Sorry that it took a while. I've been fairly busy and whenever I have the time to write, I get hit by ADHD or just felt like playing some games.

Anyway, here's chapter 2.

Beta'd by Old Man of the Mountain and Slothful

Chapter 2 – A New Fiery Friend

I don't own anything except some stuff.

Walking through the bustling streets of Jubilife City, I ignore Dawn's giggles. "Oh my gosh! You seriously forgot your bike!" She couldn't contain her laughter as she doubled over in mirth. "Oh, that's hilarious!"

I gave her a flat stare. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Aww, come on, Nik! Not every day I get to see someone forgetting something so important!" She teased with a cheeky grin. "I'm sure the excitement of becoming a Moemon Trainer made you forget your bike."

"Maybe..." I sighed before looking around again. "Anyway," I straightened my back, getting a few satisfying pops, before glancing towards route 202 where we just came from, and then turning to the tall buildings again. "How about we go to the Moemon Center, get Tiamat and Piper checked up, get the poffins, and see what else the rest of the day has for us? We still have plenty of time before sundown."

Dawn smiled as she grabbed Piper's Moeball and caressed it gently. "Yeah, we had them resting earlier after their battle, but I'm pretty sure Piper has some bruises that need healing." She chuckled nervously while rubbing her arm. "I love her a lot ever since we first met, but she really loves to play tough."

"Wait until she evolves," I snort as I shake my head at that thought. "I read that Empoleon are very prideful and would do everything in their power to prove how strong they are." I grin at Dawn. "She may even become worse when she evolves."

Dawn laughed heartily with a bright smile. "Can you imagine it now? Piper flaunting around and challenging any other Moemon we meet?" She wiped away a tear as she calmed down. "That sounds like such a cute sight!"

"And then we have Tiamat," I sighed, imagining the little Magikarp evolving into a Gyarados. "With the short amount of time I spent with her, I'm pretty worried that having her evolve into a Gyarados would make her more...difficult to handle."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Tiamat will still be the same sweetheart as long as she's around people who genuinely care for her." Dawn reassured me. "Besides, if there's anyone who could help you raise a difficult Moemon, it'll be me."

"I guess this is a proposal to travel with me?" I asked her teasingly as we arrived in front of the Moemon Center. "You seem awfully confident about yourself and your Moemon."

"What can I say? I only want to hang out with the coolest guy I know." Dawn stuck her tongue out as she walked inside ahead of me. "Besides, who doesn't want to travel with a guy with a shiny Magikarp as his starter?" She turned to me with a small grin. "Tia is such a cutie, I can't help but wonder what will happen if I leave you two alone. It is common for a Moemon to fall in love with her Trainer, after all~!"

"Considering the fact that I grew up with a Gardevoir and a very suggestive Lopunny who keeps encouraging me to have a harem," I gave Dawn a blank stare. "I am mentally prepared to deal with hormonal Moemon."

She pauses, turning to me with red cheeks. "So does that mean you already hav-"

"No, I haven't done anything yet." I sigh as I walk past her. "But I'm pretty sure things will get pretty rough for me once I catch more Moemon and Tia evolves. Gyarados are pretty well known for having a short fuse. Hopefully, Tia can get along with my future team so that no one gets hurt."

Dawn hummed thoughtfully as we walked to the counter, before giving me a gentle smile. "You'll do fine. I can tell Tia likes you a lot when you picked her as your starter back at Professor Rowan's lab. She was always so shy because she's a shiny Magikarp, and then you came in and picked her. I won't be surprised if she already has a crush on you!" She teased me again before letting out an amused huff. "Just don't expect me to hold back whenever Piper challenges Tia. A girl's gotta earn her keep, y'know?"

"Of course, of course. Who am I to stop two Moemon from expressing their friendship?" I let out a cheeky grin as I turned away from her. "Even if Piper is too prideful to admit that she really enjoys hanging out with Tia."

We laughed as we approached the counter. As usual, Nurse Joy was waiting patiently at the counter. Once she saw us approaching, she smiled and greeted us. "Good morning, welcome to the Moemon Center! How may I help you today?"

"Hello, Nurse Joy," I greet with a polite bow. My friend and I would like to get our Moemon checked up. We've had them battling earlier, and I'd like to see if they're okay."

Nurse Joy nodded understandingly. "That is certainly doable. If you two could kindly place your Moeballs here," She gestured towards the tray beside the counter, where there are slots for holding Moeballs. "Please wait a moment in the waiting area." A tall woman with pink, cloud-like hair walks in and takes the tray as if on cue. She's wearing a pink dress adorned with white frills and a red ribbon on her waist, and to top it all off, she is wearing an apron with a large egg in it.

"Excuse me," she bows with a polite smile as she gently grabs the tray. "I'll be taking this to the back so that Nurse Joy can begin checking up on your Moemon. Please wait in the lobby." And just like that, the woman disappeared behind a door as quickly as she appeared.

"Now then," Nurse Joy smiles as she turns to the computer near her. "If you can kindly register your Moedex, I'll store your Moemon's health records in your account. This way, if something ever happens to your Moemon, you can pull up their profile and find a Moemon Center to provide your Moemon immediate help."

A slot opened on the computer. "Just place your Moedex inside and I will do the rest."

I look down at my Moedex before handing it to her. She placed the Moedex into the slot and immediately, the screen lit up as the Moedex synched up with the Moemon Center's system. Once Nurse Joy saw that everything was done, she smiled at me as she returned my Moedex. "All set! I've logged in your Moedex's number. Now you can access any Moemon Center anywhere in Sinnoh and get your Moemon healed up."

