Introduction
I want to start this off by saying that The Photographer's Tome probably isn't a good title for this. A more fitting title would probably be The Photographer's Diary, The Photographer's Nutty Ramblings, or, perhaps, The Diary of The Crazy, Leon-Obsessed Photographer That Chairman Rose Somehow Hired, but I like the idea of someone finding this book, thinking that they're going to read a grand, scholarly book from a photographer of old...then stumbling upon this mess of a diary. So, if you've managed to find this diary and think that you're going to be revealing a grand adventure...you're unfortunately wrong. Dad said that writing about my daily adventures will help me with my anxiety, however that works, so...buckle your seatbelt, because my life is a ride...and not a very smooth one more often than not.
Also, I should put out there that this isn't going to be a daily thing or anything. If I were to document every single day of my life, it would be about six volumes long and would be horribly tedious and boring. I suppose that this could be considered the "highlights" of my life, but I guess I'll pick certain days to write about. If Day 1 ends and skips to, like, Day 47 or something, there's no pages missing. I just didn't want to write about anything that happened on Days 2-46. Anyway, enough rambling. It's time to start this thing, I guess.
Day 1~ March 29
I clutched my camera as hard as I could. My hands trembled as my quaking legs made their way inside of the League HQ. Dad was so far away now. He was back in Hammerlocke, working away. I was in big, bad Wyndon, where Leon was. I had only ever dreamed of being here.
"I-I need to get to the chairman's office, please," I said to the woman at the front desk, who was busy typing away at her computer.
"Name and business?" She asked. Before I could even open my mouth to reply to her, the elevator doors opened and my worst nightmare trotted out, the snarky air immediately filling the building. Oh no…
"You. Castellana. You're late. Ten minutes. The chairman's been worried sick," Oleana said, her arms crossed sassily. I winced. It was only ten minutes...the taxi had other stops to make...the chairman told me to take my time…
Oleana grabbed my arm, making me almost drop my camera as she pretty much yanked me into the elevator. Dear lord, I almost forgot how much I hated that woman. I'd hated her ever since I was a child.
The elevator ride was long and slow. Oleana's long nails felt as if they were digging into my skin. I expected to be scolded beyond all belief, but she was surprisingly silent.
Once the elevator door finally opened, Oleana led me down a long hallway to a door that had a plaque with Chairman Rose's name on it. She knocked, and whenever the chairman's gentle voice told her to come in, she practically dragged me into the office, finally releasing her grip on me and allowing the skin on my arm, now almost as red as her nails, to breathe.
As soon as Chairman Rose saw me, his face lit up and a gentle smile spread across it. He didn't seem worried about me...like, at all. Probably another one of Oleana's lies to get me to feel bad about myself. She liked to do that. She was the Queen of Lies.
"Maddie, good morning, my dear! I'm glad that you really want to take this job seriously! As you know, the Gym Challenge is starting very, very soon. You won't just be taking pictures of Pokémon anymore, as you know. No, darling, you'll be taking pictures of people! People very much beloved and admired by all of Galar! No longer will our great Pokémon League hire an outside photographer! We'll have you! The League Cards, the Gym Leaders, the Finals...It's all you now, Maddie. Isn't that exciting?" Chairman Rose asked, folding his hands across his desk.
"I-I'm very much honored to have the position, chairman, but...are you sure I can handle it? I'm only fifteen, after all," I said softly. Oleana seemed to explode. Her eyes turned red for a minute, I swear. The demon in her was taking over.
"Are you...questioning the chairman?!" She shrieked, but Chairman Rose quickly shushed her.
"Oleana, please. Maddie makes a valid point," the chairman said. Oleana didn't see it (or at least I don't think she did), but I stuck my tongue out at her. "Maddie makes a valid point. She is awfully young to have a job such as this, but I think that she can do it. No, I know that she can do it. I created this role for a purpose, and I believe that this purpose was to help my beautiful goddaughter fulfill her dream of becoming a part of Galar's Pokémon League!" He continued, a wide smile on his face. I blushed.
"Now, Maddie...before you officially start, I think that it would be a splendid idea to introduce yourself to the Gym Leaders. After all, they're going to be some of your closest companions throughout your new career. I know that you know a few of them, but it doesn't hurt to catch up! Not just the Gym Leaders, though; I'm sure that Leon would love for you to stop by and chat, too," Chairman Rose said. I blushed even harder. I already knew some of the Gym Leaders personally, so this wouldn't be that hard of a task. But...Leon? The same Leon that I've practically worshipped for longer than I'm willing to admit? The same Leon that I have a huge crush on? The same Leon that I want to marry? Uh-oh. That may be a tad bit harder than I was expecting. I was about to leave and get seeing Leon out of the way, mainly for my own sake, when…
"Before you leave…" Chairman Rose stopped me, "...I should probably inform you of another task. Of course, only very important matches will require photos, so you'll have a lot of downtime. To give you something to do during this downtime, I'm going to give you specific requests that require you to go into the Wild Area and photograph a Pokémon that happens to meet my fancy at the moment. This will be mandatory for the job, of course, but I can't see you being against it. It's just the same thing you've been doing, but you're now getting paid for it! Exciting! Not only that, but if you happen to do exceptionally well, which I know you will, I may even give you a special bonus," he said. As he said the last part, there was something in his voice that unsettled me, but I decided to ignore it.
"Thank you, ch-chairman. I'll keep that in mind," I smiled.
"Now, then...off to meet the Gym Leaders! Oleana, please escort Maddie out," Chairman Rose said as he waved goodbye. Oleana nodded, roughly grabbing my arm again as she led me out of the chairman's office and back onto the elevator.
"On Mr. Rose's behalf, I will notify everyone and tell them that you are coming. Don't make them wait," Oleana said as the painfully long elevator ride ended. After I exited, she pushed a button and the elevator doors closed, sending her back to her boss.
I was about to leave when the same receptionist from earlier stopped me. "Ah, Photographer Castellana! I didn't recognize you. The chairman told me to give this to you when you showed up," she said, handing me a card. It almost looked like a key to a really fancy hotel room.
"This is your card. It's not as flashy as a League Card, but Chairman Rose designed it himself according to your tastes. This will be your key to get into pretty much all of the stadiums, as well as the elevator here. Please take good care of it!" The receptionist explained. I held the card in my hand, running my finger over the name: M.D. Castellana. This stood for my full name, Madison Delfina Castellana, though I always preferred to be known as Maddie. Other than my autographed poster of Leon, a very special picture of Allister that I took, and my photography equipment, this would be my most valuable asset.
