Carlos smirked darkly, enjoying the complete look of shock on Loki’s face. Carlos walked onto the field squaring off.
Loki shook his head. “No way boss mon, I could accidentally kill you, if I fought you.”
“3.”
”Boss mon is serious, sharpy-bro better start your harden.” Kong whooped happily, he loved watching fights almost as much as participating in one.
”No! I can’t attack hewmons!! It’s against the sacred rules!”
“2.”
”aww sweety thats only if they don’t want you to~” Dianne purred.
”what!? There is a loophole like that?”
“1.”
“You gotta last 15 of his moves asshole.”
“My name is Loki Gawain!”
“Gotta earn the name.” Gawain retorted. Gwen simultaneously called out. “Just give snack man a good hug, untasty bro!” Completely misunderstanding what was going on.
”What kind of sadistic…” Loki didn’t get more time to banter. Carlos sprung into action. During the counting, Loki had in fact stacked his harden up to the max. Carlos punched him on a critical spot, Loki got flung backwards.
Like Kong, the combination of detect, counter and mach strikes launched Carlos forward like an angry bullet. As a human he had to close his eyes and aim blind. The wind cutting into his eyeballs was too strong. However detect gave him near omnidirectional, bat like visualization.
”Alright fine! You wana get cut!? Ima cut you!” Loki snapped as he hopped deftly to his feet. Loki’s defenses were too high with harden for Carlos to hurt him.
Carlos smirked and sneered darkly but waited for a moment. As he observed Loki use Hone claws twice without realizing. Grinding his blade hands together on his horn blade creating a trifecta of sparks, as he began to prowl Carlos.
Loki’s Dark TE flared as he gave Carlos the most intense look of contempt. Two unnatural flicks of Loki’s head, double slamming Leer into Carlos, dropping his Attack and speed. Carlos smirked. It felt horrible but he tried to power through it, which was difficult. Loki was very good at utility moves. What happened next was something Carlos was very happy about. Loki used his hone claws again without thinking as he was too focused on Carlos.
Loki didn’t flinch. Carlos was over the moon and channeled all that giddiness into his taunt. “My my that look of contempt comes rather easy to you doesn’t it?”
“Raaagh!” Loki didn’t bother using his inner focus and launched at Carlos with a steel claw. Carlos slammed a secondary Mach strike right before his taunt wore off, into Loki exoskeletal skull. but didn’t manage to knock him back, due to Loki’s forward Momentum.
“Damn, taunt and I still only do 4 damage.” Carlos thought smirking. “I need better moves.” He was pushed hard to dodge. The blades of Loki sliced dangerously close, cutting into his skin ever so slightly.
Although his defense, due to quick guard. Which basically made his skin very hard, technically protected him completely and of all things, his fighting TE. Carlos was still getting nicked with superficial cuts, small trivial droplets of blood formed wherever Loki’s blades sliced.
Loki frustrated with his inability to land a proper hit, did another hone claws straight after the steel claw. He flinched but not as much as he normally would.
Carlos smirked again, observing. “So the key with this little fucker is hone claws and somehow his inner focus is somewhat of an Achilles heel.”
He threw another taunt into Loki’s face. “Please~, do take your time buffing up my good man~”
Loki again didn’t bother using his inner Focus and launched another steel claw at Carlos. He was fuming. “well there goes my chance of actually hurting him” Carlos thought. Leer was still on him and it was hard to focus on channeling his strength.
If nothing else if it wasn’t for quick guard Carlos would have been cut very badly. 3 crisp strikes sliced through the air as Loki build up an incredible momentum.
“YO ASHOLE!” Kong hollered. “Pointy attacks are ineffective!”
”I fucking know! I need the speed!” Loki snapped back.
“Ya need me to stand still~, guys should I?” Carlos taunted again. He was getting close to his 15 move limit. Detect he could pace out, but he needed 3 quick guards for each steel claw.
This time it was Carlos time to be surprised, before the taunt could settle, Loki somehow. Deflected the taunt and flung it straight back at Carlos with a simple sentence.
”well why dont ya!?
Getting taunted, dropped Carlos ability to use quick guard. Which caused his guard to falter completely. Loki foul play slipped past his defenses, Loki’s hand blade impaled to the hilt into his chest, an inch away from his heart. There momentum carried Loki forward and Carlos fell backwards, slamming down hard into the soil.
Loki’s look of concentration and blood intent, morphed into one of mortification. He jumped off, utterly shocked and looked in horror at the blood dripping from his hand blade.
“I’M ALRIGHT! FUCK that hurts! Ffffffffuuuuuuck what was I thinking? Well that’s what I get for pushing you to the edge but great progress Loki.”
Carlos flinched as the pain was deep and seemed to reach everywhere, his inner TE went to work instantly and the bleeding was a lot less than what he expected. Luckily he was somewhat resistant to both steel and dark.
Loki dropped to the ground and kowtowed in front of Carlos. “I’m sorry! I lost control! I will accept my banishment, if not death!”
”Sheesh what a drama queen.” Carlos smirked, still flinching from the pain.
“Loki look at me.” Loki looked up shivering. He was taken aback by the big smirk on Carlos face. “Why aren’t you mad? Why aren’t you furious? Another hit like that would faint you! I almost, I almost used iron head,! Arceus what have I done?”
Carlos chuckled. “I’m not mad because I literally asked for it, Loki all you really did was humble me. I kinda needed that. Gawain sear the wound for me please, I will get it looked at after. Gotta clean up before Corey sees this. Meanwhile, you three, tell him what the worst was you did to me.”
However, before they could, an overly sweet voice rang out behind him.
”Before I see what Carlos?” Carlos head spun around like a deer caught in the headlights, he looked at Corey in a simple but very flattering outfit.
”Oh nothing too serious. I misjudged a stab from Loki and stepped into his strike like a complete noob, I may have gotten myself stabbed just a tiny bit.” He said without pause, trying to bullshit himself out. The pain on his face however…
“That’s not what happened!” Loki wailed. “I deserve punishment! Discipline!”
Although Corey didn’t understand a word Loki said she understood his emotions and body language perfectly fine. “You are not to blame for this dear.” She said softly and caring to a panicking Loki. Carlos swallowed, she had her Joy mask plastered on. He hadn’t seen that for a while. “Oh fuck she’s pissed.” He thought.
