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“Ugh…” Julie pushed the blanket off her while her alarm blared at 4 a.m. on a Monday morning but bundled back up after the air hit her. Soft white light pressed her closed curtains with gentle patience, requesting entry.She reached under her pillow and grabbed her phone with a blue rubber cover to disable the melody from her dropdown. She then took the TV remote from the nightstand beside her and pointed it at the wall-mounted screen to turn it off. Julie usually had it on at night to relax or use it as background noise while doing her homework. She just fell asleep with it on sometimes.At least she'd had a good weekend. She had cooked with her mother Saturday night, and they'd gone to eat at her favorite diner the day after. It was a friendly noodle place, so Julie woke up with a better outlook on Monday than usual.She lived a comfortable urban life in Goldenrod City and had been well off since childhood due to her mother being the manager of a Pokémon Center.Julie got up after minutes of telling herself to, pushed her curtains aside to light her room, made her bed, and slipped into her swablu slippers by her bed.She then went to her restroom. Upon looking in the mirror, she instantly remarked her hair. "That's a yikes..." Her accent was Johtoan.Her hair was tousled, tangled quite a bit, and she needed to straighten it in several areas, which she did in due time. She used water, a brush, and a leave-in conditioner on the counter. Her wavy brown hair rested past her shoulders and contained thick blonde highlights that blended it.After doing her hair and caring for her hygiene, she double-glanced at a white bottle against the wall under the mirror and sighed. "Come here..." she muttered while grabbing it and shaking the pills inside. They were antidepressants prescribed years ago.Julie pressed and twisted the top, taking a mini white pill and popping it in her mouth. She turned the sink nozzle and put her mouth under running water, using it to swallow and setting the bottle back.Julie checked the time on her cell along with today's forecast by unlocking it and pulling her dropdown bar.The phone was slightly bigger than her palm and modestly bulky. Its screen had a deep crack from top to bottom from when she'd fallen off her bike last year in a horrendous accident. "High forties with fifty-four percent chance of showers. Love this city," she grumbled.It was now 4:30 a.m.; she had to be at her first class in two hours and a half. Her senior schedule was: regional history, science, math, lunch, language arts, and business, all taught in sixty-minute increments with a forty-minute lunch break.She slipped into knee-high socks, blue sweatpants, and chose between a blue or white tee from her closet. She ultimately went with white and put a matching hoodie over it with pink arm sleeves.One of her favorite colors was blue, though. Her window's curtains were a bright icy blue, as were her nails and walls with scattered stickers she had never bothered scraping off. Julie collected items made from evolutionary stones and had a wardrobe with glass windows against her wall by the window to hang them in. It was a hobby of hers; she hoped to fill it one day.She also had a map of Johto and Kanto pasted on the wall above her bed and an organized bookshelf against her wall beside it that doubled as a nightstand. It had a fake potted flower on it and a mini statue of a seel riding a wave from an old field trip with: 'GA' branded on the wave. The stand also held a middle school volleyball trophy labeled: 'Golden Ocean Middle School' on its bottom front section and a golden ball atop it.She used the stand as a general storage, even keeping her pair of wireless earphones and wallet holding her school and region I.D. too. She'd cleared it recently, as it was a bit messy with miscellaneous items on it.The shelves were stocked to the brim with books, and a group of antique periwinkle beautifly were built into the wall above it in the swirly pattern of a whirlpool.She slipped her wallet in her back pocket, grabbed her left wireless earphone for the ride, slung her backpack over her shoulder from the floor, and made her way down the carpeted stairs with soft steps as her mother was still asleep. She usually went in for work at 6 a.m. unless she had to be there early for any reason.After making it off the last stair, Julie took a right into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the cabinet near the floor, along with a fruit bar from a bowl on the dining room table that would hold her off until lunch.She'd trained herself to eat less and vitalize herself when slimming her profile some months ago through an off-and-on diet. Julie had always been more or less health conscious, taking after her mother, but used to have a sugar addiction that had reached a record high and left her control under her depression.She left her slippers by the door and slipped into high-top running shoes lined with fleece, then headed out the door across the wooden porch and pavement between the grassy lawn and mailbox.She reached the bar attached to the side of her house where she locked her bike at night and stuck her bottle in a slot on the side of her backpack, then turned her earphone on with a button. It caused a light to flash at the bottom, and she stuck it in her ear.Julie crouched to dial the pin on the lock and removed it, dropping it in the basket on the front of her bike, then mounting and riding west down her residential street while speed-eating her bar with one hand. She saw the compact mail truck across the street and the employee dropping off packages at doorsteps. He took care of this side of the street at around 6 or 7 a.m., so her mother usually got the mail.Julie lived two city blocks from downtown Goldenrod on a quiet road. It was kind of a sweet spot. If she rode north or south, she'd be riding deeper into the neighborhood.The weather made her shiver, gentle breezes pushing her hair back and stinging her face and hands while pedaling past more homes. Julie glanced up at the trees she rode under at what leaves remained from autumn, which dropped from their branches and littered the ground.Goldenrod's climate was cool by default, being a mountainside city. It was also close to winter; she wasn't far from the beach at that. The region saw less rain during the winter, but it would get frigid in the coming months.People entered parked vehicles, a garbage truck picked up bins across the street, others took their early morning jog or walked with their pokémon through the neighborhood, and a school bus stopped before homes to pick up children for school.Julie's school was close-ish, over two hours away by bike. She didn't have to endure it for much longer, anyway. Julie was a few months away from graduating at eighteen. She would finally leave Ecruteak High, the public school she attended.She would much rather spend her time with pokémon, and speaking of pokémon, it brought her to think of Midnight, the school’s umbreon. He had a generic name, but that was what happened when the school’s faculty was in charge of that sort of thing.Julie usually saw him roaming the halls on her way to classes. They’d gotten closer over the past year from when they'd first interacted after crossing paths enough times. He'd been at the school for two years now. She gave him affection when she had time, occasionally bringing him a treat from home.It made her grin to picture him sitting before her while chewing berries with those red orbs fixed up at her and cute, furry ringed ears and puffy tail to complement."Andd into the fray," Julie whispered. Her surroundings gradually dissolved from a tranquil neighborhood to rush hour traffic and dirtier sidewalks. People walked to and fro; shady types loitered in front of liquor markets and pointed out sporty cars or told jokes while their rugged pokémon like machoke and croconaw accompanied them.Rattata and pidgey tore and picked through garbage bags that sat idle in dark alleys. They ran or flew for cover when people opened doors to toss more bags.Murkrow and pidgeotto sat atop the edges of buildings or on light poles, giving the occasional cry while watching the activity below. A few caught sight of a young wild furret darting between footsteps and trying to steer clear by running into the street, but traffic scared it back into the line of fire in a hopeless loop.Even with its gritty appearance and stuffy air, this side of downtown closer to her area was generally safer and appeared nicer than central. Central was difficult for the city to keep up with due to the homeless, gangs, and people who littered and graffiti'd.The bare asphalt became a bike lane as she entered the inner city and had to ride on bigger and busier roads prolific in corporate skyscrapers. She soon stopped before a large intersection and watched vehicles speed past, putting her foot on the ground to wait beside pedestrians.Julie sat up and kept one hand on her handlebar, taking the last bite of her bar and slipping the wrapper in with her bottle. She pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and dragged down her notification bar, where she pressed the 'Magnect' option. It connected her phone to her earbud, making a corresponding beep in her ear.Magnect was a wireless software founded forty years ago and grew to be sophisticated enough to become the modern standard for short-range interconnections between many electronic devices.Julie put on a song by one of her favorite modern male pop artists and set her playlist on shuffle, then slipped her phone into her pocket.She glanced around at busy breakfast restaurants, a public elementary school built at the edge of a residential neighborhood with a fenced empty playground, and food trucks parked beside curbs while tapping her handlebar with her finger to the rhythm in her ear.A man let his energetic mankey point out an option at a truck, while others had their obedient pokémon sit back while ordering. Some wore harnesses and leashes, such as a poochyena bursting with energy.The plaza she went to sometimes was west down the road, which she saw in the distance. It had a café she occasionally visited to read or study at: 'Wikiblux,' which was the most popular one worldwide with a circle-shaped light purple logo outlining a half-filled cup with a wiki and bluk berry floating atop the dark purple liquid.The plaza also had a two-story structure with small family-owned eateries and markets on the first floor, and boring businesses like check-cashing, dentist, and a tax preparation service on the second.It was also home to a Sumon dealership, a reliable and globally successful truck and jeep manufacturer founded in Galar, and one of the few Poké-Doption Centers in Goldenrod that Julie had visited many times when she was younger.Doption had been founded in Sinnoh over a decade ago, dedicated to rehoming pokémon that had been born into household lives and couldn't function in the wild, alongside keeping regions pure. The company sometimes sold foreign pokémon at inflated prices that people had abandoned or dropped off. They also had trucks that traversed the region to seek pokémon from foreign regions and round them up.When the light turned red a minute later and signaled for everyone to cross, Julie pedaled across the lines and kept to the bike lane afterward, riding among a couple of other cyclists. The sidewalk beside her was populated with other people and owned pokémon strolling with some of them.She was now a mile from her home amid Goldenrod and ensured to watch driveways of homes, multistory apartments with automatic gates, and parked vehicles before passing. Over the years, she'd almost gotten hit several times by cars or trucks reversing or darting out.It would take her around thirty minutes to reach the northern exit on her bike. The halfway point would be the Magnet Train Station and Goldenrod Radio Tower, both of which she was close to. The Goldenrod Gym wasn't far either, located a few miles north.Julie could see the station in the distance.People walked up sets of stairs leading from the ground to a large indoor building sitting at three stories. Inside was where one purchased tickets and boarded the train.Speaking of, Julie saw the gray bullet model appear from behind a tall structure on its raised tracks and slow to a gradual halt as it entered the building, where it disappeared. The tracks being built above the roads ensured shorter travel time.The train ran from Saffron City, the biggest in Kanto, and stopped in Johto's Goldenrod, connecting both regions. The path from Goldenrod took passengers east through both Violet and Cherrygrove City, over the ocean, then finally passed through Viridian and Celadon City before stopping in Saffron.The prospect was a collective beauty to watch out the windows; Julie had ridden it multiple times when her parents had taken her on trips to Kanto.The tall Radio Tower was responsible for broadcasting over fifty programs and music for all of Johto and was Goldenrod's most unique structure. It was a skyscraper with a rounded base, which was essentially its lobby, and thinned out into offices as it ascended into several larger recording studios toward the top.Atop the roof were multiple telecommunication towers to broadcast countless stations to the population.Julie knew this route and the surrounding areas of her house like the back of her hand. She had yet to explore much as Goldenrod was massive; she steered clear of areas that were considered unsafe, as taught by her mother, like the majority of Downtown Goldenrod up north and half of the central northern districts that the city put less money into.However, the wealthy and rich population lived mainly in the Goldenrod Hills edging the district's outskirts in a clearing of its abundant trees. It was also home to the Goldenrod Observatory, which she had been on a field trip to. The city had cut miles of trees down long ago to extend its limits.Little Kalos, an expansive middle-to-upper-class area that tried its best to capture the region's culture, also resided up there. Many people from Kalos opened restaurants and markets there.Fortunately, she rode through decent areas, but Julie always made an effort to be home before dark, especially in metropolitan Goldenrod where over three million people resided.The rest of Johto's cities didn't hold a candle in population density other than Olivine at two and a half million, Blackthorn at just under two million, and Cianwood at close to one and a half.Having just left Goldenrod's outskirts, away from the commotion and coastal air, Julie had three routes to cycle through before reaching Ecruteak City. The air was comfortable, cleaner, and smelled of nature. Her face stung and was still a soft pink, and her hands were numb, which the sun gradually warmed.Julie often wished to live by or in her city's outskirts. Not only was the population spread out compared to the inner city, but it was generally quieter with a decent air quality—it was also closer to her school.She rode down Route 35, a dirt path sprinkled with grass patches and surrounded by pines, which she noted the deep, rich green of while they swayed against subtle breezes. It also featured a small, fenced body of water. She passed other students biking and walking likely from Violet City, which was closer to Ecruteak than Goldenrod. She knew of a handful of students who commuted daily from Azalea Town, which was hours south of Ecruteak.Julie would hate to endure that, even if she used public transportation. She took buses at times when her mother sent her farther out for errands but generally avoided it so she didn't have to be closed in among so many people.She already found her current daily route tedious at times. She should have a license like her best friend, but she was still afraid to take her driving test. She'd have to shake that soon, but they didn't have a car anymore regardless.If Julie had one, the region would open up, and she'd like to explore. Johto and Kanto were even connected by what was known as the 'Full-Circle Highway System' that didn't heavily interfere with the nature of routes. The government had built the elevated road around the outskirts of every major city with exits leading to each one.It sprawled through mountain ranges, over open forests, and the ocean so civilian vehicles and trucks transporting goods could effortlessly traverse the region. Other Accordian regions had built them decades ago as well.Julie rode slowly in case an unknowing pokémon stepped out of the forest and waltzed into her path.She looked into the trees and saw a couple of venonat hopping and ledyba buzzing. She also spotted glimpses of aipom hanging in trees and gathering berries, along with a few armed forest rangers in red and green outfits patrolling.Route 35 through Route 37 were short, fifteen-minute journeys; she rode along the end of 37's trail that soon dissolved into Ecruteak's smooth stone roads. It was a quaint and more traditional city with old structures. The homes had downward-sloped roofs, and its structures, businesses included, were typically worn and faded.The historic Bell Tower deeper into the city towered over a congregation of homes, markets, the gym, and the Pokémon Center.Layers of trees with stunning golden leaves and others with a tinge of light green lined the outskirts, along with small ponds. The trees along the routes and in Ecruteak retained their leaves throughout all four seasons due to the warmer climate. Life-sized lanterns were also posted around the city that turned on at night and lit the streets.Men in tattered tops and worn-out pants pulled water from wells behind their homes; women in wool skirts and old blouses tended to farms and crops. More people around the city pushed wheelbarrows of supplies down the side of the road with the help of machamp or geodude.Cars were a rare sight; they were usually old models too. People either walked or rode their donphan or arcanine here, which was against the law in most big cities, as it would congest the walkways. Cell phones were also a rarity. People mainly used Pokégear here, a device resembling a bulky wristwatch with a small screen. It displayed a map of Johto, told time, and could make calls. The newer versions, still vastly outdated, were bigger and had more functions.If not those, people often used Poképads, which had been a Silph device released in between the Poké lineup and the sleek mobile phones used today. The Poképads' appearance were essentially if a Pokétch and a cell phone had a child: a less bulky, more compact Pokétch minus the straps and shaped in a rectangle one could slip in their pockets, and no, it wasn't touch-screen, but it did include more useful features, including web access, text messaging, games, and a decent camera.However, they all were old news now due to the more complex and capable cell phones introduced roughly thirty years ago by Silph, a company based in Saffron City. Silph was also responsible for Pokégear created seventy years ago. Other companies in various regions mimicked its success and created other devices like the Pokétch in Sinnoh and PokéNav in Hoenn; however, Silph had ultimately gained the upper hand after releasing the Poképad, which had utilized several popular and effective features from the Pokétch and PokéNav.Julie rode her bike down the lone dusty but litterless roads under the sun. She spotted a young child and his father picking up a few stray plastic items from beside a curb and stuffing them into a bag.She went around a woman with groceries saddled on the back of an arcanine who casually trotted with sure, heavy steps. Pedestrians dotted the sidewalks and worn marts with open doors. They sold cheap and limited food and drink items that children and teens from around here bought.Some of them didn't attend high school and instead worked for their households out of middle school. A number attended Ecruteak, although they typically didn't interact with students who lived outside of this city. They also carried a stigma because of their culture and that they weren't as intelligent as Johtoans, often forcing them to work harder to gain respect.The people of Ecruteak were originally from Oblivia. Even after stepping foot in Johto, many primarily taught their children their language, Fiorean, and embraced much of the culture, both of which Fiore shared. Due to past migration from Fiore, a colder climate, to Oblivia, a much warmer one, their complexion tended to be darker.Over a million Oblivians had been forced out of their region and relocated to Johto after the region opened its doors around one hundred years ago to offer refuge during a past war between them and Ferrum. The Oblivians had built their own community on land provided by the government alongside receiving checks monthly to help sustain them to this day. Ecruteak was the closest they had to home, which was now a distant and corrupt memory plagued with rampant crime after Ferrum had infiltrated following the war.Many Johtoans frowned upon their culture and lifestyle, as it was unrelatable to the modern world overall. They felt the Johto-Oblivians and their corresponding mindsets, alongside others entering the region from other less developed regions, were a drain on Johto's society as they spread into inner cities, including Kanto's in recent years. Others, however, saw their presence as an economic boost and appreciated the diversity.Julie could never look down on this city or its people, though, and Ecruteak was a unique addition to the region. It kept busy in its own archaic way.Small banks, cheap clothing stores, and thrift shops saw in-and-out customers. Some walked while using and making calls on newer models of Pokégear or Pads, which was what Julie saw in Goldenrod—except on phones, and people were usually glued way harder since cell phones had more functionality.Julie looked ahead and saw her school off to the side. It sat in a massive field: an old white two-story structure with peeling paint.The school was built here decades ago and was home to two hundred students, but the city could shut it down in the distant future as a growing number of residents complained it devalued the city. It was a good school, minus the minor drug issue and troublemakers. Fortunately, they were only a loud minority and got expelled if they were too defiant.A tall pole built before it in the grass flew the region's flag hosting four colors. It had a rich, half-gold center that faded into a scarlet orange at the top, and its other half was a deep blue that faded into a soft white. In the upper left corner sat a gust of wind carrying two feathers.The flag's colors represented the legends of Johto: Ho-oh and Lugia. The region revered them so deeply that they'd built two nine-story towers in their name for the guardians of the sky and sea to reside: the Bell Tower in the east and Brass Tower in the west, both in Ecruteak.The Bell Tower was cared for and stood to this day, but the Brass Tower had been charred and sacred ruins for over a hundred years.Julie pulled in and locked her bike among others at a station below a massive digital sign. It displayed upcoming events or important information about the school, such as days when it would be closed.She tugged on her lock to ensure it was secure and walked along the grass with tall trees before the school and onto the pavement. It led to stone steps through the open doors.Students filled the halls; posters hung on the walls, displaying the school's name in cursive or their sports team.Julie headed north down the main hall, her posture slightly slouched. She passed a few classrooms close to the entrance, including her math one, and stairs to her right leading to the school's second floor that students walked up to get to their lockers or classes.As she passed the flood of perpetually exhausted and eager kids, she could feel some eyes on her, which was nothing out of the ordinary.Julie arrived at her faded locker several rows down and set her backpack on the tile, dialing her lock to open it. She glanced aside at a tall brunette girl with her hair in a high bun, who shoved her backpack in her locker and took out books. That was Leia.She was considered a popular girl, always wearing short skirts or short shorts with tight shirts or jean jackets—oh, and she always had a boyfriend.Julie had regional history as her first subject, so she unzipped her bag and snagged the book for it. She also grabbed her binder with completed homework sheets, her water, notebook, and a zip-up pack of pencils and pens, then opened her locker and stuffed her backpack inside. Some students carried theirs around all day. It was convenient so they didn't have to stop at their locker after every period, but Julie didn't like lugging hers around.Midnight was currently nowhere to be found. He tended to avoid the halls while they were so busy. She'd be the same way if she could.Julie cleared her head and walked past her locker to her class down the lengthy corridor. She reached her hand and disabled her earphone.At the end of the current hall was a wooden bench under a large window letting the sun in. One could look out of it and see Ecruteak's mini plaza across the road. To the right of it was a hall with more lockers and classrooms. Other students passed Julie to and fro from down it.Ecruteak's plaza had small businesses and a couple of restaurants that Julie went to sometimes if she wanted a donut or pizza that wasn't from a chain after school, or when she wanted to buy berries for Midnight.She turned left into her class before it.Most of her peers were seated, chatting or scribbling last-minute assignments. Some were asleep since the teacher hadn't entered yet.She made a beeline to her desk at the back and set her books, paper, water, and pack on the faux wood after sitting. Usually, the kids who screwed around sat back here, but this class was an exception, and Julie disliked sitting at the front in any room.The room was set up like a traditional class that the teacher had decorated to look appealing. Large, detailed maps were pinned on the walls, displaying several regions, pictures of landmarks in popular cities, and mountainous landscapes around the world. Julie never got tired of losing herself in such idyllic settings and picturing herself in them."Morning."Julie looked at the boy sitting beside her and grinned. "Good morning, Max." He had long black hair and was out from Blackthorn."Did anything interesting last night?" he asked. "I did a ton of studying for the test in two days." He shrugged. "Nothing wrong with procrastinating if it works, right?"Julie's eyes went wide. "I actually totally forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me." It would mainly be labeling various attractions, towns, and cities among different regions the teacher had gone over. Shd would likely breeze through it but would be disappointed in herself if she got anything less than an A."Jules, pencil?""Hold on," Julie told him and shifted to the other side, facing the blonde beside her. She usually wore tops with skirts, headbands with a cute mini bow off to the side, and a fluffy pink or blue wrist cuff on her right wrist depending on her mood. It was pink today. "Jane, how do you never have one?" Jane was sweet, so Julie could never be rude to her, but she could get annoyed. Jane lived in one of the best areas in Goldenrod and one of Julie's favorite ones to shop or hang out in.She shrugged. "I brought one Thursday and the day before, and... Jules, you know I'll return it.""That's the crazy part. You don't." While generally soft-spoken, Julie came alive around those she was comfortable around. She looked ahead shortly as the teacher entered with a regional history textbook and laptop tucked under her arm. She was a kind middle-aged woman with black hair held in a bun atop her head, currently wearing a cream sweater and black pants.Julie slipped Jane a pencil from her pack, who whispered "thank you" in response."Good morning, class." She walked to her desk and grinned after a couple of voices returned it, set her items down, and opened her laptop, typing on it for a minute or so. Her desk had a jar of colored pencils and a nametag stating 'Miss Vasella.'She grabbed a small remote and went to stand by the whiteboard, pulling down the projector screen. "Today, we will be reviewing Johto, Unova, and Galar for the upcoming test, alongside touching more on the Galar Mines and Isle of Armor."Miss Vasella pointed the remote to the ceiling to turn on the projector, which displayed an overhead shot of the modern Village Bridge in Unova. It was an arched bridge made of stone and spanned several miles to the east and west over a body of water, grassy fields, and forests of trees. Twelve buildings lined the start of the bridge's edges with stairs at the center. Once one got to the top, they could look upon the extensive field, greenery, water, and the pokémon who resided in them.The teacher stepped aside. "We'll start with locations that aren't on the review. Think of it as an intriguing sneak peek into next week. What you're looking at is an image of Village Bridge, located between routes eleven and twelve that connect both."Julie shifted in her seat to lean in. Unova had caught her eye ever since she'd started studying it inside and outside of the classroom.Miss Vasella clicked the remote. The next slide showed an image of a white structure on the bridge near the top at the west end with an older man in a tee and cap waving at the camera. It had inviting flowerbeds and potted plants in front of the building, and above them was a sign reading: 'Village Bridge Restaurant.' "It's a popular tourist spot with thousands visiting annually to take its telling historical tours and dine at the restaurant in this image, known for its delectable berry sandwiches."Miss Vasella pressed again.A photorealistic drawing of the Village Bridge? Or what it had been. The art was drawn from the same angle as the first image but without the bridge in its place. Instead, it displayed a flooded river covering the field and swallowing homes, several of which had crumbled."The Village Bridge is well over two hundred years old and was constructed after the river we saw in the first slide had flooded and destroyed livelihoods. After the tragic event, the government came up with a charming idea. They ordered the community to be constructed atop the beautiful bridge. It was upkept by qualified individuals, as a total collapse would equal an even bigger tragedy. The river has flooded again multiple times but is no longer a threat."Julie grinned. It was truly amazing how people came together in times of need and built such profound structures on short notice. If only it could always be that way.After the hour passed, she was back out in the halls. She held onto some new things about her home region, Johto, where she'd lived all of her life, and Unova, which was an ally.Unova was allied with Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, and Paldea in what was referred to as the Unified Accord. It was the strongest and most respected nation with Kalos and Fiore also having joined five years ago, while Kalos looked to depart. The second strongest world power was the SNDA. The South-Northern Defensive Alliance currently consisted of Alola and Galar as close and trusted allies.Both and all other regional alliances were kept in order by the Global Union, an international power located in Unova that maintained global order and a semblance of world peace if and when possible.Julie wondered if they would ever be on the Accord's level of global influence and domination. Alola and Galar built off of each other and fast-tracked societal and economic progress. They were developing mutually faster than any other regions, but it was still hard to believe. The Accord had been in power for over two hundred years and had won more conflicts than it hadn't.It had close to a hundred military bases built strategically around Galar and Alola in the ocean and on the land of other regions nearby, ready for action, as those two were the Accord's greatest threats. Galar and Alola dual-funded their militaries nonstop and built airstrips and bases as an indirect challenge, but they knew better than to challenge directly. The only aspect that struck uneasiness was that they were likely gearing to be ready for a direct challenge.Onto less depressing matters, after Village Bridge, Miss Vasella had moved on and covered the marvelous Liberty Garden, a luxurious island purchased and named by a rich family long ago off the coast of Castelia City, Unova's capital. It had been a private island for decades; however, the family opened it to tourism in recent years for a source of easy income.Julie would take the ferry from the Liberty Pier in Castelia City if and when she ever visited Unova, as Miss Vasella had taught. Speaking of Castelia, it was the largest city in the region and among the largest in the world. It saw traffic from around the globe, so it held many cultures and food—a cosmopolitan dream that would make for nothing but an exquisite experience.However, Julie was most interested in its university she wanted to apply to after graduating, as well as a few others with her mother's help. The convenient option that'd allow Julie to stay within the comfort of Goldenrod would be attending UG Southside City, which was twenty minutes south of her house near the beachfront in a decent area.Her mother had taken her one day to tour its grounds, but Castelia was considered a top one with the world's best regional history program, so Julie would have to work as hard and be as prudent as she had been to get a chance at being accepted. If she couldn't from high school, which was eminently competitive, she'd transfer from a community college.It only reaffirmed that she had to remember to study for the test tonight. Julie had an A in history, an overall GPA sitting at 3.8 that taking several rigorous honors classes in previous grades had boosted, and would like to keep it that way, not to mention SAT testing was only a couple of months or so away.On her way to return her book to her locker, Julie spotted a familiar black creature strolling past the general area where her locker was; he stopped upon spotting her. Every ring but one was a bright yellow. The one on his right ear was a distinct blue, which was as rare as a pokémon being hatched as a shiny, and of which she liked especially because it was blue. Julie had told him so soon after they'd met.Most passing or standing by paid little to no mind to him, occasionally stopping to greet him or pat his head. He wasn’t an unusual sight, after all. Julie just couldn’t help herself. He was adorable.She approached and crouched before him as he approached after the area cleared out some, leaning her book against her locker. “Hey, Midnight. No berries today, sorry." Julie wore a slight grin and leaned in on her toes, running her palm over his head and glancing at his rings as they faded to a dim, glowy yellow tinged with a soft blue. His ears folded as she brushed her hand over them and rose after she removed it.She'd researched the phenomenon after they'd first met because his rings glowed during their interactions the more time they spent together, where she had found out they light up for two reasons: excitement and under the moonlight. It reminded her of her liepard purring when content.Julie brought her hands to caress his cheeks, squishing them together, which he raised his paw against."Bmh," he mumbled while she pressed his face and blinked at her."Sorry." She giggled a little and let go of his cheeks, watching him lick around his mouth. "I need to get to my next class. I'll see you afterward if you’re around, okay?” She rubbed his head and let her hand fall to her side, then grabbed her history text and stood to slide it in her locker. She afterward got the necessary book out of it for her next class.While walking, she glanced back at Midnight with a grin that grew and brightened her eyes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
At 12:40 p.m. Julie was finally done with her classes. She sighed with dreary eyes from the constant note-taking, chatting, and listening she'd been doing all day.She strolled down the busy second hall to the right of the bench, where the school's closed auditorium doors, her science and language arts class, the restrooms, and her best friend's locker were located. She held a now-empty water bottle that she tossed in a bin.Julie was about to pass the school's bulletin board on the wall behind a glass case but stopped, looking it over.Pinned papers covered it, advertising ongoing or upcoming events around the school and different elective programs students could sign up for. There were also a couple of trophies and medals the school had earned after competing in sports against other schools across the region over the years.Ecruteak's sports team used to be strong, but it wasn't what it used to be. They lost more often than they won nowadays.Julie passed sports, self-defense, culinary, instrument lessons— which she'd taken back in tenth, and more, but cheerleading caught her eye. She'd do that if she had the confidence, but the girls may not even accept her. It was too late anyway.She kept walking, slipping past people and ignoring the occasional bump in the packed halls. The only classes in session were electives and ones for students who had an hour of PE. Others stayed for an additional hour or two after school and went upstairs to the library for tutoring and help sessions.Johto, as a whole, typically had shorter school days compared to several other regions, such as Alola and Galar. They required that every school host eight-hour days. Johto's law was more lenient, requiring a minimum of five hours of education per day. Julie's would be close to five if she'd chosen not to take her business elective. The government didn't make a big deal out of it if the student was in their senior year.Julie turned at the bench and passed her regional history class down the congested main hall, now in thought about how she hadn't seen Midnight between periods; however, she spotted him sitting by her locker ahead.Her lips curled to a slow, widening smile that she faded while glancing at the many surrounding faces, and found herself walking faster to get to him. He didn't do this often. It seemed as if Midnight had gotten accustomed to Julie's schedule. “Awe, missed me?" She crouched and toyed with his ears, noticing a side-eye from Leia after she arrived at her locker to grab her stuff."Umbre..." He nuzzled her leg.“I missed you too. I've got to head home, though." She looked around as students cleared out. “A few more minutes..." Julie shot a few more glances around her. The emptier the hall was, the more it'd shine the spotlight on her, but more students present also meant more eyes on her overall. It was a lose-lose.She ran her digits down his sleek back while he gazed up at her, his deep red eyes meeting hers. Goodness, he was the very definition of cute, and those orbs were so pretty to look into. Julie could practically lean in— to get a closer look, that was. “I could sit here all day, but... I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Julie said and pulled her phone from her pocket after it vibrated. She'd received a text from her mother.It read: 'I'll be home around 5 tonight. Let Lilly in if you see her.'"Usually gets off at three. Must be working later than usual..." Julie stood in what was now a dead hallway for the most part, besides a few people organizing their lockers and some couples talking. She grabbed her backpack from her locker and ensured all her books and supplies were inside.“Bye!" She waved to Midnight while walking towards the school's exit, wearing a subtle, coy smile.“What's it with you and that night eevee?"Julie looked behind her and saw her best friend, who wore a black jacket, canvas sneakers, and ripped skinny jeans with a black key lanyard hanging out of its front pocket that went with her hair, which was the color she usually wore. The dress was code was tame at Ecruteak. One just couldn't wear anything too revealing or what the faculty deemed offensive.She was a rough-ish sense of cute if Julie had to describe it. She was also shorter than Julie and sat at a middle course between slim and chubby."He deserves affection, so I give it to him. Give me a break, Alyssa." Her comment made Julie wonder if she'd been watching their interactions often, and if so, it likely meant everyone was.“Uh-huh, bet you were longing for him during every class." She blew a pink bubble from the gum she was chewing and popped it.Okay, Alyssa had to have seen them together multiple times, or maybe she was being stupid and poking fun as usual. Either way, it caused Julie to blush a little, which she tried to hide by turning her face. “Shut up! I just like spending some of my time here with him." As in a lot, but Julie had always withheld the giddiness, so no one could possibly know how she... felt about him, right?It was a recent realization due to them mutually seeking each other and meeting in the halls as if a daily date. They were doing it now more frequently than ever; her bringing him berries couldn't help, but was it translating to their general interactions?Maybe Julie should work on toning things between them down, but imagining that drained her mood already.Alyssa briefly pulled out her phone to open a few social apps, refreshing feeds. “I'm messing with 'ya. Calm down. Got anything to do tonight?"“Study. I'm pre-exhausted from an upcoming math test the teacher announced today, and then I have to study for a test in two days I somehow forgot about. I was also thinking about getting a mani-pedi at the mall later, but I'll go when my nails start fading more." She glanced at Alyssa's nails, which had some grime underneath and could use a file-up. "When are we taking you for one?"“Not my speed. I don't need it; mind if I join you at some point tonight? We could do the science homework together and... study."“Be there at, mh, three? I want to settle first."“See you then, and stop ignoring my DM's on Veela.""You send the dumbest videos, but fine."Veela was one among a couple of rising new social media platforms as smartphones became more commonplace. It was currently the most popular one due to its innovative user interface and enticing features. Julie didn't use it much unless she was deathly bored and wanted to scroll, but Alyssa was an addict.They went their separate ways for now, and Julie went to the bike station, watching another student tug at their lock and struggle to take it off.It had gotten cooler outside since this morning, meaning it was twice cooler in Goldenrod, in turn making Julie worry about Lilly, her liepard who spent most of her time outdoors.Lilly had belonged to Julie and her mother for four years. They'd seen her out on the street and in multiple yards one day during a frigid winter, shivering and crying, so they'd caught her with a pokéball her mom had kept from the Center as a just-in-case.However, Lilly still loved roaming outside, which came with plenty of risks. It was why most people kept their pokémon inside, but Julie didn't want to keep Lilly from her happiness, and she got irritable when locked inside. The best Julie could do was try to keep tabs on her.They had to get her spayed after rescuing her, as Julie's mother couldn't afford a litter. Neutering and spaying were generally frowned upon and illegal to perform on most species. Liepard and its pre-evolution were exceptions, as they tended to invade cities and reproduce at a rapid rate.The sky was a darker shade of blue as evening wasn't far. Billowing gray clouds filled the sky overhead, stretching for miles and packed together in thick fields as if one could run across. They let down steady drizzles that hit small puddles on the pavement and asphalt from heavier rainfall prior.Barely any sunlight was present, often blocked by the moving clouds. It shone off and on in strips whenever it found gaps, beaming between tall buildings that cast shade over the pavement and checkering through fences and trees swaying against mild breezes. It provided a dull, tame aesthetic that spread throughout the city.Goldenrod was as lively as it was during the morning. More of the population occupied stores and hangout areas.Training Centers in several areas were full of people who had gotten out of school or off work to spend time with their pokémon and sharpen their skills. They were communal buildings or outdoor fields that all towns and cities were required to have.Like every Pokémon Center worldwide, Training Centers were non-profit; they received funding through donations and via hosting official Poké Marts at indoor locations.Poké Marts stayed relevant by selling exclusive balls, stat drugs, and healing properties that were illegal for unofficial markets around the region to sell. This included all pokéballs excluding default and great balls, max revives, hyper potions, and more.Depending on the size of the said town or city, one to five Training Centers had to be built so every owner and trainer were able to train their pokémon, even if they lived in circumstances that made it difficult, such as residing in an apartment, condo, or hotel.The elementary school held a playground full of children, most waiting for their parents to pick them up while playing tag or using equipment like swings and slides, or playing at hand or tetherball courts. Some left the grounds and got into vehicles with their mothers or fathers.That neighborhood's street was always extra busy during the hour school let out and had a traffic officer to help the children cross the street. More had the family pokémon or an older sibling pick them up while only a few walked alone.Employees pulled the gates open to nightclubs and cars parked at curbside meters, gallerias, in huge plazas hosting restaurants and designer stores, or in lots at restaurants and bars with vibrant murals of pokémon, famous trainers, or people on some of their walls.Grocery marts were full of people shopping for their families after work; some shoppers sent their pokémon off to grab certain items to quicken the process.Buses braked at packed stops, opening their doors to let floods of passengers out, some of whom held ready umbrellas, then refilled with plenty of new ones and continued their routes.If not buses, people flagged down bright yellow and black checkered taxis on roadsides. It was a more expensive option, but it was the price to pay to be around no one but the driver.People who lived outside of Goldenrod or in Kanto and commuted for work took the train, so the Magnet Station was full too.Julie lived on the southwestern side above Goldenrod's docks; the small district was residential and more reposeful. She shivered against the wind that she only had to endure for a minute longer and squinted at a dark purple silhouette ahead. "There you are." It wasn't difficult to spot her liepard sitting on the porch once the house was visible.Julie's ride home had her beat; she was cold and wet at that. Several strands of her hair clung to her head. Even her bikes frame was dotted with water droplets. They ran down and dripped to the ground in rivulets against the steady vibration her tires made rolling along the rain-slicked asphalt and cutting through stray puddles.She hopped off her bike moments later and jogged with it, slowing to a pace and taking her keys out of her pocket while approaching. She first stopped to open the mailbox's lid and grab a couple of envelopes from inside, likely junk mail.Julie looked to her right at the house adjacent to hers upon noticing movement and saw an elderly woman crouched before rows of dirt in her yard behind picket fences with gloves. She smoothed soil around organized rows of planted berry bushes. Those were the next-door neighbors, an elderly couple that kept to themselves.The house on the left was vacant, for rent, and had a sign posted in the yard stating so with a phone number on it. A married couple from Alola with two small children and an alolan persian had lived there since Julie was ten but moved out last year. Her mother used to chat with them out front sometimes, and even that had stopped after her mother fell into a dreadful depression.Julie didn't miss hearing the kids shout in the yard while playing ball or kicking it into hers, but it felt kind of lonely with that gone; the colorful kiddy chalk art on the public pavement they drew was cute to look at when Julie left and returned from school.