Leaf

  —

  Erin was not happy the next morning. She had finally come back late last night covered in dirt, head bloodied, and dragging the corpse of a Mankey with a hole drilled through its head for the dragons to eat. She managed to mutter that it was an ass, Kallen would need to hold back in the early Gyms or just skip them, and that she was done talking for now. She had devoured some food, drank a bunch of water, then fell into bed and refused to talk.

  Me and Raihan had been talking the whole day, anyway, and he knew almost everything she did. I was still trying to wrap my head around it, because it was just… it was too much, right? It had to be an elaborate prank. Then I remember seeing Erin and Raihan talking about it, and it seems… real.

  Raihan being insufferable in the games made so much sense, though!

  I managed a fitful night of sleep, waking early to find Raihan already awake and on his PokeNav. He gave me a small smile as he beckoned me away from Erin and her pile of Pokemon.

  "Hey, Leaf, I have a couple of… questions, requests for you. I already talked to Looker and Professor Oak. You don't have to say yes, but hear me out…" I leaned in, intrigued.

  He looked amused, but he also looked concerned.

  —

  "Erin, I'm sorry to say this, but… You don't act like an adult anymore." She looked up from her slightly-burnt pancake breakfast with murder in her eyes. I had thought pancakes might cheer me up after my reality was broken, and Erin probably could use it, too, the poor young girl!

  Hah! It all made sense! She was a kid who refused to acknowledge it!

  "Before you tear my head off, listen to me. You are obviously not the average fourteen year old, Erin." She grumbled at that.

  "I could be eighteen…" He wasn't impressed.

  "Ah, yes, protesting the reality you're faced with. Very adult behavior. I know you know what the other side of that feels like, so how about don't. That one was sad, Erin. You're fourteen. Too bad. Get over it." Oh wow she was blushing so hard it looked like it hurt!

  "On that note, Looker has an announcement for you. I talked with him during your little… expedition, yesterday, and he got back to me this morning." She got so pale. The blood vessels in her face were getting a workout today.

  "You can't depend on Looker picking up the phone, or Joy, or even me. Even if we could, we're on the other side of the world, Erin, and we're all busy people." She was shaking her head back and forth as he talked, denial all over her face.

  "You can't do this, Raihan!" He shook his head

  "No, I can't, but I'm not doing it, Erin, Looker is. I'm just his happy little messenger." He looked uncomfortable and happy all at the same time, happily unsure.

  And wary. He wasn't stupid, and I noticed he circled her as she began to stalk him so that she was always having to turn, always outside of arms reach. Perpetually ready to spring out of the way. Her eyes glowed, because of course they did.

  He was treating her like an enraged dragon, and it was working.

  "Raihan, if you deliver that message, I will hurt the messenger! I'll do it!" She was frantic as she screeched, but he just laughed.

  "Erin, you won't do that, because I'm your friend. You might snap on me again, but I doubt it, not after how badly you fucked up the other night." He took a deep breath and she whimpered, falling to the ground in denial.

  "You need a guardian until you're a mental adult again, Erin. You run around like a kid in a video game, and you can't do that, girl. You're far worse than a, uhh, native teen ever could be, trust me. You need a grounding force, and since you're going to be journeying with Leaf for the Circuit, Oak had the thought to ask Leaf's mom if she'd do it. Especially since Leaf investigated us, which Looker was not happy about, by the way. I took the heat for that one for you, so you're welcome, Erin." I had agreed to let her be asked, mostly to watch the comedy playing out, but Erin did seem to be a good person.

  Mostly.

  She also seemed so sad sometimes, and my mom was the kindest person I knew. Erin seemed like a good person, and she was going to get a new guardian on this side of the world, either way. There wasn't much other choice, either, considering everything I knew. Erin knew like five people, and only Professor Oak lived on this side of the world, and that was just asking for way too much attention. Mom should be able to help the not-young young girl, or at least just not be as bad as Looker apparently was.

  Erin's face looked like a corpse as she stared forward, slowly repeating no as she sat there, stunned. Horrified.

  "The final decision is obviously hers, but you need someone to check in on you, to make sure you're okay. Someone you can talk to about the mundane stuff, who can also keep an eye on you. She can't know all of this, but she'll know that you used to be older. That this is hard for you. That way you don't get slapped upside the head too much when you meet in person." He was grinning, and I couldn't help myself as Erin glared at him.

  "My mom likes to flick you, so…" Erin turned her face to me with a scowl that promised blood.

  "Leaf, no, it doesn't matter. Not happening. I have a mom, Raihan. She's going to eat you, right now actually!... Now!" Erin looked almost frantic as her mother didn't devour her too-close best friend. Raihan laughed, then sighed.

  "Think I was dumb enough to mention this without her permission? She agrees with me, Erin, and was grateful for the idea. She is many things to you, but she can never be a human. Pokemon, and her especially, are amazing, wondrous beings. She loves you, but she can't give you everything. She knows that." He grimaced.

  "She wants to meet the poor woman, though." Erin laughed, then looked alarmed.

  "That's a horrible idea, but thankfully it'll never happen, because I'm not doing this. Tell him no." He stared at her blankly.

