Chapter Text
They could hardly wait until they got back to the privacy of Serena’s room to snoop. Their own kits lay discarded on the bed to be opened later, because the identity of the final member of their program was far more interesting. The lab assistant who delivered their gear hadn’t known anything, but the packages they had to distribute were of course addressed to their recipients, and that was something to go on.
Xoana was surprised to find an address just down the lane from hers in Bourg Croquis, no doubt belonging to the new neighbors her mother had mentioned, and she suddenly wished she hadn’t volunteered to go with Serena to the pick-up two towns away. Teasingly, the name on the package kindled a faint flicker of recognition in the back of Xoana’s mind, and she rolled the Q around in her head to try and stoke it to life. It wasn’t a common name, at least not in this region, yet she’d heard it before. An old classmate? An acquaintance?
“A Rhyhorn rider!” Serena declared, beaming at her phone and her own cleverness. She read off her screen. “Grace Emer Quinn, born in Éire but a naturalized citizen of Kalos, holds the current world record for both time and obstacles cleared in a Rhyhorn race. Mme Quinn and her partner Rhyhorn, Morrigan, set the record at the twentieth bi-annual world championships. We watched that as kids, remember?”
It was always easy to find her on the track, emblazoned in bright red and charging recklessly ahead of the pack. Maybe that was why everyone was so taken with her. Xoana and Serena were far from the only ones who had cheered for her against their home region. In fact, she seemed to recall the whole viewing party, aside from her stubbornly loyal stepfather, had worn something red the day of the championship race. Serena had helped tie crimson ribbons in Xoana’s hair and pilfered a scarlet scarf from her mother’s closet for herself. Xoana’s mother had let them drag a blanket onto the floor so that the adults could occupy the surrounding couches and chairs. Xoana had watched the screen on her stomach, pillow squeezed tight in her arms and legs waving behind her.
Or perhaps it had been that force of personality which took the racing world by storm. She had always given interviews in the language of the region hosting despite all the extra effort because she hadn’t wanted anyone to speak for her. Xoana remembered the surety behind her words despite the reaching, the expressiveness despite her limitations, the hearty laugh over her own stumbling that was her trademark. And who could forget that shock of glowing red curls? Xoana had never seen hair like hers on TV before. Then there was that dense smattering of freckles and big, brilliant smile. Maybe Xoana had kept a picture. It was so long ago that she couldn’t quite recall.
But Xoana did remember how her heart had drummed every time she watched her. Kalos had never been so invested in Rhyhorn racing before or since. For a moment it had been almost as big as battling.
“So you think it’s her daughter?”
“Says here she has a daughter our age. And it would explain that Rhyhorn you mentioned.”
That was a good explanation. Rhyhorn weren’t really pets after all.
“Maybe it is her.”
“Look alive, Rough Rider!” Cináed tweeted at the top of his damn voice. Aisling groaned and pulled the sheets over her head before he could blast her with the full force of dawn.
There was a soft thump as he dropped from the string of the shade to the windowsill, then a series of softer ones as he hopped his way from her knees to her shoulder. The tapestry above her bed flapped in the sudden gust as he tried to wrest the covers from her iron grip.
“Come on, Aisling!” he whined.
She pretended to be dead.
He fluttered over to her pillow and tunneled into her hair. “Nice nest you have here.” He shuffled his feathers—settling in. “Think I’ll take it.”
“Be my guest.”
“Sure is warm in here,” he chirped pleasantly, snuggling closer to her scalp. It was gonna take a lot more than his scorching chest to get her up. “Do you smell something burning?”
Aisling leapt out of bed right onto her feet. “I’m up!”
A smug twittering drifted from her hair and she stumbled, grumbling, into her bathroom. Cináed poked his bright red head out over her brow and she grudgingly offered him the middle finger, which the Fletchling used to pull himself free.
She turned on the tap and splashed water over her face. Cináed beat a hasty retreat to the towel rack.
“You told me to get you up this morning!” he complained.
