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 brilliance 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

At the sound of her name, Ana's head snaps up from the vibrant wildflowers she had been crouched beside, her eyes widening in surprise. Standing before her is a familiar face, one she hasn't seen in years—Ever Blackwell, a boy she used to know back in Hammerlocke. Well, not a boy anymore, she realizes with a start, taking in his tall frame and the scruffy pink hair falling around his face.

"Ever? Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in forever!" she exclaims, her face splitting into a wide grin as she straightens up. Old Whiskers, who had settled down for a nap beside her, blinks his eyes open at the sudden outburst, his tail flicking in mild annoyance.

Ana had always liked Ever, even if they never spoke all that much. He had a unique demeanor she hadn't seen often amongst the upper crust her mother often associated with, which Ana found utterly fascinating. How amazing that they would meet again in such a way!

"What are you doing here? Are you visiting Hoenn too?" Ana asks, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Her eyes flicker to the sleek Zeraora at his side and the Corviknight soaring overhead, her artist's mind already imagining the way she'd capture them on paper. They're both striking Pokémon, and she wonders briefly what other powerful Pokemon Ever might have in his arsenal.

ever blackwell

The way his eyes go all distant doesn't go unnoticed by Ana, who tilts her head, a pretty little crease forming between her eyebrows as she watches him. There's a certain vacancy in his gaze—like his mind had physically transported him a million miles away, perhaps as if weighed down by some unseen burden, and Ana wonders for a moment if he's okay. But the moment passes before she has a chance to say anything, and she simply files it away in her mind for later, beneath scattered memories and tentative sketches, underneath a little mental note labelled 'Heavy.'

Of course, as soon as she quotes a price, she is filled with doubt. Who was she to put a price on art? What if it was too much? Was three hundred too much? She had no idea! Her heart begins to race, nervous with the prospect that she has perhaps overestimated herself just a little bit too much, but Howard ultimately decides to buy, and Ana almost laughs with relief.

Her face screws up in concentration as she stares at the rather odd question. It takes her a moment to understand what it means, but when she does, she can't help but feel a little bit sad. Three hundred dollars, and he couldn't afford it any other way?

She can't do such a thing to someone. Running her lip beneath her lip, Ana blurts out a new price. "Umm, actually, I'll take a hundred!" Ana exclaims, then pauses to gauge his expression, and then goes even lower. "...Fifty?"

She sighs, running a hand through her wild brown hair, and glances away. "I'll take fifty. No higher!"

Ana fiddles with her palms. Everyone deserves art. Truthfully, she doesn't need the money. Her mom funds her adventures anyways, and she would be a fool to ignore the privileged life she's lead. And, well... Howard kind of seems like he needs something to brighten his day.

howard slayte

"Well, yeah," Ana chirps brightly, tilting her head thoughtfully as she hands a teacup to Elise. Mrs. Floss leans against her side, extending her cotton candy tendrils towards the teacups in hopeful curiosity. Ana absently pats the Swirlix's head, her eyes focused on Elise. "My mom is amazing and I really wanna paint just like her!"

For a moment, a flicker of sadness passes through Ana's orange eyes, her smile dimming just a touch before she continues. "My mom, uh, actually sent me here after, um... Well, I guess I wasn't being super good at home and mom was kind of overprotective, so she wanted me to go find my dad. See, I've never met him and he's from Hoenn, so she thought it'd be good for me to, like, learn about life outside of Galar while finding him."

Ana takes a deep breath, her enthusiasm brightening as she returns to her typically bubbly state. "But I don't wanna be too much like my mom, you know? I wanna do my own thing too, like training Pokémon!"

She reaches for a pastry from the platter, taking a bite as her Miltank gazes skeptically at the Galarian royal. She seems unimpressed, but Ana pays it no mind. She's far more interested in the exciting prospect of making a new friend.

Elise Calcifet

"Whiskers, look!" Ana exclaims, dropping to her knees in the soft grass, her sketchbook tumbling from her grasp. With wide, excited eyes, she scoops up a small tuft of cream-colored fur, holding it aloft for her Espeon companion to inspect. "Isn't this the fur of a Lopunny or a Buneary? I read that they shed their coats when winter approaches! Oh my gosh, we have to find them—I've never seen one up close before!"

Rising to her full—if not terribly impressive—height, Ana can't help but imagine the sight of a wild Lopunny. Those long, graceful ears, the brilliant, silken fur, the strong legs!! She can already picture it, and her fingers itch to capture the moment on paper. But that thought is quickly replaced by another, far more adorable idea: make the hares her friends forever!!!

She looks down at the Espeon at her side. "You wanna get a bunny friend, Old Whiskers?"

Old Whiskers licks his lips. Ana decides to interpret this as exuberant glee at the mere thought.

"Yay! Let's go catch one!" she chirps, fording off into the grasslands with a pokeball in hand.

1jGHTDX6

The Galarian royal's acceptance of the invitation sends a thrill of excitement through Ana. She claps her hands, bouncing on the balls of her feet with enthusiasm, her smile widening into a grin. "Of course I remember you! The lady in the painting! I remember now!" Ana remarks, the realization hitting her as her eyes widen. She remembers it all so clearly now, the portrait of the princess, Elise Calcifet, with its vivid colors and delicate brushwork, hung prominently in her mother's workshop while she was in the midst of finalizing it.

