Author's notes: This is the cast of One Piece in a world with Pokemon, some of the elements of the Pokemon universe will be here, but lots will change. No Pokemon characters will be in this story. Some Pokemon might be tweaked with different abilities to make it work for what I need them to be able to do. I have honestly never read/written any Pokemon fanfiction so hopefully I don't butcher this too much.
I started this story as a part of the One Piece Secret Valentine Project on tumblr, and it has just run away with me as far as ideas go. I hope you enjoy this craziness as much as I have enjoyed plotting and writing it! Please review and let me know what you think. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, Pokemon, or anything related to them.
"We are lost, aren't we?" Usopp whined for what must have been the tenth time in the last twenty minutes.
"For the last time no, you really think I would get us lost?" Nami snapped back as she pushed through some thick underbrush, "we have been friends since we were 10 Usopp! Have I ever been lost?"
"Well…no…" he said, sounding sheepish and unsure but still following her, "but if we aren't lost where are we?"
She threw him a dirty look before going back to scanning the surrounding area. "Taking an alternate route." She said simply. "The road circles the long way around the lake to avoid the Pokémon that live here in the tall grass. As Pokémon trainers we shouldn't be afraid of Pokémon but actively searching them out. Besides I want a Mankey and they are supposed to live around here."
Usopp stopped in his tracks, staring at her back with wide, terrified eyes. "But isn't that Pokémon really dangerous? Like don't they attack people?"
Nami stopped turned to frown at him, "it just gets a bad rep for being a bit grumpy. You would be too if snot nosed kids kept interrupting your naps to try and catch you. Now keep up or I'll leave you behind," she said, spinning back around and heading further into the forest. She didn't look back to see if he followed or not.
"Hey!" He yelled, running to catch up so he was alongside her, "are you calling me a snot nosed kid?"
Before he noticed her hand balled into a fist he was nursing a sore spot on the back of his head.
"Of course not! You remember that just a few years ago they were letting 10 year olds pick up a Pokémon, with no training at all, and sent off alone to chase their dreams or something like that," she said, sounding exasperated and shaking her head. "I don't know why they thought that was a good idea."
Usopp waved his finger at her, smiling, "you seem to forget we were some of those 10 year olds."
She shrugged, "just because I was one of them doesn't mean it was a good idea."
He was about to respond when they heard rustling in the bushes ahead of them. Both immediately tensed, instinctively reaching for their Poké Balls in case they were needed. The sound of something pushing through the bushes got louder before out popped a small creature.
It stood about three feet tall, had brown fur, antlers, a blue nose, a pink top hat and a backpack. The creature froze when it saw them, eyes wide and scared. It tried to hide, but was doing a poor job of it as it's hooves where hidden in the bushed but it's entire body was in the clearing ahead of them.
This Pokémon was completely unfamiliar to Usopp, who had studied the different types of Pokémon closely over the years. He whipped out his Pokédex, hoping this was one of the legendary and rare Pokémon he was always hearing stories about that never seemed quite true. He smiled at the device when it said it didn't recognize the species of Pokémon standing before them.
"I'm going to catch it!" Usopp declared, stepping forward and grabbing one of the empty Poké Balls off his belt.
The creature, stirred by his words, suddenly reacted to their presence. It's face twisted into an angry expression and it shouted at them.
"I AM NOT A POKÉMON YOU ASSHOLE!"
Nami and Usopp both were struck dumb with shock.
They exchanged a glance, reading the questions in each others faces.
It can speak?
It's not a Pokémon?
What is it?
As they stared at one another the creature kept yelling at them, calling them morons and questioning why people always assumed he was a Pokémon.
"What are you hollering about Chopper?" A voice called from out of the bushes. This voice they learned belonged to a man not much older than them, as he emerged out of the bushes behind the creature. He was tall, muscular, had spiky green hair, and strangely three swords handing off his waist.
Chopper, which was apparently the creature's name, turned to the tall, green haired man and pointed at them.
"Zoro! They thought I was a Pokémon! The long nosed one said he was going to catch me!"
"Oh is that right? Trying to capture my little brother are you?" He gave Usopp a predatory glare, causing the smaller man to tremble with fear. Zoro pulled one of his Poké Balls off his belt, pressing the button to expand it to its full size. "I can't overlook that. Let's see just how good this "trainer" is that thinks he can catch you." He smirked and threw the ball. "Honedge, let's show them how it's done."
