Iono was almost rendered speechless at the amount of heart and sweatdrop emoticons that flooded her chat as soon as she had roped Larry in for a few seconds.

Almost.

"Wowie-wow! You guys love Larry a lot, don't you?" she buzzed. "I knew he was so massively popular on the Internet, but I had no idea just how many of you wanted to see him! Let's see if we can't get another Mean Look from—"

But when she turned around… Larry was nowhere to be seen.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Iono cried, letting the Magnemite hairclips on her head fly wildly. "He's escaped my weebbb! That Larry is a wilier one than I thought! But look at all the views I'm getting since he made that guest spot! It's climbing and climbing… oooh! I gotta keep chasing these engagement levels! Don't you worry, loyal Ionites! I will get Larry on the Iono Zone somehow! Mark! My! Words!" she exclaimed, flashing her shark teeth again.

Meanwhile, Hassel overheard Iono's rambling about Larry and looked around the room.

"Huh. Larry did leave early."

"Hmmm?" Rika, sitting at the same table, perked up. She looked around too. "Oh."

"I… didn't even notice."

Hassel and Rika exchanged glances, and they both sighed sadly at each other.


He was always told Cortondo was a quiet little town, so it surprised Larry quite a bit to see a whole bunch of people flitting in and out of the streets. But then he looked at the stalls set up and the stage that was being put away, as well as the giant sign out front on the edge of town.

"Oh, right. They do that… harvest thing every year."

Larry could almost feel a tinge of regret once he saw how busy things were. Arriving at Cortondo at late sunset, he had expected a much emptier line of roads. Something even quieter than Medali this late at night, he'd supposed. But instead, this was quite a bit livelier.

Still, looking as plain as he does, Larry was confident he could more or less blend in with the crowd. He kept walking forward, while checking the map on his phone to see where Patisserie Soapberry is located.

And nobody seemed to be looking at him, at least that he noticed. A couple of folks stopped and glanced at him a few times, but he supposed it was just because his business attire was an odd choice for the occasion.

Eventually, he turned a corner and found a large circular shop building with a grainy exterior, a lot of windows, and a bright turquoise circled roof. A large sign along the fence advertising Patisserie Soapberry and its many glowing reviews confirmed that he had found the place.

As Larry approached the building, a young lady stepped out the front door, dressed in a uniform similar to the one he always sees Katy wearing. Her apron was a lighter tan color, and lacked the distinct spiderweb pattern on Katy's. She had bright pink hair with curled ringlets spread out from under her white beret.

A young tan-skinned man with a shaved haircut, boasting a uniform without an apron and holding his beret in his hand, also walked out the door.

"Good night, Chef Krista!" he called out in a tone that sounded teasing, as he walked down the other road. Larry didn't notice, but the young man met eyes with him briefly, and quietly said "…Woah" as he stumbled a bit.

"Tch. Take care of yourself, Damian."

Krista was about to flip the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED when she noticed Larry walking up.

"Oh, hello sir!" Krista greeted, bowing. "Welcome to Patisserie Soapberry! Have you come to sample some of our delicious olive-themed treats for the harvest festival today?"

"…Not exactly," said Larry. "I actually came here wondering if this is where I'd find Katy."

"Hmm? You want to talk to Katy?" Krista blinked. She gazed at this mystery man for a bit, but then her expression changed.

"Wait…" She squinted at him, and suddenly gasped. "Hang on! You're that Gym Leader, aren't you? The businessman dude from Medali?"

"Yes." Larry was a bit surprised to be recognized.

"My sincerest apologies, sir!" Krista said, bowing. "I've never met you or the others face to face before! It's an honor to have one of you come out to Cortondo, especially on the occasion of our Grand Olive Harvest!"

"Likewise."

"Well. If you're here to see Katy, you might have to wait around for a bit. She's in the middle of a Gym Challenge right now! Those battles can get pretty intense—oh, but, heh heh, I guess you know that better than anyone else!" She sputtered, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I'll be more than happy to let you sit inside until—Oh!" Krista looked out into the distance. "Here she comes right now as a matter of fact!"

Larry looked behind him. Katy was stridefully walking from the direction of the Battle Court down the road back to the Soapberry. As she did, a young teenager, the one who had challenged her earlier, ran up behind her.

"Oh! Thank you for the badge, Ms. Katy!"

"You're welcome!" Katy responded. "Thank you for the fun battle! You had me and my friends on our little toes the whole time! I hope it was fun for you too."

