#any beach in Hoenn-

[leggerefiore]

💍Steven Stone Gen Romance HCs💎

🪨 He knows there are times he falls obvious or winds up much too busy in either his travels to be an overly attentive boyfriend. Steven never means anything truly malicious, but he knows that he ends up lost in his own research and interests and wishes to do better by his partner. His place as next in line to take over the Devon Corporation weighs on him quite often, too. He typically tries to have you tag along with him on his travels to make up for his shortcomings.

🪨 Steven loves to shower you in gifts, as he simply just cannot think of any other way to make up for his actions most of the time. Rare, shiny pokemon and even some of his more beloved stones are offered up as things to attempt to make up for his lack of attentiveness. They are also given as his main way to show his affection. Anything you want, a simple mention of it will lead to it appearing pretty much the next day. He loves seeing you smile from his gifts.

🪨 PDA is odd with him. He is both aware and not aware of himself. Steven may find himself unconsciously holding on to you, yet he may come into a realisation of this and let go, depending on the situation. He does enjoy having an arm around your shoulders a lot of the time or grasping on to your hand. He mostly allows you to do whatever you please with him, too, barring his moments of realisation. Once more, if it makes you smile, he's more than happy to oblige.

🪨 In private, he is much more loose about everything. There are no worries about outsider looks and manners. His hugs and hand holds can turn into cuddles and soft kisses after a long day, stress finally eating away at him entirely. You will be pressed to his chest for a moment of quiet in his home in Mossdeep, only a distant sound of lapping waves breaking the silence. He may finally snap out of his momentary trance to tell you about his research and any discoveries he made, alongside any fascinating battles he encountered.

🪨 He enjoys having you around in his life as it gives him another anchor in everything. Steven enjoys having someone consistently there for him during his travels as a partner to both confide in and spend time with. Of course, he still enjoys meeting new people, but having you around helps him during his slower moments in it all. A genuine person who cares for him and loves him. Steven is aware he is both a wealthy heir and a handsome man, so having at least one person he knows sees him as a person calms him during any rare moment of stress.

🪨 He does often enjoy a good battle with you if you're a trainer. You might as well be with all the pokemon he will inevitably try to gift to you (they all have amazing stats for competitive). Steven would not declare you his rival, but he would admit to wishing for a sparring partner that he could consistently battle. Beating him naturally earns his endless praise, but losing to him changes very little outside of him trying to encourage you to keep up training. He certainly wants you to grow to a point where you remain as equals, if not better than him.

🪨 His idea of a date is wandering around whatever location he's brought you both two and enjoying the popular spots alongside anywhere that may contain the stones he searches for. You will be taken to the picturesque beaches of Alola and the Haina Desert, probably within the same day. Still, Steven tries his best to keep you entertained and happy. In his native Hoenn, you will often find him taking you to fancy restaurants with Mauville or relaxing on the beach of Slateport. A special date he certainly wishes to share with you is watching a meteor shower at the Mossdeep Space Center together. Essentially, his dates vary quite a bit.

🪨 Steven does not really get jealous typically. He is confident in himself and trusts you entirely. Few people really go out of their way to flirt with the partner of Steven Stone, inheritor of the Devon Corporation, after all. If someone is especially pushy, however, he may step in simply to make sure you are comfortable and make it obvious to the other person that you are already in a relationship. If they still don't quit, he may just bring out his Metagross to “show it off.” Most people give up around that point.

🪨 Should you have been in Hoenn during the incident with the villainous team and legendary pokemon, he will request that you stay inside his home and wait for him to sort out the problem with Wallace. Steven was honestly a bit terrified to involve you, worried about your safety from both the team and the calamity that had started. It was rare to see his calm facade break with genuine, pure worry, so you likely heeded to his words.

🪨 Steven feels at ease around you, too. He knows you will not mind his eccentricities and allow him to go on about his fascinations. One moment he will tell you about why his prefers steel-types over any other type of pokemon before falling into a discussion about how Water Stones may vary between different regions. The Champion knows you see him as a person rather than an inheritor of the Devon Corporation or a pretty face. He just fails to express his contentedness in words. Wallace even approved of you for him, too.

🪨 Just by the nature of being in proximity to Steven, you learn many things about rocks. The pale haired man will eagerly show you his collection and explain how they are formed in nature, their original location, and whatever meaning they may hold. His passion for stones is simply something that you may find yourself invested in. The passion he holds is truly contagious. You find that any gift he gives you involving stones seems especially significant but him.

🪨 Pet names he tends to lean towards are stone related, naturally. “My gem” is a common among his dialogue, but there have been appearances from stones that he believes matches both your hair and eyes. He does use a rare precious, too. In a way, his fondness towards you is as strong as his fondness towards his rocks.

🪨 Overall, he has his moments of obviousness, but is a sweet and caring boyfriend. You tag along on his travels to various regions and locations, and he sees you as a beloved anchor for him. He knows you see him as a person, so he simply wishes to repay that kindness as much as he can, his love language definitely being gift giving. Steven wants to enjoy a life full of exploration and discovery with you and his massive rock collection, basically.

[torchickentacos]

Drew’s Travel Route (Part 1. Sigh.)

Ok, SO! I said I’d try to figure out the travel routes of the anime rivals, and I’m starting with Drew. First things first, starting with Hoenn, here’s the map- I’ve marked down the probable locations of places that the anime made up where relevant. LONG POST, and I’ve edited the map for clarity’s sake. Also, I am vaguely/loosely taking encounter locations from RSE, you’ll get it later, don’t worry about it for now. 

The beginning of his journey is a logical place to start but also we really don't know. He’s from LaRousse City, which is allegedly off the coast of Lilycove, according to Bulbapedia with no citation. He has three ribbons before meeting May and co., but we have no way of knowing where he got them or when or anything. We’re going to ignore those ribbons for my own sanity and just say ‘somehow he got from LaRousse to Slateport’, because otherwise I’d be factoring Solidad in here and it’s just a whole thing that we’re not worrying about. Fanon tends to agree that this isn’t his first contest circuit, so for all we know he didn’t even start from LaRousse. We just don’t know and we’re not worrying about it, and we're calling Slateport our start point because that's where he debuts. (Personal opinion? He's probably at LEAST been around Eastern Hoenn before, maybe down around the islands (Sootopolis, Mossdeep) at some point and around 121-122-123. We'll just assume he made his way from LaRousse>Lilycove>122>123>128>Mauville>110>Slateport, bringing us to our start point and gathering 3 ribbons along the way, but I'm not mapping that out because I have no real evidence).

So, that out of the way, let’s look at his starting point.

Drew first shows up in AG033 at a beach in Slateport City, where he stays until AG035 Win, Lose, or Drew!. After that, we don’t see him until AG050 Pros and Con Artists, set in Fallarbor Town. Now, Slateport and Fallarbor are far away and have a few different routes. We’re saving the desert route for later (I have my reasons to believe he only went to 111 later on), so north is out. You could also go a bit south to Oldale>Petalburg>Rustboro, OR north and then west through Mauville>Verdanturf>Rustboro. We’re assuming the former, as the latter would mean he visited Verdanturf before and didn’t enter any contests and that just makes less sense to me. Also it doesn’t matter. MAYBE he caught Masquerain as a Surskit in this stretch of traveling but it's inconclusive and largely irrelevant.

So, AG050, Fallarbor. He stays here throughout 051-Come What May!. The next time we see him is in AG061, Disaster of Disguise, set in Verdanturf. He stays here throughout 062 as well. Minor backtracking through 114, 115, and Rustboro, but nothing major.

After this, we see him in AG077, A Fan With A Plan, which takes place in, uh, Rubello Town. 

This is where it gets funky. Rubello Town is somewhere between ‘Littleroot and Fortree’ according to Bulbapedia, which is like saying that New Jersey is somewhere between Maine and Florida. So I took it into my own hands and decided that it’s PROBABLY somewhere around the intersection of Routes 118 and 119, or early 119, headed into Fortree. It’s the only place that makes sense given where May and Co. are in the surrounding episodes. We're really triangulating some shit here. Eventually I should try to figure out where all the fake towns are but that's a project for later. Anyways, Rubello Town, AG077, A Fan With A Plan. That episode deserves its own 'wtf' post tbh. Anyways. We're here.

So, from 118-119ish, Rubello Town, AG077, we then see him again in AG113, Who, What, When, Where, Wynaut (WWWWW). So, there’s a lot going on in this little stretch. It’s a big timegap from AG077-113. First things first, I’m assuming he took a detour through route 120 to catch Absol at this point. Absol debuts all the way in the Kanto Grand Festival, but it makes sense for him to have caught it this early on. So, we’re calling route 120 his next stop, maybe offscreen around AG80ish?

And now, we’re detouring back to Route 111. I agonized over this decision but it feels right to put it here.

