[Blue gives a squawk as he's suddenly gathered up into a scaly belly, but chuckles and waves his arms to wrap around- as much as he can, anyway- and pat-pat as far as he can reach around him in a returned hug.] Just waiting for your chance, huh? Heheh.

[Certainly, he doesn't mind returning the dragon's affection, and Lance wisely doesn't comment, so all is well! Eventually Blue is released, and fixes what of his hair got mussed up by the sudden cradling, mulling over Lance's itinerary.]

...I don't mind, [He finally decides, hiking his bag back up over his shoulder.] If I'm getting dragged to Johto, I might as well see the whole thing, right? 'sides, sis wanted me to grab some things for her at the department store...

[He didn't go to Johto often, and he might disparage it, but new sights were new sights. Or at least uncommon ones.... After all the drama of recent times, he'd take the distraction. And besides, he wasn't about to let Lance just drop him in Blackthorn and abandon him there!]

You're not gonna dump me off that easily. Let's go.