[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]together. it's such a simple word and yet, it brings about a flurry of emotions. excitement, hope, even a little bit of intimacy. part of her wonders if it's just the prospect of tapping into knowledge with him but there's a flutter of something and she's trying to overlook it, trying to stay on the right side of the line. it's difficult and she's struggling but somehow, in this moment, she manages. barely but it's enough. the boundary isn't crossed, even if it wants to be.

any lingering annoyance over failure subside as she sinks her teeth into thoughts of mega evolution and how dazzling it all seems. the bond that they share must be strong, incredibly so, to produce such a thing and she's a little starstruck. is it the same for every mega evolution or does the process vary depending on the individuals involved? is there a change to the genetic structure when it occurs? oh god, she has so many questions and yet, she can't bring herself to ask. maybe when they're not here, not putting their all into rescuing this wailord.

she's leaning toward him without noticing, subconsciously pulled in and seeking something. perhaps it's the excitement from witnessing the phenomenon with her own eyes and perhaps it's something else entirely. either way, she doesn't notice until she's close enough to touch him. her fingers tremble slightly around nugget at the thought and instead, it's nugget who makes the connection. the shieldon reaches toward alexander with an excited paw and another coo. ever the attention hog, it seems. "what makes you say that?" she inquires. how could it not look amazing? are his eyes working? she doesn't want to scoff at the notion, however, and so she simply smiles instead. it falters slightly as he speaks again but holds firm all the same. "well," she starts and then stops. there's hesitance in her voice, uncertainty as to if she's overstepping. "thank you for sharing this with me." another pause follows and she's looking away, contemplation taking hold. "i suppose the same could be said for anything of this caliber. unfortunately, the world has an evil in it that takes advantage of the extraordinary." too many powerful things falling into the wrong hands, used for the wrong reasons. it's almost nauseating to think about. perhaps that's why she tries to wave off the thoughts as they come, instead latching onto the memory he shares. "that's adorable," she coos and then, she's looking to galahad with a smile. "is he still a troublemaker now?" another thought rises, escaping her a moment later. "was he your first pokemon, then?"

he has her on the edge of her seat with the next sentence he utters in her direction. despite her attention trying to stay trained on the gallade, her eyes wander toward him and she's unable to hold back a light tease. "might?" a giggle follows before she's too captivated to even make another sound. both the woman and her shieldon watch with curious eyes as galahad begins to work. it almost feels like she's observing a masterpiece. the way they're so in sync with each other, operating on trust alone, is incredible. no commands are given, only looks and understanding. is this what it means to be a champion? wait, they disappeared. are her eyes tricking her? no, they're not. the splash of water is almost deafening and she's leaning with a scrunched nose and narrowed eyes. what just happened?

before she can fire off any questions, galahad rejoins alexander's side and her eyes are snapping toward them. judging by the loud bellow the wailord releases, he's spot on. "i'm glad," she murmurs. her words are tinged with relief and the smile curling at her lips reflects it like a mirror. "hopefully it doesn't end up on any more beaches or else you might have to rescue it again." a soft giggle escapes illeana and she's angling her body toward him as nugget looks a little torn between staring at alexander or his gallade. in the end, the shieldon settles upon waving at both of them, excited noises resonating from his body as if he's praising them for a job well done.

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]the show is over and yet, she wants more. to understand further, to even feel it with her own body and mind. would it feel different for her than it does for him? is she even capable of such a thing? there's so many questions, so many things left unsolved that it almost leaves her breathless. despite the lack of knowledge at her fingertips, she's piecing things together one by one, scattered bits of a puzzle falling into place slowly but surely. there's workings of the whole process she still doesn't grasp, the final things needed eluding her, but that's fine. in time, perhaps she'll come to understand. and if not, she could always ask him for another demonstration, for his guidance in seeking what she needs.

okay, that might possibly be the cutest thing she's ever seen?

