''Say, Haru. You said you have won your first badge, right? That must mean you're on your way to the next town to get your second, no?'' Makoto asked, glancing over to Haruka as the two males walked next to each other in the forest.

''I am, but...''

'''But, what?''

''You're wanting to win your first badge, right? I've been thinking to go back to the previously town first with you and then we can both move on together to the next one...''

Makoto's eyes widened at that, a happy smile forming on his face. ''You'll do that for me? Thanks, Haru!''

Haruka gave a nod. ''I'll also help you training, since gymleaders can be very hard to defeat. Though...this one was easy, for me, since they have Rock-types as pokemons. Hmn...but if I'm right... your Phanpy'll come in hand, Rock-types are pretty weak against Ground-types.''

''Thanks a lot, Haru!'' Makoto exclaimed once more. He was just too happy to have Haruka as his friend.

''Not a problem.'' Haruka gave shrug. The boy then looked up to the sky. The sun was almost setting down. The best is to look for a place in the forest to sleep. ''...Makoto, let's go look for a spot to sleep around here. The sun's going down soon.''

''Eh? Oh, of course, Haru. Yeah, let's do that.'' Makoto quickly nodded.

The two boys continued walking, looking for a nice place to stop in he forest and spend the night there. Haruka pointed over to a huge tree, thinking that place would be nice to sleep.

Makoto only gave a nod in agreement and they put their bags on the ground, pulling out their sleeping bags already to get ready for the night.

The brunet felt his stomach growl and he placed his hand on his belly, sighing. ''Haru...I'm kinda hungry, do you think there's any food around here?''

''I could ask Oshawott to look for fruit or something, he does that often for me.''

''...Yes, please.''

Haruka called over to Oshawott, which was looking around the huge tree. The small pokemon looked up from what he was doing and walks over to its trainer. Haruka asked the Water pokemon if it could look for some fruit, for example apples and pick them and bring them back here. Oshawott gave a nod, before hopping off already.

''Your Oshawott sure listens good to you, doesn't he?'' Haruka only nodded.

Meanwhile, Oshawott was busy looking around for some delicious fruit to spot. All it saw now were bushes, trees and grass. No food at all.

Oshawott sniffs around, in hope to smell food. After three more sniffs, the pokemon could smell something nearby. It smelled like apples. As quick as it can, the Water pokemon rushes off to the place where he smelled it.

Not much later, Oshawott stood in front of a tree, filled with round, red apples. Its eyes sparkles and drooled at the sight. They looked so delicious!

Now it has to find a way to get the apples out of the tree. It was too big to climb. Oshawott placed its paw on its cheek, thinking about how it'll get the apples out of the tree. And an idea popped up.

Oshawott grabbed its scalp from its body and smiled. This was a great idea! The pokemon took a few steps backwards, aiming at the apples to cut them of when throwing its scalp.

Once the pokemon threw it, it came back like a boomerang and the apples fell on the ground. Oshawott cheers happily as it managed to get the apples down. Stepping over to the fruit, the Water-type picks up the apples.

But now it had another problem... there were too many apples to carry! Ugh, now it has to come up with another good plan. Oshawott looked around, seeing some huge leafs nearby. It grinned.

Osawott steps over to the leafs and picks them, folding them and wrapping the apples in them so it'll look like a bag. What a smart pokemon Oshawott was.

Wrapping the leaf with apples around its neck, Oshawott made its way back to Haruka and Makoto.

The two boys were just sitting there, talking for a little bit. Haruka glances over to the pokemon as he noticed it coming back. ''Oh, Oshawott. Welcome back, what did you find?'' The pokemon stops in front of its trainer, dropping the leaf with apples, which were rolling out.

''That's a lot of apples! Oshawott, did you find all these?'' Makoto was surprised Oshawott could carry them all. Oshawott gave a proud nod.

Haruka gave a small pat on Oshawott's head, which made a noise of approval and grinned. It loved to get hugged and patted.

The black haired boy took an apple, handing one to Oshawott. The pokemon took a big bite from the fruit. Haruka then grabbed another one, handing it to Makoto. ''Here.''

