CYOA 2 – To The Victor Go The Spoils – Chapter 24: The Struggles of Hanzo Shimada (Patreon)

Last time: Hanzo won his third trial and therefore has the right to the Akkala Island gym badge! It seems Reinhardt has another little surprise for him, though...

Warning/content: rimming; cock/ball worship

---

Hanzo hurriedly closes the door behind him, though thinking about it logically there is no reason to do so. Obviously Mister Wilhelm knows very well what has been waiting in this room – he probably is the one that has put Cassidy there in the first place.

For a moment Hanzo’s brain tries to feed him images of the two in bed, pectorals squeezed together, muscular arms wrapped around each other… but he’s not very gifted in imagination so all he’s left with is some vague pictures and some deep burning arousal that pushes him forward into the room and toward the bed.

Mister Wilhelm has wrapped a simple cloth gag around Cassidy’s head, prudently taking into consideration that Cole Cassidy will never shut the Hell up if given half a chance.

His face looks sweaty and his eyes are wide and pleading with Hanzo. He can’t say that he doesn’t know what Cole is pleading for. He’s seen this exact look often enough to know that his toy is more than ready for release.

He clicks his tongue and looks down his delicious, hirsute body. The muscles in his belly are quivering with effort because the idiot can’t stop rocking himself desperately on whatever toy Mister Wilhelm has left him with.

His cock is swollen and almost concerningly dark with blood, lying over one of his thighs and bouncing whenever the big muscles twitch uncontrollably.

He’s displayed like a feast and Hanzo’s mouth is running dreadfully dry. Still, he keeps his hands to himself, folding them even behind his back to just enjoy the view much like a patron at a museum would. He’s… fascinated.

Before now he would never have imagined to think of Cole Cassidy as some kind of artwork – yet he has to admit that there is a certain charm to him trussed up so he can’t grab at Hanzo with his big knuckled paws. He looks washed too… though he doesn’t smell like it.

Hanzo steps just a little closer. He wonders whether Mister Wilhelm got to fuck Cole. The thought is weirdly exciting. That undoubtedly large cock pushing into Cole, making him whine…

His thoughts scatter in the wind as he finally notes something glinting almost hidden in the fur on Cole’s chest. He’s wearing a necklace? As long as Hanzo had known him, he had not seemed too interested in jewelry… unless one would count his garish belt buckle.

Reaching out and taking care not to disturb the… artwork, he plucks the glinting little emblem from Cassidy’s chest, placing it in his palm to see. Cassidy pulls on the ropes holding him spreadeagle, whining and grunting, but ultimately calms down, resigned to his fate… like a good boy, waiting for Hanzo to inspect what turns out to be the badge he won.

A little depiction of Akkala Island with a disproportionately large palm tree. He’s just wondering whether he finds it charming or kitsch when he hears the door opening.

Mister Wilhelm is standing there with a bright grin on his face that makes him look like there is nothing out of the ordinary about this whole scenario… if it weren’t to the large erection he is so obviously sporting and showing off unselfconsciously, his shorts riding low enough to show quite a bit of his bush peeking out.

“I see you have found my present already!” he booms, arms stretching out wide. It looks like he’s waiting for Hanzo to come for a hug but he stays right where he is because that would be… weird. He does not take offense and comes closer with some swagger in his gait that should be for a much younger man in Hanzo’s opinion.

“Which is the present?” Hanzo asks boldly, letting go of the arena badge so it falls back against the cushion of Cole’s chest hair. “One thing I won and one thing I already own. Both are hardly a present.”

That catches Mister Wilhelm clearly off guard. His face briefly goes slack as he stares at Hanzo before breaking out into howling laughter, slapping one massive palm across his face in a way that Hanzo just knows would have broken a lesser man’s nose.

“Oh my goodness! Oh wow! That stings, doesn’t it, old friend?” He leans down to look right into Cole’s face. From what Hanzo can tell, his cheeks have become ruddy red beneath his unkempt beard but his eyes are also quite a bit glassy. He likes when Hanzo is mean to him.

“What is the meaning of this?” Hanzo asks when Mister Wilhelm stands up straight again and laughs with his hands on his hips. He tries not to stare at his chest but those muscular pectorals are bouncing with his guffaws. Part of him wonders – hopes, maybe – that the old man will proposition him. His cock has started wetting through the garishly colored shorts he’s wearing, showing off the plump crown.

He’d say that this is the absolute biggest dick he’s ever seen… but he did get fucked by Rutledge who had made him feel as if his hips were going to split in two as his organs got rearranged by his squat beer can dick.

All in all, Hanzo realizes that he’s come to know quite an array of… members throughout his journey which should maybe be more upsetting than it is. What’s more pressing: he wants to add to that repertoire. He’s been staring at Mister Wilhelm for so long now… he bets that he could take him on quite a ride. Make him fly apart a few times before his old man dick starts to pump out a nice, thick load-

“I thought it would be fun to see what I could make the two of you do.” He’s for once talking in his inside voice which takes Hanzo aback for some reason.

He peers at Cole once again, then up at Mister Wilhelm who is smiling… though not the kind of smile he usually shows. His gaze is intense as he looks Hanzo up and down, some of that ‘sweet old man’ demeanor having vanished from one second to the next.

“So… how about you get those clothes off so I can have a look at you? Been dying to see your tits for a while now, son.”

Hanzo inhales sharply, fingers twitching at his sides. He is shocked and not just a little bit scandalized… but he can’t say that he doesn’t desperately want this. Has wanted it for days now.

