34 Chapter 034

As he didn't want to inhibit the Eevee's independence or curiosity, Leon largely permitted it to roam as it pleased, only speaking out when it was about to enter someplace it shouldn't. After around two-and-a-half hours of wandering, however, it abruptly plopped down, arms and legs extended as it telepathically droned, 'I'm huuuungry—!' while producing an adorable "Kweeeeeee~" sound from its mouth.

'No need to throw a tantrum,' said Leon, producing several nutritious pellets of Pokemon food and a bowl of water from his Storage. The pellets weren't nearly as appetizing as the food Leon presented to the Vaporeon, but after reading the Breeding manual acquired by Wanko, he realized that was a mistake. Eevee and their derivative species were among a handful of Pokemon classified as 'hazardous' for their capacity to produce eggs at a nearly incomparable rate, so, similar to the Mogwai from Gremlins, there were several rules and restrictions one needed to follow when raising and breeding them.

Besides a compatible mate, all an Eeveelution needed to produce an egg was enough nutrients to form the egg itself. Their incredibly adaptive cells naturally stored excess energy for this purpose, and the moment they had sufficient stores, they would instinctively seek out the nearest compatible mate. To prevent this, a balanced diet was crucial, but the most important thing you could do to curb the Eeveelutions' proclivity for breeding was to ensure they were active. They had specifically developed moves such as Baby-Doll Eyes and Charm to take advantage of human sentiments, so if you weren't careful, you would quickly find yourself in a predicament as a single Eevee could lay up to 25 eggs a year, with each new Eevee capable of laying eggs of its own the moment they're hatched.

After scarfing down all the food on its plate and quenching its thirst, the Eevee instinctively attempted to receive even more food by rolling onto its back, presenting its belly and wriggling as it droned, 'I'm still huuuungry~! Gimme more food~!' before stopping, curling up its paws, and making use of its Baby-Doll Eyes to try and break Leon's will.

Separating from the Eevee's body, Leon gently poked its stomach before rubbing its chest and belly as he said, "If you're still hungry, you can hunt for additional food and berries. Anything you hunt without my power is all yours. If I have to help you, you only get to take a piece."

Though it enjoyed having its belly rubbed, the Eevee adopted a slight frown as it imagined fighting and hunting on its own. One of the reasons Pokemon were so capable the moment they hatched was because they inherited certain knowledge and recollections from their parents or, more accurately, their mothers. The Eevee felt invincible with Leon's power and voice inside its head. Alone, it felt small and vulnerable...

Seeing the Eevee start to tear up before grabbing his invisible hand with its forepaws and licking it, Leon felt a wave of guilt wash over him. At the same time, however, he knew there was a very real possibility the Eevee was attempting to trick him, not maliciously, but instinctively. Thus, after a few more belly rubs, he reentered the Eevee's body and asked, 'Were you wanting to tell me something?'

'Yes...' replied the Eevee, its telepathic voice sounding sad and tearful as it added, 'I'm not hungry anymore...'

'...'

Recovering from the critical hit to his heart, Leon softly assured, 'If you're worried that I'm angry or might abandon you, don't be. I just want you to grow big and strong, strong enough that not even a fire-breathing dragon can scare or threaten you. That kind of power requires a lot of hunting and training, but once you possess it, you can eat whatever you want.'

'Really...?' asked the Eevee. Before Leon could answer in the affirmative, however, he was left speechless as it questioned, 'Can I even eat Leon...?'

Considering his words carefully, Leon answered, 'If you did, I wouldn't be here anymore. Do you want me to leave?'

'No...!' responded the Eevee, bouncing to its feet and stamping its paws angrily. Then, leaving Leon equal parts touched and troubled, it shouted, 'I want to eat Leon so Leon will be inside me always...!'

'Once you become strong enough, you won't need my power or guidance,' explained Leon. 'But that doesn't mean we can't be together. It means we can fight the same enemies and protect one another. That's what it means to be friends and partners.'

'Then I will become the strongest to fight with Leon...!' exclaimed the Eevee, rushing forward in search of prey. Leon felt truly touched by its actions, but, just like when dealing with the Vaporeon, he quickly received a dose of reality, his expression sinking as the Eevee happily added, 'Then we can be happy and make lots, and lots, and lots of eggs...!'

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"It's been two weeks, and you still haven't located the Floor Guardian or a single Field Dungeon?" asked Mordred, looking skeptical as she inspected the map Leon had created using his actual map as an overlay.

"I found and befriended an Arcanine I believed to be a Field Boss, but he had never heard of a Floor Guardian," replied Leon. "He did, however, tell me about three 'Lords' who rule the skies, one who brought light, another who brought cold, and the final, who set the land and forests ablaze when it passed overhead. If I'm not mistaken, the Lords he's referring to are the Legendary birds, Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres."

"Legendary birds...?" repeated Mordred, a battle-hungry smile developing across her face as she remarked, "They must be pretty strong to be called that. Have you seen any of them?"

Shaking his head, Leon replied, "No, but according to the Arcanine, they pass through the sky at regular intervals, roughly three months apart but with a lull of six months after the appearance of Moltres. They essentially herald the seasons and dictate the weather patterns of the Second Floor. The last one to appear was Moltres, roughly five months ago. That means the next will be Zapdos, heralding the start of the rainy season and lots of thunderstorms."

"Then we need to station people on the Second Floor to see from where this Zapdos appears and returns to," said Mordred. "Unless they cease to exist the rest of the year, they must have a nest somewhere."

"I thought the same thing, but if the Arcanine's words are correct, they fly in from random directions and depart just the same," countered Leon. "It's highly likely they have multiple nests deep in mountain caves or hidden on remote islands. That's where you encounter them in the games."