You see, at some point Drew needs to have caught a Trapinch. Some of you guys who also trawled the bulbapedia ship pages before they got deleted probably remember that Flygon was specifically caught and trained for the theoretical situation in which he faced against May in the Hoenn Grand Festival. Because, you know, raising a pokemon up to at least level 45 is a thing you do for people you feel normally about. That’s a completely normal investment of time and energy and forethought and care. Anyways, I actually hesitated on assuming that Drew would have seen May as important enough to go out of his way to catch it this early-on, but we are three roses in with blatant flirting in 077, and WWWWW is up next (which people seem to agree is when he's like oh shit, those are emotions that I'm feeling), so it feels like a safe enough bet, and also Drew’s just Kind Of Like That™. Also, there’s no other time later in which it makes sense for him to have time to make the detour while also evolving it before the Grand Festival (and honestly even then we’re pushing it a bit). Any earlier and I doubt he’d have considered her in high enough regard to train an entire pokemon to battle her with (again, very large investment of time and energy to get a Flygon). So, with all that, we’re assuming that he goes back to 111 and catches Trapinch here. 

He also gets a ribbon somewhere in this time gap (his fifth). In the anime, pretty much every town seems like it holds contests. I really don’t know. I’m ASSUMING that on his way to Route 131 (we’ll get there in a second), he picks up a ribbon from some made-up location that we aren't privy to.

Now. Gonna be real. I don’t know where in the actual hell they are in the beginning of WWWWW and his next appearance. Vaguely around Pacifidlog? Two episodes ago they were in Sootopolis, one episode ago they were on some random island, and they’re just in the ocean in the next one so I don’t know. Best I can figure is somewhere around Route 131. Why is Drew out in the middle of route 131? Don’t know. He has all 5 ribbons and isn’t going to Pacifidlog to watch May (something he goes out of his way for later but I digress). I really have no earthly clue why the fresh hell he’s out in 131, but HE IS I GUESS and who am I to question it? Did he just want some ocean time??? I don't know why he's here. Usually him being in out-of-the-way places is because May's there, but no, he's not here for her this time, he doesn't watch the Pacifidlog contest to the best of our knowledge, he's just. HERE. I GUESS.

So. Fine. Whatever. We’re on 131 FOR SOME REASON, he ‘travels’ to Mirage Island if you’d call that travelling, they head back to wherever they were on 131.

It’s more straightforward from here- he heads back to Slateport for the Hoenn Grand Festival, AG121-123. We’re assuming he takes a boat, I’m not sending this dude all the way back through mainland Hoenn. Tbh he has seasick vibes, which several unrelated fics from over the last 15 years seem to agree on for whatever reason, but that’s his problem and not mine. 

SO. FINALLY. END OF HOENN (but not end of AG, there’s that part 2 at some point). We’re all the way back at Slateport- his first and last Hoenn appearance is maybe/probably on the same stretch of beach, intentional or not. And with that, we have his PROBABLE travel route throughout his appearances in the Hoenn section of AG!

Kanto gets its own post because this is over 1k words long and took 2 hours to figure out last night :)))))))

(and @silverncats , here it is!!! I hope this is interesting, and I'm planning on doing more! This was super fun, albeit tedious and full of guesswork)

[coiledqueen]

random assortment of spicier hcs. 💜

Lucy has an extremely casual view towards relationships, sex & intimacy on the whole. She has never seriously committed to anyone for an extended period of time--her personal life is a whirlwind of impulsive hookups and one-night stands, and she likes it that way. Just as she handles everything else, the Pike Queen makes moves and moves on quickly, and most of her partners (thankfully) understand that they will only have her company for fleeting amounts of time.

When she has to visit the Hoenn mainland or another region, Lucy keeps a few dating apps on her phone to find potential partners. Despite a picky amount of vetting, she's had mixed luck with this practice so far. She's had her mind absolutely blown in a Castelia penthouse, but she's also gotten ghosted in Lumiose--and even worse--trapped in boring conversation (ugh) at some random Veilstone dance bar. Also, sex on any beach sucks.

It should come as no surprise, but Lucy has a dominant streak. She has an (in)famously sharp tongue, and the more ego you have, the harder you'll get teased. Biting and strap-on play are two of her classic indulged kinks, but the Pike Queen enjoys competition above all else...and she does enjoy having the tables turned on her by a confident partner from time to time, if they've earned it. (Make no mistake, leaving visible marks--and/or refusal to acknowledge additional boundaries, see below--is still not tolerated, under any means.)

Despite her cold & impulsive exterior, Lucy is very attentive in the bedroom. As adventurous as she is, she has her preferences, of course--she craves intensity and many scenarios naturally involve pushing the envelope from the top, as mentioned above--but she also has an open mind and will gladly switch things up/slow down to keep her partner entertained/comfortable. Lucy takes communication extremely seriously: check-ins are frequent, boundaries (and the occasional safe words) are established beforehand, and aftercare is a must. If Lucy feels like her communication isn't being respected, she has no problem bringing things to an unceremonious end. (And you'll never have a chance with her again.)

USED WITH PERMISSION, Lucy keeps an assortment of special lipsticks & polishes that can enhance the experience for her partner in a variety of ways.

Lucy frequently hooks up with some of her fellow Frontier Brains, namely Noland and Tucker. These arrangements, along with Lucy's frequent hops overseas to 'visit' Dahlia, are not terribly well-kept secrets. Due to the high-intensity nature of the competition/training that occurs on the island, she merely views this as a recreational way to blow off some steam. It's a real Olympic Village situation. (Due to their similar wavelengths, Noland is Lucy's most frequent partner. She also enjoys relentlessly teasing Tucker, and misses Anabel's company every day, though she'll never admit it.)

[evoblue]

@coiledqueen asked: “… I’m sorry, but you want me to jump off that giant cliff and into the water? What do I look like to you? An idiot?” Lucy huffs, peering over her sunglasses and reaching into her beach bag with an… ominous smirk. A bejeweled coin is rolled between her fingers. “Let’s make things interesting, at least. Heads, I’ll jump—but tails? You’re up instead.” Her grin widens. “What's the matter? Odds too scary for you…?”

While Lucy's proposal comes unexpectedly, the expression on Blue's face quickly morphs from surprise to determination. There really hasn't been a dull moment in her life since the two of them crossed paths, huh?

"Bold of you to think I'd challenge you to do something I wouldn't have the stones to do myself." She smiles broadly at the Pike Queen.

If Blue had any hesitation about cliff-diving, Lucy wouldn't be able to tell. Sure, it could be a bit dangerous but something about Hoenn encourages her to live on the edge. Besides, Lucy is just so... cool. Blue would take the dive just to impress her.

"Alright, you're on."

Who will be favored by the odds?

[quillpokebiology]

Have you done mudkip facts yet? If not, do you have any in mind? c:

Omg I love Mudkip! They're really cute and super friendly!

Mudkip Facts

(Art by RileyKitty on Deviantart)

-Mudkip are amphibians and are closely related to the Wooper line

-While a lot of people assume they’re dirty, Mudkip are actually quite clean. They roll around in mud to protect themselves from sunburn and to regulate their temperature

-Two Mudkips became famous for their conversation they had with each other. While we can’t say what they were talking about, they appeared to be having fun

-Mudkip are one of the few examples of an amphibious fish, but they do have traits of mammals. For one, they have both lungs and gills, and don’t breathe through their skin

-Mudkip hatch under the sand on beaches, and then swim to freshwater swamps and lakes. They are rarely raised by their parents

-Mudkip will rub their feelers against each other as a way of greetings and to learn more about the other

-They end up getting a lot of bath or water toys moddled after them. The most common one is a toy that moved its tail in a propeller motion to make it move across the water

-Their skin is prone to getting dry very easily

-Mudkip originated in a small lake in Hoenn, which was the only place they were found for awhile. They didn't start getting more populated until human intervention and breeding

-They're very social creatures and are almost always found living with other Pokemon

-They eat fungus and algae and don't start eating meat until evolution

-Mudkip have very good regenerative abilities and can even regrow limbs!

[kohakhearts]

hii u rb'd the short angst prompt list like. a year ago I'm sorry.... but If I would request something: "can't sleep?" prompt with ash and kukui !

"can't sleep?" wc: 1 861 read on ao3 here

Alolan nights are humid.

Even with the window closed, the cool, damp ocean breeze finds its way into Professor Kukui’s house, almost as if it were itself a fixture of the environment, as impressed upon by the force of the tides as the mounds of sand children shape into figures of various Pokémon on the beach. Late at night, Ash can hear the wind winding around the house, embracing it in that sharp, salty tang. Beneath that, the sound of the waves lapping up against the land attempts to make itself known to him, a constant reminder that even if he is within the walls of a house again, he is terribly, terribly far from home.

But the humidity is the worst. He’ll adjust—he always does—but for now he can’t help missing the crisp outdoor air of central Kalos. The climate here reminds him most of Hoenn, with its expansive oceans and scorching deserts. Most nights found the temperature dropping into a comfortable chill, but in the grips of summer on the coast, they often were stiflingly warm instead. May always complained about how it affected her hair the next morning; Ash found falling asleep the worst part, though. Those nights never felt particularly restful.

Which is kind of the whole problem now, he supposes.

If there were any comfortable, non-sweat-soaked position to put himself in, he would just close his eyes and hope for the best. It’s not like he can sleep in tomorrow, after all; he has school, and he’d hate to be the reason the professor was late, too.

So, he figures it’s probably easier to just find something that will keep him awake now and hope he doesn’t burn out too early in the day. He feels some guilt about rousing Pikachu when he finally rises and descends from the loft to the kitchen, but it is short-lived as he takes stock of his surroundings and realizes just how…cramped it feels. The way Pikachu heads straight for the door tells him he isn’t the only one who thinks so.

