A Morning with the Tranmetsewlives
EmperorofPaldea
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you look at my signature, you'll see I've been working on a Legends: Z-A AU by the name of Poly Paxton, which stars Team MZ as a poly ship with children. And I've decided it's finally time to get this AU on the road proper. So this here is a collection of one-shots taking place in the Poly Paxton universe! This first chapter I wrote as something of a Christmas present for the forum.
Merry Christmas Bulbapedia, and I hope you enjoy my present!
Many thanks to dragons_tree on AO3 for beta reading this.
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
In one moment, it read 6:59. And then in another, it read 7:00. The silence was interrupted by the alarm beeping, just as it was programmed to do. And then the stillness was broken too. Shooting out from the bed, an arm swatted at the clock. It groped around for a few seconds looking for the silence button, and after several attempts the arm found its target. With a click, the beeping cut off, only to be replaced by groaning. The sheets began to heave and ho. Something stirred underneath them. And then, the bed shifted slightly as Paxton Megania Tranmetsewlive rose from his slumber, his brain casting off the shackles of sleep to begin what he expected to be just an ordinary Tuesday morning.
As his senses woke up - the crisp air against his skin, the softness of the bedsheets, the peace and quiet of the room - the Kalos Champion rubbed his eyes to chase the sleep away and gave a good hearty stretch to his arms, before turning his attention to his surroundings. Although the lack of light was seriously hampering his ability to discern what lay in his room, he could already pick out the silhouettes of several objects. His eyes were first drawn to a large rectangle that hung on the wall opposite from him. Squinting a little bit, Paxton could make out the outline of a familiar logo on the rectangle. Seeing the swishes and swoops of the M and Z on the logo, Paxton felt a feeling of nostalgia wash over him. Nostalgia for a time when he was traversing Lumiose City, helping out its citizens and saving all those Pokémon from the clutches of Rogue Mega Evolution. Those days may have been long behind him, but his lips curled upward into a smile as memories flitted through his head.
He found his eyes unconsciously wandering from the flag to his bedside table, where they fell upon a small rectangular object that lay just by the alarm clock. Its face bore three stripes of blue, red and black, accompanied by a white triangle with a yellow heart on it. And from there his little visual tour flowed quite nicely into the next object Paxton glanced at - on the other side of the alarm clock stood an ornate picture frame, its gold exterior decorated with molds of Zygarde Cells and Cores. And he felt his smile grow as he gazed at the picture within.
Even through the inky void of shadow, he could see the picture as clear as day. Standing proudly in the front and centre was Paxton himself, clad in a black tuxedo with the biggest smile he could manage. By his side were three familiar figures. One had hair that burned like a two-tone sunset, the second had their arm in the air and looked like they were about to break out in dance, and the third figure’s brown skin contrasted nicely with the others’ paler tones. Oh, that was the happiest day of his life…
Then Paxton turned around… and there they lay. He felt his heart swell at the sight of the three faces from the photo. As he unconsciously eyed them he couldn’t help but reminisce on just how far they had come since that fateful holiday. Once upon a time, his three bedmates were his comrades in Team MZ, working together to help AZ atone for his sins and save the city from Ange’s terrible power. Then they were his roommates and his closest friends, then his companions as he travelled the region on his quest to become Champion, then his romantic partners… and now… his husband and wives. If you had told him this would be the eventual outcome of his holiday, he probably would’ve called you insane, but now he knew this was what the universe destined for him, and he couldn’t imagine it any other way.
Suddenly his observation of the tranquil scene was disrupted as Paxton heard moaning and shuffling coming from the other side of the bed. And within seconds, his three partners rose from their lying position like soldiers in formation. He watched them intently as they went through the same waking motions he did, before their eyes slid open. Paxton was greeted by three pairs of glossy orbs - blue, dull purple, onyx - all studying him intently and lovingly. He took a breath.
“Good morning, mes amours.”, he greeted in a soft, warm tone.
“Morning, Paxie.”
“Good morning, Pax-Pax.”
“Morning to you, love.”
“Did everyone have a good sleep? No bad dreams?” he asked.
“I sure did.”
"Same here.”
“Slept like a stone.”
“Good, good. That makes me happy.” Paxton smiled, assured his partners were getting good sleep. “And I’m happy to tell you I slept well too.” He eyed up his partners like a carnivore stalking their prey. “Can I just say you all look gorgeous, even in the darkness?” This compliment elicited giggles and thanks from his partners.
But with that the train of thought reached the station, for they had a day to prepare for.
“Well, we’d better get up and start getting ready for the day. But first, it’s time for hugs and kisses!” he declared.
Paxton then took Taunie’s face in his hands, leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. It was a ritual they’d done many times before, and both of them enjoyed the feeling. He closed his arms around her head and pulled her deeper into the kiss, savouring the strawberry flavour of her lipstick. The others watched on as they embraced, a physical symbol of the love they held for each other. Eventually Paxton and Taunie separated, and Paxton turned his attention to Naveen next, wrapping his arms around his back and capturing him in a kiss too, this one tasting of rum’n’raisin. The other two watched this display of affection unfold, before Paxton released him and finished by embracing Lida and closing the gap between their lips, a vanilla flavour gracing his mouth.
A few seconds passed before Paxton pulled away. Taunie and Naveen looked at each other, and a silent message crossed them. They leaned into each other and as their arms intertwined their mouths landed on each other, their eyes closing as their lips interlocked. One kiss later they separated and Taunie took Lida next, their soft moans indicating they were enjoying this ritual as Paxton and Naveen brushed their hair out of their eyes. Finally Naveen took Lida to complete the ritual.
With the kisses and hugs complete, Paxton spoke. “Okay, NOW we need to get up.”
Lida moaned. “Out of the way, Navi. I REALLY need to pee.”
“Same here.” Taunie replied.
