Hello to the kind folks sticking around for the long haul! Especially you, Bossbongo. Always appreciate a kind word~
I'm uploading a bit later than I wanted today because of some real-world developments that I won't bore you with - it's all good stuff, I assure you. But in lieu of that, I don't have much to add beyond saying I wound up really enjoying writing for one particular character in this chapter and the story as a whole. I'm hoping that translates well for you too, since I already have future content planned as a result. I'm mid-writing on Chapter 4 and her partner Pokemon has a very similar kind of... Energy, let's say.
I'll let you see for yourself. Enjoy!
It was a lovely day for a festival.
The windmill at the center of Artazon churns smoothly under a cloudless sky, squared blades slicing through the air with a dull whoosh. Its buzz forms the backbone of a jaunty, tropical song played on steel drums shaped like hollowed-out Metang by three men in Alolan shirts. Fitting this theme, the smell of oil-fried dough and spiced chocolate dances with the pollen of local gardens as folks wander town with malasada and cups of Tapu Cocoa from stalls set up near the hedge maze installation.
Though not nearly as many people were gathered as had been in Levincia for Iono's stream, the crowd looked more imposing where it gathered at the western side of the circular road around Artazon's elevated arena. An elegant Arboliva keeps its branches raised from the dirt next to the platform, exuding a steady stream of Grassy Terrain around the main attraction.
Gym Leader Brassius' newest sculpture: Satisfied Sunflora. As with prior pieces inspired by the Grass-type, this statue rose from a terracotta pot. Dirt was packed around the base of Sunflora's beer belly, an oblong body of slip-cast clay that tapered into a thin neck. The Pokemon's cream-colored face was sculpted via the same process, betraying only a few hairline cracks through the artist's slick ceramic glaze. Sunflora's leaf arms and golden petals had more blemishes and fingerprints as they were sculpted by hand for finer control over the details, but its melancholy face was immaculately carved so every divot would be visible through natural shade as it stretched toward the sun. Like the rest of the collection, this Sunflora's eyes crest downward in a somber expression. However, Satisfied Sunflora had a splash of orange-brown paint applied over each eye in broad strokes – performed by a proud Smeargle in attendance.
The sculpture's display over a sage-green glow inspired awe in the crowd, packed like Wishiwashi across the lawn. Florian and Penny stood toward the back of the group, hiding out on the road near staircases down into Artazon's shopping district.
"This git has a few screws loose, innit?" Penny whispers, leaning her shoulder down toward Florian's ear so as not to draw the ire of another couple fawning over the statue beside them.
Florian meets her cynicism with a grin.
"Not a fan of the piece?"
"It's fine. I 'spose I just don't get it."
The young trainer stuffs his left hand in the pocket of his navy-blue cotton slacks and backpedals to face Penny diagonally.
"Well, Mr. Hassel says you don't always have to 'get' art, but it's always worth discussing. So let's talk about it!"
Penny rolls her eyes, feet planted so she could continue glimpsing at the distant sculpture between gaps in the amorphous crowds. Her hands linger in her sweatshirt pocket; elbows form hooks off which her plush Eevee backpack can swing.
"I know he's, like, your mentor. But posturing like him's a bit weird, Florian."
A moment passes as she mulls over his offer, tongue pushing out her left cheek.
"All I'm sayin' is the whole thing seems… Pretentious." Penny scrapes her left boot back against the pavement, facing Florian so he can see her eyes without glass glare.
"Bloke comes out with this windbag speech about Satisfied Sunflora being like his Surrendering Sunflora if he made them in a different life. Says it's the evolution of his soul or whatever." She scoffs. "But it's the exact same sculpt! He's scamming the town, if you ask me."
Florian casts his eyes back to the art. He was smaller, boxier than his gangly Galarian companion, and had to lean on the toes of his loafers to get half as good a view.
"You sure it's exactly the same?"
Her eyebrows furrow and she shrugs, defensively. Florian responds by bringing up his free hand to hold a sideways 'V' over his right eye.
"Oh, you mean the literal two strokes of paint added on?" Penny's indignant tone shines through. "I accidentally dragged my pencil across the edge of my Bio exam, you don't see me asking Mr. Jacq for extra credit."
Snickering, Florian glances down at his houndstooth-grey winter jacket and fiddles with the zipper halfway down his chest.
"Would've been worth a shot if you couldn't just hack the grading system for a faster fix."
Penny's cheeks puff out as she clenches her jaw. However, there's no time to protest before Florian invades her personal space, catching her off-guard with the soft scent of his pine deodorant. His arm passes just under her nose, and she goes cross-eyed staring at the jacket's flocked pattern.
"Let you in on a bit of context you might be missing." The young trainer whispers. "Mr. Hassel recently took a vacation in Alola, and I hear he met a friend on Melemele Island."
It takes Penny a beat too long to realize Florian was pointing her attention. Looking down the barrel of his arm, she sees Hassel just on the outskirts of the crowd, doubled over, sobbing into Brassius' chest. The Gym Leader's crooked grin shines through as he rubs the gentle giant's back.
"I see," Penny mutters back.
She catches Florian's enthusiastic smile out of the corner of her eye, and leans into the warm energy he exuded.
Luckily, Florian's quick on the draw as Penny subtly nuzzles up to his side. He stretches his arm up over her head, and then hooks it around her shoulders.