She had walked up to Loki and eased Loki’s TE, to calm him down.
Cory’s Wigglytuff materialized, and waddled over to Carlos and slapped her flipper on Carlos wound, who proudly didn’t flinch and let her heal him with healing pulse, he saw the hit it took on both their TE, unlike other moves, healing moves always took a percentage of your TE. after she was done, she healed up Loki who was looking at the horizon with a thousand yard stare.
”I owe you one Wigglytuff.” Carlos said. Corey’s Wigglytuff scoffed. “You damn straight, a week supply of my favorite snack for you and another for Loki.”
“Deal.” Corey turned her head and gave him a scolding stern Joy look. Not a Corey look. “Ouch, that bad” he thought.
Meanwhile Kong shuffled uncomfortably, and walked towards Loki who was still getting calmed down by Corey. “I broke boss-mon’s bones.”
”Three of his bones,” Dianne added. “I let my darkness get the better of me during a period we had little food. During a sparring match I chomped down on his arm, I,” Dianne struggled to say it out loud, “I wasn’t opposed to how Alpha blood tasted.”
That gave Corey’s Wigglytuff pause. Carlos walked over and gave Dianne scratches. “It’s ok dear.” He said.
”Getting stabbed that deep is not ok Carlos, not even for someone as strong as you.” She said calmly, but the scorn was still obvious for him.
”I know babe, I meant what Dianne just admitted to Loki, I’m sorry I scared you.” Carlos said and sat down next to Corey pulling her in closer. She didn’t object.
”Well I’m glad you have at least some sense.” Corey shook her head. “Already as crazy as that Bruno guy.”
”Don’t you mean sexy?” Carlos smirked and pulled her in for a kiss. All his Mons, except Gwen rolled their eyes and began practicing. Gwen approached. “Is it tasty?” Carlos and Corey turned to her and smiled, Corey cooed and she rubbed the cuddly landwhale.
”Only if we do it for the two of us, Gwen.” Carlos smirked as Corey got distracted by Gwen’s child like cuteness.
“Hey babe, Loki just made a huge breakthrough, been working on it for a month with him, give me 5 minutes?”
“Take an hour, that’s how much time I’m gonna spend with this gorgeous ball of cuteness.” She said rubbing Gwen’s chubby cheeks. Carlos laughed, and looked at Gwen, she looked at him. “Pink-sis doesn’t understand me but gives me tasty insides.” She began bouncing on her feet as Corey began a game with her. Corey’s Azumarill and Clawitzer came out as well. Azumarill played along with Gwen. And Clawitzer started a shooting match with Gawain.
After a while, Carlos finished talking with Loki about his observations and theories on Hone claws, which got Loki all fired up trying to replicate his earlier success. Carlos left him to it and went back to Cory pulling her in.
She cocked her head with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Thanks for being awesome”, he said, “and you better know it,” she quipped, he kissed her. He had to admit, her showing up last night like she did touched him, especially knowing how busy she was lately. “It’s kind of sad how this won’t turn into a cool looking scar.”
“Girls are not into that Carlos, besides i still see them all.” Corey said huffing. “Seeing so many on one guy is worrisome.”
”what are you talking about? All traces of injuries disappear after a month or so.” Carlos cocked his head in confusion looking at Corey.
She sighed. “Sit down babe, I’ll show you.” Carlos did as ordered and Corey gently, gracefully touched his body in various places. Each time she pressed her fingers into his skin in a rather tantalizing way she described an injury that he had suffered when he was still in the hollow mountains. Especially his short stint of hunting stronger Pokemon had left a plethora of scars, invisible to him but plain to see for Corey. Carlos didn’t hear half of what she was saying. He just looked at her, it felt rather intimate to him.
Surge came out smirking “hey ya lovebirds stop making us regular plebeians feel so lacking!”
Corey turned her head and smiled sultrily at Surge. “Perhaps if you kept your dignity intact, you would find a pretty dame to love you up proper.”
The lady that Surge had slept with, snaked her hands around Surge’s massive frame and ducked under his arm snidely remarking, “what are you saying? I loved him up right and proper. nothing wrong with a little indulgence now and then, something you should be intimately familiar with.” Her tone was rather scathing.
”Oh boy catfight.” Carlos thought. He deftly picked up Corey who was about to stalk forward, into a princess carry.
”No fair Carlos, she pouted.”
Sultry lady: “my my what a gentleman.” She leaned into Surge’s ear. Carlos caught something about roleplay.
”Hey babe don’t you need to go back to work? Don’t get me wrong I’m totally down to elope but em that might bite us both in the ass.” Carlos said.
Corey flicked her head, looking at Carlos with a sidelong glance, “Fine but you are dropping me off. My trip is in an hour.”
”Deal.” Carlos gave her a quick smooch and put Corey down. “What do you need Surge?”
“Ya know anything about this?” Surge pinged Carlos Pokedex with a thread on the vermilion gym forum that was going viral.
Vermilion GYM Challenge Board.
ProdigyTrainer
”I challenge the drill sergeant to a duel Next month! Thursday on the 25th”
Aceinthemaking
”You that guy, the Rangers had to save after you dumbass was running for his life, getting chased by multiple Salamence?”
ProdigyTrainer
”teehee, yea that’s why the challenge is next month I have to work for the damage I partially caused to the rangers. But hey, check this out!
#link to a bagon picture with Finnley smiling like a goofball. The bagon thoroughly tired of his new trainer.
Aceinthemaking/solidveteran
”Dayum! You got a genuine dragon!
ProdigyTrainer
”Bro’s and hoes don’t even know the best of it. I got a savant Geodude, take 1 wild guess what hidden ability he revealed after he nearly died protecting me from the Salamence!?”
Aceinthemaking/solidveteran
”There’s no fucking way you are that lucky! Dude we curse you with eternal virginity!”
ProdigyTrainer
”Too late for this Chad and yup! He awoke the god damn Dragon born ability! It’s fate I tell you, there is a connection! Ive got dragon blood as a trainer like the mighty dragon tribes themselves!”
Carlos looked at Surge. “I’m not familiar with the dragon born ability, what does that do? The sultry lady answered instead. “Oooh that’s a very rare ability that turns a Pokemon’s normal TE into Dragon TE, yet still allowing the use of normal moves.”