  "Erin, the form is made. Filled out. Looker's just waiting on her confirmation, and then it's official. You don't get a say in this, as a... minor. Looker does." She sounded like a tea kettle!

  "So pack up, Erin. We can leave the camp mostly as is, I don't think anything's going to come around here anytime soon. Not after our Pokemon have been hanging out and training. We're headed to Pallet Town. Now." He paused.

  "Sorry. Don't hate the messenger, please."

  She waved him off, shaking her head in silence.

  Erin didn't speak as we packed up a few things, mainly the food and blankets, and soon we found ourselves in front of Flygon. Standing there ready to fly to Pallet town. All of us. The Flygon who could easily carry two people on his back.

  All three of us.

  The other two gave me a look and I suddenly didn't feel so good.

  "Leaf, don't test me right now. I will not be carried." Her glare actually made me take a step back, and Riahan was shaking his head at me. Sadly. Because of course.

  "Sorry, Leaf, I'm not going to demean myself by making my biggest troublemaker carry me like a princess. He won't drop you, ever, but… You know how he is. Sorry in advance." I glanced at Flygon and a sweet smile grew on my face. He didn't look happy as he bared his teeth right back at me.

  "I think I'll be fine." Oh shit the dragon I had blackmail on would hold my life in his arms, for real! Literally! This was either going to be great or horrible!

  —

  Erin was meeting my mom in our front yard. We lived on the outskirts of town, and the closest house was only barely visible in the distance. We landed in my front yard only to find my mother and Professor Oak standing there, waiting for us.

  My mom was… motherly? I really didn't know how else to describe her. Taller, long brown hair, green eyes… a motherly… aura? I guess? I didn't care, though.

  I rushed to give her a hug, of course, but Erin only tightened her grip on Flygon. Raihan sighed before recalling the poor strangled Pokemon, letting Erin fall to the ground in a heap.

  "Stop being a child, Erin." She was not having a fun time as she stood up, slowly walking over to meet us. She gave Professor Oak a casual nod, which he returned, and Erin met us as the Professor and Raihan met in person for the first time.

  "Hi, I'm Erin, nice to meet you. Your daughter is very talented, you should be proud." Erin didn't lie, so I felt myself blush as my mom met her handshake with a hug. Erin froze, but lightly, warily returned it for a brief second before she slipped out of my moms arms. My mom didn't look upset, though, and just smiled warmly at her.

  "Patricia Greenwood, the pleasure is mine, dear. And of course she is!" She pulled me into a one armed hug. "Isn't she just adorable, too?" I felt my face begin to heat up as Erin grinned at me.

  "She really is, ma'am, like a baby Pokemon you need to keep a watchful eye on." My mom laughed at the horrible girl, and Erin bared her teeth at me one more time before her face got serious and she looked at my mother.

  "You seem like a very kind lady." My mom's face was kind right now as she looked at Erin warmly.

  "You seem very kind and generous to even consider this. For a total stranger, though? Respectfully, you don't know me, ma'am. You don't know my Pokemon. You don't know what I'm capable of, and you're offering to potentially be my legal guardian? Really?" Professor Oak tried to speak, striding closer to her and she glared at him. He stepped backwards as if stunned, slight shock in his eyes.

  "Oak, I respect you more than you could possibly imagine, but this is something very special to me. This is my agency. This is family, and I can't just do that with some strange woman I've never met before. No offense, ma'am, seriously, you seem very lovely. I just…" She seemed lost as she stared around, searching for words.

  My mother's face was still kind, though, as she gave her a warm smile.

  "Dear, I understand. I heard of a young girl who needed some minor guidance for a time and didn't see a problem with it, that's all. I'm not your new mother, and you're not exactly going to be living here. We'll only really talk over video, and I would have been calling Leaf anyways. You can think of me as a caseworker, if that helps?" Erin shook her head and began to slowly back away.

  "I don't think it will, no. Sorry for wasting your time." She turned and began to walk away before a wave of pressure roiled off of her for a second. Suddenly Atremis was there, her jaws clamped onto Erin's pants leg. She growled as she dug her little claws in, and Erin looked down in betrayed shock.

  "Mom, Artemis, no! Stop!" Artemis didn't stop. She got more determined, actually, and Raihan sighed.

  "Could we go to your backyard? It looks like Erin has decided this is a teenager day, and apparently won't act like the adult she so desperately claims she still is." Her face was full of betrayal as he continued. "Let's go out in the backyard and tell your mom that you're leaving, Erin. She seems to have an opinion on the matter."

  She was shaking her head rapidly at this point, and the Luxury Balls were all rattling. Raihan got a nod from my confused-looking mother and sighed.

  He then snatched Erin up like a petulant child and began to walk towards our fenced-in backyard, Artemis following closely behind.

  "Raihan, put me down! You can't make me!" Her face was red and slightly panicked as she pounded on his shoulders.

  "That's exactly what I'm doing, Erin. Be an adult."

  "I am an adult!"

  "Could have fooled me, girl."

  "Raihan!"

  I hung back with my mom as they disappeared into the back yard, giving her an uncertain smile.

  "She's… nice? She's a good person, for sure, she's just…"

  My mom gave a soft laugh, her face still amused as she stared towards the rising argument.

