“-And not to mention how slow that stupid line is! I just wanted my muffin! I hadn’t had my muffin yet, Bianca!”

Bianca’s lips curled into a smile as Latias complained about how slow people were in the city, carefully applying brush strokes to her canvas while the dragoness went off on a tangent.

Her friend had returned to the garden some time ago, disgruntled after her “mission” of fetching sweets for them despite her brother’s repeated attempts to refuse such delicacies.

Naturally, that ended much the same as it always did, with Latios choking on what appeared to be a scone before begrudgingly swallowing the desert.

Bianca had been far more receptive, and gratefully accepted her own pastry before Latias had launched into a tirade, pausing only to allow Bianca to fetch her supplies and easel.

“And they took so long that I didn’t even get a chance to see if he’s come back yet!” Her friend pouted as she crunched down on her second muffin.

Rolling her eyes with a snort, Bianca responded with an amused tone, “What, you think today will be different than any other? He hasn’t been gone for that long, you know. Give the guy a chance to be with his friends.”

“Five months! Five months, Bianca, plus some! Besides, we’re his friends, too, right? Why wouldn’t he want to come see us?”

“Gee, I dunno, maybe because he knew us for like…three days?” Bianca replied pointedly with a shake of her head, leaning back as she cast a critical eye over her work. “Besides,” she continued, giving the canvas a small frown, “it’s possible he forgot. Maybe that funny little Rotom thing didn’t remind him.”

Latias gasped, “Don’t say that, that’s awful! He’ll come back, I’m sure of it!”

Bianca threw a sympathetic look to her friend, knowing that the dragoness missed the trainer and his high-energy antics. In the brief time Ash was here, he had proven to match Latias’ energy as they played tag with Latios and Pikachu.

It amused her and Lorenzo to no end, and she could admit that a small part of her missed him, too. While he wasn’t running around and making a fool of himself, he was a very eager listener, paying rapt attention as she told his tales of the twins’ blunders, much to their dismay.

Apart from being a good conversationalist, it was actually nice having someone her age to talk to for more than a few minutes at a time without having to come up with an excuse to not hang out. Which wasn’t to say that the twins were bad company, but the differences in species could sometimes lead to unfortunate misunderstandings.

“Although something tells me Ash would be dumb enough to do what Latios did,” Bianca snorted to herself softly as she carefully applied her brush strokes.

“Hmm?” Latias inquired, prompting Bianca to shake her head and reply, “Nothing, just thinking is all.”

“Oh? Does it hurt?”

Bianca gave a stink-eye over the snarky comment, electing not to grace her with a response. Instead, she stepped back from the easel once more, only to frown at it deeper.

“I feel like I’ve done this before,” she muttered as she beheld her work. Technically speaking, it was fairly well done, and there wasn’t a mistake to be made, yet. However, in terms of composition, it felt…dull.

No, that wasn’t the right word. Boring? Somehow, that didn’t quite fit either.

“What’s wrong?” Latias asked as she glanced between her and the painting, looking concerned at Bianca’s displeased face.

“I’m not sure, it’s just-”

Before she could get her words out, there was a thump in the distance followed shortly after by a grunt of pain, sending both of them into high alert, Latias fading from view as her feathers bent the light around her.

Bianca carefully walked in the direction of the noise, noting that it had come from the rear entrance.

“Gramps?” She cautiously called out, putting her brush in a reverse grip in case it was not the caretaker.

As she crept forward, she could barely hear a familiar voice say, “I’m fine, Pikachu, just tripped over this rock thing.”

Wait, is that…?

There was an excited gasp next to her as Latias lost her invisibility and shot forward, resulting in a soft thud a few moments later, followed by laughter from her friend and the suspected third party.

Bianca hurried after her friend, and after making her way past several trees, she could make out Latias hugging the familiar sight of Ash with a smile on her face.

The trainer grinned as he hugged her back, exclaiming with a soft laugh, “We missed you too, Latias. Oh, hey, Bianca! Long time no see!” Ash said as he caught a glimpse of her mildly stunned appearance.

“You…actually came back,” she finally said, relaxing her grip on the brush.

He nodded and gently moved Latias back as he stood up, replying brightly, “Yup! Sure did. I made a promise, didn’t I?”

Bianca nodded thoughtfully and smiled, quickly replying, “Yeah, I guess you did.” She paused and glanced back the way he came, nervously asking, “Did you come alone?”

Ash scratched Latias behind the ear and ruefully grinned. “Yeah, my friends and family stayed behind this time. But maybe they can come back again sometime!”

“I don’t think Gramps would have a problem with that…. Wait, family? Didn’t you say you were from Kanto?” She questioned, cocking her head to the side.

