Aftermath

It was pretty late the next morning when Scarlet woke up before Max. After yawning and groggily sitting up, she looked at him for a few seconds as her brain booted up and noticed that he was back in his old human body. Looking at her hands, she also saw that her red three-fingered hands were back where they belong. Looking back at Max, Scarlet smiled brightly and gently shook to wake him.

{Wake up, master.} She softly asked.

Taking a moment to slowly open his eyes, Max looked up and saw the beautiful red gardevoir staring back at him. That and that alone was enough to put a smile on his face, because he knew that the manaphy, as much of an asshole as he made himself to be, kept his promise.

"...Good morning." Max engaged.

{Good morning.} The gardevoir replied with her usual drowsy tone.

"It's so nice to wake up and see your face again."

{...I couldn't agree more.} Scarlet replied, smiling a bit with small eyes.

Max then moved a bit closer and went for a kiss that lasted a few seconds.

{...I missed this so much.}

"Yeah. A single day without kissing is one day too much."

{You said it.}

"We kind of did last night, but… it barely counts."

{Hehe. It's okay, no one will know besides me.} The gardevoir reassured him while caressing his cheek, slightly amused. {In a sense, I wasn't that willing to kiss myself either, but when the situation gets pretty heated…}

"Yeeeah… Anyway, it was… Quite the trip, I would say," Max confessed as he rolled onto his back, immediately followed by Scarlet hugging his sides. "It was pretty cool to be a pokemon for a little bit. Stronger, tougher… It's too bad that I couldn't use any of your abilities."

Scarlet remained silent after that, choosing not to look at Max.

"I guess I'll never find out."

{...}

"...What about you, Scarlet? How was it like being a human? You shared your thoughts last night, but now that we're back to normal, what's your view on this objectively?"

Not answering, Scarlet only hugged him a bit tighter.

"Scarlet...?" Max said, already knowing the answer. "Tell me what's on your mind."

{...Do I… really have to?}

"Yes."

The gardevoir then let out a loud sigh.

{I'm sorry, but… I… I didn't like it.} She shyly admitted.

"Yeah, I figured as much. You went from being a powerful creature to a weak human, so of course, you had the short end of the stick."

{...You're not weak, it's just…}

"But I'm a lot weaker than you."

{...}

Under Scarlet's silence, Max felt very guilty.

"It's okay, Scarlet. I'm aware of the power difference between us, and I accept that. Not doing so would only make me even more miserable."

For a short moment, no one spoke until Scarlet broke the silence.

{Like I said yesterday, it was… very scary and frustrating to lose all my strength so suddenly. It reminded me of when those scientists did as they pleased with me. I always thought that I knew what it's like to be in your shoes, but didn't... until now.}

"What do you mean? You possessed me a few times, so you kind of do."

{It's not the same. When I possess you, I can leave whenever I want. But switching bodies with each other… I felt trapped. You couldn't use my moves, so if you were to get into trouble, I wouldn't have been able to protect you. The same goes for me. If anything were to happen to me in your body, there's a strong chance I'd die.} She confessed, hugging more strongly. {Just the thought alone horrified me.}

"..."

{Being so much more vulnerable made me realize what it really means to be a fragile human. Now I'm wondering whether or not I should… protect you more, or less. I don't want to lose you, but you'll become too reliant on me to look after you, and I don't want that either. I just… I don't know what to do anymore…}

Max then thought for a brief moment.

"...Well, you can start by doing what you've already been doing until now: finding a solid, middle ground between the two. Keeping a close eye on me while giving me the right amount of space. It was a pretty decent compromise… Not the best, but it's a good start."

{...If only I could just grant you powers or make you part-gallade or something… That way, I wouldn't be worried all the time and you could have more freedom.}

"I have plenty already, so don't fret about it too much."

{I'm not talking about just me. If you were stronger or at least as strong as me, you could go wherever you want without me fearing for your life every second you're gone. I just thought that it'd be better if you remained in my body, so you'd be able to use my abilities that way.}

"Hm… nah. Bad idea."

{Why?}

"First, no way I'll give up on tapping this beautiful butt of yours…" Max said while gently slapping her buttcheeks. "And secondly, our roles would've been inverted, meaning that it wouldn't have changed anything. Dusk theorized that it'd take years for me to even learn how your body triggers your moveset, let alone actually use said moveset. To be honest, I'd be better off trying to catch up to you all as a human."

{Not necessarily. You know I value your life more than mine.}

"Same for me, duh."

Looking away, Scarlet sighed again.

"We fell in love with each other, Scarlet. Either we accept things as they are now, or we don't for no difference besides being constantly mad about how unfair things are."

{...}

"It's sad, but unfortunately, it's the price for loving a human."

{You say it like it was some kind of a curse.} Scarlet said, looking back at him, sounding slightly offended.

"Well, in a sense, it kind of is."

{No, it's not!} She blurted. {Stop saying that!} She continued before slapping his chest.

"Alright, alright. I will."

{Hnm.} She grunted, looking at Max with mad eyes. {...And even if you were a curse, I would gladly carry it on my entire life. No matter if you're stronger or weaker than me. I don't love you for that. I love you for who you are. You saved me, healed me, cared for me, encouraged me, forced me to become a better pokemon, made me flourish, and loved me! Despite my flaws and the things I did! Who the hell wouldn't fall for someone like that?!}

"...Very few, I guess."

{Exactly. It just happened to be that the one who is here for me is a human, end of the story.}

"..."