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy," I put my Moedex back in my bag before turning around and gesturing for Dawn to come over. "How about we go out and get those Poffins while Tia and Piper are getting checked up?"

"Poffins after finishing a checkup? You're going to spoil our Moemon too much, Nik!" Dawn joked as she stood behind me before pushing me outside. "Let's go get those Poffins! I've also been meaning to go to the bakery for some cake too, now that you mention it." She said, eyeing the nearby pastry shop as we walked out of the Moemon Center.

"Too much cake will hinder your progress into becoming an idol, Dawn." I teased her. "Or maybe you can make that your brand. The Idol who Loves Sweets!" She shook her head in reply. "Too cliché. I'm trying to become unique, not copy what others have already done."

"Well, you're doing a great job so far." I chuckle as I pat her back gently. "I can't wait for you to reach stardom."

"You'll be there when it happens, won't you?" Dawn asked hopefully, looking at me with bright eyes. I gave her a confident smile. "We're gonna be traveling together. You're gonna be a Coordinator and an Idol, and I'll be aiming to become a Champion. I don't think you'd want me to miss the opportunity to see your first-ever performance live, right?"

She blushed, laughing sheepishly. "Yeah, that would be nice." Her blue eyes sparkled as she stared at me. "I'd love it if you were there."

Pausing, I turned to the busy streets and then to her. "We're going to get Poffins and cakes..." I mutter as we continue walking. "This is pretty much a date, isn't it?"

Dawn's cheeks reddened even more at that question before shaking her head. "It's just two friends hanging out together. It's not a date unless...we're both interested in each other." She explained quietly.

"Like I said earlier, you're cute." I shrugged with a playful smile. "I wouldn't mind going out with you."

"He-we just met earlier! Why would you say something like that?!" Dawn squeaked, hiding her blushing face in her hands. "What if someone hears us?!"

"Then let them," I shrugged again. "Not like they know me or you anyway."

"Jeez, you really have no tact." She muttered before letting out an amused huff. I just roll my eyes in reply. "Considering the fact that I grew up with a Lopunny who has no filters when it comes to being horny...yeah, I'm used to this kind of stuff." I grinned at Dawn. "Buns is really open with her feelings for as long as I can remember...although I can't take it whenever she starts being bold." I chuckled softly.

"Which is funny now that I think about it," I glanced towards Dawn. "If she gets all bold and starts being open, I feel embarrassed. But if I do it to you, like right now," I pressed my shoulder against her playfully, giving her a wink. "I don't feel anything!"

Dawn stared at me momentarily, her cheeks still red from embarrassment before letting out a defeated sigh. "You are going to be the death of me, Nik. Seriously."

"Maybe." I grinned cheekily at her. "Or maybe I just want to tease you because you look cute when you blush."

"Oh, stop it!" She laughed, slapping my arm gently. "You and your compliments!"

As we continue walking, I turn my attention to the street filled with different shops. While most of the shops here sell clothes and accessories, there are also a few cafes and restaurants on the side where people can relax after a tiring day. "So, where's the bakery and the Poffin House?" I ask as I stare at the various establishments.

"You haven't been to Jubilife before, right?" Dawn asked, looking around to find the stores herself. "I've been here quite a lot since I've done errands for Professor Rowan before. I know where the bakery is, but I'm not so sure where the Poffin House is located. All I remember is that it's near the bakery." She paused before taking a deep breath and holding my hand tightly. "Come on! Let's go explore the streets and find the shops ourselves. It'll be fun!"

"Oh? Holding hands already?" I teased her again. "Aren't we moving too fast?"

"I-It's not like that!" Dawn denied furiously as she shook her head. "I'm just helping you navigate through the crowd, okay?"

"Sure thing," I laugh, shaking my head as I let Dawn guide me down the busy streets. Even though there are a lot of people and Moemon around, it's easy for us to move due to the wide space between each building. The weather is nice and the skies are clear, which makes walking in the middle of a crowd less suffocating than usual.

Nothing much happened, not even after we got Dawn's cakes and the Poffins. The only thing worth mentioning is that we both had fun figuring out how to carry the pastries and the boxes of poffins. It took some effort and we ended up buying more stuff to keep everything safe. Now we're on our way back to the Moemon Center, with me carrying a box full of cake slices and poffins while Dawn has one for her cakes.

Once inside, we approached Nurse Joy at the counter. As usual, she smiled at us warmly. "Hello again," She greeted us politely. "Just on time! Your Moemon have finished their checkups." She turned towards the pink-haired woman from earlier, who appeared out of nowhere with a tray containing two Moeballs. "Lulu, if you could kindly hand over the Moemon to these two Trainers..."

The tall, elegant lady bowed her head before turning to Dawn and me, holding a tray of our respective Moeballs. "Please take good care of your Moemon. They should be feeling better now," she said, handing the Moeballs to Dawn and me, prompting us to smile.

"Thank you very much," We thanked Nurse Joy and Lulu before stepping away from the counter and heading to the chairs nearby. "Alright, let's see if they're okay."

"Tia first." I muttered before letting Tiamat out. A flash of red light later, the little Magikarp was right in front of me, yawning before pausing as she noticed me. Her eyes shined before jumping towards me and giving me a hug. "Nik!" She cried happily, rubbing her face against mine.

I chuckled as I returned the hug, patting her head gently. "Hey there, Tia. Did you have fun getting checked up?" I asked as I broke off the hug. "You're feeling alright? No injuries or anything?"