“Oh, I am! It’s just….” he paused as he seemingly tried to find the right words, then pressing on with a soft expression, “Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet are like my Alolan family, ya know? Like my second set of parents.”

Must be nice, she thought bitterly, before shoving that thought out of her head; it wasn’t his fault. It would hardly be fair to him if she was petty about something that was out of his control.

Bianca cleared her throat and waved her hand in the direction he came from, smiling through the pang in her chest. “Mm. To the house then, I suppose?”

“Sounds good to me! In fact-”

“What’s all the commotion I’m hearing?” A telepathic voice interrupted, prompting them to turn and see Latios floating towards them, only to stop and blink in surprise. “Ash? So, you really did come back.”

Ash grinned and waved, “Hey, Latios! How’ve you been?” As he asked this, Pikachu ran up and jumped onto Latios’ back, causing a huff to escape the dragon.

“Hello to you as well, Pikachu. As for your question, Ash, I have been doing well, thank you. Judging from your appearance, I say you’ve been doing quite well yourself.”

Bianca cast a critical look towards Ash as the trainer responded, now noticing a more tanned appearance, along with more defined muscles, the latter mildly intriguing her. While she suspected that trainers, particularly the ones that traveled often, were at least mildly athletic, she didn’t think there would be that much of a difference.

What is he doing, battling other Pokemon himself?

The thought of him squaring off against a Mankey with nothing but the shirt on his back almost made her burst into giggles, and she had to bite her lip in order to prevent herself from doing so. Fortunately, only Latias noticed her reaction, and Bianca twitched her head to let her know she’d share later.

Her friend gave a barely perceptible nod in return, and Bianca stifled the last of her giggles, turning back to the sight of Pikachu leaping from Latios back to Ash. The mouse landed on the trainer’s head and nearly knocked his hat off.

Bianca smiled at Latias’ giggles and started packing her easel away, “You know, Ash,” she began as she tucked her materials into their case, “I didn’t really expect you back so soon…or at all,” she admitted with a raised eyebrow.

“Bianca!” Latias hissed, looking indignant on Ash’s behalf.

The trainer in question just chuckled, “Hey, like I said; I promised. And it’s not like I would forget, not after that super cool drawing you gave me.”

She ignored the twin’s snickering as she finished packing up, and gave Ash an appreciative look. “Well, thanks, I suppose. But it wasn’t anything special.”

“Of course it was, it came from you,” came his reply, completely catching her off guard and making her splutter.

“W-what?!” She turned and stared at him with wide eyes; was he flirting with her? However, despite the gleeful looks from the twins, Ash didn’t seem to notice how his words may have sounded.

He merely cocked his head innocently and elaborated, “You’re my friend, and anything that comes from a friend is special to me.”

“That’s…. Well, thank you. That means a lot,” Bianca murmured, internally heaving a sigh of relief. She can’t imagine how awkward it would be if he tried putting the moves on her, not to mention how much worse it would get upon a rejection.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that, and she strode past Latias even as her friend shot her a wicked grin.

‘Diabolical lizard,’ She affectionately thought as she gestured for Ash to follow. He readily complied, adjusting his hat as Pikachu settled onto his shoulder.

As they made their way to the house, Bianca could see Ash looking all around them, admiring the different Pokemon that flew and jumped their way around the Garden.

“It feels like there’s more Pokemon here than ever,” he said in wonder, making her smile.

“Well, when you have two Legendary Pokemon protecting them at all times, it certainly does attract a crowd.”

“Hopefully a good type of crowd,” Latios snorted, likely inferring the incident that had occurred, to which she inclined her head.

“Yeah. Either way, it certainly keeps things lively…sometimes for the worse,” she scoffed, remembering the time a Skwovet took off with one of her brushes. It had been a pain trying to convince the little brat to hand it over.

She gave him a glance as they walked and asked, “Been busy since you left, I imagine?”

“Oh boy yeah!” He readily replied, and was seemingly about to launch into what she could only label as “story-telling mode” before she quickly spoke, “Wait, let’s actually wait until we get inside. That way you don’t have to say whatever it is you were about to say twice. Just…give me a super condensed version, please?”

“Sure!” He readily agreed, going silent for a moment before saying, “We helped some aliens go home, saved the light of Alola, battled in Alola’s first ever league, made more aliens go home, and then I came here!”

By the time he had finished, he was about a dozen feet in front of her before Pikachu shoved his hat and prompted him to turn, letting him see her gobsmacked expression.

“Are…are you alright?” Ash began before she choked out, “You…you what?”

He scratched his head and laughed, “I guess that was a little much, huh?”