He licks over his lips, his whole mouth dry. He doesn’t quite know the rules of this encounter yet, but he’s a fast learner… so he starts to get undressed while he’s watched by Mister Wilhelm whose grin becomes wider and wider.

.o.

Hanzo had thought that a lot of things could happen… mostly that he would get fucked by Mister Wilhelm while Cole had to sit with his toy and watch – but he certainly hadn’t thought that the tables would get turned on him, in a way.

Mister Wilhelm – or Reinhardt, as he had insisted Hanzo call him – had grabbed himself a chair that had probably been custom made just for him and sat himself down to better watch the both of them.

Hanzo finds himself on his knees, stuffing his throat with Cole’s cock while he eyes the man sitting there like a king with the most self-satisfied expression. He’s sucking cock because he’s been told to do so, and for some reason Hanzo can’t say no to this man.

Cole is still gagged but that doesn’t keep him from groaning low and delirious as he has his head fallen back in delirium and keeps rocking up into Hanzo’s mouth… or maybe he is just rocking back onto the toy he’s sitting on?

Hanzo lifts his hands to brace himself on Cassidy’s muscular thighs, but the ‘tut tut tut’ coming from the chair freezes him mid-movement.

“Did I say you are allowed to touch? Keep those hands down, will you? You will find that you can enjoy yourself even if you don’t have him on a tight leash, I am sure… bit of a control freak, aren’t you?” He chuckles into his beard.

Hanzo wonders whether Cole has said anything to him or whether Reinhardt had been able to look at him the way he had looked at his Pokémon and been able to see right through him.

The thought has him run hot and cold and makes him squirm where he is, tongue pressing up hard against the shaft, squishing the glans against his hard palate which Cole seems to enjoy quite a bit.

He’s been out there for days, ogling this man and probably making an absolute fool out of himself… or maybe just amusing him to no end.

Reinhardt has taken off his only piece of clothing and is stroking an erection that is quite honestly awe inspiring. Hanzo’s mouth keeps flooding with saliva. He wants to see how far he can get it down his throat before he starts choking.

Only that he doesn’t have permission to. Reinhardt had been smiling the whole time even though there had been a harder edge to his voice that had made Hanzo stand at attention immediately.

“Why don’t you take him deeper? I know you can… I have heard…” he pauses, thinking about how to phrase it while stroking his dick with one hand and his bearded chin with the other before he settles with a friendly smile on: “...tales of your accomplishments.”

Who was it? Cole? Baptiste? Roadhog? …Hana?

It starts to dawn on Hanzo that he has, without realizing it, fucked his way through the lesser Pokémon League so far. While only his first badge had been intricately linked to him spreading his legs for receiving it, he feels immediately cheap. Like a hooker, only… only bad because he didn’t get paid for his services-

Reinhardt hums thoughtfully and suddenly stands with gusto, his cock bouncing. It looks like a weapon, especially as he closes the distance between them with just two strides, his big hand on the back of Hanzo’s neck to gently but unrelentingly force him down.

His throat opens up easily. Instinctively, even… spreading nice and soft around Cole’s smooth, plump glans to let them slide into his throat. The ache that immediately springs up is followed by a bit of panic from being unable to breathe all of a sudden.

Cole’s wild pubes tickle his nose. He gets the feeling that he should be sneezing but can’t with a cock lodged in his throat. Reinhardt is not forceful in holding him down, but he also doesn’t let him get up immediately. Instead he starts to talk. “I heard a lot of interesting things about you! You have been very prolific! It is good to broaden one’s horizon and live out one’s youth! Your father has been much the same, if I recall correctly!”

He finally lets go of Hanzo’s head, leaving him to pull back, gasping for air; a thick mix of saliva and Cole’s pre-cum connecting his mouth with the glistening, wet cock. Cole keeps groaning like a beast of burden. He sounds in absolute heaven, cock flexing as he rocks his hips and pushes the toy into his prostate.

Hanzo’s head is swimming, but he can’t deny that he’s desperately hard. Not when he’s naked and on display, Reinhardt’s cock so close to his head, he would only need to turn it so he could slurp it up and play at least with the swollen tip-

“You like to be in charge, don’t you? Poor Cole here has a lot of pressure. You should do your duties every once in a while, you know! Milk him dry!”

Hanzo is staring at Cole’s cock, ruddy and fat and stupidly gorgeous. His breeder balls look nice and plump, that is true… But to talk of his ‘duties’? Hanzo licks his lips, trying to gather his thoughts. He should tell Reinhardt… off, maybe? But he’s distracted by the proximity of cock. He would only need to shift over a little and he would be able to rub his cheek against that big old man cock like a kitten.

Maybe he looks a bit cockhungry. Reinhardt steps away before he can make any of his thoughts true and gestures toward Cole with a kind expression on his face. “Show him your appreciation, why don’t you?”

Hanzo pauses, but just for a second before he leans in, one hand gently holding the fat nuts up, cupping them on his palm as if they were a cute animal or something just so he can start lapping at them and getting them nice and wet with saliva.

Reinhardt laughs. It’s a belly-deep laugh like always. Like Hanzo pushing his tongue in between the swollen testicles to gently separate them in their sac and then opening his mouth wide to try and suck one of them in is the funniest thing he’s ever seen.

It might be, quite honestly, but he’s also slowly jerking his cock while he laughs at him, the dark red tip all but glowing in Hanzo’s peripheral. Keeping him aware of the monster that’s so very close but that he isn’t allowed to touch. No, he’s not. All he’s allowed to do is debase himself for Cole and Reinhardt and get off on it in the process.

