Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 22
The City of Dragons
“Finally.” Nicholas grinned as he stepped into the morning sun. “Welcome to Blackthorn.”
Miyuki stepped out beside him. The Ice Path seemed to have gone on forever, forcing them to make camp multiple times before the end. In that time she had modified her dress – now able to form ice as easily as Nessa did water, Miyuki had cut extra slits in the fabric and inserted the shard into the one between her breasts. It glowed a soft white, highlighting her torso and the changes her evolution had caused. Her sleek, blue-furred ears twitched as she surveyed the outside world. “The Dragon City.”
“That’s right.” Nicholas waited for the others to join them before stepping down towards the buildings. “You know, Ice is considered one of the Dragon-type’s weaknesses.”
Miyuki nodded as she followed him. “It appears to be a dragon tamer’s.” She grinned when Nicholas glared at her and wrapped her arms around his. “Or is it just me?”
“It’s you,” Nicholas murmured, kissing the top of her head. “Come on.”
“Should I take your shirt off, Master?” Hana asked as they entered the city proper. “I, uh…” sparks jumped from her to one of the buildings, “…can’t stop my electricity.”
Nicholas glanced back at her. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Welcome to Blackthorn City, tamer.” An older woman nodded at him from her home. “May your stay be a fruitful one.”
Nicholas nodded back and continued towards the pokecenter.
“Let’s get everyone healed up.” Nicholas recalled the harem and walked inside the building. Dragons. He saw a Dragonair, a Dratini, some kind of winged Water-type, and those were just the ones relaxing inside. Walking through the city he had seen a few Charizard, some kind of bulky, possibly Rock-type pokegirl, and of course, quite a few Gyarados.
The nurse took his pokeballs with a smile. “Just one moment, sir.” She turned to the healing machine and Nicholas was turning away when she called again. “Uh… sir?”
Nicholas looked back. “What?”
The nurse was staring at the machine’s display. “Is there a problem with your tamer profile?”
“It’s glitching a bit, yeah.”
The nurse’s eyes flicked over the jumbled letters. “Do you mind if I release your harem, to verify the information here?”
Nicholas shrugged. “Go ahead.” He waited for her to do so, the nurse exchanging a few words with each pokegirl before recalling them again and placing the pokeballs back in the machine. “My pokedex got fried a little bit ago, and the glitches started popping up then. I haven’t had a chance to get it fixed.”
The nurse turned to her own computer with a pensive look. “I see, sir. To avoid confusion, I can override the display. Your profile will still need to be linked to a new pokedex and fixed, by you, but I can at least make it look correct for others.”
Nicholas nodded. “That would be good. Thanks.”
The nurse turned her monitor so he could see. “Does this look correct, sir?”
Nicholas scanned the badges. They were still in the wrong order but everything had been capitalized correctly again. And Miyuki, now a Glaceon, had been moved back to the head of the harem. “Looks fine to me.”
“That is how others will see your profile until you update it,” the nurse replied. “Please inform a pokecenter employee or other government official if you require another change before then.”
Nicholas nodded. A few minutes later he accepted his harem back from her and headed outside.
Now he needed to find Lance’s family. It shouldn’t be too hard; after all, the entire city was named after them.
But it wouldn’t do to just find some distant relative. Nicholas stopped to rest against a bench. He needed to find Lance’s direct family. His parents, maybe. Or grandparents.
Where could he find them? Nicholas looked around at the similar houses. If he were an important elder of the clan…
The gym leader would know. Nicholas’ eye was drawn to the gym emblem carved in the rock above the town. Below it was a large opening, but whatever hid inside was blocked by the slope of the mountain and the houses around him.
Climbing up, he stopped halfway after receiving a number of looks from locals and tamers alike. Everyone he could see had a dragon pokegirl with them. He was the only one alone.
But he didn’t have a Dragon-type with him right now. Kary was at home. So was Victoria.
Nessa materialized. “Hey Nicholas.”
Nicholas nodded back to her. “Hey.”
Nessa waited but no other beams were triggered. “Everyone else?”
“I think it’s best to just have you for right now,” Nicholas explained. “You’re the closest looking to a dragon.”
Nessa looked around at the various other pokegirls. “Oh.” She giggled. “Rawr.”