nugget is enamored, both by the overwhelming amount of attention and alexander himself. so much so that he can't contain his happiness. it escapes in coos and little wiggles, all four paws flailing as if he needs to release the abundance of feelings within his small body or he'll burst. of course, illeana is mindful of her grip on the shieldon. arms slacken slightly to compensate for the wiggles and while nugget distracts him, she takes the opportunity to breathe out a response for him. "really?" and then, she's flashing him a feigned pout of her own, almost mirroring the one he put on for nugget earlier. "a pity, really. the theatrics really make it better." it's difficult to keep the pout on her lips and soon, it slips into a smile, amused laughter filtering through the expression. ah, but the curl of her lips widens and she's unable to stop it from seeming so bright, so content. maybe it's the way he's speaking or what comes from his mouth but she's slightly caught off guard and the idea of it leaves a giddiness in its wake. she tries to ignore it in favor of respecting lines half drawn in sand but the breeze sweeps over them anyway, covering and covering until there's none. "i'm glad, too," she whispers. her eyes retreat, seeking the top of nugget's stone head as if it's suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. and yet, she's keeps speaking despite avoiding his eyes. "really, it's kind of an honor to be shown something so incredible."

she directs her attention toward galahad as alexander speaks, an eyebrow slowly beginning to raise as the gallade straightens. there's a prideful way in how he carries himself, as if he could have never been nothing short of a knight and it's actually quite adorable. how could he have been a handful as a ralts with how he is now? she's resisting the urge to analyze him, to inspect and seek any hints toward a personality trait hidden beneath the armor. "maybe he'll fall back into the old habit," she offers and then, galahad is stepping away and she's drawn in by the sudden movement. the psycho cut is impressive in the way it rips across the waves, water scattering beneath the pressure it exerts. another moment passes and it dissipates out at sea, lost in the wind. a smile rises at the display and despite almost knowing she shouldn't, she finds it hard to not poke at alexander for the effect his comment had. "i think he disagrees with you," she muses. perhaps the gallade prefers the current state of his personality, even if his trainer misses the troublesome ways of a small ralts. when nugget evolves, will he stay the same or change just as galahad has? hopefully not... she's not willing to give up how precious he is just yet. "two decades?" are her eyes as surprised as her voice sounds? realistically, she shouldn't be caught off guard by the amount of time. it's the same situation with her and her precious ninetales. years spent getting to know one another, spent side by side, inseparable. the bond that results from so much time proves to be incredible and alexander's relationship with galahad is no different in the end. "that's so impressive! did it take some time or did you two sort of just click from the start?"

warmth spreads across her face and the urge to refuse settles on the tip of her tongue. really, she didn't do much of anything. "oh," she squeaks out and it's embarrassing how quick she is to deflect the compliment back toward him. "no, you did all the hard work!" sure, she stumbled upon the poor wailord but in the end, he proved to be the savior. galahad approaching distracts her for a moment, gaze curious when he draws closer. and then, he's patting nugget's little head and the elated squeak that follows from the shieldon is enough to make her giggle. like trainer, like pokemon. as if drawn in by the fossil pokemon's excitement, lapis and deus return to illeana's side. "oh, right!" she chirps and a hand is straying from nugget's body to recall the espeon and deus with a grateful smile flashed in their direction. "yes, please. well, if you're still up for it." and as she's smiling a little wider, part of her hopes that she's not wearing the desire for more of his time on her sleeve. perhaps she is and perhaps it's too difficult to hide but she tries to conceal it anyway with shyness and avoidance. if she doesn't bring it up, it doesn't exist, right?

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]sometimes, she finds herself wondering if life is made up of little moments like this. things like nugget's dazzling personality or the satisfaction that comes from finishing a good book or even the way a smile can set a body alight. she had always thought it was only the big events that mattered in life, the ones you read about in history books. the aged passages of old never mentioned things like this and in hindsight, she supposes it's easy to gloss over them in favor of exciting trials and heroics. and all at once, she's deciding that history has nothing on this and it brings about a wider smile.

