Commissioned from  kcd who is a very fun artist to work with. But one with very little time.
Coloured, characters and story, by myself.

Been a pic I'd been meaning to get done. Reiko shown with his first daughter Alex, Chikorita-morph. Just enjoying a little bonding time out in the wilds.

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It made for such peaceful ambience all the noises of a forest, for all the predators or dangers that some might have paniced over, this noise meant one thing, that you were surrounded by life in all the full majesty and beauty of nature. Clutched in the arms of Mother Nature herself as she drew you into your dreams, to let you drift with such simple comforts into dreams where she guide and allow your own majestic imagination to splash the darkness of your coloured eyes with all manner of thriving colours. Of course this could easily be stopped by a bit of light poking on the tip of a splotch-stripe snout.

"Daaaad, you went and dozed off on me!", came the lilting little voice of the chica plopped upon his lap. For two months now Reiko had been adjusting to the notion of being a father... which came as one hell of a shock, which was nicely compounded by other little details...

It was Hawaii, that beautiful island, his second time visiting there out of sight of humanity as he casually broke the laws about Morphs not being allowed off-island, he'd sacrificed his club and a hell of a lot of cash for the correct amount of blind-eyes given to his little escape. Had been completely worth it though as once more his wanderlust caught hold, parting ways with his youngest sibling Gojinka as the black-scaled Charmander headed off in his own direction to expand horizons. But yes, Hawaii, Reiko arriving there in the same hoodie and trousers he had before, though now sporting his tattoos and at his side Maleti, broken english, patched up sports jersey and some old denim jeans they'd plucked from a dumpster and thoroughly cleaned out.

He'd come there, unlike most other places for a specific reason, to meet one of the few morphs who had managed to live more than a handful of years Shanti, a Chikorita he'd had such a short time with, but meant so much. Okay not the best idea to show up with the new girlfriend with all her bouncing and giggling and somehow having only picked up on the filthiest of words possible... still life was rarely playing out in ideal situations.

It was due to the kindness of several humans that Shanti and four others were able to live on Hawaii without deportation, locals that lived nicely isolated lives far from the tourist hot-spots and most of the civilisation to boot. The humans able to leave their little haven to pick up all the necessary amenities without Shanti and friends having to duck out through alleys and bust into charity shops and the like, doling out the required cash. Well that had been Reikos experience, probably pissed off many a chinese resturant when they found the kitchen had been used during the night, but a guys gotta eat and it can't always be fresh caught Raticate.

Didn't head straight for Shantis place, oh nono, he was teaching a tribal about society and cultures so of course on the first day and night there they'd been quite wonderfully sneaky and found a secluded little stretch of sand and surf. Her golden eyes catching just the tiniest hint of the setting sun as she shifted atop Reiko, soft little blue forked tongue flickering at his lips before being followed by her snout. The two embracing so deeply as his hand slid across that plush jungle booty, chuckling into the smooch as he parted the thicket that was her grass-skirt having gone the whole stereotypical hula girl in fashion. But that was their private time, to be spent with one another, good to get the urges aside before meeting an old flame and not putting on too many public displays.

But the meeting didn't go like the rough image Reiko bounced about in his head. For one thing Shanti had gone and evolved, the tightly curled sproutings around her neck compacted and pressed down to look more along the lines of some substantial necklace. Her curled black hair sitting so neatly around her slender neck... really she'd always been a looker but evolution seemed to suit her even better. Her eyes at first hovered over Reiko, narrowing... not since meeting his brother Sanchez again at the bottom of a drunk tank had Reiko seen quite so much anger directed to him without violence immediately following.

Horrible thing to say perhaps but he wasn't able to pay attention to the first thing that Shanti had said, he had spotted something near the legs of the Bayleef-morph, shock of blonde hair and a big floppy leaf tilting from the side. Pale green face and then those forest green eyes... heart caught in his throat and Reiko felt so very shaken for one of the few times in his life. He recognized those features rather clearly and as courage built within the frame of that short little thing she drew out a bit further from her mothers shadow, hanging onto Shantis grip for dear life it seemed.

Whatever angry diatrade Shanti was attempting to give soon started to quieten, leaving the four morphs in silence. Maleti feeling really quite awkward as the Grovyle-morph took one very large step into her lovers life.

"... This is Alex.", that hit the Charmeleon even harder than the large wide eyes attempting to work out who this large tattooed fire lizard truly was. He had to take a step forward, then another, slow yes, methodical of course, but he had to get closer. Memory flaring up, his last visit here, the night of passion, of intensity, the talk they had before and after... hopes for the future and in a moment of rum-soaked foolishness, talking of the future. Shanti leaning down to whisper comforts to her daughter, she hadn't convinced her that her father was someone else, but just the suprise of finally meeting him, there had been no photos and a four year olds imagination couldn't be faulted for failing to conjure up their father as that roughed up wanderer.

The Charmeleon-morphs heart smashed at his chest, seeming to expand with each pulse while also growing cold and tightening, squeezing at him to make him fess up to the mistake he'd made. Legs faultering and he fell back in a heap upon his backside, now on roughly eye-level with the little Chikorita who had even managed to take a few steps herself. Fingers leaving her mothers, taking a single glance at the Grovyle woman who was so very silently following behind the tattooed stranger that she knew... she really knew him.