{But… it doesn't mean that I won't be constantly afraid that something may happen to you.}

"Is it not the case for everyone who loves someone?"

{...I suppose. We can't say you choose the safest career, though.}

"It's by more or less trying to be a pokemon trainer that we met, so…"

{True, but you know what I thought the other day?}

"Hm?"

{If we were meant for each other, maybe, no matter what you did or choose to do in life, we would have met each other, no matter what.}

"That's the kind of thing we won't ever know."

{I hope it's true. Now that I have you in my life, I can't imagine it without you anymore.}

"On that, we think the same, though."

Suddenly, Max heard Scarlet's stomach growl.

{Shit. I'm starving!} Scarlet said before sitting up.

"I kind of- Aah!" Max said while dropping on his back again, feeling pain in his shoulders and back after trying to sit up.

{What is it?} Scarlet asked, worried.

"Not much, don't worry, but my back and arms are killing me."

{Oh no!} She said, kneeling on the bed next to him, her hands on his chest. {I'm sorry. It's my fault. I stressed your body too much with that fight.}

"I'll be fine. I've seen worse."

{Turn over. I'll try to heal you.}

"Alright," Max said before Scarlet started to use Healing Pulse on his back. "I wonder if Bonny and Aurora learned anything themselves too from this."

{I highly doubt it. They switched bodies for roughly an hour or so before going to bed.}

"True."

{If anything, they learned to walk a different pair of feet.}

"Also, I was wondering, when that manaphy used that Take Heart move, what happened? I saw you drop to the ground as if you were instantly killed. I got scared shitless."

{I… It's a bit foggy in my head, so I don't remember very well. I mostly remember hearing stuff I didn't like, which gave me the willpower to wake up.}

"...I see. Those must have been horrible things."

{Probably, yes. Someone probably badmouthed you, which it's something that could wake me up from the dead just to punch that fucker.}

"Haha. That would be such a Scarlet moment."

{A lot of things make me angry, but that tops it all.}

"Hehe. I can easily imagine someone saying the nastiest things about you, and not giving a shit, and then, he just say a thing about me and you immediately start charging at him."

{Wep. Serves him right.}

"Haha. That's why it's funny."

For a short moment, Scarlet focused more on healing Max.

{How do you feel?}

"Barely better, sorry."

Sighing, the gardevoir stopped.

{I guess it's not something healable with that method.}

"So what's your next- Oh," Max asked before feeling Scarlet sitting on his ass.

She then initiated a massage session. At first, it was a bit painful, but he knew that it was always like that at first. However, a moment later, the pain subsided a little but was still present. He quickly understood that the pain wasn't all due to his slightly injured muscles, but also because of Scarlet's pointy fingers.

{...You don't like it, do you?} She asked, stopping.

"...Sorry," he apologized, feeling bad.

{*Sigh* It's okay, it's my fault. My hands aren't really made for such a task.}

"Well, I mean, it wasn't that painful."

{No way I'm continuing.}

Max felt that Scarlet was slightly hurt, but couldn't do much as nobody ever decided how a gardevoir's hand was made. Suddenly, her sadness seemed to have instantly vanished.

{I know what to do.}

"Huh?"

With Max unable to add anything else, Scarlet teleported both of them inside the module, on the bed precisely.

{Stay there.} She ordered before moving away from him and leaving the room.

"Wait! Where are- And she's gone." Max said, dropping his head on the bed.

Quickly looking around, Max noticed that no one else was on the bed beside Sally, who was still asleep and facing him, making Max smile.

(She's so cute.) Max thought while hearing her almost inaudible snores and seeing her sleeping position. (Poor her. After what happened last night, she's obviously exhausted. She won't wake anytime soon. I'll make sure to praise her and… maybe reward her. I wonder what that was, though.)

Then, Max rethought about last night and Sally's fight against the mythical pokémon.

(She got faster and more powerful… It's as if some kind of warrior instinct kicked in. I think I'll do some research later.)

A moment later, someone entered the room.

"...Oh, hi Aurora." He greeted upon looking up, spotting the lucario entering the bedroom. "What's up?"

Not answering, she kept walking until she was right next to the bed and stared at Max with crossed arms.

"Hem… Did I… do something wrong?"

Before answering, she stared at him for a short moment before sighing.

{...Can you sit up, please?} She requested.

"Sure…" Max accepted before doing so, confused.

As soon as he was up with some painful groans, Aurora sat next to him and affectionately hugged him. After that, she inhaled and exhaled loudly.

{I'm a bit upset because you said you will be back later and sleep with us, but you never showed up.}

"Yeah. Sorry about that. Things got quite steamy and, well, we didn't have the strength to get back."

{Hmpf. So selfish, as always.} She complained with a slightly annoyed tone. {But, other than that… I'm glad that you're back. At some points, I feared that you might have stayed like this forever. It was a scary moment.}

Smiling, Max coiled one arm around her.

"I love it when you're so honest. I'm also glad you're back to your body as well. And if I were, to be honest, myself, I kinda got scared a few times too."

{You? The fearless and invincible human?}

"Hah, hah. What a funny lucario you are," Max replied sarcastically, making Aurora smile in amusement. "I got scared that things wouldn't have been the same between us."

{Come on, now. Being in a different body wouldn't have changed my love for you.}

"Maybe, but… I was also thinking about other things."

{*sigh* Sex isn't everything, master. I would have either learned to live without it or… manage something.}

"Like toys and such?"

{...Maybe.} She admitted softly.

