You're My Inspiration

A Champion Time with Double Trouble!

The moment Bianca stepped out, she was met with a sight that made her grimace; the sun rising over the horizon, drowning out the stars with its glory.

It was as if the plane had raced the glowing orb across the globe and won, leaving her with an entire day before she could rest. Despite having slept on occasion throughout the flight, she still had to fight back a yawn, a truly damning sensation...

Unfortunately, a proper rest would have to wait, lest she be unable to acclimate to the new time zone.

A grueling task indeed.

From what she could see, Ash wasn't tired in the slightest, merely looking around the city with an almost contagious excitement.

Almost.

Bianca envied his energy and once more cursed herself for not sleeping when she had the opportunity.

Glancing at the trainer as he peered at the various buildings, she cleared her throat and wearily asked, "Where to?"

"Uhh, there should be a hotel somewhere here. I booked a reservation," Ash replied as he glanced at her with a grin, his response filling her with both relief and exasperation.

"'Somewhere here?'" she repeated incredulously. "Ash, this is an entire city. Possibly bigger than Goldenrod City, and we barely saw any of it while we were there. Do you have some idea where it is?" She all but pleaded, not wanting to wander around until the sun came up.

Ash looked thoughtful momentarily as he looked around, leading Bianca to massage her temple. "You don't know, do you?" She asked rhetorically before shaking her head and looking around for someone to give them directions.

Most of the people in the area seemed to be looking around in awe, much like Ash had been. Hardly the appropriate people to ask. Fortunately, the city seemed to have some early risers, and she could spot some people here and there walking about with relaxed, albeit tired expressions in contrast to the bright-eyed visitors.

Her eyes were caught by a somewhat short gal in what she determined was a school uniform with cloud-like hair, stalking through the street with a purpose. Maybe she can help? She might know the city well enough if she goes to school here. Bianca thought as she began to follow the girl.

"Ex-excuse me?" she called out, hoping to get her attention. Regrettably, the girl in question probably didn't expect a stranger to try talking to her, so she didn't stop or look back.

Ignoring a dumbfounded "Huh?" from Ash, she followed the girl with a quicker pace, raising her voice to get the girl to notice her. "Excuse me, miss? School girl?"

At that, her pursuit whipped around with a nonplussed expression, replying in the thickest accent Bianca had ever heard, "'School girl'? Really?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how else to get your attention," Bianca apologized as she rapidly slowed down.

The girl looked behind Bianca with suspicion, narrowing her eyes before focusing on Bianca.

"You're not here from my father, are you?" She asked with a disgruntled voice.

"Er, father? No, I don't know your father," Bianca answered, confused. What was up with her father?

The girl seemed to relax at that, her expression becoming less annoyed and more amicable. "Alright, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but that still begs the question of what you want. Foreigner, are you?"

Bianca had a hard time trying to work through the peculiarities of her accent, but she nonetheless understood more than enough to nod and reply, "You could say that. I'm Bianca, from an island off of Johto. My friend...." She trailed off, looking behind her toward where she had left Ash, blinking back the fogginess in her eyes. She spotted the trainer not twenty feet away, following her as she pursued the girl. Bianca continued, turning back to the stranger, "My friend is Ash, from Kanto. He says he booked a reservation at a hotel here, and I was hoping you would know where it might be?"