"I take back what I said the other day," Penny says in a quiet, raspier tone. "Seems you do have a good nut in that head of yours."
Laughing again, Florian's other hand comes out of his pocket to rest on her hip.
"Oh stop. You're gunna make me blush, Pen."
"I mean it! Getting very far ahead of your competition-"
A distant, silky voice jolts them both to attention.
"Hey, Florian! Penny!"
The couple scrambles apart, close to either breaking his arm, her glasses, or both. When they do manage to stumble into separate units, both turn to find Nemona racing up the stairs toward them; ponytail and hanging green stands of hair bouncing with every bound. Her flagpole of an arm waves he entire way.
"I thought you said this was just going to be us," Penny hisses.
"This… Was not part of the plan."
Florian's attitude quickly changes alongside his posture as Nemona reaches the top of the stairs, practically lodging herself between the duo. The sporty tomgirl has hardly broken a sweat, offering them a sunny grin with her gloveless left hand on her hip.
"Buenas, Flamigos! Fancy seeing you here."
Penny shrinks back into her hoodie, silent, gazing into the middle distance. Florian tries to put on a better act, rubbing his hands together with an awkward smile.
"Yeah, real sight for sore eyes Nemona."
Without warning, Nemona clasps his hands together, keeping them glued with an audible pop. She tugs him forward so he was forced to stare right back into her fiery pupils. Her raw energy drew Penny's cautious attention.
"And you know what it means when two trainers' eyes meet, don't you Florian?"
He groans, cutting through her chipper giggling.
"Nemona-"
"Come on, you've gotta battle me!" She throws his hands up in a joined mountain pose, forcing Florian up on his toes. "Right here, right now. There's a whole audience just begging for a good time!"
Florian's gaze drifts toward Penny before Nemona preempts the conversation, tossing his arms aside.
"I'm sure Penny won't mind me taking you for a few minutes, right?"
Penny meets Nemona's enthusiastic, idly jostling with the most apathetic stare she can muster.
"… Nah. 's cool."
"Estupendo!" Nemona claps Penny's cheeks with both hands, squishes gingerly, and then lets her go just as quickly. The pale girl's cheeks run red, but she looks too stunned to react in any substantive way.
Hurricane Nemona doesn't skips a beat, grabbing Florian by the wrist and marching him off into the crowd.
"First we should visit the Gym and make sure it's okay to use their battlefield. I'm sure they won't mind if we flash our credentials, eh Florian? Then we can get some help gathering folks up top and..."
Florian looks back toward Penny before he's subsumed by a mob of feasting festivalgoers.
Paldea's Gyms were less "Gym" as other regions had come to design them, instead acting like Pokemon League Welcome Centers dotted around major cities. The sleek, modernist white steel-and-glass buildings were intentionally gaudy to catch visiting trainers' attentions, but few settlements made them feel as mismatched as Artazon's natural brown-and-red alpine cottages and splashy art installations.
The double-doors of the Gym silently slide open, bringing the warm air this side of town to life by a combination of errant air conditioning and Nemona's voice; both jostling the sky's still pollination in equal measure.
"… just too bad we couldn't get La Primera out of the office today," she remarks with both hands crossed behind her neck, bracing her shoulders like a travel pillow. "You know how she loves a festival – and a good battle for that matter!"
It was a wonder that Nemona herself wasn't considered one of the Ten Sights of Paldea, a chattering waterfall that was nigh-impossible to stem once she got going. Florian had learned to let her (try to) exhaust herself, but sometimes a more aggressive play was necessary. As they get far enough from the Gym that its doors slide closed behind them, he breaks their little Falinks formation and grabs her shoulder to force her gaze back back.
"What is wrong with you, Nemona?"
She seems surprised, and even glances around for a moment to see whether they were alone. With crowds gathered around the new statue, much of Artazon was a ghost town.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you!" Florian crosses his arms and glances off toward the nearby Sunflora sanctuary. "Couldn't you tell that Penny and I were… You know…"
He dances around the subject, waggling his shoulders and bobbing his head in the hops that she picked up what he was putting down. It doesn't take long for her to react with a snicker, tightening the violet tie around her neck with both hands.
"I'm not that dense, Florian."
She straightens out her posture alongside one last pull of the tie, and then keeps her puffed-out chest to approach him as one might a business partner. Nemona rests her gloved hand on his shoulder, drawing Florian's eyes back from the dancing Sunflora.
"Trust me, girls have a keen sixth sense about this sorta thing. You'd be surprised how much we pick up about each other." She pulls both hands in to start tightening the part of his tie left sticking out from the winter jacket, and he shifts awkwardly in place. It took every ounce of energy not to flinch away from the sunny orange eyes she bore straight into him.
"For example, I saw the way she looked at you while you battled that crazy robot in Area Zero." Nemona idly blows the green strand of hair out of her face before returning his surprise with a smug grin. "Give her a bit of that focus today, I'm sure she'll be all over you, amante."
As she steps back to pose heroically, hands at her hips, Florian centers himself with a deep breath. Then, he finally meets her challenge with determination, clenching his fist over his heart.
"Alright, you're on!"
"I knew I'd hook you on a good battle! Let's go get 'er." Nemona pumps both her fists before twirling around to run off without him. Her voice booms over the sound of her sneakers squeaking on the pavement. "Vamos! C'mon!"
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having a good wingman in his corner.