Erin

  —

  I hadn't exactly been enthusiastic about having guests for dinner, and less enthusiastic with them staying with us to train… They weren't that bad, though, I guess? I was kind of… not a fan of strangers, but I guess they weren't now.

  Heather kind of reminded me of Leaf a little. Or really, the Leaf from fan art, I guess? Those usually had her with cuter Pokemon like Rattata and Clefairy… Heather loved cute Pokemon, and while she was a serious trainer, her team was basically all 'you're a cute Pokemon, want to get stronger with me?', which I could get behind, actually. I had always liked the whole 'every Pokemon can be equally strong' concept, even if it didn't exactly work out like that in the games or here in reality. More power to her though, honestly. I wouldn't mind helping her train.

  Zavier was the closest thing to 'normal' I had seen in a trainer so far. Especially since he wasn't planning on staying a trainer. In this world, even if you worked in a grocery store, collecting more badges during your Journey was a good qualification. It showed perseverance at the very least. Obviously most people weren't trainers, so it made sense that not all young trainers stuck with it… Not that I could relate, honestly. I would probably be a trainer till I couldn't anymore, basically… Vacations aside.

  Ian was like what I had figured Alex would be. Well, not Alex specifically, but someone from a family that specialized in a single type. He didn't have the whole 'my type is best' attitude, but he certainly clashed with Alex. Not physically, but their mentalities were… similar, yet so different. Alex had wanted to stick with dragons, but happily caught Yanmega. Ian refused to catch anything not ice or ice typed in the future. Even his Eevee was looking forward to Evolving into a Glaceon, and he had asked many Eevee at the Breeders before finding one that did.

  I couldn't help but compare their… situations, either. Ian was girly looking to the extreme, even with his short cropped hair. Alex was far more androgynous, at least for now. I had seen Ian flinch when someone called to the group with 'girls', and Alex had flinched when Heather called out 'boys'...

  At least I didn't run into another trans person, though. Not that I would have cared about that fact, obviously, but while I had lost most of my fears over 'fate', I'd rather not run into someone else that highlighted my past or present… Hopefully we don't run into an alcoholic… Not just because of me, of course…

  I was mildly irritated by the boys, honestly. Thanks to Leaf I knew I wasn't exactly unattractive, for a fourteen year old at least, but I could do without the glances… They hadn't been rude about it, of course, and Leaf and Alex got their own looks… I may be a kid again, just am one instead of reluctantly accepting the fact, but I still didn't find anyone my age attractive, and the attention from kids was highly unwelcome… Even if I understood it. I hadn't exactly been 'monk-like' when I was a thirteen year old with a ton of hormones…

  Still, they meshed well enough with us and our teams, so I could deal. Hell, give it a week and I may even consider them friends!

  It was not a week later yet, though.

  In fact, it was the next morning after a light breakfast, and all three were giving us weird looks as we stood there in thin workout clothes. Weirder looks at Dexter hovering there with a huge grin on his ghostly little face.

  "Ready to exercise, everyone?" He very pointedly looked at them, and I couldn't stop the giggle as their faces grew so confused, then wary. Heather looked almost scared as she spoke… As she should be.

  "What do you mean, exercise?"

  Alex laughed. Joyfully. Maybe even a little maliciously.

  "Oh, you know, just training. Exercising. You all should join us, considering you wanted to train with us…" My giggles turned into full blown laughs as they got nervous.

  —

  —

  Turns out most trainers with at least five badges aren't in horrible shape, especially those that walked everywhere… They still collapsed to the ground after our warm up session. Now came the fun part!

  I was smiling so widely as Alex and Leaf squared up across from me, stances much better than they had been when they first started. Not that mine was perfect, as Dexter reminded me with a small, non-painful zap.

  "Wait, you're going to fight each other?!" I smiled at Ian, even as the two devious girls tried to use the distraction to their advantage.

  "Well, yeah? Why wouldn't we?" I swayed out of the way of Alex's punch and hopped over Leaf's leg sweep… then caught Alex's second punch with my face.

  Fine, no more distractions!

  —

  —

  "You're all insane!"

  I grinned at Zavier, wiping sweat from my forehead. Also a little blood from my nose, but Grace had already healed us.

  "No, actually, I'm insane!"

  Alex spoke up in exhaustion, wiping my blood off her fist.

