The early morning sun lazily sits over the city skyline. Winter has given way to spring, the temperature is finally rising and the greenery is now returning to the Evig region. The morning chill of early spring hangs in Grand Glory City though it does nothing to slow down the residents going about their everyday lives, driving and walking in droves past digital signs featuring advertisement. Some are going to work, some are going to school, and maybe some are just getting their morning coffee to brace themselves for their day. This is to the tune of the morning commute fills the seemingly never ending streets where more often than not the traffic would bottleneck due to the constant construction and expansion of the city.

Yes, it is a busy city, but it was never without one important thing: Pokemon. Children and adults walk the streets with their companions, some as pets while some aid in their work. Construction work is not done just by humans, but by Pokemon with both parties using their abilities in perfect cooperation. Wild Pokemon roamed the streets, some scurrying the alley ways, some flying high above, and some residing in the parks and docks of the city. Human and Pokemon co-existed happily.

You will be starting your journey here, in Grand Glory City. Located on the north east of Evig facing the water, Grand Glory is quickly becoming one of the most populated cities within the region. The skyline is littered with buildings clawing at the sky though as one gets away from the center of the city they find themselves moving towards the suburbs. Once a haven for those displaced during the Cipher Crises, it is now a bustling center of trade and commerce thus the nickname, 'The City of New Beginnings'. Though because of the constantly increasing population there is always a demand for schools and housing and because of that there is always construction. It's one of the few constants of life within this city. That and that there are lots of Pokemon.

Despite being a newer city, there is much to offer. It has the first newly established Trainer's School in the region, and it has a small park where trainers can catch Pokemon. There were others before, but they were destroyed during the Cipher Crisis and many were left closed due to a lack of new trainers afraid to embark on their own journeys. The Grand Glory Port has a marketplace with goods from all over the world and ferries. Of course, the League Administration's headquarters is located here and contains the lab of the young Pokemon Professor Kapoc.

You, one of the special trainers handpicked by the good professor and the rest of the Pokemon League Administration, were told to arrive at the League Administration Headquarters at 8 am sharp. The headquarters itself was a massive building with an exterior of glass though rather than being large vertically, it was more horizontally vast. The stainless steel awning had letters spelling out 'EVIG POKEMON LEAGUE' soldered on the top in all caps.

Once you walk past the automatic sliding glass doors, you are greeted by an elegant lobby. The floors are lined with dark gray slates with a tint of blue and coming from exposed patches of earth were full grown trees that shaded the interior. There are other bits of greenery such as flowering bushes quite large pots and vines that climbed up trellises. There is even an indoor waterfall pouring from the top floor of the building into a man-made stream pouring into a constructed pond that sat directly in the middle of the lobby. In the middle of that pond is some sort of projection device displaying the logo of the Evig Pokemon League: A Pokeball ensnared by roots with a tree growing out of the top. You could tell that this was a place that was trying to leave an impression and have an air of legitimacy.

People who work there are scurrying about going about their official business though it looks like you aren't the only one waiting. There were other kids just as eagerly waiting for their starter Pokemon and their Pokedex.

What are you doing before you arrive? How did you get here? What are you feeling at this moment?

Valerian Hardrada arrived alone. Well, as alone as a prince can be.

The limousine that brought him slowed to a stop in front of the league headquarters. Even Valerian thought the limousine was a little excessive. But his family insisted. He was still representing the crown, his mother told him. Still, there was fanfare. No red carpet. No photographers. Just him and the city.

He sat in the backseat a moment longer than he needed to, staring at his own reflection in the tinted window.

His hair was perfect. His coat was tailored. His boots were clean, polished, and entirely unsuited for mud. He looked like he always did: poised, refined, and ready for the front page of a regional fashion blog.

And yet…

His hand hesitated on the door handle.

No security. No aides. No carefully scheduled handlers waiting to usher him through. He wasn’t here to open a hospital or wave at a crowd. There would be no speeches today.

Today, he was just a boy. A boy standing on the edge of everything he had never known.

“You chose this,” he whispered to himself. “Now show them why.”

He stepped out, and was immediately hit with the early morning chill. He walked toward the building with the same grace he’d learned from state dinners and palace hallways.

He looked around, and saw children with Pokémon. Street vendors setting up morning stalls. Workers side by side with Machoke and Golett. Grand Glory City was alive. And yet, not one of the people he passed by turned to bow. Not one of them cared that the Prince of the Hardrada Line was passing by. Valerian should have been insulted, but somehow… that made this whole situation feel more real.

The lobby was elegant, modern, but trying to impress. Valerian respected that. Trees growing indoors. Waterfalls. Projection displays. He understood the message.

Evig was rewriting itself. So was he.

He approached the front desk and smiled “Prince Valerian, of House Hardrada” he said formally. “Here to receive my assignment.” His heart raced. No applause. No flashing cameras. This was happening. This was it.

The ride from his parents' place into Grand Glory City was quiet and, for the most part, uneventful, aside from one of the other passenger's having some issues with their Eevee liking to get attention from Jason, which didn't bother the aspiring champion in the least, though it bothered the owner plenty. Disembarking from the train, Jason wandered into the heart of Grand Glory and just wandered for a bit, arriving two hours before they were even supposed to show up at the League HQ. He took in every sight he could, from the parks to the construction sites and even a couple of local bistros, though he didn't buy anything right away, he'd had breakfast before he left. As time drifted closer to the meeting time, he found himself drifting closer to the HQ until he finally walked inside it.

He'd vaguely noted the others who were in the lobby waiting, but his focus was on the more natural appearing areas of the lobby, taking special note of the waterfall. They had to have been spelunking at some point and see an underground one. I get they're also a river thing, but...this design leading into that pond? There's no way they weren't inspired by an underground one to some degree. The aspiring champion made his way to the front desk, speaking to another receptionist while someone who looked like they belonged in a glass case more than the League HQ spoke to one. "Jason Connor, here to start the League Challenge." I pause as the receptionist pulls up my info and then informs me to take a seat and wait like the others. "Understood, thank ya."

He heads for a sparsely sat at section of the hall and takes a meditative seat next to the pond, closing his eyes and focusing on being alert and ready for when Kapoc called them back. Might not be the Hoenn League, but this one should be way more fun...hell, this is a chance to be the region's first official...well, maybe not official, but first champion not needed to stop a crisis...

A young girl groaned as she woke up to the early morning sun. It was not her usual hour of waking up, as she usually slept well into the afternoon after being up until sunrise. But, she had to change things up due to today being a very special day and she had no desire to be late to the event she was to partake in. It had been hard to fall asleep and it took her a bit to wake up as well. Once she was awake though, she quickly began getting ready for the day, grabbing a shower before getting dressed, wearing a black camisole underneath a light hoodie that wouldn't be too hot if the weather was warmer, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a pair of purple and white shoes. She tried to dress in a way that made it hard to tell her gender incase she ended up traveling alone, as she heard that a girl like her traveling alone might be the target of certain types of people. Better to be as safe as she could be.

