"No… No, this isn't working out at all…" Aeliana mused, watching her Pokémon stumble and tumble into the dirt yet again.
The pink-haired trainer frowned watching as Tampa gurgled and rubbed the back of her head while picking herself up out of the dirt. A broad grin stretched across her toothy mouth, clearly a sign that she was having fun despite her constant trips and flubs. By her side, Fiesta did not seem to be enjoying himself as much. The Lombre grunted in frustration, making an attempt to try to hide the shame on his face by lowering his lilypad over his eyes.
"Lom…" Fiesta sighed.
"H-Hey, ease up buddy…" Aeliana called out, making her way towards the dejected Pokémon. Mahina was close in tow, the Clefairy gently patting Fiesta on his arm in an act of comfort. "I know you're giving it your best, but… I mean, there is a bit of a height difference between you two now, you know?"
The pinkette gestured over towards Tampa. Her Totodile was already being tended to by Clara. Cheeks bright with embarrassment, the Ralts was gently prodding Tampa with her nubby hand. Her eyes, when they could manage to actually make contact with Tampa, were closely examining the blue gator for any signs of injury. It was very cute in a way, while still being somewhat sad. Tampa seemed to be completely ignorant with how the Ralts was smitten with her. It honestly reminded Aeliana of something from one of those cheesy romantic comedy films.
"What we need is someone a bit more… even height for Tampa," Aeliana muses allowed. Her eyes drift over to a nearby stump, coming to rest on one Pokémon who happened to be sitting with his arms crossed and his back resting against a nearby stump. He was probably the best option she had. The question was, would he even be willing?
She pushed the thought to the back of her mind for now. What her team needed was a break for the time being. Aeliana would be lying if she said she didn't fancy one herself. She sighed, stretching her hands over her head and with a yawn. "Let's take a breather gang… Maybe do some window shopping or something, yeah?"
Fiesta seemed to be more than overjoyed at the news they were catching a break. The Lombre was quick to join Aeliana's side, with Mahina in close pursuit. The Clefairy tugged at the trainer's pants leg, motioning for the girl to pick her up and carry her for a bit. Aeliana grinned and scooped the Clefairy into her arms, where she then nestled comfortably against the pinkette's chest as Tampa and Clara also joined up. Eyes drifted over to the stump, where Jet still sat in a huff. By his side, the Eevee Aeliana caught on the route outside of Turffield seemed to be quite content with her current situation. This team of misfits seemed to be somewhat capable, given what she had seen of their brief time together. While she wished they were a bit more… level headed, she knew that beggars couldn't be choosers.
"Jet, Elia? You two coming?" Aeliana questioned.
The Eevee sighed, her ears twitching at the mention of the name that the pink-haired human had dubbed her with. While she had had heard worse, it certainly did little to strike her as a name befitting someone of her caliber. She stretched her furry body out, a small yip slipping past her mouth as she stood upright and began to prance towards the trainer's direction. She paused after a few steps, quickly realizing that Jet had yet to move from his resting spot. The Eevee gave the Tyrogue a somewhat expectant look, eyes practically asking if he actually intended for her to travel unattended, even though Aeliana was only a few feet away. Jet let out an annoyed grunt and climbed to his feet, the fighter sending Elia an annoyed glare as the two moved to join the rest of their party.
Turffield was abuzz with excitement. Aeliana wasn't sure if the excitement of the league getting its first official kick-off with all the challenges to Milo or of it was on account of the farming town also being the opening location to the contest season as well. Regardless, Aeliana didn't mind the crowd too much. It helped bring a little life to the hamlet, and the excitement was infectious. Various stalls lined the dusty dirt roads, with vendors selling a wide array of goods including fruits and vegetables, to crafts and home knicknacks, and even various Pokémon tools.
As she walked, Aeliana felt a small weight grasp on to her pants leg. Looking down, she noticed that Clara had suddenly become… a bit closer than she had been expecting her too. The Ralts' cheeks were flushed, her body twitching nervously as she tried to hide as best she could from the hustle and bustle of the makeshift market street. Aeliana smiled down at Clara, gently kneeling down to her level.
