Chapter 5: Flower Festival Fun
Floaroma was bursting at the seams trying to hold all the people flooding its streets. The many Pokémon darting and the overflowing cheer of the crowd didn't help matters, making sure that everyone was moving and spreading out too much for the town to hold them all. The crush of people crowding the flower-strewn fields were daunting, but the happy shouts, garlands lining the fences and outsides of the houses and shops and generally celebratory atmosphere conjured a smile on Dawn's face as she walked out of the Pokémon Center. The flood of people was moving slowly north towards the main flower fields, following a path to the place Nurse Joy had called the Flower Paradise when Dawn asked about the ceremony last night.
Ion strode along at Dawn's side. Crest seemed ill at ease with all the people and grass types, unwilling to brave the crowd for the second day in a row. Ion was small enough to pick up and wasn't likely to pick a fight, unlike Zephyr, so he would accompany her today.
The buzz of the crowd died as they moved further and further from town, the small but brightly painted buildings fading into the distance as they were pushed along by the crowd. A reverent silence descended on the crowd as their destination loomed in the distance: a long, sloping hill-island in the middle of the river, connected to the land by a swaying wood-and-rope bridge. At the top of the hill Dawn could just make out a small building, decorated with colorful flowers and painted in gold and green. A trio of figures in white stood at the base of the hill but approached no closer to the shrine. None of the visitors crossed the bridge at all, instead falling to their knees with their eyes shut as they approached as close to the river as possible. A few people dipped their hands in the water, a purifying ritual.
Dawn settled in behind the last line and knelt, soft dirt staining her worn pants as Ion settle down beside her and her eyes closed. She was expecting the silence to be disquieting; she'd always thought the shrine at Sandgem Town was eerie, too silent, too still, hidden and set apart from the happy little town full of the song of the waves and the sounds of Pokémon playing around Professor Rowan's lab and attached ranch. Here the silence allowed her to enjoy the sounds of the trees rustling in the light wind, the water of the river rushing by, even Ion's light breathing from where he sat beside her. Far away she thought she could hear the screech of a flying type soaring among the clouds.
Her quiet reverie was broken by the sound of a bell tolling. Once, twice, three times the bell tolled before falling silent. There was no noise but the chirping of flying-types in the trees and the soft sigh of the breeze. The trio in white at the base of the island turned, facing the shrine atop the hill and bowing, each dipping their hands into the flowing river before straightening and walking up the hill. Two stopped on either side of the shrine and turned to face the crowd while the last approached the shrine, bowing once again before turning to face the gathered worshippers.
"Welcome one and all to the Ceremony of Gratitude, held in honor of Shaymin the Purifier who cleans the world of poison and hatred. To Shaymin we give our thanks!"
"To Shaymin we give our thanks!" spoke the crowd, hundreds of voices forming one cohesive whole.
"I shall tell you the story of Shaymin so that we may understand the gifts of the Legends and celebrate their workings." The priest opened his hands wide, a smile growing on his face like any good storyteller with a grand tale to spread.
"Ages ago, when the Sun and Moon were new in the sky and the stars freshly shattered, men and Pokémon fought endlessly. Men believed themselves superior and Pokémon could not abide by their selfish ways. In the course of ever-flowing time, men and Pokémon encountered each other in a place where flowers grew in abundance and the water was always fresh and cool as it flowed down from the mountain heights. War broke out over this untouched land and all the flowers were seared away by fires, the trees cut away for the terrible swords and machines of men, the ground itself torn apart to leave great cracks in the land."
"In the ashes that remained when the armies moved on, a single grass type appeared. She was saddened to see what had become of the land that was once so bountiful and colorful but so happy to have lived through the conflict that countless others had not. In gratitude for her survival and in hopes of bringing back that which once was, the nameless grass-type attempted to restore the land to what it had been. She tried to clean the rivers from the poisons that leaked in, to plant seeds in the ground cut to pieces by attacks and sodden with ash and blood, to save the beautiful flowers growing in the once-beautiful land."
"But the land was too far gone, too poisoned to be saved even by the ministrations of the dedicated. No matter what she tried, no matter how much power she poured into the earth, the land refused to grow so much as a a single green sprout. It was then, looking out over blackened fields, that she knew what she had to do. The nameless one knelt and drew the poisons of the earth into her own body, storing it in her seeds so that the earth could once again live and grow."
"When she had walked over the extent of the destruction, when no more poison lived within the land and huge forests and bountiful flowers grew as far as the eye could see, the nameless one came here, to this island, and looked out over the land she had given up so much to save. She looked out over the fruits of her labors and said, 'I am grateful.' The nameless grass-type passed away there, full of the poisons of war that she had drawn from the earth."
"There she lay for many days, watching over the land she loved, until from the North a great Light came. Xerneas the Healer came to see this new land that burst with life. When the Legend asked the Pokémon living in the fields and forests how this beautiful place came to be, they pointed to the island and praised the nameless one who died to save the land. The Healer came to the place where she lay and looked down upon her body, untouched by the rot of death or poison."
"'Rise, Purifier, and see the land that you saved. Live again to purify that which has been tainted.' And so Shaymin the Purifier rose from the ashes of the nameless grass type, reborn as the spirit of gratitude, of purity and fertility. Where she walks, the earth and water become pure as the first day of Creation. Where she flies above, watching over the land she loves, the skies become clean and clear. To this day, a grove of Gracidea flowers blooms where Shaymin fell, here upon her holy island, as a sign that she watches over her homeland still."
"To Shaymin we give thanks!"
"To Shaymin we give thanks," Dawn said, a single voice among the hundreds gathered, indistinguishable among the outpouring of gratitude but contributing nonetheless. Looking out over the flowing water, the gathered worshippers now beginning to chant prayers, the sounds of the wind and the flowers blowing in the breeze, Dawn could only feel awe for the power that had created this paradise, and pity for the ones who had destroyed it in the first place.
