#dragonaboni

Friede didn't want to do this. By Arceus, it was the last thing he wanted.

It had been a rather difficult year up there in space: feeling trapped in such a small capsule where only he and Charizard could comfortably fit, constantly missing his companions… And feeling his conscience gnawed at by the constant thought of having betrayed their trust by remaining silent for so long. Even if he had done it to protect them, seeing Orla cry like that broke his heart…

And seeing Murdock was even more painful.

The way the cook wrapped his arms around Friede's spacesuit, sobbing bitterly, tearfully declaring that he had disbanded the group because he found it unthinkable that they would continue without his leader...

The adventurer had never felt so much guilt.

Naively, the professor believed that everything would end after Spinel's fall, the elimination of Rakurium, and Cervantis's return to Exceed. The company had a gigantic problem on its hands, that much was clear, but at least it wouldn't be their problem anymore…

Right?

The sad reality is that both Cervantis and Amethio had told him they would use all their available resources to investigate further the serious consequences that Rakurium could have on the affected Pokémon… However, although they had more than enough resources and manpower for the project, they needed a scientist who knew Rakurium like the back of his hand, someone truly dedicated to his work.

He knew what they were proposing without them saying it directly. And to be honest? The professor didn't want to accept at all.

But seeing his team, his children, his partner… Knowing everything they've suffered because of Spinel… And on top of that, knowing that he could be the key to fixing everything as soon as possible.

It would be terribly selfish to ignore it…

That's why Friede was doing this in the first place.

Now the former adventurer was back in that old lab: it had improved since his last visit, that old card still worked (miraculously, his permits hadn't been revoked after he'd snuck in that first time with Cap), his colleagues were almost the same, and they were even excited to see him, as well as his new look (Friede wasn't thinking about getting a modern style; his bangs were just too distracting in zero gravity.) And suddenly, the routine began: wake up, have breakfast, work, eat lunch, go back to work, a short break, and then sleep… It repeats over and over again. Friede didn't usually hate routines, but this one in particular was driving him crazy.

Rotom-tom-tom! Rotom-tom-tom! ¡Rotom-tom-tom!

But it wasn't all bad.

Upon hearing the ringtone, the professor smiled warmly and answered automatically, without even noticing who was calling (nor was it necessary, he already knew who it was).

"Darling!~" His beloved's voice was like a refreshing splash in a dry desert. "How have you been? Have you been eating well? Have you been sleeping? Do you have any juicy gossip? Tell me everything!"

Every day, without fail, during his breaks, Murdock would call to check on him. At first, Friede felt as if he were back in college, with his mother calling daily to ask the same questions… However, as time went on, he realized that Murdock's calls were the only thing that kept him sane on many of those days, as well as being quite necessary reminders, because Friede had relapsed into certain bad habits that, under the watchful eye of his partner, he could not allow.

"Honey?"

Murdock's voice pulled him from his thoughts. Friede shook his head before looking at the chef.

"What's wrong?"

"You seemed to be out of it for… a minute. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" the former adventurer muttered through gritted teeth, rubbing his temple… Barely noticing the slight throbbing in his head. "I'm just a little stressed, work's been tough…"

"If you need to take a break, do it."

Friede suppressed a grimace. He couldn't stop… Not until the last piece of that damned pink mineral had disappeared from the face of the earth.

"I'm fine, I'm strong, I've survived worse."

"That doesn't reassure me."

"Trust me, I can handle this."

"Friede. You know you don't have to face all this alone… We can help you."

"I don't want to bother you—"

"You're not bothering me."

"And the kids?" the professor asked, in an attempt to change the subject and steer clear of that tempting idea his boyfriend was offering him.

"Missing you, like everyone else." Murdock's eyes gleamed with a touch of melancholy. "You know you can come back when you've had enough. They asked for your help, not for you to solve everything alone."

"It's easy for you to say it, you don't have this guilt weighing on you," Friede thought, but he didn't dare say it.

Instead, he tried to dismiss his partner's concerns with a wave of his hand; however, the bewildered professor misjudged the space he occupied in his chair, slipping and falling awkwardly.

"FRIEDE!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" he declared, jumping up and forcing a smile, suppressing the dizziness that threatened to knock him down again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I think I'm getting sleepy."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Relax, it's just… I think I'll finish up for today and go to bed early. Talk to you tomorrow?"

The cook grimaced, but finally nodded rather coldly. Friede pretended not to notice as he hung up, though it only intensified his guilt.

The former adventurer decided to keep his promise and return to his apartment early. Friede didn't even bother to change, barely managing to remove tha card and shoes before throwing himself face down on his bed, his eyes filling with tears as he gazed out the window, almost imagining the flying ship crossing the sky, heeding the melancholic call of his heart.

He buried his face in the pillow, stifling an exasperated scream.

He was truly regretting having agreed…

When he opened his eyes again, Friede saw a familiar sight: Murdock was lying beside him, wrapping his muscular arms around him, stroking his loose white hair as those brown eyes gazed at him with deep affection. Once again he was in that recurring dream: he and Murdock lying in bed in his cabin, the two of them snuggled up together while whispering loving words to each other… It was a pleasant dream from which Friede longed never to wake up.

Murdock looked at him strangely, as if he had barely noticed Friede watching him. Those chocolate-brown eyes darkened with concern.

"Oh, darling," his partner whispered, caressing his cheeks. "Look at those dark circles under your eyes, you look so tired…"

That was odd… In his dream, Murdock whispered how handsome he looked. But the professor decided to ignore it: if he scrutinized his lucid dream, he'd end up waking up. Instead, Friede went with the flow.

"Nothing a little sleep next to you can't fix."

"And don't think flattery will get you what you want."

Then the former adventurer felt his beloved's hand on his side, and the cook's expression twisted into a grimace.

"You look thinner," he said. "You told me you were eating well."

Again, that was different: in his dream, Murdock stroked him in that area, just so he could hug him better… His boyfriend never checked his weight. It was strange, but again, Friede didn't think much of it.

"These have been difficult days," he whispered, still too sleepy to filter his words any better. "But I'll eat soon, I promise, just don't leave."

