Where Am I ?!
Arthur hadn't expected the Safari Ball to catch anything, after all he had missed the SLOWPOKE by a large, wide margin. Seeing the ball rebound into the dense forest had been the end of it he thought. Embarrassing enough that he missed a SLOWPOKE of all things he still had no idea what he had captured. He just knew that as he was leaving the Safari Zone an attendant had come out with the ball insisting that it was his Pokémon for making the capture.
He knew that introducing a wild Pokémon to your home was never a great idea - but it had to be a SLOWPOKE after all, it wouldn't be like it could just run away. As he pressed the button to release his catch a blur of anger and fangs flew out of the ball. Colliding with the bed and knocking it clear over, bedding and blankets flying over to the side of the room. As the creature reeled around shouting swears and words Arthur couldn't understand. It looked at Arthur teeth bared and recognized the signs of submission and surprise. Realizing she wasn't under attack she looked at the only living thing in the room and bellowed. "Daafnara Lash!?! Where Am I?!"
Can You Hear Me Now?
The young man said something to Lash in a language she couldn’t understand, his hands raised in a gesture of submission. He then held up his finger and clapped his hands.
Before the girl could react, a piece of green cloth flew out of his pocket and wrapped itself around her neck.
Instinctively, Lash grabbed at the cloth, and as she did, words flowed into her ears: “DO NOT BE ALARMED, THIS IS A TRANSLATION DEVICE. YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH HUMANS IS BEING UPDATED BY SILPHv2.3. HAVE A GREAT DAY.”
As the message ended, she heard the young man speaking to her. “Can you hear me?”
Distractions
"Of course I can hear you, demon, I have ears! Do you intend to keep yelling?" the Mightyena responded. "Wait… you're called a human… How do I know that? This trinket," she said, touching her pendant.
"Look, my name is Arthur. I'm a Pokémon trainer, and I was on a trip recently. I think I accidentally captured you. I want you to know you're safe and don't need to freak out. Everything is going to be okay," Arthur said, only half-believing himself and hoping he had the badge level to ward off an attack from the wild girl standing next to him.
"You… You're the reason I'm here…" Lash said, looking sad. "Are you alright?" Arthur asked. "I mean, I'm a little embarrassed to be caught by such a scrawny human. There isn't much muscle on you at all." Arthur narrowed his eyes for a moment, taking a bit of offense at that statement.
"Well anyway, you seem to have torn your clothes a bit while"—pointing at the room—"destroying my things. Let me get you some new ones. Also, what can I call you?"
Lash looked at her torn top piece. "Ah, that's not necessary."
"I insist," said Arthur, blushing and handing her some clothes. Lash grinned for a moment. "Oh, I see. Yes, maybe that might be a good idea." Lash promptly dropped the clothes and started to remove the ripped top. Arthur quickly turned around and started to walk away. "Lash," said the girl. "What? Arthur asked.
"You asked me my name. It's Lash." said the canine girl.
"Interesting name," said Arthur, doing his best not to turn around.
"Human, I think this top might be too small for my breasts." Lash studied and watched as the human's ears turned red and he walked into the next room. She fit perfectly into the outfit but needed to gauge his response to see if she could trust the human to be decent before taking off her clothes.
"Oh, a gentleman and a bashful one at that," she thought to herself. "I haven't had this much fun since Claw was younger. Better get changed quickly and get out of this human's dwelling. I'm going to have to tell Cast later, she is going to love this."
How Do I Look?
"I've changed" Lash said to Arthur through the door. Arthur entered the room to see a newly fitted Lash sitting on the frame of his bed. The bedding and blankets still rested where they had flown moments before. "You were right these shrunken shirts really did fit me." Lash said, an eager look shown across her face. "Now we can go back to my home, Yes human?"
Borrowing Clothes
Arthur stared down at the floor, he wanted to grant the girl her wish, but considering the distance they had traveled to get to where they were now. He knew it wouldn't be an easy task. "That's going to be a bit of a problem he murmured", her sharp ears hearing every word as if he had spoken them normally.