  "Yeah, Erin is the insane one! We're just sparring, she fights! In fact, Leaf and I are done!" They moved off to the side and joined the others, and I enjoyed their confused expressions.

  I enjoyed it more when Stabby flew over and threw me two practice kunai. They weren't exactly kukri, but I didn't actually care about, or want to slice up Stabby, so I just bashed him with the blunt edges when I wasn't stabbing.

  "Why do you have… are those even knives?" I laughed as Stabby giggled.

  "Nope! Just practice kunai from Janine's trainers!" They looked so confused… Until Stabby bounced at my face and I smashed my aura into him, getting a good stab in even as I slid backwards. Stabby could get stunned, sure, but he was fast, and wou-

  He stabbed me in my boob! I mean, sure, everything but the face is fair game, but dammit, Stabby!

  "Don't stab my boobs you asshole!" He grinned and popped out of existence in a short-ranged Teleport, and I managed to smash my kunai's pommel into his temple as he popped back into existence next to my head.

  He still flicked my ear!

  —

  —

  "Why are we under Gravity?!" I smiled at Heather as my group easily stood and walked around. This was high Gravity, though, so even here on the edges that was all we did. Heather, Zavier, and Ian?

  Well, they were laying on their backs. It was much easier to not hurt yourself that way…

  "Because it's great training! For us, and your Pokemon!" They all grimaced, but went silent… Partially to save energy for breathing, probably, but I was serious.

  Their Pokemon were all unhappy in general, other than Donphan and Kingler, but the sight of our Pokemon barely reacting to the Gravity kind of showed how effective it was. Well, our non-fliers, that was. Hope was dodging a lot more these days as our teams grew strong enough to break through her Protect before even her insane reality warping powers could regenerate it.

  Stabby was, as usual, adding a layer of 'watch your back' to the entire thing by randomly 'assassinating' our teams. He never did much damage, of course, but he had fun doing it… Like stabbing me in my boob, because Stabby was a huge asshole sometimes… A funny asshole who was my best friend, though. I couldn't say I didn't greatly enjoy stabbing him in a dark area that never saw sunshine in revenge, either…

  "Why is… Hope? Why is she so strong? She's just… standing there!"

  I chuckled as Leaf grinned like mom… or me, I guess.

  "Because she's uncontracted? None of our fae are under a contract, actually, and none have any restrictions beyond promises." I burst into laughter as they tried to react with fear, but they couldn't really move easily. Heather's eyes were a bit wild, though.

  "What do you mean, no contract?! They'll take from you!" Leaf just shook her head, though.

  "None of them will take anything without my permission, they've promised… Actually, Stabby could, I guess? I don't think he's made many promises." I laughed.

  "No, he can take from anyone he wants, he just doesn't take from you unless you're a poacher or Team Rocket." Heather was pale as she found her voice again.

  "Wait… I should have asked this before, but why do they have names?!" Leaf was giggling now, so I took this one.

  "Well, Stabby was already named when he asked to be my Pokemon. Back at Mt. Moon he had a hobby of protecting the Cleffa and Clefairy from poachers… He had a lot of fun doing it, actually. One of his, ah, toys called him Stabby so much it stuck, kind of? He's at twenty seven kills so far, actually… Still hadn't caught up to me! I'm at thirty three! I mean, more died, but that was blood loss after I moved on, so I don't count them as mine…" Leaf stopped her giggling and glared at me.

  "Erin, be nice! Don't scare them on purpose!" They looked calmer for all of a second. "I mean, that's all true, but Stabby is nice!" She looked at the three pale trainers on the ground.

  "I named Hope, actually! It goes badly when they don't like their names, because you're basically forcing them into a future forever by naming them. I'll name Tinkatink when she's fully Evolved, probably. I need to know her. Morgrem… Yeah, my little murder demon will get a name, too." Heather was so pale!

  "You're going to gamble on naming a Morgrem?!" Leaf just laughed, though.

  "No, I'll commune with my Grimmsnarl before I name him, and he'll have to approve of the name first!"