His boyfriend looked at him blankly.

"You promised you'd rest if it got too bad."

This was getting weirder… His sleep never confronted him with his real-life problems; instead, it was an escape. An escape from the awful situation Friede was in.

"Can you stop accusing me of those things? You'll give me a headache and make me wake up…"

"Wake you up?"

"Yes…" he murmured, burying his face in the other's chest. "I'll wake up soon and you'll be gone, I don't want that… I want you to stay here with me. I don't want to go back to work… I don't want to go back."

Friede was on the verge of tears.

"Please don't make me go back… Let me dream a little longer."

Murdock didn't answer him… at least not verbally. He stepped back, just enough so that his large hands cupped the overwhelmed scientist's cheeks. Before Friede could say anything, he felt his partner's lips merge with his. For a moment, Friede froze, remembering how the kiss always marked the end of that cherished dream and the harsh return to reality. However, he soon melted under the chef's grasp, returning the kiss, a couple of tears roll down his cheeks.

"It will all be over soon," he thought wearily. "It's time to go back."

As he felt himself pulling away from his partner's lips, he mentally prepared himself to wake up alone in that uncomfortable single bed and his dreary room. Murdock then pressed his forehead against his.

"Do you think you're still dreaming, darling?"

Friede opened his eyes wide, and suddenly, he noticed that Murdock looked too real to be a dream… Only then did he saw the rest of his room: the gray walls, the table with the mountain of documents, his shoes lying to one side.

He wasn't on the ship of his dreams.

It wasn't a dream.

Friede sat bolt upright: he was still in his dreary room, but if Murdock was there… No, it couldn't be…

It couldn't-

"Ow!" the professor squealed as he felt Murdock pinch his cheek. "Ow, ow, ow! Honey!"

"Now do you believe me, or are we going to have to drag you to a hospital?" the chef grunted, pouting.

Murdock finally let go, and the former adventurer rubbed his cheek, his eyes still wide with shock.

"How did—? When—? Why?!"

"Don't you remember?" his boyfriend asked, looking both surprised and worried. "We arrived last night, I saw you asleep and tried to wake you, but you just wrapped your arms around me and mumbled something unintelligible before falling back asleep… Do you remember?"

No… He didn't remember! The last thing Friede remembered was letting out a muffled scream into the pillow and feeling regretful… Nothing more.

Murdock's touch on his bruised cheek pulled him from his reverie. He felt the other's thumb gently caress his pinched skin, like a slight apology for having been rough.

"I was worried about how you looked… We all decided to pay you a visit. Mollie mentioned she'd give you a checkup as soon as you woke up. We even talked to Amethio and Cervantis about giving you a vacation."

"It's not necessary—"

"Tell me again that it's not necessary, and I swear by Arceus I'll drag you to the ship and keep you kidnapped until further notice."

"What do you think I am? A damsel in distress?" the professor asked, clearly joking to tease him.

"Yes, indeed. And I am the evil dragon who will keep you captive." To the former adventurer's surprise, Murdock played along. "I will feed you and torture you with hugs and kisses until you learn your lesson."

"Oh no! Anything but that! Mercy!"

"Too late for that!"

Murdock let out a mock roar as he lunged at the professor. Friede could barely manage a squeal for help before feeling his partner's kisses against his neck, making him laugh. He struggled to break free from Murdock's grip, but he was too weak to do anything. It was only a brief moment of affectionate torture before Murdock released him; they shared a kiss and stayed there in bed.

"You really looked tormented…" the cook said. "Why did you let it get to this point? What are you trying to achieve?"

"Can we just keep cuddling and ignore the question?"

"What worries me most is that you're declaring your intentions so directly."

"It was worth a try," Friede joked, though he then sighed. "I… I feel guilty."

"Guilty?"

"For everything that happened that year. For not contacting any of you, for abandoning you… For being a coward."

"You were in space."

"But my last message was before I went there."

"You were being hunted."

"Just like you."

"Spinel wanted you, and only Arceus knows what he could have done to you…"

"And yet I hid like a coward!" the former adventurer exclaimed as he stood up, feeling tears welling in his eyes. "I thought… I thought that if I could fix this and get rid of the Rakurium once and for all, then I could redeem myself for what I've put you through…"

Friede lowered his gaze, unable to meet Murdock's eyes, but the cook cupped his cheeks and lifted his face so he could look at him. His thumbs gently wiped away the tears that had accumulated.

"So, your plan to redeem yourself for your lack of communication and your clear self-imposed punishment… is it more of a lack of communication and self-imposed punishment?"

Friede looked away once more… though he refocused on Murdock when he felt the soft kissing on his forehead.

"The lack of communication wasn't pleasant, I won't deny it. It makes my stomach churn to imagine you alone, lost, being hunted without a moment's respite… And to know that I was also the one who took away your safe space."

"It's not the same—"

"It's exactly the same. We all made mistakes and could have done better, but the important thing, the vital part of fixing our mistakes, is learning from them. What you're doing now isn't going to fix anything… Eventually, you'll fell ill and you'll have to quit."

"I can handle it."

"No, you can't. And we don't intend to allow it."

Only then… did Friede realize something.

"We intend? Plural?"

"Do you think I came here alone or something?" Murdock asked, laughing. "The whole crew came, but they didn't want to wake you. In my case, with your grip, I didn't really have much of a choice except spend the night with you."

Friede was embarrassed just imagining himself in that situation. Meanwhile, his boyfriend simply pulled out his SmartRotom to text the rest of the group.

"Anyway, the others are on the boat, waiting for me to call them when you're awake to arrange a proper breakfast."

"There's no need—"

"When I told you I was going to kidnap you, feed you, and love you until you regain your strength, I wasn't lying. We made a few calls while you were asleep; you're not going to escape us again."

Friede sighed, accepting defeat… Although deep down, he was deeply grateful for that intervention. Now he will have to deal with his beloved group, worried (or irritable, as Mollie will be as soon as she finds out about his condition), treating him with as much affection as if he were made of porcelain.

But it would be a sacrifice he'd be willing to make in exchange for being back where he belongs, with his group of friends… at least until he can return to work.

