88 The Beginning Of The End [2/2]

Still feeling a bit down, Sally had failed to notice where Max's fingers were now rubbing. He was done with her hips and had moved on to her thighs. Despite herself, the touch was turning her on slowly.

(Calm down, Sally! Calm down.) She told herself with closed eyes. (I have to respect that he doesn't want to. But… his touches feel so… Agh! Get a hold of yourself, Sally!)

Trying her best, Sally managed to calm herself down when Max moved on to a different part of her body.

(Phew. That was close.) She thought in relief.

For a minute, none spoke until Sally was fully calm.

{...I'm sure that you must have a lot on your mind after something like that.}

"Yes, but to be honest… it's not only that."

{What else happened? *Gasp* Oh my god… did someone else die too?} Sally asked, looking at Max with a very concerned expression.

"Nothing like that, I assure you. However, a few things occurred here and there and… I'm sorry. It's so complicated, you wouldn't understand."

{...I… yeah, probably.}

With her ears dropping down again, Max quickly realized how hurtful that comment must have been with the way he phrased it.

"I didn't mean like that, Sally. I'm sorry. You're very smart, but what I meant is that it might be too boring."

{When it's about you, nothing's boring, especially when it's about what makes you sad.}

"...Hehe. Aren't you just the cutest little fire bunny ever." He praised with a smile, petting her. "See? That's how messy my head is. I can't even express myself properly."

{It's okay, Max. You still express yourself better than me.} Sally replied, all cheered up.

"...The truth is… that I've been questioning myself a lot lately."

{About what? Maybe I can help answer.} She kindly proposed.

"Haha." Max laughed lightly at Sally's cute simple mind. "I don't know, Sally, the ones I have aren't easy to solve."

{We won't know unless we try.}

"Hehe, true. Lately, I've been asking myself what I should do with my life. Since I gave up the idea of becoming a trainer, I'm kind of stuck with no ambition."

{You… don't want to be a pokemon trainer anymore?} Sally repeated, not sure if she heard right.

"Kind of."

{But… you told me you really wanted to be one.}

"I know, but wanting to do something and having the skills to do it right are two different things. I simply don't have what it takes to be a good trainer."

{How can you say that? Bonny and the others were overfilled with joy being with you.}

"That's not the point. I'm still with them, I just put a stop to something that was constantly exposing them to danger."

{No, that is not the point. Surely being all together is what matters most.}

"That just takes us back to square one. Yes, we are together, but is being where we are now really that important?"

{I... guess not, but…}

"I'm sorry, Sally. It's for the best." Max apologized before a silence settled.

{...I believed in you…}

"Sally…"

{You were so set on becoming a great pokemon trainer someday. Not the best in the world, sure, but you would have been happy with just being a really good one. I actually believed that you could succeed.}

"...I did convince myself that I could, back then. But as you can guess, that was before reality slapped me across the face with the death of a pokemon that I was supposed to take care of."

At that, Sally didn't have another argument, as Max's last statement was rather compelling.

{How could you just give up? You're such a good human.}

"I get that a lot. But unfortunately, being so nice just isn't good enough. That's why I'm training with Mad-Ji, to at least be less of a dead weight. And even with that, Mad-Ji made me understand that I am nothing but a lost cause."

{Who is Mad-Ji?}

"A mean but strong military gardevoir who is temporarily living here. She agreed to train all of us, but only because it can make her task of protecting this household easier."

{I… see. But… Why would you be a lost cause? For a human, you're pretty strong.}

"But I'm still a human, Sally. It's impossible for me to achieve the same level of strength as a pokemon. For the rest of my life, I'm condemned to be protected by stronger beings against even stronger beings. It's like being in a pack of animals, and I'm the weak link slowing everyone down because I can't do anything on my own."

{You know that's not true. You are strong.}

"Really? So you're saying that I could beat you in a real fight?"

{Why would you want to fight me for real?}

"That's not important. I'm just asking if-"

{Yes, it is important.} Sally cut. {Why do you care so much about power and strength? You can do much more than just that. I saw how nice and skillful you could be at times when we were back at Togetheart.}

"So what? You're saying that you would rather be with someone that is 'too kind' instead of someone strong who can actually back you up when you're in trouble?"

{Yes! Of course, I would!} Sally replied, looking at Max as if he just said the stupidest thing ever. {Why would you think otherwise?}

"I…"

{And I can count on you if I'm in trouble. Would you help me if I was?}

"If I could, then yes."

{See? That's an easy question.}

"Even if my reliability is limited to me just being a human?"

{Of course. I know humans have limits, but we pokemon can't have it all either, you know?}

"...You don't see us as… inferior beings?"

{No.} Sally simply answered without hesitation.

"I…"

{You may not be as strong as pokemon are, but you're good with so many other things. Take me for example…} She proudly said with one raised finger. {I know I'm not as smart as many others, but I've learned to accept it and go with what I'm actually good at.}

"You did?"

{Well, it wasn't always the case, but… you kind of helped me understand that.} She replied a bit shyly.

"I-I did?"

{Y-Yes. You made me realize that I'm pretty good at making you laugh and… pleasing a human male, I guess.} She said, blushing.

"...Ah. You're a riot, sometimes."

{What? I'm just being honest. I still wish I was smarter, but since I am what I am, I have to figure out what else I can do to help others.}

Suddenly, a realization hit Max like a lightning bolt.

"...Wow. I'm gonna be honest, I've never been so wrong in my entire life as I've been during these past few months."

{How so?}

Instead of an answer, Sally felt herself being tightly hugged from behind.

{Is… s-something w-wrong?} She asked a bit nervously.

"Nothing's wrong, Sally. You've just helped me open my eyes is all."

{I… I did?} She asked, now slightly confused.

"Being highly intelligent isn't that great, you know. Sometimes, you spend so much time on complex stuff that you forget all about the basics. Something that someone like you would never forget. Thanks, Sally."