  Morgrem looked over and smiled at Leaf… It looked far more like a sneer, but I could tell it was a real smile… Then he went back to training his Dazzling Gleam with Hecate. He didn't learn Fairy-type Moves easily, despite being a fairy. Something about his dark-type energy rejected it. He was still getting better at controlling fairy energy, and was working on Nasty Plot at the same time. He almost had that one down, actually… It kind of came naturally to his line, of course…

  When I looked back, they were all just… looking confused and uneasy.

  Yeah, that makes sense, really…

  —

  —

  "So you're doing this every day? I get the feeling those poor Wailmer will start avoiding this place."

  I frowned at Heather's words, because they made some sense, actually…

  "Maybe? I hope not, because the one we managed to get so far was really convenient, and the Rangers gave me free reign to hunt as many as I want. They aren't huge like Wailord, and they're actually kind of light on meat, but they were enough to feed everyone for more than a day. Mom even got full instead of her usual 'full enough to not be too hungry' full." They really were. Tauros were much more convenient, sure, but Wailmer were-

  "Sis, I think you might be in luck, actually." My head whipped around at Leaf's words, and I stared into the huge bay from the short cliff we stood on.

  That everyone stood on, really. After training we came out here to hunt. Well, I had come out here to hunt, me and the Pokemon. Not that I would ever try to assassinate a Wailmer! Maybe if Looker had been able to make that plasma sword idea work, but nooo, apparently Dexter couldn't store enough electricity in his phone to make that work for more than a split second…

  I grinned viciously at the sight in the bay. Just a tiny bit… I also looked over at Alex with a wide, hopeful smile.

  "Alex, could I borrow Yanmega for a bit? I think he might enjoy this, too. Dhelmise is ready!" I enjoyed the looks of confusion as Alex sighed, releasing Yanmega. He had heard my words, but not my intentions, so I let my grin grow even more vicious as I knelt in front of his intimidating face.

  "So, buddy, pal. Best murder-bug I've ever met… How do you feel about dropping me and Dhelmise on a Wailord? Well, us, Kallen, and Dignity for protection? While Dexter films this hilarious hunt?" I ignored the gasps from behind me as Yanmega seemed to smile with his freaky mouth-parts and nodded. I carefully climbed onto his back, avoiding his wings and pokey bits.

  Heather was a little freaked out, though. Just a bit.

  "Why are you getting dropped onto a Wailord?!" Okay, maybe more than a bit.

  I just smiled at her. Widely. Viciously. Gleefully!

  "Because I'm hunting a Wailord, of course!" I caught Dignity's Pokeball and slotted it into my swim-skirts belt as Heather sputtered. Meh, she'll get over it… Or she'll deny reality, I guess?

  "Let's go have some fun, Yanmega! You might not be able to help fight it, but you are a huge help!" He chittered at me a bit before his legs flexed, launching us into the air, and I gripped him tightly as his wings blurred and we zoomed off. I heard shocked exclamations from behind me, but I didn't let them distract me.

  Yanmega flew us over to the pod of Wailmer I had seen… Then directly over the huge Wailord Leaf had pointed out. I nudged him a little bit and we dropped down out of the sky. Not even I was insane enough to think I could somehow ignore water tension! I was not dropping from over a hundred feet in the air!

  I could have used aura, but instead I just whispered to my eager Pokemon.

  "Dhelmise, they're directly below us. I'm going to try and lock them up, and Dignity and Kallen will protect me, but the actual kill is going to be yours, bud. Ready?" I could tell they wanted to practically shout out a positive response, but instead they barely whispered through aura, like me.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Then they popped into existence, anchor already glowing with steel energies as their Anchor Shot Move charged to obscene levels. Yanmega slid to the side, and I let myself tip off of him at the same time, towards the side of the huge Wailord. As I fell I threw a huge chunk of my aura into a massive spear to its head.

  I managed to freeze it up for all of two seconds before it recovered, but that was long enough for Dhelmise's anchor to smash into the Wailord's head, and even as that happened their chain was wrapping around the massive Pokemon, kelp billowing out in a huge web of decaying-looking greenery that covered the top of the unfortunate Wailord.

  Then I hit the water hard, Kallen and Dragonair popping out to immediately surround me with a Protect. Not that I needed one, not really. The Wailmer were already fleeing from one of their natural predators…

  The Wailord wasn't dead or dying, not yet, but it wasn't going anywhere fast, and I felt bad for it momentarily. Momentarily. They were abundant worldwide these days, after they had been hunted extensively for centuries. Despite all of their air bladders making them far lighter than they looked, they were still enormous, the largest non-Gigantamaxed Pokemon in the world, and they had been a staple food for many regions.