Friede liked to be romantic from time to time. He wasn't the most lovey-dovey boyfriend in the world, but he also wasn't that clueless boyfriend who constantly forgot to show affection to his partner.

In fact, it was common for him to give Orla flowers once a week.

"A flower for another flower." was the phrase the professor always said while he had a floral arrangement for his girlfriend, who always showed a deep excitement in her eyes.

Friede wasn't demanding about the quantity of flowers either: sometimes he gave her colorful bouquets or single-colored bouquets with different flowers, other times he collected small bouquets of wildflowers he could find, such as the famous dandelions. At other times, the adventurer was content to take a single flower and place it in her hair; in fact, it was one of Friede's favorite things to do: to look for the perfect flower that matches her clothes or highlights her hair, carefully separate a strand and delicately place it next to her ear.

He adored it… Although he wasn't always lucky in that regard.

"Bad day to leave the Pokémon guarding the ship," Friede remarked, tentatively eyeing a small white flower hanging from a tree.

Generally speaking, Friede wouldn't have any trouble picking it; however, the tree was much taller than the professor had imagined, and the lowest branch, from which the flower hung, was far out of reach. The tree stood directly behind a wooden fence, and he had learned from experience that he would receive a good scolding from the owner if he saw him climbing it.

The adventurer tried to stand on his tiptoes, but his fingers barely touched the flower's petals; even if he stretched to the limit, they would still be out of reach…

He tried jumping, but although his hand could reach halfway up the flower, it was too risky… He would probably end up completely destroying it in his attempt to pull it out.

And Orla would laugh in his face if he dared to give her the battered flower.

The white-haired man knew perfectly well that he was facing an almost invincible opponent; his common sense even told him so in that small voice, motivating him to look for a flower shop and buy a flower like any other normal human being would.

The thing is… Friede isn't a normal human being. Rather, he's a stubborn, eccentric man with a keen sense of adventure. He did not intend to be defeated by a beggarly little flower that did nothing but sway in the wind, as if it were mocking him.

"He who laughs last, laughs best," the professor remarked to himself as he surveyed his surroundings.

Jumping risked damage, stretching wouldn't reach, nor was there any other way to support himself to reach the flower… There was no other option, it was either use the fence or not do it at all. He sighed heavily, mentally preparing himself to achieve his goal with shouts and insults in the background.

Friede quickly approached the wooden structure, braced himself with both hands on the edge, and pulled himself up until his feet touched the vertical wooden surface. Once he was secure, he turned to see his prize, who was still there waiting patiently. The adventurer stretched out his body and right arm, while his other hand remained firmly in place as if it were an anchor.

He stretched and stretched… And stretched even further… But he couldn't reach it, the flower was still too far away.

"Come on… You can do it…" he whispered through gritted teeth, stretching again. "Come on…"

The professor waved his hand, desperately trying to reach the flower; his fingers were about to brush against its delicate petals.

"What are you doing?"

The unexpected voice caught him off guard; his feet slipped, his grip on his hand weakened.

"AH-! WHOAH!"

And in less than a blink.

T H U D !

Friede had already fallen face-first to the ground.

The man was barely getting up when he noticed someone helping him to his feet, and this time, he recognized both that grip and that familiar voice.

"For Arceus' sake! What on earth were you doing?! Did you think you were an Aipom or something?"

It was Orla, who, despite her scolding and acidic tone, she was clearly worried about him. Friede quickly laughed to downplay the matter.

"I-I'm fine- Ow, ow! Orla!"

"No, you're not. You have a scrape on your face."

"It's probably something minor, nothing to worry about…"

His girlfriend didn't accept it and practically dragged him away. Friede looked with a mixture of pity and anger at the little flower that was still intact on the branch, moving up and down in the wind… Although the adventurer swore that the wretched plant was mocking his humiliating fall.

Orla made him sit on a bench while she cleaned that small wound, and just as the professor said, it was nothing to worry about.

"Luckily I had some of the groceries Mollie asked me to buy; I'm sure she won't mind if I steal a couple of things to heal you."

While Orla wasn't as gentle with her treatments as the nurse, Friede preferred his girlfriend to care for him; after all, Mollie could be a bit rough with him at times… especially if she was trying to force him to promise to take better care of himself.

He still remembered how he had screamed while Mollie pressed that cotton ball soaked in alcohol onto his open wound, not letting go until he promised not to be so impulsive.

"What on earth were you doing up there?"

His partner's voice brought him back to reality.

"It's… nonsense…" he whispered, still embarrassed by his failure.

"Friede, my dear. You have literally spent half your life making ridiculous plans and succeeding at them."

He stuck his tongue out childishly, while Orla laughed. She continued cleaning the wound on the bridge of his nose.

"Just tell me the truth," she continued softly. "You're reckless, but this time it was too much, even for you."

Without other choice, Friede sighed.

"There was a flower on that tree. It was white, beautiful, I felt it would look perfect in your hair…"

"That's what you always say about all the flowers you put in my hair."

"This was no exception," the adventurer insisted. "I wanted to give it to you as a gift, but the branch was too high… I tried several options, but I simply couldn't reach it. I had no other choice but to climb over the fence."

"Let me guess: you were about to get it until I came along, distracted you, and you fell… Hard."

"Did I?"

"Quite a bit, for a moment I was scared, I thought you were unconscious."

She finished cleaning the wound, then rummaged through the paper bags until she pulled out a couple of small boxes of Band-Aids. One of them had Band-Aids in a color similar to her skin tone… The other was a box of Band-Aids with more childlike designs (probably for children).

"Okay, which one do you want to cover your wound?"

Friede snorted.

"I'm not a child."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I can clearly see your eyes are on a particular box."

Friede felt his cheeks flush.

"So?"

"I want the one with the lightning bolt design…"

"Good boy," she declared, as she put down one of the boxes, giving him a couple of pats on the head. Friede snorted loudly, but didn't move away.

He let her put the bandage over his wound, while Orla held his cheeks.

"You know, I wouldn't have minded if you'd gone to a florist and gotten me a similar flower, or even a prettier one."

