taking with...

MATIAS SILPH

the shoulder pushing, the baby in her arms, and the tears being dried for her-- francie was giving a watery smile down to the little one in her arms.

she'd missed it. she wasn't really deserving of the term aunt, in her own mind, and she spoke so little with najwa cole-essam that she wasn't sure if najwa would agree or disagree, but most of that was her own self-deprecating nature coming into play.

"hello little lira."

yes, she had already greeted the child but now she was playing with her fingers and letting the child gnaw on her knuckles. why? because kids like to chew on things-- at least, her rockruffs and eevees had... so why not this baby?

"thanks kim. and uh, where do you want me to start? i mean, you were pretty much caught up to my life last time we talked... since then, i've just been traveling mt. coronet and ghosting the world while trying to figure out what i really want out of life. why i felt so miserable while i was traveling even though i was seeing everything i've ever wanted to see."

kim cole-essam

oh what a christmas it had been indeed. francie had managed to get herself signed up with the rangers under silph name just like the very person she was apparently going to room with.

"oh, a place for shoes at the door..." she'd have to remember to do that. so, she kicked her shoes off out of respect and glanced up toward the inside of the house.

was she nervous? you bet your bottom dollar she's nervous. how's she showing it? with a soft smile and a collected expression. on the outside, it didn't seem like she was nervous at all.

but on the inside?

what if he doesn't like me? what if i end up making an idiot out of myself? what if i stain the silph name? no matter how much fernando says i won't i just have like this massive sinking feeling i will. oh god, ohgod,ogd.

FERNANDO SILPH Raziel Beckett

while the phone hanging up had definitely caught her off guard, the level of excitement when the door opened hadn't. she'd returned the enthusiasm, immediately laughing and holding onto him for dear life with her arms.

as she was put down, she beamed at him, let him escort her and move her about. it was best to let kim get his energy out. plus...

"hello little lira! seriously you're such an angel oh my goodness look at your beautiful little faceeeeee."

she swooned over the baby before looking to kim and she found herself misty eyed.

"you're such a good dad like what the heck." also, she'd missed him, and showed as much with the emotion she was currently trying to fight away.

"okay, no, i told myself i wouldn't cry, what the heck."

kim cole-essam

"awe, thanks! i really could use a cocoa after all this. maybe a muscle relaxer-- oh! we should do some yoga when we get back so we don't cramp."

she'd learned some while in sinnoh, some stretches some of the meditite specialists had used to help hone their muscles for the climb-- wise people.

"and thanks for helping me on this, really. i appreciate it!"

@mattis

"yeah... i um, i didn't tell anybody cause i didn't want talked out of it but, i'm here."

then she furrowed her brows, realizing how really rude it was that she hadn't said anything and wondering if she could kick herself. if he'd notice. if he'd scold her.

"i barely told myself to be honest. it was sort of like, i meditated on mt. coronet about it and then i was like, 'y'know what? i'mma do it!' and here i am, uh, at your door..."

kim cole-essam

routes are for more than just duo wilds y'know? and route 124's more than just a bunch of water, it's got rocks and stuff too!

which is exactly why francie picked it as a place for her and angelo to meet up. she was able to give captain, her carracosta, a little love and attention on the surf over. he'd kept herself from riding her aerodactyl, tilly, because tilly'd been overworked recently with how much she was flying francie around the region.

she'd returned her carracosta, however, and didn't even have her lycanrocs out. she was nervous, of course. she hadn't seen angelo in literally forever and people change.

not really her. hell, she hadn't even gotten taller. still barely 5 foot tall- a centimeter below five foot, even, which is why all her trainer IDs and the like read five foot even-- they just gave her the centimeter but she knew y'know?

