Wow, that was… a lot. A famous coordinator for a mother and a world-travelling champion trainer for a father; Regis said it so casually, like it wasn’t important, but his parents were incredible. Matt wondered if that was where Regis got his confidence from; not everyone could be so assured as to say that their dad would ‘no doubt be crowned champion’, even if the Orange Island were a smaller league than somewhere like Kalos. There just wasn’t a single ounce of doubt inside of him.

Nor could they so confidently offer to have their mom set their friends up with internships that he was sure more people would die to get their hands on. It was surprising and generous offer, the suddenness of it catching Matt off guard for a few seconds. “Oh, uh, thanks but I think I’ll pass. It’s just… I-I mean, it’s really nice that you’re offering but I don’t think that’s the kind of work I want to get into. It would probably be stuff like taking photos of Pokémon Contests and people performing right? People like your mom and models and famous people. That kind of thing would just make me uncomfortable.

“The kind of photos I take are less… personal I guess? Photos of landscapes, of sceneries, of wild Pokémon in their natural habitat. The kind of shots that show of the beauty of places.” Matt’s voice turned a little wistful as he spoke, remembering the photos he had been shown years ago that made him want to get into photography in the first place; the photos that made the city he was living in look like a place anyone would want, no had to see for themselves. The kind of photos he was still trying to recreate himself. “Yeah, those kind of photos.”

He was broken out of his reverie when Regis let his Teddiursa, Solace, out of his ball and sent him off towards a girl that it took Matt a few seconds to recognise as Kairi. She looked different; as out of place as he felt at first. He winced as Regis mentioned Andre and how he still hadn’t noticed them, an instinctive need to defend their friend rising up in him. It wasn’t like Matt didn’t feel a little of the same annoyance at the way Andre had invited them here only to not even notice them arrive, but it seemed harsh to call him a moron like that. “W-well, I’m sure it’s not easy dealing with fans when you’re an actor. Do you think this happens everywhere he goes?”

@vancexentan

As Teddiursa returned to his side Regis took the small berry into his hand that was offered to him by Solace, and twirled it around in his palm. He looked at it, and found it was a gift for him, and his pokemon? Well despite her looks at a distance he still saw somethings had not changed in Kairi. Hopefully she still had her spirit in her but if she wanted to talk she knew she could come over so maybe it was best to leave her be for now. Regis rubs Solace on his heads and tells him he did good before stuffing the berry in his mouth and eating it promptly. It was dry but sweet but he had grown use to berries having a variety of flavors sometimes pokemon would simply enjoy it if they had company to eat with. "Good job, return." he said as he returned his pokemon to its luxury ball and places it in his pocket.

Getting back to Matt he looked back at him as he had before hand with his sure expression on his face. He shrugged as he mentioned the complications of the contest. He had been there, and while bigger ones had a number of cameras, and photo opportunism it all came down to the facts that someone had to start somewhere. His mom had said so to take the first step you didn't need to worry about how big it was just that you made it even if you stumbled. "If you say so Matt. But mom makes living out of helping newer people find their way. Sometimes it just takes someone with more experience to give you an idea of how to start. Dad said that the hardest part to raising pokemon was to accept the fact that with each one is to start all over like you hadn't seen one before. You learn of course how to handle stuff but each one is different." Regis says smoothly as he tries his best to get through to Matt. He wasn't sure if it was because he was just nervous, or because he didn't think he was ready but confidence was key to pokemon, and to life. "Its not about the fame, or the people there. Its about learning, or figuring out if that's something you want or not. As a person always take the shot because even if you miss you might hit something. But if that's the way you want go for it. Chase it. Look for places you want to go while we're in Kalos. I heard Sinnoh has a lot of cool places."

When Matt saw what he had done with Kairi, and his off handed insult towards Andre he simply sighed, "I said that out loud? Sorry I'm used to being alone." Regis said as he winced a bit. He didn't mean to sound condescending. But...he just said what came out naturally. "But I'm told that a real friend takes care of his closest ones and not towards the crowd."

@King Cosmos

The frenzy around us seemed to start to subside. At least in perspective of when I arrived. On the other hand, the number of familiar faces continued to increase. After Kairi, it was Grace who approached us. She was also very different. More different than Kairi, I would say. With an air of superiority, almost as if she were visiting the sick. Her nerves, however, seemed to be turned against André, who had just shooed away the sullen blonde from our surroundings with countless sprays of perfume. It became clear to me that even as the years passed, André was still the same innocent, adorable child I had known years ago.

For a brief moment, all attention turned to the Pokémon we each possessed. Everyone - myself included - was dazzled by Grace's rare Porygon. He was certainly quite a sight. Ember seemed to be the most impressed, lunging at them. Her's and Andre's Pokémon, an Eevee and a Cleffa, respectively, while more common, were equally fascinating and adorable. Bullet, my Dreepy, had been on his Pokeball since I got closer to the crowd surrounding my friends, but it seemed like the perfect time to show him off.