And with that, in one quick motion he swung his legs over the side of the bed and levered himself off of it. He took a second to stretch his legs before walking over to the window, pulling the blind up to let natural light into the bedroom. Looking back he saw his husband and wives were also getting out of bed - Naveen stretched his legs while Taunie and Lida headed to the bathroom to relieve themselves. Then Paxton suddenly heard his stomach grumble. “Okay everyone, first item on the agenda for today - breakfast.” he declared.
“Whose turn is it to cook today?” Naveen questioned.
“I’m pretty sure it’s Taunie’s.” Paxton replied. His Rotom Phone fluttered to his side, and checking the chore chart he could confirm that yes, his wife was in charge of breakfast today. A smile cracked on both men’s faces. That was all they needed to hear to know breakfast was going to be amazing.
“Oh yeah!” Naveen replied. “Breakfast is going to be fantastique.”
“It sure is.” Paxton replied. Sliding their slippers on, the two men waited out the tinkles of their wives obtaining sweet release, then the hiss of the sink as they washed their hands. Finally Taunie emerged from the bathroom, Lida following her, and Paxton stepped aside to allow them past. Taunie crossed over to the door, pulled it open and exited the bedroom. “Follow me to the kitchen. Curry croissants sound good?”
“Can’t wait.” Naveen replied.
The others slipped their slippers on before filing out of the bedroom. Crossing the hallway from the master bedroom to the kitchen, they found Taunie was already at the fridge, pulling out the curry ingredients. With a box of berries in hand, she laid them on the kitchen counter before heading over to the pantry, retrieving a box of croissants and some other curry ingredients. She looked up and noticed them standing there, and smiled.
“Do you need some help there?” Paxton offered.
“I’d appreciate it.” Taunie accepted. “Naveen, would you mind preparing our morning coffees? Paxie, get a pan ready for me, and then you and Lida can set the table.”
“Got it.” And with that the other three split up to perform their assigned tasks. From the pantry Naveen produced some coffee pods and mugs and loaded them into the coffee machine. There was a soft clatter as Paxton loaded a pan onto the hotplates before applying some olive oil. And Lida carried a stack of plates over to the massive dining table, laying each one in position on the placemats as Paxton accented them with utensils and serviettes. And before long, breakfast was well and truly on its way.
Once the setting of the table was done Paxton and Lida returned to the kitchen, where an amazing smell was now wafting from the pan where Taunie was working, They savoured the aroma with their noses.
“She’s so cute when she’s working.” Paxton commented.
“Yeah.” Lida replied. They stood there as Taunie poured the chopped berries and ingredients into the pan as it sizzled and sautéed. Her blonde and pink hair looked almost hypnotic in the light, like a lava lamp.
“Coffee preferences?” Naveen asked from the coffee machine as he filled the last mug with the liquid of modern life.
“Cream and three sugars for me.” Paxton requested.
“Same here.” Lida continued.
“I’ll have just one sugar.” said Taunie as she stirred the pan’s contents.
“And I’ll have mine with one sugar too.” said Naveen as he set about adjusting the coffees to everyone’s preferences. Soon he had them perfected and handed everyone their cup, Paxton wasting no time taking a sip of that sweet caffeinated drink of heaven. He could almost feel it waking him up, chasing away those last few dregs of stubborn sleep.
“You’re the master of coffee, you know that, Navi?” Paxton stated.
“Heh. An artist has to know exactly what he needs to stay concentrated.” Naveen commented.
A few more minutes ticked by, Taunie working her magic, and Paxton, Naveen and Lida watching with ever-growing anticipation.
“Morning, Dad!”
That sound had come from the direction of the door from the far side of the living room, and it reminded Paxton that he was not just the saviour of Lumiose and the Champion of Kalos, but a father too. When he looked over at the door in question, he saw two blonde-haired figures standing at the doorway. The smile on his face deepened as he walked over to greet them.
“Good morning, Seine and Loire.” He gave them both a hug and pressed a flurry of kisses to both of their foreheads. “Did my little champion and my player one sleep well last night?”
“You bet I did!” Seine replied with energy in their voice.
“Same here.” said Loire in a quieter tone.
“That’s good to hear.” Paxton returned. “Well, breakfast is going to be ready soon, so go ahead and take your seats. Your mom is making curry croissants.”
The two teenagers separated from their father and proceeded to the kitchen. As Paxton watched them set seated he knew he had one last thing to do before Taunie served up.
“I’m gonna go get the triplets up now, okay?”
“Okay Paxie.” Taunie replied.
Paxton then entered the hallway and made his way down to the white door at the very end. Grabbing the handle and pushing it open, the room beyond greeted him with the sight of a single large bed in the centre. And lying against the pillow were three small faces. Paxton clutched his chest as he surveyed the adorable scene, before he made his way over to the bed. He took a breath.
“Naissa! Vie! Mort! Rise and shine!” he said in a sing-song voice. The three children stirred before their eyes slid open and landed on their father. Vie and Mort were both smiling, although Vie’s smile was bigger, and Naissa was frowning a little.
“Good morning, mes doux bébés.”
“Morning, Daddy!” Vie and Mort replied in unison. Father reached out and enveloped his children in a hug, peppering them with kisses.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
“Yeah!” Vie responded. Mort’s silence he took as agreement.
Naissa groaned in irritation. “I was having such a good dream, Daddy. I was at the Interregional Rhyhorn Prix, and Serena and I were in first and just about to cross the finish line when you woke me up.”
“Good to hear you had a good sleep.” Paxton responded as he released them. “And Naissa, I'm sorry for interrupting your dream race. But I know something that’ll cheer you up! You’d better get to the kitchen - Mom is making curry croissants for breakfast!”
That immediately perked all three children up.
“Yay!” the triplets said in unison. They loved their Mom’s curry croissants. And before Paxton could say anything else Naissa practically leapt out of her bed and ran full speed out of the room.