  I winced as Dhelmise's chain snapped with a huge ping, but their kelp was still attached to the broken section, and I could see their Steelworker ability take effect even as I threw another spear of aura straight into the Wailord's head, freezing it for only a second this time. Here in reality it didn't just give them extra damage with Steel moves by letting them avoid the penalty from having to change the typing of their energies. It also let them weld their metals back together… As long as they were still possessed, which they were, and the broken link flowed together briefly.

  Then the Wailord got desperate and tried to submerge. I knew it was desperate, because Dhelmise obviously wouldn't care, and didn't. They just unleashed an obscenely overpowered Giga Drain… It took another minute, but eventually the unfortunate Pokemon stopped moving and floated to the surface, and I could feel the vicious delight from Dhelmise over forty feet away.

  Yanmega dropped down and landed on it, but before he could take a bite I whistled. His attention focused on me and I smiled.

  "You helped, yeah, and you'll get to eat as much as you want, but let's not put a bunch of blood in the water yet! Actually, stay there! I need a ride back, and Dignity can drag the corpse over! They float, so it shouldn't be too hard! We'll have to go down to a beach, actually…" I ignored the irritated feelings wafting off of Dignity. She would eat off this, too! She should help out as well, right?

  She did, but she wasn't too happy… Floating or not, not as heavy as they looked or not, Wailord were huge.

  —

  —

  I wasn't about to try to skin a Wailord, so instead mom made a huge stone platform rise from the water, spikes holding the massive carcass in place as it drained of blood. This small beach actually looked red right now…

  Ian was obviously fine with the scene, coming from a family of hunters, but Heather and Zavier were very green as we waited for the rest of the blood to flow out. Mom would have to chunk some up for us to chunk up and put in Storage Balls, before she used a stone platform to move the rest of it, and she was going to feast tonight! Every Pokemon was, actually. Well, our carnivores and omnivores…

  Dhelmise 'stood' there next to me, watching the process with pride practically wafting off them in an almost visible wave. Well, it kind of was visible. They were full right now, and while some was bleeding off, most was going into reinforcing their main body. Ghosts were the closest thing I had found to a 'game-like' Type so far. Those that had corporeal bodies, like their kelp, still grew physically, and Dhelmise still improved their anchors… They also grew in strength rapidly by assimilating the stolen lifeforce into their own, even if it was a small percentage of the total.

  I lightly elbowed them, and they turned towards me as the others gave us wary looks. Well, Leaf and Alex just looked exasperated.

  "So, think you might be ready for a name? I have a really good one for a Wailord hunter, one who just does not give up." Their eye squinted at me for a long moment before they nodded.

  I smiled so widely as I spoke. Widely, happily, and a little viciously, sure. Sue me.

  "So, I know a lot of stories, and in one there was a human captain of a… ship that hunted creatures similar to Wailord. The Captain of the ship was kind of insane and driven by revenge against a specific creature, but… Really, it's just the best name I've come up with for you so far. Interested?" They nodded their kelp at me, barely a twitch, and my smile grew even wider.

  "How would you like to be named Ahab? With your title, of course! Captain Ahab! We wouldn't call you Captain often, but Ahab is an awesome name for a huge steel anchor full of ghostly rage and hunger!" Their eye closed briefly, then popped open. They practically radiated happiness as they nodded, and so did I!

  "Nice to meet you, then, Captain Ahab! Maybe Kallen could be your First Mate? Until he Evolves, at least…" His wheel spun, kelp slapping in a laugh, and I matched it with my own.

  Finally! I didn't want to pull a Lance!

  —

  —

  "You know, roasted Wailord actually smells really, really good…"

  I snorted at Heather's words as we sat around the fire that night. Most of our Pokemon were staring at the very overloaded, slightly bent meat spit turning. The motor Leaf had bought them was struggling mightily right now, actually…

  "It does, actually. You can have some, if you want? It's technically my kill, then Yanmega's for helping us ambush it, then Dignity's for dragging it in… But I don't think anyone cares about giving you a portion." There was positive chittering and low roars at my words.

  Heather looked confused, though.