“Yeah, no sh-” Latios murmured before Bianca interjected.

“A little?!” She managed, before shaking her head in disbelief. “Do you go looking for trouble, or does it just find you?”

“I bet a month’s worth of pastries it’s both,” Latias giggled, prompting her brother to question, “Really? A month? That’s it?”

“Uh-”

Bianca raised a free hand to stop him, interrupting quickly, “You know what, nevermind. Tell me when we get inside.”

The twins snickered as he readily agreed, adjusting his cap and letting her catch up before the pair continued on their way. Fortunately, they weren’t even a minute off from her backyard, their talking proved a helpful way to pass the time during their stroll.

Crossing into the confines of the property, she could see her grandfather trimming a bush, sparing them a glance before straightening up with a smile.

“Ah, I see you’ve found Bianca and the twins,” he said approvingly, prompting the aforementioned individuals to glance at Ash.

“You didn’t mention you came here before the Garden,” Bianca said pointedly at him, to which Ash replied with an embarrassed laugh.

“Well, I actually meant to go to the Garden first, but I forgot how to find it. I spent all morning trying to find you guys before I accidentally came across Lorenzo as he was just getting back.”

Latias giggled as her form shimmered, turning into a near carbon copy of Bianca before throwing him a smile. “Had I known that, I would have led you here, just like last time.”

Latios rolled his eyes and pulled on her ear with a psychic tug, making her squeal in surprise and break her illusion as he gently chided her, “Quit flirting with the boy, especially using Bianca’s body as your instrument.”

“Yes, please don’t,” Bianca readily agreed, shaking her head at the dragoness.

“I was not flirting,” Latias pouted, sticking her tongue out at them.

Lorenzo laughed as he set his clippers aside, stroking his chin in mock thought. “To think I was going to try to set up Bianca with him, only for my other granddaughter to make her own move!”

Latios roared with laughter as Bianca and Latias flushed with embarrassment, shooting the older man a heated glare, while Ash stood there looking confused. Pikachu merely rolled his eyes at his trainer’s obliviousness, and Bianca would have been more grateful for the trainer’s lack of romantic intelligence if she wasn’t busy dying of embarrassment.

“Can we go inside please?” She asked through clenched teeth, Latias agreeing with several quick nods.

“Well, if that’s the case, I’m going to go patrol around the Garden some more,” Latios chuckled as he turned away. “Try not to have too much fun with him, Bianca. Latias.”

Bianca felt her face light up at his words, and she resolved to one day hold him down and pluck him bare so she could use his feathers for a pillow.

Latias looked similarly annoyed, puffing out her cheeks and turning away as her brother departed.

The group marched in, lead by an annoyed Bianca. Lorenzo took up the rear, and made a beeline for the kitchen as he said to them, “You all sit tight, now, I'll get us some tea.”

Ash made a move to help him, only for Bianca to grab his armand mutter, “Don’t. You’ll bruise his pride.” The trainer looked like he was about to protest, only to stop when she raised an eyebrow at him.

He nodded sheepishly, so Bianca released him from her grip while her grandfather rummaged around in the kitchen for a few moments, gathering the cups as the kettle heated up.

As they waited, they made their way over to the living room, although not without Bianca calling out, “You know, grandpa, you’re gonna have to let me help you one of these days. You’re not getting any younger”

“You’ll help me the day I’m either paraplegic or dead,” came his retort, only serving to make her sigh and shake her head.

“Stubborn old man,” she muttered, causing Latias to giggle. By the time they sat down in their respective seats, the kettle was whistling, and it was only a minute longer before her grandfather came bustling in after them, a platter of teacups wobbling precariously in his arms.

There was a chorus of “thank you’s” as they reached forward and carefully grabbed a cup of boiling water each, along with a preferred flavor of bagged tea.

Or, in the case of Ash, spending an entire minute staring at the selection before Latias picked one for him, making him laugh in embarrassment and apologize.

Finally, they settled and enjoyed their beverage for a few moments, Latias allowing herself to be stroked by Bianca before Lorenzo set down his cup of tea and leaned forward.

“Now, Ash, tell us what you’ve been up to.”

----------------------------------------

The room was silent as the residents of Alto Mare stared in disbelief at the Kantonian as he finished his tale.

While Ash was casually sipping at the rest of his tea as though he didn’t just drop a bomb-shell, Bianca was struggling to wrap her head around the fact that they were having afternoon tea with a maniac.

The guy that saved her home from two power-hungry femme fatales and a rather wet flattening was the same guy who regularly hunts for beings from other dimensions and just sends them right back home.

