monterraverde

[monterraverde]

It's been a long year. He's been busier than he ever expected - and the next Treasure Hunt would begin soon, another long year stretching ahead of him. Hassel knows better than anyone to try and call someone back to a home they had left of their own accord, so he takes the time to visit Kanto again.

(It's the most time he's been back since he was a teenager, which was saying something.)

He doesn't call ahead more than an hour to tell her that he'd be in town, and he's happy to meet her at home, bundled in his warmest coat - and accompanied by Donna, who sings the newest songs he's been teaching her with the light back in her mechanical eyes.

He's got a bag tucked under his arm of Paldean sweets, things he knows she must miss, and a smile on his face.

"Sorry for technically missing the holidays, but you know how things get at the League. Can I come in? I brought that coffee blend you used to like."

Holidays this year was spent with her loved ones, as was last year. Delibird day and the new year was spent with Proton, and the rocket executive was surely crawling around up in her attic room somewhere when Hassel suddenly calls her out of the blue.

She's quick to turn on the kotatsu when he does, over the moon to finally welcome him to her place properly.

It's come a long way from the old run down shack it used to be. New wooden floors, stronger walls, a proper living and dining space. For how small it was, she certainly made it cozy.

When he finally arrives, she greets him in the landing wearing a dark green yukata with a black coat over top of it, seeming to find the garment more comfortable for lounging around the house. She looks far healthier then the last time they met, happier, not nearly as bogged down by the constant threat looming over them, and she eagerly steps to the side, ushering him and Donna in with her trademark laugh.

"Hey- Holidays are a state of mind as far as I'm concerned. Gods know I've celebrated them late plenty of times." She grins, perking up when he mentions coffee- Shit, she absolutely had to get the pot going then. "It's been so long since I had it last! Thank you, I was just feeling nostalgic over it a couple days ago, if you can believe it." She laughs, shutting the door behind him once he's inside before ascending the steps up onto the floor proper. There's a small commotion outside as she does- Bully roaring and poking his giant metallic head in from the back door, noting Donna and wagging his tail like a giant dog.

[HI DONNA!! HI DONNA!!]

It's enough to make her scoff, putting a hand on her hip. "Surprised he's not wrestling with Koraidon right now." She grins, shrugging once. "It's so good to see you again, I missed you. How're you doing outside of the mass amount of work?"

[monterraverde]

She's holding a THIRD trophy for winning that 'most dateable' poll.

"Three year reigning champ in a poll? Sure, why the hell not."

[monterraverde]

"The last clutch they were all were Larvitars, since Fafnir was the mother, but they definitely had distinct spikes and teeth and a deeper blue-green coloring, so something of a hybrid. They might wind up looking REALLY cool as a Tyranitar." She nods, so far every time she's gained a crossbreed it still belonged to the mothers evolution family, but produced a wonderful variety of exaggerated features and colors.

Always a crapshoot, genetics.

She pats a hand on their shoulder, rubbing it a bit. "Why ya look so glum for? You'll be okay."

“… okay.”

They’re pretty sure they still have that old egg incubator from when they hatched FeliNoodle. And they might not be able to walk long distances, but they can go out in their wheelchair and hatch it that way…

yeah.

they got this.

“So do you think it’ll be a gible? Or a Larvitar? Or maybe half and half…?”

[monterraverde]

"Course I trust you, kiddo. I wouldn't have even suggested it if I didn't trust you." She nods, bringing up her Rotom phone and sending a quick text off.

"Bellas gonna send it to me from home, I'll bring it to your place when I get it. Shouldn't take very long."

“… yeah. I think I could.”

It’ll be a lot, but no harder than getting AC Fryer under their handle. And they were able to be stubborn about that for— well, it was at least four or five months until she even let Ree pet her. A baby Pokémon will be a lot, but…

“I can do it. If you trust me.”

[monterraverde]

"A Larvitar. I have a few eggs from Fafnir and Adniels recent clutch. They're both very rowdy pokemon, but you're a really rowdy kid. If anyone can handle one of their kin, it's definitely you." She nods, A Garchomp and Tyranitar child had the potential to be a force of nature, one she'd only give to truly skilled trainers...

"It'll take a while to hatch, do you think you can handle it?"

[monterraverde]

"Ma brought you some new years treats. By that I mean please help me she made too much food and I'm not buying another fridge and chest freezer." Help Monty, your favourites are there. Take 'em, this Rika is desperate.

"Good gods- You'd think your mother would know that her fridge isn't bottomless." She laughs, taking some of the take-away containers into her arms. She'll absolutely be taking these home.

"Start feeding them to Clodsire, I'm sure he's hungry enough. Bappy certainly is."

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”How’s…Bully doing?”

"He's doing pretty well. Still got that baby energy about him. Forgets that he's huge, but, Koraidons been wrestling with him to get his energy out. They've become surprisingly good friends!" She hums, holding her wrist out where Bully had sync'd with her before. It was the only connection they had, since he didn't care to stay in a pokeball.

"What about you and Bombshell? How's she doing?"