Once she was ready and had double checked her backpack to make sure it had all her things, she pulled the hood over her head to keep her face hidden as she headed out into the big city. She had arrived a day or two earlier and had made sure to memorize the route to the Pokémon League. So, she made her way over, taking her time and make sure not to rush herself. She had made sure to leave with plenty of time to spare. Still, it took her the better part of fifteen to twenty minutes of walking to reach the League Center. The building was tall and once she reached it, she paused while looking up at it, almost losing her nerve before taking a deep breath and heading inside. If she gave up before even starting, she had no chance of being free and exploring this world. She just needed to remember the courage she had had when she finally ran away from home.

Once she was inside the building, she once again had to pause and take in the sights. The waterfall got a gasp of awe out of the young child and the serene river and lake it fed into only helped sell it to her. She had to wonder if any Pokémon called the waters and surrounding plant-life home. She didn't spot any but she didn't have time to look. She needed to focus on other things and as such, she made her way to the front desk and handed over the letter that would explain things to the receptionist. They would head back and clear things up with those in charge before taking the girl and leading her to a waiting area where there were two more people, both boys from the looks of it.

Amelia lowered her head and adjusted her hood to hide her face before before moving to take a seat away from the both of them. She was trying to save her courage for when they were called in and as such didn't approach either of the boys. She hoped they would not be waiting long but at the same time, she tried to watch them and anyone else who arrived, to see what kind of people might or might not be traveling with her.

---

The day had started warly for young Evelyn. Having gotten up two whole hours before the set time for today's big event, there had been just enough spare time to get ready. A shower, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, combing, styling, hair mist, doing her lashes, applying foundation, that soft pink lip balm she'd really grown to like recently... It had all takena a while to get herself in order. ANd let's not talk about picking her outfit for the day. It wasn't just another everyday, today was perhaps one of the biggest and most important ones of her life. So, to say she had to look fabulpus didn't even need to be said.

After a bit of back and forth in the hotel room she was staying - paid for by her parents, naturally - the young girl finally decided on her attire for the momentous occasion. A pair of white, sleek white knee-high lace-up boots with blakc lace and pink accents, a pair of equally snowy white thighhighs. A royal blue pencil skirt, slit up the side to about half-way up her thighs, with a wavelike, cerulean blue wave-pattern along the bottom of the hem. A cream colored fleecy off-shoulder sweater, that let her shoulders be bare, along with a white tank top with a small, navy blue bow on the chest. FInally, she a pair of white elbow gloves with the same pink accents as her boots, as well as a pretty milky pink flower accessory in her hair. Yes. That would work. She looked quite fetching. Evelyn knew this, because she'd stared at and struck various poses infront of the mirror for several minutes now.

Sadlky, all of this had made it quite impossible to clean up all the clothes that hadn't been selected for today's outing, and were now littering the hotel room's floor, table, chairs and even the bed. But... That could wait. There wasn't enough time left to worry about tidying up. She had to get going. And going was just what she got to doing. Leaving the room, taking the elevator down to the ground floor, and exiting out through the fancy automated doors, she finally stepped out into the sunny morn of Grand Glory City...

... It was a bit nippy...

Pull yourself together, Eve! A little chill's a small prize to pay when you look this good! C'mon, get a move on. Don't wanna be late.

Her legs and feet began to move. With practiced, countless hours of rehearsed and minute mimicking that had been performed over hours upon more hours, the girl set off. her strides were measured, elegant, smooth. One leg infront of the other, her hips slightly swaying from side to say, though it looked more like she was gliding ahead rather than walking, only betrayed by the soft clicking of her shoes against the pavement with each step. She passed by people and pokemon. Busy streets, bustling with life and activity, noise and voices. But, the youth didn't pay them any mind. Her eyes, almost as golden as her hair, shined with determination and focus. A laser-beam of single-minded, straightforward movement. She passed by shops, homes, even a park, and lots of others, but nothing caused her head to turn or even her eyes to glance. There was only one though and one place on Evelyn's mind right now.


She had finally arrived. Standing outside the magnificent, wide and somewhat imposing building loomed right before her eyes and person. She stood at the threhold. A few more steps, and she'd be inside. A new chapter of her life, and the first one that would later be told to immortalize her life. She'd have to take notes about everything later so she could save it for her autobiography when it was eventually written. But now was not the time for gawking in awe and planning for her eventual successful future, now was the time for action !

Taking a breath, she steeled herself, refocused her eyes, set her face's expression and... Psuhed on in.

The doors slid open just as easily as those over by the hotel. With as much grace as she had had while walking here, the young blonde entered the building. Her mind was... To put it mildly - quite blown by what she saw. What the what...!? Ho... Huh!? They got a waterfall and a little pond INSIDE this place? Wait, there're trees too!? Holy Miltank! How much did they spend on the decor and architecture here? I mean, I sorta like it, very modern-natura-fusion and all, but still... Just, Wow!

Of course, Evelyn's eyes and face did not betray any of these internal thoughts. After all, a star who can't keep their cool and have a lid on their expressions and reactions could hardly be worth paying attention to. Arriving at the front desk, the girl spoke to the receptionist - paying no mind to the other staff and employees who were milling about the place.

"Hello, I'm Evelyn. I'm here on Professor Kapoc's invitation to receive a Pokedex and my first Pokemon."

The stereotypical, faceless clerk pushed some buttons and glanced at their monitor, before acknowleding that she was supposed to be here. Giving some generic dialogue and hands-off drection, told the blond eo go wait over 'there', where all the other candidates were supposed to assemble. Giving a quick nod, without thanking the person for their work, Evelyn set off and strode onto The Stage.

Pokemon League Waiting Area

As she entered the designated space for waiting, her presence was made immediately apparent. Her long sidelocks flowed and trailed behind her as she glided across the snazzy floor. Her face was calm, serene, eyes half closed and an expression of confidence sat on her face. Her posture was excellent, her limbs moved in synchronized unison, it was like watching a moving piece of art! ... Or... At least that's how Evelyn envisioned her arrival looking to the others in her own head. Complete with a pink, glowy background and dramatic slow-motion effectrs as well, the whole she-bang.

As she moved, the girl paid modest attention to the other arrivals who had gotten here before her. Pfft, try-hards... Don't they know you never get to some place too early or too late? She wasn't upset that she hadn't been the first to arrive here, not at all. Still, who was her peers exactly? Curiousity got the better of the blonde here, and she deigned a glance at each of them... A boring, generic-looking boy you could find just about anywhere... A small child wearing a hood, squirreling away at the far end of the lobby, as if afraid of something... And then there was Prince Valerian.

...

Wait.

PRINCE VALERIAN!?

Of course someone like Evelyn was intimately aware and familiar with the crown prince of Evig. after all, the lad was no stranger to appeairng on the covers of magazines, blogs and being a major socialite who participated in no small amount of events around the country. Wha-W-W-W-w-W-W-what's the Prince of Evig doing here..?! This was supposed to be my historical debut! Damnit all! Damn him, and his... Perfectly quaffed hair and... Smooth, unblemished skin... Gah, no! Focus, girl! This is your moment, not his or anybody elses!