“You were gone all day yesterday, Lilly. I'll feed you in a sec." Julie stepped onto the porch and ran her hand across the side of her cold, damp fur, unlocking the door to let her slip in.She leaned in to toss the mail onto the couch and locked her bike up afterward, which took almost a minute since her hands were quivering, then entered the house with the key she kept in her wallet. She turned the thermostat's dial by the door, activating the central heating.“Ugh, so much warmer in here. I can't feel anything." Julie shuddered again. She took off her shoes at the door, slipped into her slippers, and walked upstairs while wringing her hands together, glancing at water-colored paintings lining the wall of vague fields and mountainous landscapes.At the top was a wooden stand against the wall displaying a couple of framed portraits of Julie from years ago with her parents. Her father was tall with black hair usually held up in a bun and wore glasses.One photo was at her middle school graduation afterparty, where she wore a blue and gold cap and gown; the other was a group photo taken at an amusement park in Kanto in front of a large board themed after a major action film. It had explosions, a lucario mid-aura sphere, and a man in a suit and shades while holding a rifle.Antique pokéballs and fake vines lined the wall above the photos.Julie passed it and went to the restroom, drying her hair and arms with a towel and going to her room afterward. Her mother stayed downstairs in the master bedroom, and an extra one was up here across from Julie's that her mom used as a storage unit with stacked boxes.Julie would have the house to herself for a while, so she didn't have to stay in her clothing.She left her shirt on, emptied her pockets, and set everything on the nightstand except for her phone. She then took off her pants and tossed them into the hamper she kept in her open closet. It left her in socks and panties.Julie tossed her phone underhanded on her bed. “Okay, Lilly!" She jogged downstairs to the kitchen and almost slipped with a gasp after her heel slipped over a step near the bottom, making her grab the railing.Julie took a bag of PokéChow out of one of the lower cabinets and poured a generous amount into Lilly's bowl at the kitchen's entrance. Lilly nibbled off and on at her food, so she wouldn't vacuum it.Their kitchen had an upscale island in the center made of black marble, as were the counters. They also had racks to hang pots, pans, and utensils.“That should be good for now." Julie rubbed her liepard's head while she ate before grabbing a water bottle and bag of mini muffins from the cabinet, walking them back to her room.Julie closed the door enough to leave it cracked and flipped on the light. She had to start her homework before studying, so Julie grabbed her regional history text and striped notebook. It has Alyssa's faded name in black permanent marker and Jane's in pink with a heart replacing the 'a.' She tossed them and her kitchen items on her bed.Her regional history book read 'Geographical History' over its cover photo of Wyndon City in Galar, specifically its massive spherical stadium with a plaid design and a logo above its entrance.It was a reading assignment with a few questions to answer at the end. Easy enough, and she would read the study guide she'd forgotten about afterward.She sat on her bed and glanced at her Silph laptop on the floor leaning against the wall by her closet. It was useful when she had to look up questions, but she'd just use her phone. Julie had little reason to use her laptop nowadays unless she had an important assignment or essay.She then looked at her prized volleyball trophy on the nightstand that she had a love-hate relationship with. Firstly, Julie wasn't fond of her district's middle school. It was around ten minutes north of the elementary one, twice larger than Ecruteak, and had more students, but it wasn't a good school. Her parents were always waiting out front the moment Julie got out to ensure she didn't slip and fall into bad crowds.All in all, she never had genuine friends but did have acquaintances and was never bullied there, perhaps because the school was bigger, and she wasn't the girl she was now. The school did have an impressive sports team and won more games against other schools than it lost, though.Julie hadn't been the worst at volleyball either. She was no top player but was considered decent enough to be valuable to the team. She kept her blue and white jersey and shorts in her closet as a memory and remembered vividly the day of that big championship game against one of the best teams in the region, where she was as confident as she was nervous.It was the last time she'd had her father's support. Both he and her mother were in the bleachers of Golden Ocean's buzzing indoor gym along with hundreds of other parents.Julie performed well that day, better than she, the other girls, and probably even her coach had expected. She saved the game multiple times, moved with purpose, positioned herself well, was in the right spot often, and hit the ball with all her might.She would be going to the closest Goldenrod high school twenty minutes south by the beach; however, while better respected than Golden Ocean, it still wasn't anywhere near the best. Hence, they looked into pricey private schools around the city until finding Ecruteak High in an advertisement. It, technically, was one of the best public options in the region that allowed children outside of Ecruteak to attend.Julie pushed off her slippers, closed her curtains to cut incoming light, set her bottle and muffins on the nightstand, and got under her blanket on her side. She tucked it around her to keep in the heat.She reached and grabbed her phone from the bottom of the bed and slid it under her pillow, plugging it in using an outlet on the wall behind her, then opened her book and stretched her legs. She had to read five pages; after that were the easy questions. She just adored this subject.Ever since day one of middle school, regional history had been her absolute favorite subject since it taught her so much about every region, from modern history down to their pasts. It was a broad discipline, covering the geography and intricate exploration of the history of every region dating back to the Stone Age alongside the people and pokémon that lived, persisted, evolved, and developed with the land.Her notebooks were always filled like a diary with what she'd jot down from her readings and research, all of her favorite facts and whatnot so that they'd stick with her.Julie looked around the bed and lifted the blanket. She'd forgotten her notebook and pencil pack in her backpack. “Come onn…" She wouldn't bother reading without them, and there was no way she'd be willing to get up after skimming through so many words. Julie lay on her back, her head on her pillow. She listened to droplets of water hit the pavement that dripped from roofs outside among utter silence.Her mind started to run. It pushed thoughts from what she'd do after school to how she was doing in school now, then to how she was doing in general. Julie had never had a boyfriend and rarely talked to the couple of people she knew. They'd think she was weird for wanting to be around a pokémon more than other people, anyway, but she couldn't help how she felt.Now that she thought about it, Julie yearned for something specific.She reached her hand under the blanket and spread her legs slightly. She should be doing homework, but she couldn't ignore this growing arousal. Plus, since the house was hers for a while, now would be a good time. Julie ran her digits along her inner thighs and exhaled before pressing them into her clitoris over her panties.Naturally, she thought about what turned her on the most while masturbating. There wasn't much that spiked it except for something that would bring her some guilt: Midnight.He wasn't her umbreon, but he was something to drool over to Julie. This was more or less what she had been hiding as a result of their constant interactions that had brewed and brewed over time into stronger feelings— at least on her end. Now she was here.She sat up for a second, reached behind to unclip her bra, then slipped her hand under her panties and placed two fingers on her clit, rubbing in a slow, circular motion with a short-lived and subtle moan. She shut her eyes while thinking of Midnight and herself in mentally engaging scenarios.She pictured him mounting her from behind and how adorable his expression would be as he thrust into her virgin pussy. "Ah, mn..." Her legs twitched, spreading more, and with every other second, she rubbed faster, her breaths building. Julie spread her labia and caressed her thin outer lips.She pulled up her shirt with her other hand and slipped her hand under her bra, fondling her breast. "F-Faster, Midnight. I n... I need it..." she whispered. She imagined him thrusting faster and how incredible it would feel. She had to satisfy the ache. Her pussy begged for penetration. Julie teased her hole with her digits' tips and gave a moment while she caught her breath and calmed down.With a soft sigh and serene chill traversing her, she reset her imagination to Midnight mounting her in missionary. His warm, loving paws rested on her thighs while he stood between her legs spread just for him, and those eyes— those adorable orbs stared at her as they did always."I'm ready, Midnight..." And as he thrust his hips and pushed his heat inside her, spreading her pussy, she parted her labia by slipping two fingers inside. "Uhn... You can start moving," she whispered, grinning at his care. Julie drew her fingers along the topside of her canal, pressing and rubbing them while moaning under her breath from the stimulation.Her legs quivered while Midnight pumped his hips; she fingered herself to match it, watching his eyes grow weak. "Like it? Nh, I hope you do... You can go faster. It'll be better for us both." So she fingered herself at the pace he'd set himself on, watching his hips move and imagining the equally adorable moans behind them.She gasped, pushing as deep as she could go, up to her knuckles while slightly arching her back. Her shirt slid over her hand while she rubbed her nipple due to her movement, so Julie pulled it up again and bit it to avoid further nuisance. "Mhn, yss... You're gonna make me... m-make me..." Her shirt somewhat muffled her moans.Julie squeezed her tit and fingered faster, her pussy getting wet from such vivid thoughts and avid stimulation, making her actions audible— until her door swung open.She sat up and gasped while catching her breath, mortified. Her cheeks turned a shade of dark red. Fortunately, it was only Lilly that interrupted; she sighed in relief, briefly shutting her eyes.For a second, she thought it was some low-odds possibility that her mom had come home early. “Lilly, ugh, d-don't barge into my room like that!" Julie scowled across the room at her."Lipr." Lilly flicked her tail and turned around nonchalantly, walking off after the scolding."Stupid entitled liepard..." Julie softened her narrowed eyes and mumbled. She could breathe slower, though her legs still shook. She pulled her hand away and grabbed her water bottle, opening it and taking several sips before setting it down.She then unplugged and took her phone from under her pillow. Julie saw loose strands of her hair splayed across it from last night's sleep and her act now, so she took a moment to pick a few stubborn ones off and dropped them on the carpet to vacuum another time.She didn't even know if Midnight felt the same way. Why would he? That didn't mean she'd try to find out if he wanted to have sex with her or anything, though. She shook her head. "Don't be stupid, Julie. Stop it..."Anyone with decency would tell her such thoughts were pathetic. Poképhilia wasn't outright illegal in Johto or most regions, for that matter. A few, like Alola, Galar, and Almia had outlawed it, but one could perform the act with bidepal pokémon in this nation and Unova.However, the majority frowned upon it, so one would never know the people who did have sex with their pokémon, and marrying one was out of the picture.Governments introduced stringent laws over twenty years ago to get better control of the practice, as there had been a statistical increase in humans seeking only pokémon as long-term partners and vice versa.It created a noticeable decline in the human population and less of one in pokémon, alongside an alarming increase in sexual assaults happening to females and males on routes and in cities by both species. Often, other pokémon or people stopped such attacks, ending occasionally in the death of the perpetrator(s) via pokémon using their abilities.Abuse of the same or a similar type by people who caught pokémon to use as objects rose as well. It was a collective degradation in a civilized society seeming to slowly lose its civility.More explicit poképhilia media was uploaded to adult sites than ever before, both consensual and occasionally forced. The aspect had crept into general media and still did only subtly since regulations were in place.All of this and more was why even trading pokémon without supervision was outlawed. One had to call a ranger department and set up an appointment held at a station with a ranger present to ensure the situation and transaction were clean and consensual.The consequences had risen significantly for anyone caught or found guilty of committing non-consensual sexual crimes against pokémon. Consensually, a person couldn't have more than one bipedal pokémon five years after they'd hatched as a sexual or romantic partner at a time, nor could one marry that pokémon under any circumstance.The consequences weren't as steep for consensual acts with quadrupeds, but they equaled hefty fines and imprisonment for a maximum of three years in the Accord. The pokémon got confiscated and either rehomed, rereleased, or put down after professors evaluated its nature, background, and behavior.Midnight didn't belong to Julie, so the school would have to pay the price or take her to court.She recalled a number of students getting caught for sexual acts with other students and getting expelled in the past, which was far from worth it. It would be ten times more obscene if she were caught getting drilled by a four-legged pokémon.She unlocked her phone and checked the time. "Almost three." Alyssa would be over soon, and Julie had to get ready on top of getting at least some of her assignment done.“Do you know the answer to number three?" Alyssa looked at Julie. She sat at the bottom of her bed, legs crossed, in a tee that had a woman from an animation on it.“Did you even try looking yourself? You asked me the same thing for one and two." Julie kept reading her work and didn't look up.“I would… if I liked science, now, do you have it?" Alyssa asked almost icily, her tone miffed."Hold on." Julie spoke softer and pulled up her pajama pants while reading more text."You okay?"She no longer read, but she still stared blankly at the page.“What is it?" Alyssa dropped her pen. "You've taken–" she cut herself short and wore a tinge of relief upon Julie not seeming to notice.“Mh." A lamentful expression washed over Julie, frowning her face, but she fixed it before facing Alyssa.“Well, want me to go? You said your mother would be here at six, and it's five.""Here, let me give you the answers first."She let Alyssa copy her answers and let her leave afterward.Julie stood at the top of the stairs and watched her slip on her shoes by the door. "Text me when you're home safely!""I will!" Alyssa replied and went out.Afterward, Julie returned to her room and parted her curtains enough so the sun would shine in when morning came.She had to finish her work so she could go to bed. Julie hoped her mind would clear overnight. It'd be back regardless, though.The ruminative thoughts regarding her social flaws never let her be, and Julie had to be more than flawed when she was sexually attracted to an umbreon to the point where she rubbed herself out to the very thought of him and not a single boy.It reminded her of back when she was fourteen and had her first period; she'd gone to her mother because of how hot and uncomfortable she was feeling.Her mother sat her down and explained that it was a step toward womanhood and that she would be menstruating often, so she had to teach Julie to use pads and whatnot, but what stuck with her was that her mother also told her it was normal if she started finding boys more attractive.Well, that never happened. Not once, at least not enough to where she desired any that she was around.None of it had stopped crossing her mind since Ecruteak and as she aged and supposedly became an adult.Julie sighed and shook it off. She remembered that she'd forgotten to check her messages on Veela, so she sat on the bed and grabbed her phone, unlocking it and inputting '0205' into the numpad, which was the month and day she and Alyssa had first met in class.Her home screen wallpaper was Alyssa last year at an outdoor school fundraiser event with an unamused expression and skitty face paint on. The faculty applied it since she was painting other kids' faces, so Julie snapped a pic she'd never get again.Without looking, Julie reached for the nightstand and grabbed around for her muffins, opening the pack and popping one in her mouth. She opened her app list and scrolled through, clicking the one with a logo of an eevee's tail and opening it. Julie was already logged in, so it took her to the brown-and-white home page.It offered a search bar at the top to find specific posts, people, or browse trending tags. Otherwise, the app offered countless general posts to scroll through while an outline of an eevee sat at the top right.She clicked the sidebar and opened her empty profile. The site prompted her to publish something in the empty area where her posts would be with an: 'Eevee won't evolve unless you post!'At one hundred user posts, the eevee at the top right of the screen became an umbreon upon refreshing, which altered the site's theme to black and yellow. One could switch back if they pleased. Espeon was locked behind two hundred, and so on. Users even earned publicly viewable badges in their profiles as they unlocked them. One could unlock shinies as well, but those were locked behind likes and were more difficult to achieve.Julie wasn't interested. She had no profile picture, and her username was 'Julie_5' since she'd been late to the party. The other Julies snagged the good names. She had zero followers and only followed a few news and history profiles, like 'JohtoNN,' a news network that covered happenings around Johto, 'Silph,' which covered major technological advancements and studies, and 'WorldOrigins,' covering current events and new groundbreaking scientific discoveries globally.She also followed other profiles that posted pokémon and region facts— and she followed Alyssa, of course.Julie went to her 'following' list and tapped Alyssa's profile among others she followed. Her profile picture was of an animated woman in a black and white mink coat and silver hair from a TV show. Her username was: 'xoAlysssa.' She posted a lot, too.She clicked the newest one posted this morning beside her rows of others that scrolled down forever, which was a twenty-second video with one hundred and fifty likes, plenty of comments, and forty revees. People used those to reshare posts to their profile.Julie pressed play on the video: a stationary cam recording from the ceiling of an overall view of a living and dining room, displaying the couch, TV, and whatnot, during the night.A small glameow entered the frame and stretched, approaching the dining room table that looked to be set up for an event the next day. It was tableclothed and had glasses, napkins, and packs of steel utensils on it. The glameow went to the cloth and pawed at a red bow on its end, pulling at it with its claws, which moved one of the glasses dangerously close to the table's edge.Julie bit her lip, grinning. "This is going to end so badly."The glameow pawed at it some more; on the next tug, the glass shifted over the edge and fell beside the glameow with a loud shatter, making it flinch and flex its claws, a few of which got caught in the bow and fabric."Ssstt," she sucked her teeth and wore a grimace, keeping her eyes glued while taking another muffin. "No way it gets any worse."The pokémon then scrambled to get away with flattened ears but couldn't get its claws unstuck, so it pulled and tugged desperately, which shifted the entire tablecloth over until
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Her eyes shot open to soft light hitting her face and permeating her room. Julie turned from it and faced the wall, grabbing her phone and disabling her alarm before it went off.As expected, she didn't feel much better than last night, meaning today would be a chore.She drank the rest of the water in her bottle to care for her dry mouth, left it on the nightstand with her empty muffin bag, and begrudgingly got up to go about her usual routine. She set her sheets and blanket over her pillow and draped it over the sides of her bed, then did her hair and took a pill against her will. She put on a plaid skirt, sweatpants, and a cream jacket with vibrant shiny mini butterfree patterned from the torso and lining up the right sleeve.Julie went downstairs afterward with her backpack over her shoulders, grabbing a new bottle and tucking it in the slot. She saw her mother in the kitchen with Lilly sitting beside her.They looked alike. Julie hadn't taken anything from her father besides hair color. Her mother's was blonde and straight. Her father wasn't around anymore as he and her mother had separated while Julie was young. He used to keep in touch intermittently, which started stopping when she turned seventeen and truly stopped after eighteen.It hurt more than anything; she remembered crying in her mother's arms for weeks after he hadn't so much as texted her like he usually did.He currently lived in Kanto with his new family since he'd remarried and had another child with that woman, so Julie had a half-sister she may never meet. Her name was Hailey; that was the extent of Julie's knowledge. She didn't even know how old she was.Several months after those events, Julie fell into the heaviest depressive state she'd been in since fifteen, where the trauma had caught up with her initially. She'd lacked the motivation to do anything, rarely had an appetite, and was grief-stricken and exhausted around the clock. The happiness she used to feel faded and rarely returned. It had been in brief spurs when it did.Her mother had wanted her to go to therapy as recommended by the doctor, but Julie begged her not to set that up. She'd still be going today."Morning, Julie. I made you something light before I go. Have to head in early. How was school yesterday?""Thank you, and it went well," Julie said while giving her mom a slight grin, hoping she wouldn't see any gloom on her face. She usually noticed Julie's moods, everything from apparent to more subtle alterations, which was the very reason she was on antis, but her mother happened to be in a rush."I hope today will be even better, sweetie. Love you." With that and a tight hug, her mother left shortly for work.Julie hoped so too. She ate what her mother had made for her, told Lilly to stay inside today, and headed out the door while taking a minute to connect her earphone and put on a song. This time, she was leaving earlier than usual and had just over an hour before her first class started. Julie would ride slower and enjoy the music in her ear, humming its rhythm.Even still, she was back to her recent thoughts: social flaws, Midnight, school, her bleak life, and now her father. He and her mother had divorced due to dysfunction in their marriage. Julie couldn't recall how the case went; she faintly remembered one of them accusing the other of having an affair. That part was kind of blurry.That could be how far gone their marriage had been. Her mother had won custody in the end, narrowly, if Julie could remember, but she didn't know why or how long the case had dragged on for. What she could remember was how toxic it got some nights.Julie didn't want to bring any of it up and ask her mother. It was also the reason they didn't have their old sedan. Her father had taken it with him since it was in his name, so the driveway and garage sat vacant.Shortly after they'd separated was when her mother had spiraled into an inconsolable depressive state that Julie helped her through the best she could, cooking for them, burning dishes here and there, and cleaning around the house. Her mother had almost lost her job during that time. After all of it, however, she still wore her ring.Julie put it on the list of several reasons why she didn't want a relationship. She had no idea what to look for or expect, and it could all fall apart after so much had been put into the commitment.She just didn't think someone fitting for her would waltz into her life, but who would be fitting?"Ugh, please stay on that sidewalk, and keep your boards on it too, for the love of Lugia." Julie pressed her brakes and eyed a small group of pre-teens ahead skateboarding a little too close to the street and pictured one of them slipping off their boards, sending it flying and decking her wheel, but she passed with no trouble.Maybe she needed an extroverted partner to help her in certain situations like Alyssa did, or perhaps another introvert would best match her energy. Julie would have to put herself out there, experiment, and risk herself, because they could leave too.Julie strolled through the busy morning hall, dropping her backpack by her locker and unlocking it accordingly. She looked around for Midnight, who wasn't in sight. She had no clue when the faculty let him roam the school, but she usually saw him after her first class. It would have brightened her morning, so hopefully, she was right.Julie had difficulty paying attention in class and hadn't talked much to her classmates. She daydreamed and didn't take many notes, which she didn't like when it came to her favorite class. Maybe the fact that she had no one in life besides Alyssa and her mother was really beginning to hit her.Julie had never made a real effort to get to know or ask anyone out during all the years she'd spent here, but she didn't find appeal in doing so at the same time, and now she sort of had something. A pokémon would never break her heart. There was only genuine love present, Lilly excluded, but it was why she liked Midnight so much-- maybe a little too much.Julie picked up her pen and looked at the projector displaying slides of locations in Sinnoh while the teacher lectured. It was stunning, from Hearthome City and its popular Super Contest Hall to Floaroma and its flowerscaped land that was once a barren mountain bloomed by Shaymin if one asked its residents. They were supposed to watch interviews with several locals today that went into more detail about the myth.Lake Acuity, Verity, and Valor intrigued her too. They were home to three legendary pokémon who held the myth of the creation of willpower, knowledge, and emotion. The trio was fenced off and under watch by pokémon rangers 24/7 so no one attempted wandering in and catching or harming them, but rangers hosted pricey tours of each lake every Monday and Saturday for guests willing to learn.She often further researched regions at home that were discussed in class even when it wasn't required for an essay during her leisure time. It usually resulted in her wanting to tour plenty as so many captured her. Julie spent so much time doing it that she often dreamed at night about exploring various regions. If there was one thing she could see herself doing in the future, it was being a historian and traveling the world. She'd be the happiest woman on the planet.After the class let out, Julie wasted no time exiting the classroom with an anticipant grin, flipping her half-full bottle in her hand, but Midnight still wasn't by her locker. "Maybe later..."She had to use the restroom before science class started, which was in ten minutes, so she paced toward the second hall.However, as Julie turned the corner and passed a row of lockers, she saw Midnight slip out of the room that the culinary class was held in twice a week turn while licking his lips, the door shutting behind him. She squeezed her bottle until it crackled. "Mmh!" She'd prevented herself from uttering a word since other classes were still in session, so her noise came out as a quiet hum.Muffled lectures were in session behind closed doors and the faint hum of instruments played behind a soundproof one.Only a few students and a group of boisterous tall jocks grabbing bags from their lockers that held jerseys and shorts were around. Julie had taken PE in ninth and eleventh. The school required two years of it, so she was done.Some students were on their phones while leaning against lockers. Others talked to their high school love, and whatnot before they too walked off to their next class.She met Midnight by the pink door of the girls' restroom halfway down the hall with a heart-tailed female pikachu sign outlined on it to signify the gender assigned. Beside it was the blue boys' door with a male pikachu on it.Julie kneeled in front of him, setting her bottle on the floor. "Hi." She looked around to make sure the halls were clear before briefly embracing his neck and kissing his head, which his rings reacted to. This was such odd behavior. Why was she like this? She was close to feeling jealousy when she saw others touching him, but that was a part of him being here and always had been, so Julie had to cut that out.Midnight responded by licking her chin, then wriggling his way out of her hold while brushing his cheek against her legs and thighs.He likely wanted more attention, but Julie hadn't seen Midnight act this way before. She giggled, reaching to scratch behind his ears. "Yes?"Midnight gave her a different kind of gaze as she pulled away. He fixed his eyes on her face, his bushy tail swaying from side to side."What is it?..." Julie scanned him and wore a puzzled expression from his unwavering stare."Umb.""I've- got to get to my next class. I'll see you later." She leaned down to give him another kiss on the forehead, but this time, Midnight leaned up and moved his face so his mouth connected with Julie's.A surprised murmur escaped her mouth, her eyes dilated, and her cheeks flushed. Julie took Midnight's cheeks with her palms and held their kiss that shot straight to her core with a mesmeric frisson, half-shutting her slightly rolled eyes while pressed to his warm muzzle, nuzzling subtly against his fur.Midnight eyed her face, his ears erect, his tail stiff, and his rings glowing a brighter, more vibrant yellow than usual.After pulling away, she looked up and down the halls again while wiping her mouth with her wrist. She exhaled while gazing down at the umbreon she had shared a kiss with-- her first one at that. Thank goodness no one saw it.Julie was beyond late for class at this point, though. She didn't mind since it was due to a kiss but still had to get to it. "S-Sorry, Midnight. I'll see you again after my classes, okay? Promise." Julie's cheeks were still pink; she'd take care of it while in the restroom.Her hand slipped from his cheek to grab her bottle. She then stood and entered the girl's room, glancing back at Midnight.Midnight was all Julie could think about during her science class, often falling into reverie with blurred eyes. The way he tilted his head and gave her that soft, passionate kiss and how his mouth felt pressed to her lips. She leaned back in her chair and squeezed her thigh as a rush of tingly heat settled between them.He was an umbreon, though-- a pokémon. It couldn't go any further. As she'd told herself, getting caught having sex at school was not worth it. Julie would also get in trouble if she were to take Midnight from school for hours and it was found out.Great, now she was searching for options so she could screw the school pokémon. Julie got hotter by the minute, almost enough to warrant a panty change when she got home-"Julie!"She flinched and looked up from her desk. The teacher glared at her from the whiteboard. He was a bald older man, always dour."Uhm... uh, y-yes?" Julie choked out. Every one of her classmates eyed her. It sucked sitting near the front of the class sometimes, but it was the only seat she could get today after being so late.The unwritten rule of unassigned assigned seating among students existed. They typically didn't randomize seats every class and found their favorite one for the year, but the back of the class was a popular choice, especially in this one."Are you paying attention? You can daydream at lunch.""S-Sorry, sir." Well, that quelled her demented thoughts. She sat up and pulled her hand from under the desk, swallowing.He folded his arms and stared at her. "Why don't you answer the question I asked the class?""Yes, sir. Could you... please repeat it?" Julie raised her hand and held one of her jacket's drawstrings between her fingers."Of course," he said with a subtle, smug grin. "Approximately how many years ago was the first wild pokémon captured using a functioning pokéball?"Julie twirled her drawstring. This must be review. She remembered that question from her last test. "Um, one hundred fifty years ago, sir."He peered. "Right, and which pokémon was it? Who was the professor responsible for catching said pokémon?"He said one question, but Julie could do this. She had to redeem herself. If she were Alyssa, she would likely have called him out. "It..."Julie had to think back last week to when she'd read this in the textbook before, which was all too difficult while the spotlight was on her. "It was a trapinch caught on Hoenn's Route one hundred and eleven by Professor..." She winced to recall further. "Professor Jared Lanyard. He, uh... spent twenty years building and perfecting the device and caught the wild trapinch to prove th-that it was capable of taming wild pokémon in an instant."Lanyard had also developed an illusionary world that all pokémon experienced while inside a ball. Their base conscience was left suspended in a featureless, perpetual limbo until release, but they lived the idea of a flawless reality manufactured by their mind.Lanyard covered all options. If their trainer passed or abandoned them-- say they decided to bury the occupied pokéball in dirt, for instance-- the pokémon wouldn't experience the effects of starvation and dehydration. They would live their dream without fault, and everything would go black when it was time. Lanyard and scientists had run countless tests on pokémon to ensure it worked as intended and were as humane as possible.Pokéballs were now in the hands of Silph, who worked closely with scientists to mass manufacture balls and create new types.Julie had read a lot about Lanyard, including a number of failed or abandoned projects of his, from pokéballs that could cryogenically freeze their contents to preserve pokémon for hundreds of years to pokéballs that could be used to capture people, which he'd halted after considering the hands it could fall into.He grumbled. "That would be correct." His demeanor calmed. "I want you paying attention next time."Julie lowered her hand after the lecture continued and glanced to her left at Alyssa a few desks down and back, who had been in the middle of blowing an awkward pink bubble. Julie leaned over and started writing notes."And if I have to tell you to stop chewing gum in my class one more time, Alyssa, I'll ensure you get two days of detention," the teacher said."Got it." She took it out of her mouth and stuck it under the table.Julie hadn't looked up from her paper, meanwhile. There wasn't much for her to write, considering she hadn't been paying attention, but it looked better than sitting in shame. She never got scolded, either, so that made it worse."Miss straight A's falling off? Probably gonna sob all night 'cause she got yelled at," a guy a couple of desks away said, inciting others in the vicinity to snicker or conceal grins.Julie kept her eyes down and continued to scribble on her paper with rosy cheeks.Alyssa rolled up the wrapper from the gum she was chewing, plucking it at the blonde boy responsible for the comment."What th-" he held the back of his head after it bounced off and looked back to see Alyssa staring at him with furrowed brows and an unrelenting gaze."Why don't you shut the fuck up, or I'll send you home sobbing all night," she almost whispered with a sharp edge, peering. "Why don't you pick on someone like me instead of the quiet ones all the time, Kyle?"He blew air from his nose to conceal a laugh. "Not scared of the neg IQ emo wannabe sticking up for the hopeless weirdo. Actually, you're both fucking weird.""Yeah?" She smirked. "Behind the school after the last bell, then." Alyssa glanced up at the teacher, who kept looking over at the commotion.Kyle's smile faded slightly, and he turned back to the lecture while rolling his eyes and shaking his head. The others turned away too, while a few students in the vicinity shot furtive glances at her.Julie still hadn't looked up but grinned to herself.No more than several minutes later, a loud flat beep played from the speakers on the ceiling for several seconds, meaning class was dismissed. Julie watched her classmates begin to pack up, a couple staying and rushing to write down the remaining notes from the board while the teacher shouted about an upcoming quiz.Julie grabbed her books and was one of the first to exit after being embarrassed in front of everyone. It was her fault, but still.She passed language arts, which was the room opposite to her science class, and paced down the second hall, turning at the window and bench two boys sat at while talking."Julie, hey!" Alyssa approached from behind, but Julie didn't stop until she got all the way to her locker. "Julie, what's up? It looked like you were in a trance." She placed a hand on her shoulder.Julie turned and glanced over her outfit. It was a black shirt, a matching skirt, and boots. "Just nervous about a few things is all, like... like what I'll do after graduation if I don't get accepted into Castelia... and... thank you for doing what you did back there. You didn't have to, but please don't follow through. I'm okay.""Kyle? Psh. He's got his tail between his legs anyway. I just wanted to get the mob off of you and call his bluff, but I don't want him to call mine, so I'm gonna be there for at least five minutes."Alyssa leaned against a locker. "Also, wanna go out like Friday night or something?""Text me what you have in mind after school, and I'll be there after school with you to make sure you don't fight Kyle. Three physical offenses and you're out for good at this school, Ali. Come on..." She turned to her locker."It'll be fine. Chill out. The villain arc is long gone. I'm just not letting these idiots gang up on my best friend. See you then."She took a deep sigh once she was in the clear. "What are you doing, Julie?..." she whispered with her eyes shut.Julie had been able to pay attention during her following classes for the most part. She tried clearing her mind during them and focusing on the lectures, which worked enough to avoid another scolding, but she couldn't stop herself from getting giddy over Midnight and hiding grins.School was over for the day, and Julie was glad she'd made it through as well as she did. She exited her business class with her book, binder, and pencil pack. The class was far north down the second floor's hall by another set of stairs. They led to the first-floor cafeteria and second set of restrooms, which were both in the third hall, a sharp left after the second one.Julie went south down the hall from her class toward the stairs leading to the main hall since her locker was there. She squeezed past people and stepped over backpacks that they'd set down to access their lockers.Julie only used the other stairs when she had to use the restroom at the end of the day and absolutely couldn't hold it, which had been the case yesterday.She approached the hall's halfway point, where the stairs were, and saw students exiting through an open door ahead. That was the school's library, where one could check out books or movies, study at tables or use the computers. It was also where afterschool tutor programs were held. Julie had only borrowed a few books throughout her time here, which had been in 9th and 10th grade before she grew turned off by everything about Ecruteak.Julie turned and went down the stairs with other students, freezing in her tracks after reaching the bottom.Midnight was sitting by her locker while the halls were packed, which he usually didn't do. Julie couldn't have him doing that. It would look abnormal to anyone who paid attention even sometimes.Julie kept walking and held her arm at her side, beckoning him to follow with her hand as she passed.He trotted after her as she went in the opposite direction toward the school's front doors. Midnight saw her take a sharp right before the front doors down a more obscure hallway. It held the boy's and girl's locker room, the school's custodian closet, and a dead-ended emergency exit door.She stopped at a door and looked down the hall before opening it, and then waited for Midnight to enter. After he did, she let it close behind them. They were in the girl's gym locker room.If a student or any faculty saw her in here, she'd have to come up with a good excuse since she didn't have gym this year, and even if she did, why would Midnight be in here with her?Anyway, no one came in here after school unless they, too, came to grab something from their locker, so Julie had to be quick.She went to a group of lockers with a low table in the center at the back of the room and sat on her knees by it, facing Midnight and setting her things on the surface. "Listen, I don't think you should sit by my locker anymore. I don't want people catching on to anything if we're going to see each other more, okay?" She spoke softly so it didn't seem like a scolding. It was far from one.He nodded."Also, what was that... kiss?" Julie grinned."Mb." Midnight placed his paw on her thigh and looked up at her with that same unwavering gaze, though softening it this time."What're you asking for?" His paw moved up, now on her upper thigh. "D-Do you want... me?""Reh..." His ears perked after her reply. Midnight pressed his paw into her thigh without breaking eye contact."I-I'm so glad you feel the same way. I know it's weird-- this kind of relationship." She glanced at his paw and could shiver from the warmth its pads transferred. "How about tomorrow? I-In here."On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the locker room was closed and locked. The gym coach took the day off, but there was a rear entrance since the lock had recently been broken. Of course, it would be fixed over the weekend, but that gave them time beforehand.Midnight swayed his tail and raised his ears to a fully erect state while his rings reaffirmed his evident excitement."Meet me by the front door of this room during lunch, okay?" Julie placed her hand on the back of his neck.Midnight pulled his paw away and nodded again, wearing a subtle grin."I'll see you then." Julie kissed him on the cheek before grabbing her books and leaving the locker room with him trailing far behind. Luckily, no one saw them exit.After meeting with Alyssa out front and going around to the back of the school in the open grassy field with a couple of students from science lingering for all of five minutes to Kyle being nowhere in sight, they both went home.Judging by Alyssa's triumphant chuckling after the fact, it had made her day. In reality, Kyle probably hadn't seen it as worth fighting over, and everyone knew Alyssa would actually fight, but he still didn't show. Had to love her.Besides what Kyle had said about her today, Julie felt much happier than she'd been in so long and wondered if her lack of a romantic or sexual partner was a real issue. This was as if her crush had asked her out, and that essentially was what'd happened. It was just... very straightforward.And her crush? It was an umbreon and about to become her first relationship if it counted.