Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kaede simply relished the attention, rubbing her head against Cael's hand.

Cael chuckled softly. "Well, they are sweet," he grinned. He gave them each a final rub and then stood up again. "And how is your father faring?" he asked Miyuki and Andarien. "He was not well when we left, and he has been oft on my mind."

Cael smiled. "Well, it could be worse, I suppose," he murmured. "But if you don't mind, I'd like to wash and rest and spend some time with my wife and family. We'll speak more later, all right?"

Andarien nodded. Maybe they would find their parents by then so that they could all talk.

Cael smiled warmly at Miyuki. "Wonderful. I look forward to speaking with them again, especially now that I have more time."

"We'll see you later," Lancaeriel beamed at them all. She tugged on Cael's hand, and they headed towards the tower stairs.

Andarien grinned at Miyuki. "Let's go find Nana and Ada." He called for his Pokemon to follow after him and started down the hall towards the door to the garden.

Eon moved to walk next to Ai, and Zeus stuck close to them, but Kaede ran ahead eagerly.

"Hold up, Kaede," Andarien called to the young Eevee. "You're going to get lost."

One thing about the curious little Eevee: she was curious and energetic, but she had a terrible sense of direction.

Instead of coming back to join the others, Kaede crouched at the side of the hall and waited for them to catch up, and then she pounced on the nearest of them: Zeus.

Zeus responded the way he always did.

He zapped her.

Kaede squealed and rolled on the ground, pawing at her nose for a moment before letting out a sneeze.

Andarien chuckled. "Then sparks would really fly," he grinned at Miyuki, well aware of the pun. "I think it'd be neat for her to become something else, though. For more variety."

He watched as Kaede rolled over and pawed at Suki, nipping at her playfully.

"Have you thought about what they might become?" he asked Miyuki curiously as they neared the door. "What form you might like?"

He didn't know if he wanted to say what he might like for them to become, because he didn't want to pressure them, or feel disappointed if they became something different than what he hoped. Still, it was a thought that often crossed his mind.

"Well, maybe she won't evolve until we head north," Andarien suggested, trying to be helpful. "You never know. Ponydash still hasn't evolved, and look how old he is - over two years old by now."

He opened the door and let everyone else go outside first, then followed them out. It was a warm summer day, warmer than Caras Galadhon had been, being as Garnelia was both further south, and inland. The sun was shining, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. By this time of year, the garden was in full bloom - flowers, herbs, everything.

Earendil and Lin were enjoying a leisurely stroll through the flower garden, for once not worrying about anything- and that was saying something, for Earendil.

Earendil nodded at Lin's comment. "I'm sure everyone would be happy to hear from us again," he added. "Especially now that we can tell them I'm fully recovered."

He hadn't seen the letter that Lin had added to be sent the first time, but he had implied (at least in his mind it was implied, since he knew the truth) that he had been injured and needed to rest. He knew Daeron would worry, even if no one else did, and he wanted to put his brother's mind at rest.

"But maybe we should first find out when we'll be heading back," he mused. "Then we can let them know when to expect us."

"Or we could surprise them," Earendil suggested with a mischievous grin.

He spotted the Pokemon ahead of them, and though he couldn't see them completely clearly, he could tell Kaede was in the lead because while the others were all headed towards him and Lin, the first one was heading off in other directions.

Then he saw the children, and he raised one hand to wave to them.

Andarien waved back, then grinned and began to run towards the two of them.

"They're back!" he called out excitedly. "Queen Mari and Cael and Maravel and Kyrie! They're back!"

Though he hadn't actually seen Kyrie, she hadn't been with the others; but he couldn't imaging them coming back without her.