She didn't yell out what he was, she didn't break into a run and fall into his clutches. She just stepped forward and in silence parent and child were contacting for the first time in her life. All that potent heat easing and just warming his offspring, even the sizzle of tears quietening down as Reiko felt so many things come crashing down around him to make his life a wondrous new mess. His claws slid through that messy crop of blonde hair that for once, didn't belong to him, his other arm tight around her back, four years he had missed of thisl childs life, of his childs life. "A-A-alex...", said so quietly, like the wisp of air issued from a failed whistle.

It only took a few minutes more for enough composure from both to be regained and she answered with a hesitant "Dad..". Shantis anger couldn't last in the face of that, he hadn't abandoned her, they both decided on a fun little fling with her staying safe on the island and him, heading off for adventure and really wild things across the globe. She had wanted to stay, it wasn't the lifestyle for her... but then the days passed and while he might have never known it, it couldn't have been thought of just a fling for her. Throughout the Pregnancy she'd spent so many nights crying after tormenting herself, of trying to decide that her child would be told Brennan was her father, he'd been so helpful, so comforting. It would be easier than saying that her father had gone off before she was born.

She'd almost convinced herself of resorting to the lies until she saw Alex in her arms, little eyes, those few little strands that almost blended with her fore-head. She was completely his daughter and there would be no getting around that.

But for all the hurt neither had meant to do to each other, Shanti couldn't let it fester in her. Not with such a sight before her, of her child, innocent little Alex smiling and laughing as she was lifted by her blood-father with such natural gentleness and put upon his shoulder to look back at her mother with a bizarre amount of recognition on how important this was. She even smiled at the strange overendowed Grovyle-morph who had been standing by Reikos side... but the most touching part was tears, she had known Reiko for, maybe a week on Hawaii and a month elsewhere. He had been battered, beaten, worn out, exhausted, strained, riddled with guilt and she'd never seen him allow a tear to slip free. But here he grinned and let them slide free from his eyes, the eyes he shared with Alex.


The next few weeks were spent talking about so many important decisions. She couldn't have Alex growing up the only child around, Refuge Island... even if the others wouldn't go with her, Shanti was prepared to give herself up so that her daughter could live a filled life and being hidden away, it had grown tiresome for the mother as well. But then a far larger decision came...

Just Reiko and Shanti, sitting upon the creaking banister of a badly put together porch on one of the communal homes. Looking to the little clearing they had as recreation and seeing Maleti, that bubbly and loving Grovyle that Shanti had come to accept, playing with Alex, chasing around a football, the child teaching the deprived tribal about the few toys they were able to get ahold of for her. Trying to lose herself in that scene of simplicity... but then Reiko spoke up.

"I'm going back to the Island, but not anytime soon... Only tackled South America really.", she gave a shift of the head to take in his form, she didn't like what was seen. The claws of Reiko sifting and scratching along those splotch-stripes, even before the tattoos he had that same nervous habit. "I've lost so much with Alex already... Shanti. I want to take her with me. I want to know her and show her what I've seen. I want to be a selfish father who wants to give his daughter the world... Just once."

To hear such serious words from him, it just struck her as wrong that he could make such an offer for the benefit of his daughter and see it only just his own desire to be with Alex and deprive the mother of her child. But she was their child and... she'd regret every single day of it until they showed up upon the Island... but she gave a slow nod.



So here they were, two months on and Reiko taking one of the few purposeful routes he'd guided his lover and his daughter on. Such old feeling forests at the Rockies. It would only be a few more days and maybe, just maybe he'd make it in time. But for now they could rest, Maleti having volunteered herself to get them something to eat, a rare moment of activity for the lazy little green bootied grovyle. But it was appreciated as Alex wanted to do her favourite with her dad and that was question.

Asking about his tattoos, why he wore such a scruffy old hoodie. What Refuge Island was like and how many other kids would be there, would she have to go to school.... I mean really?... there isn't another option?...

The next few nights and days passed a lot easier for Alex and Maleti than for Reiko. Strapping the sleeping Grovyle to his back and cradling his daughter. Not wanting to miss it, this would be one of those many moments in a life-time he had to share with them. Standing among trees that resembled more the sky-scrapers of the city, thin rays of sunlight piercing through the canopies but there was a strange stillness and immense colour washing over every single trunk, branch and twig high above them.

When Alex was fully awake Reiko made use of some spelunking equipment traded from a thoughtful camping group who knew to keep quiet about weird creatures in the woods. Harnessed against him and not the slightest risk of slipping free was Alex. Maleti scrabbling alongside Reiko as they scaled up one of the taller trees, higher and higher, Maleti flickering that little tongue as she wanted a race. The pace was kept peaceful though, it had to be for the true majesty of the moment to be witnessed. Few of the branches could hold their entire weight but both morphs had the right kind of claws for clambering, well, certainly did with having opposable thumbs.

"Wooooooowwww...", while the two climbers had been focussed on the ascent, Alex had time to look around and spotted just what Reiko had been plotting for the trio to see. Every branch around them was drowning in the crimson wings of Monarch Butterflies. They had been hanging there preparing, within hours, to a day or so, the migration would start. A little girl of four getting to see millions of bright hued butterflies take off into the air and blot out the sky above them, sifting through the air like fluttering waves of sheer life.

It was impossible to give his daughter the world, but Reiko would try with every bit of his lifes flame, to let her feel it.