"everything's fine, it'll go well, you're fine, you're cool." francie mumbled the mantra to herself before standing up and bouncing a small circle. "i'mjustsoexcited! okay, ahem. seriously, be cool."

she stopped her bouncing and sighed, rolling her shoulders, deciding to calm herself a bit with some breathing exercises she learned on johto. where she'd had to channel her inner calm so many times.

angelo vestri

francie was sure to be awkward when complimented and immediately returned them after receiving one. it was her thing. paying a compliment back with a compliment. likely she'd gotten into a compliment war a time or two with some cheeky friends of hers.

but as the pokémon settled into their new home, francie watched with a fond smile. they were all so happy! it was heartwarming and made her smile get bigger and bigger.

"hot chocolate? uh, yas please yas." a small laugh left her before she stiffened up at the mention of meeting mattis' boyfriend. "ohmygosh really? do you think? i don't wanna like, i mean, i know i can be a lot or whatever so if you wanna wait that's totally fine; like, i don't wanna surprise him or something."

right, she's just word vomiting cause she's excited, excuse her.

@mattis

"aweeeee hey lira! auntie franny was actually just thinking about dropping by, are you busy?"

francie answered lira in her usual high tone, a clear indicator that she's talking to a baby -- human or pokémon -- and then she was back to her usual awkward and nervous tone when she spoke to kim. she glanced around at kim's front door, noting nothing as she just looked around to occupy her constant need for movement.

"if so, i mean, we can make like a coffee date or something."

kim cole-essam

"that's exactly why i wanna divers... uh, get some diversity in my team as well!"

because apparently diversify's too big or complicated a word for miss mrytle right now.

"i'm representing silph as a ranger, so i've got to have a good spread of pokémon that can help in a crisis! it might not be the best battling team, but pokémon's not all about the battling, y'know? i'll leave all that up to mr. fernando anyway."

she spoke of him casually because to him, while she respects the living business out of him, she also sees him as a friend now. they've done enough together that's how she views him. a highly respected friend; thus mr. fernando instead of mr. FERNANDO SILPH. or just mr. silph.

sometimes she refers to him by full name when she's cross with him but that's neither here nor there and she's never done it to his face... yet.

"but uh, sorry, yeah, luxray aren't terrible. they shed, wow so much. lycanrocs just get dust everywhere but this kittie's got a coat, and the static electricity sometimes makes my hair stand up, so that's always a good laugh."

@mattis

francie returns the nodding and 'uh-huh'ing favor, listening to the words that come from nia but as she tries to imagine it, she fails, epically, and slowly her face starts to sweat when she realizes maybe nia might want her to try it out.

thankfully, nia's demonstrating what to do instead. which helps francie, the visual learning princess^TM greatly. she watches, intently, as do her lycanrocs by her side. as nia's demonstration ends, francie nods with vigor and attempts a few stops of her own.

she feels, finally, but the end, that she's getting it. at one point she'd flipped and nearly toppled over on the ice. but! she only fell over twice out of the six stops she tried. with excitement and a bright smile, she looks to nia.

"i got it that time!" and then suddenly she's purposing to collide with nia, to give her a great big hug of appreciation. "thank you so much!! seriously, i don't know where i'd be without you."

leaning away, her arms retract and she's still beaming wide. "probably freezing my bootie cheeks off!"

Nia Acadia

what an interesting turn of events. his ability to ROCK CLIMB along with his actual ability, KEEN EYES helped to make him quite the champion. he could spot the little stuck ziggies and pick them up, carry them along, and up to safety.

all while avoiding water cause ew no thanks.

lincoln hated baths. so imagine how surprised he'll be when he gets back and francie complains he's dirty and gives him a bath anyway, kek.

these nuts ^

"arkose'll help plenty," francie offered with a smile at mattis. "but for now, you're helping just fine. thanks really, that passimian's exactly why i want to broaden my pokémon arsonal from just rock pokémon. i just have quite the difficulty not having favorites... like, y'know, all my rock pokémon."

there was a small laugh given afterwards as she smiled at kole, then returned him. louie and lyonel started to sniff and puff at arkose, before moving forward again to scout.

"not so far ahead you two." she warned them, then looked to mattis. "i have a luxray now. so that's interesting. ray's fun, he's super serious though, which is different. but sometimes his playful side comes out with the boys and it's super comical."

@mattis