farawayplace | [Intro] A Big Arrival

[... Listen, AZ is used to drifting places, but this? This is a new one. At least all of his pokemon are with him - including Floette. He lets her out of her ball immediately as soon as he wakes up.]

[His coat is... heavy, but he doesn't change his clothes. He doesn't fit in any of the clothes that he might buy here anyway.]

Turnbloom City

[A shadow might fall over you or your pokemon. Large, imposing... fluffy? Well, that definitely is long white hair poking out from his hat, and the giant man seems to be curious about what's around him. He looks down and takes a step back from whomever he was going to bump into, looking around.]

S... sorry...

[He tugs his hat down a little more to hide his eyes, nervously trying to figure out a route to escape to.]

Route 1

[There's someone by the lighthouse... you might be forgiven for mistaking him for a pokemon, but no - it's just a very large man. He does seem to have an unusual set of pokemon around him - a Torkoal, a Golurk, a Sigilyph, and a... small pokemon that's hard to see until you get close, but it's a strangely-colored Floette.]

[They're sitting at the edge of the cape and he's dangling his legs off the side of the cliffs. His hat is off, so his fluffy hair is on full display.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She shakes her head at the first question and then gestures to AZ with the second. She's lonely, yes... but she has her trainer now!]

She's... very nice.

[He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pellet of Pokemon snacks. Floette zooms over and grabs one, quickly nooming over to Pikachu and holding it out to him. Here!]

[Ash's gaze follows Floette's gestures leading to him looking at AZ once again, even for a moment. And then he smiles, seeing how happy she is with her trainer.]

I see, you don't feel too lonely because you're by his side! Yeah, I get it! Me and Pikachu feel the same way too right, buddy?

[Pikachu nods. And when he's offered a snack, his ears and tail perk up and accepts Floette's kindness as he takes the pellet. Wow, AZ is right -- she's definitely very nice! Speaking of AZ... Ash starts to look sheepish at the man as he rubs the back of his head.]

Um, sorry about earlier mister. You really surprised me! Like... you're so tall, I think you're taller than my Dragonite!

[If AZ takes a look in his eyes, they only show a strong childish fascination.]

I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new here?

We were apart for a while, but... we found each other again.

[Floette chirps happily at Pikachu. Growing Pokemon need to have food, after all!]

That's all right. I startle people often... I don't mean to. But... yes. I am new. I woke up not long ago...

[He's still very confused, but at least he has Floette and the others with him.]

[From what AZ said, it sounded as if something happened between them in the past. While he is a wee bit curious about it, Ash is happy to hear the fact that they're together again. And that's what matters the most, right?]

You woke up... then, does that mean you've just drifted here?

That's right. It's a strange place... I haven't had that experience before.

[He'd woken up without knowing where he was when the weapon exploded, but...]

Is it... the same for you?

[He nods his head a few times.]

Yeah, my buddy and I were just in the middle of a tournament in the Galar region. And all of a sudden, here we are! And we don't know how we can leave and get back home either...

[There's a slight frown on his face, but that gets immediately replaced with a reassuring smile, not wanting AZ to worry about him.]

Well, I'm sure things will work out somehow!

Galar...

[He hasn't been there in a while. Huh.]

Ah... well, with so many young energetic trainers running around, I'm sure it will. I'm... a bit of an older trainer. I'm not really cut out for tournaments anymore.

[Well AZ does look pretty old! From the white hair and his aged appearance... But how is that an issue?]

I dunno, I don't think you're too old to join. I've seen plenty of strong trainers who're as old as my grandpa! Maybe even older!

[Well, that's not what AZ meant, but Ash doesn't know that.]

[It's not, but he appreciates the sentiment.]

I can battle, but I don't do it very much. My Pokemon and I prefer to live a quiet life. ... And I don't like crowds much either.

I do watch them sometimes, though. They're always on in Pokemon Centers when we do go into towns.

I see... Well, watching them's fun too!

[Though he prefers to be part of the action. But he won't push AZ if he prefers not to do it.]

Oh, d'you know your way around yet mister? I could show you to the nearest Pokemon Center!

That would be very helpful. They also tend to have large enough doors for me.

[Height can be a problem.]

Then follow me, mister! It's not too far from here!

[And once he leads the way, he realizes he hasn't introduce himself! Oops, where are his manners...]

By the way, I'm Ash from Pallet Town in Kanto, and this is my buddy Pikachu! I know we're a bit far from home, but everyone here in Ultern's been pretty nice and friendly! And there's a lot of Pokemon here that I've never seen from of all the other places I've visited...! There's a lot to do here, y'know!

Oh.

[Well. He should introduce himself too.]

I'm AZ. We're from Kalos originally. But we've wandered all over at this point... I've seen a few Pokemon here that I'm not used to, which is surprising. I want to see a lot of different sorts of places and people and Pokemon with my own eyes.

Oh? What sort of things do you like to do?

Ooh, I get that. The world's really big after all, and there's probably a lot more Pokemon out there that we've yet to see!

Pika-chuuu!

[Ash then hums in thought.]

Well, I like to battle! And I like to meet new people and find new Pokemon, and hopefully be friends with them! Oh, and try out some of their delicious food too! And lots, lots more!

There are. And you have time to go see so many of them.

[Ah, to be young again.]

I like a lot of those things as well. Though my team and I have been together for a long time, so we're not looking for new friends to join us specifically. We do spend a lot of time out in nature though, so we don't see the food quite as much as you might. Cities... I get a lot of stares.

[To Ash it sounds like AZ has been roughing it out in the wilderness for his whole life. Though it's not as different as what he does too... Travelling here and there, going where the path would take him or where his heart feels like taking. But often times, the thought of home occurs to him...]

...Do you ever have time to come back home, Mr. AZ?

... I don't really have a home anymore. Other than...

[How to put this?]

My home has changed too much for it to feel like my home anymore.

[And he can't really just show up to the castle and claim it. No one would believe him. And it'd raise questions about how he's alive, which he doesn't want to discuss.]

But as long as I have my Pokemon, that's home for me.

[Ash at first seemed to try to understand what he meant. So... basically he has no home to go back to, right? He then frowns as the thoughts jumble around in his brain.

...And then he gave up thinking about it.]

Um, I don't really get it but it sounds like that must've been really hard for you, Mr. AZ. But... I think you're right! Being with your Pokemon can feel like home too!

[He grins at his Pikachu who responds back similarly, and both even did a soft headbutt at each other.

Soon enough, Ash spots the familiar shape of the Pokemon Center and points at it.]

Looks like we're almost there! The Pokemon Center isn't too far from here!

[Intro] A Big Arrival

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