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julie read a complicated word problem from her math book while bundled under her blanket beside Lilly that Tuesday night, in thought about the next day while trying to work simultaneously. It didn't help that a good drama-romance film was on TV that she kept glancing at between commercials; she had it on low volume so it was less of a distraction, and the earphone in her ear was paused so she could concentrate.She'd been listening to 'Meta's podcast' through her Caster app. Meta hosted a popular show geared towards mature audiences and one of her favorites she usually listened to while doing homework. Meta, the female host, had a guest present from Johto's Science Organization. However, Julie was listening to ads at the moment.The movie was an old high-budget movie: 'Gastly Gun.' The title was cheesy, but it was about two teens meeting and falling in love during a brutal war between two rival professional gangs in Kalos' Santalune City. What neither knew was that their families were the ones taking shots at each other in a freak low-odds coincidence.Julie wanted to see the outcome of their story but had a lot on her mind at the same time.She still couldn't believe she was going through with this Midnight situation after knowing good and well that she shouldn't. The risk and consequences were huge, and the reward was minimal in comparison. Julie was about the opposite of rash. In fact, she was taking everything into consideration here and still wanted to chase it.Midnight would be the one to take her innocence that she'd held onto for so long. For some reason, Julie felt it would mean more to her than any human male taking it.The very thought of Midnight alone compared to any boy was both more appealing and depressing. "Something's so, so wrong with you..." she whispered. Perhaps she was into pokémon? Julie wouldn't know where it came from if so. She had never once desired any she'd seen, but all of a sudden, Midnight was the love of her life. He was quickly becoming her unofficial official companion. Silly. Mindless, but it warmed her to the core."Doesn't add up. Why?" Julie shifted her legs and brushed a section of her hair behind her ear. "Loneliness? Maybe my fear of being in a relationship? I don't feel like I'm ready for that either. I'll never be, but I am for a frickin' pokémon? Mh..."After another ad, Meta returned. Julie stopped reading and focused on what was in her ear."Andd we're back, to all the people and that one pokémon listening," Meta said. "We're going to delve deep into the minds of pokémon like you've never known with Baron Hart from Johto's Pokéscience Organization... Baron, we were comparing and contrasting before break how different and similar pokémon were from us and each other mentally. How disparate is the species from itself?""Good question, Meta. Pokémons' realms of intelligence vary vastly throughout the species. We have actually run into many surprises during our research. I'll put it like this...A rattata or goldeen wouldn't be anywhere near as wise or perceptive compared to a charmander, following?""Uh-huh...""And I'll reel in everyone's favorites here. Eeveelutions are generally intelligent and self-aware through study; however, they aren't on the level of a lopunny or blaziken. For instance, bipedals are capable of problem-solving more efficiently, understanding abstract situations, outsmarting humans in a plethora of situations, and can be taught to read and write in any language. On occasion, ambitious and obsessively curious bipedals have even taught themselves to read.""Oh wow." Meta chuckled. "Okay everyone, let's worry less about technology overtaking us and more about the braixen and lucario army."Julie giggled, pushing her book aside and lying on her back. "Something like that." Baron chuckled after her."Okay, question that myself and probably everyone listening has," Meta said. "Can the four-leggers do any of what you stated bipedals are capable of? Like, can they read too?"Baron stayed silent for a moment. "Hm, okay. So, quadrupeds can and have outsmarted humans. We can see that dating back hundreds of years for survival purposes, but there's a point where they cannot function as consistently in higher situations. Following?""Situations that require more critical or strategic thinking then? Ones with layers.""Precisely; to answer your second question, through multiple studies, quadrupeds couldn't process a single written word. There seems to be an intrinsic mental block in several neurological aspects found in them and other species that need to be studied further to this day.""No way? Come on, don't kill ninetales for me. They're the definition of luxurious elegance. They look like they're so impressive up there.""Lucky you because they are the only exception.""No way??""No quadruped surpasses ninetales and its alolan counterpart. They are almost as impressively intelligent as legendaries and are also among the most emotionally and socially intelligent species, closer to humans than any other common pokémon from how their brain operates to mutual DNA. They are a focal interest for scientific research, not only because of the previously stated facts, but they're also terrifying. Without their intelligence and docile demeanors, they would overtake our race by next week.""That's insane... So, they're kind of like humans trapped in fur and stuck with paws.""You could put it that way.""They've gotta have so many complex thoughts all reduced to nine, tales, and ninetales when they open those maws. What a fate; they've gotta live that for like a thousand years," Meta said.Julie wondered why ninetales had received so many gifts. Arceus must have favored them greatly. It made her want one."And what makes them so scary? Other than the beady eyes," Meta asked."They can manipulate minds on a whim, curse someone for the rest of their existence for mildly inconveniencing them, and can outlive around five empires, give or take. General lifespan is between three to nine hundred years, but one thousand is possible.""Nerf, please. I don't why they need all of that, but I'm scared."He laughed. "I'd say we all are.""Oh, oh, alright," Meta blurted. "New question. So, if ninetales is the smartest four-legger, who's the least smart?""That would be boltund.""You know what... I could believe that without you uttering another word. I've seen videos of them straight up running into walls while chasing wild pokémon, and if you look into their eyes, I swear there's not a single thought behind them. They didn't evolve with the rest. Got left behind."Julie giggled again. Arceus hadn't graced that species at all because they exhibited the least amount of intelligence across the board. They were cute, limitlessly energetic, and fun, though. Yamper especially."Speaking of videos," said Baron. "If any pokémon out there requires a Training Center, it would be boltund. If you haven't, I recommend looking up videos of them running on the special treadmills exclusive to the Centers. Fifty miles per hour for hours without rest.""I definitely will. I'm just glad they're harmless. You are not outrunning that pokémon— oh, but is it smarter than yamper? I don't know how intelligence links with evolution in pokémon.""Ah, let's tackle this. So, there actually is a limit to brain capacity linked directly to evolution. Example... A bulbasaur can only learn, hold, and understand half as much as an ivysaur, who makes better decisions and functions more adequately in life, and so on.To add— I find this intriguing... a species could be born with select increased or decreased traits in intelligence and behavior depending on who their parents were. Let's say a ninetales breeds with an umbreon, their offspring may take some mental and even physical aspects from the ninetales, including an additional tail or a pointy ear, but fusions like such are rather rare and considered genetic faults, though some are valued... like an umbreon with espeon's tail or ears or a wurmple with a weedle-like build.""Mhh. Thank you for clearing that up, but... would a ninetales breed with an umbreon? From what you've said, would the ninetales maybe see an umbreon as inferior?""That depends on the ninetales, and it must also keep in mind the difference in general lifespan. Eeveelutions and most quadrupeds live for around thirty-five to forty years. Their relationship would be more or less akin to a human loving a quadruped, except we don't live for a thousand years.There will also be a noticeable distinction in intelligence and instinct within the relationship, and a number of the ninetales species may frown upon and avoid associating with that specific ninetales. That is why ninetales typically live in isolation among other reasons."Julie cheeks flushed. So she could love Midnight, but there would be consequences?"I like that comparison. Thank you again, Baron. Couple more questions for the viewers before we're off the air in five. Why is it that regardless of how smart a pokémon is, they all understand our languages? Where does that ability come from?""That is one question science cannot answer as of yet. All pokémon are sentient and naturally capable of understanding human language if around it long enough, which is a phenomenon science has explored for decades. Pokémons' vocabulary also vary among the species. How they were brought up also factors in.A captured young rattata would end up twice smarter than a wild one, and we've observed in several studies that pokémon, especially wild ones, exhibit a lack of empathy and care for one another to an extent because of what living in the wild entails. However, pokémon raised from birth in homes or captured ones from a young age don't share the trait as intensely.""Interesting, interesting. The more I'm learning, the more I'm getting that pokémon generally seem to be like us but with more instinct.""Well, we know that most of the species share over half their DNA with us. However, we can't trace precise origins because there is a point where history wanes.""That's kinda eerie. Why is that?""We have no idea. The further we travel, the less progress we make, and a lot has been made within the last decade through rapid technological advancements. We hit fossil gaps hiding thousands or millions of years underground or that have been lost to time altogether, along with unintelligible and indecipherable findings in DNA.Both seem to present themselves more frequently, and science is still attempting to work around the wall. We're theorizing an intricate evolutionary one that humanity can't comprehend or track accurately because of how far back in history it goes... but don't quote me on that. Theory."Julie wore a puzzled squint. "What?" she whispered. Was he implying humans had evolved from pokémon? In that case or whatever miracle in time had taken place involving the species, then it may explain partly why humans and pokémon couldn't seem to leave each other alone.Meta hummed. "As in, maybe you guys aren't meant to cross it, so maybe you should stop while you're ahead before Arceus has to step in.""That is another theory, actually, but this one isn't recognized by science and is more fun. Anyway, Arceus may have already stepped in thousands and thousands of years ago. Our planet likely consisted solely of pokémon at first, but we can't prove so. It may have always contained us.""Yeahh?""Arceus could have wanted to integrate us, something like our entertaining Mystery Dungeon games, but more so— more directly. Arceus is a creator and can transcend the universe. Potentially, they could have witnessed or even owned two separate realities... One only with humans and one only with pokémon."Meta laughed. "And said f it, let's combine these and see what happens.""Sure, maybe, but in deity speak, of course. We could be a third experimental reality... So, there could be humanity out there in a galaxy, there could be pokémon a few million light years away, and then there's this one featuring both. We wouldn't know the motives, how they did it, or why they may have tied our DNA. Perhaps so we could better connect with each other. Who knows?""Just... don't unravel what shouldn't be, alright? I kinda like this reality and love my skitty even more.""But this is sort of humanity's thing." Baron chuckled. "We can't stop.""That's true, isn't it? So if we get meteor'd, we're all blaming you guys before it hits.""Fair. I'll take it," Baron replied."Oh yeah, darn it. I've got one more since we're on the deity topic. Might be a bit controversial.""All for that. I'm ready.""So, if we evolved from pokémon or got force-combined against our will— hypothetically... why don't we, like, worship our legends?""Eh, well..." Baron cleared his throat. "We do to an extent. As we know, every region's people has their own revered legendaries, although, correct, there is rarely outright worship outside of obscure cults, tales, honor, and holidays. This has never been a central focus throughout scientific history and still is not because there's no apparent benefit, but perhaps if it were up to pokémon, if humanity allowed them to build and host their own large communities with true foundation, perhaps they would worship. They have been known to on a smaller scale in their villages and communities deep within routes and on land masses outside of first world regions. They create intricate cultures and attire as well.""See, but I kinda wanna see them build something huge. They might even teach us a thing or two," Meta said. "Unfortunately, there are fears that pokémon rising to power would lead to an uprising, and they are more than capable of building cities if granted the time.""Maybe if we let 'em in a controlled space." She sighed. "This cast has got my mind spinning, if I'm honest. I've learned too much.""I don't blame you. History and our existence are confounding. I presume that because we are funneling more funds into pokéstudies in contemporary science alongside rapid growth in tech, we may find out a lot more in the coming decades, especially about ourselves, and that's something to ponder.""Oh, for sure, but, unfortunatelyy... that's all the time we have for today. Thank every single one of you for tuning in, and special thanks to Baron for making this one of the most riveting casts I've had to date.""My pleasure. Exploring our closest companions will always be nothing short of extraordinary.""Truth, and remember guys, I'm live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening starting at six. Next episode, I will be interviewing Cynthia, the champion of the Sinnoh League herself, so don't forget to tune in. I'll see you guys then!"Julie took out her earphone. "A human loving a quadruped..." Even if either of those theories proved to be true, she doubted any changes to current laws. The integration theory had been around for a long time. Julie had read about it before. They ranged from Arceus owning three separate galaxies containing life as Baron explained to the legendary destroying both individual planets and combining the species.The evolution theory, Julie could see gaining more traction as research and tech grew.She loved the podcast, though. Pokémon being just as complex, if not more than humans with their corresponding abilities, was scary when people and pokémon were so, in fact, deeply integrated, but society functioned, and both species coexisted. If pokémon truly wanted to, they could wreak absolute havoc on citizens and society— psychic types alone, so Julie admired how much they held their capability back. The podcast more or less reaffirmed that she and Midnight could work out, but would they last, and how long could Julie hide the fact that they were partners? "That's a mistake," she mumbled. None of that would happen since he wasn't hers, anyway, and it sounded so insane that she started to genuinely think she had mental issues.Well, she did, but why would it lead to this?Whatever. She was giving him her virginity tomorrow, and what would come of that? Julie had no idea what she was doing, willing to engage in such aberrant behavior that she never thought would come from her. “Screw this. I'm gonna study." Her regional history test was tomorrow; she wanted to be ready since she'd be in shambles if she got a B. Julie stroked Lilly's back while she groomed and nibbled her fur free of dirt from outside. “Thanks for the company, Lil'."She got up to fetch her history book and the study guide before getting back under her covers. While she was going over the paper, her phone vibrated. She pulled it out from under her pillow to see that she'd received a message:'National Park?''Friday, you said?' Julie replied and got a response in seconds. 'Yep. After school 3 p.m.'Julie frowned a little and raised her thumbs again. 'Why not somewhere nicer, like the World Market at the mall downtown?''That place is boring. It's just a big supermarket with culture aisles. I don't know why you like it.''Fine. National Park it is.'"Works." Julie locked and slid her phone back under the pillow. It was late, two hours from it technically being the next day. She only had a few more math problems and the history assignment she was currently doing left, and then she would go to bed. Julie woke up earlier than usual with a headache at 4 a.m., still sleepy since it had taken her an hour to finish her homework last night on top of her eating afterward, then shaving. On the bright side, it being so early meant she had more time to lie in bed and let time pass.Julie had more legroom, so Lilly must have left. She looked where Lilly had slept last night and saw a dusty imprint on her blanket that she wiped clean. Julie wanted to start wiping her down after she came in from outside, but the liepard was stubborn and noncompliant half the time. It was enough work to keep her inside.Julie sat up and took a moment to guzzle water, then lay back, pulled the blanket over her head, and curled up with a sigh, shutting her tired eyes. Lilly reminded her of how much she wanted Midnight away from school and all to herself. Julie would hold him all night and never let him go.She could picture having him in bed and snuggling the night away already. Life would be so bright and happy; maybe that meant it was time for Julie to go out and catch a pokémon, but even so, she was already attached to one.Within fifteen minutes, falling in and out of sleep under her cozy sheets, Julie got out of bed and stepped on her swablu slippers, slipped her feet into them, and got herself ready. She straightened her hair with the flat iron she kept under the sink instead of wearing it in her usual wavy style. She also wanted to wear something that would leave her more accessible for later.Her pair of thin panties and the white leggings she owned which hugged her thighs would do perfectly. Lastly, Julie put on her long-sleeved, tight black shirt and matching furry ankle boots she kept in her closet, which all took around ten minutes. She left her earphone today since she was too nervous to listen to anything, grabbed her backpack, and jogged downstairs afterward.“Have a date later, Jule? Dressed with a lot of appeal," her mother asked. She was sitting at the kitchen table as Julie came downstairs.“N-No, I just liked this outfit." Julie didn't expect her mother to be up so early and didn't know whether to take the question as a good sign. “Mhm, now go on if you aren't hungry. You don't want to be late." Her mother chuckled and waved her off. "And please be safe on the way."Julie was out riding a few minutes later; about halfway through, she remembered that she wouldn't eat today since her lunch break was reserved. A fruit bar or any kind of snack would have been nice to take with her. However, what was coming would make skipping worth it.Upon entering the school, she felt sets of eyes on her. "Could have cooled it with dressing for sex..." Julie didn't like drawing attention to herself and felt naked. She was too inhibited for this and wished she would have at least worn a hoodie or jacket because it spiked her anxiety. It didn't stop there. A few seconds after reaching and opening her locker, a voice came from behind her.“You look good today, Julie."Before she turned around, she recognized that voice and instantly regretted the leggings. “Oh, thanks, Ricky," Julie said and had to look up at him slightly.He pushed some of his brown hair back. “I've been meaning to ask if you wanted to… go somewhere with me at all? Maybe the mall in your city. Just to hang out."The truth was, Julie didn't know Ricky that well. They'd only talked a few times during class while working on group projects in tenth grade. “Ehm, how about I think about it for a while and get back to you?" Julie grinned. “Sure… uh, sorry to bother you."Julie took a couple of furtive glances back while he walked off. “Last time I wear something like this…" she mumbled and stuffed her backpack into her locker.She took her first few classes and was sitting at the end of math class toward the back row after an intimidating test. She looked at the clock on the wall above an algebra poster and a few printed papers of math facts as the teacher wrapped up the lecture. He was an older man with short brown hair and a toned build. Sharp, charismatic, and always dressed in casual suits to teach, this time a burgundy one. Julie would enjoy learning from him more if he taught any other class.It was 9:55, five minutes until lunch. She'd felt more apprehensive as the hour neared. All she knew was that it had to be over quickly. They couldn't drag. Lunch went into and ended at 10:40, giving her and Midnight more than enough time if all went well."We are out in five minutes; I hope you all passed the test." He cleared his throat. "Before we dismiss, I want to bring attention to an upcoming event that will be held in the auditorium in two weeks," the teacher said while wiping solved equations from the whiteboard. He set the eraser down and turned to the class, pacing slowly while talking. "You may see posters begin showing up around school advertising it. Has anyone among the class heard of Brycen?"Everyone did, confirmed by the uproar of exuberant buzzing full of 'I do's' and scattered voices stating him as a famous actor and the various high-budget feature films he's starred in. Julie had watched several of his movies, but she sat back in silence and looked around at starstruck girls and riled-up boys.The teacher chuckled and came to a standstill. "Alright, alright. Settle down." He let the commotion falter before continuing. "Yes, Brycen is a globally famed film actor from Unova and works with Pokéstar Studios, the world's largest and most successful producer of shows and movies enjoyed worldwide. He's most popular for the Brycen-Man and Full Metal Cop series and doubles as Unova's Icirrus City's gym leader, and don't explode again, but he will be visiting our humble school to speak and educate those interested in acting and film.He will be hosting a small competition for fun in preparation for the Annual International Film Awards, where students will perform monologues from excerpts from his film school on stage. Almost everyone will get a chance to do so, giving you a peek into what it's like to audition for people, perhaps a casting director if you use your imagination."Julie watched about everyone else around start giggling and buzzing again. No thanks. She wouldn't have attended anyway, but reading aloud on the stage of a packed auditorium? Brycen would be cool to see in person, but she'd pass. Film wasn't her passion anyway, but she did watch the Awards every year with Alyssa.The event was held at Pokéstar Studios' very own massive Star Theater. Actors and actresses ferried in from all regions to attend, although most famed ones were from Unova, the cinema capital of the world.The film industry provided Unova a large portion of its income and employed half a million actors, actresses, and extras annually to perform on its massive sets. Several old and renowned ones that had made film history were preserved on the Studio's lots and a part of its offered tours, alongside the iconic Pokémon Walk of Fame, which commemorated the many pokémon who had played important roles on the big screen.The speakers let ring their monotone beep, dismissing the class. "Listen up, everyone! You can go sign up at any time in the office starting tomorrow, but if you stay for a few minutes and line up at my desk, I will take sign-ups now and turn them in later.""Oh, I wanna sign upp!" a girl said excitedly while standing."Me too! I can't believe he's coming to Ecruteak. I know so many lines from like every series," another girl gushed, twirling strands of her long curly red hair."Yeah, but knowing lines and knowing how to act are two different things.""Shut up, Danny!"The teacher spoke over the noise while students lined up at his desk. "If you aren't interested, you are dismissed. Enjoy lunch, and make sure you study for next week's review quiz!"Julie grabbed her bag and exited class with a few others. Her math class was located before her history class, locker, and near the school's entrance. Both classes were down the same introductory hall; the corridor that the locker rooms were down was amid them.With a sigh and a small headache, she started down the busy hallway, and there he was, sitting in the general area of the locker room hall.Students gathered at their lockers and grabbed cases containing instruments or held books for their next class. They buzzed and laughed among each other, with some taking glances at Midnight.Julie took a few steps and caught his attention among the commotion, then turned around, beckoning for him to follow with her hand at her side again. She'd carry the few things she held. Julie didn't want to go to her locker while he was in front of everyone.Midnight followed, and at a safe distance too.They had to go outside the school. Julie led him past the trees and around the backside of the building where a fenced-off, vacant extensive grassy field that the school used for PE, sports practice, and events was. The grass was painted with lines, a field goal stood at one end, and rows of bleachers were off to the side. There was also a track built around it.Julie stopped a distance before the fence at the door. “In here." Surely enough, it opened after she twisted and pulled the knob. She let it close behind them and looked around the silent locker room.She went to try and open all eight of the shower stalls to no avail. They were all locked. “I guess less risk isn't an option…" Julie looked for a comfortable spot and saw Midnight standing by the wide table from yesterday. It was low to the ground and wide enough for her to lie on."That works." She went to it and pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time: 10:10. They still had some. She set her cell, water, and books on the table. Julie sat on it and helped pull him into her lap after he approached, noticing his rings start to glow.She tried pushing the sense of foreboding filling her to the back of her mind. "Glowing for me already?" Julie grinned, her cheeks warming.He sat and looked up at her with smug timidity in his eyes, blinking them softly.She brought him up some more, his paws on her shoulders, and leaned in to kiss his mouth, pressing her lips to his and shuddering against its fuzzy warmth. "Nm." Julie placed her hand on his upper back and continued to kiss him while gazing into his deep red orbs.Their motions were quite tense and awkward as they started because neither seemed to be experienced kissers. Julie sure wasn't. Their breaths hit each other's mouths; Midnight's ears twitched to her subtle murmurs while he went rougher. Her soft lips smacked delicately against his, and his fur rubbed her skin."Mhn," she moaned while the gentlest chills ran up her body and slightly tilted her head while sort of finding their pace and chemistry. Even with a pokémon, Julie couldn't shake her nerves. Was she supposed to ask for his tongue or something? Maybe not during their first kiss. That'd be weird.She kept her other hand behind her on the table to maintain balance. A small huff escaped Julie's mouth as their make-out session loosened and continued. His breath held a light musk, rather stale and sharp with a tinge of sweetness. She found something strangely intoxicating about it.She couldn't imagine anyone knowing about this. She was kissing with an umbreon. Julie would have to move out and run to another region forever if she were caught, not to mention she may get locked up, but she wouldn't think about that part, or else she'd end up aborting this whole thing.Midnight pressed his tongue to her lips as they kissed.Julie went tense, widening her eyes for a moment, and her cheeks probably reddened twice over judging by how hot they got. Arceus, maybe she should have gone for tongues, but she was more than okay with Midnight making the move. She parted her lips as requested. She didn't know pokémon had this in them or that they even knew how to kiss. She assumed he'd seen students do so in the halls. "Nmh." Midnight slipped his tongue into her mouth and pushed against hers, snaking it erratically as hers did his, almost intertwining.Julie's cheeks only got warmer while his appendage darted around and danced sloppily with hers until they again found a sense of rhythm. His tongue occasionally rubbed the roof of her mouth and the insides of her cheeks. She slightly closed her eyes while tilting her head. It made her heart beat and brought repeated frissons to her skin, but they didn't have time to spend on it, so after some moments, Julie broke their heated session and pulled away.She looked at Midnight with a strong desire and a flushed face. She was as wet as she'd been during science class. “Sit beside me," Julie told him, and Midnight got off her lap and sat on the table. She first listened for any abnormal noises, then took a stuttered, nervous breath. Her hands quivered while she moved down and slipped off her boots to remove her leggings that she left on the floor but stepped back into the boots afterward and lay on her back.Her hips were at the table's edge, and her feet were on the floor. She genuinely hoped they were quick. Julie couldn't shake the thought of any faculty or student opening the door. “G-Go ahead." She spread her legs enough for him to do so.Midnight got down and stood between her legs, then got on his hind ones and gripped her soft, plump upper thighs by her fit hips. He swayed his tail while fixated on her waist, hips, thighs, and everything else on her.This mirrored her recent fantasy, except it was no longer restrained to a fantasy. This was happening.“B-Be gentle at first." Julie reached her hand and moved her panties' fabric covering her vaginal entrance aside, swallowing. Exhilaration aside, she felt numb, fraught with nerves, and couldn't fathom this situation. Maybe it was best that she didn't. He eyed her shaved vulva, studying her thin outer labia and clitoris. His tip was visible from his sheath. He started shifting, and after enough, he positioned his rod at her lips.Julie tensed and bit her lip while he prodded her folds. It brought her to the reality of what she was doing but also begged for him to enter. “Ready when you are." Just like the fantasy. She could giggle but reduced it to a subtle, timid grin present at the corners of her mouth. She spread her legs more that shook even before he entered.Midnight parted his legs and pushed his hips. His erection stiffened along with his tail as he prodded to spread her tight lips that wouldn't let him in with ease. He pushed harder, humping and parting them with his tip, resulting in a tight squish and making her gasp. "U-Umb." He slid halfway inside her narrow and cozy embrace, her labia pushing his sheath back while his knot expanded.Her smooth walls glided over his member, making him shudder.Julie wanted more already, even though she knew it may discomfort her at first. “Go on." She swallowed and took a few breaths.Midnight gave it some seconds before pushing his hips more, Julie jerking in response as he did. He hadn't had to break her hymen since it had torn already throughout her years of biking.He shifted his hind legs and gave slow thrusts into her fleshy walls between instinctive, quick bucks of his hips. Their subtle ribbed texture drove firmly over his glans, along with her lips that barely moved against or gave for his cock, grasping him with tight resistance. He opened his mouth momentarily, visibly losing himself.Midnight leaned in, thrusting deeper while tucking his paws over her thighs for a stable hold and flattening his ears. "Mm... m-mmb," he murmured.“M-Midnight." Julie could tell he was enjoying her by his noises, expressions, and his rings glowing perpetually brighter than she had seen. She winced under pleasure. It was unlike anything she'd experienced, especially when she'd never fit anything this size inside her vagina. It was a stiff and simultaneously soft invading pressure in the best possible way, making her inhale while his shaft spread and stimulated her walls.She bit her lip while he thrust with ease, her walls squeezing while he went. With their natural lubrication that he encouraged with each hump, Midnight would have no trouble pounding her, which would amplify all that she felt. It was wonderful, making her jerk and arch her back. So, so much better than her fingering herself to the thought— ten times better. However, Julie wasn't invested in their session. A part of her often listened for the door and looked in the general direction, but another grinned while a special umbreon took her vagina. "He's so cute," she whispered. She rested her hands on the table and held the edge with her left, watching his movement with a slight quiver in her lip while he sped up his pace.Midnight panted through his nose, closing his eye while humping Julie's tight pussy that slicked around him with gentle chafes as she got wetter. Her labia slightly loosened and moved with his thrusts, flushing due to his knot hitting them continuously, but kept its utterly tight grip around his cock.He tugged on her thighs and thrust harder while gritting his teeth and giving short, hefty breaths through his nose, his sac swaying against his motions. He briefly opened his mouth while her canal convulsed and stroked his cock.Julie glanced at her phone beside her while watching his strained expression and listening to his breaths as he thrust, his knot tapping and quivering her labia.This would most likely be the first and last time Julie did this with Midnight. It couldn't become a regular occurrence as every time would increase the chance of her getting caught, so Julie grabbed her phone with her right hand and unlocked it, inputting her pin incorrectly three times in a row trying to rush. She didn't have time for this, but she also didn't want her phone to lock her out for a minute and screw her over, so she tapped the numbers with caution and cleared it.“Umh..." Julie moved her hips upward against his avid thrusts while eyeing her phone to open its camera app. She swiped its screen so she could see what was being displayed and pressed record, holding the phone out and directing the lens at Midnight thrusting while reaching her free hand and running it over his head and neck to take attention from it.Midnight pinned his ears against his head while Julie petted him, glancing a couple of times at her phone. "B-Bre. Brhh," he whined. He leaned in and moved his quivering paws forward, tucking them against her waist and kneeling their topsides on the table to thrust harder and angle himself deeper. Her skin rubbed his hips while he moved.Julie had long forgotten about the door and was in a trance. She watched their immodest act through the screen. She gazed at him moving his hips with vigor between her legs that she now spread as far as she could manage. "Ahn, mhff..." Her eyes were almost shut, and her breathing quick from how well Midnight was pounding her. He was doing an excellent job at rubbing her sweet zone by often thrusting upward, making her gasp.Her legs trembled as he thrust faster with more pronounced slicks. Julie listened to his heavy panting, assuming he was close to cumming, as was she if he kept it up. She struggled to keep her phone steady and held his foreleg with her other hand, squeezing. "Nnm!" She shifted her eyes back to him and, as much as she could under surges of fuzzy sensation, attempted to keep her eyes open to watch Midnight mate her. His rings had yet to consider fading. Julie swore they got eminently brighter with every other thrust.She could smell the odor pervading the room their session gave off while their privates interacted, a sweaty musk which was pleasant to take in during a feral act, but Julie hoped it wouldn't linger.His wild, frenzied thrusts created a dull, semi-consistent wet smack reverberating off the walls alongside him pumping his cock inside her; it didn't help that the room was silent in the first place. Midnight fell onto Julie's stomach and rested his cheek on her chest but didn't stop rutting her. "Brh, b-breonn."“I kn-know it's good. Please make it yours..." Julie moved her hand after he lay on her and hugged his upper body with her arm, gripping the fur on the side of his body. She lowered the phone to his backside to try and get a shot of his cock slipping into her, which wouldn't be easy as it was hard to see the screen. His tail often smacked her hand and device. Pressure built in her stomach; she gasped as her climax brewed due to his tip stimulating her sweet zone repeatedly and overall delirium during her first time. "Keep d-doing it. It's amzingly ghd..." she muttered, her last few words slurring and wavering. Julie bit her lip hard under rapidly increasing pleasure and took quick, short breaths through her nose.She adored everything about this umbreon, from his puffy tail to his rings and cute features. To watch him fuck her was a dream come true. His unwavering pace told of his strength and stamina.He shut his eyes, his paws often twitching. Midnight humped her folds more than he was appropriately thrusting. "U-Umbre, umbreon... reh..." Midnight held his breath and dropped his jaw, slowing his humping.Julie's walls massaging and gripping his shaft and had him lolling his tongue while he shook. He thrust deep and pressed his knot to her folds, gradually forcing them to part and locking them after applying force while hot, sticky fluid spurted into her walls.Julie widened her eyes, glued to how bright his rings got when he reached climax. She didn't know that was possible, and it made her wince against their dazzling light since his head ring was in front of her. She pressed her legs against his waist and pulled Midnight even deeper after he knotted them while opening her mouth and moaning at a higher pitch. It echoed off the walls. "Oh, oh, it's here– I'm– I-I'mm..." She bunched his fur in her hand and took sharp, raspy breaths, holding it just before her climax. Her limbs went rigid and quaked as her orgasm arrived and sent her to a place she'd never been.She squeezed her phone, feeling warm, euphoric frissons traverse her vaginal walls, groin, and tingle her entire body in vigorous surges. The dreamy sensations were profound enough that Julie could barely exhale, making her suck her stomach in and only letting her release moments later, where she breathed frantically."Nhmm. Mh..." Julie felt a rush alongside calmness and a sound mind. Her legs shook for a while longer, and her walls pulsed around Midnight's throbbing member. That orgasm was vastly different from what she was used to when stimulating her clitoris. It was so much more sensual and breathtaking, a softer and more vivid peak. They both lay there while catching their breath, gazing at each other with radiant, lovely delight after sharing the deepest imaginable connection on all fronts and bringing each other to a fathomless climax.Julie didn't want to get up. She wanted to lie on this table with Midnight and cuddle, although she would prefer it be her bed.After Midnight could get his knot out and Julie finished getting her leggings and boots back on, she checked the time on her phone. It was about 10:30, meaning lunch was almost over, so they still had time to exit the locker room. She leaned down and patted Midnight's head while he looked up at her with tired eyes and dead rings. “I hope you enjoyed that... I really did." Julie stood; her legs still twitched."Umbre," he said and ended with a content sigh.“Let's go while our luck is still working." Julie snagged her items and exited the locker room with Midnight via its rear exit, walking back around to the front of the school. “See you tomorrow." She grinned at him and paced through the school's doors, heading down the hall and passing her locker while seeing a few students enter classes early to talk to teachers or sift through open lockers.Julie headed to the restroom down the second hall. She had to pee, getting the urge after sex. She soon turned at the bench and reached the restroom, going inside past a couple of girls washing their hands at the sinks and taking the first stall out of five.She pushed over the slider to lock the stall, then, unfortunately, had to set her books and water on the floor. She pulled her leggings to her knees and squatted over the seat with weak, quivery legs, taking a deep breath while releasing. Her heart still pounded, and every fiber of her being vibrated with an inexplicably surreal sensation, enough to hop up and down. It could be the orgasm talking, but no. Julie giggled under her breath, beyond giddy after losing her virginity to the boy she loved.Julie wiped when she was done and pulled up her leggings, waited to hear those girls leave, then left the stall and went to the last sink out of the row with mirrors, putting her belongings on the counter. She stared into the mirror, running her eyes over her red cheeks and sweaty face with an apparent glisten, then went to grab a few paper towels from the machine before returning.Julie hit the button behind the nozzle that gave her five seconds of water and put a towel under it, which she used to wipe the sweat and hopefully the blush from her face.She froze upon seeing a stall behind her open."Hi, Jules. Nice to see you," Jane said and stood at the sink beside her, getting soap from the machine on the wall between mirrors and washing her hands. "You look all flustered.""What, I-I do?" "Sure... Like you ran a mile at the track or something. Is everything okay?" Jane seemed to study her and the subtle shake in her legs."Yeah, yeah. I just..." What was she supposed to say? "I'm, uh..." After having the life pounded out of her less than ten minutes ago, she couldn't think straight.Jane tilted her head and shook out her hands after the water stopped. "Calm down, Jules. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Jane put a hand on her shoulder. "Have a good day. I'll see you tomorrow."Julie watched Jane dry her hands with a towel before leaving and shut her eyes while holding her temple. Jane had seen everything— all of the effects sex had left on her. Who knew what she thought? Julie finished cleaning her face and washed her hands, then drank some water from her bottle.Afterward, she went down the halls and straight to her locker, as it made no sense to attend lunch late."You've lost it. Officially frickin' lost it. Congrats, Julie." She stopped at her destination and dialed her locker's number in, sucking her lips in to conceal a smile.As soon she got her locker open and swapped books from her backpack, another familiar voice came from aside, making her flinch.“Julie," Alyssa said. "where were you? Missed lunch today." While asking, Alyssa looked her face, demeanor, and outfit over. “...You look like you did twenty push-ups and thirty jumping jacks in PE, and we don't have PE... and what are you wearing?"She had asked too many questions already on top of Jane pressing her a minute ago. “I-I wasn't hungry, and I just… I liked this outfit." Julie eyed her. "Why are your eyes so swelly?" “...Uh-huh, well, see you on Friday. National Park... and I'm fine. I didn't sleep last night because I found a good show. I'll catch up on Friday night.""It was that good? Tell me about it later. We can watch it together, and I'm still on for Friday." "Sure..."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
By the end of the day, Julie felt bothered. She was a block from home without knowing why. However, she realized what it could be. Julie had already been getting close to Midnight. They were now intimately close. What hit her was that he still wasn’t her pokémon, and Julie left in a few months. She would most likely be away at college; what would she do then, go back and visit the high school to pet him for an hour? She began rethinking their relationship, but he'd taken her innocence and made her feel better than she ever had. It was too late to throw it away, but how was she was supposed to keep it? After their intimate act leading to the best climax she would never experience again, Julie could say she was happy for once. Midnight made her so happy. She felt like the most dependent soul. She depended on her mother, her antidepressants, Alyssa, and now Midnight. Whenever Julie met him in those halls, just as excited as he was to see her with his rings aglow, it made her day. It filled her with an intoxicating warmth, and those brief encounters were when Julie felt everything was right, even more when he was between her legs earlier.Midnight never left her thoughts and especially wouldn't now. She was far more than attached. This was a hopeless, mystifying adoration. She took a left to her patio from the road, locked her bike up, and opened the door. Her mother sat on the living room couch with many pillows while reading a book, so Julie saw her when she entered. Her mother was in comfy black pants and a thin sweater.The couch sprawled the wall of the substantial living room. A glass table was before the couch, a flat-screen TV was on a shelf ahead against the wall above a fireplace they never used, and two curtained windows were against the wall with stands before them. They held antique jars, vases with colorful designs, and pots holding pricey red and blue spheres with glossy glints from The Underground in Sinnoh, the largest and most visited mine in the world. “How was your day, sweetie?" “It went fine, just… tired. I'll do some homework and come down later." She went to hug her mother, sighing against her body heat and embrace. Julie's day had been absolutely amazing. Too bad she couldn't tell her mom why. "Almost got tapped by someone's side mirror too. They were driving way too close to the bike lane." "You're cold, Jule, and please be careful out there. I'm looking into buying a car, then I'd just drive you to school." She returned it and kissed Julie's cheek, then reached behind her and pulled out a pair of white gloves after her daughter stood. "I bought you these today."Julie grinned and took them, turning them in her hand. "They're so cute. Thank you, Mom." She leaned in to share another hug with her.Her mother chuckled and patted her back. "Don't want your hands falling off out there anymore."Julie stood again. "I'm definitely wearing them every morning.""Good, and I'm making us dinner soon. I also cleaned a bit when I got home, so I vacuumed your carpet and replaced the bedding. I'll call for you if you aren't in time." "Awe, thank you, Mom. You're really the best." She stood when her mother broke it. "Don't worry about the trash tomorrow, by the way. I'll take it when I leave." The truck came twice a week on Monday and Thursday to pick up everyone's trash. Julie occasionally forgot about it, leaving her mother to gather the kitchen and restroom bags and drag the bins to the curb, but Julie wouldn't put every task on her."I appreciate that, Jule; I know you had a long day. Go warm up. I'll turn the heater on. Love you." Julie nodded and turned, first grabbing a water and pretzel pack, then heading upstairs. "Love you too!" She threw her backpack on the floor once in her room and scanned her clean carpet, new blanket, and sheets. Her mother had made her bed neatly too. Julie appreciated her so much. She kicked off her boots and set her new gloves on the nightstand with her kitchen stuff, then slumped onto her bed. Julie would take her mom's advice and shower. She needed a hot one to wash away the cold, clear her head, and clean herself from her recent locker room experience. But she would do that after eating something since her stomach was growling, so Julie went back downstairs and peeked into the kitchen, seeing her mother looking through the fridge. She wasn't up to chat, but she had to go into the kitchen to get a snack. She trudged back upstairs and to her room. "Pretzels'll do for now." Julie would shower first, after all. She'd be in the mood to talk afterward. She undressed and tossed her clothes into the hamper, taking a new change from her dresser and entering the restroom. Julie flipped on the light and went to turn on the shower, taking a minute to adjust its temperature. While it regulated itself, she set her clothes atop the toilet's cover and stepped into the tub shortly after. Upon the water hitting her leg, she could confirm it was warm, so Julie stepped in and let the water run over her hair and face. She didn't bathe too often. If she did, it was when she was uber-depressed, if then. She glanced up at the detachable shower head, which reminded her of Midnight, funnily enough. There was a time around when she first started getting curious with her body where was in the shower constantly just so she could use it— and not for washing purposes. It had started up again as a phase two years back, but she rarely did it nowadays, and it wouldn't fulfill her after Midnight had shown her the light. And now that Midnight was on her mind, she fell onto the situation hours ago. The one where she'd skipped lunch and wore an outfit that she shouldn't have. How could she come up with a reason for it if Alyssa asked again? "Might lose your best friend if you hide this..." Julie ran her hands through her hair to let the water permeate it, its warmth running down her sides and legs, then grabbed her loofah that hung on one of the nozzles. "Then again, you also might lose her if you confess the secret even you're shocked to know you have." She leaned against the wall out of the water while it pattered against the shower floor, reaching for the fragrant body wash on the shelf and holding it at her side. What if her best friend thought she was a loser for being in a veritable relationship with the faculty's pokémon and started spreading the fact? Julie popped the bottle's cap and poured some over the sponge before setting the wash back and holding the loofah under the water. She then applied it to her body, scrubbing over the top and sides of her thighs and hips. It left suds that trailed slowly down her wet skin. "Alyssa would never do that..."After she showered, took care of her appetite, brushed her teeth, and studied, Julie attempted to sleep for the next day. She was bundled under new lush and lovely sheets that insulated her in warmth. This time, Lilly wasn't with her in bed taking up the leg space and must have gone outside for the night, which was fine since she'd just dirty her blanket anyway. Julie was used to sleeping alone, though, as she had all her life. She didn't even have a stuffed pokémon. Since she never had a pokémon or boyfriend to keep her company, she genuinely needed to consider going out to catch one or fall in love with someone. Truthfully, Julie wanted neither because she instead wanted something she couldn't have that bashed two pidgey with one stone. Which reminded her— she grabbed her phone from under her pillow and unlocked it, going to her gallery and grinning timidly at the first video’s thumbnail in her camera album among many. They were categorized ones of past photos that included her father, recents including her mother, another exclusively of pictures and videos of herself and Alyssa from the past and present, and a dedicated Lilly album. She tensed her legs. "Lost itt," Julie whispered.
