<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/j8kLXgX.jpg?1)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Graham Sheffield<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Arcaia League Starting Festival<br/><strong>With:</strong>Daniel, Althea,<br/><strong>Notes:</strong>About to bust out his lucky charm now<br/><strong>Pokémon:</strong>Snivy and Aipom<br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/qhaKUWB.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/qhaKUWB.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/qhaKUWB.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/qhaKUWB.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/YRuJIBM.png)</div><div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/RA9h8Ld.png)</div><br/><hr/><hr/><hr/><br/>green]"Huh, that was easy."[/color] Graham mused at how easily Althea offered the cotton candy treat. Reaching out, he tugged off a piece for himself to snack on, before nodding. In truth, it was the first time he'd ever really tried a piece. His inner youth wanted to come out and proclaim it was one of the best things he'd ever tasted, but instead he just grinned and smiled. "Heh, not bad at all. I half expected it to feel like trying to eat actual cotton or something..." He rubbed the back of his head while Althea seemed to be much more tired than usual. Didn't the blonde spend part of their cruise ride sleeping as it was? Just how much rest did she need? He raised a finger and poked her side with a grin. "Hey, look alive, Sleeping Beauty! We haven't done our work yet, no time to sleep on the job." He mused, while Daniel chimed in about remembering passing a place that made coffee.<br/><br/>"Her I understand, but you drinking coffee? Do you<em>need</em>that much energy?" Graham asked with a sigh, feeling his own dwindle just watching the hyperactive woman drag them around. Nevertheless, the group followed her to the stall, where a man and his two Pokemon seemed to be working... Hippowdon and Camerupt? An interesting pair he thought, but as he looked around, he realized he didn't see much in the way of coffee beans. The stall sign said they made coffee though... But Daniel was the first to throw caution to the wind and ordered a cup with two straws. "What doesn't kill you just makes you stronger, huh? Daniel, I really hope you've got an iron stomach, because I don't think-" He started to speak, but it was too late. The bitter concoction went down her throat and she reacted rather negatively. With a sigh, he reached out and took the cup, sipping from the untested straw. Sure enough... The taste was very bitter, almost as much as those shops that offered those bitter items for Pokemon. However, drinking bitter things had been an acquired taste from his time in Orre, and so he shrugged and nodded. "... That isn't half bad. Definitely tastier than my coffee with salt mix..." He hummed before giving the cup to Althea. "... Oh, just drink from her straw I guess, she probably won't mind." He said a moment later, realizing the second straw was probably meant just for Althea. But at least this way they shared an indirect kiss...<br/><br/>Tilting his head up and looking back as soon as the speakers came to life, all groups of trainers and other festival-goers were directed to the front of Pokken Tower for a final, grand get-together to welcome everyone to the start of their journeys. At least from here, they wouldn't be too far from where they needed to go. Pocketing his hands, he prepared to walk the distance himself, but once again Daniel had taken it upon herself to be their shuttle, pulling him and Althea along for the ride. Aipom couldn't help but giggle despite the look of mild frustration and annoyance at being forced on autopilot since coming off the boat, but it was so relatively minor that there truly was no need to bring it up as an issue. He would have been content just standing in the back, but Daniel wouldn't settle for that. The group all but seemed to shove their way to the front, where they could see the stage clearly. With a slight sigh, Graham reached up and tugged his hoodie over his head to shield himself from the gaze of others, while his Pokemon stood on standby. The speech would begin with applause from the crowd and a follow through that would inspire a great many of them toward the adventure they were soon to take. "Heh, it's good to hear a spiel that doesn't sound overly haughty or detrimental to others for a change." He mumbled quietly, recollecting small bits of his past as he watched the speech before him. However, as they were going to be introduced to the region's gym leaders, the explosion that followed from nearby caused him to narrow his eyes and drop to a knee, keeping his arms infront of Aipom and Snivy.<br/><br/>"Well, that didn't reach too far... You all alright?" He asked, looking down at his two Pokemon, before glancing at Daniel and Althea. However, it was Snivy that tugged his sleeve and urged Graham's look forward, before the man's eyes scanned where his Pokemon indicated. The woman that appeared... Seemed vaguely familiar to him, but it wasn't until the four thugs came out that his heart sank and he groaned. "No no no... Ugh, not here!" He grimaced before he pushed himself upright and withdrew his backpack from his back. Digging inside a bit, he pulled out a strange contraption (https://i.imgur.com/Q4bfHbo.png), slipping his hand through the gloved portion before hooking the other up to his shoulder. "Never thought i'd be using this so early..." he frowned, before looking to Daniel and Althea. "So, either of you two wanna go warn the Professor about what's happening? That would be kind of swell." He mused, hoping it would at least get the duo out of the area while he stepped away and looked off to the side. Facing the group of thugs head on was probably not in his best interest, but picking them off from a distance with his Pokemon would probably be helpful. Seeing those uniforms here certainly did enough to bother him with the thought that this was going to be his problem. After all...<br/><br/>A few years back, he'd worked with them too.