  "However old she may have been, that was a teenager right there. A spoiled teenager who wasn't getting her way." A smile grew on her face, amused and excited all at once.

  "I think she might have forgotten how to act properly, too! Imagine that?" Her warm, kind smile was scaring me now, so I quickly pulled her towards the back yard, Professor Oak following behind us.

  Erin lay on her back, glowering as Artemis stood guard over her. Raihan held her bandoleer of Pokeballs in his hands, a look of exhausted satisfaction on his face. He looked at me and his expression grew serious.

  "Leaf, what have you told your mother about Erin?"

  "Just that she used to be older, isn't a bad person despite appearances-" Erin snarled at me from the ground and I pointed at her "-like that, and that she's helped me more in a few days than Professor Oak managed in a year. No offense, Professor." He gave me an easy smile and waved me off.

  "That's quite alright, there was a reason I was so excited at the opportunity she represented for you, Leaf." His eyes were warm as he looked at the Ultra Ball just sitting there on my belt. Like I didn't need to worry about death just by being near it, locked or not.

  Raihan cleared his throat and looked at me.

  "So, Leaf… have you told her about Erin's Pokemon, yet? Or your new one, for that matter?" My mothers eyes grew wide at that last part and she began to beam at me.

  "Leaf! You got a new Pokemon! What is it? Is it nice? Can I meet them? How did you do it? Where did-" I raised my hand to cut her off before she could really get going.

  "Mom, calm down. Erin found her for me, but she's not… nice." Her face fell and I rushed to continue.

  "She might be! Maybe! I think she's going to try? She's… different, mom. She's a fairy, and they can be just as bad as dragons, if not worse. We have an agreement, and I trust her with my life now, even though she's horrific, but… I'm not sure you should…" I cut off as she enveloped me in a warm, comforting hug that I hadn't realized I needed right now.

  "Sweetie, I'm not sure why she's horrific, but she can't be that bad? You seem to trust Erin, right?" I nodded my head against her. I did trust Erin about serious matters. Erin could be serious, it just wasn't her default state of existence.

  "Then let me meet your newest team member, sweetie."

  I eventually caved, and after reciting a list of rules for my mom to follow that Erin proudly approved of, even if they should be completely unnecessary now, I released her. My cute, adorable little fairy. My prankster. My pink horror that threatened my sanity.

  My Clefairy.

  She came out already aware of the situation, of course. Her Pokeballs restrictions had been turned all the way down. She wasn't slowed or cut off from time itself, unable to leave on her own (it was standard for new captures, but it was heavily frowned upon to have a Pokemon in one for too long). She wasn't only vaguely aware of her surroundings. She had no restrictions placed on her, and she might as well have been hanging from my belt with her hands with how aware she was of the outside world. The Pokeball was just a convenient hand-hold to get rides.

  The moment she saw my mom her eyes got wide, and Erin hadn't even begun to growl before my little horror's eyes were shining. With a startled yell I tried to grab her before she could do something, but I was too slow. She leapt, and I watched in slow motion as she began to rise into the air.

  Then, she kept rising, and I realized with a shocked expression that stars were shooting out, forming larger stars as they exploded out from behind her in a torrent. She smiled down at my mom, who had an expression of absolute wonder on her face, then let herself drop. She bounced a few times, then gave my mom a bow with a huge shit-eating grin on her face.

  Then she turned and winked at me.

  That little shit! I thought she would be a menace, so instead she astounds my mother, who even now was clapping in delight! She did that just to fuck with me and my expectations!

  Not that I would prefer mayhem to this, but still!

  To be fair, that also might have been a genuine desire to spread joy to her new 'friend's' mother, but it seems a little early for that much progress!

  "She's adorable Leaf! How could you call such a cute creature horrific?" My mother was not prepared for the smile that made its way onto my fairies face, nor the shine in her eyes as my adorable horror laughed.

  My mother reared back for a moment, but with a dark laugh of her own, something I had never heard from my mother before, she crouched down to stare at my grinning Pokemon.

  "It's a good thing she's so well behaved then, Leaf, or I might have had to replace my toilet seat cover. You know, that lovely pink one." My Clefairy paled and began to rapidly nod.

  "Oh, you're saying you'll be well behaved for my wonderful daughter?" My mothers smile was so sweet it was sick. My fairy rapidly nodded, eyes wide and fearful and dull, and my mom stroked her on the head with an easy smile before she rose.

  "Well, I must say, I'm glad you have such a well behaved Pokemon, Leaf." Her smile was wide and innocent as she turned to glance at Erin, still laying on the ground. Erin had watched with her own shit-eating grin of utter satisfaction. Also pride…

  What the fuck was that, Mom? Did you just make a fae cower?!

  "How is your… Fraxure, dear?" Her face was complicated as she looked at me and I froze for a second, before Erin perked up, scrambling to her feet.

  "Good idea, Miss Greenwood. Raihan, Professor, let's go. C'mere." She instantly began moving, pulling Artemis after her. They all crouched behind our cushionless outdoor couch, the wicker thick enough to be hard to see through.

  Erin looked at us and frowned, pointing at us then the ground near the couch impatiently. Professor Oak was recording. Again. I grinned at the slightly stunned look on my moms face. Understandable, a Gym Leader and Professor Oak just casually followed her orders.

