#arvenposting

[hamofjustice]

[just-a-freak40]

New Pokemas pic + plushie Nemona!

She's so silly I love her.

[takemetotheastralagain]

hey real quick actually.

added a second no because that’s my answer because my mom is being wretched as usual

[hamofjustice]

i've been steadily working on making game boy color sprites for zero crew, who deserve a series of their own. not just any sprites, though -- casual, out-of-school adventuring ones!

[takemetotheastralagain]

If I got a goose one day what would the funniest thing to name it be

This is under the standard that I will socialize and raise it lovingly so the violence would be at a minimum. hopefully! I’m also putting as many answers as I can just because

I made these up for the poll and it will be at least a while before I could acquire a goose but I’m thinking about funny names for a goose rn

[hamofjustice]

After thinking about it more on Twitter I've decided to expand one of my personal, mostly story and postgame focused, Indigo Disk Bingo Cards (the positive one) to 7x7, featuring more QoL features, more stuff to do, fluffy flavor additions, basegame character moments, subtextual/headcanon stuff, etc. that don't seem like they're too obviously guaranteed to happen. Not gonna see much lore or worldbuilding or new character stuff here though, I'll let them do whatever they're doing with that

[takemetotheastralagain]

oh shit. only one way to celebrate this one gamers

oh shit, it's 3/21/23, 32123, palindrome day

[takemetotheastralagain]

Sending geese to lick you

WITH THEIR TONGUE TEETH???

[hamofjustice]

Nemona the Unrivaled

Chapter 3 - A Fresh Start

Info / Chapter Select: here

(This is the last chapter I had lying around before I started working on Ham's League Club Expansion Pack for a while)

“Sigh... alright. How ‘bout we start over. Hi Nemona, my neighbor I’ve never had beef with in my life. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Arven.”

Nemona played along as she rose shakily from the ground to meet his pained smile. “Heh. Hi Arven, nice to meet you too.” She wasn’t really sure if it was normal to be letting him reset their relationship like this, but at this point holding the grudge didn’t feel worth missing out on a connection. She just needed one too badly... and it felt like she’d already made progress on humanizing herself to him, even if it wasn’t in a way she was proud of. It felt like she was just drifting on instinct with no plan now. Hopefully everything didn’t fall apart again...

Once he’d helped her stand, a few awkward moments passed where they were both unsure what to say, or where to look, or what to do with their hands once they’d quickly let go of each other.

Arven eventually decided to just turn to face Miraidon again, with one hand on his hip and the other rubbing his forehead. “So, uh... right then, let’s get to business. What’s that you said about finding this brute crash landed on the beach?”

“Oh, right. Yeah, it just fell right out of the sky like it ran out of fuel or something! I went down to feed it some Berries and fend off a bunch of Houndour that were checking it out, then when it felt better it wanted to come up here to the lighthouse, so we went through that tunnel back there...”

Arven crossed his arms. “Huh. Not sure why it’s here, but I guess it’s probably grateful to you.”

“Agias!” Miraidon affirmed.

“Hmph.”

Nemona couldn’t help but notice the way Arven seemed to resent this Pokemon for some reason, even after calming down. “So... if I can ask now... what’s your connection to Miraidon, Arven? Why’s it pawing at your door?”

Arven took a deep breath and gazed up at the horizon, toward the Great Crater. “You’re not going to babble about this to, uh... Chairwoman Geeta or whoever, right?”

“I meannn... you’re right, we do talk, but I can keep a secret.”

“You sure? President’s honor?”

“Promise.”

“... It used to live here with me. It’s something Dad found in Area Zero, I guess? He just... brought it home one day, didn’t tell me much. Guess it was confidential or what have you. But when it snuck out and people found out about it, he took it with him back into the crater before it caused more of a fuss.” he explained, nodding in the forbidden zone’s direction. “I haven’t seen either of ‘em again until just now, so seeing it with you was a bit much to take in. I used to at least get calls or emails from my old man, trying to convince me how much he still cared and he was totally gonna make it all worth it someday, but... those stopped eventually, too.”