  "I thought Dhelmise killed it? It's not their kill?" I shrugged.

  "I mean, if you're talking about who actually killed it, then sure. Captain Ahab here did all the killing, I just helped freeze it up. He already ate its entire lifeforce, though, and Dhelmise don't eat anything else." Ahab nodded, then reached out and pulled a tiny bit of my own lifeforce out as a little snack.

  I had actually gotten very used to it. Kind of how you get used to a cat's claws, I guess? I trusted him, he trusted me, and I already loved him… Well, I loved having him as my Pokemon, and I was rapidly getting to the 'family friend' stage with him already. He liked me already, so I figured it would only be another couple of weeks until I added someone else to the family.

  Heather looked a little uncomfortable with Ahab's diet, but she shook herself a little before she glanced over at the meat spit.

  "Maybe I will try a little? Not a lot, but I am curious…"

  I smiled as I stood up from the fire and moved to the Wailord, but Alex looked… not disgusted, but hesitant? She spoke up even as I pulled my Pawniard blade out.

  "Wailmer, and I assume Wailord, have a very good flavor, actually… They're also very chewy." I shrugged as I sliced a strip off, then another one for myself. I handed it to Heather, who looked a lot less enthusiastic after Alex's words, but I was already chewing.

  Alex had been right. It was actually delicious! The flavor profile was like nothing I had ever had, in this world or my old one. Of course, I had never had whale, because aside from never having the chance, that shit was wrong in a world where most species were endangered… It was also so chewy I could feel my jaw muscles start to ache almost immediately.

  I still managed to get it down, but nobody else asked to try it after watching our faces…

  Mom and the rest of the Pokemon certainly enjoyed chewing on it, though, even if they were still bloated from all the raw Wailord they had eaten…

  —

  Patricia Greenwood

  —

  I wasn't sure what I expected to see when I called my daughters that night, a week and a half after they left with their new bikes. I mean, I don't think they were capable of startling me anymore, not unless they were doing something truly insane.

  The wide smiles from all three of them were expected. Alex was family at this point, even if she was more of a distant niece… for now, at least. The terrifying looking Yanmega of all things was a bit startling, but considering it was sitting on Leto's head, I wasn't that worried… Although, I wonder who caught it?

  The Galarian Mr. Mime just staring at Hecate was certainly very different! Well, they were probably having a conversation, of course, but still! Hope and Stabby talking to a Wigglytuff? Not as startling, but what really threw me for a loop was the Weavile casually talking to Artemis and Kallen!

  Then I finally caught sight of the three extra kids there, and it made slightly more sense… Slightly. I would have expected that Weavile to be… well, not eaten, they were obviously a trainers Pokemon, but maybe catatonic from fear? Being glared at unrelentingly?

  Erin just chuckled as my eyes did a little circuit of the screen.

  "Hey, mom! We ran into some trainers that didn't run from us! It's such a rarity these days, so we're-" Leaf elbowed her with her own wide smile.

  "They don't all run from us these days, actually! Some of them do challenge us to losing battles, though!" I snorted in amusement as the other three kids moved closer to Dexter, and I gave them a small wave.

  "Hello, there! I see my daughters somehow haven't managed to scare you off! Patricia Greenwood, and you three are…?"

  The blonde girl spoke up first, squinting at me in slight confusion. That… made sense, actually. You see Erin, and even Leaf these days, you expect their mother to be equally insane…

  "I'm Heather, and they… almost did? Well, Leto almost scared us off…" Leto huffed out a laugh in the background, eyes squinting at me as she smiled.

  The black haired… boy? Was next, and I noticed an Eevee laying on their shoulders.

  "I'm Ian, and Snazzy took a couple days to get used to… everyone, actually. Oh, Snazzy is my Weavile." I grinned a little, even as Snazzy looked over and waved some very dangerous looking claws briefly. Still, if she was talking to Artemis and Kallen casually, I guess she got over the fear… not to mention my daughter's jacket, and Leto's mantle!

  Finally the other boy spoke up, looking almost confused.

  "I'm Zavier. Hi…" He trailed off, and I only had a moment to wonder why before a Porygon flew across the feed, followed by Dexter. I laughed a little as Zavier's face grew red.

  "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all! I assume you're all training together, then?"

  Leaf nodded, a wide smile on her face.