”Sheesh on a Geodude with sturdy and the pain tolerance savant nature that is going to be one tough cookie.”
The sultry lady gasped, she looked downright turned on for a moment, Corey caught it too. “That’s a one in a millIon! People have killed for less.”
That got her odd looks from everyone. She shrugged playfully. “Hey I won’t, just sayin others have.”
Carlos filed that for later and continued reading.
Pidgeysmasher.
”Yo, @Prodigaldragontrainer, those Salamence called about that connection! They want you to say hi to their fangs!”
ProdigyTrainer
”Pfff someone is jealous.”
Pussyslayer69.
”Not to rain on your lucky parade but you do know that a challenge like that. Removes like half the limitations holding back the sergeants ruthless ass? The way he manhandled my team over and over with that stupid smirk hidden behind his stern facade, with a bunch of garbage moves was humiliating.”
Rocksteady.
”@Pussyslayer69 dude, as a fellow brother. Please I beg of you, change your username.”
Pussyslayer69
“Bitch im a lesbian and that’s my count.”
Rocksteady
”Apologies for the assumption but that frankly makes it worse. Who hurt you?”
ProdigyTrainer
”Yo! This isn’t a relationship thread piss off!”
Pussyslayer69
@Rocksteady Who says it was different ladies? piss off!
Rocksteady
“@Pussyslayer69 How can I with so many questions!?”
Flightmaster101.
”Bad naming sense notwithstanding, i agree with Pussyslayer69 Having faced him recently, the guy is ruthless. He didn’t hesitate to use self destruct.
That being said. THANK YOU SARGE! All the advice paid off big time, my team is doing AWESOME!”
Rocksteady
“@Flightmaster101 dude we all saw your match getting streamed. You were LUCKY, you only had 2 of your mons knocked out and you won on the first try. That makes you like the first this season since the drill sergeant started. You got nothing to complain about.
The rest of the thread had turned into a shouting match of angry keyboard warriors.
Carlos looked up the rules of challenges quickly and skimmed them. A smirk played on his face.
”Want me to hype it up a bit more for sales?” He looked at Surge, both men had their hustle face on. The women rolled their eyes. “Men are boys and boys are boys,” the sultry lady said. Corey nodded in agreement. “They sure are, you said it sis!”
The purple haired woman introduced herself as Miya. Their previous spat already forgotten. Surge looked amused as the women walked off and started chatting about the most mundane trivial stuff, like shoes and shook his head, he grinned at Carlos.
Surge: “By all means go for it. You get part of the revenue your videos make.”
Carlos: ”10%”
Surge: ”You already get 15?”
Carlos; ”Not the videos, the bootleg operating you got going on.”
Surge: ”not so loud and I don’t what do you mean?” He grinned shamelessly.
Carlos quipped his eyebrow. ”Come now Surge, you have my Gwen run herself ragged cooling booze, 3 times a week whenever you get a shipment in. A bit of head math thats enough to supply half the bars in town.”
Surge: “Hey I only supply like three.”
Carlos: “Three what?” Carlos quipped a smirk and raised his eyebrow further.
Surge: ”Three…. Avenues.”
Carlos smiled like the devil ”So you only deal with the good stuff? No wonder you need a pokemon with near perfect cooling control.
Surge: ”I can give you five percent.”
Carlos: ”Seven percent and I will throw in a scoop, trust me, you need the scoop.”
Surge: ”Fucking bastard, Deal, now whats the scoop?”
Carlos lowered his voice. ”Jennies have been snooping around and they are expertly avoiding your security measures the last couple of weeks, might have been longer I only noticed two weeks ago.”
”Shit, I did need to know that.” Surge scratched his head. “Fuck I promised Miya we would spend the day, but I gotta update security if what you said is true.” He said somewhat louder.
Miya perked up at that. “I used to run security for the Psychic Gym, back in Saffron City.”
Surge perked up at that. He turned to Miya and smiled. “That must have been a good gig, why’d you give that up?”
Miya sighed. “Don’t get me wrong I love a good bit of Voyeurism.” Carlos sighed when she lowered her already lowcut dress, revealing way too much, while Surge whistled. “My kinda woman.”
Miya continued: “but a bit of privacy now and then is appreciated and there is no privacy with a gym leader who can teleport like Pokemon. With a wife equally talented and a daughter with the most monstrous talent as an auric psychic, not seen in the indigo league in the last 300 years.”
Corey stepped in. “Miya! What would your daughter think?” Not paying any attention to what Miya was saying and pulled Miya’s dress back up.
“pfff, my daughter is such a shy prude at the moment, I doubt she will ever get a boyfriend.”
Carlos zoned the rest of the conversation out as Corey scolded both a smirking Surge and Miya, about trying to drag poor, innocent Carolyn into a threesome.
Wildsarge.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“@Flightmaster101. Yo I’m glad the training is working out. Glad to hear you’re doing good. It’s good to know some people have the good sense to listen to a professional.
Speaking of dumbasses who don’t listen to the pro’s.
@ProdigyTrainer. Yo Finnley you absolute butthole! I told you to go for a Mareep or something, not a true dragon type!
Now I’m legally bound to tell you that I’m glad you are alive, but I am going to personally crush and humble you with a 3 man team that I will train personally, over the next month, to beat your sorry ass.”
ProdigyTrainer
“I did catch a Mareep. Was easy too. Didn’t even put up a fight and hey! I’m just that good! Don’t be jealous ??. And you must mean 4 not three.
Wildsarge
”There is a difference between proper confidence, knowing your team and yourself. Allowing you to take calculated risks and then there is dumbass!!! who got SAVED by rangers after he pissed off a dragon horde!!!
#superangryfaceofCarlos picture.
To answer your question. It’s simple really. OBVIOUSLY you will use that one in a million geodude, but that means your second fighter has to be your Charmander. So you can superheat sandstorm. That rules out your exeggcute due to grass typing, Your Bagon won’t listen to orders within the next month, leaving you with that Swablu you mentioned. So only 1 Pokemon with a real typing advantage. Still thats a locked team for sure
ProdigyTrainer
”Pfff that’s why you are the Sarge, since you already know what I’m going to show up with, it only seems fair you tell me what you are going to show up with?”
