FSE

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The following morning was bright and positive, the stark opposite of yesterday, but it was exactly what Julie needed. She was in the shower, blowing an upcoming lunch out of proportion.

"One hour... You don't know these people at all... and you agreed to sit at a table with themm," Julie groaned while scrubbing her soapy hair outside the water. "Perfect time to call Ali if I could."

Julie was second-guessing her decision but couldn't just _not _show up. That would be awful, and she did want to talk to Aria. "What'd Alyssa say last time?..." She stopped scrubbing. "Go along with it. Be casual and confident or something."

Julie stepped back into the lukewarm water and ran her fingers through her hair to wash the suds away. Alyssa was right again, and Julie needed to remind herself that Jamie and Aria were no different than her. They would be happy to eat with her; it would be a good time.

After the soap was gone and she rubbed her face to ensure, she opened her eyes and took a couple of breaths through her mouth, then turned the nozzles so the water stopped, hearing it drip onto the shower floor before it slowed.

"Let's find something nice to wear then." Julie slid open the door and dried off with the available towel, then covered up and tucked it around her hip before exiting the restroom. She glanced at Midnight, who was on his side in a daytime doze. He must have fallen asleep while she was in the shower because he was up before that.

Julie went and knelt before her bag, unzipping its main compartment and sifting through clothes. "Casual." She would wear a jacket this time since she'd need it if it got chilly in the diner. She decided on her espeon tee, white-sleeved yellow jacket, and white jeans to complete her outfit.

Perfect enough. Julie had to hope they wouldn't come in their fancy getups. She also took a pair of panties, light blue short shorts she could stretch in for now, and a bra, lapping every piece over her arm and taking them to the bed.

Which was when Midnight happened to awaken. He outstretched his legs enough to quiver before opening his eyes to Julie setting clothes on the bed's edge.

"There you are." Julie leaned over to kiss his head, which undid and dropped her towel that she attempted to reach for.

Midnight watched it hit the bed and her grab at the air. He looked over her nude body, from her average perky breasts to her slim tummy and sides, hips, and thighs

"Oops." It was off now, so Julie didn't bother reapplying it. She stood back and grabbed her panties and shorts, stepping into them. "Sorry for the flash, love." She giggled.

Midnight sat up and gave a subtle smirk.

"We have lunch in..." Julie trailed while clipping on her bra and sitting on the bed afterward, picking up her phone to check the time. "Forty minutes." She looked at him. "Hungry this time?"

He looked up before nodding a little.

"Me too, and did you and that zorua get along? I'm sure they're bringing it with them."

Midnight went with another nod.

Julie lay back, kicking her feet that dangled off the bed. "We'll rest until then." But she wouldn't close her eyes in case it led to a nap. If she overslept by an hour or more, she wouldn't leave this room until they got to Johto.

---

Julie zipped up her jacket and met Midnight by the door five minutes before 2 p.m., where she slipped into her running shoes and was out in the hall a moment later.

They both had an appetite, and the nerves weren't doing Julie's stomach any justice.

Upon making it up the flights and turning into the hall the restaurant was down, Julie and Midnight saw them standing idle by its entrance while talking: Jamie, Aria, and her zorua.

What puzzled Julie was how different she looked from her brother. She had a darker complexion, and as Julie closed in, noticed they didn't seem to share features either. Aria resembled the people of Oblivia or Ecruteak, with most of her black hair held up in a high bun using a glittery white clip, otherwise loose around it, and she had turquoise-colored eyes.

Julie was relieved they were in nothing too dressy either. Aria had on a black skirt with a pink tucked-in top, and Jamie wore jeans and a tee under a white blazer.

Jamie was the first to notice Julie approaching with her umbreon, taking a double-glance from his conversation. "Ah, Julie. Good to see you again." He placed a hand on Aria's back. "This is Aria."

"Hi," Aria said with a timid grin while raising her hand.

"Hi," Julie replied. "Oh." She extended her arm. "Nice to meet you. I'm Julie."

Midnight and Giza were already talking as well-- mainly Giza.

"Zor. Ru ru?"

Midnight eyed him. Giza had asked what his favorite dish here was. "Umb, umbr. Umbre." Midnight had only eaten sushi and Kaloan toast so far and had gone with the pecha-drizzled sushi.

"Zoru a." He told Midnight that his were the berry-filled waffles.

Jamie looked inside the restaurant, which was around half-busy. "We should go snag our reservation before we miss it. I booked an outdoor table last night."

"No way. You didn't tell me that," Aria said.

Jamie chuckled while entering the restaurant. "It was a surprise. I didn't think one would actually be available. Everyone could be on the upper deck after being under it yesterday."