Heh. Classic Naissa, Paxton thought. He turned around and left the triplets’ bedroom, heading back towards the kitchen. When he reentered the kitchen Naissa was already seated at the dining table with Seine and Loire. It wasn’t long before Vie and Mort joined them.
“I’m just about to dish up. Better get seated, Pax-Pax.”
And obliging the command, Paxton took his seat at one end of the table. He watched and waited patiently as Taunie laid a croissant on each of the plates, and slathered them in curry, making sure to give Lida an extra-large serving. She poured the kids each a glass of water and laid the adults’ coffees on their coasters, then took her own seat. Breakfast was served.
“May we start?” Seine asked. Naissa was already raising a spoonful of curry to her mouth.
“Of course.” Taunie granted.
And with that, everyone dug in. Paxton used his spoon to cut off a bit of the croissant before scooping some curry on his spoon, and placed it all in his mouth. And when it hit his tongue… oh, the flavour! The convergence of berries, tomatoes and other ingredients, plus the croissant’s flaky texture, left his taste buds swimming in a sea of curry goodness so amazing there was no word to describe it. What could he say? His wife had done it again.
“This is just… divinely good,” said Paxton. “as always. None of the restaurants in Lumiose hold a candle to you, curry croissant."
“Aw, thanks.” Taunie replied, blushing. He leaned over and pecked her cheek, earning giggles from the table’s other occupants.
Paxton then decided to change the subject. “So what’s on everyone’s agenda for today?”
“I’m expecting business as normal at the restaurant.” said Taunie. “Not really anything of note.”
“I have a commission to work on.” Naveen continued.
“What’s it of?”
“Quasartico wants me to sculpt a new statue of Zygarde’s Complete Forme to place in Wild Zone 20. Apparently the old one was broken by some trainer in a battle accident.”
“Knowing your talent I’m confident it’ll turn out amazing.” said Paxton.
“I’m sure it will.” Naveen replied.
“Lida?” Paxton questioned his black-haired wife.
“I’m teaching a new group of students today. We’re gonna go through the dance routine of the dance-off scene in A Funkster’s Friday Night.”
“I’m sure they’ll love it.” Paxton encouraged. He then suddenly snapped his head in Naissa’s direction. The girl was scarfing her food at a pace that would make alpha Pokémon blush - half her meal had already disappeared
“Naissa!” he called out. “Not so fast - you’ll give yourself a tummyache.”
“Sorry Daddy.” Getting the message, Naissa slowed herself down.
“Kids? Any plans for today?”
“I have one of my Controller Gals streams with Cardinal this afternoon.” Loire replied.
“I’m sure it’ll be fun, but make sure you finish your homework first.” Paxton reminded. He was met with an assurance she would, but Loire’s track record on that was something of a coin toss, so he made a mental note to check on that.
“I don’t really have any plans for today.” said Seine.
“Neither do I.” said Naissa. Mort nodded in agreement.
“I have to keep the garden happy when I get back from school.” said Vie.
“You’re doing a great job with it, my little flower.” Paxton said with encouragement.
“Thanks Daddy.”
The family continued their conversation, talking, laughing and bonding, a choreography of happiness and the love that defined the Tranmetsewlive household. As Paxton gazed at the faces of these eight people that shared his home and life with him, he had to admit to himself it was still a little surreal that this symphony of heart, mind, dreams and soul had survived so long. And that made him all the more grateful for it.
But eventually everyone’s dishes were cleaned off. Taunie got up from her seat and began gathering everyone’s plates.
“Well kids,” Lida began. “you’d better go ahead and start getting ready for school.”
“Yes Mama!” And so the children all headed off to their respective bedroom to get ready for the day.
As Taunie began loading the plates into the dishwasher, Paxton turned to Naveen.
“And we’d better start getting ready to work, starting with a nice warm shower.” stated Naveen.
“Agreed.” And so Paxton and Naveen returned through the hallway to the bedroom where they woke up, before proceeding to the bathroom. They stripped their pajamas off and folded them into a neat pile on the bed before Naveen began drawing a shower. He took a few seconds to gauge the temperature of the water, and once he judged it was warm enough, he stepped under the showerhead’s spray and motioned for Paxton to join him, which he soon did, followed by their wives. Enjoying the warmth of the water Paxton squirted out a good serving of his favourite lavender shampoo and began massaging it into his scalp, his nose taking in the scent as he did so. He washed and wiped his skin, wiping off all of the accumulated oils and sweat, and rubbed some body wash into his skin.
The rest of the preparations went by smoothly. It was another ritual they had done so many times before that they lost count. After leaving the shower and drying themselves out, the parents gathered their work clothes from the wardrobe and scattered across the bedroom to get dressed. And before long Paxton was admiring himself in his heart-speckled Champions’ uniform. He finished by grabbing his black Team MZ hat, now with an ace of hearts card decorating it, and mounting it on his head.
Back in the bedroom proper the other adults were all dressed up in their work attire - Taunie in her chef’s uniform, Naveen in his grey sculpting outfit and Lida in her two-piece dance instructor outfit. They all looked so lively and colourful.
Now there were just two things left to do. Paxton reached for a small box on the right-side bedside table and grabbed it. He opened it to reveal four wedding rings. Holding out the box to his husband and wives, he watched as each partner took their appropriate ring and slipped it on their finger. Then he did the same thing. He put the box back.
“Can’t be forgetting our teams now, either.” Paxton walked over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and opened one of its four drawers, the one marked “TAUNIE”. He stepped aside to allow his wife access to retrieve the six colourful Poké Balls inside, each in the clasp of a metal claw. As Taunie picked each one up she connected its holder to one of the attachment points Naveen had sewn onto her uniform, three on each side. Once this was done Paxton closed Taunie’s drawer and opened Naveen’s letting his husband gather up his team. Then this repeated with Lida, and finally Paxton gathered his six Poké Balls from his drawer and snapped their holders into the metal rings on his uniform. But then his eyes fell onto a safe inside his drawer. He reached in and punched in a combination on the keypad, and the safe opened. Inside was a special Poké Ball, painted black with a green hexagon on the front. After examining it for a second Paxton filed the ball into his uniform’s breastpocket and closed the safe and drawer. He quickly stopped by his side of the bed to retrieve the polyamorous pride pin he always wore, and pinned it onto his uniform.
