[center][img]https://images.cooltext.com/4835169.png[/img]
- Pokedex Line --> Route 9
- Interacting with: Euphoria Caulfield ([@Lichthart]) [/center][hr]What would happen next, Ryan did not expect, nor never would have expected. In a swift motion, he watched as the Professor snatched the Pokedex that Euphie was given, promptly hitting her on the head with it. Such an act was unheard of it Ryan, mainly because it was coming from a Pokemon Professor, and they didn't seem like the scolding type. Then again, his only interactions with Professor Grevillia was getting a Pokedex from her, and she seemed relatively nice then. But, he supposed, being nice wasn't an immediate indicator that they would take someone like Euphie and her... harsh mannerisms lightly. Ryan himself wasn't particularly fond of her after her display, but seeing her get hit made him tense up and withdraw his hand back to his side. As the girl groaned in an angry fashion when she turned to Professor Grevillia, Ryan slowly brought his two hands together near the middle of his chest, soon poking the tips of his index fingers together lightly as the scene unfolded.

It was only a matter of time before the girl he had tried to introduce stomped away, having snatched her Pokedex and gone a decent distance away. For a moment he felt that the fiasco was over, giving off a sigh of relief that it had ended faster than he had thought. But that wishful thinking was soon interrupted by the shouts of the girl once more. [color=bc8dbf]"You... y-you don't know just whom you're dealing with! Damn you!"[/color] He heard, causing him to wince and look at the Professor for a second, raising his left hand slightly as if he were going to make some sort of comment, but unfortunately it was cut off by Euphie continuing her rather nonthreatening promises. It... was almost sad, really. Ryan couldn't understand why she was making such a big deal out of what had happened, especially because she got what was coming to her. What went around, Euphie's insults to the Professor, came around in the form of discipline. And even though she tried to sound furious, to sound threatening, but to Ryan... It just seemed that her heart wasn't in it. Maybe it had sparked something that had happened in her past, bad memories... He couldn't tell, but he did have a feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface.

Which is why when she asked him to come with her, he was shocked. His eyes widened, and he must of looked like a statue for a second as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Someone wanted his company. And the worst part was, he could hear her distress when she pleaded for him to join her. It made his heart ache for her despite what had just happened, a sense of pity that he didn't expect at all. Here was this supposed, rough and rude teenager his age doing her best to, well, do something, and the next minute, she wasn't the same person at all. He saw that it was genuine, but he couldn't believe it. Maybe... he thought, maybe this girl has been through a lot more than he has, and all she needs now is someone who won't abandon her.

He took a deep breath this time, but instead of using it to calm down, he used it to get excited. When he reopened his eyes this time, he smiled in her direction, willing to go with her and, maybe... help her. He wasn't sure what the future would hold, or if she even liked him, but he felt that she needed someone to stay by her side, moreso than he needed to be alone with his Pokemon. And when he got to her side, he nodded at her with a reassuring smile, though not saying a word. He knew he wasn't the best when it came to getting the right words out, or even saying them properly, so he hoped she'd understand that he was by her side for now.

He didn't say much as time went on, letting Euphie do her own thing. He thought of taking Pixie out on multiple occasions to give him a companion he could talk to, but... he felt that would be a bit rude to Euphie. After all, one of them had to be a good example for what was to come. [color=0072bc]"Don't forget about me... Besides, I... Don't think things will get worse, at least so long as you're with your partner. But, uh, hey! We'll be fine."[/color] He replied, trying his best to counter her negativity with his own positivity. [color=0072bc]"Just, uh, lead the way, and I'll be here too."[/color]