"But it's no fun like this. This one was special…"

"And was that worth the risk?"

Friede didn't answer, looking away completely, noticing how she pulled him forward to get his attention.

"It wasn't the flower or your fall that bothered you, was it?"

"…Sometimes I hate how well you know me."

She then stole a kiss from his lips: a soft, tender kiss, like a sweet caress he hadn't known he needed so much. When Friede turned to look at her, those green eyes were gazing at him with affection.

"So tell me, what really bothered you?"

"Sometimes… Sometimes I wish I were a little taller."

"Really?"

"Of course," he said vehemently. "I know it sounds silly to you, but it's not the first time this has happened. Sometimes I see something really nice that I want to give you, other times I go to the store to buy something, sometimes the children have asked me for help getting them something that's out of their reach… And I get embarrassed when I can't reach things in those attempts, I feel a little…"

"Vulnerable?"

"I was going to say useless, but I like your word better."

Orla's gaze softened as she pressed her forehead against his.

"Friede, my dear… Sometimes you're such a fool. You're perfect just the way you are. And I'm sure everyone feels the same way."

"Do you really think so?"

"I'm sure of it! Friede… Everyone on the ship admires you, the children see you as their superhero, sometimes I'm even envious of how confident you are."

"The proud one who isn't confident? That's new—Ow!" Friede squealed as he felt his cheek being pinched. "Ow, ow, ow, ouch!"

"Don't push your luck, pretty boy. I'm trying to cheer you up."

His girlfriend then let go of him, Friede rubbed his injured cheek with a grimace of irritation… Although it didn't last long when he saw the affectionate way she was looking at him.

"So, get rid of that silly idea that you're not perfect, because to us you are."

Friede smiled slightly, and this time, he leaned in to kiss her, a deeper kiss than the first. Orla gladly returned the kiss before they parted. Finally, Orla stood up, put the things in the bag, and extended her hand.

"But, if you really want to give me a flower~"

Friede rolled his eyes, but couldn't help laughing as he accepted the mechanic's help to get up.

"Okay, let's go to the flower shop for your flower~"

The two held hands and walked together through the city, searching for the most beautiful flower shop they could find.

---

As the saying goes, a Pokémon resembles its owner. And for Friede, in the case of her companions, it was quite obvious.

Whenever Orla lost patience while repairing something on the ship, she would raise her arms in the air, letting out grumpy groans, in the same way that Elekid did whenever he didn't get his way when stealing electricity.

Or when Mollie frowned while treating a Pokémon's wound, in a similar way to how Chansey did the exact same thing.

Ludlow and Quagsire were two peas in a pod, always with that calm and genuinely noble character… To the point where Friede seriously wondered if those two had grown up together or were actually related to each other.

Even the children behaved similarly to their companions. Liko used to take naps in the sun next to Sprigatito, or there were times when Dot and Quaxly walked the same way, or Roy's voracious appetite was only comparable to that of his faithful companion Fuecoco.

But ultimately, the best comparison was that of his lovely boyfriend and Rockruff.

"Friedeeeee~"

"Tell me, darling."

"I want cuddles~"

The young adventurer smiled, barely managing to suppress a small, amused snort. His head turned slightly to look at his partner: Murdock was resting his head on the professor's shoulder, nuzzling his nose against his neck with soft breath caressing his skin, while those dark eyes gazed at him with such an affectionate and tender pleading air…

He remembered how Rockruff had shown the same gesture, begging for more sweets before lunch.

Friede could not resist it any longer. The professor abandoned his book and turned towards the cook, holding his face in his hands while kissing his lips, savoring that slight sweetness of theirs.

As they parted, Friede leaned in again to brush his nose to his partner's.

"You know? With that cute look, you're the spitting image of Rockruff."

"Identical in what way?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Friede kissed his nose.

"They're both so adorable that I'm about to go into a coma from the sweetness both of you exude."

Murdock's face flushed so intensely that it made him chuckle… Although his shyness didn't last long.

Friede let out a squeal of surprise when Murdock pushed him back onto the bed, then proceeded to shower him with kisses on the face, a wave of affection that Friede tried to reciprocate as best he could, though without much success.

One day, Friede headed towards the kitchen, letting out a long, lazy yawn, while his sleepy brain kept begging for a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

"Honey, can you make me a cup of coffee?" he asked, peeking into the kitchen doorway, surprised not to hear a reply. "Darling? Murdock?"

Strangely, the kitchen was empty, but the aroma of food still cooking revealed that her partner must have been there, possibly going out to get something from their room or on their way to wake everyone up. Friede shrugged, taking the liberty of making his own coffee.

"Ruff-Ruff!"

"Huh?" Upon hearing the similar bark, he turned down, noticing the presence of that brown Pokémon. "Ah, good morning to you too, Rockruff."

The little Pokémon began barking and whining, hopping about, staring intently at something above Friede's head. Recognizing their pleading cries, the adventurer turned around and there he saw it: it was a box of prizes for canine pokemon, right above the refrigerator. Rockruff whimpered even more, scratching at the man's pajama pants, who instantly understood what was happening.

"Ah, I know, you want me to give you some extra rewards, right?"

"Ruff!"

"Wow, your father has been quite strict about not giving you sweets in between meals."

The Pokémon sat down, putting on that adorable pleading expression. Friede let out a laugh, but shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, little one… But if your father finds out I've been spoiling you, he'll give me a real scolding."

Rockruff whimpered again, scratching his pants… Friede had to summon all his willpower to refuse.

"Sorry, little one, you'll have to beg Murdock."

He thought the rock-type Pokémon would give up, maybe even leave with a deep expression of sadness… also inherited from his boyfriend.

Instead, the Pokémon frowned, puffing out its cheeks as it let out a long snort from its nose.

Friede was shocked, and soon, he burst out laughing… That reproachful expression was identical to Murdock's!

The adventurer had quite a bit of trouble calming down, even wiping away some small tears that were accumulating in his eyes, then he looked at the pokemon, who still maintained that angry expression.

"Like trainer, like Pokémon," Friede declared, still laughing. "Awww, was it your dad who taught you to do that gesture? Or did you learn it all on your own?"