It was a lot for her to take in, so she fished for something more down to earth she could comprehend. “You mentioned a League-”

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“What did the aliens look like?” Latias eagerly interjected, getting a small glare from Bianca in return, although Ash matched the dragoness’ enthusiasm with his own as he replied, “Oh, they were all different from each other! I mean some were the same kind, but most of them were completely different. Like Buzzwole! A huge bug-type looking Pokemon. We had to flex to get him to go home.”

Bianca forgot all about the League upon hearing that nugget of information. “You had to..flex?”

“Yeah, like this!” Ash stood up and began making different poses, flexing his muscles and shouting “Swole!” every few seconds.

If Bianca was stunned before, it paled in comparison to how she felt currently. Meanwhile, Latias was cracking up beside her, losing her levitation immediately and rolling on the ground in hysterical laughter.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered with a snort, finding it hard to reconcile the savior of Alto Mare with the flexing figure before her.

Her grandfather was also chuckling, before he sat his tea cup down and leaned forward. “So you managed to resolve the situation without too much of a hassle, along with others….” he trailed off thoughtfully as Latias managed to slowly calm herself.

He glanced at Bianca, giving her a sense of unease as turned back to Ash and asked, “How would you feel about Bianca traveling with you on your next adventure, Ash?”

Once more, Bianca felt herself beyond words as her mouth opened and closed like a dumbstruck Magikarp at her grandfather’s brazen question. Even more surprising was Ash pausing in his flexing, his face morphing into one of intrigue and excitement.

“Wait, really? You’d really want to travel with me?” His eager inquiry broke her out of her stupor as she shot up and exclaimed, “Now hold on a second, where did that come from? I never said I wanted to leave!”

Even as Ash pulled himself back together, Lorenzo glanced at her and replied, “You certainly don’t have to if you don’t want to. You can choose to stay if you like, and that’ll be the end of it. But I think it would be good for you.”

Her face twisted in confusion as she questioned, “Good for me? In what ways would that be good for me?”

“Oh, lots!” Ash butted in again, his earlier enthusiasm making its return. “I’ve learned so much while traveling with my friends! Plus, we got to see such amazing sights…while we weren’t surrounded by trees, that is,” he added with a nervous chuckle.

“Okay, but that…l doesn’t answer my question,” she muttered with a small amount of frustration.

Latias giggled at her side, glancing at her in amusement. “Maybe all the good was the friends he made along the way!”

Bianca snorted and gently shoved her with a roll of her eyes. “Very funny. Remind me to not let you go near my reading materials again.”

“Even your online ones?” Her friend replied slyly, to which Bianca flicked her ear and insisted, “Yes, even my online ones. Especially my online ones. I-” She stopped mid-sentence as she remembered the present company, and huffed in embarrassment. “You got me sidetracked, Tia.”

“Not my fault you’re easy to tease,” Latias giggled as she rubbed where Bianca had flicked her.

She didn’t deign her with another response, instead turning back to her grandfather and Ash. “This is all very fine and all, but that still doesn’t explain why you think I should go.”

Ash reclined back, placing his hands behind his head as he responded in a thoughtful tone. “Well, I think you would want to leave eventually, you know? When I was a kid-”

-Bianca struggled to maintain a stoic face at that-

“-I was itching to go out and explore. I mean, I did accidentally oversleep when I was supposed to get my first Pokemon, but if I hadn’t I would have never met Pikachu, right buddy?”

“Pika!”

Somehow, it didn’t surprise her to learn that he overslept on what she would consider to be such an important day. Nonetheless, she listened as he continued.

“But once we finally figured things out, it was great! There was so much to see and do, that I can barely remember it all. So if you decide to go, there’s so much stuff you’ll get to experience that you wouldn’t be able to here!”

Bianca acknowledged his point with a slow nod as she bit her lip, thinking seriously about it now. Her grandfather then spoke up, prompting her to turn towards him.

“And don’t think I haven’t noticed the mopey face you’ve been making everytime you come back from your art sessions,” he prodded, making her look away, although that didn’t deter him from pressing on. “The last time I saw you look like that was when you didn’t have anything left in the Garden to paint, and you begged me to let you roam out in the city on your own.”

Bianca flushed at the memory, vaguely recalling the moment. Being confined to the Garden, as beautiful as it was, hadn’t sat well with her, especially when she knew there were so many sights to behold just beyond the barrier.

Was it really so different now?

“I…need to think about this,” she muttered, then added, “please.”

Lorenzo nodded in understanding, while Ash smiled and replied, “Sure! Take all the time you need!”

“But not too long,” her grandfather chuckled. “We don’t want to keep Ash here for months at a time.”

