Striking while the Iron is Hot

Judith tilted her head as she watched. It was surprisingly enrapturing to see the cycle of life continue in such a... energetic and poorly matched way. Based on their proportions, she judged the Bisharp was roughly her height. Instantly she placed herself in the situation, taking that length with surprising resilience. In and out. That had to be painful, and she figured a much softer body like hers wouldn't be able to withstand such an assault. She shivered. The woman continued to stare at the screen before snapping out of her trance and hurriedly scrolling away.

The article seemed to go on forever, continuing into Aggron breeding sites and their locations by region, all neatly organized into a fancy text file. Couldn't hurt to reference later, so she downloaded the file. That was enough of that, she figured, and clicked away from the page. There were so many other results to go through, it was staggering.

Every other page more or less provided the same info, with varying degrees of graphic detail. That was, until, she stumbled onto one of the more curious websites. Perhaps she should have known something was not quite right when it asked to confirm she was an adult, but figured not every website was content with giving such info to children. This website, however, provided no such info and was hardly educational at all. Judith slowly read it aloud, "Aggron twelve inch tapered dil--" Oh. Butterflies stirred in her stomach. She supposed it was only natural something like this existed, but was still shocked to have it confirmed all the same.

It seemed fairly accurate. From what she saw from the videos, anyways... and Rex's own example. Judith paused for a moment to picture just how closely someone had to study a Pokémon's penis to recreate this. She scrolled down in baffled interest. Next day shipping? There was certainly a market for this if they were willing to ship out large replica Pokémon erections the very next day. Silicone. Non-toxic? She gagged at the thought. That would go straight through someone's throat. Not to mention the taste. Though, this was just a toy, right. No taste.

Judith looked up at the price and furrowed her brow in disbelief. A whole $120 and not a cent less. That was absurd. Who would shell out that much for this? She thought on it for a moment. "Well, it would be good for mating purposes," she whispered to herself. That's right. You could probably acclimate your female Pokémon with this, making sure mating went smoothly. It was a little too late to convince her girls now, though. That had already gone poorly enough, and she doubted something of that staggering length would change their minds.

They didn't have to be the only suitable partners for him. Judith could use the toy as a... tool of incitement. Surely some of the larger Pokémon gals would like to know what they were getting into first, right? That way she could grab their interest before they even met Rex. Some tiny voice at the back of her head was quite vocally against the idea. That wasn't quite how Pokémon mating worked, was it? She scratched her cheek as she silently stared at the screen. It didn't hurt to try either. In any case, $120 was a paltry amount if it was to help a lifelong friend like Rex. She nodded to herself with little confidence. Now where did she put her credit card? She scrounged her room with a little more energy than she should have.

After wrangling the card, Judith input all the information and accepted every agreement asked of her. Click. The order was sent. Someone somewhere was now being tasked with packaging a large rubber penis into a box. Judith giggled at the thought before realizing that package would be for her. She cleared her throat and returned to her research. There wasn't much left to be found online, surprisingly. The rest of the articles she found were fairly dry and would probably require a degree of some sort to understand. Thus, the laywoman turned off her computer and stood up, unsure of what to do next. There probably wasn't much she could do right now except check up on Rex.

Judith slowly opened her bedroom door and quietly walked out into the hallway. She wasn't entirely sure why she was being secretive about it. There wasn't anything to be afraid of. She sighed and continued on her way. The living room appeared to be empty. Everyone else was most likely outside, which calmed her somewhat. If Rex was out there with them, then she could thankfully postpone another embarrassing situation. She rounded a corner to the interior garage door and stopped. What was she actually going to say? Her beginning train of thought was cut short as she peered into the garage.

A familiar sight presented itself to her. Rex stood near the corner of the garage, turned away from the door. This time she could actually hear the noises he made. The soft wetness of flesh, the low rumbles that escaped him, and the slight tapping that came from his tail hitting the ground. If he could turn around just a little, her thoughts whispered. Her skin became flush as she watched. Those butterflies returned in full force, bringing along with them a skip of the heart. The videos she had watched came to the forefront of her mind, much to her annoyance.