"Hey there, sweetpea… This crowd must not be doing you any favors, huh?" she questioned, gently patting the Ralts on her head. Ralts let out a small mewl, nodding her head in response to the dancer. Aeliana reached into her bag, pulling out Clara's poké ball. "Would you like to rest inside here for a bit? It's a bit more… private, you know?"
Clara stared up at her poké ball, her eyes shifting away from the ball-shaped capsule to rest on Tampa. Said Totodile was sniffing the air excitedly, a tempting aroma filling the blue gator's nostrils coming from a nearby stand that was selling the Sinnoh treat, poffins. Her tail was thumping back and forth with excitement, waving and babbling with glee as she pointed out the treat to a stoic and unamused Jet. There was a small glint in the Tyrogue's eye though, something resembling a bit of desire as he tried to brush past Tampa.
"It'll be okay," Aeliana said in an attempt to calm the Ralts' fears. Clara turned her attention back to her trainer, noticing a mischievous glint in the dancer's eyes. "I can arrange for you two to have some private time later."
Clara's face was redder than a Tamato berry at this point. The Pokémon began to blindly flail her arms around, attempting to somehow push the button on her poké ball herself. The flailing came to a stop however, when a shadow soon seemed to cast down on the duo from above. Aeliana's eyes widened. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt very uncomfortable and wanted to be somewhere,
anywhere else. She slowly turned, gazing over her shoulder as a look of abject horror was quick to rush over her facial features.
Standing before her was a creature that left her absolutely speechless. Tall and imposing, the man was capable of striking fear into the steeliest of hearts. He was toned, muscular enough to likely bench press a Mudsdale if he truly wanted to. His skin was as pale as the snow the girl had trudged through back on Route 3. If his solid white skin wasn't enough to grab attention, the brightness of his clothes would be more than enough to. The man was clad in a solid red polo shirt that was giving Clara a run for her money in regards to the colors of her cheeks. His head was another sight all together. It was round. Perfectly, absolutely round. The bottom half was white, the same pure shade of his skin. The top half was red, with the same vibrant intensity of his polo shirt. The face that went with this rounded head was a sight to behold in and of itself. Bright red lips were always curved into a smile, seemingly never even twitching in the slightest. A tuft or red hair swept over the man's forehead, with a baseball cap on top of his head helping in keeping the bright afternoon sun out of his eyes. His eyes? They were deep, never blinking. Aeliana trembled under the man's gaze, feeling as if he was staring into the depths of very soul and reading every secret that rested within it.
"Can… Can I help you…?" Aeliana finally managed to squeak out, her voice trembling with every syllable.
"Hello there young lady! It's me! Everyone's favorite Pokémon League enthusiast, Ball Guy!" the man exclaimed, his voice echoing out so loud throughout the street that practically everyone was staring in his and Aeliana's direction. If the volume of his voice wasn't enough, the constant gyrating of his hips with pumping and fluid motions of his arms were. "I remember you from the opening ceremony! There are a lot of you challengers here and it's getting me absolutely pumped for the season heading forward! I bet you're just bursting with excitement, am I right?!"
"I um… y-yeah…" Aeliana replied.
"Of course you are!" Ball Guy declared, pointing dramatically at the pink-haired trainer. "As as a league challenger, I can tell that you must really love poké balls! What, with such a unique team of champions-in-the-making assembled!"
Fiesta let out a startled squawk as Ball Guy's gaze fell in his direction. He panicked and flailed before diving face first into the dirt in an attempt to hide from the masked man's eye-sight. Elia could only stare in absolute confusion. The Eevee wasn't sure if she should bite this freak of a human or attempt to make her own escape. She kept her gaze on Ball Guy, tail twitching all the while with anticipation. She wasn't against fleeing, undignified as it was. She only hoped if this beast was as dangerous as he seemed that her guardians would be wise enough to not get killed in some foolish attempt to prove their might.
"I… I mean…" Aeliana stammered. "Poké balls are always nice to have around if you're a trainer, so… yes…?"
"Wonderful! Then I have some juicy information for you, young lady!" Ball Guy declared. He paused, reaching into his pocket for something before extending his hand forward. Aeliana and Clara glanced into the pale white hand of the mascot cautiously, taking note of the strange, seed-like object resting in his palm. It looked something like an acorn… bit the bottom half was a bright and vibrant pink. "Tell me, have you ever heard of apricorns?!"