Her look quickly changed back to the scowl it had been at moments ago, "You had said if I had changed into these human clothes we could go outside, Human!" Her chipper attitude quickly changing to that of fury. "You said that we didn't have to stay in this..."
Not In Kansas Anymore
As Lash starts questioning the human before her, her eyes catch the rays of sunlight streaming through the glass panes. She freezes, realizing the wall is transparent and the outside world is real, not a picture or a mirage. She can see as far as her eyes allow. She's no longer confined to the walled jungle. For the first time in a very long while, she feels small.
"Human... Where is here exactly? I don't see my jungle. I don't see any trees at all!" Arthur watched as the Mightyena started to panic again. "It's okay he said softly, it's going to be okay-" "Where are the trees human!?" As she turned to look at him with her anxiety rising she saw the bauble in his hands glow red again.
Out of the Ball, Into the World
The man had been vague, "Return to where she thought". For a moment, she was back in her jungle but no matter how far she looked she couldn't find her people. No one answered back as she called out to them. Then there was a red light that pierced through the world and for a moment she couldn't see a thing. Then after her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see the sky, she could see the people, she could see everything!
We Can Just Run - With No Fear of Predators?
As Lash looked around, she noticed other humans walking smaller animals on leashes, completely unaware of their surroundings. Observing them, she realized these people weren't looking out for predators or staying on guard at all.
"Is this... Are we in the world hereafter?" she whispered to herself. Arthur, overhearing her, responded, "This is what we call a park," a bit surprised by her reaction.
"Park?..." Lash murmured in confusion. "What creatures live here? Aren't you worried about your safety?" Her eyes locked onto Arthur's with a serious yet hopeful expression. Arthur paused for a moment before gently replying, "Some birds, maybe some squirrels. We have some Water-Type 'Mon that live in the lake, but they mostly come out to trade woven reeds or sell shed scales."
Lash's eyes lit up momentarily before returning to her serious gaze. "So... if I were to just run along this path like those strangely colored humans there," she pointed to a group of joggers running along the path, "I wouldn't be... attacked?"
Arthur glanced at the joggers and then back at Lash. "I mean, as long as you don't run into anyone, I'm pretty sure you—" Before he could finish his sentence, the wild girl had already taken off in a full sprint.
HE THINKS WHAT?!
"Hey - Wait!" the young man called after her, running to catch up.
The wildling howled as she raced down the path. She had never been able to run through a clearing like this before—doing so would make her an easy target for a territorial Kangaskhan mother or another tribe. She felt so alive, running at full speed without a bush or branch to hinder her.
As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with a human child. She quickly jumped over the family of four, while Arthur, unable to dodge as athletically, leaped to the side and intentionally fell flat to avoid the toddler. The impact produced a loud thud.
Lash turned back, noticing the young man's plight, and stopped. She began walking back to him, remembering she wasn't alone. Arthur started to lift himself off the dirt, visibly embarrassed. Lash began to speak but was cut short by Arthur's immediate apology to the family. "Is he okay?" Arthur asked the boy's father. The man, who had initially looked annoyed, seemed to relax at Arthur's words. "Yeah, he looks alright. I appreciate the quick evasive maneuvers there, kid." He then looked at the approaching Mightyena girl. "She with you, too?" the man asked. "Yes," replied Arthur. "She has some nice footwork on her as well. Good job on that."
Lash was surprised by the man's compliment but more surprised at where he directed it. "Oh, I really can't take credit for—"
"Have some of this; keep up the good work!" the older man said, handing Arthur a pink cone of cotton candy. "I was going to eat it, but it always ends up making me tired. Gotta be more awake for the kid, you know. See ya." With that, the family walked away.
"That was so nice of you, dear. You know you didn't need that sugar anyway," the woman said as they departed.
Lash walked back up to Arthur, slightly mesmerized by the pink material. "Did the man reward you for my acrobatics with textile?" she asked, confused. Arthur took a moment to process her words before responding. "No, this is food. You eat it," he said, picking off a piece and holding it in front of her snout.