(instant response) Wildsarge
”A Magnemite. A Mareep and a watrell. I will let you figure out the setup.”
PussySlayer69
”Jesus that was a fast response. @Prodigytrainer No offense to you kid, but I’m betting against you. Check it out btw. Someone already started a betting pool.”
Carlos looked up from his pokedex. Surge smirked knowingly. “Dang you are fast Lieutenant.” He said.
”You know me Man, good job riling up the crowd.”
Carlos decided to toss in one last bloody bone for the houndooms.
Wildsarge.
“Btw I Will toss in 5k as a bet on myself. Care to follow that wager?”
ProdigyTrainer.
”You are on! Prepare to lose! Im gonna crush you!”
TheONEtheONLYrealSURGE.
”ticket sales are going rather fast, we will most likely stage this fight in the old arena hall. Tickets are going fast, if you miss out, there are streaming services and we will set up drive in locations, if needed. Check the official site for updates”
the responses came in hot people riling up ProdigyTrainer, people scrambling to get tickets. Corey shook her head and closed her dex. “You are so bad baby” she said playfully. She scooted in closer laying her hand on Carlos lap.
“Should I hype him up a bit more? Or is that laying it on too thick?” Carlos asked the group. He gave his dex to his mons who had fun listening to Loki, explaining what was going on, Loki loved to add some dramatic flair.
Surge shook his head. ”Nah any more hype and it will seem forced, this looks perfectly natural.”
”Especially with you cussing him out. You bad, bad boy.” Miya said sultrily, her tone was rather seductive. Carlos felt Corey’s grip tighten on his thigh. He placed his hands on hers and squeezed.
Surge laughed. “Seems you wil be busy my man, once you come back from dropping off your girl, we will go out and catch some of those mon’s, smart of you to pick some common ones from the local area.”
Corey got up and smooched Carlos on the cheeks. “Meet me up front?” She had a sparkle in her eyes.
Carlos nodded and watched her go and disappear in the building. “Why did I go and saddle myself with overtime again?” He idly wondered.
Surge laughed out loud. “Cuz you a battle freak at heart brother.” He clapped him on the shoulders while his other hand was on Miya, who happily leaned into Surge.
”Hey sweetie why don’t I freshen up and afterwards, I give you some pointers for your security system? She clamped her lips onto Surge for an over the top kiss, giving Carlos a side eye and got up. Carlos arched his eyebrow at her wondering what she was playing at.
Living up to her previous claim of enjoying voyeurism. It was a bit over the top for Carlos but Surge seemed to enjoy it.”
“Sure as rain babe.” Surge watched her strut away, Carlos shook his head at the femme fatale, he observed Surge’s body language, something he picked up by osmosis from sleeping with a Joy.
Carlos: “This Miya, you seem to be into her a bit more, than your usual quarry.”
Surge: ”Tellin ya kid. Older women tend to be feisty but this one was positively wild and in heat. I kept wondering if she faked it but nah she just kept..”
”ok ok, she’s awesome I get it.” Carlos waved him off. “She seems to be your type for sure.”
Surge’s starter popped out of his ball and folded its arms, watching Carlos with a smug shit eating grin. It’s powerful aura was palpable. Surge mirrored his Raichu’s expression. “You are one to be bashful, you and that gall of yours went on longer than me!”
Carlos felt uncomfortable. “I thought we were quiet.” He Murmured. Dianne yipped a scoff and rolled her eyes dramatically. Kong had the same grin on his face. Gawain looked the other way, so did Loki who snickered. Gwen to his relief didn’t seem to get it. “Allright I’m going to drop off Nurse Joy behave alright?”
“What are you looking at me for?” Surge grinned harder.
Carlos laughed and dramatically rolled his eyes and got up. He went to the front and froze. He was completely dumbstruck.
He almost didn’t recognize Corey. She was wearing a small, really tight, lowcut dress colored light salmon pink. It hugged her voluptuous form way too tight, creating a dazzling view. The skirt hugged her hips and barely got halfway her thighs, it did that thing where it accentuated the sexy thickness of her legs. She had somehow colored her hair and eyebrows completely blond which offset her sparkling green eyes. She smiled shyly at him. ”I think it wasn’t fair that you didn’t get to see me show off in a sexy dress last night.”
“You sure this isn’t some convoluted reverse psychology way to torture me? How am I gonna focus for the rest of the week remembering this?” He got closer. His heartbeat quickened and he grabbed her a bit roughly, kissing her passionately.
”I’m not torturing you, just reminding you of what you have to lose.” She said, it almost sounded like a warning but her eyes were soft, telling him something else. “I have a long quiet scenic route planned to the transport platform.” She leaned in and whispered. “Lots of quiet private places,”
He didn’t see it but he could feel her biting her own lip and she spoke the last sentence a bit louder, “we can be loud.”
Carlos felt his heart trying to hammer its way out of his chest as Corey dragged him along he took a deep breath to settle himself. “I don’t think I deserve such an amazing person such as you.” He said softly. She turned and looked up at him through eyelashes that seemed to go on forever, laughing beautifully.
“What are you saying you silly psyduck! Of course you deserve me, want to know why?” She said playfully. “Why?” Carlos asked smiling. She leaned in, and whispered. “Because I deserve you.”
They left the gym, an hour later, Corey almost missed her timeframe. Running onto the platform on the last second. “Huh, I never got to ask her how she colored her hair blond.” He sighed. He already missed her. That dress had woken something fierce in him. She pinged him 5 minutes later as he was walking back all alone.
NurseDory.
”Already miss you??”.
Wildsarge.
”Ugh don’t remind me, ?? btw how did you color your hair and eyebrows blond so quickly?
NurseDory
”Have you ever seen any nurse Joy outside of a poke center wearing anything but their nurse outfit?”
Wildsarge.
”Now that you mention it no, never.”
NurseDory
”That’s because we are experts at disguising ourselves, we have to, otherwise we could never find a moment to relax or take a walk. The coloring is a simple mouse that washes out with basic water. But babe id love to do some sexting with you but i gtg, I’m already late.”
Carlos felt his chest fill up with joy. “I lucked out with that woman big time.” He whistled as he began walking back smiling, a spring to his step that he curtailed. He had a reputation to uphold. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if he should buy her a ring. A restaurant… no a picnic all alone and who knows? perhaps kill two birds with one stone? He chuckled.