She scowled at his reflection. “It’s 6AM!”
He waved his wings in his best approximation of air quotes. “Don’t let me sleep in, Cináed! I need the extra time to get ready!”
“Fuck, that’s today!”
Aisling tripped out of her pajamas and Cináed slipped out the door to avoid the steam. The Fletching stayed close, though, and whistled an old gaelic ballad through the crack as she washed and rinsed and toweled off. As always, he came back in for the hairdryer and she shot him up to the ceiling a few times.
He perched on her bedpost while she threw half her wardrobe across the mattress, trying to get her outfit right. Yes, the jacket is absolutely a power move. Eh, I think we can do better than that skirt. Absolutely wear the boots!
Once she had the clothes, makeup was simple: gold eyeliner, some glitter on her cheekbones, and lip color to match her belt. She bound her hair back with the strongest tie that money could buy, smoothed the front and teased the back.
“How do I look?”
“Ready to cut ’em up!” Cináed chirped, flashing his white wingtips for emphasis.
Aisling grinned but something anchored her feet to the floor. She felt the weight of keen, black eyes watching her.
“Maybe I should come along,” Cináed offered. “I can scope out this starter pokemon for you.”
“Naw.” She waved him off, going for her clutch.
“Then at least take a few feathers!”
He swooped over to her vanity and snatched some of his shed feathers out of the tiny vase she kept them in. She held still as he landed on her head and poked them through her hair tie one by one, five in all. She watched his tail bob in the mirror and he caught sight of her face when he turned.
“They’re good luck!” he chirped before jumping ship.
“I make my own luck,” she reminded him, but her first smile of the day crept across her face as she checked his handiwork. Satisfied, she sprung out the door. “See you later Cináed!”
A scone from mam and a sleepy chuff from Raleigh, still resting in his sand bed, sent her off.
The morning was ever so slightly chill and Xoana hugged her warm cup of tea to her chest while she waited for the sun to warm the café patio where the group had gathered. Serena and Tracie nursed their coffees while Tierney finished off her pastry. They had pushed two of the little round tables together and left one seat open for the final member, who had yet to arrive. Xoana’s mother had confirmed via text that the new neighbors were indeed Grace Quinn and her daughter. Everything was squared away and Xoana let things fall quiet.
Tracie’s Pikachu grew bored and tapped her on the arm. Tracie pulled an old, handheld console out of her backpack and set up the kickstand case so Spark could play next to her on the table.
Tierney’s Hawlucha shuffled her wings before spreading them back out to sun some more. Tierney rolled the case of pokeballs idly back and forth on the table in a rhythmic drone.
The sound of bootheels on the cobblestones pulled Xoana out of her stupor. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but the young woman that approached them still caught her off guard. For one, Xoana had probably expected someone pale and firey like Grace. Instead she was dark with kinky hair bound tightly back and adorned with Fletching feathers. A little closer, she was almost more freckle than person and the clicking heels belonged to a pair of embroidered riding boots, which fit the picture of famous-Rhyhorn-jockey’s-daughter a little better. The leather jacket she had on emphasized her already broad shoulders and the well-fitted, indigo jeans drew attention to other assets Xoana probably shouldn’t be taking note of.
“Best behavior,” said Serena, which felt very pointed even though it wasn’t.
“Bonjour!” she called out to them.
“Bonjour!” they all answered, standing to greet her.
“You must be Aisling,” Serena continued, offering her hand. “I’m Serena Pascal. It’s lovely to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine,” Aisling purred, taking her hand.
The greeting lingered a little before she turned to Xoana, smiling even more broadly if possible. Her mouth was a bit large for her face, but in a nice way, and Xoana made a mental note to ask where she got that shade of purple lip color.
“Xoana Bellamy,” she said before Serena could do it for her. “Great to meet you.”
“Likewise.” It was nice to have someone sound like they meant it.
“We’re actually neighbors. I live in Bourg Croquis too.”
“Really? Maybe you could show me around sometime?”
“Of course!”