"Haha. Glad that everything is back to normal indeed."

{Welp. Hugs and cuddles wouldn't have been the same. I mean, one way or another, I would have hugged Scarlet instead of you. That would have been… well… you know what I mean.}

"I do," Max affirmed, pulling her into a stronger hug and kissing her head. "So that's why you wanted to see me?"

{Oh, right.} Aurora remembered before moving away from the hug. {I mean, it's a plus, but I came here in the first place to comply with Scarlet's request.}

"Which is?"

{She said that you need a complete massage session.}

"Complete? Wait, it's mainly my back and shoulders that hurt."

{If you say so, but while I'm here, might as well go for the full service. Unless for some odd and magical reasons, you don't want that.}

"No. But it's… *sigh* Alright." Max conceded, turning to drop on his belly again. "It's supposed to be my job."

{Just like how a doctor needs one sometimes, someone needs to massage the massager.} Aurora explained while getting over him. {I may not be as good as you, but I'll try my best.}

"I'll guide you if anything. Tell you what to do and not to do."

{Alright. Let's start with your back, then.}

The lucario then placed her warm paws on Max's back. Not only did he like the sensation, but it was like the warmth was passing through his skin to heat him up and down to the bone.

"Oof!" Max expressed.

{Does it hurt?}

"Just a little… like it should, but also… your paws… they're incredible."

{They are?} Aurora said with a tiny smile.

"Yeah. Not only are your pads oddly soft, but they have just the right amount of firmness. Not too soft so I can feel them and not too hard to hurt me. And… the heat I'm feeling, I'm guessing it's your aura energy."

{Probably. Our aura can take many forms alongside what we want to do with it.}

"That's… ow… amazing."

{And what do you mean by 'my pads are oddly soft'?}

"Well, with all the training you're doing, I expected them to be a bit rougher."

{Pff. I may not be as superficial as some of us, but I take care of my body, you know.}

"I don't- oof… doubt it."

Despite not being as talented as Max, Aurora managed to press at the right spots with the right amount of strength.

"Damn, Aurora…" Max said, almost ecstatically. "You're… perfect for that."

{Glad to hear that.} The lucario replied, feeling quite prideful.

"Just… don't tell Scarlet. She wanted so much to please me earlier, and…"

{I understand, and I won't if you ask. However, she's a lot more mature than she used to be. She may see it as a defeat, but she's smart and strong, and would probably tell herself that we can't win them all.}

"I think so too, but you know how she is. She wants to be the best at everything so she can pamper me to the extreme."

{She loves you more than anything in this world, so of course, she will try that. But eventually, we all learn that it's impossible and go with every little victory we can get.}

"I know… The same could be said about you too."

{For what?}

"You used to be an undisciplined ball of anger and changed into a zen and wise warrior. I think that out of everyone here, you're the one that matured the most."

{...Well… you know…} she replied, a bit embarrassed.

"You were the least mature and climbed your way up to the same level as everyone, but still…"

{I see. Does it hurt when I press here?} she asked while pressing hard on a zone she knew too well that was painful.

"Ghaa… Yes…" Max growled.

{Now you experienced the same amount of pain that you just made me feel.}

"I was just joking, you know."

{I know, me too.}

"Hurting me is your type of humor?"

{You said it yourself; we all have a grain.}

"Haha. Yeah. That's why I'll never exchange any of you for anything else in this world. Tss… When I think that some trainers trade pokemon like they were playing cards or something. That should be illegal if you ask me."

{I feel you, but if it's a thing, maybe there's a reason.}

"You think that every invented thing is worth existing?"

{Maybe not everything, but… I mean, what if an exchange could benefit everyone?}

"In which situation that could be a thing?"

{To give you a simple example, what if both a pokemon and trainer don't go along at all?}

"...Well… that's something that should have been thought of beforehand."

{That's something you can't guess before actually knowing each other.}

"...Well… I… guess. But… I just can't not think about those pokemon who love their trainer dearly and get exchanged without asking them. It's… kinda sad."

{Unfortunately, that's the game, master. Everything in life has a good and bad side. It's all about a two-faced coin. Some are lucky, like me, but others aren't.}

"...It's rare seeing you that pragmatic."

{I'm trying to appease your worries about things you can't control.}

"It doesn't mean I shouldn't try. Like those who abuse or abandon their pokemon. That, I can't tolerate."

{...}

"Most of them just want to be loved. What's wrong with those pieces of shit?!"

{Calm down, master. You're ruining what I'm doing.} Aurora requested calmly.

"*sigh* Sorry. Now you see why that's a subject I try to avoid. I just find it unfair how you can be treated sometimes."

{Try to empty your mind from that while you're not in contact with those types of people. Otherwise, you won't be able to enjoy the present moment.}

"I know. But it's just… Tsk. You're right."

{...I don't want to brag, but with a master like you, I kinda hit the jackpot.}

"Hehe. You're cute, Aurora, but I'm not that exceptional of a human. You're loved and don't lack anything, but things can always be better."

{Or worse.}

"..."

{You're not perfect, and sometimes, I could just smack you behind the head to wake you up. But just like you, I don't even think about having another trainer. You're nice, we're not evil and we all get along well. I'm sure that's a lot more than the majority can hope.}

"...Am I that much of a dick sometimes?"

{Not a dick, but you can have jerk reactions here and there.}

"Oh. Okay."

{But that's minimal and we all know that you don't do this on purpose.}

"I'm sorry nonetheless."

{Apology accepted,} Aurora said, a bit amused.

