To put it into few words, Rick and Terry simply did not get along. Rick wasn't exactly pleased by the fact the otter chose to go around in life barepawed, not really enjoying the feeling of footwear over his feet. Likewise, Terry found Rick's antics to be annoying and loathsome. Despite many attempts from their respective boyfriends (Mekki and Pollux) to get them to get along, they continuously ended up arguing over the smallest things.

In the latest attempt at trying to get them to bond, or at least keep some kind of peace, they got set up for a play-date of sorts at the local arcade. While Terry was somewhat enthusiastic about getting to play many of the games he held dear, Rick wasn't excited by any of the offerings of the locale, preferring the games he could play at home or that he carried in his pocket. Except for something.

Rick stopped in front of a series of claw machines set on a corner of the arcade, all of them loaded with prizes in the form of small plush toys of many diverse characters of a variety of franchises. Intrigued by the prospect of winning yet another soft friend for his bed (despite Mekki's protests regarding lack of space), he quickly approached one of the machines, loaded with many Pokémon plushies. Rick's eyes shone when he set eyes on one of the prizes, which was modeled after his favorite Pokémon: Emboar. A smile creeping into his face, he reached into his pocket to find a quarter and begin playing.

Terry was elsewhere, trying for a high score at the Star Fox arcade machine he loved so much. After his last round, he stretched and looked around. Rick was nowhere to be seen. Concerned that Pollux would berate him over not trying to spend time with the wolf as he had promised, he began walking around the locale, trying to find his boyfriend's friend's boyfriend.

*THUNK*
YES! Rick had done it! Eagerly reaching into the prize slot of the machine, Rick pulled out the little Emboar plush, immediately embracing it into a hug. Just then, Terry appeared around a corner, setting his eyes on the wolf and walking over to him. Just as he was about to go off on him regarding straying away and likely causing an argument, the otter noticed the machines behind Rick. He didn't remember those being there the week before. They had certainly come out of nowhere. Seeing the Emboar toy in Rick's arms, Terry looked over the machines, to see if anything called out to him. And of course one of them did.

The otter's eyes widened as he rushed over to a machine stocked with many Marvel characters, which he as a big fan of. But his favorite, of course, had to be the smallest of them all, the coolest one (in his opinion), and the smartest: Rocket. As he pressed his face against the window of the claw machine, looking intently at the raccoon plush toy, he stuck his paw into his pocket, loaded with quarters, taking one out and inserting it into the machine.
The otter's amazingly dexterous paws maneuvered the stick expertly, as he carefully reached for his desired prize. Just a small nudge...a little bit to the right...over to the front...and...

*THUNK*
There it was! Letting go of the controls and reaching into the slot with a thin limb, the small brown and orange plush was in his grasp. Setting it triumphantly on the edge of the machine, aiming to take a photo of his win with his phone, he got interrupted by a short gasp, coming from the side. The otter looked over, his eyes going wide once again, for a completely different reason.

Where a slender wolf once stood, now there was a large misshapen being. With a distended gut, covered in shades of red and gray and orange, a brief look at the floor where the little Pokémon plush had fallen, then back to the almost-barely-recognizable wolf was (silently freaking out), the course of events was becoming obvious. Unable to process what was happening in front of him, Terry stepped back, before a tingling feeling overtook him, followed by the strangest sensation of getting shorter. It didn't take him long to realize it was his turn as well.

At least now they shared something in common.

=====

Well, wasn't that fun? I certainly had fun writing this small story that came to my mind as soon as I set my eyes on this pic! I love it so much! I mean, my fave comic hero and my fave Pokémon in one place! All my appreciation to  Anciano who commissioned this piece for me from  Akaji_Yui, who rendered this just perfectly!

Art was made by  Akaji_Yui! Go check them out!
Rick, Terry and that silly story are my own!
Emboar belongs to the Pokémon Company and Game Freak and yadda yadda...
Rocket Raccoon belongs to Marvel and all that...