"You still haven't told me where we're going Pae." Ian said.

"You'll know it when we get there! Just a bit further!" Patience replied half excitedly as she happily skipped ahead of her partner, leaving the mudfish Pokemon sighing in confusion.

What's up with her today?

It all started with Patience forcefully waking him up this morning with a toothy grin on her face. He knew her well enough to know that smile meant she was excited about something. "Ian! Do you know what day it is today?" She asked.

"Our day off from Society duties?" The mudfish Pokemon groggily replied as he tried laying back down in bed, only to be dragged out by his partner, feeling frustrated, he finally decided to get up.

"No silly! It's something else, something more... meaningful." She said, pausing for a moment with her last word.

"Well I'm not sure what it is, care to tell me what it is?" Ian asked as he began tying his Harmony Scarf around his neck. However still sleepy, his attempts and tying the scarf properly around his neck only ended in embarrassment and the results was a messy and unkept scarf that would make even the messiest of Pokemon feel bad for him. The mudfish Pokemon turned to Patience, spouting a look for assistance with the predicament he was in. Sighing, the fire fox Pokemon approached him and began tying the scarf from the front. With how close she needed to be in order to reach the back of the Mudkip's neck, Patience leaned in really close to Ian's face, her nose almost touching hers. The two able to feel each other's breaths.

"You really don't know do you? Or are you just playing with me?" Patience asked.

The mudfish Pokemon shrugged. "I really don't know, honest."

Patience sighed once more. "Then I know where we'll be going for the day."

The fire fox Pokemon finish tying Ian's Harmony Scarf by pulling the knot of the scarf tightly, ensuring that it doesn't fall off.

"Where are we going?" Ian asked.

"Back to Serene Village." Patience answered. "Or rather, a place that's close to Serene Village."

The mudfish Pokemon tilted his head in confusion. "What's so special about it?"

Patience softly giggled. "You'll see." She said as she opened the door of their room and left while humming to herself, leaving the confused Mudkip by himself.

And here they were, traversing through a small cavern just a few kilometers from Serene Village, there was nothing of significance displayed on the World Map, and the cavern was too small to be considered a dungeon. Ian had no idea what laid ahead at the end of this cavern, only his partner knowing its true significance.

"There! I see the exit!" Patience exclaimed excitedly as she rushes towards it. Ian, seeing the Fennekin break into a dash, followed shortly after in an attempt to catch up with her. The two soon exited the dark cavern and was blinded by the sunlight. When their eyes finally adjusted to the lighting, they were greeted to an unbelievable sight: a filed of whitish pink flowers, gently breezing through the wind as petals flew aimlessly through the field, creating a beautiful sight. The field was enclosed by walls of rock, above them was a giant hole with the clear blue sky, sunlight seeping trough it. All of this created an area that was isolated from the outside world, untouched by any wild Pokemon, as if it was in its own little bubble of reality. Ian's mouth hung open in amazement, completely enthralled in the sight before him.

This... this is breathtaking!

It wasn't long before Ian noticed that Patience wasn't next to him. He quickly scanned his surroundings for the fire fox Pokemon, eventually finding her running through the field of flowers. She was laughing happily as she skipped through the flowers, causing some to fly into the air, creating a rather majestic look that left Ian's heart feeling a little fuzzy.

She looks so beautiful...

His eyes widened in surprise at the sudden thought he mentally blurted out. He didn't know why he suddenly thought about that regarding his partner. He has never thought of her as nothing more than a friend.

Right...?

Shaking the thought out from his head, the mudfish Pokemon broke into a dash to catch up with Patience, who has disappeared among the flowers. The only indication or her presence was the trail of flower petals flying in the air. Ian entered the field of flowers and was immediately overwhelmed by how dense the field was with flowers. No matter where he went, multiple flowers would brush his skin, causing him to feel ticklish due to how smooth the petals were. He wasn't sure how Patience had no issues with traversing through all these flowers. After some time making his way through the field, Ian eventually found Patience squatting down, as if she's picking up something from the ground. Her back was turned away from the mudfish Pokemon.