{I… O-Okay. It's… you're welcome… I guess, hehe.} Sally replied, not sure of what to say or how to react.

The hug lasted almost for a minute, with what Sally quickly got used to and even got a little bit sad when Max broke the hug.

"You say you're not smart, but look at me. The dumbest human you've ever met." Max said, rubbing his eyes.

{It's not true.} Sally contested, turning to face him. {You're smart. I've once heard about how smart people have it the hardest, as their intellect is used against them sometimes.}

"That would be correct. However, I personally think that those stuck in that middle ground have it the worst. Too smart for one side, and too dumb for the other."

{Then I guess those are the ones that are really great with their hands.}

With Max raising an eyebrow, Sally realized the innuendo she just made.

{S-Sorry. I didn't mean it that way.} She said, looking away.

"Haha. Sex jokes are the best, right?"

{Hehe. Yeah.} Sally confirmed before both of them laughed lightly together.

"...Well, you should be all cleaned up now."

{I guess. I've been here for a while now.} She said, standing up.

At the sight of Sally's wet fur molding into her fit body, Max blushed slightly before turning around to grab a towel. Turning back to her, Sally was already dripping on the carpet next to the bathtub.

"Here you go," Max said, handing it over without looking at her much.

{Thanks.} She replied while grabbing it, not noticing his perversion.

Amusingly, Sally had trouble drying herself up with the towel, as she was constantly dropping it.

{Ghra. Stupid towel.} Sally silently cursed.

With a smile, Max went over to help her.

"Need a hand?" He said, grabbing the towel on the ground before the cinderace.

{Y-Yeah. T-Thanks.}

Again, as soon as Max began rubbing her with the towel, she started to get turned on, but to a lesser extent. The thought of knowing that it was him touching her was enough to set her heart ablaze. Now on his knees, Max began rubbing her legs. Then, as he was patting between her inner thighs, the towel brushed higher and grabbed something sticky along the way. Noticing the small strand, Max looked at Sally with a raised eyebrow.

{S-Sorry. Y-You didn't see anything.} She stammered while hiding her privates with her small paws.

"It's been a long time since last time, huh?" He said, resuming but lower.

{Well… since you left, actually.}

"You didn't get frisky with anyone else?"

{No.}

"Not even on your own?"

{...Maybe… just once.}

"Damn. I'm sorry to hear that."

{It's not the same when it's not you. And since I couldn't think of anyone else besides you…}

"I… see."

{But don't worry, it's fine. I know you have a lot on your mind, so just ignore that.}

"Kinda hard to do so. You're pretty much in pain because of me."

{It's alright, I'll manage.}

"Now that I think about it, some of the girls might be in the same situation as you. Mad-Ji was right: I am selfish. She was right about everything, actually."

{I'm sure that they understand.}

"Well, in any case, I doubt that they are moodier than me. Jade's death pretty much broke all of us in one way or another. I doubt sex is their top priority right now." Max said, standing up now that he was done with Sally.

{That would be understandable.}

"...Well then…" Max started, looking at Sally after tossing the towel in a nearby basket. "Aren't you just the cutest cinderace now."

Besides her fur being slightly puffier, Sally was now back to her usual clean self, her red and white fur sparkling once more.

{Thanks, Max. It's been a while since I was this clean.} She said after a quick inspection of herself.

"Glad to have been of some kind of assistance. So, I guess that after announcing your arrival to Helene, I should probably give you a tour of the place."

{That would be nice, but…}

"But what?"

{I…} She started shyly. {I don't know if I should stay.}

"Why not?"

{I… kind of didn't arrive at a good time. You have better things to worry about and… since you don't want to be a trainer anymore, you don't really need me.}

"What are you talking about? We can't kick you out now that you've left your home. We gotta welcome you into ours, which will be this place for the moment."

{But… I kinda arrived like a hair on soup…}

"So? If it's one of your hairs, I wouldn't mind."

{...I don't know.} She said, grabbing one of her arms. {I don't feel very comfortable embedding myself into all this. I feel like it's none of my business.}

"Well, if you ask me, maybe someone like you is just what we need here."

{What? How so?}

"You have this strange ability to make everyone around you smile. If you're here, you could be a big boost of morale for the girls."

{I… you think so?}

"Hundred percent."

{Well…} Sally replied, looking away. {I… don't really have anywhere else to go, so…}

"What about Togetheart? They wouldn't take you in if you went back?"

{I don't know. Maybe, but the place where I was living would likely have been cleared out. Going back would mean spending time finding a new place to sleep.}

"Good point. You really jumped the gun on this one, didn't you? You must have really, really wanted to be with us."

{I still do! That's why I risked being homeless afterward. You guys were so worth the risk.}

"Eh. The least we can say is that you love me for real."

{I do! You were my first ever boyfriend, and still are! Some say that love is the strongest force in the universe, but also the most unstable.}

"Yeah. It doesn't happen often that the first relationship lasts forever."

{I don't know about the relationship itself, but my love for you will stay forever, no matter what happens.}

"Even if I suddenly become the meanest human ever?"

{That will never happen, but even then, yeah.}

For a moment, Max stared at Sally before chuckling.

"I gotta say, you sure are something, Sally," Max said, sitting on the ground with his back resting against the bathroom sink furniture.

{Why? Because I trust you?} Sally asked, doing the same next to him.

"Partly, yes."

{I wonder why. It's not that difficult.}

"For most people, it is."

Neither spoke for about a minute, with Max staring at the wall and Sally at the ground, occasionally looking at him.

"So what do you think I should do?"

{About what?}

"About me. I'm a complete mess and I'm totally lost. I asked Mad-Ji to train me, in hopes of being somewhat of a guardian for the girls, but now I realize how stupid it was. You say I should give up on that and everyone else says that I should go along with whatever I can do best, but I don't know what that is. For the longest time, I thought training to get stronger was the only thing I was really good at. I still mostly think that, but since the motivation for why I want to is ridiculous, I don't know what to do."

