[color=darkgray]
[b][color=mediumvioletred]"I-I can ass-sure you I'm-m fine!”[/color][/b] Lizbeth squealed and stammered as Ezra got too close for comfort. Over the call, a raucous cackle could easily be heard from the video, a sure sign that Esmerelda was enjoying the show. 

[color=#DC9000]“...Eazy’s a real romeo, huh?”[/color] Charlie mumbled.

[color=#DCFF9F]“No, not really.”[/color] Sammi replied with a scoff.

[color=#EEA1F6]“Y’all should’ve seen him when we went through high school. Trust me, it was worse!”[/color] Ezzie’s laugh intensified. Ezra opted to ignore the peanut gallery commenting through the technology, instead focusing on Lizbeth’s potential ailments. Her pleasant mocha-tanned skin was flushed red, obviously, but not dry, giving him a quick signal that she wasn’t undergoing any immediate symptoms of dehydration. 

[b][color=mediumvioletred]“My eyes a-are really green and n-not red fr-from dehydr-ration! Geez..."[/color][/b] Lizbeth reassured through heavy breaths.

[color=#00FFAE]“Oh, okay! Juuuust making sure. I’m a registered physical trainer back in my hometown, so i’m kinda just, [i]ready[/i] to look out for those telltale signs y’know?”[/color] Ezra elaborated with a reassuring grin. He looked on as she turned away, still a little concerned at the level of animation in her reaction. For a split second, it felt like she was almost hiding her symptoms from him, which slightly heightened his concern. In time, however, she turned back to him and Lilith, with a more regulated tone. 

[b][color=mediumvioletred]“I'm...grateful that you were worried about me and my health. So...thanks."[/color][/b] She grinned, which only made him grin even more. 

[color=#00FFAE]“Yeah! Just...if you’re feeling woozy or lightheaded or [i]anything[/i], just let me know, okay? It’s kinda my job.”[/color] He replied with a sheepish chuckle. [color=#00FFAE]“I can help you if you need it, so don’t be afraid to ask.”[/color] There was a certain tone of serious reassurance in his voice as he talked. The last statement hung in the air for a beat before he spun towards the road ahead.

[color=#00FFAE]“I’ll start down the route, guess i’ll try to find another pokemon for my team.”[/color] Ezra said, sharing a glance between Lilith and Lizbeth before beginning down the road. As he walked off, you could hear his sister through his phone: [color=#EEA1F6]“Well, i’d absolutely hope so! You weren’t hoping to take on a league challenge with [i]just[/i] Brie, were you?”[/color] 

[color=#00FFAE]“No…”[/color] It was a thought. Ezra wondered how hard the challenge could be if 10-year-olds were progressing through it at a steady rate. He figured his standard trainer’s wit, and Brie’s headstrong gumption would be more than enough to get through the gyms. However, upon pondering further on the path taken so far, and his companions’ ventures in building teams, he couldn’t help but slightly feel like he might’ve been doing something wrong with the mindset he adopted. So, upon taking on the ‘when in Rome’ mindset, he figured that he too, could form a team willing to take on even the strongest gym leader. Or something like that. 
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