Leaving the master bedroom behind, Paxton made his way back to the living room where his partners and children were gathered, all now in their daytime attire. The children were now donning their school, bags, and Taunie was loading their lunchboxes in. Just as she slid Vie’s lunchbox in, something long caught her eye and she pulled it out. Its wrapper identified it as a Vanillnill chocolate bar on the cookies’n’cream variety.
“Vivi, were you trying to sneak this to school?” Taunie asked.
“...no?” the child replied.
Taunie sighed. “Vie, you cheeky little thing. You know you’re not allowed too many treats in one day, yes?”
Vie sighed. “...Yes, Mom.”
Soon Mort’s bag was ready too, and it was time to get going.
“Okay kids, are you ready to get going?” he asked. A choir of affirmations confirmed everyone else was ready.
“Alright, I’ll text Adrien to pick us up. Papa has to stay here and work on his commission, so let’s say goodbye to him!”
The kids all turned around and wrapped their papa in hugs, and bid him farewell.
“Goodbye Papa!” said Seine.
“See you later, Papa!” declared Loire.
“Bye-bye, Papa!” said the triplets simultaneously.
Naveen bent down and planted kisses on his children’s heads. “Goodbye my children. I love you all, and I’ll see you in the afternoon.” Another set of kisses peppered his kids’ heads.
And then the kids separated from their Papa and joined their other parents, who were walking towards the front door. Paxton pulled it open, savouring the sweet, fresh air and drawing its cool essence into his lungs with deep, controlled breaths. Naissa was first to run out, followed by Vie. Mort, the teenagers and the parents stepped out after them, Paxton locking the door behind him. He then pulled out his Rotom Phone, dismissed the lock screen and pulled up his messages app. He quickly tapped on his chauffeur’s icon and texted that they were outside. He soon responded stating he would be there in five minutes.
And sure enough, five minutes later Paxton spotted the familiar sight of a specially decorated Corviknight cab approaching. Its cry signalled the family to gather around as the cab descended into position, hitting the ground with a soft thump. Paxton pulled the door open and entered the cab, ushering his family in after him. He closed the door, and with a signal to the pilot, they were in the air.
A few minutes later, the cab landed at its first destination - North Lumiose Elementary School. Paxton pulled the door open and turned to the triplets.
“Naissa, Vie, Mort, we’re here.” He enveloped them in a hug, and the rest of the family followed as the triplets were showered with kisses. “Goodbye for now, my babies. Have a good day at school, filled with love, happiness and learning!”
“Bye-bye everyone!” said the triplets. And once their family released them Naissa was out the door, dashing up to the school building’s front doors with Vie and Mort walking along together. After taking a few seconds to wave goodbye, Paxton closed the door back up and the cab was off to its next destination. It didn’t take long before North Lumiose Secondary School came into view, and once the cab touched down again it was Taunie’s turn to open the door.
“Seine, Loire!” she addressed the blonde teenagers. “It’s time to get to school now. Have a great day, you two.” Parents hugged children, and children hugged parents as more kisses ensued.
“Goodbye, Mom, Mama and Dad.” said Seine. And then Seine and Loire departed the cab and proceeded towards the school building. The parents watched as they disappeared past the glass doors, before the cab door was closed again and the cab took off for its next destination.
The next building the cab landed in front of was a building with a fancy black façade, green accents on its columns and windows. On the front were the prominent white words “RESTAURAUNT TASTOPOLIS”. Make no mistake - this was Taunie’s workplace. Paxton pulled the door open for his wife.
“Okay curry croissant. Have a good day at work and I hope you get many customers.” The cab’s three remaining occupants hugged and Taunie found herself on the receiving end of the waterfall of kisses.
“Thank you.” Taunie said happily. “I’ll see you in the afternoon.” And with that she took her leave, walking to the restaurant’s front door and flipping its doorsign from “CLOSED” to “OPEN” before entering the building.
That just left two stops remaining. The cab set off for its penultimate destination. The building it stopped at this time was a very familiar two-stored building with a hatched black roof. Paxton knew that once upon a time, this building had been the home of the Rust Syndicate, the shadowy organisation that extorted debts from people. But now the Syndicate was gone, a new generation of Lumiosians growing up not knowing of the fear they struck into residents’ hearts. The massive Rust Syndicate logo that had once adorned the building’s roof was gone. In its place was a new, light blue logo, one depicting a stickman waving ribbons in a heart shape. Next to the logo were the words “ZILLIONS OF MOVES DANCE SCHOOL”.
For the penultimate time this morning the door was opened and Paxton embraced his wife, planting yet more kisses on her face.
“I hope your day at work goes well, Lyrebird, and the kids love your new routine. See you later.”
“And I hope you have a good day at work too!” Lida trilled happily. And off she went with that characteristic bounce in her step. Now Paxton was all alone in the cab. And off it went to its final destination.
And that final destination was a towering skyscraper with a green hexagon molded on the side of the building, a large K contained inside it. The Kalos League’s shiny new headquarters, a building only ten years old. Paxton pulled the door open for the final time this morning and stepped out of the cab, turning back to face the driver.
“Merci, Adrien!”
“You’re welcome, Champion Paxton.”
Paxton then closed the door for the last time, and as the now-empty vehicle departed he turned and strode up to the building. Upon reaching the gated door he fished out his wallet, produced his ID card and put it to the scanner on the side of the frame. With a beep the door opened and Paxton strode inside, ready to begin his Champion duties for the day…
Merry Christmas Bulbapedia, and I hope you enjoy my present!