As Julie followed and beckoned Midnight along, she noticed Aria had no accent either, as in she sounded like a native Johtoan.

The group waited behind a family at the desk who got taken by a host to be seated. Another male host then confirmed the reservation on their system when it was the group's turn and took them outside with three menus in hand.

The climate was cool with soft breezes, so Julie was glad to have worn a jacket.

People occupied the other four tables, young and old couples, and the view was breathtaking. Over the guarded rail was the rippling open ocean and cries of active wingull around them.

"Here we are. You guys have the last available outdoor reservation for lunch." He set the plastic menus on the table. It had a napkin holder, utensils wrapped in thin white cloths, and table condiments. All three chairs were spaced around the table.

"Well, lucky us." Jamie grinned while sitting after Julie and Aria.

"Most definitely." The host nodded. "A waiter will be with you soon. Enjoy the view," he said before going back inside.

Midnight and Giza had no chairs to sit in, but that wasn't a problem for Giza because he went over to the railing and sat before it to watch the waters.

Midnight glanced at him, up at Julie, then followed after Giza.

"So," Jamie started and looked at Julie. "Julie, as we discussed yesterday, Aria has just graduated high and is looking into four-year colleges." He then turned to his sister. "And since Julie is attending Castelia's best, I thought meeting would be nice, knowing how much you squeal over Unova."

"Jamie..." Aria giggled awkwardly and focused on Julie, taking a subtle breath. "But I did graduate two weeks ago and want to pursue higher education. The options are just overwhelming."

"I know since you have to choose one out of hundreds." Fortunately, two questions came to Julie already which she kept in mind not trip over. "Where'd you... go to school, and where would you want to go?"

"We live in Violet, so I went to a private one there. I maintained a good GPA and want to apply to a few high-end universities, but..."

Jamie glanced at her. "She's..." He brought up a hand. "In a bit of a dilemma between staying or attending abroad. She wants to stay close to us but also wants new sights. It's a true and committed decision. How did you decide?"

Julie leaned back against the chair, peeking at Midnight and the zorua having a conversation of their own. "I was really nervous before I went, but Castelia was... it'd been my goal ever since ninth, and I vacated before I returned for school, so I adapted quickly. It's costlier, though."

"Correct," said Jamie. "But you're living proof one can achieve such a feat at your age. You've earned it. Takes brains and bravery."

"Thank you." Julie couldn't help but smile a little.

"Aria, why don't you tell her your major? It's interesting."

Just then, the door opened behind them, and a young waitress with long dark blue hair holding a notepad approached the group's table to see if everyone was ready to order.

Even though no one had so much as touched the compiled menus at the center of the table yet, which they grabbed hastily.

"Umbreon um?" Midnight asked Giza if he could swim.

"Ruz... Ru zo." He replied the most he'd done was paddle in a bathtub. "Zoru?"

He stared down at the water. "Um umbre." Midnight said the most he'd done was paddle in shallow ponds. "Umbreon umbreon?" He looked at Giza.

Giza stared blankly at the water after Midnight had asked about the ship sinking, but his gaze quickly devolved into fear. "Z-Zoru."

Midnight noticed him take several steps back with a hint of anxiety in his eyes and grinned a little. "Um umbreon."

"Can I have the tirtouga, please?" Julie told the waitress. She'd already had basculin on the first night here, so it was next on her list.

"Of course." She scribbled it under the others' orders. "And your drink?"

"Sorry. Violet, please. Thank you."

"Got it. Anything else?"

Aria looked over at Giza and Midnight. "Our pokémon too. Giza!"

Julie had also forgotten, making her grimace internally. She saw Midnight look over after Aria called, and Julie beckoned him over. She had to consciously remind herself not to call him love. "Midnight, what do you want to eat? I remember you haven't tried the variety berry carton yet."

He perked. "Mbre."

"Berry carton?"

Midnight nodded.

Giza had shot his head to Julie after hearing her words and caught on, which Aria saw. "Berry carton for you too, Giz?"

"Zoru!" He grinned while quickly nodding, only stopping after he started making himself dizzy and about tripping over his paws.

"Okayy," the waitress sung while scribbling some more. I'll put the order in and return with bread and water for the table shortly."

"Much appreciated, ma'am," Jamie said as she walked away. "So, where were we?" He looked at Aria, who was busy watching Midnight return to the railing while trying to call Giza back to it. "Aria?"

"Huh? Oh." She turned back to the table. "Sorry. I want to major in either physics or engineering... mostly physics."

Well, she was smart. Julie couldn't fathom devoting her life to physics without her brain imploding. "Really? Do you know what you want to do career-wise already?"