As the girl passed by the figure-head princeling of their nation, she momentarily stopped and paused. Slowly turning to look over athe slightly older boy, she gave him a soft smile, still with half-closed, calm eyes. She then performed a splendid curtsie towards the royal, before raising her head to look him in the eyes.

"Prince Valerian, charmed. I hope today's events will prove pleasant for us both."

She could've said more. She could've asked more. She could've gone on a big long tirade of flowery speech and eloquent gaslighting. But... No. This wasn't his moment. He already got enough attention as it was! He already had everything, he didn't need this too. Thus, it was important to show that he wasn't the main attraction here! Not giving he rname, not stopping to chat, not stroking his social status Simply giving a polite greeting and moving on, like he was just an after-thought or side-attraction... Yes. That was the way.

Moving on, she quietly paced by the other boy. The... Unassuming one. In fact, Evelyn might not even have registered that he was there, given her mind was pre-occupied with other things and thoughts at the moment. But she did eventually stop, taking a seat in one of the chairs, crossing one leg over the other. Completely unaware that she had, for whatever reason, parked her butt on the seat right next to the poor kid who was trying their best to stay far, far away from everyone else...

Woopsies~

@Lunarlord34@Zapdos@Sanguine Rose@baraquiel@Joshua Tamashii@Shazamrock@Crimson Flame@Zarkun@Xaltwind@Crusader Lord@CitrusArms

The bedroom fills with loud ringing of an alarm clock, followed by a few taps before it silences. Audrey Caroll groggily rises from her bed before snapping back into reality and realizing she needs to get ready to get a pokédex! A rush of adrenaline jolts her awake like being zapped by a thunderbolt as she dashes to the bathroom of the apartment room her mother booked for her. Audrey brushes her teeth, the minty scent of toothpaste lingering as she begins tidying and styling her hair the iconic look she goes for. Audrey opts for the clothes she usually wears, slightly adjusting her rabbit-eared beanie, after taking a steady breath Audrey grabs her bag and starts packing her essentials. She halted before packing her Zapdos plushie, smelling its iconic stormy scent; a smile forming on her face before putting it in— stuffing her guitar pick in as well. She shivered with excitement for the day as she zipped up her bag and exited her room, she stepped into the elevator, descending to the lobby floor.

Leaning against the sleek metal of the elevator, Audrey rechecked her bag to ensure everything was packed. Fortunately, everything was done. Audrey stepped out and left the apartment. She called a taxi. The bright yellow vehicle pulled over as she entered, sighing softly as she checked the time...6:30? Audrey looked out the window, the smell of food lingered in the streets— it was absolutely beautiful. Taking in the glinting skyscrapers and large, vibrant crowds, she was completely awestruck. "Beautiful...wonder how many Pokémon I can research here? How many people I'll impress..?" Audrey mumbled under her breath, as the crowd grew louder, her thoughts drift to if her mother missed her? If she was doing fine alone. And she slightly missed her dad's noivern— the Pokémon that sparked the interest of Pokémon she has now, if not for that she would never be here, reminiscing on her days as a kid and how it led her to Evig. She braced herself before stepping out of the taxi, feeling as if a new chapter of her life was about to begin.

Audrey was now standing in front of the large glass building, the Pokémon League. Audrey took a step forward, adjusting her beanie and tidying her hair again before entering the sliding glass doors. Her eyes feasted on an interior...more impressive then she had ever expected. The workers rushing to give out each trainer their pokédex, "7a.m sharp...just on time!" Audrey happily mumbled before queuing in the line, impatiently waiting as each person gave out their documents or names. She observed the giant waterfall, trees, and the logo above the pond; "Did they really have to show off like that?" she commented. Excitement rushed through her veins as she found herself standing at the front, giving the receptionist her documents. "Audrey Caroll." she confidently spoke, Audrey was quite impressed by how large the league was. Snapping out of it as she's told to wait, stepping out of the line Audrey sat down near a bench before thinking to herself...what type of starter she's gonna get? Seeing the young trainers around her sharing the same excitement reminded Audrey of how far she'd come. Sighing slightly, Audrey smiled knowing how proud her family must be.

Steph was never one for the big cities.

Being raised in the country, she found the towering skyscrapers and the compact buildings suffocating. Hedged in with little room to move, what was the point of it? Open space meant more freedom, fresh air instead of this stale and polluted crap. In saying that, she'll be right, Steph was the sort to not be entirely offput by being one of the Magikarp in a can just it wasn't her preference. Necessary evils or something.

However, she felt especially sicker today in the city if only because if there was one thing she liked less than a big city? It was a boat. Bloody oath was she sea sick something fierce, she nearly jumped overboard and swam to the docks when they were pulling into the city if she wasn't near immobilized. However after nearly getting a splinter from kissing the docks and all but throwing herself off the ship, she would find herself quickly lost in the city.

Another reason for not liking these places. Every street looked the bloody same! Pretty much every building was identical to Steph, and lets just say her attempts at asking the locals wasn't exactly...successful. She was either ignored or given weird looks and soon given a wide berth, a real headscratcher moment for the girl who just shrugged it off and kept looking down at the little pamphlet map she had been given.

She was close to the League HQ....maybe? Some of these street signs were a real pain to find, but she was slowly making her way there, feeling a little bit better as time went on. However that also came with a bigger problem, her loudly growling stomach. She had skipped brekkie and had barely been able to keep anything down on the boat trip over, so as a result she was hungrier than a Snorlax after a couple hour fasting. She just hoped the HQ had some fruit or some sandwiches, something on hand as she didn't want to waste any time so as to not be late. If not?

Eh, she would find some grub to have a bite later. She'll be right.

Which brought her to a big ol building with the words 'EVIG POKEMON LEAGUE' boldly on display, and after a couple dozen glances down at her map, back up at the sign, down to the map, back up at the sign etc, etc, she would just shrug and make her way in. No time like the present right? And aint no-one was here to fuck Spinaraks.

Entering the lobby with little fanfare, she looked around at the big open in awe for a moment before refocusing her attention. She was here with a purpose after all, to get her starting pokemon and take on this new league here. Glancing around the room, she began to size up her potential rivals. An ankle-biter trying to hide in a hoodie, a bubbly looking dark haired gal, a blonde rich pretty boy who looked like he didn't know which end of a shovel to hold, a blonde sheila who seemed more occupied with her own mind than those around her and a lad who looked like he knew his way around a fight.

Naturally, she gravitated towards the latter, wasting no time, not even to check in at the reception mind you, in going over to introduce herself with the most rivaly rival she had seen thus far.

"G'mawnin mite, haow's ya die gaowin? Nymes Steph, Oy assume you're heah faw the laygue yahppa too ya?" And what spewed forth from her mouth was nothing short of an assault on every language known to man, if he could even begin to understand her greeting that is. At the very least she came in with a big toothy grin and outstretched hand, aqua-marine eyes sparkling with curiosity and energy.


"Oy knaow oym stoked faw ih', buh' a leettle nuhvous too ya knaow?"