Nicholas chuckled and continued walking with her. “It’s been a while since we’ve talked. And no, your pep talk in that hideout doesn’t count.” He turned and smiled at her. “In fact I think the last time was after you evolved.”
Nessa shrugged. “There are a lot of us now. The harem’s grown.” Her own smile grew wistful. “It’s not just you and me anymore.”
“No, I guess it isn’t.”
Nessa played with her pendant thoughtfully. “Our goals, though… they haven’t changed, have they? We still need to get to the championship. And… Fleur is still out there. Somewhere.”
“I haven’t forgotten, Nessa,” Nicholas replied. “Something tells me this whole business with Team Rocket isn’t over. And if so, we’ll see John again.” He sighed. “That kind of anger… it doesn’t go away. He’ll be hunting them until it destroys him.” He looked at her. “I promise, I will do my best to make sure it doesn’t destroy Fleur as well.”
Nessa blinked. “Thank you.”
They emerged from the city to finally see what the arching cave held. Rivers flowed from the mountain, cascading down to form massive pools along the cave walls before vanishing somewhere at the back. A long ornate stone bridge reached from the cave mouth to the back, also vanishing into the darkness, and in front of it all was a beautifully decorated stone and wood structure with the gym emblem on the roof.
Nicholas moved forwards, joining the dozens of tamers and pokegirls who were gathered in front of the gym. “What’s all this then?” He looked around but nobody seemed willing to talk to him. “Nessa?”
“I don’t know,” Nessa replied. “Is the gym closed?”
Nicholas pushed past the crowd. There was a woman standing in front of the doors with one of the winged Water-types next to her. “No.” The tamer standing in front of her grumbled but moved aside, his pokegirl following. “Next!”
Nicholas started to move towards her but a couple of tamers got in his way. “Hey, trying to cut ahead, buddy?” one asked. “Wait to get rejected like the rest of us.”
Nicholas snorted. “Rejected for what?”
“Aren’t you here for the gym badge?” The speaker gestured. “That’s Clair Blackthorn, the gym leader. She only accepts a few challenges a day.”
“Only a few?” Nicholas watched the next tamer get turned away as well. “What’s the criteria?”
“Who knows?” the tamer asked. “I’ve heard it’s about persistence. Keep coming back and she’ll eventually give you your chance.”
“That seems… like a stupid way to run a league gym,” Nicholas muttered.
“You! The tamer over there.” Nicholas looked up to see Clair looking directly at him. “Step in front of me.”
“Think she heard you, bud,” the other tamer chuckled. Nicholas ignored him and walked over to where Clair waited.
“Insulting that which you do not understand, hm?” Clair looked him up and down. “Pathetic. Return when you understand what you lack.”
“I’m not here for your badge in the first place,” Nicholas replied. “I’m looking for Lance’s teacher.”
Clair burst out laughing. “Please! You expect to meet the elder with that attitude? Learn respect, then ask again.”
“I do, actually,” Nicholas replied evenly. “Lance sent me here to meet his family. If your last name is Blackthorn then I assume you’re one of them?”
Clair’s laughter faded. “I doubt my cousin even knows who you are, tamer. Now step aside and stop wasting my time.”
Nicholas didn’t move. “Why can’t I talk to this elder and let him decide?”
“Because it doesn’t work that way.” Clair jerked her chin. “Nori. Remove him.”
Nessa stepped forwards but stopped when she saw Nicholas holding his hand in front of her. Clair’s pokegirl, Nori, was moving towards him when Nicholas turned and locked eyes with her.
Nori took another two steps before she slowed. Clair was waiting and frowned slightly when she felt Nori come to a halt at her shoulder. “Nori, I said to remove him.”
“I have traveled for years,” Nicholas explained quietly, keeping his eyes locked on Nori’s, “and through it all I have to come to learn many things about myself. There are still many mysteries. Lance sent me here, in the hope that I may shed light on some of them.”
Clair glanced back at her motionless pokegirl. “Nori. Explain yourself.”
Nori finally blinked. “I believe this one speaks the truth, Mistress.”
Clair looked back at Nicholas with a frown. “Who are you?”
“Nicholas Topolski. A Champion of the Indigo League.” Nicholas broke eye contact now that Nori had broken it first. “Please. Where can I find your elder?”
“Even if you are who you say you are, the Feraligatr behind you is no dragon,” Clair replied. “Only a dragon tamer is allowed to seek the elder.”