He then turned back to Miraidon. “You really ruined my childhood, y’know.”

“Gia...” it responded, cowering again and looking away.

“Whoof... Well, I don’t know if that’s fair to Miraidon. I mean, Professor Turo could come back for you if he really wanted-”

“Yeah, he sure could’ve!” Arven spat, then stepped back sheepishly when Tauros snorted at him.

Nemona winced. “Sorry. Uh... w-what about your mom? Is she cool at least?”

“... Never really knew her. Took off after I was born for whatever reason. Mother of the year, eh?”

Nemona’s eyes turned to saucers.

”Apparently she used to work with Dad, but they fought so much that she just completely up and left one day. Don’t think they even had the chance to get married. Maybe I reminded her of him so much that she didn’t... wanna look at me. Kinda like how I don’t wanna look at this brute. Who knows. Who cares! She can shove it too. Probably just wanted a little lab assistant instead of a son. So yeah, I may as well be an orphan at this rate.”

“Oh my gosh, Arven... I had no idea...”

“Yeah. So that’s what me being ‘the big shot son of the famous, brilliant Professor Turo’ has gotten me in life. And then... uh...”

Arven seemed to be looking at something over Nemona’s shoulder and stopped talking. Nemona turned to look as well.

Adam was walking down the road as far away from them as possible, but when he noticed them looking at him -- or maybe when he heard Arven say who he was in such an over-the-top snarky tone -- he glared straight at them as he passed by. Nemona felt cold and sick again, but Adam never said anything.

Step by step, the anticipation was tearing Nemona up. But nothing happened. Adam just kept on going and eventually looked away and disappeared down the hill ahead.

Arven slumped forward once the new trainer was out of sight. “...Yeesh, what was that all about? S’like that little guy was possessed by the lingering spirit of my beef with you or something.”

Nemona snorted and smiled, to her own surprise. “Heh. Um... that was Adam, he just moved in next door. I uh, well... We, um... He doesn’t like me, no.”

“What’d you do? Uh I mean, what happened?”

Nemona narrowed her eyes at the implication it was her fault, but she resisted snapping back. “Well, uh... basically I told him I was a Champion who wanted to... start my team and my Gym Challenge over, to be a rival to somebody new, and picked out a new little starter Pokemon along with him. Y’know, I wanted to... take him under my wing, share some of my stuff and my knowledge, watch him grow! Maybe... maybe make a... a friend out of it...” she recounted, tapping her fingertips together.

Arven raised an eyebrow when Nemona got shaky at that last part.

“... But he seemed to think I was just doing it to, I don’t know, stroke my ego, or boss him around, or whatever the heck else people think I do. He...” Nemona had to hug herself while she thought about it. “...He kinda started ranting about it at me, until Director Clavell chewed him out for it. It was like Adam thought he already knew who I was and had enough of me in, like... minutes. It just... ouch, y’know? And, to be honest. I don’t think the Director sticking up for me did anything to help the kid thinking I was some kind of ‘teacher’s pet,’ either...”

“...Oh.” Arven guiltily rubbed the back of his neck. “...How many times did you battle him?“

“I didn’t even ask for one yet!” Nemona responded with an angry pout.

“Huh. So that’s the state you were in when I came along and did the same thing to you, huh...”

She softened. “Yeah. ...Yeah. Y-you didn’t know, it’s okay!”

“Is it, though?”

“We’re talking now, I think it turned out okay. But... but...”

Nemona sighed. She felt an instinctive anxiety that she was telling Arven way too much and she should stop, but it seemed far too late to stop now. He’d already seen her fall apart, he should know why too. Especially when he’d revealed so much to her today.

“... I dunno, it all just left me wondering... If... if a total stranger who just moved here can hate me that much, what hope do I have at... at ever...”

Nope, couldn’t keep it together long enough to finish her sentence. She covered her face as her jaw quivered. The audible sniffle probably told Arven what he needed to know.