Aisling didn’t shift her gaze but thankfully Tierney stepped in to rescue Xoana’s heartbeat from its precipitous climb.
“Tierney Fitzroy.”
Aisling matched her hearty shake with ease. “You got folks in Éire too?”
“Yeah, my father’s family. Éire and Galar.”
Aisling dropped from her light, south Kalos accent into a heavy Éirinn brogue. “The traitors!”
That made Tierney laugh and Aisling moved on to the final member of their group.
“Tracie Chastain,” she said stiffly. Predictably she couldn’t meet Aisling’s eyes, but she did manage a greeting and brief handshake.
“Nice to meet you, Tracie.” If Aisling was off-put or offended by Tracie’s curtness, she didn’t show it. “What’s your Pikachu playing?”
“Dirby and the Crystal Shards.”
“Classic.”
Tierney’s Hawlucha shuffled over and Aisling greeted her as well.
“That’s Valériane,” Tierney explained. “She’s my starter.” Aisling offered her hand, which the Hawlucha patted awkwardly with her claws before waddling over to Tierney’s side. “And Spark is Tracie’s starter.” Tierney tapped the cylindrical case on the table in front of her. “You three get to pick one from Professor Sycamore.”
“But before we do,” said Serena, polite but officious as usual, “there are a few things we should go over. Do you have your trainer license?”
“Just got it yesterday!” Aisling whipped it out of her pocket to show before setting into the chair set aside for her between Xoana and Serena.
“Good. Tracie?”
Tracie already had her backpack in her lap and was pulling things out of it. She slid Aisling’s pokedex, holocaster, and provisional pokemon science licence across the table. Aisling took them wordlessly, practically radiating excitement as Tracie caught her up to speed. She registered, transferred her data and added them all to her contacts.
“Excellent,” said Serena. “Now that that’s sorted, we had a bit of a proposition for you.”
“Oh?” Aisling asked, perking back up.
Xoana spoke first this time. She could feel Serena about to be blunt instead of easing into it as Xoana had suggested. “Well, we thought—since we’re all in the same program—it might be fun to travel all together, as a group.”
“Oh,” said Aisling carefully, “did you all have a chance to meet up earlier?”
“We knew each other before we got into the program,” Serena jumped in.
Xoana could smack her.
“We all went to school together right here in Quarellis!” Tierney added cheerfully.
“Oh.” For the first time Aisling’s face closed and her posture stiffened.
This was exactly what Xoana had wanted to avoid. She swooped back in, leaning a bit over the table to get Aisling’s attention and smiling as bright and friendly as she could while also wanting to strangle her friends just a little.
“So we all get along and thought ‘the more the merrier’ you know?”
“We won’t all be working on the same projects of course,” said Serena, “but we all need to travel around to earn badges and so forth. It might be safer and more expedient to do so in a group.”
“No pressure to accept, obviously,” Xoana added, “but we would really love to have you.”
There was a pause while they all waited for an answer. Xoana could feel her face straining.
“That… sounds great!” Aisling declared, smiling again. “You seem like a good bunch. I’m so happy to have friends up north.”
Xoana stifled a sigh of relief. “That’s great! I’m so excited! This is going to be so much fun!”
“We were really hoping you’d be down for it,” said Tierney.
“Fun fact about me,” said Aisling with another big grin, “I’m down for most things.”
“Good to know!”
“Maybe we should do some icebreakers!” Xoana said. She was back in her element now. “How about we name our goals for the program and a hobby?” She paused, but she couldn’t exactly take that back. “I want to be a pokemon professional of some kind, but I’m not sure about my field. I volunteered at the Center in town and now I’m gonna use this year to look at training and research. Oh, and I like to make accessories and stuff in my spare time.”
“Did you make that bracelet you’re wearing?”
“Yeah!” She fiddled with it. “And the hair ties.”
Aisling surveyed them. “You’re good. They’re cute as anything.”
“Thanks!” She had to elbow Tierney so Aisling would stop looking at her.
