Pokemón : The Price of caution

place it in the small pile to his side before he gets back to brushing. Lee yawns and glances at the sun from their shady spot in the lab's shadow.

"Must be about ten AM now..." He murmurs, getting no reply from his dozing pokemon. "Were we doing something today? I forget." Vulpix purrs a short note but otherwise doesn't answer.

As Lee holds a tail in a gentle grip to brush, his mind starts to wander.

'How are things going to play out?' He wonders with a frown. 'Will things run as they did in the anime? The games? Maybe some mishmash of both? Have I already caused irreversible harm to the timeline just by being here? Should I even rely on meta-knowledge?' He moves to another tail and starts brushing idly. 'Maybe not. That's a convenient, but dangerous route to take. The instant something plays out in a way I don't expect, or we stumble on something I forgot, things could get hairy. Plus, all of that relies on us traveling with Ash and his friends, and considering all the insane shit that follows him around, our lifespans would probably be much longer on our own.' He thinks with a grimace. 'Oak said Ash would be here in about a week. It's been eight days so far and nothing. Should we just start off on our own?' "What do you think, love?" Lee softly asks.

The narrow psychic channel between him and Vulpix widens just enough for her to convey a sense of patience and contentment. No actual words, not yet, but her meaning is clear.

Lee hums and scratches just at the base of her middle-most tail, making Vulpix wiggle in pleasure. 'The pointers from Medicham worked well, didn't they?'

The vixen replies with a sleepy, verbal, "Vulpiiiix." She then turns over in Lee's lap, presenting her belly for brushing.

Lee just smiles and readies the soft-bristled brush in his hand. 'To think I hesitated over this and would have outright said no a month ago. I don't know why more trainers don't use psychic communication... Or maybe they do? Hrm. More things to research and consider.' He starts brushing the soft belly before him when Vulpix's impatience begins to leak over the psychic channel. 'You make things too easy for me, love. I'm going to lose my edge if you keep spoiling me.'

Vulpix just chuffs and leans her head back, eyes closed.

The man and pokemon sit together in the shade, basking in each other's company and enjoying the cool breeze carrying the smell of grass and the tang of salty sea air. The pair ignore the sound of squealing tires out front, already knowing Birch's reckless driving habits. A door slams, then it's quiet again.

Then an explosion rocks the lab with the ring of shattering glass.

Sirens are screaming. Ground rumbling. Stench of ash. Flash of light.

Storm of glass.

Burning.

Burning!

BURNING!

LUNGS BLISTER.

FLESH COOKS.

PAIN!

MAKE IT STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP! I WANT TO DIE

Stabbing pain in his hand shocks Lee back into the real world. He barely has enough to register the pain before he falls to his hands and knees, his breakfast vomiting from his rolling stomach and onto the grass with a chunk-filled splatter The man tries to blink the tears from his eyes and stand but falls to his side and coughs weakly. The lingering acid in his throat burns, forcing him to breathe in painful sputters. Bright stars dance in his watery eyes, and his ears ring with a terrible din, but when something

warm, furry, and comforting presses itself to his chest, he hugs it tightly. The feeling of someone there with him, letting him feel, confirming that he's alive, fills Lee's eyes with a fresh wave of tears.