It’s been years since he’d run away from home and struck out on his own and Mint was still, to this day, learning about the pains of being poor. Having to want something and not be able to get it the second he wanted it? Awful experience. Truly terrible. Money? Money was n incomprehensible number to him that just never ended. Ever expandable and growing. At least it had been while at home. Now? Now when he actually wanted to use his own fortune?? Now?? When he wanted things??? And had the energy to request something other than more fucking cadmium yellow??? NOW?? [break][break]

Now he was flat broke and learning how to clear out shops during super sales. Now he was watching crazy coupon aunties and trying to learn via osmosis their ways of the trade. They were crazy yeah, but gods did they save so much money. And now…after weeks of effort its time to put his fledgling skills to good use. The Lillycove Department Store is massive and crowded, but he’s there early and armed with ways to save money. It’s been a few hours of grabbing necessities and throwing them into his cart. Caccio stands guard, sitting in the basket with all the other items looking like an angry pokedoll. [break][break]

They stood at the biggest gauntlet of the day. The furniture and home décor section. Stuff Mint definitely couldn’t afford….were it not for the mega sale. Like a flash Mint had handed ( or well tossed ) basics into the cart with Caccio. LED lightbulbs, towels that were actually fluffy, a soap dish, cutlery that wasn’t plastic…all poured and shoved in with Caccio grumbling as he moved to allow such intrusions. And then the electric type sees it and his eyes flash. Prey. His tail stood up straight immediately and Mint followed his gaze before snickering as they rolled into the plushie section. “You want it??” he asked as he looked down at the cat pokemon while reaching for the pikachu doll. “Oh- huh??” Caccio has just enough time to cut off a small growl as Mint retracted his hand just as quickly. The Pikachu fell over between them. [break][break]

“It’s ok! You’re fine~” he said automatically as he passed a hand over top of Caccio’s head to relax him before crouching down to pick up the Piakchu. Mint’s smile is prompt as he tries to pull a name for a face. He did recognize the guy. He nodded before a bright grin suddenly appeared. “Giona! With a Gengar and an Espurr from uh-” he stopped himself just short of saying ‘that mission’. “Totally. How’re you?” he asked before tilting his head to give the psychic pokemon that accompanied his colleague a tiny wave. “Don’t tell me…you’re also an extreme couponer?”


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Mint giggled quietly at the psychic cat, raising a hand to give it a little wave with his fingers. “Good to see you again, cutie.” He said as Cacio leaned over in his cart and sniffed at the fellow feline. He looked back at the owner, still smiling. “Oh, landed a good job? Congrats then!!” He said as he tossed the Pikachu doll into Giona’s cart for him. “Where at~?” the grunt followed up, his expression faltering as he looked a little surprised at the offer before going right back into happy. “Hehe, you don’t have to! But I’d appreciate it.” Every penny saved counted after all. It’d been a year and he was still consistently surprised at some people’s generosity within Team Rocket. You’d think such a greedy organization would be more cutthroat. Maybe it was at the higher level. Grunts though? Pretty nice. Rocket takes care of their own. He’d heard that many times since he’d joined. [break][break]

He nodded, his expression dropping to something more solemn as he sighed dramatically. “It’s the worst…especially living right next to Hoenn’s biggest shopping center.” He gestured vaguely at their surroundings which were covered in blow out sale signs. “I came prepared though! I was watching these old ladies’ coupon tips on Youtube right?” he said quickly before pulling out a gallon sized Ziploc filled with half cut out coupons and savings magazines from the first floor. “Here! If you want, we can share. It’s not like I’m buying a lot.” He explained practically shoving the bag into his friend’s hands. “I’m really just here for like 3 or 4 really specific things because I value aesthetic over the ability to feed myself.” Mint continued with another harsh laugh before turning his head side to side to see if he clocked the rugs he was chasing after.


