Unforseen

High in the skies above, Max is currently being dragged away by something flying at high speed. He could hardly move or see from the position he was in, yet surprisingly, he was only carried for a little while before his kidnapper finally came to a stop. He then got dropped back-first in what appeared to be a large nest made of wax. As Max quickly sat up, he was then immediately pushed back on his back by what he now knew was a vespiquen glaring hungrily at him.

"Um… Hi there. May I know the name of my kidnapper?" Max calmly asked.

Not answering, the vespiquen pressed one arm against him multiple times around his body, as if she was sizing him up.

"I can understand pokémon, by the way, so feel free to answer me any time."

{...Ha… Stupid human, as if I'll fall for that.} She said, not even stopping.

"I may not be the smartest human, but I'm not stupid. Besides, there is no harm in answering a simple question."

Upon hearing him, the vespiquen stopped and stared at him.

{You… Can you really understand me?}

"Like I said."

She looked at him a moment before resuming her previous action.

{Doesn't really matter. Prey is just that; prey.}

"Prey? Are you planning to eat me?"

{Maybe after we're done.}

She tried to pull Max's pants off him, leading him to use one of his hands and push her arm away with a hit.

"Sorry, but I don't really feel like it. I'd like to at least know those I just met a little better before engaging in that sort of thing." He informed her, sitting up.

{Who said I was asking?} She angrily retorted, pushing him back on the ground by the neck.

"Lady, you don't wanna do this. It won't end well for you, trust me." Max warned, both of his hands holding her arm.

{Khraahahaha! What are you gonna do? I don't think you understand the situation you're in, you're just a weak and powerless human.}

"I think you're the one who doesn't know who they're messing with." Max threatened, still maintaining a calm attitude.

{Oooh! I'm so sc- Khaa!}

While she was busy mocking him, Max quickly delivered a precise and powerful punch to the area near her abdomen and thorax, making her go all stiff. He then moved out of the way before she fell on top of Max out of pain.

{You… little bastard…} She growled shortly after falling.

She then tried to stand up with her wings, but couldn't as they weren't responding correctly. They were spasming uncontrollably along with her arms, unable to move or fly off.

{What the… what… have you done to me?} She demanded with an authoritarian and aggressive tone with her entire body spasming randomly, barely moving her.

"Something very simple, actually," Max responded, dusting his pants and shirt after standing up. "Every living creature with a nervous system has certain pressure points, or in simpler terms, weak spots. A friend of mine taught me that almost no pokemon species have the same pressure points, but unluckily for you, pretty much every bug-type pokemon has them in the same general spot, regardless of the species. I guess I didn't do right on the spot with you and was slightly off. Worked out well enough, though." He explained while walking away.

{You're… gonna regret that… Khraa!} She growled while he was passing next to her.

"Yeah, yeah. Now, about getting down…" He replied nonchalantly.

With the vespiquen doing her best to regain control of her nervous system, Max went to the edge of the wax nest and saw that he was rather high in the air, probably at the top of a tall tree.

"Tch. Yup, it's gonna be a real pain in the ass to get down from here."

{Haha… You fool, you have nowhere to go. As soon as I'm free, you'll get what's coming to you.}

"Seriously, what's your problem?" Max asked, calmer than ever while sitting at the edge of the nest, facing her with crossed arms. "You know! if you wanted to have sex with me, all you had to do was to ask."

{You worthless…} She growled before taking a quick break out of exhaustion, reducing the spasms a little. {I won't make the same mistake twice, so you better get rid of that grin of yours. You will pay dearly for humiliating me.}

"Why though? What have I ever done to you? Now you're just being a bitch."

{HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT, VERMIN! As soon as I'm able to move again, I'm just gonna kill you!}

"Geez, no wonder no one wants to mate with you. You're forceful and go way too quick, you even had to resort to raping a supposedly defenseless human. Also, you're way too loud." He replied, massaging one ear from the loud noise.

{I'm gonna kill you! I'll kill you! Just wait, human!} She threatened before starting to try to move again.

This time, however, she was able to regain some control of her body.

{Haha! Say your prayers while you still can! You're about to lose your head!}

"*sigh* Look, I really like pokémon, especially attractive pokémon, vespiquens included, so I'm gonna give you one last chance to calm down and talk this through. Maybe we can reach some sort of agreement."

Choosing not to answer, she struggled even more, slowly getting more stable.

"Alright, have it your way. It could have been a pleasurable experience for both of us if you had just asked nicely."

Slowly, she was getting more and more control, now close to having fully recovered.

"Y'know, not to toot my own horn, but I'm actually pretty good at pleasuring female pokemon. You also seem to be… quite the looker. Do you groom yourself regularly?" Max nonchalantly shared.

Then, a few seconds later, the vespiquen was back to normal.

"Well, it was worth a shot," Max said, shrugging his shoulders.

{Aha! You lost your only chance to escape. Now die!}

At full speed, the vespiquen charged at the human, who was still all relaxed at the edge of the nest. Half a second after she moved, she used Slash on Max, aiming for his neck. However, a force field blocked and negated her attack completely.

{W-What?!}

While she tried to figure out what just happened, Dusk suddenly appeared and was levitating behind Max.

{Are you alright, master?} She asked, slowly moving over him and towards the vespiquen.

"I am now, thanks to you," Max replied.

{How did you… S-Stay away from me.} The vespiquen ordered, backing up in fear.

{What's wrong? Do you always lose your bravado the moment you see someone stronger than you?} Dusk inquired after landing on the ground, her stick in hand and flaming with great intensity. {You had no problem acting all tough when you were alone with my master, so, why not with me?} She said with an angry smile, walking closer.

{Whoa…} The vespiquen said, still backing up in fear. {L-Listen, let's just talk, alright? No need to do something we both could regret, alright?}

She then hit another force field with her back, stopping her in her tracks. Once she turned around, she saw a very angry Scarlet glaring at her, as if she were staring into the bug-type's soul.

Now paralyzed with fear, the vespiquen got propelled by Scarlet's power on the ground and against the edge. Terrorized, the vespiquen tried to back up even more while the two other pokemon were approaching her menacingly, but was only pressed up against the hard material she herself made for the nest. Stopping a couple of inches away from the vespiquen, Dusk's flame grew bigger and Scarlet engulfed one arm with psychic energy, both pointing at her.