For a while, Aurora massaged Max's entire backside.

{If you want, I can do the front side too.} Aurora said, now done with his legs.

"Alright." Max agreed, turning on his back.

Immediately, Aurora sat on his crotch and Max looked at her with a raised eyebrow, smiling.

{What? It's the best seat. I can reach everything from here. And it's quite comfortable.} She told him with a smirk.

"If you're able to keep your focus…"

{I can, don't worry. Just because I can feel it against me doesn't mean I want it so eagerly.}

"Ah," Max acknowledged, feigning being disappointed.

{...But as soon as I'm done with my given task, however… who knows what might happen,} she hinted.

"Oh. Is it an invitation?" Max questioned, starting to rub her thighs.

She briefly smiled before tapping his hands away.

{I said it might happen,} she said with a slight superiority expression and a smirk.

"Hehe. So serious. Like always," Max jested.

{That's the way I am. I commit to what I do. I hate half-done jobs.}

"You can always mix two into one."

{And risking doing two half-done jobs? No thanks.}

Giving up, Max only smiled and stayed silent.

{...I'm sorry if I'm not as perverted as the others…}

"No, Aurora. Don't be. I love you just the way you are. On the contrary, I need someone like you, who can cool my passion a little. And even if it's a little less than some of the girls, I always enjoy our time together very much."

Aurora then smiled gratefully.

{A good fuck is always nice from time to time, though.}

"Aw, Aurora!" Max scolded playfully. "Those are nasty words. Bad Aurora! Bad!"

{Oh, you like it? Well, let's say that I really enjoy your nasty cock when you take me from behind, or when I choke on it. It's so hot.}

"Pfaha! Hearing you say things like that sounds so wrong and right at the same time. You're not much of a dirty talker."

{You can see why. I'm not especially good at it.}

"Don't force yourself. Hearing your pleasured moans is plenty enough. Also…" Max said before starting to rub her hips and sides. "Who needs words when you have a silhouette like yours?"

Rolling her eyes, Aurora pushed his hands away again.

{You're not making this easy for me, you know.} She complained.

"Why? Are you starting to feel… the need?" Max asked with a smirk.

{Eh. Not enough to make me deviate from my objective.}

"Hehe- Ow!" Max growled when she pressed on his pectorals.

{Scarlet didn't go easy on your body. But when you use more strength than what your body can take, that happens. I'm impressed, though. Your body withstood the shock pretty well. An average human would have suffered more from the aftermath than you.}

"I got destroyed and reconstructed so many times that I lost count, even before Mad-Ji, so yeah, that's the result."

{Well, as a fighting-type pokemon, I can't ignore the enticement of what a strong and tough body can do.}

"Really now?"

{Yes. Just like intelligence entices most of the psychic-type, it's instinctive. Fighting-type are all about making stronger and stronger offspring through generations.}

"Offsprings… you mean the thing I can't provide you?"

{Yep. The one that I don't care about.}

"Yeah… I just hope none of you will regret this."

{Why would we? I think the decision between you and giving birth has been made for a long time now by everyone.}

"..."

{You don't especially want children yourself, so why bother?}

"I was just thinking about the natural way of things. For a species to thrive, they need to reproduce."

{I think there are enough lucarios in this world to ensure my species' prosperity without me needing to be involved. My species won't go extinct if one lucario doesn't reproduce.}

"Don't you... have a maternal side that's screaming for you to do so?"

{Not that much, actually. I think my hormones are starting to deal with my resignation to reproduce.}

"Alright. Quite a shame, though. Not giving your DNA is a waste of beauty."

{That doesn't help me to live with the fact I'll never have kids.}

"What? No, no. It was just an attempt to discreetly say that you're beautiful."

{You could just have said so.}

"Nah. That would have been too easy."

{Okay, now you're being a dick.}

After sharing a good laugh, Aurora continued her job until she had passed everywhere.

{There we go. That should do.} Aurora announced, now done.

With her moving away from him, Max sat up and tested his muscles.

"Wow! Those paws of yours really do wonders, no matter what they touch."

{I'm just gonna pretend that there is no insinuation behind that.} The lucario replied, sitting on her knees.

"Okay, that's enough," Max said before gently pushing Aurora on her back and going over her. "What's up with the stuck-up Aurora all of a sudden?"

{I don't know. Maybe I just want to tease you.} She replied with an arrogant smile.

"Well, it's working," Max replied before he started kissing her.

A few seconds later, they felt the mattress moving and saw that Sally had awakened and slowly moved up with a yawn.

{Well, that sucks.} Aurora said while looking at Max. {Anyway, I'm sorry, master, it's not that I don't want it, but I wish you could take it easy for one day or two.}

"Two whole days!?" Max exclaimed softly.

{Come on, master. Don't be such a baby. It's just two days. I mean, if you don't move too much, it should be okay, but I doubt you will be able to.}

"How so?"

{Really? You, resisting the urge to pound someone's butt?}

"Well… I mean… if I really want to, I could…"

Aurora then just looked at him skeptically.

"Alright. Note taken." Max conceded, more amused than anything else.

He then moved out the way so she could sit up next to him.

{...It's nice to see you back.} The lucario concluded with a smile while gently tapping on his closest thigh.

"Same for you."

After the lucario stood up and left, Sally crawled next to Max to take her place.

{Did I… interrupt you?} she asked with her still cute drowsy face.

"No, don't worry."

{Great.}

The cinderace then lied again by dropping her head on Max's thighs.

