Trixie found the stranger’s camp first. The Whimsicott had been searching for berries too, decorating her coat with them, when she spotted a Pikachu running off with some. She bounded through the bushes to lay eyes on the trainer, then ran back to report to her trainer.

Moments later, Shinra’s camp was invaded. Annie announced herself with a “Hello there, stranger!” and a wave. As always, the girl was very poorly dressed for the weather. A loose tracksuit and a shirt would normally be fine for Hoenn, but in the winter, and especially in the snow? It was no surprise that she was shivering. Still, she wouldn’t let that stop her from smiling. On her back she carried a hiker’s backpack, almost half her size and definitely at least half her weight.

Following suit was the tattletale Trixie and an ever-curious Vulpix. The later was the first to get up close to the other trainer – or rather, to his firepit. To roasted food. “Hey, Sune, you at least have to introduce yourself before you make yourself comfortable! …Sorry.” She gave the man a mildly embarrassed smile. “It’s been a long day, and I can’t really blame her for wanting to warm up. Hell, I’m only feeling colder now that I’ve stopped moving.”

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

Few people noticed her clothes, or at least cared enough to comment on it, so his words earned a raised eyebrow from her. The look relaxed into a small smile as he offered her a place at the fire, and she took a step towards him… Only to stop once he started asking questions. The girl turned her head away, showing a shy side for a moment – or perhaps an embarrassed one.

“My other outfit is all smelly, and it’s not like it’s any warmer.” She turned to meet his eyes; hers seemed a little more determined, or stubborn. “This is what I’ve got, so I’ve got to make the best of it.” Her tone suggested that it was just as much a proud declaration as it was a fact of life. Still, her eyes narrowed, as if anticipating his criticism, or laughter, or anything that would warrant her going on the defensive. Perhaps that was why she stayed standing, even as her pair of Pokemon stared up at the man like they were straight out of Oliver Twist. The cold starting to settle against her skin wasn’t enough to make her budge, either… Not until she could read the man’s reaction.

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

His words stung, and it showed. Just a little twitch in her left eye, a slight wince. She didn’t have much, but she did have her pride. She was also going to have frostbite soon if she didn’t suck it up and let his pity slide. Besides, the food smelled good. Really good. And her Pokemon didn’t need to suffer for her stubbornness, right?

“Maybe I’ll… stay for a little while.” The Whimsicott raised her stubby arms and cheered, undeterred by (or more likely, not understanding) the hesitation. Annie closed the distance between the two trainers, taking the offered tail. The Vulpix took that as a cue to dig in as well, nibbling on the one left on the ground. “…Thank you.” She was quieter than before, largely thanks to his words and his laugh. No, that wasn’t fair and she knew it. Even if he felt for her bad, he meant well. “Thank you, really.” She tried again, louder and more confidently than before. She even forced a bit of a smile on for him, coming closer to her demeanour when she’d arrived… Before he’d started asking questions.

She took the blanket with her free hand, drawing it over herself. A pat of the blanket prompted Trixie to hurry to her side, under the covers and into Annie’s lap. Every other bite of the grilled tail would be offered to the cotton ball. She left the other end of the cloth hanging, just in case the man didn’t have a spare. “I don’t think I’ve ever sat in a Pokemon’s lap before, and I don’t think that’ll change today. No offence. Besides, I have Sune to keep me warm. Sometimes.” The Vulpix perked her head up, realised that she wasn’t needed, and went straight back to munching.

“…What are you doing out here, then? This isn’t the kind of weather most people want to be hanging around in.”

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

“Nothing weird about it. I like camping too.” Hers was an interest born more out of necessity than choice, but she’d made the most of it. “It doesn’t take much to set up. You can get all the people you care about with you. They can all sit together and enjoy some food or tell stories, and…” The girl’s smile had grown weaker, but it was much more sincere. “It’s nice. Makes it feel like family.”

It sounded like they were kindred spirits. After all, if he’d had family to be with, she’d be able to see them. All she saw was a handful of Pokemon, but she wasn’t about to ask why. If his reasons were anything like hers, they weren’t the kind for casual conversation. A bittersweet smile, perhaps, would be enough to tell him that she understood. “Not that these guys aren’t pretty much family now!” The Whimsicott’s mouth was half full, but that didn’t stop her from letting out a cheer muffled by the blanket. “So we end up camping out most nights. It’s a good way to get everybody feeling like a real team.” That, and the company helped distract them all from the weather. In that regard, warming up with the stranger worked just as well as her Pokemon did. "Besides, it makes sure we're keeping to Camp Annie Tenet Number Three: Sleep well, eat well! Because we won't get far on an empty stomach or dull mind."