Judith continued to watch despite her own protests. Her erotic thoughts grew in vigor without much restraint. No, she thought weakly, that wasn't right. The protests grew quieter and quieter as her body slowly fell into the haze of arousal. A hand traced up her thigh and hooked into the band of her shorts. Her eyes were burning holes into Rex's back as he obliviously continued with his own pleasure. Her fingers edged on the elastic of her underwear. A thin line of resistance kept her from plunging forward.

This wasn't right. She couldn't do this. Her hand quickly retracted from her trousers, as if burned away. Judith shut her eyes and shook her head, then spun around to walk away. She could still hear him going at it, though if that was real or the trick of the mind, she couldn't tell. The flustered woman only got so far as the hallway again before opening her eyes and nearly bumping into Carolyn. "It helps if you look where you're going," she said. Judith froze and gave a nod. "Are you alright?"

"Hah, yeah. I'm fine, just bored. Taking a walk around the house." She circled a finger around with her offending hand, much to her embarrassment. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing? I was looking for you. Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"Well, like I said. Just taking a walk." Judith nodded with her own lie, as if that would make it true.

Carolyn glared at Judith, her red eyes punching a hole right through the woman's lies. "You were watching Rex, weren't you?" Instantly the facade fell. Judith crossed her arms and glanced away.

"So? What if I am?"

"I suppose there is nothing particularly wrong with that, not generally. However, when your hands travel south, that's when I begin to worry."

Judith's eyes widened and she looked back at Carolyn. "I did no such thing."

"Even if my eyes were somehow playing serious tricks on me, I can sense a little more than you might realize." Judith's face burned red. She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Oh man, could she feel it. "Is there perhaps anything you would like to say?" The woman gave a small shake of the head. "I think you may be working too hard on this. What even prompted your search?" Memories of the spring hit Judith's thoughts. Carolyn pulled her head back. "I'm not sure what it is, but it cannot be good. Don't tell me." She held a hand up. "Still, I suggest you don't stress on it."

"I have to. It's important and my responsibility as a trainer. I would do the same for you if I thought it was necessary." As near impossible as that seemed.

Carolyn scratched her head. "In any case, is it actually important to Rex, or to you?"

"Both." Judith nodded. "Both of us."

"Well then, if that's the case, why hasn't he acted of his own volition? You seem to be taking the reins quite aggressively."

"He's just a little nervous is all. I can't leave my timid iron boy like that."

"Please. Don't ever call him that in this context." Carolyn shook her head. "In any case, I think you need to think on this some more."

"I will."

"Will you?" The two of them stared at one another in complete silence, neither of them budging. Judith uncomfortably shifted on the spot. Carolyn was quite good at staring for minutes on end, which fell squarely between cute and unnerving thanks to her fluffy appearance. Eventually she broke the silence. "Regardless." She looked down to the ground, much to the trainer's relief. "Do you know where my stepping stool is? I'd like to get something from the kitchen."

Judith let out a small sigh of relief and uncrossed her arms. "I think I saw Flora using that out in the yard."

"I told her not to touch my possessions," Carolyn grumbled and walked off. Judith watched the Lucario disappear from sight, then placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm her hammering heart. It was hard to believe any of that had actually happened. What was she thinking? She took a few more deep breaths and walked in the opposite direction to Carolyn. Judith silently prayed that Rex hadn't heard their conversation. The last thing she needed was a bizarre space of sexual tension between them, or rather, more of one. She glanced back at the garage doorway. A twinge of curiosity pricked her mind. Best not to dwell on that. Judith forced herself back to her bedroom.

_

"This isn't a regular trip, is it?" Carolyn asked.

"What makes you say that?" Judith said, keeping her eyes on the road. Not out of any alertness, but she didn't want to get caught in those judgmental red pools again.

"You aren't excitedly talking my ear off about it. Wouldn't you like to drone about the sights and sounds we're about to experience?"

Judith placed her arm on the driver door and propped her head up. "I guess you're right. There's more to it than just a fun bit of exploration." She was beginning to hate how perceptive Carolyn was. They sat there in silence, with only the hum of the engine filling the air.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell me what it is?"

"I figured we might head out to find a nice uh, 'romantic' spot for Rex. Where he can find ladies of his own kind, you know? Don't worry, you won't have to come along."

