Late spring air heavy with the smell of flowers in full bloom perfumed the air just outside of Floroma Town. Among the delicate petals suspended on their stalks sat a young woman. Her legs were crossed, elbows planted on her knees, fists supporting her head up as she pressed them into her cheeks. She was young, in her early twenties, with glossy auburn hair that she had braided into a rope that hung down her back. It swayed slightly as her head turned a little, green eyes following the shape of a Combee buzzing busily over the flowers, the little bug Pokémon humming quietly to itself as it worked. She blinked her green eyes a few times, trying to focus on the beauty of the moment and not fall back onto her habitual list of to do's or studying. It was harder than she would've liked.

Unexpectedly, a look of shock and fright crossed the Combee's faces and it rocketed upwards, just as a dark shape exploded out from the flowers, dark grey arms reaching up to grab the other Pokémon before it could fly away. Fortunately for the Combee, she missed, the fox like Pokémon landing back among the flowers with a soft thump. The Zoroark lifted her head to watch the fleeing bug, a mischievous grin splitting her pointed muzzle before her and her bright red mane of hair disappeared back beneath the plants.

Maeve laughed. She didn't know whether or not Whisper had missed on purpose, but she wouldn't put it past her. Her Pokémon had probably seen her sulking and thought to lighten up the mood. Well, it had worked, no matter what the intentions had been behind it.

Straightening up and stretching out her legs, hoping to allow her 1 foot that had fallen asleep time to wake up before something else happened, Maeve looked for any of her other Pokémon that were out exploring the fields of Floroma. She had traveled to Sinnoh for a change of pace originally, but couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a lot of activity focused in and around Jubelife City. She had tried not to pay too close of attention, but it was wired in her brain to notice things like this, indicators of something exciting happening. Her guess was that they were organizing a tournament, though no one she asked seemed to want to give her a straightforward answer. She had silently accepted their evasiveness, but was keeping an ear to the ground for any news of an upcoming competition.

Something solid collided with her before her foot had had a chance to wake up completely, sending a series of painful prickles through the appendage. Maeve managed through sheer force of Will to keep a grimace off her face as she wobbled, instinctively wrapping her arms around the Ampharos that had managed to approach her from the opposite direction she had been looking, the electric Pokémon having gone in for an affectionate hug that flopped half of her heavy body across her trainers lap.

"Bridget, careful. Don't knock me over," Maeve said with a huff of effort, releasing her Pokémon as she herself was let go and resigning herself to the physical contact as Bridget settled in next to her and put her head on her arm. She smiled though. She didn't mind the touch.

Gently rubbing the top of Bridget's head with her hand that wasn't trapped in the Pokémon's own, she had just caught sight of a low bodied Gastradon slipping out of a nearby flower patch, it's blue head turning to look at her with a calm smile when she noticed a human figure coming up the path. Being trapped where she was by Bridget, Maeve waved from her sitting position to the man she recognized as one of the people who helped out in the Pokémon center. He waved back, turning his walk into a light jog. Maeve caught sight of Whisper's sharp face peering out across the way, a gleeful expression brightening her features. Maeve gave her head a sharp shake and Whisper pouted. But it wasn't until a paw was placed on her back that the mischievous gleam in her bright blue eyes faded. She gave a disparaging look up at Atlas, the Lucario giving her a stern look. With a grumble, the Zoroark slipped away, probably off to pull a prank on one of the other Pokémon instead.

Taking a deep breath, Maeve tried to smother the grin that threatened to lift her lips. It would only serve to encourage whisper and her antics.

"Hey Maeve, glad I caught you before you headed off too far," the man said as he reached her, breathing slightly heavier from his light run.

"Hi Stewart," Maeve responded politely, smiling up at him. "How can I help you?"

"Well, I might have an answer for that question you had the other day," Stewart replied with a grin, waving a glossy purple envelope through the air. "This just came for you."

Maeve's attention sharpened, immediately focusing on the envelope in his hand. When he held it out, she took it and quickly looked over her own name embossed on the thick paper in loopy silver lettering, an elegant wax seal holding it closed. It was in printed with a stylized letter E.

"I got only a few of these for some trainers that had registered at the Pokémon Center in Floroma. You and two others. It must be special if the invitations are so exclusive and fancy."

"Must be," Maeve murmured, giving Stuart a distracted wave and thanks when he wished her good luck.

Bridget had mercifully released her other hand, so Maeve was able to break the seal on the back of the envelope, Harbor joining the Ampharos in watching as she pulled out a heavy piece of paper printed with more fancy words, gold this time. She read aloud for their benefit.

