ethan was still processing what had just happened when the adults' voices came from behind him.
shinku blinked slowly, turning to face mr. midori. "did your daughter just—"
mr. midori let out a long, resigned sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "—call your son her prince? yes. in her mind, 'fiancé' and 'prince' mean the same thing."
shinku stared for a long moment. "ah." he looked back at ethan, who was now being circled by gloom and noibat like tiny matchmakers. "so it's hereditary."
mr. midori groaned. "please don't say that like it's contagious."
erika twirled happily in place, humming a tune as flower petals followed her motion like tiny green fireflies. "see, daddy? i told you he was real!"
mrs. midori giggled softly from beside them. "you have to admit, dear, she's been saying since she was six that she'd meet her 'dragon prince' one day."
shinku deadpanned. "i thought that was just a fairy tale."
mrs. midori smiled warmly. "so did we. until the aura and dragon force lit up the whole garden."
erza, standing just behind shinku, whispered dryly, "so… should we start calling him sir ethan of johto now, or wait until after the official proposal?"
ethan groaned audibly. "can we not!?"
erika blinked innocently. "why not, prince ethan?"
noibat chirped happily.
gloom squeaked in agreement.
shinku muttered, "we're going to need a legal team by the time he's twelve."
ethan, feeling the awkward tension thick enough to cut with a scyther's claw, clapped his hands once.
"wanna watch something?" he asked erika with a hopeful smile.
the girl's eyes lit up instantly. "a movie?"
"something like that."
a few minutes later, the children were gathered in the family's lounge. ethan sat cross-legged on the floor beside whitney and kitsu, while erika perched neatly on a cushion, her hands folded politely in her lap. outa was at the old-fashioned tv cabinet, sliding a disc into the dvd player with professional precision.
it was an odd sight. in a world where almost every show revolved around pokémon—battles, contests, and journey adventures—a series with no pokémon at all was practically exotic.
when it first aired in 1971, everyone thought it would fail. but somehow, it captured the imagination of both regions. and now, in 1984, it was on its tenth installment—more popular than ever among kids across johto and kanto.
the screen flickered to life, the iconic music blaring through the speakers:
kamen rider zx!
a red and silver figure sped across the screen on a roaring motorcycle, cape fluttering in the wind as explosions burst behind him.
erika's eyes widened. "is he… fighting without a pokémon?"
whitney leaned forward, clutching her skitty doll. "whoa… he punched that robot so hard it exploded!"
kitsu snickered softly. "heh, imagine if he did have* a pokémon. that'd be overkill."
ethan grinned, relieved that the mood had shifted completely. "yeah, he doesn't need one. he's got justice and a cool helmet."
erika tilted her head, fascinated. "justice… and no pokémon? that's so strange… but… kind of noble."
she smiled softly, resting her chin on her hands as she watched the hero ride into battle. "prince ethan," she whispered without realizing it, "you'd make a good rider too."
ethan sighed quietly, hiding his blush as outa and violet exchanged knowing grins from the doorway.
Whitney's eyes sparkled as she watched the screen, then she turned to Ethan.
"Do you have a toy from this show?"
Before Ethan could answer, Kitsu pointed toward one of the shelves proudly.
"Over there."
All eyes turned. Sitting neatly on display was a Kamen Rider ZX belt — bright red with silver trim and an oversized buckle shaped like a cyclone. It looked almost real… and definitely way too big for an eight-year-old.
Whitney's mouth dropped open. "That's huge! How do you even wear that?"
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I, uh… don't. It's a replica Dad bought me when I was four. Supposedly the belt's 'actual size.'"
Outa smirked from the doorway. "Yeah, and he tried to wear it once—then tripped over it and took down half the living room curtain."
"OUTA!" Ethan yelped as Kitsu and Whitney burst into giggles.
Even Erika tried to hide her smile behind her hand, though her eyes gleamed with interest. "A real Rider's belt… that's so cool."
She stood up and carefully approached the shelf, her Aura faintly flickering like curiosity incarnate.
When she reached out, she paused for a moment before gently touching the metal buckle.
Ethan blinked — for a brief second, her Aura and his Dragon Force pulsed in rhythm, a tiny flicker of blue-green light dancing between their hands.
Erika looked back at him, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "See? You really are like him… my Kamen Rider Prince."
Outa froze mid-laugh. "...Oh, Arceus, not again."
outa's muffled laughter hadn't even faded when the door quietly slid open. standing there were all four parents — shinku, erza, mr. and mrs. midori — plus violet in the background, arms crossed with a "here we go again" face.
inside, the kids were completely unaware of their audience.
erika was holding ethan's hand with that dreamy sparkle in her eyes.
"you really are like him… my kamen rider prince."
whitney gasped dramatically. "wait—you mean like zx prince?"
kitsu groaned and sank into the couch. "oh no, she's doing the fantasy monologue."
outa whispered to violet. "we've lost another one."
at that exact moment, the adults all let out a synchronized sigh that sounded like years of mutual parenting exhaustion.
mr. midori pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath,
"…that's why we never introduced her to the show. we already had enough 'prince charming' fantasies from fairy tale books."
mrs. midori just smiled serenely, as if she'd long since surrendered to fate.
"maybe it's destiny this time," she said softly.
erza slowly turned to her husband. "you think we should stop this?"
shinku just looked at the two kids — ethan blushing bright red while erika's aura still shimmered faintly around her — then sighed in defeat.
"at this point… i think we just let the plot happen."
violet adjusted her glasses. "translation: dad gave up."