He slobbers over his breeder balls until his jaw is wet with saliva and he can feel a drip of pre-cum running down his forehead. Cole’s dick must have been drooling into his hair for quite a while.

Cole sounds like he’s about to choke on something. His breath is deep and rattling and unhealthy sounding. Hanzo wishes he would just fuck him; ram into him like and sound like an old truck with engine problems while he’s at it-

“A natural! How wonderful! Would you look at the enthusiasm!”

The old man sounds like he’s thoroughly enjoying himself. He steps a bit closer again but Hanzo is too occupied with trying not to choke on Cole’s nuts. All he can do is kneel there and feel how the old guy wipes his cock against the back of his head. Hanzo wonders if he’ll ever get his hair clean again…

Once Reinhardt is satisfied with the cleanliness of his dick, he moves back to his chair and sits down in it. A nice safe distance from Hanzo’s hungry holes.

“You’re so greedy for it, aren’t you? Well, I won’t keep you for long! But how about you lick his ass before you treat yourself to a nice ride? I think he could use it. You’ve been a mean little kitten, have you not?! Go on, then- get your tongue on his starfish.”

Hanzo pulls back, breathing heavily, tongue lolling out of his head. It feels like his skull is filled with warm cotton. The pressure is just this side of bearable. He’s so very hard… and wants to get fucked by Reinhardt so badly but the creeping feeling that he won’t get what he wants is ever persistent. It gets him a bit panicky, if he’s honest. Knowing – or suspecting, at the very least – that he won’t get the cock he’s been thirsting for for so long…

Maybe that is how Cole has been feeling? It does get him feeling a little for him. A little bit.

Enough to wait for him to awkwardly stand up, the fat toy he’s been rocking on sliding out from his wet and swollen hole. He’s as hairy between his cheeks as he is everywhere else. His rim is loose and plump from him rocking himself however long on the toy.

Right now he’s holding as still as possible in anticipation of Hanzo rimming him.

As Hanzo presses his nose into the fragrant, humid little space behind the fat – and now wet – breeder balls and touches his tongue to Cole’s asshole, he has a brief thought about how wild this is. How a few months ago when he met him in Viridian Forest he would never have thought himself on his knees, submissively licking this oaf’s ass… yet here he is.

Desperate to lap whatever he can reach, tongue parting the forest of fur so he can get at the sensitive skin just on the off-chance that he might be allowed to get crammed full of old-man cock after all.

He wonders if he’s hit rock bottom or if he’s grown as a person.

Either way, tonight he will get cock.

.oOo.

There’s an air of peaceful companionship about Lúcio and he as they make their way to the beach to then ride back toward the main land on Gyarados’ back. Hanzo feels calm and collected, invigorated by the new badge he earned fair and square, now sitting in its rightful place next to the other badges he got in the past.

“You sure that this is okay? I mean… Cole could come with us for a while, I don’t mind. Or I mean– I could go on my own way for a while. Leave the two of you be. I bet the you would have a lot of fun. We could meet again at a later point-”

Hanzo lifts his hand to cut off Lúcio’s rambling. He shakes his head.

“That’s perfectly fine. He’s got his own work to do. He is the reigning Champion, after all… There are some things even he has to tend to. I think he’s downplayed his workload a lot. Or neglected it outright. Wouldn’t surprise me, if I am being honest.”

Hanzo pauses to think about that, then halfway turns to Lúcio and puts his hand on his companion’s back. “I think we make a good traveling companions. I would… enjoy having you on my journey for however long you want,” he says stiffly. He can see Lúcio’s face immediately creasing in amusement but before he can reply, an all to familiar voice from behind stops Hanzo in his tracks immediately.

“Oh, wow, there you are! I’ve been searching for you all over the island! Father said that you were here and you got the badge?!”

Hanzo stops dead in his tracks at the voice behind them. It feels surreal for some reason to hear his brother’s voice now of all things… just minutes before he would have left Akkala Island for good. Slowly, he turns around to see Genji standing right there on the middle of the street, his Lycanroc sitting at his feet, both of them beaming at Hanzo. He looks good as always… and well-traveled, if Hanzo is being honest. There are some new accessories that he is sure hadn’t been there the last time they had met.

When had that been…? Ah yes, in front of Miss Song’s gym. The memory of Hana sours his mood somewhat but he can’t say he isn’t glad to see his brother in some way. He glances toward Lúcio as he lifts his hand in greeting. Lúcio looks back at him and lightly shrugs one shoulder. He hadn’t known about Genji’s presence as well, obviously. While Genji jogs towards them, Hanzo greets him cautiously: “Genji. How… surprising to meet you here. You are well, I see.” And just because he can’t help himself he adds a questioning: “You have been talking to father…?”

He desperately wants to ask what Sojiro said about him but feels like that would make him look… desperate. He’s not dependent on his father’s approval. He’s not.

“Sure! I talk to him most nights,” Genji easily replies. He is grinning from ear to ear, looking from Hanzo to Lúcio, giving him a brief once-over, then focusing back on his older brother. To Hanzo’s surprise, he looks genuinely happy to see him, as far as he can tell.  “Go you! Getting that badge and all!”

Hanzo, a little taken aback by Genji’s enthusiasm, nods and clears his throat. King has been further off down the road but is now quickly trotting back when he notices that something is afoot.

Genji immediately spots him, of course. It’s difficult not to see a Ponyta with a flickering blue mane… especially since King has grown quite a bit, his withers roughly at height with Hanzo’s head now.

