AU: When you get close to your soulmate, your chest begins to glow.

"Wow, look how cute you are!"

The grin never leaves your face as you pick up the oddly coloured Zigzagoon leaps into your arms. He licks your face playfully, causing you to cut out into a fit of giggles.

"(Y/n)," you hear your mother call out, "time to come inside for dinner!"

"Okay!"

You cradle the rowdy Pokémon in your arms and run back into the house.

"(Y/n), where did you get that Pokémon?" your mother asks.

"He came to play with me outside," you smile, "can I please keep him?!"

You look up at your mother, a stern look on her face. The Zigzagoon in your arms snuggles into your arms, falling asleep quickly.

"Alright," she sighs, "you can keep him."

"Thank you, I love you so much!"

You then proceed to run straight into your room, sitting the small Pokémon onto your bed. You give him a kiss on his fuzzy little head before running off to dinner.

~~

"Linoone! Time to eat!"

Your Linoone, which you learnt was a shiny, comes running towards you and your other Pokémon. You sit down all of their food bowls, grinning as you watch them dig in. You grab your own bowl and begin eating your own bowl.

You had been travelling for a few days, as you had decided to finally explore Galar after 18 years of staying in your own town to help your mother with your little siblings. You had only managed to catch a Toxel and an injured Dreepy who had been attacked by an irritated Corviknight.

Once you all finish eating you begin to clean up and put your stuff up.

When you hear your Toxel call out you look back at the area where your Pokémon were playing. When you notice that your Linoone was not in sight.

"Linoone!"

When you don't get a response you begin to panic. You quickly throw your bag on and scoop up your two Pokémon.

"Linoone, where are you?!"

You were still tired since you had woken up late this morning, and it was freezing. Your joints felt stiff as you continued to run.

"Linoone!"

You could feel your eyes begin to water, worry sinking further in.

"So I'm guessin' this is your Linoone?"

You nearly jump from your skin when a voice picks up. You stop running and look to where you heard the voice. The lanky, pale teen standing before you almost looked like a ghost in the dull morning light.

You were snapped from your staring when you see the blue and pink bundle in the man's arms.

"There you are!" you grin.

You take a step towards the stranger, wanting to give your small rascal of a Pokémon a hug. But once you do, you notice the stranger's chest had begun to glow. You look down to notice that yours had begun to do so as well. Your eyes then meet with the man's; he looked just as shocked as you.

After a moment of you both just staring at each other, you grin.

"Well, this isn't what I was expecting," you chuckle, "uh, thanks for finding Linoone for me."

With that Linoone jumps straight at you, landing straight in your arms and licking your face. Your Toxel and Dreepy, who had sat themselves comfortably on your shoulders, call happily at your temporarily missing Pokémon.

"I'm (y/n)," you greet, "pleasure to meet you."

You hold a hand out; he takes it, shaking it.

"Piers," he replies, "that's an interesting Pokémon you've got there."

"Well, he'll be happy to play, how about we go and grab a drink," you offer, "I know a cute café that opens early."

Piers' raises a brow, a smirk spread on his face, "sounds like a plan."