“So uh... you don’t have life handed to you on a platter like people might assume either, eh?”

Nemona rapidly shook her head no without uncovering it. “N-no. My family’s basically never home either. Today’s the first time I’ve seen them in ages. They kinda... leave me to fend for myself out here. Not that I don’t like the freedom sometimes, but... I dunno.”

“Fend for yourself, huh...” he repeated quietly, looking down at the ground.

Nemona removed her braced arm from her face and rested it in her other palm. “Well, I mean, not literally -- housekeepers come by here and there -- but they know I don’t really like being taken care of like that.”

“Hmph. Well, still no substitute for family, I s’pose.”

“And then when I get out of there and back to school where I belong, it feels like a lotta kids are jealous of me, and everyone I battle or even talk to about Pokemon just gets mad. I wanna have fun with ‘em, maybe even help ‘em get stronger, but they’re all sour grapes about it. Like I’m making fun of them by just... being here, and they’ve gotta fight back.”

Arven scratched the back of his neck some more and looked away. Nemona also averted her gaze, toward her Tauros.

“... Some days, it feels like all I’ve got is my Pokemon.” she continued as she pet the loyal bull. “Everybody thinks ‘cause I’m a Champion and have a rich family and decent grades and stuff, I’m, just... born different. Like I can do things they never could. Like I’m gifted and special, or cheating, when...”

Nemona showed Arven the red glove on her right hand. He took a step back defensively, but then took a closer look at it as she flexed her fingers.

“...When I have to wear this brace just to be able to throw a Poke Ball even halfway right or get through a day of homework without pain, and I can barely make it up the stairs to school without help, and... everyone looks at me like I’m an alien or a science experiment, or like Pokemon battles are an annoying niche interest if I’m the one talking about them...”

Nemona crossed her arms and looked out at the ocean. When she glanced back at Arven, there was a strange mix of emotions on his face. Mostly like he was sad and unsure what to do, like Clavell was, but there was something else going on there too that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“Well, no... that's not fair, the new teachers are fine, and little kids like me... and-- S-sorry, sorry, I’m totally unloading on you, I’m sorry, you’ve got it worse. I’m okay, really...” she quickly apologized, rattling her head and turning away again.

“No you’re not.” Arven said firmly.

“Yes I am sorry, you--” Nemona started, falling into her old habits around Arven.

He raised his hands. “Nonono, shush, I mean, you’re not okay.”

“Don’t shush-- Y-yeah, and what about it, huh?”

“And that’s rough, but... pretending you don’t need help isn’t... i-isn’t the way to make it better, is it?”

“Oh.” she responded, deflating. “...Yeah, I guess it really hasn’t been. I just... don’t wanna look needy.”

An awkward pause passed. Both of the teens’ eyes searched the road for nothing in particular as Nemona thought about what Arven said.

“... W-well, I’m as shocked as you are that I ended up being the person you told all this to. And spice adversa, I guess.” he acknowledged as he combed a hand through his fluffy hair.

“... Vice versa?” She quietly corrected.

“Ghk-- Shush, you... nerd.”

Nemona snorted and smiled a bit. “Just making sure you have it right next time.”

“Sure. Anyway... it sounds like you could really use someone in your corner. I could too, I suppose. Maybe we have enough in common to make something work.”

“You... wanna be friends?” Nemona guessed as her face began to light up back to the brightness it belonged at, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“... Yeah. I’ll give it another shot.” Once again, Arven offered her his hand, this time to shake on it, though he was looking away like it was a little embarrassing for him.

Nemona shook his hand eagerly. Somehow, falling apart in front of someone she thought hated her just led to him putting her back together instead of kicking the pieces around. Maybe this morning wouldn’t be so bad. Best not to dwell on how long ago they could’ve been friends if they’d just been a little more open, though...

“Yeah! Sounds good to me, amigo! We should get to school soon, though. Uh... what’re we gonna do with Miraidon?”

“Woorgh?”

“Ugh, right, where are we going to keep that brute now? We can’t put it in a Ball because it’s already registered to my dad, and I’d rather not leave it unsupervised...”