{P-Please! D-Don't kill me, I didn't m-mean to.} She pleaded, madly shaking.

{Why should we spare a lying piece of shit like you?}

{I…}

"Because it would be cruel and unnecessary," Max answered for her, getting between the two.

{She tried to kill you.} Scarlet reminded him.

"And she failed miserably." He mocked.

Max then walked close to her, barely wanting to look at him, in fear that Scarlet and Dusk would take it the wrong way. He then kneeled in front of her so that they were both at eye level.

"You see that? That's who you choose to mess with by threatening my life. See these two beautiful pokemon right here? One word and they can erase you from existence." He told her, with what she looked at the Delphox and Gardevoir in terror. "Ironic, isn't it? Your life depends entirely on me, the one you swore to kill a minute ago. Funny how that works, huh?"

{P-Please... D-Don't. I beg you…} She weakly begged.

"Hmm… If you give me a sincere apology and promise that you'll never do something like that again, I'll think about it."

{I'm… I am so, so, terribly s-sorry. I… shouldn't have d-done that, a-and I won't ever do it a-again.} She apologized, still shaking.

Max then stared at her with narrow eyes, wanting to extend the suspense just a little.

"...Alright, girls. I think she's sincere enough. No need to kill her." Max snapped his fingers while standing up.

Glaring at her for a few seconds, both canceled their attacks.

{Hmpf. Lucky piece of shit.} Scarlet insulted.

"You know, if you really wanted to mate that much, try working on your attitude a little bit, alright?" He advised her, with what she shyly nodded. "Now get out of here, and we better not see you again." He said, backing a little.

Instantly getting the message, the vespiquen extended her wings and flew away as fast as she could. The trio then relaxed their nerves as she disappeared into the horizon.

{Damn, we lost a great chance to know how insects taste.} Scarlet jested.

"Maybe she would taste sweet, like honey," Max mocked a little.

{You would actually have wanted to cook her?} Dusk asked, hoping she was joking.

{Eh, not really. That one was way too rotten for my taste.} Scarlet said, putting her hands on her head.

{*sigh* Although I will admit that I'm glad that she didn't end up in a bloodbath.}

{Not me. I still have that urge to crush her head with my bare hands. After trying to kill master, she deserved such a death.}

"Maybe so, but you would've been wasting your energy. I had complete faith in you two from the very start, so I knew I wasn't risking much. Besides, sparing someone who can kill you in a heartbeat just shows how strong you are."

{Hm… I suppose you're right.} Scarlet conceded. {Still…}

"Quite a shame though. I was actually curious how it feels to do it with a bug-type."

{You better not.} Scarlet retorted, punching his shoulder rather strongly.

"Ouch. I was just kidding."

{Were you, now?} Scarlet asked suspiciously.

"Of course I was. Come on, Scarlet. I have a better taste in girls than that. I mean, just look at you two."

{You won't get away with your sweet talk this time.}

"*sigh* At least I tried." He said with a smile. "Well, I guess we spent enough time here."

{Should we burn her nest?} Scarlet asked Dusk.

"Scarlet!" Max scolded.

{What? I was just kidding.} She mimicked him, but in a more foolish way before teleporting them next to the module, a few kilometers away.

"You're way too rancorous sometimes." Max accused.

{That's the price you pay for tapping this.} She retorted, briefly showing her body.

"You got that right." He replied, going for a kiss.

They kissed for a short moment before Max broke it. They then simultaneously looked at Dusk, who immediately looked away, a bit shyly.

"Oh don't worry Dusk, I didn't forget you. Come here." He told her, motioning with one finger.

A bit shyly, Dusk got closer to him, who grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a kiss as well, now embracing both of them.

"...Thanks again, both of you." He gratefully said, embracing both stronger.

{*sigh* Honestly, I can't even relax for two seconds without you getting into trouble.} Scarlet expressed. {You truly are an omen of bad luck.}

"What can I say? I'm just that awesome."

Scarlet then broke the hug and looked at Max.

"What?" He asked, breaking the hug with Dusk.

{You know, I really like the new you and how confident you've become, but try to tone it down a little, please. Your constant boasting will annoy me pretty fast and I don't want that.} She explained with crossed arms.

"...Sorry."

{I'll be willing to put up with it from time to time, but I prefer modesty, as it's something I find much more enticing.}

"Was I really that annoying?" He asked, looking at Dusk.

{Well… I personally don't mind it, but it's true that you tend to express your overconfidence a lot more recently.}

"...Alright, I'll take it easy for now. I've never liked that type of person myself, so I won't make none of you endure that."

{Thanks, master.} She said, going for a strong hug. {No matter what others say or what you tell yourself, you'll always be the world's best trainer in my eyes.}

Not replying, Max just stroked her hair.

{...Nice hit, by the way.} She praised, moving away.

"I almost missed it. I was lucky that it worked anyway."

{For a first-timer, that was quite amazing.} She praised some more with a warm smile.

"Hehe…" Max replied, rubbing his head embarrassingly.

Then, May and Sally appeared with newly reacquired fruits and berries.

{Oh thank god, you're alive.} May said while breathing a sigh of relief.

{We were so worried.} Sally added.

"Ha! As if a giant bee could have her way with me." Max jested.

May then suddenly got more morose.

{*sigh* Well, I'm glad that you're alright.}

"Whoa, hold up," Max said, stopping her before kneeling. "What is it?"

{Tsk. It's my fault. I didn't pay enough attention to my surroundings.} She answered, a bit angrily.

{It's okay, May. To be honest, when he contacted me, I was more worried about the vespiquen that messed with him than the other way around.} Scarlet tried to reassure her. {Don't beat yourself up over it. We spent a year and a half in the comfort and security of a mansion, so of course, our wild instincts aren't perfect yet.}

{...I guess, but…}

"She's right, May" Max reassured as well. "I can fend for myself much better than before, so no need to worry about it anymore. I won't be completely defenseless."

{The risks may be lower, but I don't like that they're still there.}

"It's okay, May. I won't try to invalidate your feelings, so I'll be much more vigilant from now on. All I ask though is to try to stay calm as much as you can if it happens again." He asked her, petting the mawile affectionately.