#
While the Flower Paradise was a place of serenity and gratitude for the wonder and purity of nature, Floaroma Town was a wild party celebrating life. Tables filled with more foods and berries than Dawn could name lined the fields, people of all ages and sizes snatching snacks from their surfaces. Pokémon of all types, but primarily grass and bug types walked, ran, flew and scuttled between the gathered humans, catching crumbs or snatching their own food from the tables, their cries ringing out over the laughter and chatter of their human companions. In a somewhat clear spot by the river, a group of women dressed in what Dawn guessed was traditional Floaroma garb: long green robes with ivy and flower designs, intricate flower crowns woven into their hair and beautiful bouquets in their hands. They were dancing to the music of a band set up nearby, an upbeat, lively tune that set many people's feet to tapping. Various Pokémon danced alongside their masters, weaving in between the stomping feet and jumping into the air when the music peaked.
In the town streets stalls were set up, selling flower bouquets, traditional crafts, Pokémon apparel, whatever would entice a visitor to their storefront. The huge Floroma Flower Shop was doing brisk business, the line for service stretching down all the way to the gates of town. More performers had set up a small stage at the back of the main flower field, doing something that involved juggling and a few too many explosions for Dawn to feel comfortable, especially with all the flammable materials around. Everyone here was wearing at least a few flowers somewhere, and most had gone all out decorating their bodies with the riotous bulbs. She saw one Roselia that looked more like a flower bush than a real Pokémon, and its Trainer wasn't much better.
It was all too much for Dawn. Only a few minutes into town and she was already trying to find a quiet place to hide. Ion had been recalled almost immediately after seeing the size of the crowd. After spending so much time in the wilderness, just her and her Pokémon, she'd almost forgotten this feeling. How could people like this? She was constantly pushing past others, the music was too loud, the smell of the flowers too strong, she felt crowded from all sides, there was too much too close and they wouldn't go away-
"You look like you could use some space," a low, musical voice said in her ear. Dawn nearly jumped a foot in the air, only stopped by the fact that she was being moved by the crowd more than she was moving herself. The next moment she felt a firm grip on her hand that pulled her towards the edges of the crowd, somehow making enough space in the cacophony to pull them to the edge. A minute of nothing but humans then she was standing near the treeline, a tall man in green clothing holding her hand and looking at her with a kind expression.
"Pardon my presumption miss, but you looked like you could use a little help," the man said, withdrawing his hand from hers and bowing low in an almost courtly fashion.
Now that Dawn finally had her breath back (when had she begun breathing so hard?) she took a good look at her rescuer. He wore a large hat and cloak of the same dark green color, allowing him to nearly blend into the curtain of pines behind him. His dark blue eyes and long, dark hair gave him a soulful look that matched the golden harp in his hands quite well. He looked like a bard taken from the pages of her books back at home and for a second Dawn wondered if she had stepped back in time. It wasn't unheard of in parts of Sinnoh for strange rips in the space-time continuum to appear.
"No, th-thank you for pulling me out sir," Dawn replied, stumbling over her words a little. She looked back at the crowd in an attempt to hide her growing blush. "All that was a little…much."
"I enjoy the energy of the crowd, but I agree that too many people can be stifling. But where are my manners? My name is Nando Naoshi, it's a pleasure to meet you." Nando extended a hand and Dawn took it, noting the calluses present. He was clearly someone who worked with his hands.
"I'm Dawn Hikari, a traveling Trainer."
"Another trainer, how wonderful! I too enjoy training Pokémon, though I consider myself something of a minstrel as well. My Pokémon and I travel the land, learning from one another and spreading the joy of music to all. Oh, but the beauty and strength of a Pokémon battle!" His fingers drew elegantly across the strings of his harp, teasing a rising series of chords from the instrument.
"Are you here for the grass-type catching contest then?" Dawn asked, her embarrassment and claustrophobia beginning to fade at the dual distractions of training and meeting a new friend.
"Indeed! The beauty of Floaroma Town is well known across this land and as I heard of the famous Shaymin Festival I thought it sounded like an excellent place to acquire a new team member and find inspiration for my songs and performances."
"Performances? Are you a Contest trainer?" Dawn could see it; with that handsome face, self-confidence and musical skills he could draw a crowd even if his Pokémon were lackluster. In a Contest setting with well-trained Pokémon he would likely rise up the ranks fast.
Nando considered her with a contemplative smile, replying, "I have considered long and hard if I should choose the path of beauty in Contests or the path of strength through the Gym Challenge, but sadly I have not yet arrived at a decision." He sighed deeply, the long fingers of his right hand disappearing into the folds of his cloak to finger something near his belt line. Just from the way he moved Dawn could tell her was touching his Pokéballs. She did the same thing when she was thinking hard.
"Why do you want to go into each one?" Dawn asked, sitting down at the base of a large pine tree nearby. She sure didn't want to dive into the crush of people anytime soon and helping her new friend out was far from the worst way to spend her time.
Nando took a seat beside her, cloak flaring out over the grass. "I enjoy the ability of Contests to reveal the beauty of my Pokémon and highlight their talents. The dance of precision and beauty, spectacle and control, is a glorious one. But in battle the true nature of the trainer and the Pokémon is revealed, the strength of our bonds, our bodies and our minds are tested and pushed to their limits, making us grow ever stronger and ever closer. How could I choose between them?" Another sigh, deeper and longer this time. His fingers picked out a new melody on the harp, something slow that became quieter with each note.
"Why choose?" It slipped out. She hadn't meant to say it but out it came, and she was already regretting it.
"What do you mean?"
