"Yvonne Gabena", that was the name written on the photo that portrayed a beautiful young girl with blonde hair. He didn't knew how much time he spended starring at her still eyes, before, suddenly, someone took the photo from his fingers.
-Gold, don't even think about it- Crystal said putting away the photo in a folder. Then, she shifted her attention back at the computer.
-Oh come on!- He protested and rested his palm on the desk, spilling some drops from the coffe cup near the computer. -Can't I be curious about our juniors? I want to be prepared if a day I'll get to meet her…. I mean, them.
Crystal cleaned with a handkerchief the coffee drops on the desk and moved the cup away from Gold's hand before he could have done more damage. She raised her eyes to him, he was too close for her comfort.
-Ah, where is she from?- he asked, opening the folder. -Kalos… ah, isn't that where all the couple travels to?
She slammed the folder closed.
-She is too young.
-So?
-So…- She faced him. -…It's not legal and it's disgusting to take advantage of a young girl. You're not a teen anymore, you should start dating people of your age and thinking about your future.
He rolled his eyes.
-And when will you start to date someone?- He crossed his arms and backed away, knowing that she wouldn't be pleased by his next sentence. -You see, Super Serious Gal, if you don't stop telling people what they can or can't do, no one will go out with you and before you'll realize, you'll find yourself surrounded by a bunch of skitty. You aren't getting any younger you know?
He expected her outburst and to be kicked outside the lab, but she froze looking up at him. She returned to type on the keyboard and, without looking at him, she coldly said: -Go away.
-Come on, it was just a joke- he said, leaning again toward her, who pursued to ignore him. -What, you don't like skitty? Do you prefer glameow? Or maybe you're more a dog person?
The sound of typing ceased and he saw she sliding the hand on her side to reach for a pokeball and she hissed an order. -Arckee, flamethrower.
To avoid to get toasted, he fled to the door chased by the furious arcanine, who pursued on looking at him while he walked away from the lab. -Calm down, I'm going I'm going!

Crystal walked down the road to the daycare; professor Oak was pressing her for days for her to go there but she decided to do it only on that day because she knew that that was Gold's day off. She haven't talked to him for days. It wasn't the first time she was angry with him, she knew that he was mostly innocently insensitive and that, surely, he didn't mean to offend her, but he had gone too far the last time. She was lost in her thoughts and she hadn't noticed that she already arrived at the daycare and she felt shiver down her spine when she looked on the other side of the fence.
She was about to turn around, but then she heard her name called. She froze while Gold came neared and leaned on the wood fence with a happiny by his side.
-What's up Super Serious Gal?
He was so insentitive, acting like the last time never happened. -I'm just here for work, you're the one who shouldn't be here.
-Wha?- He raised his eyebrows, then he understanded what she meant. -Oh, I decided to work more to raise some money and the gramps decided to take a little vacation.
She wondered what purpose could push someone him, who likes to slack off all day and only lives in the present, to work more. Normally, she would have asked him about it but now she only wanted to run away.
She opened her bag and searched for something inside. -I'm here to leave two pokemon at the daycare.
Curious, he leaned forward -Which pokemon?
Pretending to not be nervous was more and more difficult and the hand inside the bag was shaking, desperate to find the right pocket. Why finding things inside bags is so hard?
-Just a couple of ditto with different personalities- she answered just because the time seemed to flow more slowing in that silence. One of the bag handle fell from her shoulder and all her pokeballs fell on the ground.
She kneeled to retrive them and Gold climbed over the fence to help her. She managed to put back in place most of pokeballs but, when Gold was handling her other pokeballs, she rose up abruptly.
Gold rose up as well and stared at her. -You seems off today. Maybe you need a rest, you're working too much.
Before she could have replied he continued. -or... Is still for the last time?
-I'm fine - she saw the two ditto in the pokeballs he was holding so she considered her task done. -I have to go now.
She hurriedly leave and Gold thought that going after her in that moment was not a good idea.