{I'll try. After all, I do believe in you.} She replied, her smile now back.

"Good."

After giving her a quick kiss on the head, Max stood back up.

"So? Were you all able to gather some food, at least?" Max asked, mainly to Dusk and Scarlet.

{Yes. I barely had the time to put what I found in the fridge when Scarlet asked for my help. With what May and Sally brought, we now have a good load of produce.}

"Neat. How about you?" He asked, turning to Scarlet who suddenly grinned.

{You'll have to see it to believe it. Wait right here girls, we'll be back in a moment.} She said before teleporting with Max, leaving the girls to go inside the module.

Scarlet and Max then reappeared in front of a carcass of a large bear.

"Holy shit!" Max exclaimed, impressed by the amount of meat they could get out of that. "You really went big this time."

{As soon as it's skinned and sliced up, I won't have to hunt for quite a while.}

"...I don't see any injuries anywhere," Max said, inspecting the dead animal. "How'd you do that?"

{Oh, right. You never 'hunted' with me before. Well, I would usually crush or pull their heart out, but now, I simply crush their brain as quickly as possible.}

"I see…"

{I thought that you would prefer that method instead of the old one. Personally, I like hearing their cries of agony, but I knew it wouldn't be your thing, so…}

Max then stared at Scarlet.

{What?}

"That's… really thoughtful of you. I don't even see you do your own thing most of the time, and yet… wow. I-I don't know what to say." He said, deeply touched.

{Come on, now.} Scarlet replied, blushing with embarrassment. {It's no big deal. After all, I feel like your trust in me should start to mean something by now.}

"That's true, but still… I love you, Scarlet. Truly, I do." Max said, staring into her eyes.

{…I love you too Max, with all my heart.}

They then just stared at each other passionately for a few more seconds.

{...Wanna fuck me on the dead bear?} She lustfully asked.

"...What the fuck?! What is wrong with you, why?!"

{Pfhahahaha!} Scarlet bursts into laughter. {Hahaha! You have no idea how I love messing with you, just to see that dimwitted face.}

"Dammit Scarlet. Way to ruin the moment." Max commented, crossing his arms, upset.

{Haha. Consider it payback for all the moments you ruined.}

"*sigh* I know you did that because you have a hard time accepting genuine compliments, but I'm still saying it: Thanks, Scarlet. You really are my shining pearl. My oh-so-beautiful, brilliant diamond-"

{Alright, alright. I get it.} The gardevoir retorted, blushing yet again. {Let's just harvest its meat before it goes bad.} She suggested, trying to change the subject.

"Need some help?"

{Seriously? You want to skin and gut it?}

"Why not? I've never done it before, and I figured you could teach me."

{...Well, I don't see any problem there I guess.} Scarlet accepted, a bit surprised and excited by the proposition.

"If Dusk and I are gonna be the cooks, I should at least have some basic knowledge on butchery."

{Alright then…} She said, lifting the bear with her powers. {Before we start, did you perhaps see a large table in the module or something like that?}

"Well, I did see a patio set, but nothing that could hold an entire bear."

{Shit. Normally, I would use Psychic to hold it in place, but if you want me to teach you, someone who doesn't have psychic power, that could be a bit troublesome.}

"We can do it another time if you want."

{No, no. You want to learn how to be a butcher, I will teach you.}

"Wait! Why don't you just transfer the knowledge to me?"

{It wouldn't be the same. If you want to learn something manually, then you'll need to learn it the old-fashioned way. Was it not humans who came up with the phrase, "it's by blacksmithing that we became blacksmiths"?}

"...Good point."

{I'm sorry. I could transfer everything you need to know, but I can't transfer the coordination of your brain and hands. It would be like teaching a soccer player how to wrestle, even if you tell him what to do, he won't be able to accomplish much unless he actually did it.}

"Any other ideas, then?"

{Hm…} She pondered, holding her chin. {Oh. That could work.}

"You came up with something?"

{Yes, but we'll need to find a small boulder, or at least one as large as the bear.}

"I think I see where you're going with this."

{I'm not surprised. You are a pretty smart human.}

"…Let me guess, payback for the compliment earlier?" Max jested with a raised eyebrow.

{Nope. Just a free compliment for the love of my life.} She replied, slightly contemptuously with a smile.

"Alright. I'll take it." Max gave up with raised hands.

{Well, since rock formation doesn't matter, we'll have to look around on foot.}

"Okay."

{But we stay together. Even if it's less efficient, two pairs of eyes are better than one.}

"True."

Max then quickly felt that something was bugging her, and since they've become more connected with each other over the past year, she noticed that as well.

{Sorry, it's just… I really wish that you could wander on your own and not be forced to stick with someone for your safety. I feel like I'm babying you all the time.} She explained, a bit sadly.

"It's okay, Scarlet." Max began, caressing one of her cheeks. "This may have happened recently, but I've accepted my status as a 'human' and every inconvenience that comes with it. I know it makes you anxious whenever I wander alone, and you know how I feel about that."

{Yeah, that none of us should wander alone anyway.}

"Except for Luna. She's the one that everyone else should be worried about."

{I know, but it's different with you. This world is a bit more dangerous for you than it is to us.}

"If I didn't know you so well, I'd think you were pitying me just now."

{What? No, it's just…}

Scarlet then really struggled to tell Max how she was really feeling.

{I wouldn't say pity, but…}

She then looked at Max in the eyes, who had a rather serious aura to them.

{I know I should let go a little and relax every once in a while, but my entire nature as a Gardevoir is against me, telling me to keep you safe no matter what. If I left it up to that instinct alone, I would've locked you in a steel cage in the world's most remote location so nothing can happen to you, ever.}

"It's understandable, Scarlet. You're not alone in that case. I understand completely that every sentient creature wants to protect those they love and care about from any possible harm. From that point of view, you're not that crazy."

{...It's just so hard to move past that…} She said, upset.

"Just give yourself more time, my love. That kind of change doesn't happen within a year or two. It could take even half of your lifespan, for all we know."