"Well… most big cities in Sinnoh have a Contest Hall and a Gym. You could train your Pokémon to do both or have some specialize in one type and some in another. You could go to towns for Contests and challenge the Gyms while you're there." Dawn hated suggesting it. She'd read about so many people trying and failing to do just that. It felt like setting him up for failure. But if Nando really couldn't choose, it was the obvious third road. "It might even be helpful, crossing over like that. Your Pokémon would have to learn precise control and battle strengths, so they'd be well rounded. It might be hard to get started though, it would take a while to gain both in the necessary amounts since you can't start off specializing in one or the other."
"Hmm… An interesting thought. I have considered it in the past but always thought that specializing would do me better. But perhaps… if you truly think it can be done…"
"It'll be hard," Dawn warned. "It takes a truly great trainer to pull it off, but if you can do it, you'll be among great company. Trainers like Wallace, the Sootopolis City Gym Leader and Top Coordinator in Hoenn for example."
"The challenge is part of the allure! All the best songs come from stories of triumph over impossible odds, learning from mistakes and rising up to the challenge!" He strummed his hands over his harp again, playing a rising crescendo of notes. After a moment the fingers began to pluck out a new song, something lower and softer, a long, slow melody. "It seems only fitting that I decide which path to take by challenging myself. I shall find a way to challenge myself and my beliefs, choosing which path to take based on what I learn. Is this not the way of all trainers, no matter how we train or occupy ourselves?" The notes picked up speed once again. "Now, to determine a challenge… Would you be willing to battle me?"
"I would, but I don't think we have enough space at the moment," Dawn observed, watching the crowd continue to swell. Even in the time they'd been talking she swore the size of the crowd had doubled. "But I'm willing to in the future. But one problem: is straight battling really a good way to decide between two fields, one of which is straight battling?"
"You may have a point…" He fell silent, and for a time they watched people and Pokémon walk past, enjoying the music, laughter and general air of celebration while staying comfortably apart from the hectic crowd.
"I believe I have arrived at a conclusion," Nando said at last. "The Floaroma Grass-Type Catching Contest will be held tomorrow. I have heard that they intend to release many rare grass types into the woods and fields for all participating trainers to try to catch. All trainers have an hour to catch a Pokémon and return. Whoever has the rarest Pokémon or strongest Pokémon will win the contest, which means they earn an additional prize. I will enter the contest and track down a Pokémon to add to my team. I believe that the kind of Pokémon I choose to track down will tell me more about what I prize and want to focus on in my training. If I track down a Pokémon for its strength, I shall pursue my love of battle. If I track down a Pokémon for its beauty and grace, I will pursue Contests. Of course, I shall challenge myself by attempting to win the contest. Does this seem like a good course of action?"
"I think that sounds perfect. Though you might have to give up on your dream of winning the contest; I'll be winning this one!" Dawn's smile was somewhere between fierce and joking, but the sentiment was true.
Nando laughed, fingers plucking a quick, lighthearted melody from the strings. "I would expect nothing less my friend! It seems we have a plan for tomorrow, so what do you say to enjoying the rest of today, together? The crowd will part easier for two than for one."
"That sounds great," Dawn replied. Looking out at the masses, she had to admit that facing it now, as a team, was far more enjoyable than forcing her way through alone.
#
The trees loomed large over the gathered trainers, sentinels before the starting gate. The group of trainers, over a hundred strong, moved about restlessly like racing Rapidash before the gate opens. Dawn was no exception to the rule, fingering the Pokéballs at her belt, twisting her hair between her fingers and looking up at the small wooden stage a few feet away. They had better start soon or her impatience would get the better of her. Nando beside her was as calm as ever, plucking a lively tune from his harp even as he watched the crowd flit about.
"What Pokémon do you think we'll find?" Dawn asked, trying to distract herself from the imminent start bell. "I've seen some Budew in the fields, a lot of Combee and some Pachirisu but only one of those is a grass-type, and not a particularly rare one at that."
"I was told by the keepers of the gate that the town has procured some rare specimens from other regions," Nando said, moving to finger the higher strings of his harp. "I heard one trainer talking about Hoppip, but they are not a particularly rare species. I believe we shall have to do better to win this contest for ourselves."
"Does anyone know the prize?"
"I believe we are about to find out," Nando noted, directing her attention to the stage. The crowd of trainers and assorted on-looker turned as one to find a tall, gray-haired man standing on the stage, his eyes tired but voice perky as he said, "Welcome, one and all, to the Floaroma Grass-Type Catching Contest! Thank you all for participating today, I can already tell that competition is going to be fierce! Since I'm sure none of you wants to hear me talk for longer than necessary, let's get down to discussing the rules:"
"When the bell sounds, the Trainers will be released into the fields and forest around Floaroma. The boundary is the river and the far eastern side of town; you cannot pass the far eastern edge of town looking for Pokémon and you cannot cross the river, even over the bridge. Each Trainer may catch as many Pokémon as they like and are able to, but no Trainer may submit more than one to the competition for judging once the timer has run out. Only grass-type Pokémon may be submitted to the competition and the Pokémon deemed the strongest or rarest will win the Trainer who caught it the prize. We have released several rare Pokémon, many from different regions, into the woods and fields in order to make the competition more interesting and rewarding to all you Trainers. But I'm sure you're all interested in something else: the grand prize!"
"Only the winner will receive a prize; all others will simply keep the Pokémon that they caught. The grand prize for winning the Floaroma Annual Grass-Type Catching Contest is a bouquet of our famous Gracidea Flowers in homage to Shaymin the Purifier, and an extremely rare Shiny Stone!" With a flourish, the man extended a hand to reveal a stone glowing with pure, white light.
Dawn was so startled she nearly fell over. A Shiny Stone? Those were some of the rarest and most valuable evolutionary stones there were. Water Stones could be found in quantity by deep-diving Pokémon in deep lakes and the ocean, Fire Stones appeared regularly by the mouths of volcanoes, Thunder Stones could be harvested after particularly violent thunderstorms when lightning hit the correct kind of rocks. Leaf Stones, Ice Stones, even Dusk Stones and Dawn Stones were more findable than Shiny Stones. It was rumored that Shiny Stones only appeared in places where the Legends has walked, stones becoming infused with their great power and light as they passed, the stones able to transfer some of that power to the Pokémon who touched them. Floaroma Town must have far more resources than she could have believed to get their hands on one, let alone give it away as a prize for the contest. She could already feel the competitive greed making her heart race, feel the blood pumping in her veins as she turned to grin at Nando.
