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Irida and Lucas walked forth gingerly, the Ancient Retreat slowly disappearing behind them. As the gap between safety and the open wilderness of the Hisui region opened up before them, it reminded Irida of the monumental task ahead of them, to try and solve what had previously been an impossible riddle; the mystery of Hisui’s Three Great Lakes in order to forge the fabled Red Chain.
She tried not to think about it. Tried not to think how they were two young adults hopelessly out of their depth trying to do something that neither of them were in any way qualified for or able to accomplish in a world that felt like it was teetering close to utter annihilation and why did she have to be leading the Pearl clan of all times why now-
Glaceon seemed to object to her rapid fire thoughts as it rubbed against her leg, a calming and grounding presence in a maelstrom of catastrophic possibilities.
…No, forget it and damn the consequences or what the Galaxy team and Jubilife Village thought of her for aiding a fugitive or exiled villager. The entire Hisui region and potentially even the lands beyond were in danger, the elders of the clan could depose her later when the world wasn’t about to end. Besides, Adaman had objected to Lucas’ banishment just as much as she had done, and as much as he grated on her nerves, he was plenty dependable enough in a pinch.
“All right, out of all our destinations… I feel like we should head for Lake Valor first,” Irida said, trying to dispel the heavy silence weighing over them. “It’s the closest by far, and there’s not much in the way of overly hostile or unmanageable wildlife.”
Lucas kept walking forward instead, seemingly not hearing her.
“Hey, did you hear me all right? I said-“
“Yeah, I know.” Lucas mumbled as he finally stopped walking forward. “Look, I get it. It’s a smart move. The sensible move.”
“But?” Irida asked, sensing an unspoken objection that he might have.
“I just… could we head to Lake Verity instead?” Lucas replied, finally turning around. “I know there’s no sensible reason to go there, I… I just need to-“
“No, no, it’s fine,” Irida shook her head. “No point wasting time arguing, and we do need to get there eventually. Besides, if you can’t focus like we need to right now, it won’t matter where we go first anyway.”
“Thanks.” Lucas sighed out, reaching down to pet his similarly concerned Typhlosion.
And thus the pair changed course, hoping to find a way to remove the oppressively dim blanket that had blotted out their sky.
/////
Irida stretched herself out, rising from their makeshift campsite out in the wilds. Cogita and Volo had been kind enough to provide the tools for them, but even so, she pettily wished for more comfortable sleeping arrangements after being so used to the luxury afforded her as the head of the Pearl clan.
The Obsidian Fieldlands had barely changed much besides the ominous foreboding sky casting its now disturbingly familiar oppressive shadow upon the Hisui region. Irida wondered if Professor Laveton had begun trying to determine what it meant, and if it would pose any danger besides locking away the sun’s glow.
The thought that the Pearl Clan’s already difficult harvests up in the Alabaster Icelands could fail entirely if the sun’s rays were to vanish from the very sky itself wasn’t a pleasant one. And never mind her family, what of the Diamond Clan? Would Adaman soon face the same inevitable decay? Or even Jubilife Village, much as she dreaded the idea of sympathising with them?
“…There it is.”
Irida snapped back to attention to see Lucas staring almost wistfully back at Jubilife Village.
“Almighty Sinnoh, I miss that place already. Living and camping out in the wilds really helped put things into perspective,” Lucas muttered. “Wonder why I used to think my old bed was awfully stiff in places and creaked worse than a sickly Honchkrow.”
Irida wanted to object to his musings, saying that any place that kicked him out into the wilderness to die without the bare basic human dignities of things like a fair judgement based on substantial evidence or even a place for him to hide wasn’t worth his time or his sympathy, but held her tongue. The last thing she wanted was to make his already despondent mood even worse.
“Well, that’s somewhere we can return to once we show Commander Kamado the truth he’s trying to ignore,” Irida replied, trying to change the subject. “And if they won’t take your word for it even then, well… At the very least, the Galaxy team won’t have enough reason to stop me or Adaman’s clan from sheltering you.”
“Maybe that might be for the best,” Lucas muttered bitterly. “After seeing how easily they changed their minds from me being the survey corps recruit that could tame even the unknowable Hisui region to a pariah with the greatest of ease, I don’t know if I ever want to go back.”