{...I hope not. You would've grown tired of me by then.}

"Now that's just ridiculous, Scarlet. Sorry, but I don't agree with that statement, as I will never grow tired of you. Just being here with you makes me feel like the happiest guy on Earth. Sure, sometimes you get so irritable that I want to tell you to shut up or fuck off, but-"

{There were times where you actually did say it.} Scarlet pointed out with crossed arms.

"...Details, Scarlet…" Max said by waving his hand nonchalantly. "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that, in the end, I want you by my side for as long as humanly possible. Let's also not forget that you're not one to mince your words either. When you want to be left alone, you make that message incredibly clear."

{I'm sorry…}

"That's okay. After experiencing both your bad side and your perverted side, I'd say that ratio is pretty well-balanced. In my favor, of course."

Scarlet then managed to crack a smile.

{I don't know how you do it, but you always make me feel better about myself, just by being you.}

"*shrugs*It's just how you said, I'm just being myself."

{Thank you, master.} The red gardevoir said, dropping her head against Max's chest. {I feel happy when I'm with you, as well.}

"That's why we go so well together," Max affirmed while hugging her.

She then took a good whiff of Max's smell with deep breathing before exhaling in a relieved way.

{Your scent turns me on so much.}

"Really? I wish I could say the same."

{Mine doesn't?}

"Well, not exactly. It actually does the opposite, but not in a bad way."

{...Haha. You better stop talking because I might actually rape you on that bear.} She joked before breaking the hug.

"Please don't."

{Hehe.} Scarlet giggled. {Let's get going, then.}

The two walked through the woods and searched for ten minutes until Scarlet found what they were looking for.

"A bit overkill, but it'll do," Max commented when in front of the newly found boulder.

{Indeed.} Scarlet agreed.

Dropping the carcass, the gardevoir moved a bit closer to the rock and used her new move Psycho Cut, slicing away about eighty percent of the boulder and transforming it into a roughly-shaped rock table about three feet tall.

{Alright. This is where the magic happens.} She said, bringing the carcass on it. {First, you slice it open and remove all the organs. It's easy for me with my powers, but now that I think about it, it may be a bit troublesome for you.}

"I think that normally, humans just attach it vertically and let gravity do the work."

{We don't have the materials to do that, so maybe I should remove the organs.}

"For an animal this big… yeah, I'll let you do it."

With a nod, Scarlet then used a weaker Psycho Cut and sliced open the bear's torso.

{I guess I owe Mad-Ji one for this. That move is very useful.}

"I still don't really get how mental psychic energy can materialize into solid matter and cut stuff."

{Well, I could try to explain, but even if I dumb it down for you, it's still very complicated.}

"No need to. Smart stuff isn't really my thing."

{If I'm being honest, I'm not sure I completely understand either. I mean, I sometimes wonder how Gallades can do that, much less how a Gardevoir can replicate it. Something about that just goes against what we know about our reality.}

"Yeah… let's learn one thing at a time."

{Good point. Now, as soon as you have disposed of the useless organs, we go into the more complicated steps.}

Remembering that the girls were probably waiting for a while now, Scarlet sped up the butchery class a little. Max understood the more important stuff but had quite a lot of things to memorize. After half an hour, the bear was all butchered as all of its bones, organs, fat, and skin were gone and Scarlet was carrying the fresh meat.

"Wow. That's a lot." Max commented, impressed by the quantity she managed to get.

{203.4 pounds of meat to be precise.}

"Neat. I hope there's enough space in the freezer."

{There is, don't worry. I'm pretty sure it could hold up to three or four times that amount.}

"That's good. Oh, that reminds me, I don't know if we have something to tenderize the meat. That's usually done before putting it in the freezer."

{We'll check. Kitchens usually always have that, though what worries me the most is if we have enough space. This is a pretty large haul we have here.}

"For sanitary and preservation purposes, we can't really drop all this directly into the freezer."

{Well, it wouldn't be that bad, but we won't be able to conserve it for very long. We can preserve it all for a while if we do just that without any wrapping paper. We would also have to perfectly clean the freezer once it's empty.}

"I guess we'll figure it out once we get back."

Leaving it at that, they both headed back to the campsite. However, when they returned, they saw that no one was around and assumed they were back inside the Module. As they suspected, Bonny was sitting on the bench with her back against the wall, tablet in her paws. Facing her was Aurora who was resting her head on one of her paws, looking quite bored, the same could be said for May who was sitting on the other bench. Next to them near the oven was Dusk, as she was figuring out how it worked and putting it in the right settings.

"Sorry for the wait, girls." Max apologized, with the door closed on its own behalf.

{Great, you're back.} Dusk engaged. {I'll be able to get lunch started.}

"Isn't that what you're doing already?"

{Damn, Scarlet! That's a lot of meat.} Aurora exclaimed, impressed by the amount too.

{It's bear meat.} Scarlet specified, moving over the freezer.

{Not yet.} Dusk answered Max. {While I was waiting, I started working on some spices I found along the way.}

"Nice."

{Huh? That's interesting.} Scarlet announced with the freezer's panel opened.

"What is it?"

{We should have taken a look earlier. Come see this.} She said, motioning him to come over.

"...Whoa! What's that?"

{Beats me. Never seen anything like it.}

From an outsider's perspective, the freezer looked rather normal apart from its futuristic design, but the interior was very strange. Unlike many other refrigerators or freezers, the inside was almost filled to the brim by a strange and translucent light blue jelly or slime.

"Okay, that's weird as fuck."

Max then extended one hand and shoved it into the semi-liquid matter. Dusk and Aurora then joined them, curious about what they found.

"It's cold. Not freezing cold, just cold." He noted. "And the sensation is even weirder. It's like I was touching slime, but not at the same time. It's like some sort of air slime. I don't know how to explain it, really."

{Let's see here…}

Scarlet then copied Max.

{Hm… I doubt it will be cold enough to freeze the meat.}

"Well, the fridge is over there, so this must be the freezer."

{Maybe it's a new technology. Maybe it works differently with 'dead' matter, or that it preserves the meat without actually needing to freeze it.} Aurora theorized.

{That would be very convenient, but I wonder how it actually works.} Dusk pondered.

{I guess nobody here knows for sure. Let's test it out, then.}

Scarlet then discarded one piece of meat and placed it inside the slime. Once inside, nothing really happened to it apart from being covered with a very thin layer of some sort, looking like it was inside a fit bubble. Max and Scarlet looked at each other.