  "Yeah, it's been really nice seeing how 'normal' trainers think of training. Not that we do normal training, obviously, but it's a nice reference!"

  Alex laughed and lightly elbowed her.

  "I think they're going a little insane in response, actually? Apparently I'm normal, but only for this group." I laughed at the looks on all of their faces, because… Yeah, that was probably accurate.

  Erin cleared her throat a little and gave me a look.

  "So, what's up, mom? Not that you calling is strange, but it's been a few days…" I smiled at her.

  "Nothing at all, really. I just wanted to touch base with you girls. That, and Alex let her PokeNav die, apparently." I let their confusion grow a little bit more, then shuffled to the side on the couch, turning the camera as I did.

  "You could let me know when you decide to go silent, you know that, right, Alex?"

  Alex and Leaf's eyes popped open at the sight, not to mention the other three, but Erin was just smiling warmly. Also smugly.

  "Heya Lance. Finally started actually dating mom, huh?"

  He went slightly red next to me, but he still nodded at her. I threw an arm around his neck, pulling him in closer so we could both easily be on the screen.

  "Yes, we are dating, so you can stop looking so smug beneath all of that happiness for me, Erin. You other two could also stand to grow up a little." Leaf looked a little green still, but Alex? Alex looked… Wow, happy and horrified at the same time?

  Her words were quite the surprise to everyone, however.

  "Wait, if you marry her, does that make Erin and Leaf my sisters?!" She sounded happy and scared all at once, which I could understand… Well, I could understand that part.

  I wasn't the only one having trouble figuring it out, though, as Erin spoke up in utter disbelief.

  "Hold on, I thought Lance was your, like, third cousin or something?" Lance's face was red next to me, red and mildly shocked as well, even as Alex absentmindedly answered, voice still mildly stunned.

  "My old parents legally disowned me, and Lance adopted me…" I ignored the other three stunned children in the background momentarily.

  "Dear, I was… not aware of that, I don't think anyone was. I don't think Lance knew that you were aware, actually." Alex just shrugged.

  "Claire told me. I wasn't exactly hiding it, I just didn't bring it up, and it didn't change anything about how I interacted with anyone, not really… Huh…" She smiled at me for a second.

  "If I had to choose a new mom, you'd be pretty high up on that list, actually…" I cleared my throat even as my face went red.

  "Yes, well, I do like Lance, but let's not count our Eggs until they actually hatch, shall we?" Lance barked out a laugh next to me and leaned into the camera.

  "Yeah Alex, stop jumping to conclusions. Besides, I thought you would hate the idea of being adopted by me?" He was grinning, but he was serious. Lance loved Alex, but Lance also had a… reputation among those who knew more than his public persona as the Champion. One he was well aware of…

  Alex just shrugged, though.

  "No, if I had to choose someone from the Clan to adopt me… well, it would have been Claire, actually, with you a close second… That was back when it happened, though? I think Ms. Greenwood isn't just flicking your ears for swearing, I think she's flicking your ego away each time, too! You're a lot more bearable these days!" Lance went red again, but still barked out another laugh.

  Dexter slid into the feed momentarily, grin so wide.

  "Yeah, cool, congratulations and all that. Here's a fun video for you two to watch! Gotta g-" Porygon slammed into him, and they both slid off the feed. My eyes narrowed as Erin grew… not wary, but slightly nervous. Lance noticed, too, and she suddenly had two people squinting at her.

  Erin shook her head a little before she gave us a wide, innocent smile. Neither of us relaxed, though.

  "Well, it's a great video, actually! Oh! I finally named Dhelmise!" Dhelmise slid into view on dozens of kelp 'legs', and I knew they were smiling even before they waved at us… then draped a strand of kelp over Erin's shoulders. She barely winced, but the sight still worried me slightly.

  It worried Lance quite a bit more, however.

  "Erin! Did they just eat your lifeforce?!" His eyes were wide and slightly panicked, but I just elbowed him even as Erin laughed.

  "Relax, Lance! He's not taking anything that doesn't recover in a half an hour or so! I taste good, so it's more like little nibbles? He could drain every human here dry and it wouldn't compare to-" She glanced at… him? Briefly. "-even a quarter of the feast he had a few days ago!" I was frowning again, now.