His face lights up even more, if possible. Hanzo can almost taste what he is going to say before it comes out of Genji’s widely grinning mouth: “Whaaat? Ponyta still hasn’t evolved?”

His wide-eyed expression of faux-innocence immediately puts Hanzo on edge, his back stiffening minimally. He lifts his hand, putting it onto King’s neck when his Pokémon snorts in ill-temper. He hadn’t had a lot of time for him the past few days and Hanzo can feel the energy practically pulsing under his fingertips. King is ready to butt heads.

“As you can see,” Hanzo replies succinctly. He tries desperately not to give Genji the satisfaction of seeing him angry. “He is a few years younger than your Rockruff had been.”

Genji shrugs a shoulder, his grin not dulling in the slightest. He looks a bit predatory in Hanzo’s eyes. He’s planning something. “I mean, yeah… but you won’t be able to keep winning if you don’t evolve your Pokémon, brother. They’re way too weak like that.”

Hanzo glares at him. He knows that this is exactly the reaction Genji wants… but he can’t help it when his little brother happens to be an expert at pushing all of his buttons.

“Oh you know what? How about we have a fight! It’ll let me warm up… and when I beat you, I’ll be sure to win the gym challenge too, right? What do you say?” Genji says it as if he’s just now thought of it. Like that hasn’t been his agenda all along.

Hanzo grinds his teeth. ‘When’ I beat you. Not ‘if’. He keeps stiffly petting King’s neck. His Pokémon is digging its hoof against the road, ready to go, which is… good to see, honestly. He had feared he might still hold apprehensions concerning Lycanroc but right now his dark eyes are only staring right at Genji as if he was ready to attack a human.

Lúcio, who had been watching the exchange quietly until now and with an expression of mild worry, holds his hands up in a calming gesture. “Listen, why don’t we look for a café and sit down and talk? Hanzo and I were just on our way to leave the island, actually, so-”

“Let’s fight, brother. Why not?”

Genji’s expression slackens a little bit in surprise. He stares at him blankly, obviously not having expected to be granted his wish so quickly without having to nag him for hours – before his grin reappears, cheeky as ever. “Wow. Really? Really and truly? Last time I handed your ass to the both of you, you know.” He briefly glances toward King who takes a menacing step forward.

Hanzo’s arm immediately shoots out over his Pokémon’s chest to keep him back while Lycanroc steps protectively in front of Genji who is now laughing and having his hands up at shoulder level, taking a step back.

“Ohhh woah, whoa, easy now! I thought an island vacation would help get that stick out of your ass, Hanzo, but it seems like you rubbed it off on your Pokémon instead, huh?”

Hanzo sucks his teeth, slowly taking his arm down when it no longer seems like King is going to attack Genji. He smooths down the front of his shirt and brushes his hair back just to make sure he is still presentable.

“Stop talking out of your ass,” he finally replies candidly, proud of how calm his voice is. He can do this. “What are your rules?” His fingers have wandered to his pokéballs, dragging over their smooth surfaces.

Genji’s grin is growing wider. He looks just as mischievous now as he did as a little boy. Some things just never seemed to change.

“How about… best out of three?”

Hanzo wonders just how many Pokémon his brother has caught by now. There are only the requisite six Pokéballs strapped to his belt but he thinks Genji might be a trainer that likes to constantly switch things up. There’s no telling what kind of Pokémon he’s come across on his travels… but then again, he’s just as much in the dark about Hanzo’s team.

At least he hopes so. He doesn’t know what his father has been telling his brother… it certainly seemed like people enjoy gossiping about him.

He briefly looks toward Lúcio, but the look on his face doesn’t give him any indication what he should do which is probably for the best. He has to stand on his own two feet, after all.

“Very well. Let us go to a more secluded area, though. I do not want to do this on the street and obstruct traffic.”

Genji theatrically rolls his eyes but he agrees to it readily, following Hanzo with a bounce in his step. He knows exactly when to stop pushing Hanzo after years of living together. Just a bit more bratty attitude and he wouldn’t have gotten what he wanted, after all.

“So you guys are traveling together? I think I saw you back at D.Va’s place,” Genji says to Lúcio while they follow Hanzo who is looking for a suitable place to battle.

“Yeah, we travel together. It’s more fun when you got companionship.”

Genji nods in understanding, then jerks his head toward Hanzo’s back. “Him, though? For fun? I dunno if I’d put the two in the same sentence, if I’m being honest,” he mutters, voice lowered somewhat though he knows that Hanzo is probably listening in on them anyway.

Lúcio’s answering grin is full of charming dimples as he sing-songs: “Oh you don’t know half of it! I think he’s very fun.”

Genji’s head whips around (while Hanzo’s back stiffens minimally), and he stares at Lúcio. He desperately tries to get out of him what he means but Lúcio refuses to elaborate.

Thankfully, Hanzo finds a battling place that is just off the road. It looks a little overgrown like nobody has been using it for a while but it is more than adequate for their little match. There’s a cage structure around them to ensure the flora won’t get damaged by Pokémon attacks, though there still are a few signs asking trainers to restraint themselves to keep Akkala Island a beautiful place for everyone.

They kick a few dead branches to the side to make more space on the battle ground while Politoed appears seemingly out of nowhere and imitates them in the background. Genji is interested for a split second before he realizes that Politoed is pretty much belongs to Lúcio.

Hanzo is secretly glad that a being a thief is one of the very few things that couldn’t be said about his brother.

