Chapter Text
Olimar was sent out to ship a load of pikpik carrots flying through space in one of the company's space ships. It's not the same with his trusty ol’ S.S Dolphin. Unfortunately, President Sacho had to sell it because of how deep Hocotate Freight was in debt. He tries not to think about it, this ship does the job just as good anyways.
As Olimar was shipping out the PikPik carrots, he started mindlessly whistling, boredom overcoming him as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
Then, he felt what he thought was a small rock hit his ship.
Then another one…
And another one…
And another one!
Oh, Stars! It was a meteor shower!
Alarms started blaring in the space ship, signaling Olimar that the ship was in danger.
Olimar tried with all his might to steer away from the meteor shower, panic rising in his chest.
Then, he blacked out.
Rustling trees and chirping birds were the first things the Hocotation heard when he woke up. He groggily opened his eyes, looking around, realizing the scenery looked all too familiar.
PNF-404
Chapter 2: SOS
Chapter Text
HOCOTATE FREIGHT
President Shachou was in his office, counting his pokos. The only sounds in the room was the buzzing air conditioner and him humming to himself while he counted his money, when all of the sudden, he got a distress call from his nearby radio.
“This is Captain Olimar speaking, it seems I am stranded on PNF-404 once more. My ship is completely destroyed and I need help immediately!...It seems I have 25 days worth of nitrogen left in my backpack. Please, come as soon as you can!” The message cuts out.
President Shachou’s eyes widened with shock. Olimar is in danger! Danger = NO Olimar, no Olimar = no Pokos, no Pokos = DEBT!!
The President waved his hands in the hair, panicking. He urgently reached for the intercom.
“LOOOOUUUIIIEEEE!! Head to my office immediately!!” Shachou cried into the intercom.
Louie was lazily sorting packages in the mail room when he heard his name being called in a panic over the speaker.
Louie grunted as he puts down the package that he had in his arms and sluggishly headed to the President's office.
“Louie! Thank the stars you're here!” President Shachou hopped out of his chair and ran up to the blonde.
“Olimar is currently stuck on PNF-404 again with a completely busted up ship! I need you to go back there and rescue him!”
Louie's ear twitched as Shachou's words sinked in. Go back to PNF-404? Perfect excuse to bring back some delicious beasts! Louie's mouth waters at the thought Get Olimar back AND get fresh ingredients? All by himself too? This is the best day ever-
“With a companion!”
Huh..?
“With…” President Sachou trailed off, thinking about who to send off Louie with.
He then spots the janitor, who was dusting off his trophies.
“Him!” President Shachou pointed at the custodian.
The janitor's eyes widen as he realized the President was talking about him.
“Uh…me..?” he pointed at himself quizzically.
Louie glanced at the man's name tag, “Vincent”, it read. He's going to be stuck alone with…Vincent…awesome..
“Yes, you!” The President affirmed. “You know how to drive a ship, do you?”
“Uhh-” Vincent stuttered, darting his eyes around the room.
“Wonderful! Space suits's in the back! Hurry hurry hurry!” President Sacho yelped urgently.
The custodian scurried out of the President's office into the back room.
Louie let out an exasperated sigh, his day dream immediately ruined. Great, he has to go back to the food planet with a complete stranger!
He’s only seen the man maybe three times while walking to the vending machine. He was usually mopping the floors or wiping down the windows. He never really bothered to get to know Vincent, neither did he want to. But now he had no choice, for 25 days and 25 nights.
After Vincent puts on his space suit, He, Louie and the President head to the launch pad where the Hocotate Freight ship is.
Vincent's space suit was the normal Hocotate Freight uniform but with pink gloves and oxygen pack, it would definitely stick out to predators but hey, at least its cute, yeah?
Vincent looks up at the ship, slightly intimidated by it. He's seen and even cleaned the ship before but not once did he ever dream of driving it.
“Alright, See you two in 25 days!” President Shachou waved bye to them as they got into the Hocotate Freight ship and blasted off.
Vincent looked out of his window, watching as the planet got smaller and smaller.
The ride to PNF-404 was awkwardly silent with only whirring engines being the background noise.
Vincent decides to try to start a conversation with Louie.
“So…” The burnett started.
Louie's ear twitched in response.
“Been to uh…this planet before?..” Vincent asked, bunglingly.
“Yeah..” Louie answered bluntly.
“Oh…Is it….dangerous?” Vincent mentally face palmed himself immediately after he asked that. What kind of stupid question is that? No, the planet is made of cotton candy and sprinkles. Stupid!
“yeah.” Louie responded, “But worth it..” Louie thinks about the tender meat of the bulborbs and all the meals he's going to make.
Vincent tilted his head, confused on what Louie meant by that.
Chapter 3: Day one: Valley of Repose
Notes:
This one was longer than I expected lmao. Alittle bit of yaoi in this one but it's implied. ALSO some blood in this chapter but it's minor.
Chapter Text
Louie and Vincent finally land on PNF-404, the two of them popping out of the ship.
The two looked around the white, snowy landscape, harsh winds blowing through the brittle grass.
Louie started walking, his footsteps heavy and tired. He would be alot more excited about coming here if he wasn't here with a complete stranger. With Olimar, it was different, he already knew Olimar, going on a mission with him before. With Vincent, he didn't even know his name until a few hours ago.
Vincent gazed at the icy landscape, admiring the small snowflakes falling into the snow.