"I think it might just be a mix of both theories."

{I guess we have no choice but to see how it goes. If we lose all of this, I could always get more.}

"Raw meat goes bad pretty fast, so we'll quickly know how it turned out."

Scarlet then dropped the rest of the meat, piece by piece. After a moment, Max noticed something odd.

"Wait a second…" Max interrupted her.

Max shoved both of his hands inside the goo and tried to make two pieces touch each other. Strangely, whatever was covering the pieces, was preventing them from making contact.

{Oh my!} Dusk expressed, a bit flabbergasted.

"Okay, that's very cool."

{We'll be able to put anything in there without worrying about cross-contamination. That'll be very useful.}

"Indeed. That means that we don't have to worry about variety, either." Max said to Scarlet.

{Well, I mostly go with what I find, but I can try.}

"Thanks."

The gardevoir then resumed her previous actions and put the rest of her load inside. Despite it being big, the freezer was already filled to half of its full capacity.

"This module is just incredible. It's official: Not just the average rich people can afford something like this. I hope Helene didn't spend half of her fortune."

{I doubt that her husband would have allowed that in the first place.} Aurora commented, returning to her bench.

"Good point. Anyway, what are we gonna have for lunch?" He asked Dusk.

{I don't know, we are pretty limited. We don't have things like sugar, cinnamon, flour, eggs… We'll have to do something with what we have right now.}

"*sigh*I didn't think this through. Maybe we should have done some grocery shopping before we left."

{How the hell could you have known that?} Scarlet said, closing the freezer's panel.

"…True. It's gonna have to wait until we reach the next city or town."

{I can go back to Oxgard to get us some stuff.} She proposed.

"We're already pretty far away as it is."

{We only walked for half a day, so it's not that far. Now that I'm stronger, I could even teleport both of us across that distance easily.}

"Well…" Max said, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess we could do that."

{Wait, so does that mean we'll have to wait even more?} Bonny demanded, leaving her attention from the tablet.

{So… hungry…} May complained, lying on her back on the bench.

{Don't worry. I'll prepare some snacks for us right away.} Dusk reassured them.

"Sorry, girls, this is only happening today. As soon as we're fully equipped, we'll have meals similar to what we had back at the mansion."

{Please, Max. Don't make me drool any more than I already am.} Aurora told him.

"Alright, alright. Let's go, Scarlet, before they start literally eating each other."

Touching Max, Scarlet made them disappear.

{...Say, what were you watching there for a moment?} Aurora asked, looking at Bonny.

{Stuff.} She simply answered.

{Was it porn again?}

Bonny then raised her head from the tablet.

{Who do you take me for?} She asked accusingly. {...That was like a few minutes ago. I'm looking at something else now.}

{Oh, and what is it?}

Bonny then looked at the tablet for a short moment before sighing.

{Something disappointing.} She answered before sitting normally on the bench and dropping the tablet between both of them. {I was curious to see which pokemon were the most popular amongst humans.}

{You mean… amongst professional trainers?} Aurora said, with the lopunny nodding. {I see.} She acknowledged, starting to slide the page down.

She then went down for a moment until she spotted the lucario's position.

{Fifty-third? How come an awesome pokemon like me is ranked so low?} She wondered, upset.

{What? No way.} Bonny blurted, moving her head closer. {...I can't believe it.} She followed, sounding even more upset than Aurora.

{What place are you in?}

Not answering, Bonny was just looking through the window, offended. Understanding she wouldn't answer her, Aurora looked it up herself.

{...*hiss* Yikes!} She said after a moment.

{Four hundred and twenty-eighth.} Bonny growled.

{That's stupid. Whoever posted this doesn't know what they're talking about. You're an awesome pokemon.} Aurora encouraged.

{Hmpf. Given that there are very few humans like master who are into poképhilia, it's not that surprising. I guess I'm just popular with horny humans.}

{Come on, Bonny, don't think like that.} Dusk reassured her. {You're not just a pretty and… desirable pokemon. You're a great fighter, too.}

{Not great enough for most humans, I guess, especially on a professional level.} Bonny replied, surprisingly sounding less mad already.

{If those world-class trainers knew who you really were, they would acknowledge that you're awesome for both, poképhilia or otherwise.} Aurora affirmed, now trying to find the other placement.

{...I guess.} Bonny conceded with paws behind her head. {Not everyone has the chance to hit the jackpot like with master.}

{Indeed.} Dusk agreed, back to her cooking.

{...Oh. I guess you're not the worst of us. Look at Luna's ranking.}

{Four hundred and eighty-second? Damn. Poor Luna.} The lopunny said, feeling bad for her friend.

{I wonder if it has something to do with her typing.} Aurora wondered, sliding down. {Dark, bug, and ice-types aren't very popular with professional trainers, at least when they don't have dual-typing.}

{Well, we could say the same with her. I mean, she has an attractive body herself.} Bonny mentioned. {If this article took good looks into account, she would've risen to the top hundred.}

{Meanwhile, I still would've had an average ranking.} The lucario pointed out.

{Your body is decent, Aurora. At least you're not butt-ugly or overweight.}

{…I don't know whether to be insulted by that or not}

{Just take the compliment.}

Rolling her eyes, Aurora kept searching.

{Oh, look at this! Dusk is seventy-ninth.}

{No surprises there. Her dual typing is way too useful.}

{Don't you girls think you're taking that article a bit too seriously?} Dusk asked

{No.} Bonny disagreed.

{Nah.} Aurora added.

She then kept looking for another moment.

{Oh, come on! May is in eighteenth place?!} Aurora exclaimed.

{Wha-Really?!} May said, now suddenly interested.

{See for yourself.} The lucario replied, sliding the tablet across the table.

{...Wow! Humans love me!} She said enthusiastically.

{That's a pretty high ranking.}

{May's got that cute yet feisty demeanor that mostly female humans like. She must also be pretty viable competitively to be very popular amongst them.} Bonny guessed.

{If she's in eighteenth place, then a lot of pro trainers must be female.} Aurora added. {Alright, Sally's next and let's save the best for last, Scarlet. Let's see… Sally is ranked one hundred and twenty-second place.}

{That's actually pretty good, considering she's a pure fire-type.} Dusk commented.