@Lunarlord34@Gremlin@Sanguine Rose@baraquiel@Joshua Tamashii@Shazamrock@Crimson Flame@Zarkun@Xaltwind@Crusader Lord@CitrusArms

What a great day! After a cruise from Vermillion City, it was finally time to start the Pokemon journey! Yes, today was the day David Wayne started his quest towards being a Pokemon master! Or something, he wasn't really particular on the details. Not that the sailing was bad or anything; he just didn't leave home to live on a boat. He had left home to explore! The park he had chosen to camp in last night wasn't a bad start, but there was so much more to see! Evig would have new sights, new friends, and new Pokemon! Like the Aipom he saw yesterday, hanging off a branch. Or the Starly he saw right now, perched on the clock reading 7:55.

…

7:55?

...

I really slept in!

-----

At the Pokemon League Headquarters, anyone paying attention at the lobby a few minutes later would see a small burst of teal light, followed by a muscular teenager wearing crumpled clothes and an Abra appearing instantaneously before them. For them, it might have been a novel sight, but for David the process was typical by now.

“Thanks Abra!” The Pokemon nodded in response before the Trainer returned him to his Pokeball. The man then proceeded to the desk and registered, completely unaware of the architecturally impressive environment he was in. No matter what region he was in, paperwork was always boring, but it got done. Following this, David sat himself down at a row of chairs, using a few of them as an ottoman for his legs and feet. 

Only then did he seem to remember that he wasn't the only one waiting there. The psychic glanced around, looking at the various people sitting with him. To the first one who looked back at him, he would greet simply and enthusiastically:

“Hi! Are you also here for the professor?”

Grand Glory City... the name really did it justice.

It wasn't as if Nils had been confined to Frostford or anything, but he hadn't had much reason to leave it before. And the few towns he'd passed through on the way to get where he was now hadn't even come close to Grand Glory City in scale or population. The huge buildings, the lights and reflective glass panels everywhere, the sheer amount of sounds and smells... it was pretty amazing, if not a little overwhelming.

Nils took some time to appreciate everything as he gradually made his way to the League headquarters. Even though impressed with the city, Nils knew how not to act like an annoying tourist. His own pace could easily be described as moseying, but he stayed out of the way of faster paced locals going about their early hours business, moved swiftly himself past the most congested areas before slowing back down, and generally only struck up brief conversations with people that looked like they were receptive to it. Or, more often, those that looked like they were qwilfish out of water. He got to see a lot of pokemon that he never had before too, many completely unafraid of humans and willing to endure some pets (though quickly looked for another target when Nils didn't seem inclined to share any food with them).

That was already a pretty exciting part of the morning, a teaser perhaps for what was to come. So by the time Nils arrived at Evig's Pokemon League headquarters, only a little after the hour, he was in a fairly good mood and looking forward to kicking things off for real. If he had a tail it would have been lazily wagging, but as he was no dachsbun or rockruff instead his mood showed in the easy smile on his face and the small sparkle in his eyes.

"Hey hey~" he greeted to the various people as he entered, as quite the crowd had already formed. Just at first glance there were prospective trainers both tall and small, boys and girls, older and younger. Even foreigners speaking a totally different language!

He wondered where the orange haired girl might be from and took in the remarkable decor (could it even be called decor at this point?) until he noticed a receptionist waving him over from the corner of his eye. Ah right, they probably wanted a head count of who all had actually shown up out of those approved to take part in the league challenge and it wasn't hard to guess that Nils, a recently arrived pokemon-less youth, was here for said challenge.

Nils went over and checked in, speaking his name to the staff member, and then ambled over to where the majority of people were waiting. He chose to stand, hands stuffed into both of his pockets, rocking slightly back and forth on his heels. He had to wonder just how many more participants there would be, and if they would be expected to compete or work together. Maybe both? Probably both. Either way, it definitely sounded fun.

While he looked over the lobby and those waiting in it curiously, Nils met eyes with another boy about half a head taller than him that looked like he'd almost just woken up based on his rumpled outfit. Nils had missed the guy's dynamic entrance, but he smiled back and casually answered the question posed.

"Sure am. Well, maybe not specifically for the professor," he said. His correction was light, clearly not meant to be taken seriously.

Maybe he should have been a little more excited to meet a renowned researcher, but he was here less for Professor Kapoc and more for what the professor was going to give him... a pokedex, and more importantly, a pokemon. Nils had a passing thought that he should probably make sure to show some proper gratitude once he received them, at least.

"I'd guess we all are here for the same reason," he said next. He looked from the stretched out teen he was talking to, to the rest of the room's occupants, his voice not loud but still carrying as he went on, more or less addressing all those he expected to be future friends and rivals. "It's pretty neat to see so many people from all over gathered up in the same place, huh?"

"C'mon, c'mon! Today's the day! Today's the day!"

Today was the day indeed. Archie flung the curtains open, bathing their hotel room in the sun's blinding light as it rose on the horizon. His parents groaned and rubbed the sleepiness from their eyes.

"Good Arceus... Archie honey, it's still too early..."

"But today's the day I'm gonna get my own Pokedex and Pokémon! And Adriane might be there too! She might be waiting for me already! So c'mon, let's go get ready!" Archie said a little too enthusiastically in the morning. His parents only groaned in agreement, still finding trouble to properly open their eyes as they rose from the bed.

They agreed to book a hotel at Grand Glory City since Edda was a good few hours worth of travel from here. They've actually arrived at the city a few days before upon Archie's insistence, clearly too excited for this life-changing moment for him. They took the time to explore the city, enjoy its restaurants as Archie was looking at everything in wonder and awe.

While there were also humans with their own Pokémon walking around in Edda City, there's something about looking at them here at Grand Glory from Archie's perspective that's really different. This feeling of hope and excitement, but also a bit of nervousness in his heart was really weird for a 10-year-old like him to experience, but nevertheless Archie was still beaming with what the future might possibly hold for him.

The same thing couldn't be said about his parents. His dad was more apprehensive about letting him go explore the Evig region with just his Pokémon; he's still a little kid after all. No kid should be exposed to so much possibility of danger and uncertainty. Archie's a sweet little boy who saw the good in everyone. There could be some people who might take advantage of his kindness.

Then again, Archie's mom reminded his dad that they both ran away from home to follow their dreams of becoming theatre actors in Edda. They had a lot of ups and downs, so many applications and so many rejections, but it was in Edda that they found and fell in love. It was in Edda that they've achieved their dreams. It was in Edda that they had Archibald.

Adriane greatly understood the predicament of Archie's parents but she also said that kids deserve to go carve their own path in life and go find out what they're passionate about. After much reflection, his parents did go out and follow their dreams too. If they keep Archie in the nest his whole life, how could he learn to fly?

So here they were, walking up to the building where the League Administration Headquarters were located. Well, Archie already ran up to the front and was jumping in excitement as he waited for his parents to catch up. They all saw the big words 'EVIG POKÉMON LEAGUE'. As the two parents looked at each other, they thought this was it and nodded in understanding at one another.

"So... You sure really wanna do this, kiddo? Once you get inside, there's no turning back. You know this right?"

