“Are you sure they're going to reply today?" 

Rikiya was sitting on the flat ground in a corner of the large study, next to the vintage mahogany bookshelf holding countless books of accumulated knowledge about Pokémon gathered along the years. His eyes sported a concerned look as they followed my bodyframe circling around the large desk at a frantic pace, arms crossed behind my back. I barely acknowledged his question, fixated on the lit computer screen, before replying in a stressed tone:

“Yeah, I'm positive! The school said they'd get back to me by e-mail, but it's 15:00 and nothing yet! Ugh, the wait is unbearable!"

One of the institutions I had applied to with the help of Kouji was the Rustboro Pokémon Trainer Academy, south of the country, in the aquatic region of Hoenn. The curriculum seemed extremely well-rounded, and while it was a bit far away, it remained in the country, sparing me from the nerve-wracking paperwork that comes with studying abroad. Other academies were either already at full capacity or hadn't processed my application yet, and the academy had informed me at the time that they would give an answer today at the latest.

Which brings us to now, myself failing miserably to stay composed at the unexpected delay, under the worried gaze of my Dragonite boyfriend trying his best to reassure me:

“Don't worry, buddy, I'm sure you'll get accepted! You just have to be patient and not think too much about it!"

“I know, Rikiya…I know, but…I can't help but worry! What if I was too late? What if they're already full? What if my previous career had deterred them from accepting?"

Somehow, the reality of applying to schools and waiting for admission results had made me revert to my jittery self, just like I was during my last year of high school. Thoroughly engrossed in imaginary scenarios turning worse and worse, I didn't notice the large Pokémon sighing and standing, approaching me with resolute steps, before he stopped right in front of me:

“What if they lost my file? Or what if-"

But my tirade got immediately cut by the big arms taking hold of my body, lifting me up without warning, and I could only protest at the unavoidable result:

“Wait! No-no-no-no-nmphhhhh!!"

But it was fruitless, my mouth quickly silenced by the soft and comforting scales of his body, as he closed his embrace, pulling my legs up and hugging me against his chest like always, my will deflating with the reassuring strokes of his paw. I wrapped my own arms around his neck in surrender, the Dragonite huffing and stating with a neutral lecturing tone:

“You need to relax, buddy. You're way too tense and anxious about this."

“But Rikiyaaaaah!" I pleaded, my voice muffled by his neck..

“No 'buts'!" He chided firmly. “You will try to relax, and that's final!"

As he made for the living room, I balled my fist, lightly punching him on the side of his neck. Although we both knew this hadn't hurt him in the slightest, he let out a mock yelp:

“Ow! What was that for?"

“Meanie." I pouted. “You know that I get all meek and submissive in your arms…"

“And you know just as well that you're stressing for nothing." He argued back with just as much lightheartedness. “You need to let loose a bit and stop overthinking."

“Mmmkay…"

I relented, sinking my face further under his chin while he brought me to the kitchen, passing by Tetsuya, who was at the moment enthralled by a TV show and paying no interest to us. I felt the arm on his back move away to pick a fresh Persim berry in the basket, before showing it to me:

“Want a little snack?"

Despite not being hungry, I nodded, and he commanded:

“Alright then. Raise your head, buddy."

I diligently obeyed, as he gobbled the fruit with his large maw, munching and breaking it into little chunks, before bowing down towards me. My lips connected with his, and I felt his tongue push some of them delicately down my mouth, my oral cavity welcoming the offerings hungrily. A moan escaped, and he retreated, a broad smile at having accomplished his desire.

To be honest, I had learned about this peculiar fantasy of Rikiya's only recently, and it took very little convincing for me to get on board. The sole act of sharing food like this felt extremely exciting yet calming, the sweet taste mixing with his warm saliva and tickling at my senses, my heart jumping and dancing as he showed his boundless caring side. He gave another small lick on my lips, and I pecked in return, before we made our way back to the living room, where he sat down on a free beanbag, caressing and hugging me tight all the way:

“Let's try to relax, now, okay?"

“Okay…"

I let out all the tension that had accumulated since this morning, along with a mellow sigh, and simply allowed my mind to wander around, my attention latching from time to time on to the background noise provided by the action series airing at the moment. Rikiya and Tetsuya had found a nice program to help me get familiarized with Pokémon species that couldn't be found on the island, and while I wasn't that much of a big fan of the series' writing itself, I'll acknowledge that it remained entertaining overall.

What I found much more enjoyable was watching Tetsuya try to imitate the victory poses of the main characters to the best of his ability; especially the large canine Pokémon who acted as the hero's partner, the little Aron displaying eyes full of admiration at every single one of his appearances. In a way, it still felt strange to witness directly with my eyes a wild Pokémon get acclimated so quickly to a sedentary, modern life, but I had no reason to complain at all. The most important was that he retained his good nature and playfulness, and that he felt happy with his current circumstances.