The ball bounced on the ground, opening and releasing the creature within. Out of the ball came a floating sword. Its blade and hilt were silver, with an interwoven Celtic design and a blue eye set into the hand guard. A long, darker blue, tassel hung off the end of the hilt, flapping in the wind as the sword floated about a foot off the ground.
Usopp gaped at it in awe. "Oh my god!" He shouted, grabbing Nami's arm and practically jumping up and down, "he has a Honedge! Nami do you see this? It's a Honedge! I've never seen one before! Did you know it is steel and ghost type but learns Fury Cutter at level five! Fury Cutter, it's a bug move! And then at level 13-"
Nami sighed before pulling her arm out of his grasp and smacking him on the shoulder. She knew that if she didn't interrupt him they could be there all day while he rattles off facts and stats for this Pokémon. How many of these "facts" were true was always debatable.
"Pay attention," she snapped, "he challenged you to a battle, nimrod."
Usopp stared at her for a moment before nodding and pointing his thumb dramatically at his chest. "Right! Leave it to me! I am going to be a brave Pokémon trainer of the world! I can't back down from a challenge." He reached into his bag and pulled out a Poké Ball before pressing the button and throwing it. "Let's do this, Hoppip!"
Out of the ball came a Pokémon that looked like a very pudgy cat, with bubble gum pink fur and yellow eyes. Two long, leafy stalks were poking out of the top of its head making it resemble a houseplant.
"Right," Usopp said, "start off with Bullet Seed!"
Hoppip made a happy noise before pursing it's lips and shooting three seeds at the other Pokémon.
It wasn't very effective and the seeds bounced off the hard metal shell.
The green haired man laughed, "Honedge, Slash!"
Honedge bobbed slightly in the air to show that it had heard the order before dashing forward, almost too fast to track, and slashing at Hoppip like the sword it resembled.
The hit knocked Hoppip back, the small Pokémon letting out a painful squeak. It shook its head, gathering its bearings before glaring at Honedge.
"Are you okay Hoppip?" Usopp asked, concern evident in his voice. The Pokémon gave him a positive squeak. "Good! Use Fairy Wind!
Hoppip nodded and almost immediately the air around them started to stir. The air rushed towards Honedge, pushing the Pokémon back a bit but otherwise the steel Pokémon seemed unharmed as the wind died down.
"Let's finish this Honedge," Zoro said, "Shadow Sneak now."
"S-s-shadow Sneak?" Usopp asked softly. He had heard of this move but never see it in action. Honedge's shadow grew, snaking along the ground as if it had a life of it's own before literally popping up off the ground to strike Hoppip from behind.
Usopp could hear Nami's gasp from behind him as Hoppip cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground and fainting. He ran forward, his friend close on his heels, "Hoppip!"
"Look what you did Zoro!" Chopper shouted, seemingly berating the much larger man, "you didn't have to make it faint!" The small creature jumped down from Zoro's shoulders, where he had perched to watch the match, and hurried over to the fallen Pokémon.
Usopp moved to block him from reaching Hoppip. "Stay back! He's hurt!"
Chopped glared at him, the expression looking out of place on his cute face, "I know that, I'm a doctor! Let me look at him."
"You're a doctor?" Nami asked looking over Usopp's shoulder.
The small creature nodded. "Yep! I am traveling around so I can become the best Pokémon and human doctor of all time!"
Usopp and Nami exchanged a long look before they both nodded. Usopp side stepped, giving the small doctor room to examine Hoppip. They both stayed close just in case anything happened.
The doctor, however, seemed genuine in his intentions as he examined Hoppip, removed supplies from the bag on its back and treated the Pokémon. Usopp and Nami both relaxed as they watched him spray a super potion on Hoppip's wounds before wrapping them expertly with bandages.
Chopped stepped back and clapped his hoofs together. "there! That's the best I can do with what I have, but you really should get Hoppip to a Pokémon Center soon so he can rest properly."
Usopp nodded, returning Hoppip to his Poké Ball.
"C'mon Nami, which way do we go?"
She was already looking at her map, double checking her directions. "This way," she said, pointing to the west and putting the map away. "We should be able to make it there before sunset if we leave now."