Rockruff snorted again, which only made Friede feel more tender.

"Awww yes little one, keep going, sooner or later I'll fall under your charms that you stole from your father. Eventually I'll surrender to your adorable paws… But I think you need to practice a little more~ You're not even half as terrifying as your father~"

Suddenly, Rockruff stopped what he was doing, his eyes began to glow, and he started barking while wagging his tail. The young professor looked at him puzzled, wondering what could have caused such a sudden change in attitude…

The response came in the form of a sudden grab of his hips; Friede jumped and let out a squeal that was muffled when he felt a hand covering his mouth.

"Relax, babe. It's me."

The young professor relaxed upon recognizing Murdock's voice. The cook laughed as he removed his hand from his mouth, though he didn't let go. The adventurer turned to look at him reproachfully, puffing out his cheeks.

"You nearly scared me to death…"

"Why were you making fun of my little boy?"

"It's hard not to, you know? They're so identical they look like father and son. They're terribly adorable and funny."

Murdock raised an eyebrow.

"And that gives you permission to laugh at my poor puppy?"

"Any objections?"

"Nope~ But you do need a little punishment."

Before Friede could respond, Murdock began kissing the back of his neck. Instantly, the captain burst into laughter. He started squirming, trying to break free from his beloved's grasp, but Murdock only held him tighter, showering him with kisses and eliciting even more laughter.

After a few minutes in which Murdock showed no mercy, he finally let go, with Friede breathing heavily, trying to recover.

"You're… a… menace…"

"But I'm your menace~"

Friede let out a tired laugh as she turned around, kissing those lips that just a few minutes ago had been torturing him with such sweetness.

---

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the small crew kitchen as the dark liquid filled the battered white cup that had seen better years, but was too dear to be thrown away. Friede's quietest hours were mid-morning: when everyone had already had breakfast and were already starting their respective activities. So in these hours, it was just him, his cup of coffee, and occasionally, one of his Pokémon companions.

"Charrr"

As was the case with Charizard, who peeked his head out from the kitchen entrance. The adventurer smiled, approaching to gently pet him on the nose.

"Hello to you too, buddy." The man let out a small laugh as he noticed the Pokémon fiddling with the strands of his bangs. "Now, now, stop being so clingy, or you'll spill my coffee."

Charizard stepped back, with that particular gleam in his eyes. A gesture the trainer knew well by heart.

Friede rolled his eyes, but smiled.

"Okay, okay. I'll walk you outside."

"Zaaaard!"

The fiery Pokémon quickly headed outside, with Friede following close behind. Charizard liked to step out onto the edge of the ship for a breath of fresh air, admiring the blue sky or the surroundings of their current location (back in Paldea, to be precise). But sometimes, the winged and orange creature felt a little lonely, especially when Friede spent most of his time in the captain's cabin next to the electric Pokémon.

Friede understood this, and that's why he also dedicated time and attention to the Charizard.

Once they stepped outside, they both took a long breath of fresh air, exhaling in unison.

"This feels pretty peaceful, even it seems like that trio isn't around."

Everyone had already gotten used to the fact that, as soon as they touched land, the three children would go out to explore or train. And from time to time, they would come back full of joy, shouting out loud that they had found a new Pokémon.

Sometimes Friede missed having them around, but he was a firm believer that experience was the best mentor in life, so he didn't worry too much either. Either way, they had their Pokémon to defend themselves if they found themselves in a tense situation, or they could call him if necessary.

The young professor took a sip of his drink as he walked to the edge of the ship, Charizard following behind him. The two observed the nature around them: the delicate beach where they were anchored, the vast fields so green and full of life, and Levincia City, which stood so tall it seemed like a futuristic fortress.

His contemplation was interrupted by screams in the distance.

"Huh? What's that?"

Being protective by nature, the adventurer strained his ears, searching for the source of those screams carried by the wind. It wasn't long before he saw a jet-black group running across the field, chasing a small, brightly colored group, barely visible. Friede narrowed his eyes.

"Those… They look like Paldean Tauros…" the leader whispered.

Although he couldn't see them very well, Friede knew the local fauna… Especially the most problematic or territorial ones.

"Charrrr." The fire-type lizard seemed to agree with him.

Friede continued watching the group, which ran desperately, becoming more visible little by little, until he finally recognized the group as some children who, possibly, had the bad luck of catching the attention of the group of bull Pokémon. Without taking his eyes off the unsuspecting children, the adventurer brought his cup to his lips.

"Who are those dumbass kids outside?" he thought, starting to take another sip of coffee.

It wasn't until a particular scream made him realize a tiny but extremely important detail about those unfortunate souls…

"FRIEEEEEDE!!! HEEEEELP!!!"

The named man's eyes shot open, spitting out his coffee.

"THOSE ARE MY DUMBASS KIDS!"

Between coughs, the older dropped the cup without even noticing where it landed. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Charizard's neck and climbed onto his back.

"COME ON, COME ON! WE HAVE TO RESCUE THAT TRIO OF LUNATICS! LET'S GO!"

The fire Pokémon let out a roar as it leaped, flapping its wings and flying toward Paldea's Tauros group. It didn't take long for them to arrive; luckily, the three children were smart enough to climb the tallest tree they could find, staying among its branches while shouting for their mentor.

Friede's gaze was fixed on the wild Pokémon.

"Charizard, use Air Slash!"

His winged companion howled as his wings lit up in a brilliant white color, flapping them with great force, the slashes of intense whitish light impacted against the group of jet-black Tauros, who, being completely focused on the children, were taken by surprise. Stunned by the sudden attack, the group of wild Pokémon moaned in pain, clumsily colliding and bumping into each other, unable to escape. Charizard had to launch a roar and another air attack to disperse them, finally getting them away from the little ones.

Friede breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her little ones lying in their tree hiding place: Liko was completely wrapped around the tree trunk, Roy was holding on tightly among the branches, staying close to Dot, who was lying on a thick branch, hugging her as if her life depended on it. Friede felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of them so scared. His children weren't cowards, so the attack must have taken them by surprise too, for them to look so… Terrified.