Many thanks to dragons_tree on AO3 for beta reading this.
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
A Morning with the Tranmetsewlives
Darkness. That was what stretched in every direction. It had the room gripped in its noir embrace, draped over the bedsheets, embracing the walls, clinging to the ceiling. Nothing was moving, the air lay thick and tranquil. The only sign of life was the alarm clock, its soft red numbers marching along to the beat of time.
In one moment, it read 6:59. And then in another, it read 7:00. The silence was interrupted by the alarm beeping, just as it was programmed to do. And then the stillness was broken too. Shooting out from the bed, an arm swatted at the clock. It groped around for a few seconds looking for the silence button, and after several attempts the arm found its target. With a click, the beeping cut off, only to be replaced by groaning. The sheets began to heave and ho. Something stirred underneath them. And then, the bed shifted slightly as Paxton Megania Tranmetsewlive rose from his slumber, his brain casting off the shackles of sleep to begin what he expected to be just an ordinary Tuesday morning.
As his senses woke up - the crisp air against his skin, the softness of the bedsheets, the peace and quiet of the room - the Kalos Champion rubbed his eyes to chase the sleep away and gave a good hearty stretch to his arms, before turning his attention to his surroundings. Although the lack of light was seriously hampering his ability to discern what lay in his room, he could already pick out the silhouettes of several objects. His eyes were first drawn to a large rectangle that hung on the wall opposite from him. Squinting a little bit, Paxton could make out the outline of a familiar logo on the rectangle. Seeing the swishes and swoops of the M and Z on the logo, Paxton felt a feeling of nostalgia wash over him. Nostalgia for a time when he was traversing Lumiose City, helping out its citizens and saving all those Pokémon from the clutches of Rogue Mega Evolution. Those days may have been long behind him, but his lips curled upward into a smile as memories flitted through his head.
He found his eyes unconsciously wandering from the flag to his bedside table, where they fell upon a small rectangular object that lay just by the alarm clock. Its face bore three stripes of blue, red and black, accompanied by a white triangle with a yellow heart on it. And from there his little visual tour flowed quite nicely into the next object Paxton glanced at - on the other side of the alarm clock stood an ornate picture frame, its gold exterior decorated with molds of Zygarde Cells and Cores. And he felt his smile grow as he gazed at the picture within.
Even through the inky void of shadow, he could see the picture as clear as day. Standing proudly in the front and centre was Paxton himself, clad in a black tuxedo with the biggest smile he could manage. By his side were three familiar figures. One had hair that burned like a two-tone sunset, the second had their arm in the air and looked like they were about to break out in dance, and the third figure’s brown skin contrasted nicely with the others’ paler tones. Oh, that was the happiest day of his life…
Then Paxton turned around… and there they lay. He felt his heart swell at the sight of the three faces from the photo. As he unconsciously eyed them he couldn’t help but reminisce on just how far they had come since that fateful holiday. Once upon a time, his three bedmates were his comrades in Team MZ, working together to help AZ atone for his sins and save the city from Ange’s terrible power. Then they were his roommates and his closest friends, then his companions as he travelled the region on his quest to become Champion, then his romantic partners… and now… his husband and wives. If you had told him this would be the eventual outcome of his holiday, he probably would’ve called you insane, but now he knew this was what the universe destined for him, and he couldn’t imagine it any other way.
Suddenly his observation of the tranquil scene was disrupted as Paxton heard moaning and shuffling coming from the other side of the bed. And within seconds, his three partners rose from their lying position like soldiers in formation. He watched them intently as they went through the same waking motions he did, before their eyes slid open. Paxton was greeted by three pairs of glossy orbs - blue, dull purple, onyx - all studying him intently and lovingly. He took a breath.
“Good morning, mes amours.”, he greeted in a soft, warm tone.
“Morning, Paxie.”
“Good morning, Pax-Pax.”
“Morning to you, love.”
“Did everyone have a good sleep? No bad dreams?” he asked.
“I sure did.”
"Same here.”
“Slept like a stone.”
“Good, good. That makes me happy.” Paxton smiled, assured his partners were getting good sleep. “And I’m happy to tell you I slept well too.” He eyed up his partners like a carnivore stalking their prey. “Can I just say you all look gorgeous, even in the darkness?” This compliment elicited giggles and thanks from his partners.
But with that the train of thought reached the station, for they had a day to prepare for.
“Well, we’d better get up and start getting ready for the day. But first, it’s time for hugs and kisses!” he declared.
Paxton then took Taunie’s face in his hands, leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. It was a ritual they’d done many times before, and both of them enjoyed the feeling. He closed his arms around her head and pulled her deeper into the kiss, savouring the strawberry flavour of her lipstick. The others watched on as they embraced, a physical symbol of the love they held for each other. Eventually Paxton and Taunie separated, and Paxton turned his attention to Naveen next, wrapping his arms around his back and capturing him in a kiss too, this one tasting of rum’n’raisin. The other two watched this display of affection unfold, before Paxton released him and finished by embracing Lida and closing the gap between their lips, a vanilla flavour gracing his mouth.
A few seconds passed before Paxton pulled away. Taunie and Naveen looked at each other, and a silent message crossed them. They leaned into each other and as their arms intertwined their mouths landed on each other, their eyes closing as their lips interlocked. One kiss later they separated and Taunie took Lida next, their soft moans indicating they were enjoying this ritual as Paxton and Naveen brushed their hair out of their eyes. Finally Naveen took Lida to complete the ritual.
With the kisses and hugs complete, Paxton spoke. “Okay, NOW we need to get up.”
Lida moaned. “Out of the way, Navi. I REALLY need to pee.”
“Same here.” Taunie replied.