Archie looked up to the sign on the building and then looked at his parents. "100% yes." He said in a serious yet eager tone. His parents saw how his green eyes gleamed with excitement and hope as he's beginning his journey to follow his dreams. Yep, this was their kid after all.

They knelt down to meet him in eye-level. "You're just like your mom and dad, honey. We too went on our own 'journey' to follow our dreams, then we had you which is much, much better! We're sure you'll meet a lot of new people, see lots of cool Pokémon, and have a grand ol' time following your dreams of becoming a hero."

"Just always make sure to look out after yourself, okay? You don't have to battle all the time. Make sure you're always well stocked on supplies, that you're taking care of yourself and your Pokemon. And remember, you will always have a home to come back to at Edda. I'm sure we can fit your team in our home. Heck, we can even fit a Rayquaza if we can make it work!"

The three shared a hearty laugh as they all huddled together, Archie's mom smiling at him proudly while his dad crying because he missed his son already. "I'm gonna be okay, Ma, Pa. I'm gonna work hard with my Pokémon to be the best hero just like Adriane someday. I'll defeat the bad guys and protect everyone! Just you wait, I'm gonna make you proud!" Archie beamed at his parents, kissing their cheeks before running off towards the building.

"Bye! Love you!" He said loudly, looking back and waving at his parents as he entered the lobby, which he was very much surprised to find out that there were a lot of people there already. It seemed that they were also there for the same reason Archie was: to get their own Pokémon and Pokédex. Adriane did say there were also others like Archie who were chosen to become Trainers, and he was even more excited about the prospect of adventuring with them all!

There were a lot of interesting people to talk to, but Archie decided to sit at one of the free couches, looking at the people his age gathering and talking amongst each other with excited eyes. Archie wondered what kind of Pokémon he'll get? Whatever it was, he's sure it'll be awesome!

The headquarters itself was a massive building with an exterior of glass though rather than being large vertically, it was more horizontally vast. The stainless steel awning had letters spelling out 'EVIG POKEMON LEAGUE' soldered on the top in all caps.

As she walked past the automatic sliding glass doors, her purple travel case of supplies and gear back packed and currently being pulled behind her despite its backpack-style straps, Clarissa and Sir Lopsalot found them greeted by an elegant lobby. The floors were lined with dark gray slates with a tint of blue, and coming from exposed patches of earth were full grown trees that shaded the interior. There were likewise other bits of greenery such as flowering bushes quite large pots and vines that climbed up trellises. There was even an indoor waterfall pouring from the top floor of the building into a man-made stream pouring into a constructed pond that sat directly in the middle of the lobby. In the middle of that pond, though, there some sort of projection device displaying the logo of the Evig Pokemon League: A Pokeball ensnared by roots with a tree growing out of the top. It was all enough to tell that this was a place that was trying to leave an impression and have an air of legitimacy.

Grand Glory City. The home of the new League for the Evig Region. It had been home to her for the past year, enough that it seemed to grow a little more familiar in almost an invisible sense with each passing day, but it was even so still a new home and even somewhat alien to her nonetheless. The streets were dense. So many people, so many Pokemon, and a region so rich in its density of all of these things it seemed to be bursting at the seams when she had first arrived with her parents. Not that crowds were her favorite thing in general even. Still it was night and day, if not a whole world by many accounts, different from the far smaller and more tight-knit comforts of Pyrite Town back hom-...ahem, back in Orre. It likewise differed much from the gentle flowing waters and relaxed nature of Agate Village and the verdant calm of Relic Forest at that!

She knew her parents had moved here to 'improve all of our lives', and her father's new job seemed to be taking less wear and tear on him than his old one from the seeming improvement in his demeanor in general. While it lacked a certain 'charm' she felt the wastes of Orre carried, she had heard of a place in the deserts here in Evig that...well, perhaps she could go visit to see if it brought on some sense of nostalgia or familiarity perhaps. Among other such locations. Yes. But that place was far enough away some of these spots of interest perhaps were, though, the fact she was even starting on her Pokemon journey alongside Sir Lopsalot was not lost on her in the present. Indeed, it all meant she would get to go about and finally familiarize herself more with the Evig Region proper all over beyond just certain spots she'd heard of or looked up online when trying to grasp the nature of her new home.

It differed much from her raising and education back in Orre, that much had been for sure, but her parents and grandmother had worked hard on it all nonetheless. She didn't want to dissapoint them either by failing to do her part in things, even though she had her own goals out there she supposed. Hmm.

"Bun. Bun!"

Clarissa blinked for a moment, even as the voidce soft paw of her companion Pokemon stirred her finally out of her sudden pause in the lobby just beyond the front doors. Ah. Trains of thought could be a bit distracting, yes. And, er, standing spaced out wasn't something she needed to be doing here in such a place as this, no. Meanwhile, as she glanced to her left shoulder, Sir Lopsalot for his part seemed to be looking about a bit and keeping an eye on things as per his own usual habit. Though he seemed less tense and more, well, curious than usual as well. It was, perhaps oddly enough, not their first time in this building but the second. So to her it made enough sense that the adamant little Buneary was more relaxed about things in this case. Er, not that it was normal for those coming here for a certain occasion today of course.

Walking up to the reception now, however, the psychic took a second to say why she was there before being directed to the growing group of people in the nearby seating. Wait...was she among the last to arrive? Maybe. She'd had to walk a bit extra to get here due to some new construction work starting up on her original planned route at any rate. Even so, Clarissa's eyes scanned over those waiting there nearby in the provided seating in the meantime, hoping to get some idea of who was here and some initial impressions in. And to that end-

The first person that came too sight was a blonde boy, with a pink jacket on and a pin in his hair it seemed. From the nature of his jeans as well, though, it all felt like signs of wealth in his attire seemingly obvious to her. Yet he seemingly held himself well, calmly, gracefully to some extent even. To her, at least, even the cadence of his voice seemed well-drilled in some way or another. Hmm. All the same, somehow he seemed rather midly, even somewhat vaguely familiar all the same. She'd seen him somewhere before, but where?

Next coming to her vision was a boy with striking blue hair, who seemed somewhat familiar to her in his manner of dress. Not because she knew his face, but more because it reminded her of some of the people back in Orre. Tougher looking in a sense, but sitting next to the lobby pond and...meditating? Hmm. Yet beyond that, the boy seemed to have been approached so far by a redhead whose accent made one's sanity tremble and quake in fear was odd...but somehow she could grasp well enough from what she could hear her speak of from here? It felt strange to admit that to herself, but perhaps she'd just been around enough odd accents in the past or something.

Next to be noticed by her was the person she ended up being closer to than most of the others, though, as the psychic eventually sat down away from the others a bit as it seemed a short-haired and blonde younger child had also chosen to do. She wore a cute little hoodie and some darker jeans than some of the others, it seemed, ending in some purple and white shoes. It was hard to tell on a mere first glance if the child was male or female, though, but...well, the manner of dress seemed to make it purposefully more unclear. In that sense, it reminded her of how she'd dressed for a bit back in Orre when she was some years younger even. Brought an odd sense of nostaliga up in that sense.