"Are there any more questions before we begin?" Asked the mayor, placing the stone back in its case and turning to face the crowd of trainers once again. A pregnant silence, just waiting for the command to start. The mayor picked up a mallet sitting by his feet and turned to the large bell at his side.
"All right then, let's begin!" With a mighty whack of the mallet, the sonorous clang of the bell rang out and the trainers were off, sprinting into the trees.
Dawn sprinted ahead with all the speed she could muster, splitting off from Nando almost immediately as he took a quick right into a thick cluster of trees. Where should she start looking? She had three options that she could see: the fields, the forest, and the town. There might be one or two in town but that was the least likely place to find a good grass type, so she crossed it off her list immediately. Fields or forest? She didn't have a particular species in mind so it wouldn't be a matter of choosing which species might live where.
She tried approaching the problem from a different angle. What was her biggest obstacle to catching a great Pokémon right now? The other competitors. Which location was likely to help her lose them? The forest, in the fields they could all see each other, which would mean more chases and potentially more fighting over captures.
Dawn took a left when a small clearing opened up, stopping and waiting for the competitors to race past before looking around the area. Dawn waited until she couldn't hear anyone else before she started walking, a perpendicular track to the way everyone had been running. Most Pokémon would have fled away from the crowd not run in front of it, so running the same way as the crowd was a bad idea.
Then again, so was walking alone. With three flashes of light Crest, Zephyr and Ion appeared, each making a sound of greeting as they materialized.
"Hey guys," Dawn greeted them, "It's time for the catching contest I told you about last night. What do you say we grab another member for the team and show Nando up while doing it?"
All three made excited sounds but none were louder than Crest's trill. A competition always sounded good to him.
"Great! If you all could use your senses to find any clues to where a grass type might have gone that would be great. Zephyr, you can go fly ahead. Try to find Pokémon you haven't ever seen before, those are the rare ones they released into the woods for the festival only, they'll give us the best chance of winning. If you happen to meet one and think it would have a great place on the team that works too." Dawn was barely finished speaking before Zephyr took off, shooting into the sky.
"No fighting anyone!" Dawn yelled after him, and she thought she caught a disappointed squawk as his went out of sight. She couldn't stop him from fighting without being within sight, but she could at least try to discourage him.
Ion's huge ears and bright eyes twitched and roamed, and he turned on the spot, trying to track down his quarry through his superior vision and hearing. Crest took up a position by Dawn's side, a guard in case something came out of the trees. Unlike the others he had no particular tracking abilities in this environment, his body and abilities more suited for hunting in the cold arctic waters than in the forest on a late spring afternoon.
They spent the next half an hour or so following Ion on a meandering, slow path through the woods, following whatever it was that Ion could see ahead of them. All Dawn could see was a thick tangle of leaves, branches, grasses, bushes and more leafy greens that she didn't have a name for. A stark contrast to the well-manicured gardens and fields of Floaroma, Dawn found she liked this side of town better. Seeing the chaos of the natural world growing together without rules or restrictions made the place seem much more natural. That didn't mean it wasn't annoying though. A couple of times Dawn had to ask Crest to use Pound to clear a path through the thick undergrowth.
After half an hour of walking Dawn was tired, sweaty, covered in leaves and dirt and just about done with the entire ordeal. She was used to long walks through tough terrain, but the tangled forest was quickly sapping her stamina. She was using her hands as much as her feet to make progress through the greenery.
They had seen a few grass-types on their voyage, along with other forest species, but none of them was particularly rare or a Pokémon that Dawn wanted on her team. The most interesting Pokémon that she had seen was a rare Drifloon that floated away up and over the trees the moment she stepped forward. The only thing keeping them going was Ion. His nose was stuck to the ground, his ears were twitching, and he gave off the occasional spark as he focused on whatever her was tracking, but he could just walk underneath the huge growing plants that Dawn had to cut through to move forward. It seemed like the undergrowth grew ever thicker as they progressed.
That errant thought pulled her up short. It was growing thicker. Looking forward, it was hard to imagine anything moving through all those vines, grasses, trees and bushes easily. Anything except a grass type. She's seen something similar her first day as a trainer, fighting Zephyr's flock in the tall grass outside her village. A defense mechanism against predators, like the Trainers coming to catch the rare Pokémon.
Ion chose that moment to look up and let out a soft whine, ears twitching frantically, He caught her eyes and nodded softly forward, past the next thick clump of brush.
"Great job Ion" Dawn whispered, kneeling down to scratch at his favorite spot behind the ears. "Stay close okay? We're need to be as stealthy as possible going in then go for the capture. Everyone ready?" She looked down at Crest and Ion to see them nodding their acceptance. Dawn knelt into a crouch and slowly did a sort of-half waddle to duck beneath the nearest green barricade, making sure to move slowly and quietly.
Thick green covered her vision and she stumbled along mostly by feel, a nudge at her back every once in a while helping her stay on track. After a minute of waddling along and gaining some healthy respect for Crest along the way (he did this all the time? Maybe she would roll back on the sprints in the future…) Dawn saw hints of light prickling through the undergrowth.
When Dawn emerged, she found a small clearing than danced with light coming through the leafy treetops, Zephyr perched in a tree near the edge, and a single Pokémon waiting in the center of the clearing.