'Wyndon Stadium is closest to the League HQ. I guess it wouldn't hurt to go and pay Leon a visit,' I mumbled to myself. I knew that the Champion would be waiting for me, so I sighed nervously, straightening my beret and heading for Wyndon Stadium.
Wyndon- Leon
Upon walking into the stadium, my heart felt as if it was going to stop. This stadium was pretty much legendary; not many people got to see it in full. Not many people got to see Leon outside of his public appearances. However, I would get to be one of the special few.
Whenever I was greeted by the League Staff member that guarded the Stadium's innards, I showed him my card. My heart was pounding out of my chest.
"Oh, Photographer Castellana! Pleasure to finally meet you. The Champ's in the gym doing his daily workout. If you'd like to go and see him, go all the way down the hall and take the door. He should be there...either there or in the sauna," he smiled. Oh, lord...Leon would be wet and sweaty…
I slowly walked down the hall, trembling as I got closer and closer to the door. I heard some noises, so I figured that Leon was still working out. My hand, which could barely stay still, slowly knocked on the door. I heard the sound of a weight being put down.
When Leon opened the door, his sweaty face lit up and he immediately pulled me into a bear hug. When I felt his warm, muscular arms enclose around me., my pale face lit up like a Tamato Berry. Even when he was all sweaty from lifting, he was still so...gorgeous!
"Hey, Mads! The chairman told me all about your new job!" Leon said, a very enthusiastic tone to his voice. I couldn't stop blushing. I was sweating just as much as he was.
"Y-Yeah...it's a blessing, trust me. I'm really excited to actually start getting recognized for my photography. I'm not sure why the chairman suddenly decided to make the League Photographer an official role, but I'm certainly not complaining!" I said. I felt more sheepish than a herd of Wooloo.
"League Photographer Mads...ha! It has a nice ring to it, don'cha think?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"This just means that you get to spend even more time with your ol' pal Leon! We're gonna have a real champion time, that's for sure!" He said, ruffling my brown, curly hair.
My face got even redder. My legs felt like they were made of pasta. My brown eyes accidentally looked into his golden ones. He was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. Almost instantly, I felt like yanking my bag open, giving him the few dollars I had in it, and asking him to marry me...even though I was fifteen and he was twenty-one.
"Well, I shouldn't hold you here for too long. After all, it's your first day! I know that if you give it your all, you'll make all of Galar truly proud! Go get 'em, Mads!" Leon said after some casual conversation, striking his signature pose, which made my heart nearly explode.
"W-Will do...thanks, Lee."
"And...Mads? Try to respond to my texts more," Leon teased, picking his weight back up as I left the room. I...I never check my phone! I don't intentionally ignore him! Now that I talked to Leon, I was headed to the danger zone-Hammerlocke.
Hammerlocke- Raihan
Hammerlocke is a city that I know well. My dad, John, spends a lot of his time here, considering that he's the Electric-Type Minor League Gym Leader. Unfortunately, my role as League Photographer only covered the Major League, so I wouldn't be able to spend any time with him.
Because my mom left my dad shortly after I was born and went back to her home region of Kalos, when I was a child, my dad decided to take me to work with him so I could be with my only parent. However, there were times when work was hectic, so he left me in the care of a group of friends: Leon, Raihan, and Sonia. Despite them being six years older than me, they treated me as an equal, and I loved that. Leon was already Champion by the time I met them, but during the Gym Challenges, Raihan and Sonia made up for the Leon-shaped hole in my heart. Though, Raihan could be a tad rough…
Before I could even make it to Hammerlocke Stadium, I felt a rough hand on my shoulder. I jumped about five feet in the air as Raihan's booming laughter filled my ears.
"Ey, Squishy!" Raihan said, using his nickname for me as he roughly ruffled my hair, much to my dismay. I rolled my eyes as I tried to straighten up my chin-length curls. I swear, he must know that I hate having my hair messed up. Even though I hated taking care of it, as funny as it sounds, my hair was my pride and joy. Do I want Leon's gentle, manly fingers running through the curls and making that addicting crunchy sound while also lulling me to sleep? Yeah. Do I want Raihan's big, greasy hands roughing them up? Not really. Though, at least he wasn't lifting me over his head or something. He was known for being...a brute. I mean, the man broke my rib when he threw me into the Hero's Bath a few years back.
"I actually wanted to see you. Did you get the news from the chairman?" I asked as Raihan put me in a headlock.
"I don't know, Squish. I get so many emails a day that I tend to just ignore 'em. At least three crazy fans have imitated the chairman tryna get a piece of this," Raihan teased, whipping out his Rotom phone and searching through his emails.
"Hmm...lemme see here...What?! Madison Castellana, the new League Photographer?! My little Squish got a part in the big league!" Raihan said happily, bringing me into my second bear hug of the day as he lifted me off the ground. It wasn't hard, considering that I'm 5 feet tall and he's 6'8. Though I'm chubby, I don't weigh that much.
"I'm so proud of you, Squishy! Does your dad know?" Raihan asked as he put his arm around me, taking a celebratory selfie.
"I've never actually told Dad about it yet, but he and Chairman Rose are like b-best friends, so I'm assuming that he already knows about it. The chairman invited my dad to his house for dinner a few days ago," I replied.
"He probably knows, then. The chairman doesn't hold anything back when he's had too much wine. So, what Pokémon are you gonna kill yourself trying to get a picture of today? I heard that some pretty rare ones are poppin' up in the Wild Area," Raihan said, finally releasing me from all forms of physical touch.
"Actually, I don't have a lot of time for photos today. Chairman Rose specifically said that he wants me to catch up with the Gym Leaders. With the route I planned on taking, that means that...S-Spikemuth would be next," I shuddered. Spikemuth was always a city that I hated.
Raihan seemed as if he wanted to offer to go with me, but considering that the Gym Challenge was starting in a matter of days, he had to make preparations and make sure that Hammerlocke was ready for the challengers. I wanted to see my dad, but I figured that the Minor League Leaders were just as busy as the Major League ones. Thus, I decided to wish Raihan goodbye and head to Spikemuth.
Spikemuth- Piers(?)