“Oh wait, hold on! I found a Poke Ball in the sand next to this fella.” Nemona remembered, and went to dig through her satchel for it. Being in a different pocket than the others made it stand out. “You never know, this could be it.”

“Agias!”

“Well, try it and see, I suppose...”

Nemona attempted to recall Miraidon into the Poke Ball, and sure enough, it succeeded. Whatever this thing was, it was in her hand now... even if it was apparently not in any shape to be used yet.

“Well I’ll be a Mankey’s uncle, that solves that problem! Normally I’d tell you not to go parading it around Paldea, but actually, now that I think about it... I’m honestly all for doing anything that would make my old man steamed, so go ahead. I have to admit Miraidon was pretty clever bringing its own Ball along like that, though. Hmmm... unless Dad sent it back here on purpose for some reason? If it’s supposed to be his messenger, I don’t know what the message is, or how an email wouldn’t have been easier. I don’t suppose there were any sticky notes under its, uh, saddle or anything, were there?”

“Don’t think so. Um... you think something bad happened to the professor?”

“... It’s possible. Last time I went-- Uh, last time I heard it was a really dangerous place. Really earned that restricted access.”

“Dangerous? Like, full of super-strong Pokemon? I could probably handle those!”

Arven rolled his eyes. “... Well, yeah, but also the thousand foot drops, and I doubt all the radiation from those crystal things has been healthy for Dad’s brain in the long term... Anyway, right, school. I was just gonna walk, maybe train up this Skwovet I caught earlier, but now I’m pretty behind schedule. Err, uhh, not that this little chat wasn’t worth it, ‘course.”

“You wanna ride on my Cyclizar?” Nemona offered eagerly. “I think it’s strong enough for two. Can't go skipping class if I bring you there myself!”

Arven pinched his brow like this was the hardest decision of his life. “...Fine.”

“Heh heh! Alright! Get on and let’s vamos!”

And with that, the ornery outdoorsman clung tightly to Nemona’s back as they zipped through the rest of Poco Path, the nearby village of Los Platos, and the hills beyond on her galloping Cyclizar. The entrance gates to Mesagoza were soon just a few minutes away despite the interruptions.

Nemona hadn’t even considered that Arven would have to do such an overly familiar thing when she brought up the idea to hitch a ride, but he eventually gave up his pride after falling off for trying to be hands-off. She had to admit -- at least to herself -- that a hug from a peer felt pretty nice even if it was for purely practical reasons.

“Soooo, that Skwovet you mentioned! Are you starting over with a new Pokemon too, then? Or did you just finally decide to start training something besides that Mabosstiff?” she asked loudly enough to be heard while they were moving.

“Mmm. Uh. You remember him, huh?”

“Of course! You two seemed as inseparable as it gets -- a real inspiration for how close a Trainer and Pokemon can be!”

Arven took a deep breath for some reason. “...Thanks. Yeah, I guess I am... s-starting over. Sorta. I’ll put Mabosstiff back on my team when everyone else, uh, catches up to him, ‘course...”

“Hey, alright! Maybe we can get some battles in with your Skwovet and my Sprigatito then! You ‘n’ me could even do that idea I had with...” No, no need to say that kid’s name anymore. Forget him. “...Uh, that idea to start new teams and do the Gyms over and stuff!” Calm down, don’t ask for too much. “......If you want. No pressure.”

“Yeah, maybe I could use the help.”

[takemetotheastralagain]

does anyone want to see my cool dragons

[takemetotheastralagain]

Dni if you took high school English and read the books for real instead of skimming the wikipedia we’re in the no reading comprehension club only

"dni if you engage with irredeemable media! dni to kill a mockingbird stans" ok well CLEARLY you have never read to kill a mockingbird if you think it's irredeemable media and also having a book that was published in 1960 on your dni stan list is kinda ridiculous actually

[detective-piplup]

should I make a sideblog for my Pokémon/Arven posting

[shittyclive]

we all need to arvenpost more. he is peak guy

hes just guy....... he looks bigender

[yeehawbvby]

Went to read the fic where Arven pulled his hair into a ponytail… made me cry and mutter indecipherable Spanish. Holy, teach me your ways! Since when were you this talented?/j I love that fic so much!!!

