Ana is admittedly disappointed at the mention of warm-ups and stretches—those don't sound nearly as fun or exciting as actually getting to fight—but she quickly nods, mimicking Thea's movements as best she can.

"Of course!" she chirps, bending and twisting her body with the grace of a newborn girafarig. "I definitely want to keep coming! This is way more fun than the usual stuff I do all day."

It's actually a pretty nice change of pace to have someone telling her what to do for once, instead of the other way around. Ana's always been the type to take charge and forge her own path, a philosophy she's put to the test in Hoenn, but there's something comforting about letting someone else take the reins. Especially when that someone seems to know what they're doing.

"Okay, I think I'm all warmed up!" Ana declares after a few minutes, bouncing on her toes like a pogo stick. "Let's get to the fun part! I'm ready to learn how to kick some butt!"

Her words cause Old Whiskers to crack an eye open from where he'd been dozing in the sun, as if checking to make sure that his human isn't about to get herself into too much trouble. But when he sees that it's just a normal training session and not some kind of dangerous shenanigans, he lets out a wheezing sigh and settles back into his nap, leaving Ana to her own devices. His tail taps against Belle, as if inviting her to nap alongside him.

Thea Naito

Ana's relief is palpable as Kasper manages to haul themselves upright with minimal assistance from her. She's not exactly the strongest person around, even with all of her exploration.

"Uh, thanks!" she chirps, grinning down at her outfit before mentally cursing herself. Way to go, Ana. You couldn't have picked something a little more practical for this kind of work? Something that doesn't scream 'cosplay'?

Yep. She can already imagine her mother's disappointed expression if she were to see her right now.

"The farmer mentioned something about the storm messing up the fields," she muses, peering up at the fluffy clouds overhead as if she might find some evidence of the previous night's chaos there. "Guess it must've knocked down a fence or something?"

Ana hopes she's not wrong. She doesn't have enough experience with this sort of thing to even hazard a guess, and she'd rather not look even more incompetent in front of Kasper than she already does. She'll just have to celebrate that, at the very least, Kasper doesn't think her outfit is too dorky.

"I, uh, have to admit—I'm not really sure what I'm doing," she admits sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck. "I thought that if I bought a lasso, it would just come to me! But throwing a big rope is a lot harder than I thought it would be..."

kasper thaler

Ana's eyes widen as Josh describes the Mauville Gym, her imagination running wild with images of racing Pokémon and thrilling challenges. She's never been one for traditional battles—her experience with Pokémon has always been more about the bond between trainer and creature than the fight itself. But racing? That's something she can get behind.

"I'd love to visit someday," she says, her voice brimming with excitement. "It sounds like so much fun! Maybe Old Whiskers and I can even challenge you!" She glances down at her Espeon, who gives her a look that seems to say, don't get ahead of yourself, kid. Ana just grins.

But before she can say more, Josh's warning draws her attention to the sky. Ana lets out a yelp of surprise as the Braviary swoops down, its talons outstretched. She instinctively covers her head with her arms, but there's no need—Janus' ally switch moves him out of harm's way, leaving the Braviary to carry off a sign instead.

Ana watches in amazement as Josh tosses an Ultra Ball at the bird and captures it, her heart racing with excitement. "Wow," she breathes out, her eyes wide. "That was incredible! You're really good at this!"

She pauses for a moment, her thoughts turning to Josh's mention of his Braviary. "I'm so sorry to hear about your Braviary," she says, her voice softening. "But I'm glad you were able to catch another one. I'm sure Goose will be thrilled to have a new friend to compete with!"

Ana's mind buzzes with questions about Janus, the Mauville Gym, and everything in between. But for now, she's content to watch and learn from the Gym Leader before her.

Josh Devlin
skipping spawn!

"Thanks, Thea!" Ana grins, striking a pose that she thinks makes her look cool. Or tough. Or something. Really, she just ends up looking like she's about to break into a dance number. Nearby, Old Whiskers plods into a sunbeam that streams through the dojo's windows and promptly plops down so that he may doze off. "I feel like a totally different person! I bet I could take on the world in this thing!"

Ana hums thoughtfully at Thea's question, tapping her chin as she mulls it over. On one hand, the idea of tossing someone around like a ragdoll is deeply appealing. On the other, she's always been pretty good at kicking, even if she's never put it to any practical use before.

"Hmm... I think I like the sound of punches and kicks!" she says at last, eyes shining with determination. "It seems like it'd be more my style, you know? Fast and flashy, with lots of movement! Just like me!"