"Nope! I'm all healed up!" She cheered with a bright smile. "And the nurse gave me some yummy food too!" Raising a brow, I glanced towards Nurse Joy and Lulu before returning to my little goldie. "Does that mean Piper can have all the Poffins we bought?" I asked her with a teasing smile.

"No!"

"Yes!" Upon hearing my question, Piper let herself out of her Moeball. The Piplup shot Tiamat a challenging stare. "Nurse Joy and Lulu gave you a lot of food earlier! I'm 100% sure you're full after eating all those berries and other delicious stuff." She grinned smugly as she crossed her arms. "Besides, Nik just brought us some awesome Poffins! You already got your fill! I don't think you deserve any treats after taking advantage of Nurse Joy's kindness earlier."

Tiamat pouted at that statement, clearly not liking what her rival had said. "I didn't take advantage of anyone!" The fishy Moemon huffed. "Lulu said I can eat whatever I want when I'm hungry."

Turning to Dawn, we both shared a smile of amusement before taking a seat on a nearby couch. As Dawn let Piper sit beside her, I decided to make myself comfortable by sitting on the carpeted floor next to Tiamat. "Alright girls," I raise a hand to stop them from arguing any further. "How about we share the poffins instead? We're all going to travel together so it would be better to start learning how to cooperate with each other."

"What?!" Tia stared at me in shock while Piper seemed to consider my proposition. "Share?! Why do I have to share my food with Pippi?!"

"Hey!"

Ignoring Piper's outburst, Dawn laughed, shaking her head in amusement before patting Piper's head gently. "Oh Tia, you silly little Magikarp." She teased with a giggle. "Poffins aren't just your food anymore. It's our food now, since we're traveling partners." Turning to me, Dawn smiled. "And besides, there are plenty of poffins here! We can always buy more if we run out."

"...okay..." Tiamat pouted before standing up and turning to me. I raised a brow as she tried to push me towards the couch. "Sit on the couch, Nik! Nngg! You're too heavy!"

"But the floor is nice!" I retorted with a grin, leaning back against the cushion and enjoying the way it felt against my back. "Plus, the ground won't hurt my butt. Unlike this very soft chair which will most likely give me sore muscles tomorrow."

Tia pouted again before looking up at my eyes. "Please?" She pleaded, giving me the puppy eyes. I paused before letting out a sigh. "Alright, alright. If you really want me to sit on the couch, I'll do it." I muttered as I stood up. "Happy?" I asked with a smirk.

"Very!" The little Magikarp cheered before sitting down on my lap and giving Piper a smug smirk. "You're so short, Pippi! Look at you so tiny!"

"Wha-?! Two can play that game, Goldie!" Piper huffed before sitting on Dawn's lap...only to realize that she was still shorter than Tia even with Dawn. "Nngghh!"

Dawn laughed again, giving Piper a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Piper. I love you no matter how tall or short you get. And besides, you're still growing!" She giggled as she gave Piper a hug. The penguin girl blushed, but I could see the small frustration hidden in her eyes.

"Its fine, Piper," I whispered softly, catching her attention. "As long as you try your best, it doesn't really matter what others think."

"I know, I know." She sighed in defeat, looking up at me with a cute frown. "But it just makes me feel bad whenever Tia teases me about being small and weak!"

"When did I say you're weak?" Tiamat asks with a curious tilt of her head. "All I said is that you're tiny and short. That's all! Nothing wrong with being smaller than someone else, right?"

"She does have a point." Dawn points out as she pets Piper's head gently. "Some Moemon are born tiny and small like Bidoofs and Munchlaxes. Being big isn't everything, y'know? Sometimes, being small has its own benefits too. Like being able to squeeze into tight spaces and be stealthy!"

"Or being cute!" Tiamat added with a giggle as she posed by sticking her tongue out and making a peace sign with her fingers.

Piper paused, seemingly considering their words for a moment before huffing as she stood up and turned to Tiamat. "Move, Goldie. I wanna sit on Nik's lap too."

"Huh?!" Tia exclaimed in surprise while I raised a brow. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope! You already have to sit on his lap, and it looks comfy." She huffs again before glancing at me. "And besides, I want us to be on the same level when we share those poffins..." She whispered with a small blush on her cheeks.

Turning to Dawn, I chuckle before nudging my head toward Piper. "All that pride and she acts so cute, right? Just like a little kid." Dawn nods in agreement before letting go of Piper, who immediately rushes to my side before climbing onto my lap and giving Tiamat a smug smirk. "Ha! Suck it, Goldie!"

Tiamat frowned. "That's not fair! Nik, you're mine!" She whined cutely before turning to Dawn. "Pippi stole my Trainer!"

"Oh come on," Dawn rolled her eyes fondly. "You two can share his lap, you know? Dominik's strong enough to hold both of you without breaking a sweat."

"Well, at least until they evolve," I add as I give Dawn a cheeky grin. "Once Tia and Piper gets bigger, I'm sure sitting on my lap won't be that comfortable anymore."

"Hmph!" Tia pouted again before leaning back against me with a confident smile. "We'll see about that! For now, I'm the one who gets to sit here so Pippi has to move!"

"What?! No way!" She argued back as she glared at Tiamat. "Nik said we should share! Weren't you listening earlier? He even bought us this awesome food and he's just being nice because you're his starter!"

"That's right!" Tiamat huffed, her chest filled with pride. "I'm Nik's shiny starter. That's why he loves me more than you!"