Aeliana looked down at Clara, who could only offer the trainer a vacant expression. "No…?"
"Then let me tell you about them, pal!" Ball Guy responded. He tossed the apricorn up into the air, spinning around several times before catching the seed-like object in his hand and performing Leon's trademark pose. The apricorn put on full display for the girl and anyone else in the area to see. "You've heard of poké balls, great balls, and ultra balls! I'm sure you're familiar with balls like dusk balls and dive balls as well! Well, what if I told you there were some special balls that can only be made from these apricorns? Unbelievable, yes? Well, I can attest this is true! They may be small in size, but they're great in potential!"
Aeliana had to admit, as… off putting as this guy was, her curiosity was piqued. "Is that so…? How do you get a poké ball from something like that?"
"Special devices are planted inside the apricorns once they get hollowed out! Even our specialist is standing by to craft them here in the market!"
Ball Guy gestured towards a stall not far behind him. A young woman, looking to be about in her mid-twenties, offered a friendly wave to Aeliana which the pinkette offered back.
"Alright… I'll take one of these apricorn balls then," Aeliana decided.
"Ah! I knew you'd be interested! Unfortunately, we're sold out at the moment!" Ball Guy exclaimed.
A moment of silence passed. Aeliana stared up at the league mascot in disbelief. Did he really just go through all of that to try and sell her something that they were out of stock on?
"Alright then…" Aeliana sighed, picking herself off the ground. Ball Guy was weird and creepy and she just wanted to move on now. "Maybe next time…"
"Wait a moment, please!" Ball Guy exclaimed. The man hopped into the middle of her path, outstretching his arms in an attempt to block the trainer's path. "Please, let me explain!" He pointed towards a field located down a nearby hill. "The apricorns are actually grown here on the Turffield farms! They're harvested by being pulled off those trees when they're good and ripe! The problem is… there's a bit of an infestation down where they're grown."
"An infestation…?" Aeliana questioned. Her mind immediately took her back to the Wild Area when she had to deal with that Greedant and Skwovet that were hoarding the berries. There was also the possibility of the Pokémon being like the Pumpkaboo and Electrike that she and Melody had taken care off the other day as well. Having to relive more of that moment was not something the pink-haired trainer was wanting to experience. "There's nothing unusual about them, right? Like no smoke or mist or anything…?"
Ball Guy stopped moving for what seemed to be the first time. Aeliana couldn't see the man's expression from beneath the mascot head, but she knew he was likely perplexed by what she had just asked.
"Forget it… So basically, you're wanting help with this infestation, right?" Aeliana asked.
"That's right!" Ball Guy replied. "As a challenger, someone with your talent is just the kind of help we need in a situation such as this! Think of it as a warm-up for your big battle with Milo! What do you say, friend? Can we count on your assistance?!"
Aeliana mulled it over in her head. While she knew that she needed to put more effort for the time being into their routine for the upcoming contest, her brain wasn't providing her with any ideas on how to really shine or what to do. To say that she was starting to get a bit frustrated was an understatement. Reluctantly, the pink-haired trainer nodded. Maybe a battle would prove to be a good stress reliever and help clear her mind so she could think up a good act.
Aeliana and her team reached the small grove in which the Turffield locals harvested the apricorns within a few moments. Despite the fact that the trainer had agreed to take care of the horse that was interfering with the harvest of the fruit, there seemed to be a spring in everyone's step as they reached the designated orchard. Even Fiesta, who had been known to be surprised by his own shadow at times, seemed to be relieved to be here. Whether or not that was because the group had managed to get some space between themselves and Ball Guy, Aeliana couldn't be sure. She honestly couldn't blame the Lombre if that was the case. While she knew the mascot likely meant no harm, there was just something about the man that made the pinkette uncomfortable in general. As to just that something was? Aeliana wasn't exactly sure, nor did she care to dwell on the thought much longer.
"Alright gang, keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual," Aeliana instructed.