"Yeah! Anyway, I'm off to Cascarrafa now to see if I can find Kofu! I heard his Pokémon are super-duper tough! Especially that really powerful Crabominable! I can't wait to take that on! Thanks again!"

And like that, he was gone.

Katy sighed, first in the joy of such abundant energy, but then more solemnly.

I'm not sure which disappoints me more. The fact that kids like him never stay in Cortondo long enough to see that this town has more to go on than just its yearly harvest, just bouncing off to the next Gym Leader… or the fact that he didn't have any compliments to spare about me or my team…

But regardless, she put on a brave face as she walked towards her place of work.

Then her eyeline met Larry's.

And her walk began to slow. She found herself propping up her chef hat.

Larry's eyes locked with hers too. He reflexively straightened his cloud-pattern tie.

The two of them had never really interacted much before, only really seeing each other at those League parties and other occasional events. Larry had always wanted to go up to Katy and compliment her for the pastries she brings. But… something always made him too reserved to do so.

And now he was feeling that same feeling. He was… nervous? He couldn't understand why, but… it was something about her.

Watching her slowly walk in Larry's direction, an elegant bounce in her step, eyes still facing him…

She is absolutely radiant in person.

Katy, for her part, felt shocks like spider bites going down her whole body when she saw Larry. It was very rare that somebody important would be standing in Cortondo. In front of her own shop. Much less a fellow Gym Leader!

And one she had never really talked to before. She had always been interested in chatting with Larry, a man whose airy vibe intrigued her. But at the League parties, she would usually find herself getting caught up with people that she's already close with, like Kofu or Tulip.

But Larry's a very interesting man, she'd always noted. She always spotted him admiring her displays more than anyone else. Despite his rather average business-y look, she noticed there was always this sort of flair to him of someone who was a lot less showy than others and instead more just… himself.

The way his hair was always just a little bit messy and blowy, the tight-fit suit he always wears, his matter-of-fact way of speaking, and the look he always gave whenever they happened to exchange eye contact. He was always just…

Genuine. I don't know what it is, but he's just so… genuine. No masks or tricks, just… a real gentleman.

I wonder what he's doing here?

"Welcome back, Chef!" said Krista as Katy approached. "I was just about to close up shop for the night! Buuuut it looks like we've got a special visitor on our hands!"

"So I see! How do you do?" she greeted Larry with a smile. She then cleared her throat as she tried to find the words. "Umm. It's Larry, right?"

"Y-yes," Larry stammered. "Charmed. … Sorry, I'm not sure we've ever spoken face to face before."

"No. No, I don't think so. I think we've always just barely missed each other. But one always makes time sooner or later, I guess! And well… here you are!"

The two stayed silent for a bit, trying not to stare at one another. Krista looked between her employer and the man in black, feeling that awkward silence between them.

"So… what brings you to Cortondo today, Larry?" asked Katy. "I know the League was having their get-together today. Did something happen?"

"No. The party's been fine," Larry assured her. "I just decided to leave early and come here."

"Oh. To see the Olive Harvest festival?"

"No, n-not… really. Mmm…" Larry scratched his head. Now he was the one getting lost for words. "The cupcakes you baked for the party were very delicious."

"Well, thank you!" said Katy, flattered. "I'm really glad somebody said so. I was so, so disappointed I couldn't come up there myself, because I love seeing the faces you make when you're enjoying my sweets." She caught herself and then reiterated, "Err- All of you, I mean. Everyone's faces."

"I understood what you meant," Larry nodded with a smirk. "They were very, very good. Like an ocean of great flavors. So good in fact, that uh…"

He tried to find the words to say next. Suddenly, in that moment, he realized that coming all the way down to the town where Katy worked just to ask her for an extra cupcake might seem a bit odd, especially for a man in his position.

He didn't have long to deliberate though. Katy, watching his expression, raised an eyebrow and giggled.

"Were you… were you by chance coming here hoping for more cupcakes?"

"Mm—Well, I suppose… No." Larry shook his head. "No, see, what happened was, I only noticed them very late into the party and only got to eat one before the rest of them got scooped up by everyone like a bunch of Vullabuzz."

"Whoa-ho, really?" Katy chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Yes. That one cupcake was so amazing though, again, my compliments to you, only having one left me feeling… hmm, unsatisfied. I knew it was a long shot but…" He hesitated for a bit, but then met her eyes fully. "Did you happen to have any extras laying around?"

That last sentence didn't fully register with Katy. When Larry met her eyeline, at that precise moment she found herself very fixated on his eyes. His pupils were a dull gray (weirdly befitting the rest of his one-tone aesthetic) and somehow looked very square-shaped.