{Well… you could still try to keep training. For yourself.}

"Ah. Mad-Ji would agree with you because that's what she said earlier. Can you believe it? I don't even know Bonny's favorite color."

{It's green. She told me once.}

"See? And what about you? You love me and all, but I don't know much about you, either."

{Well, you never asked.}

"Exactly my point. In the end, I just care about myself."

{...We are together now, aren't we? Why don't we start now? I'll go first, my favorite color is purple.}

"Isn't it a bit too late?"

{It's never too late to learn new things about the people you love.} Sally assured him with a smile.

"Seriously? After all that time, we spent together, you don't mind that I've waited until now to get to know you better?"

{Well… to me, knowing my favorite color won't change what's between us, so…}

"That's not really the point. Getting to know others and taking interest in their passions or whatever are the building blocks of all relationships. How can I expect to please you if I know nothing about you?"

{It… would be hard, I guess.} Sally conceded, not smiling anymore.

"Do you understand, now?"

{Well... just ask me, then. As far as I know, I didn't ask much about you either.}

"Well… I told you about me a few times…"

{I meant things that I didn't ask. Tell you what, before leaving, how about we spend a little time together and get to know each other better?}

"Right now? In the bathroom?"

{Why not? There is no distinct time or place needed to ask each other questions, right?}

"I… suppose."

{I'll start off. What's your favorite color?} Sally started enthusiastically.

"*Sigh* I would say black, but everyone is busting my balls by telling me that it's not a color, so I'll go with garnet."

{That's cool. Your turn.}

"Well, I already know yours now, so I guess I'll go with this; what is the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?"

{The most… Why would you want to know that?} Sally asked, embarrassed.

"To know you. I'll tell you mine afterward."

{Oh god. What have I got myself into?} The cinderace complained, hiding her face.

"Come on. What you say stays between us."

{No. It's way too embarrassing.}

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad."

{Yes, it is.}

"Fine. Something else then. Oh, I got it. From all the pokemon you know so far, which do you think is the coolest?"

{The coolest pokemon? Well… it's a bit embarrassing, but…}

"Go ahead. I won't judge."

{Well… you know… the one that looks like a cat and walks on two legs, red and black?}

"Hmm…" Max pondered. "Is it fire-type?"

{I think so. They have a belt made of fire on their waist, so…}

"Oh, Incineroar. The wrestling fire cat pokemon."

{Yeah, I think that's it.}

"You like them?"

{Well… they're tall and look powerful, but the way they fight is so cool.}

"I feel you there. I like them as well. They can be brutal as they are docile, depending on the situation. The way they fight is spectacular, I'll give you that."

{I wish I could be that strong.}

"Well, if you were to follow the same training as the girls, you could reach that level of power."

{Y-You think?}

"With how hard they train, it's very possible. And who knows, if we ever meet one, maybe they'll be attracted to you." Max teased with a gentle elbow hit.

{D-Don't be ridiculous!} Sally protested, looking away with a blush. {No way that's ever gonna happen.}

She then looked in front of her, more composed.

{Beside, it's you who I love. The only one who was willing to show love to me that no one else would. No one deserves me better than you.}

"Oh, that's a pretty bold statement there. I like that." Max praised, petting her. "But you know that… I, myself, am not that… loyal… so…"

{You're not?} She asked, looking at him confusingly.

"Well, technically, I am, but… I guess the word would be polyamorous. So it wouldn't be fair for you to only go with me while I don't let you go with anyone else."

{And if that's what I want?}

"Then… It's your choice, I guess. Just remember that you wouldn't be shackled to me, so feel free to do whatever you want."

{Really?}

"Yes. Especially if it's your own species. I can't go against nature, can I?"

{Why are you saying it like that, then?}

"What do you mean?"

{By your tone, it's like you wouldn't like that at all.}

"Well… I can't say it would fill me to the brim with joy, but I wouldn't get mad either. That would be hypocritical of me, right?"

Sally then inspected his face while he was speaking. His face wasn't really matching his words, but she didn't want to falsely accuse him of something she wasn't sure of.

{...Okay. Well, moving on, what's your favorite pokemon?} She asked, changing the subject.

"Hmm… I have two, actually. In terms of coolness, I would go with ferrothorn and golurk. I also like chesnaughts a lot, too. But my go-to choice would be golurk."

{I know about chesnaught, but never heard of the other two.}

"Well, the first one is like an epic mix of a plant, urchin, and a cannonball. The second one is a big ghost golem, who is known to lose control of themselves if their seals are removed, which is actually pretty strange. Despite their metallic appearance, their typing is ghost and ground. I'll show you their pokedex entry someday."

{That would be cool. What else do you want to know about me?

"Well, let's see…" Max pondered.

For almost an hour, both of them conversed with each other without end, getting to know each other.

{No way, you actually did that?} Sally exclaimed.

"I'm not proud of it, I can assure you that. But what's done is done. I can't really go back in time."

{It's… well, it's kinda cool, in a sense. I wish I could be that brave.}

"Not sure you want that. My 'bravery' gets me into trouble sometimes."

{Yeah. For me, it's only being clumsy.}

"Clumsiness is quite cute, actually. Well then…" Max said, standing up. "It's getting kind of late. I hope we didn't miss dinner."

{I'm sorry if we did because of me.}

"Don't worry. If anything, I could try to cook a little something for you."

{That… would be nice. I'm sure it would taste wonderful, just because it's made by you.} She said with a warm smile.

"Heh. You sure are the honest type." Max said while getting to the door, opening and holding it for Sally.

{Why would I lie? I'm sure your food is amazing.}

"...My food…" Max mumbled after Sally passed.

Conveniently, Helene happened to pass in the hallway they were in.

"Oh, Max. I was just looking for you." She said when she noticed him.

"Sorry. I kind of lost track of time talking with Sally. By the way, she's-"

"A new arrival and friend of yours, I already know."

"How?"

"Scarlet told me."

"Huh, figures. How nice of her."