And with that, in one quick motion he swung his legs over the side of the bed and levered himself off of it. He took a second to stretch his legs before walking over to the window, pulling the blind up to let natural light into the bedroom. Looking back he saw his husband and wives were also getting out of bed - Naveen stretched his legs while Taunie and Lida headed to the bathroom to relieve themselves. Then Paxton suddenly heard his stomach grumble. “Okay everyone, first item on the agenda for today - breakfast.” he declared.
“Whose turn is it to cook today?” Naveen questioned.
“I’m pretty sure it’s Taunie’s.” Paxton replied. His Rotom Phone fluttered to his side, and checking the chore chart he could confirm that yes, his wife was in charge of breakfast today. A smile cracked on both men’s faces. That was all they needed to hear to know breakfast was going to be amazing.
“Oh yeah!” Naveen replied. “Breakfast is going to be fantastique.”
“It sure is.” Paxton replied. Sliding their slippers on, the two men waited out the tinkles of their wives obtaining sweet release, then the hiss of the sink as they washed their hands. Finally Taunie emerged from the bathroom, Lida following her, and Paxton stepped aside to allow them past. Taunie crossed over to the door, pulled it open and exited the bedroom. “Follow me to the kitchen. Curry croissants sound good?”
“Can’t wait.” Naveen replied.
The others slipped their slippers on before filing out of the bedroom. Crossing the hallway from the master bedroom to the kitchen, they found Taunie was already at the fridge, pulling out the curry ingredients. With a box of berries in hand, she laid them on the kitchen counter before heading over to the pantry, retrieving a box of croissants and some other curry ingredients. She looked up and noticed them standing there, and smiled.
“Do you need some help there?” Paxton offered.
“I’d appreciate it.” Taunie accepted. “Naveen, would you mind preparing our morning coffees? Paxie, get a pan ready for me, and then you and Lida can set the table.”
“Got it.” And with that the other three split up to perform their assigned tasks. From the pantry Naveen produced some coffee pods and mugs and loaded them into the coffee machine. There was a soft clatter as Paxton loaded a pan onto the hotplates before applying some olive oil. And Lida carried a stack of plates over to the massive dining table, laying each one in position on the placemats as Paxton accented them with utensils and serviettes. And before long, breakfast was well and truly on its way.
Once the setting of the table was done Paxton and Lida returned to the kitchen, where an amazing smell was now wafting from the pan where Taunie was working, They savoured the aroma with their noses.
“She’s so cute when she’s working.” Paxton commented.
“Yeah.” Lida replied. They stood there as Taunie poured the chopped berries and ingredients into the pan as it sizzled and sautéed. Her blonde and pink hair looked almost hypnotic in the light, like a lava lamp.
“Coffee preferences?” Naveen asked from the coffee machine as he filled the last mug with the liquid of modern life.
“Cream and three sugars for me.” Paxton requested.
“Same here.” Lida continued.
“I’ll have just one sugar.” said Taunie as she stirred the pan’s contents.
“And I’ll have mine with one sugar too.” said Naveen as he set about adjusting the coffees to everyone’s preferences. Soon he had them perfected and handed everyone their cup, Paxton wasting no time taking a sip of that sweet caffeinated drink of heaven. He could almost feel it waking him up, chasing away those last few dregs of stubborn sleep.
“You’re the master of coffee, you know that, Navi?” Paxton stated.
“Heh. An artist has to know exactly what he needs to stay concentrated.” Naveen commented.
A few more minutes ticked by, Taunie working her magic, and Paxton, Naveen and Lida watching with ever-growing anticipation.
“Morning, Dad!”
That sound had come from the direction of the door from the far side of the living room, and it reminded Paxton that he was not just the saviour of Lumiose and the Champion of Kalos, but a father too. When he looked over at the door in question, he saw two blonde-haired figures standing at the doorway. The smile on his face deepened as he walked over to greet them.
“Good morning, Seine and Loire.” He gave them both a hug and pressed a flurry of kisses to both of their foreheads. “Did my little champion and my player one sleep well last night?”
“You bet I did!” Seine replied with energy in their voice.
“Same here.” said Loire in a quieter tone.
“That’s good to hear.” Paxton returned. “Well, breakfast is going to be ready soon, so go ahead and take your seats. Your mom is making curry croissants.”
The two teenagers separated from their father and proceeded to the kitchen. As Paxton watched them set seated he knew he had one last thing to do before Taunie served up.
“I’m gonna go get the triplets up now, okay?”
“Okay Paxie.” Taunie replied.
Paxton then entered the hallway and made his way down to the white door at the very end. Grabbing the handle and pushing it open, the room beyond greeted him with the sight of a single large bed in the centre. And lying against the pillow were three small faces. Paxton clutched his chest as he surveyed the adorable scene, before he made his way over to the bed. He took a breath.
“Naissa! Vie! Mort! Rise and shine!” he said in a sing-song voice. The three children stirred before their eyes slid open and landed on their father. Vie and Mort were both smiling, although Vie’s smile was bigger, and Naissa was frowning a little.
“Good morning, mes doux bébés.”
“Morning, Daddy!” Vie and Mort replied in unison. Father reached out and enveloped his children in a hug, peppering them with kisses.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
“Yeah!” Vie responded. Mort’s silence he took as agreement.
Naissa groaned in irritation. “I was having such a good dream, Daddy. I was at the Interregional Rhyhorn Prix, and Serena and I were in first and just about to cross the finish line when you woke me up.”
“Good to hear you had a good sleep.” Paxton responded as he released them. “And Naissa, I'm sorry for interrupting your dream race. But I know something that’ll cheer you up! You’d better get to the kitchen - Mom is making curry croissants for breakfast!”
That immediately perked all three children up.
“Yay!” the triplets said in unison. They loved their Mom’s curry croissants. And before Paxton could say anything else Naissa practically leapt out of her bed and ran full speed out of the room.