“Sheesh is this a Pokemon story or a chick flick?” He began to grin wide getting a few odd looks but he ignored it. It was about half an hour later when he was almost back at the gym that his Pokedex did its custom Corey ping.
NurseDory
“I’m sorry babe, I will have to catch up on my missed shifts this weekend.”
Carlos grumbled, she had warned him this might happen.
Wildsarge.
”Aw babe that sucks, really? I can’t come? What if i come on Saturday night instead? after your shift?”
She didn’t respond for a while and Carlos felt his heart sink. “Ugh you totally are, torturing me Corey,” he muttered,
“did I do something wrong? Pfff do you need to check the file she has?” He scolded himself. Suddenly he didn’t feel so sure of himself. It took a good 3 minutes before she responded.
NurseDory
”I’m sorry babe, My mentor is adamant.”
Carlos sighed, “fuck” he thought for a moment. “Let’s see…”
Wildsarge.
”Nothing you can do, you did warn me that this might happen. So not this weekend. What about next weekend?”
Again over 3 minutes before she responded.
NurseDory.
“You have to understand Babe, I missed a lot of shifts, looking at all the penalties I racked up, I don’t know when the next time is that I can get off.”
Carlos felt something leaving his body. He couldn’t put his finger on it. It was so Jarring. Something was wrong and it pissed him off. Her text’s felt so… robotic and what was up with these delays. nothing like the bubbly Teenager girl style of writing he had come to expect from Corey.
Doing some head math on what she had explained as far as penalties, he knew she wasn’t truthful, that was what really stung. She had omitted facts or avoided things, never flat out lied to him.
Wildsarge
”How about, next Sunday, just a day?”
“That’s not too clingy right?” Again the delay.
NurseDory.
”I don’t know babe, i will have to check my schedule.
“When has she ever needed to check her schedule?” he sat down for 15 minutes and calmed himself down.
He looked at his Pokedex after he was calm again. He felt a bit guilty, Corey was on her 5th text asking him to respond. Which was weird he had expected more texts, she usually straight up bombarded him with text, if he didn’t respond immediately. She would pester him, not politely remind him to respond.
He checked the time frames of each text, “3,45 minutes delay on the dot, now why does that number sound familiar?” His emotional state hindered his ability to remember and reason and it pissed him off. It felt like she was manipulating him and he had no clue why. He measured his response.
Wildsarge.
”Sorry babe, had to take some time taking it in. You caught me completely off guard with this through text. You had me REALLY fired up with that dress for the weekend, then you hit me with this, it’s a lot to take in.”
Carlos kept writing and rewriting before hitting send. He wanted to snap at her, accuse her of lying, but he schooled himself. His doubtful self told him this behavior was a red flag, he ran through all the inconsistencies, he looked back to weeks prior had she lied then? He felt himself tumble down a spiral.
“Fuck! You survived life or death you are having a simple argument with your Girl, stop being a wimp!” He silently fumed to himself.
He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. It took a while before she responded. He began to panic again. Did he overstep? How? This was a normal response right?”
NurseDory.
”I think I’m in love with you Carlos.”
That send him reeling.
He didn’t know what to say. He wrote her back he loved her too, over and over and over again. Yet he couldn’t hit send.
Wildsarge
”I will tell you the next time we see each other.”
NurseDory.
“Why not? I don’t know when I get some time off. Also Carlos it’s really not a big deal to say it over text. However I will respect your decision.
Carlos sat on a bench unaware of the people passing him. “What the fuck is happening? Why is Corey acting so…. Polite?” He thought to himself. He knew he should be over the moon hearing her say she loved him. But the lie stung, the inconsistencies stung. Again he had to calm himself down. He reread all the texts.
Looking at the texts Corey send, he felt that all of this was way too uncharacteristic for Corey. Corey loved texting but she would have told him this in person, right?
A Nasty, nasty thought creeped in. “Or she played you for a complete fool all this time and is now having a laugh right before she knew you were going to confess, she can read you like an open book after all.”
He crushed that train of thought quickly, the white hot rage of a thousand suns descended upon him. Especially after that walk. Was that break up sex? No why did she say she loved him then?
he needed to get to the bottom of this before his mind conjured up one conspiracy after the next.
Wildsarge.
”Corey I feel something is getting lost in translation, we need to talk. I don’t care about how long your shift is, we are going to have a video call tonight at midnight if needed, you hear?”
NurseDory.
”what’s wrong babe? Don’t you think you’re not a bit too forceful?”
Again that detached and delayed response, it drove him nuts.
Wildsarge.
”you know, you call me an idiot all the time you stupid woman. Don’t you understand that what you did yesterday and today, got me planning a day for it? Wondering if I should get you a ring?
Do I take you to a restaurant? Do I say it after we are completely alone during a picnic in the local hillsides? You know me well enough to know that you can’t expect me to just casually drop such a bomb over a text. Either we are having that call or I will get on that transport pad, right now.
Corey didn’t respond for a while. “If she waits for another 3.45 minutes im gonna cuss her out.” The doubts began to rage again. He vaguely remembered her talking about some waiting technique when it came to testing a persons responses. None of it helped with his paranoia. People in this world for the most part were very trustworthy from what he could observe, especially when it mattered.
He calmed himself down again and kept telling himself he was just paranoid, just another bit of baggage to get rid off.
After a while 2.32 minutes, she dialed a video call instead.
Carlos felt a sigh of relief escape him, he accepted and walked into an alley for some privacy. “Y-you were planning on getting me an engagement ring?”
The shy genuine stammer, the glint in her eyes. The fading blush, but most of all, the ever faintly red eyes from holding back her tears, made his anger and doubts melt. He smiled warmly and sighed, feeling stupid, obviously there had been some misunderstanding.
“I am now, any type of stones that you like?” He said warmly, he was beginning to feel very emotional.
she responded instantly, making it clear she had already given it a lot of thought.“Anything green that matches my eye color; emerald or tourmaline. Oh Carlos are you serious about this?” She had set her pokedex on a park table and was sitting down so she was framed all the way. She was still in her overly sexual dress. Her chest going up and down from rapid breathing, was utterly distracting Carlos. He had a hard time keeping an eye on her tells, her indicators. She was using her manipulation techniques, but he recognized them, she was telling him, “please don’t be mad,” or “I’m sorry!” He couldn’t tell exactly.