''Oh- thanks, Haru.'' The brunet smiled, taking the apple from the other and took a small bite from it.

The sun was setting down slowly, it was getting darker and darker. Haruka yawned and crawls in his sleeping bag. Makoto did the same. Oshawott snuggled close to Haruka in the sleeping bag, closing its eyes as he it quickly fell asleep.

It was cold. Makoto couldn't quite sleep because of it. Usually Torchic would be the one warming him up in the sleeping bag. He glances over to Haruka, who also seems to be awake still.

Haruka was looking at his sleeping pokemon, having placed a hand on it. He noticed Makoto staring at him, he glances over to him. ''...Can't sleep?'' He asked.

Makoto blinked and shook his head. He was shivering lightly from cold. Haruka then glances down, there was a small distance between them. The boy decided to scoot closer with the sleeping bag to Makoto. He hoped Makoto would get it warmer that way.

The brunet blinked in surprise. A smile appearing on his face. ''Thank you, Haru.'' He chuckled. Haruka was only quiet.

It didn't took long for the two to fall asleep. They both closed their eyes and sleep soon overwhelmed them.

Morning rolled in and Haruka had gotten up early. Makoto was still asleep. The black haired boy packs in his sleeping bag, leaving his bag behind though and only brought a towel with him as he walked away. Oshawott following him.

Makoto didn't notice this, until he woke up. He turns his head and blinked. He didn't see Haruka anywhere, only his bag was there. He blinked one more as he sat up, looking around. Where could the boy be?

After an hour or so, Haruka came back again. A towel hung around his neck and his hair was wet. ''Haru!'' Makoto looked up and stood up. ''Where have you been? I was worried!''

''I was swimming.'' Haruka replied, walking over to his bag. He squads down and opened his bag, putting the towel back in it.

''S...Swimming? Where?''

''I've found a lake nearby, so I went swimming with Marill and Oshawott there.''

''O...Oh... y-you could have told me that earlier! I was worried!''

''Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up.'' Makoto only sighed at that.

''A-Anyways, what's the planning for today?'' The brunet asked, scratching the back of his head.

''Today we'll go further to town. Then we'll see.''

Makoto gave a nod only at that, finding it a good idea and he grabbed his bag. Haruka did the same. ''So, shall we go now then? It's not far anymore, i think. But you never know.''

Makoto gave another nod and the two of them started to walk.

''Oh yeah. Urhm...I...c-can Torchic come out of his pokeball again?''

''Hmn? Oh, of course. If you want to. He should be recovered by now.''

Makoto smiled at that and he grabbed the pokeball Torchic was in, calling the pokemon out. This also seems to get Oshawott's attention, because one the Fire pokemon was out of its ball, the Water pokemon ran up to it to give it a greeting hug.

Obviously, Torchic didn't approve of this and it gave a hard peck on Oshawott's head. Oshawott placed its paws on top of its head, eyes closed shut as it whined and rubbed. Torchic hopped back to its trainer.

''Eh...sorry, Oshawott. Torchic isn't really a pokemon that likes to hug...'' Makoto said, rubbing the back of his head.

Oshawott looked a bit disappointed, before going back to Haruka again.

Their walk continued. Oshawott was walking next to Haruka, looking very disappointed still though about Torchic refusing its hugs. Torchic just got carried in Makoto's arms, feeling safe and comfortable there from the Water pokemon.

After something that seems to take forever, the two boys walk up to a hill. Haruka stood still and Makoto finally had managed to climb up the hill too. His eyes widening at the sight he just saw. ''Haru...is that...?''

Haruka gave a nod. ''The town we're going to.''

Makoto couldn't take his eyes off of the sight. A smile slowly appears on his face. It was a beautiful sight to see. It feels like they're very close to town now and he was happy with that.

The brunet turns around, sprinting down back from the hill again. Haruka glances over to him as he still stood on top of it. ''Haru, let's go already. We're almost there.'' Makoto smiled. He almost looked like an excited little kid.

Haruka stares at his friend. He closed his eyes for a second before walking down as well. Makoto was right, they were close to town.

Smiling bright, Makoto and Haruka continued their way to town.