“Lúcio… will you be our referee?” he asks once they have the battle field more or less cleaned up and taken up positions at opposite ends. King is standing behind him; he can feel his breath wafting against the back of his neck, almost unbearably hot. He’s nearly vibrating on the spot still, ready to fight. He wants it so badly that Hanzo wonders if he should even send him out… maybe the move would be too predictable?

Lúcio has taken up position. He does not look too happy with the sudden development of their day but he does nod. “Sure thing, will do. Uh… So… best of 3, yeah? I’ll be counting down from five and you’ll both send out your first Pokémon. Fast battle rules apply, so no switching out to take type advantage, alright?”

Hanzo and Genji nod, not taking their eyes off of each other. Genji’s Lycanroc is sitting at his feet and he’s already playing with one of his Pokéballs so Hanzo figures he won’t send him out right away.

His fingers slide along the Pokéballs lined up at his hip. Who should he take? Zeus? He would have a disadvantage with no water around… Kikuri? … Goomy? His fingers briefly stop at his latest ball. Genji is standing there with a cocksure grin on his face, slowly throwing the Pokéball in the air and catching it again. He’s made up his mind long ago, it seems. Battling is just in his blood, he doesn’t overthink things like Hanzo tends to do.

He’s won Akkala Island’s badge. He’s become a lot more capable since the last time they fought.

“Five… four… three…”

Hanzo closes his eyes and breathes out long and slow, his nerves settling.

“Two… one… Start!”

They both throw their balls without hesitation. Hanzo watches as they open in the air, bright light streaming out and manifesting into two shapes.

A Pikachu… and Goomy, towering over it with his impressive height. If Hanzo digs around in his memories, he can somewhat remember Genji having told him once upon a time that he’s caught a Pikachu in Viridian Forest… but he would never have thought that he would still be having it in his party.

It doesn’t look worse for wear, eagerly bouncing from one foot to the other and shadow boxing of all things. It seems so… Genji that it takes Hanzo aback for a moment.

At least he isn’t the only one surprised. His brother’s eyes look like they’re about to pop out of his skull as he stares at the jumbo sized Goomy.

“The Hell is that?!” he asks with excitement clear in his voice, arms wildly gesticulating. “Where did you get that Goomy? Holy shit, it’s huuuge!”

Hanzo can’t help the proud little grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“We can talk about that later… Goomy! Bodycheck!”

It might not be the… cleanest of starts but he is sure had he waited just a split second longer, Genji would have taken advantage of him just like that. He should strike the iron while it is hot – and use the element of surprise while it is on his side.

Goomy hesitates, though, his antennae twitching as he hems and haws for a moment before finally moving his body like a wave, trying to bury the Pikachu beneath his bulk.

In all honesty… Hanzo is quite surprised to see him moving at all. His body had just grabbed a random Pokéball off his belt in his moment of panic. Taking Goomy for this particular fight had not been well thought out – or thought about at all – but in the end Goomy had to start somewhere.

Pikachu, as sadly expected, easily dodges the bodyslam. It might be smaller and have a type disadvantage, but its sheer speed might be what decides the fight before it has properly begun.

“Pikachu! Scope out this thing! Can you get on top?” There’s a laugh in Genji’s voice that puts Hanzo’s teeth on edge. It sounds like Genji isn’t taking any of this seriously which annoys him to no end… especially as he can practically see Goomy’s confidence wavering.

Pikachu is lightning fast, climbing on top of Goomy before its feet can really sink into the other Pokémon’s body.

Hanzo briefly glances at his brother, seeing the almost unhinged grin that is spreading over his face and instinctively knows what is going to happen in just a second.

They both call out, voices overlapping each other: “Tuck your antennae in!”

“Thunderbolt!”

Pikachu’s small hands grab a hold of each of Goomy’s antennae, electricity sparking around its body. Hanzo’s heart sinks as the world seems to slow down to a crawl for now.

Somehow, Goomy does manage to retract his antennae, pulling them out of Pikachu’s grip. He starts to curl himself into a perfectly round ball and just as he begins to move to try and shake the other Pokémon off his person, Pikachu’s Thunderbolt crackles to life, enveloping both himself as well as Goomy.

Hanzo’s breath hitches, his hand curling into a tight fist.

“Keep going! Try to shake it off!” He has no idea whether his shout even gets through to Goomy. As a dragon type he does have the upper hand, but he is so very timid…

Pikachu jumps off finally. Or maybe Goomy manages to shake it off with his awkward, jerky movements. Pikachu does not look worse for wear, though; it lands on its feet and immediately starts bouncing again. It looks eager and hungry for more while Goomy unfolds himself, a few bruises visible, keeping his antennae close to his head so they won’t be able to be used as lightning rods again.

“Alright! Pikachu, keep at it! Run circles around the thing, it’s super slow-”

Goomy tries to keep up with it but Hanzo can see the fear in his eyes when he turns around enough for him to see. He’s trying hard to be brave, but this Pokémon is clearly too experienced for him now.

He curls his hand into a fist, wavering for a moment before making his decision. Goomy has already come so far, clearly trying his best – he should stop this before the fragile confidence they had worked so hard on building shatters.

“Goomy! Enough! You did great!” Hanzo can see the surprise both on their opponents’ faces as well as Goomy’s face when he turns around to peer at him. He waves him closer, ignoring Genji’s confused resistance from the other side of the battle field.

“Wait what? What are you talking about? We just begun!”

Hanzo puts his hand on Goomy’s head once he is close enough. “You did very good, fighting against that Pikachu. I’m proud you didn’t pull back. It takes a lot of guts to fight against an opponent that’s so much more experienced.”

