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“If you say so.” Valencia just barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her best friend. She had no doubt that Aria could be ready to walk out the door in a few minutes, but whether she would be properly prepared to do so was another matter entirely. Still, she supposed that was why she’d bothered to pack so many extra things herself. At least it wouldn’t all be for naught.
And really, Val wouldn’t change Aria for the world. She was irresponsible, brash, reckless, and loud, but she was also effervescent and bright and warm and any number of other highly enviable traits. Taken together, the good in her far outweighed the less-desirable, and honestly, Valencia thought it outweighed the good in most other people too. There was no one quite like Aria.
“Please tell me you packed an extra toothbrush.” That was Mia, Aria’s mother, and she looked vaguely worried. Valencia smiled softly and nodded.
“As well as several other things. Don’t worry, Aunt Mia; we’ll be all right.” She supposed it wasn’t easy for any parent to send their child off into the world like this, at any age, especially not when that child was scatterbrained enough to occasionally forget to do important things like eat or sleep. Still, they were technically adults now, by the local standards, though Valencia had to admit she didn’t feel that much like one. Then again, she hadn’t felt like a child in a very long time, either.
This was what she was supposed to be doing; she knew it was. She felt lighter than she had in a long time, even with the anxiety of striking out on their own looming above her. There were risks in any such endeavor, of course, which was why ten years ago, the legal age for pokémon journeys was raised to sixteen. It just wasn’t safe enough to send elven-year-olds out like that anymore, or perhaps it never had been. She was almost certain that if it hadn’t been raised, she’d have still needed to wait this long to go, anyway. There was simply no chance her parents would have approved if the decision had been up to them.
Valencia made small talk with the woman she called aunt as Aria finished her preparations. She herself had elected to wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath a vest, and simple denims with her hiking shoes—it was nothing fancy, but as with all of her clothes, they were neat, clean, and suited to the occasion. She had little need to do anything with her hair, as it was too short to cause her much trouble one way or another, but she did have a headband and a bandanna packed in with her spare clothes and the like, so she was prepared even for that.
When Aria at last reappeared, Val nodded, her expression serene, reaching over to smooth one of the other girl’s hairs to lay more properly on her head. “All right. I’ll give you a moment, and then we can head to the professor’s.” She knew Aunt Mia would want to say goodbye, after all, and probably her uncle, too, wherever he was at the moment. Giving the older woman a hug herself, Valencia stepped back outside, and awaited Aria.
And really, Val wouldn’t change Aria for the world. She was irresponsible, brash, reckless, and loud, but she was also effervescent and bright and warm and any number of other highly enviable traits. Taken together, the good in her far outweighed the less-desirable, and honestly, Valencia thought it outweighed the good in most other people too. There was no one quite like Aria.
“Please tell me you packed an extra toothbrush.” That was Mia, Aria’s mother, and she looked vaguely worried. Valencia smiled softly and nodded.
“As well as several other things. Don’t worry, Aunt Mia; we’ll be all right.” She supposed it wasn’t easy for any parent to send their child off into the world like this, at any age, especially not when that child was scatterbrained enough to occasionally forget to do important things like eat or sleep. Still, they were technically adults now, by the local standards, though Valencia had to admit she didn’t feel that much like one. Then again, she hadn’t felt like a child in a very long time, either.
This was what she was supposed to be doing; she knew it was. She felt lighter than she had in a long time, even with the anxiety of striking out on their own looming above her. There were risks in any such endeavor, of course, which was why ten years ago, the legal age for pokémon journeys was raised to sixteen. It just wasn’t safe enough to send elven-year-olds out like that anymore, or perhaps it never had been. She was almost certain that if it hadn’t been raised, she’d have still needed to wait this long to go, anyway. There was simply no chance her parents would have approved if the decision had been up to them.
Valencia made small talk with the woman she called aunt as Aria finished her preparations. She herself had elected to wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath a vest, and simple denims with her hiking shoes—it was nothing fancy, but as with all of her clothes, they were neat, clean, and suited to the occasion. She had little need to do anything with her hair, as it was too short to cause her much trouble one way or another, but she did have a headband and a bandanna packed in with her spare clothes and the like, so she was prepared even for that.
When Aria at last reappeared, Val nodded, her expression serene, reaching over to smooth one of the other girl’s hairs to lay more properly on her head. “All right. I’ll give you a moment, and then we can head to the professor’s.” She knew Aunt Mia would want to say goodbye, after all, and probably her uncle, too, wherever he was at the moment. Giving the older woman a hug herself, Valencia stepped back outside, and awaited Aria.