Raaaain thank you sm :’) !! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[hamofjustice]

the contrast of what the "downer ending but at least you have each other" basegame final cutscene looks like in-engine and what it feels like in-context (the art) is so real

nemona doesn't really know how to recognize or help her new friends deal with grief or trauma, as she's picked up on from the past few times she's been yelled at today, but she does know how to cheer somebody up, so that's what she's gonna try instead

and it works, maybe because they just feel like seeing her in good faith this time after what they just went through together

[hamofjustice]

Nemona the Unrivaled

Chapter 4 - Stars Align

Info / Chapter Select: here

(by popular demand, this fic continues!)

Nemona, Arven, and Cyclizar were making good time on their ride to Uva Academy. The young Champion thought maybe they'd even have time for a battle or two before they had to go sign in… right as the gleam of some familiar white helmets caught her attention.

"Whoa, hold up, Cyclizar." she commanded in a low voice, and the motorcycle-like lizard slowed to a stop a few yards away from her least favorite staircase -- gradually, so as to not throw Arven off. It didn't particularly enjoy stairs either, so they were going to stop there regardless.

Arven had been uncharacteristically quiet most of the way, but the commotion ahead got his attention. "Huh?"

Two members of the delinquent student gang known as Team Star seemed to be blocking the path of a teen with short but eye-catching red and blue hair and a big plush Eevee backpack. Even though their target didn't seem to be wearing Uva's uniform, Nemona quickly decided it was her duty to watch what happened next and possibly intervene…

"Don’t you get it?! If you join Team Star, you can shine as bright as anybody!" "Yeah! Seriously, what’s with you? Don’t you wanna burn bright with awesome friends like us?"

The girl they were harassing sighed. "… Not really."

The pair's casual demeanor quickly flipped to aggressive. "Look, we’ve got a quota we’re supposed to fill for new members, so just sign up already!"

Typical recruiters. Nemona rolled her shoulders and began stomping toward them.

"Um… I'd rather not…" the cornered girl muttered flatly, unmoved -- though her Galarian accent poked through, regardless.

The student council president made her presence known behind the delinquent duo, as Arven dismounted her Cyclizar in the background. "Oye! Pero bueno, what's going on here? Trying to pressure people into signing up again?"

The two punks jumped out of their skin and spun around, instantly toppled from the high ground they thought they had over the situation. Now that she saw their faces, Nemona remembered their last names from having reported them previously…

"Gah! It's that student council dweeb!" shouted Gruntae, the newer recruit. "Shh! Ah, hi. We weren't… NOT doing that…" added Gruntby, unhelpfully.

Nemona's expression shifted from protective anger to a dangerous smirk as she got closer. "Well, it just so happens me and my friend here are just DYING for a battle--" she began, tilting her head in Arven's direction.

"We are?" he asked, glancing down at Cyclizar as if expecting the lizard to shrug.

"-- so why don't you two help me make an example of what happens when someone tries bullying kids on my watch?"

"Uh, yeah, pick on somebody your own size, like her!" Arven awkwardly joined in, pointing at Nemona.

The Eevee fan pushed up her round glasses. "Um, actually I'm perfectly capa--"

"Bullying? Hey, you heard us, we're just looking for new friends! Right?" Gruntby asked Gruntae. "Yeah! W-we just want folks to know how much more popular they'd be with us!" "Right! Seems SOME people are fine with being total nobodies forever, though…"

"HEY!" yelled Nemona, which made the quiet girl trying to slip past the grunts unnoticed jump in surprise and skitter the rest of the way to her defenders' side.