{Yeah. And now… oh, you've gotta be kidding me.}

{What?} Bonny questioned.

{Scarlet's in eighth place.} Aurora answered, slightly dumbfounded. {I mean, I don't have a hard time believing it, but why?}

{You really don't get it?}

{...No, I don't.}

{It's easy to understand. Gardevoirs are beautiful, gracious, and very feminine, so if we take into consideration that there are a lot of pokemon trainers who are male, a pokemon that appeals to both genders surely will be a favorite. It's not that hard to understand that horny males and females like Pokémon that are cute and sexy.}

{I'm pretty skeptical about all males having a boner for a gardevoir. Surely some like them for other things.} Aurora disagreed.

{Like what?}

{Well… as if Scarlet's any indication, they can be very strong.}

{Like a lot of other pokemon. What else?}

{Also… umm… their… gentle appearance?}

Bonny then raised an eyebrow at her.

{Rha! Alright, I don't know.} Aurora admitted. {But there's gotta be something else about them. Take you for instance; you're one of the sexiest pokémon out there, but your rank is pretty low.}

{That can also be explained very easily. Lopunny's are closer to an animal when it comes to appearance, whereas gardevoirs are closer to that of a human. I'm a bipedal, anthropomorphic animal while Scarlet is a skinny, albino human that dyes her hair red.}

{I… guess that makes a little bit of sense.}

{So that would imply that most male humans lie about their attraction to gardevoir?} Dusk questioned.

{Pretty much, yeah. Or they're just too dumb to understand why they like them so much. Sure, gardevoir can be strong, but the same can be said for pretty much every other pokemon. Why would they like them more than any other? And I do want to be clear that I'm not saying that to make fun of Scarlet's species.}

{No need to. She does that plenty enough herself.} Aurora stated.

{Sure they're pretty and elegant, but… tsk, never mind. Humans are hard to understand.}

{Yeah, I think we can all agree on that.} Aurora conceded. {Anyway…} She continued, giving the tablet back to Bonny. {The only opinion that matters to me is master's.}

{You got that right.} Bonny agreed, grabbing the tablet. {I wonder what would happen if he made a tier list for us.}

{Who knows.}

{Like, which would be his favorite among us.}

At that, Aurora and Bonny looked at each other followed by everyone else.

{...Yeah, let's not go there.} Aurora suggested.

{I agree. it would suck to know who's on top and who's at the bottom.}

Suddenly, the tension seemed to have settled. If they were to continue this discussion, everyone would start arguing about why they would be at the top and fight over it. Luckily, it was temporarily prevented when Sally joined them, who was rubbing her eyes looking a bit drowsy.

{Oh, Sally. I was wondering where you were.} Aurora engaged.

{Hi, Aurora. I was a bit tired, so I took a little nap.} She explained, sitting next to May, dropping her chin on her arms on the table. {What… *Yawn* Were you guys talking about?}

{Trivial stuff that wasn't important.} Dusk answered.

{Hm?} She hummed, looking interrogatively at Aurora and Bonny.

{...What she said.} The lucario answered.

The girls then heard Sally's stomach growl.

{Haha. Sorry guys, I haven't had anything to eat yet.} She apologized with a smile.

{It's almost done. Just a few more minutes.} Dusk announced.

~POVC~

"Do you think we have everything?" Max asked Scarlet, holding a few groceries bags, both out of the supermarket.

{You're the cook, you tell me.} The gardevoir replied, a bit upset.

"*sigh* Look, it's not my fault you forgot to change your appearance, so don't go pawning this off on me."

{Easy for you to say. You weren't the one who was being constantly stared at.}

"You're right, though having my girlfriend being stared at is no better." He said, making her look at him. "I'm the only one who's allowed to feast my eyes on those beautiful legs of yours."

{...Ghraa!} She growled, hands curled in fists with a heavy blush. {I hate it when you make me love you even more.}

"Why? Because I'm almost always able to soothe your rage?"

{Because I can't stay mad at you when you say things like that. It's not fair.} She complained.

"Not fair? Explain."

{It's not fair because unlike me, you can afford to be mad at me from time to time, and… I can't provide comfort the way you do with me.} She admitted, now sounding more sad than angry.

Max then noticed how bad she was really feeling about this.

"Well, when you put it that way...I'm sorry. I wish I could be more patient sometimes…"

{That's not the point. You have feelings and values too, so of course, I'm gonna piss you off eventually. We all have our boiling points.}

"..."

{...Nevermind. Just forget it.} She gave up.

"...Alright. I'm ready to go when you are."

With a low sigh, Scarlet touched Max and teleported back in front of the module. Immediately, Scarlet began to walk away.

"Scarlet?"

{I need some time alone. You can start without me.}

"But… I want you to be with us."

{...I'm sorry.} She apologized, not turning back.

With a loud sigh, Max entered the module, where everyone was already eating.

"What did you prepare?" Max asked, dropping the bag on the small counter.

{A simple berry and fruit mix with a few spices that go well with them.} Dusk answered.

{I still wonder how you make simple berries and fruits taste so good.} Aurora wondered.

{Come on, it's Dusk we're talking about. She could make mashed tarantulas taste good if she wanted to.} Bonny praised.

{I don't know about literal bugs, but I'm sure I could work something out with that.} The delphox mentioned.

{See? What'd I say?}

"Eh. That's Dusk for you." Max said while starting to unpack the groceries.

{Take the time to eat, master. I'll take care of that.} Dusk told him, standing up since she was done with her meal already.

"Alright. Thanks."

While passing, Max gently slapped Dusk's rear before sitting next to Sally.

{Here you go.} The delphox announced before dropping a bowl of fruit salad with her telekinetic abilities.

"Thanks. It looks really nice." He said, immediately digging in. "Hmm! Good as always."

{Just you wait. With what you brought us, it's gonna get even better.} Dusk boasted slightly.

"Scarlet and I went a bit crazy. Since we actually have money now, I got us some luxurious ingredients."

{That I see. Miltank's milk.} Dusk read while getting one large bottle out of one of the bags. {My my! You two really let yourselves go. The meals we'll be able to make with all of this...}

"I told myself that if we have a chance to eat like what we've been used to lately, why shouldn't we go for it?"