Public sex with a pokémon.It still wasn't worth the risk, but by miracle, she hadn't gotten walked in on, so it almost was. It couldn't happen again, though, not a chance. Luck wouldn't always be on their side. Julie hid the video within her files and locked her phone, slipping it back under her pillow.
She entered school the next morning dressed as casually as possible in skinny jeans, a tee, gray and white jacket, and her new gloves. She'd skipped breakfast again but had eaten a breakfast bar and would eat lunch today. Julie usually wasn't hungry during mornings unless she hadn't had a decent dinner. She yawned while walking down the populated hallway full of laughter and buzzing. Julie stood on her tippy toes at times to ease the soreness in her thighs. Lines of students opened and closed lockers and entered classes early to talk to teachers.Teachers made a beeline through the halls on the way to teach; immature boys goofed off that Julie slipped by. That was when she noticed something odd. Ricky stood by her locker. "What the..." She'd forgotten to talk to him yesterday, but why was he there again? Julie approached. “Hi… Ricky."“Oh, hey, how’s your morning?” Ricky grinned, edging a smirk while leaning against her locker, which blocked access to it. “Fine… but, you're kind of standing in front of my locker." “I wanted to know if you'd thought about what I asked." Julie sighed. “Ricky… I really, really don’t want to do this right now. It’s early, and I hav–” “It's a simple answer. That’s all I need.” His grin faded. Julie tilted her head slightly. “I think you should stop this… whatever you're doing. It's weird, and I told you I'd think about it." The talk around them began to die. “It doesn’t take that long to think about it. Do you dislike me the way you do everyone else? You know, you could tell me that instead of playing with my feelings.” He stood now, bearing over her. Julie took a step back, bringing a hand to hold a drawstring on her jacket. “N-No, it isn't that... I’m– I'm not ready to date yet.” “Like I'm gonna believe that. You were dressed like a desperate slut yesterday." Ricky smirked and glanced at chuckles from students in proximity. Everyone was watching. Julie could choke; her cheeks paled. "You want everyone's eyes on you." He shrugged. "You've gotta be lonely after choosing to be the most awkward girl in the entire school ever since you got here. Everyone's got a breaking point, but we're the weirdos when we want to talk to you. Is that it?""Everyone caught on. That's why no one ever asks her egotistical ass to prom!" A female's voice came from the crowd.“Ricky… p-please move," she said in a gentle, timorous tone. Her hands quivered, tugging slightly on her drawstring. He folded his arms, peering at her and lowering his voice. "You're a nobody here, Julie, but hey, I can fix that... maybe the big guys too. I mean, we all saw the tight shirt and leggings showing off those juicy tits and thighs of yours. You obviously want it bad. They'll shape you up good and show you something better than your hands and imagination every night." Julie held her breath, taking shallow, silent breaths. Her expression dimmed, and her legs were bricks. "They'll put that mouth of yours to use too since it's shut all the time, may as well stuff it so you're useful for something. What do you even do outside of sch–"
“F-Fuck off, Ricky. Quit being a douche!” Julie gritted her teeth and pushed him with enough force in one hand to move him aside. “Hey!” He leaned and shoved Julie onto the ground, which knocked her earphone out her ear. It knocked the wind out of her upon her falling onto her side, and she'd pushed her arm out to break it, landing on her loose earphone. Gasps and subtle giggles erupted around them but faded and reduced to silence shortly after. Ricky stood over her. “You should quit acting like you’re too good for everyone just because you've got a face. That's all you have concealing the worst personality I've seen in a girl. You don't give a damn about anyone but yourself, and that makes you a bitch. It’s why no one likes you! I tried giving you a chance to redeem yourself.” “Julie!?” Ricky turned around and saw Alyssa pacing toward them. He stormed off and bumped her shoulder while on his way. Alyssa jogged to Julie and knelt beside her. “Julie..." Alyssa held her hand while Julie wiped her eyes filled with tears. A handful of students or more still watched the ordeal.Julie, Alyssa, and Ricky. All three ended up in the principal, Mr. Willams' office, located before the third corridor's stairs down an exclusive hall and dead end. They sat in chairs before his desk. He was tall, chubby, and intimidating, with short blonde hair on a mostly bald head and glasses to top it off. He wore a dress shirt and khaki pants. “To summarize… Ricky, you shoved Julie to the floor because she pushed you with her hand, correct?”Ricky nodded.“And Julie, why’d you touch him?” The principal wore a stern glare; he was tall and held a natural intimidation factor.Her cheeks were red and eyes glossy from crying on the way. “H-He wouldn't move. He was blocking my locker while insulting me so much..." She leaned against the chair, sniffling."And what did he say exactly?" Mr. Willam asked, eyeing all three with a focus on Julie. "Uh." Julie glanced at Ricky from the side, whose eyes were down, then looked at the principal. "M-Mostly general taunting, referring to my appearance. I don't remember. There was a lot of commotion." She noticed Ricky take a couple of glances at her.“Hm... Thank you both for cooperating. I'll try and get in contact with your parents shortly. On that note, I don't want you two interacting anymore, and Julie, you shouldn't have laid a hand on Ricky to begin with.”Julie wanted to roll her eyes but instead nodded. He'd crushed her earphone after pushing her to the ground too. She was lucky she left one at home but preferred wearing her left. Mr. Willam gave them punishment before dismissal, Ricky receiving a heavier one, a suspension for five days, while Julie only got two. She didn't want to see her school for a while anyway, so she'd take it. He sent them both home early, and Alyssa went with Julie despite it meaning she'd miss a class. Julie couldn't find it in herself to thank Alyssa or even look her way, for that matter, but she was grateful for her company.They were riding their bikes. Alyssa had a black one and rode it to school most of the time. She lived in Mahogany Town, east of Ecruteak, so she could walk the distance.The journey through both routes and Goldenrod was utterly silent, filled only with nature and otherwise general city ambiance.When they got to Julie’s house and stood in front of her porch, it was just as silent. “You gonna be okay?” Alyssa faced her."Sure, I–" Julie cut herself short and pinched her eyes while firming her lips.Alyssa opened her arms, and Julie didn't hesitate.She took a step and fell into Alyssa's embrace.Alyssa held her close and rubbed her back. "Just wish I'd have been there earlier to stop it..."Julie started crying into her shoulder, holding back whimpers that came out as little mewls anyway. “You’ll be okay.” Alyssa patted her back and continued rubbing.Julie hugged her waist and stood there for another minute before pulling away. "I think I'm going to go to bed," Julie said between more sniffles. “Thank you again, Ali… I'll see you later.""Oh, you will. Go get some rest. I'm gonna head back and get yelled at for being late to class. Love 'ya.""You too." She wiped her eyes and turned to enter her home. Julie's mother was still at work, so she would break the news tomorrow. At least she wouldn't have to talk about it again today.She dropped her broken earphone in the kitchen bin and trudged up to her room. Julie took off her shoes and pants after removing her items, unzipped her jacket and dropped it on the floor with her gloves, then lay in bed with her phone. She disabled the alarm for tomorrow before sliding it under her pillow.Times like this were when she needed someone to hold onto for hours and reassure her that everyone was okay, that she was none of those awful things Ricky had called her. Julie's breaths hitched in her chest and came out as unpleasant whimpers while more tears welled in her eyes. Her shallow breaths quickened while replaying him calling her a slut and describing the jocks using her body. "Gh." She clutched the blanket as a deeper pain shot up her chest; she let out a quiet sob. All she had was Midnight, and he was at the school she'd been suspended from. She glanced over past empty bottles and snack packs at the lone earphone on her shelf. She wouldn't take it on her next ride. Julie didn't know when she could again, but not anytime soon."They all f-frickin' hate me." She curled up on her side and closed her eyes, trying to take slow breaths through her mouth and regulate the shaky ones. "What'd I do?"After tireless thinking and off-and-on crying spells, Julie drifted to sleep and woke up every few hours until 8 p.m. That was when she'd finally fallen into a deep sleep. She managed to get enough hours in and woke up at 7 a.m. the next day to her mother's voice. “Julie, are you up?" Her mother stood at the door to her daughter lying motionless in bed. Her eyes reflected a worrisome sorrow. "Julie?" She moved to take a step forward.Julie sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Good morning...” she said in a scratchy voice.Her mother shut her eyes and took a sigh, then focused back on Julie. "You slept in way too late. You were home early yesterday too.""Yeah, I... uh, got suspended." She sat up and told her mother everything, every detail up to the insults.“Absolutely not! We're going up there today; you did nothing to deserve suspension!" Her mother put her hand on her hip.“N-No, Mom, I… please just let it go. I have three months left and want it to go as smoothly as possible," Julie pleaded. She crossed her arms and sighed. "Fine... but that doesn't mean I won't give Willam a piece of my mind over call."She grinned for a second. "Thank you, Mom." Julie stayed in bed for hours in a state of desolation, using her dying device to scroll Veela and watch TV, which the news currently ran on. She raised her head and looked at her door after hearing light knocking. "Come in..." she said, dull. It opened; her mother entered with a steamy mug and a small plate with a fluffy croissant on it while approaching the bed. "I made you tea and a sweet croissant, sweetie. I thought it might make you feel better."Julie watched her set them on the nightstand. She couldn't crack the slightest grin. "I appreciate it."Her mother sighed and leaned over, reaching and brushing hair behind Julie's ear that had rested over her face. "Are you holding up?""Mhm." Julie sighed after her. "I just have to process everything."She drew her fingertips over her daughter's cheek a few times. "I called Willam."Julie looked up at her mother with soft eyes from her touch. "How'd it go?""Long story short, he knows you aren't anything close to an issue and outperform at that school. He claimed he suspended you both so you can distance and calm down. I'm just glad Ricky got a longer one."A slight grin tugged at Julie's lips, though it didn't reach her weary eyes. "You didn't have to do that. Thank you."Her mother leaned farther and planted a kiss on her cheek before standing. "I'd never allow them to walk all over you, Jule. I'll leave you be. Drink your tea before it cools.""I will..." She watched her turn and head for the door. "Love you, Mom." She looked back. "I love you too. I'll come back in a few," she said before leaving and shutting the door behind her.Julie soon sat up and took the mug, blowing off the steam before taking a sip and staring at the green-tinted water. "I wonder what flavor..." It was strong with a bittersweet aftertaste.She set it back on her stand and looked back at the TV, which she sucked her teeth at while the reporters covered crime after crime. "That's it."Julie grabbed the remote and switched off the JohtoNN channel, putting on a random pokémedia series with Accordian subtitles after having watched story after story of negativity around the region for the last hour. Pokémedia programs— or pokéshows, were entertainment developed strictly for pokémon spoken in their language. To achieve this, sets had a joint human and pokémon director. Characters consisted solely of pokémon, typically ferals, surrounding situations that pokémon and even human children were drawn to, which had been researched decades ago to optimize the corresponding shows and movies.Julie found them cute and often simple, as they opposed complex narratives.As for the news? Fatal car accidents and stabbings, muggings, robberies, arrests, and trial and error on the development of nuclear warheads that would shake the world if they came to be; protests against laws in regions, rising tension between Unova and the SNDA surrounding missile tests that Unova had concealed info on, and threats of conflict between a couple of others. A man dying after being brutally attacked by an Onix in Union Cave, rangers raiding stores that acted as fronts for organized crime up in northern Goldenrod, a young girl in critical condition after being swarmed by beedrill on a route, reports of wild pokémon kidnapping or assaulting people and video clips of incidents when city surveillance caught them. One was of a machoke breaking into a Goldenrod market near closing time on a main street and taking any food items it could get its hands on after knocking the cashier and a customer out cold. It had left them with fractures and one with a severe concussion. The authorities currently had the machoke in a holding facility. Everything was brutal, threatening, depressing, and full of pokémon and human suffering. They lost their lives constantly for reasons that shouldn't be, and it all happened— the most heinous of crimes, more often than she could even think and at every moment because of how massive the globe was.It was all so grim and nonsensical, which was why Julie tried not to consume it often so it didn't affect her daily outlook. Her current mood didn't help. It hurt to exist sometimes, even more so when she had to get up and go to the same school every day, knowing what environment she was walking into while never knowing what they had in store for her. There had even been a section displaying a number of both everyday people and big-time traffickers guilty of recent sexual crimes against teens and women, quadrupedal pokémon, and abuse against bipedals, a couple taking place deep within routes, and the channel plastered their mugshots on-screen, which Julie had to look away from because she was one of those people. That could have been her on the screen for the world to see. News stations aired segments like that frequently to humiliate criminals, raise awareness, and deter said crimes.Julie used to watch, feel awful for the affected pokémon, and satisfied that the criminals were behind bars. Now she had to worry about herself because of what she'd done with Midnight.She stared blankly as a sylveon on-screen comically smacked an umbreon's face repeatedly with its ribbons while shouting mild profanities. The umbreon sighed after the sylveon let up, peering with red cheeks. Shortly, the scene cut to commercials. Julie had yet to form an appetite or had the motivation to do anything, even take an antidepressant, which was a bit backward. She also needed to wash her clothes and repaint her nails since the color was fading, but she definitely wasn't going to the mall and didn't have it in her to go to the garage to load the machine. At around 2 p.m., while she read a nonfiction book from her shelf of many against the wall, her phone vibrated continuously; Julie pulled it from under its usual spot. It was a call from Alyssa, which she sighed at before answering. “Hey," Julie said, sounding plaintive.“Feeling any better?” Alyssa asked.“Not much.”“Good, c’mon. National Park at three.”“Alyssa, I–”“Nuh-uh, I don’t wanna hear it. You're lucky I didn't choose the beach. I’ll meet you there.” She hung up. Julie set her phone down with a sigh. It was Friday, as they'd scheduled, and she could use some fresh air too. Julie lived close to the beach, speaking of. It was around ten minutes southeast by car, which was why the climate was that much colder overall compared to if she lived farther up north.The beach's nickname was 'The Mile Stretch' because it extended far east and west of Goldenrod until reaching a cut-off where its docks started. It practically encompassed the city's east half. Due to its size, there were sections of the beach considered 'good' and 'bad' depending on the district of the city it was in. Julie's was in a better one. She remembered spending hours there with Alyssa throughout her teens, playing volleyball, buying ice cream, and having fun in the waves. Julie didn't have the urge to do as much anymore unless Alyssa dragged her down there too, so her volleyball sat alone in the closet. She got up and slid her book back into its slot. It was called 'The World's Most Successful Tropic,' with a high-resolution picture of Alola's four islands on its cover. It was about the initial discovery and explanation of the Alola region and its exclusive pokémon that had taken place hundreds of years ago. The book detailed its history up until what it was today: one of the most powerful and prosperous first-world regions with the fourth largest and most robust economy behind Galar in third. Unova held second on the economic scale with an annual GDP that would be more than difficult to top, and Kalos was runner-up for fourth, so Alola had to stay on top of its development. Alola used to rely heavily on tourism and agriculture through berries, as it was one of the world's largest exporters, on top of financial aid from first-world regions to grow its economy. After several decades of utilizing its funds to develop the region's infrastructure with a stern focus on Hau'oli and Akala, it was now a contemporary spectacle in appearance and from how it operated within to maximize cash flow. Tourism and agriculture were still a main and vital source of Alola's income, but they were no longer its only source. It allowed the region to expand on its own, from five-star hotels to its famous shopping mall considered to be one of the best in the world. Construction was a growing and massive industry that employed thousands as Alola's government laid out more projects by the year to expand the region. To this day, the government filtered money into improving education and quality of life for its citizens. It also built upon the Shopping District in Hau'oli City and the Hano Grand Resort in Heahea to draw in tourists by outsourcing popular corporations and restaurants to bring their business to Alola. Captain Adrian Bay had discovered the islands while on an expedition with his crew transporting goods from Kanto to Sinnoh. A brutal storm during nightfall had thrown their ship off track, bringing them upon four mysterious and uninhabited islands that the crew was eager to explore at the following dawn. They did, mainly what is now called Melemele Island, and noted riveting details on paper of the island's layout and new pokémon the world had never seen.After a day of exploration, before the next nightfall, Captain Bay called everyone and the crew's pokémon back to the ship, and they sailed the rest of the way to Sinnoh, a two-day journey from their current location. They'd told the government of their find, who'd sent groups of historians, researchers, and a couple of professors, who had stationed across all islands weeks later. They created toponyms for the islands and locations to talk about and refer to amongst themselves, many of which were kept to this day.Julie couldn't imagine being responsible for discovering a region or island unknown to humanity and along with, new pokémon and berry types. That would be a grand accomplishment. It had to be out there. Julie had read the one-thousand-page book several times before, but it enthralled her every time. History amazed her. It didn't aim to predict past events but to expand horizons and open modern minds to limitless possibilities that proved anything could happen at any moment, but also that the future was more or less in the people's control, dependent on the decisions they made and the trajectory they took. There were decades where nothing happened and weeks where decades happened. A life-changing localized or worldwide historical event, for better or worse, was brewing at this very instant and could take place the next day or a decade from now. After reading that work, she was imbued with a sense of exploration. She wanted to go on an adventure. Julie sat back on her bed and eyed her wall map. "Where would you go?..." She grinned a little. "What if you biked to..." She shifted her eyes to Kanto. "Viridian."Julie crawled over and sat on her knees before the map, raising her hand and pressing her index finger on Goldenrod. "I'd go north, so..." She started drawing her finger up. "I'm riding through Violet, Cherry, New Bark, the border... up twenty-six..." She stopped her finger at her destination and tapped it. "Viridian. That'd take days, but it'd be amazing," Julie whispered, then moved off the bed and sighed.In listless motions, she put on the same clothes and took her jacket off the floor, shaking it out before putting it on again. She also fixed her hair in the restroom to appear presentable before heading to the park. Julie went on foot this time in hopes that it'd make her feel better. It was warmer than usual underneath a blue sky dotted with clouds, too, making it more enjoyable to be out. She almost wanted to take off her jacket, but she needed it more than ever. She was glad the park was close by. It was slightly north of Route 35, next door to Goldenrod.While walking, her posture more slouched than usual, a familiar melody on loop echo and filled the street with vivid nostalgia. Julie stopped and turned her head, watching an ice cream truck drive slowly down the road and pass her. She eyed the stickers under the window displaying what options it sold, from pops styled after various popular pokémon like pikachu and eevee to soft serve. Julie couldn't help but grin. She'd memorized its schedule years ago and used to wait outside for that truck with her parents after school every other day when it came. She also spotted a paper beside a few garage sales and for-hire ones stapled to a lamppost near the curb and double-glanced before stopping before it. It showed a photo of an eevee atop a bed; above it read 'Missing Pokémon,' detailing its name, gender, a phone number, and a 10,000 pokédollar reward for finding her. "Poor Bara." Julie would keep the eevee in mind in case she saw it, but if Bara got out of the neighborhood, well, Goldenrod was massive. Upon leaving her area, Julie strolled downtown among countless people and noisy traffic. She slipped past and between bodies that occupied the sidewalk, keeping to the side by buildings with her eyes on her feet more often than not. She noticed more posters on telephone poles and wondered how many districts Bara's family had gone to. She walked by a group of teens hanging out with drinks in their hands. Julie stuffed her hands in her pockets and kept her head down, bumping a woman's shoulder and glancing back. "Uh, sorry," she said as they met eyes, but the woman turned without acknowledgment.After Julie left her city in over two hours, eventually forcing herself to take a bus, she was halfway through Route 37. Her calves throbbed, which told her she needed to walk more often. Julie had to do more than pedal, but her conditioning over the years allowed her to walk longer distances with little trouble. She was also sweating under her jacket after so many miles of strolling, so she held the bottom with both hands and lifted it, shaking it out to let the air hit her upper body.She'd taken residential streets through Goldenrod when possible on the way to avoid the commotion of main roads and had walked through one of the best and calmest neighborhoods in the city, where Jane resided. The homes were huge, modern, and fancy with multiple stories, the cars were nice, and the wider roads and greenery were all upkept and perfect. Some houses had closed yards behind fences, organized trees, shrubs, and flower patches, while others were open with trimmed lawns and a couple of tall trees.People sauntered the sidewalks with their pokémon, children, or families, strolled, or jogged. Many kept to themselves, but some gave her quick greetings.Vibrant lavender and flower trees, willows, grass, and bushes lined the pavement in abundance and were present in yards as well. The air was fresher too. At least it seemed that way, and there tended to be more wild pokémon around because the area was closer to the outskirts, such as sentret and hoothoot when evening came. It brought some natural ambiance to the neighborhood. Julie had even seen a chikorita wandering in yards once. She only ever saw pidgey and purrloin in her area, if that. The commercial area surrounding the neighborhood was just as classy, with plazas full of pricey restaurants, affluent stores, and a massive shopping mall full of the same. It was also home to one of the best hospitals in the Accord.Every building was clean and modern in appearance, and the service was great the few times her mother had taken them over to eat or shop. The Goldenrod Aquarium was also around that area. Back to the Route, only a few people were on it, sauntering or training their pokémon. She saw one leaning to pat their spearow's feathers, and a serious male trainer commanding their pichu to slice a bundle of tall grass with an attack. It only brought Julie's mind back to Midnight. She imagined taking him to shops in Goldenrod or exploring nature among routes like these. The smallest things would be fun and bond them further. They were unrealistic fantasies but lovely to think about, and for a second, it filled her with fuzz.After leaving the route in around ten minutes, Julie entered the park and looked around for Alyssa among crowds. She spotted her sitting on the large water fountain's edge, shaped like a pokéball, at the epicenter and went to sit by her. She glanced at people standing around and chatting, buying bagged cotton candy from a man pushing a cart, and at some wild eevee by the park's edge.It was a spacious area with flower bushes, grass, and lamp posts lining the park's outskirts where people walked its trail while the center was all pavement. Adjacent to the trail on its outer end was a soccer field, two tennis courts with people hitting balls back and forth, and a brick building where one picked up equipment. Pokémon here tended to roam about freely. They weren't as afraid of humans but typically stayed away from the center.“So you came.” Alyssa grinned and crossed her legs, glancing at Julie's hands. "What's with the gloves? Saw you with them earlier."“Mom bought me them..." Julie said and looked to watch the active fountain. "I’ve been thinking nonstop myself." “About what exactly?” “Well, some of the things Ricky said to me. I'm wondering if they're true."“I mean, if you have to question yourself, I think it’s either because he got into your head, or you may have a few things to think about, not that it was right... Can I know exactly what he said to you? If you remember?" Julie swallowed. "He... called me a slut because of what I wore, described himself and the jocks dominating me... About my personality and the way I carry myself. He called me a loser and a bitch for it because I rejected his advances two days before." "The fuck?" Alyssa stared at Julie. "Why didn't you say any of that in the office? He was literally harassing and provoking you." "Alyssa, please... I probably still would have gotten suspension, and I didn't want to drag that on. It'd get parents involved and become this huge thing." She put a hand up and scoffed. "You don't know whether you would have gotten suspension, and it is a huge thing! You can't just let him spit on and abuse you like that, Julie. He's getting off easy, and now he knows you won't book him for it." "I want to be done, okay?" More tears threatened to form that she held back, although her voice wavered. "Just about everyone at that frickin' school looks down on me. Do you think me taking care of one person will change anything? I just want to get through this and graduate...""Julie..." Alyssa looked down momentarily. "Alright." She set a hand on Julie's arm. "Then we'll do that. I got you, okay?"Julie nodded with a sniffle. Ricky had definitely gotten into her head, but she couldn't rule out everything. Then again, she was as nice as could be to everyone when she chose to interact with them. Julie was out of three pencils and five pens because of Jane, for crying out loud.“Oh, and speaking of, what was with that getup you recently wore, anyway?” Julie sucked in her lips. "Let's save that for another time. I still want to know what this show was that kept you up all night." "That? It's a mystery action exclusively on this new movie and show streaming service called Hitz. They've got a limited-time promotion going on to lure customers that lets you sign up for six hundred fifty. Kind of insane. I'll text you the info later so you can sign in under my account if you want.""I'd like that. How much have you watched, though, and what is it called?" "The entire first season, six eppies. Ate it up like spearow wings. You can take your time watching and tell me what you think since the second season isn't even announced yet. Title is Passion Bullet."