Turning to Dawn, I shrugged before grabbing 2 poffins and popping them into both girls' mouths. "Enough chit-chat! Here are your treats! Enjoy~!" I smiled innocently as both girls turned to me in shock, their mouths stuffed with the delicious pastry. "While it looks like you 2 can't stand each other, I can already see you both getting along," I tell them with a wide smile. "So don't fight anymore, alright? We're going to travel together from now on and it'll be better if we all get along well."

The girls blushed before averting their gazes with embarrassed huffs. "Fine." They mumbled under their breaths before chewing on the poffin in their mouths.

Dawn laughed. "Jeez, Nik. You really have no tact when it comes to handling your Moemon." She teased as she grabbed another Poffin from the box beside me and ate it happily.

"Do you want them both to start arguing again?" I asked her with a raised brow. "While its funny, in its own way, it'll start getting annoying soon. I mean, how would you feel if I told Tia to stay away from you and leave me alone or something?"

"...okay, fair point." She relented after thinking for a moment. "I guess we just have to do our best to keep the peace between them, huh?"

"Yep!" I nod with a smile. "I'm sure they'll get used to each other sooner or later." Looking down at both water types on my lap, I pat their heads at the same time. "I'm betting on them becoming some sort of rivals, especially during training sessions."

"I can definitely see that." Dawn nods, leaning back with a smirk on her lips. "As Piper's trainer, I won't let you and Tia win next time!" She declares proudly, making Piper grin and Tia frown. "Oh yeah? Well, I won't let Pippi beat me either!" Tia shoots back confidently as she stares at Dawn.

"You're on, Goldie!" The penguin girl grins, taking out a fist and offering it to the shiny Magikarp. Tiamat stared at the hand for a moment before grinning back, bumping hers against the offered fist. "Bring it on!"

"Alright, that's enough!" I huff with a playful roll of my eyes. "I don't know about you, but we just got here in Jubilife City. There's plenty of time for training and other stuff."

"And besides," I turn to Tia. "I think its time we find a new teammate." Turning to Dawn, I nudge my head towards the doors outside. "Wanna go back to Route 202 and see if we can find a Moemon to join us in our journey? There's still a few hours left before nightfall."

Dawn grinned. "Sounds fun!" She declared before suddenly grabbing the box of cakes on the table and bringing it to her face. "Let me eat these first though." She giggled sheepishly as she took out a slice of cake and began munching on it happily. "I've wanted to try this for a while now so I'm gonna take my time eating it."

"Fair enough," I chuckle, shaking my head before looking down at the two Moemon in my lap. "How about you 2? Want anything else?" I ask them teasingly.

Tiamat turned to me with an eager look on her face. "More friends?"

Piper snorted at Tiamat's childish answer before grabbing another poffin from the box and eating it with gusto. "Don't care!" She mumbled through the food in her mouth.

Sighing, I ruffle Piper's hair. "I want to get a new Moemon to join us in our journey, Piper. I can't just power my way through the Gyms with only Tia and you, y'know? We need to get more teammates to help us out."

"Besides," I grinned. "Don't you want to make more friends? More sparring partners to get stronger?"

Piper paused at that thought, considering my words carefully. After a moment, she let out a small huff. "Fine...but I'm going to train really hard so that I can be strong enough to keep up with everyone!" Grabbing Dawn's hand, she lifted it with a prideful smirk. "And I'll help Dawn get strong Moemon too, so that we can all battle to see who's better!"

Dawn laughed as she patted Piper's head gently. "Well said, Pippi! You're a real trooper, aren't you?" This caused Piper to turn to Dawn with a betrayed look on her face. "Not you too! Its Piper, not Pippi!" The penguin girl whined as she glared at her Trainer. "It sounds like you're calling me a loser!"

"Oh come on, Pippi. Its so cute!" Dawn giggled, clearly enjoying teasing the little Moemon.

"Not fair!" The penguin grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "You're being mean."

Dawn smiled as she hugged Piper close and pressed their foreheads together. "But you're adorable when you get mad, Piper. It's fun seeing you puff your cheeks whenever you feel embarrassed or upset." She whispered softly as she kissed Piper's cheek. "Aside from being talented, you're also very cute!"

"But not as cute as me!" Tia joins in with a smug smile, hugging me tight. "Because I'm the cutest shiny Magikarp ever~!" She cheered happily as she nuzzled against my neck affectionately.

Chuckling, I pet Tia's head gently. "Of course you are, Tia." I reassured her before turning to Dawn and winking playfully. "Our starters are such cuties, aren't they?"

"Indeed..." Dawn nods with a giggle before kissing Piper's forehead. "Such pretty girls."

Chuckling, I grabbed a magazine from my bag and began to read it. It was nothing special, just a trainer magazine featuring some rules and facts for Moemon. I decided to use the time to study while waiting for Dawn to finish her cakes. Tia also seemed to enjoy my lap as well, judging by how relaxed she looked. She closed her eyes and let out a content sigh as she leaned back against me and snuggled closer while slowly nibbling on her poffins.

Meanwhile, Piper remained quiet but continued munching on her share of treats quietly. I glanced down at the little penguin and noticed that there was an air of embarrassment surrounding her as she sat on my lap while watching Dawn eat her cake. She kept stealing glances at the bluenette, who was completely focused on savoring every bite of her pastry.

The moment Dawn finished her slice of cake, she turned towards me with a bright smile. "So, ready to go?" She asked cheerfully. "We still have some time to ask some Moemon to join us."