{I don't like being the party pooper.}

"I doubt that anyone likes that," Max remarked while caressing her fur. "Hm. Your fur could use a little conditioning treatment."

{Aww. Do I really have to?}

"I know you don't like that, but if we don't do that, your fur will become dull and rough. And you know I'll never be able to resist incredibly soft fur."

{*sigh* Alright.} She complied reluctantly. {But only if you do it.}

"Hehe. I kinda guessed. That's always the only condition."

{Well, when it's you, I'm sure you don't miss any spot, and… you're touching me, so it's a good compromise.}

"Haha. You're truly merciless in negotiation." Max jested.

{Hihi. I know.}

"How're you doing today?"

{Well…} Sally started, rolling on her back. {I feel weird and still tired, but not that bad I guess.}

"What do you mean by weird?"

{I don't know. It's as if my entire inside was hurting lightly.}

"I see. Well, I bet that a lot of rest would make you feel better."

{I guess.}

"You were really impressive, though. I mean, you're strong, but yesterday, it was like you… hem… went on another level I'd say."

{Really?}

"Of course. You don't remember?"

{Well, to be honest, not… a lot.}

"Oh."

{I remember some moments, like when I fought that blue pokemon, but other than that, not very clearly. Kind of like a dream I forgot maybe.}

"I see. Well, I hope next time you do remember, because you kicked some major ass last night."

{Whoa! I really did that?} Sally asked, quite enthusiastic.

"Yup."

{Fuck…}

"Whoa, whoa! You're swearing now?"

{What? Oh no!} She exclaimed before covering her mouth. {Did I really…}

"*sigh* It was bound to happen by spending time with the girls, especially one who swears a lot."

{I'm sorry, master. I didn't mean to. It came out on its own.}

"It's okay, Sally. I'm not your mom. Swear if you want, but honestly, it doesn't suit you at all."

{Yeah. I don't like swear words.}

"Hehe. Kind of like Dusk and May. Now that I think about it, I heard May saying very few since I've known her, but not Dusk. I don't remember hearing her swear a single time."

{Me neither. Maybe she doesn't know them.}

"While living with Scarlet? Impossible."

{Hm… maybe because she never gets angry, then.}

"She…"

Max then tried to imagine Dusk so angry that she was growling, snarling, and insulting everyone. He never imagined something that made less sense than that.

"Well, angry, I don't think so, but she has her mood jump from time to time. Remember when she was a few days away from evolving? She was pretty irritable."

{I do, but she never got angry even then.}

"True. That's just not her. She's just too kind and optimistic for that."

{Hihi. Yeah.} Sally agreed before closing her eyes.

"Any plans for today?" Max asked while caressing her head.

{*sigh* I don't know. I feel good like this.} She said after a pleased sigh.

"I bet you do, but I'll have to get up eventually."

{Aww…} Sally complained sadly.

"...But maybe I can stay a bit longer."

{Yippee!} Sally exclaimed in joy. {You're the best.} She added before getting in a more comfortable position.

"I know." Max agreed with a smile, gently rubbing her chest.

After a while and with the help of Max's rubs, Sally fell asleep again. Being a heavy sleeper like Dusk, Max managed to move her out of the way to stand up without waking her up. He gave her a quick kiss, which made her smile in her sleep, before leaving the room.

{Master!}

As soon as Max was out of the bedroom, his lopunny showed up and jumped on him for a full-contact strong hug, her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Hey there," Max said, hugging her back.

{I'm so happy to see you back! You have no idea.} Bonny exclaimed in pure joy while rubbing her face against his, with May joining her by hugging one of Max's legs. {I know I should be mad for not sleeping with us last night, but I just can't help it!}

"I'm glad too. It was kinda fun, but I prefer my body by far. It is nice seeing back to your own body as well."

From over Bonny's shoulder, Max saw Dusk and Aurora sitting at the table.

"Scarlet isn't here?"

{She's outside and said something about being happy to have recovered her powers and disappeared.} Aurora answered.

"Okay."

{I bet she just went a bit further to have fun with them a little.} Dusk guessed.

"That's a thing she could do, indeed."

After May let go of the human's leg, Max dropped Bonny to the ground.

"Sorry for having worried you." Max apologized, petting both of them.

{It's okay, master. What matters is that you're back now.} May stated.

{I'm soo glad, too.} Bonny started. {I kept having to think of what I could do if you stayed in Scarlet's body forever. It was driving me nuts.}

"Eh. I bet it did."

{*sigh* Not unhappy that it's over.} Aurora commented.

"Indeed." Max approved, joining her with the other two. "Oof! Now we can continue where we left."

{How many days before we reach our destination?} Dusk asked.

"Last time I checked, a week and a half I think."

{That was before our last stop.} Aurora pointed out.

"Yes. So it might be just a week. I'll check later."

{Any special demand for dinner?} The delphox questioned.

"Dinner? You mean breakfast?"

{No. I mean dinner.}

"Huh?"

{It's almost noon, dude.} Aurora stated.

"...Oh. Well…"

{But I can prepare you a breakfast meal if you want to.} Dusk proposed.

"No, it's okay. I don't want to add extra work for you, so I'll eat whatever you do."

{Understood.} The delphox acknowledged with a wide smile.

"Great. Well, I think I'll actually go check on Scarlet and make sure she doesn't start a wildfire or something." Max announced before standing up.

{I'll call you whenever it's ready.} Dusk said before standing up as well.

"Thanks, my pretty."

Before she could go far, Max got in front of her and grabbed her hips.

