bad at pretending

Dark types were supposedly to be sly and cold; Dragon types were meant to be proud and fierce. Hydreigon knew that he ought to be vicious and terrifying.

It was just...well...outside of battling, he just wasn't. Ghetsis had raised him from a Deino and so tolerated it, and his team were inclined to leave him alone because he could an would beat them into submission, but otherwise...

...Hydreigon was rather interested in watching the sunset, and helping out lost Pokemon, and playing with the wild grass types that filled the forest. Most Hydreigon spent all their time in search of food and battle, but he was...friendly.

Garchomp was perfect. Proud, elegant, with the solid nature of the Ground type and the raw power of a Dragon. She flew like a purple blur, she could bite through a Magnezone, her Giga Impact was sheer, earth-shattering perfection.

A Pokemon like that was obviously uninterested in mating with someone who helped baby Pidgey learn how to fly, which was why Hydreigon panicked when she caught him doing exactly that.

He hid himself deeper in the woods, using the thick canopy as cover, and let the Leavanny nearby weave him a disguise from leaves and grass. She was probably laughing at him right now - mentally, not out loud. She was too dignified for that sort of thing.

"Hydreigon?"

Silent, silent, he told himself. She'd go away.

"There you are." She tugged aside the cover of leaves gently. "Come now. You're being silly, you know."

"Is there a reason you are following me?" he asked in his haughtiest voice, the one he used when he battled. It was the voice he always used when they spoke, whether he was insulting her while they battled or commanding his team or just tormenting the wild Pokemon in her sight. He had played the part so well, just in the hope of her notice. All a waste, now.

"Hydreigon, really. Did you think I liked that arrogant front you were putting up?"

"What?"

"Won't you come back? The Pidgey are asking for you."

"Garchomp..." He flapped his wings nervously. It was such a humiliating habit...and she looked so kind in the dim forest light, her teething charmingly sharp.

"Come now." She said again. "They say they miss you. I didn't know you were so paternal...it's really quite endearing. Moreso than your sad attempt at trashtalk."

"Well." Hydreigon did his best to conceal the fact that she had just reduced him to a seething mass of emotion. "If that's how you really feel...I suppose it wouldn't be right to leave the Pidgey half-taught."

"Indeed." She folded herself up in preparation to fly. "And perhaps when you're finished...we can talk about eggs?"

They flew back side by side, and Hydreigon hit at least one wild Pokemon, blinded by love and anticipation.