And that's one of the rules when it comes to catching Moemon. A Trainer must always ask a Moemon to join them. One cannot just catch them with a Moeball and call it a day. Asking the Moemon if they would like to become your partner is something a Trainer should do before catching any other Moemon. Sure, not all Moemon will agree to join you in your journey, but most of them will consider your offer anyway.

In fact, it's treated as a social etiquette to ask a wild Moemon to join you in your travels. If you don't ask and then proceed to throw a Moeball at the poor girl...well, let's say that'll leave a bad impression on the rest of the world.

Especially since it can also be counted as kidnapping, depending on who you ask.

"Yeah," I nod before placing the two Moemon off my lap. "Alright girls, let's get moving!"

"Ooh! I saw a lot of Moemon back at Route 202! A lot of them looked so cool and strong too!" Tia cheered as she jumped excitedly around my legs, causing Dawn and me to chuckle in amusement at her enthusiasm.

"As far as I know, you can find a lot of Shinx, Bidoofs, Starlies, and I even saw some other more rare Moemon back when I was doing some errands for the Professor." Dawn added as she took out her Moedex. "Oddly enough, I found some non-native Moemon in the past." She turned to me. "Like a Growlithe."

Raising a brow, I stared at her in surprise. "Really? You found a Growlithe there?"

"Yep! But it was only for a moment." She sighed. "She ran away as soon as she saw me."

"Probably because you were all sweaty because you stayed out in the open sun all day," Piper commented teasingly, earning herself some cheek pinches from her Trainer. "Hey!" The Piplup whined before glaring at Dawn. "How come you get to tease me but I can't tease you?" She complained as she rubbed her reddened cheeks.

"Because I'm older and taller than you?" Dawn replied with a shrug. "It's also because your cheeks are so soft and squishy! I can't resist pinching them whenever you're being a brat!"

Piper huffed. "You're mean, Dawn."

Dawn rolled her eyes fondly. "And you're cute, Piper."

The little penguin turned redder at that statement while Tiamat giggled. "Pippi's turning into a tomato!" She pointed at the embarrassed Moemon with a grin. "Look! She's getting even more redder!"

"Am not!" Piper shot back as she covered her face with her cape. "I'm perfectly normal!"

"If that's what you say..." Tia trailed off innocently before giggling again.

Shaking my head fondly, I led our group out of the Moemon Center and began making our way toward Route 202. My thoughts went back to my bike back in Sandgem Town. We could go back there to grab it, but it'll be dark soon. And while I'm sure Professor Rowan wouldn't mind having us stay over for the night, I'd rather save my money for other stuff. Like food and supplies.

"Alright," I muttered as I stretched my arms above my head. "Let's hurry up and find ourselves a new teammate," I smiled, turning to Tiamat. That means you have to help me convince a new Moemon to join our team, alright?"

"Sure thing!" Tia nodded, her gold scales glinting in the afternoon sunlight. "Just point me to her and I'll do my best to make her want to join us!" She grabbed my hand and began to pull me into a run. "Come on, Nik! Hurry up or we'll be late!"

"Hey, wait a second! I can't run like you!" I chuckled, playfully ruffling her hair. "Wait a moment, please?"

"No, we don't have time to wait!" She insisted, tugging me harder.

"Then slow down a bit, would you?" I sighed, shaking my head in amusement. "Even if we don't find one this afternoon, we still have plenty of time. We're not going to buzz through Route 203 and Oreburgh Gate in a single day."

"But..." Tiamat hesitated, turning back to look at Dawn and Piper. "I want more friends..." She muttered under her breath, her gaze filled with longing.

Kneeling in front of her, I smile softly. "We're going to have a lot of friends. Just gotta be patient, alright?" I winked at her playfully as I gently pat her head. "And besides, you're a shiny Magikarp, who wouldn't want a shiny Magikarp as a friend?" Gently grabbing her by her waist, I hold her up, getting a squeak of surprise from her. "Any Moemon who saw you back in Route 202 were probably thinking of how pretty you look! Imagine what would happen if we travel around Sinnoh and have a lot more Moemon see you?" I grin widely. "I might even run out of money from buying so many Moeballs if you keep attracting more and more Moemon!"

Tiamat stared at me, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "...really?" She whispered, her voice filled with awe.

"Really," I nodded with a confident grin. "I promise. A lot of Moemon will flock to you as soon as we get back out in the road. And once you finally evolve into a Gyarados...you'll be a star in no time! Trust me."

The little golden fish girl pondered my words for a moment before nodding eagerly. "Okay, I believe you." She gave me a bright smile, her eyes glistening as she tightened her grip around my arm. "I'm going to be the prettiest Gyarados ever! I'm going to be the prettiest Gyarados everyone will look up to!"

"I'm sure you will." I assured her, letting her go once she's back on the ground. "For now, you're a very cute Magikarp." I gently squeeze her cheeks, causing her to let out a cute squeak of protest.

"Don't be mean, Nik!" Tiamat protested as she puffed her cheeks.

"I'm not, I'm just showing you how much I love you!" I teased with a cheeky grin as I turned to Dawn. "See what I'm dealing with here?"

"Don't mind her," the blunette waved dismissively. "She's just a child, that's all."

"But she's still cute!" I huff with a laugh.

"Of course, she is." Dawn agreed as she approached me and gave the Magikarp a gentle caress on the head. "Which is why we have to get her to evolve as soon as possible."