"You're a nice and beautiful delphox, you know that?" He mumbled to her seductively.

{Oh! Well… I may have heard that a few times.} Dusk replied soft, playfully looking away a bit dramatically.

"I bet you do…" Max added before pressing his forehead against hers and nudging her affectionately.

{*sigh* There we go again.} Aurora complained with rolling eyes while Dusk and Max kept mumbling lovey-dovey words.

{Why so jealous? You have your moments like that with him too.} Bonny stated, her chin resting on one paw.

{I'm not jealous, I'm just a bit afraid that they will start doing it on the table right on the spot.} Aurora retorted calmly.

{I wouldn't mind, though.}

{Well, I do. Wouldn't that be rather awkward, just standing there, looking?}

{Hmm…} Bonny pondered. {Well, it wouldn't for me, but I can understand why it could for some.}

"...Well, just you wait." Max finished before booping Dusk's nose. "Later, girls." He added before leaving.

When out, Dusk went to start cooking while humming happily, making the others smile at each other.

Outside, Max immediately headed towards his beloved red gardevoir. It took him a short moment before finding her.

{Watch out!}

Seeing it at the last second, Max moved his head out of the way of an incoming Shadow Ball.

"...If that's how you greet people, I'm afraid I can't greet you back." Max jested with Scarlet floating towards him.

{Geez, master! That one could have disfigured you pretty badly.}

"You could have just healed me."

{Besides the point, master,} Scarlet retorted with rolling eyes. {Well? What could motivate you to carelessly approach a pokemon who has fun shooting lethal projectiles all around?}

"The taste of danger, what else?" Max replied with a smirk.

{You're constantly walking beside it, so I thought you would have wanted a break from time to time.} Scarlet mentioned with her hands on her hips.

"If danger had your face, I could share my space with it any time."

{That's … weird, but okay.}

"Yeah. I kind of screwed things up at the end."

{Hihi,} Scarlet giggled. {Just master being master. I love it.}

"That's good," Max replied with a smile. "So? How is it going over here?"

{Pretty well, actually,} the gardevoir answered while making her psychic energy emanate from one hand. {I recovered my powers, and you recovered your body. It's moments like this that remind you how important things are when we lose them.}

"Yeah. Being you, I couldn't see you like I usually do, so it was like losing you in a sense."

{Same. I'm still pretty mad at that little fucker, though.}

"Come on, Scarlet. Eventually, you'll have to drop it."

{Aren't you mad?}

"I kind of was, but it's over now, so no need to get sick for that."

{Tss. I always wondered how you can forgive that easily.}

"From the number of blunders you guys commit, I was more or less kind of forced to become more forgiving."

{Ah. The famous 'it's the girls' fault'. A classic now.} Scarlet nagged playfully, making Max shrug his shoulders with a foolish smile. {How was it with Aurora? Did she do a good job?}

"Well, she was okay. She kinda did, yes."

{Master…!} Scarlet scolded. {You're trying to lie again.}

"Give me a break, Scarlet. You know I have a really hard time saying… that kind of thing."

{And you know as well that I'm not a two-year-old kid and that I'm aware that I can't be good or helpful at everything. I wish I was, but you don't always have what you want. Besides…} she said while moving closer to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. {You also know too well that your well-being is my top priority and desire. If Aurora or anyone else is better than me in certain fields at bringing you joy, then fine. Your smile and happiness are more important than my little prided side. And you know I'm not the jealous type.}

"You never felt… diminished, or something?"

{Well…} Scarlet began, removing her hands. {I can't say that I never did in a few aspects, but mostly, no. Aurora's a friend and we're a team. There is no bad competition between us. Besides, I'm so good at everything that I can leave a few things to others.}

"Haha! Such generosity."

{Yep. I'm just like that,} Scarlet replied with a toying smile.

"Hehe. Alright. Glad to see that you're doing fine. Well, I think I'll leave you to your occupation and keep having fun with your moves."

{You won't stay?} the gardevoir asked, a bit disappointed.

"I would, but with me around, you won't be able to go all out. Anyway, dinner is on its way, so maybe I'll go help Dusk. See you in a moment, then."

Scarlet wanted to stop him, but he was already on his way to the campsite, leaving her alone and a bit worried. The rest of the day went on pretty well as per usual and we are now again in the evening on another site for the camp. The sky was getting darker and Max was under the outside shower. Since the discovery of it, the girls decided to put the firelamp next to it so they could peek at him as much as they want. As everyone was there, Sally was the one that was staring the most.

{Really? Why would you be a fire-type?} Bonny asked, who was discussing it with Scarlet.

{Why not? I like fire.}

{That's hardly a valid reason. Pretty sure you would become an ice-type instead.}

{Why? Because I'm a bitch with a frozen heart?}

{Precisely.} Bonny confirmed jokingly.

{Well, with that toxicity, you would probably become a poison-type.} Scarlet retorted back.

{That's mean. I see myself as more of a pure fighting or at least dark-type.}

{Why a dark-type specifically?} Aurora asked.

{I don't know. A dark-type is pretty neat and it's the first one that came into my mind.}

{That's slightly ridiculous.} Scarlet commented.

{I'm sure master would agree with me.}

{We'll see. Master?} Scarlet called out, as Max was rinsing shampoo from his hair.

"Yes?"

{What do you think I would look like if I had a galarian form?}

{And me.} Bonny said.

"Hmm…"

When done with his hair, Max began to ponder.

