Chapter 15 – The Sting & Thorn

What...? I ask in disbelief. 

"Surprised? I'm glad. It would hardly be a secret if everybody knew." Lance responds with a smile and a casual wave of his hands.

Before either of us could talk further, Margret is in front of Lara grabbing her hands.

"I am so, so sorry! I am actually a huge fan of your songs and movies! I am sorry for acting like a total bitch this whole time. It was all part of the test Dingus over there put me up to..." She says before shooting a glare at Lance. The neon blue Dratini wrapped around her arm coos worriedly at her and she pats its head again.

Lara lets go of a breath she has been holding and stares into the woman's eyes for a moment. Whatever she sees, she seems to believe Margret is telling the truth, and offers, "That's okay...Just don't do it ever again. I was about ready to throw down..."

"I won't, I promise!" She responds before moving over to stand next to Lance. "Besides, Finn seems like a good guy, but he is not my type." She finishes this by putting an arm around Lance's waist.

Lara and I gawk at the pair. Lance seems to be in his early 40's and she looks to be in her early 20's. But that is not the biggest issue here...

"You're dating..." I start. "Your niece...?" Lara finishes.

"What? No! Of course not! Her being my niece is just a cover story...and we aren't dating..." Lance says awkwardly, removing her arm from around him.

"Yes, we are," Margret says firmly with a fire burning in her eyes as she stares back up at him.

"We'll talk about this later," Lance hisses at her.

"No! You always say that Lance. Just admit you like me too! Who cares about the age difference! I love you and you love me, it should be simple!"

"Um...should we come back later?" I interrupt awkwardly, not so much in an offer, but more to get them to stop and give me my damn Pokemon. I am still more than a little riled up and my nerves seem to be a bit frayed. 

"No, no. Sorry. This is Margret Rosenberg. She is part of the anti-gang task force for the rangers and is working undercover with me. As you can see, I am not as bad off as the rumors say. This is actually my last year undercover, however, as I am joining you in the mission the league has given us at the end of this league season."

My eyes bulge from their sockets. "You are one of the 4!?!"

"Yup! I am coming out of retirement and teaming up with your father, Lara. We will travel together for safety."

"Wait, wait, wait." I say, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach, "So you knew about us and our Red Level security clearance before we came here?"

"Of course! Professor Oak told me you would be passing through Viridian City and might be stopping by my gym."

"Then what the hell was all this acting and fat suit shit for? What was the point of all this?" I demand, my temper coming back to me.

"I just wanted to test your true characters!" He says with a laugh. "And as far as I can see, you two are perfect for this job. I have full confidence in you." He beams a smile at us.

I guffaw at him and Lara lets out a quiet, "I see..."

She then proceeds to walk up in front of him and I look after her in confusion.

"Yes, Lara? Is there something you-"

*Slap*

...

...

...

"Sorry, I just wanted to test your reflexes." She says with a sweet smile on her face, then she turns around and walks back to me with a savage shit-eating grin.

'God damn...My Fiance is a badass...'

She sidles up to me and looks up at me, clearly wanting some praise. I offer it gladly. 

"That was fucking hot, babe," I whisper in her ear.

"I know." She says with a wink and her smile turning a bit feral. I feel my body relax a bit as some of the tension and anger leaves me. I grab her hand and interlock our fingers as I smile back down at her.

Margret bursts out laughing and says, "I told you not to fuck with them! You're lucky that was Lara and not Finn. I bet he would have knocked you out!" 

"Ouch," Lance says as the shock finally leaves him. Sighing, he continues, "I suppose I deserved that...I'm...I'm sorry Finn and Lara. I was excited to meet you two...I thought the test would be an epic way of introducing myself...looks like I have ruined any chance of a friendly first meeting...it would seem my bad person skills never improved..." He slumps down into a chair across from us as Margret takes the other one.

"We don't like being lied to Mr. Lance." Lara said firmly, "Especially not without a good reason."