To emphasize her point, she throws a few experimental punches, shadowboxing with an imagined opponent. It's a good thing she doesn't actually make contact with anything, though, because her form is atrocious, and the only thing she'd be knocking out any time soon is herself. But hey, that's why she's here to learn, right? She can't wait—coming to Thea's dojo is proving a nice change of pace to her usual life!

Thea Naito

Ana's eyes widen at Josh's introduction, a flicker of recognition sparking in her mind. Gym Leader Devlin—she's heard that name before, whispered in the winding streets of Slateport and shouted from the screens of TVs in Hoenn. But to see him here, riding an Espeon the size of a Rapidash? That's a story she never expected to hear.

"Space-Time Distortions?" she echoes, her brow furrowing slightly. She's seen the memes, of course—who hasn't?—but she always assumed they were just jokes. The kind of thing people share when they're bored and looking for a laugh. But now, faced with the reality of Janus, she can't help but wonder if there's more to it than she thought.

"I'm Ana," she says, offering Josh a friendly smile. "And this is Old Whiskers." She gestures to her Espeon, who is still eyeing Janus with a mix of suspicion and intrigue. "We're from Galar, but we've been traveling around Hoenn for a while now. I've never been to Mauville City's Pokémon Gym, but I'd love to hear more about it!"

She pauses for a moment, her curiosity getting the better of her. "And I definitely want to hear the long version of Janus' story, if you have the time!"

Josh Devlin
skipping spawn!

Ana’s eyes widen as one of the Arcanine—noticeably smaller than the rest—trots over to greet her, its tail wagging excitedly. She slows to a stop, a wide grin spreading across her face as she takes in the sight before her.

"Well hello there!" she coos, dropping to her knees to be closer to eye-level with the Arcanine. "Aren’t you just the cutest little thing?"

The Arcanine, who Ana nicknames Nibbles in her head, sniffs at her hands before giving them an affectionate lick. Ana giggles, reaching out to bury her fingers in the thick, fluffy fur around Nibbles’ neck. She’s right—it’s just as soft as she imagined.

"Oh, you’re so friendly!" she gushes, scratching behind Nibbles’ ears. "I could just cuddle you all day!"

Old Whiskers, who had been hanging back to let Ana have her moment, pads over to sit at her side. He eyes the Audino and Arcanine curiously, his tail swishing back and forth in an almost friendly greeting. Ana reaches out to scratch behind his ears as well, not wanting her old friend to feel left out.

Thomas Benoit

Ana can't help but giggle at Belle's shy approach, finding the sight of the Minccino offering her tail to Old Whiskers to be just about the cutest thing she's ever seen. Old Whiskers, for his part, looks mildly affronted at the prospect, but gently takes the offered appendage in his own tail and gives it a delicate shake.

"Looks like they're getting along swimmingly!" Ana laughs, eyes tracing across Thea's team. "I can't wait to see what we can all learn from each other!"

At the mention of a gi, Ana's eyes light up. "Ooh, a uniform? How exciting!" She practically bounces on her heels at the prospect of dressing up. It's like playing pretend, but real!

Ducking into the locker room, Ana quickly locates the red locker and begins rummaging through it, pulling out a gi in her size. She holds it up to herself, turning this way and that as she imagines how she'll look. "Oh, this is going to be so cool! I'm gonna look like a real martial artist!"

Reality sets in, however, when she actually tries to put the gi on. Ana may be an accomplished artist, but that doesn't mean she has the slightest clue about how to properly tie an obi. The end result is... well, it's something, that's for sure.

She steps out of the locker room with a sheepish grin. Though the shirt and pants have been adorned properly, the obi looks far more like a tangled mess than anything resembling what it is supposed to look like. "Uh, Thea? I think I might need some help..."

Thea Naito

"Oh, uh..." Ana falters, the lasso drooping limply from her fingers as she takes in the newcomer—just as they hit the ground with an undignified thud. For a moment, her self-assured grin slips, replaced by an expression of pure deer-in-the-headlights panic.

Yeah, that's right. She has no idea what she's doing either.

She probably should have considered the fact that real life is a bit different from those old Western movies she grew up on. Or that swinging a lasso isn't nearly as easy as Clyde Eastwood makes it look.

Well, too late for regrets now. She's got a job to do, and a... fellow Pokémon wrangler(?) to impress. No time to worry about little things like 'experience' or 'common sense.'

"Hah, yeah, totally took the job!" she responds brightly, perhaps a little too brightly, shoving her hat back into place and wiping her sweaty palm on her jeans before extending a hand to Kasper. "I'm Ana, by the way. What's your name?"

Wait, are they supposed to shake hands when the other person is lying on the ground? Is that how normal people introduce themselves? Is she supposed to help them up instead? Uh oh.

