Route 5 is a wonderful place. It’s got this atmosphere of serenity and calmness. The same could be said for any other Route I’ve been on, but here there’s charismatic street performers everywhere. Elle’s dancing elegantly alongside them. While I never did manage to get any information out of N, I can’t help but wonder what he is, who he is, why he disappeared so suddenly. I don’t want to exactly think bad of the guy, even if he is a little creepy. But…

“Gruff! Gruff!” Ruff chews on my jean leg, bringing me back to the here and now.

“What’s up, boy?” He points towards Elle, dancing. “Yeah she’s looking really pretty.” Orla’s cheering along, I haven’t seen her this happy in a while.

***

“YES, GIRL. GET IT! WOAH! SEE THAT? THAT’S MY BEST FRIEND! FAMOUS POKÉMON MUSICAL ACTRESS, ELLE THE PETILIL!” I am so damn proud of that little angel. I’m waving my shells nice and high for you! Terran pipes up from beside me.

“Orla are you okay?”

“What? Me? Yeah, sure, Terran I’m fine just- WOO! GO ELLE! GET IT!” I dunno why everyone’s been so weird since the musical, last night when we were camping out here Elle did another little show for us when Alec was sleeping and GOSH, I love it.

She wraps up her dance and comes back to all of us.

“Orla, thanks for cheering for me! TBH, It’s a little distracting but I’m loving your energy, queen, get it!” She nuzzles against my side. Finn comes over from Alec’s side.

“You’re doing great, Elle! You look a little tired though, is everything okay?”

“What? Yeah? What makes you say that?”

“Elle, your leaves are a little droopy. Did you get enough sleep last night?” What? Oh, you’re right, I never even noticed because I was cheering so hard. “You’re exerting a lot of energy right now, I can see you’re kinda at your limit. Want me to talk to Alec?”

“What! No! No, don’t do that! We can’t worry him when he’s all worried and contemplative about that weird guy who got me in the musical.” She skitters, but after Finn pointed out the leaf thing, she’s breathing pretty hard too.

I run over to Ruff and Alec.

***

“Hm? What’s up Orla?” I spy Elle, surrounded by the rest of the research team. “What about her?”

“Sonny that ther’ Pet’lil looks mighty tired.” A strong, accented, bellowing voice from behind calls out. I turn and see a large man approach us, a stetson on his head and a...lollipop?

“I’m sorry, can I help you?” Not meaning to be rude, but...

“Name’s Clay. Guessin’ y’all ain’t from ‘round these parts if ya don’t know me.” His accent is so damn thick. It’s not bad compared to Northern Galarian but oof. “You got a Sun Stone by chance, kid?” Orla nods, rummaging through my bag and grabbing it.

“I think that ther’ Dewott wants to help her pal o’er ther’ evolve.” Mate, what are you on about?

“Oh. Sure. Orla is that what Elle wants, though?” Orla looks right in my eyes, her eyes twinkle. I suppose that’s her way of saying ‘I’ll do my best by my friend!’ I get it, Hannah’s made that same look plenty a time.

She runs over under my approval, Clay tipping his stetson. Elle and her have a small exchange.

“Lil? Lil?” Elle hops in excitement.

“Sure. You’re going to be even more beautiful than you are now!” Her leaves stick up, reddening to the compliment. Orla places down the Sun Stone, allowing Elle to hop onto it daintily...

“Watch the show, kid.”

…and she dances.

The bright glow of evolution once seen on Orla and Ruff surrounds Elle in its lustre. She continues dancing, twirling, jumping, flying. Growing.

The sparkles disperse, revealing a larger, yet still petite and elegant creature. The splits in her leaves have grown out, creating the illusion of more hair strands.

“That ther’ Lill’gant’s got the shiniest darn coat I ain’t never seen.” I suppose so, whatever he’s saying. Elle jumps around in her new form: a beautiful Lilligant. Orla joins in her dance as Ruff, Finn and Terran cheer together.

“Yer Pokémon sure do get along mighty fine, but what about this feller on yer back?”

“Excuse me?”

“This little one stuck on yer jack’t.”

“I don’t understand?”

“It’s mighty unsightly I hope y’know.” I tear my coat off, trying to understand. And lo and behold there it was. A creature that's been stuck to my back, yet unnoticed the whole time.

“Drayn? What are you doing here?”

“Massss…” The Ghost type we’d all met back in Castelia after being ambushed by his comrades. He looks a little ashamed, which is understandable enough. The little stowaway.

“I thought you were in the PC?” He flails his mask around. Clay grabs it.

“Kid, y’know how the PC stuff works, righ’?” ...Truth be told, I did skip the tutorial. “I thought you kids were meant ta be good at this stuff. You did done signed up properly regist’rin? Inputin’ yer trainer ID? Yer Friend Code?” This is literally the first I’ve ever heard of such a concept. I rummage in my bag, trying to find Drayn’s Poké Ball. Found it! I scan it on my phone and sure enough…

“You never went to the PC…”

“Trainer of tha year o’er her’, fellas.” His group of workmen behind him roar in laughter.

“I’m...oh god, I’m so sorry, Drayn.”

“Maaasss” I don’t think he’s upset?

“Looks like the lil’ feller was just too shy to show himself, since y’all thought he was kaput for a while. Ain’t that right buddy?” Drayn nods his mask, released from Clay’s grasp.

“Thanks for the information, sir.” I guess Drayn’s here to stay. I take some time to explain to Clay why he wasn’t meant to be here in the first place.

***

“Awright, I see. Well. Lucky enough fer you I got a house in Driftveil beggin’ to have Pokémon there. You say yer a researcher for all things Legendary Dragon, yeah?” I nod, listening very closely. He seems like a smart businessman after everything he’s said, despite his rooting-tooting appearance.

“Me an’ my boys here just got done fixin’ the drawbridge? What say you and I come back to my office and have a chat. I’m mighty interested in this research on Reshiram y’all keep totin’”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure as ever! I always trust a guy with a Sandile, that there Victini looks mighty strong too. I wanna hear all about that ther’ critter.” I look over to the research team, nodding in succession it seems they’re all interested in Clay and his proposal.

“I’m in.”

“Good man, fellas let’s help our new buddy here and his friends o’er the bridge!”

He walks over to the bridge warden. The mechanism whirrs on his command revealing more and more of the stature. The panelling is scarily sturdy, unwavering even at its titanic, yet thin architecture. Clay explains that he designed it himself. While we wait for the drawbridge to be lowered, I beckon for all of my Pokémon to return to their Poké Balls, giving another heartfelt apology to Drayn in the process.

We make our way to the mayor’s city of Driftveil.