The Pokémon was quadrupedal, the short, twisting horns on top of its head reaching to just under shoulder height on Dawn. It had a shaggy brown coat covered by what looked like a thick pelt of soft grass down its spine, as well as a white face with a brown blaze. It had no tail to speak of, instead having three small leaves protruding where a tail would normally be found. Large black eyes watched her curiously as Dawn stood up, not daring to take her eyes off the strange Pokémon. Its cloven hooves looked strong and Dawn was sure those horns could cause some damage, but it made no aggressive movements, even as Crest and Ion appeared from the bush behind Dawn.
Dawn had no idea what this Pokémon was. It was clearly foreign and while she'd studied foreign species in school and through reading on her own, she couldn't recognize this one. If it had been brought in specially for the tournament, then it was likely to be rare even where it came from. Slowly, making no sudden movements, Dawn pulled her backpack around and dug in one of the pockets, looking for a specific bag. Finding it, she pulled it out and let the contents spill into her hand before stretching it out towards the Pokémon.
Slowly, carefully, it began to walk forward, tension evident in every line of its body. Once it saw the round berries in Dawn's hand the pace picked up a little, but Dawn had to wait a bit before it felt comfortable picking the Oran Berry out of her hand. It immediately retreated a few steps before tearing the berry to shreds with dull teeth. A herbivore then. Not surprising considering that most grass-types ate their natural element rather than meat, if they ate at all. She could certainly use that; feeding three carnivores was almost too much for her wallet to handle right now, since she wasn't at a level where battles involved a lot of prize money. A herbivore would need food but it wasn't as expensive as carnivore mixes. Plus, that grass was glowing slightly every time the Pokémon stepped into the sunlight; she suspected that the grass-type wouldn't need much food as long as it had sufficient sunlight.
"Hello there," Dawn said, her voice soft as the Pokémon finished the berry. She could try to just catch it now, attack with Crest, Zephyr and Ion. That would be faster, and probably smarter. She could get back with a rare Pokémon with plenty of time to spare. But this Pokémon appeared so gentle, she couldn't make herself give the order. Better to ask it if it wanted to join her than to force a reluctant member onto their tight-knit team.
Those deep black eyes locked onto Dawn once again, head tilting slightly to one side. Curiosity lived in that gaze; whatever kind of Pokémon this was it was clearly interested in her. No fear lived there, just interest. It wasn't scared.
"My name is Dawn," she introduced herself. "I'm a Pokémon trainer passing through town. This is Crest, Zephyr and Ion." The goat-like Pokémon looked at each of hers in turn, making a strange bleating noise that caused the others to respond with their own cries. Dawn took a step back as the Pokémon began to speak, moving closer to investigate one another. The new Pokémon was quite curious, pushing its nose in as close as possible to her Pokémon to smell them and nearly earning a slap from Crest's Pound when it got too close. A pair of thin vines extended from the thick grass pelt and explored Ion's body, making him squirm as the explored his tail and ears and the ticklish spot on his belly.
Dawn took the moment to grab her Pokédex from her backpack and boot it up, aiming the scanner at the foreign Pokémon. She couldn't have been more grateful to Lucas insisting she get the National Pokédex upgrade when it beeped and began to speak:
Skiddo, the Mount Pokémon. Because of Skiddo's mild temperament, they're thought to be one of the first Pokémon to live in harmony with people. If it has sunshine and water, it doesn't need to eat, because it can generate energy from the leaves on its back. Skiddo are found in the Kalos Region where the sport of Skiddo and Gogoat racing are common pastimes for residents. This Skiddo is male with the ability Sap Sipper. It has learned the moves Tackle, Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip and Leech Seed.
That explained why Skiddo, while cautious, didn't appear afraid so much as curious about them. It had a decent moveset, favoring boosting moves and physical attacks over long-range elemental abilities. Eyeing the strong orange hooves, she bet that with a little training this grass-type could be a physical beast, especially with its stamina boosted by moves like Leech Seed and Synthesis. Even better, she didn't have to feed it! She could almost hear her wallet crying in relief.
"Skiddo, would you like to join our team?" Dawn asked, breaking into the conversation between Pokémon. Skiddo looked up, watching her for a moment before looking back down at where Ion and Crest stood below him. Zephyr had already taken a liking to the grass type and had perched on one of the outstretched horns. Despite his newly increased size and weight Skiddo didn't appear to mind his placement. Zephyr certainly did when after only a moment Skiddo looked back up and walked forward, forcing Zephyr to take off before he fell off.
Skiddo walked right up to Dawn and thrust his head out, brandishing his horns at her. Crest squawked, trying to run over and put himself between his trainer and the grass-type even as Dawn backpedaled but Skiddo just stepped forward again, pushing his horns toward her so that they were at chest height.
Skiddo didn't appear aggressive; his eyes held no anger, just the curiosity she had seen before. Dawn eyed the horns now leveled at her chest. What did he want? Skiddo bleated again, stepping back a bit and thrusting his horn into one of her raised hands.
"You want me to grab your horns?" Dawn asked hesitantly. Skiddo nodded solemnly, pushing his horns into her hands once more. Slowly, Dawn closed her fingers around each of the horns. They were smooth and cool, small ridges showing where they had grown in segments but the tough material holding up to a quick squeeze. Skiddo's eyes closed and he stood very still. Dawn, still not sure what was going on, did the same. For a moment, nothing dared breathe in their little corner of the Floaroma Woods, even the wind gone silent.
An eternal second passed, time uncountable as Dawn waited in the sunlit grove. After untold eons, Skiddo's eyes opened again and he pulled back gently, causing Dawn to release his horns. They both stepped back, eyeing one another. Crest, Zephyr and Ion watched from the sidelines, awaiting the results of whatever test Skiddo had just administered.
A moment passed and Skiddo nodded his head, expelling a long, low bleat.
Dawn's lips broke into a wide grin even as Zephyr shrieked his approval, loud enough to be heard throughout the forest. Ion was jumping up and down, but Crest still looked at Skiddo with suspicion.