"That being said," I continue patting my fiance's hand with my free one, "I think we can forgive you. Just be straight with us from now on...and please tell me I am still getting my variant Dratini...?"

"Of course," Lance affirms. "Just not that one. That one was one I gifted to Margret a couple of years ago and is the bait we use to draw in the unsavory crowd."

"For your sting operation," I finish for him.

"Yes...I am surprised you know what that is." He says looking at me a bit differently. 

The Sting was one of Max's favorite classic movies, so I obviously knew what it was. A sting operation simply meant that they would act as bait and unsavory people to gain a criminal's trust. Once they confirmed the crime, one they themselves are privy to, the Ragers would step in and arrest the criminals discreetly. It was a good plan and honestly, I respected Lance for doing it. Keeping illegal Pokemon traders off the streets was important for everyone.

"So...you gave her a multi-million Pokebucks Pokemon for free...? How is it that you aren't dating?" Lara teases, seemingly okay again now. 

"Exactly!" Margret goads.

Lance blushes and stutters, "I...well...they grew attached and it only seemed right...that doesn't mean-"

"Just give it up and accept, dude. Life is short and you don't want to waste it in indecision. Do you want to look back 10 years from now and regret not admitting to your feelings? Take the love you share and run with it. So what if others look at you two oddly for the age gap, you are wearing a fat suit every day, for Arceus' sake. Do you really care about other's opinions?"

The women in the room both smile at me while Lance scowls. It quickly falls, however, as he looks over at a now hopeful and blushing Margret. He sighs the deepest one yet and looks up at the ceiling.

"What has the world come to when a newbie trainer is giving me advice. Good advice too..." He shakes his head and slaps his own cheeks. 

"Fine. Okay, Margret, we are dating. But we will need to talk-"

He is interrupted as she tackles him out of his chair and starts kissing him and crying happily. Lara and I clap for them and Lance seems all kinds of out of sorts. He is blushing like a kid after his first kiss by the time he manages to pull Margret off of him and help them both stand. She refuses to let go of him, however, so he is left standing with her glued to his side.

"We will talk about anything else later, in private." He says and Margret smiles happily. 

'Here I was, 5 minutes ago, making them stop flirting and we just got them together... Maybe Lara and I are in the wrong profession?'

"Back to the matters at hand," Lance says, trying desperately to put his serious face back in order. I believe you both were her for this.

He takes out a Pokeball with a black colored lid - Just a normal Pokeball, mind you, it is just another stylized version - and puts it on the table. He then reaches around his chair and puts a sack down next to it. 

"Here is your Dratini and your 10 million Pokebucks back." He says with a kind smile.

"Thanks...but I am spoken for," I say firmly and Lara and Margret roar with laughter.

Lance lowers himself into the chair next to him and puts his head in his hands as we all laugh at his expense. 

'Finn Cambridge - Champion Bully. Has a nice ring to it.'

"Just open the damn ball, brat," Lance says behind his hands. 

I do so and a small yin-yang-colored Dratini pops out to look up at us all curiously. He is about 3 feet long and is separated in half by two colors, white and black. His stomach up to under his chin is a slight off white color and this matches his ears and nose. The rest of him is jet black. His eyes are mostly black with white pupils. He looks both intimidating and regal as he stares at us with calm curiosity and vast intelligence in his eyes.

I can see Lara holding herself back from squealing, allowing me the chance to interact with him first. Love her for that.

"Hey buddy, my name is Finn. You are the newest member of my team and, by the looks of you, are gonna be one of the strongest for sure. I am excited to get to know you and train with you. This is Lara, my fiance, and traveling companion. You will be seeing her a lot." Lara takes this chance to wave at him enthusiastically. He nods to us both, again, regally as if he has allowed this to come to pass. He is adorable and I think Lara is about to blow a gasket so I quickly follow up with, 

"Would it be ok if I pick you up? We both would like to give a hug to our newest family member." He nods once more and then slithers closer to the edge of the table. I take the hint and hold out my arm to him. He makes his way up it, his scales smooth and a little damp. When he reaches my shoulder, he lifts his head so he is eye level with me and says simply, "Tini." before bumping his snout to my forehead.