"Dear Miss Brennan, you are here by cordially invited to attend and participate in this year's Elite Tournament, an exclusive competition that will match the strongest and brightest Pokémon trainers from all over the world against one another. We ask that you and your Pokémon be present for the event that will take place in Jubelife City on May 23rd. The event will span the entirety of the following week and rooms will be provided in the adjacent hotel to the Battle Colosseum. Please check in the day before so that an accurate roster may be organized. We hope to see you there. Best regards, The Elite Tournament Committee."

So she had been right. Maeve hummed thoughtfully as she reread the invitation once more, before glancing up at her Pokémon. Atlas was looking at her intensely, the light of battle in his eyes. Bridget smiled, leaning in for another hug. Harbor was looking thoughtful, as if pondering on what was to come, but got distracted looking at a flower almost at once. A loud screech of excitement exploded from Tempest, the Talonflame having come closer when he had heard Maeve's voice. He spread his wings and swooped a few times overhead. Juniper peered out from the flowers curiously, a Kricketot blinking nervously at her side.

'Trust Juniper to have made a friend out here.'

Laughing at the clearly positive response from her partners, Maeve gave Bridget a gentle squeeze. "We'd better hurry then if we want to make it there by next Saturday," she said, making to get up.

Whisper chose that exact moment to explode out of the flowers again, tackling Tempest out of the air and sending them both tumbling away in a shower of petals, causing Maeve to dissolve into a harder fit of laughter.

Quiet... Things were peaceful, for once... In an isolated valley in Stahlblatt, not far from the peak of the tallest mountain in the region, sat someone who appeared to be some sort of scientist. A Lucario, Ninetales, and Gardevoir sat across from him. His breathing was quiet and his eyes were closed, deep in meditation. His Pokemon seemed to match his breathing, acting as silent guardians. All things seemed peaceful, until he was interrupted by his communicator going off. The anthem of the country played as his ringtone. With an annoyed sigh, he tapped on the device on his wrist, causing a green hologram to be displayed in front of him.

"Ja? I hope you have good reason to bother me. It is time" He spoke, a tone of irritation in his voice. The hologram saluted him. They weren't anyone he recognized, but they seemed to be dressed in clothing befitting of a member of the mail delivery service. "Good sir, we are sorry to bother you, however there is a letter addressed to you here in Rukala Kapitol. At your earliest convenience, please come to retrieve it. I believe it to be highly important." They spoke with a great deal of formality. After Adolphian acknowledged the message and promised swiftness, they hung up, leaving him mildly perturbed.

"Kitsi, Lekarzie, Toddbringer. Return. We must leave." He spoke a simple command, his voice moderately loud and authoritative. Without even touching his Pokeballs, his Pokemon heeded his instruction and entered their balls of their own volition. Adjusting his visor, he sighed and made preparations to head off. From his bag, he pulled out a long jacket and old wartime helmet, designed to fit in with his visor. After all, the winds could get cold during flight in Stahlblatt, so it was best to prepare, even for a short-ish journey. After dressing himself for the cold of Rukala Kapitol(a creative name for the capitol city of Rukala, I know), he sent out his Staraptor. "Kielak. Kannst du fliegen?(Can you fly?)" He spoke, mild concern in his voice. The bird simply nodded and gave out a cry of affirmation. Though it's wing had some slight dried blood on it's underside, the wound seemed to have healed.

A faint smirk appeared on his face before putting on a sort of breath mask, hooking it up to a device hooked up to his waist. "Oxygen regulator functional. Temperature nominal. Visor display indicates ideal conditions. Kielak, es ist Zeit zu gehen(It is time to go)." He spoke. After mounting his bird, the creature gave another cry of affirmation and waited until his trainer was properly seated on him. He then took off, moving with haste.

While most would have headed immediately to the post office, the first stop for the scientist was the closest medic centre to the post office. Due to it's size, the Kapitol had a few, which made things easier. After dismounting and returning his Staraptor to his ball, he headed in to get medical care for his Pokemon. "Some Pokemon have minor injuries. Wild assailant." He spoke simply to the receptionist, who took his Pokeballs from him... And after care was given, he wasted no time in getting to the post office. Using his communicator to show proof of identity, he was handed a strangely fancy letter. Adolphian was certainly confused, the letter was certainly of foreign origin, what had he done to gain the attention of someone capable of sending such a thing?

Walking out of the building, he was confronted by a certain Ninetales who had decided she wanted to get a bit nosey. "Co tam jest napisane? Co jest napisane, proszę pana?(What is written there? What is written, sir?)" She questioned excitedly, her mechanical tail clunking against the pavement as she wagged her tails like an overly excited puppy. Patting her on the head, Adolphian gestured for her to follow him as he sat down on a bench. He removed his helmet and breath mask before breaking the seal on the envelope. Kitsi attempted to sit on his lap, but finding herself too large, she settled with sitting next to him and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Elite tournament... Exclusive competition?" He questioned to himself as he read, a look of confusion on his face. "I understand that I've been partaking in the league challenge, however... I never realized... Evilane! You're to blame for this, I know it!" He mused. He scowled and shook his fist at the sky while Kitsi gave a curious cry at the mention of Evilane. "Co ona tym razem zrobiła?(What did she do this time?)" She questioned. Adolphian simply sighed, putting a hand to his temple. "Ma pewne kontakty z wpływowymi osobami. Jestem pewien, że to ona za tym stoi, zawsze lubi się wtrącać w moje sprawy.(She has contacts with influential people, I am certain she is behind this. She's always meddled in my affairs.)" He grumbled.

