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He'd been hanging around Mistralton cave, stopped by a hiker 13 minutes beforehand of whom he was now firmly set in a conversation with. Talking about the increase of Woobat in the area or something-- nothing remotely interesting but the hiker was a chatty guy and Alder was happy to listen.
Further on down the path, someone was trying to get Alder's attention, calling his name. The Champion hadn't heard it the first few times, and it took his new hiker friend patting his arm and pointing in the direction for him to clue-in.
" Alder, sir! "
Oh, he knew that voice!
Alder pushed off the wall he was leaning against, raising his hand high in acknowledgement, "Marshal! I'm sorry, I didn't hear you!"
The Fighting-type Elite jogged at a steady pace all the way up the path to meet him, only mildly winded when he finally came to a stop. Alder looked over him fondly, repeating his last apology and clapping a hand firmly on his shoulder, turning the gesture into a side-embrace.
"Marshal, I was just catching-up with Neil here. Neil, this is Marshal."
The two strangers exchanged curt greetings, Neil-the-hiker clearly awe-struck in the Elite's presence. Alder politely wrapped-up his conversation with his new acquaintance and they parted ways on a good note-- leaving Alder alone with Marshal to hear all about his paperwork he should be doing.
"-- Hey, when was the last time we sparred, eh? You're fighting fit! I wanna tussle!" He tried it, a feeble distraction, but Marshal bust right through that weak facade like a Mach Punch.
"I'd love to, sir, but you've got work to do. We've been able to take care of your other responsibilities--"
"Oh, come on. I told you to leave those--"
"--But now you've got papers from the Chairman himself that need to be personally signed. The deadline's next week."
Alder sighed deeply, playfully pushing a little more of his weight onto his student to really get across just how TIRED he was.
"Thank you, Marshal... I'll get on it, I promise. But I'm serious, you know? You four don't need to take on any of my workload! Just send over a Tranquill with anything I gotta look over, or with a lil' message telling me to bust my chops back to the League Building. I'll do it, I swear!"
Marshal, filled with limitless respect and admiration for Alder, flashed his Champion an unamused look as if to say "we've done that."
It was enough to get Alder to back up, arms raised in surrender, "Alright! I'll head back the moment I grab my stuff from camp, how's that sound?"
"That works." Mercifully, he flashes Alder a grin.
The Elite 4 knew Alder well enough by now to understand he'd never asked for what responsibilities he'd been roped into as the Champion. They were looking out for him in their own ways, trying to lessen the burden, but sometimes duty called. They wouldn't hold that against him, frustrating as it could be.
"Good, good! Alright, then..." Alder gives Marshal a good pat on the chest before making a quick turn on his heel, ready to do just as he said he would, when--
"Hold on," Marshal interrupts him, calling his attention back, "We're both here now, aren't we? Why don't we have that 'tussle'... sir."