"I can't believe you're actually here, in Hoenn! What are the chances?" Ana wonders, shaking her head in amused disbelief. She gestures eagerly for the group to join the circle around the tea party spread.

Old Whiskers, still curled up beside the platter of pastries, watches the proceedings with a soft, muted purr. Madame Creme and Mrs. Floss seem to warm to the new arrivals, the former lowering her head to delicately sniff at the newcomers while the latter nearly vibrates with glee, cotton candy fur puffing out with each wiggly movement.

Ana flops back onto her cross-legged position on the ground, reaching for the teapot and beginning to pour. "Anastasia, yeah! I prefer Ana though," the girl chirps in response as she finishes pouring Elise a cup of tea. "You really think my mom's painting is lovely? That's so cool, my mom would be thrilled to know you loved it! What brings you to Hoenn?"

Evidently, Ana is not caught up on any local news.

Elise Calcifet

Hoenn's... dangerous, these days.

Anastasia has grown up on tales of adventure, and she has lived them through a paintbrush's width of separation. She also knows the stories about Hoenn, too, and the danger lurking in its waters—Rocket, meteors, war. A thrill of danger excites her, though—a call to adventure! Something daring and new, but...

Not like this. She doesn't know what to do with herself when he says it, the truth of it ringing through clear as crystal. For the first time since the conversation began, she's silent. Even her hands still in their furious fidgeting, pressing together like birds flying south.

And then he says the part about Hoenn being a place for her, and she can't help the smile that follows. "Thank you! I really hope so!"

Then he declines her discount, and though it makes her heart strings ache a little, there's a new kind of warmth in her chest—pride, gratitude, excitement at a piece sold for full price, she's not really sure, but she does know it's welcome all the same.

She smiles again, this one brighter than the first.

"It's Anastasia Harmon. Ana!" she adds with a cheerful little hiccup in her words. "I like it better that way. What's your name?"

"And, hmmm..." She bites her lip, thinking hard for a moment. What is the painting even worth? She's unsure. She had offered a discount without even being certain of the full price. "I'll take... three hundred for it!"

howard slayte

The sound of quick footsteps approaching the impromptu tea party catches Ana's attention, and she turns to see a young woman with striking pink eyes and a rather fancy outfit - not to mention an entourage of Pokémon, including a tiny green cat and what looks like an actual ghost! - hurrying towards her with concern etched on her features.

Ana's initial instinct is to feel slightly guilty for any perceived disturbance, but that quickly melts into curiosity. She's always eager to make new friends and see what the world has to offer.

"Hi, hi!" Ana greets warmly, pushing to her feet and brushing off the seat of her shorts. She gives a broad, exuberant smile, her orange eyes sparking with interest as she takes in the group before her. "Yes, my very own Pokemon tea party! You wanna join? You wanna? Please, please, join us!"

Ana's Miltank and Swirlix both shuffle slightly closer to Ana, clearly intrigued by the newcomers but still somewhat shy. Old Whiskers blinks sagely at the pink-eyed woman, his expression unreadable as always. Ana turns her gaze back to the stranger, tilting her head inquisitively.

"Hmm, you're, like, super familiar!" Ana remarks with a narrowing of her eyes as she presses a finger to her chin. "Where have I seen you before...?"

Elise Calcifet

The sun beats down on Ana as she strolls along Route 116, her trusty companion Old Whiskers trotting beside her. The Espeon is in fine form, his graying muzzle twitching occasionally with a content purr. He seems to enjoy the open road as much as she does.

The path stretches out before Ana, an inviting road winding through tall grasses, overgrown with rustling plants and scattered rocks. Ana's eyes shine with curiosity as she surveys the scenery. Who knows what kinds of Pokémon might be hiding here, ready to be befriended?

She pulls out her sketchbook from her satchel, flipping through the pages idly. "Should we draw something today, Whiskers? Maybe one of those cute yanmegas hovering overhead?" Her fingers trace the edge of a page, contemplating. "Or another landscape? Find something with interesting composition?"

Old Whiskers glances up at her and blinks slowly, as if to say: who's the artist here?

Then, Ana nods, as if she has gathered some great, immortal truth from the depths of his eyes. "Ooh, great idea, Whiskers! We should definitely explore! We should explore everywhere!"

Ana picks up the pace, and Whiskers follows closely after her.

Josh Devlin

The intoxicating scent of warm pastries and sweet glazes wafts through the air as Ana pushes open the door to Kingsley Confections, her eyes widening with delight at the display before her. Rows upon rows of delicate macarons, towering croissants, and colorful jellies stretch out as far as the eye can see, a feast fit for a queen. And to Ana, this is like entering the gates of paradise.

"What am I feeling?" she asks, leaning in close to to the display as Old Whiskers noses around the base of a display stand. "Sugar. Bliss. Pure, undiluted joy." She swears the aging Espeon nods in agreement, blinking slow at her from near her feet.

The store is quiet, Ana notes as she glances around. Even so, she can almost hear her mother's stern voice in her ear, warning her not to act like an animal, but Ana pays it no mind. She might as well be on vacation, after all. And vacations are for indulging in the finer things.

She turns her attention back to the case, her gaze raking over the sweet delights. "So many choices..." Ana sighs, tapping a manicured finger against her chin. "But how to choose when everything looks so goooood?"

Biscotti Kingsley