[monterraverde]

they hold up a gift for rika. It’s badly wrapped, but maybe she can forgive that on account of their hands still healing.

inside is an apricorn ball. It’s a Heavy Ball, but spliced with a friendball somewhere in the middle, so it’s got a gray and green look to it. It’s clear Ree made it themself.

“… for your next friend. Happy delibird day.”

The wrappings hardly registered on her radar. She just appreciates that they tried.

The ball is gingerly held in her hands as she looks it over slowly, a slowly widening grin on her face as she runs her thumbs over it. It's cool to the touch, and the craftsmanship shows.

"Aw Ree, thank you, you didn't have too..." She beams, reaching out to give them a gentle hug with her free hand and arm. "I'll make sure to use this for something real special- Made of my two favorite ball types even! I love it!"

A beat, and she crouches a bit to look them in the eye. "When you're back to 100%, I have a pokemon egg for you. They're a pretty hard to train pokemon, but I think you'd be capable of handling it."

[monterraverde]

"To think I was being thrown into the future at this time last year though, wild... What a god damn ride this year was."

"...I need to stop being a hermit and call those guys."

[monterraverde]

"¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Man, what a wild ride this year was. I hope it's as special for you all as this one was."

[monterraverde]

She doesn't let go of the plush when its handed over, moreso cradling it between them in a way that Ree could still touch it if they wanted. They might not be able to grip it, but its soft enough that she hopes it'll bring some comfort.

"That must have been terrifying. I'm really sorry, and I'm glad you both made it out alive." She frowns, thinking about the few times in her career where she had to go out and handle a strange, dangerous pokemon.

...And it just made her angry to think that Alola was sending their champion- a literal child- to do the job she nearly died doing in Paldea.

"If that ever happens again, call for me, would you? I spent a lot of time fighting pokemon like that in Paldea. I'll come as soon as I get the call, I promise... Sides, its better to have a team tackle those anyway."

“No, they didn’t … sting me or nothin’, don’t worry.”

It’s been a rough day. A really, really rough day. Ree can’t really use their fingers to even grip things right now.

“Lady… uhm. I had to rush her to the Pokémon … center. It took four or five hours but they got … most of the poison out. I can’t use her in battle for a while though.”

… there’s a pause, and they sniffle. Ree scrubs at their eyes with the heel of their palm.

“It was scary.”

[monterraverde]

"Oh- Well damn thats way worse actually. Did the UB mess you up too? What happened here?"

She turns to a Gastly floating behind her head, giving it an annoyed look before sighing. "Pranks like that aren't funny, bud."

Gast-!!

She shakes her head once, turning back to Ree after a moment. "Either way, thats really scary. Are you okay? Outside of... this, I mean. Is Lady okay?"

“Huh?”

They haven’t told anybody that. Where did she hear that. That’s a secret they’re taking to their grave.

“No, uh — you got it wrong,” they’re hugging that bootleg plush though. “I had lady Moonblast an… ultra beast. They attacked us.”

[monterraverde]

@skullkxd : They give a wave with bandaged hands

She's handing them a weird bootleg looking Goodra plush. It's purple and wearing a blue and white ugly sweater.

"Heard you moonblasted someone, was wondering when it was gonna stop being a threat."

[monterraverde]

"....What the fuck-"

[monterraverde]

"Course I heard. I may have spent two months in bed but I was still keeping tabs on goings on over here." She hums, happy and listening.

If it wasn't mainstream media, it was through Bella, friends and word of mouth. Her connections ran deep, it seemed, and she was glad for it.

"I'd be concerned if you WEREN'T a headache for them, honestly. That's when I'd know something bad happened to you." She laughs, shrugging once. "I'm seriously proud of you, though. Takin' this title and using it for all this good. You're a prime example of Champion rank trainers, you'd pass Paldeas assessment with flying colors."

Paldea would be lucky to have them, honestly. But their heart belonged to Alola.

“You’ve heard?”

Well… try as they might to avoid interviews, Ree supposes that there’s still news about them. The fidget in place, fiddling with their cane. AC pokes her head out of their jacket, ears flat and staring at Rika.

“I mean… I do a lot of outreach stuff. For kids. And I’m battlin’ at the battle tree, and I’m studying moves that Pokémon from different regions have, and .. and I’m still a headache for Aether and the board.”

[monterraverde]

"Man I wish I could have a two month nap!" She is teasing. Monty gets her favourite snacks courtesy of her mom.

"I mean- after the hell I went through I think I deserve it" She snorts, gladly taking the small cup of Tres Leche from her and eating a small spoonful.

It's absolutely delicious.

"Spent two months just relaxing with my partner and recovering from that giant haunter insanity, it was so sorely needed."

[monterraverde]

She beams and folds her legs in front of her, grabbing at her ankles and nodding a bit as they spoke.

"I heard you've been doing a really good job so far. What all have you been working on? You gotta tell me all the details!"

they stay there for a few more sparse seconds, before pulling away, rubbing at their cheek with the heel of their palm.

“it’s … okay!

I just … I … uh, I really… I’ve been doin’ a lot of champion stuff.”