"Are you all right?"

The three nodded, still too shocked to respond verbally. Feeling a great paternal impulse, Friede extended his arms towards them.

"Come on, kids. You're safe now, those Tauros won't hurt you again. I promise."

It took him a little time, but the oldest managed to convince them. With great patience, Friede rescued them one by one, letting them embrace him like a group of Komalas. Despite the extra weight and awkward position, Charizard managed to return to the ship with a more peaceful flight.

Once they arrived at the ship, Friede carefully lowered them before getting off Charizard's back.

"I owe you one, my friend." Then he turned to the children, who already looked a little calmer. "Are you all right?"

"Y-Yes, we are." Despite his statement, Liko was still trembling a little.

"How did you end up being chased by a pack of Tauros?"

"We didn't do anything, they came out of nowhere!" explained Roy, who was already returning to normal. "We just had a hard training when we heard mooing and stomping coming toward us."

"Before we realized it, they were upon us," Dot declared, rubbing her arm. "Our Pokémon were too weak to fight, so we had no choice but to run."

Friede scratched the back of his neck: he understood that feeling. Back in his younger days as a field researcher, he'd had to go through similar experiences… And like the kids, he got a couple of frights. The adventurer was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a strong hug. When Friede turned around, he saw Liko hugging him tightly, hiding her face in his clothes, still trembling.

He stroked her hair tenderly.

"Come on, you need a cup of hot chocolate. That'll help you calm down."

The three children nodded, sticking close to Friede's sides as he led them into the kitchen. Charizard followed obediently, still looking around protectively, ready to defend them if another Pokémon came out to attack.

Only when they were already inside the ship, with Friede pouring the last cup of hot chocolate, he suddenly remember the cruel fate that his cup must have suffered.

"Ahg, shoot" he whispered to himself, though loud enough for Liko to hear.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just broke one of my cups."

"Really? When?"

Friede hesitated for a moment, knowing perfectly well that if he was honest, the three children would be sad, thinking it was entirely their fault.

"I threw it away when I came up for air. When I went to get something to clean up my mess, I heard them and went to their rescue."

While it wasn't exactly a lie, it wasn't the complete truth either… The adventurer didn't like it, but at least his children would be at peace.

To his surprise, Liko stood up.

"Can you show me where it is? I can help you fix it. My dad taught me how to do it with a little glue and gold paint."

"Oh, I know that technique too!" Roy replied instantly, standing up as well. "My grandfather taught me how to do it!"

"I'll help you," Dot commented, joining them. "It may not be useful for drinking coffee anymore, but it sure makes a nice decoration."

"Yeah, let's go!"

Without waiting for a reply, the kids rushed outside. Friede blinked slowly in confusion. After a while, he heard a group of footsteps returning and saw them peek out from the door again.

"Um…" Liko said with a nervous smile. "Can you guide us to where the cup is?"

Friede let out a laugh before standing up.

"Just let me go get a mop to clean up the mess, then we'll fix that old cup together, okay?"

"Okay!" the three children squealed, while their mentor did nothing but laugh.

---

Thirteen weeks waiting for Friede to come home.

"Let me guess… A Pokémon attacked you and you didn't come out unscathed, right?"

Friede gave a nervous smile as he nodded.

"I'm sorry, Mollie, I really thought I'd dodge it. In my defense, I'm usually right in my calculations."

The nurse pinched the bridge of her nose before sighing heavily.

"Come on, let's go to the medical room so I can help you."

After a quick walk through the ship's corridors, the two arrived at their destination, Chansey swiftly adjusting the stretcher. The young professor murmured a thank you before sitting on the edge of the stretcher, hissing slightly as he felt a burning sensation in his back from the movement.

The adventurer could hear Mollie moving around behind him; from the clinking, Friede guessed she was arranging her metal tools.

"Okay, so what exactly happened?"

"I was doing a little field research, as usual, and suddenly a Scyther appeared out of nowhere. I got the fright of my life, so I quickly moved aside while I sent out Charizard."

"Judging by the bleeding gash I see in your jacket, I'm guessing you didn't get out of this one too unscathed."

"Does it look really bad?" he asked nervously, trying to look over his shoulder without much success.

"You were injured in a wild Pokémon attack, and you're worried about your jacket?"

"I really like it! I worked so hard to keep it in one piece."

"You're a lost cause."

The professor could almost picture her rolling her eyes.

"Okay, so what happened next?"

"Well, thanks to Charizard I was able to get rid of it and get back here… But on the way I felt a burning sensation on my back, so I made a quick stop to put on a bandage… Charizard couldn't help me much, so I don't know how bad it looks, but at least I felt like the bleeding stopped."

"I understand. Can you take off your jacket?"

Friede nodded, moving his arms, feeling the burning sensation in that area, and quickly removed that first layer of clothing.

"Your black shirt is damaged too, although the blood isn't very visible."

"That's the great thing about having black clothes." Feeling the nurse's sharp gaze on the back of his neck, the young professor bit his tongue. "But it also makes me sad to know it's torn."

"Worry about the clothes later, right now I'm interested in seeing the wound."

Without another word, Friede also took off his shirt.

"Woah…"

"What? The bandage? I had to improvise something until I got here… But I didn't have much to work with—"

"That's not it," she interrupted. "Actually, the stain is light, it looks relatively fine… What surprises me are your scars."

"Huh? You hadn't seen them?"

"This is the first time I've seen you shirtless, especially from behind."

The nurse's hands settled on the bandage, and with utmost gentleness, Mollie began to remove it completely. Then Friede noticed her fingers tracing his skin.

"Does it look bad?"

"Fortunately it's shallow, but it crossed over a scar."

"That explains the pain; it's a bit more intense. I thought I'd really hurt myself."

"You'll heal, and luckily, it won't have another scar."

"Aw, that's a shame—OW!"

The adventurer hissed as a terribly burning sensation shot through his back, straightening up completely as he felt the nurse's hand press against his side.

"Hold still," she grumbled reluctantly. "If you move, I won't be able to clean the wound."

