She, evidently, had not expected the compliment, and it quickly and summarily breaks her amusement, like a knife through cake.

"Aw, really? Thank you so much!" She grins, shifting to stand on her toes for just a moment as if the praise alone were enough to lift her off her feet. "I'm so glad you think my stuff is cool! I work really hard on it, you know? Well... sometimes!"

Surreptitiously, but not very sneakily, Ana kicks some extremely low effort caricatures out of view of her decidedly rugged looking customer, and discards her crude sketch. Near these pieces, Old Whiskers rouses, his whiskers twitching as he glances up at the Aerodactyl nearing him. Then, deciding the situation isn't worth his wakefulness, he promptly dozes off once more.

As for a recommended piece, Ana spends a moment with her finger on her chin, eyes lifted to the sky, in search of the perfect piece to show a potential buyer—rare these days, what with... well, all of the terrible stuff that happens in Hoenn. She would never look a gift Rapidash in the mouth, though.

Then, she looks back down, eyes sparkling. One can practically see the lightbulb over her head. "Ah, I have just the thing!"

She ducks down behind the table, rummaging around until she pops back up with a large canvas wrapped in paper. She lays the canvas on the table and unwraps it slowly, dramatic flourish included. It's a serene landscape, mountains and forests with a vibrant, glowing sky. The sun has been painted with meticulous care, rays of light stretching out to seemingly touch the viewer. She has obviously been classically trained, as the technique is reminiscent of many old, romantic masters, a style that contrasts in an odd, finicky way with the excitable girl that now presents it.

"Ta-dah!" she exclaims. "Being in a fancy-pants office all day sounds boring and icky. You need something beautiful to brighten your morning!"

Ana grins up at Howard expectantly, eager for his reaction to her prized piece. "You like? I like! Well. I liked painting it, at least!"

howard slayte

Ana hums softly to herself as she wanders through winding pathways of grass and stone, her satchel of painting supplies bumping gently against her side with each step. The wilds of Hoenn are nothing like the manicured gardens and noble estates she had grown up with in Galar—here, the world feels alive, untamed, and filled with endless possibilities. The very same environment her mother warned her to never mess around with.

Well, Ana never was all that good at following directions.

"What do you think, Whiskers? Should we find something beautiful to paint today?" she asks aloud, glancing down at her ever-present companion, Old Whiskers. The aging Espeon pads along at her side, his tail swishing in a slow, thoughtful rhythm as if considering her words.

The day is bright, and the sun casts a warm glow over the landscape. Ana can't help but feel an excited flutter in her chest, like a butterfree is trapped somewhere inside. She loves days like this—where the air is filled with the hum of distant yanmegas and the rustling of wind through the trees. Somewhere, hidden just beyond the next hill or behind a cluster of wildflowers, there must be something picturesque enough for Ana to consider putting it to paper.

"Maybe a stream?" Ana muses, letting her thoughts drift as she follows the path deeper into distant glades. "Or a grove of flowers? Or maybe..." Her voice trails off as the monologue continues in her head, listing off every beautiful landscape feature she can imagine. Lakes, mountains, rock formations, you name it, she'll try to capture it!

She's certain her mom could do it better, though.

ever blackwell

"Mister mister whisker whisker~!" sings the young lady as she tromps through tall grass and uneven terrain with reckless abandon, accompanied by an Espeon with a smattering of gray fur around his mouth. "How I love youuuuu~!

For Ana, this brisk walk through pleasantly warm Verdanturf proves to be yet another adventure. She has yet to discover precisely what the day will hold for her, but she knows that she can handle anything with Old Whiskers at her side. As if aware that her thoughts had drifted to him, the Espeon lets a yawn curl his lips.

The air smells faintly of wildflowers and sun-warmed earth, a comfort she’s grown to adore since arriving in Hoenn. Verdanturf is so different from the stone streets of Hammerlocke, with its open spaces and rolling fields, and Ana feels alive here, as if every new turn brings a secret waiting to be uncovered.

"What do you think we’ll find today, Whiskers?" she muses, glancing down at her faithful companion. Old Whiskers simply blinks in response, his eyes half-lidded with what Ana imagines is endless wisdom. He probably knows exactly where they’re going, even if she doesn’t.

As the pair crests a small hill, Ana’s eyes widen at the sight before her: a sprawling ranch with bright red barns and green pastures. But more importantly, it is filled with Pokémon. Not just any Pokémon—Audino, gentle and pink, milling about near the fence, and several massive, fluffy Arcanine resting beneath a tree.

"Oh!" Ana gasps, her hands clasping together in sheer delight. "Look, Whiskers! They’re so fluffy! I have to go meet them!"

Without waiting for a response, Ana takes off, her feet flying across the soft grass as she races toward the Pokémon. Her heart is already filled with excitement, her mind set on one thing—cuddling the Arcanine. They look so soft, like living pillows, and Ana can hardly contain herself.

Thomas Benoit

"Hmm..."

Ana holds a piece of newsprint paper up in the air, positioned in such a way to look like it is balancing precariously atop the head of a nearby stall owner in her view. It must be a humorous sight, because she begins laughing as soon as as she gets the position just right. On the ground, at her side, lies a purring Espeon with more than a few gray hairs on his muzzle, dozing off in the warm, mid-afternoon sun.

Ana, of course, jolts back into reality when movement appears in the corner of her eye.

"Oh my gosh, hey!" Ana gasps, her orange eyes sparkling as she turns in her seat to fully face the man in front of her stall. "Are you into art? Or just browsing? I got all sorts of cool stuff here. It's all mine, too!"

Then, as if afflicted by an ailment that prevents her from staying on any given topic for more than just a fleeting moment, Ana stands and leans in to Howard. "Oh, look at this." She extends the newsprint paper again, positioning it once more atop the head of the vase seller, in such a way so that Howard can finally see the sketch drawn onto it: the very same Espeon at her side, sketched so that it looks like he is...

Well, in Ana's words: taking a dump on some talentless hack.

Though she presses her lips together, Ana can't help the giggles already bubbling out.

howard slayte

[nospaces]



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