"I just wanted to tell you that there are some leftovers in the fridge in case you were hungry."

"We missed dinner? Crap."

{Sorry, Max.} Sally apologized with her ears down.

"Don't be. It was worth it." He assured, rubbing her head affectionately, cheering her up. "Do you mind if she stays?"

"Not at all. Though, I don't have any more spare beds. We'll have to shop for one tomorrow."

"It's okay. I'm sure she won't mind sleeping with me tonight." He said, looking at the cinderace, who shook her head fervently.

"Good. If we don't see each other this evening, I wish you a good night."

"Yeah. Same, Helene."

With a warm smile, she left them.

"Well, let's go get you something to eat."

{Don't forget about yourself!}

"I won't." He said before heading towards the kitchen.

Quickly, they were joined by Scarlet.

{How did it go? From how you feel, it went smoothly.} She asked.

"Pretty much, yeah. Sally…" Max started, looking at the cinderace, who did the same. "Helped me open my eyes about a few things."

{...That's nice.} Scarlet replied, sounding ever so slightly upset.

"What is it, love?"

{Oh, nothing really. I just wished that what I said the other day could have helped you do the same.}

"It did, Scarlet. You've been a massive help to me since we first met, actually. What's the problem with letting someone else take over from time to time?"

{Nothing, I guess.} She said, not sounding a lot happier.

Max then looked at Sally once again, who was looking a bit guilty.

"Don't worry, Sally. That's just Scarlet being Scarlet. She's way too overprotective and wishes to be my guardian angel that shields me from everything."

{Shut up.} Scarlet told him, causing Sally to giggle a bit.

"But we can't hate her for that." He said, gently brushing a finger across her closest arm. "Both as a pokemon companion and a mate, she's over the top."

Max then placed his hand next to his mouth and whispered loudly to Sally.

"I'll tell you a secret, I really hit the jackpot with her. There is no gardevoir in the world that could be more perfect than her."

{I heard that.} The red gardevoir said, crossed arms and madly blushing, making Sally giggle even more.

"Anyway, how are the others doing?"

{They're fine, but today's training really drained them up. They went straight to bed after dinner.}

"What about you? How are you holding up?"

{Tired as well, but I'm more used to exhaustion than them apparently. I'll probably go to bed when you do as well.}

"After a quick bite, I'll probably have a quick shower before crashing. That reminds me; I don't think you guys need me to train with Mad-Ji anymore."

{Why's that?}

"Remember what she told us? She agreed to train all of you if I participate as well. However, later this evening, she told me that it was just another test. To see how I deal with unfairness."

{...Okay.}

"So from now on, I won't have to train with you and she will personally train me in the evening after you guys. So in short, you guys aren't tied to the deal anymore."

{I see.}

"You did that only because you wanted her to leave me alone, right?"

{... Something like that.}

"Something on your mind?" Max asked, noticing her lack of enthusiasm.

Scarlet then stopped, with what the other two followed.

{At first, I did want her to stop, but…}

While speaking, Scarlet grabbed one of her arms and grasped it very tightly, as if she was containing a big amount of anger.

"Scarlet?"

{...I have to face it. I'm not strong enough, physically and mentally. If I can't handle seeing you so much as stub your toe without overreacting, how can I even protect you or the others properly? Mad-Ji was right; I am a disgrace.}

"No, Scarlet, you're not," Max assured, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You're one of the strongest pokemon I've ever met."

{Yet, it's not enough.} She retorted a bit aggressively. {I got caught by Qsalyla and Mad-Ji played with me and treated me like some sort of toy. It pains me a lot to say this… but… if I want to get strong, I have to train under Mad-Ji. As it stands, she's the only one who can make me strong enough to properly keep you and everyone safe.}

"Scarlet…"

{So yeah, that's that.} She concluded, looking away.

Sighing, Max pulled her into a hug.

"That's why I wanted to get stronger as well. I wanted to be less of a burden to you girls so you would worry less about that kind of stuff."

{You're not a burden, Max. I… fell in love with you knowing all too well how fragile a human can be. I would stress less about your safety if you were able to look after yourself, but… no one is ever immune to danger. It is a pokemon's duty to keep their trainer safe and alive, after all.}

"Now, hold on. You're much more than just bodyguards, you know." Max pointed out.

{I know, but it doesn't change much, now does it? Humans survive with their intellect, tools, and technology while we do with our natural strength and abilities. When a human challenges us to battle without anything that is supposed to keep him alive, they're at our mercy. That's why we are here. To keep those like you, worthy of being protected, alive.}

"...You know, I don't know if I should be impressed or scared by your ability to hide what's bugging you."

{We haven't known each other for a very long time now. I love you more than anything, but I still haven't completely adapted yet. 'Old habits die hard,' as you humans say. I'm not really doing this on purpose.}

"It's okay, Scarlet. It's the same for me."

{With that being said, I just wanted to say that I'll probably keep training with Mad-Ji. I hate her, but she's stronger than me. If bowing to someone ensures your safety and well-being, then so be it.}

Scarlet's devotion to him never ceased to impress Max. Every time he thought he knew everything about her, something new showed up to prove him wrong. She was so willing to give up her own self-worth for his sake that it was almost scary. Whether you're on her good or bad side, saying that she was extreme cuts both ways.

"Are you sure about this? I know how much you hate your own species and even more so being dominated by one of them."

{Yes, I'm sure.} Scarlet sincerely answered.

Both of them then stared at each other for a moment, eye to eye.

"*Sigh* It's not like I could stop you anyway," Max said, resuming his walk towards the kitchen.

{I've already made up my mind, so no.}

{I'll do my best too.} Sally agreed.

"Seriously, what the hell did I do to deserve friends like you?"

{Being yourself. Even if you're more of a mix between a nice guy and a jerk.} Scarlet said.

"Phafaha!" Max laughed. "Not even trying to embellish reality a little."

{You know me, master. I hate lying.}

"Like a lot of us. Am I really such a jerk, though?"