"So," Usopp said, breaking the silence around them, and glancing back at their newest traveling companions,"…how long do you intend to follow us?"
Zoro huffed, a scowl on his face, "We aren't following you, that's just the way we want to go."
Chopped frowned from his perch on Zoro's shoulders, his head resting atop the green fuzzy mess of hair, "but Zoro you said we should follow them since we have been lost in this forest for days."
The green haired man denied it loudly as Nami looked at him in amazement. "Days!? How could you be lost that long? There is a town just on the other side of the lake we met by."
Zoro leveled a glare at her. "I. Was. Not. Lost!" He growled, biting off the words like they left a bad taste in his mouth.
Chopper laughed, an adorable giggle that made Nami smile, "don't mind him. Zoro has a really bad sense of direction. I've tried to make medicine for it but it hasn't help so far."
Usopp nodded, a knowing expression on his face. "That's got to make it hard to get where you want to go. We have a friend like that, never knows where he is going or how to get there."
"Hey! We always end up where we wanted to be!" Zoro snapped, reaching up to poke his brother in the side.
Nami led them around a bend, and they found themselves on the top of a slight hill, the trees falling away to reveal the town nestled up against the lakefront. The sun, now in full view, was starting to set.
"Hah!" She shouted joyfully, turning to smile at her friend. "I told you I wasn't lost Usopp!"
Usopp waved her comment off, "fine you win, you didn't get us lost. Just lead the way to the Pokémon center already!" Despite his tone he was smiling.
As they started down the hill not one of them noticed the three figures in the bushes behind them. They had been trailing them for quite some time now actually, having witnessed their chance meeting earlier and being fascinated with what they saw.
"So, what do you think we should do Mister 2?" A man in a sleeveless blue striped shirt asked. His dark hair was pulled up into an elaborate hair style, creating a 3 to fit his codename, Mister 3.
"Yes, should we attack them now or wait for them to leave the town?" The woman asked, brushing her long blue ponytail over her shoulder. She was wearing a corset decorated with black and white swirls. Her code name was Miss Wednesday.
They both turned to their 'leader' only to find that he wasn't paying them any attention at all. Instead he was dancing around, practicing his unique fighting/dancing style he called Okama Kempo. "Un duex truis! Un duex truis!" He counted loudly as he completed the movements.
Mr. 3 and Miss Wednesday both sighed in exasperation before Mr. 3 picked up a rock and tossed it at the ballerina. It caught him in the arm and he stopped moving to glare at him.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"Pay attention!" Mr. 3 snapped, pointing toward their prey that was now almost all the way to the town. "Thanks to you we are going to have to wait for them to leave now!"
Mr. 2 smiled, walking towards his subordinates, "never to worry my friends! that was my plan all along. You shall see, that unique Pokémon will be ours! Come!" In his renewed excitement he started to spin again, this time leading them away. "Un duex truis! Un duex truis!"
Mr. 3 and Miss Wednesday both stood from where they had been hiding in the bushes, their targets so far away that they no longer needed to be stealthy, and followed him. On the back of each of their outfits was an elaborate symbol. Purple wings, crossed swords and the initials BW where the only clue as to who they really were.
"Ah it is so good to be in civilization again!" Nami cried joyfully, "look at all the beautiful shops!"
"Nami," Usopp sighed, "we aren't here to shop."
"Just because you aren't doesn't mean I'm not," she said, sticking her tongue out before pointing towards a building with an orange roof ahead of them, "there is the Pokémon center, we should head in to for the night before they close the doors." After voicing their agreement the four travelers headed straight to the Pokémon Center to check in.
After handing their tired Pokémon over to the nurse they found a quiet corner of the center, away from the other trainers that were staying there for the night, and while Usopp, Chopper and Zoro claimed the comfiest looking couch for themselves Nami wandered over to the bank of video phones.
Usopp sat down next to Chopped, leaning in close to look at him. "Are you really not a Pokémon?"
"Of course not!" The small creature yelled, "I am a boy just like you I just… look a little different."
Usopp frowned, still unsure how that could be true, and was about to express his doubt when he was interrupted.
"Usopp, come here, Professor Franky wants to see you!" Nami called.