Arthur saw her eyes grow wide with the taste. "What! What!" she exclaimed, licking her lips. "Can I have more?" she asked, then remembered what the man had said earlier.
"Why did that man thank you for my ability to jump?" Lash asked Arthur. "Oh, he thinks I trained you to do it," Arthur replied. "Why would he think that?" Lash asked, looking confused.
"Well, since he asked if you were with me, he was asking if I owned you, I guess," Arthur said to the dog girl. Lash didn't respond; she stared at him with an intense look that reminded Arthur of when she tore his room apart.
Strange Yummy Clouds
The hair on Lash's neck suddenly bristled. Before Arthur knew what had happened, he realized he was holding an empty cone, with only small specks of pink fluff remaining on the paper.
Could Lower the Glass Please?
Arthur realized what he had said shortly after Lash had taken his reward for not running into the child. "Hey, ummm... Wait!" Arthur said to the Mightyena he had been following. "I brought you out here so we could talk, I saw what the apartment was doing to you. I wanted to speak with you about where you are and what happened." Lash stopped walking, her ears shooting up, finally remembering something important and stared at the young man (still stuffing her face with the cotton candy).
"I want to say I'm sorry, I have no intention of owning anyone. I didn't realize there was NFMons in the Safari Zone. I didn't mean to capture you, so I want to make things right and help you get home." Arthur said. Lash's expression seemed sullen for a moment but her tail started to wag ever so slightly as she continued staring at the ground.
"Wait, what is a NFMon?" Lash asked her head shooting up.
Arthur rolled his eyes to the side. "It means non-feral monster" Arthur replied. "Monster?" Lash said looking at him. "You think... I'm a monster?" Lash interjected. "No that's just what humans call non-humans, and you're forgetting the first part of the word. Look I didn't come up with the words okay." Arthur said defeated by her logic.
Eye Contact - Just Smile
"wait... Wait! You said you'd take me home!? Lash said , her eyes sparkling. " Umm Yeah, I think that's the right thing to do in this situation." Arthur said quietly. "I just need to make a couple phone calls first". "OK, I'll help" Lash said as they started walking back towards his apartment. "You don't know what a phone is do you? Arthur said smiling. Lash stared back at him, a huge smile on her face, she didn't seem to want to reply to that sentence.
Doodads and Whatnow?
"By the way, is 'Lash' short for something?" Arthur asked.
"Why would it be longer?" Lash replied, not really paying attention. Lash returned to studying the metal devices in the kitchen.
"You are a 'kid,' are you not?" she asked with mild confusion not looking up from the shiny device. Why would you think that?" Arthur responded.
"The older human called you that." Her fingers poking into the opening where toast would go.
"No, that's just what the man at the park called me because he's older than me."
"Then why would he do that. Wait, did he not know your name?" Lash suddenly realized this might be the case and stopping to look at Arthur.
"No, why would he?" Arthur retorted.
"Wait, did you not know him?" Lash looked more confused than ever.
"Did you think we all knew each other?" Arthur stared at Lash who stared back at him, as if the concept was mind boggling to her. "Not all humans know one another." Arthur explained.
"And you don’t fight each other?" Lash asked.
Arthur recoiled a bit from the words "Why would we do that?"
"For resources, for territory," Lash said. Arthur looked at the wild girl with a smile on his face, but his mind was racing to put together the implications of what Lash was telling him.
"Humans have laws against fighting each other for things we want. We barter for them; we don’t fight."
"So how did you acquire this dwelling? These things?" Lash asked.
"Humans trade for everything we need. We compete for resources by working together. I guess the best way to say it is that every human here is part of the same tribe, but we've become so large we can't possibly meet and know every member of it."
"That sounds so… sad," Lash said, her ears down.
"Maybe, but there's always a chance to meet a member of our "tribe" every day. Humans are born every day and die every day. If we knew everyone, we would always be too sad to appreciate the good things that happen to us." Lash's ears remained down.