Julie was more of the drama and romance type, but she could appreciate a good action series. "I'll check it out. Thanks... and thank you for dragging me out here. I needed it. It felt like I was drowning in my bed." "I know you needed it. That's why you're here."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julie stood on her tippy toes and dusted her mother's shelf on the wall after having removed the books lined up on it. She'd already swept the dust from the clock and nightstand and had tossed the pillowcases sitting on the couch chair by the window in the washer. It was Monday. The weekend had consisted of her lying in bed, Veela, watching two episodes of Passion Bullet that she took a liking to, and helping her mother around the house like she was now. Tomorrow was Tuesday, when her two days of weekday suspension ended. She'd gotten around to painting her nails with a fresh layer of sky blue, which had brightened her mood for some time.Her mother had just finished making her bed and closed the curtains, turning on the lamp beside it. She sat on the mattress and watched Julie set the duster down, then begin to put the books back as they were. "Julie."She set the first book on the end of the shelf and turned to face her."I want to know how you've been feeling. You've been in bed since Friday and barely spoke or ate over the weekend." "I feel okay. I think I'm ready to go back.""You think, or you know? Be honest, sweetie. If you aren't emotionally stable right now, you can stay home. Your health is more important." "I'll be okay, Mom. It was one bad instance," she said with a rueful grin. "I can do it." "That was the first occurrence? No one has ever picked on you before that boy?""...No. I'll be okay. I promise." "Okay..." She opened her arms and beckoned Julie over. She went and leaned into the embrace her mother pulled her into, sitting on her lap and resting her cheek on her shoulder while staring at the wall. "I'm sorry that happened to you, sweetie." She hugged Julie and rubbed her back with her hand. "You're the kindest girl. I don't understand how anyone could call you such awful names or put their hands on you." Julie shut her eyes and blew silent air through her mouth. "I know. I appreciate it. I just want everything to be calm. I'm almost done." "If anything happens, whether it's another person or your emotions, don't hesitate to come to me. It doesn't matter if I come home at midnight from a never-ending shift, and it will never matter how old you are." "Thank you." She kissed her shoulder, exhaling afterward. "Jule... has it affected your depression at all?""No.""I'm sorry. I know you dislike talking about it.""I was fine before this happened," Julie said."That's good to know... I was thinking, though.""Hm?""Pokémon are great emotional support candidates. One's like indeedee are among the most popular because of their ability to read emotions. One works at our Center and makes every customer's day."Julie held her breath for a second and momentarily tensed her fingers. "No, it's fine, Mom.""I just want you to have a good quality of life." She rubbed Julie's back some more. "I'll stop poking you."Julie was on her way to school the following morning. She passed it and pulled her bike into the plaza across the street from it, getting off to walk it through the lot toward the mart with a few cars and two saddled donphan parked. One let out a deep "phan" and flicked its trunk at her. Whatever that meant. Julie turned onto the sidewalk lined with quiet, dusted stores and took her hand from one of her handlebars while strolling, sticking it out and letting the short cemented poles in the ground before each parking space tap and push her palm back. She set her bike by the wall upon reaching it, pushing out its kickstand and opening the market's door. A bell jingled above it as she did. "Welcome!" the older male cashier chimed without looking up from his blue Poképad."Hi," Julie replied softly while making a beeline to the back of the store past shelved goods, passing a kadabra stocking shelves with psychic. It pulled canned foods out of a box. "Must have just started working here," she mumbled. Under Accordian law, bipedal pokémon could legally work a select number of jobs four years after hatching after undergoing training and receiving a license voluntarily to prevent forced or underpaid labor, which was a common issue across many regions. Jobs included serving at restaurants, janitorial work, stocking, and more. Generally, quadrupeds that weren't psychic-types saw less job opportunities. A set of paws limiting their capability and a mouth for holding and carrying directly broke sanitation laws. However, they found work in mining facilities and other jobs requiring manual labor. She stopped at a stand in a corner with tied plastic bags of berries sitting on ice, looking over the various types. She'd gotten lum last time, but Julie wanted to get Midnight something he hadn't tasted in a while, so she grabbed a bag of sliced oran ones to compact their size and took it up front, standing before the cashier, who was immersed in his device. "Excuse me," Julie said in a meek tone after nearly half a minute passed, eyeing the bulky pad in his hands that he was tapping away at on its clicky assortment of buttons. It was still odd seeing those. None were manufactured anymore, and the only people who still held onto them and got them fixed constantly at willing electronic stores were older towns, cities, and third-world regions that weren't actively developing. Her mother had also been forced to toss her gear and get a cell phone in order to keep her job at the Center, but she kept her old gear in her closet.Julie had to repeat a bit louder for the man to hear her. "...Excu... Excuse me."The man lowered it and looked up, then quickly set it down. "Ah, apologies apologies. I did not realize.""It's okay." Julie set the bag on the counter. "Just these." He took the bag and typed on the computer.Modern cities and daily life in them didn't allow Pokégear or any other makes to thrive and had pushed society to transition over time. Only in the last five years had it truly been voiced by politicians and tech companies through campaigns and frequent advertising. World governments had been wary about the effects new technology would have on society, just as they had been with vehicles after first introducing them. "Two hundred twenty," he said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out cash from her wallet, counting three off-blue colored bills and two dull silver coins that were slightly smaller than her palm with a detailed outline of a great ball carved into their surfaces. She handed them over while taking the oran bag. The coins started tiny; in Johto, the smallest one with the most negligible value was bronze and had the outline of a common pokéball carved into it. The most valuable, which held the value of 135, equivalent to one pokébill, was a shiny gold with a carved ultra ball on it. Bills functioned similarly. They had numbers stating the value on each corner, but different pokémon were the face of them the higher in value they got. For instance, pidgey was on the weakest bill while Ho-oh and Lugia were on the strongest. The man glanced at the money and put it in the register. "Good day." He nodded her off, pulling his pad back up with a grin and returning to noisy tapping. "Bye." Julie started turning. "And uh, y-you too," she added before heading out the door. Julie got on her bike once outside and sighed, riding through the still lot other than some people entering shops. A minute later, she entered school while holding a bag of berries at her side, relieved that she wouldn’t have to see Ricky on her first day back.As the math teacher had stated, posters were plastered on walls above lockers showing Brycen in his signature blue outfit and mask. 'Upcoming film event in the auditorium. Visit the office for more info!' it read.She just wanted to graduate already. She couldn’t wait to graduate— for the most part, anyway. Julie spotted Midnight strolling down the hallway. He was far from her locker and seemed to be roaming aimlessly until he they'd caught each other; he trotted and sat at her locker.Other than Midnight being on her mind all weekend, Julie had thought about what Alyssa said. Julie may start being kind or at least cordial to more people. The more she considered her behavior, such as barely looking in the direction of others and refusing to speak to anyone unless approached couldn't come across well.As she made her way through groups of students walking to classes or at their lockers, she received a few glances, but this time she timidly greeted a few of them, even giving a slight grin. A girl whom Julie saw daily as their lockers were in proximity to each other shot her an odd look. Others smirked or snickered.“Ugh, Ricky was right. Alyssa was right, but that’s okay. I’ll try to fix my reputation, even if just a little,” Julie mumbled and arrived at her locker with a small grin, as Midnight was sitting before it. She kneeled, taking his cheeks into her gloved palm and the side of her occupied hand. She squeezed them and spoke quietly. “I missed you, cutie. I got you a treat too." "Mmb..." Midnight could only sit there. She held him in place rather firmly. He tried to glance in the direction of the oran berries that he could barely look at."Feel sorry for you." Julie looked up and saw Leia putting her backpack in her locker.She looked at her with a sneer. "No boyfriend the entire four years you've been here. No friends but one edgy pity party with straight C's, and you're always wearing a lame hoodie or something." Leia eyed Julie up and down. "Ricky was right, and so is anyone here with a voice and social life— you trend around here, in case you weren't aware. Pathetically easy to talk about. Be a loner all you want, but you meet the school's fuckin' umbreon at your locker almost every day too? The jokes write themselves. Seriously, we all see it and laugh about you at lunch. It's just no one's said it to your face, but you've gotta know. I'm tired of watching you be a total reject next to my locker. You could be so much better with those looks. Instead, you're eighteen and can't stand in front of a class." She bit her lip under a devious smile. "No one's forgetting the time you literally couldn't finish a speech and got sent back to your seat, crying at seventeen. Get a grip and a life already." She faced Julie and shrugged. "Or be the weird girl who'd like to think she's worth something while practically dating a pokémon." She shut the door. "Bit too late now, though, huh?" Julie didn't even know what to say. She watched her walk away and glanced at others stifling giggles or grinning; her cheeks flushed all over again. Leia stopped before a group of three girls from Ecruteak, who were grinning at their lockers, and looked at the one in the middle about a year younger than Julie. She was a tan brunette with some weight on her. "And... sorry, Gelica, buttt you're grouped with Julie. You may not be the definition of a reject, but you're nothing close to beauty..." Leia eyed her body down and up to her face. "Nothing close, and you lack the smarts too. So, you don't get to laugh with us." She raised her eyebrows. "Just reminding you girls of your places, hun. Good day."Julie glanced at Angelica as Leia left, who now looked as if she'd lost a loved one, and her friends only stood there and tried to comfort her through talk. Was Leia right too, though? People watched Julie, but how closely, and was Julie genuinely a target for constant gossip? Julie could foresee people bullying her more directly for the fun of it; it'd destroy her. She should have learned to expect this odium after two years, but it had gotten progressively worse with time. Her chest was tight enough that it could implode her ribcage, her face was hot, and her throat firmed enough to make swallowing difficult. She wanted to burst into a fit of tears. The only thing keeping her together right now was—She shifted her eyes back to Midnight, focused on him, and tuned out the surrounding disdain, nearly whispering after the moments she used to calm herself within their union. "Locker room hall after my next two classes...” Julie released his cheeks, giving him the ability to nod. Midnight peered down the hall Leia went down while holding his tail upright with a huff and growl beneath his breath. She stood and grabbed her book, water, and supplies. She shoved her backpack and the berries inside her locker and paced to class with her head down. She could feel the stares. Tears welled in her eyes. Everyone thought that way about her, didn't they? She was a pissy, stuck-up, self-absorbed bitch who adored the school's property and despised everyone. The hoodies and jackets she'd worn to school since 9th grade had always provided her comfort in social settings, on top of it being cold in most classrooms. Now she hated the fact that she still did. And yes, Julie got deathly nervous presenting before people, which her condition had worsened. The time Leia was referring to was during speech class, where Julie had to stand in front of twenty students and the teacher to read a five-hundred-word essay on climate around Johto aloud. She'd already cried herself to sleep the night before because of her father, so her mind was in an awful place. Her heart had been pounding hard enough to burst from her ribcage, and turbulence built within before it was even her turn. Julie had watched other students present, some giving confident performances with little to no hiccups, others stuttering or visibly nervous, but when Julie went up, it was a disaster. Her voice was shaky from the start; she threw in a lot of 'uh's and um's' alongside stuttering, but halfway through, she somehow lost her place and repeated the same sentence twice, which threw her off and embarrassed her, and she froze with a drawstring in her fingers. In front of everyone. It was utterly silent. One could hear equipment creak and other classes in session outside the door. Everyone stared at her, awaiting her next word, but Julie couldn't say anything. She tried to and kept stammering and stopping. Her face was red, and she could have pissed herself after hearing a few snorts, subtle giggles, and seeing others hide smiles. After almost a minute, which felt more like an hour, the teacher dismissed her back to her seat, where tears started coming that she wiped away and tried to hide, but some people noticed. The teacher ended up giving her a C for her subpar performance. What a fantastic thing to come back to. Julie would still try her best to change. Maybe they were right. They didn't even know what contemptible acts she'd committed with Midnight on the grounds of this very school. Julie stopped before the door to regional history and faced the wall so passing students couldn't see her face. She sniffled, took a deep, wavery breath, and shut her eyes while tilting her head to the ceiling. "You're okay. You're okay..." Julie whispered and lowered her head, her lower lip drawing a subtle quiver. She reached and wiped the tears from under her eyes and on her cheeks while taking calm breaths.Then scrunched her face and winced, cutting an audible whimper as more tears came. Julie wiped them as they formed. Her heart wrenched and breaths skipped. Julie wanted to go home. She wanted to turn around, pick up Midnight on her way down the hall, and walk home. Upon clearing her face up enough, she entered class and went to her desk, where she set her bag down. Julie sat while awaiting the teacher, taking a pencil from her bag and setting it on Jane's desk without looking. Jane grinned. "How sweet... but I brought one this time, Jules." She set it back on Julie's desk. "I'll remember that you thought of me, though." Julie ignored that and slouched in her chair, sighing, but glanced aside at Max's eyes on her, and he didn't say good morning this time. "Restless night?""I guess." She shrugged, shooting her eyes between him and Jane. Did they know of her and Midnight? Maybe students were spreading it around and would make her the school's laughingstock, although she was already.Julie sat up when the teacher entered and wiped the whiteboard. She wanted to hide under a rock. This time, both classes lasted for what felt like hours, mainly because she couldn't stop combining what degrading remarks Ricky and Leia had said to her. However, she'd taken notes and focused on the lectures as much as she could. She exited science and took off her jacket, tying it around her waist while walking. After walking through the halls to get to her locker, Julie waited at it until enough minutes passed that the halls cleared out and students were in their next classes. She spotted the school's janitor, an older man with a receding hairline in a tee and jeans, exit the locker room hall with his cleaning cart and pass her. He gave a formal grin that Julie returned.When he turned down the hall at the bench, she swapped her books and water with the berries in her locker, then went to the hall where she and Midnight were supposed to meet again and saw him waiting by the locker room doors while a boy leaned over and petted him. Julie slowed and pretended to mosey until he finished and passed her while barely shooting her a glance. After he was out of sight, she cleared the distance and went into the short hall with Midnight, crouching in front him. She glanced back several times at the hall's open entrance that anyone could walk past. “So, I got suspended… for a stupid reason, but I'm back now." "And I think we have a bit of catching up to do, hm?" Julie grinned and scratched under his chin. Midnight, in response, nuzzled his cheek against her knee and thigh. “I’ve got my next class, but I wanted to tell you what we did together last Wednesday... I want that again.” Midnight nodded with erect ears. “I knew you would too. I don't have a safe place in mind yet, but I'll think of one. Wait by the restroom until everyone clears out for lunch." Julie traced her fingers along the back of his neck. "And here." She took off one of her gloves and untied the bag carefully not to spill the juice at the bottom, taking four berry slices out. She popped two into her mouth and chewed the sweetly, zesty pungent tart blend with a touch of spiciness on the way down. It was truly a unique berry. She sometimes got oran smoothies from restaurants in Goldenrod. It was a hit-or-miss flavor. It was a complete miss for Alyssa, who preferred kasib, which was full of significantly more processed sugar.She handed the next two to Midnight, holding them before him and smiling enough to bring out the dimples in her cheeks as he leaned and slightly opened his mouth to take them. He sat back after he did and chewed while swaying his tail, glancing at her smile while the berries popped against his teeth. "Umbre," he said after swallowing, licking his lips."'Welcome," Julie replied with a quiet giggle and reached to scritch under his chin, watching him glow up. "I never ask, but what do you do when school ends? Do you have a home you go to? Anyone or another pokémon to keep you company?" He eyed her before shaking his head."But you're taken care of, right?""Bre." He nodded. Julie could do better— no, she would do better. Midnight would get infinite hugs and kisses and some more for good measure if he were under her care. She took a few minutes to feed him the rest of the bag before planting a parting kiss on the head, then slipped her glove back on and flexed her fingers for a tight fit. She walked off and dropped the bag in a bin nearby. Luckily, only a few students had been around, but enough were, which had given them a free conversation at the cafeteria tables. Her touch had brought a slight shiver out of him. Midnight watched her soon turn the corner and disappear from his view, his rings gradually fading to their inactive state. Julie sat through math, received the test she'd taken on Wednesday, and was finally let out for lunch. "At least I got a B." She sighed, drinking some water. The halls were essentially empty in minutes since many students were already in the cafeteria, minus teachers and faculty going on break or getting things done around the school. Julie wouldn’t completely miss lunch this time. Alyssa's suspicion would rise if she did. Julie walked past a couple of people going through or arranging their lockers, soon turning a right down the hall and seeing Midnight by the restroom. “You’re an obedient one, aren’t you?” Julie grinned while crouching before him. All the squatting she’d been doing had become a small exercise. “I’m going to go to the cafeteria, but I was thinking, and… the next best place would be that one classroom that’s never used? Room 200.” Ever since the teacher who had previously taught origami quit, the school abandoned the class and never sought to hire anyone else. The room hadn’t been used for about a year; the only person who ever went in there was the janitor for general upkeep during lunch from what Julie had overhead from faculty discussion in the halls now and again, and even then, it wasn’t daily since it was never occupied, so some luck would be involved. She would have to check and see if it was open on the day they chose.Midnight nodded promptly. “It’ll be Saturday before we know it, so how does tomorrow at lunch sound? Just… be there?”"Umbre.""See you then." Julie kissed the ring on his forehead and sauntered to the cafeteria, having confirmed their second assignation. She turned down the third hall and saw Alyssa walking through the cafeteria doors, jogging to catch up with her. She had on a gray hoodie with a man in glasses from an animation on the back, which Julie saw. On the front was a woman drinking from a plastic cup through a straw. "Hey." Alyssa looked behind her and smirked. “Came to lunch this time?” She nudged Julie with her shoulder while they passed tables and walked toward the lunch line, with some students among many shooting glances at Julie, but not enough for her or Alyssa to notice.“Whatever." “And you wore a normal outfit?” She giggled a bit. “Give me a break. I didn’t know what I was thinking last time, and who's on your hoodie?” "Wayi and Tatsi Itsaguri... siblings. From a show you don't watch. It's like action and slice of life.""I'd try to keep up if you weren't binging around the clock, Ali.""It's cool. You're reading all the time anyway— and about your outfit, you’re way overdue for a boyfriend anyway. I kind of want one at eighteen in a few months,” Alyssa said and stopped at a stand holding stacked trays, taking one from the pile with Julie and going to stand in line behind others. “I kind of like being alone. Relationships seem like a lot of work I'm not up for right now." "Books before boys or whatever. What do you want to do after we’re done with school, then?” Alyssa asked.“University if I get accepted, but it is coming up. You should think of something too, if you haven’t.” "Psh." She moved up in line. "I'd make a good trainer. Don't you agree?" Julie followed while giggling. "Alyssa the pokémon trainer?" She shrugged. "I could see that, actually. You've got the personality and natural drive; what would your team be?""I'll update you as it comes, but I've gotta have a gengar." "Because it's a shady ghost type?""Maybe, and it's just a badass pokémon all around..." She paused. "You know, I could be a dark and ghost-type trainer now that I think about it. Anything with fur is might have black highlights if it isn't already.""That's fitting. Just don't go edgy on me... and are you going to that Brycen event in less than two weeks?" "Stupid question." "Alyssa..." "What? You think I'm gonna stand up there with the one hundred drooly girls and willingly read some script? Sounds as fun as the field trips we used to go on." "Hey, the Goldenrod Aquarium was fun," Julie said. "But I'm not going either. I'd suck at acting, and I would be putting myself in a real-life horror film at that point.""Two great minds, eh? Oh, and you get around to Passion Bullet yet? Tevx is gonna have to take a backseat for a bit." Tevx was the biggest platform for streamers of all genres, from gaming to vlogs. It was founded five years ago and had only recently begun gaining traction last year when some famous faces started creating accounts. Roxie and other gym leaders were popular choices on there. "I did, actually. I watched the first two episodes. I like that it's set in Hau'oli. Always nice to look at the tropical backdrop. Oh— I also love Pete's midday lycan. He's a tough cute type, kind of like you. He's finding more clues and leads on the first murder case more than the detective." "Wow, do nott call me that ever again." Alyssa chuckled. "But yeah, Ado has a gift for that line of work. Won't spoil, but did you see the clue at the end of two? "I did. The other detective slipped a plant in Pete's pocket. Don't know what that was about." "You'll see, and you see the temperature dropping lately? It's ridiculous.""Yeah, it'll be in the thirties before we know it. Might bring some snowfall," Julie said. "Your freezer city and surrounding ones will. It'll cap at like low-fifties or high forties up north in Johto when the cold fronts start hitting. I dunno, but don't ask me to come over and get hypothermia. Those gloves won't help ya' then."The rest of Julie’s day went as usual, sitting through classes, taking notes, and thinking about her favorite pokémon. It never helped when she felt hot for him, even in the slightest, and she had several times during lectures, the setting where it seemed to be prominent.No matter what Julie would choose to do with her life after graduation, she’d use a month or two to take a break, maybe travel to another region to get away from Johto. It'd hurt deeply to leave without Midnight, but Julie couldn't dwell on something she couldn't change. The most she could do was spend as much time with him as possible.After school, she walked across the way to Ecruteak's plaza and bought a glazed donut she needed desperately after the day she endured, eating it in one hand during the bike ride to Goldenrod. At home, she ate dinner alone at the table since her mother was working late again and headed up to her room afterward with water and a snack, where she'd be for the rest of the night. Julie washed her face and brushed her teeth in her restroom, took off her clothes, then flipped off the light and got into bed.She bundled up under the blanket and pushed her phone under her pillow, turning on her side and glancing at the mess her nightstand was becoming. "How'd that stuff even get there..." Julie mumbled. Torn and empty snack packs alongside empty bottles. "Tomorrow." She turned onto her other side. She was rethinking what she'd planned for tomorrow with Midnight. That classroom could be an iffier location than the locker room. Julie would be risking everything again. Her reputation would freefall to rock bottom, and her mother would disown her or something. She'd also lose Alyssa and her chance at college. It would be humiliation on all fronts. "You can’t go through with this again. You don't want to be that kid— except worse since it's so illegal..." But then she remembered how passionate their last session was. It was pure bliss and ecstasy, a rush that felt more than exceptional. Julie grabbed her phone and sat on her elbow, going to the folder she'd stored the video of her and Midnight in. She swallowed, turning her phone sideways and upping the volume via the button toggle on her device before tapping it. Julie bit her lip, pulled in instantly. She watched Midnight hump her pussy while she whimpered for more. The display shook occasionally, but she couldn't blame herself while getting taken so hard during her first time. She watched him move his hips between her legs and shift his paws from holding her thighs to the table, hugging her waist with his forelegs and thrusting harder. His irradiant tail swayed up and down like a glowstick while he moaned.She found herself sliding her arm under her blanket and pressing two fingers onto her clitoris over her panties upon her lowering the phone in the video. It wasn't the clearest shot, and Midnight's tail kept smacking the lens and device, but Julie caught good glimpses of his sac dangling and cock sliding inside her. He groaned while she moaned with him.She could swear she felt it right now. She pushed her fingers against her clit in an attempt to curb her arousal and rubbed her thighs against each other, which only increased it. She closed the video and lay on her back, shutting her eyes. "I can't turn away," she whispered. "I love him. I'm in love; I can't fulfill it any other way. I get such little time with him, so I need to make it worthwhile." She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She wouldn't get herself caught. Without Midnight, Julie would still be masturbating. It only added to the list of reasons why Julie wanted to own him. She could never again resort to fantasizing about him mounting her while using her fingers, not after he'd taken her pussy while she had a video to prove so. "See you tomorrow, Midnight." She pressed her clit again, which brought out a spontaneous gasp before she finally pulled her hand from under the covers. Julie got up after taking a moment to reset and grabbed her laptop from the floor, tossing it on the bed. The science teacher had assigned an essay due in a few days, so she'd start researching and typing tonight. She'd try to go to bed earlier than usual too so tomorrow would come quicker, and she didn’t want to doze during classes.
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At roughly 4:10 a.m., Julie was awake in bed. The realization that today was it— that it got closer by the minute brought her much anxiety. However, it wouldn't change her mind. She and Midnight would hopefully have fun during lunch with no unwanted surprises, but she shouldn't be doing this when she had a future planned for herself, especially when the janitor hung around the room to clean it.Julie had already gotten away with it once, so why would she push her luck in a more stringent situation? This would never be worth her life. Yes, getting caught would basically be a death sentence; Julie wouldn't know what she'd do with herself as a domino effect of life-altering events collapsed in quick succession before her eyes. "You'd go to prison and have a permanent blemish on your record. Mom would be so disappointed. She'd be disgusted and never see you the same. You'd become estranged, and what would Alyssa think?... Can't you see it's really not worth it?" For now, she pushed the thought away and got out of bed. Julie would wear her hair in her signature wavy style. However, she didn’t know what would be appropriate to wear for today’s occasion. There was no way she could dress too casually. She wanted to present herself to please Midnight’s eyes. She sifted through her closet and pulled out a tight pink tee with several mini espeon lining the stomach area in different playful positions, then grabbed a jacket to cover it before lunch. "Never having a repeat of that day..." She also put on sweatpants.She checked herself out in front of the mirror in her restroom and adjusted her clothing. This outfit wasn't overly showy and had color to it. Julie brushed her teeth, washed her face, and whatnot, then snagged her phone, gloves, and wallet afterward and pocketed them. She also grabbed the piling mess on her nightstand and went downstairs, where she could smell breakfast cooking. Julie trashed what she held and entered the kitchen while yawning, grinning at her mom holding a spatula while cooking over the stove. She turned and smiled. "Morning, sweetie. Are you eating this time?" Julie approached and looked at the sizzling egg and fluffy light brown mini pancakes in a pan. "I will. It looks delicious." She hadn't been eating recently, and it'd be a good idea to have a fulfilling breakfast since she'd be skipping lunch again."Good. Can you fetch us plates and utensils, and how do you want your egg?" her mother asked while flipping the pancakes.Julie went to the cabinets and drawers, opening two and gathering dishes. "Uh." She glanced back. "Sunny side up, please." She'd make black coffee for them too. Julie would rather add milk, cream, and sugar, but she would add way too much of it and was already going to use syrup. "Where's Lilly?" Julie set two ceramic serving plates on the counter and two more on the dining room table, then went back to get coffee mugs and silverware. She also unplugged and grabbed a pitcher off the counter and took it to the sink, turning the nozzle and filling it to its designated line with water. Her mother chuckled. "Take a wild guess. I opened the front door for some air, and she darted out as usual." Julie cut the water and went to plug the pitcher back in, which would heat the water to prepare coffee in minutes. "I guess she wants to be free. I just don't think it'll end well." Not when feral pokémon, cars, and other dangers roamed about the big city, but who was Julie to lock her inside? Lilly would be depressed. She didn't even know what Lilly did out there for so many hours. "All we can do is be ready for anything, you know? We feed and water her, so we're doing our part. Egg?""That's true." Julie went to the fridge and grabbed an egg, taking it to the stove and cracking it over the pan. Eggs from spearow and fearow were used in dishes and general cooking in Johtoan culture, although they were a bit on the salty side. After they finished cooking, they sat at the clothed dining room table with breakfast and coffee. A ticking clock was on the wall, and a window with curtains on the other her mother had parted to let the light in. A tall potted tree sat beside it, along with a fancy wooden stand with drawers and antique mugs sitting on saucers atop it on the other side. Julie tapped her egg's yolk to pop it and let it spill into her plate, then cut into one of her pancakes. She stabbed the separated piece and dipped it into the runny liquid, then put it in her mouth. "How's work been?" She set her mug down. "It's been well, recently, but the new girl we hired is a bit ditzy."Julie covered her mouth to giggle, then swallowed her food. "How so?" She picked up her coffee and blew it before sipping it, the steam hitting her face. "She'll mix up a trainer's party with another after healing their pokémon; she's done it twice already. She'll forget to tag the healing stations, and if it's a busy day, you're bound to get scatterbrained." She shook her head and cut her egg, eating at it. "That's a mistake you cannot afford to make when someone's pokémon are on the line. If someone gets a party that isn't theirs and doesn't return it, our center can get into massive legal trouble and possibly shut down if the victim takes us to court for it. The trainers got vexed with us in both instances too, and rightfully so. Ugh, it's a mess." "Maybe you should lay her off if she does it again. That puts you and the competent employees at risk." Julie grabbed the syrup bottle and poured more over a pancake before cutting it and taking a bigger bite."We've been in talks about it. To be fair, it's her third week, she did great during the interview, and she's just four years older than you. I'll likely pull her into my office and tell her I'll have to do that if she manages to create a dumpster fire a third time. I won't take someone's job if I don't have to; she's a sweet young lady... but onto you, sweetie. How have your classes been, and has that punk bothered you at all since you've been back?" "No, he's got two more days of suspension, but if he does, I'll tell you." "Good. Please do." She briefly grinned. "And have you been feeling okay? In general." Julie nodded. "I have." "Remember that I'm always here." "I know. Thanks, Mom. Forgot the classes question, though. I've been enjoying everything but math. I guess science has been a bit of a bore too. We're covering molecules and covalent bonds. I miss dexology, honestly.""The better science? It was easy enough going through the national dex, but it's a useful class." "I had to name almost half the pokémon on the final exam, their native region, and state a fact about each too. I'm def taking it in college. Not math, though. Not until I have to.""Still aren't fond of it, huh?" Her mother chuckled. "I remember staying up late at night trying to help you understand it back in ninth and tenth.""For hours. You were the only reason I passed back then." And she'd never lost patience even after Julie would almost cry out of frustration. "But I've gotten better. I can solve on my own, but it's frickin' torture." "Well, we could always go back a few grades and find out what you first got stuck on and didn't understand. It can be detrimental when students don't get the help they need and halfway or barely pass the class because math stacks on itself. The further you go, the harder it'll get." "Huh?..." She stared. "I think I'd rather suck at it. I did get a B on my most recent test, though." Her mother looked pleased, arching a brow. "Hm, really? Tell me about it."They were through in under an hour at ten minutes from five; Julie was out of the house and on her way to school."If it goes well, today should be great." She had to consider why the second floor was a good spot: every student was in the cafeteria during lunch, only a small number of teachers stayed in their classrooms during that period, and again, no one ever went into room 200. The janitor was the only person to worry about, and Julie couldn’t pinpoint whenever he entered or left that room unless she scouted and studied his patterns for a week.As she entered the school, Julie tried to greet most students who bothered to look her way while walking to her locker. She didn't get many in return. They'd already painted their image of her. Maybe her reputation was shot; she'd have to accept that.She entered her first class after grabbing her stuff and yawned after sitting. She took off her right glove so she could write and whatnot and slipped it in her pocket. She was still tired and full from breakfast on top of it. "Morning," Max said after giving Julie a moment to settle. She leaned back and eyed him. "Max, would you say I'm stuck-up?" He scratched his head and shifted in his seat. "I guess... I've overheard things." He shrugged and eyed her with an unamused expression. "It's mostly the popular groups talking like usual, but you've always been kind to me." She looked at her desk. So people have been gossiping; Leia drove it with her influence. Julie wanted to ask what they discussed but didn't actually want to know. Jane tapped Julie's shoulder, grinning as Julie turned. "I wouldn't say stuck-up either. You should ignore the gossip. You've never been anything but sweet or irritated with me. Are you depressed by chance?" "...I don't know." Easier said than done to ignore everything perpetuating around her, especially when it was so constant and deeply rooted as if a part of some twisted school tradition. "Are you?" She glanced at Jane's wristband, which was blue today."Oh..." She followed Julie's eyes. "Not necessarily, Jules. I had an argument with my sister before I left this morning. It wasn't the best start to the day, but we'll make up." "If there's anyone one shouldn't hold grudges toward, it should be their sibling. I hope you're okay, though." "Because that's your closest friend... right. You can trust them with your life without worry, I'd hope. You're an only child, right?""I am." Julie wondered how different life would be with a brother or sister. She assumed it would be a fun bond to have. Alyssa was her closest reference, and Julie didn't know Bailey, who she assumed was a great girl too. Julie's life would likely be the same, but with two broken souls instead of one, and if they both attended Ecruteak, well..."Wait, so you're both down? I feel bad for just being okay now," Max said, then grimaced. "So funny." Julie leaned a little and nudged him with her elbow. But maybe Julie wouldn't be as lonely with a sibling. She was lucky as could be to have someone like Alyssa, the only person other than her mother who lifted her spirits and kept her sane. Julie didn't know where or who she'd be without Alyssa carrying her last few years here. They'd met through a group language project during their first week at Ecruteak since they were assigned as partners by the teacher. That project was the only one Alyssa had put effort into. Afterward, she must have lost the motivation to try. Anyway, the day came when they'd had to present their research paper in front of the class a week later. They'd rehearsed and memorized the three-part essay during class and assigned who would say the intro, body, and conclusion. On top of Julie's stage fright and condition, the entire class was new, so it was twice as crippling. Alyssa barely knew Julie at the time, so Julie hadn't told her about it and had been embarrassed to. When they went up in front of almost twenty new faces, Julie regretted agreeing to take the intro, but she tried. She started off with evident nervous energy and stammers, which led to Alyssa taking over after a few sentences in. However, they both had to participate, so Julie fought her fear and spoke most of paragraph two as best she could, resulting in a B as their final grade. After that, Julie saw something in Alyssa that no one would ever. That was her best friend.After her next two classes, it was lunchtime before Julie knew it. She let the halls clear by a good margin, putting everything in her locker and waiting at it for around ten minutes before walking toward the second hall. Julie could take the stairs by her locker, but it may seem more believable if she made it appear as if she were going to lunch.She cleared the first and second halls and turned down the third one, passing the restrooms. Julie stopped for a second and saw the stairs by the corridor's end against the right wall near the cafeteria's entrance. She looked back frequently while pacing to room 200. She climbed two flights and peeked down the vacant hall of more lockers and classrooms and another custodian closet at the end. She saw Midnight sitting by the door down the corridor and constantly looked at every room she passed. “Hurry,” Julie whispered harshly upon reaching him and sped up, pulling open the door. She let it close behind Midnight after he slipped in. Julie hadn't been in this room before and already regretted coming inside. Her and Midnight's backs were against the wall, and what sounded like a cart rolling by outside the room made Julie hold her breath. If the janitor caught her now, she would, at worst, be reported to the office and get questioned as to why she had Midnight; hopefully, he would just let her off with a warning. He was a nice guy whenever Julie saw him, always greeting students in the halls. “All done in there. I'll lock up once I'm through with the next bit. Have to run down to the office and grab some cleaning supplies I ran out of.” “Perfect. We need it spotless. We're considering bringing this room back to use soon. The students could use more casual elective classes.” Julie had no idea who the other guy was, but that meant the classroom would likely be free until lunch ended. At least she hoped. After a while, she no longer heard voices. With a grimace and held breath, Julie peeked out of the door's small window. “…I think we're good." She turned to look around the room. Overall, it was a basic classroom, though no desks or chairs were on the floor since no one used it. Julie looked at the bare walls and clean whiteboard, then crouched by Midnight and ran her hand down his back.He looked up at her, his skin twitching from Julie’s touch. “We’re going to do more this time.” She checked the time on her phone and saw they had close to the usual forty minutes. Julie set her cell on the floor and took off her jacket, revealing the shirt she'd put on underneath. What she had in mind worked. Midnight's eyes were glued to her figure. Julie giggled. "See something you like?” She took off and pocketed her gloves, then reached her hand to his underside, now at his inner thighs. Midnight spread his hind legs while watching, his rings reacting. She wasted no time, especially since they couldn't afford to, and rubbed his sheath. She felt over the outline of his stiff length concealed underneath. Julie also reached down and drew her fingers over his testes, fondling and caressing his sac. His member slightly emerged in under a minute of this. "Do I like... stroke it back?" Midnight nodded with a subtle grin.Julie held and pulled the skin back with some struggle, having to tug it a few times, then sat and held his member. She stroked it and watched his rings brighten. It was somewhat moist, slimy, and almost sticky even before being inside something. This brought a light exhalation out of Midnight, with him slightly wincing and shifting his hips. “Can I… have you in my mouth first? I’ve wanted to try that,” Julie asked, to which Midnight nodded again. “Okay.” She looked at the closed door again before lying on her back by the wall, although she lifted her head slightly. “I’m ready.” Julie patted her chest and eyed him. Midnight stood and climbed onto her chest. He sat just above her breasts. His forepaws were on the floor by both sides of her head. “So hard...” Julie eyed his sac resting on her chest and erection, which stood upright inches before her mouth and held a faint musk. This was where the deeper anxiety from their first time returned. Getting caught like this was undeniable proof to anyone's eyes that she was actively fucking a pokémon. She leaned up and traced her tongue along its underside while Midnight pushed his hips, tasting its pleasant, tangy bitterness.He briefly closed his eyes. His cock throbbed and stiffened against her moving tongue. Julie placed her hand on his lower back and her other on his hind leg, licking his shaft a few more times. “You can thrust, just be slow at first." She opened her mouth, picturing the door swinging open multiple times in her head.Midnight pulled his hips back so his member's tip was at Julie's mouth and ground his forepaws for added stability, then slowly pushed his hips to insert his length halfway inside. He exhaled as her breath hit his shaft.Their moment ended abruptly by what Julie had feared the most— the voices outside the door again. She felt Midnight flinch. He looked over; she widened her eyes and looked as well. Julie's heart raced, but she didn't bother moving. The possible noisy outcome that would create could bring unwanted attention to them, and she'd be caught either way.Whoever it was would open the door to see an umbreon sitting on a high school girl's chest, fully erect. What a sight that would be.
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Julie kept still, as did Midnight. The conversation outside the room lasted for several minutes, discussing the school. One of them sounded like the janitor again; she could overhear the other man offer to show him something nearby in his class. They never opened the door, and the chatter faded with corresponding footsteps. Thank Arceus for that teacher. Julie kept her petrified eyes on the door and couldn't move no matter how much she tried, but this would be their one chance to leave if the hall was clear. “Let me check…” As Midnight got off her chest, Julie stood and went to the door. With her breath held for the second time, she leaned and peeked out the small window to see no one there. Julie glanced at him and his radiant rings that were taking their sweet time to die down. It would help their subtle escape if he wasn't a lucent yellow eye-catcher. “Come. Come on, Midnight." She snatched her phone and jacket off the floor and sighed before slowly opening the door. Julie entered the hallway and looked both ways, risking everything to death. After Midnight, she quietly closed the door and paced down the hall and stairs she used to get up here, tense the entire time. He was right behind her, trotting down the steps to match her speed. His legs still trembled. Julie stopped before she got to the last few steps and turned to face Midnight. “I... don’t know if we can try that anymore. It’s too risky, really.” Julie leaned and tilted his chin up with her hand, kissing his mouth.
He shut his eyes and leaned into it, nearly falling forward after Julie pulled away.She sighed. "Isn't this kind of silly, Midnight? We're getting as close as trainer and pokémon and even more, as if you belong to me, but... you don't."He stared up at her with a twitch of his ear. "Umbre...""I know you don't mind. I don't either. I love talking to you, and you're so squeezable, and– and I really love pleasing you, but we get five shallow minutes together, then the day ends, and... I don't know." She raised her hand and set her chin on her palm, then let it slip. "I'll see you later..."She walked off while putting her jacket on and checked the time on her phone. Lunch ended in roughly five minutes, so there was no point in going to the cafeteria. Julie headed down the hall to her locker past a guy leaving the restroom with a putrid smoky scent emanating from him.Students started filling in little by little from the cafeteria to get their books; some had been in the halls.Couples did couple things, friends chatted with each other against lockers in private, and individuals were on their phones or taking calls. Julie reached the end of the third hall and started her walk down the second, passing a couple getting touchy at a locker and turning at the bench after reaching it. Julie sped up her pace after passing her history class and stopped at her locker, clearing her numb throat and rubbing her lips together. She unlocked it, getting her language arts text, water bottle, and other equipment before turning and heading back down the same hall. Her mind was blank and raced simultaneously. Something told her she wouldn't be paying attention throughout her following lectures. When Julie got to her language arts class, she stopped at the open door and casually peeked inside, spotting a few students and the teacher grading papers at his desk. One student wrote notes at their desk with earphones in while others talked and snickered.Julie went to the left mid-section of the desks and set her bag down. She opened and took sips of her water, setting it on her desk and clearing her throat afterward. She looked around at posted excerpts from non-fiction novels, quotes from renowned authors and public speakers, and cute pokémon posters. They were charmeleon, wartortle, and ivysaur-themed, stating random punctuation and writing rules.But she mainly looked around at her peers and more that entered, waiting for a double glance or disgusted expression toward her. What if someone had seen her entering or leaving that room with Midnight? It would most definitely be spread throughout the school along with everything else about her, but she would be asking for it by having sex twice at the worst place she could. Julie wanted to help her case; her recent actions said otherwise. She got through language arts and business while on constant edge. It never left; there was nothing she could do to relieve it after what she'd pulled for the second time now, but this one was too close for comfort.After her last class, Julie went downstairs and straight to her locker to see Alyssa leaning against it. “Ugh,” she mumbled while approaching.Alyssa had her arms crossed. “Didn’t see you at lunch today.”“It's nothing," Julie replied curtly."Really? You don’t have to tell me, but if we hide things from each other, it puts up that wall. We’ll distance.” Alyssa moved so Julie could access her locker. "You've been acting like this for days now."She glanced at her. “I'll tell you on the way home." After Julie got her backpack, they left the school and rode beside each other to Julie’s house. Route 37 wasn’t too populated. It was mainly them, light breezes, and trees lining the path to their far left and right. Julie was silent, but Alyssa had been shooting her frequent glances.Julie pulled her brakes and used her foot to stop the bike faster, stirring the dirt and creating a small cloud as her shoe slid across. “It's… the umbreon," Julie blurted without looking up from the ground. Alyssa had stopped ahead but backed up, leaning on her handlebars. “Knew that, but why the outfit and lunch skipping?” Julie began blushing, no matter how much she attempted to prevent it. Her cheeks were a deep, rich red as if someone had smacked her."Oh... don’t tell me you’re…” Alyssa started. “You’re fucking the umbreon, aren’t you?” She smirked and held back the urge to giggle. Alyssa watched her face redden even more if that were possible. “That’s risky. Didn't take you to be the type.” Julie swallowed and finally looked at her. “Y-You aren’t disgusted by it?” She shrugged. “Nah, I don't really care. I mean, it's not a good idea to do at school. Stupid of you, actually, but you're my best friend. Plus, plenty of trainers are into that." Julie shut her eyes for a second. “But he belongs to the principal, Ali. I can’t have him anywhere else.” “So, why not ask him if you can snag Midnight or something?”"I can’t just waltz into the office and ask that kind of question." "Not with that attitude. Why not?"Julie rolled her eyes. "Because it would be weird, Alyssa. That isn't how it works."In fifteen minutes, give or take, they were at Julie's front porch. Lilly was sitting by the door while grooming her lifted paw; Julie stood with Alyssa on the road while she sat on her bike.“Thank you for not flipping out... or shaming me,” said Julie. “Wouldn’t ever make you feel lesser than. I do have to get used to the thought of my bff getting 'yena-styled by a moon boy, though." Her face reddened all over again; she looked away momentarily. "Y-You really don't have to say it like that." "My bad, but hey, it's all love." Alyssa turned her bike around. "I'll see you later, though. I've gotta run to the store before dinner." She stopped and looked back with a smirk that grew with every following syllable. "Where'd you two fuck?""Alyssa, no..." She shrugged. "I think I deserve to know after you kept your boy toy from your best friend and skipped lunch on her twice for him. C'mon." Again, Julie shifted her eyes away. "Girl's locker room and room two hundred." What was next, asking their positions? Alyssa shook her head while keeping her smirk. "You maniac. Guess he made it worth it since you walked out with Parkinson's the first time, huh?"Julie snorted. "Alyssa, go home!""Yeah, yeah, I'm going." "Bye." Julie giggled and shook her head while watching Alyssa wave and pedal into Goldenrod. How'd Julie land her of all people? She went and sat on her steps after checking an empty mailbox, watching a car press its brakes to clear a speed bump on the road. What a day, and she still had homework at that. Something brushed her back; Julie looked behind her. “Oh, I forgot you were here for a sec, Lilly. You have to be starving." She stood and unlocked the door. Julie would sleep better tonight now that she had shared her secret.