Standing up, he engaged his holo-communicator, tapping away at the holographic display. His Staraptor wouldn't be able to make it to Sinnoh, at least not without a great deal more specialized training. But perhaps Adolphian would be able to pull a few favours and get a transport there. Getting up, he didn't return his Ninetales, but rather let out his Luxray. She seemed rather eager to get some walking done and protected him from his right side, while Kitsi protected his left. The three unlikely companions headed for the airport, but it'd be a good walk. That gave Adolphian time to think. How would someone manage to get out to Stahlblatt? Sure, the region had been open to outsiders for a few years now, but restrictions were strict as to who was allowed in. The process was rather lengthy as to protect the region from those who'd wish to exploit it. It was also quite out of the way and difficult to traverse, only a specialized flying machine or incredibly powerful bird Pokemon could manage to make their way to the heavily mountainous region. So many thoughts, so little time...

"I want you to take him."

Tide had returned to Castelia City after journeying across Unova. After defeating the Hoenn League, he decided to continue his journey across the different regions, completing the challenges that each one presented. Kanto's Indigo League felt almost nostalgic, even if he had never been there. The whole region had this dream-like quality to it, a simplicity in the Kanto way of life, and straightforward battle that he had not quite captured anywhere else. Ultimately, as much as he enjoyed the region, it was a straight shot to the Kanto Pokemon League, and he cleared them without too much trouble. Or, that is, altaria cleared them, with help from sylveon, and even mightyena! It may not have been his first league, but he was proud of his team nonetheless. It's only after coming to Unova that thing's got crazy. He had a run in with a Team Plasma goon, discovered a gardevoir in the slums that had become a mother to the outcasts there, and... Well, that was most of it, but it's still exciting!

But to return to the present-

"You want me to do what?"

The man pinched his brows and frowned down at the smaller man in front of him. He was a trainer that operated in the Castelia City bug gym, Wilde, and he was all but forcing a pokeball into Tide's startled hands.

"Please. I... I can't. Spots needs a good home. A good trainer. I can't provide her with either."

Tide's frown deepend. He had never seen any hints as to anything wrong with the man. He battled with such fervor in the gym, just a couple months ago. What had changed? Whatever it was, it has left the smaller man harrowed in a way Tide has scarecely seen. He looked pale, and possibly frightened. What had he gotten himself into...?

"Just take it!"

Wilde thrusts the ball into Tide's hands and hangs his head. When Tide finally, reluctantly accepts the pokeball, the man raises an arm to cover his face. Tide wants to say something, to learn more about what happened, but... It's clear whatever it is, he doesn't want to talk about it.

"I'll take Spots," he says softlly, and he lays a hand on the other's man's shoulder. He freezes under the touch, but doesn't pull away. "Just know, I will return. One day. And we'll sort this out, together. Okay?"

Tide waits for several long seconds, until Wilde gives a single, solemn nod. That's enough for Tide, and he leaves the man to his demons. He meant what he said, and he will be back... But not now. In fact, he has a message he should probably review. He was about to do just that before Wilde approached him in the streets, startling him so much he almost became a ghost-type on the spot. But that's int he past now. He should really read that letter.

Digging it out, he skims the contents with mixed worry and excitement. If this is true... Somebody has recognized his talent, and he's being invited to an exclusive tournament. Oh, his mother has to hear about this! He has to get writing right away! Now, where is Castelia City's post office again...?

@StarfrostedFox

Liam had not planned on stopping in the flower fields.

Well. That wasn’t entirely true.

He had planned on making good time on the road to Jubilife, but the moment Floroma’s flower fields came into view, any serious intention of walking past went out the window. A place like this practically demanded appreciation, and Liam Anwell had never once in his life denied anything pretty the attention it deserved.

So here he was.

He carefully avoided muddy patches to prevent his pink shoes from getting dirty. His messenger bag slung over one shoulder, Liam made his way along the path with the sort of confidence that suggested he had never considered the possibility of being out of place anywhere. His invitation, still tucked inside its glossy purple envelope, rested inside his bag beside a compact mirror, a sketchbook, and enough emergency fashion supplies to survive a crisis.

