Finally, back to this story again.

Enjoy!

Wild Area

The sun is setting on the day. Coming out from the Wild Area Station, a wide and spacious nature stretches out in front of Victor. But there's no time to take it all in; he's got something important to say to the girl he's chasing after. "Wait up, Marnie!"

Turning back to the boy calling out to her, Marnie asked, "Hmm? What is it?"

"Well," Victor started, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I just thought that maybe you'd hang out with me and Hop a little more." Marnie had a tiny smile on her face, as she asked if the Wild Area was too scary for him. This got a deadpanned, 'no' from Victor.

Marnie then blinked, pointing in front of her. "Hop? You mean him?" Looking ahead, Victor could see Hop has run off, wasting no time in exploring the Wild Area. A moment later, Hop could be seen sticking his head into a pink circle of rocks that had a pink beam of light coming out of it, before seemingly disappearing from view. Victor shook his head.

"He couldn't even wait..." When Marnie raised an eyebrow, Victor explained. "We were supposed to have a cookout; one last friendly meal before we set out on this Gym Challenge. But looks like Hop forgot." Victor then got a bright idea. "Say, would you like to eat with me?"

Marnie blinked, surprised. She started, "I-" then was cut off.

*Poof!*

*Urara!*

Marnie's Morpeko popped out of her ball. Marnie frowned at this. "Just had to come out at the mention of food, huh?" Morpeko chirped happily while Marnie shook her head. When she turned back to Victor, he had his hands together in front of him, asking her not to beg her to join him. He wanted to pay her back for his loss. "It's a little late for that, but okay." Marnie knows she'll never hear the end of it from Morpeko if she doesn't agree to this.

Besides, Victor's piqued her curiosity a bit...

- A few moments later -

Victor had Marnie wait as he set everything up. She watched as Victor first set up a circle of rocks, then set some wood down over them. After lighting a fire, he took out a table and dressed it up very nicely. Next, he set up a grill, placing his cooking pot on it. Marnie watched all of this, in awe, amazed that everything fit into his bag. Even if that bag was pretty big. While she could have helped, Victor insisted that she just wait patiently. Soon, Victor realized he needed a few things. He then ran off a little bit ahead, speaking to a man wearing yellow hiking gear. Returning soon after, Victor went back to work, chatting with Marnie.

For her part, Marnie didn't bring anything like this. She's not the camping type, and she figured that each Route in the Galar region tends to be short, most cities being within walking distance of each other. She didn't carry much on her, preferably opting to eat in restaurants. Victor made a noticed this, seeing how Marnie was lightly stocked. And this is where he made an accidental mistake.

Continuing to cook, Victor absentmindedly spoke. "Are you sure you have everything you need? I'm surprised your parents let you leave without making you take more! Mum wouldn't let me-"

A shadow covered Marnie's face as Victor said this. She then stood up, and turned to leave, taking Morpeko with her. Through gritted teeth, she said, "You know what? I'm outta here."

Victor, confused, asked, "Marnie, what's wrong?"

Her back to Victor, she looked back over her shoulder for just a second, then gave him a cold reply. "You think you know me?" A dry chuckle escaped from her lungs. "You don't know me at all." Following the stunned silence from Victor, Marnie continued, "Not everyone's had the 'perfect' life you have." Morpeko looked up at Marnie, visible concern on the Pokémon's face.

Perfect life? That wasn't what Victor meant at all. But he could tell that he had upset her. Victor then apologized, looking down. "Sorry if I said something wrong. I just had the wrong idea."

Facing Victor, Marnie then mumbled, "Well, you did. And no, I don't need your pity." Marnie could feel that she still has the right to keep being upset, but the sad look on Victor's face got to her. She then questioned him, "Didn't you wonder why I dress and act the way I do?"

Victor blinked, "No, I just thought that this was your style, and that you were pretty cool!"

Marnie was surprised by his reaction. She even almost laughed about that. That's when it dawned on her that she was being aggressive here. She's used to people assuming the wrong things about her, and in this moment, she had projected her annoyance about it onto Victor.

"Well," Victor said with a smile, feeling that maybe all's not lost, "Maybe you could tell me more about yourself. When you're ready." While not knowing everything going on, it's clear that he doesn't want her to go. And neither does Morpeko.

Smelling the food that Victor's been cooking, Morpeko begins to protest the idea of Marnie leaving. Scolding her teammate, Marnie concedes, "All right, all right!" The smell of the food was getting to her too, having to will her stomach from growling and embarrassing her.

Taking her seat back down, it wasn't too long before everything was done. She was then handed a plate with a small tower of food on it. As Victor beamed brightly at his work, Marnie looked at the pile of food. The curry he made was practically sparkling, and smelled great. Victor didn't know Marnie's preferences food-wise and settled with adding several different types of food groups: some meat, veggies, fruits, and grains. And this was done, perfectly balanced, so that no food group overpowered any of the other groups. There's no question how Morpeko felt about this, Marnie having to fend her off from pouncing on the plate and going to town on the food.

As Marnie and Morpeko started to eat, they were being stared at by Victor. He badly wanted to know what Marnie thought of it. Taking that first bit, Marnie swallowed it, then paused to think. She then turned to Victor and pointed off into the distance behind him. "Say, what's that over there?" When Victor turned to look at where she pointed to, Marnie furiously dug into her food. "This is so good! It's like eatin' at one of those fancy restaurants!" Morpeko agreed.