“I am one.”
“Then where is she?” Clair gestured. “To choose a fake dragon instead of a real one is an insult. I do not care if you have been one in the past; I care about what I can see now.”
Nicholas sighed. “She’s at home.”
“A likely story. It appears you must prove your worth first.” Clair looked at Nori again. “Nori. Take this tamer to the den of healing.” She looked back to Nicholas with a slight smirk. “If you truly are a dragon tamer, you will have no issue returning to me with one.”
Nicholas allowed Nori to lead him away. “Your Mistress seems very… arrogant, Nori.”
Nori was silent for a while before she responded. “It is part of the character she plays, sir. You must understand – to bring no evidence for your claim seems suspect.”
“Sure. No evidence for a human.” Nicholas smiled to himself. “But not for you, correct?”
“No, sir.”
“So what is this den of healing?”
“I wish you the best of luck, sir.” Nori stopped and pointed at a smaller cave half hidden behind one of the waterfalls. “Feraligatr, be on your guard.”
Nicholas turned to watch her leave. “She never answered my question.”
“She did. With a warning.” Nessa stepped in front of him. “We may be attacked when we get close.”
“Attacked? In a place called the ‘den of healing’?”
“Why else would she tell me to be on guard?”
Nicholas grimaced. Nessa had a point. “Should I release the others?”
Nessa turned to survey the cave entrance. “It’s too small for more than a few of us. And if we show up in force that may just provoke a larger fight.” She shivered. “I think Clair is challenging you.”
“No, she’s definitely doing that,” Nicholas replied. “We’ll just have to see what kind of challenge this is.”
Nessa stepped behind the waterfall first. There was light inside the cave so she moved forwards, pushing around a corner and entering a large room.
Nude pokegirls were all over the place. Mats and pillows dotted the room, each and every one occupied by one or more figures. A few looked up when Nessa stepped in but there wasn’t much actual movement until Nicholas came into view.
Immediately the atmosphere changed. Some of the pokegirls scrambled away, heading further into the cave, while some got out of their resting positions and approached. Nessa’s eyes narrowed when a low growl started from the advancing group and she settled into a battle stance. “So humans aren’t welcome.”
Nicholas held his ground, trusting Nessa to protect him. “That’s the challenge.” He scanned the remaining pokegirls. Each and every one looked like a dragon of some kind. “’Den of healing’. Not like a hospital, but I would assume a place of safety for abused pokegirls.”
“That’s right.” Nicholas turned to see a Dragonair in uniform lounging against the near wall. “Wander in here, tamer? Or did Clair give you that challenge I heard you muttering about.”
“Clair challenged me to return with a dragon.” Nicholas checked to make sure the group hadn’t gotten too close yet. “But if I’m right then I’m not going to force one of these pokegirls to go anywhere.”
“Some are skittish. Some angry.” The attendant settled back. “But some are ready to leave. It is your duty to help them.”
“As a tamer?”
“As a dragon tamer,” the attendant replied. “I see it in you. You wouldn’t have been sent in here otherwise.” She shrugged. “Now show them.”
“That’s… kind of the problem.” Nicholas backed away from the still advancing group of pokegirls. It was so nice of them to not just blitz him. “I came to Blackthorn to learn.”
The attendant chuckled. “No better place. Just, don’t hurt anyone too badly. Or I’ll have to throw you out.”
Nicholas nodded. It seemed that the territorial pokegirls had stopped at some sort of invisible line, approximately where the attendant sat. “Are you feral?”
“Leave, human,” one of the pokegirls growled. “You will not steal any of my sisters.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. An answer and a challenge in the same breath. “Because I’m human.”
“No human can be trusted!” another girl spat.
“No! None!” two others cried.
“I have no intention of stealing anyone.”
“Lies.” The original speaker glared at him. “Words are worthless in the face of human trickery.”
“What do I do?” Nessa murmured to him. “Do I fight?”
“No.” Nicholas slowly shrugged out of his backpack. “In fact, I don’t think you should be in here at all.”
“But-!”
“Here.” Nicholas handed her his gear, pulling his belt off next and handing it to her to leave him with nothing but the clothes on his back. “Can you step outside?”
Nessa’s eyes narrowed. “I am not leaving you here alone.”