"I'll make her evolve..." I reply before turning to Tiamat. "We'll work together, get stronger, and then evolve you into a Gyarados." I pat her head before standing up. "But we won't do it alone, Tia. We'll get even stronger with more friends, and then we'll show the entire Sinnoh how amazing our team is!"

Tia smiled brightly as she bounced happily. "Yay!" She cheered, her tail swishing gleefully from side to side.

"But first," I pause, turning back to her. "We should get back to Route 202 so you can help me find a Moemon."

"Right! I'm going to search the whole route and make sure that we'll get lots of friends!" She proclaimed proudly, pumping her tiny fists into the air. Dawn and I can't help but chuckle at seeing Tiamat looking so motivated, and while Piper doesn't seem happy, her smile tells me she's genuinely supportive.

"Now, let's get going already." I turn to the direction of the path leading to the outskirts of Jubilife City. "We have a long road ahead of us and a lot of Moemon to meet."

"You can count on me, Nik!"

1 hour later...

Watching Tiamat interact with the different Moemon around the field is something that I'll never get tired of. Most of the Moemon we have encountered are Bidoofs, Shinx, Starly, and even the occasional Kricketot. Every single one of them are attracted to the shiny gold color of her scales. Despite this, none of them seem interested in going on a journey with us.

I wonder if this is going to be a problem in the future, though.

"Why won't they come with us?" I hear Tiamat's voice, drawing me back to the present. "Everytime I show them my pretty scales, they refuse to join us."

"That's because they're not stupid." Piper replies with a shrug. "They can see how weird your shiny scales are, and they don't want to stick around."

"Hey! That's mean! I'm not weird at all." Tia huffed.

"You are, but not in a bad way." Dawn interjects with a giggle. "Your scales are really pretty. Like a shining gold diamond."

"Because I'm shiny~!" Tia cooes as she twirls in place, her scales sparkling brightly as they reflect the light. "I'm the prettiest shiny Magikarp, aren't I?"

"The prettiest, indeed."

"In all seriousness, most of them have obligations and lives of their own," Dawn explains. "Some have parents that are waiting for them back home. Some have their own territory, others have their own community. Most are still too young, or the adults don't have enough trust in them."

"I see..." I mutter, thinking over her words.

"It's not your fault, Goldie." Piper assures the disappointed Magikarp. "But maybe its better if you stop trying to persuade them?"

"Aww..."

I'm not surprised. I mean, it would have been a waste of time if she was successful in convincing a bunch of random Moemon to come with us. I'm just glad we only spent part of the etire time wandering aimlessly. I'm sure we'll have more luck searching the rest of the route tomorrow, assuming the Moemon are here when we return.

"Huh? Who's that?" Tiamat curiously points towards a line of trees up ahead. Unlike the other Moemon we have encountered, this one has blond hair worn into a ponytail. She is wearing a striped black and white coat over a black skirt, along with a pair of fingerless gloves, and black boots.

"I have no idea," I reply, standing up as I slowly approach the girl. "Hello?" I call out, getting their attention.

She stiffens and turns to me, showing me her brilliant amber eyes, and I just also noticed the fuzzy tail that is the same shade as her hair.

"Ah! That's the Growlithe I saw!" Dawn gasps, causing the Moemon to narrow her eyes before making a run for it. "W-Wait!" Tiamat's eyes widened at the sight, and she immediately dashed after the fleeing Moemon.

"Tia, don't!" I yell after her, not wanting the Magikarp to scare off the strange Moemon.

"I'm not letting you go!" She shouted back, running as fast as her tiny legs would take her. "You look so cool with those stripes! Please be my friend!"

"Get lost!" The girl yelled back, stopping briefly to glare at the shiny gold-scaled Moemon. "Leave me alone, shrimp!"

"I'm not a shrimp! I'm a shiny, super cute and beautiful Magikarp!"

"Don't care!"

"I do, though!" Tia pleaded, getting on her knees and putting her hands together. "Hear me out! I can guarantee that you'll have a lot of fun travelling together with me! I'm really nice and friendly, and plus, my Trainer's really nice too! He's a good guy! He bought some poffins earlier and they were really del-"

Growl~!

The Growlithe froze, only the sound of her stomach growling could be heard in the silent woods. She groaned, rubbing her stomach, before glaring at Tiamat again.

"Ugh! Nevermind!" She grunted, looking away. "I'm not hungry! So leave me alone, okay?!"

"Please, just listen to me, I swear we can be great friends!" Tiamat begged, tears forming in her eyes.

"Stop following me and just go away!" She snapped, clearly agitated. "Just leave me alone!"

"But..."

Putting a hand on Tiamat's head, causing her to stop, I turned to the clearly hungry and agitated Growlithe before smiling. "Please, can we talk this out?" I glance towards the tall buildings of Jubilife City. "We can go and buy some food for you, so could you come with us?"

"I don't need yo-..." She stopped herself, closing her eyes and sighing as her stomach growled. The Growlithe huffed. "Fine. Just let me eat and then we'll have a chat, alright?"

"Great!" I grin, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Thanks, Nik." Tiamat smiled, rubbing her face against my hand.

"Yeah, whatever." The Growlithe huffed, clearly annoyed. "And just so you know, I'm only agreeing to this so that you buy me food. Don't expect me to go along with your plans or anything."

"Sure." I nod, glancing at the Growlithe and Tiamat. "I'm Dominik; this is Tiamat." I point a thumb behind me toward Dawn and Piper. "That's Dawn and Piper. You have a name, right?"