Tierney talked about her dance moves project, which Aisling thought was a cool way to combine her passions. Tracie had to be prompted again, but Aisling saw to it this time. She even got Tracie rattling on about fossils until she abruptly clammed up, which meant she had gone back to counting her words. Aisling gave no signal of discomfort and that was as good a sign as any that this might turn out well.
“My goal is to be a professional trainer like my mother,” said Serena. “I hope to do well enough to be considered for Prof. Sycamore’s mega evolution project.” It was amazing how she just did that. Xoana would never be over it.
“And I like running,” she tacked on awkwardly. At least Xoana had something she lacked.
“I hear that helps clear your mind. A bit like riding that way.” It was impressive how she managed to make a connection with all of them right away, whether it was simple appreciation or common ground. “Anyway, my mom’s a big Rhyhorn rider and I’m going to get even more famous for battling. So I’m aiming to slide over into the mega evo project too. As for hobbies, I’ve done all sorts of things and I’m always in the market for a new pastime.”
Serena was measuring Aisling with her eyes, which was not a good sign.
“Since we’re all friends now,” Xoana began pointedly, “why don’t we come up with some nicknames for each other?”
“I like it!” Aisling nodded in approval.
“How about Ash?” Tierney suggested.
“Not bad, but I think I’d prefer to be addressed as My Queen.”
“My Queen?” Serena demanded, incredulous.
“Exactly,” Aisling confirmed, as if Serena had trouble understanding rather than believing. “Or perhaps Your Majesty, if you prefer.” Then she smirked.
Xoana couldn’t remember the last time someone doubled down after Serena challenged them like that. And neither could Serena if the way she pulled back and blinked was anything to go by. Serena’s tongue moved in her mouth, trying to work out a response, and Xoana scrambled to think of something to head her off.
“If you’re Queen, can I be Baronne?” They all looked at Tracie, surprised that she was following the conversation.
“But of course!” said Aisling magnanimously. “All of you are welcome to be nobles in my court.”
“Nice!” said Tierney, once again before Serena had time to process. “I’m feeling Vicomtesse for me. Has a nice ring to it.”
“An excellent choice,” Aisling declared.
“Hmm, I’m thinking Marquise,” Xoana threw in to keep the momentum.
“Perfect.”
“Are we really doing this?” Serena demanded, set back in her chair with her arms crossed.
Xoana smiled. She couldn’t help it. Even with Serena glaring at the both of them, she couldn’t keep it in.
“Aw, come on!” chimed Tierney good-naturedly. “It’ll be fun!”
“Yeah, Ser,” Xoana piled on.
Serena looked to Tracie, but she was researching something on her pokedex and predictably failed to notice the call for backup. Alone, tacit refusal was Serena’s only polite recourse. “I can’t think of one.” Can’t think of a rank higher than queen, more like.
Aisling tapped her lip a few times, looking Serena in the eyes, then pointed at her with a flick of her wrist.
“You seem like a Comtesse to me.” She didn’t wait for a response. “Alright, nicknames assigned! Let’s see these starter pokemon!”
Tierney leaned over and placed the case in the middle of the table before opening it, revealing three pokeballs.
“Before I let them out, who’s picking first?”
Xoana watched Serena squirm for a moment. She so obviously wanted first pick but she couldn’t be the one to suggest it. But they had both agreed to let Aisling pick first before she arrived, so Xoana elected to ignore this new development.
“Well if you’re Queen, maybe you should pick first, Aisling.”
“Makes sense,” Tracie agreed, failing to look up from her pokedex.
A muscle in Serena’s forehead twitched.
“Alright then. Let’s do it!”
Three small pokemon emerged in a flash of red light. The first was a Fennekin, who looked around at the assembled and scratched one of her enormous ears. The second was a Chespin who peeked at them before staring down at the table and nervously clasping her forepaws. The last was a Froakie, who glanced placidly around and smiled before using his tongue to clear one of his eyes. They were all so fucking cute. Xoana couldn’t decide which she wanted more.