"Y-You could have warned me sooner," Friede protested, feeling tears welling in her eyes. "That hurt quite a bit!"

"Don't move."

Reluctantly, he obeyed, remaining in that position. Mollie again passed the cotton ball, possibly soaked in some kind of rubbing alcohol, to the wound. The burning sensation persisted, so Friede did his best to remain still.

"What about the other scars?" Mollie suddenly asked. "Did you get them all since you became an adventurer?"

"Only the largest and deepest ones," the young professor replied, taking a deep breath to ease the pain. "Many of them resulted from my field work."

"I can make out some that were made by Pokémon. There are three long and straight ones, they look like they're from the same paw… Zangoose?"

"Yes, it was similar to Scyther's, it caught me off guard and I was attacked, it was close, but not very serious."

"I see another one, also with three claws, although smaller and darker… Sableye?"

"It was a gengar, actually."

"A gengar? How did you mess with it?"

"I got lost in a forest and it attacked me out of nowhere. It used a shadowy claw on me. It was so strange when they were healing me… Instead of warmth, I felt incredibly cold." His body shuddered at the mere memory. "It definitely taught me to stay away from twisted paths in the woods."

"I also see one on your side; it looks more like teeth than a claw… Huh, that whole area of ​​skin is burned."

"Ah, that's when a Houndoom bit me."

Mollie stopped instantly.

"Houndoom? Isn't that the one mentioned in the Pokédex about its permanent burns?"

"Luckily, I was able to verify that that fact is a myth," he commented, laughing softly. "When it bites for the first time, yes, the burn is quite painful… But once they start healing it, the burning fades and it remains as a horrible memory. Even so, that area is particularly sensitive when it's cold."

"Now I understand why you don't like the cold," the nurse remarked as she resumed her treatment. "What about that lightning bolt-shaped one? It's colored like a bruise; it looks like an electrical injury."

"And it is! Cap provoked it one day when I pushed him too far. Perhaps one of the most painful, although it was worth it to get it; Cap became so tame those days that he healed me. I swear he felt terribly guilty."

Suddenly, he felt a gentle tug on his sides, as if someone were tying a bandage around him.

"You're all set. Since I figured you'd be scratching the bandage I put on, I decided to secure it with an extra one."

Friede glanced at his body, surprised by the girl's ability to heal him.

"Impressive, I didn't even realize when you finished cleaning."

"I noticed you were suffering a little, I imagined that telling you a story would help distract you and soothe the pain."

"And it did, thank you so much. Any further instructions?"

"Just try not to make any sudden movements or do any heavy work, and be careful not to get the bandage wet," Mollie explain, handing back his clothes. "Generally, come in once a day so I can change the bandage and check the wound, just to make sure it's healing properly…"

"So it's the perfect excuse to continue with the rest of the stories about my war wounds."

The nurse snorted, trying to appear stern. However, the adventurer recognized the slight hiss Mollie made as she tried to stifle her laughter. Satisfied, Friede put on his shirt and tucked his jacket under his arm before getting up.

"If you take proper care of yourself, it will heal completely in a few days."

"Thank you again for your help; I don't know what this ship would do without you."

"Just be careful next time, okay?"

"I will. I'll try not to add any more scars to the collection."

Having said this, the young professor said goodbye to Mollie and retraced his steps, stifling a sigh as he remembered that he was not finished. He would need a change of clothes and to wash his stained garments; the last thing Friede wanted was to give someone else a heart attack.

---

His children were naturally curious, and he didn't blame them at all: the young professor nurtured their curiosity whenever he could. While Friede's priority was for them to use that knowledge to perform better in battle, he also hoped their learning would lead them to a greater appreciation for the beautiful creatures they lived with.

However, sometimes their curiosity led them in more peculiar directions.

"Can we ask you a question, Friede?"

Especially if he was the subject of the study.

The named man looked up from his book: the three children were standing there, looking at him with great curiosity. It was a quiet day on the ship, so it wasn't unusual for the little ones to look for some way to entertain themselves. And of course, he loved to feed that avid curiosity they had.

"Sure," he replied, closing the book and fixing his gaze on Roy. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Have you ever cried?"

The strange question made him raise an eyebrow.

"Of course, why do you doubt it?"

"We've never seen you cry before," Dot commented. "At least not as far as we know."

"I'm a bit reserved; I don't feel comfortable crying in front of others."

"So you've never done it with someone present?" the blue-haired girl asked.

Friede thought for a moment.

"Now that I think about it, I only seem to have cried once in front of two people, many years ago." He gave a small laugh. "Actually, it was in front of you, Liko, and then in front of your mother."

A louder laugh nearly escaped him at the children's surprised expressions. Especially Liko's.

"But when?! I don't remember at all!"

"I'm not surprised, you were quite young."

"Did you know me when I was little?"

"It was when you were still a baby, during my brief time in Levincia City. Lucca and I were very close, and I even had to babysit you on several occasions. It was during one of those times that I cried."

"Can you tell us the story?" Roy asked, and without waiting for an answer, he sat down on one of the chairs at the table, followed closely by the two girls.

The elder laughed again, before beginning his story.

Let's see, I vaguely remember it was a summer day. Lucca had called me because she needed to go out with her husband. I don't remember if it was an anniversary date or something related to work, and she wanted to bring Alex along. The point is that it was somewhat surprising: they didn't have a nanny to support them, nor a close or trusted relative…

So... Their only option was me.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" I asked her, I think for the tenth time. "I'm sure there are a million people you could ask for this favor."

"You'd be surprised to know that of all my family and close friends, you're the most trustworthy."

I have to admit, that didn't give me any peace of mind.

"And I'm incredibly flattered, Teacher, really… But… Me? I don't know anything about babysitting!"

"What are you talking about? You've helped me a lot over the past few months."

"Yeah, that's the key word: help. I've only been a mere assistant; you've been responsible for the most heavy lifting."

"I partially agree with you, but I think you're ready to handle it."

To this day, I don't know how my teacher could have trusted me enough to give me her most precious treasure: you, Liko. Now that I think about it! You were in the room with us. Lucca have you in a small playpen, next to some toys and stuffed pokemon. I don't remember exactly how old you were, but you were already crawling, even trying to stand.