”Corey, what is going on? Why on earth are you testing me like this?” Carlos asked with a pained smile, his doubts returned. He felt wronged.
”Same reason you keep looking if I’m using my training to manipulate you. Even now.”
her eyes flickered.
He couldn’t tell if that was a genuine response. ”I guess so.” He said. He went silent. Drawing a blank. Had it all been in his stupid head?
she spoke, her eyes flickering again.
”I won’t deny I don’t catch myself doing it but I try my best to be completely honest and genuine with you Carlos I mean that.”
her eyes flickered. A light went up and his face grew dark, he pieced it all together, her current behavior her eyes with signs of tears. He silently mouthed: “are you alone?” And quickly followed up with: “For a hot second I thought you were breaking up.”
She shook her head and chuckled, of course not silly! It’s just work. Once my year is over I can pick my station and it will settle to a normal pace.
he nodded. His face Grimm. He mouthed silently: “are you safe?” So you are ok then? We are too? She nodded. “Yes I’m ok,” she chuckled but it was shaky “and how can you question if we are ok after what we just did? I’m sorry for putting you through this, you deserve better, but that’s what we will have to deal with if you wish to continue dating me.“
Carlos began to suspect, this had something to do with the elders Corey had always complained about, the way she was fidgeting so uncomfortably her obvious tells that she was embarrassed. Her curves kept bouncing, he shook his head.
”I like your pink hair, it makes me wish you didn’t make such a hot blonde.” Carlos blurted out. She got a pained expression, He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry I didn’t mean to think that out loud.” Which, confusingly only made the pained expression get worse.
”So it’s ok for you to constantly filter and measure your responses and be on guard when you are with me? I want you to be completely honest with me too.” She said softly.
Carlos pondered for a moment. “Ok complete honesty,” he said. “you should have told me straight up you would be too busy. You totally led me to believe I was going to see you this weekend, I was really looking forward to seeing you and then you just drop in: ow yea sorry, can’t see you for the next two weeks, probably the entire month. That was, it was, it was painful, idk am I crazy to think it felt cruel?” He flicked his head backwards, and he saw Corey understand, she nodded firmly. “I know Carlos I should have led with that. I keep forgetting that under all that roughness you can be quite sensitive.”
”Hey, can’t blame you there, it catches me constantly by surprise too.” He said smiling. She laughed and he saw some tension ease out of her.”
Carlos sighed in relief as well.
”What time does your shift end tonight?”
“23:30.”
“For crying out loud, I thought Surge was a Slave driver, I will see you then, save some energy ok?”
”B-But babe I can’t I’m…” she stammered but Carlos cut her off.
”Not another word. It’s your own fault for looking so damn sexy in that dress. I’m coming and that’s that. I’m hanging up now and will not look at any of your texts you hear?”
Corey was about to protest but nothing came out. She slumped in defeat and looked at Carlos. “See you tonight Carlos.”
”I L…” Carlos bit his tongue. “Tonight.” With that he shut down the video call. And let his head rest against the wall. The emotional turmoil calming down. “She did warn me them elders were stiff and prickly.” He muttered.
“Alpha?” Carlos looked to the side and saw Dianne standing in the alleyway. “Is everything okay between you and pink-sis?”
Carlos sat down on the ground and crossed his legs. Dianne hopped into his lap. “You are in heat, badly.”
“Pink-sis does have that effect on me.”
”Then why are you so sad? Why are your eyes leaking?”
“I’m not leaking.”
”Just a little.”
”I’m not sure Dianne. I think for some reason I could have lost Pink-sis there, it seems like her elders, her Alpha’s don’t approve of us.”
“She’s not mating with others btw if thats something you are worried about. Lots of doubts inside you right now.” She said trying to comfort him.
”You can smell that?”
Dianne scoffed. “Off course! we have best noses. Strict rules in the pack on that. Once 2 mate, smell of both changes, body smell changes. Doesn’t matter how much you wash. Never leaves you. Poochyena and Mightyena can always smell it.”
”Huh, that does make me feel better, I did for a hot second, think she was cheating.” He smiled at Dianne. “I don’t deserve such a loyal girl like you. Definitely not after I neglected you for so long.” He pulled Dianne in for a hug.
”I’m not too comfortable with this squishy stuff alpha, soft strong ok. Squishy makes me feel icky, if pink-sis betrays us, I will kill her.” Her ruthless Dark TE flared, the way she said it so casually reminded Carlos of the feral nature of Pokemon. “I’m glad you are so protective of me Dianne, but please don’t kill her, ok? If she does, the alpha reserves the right of her fate.”
Dianne grumbled but nodded her head.
Carlos smirked, and let her go. “Thank you Dianne, and thanks for letting me hug you, alpha needed that.”
”Gawain and Gwen are better suited for squishy stuff. Better not show Kong or Loki though. Also you don’t neglect me, you busy alpha. Don’t know how you do it all.”
She huddled and curled up next to him. “Pats and scratches please, clone told others where we are.” Carlos complied smiling, sitting together with Dianne. Reflecting.
Half hour earlier. POV Corey.
Corey was over the moon. As she arrived in Blackthorne she instantly texted Carlos. She bit her lip again, that intense reaction he had, seeing her in this dress, was worth the horrible embarrassment she felt wearing it. It had only been for an hour but somehow this ludicrous dress felt worse than the idea of walking around naked.
The way it made her look and how Carlos eyes had popped out of their sockets had made it worth it, it had been a perfect moment. Pure unadulterated burning passion. She sighed, it was only a matter of time till he said those 3 words.
Heck he almost said it numerous times in the last hour, obviously that hopeless romantic wanted to do it in a proper intimate setting, she smiled joyfully that just meant she got to savor it more.
She was happy she had listened to Miya about the dress. She walked towards a local motel that had changing rooms for her to use. She didn’t feel comfortable in the least, walking on high heels like this at all. Together with Carlos? Sure, who with one withering stern look, made any judgmental person smile like they just saw a saint. Alone like this, she felt horribly exposed.
She didn’t get very far. 2 very inconspicuous women approached.