“Then stay back here. Behind the line.” Nicholas stepped closer the group. “I have nothing but myself.”
“STAY BACK!” Nicholas jumped back when the leader took a swipe at him, her razor sharp claws whistling through the space his stomach had occupied moments earlier. “Appearing helpless is the oldest human trick. We are not fooled.”
“Appearing?” Nicholas spread his arms. “I have removed all human tools. Anything that could be used against you. Are you saying that you are weaker than a lone human?” His eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth. “What kind of a dragon are you?”
A growl began building in the leader’s throat. “You challenge me?”
“I DEFY you!” Nicholas roared. Some of the other aggressive pokegirls were glancing at the leader and he knew he was making progress. “I defy any dragon who cowers. ANY!”
The leader gritted her teeth and started to take a step over the line when she suddenly looked at the attendant. Hissing quietly she slunk back.
Nicholas waited with his arms spread but besides staring hatefully the pokegirl didn’t make another move. Carefully he stepped closer to the rest of the group, watching them debate what to do. “What must I do to prove our kinship, my sisters? Am I not enough as I am?”
There. One of the pokegirls looked up at his challenge and stepped forwards. This one had a strangely lanky body, and he probably wouldn’t have immediately identified her as a dragon if not for her fierce red eyes and the sharp teeth when she spoke. “You claim kinship?” She raised one arm to display a wicked scar that ran from her armpit, down her side, and halfway across her abdomen. “So did he.”
Nicholas took a slow breath. Now was the dangerous part. “I do not claim. I am.” He stepped closer, over the line but still with about a step between him and the scarred pokegirl. “Look at me. You can not deny it.”
The girl snorted. “What am I meant to look at, when you hide yourself?” She began to turn away. “You cower as much as she does.”
Nicholas frowned to himself before he realized what the pokegirl meant. “Do I?” The girl stopped when he reached down, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to Nessa. “You mistake my human custom for cowardice. Rather, I follow them to show respect.” He dropped his pants. “By covering myself I remove the human temptation.” His eyes darted around to the suddenly hungry expressions. “I see I was right to do so.”
“I am not so weak as to need your compassion,” the girl snarled. The hungry eyes quickly vanished when she stepped back towards him, the other pokegirls scrambling away as she took the extra step and pushed herself right into his face. “Others may be, but not I.”
“Here I stand,” Nicholas said quietly. “What say you, sister?”
Slowly the girl leaned back. She looked down, inspecting his body before snorting again. “You, at least, back up your claim.”
“Do not make me repeat myself.” Nicholas braced for her to attack him and pushed into her space. “I do not claim.” Multiple sharp objects jabbed into his stomach but he didn’t retreat, doing his best to ignore when something trickled down his skin. “What more must I do to prove myself?” His eyes narrowed when the girl smiled. “My patience grows thin.”
“Nothing more.” Nicholas felt her pull her claws back and watched as she lifted them to her mouth, licking them clean of his blood. “I surrender… Master.”
Nicholas blinked. He hadn’t thought THAT was where this was going. “As I said, I did not come here to steal any of you.”
“She offers herself freely,” the attendant called. “Besides. That was what Clair expected of you from the start – a dragon tamer must have a dragon.”
Nicholas nodded. The girl was still right up against him, though the two’s bodies weren’t touching. “Do you have a name?”
The girl slowly grinned. “Why not simply claim me, Master, as a dragon should?”
“Because I am not like he was,” Nicholas replied, touching the girl for the first time to run his finger along her scar. “I command. I do not control.”
The girl’s grin faded into a shocked look that only cleared when she took a half step backwards. “I… my Master… no.” Her expression firmed and she met his eyes. “A Weyrleader claims what is his.”
“Oh? Does he, now?” Nicholas smiled and turned to the attendant. “So is she just free to go?”
“Please don’t do anything here that the others might react negatively to. Otherwise, yes,” the attendant replied.
“Nessa, was there anywhere private outside this cave?” Nicholas asked quietly, taking the girl by the back and guiding her towards the exit. “I believe I need to ‘claim what is mine’.”
Nessa shook her head with a small smile. “I think I saw somewhere that should work.”
The girl padded along, following Nicholas’ touch out of the cave and further along the rock surface to where a smaller waterfall had carved a small shelf out of the cliff. She shivered when Nicholas finally removed his hand from her skin and turned to see him stretching out on the damp stone. “Here we are.”