"This is Bullet, a Pokémon native to the Galar region," I said, releasing him. “It's my fifth Pokémon and it was a gift from my parents. By the way, I ended up deciding to leave my other Pokémon with them in Galar, as they were very attached and I felt sorry for separating them.” Although Bullet was extremely shy at first, his innate curiosity made him overcome it, and soon he was gliding to get along with the other Pokémon. It was adorable to see him interact for the first time since his egg had hatched.

In a second moment, everyone started talking about why we were convened. Apparently, André had called us so we could start our journey together. I had precociously already started mine years ago, albeit in the company of my parents. Also, my blond friend hadn't mentioned any of this in the letter he had sent to me. It just said that he wanted to see me again with a set time and meeting place. While it was great to see my friends again and relive innumerable childhood memories, I still wasn't sure I wanted to stream my way with them.

André's departure had destabilized this group, and everyone had felt the effect of his absence. Everyone except me, since from my perspective, I was the one that got away. A year before André's parents took him in with them, I had left Kalos and moved to Galar. And since I wasn't the gum that held the group together, I believed my departure hadn't left too much of a gap. But Andre's departure clearly had.

I decided to get away from the chaotic atmosphere that seemed to settle in, with the Pokémon, with André perfuming everyone, and with Grace and her icy gaze and to get closer to my old friend, Kairi. She was the person I was closest to as a child. It was because of her that I actually met the others. We were neighbors and I clearly remembered braiding her long golden locks as a child. Now she looked like a different person. But I felt we still had a special connection. She was sitting with a cigarette between her fingers watching a Teddiursa walk away from her.

“Was that Solace?” I asked sitting down next to her and gesturing for the cigarette. "That means Regis must already be around, right?"

Kairi looked over at Saint as he sat next to her, she still worse a blank expression as she puffed on her cigarette as she studied her old friend's face. It had truly been a while since Kairi had seen Saint, beings that she disassociated from everyone and even though she wasn't very social anymore, her memories still lived with her."Yeah, cute little guy, couls neber replace Shadow here." She spoke softy before patting her Ghatsly.

Her blond hair just falling onto her shoulder, much different than a few yeats back as her hair was way passed her shoulders, draping down to the small of her back. She shown a bit of shock as he gestured for a cig. You smoke?? Well at least I wint be the only one." she says, giving his a slight quizzical look as she passes him the cigarette.

@Euphoria

@Eveekitten @Euphoria

Grace listened to the impromptu speech, relieved that Ember hadn't given up her intellectual side. Too many people dumbed themselves down in favour of following the herd, so it was reassuring to meet those few exceptions. "It's ok, nice to see someone who actually uses their brain," she replied. "Yeah, their ability to enter and interact with cyberspace is something researchers are still trying to fully figure out. Vertex sure likes exploring their capabilities." She patted the Porygon on the head. "Fair warning, this means you might have to keep an eye on your electronics."

Her tiny smile grew a fraction at Finn's antics. "Eevee's quite a mystery to researchers too, adapting so easily to most any environment. It's said that understanding Eevee's evolutions could be the key to understanding Pokemon evolution in general." This was something Pokemon and humans had in common, she thought, their circumstances shaped them in many different ways. It was no wonder that, besides Ember, the group she'd known so well now felt like a bunch of strangers.

To the side, she spotted the Pokemon Saint sent out, a small spectral dragon shaped like an arrow. "Hmm... Dreepy, right? First form of Dragapult?" She'd never actually seen one in person, but while working on a tower defense game, she'd looked up Pokemon who would nicely accompany Blastoise, Clawitzer, Decidueye, and other ranged weapon users.

Vertex floated over to Bullet and tried to boop him on the head, only to slip right through the ghost type. The bewildered normal type tilted back and forth like a rocking Ponyta, before steadying themselves and giving a series of laugh-like beeps. The mishap thankfully did nothing to stop them getting along, the two of them chasing each other through the air as Bullet gained confidence. For all the tension between trainers, the Pokemon appeared to take to each other right away.

Kairi stood very surprised that I had asked for the cigarette. "I confess that I usually don't smoke. Only under stressful circumstances." I clarified. "What's this about us traveling together? André hadn't mentioned any of this in the letter he sent to me. And it's all so odd. I feel like I don't recognize half of the people who are here and to make matters worse, Regis is hiding and there's no Matt's sign."

I took a deep drag and handed the cigarette back to Kairi who looked just as misplaced as I was. From a distance, I could still hear Grace rant in countless technical terms about Pokémon. I knew them too, having grown up in a home for scientists, but I felt that not even my parents used such language daily.