  "Dear, what did… he eat? Or kill, really?" Her smile grew so wide, even as Yanmega buzzed over. Alex smiled widely and nudged Erin a little.

  "Oh, yeah! Meet my newest Pokemon! Yanmega here actually decided to stick around as my Pokemon after he went, ah, hunting with Erin and…" She glanced back at Erin, even as Yanmega hovered directly over her head. Completely calm underneath those… those jaws… and that face.

  Erin's smile hadn't lessened even as Alex talked, and she eagerly continued.

  "So, we're on Route Seventeen, right? Well, there's not a lot of large Pokemon to hunt in the woods around here…" I groaned as I saw where this was going. Erin just laughed at me, even as Lance grew confused.

  "Well, we killed a Wailmer the first day out here, but even something like that doesn't last, and I'd rather save the Tauros for us, honestly. A couple days later, though, we saw a nice large pod of Wailmer…" Lance's mouth dropped open, but I was glaring at her theatrics, now. She just giggled at our expressions.

  "Well, Wailord apparently taste much better! Lifeforce and meat!" I groaned, even as Dexter sped back into the feed and started playing the video.

  A video of my most insane daughter rolling off Yanmega into the ocean, briefly stunning the Wailord with her aura even as Dhelmise slammed into that unfortunate Wailord's head in an explosion of Steel energy, chain, and kelp. The disgustingly overpowered Giga Drain was almost worse, honestly, as the poor creature tried and failed to dislodge its ghostly parasite.

  Lance's mouth was opening and closing in shock by now, and I patted his shoulder in sympathy. Erin just grinned at our faces when the video finally stopped.

  "So, Dhelmise is now Captain Ahab! He is the best Wailmer and Wailord hunter!" She looked so proud of herself.

  I sighed. Heavily, long-sufferingly, and not very dramatically, actually. It was a real sigh.

  "Dear, I know you did your whole 'bombing run' with Gyarados before, but with just Dhel- Ahab and Yanmega? That's too reckless even for you." She just shook her head at me, though.

  "Nah, Dignity and Kallen were there to protect me. Tell me that most of the Ranch isn't going to get a kick out of that video, though?" I glared at her, but not harshly… because she was right.

  Lance finally looked capable of speech, so I let him take over as Dexter swung back to Alex.

  —

  —

  Later, as we were about to end the call, Leaf threw me a huge smile.

  "So, mom, we'll probably be here another week or so? Tinkatink started lightly training today, now that she's almost fully grown. After that, though, we should be in Celadon, then Saffron quickly! You should look forward to it!"

  Dexter zipped back into the feed and somehow caught the Porygon speeding after him with his little electric 'arms'.

  "Oh, yeah, I forgot to send you the videos! There's more than a few battles to watch, but the first one was the funniest!" I saw the three trainers in the background grow nervous, and Heather glared at Dexter.

  "Those three thought they could be intimidating! Erin, Leaf, and Alex stomped them! It was great!" He zipped off even as I received… Wow, over ten videos…

  "I think I'll watch these after I hang up with you all. Enjoy your training time, girls." I looked at the three embarrassed trainers and smiled. "It was nice to meet you all! Good luck with your training, and be sure to keep a tight grip on your sanity!"

  They burst into laughter even as Leaf glared at me. Erin and Alex didn't, though, because they knew I wasn't entirely joking…

  —

  —

  "Your daughters are something else, Patricia…" Lance looked exhausted just from the Wailord video, but it would get worse quite soon, considering we were walking to the Barn right now. The rescues would love to watch that video, not to mention the battles we hadn't seen yet.

  "Well, your daughter is also something else, catching a Yanmega! A Yanmega that was cannibalizing its unevolved swarm!" He almost flinched a little at that, and he did frown.

  "Alex isn't… my daughter. I mean, I wouldn't care, but I don't think she…" He trailed off uncertainly, but I just smiled at him.

  "Alex doesn't seem to care, though? Your relationship certainly isn't parent and child by blood, but does it matter, truly? You're surprisingly good father material, Lance. Very surprisingly. Overwhelmingly surprisingly." He was glaring at me now, but I just laughed.

  "Give it another month, and we'll both have insane children…"

  He couldn't stop the laugh that erupted out of him, even as he shook his head. In exasperation, yes, but also a tiny bit of dread… It was terribly obvious on his face.