"Say Ian," she suddenly said, catching Ian slightly off guard. "Do you know the names of these flowers?"

"I don't think I do." Ian answered. "What are they called?

"They're called Gracedia Flowers."

The name rang a bell to Ian as he vaguely recalled hearing it somewhere before. That's right, he remembered a mission he and Patience did a few months ago where a Chingling needed a Gracidea Flower so that he could give it to "his special someone". He never questioned what the relevance of the flower is for it seemed like just another mission. Who would've thought it would be relevant once more.

"It's a special kind of flower, one that you only give to someone you're grateful for." Patience continued. "That's what my Pops told me that is."

"Was he the one that brought you here?" Ian asked.

The fire fox Pokemon nodded. "Mmhm, he brought me here many years ago, to show me something that I should only come back to when the time is right."

"And what's that thi-"

Ian was interrupted when Patience finally turned around and extended her hands towards him, holding out something. It was a beautiful red flower, bigger than all the other flowers here. It's petals were big and blooming, the tip of the flower was red and thin, almost like a string. The mudfish Pokemon noticed the dirt that was covered on the roots of the flower as well as on Patience's hands, indicating that she had dug out the flower from the ground.

"This, is a special kind of Gracedia." Patience explained. "Pops said it has been there even when humans were still around. He said the flower is meant for someone you are destined to be together with."

"Oh, that's ni- wait what was that you just said?"

Patience bowed her head as she held out the flower even closer to her partner's face, her hands now beginning to shake nervously. "Don't you remember? Today's the day I met you for the first time last year!" Patience exclaimed. "Ever since I first met you, you changed my life for the better! You helped me achieve my dreams, made me laugh, comfort me and overall being an amazing friend! But in that time I started experiencing feelings that I never understood at first, my heart flusters whenever I made eye contact with you, I feel genuinely happy when I just stand next to you! I didn't know why at first but eventually I came to a conclusion. Ian, I have feelings for you! I want us to become something more than just expedition partners! I want us to be together forever! I want this feeling to last till the end of time! So please... will you accept my confession...?"

Ian was left speechless by what Patience had just dumped on him. He noticed that there were drops of water falling off her face, she was crying. For the first time ever, the mudfish Pokemon was at a loss of words. All this time, all the adventures, triumphs and losses, how was he this stupid that all this time, his partner would have romantic feelings for him? He felt stupid because he used to see her as nothing more than a best friend. But now, as he silently looked at the shaking Fennekin holding a Gracidea Flower right up his face after confessing her love to him, he didn't know how to feel about it anymore. But the more he thought about it, the more conflicting emotions began swelling inside him, until he finally knew how to respond.

Patience...

He gently held Patience warm hands, as the fire fox Pokemon slowly lifted her head. She didn't have time to react before a pair of parted lips made contact with hers, taking her by surprise. She flinched for a moment but eventually gave in as time stopped around them, enveloped in a dreamlike state. Ian and Patience eventually ended their kiss as they both stared into each other's eyes. The fire fox Pokemon was smiling through her tears, as if happy the mudfish Pokemon has finally understood. It was the brightest Ian had ever seen her smile.

"Patience..." Ian softly whispered, the first time in awhile he had used her actual name. "I'm sorry that I forgot about today. But you finally opened my eyes to the feelings I had kept to myself for a long time. You confessing has made me realize how much I actually care for you, and how much you actually mean to me. So yes, I accept your confession wholeheartedly."

Patience's smile grew wider as she wiped the tears from her eyes and tightened her grip on the mudfish Pokemon's hand, holding the special Gracidea Flower together. The two then leaned head to head with each other as they quietly enjoyed their newfound joy together as a couple. It was as if fate had destined for them to be together, right here in the middle of this flower field, to create a moment they will never forget, one that they will cherish till the end of time. They didn't know what the future may hold for them, but they knew for sure that they will go through it together.

For no force will separate their love for each other, not even Legendaries.