“Lucas…”
Irida knew he was absolutely right to feel that way. She’d stood outside the Galaxy team’s headquarters, watching the young man slowly and solemnly disappear past the gates along with Cyllene, Akari and the professor, and it had taken all of her willpower and clenching her teeth and crushing her palm to hold her tongue at the remarks the villagers had made as he’d been banished.
She’d wanted to immediately depart for home and demand that the Pearl Clan elders do whatever they could to offer him asylum and shelter, before realising that there were bigger consequences than simply her reputation if they took him in. The Pearl clan had no desire for another bloody conflict, especially if the Diamond clan joined with the Galaxy team to wipe them out.
So she was eternally grateful to be able to aid him in any capacity, even if it was as limited as she was, without anything in the way of the Pearl clan’s resources or manpower. Maybe their knowledge too, but Cogita and Volo seemed to know more than anything the books in their libraries might teach them.
But of course now…
“What was even the point?! Why did I bust my ass trying to help people that threw me away when they couldn’t think of anything that could explain their problems!” Lucas hissed. “I have an entire catalogue of Pokémon still living in their fields, are they allowed to stay just because they’re still useful?”
“Lucas, you don’t need to-“
“And I still have the bruises and injuries from my journey, so what have I even gotten injured all the time for?” Lucas interrupted as he continued to vent his grievances. “I’ve been facing serious injury, sometimes even death time and time again for what?!”
Irida decided against trying to cut him off this time, and allowed him to continue to yell out his frustration.
“All because- because-“
Lucas let out a long, weary sigh.
“All because despite doing what we all thought was the right thing to save the nobles, all it did was make things worse. And they chose the most logical factor to blame for the state of the world we’re stuck in.” Lucas mumbled as he visibly deflated and fell back into his bedroll.
Irida bit her lip as she weighed her options carefully and considered her words. What could she even say to assuage his guilt and his despair?
“Look, I…”
Irida swallowed before continuing.
“I can hardly understand the situation you are in, having been privileged enough to be surrounded by people who at least would not be so open in hostility and suspicion. But even so-“
Lucas weakley turned his head towards her direction.
“There was a time; long before the arrival of the Galaxy team to help mediate in our affairs. When the Diamond and Pearl clans were still at each other’s throats, desperately trying to prove that their belief was somehow magically superior or correct without a shred of evidence,” Irida continued. “And then one day there was me, somehow charged with taking the reins of the clan from my father when I was scarcely old enough to even be allowed to marry, with barely anyone I could call ally, merely decrepit and power hungry old fools that hungered to turn an inexperienced girl into a pawn.”
“The truce and mediation from Kamado and his team was still so brand new and unfamiliar. Could I trust the Diamond clan to honour it? Who among the elders were trying to help me and the clan and who simply wanted to puppeteer me to fullfill their ambitions?”
“…So how did you… handle it all?” Lucas asked, sitting up slightly as he paid attention to her story. “Seems like you would’ve cracked a long time ago.”
“You can thank one simple thing for that I suppose; the few friends I knew I could count on,” Irida smiled. “Even in a veritable sea of uncertainty and anxiety, there were always a few individuals I knew I could count on no matter what. If I didn’t have someone like Lina to ground and reassure me, I’d…”
Irida trailed off as she shook her head. “Forget it. As she once told me, catastrophic alternative possibilities are best avoided. If all you think about is a worst case theoretical, you’ll spend every waking moment too terrified to live in the present.”
Lucas paused and looked downwards, visibly digesting her words. He’d only been focused on what he’d lost, how the citizens of Jubilife had turned their backs on him… but were they truly worth focusing on?
“It may not exactly be my place to say this, but… You still have several people who actually care about you, who believe in you, who are worth fighting for,” Irida said. “Maybe… it’s worth thinking about doing all of this for them instead of the faceless strangers that don’t even know who you are.”
Lucas pondered her words for a bit.