The girl stood in confusion. “Master?”
“Are you in a rush?” Nicholas teased, patting the stone beside him. “Sit.”
The girl slowly settled down in front of him but let out a shocked yelp when he caressed her ass. “So, what exactly are you?” He chuckled when she shimmied to the side, taking her stubby tail out of reach. “My pokedex is broken.”
“I am… A Larvitar, Master,” the girl replied, still trying to figure out how she should be sitting. First her chest swung towards him, then she slid further away, then pressed back against him with an awkward twist that both kept her erogenous zones accessible and also allowed her to rest without rubbing them against him. “I am confused.”
“My dragon? Confused?” Nicholas chuckled when the girl shivered again. “Yes, you are my dragon. A Weyrleader claims what is his, yes?”
“Yes, Master,” the girl whispered.
“There is no need to be confused.” Nicholas gently ran his hand down her side, taking her in as he did. Short cut black hair, a light tan covering her body, and an extraordinary amount of muscle definition packed into a frame that couldn’t be more than five feet tall. Probably a few inches less. Her chest, when he had been facing her, had been similarly petite, which is how he had been able to have the stare down with her in the first place. His pecs were probably as big as her breasts.
Those aspects mixed together and he frowned to himself. She wanted him to name her. Before now, he’d gone with what his pokegirls already went by, or found inspiration from another name. But for this one, he wanted to do something special. Much like how he had named Victoria as a way to give her something to hold on to, he wanted to prove to this Larvitar that he truly cared for her. Her name needed to be unique, and hold meaning.
His eyes were drawn to her tail. It had been hard as bone when he played with it before and he smiled. Her tough attitude, her skin, even her size all came together with the same two letters. “Lili.”
Lili twitched. “My…?”
“Your name.” Nicholas relaxed. “In my language, it means ‘little pebble’. Well, the full thing is a lot longer than that, but ‘Lili’ works as a name.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Lili. My little pebble.”
Lili whimpered and Nicholas yelled in surprise when she threw herself at him. Tears fell onto his chest as Lili sobbed, her hands grabbing at his neck until she got a good hold and bent down to crush her mouth against his.
Nessa settled back to watch the show when Nicholas pushed back, holding Lili tightly and working the kiss. He could feel her grip tightening the longer they remained together so he tensed, resisting her for as long as he could before moving to break her hold.
Lili snapped back, her chest heaving as she gasped for air and she probably would have gone for another kiss if Nicholas hadn’t shoved his hand to her chest. She resisted him for a few seconds before Nicholas pushed towards her. “You dare perch above me?” Lili’s eyes widened and he easily pushed her away when her body went limp. “Submit to your Master.”
Lili fell back. His eyes. The snarling, hissing voice he had adopted filled her mind, drowning out everything but the words, his face. And his eyes. She moaned when Nicholas teased her nipples but his eyes remained locked on hers.
The eyes of a dragon.
Her Master.
This one did not lie. He was her kin. A dragon in human skin. And she… was now his.
The physical scar remained but the scars across Lili’s heart began to fade with every touch, every motion Nicholas made. He grinned to himself when she moaned again, her back arching in pleasure when his free hand found her slit. He was enjoying the moment and didn’t even stop to think about what he had done to get her in this position. All he focused on was the trembling Larvitar under his hands, and Lili screamed happily as he did.
Nicholas didn’t bother reaching for his underwear, simply allowing his dick to drop free and bringing it closer to her. His fingers already slid easily in and out of her so he didn’t delay, resting the head against her just long enough to make sure he was lined up before thrusting deep inside.
Lili’s hands wrapped around his arms, locking him into his position above her, and she cried out in pure bliss as he began to move. It was likely due to her smaller size that he could actually feel her walls trembling around his penis, but the sensation was by no means unpleasant. On the contrary. Feeling her responses to every thrust was just heightening his arousal.
Underneath him Lili could think of nothing but his body pressing against hers, every thrust, the way his hands bracketed her chest… she was happy. She had asked him to claim her. And so he had.
As Nicholas came, his dick twitching inside of her, Lili felt her own orgasm shaking her body. The second one he had given her. As she opened her eyes and saw him looking down at her, no longer dominating, but with the soft contentment of his afterglow, she knew. They had each offered themselves at their most vulnerable, and they each had accepted the other. A dragon and her Weyrleader. A pokegirl and her Master.