Yet while she gave the child she would end up sitting near (Amelia) two or three seats of space to breathe as she herself sat down, well, not everyone seemed to have respected that as well. Another girl seemed to radiate a sense of confidence, and had placed herself squarely next to the child who had tried to sit away from the others as well. Blonde hair and golden eyes of this closer-to-herself-in-age girl aside, however, something about her felt 'undesireable' to the psychic all the same. Like she had an air of confidence and put-on grace, but it felt different from that of the pink-jacketed boy. His felt more natural to the psychic's eyes, in a sense, while this girl felt like someone on those makeup commercials that came on TV every so often here in Evig. Like she was trying harder to look it than the boy was? Eh, it was an assumption and a guess at best though.

Then there was another girl sitting on a nearby bench with darker hair, more like black hair really, wearing a beanie of some sort and seeming to be lost in her own thoughts as well for the time being. Nothing too dramatic about that, nothing much to think for a first impression beyond not seeming to be as local as some of the others in her manner of dress.

Hmm. It did dawn on Clarissa that, really, it felt a bit awkward being here with a Pokemon already whereas most others did not already have one (as was apparently supposed to be the case from her current understanding). Even if the Professor had reassured her after their talk that she'd be 'ok', it was still a bit...ahem, making her stand out more than she'd hoped to. Though, strangely enough, she didn't seem to be the only one in a different way as it turned out.

Something about the child she was sitting closer to, and a rather enthusiastic-looking, slightly-tanned, black-haired and rather tall boy sitting elsewhere in the lobby seemed to be talking to yet another kid here, pinged on her mental psychic radar about now. Or rather, they felt familiar enough as presences to her powers enough so and checked out properly with her personal experiences being around very much psychic teachers, including a peculiar channeler of all things, when she was staying with her grandmother in the past and trying to get taught to understand/control her powers. It was enough of surprise, frankly, that the psychic girl's right eyebrow pulled up slightly for a moment as she avoided making proper eye contact with the boy for the moment being at the very least. Not that she was going to stare at the child or anyone else oddly either for that matter. Well, Clarissa felt she could confirm the boy was certainly a proper psychic in a basic sense at least if nothing else.

But yes, from here it was natural for her eyes to pass over the boy the other psychic was talking to at least. Small ponytail, brown hair, pierced ears, and seemed to have some level of more natural-seeming confidence to her eyes in the way he held himself. Was just barely taller than her, if she had to take a guess, but seemed to be relaxed enough in his demeanor and manner that she didn't feel the same pressure she did from the girl who had plopped herself down right next to the small child.

Yet lastly, for now, but not least was a younger-looking green-haired protagonist-energy-wielding boy one one of the couches. Maybe he was around the age of the hoodie-wearing child, perhaps? Seemed likely, because those two were certainly also younger than herself or many of the others it seemed. Could feel the raw energy and excitement radiating off of him even from where she herself sat, really, that it almost felt like it wanted to rub off on her as well. But how couldn't someone be excited for something like this, really, especially someone a bit younger than herself in all of this? Then again the other younger child didn't seem to radiate the same sort of 'vibes' in a sense, so, well, she-

"Bun!"

"Hmm?"

Sir Lopsalot, doing his own looking about as his trainer was, had taken note of smaller child nearest to Clarissa herself. Noting perhaps some kind of familiarity to his own trainer, though, the brave little Pokemon had hopped down from Clarissa's shoulder and onto the floor. While not tying to prod the young one's personal space as much as the stylish girl sitting right next to her, though, the Buneary tried to get into the child's sight to see if they were ok. A little concern was written into his little face at first, even as he then proceeded to wave at the small child from his floor position and gave a cheery 'Bun' and a smile just to try to be friendly.

@baraquiel@Shazamrock@Zapdos@Lunarlord34@Gremlin@Xaltwind@Xaltwind@Joshua Tamashii@Crimson Flame@Remram

As she sat in the corner of the hallway, more and more people made their way to the same destination. The two boys who had arrived before her didn't seem to try and bother her. Probably too focused on meeting the Professor to try and talk to someone like her. No, the problems started to occur after more people began arriving. And they began arriving fast, almost one after the other.

The first to arrive was a girl who was undeniably pretty but the way she carried herself felt... off to Amelia. It felt too practiced and unnatural to her. It wasn't something Amelia was consciously aware of but it was just a feeling she got as she watched this girl walk over. She only greeted one of the guys, calling him 'Prince Valerian'. This name sounded familiar to Amelia but given her parents attempts to shelter her and her general disinterest in politics or the tabloids, she didn't know who this supposed Prince was. Was he royalty or was she just calling him that? Did they possibly know each other? Those thoughts didn't last long, as the older girl made her way over to where Amelia was sitting, making herself comfortable. Amelia just curled up more and tried to be less noticeable.

The second one to join was a more cheerful looking girl but she seemed to be looking around at everything and didn't interact with anyone, so Amelia was unable to glean much information on that one. The one who arrived after her though was definitely a lot more interesting. It was an orange-haired girl who looked to be a bit on the rougher side but still seemed pretty in her own way. She approached on the boy and spoke in an very odd fashion but Amelia found that with a bit of thought, she could put together what this girl was trying to say. They seemed like a nice person at the very least.

The next person to arrive was a large, muscular boy... maybe an adult? It was hard for her to tell, who arrived with their own Pokémon, an Abra, already with them. They looked a bit haggard, with their cloths being a bit of a mess, leading the child to think he might has slept in and rushed over here. He lounged across several chairs and unable to get a read on him, Amelia grew a bit more nervous. Thankfully the next person to arrive seemed to be among the calmer and less scary of the people here. It was another boy, this one slightly shorter than the last. The two exchanged greetings and the way the latter spoke helped the young medium relax. Looking at him more closely, he seemed to very a very calm and relaxed person, the kind that might be easy to get along with. She also thought he looked a bit cool.

The next one to come was a boy around her age. One could immediately feel the excitement coming off him and the boy simply sat down without talking to anyone. Maybe he was more focused on getting his first pokemon and thus felt no need to interact with anyone? She couldn't be sure and was happy to just let things be. Still, they were the first and only one that was close to her age. Once again though, she could tell he was taller than her. She had to wonder if she would be able to grow as tall as all these people one day.

The final one to arrive was another girl, this one dressed in a kind of business attire but still looked a bit cool in it. She had a blank expression on her face and alongside her was a Bunnery with a scar over one of it's eyes. She frowned at the sight of the scar but given how the small rabbit pokemon seemed to be happy with the girl, she guessed they had a good relationship and that the scar was the result of something that happened before they became partners. This girl took the time to examine everyone there, with Amelia instinctively trying to hide her face in her hoodie. she then kept her eyes firmly on the ground, biting her lip. As she stared at the ground, the Bunnery hopped into her view, giving her a cry and waving while smiling at her.