And realised that… she might be right. He’d seen her and Adaman, indignant and clearly on the verge of making a rash, unwise decision that could cause problems at a time when they couldn’t afford it all for his sake. He’d seen the wistful gaze Akari and Laveton had given him as they insisted on at least accompanying him to the fieldlands, wanting to do more but unable to lend their aid.
Even Cyllene, the one who had authorised his banishment, had a forlorn look in her eye (or at least as close to one as he could see given her usual stone faced facade) when leading him out… along with giving him the order to live and find out the truth of what had happened to Hisui. To say nothing of her Abra, using everything it had to use its psychic powers to ensure his Pokémon didn’t have to worry about his safety and join him as needed.
“I… I don’t know, I just…” Lucas swallowed. “I can’t…”
“Lucas, please,” Irida begged him, placing her hands on his shoulders. “It’s not just Hisui and the ones back in Jubilife village that need us to succeed! Laveton, Akari, they need you!”
Irida paused before taking a trembling breath and blushing.
“And… and I need you. I can’t possibly do this on my own, and neither can you.”
The realisation hit Lucas all at once. Her insistence on accompanying him to meet the keepers of the lake, how much she’d been relying on him back in the Cobalt Coastlands to help with her old friend Lina, and even now her attempts to reignite his old resolve and willingness to brave the Hisuian wilds for the reward of discovery…
“…Oh.”
Stupid, stupid idiot! The girl pours her heart out to you, confesses her love and that’s the best line you have! You’re an idiot! Why on earth would you think that-
But it seemed Lucas’ heart knew how to respond and what to do in place of the circular and broken logic of his brain, as Lucas leaned forward to kiss her.
Irida squeaked at the suddenness of the kiss at first, but quickly seemed to melt under it, sighing contently and pushing back firmly to reciprocate Lucas’ affection. The pair decided silence was golden, and continued to use their lips to do the talking, neither party trusting their words to do service to the feelings that were locked inside of their hearts.
Lucas wasn’t sure how long the two of them were stuck together like that, trying to drag out the moment between the two of them as long as humanly possible. But eventually the pair had to break apart for air, and the two of them practically gasped for it as they seperated. Whether it was the prolonged kiss or the mental exhaustion of venting so much to each other in so short a space of time, he didn’t know.
Lucas felt like his head was swimming in some sort of electric bath, gently afloat and yet all tingly and scattered at once, unable to form a concrete thought beyond what his dulled instincts could tell him.
That Irida was a really good kisser.
“Wow… sorry, I mean, that was…” Lucas exhaled to try and expel some of his hyperactive nerves. “You’re really good at that. Do you uh, have any…”
“Well, there’s some books I read on some lonely nights that might have inspired my style of kissing when I was a younger girl dreaming of a handsome man to sweep me off my feet, but uh, that was my first time… actually doing it first hand.” Irida blushed and tried to avoid looking into his eyes. “I- I just sort of went with my inner gut and thought about what might work best. Sorry if it wasn’t any good, I-“
In lieu of denying her claims with words, Lucas decided showing his approval of her kissing ability with his actions was a better approach to take.
Irida still widened her eyes in surprise, but soon took back to kissing like a fish to water, falling into instincts that were already ingraining themselves into her head, focusing purely on expressing herself by allowing Lucas to explore her body as he pleased.
Still, though originally content with simply probing her mouth and gently caressing her face and neck, it did not take long for Lucas’ ambitions to start venturing elsewhere as the intimate tension between the two began to rise.
Soon, Lucas began to allow his hands to wander lower, reaching instinctively downwards to a bra he thought was there before mentally kicking himself for not remembering how her outfit worked.
Meanwhile, Irida had not allowed her hands to remain idle either, she removed Lucas’ cap so as to ensure it did not get in the way of what both knew what was coming, but wouldn’t say out of perhaps a shared sense of anxiety and embarrassment at speaking such desires aloud.
Not that either knew what the other may desire from them in the first place.
As Lucas moved his hands towards her chest, he wordlessly looked back to her for a sign of consent, which Irida responded with a frustrated sigh and a rapid nod as Lucas pulled down the dual covering around her chest to expose her bare breasts, answering his earlier question of how her outfit works but more importantly allowing him to fully take in her appearance beyond simply want she had visually presented to everyone else around her.