I remember when you saw me you would yell…

"Fiede! Fiede!"

You still couldn't pronounce my name correctly, but you were almost there! I was always happy to hear from you.

I remember greeting you back, even calling you by that affectionate nickname your mother gave you: Blueberry.

When I turned to my teacher, she was already gathering her last things before leaving.

"Alex and I won't be long, maybe just a couple of hours," she promised me. "Your only job will be to keep her out of danger and entertain her. You've done that before."

"But—"

"Can you do it?"

I wanted to retort, but at the same time, I knew there weren't many options.

"Well, yes—"

"Then she's in good hands."

"But teacher—"

Then her SmartRotom floated out of her bag, interrupting our conversation.

"I'm sorry, Friede. I have to go now. If anything happens, you have our numbers on the refrigerator. Alex is already waiting for me!" While answering the call, she turned to look at you. "Bye, blueberry! Be good to Friede!"

"Bye-bye mama!"

I was surprised that you said goodbye so cheerfully. It even seems to me that you were used to Lucca having to leave in such an abrupt and unexpected way. When I realized it, we were alone in that house. I just stood in shock, staring at the front door before sighing heavily. I appreciate your mother so much, Liko, you have no idea… But sometimes she overwhelmed me a little.

I turned around to see you, I was surprised to see you standing on your corral, looking at me with those cyan eyes of yours.

"Fiede!" You yelled at me, waving your little hand for me to come closer.

I smiled at you, approaching your playpen until I was standing in front of you.

"Yes, blueberry?"

"Uppie!"

You loved being in people's arms, especially if it was me or one of your parents holding you. You had the habit of hugging the person who was carrying you, which became an infinitely special moment.

That's when I remembered why I always agreed to babysit last minute: I loved seeing you.

You didn't usually give me much trouble: You enjoyed playing with your stuffed Pokémon or just being in other people's arms. Since you were still crawling, you liked to explore your surroundings from time to time, although not very often. In fact, I remember that what you liked most was taking long naps while someone rocked you. I even fell asleep with you on a couple of occasions! But that day, neither of us felt like sleeping.

Although I liked the calm, eventually, I got bored.

It had been a little over an hour and a half since your parents left. I was lying on the couch in the house, watching you as you crawled, trying to stand with the help of some furniture. I was on the lookout in case you tripped or fell, but you never did.

It wasn't until I noticed the wooden table nearby that I saw a few items: a black pen, a bit of money Lucca had left for me, and a Charmander plushie I remember giving you a while back. Seeing those objects together reminded me of an anecdote my parents loved to tell whenever the topic of childhood came up in conversation.

This is a curious ritual typical of Kanto: when the child is big enough to crawl, the parents place him in front of three objects, each one representing an important element in the life of any adult: the pen represented intelligence, the money... Well, represented money, and the toy represented fun. Parents would place their children in front of the objects, letting them choose which item they would value most in adult life.

In my case, I immediately went for the pen, and my parents boasted how it was part of my destiny when I became a great scientist.

Although I wasn't really as big a believer in fate as they were, the truth is I was bored and curious enough to try it on you, Liko.

It didn't take long to set up the ground. I left the items in one place and placed you on the other side. I remember your extremely confused expression. Back then, I tried to explain it to you… Forgetting that you were still too little to fully understand.

"Just pick what you like best," I told you simply before taking your place. Then, I walked over to stand behind the objects, wanting to see up close what decision you'd make in the end. "Okay, all set. Blueberry, now you can choose!"

You stood for a long time looking at the objects, and slowly, you crawled little by little, as you got closer I watched you very carefully, I wanted to see what you chose.

Suddenly, I saw you reach out your hand towards a particular object, I held my breath for a few seconds…

And then you pushed them all to the side!

I was quite surprised, of course I was. I found it so odd that you didn't choose anything in particular, not even the pokemon plushie, since you loved them so much. It was obvious that you didn't know or understand the ritual, so it was normal that you weren't interested, but at the time, the situation genuinely baffling to me. I wondered: Had I done something wrong? Wouldn't you have any interest in any of those things? Had my parents been right about fate being strange?

It was at that moment that I felt something fall into my lap, pulling me out of my thoughts in an instant. Before I knew it, you were on my lap, holding onto my shirt and looking up at me with a big smile.

"Fiede! Fiede!" you said, stretching your hands out toward me.

It took me a few seconds to realize it. I was behind those objects…

I was the fourth option. Or rather, I was an option!

That surprised and confused me even more… Why, of all the options, would you choose me? What did I mean to you?

"Why?" I asked aloud as I picked you up again, not expecting an answer…

But as always, you surprised me.

"Family!" you blurted out before laughing. "Fiede Family!"

I didn't know what to say to you… I thought you didn't understand, or maybe you just assumed that family was what you liked most. To this day, I'm not even sure what was going through your little head.

But I didn't focus on analyzing it either, I was too busy trying to hold back my tears… Without much success, of course.

Your gaze turned… Sad, worried I would say. You brought your hands to my cheeks as if you wanted to wipe them of my tears, I simply laughed.

But I felt the need to reassure you, I didn't want you to think I was angry with you.

"Sometimes adults cry because we get so emotional," I explained patiently, not knowing if you'd understand me as well. "Sometimes, we cry because we feel so happy."

"Fiede ha'by?"

"Yeah. Friede is very happy, Blueberry," I replied, hugging you tenderly. "Very, very, very happy!"

Friede laughed nostalgically.

"When your parents arrived, they found me sobbing while you laughed, repeating my name and the word "family" over and over."

Looking up, Friede was surprised to see all three children on the verge of tears, Liko being the most obvious, who quickly jumped out of her seat and ran to hug him.

"I think I remember…" she whispered. "Very vaguely, but I think I remember."

Friede smiled, returning the hug.

"Don't feel guilty if you don't remember, little one. I was very flattered to see that you consider me part of your family."

The other two children joined in the hug, letting out small sobs as their mentor comforted them, fondly remembering how Lucca did the same to him.

---