Goomy’s crestfallen expression clears up some at his words which gives him the impression that what he’s doing really is the right thing. He wasn’t lying either; Goomy might be huge, but as far as they are concerned, he might as well be a baby like King had been. They need to train more and try themselves with opponents that are not… Genji.

He calls him back into his Pokéball as Lúcio’s bewildered voice rings out over the battlefield: “Hanzo gives up! The first round goes to Genji!”

Genji does not look pleased about that, though. His expression looks stormy; more so than Hanzo has ever seen.

“What the Hell are you on about?” he calls over the battlefield. Calling Pikachu back is more of an afterthought at that point. “We haven’t even properly started yet!”

“It was the best course of action for my Pokémon.” Hanzo carefully puts Goomy’s ball back at his place at his belt.

Genji pulls a face that is somewhere between disgusted and confused but his tense body language relaxes and he pushes a hand through his hair, settling back down. Shaking his head, he says: “How did you defeat anybody with an attitude like that? Did you just suck dick or something?”

He laughs at that, his whole face lighting up, unaware how Hanzo’s face in turn grows a feverish pink with embarrassment. He grabs the next ball while King behind him stomps his feet. He sounds about as impatient as Genji is acting.

“Don’t talk nonsense and start battling, Genji.”

Genji does reach for another Pokéball, but he just holds it in his hand, a calculating expression entering his face.

“First promise me that you won’t chicken out like that again. I don’t get my Pokémon riled up for nothing, you know.”

“I won’t promise you anything. Just call your Pokémon.”

“Nah-ah-ah! You have to promise, Hanzo!”

The argument is so much like all those petty little arguments they’ve had as kids. Honestly, it is humiliating even having the conversation in front of Lúcio who is looking back and forth between them, one hand on Politoed’s head to keep it from dancing right into the battlefield while his music plays in a soft volume in the background.

It’s a chaotic display all in all. He’s just glad that neither his father nor any reputable gym leaders are seeing this.

“Genji, stop behaving like a child!”

Genji’s grin is growing that much larger. He thoroughly enjoys the whole exchange and looks like he very much wants to keep arguing… if it weren’t for Lúcio who clears his throat and puts an end to things.

“There are no rules as to how long a round has to go. Either start the second round or lose the whole match.”

Genji rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders: “Ah well… alright, alright. Go on then. Damn… this isn’t worth my time at all…”

He mutters the last loud enough for Hanzo to hear but he ignores it in favor of chucking his Pokéball out as soon as Lúcio’s new countdown has ended. Genji is there as well. As before, their Pokéballs open almost simultaneously, the blinding light shooting out.

Kikuri is visible within a split second. There is already fire licking out from her beak. She looks ready while Genji’s Pokémon takes a little longer to materialize. It turns out to be a Kirlia with a blue scarf wrapped around its neck and the sleepiest expression Hanzo has ever witnessed.

Not that he is about to underestimate any of his brother’s Pokémon. He wouldn’t put it past him to explicitly tell them what impression to make toward their opponent which is… uncomfortably genius.

“Kikuri! Nasty plot! You can think of something!”

She doesn’t turn around to him but her tail twitches in a way that he has found out means that she is pleased. Her head twitches back and forth as she thinks, body briefly shimmering as she pumps herself up, focusing on an attack.

Genji’s face twists briefly, annoyed that with Hanzo’s order he doesn’t know what Kikuri is going to do.

“We’re going to keep it classy, Kirlia. Psychic!”

The Kirlia is precariously balancing on the very tips of its feet and slowly swinging from side to side like a metronome. Hanzo can feel himself getting sucked into watching its movements. It awkwardly starts to move in a circle like the world’s slowest spinning top.

It begins to glow and the hair on Hanzo’s arms stands on end from the sheer power it begins to exude. His breath hitches, eyes flicking toward Kikuri who is for whatever reason still just standing there, staring at her opponent. He was sure she would have long mauled the Kirlia so seeing her almost frozen to the spot makes him wonder whether giving her free reign had been a miscalculation after all.

As long as Kirlia took to gather the energy, as fast do the psychic waves suddenly shoot out toward his Pokémon. His breath pushes out of him in an awkward half-exclamation, brain and tongue not fast enough to think of an order to give.

Luckily, Kikuri is one step ahead, catapulting herself into the air with help of her tail to both escape the attack and have a clear shot at Kirlia. She opens her mouth wide and a toxic purple cloud starts to pour out of her throat, hitting her opponent and surrounding it in a tight, thick fog.

Hanzo can barely see the Kirlia through the attack but it starts to wave its arms, trying to wave the attack off.

“Teleport!”

Genji’s command is barely spoken when Kirlia reappears much closer to Hanzo in the blink of an eye. It had not been in the cloud of smog for longer than a few seconds and yet, he can see that the attack has hit home hard: Kirlia is teetering even more on its tip toes, its formerly white skin having taken on a very unhealthy looking purple sheen.

“Kikuri!” He jerks his eyes away from Kirlia to see where his Pokémon is. She has landed inside her own smog cloud, her crescent shaped eyes glinting from the only slowly dissipating fog.

Genji must know that now that Kirlia is poisoned he does not have much time. Their next orders come simultaneous:

“Venoshock!”

“Hypnosis!”

Hanzo holds his breath as he watches a violent looking spray of sludge shooting from the smog cloud. It clashes with the gentle hypnosis waves coming from the Kirlia. Hanzo can see a small battle for dominance but Kikuri’s attack quickly overtakes the faint psychic attack – they clearly are not Kirlia’s fortitude.