As I already mentioned, Spikemuth was a city that I hated. Sure, my dad grew up there and did social work with the children there, but for me...I just didn't have the guts. It was so dark, so drab. If Dad decided to raise me there, I wouldn't have survived.
A lot of people naturally assumed that because I don't like Spikemuth, I didn't like Piers, but that's not true at all. I may not be a huge fan of Dark-Type Pokémon after an event that happened last year, and sure, Piers and I don't talk nearly as much as we used to...or, at all...but I still like him. Even if I did hate him-which I don't- I'd still go and talk to him because the chairman told me to. The chairman is my role model. I want to be like him.
Once I got to Spikemuth, it turned out that the gate was shut and I couldn't get in. Figuring that this was some kind of divine intervention, I was about to turn away when I heard some rustling coming from the nearby grass. I was expecting it to be an average wild Pokémon from the area, but then I saw that it was a...Morpeko. I'd never really seen one in real life.
"Morpeko!" A female voice cried as a young girl suddenly emerged, running to the small rodent and grabbing it. "Stop runnin' off like that! Ya had me worried sick!"
The girl was someone that I recognized. She was Marnie, Piers's younger sister. While we weren't the closest of friends, we grew up playing together while my dad did his Spikemuth charity work.
"Maddie! Are ya here to deliver the good news?! Did yer dad pick me?!" She asked. Because participating in the Gym Challenge was incredibly expensive, far too expensive for most families in Spikemuth, my dad chose to completely sponsor and pay for one kid to go every year. It had worked before. My dad was the one who sponsored Piers.
"Sorry, M-Marnie, but my dad hasn't decided yet. You should know in a few days, though. He has a ton of entries to look through this year," I replied, smiling sadly. I'm pretty sure Dad already chose another kid, but I didn't want to upset her.
"Oh? Then why didja decide to come to Spikemuth?"
"I actually came to see Piers, if he's available."
"I'unno, he ain't in the best of moods right now. He always gets cranky when the Gym Challenge is about to start. What're ya gonna do? Ask him on a date or somethin'?"
"N-No, no! I-I...the chairman just hired me, a-and he wants me to talk to all of the Gym Leaders! N-no dates or anything!" I gushed. I already had a bit of a stutter, as I was born with one, but this made it even worse.
"As soft as Piers can be sometimes, he'd surely break yer heart if ya tried to talk to him," Marnie replied. It was weird. Piers had never gotten cranky with me before. I always remembered him as loving, gentle, and kind.
"Okay...thanks, Marnie," I said, though I didn't exactly believe her. I hadn't had a decent conversation with Piers since the event. Maybe he had some kind of grudge against me? Marnie thought that Piers would break my heart if I went into Spikemuth, but...was I really the one who broke his heart? I knew Piers was quick to get over things, but I still kinda felt bad. It was true, he hadn't been the same since last year.
"I-Is there any way that I could try to meet up with Piers and talk to him in the future? I feel as if we have a lot of things that we have to make right," I said. For one, Marnie actually smiled.
"Piers would really like that. Not today, but in the future. I'll be sure to tell him about yer new job, too. I bet he'll be excited. This means that he'll get to see you more...and seein' you more should really brighten up his mood," Marnie replied in a teasing manner.
"Thanks, Marnie. I appreciate it."
"Tell yer dad I said hello," Marnie said as she and Morpeko vanished into the dark depths of Spikemuth. I was upset about not being able to talk to Piers, but at least I didn't have to go into the city. Next would be a place that I knew very, very well.
Circhester- Melony
Circhester is my hometown. I have an attachment to this city. There's something about the old, snowy city that comforts me. Though I spend a lot of time in Hammerlocke, Circhester is still my home. Dad was able to start with nothing, build wealth, leave Spikemuth, and build a very nice, luxurious cabin for us, and I appreciated that.
As I walked into the city, I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought of my nice, warm bed, playing video games with Allister, listening to my dad practice his bass guitar, playing with Boltund, and sitting in the hot tub. Though, I had to shake off the thoughts of home. I was going to Circhester Stadium, after all.
Melony and I had an interesting relationship. Growing up, Dad would often babysit Melony's children when she was busy. He couldn't do it while the Gym Challenge was going on, of course, but once the season was over, they came down all the time. I usually stayed in my room and didn't socialize with the kids, honestly. Leon, Raihan, and Sonia were my friends, and I didn't want anyone else.
Well, I didn't socialize with most of the kids. Whenever he was old enough, Melony's oldest child, Gordie, took bass guitar lessons from Dad. Something just...clicked between us. Most of my friends are older guys, but I grew up with a single dad. It's just what I'm used to. My friendship with Gordie was much needed, as Dad would occasionally drop me off at Melony's whenever Leon, Raihan, or Sonia weren't around to watch me. I usually sat, sulked, and refused to play with other kids, so Gordie would take me into his room and we would do "big kid stuff" like playing video games, eating crisps right out of the bag, and staying up past my bedtime.
Lord, look at me, rambling about Gordie! Anyway, my relationship with Melony, as I said, is interesting. She always felt bad for me, I guess. She tried to step in and be like a mom to me...but as much as I appreciated it, I never wanted a mom. I was happy with just Dad. I don't want to say that my resistance made Melony bitter, but she just...gave up. I kinda felt bad.
Though, Melony was still a Gym Leader, and I still had to tell her about my new position. She was my coworker now. I made my way to Circhester Stadium, stepping inside. I didn't have to go far, as Melony was standing right there, talking to one of the Gym Trainers. Upon seeing me, she dismissed the Trainer and turned to me, a matronly smile on her face.
"Well, well, well! If it isn't the Pokémon League's new photographer! It's nice to see that there's gonna be another parent-child duo in the League, now," Melony said, though she had a strange tone to her voice, as if she were angry.
"Yeah...Dad's never really said anything about it to me...but I haven't said anything to him, either. I don't even know if the chairman told him," I admitted.
"Oh, trust me, your father knows. Actually, I just got off the phone with him. He, my husband, and I have had very long conversations about this. We really think that you'll flourish. For the chairman to hire you at such a young age...you must have truly been born a photographer," Melony smiled.
"R-Really? Thanks, Melony," I replied, also smiling.
"You're taking a path different from your father's, but nonetheless, you two still get along. He's so proud of you. You two are still so close. I wish my Gordie would get over our disagreements and come back from time to time. Maybe through you, something could hit him. That's this old mother's hope, at least. I'll always be proud of Gordie and love him regardless of what he does. I just wish that he felt the same way…" she sighed. I wanted to try and comfort her, but she continued.