Heh. Classic Naissa, Paxton thought. He turned around and left the triplets’ bedroom, heading back towards the kitchen. When he reentered the kitchen Naissa was already seated at the dining table with Seine and Loire. It wasn’t long before Vie and Mort joined them.
“I’m just about to dish up. Better get seated, Pax-Pax.”
And obliging the command, Paxton took his seat at one end of the table. He watched and waited patiently as Taunie laid a croissant on each of the plates, and slathered them in curry, making sure to give Lida an extra-large serving. She poured the kids each a glass of water and laid the adults’ coffees on their coasters, then took her own seat. Breakfast was served.
“May we start?” Seine asked. Naissa was already raising a spoonful of curry to her mouth.
“Of course.” Taunie granted.
And with that, everyone dug in. Paxton used his spoon to cut off a bit of the croissant before scooping some curry on his spoon, and placed it all in his mouth. And when it hit his tongue… oh, the flavour! The convergence of berries, tomatoes and other ingredients, plus the croissant’s flaky texture, left his taste buds swimming in a sea of curry goodness so amazing there was no word to describe it. What could he say? His wife had done it again.
“This is just… divinely good,” said Paxton. “as always. None of the restaurants in Lumiose hold a candle to you, curry croissant."
“Aw, thanks.” Taunie replied, blushing. He leaned over and pecked her cheek, earning giggles from the table’s other occupants.
Paxton then decided to change the subject. “So what’s on everyone’s agenda for today?”
“I’m expecting business as normal at the restaurant.” said Taunie. “Not really anything of note.”
“I have a commission to work on.” Naveen continued.
“What’s it of?”
“Quasartico wants me to sculpt a new statue of Zygarde’s Complete Forme to place in Wild Zone 20. Apparently the old one was broken by some trainer in a battle accident.”
“Knowing your talent I’m confident it’ll turn out amazing.” said Paxton.
“I’m sure it will.” Naveen replied.
“Lida?” Paxton questioned his black-haired wife.
“I’m teaching a new group of students today. We’re gonna go through the dance routine of the dance-off scene in A Funkster’s Friday Night.”
“I’m sure they’ll love it.” Paxton encouraged. He then suddenly snapped his head in Naissa’s direction. The girl was scarfing her food at a pace that would make alpha Pokémon blush - half her meal had already disappeared
“Naissa!” he called out. “Not so fast - you’ll give yourself a tummyache.”
“Sorry Daddy.” Getting the message, Naissa slowed herself down.
“Kids? Any plans for today?”
“I have one of my Controller Gals streams with Cardinal this afternoon.” Loire replied.
“I’m sure it’ll be fun, but make sure you finish your homework first.” Paxton reminded. He was met with an assurance she would, but Loire’s track record on that was something of a coin toss, so he made a mental note to check on that.
“I don’t really have any plans for today.” said Seine.
“Neither do I.” said Naissa. Mort nodded in agreement.
“I have to keep the garden happy when I get back from school.” said Vie.
“You’re doing a great job with it, my little flower.” Paxton said with encouragement.
“Thanks Daddy.”
The family continued their conversation, talking, laughing and bonding, a choreography of happiness and the love that defined the Tranmetsewlive household. As Paxton gazed at the faces of these eight people that shared his home and life with him, he had to admit to himself it was still a little surreal that this symphony of heart, mind, dreams and soul had survived so long. And that made him all the more grateful for it.
But eventually everyone’s dishes were cleaned off. Taunie got up from her seat and began gathering everyone’s plates.
“Well kids,” Lida began. “you’d better go ahead and start getting ready for school.”
“Yes Mama!” And so the children all headed off to their respective bedroom to get ready for the day.
As Taunie began loading the plates into the dishwasher, Paxton turned to Naveen.
“And we’d better start getting ready to work, starting with a nice warm shower.” stated Naveen.
“Agreed.” And so Paxton and Naveen returned through the hallway to the bedroom where they woke up, before proceeding to the bathroom. They stripped their pajamas off and folded them into a neat pile on the bed before Naveen began drawing a shower. He took a few seconds to gauge the temperature of the water, and once he judged it was warm enough, he stepped under the showerhead’s spray and motioned for Paxton to join him, which he soon did, followed by their wives. Enjoying the warmth of the water Paxton squirted out a good serving of his favourite lavender shampoo and began massaging it into his scalp, his nose taking in the scent as he did so. He washed and wiped his skin, wiping off all of the accumulated oils and sweat, and rubbed some body wash into his skin.
The rest of the preparations went by smoothly. It was another ritual they had done so many times before that they lost count. After leaving the shower and drying themselves out, the parents gathered their work clothes from the wardrobe and scattered across the bedroom to get dressed. And before long Paxton was admiring himself in his heart-speckled Champions’ uniform. He finished by grabbing his black Team MZ hat, now with an ace of hearts card decorating it, and mounting it on his head.
Back in the bedroom proper the other adults were all dressed up in their work attire - Taunie in her chef’s uniform, Naveen in his grey sculpting outfit and Lida in her two-piece dance instructor outfit. They all looked so lively and colourful.
Now there were just two things left to do. Paxton reached for a small box on the right-side bedside table and grabbed it. He opened it to reveal four wedding rings. Holding out the box to his husband and wives, he watched as each partner took their appropriate ring and slipped it on their finger. Then he did the same thing. He put the box back.
“Can’t be forgetting our teams now, either.” Paxton walked over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and opened one of its four drawers, the one marked “TAUNIE”. He stepped aside to allow his wife access to retrieve the six colourful Poké Balls inside, each in the clasp of a metal claw. As Taunie picked each one up she connected its holder to one of the attachment points Naveen had sewn onto her uniform, three on each side. Once this was done Paxton closed Taunie’s drawer and opened Naveen’s letting his husband gather up his team. Then this repeated with Lida, and finally Paxton gathered his six Poké Balls from his drawer and snapped their holders into the metal rings on his uniform. But then his eyes fell onto a safe inside his drawer. He reached in and punched in a combination on the keypad, and the safe opened. Inside was a special Poké Ball, painted black with a green hexagon on the front. After examining it for a second Paxton filed the ball into his uniform’s breastpocket and closed the safe and drawer. He quickly stopped by his side of the bed to retrieve the polyamorous pride pin he always wore, and pinned it onto his uniform.