"That's a good question. I never saw any galarian forms for both of you, so I can't really tell."

{And if you were to guess?}

"Hm, let me see… A galarian gardevoir…"

{It could also be an alolan form.} Scarlet pointed out.

"Alolan… Well, I kinda picture Scarlet being a ghost-type in a galarian form."

{A ghost-type? You're kidding, right?} Scarlet demanded, not liking the idea.

"Not really. I mean, a gardevoir's hair could become black or dark purple while waving around like ectoplasmic fire. Your crest could become a big eyeball in your chest and your legs being replaced by a longer exposed spine."

{Okay! Can you stop now before giving everyone nightmares?!} Scarlet interrupted fervently, making the others laugh lightly.

{Why so defensive? You could become the very thing you fear.} Bonny pointed out, amused.

{Shut up!} the gardevoir demanded.

"And for Bonny… An alolan lopunny could become an ice-type."

{An ice-type?} Bonny repeated.

"Yeah. Like normal rabbits, there are different species, your alolan form could become all white with more fluff and shorter ears."

{Hmm… it's so plausible that it could be a real thing.} The lopunny commented.

"Pokemon are such wonderful and mysterious creatures. Until we actually see one, all species can be of any type depending on where they are. Bonny could be an ice-type, but also an electric or ground-type. The possibilities are practically endless."

{Well, if we speak about one pokemon, the possibilities are counted to seventeen.} Scarlet mentioned.

"Whatever. You know what I mean."

{Why seventeen?} Sally asked.

{As far as we know, there are eighteen different pokemon typing.} Aurora explained. So if we exclude the typing she already has…}

{You forget about the dual typing.} Dusk said. {Just with that, the possibilities are multiplied by a lot.}

{The number of possible combinations is about one hundred and seventy-one to be exact.}

{Whoa! That's a big number.} Sally exclaimed, impressed.

{I don't think it applies to a single type pokemon like me.} Bonny said.

{You could be surprised.} Scarlet pointed out. {Look at the marowak. The normal one is only ground-type while its alolan form is ghost and fire-type.

{Hm. Fair enough.}

Now done, Max turned the faucets off.

"At a world scale, we haven't gone far yet, so we still have time to discover stuff. Our world is huge."

{Well, the equatorial circumference of this planet is roughly around ninety thousand kilometers long, after all.} Scarlet mentioned.

"Yeah. Something like that. And we're far enough from the gravitational force of our sun to not be crushed by intense gravity." Max confirmed while drying himself with a towel.

When done, Scarlet made light clothes appear in front of him so he could dress and join them. They spent the rest of the evening doing what they mostly do at that time; having fun in various ways. They stayed up quite late as they discussed hot topics for a while when tiredness began to hit Max.

"Well, I wish I could continue, but I'm really starting to get drowsy." Max said before standing up.

{Alright. Good night, master. We'll join a bit later.} Aurora wished.

"Great."

Before he could go far, Scarlet stood up as well and floated next to him.

{Say, master. I know you said you were getting tired, but… do you care if we go for a walk again? We kind of weren't able to finish it.}

"Well…" Max started, pondering if he felt like it or not. "Why not. It's just a walk. If it doesn't last for hours."

{It shouldn't. Let's go, then.} Scarlet said before grabbing one of his arms and leaving with him through the woods.

{Oh! Looks like somebody is about to get busy.} Bonny commented.

{It's Scarlet and Max we're talking about.} The lucario stated.

~POVC~

Away from the campsite, both Scarlet and Max were walking through the woods, with mostly the gardevoir leading him.

"That walk really meant a lot to you." Max commented.

{Because it wasn't for you?}

"Of course, but it's a walk. Something we could do again at any given time of our choice. It didn't have to be this instant."

{Well, I chose to do it this instant.}

"...Alright." Max complied with a smile.

Both then walked for another short moment.

{...Also…} Scarlet started before stopping walking.

"Hm?"

{...There's something I wanted to do for you.}

"Oh. Now I understand the rush." Max said with a smile.

{No romanticism at all, huh?} Scarlet complained with crossed arms.

"Hehe. Sorry, sorry. What do you want to do for me?"

{...Close your eyes.} Scarlet instructed with a warm smile.

"A big ol' surprise, I see. Nice. I love your surprises." Max said while doing as told.

{I know, but this time…} The gardevoir said before grabbing both of his hands. {It might be something less expected than usual.}

"What do you mean?"

{Well, open your eyes and you'll find out.}

Doing as told, Max noticed the sudden absence of trees or forestry features whatsoever. Looking around and down, he quickly realized that he was floating in the air, probably a few kilometers up.

"Holy fuck!" Max exclaimed, strongly grasping Scarlet's hands while instinctively pulling her closer.

{Ow.} She complained softly. {Relax, master. You're safe with me. You risk nothing.} She reassured him.

"I know, but still… you know I don't do well with heights." He explained, slightly shaking.

{Of course, I know. But you can't really fly without that, right?}

"I... guess." Max conceded, looking down before feeling uneasy.

{Quit looking down for a moment.} She requested, getting his attention again. {Do you trust me?}

"With every cell in my body."

{Then I promise you that you risk nothing up here.}

"...A-Alright."

{Great. Now we're gonna go very slowly, okay? Let's start by removing one hand.}

Not very sure, Max released one of her hands. Even though he panicked a little, Scarlet was impressed by the speed he executed himself.

"Alright. It's… done."

{Good job, master. I'm really proud of you.}

"You don't need to mock me." Max retorted, sounding slightly offended.