It began to dawn on him how lucky he was, not simply in getting to see the esteemed and almost untouchable leader of the Pearl clan in a state of indecency, but that he could gaze upon her in a more emotionally vulnerable context as well. Lucas doubted that the fears she had confided towards him had been shared with anyone else, not even her own kin. Perhaps her blushing face and bashful gaze was not simply the result of her state of undress but something more… fundamental.
That train of thought made Lucas realise he was also far too overdressed compared to her. That, and given how he'd vented his own personal grievances, insecurities and doubts about himself he also could probably afford to show some physical vulnerability himself. Fortunately, it seemed Irida was of the same mind as him, immediately leaning over to him and practically attempting to rip his jacket and shirt off of his body.
Well, attempting was the key word. She had strength to spare, but Lucas' outfit was designed to weather some rather extreme conditions. That, and Lucas had taken to groping her breasts in an attempt to keep the mood going, which was further hampering her abilities as well. She failed to bite back a moan as she huffed in frustration at the unyielding fabric that was defying her will to get Lucas naked.
Eventually however, it seemed Lucas took the hint as he stopped indulging himself and decided to aid Irida in uncovering his chest. With the usual deftness his hands possessed for crafting and throwing Poké Balls, he undid the bindings on his jacket and shirt before tossing them aside to land somewhere near or within the campsite. It didn't matter, what mattered was what was to come next.
Unsure whether to press even further or not, the pair of young adults decided to simply go a bit slower, until the nerves in their heart settled or could focus on something else. Irida allowed Lucas to continue pawing away at her chest, attempting to control her own lust but failing. How could something so simple feel so much more amazing than anything her books could tell her about during those lonely nights wondering what having a real lover would feel like in place of her fingers. And the truth was much greater than she ever could have imagined in even her most vivid fantasies.
Lucas continued to feel her up, occasionally applying more pressure to her nipples or even using his tongue. He played it safely and delicately, both in part due his wish not to try anything overly fancy or exotic that would ruin their intimacy with a sudden jolt of agony or discomfort, but also due to his own inexperience. While he wasn't sure if Irida expected him to be a proficient lover from his status as an otherworldly traveller from beyond her world, the truth was he was a bumbling and completely inexperienced virgin working mostly off of guess work and vague ideas of what might be good.
But thankfully, Irida's relaxed, blushing face and the high pitched pleasured noises that she was making seemed to indicate he was doing something good at the very least.
Emboldened by this gesture, Lucas took the chance to move his hands lower down her body, lifting the bottom of her dress up enough to reach her ass, feeling the pliant flesh of her skin in addition to what he could only assume was the soft fabric of her panties, which he hastily attempted to drag down her legs to get better access to her most intimate regions, Irida evidently being very eager to see what he wanted as she lifted her legs to allow a smoother removal.
With the pink cloth removed and discarded, Lucas rubbed his digits against her folds, watching the way Irida's chest rose and fell as she rode out the feelings she was vocalising quite noticeably. In comparison to the subdued and content sighs she made previously, now she made much louder exclamations of pleasure as Lucas rubbed his fingers against her sex. Eventually it seemed she could no longer trust their joint sitting position to support her any longer as she ended up leaning further and further back until she found herself laying on her bedroll.
Now fully able to look over her, Lucas felt a strange sense of responsibility wash over him as he realised how Irida was almost putty in his hands. He'd done a good job so far, but could he help her feel as good as someone like her deserved? Maybe a short while ago, he may have had his doubts, but there was ultimately nothing to it but doing what felt natural. It hadn't failed them before, so there was nothing to ultimately do about it.
Leaning down on her further, Lucas continued to focus on her chest with his tongue to stimulate her in addition to his fingers in the hopes it would further turn her on. And it seemed to be having the desired effect, as Irida squirmed more and more beneath him, he could feel her folds become more and more drenched, allowing his digits to glide across her pussy with greater and greater ease. He still held back, unsure if she was ready to go any further, until she forced him downwards to crash against her lips again, clearly frustrated with his lack of decision as well as grinding against his hand as much as possible.