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POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Plain Badge
Zephyr Badge
Glacier Badge
Storm Badge
Mineral Badge
Hive Badge
Harem:
Miyuki, Glaceon (Alpha) – Level 37
Nessa, Feraligatr – Level 36
Ryuko, Scizor – Level 37
Hana, Ampharos – Level 35
Sera, Crobat – Level 36
Lili, Larvitar – Level 32
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Lili glanced at the small pile of gear she had picked out from a shop. Fingerless gloves, slip-on padded shoes…
“Are you sure that you don’t want anything else?” Nicholas asked.
Lili continued wrapping her body in the white gauze they had picked up at the pokecenter. “No, Master. This is all I require.” She tucked her abdominal wrap between her legs a few times to create a makeshift leotard that she secured over her breasts before working on her feet. Once those were wrapped she began on her hands while settling into the shoes. “Have I asked too much?”
Nicholas shook his head. “The opposite. Wouldn’t you want at least some kind of underwear? I don’t know how well that gauze will hold up when you wash it.”
Lili paused with one glove on and the other halfway pulled over her fingers. “I will just dispose of it if it gets dirty, Master.”
“And where will you get more?”
Lili slowed as she secured the gloves. “I…”
“How about this.” Nicholas reached over and tapped her chest. “I’ll get you something sturdy to cover your groin. Up here, your hands, your feet, those areas shouldn’t get too bad, so a reusable wrap should be sufficient.” He smiled at her. “Sound good?”
Lili nodded slightly. “Thank you, Master.”
“Hey. It’s my duty to take care of you now.” Nicholas grinned. “Ready to head out?”
Lili nodded again so he stood and led the way back towards the gym. The crowd had dwindled significantly this late in the day but Clair was still outside. Still judging challengers.
When Nicholas came into view she waved away the latest hopeful and turned to grin at him. “Look who returns. Well? You escaped the den, but did you take anything with you?”
“I have not,” Nicholas replied, “because a dragon tamer does not control their dragons.” He placed his hand on Lili’s shoulder when she stepped forwards. “Though my weyr has grown by one.”
Clair’s confident grin faded. She almost looked unsure of what to say before nodding. “I can not deny that you are a dragon tamer.” She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. “The path behind the gym will take you to the elder. If you survive.”
“My Master will succeed no matter the test you give him,” Lili growled.
Clair turned away but Nicholas saw Nori smiling as he and Lili walked past.
Lili glanced at Nicholas when he began to chuckle. “Master?”
“Hmm, just laughing at your attitude.” Nicholas smiled at her. “Barely two, maybe three hours and already you’re defending me.”
“How else would I act?” Lili asked. “You are my Master. There is no question, as you made explicitly clear.” Her fangs glittered when she grinned back at him. “You simply are.”
Nicholas chuckled again. “I think you’ll enjoy meeting Kary and Victoria. The other members of my weyr.” He nodded at the dark cave entrance. “But not yet. Are you prepared for whatever awaits us?”
Lili nodded resolutely. “I am, Master.”
“Say something if you’re not.” Lili shuddered when she felt him trace her scar again. “I don’t intend for you to receive anything like that ever again.”
“If it had been received in battle, protecting a Master such as you,” Lili replied quietly, “I would bear it proudly. But it was not.” She looked at him. “I know that any scar I receive today will be a proud one.”
“I’m flattered. But you still have only known me for a few hours,” Nicholas cautioned. “I could be hiding my true self.”
“Impossible,” Lili replied immediately. “You have bared your soul to me, just as I bared mine to you.” Her hand sought his and she squeezed it tightly. “You would not have captured me any other way, Master.”
Nicholas squeezed her back. “Then let’s find out what awaits us.”
Despite her demeanor it was clear to Nicholas that Lili was growing more nervous the further they descended into the cave. The path they followed seemed cut into the stone by the flowing rivers that bordered it, smooth but not flat, twisting and turning down, down into the heart of the mountain.
As the path began to level off Nicholas thought he felt the air change and, a few minutes later, he heard the roar of falling water. Lili still held his hand and he felt her grip tighten when they stepped into another cave.
