"What...what are you doing?" The doctor questioned, rubbing his eyes as he tried to wake up so he could get ready for work earlier than usual, due to the fact that he was being allowed a two hour leave to let his brother off on his new journey. "It's five in the morning..." He let out a yawn, before walking over to the side of August's bed and sitting down, though he flopped back and started dozing off again
"Oh! Uh, couldn't sleep, I'm kind of nervous." August said, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. "I've waited a really long time for this...and it's finally here, yet now I'm starting to get cold feet." He gave a quiet laugh that drifted off after a moment, leaving a heavy silence in the room as the two both thought for a moment.
Leo was the one who broke the silence, "you aren't letting everything that happened in our family and in Asphodel Town get to you now, are you?" He sat up, looking over at his younger brother, though August gave a small shrug.
"I don't want to think I am, but...it's finally here and it just feels too good to be true." He brushed a hand over his eyes, blocking off the tears that were starting to form before his face went red at the idea of crying over it. "I feel like I'm going to wake up any minute and be back..."
Leo let out a sigh beside him and shook his head, before patting him on the back, swinging an arm around his shoulders and leaning forward. "Don't worry so much. You've made it this far anyways, you can't turn back now. I mean, god, you've put so much work into this. You can't actually want to just give up now!"
A smile formed on August's face, and he let out a weak laugh. "You're right, you're right." He said, shaking his head.
Leo ruffled the teen's hair and grinned. "I'm always right, you know that." He replied, standing up from the bed and looking back at him. "Try to get some rest, will ya? I'll be home in a couple hours so that we can send you off. See you soon."
That left August alone in his room again, but this time, he was relaxed, and it didn't take him long to fall asleep on his bed with a calmed mind.
Leo was home not much later, and was quick to wake him up, shaking him a couple times and then pulling August out of his bed, before dragging him downstairs to have a breakfast while his brother went through all of his things to make sure as his guardian, that he really was set for the days ahead of himself. Once he was finished with that, and August had managed to get food into his nervous stomach, Leo handed him money that would last him quite some time, for sure. He was hesitant to accept the large sum, but his older brother wasn't about to let him go out without some kind of way to buy food and new supplies when they ran out.
"Be sure to keep in touch, call me occasionally when you get the chance, all of that stuff, okay? If you ever need anything, let me know, and I'll have it coming your way in no time." He let out a laugh. "I feel like a proud mom."
August let out a laugh at that comment, before heading for the door, with Leo behind him. As he opened the door, he tuned back around, and Leo, being the way he was, was quick to give him a firm hug. "Be safe, yeah?"
"I will. Thanks for everything."
With that, they parted ways, August waving back at him for some time, before he turned around, and soon enough, found him at the gates to Professor Wisteria's Pokémon Lab. Truly, he couldn't believe he was only minutes away from starting his journey, and as he took the steps through the gate and towards the lab's door, he knew he was ready.
A small grunt to her side brought her attention to her partner, Amaya the Absol. Ivory tilted her head slightly in confusion as the Dark Type continued to stare on ahead.
"What is it Amaya? Do you want to rest? I mean, we have been hiking for a while now, it wouldn't be a surprise." She questioned, slowing down her pace a bit before the Pokémon rolled her eyes and gestured ahead with her head. Ivory frowned slightly before looking up from the Absol and the map, only to see what she was trying to say. "Ah! We've finally made it!"
Ahead of the pair sat the entrance to Prunella City, with a nice, overhead arch, the color of white, along with flowers, all different colors, shapes, sizes, wound around the white gateway. Spread around the outer areas of the entrance and pathway, giant spaces filled with even more flowers sat, each one swaying gently with the breeze. Really, it was one of the most colorful sights she'd ever seen. The pictures in books and on the internet definitely didn't do justice for this place, and she'd only just seen the beginning of it.
"Wow...isn't this place just amazing Absol?" Ivory asked, turning down the the Pokémon who seemed just as invested in the view. "I definitely wasn't expecting this."
"Sol..." A quiet sound of agreement came from the Pokémon, before she began to move forward, ahead of Ivory, sniffing the flowers along the way. Ivory smiled, before folding up the map and sticking it into her bag for later, and soon enough catching up with Absol.
"Let's see, should we ask someone if they know the directions to the Pokémon Lab?" She thought out loud, looking around the area in search for anyone who might be open to helping her find the way or even guiding her there themselves. She'd never been very good at directions, really.
And so, the pair began to wander around, losing confidence more and more as they continued walking, obviously hopelessly lost with their expressions and the way they were looking at every single street, building, and sign.