Outside is cooler, to his surprise. The salty tang of the sea breeze wraps around him unhindered by the foundations of the house, and he breathes it in, deeply, feeling his shoulders begin to slump already.

Carefully, he closes the door behind him and settles down on the porch, staring out towards the beach while Pikachu settles on his lap, apparently content now to go back to sleep. Without the walls to diminish the sound, the gentle crash of the waves becomes the night’s cacophonous rhythm.

And for a long time, he just sits and soaks it in. If he closes his eyes, he can almost imagine he is back in the Orange Islands with Tracey and Misty and Lapras, or maybe at the helm of the ship that toured him, Iris, and Cilan around the Decolore Islands.

Before he can follow the memory to the desire that sits half-mangled beneath his heart, the click of the door opening behind him has his eyes flying open again. He cranes his neck in order to watch Kukui step out on to the porch, all too aware of Pikachu’s slumbering form in his lap.

The professor lowers himself down on the step beside Ash, very quiet. The waves splash up to the beach, then recede, then splash up again, and he finally asks, “Can’t sleep?”

Ash shrugs noncommittally, not able to meet his eyes.

“If you’re not comfortable in the loft—”

“I’m fine,” Ash says quickly, before he can suggest anything awkward or embarrassing. “You’ve done lots already, Professor. Don’t worry about it.”

Splash. Recede. Repeat.

“There’s no shame in feeling homesick, you know.”

Ash blinks, startled. Finally, he chances a glance at the professor, whose gaze is thankfully glued to the darkened horizon ahead of them.

“I don’t really get homesick,” he says, and it’s the truth, too; he misses his mom sometimes, sure, but home is not tied to any particular place anymore. He has been all over the world. He could find comfort in any corner of it.

Even here, now—sure, he’s having a hard time sleeping, but during the day, he’s having all kinds of fun adventures with new friends, and even attending school is something to look forward to, as long as he isn’t given homework at the end of it.

He thinks to tell Kukui as much, but the words fade fast when he catches the troubled look on the man’s face. Perhaps he notices Ash’s attention on him, because he turns to face him at last, a small frown tugging at the corners of his lips.

“I know you don’t really know me, but if something isn’t working, I’ll help ya out. Promise.”

Ash opens his mouth to reassure him that everything is fine, but stops as he notices the words catching uncomfortably in his throat. Quickly, he looks away and clears his throat. Says, in any direction but Kukui’s, “I’m just tryna get used to it.”

“Alola?”

“Yeah. It’s…warm.”

A pause, and then Kukui chuckles, though it is short, surprised-sounding. “I guess it is pretty different from Kanto, huh? Our Sunny Day is a little more intense.”

“I was just thinkin’ it reminds me of Hoenn.”

“Sure, I can see that. Didn’t know you’d travelled that far.”

Ash shrugs. “It’s closer than Unova. Or Kalos.”

Kukui seems to chew on that for a moment. Then he asks, “Where else have you been?”

Absently, Ash strokes Pikachu’s fur. He keeps his eyes on the waves sparkling beneath the moonlight, but he doesn’t really see them. “I toured Kanto twice. Once for the League and once for the Battle Frontier.”

“Wow, the Battle Frontier, too, huh? How’d that go?”

“It was hard,” he admits. “It took us a few tries to beat all the Frontier Brains, but we were better for it, in the end. I mean, I learned a lot. Scott—he’s the guy who runs the Battle Frontier—he offered me a position as a Frontier Brain, but I wanted to keep journeying, so I said no.”

Kukui whistles appreciatively. “That’s pretty impressive, Ash. So, I’m guessing you competed in the Hoenn League, too?”

“Yeah, and the Johto League. After the Battle Frontier, I went to Sinnoh and entered the League there… Got really close to the end, too, but I think that was kinda where I realized that there’d always be other trainers who’re better than me.” His hand comes to rest over Pikachu’s back as his shoulders begin to tense. “I used to think that I had to beat ‘em all, but now I think there’s a lot I can learn just from getting to face off against strong trainers like that. I almost won in the Kalos League, but when the battle was over, I couldn’t really stay upset for long, ‘cause it was a great battle. It just meant I’d get better and try harder for the next one. And now I’m here.”

“Alola doesn’t have a League, though,” Kukui points out. “So, what made you wanna stay?”

Ash shakes his head. “It’s not about the battles, Professor. It’s about who you’re battling with. There’s so many cool Pokémon here, and everyone’s so nice, too… It’s different, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

“Then, whaddya think it is that’s keeping you up?”

He stares out at the beach. With some effort, he forces his muscles to relax again. The scent of the sea brings back a tide of memories—good, bad, and everything in between. His victories in the Orange League, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon and the terrible people that sought to control them, swimming with his friends, fishing with Misty, with Cilan… He has found a home in every corner of the world.

But it’s never been about where he is.

Finally, he confesses, “It’s been a long time since I’ve lived somewhere.”

Silence is his only response. He ducks his head, wishing he had had the forethought to grab his hat. It’s not something he’s really been thinking about, but now that the words have left his mouth, he knows it is the truth. Nobody has had to take care of him since the first time he left home. These days, even his calls with his mom are sparing things. His returns have shortened from weeks to days. He is sprung into each new departure by an itching restlessness, the sense of being cooped up.

He sucks in a deep breath to steel himself, then looks over at the professor. Immediately, his concern is washed out by surprise at the understanding expression on his face.

“Kinda the opposite of homesickness, then,” Kukui says. “Is that right?”

Under Ash’s hand, Pikachu stirs. He lifts his head and looks sleepily between Ash and the Professor, then lets out a small sigh and settles back down to sleep. Ash scratches behind his ears, a small smile coming to him at last.

“It’s just weird,” he says. “Me and Pikachu have been on the road for so long. We’ll get used to it, but…”

“But for now, you’re feeling a bit Imprisoned?” Kukui suggests.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Well, tell ya what… How about me, you, and Pikachu go out on a little island adventure on the weekend? There’s some pretty great spots to camp out at on Melemele.”

Ash starts, jostling Pikachu, who cracks open one eye in alarm. He quickly pats his head in reassurance, then says to the professor, “Really? That sounds great!”

Kukui grins, reaching a hand out. Ash thinks he is going to ruffle his hair, but then he seems to think better of it and sets it awkwardly on his shoulder instead. It is heavy and warm and present, in a way that brings a smile to Ash’s face, too.

“We’ll make a plan tomorrow,” the professor promises, and all too soon that hand is being pulled away as he leans back and begins to rise. “For now, let’s try to get a Rest in before school, hey?”

It’s not quite as humid outside as it had felt up in the loft. Ash doesn’t know if the cool cadence of the wind will follow him into the house.

But then Kukui offers that hand down to him, and he supposes he’ll never know if he doesn’t try. And since when has he been afraid to try something new?

He carefully lifts Pikachu up against his chest with one hand, then lifts the other to accept Kukui’s help. Once Kukui has ushered him back inside, he turns around and starts to say, “Thanks for—”

“Don’t worry about it,” the professor tells him, quickly. “Sleep well, Ash. I’ll see ya in the Morning Sun.”

Ash blinks, surprised, then thinks again of the awkward movement of his hand outside, those long, uncertain silences. At once, the walls of the house do not seem so oppressive anymore.

He smiles. Just as quickly, the tension seems to drain out of Kukui’s posture.

“Night, Professor,” he says, and that is that.

In only a matter of minutes after he and Pikachu have settled down in the loft again, they are both comfortably asleep.

[badbirchenergy]

🏝️—undella town, unova.

"I dunno if I ever met somebody who scares the livin' daylights outta me, just by smilin'?" May's voice is low as the two Hoennites leave the cabana of Sinnoh's infamous Cynthia, having spent a good deal of their morning catching up on inter-regional affairs. "Itchin' for the day I can finally take her on, though! I don't think this li'l condo of her's would be left standin' after that."

Though, they aren't here to tumble, far from it—as one of the first international visits conducted by the joint-Champs following May's return to the position, their only goals are to chit chat and rub elbows with the region's most prestigious of representatives. Reclaiming her honor has been a long, winding road, but it hasn't been an entirely grueling affair.

Undella, as picturesque as anywhere found in Hoenn or Alola, welcomes the two back into its radiating bask. Beachfront shoppes and storefronts displaying the latest swimwear face the crystalline waters that lap pleasantly against the shoreline; tourists from all walks of life bounce between lounging under umbrellas, to enjoying games of beach volleyball with their Pokemon, to snorkeling off around the sea shallows.

A crowded city for obvious reasons, the scene is anything but stressful for May—if she is to brave any populated area, let it be by the coast.

"But, glad that's over... we can finally get a li'l chill time in!" Springing with each step, May skips towards a boardwalk overlooking the dunes. Vanhi, having spent the interim with Trixie down by the pier, rounds with the Swampert to greet their trainers halfway along the elevated path.

"Not sure 'bout you, but I could totally use a dip right now. All that talkin' and whatnot worked up my nerves... a swim would be fuckin' stellar."

—@littlerooted

[aquatic-illusion]

[ Water Stone, Aquamarine, Tourmaline ]

Steven finally gets on with it.

