[attr="class","rigidw"]

Dewford Town is the last place Athena thought she'd end up.[break][break]

They prefer the city over sleepy little towns. A metropolis has a heartbeat: thousands of footfalls beating in rhythm with car horns and blaring advertisments, a symphony of voices rising into a deafening melody. Athena thrives amidst the chaos of it all— the pulse of the city throbs deep within her veins.[break][break]

But here, sunlight replaces glowing neon and instead of blaring horns and obsenities, the air is full of birdsong and waves upon the shore. It's not entirely unpleasant, but it's so peaceful that it's almost unnerving.[break][break]

And yet, she'd still decided to throw her lot in with the gym here. For of all the gyms in Hoenn, the newly reopened establishment in Dewford appeals to her the most. From the looks of it it's simple and straightforward, and Athena doesn't care much for gimmicks and flashy challenges. They're in it for the thrill of battle, the surge of heart-racing adrenaline, a test of their indomitable will.[break][break]

And, frankly, they seem like just the kind of trainer this gym needs. Someone unpredictable, who isn't afraid to fight dirty, who battles as though jer Pokemon aren't seperate entities, but an extension of herself.[break][break]

At her old gym back in Castelia, the interview had been a battle. It's what she's prepared for now as she saunters up the beach. But instead she's faced with a scene just as idyllic as the peaceful town around her, and for a moment Athena falters.[break][break]

But her toes dig into the sand and she jogs the rest of the way up the beach, her Boltund racing her to the water's edge.[break][break]

He beats her to it, and his reward is an affectionate noogie that quickly turns into a bout of playful roughhousing. Teeth flash and arms flail as Athena tries to pin him down, only interrupted when Navy speaks up.[break][break]

"Mn? Yeah, it's nice."[break][break]

She untangles herself from Boltund and has a seat in the offered chair. Her left leg bounces restlessly and her right foot pushes into the sand, burying the toe of her sneaker.[break][break]

Athena can't swim. And they've never been a fan of deep water either. It's a wonder, then, that they'd chosen to move here— but frankly, that doesn't matter. "Real, like...s'real pretty, yeah. That why you took over the gym here?"[break][break]

Small talk isn't really her thing. Her leg continues to bounce as she watches her Boltund dig into the sand by the shore, with the audacity to look suprised every time a wave laps at his paws.