"Maddie...I may have tried to push you past your boundaries and insert myself where I didn't need to be, but I want you to know how proud I am of you. I watched you grow up, and here you are, formally recognized by the chairman. Even if he is your godfather, it's still an amazing feat," Melony said, a warm smile on her face. She outstretched her arms.
Without hesitation, I hugged her. Physical touch is my love language, and it was nice to have someone who didn't show their affection through headlocks, selfies, and throwing me into hot springs.
Melony let me hug her for a pretty long time as she ran her fingers through my hair. I nearly fell asleep until she let go; her warmth faded, the pleasant feeling of her fingers left, and the chilliness of the stadium jarred me awake.
"We're both awfully busy women now, so I'll let you go. Though, as a little treat, meet me at Bob's around suppertime. Your father will be there, too. He and I want to congratulate you more," she said. After thanking her, I stayed in Circhester for a little longer before calling a taxi to head to my next location.
Ballonlea- Opal
Ballonlea is a city that has captured the hearts of many, but to me, it's sickening...literally. You see, I'm terribly allergic to the mushrooms that grow in Glimwood Tangle and Ballonlea. As beautiful as they are, they turn my brain into soup. I can't think straight, the world spins, and I eventually pass out. While the spores take their effects on me, I can only describe the feeling as pure euphoria and bliss, but it's dangerous. Once when I went into Glimwood Tangle, I passed out, woke up, and the cycle continued until I finally stumbled my way to Stow-on-Side and someone was able to call Dad. The forest was an incredibly dangerous place for me, which is why I called a taxi. Ballonlea still had the mushrooms, but at least people were around in case I collapsed.
As soon as I arrived in Ballonlea, I already couldn't think straight. This cloudiness was only the reaction's first stage. As I tried to make my way to Ballonlea Stadium, the euphoria was starting to set in, no matter how much I tried to resist it. Usually, I would give in and let it overcome me, but today was different! The chairman had given me a task, and I was gonna do it! I pressed on and made my way to the stadium, but by the time I got there, I was clumsily stumbling and nearly tripping over myself. Though, I eventually managed to stumble through the door.
Closing my eyes and inhaling the fresh air of the stadium, I let the effects of the mushrooms run through my system. Though, it took a while, and when I opened my eyes, I jumped when I saw that Opal was staring right at me. This woman couldn't be human. She could probably sense that I was coming. She probably knew that I was coming before I did.
"I was expecting you, Little Miss Castellana. Though, you should really tell me before you decide to pay me a visit. You wouldn't want to sneak in and give me a heart attack, would you?" She asked. I was still a bit loopy, but she made me feel even loopier.
"I-I'm sorry, Opal. Though...if y-you were expecting me, then why would you have a heart attack?" I asked. My speech was somewhat slurred and not all the words came out right.
"Oh, dear...seems that the Ballonlea air's gotten to you. I nearly forgot about your allergies. Come, sit down. I'll treat you to some tea, and we can chat then," Opal said, hobbling her way into the stadium. I followed.
"Now...tell me about this new fancy role that the chairman gave you," Opal said, taking a sip of her tea. It was still piping hot...how did she not burn herself?
I explained my role to her, but I don't need to write down the details again, or else it would get way too repetitive. It was hard to read her emotions. Even when she was neutral, she always smiled. I couldn't tell if she was happy for me or just didn't care.
"Well, I'll be! League Photographer? That Rose, always innovating. I guess photography has evolved since I was a child. Then again, dinosaurs roamed the earth when I was a child," Opal teased.
"I suppose it has. Though, I'm not sure why he decided that the League needed a photographer out of the blue like that. I-I didn't even know that I was hired until he came up and told me," I said, finally taking a sip of my tea. It was incredibly sweet. Just how I liked it.
"Well, I'm sure that he won't regret his decision. Since when has he ever done something BAD for the League?" Opal cackled, her tone of voice seeming...strange. She sounded as if she knew something I didn't...then again, it was Opal.
"It's such a pleasure to sit down, have tea, and chat with such a fresh, young flower such as yourself, Little Miss Castellana. I do have to thank you for spending time with such an old wrinkle. Just don't go around snapping pictures of me all day. You know that I don't fancy being photographed much," Opal said after some more tea and some more chat about photography, Pokémon, and Galarian life in general.
"Well, it was an absolute pleasure, Opal. I had a lovely time sitting with you. Perhaps we can meet up again in the future?" I smiled. Opal could be a bit scary sometimes, but she was a very nice lady if you just sat down and talked with her.
"I would love that, dear. I wish you luck with your new job. Please, stay here until your taxi comes. I don't want those mushrooms getting to you again," Opal said. I agreed for two reasons: I wanted to stay a bit longer, but I also didn't want to get loopy once more.
Once the taxi arrived, I wished Opal goodbye, quickly getting into the cab before the spores could make my brain go numb. Onto the next destination.
Stow-on-Side- Allister
Once I arrived in Stow-on-Side, I took a deep breath. The stuffy desert air at least felt better than breathing in mushroom air and going insane. Stow-on-Side wasn't really a city I visited a lot, mainly because it wasn't a very popular spot for photography, but Allister is one of my closest friends, so I would occasionally stop by to pay him a visit.
I made my way to the stadium, wanting to get right to the point. I didn't have to ask where Allister was. I know where he hides.
"Al?" I called when I opened the door to the locker room. The lights were off. A strange, eerie presence filled the air.
"Al?" I called again. No response. He probably didn't feel like talking for one reason or another.
I was going to call out again, but I suddenly felt a huge, hot, wet tongue run up my back, as well as the booming laughter of a Gengar. That thing got a kick out of picking on me.
"Gengar...be nice…" a boyish voice mumbled softly. It was definitely Allister. I heard shuffling, then the lights flickered on. Al was there, his mask off.
If I'm being completely honest, I had absolutely no idea how Allister and I met. Honestly, he just...appeared. There was a point in my memories where he just showed up. I don't remember actually meeting him. I swear that he just magically appears in pictures that he wasn't in before. Sometimes, I ask myself if he's even real.