Serena had decided though. Her eyes were fixed on the fire-type as if the other two didn’t exist. Aisling’s gaze was drawn to the Fennekin as well. Xoana began to brace herself, but then Aisling glanced to either side, catching Xoana’s eyes for a moment before delivering her choice.
“I think I’ll take… the Chespin! Chesnaught are the shit.”
The Chespin looked up, ears at attention, then glanced away and looked back again. Aisling held her gaze, grinning. The Chespin touched a paw to her chest in question.
“Yes, you!” Aisling answered with a snort of amusement. “Get over here.” The Chespin took a few paces forward and sat down in front of her, little nose twitching. “You got nice guns there, short stack.” She flexed one of her own, patting it for emphasis. As if to mirror the motion, the Chespin scratched at her thick arm and smiled tentatively. “You look like a Bree to me. How’s that sound?”
She looked down at a paw, taking a moment to carefully manipulate her digits, then gave Aisling the thumbs up. Beyond her, Serena was slightly irate that the Chespin apparently got more say in her nickname than she had been given.
“Welcome to Team Aisling! Can I get a fist bump?”
Bree closed her paw and tapped it against Aisling’s offered fist. Aisling drew hers away, splaying her fingers and making a sound effect out the side of her mouth. Bree wiggled her claws back experimentally.
“Yeah! You got it.” The Chespin smiled again at the encouragement. It was then that Xoana noticed Serena staring across the table at her.
“Go ahead, Ser—Comtesse. I can’t decide anyway.”
“I’ll take the Fennekin then.” Serena beckoned and the pokemon approached her. “I’ll call you Félicité, alright?”
The Fennekin nodded primly and sat down in front of her, curling her bushy tail over her paws. Serena stroked her fur, almost vibrating with happiness.
Xoana forgave her minor sins.
Aisling smiled too and there was a hint of satisfaction in it. So she had guessed which pokemon Serena wanted and let her have it. That was interesting.
The Froakie shuffled around to face Xoana. He blinked one eye and then the other at her. She melted onto her hands.
“Hi Froakie!” He blew a bubble from both nostrils and sucked them back in. “You are so cute! I love your bubbles! Can I touch them?” She reached out, but waited for him to nod before putting her hand on the ruff of pale, semi-translucent globes around his neck. They were moist and gave a little but didn’t burst.
“That’s so cool!” The Froakie smiled his big froggy smile at her. “Can I call you Froabble?”
The Froakie answered with a ribbit that expanded his throat sack a little. A noise of utter glee escaped Xoana.
The others all grinned at her, even Tracie, albeit with half her mouth. Aisling was leaning on her elbow to get a better view. Xoana could feel her face heating up. Tierney—bless her—rescued her by handing out the pokeballs.
“So, if we’re all going together, what’s the game plan?” Aisling asked, spinning her pokeball on the table like a top.
“We thought it would be best to work out of Neuvartault until it’s time to check in with Prof. Sycamore in Illumis,” said Serena. “There are three adjacent routes to train on and that way we could all earn our first badge before the meeting.”
“Sounds good to me,” Aisling replied.
“We can walk there together tomorrow if you want,” Xoana offered.
“I would like that.” That mouth of hers was deadly and shouldn’t be allowed. “Where are we staying?”
“Xoana and Tierney are staying with Tracie and me since we live close by,” said Serena. “But there’s a nice bed and breakfast in town.”
“Excellent. Send me the name and I’ll put in my housing request.”
Serena was a bit taken aback but couldn’t gracefully decline so reasonable a request, so she picked up her holocaster and texted the info.
“Thanks! All in order now?”
“That’s everything on the checklist,” said Tracie.
“Bree and I should probably get going then. Of course I’d love to stay and get to know you better, but alas, I have other appointments.”
She stood and gathered her things, motioning to her new Chespin to follow. Bree hopped from the chair to the ground and waited right by her ankle, which seemed to please her. She looked back up at them.