  "I get it mom, but let's go. She can be serious, and she's good at this, so trust us. I know what she's doing." My mother gave me a tight nod as we walked over. I unleashed my baby up against the side of the couch so that he couldn't see them, but we could all see him.

  He came out with his usual huge growl, looking around warily. Not seeing Erin or her oversized mother around, he grinned up at me. I scowled back with my arms folded as he took a step forward, my mother taking a few back.

  "Think very carefully before you make a mistake, now." He growled and took another step, slicing his blades through the air with short motions. I didn't back down, couldn't, so instead I took a step forward, my hand lifting to point at him. I was so ready to pull my hand back, though. It was a nice hand, it did hand things great.

  "After Erin's mom, or even Erin when she's mad, you don't scare me. You could kill me, yes. I'm a human. But you're still weak!" He hissed at me, eyes flashing in rage.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  "That's my fault, and we're working to fix that right now! So don't keep posturing and acting like you're going to attack me! You're not going to! You would have left if you didn't want to fight with me, and you know that if you killed me, Erin would eat you alive! Literally! Like, I feel disturbed saying that, but I think she would agree with me. With one of those terrifying smiles of hers."

  My mothers horrified gasp was only matched by the huge grins on Erin and Raihans faces as I finally cowed my dangerous dragon, even a little. Professor Oak was beaming at me in pride and happiness, his camera still trained on me and my dragon. Said dragon settled back down, crouching there in the dirt as he scanned around, jerking when he finally noticed mom.

  "Technically, in that situation I would cook and eat his limbs while I made him watch, preferably with your corpse still there for the poetry inherent in mutual destruction."

  Erin stode around the furniture, and I watched my moms face as my rebellious baby cowered on the ground. And as she heard Erin's horrifying words, of course. Her face was incredulous, which was understandable, but I was really watching for the next reaction.

  "Heeeey there, little dragon. Points for effort, little guy. You didn't charge, so give yourself one point. You did growl and posture at her, however, so you lose that point. Then? You backed down." She sat in front of him and stretched her hands out. He refused for a moment, but eventually her waving hands were too much and he grabbed them. She smiled warmly at him.

  "You're still trying to find your honor, to find what the concept means to you. That's okay. You see backing down as a disgrace, as a sign that you are weak and lesser, correct?" He nodded, slowly and hesitantly as my mother watched with wide, disbelieving eyes.

  "You see it that way because you don't know what it is to be a dragon. Not yet. I guarantee you that at one point in her life, before she was an Alpha or even fully grown, that my mother backed down. Even after. She has backed down from Champions. There is no honor in pride. The two can exist together, but being prideful isn't an honor. Only being honorable is." She reached up and grabbed his blades in her hands and gave him a friendly shake as he stared at her.

  "You did good, little dragon. You still have a long way to go, but… Not bad. Keep at it, don't backslide too often, and I think you might be a real dragon by the time the Circuit comes around."

  My baby perked up so much that he almost cut Erin, but she just laughed and shifted her hands to hold them from behind and began to play tug of war with him, a game she shouldn't want to win, considering the sharp edges were facing her. My mother's jaw was still open as I nudged her. She turned to me with shaky eyes and I smiled.

  It felt so good to see that Erin really was that insane, and that I wasn't just too, I don't know, sane. Normal?

  "She's crazy, but she's a good person, and she's good at this. She's helped me reconnect already, even if it's not much." My moms eyes grew watery as she pulled me into a tight hug.

  "Oh, sweetie, oh I'm so happy to hear that. You have no idea how worried I've been for you!" She continued to hug me, tightly I might add, as she spoke. Very tightly.

  "Yeah, I only had to beat his ass… what's it been, little dragon? Three times?" She paused while my mother stared in disbelief, as though she couldn't believe what she just heard. No idea why, just a human fighting a Rank 6 Pokemon. Totally normal stuff.

  "I don't know if the second one counts since my Pokemon did most of it, I just bounced your face off the ground, and I'm counting your two little incidents at the Professors as one… Let's just say twice." She gave an aggressive tug on him and he snarled at her. Her grin was basically a snarl, too.

  "Twice I've had to beat your ass, once so bad I even had to go easy on you because you were already unconscious. You were weaker than I anticipated, but I should have anticipated that. That was my fault, not yours, so don't worry about it." The growl was huge now, his eyes murderous as he stared at her face less than a foot from his, my mother staring in horrified anticipation for the imminent bloodbath.

  But he didn't do anything.

  "Luckily, you've decided that you want to be an honorable dragon. It's a work in progress, but the fact that you didn't just try and attack me is a good sign, my dude." He perked up at that as Erin gave him one last playful shake before releasing him, staying seated.

  "Keep it up. It's a process, and I know you're probably going to backtrack. That's fine, I know the feeling, but you can do it, if you want. You have drive, so use it for the right things, little dragon. Other than Leaf's love, it is the only thing that saved you from my nice, sharp blade that's already claimed lives." He looked determined as he gave Erin a firm nod. It warmed my heart, but…

  My mom appeared to be choking on her own tongue at this point. I patted her arm, and she was shocked at how calm I was. I mean, that was nothing for Erin, honestly. She was being nice to him, and I knew she was also trying to push my dragon, continuously, to test his restraint.