"I-I'm sorry about him...he just really likes you. He must see what I see…" Allister said, burying his head in my chest. Al was...a troubled child, to say it kindly. He could be a bit problematic. Around me, he was always pretty grabby and clingy. He never really showed any kind of attachment towards other people...except me. I first thought that his clinginess was because he liked my chubbiness, which embarrassed the heck out of me, but I now think that it's more than that. I think I remind him of his mother. He always tends to grab at my chest and, like he was doing now, bury his face in it. It definitely wasn't anything perverted and I'm not much taller than him, so height doesn't factor into it. I theorize that he was used to being close to his mother's chest, and because I remind him of his mother, that just makes him comfortable. Because of this, I always let him do it...so, if he is being a little perv, he sure has me fooled.
"I'm assuming that you already know the news, considering that you kn-know every single aspect of my life," I teased, gently stroking his hair, which made him lean into me even more. He didn't say anything, but nodded.
"Now, the Gym Challenge starts in a few days, and I want you to do your best friend Maddie a favor and cooperate with the nice, beautiful, cute, l-l-lovely new photographer that Chairman Rose hired," I chuckled.
"Please don't tell me that you're going to make me take my mask off for the photos. Every photographer the chairman's had come in the past has tried to get me to do it. It's starting to make me mad," Allister mumbled. As he looked up at me, I saw some kind of hatefulness flash in his eyes as he said the last part, but it was incredibly brief. He then went back to the somewhat lethargic young boy that I knew and loved. He leaned into me once more.
"Oh, what am I saying? I know that you'd never make me do it. You care about me…" Al mumbled.
"I won't make you, Al. I promise," I smiled, starting to stroke his hair again. Yes, I wanted to be a good friend and respect his boundaries, but at the same time, I really wasn't ready to have Allister curse me or something.
Al just sat there motionless for a while, seemingly taking in my warmth, considering that he seemed to have trouble producing his own body heat. That child was ice cold more often than not. Whenever I started to feel as if I should be heading out, he looked up, holding me tighter.
"Promise me that you'll still come and visit me. I want you to come, and you should know that it's not often I want company," Al said, forcing himself to get off of me as he received his mask, though he didn't put it on quite yet.
"Of course, Al. You're my little buddy, after all. I'll try to come and s-see you when I can," I smiled brightly gently ruffling his hair. He actually smiled at me, which melted my heart.
"Okay. That makes me feel better. Just turn the light out when you leave…" Allister said, giving me one last hug and giving my cheek a little kiss. I did as he asked of me, leaving Stow-on-Side for my next destination.
Motostoke- Kabu
In just a few days, I would be here, taking photos of the year's Gym Challengers. The thought was oddly frightening, but also incredibly energizing. Motostoke was quite the average-sized town, and was one that I was somewhat used to because of its close proximity to the Wild Area. Whenever I found myself horribly exhausted and didn't want to deal with Raihan's shenanigans in Hammerlocke, I went to Motostoke to get a drink or a snack. The people were very hospitable and often let me into their houses.
Still, Kabu always made me nervous. He kinda looks like an old man version of Dad. In fact, the two look so similar that I thought he was my grandpa as a child. I always called him Pappy Kabu when I was a little girl, and he seemed to get a kick out of it. But...when I was a child, it was different. I always thought that he was just sad and needed cheered up, not really realizing that he was just a serious person. Of course, he was gentle with me when I was a wee one, but now that I was nearly grown, he wasn't...as nice. If I would call him Pappy Kabu now, he'd probably slap me.
Trying to hide the nervousness, I made my way to Motostoke Stadium. In just a few days, I'd be here once more. The League Staff were starting to decorate the stadium for the occasion. It was undeniable that general excitement was at an all-time high. Though...where was Kabu?
I made my way to the staff member who seemed to be in charge of the preparations, lightly tapping his shoulder. Once he turned around, he gave me a wide smile.
"Ah, Photographer Castellana! Pleasure to meet you! What can I do for ya?" He asked. Jeez...had the chairman told everyone about me? Well, I guess he had to, considering that the League Staff probably wouldn't want a random passerby barging into the stadiums and demanding to see the Gym Leaders.
"H-Hi there! Would you happen to know where Kabu's at?" I asked.
"He went out on a jog earlier. He should be coming back any time now," the staff member replied. While we waited for Kabu, he decided to give me a small tour of the stadium, as during the opening ceremony, it was far different from any stadium that I was used to.
"This is where you'll be. I'm sure that the chairman's told you about this already, but before the initial opening ceremony, you'll be photographing the year's participants. The chairman's really excited to finally have an official photographer, so I hope that you'll take the job seriously!" He said. I promised him that I would. Money definitely wasn't an incentive here, considering that I honestly didn't get paid very well, but this was my dream. I'd always wanted to be a member of the Pokémon League, and here I was! I'm sure that if I did a good job, Chairman Rose would raise my pay a bit. But for now, it wasn't important. I still lived with Dad.
While I was looking around the room, I heard the stadium doors open. I heard the staff member say that I was here and I was waiting for him...the "him" in question was most certainly Kabu.
I made my way outside of the room, where Kabu stood, wiping the sweat from his forehead. When he saw me, he didn't exactly smile, but he did seem happy to see me, especially since as I grew up, I started to visit him less and less.
"Hello, Photographer Castellana. You look well," Kabu said, opening his water bottle and taking a rather large drink.
"P-Please, Kabu, you can just call me Maddie. You look very well yourself. The chairman recommended I come and visit you before the Gym Challenge officially starts," I said with a small smile.
"I see. I must say, it's very impressive for someone of your age to be formally recognized by the chairman, and even more impressive to be given a professional position. I must congratulate you. I do believe that if you work hard, you truly will strive. Though, I expect nothing but greatness from John's daughter," Kabu replied, giving me a nod.
"Thank you, Kabu. Your words mean a lot to me," I said. Honestly, they really did. I didn't think Kabu cared for me very much, but...maybe he did. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe deep down in his heart, he felt some kind of love for me, the same love that he felt for me when I was a child and called him Pappy Kabu. I just hoped that someday, he'd be able to break his façade of being kinda shallow and at least give me a smile. Oh, how a girl can dream.
"Well, Miss Castellana, I'm terribly sorry, but I have some work to do, especially with the ongoing preparations. E-Excuse me, I must be going," Kabu suddenly said before pacing off. Well, there went that last idea. Maybe he didn't actually like me…
'Well, maybe I can try again some other time…' I said as I left the stadium. I didn't want to give up on Kabu just yet. I like to think that I could make anyone warm up to me, but...I just didn't know about him.
