The Same Old Difference (closed)

While Tori had marched straight off to Route 1, hoping to bump into trainers, Hazel had decided to take the more direct route home. She didn't feel like being with her sister, who she was sure would want to battle their Pokémon- and win, and gloat. She would much rather just head to her favorite restaurant in Silence City and just get a bite to eat- and something for her new best friend. She hadn't put Aura in his Pokéball. She couldn't bear to, somehow. He seemed much happier on her shoulder anyways, one large black paw around her neck to steady himself, the other resting on her shoulder to steady her. Already, he was a truer friend than anyone she'd met.

The Riolu’s eyes looked around curiously at all the faces of those walking nearby, comfortable on his perch. Many stopped and stared, having never before seen a Pokémon. Hazel- ordinary, plain, brown-haired Hazel- wasn't used to being stared at. She blushed and walked faster, one hand tugging at her short hair as if wishing it would cover her face. Aura’s eyes were all the curioser as she speed walked across the street to a small, paneled opening in the shops lining the road. Giving a small sigh of relief, she ducked through the door, hearing the friendly-sounding jingle of the simple corner chime.

The Palace Café, her favorite place to just sit and eat and relax and think. A cup of cocoa on a bitterly cold afternoon, a homemade burrito when she needed something imperfect and warm and comforting, a quiet place to do her homework when home wouldn't do. The afternoon rush hadn't yet started, and so she was the only customer. A small collection of lucky cats sat cheerfully waving on a corner shelf, next to a check-in counter with a shiny round bell, proclaiming “ding for service”. Simple round wooden tables with sauce bottles populated the middle of the room, while comfortable red-cushioned booths lined the sides, all empty. Hazel ducked into one of those, scooting over to the window-side and letting the sunlight warm her, smiling to see something so familiar and comforting. She grabbed a menu, with both breakfast and dinner options displayed in appealingly bright colors, and turned to see what Aura thought looked good. It was then she realized that her Riolu had jumped off her shoulder at some point.

Panicked, the girl stood up, menu falling forgotten onto the varnished table. She ducked down to check under the table, look on the floor, see if he had perhaps just fallen. He wasn't there. “Aura!” she cried out, voice breaking, scanning the smallish room for any traces of the Pokémon. He couldn't have left outside the café- she remembered his surprised expression at all the new scents coming from the kitchen, things he'd never smelled before- likely- at the reservation. The kitchen. Could he be in there? Just in the nick of time, Hazel glanced over at the wooden door where servers walked in and out, and saw a flash of retreating black tail.

Ignoring the handwritten sign on the door reading “employees only,” she ran through into the kitchen, where she'd never been before. If not for her one-track mind, she would've quailed at all the stares she was getting from servers and cooks and dish-washers. “Aura? Aura, come back!” Hazel pleaded, hoping against hope that she wouldn't have to go to the reservation and say she'd lost her Pokémon. Finally, after a few hectic moments running around, which seemed like forever, she found him- sitting on a counter, conversing in his language with another Pokémon, a Ralts- emotion-sensing, like Riolu. She hadn't expected that, buy she supposed it made sense as to why he'd suddenly bolted off. Perhaps a friend from the reservation? It seemed that Aura, unlike her, was social. Another teenager- probably owner of the other Pokémon- was standing there, as well. Seeing now that Aura had been in no danger at all, the embarrassment came flooding in. She looked sheepishly up at the other trainer.

“I, um... s-sorry about that,” she apologized, putting a hand on the table to steady herself after running so fast. “I didn't... know where he went.... I can keep him in his Pokéball, I guess, if you need me to, but I think he prefers it out here.”

Working on the Palace Café wasn't exactly what Bishop had imagined to be doing with their life but it wasn't all that bad. It certainly wasn't fun when the rush of customers happened but it was also felt so nice to give people their foods and drinks. While Bishop certainly had dreams bigger than the Palace Café, it was a nice place to work for now. And what made it even better was that they had companion in the form of Damir. The Ralts hadn't made a single noise since they had become partners which only raised the question if he was mute or just selectively silenced but Bishop enjoyed the companion nonetheless.

It was a bit of a question of how they were going to go around their job with Damir but the Ralts seemed rather well-behaved so they were certain he wouldn't cause too much trouble. If not, they did have Damir's Pokeball but...Well, if Bishop started to have a panic attack, there wouldn't be much for Damir to do if he was trapped in his ball so it just seemed better to keep him out. "Just stay here, alright?" Bishop said as they gently lowered Damir onto a counter, giving him a firm look as the Ralts lazily titled his head in Bishop's direction. "I need to finish getting ready for my shift. Please don't cause any trouble..." With that, they spun and headed off to grab the rest of their clothes. It didn't take long to fish out their tux-like vest and the cloth that wrapped around their waist.

They were in the middle of buttoning up the vest and making sure their bowtie was on straight when they came to a confused stop. They had only been for for a minute or two tops, yet there was a new Pokemon was sitting on the counter next to Damir, looking to be chatting up Damir who remained ever so silent in return. "Um..." they said, blinking as they recognized the Pokemon as a Rioul. Another emotion sensing Pokemon, although their range was a bit more...Expansive then a Ralts. It was also that moment that they spotted another trainer come rushing up, perhaps a little younger than themself. It wasn't hard to guess that they were the owner of the Rioul seeing how they certainly knew they weren't a fellow staff member.

The girl's hasty apologize quickly confirmed that thought as Bishop raised up their hands sheepishly with a small smile. "O-Oh no, its quite alright! This is just...A little unexpected. You and your Rioul is fine...Even if you both aren't suppose to be back here but I can't really blame you seeing how you were just trying to find him," they said as they moved over to the two Pokemon, coming to a stop next to Damir as they studied the Rioul. It was so interesting to see one up close, mostly with all the tales they had read about their abilities. After a few seconds, they turned to look back at the other trainer. "If you want, I would be happy to lead the two of you back to your table. I have a bit before my shift starts anyways."