"My tribe is blessed with knowing one another. Our joy is all our joys, and our sadness is all our pain." Lash looked at Arthur. "Family is something we are expected to make. But our families come with a cost. As our tribes grow, we must decide who stays and who starts their own tribe. The weak are forced to leave because a tribe must be strong to survive."
"Now that is sad," Arthur said quietly.
"Where is your family?" Lash asked, her ears perking back up.
"Oh, they kicked me out of the house at 10 and expected me to travel around the continent." Arthur's head shot up for a second as he stared into space, the dots in his mind making connections.
Calling the Folks
"Hello? Hey Sweetie! What's up?"
"Mom, I have a problem," Arthur said over the phone.
"What is it, dear? Do you need money?"
"No, Mom... Maybe?... not sure yet. Do you remember when we were at Fuschia and caught a Pokémon before we left the park?"
"Yes, dear, that was a pleasant surprise."
"So, it turns out I didn't end up catching a SLOWPOKE."
"OH, was it a TAUROS?" his mother retorted quickly.
"Ugh... No, Mom." Arthur stared at the phone for a second trying to figure out where the burst of enthusiasm just came from, then dismissing the thoughts into the trash bin of his memory. "Sorry, something a bit more exotic."
"Arthur, what are you doing? What are you talking to?" Lash said approaching the couch.
"Wait... Arthur! Arthur, is that a girl's voice?" his mother asked smugly. He could almost feel her grinning face against his own.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Arthur replied
"Ooh! Did you catch a girlfriend?" his mother said, laughing.
"No, Mom, she isn't a human," Arthur responded, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"What?!" a worried voice replied.
"Arthur, did you capture a SENTIENT?!" his mother asked whispering loudly into his hear.
"Mom, you know you're not supposed to use that word," Arthur responded.
"OMG, Arthur! What the heck?! Are you trying to get arrested?!" His mother boomed into the phone.
"Arthur, does that device talk to other humans?" Lash asked.
"Lash, wait a moment. Arthur interjected. "Mom, she doesn't know anything about our world. I don't think she's ever been outside the Safari Zone. She doesn't even know what a phone is."
"Wait, what? That doesn't make sense... Do you think she was abandoned?" Arthur's mother said, a beeping noise in the background of the call.
"No, she tells me that she has an entire family in there, but apparently none of them know anything about the world outside the zone." Arthur said, looking up at Lash who was close enough to his face now to make almost anyone uncomfortable.
"Lash can you umm, back up a bit please" Arthur said his hand covering the audio receiver of the phone. Lash seemed to squirm a bit at the scolding, having not used to being helpless.
"Mom, I need to get her back to her... family." Arthur said with a tone of pride in his voice.
"How exactly would you be able to do that", Arthur's mother replied with a worried tone. "You know how expensive a ticket to Kanto is, and you kno we can't just go back yet. Are you calling me to ask for the money for a ticket? Because I don't have the money for that either. A Pokémon trainer like yourself doesn't exactly make a lot of money to throw around for some lost woman, this seems like more a job for the police than you, Sweetie."
"Yeah, about that, Ma. I didn't exactly know she was a NFMon when I used the Silph ticket on her. So if I brought her to the police..." Arthur trailed off.
"Then they'd know you altered and captured a sentient... Damnit... Fuck!.. Arthur, this is a really bad situation you know that?!.. Damnit!!! I have to think for a minute, I'll call you back. <Click>
Lash hearing the silence hit the room spoke up. "Hey that all sounds like it really sucks... Can I see the phone now?" Lash said as Arthur stared at the floor.
Some Time to Burn
NO CHEATING!
Wow, We're Really High!
They make their way to the rooftop, the night sky clear and filled with stars. Arthur finds a spot and they settle in, waiting for the fireworks to start. Lash looks scared, Arthur notices.
Does It Ever Get Dark Here?
