Reborn in Pokemon With Dragon System

John's Point of View

The hall was dead silent after I spoke.

I could feel the weight of their gazes on me—my mother's quiet, evaluating calm; my grandmother's steely, unflinching stare that felt like it could slice through lies and hesitation both.

But I didn't waver.

I drew in a breath, let it out slowly.

Then I leaned forward again, voice steady.

"I want to go into the forest to train," I said clearly.

Grandma's eyebrow arched ever so slightly.

I pressed on before she could interrupt.

"I want to learn how to move through terrain like that. To train my stamina, my reflexes. The forest is perfect for that. It isn't flat, easy ground. It has roots and slopes and undergrowth. It teaches you to adapt."

I paused for effect, letting my words sink in.

"And..." I hesitated a beat, but then spoke with quiet certainty. "I want to explore it. To see what it has to offer. To take my first step into understanding the world outside these walls."

That seemed to hang there.

Like the dust motes in the sunlit air.

Then Grandma's eyes narrowed slightly. She folded her hands with crisp finality.

"And what," she asked, voice low and even, "would you do, little Litleo... if I said no?"

The question should have felt like a slap. Should have made me flinch.

Instead...

I let my gaze drop.

My small shoulders slumped just enough.

I heard Mom's breath catch, just faintly.

Then, slowly, deliberately, I lifted my head.

And I smiled.

The most innocent, angelic, cherubic smile I could muster. The one with wide eyes and the faintest hint of a dimple.

But in my eyes?

I let the glint of strategy shine through.

Because I knew this was coming.

And I was prepared.

"If I don't get what I want," I said softly, sweetly, my voice full of unassuming calm, "then it's quite simple."

They both waited.

I drew in a tiny, dramatic breath and held up my hands.

"I have the perfect thing in my possession. The one thing you both truly value. Hostage."

I watched them blink.

Then confusion began to dawn.

I gave them a wicked smile that didn't match my tone at all.

"Your precious cuddles are mine. And under my control."

The silence was so complete you could have heard a Joltik sneeze.

I didn't give them a chance to speak.

"Since I'm your precious cuddles, and you both love to cuddle me, all I have to do... is stop."

Grandma's mouth twitched, but she held firm. Barely.

I tilted my head, voice faux-innocent.

"And you both know you love them too much. Way too much."

I glanced back at Lilia, who was trying so hard not to burst into giggles.

I turned back and added smugly:

"And if you can't get them..." I let my eyes gleam. "Since I actually enjoy cuddling too—it's one of my favorite things to do at times, which I will deny until the day I die, by the way—"

I paused for breath, then finished with devastating cheer:

"Then Lilia will get all my cuddles. She can play with my hair as much as she wants."

I watched it happen.

The Sirius (as I called it) expression on Grandma's face cracked.

Just a twitch at first.

Then her eyes narrowed in the wrong way. Like she was trying not to laugh.

And Lilia?

She didn't even try to hold back.

Her whole face lit up like a Christmas tree.

She clapped her hands, nearly squealing.

"Oh please do deny his request!" she crowed gleefully. "I insist! Let me have all the little Litleo cuddles! And his hair! All mine!"

I huffed, cheeks puffed out, glaring at her.

Traitor.

Absolute traitor.

But I wasn't done.

I turned back to Mom and Grandma with my most serious eyes, trying not to break the bit.

"I'm serious," I said with stubborn conviction.

"Your cuddles are hostage."

The silence that followed my declaration was glorious.

For one blessed moment, I sat there, little arms crossed, chin high, with the solemn gravity of a diplomat threatening war over trade routes.

Mom's mouth had fallen slightly open.

Grandma's fingers twitched against the table, as if she couldn't decide between drumming them in irritation or clenching them in laughter.

Across the room, Lilia wriggled in her chair like an excited Skitty, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Then Grandma slowly inhaled, her eyes locked on mine like a predator who'd just been outfoxed by its prey.

"You," she said in that low, dangerous voice she saved for negotiations with other families, "are blackmailing me."

I blinked at her.

"Strategically negotiating," I corrected primly.

Mom's hand flew to her mouth, but she didn't manage to hide the snort of laughter that escaped.

Grandma's eye twitched. She leaned forward ever so slightly, shadows pooling beneath her chair like they always did when her aura flared.

"Little Litleo," she said with terrifying calm, "do you truly think withholding your cuddles will work on us?"

I tilted my head slowly.

Then I smiled, all teeth and innocence.

"Yes."

It was so quiet you could hear the fire crackle in the wall sconces.

Grandma's expression faltered just enough to betray her.

Her lip twitched. Her eyes glinted.

She was fighting it.

Hard.

Beside her, Mom was no help at all. She broke entirely, leaning back in her chair with both hands over her face, laughing helplessly.

"I hate how well he knows us," she wheezed.

That was the final crack.

Grandma's mouth pressed tight—then split into a reluctant, wicked grin. Her shoulders trembled once. Twice.

And then she lost it.

She laughed.