The rivers that flowed from the gym cascaded into a massive pool of water, joined by others that came from similar tunnels along the walls of the cavern. The path they had been following transitioned into a set of rough hewn steps that continued below the waterline and as far as the light would reach, while he could see numerous rock shelves surrounding the underground lake. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see a serpentine pokegirl cut into the water, a few others following her from their perch. Dratini and Dragonair. The sound of wings could be heard when a pair of Dragonite flew overhead, one breaking away and slicing deep into the water to emerge with a massive fish speared on her claws. One of the Dragonair that had dove in first surfaced behind the Dragonite, shouting her displeasure at having her prey stolen, and with a laugh the Dragonite winged to one of the higher shelves, taunting the girl as she did.
Nicholas’ eyes widened when a glow suffused the water and the thief growled when the newly evolved Dragonite launched towards her. Prey forgotten the two dragons clashed, their roars echoing across the lake and joining a low noise that Nicholas only now realized was the vocalizations of dozens, maybe hundreds of dragon pokegirls.
“The home of the Dragonite,” Nicholas whispered, slowly moving down the steps as he scanned the area. “This must be a sacred place for the Blackthorn Clan.”
As he approached the water he saw someone stand and turn to him. The older man nodded at him. “Welcome to the Dragon’s Den.”
“Who are you?”
“Just another dragon tamer,” the man replied with a smile. “You look a bit lost. First time?”
“Uh-“
“That’s a yes.” The man turned back to the lake. “Here to train, or to woo a pokegirl?”
“Train, I suppose,” Nicholas replied. “I’m looking for the elder.”
The man had started pointing to some nearby areas where Nicholas had seen other battling forms but when he mentioned the elder he turned in surprise. “The elder?”
“Yeah. The Blackthorn Clan elder.”
The man chuckled. “Good luck with that.” He nodded out over the lake. “That shrine, there, is where he lives.”
Nicholas gazed out over the water. He could barely see the shrine the man was talking about, a wooden building that looked like it sat under the surface of the lake. “Is it underwater?”
“No, but not for lack of trying. It used to connect to these stairs by a bridge. Then the water rose. The upper lake, here, drops another few feet through violent rapids to pool below the shrine.” The man nodded up towards the cavern’s ceiling. “The wild Dragonite patrol the skies, and Dragonair hunt in the water.” He looked back down at Nicholas. “If you can somehow make it through, and survive the whirlpools, you’ll have your chance to meet the elder. The journey is the first test.”
“Great.” Nicholas scanned the lake. He could see pokegirls surfacing every few seconds. “Might as well give it a shot.”
The man chuckled. “I wish you luck, tamer.” Nicholas blinked when he saw the man’s hand dip into the lake when he sat back down. Ripples slowly spread from it and a few seconds later a form rose from the depths. “Ah, Saila!” The man laughed when a pokegirl with sparkling scales emerged from the lake, her wings twisting behind her as she came to rest next to her Master. “I forgot to mention, tamer. The Kingdra rule the water as well.”
Nicholas was staring at him. “You’re a Blackthorn.”
The man smiled but didn’t turn around. “What makes you think that?”
“That trick. Calling your pokegirl, through the water.” Nicholas glanced at Saila. She was probably the same breed as Nori, which made Clair’s pokegirl a Kingdra as well. “I watched Lance do it too.”
The man chuckled. “So you’ve met my nephew. Yes, I am. In fact you’re here to meet my father.” He finally turned to smile at Nicholas. “Did Lance send you here?”
“He did.”
“That boy always did have a good eye,” the man replied. “Go on, tamer. Brave the waters.”
“I don’t know.” Nicholas glanced at Saila nervously. “More than one of her and my entire harem would be overrun.”
The man burst into laughter and Saila couldn’t help but smile as well. “Oh, the wild ones aren’t like her,” he chuckled. “My daughter let you through, yes? Clair?”
“Yeah.”
“If she had Nori with her, that’s more what you’ll need to expect,” the man explained. “Nori’s a strong girl but she’s still a bit young. Right, Saila?”
“Yes, Master.”
“You’re young too.” The man turned away again and relaxed. “You’ll be fine, tamer. Go on. Channel that youth. My father is waiting.”
Nicholas sighed. It was a long way across the lake. “Lili?”
“Master?”