Why didn't her mother ever teach her any social etiquette for situations like these? She's supposed to be a noble lady, for Arceus's sake, she should know this stuff!

"Um, d'you need a hand there, partner?" she offers lamely while stretching out her hand, inwardly cringing even as the words leave her mouth. Arceus, she sounds like such a dork. "I mean, uh, these rocks are really slippery, huh?"

Yeah. The rocks are slippery. That's totally it.

"I, uh, like your hair," she blurts out suddenly, as if incapable of keeping that bit inside of her.

kasper thaler

"Yeehaw, Whiskers! Today, we're gonna be real life cowgirls!" Ana exclaims, her eyes shining with excitement as she twirls a lasso above her head.

Clad in a fringed leather vest, a plaid shirt tied at her midriff, and a pair of boots adorned with decorative spurs, she strikes quite the anachronistic figure amidst the peaceful Fallarbor countryside. At her side, Old Whiskers regards her with a look of pure exasperation; even the Espeon's tufted tail manages to convey just how unimpressed he is.

"Well, tough luck, my whiskered friend! We promised we'd help round up those Mareep," she reminds him, adjusting her ten-gallon hat firmly atop her head. The farmer had been so distraught after the storm had scattered his flock, Ana couldn't help but volunteer their services. The fact that she'd get to cosplay her favorite childhood fantasy? That was just a bonus.

Now, out in the fields, the sun beams down overhead, and the chirps of wild Pokémon fill the air. The terrain is rocky and uneven, Ana nearly twisting her ankle several times, but it doesn't deter her in the slightest. She's on a mission to be helpful, after all! And it's all the more adventurous for the long grass they have to trudge through.

In the distance, several Mareep dot the hillside, the fluffy white sheep Pokémon bleating in confusion as they mill about in the aftermath of the storm. They seem completely undisturbed by Ana's presence.

She knows she has to act quickly, before they wander too far, so with a deep breath, she begins to swing the lasso above her head, her brow furrowed in determination. She's seen this done a thousand times in movies; how hard can it really be? Right. Time to lasso some Mareep and show everyone how a real cowgirl gets the job done. "Watch this, Whiskers! I've totally got this."

kasper thaler

Taking with kasper thaler!

"Oh, you know, just a bit here and there," Ana replies with a grin, trying to play it cool. In reality, her knowledge of martial arts could probably fit inside a Pokéball with room to spare. But hey, that's what she's here to learn, right?

She reaches down to scratch Old Whiskers behind the ears, the Espeon's eyes narrowing contentedly at the attention. "This here's my partner, Old Whiskers. He's been with me since... well, since before I can remember!"

Ana straightens up, clapping her hands together with an eager smile. "Honestly, I don't know all that much about battling or martial arts or anything like that. But I want to learn! There's so much out there to discover, and I want to see it all! And if I'm gonna do that, I need to be able to hold my own in a fight."

Her eyes grow distant. A very short time ago, an odd man told her that Hoenn is dangerous, and she believes him. His words solidified her need to learn how to defend herself. Thea's dojo seems like a great first step to Ana! She refocuses on the girl in front of her with a grin, and her excitement is once more palpable, a barely contained storm of energy just waiting to be unleashed. "Can you teach me how to fight like that? I promise I'm a quick learner!"

Thea Naito

Ana watches Elise sip her tea, her own cup cradled in her hands as she leans forward eagerly. She is utterly absorbed in Elise's story, her expressive face flickering with emotion as she listens.

"Oh wow," Ana breathes, her eyes wide with a mix of sympathy and wonder. "I mean, I'm an only child so it was always just me and mom and Whiskers, but I can't even imagine how rough it must be for you and your cousin." She takes another bite of her pastry, chewing thoughtfully as she processes Elise's words.

The artist tilts her head, tendrils of wavy brown hair slipping from behind her ear to frame her face. Her orange eyes are bright with curiosity as she regards the Galarian royal, a soft smile playing on her lips. "It sounds like you two are really different. I can't imagine being a queen! Just thinking about it makes my head spin!"

Ana giggles, a bubbly, infectious sound that seems to lighten the mood. "I'm glad you guys can still joke about it though. Family can be complicated." She hesitates for a moment, her thoughts turning briefly to her own absent father. "I hope my dad is a nice guy. I don't even know his name or anything about him, just that he's from Hoenn."

She shrugs, shaking off the flicker of melancholy that threatens to dampen her spirits. "Anyway, your Pokémon are really cool! They seem super close to you." Ana reaches out to pet the Sprigatito. "I bet you're a great trainer."

Elise Calcifet