The apricorn orchard was eerily quiet. With it being a bit of a distance away from the Turffield market, the chattering of gathering shoppers and cries of vendors peddling their goods had become nothing more than a dull whisper being carried away in the air. They had instead been replaced by the rustling leaves, mixing in with the fluttering wings and cooing of two Pidove who had likely stopped to rest before resuming their migration to wherever they were headed.
The breeze brought with it a chill in the air. Aeliana, who had been practicing dancing for the contest ahead, shivered gently as she rubbed her arms for warmth. While not really noticeable when she had been dancing, the change in temperature was quite apparent when she was constantly moving. Her hands moved down to the zipper of her black windbreaker, pulling it up to cover her white sports bra in an attempt to block out some of the chill.
"Elia, think you can sniff anything out?" Aeliana asked her Eevee.
Elia glanced up at her trainer with an annoyed huff. This human was starting to test her patience. Did she think that she was built for this kind of manual labor? Why did these peasants constantly force her to suffer so?
Regardless, Elia decided to humor this request for the time being. That said, the Eevee wasn't going to go alone. Her eyes narrowed to Fiesta. An expectant look took to her face as she yipped, demanding that the Lombre accompany her.
"Lommm… Lombre…?" Fiesta questioned, his voice shaky and quiet.
Elia huffed and rolled her eyes. "Eee! Eevee!"
Fiesta quivered in place, the Lombre looking to Tamber and Jet for some sort of help. Tampa merely offered her friend a thumbs up with a broad smile of encouragement. Jet on the other hand merely grunted in response, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance. Even Clara merely responded to the Lombre's peril with a gentle pat on the leg and a small smile of reassurance.
Realizing that not even Aeliana was going to save him, Fiesta sighed and began to travel with Elia. "Lombre bre…"
The duo began to slowly traverse the apricorn orchard. Elian's nose was to the ground as she sniffed around. Her ears would gradually twitch and perk up, as if she had heard something unusual, but she would resume her search a moment or so later. By her side, Fiesta was nervously wringing his hands. The Lombre would go as far as to hold his breath whenever Elia seemed to pick up something's trail. Eventually, the two came to a lone bush located in the center of the field. The bush seemed to rustle slightly, moving with much more weight than a breeze would be capable of shaking it. Elia paused, pointing a single paw at the shrubbery before glancing at Fiesta.
"Bre…?" Fiesta questioned with wide eyes. Was this Eevee really asking him to check? He took a step back, shaking his head in disagreement. "Lombre! Lom!"
Elia glared in annoyance. Before Fiesta could even process what was going on, the Eevee had managed to whip around him and began growling at him. Fiesta visibly gulped. He took a step back from the Eevee and towards the bush. His legs trembled with every step until he was within arms grasp of the apricorn bush. He hesitated for another moment or two, before leaning and pushing the bush branches aside so he could get a better look. Peering in slowly, the Lombre's eyes widened as he saw…
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing in the bush.
A sigh of relief slipped past the Lombre's bill. It looked like Elia had been on the wrong track all along. Fiesta squawked with glee, stepping aside to let his companion see inside of the shrubbery for herself. However as the Lombre turned to show Elia, he noticed the Eevee's eyes were wide as saucers.
"Lom…?" Fiesta asked, curiosity evident in his voice as he called out to Elia.
He noticed the Eevee was staring intently at the bush. A feeling of dread quickly filled Fiesta's stomach. Slowly, the lilypad-sporting creature turned to see what Elia found so intriguing. A shiver quickly ran down the Lombre's spine.
A pair of yellow eyes were staring right back at him, seemingly glowing in the darkness of the shrubbery. Before the Lombre could even process what he was looking at, a second pair of eyes lit up beside the first. Fiesta looked like a Deerling in headlights.
"L-Lom… Lom… Lomb-b…" Fiesta wheezed. Two shadowy figures suddenly darted out from the bush, pouncing onto the Lombre and tackling him to the ground. Fiesta let out a shrill scream, snapping Elia out of her trance-like state while sounding like he was being murdered in the dead of the night. "LOOOOOOMMMMBREEEE!"
From across the field, Aeliana's eyes went wide with fear at the sound of the Lombre's cry. "Fiesta…? Fiesta?! Tapu Lele, let's move!"