she doesn't miss the amusement on his face. in fact, she catches sight of it instantly and her features almost morph to mirror his own. ah, but then she's leaning toward his gallade instead of him, the beginnings of a whisper on her lips. "you know," she murmurs and her voice is hushed, as if she doesn't want alexander to overhear her. "sometimes, trouble isn't always a bad thing." a wink follows and then nugget is greedily shoving himself back into the spotlight, little paws inching toward galahad's figure. while the shieldon works his magic on the psychic type, illeana's eyes flutter back toward his trainer. there's a softer curve to her lips, gentle and understanding. "time can pass in the blink of an eye when it's spent with someone you cherish." it comes out sounding softer than she intends and part of her wonders if there's invisible meanings lacing themselves between the lines. she doesn't bother to pick it apart, though. instead, her eyes drift toward the ocean, slightly hazy and distracted. "isn't it lovely when that happens?" charcoal finds its way back to him and there's a pause before she continues, voice almost dropping to a slight whisper. "maybe you two were made for each other? a way of complimenting or balancing the other out." does the universe even make people specifically for others or is that too romantic of a thought? she falls into silence over the notion, mulling it over in her mind before deciding it's best to not consider the possibilities.

laughter escapes with little resistance and really, she has no idea how she manages to do anything with nugget around. he's constantly in her orbit, never wandering too far out of fear of losing the affection he seeks. in fact, he tends to push that hard head of his into her hands every chance he gets. it doesn't matter if she's working or relaxing. pets are pets in the end and he'll do whatever he can to secure them. "i don't," she giggles and nugget preens in her arms at alexander's focus shifting to him. "he's definitely the reason why i haven't made any progress on anything. little lovebug can't handle when i have to work." sometimes, her other pokemon will step in to stop the bundle of affection from disrupting her too much but it always ends with puppy dog eyes and her resolve crumbling with a single glance in his direction. and as galahad looks almost offended that alexander would deny him more time with nugget, she realizes that they've fallen prey to the shieldon too. adorable. "thank you," she murmurs with a grateful smile toward the gallade. "you will." a promise slips from her lips before she can stop it and heat pools at her cheeks.

his confirmation is all she needs to step closer, a feeling of ease rising. it's quickly replaced by confusion, however, and her eyes follow his movements. what is he going to ask? mild anxiety gnaws at her and she fights the urge to let it rise any further. of course, what he follows up with lays the nerves to rest and there's a curiosity in her eyes, shining beneath the glare of the sun. "no, i can't say that i have," she murmurs. it's always been something she's wanted to do, if she's being honest. thoughts of old fairy tales filled to the brim with dragons and knights in shining armor rise to fill the spaces of her mind and maybe this is what the seven year old version of her had been waiting for.

the display of affection shared between trainer and dragon has fondness creeping over her. it lingers even as he turns his attention toward her, fingers scratching at the underside of his salamence's chin. her mind is made up before he even gives a compelling argument, really, but she's finding herself even more elated by the time he finishes. "let's do it," she's chirping and while she'd usually be embarrassed by the unbridled excitement, she's too delighted to care. laughter follows before her head dips in a greeting, nugget following suit with an enthusiastic wave. "it's nice to meet you, salami!"

his hand extends toward her and she doesn't hesitate to take it, completing the connection. her fingers settle against his with ease while nugget coos. she's all too aware of how hot her face feels but she doesn't look deeper into it. no, she's too busy returning his warm smile with one of her own to analyze. all she knows is his hand matches the warmth of his expression and she's content, happy, fuzzy.

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]realistically, she wasn't sure what exactly to expect once the words left her mouth but somehow, the smile she receives is everything and more. it's kind and appreciative and her heart flutters at the sight. one of her own is flashed toward the gallade in return, wide and fond. she shouldn't be getting attached to another person's pokemon but galahad is precious and she can't help it. besides, there's something about the psychic type that has her melting. like trainer, like pokemon rises in her mind once again and she's flushing, head dipping in response to his own bow.

alexander turns toward her, attention focused on just her existence alone, and it's moments like these that have her wondering if people really are made with others in mind. are atoms arranged for the sole purpose of finding their home in another? is the universe that romantic? sometimes, just sometimes, she thinks so and then it fades when memories resurface and drive away the hints of good. while it can be cruel, the universe had not been cruel when drawing galahad and alexander together. "yeah," her voice is soft as she faces him. there's meanings and feelings and she's poorly trying to navigate it all without going too far into the unknown. she doesn't want to assume but flutters in her chest tell her otherwise and she's falling for it without much resistance. perhaps that's why, with a deeper flush of blood pooling at her cheeks, she whispers a response. "i'm glad too."