"This is a perfect spot. We should be able to see everything from here. Lash, what's wrong, are you scared of heights?" Arthur says surprised at her reaction.
"Where have all the stars gone? Lash says her face looking over from side to side. I would think the clouds have covered them, but I can still see the moon!" Arthur couldn't help but chuckle a little bit at her reaction. The light from the city sort of hides them, but they're till there.
"Are you sure?" Lash asks looking a bit nervous. "Oh yeah, they're there, it's very rarely you can actually see them from the city." Arthur replied.
"It’s so peaceful up here. I can hear the city, but it feels distant. It feels, like we're the only people in this place" She said while gazing at the empty sky. "Yeah, rooftops are great for that. You get a bit of solitude and a great view. He said while nodding in agreement.
Beautiful Sky Fire
Arthur stops to check his phone. "The fireworks should start any minute now. You’re going to love this, Lash." Arthur says proudly. Lash looks up at him confused.
"Fireworks? You’ve mentioned them before. What are they exactly?" Lash says, her ears at half-mast. "They’re like... explosions of light and color in the sky. People set them off to celebrate special occasions. Trust me, it’s beautiful." Arthur says while stomping his foot on the ground to dislodge a pebble.
Lash responds looking unsure "Explosions, you say? That sounds dangerous." Arthur laughs at the notion "It’s perfectly safe. Just watch. There, see? It’s starting!" Arthur points as a puff of smoke starts rising into the sky.
A firework bursts in the sky with a loud bang, followed by a cascade of colors. Lash jumps, startled, and instinctively runs to Arthur, grabbing his arm.
Lash's ears lay low and she looks on wide-eyed "What was that? Is it attacking us? Memories of wild Gyarados fill her memories, the gnashing of teeth and the explosions of wild hyper beams spark fear in the back of her mind.
"No, no, it’s not attacking. Look, it’s just light and color. Nothing to be afraid of. Arthur says, a wide smile on his face. Lash peeks over his shoulder her eyes reflecting the bursts of color. "It’s... beautiful. But so loud!"
"Yeah, it can be. But look at the colors. Aren’t they amazing?" Arthur says softly. "They are... They’re like flowers blooming in the night sky." Lash says while relaxing a bit, still holding Arthur's arm.
Arthur watches her for a moment, the glow of the fireworks dance in her eyes - she looks on watching completely transfixed by the explosions- while he sees them in a way that he had never experienced before.
"Exactly. You’re getting used to it." Arthur responded.
"You’re my protector tonight, Arthur. I need you to keep me safe from these loud flowers." Lash says not looking away from the lights, grinning ear to ear, still clinging to her human entourage.
"I think I can manage that." Arthur says chuckling to himself.
"Oh, the brave human, standing tall amidst the colorful explosions. You must be very proud of yourself. " Lash says finally looking back at Arthur, her mannerisms changing to her usual teasing self.
"Just doing my job." Arthur says, blushing slightly from being so close. Lash nudges his chest a bit. "You’re blushing, Arthur. Are you scared too?"
"No, not scared. Just... enjoying the moment." Arthur says while clearing his throat. "You humans are so strange. But I like that about you." Lash says, her voice sounding more relaxed finally.
Another burst of fireworks lights up the sky, casting a radiant glow on Lash’s face. Arthur watches her, mesmerized by her awe and beauty, but quickly looks away before she notices.
"It’s like the stars are coming down to dance for us." Lash says while staring at the lights, completely captivated.
"Yeah... I think I see it too." Arthur says quietly pretending to watch the fireworks.
"Thank you for showing me this. It’s... I don't know how to describe it." Lash says turning to him.
"I’m glad you’re enjoying it." Arthur says, becoming more and more aware how hard she's gripping his arm.
"You’re such a good human, Arthur. I'm glad you were the one that found me." Lash says, finally relaxing her grip on him.
The fireworks continue, and they stand together, watching in silence. Arthur notices Lash's beauty with every burst of light, he knows she has a home to return to, but for now she stands at his side. Arthur looks back at the sky savoring the moment.
