[FIN] Coming of Age

[Blood_Goddess]

"Oh, there she is." Rosie said, tightening her arm on Sera's arm and pointing to the young girl, who was looking absolutely stunning.

Rosie walked over to the girl, though it was Northern who was the first to speak "Nicolette." She dared to float out from behind Rosie and toward the younger noble. "Nicolette, we've been looking for you."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

There was a brief surprise as the voice unexpectedly entered her head, but the surprise was almost immediately replaced with joy and excitement that Northern was there, because that meant Rosie was, too. She glanced around quickly and, upon spotting them, offered a grin and a wave before she turned back to her family to excuse herself from them and their company.

With that done, the girl turned back and moved to join Rosie and Sera, her arms out to give either the blonde or the Jirachi a hug - whichever wanted one first. "Ohh, I'm so glad you've made it! And the dresses look wonderful! Do they fit alright, then? What do you think of the party so far?" If her excitement wasn't already obvious before, how quickly she spoke and her excessive energy were a pretty good indicator that she was, in fact, at least a little excited.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie was the one to accept the hug. "You do too! Oh my gosh Nicolette you're radiant." Rosie said, looking at the girl "they fit wonderfully, your tailor is very talented"
lowering her hands to the girl's arms "We actually just got here, Luke told us you were here already here so we came looking for you."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"I'm excited," Nicolette said almost gleefully, bouncing in place a little and causing her dress and hair to bounce a little as well, beaming happily. "Especially knowing those fit so perfectly. I'm so glad I had something you could wear," the girl added earnestly. She didn't know what she would've done if nothing of hers fit the other girls - actually no, she probably would've cried. Her eyebrows raised as she heard they'd only just arrived. "Oh! Well you'll warm right up in here - I know it's bitterly cold outside - and then you'll be able to enjoy yourselves." From her excitement, her tone of voice, and her word choice, she seemed to have a vastly different opinion of these parties than Luke had.  

[Blood_Goddess]

It was nice to see someone who was enjoying themselves, it made the room feel a lot less formal and more like something to celebrate, especially Nicolette who wasn't at all shy abut showing her excitement. She much really like this kind of thing.

"Oh it wasn't too bad, we've got out Rapidash to the trip wasn't really that cold at all. Thankfully so since we came from in town." Rosie pointed out with amusement.

"Nicolette is so excited!" Northern noticed, as if she wasn't able to contain the girls emotions by herself anymore.
the Jirachi was tugging at the sash again, adjusting it before floating over to Nicolette to perch her hands on her shoulders. "ALOT! huh?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh good," she said, seeming relieved that they'd had a warm method of transportation. "I didn't know if you'd be taking a car or not. Either way, I'm glad you stayed warm on the way here." As Northern approached her, the young noble beamed happily and raised her hands to the legendary to hug her and giggled, "I am! Are you enjoying yourself so far?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Ever since I added Pastin to my team I haven't really needed any other form of Transportation, he's so reliable. Plus its such a good way to bond and grow trust." Rosie explained, a smile on her face as she talked about her pokemon."

"Uuhhh... I don't know." The Jirachi said truthfully "I am now though." If nothing else becasue she was reflecting Nicolette's excitement. "I was happy to see Luke again."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh I know," Nicolette agreed with a quick nod, the smile still on her face, "that was one of the first things I did when I got back home, was go for a ride on Epona. I think she's missed it; we'd always go for nice, long rides every day here."

Northern's response was endearing and Nicolette couldn't help but think how cute it was. "That's good you're enjoying yourself now," she replied happily, her excitement growing when she brought up Luke, as well as something else. "Were you? Doesn't he look wonderful so dressed up? It's always so much fun to wear things like this for parties."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Ohhh This aria seems like its really good for those kinds of leisurely rides" Rosie agreed, "I love whenever we get to pass by. Pastin gets really excited too," Rosie folded a hand behind her back, perking up with a sudden idea "Before we go back to Kodo, we should go for a ride sometime, I would really like to spend some time with you and talk if that's okay?"

All at once Northern's brow furrowed at something she felt in Nicolette in association to Luke,
It wasn't the same, but she recalled feeling something like it back at the girl's house. the only thing she could even begin to compare it too was the way she would feel from Luke and Rosie on occasion.
"Um..." She hummed scratching at the sash again  

[BlackFireKitsune]

The idea that Rosie proposed made Nicolette almost gasp, and she raised a hand to cover her mouth, "Oh! Ohh, that sounds like an absolutely magnificent idea! I would love nothing more," she said, excited at the idea of going for a long ride with Rosie on their Rapidash. "Epona would be thrilled too, I just know it."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie knew she would like that idea. Rosie herself was looking forward to it. and she was hoping she could eventually use that advantage to talk to Nicolette about the concerns Luke had told her about. Try and understand them, and see what her friend has to say.
"I'll let you know, I know we're probably heading home in the next day or so." Rosie said with a moment to consider, "How are your other pokemon?"  

[Suudonym]

A familiar voice - and emotional presence, for one of the individuals - would unknowingly interrupt them as its owner approached, "Hey, sorry." Luke, who had been moving more or less at a clip for most of the day, eased to a stop beside his collection of friends. "Wow," he observed thoughtfully, "this is… kind of a really fancy party, isn't it?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

She nodded happily, then frowned thoughtfully - for the first time that evening - to consider. "They're enjoying it, I think," she said a little hesitantly, "though I think Pascal is bored not being able to battle anyone except Agnes and Angeline. They all really liked exploring around outside, as well as inside the house, when we first got back. I think they miss being in Kodo, though," she said sadly.

And then Luke joined them, and her demeanor easily brightened back up. "Isn't it?" She said, sounding absolutely delighted about it.


Sera, who'd been almost bored out of her mind while Rosie spoke to the girl, shifted a little closer to Luke because holy crap that girl had way too much energy. "How're you holding up?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Fancy" Northern repeated, trying out the word for herself while now full on struggling with the increasingly itchy sash. "Whats it for anyway?" Northern asked, glancing around at all the people. "A birthday?" She asked, not sounding clear on that idea.

Rosie wore a look of sympathy to hear that about the pokemon "Its hard sometimes when you don't have other trainers to keep up battles with. I understand."

Nicolette wasn't the only one who lit up when Luke suddenly joined them, though as Sera asked her question Rosie glanced from her to Luke, hoping he was doing alright.  

[Suudonym]

"Well… it's been a long day," Luke replied, shrugging helplessly with a smile that suddenly looked a little more tired.

"Half birthday," he said to the curious Jirachi, "half Christmas. All boring people talking about boring stuff. It's mostly just an excuse to get a bunch of important people together for gossip." Cynical though his explanation may have sounded, the manner in which it was delivered was very matter-of-fact; he had never known it to be any other way.