THANK YOU ♡

So, he doesn’t have a Machamp.

Lia does nothing more than look at him, the smile remaining and the eyebrow still raised. Her gaze never leaves his, allowing silence to rest between them for a few seconds as if letting dust settle on the fact that he’s definitely being a bit of a hypocrite.

”So… You don’t have a Machamp but you insist that I should capture one, huh?”

And at that moment, she can’t help herself, laughing as soon as these words are spoken. It’s a light and melodic sound, and it comes with the ever so slight reddening of her cheeks because she knows she probably shouldn’t be laughing at her captain. And, honestly, she wouldn’t have if it weren’t for those moments shared before this.

”Sorry, it just seems a bit hypocritical. I’ll try to catch some stronger pokémon, promise.”

The sound of laughter lingers over these words, the smile that follows being bright and honest even if she’s definitely calling him out here...

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

”Hmm...I guess that’s true, I don’t really have a lot of pokémon right now.”

She never really had a need to have a lot of pokémon until now, but it doesn’t take much thinking about it for Lance’s words to make sense. It’s something she’s heard a few times before, after all. Lia is not completely clueless when it comes to things like those.

Still, why is he so obsessed with Machamp?

Looking at him, she meets his gaze, narrowing bright gold eyes for a moment. Then, she smiles, an eyebrow being raised.

”Do you have a Machamp, captain?”

If he doesn’t have one, it’s a bit hypocritical to tell her to get one, isn't it?

Atop of her head, the Comfey yawns, gently shuffling its flowers before going back to resting.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Confirming <3
My bad though, GACHA Riolu is coming from Martín del Mar hehe

’Just peachy.’

What kind of answer is that?

She chuckles too, and it could be her imagination, but she could almost swear he’s blushing – if only just a little. Why is that so cute? Why is he so cute? It’s not fair, honestly.

But that moment is gone as quickly as it happens, and her attention all too quickly returns to the pokémon. The Decidueye does its job just fine, but apparently Lance doesn’t seem too satisfied. So, she looks up at him one more time just as her pokémon come back to her side.

”No, I don’t. Are you saying I should?”

Machamp don’t really suit the way she does things, and she could never imagine herself training one of those…

”Hmm… I do have a Larvitar I should probably train and evolve at some point, but he’s really cute as he is.”

She shrugs, as if this is a valid and obvious argument to make.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

It is adorable and who could blame Lance for being distracted?

When he tells her to take her time, she looks at him, eyes as if of gold meeting his. She smiles, oh so softly, and as she tucks a strand of hair behind an ear, the Comfy remains atop of her head with its colourful flowers.

”You okay, captain?”

Captain.

Her attention turns back to the Sandaconda then, taking a step back and reaching for a third pokéball in order to call out her Decidueye. The large bird extends his wings the moment he appears, taking a look at his surroundings before his gaze sets on Lia.

”Junie, do you mind taking this Sandaconda over there?”

Despite the strange request, the Decidueye doesn’t question her, but it does seem to give Lance a quick judgemental look before reaching over to gently grab onto the Sandaconda’s tail with its strong talons, pulling it up.

”Oh. Sweet, can you go with them and keep an eye on your new friend?”

She smiles at the Bounsweet, and it smiles right back at her, happily skipping along after the Decidueye.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

They probably can’t remain professional, but for her own sake, Lia will try, because this matters too much to her to let something like what happened in Lavaridge get in the way. Regardless of how nice things may have been back then.

It’s easier to do if she just sets her attention to the task at hand, and in a way, she enjoys it, because it’s like a puzzle to solve – a matter of strategy and problem-solving skills.

”You want me to move it?”

Doubtful, considering how heavy Sandacondas can be. Around 65 kilos on average, but Lia is no pokémon expert, so she doesn’t know this. Instead, she simply confirms it when walking over to the pokémon’s side and trying to gently push it with her foot.

Yeah. Way too heavy for that.

Thankfully, the Bounsweet and the delightful aroma in the air keep it calm and distracted for now.

”Hmm… Give me a moment.”

Could she have her Decidueye carry it to the other side, maybe?

While she thinks on this, the Comfey flies over to calmly rest atop of her head as if a flower crown, and Lia pays it no mind – as if she's used to that.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

For a second, she looks at him, simply considering things.

And then, once that second is over, there’s a smirk, perhaps with the slightest hint of playfulness to it.


”I might be. Maybe I’ll show you sometime.”