“Wouldn’t take so long if you had dropped this on me before,” Bianca dryly remarked, relenting a moment later. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll be back shortly. I hope.”

With that, she stood up and made her way to the back door, noticing Latias was following closely behind. She didn’t bother to question it, instead pursing her lips in thought as she moved to the garden, her legs practically on autopilot as she wondered about what to do.

I mean, everything Gramps said is true. I have been feeling a little down about my paintings, and I am curious about what’s out there…arrgh, what am I thinking? Am I seriously considering this?

Latias hovered at her side and cast her a look of sympathy, ”You doing good there, Bi? I know it’s a tricky subject and all. I can’t imagine making a decision like this.”

“Tell me about it,” she muttered as they passed beyond the illusionary wall and into the Garden. “This is my, our, home. It’s all I’ve known, and that’s not a bad thing at all. I love it here,” she poured out to her friend, clenching her fists in frustration. “But at the same time, I can admit that… it also feels rather samey. I can turn a corner, and it looks almost identical to the alley a few steps back. I’ve been through all the shops in this city enough times that I’ve practically memorized everything they sell, even down to when they usually get discounted, for Kyogre’s sake. None of it is new anymore, and anytime something fresh does come around, it just…it just gets old, too.”

“But not us, I hope,” Latios’ voice joked from the side, prompting the two of them to look over.

“Hey, Latios,” Bianca chuckled at his response, shaking her head as she gave one of her own. “And no, you guys aren’t getting ‘old’. You replacing the whipped cream with shaving cream sure got old, though. Still don’t know how you accomplished that, by the way.”

“No idea what you’re talking about,” Latios replied jovially. “And that’s a trade secret. But I’ll admit that I got inspiration from a movie.”

Bianca rolled her eyes as she walked over to a tree and sat down, relaxing her body. “Of course you did. You also got your pranking habit from your sister.”

“What can I say? It gets boring here sometimes.”

His response made her snort, the world going dark as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the tree.

“Yeah, I guess it does….” She trailed off with a sigh. There were a few minutes of silence as the twins settled into the grass beside her, where her hands found each of their heads and scratched behind their ears.

She released a breath that must have been heavier than normal, for she felt Latios lift his head. She opened her eyes even as he looked at her inquisitively and asked, “What’s wrong?”

There was a moment before Bianca finally confessed, “Grandpa wants…he wants me to leave Alto Mare and go with Ash.”

"Ah,” he simply stated before continuing, “Well, I think that’s a good idea.”

His words made her eyes widen and stare at him in surprise. “W-what?”

“You heard me. I think you should go with him,” he insisted.

These words prompted Latias to raise her head as well, “Brother?”

Seeing that Bianca was stuck in an expression of shock, Latios patiently explained, “It would be a good experience for you, Bianca, you and I both know it. The outside world is absolutely filled with things I wish Latias and I had the luxury to see, yet we can’t. But you can.”

Bianca bit her lip at that, even as he continued, “Look, we’ve known each other since your mom brought that tiny little bundle of baby and blankets to the Garden, and I’ve cared about you a great deal since then. And that’s why I’m serious when I say I think you should do it. And when you come back, we can see the memories of all the amazing experiences you will have had.”

She chuckled humorlessly as he finished, murmuring out, “Sure feels like you’ve thought about it a bunch.”

“I have,” came his reply, prompting her to raise an eyebrow.

“Ever since Ash left, I’ve been thinking about it,” he confessed, catching her off guard.

After a stunned moment, she finally spluttered, “Well, then why didn’t you say anything? Why wait until now?”

He gave her a bombastic side-eye as he replied, “Because you are probably the most stubborn person on this planet, and that's saying something considering your grandfather is Lorenzo. If I started pushing you to think about it, you'd reject the idea outright.”

Bianca opened her mouth to refute the comment about her stubbornness, only to close it again with a grimace, recognizing the trap. “Still,” she finally said with a serious look, ”how do you know I won't reject it now?”

“Because you haven't,” came his confident reply, ”not to mention that you even confessed to being incredibly bored here, and your paintings reflect that.”

She practically choked on indignation, but Latias butted in before she could formulate a rebuttal, “That’s true. Before Ashy tripped his way into the Garden, Bi was telling me all about how she didn't like the painting she was working on!”

“Hey, who's side are you on?!” Bianca shouted indignantly as she turned to face her friend. “Besides, I told you that in confidence!”

“Your side,” Latias reassured her with a paw ruffling her hair, which Bianca only half-heartedly pushed off. “But… I suppose that's why I think I agree with Mister Wedged Stick, here.”

“Mister…Wedged stick?” Latios sounded as confused as Bianca felt at the rather strange nickname.

