GET READY TO HAAAARTAY

(@tiny-grunt-bow)

Hoenn’s beaches were much warmer than the Pokemon Breeder remembered. He was at the base of Mt Chimney with a backpack, a map, and a Numel named Phlox. He was going to work on training with Phlox while he was still in Hoenn, but his mind kept drifting back to the map. He had barely gotten anything done and Phlox was tired. 

Harte looked over the map skeptically. He had received it as payment from one of his clients after he had hatched a shiny Zubat on the first egg. The map was of Hoenn, but there were a few marked locations. One was a bit southeast of New Mauville and had Fabled Cave scrawled over it in readable but messy handwriting. There was also one north of Petalburg marked as Trackless Forest, and one near Mt Chimney labeled Gnarled Den. The trainer he had got the map from had said that these locations used to be really important but now hold nothing other than strong Pokemon. 

How the guy knew that Harte didn’t know. It was pretty crappy payment, but it would have to do for now. If the strong Pokemon rumor was true, maybe Phlox could get more of a challenge. She was struggling to grow stronger in this environment somehow. Maybe she just needed a change of opponent? Whatever it was, Harte had a hunch that what the trainer was referring to was somewhat special. If things got too tough, he could just turn to Thea, his shy Noibat buddy.

“C'mon, Phlox.” Harte called, patting the Numel’s warm hump to move her along. Phlox waddled beside Harte. They were going to find the nearest Pokemon Center and stock up on items - not that they weren’t already prepared for an expedition, they just needed to be extra prepared.

Luckily, she noticed a breeder walking his Pokemon down the shore. As he noticed her she saw him flinch and tighten his grip on whatever he was holding. “Haha!! Suspicious person spotted!!” Bow ran up in front of him and his Numel so they couldn’t move.

Oh well. At least she wasn’t asking for much of him. He didn’t really need the map anyway, did he? For all he knew, it could all be fake.

“Here,” Harte pushed the map into the Magma Grunt’s hand and raised his shoulders. He didn’t know if he should stay or run away with Phlox. Harte nervously scanned the area for escape routes, but the Grunt was definitely faster than a Numel. He was stuck unless he wanted to abandon Phlox.

Did Green actually want a drink? That he can think about later, but for now, look at that guy go. Green keeps up a brisk step with Harte, not unwilling to put some gas into his own speed, particularly when the end goal interested him. The quicker they got to Verdanturf, the sooner he’d be able to find out if he–oh, right, they–won.

–Not that he’d care if someone got back before them, or anything. It was just a berry hunt in the end (with very stupid shirts), and who knew who lucked out and got an easier berry to find than having to swim across the ocean like they did?

Anyway.

Harte spoke up, and Green cocks a brow slightly at him, but with the edge of his mouth pulling into a smirk.

“Verdanturf first,” he instructs, “and then shopping. But Mauville’s the heart of the region–it’ll be easy to find to find a shop for them on the maps.”

Alright, so maybe he wouldn’t mind seeing what he ends up getting, and especially when he was clearly influenced by Green’s flashing of pokégear. Look at him today, getting guys to take prize money they didn’t think they deserved and helping them make good purchasing decisions. Some things never changed no matter where he was or doing, huh?

The skies above blur to the entrance hall of the west Mauville entryway, the voices and liveliness of the city people, tourists, and music, and it’ll stay with them until they get out onto the other side, onto route 117 and back where they started: Verdanturf.

But there’s no reason why they might not just come back later.

Scanning the town, Harte could see that not too many of the scavanger hunt participants had even left! He confidently strolled up to the stand where he had received his shirt and presented his berry.

“Okay, I get that, but you put in all the work.” Harte looked down. “besides, I don’t need the money or the interview.” Couldn’t Green see that Harte was trying to do a good thing here? He was giving him double the prize! Talk about real winnings!

But then again, Green seemed discontent with it. Harte bit his lip and glanced at Green.

“But if you think that I should, um, be rewarded, then I…” Harte felt like he was sounding more pathetic by the second. Scratching his wrist, he turned his sight back to Mauville city.

“I mean I guess I could accept the prize.” There you go, Harte.

I mean I guess I could accept the prize. There you go indeed, Harte.

