***Notes of this chapter: Have some Mangaquestshipping! This takes place sometime before the HGSS arc, probably during/after the DP/P arc of the manga. I'm sorry if they are OOC, because I haven't read the manga in a while!

This oneshot was requested by @pokecouples.

Crystal slammed the map on the table and pointed to a particular spot. "That's it! That's the next place we need to go so we can complete the Pokedex!"

Gold, who had decided to join his girlfriend on her adventure to Sinnoh, glanced at the map for a few seconds to see where they'd be going next. "Mountains, huh? That should be easy!"

"Perhaps, but the Pokemon we need to complete the Dex are pretty rare. So we might have to spend a lot of time there."

"Don't worry, I'll bring snacks. Anyways, I don't need to be baby-sat, and I've always got my Pokemon and my scooter to keep me busy!" Crystal did not think that riding a scooter in a rocky cave with a bunch of crazy creatures was a good idea, but then again, Gold was not known for his good ideas.

"Please don't ride your scooter indoors, Gold. You know what Professor Oak says about bikes--"

"Scooters aren't bikes," Gold replied. "So I can ride them wherever I want to!"

"Oh for the love of..." Gold was hopeless, Crystal thought, internally shaking her head. Completely hopeless. She loved him anyways.

*****

The duo stood in front of Mount Coronet, preparing for their daunting climb. "Woah!" Gold gasped. "This is a really big mountain!"

"Technically, it's a mountain range," Crystal said. "But never mind that!"

"How long is it gonna take to get to the top?" Gold asked. His eyes were shining with excitement and anticipation. He couldn't wait to see more of this region!

"I'm not sure, but I know it's going to take a long time. Of course, the amount of time we spend in that mountain range will depend on what Pokemon we manage to find and which I manage to catch."

"Yeah, yeah, enough about the statistics! Let's get going!" Together, they set off into the mountains.

*****

Crystal's legs hurt from walking up the steep slopes and bumpy caves of Mount Coronet. Gold was right--- Mount Coronet was really big, and the sheer number of tunnels and caves to explore was taking a toll on Crystal's body. This is such a waste of time, she thought. We've been here for a few hours and I still haven't found any of the Pokemon I need for the Dex!  Not to mention that Gold was being absolutely no help whatsoever. Her boyfriend has spent the last few hours scaring away Pokemon with his reckless scooter-riding and eating all the snacks. At least he had shared the cookies with her, but she'd been planning on having a nice picnic with that food once they got to the peak!

Suddenly, Crystal spotted a flash of silvery-blue out of the corner of her eye. A Bronzor? Crystal darted after the creature in excitement. If it was a Bronzor, it would mean she was one step closer to completing the National Dex! Crystal approached the creature from behind. One look and she could tell that it was a Bronzor.

Cautiously, Crystal sent out Parasee. "Use Stun Spore," she whispered. Parasee directed the attack at the Bronzor and soon the mirror-like Pokemon was paralyzed. She returned Parasee, and sent out Bonee, who used False Swipe on the lower-level Pokemon. By this time, the Bronzor was alert to Crystal's presence. It tried to use Extrasensory, but before it could finish the attack, Crystal had already kicked an Ultra Ball at it. The Ultra Ball shook once, twice, three times. 

"Capture complete!" Crystal said, her spirits raised by the successful catch. "Isn't this awesome, Gold?" 

No answer.

"Gold? Gold?! GOLD?!"

*****

Gold hummed the theme song of DJ Mary's radio show to himself as he and his Pokemon scootered through the vast tunnels of Mount Coronet. He'd left Crystal somewhere behind him, but he knew she'd catch up soon. His train of thoughts was interrupted by Aibo slapping him in the face with his tail. "Hungry? Again?" Gold had just fed Aibo a few minutes ago! Oh, well. Gold stopped his scooter and sat down against the wall of the cave. He dug around in his backpack for a few Oran berries. He popped one in his mouth and gave the others to his Pokemon. "Hey, Crystal, you want one?" he asked.

No answer. 

"Crystal? Crystal?! CRYSTAL?!"

*****

Crystal had one thought on her mind: Gold hadn't followed her when she'd chased that Bronzor. Now that she thought about it, Gold had gone up ahead because Crystal had been walking too slowly for him. It's all my fault, she thought. I left him behind just to chase after a Pokemon I didn't even know! I'm a terrible girlfriend.

Megaree nuzzled her reassuringly, as if to say, "Don't worry! You'll find him again!" 

But what if she didn't? Mount Coronet was a gigantic, winding place. She could wander around for hours and not see any sign of him! Sighing, she stood up and tried to retrace her steps... but which way did she enter this tunnel anyway? Crystal's eyes flicked between the two exits. Eventually, she walked through the one on her left and hoped this was the right way.

*****

Gold had one thought on his mind: He'd left Crystal behind and she'd presumably gone some other way. I'm a terrible boyfriend, he thought. I left her behind just 'cause I was bored. What kind of stupid reason is that? Maybe everyone's right. I do need to be less impatient and more sensitive. 

Exbo poked him as if to say, "You aren't gonna find Crystal if you just sit there and do nothing! Get moving!"

Filled with determination to find his girlfriend, Gold bounced to his feet. He'd have to keep going! He'd have to find Crystal!

*****

Crystal sat on the steps leading up to Spear Pillar. A few tears slid down her cheeks. She'd been searching for Gold for hours, but she still hadn't managed to find him in this darn mountain. She looked at the setting sun. It was such a pretty scene, the sunset on the mountain top, like something on a postcard, and she couldn't even enjoy it because she had left her boyfriend wandering around somewhere in those tunnels below her feet.

Suddenly, Crystal felt a pair of arms snaking around her to give her a hug. She screamed. She was being kidnapped! A terrible ending to a terrible day, she thought.

"Don't worry, Crystal!" a familiar voice whispered in her ear. "It's only me."

Crystal turned around to face Gold, wiping tears from her face. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, Gold!" She crushed him in a gigantic hug. "I missed you so much," she whispered. 

"Me too, Crystal." Gold whispered back. 

"Don't ever do that again."

"I won't. I promise."

"I won't leave you just to chase after Bronzors in the future, either, Gold."

Gold smiled slightly. "Hey, maybe next time we go exploring, we should invest in a kiddie leash." 

Crystal laughed weakly. "That sounds like a good idea."