At his side shuffled Boo. The Mimikyu shuffled along through the flowers, his Pikachu disguise bobbing with each step, Every so often he lagged behind just enough to stare curiously at a flower before hurrying to catch up, sticking close to Liam’s heels as if the entire field might swallow him if he got too far away from his trainer.

Liam glanced down at him and smiled. “Don’t look at me like that, darling. You’re the one who wanted to come.”

Boo tilted his head up at him.

“Yes, well, if you see anything prettier than me in this field, do let me know. I love competition!”

Boo’s head slowly turned toward a particularly vibrant patch of pink blossoms.

Liam gasped softly. “You are unbelievable.”

A screech and a violent rustling of petals broke the peaceful atmosphere before Boo could be scolded further.

Liam blinked.

Then blinked again as a Zoroark tackled a Talonflame out of the air in an explosion of blossoms.

Boo startled hard enough to bump against Liam’s leg.

“…Well,” Liam said. “That is one way to make an entrance.”

His violet eyes followed the tumbling Pokémon to the trainer nearby, an auburn haired young woman, surrounded by a small collection of Pokémon with varying levels of concern about the ongoing chaos.

Liam smiled. He lifted a hand in a friendly wave as he approached, Boo sticking close at his side for the first few steps before peeking around behind one of Liam’s legs at the unfamiliar trainer and Pokémon.

“Please tell me,” Liam called, voice warm and bright, “that this level of drama is normal around here, because if so, I may never leave.” He slowed a polite distance away, smiling as though introducing himself in the middle of a flower field full of commotion was the most natural thing in the world. “William Anwell,” he said cheerfully, “though Liam is much cuter, so everyone calls me that.” He gestured lightly downward with one hand. “And this,” he added, glancing fondly at the Mimikyu half-hiding behind him, “is Boo. He’s shy until he decides he likes you, then he forgets what personal space is.”

Boo gave a tiny wiggle beneath his disguise, then ducked a little farther behind Liam’s leg again.

“And unless my timing is truly terrible,” he continued, eyes flicking toward the familiar envelope in the young woman’s hands, “I’m guessing you got one of those fancy invitations too?”

“Ditz do something!”

Elena let out her shrieking command, if you could call it that, from roughly eight feet up a tree. She was currently suspended there by a shockingly durable and sticky silk web. She dangled upside down, suspended to a nearby branch deep in the Ilex forest where the old-growth trees still shrouded the whole area in a dusk-like shade.

She had called out to her companion who was currently on the forest floor, struggling to wade through the tall grass that had formed here. It made the perfect place for a web trap like this to be delicately draped and ready for wandering prey to fall into. Ditz was a Spinda, and as such, her balance naturally teetered about. It was fortunate for her, given that various strands of string were descending from the canopy above. Her bizarre movements as she waded towards her trainer helped allude most of the webs being formed.

The culprit, Ariados, or more accurately, about a dozen of them. The people of Azalea had been complaining about them for some time now, about how they were a menace to the local and beloved slowpoke population. Elena had been more than happy to help, and the enticing prospect of a rugged and dangerous Ariados added to her arsenal only made it all the better. Unfortunately for her, that prized Ariados was currently making its way towards her. It was everything she imagined it would be: it was big for an Ariados, the average of which stood about three feet tall. This one was a head and cephalothorax taller than the average, and it had a mean look to its eyes, which felt empty and soulless in its many kinsmen currently. He was currently scuttling up the branch that Elena was dangling from. Even in distress, she had to admire its gracefulness, even despite its bulk. She showed her admiration by screaming.

Ditz did not appear to be in any better of a situation. They were agile and unpredictable, but numbers prevailed, and silk strands had entangled the tiny red bear, pulled taut to keep them in place. Then, Ditz got an order.

“Rapid spin!”

Ditz grinned wickedly, then became a blur. She spun like a top, and all the silk strands, once held tight by the massive spiders in the trees, were suddenly spinning with her, flung this and that way as their silken strings broke. Ditz wile like a spinning top, the speed of their movement blowing the grass around her.

Elena smiled enthusiastically at the victory. She had learned to take these small victories; each one was pivotal in a real victory in the long run. Most of the ariados where routed now, but Elena started to notice herself getting tugged upwards. That small boost in morale was swiftly crumbled when she saw the massive arachnid reeling her in like a netted fish. It was determined and brave, too! Elena screamed again.

A rock came flying by them, barely missing the Ariados and causing it to pause. Ditz had grasped a clot of the earth below her, held together by the grass roots that weaved together like a sheet. She already had another, and this one found its mark. Not the Ariados, but the web it was holding. It lost its connection to the web, and Elena shrieked the whole way to the forest floor.

Ariados took this opportunity to escape, bouncing from branch to branch as it ran away. Bravery was one thing, but recklessness was a step too far. Ditz stumbled after her trainer, falling over herself as she clambered onto Elena, trying to rip the trap off of her.