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

He’d fallen for her trap card. The girl’s smile took on a devilish edge. If that didn’t clue him in, then her clearing her throat might have done the trick. “Camp Annie is the ever-expanding party led by up-and-coming extraordinaire, Annie Mei! We travel the region, adding more to the pack and watching out for it.”

Another muffled cheer escaped the blanket. “Thank you, Trixie. Anyway, any Pokemon can join the Camp, as long as they’re willing to abide by its Five-Plus-One Tenets! Tenet One!” She wasn’t stopping. “Make Every Introduction Unforgettable! We’ve got to leave good impressions if we’re going to be superstars one day!”

“Tenet Two! Try Not To Give Up! We’ve got a lot to do, and it’ll only take longer if a bunch of failures slow us down!”

“Tenet Three!” It was becoming clear that she had rehearsed her speech. Several times. “Sleep Well, Eat Well! I’ve already explained that one.”

“Tenet Four! If You’re Troubled, Talk To Someone! Sometimes things don’t go too well, but that’s why we’re together – to lift up the guys that are feeling down.” Perhaps ironically, the girl hadn’t done much talking in a while. Her Campers were great and all, but few things could replace a conversation with a human who could respond in kind. Perhaps that was why she was so eager to tell him around her clan.

“Tenet Five! You’re Likely To Succeed If You Try! So try a lot, and remember Tenet Two!”

“And Tenet Five-Plus-One! This one’s Orion’s Rule, so it’s still a work in progress, but I like the sound of it. Never Leave A Camper Behind. If there’s a Pokemon or a person out there with the spark to join the camp, or is already in it, then it’s our job to make sure they’re alright.”

She let a few seconds of silence pass, a large grin upon her face. Trixie had finished the tail while she was distracted, and Sune was almost done nibbling away at hers. “…So, no! We don’t have any rules about wildlife, but I’m not afraid. We run into Pokemon all the time, and not all of them are friendly, but we always manage. She doesn’t look it, but Trixie can be a real nightmare when she wants to be, and Sune is packing heat – literally!” She didn’t leave much time for him to wonder where she’d learned what packing heat was. “If anything wants to start a fight, we’re ready for it. Are you?”

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

Annie paused, halfway through reaching for her Whimsicott’s Slowpoke tail. She stared at Shinra for several seconds before she repeated herself: “Five-plus-one. The last one isn’t finalized.” There was an edge of confusion to her voice, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “One day there’ll be six, or maybe five-plus-two. I don’t really plan these things out.”

She pulled the stick out of the blanket, only to realise that there was no tail left. “Wha- Trixie, that thing was, like, a third of your size!” The Whimsicott sunk into her trainer’s lap in response, eyes shut in absolute bliss. Annie rolled hers. “I don’t know where you put all of that…”

She shook her head, settling her eyes back on Shinra. “Bold claim, stranger! But we’ve got a big camp. Too big for me to have out all at the same time. And, more importantly… I wouldn’t have them fighting for fun right now. Not in this weather. Not when I can’t promise that they’re taken care of after.” She beckoned her Vulpix over. The little fox drew close, allowing her trainer to pet the top of her head. “So I’ll have to take your word for it this time. Besides, you look like a pretty beefy guy yourself, so I’d bet that your guys are tough too.”

❤ wizz

[attr="class","merrktagI"]Annie Mei

“I don’t even think I have any potions. I have a Fortuna, which is just as good! …She’s my Blissey, by the way, and a very good girl.” When the giant ball was on the field, nobody had a say in the matter. If they were injured, they wouldn’t be for long. “So things work out either way.”

The idea of team rankings prompted her to tilt her head. For all her talk of her Camp and its rules- “I don’t think that we have an order, really. I’m on top, obviously, but besides that everybody’s on the same level. I’d guess that my Zoroark gets more respect from the others just because he’s been around the longest, but besides that…” She shrugged. “We’re a team. Besides, I think there’s too many Campers for me to try and figure out an order now.” The girl paused. Blinked. Thinking of her dozens of creatures gave her an idea.

“I’ll tell you what, though. We’ll meet again, soon. Probably. I’ve got a team plan that I’m working on, and you can be my test dummy. If all goes to plan, it’ll be a tough batch, so you better be ready!” There was a smug edge to her smile – a challenge, almost. “Until then… Yeah, I wouldn’t mind hanging here for the night, since you offered! I had to fight a giant green Pokemon in the dark a few nights back. Wasn’t fun, so I’ll stick with company for now. Safety in numbers and all that. So… thanks!”

❤ wizz