'Dude, this Dratini is a bro!' I think as I reach up and pet his head and behind his ears.

He closes his eyes, clearly enjoying it, but not making it obvious or a big deal. 

"Um...May I?" Lara asks him, to which he nods again. "Kyaa~~ He is so cool!" She says giving his head and the rest of him lots of pets. He takes the attention with honor and dignity and seems pleased, though it is hard to tell with his eyes closed and him not moving. He just as well might only be allowing and tolerating it.

"What are you going to name him?" Lara asks offhandedly as she is completely absorbed in lavishing the Dratini with pets and scratches behind the ears.

"Thorn." I say confidently and his eyes snap open, looking at mine in question.

"Not because you are annoying, buddy. But rather because you will be a thorn in the side of our opponents. Because you will be respected and feared for your strength and power and everyone will be dread facing you." I finish with a winning smile. This is most of the reason.

He cocks his head in contemplation for a moment, before nodding once and closing his eyes again, nudging his head into Lara's hands for her to continue...or maybe allowing her to continue if she wants. It is hard to get a read on him.  

"That is a wonderful name!" Lance says with a smile. "He is part of the latest clutch my Dragonite laid and he is guaranteed to be a thorn in the side of your enemies, just as you said."

"That is such a cool name! I think Stephy here is in love." Margret says and we all look over to see her neon blue Dratini sitting up straight on her shoulder staring at Thorn with nearly perceivable hearts in her eyes. She doesn't even notice us looking, her attention is so focused on Thorn.

"Well then," Lance says clapping and drawing all of our eyes. "Thank you both for coming and I hope he works out for you and your team. I have another appointment in an hour and need to get back into that God awful thing." He says with a hateful stare at the fat suit laying in a pile on the ground. 

"If you have time, I am sure Margret can give you a tour and show you around the gym and our underground breeding facility. No cages!" He says this last with a laugh and both his hands raised.

I stand up and walk over to him before holding out my hand, "Thank you, Lance. I didn't expect to get such a wonderful new team member, much less to get him for free. Thanks again." He stands and shakes my hand as well and we smile at each other while Thorn looks around curiously.

"Think nothing of it. Or, rather, think of it as my apology for needlessly testing you two. I am glad he is going to a good team...family? Did you say? That is an amazing way of looking after your Pokemon. You both should be very proud. I expect amazing things will coming from both of you." He claps me on the Pokemonless shoulder and starts to collect his things. Lara comes up and gives him a hug - always hugs with her - but he doesn't seem to mind and returns it.

"I'm counting on you to keep my dad safe. He is...Just keep him safe." She says, more as a warning than a request. Seems she has only mostly forgiven him. 

"What do you say, Thorn? Want to look around your old home one more time and say goodbye to your siblings?" I ask the dragon Pokemon on my shoulder. He nods once, in what I think will be his standard method of communication moving forward and we follow Margret out of the room. 

Margret takes us around the gym and explains how it operates. She then stops explaining and has a small whispered conversation with Lara as we continue to walk around. I don't mind and can only imagine it is about her new relationship. Lara says something and Margret gasps and blushes looking at me then back at Lara. Great...I will ask her about it later.

Margret goes back into tour guide mode as we approach the underground breeding facility. We enter a stairwell and go down into a massive cavern-like structure directly under the gym with a tunnel leading out to the surface. It is filled with various Dragon-Type Pokemon in all their forms of evolution. Thorn is nearly swarmed by the female Pokemon as he makes his rounds to say goodbye. He seems very thoughtful as he systematically finds everyone, no matter their hiding place, and offers them a "Tini." and a nod as a goodbye.