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The next month of high school drifted by. Julie’s reputation hadn't healed, but some students said hi or raised a hand on occasion. More turned away, some talked to their friends and made remarks about her in her face, or double-looked.At least Julie hadn't been bullied directly a third time. She'd come to terms that she couldn't fix the past or that it still rubbed everyone the wrong way. Julie wasn't making friends, but she didn't need any. This school had turned into nothing but an ultra-negative experience. She had visited and regularly spent time with Midnight in between classes throughout that month while enduring subtle background snickers for doing so. However, she never skipped lunch and ditched Alyssa. In fact, Julie hadn't done anything sexual with Midnight since the room 200 incident, no matter how badly she wanted it. It got unbearable enough to where it made her whimper sometimes, but she couldn't continuously risk throwing away her chance at college and life itself for sex.She had two more months left at school before graduation and would have to study for finals soon, but none of that was bothering her. On a Friday morning, Julie wondered why Midnight had spontaneously disappeared as she lay in bed. He just hadn’t been around. It started three days ago when she didn't see him wandering the halls of Ecruteak High. She'd told Alyssa about it yesterday, and of course, she recommended that Julie ask the principal again. Julie went through her morning routine and rode to school while despondence stirred within. What had Midnight done to her, or was it her fault that she so deeply attached herself? Either way, he had claimed her and helped her get through classes daily. Of course Julie would love him a lot. She was more addicted to him than she had been to sugar, and this one was twice harder to shake. She sat through all of her lectures; Midnight was still nowhere in sight. He wasn't waiting by her locker or the restroom throughout the day. The halls were full of students, but they were empty in her eyes. She always singled him out among the crowds. "It was a mistake..." And it hurt like nothing else, leaving her on the verge of tears. She would never do something like it again, but that wouldn't fix the heartbreak she'd go through. Julie didn't want to believe she would never see him again.“It’s so strange without him... I want his fur back under my fingers and those big eyes staring up at me.” Julie said to Alyssa as they strolled through sunny Mahogany Town after school during the afternoon, on the way to a popular Fioreanese cuisine. They'd left their bikes and bags at Alyssa's house. It was refreshing seeing buildings that Julie usually didn't bother with since she usually headed straight home after school. Mahogany was a small and cozy residential town with rocky mountains and mini forests of trees lining its outskirts, presenting a genial climate. It had roads spotted with potholes and cracks; most cars on them were older models. It was also considered a Pokégear city like Ecruteak, mildly cut off from the modern world but caught up as the years passed.It sometimes felt like many parts of the world were still developing with the times. On a larger scale, cars and mobile devices were still a new and foreign phenomena to many, but it felt like they'd been introduced forever ago to Julie.Alyssa had come to Ecruteak on day one with a cell phone, but Julie recalled some students from older cities wearing gear or owning pads, which never ended in their favor. They were either teased out of returning after a week or came back to school with a phone, even if it were a cheap one.Julie put some attention to how life was lived here since she hadn't visited in a while. Not quite as old and slow as Ecruteak, but not nearly as fast and sophisticated as Goldenrod. Older men stood leaning against walls in dingy tees and faded jeans, some with sodas or taking smokes on their breaks.People packed groceries into their vehicles' trunks from beaten stores while employed pokémon like poliwrath and scizor aided seniors by carrying bags to their cars or transferring many from cart to trunk.A few unguided teens lingered by liquor marts. One sat with his larvitar, watching people enter the shop. “Hey, no one told you to attach yourself to something that wasn’t yours." Alyssa stuck her hand into her pocket. "That's a disaster waiting to happen. Don't you even have a Doption place a few blocks away from your house?" “Alyssa, it just happened. I don't know..." Julie spotted a bench in some grass ahead by a few worn shops and sat on it with her hands resting over her thighs, fidgeting with the bases of her gloves. She watched people walk, wild pokémon traverse the streets aimlessly, and a crew work on remodeling a nearby store.Alyssa sat next to her. “If he doesn’t show up, ask. You've gotta ask. It’s the only thing you can do. I’ll go with you if it makes you feel any better. Lemme know.” Julie puffed out her cheeks for a moment. “I guess I'll have to if I want to know... Thank you, Ali." "How'd you two get so close, anyway?" She shrugged. "Like I said, it just happened. Maybe I shouldn't have brought him berries from the mart in the plaza I stopped at that day... and every other day. I saw him around the school for a year, and he seemed without purpose. Barely anyone said hi or even petted him. I guess I wanted to fill that gap." "Well, you definitely did that, but at what cost?" "A broken fu– frickin' heart." Alyssa bit her lip to conceal a grin. "I know it's serious when you're holding back swears. I guess we're doing this then, huh?""Mh." Julie didn't have the slightest idea. Her stomach churned. "I think I just want to go home, Alyssa. I'm sorry.""You're good. Rain check. I'll eat macaroni at home and game or something... maybe a nap." So, they headed back, chatting a bit along the way. The walk took around five minutes from their location, and Alyssa handed Julie her backpack from inside."See you tomorrow," Julie said while walking her bike to the road from Alyssa's modest home. It was a dull outdated one-story with barred windows among a row of others. The lawn had spots of dead grass; sections of the pavement leading before the line of residences protruded from the roots of thick tall trees growing by them. Mahogany needed help that the mayor wouldn't give it. Who knew where all the money was going?Julie used to go over to Alyssa's residence and vice versa to hang out and play video games since it had been a mutual hobby, although Julie never had the urge to buy a console herself. They were a ton of fun, but they'd be a massive distraction. Julie had also gone to sleep over, so their parents knew each other too but never talked outside of phone calls pertaining to their daughters or having dinner at each other's homes a couple of times. Julie's mother never let go too often, though. "Yep, and think about our discussion!" Alyssa returned while watching Julie ride off. "Text me!" Julie began the journey back to her city while her mind spun, pedaling down the pavement beside parked vehicles, old homes, and a few people who moved out of her path until she came up on a driveway that she used to ride into the street against active traffic. Why did it have to come to this? It was such an unreal situation. Granted, it likely had to happen anyway since Julie would graduate soon, and she wouldn't want to leave without Midnight since she coveted him, which would result in her asking for him.And the answer, realistically, would be no, because he didn't belong to her. Julie was roughly fifteen minutes from home, riding under a sullen Goldenrod sky saturated with the usual thick clouds and hosting an atmosphere close to frosting. The breezes dried the sweat on her face.She was in the bike lane pedaling past endless traffic, liquor stores, busy markets, and apartments past the Radio Tower.Horns went off frequently, and ranger sirens blared several blocks over, which wasn't super common, suprisingly. Outside of bad areas, the general crime rate around the city was toward the lower end.Julie looked up at the Radio Tower while cycling by, which she never got tired of seeing. She remembered listening to the 'Pokédex Show' and 'Pokémon Search Party' on the radio on the way to school in the car, along with others or music her parents enjoyed. She also recalled looking out the window at the passing lively city while cool morning air hit her face until one of her parents rolled it up to keep the heat in.The Pokédex Show explored various species and discussed interesting facts, stories, and events around the region involving them. Pokémon Search Party had been her absolute favorite, though. It was a documentary that followed a data crew and their encounters in-depth while exploring caves and ruins in various regions.Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out while riding with her left hand, holding the device tightly to make up for her hand being numb even while gloved. It'd just be twice worse without it. She glanced at her screen. "Oh, Mom... She's probably worried." She sucked her teeth. "I meant to tell her I'd be out for a while." Julie had to get herself together. She'd been pensive all day. She glanced down again to take the call and put the phone to her ear. "Hel–" Julie widened her eyes while coming up before an intersection ahead after the light turned red and put both hands on her brakes. She squeezed and gasped as her back tire lifted off the ground. Julie stood and put her foot down to compensate, skidding to a stop before the crosswalk. "Not this time..." She sat and adjusted herself afterward. She blew relieved air through her mouth that was visible in the cold as a misty puff and looked aside at a car with its passenger window down and the guy inside looking at her, who she grinned mareepishly at before turning away. Some people waiting on the sidewalk to cross were looking too. "Need to start bringing my earphone with me again." That way she would have a hands-free. Julie put the phone back to her ear while watching traffic pass in front of her "Hello?""Julie. Out later than usual?” “I was out with Alyssa," Julie replied. "I meant to let you know." “No worries, sweetie, but try to remember next time so I don't get bad thoughts. Goldenrod is too big to be safe, especially after dark. Are you close?""About ten minutes or so." "Could you stop at the gas station for a lotto ticket? It's up nine billion. I've been meaning to pick one up recently." "Sure, Mom. Anything else?" Julie pushed off the ground with her foot to start her bike. She put both on the pedals after the light turned green and traffic on both sides of the intersection stopped. She rode across the street while cars drove with and passed her. "That would be all. Thank you, Jule. I'll see you soon. Love you." She grinned. "Love you too." Julie hung up and put her phone back in her pocket. There was a gas station up ahead on the corner that her father used to frequent for its prices. She saw the tall elevated sign with '67' as its logo and gas prices digitally displayed under it.Julie pulled onto the sidewalk and rode behind a few pedestrians, then veered into the station past people filling their vehicles. Others went in and out of the store, leaving with baggies or from paying for a pump. Every pump was occupied at the time, with vehicles in line too. She unmounted her bike while in motion and kept up with a jog that she slowed to a walk, kickstanding it a distance from the double doors and pushing one side open. Julie pulled her bag's strap over her shoulder and slipped her hands into her jacket's lower pockets for quick warmth, looking around at a full house.A pre-teen boy grabbed various snacks from the chip and candy aisle while his parents browsed alcohol in the refrigerated section.A male teen in a jacket and cap stood at the slushie station with his female braixen beside him, who wore a white jacket with delphox designs on it and had wireless headphones around her neck. He put a top on his cup and stuck a straw through it, then grabbed another medium one for his pokémon, handing it to her while grabbing a top and straw.She held it in two hands and eyed the machine with an eager grin, surveying all four available flavors. With a happy swish of her bushy tail, she put the cup under pecha and pressed her palm on the button to release. She held it until the creamy pink mix filled half of her cup, then let go and did the same with nanab two flavors over. Afterward, she brought it up and attempted to sip it, licking at the thick liquid to make it move but stopping after her owner stuck a straw inside.There was also a line of about ten people before the register and a bearded man pointing out cigarettes to the cashier behind the counter. "Was going to get a Violet Cola, but never mind..." Julie went to the tall orange machine by the door that offered various scratch cards one could choose via buttons. She stood before it and pulled her hands from her pockets, eyeing her options and spotting the 'Regionwide Dreams' lottery option in white and blue cursive letters at the top of the machine. Its staggering amount was stated below on an LED screen.Julie took out her wallet and pulled out three bills that equaled 1,500. One ticket costed 500. "Mom said one, but two more won't hurt..." She slipped them into the machine's slot and hit three for Regionwide Dreams, then chose the option that let the system randomize the numbers for two tickets. She was about to hit it for the last one but stopped. Julie reached for the keypad and typed in her birth month, Alyssa's, her mother's, the month she'd met Midnight, and filled in random for the last two. She was then out the door and back on the road.Julie made it home in a little over ten minutes, a block from her street and at the outset of her neighborhood. She saw a purrloin hop a fence into someone's backyard, some houses with jingly chimes hanging up on porches, Johtoan flags hanging higher, and lights and living room TVs on inside of them. Some vehicles pulled into driveways or garages for the night; people walked the pavement coming from local jobs or night school. Julie stopped at a crosswalk and saw a truck with 'Nimura Rentals' plastered on the side slow at the stop sign. She glanced left and right to clear approaching traffic, then started pedaling— until the truck turned in front of her to get onto the next street. "Ihg!" She squeezed her brakes with a grimace all over again, planting her foot on the asphalt. She watched it pass while peering at the truck's rear. "Nice blinker," Julie muttered, looking both ways before riding again, but she pushed her foot out and skidded to a stop before a telephone pole, grinning. Stapled to it was a poster of that once-lost eevee. It read: 'Found!' It warmed her. "Glad you're safe and sound with your family, Bara." Upon arriving at her house a minute later, she locked her bike up and went inside to a comforting and much warmer environment. She took off and bunched her gloves in her hand."Turned on the heater while you were on the way," her mother told her while sitting on the couch, smiling. "Thank you," Julie replied while taking off her shoes and swapping with slippers, then walking to her mom while pulling the tickets from her pocket. "I got three." "Much appreciated. I'll let you know if we win." She took them and brought Julie in for a hug, kissing her head.She hugged her back and nuzzled her cheek. "It would be crazy if we did. What would we even do with that much money?" "Invest a good amount in stocks and my retirement account, and move to Alola or Unova, of course. Those who invested in Silph and Wikiblux forty years ago are well off now..." She looked up. "Well, maybe we wouldn't run to Unova with so much political tension there if it worsens, although it would make a fun visit. Hope it doesn't influence the rest of the Accord one'a these days." She chuckled and let Julie go. “Moving to Alola sounds sweet. It's so tropically warm and beautiful. Do you think Unova will always be free, then?" Julie asked. The entirety of the Accord and SNDA were considered free regions with free economies and used a two-party system. However, there was a possibility Unova was preparing to restrict freedoms among its masses. Currently, their government currently sought to ban Veela on all Unovan networks on account that it gathered intel alongside spreading falsified propaganda about their region from the SNDA. They also pressed the Accord to restrict the application on SNDA networks, as the Accord was a close ally, but that likely wouldn't come to be— While citizens and officials living in SNDA-affiliated regions used Veela, Kanto had founded it and made ferryloads of money through the SNDA, and restricting it could create bad blood. Kanto funded groundbreaking technology and the general advancement of the Accord's collective economy. Although the region shared its tech with other regions within and sometimes outside of the Accord, it was the largest tech hub in the world and the forefront of its greater industry. Johto (Goldenrod specifically because it was the region's hub) barely held a candle and wouldn't at the rate Kanto progressed with research and the cross-fertilization of key-enabling technologies. They boosted its economy more than ever. This included photonics, nano and biotechnology, and more, all of which were new to the tech scene and world stage. Crossing them would mean combining said technologies to innovate and improve them. Moreover, it would have a direct and indirect impact on stimulating the economy, including job generation, general growth, and increasing competitiveness in specific fields. Many corporations based in Johto and citizens looking to find prosperity and higher funding aimed to move to Kanto in the coming years, as the region offered the future and was well prepared for it. Silph headquarters' overbearing presence alone ensured so, who sought constantly to maximize profits and reduce competition. It had achieved and established this through its abundant and growing lineup of tech products, leaving little room for newer companies to emerge within the tech market, and looked to automate production entirely in the coming decades.Overall, Johto was behind by a few years, less innovative and ambitious, but felt like the more grounded half of the region, especially in general infrastructure. Meanwhile, Kanto pushed with determination and hope into the uncertain future. The world had catching up to do and was, albeit slowly. "No one can say," Julie's mother said. "I don't have the best feeling about it, though. And I know you tell me, but do you need a refill of your medication yet?" "I guess we'll see," Julie returned while going to the stairs. The Accord had among the best living conditions, the biggest economy, and held the most power in the world. Its currency was used in a majority of international transactions and was stored in the exchange reserves of most regions. It was also perceived by many as a bully, established in many regions to remain in power, exploit resources, and to eliminate or deter threats to the nation and its allies. "...And about my antis, no. I still have half a bottle," Julie said."Good. Just let me know!" her mother replied.Julie set her backpack by the wall once in her room, grinning at the liepard in her bed. “Hey, Lilly.” She unzipped her backpack and took out her math book with 'Arithmetic' and various equations spelled out on its cover, a pencil, and several sheets of lined paper. It would be easier to get the most challenging subject for her over with. Julie washed in the restroom first and replaced her pants with purple pajama ones, then threw herself onto the bed with her phone beside her. She watched Lilly groom and nibble at her sides and stomach with her hind leg held behind her neck. Julie put her hands under her thighs to warm them up. She still felt hollow inside, in the sense that Midnight hadn’t been around to make her happy, of course, but more so that he hadn’t been inside her lately. That thought made her stifle a giggle. Julie would ask about him on Monday. That gave her the weekend to decide how she’d approach the situation. She would complete all her work before Sunday hit as long as her small procrastination habit didn’t set in. There wasn’t as much motivation to do her homework as usual, but she had to finish everything before Monday. “Eh, just stupid math tonight.” Julie picked up her phone after it buzzed, reading a message from Alyssa upon unlocking it:'Excuse me, but WHERE'S my text?'Julie giggled and opened her messaging app: 'Oops, forgot. My mind's a mess. I'm home though. Xoxo.' She locked and tossed her phone aside, getting comfortable. She eyed the rows of numbered algebra problems and sighed, grabbing a sheet of paper and setting it on the book's page to write her name: 'Julie Lenita,' and the date at the top. The teacher always made everyone show their work, so she couldn't use the calculator on her phone for anything other than to know what answer she needed to get. It took her over an hour of PEMDAS and two sheets of scratch paper to finish since she had to redo several problems multiple times. She was done for the night afterward. It had been a struggle not to pull her phone out and scroll Veela several times over during her homework for a breather or out of boredom, but she'd fought the urge well enough so she could focus and get her work done faster.First, Julie would go downstairs to eat, then she would sleep as long as Midnight or school, in general, didn’t plague her mind throughout the night.She did miss his sleek fur under her fingers and those blood-red eyes fixed on her face, his 'bre's' of acknowledgment and rings mildly aglow in her presence. She missed him. Already. Just after a few days. Her heart throbbed. She kept picturing their moments that could very well become fading memories, and it throbbed to the point where she could wheeze.Julie wanted to hold him, and she wanted to kiss him so hard. She just wanted to touch and hold him tight. He couldn't be gone. It wasn't fair. If Julie could have one thing to her name to love— If she could be alone together with one other soul— Why couldn't she have Midnight?If only Arceus could be so kind. Her life was barely hers as far as she was concerned.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“So, I haven’t seen Midnight… around the school recently,” Julie thought aloud while in the shower before school about what to ask or say to the principal about Midnight's recent whereabouts. She ran her fingers through her soapy hair. “Has Midnight been around here? Just used to seeing him– ugh, no. This is harder than I thought." “But you have to come up with something." Julie got out of the shower, dried off, and brushed her hair in front of the mirror.“Like any other day, except you'll willingly visit the principal's office," she said while running the brush through strands, turning her face to ensure she didn't neglect any areas. After she was done, she grabbed her outfit and black jacket folded over the shower rack behind her. It faded into gray at its midsection, then into white filling the bottom half, styled with cute white and black paw prints.She stared at her reflection. “Have to do it, or else you'll never know." She built some courage and was off to school. The forecast predicted a rainy day this afternoon to late evening. Julie didn’t say hi to a single person but gave a few half-smiles while she walked down the school's hall. She leaned toward not caring again. She may have to cut her losses and restart elsewhere after graduation.She sat through history and talked little with Max and Jane, but that was all she did. She often fell into a daze during the lecture about what could happen in the principal's office. Class ended faster for her as a result. Julie had written notes off and on and had copied some of Jane's and Max's when she missed anything. Ten minutes remained until her science class started; as Julie exited the room and walked to her locker, she saw Alyssa waiting by it. “You don’t look too good. Eyes are kind of puffy."Was it that obvious? Julie hadn't slept much last night. “I wanted to go to the office today during lunch, but I don't know if I can." She got her locker open.“Sure you can. If you want to go today, then let’s go. What’s stopping you?” “What am I supposed to say?” Julie shut her locker after getting her supplies. “Go in there and ask. It's that simple, and you have zero competition." Alyssa eyed her. "Julie, It couldn't be any easier. It's like asking a ninetales what five plus four is. Besides, I'm going with you.” She headed the opposite way. “So, see you soon."Julie watched her fade into groups of other students. "She's right." She had mulled this over throughout the weekend and had convinced herself to go through with it already. Julie was willing to bet money that no more than five students even noticed Midnight wasn't present on the grounds, and they didn't care enough to seek answers. They'd be just fine if a jolteon replaced him tomorrow. During her next class, Julie paid more attention and tucked her thoughts away for the time being. She focused on writing notes, raising her hand to answer questions, and listening to the teacher's lecture on breaking down cellular structures. After math, like a countdown she kept track of all class, lunch arrived. Julie rubbed her eyes while leaving the room and approached her locker with Alyssa waiting beside it. The butterfree fluttered in her stomach while she opened her locker and put her things away.“You ready?” Alyssa asked, leaning on another student's locker. “Nope.” “That’s the spirit. Come on.” While they walked to the office, Julie tried putting herself at ease. It was a simple question. Straight to the point. They arrived in front of the office's door, and she looked at Alyssa. “You stay. I need to have a clear head while I do this." "Sure, I'll chill out here." With a deep breath, Julie grabbed the handle and opened it. One step more, and she’d be inside the office. She saw a counter with a red-haired middle-aged female receptionist wearing large glasses behind it and metal dressers tucked into corners behind her. Julie approached the counter. “Hi, missus Emery. I'd like to uh… speak to Mister Willam. I have a few questions." It helped that Mrs. Emery had worked here for years and had a decent relationship with Julie's mother. They used to talk whenever Julie's mother came up to the school.“Pleasure to see you, Julie. He’ll be back in a few. You may wait for him in his office," Mrs. Emery replied warmly.“You too." She grinned a little. "Thank you." She walked through the space at the counter's left and entered the door, sitting in one of the chairs at his desk. ‘What were you thinking, Julie? He’ll think it’s a joke or a waste of time,’ she thought and sat stiff in the chair while waiting down the time. Her anxiety only made everything worse. Half of her wanted to get up and ditch this risible idea. The door opened behind her. “Oh, hello, Julie! Questions, right?" He went around and sat in his significantly bigger chair across from her. “Y-Yes, just one." Julie brought her hand to twirl her jacket's drawstring; her eyes fluttered with quick blinks. “So, the umbreon I see around the school every day, Midnight— I haven't recently. I'm just curious about where he is because... yeah." “Hm, I'm surprised anyone asked. I'm getting older; unfortunately, I cannot care for Midnight. I don't want to release him to the wild because I've owned him for years, so I'm going to attempt rehoming him. He currently stays at my place of residence, but there isn't much for him to do. My wife and I work, we have no children, and we own no pokémon. Midnight deserves a better quality of life as a young pokémon and is currently staying with a friend of mine. We were going to make a small announcement to the students, but I don't believe they mind whether or not he's here." Julie went stiff. Stiffer than before. "S-So... that means you're– y-you're looking for anyone to take him as long as they care for him well, right?" She squeezed her drawstring as if a lifeline. Her throat began to tighten. “Well, yes, I suppose anyone could take him as long as they tended to his needs, but I do have people inquiring about him as we speak... a lot due to his unique appearance. He would go to a loving family or a passionate trainer, maybe even be an emotional support pokémon. Why do you ask?” He drew his eyes over her tense demeanor.Her breath caught and stuttered in her throat as if trapped, and her stomach tied into knots. Julie fought to find the right words and get her next question out, swallowing hard, but she didn't want him living with some family. She didn't want him to be a battle pokémon. None of that because Midnight was so much more. He was her soulmate, a caring, loving umbreon who no one could understand the way she did. “What if… so, wh-what if I were to take him?” “Pardon? You would like to take Midnight?”She nodded. Julie held her breath for the answer that'd shatter her, her weight shifting from one leg to the other. He leaned back in his chair, eyeing Julie as if studying her. “How old are you?" “Eighteen, sir.”He peered. “Why don't you return on Friday after school? We may discuss this further. You should attend lunch and prepare for your next period. Thank you for stopping by, Julie. Any more questions?" “Uh, no. Thank you for your time. I’ll be back on Friday.” She let her arm fall and grinned while exiting his office. Alyssa had been leaning against the wall on her phone; she looked up as Julie came into the hall. “Oh, finally. How’d it go?” She slipped it in her pocket and turned to her. Julie exhaled and leaned over, releasing pent-up emotions. She stood again. “He said to come back this Friday. I-I asked about Midnight's whereabouts, and he told me he was looking to rehome him. One thing led to another... then, like, I asked if I could take him." Julie's lips flickered to a subtle smile.“Doesn’t sound like a no to me. See? Wasn't that hard." “I mean, I don't have him yet, but Mister Willam said someone would only have to care for him and his needs.” “I mean, the umbreon may as well have your name written all over him. Fingers crossed. Second part shouldn’t be too hard for 'ya either. You could easily tend to his needs… and desires as a bonus.” “Alyssa...” Julie pushed her arm while her cheeks warmed. “Heh, c'mon, we still have a while before lunch is through.”The rest of the day went great. Nothing was guaranteed, but there was a chance, big or small, and Julie had closure on Midnight's whereabouts. For now, she could hold onto that. That night, she was in bed, in thought, while listening to rain patter against the pavement and streets outside. It had been raining off and on throughout the day, altering between showers and sprinkles and mizzles. "I'd take him everywhere I went, and our nights..." Wholesome or not. Julie was warm and fuzzy all over. "Please, please let me have him... Arceus, Lugia..." She turned onto her side and clutched the blanket. Friday would tell; however, Julie would still have to get through the rest of the week without him. It would suck, but it was doable. Soon after she closed her eyes, they opened to daylight— a quick transition. Julie took five minutes to wake up and then got ready for school. She fixed her hair and put her clothes on quickly enough so she still had time to eat before leaving. "Morningg, Mom," Julie said while entering the kitchen. She turned around slightly from wiping the counter with a cloth. "Morning, sweetie. You seem more awake than usual." "Do I?" "You're usually a slakoth in the morning, so I'd say so." She hung the cloth on the oven's handle. "Want to help me cook again? I thought it was a nice mother-daughter bonding experience last time. I see a lot less of you these days, and I know you'll be heading off soon." "But you know I'll always call and visit even if I'm away. I couldn't forget the best mom ever." She wore a wide smile. "I'm glad I can be that for you, sweetie."After cooking and eating with her mother, Julie grabbed her backpack and was out the door. She saw Alyssa waiting for her on the pavement in front of the porch, to her surprise, almost on it to avoid the sprinkler wetting the sidewalk's edges.“Thought I’d ride with you to school through your chilly city since we don’t anymore, if that’s okay with you?” Alyssa leaned on her bike. “Of course." Julie grabbed her bike in under a minute and rode past, turning onto the public sidewalk and signaling Alyssa to follow. She pedaled to catch up and slowed afterward to keep beside Julie. They turned off a driveway and rode along the road by stationary cars to let people walk past since their bikes took up the walkway. Alyssa watched behind them for traffic. “How was last night? Any sleep?"
“I slept fine. Getting information about Midnight was terrific.” “Okay, so, off-topic, but I meant to ask— if and when you do happen to get Midnight, what would your mom think?” “Oh, she'll be fine, but after I graduate, I want to travel to another region, and if I have Midnight, I'll def take him with me, so we'll be away for a while." “That’s exciting, going on your first honeymoon. Just don’t forget about me.” Julie rolled her eyes. “After my first trip, you and I could go on one together." "Yeah?" She looked at her. "Where're we headed?""Uh, I don't know... Ryme City, or Dahara. It's the biggest city in the world, so it has got to be great.""Yeah, alright, don't start hitting me with your obscure region knowledge."Julie grinned. "Then where? You've got to have somewhere you want to go." She looked ahead as they neared Central."We should hit up Alola. Everyone goes there at least once.""I like it. Let's do it one day."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Tomorrow is Friday, and I’m a wreck all over again," Julie told Alyssa while they sat on Julie’s bed after school. They were mostly talking but getting some homework done as well. It was a perfect balance if you asked Alyssa. “Again, there's nothing to worry about. It'll be the most straightforward discussion. Be confident and casual. Worked well enough last time." Alyssa glanced up from her phone that sat on her open textbook with Veela open. She scrolled past a video of Goldenrod's airport in progress, another displaying a collapsed section of the Full-circle highway near Olivine, and paused the next of a massive, deadly chemical explosion that had happened yesterday in Sinnoh's Hearthome at a factory by its outskirts. She looked at Julie. "You have this. You have to have this.” “Ugh, I really can’t afford to screw up… It’s my only chance— my only one.” Julie lay back and rested her head on her pillow while looking at the ceiling. “I don’t think I’d ever move on. It’s like… it's like when you choose your starter pokémon. You come across and catch more during the journey, but none of them are as special as your first. That’s how I feel about him. I’d never experience this again if I lost him. Ever.” “Let that fuel you then, and don't act desperate or nervous if you can help it. You want that confidence and respect. Make him take you seriously." “Hm.” Julie tapped her cheek with her pencil. “Try not to overthink, either. I know you're good at that." "Ali... would it still be like this if I had more friends, you think?" "Don't know. I mean, more people in your life if they were decent could have led to some kind of belonging, crushes and..." Alyssa sighed. "But it's not like that.""Then why aren't you like me? Why am I the weird one?" A deep wistfulness filled her like a void, glossing her eyes and frowning her face."Julie, I am weird as fuck and willfully stupid on top of it. At least you study like every book's gonna disappear tomorrow."Julie eyed her. "Don't say that about yourself...""You're missing the point. You've got issues, but so do I, and so does everyone else.""But isn't being with an umbreon too weird?"She shrugged. "Ask yourself and no one else. Look, uh... you know that huge friend group I had back at my middle school?""Mhm.""I fought a lot because of them, and the teachers basically hated us. It was all negativity. I graduated from that awful place and feel better at Ecruteak even without friends, so fuck all of 'em.""I get it... but you had friends in ninth and tenth, didn't you?""Yeah, but we fell off by late eleventh.""What if it's because you were friends with me?"Alyssa shrugged again. "Doubt, but I wouldn't care. I'm not gonna leave you out to dry for a couple of small talk friends."Julie rubbed her eyes.Alyssa grabbed her phone, closed her book, and reached to hold Julie’s leg. "Just be easier on yourself. You're gonna snatch Midnight and fucking dart from this school." She got up and went to put her stuff in her backpack. "We’ll talk more tomorrow. I’ve gotta dash home. It’s getting late."
Julie nodded. She wanted her at home before dark as well. "Text me when you're home." "Uh-huh." Alyssa started toward the door but stopped. "Oh, and when I say fuck all of 'em, I mean it. Don't listen to those losers. Only one who'll be hurting later is you... and them too if I wasn't on strike two."Julie blew abrupt air through her nose with a slight grin.Soon after Alyssa left, Julie's mind wouldn't let her get an ounce of homework done; knowing herself, this would also lead to her getting inadequate sleep tonight.It was as if she thought without thinking half the time, or maybe she thought deliberately around the clock. Maybe she was taxed, plagued, and teeming at every waking moment. No matter the process, too much for her health. For once, she wanted to get out of the house alone and put her mind elsewhere. She grabbed her phone, gloves, and wallet and got dressed. She then headed downstairs and saw her mother asleep on the couch with the TV on at a low volume.Julie went over and reached for the remote beside her hand, grabbing it. She turned off the TV and set the remote farther away, then leaned in and kissed her mother's cheek. She then went to the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher with what was in the sink, cleared the island and counters of any loose seasonings and items, and set everything in their respective places in drawers and cabinets while humming a tune. Afterward, she wiped the kitchen down and left it spotless. She tended to the stove handles, burners, microwave, counters— everything, before leaving her slippers and putting on her sneakers, leaving the house. It was gray and expectedly chilly; she pulled her jacket down and zipped it up while stepping off the porch and strolling the pavement toward downtown. "Where are you going, though?" Only a couple of hours remained before evening, so she needed to decide. She couldn't go to the mall and get the mani-pedi she'd been putting off since it was over twenty minutes away, and Julie couldn't be bothered getting on a bus close to nightfall. "I could go to that classy noodle restaurant. Pretty close." But she didn't feel like being waited on either. Wikiblux crossed her mind, but she wasn't up for coffee. "Oh, Cherubi's." Julie's favorite fast-food place that was close by. Between both of those aspects, she wouldn't be there for long. Cherubi's was once the quintessential Johto restaurant with several locations around the region until they started outsourcing to other regions of the Accord in recent years and putting locations across the map. She pulled out her phone to text her mom her whereabouts in case she woke up and couldn't find Julie. She glanced up from her screen when a few cars drove by. Julie walked for around ten minutes before reaching the big city, stuffing her hands in her pockets and passing some shady people and homeless sleeping on blankets by markets or in alleys, feeding their pokémon scraps or asking for change. One held a large sign claiming Arceus wasn't the true creator of all in bold red letters; she didn't bother to read the paragraph explaining why under it. She took a right at the end of the street and upped her pace, soon spotting Cherubi's logo ahead: a rounded, lit-up, and flickering white sign elevated over the sidewalk with a smiling cherubi berry in its center. She pushed the double doors after arriving and looked around at a half-full house. Low pop music resounded off the walls adorned with framed black and white paintings, such as older-modeled cars driving on city streets among buildings or simple homes, the Magnet Station with men in formal suits boarding, and historical Cherubi's paintings. One was a shot of the restaurant decades ago with customers at tables and employees cooking in the back. Vibrant writing was under the gallery with the restaurant's slogan: 'Everything's sweet!' The indoor seating had vibrant colors too: a pink and minty light green blend.Julie stood in line behind a few people and sought with her eyes all of the available seats. The center was packed and full of voices, but the free booths in the corner by the restroom looked perfect. Only two lone people, a quiet couple, and a younger teen girl with her raichu were over there. Julie inched up after a person in front of her ordered, leaving one more.She took a breath after seeing the last two customers in front of her separate and approach the two cashiers behind the green counter. They wore the restaurant's colors and a hat with the restaurant's logo. One was an older teen male on the left end who looked beyond tired, and the other was a female around the same age, who seemed to have more spright in her. Julie gathered her words before going up to the counter.The customer on the right left first with a card he put in his pocket; the woman called for the next in line and beckoned Julie, who approached and held her breath at first. "Hi." The woman grinned. "What can I get you?"
