Chapter 12

As we leave South Province Area 3 and continue our journey south to South Province Area 5, we decide to engage in some training to further strengthen our Pokémon before facing the challenges of the second gym in Artazon.

During our training, something remarkable happens—our two Lechonks evolve into Oinkologne. To our surprise, not only do they look different, but they also emit distinct aromas. The male Oinkologne has a lingering aroma, while the female Oinkologne has a sweet aroma.

Oinkologne (Male): The Hog Pokemon: Normal Type. Evolve from Lechonk at LV:18. Oinkologne is proud of its fine, glossy skin. It emits a concentrated scent from the tip of its tail.

Oinkologne (Female): The Hog Pokemon: Normal Type. Evolve from Lechonk at LV:18. This Pokémon sends a flowerlike scent wafting about. Well-developed muscles in its legs allow it to leap more than 16 feet with no trouble at all.

Our next evolution involves Pawmi, which transforms into Pawmo. To our surprise, we discover that Pawmo possesses a dual typing of Electric and Fighting. It can even utilize the move Arm Thrust, further expanding its capabilities in battles.

Pawmo: The Mouse Pokemon: Electric and Fighting Type. Evolve from Pawmi at LV:18. Pawmo uses a unique fighting technique in which it uses its forepaws to strike foes and zap them with electricity from its paw pads simultaneously.

Luke shares an intriguing method for evolving Pawmo into its final form. He explains, "You know, you can actually get the final evolution without any problem."

Serena, curious, asks, "How?"

Luke continues, "It's simple, you'll just need to walk 1000 steps with Pawmo. If we use the school's court, that is 4 laps."

I inquire, "Are you sure this is the way to evolve Pawmo into Pawmot?"

Drandon adds, "This is what we call the Let's Go feature. Some Pokémon, like Pawmo, evolve by walking with them for 1000 steps and leveling up."

Golly comments, "But that does seem tiring."

Lucine agrees, saying, "It really is. But sometimes, when we're out capturing Pokémon, we don't even realize we've already walked 1000 steps."

After walking approximately 1000 steps, we decide to reward our Pokémon with candies. Pawmo receives a Rare Candy, leading to its evolution into Pawmot.

Pawmot: The Hands-On Pokemon: Electric and Fighting Type. Evolve from Pawmo when leveled up while outside of its Poké Ball after walking 1000 steps using the Let's Go feature. This Pokémon normally is slow to react, but once it enters battle, it will strike down its enemies with lightning-fast movements.

"Great, now it's a Pawmot," I remark. Curious, I check the Pokédex and make an intriguing discovery. "No way!"

Serena quickly approaches me, inquiring, "What is it?"

"Pawmot has a move with only 1 PP: Revival Blessing. The user bestows a loving blessing, reviving a party Pokémon that has fainted and restoring half that Pokémon's max HP!"

Serena gasps in delight, realizing the potential, "That means when you use it in a Gym battle, you can revive a fainted Pokémon and use it again!" She excitedly lifts Pawmot into the air and praises it, "Nice! Pawmot!"

Pawmot, somewhat startled by the height, inadvertently unleashes a Thunderbolt, shocking all of us in the process. It's a surprising turn of events, adding an unexpected jolt of electricity to our day.

As we make a stop at the Pokémon Center near the South Paldean Sea, we notice some yellow bird Pokémon resting on the sandy shore. Inspired by their presence, I decide to have Pikachu engage in a battle with the bird Pokémon. The way they interact and behave reminds me of my Swellow, and I can't help but feel that these two Pokémon could become great friends in the future.

Wattrel: The Storm Petrel Pokemon: Electric and Flying Type. When its wings catch the wind, the bones within produce electricity. This Pokémon dives into the ocean, catching prey by electrocuting them.

Serena examines the Pokédex and comments, "Wow, we got the one with Wind Power!"

I nod in agreement, adding, "Yeah, it seems that it can Charge after being hit by a Wind move."

We've finally arrived in Artazon, and Serena is quick to express her awe, remarking, "Wow... this is Artazon? Look at all the flowers here!"

I take note of a peculiar sight and observe, "And is that a Sunflora statue? But it looks depressing..."

Luke provides some context, explaining, "That's Surrendering Sunflora, an artwork made by the famous artist Brassius."

