Hello and welcome to my first submission, as you can tell by my join date, I've been around for a long time but have never been one to actually ever get involved in submitting anything but with this, I'm changing that.

This story will be a bit of a test, perhaps not even one that really gets continued past this first chapter but I do want to give it a try.

The basic premise of this story is going to be a mash-up of slice-of-life and a what-if idea of Pokemon living lives more akin to what some people picture for them if there was an absence of humans, which in this case involves a male Lucario from the Sinnoh region.

Comments are more than welcome as well as criticism.

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Does a dream really ever get to fully come true? Can you honestly imagine it being more than just what it is? What if you could really have it, that one dream you've just always thought about that pulls at your core?

I'll tell you this; sometimes it's not all that it's cracked up to be, but you learn to love it and accept and sometimes it's really even more than that...for me, it started all one day when I got to meet her.

This was the third week of being open for Nobu the Lucario and his fight shop that he'd invested quite a great deal of his savings into after having uprooted himself from his home back in the Sinnoh region. His popularity as a fighter had given him a chance to do this after choosing to retire very young from the professional circuit of mixed martial arts in the lightweight division. Fellow Pokemon back home believed in him and encouraged him...and quite frankly they were right, it really did take someone knowledgeable in the sport to be a good salesperson.
"Nn...hai. These good product, very high quality, you see, it's in the seams and the quality of the glove fabric..." his words were falling on eager ears as a rookie Mienshao was listening closely to the former 'Sinnoh Ao-damashii'. To be able to mentor and give tips like this to another Pokemon who was entering the pro sport of fighting made Nobu practically gleam with pride that he was being trusted in for his obvious knowledge.

"You don't have spiked fists, this is more proper for you and regulation to your species, gives you a bit of an edge with less padding so you can deliver punches faster, reaction time a little better too, yeah?" Business wasn't always booming, some days it was like this where he just had a customer one after the next; here in Unova, pro-fighting wasn't the biggest thing around.

The Mienshao would be hanging on Nobu's every word, nodding every now and then as he'd decided to take up professional boxing rather than a form of kung fu and good gloves were said to be the hallmark of a good boxer...that and keeping up with a trainer who was a Hitmonchan would take a real good set plus a quick wit and skill.

"Alright boss, that's good enough to me. You got me sold," the Mienshao confirms. Bringing a grin of success to Nobu's muzzle! Another sale made in the past hour for his third customer of the day.

A quick walk over to the cash register and all was completed. The gloves were of high quality and the price they carried weren't as profitable as cheaper made ones with a better profit margin but he didn't care about that, the better the product he sold, the more likely a Pokemon would come back to him for the next set or more gear.

The chime of his door sensor caught his ears into a perked up stance, just as he completed bagging the up and comer Mienshao's boxing gloves and the sight a little different than what he was used to seeing coming through his open door. A female Lucario walked in, in her paws an open map. "Hmph, this doesn't seem like the right place but I guess I gotta ask for directions somewhere," she quipped.

Thanking his customer and sending him on his way, Nobu stepped out from behind the counter and walked over toward this next entrant into his quaint little shop. "Hello, welcome to my shop! How may I help you today?" His voice strong, expressing his eagerness to always give a customer attention.

"Hiya, yeah, here's my problem, gimme a hand here, I'm visiting from out of city and I wanna find a certain place," shuffling closer to the 'Luce' that approached her, the map in her hands was quickly turned in his direction and stuffed into his open paws with her left index finger pointing directly at a circled shop in the Castellia shopping district layout.

Looking down at the map now in his paws, the disappointment that she wasn't a customer quickly being outdone by his willingness to help brought him to quickly figuring out just where she was off to. "Oh, directions. Hmm, Lucy's iced milk and tea shop, that is boulevard next over from this one. If you go out and go to end of block, just take right around end of boulevard and shop is second one in, just stay on the sidewalk, ok?" It wasn't until after those directions were given that he took notice that she was no longer in front of him.