Nemona cleared her throat before continuing, feeling a little hoarse after her previous outburst that morning. "I don't know what you call that kinda talk except bullying! Now, if you really wanna-- *cough* wanna 'make friends' with this girl, you're gonna have to get past us first." Nemona challenged. She held out a Poke Ball with one of her arms bracing the other, like it was an arm cannon ready to fire. "Ready?"

"Hold on, I'm not sure I should, uh…" Arven began to protest.

"Right, right, this would be a much more fruitful battle if we got our new Pokemon some beginner's experience with it! Silly me!" she said, swapping out her Tauros's Ball for Sprigatito's.

Arven blinked. "… Yeah, I mean, I… sure. Okay. Just what I was gonna say, Prez." he said with a shrug before holding up a Ball of his own.

"Beginners?! Hey! You can't just go treatin' Team Star like easy pickings! For the honor of the team, we've got no choice but to burn you to ash now!" shouted Gruntby. "… We don't?" asked Gruntae. "Shouldn't we just book it? I mean--" "No way! C'mon!" her teammate insisted.

With that, the four students spread out and turned the side street into their impromptu battlefield. The red-and-blue-haired girl stuck around to watch as well, lightly knocking on the side of her head like she was trying to remember something…

Arven, staring down their opponents, stepped up to Nemona's side and whispered "Didn't we both just get these Pokemon? Are you sure they can handle this?"

"Hey, we're both pros even if they're not yet, right? And we've both got Tera Orbs -- I'm sure these punks don't."

"You think I'm a pro…? But you're--"

"YO, EARTH TO DWEEBS! Less prattling, more battling!" interrupted Gruntae.

"Nice." approved Gruntby with a high-five.

=====

Gruntae and Gruntby of Team Star want to battle!

Gruntae sent out Shroodle! Gruntby sent out Yungoos!

Nemona sent out Sprigatito! Arven sent out Skwovet!

=====

"Haha, weak! You must be really full of yourselves if you think you can win with those!" taunted Gruntby.

"Callate, you! Now, let's focus down that Shroodle, before it--"

"Acid Spray!" interrupted Gruntae.

"Dive low and Scratch!"

After a moment, Nemona's Sprigatito did in fact pounce on the Shroodle and dodge the Poison attack in the process, correctly predicting the spray would launch in an arc and not straight at the little cat's face. She was also correct to assume that a starter Pokemon from the school would have some basic training.

"Bite that Shroodle like a Berry, before it moves again!" called Arven to Skwovet, keeping up the pressure on the opponent that had a type advantage just as Nemona wanted.

"Tackle 'em!" ordered Gruntby to his Yungoos, knocking back the weaker Sprigatito several feet and chasing it down to finish it off.

"Here goes… Terastallize!" shouted Nemona, tossing her Tera Orb to encrust her Sprigatito in brilliant green crystal. "Overgrown Leafage on that Yungoos!"

Arven followed suit, turning his little squirrel a shining white. "You too, Skwovet! Use this to Tackle that Shroodle with all you've got!

And soon…

=====

Nemona and Arven won the battle!

=====

"W-well, um, uh, h-hasta la vistar! ☆" Gruntae sputtered, hastily signing the team's signature star symbol before she ran off toward a nearby alley.

Gruntby, meanwhile, stood his ground, gritting his teeth. "Hmph. Figures your pal here would be a cheater like you, Prez. Did your daddies buy you those toys, just like your grades?"

Nemona's eye twitched as her face scrunched up to mirror his. "I earned mine fair and square, by putting in the work -- and so could you, if you'd stop skipping class and causing trouble! I'm not special!"

"Tch! Like you're gonna let any of us set foot in that school again without reportin' us. You got a point with that last part, though -- you ain't special, just lucky."

Nemona did her best to ignore that jab. "You guys do realize you haven't been expelled yet because we don't WANT to, right? Because the Director's been holding out hope that we can help you grow like we're supposed to?"

