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

As Howard begins speaking, Ana does her best to listen—really, she does—but as he warns her to relax, she can't help but expel all the contained excitement inside her in one, trembling breath. Okay, calm down. Deep breath. In and out, in and out.

Honestly, who knew a day that began with doodling excrement would end with an art career?

His mention of buying paints has her suddenly bursting with another spark of energy, this time a touch more frustrated. "Well, if you're getting the stuff, I need to tell you exactly where to get all of it, or it'll be terrible stuff!" Ana rummages through her bag and pulls out a small planner dutifully decorated with charms, stickers, and paint stains, and she promptly starts writing in it. "I need to get some new oils, good brushes, linseed oil..." She makes a list, rattling off necessities for her new gig. She's particular with her supplies, and they're almost as close to her heart as Whiskers himself.

Whiskers... Who needs to come with her!

She's glad Howard already offered for him to come. The cat is basically Ana's heart. She winks at the peacefully purring Espeon with a smile.

"As long as he won't be a bother!" Ana amends as she writes down her mom's tried-and-true oil supplier in Hoenn, reciting the well-known address over the pen. "We've never really been apart."

After writing her phone number and all her other contact information into the page, Ana tears it out, producing a hot pink, sparkly slip of paper. Without hesitation, she hands it over, beaming.

"Can you get all that stuff? My number is on there too."

howard slayte

"Oh, that's so cute!" Ana can't help but squeal as she spots the Wigglytuff rolling towards her. She crouches down to greet the Pokémon at eye level, reaching out to boop its nose playfully. "Aren't you just the most adorable little puffball? Yes you are! Yes you are!"

Old Whiskers watches from nearby, his tails swishing back and forth in amusement as he keeps a keen eye on the proceedings. His ears twitch at the sound of battle coming from inside the dojo, a distant look in his eyes as if lost in memories of his own.

Ana glances up from the Wigglytuff to see if she can spot its trainer—which she does! A girl with striking blonde hair. "Is this your dojo? I've heard so many great things about the stuff that goes on here! I was hoping to learn a thing or two myself—my Pokémon and I are still pretty new to battling."

She grins, her eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement. The prospect of learning to fight alongside her partner, to forge the kind of bond she's heard so much about... it's almost too much for her to handle.

"I'm Ana, by the way!" she adds, realizing she's been prattling on without even introducing herself. "Ana Harmon, artist and adventurer extraordinaire! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Thea Naito

At first, Ana doesn't register the gust of wind as anything more than an unusually strong breeze—Hoenn is known for its unique weather patterns, after all. But when she catches sight of the purple blur, her eyes widen in surprise.

"Holy goodra," she breathes out, jaw dropping as the blur slows down enough to reveal itself. It's an Espeon, but not just any Espeon—one that towers over Old Whiskers, who looks like he might have seen a ghost. Ana barely notices the man astride the Espeon, her attention entirely captured by the size of the creature.

"How did it get so big?" Ana wonders aloud, her fingers itching to pull out her sketchbook and capture the moment. She's seen big Pokémon before—on TV, anyway—but never one so graceful and elegant as an Espeon.

Old Whiskers bristles beside her, his eyes narrowing as if he's trying to establish some sort of psychic connection with the larger Espeon. Ana can only imagine the conversation they might be having: a mix of old-man grumblings and awkward introductions.

She turns her attention to the black-haired man, a grin spreading across her face. "Wow, I've never seen an Espeon that large before! Is he friendly?" she calls out, her tone curious and light.

Josh Devlin

Ana's eyes grow wide as saucers as she watches the heavy Stakataka rise as if it's filled with nothing more than helium, letting out an impressed gasp as she imagines what kind of toilsome workout routine must be required for Howard to pull off something like that. Can her mom lift something like that? Can anyone in Galar lift something like that? At the very least, she imagines that magic must come in handy when handling overbearing nobles...

Howard... He may be kind of strange, but in a way that draws Ana's attention completely. As he scratches his chin, she mimics the gesture, tilting her head slightly as she bites her lip, considering the proposal. Her mom had told her to get a real job in art, like she has, something that actually pays the bills, and what Howard is proposing sounds like one—a job that could show her mom she's doing just fine in Hoenn, far more exciting than painting some stuffy nobles or practicing royal curtsies back in Galar.