Amelia was too busy now looking up at the 37" display TV wall-mounted above a fully stocked case of DVDs to care about her directions. It was no secret that she'd always thirsted to be able to fight...but alas, clumsiness was a curse this poor gal was born with. "Wooow. Is that you or is that just some guy who looks just like you?" Amelia finally spoke after being transfixed for about a minute.

"Ah, hai! Boku wa Kazuhiko Nobu desu!" He spoke loudly with a bow to her whilst folding the map up neatly to his side.

Remaining transfixed on the screen as this was a short fight of his, one of the highlighted undercards to the main event of the night that was a heavyweight bout. The sight of the Lucario circling around with his Bisharp opponent, the two geared up properly as to assure no serious injuries could be dealt by one to the other.

A mach-speed punch thrown just as the whistle of the referee was blown, catching the Bisharp across the forehead, only barely managing to side-step the blow before attempting a counter grapple to Nobu's gi collar. It was a clash of traditional jiu jutsu and a blended style of muay thai and aikido. The two showing an even amount of their respective style's capability to clash and counter one another.

Over a minute in though the Bisharp had managed himself a chance to get a choke applied to Nobu's gi and had him raised off of the ground and ready to be thrown over into the cage if it weren't for his quickness to reach down and grasp his opponent's helmet-like head.

In a flash of quick wit coming from years of practice, Nobu managed to swing himself downward with his grip, landing beside the Bisharp and dragging him down to the mat, applying a rear-naked choke to the struggling Bisharp. It was too fast of a match to have comprehended such a fast end and a reason why another match was so quickly added to the card that night but it solidified the fact that this Lucario was a true contender for his weight division.

The tapout at two minutes and eleven seconds went on to it's usual coverage of match statistics and more from the commentators as Nobu was led out of the ring first, being tended to his camp's doctor and coach.

"Impressive..." Amelia softly uttered as she tilted her head to the left and then turned back to Nobu who stood merely three feet away from her on her right side with a nonchalant expression on his muzzle. "That really is you huh?" again he gave a response, this time, one she seemed to actually pay attention to and that would just be a simple nod of his head.

"Yes, that is me. About four years ago to be exact," lifting his left paw, Nobu would rub the back of his head. Never one to be egotistical over his past successes. "Well what're you doing here in a place like this though? Shouldn't you be some prized fighter at a gym?" she posed that question quite quick. It didn't matter if this was a first time meeting someone with a real past of some fame or the second or third, Amelia had her questions and always liked getting answers.

Nobu would only turn around and spread his arms out to all of the merchandise stocked on his shelves. "I stop to sell merchandise, make sure others can partake in the passion that is fighting," the response he got out of her though was somewhat discouraging as she was shaking her head, with tail just swaying back and forth behind her.

"That's sort of dumb. Couldn't you make more money fighting?" it seemed that this was somehow turning into a real conversation for the two as Nobu felt it would take a good bit of explanation to his fellow Lucario to get her to understand his motivation. Looking down at the watch on his wrist and thinking that it was maybe an okay time to close up shop for a break.

"If you like, I close up shop, take break and you walk with me and I'll explain more. Guide you to Lucy's too, yes?" somehow none of this dawned on him that it seemed more like he was trying to get a date out of her by doing this.
"That'd be cool but don't you be considering it a date, mister," she waggled a finger at him while saying that, causing him to blink a little before staring at her with a wide expression and a shake of his head. "T-that is not my intention. You very lovely girl, I agree, but yes, not first date. Just walk!" it wasn't ever so much that Nobu was shy with females...just the language barrier in this case seemed to be his downfall.

With that settled and gone over, Nobu would lead her outside of the store, pulling the sliding doors shut and making sure the 'On break' sign was properly displayed before locking up. The two getting to take a brisk walk now down the block, numerous other species of Pokemon walking by the two as he manages to explain that he didn't care so much about fighting anymore but rather the passion and determination that came with it.

