If I Can't Take Your Pokémon, Can I Have Your Heart Instead?

Self-Destruct

Onix, Flygon, Dragonite , Lichenrock, Dragonite, Aerodactyl, and Drampa.

No wonder the boss had wanted to him to steal the champion's Pokémon. Not only were they some of the strongest, most well trained Pokémon in the world, but they were incredibly rare as well.

Shiny Pokémon were always valuable, but a powerful shiny Pokémon like Onyx, especially one that beautiful gold, well it was worth a little more than it's weight in gold.

And Aerodactyl, a whole fossil Pokémon? This was on another level. Since they were extinct Pokémon that had to be revived in a lab, a dangerous and wickedly expensive procedure, there were only a few in the world. Childe felt that he should be charged for just being in its presence.

He looks at the large, intimidating Pokémon staring down at him and wondered if they could smell his nerves. These were seasoned veterans, tough as stone.

"Don't be shy," Zhongli said to his Pokémon, "come say hi. This is my boyfriend, Childe."

The Flygon bent down first, sniffing at Childe. Then it head butted his shoulder playfully, letting out a pleased chirp.

Childe smiled and pet its head gently. It was beautiful, it's scales had a certain iridescent sheen to it that showed how well it was cared for.

One by one, the Pokémon warmed up to Childe, quickly accepting him. Childe forgot all his worries, and enjoyed meeting the new Pokémon. Then he looked at Zhongli.

Zhongli, who was looking at him so fondly, his eyes glowing with pride. He told stories about the Pokémon, their likes and dislikes, and Childe listened intently.

"Drampa is an old soul, but he loves his razzberries," he says as he rubs his snout and gives him one of said berries. "He's always loved attention, and was a favorite among the adults, but the smaller children seem more fond of those ones more," he says gesturing to the various other dragon Pokémon.

Zhongli's Lichenrock is the only one that had not moved from its original spot. Childe smiled at it, making his way over.

"Hey there," he said softly, the same way he had spoken to his Eevee, now a Vaporean the first time.

To his dismay, however, the Lycanroc kept back and growled at him. Panic and guilt shot through Childe. Surely Lycanroc has seen right through him.

"That one," Zhongli sighs, "has always been rather protective of me. Come here, buddy."

Lycanroc just stares at Zhongli, disapproving.

"Come on," Zhongli commands gently but firmly.

With a wary look, the Lycanroc makes its way over.

"Go ahead, Childe, I'm sure she'll let you pet her."

Childe doubts it, but he reaches out a hand nonetheless, not wanting Zhongli to think he dislikes his Pokémon in any way. As soon as his hand makes contact with Lycanroc's mane, however, it immediately steps back and snaps at him.

"Hey! Hey, calm down Lycanroc, come on, you're better than this, girl," Zhongli scolds his Pokémon.

"I'm so sorry Childe, I don't know what's gotten into her."

He takes Childe's hand in his, bringing it up to his face to examine it. Luckily, he had pulled it out of the wagon time, or else the Lycanroc's teeth would have totaled it.

"Are you alright?" Asks Zhongli.

Childe's heart shatters. Lycanroc was just protecting her master, and here Zhongli was worried about him.

"Yes, I'm fine. No worries."

Lycanroc whimpers from the side, looking guilty.

No, no, girl, Childe thinks to himself. You were right to bite me, I am a bad guy. 

"Come here Lycanroc," he says instead. 

She obeys this time, nuzzling Zhongli's outstretched hand with her snout before bowing her head before Childe in apology.

Childe reaches out and scratches her behind the ears. It reminds him of the first time his Vaporeon lost a match, dejected. She was under a spell of depression for a while, but snapped out of it soon, pushing herself and training harder than ever before.

Lycanroc reaches up and licks his hand. All is well, except the shots firing in his heart.

"It's okay," he says because he knows he would do the same.

He'd do the same for the ones he loved. His Pokemon were his pride and joy. He became a criminal for his siblings. If anyone were to hurt Zhongli, he'd make them pay the price. Perhaps that is the reason why he hates himself so. But he loved his siblings so much that nothing would ever come above them, not even Zhongli, not even himself. 

His siblings would hate him, he reminds himself. He realized it a long time ago, when he stole his first pokemon for Team Rocket. A growlithe. His little siblings always loved to play with his pokemon. One day, when his greninja was just a little froakie, it had hopped off a little too far. When no one could find it, his siblings cried and cried and cried while he ran about everywhere looking for it. He found froakie in a similar situation, wailing and hopping about frantically. 

The growlithe had cried too, huffing out little puffs of smoke. Growlithe are known to be particularly loyal pokemon, and have severe separation anxiety. It was particularly cruel of the boss to choose one as his first steal, but it was probably to toughen him up. 

Now this Lycanroc, a pokemon that reminded him so much of his own lovely Vaporeon, and the growlithe whose life he had uprooted all those years ago. This Lycanroc, who Zhongli loved so dearly. It just got worse and worse. 

Oh well. As soon as he figured this out and got it over with, he'd be on a plane back to Snezhnaya and he could go back to the siblings he risked it all for. And he'd snuggle with them and be able to hear the details of how their days went every day instead of just a child's nondescript summary of their past month or so and all would be as well as it would get. He needed to remember who he was and get a move on it. He wasn't one of Team Rocket's master planners because he let his feelings get in the way.