Author's note: Oh my god has it really been nearly four years since I wrote for this 'verse?!

Well anyway, here's a little something I thought up when I was PMing with FFN user LoonyTuned a little while ago. (Everyone feel free to PM me if you want! As you can see, you may even inspire me to write something! XD) I wanted to get it done for Mother's Day, then for Daiharu Day (May 14), then for Father's Day... then I finally got my butt in gear to try and get this done to celebrate the Daiharu doujin anthology I contributed to going on sale, but I even missed that! (It went on sale August 15 at Summer Comiket. I made an eight-page manga for it, so if you can somehow get your hands on "Jewel Romance," please do!)

So now I'm just... posting it because?

This belongs to the headcanon universe I've dubbed "Rising-verse"; if you're interested in reading the rest I have them collected in the Rising-verse community (id number 119975), but it's not necessary to follow along. I'm using Japanese names for human characters and English names for everything else as usual because yolo. I say Daigo is 22 in this fic because I've always seen him as that age and wrote all the previous stories with that in mind, so I'm sticking with that and ignoring what ORAS says. I used the mother's name from the anime since she doesn't have a name in the games haha. And that's about it!

Disclaimer: Pokemon ≠ mine.

A Daughter's First Love

Mitsuko's daughter was growing up while out of sight, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

When Haruka had first left on her journey, she would return to Littleroot fairly often to rest up and talk about her discoveries in the new region—"Mom, I found this cute Pokemon called a Zigzagoon, and it even finds items for me!" "Mom, I saw a Marill! Did you know there are Marill in this region too?"—but as time went on and Haruka became more accustomed to the new environment, she would return to visit less and less often, with ever fewer novel discoveries to report on.

But even as the frequency of her visits dwindled, there was one recurring theme of conversation that came up more and more often as time went on.

"I got this TM for Steel Wing," Haruka announced at the age of 13, nearly bouncing on the heels of her feet as she recounted her adventures, proudly displaying her two badges. "A guy named Daigo-san gave it to me, but I dunno what Pokemon to use it on yet..."

"...so that's some of the stuff Yuuki-kun has been teaching me," 14-year-old Haruka said while recounting some battle strategies she had picked up while earning her four badges. "Daigo-san's been giving me some tips too, though! I mentioned him once, Mom, do you remember? He's really nice, but kind of mysterious. I get the feeling that he's a pretty strong Trainer though..."

At the end of that visit, before leaving to battle her father, Haruka had changed from her usual adventure wear into a new outfit.

"I'm not some immature tomboy anymore, Mom," she sighed when she was questioned about it, though she tugged at the more feminine shirtdress a bit self-consciously. "I've grown up, and I don't wanna look like some little kid anymore."

By the time she was fifteen, training and battles had largely disappeared from the pool of conversation topics Haruka shared with her mother. Instead...

"Do you think it would be okay to call Daigo-san sometimes? He gave me his PokeNav number before, and his training tips are really helpful, but I don't want to bother him. He's probably really busy..."

"Daigo-san gave me this really pretty rock the other day! It's round like a crystal ball and has this strange design inside of it, but it doesn't seem to affect any Pokemon he tries it on, so he thought I might discover something while I travel..."

"A little while ago, Daigo-san said he really likes me. As a Trainer, I mean." Haruka looked away from her mother, but Mitsuko could still see her bashful smile and hint of a blush. "Mom, do you think— well, I mean..." She seemed to reconsider her question before turning back with a bright smile. "I guess that just made me really happy! B-because my training must be paying off, then!"

But Mitsuko knew that wasn't what Haruka wanted to discuss. She probably knew before Haruka was even aware of it herself.

She was her daughter, after all.

"Dear," she said cautiously during one of Senri's rare visits home. "I don't know if you've realized, but Haruka is in love."

Senri didn't look up from the newspaper he clearly wasn't reading. Mitsuko had forced him to do something besides dash out of the house once his stomach was full—"Please, just sit down and relax for once!"—and he had reluctantly obliged his wife by sitting down with the paper. He hadn't turned the page in over half an hour, though, and the rippling tension in his arm muscles as he gripped the newspaper betrayed his desire to get out and about.

"Hmm," was his only reply.

Mitsuko sighed lightly. "Are you listening? Haruka is in love, and I'm honestly a little worried."

"Why?"

So he was listening. "Well, I don't want her to get hurt, you know? And from what I can tell, it seems to be an older man that she's interested in..."

"Haruka will be fine," Senri said simply.

Mitsuko anxiously gripped the hand towel she was using to dry dishes. Anyone else would have probably interpreted Senri's clipped answer as cool indifference, but she knew her husband better than anyone. His shortness came not from indifference, but trust and respect for their daughter. He considered Haruka to be capable and strong enough to face whatever battles life threw at her, and Mitsuko knew she should hold her daughter with the same regard, but still... "Dear, what if he's some sort of predator taking advantage of her? This is the first time Haruka has been in love, after all..."

Senri sighed, but didn't move his gaze. "Do you know this man's name?"

"His name is Daigo-kun, apparently..."

Senri hummed in recognition. "That would be the League Champion."

"Really?!" Mitsuko dropped the hand towel, looking at her husband in shock. "The Champion?"

Senri grunted his affirmation and took a page from the newspaper, holding it out to his wife and setting down the rest as he finally turned his gaze to her. "Take a look for yourself. Bottom-right of this page."

Mitsuko stepped over and accepted the newspaper page—the Trainer Talk section, she noted—spotting a small item in the corner mentioning the Champion's victory over yet another challenger. Apparently it wasn't a feat worth featuring as a headlining story. "I see..." She took in the stock thumbnail photo accompanying the piece. "Well, he certainly is handsome. Not as handsome as you, of course, dear."

Senri seemed to pay no mind to her comment and only stood up to stretch absently. "Like I said, Haruka will be fine."

Mitsuko's brow furrowed. "But it says here that he's twenty-two. Twenty-two! He's seven whole years older than her! You've met him, right? Please tell me he's at least an honorable man..."

Senri plucked the page from his wife's hands and discarded it where the rest of the paper lay. "Yes, I've met him several times. He's very reliable and conscientious, if a bit single-minded. If anything, I'd say Haruka's taste in men is as astute as I'd expect of her. She'll be fine." He turned to the door then, signaling that the conversation was over. "I'll be heading back to the Gym now. I need to get back to training."

Mitsuko wasn't quite ready to drop the subject, though. "So... he won't hurt Haruka, then?"

Senri paused, his fingertips on the doorknob. "I said Haruka will be fine," he said simply before opening the door.

He didn't look back, leaving his wife with just one last statement before closing the door.

"But I didn't say she wouldn't get hurt someday."