Aeliana, Tampa, and the rest of her Pokémon quickly ran to the source of Fiesta's cries for help. The sight that awaited her was that of two Galarian Meowth, claws and fangs at the ready, staring down against a trembling Lombre and a very irritated looking Eevee.
"Are these two the troublemakers?" Aeliana questioned, despite knowing that a battle was unavoidable at the moment. She quickly gathered her composure, standing at the ready behind her two Pokémon. "Alright, Elia and Fiesta! You two have this, no sweat!"
Elia rolled her eyes, tilting her nose into the air with a huff. Did this human actually expect her to handle such unworthy riffraff? This was something much more worthy of that Totodile or Tyrogue's efforts. Still, Elia would not allow her good name to be tarnished by running away like a coward. After all, it was her duty as an elite to set forth a good example. The Eevee stood ready, an angry growl being heard as she stared down one of the Meowth.
Fiesta didn't seem as sure of himself, however. These Pokémon looked a bit unnerving, especially with those glowing yellow eyes… He wished that Aeliana would have substituted him out for Tampa, but it looked as though the pink-haired trainer thought he was capable enough to handle this.
"Elia, start off with Swift! Fiesta, Astonish!" the girl called out.
Elia lurched forward. a stream of stars shooting forth from her fluffy little body as Fiesta suddenly zipped forward and struck one of the Galarian Meowth. Before either of the two wild Pokémon could react, Elia's barrage from her Swift attack collided into them. Both seemed more annoyed than hurt by the stars, however. One of them launched itself at Aeliana's Eevee, unleashing a furious barrage of scratches with Fury Swipes. Meanwhile, the other Galarian Meowth slashed at Fiesta, sending him staggering back with a Metal Claw.
"Water Gun, Fiesta! Elia, use Bite!" Aeliana called out to her Pokémon.
Elia staggered back, growling in annoyance as the Galarian Meowth slashed at her with its steely claws in rapid succession. Without warning, the Eevee suddenly yipped and lunged forward, She chomped down on the paw of the wild Pokémon, causing a furious and feral screech of pain to echo forth from the cat. The other Meowth tried to launch another Metal Claw at Fiesta. However, the Lombre managed to dodge off to the side before grabbing hold of the cat Pokémon's paw. Holding the Meowth at point blank, the Lombre's bill snapped open before a chilling spray of water shot forth and drenched the wild Pokémon.
"Elia, follow up with a Quick Attack! Knock that Meowth into the other one!" Aeliana commanded. The Eevee dashed forward, slamming her body into the Galarian Meowth. The wild Pokémon staggered back, tripping over its own feet before tumbling into its wild partner. This offered Aeliana just the perfect moment they needed. "Fiesta, Mega Drain!"
The Lombre quickly ran to the two Pokémon, slapping both with his stump-like hands onto both of their heads. The lilypad on Fiesta's head began to glow brightly as he slowly siphoned the remaining energy from them. The Galarian Meowth winced in pain, a look of pain evident in both their faces. One of the creatures let out a feral growl, causing Fiesta to slowly release his grip on the duo.
Aeliana was about to question what was going, but she was quick to receive her answer. The Galarian Meowth that Elia had been battling suddenly let out wild, ear piercing screech. Her Lombre flinched, placing both of his hands on his head in aggravation. Elia let out a very displeased grunt, before scurrying away and back towards her trainer. An angry battle cry soon shot out through the area. The bush began to shake and rattle violently before a furry, gray and black Pokémon came leaping out from the shrubbery. The creature somewhat resembled the Galarian Meowth duo that Aeliana and her Pokémon had been dealing with, only this one had a pair of horns protruding from its head. The most distinguishing feature however, was the beard like fur that lined the creature's belly.
Fiesta staggered back, his eyes wide with fear from the razor sharp horns, claws, and fangs on full display. Without a moment's hesitation, the Lombre was quick to let a fear-filled scream as he fled away from the wild Pokémon and back to his trainer.