“Yup!” Latias turned upside down and stuck her tongue out at her brother. “On account of the massive stick wedged up your-”

“Anyway!” Bianca blurted out as Latios’ feathers puffed out, wanting to avoid yet another sibling squabble that would inevitably drag out this conversation even longer. “Even if I decide to go… I know nothing about traveling. I don't know what to pack, or what to wear, or what to do, or-”

“You’re thinking about it too hard,” Latios muttered as his feathers flattened back down, casting a stink eye at his sister, who merely stuck out her tongue. ”Everything you'll need to know can be answered by Ash. Did he say where he was going?”

“Er, no,” she admitted, although he only nodded. “Well, then all you need to do is ask him, yes?”

Bianca hesitated, only to nod and mutter, “Yes, I suppose….”

She took a breath, exhaling slowly as she sat there for a few minutes in silence, the twins waiting patiently at her side.

“…Alright,” she finally murmured, catching the attention of the dragons as they swiftly turned towards her. “Alright, I'll do it. I'll go off and…travel with him. But,” she swiftly added as the twins exchanged glances, “If any…funny business happens, then I'm turning myself around and marching right back here, got that?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Latios replied with a hint of amusement. “But I think it’s time you tell your grandfather and new companion what your decision is. I think you’ve kept them waiting long enough.”

“It’s barely been any time at all,” Bianca muttered as the twins pulled her to her feet. She sighed as she brushed off the dust from her skirt. “I guess we’ll have to go shopping so I have multiple things to wear. I just hope we won’t be going anywhere too cold.”

Latios snorted as the three began heading back to the house. “We live off the shore of Johto, I don’t imagine you’ll be going anywhere colder than here.”

“Sinnoh,” she pointed out, remembering seeing clips of Mount Coronet, the peak blanketed in countless feet of snow.

The very thought of it made her shiver.

“Fair,” Latios conceded as the house came into view. ”In that case, do you have any warm clothes on the off chance I'm wrong?”

“I don’t think so, but I guess we’ll find out,” she answered with a shrug.

Making it back inside, Bianca came across Ash and her grandfather enjoying a laugh as they talked, only for them to stop and turn as they caught sight of her.

“I imagine you’ve made up your mind, then?” Her grandfather asked with a knowing glint. She was half-tempted to go back on her decision just for that, but she nonetheless nodded and confirmed, “That’s right. I’ve…I’ve decided I’ll travel with you, Ash.”

Bianca pushed down the urge to roll her eyes as he gave a mild cheer, which she cut off with a firm voice. “But, I will not hesitate to come back if you decide to try anything. Got it?”

He nodded, albeit looking extremely confused as he did so, something Latias was quick to point out with a quick private thought, “Oh, look at him, all innocent and stuff. He has no idea what you mean, Bi! I doubt he’d hurt a Spinarak, much less you.”

“You’d be amazed,” she shot back before coughing into her fist with uncertainty. “Er, good. Glad we cleared that up.”

She sat there in awkward silence for a moment as she gathered her thoughts before pressing on. “Also, I have no idea where we’re going, so…I don’t know what I’ll need to pack.”

Ash quickly nodded as he stood up and struck a ridiculous pose, exclaiming with an overabundance of excitement, “We’re going to Galar!”

Immediately, Lorenzo grimaced and shook his head, muttering under his breath with no small amount of disgust, “Had I known you were going there….”

Bianca and Ash turned towards him as she cautiously asked, “What’s wrong with Galar? Is it dangerous?”

“Only if you drink that abomination they call ‘tea’,” he grumbled in response before sighing. “Still, loads better than Hoenn right now. If whatever route you choose takes you through Hoenn, do try to avoid LaRousse City, will you?”

“LaRousse City… that sounds kind of familiar,” Ash muttered thoughtfully, before asking curiously, “Why there specifically?”

Lorenzo shook his head as he stood with a grunt. “I wish I had anything other than base rumors to give you. But I don’t like at all what I did hear, so I’d rather you be safe than sorry. Avoid doing any pit stops there for shopping or what have you, just buy what you need in Kanto, Johto, or Galar, alright? Oh, and pack something warm. Galar can get chilly.”

“I stand- er, float corrected,” Latios softly snorted.

Bianca frowned as the two new companions nodded, wondering what it was about that particular city that would warrant a complete avoidance of it, especially given that he hadn’t told her anything regarding the city in question.

“Probably because you never really travel, so he didn’t really need to before now,” Latios pointed out, before asking a moment later, “Want me to try and take a peek?”