It turned out that a few days ago, Rikiya suggested asking Tetsuya to officially become my Pokémon by catching him with one of the numerous Poké Balls laying around in the trainer room; wishing to get the little Aron's approval first, I had asked him if he would agree to this should I be accepted by a trainer institution. And by some kind of miracle, he gave his approval with one of his most enthusiastic metallic chirps, which was promptly followed by a big hugging session.

Since I was already learning how to take care of him, with polishing, feeding, some bits of training, and most of all communicating, I figured this would do no harm. Nonetheless, I still didn't want to catch him right as he accepted, not only since I had no intentions of keeping him trapped inside for most of the day, but also because acquiring the license came first in my eyes. No doubt it would come in handy at some point, notably in order to carry him safely outside the island if the need arises during future round trips.

About an hour and a half went by before the streak of episodes came to an end. Having taken the opportunity to doze off around the beginning, I stretched my arms around the big neck and yawned as the preview of the episode scheduled for next week showed up, something that Rikiya was quick to notice:

“Sleepy, little buddy? Tetsuya already made himself comfortable. We could take a real nap, if you want."

“Just a bit tired," I admitted. “Thanks. I'm feeling much more relaxed now. Can you can put me down for a moment?"

But the Dragon-type didn't see eye to eye with my request, and tightened his hug:

“Nuh-uh! You're not relaxed yet! A little more!"

Taken aback by his reluctance, I raised an eyebrow, not that he could see it, and insisted back:

“I swear I am, Rikiya. I'm serious. I'll just go get my handheld and come back, so please put me down."

“...I don't wanna! You're staying in my arms a little more!"

Clearly, he would not budge, which was quite worrying. So far, he'd always let me down whenever I requested it, especially since he knew I'd climb back up almost immediately after handling whatever small business I had, and while he'd play hard to let go sometimes, he knew not to insist whenever I explicitly used the keyword 'serious'. I caressed him on the neck and spoke with a patient tone, set on finding out the root cause of his behavior:

“Rikiya…What's wrong? You're being…more cuddly than usual. Is something troubling you?"

He let out a small whine, trying to resist and withhold his true feelings, but my gentle strokes soon got the better of him and he gave up, his arms tightening further:

“I…I just…Well…I'm going to miss you, buddy."

I balked, the unthinkable eventuality taking me off guard, and my mind soon reverted to a panicked state:

“What?! What do you mean? What's happening? Are you going away?!"

He shook his head sideways, the subtle movement of his neck rubbing against my face:

“Not me, buddy…you. If…If you get accepted…You'll have to go to school, right?'

“Yeah…?" I confirmed, wincing a bit as he held me further against his body.

“And…If you go to school…That means you'll have to live there, right? S-Since it's further away and in a bigger city than where you used to work…I won't be able to take you there everyday. So…I wanted to enjoy a bit more hugging before…Before you have to move out. It hadn't crossed my mind until recently, and the more time passed, the more I couldn't bring myself to ask you to reconsider, especially since it's the change you've been wanting in your life all this time."

Silence lingered for a while, until his hitching voice came out:

“I'm sorry if I'm being clingy, but I…I just…don't want you to leave, buddy…"

Rikiya was pouring out his bare heart to me, his voice quivering from what he saw as an unavoidable event, literally pushing him on the verge of crying. It was obvious that he had held it in, and that it was a delicate subject for his big heart. Of course, I'd usually cheer him up and reassure him, telling him that everything would be okay and that it wouldn't change anything about us. Yet, this time, I couldn't help but sigh in tremendous relief, before letting out a relieved chuckle at the absurd misunderstanding, which reached my lover's ears easily, only confusing him further as he inquired on the spot:

“W-What's so funny? Why are you laughing?"

My chuckling stopped, but the knowing grin remained, my hands moving towards his snout to lower it so that I could peck his maw teasingly, his innocence tugging at my heartstrings:

“Oh, Rikiya…You big silly goofball…"

He let out another cute whine, not without returning the kiss with a swift movement of his tongue, and I had to rely on all my self-control so that it wouldn't devolve into another endless kissing contest, instead focusing on the origin of his current misery. Truly, a simple sentence could end it, and that's what I went for:

“Rikiya…" I started, tuning my voice so that it sounded the most comforting possible.

“Mmm…!" He whined again in apprehension.

“Rikiya…" I repeated. “...I'll be homeschooled."

“...Home…schooled?" He repeated in turn, trying to familiarize himself with the word.

“Yes. Homeschooled. That means I'll have school…at home." I finished with a beaming smile.

“....What?" He asked, all traces of anxiety in his demeanor vanishing in a poof.

“You heard right." I confirmed, before moving up to kiss him again. “Come on, you really thought I'd just go away like that? I love you and Tetsuya too much, I wouldn't be able to bear the loneliness. That's why when I applied to different colleges, I only chose the ones that include homeschooling options. Granted, I might need to go there in person a few times a month for exams and practical courses, but otherwise, most of the courses will be taught online, so I can go to school while staying here. I made sure of that."