The air was starting to cool down so he went inside the daycare; he left the two ditto outside in the courtyard and reached for his jacket but, when he was about to put his left arm inside the sleeve, he realized he was holding a third pokeball and it contained someone with whom he wasn't on friendly term.
The pokeball fell from his hand and the arcanine inside watched him fiercely with his only eye.
He approached the pc to send him back to Oak's lab but then he froze at one thought. This seemed different from all his previous bickering with Crystal, he went too far this time, he pulled the rope too much over years. He was afraid thay they would have started to talking less and less and then to no talking at all with each other and he didn't wanted to lose her.
If he wouldn't have send arcanine back, she would have been forced to meet him again and he could have redeemed a bit starting to make peace with her pokemon.
He sat down in front of the pokeball that contained the fire dog and stared at him in the eye. -I know you don't like me, but at least be grateful and appreciate my good heart for giving you my faith and leaving you outside.
He pressed the button on the pokeball and the arcanine came outside. They looked at each other for a moment, then the guy smiled at the pokemon and streached out his hand. -Maybe you're not so bad when Super Serious Gal isn't giving you order.
He touched the soft fur on the side of is muzzle. -Who is a good boy?
Not even a second after those words, he found his head inside his mouth, his breath was terrible and he felt his teeth around him. The arcanine let him go after a while and ran outside bumping him onto the floor. He was covered with saliva, his tuft was ruined and his hat… where was it? He looked toward the fire pokemon and saw it in his teeth. He ran toward him and, trying to have back his cap, he started a tug of war game with him, that he miserably lost.
When the game ended, his beloved hat was reduced to shreds and the pokemon seemed pleased by it.
-You know I'm going to make your trainer pay for all of this?- he said with a grumpy face.
The sun altrady set, it was dark. Why wasn't Crystal still coming back for him? He was about to call her but his finger froze before touching the screen, instead he called Professor Oak.
-Hello Gold? How are things? How are those ditto behaving?
-Where the hell is your assistant?- he blurted out. -She leaved here her beast!
-Ah? Didn't she told you? She had a flight to Sinnoh.
He was taken aback. -What?
-She won't be back for some days. She went there to meet this boy, Garnet he is really a promising scienti… wait, why didn't you just sent the pokemon back?
He panicked a little. -Ah I have to go now, bye!
Hurriedly, Gold closed the call and he started to think about what he just heard. -Uh, a boy?
Then, his flow of thoughts was interrupted by a bad smell and he starred with horror at the Arcanine intent on doing his needs.
-You bastard!
While he was cleaning after her pokemon, in his mind Gold was fantasizing on how he would have take his revenge on her.
-Arckee, lets make a bet!- he rose up, starring at the pokemon, he wasn't very intimidatory holding that plastic bag full of pokemon drops. -You likes to make my life hard, uh? You can challenge me however you like, but if I manage to go through it all, you have to convince your trainer to listen to my request, whichever it is!

Gold put on another plaster on is arm. This time he received a bite because that monstrous dog reclaimed more food and he dared to say that he was already too much fat. Already two days passed, two days in which that Arcanine took the habit of taking his head inside his smelly mouth and chewing his jacket. He has dug holes everywhere and gramps would have charge him for the burned flowers in the borders, some of them were rare plants from faraway regions.
But he wasn't going to give up. At least the ditto where easy to look after. One of them get along well with all the other pokemon, while the other was more timid. He tried to make him feel more comfortable, but he prefered to remain alone.
The third day, the arcanine seemed a bit down, he was sprawled on the groud and his eye missed the usual light. Gold put down the shovel he was using to cover the holes int he ground and sat near him.
-What's up buddy? Do you miss your trainer?
He looked at him without raising his head but then he stared again at the ground.
-I miss her too- he sighed. -But I'm not sure if she misses me as well...
Arcanine looked at him again.