"Welcome to the team Skiddo!" Dawn held out a Pokéball towards the grass type. With a happy bleat Skiddo pushed his nose into the button and allowed himself to dissolve into red light, the ball rocking gently in Dawn's hand for a moment before stilling and making the clicking noise that indicated successful capture.
A moment later the ball was open again and Skiddo was back. Ion and Zephyr rushed forward again to talk, and with a quick nudge from Dawn Crest walked forward as well. Dawn left them to it for a moment while she checked her watch. She had a little less than half an hour before the contest ended; it was probably time to head back towards the entrance.
"Zephyr, can you fly around and find the entrance? There should be a big stage there with a lot of people milling around. When you've found it come back and show us the way please," Dawn requested. Zephyr screeched and took off once again, soaring over the treetops. Take that mom, now that I have a flying type I don't get lost nearly as much!
Watching Zephyr fly off made Dawn remember something. "Skiddo, would you like a nickname?" Skiddo looked confused at the idea so Dawn elaborated, "A nickname is a unique name that helps distinguish you from all the other Skiddo. Piplup's name is Crest, Staravia's name is Zephyr and Shinx's name is Ion. Do you want a name? You don't have to if you don't want to."
Skiddo thought about it for a moment before nodding. Dawn had looked up lots of grass-type names before coming into the contest, but even though Skiddo hadn't understood the meaning of nicknames until now he was very picky. After a while Dawn noticed that he didn't seem to like the nicknames associated with his element; names like Moss, Flore, Tropic and the like were quickly discarded. She tried a few Kalosian names, what few she knew, but they too were discarded. Only after looking up to check if Zephyr was back yet did she stumble upon an answer.
Dawn knelt down, bracing her hands on her thighs so she could look Skiddo in the eye. "There are lots of myths and legends lost to time," she began, "stories from thousands upon thousands of years ago that are only remembered by scraps of text from ancient civilizations. That includes different names for the constellations. One of those ancient civilizations named one of the brightest constellations in the sky Aries, and their drawings of the constellation make it look a lot like you. We don't know anything about this mythical Aries, but most constellations are named after great heroes of the past. Do you want to take the name, live up to and perhaps discover the legend?" Skiddo's eyes were shining and she knew she'd found his name even before he nodded his head.
#
Brrrriiiinnnng! The tolling of the huge bell marked the end of the contest, just in time for a final few trainers to sprint out of the forest's edge and back into the clearing. There were a lot more people here now than just the fifty or so trainers that had been present at the beginning. A veritable sea of festivalgoers was crowded around the edges of the clearing, leaving a large space in front of the stage for the competing trainers to gather. The mayor and a trio of judges stood onstage, the trio whispering between themselves while the mayor waited for the crowd to quiet down.
Dawn stood beside Aries a little away from the stage, stroking the soft grass growing on his back to calm him down. He was twitchy near all these people, but didn't seem frightened, just uncomfortable. Dawn could certainly relate. She wished that Crest could be here with them but only the Trainer and the grass-type they caught could be present for the judging. Looking around, Dawn saw more grass types than she could ever remember seeing together in one place. Most the grass types weren't particularly rare; there were more than a few Budew and Roselia, Oddish, Hoppip, Skiploom, Lotad and Seedot. Every once in a while Dawn saw something rarer, like the Cherubi held in the arms of a beaming woman, the Tangela at the feet of a large, burly trainer, or the Cottonee floating around a young man's head. She even saw one or two others that she didn't recognize, like the living pink and purple mushroom cluster one woman held or what looked like a Wurmple wrapped in leaves on one boy's shoulder. Aries was one of the largest Pokémon there, and he'd been garnering quite a few confused and envious stares as the crowd grew.
"Trainers, the catching period has officially ended! All those who intend to enter the catch comparison part of the competition should form orderly rows in front of the stage with your new partner next to you. The judges will come around and examine each Pokémon and ask it to perform one move. Be sure you know what move you have in mind!" The mayor began to wave his arms around even as he spoke, trying to corral them all into the rows he spoke of. Dawn tried to look around for Nando, but the confusion prevented her from seeing even his tall figure.
A few gentle headbutts from Aries made her move forward, falling into the quickly forming row even as the Skiddo stepped up to join her. Abandoning the search for Nando, Dawn thought over the list of Aries' moves, wondering what to display to the judges. None of his moves were particularly visually appealing… "Hey Aries, can you try Growth for me?" He looked up at her for a second before the grass on his back began to glow, the blanket-like patch growing to stretch further down his legs and over his body, thickening around the neck until it looked like a Pyroar's mane. Hmm, that looked like it stimulated the energy in his body, adding to his elemental force and the force of his physical attacks. "Can you show me what happens when you use that with your vines out?" Aries looked confused but nodded, a pair of thin vines extending from the shoulder region, glowing green veins for a moment as they became thicker and longer.
"Perfect! When the judge comes by, that's what I want you to do, okay?" He didn't have anything more visually appealing so it would have to do. Nando would no doubt find something better; contests were his thing after all. Where was he? She wanted to figure out what path he'd decided on. She admitted to being a bit biased; if he chose battling she would get to battle him.
Her musings didn't last long as a judge approached her soon after. He looked impressed at the rarity of her catch, wandering around Aries for a moment before asking her to display a move. Aries did his Growth/Vine Whip combo and the judge moved on. Now she had nothing to do until it was time for the final announcements, so Dawn sat down and pulled out Strategies and Training Plans, Vol 1 to scribble down some notes on her new friend. Aries sat down beside her, looking around at all the other Pokémon with interest. He didn't move too close to her, probably still unsure of her, but he did look over at her notes often enough that she began talking to him about what she was writing.