{I'm not. I'm legitimately proud of you. Now, onto the hard part. Let go of my other hand.}

"...Shit." Max mumbled.

Gathering his courage, Max took deep breaths in quick succession before releasing her last hand.

"Oh fuck! Oh, fuck!" Max exclaimed, trying to uselessly keep his balance.

{Congrats, master.} Scarlet praised with a wide smile while softly applauding.

"That's too trippy and scary."

{Yet, you didn't die from a heart attack, which is a victory in my books.}

"Well, simply being alive is a win in your books, so…"

{And your point is?}

"That… I hope not to die."

{You won't.} Scarlet replied with rolling eyes, mildly amused. {Come back, now.} She requested while presenting him one hand.

Sighing to calm himself, Max grabbed her hand and got pulled closer to her. Immediately, she felt that he was a lot more relaxed than the first seconds he opened his eyes.

{See? It's not so bad.}

"Why are you doing this, though? I mean, I know you want me to improve, but what do you gain in making me face one of my fears at this precise moment?"

{Oh, I'm not doing that for me, but for you.}

"For me? I don't follow."

Before answering, Scarlet grabbed his hand with both of hers.

{...When our bodies were switched, I did some thinking about why you wanted so much to be able to use my abilities, so after we regained our respective bodies, I did some deep surveys in your mind. I know I shouldn't without asking, but when I do after asking you, it can be hard for me if it's a subject you unconsciously try to hide or avoid.}

"...Okay."

{And, I kinda discovered that you always wanted to fly at least once.}

"What? Well, maybe as a kid, but…"

{You don't have to be ashamed, master. That's a common desire for humans. Also, I discovered that your fear of heights comes from the fact that you don't trust outside methods of flying as you think nothing is one hundred percent reliable. However, if you can fly on your own, it's different.}

"...Eh. Again, you know me better than myself."

{Unlike you, I can go into some corners of your being that even you can't. It's like surgery; it's easier when someone else does it.}

"Haha. You and your random comparisons."

{So, I decided that I wanted to help you live that experience. I know you don't trust me as well as if you had powers, but that's okay.}

"It's not that I don't trust you, but you never know what might happen. You could get tired and fall, or get hit on the head…"

{We evolved to be able to fly and survive, so of course, we developed ways to prevent that as much as possible.}

"...I guess."

{Unconsciously, you're more reassured if you're the responsible one, but I'll prove to you that you can trust me as well.}

"I do, but… *sigh* I trust you, Scarlet. Just give me time to get used to it."

{Let's start slowly, then.}

With a smile, Scarlet pulled Max next to her and made them fly at a slow pace, side-by-side.

"That's… kinda cool, actually," Max commented after a moment.

Scarlet was still feeling a bit of insecurity inside him but also felt that his amusement and joy were slowly growing into him.

{Ready to go up a notch?}

"Well, I- Whooaa!"

Before he could finish, Scarlet accelerated the pace and even varied the height, moving up and down.

"Holy… we're going kinda fast!"

{Is it not fun? Don't you feel free from your earthly chains?}

"Y-Yeah."

{Nice. Hold on tight, then.}

Creating a psychic windshield on Max's face, Scarlet accelerated even more, now going roughly sixty miles per hour high above the ground.

"Holy shit! I'm a freaking jet! Yoohoo!" Max expressed, having a blast.

Smiling widely, Scarlet did more aerial stunts, which was amusing Max more and more. They then reached a zone where a huge lake was resting below. She dropped near it and made them fly a couple of inches above it. Extending his hand, Max made his fingers trace the cold water before smiling at Scarlet. Next, she made them fly above the forest, purposely flying towards the top of some trees just to miss them at the last second.

"That's so awesome!"

With one last burst of speed, she flew straight up until they got past the clouds, where she stopped and made Max face her under the cleared night sky.

{Are you having fun?} she asked, grabbing both of his hands.

"You bet I am! To think that you can do that any time you want."

{Well, I guess it can be fun at first, but after a couple of years, it becomes less thrilling.}

"Still…"

{But you could do that every day if you want. Just ask and we can do that again.}

Smiling, Max looked into Scarlet's sapphire eyes, their beauty enhanced by the moonlight.

"...Thanks, Scarlet. You're such a kind, devoted, and beautiful gardevoir."

{I could say the same for you.} Scarlet said, coiling her arms around his neck. {Except maybe the beautiful part. You're ugly as fuck.}

"I know. I still wonder why you stay with me."

{Because you fuck pretty well.} Scarlet answered with a smirk.

"Oh. Better than nothing."

{Hihi.} Scarlet giggled before starting to make them dance a little in the air. {Everything about you is worth loving. You're such a wonderful trainer and human that even if you didn't save me and we meet in different circumstances, I would have loved you all the same. I think that unless you're mentally ill, you can't not appreciate you, even at a minimum.}

"A love declaration, huh? I think it's roughly the hundredth time you do."

{Every day is a good moment to tell the one you love how much you appreciate and love him.}

"Hehe. I guess so."

For a little while, Scarlet kept making them dance slowly until she stopped. Both then exchanged love-filled glances before kissing for a moment. Right before they stopped, Scarlet teleported them back down, but inside the module and on the bed. The gardevoir then pushed Max on his back before mounting him to kiss some more.

{...Do you grant me the permission to show you how much I love you?} She asked with lustful eyes.

"Of course. You're free to do whatever you want."

{Yes. Music to my ears.} She said before making out with him while undressing him.