The Team Star boy stared blankly for a moment, then flipped back to casual mode. "Whatever. I'll be on my merry way back where I don't need fixing… Hasta la vistaaarrr! ☆"

She watched him run off, her face frozen in a frown. It was so frustrating how Team Star thought they were in the right, even as they insulted, hassled, and blockaded whoever they wanted. Neither she nor the teachers could really figure out what to do about them, especially given that they were just kids in need of guidance and not real criminals. If only she could solve this problem through battling. That was one of maybe two things she was actually good--

"I… uh… I just… Well, thanks." stammered the girl they helped, snapping Nemona back to normal.

"Wha-- Yeah! Yeah, no problem!"

"You all right there, Prez?" Arven asked.

Nemona suddenly realized she had quite a few eyes on her at that moment, human and Pokemon alike. She cleared her throat, straightened her tie, and tightened her glove before turning around. "Yeah, I'm fine! Wish battling actually solved anything, though. Um, how about you, uh…?"

"… Oh, P-Penny. Name's Penny. I'm a student here, too…"

"Hi, Penny! I'm Nemona!"

"And I'm Arven."

"You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" Nemona asked, twisting herself around to inspect the new girl curiously.

"No, Team Star doesn't, uh, didn't hurt me, no." she stammered.

"Good!" Nemona exclaimed, as Arven nodded.

"I… wouldn't let them." Penny added with an unexpected confidence.

"I don't think I've seen you around before -- I'll be your student council president this semester, in theory. Nice to meet you!" Nemona said, holding out her gloved hand.

Penny glanced between Nemona's smile and hand a few times before going for the handshake. "N-nice to meet you, too, Nemona. Arven. Um… g-good to, uh, know we've got… h-heroes watching over us… I, um, we should probably get going before we're late, though…"

"Right, I guess that ate up the time we had to spare, eh?" Arven noted.

Penny turned to face the massive staircase up to Uva Academy. "See you around…"

"All right! We'll catch up to you in a sec! Cool bag, by the way! Love that fluff!"

"Uh… thanks."

Nemona sighed contentedly as she watched that Penny girl make her way up, proud to be someone's hero. She rattled her head to get her mind back to business and started digging through her bag, looking for a healing Potion to spray Sprigatito with and the Balls to put it and Cyclizar into, as the two Pokemon looked up at her expectantly.

"Sorry, I, uh--" Arven began to mutter.

"Wha-huh? For what?"

"Those guys kinda remind me of what I'm normally like…"

"Pshhh, not even close! Besides, we turned over a new leaf, bud! Right?"

"I… yeah, I guess. I've just never been on your side of something like that before."

"Well… I'm glad you're here now." Nemona said with a warm smile.

Arven averted his gaze toward the stairs, rubbing the back of his neck while Skwovet sat on his other shoulder. "Bit weird she's not in uniform, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if she went here at first! She must be new -- the Director or somebody'll probably say something to her about the dress code before I have to, though." Nemona reasoned as she finished up her team maintenance. "All right… ready for the worst staircase in the world?"

"Yep." Arven answered, pulling the straps taut on his heavy backpack.

Nemona took a deep breath, and… dashed up at full speed!

"Whoa, take it easy, you maniac!"

… She only made it about halfway before she stopped to catch her breath, and looked back to see Arven -- as well as several other students -- catching up to her at a comfortable walking pace.

Arven smirked as he walked up to her again. "Guess you were right about not making it up here easily. You looked like more of an athlete than that…"

"Haha… nope… definitely… not…"

"Well, you'd probably make it further if you took your time and paced yourself. Less likely to break something if you trip, too." Arven advised. "Keep those legs loose at least, you don't want to cramp up from suddenly standing still." His Skwovet squeaked in agreement.

Nemona took the suggestion and started shifting around on her feet. "Heh… are YOU an athlete, Arven?"

"Me? Nah, just stuff you should know if you do a lot of hiking."

Nemona nodded. "Guess I've been pretty reliant on my Pokemon to help me get around…"

After a moment or two, she looked back up from the ground and was pleasantly surprised to realize Arven was still waiting for her.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I think so. Pacing myself, huh…"

This time, they walked together the rest of the way, and made their way inside…