Zac laughed. I was good to see Kazimir again. This was quite a different setting to when had last met up with the blonde. A lot less sand this time around, and a lot more snow. 

Zac's Turtonator sat nearby, warming the two as they chatted over the table.
"Exploring is my one true love," Zac said, taking a drink of wine. "You might say I'm married to the job." 

He gave Kazimir an appraising look. Sizing up his first-round partner. Zac believed in really leaning into the interview aspect of dating. He'd even brought a list.
"Married to digging, delving and discovering. To roaming the world and uncovering all of its little secrets." Zac fixed his partner with his deep red eyes and a wide grin.
     "But I'm not opposed to an open relationship." 

"What about you Kaz? What's your one true love?"

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he wanted to say fighting for justice and helping people but he really knew better than to stop trying to draw attention to himself like that. instead he did have another answer for the guy even as his gave kazimir a light chuckle, especially about that open relationship bit, "outdoor life actually. its kind of a new love that i've been getting into recently. living out in the wilds, roaming around and hiking through mountains or rafting through a river with my pokemon. hell we even climb mountains sometimes, guess its a step down from your love eh mr thrill seeker?" it did seem the two of them had a knack for getting in trouble, honestly that seemed to be the type kazimir attracted with a twinge of guilt sometimes.
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"y'know we should probably go on an expedition again sometime. that shit in the dessert was pretty cool. ok you know what? what's the craziest thing you've found while adventuring? i once found a whole hot springs with a buddy while we were climbing mt. chimney, really helped our aching bones when we did."[break]


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Zac nodded at the mention of exploring. He could relate.
"I wouldn't say it's a step down. Sure, thrills and spills are the spice of an adventure, but the real heart is just that urge to find and experience something new."

    "but the craziest thing I've seen?" Zac asked, scratching his head. "Probably when I was on Mt. Chimney during it's eruption three years ago.
Completely unplanned, and honestly we were lucky to make it out alive. There were Slugma and Magmar raining down all around us, and this wave of ash and stone just rolling down the mountain like an avalanche. I called it a Lava-lanche, but Devin wasn't a fan of that one." Zac finished his mulled wine and gave Kaz a grin. "He still refuses to go on any mountain filming expeditions, actually. I put the video up on my blog too if you wanna check it out, under Exotic Encounters." 

    Zac looking around at the frost covered trees and houses. Turtonator was doing a great job of keeping the cold at bay, but there was a sharp chill to the air. "Hot Springs sure sound good right now," he said.
    The tabled section was set off to the side of the main event area, and Zac had been watching the other speed dating pairs drift off one-by-one to enjoy the other activities. Snowball fights, Avalugg rides, ice skating, they had really gone all out this year.
    "I'm freezing, aren't you? How about we move around a bit, yeah?" Zac asked, rubbing his arms. But what can we do that doesn't involve snow? He wondered. There was a covered area nearby, reasonably cleared of snow and just wide enough for...
    "A battle!" Zac suggested, standing up a little too quickly. "Let's have a quick pokemon battle just to warm up."
    Without waiting for a reply, the shivering Zac strode over to the covered area. "Standard Lavaridge-heavyweight rules. 1v1, no items, no destiny bond, no moody, pokemon must be over 100kg, and...winner has to buy the next round." He said with a wink. 

"Boshi! Get over here!" Zac called, and his Turtonator trudged into the arena, leaving a trail of steaming slush behind him. "You know what to do buddy, let's warm this place up."
The fire turtle shot a jet of flame from his snout and hunkered down, his shall gleaming in the winter lamp light. 

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kazimir got lost in the story the guy told about him and his crew nearly getting roasted alive by a volcano. "seriously how did you guys not die from that?!" he asked with laughter as he tried to picture the sight of it raining slugma and marcago, "but hey can you blame the guy? i doubt anyone would even want to go back!" erupting volcano was something kazimir gladly never really experienced himself, but it would be pretty sweet to see one up close and not burn to a crisp. so he would definitely check out that video sometime after today.
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as there was a break in their conversation kazimir looked out at the other people indoors enjoying the warmth inside, sitting by fires or drinking hot chocolate, he was almost envious. "hey why don't we-" before he could even finish his sentence the big man suddenly suggested a battle to warm up their selves and pokemon. not the first choice kaz would have suggested but who was he to turn down a battle? "oh alright then, just don't get too buned by me and my team buddy."
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with that he followed both zac and his turtonator onto the battlefield and tossed out a ball as he made his way to the opposite side, "c'mon tigger! let's show them how we roll!" as the incineroar popped out of the ball a small shiver crawled along its spine due to the cold, but a flare from the flame on its belt was enough to warm it up as it grinned happily and stared down the large turtle. "show 'em you mean business." commaned kazimir from the sidelines, giving the cat the signal to bulk up his muscles to look intimidating to his opponent, a little show to maybe make them think twice of challenging them.
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"Well thanks a ton!" Zac said, putting on the golden explorer's jacket that had come with the pack. "This should keep me all nice and warm, so I guess we don't have to settle this right here," he said, looking pointedly at Kazimir.