A genetic trait?

And yet to her, those eyes were telling a story. On the surface, his baggy eyelids and rested eyebrows suggested a man eternally fatigued and weary. And yet, those pupils. The way his eyes dilated, when he spoke, reminded her of a hangout session she once had with her friend and fellow Gym Leader Tulip, who had been on a kick during that time about how eye color and shape determines personality traits in a person.

"It's a very complex psychology study, Katy," Tulip had insisted to a Katy who couldn't hide her skeptical face. "One's eyes are a window that tells a vast and intricate story about their entire life's journey."

She didn't find herself paying attention to most of the descriptions Tulip gave about the different pupil types, having just been used to letting her dear friend exposit on whatever pseudo-sciences outlined in Paldean Glamour Weekly were catching her fancy that week.

But gazing at Larry's eyes suddenly made her remember what Tulip had to say about gray ones specifically.

"Gray is a color that seems dull on the outside, but in fact it is an observation of all colors, not quite a reflection of them all but also not a full absorption. People with gray eyes have spent their whole lives observing the world, taking in all facets of its beauties and its tragedies. From all walks of life, they have grafted on thoughts and experience of those they have loved and seen. And so gray, as a pupil color, may well represent the purest of life's essence: an individual who has experienced every emotion vicariously through others, and is on a subconscious quest throughout life to feel these feelings first-hand. And that's—"

"Uhh, hello? Earth to Chef Katy?"

She was snapped out of her reminiscence by her assistant chef awkwardly waving a hand in front of her face.

Oh. Oh dear. How long have I been staring?

"I'm so deeply sorry," Katy apologized. "I got lost in my own hive for a bit there. You asked about… any extras of the Tera Bug-Berry Cupcakes?"

"Mm-hm."

Larry, while waiting for Katy to give an answer, had looked deeply at her and finally noticed something fascinating.

Her chef's hat had two antenna patterns lined on the front of it. Like an ant. He had never seen that before.

What an interesting motif.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you Larry, but… the ones I made for the party were pretty much the only ones in existence. They were very much a one-time thing."

Larry took in these words and nodded glumly.

"I thought as much. Sorry to have bothered you."

He turned away, and promptly began to walk down to the road again, leaving both Katy and Krista to look puzzled.

"Wow," Krista remarked. "He really is a man of few words like they say, huh chef? …Chef?"

Katy was looking down as if deep in thought. She tugged at the end of her right glove, and made a face to herself, like she was desperate to come up with something. Finally, she perked up.

"Wait!" she called out.

Larry stopped and turned around.

"Actually… there is something I just thought of that I could give you, especially since you came out all this way. Why don't you have a seat inside while I go get it?"

"…Okay," said Larry.


The inside of Patisserie Soapberry exuded a quaint, yet very calming aesthetic. The inside walls were a warm terra cotta, and lined with a variety of wall décor. Among all the potted succulents were some very interesting wall frames, including a scenic portrait of the fountain in the town square of Cascarrafa, the Alfornada Observatory Tower at sunset, various paintings of exotic bug Pokémon like Caterpie and Ribombee, and a scientific diagram of… a strawberry topper cake.

The tiled floors were a bright turquoise color, with a large white spiderweb rug at the center. Two white ceiling fans blew slowly over the array of dark gray tables, of which three were laid out, complemented by the two bistro tables out front.

The main attraction, of course, hovered around the large counters. Shelves upon shelves of delicious cakes, pies, gelatin desserts, and other sweets could be glimpsed at through the glass of the large display counter, and circular trays adorned the flat countertops with macaroons, croissants, and cookies.

The shelves behind these counters were lined with various display cookery, ingredient bags and coffee bags, and display pints of ice cream.

Just looking at all these sweets would be enough to melt one's heart, but the smell of the place was extremely unbelievable.

Larry realized immediately upon walking in that it was no mere coincidence that Tera Cupcake brought back memories of his childhood. As soon as he took in the warm, sugary smells of this patisserie, he realized that his parents used to let him spend his days in a bakery that smelled just like this when he was younger.

"Just sit down anywhere you like," said Katy. "Like my loyal sprout Krista said, we were just about to close anyway. So make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back!"

Katy turned around and walked towards the kitchen. Larry watched her move… and couldn't help but gaze briefly at the sway of her backside. Quickly adjusting his focus, he instead turned up to the back of her head. Katy's light teal hair was as radiant as her face, he decided. It somehow perfectly accentuated her cheery yet down-to-earth demeanor, and the way it was wrapped in the back was unique. If she did it herself, it showed how impressive and meticulous she can be with her hands.