Deciding that would be enough, Lucas finally inserted a finger inside her and watched the way her eyes bulged before rolling back in pleasure as Irida finally felt herself be penetrated in any manner for the first time in such a way. Sure, she had sometimes experimented with using whatever improvised implements or toys she could make use of for her dirtiest fantasies and daydreams, but feeling an actual human touch her between her legs was on another level entirely.
Before now, she'd been able to preserve a modicum of her dignity by at least attempting to play the part of the delicate maiden she'd read about who vocalised her pleasure in the most collected and dignified moans she'd ever seen. Instead here she was moaning shamelessly on the floor like a woman with very loose morals and even looser clothes. And she didn't much mind or care for it. Who was going to judge her for enjoying herself? No one that she wanted to be inquiring about her private affairs anyway. Besides, she wasn't sure how one was meant to express their pleasure with a grace and poise reserved for princesses anyway.
And it was a pleasure that just kept on building. Higher and higher, on and on. Irida felt herself simultaneously feeling both wound up like a spring and yet also feeling all of her pent up stresses, anxieties and doubts just melting away. It was undoubtedly the result of inexperience and the first time simply being an overwhelming process of unfamiliar sensations, this was something that Irida could vaguely deduce logically, but she didn't care. Right now, she felt like a protagonist in an extraordinary fairy tale as she felt Lucas greedily drink in all her details and how she was reacting to him fingering her. The fact she was half naked barely registered in her mind, she was enjoying herself too much.
Unfortunately, such pleasure couldn't last forever. Irida recognised the tell tale signs as she felt the increase in tension in her joints and her breath growing more rapid and hitched. Though she felt a pang of regret that the moment couldn't last any longer, she decided to simply ride out the sensation as her climax built and built as Lucas' fingers kept on hitting the most sensitive areas inside of her.
Until at last, the metaphorical spring sprung back into place and Irida screamed out her orgasm out into the open air as she quivered and shuddered in place while enjoying herself and basking in the bliss of the aftermath. Her eyes blurred and her brain fizzled into a state of limbo as she tried to refocus herself afterwards. Though it took much effort on her part, she was able to at least act conscious enough to notice Lucas taking the rest of his clothes off and see his fully erect cock.
Much to her embarrassment as she realised how he had never managed to receive any pleasure himself during their little session together.
As their eyes met, Irida felt as though she ought to maybe say something or thank him for what he did for her, but she didn't dare interrupt their silence and potentially get cold feet. She'd wondered about it before, and she imagined he had as well, but it seemed they both were of the same mind; they wanted to go all the way with consummating their new relationship. Yes, it would be sex out of wedlock, but after all the rules she'd already broken for the past few days, Irida didn't mind breaking a few more. Perhaps more so out of spite than anything else.
Hurriedly pulling the rest of her dress over her head and removing her headpiece before kicking her shoes off, Irida tried to hurriedly make herself look more attractive and presentable, only to be interrupted by Lucas gently pushing her into her bedroll.
So. This is it then.
Lucas contemplated several options in his head as to how to proceed. Ask how she's doing? Inquire her favourite positions?
All meaningless, as he decided on the most consistently favourable option; silent experimentation. He leaned over her once again, slowly guiding his cock towards her entrance with a sense of finality and looming change over the pair of them. With one final look in her eyes for a sign of refusal of reluctance, and finding nothing but eagerness and a touch of impatience inside them, Lucas took his chance and began easing himself inside her.
And discovered it was absolutely heavenly inside a woman. Irida seemed to be of a similar mind as she moaned with a similarly enthused volume as him. Lucas didn't even push further in, content to simply look down and stare into Irida's eyes forever and ogle her beautiful form himself as he leaned down to kiss her again. And she reciprocated eagerly, pushing back against his kiss and wrapping her legs around his waist in the hopes of pushing him in further, which he was happy to oblige.
And just like that, it was as though a switch had been flipped. In stark contrast to the romantic and slower pace taken earlier by the two as they felt the boundaries of their intimacy out, Lucas went into a frenzy, at first drawing all the way out before hilting himself back inside oh so slowly, before gradually speeding up until he was furiously pounding her with the force of all their pent up lust over the past hour.