I comment, "Though I wonder what the Sunflora are surrendering to?" The artistry and symbolism in the statue leave us intrigued and eager to explore further.

As we continue to explore Artazon, we discover that a Pokémon Contest is being held in the city. Given my experience as an 8-region Top Coordinator, I decide to participate in the Contest. However, I'm confident in my abilities and don't feel the need to showcase how I win this particular Contest, as I've already had numerous victories in the past.

After the Pokémon Contest in Artazon, we are surprised to encounter our siblings, Minami and Mark, who are students at the Hammerlocke Academy. Golly inquires, "What are you two doing here?"

Mark explains, "We've just visited Brassius, the Gym Leader of Artazon. Minami was the one who wanted to come because she wanted to talk about art with the famous artist."

Minami excitedly shares, "And he gave us inspiration for my next artwork. I can't wait to try it out."

I respond, "Good for you. We're going to meet Brassius too, but for a different reason."

Mark chuckles and says, "I know, since you're in the Paldea Region, you obviously want to challenge the gyms."

I nod, confirming, "You bet. This is going to be my second gym battle."

Serena looks at the Rotom Phone and reads what it says about Brassius:

This Grass-type user and artist is a first stop for many fledgling trainers. His sculptures of Grass-type Pokemon are as famous as the way he chooses to appear before challengers to his Gym.

Mark and Minami express their intention to stop at our Dark Manor located at Cabo Porco, but we insist that they should also witness our gym battle. After some persuasion, they agree to stay and watch Serena take on the gym challenge first.

To our surprise, Nemona is also present at the gym, and she greets us with excitement, saying, "Vaya! Ash and Serena?! It's so wild that we ended up randomly visiting the same Gym at the same time—again! What a weird coincidence..."

Serena playfully questions, "Are you sure you're not following us?"

Nemona insists, "I swear I'm not just sneaking ahead of you so I can lie in wait and go, 'Oh wow, weird, might as well battle now that you're here!'"

Although we're not entirely convinced, she adds, "No, seriously! Look, to prove it, I won't even challenge you to a battle this time! Much as I'd like to..."

I agree, saying, "Sure."

Nemona then compliments us, saying, "But look at you and your Pokémon! They've definitely gotten stronger since last time!" She generously offers us three Ethers, adding, "Add these to the mix, and you'll be 100 percent set to go, no problem! I'll be cheering for ya! I'll go train, like, maybe 20 Pokémon or so while you tackle the Gym!"

After bidding us well wishes, Nemona hurries off once more. Mark, intrigued, inquires, "So that's the famous student council president of the famous Narauva Academy?"

Drandon confirms, "Obviously, but she is a battle fanatic."

Upon our arrival at the Artazon Gym, the staff warmly greets us and says, "Welcome to the Artazon Gym! Let me register you as a challenger. Your name is Serena, yes?"

Serena confirms her identity, saying, "Of course." She proceeds to allow the Rotom Phone to register her ID and the necessary applications.

The staff then explains, "Great! Now, in order to face Gym Leader Brassius, you'll first need to pass the Gym test. Here at the Artazon Gym, that means completing a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek!"

"Sunflora Hide-and-Seek?!" I repeat after them, wondering if we are indeed going to play hide and seek with the Sunflora.

The staff elaborates, "As you may know, Artazon is a city of artists. The artwork made by the people here is largely inspired by nature and the sun that nurtures it. Since Sunflora embody these concepts, we try to gather them and take good care of them! Your job today is to find the Sunflora located throughout Artazon."

Serena, looking somewhat overwhelmed, remarks, "Wait, throughout Artazon? This place is a giant city..."

The staff continues, "Remember - these Pokémon look like sun-shaped flowers! Gather up 10 of them and bring them to the Sunflora Lawn, and you pass the test. I'll register the Sunflora Lawn's location in your map app to get you started. When you leave the Gym, turn right and you'll see two large Sunflora statues - head for those! Once you're at the lawn's entrance, show the permit, and the staffer there will tell you more about the Gym test. Now get out there and have fun!" It's clear that this Gym challenge combines art, nature, and Pokémon, creating a unique and enjoyable experience for Serena.

As we exit the Gym, Mark expresses his interest, saying, "Finding 10 Sunfloras for a Gym mission sounds interesting."

Golly chimes in, pointing out, "Though the game won't start unless we go to the Sunflora Lawn."

