Chapter 86: Alan, My Alan~
In the Royal Palace Study of the Royal Dragon Kingdom.
"It's winter again," Liz whispered, stopping her pen and walking to the window. She stood there every day, looking at the sky, because one day, a little blue snake might fly back from the horizon, and she didn't want to miss it.
"Alan has been gone for almost two years," she murmured. She was thirty years old now. She had no interest in marriage; she wanted to travel the world with Alan and the others, promoting the idea that humans and Pokémon could coexist peacefully.
Pokémon. That was the new name she had given the "Magical Beasts." She hated the old term and, after finding the names suggested by her ministers to be full of prejudice, she had simply decided on a new one herself. Ryuuki had also jokingly suggested "Pocket Monsters" at the time. Liz believed that one day, the term Pokémon would spread throughout the world.
"Oh cry~"
Suddenly, a long call echoed from the distant sky. Liz's heart stirred. She had never heard that sound before, but it made her feel inexplicably cheerful. She squinted, watching a small orange dot appear on the horizon.
"Oh woo~"
The sound came again, clearer this time, soft and sweet. It sounded just like Alan's voice.
"Alan?"
Thinking of him, Liz's eyes widened. She threw open the window, stretching her neck to get a better look. The small orange dot was getting bigger. It was a large, orange Pokémon, and there seemed to be a purple Pokémon on its back.
"Could he have evolved again?" she murmured, but it seemed unlikely. This Pokémon looked nothing like her precious Alan.
"Oh woo~"
The sound rang out again, incredibly clear this time.
"Alan!"
Liz raised her head, her wine-red eyes bursting with a dazzling light. She didn't know how, but she was certain that voice was calling her name. Calling "Liz."
She couldn't care about anything else. She kicked off her high heels and, holding her skirt, ran out of the study and towards the courtyard like a princess running to her prince.
"Queen Liz?!"
"Your Majesty, a strange giant Pokémon is approaching!"
"My Queen?! Where are you going? Where are your shoes?!"
The maids and guards were all shocked. They hadn't seen her lose her composure like this since she was a child.
"Lord Alan?!" Hestia's eyes lit up. As Liz's childhood friend, she knew only two things could make her act this way: an enemy invasion, or Alan's return. And Liz's joyful expression meant it was the latter.
"Someone, prepare the dishes!" Hestia commanded. "And bring the baby bottle Lord Alan used when he was little. Remember to prepare milk!"
In the courtyard, Liz ran barefoot onto the lawn. As she ran, Alan descended from the sky, gliding towards her.
"Liz~" he smiled happily, opening his arms to pounce on her, though he remembered to slow down.
"Alan~" Liz, however, trusted him completely and ran towards him without slowing at all.
Biu~
A soft sound rang out as they hugged. Liz was almost completely buried in Alan's massive, soft belly.
"Mmm mmm mmm~" she muffled, patting his stomach until he let her go.
"Alan, you... you've changed so much," she said, all the words she had prepared completely forgotten. She sized him up, her gaze falling on his big belly, and her mind went blank. "Alan, why are you so fat?" she asked in disbelief.
"I..." Alan was speechless. After all this time, the first thing she says is that he's fat? He turned his head away, putting on a wronged look.
"Even if you're chubby, Alan is super cute! You're the cutest baby in the world!" Liz quickly comforted him, wrapping her arms as far as they could go around his belly.
"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time," he grinned. He could never really be angry with her. He reached out and wrapped her in his own embrace, rubbing her with his chubby cheeks.
"Mmm, so comfortable, soft and fluffy~" Liz melted in his arms. It was warm and cozy, completely different from the cool feeling of when he was a Dragonair. She could have a good sleep every night from now on.
"Alan, my Alan~" she mumbled, snuggled against him. "You're never allowed to leave me for so long again."
"Not leaving, not leaving," he replied with a smile.
"Chubby baby, chubby baby~" Liz was incredibly delighted, repeatedly rubbing and kissing his big belly.
"Stop playing," Alan laughed, pulling her away to reveal Golbat. "Look here. This is Golbat. He will be your partner from now on, too."
"Smack~" Golbat poked his head out and looked at Liz curiously. He had heard a great deal about her from Alan.
"Hello there," Liz said, reaching out to greet him. Though Golbat's appearance wasn't conventionally attractive, she treated him with gentle kindness.
"Liz, we're hungry," Alan said, pointing to his mouth.
"Lord Alan, it's ready," Hestia's voice sounded from the side as a large group of servants brought trays of food into the courtyard. Everyone stared at Alan's new form in disbelief.
"As expected of Hestia!" Alan gave her a thumbs-up. She had anticipated his increased appetite and prepared a feast. And on the table was the baby bottle he had used since he was little. Even though he was too big for it now, he would have felt uncomfortable if it wasn't there.
A moment later.
"~So full."
"Smack~"
[Inorin Note:
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