As Delibird handed out the rest of the presents Zac transferred his own belongings into the new golden bag "Oh shoot!" he said, pulling out a plastic container filled with baked goods. "I almost forgot that I'd whipped up a little something." 
Zac removed the top, and the scent of chocolate and orange wafted out into the arena. He offered one of the cookies to Kaz, and then wrapped up a few in a napkin for the Delibird. "Now this isn't a bribe per se, but I figure that you ought to get a little something, seeing as you spend all season handing out presents."
He slipped Delibird the wrapped cookies, moving in close as he did to whisper to the gift pokemon. "The rum and birdseed cookies are done. Left them in the usual spot. You know what to do." Zac winked at Delibird before turning back to Kaz.
"How about you Kaz? No way a charming guy like you would show up to a date empty-handed, right?"

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hands trembled slightly over the note as he read it over and over after the delibird suddenly interrupted their battle and handed gifts to them. he looked over at the lodge and he tensed up as he swore he could see the shape of a familiar alolan man looking in their direction. almost as if his gaze was trained on kazimir, burning into his soul. he focused his gaze back onto the bird as it took out an almost comically large box and handed it to him, which he opened and then quickly closed when the hint of what it could be was apparent to him. seriously was balder trying to blow his cover while on a date?
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all of the stress didn't stop when zac suddenly asked kazimir if he had brought something along with to share. he'd be a pretty bad date if he didn't, which only made the blonde blush as he had a few reservations about what he had brought with him. "boy you guys are really putting me on the spot huh? okay-kay i do got something. just..." he goes over to his bag and digs around in it taking out a box that lightly rattles and the noise along gets his incineroar interested as it walks over and hovers over kazimir, his nostrils twitching as an alluring scent reaches it.
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"hey tigger down! don't worry there's enough to go around ya nosy cat. well, here." opening up the container would reveal a number of pokemon themed macarons that look amateurishly made as kazimir take out a few and handed one to zac, delibird, turtonator, and even his incineroar each. "i ain't great at decorating but damn can i bake if ya don't mind me tooting my own poke-flute. that said think we should still go through with the battle? i mean i got some pokemon that can cause less damage but...i think the guy in charge wouldn't mind too much." it wasn't like a little bit of fire never hurt anyone.
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    "Macaroons!" Zac exclaimed, taking one shaped like a Squirtle. "Oh Kaz I should have known you would pull something like this," he said with a grin "these are some serious gourmet eats," Zac ripped the Squirtle in half and inspected the sticky innards. "I can never get them like this. I think my oven is just too variable. I thought it was a problem with the heat, but it turns out pokemon fire is even more variable," he said, shaking his head at Turtonator. 
    "Recently I've been focusing on custom recipes to try to attract different pokemon while on my trips," Zac said as he finished the inspection and popped the Squirtle in his mouth. "Rock cakes for rock types, fairy bread for fairy types, and Michi's spicy nikujaga for fire types. It's worked a lot better than I expected."
    He pulled a journal out of his bag, showing Kazimir the recipe collection he had been putting together. "It's damn near impossible to put together a control for any of this, so we're as far from scientific as possible, but it's a work in progress. How about you? You have any special methods for luring in pokemon?" Zac asked, taking another macaroon.

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A sheepish grin spread on the blonde's face as his little treats were praised to high heaven by Zac that Kazimir didn't know how to really respond. Sure people said his treats were pretty darn good but...something about Zac saying it just hit different. However the praise was quickly replaced by the ginger recalling tales of how his own baking escapades weren't so fruitful due to him...if he heard right, using the flames of a pokemon to cook? The image of him using his turtonator as some kind of grill to cook cookies or muffins was too ridiculous for Kazimir and he ended up bursting into laughter. "i mean sure. I've roasted marshmallows on a CHarizard tail before and that thing can really cook them."
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He took one for himself and began to nibble on it as the explorer went on about cooking up different types of dishes for luring out different kind of pokemon. Some of them sounded outright delicious, others not so much, still it was a subject that Kazimir kept his focus on until he was asked if he did the same. A flush of red spread across his face as he was a bit embarrassed to admit that he never went that far for catching pokemon but...his way wasn't exactly anything that thrill seeking. "nah i kind of just run into pokemon really. call it a hidden power of mine but I have a few good stories of me ending up in places where i don't mean to be and coming out with a new partner. Oh like this one time I had actually gotten kidnapped by pirates, crazy right? Well i managed to break free and crack some skulls on my way out buuuuuut I did find out they were smuggling Pokemon." He said as he flexed his bicep to show off, "so i busted some more skulls and freed one of them who went on to be one of my heavy hitters on the team. I'd show ya but he ain't the type to really do "speed dating" y'know". still maybe i'll try using some kind of snack to lure out pokemon, that sounds like it'd be fun to watch."
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Suddenly he felt a nudge on his shoulder as his incineroar looked down on him with an anxious look while holding his new doll, a look that kazimir was familiar with with his large cat and a few other members on his team. "oh right. so did ya still want to continue that battle? I think my boy here is still itching for one."
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Zac checked his watch. "Ah shoot man, I think we've missed our window. The next round is about to start." The four of them stood there for a moment, and Zac felt genuinely sad that their date had come to a close so soon.
    "But we've definitely got to be doing this again soon," he said, as he handed Kaz a business card with the Ramsay Productions logo and contact details on it. "You've got an adventurer's heart Kaz. Not to mention you're great with pokemon and a fantastic cook." Zac said, smiling widely. 
    "Looks like it'll have to be a rain check on that battle. Or a flame check, if you prefer. And if you ever want to join me out on one of my shoots just give ma a call. I'd love to have you as a guest or a...co-anchor of sorts." Zac gave Kaz a wink and patted his coat pocket unconscious. Inside was his list of desirable traits, which he had been updating all date.

All of the boxes had been ticked.