“This trial seems a bit biased towards Blackthorns, who specialize in water dragons.” Nicholas shook his head when the man chuckled quietly. “You’d only flounder.”
Lili ground her teeth together but bowed her head. “Yes, Master.”
He recalled her and released Nessa. “Nessa. Up for a swim?”
Nessa grinned. “Always.”
“A swim. Not a fight.” Nicholas pointed at their destination. “I need you to take me there, through dragon-infested water.”
Nessa’s grin fell. “Are you-“ she caught herself. “Why am I still questioning you? Of course you’re sure.” She slid into the water, eyeing Saila a bit. “Dragons like her?”
“A bit less scary, but yes.”
“Great,” Nessa muttered.
“Ready?”
Nessa sighed but oriented herself and flicked her tail. “Get on.”
The man watched with a thoughtful expression as Nessa slowly began to ferry Nicholas over the lake.
“Master?”
“You felt it too, Saila?”
Saila nodded. “Who is he, Master?”
“I don’t know.” The man frowned to himself. “But Lance was correct to send him to us.”
“ON THE LEFT!”
Nessa swerved to avoid an approaching Dragonair and grunted, lowering herself even further into the water to gain as much power as she could from her entire body. Nicholas could feel her back tensing with every stroke, her tail pushing along with her limbs to rocket them over the lake. She was fast, but it didn’t look like it would be enough. They were only halfway there and it seemed like every dragon in the cave was coming for them.
Nicholas looked up when a roar echoed around them. A Dragonite broke from the ceiling clutter, angling on an intercept course with her hands stretched forwards. Nicholas cursed and looked around. Pokegirls on every side. Nessa wouldn’t be able to dodge an attack from the air.
Nessa felt him let go of her spike and spluttered. “Nicholas-!”
“GO!” Nicholas dropped back to one knee when Nessa was hit by something underneath them. “DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME!”
Nessa growled but pushed her head back under the water, taking potshots as she could to deter the swarm that chased them from beneath.
Nicholas hooked his feet around her chest and squeezed as hard as he dared. As the Dragonite dove he slowly stood on Nessa’s back.
These pokegirls weren’t feral. He’d seen that already as a few of their pursuers tried to lure him to them with their words. Every one of them was tame, just allowed to live here, unhindered, and wild. So the Dragonite was tame as well.
As she got closer Nicholas’ eyes narrowed. He could make out her joyous grin, the wild look in her eyes as she bore down on a human who might deserve her. Of course. The danger here wasn’t from being torn apart - this many dragons looking for a tamer, and no human would manage to survive the onslaught. It would be death by snu-snu.
But that meant she could be reasoned with as well. Or at the very least, would think twice. Nicholas focused, finding the feelings he had displayed at the lake, against Rika, here in Blackthorn, against Nori, in the cave, with Lili, and further back, remembering the way he had ‘captured’ Kary, and he drew them all together. He’d only have one shot.
The Dragonite was almost on top of him when Nicholas’ eyes snapped up to her. She didn’t even falter, so Nicholas’ lips curled back as he prepared to go further.
The man slowly nodded when Nicholas’ roar crashed across the lake. Beside him Saila growled low in her chest, instinctively responding to the sound, and in the air the Dragonite finally faltered. Her uncertainty only lasted a few seconds but they were the seconds Nessa needed to surge through an opening in the jagged far shore. To safety.
Nicholas fell back to one knee, wincing when it sliced along one of Nessa’s sharp spikes. It had worked.
“NICHOLAS!”
Nicholas blinked. Nessa had screamed. And then…
She wasn’t underneath him anymore. Nicholas watched the world tilt with a detached curiosity. What had happened? Where had she gone?
The sound of rushing water filled his ears as he felt his clothes begin to pull from his body. Ah. He was falling. That’s right; the man had spoken of a drop, of violent whirlpools separating the upper lake from the shrine. They must have made it.
All other thoughts vanished when his head smacked against something hard. In a flash the world went black.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Plain Badge
Zephyr Badge
Glacier Badge
Storm Badge
Mineral Badge
Hive Badge
Harem:
Miyuki, Glaceon (Alpha) – Level 37
Nessa, Feraligatr – Level 36
Ryuko, Scizor – Level 37
Hana, Ampharos – Level 35
Sera, Crobat – Level 36
Lili, Larvitar – Level 32