the mention of a poochyena has her cooing, especially given that said puppy sounds similar to nugget. oh god, dog cuddles. so cute! it brings about thoughts of her own, a small golden pup that had stolen her heart deep within the reaches of a safari. is his similar to hers? perhaps they could compare... "really?" she inquires before giggling, smile bordering teasing. "maybe you should." and then, she's glancing down at nugget who's content with snuggling deeper into her chest. "all work and no snuggles makes for a boring day." really, she just can't even comprehend the notion of a single day with no affection from her pokemon. while each one of them is unique with a different set of personality traits and habits, one thing is certain: they are all as loving and affectionate as their trainer.

a sad coo escapes nugget, then, as galahad nods his goodbyes to both illeana and her shieldon. one of her hands rises in a gentle wave of fingers, the other scratching at nugget's chin. her scratches hold a promise within them, as if making sure the shieldon knows that they'll see him again. a moment passes and he begins to settle, content with the idea that it's not actually goodbye, just a see you later.

the woman practically beams at the acceptance of his salamence. she isn't fully certain as to why but there's something about a dragon's approval of your presence that feels much like an honor. maybe it's because everything she's ever read about them as a species has left her with the impression that they're difficult and fickle. salami seems comfortable, however, and she's grateful. perhaps almost as grateful as she is toward his hand in hers. their fingers lace together and she's glancing down at the contact, as if to ascertain that this is actually real. and then, he's moving her hand toward salami's cheek and her touch is almost hesitant as it brushes against scales. is this okay? can he feel her hesitation? the scales are smooth beneath the skin of her hand when her palm gently settles. alexander's hand lingers over hers, comfortable and warm, and any hesitation within her body seems to evaporate from just the sensation of his over hers. "he's beautiful," illeana whispers. she can feel the ease in his skin, subtle but tangible enough as muscles relax beneath her touch. is it the atmosphere that causes such a reaction? or the simple act of contact on his skin? she isn't certain but it almost feels like being welcomed into his life, his existence.

and then, alexander is stepping around her, the warmth his hand held lingering on hers. the way he mounts the salamence seems practiced, as if years of climbing on and off have made it second nature. one fluid motion of sweeping up onto the dragon and she's captivated. nerves crash into her veins all at once and she's staring at the hand he's offering. there's a timidness to her body, then, as hesitation settles. he wants her to climb on like that? oh god, she's gonna fall flat on her ass. grace has no footing in her body. in fact, it isn't even a concept that comes to mind when she thinks of her limbs. no, clumsiness is practically second nature. his words distract her, however, and she's nodding. "right," is murmured out before she's glancing down toward a pouting nugget. "don't worry, it won't be long." a light kiss is pressed to the shieldon's head before she's fumbling to grab his pokeball. he's recalled in a soft light and then, the daunting task of actually getting on the salamence is back at center stage.

the smile she returns toward his own is slightly nervous and it takes a moment for her hand to take his own. the prospect of falling has her tentative and almost afraid to actually go through with it. she's never done this, never even really rode anything in her life. after all, the closest she's come to such a thing is perching on her golurk's shoulder and it has two large hands to scoop her up and place her there. this is a whole other ballgame... what if she kicks salami on her way up? oh god. and yet, as soon as her hand settles into his again, there's an ease that comes with his touch. "thank you," she says, half toward him and half toward salami as he sinks a little closer to the ground. it seems less daunting now with both of them assisting her, less terrifying and more exciting. and so, with some attempt at grace, she's all legs and a scrunched nose in concentration as she tries to climb up. it's definitely not graceful and probably cringe-worthy but somehow, she manages to settle behind alexander awkwardly.

