Chapter 158: Irreconcilable
Though the Zinopup managed to get a hold of his Sanctum, gnashing it with its powerful jaw and teeth, Jason quickly demonstrated that it would take more than that to defeat him as he reappeared a meter away.
TNK
Blindsiding the Zinopup with a horizontal strike to the right side of its head, Jason remarked, “Unfortunately for you, that sphere is completely indestructible. And, even if you swallowed it whole, it wouldn’t prevent me from emerging.”
“Grrrrrr…”
While Jason’s attack had done no visible damage, the Zinopup, feeling understandably annoyed, began growling loudly while producing bands of bluish-white electricity across its body.
“What? You’re allowed to behave arrogantly, but you can’t stomach it when others do the same…?” Jason taunted, taking several steps back before extending his left hand. As he did, his Sanctum promptly flew out of the Zinopup’s mouth, phasing through its teeth and snout to return to his hand and body.
“RAAAAAAO…!!!”
Unleashing a furious roar, the Zinopup, enveloped in a bluish-white aura, discharged a wave of heat, pressure, and electricity that filled the air with a palpable static. Tension permeated Jason’s body, but instead of backing away, he took advantage of the Zinopup’s posturing to charge forward…
SHNK
Connecting with the Zinopup’s bottom jaw, Jason managed to short out its discharge and catch the pint-sized electric puppy by surprise. It was clearly expecting him to be daunted, but his expression was one of cold, concentrated fury as he landed a second, backhanded blow against the stunned dragon’s snout.
“Grrrrrr…”
Though the Zinopup immediately resumed growling, Jason felt a wave of vindication wash over him as he saw it take a step back and adopt a more defensive posture.
“Before we continue…there’s something I need to tell you…” Jason stated, his breathing labored as he had been putting his full force behind each of his attacks.
Instead of hearing what Jason had to say, the Zinopup charged forward, its body radiating wispy white energy as it attempted to check him with its right shoulder. This time, Jason waited until the very last moment before once again retreating into his Sanctum, causing the Zinopup to crash into the glossy black sphere that was left behind—propelling it across the play area.
Reappearing a half second later, Jason, rising from a kneeling posture, surprised the Zinopup by revealing, “Once this quarantine has come to an end, you will no longer be welcome here. I really did empathize with your situation and want to help you. But I have no obligation to help someone who disrespects and attacks those trying to help them.”
Catching Jason a little off guard, the Zinopup seemed genuinely surprised by his words, its jaw slackening and expression stupefied.
“Why do you look surprised?” Jason asked, adjusting the sledgehammer in his hands as he asserted, “Actions have consequences. You can’t treat people like shit and expect them to continue showing you deference. That isn’t respect; it’s forbearance. And you’ve demonstrated you aren’t worthy of either…”
Hearing Jason’s assertion, the Zinopup’s expression morphed from shock to fury in record time. It couldn’t believe someone so weak was asserting that it didn’t deserve respect. But before it could charge forward to teach Jason a final lesson, Ren abruptly dropped down from out of view, landing protectively before him.
“Ren won’t let you harm Jason…”
Even more enraged at Ren’s betrayal, the Zinopup charged forward with electricity crackling across its bristly fur and scale-covered body. It had acknowledged her strength and accepted her as its servant just one day prior. Yet she dared to side with the insect who was provoking and making a mockery of its pride?
“BAD…!”
Bringing a rather abrupt, unceremonious end to the Zinopup’s outrage, Ren shifted from her base form to her lithe, excessively pink Fairy form in the blink of an eye. She remembered that Fairy Types were strong against Dragon Types, so with a fluffy-sleeved, oversized paw veiled in fiery pink energy, she landed a heavy slap to the Zinopup’s right cheek, breaking its charge and spiking it into the ground.
“…”
Seemingly disoriented by Ren’s blow, the Zinopup remained in a prone position, its electric-blue eyes upturned as it stared up at her, towering over it.
“You’re a bad boy…” Ren stated flatly, leaving Jason, who was initially glowing with pride, at a loss as she abruptly stepped forward and rested her right foot on the Zinopup’s forehead, slowly grinding it as she added, “You don’t be mean to Jason, okay…?”
“Grrururu…”
Leaving Jason feeling even more confused, the Zinopup responded with a low, seemingly apologetic growl. It was only then that he noticed the pink glow in the usually prideful creature’s eyes.
‘He’s under the effects of Charm…’ Jason realized, his jaw slackening as Ren continued to scold and grind the Zinopup’s forehead with her foot. It was an inexplicable sight, but the longer she did so, the more the Zinopup appeared to enjoy it, its fluffy, spine-tipped tail sweeping across the grass behind it. Then, obliterating Jason’s impression of it as a proud and noble creature, it suddenly rolled over, exposing its beige, scale-covered belly and something very bright and red…
“…”
‘This perverted little shit…’
Though the Zinopup likely couldn’t help itself, Jason couldn’t help feeling second-hand embarrassment for the dog-sized dragon as it seemingly attempted to appeal to Ren cutely. Fortunately, the latter didn’t hesitate to say, “No. Ren won’t have sex with you. You’re a bad boy. And Jason doesn’t like you,” in a firm tone.
“Grrw-rrrww…”
Sounding dejected, the Zinopup issued a low growl and began wiggling its tail and body from side to side. It appeared to be trying to tempt Ren, but all it got for its efforts was a contemptuous snort before she withdrew her foot and retreated to Jason’s side.
“Hmmn? Is Jason okay…?”