"That's why Razor Leaf is easier for you to learn, Pokémon without plants as a physical part of their bodies have a hard time but since it grows on you naturally-" Dawn was halfway through her explanation of Razor Leaf when a sweet sound filled the air. A lovely tune floated on the breeze, making Dawn's eyelids feel like they had suddenly acquired thousand-pound weights. She struggled to stay awake, forcing her eyes open, but before she knew it everything was dark and she had grass in her mouth. Wait. Grass?
She opened her eyes to find herself with her head on Aries' back, the soft grass proving a good pillow (she tucked that knowledge away for later use). Sitting up she saw Aries' black eyes watching her in concern.
"Sorry bud, I got sleepy all of a sudden." Looking around, it was clear she wasn't the only one. Most of the humans were forcing themselves back to standing or sitting, blinking rapidly and shaking themselves to get rid of the mental fog. "Somebody must have used Grass Whistle or Sing or something." Thinking back to Nando's harp, she had a strong suspicion of who.
She made to get up from her reclined position but Aries just nudged her his his sound, forcing her to lean back against him. "Someone's worried," she teased. She didn't fight him though, instead leaning back and continuing her rambling and note-writing, waiting for the contest to end.
After another half an hour the judges were finished as standing on stage, the mayor ringing the bell to bring them all back together again.
"We have the results of the Floaroma Town Annual Grass-Type Catching Contest!" he announced in a booming voice, looking down at a slip of paper handed to him by one of the judges.
"Everyone put your hands together for the winner of the Floaroma Town Grass-Type Catching Contest, Nando Naoshi of Celestic Town!" Applause rose up from the crowd in waves as Nando's distinct form appeared, the crowd parting to give him space. Even before he arrived at the stage Dawn could she why he'd won but the mayor announced it for all those who couldn't see.
"Nando was skilled and lucky enough to snag a rare Chikorita with the egg move Grass Whistle!" More than a few gasps rose from the crowd; egg moves were rare enough but a Starter Pokémon? Starters were extremely rare and specially bred only in their home regions; if you saw a trainer with a Starter Pokémon or one of its evolutions it was almost guaranteed that that Pokémon was their starter.
Nando was already plucking at his harp, mellifluous sounds wafting along on the breeze. Hs new Chikorita joined in, singing a sweet tune that made Dawn's eyes feel heavy for a moment before the sensation passed. The mayor looked tiny beside Nando's tall form but the Shiny Stone in his hands ensured that all eyes were on him as he passed it to Nando.
"And with that, the contest has ended. A great many thanks to all our trainers for participating!" The cheers and screams scared more than a few wild Pokémon into fleeing as the crowd roared its approval. Aries stepped closer to Dawn, uneasy with all the sounds and movement. Dawn smiled down at him. She hadn't won, but she'd gained a rare and invaluable new friend to join the team.
Dawn turned as the crowd began to break up, intending to congratulate Nando, but he was almost instantly swarmed by new admirers as soon as he stepped off the stage. Looked like she would have to wait for a chance to ask him what his decision was.
Aries caught her attention with another of his soft headbutts. "What is it bud?" He nodded off to the side of the platform. Dawn turned, just in time to see two large, burly fellows with… green hair? Wait, they looked a lot like the people she and Lucas had fought in Jubilife…
The two strangers were standing to the side of one of the vendors stands set up at edges of the crowd. There was a third man with them, clearly the stall owner from his apron. All three of the men were arguing, not loudly enough to hear over the hubbub of the crowd but apparently quite passionately. The two strange men with green hair and spacemen outfits stepped forward, crowding the shop owner, but the salesman refused to give an inch, shaking his head vigorously.
"Come on Aries, let's go see what that's about." Casting one last glance over to the crowd around Nando, Dawn started fighting the tide of the crowd to make her way to the stall. Dawn had just escaped the crush of people when she heard a strangled yell, suddenly cut off, and saw a quick glimpse of the two men physically dragging the poor stall owner away, past the treeline towards the hills.
"Let's go Aries!"
#
Dawn and Aries caught up with the trio in the flower-covered hills on Floaroma's northern side, just past the edge of the forest. It was clear to see that the third man was in pain and being forced here against his will: he hadn't stopped struggling the entire time the men holding him kept having to readjust their grips. Now that they were away from the hubbub of the contest Dawn could hear what he was saying:
"Unhand me at once you two! I don't care what you want, harassing me both verbally and physically is not the way to get it! The second I get back to town I will report the both of you to Officer Jenny and the rest of the police!"
"That's supposed to make us let go?" one of the men drawled. He was the taller of the two, which was about the only way Dawn could distinguish them with their shared attire, hair color and general build from the back.
"Enough arguing! Hand over that sweet Honey!" the second man said.
"Team Galactic will have that Honey. We can use it to attract more Pokémon in great numbers. We almost have all the energy needed, more test subjects and soldiers would be most appreciated."
A stick broke under Dawn's feet as she ran forward, Aries keeping pace at her side. The sharp sound caused both men to whirl around, their victim yelling as he too was wrenched around.
"A kid? What is a kid doing here?" one of them asked.
"Who cares? We don't need that brat running off to get help or interfering, so the solution's pretty simple. We ensure the brat stays quiet! Besides, that Pokémon looks pretty rare. We might get noticed by the bosses if we bring it in," the other said.
"Let that man go, he's not obligated to give you anything," Dawn said, panting slightly from her mad dash. Aries growled, moving between the thieves and Dawn as she caught her breath.
"And what will you do about it kid? You're a witness, so we need to get rid of you!" The taller man threw a Pokéball, allowing a Stunky to appear in front of him. His friend threw out a madly chittering Zubat that zipped around, clearly distressed by the bright sunlight.
Not good. Aries was a completely new Pokémon to her, and she hadn't gotten too much of a chance to research his species. Even worse, he was a pure grass type facing down a poison type and a flying and poison type. Then again, he didn't have to be alone.
With a flash of light Crest appeared by her side, chirping cheerfully when he saw her. She pointed towards their opponents and Crest turned, eyes narrowing and body bending down slightly, getting ready to run forward.