"A-Alright, come back Fiesta! You too, Elia," Aeliana called, returning both the Eevee and Lombre to their poké balls, The pinkette put the two balls back into her bag, turning to face the wild Perrserker that now stood before her. A small tug came to her pants leg, her gaze shifting for just a moment to see Tampa come waddling in front of her. A look of determination and excitement graced the Totodile's facial features as she stood at the ready, tail thumping the ground with excitement like a stick rapidly striking a drum. "Let's do it, Tampa… Start things off with an Aqua Jet!"
A blast of water exploded from behind the Totodile, sending her charging straight towards the wild Perrserker. The Pokémon stood at the ready, claws shining in the sunlight as it braced itself for the eventual impact… only to go wide-eyed in confusion at the sight that took in. Just moments before the Totodile would have made impact, the form of a particular Tyrogue came into view. Jet slammed his foot into Tampa without warning, sending the Totodile crashing into the ground with a pained-grunt.
"Jet… what are you doing…?" Aeliana questioned.
"Ty! Tyrogue! Rogue!" Jet replied, pointing at himself before puffing out his chest and turning to face the wild Perrserker himself. He quickly took up a combat stance, his muscles tightening before he suddenly charged forward to strike with a Rolling Kick. "Tyyyyyyyyyyy!"
The Perrserker took this as its opportunity to strike. It nimbly dashed forward, suddenly slapping its paws into the sides of Jet's head. Jet staggered backwards, all of his momentum draining from his body as he regained his footing. The Perrserker followed this up by preparing to unleash a series of Fury Swipes at the recovering Tyrogue.
Aeliana stared in shock. "Tampa, quick! Fire a Water Gun!"
The gator's mouth shot open and fired a blast of chilly water at the wild Pokémon. It stopped in its tracks, sending a rather nasty looking glare towards Tampa. The steel cat dashed towards its new target, lowering its head as it attempted to slam it into the gator. As it did this, the pinkette ordered her Totodile to attack with an Aqua Jet yet again. The two Pokémon slammed into each other, with the Perrserker letting out an angry screech as it managed to overpower and send Tampa reeling back.
"Tampa, hang in there! Go for a Bite!" Aeliana cried out. Tampa picked herself up, her mouth snapping open to try and use chomp onto the wild Perrserker. However before she got close enough to do so, Jet suddenly slammed his body into the Totodile with a Tackle attack. He grunted at Tampa in frustration, before narrowing his eyes at the Perrserker. "Jet, you need to st-"
The Tyrogue didn't listen however, he attempted to follow up with another Tackle attack, only to receive a Slash to his gut. Jet went flying back, landing beside Tampa in a crumpled heap. The two Pokémon slowly picked themselves off the ground. Jet's breath was short, his eyes full of anger over this Perrserker tossing him around like a sack of potatoes. Tampa's legs buckled and quaked, the gator doing everything in her power to try and stay standing. She wasn't expecting that she'd be fighting her own teammate, and she clearly was not enjoying this.
"Toto! Totototo! Dile! Totodile!" Tampa gurgled and snapped, stomping her foot in frustration.
"Tyrogue! Ty!" Jet shot back.
The two Pokémon were glaring daggers at each other, both of them bickering and arguing over who was getting in who's way and who was the one that was actually battling this wild Pokémon. Aeliana tried calling out to the duo, but it was too late. The Perrserker was already back on the offense, delivering a Metal Claw with both paws to the pink-haired trainer's Pokémon.
"Jet… you have to work with Tampa! You two have to do this together, please! You're on the same side!" the pinkette cried out. "Just swallow your pride and work with her! It doesn't make you any less worthy to me!"
The Tyrogue seemed hesitant. He glanced over at the Totodile in question, Tampa staring at Jet with a serious look in her eyes. Jet gritted his teeth, clenching his fist as he returned his focus to the wild Perrserker. He gave Aeliana a nod, entering into a combat-ready stance beside his teammate.
"...That's it…" Aeliana whispered. "Jet, Focus Energy! Tampa, keep that thing held back with an Aqua Jet!"
Tampa propelled herself towards the Perrserker yet again, narrowing her eyes as she approached the Perrserker. The wild Pokémon stood at the ready, readying its claws as it moved to deliver a Metal Claw at the charging gator. The gator slammed her body into the cat, which caused it to grunt as it attempted to hold its ground before raking its claws across the gator's belly. Meanwhile, Jet took a deep breath. He cleared his mind, focusing intently as he felt a surge of power rush through his body.
