[attr="class","matias"]"it's always better to be safe than sorry."

his head holds high as he leads them through barren forest grounds, seeing nothing more than what once was and what it could've been.

"can't take any risks these days, eris."

and yet, he does so often. he's taking one now, too, by not having a pokemon out to act as their sentry. it's his arrogance that carries him forward, unobstructed by the possible threat of death.

"we'll stop at a river near here for a bit."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]his home?

"not yet,"

his home — kanto.

"they won't,"

but they will.

to answer her first question:

"close to ten years, i think. i left when i was sixteen."

he reaches into his backpack, pulls out his last candy bar, and extends it over to eris.

"you should eat."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]matias laughs with an air of genuineness that was once though to have been lost. no matter the obstacle or enemy before him, his spirit will never break. it wavers — it has wavered — but her words serve as a reminder.

"yeah, i guess i am. but dinosaurs are cool, aren't they?"

forcing himself not to think much of it, he accepts the other half of the candy bar and raises it for a bite. it's sweet.

"momma's right."

swallowing, he ponders on the question for a while before responding:

"it was fun for a while. it was really rewarding to train and travel and beat gym leaders."

tilting his head over, he asks:

"you've never camped?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]the war's taken so much, that much he knows, but hearing eris speak of trips, of plans that will never come to fruition, reminds him of an all too bleak future that looms in the near distance.

the thought is pushed aside in favor of the notebook. he looks at it, admiring the drawings and snippets.

"hmm...if they do count, then groudon's my favorite dinosaur."

it's difficult to find words sometimes, so he lets the moment pass.

"i'll need your help with making a small campfire later. think you can handle it?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]it's probably best to start setting up camp now before it gets too dark. eris has the right idea, and so matias stops as well to start searching for the necessities.

"not yet. i might travel someday...i heard hoenn's really nice."

the joke's on him.

and then the realization hits him.

"...we might have to leave kanto soon, you know."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]"i don't want to either..."

he pauses, hesitating.

"...sometimes things are just out of our control."

maybe one day they'll be able to win back the region so those like eris, those who have fled, will be able to return home.

until then,

"but i'll still be here fighting."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla

[attr="class","matias"]"eris..."

he understands, he really does, but he also knows staying here is as good as a death sentence; he's long accepted his.

it's stupid to make false promises, and yet:

"i'll find your parents, alright? i'll make sure you see them again. but until then, you need to be somewhere safe."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eris Halla