"Oh right," he said, standing and hurrying over to her.
Oh the screen was a large, blue haired man. "Usopp! You are looking SUPER!"
"Haha, you too" Usopp laughed awkwardly, taking in the newest hairstyle their eccentric Professor was sporting. It looked like he had two large pincers coming out of the top of his head. "How are our Pokémon?"
"They are all doing well long-nose-kun," a soft, feminine voice spoke before she poked her head into view. Robin, Professor Franky's wife, was by far the more sane of the two, even if she was rather morbid from time to time. "It is good to hear from you two, I was beginning to wonder if you had fallen off a cliff to your untimely deaths."
Nami sighed as Usopp snapped at her. "Don't say such things so casually!"
The older woman giggled, covering her mouth to hide her smile, before moving away from the screen again.
"So you already made it to the Goa region? That's SUPER! You are making good time since you just left here a week ago," Professor Franky said with a large smile. "Where are you meeting up with the others?"
Nami answered, "we are meeting up at Loguetown's Pokémon center at the end of next week. Ace promised he would make sure Luffy made it on time and Sanji should be there already."
"SUPER and then you are all off to the Grandline right?"
"Yeah, Luffy really wants to compete against the masters there and try to enter the New World League so we are all going together. He wouldn't make it to Alabasta for the first gym without us after all."
Franky laughed, nodding to show that he agreed with her.
Suddenly he sobered, looking at them seriously. "Actually I am glad you called, the news has had some disturbing stories lately. Pokémon thieves have been reported along the road to Alabasta. It would be good if you met up with the others as soon as possible and stick together, just in case."
Usopp shook a little, anxiety plain on his face. "P-p-pokémon thieves? I thought that only happened in the New World region?"
Nami placed her hand on his shoulder, "don't worry. We will be with the others in a few days and then anyone who tries to steal our Pokémon are in for a world of hurt."
They exchanged a few more words, bid their professor good night, and headed back to their claimed corner. Zoro and Chopper were already asleep, the tall man stretched out the full length of one of the couches and the smaller boy curled up on his chest.
Usopp and Nami claimed the other couch, each sinking into one of the corners and covering themselves with the blankets out of their bags a moment before the center's lights dimmed, signaling that is was now quiet time.
"Nami?" Usopp whispered, "is going to the New World a good idea?"
"Of course not, but Luffy is going to go either way and we owe him," she answered quietly, "as long as we stay together it will be okay."
"You really think so?"
"Of course I do, now get some sleep. If we get an early start the next few days we can reach Loguetown in a few days instead of a week. I'm anxious to see the others after what Franky said about thieves."
"Good night Nami," Usopp said, still feeling nervous about their plans but glad he wouldn't be traveling alone.
"Good night."
The next morning the four companions left the center just after the sun had rose.
"So where are you headed to?" Usopp asked Chopper, who was once again riding on Zoro's shoulders as Nami headed over to a fruit stand on the edge of town to get them some mikans for the road.
"Not sure," Zoro answered before his little brother could, "which ever way we want to I suppose."
"Really?" Usopp asked, looking surprised, "you don't have any destination in mind?"
"We are looking for someone," Chopper answered, his eyes sparking with excitement, "there is this great doctor I've heard about for a few years now but he is really hard to find since he travels around a lot. I want to find him and see if he will let me be his apprentice."
"So since he travels so much you are hoping that someday you will just bump into him?"
Chopper nodded as Nami called out to him.
"Usopp we should probably get going, the next town is pretty far and if we want to avoid camping tonight we have a lot of ground to cover."
"Ah right!" He said, turning to see that she was waiting for him over by the road. "Maybe we will see each other again someday." He waved, smiling at the pair of brothers before jogging over to catch up to Nami.
"Good bye!" Chopper shouted, waving enthusiastically as their new friends started down the East route. Outside the town the road immediately forked into two directions, East and North.
Without bothering to read where the sign said the road led to, Zoro started walking down the North route.
Chopped hopped down off his shoulders and started walking a little a head of the taller man.
"Do you think we will find him this way?"
Zoro nodded, "we will find him eventually, we just have to keep going."
"Right!" Chopper responded with a smile, turning back to face the road a head. As soon as his back was turned though he heard a loud smacking sound. He spun around just as Zoro was picking up a small cloth bundle off the ground.