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He tried not to laugh at Giona’s cat as he stuck his little feetsies through the baby seat, not noticing the pikachu doll was returned. The Luxio however clocked Giona and stuck out his tongue for a moment in acknowledgment. Cacio then moved closer to the edge of the cart to stare down at the unblinking cat before offering a quiet meow in greeting. Mint’s mouth went slack for a moment before revealing a broad grin as the shorter grunt reached over to clap a firm hand on Giona’s shoulder a couple of times. “Oh! That’s rough buddy!! Gym leadering sounds so hard!!” He had no idea what it entailed other than battling and strategy and well…Mint was terrible at that. His team practically ordered themselves around to protect him. [break][break]

“Oh that’s really cute!” he said perking up as he ran a hand over the shaggy carpet. Cacio side eyed it with interest and Mint hoped he wasn’t getting any ideas of clawing his way through it if they bought it. “You’re only sweetening this couch surfing deal…And I don’t think I’ve been to Rustboro before.” Mint added. He’d bypassed it completely by taking a plane into Hoenn and then just chilling near the coast. “Haven’t had a homecooked meal in a while, anyway.” All he ate were kid’s cuisine and cup ramen. Not that’d he’d share the exorbitant amount of sodium and preservatives he put into his body, but like, dude eat a carrot damn. [break][break]

He followed Giona’s lead eyes darting around as he scanned colors of interest and prices. His hand darted out every so often to filch something colorful and useless off the shelf. No doubt to guard in his cart until it came time to pay, and he would have to set it aside for being impractical. “Is it?? I’m thriving here.” He said, as he snatched some kind of cloud looking cushion off the ground and checked it for stains. There was a vague footprint on it, but it was just dust he could brush off. “Is it picking stuff? ‘Cause I have a house theme but like…you grab stuff that make you happy.” He said gesturing at the cart full of an assortment of knick knacks He most definitely wasn’t buying. Cacio sighed as Mint said that. He wasn’t the best with his money despite what should’ve been a good business background but whatever. Artists. Mint paused glancing back at his friend before asking, “Or is it, like, too busy right now?”



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Mint nodded along with his friend. “Yeah…you see I’m shit at battling.” He explained before letting out a small laugh. E could be better, but he was pretty lazy about it. Battling wasn’t that important too him anyway. As long as Cacio killed whatever was in front of him, it didn’t really matter in the end. Like the van of poachers that he’d made flip on the highway that one time. Oh Cacio… “Sounds intensive… For work I just play with baby pokemon in a field.” Mint added with a snort. He puttered around, slowly rolling his cart back and forth. He gasped quietly as he found something actually on his wishlist. “Powder Snow mat!! Cacio we got it!!” he yell whispered as he hugged the rolled up rug and drop it with a loud clatter, and some annoyed growling into the cart. Living room? Check. Bedroom? Also check. Now if only he could find that Lapras Doll he’d be set. [break][break]

“TWO bedroom?!” Mint echoed, whipping his head back to Giona after all his effort was expended. “League doesn’t mess around with Gym Leader pay. Good insurance too I hope?” he prodded, though he’d made it clear he most likely would never consider a Gym Leader position. Sounded like a terrible time for Mint. Besides, he had other irons in the fire. Better to stay as lowkey as he could. The IG stuff was already conspicuous enough. “Still that’s a nice offer. But I’d probably crash for a weekend if at all. Just to sight see. Maybe catch a Skitty. Dunno what’s up with Rustboro except..Silph Co I think.” He said. [break][break]

Cacio was busy readjusting himself in the cart before looking back at Giona and then at his hand. As it moved in close, Cacio kept his eyes on the older man before darting towards the hand as if to bite. However, fangs don’t pull blood and it’s more of a very gentle gumming. Mint didn’t seem to pay it any mind though. “That’s true. It can get pretty hard to move around this many people, hehe.” Mint looked over to a cashier checking on the line, but not quite bee lining it just yet. “Well, gotta lug this all back to my apartment which is a few blocks away…but then probably eat. I’ve been craving sushi, and there’s this place that does lunch specials for super cheap.” Cacio, who had by now let go of Giona after politely licking him, looked at his trainer with wide eyes. Fish. “You? You’re not trynna rush back to Rustboro right after this, are you?” Sounded like effort. “If you want, you can dump your stuff in my place and we can get this cheap fish together?” Mint offered, ever eager to share the discovery of cheap but tasty eateries with others.


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