  "Erin can be kind of… intense, mom. She's nice, though! I swear! Even if she sicks her mom on me!" Raihan began laughing at that and I blushed. Oh my Arceus I forgot that he had pictures! Please don't, Raihan!

  My mom took a long, deep breath before she looked at Erin. She was calmer, but she looked wary, too. Probably the right attitude to have with Erin.

  "Now, how about I meet the rest of your Pokemon, dear? This little girl seems to care about you quite a lot." She looked at Artemis, who was already back at Erin's side, finally taking the chance to look around instead of pinning her delinquent sister.

  Erin grumbled, but didn't say anything as Raihan slowly began to release her Pokemon into the yard.

  My moms eyes grew wide as the menagerie grew, but somehow she knew what to say to each of them as they appeared.

  "Oh my, what a beautiful shade of white you are, you precious thing! Don't give me those sad eyes!" Seraphina was blushing as she tried to hide her face.

  "What an affectionate little sea dragon you are! Is that your favorite spot? Obviously, of course!" Kallen had done a flip before rocketing towards Erin, as usual.

  "Well now, this must be the big happy guy I've heard about! No biting, right? Just lic- No- Stop!-" I pulled the frantically licking Cerberus off of her as he whined at me. He liked her, apparently.

  "Hello there, little one. You're safe here. I don't even have to get to know you to know this: You love them, don't you?" Hecate's little face broke into a wide smile and my mom rubbed her head with a beaming smile before she straightened, looking at Erin.

  "Well? I count five, young lady." Erin's eyes grew wide, as did the absolute shit-eating grin on her face, before she paused and looked at Raihan.

  Raihan sighed and came to stand next to my mom.

  "I am a Gym Leader and a Dragon Master, so believe me when I say that she is safe." My mom's smile began to droop at that. Not the best way to start a calming discussion.

  "She's actually really nice, mom. She's just really strict." My mother's expression brightened a little at that, but then her expression continued to grow worse as Raihan just kept talking.

  "She is no danger to you or anyone else that is peaceful, and she's quite kind." He sounded a bit desperate, and my mom noticed.

  "She really is, mom. You don't have to worry about her. She's even helped me for no reason at all." Erin grinned at me. A wicked grin, the terrible girl.

  "She helped you because you can sometimes act like a spineless wimp, and she won't allow the pack she leads to hold a weak link."

  Erin!

  I rounded on her, finger already raised, words on my lips, when my mom suddenly clapped her hands together. She looked at us all calmly, then at Erin.

  "Erin, dear, I think it's time to meet your mother." Her voice was unsteady, but she didn't look afraid.

  "Well, you asked for it… You heard her, mom. Don't crush anything, please." My mother only had a few seconds to be confused by Erin's words before the light show began to play out.

  I watched my mothers head follow the shifting mass of red light. I watched as her head began to slowly, slowly rise, and I watched as her expression changed from one of fearful anticipation, to terrified realization, then to shock as her head kept rising. It had to be shock, because she had stopped. Not just stopped moving, I don't think she was even breathing as Leto leaned down and nodded at her.

  "Hey mom, you heard all that, right? I said I'd come, I came, so let's go!" Erin leapt for her moms face, only to slide off as the giant Pokemon refused to help her remain on. No teeth jutting out, no tilting her head, she just let Erin slowly slide off. She actually angled her head to make it harder.

  "C'mon! I don't need a guardian! I am not a child!" She yelled, childishly. She began trying to climb her mothers back, and judging by the look on her mothers face, Erin was about to mess up badly.

  I didn't say anything, just walked past my petrified mother up to Leto. I gave her a smile as she looked back towards Erin, then rolled her eyes. Yeah…

  "Mom, this is Leto! She's really nice, I promise!" I placed a hand on her snout and turned.

  My mother was so pale I thought she might actually pass out, but with a short gasp she finally began to breathe again. She looked terrified for me, though, like she thought I was about to die, so I quickly ran back over to her and wrapped her in a hug. I thought being close to Leto would make her feel safer, not fear more for me!

  "Mom, trust me, she's nice! She would never eat me or you! She's neve- She's devoted to her daughter, Erin!" I said the last past with a loud, exasperated yell. Erin finally managed to crawl to the top of her moms back and sat there! The insane girl sat on the cloak of feathers Leto had there, grabbed on, then pointed ahead.

  "Mom, let's go! We can come back for the others later, they'll understand!" Her voice was frustrated and panicked. She looked like she just couldn't deal with the current situation.

  Leto looked like she felt the same way.

  Leto took a few steps away from the humans, Pokemon, and lawn furniture, before she shook. She snatched Erin right out of the air with her arms, and Erin barely had time to begin to scream 'no' before she was flipping into the air. I gave my mom a tight squeeze as she gasped in horror at the sight, hands raised to her mouth.

  "She's fine, mom." Leto's huge jaws came out and snatched her daughter out of the air, and after a moment she began to shift her mouth around.

  "Erin's just in timeout, now." Those damn lips peeled back and there she was, incandescently furious as she sat there on her giant mothers tongue. Covered in saliva. Pouting.

