the plane lands. people flood out of departure, either to find transportation to where they need to go, or to reunite with people that came there in person to welcome them to the region.

for wolfgang, he belonged on the latter group.

he raises his sunglasses to see his grandparents looking lost, unable to find their grandson from the sea of immigrants that came to the region. the smile on his face was faint, but shows enough just to convey wistfulness.

with a hand raised to get their attention, he drags his bag across the airport's tiles. the countryside leaves a lot to be desired from the setting, but the centerpieces are there.

"missed me? hope your memories ain't failin' enough to not recognize me."

as soon as he reaches them, he extends his arms and gives both of his grandparents a warm hug. emotions were not his thing, but he was sentimental enough to let it flow out of him for once.

"before you offer, i'm the one cooking."

he lets go and lets them guide him back to their vehicle. it's a rusty old thing, but they mentioned not wanting to replace it before, mentioning its charms. the rustic setting of azalea was off-putting for him at first, but he did eventually grown to eventually tolerate it.

it was an understatement. he loved it.

he sits on comfortable tatami floors of his grandparents' place. sliding doors were opened wide to let the smell of the forest in, giving him the view of their modest garden on what was supposed to be a makeshift workshop.

tools were sprawled all over, with screws and parts scattered around the floor. his hands work meticulously on a hallowed piece of apricorn, attaching bits and pieces that would decorate it with functionality.

as he applies the last coat of varnish over the painted shell of the makeshift ball, another door of their traditional home opens. his grandmother comes in with tea and biscuits, leaving them for him with a flash of smile from her expression.

wolfgang finds the smile contagious as he reflects the same to her.

"hey," he calls her attention. "take this."

he twists his torso and reaches the product he just finished to her hands. he ungracefully drops on the tatami floors as soon as he sees the apricorn ball in her person.

"go get yourself a pokemon with that," he instructs her grandmother. "if y'er wonderin' what happens after y'er gone, then don't worry. i'll still be 'round here."

most of the apricorn balls he got commissioned to make were for aesthetic purposes. no one actually uses them for their intended help since they are usually too specific to help an average trainer.

the love ball he just gave was one of those.

news of rocket's invasion start blowing up over the news.

his grandparents were adamant of not moving out. they cite age and health issues as reasons why they cannot, but wolfgang knows the reason why: sentimentality.

this was the reason why he joined rocket for protection. why he forced himself to work to the bone for them when things got rough. they didn't even win in the end, and everything fell apart later on anyways.

it would have been a regret, but he got what he wanted from it.

this is a dream, however. if he has the capability to make a better choice with a lesser risk, he would. to act smart meant to force a win, and this was one of the only wins he ever wanted in the entirety of his life.

azalea's militia was one of the weakest in the region by the time the attempted takeover happened, but this was his story. they will stand their ground and not let their quaint little town be ran over.

"ya dumbfucks better not let anyone get through!" he shouts, addressing the neighbors he once had that had fallen victim to rocket's conquest. "i'll kill ya myself if you do!"

they would eventually be successful in fending off forces. the sense of worth wells up in him. to be on the side of the way he actually stands for felt like an accomplishment more than anything.