half-stuttered, the suddenness of the situation catching up to me.
She looked gorgeous as the lamplight illuminated her naked flesh. She smiled, leaned down, and said, "Happy birthday..." tracing her hand over my naked torso, reaching my boxers, which already had a tent.
"Is this alright...?" I whispered, my breath hitching as I slowly held her soft, bare hips.
"Hmm... consider it a present," she whispered throatily.
The mattress dipped beside me as her weight pressed against my hip.
My breath hitched as her fingers curled into the waistband of my boxers, her nails grazing my skin. "What..." I started, but she just smirked, her hesitance gone now, peeling the fabric down in one smooth motion before I could finish.
I barely had time to register the cool air on my skin before she pushed me back against the pillows with surprising strength. "Lay back now..." she murmured, her voice a low purr as she shrugged off her coat, letting it slide down her shoulders and pool at her elbows before tossing it aside. The lamplight caught the curve of her breasts straining against the lace of her bra, and I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my throat.
She tossed my blanket aside like an afterthought, her eyes locked on mine as she shrugged the coat the rest of the way off, letting it slip to the floor with a whisper of fabric.
She didn't give me time to adjust. Her fingers tightened around me, her thumb swiping lazily over the tip before she leaned down, her lips parting just enough to let the heat of her breath ghost across my skin. I jerked beneath her, my hips lifting involuntarily.
Her mouth was on me, wet, hot, and everything a man would dream of, her lips sliding down with a groan that vibrated through my hips.
A choked gasp tore from my throat as her tongue swirled lazily around the tip before she took me deeper, her fingers digging into my thighs to keep me still. "Fuck..." I stammered, my hands fisting in the sheets, my entire body taut. She hummed around me, the sound smug, like she knew exactly how unraveled I was.
She continued for a minute and pulled away with a wet pop, her lips glistening, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Before the shuddering aftershocks even faded, she started to drag her nails up my thighs.
I didn't let her.
I pushed up against her, rolling us over in one unsteady motion until she was pinned beneath me. Her surprised laugh turned into a gasp as I kissed her, my hands cupping her face as she kissed me back with surprising tenderness.
She arched beneath me, her nails scraping down my back as I fumbled slightly with the clasp of her bra. It took two tries, but when it finally came undone, she sighed into my mouth, her breasts spilling free against my chest.
Her laugh melted into a gasp as my mouth trailed down her neck, teeth grazing the delicate skin just enough to make her shiver. I kissed lower, over the swell of her breasts, the dip of her ribs, the soft curve of her stomach. She arched beneath me, her fingers threading through my hair, tugging impatiently when I lingered too long at her hipbone.
"You're better than I expected..." she breathed, but the hitch in her voice betrayed her.
"I'm a quick study," I murmured.
The moment my lips brushed the delicate lace of her panties, her breath stuttered, a sharp, needy sound that made my pulse roar in my ears. I grazed the fabric with my teeth, slowly, feeling her hips jerk as I dragged the lace against her skin. When the panties finally slid down her thighs, she kicked them off with a restless twist of her legs.
My first lick was slow, almost hesitant. Her hips jerked beneath me, her thighs clamping around my ears as a high, broken moan tore from her throat.
Her fingers twisted in my hair, tugging hard enough to sting, but I didn't pull away. Instead, I pressed closer, my tongue dragging through her heat in one long, deliberate stroke. She tasted like salt and sweetness. Her back arched off the bed, her breath coming in ragged gasps as I licked deeper, slower, savoring the way her body trembled beneath me.
A whimper escaped her when I circled her clit with deliberate precision, her hips jerking erratically as if she couldn't decide whether to press closer or writhe away from the overwhelming sensation. I didn't let up, savoring the way her breath hitched into ragged gasps, the slick heat of her against my lips proof of how close she was.
The moment her thighs tightened around my head, I knew she was close. I dragged my tongue away with one last slow, wet stroke, relishing the shudder that wracked her body as she whimpered in protest. Her hands scrambled against my shoulders, nails digging in as I crawled up her body, my own skin humming with the heat of her.
I paused just long enough to lick my lips, her taste still heavy on my tongue, before I caught her mouth in a kiss that made her moan into me. She arched up, her hips rolling against mine, her wetness smearing against my stomach as my hips slotted between her thighs. She arched beneath me, the heat of her cunt pressed against me
so close.
But I hesitated just long enough to watch her bite her lower lip, her pupils blown wide with want. "Fuck me, Arata ~~" she gasped, but the way her hips rolled up against me betrayed her impatience, her breath hitched against my lips as I finally pushed inside he. She was tight, hotter than I'd imagined, and the way her thighs clamped around my hips told me she wasn't letting me go anytime soon.
I groaned, burying my face in the curve of her neck as she arched beneath me, her body adjusting inch by inch until I was fully sheathed inside her. "Move," she breathed, her voice ragged with need.
She clenched around me as I rocked into her, slowly savoring the way her breath hitched with each thrust. Her nails raked down my back, leaving stinging trails that only made me push deeper. The slick heat of her was intoxicating. Every drag of my cock inside her drew a gasp from her lips, her body arching to meet mine. She tangled one hand in my hair, tugging my head back to expose my throat before biting down just hard enough to make me groan.
"Faster," she demanded, her voice rough, and I obeyed, slamming into her with a force that made the bedframe creak.
What a woman. Best birthday ever...