{Sometimes, yes. But luckily for you, it's more or less despite yourself, so it's not that bad. What you do for us compensates largely for that.}

"Yeah. I'm sorry for all those times I was, then."

{You should also apologize in advance, too.} Scarlet nagged a little.

"Now you're just being a bully." Max jested.

{Maybe.} She replied nonchalantly.

"Jeez, you're such an asshole." Max accused, gently slapping Scarlet's modest butt.

{Don't try to set me ablaze, or else you won't be getting any sleep tonight.} She threatened with lustful eyes.

"Haha. You're crazy enough to make that happen."

{Trust me, I can always be a little bit more.}

"I know." Max retorted with a smile.

Shortly, they finally arrived at the kitchen, where Max immediately went towards the fridge with Sally. Behind, Scarlet rested her elbows on the nearest counter and held her head with one hand, staring at them.

{They had pasta for everyone to enjoy.} Scarlet informed.

"Nice. This must be it." He said, taking out a huge black pot to put it on the counter.

"Smells nice," Max commented after opening the cover.

The pasta was a mixture of spaghetti with a creamy pinkish sauce all over it and topped with a few other edibles he didn't know about. After serving two portions and blasting them in the microwave, both Max and Sally dug in.

"Hmm! That's very nice." Max commented after one bite.

{It is!} Sally agreed.

{If someone in the group knew how to cook, you could eat things like that every day, even in the wilderness.} Scarlet mentioned.

"Isn't Dusk still learning how to do that?"

{She is, but she still has a long way to go before reaching that level.}

"I see that everyone is doing their part."

{They're all trying to find their place in this life I guess. Now that you don't want to be a trainer anymore, they are a bit lost.}

With a low sigh, Max took one bite and laid his back on the nearest counter, going thoughtful.

{...What's wrong?} Scarlet asked.

"Ever since I made that announcement, I've been second-guessing everything I've ever done, but…"

Scarlet noticed that he seemed to struggle to speak his mind but respectfully waited for him to do it on his own.

"Maybe… I should be the one doing all this stuff."

{What stuff?} Scarlet repeated, a bit confused.

"You know. Cooking, grooming, and such. I…"

Max then rubbed his face before keeping one hand over his face.

"I can't be a 'muscle' asset to the team, but maybe I can be everything else."

{I'm… not sure I follow.}

"I'm… rethinking about that trainer stuff. Maybe… it was too much of a precipitous decision to give up."

{You're… serious?} Scarlet inquired, raising her head from her hands.

"Kind of. Just look at all of you. I don't mean this to be rude or disrespectful, but everyone's been a complete mess lately."

{At least.} Scarlet commented, rolling her eyes.

"I meant to say that because of me, you girls don't have anything to strive for anymore. They mostly stuck with me for the thrills of battling, but now that I've stopped being a trainer, they don't have much to do anymore. A pokemon's life is rather simple; either they stay in the wilderness and live with their kind before starting a family, or they go with a trainer and become battle champions."

{What makes you say that?} Scarlet asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No offense, but I personally don't see you working in an office for an insurance company or Bonny as a saleswoman. There might be some jobs for everyone in the workforce like construction or in a factory, but that's pretty much it. I don't like seeing them like that and I want to give them something they can enjoy doing. Maybe Dusk can be a chef if she wanted to, but there's no way I'm letting her work as a personal furnace."

{Okay… That makes sense. So you basically want to get back into the swing of things, just like that?} The gardevoir questioned with crossed arms.

"No, not right away. This time, I'm gonna make sure I'm properly prepared. I don't know how much time it would take, but I want to offer you girls the best I can do. And for that, there are some skills and knowledge I need to gather before doing so."

{What kind of skills are you gonna work on?}

"Everything."

{Say that again?} Scarlet asked, not sure if she heard well.

"Everything I can hope for. Cooking, battle theory, absolute knowledge about all of you and even all the pokemon…" Max enumerated with his fingers. "Hell, I think I'll take lessons from a professional masseuse for when you girls are exhausted or all cramped up."

{Whoa, whoa! Slow down!} Scarlet interrupted him. {Aren't you thinking a little too far, right now?}

"What? You don't believe in me?"

{No. That's not it at all. I'm only wondering if you know what you're getting yourself into. All of that you're looking to achieve would take years.}

"I know, and I'm willing to do what it takes, even if it means starting over again at thirty or forty years old."

{Seriously? It's not that I'll mind much since I'll just go with the flow as long as I'm with you, but what about the others? Sure they're loyal, but not even they are willing to wait that long.}

"I… you may have a point."

{But what do I know? Maybe they are. The best thing to do would be to ask them directly.}

"Indeed, but… then let's try to set a deadline, then."

{A deadline?} Scarlet repeated.

"It's when you-"

{I know what it is.} Scarlet cut. {But why? You're not seriously thinking about condensing years of know-how in a couple of months, do you?}

"Why not?"

{Are you crazy? You're gonna die of exhaustion way before you achieve that.}

"Nice to see how much you believe in me."

{It doesn't have anything to do with that. I'm not sure you understand what it really implies.}

"I do. I just have to work extra hard, like you did when reading all those books."

{Come on, Max, this is insane. Yes, it may be possible and even easy for a psychic-type like me, but a human…}

"Just like you, I already made my decision anyway."

{You… ghaa. Stubborn as a Mudbray.}

"What?"

{It's impossible, Max, and you're not even aware of that. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see you so enthusiastic again, but I'm afraid you're going this way too quickly.}

"I… maybe," Max said, finally realizing how absurd it sounded. "How about between one and three years, then?"

{That's… more reasonable I guess.} Scarlet conceded.

"Then we finally reached an agreement."

{But it still means you'll have to spend most of your days studying or practicing or whatever else that finishes with 'ing'.}

"It will be for the best, Love. I promise that I'll set time aside for you as well."

{*Sigh* Bloody hell. I can't believe I'm about to go along with this.} She said, dropping her head on the counter. {You're gonna exert yourself into a coma, you know that?}

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but it's either that or crying over my future for the rest of my life."