I am once again put in an awkward situation as an enormous Dragonite, I can only assume Lance's Dragonite, flys in from the cave opening and lands beside me. She stares me down for a bit before nodding herself and going to her son to offer a last goodbye. There is a lot of nodding involved from both sides and Lara and I try very hard not to laugh at the cute display.

Thorn crawls his way up my shoulder, coils partly around my arm, and lays down around my neck to sleep as the Dragonite comes back over to us. I see a throng of other Pokemon, I assume to be females, pining for the last dregs of Thorn's attention, but he seems to have already moved on and closes his eyes. 

"She's so beautiful," Lara comments as she stares at the Dragonite next to us, who turns to her. 

"Dragonite." She says with a toothy grin in what I can only assume is in thanks. 

She turns back to me expectantly and I think of a million things I could say. Thanks for letting me have your baby? Thanks for your approval? Thanks for not killing me?

I think for a good few seconds as she waits, and then it hits me...

'Ha! Why the hell not?'

I stare up at her with a smile and send the feeling I received from a certain golden Fearow a couple of days back. "Family." I then look at Thorn and send it as well, causing him to open his eyes wide and look at me. I look to Lara and do the same before looking back at the Dragonite to send it one last time. 

The Dragonite and all the other Pokemon nearby laugh in their, admittedly unsettling, way. She calms down after a while and sends the feeling back to me with a smile and nod.

"Dragonite." "Family."

"...Did you get a new mom again?" Lara asks, holding back her own laughter.

"Nope. I just added some Pokemon to our family." I say as I pet Thorn who nuzzles into me for a quick second before returning to his sleeping position around my neck. 

* | * | *

Lara and I spend the rest of the day and into the early evening going around town and seeing all the interesting things Viridian City has to offer. I am turned into a shopping bag holder and Thorn remains outside his Pokeball since I don't mind him wrapped around me and he seems to enjoy it...I think. Everywhere we go Pokemon and trainers look up at us and stare in longing. Both Lara and I are garnering a lot of attention and Thorn is a little playboy, I am finding out. I look at him ignoring the mewlings of a Skitty that belongs to the shop owner we are currently talking to. I smirk at him and he opens one eye to look at me with a waggle of his head. I think that is the equivalent of a shrug and saying, "I never asked for this." 

I was stopped 3 more times that night by fans of my trending video and our battle, but Lara seems much calmer now. She simply smiles proudly up at me and holds my arm closer. Though she does send some hard looks at a girl who pushes her luck. I am equally responsible for keeping guys off her. If I leave her alone for 2 seconds there will be a group of guys there, seemingly out of nowhere, flirting with her and waiting for me when I return to her. Usually, I just walk up and put my arm around her and that is enough to get them to back off. Sometimes, I get to smile threateningly at them to make them leave. I like doing that.

We decide to end the night early after a candlelight dinner in a nice restaurant. Lara and I both feel mentally exhausted from the day so we agree that we just want to go back to the hotel and sleep. We make sure to stop by the PokeCenter to pick up our healed Pokemon first, however. We then head back to our hotel room and let everyone out to meet our new family member. 

"Everyone, this is Thorn. Thorn, this is Pyra and Grace, your older siblings, and Angie, Celeste, and...have you thought of a name for your Rhyhorn yet, Lara?"

"Yes! Jeffery!"

"...why Jeffery?" I ask in amusement.

"He just looks like a Jeffery to me. Do you like that name?" She says and looks down at her Rhyhorn. He nestles his rocky crest into her hands and she scratches him at his joints as he likes. She could have named him Turd and he would have said yes...he is completely enamored with her. But, he had a shitty owner before, so no need to give them a hard time. 

"Okay then, Jeffery it is. Angie, Celeste, and Jeffery are about your same age, Thorn." I tell the Pokemon and he crawls down to meet them all with a nod.