Irida was now as far removed from the expected ideal of a pure maiden as could be expected. Having pre marital sex, with all her clothes haphazardly discarded as she shamelessly moaned her pleasure out with all the grace and dignity as a rampaging Rhyperior while being fucked in an improvised camp in the wilderness. And to think no one would even know that their precious Pearl clan princess was being rutted like a common escort out in the middle of nowhere, having her virginity being stolen no less, by some nameless traveller.
It was becoming evident to her that she was getting a major thrill and spike of arousal out of acting outside what was expected of the head of her clan. If they ever did this again, she'd make sure it would be as scandalous as possible.
Not just because she enjoyed spiting her circumstances either, but because she would enjoy doing it even more with a man that she genuinely loved, instead of being forced into a loveless political marriage. And right now, she loved how good he was at making her feel adored and cherished. Though neither of them had said a word since their kiss, they could easily tell what the other was feeling or thinking about at any moment in time.
Irida raised her legs further into the air, hoping to somehow push more of Lucas into herself and she wrapped her leg lock around him even tighter. She didn't just want him to fuck her, she wanted more permanent proof that he had claimed her. A sign he picked up on as he drove himself even deeper into her depths, the intentions of both parties now abundantly clear.
Irida felt her heart beat even faster as Lucas continued to ravage her knowing what was coming. She could hear his erratic breath, feel his cock pulsing inside her more and more, knowing the inevitable was near. There wasn't much time left to change her mind, but she wasn't intent on changing it. She wanted him to breed her.
And so with a content sigh of pleasure, the act was finished as Irida felt Lucas bury himself all the way to the hilt inside of her. His cock twitched once, twice, and then finally began spilling the warmth she'd heard about inside of her. In contrast to the raging inferno she had heard so many tales make reference to a man's seed, it felt almost soothing. Warm. A display of his love for her in a way.
She made a note to thank Almighty Sinnoh for such an experience later.
As Irida watched Lucas approach the crux of the Temple of Sinnoh… or what was left of it anyway, a familiar presence tugged at her head as the space around her warped and twisted into an endless expanse of pink and white stars.
"Oh, I… Lord Palkia?" Irida asked, knowing no other could perform such an incredible feat of power.
Indeed. 'Tis I, Irida.
From the chaos of the ever expanding space surrounding her, Irida saw the Pokémon she had previously known only as Almighty Sinnoh manifest before her again.
I sense your anxiety regarding Lucas' fate. Should you have any queries or a message to pass onto him, I shall endeavour to do so.
Irida had many things she wanted to tell the god of space and dimensions in lieu of her anxious mind wondering if there was a thing she could do to safeguard her new beloved's safety. But even in spite of all of that.
"There's nothing left unsaid if you're wondering. We already know how we feel about each other… and we have a legacy to leave behind," Irida smiled as she stared back up. "So thank you for your concern, Lord Palkia, but if I were to say anything to you… I suppose I'd simply ask you to shield my beloved from harm."
…Well spoken then. I can clearly see that I chose my champion well. Palkia replied. Worry not for his safety. As part of my infinitely expanding domain of space, Hisui is under my protection. Dialga shall not be permitted to continue rampaging.
With that, Palkia began to dismantle the space around them. And so that is all I have to say on the matter. I apologise for pushing the burden onto a human as young as you, but…
"No, I understand. He's not alone in this, you know. Me, Laveton, Akari, even Adaman is lending a hand for once," Irida replied to Palkia. "He'll be fine with all of us being there in spirit. He's never lost a fight even once."
It was quite an experience to be meeting the god she had prayed to so many times as a child in… well, the flesh may have been a misnomer given how a being as divine and near omnipotent as Palkia had likely a limited concept of such things, especially given the multi dimensional form a being of infinite space likely occupied.
Then I have nothing further to add. Irida, inheritor of my voice and command… I ask that you preserve the world I shall leave to you. Palkia added, their voice occupying even the very air wrapped around her. Their omnipresence was truly awe inspiring, if a little terrifying. For both your beloved… and the life growing within you.
And with that declaration, Irida was left to await Lucas' inevitable and triumphant return. After all, if all she did was worry about hypotheticals, she'd never be able to function.