"What the hell?" he mumbled under his breath as he pulled on the string to see what was inside it. As soon as the bag opened a familiar smell entered Chopper's sensitive nose.
"Wait! Zoro! Don't open that!" He shouted, running forward and covering his own nose with a hoof. He was, unfortunately, too late and the sleep powder in the pouch had knocked his brother out. Zoro was laying in the dirt, snoring, but otherwise unharmed. Chopper grabbed the bag, holding it as far from his face as possible and threw it into the trees. He was brushing off his hooves and about to try and wake up Zoro when several things happened.
Three figures popped out of the bushes next to the road. The one with a large three in his hair threw a Poké Ball, releasing a Litwick, a Pokémon that resembled a large candle. The Pokémon was barely out of his ball when his master ordered him to use Wax Cage. Before Chopper could run away he was encased in a white waxy cage that had been created around him. He tried to break out but the cooling wax was a hard as steel.
Throughout all this Zoro just snored.
As the three people started walking towards his cage Chopper remembered something. On the East route, not far from where they were now, was two people he hoped could help. He started yelling, calling for help and being as loud as possible, hoping his voice would carry far enough to reach Usopp and Nami.
Just past a stretch of forest and underbrush, traveling along the East route Usopp paused in his walking, letting Nami walk ahead of him.
"Nami, did you hear something?"
"Hm?" She said, stopping and turning to him, "what do you mean?"
"I thought I heard…" his voice trailed off and he shook his head, "never mind. It's nothing." He jogged to close the distance between them but as he caught up to her they heard an ear piercing scream. Both of their heads snapped towards the sound, the voice they recognized.
Chopper.
As one they both turned fully and ran down the road, following the sound.
"Usopp turn right here, we can cut across the woods." Nami yelled and Usopp didn't even think to doubt her. No matter how much he worried he knew he could always trust her directions when it was important. He turned right, running into the foliage and hearing Nami right behind him.
They pushed through the bushes and out onto the road faster than Usopp expected and found themselves right where they wanted to be. Nami's navigation, as expected, had been perfect and in front of them they found a peculiar sight.
Chopper was in a cage made of what looked to be white wax, Zoro was unconscious and tied up on the side of the road and three unfamiliar people were staring at them.
"Hey, move a long children, this is none of your business." A man with a large 3 in his hair said, moving to stand between them and Chopper.
Chopper having noticed them cried out, "Usopp! Nami! Help! They think I am a Pokémon! They are trying to steal me from Zoro!"
"Hey you, be quiet!" The blue haired woman yelled, smacking the top of the cage.
Usopp and Nami both reached for their Poké Balls, ready to fight for their new friend.
"Let him go!" Usopp said, holding the Poké Ball out in front of him, "or we will make you."
"Well if that is the way you want it," the man said, pulling out his own Poké Ball. The woman pulled out one as well.
"WAIT!" The second man shouted, bounding in-between them and striking a ballerina pose before saying dramatically, "you have not done the motto yet! Before you do it, you must go through it! Or else I blew it."
The other two exchanged a look of exasperation and sighed heavily.
"Do we have to?" The woman asked.
"Yeah, you don't even have much of a part in it."
"Of course you have to do it! Don't forget, I, as Mr. 2, outrank you!"
Nami and Usopp looked at one another, both faces showing the same confusion, before Nami spoke. "Are you done yet?"
"No!" Mr. 2 said, spinning in a circle, "ready? Un duex truis!"
The woman cleared her throat and stepped forward, "Prepare for trouble!"
The first man, with the three in his hair stepped up next to her, "and make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation" She continued.
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Miss Wednesday!" The woman cried out with a smile.
"Mr. 3!" The man said.
"Baroque Works, collecting the best Pokémon with all our might!"
"Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!"
"OKAMA WAY!" Mr. 2 yelled, "that's right!" All three struck a dramatic pose and stared at them with varying degrees of aggression.
Nami turned to Usopp, "are they serious?"
He nodded sagely, "yes I do believe they are."
She sighed, "why is it we always meet the nut jobs?"
"I suppose that is just our lot in life."
"Hey!" Mr. 3 yelled, "stop ignoring us! Litwick, use a fire spin to teach them to know better than to underestimate us!"