  "They call Erin the Savage Trainer online, and I'm sure you can see why. Like I said, though, Leto is really nice, but strict." Her huge head nodded at me, eyes and massive lips smiling. Erin looked like she refused to speak, eyes closed as she sat in her prison. Fuming.

  My poor mother looked beside herself as she stared at Erin, then Raihan, who was laughing, and me. I was trying not to laugh, but at her incredulous, stunned face I broke down. Our Pokemon were also laughing, so why not?

  Erin began to screech and thrashed, repeating the same foolish mistake I had made, and her mom's eyes gleamed. She narrowed her eyes at me and Raihan, causing my mom's knees to shake as the giant head appeared to glare at her, too. My face broke out into a huge smile, though, and I scrambled over, my mothers arms falling away from me with no strength.

  "I know a good trail, if you lift me up I'll point it out, okay?" She nodded, Erin continuing to screech from inside the mouth. I scrambled on, to the laughs of Raihan and the worried gasp of my mother, before I got a good grip on her snout and we began to rise. I pointed to a small hill in the distance with a large tree sticking out. It was nothing special, but it was the only thing I could really use as a landmark. Pallet Town wasn't exactly known for much.

  "If you run towards that hill with the tree, there should be some small creeks? There's not much around here, though, so maybe try to make a game out of it? Like, don't knock over anything, even if you have to throw your whole body around?" Erin's screaming was much angrier now, and it only grew as Leto grinned at me and nodded.

  She lowered her head to let me jump off, but before she ran off she turned to stare at my mother. My mom froze, but Leto actually gave her a short, tiny bow of her head. She then turned around and walked off a distance before she was suddenly gone, the sounds of Erin's screams already fading away.

  My mother collapsed to the ground and I rushed back to her, pulling her upright. She looked like she was about to faint as she stared at where the huge predator had been, and I could understand that.

  Leto had no business being as fast as she was, not at her size.

  "She bowed to you, a 'weak' human, because you are doing her a great service." Raihan spoke up seriously, catching my mothers attention.

  "She's not a young, stupid Pokemon. She is mature, intelligent, and most of all, she is a mother. She knows that she is capable of a great many things, but caring for a human child's psyche isn't one of them." My moms face turned thoughtful at that. Still pale, though.

  "There are very few things in the world that can threaten Erin's life now, so that's her primary worry. Leaf's either, since she's a member of Leto's pack now, as well." My mom looked at me in surprise and I blushed.

  "Like I've been saying mom, she's actually really kind and understanding once you get to know her. She's just huge and terrifying and… She's just…" I couldn't not tell her, not when it was so easy to find the information online.

  "-The Tyrant Queen of The Galarian Crown Tundra Preserve. She's a brutal maneater with a confirmed kill count of forty three humans-" I raised my voice over my mothers horrified exclamations. "-and yet she chose to go into a Pokeball for Erin!" My mom paused, thankfully. She was hard to stop when she got going.

  "She fought off Champions that attempted to capture her, but she chose Erin! She's not a danger to anyone anymore, not if they're not a danger to us." My mom slowly sat down. She wasn't calm, but she was very, very still as she turned to Raihan. He nodded at her slowly, eyes concerned.

  "Ma'am, I understand your hesitancy, trust me, but I am a Dragon Master. Leto is no danger to anyone. She actually likes your daughter. Your daughter who, I might add, thought she would be smart with some comments around camp. Erin wasn't very happy, and Leto went against her own daughter to help Leaf out." My mothers face regained some color even as he continued to talk.

  "Then she told Erin to bow down to her, and the Tyrant Queen gave her a timeout as well. The first, actually." It's a good thing my mother was sitting in the grass again, because she would have fallen if not.

  "Then Leaf found out how bad an idea it is to protest the pack leader's punishment, and Leto went to do a quick obstacle course, as well. The Leaf Special." I started rubbing my mothers back as I glared at Raihan. He just gave me a shiteating grin. He knew I was about to get in so much trouble!

  "Leaf, is what he said true?" Her voice was oddly calm. Very calm.

  "U-um, yeah? It was actually really safe, she held me really tightly with her tongue, and used a really intense Protect…" She was glaring at me now, Raihan smiling behind her.

  "You were smart with some comments, hmm?" Really, that's the part she focused on? I grinned.

  I would not be shamed for that!

  "I just asked Erin and Raihan if they were dating as a joke, and they looked so disgusted." I met Riahan's eyes as he gagged a little. "Then I realized they were the same person, and that's why they couldn't stand the thought of dating each other, age aside. She really got mad when I told them that." My moms face grew amused as Raihan began to lightly scowl at me. His voice was vindictive as he spoke.

  "Leaf also decided to protest Leto's punishment by thrashing inside the mouth of one of the largest predators in the world, just like Erin did a minute ago, so..." My moms horrified gasp was only matched by the laughter of the Pokemon. She looked around at them in stunned silence for a moment before her eyes met mine. I smiled at her.

  "I'm telling you mom, Leto's nice. She's a bi- she's strict, but kind and fair. She kind of reminds me of you, actually. Just, you know, a lot bigger. And scalier."