{Can there just be a solid middle ground?} She asked, raising her head back.

"I'm afraid not," Max assured, making Scarlet sigh loudly again. "I'm just like you, Love. Either go big or go home."

{That's what scares me. If you're like me that much, you won't know when to stop.}

"Then I'm counting on you to keep me in line if I do."

Looking away, Scarlet heavily considered his proposition. Every little pro she could come up with had a con to match it, putting her into a big dilemma. It was not about stopping him, as she would never do that, but more about how she could live with it more easily.

{Honestly, when you move, you immediately kick it into high gear. Don't even take it slow at first.} She mentioned, with her hand behind her head, holding her hair.

"It's not like it hasn't happened plenty of times."

{A few times too much when it's about you if you ask me.}

"I know how I am, Scarlet, but… I'll say this once and for all: You girls have been and always will be my sole reason to live. I want what's best for you. If it means working my ass off for two or three years non-stop, I'll fucking do it. You girls deserve the best treatment and care, which I can only provide if I take the time to hone my skills to do so."

{God you're not making this easy.} Scarlet complained.

"Sorry, but that's how it must be. I love all of you to death, and you can guarantee that I'll treat you like princesses even when on the road. I want to make others jealous with how happy and comfortable you'll be with me."

{Okay, I get it. Can you shut up for a second now?} Scarlet inquired. {Can't even hear myself think anymore.}

"What is there to think about? Why should you always be the only one who pulls off the unthinkable? I have guts too, you know."

{That's not the point. It's just that I'm worried about you.}

"Why?"

{Because… I don't want you to push yourself too hard. You're still so young for a human, I don't want your life span to be reduced for our sake.}

"Don't exaggerate now."

{I'm not. I…}

For a moment, Scarlet didn't know what to say or how to react anymore.

"Look, I know you're worried sick about me and that I'm jumping the gun right now. I promise that I won't try to do the impossible."

{I… I know I shouldn't get like this. If it goes well, we'll continue our journey, but… part of me… doesn't want that.} She confessed, looking away in shame.

"I really appreciate the honesty, Scarlet, but why would you not want that?"

{Because not only will I not see much of you if you work all day long, but I was finally starting to see the bright side of staying in this cozy mansion. Here, I can rest easy, knowing that you are safe.}

Sighing softly, Max went to pull Scarlet into a hug.

"I consider myself very lucky to have such a protective and devoted pokemon like you with me."

{I just love you so much!} She said, tightly hugging him back.

"I know, and so do I. But Scarlet…" He said, breaking the hug and gently pushing her away. "You can't keep being so scared for my safety just so you can be by my side. You can't always watch over and shield me from any and all danger forever."

{I can still try.}

"Living in fear of death isn't actually living, Scarlet. I feel the same way. I can't even imagine the pain, sorrow, and agony I would be in if I ever lost you. I probably won't be able to recover from that trauma for the rest of my life. But you know what, Scarlet? I still try my best to have these kinds of moments with you despite that fear. Because if life tears us apart, I'll still have those memories of us to help me carry on in life. Memories I won't be able to create if I'm constantly scared to make more. See the paradox here?"

{But… you're so precious and exceptional. If I lose you, it might as well be the end of the world.} She said, starting to cry.

"I understand that perfectly. But, Scarlet… What I'm doing, it's to prevent that as much as possible. Learning how to defend myself against anything whilst acquiring a large amount of knowledge of this world should increase my chances at survival, right?"

{*sniff*… R-Right.} She admitted, wiping her tears away.

"Then that should allow you to live a little for yourself without constantly having to worry about me. I don't know if this applies to gardevoirs or if it's just a human thing, but you talked about your species' life span before, and if you keep this up, you're gonna end up with white hair way before me."

For a moment, Scarlet didn't speak and kept wiping her eyes of any tears. When she was finished, she held her arms together and stared blankly before her, nearby Max.

{...I supposed it's not that bad of an idea.} She finally conceded.

"Thank you, Scarlet."

{But I have only one condition.}

"Not overdoing it?"

{Exactly.}

"Sure thing, Scarlet. I want you to have the best of me, not my corpse."

{...Alright, then. I guess I'll keep hitting the books back at the library.}

"Sounds good. We're gonna be very smart bookworms." Max said with a smile.

{No way you'll surpass me in intellect.} Scarlet jested.

"Probably. Keep the brains and I'll be the brawn."

{Hmm… Nah, I'll stick with both. You just keep bringing the water.}

"How petty of you."

{Hehe.} Scarlet giggled.

"Glad we came to an agreement."

{I am curious though. How did you come up with something like that on the spot?}

"I didn't. I've been constantly thinking about this these past couple of days. I guess what happened was that you, the girls, Mad-Ji, Phanny, and surprisingly Vicky, helped me to realize how wrong I was and what I should do about it. Though, you two are the ones that helped me solve the last pieces of the puzzle."

{Hooray for us!} Sally cheered.

"Indeed," Max replied, caressing her head.

{I guess you finally managed to overcome your depression.}

"I'm still very affected by everything that's happened. I admit that my past resurging didn't help either. I'm still sad and angry, but you made me realize that if I want things to change, then I should start now and put in a little elbow grease. Every day, the remainder of me always being able to count on you shook and revitalized me a little. I can't say I'll start enjoying life yet, but… you definitely made me able to appreciate it again."

{Oh, master…} Scarlet said, hugging him again. {I hope that someday I'll make you love it. Thanks to you, I'll also appreciate life too, even if only a little. At least I'm very grateful for putting you in my path. To think that it all started because I was thirsty that day.}

"Haha! We both were. What are the chances that two different beings are thirsty at the same time?" He laughed, stroking her hair.

{Not that low, actually.}

"Nice going, Scarlet. You ruined the moment." Max jested.

{Sorry.} She said, breaking the hug. {My intellect sometimes plays against me.}

"Yeah. That's Professor Scarlet for you."