With his back to her, Victor chuckled. "That good, huh?" He then turned back to Marnie, a confident grin on his face.

Embarrassed, Marnie managed out, "Maybe." Victor took the opportunity then suggest that if she kept traveling with him, then he would cook all their meals. Subtle as a brick to the face, but one Marnie, (read: Morpeko), won't fight against. But Marnie's not okay with Victor doing everything, while she does nothing. Looking around, Marnie can see the mess and effort it took to make dinner. "What 'bout all of that?"

Victor played it off. "It's okay, I'll clean it up later." Marnie scolded him for that.

"No way." She then shook her head, "Boys are always so messy." When Victor raised an eyebrow at that comment, Marnie played it off. "If you're goin' to do the cookin', then I insist on helpin' clean up." That was her condition. Victor quickly agreed, a small price to pay. Eventually, he was going to have to ask himself why he's so insistent on having her around.

Maybe.

Either way, the trio enjoy the food and camaraderie with each other. Once done, it was clean up time. Marnie even had Morpeko pitch in. 'You eat; you work'.

- A little later -

Nighttime has set in on the Wild Area. While the duo could head straight to Motostoke, there's no telling what could jump out at them in the darkness. So, Victor had a better idea: sleep under the stars. Even though Marnie didn't pack a tent, Victor offered his to her. She accepted it this one time, mentioning that she'll be getting her own when they reach town.

Setting the tent up with Victor's help, Marnie then warned him not to try anything funny. Victor tilted his head. "Why would I try anything funny?" Marnie shook her head, trusting that he really is that innocent.

Even with that, Marnie did find it hard to fall asleep right away, knowing a strange boy that she just met is right outside. She was laying on her back for a while, staring up at the roof of the tent, lost in her thoughts about the day. Eventually, noticing that nothing was going on, Marnie's curiosity got the better of her. Interested in seeing what Victor was up to, Marnie silently snuck to the tent's entrance. Quietly pulling it back, Marnie looked outside. Victor was sitting a fair distance away, with his back to the tent. Almost like he was guarding it, and Marnie. While she couldn't see what he was doing exactly, Marnie could hear him talking to someone. Sobble was resting on his leg, and the pair were looking up at the stars, 'chatting'. This made a warm smile grow on Marnie's face, noting how well Victor treats his Pokémon.

Content with that, Marnie turns back just as quietly as she approached. Seeing Morpeko fast asleep on the bed, Marnie had a deadpanned expression on her face, shaking her head.

Maybe someday they'll be that close.

Either way, Marnie was soon fast asleep. She later woke up to the smell of breakfast being made. It appears she overslept. Without thinking, Marnie poked her head out of the tent, taking in a deep breath of the food being made. "Smells great, Victor!"

Since he had his back to her, Victor replied before looking, "Thanks! Everything should be-" He cut himself off mid-sentence when he turned and looked at Marnie. What he saw made him stop what he was doing. His mouth fell open, and he dropped his spatula.

"What's wrong?" Marnie was surprised by the look on his face. Seeing him staring at her, Marnie then though that there might have been something on her face. When she touched her face, that's when it dawned on her: Marnie sleeps with her hair down. Victor saw how she looked au natural. Immediately getting red-faced, Marnie fled back into the tent, but not without screaming, "F-forget what you just saw!"

Victor let out a surprisingly dream sigh. "Too late..."

- Soon -

Marnie was still embarrassed as ate her breakfast, too shy to look Victor directly in the eyes. But the two of them changed the subject, planning out what was next to do when they get going on their adventure. That was before-

"Hey, Victor!"

A loud voice suddenly caught their attention. The owner of the voice was a certain red head. Cheerfully waving, Sonia approached the pair. She looked around, before commenting, "Wow, you don't didn't get very far, huh?" Looks like the train at the Wild Area Station's working again. Sonia then noticed Marnie. "Oh hey, aren't you..."

Realizing Sonia might know who she is, Marnie interrupted her. "N-no. Can we help you?"

Professor Magnolia's granddaughter then smirked, elbowing Victor in his side. "Say, what's going on here? Did you get yourself a girlfriend, Victor? You little heartthrob, you!" When both of their mouths fell open because of her bluntness, Sonia laughed, "Did you forget all about the Gym Challenge? Looks like I found out what you've been up to!"

The reaction from both of them was simultaneous.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

Closing her eyes and twirling her ponytail with her finger, Sonia replied with an all-knowing, "Uh huh..." Sonia noticed that they were eating together. "So cute!" That's when she decided to stick around, instead of going away. "May I?" Helping herself to breakfast, Sonia enjoyed it, completely oblivious to everything going on.

Still embarrassed, Marnie then asked, "D-did you need something from Victor?"

Through bites, Sonia looked around, then replied. "Yeah, I'm surprised Hop's not here. I forgot to give you two something."

"What is is?" Victor's glad that the subject changed.

Reaching into her lab coat, Sonia pulled out two sets of tickets. She then handed each Trainer one of the sets. To Marnie she said, "Here, I might as well give you them as well. They're a couple of passes!"

The two of them then read off the item's names.

"The... Armor Pass?"

"The... Crown Pass?"

There we go!

DLC next time!

Hopefully the next update won't take so long.

Until next time!