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Ash and Hau were lounging at the Professor's shack, Ash hung his head off the edge of the couch playing his 3ds upside down while Hau was doing the same. Suddenly, they both jump as three loud knocks come from the front door, followed by Professor Kukui yelling from the basement lab. “Hey! Can one of you get the door?”
Ash happily rushed over and opened the door. “Oh, hey Olivia come on in.” The energetic ten year old greeted.
The voluptuous, dark-skinned women saunters in. “Just the two boys I wanted to see,” she exclaimed gleefully. “I'm going on vacation, do you two think you can watch Lycanroc for me?”
Ash snapped his game closed with a click, as Hau ran up behind him to see Olivia, bumping into him and nearly knocking them both onto the floor in his exuberance. “Sure, I don’t mind - !” He was cut off as Hau impacted his back, knocking the air from his mouth. “ - at all…” Ash coughed. “What the heck was that for?!”
“Sorry, sorry!” Hau chuckled, ignoring that he nearly sent Ash sprawling to the floor. “Just haven’t seen Olivia in forever!” He poked from behind Ash, waving at Olivia with a wide, face splitting grin on his face. “So, what’s this about Lycanroc?
With a hopelessly fond smile, Olivia nodded. “I’m going to be heading to visit Unova for a weekend - I got a ticket for the premier of one of the newest PokeStudio movies, y’see? So I’ll need someone to take care of Lycanroc for me - she doesn’t like crowds much, and the cold mountain air would probably freak her out pretty badly. The drawbacks of a tropical pokemon, you know?” Olivia continue to explain.
Ash and Hau looked to each other with a glimmer of excitement in their eyes, Ash's Rockruff is tons of fun and the prospect of playing with Lycanroc is too much to decline. “Of course we'll watch him over the weekend for you.” Hau said in a relaxed posture, placing both of his hands on his neck, smiling ear-to-ear.
Olivia was elated, a small weight was lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you both so much! Here you'll need this, this and this.” She said, handing them food, her leash and her favorite ball.
Just as quickly as she arrived Olivia left having a plane to catch.
Ash could only really compare it to a whirlwind. There, gone, and then leaving the mess behind...Wait, isn’t that how his mom described him once? “So, I guess we’re taking care of another dog now, Hau!” He grinned, tossing the pokeball up into the air, only for it to fall and land on his head. At least Hau caught it.
Soon enough, Kukui came up the stairs to the main floor. “Was that Olivia? Did I miss her? That woman, I swear.” He chucked, taking his hat off to wipe the sweat from his brow. “So, what did she want, squirts?” Kukui ruffled both boy’s hair - nearly pulling Hau’s out of his ponytail.
“We’re in charge of her Lycanroc for the weekend, Professor!” Hau held up the pokeball proudly. “Olivia says we’re responsible enough to take care of it. And that you should take us out for malasadas as a reward for being responsible. Honest, I swear!”
Kukui could easily tell Hau was lying and gave him a look, squinting his eyes, narrowing his focus at the mocha skinned boy. The tall muscular man bent his body from the waist, leaning down to Hau's level eyeing him up while placing a hand of contemplation on his chiseled chin. “Is that so?” He said standing straight up. “Well then why don't you two take lycanroc for a walk.” He suggested smiling.
The two boys looked to each other then Ash looked out the window waves of heat emanated from the block asphalt of the road however there were still a few puddles that dotted the landscape from the rain earlier in the day.
Both boys happily agree. “Sure,” they said simultaneously. As soon as the two of then left the front door the oppressive heat and humidity hit them. The weather wasn't that uncommon but it didn't make it suck any less. Ash looked to Hau with a face of determination they could easily turn back to the comfort of the air-conditioned lab but somehow they knew each other wanted to be responsible in the face of the professor.
So Hau, Ash and Lycanroc began to take a hot and uncomfortable stroll into town.
As soon as they left the sandy beaches surrounding Kukui’s home, things went straight south. Perhaps Olivia should have been more clear to wait for the evening to walk her Lycanroc - the heat too intense for her preferred morning runs. One step on the asphalt sent the poor thing running - and dragging the boys with it, Ash by his hand on the leash, and Hau by his hand on Ash’s own. The powerful pokemon took them away from the hot ground, out into the covered jungles to the north.
Needless to say, by the time Lycanroc skipped the collar off, the boys were covered in hot mud and dirt, Ash spitting leaves and moss from his lips. “W-well...uh...that could have gone better?” He laughed awkwardly, slapping his hat on his hip to get all of the leaves out of it. “I mean, at least it was fun, right?”
Hau jumped from his spot next to Ash, seemingly not bothered in the least. “WHOOO! Let’s go again, hahaha!” His grin wasn’t marred by the scratches on his face from being run through bushes and tree branches. “That was a blast! Most fun I’ve had since Granpda let me ride the tauros during the last festival!”
The two blinked at each other for a minute before turning their heads in opposite directions. “Where is,” Ash started. “Lycanroc?” Hau finished. “Crap we have to find her, LYCANROC!” Ash yelled calling out for the creature as he started to trudge deeper into the jungle. Hau followed suit calling out for Lycanroc as well.
The mud caked on to their clothes and bodies mostly dried but the sweet pouring from their skin mixed with the dirt from the high humility. They continued to trek until they were knocking on the door of heat exhaustion sweating profusely. Ash bent over placing his hands on his knees sweat dripping from his nose he breathed heavily. He could barely hear the sound of water rushing over his own labored breath and racing heart. Turning he looked at Hau who had already begin to take his clothes off the shirtless boy was already kicking off his sandals as he made his way towards the shallow river.