{So, what's the plan?}

"I don't know yet. I'll have to sleep on it and think about it in the morning. Since I won't have anything to do throughout the day, I'll start looking for the possibilities. Cooking and massaging is nice and all, but I'm confident that I can do more."

{Good luck with that, then. I'll try to think of some things on my end.}

"Awesome. Thanks, Scarlet."

{Don't mention it. *Yawn* Speaking of sleep, I think it's time for me to turn in for the night.}

"Yeah. I'm getting a bit tired myself."

{Since Sally will be sleeping with you, I'll leave you two alone.}

"Right. Thanks, Love."

{Don't stay up too long. You have a big day tomorrow, and you need your rest.}

"Indeed.

{See you tomorrow, then.}

"Yeah. Good night."

{You too.} She said with a smile before disappearing.

"Well, I guess the tour will wait until tomorrow along with telling the others you're back," Max said to Sally.

{That's alright. I'm a little bit tired too, so I don't mind only seeing the bedroom, hehe.}

With a smile, Max left the kitchen and led Sally to his bedroom. Once they were inside, Max closed and locked the door behind him.

{Whoa! It's so big here!} Sally exclaimed, impressed by the bedroom.

"Isn't it? I had that same face when I saw it for the first time."

{It's the complete opposite of my old room.}

"Yeah, I remember it. If you ask me, you made a good trade-off."

{I wonder how the bed is.}

"Go ahead and try it."

With a smile, Sally ran towards the bed and jumped on it.

{Oh my god! This is so comfy. It feels like I'm sleeping on a cloud.} She said, lying on her back with her four limbs all stretched out.

"Glad to hear," Max said while starting to undress.

Hearing him, Sally sat up on the bed and watched him, liking what she was seeing.

{Oh yeah. Gotta get comfortable first.}

Sally knew that he slept in his underwear. However, she started to get confused when he pulled them down as well.

{O-Oh. Y-You sleep naked now?} Sally asked, looking away.

"Well, not really."

Looking back at him to get a quick glance at his naked figure, she almost jumped when she saw him standing over her. Before she could even wonder what he was doing, he pushed her on her back and got on top of her.

{M-Max. W-What are you d-doing?} She asked, getting awfully nervous and embarrassed.

"I don't know. Do you want to guess?"

{I uhh… umm…} She stammered, looking away. {Y-you… I-I don't…}

"Here's a hint." He said before pressing his lips against hers.

She was taken so much by surprise that she forgot to return the kiss. Just as she was about to do so, Max broke it.

"So? Did you guess?"

{I'm… you…}

"Do you want me to give you another hint?"

Max was about to kiss her again, but Sally stopped him.

{You… don't have to do this. You've said it yourself that you're not feeling into it, so I don't want to take advantage of that.}

"Sally, come on. How could you possibly take advantage of me if I'm the one over you?"

{I… don't… know… but…}

"Then it's okay."

{But… you didn't want to earlier and… I want to respect that.} She said, playing with her fingers.

"Now I want you, Sally. You've helped me so much in the past few hours you were here that I just couldn't sleep without thanking you properly."

{But… I… didn't do much.}

"You did more than you think, Sally." He assured her before managing to kiss her again.

She tried pushing him away again, but his kisses were rapidly turning her on. It has been a while since the last time they've made out, so it's understandable for her to get aroused so easily. Unable to find the strength to protest anymore and with her heart racing, she instead embraced what was given to her and returned the kiss. Sally's kisses were as passionate as the last time, and while fully welcoming his tongue into her mouth, Max put a hand on one of her thighs and rubbed it, sending a wave of pleasure through her body. Every second of sensual interaction she had with him was making her wetter with each passing second. She was so turned on that she was starting to wonder if she had already orgasmed with just kisses and bare touches. A few moments of tongue-wrestling later, Max pulled away from her and broke the kiss.

"I know how sexually tense you are, so I'm gonna relieve you a little."

When she saw him getting lower on her, her heart rate went through the roof.

(Oh no! He's gonna go there!)

When down, Max gave Sally's privates a gentle kiss.

{Sh-Shoot…} She cursed with her body tensing from the pleasure.

He gave a few more before sticking his tongue out and giving her womanhood a delicate lick from bottom to top.

{Oh no…} Sally moaned, grasping the sheet under her.

Like before, he repeated these motions a few more times before going on the next step. He then eagerly assaulted the cinderace's clit with his tongue.

{No… no… not… that.}

To no one's surprise, it only took a few licks before Sally reached her first orgasm. It was so strong that she even squirted on Max's face a little. After ten seconds of everlasting pleasure, Sally finally relaxed her body, feeling slightly exhausted.

"Feeling better?" Max asked with a lustful smile, now back to her face.

{I… yeah… thanks. The need… was killing me.}

"Great. Ready when you are, then."

{I… yeah. Go ahead.} She allowed him.

With a thankful smug, Max aligned himself and gently pushed inside the cinderace.

{Aaah!} She moaned ecstatically.

"Are you that eager to let the others know you're here?" Max teased.

{No… but… it feels… so good. Your… penis… I've missed it so much.}

"Wow. Have I created another pervert?"

{No… I'm… not… a pervert.}

"Really? We'll see about that."

With a moderate pace, Max began to thrust back and forth on the overly excited cinderace. She quickly had to put her cute little paws over her mouth to muffle her moans, and even then, she was still pretty vocal and audible. Too absorbed by Sally's insanely tight vagina, he didn't even take notice of the noise and rammed her.

{Yes! Yes!} She moaned under her paws. {Don't stop!}

"Damn, Sally. You are such a pervert. Oh, fuck!"

{I'm… not…} She said before her eyes went behind her skull.

"Shit! It's been a long time and… your pussy feels way too good. So tight and hot! I… can't… hold on…"

With one final thrust, Max almost literally exploded inside the cinderace, resenting one of the best orgasms he ever had, strong and everlasting. With powerful thrusts and filling her almost to the brim, he made Sally cum again as well, also experiencing an intense orgasm. A moment later, both were done and Max dropped next to Sally.

