convenient for work? sure, made sense. francie wasn't about to question it. she did, however, recall all of her own pokémon just so that they didn't cause a fuss. given that lyonel liked to antagonize everything and anything that he could find. specifically wooloo.

wolf and sheep, get it? anyway.

she quietly followed, quietly watched as mattis was comfortably adjusting into his 'home mode.' which, honestly, had her doing the same and kicking off her shoes at the door. to show respect, mostly.

something she'd picked up in her various stays with other people and even now, at her own flat, with Razz Kingsman.

the wooloo however had her eyes widening. she immediately bent down to be on their level, holding out her hand. in all ways, she was showing submission, showing she was a guest, and that she meant them no harm. she knew they could be very docile and, admittedly, skittish things when they wanted to be.

"hello new friends!" she whispered. "you're so cute... it's strange, i feel like i've been here before."

which happened to her a lot because she'd been to too many places in only seven years time.

@mattis Alexei Ivanov

the moment she'd seen an espeon pop up over the couch was the moment the wooloos no longer had her attention. yeah, they were cute and all, but she had a weakness for the eeveelution line. so much so, that she'd even come to terms with getting one herself! a leafeon she named fiona.

but then alexei stood up and started to mumble that language francie didn't get a lick of. her eyes were shining with excitement and she couldn't help how she followed mattis over.

when mattis gave alexei a pat, when he walked away, francie could be see from behind with her arms extended in a hug and a brilliant smile on her face.

"hey man!!!! long time no seeeee!!!!" she was whispering because he still looked mega sleepy. "it's me, francie! oh my god i cannot believe-- i knew this place looked familiar!"

she laughed before poking alexei in the stomach because she was just so EXCITED!

Alexei Ivanov @mattis

the reunion was sweet, for sure. seeing alexei all excited and groggy was fun! she'd seen him in 'mom mode' as she called it once, making tea and getting this situated for a brunch with eeveelutions.

and yet look at francie now, having left her eeveelutions behind only to gain another one and be on the hunt for others. why? who didn't like an eeveelution, really though.

"it's me! oh uh-" she looked to mattis, who looked confused until it dawned on him, and then she gave a cheerful chuckle at his realization. "yeah! so uh, i know alexei from back when i was erm, petalburg's gym leader."

which she still technically could be but, she was leaving that mantle down for the time being. just because she didn't want to overcrowd herself with responsibilities. and, mostly, FERNANDO SILPH hadn't mentioned he wanted her there. so she didn't bother even thinking of it as an option.

"but look at you! with a hot boyfriend and cute little babies everywhere!!"

she'd whispered in her excitement, moving to wrap alexei up in a hug. then she froze, looking to mattis.

"oh... should i have asked permission to hug you?"

@mattis Alexei Ivanov

"i mean, it was a while ago and i'd only been here once. like now? now it's like, 'oh i've totally been here.' but when we first walked in it was just like, 'wait have i been here? i dunno.' y'know?"

somebody stop her from talking, she'll just keep going. because that's who she is. but, as she spoke, she distracted herself with all the cuties around the room, petting here and there. everybody but the espeon because she looked a lil angry.

but that felt like a challenge, so she took a seat on the couch next to the espeon and pointedly left her lap open just in case before looking toward alexei who was talking about food.

"we were thinking hot chocolate. anything that goes with that is fine with me, or we don't have to eat, i'm down with whatever. i'm just happy to be here!"

Alexei Ivanov @mattis