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]"all snuggles, no work," she echoes and it stirs something in her. a longing for simplicity, for being able to have nothing but affection instead of the weight of succeeding at your back. she's never experienced such a thing, never veered off the path set out for her to follow. it's always been work, science, discovery. nothing more, nothing less, and she's developed an almost dizzying hunger for anything other than what she knows. the unknown holds a terrifying unobtainable feel to it, however, and she can't bring herself to reach for it. instead, she'll settle with what she knows and what is normal, comfortable. and the touches, the affection, will fall away to hollowness in the end. "you should," she murmurs and there's a small smile gracing her lips, almost fond of the thought of him and his pupper. "i think you'll enjoy it if you decide that's what you'd like."

realistically, she understands that she's staring a little too much at their hands over salami's scales but it just all feels so surreal. there's an ease lingering around them and yet, part of her is nervous. will she ruin this? the thought runs rampant constantly, shadows of it woven throughout every concept, every idea, until she's drowning in it. she doesn't want to, wouldn't even dream of it, but sometimes life has other ideas and she's a speck of atoms in the face of fate. and yet, her thumb shifts beneath his hand, drawing soft circles into the scales of his salamence. a soft exhale escapes salami and her finger stills at alexander's words. heat creeps on her cheeks and with a whisper, she glances toward him. "i like him too," and her eyes are drifting back toward salami, a smile already rooting itself on her features.

okay, that wasn't so bad. combined efforts, more alexander and salami than her really, made it possible for her to actually climb up and now that she's settling behind him, she almost wants to laugh at her hesitation. it seemed more difficult in her mind than in reality but somehow, however, she knows that getting down might be worse than the idea of climbing on... oh well, she'll worry about that when they get to that bridge.

his hand releases hers and the lack of warmth is almost chilling. she fights off the urge to shiver as it comes, instead shifting slightly as if she isn't sure how much distance she should leave between them. when she's satisfied with her position, her eyes drift up and away from salami's back to find alexander watching her. the color of her cheeks deepens, as it always does, beneath his gaze and she's offering a tentative smile. "okay," she murmurs. the thought of falling victim to vertigo has her stomach in slight knots before they're even in the air. don't look down and you'll be fine, right? oh god, how can she not look down? her gaze falters beneath the weight of her mind but the reassurance in his smile, in his tone, is enough to keep her grounded through the waves of anxiety. her attention hangs on one statement in particular and it echoes as they begin their ascent into the sky. i promise you're safe. somehow, he fights off any worries with just four words and her focus is drawn to this fact. so drawn that she doesn't notice her arms are lifting and gingerly holding onto him until he's murmuring toward salami and they're rising higher.

when they break through a cloud and level out, illeana spares a glance toward the sky around them. it's breathtaking up here, she realizes with a soft gasp. just the sky and the clouds and them. what an experience. how would anyone want to travel any other way after witnessing such a thing? her hands hold onto him a little tighter out of excitement and she's too wrapped up in the sights, in the sky and the feeling of the wind flowing through her hair to notice when his eyes drift back toward her. instinctively, however, there's a squeeze of her fingers in the fabric of his shirt, reassuring and grateful all at once. and then, her eyes are drifting towards his and when they meet, she's grinning with windswept hair and delighted eyes. "incredible," she murmurs, although he might not hear her over the wind.

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]is this what freedom feels like? to have the wind whipping through your hair, the clouds within arms reach, the sky unfolding before you? she's giggling, giddy and light, and it dawns on her that there's so much that life has to offer. until now, she hasn't even scratched the surface of the wonders it holds. until him, until this experience, she hadn't even thought it was possible. and now, with her arms settling at his sides, she wonders if there's more that can be seen. if he could be the one to show her.

her grin widens as clouds part and pass them by, revealing the water below. boats pepper the surface of the ocean and even some swimmers. it's funny, they look so small from up here. sunshine reflects on the water and it's so glittery she's unable to tear her eyes away. the world seems so different from the sky. maybe it's just the vantage point or the height at which they're flying but from up in the clouds, it almost feels like another realm. there's nothing up here but them and the sky, no worries or fears, no evil lurking in the shadows. perhaps that's why she holds on a little tighter as if clinging to him will keep her in this moment, in his presence, in the sky.

she'd be lying if she said she ever wanted to come down.

his glances are met with excited eyes and a bubbly expression. is he enjoying himself as much as she is? probably not... this is normal for him and yet, he still wanted to share it with her. a peek into his life that has her wondering if this could be something that becomes normal for her too. would it be so bad if she wanted it to be?

