It took Herschel everything he had to keep from running at the sight of the huge mob. People of all shapes and sizes were pouring out of the S.S. Bolt, and a few too many of them were approaching him. The first to reach him was a rather... flamboyantly dressed young man, who greeted him in french and promptly... kissed him on the cheek. A walking stereotype, he was. "You must be with the Willow league, non?" he said.

"U-uh... si?" Herschel responded.

He was then greeted by someone else. A girl who practically radiated grumpiness. "Gilbert, Griselda. I understand someone was supposed to meet me here."

"Y-yes," Herschel replied, "If you came to become a trainer, just wait here."

A man called out to him from the crowd, and he promptly looked up to see a white haired man who looked to be in his 50s or 60s, accompanied by a boy in a black hat. "Hello! I'm glad to be here." The man said, "You're Willow's assistant, right? I'm Professor Oak, but I'm sure you knew that."

"O-OAK? Here? But, why-" He heard yelps and shouts from the crowd, which only made him feel less safe. Were people being [i]trampled[/i] by this crowd? "Uh... let's back away from the dock, I think the crowd might need room. What are you doing here, of all places?"