A slip of a smile returns to Green’s face, sensing they were getting somewhere, and with that, he shoves one of the berries at Harte’s chest. “Here,” he says, and with one hand now free, gives Harte a friendly slap on the back of his shoulder.

“So you didn’t do as much you think you should’ve. I get it, but you weren’t standing around twiddling your thumbs. You were getting involved and doing what you could. We both went searching for a lead and you tried putting your pokémon to use. If I thought you were completely worthless, I wouldn’t care about trying to cheer you up.”

Sure, Green’s intentions weren’t entirely pure in wanting the guy to come back with him–who knew how well the runners of the event would be if he showed up without his partner?–but it wasn’t a complete and utter lie. He was a decent guy, enthusiastic, and Green didn’t feel bad about his part in their teamwork. If he thought his wooper would’ve been any use in his plan, he would’ve directed the guy.

It was just safer his way–even with Harte close to taking a dip.

“I wasn’t helpful, I guess. I mean, you did everything and I just kinda watched. Congrats, though! That was pretty fun.” Harte explained, “I don’t really care about the prize, anyway. That, and you deserve it more than I do.”

Harte began subconsciously tapping his foot. He wanted to go and explore Hoenn like he couldn’t have back when he was here only for medical purposes! Train his Pokemon! Have a bit more fun before he went back to Alola! He was going to start with the battle restaurant he had passed in Mauville, then maybe check out Slateport, then…

Oh, all the things he could do now! He didn’t want to admit it, but Green was slowing him down just a tad. It wasn’t much, but it still made Harte wonder.

Why would Green want to share his prize with him when he had done nothing?

Well, it wasn’t like Green was stopping him to talk. Mauville was the direction both of them had to go in, so walking and talking suited Green just fine than standing around.

“Uh huh?” But this jolly thing wasn’t something he really knew what to deal with, and he sucks a second on his inner cheek, thinking. It’s not like he disagreed with Harte to a point, but man, of all the situations to try and deal with.

“Don’t you think you’re being too hard on yourself?” He tries. “Sure, I had the perfect pokémon for the situation, but we got lucky. Think about if any other poor sap got our berry and didn’t have a pokémon to ride on! They’d have to walk for miles looking for the stupid thing. And hey, you put in the effort too. We both did our best today.”

“Okay, I get that, but you put in all the work.” Harte looked down. “besides, I don’t need the money or the interview.” Couldn’t Green see that Harte was trying to do a good thing here? He was giving him double the prize! Talk about real winnings!

But then again, Green seemed discontent with it. Harte bit his lip and glanced at Green. 

“But if you think that I should, um, be rewarded, then I...” Harte felt like he was sounding more pathetic by the second. Scratching his wrist, he turned his sight back to Mauville city.

“You win, Green.” Harte closed his eyes and shrugged, “I just tagged along for the ride. The prize is all yours.” Harte nodded in Green’s general direction and continued walking back to Mauville City.

Well, the event was fun while it lasted. Now he just needed to get back to Alola so he could tend to his clients and their, er, feisty Pokemon. Or maybe he could extend his vacation in Hoenn and train his OWN Pokemon. They were a bit weak, and the Nursery was unguarded at night. If he could evolve his Sandygast, he could have a guard Pokemon! Maybe! And he had a Trapinch that he could evolve into a Flygon! He didn’t really like riding Pokemon, but Harte felt that he needed to overcome his fears!

Harte’s smile broadened as he thought of all the things he could do with fully evolved Pokemon. This extended stay in Hoenn wasn’t a bad idea at all!

Yeah, alright, that response while pushing the berry back at him was a good indicator that not all was well in Harte Land. Great. Green grimaces as Harte makes a point in walking ahead, his hands feeling clumsy and useless with two thick berries in them, the whole celebratory mood being put on the back shelf, apparently.

This was either going to be okay, or go tremendously not okay. This kind of stuff was never Green’s forte.

“Alright, come on, just tell me.” It wasn’t difficult to come up to the side of Harte again, Green only slowed momentarily. “Is this because you fell, or because I didn’t want you sending your pokémon out? We had an easier way of dealing with them than getting in a land battle!”

“I wasn’t helpful, I guess. I mean, you did everything and I just kinda watched. Congrats, though! That was pretty fun.” Harte explained, “I don’t really care about the prize, anyway. That, and you deserve it more than I do.”