Half a second later, the Venoshock attack squarely hits Kirlia, ripping it off its feet and throwing it out of the ring against the mesh fence that encapsulates the battling area.

“Kikuri, stop.”

The stream of poisonous sludge halts, Kikuri stepping out of the poison gas, drops of toxic waste still dripping from the sharp edges of her beak. She looks absolutely gleeful – a vast difference to Genji who hurries over the field toward his Pokémon.

Kirlia has dropped down to the ground after the attack stopped, lying on its side with a dazed expression. At least it is still moving, albeit weakly. Genji’s face is… surprisingly intense. Hanzo watches as he pulls an antidote from his pocket to administer to his Pokémon.

“You should still get it to the Pokémon Center after our match,” he comments mildly.

“Shut up! I know! Do you think I don’t know that shit?!”

Genji’s expression is as sharp as his voice as he throws Hanzo a dark look. It takes him aback quite a bit. He lifts his hands as if trying to calm down a wild animal.

“I was just saying-”

“Yeah, don’t, alright? I’m not a little kid, I know how to take care of my Pokémon!”

Genji calls Kirlia back once he administered the antidote. He stands abruptly; the energy about him has… changed. There’s an aggression in his choppy movements and his tight face that hadn’t been there when they started the fight.

Hanzo is unsure what to do. The last time he’s seen his brother angry like this has been a very long time ago; usually it is the other way around with Genji always goofing off and getting under Hanzo’s skin until he explodes.

“I know that you know that,” he tries carefully but that also doesn’t seem to be the right thing to say because Genji turns and starts to stalk away with the words: “Then stop belittling me, alright?!” He stops suddenly on the battlefield and turns back to Hanzo. “What was that before, huh? Are you making fun of me or something?! You sent out that weak fucking Goomy on purpose and then stomped Kirlia into the ground!”

Hanzo frowns, bristling. “I did no such thing, what are you even talking about?”

“You fight dirty, stop pretending like you’re the victim-”

“Hey, guys… can we keep this going? It’s just one more fight, alright? 1:1 – the cards are still all on the table, right?” Lúcio is not quite as happy-go-lucky as he pretends to be. Hanzo can see the tightness in his shoulders. He must feel incredibly awkward seeing them explode at one another like little kids.

Even Kikuri has sat down in the middle of the battlefield and is just watching the action with some bewilderment.

Genji spits on the ground in ill-temper and abruptly stalks back toward his own side, obviously no longer willing to keep their discussion going. His Lycanroc is still sitting there, though now it is standing up, attentive eyes on its master.

Hanzo brushes his hands down the front of his shirt, gathering himself. He calls Kikuri back with a mumble. Surprisingly enough, she just follows suit, traipsing over until he can call her back into her Pokéball.

Behind him, he can hear King whinnying very low. The warmth of him is starting to become burning at his back. Even if he had wanted to – there was no way Hanzo would be able to keep King back at this point; and it looks like on the other end of the battle arena It’s not that different. Genji is standing there stiffly and Lycanroc steps out into the ring – just as King is once Hanzo takes a small step to the side.

He lowers his head, snorting against the ground. Blue fire flows from his nostrils as he does so, spreading like a puddle of quicksilver over the dusty ground. When it vanishes again, it leaves behind scorched sand.

Hanzo can hear the nervousness in Lúcio’s voice when he starts to count down but his voice only reaches him as if through a fog.

And the fight begins.

.oOo.

“You think this is a good idea, brother? The last time didn’t go so well for the both of you, did it?” Genji’s jeering does not sound as jovial as usual. His eyes are sparking with intent.

Hanzo scoffs.

“King had been freshly hatched. We’ve grown a lot since then.”

“Wait what?” Genji’s expression finally relaxes a little though his huge grin has Hanzo’s hair stand on end. “King? Are you shitting me? Where the fuck do you get those names from? As far as I’ve heard, your King there hasn’t won a single fight that mattered.”

Hanzo bristles yet before he can reply, Genji’s demeanor changes again and he shouts out: “Buddy, Accelerock!”

Hanzo inhales sharply, watching as Genji’s Lycanroc shoots toward King, using the moment of surprise and the Pokémon’s inherent speed. His eyes flick toward King who rears his head back, watching the advancing Lycanroc and seemingly bound to the spot.

Hanzo can’t get his tongue to move in time – but King jumps out of the way at the last moment, a shrill, short sound of pain erupting from it when a few of the knife-like rocks in Lycanroc’s mane slice his leg.

The wound does not look deep, thankfully.

“Not a good start, is it?” Genji calls over but Hanzo is not going to get caught in the same trap twice. He ignores him, wondering how they should defeat Lycanroc. It’s large, going up to King’s chest despite him having grown a lot, and simply from a muscle mass he is far stronger than a Ponyta.

So they need to play into King’s inherent strengths.

“Agility!”

King doesn’t lose a second to start running. Between one moment and the next he already has gained such a speed that his fiery blue mane and tail are leaving glittering streaks of after-images in the air.

His next order comes just as quick, his shout of ‘Double Team!’ overlapping with Genji’s repeated ‘Accelerock!’

The Pokémon move fluidly, King’s Agility giving him the edge in speed to start a Double Team before Lycanroc can even dig his claws into the ground for purchase. The vague afterimages from before become a lot clearer, a ring of glittering blue-maned Ponyta surrounding Genji’s Pokémon.

The sound of its hoofs hitting the ground in a thrum seemingly everywhere at once.

It had been a shot in the dark; Hanzo hadn’t really tried out the upper edges of King’s speed yet. The result surprises even him.