Nami, reacting quickly to the sudden attack summoned her Castform. "Castform, Hydro Pump, put out those flames!" The small, cloud-like creature shot out a gush of water, effectively stopping Litwick's attack.
"Poliwhirl, hit Castform with Hypnosis!" Miss Wednesday called out to her round Pokémon who's swirl design matched her corset.
Usopp, having called out his Hoppip, stepped in. "Two on one is hardly fair. Hoppip, hit it with stun spore!"
Hoppip blew yellow dust at Poliwhirl, the poison stunning the smaller Pokémon making it unable to move.
Nami smiled, "one down, Castform hit Litwick with Weather Ball!"
Castform bounced a little before throwing a large white ball of energy, powered up by the sunny weather, towards Litwick. The ball hit him and exploded with a boom reminiscent of thunder and knocked the candle Pokémon out.
"Litwick!" Mr. 3 said, looking shocked, before turning to where Mr. 2 was still spinning, "Mr. 2, are you going to help us?"
"You lost?" He asked, stopping between spins, "That isn't the oakma way!" He started spinning again, this time moving away from them down the road. "Time to bow out! Un duex truis!"
Mr. 3 and Miss Wednesday both threw him an exasperated look, before he turned to face their opponents again. "Don't think this is over brats. We will have your rare Pokémon!" With those parting words they both ran to catch up to Mr. 2.
Usopp rushed over to Chopper, pulling on the bars of the cage to no avail. "Are you okay Chopper?"
Chopper nodded, drying the remaining tears on his face, "I was really scared. Thank you for saving me!"
Usopp smiled, "of course! We are friends, right?" He pulled on the bars again, "though I don't know how we are going to get you out of this."
"Just wake Zoro up, he can cut this I'm sure." Chopper said, sounding confidant.
Nami, who had gone to check on Zoro was just finishing untying his hands. "Wait you mean he is just asleep?"
"Yeah, they threw a pouch of sleep powder at him and he opened it."
"That idiot!" She yelled, balling her fist and thumping him on the head, "wake up you moron!"
"Huh? What happened? Did I miss something?" Zoro said, waking up and brushing the sleep powder out of his eyes. "Hey," he said, noticing Nami standing over him, "what are you doing here?"
"Saving your behind, now get up and see if you can cut this cage Chopper is stuck in."
"What cage?" He said, jumping to his feet so fast she had to jump back herself to avoid being hit.
"Outta the way," he grunted, pulling out the white sword at his side. Usopp scrambled to get out of the way before he slashed at the tops of the bars and the cage fell apart around Chopper.
The boy cheered as he was freed and threw himself at Zoro who caught him in his free arm. He buried his face into his brother's chest crying about how scared he had been.
The green haired man sheathed his sword, wrapping his other arm around Chopper's back, rubbing comforting circles in his fur. He looked up at Nami and Usopp, his expression serious, before asking them to tell him everything that had happened.
After they finished explaining his expression was even darker than before, a feat Usopp was sure wasn't possible, but Chopper had calmed down and was sitting comfortably on Zoro's shoulders again.
Zoro cocked his head to the side to look up at his brother the best he could before asking. "What do you want to do? Sounds like it's dangerous for us to travel on our own. Do you want to keep looking for this doctor or head home where it's safe?"
"I want to keep going," he answered, face set in determination.
Zoro nodded in agreement. "So, what do you say?" he asked, looking pointedly at Nami and Usopp.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Can we travel with you?" Chopper asked, smiling widely.
Usopp returned the smile, throwing his hands into the air and cheering. Chopper jumped off Zoro's shoulders into his arms. Together the two laughed, cheered and danced around celebrating.
Nami smiled, turning to Zoro. "You know we are heading to the Grand Line right? It will be even more dangerous there than it is here."
"Yeah, but we are more likely to find the man we are looking for there," Zoro said then grinned, "plus it sounds like an adventure."
Nami sighed, "you are going to get along with Luffy that's for sure. Well you know what they say, safety in numbers. We should get going though."
"Right," he said, following her as she started leading the way back to the East route.
"Hey, hurry up boys or we will leave you behind!" She called to Usopp and Chopper as she pushed her way into the foliage.
With a surprised squeak they both rushed into the woods to catch up, eager to start their way to a new adventure.