Harte began subconsciously tapping his foot. He wanted to go and explore Hoenn like he couldn’t have back when he was here only for medical purposes! Train his Pokemon! Have a bit more fun before he went back to Alola! He was going to start with the battle restaurant he had passed in Mauville, then maybe check out Slateport, then...

Oh, all the things he could do now! He didn’t want to admit it, but Green was slowing him down just a tad. It wasn’t much, but it still made Harte wonder.

He slipped.

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It wasn’t that they didn’t notice Harte slipping–it’s hard to miss the loss of arms around your waist and the close presence of another–but the situation didn’t allow for much of a pause, and, well.

At least he didn’t get picked up by the wave and end washed up with the crawdaunt and corphish. Right? Right??

“You win, Green.” Harte closed his eyes and shrugged, “I just tagged along for the ride. The prize is all yours.” Harte nodded in Green’s general direction and continued walking back to Mauville City.

Well, the event was fun while it lasted. Now he just needed to get back to Alola so he could tend to his clients and their, er, feisty Pokemon. Or maybe he could extend his vacation in Hoenn and train his OWN Pokemon. They were a bit weak, and the Nursery was unguarded at night. If he could evolve his Sandygast, he could have a guard Pokemon! Maybe! And he had a Trapinch that he could evolve into a Flygon! He didn’t really like riding Pokemon, but Harte felt that he needed to overcome his fears!

Gosh darn it.

Well, he could always use his first plan of having his Sandygast sneak onshore and slip around them.

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If the guy wasn’t sitting at his back, or Green could defy human anatomy and twist himself around at the waist, he would be boring holes into Harte with his disbelief right about when he shared his plan with sandyghast.

He wasn’t wrong about having a dangerous plan, anyway.

He slipped.

The man behind the desk was none other than Harte, Pokemon breeder (not-so) extraordinaire. Behind the man behind the desk was a Trapinch, begging for attention. Harte raised his hand.

“Just a sec-” Bending over, he scooped up the foreign ground-type and returned to the counter with a smile on his face. The Trapinch wiggled her little legs as her eyes darted around frantically. Harte, realizing that she wanted to be put down, set her down on the counter.

“And yeah! This is indeed the Pokemon Nursery! What questions do you have? No need to worry about the time, I’m here all day.”

Harte never got visitors who weren’t here for hatching shinies or breeding for battle or contests. He wasn’t quite used to trainers who weren’t whiny, although a few decent ones popped in from time to time. Harte had the faintest idea that this kid was going to be one of the better decents. He leaned down onto the counter, ready for any question imaginable.

The man behind the counter asked him to wait a moment and then lifted up a Trapinch and set it down on the counter.  So cute!  Okay, it was a little creepy looking, but it just looked like it was having a great time, so Kid couldn’t help but love it.  It had such funny-looking pupils, too.  He wondered if that Pokemon was someone else’s, or if it was his, or if it was a baby just hatched from an egg, even!

Gosh, Pokemon breeding must be such a cool job, Kid thought.

He approached the counter carefully, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself in front of the Trapinch.  The man replied that he was open to any questions, which was a total relief.  He’d hate to be bugging this guy while he was working, but if he was into it, then fantastic!

Harte raised his shoulders defensively.

“Whoa, whoa! I can see that you’re curious, but please! One at a time! Haha!”

Harte leaned onto the counter, careful to not rest his arms on the Trapinch.

”You want to know about breeding, hm?” Harte raised his eyebrows in an attempt to seem like he wasn’t a bit overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. What was this kid’s first question again? Tips on breeding? Oh man...

Harte bit his lip. He didn’t want to do it, but this trainer was so eager and so much less annoying than his current clients.

“Um... would you like a tour?” Harte asked. He regretted his choice of words the moment he spoke. Wishing to try to cover up his mistake, he quickly spoke again in a louder tone.

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A dangerous plan. It was far too easy to imagine the worst of what that could entail, with the scenario standing out most to Green involving them dancing as crawdaunts snapped at their heels, hands waving in the air cartoonishly.

Harte’s plan probably wouldn’t result in that. But then, you never know.

Gosh darn it.

Well, he could always use his first plan of having his Sandygast sneak onshore and slip around them.