"absolutely," shinku replied without hesitation.
outa and violet quietly shut the door again, both snickering.
after a while, all the kids were outside in the backyard as the kids let out their pokèmon, as whitney sent out her pokémon, as ethan blinked.
ethan spoke in his head once he saw it. 'this universe has a baby form for miltank and tauros, huh that's actually ok'.
[insert image here]
ethan crouched a little, eyes following the small pokémon as it trotted around whitney's feet.
halfencalf gave a happy little snort, its tail bobbing as it sniffed the grass like it had just discovered the greatest thing in the world.
whitney giggled, kneeling beside it. "isn't she cute? mom says they're way easier to raise than miltank. less… headbutting."
halfencalf proudly stomped once, immediately tripping over its own hooves and face-planting into the lawn.
kitsu burst out laughing. "wow. fearsome."
whitney scooped it up, pouting. "she's just a baby!"
ethan smiled despite himself, noibat fluttering down to perch on his shoulder. the bat pokémon tilted its head, echolocation clicks bouncing softly as it studied halfencalf.
halfencalf froze.
then it mooed. loudly. right in noibat's face.
noibat recoiled mid-air, wings flapping in panic before hiding behind ethan's head like a fuzzy scarf.
ethan sighed. "you know, for a dragon-type, you scare way too easily."
halfencalf trotted forward again, completely fearless now, and nudged ethan's leg with its nose. he felt a faint warmth—nothing overwhelming, just a soft, steady pulse.
ethan blinked.
"…huh."
from a short distance away, erika stood quietly with gloom beside her. the grass-type swayed gently, petals releasing a calming scent as vines brushed the ground. erika's aura flowed outward, subtle but alive—responding not to ethan directly, but to the space around him.
the grass beneath their feet seemed a little greener. healthier.
erika looked at ethan, her dark green eyes bright.
"see? even the little ones like you."
ethan scratched his cheek. "i didn't really do anything."
erika shook her head gently. "you don't have to."
whitney tilted her head. "you talk like a storybook again."
erika smiled proudly. "mama says knights don't notice when the world listens to them."
kitsu groaned. "she's doing it again."
ethan, meanwhile, stared at halfencalf as it happily headbutted his knee again, completely unbothered.
in his mind, he sighed.
'great. dragons, psychics, aura… and now farm pokémon like me too.'
noibat chirped in agreement.
somewhere inside the mansion, shinku sneezed—completely unaware that his son was accidentally becoming a walking pokémon magnet.
violet adjusted her glasses, flipping a page with practiced ease as halfencalf waddled past her shoes.
"halfencalf, the calf pokémon," she read aloud, voice calm and professor-like. "a normal-type pokémon. based on its gender, it will evolve into either miltank or tauros."
she glanced up at the kids.
"female halfencalf evolve into miltank. males evolve into tauros. the split happens naturally during maturation, when their energy core stabilizes."
whitney's eyes widened. "so she's gonna be a miltank one day?"
halfencalf chose that moment to puff out its chest and let out a proud, squeaky moo.
kitsu snorted. "yeah. a very scary one."
ethan folded his arms, nodding thoughtfully. "that… actually explains a lot."
violet raised an eyebrow. "explains what?"
ethan paused, then shrugged. "why tauros always feel angry and miltank feel like they're judging you."
whitney gasped. "miltank don't judge!"
halfencalf immediately turned its head, staring at ethan with a flat, unblinking expression.
there was a beat of silence.
kitsu pointed. "see? judgment."
violet coughed lightly into her hand, pretending not to smile as she continued flipping pages. "in addition, halfencalf are known for their balanced energy core. that's why they're commonly used in breeding programs and ranches—they adapt extremely well to their trainer's emotional state."
ethan felt that faint warmth again as halfencalf leaned against his leg.
he sighed. "why do i feel like everything with a pulse keeps syncing to me?"
erika, watching quietly, smiled to herself as gloom hummed softly beside her.
from the patio, outa muttered under her breath, "yep. definitely a prince."
The afternoon slipped by faster than Ethan expected.
Soon enough, the Midori family's limousine was waiting by the gates again, its engine humming softly as the adults exchanged polite goodbyes. The backyard felt quieter already.
Erika paused just before stepping into the car. She turned back, smoothing her kimono, dark green eyes locking onto Ethan.
"See you next time," Ethan said, giving a small wave.
She smiled—bright, warm, and completely certain. "Yes. Bye."
Then she did something that made Violet stop mid-sentence and Outa blink.
Erika cupped her hands together. A soft, emerald glow spread between her fingers, gentle and alive. Leaves of pure Aura unfolded, veins glowing faintly as they twisted into the shape of a small flower. It wasn't flashy or violent—just calm, controlled, and full of intent.
She held it out to him.
Ethan hesitated for half a second before taking it. The moment it touched his palm, the Dragon Force inside him stirred—low, curious, but not defensive. The Aura flower didn't wilt. If anything, it pulsed once, as if recognizing him.
Erika tilted her head, clearly pleased. "So you won't forget me."
Kitsu leaned over and stage-whispered, "You're collecting fiancé gifts now?"
Ethan turned red instantly. "I am not—!"
Erika giggled, covering her mouth, then turned and climbed into the car. The door shut, the limousine pulling away down the long drive.
Ethan stared at the flower in his hand.
It was still warm.
Outa crossed her arms, smirking. "First psychic fiancé. Now an Aura princess giving you flowers."
Violet adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowed in thought. "Two different energies resonating with him… and neither rejected."
She glanced at Ethan. "That's… not normal."
Ethan sighed, holding the glowing flower like it might explain everything.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I'm starting to notice."
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give power stones and enjoy