“It’s getting away!” She shouted, pulling with all her might to free her arm from the webbing. The little fuzzy ally seemed to already be on the same page. It stopped helping Elena escape and reached for a pokeball at her side and pressed the button with its paw.

A roar echoed through the woods. A massive serpent emerged from the ensuing beam of light. The gyrados looked down at Elena and gasped audibly, rushing to fling her off the ground and onto his back. Elena smiled again. Another minor victory and one step closer. Ditz hopped on too, clutching onto one of his dorsal fins. Elena pointed forward, vaguely at the rapidly shrinking silhouette of the Ariados.

“Hurry! We need to catch up!”

Hurry, they did. The massive serpent glided through the air with ease, letting branches break and crumble against its body like these oak trees were balsa. Ariados was agile, it was brave, and it was a brute, but it wasn’t fast. Fynn was. He was a bullet, and he was rapidly catching up. Once they neared him, Elena shouted with all her might.

“Hydro pump!”

A torrent of water blasted from Fynn’s mouth, hitting the Ariados hard and blasting it higher into the air. The moment the water dissipated, and the Ariados started falling, a pokeball tapped it mid air, and the Ariados was sucked inside. The pokeball descended to the forest floor, and the team descended with it. Elena heard the telltale click of a pokeball successfully capturing it’s target. She started to dance, and when Ditz joined her she scooped up the little spotted bear and spun her around. Fynn circled the dou and merrily hummed a tune. Another exciting adventure.

Then Elena heard something else that made her cut the celebration short. A ring tone, a chirping one she did not hear often. It was her mother’s tune. Elena rushed to her pocket and flipped the device open, thrusting it to her ear urgently.

“Hey, Mom, everything alright?”

She could hear a clamoring in the background, but that was par for the course. When you have five kids in a small house, it always sounds like a commotion. Her mother’s tone sounded urgent, faintly concerned, but with the twinge of excitement.

“Oh yes, dear. You got something in the mail”

---

“Fyyyyyyyyyynnnn!”

Elena yelled the Gyrados’ name, though it was hard to make it out through the rushing wind. It sucked the breath out of her the moment she spoke up. Fynn was going fast, and she was struggling to hold on, even with the silken ropes her newest party member had sewn to keep her in place. She didn’t try to say his name again. Fynn was enjoying himself, and he was pushing himself too. She never saw him like this; the freedom must have been a nice change of pace.

Without the money for a plane ticket, this was her next best idea. She was already regretting it. This whole thing felt like such a long shot. She had barely scraped by on her 6th gym badge in Johto. That was only after a dozen tries. Who thought she had any chance in a big tournament like this? Still, the excitement burned hotter than the gelid winds over the open sea. A new region, a chance to make a name for herself, it was all so exciting!

These thoughts occupied her, it kept her from thinking about how horrible her hair would look after this. Or how the breeze was making her cheeks flap backwards to expose her gums. Or how she had fallen of her ride and was plummeting towards the sea. Uh-oh.

“Fyyyyyynnnn!”

Her laughter had subsided into softer giggles by the time Maeve’s attention was drawn away from the tussle of feathers and fur by another movement, another man waving in greeting in her direction. The last of the laughter immediately faded, though she did her best to keep a friendly smile in its place. At least she had managed to get herself off the ground by this point.

Her eyes swept over the approaching figure, instinctively assessing everything she saw. He was shorter than she was by several inches, with delicate features that could have been mistaken for a woman’s if she’d only caught a brief glance. He wore finely tailored clothing in various shades of pink, accented by similarly colored accessories. What stood out most, however, was the ease with which he carried himself. There was no hesitation or self-consciousness in his posture, only quiet confidence. Maeve found herself respecting that almost immediately. Confidence born from knowing exactly who you were tended to be far rarer a find in people than any particular fashion choice.

The immediate side effect, however, was a sudden awareness of her own appearance. She felt underdressed, under-groomed, and wholly unprepared to meet someone who looked so much more elegant and put together than she had ever been in her life. Surreptitiously, she brushed at a smear of dirt on her pants before quickly abandoning the effort. Her clothes needed a proper wash, and there was simply no getting around that.

When the man called out to her, she found herself mildly surprised by his tone. He spoke as though he were greeting an old friend rather than a complete stranger. It was disarming in a way she hadn’t expected, and she felt some of the usual tension that accompanied meeting new people ease from her shoulders. It was still there, but not as dominant as it usually was.

Maeve’s eyes quickly flickered back to the flowerbed and then returned to the approaching stranger. The contrast between the chaos that had unfolded behind her and the ease with which he approached was difficult to miss. She almost laughed. Tempest had only just managed to recover his dignity after being knocked out of the air, ruffling his feathers and giving the Zoroark a look of exasperated annoyance. Whisper looked entirely too pleased with herself, indifferent to the glare.

