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Delah wished that Jan hadn't decided that they would go out into the coldest part of Zatao. It was the beginning of spring, sure, but that was still cold. She had no idea how her brother wasn't sick of spring flora already – they'd been doing this ever since he had discovered what pokemon came out at this time of year and decided he was going to do art of them. Art. It was always art with him. She was sick of it, but she knew better than to say that. It'd hurt anybody to say you were sick of their hobby and proposed lifes work, moreso if it was your sibling saying it. More so, even, if it was your twin. Though her temper had grown as she had aged, her cool head remained... at least long enough to walk a ways from camp, her newly caught Tropius in a pokeball at her hip and have a moment to herself. She would rant to the wind, she figured, and then, when she'd calmed down, she'd go back. Maybe. She knew she was destined for something more than keeping her absurd brother company. She knew it... but what? She looked out over the scenery that so enamored her brother, and muttered. She had no love for it.

She did not notice her observer.

Diedre let her tropius out of its poke ball and looked at it. It looked back at her. Porelo wasn't a beast of the cold, but he tolerated it none the less, glad to just be out and about.

“I have no idea what I'm doing, Porry.” she said. He was a new pokemon, caught on an adventure, and already she was fond of it. He was hers and hers alone: Sperra was both of theirs and Chocolate's heart was all Jan's. “But its gotta be better than this.” she said, petting the tropius with her mittened hands, “Better than following him around all the time. Better than holding him back from doing something stupid. I know I can do things, Pory.” she said, “But what?”

Porelo made a rumbling sound he hoped was soothing, trying not to shiver as an icy wind ruffled through his leafy wings. Otherwise, he didn't know what else to do, other than stretch his legs, and he felt kind of bad not being able to do anything. He'd let her catch him because he'd liked her, and he still liked her despite the confinement of the pokeball.

“Sorry.” she said, petting him forcefully, “I just can't tell that to Jan, you know? He wouldn't get it. You're the only one I've got.”

Delah hugged Porelo. He was very huggable, and she felt as though he understood her. He didn't, not entirely, but that didn't matter. She liked him, he liked her. That was what mattered.

He gave her a nuzzle before noticing the pokemon approaching. He tensed – was it a wild pokemon, about to attack? Well, that was his job, right? To defend his trainer? It was an exciting prospect – he'd never done that... not in this way... before.

“Trrrropicus!” he announced, nudging her gently behind him before flaring his leafy wings at the liepard.

Delah looked over with a gasp of surprise. A Liepard?! Was that even native to the area?! “Porelo...” she said quietly, but she was at a loss... she hadn't actually done a proper battle before.

Porelo stood strong and growled at the suspicious beast. Delah, meanwhile, was trying to think. Was it attacking? What should she do? Uh... uh... what did a Tropius know?

Oh! She knew something he could do!

“Use gust, Porelo!” she said, nervously. It was probably a wild pokemon, maybe some sort of winter-adapted liepard, and if she fought it or, better, if she caught it... Maybe fate was saying that the path of a trainer was the path for her? “Strike with the wind!”

Porelo realized he sort of liked being bossed around. With a mighty flap of his planty wings, he sent a blast of wind at the feline pokemon...

Was it now that she was supposed to throw a poke ball? Or later? Probably later – she only had a few on her. She'd caught Porelo, but that hadn't involved a fight at all – just a lot of treats. “Porelo, use magical lea....” she heard a rumbling of snow and ice and, wary of an avalanche, glanced towards the sound. A ball of, apparently, snow was racing down the hill. Whoa, what?!

“Gah!” she exclaimed. This was not exactly what she had in mind at all...

Porelo focused on one threat at a time. He tossed his head, releasing a few leaves from their moorings and, with a breath, sent them, glittering, towards his enemy. Magical leaf – he could do that.

Porelo was a little bit pleased with his successful attack – his first proper battle and he had executed it well. Before, he had gone about his life, keeping out of trouble, minding his own business. Now, though... Well, life was going to be interesting with a trainer, that was for sure.

Delah was trying to remember if she had bothered to bring a pokeball so she could catch the Liepard, when it became clear that the Liepard was not alone and, moreover, taken. Abundantly clear. Delah shielded her face from the flying snow as the man and his rattata were revealed, putting a hand on Porelo's side.

“I'm sorry – I didn't realize that she was yours...” she managed, trying to summon up her dignity. The man was wearing a mask, for Arceus's sake, and was very mysterious and a little bit threatening. “My brother and I are just exploring...”

Wait, why was he asking. She straightened, looking him in the eye. “What makes that any of your business?” she retorted, feeling a little more like herself, “Why are you all the way out here?” It was an innocent retort...