"'Trying.' Well, there's plenty of time for her to do so, but for
Arceus' sake this is so stupid. This journey is bad enough to
start, I don't need those two at each other's throats for the rest
of the time." Miyah shook her head.
“Aww,” Ness cooed, lifting both hands to her cheeks. “You’re a good
trainer. Aaaand Lax is adorable. You’re both pretty cute together.”
She grinned, moving her hands to unwrap a lollipop and pop it into
her mouth. “Wonder if he’ll want to evolve?— And where exactly are
we again?”
Scar sighed in response to Deirdre. "Deirdre! Come on just relax!"
She called out feeling awful for the whole situation.
Max groaned and jumped into a tree. He wasn't a great climber like
his dad but he was still decent. He managed to get ahead of Deirdre
and made it to a low branch where he hung up side down. "Uh hey
Deirdre? Looks like I passed you." He said in a cautious but amused
tone as he tried to cheer her up.
Austin laughed and smiled at Jenny. "Ah do I now?" He joked kindly.
Simon grinned. "Thanks, Ness. You're nice." he commented as he
hugged an unsuspecting Lax. "Erm, I think we're on one of the
routes...?" he shrugged and turned to Ness.
Deirdre sighed. "Congrats." she mumbled, frustrated now. "Congrats,
you win."
Max frowned and sighed before jumping up and onto a branch behind
Deirdre. "What about now?" He asked with a tilt of his head and
tried to balance on the branch. It was a good five feet off the
ground, he froze in slight fear and tried not to become too scared
to climb back down.
JJ grinned as Joey took a picture of Lax and Simon together and
sent it over to Robert and Drew. She glanced over to see Micah
fidgeting and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Mic. We
are okay."
Max frowned, "I'm not trying to make a poi-" he was cut off as the
branch he was in snapped and he fell to the ground with a grunt. "I
was only trying to cheer you up." He grumbled and got to his feet.
His dad's words about testing a branch before jumping into it
repeated in his mind he sighed in embarrassment and annoyance
before walking away from Deirdre and heading towards Luminous.
“are you okay?!” Deirdre shouted as she ran toward him again. “Your
cheering up made no sense and didn’t really work. So how was I
supposed to -“ she sighed as shook her head.
"That's why I never liked climbing trees," Miyah grumbled, jogging
after Max. She glanced at Deirdre. "Ah, so that's what he was
trying to do? ...Yeah, no. That was bad." She let out a little
snicker.
"Yeah. I'm fine as long as you guys are. I wasn't kidding when I
said I came along to make sure you three didn't kill yourselves."
Micah replied with a nod.
"Don't worry you adorable little worry wart. We are fine." JJ
reassured Micah as she hugged him.
Max sighed and brushed himself off. "I'm fine." He sighed and
avoided looking at anyone. "Mimicking my dad never really helps me
cheer people up anyway." He shrugged and joked slightly.
Scar ran over to catch up to Miyah, Max, and Deirdre.
Max glanced at Miyah ans laughed in amusement. "I only think dad
can cheer people up by being dad." He chuckled before looking at
the man. "Uh is something wrong?"
Austin and Scar stopped behind Deirdre and exchanged a glance.
"Naw, kids! Well... yeah. See - some team or somethin' got a
problem wit the city. They ain't lettin' anybody through. S'yall
gotta take the path down to Camphrier." The man explained. "Go on."
he pointed to a man-made overpass inbetween two mountains with a
few trainers walking on it.
"OOoookay." Deirdre pivoted and turned in that direction, walking
up the stairs. And there were a lot of stairs.
"What a weirdo." Jenny mumbled as she looked at Austin.
Miyah frowned and looked up at Max for a moment before following
Deirdre. "Dad is definitely one to cheer people up," She giggled
somewhat mindlessly, glancing back at the man curiously.
Max frowned an looked over his shoulder as he followed the others
up the stairs. "Hmm." He said thoughtfully and tapped his chin for
a moment. Scar glanced at Max for a moment who shook his head and
replied to Miyah. "Yeah both dad and mom are the best to cheer
people up." He said kindly.
"Hey Jen? Do you think that guy was
hiding something." Austin whispered quietly and glanced back
towards the man.
Deirdre panted as she reached the top of the stairs. For the first
time since seeing everyone, she sends it her partner, Isa, a Bagon.
Isa looked at her and Deirdre smiled. “Let’s go, Isa.” She
whispered as she started walking.
”I’m certain he is.” Jenny
replied as Xiao nodded her agreement.