The Dragonite remained motionless for a moment, his eyes sparkling with endless relief and newfound joy:

“So…You're not leaving?"

I kissed him one last time, before uttering a sincere apology:

“I'm sorry too, I should've been more precise about it. But no…I'm not leaving you, Rikiya. Never ever."

And as if I had unleashed something primal in him, Rikiya squeezed me, tight and close, as if he was convincing himself that this wasn't a dream, forcing the air out of my lungs, then slobbered all over my face, his tongue lashing around to cover everything with the smooth muscle. I gasped from the assault, before letting out a heartfelt laugh, just as delighted that this was only a misunderstanding and that he wasn't leaving me either.

Yet, just when I thought that was it, without any sort of warning, Rikiya stood up, the abrupt motion stimulating every fiber of my body, then headed outside, opening and closing the entrance door in a flash, and finally spread his wings to ascend at a fast pace. As usual, his unparalleled skill and the experience we acquired during our aerial outings made it so that I didn't have to tell him what speeds felt uncomfortable to me, he could guess it instinctively and adapt 'on the fly', so to speak. I hung on tight to his wide neck,, the rash vertical movement preventing me from making even the smallest whine, not letting go even when he abruptly pulled to a stop.

The regular beat of his wings hinted at it, but we were high in the sky, a limitless expanse of blue spreading in every direction, fluffy clouds drifting idly below. My arms and legs squeezed with all their might against the large scaly body acting as my only physical and thermal support against the unrelenting gravitational force and surrounding cold, and my upper body snuggled against his underbelly, seeking the warmth and solace that it excelled at providing. 

As I wondered what was about to happen, Rikiya lifted his own head to inhale deeply, then let out a loud, joyous roar above us, piercing the air with its force and exuding all the dominance and raw power I knew he could muster. He forced the roar to last for about a dozen seconds, before unleashing another one in the same vein, the inflexions in his voice familiar to when he chatted with Tetsuya in their own language, and followed by what I surmised was a powerful Flamethrower, the harmless glow rushing inside his body and propagating through mine. I dared not budge even a little, remembering his instructions, the strength of his move holding no secrets for me by this point.

At last, Rikiya was done with his business, and brought us down slowly, licking my hair in repeated strokes during the controlled fall, and I seized the chance to ask for explanations, my mind almost clouded with pheromones from the virile display:

“What…Did you shout up there? And why?"

“Hmm? Oh, that's simple!" He confessed, his snout still in my hair. “The first roar meant 'I'm the happiest Dragonite in the world.' And the second meant 'I love my little buddy more than anything.' I did it up there so that it wouldn't disturb the rest of the island and we could be alone.“

“O-Oh…" I blurted, a fierce blush manifesting on my cheeks as I huddled further against his scaly hide, planting a few smooches on it. “That was…r-really hot, to be honest. T-Thanks."

“I know you like it when your big Dragonknight shows off like that." He whispered in a sensual way.

“Y-Yeah…" I nodded meekly, the thrill's aftereffect itching at my bones. “But I also love you in general."

The familiar thud of his feet landing on the ground and the cushioning motion told me that we were back to the base, and the handsome Dragon-type licked back and cooed:

“Naww…I love you too, my cute little buddy."

We remained motionless, leaning and basking in our mutual embrace, the gentle tropical breeze and the surrounding wilderness tickling at our senses and contributing to our inner peace. Along with the company of the awesome Dragonite and shiny Aron, this too, was something I wasn't willing to relinquish just yet. If convenience for school implied that I had to move to another packed, noisy town, and forsake my current quality of life, then it wasn't worth it. Especially since I'd have to move back once graduating. In that case, why bother uplifting the first time? The grass is greener where I live now, not to mention way more bountiful. 

The enjoyable silence remained for who knows how long, my mind left to its devices until Rikiya piped up again:

“Well…it's getting late, and I'm a bit hungry. We should get started on dinner, what do you think?"

“I'd like that," I acquiesced. “I'm getting hungry too, and Tetsuya is always hungry."

“Hehe…Then let's not waste time. I got a new recipe I want to test, actually!"

“Really? What is it?"

As he went into detail about the new delicacy he had in mind, the Dragonite carried me back inside the homely base with a renewed light step, closing the door gently behind him, a slight breeze passing by the familiar clearing before rustling the leaves along its path. The supposedly important admission results were but an afterthought in the back of my mind, as I listened attentively to his small talk, my heart more unbridled and free of any ill thoughts than it had ever been.

Whether I got accepted or didn't…whether I succeeded as a Pokémon Trainer or not…it mattered little in the grand scheme of things. I knew that whatever the future had in store for the three of us, they would stay by my side and give me all the support I needed, and I would do the very same for their sake.

Together with Tetsuya the Aron…And Rikiya the Dragonite...I could face every challenge known to man.

THE END