"Leona," she huffs, staring at all of us. "And just because you're buying me food, doesn't mean we're friends."

Ah...she's a tsundere, huh?

"We're not, and that's fine," I smile, waving the matter aside.

"Just get on with it! Let's go before my stomach eats me alive." She growls, surprising Tiamat as fire suddenly flared in her mouth.

"Ooh! Pretty! Can you show me that again? Its so cute!" Tiamat gasped, her eyes gleaming.

"What the-...no!" Leona blushes, her face a deep crimson as she quickly covers her mouth. "It's not cute! It's a reflex for me and its not cute, okay?!"

Ignoring Tiamat and Leone's exchange, I turned towards Dawn. "Lets go back and get Leona something to eat, alright?"

"Gotcha." She smiles, turning to Piper. "Come on, Pippi. Let's go get a snack for her."

"Not that stupid name again! And its Piper!" She stomps on the grass, pouting.

"I'll let you know. It's very cute. Very fitting for you." Dawn chuckles, hugging Piper. "And even if I called you Pippy, I'd still treat you the same. It's not a problem, know?"

"Hmph, just because Goldie called me that earlier..." She pouts. "And its Piper. Not Pippi."

Shaking my head, I turn to Tiamat and Leona. The former is currently petting the latter's tail, much to the dog girl's embarrassment. "Hey, Tia." I call, getting their attention.

"Yes, Nik?" She looks up at me.

"She hasn't decided on travelling with us yet, but maybe she'll feel more comfortable if we let her eat first."

"Oh! Good point." Tiamat gasps, turning to the shy Growlithe. "Sorry, Leona! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to annoy you earlier!"

"Tch...whatever," she huffs, turning away from my shiny starter. "Just buy me something to eat, alright?"

"Can do, Leona." We turn back to the direction of the city. "Come on, its not too far."

"Thank goodness..." The Growlithe sighs.

"You're so cute, Leona," Tiamat beams, still petting the Growlithe's tail.

"Shut up, you stupid gold fish!"

"Stupid fish?! How can you say something so rude after I'm being so nice and friendly to you, Leona?" Tia pouted. "I'm the cutest Magikarp there is! I'm the prettiest, right?"

"Whatever," Leona huffed, rolling her eyes. "After your Trainer buys me some food, I'm going back."

"Why not travel with us, though?" Tia asked, tilting her head.

"No reason."

"Are you sure? You could be a part of our adventure, Leona." I tell the Growlithe, turning to her. "We're heading to the Oreburgh Gym to challenge the Gym Leader...of course, we need to get stronger first." I smile.

"Hmph, this fish here doesn't look tough." She points out, looking at Tiamat. "You won't be able to do anything. Oreburgh's Gym is a rock gym." She points at Piper. "Unless that birdbrain fights for you."

"Hey!" Piper protested, puffing her cheeks as she glares at Leona.

"Anyway, there's no way a little shrimp like you will be able to handle a gym leader."

"I'll prove you wrong, Leona." Tiamat smirked, folding her arms.

Seeing the confidence in Tiamat's eyes, I raised a brow as Leona's lips curl into a smirk, fire flaring past her lips once again. "I like your attitude. You're not scared, huh?"

"Nu-uh! I'm not scared! I'm going evolve into a strong Gyarados. I'm not going to let some rock-types get the better of me!" She huffed, pouting.

"...you are one tough fish." The Growlithe muttered, clearly impressed. "How about this, shrimp? If you beat me, I'll join your little journey."

"I'm not a shrimp! I'm a shiny, ultra-rare, very cute Magikarp!" Tiamat swings her arms in the air. "And you're going to be my friend because you look strong and cool, and I really want a strong and cool friend!" Leona stares at Tiamat for a few seconds before turning to me.

"Your name's Dominik, right?" She gives me a confident grin. "I wanna see if your shiny goldfish is really as strong as she says she is. So, how about it? Shrimp and I fight, and if you win, I'll join you guys."

"After we-"

"No, now." She growls, interrupting me, her eyes narrowing while her tail smacks my leg. I can even see the impatience in her eyes, and while her growling hid the noise of her hunger, her growling is not a sign of her actual emotion. "I'm not a kid."

"Alright, just calm down, okay?" I chuckle, holding my hands up as a gesture of surrender. "Tia, we're going to have a battle against her."

"Really?" She asks, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Yeah."

"Yay!"

"Don't 'yay' me, I'm going to beat you into next week." The Growlithe snarls, causing Dawn to giggle beside me as she subtly pointed towards Leona's tail. It was clearly wagging. And like all tsunderes, she doesn't want to just ask us to have her join. Its adorable that she's making herself weaker for Tiamat by not eating.

"We'll have a one-on-one match, alright?" The girl continues, and her tail keeps wagging. "If you win, I'll join, and if you lose, I'll give up on that. Alright, gold-skin?"

"I want another condition!" Tiamat huffs, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't call me shrimp and...and..." She pauses, brows furrowing in thought.

"And?" Leona raises a brow.

"Be my friend! If I win, you have to travel with us, stop calling me shrimp, and be my friend!" Tia exclaims, pumping her tiny fist into the air. "Seriously?" The canine Moemon sighs before pointing her finger towards a small pond. "Now get on the pond. I don't want to fight you when you're not on top form."

I refrained from mentioning the fact that she still hasn't eaten anything and that she's probably been walking around for a while, despite her hunger. She really wants to join us that bad, huh? Its really adorable how she's setting it up so hard for her to lose. Such a tsundere, honestly.