(This is also posted on AO3 [HERE!] )

A gentle tapping on his shoulder pulled Wallace from his sleep. He blinked his eyes open to meet Steven’s. The blue-haired individual smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to Wallace mouth.

“Good morning,” Steven said, brushing a strand of hair from Wallace’s face. Wallace hummed quietly, tilting his head into the touch.

“What time is it?” He asked. “I must’ve dozed off.”

Steven chuckled, rubbing Wallace’s cheek with his thumb. “About seven. I’m sorry for coming home late.”

Wallace shook his head softly, turning to press a kiss to Steven’s palm. “Don’t be, my dear. I know you’ve been busy.” He inhaled deeply, leaning away momentarily to stretch his limbs. Once he had finished, Steven offered his hand, and helped him to his feet. Wallace murmured his appreciations.

The sun was just beginning to set as Wallace laid his arms around Steven’s neck. It sat above the horizon, pinks and orange barely starting to paint the sky. Steven glanced out the living room window, before turning back to meet Wallace’s gaze.

“Can I convince you to go to dinner?”

Wallace hummed, tilting his head. “What’s the occasion, my dear?”

“Just making progress on a proposal,” Steven said, reaching up to pull Wallace down into another kiss. “And we haven’t had a chance to go out on a fancy date in a while. I know you enjoy them.”

This was true, Wallace had to admit. He smiled, considering it. “I think that sounds lovely. Am I allowed to know what this proposal of yours is about?”

Steven huffed a quiet laugh. “I’ll tell you about it once it’s gone through, alright?”

Wallace grinned and leaned into Steven. The other man’s arms wrapped around his waist, holding him close. “Well, who am I to deny the spoiled heir? I’m sure it’ll go well.”

Steven snorted, pressing a quick kiss to Wallace’s nose. “That’s the hope. I’ll let you go get changed while I make reservations. Pick me out something?”

“Always, dearest,” was Wallace’s cheeky response as he untangled himself. He drifted away, towards their bedroom. Steven watched as he walked, a small grin pulling at his lips.

One thing about Sootopolis, as any of the locals would tell you, is how nice it is to have the beaches as a walkway. Not only that, but the variety of the beaches themselves. The small round pebbles that made up many of the crater’s shores were underappreciated by the many tourists who came to Hoenn seeking a tropical paradise, full of sand and sun and warm waters. The beaches were something you couldn’t take away from the people of Sootopolis. They were integral to those that had lived there for generations. Steven was always reminded of this any time he walked upon one. He was reminded of this any time he saw Wallace. They were more than just a thoroughfare, or a pretty place to lay in the sun. They were life to these people.

Wallace sighed happily as they stepped over the sand. It was going to be a beautiful night, if the sunset were any indication. The sky had been brushed with great swaths of orange and pink and purple, vibrant colors setting the clouds alight. The waters of the crater reflected it beautifully, gentle waves rolling up towards the two.

Steven, for the most part, was quiet. Wallace did not question it, happy to simply bask in his presence. The man was tired, of course. Meanwhile, he’d gotten a nap before they’d gone out. He smiled, stepping closer to the water, allowing it to run over his ankles. While Steven’s dress shoes managed fine on the wet, packed sand, the heels Wallace had chosen were less practical. They hung from his hands, removed. He didn’t mind the excuse to step into the small waves, however.

He'd slowed to a stop, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the gentle lapping of the water, when Steven’s voice broke him from his trance. Wallace looked up. The man had in his hand a small blue stone. It almost seemed to bubble, mimicking the waves that pulled softly at Wallace’s feet.

“Water stone,” Steven said, smiling warmly. He stepped closer to Wallace, careful to avoid the water.

Wallace laughed lightly, brushing his hair from his face. “It’s beautiful, my dear.”

Steven nodded sagely, turning the stone in his hand. “You know, I saw one the first time I came here.” He paused, lifting his gaze to stare out over the water. There was something gentle in his face. Nostalgic, perhaps. “This was where we met.”

Wallace froze, glancing at the beach, his eye suddenly critical. It really was. He looked at Steven with a breathless laugh. “It’s been such a long time since I’d thought about that.”

Steven grinned, chuckling quietly. “I bet it’s been longer since you’ve thought about how we met.”

Wallace groaned, stepping forward to wrap his arms around Steven’s neck again. The man’s hands immediately came to wrest on his hips, water stone tucked carefully into his fist. “Don’t remind me. What a dreadful experience,” he said, but there was no mirth in his voice. Steven laughed, leaning in to draw Wallace into a gentle kiss, slow and sweet.

“If anyone should be embarrassed by that story, it’s me,” Steven said when they’d broken apart.

Wallace rose an eyebrow. “I tackled you, Steven.”

“You had a good reason,” was his counter.

“I really didn’t, my dearest,” Wallace said, laughing quietly. “I had no proof, for one. I’m quite lucky I didn’t traumatize you.”

Steven rolled his eyes, pulling Wallace down into another kiss. “I was fine once I’d calmed down. It was just a little too much for me at the time.”

Wallace sighed, running a hand through short blue hair. Steven leaned into the touch. “I still feel bad about that. If I’d known, I would never have done such a thing.”

Steven shook his head slightly, a soft smile playing at his lips again. “Of course you wouldn’t have. But you didn’t know, so it doesn’t matter. I turned out the better for it. I met you. And, some years later, I got the love of my life. All because you decided to tackle the little rich boy.”

Wallace chuckled, a quiet sound. “The love of your life? Whoever are they?”

A grin spread across Steven’s face once more. “Have you not met? I’ll have to introduce you to them someday. Truly, they are the best fiancé a man could ask for.”

Wallace laughed, leaning in to kiss Steven again.

But wait. No, there was something off there. He slowed to a halt, eyes searching Steven’s face. He pulled back.

“..Fiancé?”

Steven smiled. His hands dropped from Wallace’s waist as he stepped away.

“Wallace. Mikuri,” he started. Wallace covered his mouth carefully, eyes darting across the other man. “I have known and loved you for a very long time.

“You have made me a better person. Taught me countless things. I have never loved anyone else the way I love you. Whenever I was overwhelmed, or scared, or just didn’t know what to do, I knew where to go. You have been by my side since we were young. You were the world, and you showed me that I didn’t have to be afraid of it. Little by little, you helped me grow.

“When we first met, I never could’ve done this. I never would’ve been able to stand here, on this beach, prepared to kneel in the sand and the wet. Couldn’t have come up with a speech, and not just because we were ten. You did this. You pushed me in the way I needed. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for that.

“Wallace, you know me,” Steven laughed, reaching into his pocket, “and above all I am a man of habit. Of all the precious stones I’ve collected, of everything I’ve ever found, you are the most precious to me. I cannot compare you to a stone. Your beauty far exceeds anything like that. But I am a man of habit, and so I’ve tried my best to find a stone that compliments you. I hope that you find it worthy enough.

“And, I hope,” Steven started again, lowering himself to his knee as he pulled a small box out of his suit. “That you will find me worthy as well. Worthy enough to ask you this question; Wallace, will you marry me?”

Wallace stared at Steven, at the small box he had opened. He stepped forward, reaching out towards the man who wanted to give him his everything. Wallace could not recall a single time in his life he had been rendered truly speechless. What could he say? How could he answer this? It deserved so much more than he could offer.

“Yes,” he managed to whisper. There were tears pricking at his eyes. He wasn’t someone who cried easily. A grin was spreading across his face, and it was all happening so quickly. “Yes, Steven, of course I will—”

And then he was being swept up, Steven’s arms around him. The ring box, snapped shut in haste, lay forgotten in the sand as Wallace was crashed into by his fiancé. The two went cascading to the ground together, and they laughed, and Steven was kissing him, and everything was perfect. Wallace wrapped his arms around the smaller man, laughing into the kiss. Small waves brushed against his side, and his clothes were getting wet and covered with sand, but he couldn’t find it within him to case. He was engaged now, to someone whom he loved so dearly.

Eventually, their lips parted, and Steven grinned at him. His hands were tangling in Wallace’s hair, messed from their fall. “I love you. I love you more than anything you’ve ever known,” he said, and Wallace believed him. One more kiss, short and sweet, and Steven scrambled off him. He retrieved the ring box, returning to Wallace’s side, opening it, and removing the two rings carefully.

They were beautiful, Wallace thought as Steven slid one of the rings onto his hand. Bringing it to his lips, Steven placed a tender kiss to the newly decorated finger, before turning his hand over and delicately placing the second ring into his palm. Wallace brought it closer, to admire it, before reaching for Steven’s hand. The steel band he usually wore on his ring finger, Wallace noticed, had been left off. His whole hand, in fact, was bare. Wallace glanced at his other. Only one of his rings remained, moved to his middle finger. He turned his eyes back to the small ring as he slid it onto Steven’s hand. His own caught the dying light of the day. They were beautiful.

“Our colors,” Steven said, and his smile was audible in his voice. “Paraiba tourmaline and aquamarine. See, they match.” He laid his hand over Wallace’s, so the rings were close to each other. One, Wallace’s, had an oval stone, his bright shade of sea-green, with two small round gems, Steven’s light icy blue. They were set carefully in a beautiful rose gold. Steven’s ring had the same shape and size, but the gems had switched, and been set in silver. Wallace couldn’t believe the attention to detail.

