The sun was partially obscured above, creating a refreshingly cool day as far as Vivien was concerned. It was a huge relief compared to his travels down route one, anyway, when the sun had been hot enough to pinken his skin. The evidence was strongest on his face, sunburn flushing over his cheekbones and shoulders. It wasn't horrible, but it hurt, and he hated looking like the sheltered city kid who wasn't smart enough to wear sunscreen. He'd just walked out of a small shop, and held a bundle in his arms - he'd promised Emily a journal like Valencia had, and he was at least true to his word. He tucked it into his bag, to be held for later, because the Poochyena was currently tucked away in the PC for the time being. < She'll love it, > Valencia squealed, jumping along at Vivien's feet as he walked to a bench in the center of the small village. Vivien smiled, settling down onto the seat. He'd decided to only bring Valencia and his Carnivine, Hesperus, with him for now, feeling that they both fulfilled a very clear purpose in his journey. Valencia, with her adventurous attitude and friendly disposition, was the perfect partner for helping him collect data and Pokemon to study. That, and she was his first partner upon arriving in Inset - and that was important. On the other hand he had Hesperus, who was very kind to him but vicious to others, including even Valencia. He would be able to help protect them in a pinch. He was kept safe and away in his Pokeball though, because his Chikorita had first rights to fresh air and he didn't want to listen to them fight.

"So what do you want to do, Val? Stay here for the night or keep going?" He brushed off the seat beside him, then hefted Valencia up onto the bench. He'd always thought she was the prettiest creature from the first time he'd seen her, with her dark green beads around her neck and a lush leaf on her head. Her eyes, always so expressive, looked at him with more trust than he deserved. She wiggled her little toes against the wood, seeming to consider. < Maaaybe we should stay around here for a bit? There's gotta be tons of Pokemon around here to meet! > She was so optimistic and energetic. To her, each day was an adventure to further her story. To make memories and learn from the world around her. Until now, she'd been fairly sheltered in the Lab, and route one had been a huge success. She didn't know about the dangers that were out there - well, to be fair, neither did he. But they would find out soon enough, and they would learn if both of them were ready to truly take the world on. Oddly enough, he liked their chances. He slid down on the bench, stretching, fingers crossed far over his head. Then he stood, pulling Valencia's adventure bag out of his own and slinging it around her neck. The hand-sewn leaf on the flap had held up well, and was somehow so very... Val. She wriggled happily, using her vines to situate it properly, then hopped off the bench after him.

"Alright, works for me. Any place you want to start? We can poke around for awhile, then I'll get us a room at the inn."

< Okay! I'm going to go look behind the houses by the woods. > She ran off, and Vivien followed along after her toward the far corner of the village. It suited his plans just as well, and they had a few hours of daylight left. Dreaming of a hot meal, he kept an eye on Valencia as she started exploring nooks and crannies. Even when he wasn't paying full attention, he was still keeping an eye on their surroundings. He was learning.

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Word Count: 648
Tag: @staffer
Notes: Anything but a Mime Jr., if that's okay! I've already had one of those recently xP