Julie looked at the digital menu above and spotted one of her favorite dishes here among many cherubi-related ones, like cherwraps, rubi-coated chicken, and the popular rubi-drizzled fries. She hadn't been here in too long. Their cherubi smoothies and deep-fried candied berries were to die for but contained at least fifty percent sugar. "Uh, I'll... Can I have the Rubi Salad and a small fountain drink, please?" "Sure thing." She rang it up. "Total is seven hundred. Anything else?" "No, that's all." Julie took out her wallet and counted her pokédollars, giving exact change to the woman with a minute grin and brief eye contact. She took the money and put it in the register, then printed out a receipt and handed it to Julie along with a straw and paper cup sporting the restaurant's color scheme and logo. "You're twenty-two. We'll call it, and think we could interest you in the all-new Rubicard?""Sorry, the what?" The woman reached into a drawer under her and pulled out a card with the restaurant's name in and a smiling cherubi underneath, holding it out to Julie. "It's some incentive to boost business pushed by the higher-ups. You buy, we input the ten-digit number on the back into our system, and you earn and build points you can use to get free drinks or sides after enough saving. Dunno if it'll last, but at least if you're buying what the CEO dude's poisoning us with, your money is put to something." What a reminder. At least Julie was getting a salad. "Oh... That sounds nice. Uh, how much is it?" "Free." The woman handed it to her. "You can go to our website on the back of the card for more info." "Thank you." Julie put the card in her wallet that she slipped into her back pocket, then made a beeline to her booth with her items. She slid in to the end by the wall and took a deep breath. The environment was quieter over here, so Julie could relax. She leaned back and took out her phone to see if Alyssa had texted her. Julie may prefer staying inside a lot of the time, but going out was refreshing as long as she did it on her terms. Julie mainly did so when it was required unless Alyssa wanted to do something. Julie was more willing when she was with her, and she could fall back on Alyssa, but Julie couldn't be like that forever. Alyssa wasn't with her 24/7. Around five minutes later, when the woman called her order, Julie went and got the plastic bowl, fork, and small cup of dressing from the counter. She stopped at the fountain drink machine and eyed her options. "Lemoña, Violet, Xix, Glin," she muttered and passed over a few more options. She actually enjoyed Xix. It was a soda as strong as Violet but took a tart-with-a-sweet-edge approach, combining nomel and pecha berry extract. Glin was Violet's faithful competition. It was rare to see them both in the same restaurant. Julie settled on Lemoña, a Paldea-founded lemonade brand popular worldwide. She then pressed for ice and filled her cup with a light amount before sitting back at her booth and setting everything down. She pocketed her gloves. The salad looked delectable. It was full of greens, flavorful berries, nuts, cheese, and more. The savory sweet house dressing was the cherubi on top, which Julie wasted no time popping the lid off of and pouring over. She tore open the fork's wrap and took a bite of the salad that filled her mouth with a rich, sharp, tangy flavor containing bursts of sweetness coming from the berries, then washed it down with a sip of her drink. Julie had no one to talk to, so she was back on her phone and opened Veela, scrolling through a few posts and stopping on a pokéfact fact by 'Deadlymon.' It was an image of a beedrill pasted onto a white background with black text underneath: 'Did you know that beedrill are responsible for over eight hundred deaths per year between humans and pokémon? They are a highly aggressive species that could attack at a slight or unintentional disturbance, mainly when an individual or group are a few miles from their hive. When one engages, the entire colony follows without fail.'Julie opened the comments and glanced over a few with hundreds of likes:
'Do we SRSLY need these things? Seems like their purpose is population control :/'. 'Bro, I promise no one would be sad if every beedrill suddenly died rn'.'I mean, maybe we could try respecting the species more and giving them their space?'. A reply beneath that one with twice as many likes read: 'A beedrill typed this'.Julie kept scrolling. "One of the most terrifying species out there." She remembered what they'd recently done to that poor girl on the news. She was lucky to have survived the initial attack; Julie wondered if she had recovered and was still alive, but she didn't even want to check. Beedrill weren't the only concerningly aggressive species to exist. Ekans avoided humans, but on occasion, especially when hungry or pent up for any reason, were known to attack and strangle humans to death. Arbok were capable of messier scenes. Onix and graveler in caves were ruthless. Nidorino charged and stabbed people, pinsir literally ate people, and the way it handled its prey with those claws and teeth ensured pain and suffering. Ursaring incidents were rare due to them living in secluded, deep forests; however, explorers and rangers still went missing. If the ursaring hadn't killed the person for a meal or to defend its cubs, they were sometimes found, and don't even get her started on those perverted hypno. They weren't all awful but held that stigma because of the ones who used their abilities for evil. Rangers patrolled routes for such reasons; pokémon assaults in general were why authority urged people to travel in groups, with their pokémon, and to avoid routes at night.Julie passed the next few posts and a few product ads, stopping at a trending video with hundreds of thousands of interactions from WorldOrigins playing clips of the after-effects of the tragic chemical explosion. Its cause was equipment failure, which had killed twenty employees, several pokémon in the area, and injured other pokémon and citizens that lived up to half a mile away. It showed shots of dilapidated homes and other buildings that owners and families cleaned out or stood by, medics lifting people onto stretchers or tending to peoples' and childrens' wounds by ambulances, and Doption trucks taking pokémon to their centers to patch them up.White text faded in and out on the screen that gave updates on the calamity as the video played, including that there were an estimated thirty casualties and fifty collective injuries so far, but the investigation was still underway. "That's so awful..." At least humanitarian aid groups were helping those affected. There were clips of them giving water and food to pokémon as well.She scrolled over another couple of posts— including a since deleted one for obscene content, though the description read '2 pokémon caught in public', and another posted by a another region's news source of an organization hosting an anti-pokéabuse protest that had taken place recently in an Accordian region.Julie sighed under her breath and stopped on the video that had thousands of likes and pressed play. Of course, there was sign-holding and chanting down streets of a city, and many pokémon were present.She then held her breath after spotting a sign that had a drawn eeveelution with a cross over it. Julie double-tapped the screen to skip forward by ten seconds, cutting to a young woman wearing shades and holding an eevee while standing with a news reporter holding a microphone to her mouth. Her tee had an acronym stating 'NPLB', and under it spelled out 'No Pokémon Left Behind':"So, we organize these protests to spread awareness and protect the species in any and every way we can," the woman said. "It's getting better through laws and general condemnation but is still out of control. All pokémon need our support not to be viewed as objects, but you know, quadrupeds are targeted a bit more. We mainly find abusive situations involving them, so they're a huge focus. We invite everyone watching to follow us on Veela at NPLB, where we post our movement's progress, success and rehabiliation stories, schedule events, and more. Anyone willing to make a difference is more than welcome to attend these gatherings as well. We accept donations on our site, but all support is deeply appreciated!"Julie backed out and didn't bother going to the comments that'd surely shame her. She couldn't watch another second. Her cheeks reddened and stomach groaned. Those organizations only stacked the pressure and guilt she carried, which was exactly what they'd set out to do, and made Julie wonder if she was actually abusing Midnight. The groups like the one in the video were responsible for saving countless pokémon from awful home environments and trafficking schemes and aiding in the transition to better ones. They would snatch Midnight from her.Julie's eyes were close to glossing, but she held back the tears and stopped on a video by JohtoNN. It was of the Accord's current president serving his five-year term, Jacob Vallint, an older male in a suit. He gave a speech on a developing category four hurricane en route to the Ferrum region, apparently rare to form during the winter. Jacob assured that the entire Accord was on standby and ready to aid by sending resources and medical supplies if necessary. He was a transparent, kind, and just leader, one of the best the Accord had had in ages, and reached out to aid and financially support regions in need often.While kind, he also defended the Accord's honor and reputation valiantly, unafraid to sensibly challenge or speak out against other first-world regions for disrespecting the Accord through words or actions and even for questionable or criminal acts toward their own citizens. As was more or less the current case toward Unova and its current president in the middle of serving his fifteen-year term. The Unovan people and most of the world had seen him as a great leader during the first half of his term. Now, he seemed to be making concerningly radical moves that raised eyebrows; no one knew where it was coming from as of yet.A melodic beep sounded, and a white '1' appeared at the bottom right of her screen over her message tab. "What now, Ali," she mumbled and opened her messages, then she and Alyssa's conversation, where she saw a linked video post of a cinderace sitting at a desk above an accompanying text Alyssa sent. Julie first read her message:'Thought you might like this one. Pretty sick.'Maybe it'd help her forget. Julie clicked the link and paused the video posted by 'GIS,' an acronym for 'Galar Institution of Science.' She read the post's short description with thousands actively reveeing, liking, and commenting since it had been posted an hour ago. It stated that the cinderace shown in the video clip had been trained extensively in language, math, and had been evaluated 24/7 by contemporary machinery utilizing sensors that monitored its brain's responses to various situations. It included stress, physical and emotional pain, grief, love, pleasure, and more. Its emotional and social intelligence had been measured like never before from a scorbunny under a safe and healthy seven-year experiment in Galar. A team of ten renowned scientists had assessed and documented information closely throughout the process.She pressed play; clips ran of the cinderace sitting at a desk in a white room resembling a classroom while writing with a pencil in its curled paw. It then cut to it reading a book, and finally to one of the team members giving it a spelling exam before a whiteboard. It finally cut to a red-haired female scientist in the study standing before the board in a red jacket. Julie upped her media volume to listen. The woman had a Galarian accent."Greetings, I'm Chloe Aldra, a pokétologist at the Galar Institute. This multi-billion-dollar project was one that broadened the scope and created new breakthroughs in how intelligent bipedal pokémon can be in curricular activities and day-to-day life. By the time our cinderace, Era, evolved into what she is, she was well-versed in middle school level language and math. She could solve multiplication, division, algebra, geometry, data analysis and probability, and more. She could read and recall much of what she'd read from books and wrote them out in short eighth-to-tenth-grade essays. Her handwriting was subpar, but the content was clear and flowed well for the most part with only a few punctuation and grammatical errors here and there. At one point, we brought in a male cinderace, who we set up with sensors, and monitored their interactions, emotions, and brain activity while putting them in a natural environment for a week. It lined up roughly with our intelligence in that regard, down to their mating practices and what they felt and thought that we won't cover here, but you get the idea." The scene cut to the two cinderace chatting and grinning, then to various others of them eating together, walking, and napping, overlayed by the woman talking."We then added a male lucario to the equation, which Era showed little to no interest in while with the cinderace. Her body and mind displayed attraction and whatnot, but she didn't seem to follow it. Many bipedal species have been known to practice monogamous relationships. This is less so the case for most quadrupedal species through past observations, excluding those like ninetales and less than half of cases with eeveelutions. Our final assessment is that Era exhibits the general intelligence of a fifteen-to-sixteen-year-old human teenager. Bipedals are capable creatures. We are indebted to the Regional Science Association for funding this project. We plan to run similar future experiments on quadrupeds next, such as ninetales, lycanroc, eeveelutions, bidoof, rattata, and more. We would also like to test and observe larger groups over a long period to study the social aspects of community, cooperation, altercations, and more. Unfortunately, these studies consume a staggering amount of time and money, so we are unsure when this would be possible again, but we're anticipating. Thanks for watching!""Alyssa was right. Wow." Julie hoped they would gather the funding to run more on different species, especially the eeveelution tree.She opened GIS' profile and followed them, texted Alyssa to thank her for the post, then closed the app and set her phone aside. Besides that video, maybe this wasn't the best time to be on Veela, as she never knew what she would come across. Eating at a fast-food place wouldn't erase her troubles, but it pushed them aside for a moment in time. Julie had urges to get out of the house sometimes and should adhere to them more often. The polluted city air and inviting environments lifted her spirits.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julie had managed to get good enough sleep on a full stomach with minimal tossing and turning and woke up early the next morning, yawning and stretching her arms while hearing a couple of subtle cracks. Today was the day. Her blanket was below her chest, which she tugged on and tried pulling up to her neck to no avail. Julie lifted her head and looked down at Lilly kneading the blanket by her legs, purring while staring at her with a typically lazy, unconcerned gaze. Julie lay back and sighed. Lilly was rarely in her bed during the mornings. Maybe the liepard needed a break and some rest from the outdoors. Julie had to get up anyway, which she eventually convinced herself to do. She was dressed in fifteen; to get a break from her hair, Julie had bundled it into a low ponytatail. She had taken the ride to school to gather her composure and was approaching the doors. Hopefully, today would play out like any other. Afterschool was the only thing Julie wanted to focus on besides her daily lectures, but just her luck, someone stood by the school's entrance. “Ricky…” As she entered, he caught sight of her. “W-Wait, Julie!” he blurted as she was about to pass him. Julie stopped and looked at him. “Julie, look, I'm... I'm really sorry for what I did to you at your locker. I was kind of hurt and upset that you rejected me so quickly. I wanted to thank you for not telling Willam the things I said to you. You had every right to." She shrugged and twirled one of the drawstrings on her jacket. “It's whatever. I'm over it."“Well, c-could, you ever forgive me for that, Julie?” “I can. I accept your apology." “Thank y–” “But..." She kept her tone flat. "We're not friends, and you're never getting another chance at asking me out, but still, I appreciate it." With that, Julie kept walking.Okay, maybe that last comment was unnecessary. Ricky had opened up to her and admitted his wrongdoing, and she'd punched him in the gut for it. It annoyed her that she felt bad for a mild jab she'd taken at someone who'd called her a slut and shoved her to the floor in front of the entire school. Julie got her items and sat in her first class, chatting with Max and Jane. She had her open notebook and pencil ready before her on her desk. Miss Vasella was going to cover Almia and Johto today, which made Julie think more about where she’d go once through with school. There were plenty of regions, but Julie had to choose one to experience. It would be reasonably expensive, after all. She could visit Kanto again, but that was right next door. Julie wanted to travel far away on a ferry to a region vastly different from Johto. She fought between Unova and Sinnoh and would have to research more. Julie looked ahead as the teacher entered with her regional history text and laptop as usual, dressed in a navy button-up and black pants. "Morning, class." Miss Vasella went and set the book down at her desk, then stood at the whiteboard and grabbed the eraser to wipe it clean from yesterday's lecture. "If you all recall, we will be touching more on the marvelous Almia and delving deeper into what we've learned about our region over the last week. Remember, starting Monday, we'll begin covering Paldea, which will be a major portion of our final.I brought a question about Johto that we learned a couple of classes ago for anyone willing to answer." She looked around at tired eyes before continuing. "Who can tell me— succinctly, why the Whirl Islands are split into four parts, creating a spiral?" Julie shot her hand up. She'd researched the frick out of that and every island there after reading the passage in her book. She recalled almost every detail like it was yesterday. It had been one of the most interesting and astounding historical events she'd read. "Come on. Give them a chance, Jules." Jane giggled. "Trust me. They'll have one," Julie replied with a slight grin and glanced at her, sitting up in her chair slightly to raise her hand higher. Miss Vasella glossed over Julie and looked around for more hands that had yet to show. "They're located between Olivine and Cianwood City. I want to see hands," she said, mimicking the action with hers before letting her arm fall. She saw one shoot up in the second row to the left. "Gale!" She smiled. "Go ahead."
He scratched his head and sat up in his seat. "It... Lugia. Lugia did it to stop the war happening on the island between two regions." He sat back, clearing his throat.The teacher's smile faltered slightly. "That's correct, but I'm seeking a more descriptive response." She looked to Julie, whose hand was back up, and sighed under her breath. "Go ahead, Julie."
Julie lowered it and glanced at the eyes around her. "Lugia shattered the island into four sections with strikes of, uh, lightning after Ransei and Johto fought over it for weeks, resulting in much death the legendary couldn't handle... Afterward, Lugia, uh, vanished permanently behind the waterfall basin." "The legendary is said to reside deep under the sea from that day onward in fear of its own destructive capabilities." Miss Vasella smiled again. "Good work, Julie. I didn't set up slides, so we'll be using the traditional method today." She turned to the whiteboard and grabbed a black marker from the shelf underneath, where she drew four vague outlines of each major island and dotted a few smaller ones around them. "Now, the four major islands are Red Rock, Silver Rock, Yellow Rock, and Blue Point Isle. Minor ones include Ogi and Pudgey Pidgey Isle." She wrote the names above their corresponding outlines. "Civilization is present in the forms of towns, cities, and villages, all with their own traditions and aspects which make them unique. However, all are taught to appreciate and praise Lugia for what they have and celebrate a holiday called Sea Day. It's dedicated to the legendary and all water types that many of us around Johto honor, as does the entire region when it comes to the Day of Rebirth." The holidays held parades and festivals around the region in celebration of the skies and Ho-oh's mythical ability to raise the dead. Rebirth Day was held toward the end of the year on the final day Ho-oh was seen by humanity hundreds of years before the Ecruteak tower ordeal. The day spread collective joy across the region, as the legendary was believed to appear only before those with pure hearts, blessing the soul of whoever witnessed it with eternal happiness. Julie rested her chin on her palm and leaned in.Miss Vasella turned to face the class. "For instance, many of the southwest island, Yellow Rock Isle's traditions, are rooted in the pokémon known as corsola. Its residents construct homes atop their massive nests and coexist with the pokémon, even considering the corsola a member of their family. There is a deep respect held for the species there. Conservation groups preserve their habitats and ensure that people treat their nests with care. It is also known that many aspiring pokémedics move to this island for work, as positions are prolific and tasked mainly with caring for the nearly one thousand corsola occupying the island and its surrounding waters." "One thousand corsola?" she whispered. How many medics would that require to upkeep? Now she wondered how many currently worked on the island. "And we mustn't forget about the single tradition that popularized the islands and brings them all together every three years. This event is televised globally for the world to witness and complete with parties and celebrations spread across every town and city within the Whirl archipelago."Miss Vasella turned briefly to write: 'The Whirl Cup' beside the outline of Red Rock Isle to the northwest. "Trainers passionate about the water and who have well-trained water type pokémon travel from regions all over the globe to participate in the competition or get front-row seats. The competition is hosted at Red Rock at the Whirl Cup Colosseum. Sea Priestess of the islands, Maya, hosts the event by summoning what is called the Sea Spirit Union. It combines the energy of every existing water-type pokémon to bring honor and breathe life into it. Maya's crucial responsibility is keeping the tradition and its teachings alive." She paused to take a breath. "The competition lasts for approximately six days. It boils down to the trainer that has the strongest pokémon and is the most connected with it through tireless battling. Maya herself awards the winner the Mystic Water pendant, a prestigious item, and grants them the title of a 'New Sea Hero.' Her closing quote— I have it memorized word for word, is as follows. I'll write it out. Ensure you jot this in your notes." Julie knew of the pendant and was enamored with it. Unfortunately, she'd never own one. Many wouldn't since they had to be the toughest trainer among the toughest of trainers, which brought the pendant so much value. It was a gorgeous piece that would make her current collection pop.Julie watched the teacher turn and write quotation marks, mumbling the passage as the teacher wrote it out and bringing up her pencil to write it out afterward, "O, Great... Sea Spirit and... past Heroes... of the Sea, continue to watch... over the Whirl Cup competition... and safeguard the harmony... of all humans and pokémon alike." Very heartwarming; it made her grin. Julie added the Whirl Islands to her mental bucket list. It was already there from when she'd last researched it, but now it was twice over. “You seem like the type of trainer that would hate keeping their pokémon in poké balls.” “Maybe I am. I don’t see a reason if I only own one or two, and it's unnecessary captivity. If it were up to me, I'd have bonded with Midnight in the wild without the help of enslavement," Julie replied to Alyssa, speaking over the buzzing around them. They sat at one of the empty cafeteria tables after having finished lunch while students sat around them, dumped trays, and left the room to prepare for classes.A few sat alone, and others sat in groups ranging from small to large. One could guess which Leia was in: a fairly large group mostly comprising girls who kissed up to her and boys who fawned over her, although she had a boyfriend, which was one of the jocks sitting beside her.“Yeah, good luck with that... but anti-pokéball... I mean, I guess I get the stance." Alyssa sat back. "Anyway. I've decided I'm gonna have a full party and may challenge the gyms with 'em, and I've added one to my roster. I also need a haunter."“That’ll be a lot of traveling and catching and… training. Just don’t ask me to babysit all six of your scary pokémon.” “You won’t need to. They’ll be in poké balls.” That brought a brief giggle out of Julie. "And speaking of... you know the, uh, Pokémon Academy over in Violet City?" "Yeah-huh? Where the aspiring trainers and curious kids all go to understand pokémon." Julie wasn't invested enough in pokémon to attend, but it did hold a portion of her interest. Alyssa shrugged. "I was looking into it and thought it could be a good place to go. A lot of famous trainers graduated from there. I also don't think my stupid SAT score will affect me getting accepted there too much, either." "Hm." Julie giggled. "Alyssa researching something?" "Whatever..." she muttered and shifted her eyes away. "Hey." She stopped and eyed her, reaching her hand across the table and placing it atop hers. "No, but that sounds great, seriously. Did you tell your parents yet? They'll be happy that you're setting up a future." "Not exactly; I don't think they'll be too happy, actually, but we'll see. I'm not ready to break it to them.""You could also try for Uva Academy in Paldea. They have the highest-rated battle studies and battle communications program out there.""Julie, I'm barely asking them about the one in Violet, and Uva would reject me in a heartbeat. You know that. I'm actually surprised it isn't on your radar.""It would be if it had a better regional history program than Castelia. Uva surpasses it in every other metric, but I want the best history degree I can get." "Makes sense. Anyway, you ready to revisit the office?”Julie pulled her hand away. “About as ready as I was last time and then some.” “Remember our talk. No desperate stuff, and just have confidence. You want that umbreon. You’ll take care of him better than the next guy, but— don’t let that fill your head and start begging or anything. Seriously.” Alyssa got up from the table and took one last swig from her milk carton to finish it. She dropped it on her tray consisting of a now empty carton and bread from today's sandwiches. “Basically... be less like you and more like me."Julie only stared at her. "Joke." She slightly stuck her tongue out and bit it. "I’ll be in front of the office when you’re out of your last class. See 'ya then." "Funny..." Julie mumbled. She watched her jog away. Alyssa was always taking off somewhere. Julie stayed at the table for a while after, taking in what advice Alyssa had given her. "Right again."Julie and Alyssa stood by the door to the office after school had ended for the day.“I can't do this, Alyssa." Julie grimaced. "Oh— what am I supposed to say in there?”“What you feel is right. I can’t help you much there." Alyssa gripped Julie’s shoulders and stared into her eyes. "But keep my astounding advice in mind.” “Okay… Okay, I guess I’ll go in now." Julie hugged Alyssa’s waist. “Thanks bunches."“Go get 'im.” Alyssa patted her back.“Can’t believe this.” Julie pushed the door open.“Ah, Julie. He’s expecting you. You may pass," Mrs. Emery said with a smile. “Thank you, ma'am." She grinned and walked to the principal’s door, grabbing its handle with a quivering hand and turning it. After a second, Julie pushed it open. As expected, Mr. Willam sat at his desk, but what stole her breath and made her eyes go wide was Midnight sitting to the left of it; Midnight's expression mirrored hers.“I'm glad you could make it, Julie. You may stand there. Just… shut the door, if you may," the principal said, and Julie did. “We discussed the other day that you were interested in taking Midnight. Now, I believe strongly in destiny and wouldn’t give him to anyone he couldn’t connect with.” Mr. Willam nodded once.Julie eyed him, then shifted to Midnight. She crouched and held out her hand.He fixed his gaze on Julie, standing while his rings started revving up. He walked to her without hesitation and tilted his head up, nuzzling her palm. Julie's lips parted to a slow, full smile. She couldn’t hide it. Forget a simple addiction. Midnight turned her blood itself into sugar.Mr. Willam wore bewilderment. Shock. “I— well... you two must already be well acquainted with each other?” “A bit. I, uh, see him in the halls a lot, and we meet at my locker between classes. He's helped me get through my year," Julie replied. "He's like... a best friend to me." “He... hm. Well, he seems to be fond of you and vice versa. Have you any prior experience with owning pokémon?”Julie stood. “I own a liepard that my mother and I have taken good care of for years now.” “Hmm." He cleared his throat. "Four families, two dedicated trainers, and even hospitals have contacted me for Midnight, but Arceus, I can’t possibly get in the way of this." He pushed up his glasses. "It's clear he knows who he wants. Look at his rings..." He leaned forward in his chair. "You graduate in two months, correct?” “Correct, sir." She suppressed the burst of happiness building within. “How about this… So you can focus on your final days at this school, why don’t I give Midnight to you on the day of graduation?"“That s-sounds great. Thank you, sir.” “And thank you for making the rehoming process easier for me. No paperwork and traveling involved." He chuckled heartily. "Good luck with your studies.""Thank you again... I appreciate you allowing me to have him. You didn't have to give him to me, sir." He shook his head and threw his hands up, smiling back. "Oh, but I did. We both saw a miracle take place between human and pokémon. These creatures are very much capable of choosing their trainers but rarely get that option. I don't believe enough people consider it. Their feelings matter too." "I agree, sir. I really do." After leaving the office and entering the hall, Julie leaned against the wall, an ear-to-ear grin playing across her lips.“So, what happened?” Alyssa asked while eyeing Julie's expression.“I got himm!” Julie pulled her into the tightest hug with a little squeal, tears welling in her eyes.“F-For real?" She spoke with a slight wheeze.“Yes! Right after graduation.”“Damn, congrats. That's so close." Alyssa took a breath after Julie released her. "I knew it was in you." They received a few glances from a couple of students who had come down the hall and entered the office.“I have him— guaranteed." Julie wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sniffled. Every night now, she would anticipate holding him in her arms permanently; she had no problem waiting for that day. She would work hard on every assignment and ace every test."What are the odds that this ended in my favor, like honestly?" Julie asked as they exited the Pokémon Center later that afternoon with two waters and mounted their bikes."Feels like a dream, huh?" Alyssa shrugged. "I wouldn't question it. Some things are just fate... or extreme luck, but either way, you did take the biggest risk in risk history." "I couldn't imagine the result if I hadn't stepped into that office...""Needed a push. That was all.""It wouldn't be the first time you've pushed me. I owe you for it."Alyssa opened and sipped her water. "Only thing you owe me is your friendship; I don't think that's going anywhere."Julie grinned. "Never."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Two weeks remained until graduation day. Tomorrow was Monday; the last two months felt like a breeze with light bumps coming from indirect teasing and surrounding gossip, but Julie endured and did her best to focus on her studies, although there were times she wanted to rip her hair out. Her GPA had dropped to a 3.6 throughout that time, and she'd received a score of 1,230 on her SAT, just above average; however, she couldn't be too disappointed in herself. She hoped it wouldn't affect her chance of getting accepted into competitive institutions too severely. Julie and Alyssa had stayed as close as ever throughout that time, especially after the Midnight situation. Julie had finished Passion Bullet, giving her and Alyssa something to talk about while waiting for the next season. Julie had also done as well as expected in all her classes and was guaranteed to graduate alongside Alyssa, who was cutting it close with her grades and had a 2.7 GPA. She'd gotten a low 970 on her SAT, but Julie knew it was because she hadn't applied herself. “Are you still thinking about chasing that Elite Four fantasy of yours?” Julie asked her.“Uh, duh. Hasn’t left the priority list. I just have to bring it up to my parents, which can go either way since they are keen on me being more stable than they were in life... How about you, though? Found a region you want to get lost in yet?”They’d been exploring Johto more over the past months together and currently sauntered through Violet City's residential outskirts under a rich orange sky as the sun set, a laid-back city that wasn’t far from Goldenrod. Its abundance of trees, quiet environment, and lakes brought it its serenity. They passed homes surrounded by greenery.Pokémon were in yards, such as a mightyena snarling at a man getting out of a mail truck and delivering packages to doorsteps.A small herd of young and adult stantler grazed on tall grass within groupings of thick trees and bushes away from the houses, keeping their ears on alert to dart at the slightest abnormal noise. The adults surrounded their young to conceal them from harm while they ate and mainly watched the area to spot a potential predator sneaking up on them. "I want to try Unova. It has so much that I want to explore, especially Castelia. I'll be able to tour the university and see what the city is all about. My mom said she'll send me as a graduation gift, so I’m definitely off.” "You'll have to fly there after the airport is done," Alyssa said. "The captains don't want to host repeated two-week-long cruises anymore. What are you going to university for, anyway? History, huh?" "That's like months to a year away, but you're right. Weird to have our first public airport, but it's been spreading." People rarely flew in planes and relied more on the less volatile global ferry network, but some regions, Unova included, were considered too far to ferry to. Planes were set to grow more mainstream in the coming decades as more regions constructed airports.
Airships had been used to advertise things to the public, and the military had used cargo planes for rapid transports dating back twenty years ago. Passenger planes produced en masse to fly constantly were a newer concept that had been introduced to the masses years afterward and had suffered enough fatal crashes that governments retracted them to perfect development. They weren't popular or fully trusted yet, but the push slowly increased as their safety did. Johto's first airport was being built up north in Goldenrod in a middle-class area and would support flights to any region that also had one. Julie continued. "And of course. I want to know everything there is to know about all regions. I'd adore being a researcher, and I really want to be a historian and travel abroad, not that I'm guaranteed it..." They stepped onto the bridge overlaying Violet City's largest body of water that pokémon used frequently. Groups of poliwag stood by the edges next to poliwhirl while eating salveyo weed they'd pulled from the bottom of the pond. It was a stringy, leafy green type of seaweed they fed on. Several wooper and a couple of quagsire swam in the water, either paddling above or diving under, with a few asleep on the pond's floor, their bodies concealed in a blanket of mud that they'd made while mini bubbles floated up to the surface from their noses. Some wooper stuck to the quagsire almost like glue, too nervous to separate and be on their own. Surskit strided across the pond's surface, skidding away when a wooper got too close. They used the yellow antenna on its head as a defense mechanism, secreting a thick and sugary substance, but only used it when necessary. It was a flight pokémon otherwise.“Nah, you'll get there," Alyssa replied. "You're like the history gogoat. Guess we’ll be doing our own thing soon, huh?” “We’ll keep in touch, and I’ll be back before you know it, so don’t worry,” Julie reassured. "What does that mean, anyway?"“What, history gogoat? Means you're gogoated at it.""What?""And on a side note, whaddya plan on doing first with Midnight once he’s yours?” “I’m going to hold him the entire way home, and it’ll be great to cuddle him all night.” She smiled at the thought. He was a creature of the night, but as long as Midnight was by her, it would be perfect.“Only cuddles?” Alyssa teased.“I’m sure I can hold off until we’re in Unova. I do leave with him a day after graduation.” However, Julie missed the way he panted and grunted when he really got into it, how his ears and paws twitched as he would near climax, and how she could follow his rings and be a part of his ride.
“Uh-huh.” Julie double-glanced at the entrance to the city ahead. "You want to cash that rain check?" "What? Oh, uh, sure. Whatcha feeling?" She started walking toward it and took out her phone to check the time. Julie wanted to say she didn't know since she didn't, but Alyssa would choose a burger place if she left it up to her. "How about Craw's? And I want to see if Tug and Teddiursa has my jacket too. It sells out so fast.""That seafood place? I'm down. Tugs hasn't had that jacket for like months, though. Gonna need more luck than Midnight," she said as they entered the city among civilization and light traffic. Violet was small and quaint compared to most cities while keeping a contemporary aesthetic, which was partly why it was unique. It was also home to the region's only Pokémon Academy that Alyssa wanted to attend, the Galarian embassy, and one of Johto's two military bases. The one in Violet was small in comparison to the large one in West Goldenrod. Small businesses, mini plazas, wild pokémon, and old apartment buildings were present around the outskirts, which turned into more sophisticated structures, condos, and skyscrapers the closer one got to the central area.Commuters and tireless businessmen and women filled their cars at gas stations after a long day, some having their pokémon do it. A hitmonlee held a nozzle and filtered it into a truck while their owner was in the gas station's market buying items. The pokémon shook the nozzle after the trigger clicked, taking it out and putting the gas lid back on the truck as trained.Employees pulled gates over shops or eateries that closed early; many people walked with their heads down or glued to their phones so they wouldn't have to interact with anyone. Even a passing man's drowzee did the same with him. The city was lying to rest for the evening and would soon be replaced by nightlife, when the bars and casinos in the area made their living. A van parked by a curb with an open back read 'Doption' plastered along both sides in bold red letters; pokéballs replaced the o's. Two men set a cage inside holding a midday lycanroc and shut the doors, then walked and got into the driver and passenger seat. On the way, Julie had stopped at the clothing store before it and checked for the pricey jacket. By a miracle, it was in stock, so she'd immediately bought it and put it on the moment they were outside. "What do you think? Kind of matches my gloves too." Julie raised her arms and looked at the sleeves extending past her knuckles while they walked past a couple of businesses. It was a blue zip-up with white outlines of eeveelutions all over it and had no drawstrings. "I mean, it's cute. I just wanna know why you were waiting for it for months." She chuckled. "But I'm glad you finally got it." "Ugh, you'd be all over it if it was black. You and your frickin' dark-type affinity," Julie said as they approached the restaurant's doors."And replace the 'lutions with misdreavus and banette. You know me so well." Alyssa opened them. Props like seel, shellder, and seadra hung up, along with paintings of sea life and TVs playing sports in a dim environment. The restaurant and bar at its center, with various alcoholic beverages lining the shelves, were packed since most people had gotten off work. This was also a popular spot to unwind at. Alyssa went up to the male host with Julie, who wore a black outfit. "Table for two?" he asked upon them approaching."Yeah," said Alyssa."Right this way."He led them to one close to the restaurant's corner, fortunately. Julie didn't want to be amid the buzzing punctuated by laughter or the occasional shout from intoxicated customers, and they could be even farther away still."The waiter should be with you soon. We're pretty busy tonight," he told them. "That's okay." Julie watched him walk off and sat, stuffing her gloves away. She looked at people seated in highchairs at the bar laughing among each other, then turned to Alyssa. "I'm going to take off this jacket if I order anything messy. I cannot stain this on the first day I got it." "I used to think like that too. Started seeing them as memories instead." Julie gave her an unamused stare. "Kidding." Alyssa sat back and looked around the restaurant, then fixed her eyes on a table across the room, where two parents smiling and chatting sat. Their preteen sat with them and used a yellow Poképad with a pikachu sticker on the back. "There's no way." "What?" Julie asked."Over there." Alyssa nodded at it. "They have their kid using a damn pad. I'd be livid. Awful app store, and you can't even access Veela on that thing."Julie looked over. "At least the kid stays innocent on a limited internet with only cute games available. Veela is like a gateway into degeneracy nowadays."Alyssa turned back. "I'd run away." Julie giggled. "I'm sure you would."There was a moment of silence before something came to Julie. "I've been meaning to ask... Where did this pokémon trainer thing come from, anyway? You've never brought it up in the past.""That? Uh... I was searching for what I wanted to do in life for a while, but nothing ever came to me. It didn't help that I liked a total of zero subjects in school. My parents were always asking me and trying to sway me in these boring ass directions. But I stumbled across competitive battling on TV one day like a year ago, saw a few films on it, documentaries on successful trainers... It looked like a path I wanted to try, and before I knew it, I was in the mindset." "So you were inspired." Julie grinned. "It's great to see you finding yourself." "Sure, but like I said, I'll have to hope my parents accept it because it's no guaranteed career."The waiter came by and put two double-sided plastic white menus on the table with a charismatic smile. He was toned and tall with a black mustache. "Walter. I'll be your waiter tonight, ladies. I'll be back shortly with water, bread with vinegar and oil, and to take your orders." "Thank you," Julie told him. She looked back at Alyssa, who already had it in her hands. "Nothing is guaranteed; that doesn't mean you can't find success. I mean, some of the most renowned trainers were in the same boat at one point unless they were born into it or had connections.""Try telling my parents that. It's like talking to a wall." She briefly raised her hand and two fingers, pushing them forward. "One-way conversation. I think they've given up ever since I started Ecruteak and didn't get good grades, telling me I'm lazy and don't do shit. I hate the environment." Alyssa flipped the menu and scanned the beverages."I don't know... That's tough to deal with if they won't even try to see eye to eye, but maybe they want what's best for you, Ali? It sounds like they care." Julie picked up her menu. "What are you getting?" Alyssa glanced over appetizers, soups, and entrees stated in black letters on lines with corresponding images beneath them. They lined the concealed paper from top to bottom. She then moved to the lower section, where they offered plenty of delicious options. Raw mini shellder rested on a bed of ice with x's in their eyes, modified genetically to achieve its size; two fried slowpoke tails were presented on a platter with two ceramic cups of sauce beside it. It also listed tentacool tentacles in a bowl with the option to have them raw or fried, and bright red seasoned boiled krabby in a large plate with a small bowl of butter on the side, alongside more. "They don't know what's best for me." Alyssa leaned back, mumbling, and flipped the menu to the side offering beverages. "I want a damn cocktail." Julie giggled. "You aren't even eighteen." "May as well be, and who waits until they can legally drink to drink? It's some arbitrary rule— if that's the word, that differs from region to region.""Me." Alyssa lowered the menu, shaking it so it wobbled audibly. "One, that's a lie, and two, you don't count." Julie sucked her teeth and set hers down since she found what she wanted. "A few sips of whatever my mom is having occasionally doesn't count." "Yeah, and neither do you." Julie sat on her front porch's step later that night under its lit bulb, watching pidgey and the occasional spearow interact with each other and make cute cries. They hopped about in search of meals on the ground, flew from tree to tree, or perched on telephone wires. She was pondering the thought of leaving home, especially after she and Alyssa discussed aspirations earlier. A woman walked a stroller past her house with a lively glaceon trotting ahead on the sidewalk, a father played frisbee with his son a few yards down, and the people across the street washed their old car in the driveway. Julie had never done anything like it, but she'd hop onto a ferry to Unova in two weeks with her new pokémon. It made her wonder if Midnight could battle. She had never seen him use attacks and never had a reason to. She’d ask Mr. Willam about it; it wouldn't matter much since she wouldn't have him battling other pokémon. Midnight was made for cuddles, not combat— at least he would be while under her care.Julie caught movement by a tree in someone's yard that her eyes shot to; she leaned in while peering. After a second, a sentret emerged, who lifted itself from the ground using its puffy brown tail, making her grin. "Awe, what are you doing around here?" Maybe it had wandered or lost its way from its pack. She rarely saw wild pokémon that couldn't fly so deep in the city. She eventually went into the house after people and pokémon-watching for a while longer, feeding Lilly before sitting on the couch downstairs and turning on the TV. It was better than being in her room sometimes, where her mind ran astray.Her mother had been watching the cooking channel; Julie wouldn't change it since her mother was always in here. An aproned older woman with blonde curly hair and a chubby guy with a brown beard prepared a lum berry pie. They started by rolling pie dough after having chilled it. "Now I want pie." "Oh, wait." Julie pulled her phone from her pocket and unlocked it, opening her internet and typing in: 'gogoat meaning.' The pokémon itself came up under images and on wikis, but the acronym and its highlighted meaning did as the first result. She muttered while reading, "Greatest of All Time... The first go in the acronym became a play on it over time relating to the uncorrelated pokémon, which spread among the internet." Julie shook her head. "That is such an Alyssa thing to say."