Her face went pale. The oldest of the two gave her the most agonizing, withering judgemental look that shattered her joyous spell. The other looked apologetically at her. The oldest one a Joy elder, she knew her very well from her early days. The other her mentor.
“I see I came just in time. Follow.” The elder spoke with venomous judgment.
Corey shrunk, “I would like to get changed first, I feel exposed.”
“You may not change.” The elder scoffed and started walking. The simple attempt at putting her in a socially compromising position was plain for Corey to see.
She hated how she couldn’t help but admit that it was working. She meekly followed the older nurses. They walked towards a nearby park. Corey was getting a lot of looks. Usually she would be able to hide behind her training and make it relatively enjoyable but she felt miserable.
She couldn’t believe how much she wanted Carlos here, he would set those old crones straight, she froze mid step. “Ow fuck, I’m in love, when did that happen?”
She thought to herself. This was a horrible time to realize this, she didn’t have time to work that into her mask. The elder was going to see, she felt a cold sweat coming on.
”Sit, link up, show me what you have been talking about.” The elder ordered her.
“Those are private conversations.” Corey protested. She felt her heartbeat quicken, simultaneously with her heart dropping down her chest a few inches. Fear was not an emotion she was all too familiar with, but right now, it threatened to choke her.
”It isn’t, when it concerns a man of his disposition.” The elder barked.
”Remember your training,” her mentor said softly. Corey felt her soul leave her body. She put up her mask, she had to. She was screaming on the inside.
The invasion of her privacy ripped at her soul. She hated how embarrassed she was, she shouldn’t be. It was obvious when the elder, read through all the illicit texting her and Carlos had engaged in.
”Why didn’t you report this?” The elder asked curtly.
”Since when do I need to report my personal relationships?” She bit back.
”do not play coy with me. You didn’t report the fact that this man, this Carlos, belongs to the 3%.” The elder said calmly but she was obviously fuming. “We had to piece it together ourselves.”
Now it was Corey’s time to be genuinely surprised. “What are you talking about? I reported all of it, the fact that his TE responded, his typing, hell his whole psychological and mental map. I did more than was...”
”Silence.” The elder, cut her off. “You know damn well that his numbers are way off.”
”He’s got dark typing and shows none, I repeat none of the symptoms! By Arceus, half the women in Vermillion thought he was gay with how little he reacted to them!” Corey almost yelled.
”Girl for a man with this sort of hormonal deviancy, it is only a matter of time, they all cave. It’s not their fault, he needs help before it’s too late.” She said in a caring tone, but it sounded hollow to Corey.
”You will effectively neuter him. You know this. When he hasn’t done anything wrong.” Corey said feeling angry, sad and a growing sense of hopelessness.
”The last man with a 45% deviancy took a rather sickening shine now didn’t he? Something will trigger your precious Carlos and he will go off the rails.” The elder huffed.
Corey rolled her eyes. “If he can survive, thrive and completely ignore his skull and half his bone structure turned to solid rock, which should have killed him 10 times over btw.” She let that hang for a bit. “Don’t you think he can handle a 57% above maximum hormonal deviation?” Corey said, pride for Carlos seeped into her voice.
The elder smirked, “See my dear?” She spoke to Corey’s mentor. “At this age, they all lose their perspective, always fall blindly whenever a compatible guy comes along, all of them bitter by the end.”
“what are you talking about? Plenty of Joy’s have families.” Now it was Corey who huffed.
”only 23% of them dear, most in secret. Need I remind you, the remainder 77% really, really tried to find a mate, many of them did, but it ultimately failed?”
”So why then, are you such an obstinate hag? Don’t you need me to be a good Joy and breed for the future?” Corey’s voice dripped with venom. “He’s got the libido for it.” Her earlier fear. Replaced with scorn for an obsolete view of life.
The elder let the insult glide off her. “He needs to be tested, have you tested him to see if he holds his cool?”
”I don’t need to, by Arceus how can I? the man stares down alpha Pokemon. Getting blasted by icicles the size of trees isn’t exactly something I can replicate, he spars with his own Pokemon. Matching them in speed.” She didn’t realize she was puffing her chest in pride, her mentor shook her head trying to warn Corey but it was too late.
The elder smirked, “Point taken, how is he… in private?” Her voice was smooth and completely caught Corey off guard.
Corey couldn’t hide the blush in her face, the tender response of her body, it had happened so recently too and was still fresh in her memory. The elder looked triumphantly.
“You are in love you foolish girl.” Corey lost all her bravado, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She looked at her mentor who looked at her with pity.
”You should have brought this to the council, before you foolishly let yourself get swept up by a pound of flesh. You know what our protocol demands don’t you?” The elder didn’t bother waiting for a response.
Corey’s mind went dark. As a Joy, she had most of her violent tendencies removed. This was something all Joy’s shared. But she felt like strangling the old hag.
The stringent protocols for relationships were widely disagreed with and flat out ignored by most of the elder council, more often then not it had needlessly complicated things. Some of those protocols, were set down 500 years ago, those were different times. People changed.
But this particular elder was one of the rare ones, adamant about the protocols, she considered them sacrosanct. From day 1 she had disagreed loudly with this elder and it caused her a lot of trouble during her educational years. To make matters worse, for some reason this particular Elder, held special dispensation when it came to Corey. Why, Corey didn’t know but she knew, nothing she said or did could stop the elder.
She had to watch, how the elder grabbed her pokedex and began pretending she was Corey.
She had to watch how the elder began her stupid psycho manipulation. How she worded the texts in such a way, delayed them that it would plant doubt in Carlos mind. She smirked behind a perfect mask as she saw the indicators in Carlos texts. He caught on quick something was up. She felt her heart quickening when the elder dialed it up and began planting hints at betrayal. Corey knew Carlos was perceptive enough to see those seeds. She began to cry behind her mask when the elder exposed her feelings to Carlos. Feelings she had wanted to share in intimate privacy.
She was panicking, she mapped him, she knew that rough on the outside soft on the inside Carlos, was probably fuming, hurt and confused, conjuring up one crazy theory after another.
“Now he’s calling you stupid! How dare he call a Joy stupid. what do you see in this man?” The elder huffed offended at the banter Carlos tried to engage in.
“A fucking heart.” Corey thought quietly. Her mentor caught the silent insinuation and gave her a glare to be careful.