Leaving the master bedroom behind, Paxton made his way back to the living room where his partners and children were gathered, all now in their daytime attire. The children were now donning their school, bags, and Taunie was loading their lunchboxes in. Just as she slid Vie’s lunchbox in, something long caught her eye and she pulled it out. Its wrapper identified it as a Vanillnill chocolate bar on the cookies’n’cream variety.
“Vivi, were you trying to sneak this to school?” Taunie asked.
“...no?” the child replied.
Taunie sighed. “Vie, you cheeky little thing. You know you’re not allowed too many treats in one day, yes?”
Vie sighed. “...Yes, Mom.”
Soon Mort’s bag was ready too, and it was time to get going.
“Okay kids, are you ready to get going?” he asked. A choir of affirmations confirmed everyone else was ready.
“Alright, I’ll text Adrien to pick us up. Papa has to stay here and work on his commission, so let’s say goodbye to him!”
The kids all turned around and wrapped their papa in hugs, and bid him farewell.
“Goodbye Papa!” said Seine.
“See you later, Papa!” declared Loire.
“Bye-bye, Papa!” said the triplets simultaneously.
Naveen bent down and planted kisses on his children’s heads. “Goodbye my children. I love you all, and I’ll see you in the afternoon.” Another set of kisses peppered his kids’ heads.
And then the kids separated from their Papa and joined their other parents, who were walking towards the front door. Paxton pulled it open, savouring the sweet, fresh air and drawing its cool essence into his lungs with deep, controlled breaths. Naissa was first to run out, followed by Vie. Mort, the teenagers and the parents stepped out after them, Paxton locking the door behind him. He then pulled out his Rotom Phone, dismissed the lock screen and pulled up his messages app. He quickly tapped on his chauffeur’s icon and texted that they were outside. He soon responded stating he would be there in five minutes.
And sure enough, five minutes later Paxton spotted the familiar sight of a specially decorated Corviknight cab approaching. Its cry signalled the family to gather around as the cab descended into position, hitting the ground with a soft thump. Paxton pulled the door open and entered the cab, ushering his family in after him. He closed the door, and with a signal to the pilot, they were in the air.
A few minutes later, the cab landed at its first destination - North Lumiose Elementary School. Paxton pulled the door open and turned to the triplets.
“Naissa, Vie, Mort, we’re here.” He enveloped them in a hug, and the rest of the family followed as the triplets were showered with kisses. “Goodbye for now, my babies. Have a good day at school, filled with love, happiness and learning!”
“Bye-bye everyone!” said the triplets. And once their family released them Naissa was out the door, dashing up to the school building’s front doors with Vie and Mort walking along together. After taking a few seconds to wave goodbye, Paxton closed the door back up and the cab was off to its next destination. It didn’t take long before North Lumiose Secondary School came into view, and once the cab touched down again it was Taunie’s turn to open the door.
“Seine, Loire!” she addressed the blonde teenagers. “It’s time to get to school now. Have a great day, you two.” Parents hugged children, and children hugged parents as more kisses ensued.
“Goodbye, Mom, Mama and Dad.” said Seine. And then Seine and Loire departed the cab and proceeded towards the school building. The parents watched as they disappeared past the glass doors, before the cab door was closed again and the cab took off for its next destination.
The next building the cab landed in front of was a building with a fancy black façade, green accents on its columns and windows. On the front were the prominent white words “RESTAURAUNT TASTOPOLIS”. Make no mistake - this was Taunie’s workplace. Paxton pulled the door open for his wife.
“Okay curry croissant. Have a good day at work and I hope you get many customers.” The cab’s three remaining occupants hugged and Taunie found herself on the receiving end of the waterfall of kisses.
“Thank you.” Taunie said happily. “I’ll see you in the afternoon.” And with that she took her leave, walking to the restaurant’s front door and flipping its doorsign from “CLOSED” to “OPEN” before entering the building.
That just left two stops remaining. The cab set off for its penultimate destination. The building it stopped at this time was a very familiar two-stored building with a hatched black roof. Paxton knew that once upon a time, this building had been the home of the Rust Syndicate, the shadowy organisation that extorted debts from people. But now the Syndicate was gone, a new generation of Lumiosians growing up not knowing of the fear they struck into residents’ hearts. The massive Rust Syndicate logo that had once adorned the building’s roof was gone. In its place was a new, light blue logo, one depicting a stickman waving ribbons in a heart shape. Next to the logo were the words “ZILLIONS OF MOVES DANCE SCHOOL”.
For the penultimate time this morning the door was opened and Paxton embraced his wife, planting yet more kisses on her face.
“I hope your day at work goes well, Lyrebird, and the kids love your new routine. See you later.”
“And I hope you have a good day at work too!” Lida trilled happily. And off she went with that characteristic bounce in her step. Now Paxton was all alone in the cab. And off it went to its final destination.
And that final destination was a towering skyscraper with a green hexagon molded on the side of the building, a large K contained inside it. The Kalos League’s shiny new headquarters, a building only ten years old. Paxton pulled the door open for the final time this morning and stepped out of the cab, turning back to face the driver.
“Merci, Adrien!”
“You’re welcome, Champion Paxton.”
Paxton then closed the door for the last time, and as the now-empty vehicle departed he turned and strode up to the building. Upon reaching the gated door he fished out his wallet, produced his ID card and put it to the scanner on the side of the frame. With a beep the door opened and Paxton strode inside, ready to begin his Champion duties for the day…
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