Jayden hasn’t got far. I find him in the market, looking at food for travelling.

“Hey!” I stop beside him, slightly out of breath, and pull my bag up higher. “I’ve - hit a snag.”

He pays for the small bag of berries and offers me one. “And you think I can help?”

“Well...” I shrug. “Neither Brith or I can speak Kalosian, and I don’t feel like relying on apps and broken Kanjin to... do this. For translation.”

Jayden quirks a half-smile. “And you’re hoping I can?”

“You did mention it. We got Galarii in Snowpoint. Or – you know, from my grandparents. So that I can do, but Kalosian... not so much.”

“Maybe you should have gone north first.”

“Eh.” I shrug. “Been there with the family before, visiting the homeland. Never got the chance for Kalos. But... can you help?”

He pockets his wallet and slips the berries into his bag. “And travel with you some more?”

“Yeah, I know, you probably want to do your own thing, it’s been a hell of a long time stuck together-” I wrinkle my nose, half-turning away. “We can get by on the universal language of hand-waving.”

Jayden laughs and comes to my side, walking us back towards the harbour. “It’s fine. Of course I’ll travel with you.”

“Really? That would be amazing.”

“Sure.” He grins. “Consider it payment for the ride.”

“Unnecessary. You gave me folklore.” I snort.

“I can’t pay for all my rides in folklore.”

“Eh.” I shrug. “It works for me. I can cover meals while we’re here-”

“We’re taking that in turns,” Jayden says, interrupting me for the first time I can remember.

“Well I never.” I clasp a hand to my chest. “You can be rude!”

“All in the name of fair play,” he replies. “Now, you need to pick up your things...? Where are we heading first?”

“Yeah, need to get my stuff together. And... the rest of the pack.” I glance down at Vulp. “I did not get far.”

Jayden laughs. “Alright. And then?”

“Lumiose.” I glance sideways at him. “I’m planning on challenging the league, so I need to register. If that’s alright? It gives us a structure to travel by, and I get different fighting styles and you should get more flying types, so... that follows...?”

“That sounds good.” Jayden smiles. “You don’t have to worry about catering to my interests, you know.”

“I mean – why else would you be here? New flying types? All in the name of research for Skyla’s gym?” I turn sideways away from him, sliding between two people waiting in line for something. “Or is this just like a holiday on the cheap for you, so you can skive off work?”

“You got me.” Jayden laughs. “Just one request, when all’s said and done.”

“Name it.” I turn on my heel to face him, still walking backwards.

“I’m not your opponent for battling when you need training.”

“Hey, watch it!” The gruff voice snaps in Kanjin.

I duck as Jayden grabs me, pulling me out of the way of dock workers carrying heavy equipment. “Shit! Thanks.”

Jayden lets me go as soon as they’re past and I’m steady on my own feet again. “Also, watch where you’re going.”

“Fine, no battling. Eyes on the road.” I flash him a smile over my shoulder. “It’s cool, you know? You don’t battle. I know that.”

“Thank you.”

“Besides, I don’t wanna know how I stack up against my friends. That just gets awkward.”

“Haven’t you beaten Candice...?”

“Yeah, but that was her gym team. Not her actual team.” I wave my hand. “Official business. World of difference.”

“I see.”

“You know, I don’t think you do.” I narrow my eyes at him, but only for a second before I grin. “But that’s cool. You’re here for birds and translation purposes only.”

“You got me. Those are my travelling terms.” Jayden dips his head as we reach my ship.

“Score. Shouldn’t be long.”

Brith’s waiting on deck with my pack, standing against the railing. “He’s back?” She follows me into the cabin.

“I need a translator,” I reply. “Because neither of us know Kalosian and apptranslate can only go so far.”

“And human company is good for you.”

“Pshhhh.” I flap a hand at her, thumping my travelling rucksack onto my back. “Ow. It’s not all that different having you around, you know.”

“Travelling with humans is different from travelling with pokemon.” She folds her arms, leaning against the open door.

“Sure.”

Sesser flits onto my shoulder.

“Everyone in!” As the pack crowds at the door, I return them to their pokeballs and tuck them into the bag that I then tie at my waist.

Soise, Brith, Vulp and Sesser are the only ones I leave out, although Gar’aq and Lapwing are sprawled over the bows of the ship.

“You two!”

They look up as I yell.

“Don’t do anything dumb and reckless – yes, Gar’aq, that is aimed at you. Nothing unless there is harm threatened to the ship and that upon it, clear?”

He croaks out an affirmative call.

“Keep an eye on him.” I point at Lapwing.

She nods and growls something low at Gar’aq.

Brith snorts as she follows me from the ship to join Jayden on the docks, who already has Soise and Vulp underfoot.

“Ok, shall we?” I tilt my head towards the harbour, the town beyond.

“Onto another league,” Brith murmurs. “How long will this one take you?”

“Depends how often we stop to look at feathers.” I shrug, and set off. “Which you may ask us to do as often as you like,” I say to Jayden.

“Please do,” Brith says. “She needs to remember to breathe.”

“I know how to breathe.” I scoff at her, smiling. “Besides, I haven’t been here before. We’ll do tourist things! I’ll stop and smell the roses or whatever. It’ll be fun.”