Maeve exhaled softly. "I'd like to say that this sort of behavior is unusual," she answered honestly, "but this is pretty normal for Whisper." She indicated the Zoroark, who grinned.

Her gaze automatically dropped to the Pokémon peeking from behind Liam’s leg as he was introduced. Boo’s hesitation contrasted sharply with his trainer’s confidence, and she found herself wondering how the pair had ended up together. She had thought that it was a Pikachu hiding behind him initially, but as she looked, she quickly realized that that assumption had been wrong. It was Pikachu like, but there were enough indicators to tell her that this was a Pokémon trying to appear like it was a Pikachu. It tickled at her recollection, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it just then.

"My Bridget is like that as well," she said, rubbing gently at the Amphiros's head.

Bridget, for her part, was showing a remarkable amount of self-control. Instead of running over and enthusiastically introducing herself or tackling the unsuspecting trainer in a hug, she was beaming at them and waving her arms quite enthusiastically.

“Nice to meet you, Liam. I’m Maeve Brennan.”
As he mentioned the invitation, she glanced down at the envelope still resting in her hand before looking back up at him, her gaze sharpening. So he had one as well.
"I did." The statement was simple and matter-of-fact, more confirmation than conversation.

As if realizing this, she shuffled slightly, and for a moment, she studied Liam, not suspicious so much as curious. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by introducing himself to a complete stranger in the middle of a minor disaster.

"Have you been traveling long," she asked. “Most people I’ve met on the road don’t stop to admire the scenery before reaching their destination. Not trainers strong enough to be invited to a high tier competition in any case."

It wasn’t quite friendly conversation yet, but it was closer than most of her interactions with strangers tended to be. An invitation to continue the conversation, if nothing else.

As the weather remained stable and relatively warm, Adolphian managed to book himself a transport to Sinnoh. Of course, such transports were incredibly rare, but he pulled a few strings. It helped that he was able to use his invitation for further convincing. He headed for the local transport hub, his Pokemon in tow. Though Kitsi stayed close to her trainer, Don Krieger stayed a few paces away, bringing up the flank. She was on edge, keeping her guard up in the case of attack.

They entered the transport that was to take them to Sinnoh, a quite elaborate flying machine designed for long-distance flights. It was the latest model, consisting of 4 rotor blades for vertical momentum and a large pulse jet on the back for horizontal momentum. The main body was shaped like a seed and was painted a lovely brass colour with blue stripes in between the plating. It was certainly a very unique design, and while it was never tested for inter-regional travel, it was the successor of technology which was. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that they'd be able to get to Sinnoh.

A hatch opened up in the side and a ramp slid out, leading to a quite comfortable seating area. After shaking hands with the pilot and co-pilot, Adolphian and his Pokemon boarded the transport. He wondered to himself what the wartime transports would have been like. After all, the civilian transports, like many things, were heavily based off the military versions from the past, though retrofitted to be made more comfortable and lacking any sort of weaponry. He'd heard stories of cramped, uncomfortable transports designed to hold 20 troops and instead carrying twice that many. Thankfully, those days were over.

It wasn't long before they were high in the skies over Stahlblatt. The flying machine, while certainly strange, was quite fast. It rattled worryingly, and had the pilot not assured him that it was typical in the previous test flights, Adolphian would have found himself nervous. His Ninetales, however, was absolutely terrified as she sat on her lap with her tails wrapped around him. Though her trainer was certainly incredibly uncomfortable with how clingy she was, she wasn't taking 'no' as an answer. As it turns out, the fox was incredibly terrified of flying.

"Wszyscy umrzemy! To śmiertelna pułapka! Mówię ci!(Translation: We're all going to die! It's a deathtrap! I'm sure of it!") The Ninetales called out, her face buried in Adolphian's jacket. He sighed as he stroked her back, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "Za dużo się martwisz. Wszystko będzie dobrze. Stahlblatt technologia jest nieomylna.(Translation: You worry too much. Everything will be fine. Stahlblatt technology is infallible.)" He reassured her. He was confident that the prototype would safely carry them to Sinnoh. Even with the increasingly worrying noises coming from outside.

Unfortunately, by the time they reached Sinnoh, the worrying noises indeed proved something worthy of worry. The structure for one of the propeller blades failed catastrophically, shearing off part of the metal and causing the structure to explode in a shower of sparks. With a trail of flames, the transport was forced to land immediately, a good distance from their destination. At the very least, they were above land. Unfortunately, to get to the forest clearing they were above, it would take manoeuvring.