Amelia was a bit suprised the small pokemon had decided to come to her of all people. After all, everyone else here was much more interesting than she was. But nonetheless, she slowly uncurled herself before getting off her seat and sitting down in front of the brown rabbit.
"H-hello." She said in a small, nervous tone. She would reach out a hand to pet Sir Hopsalot before remembering their trainer was nearby and quickly withdrawing it, turning her attention to the purple-haired girl. The young child's cherry green eyes watched the older girl closely, trying to spot signs that she might have done something wrong."S-s-sorry. Um... Is it... is it okay if... if I pet them? Please?"

Jason barely moved as he heard others come in, maintaining his meditation inspite of the fact that others were moving into the area around him. If I'd wanted this much company, I would have sat in one of the main lobby areas, he thinks with a huff, but he still doesn't move, instead tuning out the sounds of the others. If Kapoc took too much longer calling them back, the aspiring champion had determined he'd move through a few katas to pass the time and, for the first time, silently kicked himself for not bringing his training sword from his parents' place. The region didn't have any renaissance fairs that he'd been able to find information on, but he did still plan to make a trip back to Hoenn to attend the Rustboro Faire and being out of practice would be no good at all. Just as he'd resolved to text his dad and see if he could bring him the squared practice blade, one of the others addressed Jason directly.

It took him a moment to sort through the accent, but eventually he managed and nodded in response. "I am here for the league challenge, yeah. Looks like I'm one of the older ones here, so that should be interesting." He pauses to listen to her next sentence and nods. "Yeah, nerves are to be expected though. I'd honestly be more impressed if you weren't nervous, it's why I'm meditating, helps with that." Closing his eyes again, Jason resumes his quiet meditation. However, the conversation with the girl and her mention of nerves had him fidgeting slightly, his own nerves finally catching up to him. Damn it...I was doing so good too...

Eventually Jason lets out a long and frustrated sigh and stands up, stretching some. "Alright, too much nervous energy. Katas it is." Moving to a decently empty part of the now more crowded waiting area. Taking a wide stance and inhaling slowly, I begin slowly moving through each move in the first kata, exhaling sharply with each blow against my imagined opponent. Could care less if they think it's weird, probably gonna end up travelling alone anyways...

As he moves through each kata, Jason mentally reviews everything he'd brought with him, taking a passing note of the two who already seemed to have partners with them and slightly tilting my head mid kick. Two with partners already huh? Or are those Pokémon more like companions...

Regan Calhoun

It had happened rather suddenly. She was helping a Hitmonchan do some training when she got the news. She completely expected the Rangers to reject her. Without any formal pokemon handling experience, why would they take her? She’d interacted with fighting-types before, but without at least one ball on her belt, it seemed kind of hopeless - so, when she was not only given a chance to prove herself, but was being flown out to another island and given her own pokemon to start her on a journey, she was.. shocked, then elated. Her father had been surprised by the urgency with which they were accepting his daughter, but her joy was difficult for him to ignore.

She’d never been very far from the city before. Getting on a plane to an island she’d never been was exhilarating, and more than a little nerve-wracking. She was confident in her abilities, however, and with a pokemon at her side, she would be just fine. She wanted to be a Ranger, after all.

The young lady had been sent off from the airport security checkpoint by her father and a Ranger representative, and she understood she’d be looking for an Association representative on landing. She would recognize the uniform, she’d been told. The representative would take her to her temporary accommodation, where she could read up on the region or just relax after traveling so far. The next day, she would meet the Professor and receive her Pokemon and Pokedex.

There were pokemon everywhere in the city. You didn’t even need to go beyond the city limits to encounter wild ones! She was used to the idea of wild pokemon being a more contentious presence, so it was a little difficult for her to get used to. The building, on approach, was as impressive as this culture shock. The wide structure, and as you enter, the introduction of natural features to the interior space. Trees, even! “whoa..”

She approached a tree, laying a hand gently against the bark of it and looking up into the branches. Her gaze lingered there for a time, looking up into and through the canopy, before she let the logo catch her attention. A tree, growing from a pokeball? Between the logo, and these trees and gardens growing indoors, and the pokemon all throughout the city, it was so inspiring. This unity between city space and natural space. The way people and pokemon could coexist. She’d read about the Cipher disaster, briefly. It all made her want to be a Ranger even more.

"G'mawnin mite, haow's ya die gaowin? Nymes Steph, Oy assume you're heah faw the laygue yahppa too ya?"

Who-wuh-huh? That hadn’t been addressed to her, no, sounded.. too far away, but the absurdity of the other voice drew her attention to a certain fact - she’s not the only one. Right, she’d been told about the other trainers she’d be starting alongside, or at least that there were going to be others. The girl took a fresh look around herself, taking note of the two with pokemon among the youthful faces. She had to observe for a moment to be sure they were, in fact, and pokemon and trainer? pair. There were so many pokemon just... around, here.

Hey, that guy’s doing kata. Regan.. vaguely recognized parts of what he was doing, but he was probably a student of a different school. She’d always been kind of lax on her kata, honestly, though her reflexes have been kept sharp from practical exercise.

“Aah, you’re really into the forms, are you?” Regan had come away from the tree and her marvelling at the aesthetic and philosophy of the Evig Pokemon Association’s League Administration Headquarters architectural design (though if you asked her, she couldn’t phrase it that way), to come and socialize.

@Zarkun @Xaltwind@Crusader Lord@Joshua Tamashii

It was quiet at first. Valerian quietly observed the handsome blue haired boy who he heard call himself Jason when saying his name to the receptionist, had arrived at the same time check himself in. He didn’t even acknowledge Valerian’s existence. He was just existing as if this wasn’t the most important day of a new trainer’s life.

He was going to introduce himself, But then she walked in. A blonde a young woman who Valerian could tell had put effort into her ensemble. This young woman knew who Valerian was, she curtsied, and spoke to him. She didn’t introduce herself, she didn’t ask for anything, she didn’t fawn over being in the presence of royalty. She carried herself with confidence. How rare. He thought with an intrigued smirk.

But then it all went to hell. More people arrived one after the other. No organization, no formal introductions. Too many voices. Too many outfits clashing. It became very hard to focus.

A girl with light purple hair arrived, but what caught Valerian’s attention about her was not her hair color. It was the fact she already had a Pokémon. Were they not supposed to receive a Pokémon from the Professor? It was a Buneary. Not a Fairy type, but a cute Pokémon just the same.

Valerian wanted to coo over it, but he was a prince. He had to maintain some level of decorum. Besides, the Pokémon seemed more interested in the shy quiet young girl that had been also been there before Evelyn arrived. And judging by her demeanor, she looked like she needed the affections of a cute Pokémon way more than being crowded by unfamiliar people.

Jason got the right idea, and moved away from all the chaos. Valerian sat next to him while Jason was going through his motions that he had no clue what they were. “Is this how all League gatherings begin? I admit, I expected something a bit more organized… You seem to be handling the chaos well.”

The day before the BIG day, Mom sat quiet by the kitchen window watching the far distance as she sipped her tea. Dad just left for work, after wrapping Faye in a strong hug and telling her in no unclear terms that he expected her to make her way home to visit and show off her team when she got a chance. Faye gave her room one last look, the posters of other league champs hung up in contrast to torn out magazine pages that held her name in the bottom corner of the pictures published in it. One last look at what she was leaving behind to pursue a dream.