"That's even more of a reason to keep people stationed there," maintained Mordred. "If their flight affects the weather and induces natural disasters, we should be able to spot which direction they're coming in from and their path of retreat by observing for changes in the weather."

"You're not wrong," conceded Leon. "But the Second Floor is even larger than our island. I've been trying to circumnavigate all this week and have yet to complete a full loop. Even my roughest estimate places it at around 200,000 square kilometers. It's fucking massive."

Spreading her hands and shrugging, Mordred asked, "Does it matter? It doesn't change what we have to do. Before the Baphomet respawns, we should relocate those who are willing and those who desire to catch and tame Pokemon for themselves to the Second Floor. If we offer a reward for locating and bringing back unidentified Pokemon, there should be at least a few people willing to sign up."

"Won't that be stepping on the toes of the Knickknack Shack...?" asked Leon.

"Then just commission the Kazama Agency and offer to absolve them of their debts if they can successfully build a settlement and help us locate the Second Floor's Guardian," suggested Mordred. "That sly bastard and his airheaded 'leader' should jump at the opportunity. In the meantime, those of us in the Frontier Expedition Squad will focus on increasing our grades to Yellow and Green."

Nodding several times, Leon affirmed, "That's a good idea. But I'd like to make an addendum. Given the nature of the Second Floor, I was thinking of convincing Hayato to relocate or build a second dojo there. That should strengthen the settlement's security, and he would likely be able to defeat and befriend several powerful Pokemon."

"That would certainly make Yamato's decision easier," confirmed Mordred, appending, "But we should be mindful that they don't become too friendly with one another. That man's growth is comparable to those of us actively entering the Tower. If we provide him opportunities to grow even quicker, he could become a serious threat to us..."

"I trust Hayato, Mordred," asserted Leon. "I also trust Yamato, so even if they were to become friends, I don't believe they would unite against us without cause. Please trust my judgment on this matter."

Closing her eyes, exhaling a sigh, and shaking her head, Mordred seemed like she wanted to lecture Leon but ultimately met his gaze and replied, "I will see to it that they're informed of your decision in the morning. Or shall I have them sent for right this moment...?"

"I don't need to flex my power and authority by making people rush over to meet me in the middle of the night," said Leon, his tone expressing the smile his nonexistent face couldn't.

"Now..." said Leon, rising to his feet as he added, "If there's nothing else, I'm going to go wake my Eevee and head out. Zapdos could very well be soaring through the sky at this exact moment. Assuming it isn't, I plan to meet with the Arcanine and a few others to request their assistance. If I bribe them with Erina's cooking, I should be able to convince at least one to relocate to where we'll be constructing the settlement. That'll keep the majority of hostile Pokemon away."

"You know, it makes those of us who are supposed to serve you anxious if you're always working..." said Mordred, her expression making it clear she wasn't joking.

"Then, once my Eevee evolves into an Umbreon, I'll start taking four to eight-hour breaks during the day," proposed Leon. "If it evolves into an Espeon or a Sylveon because I skipped a single night of training, I'll be kicking myself for the rest of my life."

"Man, you're obsessed with that thing," said Mordred, adopting a teasing smile as she pounced on Leon from behind, dangling from his back, arms linked around him as she whispered, "I might start feeling jealous..." into his nonexistent ear.

"Of what...?" asked Leon, rolling his eyes as he argued, "Even if it wags its ass in front of my face and begs, I'm not going to fuck it..."

"So you say..." mused Mordred, licking the side of Leon's nonexistent face and head before smacking her lips and adding, "But I also looked through that book Wanko got from the Library, particularly the section on human-pokemon relations. I know you 'had' to have skimmed through it..."

"I did..." admitted Leon. "But if you had as well, you would know it was mostly filled with warnings. Pokemon imprint on Trainers and Breeders who willfully take care of their sexual needs. It's an excellent way to get them to behave, but once you start, you essentially have to continue for the rest of their lives. If you don't, they quickly become temperamental and will attack those they perceive as the cause of the sudden change. Eevees and their evolutions have a lifespan ranging from 20-40 years. I have no intention of fucking an animal for 20-40 years..."

"Jeez, Leon," said Mordred, releasing him as she added, "You really need to learn to take a joke and lighten up. Besides, everything you said is only true for Pokemon kept as pets. The book also mentions that if you travel frequently and have them battle other Pokemon, you can release them to start a family once you find a suitable partner, allowing them to become a new 'Alpha' and preside over a territory using the skills they honed at your side."

Inhaling and exhaling a deep, imagined breath, Leon suppressed the urge to yell or ask if Mordred 'wanted' to fuck a Pokemon. He doubted she was the only one, so after a moment of reflection, he shrugged and said, "Fine. Then we'll put it to an anonymous vote a few months from now. I can't say I haven't 'imagined' myself fucking certain Pokemon in my previous life, so if the people vote in favor of human-pokemon relationships, we'll create a regulatory body to oversee and punish those who take things too far. Until then, Gakuto is still prohibited from getting within a hundred meters of the Vaporeon's enclosure..."

"If you say so," replied Mordred, spreading her hands and shrugging with a mischievous smile. She truthfully couldn't care less if Leon did or didn't want to have sex with a Pokemon. However, if he unilaterally prohibited it without providing an explanation the people could understand, he risked garnering negative sentiments for no reason. It would be different if they outlawed it because people were exploiting or abusing Pokemon, but that wasn't the case at that exact moment. People hated being prohibited from things just because someone else decided it was bad, so while she felt a little sorry for pressuring Leon, Mordred knew the people had to first fuck things up before they would have the pretense to implement the laws and restrictions he desired...

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