Hurry, get on board, it's coming
Listen to those rails a-thrumming

Aislin stood outside of the shop, flyer in hand and an almost pained look on her features. She’d come to Rigel City intent on checking out their Cute Hall for contests but nothing was going on right now and it felt like a wasted trip. Sure, she’d had a chance to do some retail therapy to make up for it, and Astrape was absolutely besotted with the new dress she had had custom made for her from one of her own designs. She’d been told she could only wear it for contests, though, so as not to ruin it playing in the mud as the Elekid was strangely wont to do. And this little venture had been that bean’s idea as well. She’d spotted the flyer seeking help as they were leaving an ice cream parlor with twin double scoop earl grey and lavendar cones.

Astrape ran on up to the door, hopping to try to reach to wrench it open and run inside and failing. Aislin sighed, knowing it was now or never. And she couldn’t disappoint her starter when she’d already said they would keep any trinkets or useful items the shop owner had promised as a reward. You never knew what people were willing to just give away to get it out of their hair or off of their shelves. She’d found many a valuable piece in old rummage sales, herself. The coordinator reached one hand up to push the door open and used the other to nudge Astrape at the back of the electric type’s head to encourage her to go on ahead and see what needed doing.

The flyer had just said he needed help bringing things inside and putting away stock, so she hoped it was only a box or two and not...an entire truck load. She shuddered at the thought of that much manual labor….but Astrape was more than capable and had two arms. Chloris the budew wasn’t quite there yet but she could help move the lighter things from lower shevles at least. And she wasn’t about to bring out her Koffing, not yet. She was still trying to decide if she was even going to keep him. He’d been in his ball, still unnamed, since hatching soon after their excursion to the beach looking for opal gems. And it’s not as if he could help lift anything anyway since he was just a floating asteroid-like smoke factory.

The rest of her team still sat snuggly in her purse, the Bounsweet egg taking its sweet time hatching, the bizarre red/white/blue mystery egg, and the actual Purrloin egg that she’d just picked up at an adoption centre a couple towns over. She’d originally been told that’s what the Koffing was when she received his egg and wasn’t going to give up on having a gorgeous Liepard on her team. This time it had come from a reputable place and not a rando street vendor taking advantage of tourists. She just hoped the other eggs she’d acquired that way turned out to be what they were supposed to be, and to make sure they were she’d asked to have them looked at while she was at the adoption centre and they’d assured her they were. So that was one less thing to have to worry about at least.

She followed Astrape into the shop and called out, ”Hello? I’m here to help you with your shipment if you’re still in need of assistance? Sorry to hear about the doctor’s orders, I’m sure that’s quite inconvenient for you.” she added, her tone pleasant and polite.