As Biscotti struggled with a Zubat swarm that continued to ruin his life, a moan would be heard approaching the bakery shop. Was it another Zubat? Or worse, a Golbat? No! Nobody's luck could be that bad, right? Yet the cry seemed to be oddly human. In fact, it seemed to be saying something!

'Fooooooood...' The voice groaned as Howard crawled his way towards the bakery. It looked like he had lost a fight with a landslide. Much of his clothing was covered in dirt, and his hat was largely askew. A Baltoy danced on his hat, spinning in a circle around the brim like a top. He looked positively pitiful. "Foooooooood..." He cried out again, stronger than before.

While Biscotti struggled with Zubats, Howard had, in a rookie mistake, stepped on a Geodude while trekking about north of Slateport. For him, it was the most embarrassing moment in his career. The Geodude, in a rage, had kicked Howard in the shins, and sent him stumbling back down the hillside. After resting there in agony for a moment or ten, Howard elected to crawl back to Slateport.

"Have... money..." At least, he thought he did. Hopefully his wallet wasn't lost during his roll. He would never admit that he had been mugged by a Geodude if that were the case. "Will... work?" The snickering Zubats grew louder, and Howard felt his anger build up.

"There is nothing wrong with getting beat up by a Geodude!" He snapped up at them. "I bet you wouldn't like it, you stupid bats! Grrr...!" He clenched his fist and pointed up at them.

---

Biscotti Kingsley

"Grrr, you Zubats! I'll make sure to pack you up and ship you off to the zoo, bats!" Howard was still growling at the accumulated bats with annoyance on his face. He didn't like being angry—it took a lot of work—but Howard's pride had been sent through the dumpster and shredded. Now, he found himself at a bakery.

Howard blinked. Bakery?

He took note of the scarred hand, and tears welled up in Howard's eyes. He shamelessly rubbed them with his dirty sleeve. It made his eyes itch and hurt, but that was perfectly fine. His heart was healed. Kindness was in such sort supply these days. Howard firmly grabbed the scarred and calloused hand. "Yes, please! You're my hero! Thank youuuuuuu!" Howard crushed Biscotti in a bear hug. Despite his prior weakness, he was strong.

Then, Howard stopped. He turned pale and nervously turned towards Biscotti.

"Actually... I don't have any money, sorry. I think I'm just gonna go die in a dumpster now. Sorry to bother youuuu...." Howard slowly slid away, face getting paler and paler as he slowly stepped back. He didn't make it very far, as Howard collapsed before he could make it off Biscotti's porch.

"Take care of Shirley for me!" He croaked. Was it really good for business to leave someone like this in front of the bakery?

---

Biscotti Kingsley

"Guh..." Howard collapsed onto the ground, dodging Biscotti's heroic attempt to grab him. The man hid the ground with a depressing thud. He didn't seem very interested in moving. Maybe he really had died, and bequeathed Biscotti with all of his mortal possessions. A terrible decision, given most of Howard's items were useless to a bakery, and he had essentially nothing of worth on him.

A pokeball rolled out from Howard's belt, and began to shake violently with a sort of growling noise emanating from it. It shook more and more, before an absolutely massive Aerodactyl erupted from the ball with a roar. Did the fossil hear its name, or had it been called by Biscotti's question?

"Grrr....." Shirley growled at Biscotti, before sniffing the air. It nudged at Howard's coat pocket, and a crumpled plastic wrapper fell out. "Guh....." Howard let out a quiet groan as Shirley searched his figure for more snacks. Finding none, she turned to Biscotti and growled, preparing to lunge. Before she did, Shirley took a sniff to gain the baker's scent.

"Sniff sniff..." Shirley growled, looking at Biscotti, and lunged! Instead of mauling the poor baker, she gave Biscotti a sloppy lick across the face. The baker tasted like delicious baked goods, raisins included!

"Guh......." In the meantime, Howard had crawled to his feet. He turned to face Biscotti and Shirley, and an expression of horror turned into relief. "Splendid! She likes you, mate." He whistled, and Shirley crawled off Biscotti. Howard still looked like he had been ran over by a Carkol, but he seemed to have a pulse. That was good, given that customers dropping dead was rarely a good thing. Howard returned Biscotti's grin.

"I would love to come in!" The strange man beamed. "Shirley likes you, and that's good enough for me. I'm Howard Slayte, archaeologist, paleontologist, and historian." 

The rate at which this man recovered was absolutely strange. He jumped from the edge of death to bear hugs to the edge of death to introductions.