Unlike me, Bullet seemed to fit in easily, especially with the equally curious Vertex. The two Pokémon floated in an equally intrinsic and chaotic dance. They reminded me of when we were kids. It was natural for us to have fun without trying. But just understanding that new configuration of personalities that had gathered here was already difficult. Before everyone arrived I was afraid I wouldn't know who they had become. Now it bothered me to see that maybe we weren't compatible anymore.

"And you li'l blondie," I said to Kairi remembering how much it used to piss her off when we were little. "What do you think of André's proposal?"

Interactions: Ember @Eveekitten Saint @Euphoria Kairi @xXSINXx Grace @LuckyBlackCat Regis @vancexentan Matt @King Cosmos

Kairi said something about smelling like the backstage of a fashion show, as if it were a bad thing. It was certainly better than cigarette smoke. Ember and Grace were fawning over their Pokémon, and that’s when André realized that two members of their group were still missing. It was only then that he realized that they had arrived, and were quite some distance away. André scoffed. Had they been there this whole time? Why didn’t they say anything? André marched over there to greet them. “Bonjour, messieurs! He gave the two boys a kiss on the cheek, and handed them both pink roses. “Why didn’t you say anything? I don’t bite!”

And now that everyone was here, it was time to get going. He whistled, and signaled to all his fan.“Attention, sil vous plaît! Attention. You have all been a wonderful audience! But now I must be going. I have invited my friends here to go on a journey together. I couldn’t possibly do this on my own after all! It is about time we get started. Au revoir!” He waved good bye to his adoring fans, and went off into Route 1, and expected the others to follow his lead.

They didn’t get very far into Route 1. André was still followed by some of his fans, and he made no effort to shoo them away. So, André decided to give the people what they wanted. Or at least what he thought they wanted. “Well, it seems like a few of you can’t get enough of me! So, how about I put on a show just for you!” He then grabbed Saint by the arm, who now smelled of cigarette smoke. He thought smoking went out of fashion years ago. “Saint, Ember, Grace. How about the four of us have a battle for these lovely people! I know we used to pretend to be Pokémon trainers when we were kids, and now we can do it for real. S’il vous plaît?”

Meanwhile, a little girl who also happened to be there. “Hey! Didn’t I see you with a Teddiursa before?” The girl sent out her own Pokémon, a Pancham. “It’s so cute. I love bears! Battle with me! We’re trainers. You can’t say no!”

"So you finally noticed hm? Well I was waiting for you to disperse your crowd over there. I didn't want to interrupt anything important." Regis responded as he pressed his glasses to the top of his nose. Even if it was a bit snide it was the truth he was making sure he wasn't interrupting anything between him and his fans. Even if his real feelings were a bit mixed on the matter. "If I can help it I like to not play against my friends so this arrangement on the matter is sufficient for myself. But I thought you were getting us all together for a journey? Shouldn't we be getting our thoughts together on how this is going to work out? Not all of us are 'gym rats' as dad likes to call us." Regis states as he looks to Andre only to to have a little trainer run up to him and ask him to engage him combat. "Are you sure that's what you want? Type advantage aside young lady I fight like a big kid even with little ones. You ok with being rough housed a little?" Regis says his trainer always kept one principle the same. Treat everyone the same small, large, old, or young doing otherwise would be an insult to them as a trainer. "My Teddiursa's name is Solace. If you just want to play with it, it won't mind."

@Eveekitten @Crimson Flame

The walk along the country lane would have been peaceful, if not for the fans who still crowded Andre. Of course, Andre didn't seem to mind, seizing the opportunity to put on a show in the form of a battle.

Grace folded her arms. She considered turning down his suggestion, but three things stopped her. One, this was the perfect opportunity to knock Andre down a peg or two in front of his fans. Two, battling alongside Ember would be fun. And three, she couldn't deny there was some appeal to acting out the games they used to play. Reliving older, happier times. "If you insist... When you say the four of us, you mean a double battle, right?" She turned to Ember, the one she'd often times teamed up with during their imaginary battles. "What do you say? You up for wiping the grin off of his face?"

Despite her outward confidence, the presence of so many people made her stomach flip over and over. She clenched her fists. She had no reason to be nervous. Sure, she had little experience of battles besides a few casual ones, but her book knowledge of Pokemon would make up for that, right? "Hey Tex, want to do this?" By her side, Vertex gave an enthusiastic nod.

Stepping back, Grace faced Andre and Saint as Vertex floated in front of her, ready for battle. All too aware of the crowd's gazes, Grace tried to reassure herself she could do this, to think of something confidence-inspiring. The words that came back to her were, of all people, Andre's. Younger Andre, telling her she could be a great trainer some day.