Dancing To the Lights
The fireworks continue, and Lash starts to sway to the rhythm of the explosions, her movements graceful and carefree. Suddenly, she grabs Arthur’s hands, pulling him into her dance.
"Dance with me, Arthur! Feel the energy of the explosions with me!" Lash says excitedly.
"Dance? I’m not much of a dancer, Lash." Arthur says laughing. "Nonsense! Just move with me. It’s fun!" Lash retorts back to him.
Arthur hesitates for a moment, then gives in, letting Lash lead him in a spontaneous dance under the glowing sky. He feels his heart pounding, not just from the dance, but from being so close to her.
"See? It's not so bad is it?" Lash says while spinning around, her leg pointing to the sky. "Yeah, it really isn't." Arthur says, caught up in the moment.
"You’re not so bad at this, Arthur. Maybe you’ve got some hidden talents." Lash says teasingly. Arthur blushes "Maybe. Or maybe I just have a good dance partner." Arthur replies.
"Oh, I see how it is. Well, let’s make the most of it!" Lash says back while wearing her usual grin.
They continue to dance, the fireworks painting the sky in vibrant colors. Arthur watches Lash, her face illuminated by the lights, and feels his heart swell with emotions he can’t quite put into words. For now, he’s content to just be in this moment with her, holding her hands and dancing under the fireworks.
Together Unafraid [Ai Music]
Long Day
Bad Dreams
Lash is surrounded by darkness, the air heavy with an eerie silence. Suddenly, the darkness gives way to an intense, blazing light. Lash finds herself in her jungle home, but everything is on fire. The trees are engulfed in flames, and thick smoke fills the air.
Lash’s heart races as she tries to comprehend the chaos around her. The heat is unbearable, and she can hear the crackling of burning wood. Lash calls out “Shank!" But no answer resounds in the brush. Panic starts to set in as her sentry would of heard her call. "Snipe! Rip! Tear! Razor! Cast! Shred! Claw!" Her voice echoes, but there is no response.
Lash rushes through the burning jungle, searching for any sign of her family. She stumbles over fallen branches and dodges falling embers. Amidst the chaos, Lash hears a familiar scream. It’s her brother, Claw. She calls out, “Claw! Where are you?!”
Through the thick smoke, Lash sees Claw trapped under a burning tree. His fur is singed, and he’s struggling to free himself. Lash starts running toward Claw, her heart pounding with urgency. She hears his screams getting louder, filling her with dread.
The more Lash runs towards Claw, the farther he seems to be. No matter how fast she runs, she can’t seem to get any closer. Lash screams, “Claw! Hold on! I’m coming!” Claw’s eyes are filled with fear, and he reaches out towards her.
Lash feels like she’s running in place, her legs growing heavier with each step. The distance between her and Claw keeps stretching, an endless gap. Lash pushes herself harder, but the gap never closes.
She can see the pain in Claw’s eyes, hear his desperate cries.
The smoke becomes thicker, making it hard for Lash to breathe. Her vision blurs, and she starts to feel dizzy. With a final, desperate scream, “Claw! Please! Somebody help!” Her voice echoes through the burning jungle, but there’s no response. Lash falls to her knees, tears streaming down her face. The flames and smoke consume her vision as she reaches out one last time.
Lash wakes up suddenly, her heart racing and breath coming in short gasps. She’s drenched in sweat, her body trembling from the intensity of the dream. Realizing it was just a dream, she takes deep breaths to calm herself. She looks around, reassured by the familiar surroundings of her current dwelling, but the fear and helplessness linger.
All Alone In A Strange Land
Used To Never Sleeping Alone
Lash walks into Arthur's room, the two of them had fixed it back to what it was like a couple of hours earlier.