“You’re incredible,” Wallace said, and pressed a kiss to Steven’s lips. The other man laughed; grin plastered across his face. “I can’t believe you’ve done this. I never imagined... Not like this. It’s perfect.”

Steven got to his feet, extending a hand to pull Wallace up with him. He caught him by the waist, bringing him close. “I’m glad. And now our dinner-date really is about a proposal!”

Wallace gasped, jabbing an accusing finger into Steven’s chest. “Oh, you cheeky thing! That’s what you meant—” he laughed, tipping forward slightly. His arms wrapped around Steven, who lifted his own to link his hands behind Wallace’s head. “You had me fooled, you. I can’t believe it.”

Steven’s grin got all the wider, and he tugged at Wallace gently. “You had no idea.”

“No, I didn’t,” Wallace agreed. He shook his head, laughing breathlessly. “But, Steven— We’re hardly in a state to be going to dinner now.”

It really didn’t take much convincing before Steven was dragging Wallace into the restaurant, their faces bright with laughter and joy as Steven announced for all to hear that he had done it, he’d done it, they were engaged!

[a-tale-of-legends]

Professional mermaid swimmer Wallace is such a cute idea xD. I imagine though that if there was anywhere in the Poke-verse where mermaiding was a popular hobby it would be Alola because of all the tropical beaches. Can't think of anyone specific from Alola who'd be into it, tho.

Yeah,I can't think of others who would be into it either. They already have Kukui with the mask royal, so I dunno who would be interested in mermaid performances. It's probably why I feel like that type of stuff is more popular where there's contests or any type of prominent entertainment stuff. Like Hoenn and Sinnoh ( Fantina would love to be a mermaid performer lol) , Unova ( Elesa 100%, I can see her dragging Marlon into it because duh), even Kalos maybe ( Korrina is said to be into acting and performing, so I can see her trying it out!).

Going back to Alola hmmmmmmm. If I had to choose one, I can see Lana, and not just because she's the water type specialist! I dunno, I can just see her playing as some prankster mermaid lol. Though if she's doing it, then Mallow ( excitedly) and Kiawe ( begrudgingly) are gonna have to be a part of it too lol.

[xman34theidiot]

A really dumb idea I had:

Infinity:

A manga series in the Pokémon world, kind of like JoJo. It details the events of the games, but in a world where instead of Pokémon, people just. Have access to Infinity energy directly. The parts are:

Part 1: Red Green Blue

A tale of a ninja boy studying to become a great ninja. Probably the weakest story wise. Based on gen 1.

Part 2: Golden Days

2 years after the protagonist's journey, a young man ventures to explore the region he calls home, making friends and enemies along the way. The first to follow the Infinity formula. Based on gen 2.

Part 3: Flaming Oceans

A young man explores Hoenn on a vacation, oblivious to the lurking horror of the legendary beings awaiting him. Based on gen 3.

Part 4: Temporal Spatial Madness

A general election is taking place in Sinnoh, and a young man seeks to win it. On his campaign trail, he stumbles across a major conspiracy to overthrow the world order as we know it. Probably the most groundbreaking so far. Based on gen 4.

Special Saga: Will of God

A young man is sent to the ancient past by the Lord Arceus for unknown purposes. While dealing with the politics and mysterious powers of the land of Hisui, what awaits him? Based on Legends Arceus.

Part 5: Ideal Truth

It's Unova! A young man goes out on a journey of self discovery with his friends, and meets a man with a unique power: a complete lack of Infinity Energy. Along his path, he deals with those who seek to wipe out Infinity Energy altogether. Based on gen 5.

Special Saga 2: Shades of Gray

Two years after the Team Plasma incident, a new hero shows up in the wreckage. What world will he shape? What world has been shaped already? Based on BW2.

Part 6: Deadly Daily Stroll

In the beautiful region of Kalos, a new power awakens. What is this "Mega evolution"? Who are these people who desire eternal beauty? And what new and old faces will we meet this time? Definitely a game changer for the series, as it introduces arc gimmicks into the main series(they EXISTED in Special Saga 1, but not in mainline.)Based on Gen 6.

Part 7: Arrows of Sun and Moon

On the Alolan Isles, a young man seeks to become a master archer, despite his lack of skill. As he hones his skills, the forms of Z moves come into play. How will this power propel his growth? My second favorite idea. Based on gen 7.

Part 8: Warrior of Heaven and Hell

A young Galarian boy is sent on a journey by the strongest fighter in the region. Moreover, the power of "Dynamax", increasing one's size and strength, is becoming ubiquitous. What will this mean for the world? Probably my least favourite idea, but I still like it. Based on gen 8.

Part 9: Futurama

A teenager from Kanto moves to Paldea to go to the prestigious Uva Academy. On his way, however, he notices a mysterious injured woman at the beach, revealing metal and wires from her injuries. Moreover, he soon learns the power of "Terastal", crystallizing oneself to increase one's power. What is the true meaning of this phenomenon? What does it have to do with the woman at the beach? Who is she? And what does all this have to do with the mysterious Area Zero of Paldea? My personal favorite, and if I make specific region posts, the one I'm doing first. Based on Gen 9.

Takeaway: I am weird. Idk like/reblog if you want me to go further in depth on what I think any one part would be like. Have a wonderful day human

[legendaryprofessorwisteria]

So, You Want To See A Legendary Pokemon

This blog is primarily about caring for, owning, or directly interacting with Legendary and Mythical Pokemon - which is absolutely not for everyone and can be infeasible or outright dangerous for many people. So, interacting seriously with Legendaries, even through volunteering, is not easy.

However, there are ways of seeing and interacting with Legendaries that are safe, feasible, accessible, and outright easy! And in this post and a couple others, I'm going to detail some - whether you're an enthusiast, a professor, a current or future owner, or just curious, this is a post anyone can follow up on.

To start with, I'll go over places where it's easy to spot and see wild Legendary Pokemon, with low or no risk (below the cut, because long post):

Legendary birds tend to migrate to follow their preferred weather, particularly Kantonian Articuno and Moltres. If you find yourself in the extreme north or south in fall, you'll probably see Articuno arriving after a long global migration, heading for wintry ice cliffs. Mountain-dwelling Articuno rarely move, but those that live in the poles often do. But around high mountains, there are in fact Articuno - but those places are extremely hostile to people, as are the residents, so I don't recommend it unless you're highly prepared.

In spring, if you happen to be near a volcano, you might just see a Moltres - they hunt across the globe, particularly in grasslands where they can spark fires to flush out prey easily and there are few trees for them to accidentally light on fire while trying to rest, but volcanic soil and crags are their preference for nesting. Extinct volcanoes and regular mountains are also nesting places - famously, there are Moltres nesting near the Kanto-Johto Pokemon League - but the more active it is short of active eruption, the more likely you are to find a Moltres, as they love lava. The Alolan volcanic chain, being particularly active, is also famous as a Moltres nesting site. Do NOT approach nesting or bathing Moltres...but they are pretty safe and fun to watch.

Another great place for Bird watchers is Shamouti and the surrounding islands, with a bonus of a native Lugia or two. The Birds are notoriously unfriendly and their home islands are barred to laypeople, but they're easily observed from the Shamouti beaches or dedicated bird-watching boat tours. The native Lugia are reclusive and rarely seen, but quite friendly as long as they don't perceive a threat from you. There's even plenty of video of tourists being photobombed by them, or getting to pet or interact with them. The same specimens have also been sighted in the Orange Islands, but less often.

Ecruteak City is one of the best places in the world to see Legendary Pokemon! A family of Ho-Oh nests there, a Lugia used to, and Suicune, Entei, and Raikou pass through very frequently. Because so many live there or pass through, Legendary Trainers are also quite likely to go there, and it's a bit of a gathering spot. Any person strolling through the city is more likely than not to see at least one. As with the Shamouti Lugia, they're quite friendly, but well-guarded - don't try anything funny, trust me. I'm not allowed to talk in too much detail about the security in place, but I do know it's there.

The coast of Sootopolis is another great place to spot Pokemon. Latias and Latios are fairly frequently sighted on Hoenn's coasts fishing, flying, and playing during the summer - and during the winter and spring, Kyogre pods sometimes move through, though those are sighted more often far out to sea or near the poles.

There are a couple islands off the coast of Sinnoh where Cresselia and Darkrai tend to gather, though the latter can be difficult to approach as they're skittish and may give you nightmares if they're spooked...which is harmless, I'll be honest. Part of being approved to work with Darkrai is being intentionally hit by their nightmare powers and while the nightmares are deeply unpleasant, it's not that awful and as soon as you wake up, it's over. Cresselia, similarly, have an unpleasant but harmless defense mechanism - they make you really, really dizzy. It only lasts a couple minutes, and it's not awful if you lay down, and thankfully they're not as easily spooked.

Hoopa and Diancie seem to be drawn to Anistar city, seemingly by the sundial. They're usually reserved, and won't approach you, but it's quite fun to walk through the city and see them hanging around like any member of the crowd.

On all four Alolan Islands, the Tapu are quite close with the native people, and relatively friendly to tourists as long as you remain respectful to them and to the local flora and fauna. If you're cautious and polite, even strangers can approach them when they're out and about.