---

Biscotti Kingsley

Labeling Howard as a stray was the seventh nicest description he had ever received. Right behind 'homeless man' and 'minimum wage'.

"Yay! Thank you, Biscotti!" Howard beamed at him. Nobody could ever claim that a baker was a villain. Bakers were the nicest people in the universe, unless it was during a famine. Then they, like everyone, turned sour. Food made the world go round, and a full belly was the fastest way to a mutual understanding. After all, who didn't like food?

Howard definitely did.

"Wow~ Everything looks incredible! This bakery is yours?" Howard followed Biscotti inside, and quickly began looking around. Chairs! Tables! Even a deli! If this place had Wi-Fi, it would've been perfect for when Howard was back in grad school. He could spend an eternity here, smelling bakers bake fresh bread while nursing a coffee and a cold cut sandwich!

Perfect.

Shirley growled, and Howard turned to her. "Don't ruin this for me." Howard hissed, before giving her a saltine cracker. He was not going to tear up the kind baker's source of living. Shirley had a tendency to just do, as smart as she was. Hopefully the crackers would keep her content.

"Oh, wow. I don't know what to choose!" In a surprising about of restraint, Howard didn't touch the case. Smudges were annoying, and he was positively filthy after his hiking incident. It all looked so good. "Ah, that one!" Howard gestured towards a fluffy croissant sandwich with ham and cheese. "I'll share it with Shirley! But... is this okay? If you're just a part-timer they hired, I don't want to put you out."

Howard threatened to wilt for the third time in a few minutes. This guy was either an excellent actor, or had the constitution of Cookies au Fromage. Or, maybe Biscotti was right, and he was just a drama queen.

Yeah, that was probably it.

---

Biscotti Kingsley

Biscotti... Cannoli...? Howard's head was spinning. There was a naming convention going on here. Was this a prank? Arceus's great prank on Howard was to name his saviors after delicious foodstuffs? Howard wasn't sure whether to laugh at the irony of the situation or break down into tears.

Given that he wasn't starving to death, Howard elected to go with the flow. You didn't bite the hand that fed you, after all. Even if that hand had just lost a fight with several Zubats while wielding a broom.

"Praise Cannoli! Praise Biscotti! You both are my saviors! I don't know your sister, but she just helped save my life. I'm in her debt, forevermore. If you ever need an archaeologist or geologist, let me know!" Howard slumped his head slightly. What sort of baker wonder duo needed geologists? He could teach them about ancient stone ovens, but who needed useless information like that?

"Wow... these look incredible." Howard said as he and his Aerodactyl slowly grew closer to the counter, to the ham and cheese croissants. Maybe there was hope for Hoenn, after all. The region would be a lot better if every citizen was a generous baker. "You're a wizard! A wheat and flour wizard and sugar wizard!"

Shirley growled in agreement.

"If you ever need my help, you gotta let me know! I'm serious!" Howard's eye flitted over the burns and scars. "I've got a lot of vaguely useful skills. I swear!"

---

Biscotti Kingsley

At the prospect of actually paying for his meal with deeds instead of words, Howard's eye grew as massive as the croissants in his hand. Words were wind, and actions were what mattered. If he could both help Biscotti and avoid feeling guilt for not paying, that was fine by him.

"Yes. Of course!" Howard nodded once then twice as he slid the wrapped foodstuffs into his pocket and took a deep breath. He was a warrior steeling himself for the battlefield. "You've got it, Biscotti. You'll be Zubatless when I'm done here."

He seemed oddly confident despite being on the brink of physical collapse mere minutes ago.

The door to the shop opened as Howard marched outside with Shirley on his heels. Despite the archaeologist's odd demeanor, his Aerodactyl was an ancient, primal beast. Her teeth were serrated, her jaw powerful, her eyes bright and alert. It was a strong Pokémon, no doubt about it.

"Zubats, for the sake of my croissant, you must be excised." Howard peered up at the rafters outside the shop where the Zubats had been originally. He didn't see Biscotti's Hawlucha, though. After a moment of contemplation, Howard coughed into his fist.

"Shirley?"

The Aerodactyl looked at him with a questioning growl.

"Give 'em a scare, would you?"

The Aerodactyl flew upwards with a glint in her eye. As she grew close to the Zubats, her face gleamed with a ferocious, terrifying glare as she roared directly into the Zubats' faces. Even if the Zubats couldn't see her Scary Face, they could certainly hear it.

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Biscotti Kingsley