Noticing that Jason was staring at her with a stupefied expression, Ren, reverting to her base form, tilted her head to the side in confusion. She could sense his emotions and the questions swirling around his head, but he didn’t seem to know what to make of them, leaving her feeling just as confused.
Shaking his head, Jason smiled and stated, “I’m fine…” before glancing at the pitiful-looking Zinopup and appending, “I’m just a little taken aback by certain events…”
Following Jason’s gaze, Ren narrowed her eyes at the Zinopup before abruptly hugging the former as she asserted, “Ren is Jason’s partner…” in a low, resolute tone.
Though it narrowed its eyes in turn, the Zinopup, having broken free from the effects of Ren’s Charm, didn’t lash out. Instead, it simply stood up and turned to leave in a dejected, seemingly introspective manner. Jason very briefly thought to call out to it. But as he had all but given up trying to win the Zinopup over, he just watched it in silence…
…
..
.
With the Zinopup ultimately departing the villa’s grounds, followed closely by half a dozen stealth-capable Rotom drones, an exhausted Jason and a beaming Ren made their way inside—where Iris was waiting for them with crossed arms and a slight frown.
“I get that you were upset about what happened to Ren. But are you sure that was the best way to go about things? What if it attempts to leave the estate…?” Iris questioned, exhaling through her nose.
“Ren is okay~!” Ren chimed, precluding Jason’s response by pumping her paws and beaming happily.
Plopping his hand down on Ren’s head, Jason, exhaling a sigh of his own, tousled the fur atop the bubbly Lucario’s head as he explained, “It was a matter of pride. I tried being reasonable, and the Zinopup took advantage of us. If it now chooses to leave because its pride’s been wounded…that’s its choice to make. We can’t decide for it…”
“And here I thought you were mature…” Iris sighed, closing her eyes and exhaling in exasperation before making her way past Jason and Ren. She agreed with the notion that the Zinopup should be able to choose its own path, but that didn’t mean it could be given the leeway to do as it pleased. It was ultimately an invasive species in the Alola Region. And since it had demonstrated the ability to bypass the digitalization of Poké Balls, it could not be allowed to roam freely.
Though Iris’s words left him feeling taken aback, Jason didn’t attempt to argue or defend his actions. He couldn’t deny that he had been immature, bordering on petulance. But if he had continued turning a blind eye to the Zinopup’s aggression—the regret he would have experienced if something happened to Ren or anyone else would have consumed him.
“Is Jason okay…?” Ren asked, cupping Jason’s hand to the fluff above her chest and looking up at him with concern.
“I will be…” Jason muttered softly, forcing a smile that promptly became sincere when Lillie, Runa, Lusamine, Maeve, and Nanahoshi appeared to comment on what they had witnessed and to ask how he was feeling. He could have done without the medical exam that followed, but it didn’t feel bad to have people fretting over him…
…
..
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While Jason was busy being ogled and fondled by a young nurse, Iris, having caught up to the Zinopup, dropped down from a vine to block its path.
“Hey, there. Mind if we have a chat~?” Iris asked, beaming radiantly and waving her hand.
“Grrao…?”
Feeling a strange kinship with the human across from it, the Zinopup tilted its head to the side and issued a perplexed growl. Iris looked and smelled human. But at the same time, it could feel a potent draconic aura exuding from her—similar to the Dragon Priestesses that tended its father’s shrine.
“Come. Let me take a look at you,” Iris said, leaving the Zinopup at a loss as she stepped forward and brazenly knelt before it, grasping the sides of its face and inspecting it.
“Hmmmn…it doesn’t look like you’re too injured. And it looks like your horn should regrow itself within a couple of molts…” Iris remarked thoughtfully, running her thumb along the Zinopup’s broken horn. The core already had a nub of soft, dark blue keratin starting to sprout from its center. So, while she knew remarkably little about the physiology of Zinogre, she was fairly certain it would make a full recovery.
Sensing that Iris wasn’t even a little afraid of it, the Zinopup found itself allowing her to do as she pleased. There was also a degree of certitude to her actions that gave it the impression that she knew what she was doing, abating any concerns it otherwise might have had.
sft
“Hmmn…?”
Hearing the sound of leaves being disturbed, Iris glanced back over her left shoulder before grabbing the Zinopup and immediately rolling to the side as a sy sailed over their heads, producing a loud whistle and sending tempestuous winds through the clearing they were in.
“Are you out of your mind…!?” Iris shouted, seething with rage as she picked the Zinopup up as if it weighed nothing and leaped back to create distance from their attacker—a strange boy with raven-black, gold-tipped hair, angular, snake-like eyes, olive-brown skin, and pointed ears. Notably, as she glanced at the oversized sword resting on the youth’s shoulder, he had only four fingers on each hand, inordinately slender feet, and legs like a Lucario…
“You have impressive instincts…” remarked the youth, adopting a relaxed smile as he swung his sword from his shoulder with one hand, stopping its blade just above the ground.
‘This boy…he isn’t human…’ Iris noted grimly, her gaze briefly flickering to her attacker’s feet. Not only were they inordinately thin—bound in padded white socks, like what a Ninja might wear. But his lower legs had a distinct angle to them, similar to the digitigrade legs of a Lucario. This suggested that he could spring off of them, endowing him with tremendous speed in short bursts…
sh-shft
As Iris was trying to analyze and make sense of the situation, a bead of sweat ran down the right side of her face as the figure of a very buxom woman with long black hair and similarly distorted feet emerged from the surrounding jungle and positioned herself beside the boy. Fortunately, she wasn’t entirely alone, her gaze shifting to the sky, where a faint hum could be heard…