“He is more persistent than expected. He wants to talk to you tonight and insists on it. Call him now I wish to measure him further.”
She got up. “Give me a moment.” She turned away. she needed to go all the way on Carlos, she had to let him see in one glance that this was a misunderstanding.
If she showed a sliver of the rage she felt right now for the elder, he would take that as annoyance at him. She would do to Carlos what Lance had done to her. She’d rather die than sink that low.
“Hurry up.”
She was ready and set up the camera in a way she could hide some of her more subtle facial expression from the elder. She had caught the slight deterioration in the eyes of her elder.
She hit dial and was relieved when Carlos immediately responded. She felt so bad seeing him. His distress was apparent. As she talked, she felt pride at how quickly he picked up on her silent communication, she was touched when he channeled his inner dark knight. She noted how her mentor didn’t miss anything. She sighed in relief behind her mask, when she noted how the elder had not picked up on the finer subtleties of the conversation. How her mentor wasn’t part of the elder Council she didn’t know. She could replace them all on her lonesome with her skills and intellect.
Corey shakily closed her Pokedex and looked at the two much older Nurse Joy’s sitting across from her.
“Well, that settles that.” Her mentor said smiling ever so slightly at her protege. “As far as I’m concerned, Carlos is a young man ignorant of the intricacies of our society. His emotional responses were bare and open, genuine and he was perfectly in control of his faculties.
The much older nurse with not a single pink speck of pink hair huffed. “Still, That man must be given the antidote as soon as possible.” Corey’s mind went dark.
“No and that’s final. You heard him, he intents to commit. It’s no longer any of your fucking concern.” Corey finally snapped. Her mentor rubbed her temples to ease the migraine that assaulted her. “You two will be the death of me.” She muttered.
The elder looked like she was going to actually drop her mask and explode but Corey pressed on.
“My medical prognosis has always been that Carlos is perfectly fine handling the hormonal imbalances so far, you can trust that, you old hag. Obviously as someone who cares for him if i see anything out of the ordinary I will immediately make sure the right steps are taken.
the grey nurse scoffed and leered at Corey.
”You have no control over that man, within a month these simple texts i send should have him obedient, not force himself onto you like he did just now.”
Corey flipped out at the ridiculous gaslighting and threw up her hands. “You! Told him not to come. My body language, quite beautifully I may add, added the notion for him to come tonight quite splendidly. Something you missed entirely and why on earth would I use psycho manipulation on someone Whom I care this deeply about? How would that be a relationship? Not that it matters, his Dark typing would screw it all up and then we would have a real problem on our hands.”
She continued and verbally atttacked the elder.
“It is my observation you didn’t bother reading past the hormonal deviancy of the report, you missed some of his most basic tells, you missed that he became aware of you and he will be asking me about you. What should I tell him? you exposed more then I would have in a year.”
Her mentor Sighed. “Use your discretion in the matter. You are dismissed Corey. For what it’s worth I’m thrilled you found someone but be careful ok? Love has many thorns.” Corey was about to say one final thing, one final nail in the coffin.
The elder nurse caught it, her eyes darkened at the silent insinuation. Corey, stayed silent however and schooled her expression to one of neutrality.
Corey got up and Curtly bowed. “I am in your care.” And with that she turned around and walked off, towards the motel to finally get out of her dress. She only wanted Carlos to see her this way.
After she was out of earshot. The elder scoffed. “She has no respect for her elders, she’s undisciplined, She hasn’t taken her hormone blockers, she let herself grow into a fat cow! She has none of the petite elegance the Joy’s are known for! And what possesses you to let her dress like such a slut?” The elder huffed indignantly.
”Are you done?” The old nurse looked at the elder. Her eyes were practically breathing fire. “Or are you dead set on turning her old and bitter like you?” The old mentor continued.
”She found herself a sweet lovable idiot, let her have this, or at the very least let it run its course.”
The elder arched her eyebrows and sneered cynically. “Is this the same sweet lovable idiot, who sends over 50 Pokemon to the emergency wing per week, on average? He is worse than the projections we have on Surge!”
“You mistake his empathy, with him lacking empathy, a common mistake when it comes to men who look rough, but not one a Joy should make.”
The elder, dropped her mask completely. “His empathy!? He crushes the dreams and aspirations of about 30% of the trainers that face him! That is the highest of any gym trainer in the indigo league!”
the mentor sighed. ”By Arceus himself, you really haven’t read any of our reports have you? The man survived on his lonesome in one of the most dangerous places on this planet. He did it with wit, cunning and a healthy dose of decisiveness which you are confusing with ruthlessness.
Hopes, dreams and aspirations need to stand up to the test of reality.”
The elder scoffed in denial.
The mentor pressed on. “It’s a lesson he is well equipped to teach. A lesson, the new generation begrudgingly respects him for, many are preparing to face him specifically and are better for it when they do.”
The elder sneered again. “He had his entire life in the mountains with 3 Pokemon who are only halfway towards their second evolution. How good can he be?”
”He had those Pokemon for about half a year, with the exception of his Pawniard. None of his Pokemon are older than four.”
“What?” The elder face became impassive.
”Really Elder, you need to retire. When diligence is forgotten, you have reached that point. I highly recommend you read the numerous reports we send to the council. It’s a heartbreaking story what that young man had to endure, it’s obvious he must have lost quite a bit considering the team he was found with.” The mentor knew that wasn’t true but that wasn’t something the elder needed to know.
”That may be, as your elder I order you to give her double the workload, lets see if her little affair can handle that.”
The mentor smirked. “That may be hard, she’s already doing triple what we expect of a nurse in training.”
”What do you mean she does triple the work?” The elder arched her eyebrow.
In plain common language she’s already doing my work and I am doing hers.” The elder was about to protest but the old nurse silenced her with a glare.
”Of course I check and confirm her work in triplicate, are you forgetting who you are talking to? She was right in calling you out on your failures in diligence. Due diligence is the pillar of our clan, you taught me that. It is determining who the best nurse is for any given task, again you taught me that. That may hurt my pride something fierce, considering I have triple the years in medical experience as she has been alive but that is the duty of all nurses.”
The old elder sighed ruefully, “Which is what I taught you.”
The mentor sighed. “You ought to trust and allow yourself, to love your granddaughter more.”
With that she got up and left a pondering elder, of a bygone era.