thirty minutes of flying feels like seconds passing by. salami slows his pace as the outline of rustboro comes into view and her cheeks hurt from smiling so wide when he turns back toward her. "we'll see if it's the best," she teases with a laugh. he's biased and both of them know it but that bias makes her want to see the city even more, to understand exactly why he feels so strongly about the city. "it's so pretty up here," illeana murmurs just before salami shifts and dips toward the ground. the landing isn't so bad. in fact, it's smoother than she thought it would be and before she knows it, they're landing with a plop. it takes a moment for her to unwrap her arms from him, a realization that has her cheeks flushing. and then, he's sweeping off of salami's back in one fluid motion and she's captivated by the ease all over again.

his hand extends toward her with reassurance written all over his face, in the curl of his smile. she pauses as hesitation slowly returns and she's slowly swinging one of her legs over to join the other. from her perch, the distance between her and the ground seems so much bigger than it had before. his words fight away the hesitation, the worry, just as they had before. the smile that settles onto her features is shy but her hand taking his is anything but. there's a little too much force in her jump, in her feeble attempt to get down, and she's squeaking as the ground rushes up to catch her. a giggle follows and then another before she's laughing at herself with her feet finally plant themselves onto the earth. "thank you," she murmurs. part of her realizes that she should release his hand now that she's standing but her fingers have other ideas. they curl around his, around the warmth of his touch, and a soft tease that probably should not be spoken so flirtatiously escapes before she can stop it. "my hero," she winks and then, she's turning toward salami, head dipping in a slight bow. "thank you, too, salami! that was lovely."

[attr="class","illieicon"]

[attr="class","illie b"]warmth and discovery is at her fingertips and she's unable to hide just how excited she is. the city awaits and his hand is holding hers and there's so much to see, so much to do. it's almost dizzying but she stays somewhat contained, somewhat in the present despite what lies ahead. he's turning toward her with a smile, one her own lips curl to match. "ready!" it comes out so bubbly, so much like a kid in a candy store that she's flushing despite herself. reel it in, you're gonna make a fool out of yourself, illie. except, she can't and it's noticeable.

if his hand stays in hers, she doesn't notice. no, she's too distracted by everything he's pointing out. all the sights, all the history laid out at their feet. the city is almost bigger than she had imagined. it doesn't hold the same feeling that her home of lilycove does. instead, it almost feels older, richer, better. somewhere along the way, she slowly begins to understand why he's so attached to this place. although... she might be biased and the source of her bias is pointing out a building to their left. a library. ooh, how many books fill the shelves? do they stretch as high as the ceilings? "it's lovely," she murmurs and her eyes are straying from him to the building, roaming the architecture, picturing what lies beyond those doors. "do you know what kind of books they have?" she's giggling when she turns back to him, a grin rising to her lips. "i might have to drag you there to find out."

he shifts toward the building next to it and her eyes follow, captivated by everything he's pointing out. a trainer's school. huh, she's never experienced something like that before. although, that's probably due to science being drilled into her mind since she could talk. no time for learning about the art of being a trainer when you have a family legacy to uphold, right? "you learned how to be a trainer from a school?" does sinnoh have something like that? her mind tries to remember but it's snagged by the next building he's turning his attention to. she'll have to find out later, it seems, for her attention is fleeting and it's only following him at this point.

the modern structure of the gym comes into sight and she's smiling a little wider as he speaks. the new compliments the old. it settles in nicely between the aged buildings around it, not too much and not too little. just right, like the final piece of a puzzle to pull the whole city together. "it's really nice that they didn't erase the history of this place," she adds and there's a fondness in her words that shouldn't be there. perhaps it's the way that he talks of his home, of the city around them, that has her enamored. "you can practically feel the history around you. i didn't think such a thing was possible." a giggle follows and she's turning to look at him with grateful eyes and a softer smile. "thank you for showing me," it's soft and quickly replaced by a tease but the genuine tone doesn't fade. "i understand why you're so biased now."

and then, a thought occurs and the need for more of him and the city has her speaking before she can give him a chance. "do you have any favorite places in particular?" there's a dust of rosiness to her cheeks when she continues. "i'd love to see them." to see the city he loves, to see the places he holds dear to him. maybe it's her overstepping or maybe it's a need to know more about him but she's hooked and falling and it's like the city seems so much better than it had in books.