  My mother just sat there in silence, thinking for a moment. Off in the distance I heard the crack of a tree breaking and we all winced. The sound made my mother perk up, though, and she stood and began to hook up the hose.

  "She's going to need this, I assume?" She was giving me a sly grin, and I couldn't help the scowl on my face. Then I nodded, sullenly I might add.

  "That, and a shower. The… smell really seeps in." She began to laugh and I felt my face grow hot.

  At least she seemed to have calmed down a little about Leto? She was the most physically intimidating Pokemon I had ever heard of, barring a Gyarados or Steelix or other Alpha dragons, but she was… kind. I would not have wanted to meet her before she met Erin, but after Raihan's further revelations I had my own theories.

  Leto seemed too comfortable with humans, even considering she had to interact with them now. Even considering she had viewed Erin's memories. Either she had picked up some human traits from Erin during the memory viewing, or been someone's Pokemon before. That second one was far more plausible, considering her species had been artificially reintroduced to the wild. She still ate people, but she might have been familiar with them, too.

  Leto eventually returned, rolling a blank-faced Erin out of her mouth as my mom took an unconscious step backwards from the massive Pokemon. Erin stood and walked over to my mom mechanically. She didn't even have to be told what was going to happen. She knew.

  The poor young girl!

  I was never going to let that one go.

  Never.

  After a long hosing down I led Erin to my tiny little bathroom, left her some spare clothes, and returned to find Raihan deep in conversation with Professor Oak and my mom around the kitchen table. I could see Cerberus running in circles around Leto's legs out the back window, so I assumed the rest were still out there as well.

  "-isn't unstable. I mean, she is, kind of, but really I think she's, ah… rapidly going through puberty again mentally, backwards, and the awareness of it is driving her insane." Professor Oak was nodding along while my mom sat there in fascination.

  "She's trying to act like an adult, and I bet in her mind she is, sometimes at least, but it's getting filtered through her teenage brain into… that. Looker's also hoping that she'll hesitate even a little bit more to put her ideas into practice, if it means disappointing someone she's not on casual terms with, like me or him." He shook his head a bit, perking up a bit as he saw me.

  "Leaf, perfect timing. You don't mind this setup, correct?" I shook my head. I really didn't, actually. She was really fun to tease, too, now that I had a few levers to pull.

  "Nah, Erin's nice, even if she's, uhh, rough. She could also… probably use someone to just talk to that's not me or her Pokemon, so no? Feel free? It's not like she's taking half my allowance." He nodded, and Professor Oak spoke up as my mom smiled at me in pride.

  "Like I was telling you, Patricia, she comes with the highest recommendations. She may seem to be, and rapidly be becoming, immature, but she's got a good heart." He cut off as my mom waved her hand. She seemed calm and determined now, even as her eyes kept darting to the enormous shadow looming in our backyard.

  "I don't mind doing it. I was always going to, after I heard the basics from the Professor, here. I just hope she can accept some help." Raihan chuckled a little, shaking his head at the odd looks he received.

  "Ma'am, you don't have to worry about helping her. Someone else will be getting to that, eventually. No, we just want someone to ask her the simple things on her journey. Have you been well, have you gotten into any trouble? Have you had a good time, do you need advice, just… questions. She has nobody else to do it, and she's probably going to spiral rapidly once I leave, thinking that her insane ideas are normal because of course she's an adult, obviously! I just can't be here from half a world away. I have a life, too." His eyes looked tired.

  "I've known her for a very short amount of time, but she's a good friend, and I'd rather not have to hear about her getting herself killed because she was too impulsive. I guess I'm just saying, all she needs is an anchor, someone to ground her. Possibly in more ways than one." He grinned, and it wasn't a nice one. My mom looked intrigued as he spoke, though.

  "Erin tries her best to never lie. Haven't heard a single one, she'll just refuse to speak instead. If you treat her like a fae and get her to agree to something she will do it, however reluctantly. So if you, for instance, somehow get her to agree to obey your punishments…" The grin that grew on my mothers face was evil, and I did my best to appear small.

  Nope, I'm not here for evil mom face!

  "Well then, that sounds lovely! I do so like those who keep their word…" She was scheming, and I was rapidly feeling worse about this whole thing.

  "So, Leaf. I can see that Erin has managed to subdue your Fraxure, but how are you doing?" Professor Oak had a proud look on his face still, but he also looked concerned as he gazed at me. I smiled, and though it wasn't a strong smile, it wasn't one of my old, weak smiles either.

  "It's been hard, but worth it. Erin and Raihan are both nice, and Raihan's actually helping me a lot while he's here. Leto helps me, too." My mom threw him a wide smile that he easily returned. "They're… harsh, but I get the feeling that's just how I'll have to be if I want to keep my dragon." Raihan nodded at me.

  "It's not easy keeping dragons, Leaf. There are always exceptions in every species, and some are more gentle than others, like the Dragonite line, but they are all prideful creatures. They have to respect you, and dragons respect strength. They won't expect you to be stronger than them in a fight, obviously. Erin's just insane." I nodded at that. Preach it, Raihan!