She knows she probably should be acting more professional with him, but it’s a struggle when he’s still calling her by her name. Maybe he really should have stuck with ‘cadet’. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel such an urge to tease him and flirt to distract herself from questions that annoy her…

Still, the smirk fades away when her attention turns to the empty pokéball, and it’s instead replaced by quirked brows – her gaze falling on the Sandaconda while listening to Lance’s instructions.

”That makes sense… I’m guessing the quickest way to do that is probably something like putting them to sleep, huh? But, if you wanna sedate it...”

Without bothering to finish her sentence, she reaches into her pocket for two pokéballs. Out of the first comes a Comfey, and out of the second a Bounsweet.

”Lei, SWEET SCENT. Sweet, PLAY NICE.”

A Comfey’s fragrance is soothing by nature, and when combined with SWEET SCENT it can also result to be alluring and distracting. PLAY NICE, on the other hand, is a choice she makes because Sweet has always been a friendly pokémon, and when using such a move, it can deter even wild pokémon from attacking her because they’re too busy making friends with her.

Lia may not have many skills that make a good ranger, but she knows her own pokémon well, and with the right approach, that can always have its uses.

The Comfey's floral fragrance spreads around them, and it really is a delightful scent.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

’I just need to know what you're good at.’

What is she good at?

A mind filled to the brim with knowledge of the past, a handful of languages that she can speak perfectly, a prowess at games of logic and strategy… What good do any of those things do when being a ranger?

In reality, she may only have a couple of skills that are useful, and a few more than need to be developed.

She knows this, and yet, she simply stares at him.

Under different circumstances, she’d playfully tease him for a comment like that one, but now?

”Hmm... I’m not here because I think that pokémon like me and that I can help all of them, so I’m sorry if that’s what you wanted to hear.” Now her tone is serious, and the smirk has disappeared. Still, she shrugs, truly never being one to brag about her own abilities. ”I have practiced archery since I was in junior high and I’m pretty decent in a pokémon battle, among other things. That's about it.”

Of course, Lia wouldn't bother with mentioning things if she didn't think she were actually good at them, but Lance wouldn't know this.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Lia is not a cruel person, nor is she mean, and the truth is that she has come to like Lance enough not to tell him how incompetent she thinks rangers have been with handling the threats that haunt their region.

Has he been incompetent as well? There’s the memory of all those scars, and she once again wonders what kind of things he has done to end up like that.

Is it because he’s a ranger?

Of course, she doesn’t ask, instead allowing the smirk to linger at her lips. Not playful. Not like at Lavaridge.

Lia. Not Cadet anymore, huh?

”It’s not a lie, though.”

Still, she knows he deserves more than that, especially being that he’s her captain. So, she sighs and meets his gaze, staring at him.

”I’m not self-centered enough to brag about my skill set. I just know I’m good at things once I set my mind to it, and I didn’t decide to do this on a whim.”

It definitely was no whim.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

”Hmm… Captain, then.”

That’ll take some getting used to, but probably not much, considering they hadn’t spent much time together to begin with – regardless of the things they did with that time. Once more, Lia reminds herself not to think about that.

Cadet.

Is that what he’ll call now? There’s nothing personal about it, and maybe that’s for the best...

She follows, and once outside, they’re greeted by a Sandaconda that rattles its tail. She watches it while considering what answer to give.

”Because Hoenn needs rangers.”

With a slight shrug, Lia turns to give him a faint smirk. That’s not all there is to it, but why would she share every detail with him? Maybe someday, maybe later, but not yet.

☉

Can they act professionally? Lia tells herself they should, but it’s hard to think professionally when looking at him comes with the memory of the things they did back at Lavaridge. Definitely not the sort of things she’d choose to do with her boss. Fate is pretty damn cruel.

”You are, yeah.”

A soft and short chuckle, for she’s still in slight disbelief of this fact. But, she knows Lance is right, and that she needs to start treating him like her captain.

Lance…

”Would you rather I call you that, then?”

Captain Vollans.

It has a nice ring to it.

”Yeah… I’m ready.”

☉

”Lance.”

She repeats herself when he steps closer, this time not as quiet. Almost as if to confirm it’s actually him.

He’s the ranger captain in Lilycove? Seriously?

How the fuck had she signed up without knowing who the captain was?

No, she had seen his name before, but she simply hadn’t made the connection when meeting him at Lavaridge. Their professions were never something they discussed, after all. They didn’t really discuss much at all…

”I am, yeah.”

After a few long seconds and a sigh, she offers a smile as well. Her cheeks remain a little flushed and she tilts her head slightly when looking up at him. Was he always this tall? No, it’s probably that she was wearing heels the last time they met, wasn't she?

”I didn’t know you were a ranger.”

Much less in Lilycove, of all places.

☉