“It’s been the utmost pleasure meeting you Baronne, Vicomtesse, Comtesse, Marquise.”
The way her lips curved upward as she lingered on that final word—like she enjoyed the feel of it in her mouth—made something in Xoana’s chest flutter.
As she turned, she revealed to them what resembled a biker gang’s emblem splashed across the back of her jacket. It was a pokemon Xoana didn’t recognize—white and soft yellow with a third eye taking up most of its torso and blue tags hanging from each of the three points on its head. A furling banner below the pokemon’s delicate streamers bore the message: Try My Luck.
“Au revoir!” Aisling called without turning back.
And with that she was gone, pokeball at her belt, Chespin at her side, and even more bravado in the clicking of her boot heels against the cobblestones. Xoana didn’t want to stop staring after her, but that seemed imprudent, so she yanked her eyes back to the café table. Her new Froakie smiled tentatively up at her and she smiled back.
Aisling had been a surprise start to finish, but not an unpleasant one. The meeting certainly hadn’t gone quite as planned either, but perhaps that was to be expected. Serena was slumped in her chair with her chin tucked and no one else took it upon themselves to restart the conversation, so Xoana filled the gap.
“Well, she seemed nice.”
“Nice?” Serena countered, head cocked to the side and one immaculate eyebrow raised. “You call waltzing in like she owned the place and completely taking control ‘nice’?”
Xoana brushed this aside. “She was probably just nervous.”
“Nervous?” Serena was incredulous now. “What part of that display said insecurity to you?”
The Fennekin glanced back at her trainer and then expectantly at Xoana.
“This is a region-wide program. She had no reason to expect that we would all already know each other. It’s intimidating.”
“But—”
“Cut her some slack,” Tierney finally contributed. “You’re the one who was lecturing us to be friendly.”
“So did Xoana!”
“She’s nicer about it,” Tracie muttered, engrossed in her pokedex. Spark played with her handheld, feigning disinterest, but her ears gave her away.
“She told us to call her ‘My Queen’.”
Valériane hopped up and down, beating her wings each time in an attempt to see over the table.
“The nickname thing was my idea!”
Serena rolled her eyes and Xoana’s narrowed. Serena leaned back in her chair and spread her arms.
“So now we’re all lackeys in her court.”
“You’re so dramatic!”
“I’m dramatic?” Serena demanded, hand splayed on her chest like she was performing for a crowded theater.
The total lack of irony was more than Xoana could take.
“Stop repeating everything I say!”
Serena opened her mouth to argue the point, but from the look on her face, realized she was about to shoot Xoana’s words back again and thought better of it.
Xoana considered leaving it there, but she couldn’t.
“I liked her.”
“Of course you did."
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xoana demanded—as if she didn’t know exactly what it meant—as if they all didn’t know. Xoana’s cheeks flushed. Just once she wanted to hear her say it, but of course she wouldn’t. She never had. “You just don’t like her because you’re used to being the alpha friend.”
“Wha— That’s not true!”
Serena looked to Tracie and Tierney but neither met her eyes. Then she had the nerve to pout. Fuck her and her adorable face.
Serena’s Fennekin hopped off the table into her lap and she stroked her absently.
Valériane made an inelegant attempt to haul herself up onto Aisling’s now empty chair. Xoana leaned over to offer the Hawlucha a hand and chewed the inside of her cheek as Valériane pulled herself up and settled into the seat.
“Listen,” she said at length, “you’re being a Skiddo about this.”
Serena grunted—as if to illustrate Xoana’s point.
“It would make everything easier and a lot more fun if we could all be friends.”
“That is almost exactly what you said an hour ago, Ser.” Tierney reminded her. Tracie nodded in agreement.
That only made Serena’s brow set even further. Time to change tack.
“We’ve got a whole dynamic going and it’s weird to shake it up, but maybe it’ll be good.”
Serena grunted again.
“If you don’t want to see sense, could you at least give her another chance as a favor to me? If you’re feeling generous, that is.”