She didn't want to be alone, not after that nightmare. "The human wasn't muscular like Razor, nor could he detect an incoming threat like Shank, he hadn't sworn an oath to protect me like my brother, or had a duty to make sure I was safe like the rest of the tribe. But he tried so hard to make me feel at peace while I'm here." Lash thought to herself. Without a thought of much else she slid under the covers, her nose picking up his scent from the bedsheets as she felt a feeling of safety wash over herself. Maybe here she could sleep finally.
Wait That's Not My Pillow
As Arthur tried to roll to the other side of the bed something soft but firm blocked his movements. As he opened his eyes he could see a small wet nose next to his. He was still groggy from sleep and as his eyes adjusted he could start to make out other features. The black hair, the fuzzy arms, the ears that fluttered slightly as he ran a hand over it.
As he slowly made his way back to reality his heart rate exploded in his chest. There was a girl in his bed! Practically on top of him! As his internal monologue proceeded to make the noises of an 1980s printer he slowly came to the conclusion that he needed to remove himself from this situation. As he tried his best to slowly inch away and free his arm a hand came up and grabbed his chest. "Ah!"
As his anxiety peaked he could hear the muffled words "I caught you now, Raid, you... "(Who is Raid?!?)" you th-think you can come in my hut "(Where does she think she is?!)" and... take what you want with... without paying tribute... "(Do what?)" To the chief!"...
As the young man lay frozen in horror the dog girl grabbed his hand and pulled it somewhere he knew it shouldn't be. "(WHAT IS HAPPENING!?)" Luckily a small veil of cloth protected his hands from a place that usually would be uncovered in her own domain, as he felt his hand slide against her nethers he reflexively kicked - flinging the blanket.
Can I Have My Hand Back? ...Who is Raid?
"Morning, Arthur. (Yawning) Your bed is much more comfortable than the couch." Lash says slowly while stretching her arms, she blinks slowly, her eyes adjusting to the light.
But... but why are you in my bed? This is... I mean, you can’t just... Arthur says sitting up quickly, blushing furiously."Can’t just what?" Lash says confusedly . "Sleep somewhere more comfortable? You weren’t using the other side."
I... I... But it’s... um... not appropriate! Arthur retorts, his speech stammering. At this point Lash raises an eyebrow - a grin forming on her face. "Not appropriate? What’s the big deal? We’re friends, aren’t we?"
"Yes, but... this is different. It’s... uh... personal space and all that." Arthur says quickly, trying to compose himself.
Lash leans in closer, studying his face. "You’re all red, Arthur. Are you sick or something?" The grin widens a bit. Arthur gulps, staring back at the woman getting increasingly closer.
"No, I’m not sick. Just... surprised. Very surprised." Arthur manages to choke out. Lash smirks. "You’re cute when you’re flustered, you know that?" If Arthur's face wasn't completely red before, he just turned into a tomato.
"Lash, this isn’t funny." Lash softens. I’m sorry, Arthur. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just... felt safer here. I had a bad dream and didn’t want to be alone." Arthur studies her face for a moment and then sighs, feeling a pang of sympathy.
"A bad dream? Why didn’t you wake me?" Arthur says. Lash shrugs. "You looked so peaceful. And... well, I didn’t want to bother you so I just snuck under the covers."
"You can always come to me if you’re scared or need something. Just... maybe next time, wake me up first, okay?" Arthur says softly
Lash nods. "Okay, deal. But you have to promise not to be so jumpy about it." Arthur smiles awkwardly. "I’ll try. It’s just... you caught me off guard."
Lash grins ear to ear. "I noticed. You’re kind of cute when you’re embarrassed." Lash says to the young man. "Yeah, well... thanks, I guess." Arthur mutters to himself.
"Wait! So, does this mean you have a little crush on me, Arthur?" Lash's eyes twinkle as she says the words out loud. Arthur's eyes go wide and he freezes in place. "What? N-no, I... I mean...
Keywords
male
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female
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anthro
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anthropomorphic
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ai generated
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automatic1111
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scorpianpp
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anthropokemon
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lash the mightyena
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lash's journey
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arthur (lash's journey)
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2 months, 2 weeks ago
27 Feb 2025 16:49 CET
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