"And you will?" Despite being entirely telepathic, Judith could hear the surprise in her inflection.

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I?" She rubbed the synthetic leather of the wheel. "He needs support."

"Imagine this. A human suitor arrives at your home and requests to mate." Judith smiled and had to stop herself from laughing at the dry explanation. "Would you care for any of us watching you for support?" Her smile dropped.

"Well, no, I guess not."

"And why would you do the same for him, then? Wouldn't that be odd?"

"He's a gentle soul, you know? It's my job to help him like that. And..." Judith let that word hang, unable to think of anything else. She hoped that would be the end of the conversation.

"No, I don't know. He's a fairly large steel beast, he can handle himself, gentle or otherwise." Judith thought about it. That couldn't be right. She had to be there for him. And yet, that didn't seem quite right. "I'm beginning to think-- Well, you wouldn't want to hear it."

The woman lifted her head up. "I would. What is it?" Her tone was far more desperate than she wanted. She glanced over at Carolyn and was immediately caught by her gaze, feeling a crushing sense of judgment. Judith sheepishly looked back at the road.

"You're lying."

Judith frowned. She was almost offended. "That's not true, I love Rex and all of you guys. This is legitimate help."

"That's what I'm getting at. You do love, but you're not accepting how much you actually love. Specifically Rex." Judith furrowed her brow and looked over at Carolyn again. "Road." Right.

"What do you mean? I'm already trying to help him." Judith adjusted in her seat. The synthetic leather was suddenly becoming unbearably hot.

"Judith, please. Let me say it a different way. You want to be with him. Is that what you needed to hear? You want to help him, but you aren't accepting how much you really want to help him."

The trainer gasped, leaving her mouth agape. "Are you serious right now? We wouldn't ever be able to do that." Though, even though Judith said that, a small part of her realized it was probably true. How much effort did she actually put into trying? Was she just whittling away the competition until it came down to her? She swallowed a lump in her throat. "That wouldn't be... I mean, it wouldn't even fit," she said finally, as if all but admitting it.

"That certainly didn't stop you from asking me. That aside, this seems to be causing you stress. It's important to me and the others that you are happy, you know." While that was a comforting, happy thought, it was severely strange in such an erotic context, and Judith wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Uh, thank you." Judith turned up the air conditioner. "It should be a fun trip either way. Even if things don't work out with you-know-what."

"I would hope so, because I don't expect it to work."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing."

_

The trip on the trail was a little shorter than the last, but also a fair amount trickier. It was a rocky and uneven path marked by several jagged edges that made movement forward a challenge. Mostly for Judith, that was. The others managed to navigate it with little trouble, however. Rex in particular managed to simply crush them underfoot. Jenny was the one she was jealous of most, as it was able to float above the ground effortlessly. Judith considered asking for a lift, but didn't want to put any unnecessary strain on it. If Jenny could even feel strain.

The relative silence of the path made the woman's thoughts loud and clear. Carolyn's words repeated in her head, mixing in with her own doubts. Maybe she really was lying to herself. Carolyn probably knew exactly what Judith felt, so who was she to deny it? The question now was how long she would entertain the lie. At what point would she drop the charade and simply admit to herself what was truly going on? More importantly, when would she admit it to Rex? He was probably the most hurt of all.

Judith stumbled on a rock, tossing her off balance. Rex quickly straightened her and rumbled happily. "Oh, thank you," she mumbled. The feel of his gentle but firm touch usually would have been reassuring, but now it was only a reminder of her problems. She shook her head and tried to put herself in an excited mood. There wasn't much point in bringing down the atmosphere like that, she thought. After all, rocky terrain was a fun challenge that she didn't get to experience often, so she should enjoy it with her troop while she could. She took a deep breath, smiled and looked at her friends. "Watch your step, everyone! You too, Jenny!" Jenny oriented itself to look down with a hum.

The trek upward was increasingly better. The path slowly rose above a forest below, allowing for a nice view of lively greenery that stretched to the horizon. The sun shone brightly without a cloud in the sky, adding a much needed cheery vibe to the relatively grey and dull path. Every so often small critters would run between the rocks which breathed a tiny bit of life into the area. While Judith might have been scared by them on her lonesome, her friends would easily be able to deal with any of the more aggressive wildlife.