There is a location in Kalos called the All-Earth forest, where both Xerneas and Yveltal like to gather. Guided tours are available, and they have a pretty good success rate of spotting them, given that they know where the tours go and generally like to say hi. Even if you don't see a Legendary, the forest is beautiful, as is the massive waterfall that tours tend to swing by.

There are a few Mewtwo that are quite public and open about their existence and openly interact with people. Several Pokemon with the capacity of communication can legally emancipate themselves - being legally regarded as human from then on and owning their own Pokeball - and a famous example is the original Mewtwo, who does book tours and owns a nature reserve. While he's a recluse, his writing is a complete delight. If you've got an interest in Pokemon sapience, human-Pokemon relations, and cloned Pokemon, I highly recommend his works! The rumor in my field is that he's even applying for a Legendary license - which I'll get into those soon - soon or as we speak.

[arcanarix]

The Plot Thickens! // CONTESTSHIPPING / SHUUKURA

AO3 || FFN 

Harley taps onto the mic and cringes from the sharp feedback. “Testing, 1, 2, 3! Testing, 1, 2, 3! Ugh! This sounds awful! Someone fix–!” 

–his wish is granted, as the sound check folks do their jobs. One of them casts a thumbs up as a queue for him to start over.

He clears his throat, eyes scanning the impressive size of the crowd. If he has to guess, the amount of people who have arrived for this heist may fill up the entirety of the Indigo League stadium up to five times! Might he be exaggerating–he often is–he doesn’t really know or really care. This is not just a publicity stunt, you see. As always, there are ulterior motives in the world of Harley Davidson. 

“Excellent!” For emphasis, he clears his throat once more, shielding his mouth with a balled fist. “Welcome to the Slateport Grand Heist! I know the Ribbon Cup season has ended for the Hoenn region yet again, and things have gotten far too quiet to our liking. So let me set the scene–you are all cordially encouraged to embark on a scavenger hunt for a rare breed of a shiny Zorua. Its beauty is unmatched, and it’s a perfect addition to your team if you’re needing a new teammate! Not only are you going to win that Zorua to add to your party, you also win a delicious sum of cash! Don’t miss out! Sign up here! And please welcome my dear sponsor, Maybella Maple!” 

He gestures wide, loud, and proud to her as she steps onto the podium. Behind her, a huge projection screen to showcase her true ethereal beauty. She has grown well into herself in the last decade, establishing herself as a five-time Ribbon Cup winner and even upstaging Soledad and Drew! In this moment, she looks like a Queen gazing down at her subjects with a softness in her eyes, and a twinkle of that fiery, lively energy she has always possessed in her soul.

She has never dimmed in her light–not even when Harley tried to before.

Harley can’t help but respect that now.

May beams at the crowd as they roar and cheer, even earning a few wolf whistles which makes her blush just a bit from embarrassment. She lowers the mic to her level. 

“Hi everybody! If you do decide to enter this exciting heist, then we’d be more than honored to have you here! This Heist is also here to help fund for future Ribbon Cup seasons and local Pokemon Centers in the region. We hope to enhance the experience for new and old coordinators and the care which is provided in Pokemon Centers which has helped us for centuries! This is a great cause, and we wholeheartedly accept any additional donations!” 

As she steps away, Harley takes the spotlight once more, not without mouthing a ‘thank you’ to her as she gives him the space he requires to spread his arms out wide, like he’s giving the crowd a big bear hug for showing up for them. 

“We sure hope you’re ready! Sign up ends at 5PM sharp! The scavenger hunt for the Zorua begins tomorrow morning at 7AM sharp! Don’t miss out on the fun! Toodles~!” 

Harley steps away and takes in the applause, as he’s always lived for it. That’s the whole reason behind becoming a coordinator for him–the applause! The adoration! The admiration! The fame! It’s all important to him to a certain extent. It’s not as prominent of a desire now, but he still loves to gloat and showboat whenever he gets a chance to soak it all up like a sponge.

The roaring of the crowd dies down and soon they are dismissed to take care of sign ups and registration, which are held at the Pokemon Center here in Slateport. It’s good to be home. He’s forgotten what peace and relaxation is like. But he’s reminded every time he relaxes at the local beaches here. 

Harley and May retire to the back of the stadium, where they share some of the confection foods available. 

“Thanks for doing this for me, sugarplum,” he says from the bottom of his heart. This time, his sincerity is genuine. Well it has been for a long time. They’re no longer enemies or frenemies or whatever the heck people call it. “I can’t believe people actually showed up.”

“Well, why not? You’re a hot shot,” May teases, “It’s not like you to play humble.”

It’s not like her to be that observant . . . Harley only hopes she hasn’t figured out another underlying scheme of his. He may have spread a little rumor to the male identifying coordinators that winning the Zorua and the money also includes a date with this four course meal and dessert just before his eyes. If she isn’t going to date Weed Hair, then he may as well try to up the ante a little by forcing them into a little tight spot. Drew has refused to confess his feelings for the last decade or so of them all knowing each other and Harley’s grown exhausted from all of the dancing around the rosy bushes between them or whatever.

He’s had to take matters into his own hands. This time as a friend and not as some insecure POS who can’t accept there’s always going to be someone better or more talented than he is. Yes, he friggin’ says it! Leave him friggin’ be. 

Bringing a powdered donut to his lips, he hums in agreement. “No kiddin’. I’m not! So who do you think will be joining the heist?” 

“Probably everyone and their mothers,” May laughs earnestly. “It seems so fun too. I kind of wish I could enter to win that Zorua, but that doesn’t seem right since I’m helping to sponsor this event.”

“You’ve already got a golden team, hon. But I can always find a way to get another one of those Zoruas from a breeder if that’s what you want.”

“You don’t have to, but I appreciate the offer.” May sighs, bringing her glass of water to her lips. “I can’t believe how far we’ve come together. I’m really glad we became friends, Harley.” 

Harley lifts his own drink, offering a toast. “To us, hon.”

She giggles, raising her glass as well. “To us.”

Their drinkwares join together and clink, the sound seemingly reverberating through the room like a windchime. Maybe a spell has been casted–a blessing. This friendship is a blessing to them both.

Drew does learn of this Heist Harley’s hosting. He has to admit his interest is piqued. If not for any other reason, than the fact that it’s someone like Harley hosting it. 

Anything involving Harley is often a prescription for disaster in Drew’s world. He doesn’t trust that someone like him can change. Call him a skeptic. Call him a hard-ass. He doesn’t give a single crap. He’s always going to have May’s and Soledad’s back, and he’s always going to keep Harley at something much longer than an arm’s length. But no amount of space between them will ever be enough. 

Anyway, what leads him to sign up is because he’s been brought to light by an underlying motive in Harley organizing this event. Because that’s how he’s always operated before, and he’ll continue to operate that way for the rest of his life. Drew’s been raised on the philosophy of trusting patterns of behavior over someone’s words. 

Words themselves don’t sell someone’s character, after all. Anyone can say anything they want. 

Everyone with even the teensiest bit of critical thinking ability can come up with that conclusion on their own. 

Unfortunately, upon learning May is assisting him in sponsoring this event, and given May’s history of often giving Harley the benefit of the doubt in spite of knowing better . . . no one can blame Drew for wishing to investigate this event further. He’s putting on that tin hat. There’s never a pure reason behind Harley’s intentions, and those suspicions have been confirmed on his way to the Slateport Pokemon Center!

“I can’t believe Harley admitted we can ask May on a date if we win,” one contestant exclaims as he walks with his group of friends, just within earshot of Drew, who happens to be scrolling through his news feed. 

‘Old habits die hard,’ he thinks, scowling. Does he really have to rescue May AGAIN?

“Yeah, it’s not an official event but who cares? Gal’s single, gal’s famous, gal’s hot . . . “ Jackass #2 numbers off the merits of dating someone like May with those grimy probably oily as fuck disgusting fingers of his, and Drew can’t help stewing in pure agony at the thought of someone OTHER than him dating May. 

Especially if they don’t know how to treat her or appreciate her! 

“Whatever helps advertise the heist, I guess,” Jackass #3 comments, “I might decline, if I win, though.”

May not be that much of a jackass, with a little inkling of common sense and dignity! 

“Hello Drew. Good to see you again. Are you here to register?” Nurse Joy greets upon approaching the counter. 

“Yes, I’d like to enter the Slateport Heist.”

“Excellent. I have you all set up. If you’re looking for your friends, they are staying here, so you’ll run into them soon.”

Drew nods. “Thanks.”

He accepts his token and retires to his cabin. 

Yes, let the games begin, indeed. 

7 A. M. the following day comes along, and everyone’s gathered around the small stadium the city put together for Harley’s event. In the center, a medieval inspired gong, which Harley strikes to initiate the beginning of something either grand or something anticlimactic. 

Watching the contestants scramble around like headless chickens for the Zorua has been nothing short of entertaining for the Cacturne trainer, and he sits back and enjoys the show while May’s fucked off elsewhere for the time being. She monitors other areas of the city to make sure no one’s up to mischief. 

Speaking of May, she’s giggling at the prospect of all these younger trainers arguing over who deserves that Zorua. With its perfect IVs and fully trained EVs, its shiny new color, its cloaking ability . . . Zorua’s likely hiding in plain sight and these trainers are too busy arguing to see what’s right in front of them. 