{As long as you don't go bankrupt.} Aurora said.

"I won't. And if we ever do get close to running out of money, we'll just go back to the basic stuff."

{You know, I was telling myself; with that much money, you won't need to work anytime soon.} Bonny stated.

"Well… I guess I could take a couple of odd jobs…"

{Sorry. I wasn't criticizing, just wondering.}

{I don't mind if he doesn't. That would mean more time with us.} May said.

{Good point. That's why I wasn't implying anything. Speaking of that made me remember the thing we did not long after we all met.}

"The thing?" Max repeated with an interrogative face.

{Yeah, you know. The thing with the pokemon we helped or took care of. It was a… nidoqueen I think.}

"Nidoqueen… Oh, I remember now. You're talking about the hand-land company for trainers."

{Yeah, what you said.}

{We didn't do much after that episode.} Aurora mentioned.

{As far as trainer jobs go.} Dusk said, half done with unpacking the groceries.

"Yeah. I guess we didn't really get a lot of opportunities after that one. Since money won't be a problem anymore, there's not really any reason to go look for some."

{What… are you talking about?} Sally shyly asked, not liking being a bit left out.

{Us and master did a job before meeting you, which consisted of taking care of an aggressive nidoqueen who was terrorizing a human.} Dusk explained.

{Turned out that she was just craving his dick, but didn't know how to express it since humans can't understand us.} Bonny added.

{How was she terrorizing that human?} Sally wondered, a bit confused.

"Sometimes, people or pokemon have that kind of attitude. You know, wanting something but acting against that desire."

{Acting against it? I'm… not sure I understand.}

{Don't worry if you don't know, Sally. There's not much we can understand when someone does that.} Bonny said, looking at Aurora from the corner of one eye.

{You can keep your comments to yourself.} Aurora told her, already knowing.

{No need to. Your answer speaks for itself.} The lopunny replied with a smirk.

{Shut up.}

"Please girls, no bickering when you're eating." Max requested.

{I wonder what kind of job we'd get next time we do that.} May wondered out loud.

{If I were to guess, it would probably be another pokemon problem.} Aurora said.

"Thus, asking for pokemon trainers. Since we're on the topic, I think I remember seeing something about that lately. They were talking about making the admissions harder and organizing the jobs by rank now."

{Why?} May asked.

{Easy. What could a beginner trainer actually do in a situation like that?} The lopunny answered.

"Bullseye, Bonny." Max praised. "Due to ever-increasing complaints about trainer inefficiency and lack of knowledge, they now want to make sure that the candidates have a basic knowledge about pokemon. You have to pass a written test now to measure that. If you pass, you'll start at the lowest rank and work your way up, which makes signing contracts way easier than before."

{Sounds like we picked a good job just in time.} Bonny mentioned.

"Indeed. After that, experience and satisfied reviews improve your rating, raising your rank little by little."

{I wonder what kind of job you could do at the highest rank...} Aurora pondered out loud.

"I dunno, maybe go on a date with a bitch like Qsalyla."

{Whoa there, I'm pretty sure they post jobs that are actually possible.} Bonny replied a bit haughtily. {Might as well put in a request to 'lay a legendary', which would probably be much easier.} She continued, making the group laugh lightly.

"Haha, true. Anyway, maybe I could take a few from time to time, even if it's only to help a pokemon in need."

{Uh uh. And I suppose that said pokemon doesn't specifically have to be female, does it?} Bonny inquired with a smug.

"Of course not."

{Mmm hmmm…} Bonny hummed, looking at Max suspiciously.

"It's true! I love pokemon, no matter the gender."

{But you have a preference for only one.} Sally pointed out.

"Well… yeah, but…"

{No gender, huh?} May said, looking at him funnily as well.

"... Alright. I admit that I'd prefer helping females. Happy?"

{You know we are when you're honest.} Aurora said with a small grin.

"*sigh* I hate you all."

{Now that's just mean, master.} Dusk said with a smile, sitting next to Aurora after she made some space for her. {Anyway, I've been meaning to ask, Scarlet, didn't come in with you?}

"No. She wanted to be alone for a little bit."

{Did something happen?} Bonny questioned.

"Well, more or less. She got irritable rather quickly after we got our groceries."

{Why?} Aurora asked.

"She forgot to borrow Luna's ability and had to follow me around in her normal form, which attracted way too much attention."

{Ah, that makes sense.}

{Poor Scarlet.} Dusk expressed, feeling bad for her.

"And you know how easily irritated she can be. She gets defensive very quickly and, depending on the situation, very violent."

{But she's a nice pokemon, right?} Sally said a bit rhetorically.

"Of course, Sally." Max quickly agreed. "Her flaws don't change anything about her. Sure, she's got quite the temper, but she's the best gardevoir there is. If others can't see that through her shell, then too bad for them. I see her for the gem she really is."

{We all do.} Dusk stated.

~POVC~

Further away, Scarlet was walking in the woods, trying to forget about what just happened.

{*sigh* I still wonder how he can put up with me every single day.} She muttered to herself. {Getting upset about something that was my fault, to begin with…}

She walked for a bit longer before coming across Luna, who was lying against a tree near her pathway.

{You and our little pup had a fight?} She asked.

{...Not exactly.} She answered, briefly stopping before resuming her walk.

{I see. I figured as much because almost every time you want to be away from him, you two had an argument about something.} Luna theorized.

{*scoff*Since when did you know me so well?} Scarlet replied, feeling annoyed.

She then quickly realized that her behavior was out of place.

{...S-Sorry. He's not the problem, I am. I've been working on myself for almost two years now, and I've yet to see any sort of progress. I still get upset over the smallest of things and act like a spoiled brat.}

{...}

{I'm starting to think that no matter what I do, I still have so much anger in me.}

{You have your quirks, Scarlet. After everything you went through in your past, it's no surprise that you would still be hot-headed.}

{So it was doomed to be that way from the very start? How reassuring.}

{That's not what I meant. I just… never mind. Maybe you just haven't noticed yet, but personally, I see some progress.}

{Hpmf. Pretty sure you're just saying that.}

{Not at all. I once knew a Scarlet that wouldn't even admit to her mistakes. Now, you've become more and more aware of them, which is a good starting point for evolution. Psychologically speaking, that is.}

Sighing, Scarlet slowed her pace a little.