She stayed for around fifteen minutes and watched the program until they pulled the finished pie out of the oven with a neat crisscross design and smooth, thick green lum filling. Julie turned it off and walked to the kitchen, where she beelined to the fridge and opened it, leaning down. There was Moomoo milk, chilled Wikiblux coffee in small store-bought glasses she enjoyed drinking from time to time, and a few natural berry juices and cartons of organic berries from local farmer's markets; greens, some cheeses, refrigerated snacks in lower drawers she crouched to open, and more. Julie usually shopped at Chasy with her mother, which was one of the biggest megamarkets spread across the Accord.She stood and opened the freezer, glossing over pints of ice cream, some processed meats like packaged nuggets, tenders, slowpoke tail bites, and frozen grounded meat for burgers and other meals. "I don't even know what I want..." She sighed and shut the freezer. Julie wanted a snack, especially after seeing that delicious pie, but, like, she didn't at the same time. She'd just drink water and go to sleep.After having a glass using the fridge's filtered option, she washed it and went upstairs. Julie would shower and couldn't wait to take one with Midnight to scrub his fur and see how cute he’d look once he was out and dried with a towel. It'd make a priceless wallpaper.She couldn't go a minute without fantasizing about their time together. She couldn't thank life enough for allowing things to go her way. Julie sat on her bed. It would be late in a few hours, and she had a dozen neglected math problems that she’d been holding off on doing all weekend. At least she wouldn't have to go downstairs and eat later since she was still satisfied from the mixed seafood soup and appetizer she and Alyssa had shared. It wasn't Julie's idea to get fried cheese sticks, but all of that eating meant she could focus on finishing her work.She got up to fetch and toss her book on the bed, then turned on the TV to a romantic soap opera she had never watched a day in her life. Julie undressed and put her clothes inside the hamper. She didn't feel Monday was a burden this time and would be optimistic about the next two weeks. It was like an upcoming summer break. One that would last forever.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Today was it, the last Friday Julie would ever be at this school. The prior week was one of realization— that she would start a new chapter in her life and hopefully attend a major college outside her region. It would be a fresh start. No one would know Julie, she wouldn't be gossiped about or bullied, and she could keep her biggest secret since Midnight would be hers. The graduation ceremony started at noon. She wore her yellow gown and had her cap in her backpack. It didn’t help that Alyssa was texting her every ten minutes, even though Julie needed to be there in an hour. She sighed and picked up her phone to read the message: ‘Saved a seat for you in row 3 since I know you'll take a decade trying to look good.’ Julie didn’t respond but would hurry. She was already rushing, in fact. She needed her backpack today more than any other as she had to return her textbooks, so she slung it over her shoulder and gave her hair one last look in the mirror. She adjusted her gown and jogged downstairs out the door.Julie arrived quicker than usual since she stood on her pedals and biked briskly when she could, her calves throbbing as a result. After she walked through the school's entrance, down the packed first and second hall, and made it to the open auditorium, Julie entered the ceremony. She squeezed past groups standing in the walkways until reaching her aisle. She had to sidestep past the legs of seated students, too, with most pulling back for her and a couple deliberately keeping them there. She sat in the chair Alyssa had saved her in the auditorium and set her backpack down with a sigh, trying to drown out the continual laughter and buzzing that gave her a headache. “There she is," Alyssa spoke over the noise and looked at her, chewing gum to keep busy. "Fashionably late?" She rolled her eyes. “I slept in a little, but I made it on time, so shish." Julie grinned and stretched her legs. “My mom wanted to come, but she's stuck managing. She's making me take a picture at the end so she can hang it up, though.” “Mine aren't either. Not too proud of me, and no way I'm getting a portrait." Alyssa leaned back and took a pack of gum out of her pocket, grabbing a wrapped stick and holding it out to Jullie. "Gum?" Julie shook her head and breathed, closing her eyes for a moment. "What flavor, anyway?" "Belue. Spicy sour." She unwrapped the blue stick and popped it in her mouth with the other, sucking in air through her mouth. "Nervous? 'Cause I'm not." Alyssa leaned back. "Yeah, and tired in every sense of the word. You know me, but I'm finally done." "You've got heart. Not everyone can handle having so many people against them for that long. It's why you hear of students being transferred to other schools and sometimes suicide... I couldn't help, but I'd never have let you drown in that." Julie looked down. A rush of melancholy ran up and chilled her over in mixture with relief. "But you did. You and Midnight." She looked at Alyssa. "You were there from the start and helped prepare me for anything. Anything. Midnight came along later and... he sort of complicated things that he also helped carry me through, but I g– I genuinely can't imagine today without you two in my life." She wiped her eyes as moisture formed.Alyssa watched her tear up and sniffle. "No matter how many turn on you, I'll be there getting ridiculed with you, but they'd have to knock me out first." "I can't believe you spent senior year here on your second strike." Julie giggled through the tears she wiped away. "Your parents even made you swear not to cause trouble." "Their fault for putting me through Mahogany's shitty school system, but I mean... it was self-defense both times here. I still don't regret smacking the fuck out of those two girls for bullying me for three days straight mid-class. All I'm saying is... I'd have been on three if you weren't here."
"Alright, pardon, everyone. Please settle down! The ceremony will begin shortly!" Julie and Alyssa turned ahead to the math teacher standing on the stage before a podium with a microphone while voices around them started dying down. The event lasted for two tedious hours, with many teachers and some students giving speeches and positive messages about the school. Julie, Alyssa, and every other senior had to go on stage and present their diplomas, with Julie and some others being outwardly commended by the principal for their performance throughout their years. They received high honors diplomas, which had made Julie's face flush. The auditorium wasn't as packed soon after it ended. Students who'd stayed behind to have their picture taken before a green background set up on stage had left as well. Ones who wanted their picture framed had to return a day or more afterward and had to wait a couple of weeks to receive their diplomas. Half of the students who attended were in the cafeteria with teachers or had gone home. “I'm liberated and lost." Julie took off and held her cap as she and Alyssa exited the auditorium, passing students clearing out their lockers or getting others to sign yearbooks, girls sharing emotional goodbyes or memories, and couples talking and sharing kisses. “Just give it time," Alyssa started. "You’ll–” “Julie!” Alyssa looked back at a deep voice coming from down the hall. They turned around to see Mr. Willam pacing toward them with Midnight trotting at his side. Julie's face lit up at the sight of him. There he was, the love of her life— with the principal beside him.“I didn't forget our deal. You've made it to graduation day with fantastic grades. I'm proud of you, Julie. Congratulations." Mr. Willam smiled and raised his hand while huffing and trying to catch his breath. In it was an empty pokéball. “For you; I expect you'll take excellent care of him." Julie looked at Midnight as he took a few steps toward her, and she could’ve teared up standing there. She leaned and picked him up, holding him to her chest and taking the ball in the same hand as her cap. “Thank you…” Julie’s tone was vulnerable and slightly strained while holding Midnight."The pleasure is all mine, young lady." He nodded. "And sorry to have to cut the moment short. I have another speech to give in the auditorium in less than an hour. Love those." He chuckled, which waned. "Hm. I wish you well in your future endeavors, and you too, Alyssa.” With that, he walked to the auditorium to attend the after-party. Alyssa turned, eyeing Julie and Midnight. “What a sight. He is kinda cute.” She reached and patted his head, with him wincing in response. “You can go home with your boyfriend if you want. While I kinda wanna go home and snore, I’m gonna stay behind and check out what’s going on in the cafeteria. I’ll text you later tonight. I can also return your books for you if you want?” “Sure thing, Ali. Thanks, and–"
"Jules!"
All three turned and saw Jane approaching. "Hi, Jane." Julie grinned and saw a pink band on her wrist. Jane stopped before them and took off her backpack, unzipping it while catching her breath. "I'm so glad I caught you. I couldn't forget." She pulled out exactly three pencils and five pens, handing them to Julie. "Oh..." Julie took them in her free hand. Her hands were officially full. "That's so nice of you, Jane. Thank you." Jane nodded, glancing at Midnight. "And thank you for being my pencil loaner for the year. Hug?" "Sure." Julie leaned and hugged Jane with one arm while turning to avoid squishing Midnight; Jane did the same.Alyssa stood back. "So mushy..." she muttered. Jane pulled away and looked at Midnight again. "Are you saying bye to him too?" Midnight nuzzled the back of his head against Julie's chest."Nope," Julie replied and put him down, stretching and tensing her arms afterward. "He's my graduation gift from Mister Willam." "Awe, you're kidding. He actually belongs to you now?" Jane held her hands in front of her. "It's kind of like a big fuck you to those that laughed at it, huh?" Alyssa shot her eyes to Jane. "Uh, woah, talk about out of character. You refused to swear in our classes." Jane giggled. "Sorry, I just don't like gossip or bullying. Jules didn't deserve it." She glanced back at the cafeteria. "It was nice knowing you, Jules, really. Maybe we'll run into each other someday. Now, I'm going to see the party for a while."Alyssa helped get Julie's bag off her back. "Mind if I tag along, sis? I'm sure there's gonna be good food." "This way." Jane started toward the cafeteria. Alyssa waved back at Julie while following. "Start swearing more, Jane. It's unfitting enough that it's music to the ears." Julie returned the wave and walked out the front doors of Ecruteak High with Midnight beside her, putting the pencils and his ball in her cap so she only held one item. "You'll get used to Alyssa. She's like a really wild mystery box... You never know what she's going to say." Julie grabbed her bike from the station, walking it with one hand but kickstanding it for a moment and crouching before Midnight, where she kissed him on his head several times. “I missed you a ton. So muchh." She squeezed him. "We're together for good now." "Bre." He looked up at her as she spoke and nuzzled against her affection. In over an hour, they entered Goldenrod.Midnight shot his eyes at surrounding buildings and sniffed when catching occasional whiffs of food, his rings lit. He often turned his head to eye other pokémon and people in the bustling environment and at every vehicle that beeped. People walked, scootered, and cycled, some with small pokémon like pachirisu or poochyena sitting in their front baskets. They either marveled at moving surroundings or hid in the basket.Restaurants with bright signs and logos were full of customers, billboards were raised above the pavement, and large wallpapers were plastered on skyscrapers with glossy windows reflecting sunlight. They advertised food products, upcoming movies, phones, and more. A poster advertising a game for GameCube, telling by its cubed logo at the bottom, read: 'A Gengar's Revenge' and displayed a gengar shooting a detailed spherical shadow ball out its mouth. The dark purple title in a jagged, edgy font was underneath the ball.There was a dark purple Violet Cola wallpaper with its trademarked words in bold white cursive at the top and a purple soda can under it. Its background faded into a lighter purple and fizzy bubbles beneath with print reading: 'A fizzy burn in every sip. (The good kind).'Violet Cola, made from cornn berry extract, was among the highest-grossing soda brands in the world founded forty years ago in Violet City, so Johto had a product to be proud of. "Someone's excited." Julie strolled through the city toward her house. They could have gotten home a long time ago, but she didn't want to take from the experience, and riding with Midnight in one hand would have been impossible.“We’re here.” She unlocked the door when they arrived at her patio in minutes. Her mother was still at work and would be for hours. “We’ll stay in my room until tomorrow. Wait a second." Julie left him at the door and went to lock her bike before joining him. “C’mon, I’ll get you something to eat in a bit.” She went upstairs, and he was right behind her. He looked around her room after entering, glazing over the stickers and blue.“Our room." She went and set her cap and gloves on the nightstand. She took Midnight's pokéball out of her cap and turned it around to the six numbers in black print on the back, which she momentarily pulled out her phone to take a picture of. The digits meant the ball was legitimate and registered in Silph's and the region's ranger database, which could come in handy if she lost or if anyone ever stole the ball.She set the ball on her stand and went back downstairs and gathered PokéChow and water in a double-sided bowl that they kept in a cabinet, which she always fed to Lilly. Julie wondered how or if they'd get along. Lilly wasn't inherently aggressive but had the spirit of a wild pokémon in her due to her time outside. She'd have to learn that Midnight was harmless. Julie wouldn't have to worry about it for a while since she and Midnight would be gone soon, anyway.Hours had passed. Midnight and Julie had spent a few snuggled up while she researched hotels and claimed her ticket last-minute, then they'd taken a nap together, which wasn’t intentional, but it happened soon after they got under the covers. It came easily when they felt at rest with each other; Julie had especially been tired after walking home and draining her social battery today.She was still asleep under him in panties, a tee, and short fleece socks.He was sprawled across her chest and stomach while gazing at her soft, restful face while she slept. He watched her eyes slowly open a few minutes later to two big orbs staring into hers. “Mmh… Midnight," Julie mumbled and rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?" She reached her hand under her pillow and searched blindly for her phone. After she grabbed it, Julie checked and set it back beside her. “Almost midnight. I forgot you're a night hoothoot." She ran her fingers along his sides. "You've probably been awake for hours, huh?" His rings glowed a soft, luminous yellow tinged with blue, fading against the moonlight that pressed against the window and lit her room's walls like a natural nightlight. Julie had never witnessed it in this context since she had only ever seen him during the day. It was a captivating sight; it made her realize that his rings shined their brightest at peak excitement, which, so far, had been during climax. Their current state was a few levels beneath that. "I almost lost you... now you're lying on my chest all glowed up." She brought her hand and looped her index finger around the tip of his ear. "It's crazy, isn't it?" Midnight slightly closed his eyes. "Umbre." "And it brings me this equally crazy sort of happiness..." A grin graced her lips while she ran her eyes over his features. "Love. Does it do the same for you?" Midnight nuzzled her cheek rather harshly, brushing it with his and making her blow air through her nose as if stifling giggles. He then leaned his head down to give her neck soft licks, which made Julie gasp lowly as a result. He perked his ears and lifted his head.“…It was nice, love," she reassured, so he went back to licking; Julie tilted her head to grant him more access. Her eyes were closed, and she often sighed through her mouth, sensuality filling her being and chilling over her in subtle waves. He aroused her with every lick, bringing back her intense yearning for him. “M-Midnight," she whispered.His eyes were filled with ardent passion as he pulled away and stared down at his new owner. “I… can’t wait this out.” Alyssa may have been right after all. Well, Julie could have waited it out if Midnight hadn't teased her, but she was far from irritated. Why couldn't they do it now? They were alone in her room behind closed doors. She sat up a little. “Do you mind relieving me?..."Midnight gave her a quick nod and moved off of her, sitting on the bed. “Hold on." Julie pushed the covers away and got up to lock her door. She couldn’t have another incident involving her being walked in on. It was only Lilly last time, but it could be worse this time. Her mother was home, probably asleep, but Julie couldn’t risk something like that since she wouldn't hear a thing while getting railed. She returned to bed and sat on her knees in the center by Midnight, eyeing him. His active glow reflected off her eyes, making her grin and filling her with more love than she could process. But it slightly faltered. "Midnight... sorry, but— you like when we do things like this together, right?"He nodded quickly."So, you want this... right?" She eyed him. "I have your permission?"Midnight stared with a slight head tilt, giving a moment before nodding again."Sorry, just... thank you." She reached her hand to his stomach but wouldn't have to do much since Midnight had gotten aroused already, telling by the erection concealed by his sheath. Julie kept her eyes on him, although she couldn't help but glance at the sight of his exposed tip and covered length she missed dearly. That was when a thought came to her. He’d been inside one of her holes already but hadn’t tried her others, which she was somewhat curious about. The best she could do in preparation was wet his shaft before intercourse to provide an easier slip-in. Two pidgey in one.Julie shifted and lay on her stomach in front of him, and he parted his hind legs. “Just a tease,” she said. She leaned to kiss his chest, then lowered herself and pressed her lips to the topside of his forepaw, also kissing it, then moved aside and smooched his other. Midnight sat over her and watched her head move in, to which he raised his forepaw to grant her more access. He grinned as she also planted kisses atop his hind paws.Julie pushed a portion of her hair aside and tucked it behind her ear. She then pulled back, her face before his crotch. A faint musk wafted and lingered from his cock while she leaned in, her forehead touching his chest, and took his taper into her mouth, feeling it stiffen. Her actions were cold and ineleganty timid. She audibly suckled and heard him grunt with a shuddered breath following. She kept sucking and drew her tongue under and along his tip, pushing it past her lips to snake and cover more of his length. It slightly drew his sheath back in the process.Midnight slightly hung his head and shoulders with his eyes winced and lips firm, shifting against her tight suckles and tongue caressing his tip and coating it with saliva. "M-nry..." Julie pushed out her lips to cover his tip, sucking and slurping harder while pushing and pulling her tongue with slow, awkward elegance, drawing his sheath back more and tracing his glans with it, swallowing what pre she lured from his tip. As she fell into her motions, she swirled her tongue around his tip and slid it to cover both sides of his shaft; she heard his breaths begin to weigh, which was when she pulled off of him with a sucky kiss and looked up at him. She went back in. Julie repeated her actions, loving on his cock with her lips and tongue while moving her head back and forth enough to tease another inch, which he replied to with a thrust and a soft whine. She pulled off once more and raised her head to view his bleary-eyed expression. She glanced at his member and couldn't help but really want him in her mouth again, not to mention how adorable he looked while being pleased. "Love..." It would be difficult to keep this a tease and stop short, so perhaps she wouldn't. Julie had yet to grant Midnight foreplay, and this was good practice so she could better love him in the future.He eyed her with a swallow, watching her duck her head back under his chest.Julie, this time, took half his length into her mouth and pushed his sheath back with her lips. She slicked him with her drool and pursed her lips around him, placing her hand on his hip and her other palm on the blanket while bobbing her head at an easy pace. His tip prodded the inside of her cheek. Her forehead brushed against his furry chest with her motions.Midnight fell into a deeper daze. He humped against her movement and often dropped his jaw, showing his fangs. "Uh, u-uhhm... bre..." He watched her head move while pressing his forepaws into the bed. Her tongue often grazed and slicked the underside of his glans while her lips rubbed his shaft, making him murmur as his breaths built. He pushed his hips while spurting more pre. "Mhn... mh." She licked at his shaft and again traced her tongue along both sides. She took in more of his length while squeezing and massaging his hip, sucking his member that tensed and throbbed with arousal while he muttered and hummed under soft breaths. Saliva pooled in her mouth, layering his member in it and making lovely slicks with her movement alongside subtle wet slurps and smacks from her lips. She shut her eyes while working his cock, managing slowly in an effort to saturate him with heartfelt pleasure, enjoying him while he enjoyed her. She had to momentarily move her hand from his hip to retuck her hair.Midnight spread his hind legs farther, panting faster through his nose. He lowered his head more as she took in more of his length, his tip close to entering her throat while her tongue slicked his glans and cheek rubbed his tip. "Hmmn..." He huffed, his breaths wavering. He placed a forepaw on the back of her head and pressed. "M-Mhg." Julie swallowed around him not to overdrool, stifling gags while taking him deeper, as his paw on her head signified. She gagged on his member pushing through and entering her throat. "Ahk– guh..." She lurched and pulled off of him, coughing several times. She glanced at his stiff, upright cock now exposed to the air."Umbreon?" His eyes went full and settled on Julie's head; his ears slightly folded. He removed his paw from her head and inched back, but she gripped his hip tighter to keep in him in place."N-No, Midnight." She swallowed, licking her lips with a swallow. "I'm okay, I'm okay. I want to do this." She felt his continued, hesitant pull that let up after a few moments.He relaxed as she went back in and licked at his knot, drawing her tongue up his shaft that throbbed against her affection. His eyes eased."You can put your paw back on my head." She licked his cock a few more times, took in its irresistible musk, and kissed it. She timidly grinned upon feeling his paw on her head again and opened her mouth over his tip, closed around him, and slowly took him back in.She moved her head and sucked on half his length, feeling him thrust.He momentarily tilted his head back, then aside, breathing with her motions and exhaling when she'd go in. Reflexively, he pressed her head with his paw.As he did, she took him as deeply into her mouth as he'd been before with an affirming half-gag, her throat teasing his tip. She held the bedsheets. Midnight stuck his tongue out while her throat strained and massaged his tip, his paw quivering against her head and hind paws curling against the blanket. His rings glowed brighter than they had been. He shut his eyes while a groan trembled in his throat, shifting his other forepaw against the sheets. As he grew in girth and stiffness, and as his knot gradually expanded, his sheath drew back and displayed his cock in full.
Julie again gagged with a tight stomach while taking another inch, tensing and bunching the sheets and his fur while stopping her motions. She felt his hips jerk in her hand, bucking against her mouth, which made her resume her movements with slightly parted lips not to graze him with her teeth, though she didn't take any more of his length.Midnight tilted his ear aside to the refined slicks her mouth and throat caressing his cock produced. He pushed out his tongue more and snuffled deeply through his nose with every slow bob of her head, shoving his hips forward and unintentionally pushing more of his cock down her throat, making her choke harder. "Umb-bre... Brehnm..." He briefly closed his mouth to swallow and lick around it. She squeezed her shut eyes and felt him pump harder, her cheeks rising into an evident smile against his pleased snuffles that harshened by the second while her throat massaged his wet cock. She swallowed more pre that spurted from his tip. Saliva dripped from her open mouth and soaked into the blanket.Midnight drew open his eyes and ground his paw into the bed, murmuring with every stroke and slightly tilting back as her forehead pushed his chest. His snuffles prolonged and heavied; his next huffed. He pressed her head with his paw and humped her mouth while his rings filled her room with a vibrant yellow gaze. "Hmk." Julie's cheeks reddened; she pulled back to prevent throating him and felt him loosen his hold on her head. His thick, sappy release fill her mouth, which she swallowed as it spurted from his tip and choked on its abundance while he bucked. She rubbed his hip while he released, grinning inside at his soft moans, sucking and swallowing on his tense cock. She pulled off with a deep exhalation and wiped her mouth, licking her lips. Julie kissed his throbbing tip and moved back to look up at him while catching her breath, and around at her intensely glowy yellow room. "Some tease, right?" Midnight swallowed, breathing fast and licking his lips. He stared down at her. "I love how you taste... and how hard you felt in my mouth. Was it nice after so long? I wanted to make you feel good again."He nodded, leaning to nuzzle against her head.She grinned. "Are you ready to keep going? I want to feel you again too."Another nod, this time with a slight additional smirk to affirm."Let me just…” She grabbed both sides of her panties and slid them down and off her legs. “I think I’m ready.” Julie got on her hands and knees at the center of the bed while pressing her toes into the mattress, leaning on them with her heels upward. She pushed out her rear to offer its tight hole to him. "Come on…” She grinned back at him, and after he ran his eyes over her petite form and curves, seemingly tracing them within a light trance, he stood on his hind legs and precisely gripped her inner thighs with his forepaws, his weight settling against her back and rear.Julie could gasp against his furry chest and warm paws on her, showered in blissful ripples that prickled her skin with a deep sense of longing. Her cheeks flushed. “Put it in my butt this time, love." The lack of action had returned his rings to their initial modest glow. Midnight prodded around her modestly plump rear cheeks before he poked her anus with his tip. The confirmation came from her sudden gasp and the way she flinched. Now that he was ready, Julie lowered her chest and leaned on her forearms while raising her rear, though positioned awkwardly. “G-Go ahead."Midnight wasn't tall enough to reach her completely, and she wasn't aware enough to lower herself for him. He ensured he had a good grip on her inner thighs before pushing his hips upward while standing on the edges of his paws, inching his cock halfway inside her. Her tight sphincter made a squish and simulated a sucking sensation around his tip around him after he'd spread her. It made him wince.Julie's hole gripped his length whenever she stiffened, like a tight ring around his cock. "U-m." He tightened his eyes again.
"Ahn, go on." Julie curled her fingers against the bedsheets and gripped them while watching him. It hurt having him inside her rear but in a good, sharply sore kind of way. It was a more pronounced sense of fullness alongside her being able to feel the texture of his shaft in more detail while he moved. He humped and pushed the rest of his stiff member inside her after a few trying thrusts, pressing his knot to her anus. Her legs shook, causing her to lower her rear enough to almost level herself with him. "That's b-big. So warm..." She let out a breathy moan at his length stretching her hole and took a few moments to adjust to his size, feeling it press the thin barrier against her vaginal walls. It was a tease to have his dick sitting still in her for too long. “You can thrust now." Midnight pulled back and began moving his hips. He shut his eye while he thrust, tensing his cock against her sphincter's hold that protruded and pushed in against his motions, stroking his length. After a few more, he went faster and folded his ears back.Midnight leaned on Julie while thrusting hard, rippling her rear cheeks and jolting her forward, slamming against her with a feral urge while holding her tightly. His sac swayed and tapped her vaginal lips. He brought up his hind leg and rubbed her thigh with his paw as if trying to find better leverage, often huffing against his force.
The bed shook and creaked under them, and their love echoed throughout the room.“Ohh, good bree. G-Good bree...” Julie’s words faded into a mumble while Midnight’s fur rubbed her legs and lower back; his movement pushed her shirt up. It was an immense mixture of dull, sore throbbing pain and just a touch of pleasure in sporadic bouts, especially while he was ramming her, making her bite her lip hard. "You missed it, love? M-Missed me?" She listened to him fall in love with her ass, turning ahead. Julie shifted her arm and set her weight on her palm, pushing it into the bed, which slightly raised her. His pads pressed her thighs, hips tapped her cheeks, and his cock moved inside her tight butt while his knot tapped it. The friction from her sphincter and small hole rubbing his shaft made a subtle chafy slick without being too wet. She looked around at the walls that glowed and held his light. He was in her room, in her bed, and taking her like never before. What a dream. Midnight eased his force but thrust swiftly. "Nmb." He briefly clenched his teeth while her sphincter puckered around him, tugging on her thighs and dragging his paws down to cover more of her. He pressed her skin with his pads to firm his hold. He shifted his hind legs and paws on the mattress to reposition and better angle himself. Julie squeezed the bedsheets while his forepaws rubbed her thighs; her eyes rolled back from the consistent waves of ecstasy while her umbreon pounded her. It rushed her in waves from deep within as his cock slipped in and out, stimulating her rear and vaginal walls with pleasing pressure, which wet her pussy. Sweat formed along her face, her thighs, and butt, especially under his body atop her and paws dimpling her skin.The pain had numbed for the most part; it felt fuzzy and intensely electrifying in place, even more so as the friction eased from his pre and resulted in suckier slicks— a sensory overload. She leaned more on her toes and pressed her chest and breasts into the bed. "Nhn, Midnight, oh yes, hahm. Keep humpingg, love." Her following words fell into a reveled murmur. "Keep humping my butt..." A few half-gasps cut by exuberant moans escaped her open mouth. Julie pulled her knee back for balance against his motions and fell back onto her arm, widening her eyes as every surge of pleasure increased in strength and warmth, stirring in her groin, around her sphincter, and along her vaginal canal, bringing her full-body chills. "...M-Midnight, I think I..." Was she going to orgasm from anal? How would that even feel? Midnight snuffled through his nose and promptly leaned in, set his paws on the mid-section of her back, and humped her ass faster. He briefly opened his mouth to grunt with shut eyes and short breaths, the bed creaking louder under his movement. During his next few thrusts, his member slipped out with a sucky pop due to their awkward positioning, poking and grazing her thighs as he at first continued his motions. He slowed and opened his eyes, stiffening his member and aimlessly thrusting. He prodded around her cheeks before his next thrust found her anus.She'd helped by tilting her rear to guide him. It'd feel so good to have him push back in and continue taking her. Midnight humped and slipped in again, her sphincter emitting a tight squelch and forcing a gasp out of Julie. He shut his eyes while humping vigorously. His hind legs shook, and his tail flicked. In an effort to hush her excitement, she buried her pink and sweaty face into her pillow. She could only hope he finished quickly as the bed continuously creaked. She wouldn't stop him. His dick felt too good. “H-Harderr. You're making me feel s-so frickin' good, love. Ughh..." Julie moaned in a high-pitched, muffled tone full of delight. "M'm s-so lucky... such a lucky girl." She pushed her hips back against his dominant thrusts, reached her hand to grip her rear cheek, which creased the skin under her fingers, and spread it for Midnight, showing her tight anus that he slipped in and the light pink around it. Her action pushed his shaft deeper. "Ugihm–" she grunted. The pressure in her stomach built, alongside her overall pleasure; she often panted under her breaths.He rested his head on her back. "Hn, br... bre... Mm..." Midnight smacked her rear harder as he pounded into it. He ground his hind paws into the bed; his hind legs went rigid, and his rings gleamed in growing intensity.“Ghn... he's gonna bust." Julie could tell by how much brighter her room's walls were after she briefly raised her head, along with his wild movement. She stuck her rear out against his feverish humping and shuddered against his short, rapid breaths and warm tongue on her back. "Yes yes..." Her legs trembled; she hugged the pillow with her arm, at her peak. Julie let out a high-pitched, guttural moan, wincing while an ineffable anal orgasm blurred everything. "Hhyess-snh!..." she moaned into the pillow while gripping it with her hand. Julie stuck her tongue out and bit it while pulsing, wondrous waves of hot pleasure echoed around her pulsing sphincter, along her vaginal walls that squeezed, and that crawled up her body in lovely, prolonged frissons, enhanced by Midnight's thrusting. She was so grateful he was still ramming her ass. She raised her rear each time he pushed into her, so he had trouble staying grounded; Julie's legs trembled and body tensed as her orgasm inundated her while gradually faltering. Gentle moans slipped from between her lips. She swayed on her knees under Midnight, making her have to spread them more so she wouldn't fall over. Midnight's hind legs often left the mattress for several seconds and dangled, though Julie moved her hand from her rear and reached to grab and hold his hind leg against her leg to support him and curb his sporadic motions. He dug his nails into her back and pressed her skin. He nodded slowly, nuzzling her back. Midnight gave a prolonged groan while humping and licked her skin, breathing at an increasingly high pitch. "Umb-breon!" With an airy growl against her back and five more thrusts into Julie’s tight hole, his rings reached max brightness. His paws quivered against her back while he shot semen that marked her narrow walls. She lowered her butt as he came, giving him back full control. With clenched teeth and a huff through them, Midnight kept humping hard but stopped at his knot, slowing to soft, deliberate, tense thrusts while keeping himself deep inside her at his peak.His humping pushed Julie forward, which she struggled to hold herself up against after such an intense orgasm. Its mind-numbing residual sensations still flowed through her in full, making her mouth water. She pressed her free hand into the bed for leverage; her forearm quivered and foot tilted aside. Her other hand fell from his leg and rested on the bed on its topside as he slowed, which she dragged forward, now pushing both palms into the mattress. Some of his release seeped out of her twitching hole and stained the sheets.Midnight slowed and stopped after a few moments. They kept still for almost a minute to catch their breath before he pulled out by unmounting Julie. She lay on her side; his cum slowly ran from her hole and down her rear cheek. She smiled and let a giggle stutter in her chest. Julie would definitely have to shower and wash the bedding tomorrow. “You’re amazing…” She reached and pulled Midnight to her chest, draping her arm over him and holding him close, hearing a subtle, pacified noise from him. She felt exactly the same. Tinges of her since-faded orgasm still brought her subtle twitches. Even as a moonlight pokémon, he’d sleep the night away for certain now. She'd be able to after he calmed down and his rings followed suit. Midnight curled up and rested his tail over his hind legs, his chin on his forepaws while in her hold. He closed his eyes, wearing a subtle grin.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Julie opened her eyes to early noon daylight shining through her window, her arm still hugging Midnight and his cheek resting against it. He was asleep and as adorable as always. “I can't believe I have you…" she whispered while tracing her fingers over his ear. It twitched in response, making Julie smile and stifle a giggle. She left for Unova this evening and had to say goodbye to her mom and Alyssa soon. She would be there for two weeks, which wasn’t enough time to enjoy even a small portion of the region, but she would still get to see and experience a lot if she managed time correctly. Julie hoped not to run into trouble while there, which reminded her that she'd forgotten to ask Mr. Willam if Midnight knew how to use attacks.He pulled her from her thoughts after stretching under her. Midnight lifted his head and groggily looked at Julie. “Hi... hope you slept well.” She rubbed his back. It was still difficult to believe Midnight was hers. Life felt complete for now, and her other half would forever be.He sat up by her chest and turned to face her, glancing at her bare thighs and rear. She was still lying on her side, so he had a height advantage. He leaned down to nuzzle her cheek. Julie looked up at him and hugged his waist with her arm. “We're leaving for Unova today, just you and me for a while." She sat a bit and leaned on her elbow. “And I meant to ask… do you know any attacks?"Midnight nodded while yawning.“Maybe you can show me them soon, but we should start getting ready. I've got to shower.” She got up and gathered a new pair of panties, jeans, and a tee. Julie had procrastinated and held off on packing until the day she left; the fact that she had focused on graduating for the past week hadn't helped. After showering, she started gathering clothing and necessities, putting them in a suitcase that she went to pull from her closet. Julie had found an affordable four-star hotel and had a decent amount of pocket money to spend, so she wasn’t worried about being unprepared.She did everything in a couple of hours since she often got sidetracked by Midnight and her phone. It was now 3 p.m.; Julie had to leave in an hour to get to Olivine City and board the ferry by six in the evening. Unfortunately, Goldenrod's ferry service didn't support travel to Unova. “I’m nervous, but I’m way more excited… or maybe it's the other way around.” Julie sat on the floor by her zipped-up suitcase while Midnight sat with her. “I’d be more nervous if I was going alone, though.” She took Midnight's cheek into her hand and ran her thumb over the top of his head. "You're a very special umbreon... not just because of your ear, but because I love you. You've done too much for me."He pressed his cheek to her palm and perked his ears. Her phone vibrated; she checked the message she received with her free hand. “I’ll be back. Alyssa'll be here in five.” Julie patted his head and went downstairs but was stopped before reaching the front door.“All set to go, Jule? You have your passport and I.D., right?" her mother asked from the couch, turning the volume down on the TV with the remote.Julie nodded. “All packed.” “New pokémon, by the way? I saw you napping with an umbreon when I came home yesterday.”“Oh, yes, I meant to tell you about him.” She took a few steps toward her.Julie told her mother everything in summary— excluding the sexual aspects of their relationship, of course. She'd told her about him previously belonging to the school and what had happened between her and Mr. Willam.“That’s… quite an amazing story, Julie. You said you’re taking Midnight with you?”“Yes. My first real adventure with a pokémon… My pokémon.”“I'm glad you’ll have protection. I’ll miss you.”After her mother said that, Julie leaned and gave her a tight hug. “I will too, Mom. I really appreciate you supporting and paying for my trip.” She looked behind at the door. "Alyssa's been waiting out front...""Of course. I want to see you prosper out there and find your joy." She patted her back. "Get the door."Julie pulled away after her mother let go and jogged to open it.“It's like... slightly cold out here," Alyssa said. “Just come inside. I don’t have on shoes.” Julie left the door open and walked back inside. Alyssa followed and shut it, wiping sweat from her forehead.“Hello, Alyssa. You look beat. Want some water?” Julie’s mother asked.“Hi. No thank you, Miss Lenita. I just pedaled harder than I usually do. I'll be fine," Alyssa replied with a grin, then went after Julie, who had gone upstairs. “Probably packed the galaxy into that suitcase." She entered the room and sat on the edge of Julie's bed, looking at Midnight lying by the pillow. “Taking good care of your girl?" She reached to rub his head.Julie rolled her eyes. “He helped me sleep last night.” She stood her suitcase up. It had wheels, so she wouldn’t have to carry it.“What’s this?” Alyssa pulled a piece of fabric sticking out from under the blanket. “You two got busy last night, I'm guessing?” Alyssa giggled at Julie's flustered face. “Uh…” Julie froze. “It was… nothing.” She went and took them, tossing them into the hamper in the closet."Guess you are taking good care of her.” Alyssa smirked and glanced at him.If Midnight didn't have fur, the probable blush on his cheeks would be visible. “So, you’re heading out in less than an hour, huh? It’ll be weird with you gone.” Alyssa stood and scanned the room.“It'll be weird for me too, but I've got to do this." Julie walked and hugged Alyssa. There was slight dampness on areas of her shirt from sweat. “Thank you one hundred times, over, Ali, and that’s for helping me get through soo much of high school.” She rested her chin on Alyssa’s shoulder. Alyssa embraced her as well. “Loved you too much not to be there for it all." She held it for almost a minute, but it'd be 4 p.m. soon. Julie broke it. “I have to go…” She checked her phone for the time.“Be safe out there. I’ll go so you can focus more on gathering.” Alyssa shared one final hug with Julie before leaving her room but stopped. “Oh yeah, and I should have like… three pokémon by the time you get back.” Julie raised her eyebrow and grinned. “Can’t wait to meet them, then. I know you’ll train them well.”“Duh, now see you soon.” Alyssa left for real this time. “Ready to go, cutie?” Julie got up and pulled the handle out of her suitcase, slipping into her boots. "Breon." Midnight hopped down from the bed and flicked his tail while looking up at Julie. “Oh, nearly forgot.” She bundled up her bedsheets and blanket and tossed them into her hamper. Her mom would likely wash the set, or Julie would upon return.She went downstairs and said her temporary farewells to her mother, then she and Midnight were off to Olivine. She'd take a single bus through Goldenrod to ensure they were on time. When they got to the city, it was thirty minutes from six, which would give Julie enough time to check in with the ticket she'd ordered and board the ferry. She glanced at Midnight while he walked by her side down a sidewalk full of people, busy grocery stores, and markets full of shoppers. Apartments and towering businesses in congregation encompassed them as they strolled through the commercial district. She had her navigation app open and checked her screen occasionally so they didn't get lost. Olivine wasn't as big as Goldenrod, but it still sprawled and held a busy society with just as many cars and people filling the walkways and streets. The climate was also just as cool. They reached the docks shortly and stood inside the welcome center at its front desk. Julie put her phone away and paid for her claimed ticket after giving the male receptionist the confirmation number she'd received in her email. She also gave him her passport and I.D. she momentarily grabbed from her suitcase and wallet. He let her through afterward, and she and Midnight stood at a distance with other passengers and accompanying pokémon, staring at the still ship for a couple of minutes and smaller boats docked beside it. They rocked against waves that stirred underneath and splashed against the sides. The windy climate made her shiver with every breeze. “Last time being home for a while..."Julie looked behind her, back at the building she had just left. She didn’t want to turn around, though. She wanted a fresh start with Midnight after enduring school. The vast region of Unova awaited. All they had to do was get on the ferry that would take them there.Midnight watched ships trudge across the ocean and glanced at docked ones. After the ferry began boarding, they got on with everyone else once Julie got her ticket validated by the crew. She stood on the deck at the railing with Midnight and gazed at a road before the docks within Olivine, at the continual passing of cars and people leading busy lives. She leaned down and scooped him into her arms, holding him against her chest while another breeze whisked by.