He also noted that it strongly resembled the shape of a bug's cocoon.

I wonder if that's intentional or not.

The shape of her hair was just part of the main thing Larry had noticed about Katy, which is that her whole appearance, from her hair to her warm smile, to the soft colors of her uniform, just gave her an air of… pleasantness.

Between that, and the soft coo of her bubbly voice, she just exuded a warm friendly aura. Like as long as she was in the room with you, you knew that you were in the comforting presence of a friend.

Once Katy was gone, Larry looked around the place for a bit and then just… sat there at the table, staring off in the distance. Others have called him out before on how strange he looks just gazing off in the distance and staring at walls.

But he's a simple man. He never looks at his phone, which to him is basically just a machine for calls and emails. Occasionally, he might bring a newspaper or a book to read. But other times like this… he found himself content just sitting and zoning out.

Krista certainly thought it an odd sight, as she sat backwards at the table across from him, put her chin to the chair, and looked at him for a while before piping up.

"So tell me something. Did you really come all the way here for just one little cupcake?"

"Sure. They're just that good," Larry answered. "Your chef is probably one of the finest sweet makers in all of Paldea."

Unbeknownst to him, Katy could hear him from in the back room. She let out a quiet "Oh!" when she heard the compliment. And then felt her cheeks get all rosy.

"Alright there, charmboat." With a playful giggle, Krista got up from the chair and headed towards a side door into the kitchen, leaving Larry alone to ponder.

Charmboat? What is that supposed to mean?

After another moment, Katy emerged from the back again. Now that she was facing forward again, Larry took a deep look into her eyes.

They were a very pretty teal-green. Like her hair.

Katy held out a small cupcake on a plate. It did look a lot like the same cupcakes from the party, same general blue look and white frosting. But it was missing the special Tera Jewel pick on top, in a standard white foil, and the frosting didn't have any sparkles on it.

Katy sat the cupcake down in front of Larry and explained.

"When I made those Terastallized Cupcakes, it took me a lot of trial and error, and a lot of Berries, to get it down just pat. So this here is actually the last 'prototype' I made before the final batch."

"Interesting," said Larry. He peeled back the white foil slightly, and saw that the stump had more pronounced blue and purple markings of fruit than the one from the party.

"I didn't throw it away because I was thinking of having it for myself as a reward for all my efforts."

"Really? Well then I couldn't possibly," Larry responded, setting the foil back and trying to hand the plate back to her. "I don't want to take one from you."

"Oh please!" she said, pushing the plate back towards him. "I'm the one offering, and it would mean so much to me if you had it for yourself! The smile on someone's face when they're eating my confectionaries fills my heart more than eating one on my own could ever give me."

"Well… okay." After a pause, he said, "…So you want me to eat it here right in front of you?"

Katy giggled. "Well, you certainly could! And I'll do the same thing I do when my customers are eating and watch from behind that bar with a wicked smile on my face! But there's nobody here, so that would be a little weird. Take it home with you if you'd like, evil smile not included."

Larry actually let out a hearty chuckle at that. Very few things did him enough to make him laugh, but that genuinely got him. He even clutched his stomach for a second at how much he was caught off-guard.

"Thank you," he said, now smiling. "I think I'll have it on my way back to Medali." He got up from his seat, and held out his hand for a shake. "Thank you again, Katy. Sorry to have troubled you so late."

"Oh, this was no trouble at all!" Katy smiled back, shaking his hand. She had one of the warmest, kindest smiles Larry had ever observed. "I love talking to my colleagues! In fact, if you ever wanted to come by when we're open and help yourself to even more of our delicious goods, the door's always open to you!"

"Thanks. I'll remember that."

And with a smile, a wave, and a ring of the bell, Larry was gone.

Katy stood there for a bit. Took some deep breaths.

"Alright, Krista. I think we're ready to close now."

"Good day, chef?" said Krista from out back, a usual closing line.

Katy pondered about it as she started picking things up around the bar. It was definitely a busy day, with the harvest going on. She had felt disappointed the extra rush from all the festivalgoers prevented her from attending the party. The Gym battle was a bit of a break in her strenuous day, even though it was yet another easy battle for a badge win that left her unfulfilled.

But then someone she never expected to see walked into her shop. Someone very polite and charming. Who made her feel good and appreciated. And lighted up her whole night.

Someone… Katy realized she hoped would be coming by again.

"Yes, Krista," she smiled. "A very good day."