{I don't know. I just feel dumb for overreacting over the fact that I was feeling like I wasn't allowed to be angry.}

{You have the right to be angry. What makes you think that you don't?}

{Tsk. Master has his way with words, so I can't stay mad at him as he does sometimes, and… it just annoyed me at the time.}

{...I see.}

Upon answering, Scarlet saw her cracking a small smile.

{I saw that.} The gardevoir told her, a bit upset.

{Sorry. I don't mean to dampen your mood even further, but I can't help but agree that you did indeed overreact a bit.}

{Thanks. As soon as you're done boosting my morale, maybe you could leave me alone.}

{I'm very sorry, Scarlet. I meant no disrespect. I won't lie, I thought it was funny, but not in the way that you think. What's funny is how common bickering is in a relationship.}

{I know, but… rha! The more I think about how awkward it is, the more it actually feels awkward!} Scarlet admitted.

{Just forget about it for now and apologize to him later.}

{*sigh* You're right. Thanks, Luna. I appreciate your concern.}

{Don't mention it. From the very few individuals we can actually trust in this world, it's best to keep those with who we can very close.}

{Yeah. This group and master is all I have. That's why I don't want to mess things up with my shitty personality.}

{...Hmph. This world forged us into becoming more… unweavery, simply put. You are what you are. As nice and caring as he may be, our little pup wasn't there when you went through those horrendous events.}

{Are you blaming him or something?}

{Not at all. He saved you and offered you a new life. However, the misdeeds were already done. You don't have a "shitty" personality, Scarlet. That's just how life made you, I'm sure he forgave you already.}

{Heh. Knowing him, there was probably nothing to forgive in the first place.}

{Perhaps.} Luna agreed with a smile.

{Say, can I ask you why you're not with the group?}

{Well… I have to be on reconnaissance duty so we don't get taken by surprise by anything. Securing the perimeter in short.}

{I see. Almost done?}

{Well, the zone seems rather vast, so-}

{Luna.} Scarlet interrupted. {Why don't you just go join them and have a little fun? Master would be delighted to see you, at least for our first day back.}

{...I don't know…} Luna replied, looking away.

Sighing, Scarlet stopped, followed by the zoroark.

{Luna… you really exasperate me sometimes.} Scarlet started with crossed arms. {Why are you so reluctant to socialize?}

{You know why. I just prefer-}

{Solitude.} The gardevoir cut. {We know your song. However, I don't believe you.}

{Really now?} Luna replied, getting a bit defensive.

{I mean, you're a fox pokemon, and a Dark-type at that, so I'll admit that your species is naturally inclined to be more solitary than most other pokemon. But, if you really wanted to be alone all the time, why stay with us? Not to mention that every time you do socialize, you look like you're having the time of your life.}

{...}

{So what is it, Luna?}

{...Nothing. I-It's nothing} The zoroark replied, turning to leave.

{And weren't you just talking about trust earlier?}

Upon hearing that, Luna stopped and turned to her head.

{You talk about trust when it's about us, but when we ask you that question, you're suddenly silent. That's a bit hypocritical.}

Luna then faced Scarlet, looking like she was ready to start a fight with her. She glared at the Gardevoir for a moment, who didn't look fazed in the slightest.

{*sigh* It's just…} Luna started, calming down. {Despite my many therapy sessions with Phanny, I… still have trouble with relationships in general. I'm…}

Luna then started to look like she was struggling to speak.

{I'm… afraid.} She admitted, looking away.

{Oh! Is that so?! The tall and mighty Luna is actually scared of something? Who would have thunk?} Scarlet said, half surprised.

{Is that an insinuation, Scarlet?} Luna inquired a bit aggressively.

{Not in a mean way, no. Just a little payback for earlier.} Scarlet answered, making Luna sigh loudly. {But seriously, I guess it would explain a few things. You know, Luna, from what you've been through yourself, I can understand your position. However, is that really how you want to live for the rest of your life? Not creating bonds because you're scared to suffer again?}

{I'm not a psychic-type. I can't instantly know who I can trust.}

{But I can, and I guarantee you that master is the most trustworthy human we'll ever know.}

{I don't doubt that, but…}

{... Oh, I get it now. You're scared to suffer through that again… That you'll grow close to him and lose him like you did your mate and child?}

Luna then looked away.

{...When I love someone, I have trouble moderating my own temper. I become too impulsive and aggressive.}

{So you thought that killing your emotions would help you find peace in your life?}

{I prefer to have a sense of tranquility, and whether you believe me or not, I don't really care.}

{I do believe you, Luna.} she said letting out a sigh, {Look, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life. You don't want to go through that again, I get it. But… is it really worth living a life of peace if you have no one to love?}

{...}

{Every day, I have these thoughts about how horrifying and agonizing it would be if master were to suddenly die or disappear on me. Just thinking about it hurts my soul to no end. I could tell myself that life would be much simpler if it was just me, that I should let him go or leave so I could prove that I'm better off without him. But do you know what I tell myself every time I have those thoughts? I tell myself that every single happy memory I have with him is definitely worth the risk. I know it might be the end of me if I were to continue to be his mate, but if you knew how much joy he brings in my life…}

Then for the first time ever, Luna was at a loss for words — her, the motherly figure who always had an answer for everything.

{But in the end, the choice is yours.} Scarlet sighed, turning her back to her. {Just remember that nothing in this world is risk-free. If you don't want to suffer and feel any more pain, you might as well find the deepest part of a cave as you can go and stay in there forever. You would be safe, yes, but you wouldn't know what's going on in the outside world, and it would be too late until you realize that you spent your entire life being too afraid to live it.} She added before teleporting away.

Luna wasn't sure of what to think about that conversation. Everything she had done in her life was to survive. Sure, she grew closer to Max since they've known each other and held him deep in her heart, but it was like a part of her didn't want to give in completely. Despite even being physical with him, she didn't completely understand why. Her mind soon flooded with so many questions as she began doubting herself. Should she risk giving love another chance? Can she give love another chance? If she did, would things turn out for Max as they did for her previous family? Sighing, she tried to forget about everything for now and left to go deeper into the woods.