Vincent snapped out of his gaze and noticed Louie walking away from him.
“Hey!- Hey, wait up!” Vincent quickly follows behind him.
Louie grunted as he walked through the snow, slightly agitated.
Then, they encountered a red onion.
“What on mars is that?!” Vincent eyebrows furrowed as he stared up at the onion.
Louie didn't respond, but instead plucked the red pikmin that was under said onion.
“wahoo!” chirped the Pikmin as it popped out of the ground.
“AH!” Vincent yelped as he jumped behind Louie, frightened.
“And what is THAT!?” Vincent pointed at the little red Pikmin.
“Pikmin…” Louie mutterd.
“Pik….Pikmin?..” Vincent tilted his head.
Louie nodded in reply as he then threw The red pikmin at a nearby pellet posey.
Vincent watched as the red pikmin destroyed the flower and took the pellet to its onion, gobsmacked. He has never seen anything like it before! It was like a sci-fi movie! But real!
After what felt like forever collecting red pikmin, Louie, Vincent and their army of pikmin explored the Valley of repose. Even though the two hocotations were wearing thermal wear under their space suits, some of the cold pierced through their uniforms.
‘S-So cold…” Vincent wrapped his arms around himself, slightly shivering.
“Yeah..” Louie agreed, feeling a chill go down his spine as he felt a gust of wind go right through him.
“Y-you said this is the only a-area that's this cold..?” Vincent shiverd.
Louie nodded, following behind Vincent.
“Dang…y-you sure know alot about this planet, eh..?”
“Mhm..” Louie hummed in agreement, it was true, Louie did know alot about PNF-404. He loved it here, he'd stay here forever if it wasn't for his limited nitrogen pack.
“What's your favorite part? About this planet, I mean..” Vincent glanced over at Louie.
“S’ quiet n’ peaceful…be left alone…..Also the creatures n bugs here ....they make good meals.” Louie murmurs.
“Oohh, yeah, I get that…sometimes you just want to relax with no one to boss you around..” Vincent knows that feeling all too well, but Vincent's personal relaxation would be shopping at the mall instead of disappearing on an uncharted planet.
“Wait- What was that part with the creatures..?”
The duo then spotted a bulborb sleeping on the dirt ground, one of the only spots not covered by snow.
Vincent pointed at the beast in terror.
“U-uh! Louie…!?” Vincent’s eyes widened in horror.
“hm?” Louie walked up next to Vincent, wondering what the burnett was pointing at.
Louie's eyes followed Vincent's hand.
Bulborb.
Finally, food!
Louie grinned as he whistled for the pikmin and treaded up to the spotted bulborb.
“Louie! What are you doing?! Get back here!!” Vincent whisper-yelled, as he quickly followed Louie.
Louie didn't respond, instead he continued to creep up behind the bulborb, swiftly grabbing a red pikmin.
Louie then started chucking pikmin at the creature.
The bulborbs eyes shot open, roaring as dozens of red pikmin crawl and hit the beast. It roared in pain and went to bite the captains and the remaining pikmin.
Louie didn't stop, he continued throwing pikmin after pikmin at the creature, daydreaming about the delicious roast he's going to make with its corpse.
That didn't stop the bulborb from mindlessly fighting back though.
Vincent and the bulborb made eye contact.
Big mistake.
The bulborbs pupils dilated as he hurtled towards Vincent.
Vincent couldn't move,the terror rising in his chest made his whole body frozen, just staring as the creature bolted towards him.
“Vincent-!”
Everything went black.
Vincent woke up in a small, stiff bed on the Hocotate Freight ship. He groaned as his mind finally started to wake up and look around the room. The walls were made of metal and a big circular window was right beside Vincent’s bed, with Louie’s bed being a couple feet away from his. Vincent looked out his window, admiring the sparkling stars outside. Looks like they are in space again.
Vincent winced as he felt a sharp pain in his side, he took off his covers and saw bandages taped to his side. He could see small amounts of blood seep through the white bandages. Memories of what happened before he blacked out filled his mind. Oh, right, that creature was probably the one that tore his side up.
Louie walks into the room, bringing over what looked like a stew of some sorts.
Vincent sat up in his bed, glancing over at Louie.
“What happened…?” Vincent uttered to the blonde.
“Bulborb,” Louie replied, setting the stew on the table next to Vincent.
“It bit you…so I patched you up.” Louie motioned at Vincent's bandages
“You did that..?” Vincent looked at his patched up wound then back at Louie.
Louie nodded, awkwardly averting his gaze.
“Oh…well, thank you..!” Vincent gave Louie a shy smile.
Louie nodded stiffly, then pointed at the stew. “Eat. You need energy.” before blunderingly walking out of the room, his eyes fixated on the floor.
Vincent glimpsed at the piping hot stew that sat on his bedside table. It looked absolutely delicious! It looked like it had some sort of meat in there but Vincent was already so hungry he didn't care to think further than that.
Vincent grabbed his spoon and took a first bite. His taste buds haven't tasted anything like it! Salty and savory with a hint of spicy. The meat was so tender and the added vegetables soaked up the broth perfectly.
It didn't take long for Vincent to finish the whole thing, making the wound in his side feel just a bit better.
Louie was in the kitchen, eating what was left of the stew. Look, it wasn't like Louie wanted to help Vincent, he had to! What would The President say if the guy he sent Louie out with came back in a body bag? No more tasty meals like this, that's for sure.