Lycanroc’s head jerks around. He tries to figure out which afterimage is, in fact, the real King. He does not wait for long, impatiently jerking forward and ramming his body sideways into the ring of Ponyta, making three of them vanish into thin air.

Hit by his own momentum, Lycanroc loses balance and rolls over the ground, deftly finding himself back on his feet while King closes the gap he had left behind.

Because he’d never really tested it out, Hanzo is unsure as to how long King will be able to keep this speed up… so he definitely should get a move on.

“Move back around him! Fire Spin!”

It is honestly kind of creepy to watch as the ring of Ponyta begins to move without the limbs actually moving. It’s like there are simple pictures hanging in the air, motionless other than the fact that they quickly advance on the Lycanroc who stands with his four paws planted into the ground, bracing himself for impact, head jerking around nervously to try and figure out which of the standing images is, in fact, the real deal.

The blue fire starts up just a second after King has surrounded his opponent again. It’s a tiny flicker at first before suddenly roaring to life, the ring obstructing the view of the Pokémon inside.

“Bud! Use Rock Tomb! Protect yourself!”

Hanzo’s ears are ringing. He hadn’t even noticed how weirdly loud the roar of flames had become as they grow to a roaring inferno a moment before they suddenly rush the Lycanroc like a noose sliding shut without mercy.

The quiet when the attack dissipates is very loud. The little hairs on Hanzo’s arms stand on end. He is panting as if he had run the whole time.

The afterimages of King vanish as he finally comes to a stop, steam rising from his overheated body and fog streaming from his nostrils.

Where Lycanroc had stood, a mass of rocks was now standing. After a moment, the irregular slabs of rock start to shake and then crumble away, leaving a panting Lycanroc in their midst. It must not have gotten the defense up quite fast enough since its fur looks decidedly singed.

It’s still up on its feet, though, and Genji, though looking more angry by the second, is not calling him back.

“Rock Tomb!” His voice cracks a little as he shouts out the order.

Hanzo briefly looks at him, his heart pounding fast as he watches Lycanroc steady itself once more. The slabs of rock that it had ripped out of the ground around itself and are now lying in irregular heaps around it, begin to shake, then jerk up into the air.

“Agility!” Hanzo cries out. He had been able to see how King’s legs were shaking with overexertion. He isn’t running as fast now, but it at least is enough to dodge the oncoming rocks for the most part. “Stomp!”

King already had been charging toward Lycanroc. He awkwardly throws in the breaks, sand spraying everywhere as his hoofs slide over the ground. It looks to Hanzo’s eyes as if he just barely manages to keep his long legs from completely slipping off to the side and him crashing to the floor.

In the last moment, King uses his momentum to rotate on his front legs. His hind feet leave the ground. Hanzo can see Lycanroc reacting impossibly fast, ripping the ground up even more as it pulls up rocks to try and shield itself from the diamond hard hoofs – but it is still too late.

King smashes through the defense. Time seems to slow to a crawl. Hanzo can see how the rocks burst apart, brittle shards spraying everywhere while King’s hoofs connect squarely to Lycanroc’s chest, lifting him off the ground.

Like a rubber band snapping back in place, time resumes its normal course. Lycanroc flips over itself again and again as it rolls over the ground, from the sheer force of King’s kick. The whole grating encasing the battle field shakes when its body finally connects with it and his movement is abruptly stopped.

There’s a few long moments in which nobody moves or says a thing. Only Lúcio’s sudden shout of: “Hanzo wins!” finally breaks the shellshock that had descended over them all.

Genji runs toward his Pokémon… and Hanzo runs to King, his heart still pounding a mile a minute. He can feel a goofy grin on his face which he hides in King’s fur once he has his arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him tight. King usually isn’t too big on these kind of displays (much like Hanzo) but right now he’s standing there stiff as a board, letting it happen.

Hanzo can feel him trembling with exhaustion.

Just when he thinks something might be the matter and his heart begins to sink – something incredible happens.

King starts to shine in a blinding light. Hanzo can feel him become warmer and warmer until he is far too hot to the touch. He quickly lets go of him, taking a step back, mouth working without a sound coming out.

His brain lags behind, having trouble to really compute what he is seeing. Only Lúcio’s excited exclamation of ‘King’s evolving!!’ finally puts things into perspective. Hanzo finds that his hands are shaking, so he curls them into the the sides of his pants as he watches how King’s body shape begins to shift.

He neighs once, high pitched; it sounds a bit afraid if Hanzo is honest. He wants to comfort him but there’s still no sound coming out of his throat. He watches in fascination as King grows even bigger than before and the long, sharp horn that is so iconic for Rapidash, starting to appear.

The next time King neighs, it is a lot deeper.

Hanzo’s eyes are watering from staring directly into the blinding light. He hectically wipes them with his forearm, not wanting to miss even a second.

Finally, the evolution comes to an end. The light vanishes and leaves Hanzo staring at his new Rapidash. The glittering blue mane of Ponyta has now become a much more silvery gray, the formerly large, black eyes a sharp, deep blue.

King looks bewildered, his legs somewhat akimbo much like a newborn foals, seemingly unsure about his newfound height. His withers is now a good foot above Hanzo’s head.

Hanzo reaches out slowly, almost afraid to touch. He finally puts his hand against King’s shoulder, fingers sinking into the thicker cream colored coat.

With a slightly shaky voice he says: “You did it.”

Next time: With a freshly evolved King in tow, Hanzo and Lúcio arrive at their new destination... but it turns out to be harder than anticipated to get face-to-face with the next gym leader!