Serena tried not to smile at the dig, but couldn’t help it. “Fine.” She scratched Félicité between the ears and the tension flowed off her. “First impressions aren’t everything.”
“Raleigh, I’m home!”
“So I see,” he said dryly, but he was waiting for her at the gate.
“Meet, Bree, my starter!” The Chespin ducked behind Aislings legs. “Bree, this is Raleigh. He’s a racer.”
Bree gave Raleigh a tentative wave.
“A plant-type, huh? Don’t ask me to spar with her.”
“Cináed’ll keep her in line, ya big calf.”
Bree made herself small so Aisling shoved the Rhyhorn aside to show her he was all bulk and no bite.
Grace came out of the house with Cináed and Aisling snatched up her starter.
“Look mam! I got a Chespin! Brawny and tenacious! Her name’s Bree.”
“Nice ta meecha there, Bree!” said Cináed.
“Welcome to the family!” said Grace and shook the Chespin’s paw. “How’d the meeting go?”
“Great!” Aisling bounced up on her toes and then hastily put her starter down so that she could emote more safely. “They were all girls! And two of ‘em were black! I miss the ranch already, but it’s so nice to be closer to the city.”
“I know what ya mean. I’m so happy for ya, alanna!”
“And they were all so nice! Serena might be a bit stuck-up, but she’s cute and kinda fun to mess with. Tracie’s shy but she was trying really hard and ya can just tell she’s smart. Tierney—”
“Tierney now?” Grace interrupted with a grin.
“Oh-aye!” Aisling confirmed in kind. “She had a fun vibe to her. Really interesting project too. And then Xoana—gods is she ever winsome—was so sweet and friendly. Made sure I was comfortable and all that. And you should’ve seen her when she got her Froakie.” She was gushing now but couldn’t help it. “They’re a bit odd, yanno? But she just thought he was the most precious thing in the world, moist skin and all.”
“Even the gooey mons deserve a fan I suppose.”
“But that’s not even the best part! We’re all going to travel together!”
“What a relief!” Grace made a big show of wiping her brow.
“I woulda been fine on me own!” She pouted for a moment but her mother only laughed. “This’ll be more fun anyway. They really are a nice bunch.” Aisling was bouncing in place now. “I can’t wait to start!”
“I’m so happy and so proud of you,” said her mother, voice as warm as the bread she could smell baking.
“Aw mam, you’re always proud of me.”
“Too right! And I always will be no matter what happens.” She brushed Aisling’s cheek with her hand. “But I also know you’ll do well. Us Quinns are women of action—adventurers through and through! There ain’t nothing we can’t do if we set our minds to it!” Raleigh snorted with approval and Cináed nodded vigorously from his perch on Grace’s shoulder.
“Yeah, alright,” said Aisling with a roll of her eyes.
Bree looked heartened and excited by all the enthusiasm, even though she probably didn’t catch much of what was said. Pokemon had a knack for getting the gist of things even without the understanding.
“Though I would like to tack on an addendum, which is that there are certain things we perhaps shouldn’t do… Like our coworkers, for instance.”
“Mam!” Aisling flushed and Grace tried not to laugh. “I’m not an idiot!”
“Nor am I, but you only have to be a fool once.”
“I know,” Aisling sighed.
“O’course, sometimes it can be the best thing that ever happened to ya.” A grudging smile wormed its way onto Aisling face. “Are ya leaving soon or hanging around for a few more days?”
“Heading out in the morning. We’re all going to stay in Neuvartault until it’s time for our first evaluation.”
“Sensible,” Grace sighed. “You’ll call me though, won’t you?”
“O’course I will. If you get a holocaster, you can see my beautiful face in glorious 3D.” She waved her new device at her mother.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“But you’re coming with me, right Cináed?”
He bobbed. “I promised, didn’t I?”
“Yes!” She pumped her fist.
“But just until you beat the first gym,” he reminded her. “I’m a songbird, not a battler.”
“Yeah yeah, ya coward. We’ve got a deal.”