"Acid! Aim for the grass type then go after the Piplup!"
"Supersonic! Confuse them!"
"Crest, Bubble net! Absorb their attacks then Bubble the Zubat, slow it down! Aries, Growth then Vine Whip! Aim for the Stunky!"
A wave of sludge hit the Bubbles Crest spat out, popping them but arresting all forward momentum so that the purple sludge hit the ground, hissing as it melted the grass and soil below. A second later a high-pitched screech rang out, making all parties stumble and sway. Zubat dove down with glowing fangs, heading straight for Aries, whose body was still glowing with the energy of Growth.
"Aries!" Dawn cried a warning, but it was unnecessary. Aries sidestepped, allowing Zubat to sink its fangs into the dirt instead of his grassy hide. A stomp of his hoof summoned a trio of glowing roots from the ground, trapping Zubat and pulsing with green light as they began to steal energy for their master.
"Poison Fang Zubat, get out of there!"
As Zubat tried in vain to twist and turn and bite its way out of the grassy prison, Crest was giving Stunky a workout, making it run and dive and jump madly to avoid the Bubbles directed at it. It managed to dodge the last of the Bubbles only to run right into Crest's outstretched wing, which was glowing white with the power of Pound. It collapsed and didn't move again.
Aries executed one last Tackle on the trapped Zubat, and both of their enemies were out. Both thieves were looking nervous now, recalling their Pokémon and cringing back when Aries and Crest stepped forward in unison.
"I think you should let that man go now," Dawn said, her tone polite but unyielding.
"I don't think so brat," the shorter man said, straightening up in a sudden movement, a smile breaking out across his face where fear had been before.
Before she could react Dawn felt a large body shove her to the ground with all the force it could muster. She went flying, falling in a heap of tangled limbs, backpack, grass and flowers. Looking up from her newly prone position, Dawn saw Aries standing in the spot where she had been seconds ago. A Zubat had glowing purple fangs sunk into the grassy part of his pelt.
Crest reacted faster than his trainer to the new addition to the battle. His beak glowed blue and he shot forward, landing a powerful Peck on the Zubat, knocking it off Aries. A quick Bubble had the second Zubat unconscious as well.
Dawn was outwardly calm as she stood and went to make sure Aries was alright, but inwardly her thoughts were a mixture of fear, panic, relief and fury, rattling around like Zubat in a cage. That had been much too close. Kneeling down by Aries, she saw the bite had corroded some of his plant life, but he looked otherwise okay.
"You okay buddy? Thanks for knocking me out of the way, I would have been a goner without you." Aries nodded, nudging her with his horns. She tried to stand but nearly collapsed, her internal fear and relief finally expressing itself. She couldn't look up, couldn't face the men who had nearly killed her, who she'd arrogantly chased after. What had she been thinking, she could have died-
Aries nudged her again with his horns, forcing her to grab them. Neither moved for a moment, the firm, smooth material beneath her fingers and Aries' concern and support allowing Dawn to calm her shaking body and reassert control over her frantic thoughts.
"Thanks," Dawn said as she stood, unable to express the depths of her gratitude but trying all the same. She didn't know Aries well enough yet to see if he got the message, but he stood up as well, shaking a bit to throw off any last drops of poison.
Dawn turned, keeping her back to Aries, finally able to look at the captured thieves again. It turned out that her determination was for naught; the men had already taken off, running pell-mell down the hill towards the river and low-lying fields near the Valley Windworks complex. Crest was angrily screeching after them, but there was no chance he could catch up. They'd left the Zubat behind in favor of escaping once they saw their last gambit fail.
Their captive stood in the same place as before, rubbing his arms where the redness hadn't yet vanished. He looked up as Dawn walked over.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! Those two wanted me to give them my entire stock of Honey, for what reason I can't say. I told them I would do so if they could pay but they decided force was a better option. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, those hooligans have such a horrible sense of fashion it's not surprising they lack in other areas as well. Thank you again!"
"No problem sir, I noticed them drag you off and I couldn't leave you like that. Did they say who they were?"
"They called themselves 'Team Galactic,' whatever that means. Some sort of criminal group perhaps? Oh, but they did drop this in their haste to escape." The vendor withdrew a small iron key from his pocket, handing it over to Dawn. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting it. It was study, more elaborate than a normal house key. A small name tag was looped through one end. It read "Valley Windworks Master" in neat handwriting.
"Why the heck did they have a key to the Valley Windworks?" Dawn asked aloud.
"No idea. Maybe one of the thieves works there when not playing dress-up? I've got to get back to my stall, make sure all the Honey isn't gone and see if I can still turn a profit before the crowds fade away. Thanks again for your help!" The man took off, running back towards the forest and leaving Dawn and Aries standing in the flower field. Dawn shook her head and withdrew a potion container, applying the spray liquid to Aries' bite as she thought.
"Well, I guess all that's left is to report this to the police and return this key. Hmm, where to first?" Dawn looked east, towards where the hills dipped to meet the river. She could see the tops of giant windmills in the distance, all spinning leisurely. "I guess to the Valley Windworks. If one of those guys works there I can ask about it when I return the key." Finishing up applying the potion, Dawn recalled Aries with a final word of thanks. She stuck the key in her pocket and scooped Crest up in her arms, heading off down the hill towards the squat concrete building she could see below the windmills. Even as she walked, she couldn't quash the feelings of foreboding creeping up on her, stemming from the iron key in her pocket.
#
Sorry this chapter took so long, my thesis has been eating up all my free time. I'll probably have more time to write by mid-May and I'll do my best to carve out writing time before then, but I can't promise anything. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I love the Skiddo line so Aries joins Dawn's party as her catch during the festival, just in time for Team Galactic to cause trouble. This chapter doesn't have much action, but next chapter will make up for that in spades. Thanks for reading, see you next time!