Hulbury- Nessa
I left Motostoke and made my way to Hulbury. Hulbury was always one of my favorite cities in Galar, to be honest, right behind Turffield and, of course, my beloved Circhester. I loved the salty sea air, the market, The Captain's Table, and the homely atmosphere that the city gave off. It was a breath of fresh air compared to Motostoke, to be honest.
Nessa wasn't a Gym Leader that I knew very well. I've never really met her in person. She was undoubtedly one of the most popular Gym Leaders in Galar among men and women alike. I often stumbled upon her beauty and fitness vlogs, accompanied by their millions of views, when I was surfing the Internet. Admittedly, I was actually pretty nervous to meet Nessa. I'm afraid of pretty girls. She's a Gym Leader known for her beauty, and I'm someone who...isn't. I'm pretty ugly, to be honest.
I wanted to make an excuse not to go in. I wanted to just skip Hulbury and go to Turffield. I had...no experience around women. The only woman I was close to was Sonia, and sometimes Sonia could be...overbearing. Especially when it came to more traditionally female things, like bra shopping. I'm just saying, whenever Sonia recommends we go bra shopping, the jackets I wear get a little bigger to...eh...hide the evidence.
Against my better judgement, I made my way to Hulbury Stadium, where I went to the staff member, who, of course, knew who I was.
"Oh, Photographer Castellana! Nessa's not here right now, though, if you want to see her, she's probably at the lighthouse!" The staff member said.
"O-Oh, okay! Thank you!" I replied, leaving the stadium. Did...I have to go to the lighthouse? It was obvious that I was given a second chance to run away and head straight to Turffield...but once again, pleasing the chairman was my driving force. Even if Nessa would be unpleasant to me, I was making the chairman proud...so it was a win-win for me, I guess.
I made my way out of the stadium and to the lighthouse. Once I was rather close to the lighthouse, I bumped into Nessa, who seemed to be walking back. Upon seeing me, she smiled a bit, waving at me kindly.
"Hey there! I know that face! You're that photographer that the chairman hired, aren't you?" Nessa asked, walking up to me and extending a hand. I nervously took it. She was even more attractive in person…
"Y-Yeah, I am! I-It's nice to meet you! My name's Maddie," I introduced myself, shaking her hand. My pale, clammy, trembling hand was pathetic compared to hers.
"Hi there, Maddie. Nice to meet you. You probably already know this, but I'm Nessa. It'll be great to have another girl to talk to around here, especially since Sonia's been so busy lately," she smiled. My heart stopped. She wanted to...keep talking to me? I didn't know if I could handle it.
"Y'know...I think I've heard your name before. You don't happen to know Sonia, do you?" Nessa asked as the two of us started to walk back to the stadium.
"O-Oh, I do! She's a childhood friend of mine," I replied, still trembling.
"I knew it! Sonia's a friend of mine, too! She's told me about you before. The three of us should get together and have a girls' night sometime," she smiled brightly. Girls' night?! She just met me! Well, I suppose that she was just assuming that since we'd be workmates, she wanted to befriend me to make things easier. When I really thought about it, I realized that I'd actually like that. I hadn't talked to Sonia in a pretty long time; last time we talked, she was taking me bra shopping, and I was screaming the whole time. Sonia was a mom friend, and I knew that, but sometimes, she could be too much of a mom friend.
"O-Oh, yeah, o-of course! I'd love that! I-I never turn down an opportunity to have fun, a-after all," I chuckled nervously. Nessa could tell that I was nervous. That's why she was being so gentle with me. I was sweating up a storm.
"You know, Maddie, I see the start of something between us! I think that we're going to become good friends. From what Sonia's told me about you, you really need some strong women in your life…and what better option than myself?" Nessa bragged as we finally arrived at the stadium. I blushed even harder. Sonia said that? Geez, way to talk about me behind my back, Sonia…
"Y-Yeah, I think you're right! I wouldn't be against getting to know you," I replied. That was...a bit of a lie. I was terrified of her. I wouldn't dare make her mad. She'd probably kick me to the moon and back if I did.
"So, where are you heading next?"
"I'm actually making my last stop at Turffield."
"Oh, that means you'll be seeing Milo. If you haven't met him before...don't even think about being afraid of him. He may look like a brute, but he's so gentle. Home-grown farm boy, if you ask me. He still owes me a battle," Nessa huffed, giving me a gentle pat on the back and wishing me goodbye before going back into the stadium. My heart felt like it was going to stop. I couldn't handle pretty girls. I just couldn't.
Turffield- Milo
As I previously mentioned, Turffield was also one of my favorite cities. I loved the rustic atmosphere, the farms, and of course, the McGee Berry Orchard. If I didn't live in Circhester when I finally settled down, I was going to live in Turffield. Sure, I just decided that right now, but it was something I'd been thinking of since I was a child. I smiled as I took a deep breath, letting the crisp, fresh air fill my lungs.
Now, I know that Nessa told me not to be afraid of Milo...but even before I met Nessa, I was terrified of him. Yeah, I'm probably the only person in all of Galar who's afraid of Milo...but I can't help it! Have you seen his muscles?! He's calm most of the time, yeah, but the minute that he snaps and just punches the first thing he sees, it's not gonna be me. It's probably gonna be Nessa. He's just...too calm. Pretty fishy if you ask me.
Milo was definitely popular in Turffield. He was a hardworking farmer along with a Gym Leader, and he was a whole-hearted Wooloo lover. He took exceptional care of the people and Pokémon of Turffield, and he was in a relationship with Peaches McGee, the daughter of the Berry Orchard's owners. They seemed to be happy, but I was still going to be wary. I'd probably be the one to witness Milo's bad side, considering how bad my luck is.
There was a group of people gathered near the stadium, so I assumed that Milo was nearby. Everyone seemed to be rather cheerful, and I heard a lot of laughter and banter coming from the group. I didn't want to disturb their happiness. I didn't want to go and ruin everything. Should I wait?
I decided to walk down to the crowd and see what they were talking about. I heard a multitude of things, such as farming and the Gym Challenge. I hid behind some people, not wanting to be seen, though a few smiled at me and tried to encourage me to go to the front. They assured me that Milo wasn't mean, but I still preferred to stay hidden.
"The chairman said that he finally got around to hiring a photographer this year. From what Ness told me, she's very sweet, but a bit on the shy side. She should be stopping here pretty soon," Milo eventually said. I sunk. The people that I was hiding behind looked at me. For some reason, instead of putting my camera in my bag like a normal person, I had it around my neck. Why did everyone talk about me behind my back?!