-I don't want to annoy her, but I wish that she could be less workaholic and have a bit of fun. Well, maybe I was worrying in vain, now she is with that Garlic boy…
Before he realized it, he was caressing Arcanine and he still hadn't bite him. -Don't you have enough of going on my nerves? Why don't you have yourself some fun? What do you think about that mightyena? Isn't she lovely? Or… that manectric? No, wait, that is a male…
Arcanine wasn't listening him anymore as he noticed a timid pokemon hiding between the roots of a tree and rose on his feet to approach him.
The fire pokemon wagged his tail at the ditto and the timid pokemon stepped a little forward and, after spending some time together, he turned into an arcanine and they started to play together. Gold wondered why pokemon with such different personalities could get along, but then he smiled.

The next day, the owners of the daycare came back and he received the compensation for his hard work and, even if he had to repay for the damaged plants, and he succeeded to collect enough money for his purpose.
Later, that same day, Crystal came back. Her Arckee was overflowed with joy and jumped toward her wagging his tail. -I'm sorry Arckee, I didn't realized that I've left you here until professor Oak called me. I'm a disappoint as a trainer...
He responded licking her face and she laughed while Gold stared at her. She seemed to be in a better mood than last time, but he still was unsure about how to approach her, the atmophere was still heavy between them, but he tried to make it look like if it wasn't.
-How was your trip?- he asked, but he wanted so hard to ask her about the guy she met without looking jealous.
-Nice- she answered continuing to stroke her Arckee. -Gold… why didn't you send him back to the lab?
So direct… she wasn't wasting any time as usual.
-Because, otherwise I had the feeling I wouldn't ever get the chance to meet you again...
Her lips formed a weak smile and she looked at him with sad eyes. -Yeah, you could be a jerk sometimes.
they stood in silence for some moments, then he spoke again.
-Also, seemed like I was wrong about you not dating someone. A scientist, uh? You must have fun together…
-What are you talking about?
-That boy, Garlic.
She was perplexed for a second. -You mean Garnet! He's just a colleague, I went to Sinnoh for work.
He feels like someone lifted a weight from his heart. -Oh and I thought that for once you decided to quit the job and have some fun… or what you mean for fun. But at leat this does not nullify my hard work to raise money.
-Uh?
-And you owe me a lot for what I went through for that beast of yours.
-You wasn't obliged to… -She said but he ignored her.
He took out a pair of ticket form his pocket. Ticket for Kalos.
She felt like someone landed a punch on her stomach. -Don't tell me you wanted to see me just to have some more information about that girl…
He shook his head-You always look down on me.
Then he stepped closer to her. -Can't I appreciate a young beauty without being mistaken for a maniac? These are for you… us.
She was left speechless and she blushed lightly.
-Since you take days off from your work only for relevant matters, I guessed you needed a big incentive, like a trip to the most romantic region if I woul have ever asked you a date- he paused for a moment. -I'm sorry if I was rude but… I would like you to have some fun sometimes, life is not all about work.
She still doesn't have the words and Arckee gave her a little push on her back with his big nose.
-We made a bet, he put me under a lot, but I won, so you can't decline my invite.
She seemed still dubious.-Wait. Wait a moment. By "date", you mean a "real date"? A… romantic one?
-Yes- he answered bluntly.
-But I thought I was too serious for you!
-Yes, you are and it took me all this time to ask you out because I thought you are too good for me and I'm... Gold. What can I say… opposite attract, I guess… I mean, if you like me too…
She smiled, for real this time and her cheecks were red. –I do.
The atmosphere changed completely the last time they metand for the rest of the day, they went on talking. She told him about his trip and how cold Sinnoh is and he wished he was with her to put an arm around her shoulders to warm her up. When she asked what happened to his hat and why he was covered with plasters, he evaded the questions and, instead, talked to her about the two ditto she left there and they noticed that the timid one was between the roots of a tree as usual, but, this time he wasn't alone, there was an egg with him.