A full, throaty, unrestrained laugh that sent a shock through the room because it was so rare outside family.

"All right, enough," she managed, wiping her eyes and glaring at me with false severity that didn't fool anyone. "Fine. You win."

My arms flew up in triumph.

"YES!" I cheered.

Lilia threw her hands in the air too. "Booo! That means I don't get more cuddle time!"

I stuck my tongue out at her. "Too bad! My hostages, my rules!"

She pouted dramatically.

But Grandma just shook her head, the grin softening to something warm.

"You're impossible," she sighed. Then she rested her elbows on the table, fingers steepled. "And you should know... we were already planning to let you go into the forest."

I froze.

"...What?"

She gave me a dry look. "As long as one of our Pokémon follows you from a distance to protect you if needed."

Mom finally spoke up, voice gentler. "You're six now, my star. At your age, most children here are encouraged to go out into the forest and explore. Run, climb, train stamina without even realizing they're training. It's healthy."

She smirked at me knowingly.

"But you," she added fondly, "are just too smart for your own good. You know what it is. So you're treating it like a strategy lesson instead of playtime."

I sat there, blinking.

Processing.

"...So there was no reason for me to use blackmail?" I mumbled, deflating slightly.

Grandma's eyes softened, but her grin didn't leave.

"No," she said, voice quieter. "There was no reason to be sad about it at all."

She paused, looking me over like I was a puzzle piece that had finally snapped into place.

"Because what you did just now?" she added, her tone shifting to that rare note of approval she almost never gave. "That shows you have the potential to be a very good leader one day. Someone who understands negotiation. Who knows what people value. Who can read a room. Who can plan."

I felt my cheeks go hot.

I looked down at the table.

But I couldn't help it—I smiled.

Aelira watched me quietly, then finally leaned back in her chair.

"Honestly," she drawled. "We have Lilia to thank for this. She's the one who convinced us."

My eyes flicked over to Lilia, who had gone suspiciously still.

She immediately pointed at herself with exaggerated innocence.

"Moi?"

Grandma snorted. "Don't play dumb. You sat us both down last week and gave us a lecture about stunting his growth if we kept him locked up in the estate. About how it would poison his future."

Mom nodded, voice soft but firm. "She was right. We were... trying to protect you so hard we were forgetting to let you live, little star."

Lilia didn't deny it now.

She smiled at me.

A real one.

Gentle.

Proud.

"You need space to grow," she said simply. "So we're giving it to you."

I swallowed, feeling something tight and warm in my chest.

I didn't say anything.

Didn't need to.

Because they already knew. And I was happy that they knew.

.

.

.

.

.

It didn't take long after breakfast for them to "prepare" me for my big outing.

Which is to say, Grandma stood up from the table with the finality of a gavel strike.

"Enough scheming," she said crisply. "If you're going to the forest, we're doing this properly. Come along, little Litleo."

Mom laughed as I jumped out of my seat so fast I nearly tripped. Lilia brushed my hair back with that smug, fond grin of hers and gave me a gentle shove after Grandma.

I caught up with her just in time for us to leave the main hall and head outside.

The morning was cool but bright, birds singing in the orchard beyond the courtyard. Our estate staff bowed as we passed, eyes flicking between me and my grandmother with clear curiosity.

I didn't miss the glint of amusement in some of them. Word was going to spread fast about how I "negotiated" for this.

I didn't care.

We made our way along the broad gravel path that led to the estate's boundary. There, the cultivated gardens gave way to wild grass, then the treeline—an inviting green wall that beckoned like the gateway to another world.

I felt my heart beat faster just seeing it.

Freedom.

Adventure.

Training.

Grandma stopped just short of the grass, folding her arms. She didn't say anything for a moment, just watched me. I knew her well enough to keep quiet.

Finally, she nodded once and pulled a Luxury Ball from her belt.

"I said you'd go," she said calmly, "but you're not going alone. I chose carefully."

She pressed the release.

The ball snapped open with a flash of silver-blue light, and the shape formed in an instant.

Tall, lean, and bristling with voltage.

A Jolteon.

He stood there with all the imperious grace of a noble's hound, his yellow spines crackling faintly with static in the cool morning air. His red eyes met mine calmly, and his ears flicked once in greeting.

Not hostile. Not overly friendly.

Professional.

Grandma rested a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"He will be your guardian when you enter the forest," she said simply. "He knows to keep his distance. He won't interrupt unless you're in real danger."

I stared at Jolteon for a moment.

He stared back.

And then I grinned.

"Deal," I said cheerfully.

He twitched his ears again, as if satisfied with my answer.

I didn't fight it. I didn't argue.

I had already accepted this condition back at the table, after all.

Grandma watched me carefully, searching for any hint of rebellion. But I just met her eyes, steady and unafraid.

She gave a small, satisfied nod.

"Good," she said, voice softening just a little. "You're young. But you're not fragile. And I trust you'll prove it today."

Her eyes glinted dangerously.

"Prove I wasn't wrong to let you go."

I swallowed.

Then I nodded firmly.

"I will."