"Not... so much, no, but being a data scientist or design engineer sounds appealing. Yourself?"

She must mean daunting. "I'm the worst at anything math. I want to be a boring historian since the world captures me."

"But that's huge," Aria said. "The world is vast; you're unraveling pasts through so many variables."

"Exactly," Jamie chimed in. "A ton of pretty views and great history your and no one's eyes have seen. It's life-changing. I travel a lot, so I've witnessed a small percentage."

Julie eyed him. She had yet to ask about Jamie, so this was an invitation. "Where have you been?"

"Galar, Kalos, and a few others. I'm a geoscientist, which Aria is versed in too, by the way. It ties into physics. I'm typically never visiting for pleasure, but I've been back and forth enough."

"I've never heard of that profession. What do you do?"

He chuckled. "Okay, this one's actually boring. I aid companies in detecting anything from artifacts to liquids underground within remote areas. I enjoy my work, though, so that's what matters."

"You're established then." Down to the ring on his finger, so Julie assumed he was married. "That has to feel great. Could I ask your age?"

"Twenty-three, and it does feel secure when I always have work. It allows me to care for my family and help my parents whenever necessary."

The waitress returned with a tray holding a large glass pitcher of ice water, three glasses, a basket with bread and butter, and oil and vinegar containers.

Meanwhile, Midnight had finally gotten Giza back to the railing. "Um um bre?"

"Zorua. Z-Zor, Zorah..." He told Midnight he had never been on a cruise before and that being in the middle of water with no land for miles was horror.

"Umbreon. Mbre." He said was easy to adapt to since ships were made to deal with anything.

"Two children?" Julie repeated after Jamie. He thought _she _was impressive? He'd accomplished things and was set so early on. Julie had time, but still.

"And they want a third," Aria added while pouring water into her glass. "And our parents encourage it."

"Ah." He waved. "She kidnaps them for hours whenever I take them over."

"I would do the same. I know they're adorable," Julie said, shooting between Jamie and Aria. She had to ask. "And I have a question..."

Aria grinned under a bit lip. "If we're related, right?"

"Well..." Yeah. Julie knew they had to get that often.

Jamie sighed. "We aren't, but my parents adopted Aria as a young child when I was also in my single digits, so we grew up together."

Aria nodded. "They gave me a better life than what I would have had. I was lucky."

"What do you mean? If I can ask..."

"Sure." Aria pondered for several moments to gather her thoughts. "From my adoptive parents, I learned my biological ones sent me with a trusted group from my region who ferried children over back when Johto allowed it. My parents must have had to or wanted to stay in Oblivia, but they also wanted to give me a safer and better quality of life. Most of those kids grow up to struggle in Johto after being brought up in foster programs and orphanages because no one teaches them how the system works, so they tend to move and settle in Ecruteak at eighteen."

"That's- that's..." Julie didn't know whether the situation was good or bad. Aria didn't know her birth parents, but she was doing amazing, having been raised by her adoptive ones with a great brother.

"I'm happy," Aria assured. "I couldn't ask for a better life and the people in it."

---

The remainder of lunch was lovely as the air relaxed and the three warmed up. Midnight and Giza had talked the whole time and even traded berries from their cartons so they could have more of their favorites.

Jamie paid Julie's portion of the bill, too, which she tried to fight at first but to no avail. The group currently stood outside the restaurant an hour later.

"I can't thank you enough for sitting with us today, Julie. You and your umbreon. You're amiable," Jamie said.

"Awe, you both are too. Could we, nh, keep in touch?" It took courage to ask, but these were good people who Julie felt comfortable around.

"Of course. I was gonna ask the same," Jamie replied.

So they exchanged numbers that Julie saved as contacts in her phone, said their farewells, and parted ways, and while Julie enjoyed her time out, it felt like bliss to be back in the cabin.

She was in her shorts and tee on her stomach atop the blanket while Midnight sat and groomed his foreleg beside her. The ceiling light was off, so natural light filled the room.

Julie reached and held it, stopping him. "Did you have a good time too? I saw you talking to the zorua." She ran her thumb in a circle over his fur.

Midnight nodded with a full grin. "Umbreon."

"Good cruise so far." Julie yawned and released his leg, letting her hand hit the bed. "I'm falling asleep. Want to be my pillow?"

He stood and started walking over but stopped after she raised her palm and pressed it into his chest.

"No." She giggled. "I'm kidding. You'll be stuck under me for hours. Lie next to me."

Midnight stared, then lay beside her head and curled up, resting his chin on his paws while looking at her.

Julie shut her eyes. "See you when I wake up."