After a less than ideal landing, the three humans in the craft immediately got to work, attempting to put out the flames as best they could. Neither the pilot nor the co-pilot had Pokemon capable of combating the raging fire(the pilot had a water type, but using water on an electrical fire is a bad idea), Adolphian had an idea. While Kitsi immediately returned to her ball after fainting from fear and shock, he sent out his Gardevoir. "Lekarzie! I'm going to need you to form a force field around this fire. Choke it out, cut off the oxygen flow." He ordered. The elegant creature wasted no time in getting close to the burning device, but not close enough to be too dangerous.

She floated and put all her effort into concentration. The gems embedded in her chest and arms began to glow brightly, like a shining beacon. The fire was surrounded by a purple glow and slowly began to die down as it consumed the oxygen it needed to burn. Eventually, the fire died and she released the force field. She collapsed to her knees, exhausted. Fortunately, Adolphian was quick to pat her on the back and return her. "Good girl... You did well. Now... To fix this blasted machine..." He muttered to himself. It was fortunate all transports came stock with basic emergency supplies and a few replacement parts, in case of failures in the field such as this.

With help from the rest of the crew, Adolphian found himself working on the burned out propeller and surrounding hull, prying out damaged panels and using a rudimentary weld job to make a sort of crude repair job on the hull. Though they had a replacement propeller motor and electrical controller, the propeller itself and surrounding hull were less than perfect. However, it was passable. "Gah... This bloody yarlin... We should have done some darbing testing before sending out a darbing prototype..." He cursed under his breath. He didn't so mind the repair, though. He was more concerned over whether any locals witnessed a flying machine explode and fall out of the sky. Lord Wislias forbid he had to explain that it wasn't a hostile attack, nor was it intentional. Sinnoh has had enough issues with evil teams causing trouble, after all.

If one good thing came of being connected with a father who works at Stern's Shipyard, it was being able to travel by boat very easily wherever you go. It felt like he blinked and suddenly he was on the shores of Canalave City. It had its charm, with a quaint library and old chateau, but... He was never really the history type. Not when it came to stuff like this. No sooner had he arrived in Canalave did he leave it to run Route 218, encountering a Fisherman along the way that helped sharpen Tide on his way to the big city. Altaria was more than happy to body the man's gyrados. Poor thing got twisted like a pretzel before the old girl was done with it. It was kind of brutal, actually- more an execution than a performance. Not for the first time, Tide wondered what his mom and altaria got up to during her trainer days...

Altaria's brutality wasn't the only surprise in store for Tide; upon arriving in Jubilife City, he had to enter his pokemon into the local beauty contests. Or that's what he intended to do. In a wholely unforseen twist of events, gardevoir drew his attention to a poster depicting a kirlia doing balet. Tide didn't think it was actually balet, but the point was taken- Gardevoir was interested in acting, so, much to sylveon's disappointment, Tide chose to enter into the Acting Contest instead of the traditional beauty contest. To be honest, it was rather exciting- he's not sure he has ever entered a pokemon into an Acting Contest before, so this was a new experience for him!

The whole process to have his pokemon entered into the contest was straightforward and easy, despite his unfamiliarity with the contest in particular. It was just like entering into a beauty contest, only the details were slightly different. According to the nice woman at the kiosk, as is tradition, a Judge would be critisizing his pokemon, but instead of judging their appearance, they were going to be judging their, well, acting. The word 'moves' was thrown around, but he got the feeling moves weren't the only things the judges would be paying attention to.

His opponents were Jasmine with her steelix, Rusty, Keira with her 'boogying' buneary, Mimmy, and Ashlyn with her Murky murkrow. A strange mix for an acting contest, but Tide assumed they had something special in store and wished them luck on stage. First up was Rusty who, to Tide's great surprise- and the amazement of the crowd -used Iron Coat to encase its body in a dazzling steely sheen of light. It twisted and slide across the stage like a silver serpent, displaying a dexterity that belied the giant's stony body. When it was over, and the pale glow left the steelixes body, Tide was left speechless from the display. Gardevoir, beside him, watched with her characteristic stoicism, watching the proceeding's with her arms crossed. Tide wondered if she was moved, or if she really was that unflinching, but he suspected it was the former. He had seen her with her guard down. Beneath that steely- pun intended -exterior was a warmth and compassion he had scarecely seen in pokemon or trainers.

Next up was Keira with her boogying buneary. Seeing as this was not the Dance Contest, Tide was a little concerned with what Keira had in store, and... Well, buneary certainly got some cheers from the crowd. Tide had never seen so many Punch moves chained together, and he was cautious to label the varying punches and kicks from buneary as acting, but such is the way of pokemon Contests: sometimes you have it, and sometimes you don't. It's only later that Tide would realize Keira was one of the side judges, adn she had decided to experiment a little to shake thing's up. And shake things up she did. Jordan, her counterpart, could not stop sighing the entire time.