Celeste seems scared of him, as she hides behind Lara the entire time. 

"You get to know 2 secrets now, bud," I say, "1st, celeste, the Kadabra you see there, is actually a Mew. She is acting as our guide on my journey to rescue rare and legendary Pokemon. I explain more about my quest and Celeste pops out of her transformation. Thorn seems very interested in her and she greets him with a quick, "Mew!" and then continues to hide behind Lara. I guess even for Pseudo-legendaries mythical Pokemon are cool to learn about.

Side note: Celeste's transformation powers are near perfect and she can remain transformed even when knocked out. I was a little worried to let her heal in a PokeCenter, but she told me they would never be able to detect her, and I decided to trust her judgment. She is a mythical Pokemon, after all. 

"The second is that I have memories from another world," I explain to him the circumstances and about Max.

Lara and I had swept for listening devices the way Professor Oak and Ash taught us to and with the tools they gave us as soon as we arrived. We found none, which isn't too surprising. There is very little crime as it is in Kanto and most gangs don't have the resources to bug random hotel rooms. If there was one, it was most likely the Leagues and not that of a criminal organization. Even here, there were spies and espionage between regions. 

"The reason I am telling you this is because of the real meaning behind your name, or at least another, bigger reason," I explain and he looks up at me with his full attention. "In Max's world, there was a book series he loved as a kid about a boy who finds a dragon egg and becomes a dragon rider. Keep in mind, there are no Pokemon there, so this is a fantasy story. Anyway, when I saw you, I immediately thought of how regal and powerful you looked. You reminded me of the great dragons Max had read about as a kid and I wanted to give you a name from that series in honor of that...thus, Thorn. He was a mighty red dragon and a fierce combatant...I know you have black scales...but I just thought it was a cool name...I hope you still like it..." I finish lamely scratching my neck and feeling a bit unsure at the end.

Thorn climbs his way up to my neck and, once again, faces me at eye height. He boops me on the forehead and then curls up and lays down around my neck again. 

"He is...happy," Pyra says with a grin. "We are...also happy...to have...a...new family...member." She continues. We have been talking a lot over the last few days and it always surprises me how quickly she seems to learn our language. I offered to learn the Pokemon language from her and she really enjoyed the thought of us sharing that as well. Maybe I will become one of the first humans to be able to speak to Pokemon non-telepathically! 

We finish up the meeting and everyone breaks off for bed. Celeste joins us in the bed again, and Lara doesn't seem to fight it tonight. We cuddle up close, Lara, Celeste, and me with Thorn taking the foot of the bed. Jeffery sleeps in his own corner and Prya, Grace, and Angie make their own cuddle pile for the night right below our bed.

I turn off the light and reach over to grab Lara's hand. We interlock fingers and share a kiss before getting comfortable in bed. I am almost asleep when a voice enters my head.

{Finn! Finn! Are you awake?}

I open my eyes and see Celeste's own orb-like eyes right in front of me. I smile sleepily at the pink Pokemon and whisper, "Just barely, what's up?"

{Sorry...but I wanted to tell you I was wrong.}

Confused, I ask, "About what?"

{Being in love with Lara. I mean, I do still love her, but like as an older sister, not as my one.}

I smile. This was great news! "I am glad, but what brought this on?"

{I realized when I first saw him...Thorn is my one! We are destined to be together and I love him so, sooooo~ much!}

I stare blankly at the mythical and powerful Pokemon who is floating and twisting midair nervously and then snort.

"Well, good luck with that. Just don't make the team dynamic weird."

{I won't! I will never cause him any problems. I just want to show him how much I care for him. But don't worry, Lara is giving me a ton of advice. She told me what she told a lady named Margret today: The way to win a man is to be aggressive in your love! Anyway, goodnight Finn!}

I stare off into the darkness after she leaves to rejoin Lara.

'Damn it. Now I am really worried...'