It's not like she's inexperienced in what he's proposing, either. Her first lessons were master studies—completely replicating the artwork Howard now works in restoring.

...Ana wants to see those perfect pieces again. She wants to witness history in action and capture it forever on a canvas. And if it means working under Howard...

"You've got a deal!" Ana exclaims, hardly containing her excitement as she sticks her hand out for him to shake, a newfound business partner or... Whatever the adult term for that sort of thing is called. Whiskers will know! "Restoring paintings... So incredible! You won't regret it!"

Once their handshake is done (and her hand has gone properly tingly and numb from overexcitement), Ana returns her hand to herself, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "When do I start? Where do I go? Oh my gosh, I'm so excited!"

howard slayte

Ana shakes her head, waving off the idea as she listens to his explanation. If being a businesswoman meant arguing and pinching pennies, she wants no part in it! The only numbers she deals with are the dimensions she doodles alongside her sketches, or the price of a good pastry every morning. And arguing? To her, compromising means everyone gets what they want. What's the point otherwise?

"Well, Howard," she says, testing the name out, her voice buoyant and proud and excitable once more, "I think I like my way better! Who cares about that other stuff? As long as everyone's happy and everyone wins, what's it matter? I won anyways because I made my first sale ever!"

Then, the mention of good help, and Ana looks around in search of the aforementioned help. But as she stares, she watches as the Ultra Beast spills out from the tiny sphere at his side. There it is, in the flesh (or... In the brick?) A real Stakataka.

Ana cannot believe her eyes. She had only heard about these creatures in stories, and she had never imagined that they could fold themselves into such shapes! There was hardly any excess material, and the way it folded itself together like that... Talk about true mastery! It reminds her of her mom's studio, filled with fabric and multimedia materials, all unwieldy and hard to make work. But the Stackatacka... It has no problem at all!

"Wowie, this is incredible!" Ana fumbles over her words in excitement, already wishing she had her sketchbook out to document this. What an incredible feat of engineering! A Pokémon capable of fitting itself into perfect dimensions like that? So awesome!

She glances down at Old Whiskers, opening her mouth to ask if he knew anything about this Pokémon, but she decides against it. Not in front of her first real customer! Mom always told her it was weird to talk to her cat in front of pleasant company.

Taking one last, longing look at the briefcase, Ana makes a mental note to pester her Espeon later. Instead, she shakes her head and places the painting inside the briefcase.

"It, uh... Looks heavy, though," Ana mentions as she straightens, glancing over Howard's physique. He doesn't really look like a bodybuilder to her. "Are you gonna be able to carry it...?"

howard slayte

There it is again—that certain heaviness in his gaze, as if guilt is physically weighing him down from the inside. The faint sentiment leaves Ana worried, though he wisn't the first person she'd ever seen look so distraught. Her mother, weary and careworn after a day of working under esteemed nobles; the workers in the stalls that lined these very streets, facing another exhausting day.

The sight of Howard suddenly standing up for his principles tugs a smile out of her, though, and she nearly laughs at the proclamation of shame, but for once, she manages to stifle it. Poor guy really does have his pride, doesn't he? Using her full name and everything, like he's her mom!

But then, instead of simply allowing Ana to help him out here, the guy goes and does something even more humiliating than simply pulling out a checkbook! Eighty dollars. Eighty! And Ana's guilt spirals out of control until she's scooping up the measly amount, huffing as she stares up at Howard with something caught between admiration and frustration.

She extends one finger, pointing it squarely at his chest. "You... You're going to die if you don't let me give you some change! It's bad enough you're offering literally everything you have, but how am I supposed to say I sold it if you don't take some change!? Take it!"

Ana needs him to accept. There's no way she could not give him change—she refuses! Is it her first real art transaction or a damn charity?!

She reaches into her pocket, prepared to pull out some change to make up for it (though, there's only a ten in her pocket, and she has no idea what she's going to do if he really does run off like he said he would), but she pauses when she catches sight of his expression. Well, she hadn't considered that he may very well feel worse for making her give change... Reluctantly, she tucks the bill back in her pocket.

Maybe they both won't feel so bad if she just lets this slide?

"Okay," she says, huffing in defeat. "Eighty it is. You drive a hard bargain!"

There's still the tiniest hint of fire inside of her as she goes about wrapping up the canvas. "What's your name, mister? And do you have something good to carry this back with?"

howard slayte