Their destination came into view, a small clearing positioned on the side of the trail. It wasn't far from Judith's next poorly thought out plan, the mating grounds, but a comfortable distance away from the others. "Alright." Judith clasped her hands together. "This is our stop!" Her and the group moved over to the side, and quickly set up their small picnic area. Quilt, check. Food, check. Friends, check. Rex took the initiative and pushed a few squat rocks into a circle to serve as makeshift seats. "Oh, thanks big guy!" The Aggron took his spot with a happy rumble, and Judith was quick to claim the one next to his. The others filed into their spots, with varying degrees of comfort.

The banquet before them was split into two boxes. One filled with hastily packaged sandwiches, small confectioneries, and vegetables. The other was a loose mess of discarded cans and batteries. "Well, dig in!" Judith said, presenting the meal. Carolyn stepped over and peered into her respective box, then quickly stepped back as Flora pounced on it and dug in, pulling loose a long carrot. Rex took his share of cans, a few of them falling from his grasp. Finally Jenny carefully floated over and took a few batteries and returned to its spot without a sound.

Judith naturally waited for everyone else, then casually took a sandwich for herself. She wasn't sure if it was one Carolyn had made, so she inspected it closely for any stray blue hairs before she unwrapped it and took a bite. The others seemed to be enjoying their meals well enough. Perhaps Rex could have enjoyed his a little less enthusiastically, as the screech of crushed metal scratched her eardrums. She looked over at him and was instantly hit with the familiar feelings of doubt. Quietly she continued her meal, although it was hard to taste it with her clouded thoughts.

"When you're finished eating, feel free to walk around. We've got about two hours, so make sure you're all back before then, OK?" The group gave their various nods and agreements. She continued with her sandwich, trying to figure out what would happen in her next matchmaking scheme. More importantly, she should probably think about what to do afterward, once it failed. She shook her head. Carolyn couldn't always be right, could she?

"Something wrong?" Carolyn asked. The Lucario was halfway through her third sandwich, if the discarded wrappers were anything to go by.

"Nothing is wrong." Judith sat up straight. "I'm just doing some thinking," she said matter-of-factly.

"Don't think too hard. It almost seemed painful, judging by your expression." She finished off the last bits of her sandwich with one large bite.

Not wanting to delve further into the conversation or entertain her jab, Judith changed the topic. "You did pretty good with the sandwiches!" She held up her meal. "Just the right amount of mayo. Maybe we could use bacon next time, hmm?"

Carolyn perked up, eyes wide, then slowly eased back into her seat. "Yes, that sounds fairly nice."

Judith turned back to Rex, trying to swallow the uneasiness. "How about you, Rex, enjoying your meal?" He rumbled again and happily crunched a soup can. She winced at the sound, but gave a smile all the same. "Care for a sandwich, maybe?" She offered her own. Rex shook his head and returned to his metal meal. "Alright, just make sure you get enough to eat, OK?" He would definitely need the energy for what was about to go down, her mind quickly added. Shut up, shut up, shut up.

Quickly shifting focus, Judith looked over at her other Pokémon. Flora had finished her one carrot and proceeded to sunbathe again. Judith was slightly jealous the Meganium could simply feed off of solar rays. She would certainly feel less guilty about eating if she could just sit in the sun. Suddenly, she could feel every bite of sandwich hit her gut. She rolled her eyes and looked over at the Magneton. Jenny had amassed a small pile of batteries that were carefully arranged into a cubical stack. Getting rid of those properly would be a bit of a challenge, but she was happy Jenny was enjoying itself too.

It wasn't long before the group ate their fill and scattered about, but still maintained a visible distance from their picnic area. "Don't go off too far, wouldn't want to get lost!" Judith called out. She watched everyone carefully, making sure they were just far enough before pulling free a folded map from her pocket. Carefully, she pulled it open and examined it. It had some hastily scribbled on notes and circles in marker that bled through the paper. Should have gone with a pen, she thought to herself. She reoriented herself on the trail, lining herself up with her target.