  "They expect you to be strong of character, to have drive, to give them instruction and direction they wouldn't normally have, to bring something to the table that they can't. Your dragon, well, I'm not going to hammer in what you did wrong again. What you're doing now is demonstrating to him that you're attempting to change. Actual progress is best, obviously, but just the perception that his, uhh, 'weak, useless' trainer is training herself, attempting to be better? That's already won you a little respect back from him." My moms face was intrigued as she listened to Raihan talk, and I had to admit that he was a good teacher. When he wasn't being himself.

  "Notice how we haven't told you what to do, though?" I nodded. "It's because it's different for every Dragon Tamer. Everyone does it differently, and you have to find that out yourself. I'm more of a bargainer with my dragons. They respect my strength and want to get stronger, sure, but they're primarily in it for the rewards. They aren't a fae, I don't need agreements with them, but they know that the more effort they put in, the less they question my authority, the better their rewards."

  "Erin is close to unique, so I wouldn't really look to emulate her. Dragons fear her, even if they can get over it eventually, and she knows how to interact with them as a dragon. As an Alpha dragon. Her young Pokemon will fight hell itself for her, even the non dragons, and her mother might win. If there's anything you can take from her style, it's how she adores her Pokemon, but you don't need help with that at all." I blushed at his words.

  "You're finding your own way to tame dragons, and we can't help you move forward, only stop you from moving backward. We have advice, obviously, but the Dragon Tamer Leaf of a year from now will act very differently than you do now. Don't worry, though." He smiled evilly. "Erin won't let you fail, and Leto will keep on straightening that spine of yours whether you like it or not."

  The sound of stomping footsteps rang out from behind me as Erin crashed her way downstairs. Her face was red as she stood there, glaring at me.

  "Leaf, I am not wearing your clothes!" She screeched at me. I gave her a wide smile. I knew she would hate that! She stood there in what was apparently my 'iconic outfit', a blue sleeveless shirt and a short red skirt, with flip flops, unfortunately. I didn't have a second pair of shoes to complete the 'set'.

  Before I could even begin to gloat my mother had stood up, arms crossed as she glared at Erin with a thunderous scowl. Erin, for her part, began to wilt under my mom's fierce eyes.

  "Young lady, I may not know you yet, but I would think you were raised well, once?" My mom continued over Erin's frantic nod. "Then is it appropriate to stomp down someone's stairs? To yell in someone else's home?" Erin's face was so red as she shook her head, mumbling apologies as she stared at the carpet.

  "Now, as to the clothes, I'm not sure why you're so upset, dear? You look adorable, just like Leaf!" Now we were both blushing, but Erin looked like she might melt through the floor right about now. Raihan had a huge grin on his face, and so did Professor Oak, who was- No! He was recording!

  Professor!

  Why this?!

  "Now, I've decided that I will go ahead and take over for Agent Looker as your primary legal guardian-" Erin began to raise her head and speak, but my mom just put a finger over her mouth. Erin stared at it in stunned confusion with crossed eyes as my mom continued unabated.

  "-and as a minor you have no say in the matter, it is done. I'm not trying to take over as your parent, dear, however, there will be rules. I am not your mother, but if you are to be my responsibility, you will follow them, am I clear?" Erin gave a stunned nod, mouth open in disbelief. And shock. A lot of disbelieving shock.

  "Rule number one: If I give you a punishment, you will follow my punishment. Is that understood?" Erin nodded, still looking dazed, before she gave my mom a look of mounting horror. My mom just smiled back at her.

  Sweetly.

  "Good, good. Rule number two: You are both to call me at every Pokemon Center you stay at once the Circuit begins, and at least once every other day when you're traveling. If you're going to be going through a spot with bad reception, let me know in advance so I don't worry." Erin seemed to be twitching, but she still gave a jerking nod to my mom. That wasn't bad.

  "Rule number three: You will call me anytime you feel that you need to talk to someone that isn't my lovely daughter or your friends, especially if they are sleeping on the other side of the world. You do this instead of bottling up whatever thoughts or worries you have. I spend little time working, and I work from home. I'll always pick up your call, dear." Erin's nod was a little more certain now, but she was still eyeing my mom warily.

  "Rule number four: If you get one of your… ideas, as Raihan put them, you call me or him first. Always. I'm not going to have my new ward go out and terrorize someone with the Ty-Tyrant Queen." Erin nodded, and I didn't blame my mom for the stutter. Leto was a lot to take in. In so many ways…

  My mom smiled warmly at Erin and brought her in for a hug. Erin struggled, but not much, and allowed herself to be hugged for a few seconds before she broke it off. I smiled at Erin.

  It was a warm smile, but it had a bit of a bite to it.

  "You look so cute in my clothes, Erin! I think I have a spare hat, if you want?" The look in her eyes was pure fury as I dodged her grasping hands.

  "Leaf! I know you have to have different clothes!" She began to chase me, only for a loud clap to ring through the house.

  Erin stood stunned only for a moment, but it was long enough for my mom to come over and flick both of us on the back of the head. We gave her dirty looks as she smiled at us.

  "Leaf, don't try to pick fights with Erin! Erin, don't rise to her bait, and don't start a physical fight indoors! Understood?" Her hands were on her hips now, and me and Erin both bowed our heads a little, mumbling out apologies.

  Raihan just chuckled to himself as he watched the scene, Professor Oak still recording!

  Maybe this was a mistake on my part?