She strolls through one of Slateport’s main streets and swears under her breath when she catches a familiar flash of green. A particular mossy shade of green. 

Approaching him from behind, she addresses him. 

“ . . . Drew?” 

Whipping around, Drew’s eyes widen for a brief moment before they soften immediately upon realizing that it’s her. Perfect. Just the girl he’s been looking for all of this time since the heist began. 

He needs to get her away from Harley’s scheming, grimy hands! 

“I take it you’re here because you really want that Zorua.” 

“An excellent guess, but no,” he replies, and May can’t help picking up on how his usually tense expression fades into one of pure softness. For her? Why, though? “I’m actually here for you.”

“Me?” May’s tone indicates incredulousness. Even after all of this time!? “What do I owe the pleasure?” 

“Um, why are you working on this with Harley?” 

May frowns. “We’ve established that we’ve outgrown that weird frenemy stage we had. We’re really good friends now, Drew. What’s going on?” 

Drew sighs, deciding against telling her the truth. Collaborating with Harley–or even being within Harley’s proximity–is never any good. He offers her a rose from seemingly thin air, which May graciously accepts.

“Never mind. Anyway, what’s in it for you?” 

“Nothing! It just seemed like a fun way to raise money for the Ribbon Cup.”

Things fall silent between them, but it’s comfortable. They decide to look for that Zorua together. 

They find themselves near the Slateport beach, close to where they first met. Drew looks off at the private beach area where he found May, and he can’t help but chuckle to himself. 

“What’s so funny?” May then picks up on it. “Oh. You’re thinking about how we met, huh?” 

“Yeah. On this very beach,” he says, “Hard to believe how far we’ve come.”

“Hard to believe we can stand to breathe the same air as each other.” 

Drew splutters, “I more than can just tolerate breathing the same air as you.” 

In fact, he dearly wishes to be with her for the rest of his life. He’s damn sure of it. He’s not going to admit that to her yet because he doesn’t want to scare her off.

A splash of salty water on him catches him off-guard. He turns to ese May with a mischievous grin on her face, and Drew shakes his head. 

“You rascal,” Drew teases as he joins her by the water, splashing her back. 

Suddenly, in the sand, Zorua pops out from hiding under it. Once he notices it, Drew’s mouth falls open. 

“Oh! There’s the gorgeous Zorua!” 

Zorua hops right into Drew’s arms upon recognizing him. 

Drew and May exchange a look. 

“Uh . . . do we go back to the stadium, then?” May inquires. Drew nods and they walk off, ignoring the icky wetness of their damp clothes. 

Eh. They’re going to dry off, they think. 

When they arrive back at the stadium, Harley’s relaxing on a lounge chair and enjoying the sun shining down on him. His goal must be a tan, as he’s angling a mirror to have the sun hit on his body. 

He hears the rustling of their footsteps, and he raises himself from his seat, resting his sunglasses over his head to get a view of them. 

“Oh! Excellent! Just as planned, Randy, you found Zorua!” Harley exclaims. “Well, I should say Zorua found you guys. I told it not to appear to anyone else except Drew. No one was going to be able to find Zorua by the end of the event.”

“Huh?” May cuts in, placing her hands on her hips. “Then what was the purpose of this heist anyway?” 

“Yeah,” Drew adds, “Why were you getting the male winners the opportunity to ask May out if they won?” 

“What?” May glares at Harley. “You conveniently left out that little detail! What in the world?!” 

“Sounding a bit envious there, Randy,” Harley snorts, “If you must know, I knew you were going to sign up for this heist if I put May in a jeopardizing situation. Of course nothing life-threatening. She’s just been single for too long after that jackass Brendan dated her. Lo and behold, you do enter the hunt, and not only do you earn the Zorua and the money, but you’re the one getting to ask May out on a date.”

“What were you going to do if the winner was a girl? This wasn’t well thought out,” May says, “Which is a first, coming from you.” 

Harley steps back, striking a defensive pose. His tone does indicate some sincerity but there’s no telling with Harley quite literally ever. 

He shakes his head as he vehemently disagrees. 

“I only told the men about that little addition. No girl was going to ask you out. And by the way, it wasn’t going to be a bunch of random guys, just the winner of the heist,  and I orchestrated everything so that Drew would win anyways. Like I already said, Zorua was not going to be found. Not easily. Zorua’s great at keeping itself hidden. Everything’s worked out in favor of you two finally biting the bullet and just going out already. We’re sick of you two dancing around the bush.” 

“I–!” Drew can’t even begin to express himself at that moment. He has to admit–he’s been fooled. Maybe Harley has changed for the better, in some aspects. In others, that’s still up for debate. 

Despite this, Drew may never completely warm up to Harley. 

Not even the fact that he’s dating Soledad. 

“So, Randrew Gayden, aren’t you going to finally roll for initiative like this is DND and finally give May the lovin’ on she deserves?” 

“Uhhhh . . . “ Drew’s brain may have short-circuited at that point. Picking up on that little brain fart of Drew’s, a rare moment for him indeed, May takes charge like the woman she always is because she always feels like she has something to prove. 

“Drew,” she begins, twiddling the rose he gifted her just moments prior to this interaction. “Will you take me to dinner?” 

Yep. That brain fart then escalates to a complete meltdown. His circuitry is failing him. There’s probably steam out of his ears from that system overload. 

System overload! 

May’s forehead creases. “. . . Drew? Do I have to do everything around here, or do I have to drag you to the nicest restaurant in this region?” 

“No! No, I, uh . . .” Taking a deep stabilizing breath, he finds that confidence he works so hard to fake the majority of the time. Yeah, you hear him right–fake. He’s not the sauviest of the suave, he has come to accept that. 

Especially if he can’t ask the most beautiful girl in the world out and she has to make the move first! 

He clears his throat, and meets her eyes, careful not to get too lost admiring how much those sapphire eyes resemble the deepest depths of the sea. 

“Yes, I’ll take you to dinner. Only if you let me spoil you rotten.”

Harley grimaces. “Damn, you really are living up to the name, Randy.” 

“Stop calling me that,” Drew counters.

“Over my dead body!” Harley then approaches May. “Don’t I get a thank you, hon?” 

“I’m not sure if I should thank you or slap you, but I’ll let you get away with it this time. Thanks, Harley. Now if you’ll excuse us, this is long overdue.”

“Of course, of course! Have fun ye hooligans! Farewell now!” 

Drew hooks May’s arm around his. “Where to? We’ll take a ride on Flygon.”

“I can go for something exotic and new, so surprise me, Mr Fancy Pants.”

“Anything for you.” Drew casts a dirty look at Harley over his shoulder, as if to say, ‘I’ll deal with you later.’ 

For now, he’s going to enjoy a wonderful date with a wonderful girl. 

[dawnedon]

Dawn met Kalos' Heroine, Serena Bellegrade, in one of Lilycove's prestigious resorts. Dawn had traveled to Hoenn with Cynthia on diplomatic accord, visiting with their League officials and other important figureheads as a gesture of politeness, and to inform them of Dawn's ascension to Sinnoh's Champion in person. Cynthia tended to accompany Dawn on any League-related travels that took her out of the Sinnoh region, due to her still being a teenager and being under the former Champion's guidance and tutelage.

It was a mix-up with the rooms that allowed them to meet, having been mistakenly booked over one another. Dawn didn't have the heart to tell Serena to beat it, especially not after she recognized her - and vice versa - so she brought up the idea of sharing the room. At Dawn's suggestion, they went back to the front desk and requested an additional futon for Serena, a request they were more than happy to oblige after their mistake. They even got a set of meals that was entirely comped as an additional apology, which Dawn certainly wasn't complaining about.

Over their meals, Dawn was able to officially introduce Serena to Cynthia (after explaining the room mix-up, which they all found hilarious at this point). It was always interesting for Dawn to see people, especially women of any age, meeting Cynthia for the first time. Serena's reaction didn't disappoint, though Dawn also couldn't blame her. After all, Cynthia had been her idol at one point in her life, and now, she was actively being mentored by her.

Dawn didn't really need to say much with Serena around, as the other girl talked enough for the both of them, really. As it was, Dawn was more of a listener and an observer for the most part anyways, so their dynamic worked out well. In their talks, whenever Dawn wasn't busy with her work, she found they had a lot of similar passions, and similar past experiences.

Serena's recounting of Team Flare, and her journey through Kalos, seemed to spill out endlessly. Once she got going, she was unable to stop, recounting the good, the bad, and the ugly to Dawn despite just having met her not long ago.

After learning that Serena, too, was connected to a legendary, Dawn couldn't help but let her own tellings of her past slip in return. Her experiences at Sinnoh's gyms, her time in the Distortion World, and her death caused by her own bonded legendary. She held a bit of jealousy in her heart at that time after learning about Serena and Yveltal's familial-like relationship, but even still, she couldn't be too poisoned by it in the end. Serena could still relate to her on that front, something Dawn hadn't yet run into at that time. They also could relate on being hospitalized following their final showdowns with their respective villainous teams and their legendaries, the two of them recounting it as a horrible experience.

It was the first time Dawn was so willingly open with someone, and she had even left out some details (that she, at least, had deemed unnecessary). It felt strangely therapeutic to talk about her own experiences so openly, and for someone to be able to relate to her on several fronts.