Bianca began making her way up the stairs as Ash and Lorenzo started talking about travel plans, shaking her head once she was out of sight. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. It’s only one city that’s easily avoidable, and it can’t be too bad, or it would have been on the news.”

The twins acknowledged her point as she opened her door and began looking around for things she would need, before realizing something.

“Damn…. I don’t have a suitcase.”

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The next few hours slipped by like a cool breeze skimming the surface of the ocean. The sound of Seaking and Chinchou filled the air. It was accompanied by the gentle glow emanating from Chinchou’s antennae, creating fleeting pockets of light that mixed with the orange glint of Seaking’s scales beneath the water's surface. The swirling colors painted a dance of orange and bright yellow, forming the perfect backdrop for the two figures making their way down the side of the canal.

Bianca seemed especially pleased with herself. “Thanks for going through so much trouble for me.” She said, seeing Ash carrying some of her new items, with the clothing being on the rucksack on her back.

Ash shook his head. “It’s not a problem! Besides, we’ve still got a few things we need to get anyway. Deodorant, Toothbrushes, and anything for good hygiene.” He stated, making Bianca narrow her eyes slightly.

“Are you implying something?” She started with a small edge in her voice, although she eased up when he gave her a bemused look.

Ash messed around with the rucksack in his hand while Pikachu held onto his shoulders rather precariously. “What? No, it’s just we’re gonna be on the road a lot! There aren't going to be many Pokemon centers between cities, if at all. At least, I don’t think so. There weren’t any in any of the other regions I’ve been to that I can remember.”

Bianca grimaced at that, reminding herself that her time as a spoiled city girl was rapidly coming to an end. “Right, sorry. So…what do you recommend?” She questioned hesitantly.

Ash finally seemed to find the right balance, shaking his head and trying to ponder that question. “Well, I’ve learned from Brock and a few others about just what kind of stock to keep around. We’ve also gotta have food.” Bianca’s eyes widened at that idea as the raven haired boy continued, “Yeah, canned food and stuff that doesn’t spoil easy. I’ve also gotta figure out just what to feed our Pokemon. Well, I say ours, but that depends on if you catch any.” He finished, giving her a curious glance.

Bianca actually tilted her head in thought. “I…don’t know yet,” she admitted. The thought of taking care of a Pokemon was daunting, at least in regards to training them. The twins were exceptions, given their heightened intelligence, but ordinary Pokemon that genuinely relied on her….

“That’s fine, you don’t have to decide yet. After all, it took ages for Lillie to get her own Pokemon, although she was afraid of them before then, so…” He scratched his head in thought before shrugging. “Anyway, I’ve picked up a thing or two from Brock when it comes to cooking. Even learned some recipes. That friend of mine is the best cook.”

Bianca smiled. “Let’s hope those things you picked up actually stuck.” She playfully jabbed, making him laugh.

“Yeah, me too,” he muttered, and Bianca suddenly felt her confidence drop a little. Please don’t accidentally give me food poisoning on the first day, she prayed.

Coughing into her fist, she awkwardly laughed. “Yeah…uh, anything else?”

“Hmm…” he pondered awkwardly as Pikachu trotted at his side, tail waving imperiously. “Maybe a sleeping bag for you? Do you have one?” Ah yes, that.

Bianca dreaded this part the most. Giving up her nice soft bed to sleep practically on the ground was…not a very comfortable thought in the slightest.

Still, how bad could it possibly be? Questions for later, she decided. “I don’t actually…” She trailed off, seeing Ash stop for a moment.

“Okay, then we’ll have to get it on the way. If not in Kanto, then I’m sure Galar will have some. Oh, and tents.” Ash had actually read a pamphlet about that particular part about Galar. “We’ll be in luck on that though. You’re basically required to have a tent to be able to stay in the wild areas.”

“Wild areas? Aren’t most of the regions covered in wild areas?” Bianca questioned with furrowed eyebrows.

Ash stopped in his tracks with a bemused look on his face, muttering under his breath, “Er, yeah, I guess so….” He awkwardly paused, trying to figure out what to add, “Hmmm… There's something special about them!” Ash finished, seeing Bianca tilt her head in curiosity.

“Okay… And that special quality is…?” She asked as Ash tried to remember and then his eyes widened.

“Yeah! It has to do with Dynamax!” Ash said, waving his arms to simulate growth of some sort, “A Pokemon can absorb a bunch of energy and grow to a massive size! I’ve seen it on television and on the internet, but I bet that’s so much cooler up close!” He excitedly spoke while Bianca took in his words with newfound interest.

Ash continued. “There’s also the raid battles where you team up with other trainers to battle Dynamax Pokemon out in the wild!”