Third was Ashlyn with her murkrow, and the two hit it off immidiately. Murkrow began with a bow and a tip of its 'hat', before then taking to the air, several dark feathers left suspended in the air in its wake. The aerial manuevers that pokemon made between the feathers was something else, with rings of Dark Pulses adding splashes of color to the dark performance. If he stared long enough, it looked like a shadow made out of black feathers was chasing it through the air, each Aerial Ace a desperate gamble to escape its shadow, until at last it reached the apex of its flight, and the shadow came up and around it in a hurricane of feathers, and the murkrow came to a sudden, tragic half. For several heartstopping moments, it appeared suspended in time. Then, the shadow scattered, the murkrow was free of its pursuer, but at what cost? Slowly (Using Psychic, he noticed), it floating back down to the stage, feathers scattered around it like the remains of a lost dream. The murkrow bowed low once more, and the lights cut out. Again, Tide checked on gardevoir, guaging her reaction, and again, there was none to be gleaned.

The fourth and final contestant was Tide and gardevoir, and... To be honest? He wasn't sure what to expect. But gardevoir was always the most independent thinker amongst his pokemon. He was sure she had a plan, and so he settled in to watch and wait. To his surprise, gardevoir teleported into the middle of the stage, standing tall and gazing out into the crowd with her trademark stoicism. In the light of the stage, however, she appeared... Almost fragile, the light catching her elegant arms like blades of grass. It began slow, a hand to her heart, and then reaching out. For once, he saw an expression on her face. Surprise? Fear? He couldn't say. She stepped forward as if to catch whatever had caught her attention, then pulled into herself, her expression anguished now. She turns sharply away, showing her back to the crowd, and she kneels down, spreading her arms out wide, as if collecting the pooled shadows in front of her into her arms. Slowly, she rises, and she begins to slowly circuit the stage, holding her arms as if cradling an egg. She spins, and on her face is pure delight, as if nothing in the world could make her happier. Then, with one last turn, she throws her arms wide, as if releasing something out into the world. She raises one hand in the direction of this imaginary thing, the other placed over her chest. Something like mourning crosses her face, and it looks like she migth actually cry. But she holds it in. She bows her head, and her hand clenches into a fist. Slowly, she turns away, and begins gliding to the side, her arms down and outstretched as if guiding infant pokemon. Suddenly, she turns sharply towards the crowd, surprise on her face, and her arms are thrown back, as if protecting her imaginary charges. She steps forwards, begging with her arms and face. She pirouettes once, twice, three times in different directions, each time thrusting out her hand as if throwing an attack- and before she can make the fourth pass, she suddenly collapses to the stage. The lights almost seem to dim as th crowd regards her with silent concern. Tide is also concerned. What had happened? Eventually, gardevoir picks herself up, and turns away from the crowd. She kneels, as if she were about to scoop up another imaginar figure, but this time... All she can hold is herself, hugging herself and bowing her head almost to the floor. She stays this way for several long seconds, before he suffocating sadness becomes too much... And like a fleeting thoughts, she teleports off the stage. Tide could see her reappear a short distance away from him. She wouldn't meet his eyes, but he could swear he saw... Tears? She wipes them away before he can say anything, then stalks towards the exit, her composure slipping on like a funeral shroud.

After the contest is over, it's little surprise that Tide and his gardevoir won the contest. Dexter, the head judge, Jordan and even Keira all approach him to give their personal thanks for the performance. All Tide can do is blush and deflect their praise onto gardevoir. It was her performance, after all. This seemed to surprise them, and they asked what had happened to her. Tide... Chose to omit the details. He found her in an alley in Castelia City. That's all he was comfortable sharing.

After the contest, Tide is beat. Who knew a performance could take so much out of you! As a treat, he takes his pokemon to get some ice cream.

Liam’s smile brightened. “Oh, I’ve been traveling a while,” he said easily. “Long enough to know that arriving somewhere exhausted and in a terrible mood does absolutely nothing for one’s battle performance.”

“And honestly, if a place looks this lovely, I think it would be rude not to appreciate it. I may be headed toward a high-tier competition, but I’m not dead inside.”

At his side, Boo gave a tiny wobble.

Liam laughed softly. “Boo, at least, has been very clear that flower fields are acceptable so long as nothing in them starts moving unexpectedly.”

His expression softened before returning to Maeve. “Though I suppose you’re right. Most trainers invited to something like this are too busy charging dramatically toward their destiny to stop and admire the scenery. Very intense. Very exhausting to imagine.”

His gaze flicked to the envelope in her hand, then back to her. “You don’t strike me as that sort either. Not entirely, anyway.”

“I was on my way in from Galar. Wyndon, specifically. And you?”

He tilted his head slightly. “Also, for the record, I’m choosing to take your comment as a compliment. It’s much nicer than saying, ‘You look suspiciously well-dressed for someone who’s about to go throw Pokémon at elite competitors for a week.’”