Serena's final day at the resort arrived before Dawn's had, with Dawn staying there a handful of days longer than Serena was. At the end of it, they decided to have a battle on Lilycove's beach after the sun had set, allowing time for the tourists to clear out after getting their photos of Lilycove's famous sunset.

Despite Serena having the advantage of Mega Evolution, Dawn had no qualms with Serena utilizing it. Dawn was always like that in all of her battles, allowing her opponent to use any extra tools at their disposal - it made it much more challenging for herself, and for her team, just the way they liked it.

Dawn lead with Emperor, taking Serena as a serious opponent right out of the gate. She knew of some of Serena's achievements in battle, and knew she had also entered the Hall of Fame. While she didn't hold Kalos' Champion seat officially, she was still a registered Hall of Fame trainer. Dawn wasn't about to take that lightly, acknowledging her opponent's skill from the second both of their leads entered the field.

The battle wasn't a total wash on either side, Serena displaying a shocking amount of push-back - more than Dawn had even anticipated. The battle was taken seriously by Dawn, giving it her complete and utter all. Anything less would be a disservice to herself, her team, and both Serena and her team too. The Mega Evolution of Serena's Venusaur was a sight to behold, though Dawn's Espeon managed to fell him after a few devastating blows were exchanged back and forth. Dawn was the victor in the end, keeping up her win streak, though the battle was one of the closest she had had in a while. It had been down to her injured Espeon and one other pokemon left at full health.

They met as strangers, and exchanged their goodbyes as friends. They were sure to give one another each other's contact info, with the promise they'd keep in touch over the years. A promise that, to this day, half a decade later, has been held up by the two of them. The differing timezones made it difficult sometimes, but Dawn readily texted Serena whenever she knew the other was awake. Keeping her posted on the things happening in her life, and sending her loads of pictures of her pokemon (especially her cats!). Whenever Dawn finds herself in Kalos, she always makes it a point to stop and see Serena in person no matter how busy she may be - and when Serena visits Sinnoh on the rare occasion (it's too cold, she's told Dawn, many, many times), she always has a place to stay with Dawn if needed.

[sereina]

Serena met Sinnoh's Champion, Dawn Hara, during her stay in Hoenn following a mix-up in one of Lilycove's resorts with their rooms. Dawn had traveled to the tropical region for diplomatic reasons, meeting with Hoenn's League officials, however due to her young age, Cynthia had made it a point to accompany her. Cynthia had booked them separate rooms, but a mishap occurred when Serena had booked her own room at around the same time.

The two teenagers had come face-to-face at the room, having been mistakenly double-booked in an oversight. It was almost a moment out of a sitcom, with the two girls not sure what to do as there were no other rooms available at the time. However, they would go on to recognize one another in part from their various contributions to their respective regions. In the end, Dawn offered that they share the room. They were able to get another futon (along with a full complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a day of their choosing as an apology for the mix-up).

Serena's stay at the resort was much shorter than Dawn's, with Dawn staying for a full week and a half, while Serena only had booked five nights. Even still, they became fast friends during their stay together. Serena had the opportunity to meet Cynthia over their meals, unable to stop gushing at the fact she was meeting one of her idols.

Her and Dawn's relationship quickly had a visible dynamic - Serena did a lot of the talking, while Dawn was mostly a listener, a passive observer. It was clear, however, they had a lot of similar passions, and held similar experiences in thwarting their regions' threats at the time.

Perhaps it was their quick and easy camaraderie, but Serena found herself confiding in Dawn about things she hadn't told many other people. She spoke of her adventure through Kalos, both the good and the bad. Her triumphs at the gyms, and her dealings with Flare that culminated to her losing her Lucatio, and nearly her own life. Serena even spoke about her bond with Yveltal, someone that Dawn was introduced to at a later point.

Dawn wasn't one to divulge her own personal details much, nor go into deep lengths on her life, though she did find herself returning the gesture. She spoke briefly about her time in the Distortion World, and how she had died during her battle with Giratina. They connected on their dreadful experience in their hospitals.

To Serena, it was liberating and freeing, in a way, to speak about her experiences and have someone be able to somewhat understand. The wounds were fresh, and she certainly shed a few tears recounting her tales, but her trip to Hoenn, and meeting Dawn, proved to be the catharsis she desperately had needed.

On Serena's final day at the resort, they both agreed to have a battle on Lilycove's large beach at sundown - after most of the tourists had left following the picturesque sunset.

Dawn didn't have access to Mega Evolution like Serena did, though the Champion was not bothered by this at all and insisted that Serena utilize it in their battle. From the moment Dawn sent out her first pokemon - her Empoleon - Serena could absolutely see and feel the sheer depth of their bond. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen thus far, feeling as if the duo's very souls were intertwined.

It was easily the most grueling and tough battle Serena had ever had. Dawn didn't hold back, nor did she pull any punches which Serena appreciated. In the end, despite Mega Evolving her Venusaur, even, Serena couldn't pull of a victory and lost to Dawn in a match that was much closer than Sinnoh's Champion would have thought. She had gotten down to one partly injured pokemon, and another one that was full health. If the tides had swung more in Serena's favor, Dawn would have suffered her first loss since her days traveling through Sinnoh.

They would part amiably, having exchanged numbers and promising one another to keep in touch - and that promise still holds to this day. Serena frequently contacts Dawn either through text, or by calling. They keep each other up to date on the various happenings in their lives, even meeting up in person should one another be visiting their respective region. Dawn has proved to be an incredibly valuable and trusted friend of Serena's, and credits their talks and time spent together as a large part of her healing journey.

[journcys-archived]

@moonkssd sent: "care to join me for a bit ?" Yuri was sitting by the beach, just feeding the Water types that came by. Mainly those who had a Fairy typing as well. Which were a lot. She clearly did not have enough hands to feed them all.

The ocean is always where he’s most relaxed, it’s never uncommon to find him near the beaches of any region—the seas creator did not mean just Hoenn—that was only where he resided. But he was a wanderer, checking on other water types in different places. Many spottings of him through different regions of the man strangely dressed in garb that reflected the ocean god. But now he was here and relaxing until a voice called to him. He looked to the girl feeding the water types that came to her and blinked at them—they were happy; he could hear it in their voices and it made his lips quirk upwards in a smile.

“Ah, I guess I’m the only one here…You must be talking to me, right?” He mused gently, steps taken into sand as he approaches her, tilting his head slightly. It seems with his presence there are more water types coming around—that’s normal. For him, anyway. “What are we feeding them today, hm?”

[tomatoberry2]

Since the beginning of this year, Tom has moved around about 7 times.

Before everything, before he was Tomato Berry and before he was, briefly, a supposed amnesiac named Daisuke, he was used to moving around. It was part of his job. He couldn't afford to stay stationary - staying still meant risking trouble. Besides, he had work to do, all over the world, never time for rest. Never a place to rest, at the end, when he didn't feel safe around others.

He hadn't had a real home in so long that he could barely remember what home was supposed to be. To him, the only home he had was his team - before that, a shitty little house in shitty little Lavender Town, a bitter memory he tried so hard to forget. He missed the memory these days.

After his incident, his travels came to a halt. He couldn't travel when he had a new life to build and injuries to recover from. Planes always made him nervous, anyway, and he couldn't go over water, not knowing what was under there, not when he couldn't even go near a beach in fear that the Gyarados would come back and finish what it started.

Then, of course, trouble found him. Trouble always finds him, doesn't it? He had to suck his fears up and board the next boat - planes were more traceable - and get the hell out of dodge, change his name again, look over his shoulder while trying to pick up the pieces he had brought along overseas. It had become routine by that point.

It took him a while to adjust to the security of a home. Even when he found himself caught up in the Aqua-Magma incident, Hoenn still felt more stable than anything he had ever had. He had a house, a house he kept for a shockingly long time, a good job, a nice little garden.

Maybe he didn't have any friends. Maybe he missed what he used to have. But he got used to it all.

It was home. It was fine.

And then Team Winter came, like a reminder, like a warning, like a punishment for him lowering his guard.

Then there was Bryony, and Amy, and he left his job behind - couldn't ever look Mrs. Faun in the eye anyways, she was too smart for her own good - left his home behind. There was Shadow Sky. Bryony was hurt. Amy was hurt.

He was in Amy's laboratory in Goldenrod.

He hated it there, for a while.

He loves Amy deeply. And at first, he liked caring for the laboratory. But something just... changed.

Maybe it was the anticipation. Waiting for him to just be fucking approved for the League challenge already.

So he got a room at the Pokécenter, where the Sentret he found was, devoted his time to caring for it.

He needs to leave. He needs to go somewhere. But he doesn't know where the hell to go these days. He doesn't have anything anymore, besides the only three people he knows well enough, and his Pokémon.

He doesn't know what home is, these days. Is it his friends? His Pokémon? Maybe it is his Pokémon, but he can see the way they watch him wearily, bored, as he trudges through the daily routine he's set for himself, sleeps, wakes up, repeats.

Visiting Bryony and Amy helped, but they're not around right now, are they?

He needs something to do. He doesn't know what to do. He hates being stationary.

But he also hates constant disruption - funny, because he's moved around 7 times this year alone. It's only June.

He's losing his fucking mind.