She pursed her lips at that, wondering how she felt about the thought of stopping every so often to wait for Ash to fight giant Pokemon. On one hand, having the mindset of a traveler, yet making little progress with the actual traveling seemed counter-intuitive.

On the other, it wasn’t like she got to see such sights here anyway. Plus, seeing multiple teams go up against these “Dynamax” Pokemon is sure to spark something in here. Maybe new paintings…wait.

“Damn,” Bianca cursed as she slapped a palm over her face.

“What’s wrong?” She heard Ash say in a concerned voice as he turned towards her.

She took a deep breath and grimaced, hoping he wouldn’t judge what she was about to say next. “I don’t know how I'm gonna bring along any of my art supplies and whatnot.”

Ash gave her a funny look as he cocked his head. “Just put them in the pack when you’re not using them.”

Bianca shook her head with a sigh. “I wish it worked like that, but they have to be packed separately, or they could get damaged, and it might be cumbersome.”

Instead of outright rejecting the inclusion of bringing along her hobby like she initially feared, he merely shrugged. “Well, wouldn’t be the first time someone brought along something like that with them.”

He paused before asking curiously, “Your art is like, super important to you, isn’t it?”

She gave a firm nod, to which he surprised her with a strong grin and enthusiastic exclamation, “Then I say, bring it with you! And if anything gets left behind, then I promise you I’ll go back for it no matter what!”

“Pika-pi,” the yellow rodent muttered as he jumped up onto Ash’s shoulder, although Bianca only had eyes for the raven-haired trainer…and his somewhat absurd declaration.

Giving him a wry smile, she laughed under her breath, “Well, in that case, I’ll hold you to it. Thank you, Ash,” she finished with a warm smile before looking up into the night sky, seeing the stars glimmer overhead before turning her attention back at the results of their shopping expedition.

“I suppose it’s time we head back, then,” Bianca sighed as she adjusted her new rucksack. “I already have hygiene products at home, so I might as well use them up before buying new ones. Not to me-mention….”

Her yawn cut off her sentence, and she slightly sagged down. “Not to mention I’m getting tired,” she finished, as though it weren’t blindingly obvious.

Ash nodded as he adjusted his grip on the bags. “Alright, sounds good. Let’s go,” he said as he started walking in the wrong direction.

“Ash, it’s this way,” Bianca calmly corrected as she headed the right way, nearly the opposite of the way he had been going. Hopefully, this wasn’t going to be an indication of their future travels.

Although I can hardly blame him for being lost, he hasn’t spent his whole life in the city, she tiredly thought as they made their way back.

By the time they made it to the house, Bianca could barely walk without drifting to one side or the other. Even Ash was showing some signs of fatigue, although this didn’t stop him from offering his help every once in a while.

She had politely rejected every time, despite her muscles screaming at her, hoping to get a better idea of what it was going to be like to travel. If she couldn’t carry her own things now, what hope would she have when it mattered?

Now that she’s had a taste of it, however, she could only hope Ash would be lenient on her poor self, at least until she’s built up more endurance.

Spilling through the front door, she would have toppled onto the floor if her grandfather hadn’t been ready for them, gently steadying her.

“I see you’ve experienced what it’s like walking around with all this stuff,” he chuckled warmly, pulling the rucksack off her back. “You sure you’ll be able to handle it?”

Bianca slumped against the wall as Ash came inside with the rest of her stuff, looking around the room until her grandfather directed him to the living room to drop it off. As he walked by, she rubbed her eyes, responding wearily, “At first you try to convince me to go, now you’re tr-trying to give me doouuaaah.” She yawned, unable to finish her sentence. Lorenzo only smiled before gently herding her up the stairs.

“Where are the…the twins?” She murmured in a quiet voice, almost convinced he wouldn’t hear her.

“They came back here some time ago, before heading to the Garden for a little bit. I’ll make sure they come by to say their goodbyes,” he promised.

She nodded, only to stop and glance back, “Wha-what about Ash?”

“From the looks of it, he won’t have any trouble at all sleeping on the couch,” he reassured her as he all but carried her. “I’ll make sure he gets settled in, so let’s just worry about you right now. You have a big day tomorrow, after all.”

Had fatigue not clouded her mind, Bianca would have been more conscious of the sadness present in his voice. Unfortunately for her, she couldn’t help but feel selfishly inclined to pass out.

Indeed, upon reaching her room, she didn’t even bother taking off her shoes, instead collapsing onto her bed and snuggling into its warmth. As her eyes shut, she could feel her blankets being tucked up around her, before her light turned off moments later. As his footsteps faded, she could hear her grandfather bidding her a good rest, before sleep claimed her.