I posted this sketch of Apollo and Arnie(not their son Arnie II, this is the reason why their son is name is Arnie II, her father is name Arnie) in DA so might as well posted this on FA x3

Way before Apollo met Racheal, he met his first friend in Kalos. Apollo and his trainer Nate came from Unova. They were completely foreign at the new region and immediately they were even lost in Lumoise City. That is when Arnie and his trainer saw the two and ask if they need help navigating the place. And that when Racheal's father, Arnie and Apollo began their friendship.

Their trainers became a young couple, they both love fire type Pokemon and Nate and Arnie's trainer dreamed about starting a team of just fire Pokemon themselves. Arnie and Apollo were also very mischievous bunch. The todd also taught Apollo that vixens are much more beautiful and elegant. They thought the bond of their friendship will never be broken between them.

Apollo often watch out his back when it comes other Pokemon bullying his friend. Arnie would often try to hook his kind to his friend but sadly it always fails. Apollo as combusken was never lucky to have a vixen of his own.

That is when you get to see Racheal's mother for the first time. The same mother that Aldric and Veronica has. The keyword Arnie introduced Racheal's mother Mori as a breeding partner not a mate. Apollo quickly assumed at the time a breeding partner is literally the same as a mate when they're not. Which he eventually found out what a breeding partner is when he had multiple random breeding partners(usually either dittos or blazikens; which again before he met Racheal). However; he lost interest of breeding until he eventually found the news of his long lost daughter of his best friend.

Don't let Mori's beauty fool you, she likes to charm Pokemon into her grasp and leave broken hearts behind. That is how evil that braixen is.

My apologizes that this lineart isn't really colored but I wanted to show Apollo's long backstory friendship between him and Racheal's father, how they got to know each other, tidbits here and there.