"Come, dear. Don't be like that. He's expecting you. He'll be kind," a woman in the crowd said, trying to nudge me forward. I resisted her nudge a bit, but my foot slipped, and I nearly tripped and fell right in front of Milo. Everyone was looking at me, knowing that I was the photographer that Milo had just been talking about.
As soon as Milo saw me, a gentle smile spread across his face and he extended a hand to me. His hand was about three times the size of mine. "Hi there! We were just talking about how you should be here soon!" Milo said cheerfully as I took his hand. He probably had the strength to break every single bone in my hand just by squeezing it, but he chose to be gentle. In fact, his fingers were barely wrapped around my hand, but there was physical contact so it didn't seem like he was avoiding me or something. I always saw Milo as someone who didn't know his own strength, but by this handshake, it was obvious that he did.
"It's nice to meet you! Nessa told me good things about you. Your name's Maddie...correct?" Milo asked. I wanted to know what Nessa said about me. It was freaking me out.
"Y-Yeah, that's correct. It's nice to meet you as well, Milo," I smiled.
"Well, Maddie, it's my pleasure to introduce you to some of the residents of Turffield as well! Here in Turffield, we're all like family. Chances are, if you end up working with me, you'll be working with some of them as well! We're all friendly here, so don't worry too much."
"A-All right. That's good to know," I smiled sheepishly. I know that earlier I said that I felt more sheepish than a herd of Wooloo...but now I felt more sheepish than every single Wooloo and Dubwool in Turffield combined. I was just a big, fat sheep.
"So, Milo, are you prepared for the Gym Challenge? I imagine that we'll be seeing this young lady in Turffield again very soon," one of Milo's friends from the crowd asked. He was right. With my role as League Photographer, I was to get photos of the challengers throughout their quest. Early in the challenge, I would simply start with the first few people to actually battle the Gym Leader, but as the Galarian people started to favor a certain group of challengers, I would switch my focus to photograph them more often than not. Since Milo was the first Gym Leader and people didn't really have an opinion on who they liked, Turffield was naturally my first destination. From what Dad and Raihan told me, once people got to Allister was when the people started to form their opinions.
"You bet I'm ready! Though, it doesn't take much preparation with me. I'm kind of a pushover compared to the others, but I've learned to accept that over time," Milo smiled, rubbing the back of his head. He was being sheepish, too...finally, someone realistic. "What about you, Maddie? This is going to be your first Gym Challenge! Are you ready?"
"U-Uh...I'm pretty much as ready as I can get. I-I'm definitely nervous and d-don't know what to expect! B-By the way, the opening ceremony is actually on my birthday, s-so...if you happen to see me, wishing me happy birthday would help calm my nerves a bit…" I said.
"I'll certainly be sure to do that! I want to be sure that at least one person does, and I'll take up that responsibility," Milo smiled brightly. I smiled back. I don't know why I was so afraid of him. He's one of the kindest people I've ever met!
After a bit, it was suppertime in Turffield, and the crowd eventually disbanded to go home to their families. Remembering that I was supposed to meet Melony and Dad at Bob's for supper, I wished Milo goodbye. He actually told me that he was going out for supper with some friends, and that I should stop by and say hello to Peaches, and that she'd surely give me one of her famous Berry Biscuits, which were one of the McGee Orchard's best-sellers.
Wanting one of those delicious biscuits, I made my way to the McGee house, said hello to Peaches for Milo, and got not one, but two of the fresh-baked, flaky, buttery goodness. If there's something to know about me, it's that I have a massive sweet tooth. I'm an intense chocoholic, just like Dad, but my real favorite sweet is candied Slowpoke tails. Well, I'm biased, because Slowpoke tails are my favorite food...ever. That's probably what I would get at Bob's… Anyway, enough about food! After thanking the McGees one more time and devouring my biscuits, I made my way back to Circhester. I wasn't in a hurry, so I decided to walk rather than taking a taxi.
Supper
Once I was back in Circhester, I made my way down to Bob's. It was known as one of the best steak restaurants in all of Galar, but actually wasn't that high-end. It was a rather small place that everyone in Circhester absolutely adored. I swear, Gordie ate lunch there every single day.
Once I walked in, the waitress gave me a big smile. "Maddie, is it?" She asked, despite the fact that I'd never actually seen her. Dad probably gave her a description or something.
"Y-Yeah, that's me!"
"We actually have a table waiting for you. Follow me," she said, leading me to where Dad and Melony awaited. However...as we approached the table, my eyes widened. Dad and Melony weren't the only ones there. All of the Gym Leaders were there, with the exception of Piers. Leon was there. Everyone that I'd talked to today...and Dad. My face flushed.
"There ya are, Squish! I was starving!" Raihan said, giving me a pat on the back as I took my seat. He was on one side of me, and Al was on the other. I was sitting directly across from Dad.
"Good to see you again, Maddie," Al said, leaning over and resting his head on my shoulder. I smiled and gently stroked his hair while we ordered our drinks. It was nice to have everyone around. Usually, around this time, I'd get pretty lonely, considering that everyone I was close to had to work...but now I'd get to see them throughout the Gym Challenge. I'd get to be around people instead of staying home with Mezuma all day. Mezuma is my Urshifu, my only Pokémon, but he's not important right now. What is important is that I'm actually sitting and socializing with people. I'm coming out of my shell, even if it is just a bit.
"Mads, I just want you to know how proud we all are of you! Getting hired by the Pokémon League at such a young age is no small feat! I know that I have entrusted Rose to take my place if something were to ever happen to me, and he has taken his role as your godfather very seriously, but I want you to know that his affection for you is not the reason why he decided to hire you. He hired you because you're an exceptional photographer who works incredibly hard. Your print shop is very small, but I know that many people appreciate your photography. Anyone who goes on the Wild Area's website sees your amazing work. You're a truly talented young lady, and I'm glad that I'm able to call myself your father," Dad said, obviously trying not to tear up. Everyone seemed to agree with what he said, and I got a ton of friendly smiles and a rough pat on the back from Raihan.
I guess I didn't really realize how much I had involved myself with photography. It was really a passion for me. Like Dad said, I did occasionally sell some prints of photos that I was really proud of on a website I made. It wasn't huge, but I did have a couple buyers. That, and the folks who ran the Wild Area website commissioned me to take photos for the site, probably since I spent every day of my life there ever since I got Mezuma, which was around two years ago. It's not like I was some random photographer that Chairman Rose hired; I wasn't huge, but I was known.