Upon reaching the Sunflora Lawn, we encounter the staff member and present our permit. She greets us, saying, "Hi there! I look after the Artazon Gym's Sunflora. I hope you're ready, challenger. It's time for a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek! I'll go ahead and ask the Sunflora to spread themselves out around town!"

To our surprise, all 10 Sunflora immediately gather at the gateway before scattering in different directions throughout the city. The sight leaves Serena and me wide-eyed, realizing that the Sunflora could be hiding anywhere in the vast city of Artazon.

The staff member encourages Serena, saying, "Sounds like the Sunflora are ready for you! With that, your Gym Test has now begun! Once you've found 10 Sunflora, please bring them back here to the Sunflora Lawn. That's all from me, now! Good luck out there!"

After the staff's instructions, Serena expresses her determination, "Sorry, guys, but this is my Gym Test, and I don't think I will pass if I get your help."

I reassure her, "Don't worry, we can watch you but not interfere with it." We all agree to accompany Serena and observe her progress as she sets out to find the elusive Sunflora scattered throughout Artazon.

Serena's determination pays off as she successfully finds one Sunflora hiding underneath the slide at the playground, indicating its desire to play on the slide.

To her surprise, after discovering the first Sunflora, it begins to follow her, along with three more Sunflora that she encounters along the way. Serena is gradually making progress in her quest to locate all 10 Sunflora scattered throughout Artazon.

As we continue to observe her efforts, Serena ventures into an alleyway and finds another Sunflora hiding behind a barrel. We express relief that these Sunflora are not hiding inside people's houses, and she now has six Sunflora in her group.

While searching further, Serena discovers a cleverly concealed Sunflora trying to mimic a statue by burying its legs in the soil of a flowerpot. Her keen eye spots the hidden Pokémon, bringing her closer to her goal.

We decide to take a break and rest on a bench, enjoying some ice creams. Serena, however, remains determined and opts to continue her search for the remaining Sunflora. She ventures into a maze, where the challenge becomes a bit more complex, causing her to take some time to navigate its twists and turns.

During the Sunflora Hide-and-Seek, some of the Sunflora challenge Serena to battles before agreeing to join her, seemingly acting as replacements for the gym trainers she might have faced in a traditional gym. It's an interesting twist to the Gym Test that adds an element of Pokémon battling to the mix.

I hand Serena a Mango flavored Ice Cream, acknowledging her efforts, and say, "Looks like you're having a really hard time getting the Sunflora."

Serena gratefully accepts the ice cream and replies, "Yeah, but I'm grateful that some of the townspeople gave me the Fresh Water. It helps me keep moving."

After Serena successfully gathers all the Sunflora and they assemble on the Sunflora Lawn, the staff congratulates her, saying, "Well done on finding all these Sunflora! You pass the Gym Test with flying colors. Now please head back to the lobby at the Artazon Gym to report your result."

Serena, clearly tired but content, decides to take a break, saying, "Yeah, but I want to take a break first." We all join her in resting in the Gym's seats, allowing her to recharge before reporting her successful completion of the Gym Test.

After our rest, we approach the staff to inform her about Serena's successful completion of the Gym Test. She confirms, "It seems you successfully gathered 10 Sunflora and brought them over to the Sunflora Lawn. That means you've cleared the Gym Test! Congratulations! You've now earned the right to challenge the Gym Leader. Best of luck!"

The staff then presents Serena with the second permit, the one designated for Gym Leaders, and provides guidance, saying, "The Gym Leader Brassius, the Verdant Virtuoso, would be at the Windmill at the center of the city, so head there if you're ready to challenge him."

Serena, brimming with confidence, replies, "That doesn't seem hard at all." We all leave the Gym and head towards the windmill, where Serena is prepared to embark on her second Gym battle in Paldea.

Here is a new chapter, and you can see that there are some Pokemon capturing and also some old faces returning. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be the gym battle.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Primeape, Lapras, Wooper (Paldean), Girafarig, Dunsparce, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Bisharp, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Sneasler, Floragato, Crocalor, Quaxwell, Oinkologne x2 (Male/Female), Spidops, Nymble, Pawmot, Fidough, Smoliv, Nacli, Charcadet x2, Bellibolt, Wattrel, Shroodle, Klawf, Tinkatink, Wiglett, Flamigo