Truly having to contemplate all of it had Amelia just the slightest bit confused but she'd heard Sinnoese had themselves a much different culture so she'd bury it at that. Their arrival to Lucy's iced milk and tea shop had Amelia grinning up a storm as two of her gal pals had told her of this place after recently discovering this gem. Nobu walking in first as the line was relatively short and perhaps he could make this pretty Lucario's day a little better.

"My apology for making you think I'm trying to trick you into a date, ok? Let me buy you something, drink and dessert?" his politeness had Amelia almost wanting to refuse as she stood behind him in line but looking up at the wall and the various things on it and Nobu in front of her with his paws together just had her sighing softly and nodding to him.

Eight minutes would be the wait to get to the front of the line and be met by the middle-aged Medicham who ran this establishment who greeted the two Lucarios with a big smile and a wave of her hand. "Welcome! It's been a while, Nobu-san, I didn't know you found a girlfriend," the comment resulting in Amelia blinking and shaking her head as Nobu had his paws up and shaking them whilst speaking up, "oh no, she's just a...a new friend! Yes, new friend, mhmm. She looking for shop all day."

"Oh, my, sorry if that was embarrassing for either of you. Don't mind me little lady, just how a mother is sometimes, what can I get you two?" Lucy laughed it off as she'd wait for Amelia to pick out something which would be to her liking which turned out to be a blended Miltank smoothie flavored with pecha and rawst berries as well as a Kalosian-style crepe, Nobu having himself a protein-infused cheri berry smoothie.

Feeling more at ease after the two began to step away from the counter, he didn't seem to take notice of the fact that Amelia was still following along behind him, in a way, he imagined that maybe she'd have called it quits hanging around him after getting something nice out of their encounter.

A step out of the shop though had him slowing to a stop with Amelia's loud slurping down of her drink, "Yum, this is some really good stuff! Thanks for taking me here, Nobu." Amelia was following close behind him and when he stopped, she had just the perfect chance to elbow him playfully in the back, quite obviously very happy with him for this, "oh, you're very welcome, Amelia," it made him happy inside...it just felt right really.

Outside the two of them would remain for now, drinking their shakes and just watching those passing by them, neither saying much for a good five minutes until it would be Amelia who spoke up with a mouth full of crepe and a grin, "well, I guess you're gonna go back to the shop, right? Can I...come visit again sometime, maybe my treat next time to this place?"

Her words had him turning to look at her, a smile just spreading across his lips with a nod. It'd been over a year since what he considered his last true relationship and something inside was telling him that he should give it a shot already with Amelia, that this was practically a first date already, but better judgment would prevail and he would just let this be a friendship for now like his friends whom he from time to time would meet with at Bonnie's Lounge.

"That would be, very nice, Amelia. Come visit me any time you like." Starting to depart away from her, he turned to give her a wave good-bye, receiving a similar gesture from her crepe-filled paw.

Such a nice girl she is...his mind wandered some during his walk, a familiar claw suddenly tapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey there, playboy!" A loud voice spoke up to him as he turned to look back with a chuckle and a shake of his head, "Jose, you know I'm not that type of Pokemon," halted from his return to the shop again, it was one of his drinking friends, Jose, a Weavile.

"Geez, no wonder you never got no tail in the two months I've known ya, gotta give it a shot at some point or another, ya know?" Jose surely was one of those friends, Nobu thought to himself as this wasn't the first time he'd gotten told this since he had begun to associate with the Weavile.

Still with protein shake in paw, he simply gave his friend a grin and shook his head, "like I said, not that type. If I feel like giving it a shot, I try. But she is a very nice girl...and that is not invitation for you to go for her either." He knew his friend's joking demeanor and would cut off the chance of him making a dirty joke at Amelia's expense.

The two two would only exchange smirks now, holding up paw and claw to tap together in a brotherly gesture as each went their own way back to their daily jobs. Nobu contemplating whether or not he might take a trip to the lounge tonight...a hard drink seemed a bit tempting to him on his trek back to his fight shop which already had another Pokemon standing out by the door, ready and waiting for an expert's opinion on a purchase.

Yeah...today's been a wonderful day...