"Y'know, Mads," Leon started, "I remember when you first started taking pictures. You were only six years old, and your dad got you that little toy camera for Christmas. When your dad came to give Hop and me our presents, you showed me all of the pictures you took of Froggy," he chuckled. Froggy was my stuffed Politoed that my Nonna Estrella gave me when I was born. I still had him, too.
"Then, afterward, you tried to take a good picture of me with Charizard, but you got upset with Hop because he kept trying to get in the picture, too. Eventually, you gave up and just let him in," Leon continued. I smiled.
"That doesn't surprise me. Little Squish was like a dictator when she tried to take pictures," Raihan said, ruffling my hair. "She'd bark and bark at me if there was just a hair out of place. She'd have to take about twenty pictures before she found one she liked. And this was before I was a Gym Leader! If she did that to one of her friends, I'd hate to think about what she'd do to an actual Gym Leader at the time."
"I was a p-perfectionist, even when I was a kid! I had standards! I'm sorry that I didn't want to ruin my image by taking pictures of you sticking your tongue out or lifting your shirt up," I teased, nudging him.
"Your loss, I guess," he replied.
"So, do you guys know any of the Gym Challengers yet?" I asked. I assumed that Dad would know one, considering he sponsored a Spikemuth kid every year. Of course, he was the first one to speak.
"All of the kids in Spikemuth are incredible. It was pretty hard for me to choose this year...but I ended up choosing Emile. I was going to choose Marnie, but all in all, Emile showed incredible strength and a deep devotion to his Pokémon. Don't get me wrong, Marnie was definitely promising, but I feel as if she's a bit too young. She'll definitely be in consideration next year," Dad smiled. I felt bad. Marnie seemed as if she really wanted to be picked when we were chatting back in Spikemuth. I didn't know Emile very well, but from what I did know of him, he had a Duskull and an Applin, and he practically worshipped Mezuma when I would show him to the kids.
"That's probably why Piers decided not to show up. He's probably mad," I replied.
"Nah, he's just antisocial, is all. When I talked to him about who I was choosing, he seemed to agree with me. He wants Marnie to join the Gym Challenge when she's at her full potential, and he said that giving her another year would work out better for her. He really wants her to at least get to the Finals," Dad replied. I still couldn't shake off the thought that Piers was mad at me for some reason…
"Hop's probably gonna be joining the challenge next year, too. He asked if I could sponsor him, but I guess I'm in the same boat that Piers is. Hop's just not a good battler yet. He loves Pokémon, that's for sure, but he just can't figure himself out yet. Trust me, I'd love nothing more than to battle my own little brother in a televised match, but I think he's still too young. He promised me that he's gonna work real hard this year so he'll knock my socks off next year….and I believe him, that's for sure," Leon smiled. I personally had my doubts. Hop was around Marnie's age, making him two years younger than me. His only real Pokémon was a Wooloo...but then again, I had an Urshifu of all things and didn't even know how to battle, so I guess I shouldn't really be judging Hop. Who knows. He could surprise me and beat Leon.
"Other than that, we really don't know who signed up. We usually don't meet them until the opening ceremony...or when they come to battle us, if they make it," Nessa said.
"Well, k-kudos to them for trying out something that I don't ever think I could do," I smiled.
"Different people are meant to do different things, Little Miss Castellana. Not being fit for the Gym Challenge is nothing to be ashamed of. If you were doing the Gym Challenge, you wouldn't be sitting with us," Opal smiled. That cheered me up a bit.
"Thanks, Opal," I smiled brightly.
"Opal's right, Maddie. You don't like battling, but that doesn't mean that you're not a good Trainer. I know that you struggle. I know that you want the best for Mezuma. But honey...you are giving him the best," Melony said.
"Trust me, Mads. He's strong. If he didn't want to be with you, he'd leave. You've treated him so well. I remember how you begged both me and Chairman Rose to let you keep him. You didn't want to catch him unless he was certain that he wanted to be yours. You two have loved each other ever since you met. Mezuma trains not to battle others, but to defend his beloved Trainer with everything he has," Dad smiled. I was so touched that I couldn't explain it in words.
The night was surely one that I would remember for a long time. I never expected everyone to be so nice to me. All of the timidity that I felt seemed to wash away, at least for now. These people seemed to genuinely like me, and I couldn't really understand why, especially in the case of someone such as Milo or Nessa, whom I hardly knew. Whatever they found in me, they seemed to like it.
Of course, I ordered my Slowpoke tail, and enjoyed it immensely. It made this seemingly ideal night even better. Really, the only thing that would have made it perfect would have been if Piers decided to show up and I could finally try to patch things up with him...but I'm sure I'd see him during the Gym Challenge, so that didn't really bother me. After eating, we all went our separate ways, and Dad and I started to settle down for the night.
"You know, I really think I can do this," I said, sitting on Mezuma's back as he was doing push-ups. This was part of his nightly training, and instead of going to the basement where Dad had his workout equipment, he decided to do it in the living room.
"That's great, Mads," Dad smiled. "I think that you'll be fine. I know that you'll have no trouble getting along with your coworkers. Did you hear the stuff they said about you back at Bob's?"
"Yeah...I'm flattered. I d-didn't expect them to say all that stuff. You think they really meant it?" I asked as Mezuma rolled over, letting me lie down on his belly.
"I think they did. You're easy to like, and I think that's another reason why Chairman Rose hired you," Dad smiled.
"W-Well...if all else fails, at least I have you and Mezuma…" I said.
"That's right. Well, I think I'm gonna be headin' to bed. I have a lot of preparations to do over the next couple days! I imagine that you do, as well," Dad said, getting off of his chair and patting my shoulder.
"I guess I do. I-I should really practice down at the Wild Area. I want my debut to be absolutely perfect!"
"As expected from you. I just want to let you know one last time how proud I am of you, Mads."
"Thanks...it really means a lot to me. G'night, Dad. Love ya."
"See you in the morning. Love you too."
With that, Dad was in bed, and Mezuma and I weren't much longer. Once in my room, I flopped down on the bed, Mezuma taking his spot on the floor nearby. The day was a long one, but all in all, it was good.
"G'night, big guy. Sleep well," I said, turning off the lamp.