"*Phew* Wow. That was intense." Max commented.

{Yes. The first time with you was one of the best moments of my life.}

"Really? Was I that good?" Max half jested.

{Yes. I really love mating with you. I enjoy it a lot more than doing it myself.}

"Hehe, same here. Beating my meat doesn't even compare to a vagina crushing and milking you dry. It's simply the best."

{So you like mine?}

"Huh? What kind of question is that? Of course, I do. You have a good mix of tightness and high temperature."

{I'm glad to hear that.} She expressed.

Again, that kind of behavior made Max chuckle. Then, Sally sat up on her knees.

{Say, Max…}

"Hmm?"

{Do you think we… could… do it again?}

"Right now?"

{If you don't want to, it's fine. I'm satisfied anyway.}

"Sally… don't try to bullshit me. If you're asking for more, you're clearly not."

{I… didn't want to…}

"I'm okay with that, Sally. But, it's not really up to me to decide." He said, briefly looking at his soft penis.

{Oh, I know exactly what to do!} She assured him enthusiastically.

Rather quickly, Sally moved over Max's legs and stared at his manhood.

{I love doing this.}

Not wasting a second, she grabbed Max's dick and gave it a few licks before coiling her lips around it, gently and passionately sucking on it.

"Damn, Sally. You became so good at this." Max commented, immediately feeling aroused again.

Only looking at Max with prideful eyes, Sally kept giving Max a blowjob. With each second, she was getting slightly more aggressive and wanted to try to go further. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't able to reach the base yet due to body's her gag reflex, but it still didn't prevent her from trying anyway. She had just tried once again by pushing it as far as she could go before moving back up for air.

{*Gasp* Shoot. *Cough* I still can't do it.} She complained while pumping him.

"These sorts of things take time, Sally. Don't destroy your throat just to achieve that."

{But… I've heard that males like it when we swallow the entire thing.}

"And who told you that?"

At his question, Sally looked away shyly.

{Scarlet…} She mumbled.

"*Sigh* Why am I not surprised?" Max said, facepalming.

{I promise I'll be able to do it someday.}

"Don't push yourself. It's not like we're racing against time or anything."

{A-Anyway, I think this will be enough.} Sally mentioned, still pumping his rock-hard member.

"Ready when you are."

With a smile, Sally clumsily got on her knees and moved her hips above Max's shaft. With Max grabbing it and keeping it straight, Sally aligned herself and shoved the tip in. She then slowly moved down with a depraved look on her face until the whole thing was in and pushing against her womb.

{Yes! I love this position.}

"What don't you like?"

{Nothing. Mating is simply the best thing ever.}

"I… don't have many arguments against that." Max conceded.

{...Oh god…} She moaned after she moved up and down slowly. {Your penis… is inside me… and it's just… the best!}

Max knew that right after the first time she did it with him, she got addicted to it pretty fast, but unlike last time, his libido seemed to have gone up a notch. It's like each time she had sex her hunger for more had only increased. Dropping her small paws on Max's chest, the cinderace started moving her hips into a more steady pace. Even though she wasn't going fast yet, the sounds of their wet crotches slamming against each other were quietly resonating across the room. As if she wasn't able to control herself anymore, she suddenly went faster.

{Hah! Yes! Yes! I'm being mated… by a human… and I love it… I don't… want this to stop. Deeper… my love. Go deeper! Pound me harder!}

Max couldn't help but to find her 'dirty talk' cute and a bit funny, as well as extremely arousing. Add the lustful and sex-hungry face with her moans to the mix and you get a human desperately wanting to cum inside a horny cinderace. He then grabbed onto her hips and vigorously pulled her up and down.

{Oh god… I feel it coming… I can't… stop it! Finish inside, Max!} She moaned before biting her lips in ecstasy.

Again, it didn't take her very long for her to hit her third orgasm, especially when Max was hitting the good spot. Contracting her internal muscles for all their worth, Sally crushed Max's dick whilst going even faster, milking him to another orgasm as well.

{*Pant* *Pant* Oh god… that was… too much…} She said before dropping herself on Max.

"Damn that was good… you doing okay, there?"

{I'm fine, don't worry… just… a bit dizzy. Oh god. It's like… I was being carried to heaven.}

"Yeah. An orgasm after a long time of not having a good one can be pretty devastating."

{I've been mostly… holding up… for when I met you again.}

"Really? You went chaste for the sake of being mated by me?"

{Why, yes. Was it… wrong?}

"Eh, not really, but… I guess it's a good thing we got back together then. I wouldn't have liked the idea of you not having fun because of that."

{It's… not that appealing when… it's not you.}

"What do you mean?"

{I… I like mating, but… I don't know. When I think about doing it with someone else, it doesn't feel as satisfying. I don't even feel anything down there.}

"I see."

{Like I already said; You're the first to love me for the way I am, so you're the only one allowed to do so.}

"Haha. Damn you're so cute, Sally." He said, rubbing the back of her head.

{Hihi. Say, Max…} She started while sitting up, still plugged in. {Have you decided what you're gonna do yet?}

Taking a deep breath, Max looked at the ceiling.

"...I think I'll give being a pokemon trainer another shot."

{Really? That's awesome!} She exclaimed joyfully.

"But this time, I'm gonna take the time to be a proper one who's well-prepared. I didn't really get the chance when I got kicked out of the family house."

{Your dad is so mean.} Sally commented with a pouting face.

"Yeah, he's an asshole. Not like you." Max praised, gently and briefly caressing her cheeks, making her blush. "It may take a while, but I can assure you that this time, I'll be ready. We'll be ready."

{I'll help you as much as I can.}

"Thanks, Sally. I really appreciate that."

With one final kiss goodnight, Sally dropped herself back down on Max again for a hug. With Max returning it, they hugged until both fell asleep, ready to turn the page to start the next chapter of their lives.