"You're going down, Leona!" Tiamat cheers as she hops into the water, looking so excited.

"Yeah, yeah." The Growlithe rolls her eyes before going to the pond's edge and looking at me. "Alright, shrimp's trainer." She grins through the hunger. "Make sure you do your best before throwing one of those balls of yours at me. I'm not the kind of girl that goes out without a fight."

"Trust me, we're going to have a good battle." I nod with a confident smile.

"Hmph. Ready when you are!" She growls, turning to Tiamat as her hair bristles, her body beginning to glow. I purse my lips, watching her cautiously. She might be fighting hungry, but she's still a Moemon. One cannot underestimate the power of a Moemon, even if she's starving.

"Alright, Tia," I start, getting her attention. "Let's do this!"

"I'm counting on you, Nik!"

"Hope you're ready!" Leona roars as she shot out a small Ember straight at the water. The attack is surprisingly quick and aimed at the spot where Tiamat was floating. Luckily, even without my instructions, Tiamat dodged it by diving under the surface, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.

"Good! Just like last time, Tia! Swim around to confuse her!" Despite being underwater, Tiamat clearly heard my orders as she began swimming around the pond, her scales shimmering like the night sky.

"Damn it, what are you doing?!" Leona huffs, frustrated as she shot another round of Ember, all of which were easily avoided. "Stop swimming aroun-"

"Get in close and splash some water right into her face!" I interject, cutting the Growlithe's speech short.

"Wha-crap!" In an instant, Tiamat shot out of the water and sprayed the poor girl's face with some water. "And Tackle! Now!"

"Wha-...agh!" Leona's eyes widened as Tiamat tackled her, causing her to fall down onto her butt. "You little...!" Her mouth wide open, my eyes narrowed as her teeth started to glow slightly. "She's gonna use Bite, get back in the water!"

"Eep! No biting!" Tia immediately dove down the pond before Leona can attack her. "Bad, bad doggo! Biting is bad!"

"God damn it...!" Growling, the girl stood up, her legs visibly shaking. "Damned...shrimp."

I easily noticed the shaking of her legs, causing me to frown. 'She's that hungry that it only took Tia one hit to almost knock her out? That's not a good sign.' Glancing towards Dawn, I saw that the concern was also visible on her face.

"Don't worry, she's okay." Piper, however, seems unfazed by the whole ordeal. "I can kinda understand her, wanting to join us but refusing to admit it." She turns her attention towards Tiamat. "She's almost down, Goldie! One more hit and she's done for!"

"Not yet..." Leona growls, fire building up in her mouth. "I'm not going down yet, not after a little fishy drenched me with this pathetic attack!" I narrow my eyes before focusing on Tiamat. "Dive under the water and swim as fast as you can, Tia!"

"On it!" Tia replied, doing as she was told.

Leona is on high alert, keeping her eyes on Tia's shadow under the water as her tail starts wagging. Even her ears are standing on end, her fangs bared. Fire flares past her lips intensely, and it doesn't take a genius to see that she's going to unleash another move.

"It's your time, Goldie!" She declares, glaring at the pond. I waited patiently, watching as she inhales, the fire in her throat getting bigger and bigger. Eventually, she started to spew Ember after Ember, all of which are aimed at the exact same area. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"

"Nik, she's not going to be able to dodge this one," Dawn whispers, gripping her skirt tightly.

"I know." I reply, frowning.

"But..." I watch Leona before smirking as she starts panting. "This is gonna hurt, Tia, but tank her Ember and Tackle her! Don't hold back!"

"Got it!"

"Makes sense since Tia's a water-type, but that's still gonna sting!" Dawn winces, watching Tiamat get more momentum for the last time before shooting out of the water. She takes a few hits from Leona's Ember before using Tackle, slamming the poor Growlithe right into the ground, knocking the wind out of her before she landed with a loud thud.

"That's...that's enough, Tia." I told her, and with a nod, Tiamat took a step back, watching Leona struggle to stand up. "Well...damn..." The Growlithe stutters, her eyes filled with disbelief. "You're strong, Goldie." She coughs before grinning, her fangs exposed. "You win, and I'm in."

"R-Really?" Tiamat gasps, her scales shimmering happily.

"Yep. We're a team."

"Yay!" Tiamat cheered, jumping in the air before charging towards Leona, tackling her into a hug.

"Gah! Get off of me, you damned shr-...I mean, you're cute, you know that?"

"Of course, I am!" Tiamat nods, her cheeks puffed in pride. "And we're friends now, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Leona turns to me with a frown. "Now throw one of those balls at me so we can grab something to eat...I'm hungry."

"Alright, alright," I nod, chuckling as I grab a Moeball and kneeled towards Leona. "Welcome to the team," I gently pat her head, earning a small blush from the Growlithe.

"Hmph, don't get full of yourself." She grumbles as her tail begins to wag. "Don't get it wrong! I'm not happy that I'm joining your journey! I just like it when you pat my head! Is that clear?!"

"Of course," I grinned, petting her head a bit more.

"G-g-good. Because its not like I'm happy and stuff. N-not at all. Seriously." She fidgets under my gaze, and I can't help but chuckle.

What a cute fire-breathing tsundere dog girl.

And cut!

That's around 8.4k words or so if you don't include the AN.

Beta readers' notes:

Old man: He must get the mighty Bidoof. Bidoof.

Slothful: Leona much cute, must pet the doggo and give many treats. Break the tsundere operating system with copious amounts of affection and food.

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Pat/ luckyerofu

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Ciao! Peace!