The intrepid photographer grabbed her camera, her backpack, and headed down the stairs. She glanced at the kitchen. Should she go say goodbye? Was the last thing she wanted to do leaving home for so long be to go upset her mother again? A sigh escaped her, but she turned and reached for the door.

"Faye?"

The girl stopped, frozen with her hand grasping the doorknob.

The silence hung in the air until Faye finally managed to get her brain working enough to look at her mother. She looked so fragile standing there. Not the strong trainer Faye liked to remember her as, or even the serene artist she had become, but a woman broken by her past. A woman that had one heartbreak too many for a lifetime. Mom forced a smile, and the shift in her cheeks caused the light to sparkle on the water pooling in the corners of Mom's eyes. "Mom. I -" she wasn't even sure how she intended to finish that thought.

"I know. I just..." Mom took a breath and released it slowly. "I know I haven't...handled this news well. But I just wanted you to know I am proud that you did not let that stop your conviction to do it." Faye's eyes went wide hearing those words. A tear escaped the rest, but Mom continued. "It's important you remember that your path will take you far. It will challenge you, both physically and mentally. The right thing to do may not always be clear. But you are never going to be in it alone from tomorrow onward. You will be - you are already - amazing, and you will be capable of anything as long as you never forget: your pokemon are not tools; they are your friends, partners, and will be your truest companions. So long as you care for their emotional and physical wellbeing, and listen to them closely - they will always keep you from straying down the wrong path if you let them."

Faye dropped her bag and crossed the room in a few quick strides. She wrapped her arms tightly around Mom, happily letting her own tears trail down her cheeks when Mom returned the embrace. "Thanks, Mom. I won't let you down."

---

Faye arrived the day before, and had secured herself a hotel room downtown for the night. Her alarm was supposed to go off at 6am to give her plenty of time to get ready for the day ahead, but the excitement made for a restless night. She had only fallen asleep a few hours before, and apparently missed hitting SNOOZE to silence the alarm. So when she finally rubbed the sleep from her eyes and got them to focus, seeing 7:25am in big white numbers on her clock sent a shock of adrenaline through her system. Shitshitshitshitshit-

The teen rolled out of bed and panicked as she rushed through an attempt at being prepared. Morning shower would need to be skipped, she'd showered before bed to try to calm her nerves anyway, so it was straight to brushing teeth and making sure everything was packed up. Not that she'd actually unpacked more than pajamas and set out some clothes. Skip the folding. She almost forgot to put on socks as she raced to find her missing shoe. Why was it under the bed? Okay, brush hair - nope no time for the snarls. Screw it; no one would notice snarls if she put it in a ponytail. Okay, hat - no the ponytail goes through the back - and maybe... - Oh! Right! Spit! Okay, everything is packed.

Faye was a whirlwind moving through the hotel room with not even a second to spare, save for carefully grabbing her camera and sliding the strap over her head so it sat across her chest and let the camera rest securely on her hip. One last look in the vanity mirror to make sure her hoodie didn't look too frumpy, and the girl was off to check out.

The hotel was a twenty minute walk from the league headquarters if you took the sidewalk. Luckily, in her late night anxiety over the day, she had plenty of time to map out a few different routes to the building. She would not be late. Not today. So she took off running as fast as she could. Down one alley, over a fence, using a lightpost to help her make a turn she was running too fast to make without it, then down another alley, she came to a stop to catch her breath right outside the doors to the Evig Pokemon League headquarters. She glanced at her wrist watch and smiled to herself. Made it with time to spare.

It wasn't until she could breathe easy that she straightened up and headed inside. Her hand rest on her camera as she looked around the foyar in awe. She'd seen the pictures, hell - her dad took her to see the building when he let her tag along when he brought some supplies to the PokeCenter a few years ago - but the way it looked in this moment was so much better than any memory or photograph could capture. Maybe that was just the gravity of the situation adding to the grandeur though. It wasn't like this was just any other day. Evig never had an official league until now and they certainly didn't have such a big to-do about trainers flocking here to travel the region either.

She'd probably have stood there, looking around, for a lot longer if a receptionist didn't clear his throat and draw her attention. "Oh right. Sorry. Hi, yes, I'm Faye Wrexlyn. Here for the new trainer orientation." She smiled brightly, and thanked him when she was told to head over to a spot others had gathered. At least she wasn't late, even if it looked like everyone else that had gotten a spot in the selection had, well - gotten there well before her. Some were already mingling. Others were - Wait is that Valerian? Prince Valerian? Surely. Oh my Arceus! It is. Maybe if I can befriend him I can - no, that's not why we're here. - just sitting by themselves. Maybe she'd go socialize a bit. It seemed like they had some time left to kill.

She headed over to a few people that had found themselves seats but didn't look too far apart. She gave them a wave and offered them all a soft smile. "Hiya. I'm Faye. I'm guessing since you're over here you've been picked for being part of the first wave of the new League, too, right? Are you all from Evig or elsewhere?"

In the end it really didn't surprise her to see Sir Lopsalot check in on the nervous child. He'd always been the sort to keep an eye on her own state well enough, admittedly, and was of the more 'extroverted' sort to boot. Yet upon seeing the child's hand jerk back after almost petting the Buneary, Clarissa felt a pang of something inside of herself. A knee-jerk reaction of sadness, perhaps, that the child seemed so nervous about things altogether? Ah. But, well, she couldn't assume the contents of others' lives just as much as they could assume hers. Yet before she could say anything to respond, even if her mouth was but a moment away from doing so, the child looked to her and asked in a smaller, and audibly nervous, tone of voice-

"S-s-sorry. Um... Is it... is it okay if... if I pet them? Please?"

...Ahem. Yes, it was indeed respectful to ask a trainer something like that about their Pokemon. Taking a quiet breath in and out through her own nose, then, Clarissa would let the two corners of her mouth move up a little bit. At the same time, Sir Lopsalot would take note of his trainer's own expression and, with a little smile, give Amelia a little hug to try to tell her things were 'ok' in his own little way.

"You may pet him, no need to worry. He's quite friendly and outgoing little Pokemon, and picks up on things well."

Then, rising from her seat and leaving her pack on the floor, she walked over without being in a rush and squatted down with the child and Sir Lopsalot while getting down to their level. Clarissa would then point with her right index finger behind Sir Lopsalot's right ear. her voice then lowered some as she semi-whispered to the little girl (as she had now determined for herself in this matter) when she spoke next. If Amelia tried to pet Sir Lopsalot or such, then, he'd frankly go along with it happily for his part.

"He even likes scritches behind his right ear a fair bit, to tell you a little secret."

Hmm. Something felt familiar about all of this a little bit. A tiny bit...nostalgic even. Haha. But in lieu with trying to not spook the child, or hopefully seemingly worsen her nerves, Clarissa didn't try to be pushy about things. However, she had just about forgotten the tiny smile now on her face in the heat of the moment all the same.

@Joshua Tamashii