Roark loved his pokemon.

Many people claimed they did, of course, and there wasn’t any real reason to doubt them, but Roark (who was not, to his ever-present amusement, the same person as the Oreburgh Gym Leader; didn’t people know that two guys could have the same name?) knew that what he had was special. They weren’t just a team; they weren’t just partners. What they were was family.

His training and battling days were behind him, now, but not too long ago he had been one of the foremost battlers in the region, winning clash after clash with his Chesnaught, Cress, and his Mienshao, Reed. The two Fighting-type pokemon were each immensely loyal towards each other and to him as well, and over time, their mutual loyalty had morphed into something even more wonderful. He and Reed loved each other and were in a loving and passionate relationship, while Cress was sexually active with them both. All of them were happy with the situation.

Leaving his pokemon back at their home to watch after things, Roark was enjoying a pleasant walk through the wind-kissed field behind his domicile. Oftentimes wild pokemon would come out to frolic and play in the grass, or else soar overhead, their forms spotty against the cloudy sky. Today, though, Roark had everything entirely to himself.

And that was fine by him. The former superstar found a shaded tree to lean against and sat, enjoying the feeling of the breeze tickling him. He had retired at the height of his prowess, he had a loving relationship with Reed, and Cress was more than willing to indulge in both of their sexual appetites. Was there anything that anyone could want more?

Probably not, Roark thought with a smile, allowing the afternoon warmth to lull him off to a nap.

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When he returned, his daughter came up to him, laughing in an attempt to get him to play. Roark allowed her to tackle him to the ground and scramble over him. The little Mienfoo babbled and cooed with delight.

“Pan!” Roark said with laughter of his own, “I can’t keep up with you—you have too much energy!”

The childlike Mienfoo stuck out her tongue at him and hopped off, motioning outside for him to go play with her. “Oh, all right,” Roark said with another laugh. “But I just got back from out there!”

Little Pan was Reed’s daughter. The Mienfoo was every image of an adorable rapscallion—pugnacious, sometimes troublemaking, but always cute and with a good heart. She considered Roark her father and cuddled up to him often, and Roark and Reed were all happy to spend their days together with her as a loyal family.

Of course, Pan was not Roark’s biological daughter. Humans and Mienshao weren’t compatible, after all, so when they had wanted a kid, Cress had been more than happy to provide Reed the ensuing pregnancy.

By the time that Roark had followed the Mienfoo outside, she had already hid herself in a large field of grass. It was a common game they played, a spin on hide-and-seek; and it would have been far more difficult to track her down if the grass didn’t bulge around her form.

Raising his hand to his chin, Roark wondered aloud: “Oh where oh where could she be?” The grass shook, and a light giggle wafted through the air—another thing that made Pan perhaps a bit easier to find than she thought.

Wandering through the grass and narrating his actions, Roark was every bit the indulgent and playful father: “Could she be here? …nope. Over here? Mmm, doesn’t look like it… where is my little Pan?”

The grass shook with mirth again and Roark smiled to himself. “Wait, I’ve got it. She must be… here!”

He parted the grasses to see the little Mienfoo squatting there, hands covering her grinning mouth. She exploded with delight on being caught, jumping up for him to catch and nuzzling against him, laughing.

“I love you too, baby girl,” Roark said warmly. “Do you want to go in and grab a snack?”

Pan nodded vigorously, and he set her down and led her by the hand into the kitchen. There, he pulled out a large and luscious piece of fruit, handing it to her. She grasped it with both paws and dug in with vigor, happily chowing down. After she was done, she skipped off to play with her toys, and Roark watched her go with a smile on his face.

Pan had brought such joy to their lives that recently, Roark had found himself contemplating having another child. He’d have to persuade Reed, of course, but he was confident she’d be amenable to the idea. But an idea had hatched in his brain… what if there was a way to make it so that he was the father? He had a friend who owned a breeding center, and an offhand comment by them had resulted in an intriguing new idea taking spark in his head recently…

As he watched Pan skipping away, a smile alit on his face. Having two little pokemon would be a real treat, and Pan would love having another brother or sister to play with! A chirruping sound from the second-floor balcony caught his attention. Reed stood there; she had been watching all the activities unfold. The Mienshao smiled watching her partner and her child finish up their play—but then, as she and Roark held their gaze, her expression grew sultrier. Leaning her head in slightly, she motioned for him to come see her with a smirk that could only mean one thing.

Roark smiled to himself. Maybe, after entertaining himself with Reed and Cress, he could see if she was amenable.

But first things first.

Checking in to make sure Pan was entertained and wouldn’t barge in on them, he headed up to meet his partner.