"Jet, use Rolling Kick now!" Aeliana called out.
"Tyyyyyyyyyy!" Jet retorted as he charged towards his target.
The Perrserker stared at the oncoming onslaught with wide eyes. It moved to counter the attacking Tyrogue, but suddenly felt a sharp pain snap onto its tails. It screeched loudly, looking down to see Tampa chomping down with a Bite and a grin. The wild Pokémon then feels true pain as Jet delivers a severely damaging Rolling Kick. The cat flies back in hitting the grass with a solid thud. Both Tampa and Jet stare down at the Perserrker, until Tampa smiles with glee and Jet offers the blue gator a small nod of approval. Both are tired and worn out, but clearly pleased with themselves.
"I knew you two could do it! Aeliana cheered, with Mahina waving her arms in celebration in the pinkette's grasp. "Now we can to tell Ball Guy th-"
Aeliana's words go quiet. Tampa and Jet look at each other in confusion, before turning to look in the direction their trainer is. An audible groan is heard from both of the creatures as they spot the wild Perrserker not only back on its feet, but readying its claws to attack once more. Mahina stares in horror, the Clefairy quickly noticing that her friends are clearly not in the shape to keep going toe to toe with this thing. Unknown to her trainer or the other Pokémon, Mahina gently begins to waggle her fingers back and forth. The Perrserker began to charge forward once again… only to stop as it hears a sudden rumble overhead. Slowly, the wild Perrserker looked up… Its eyes went wide as a loud clap of thunder rumbled over its head… before a blinding flash of lightning struck down and zapped the Perrseker without warning. The wild Pokémon lets out a wild scream of pain before it finally fainted on the spot.
Aeliana and the two Pokémon could only stare on in confusion.
"Thanks to you and your Pokémon, we're finally able to start making the apricorn balls again. Sorry about Ball Guy kinda… forcing you in on this. I know he can be a bit unsettling and over the top, but he meant well."
"Oh, um… Don't worry about it," Aeliana replied. She smiled at the brown haired woman behind the counter, who was busy hollowing out some of the apricorns so she could get to work. "You guys needed them, and it was a good stress reliever anyway."
The woman let out a little giggle. "You're a challenger, right? I can see where you'd be pretty nervous about your big debut."
"It's nothing like that… It's um... Actually a contest," Aeliana answered. "I've been trying to work on an act for it, but… it's not been going too good so far."
"Ah… I guess I can relate though," the woman replied. She smiled as she looked over to see Clara watching her intently, taking a second pink apricorn and beginning to work on hollowing it out. "When I started doing this after grandpa… I was really nervous myself. I always worried what people would think or that I'd just screw up."
"So… what did you do?" Aeliana questioned.
"Well… In the end, I just stopped worrying. I mean, I either could do it or not, but it was a way to keep Grandpa's memory alive," the woman reasoned. "I figure that doing this is like… a tribute. Of course now I do it for other reasons. I enjoy it and it makes me happy. But every so often, doing it for him… just feels right."
"...I think… I think I get what you mean," the pink-haired girl reasoned. She watched as the brown-haired woman handed a pink ball with a heart on it to the Ralts. Clara stared at the ball in amazement. "Here… Take this as a thank you for your work."
"Are you sure…?" Aeliana asked, taken a bit aback by the woman's sudden act of kindness.
The woman smiled. "I insist. And hey, good luck on the contest and the gym challenge. You're gonna go far and I'll be rooting for you!"
Aeliana thanked the woman for her kindness and took Clara. She had an idea now, one that she needed to get some work on. Time was running short, but she had a good feeling on this one...
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![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/7gr9tYC.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/aIAHPUc.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/V4FeXvp.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www2.pictures.crowdleap.com/mp/3obiVLm_bTQx.jpg "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/FKAG8Rb.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/OkhAVMi.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/eccq7Tp.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/NlhXeZz.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/fgbGFR0.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/UuApGIH.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/8/82/Egg_Gen_II.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/9/96/Galar_Route_4_Map.png/800px-Galar_Route_4_Map.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/LgO1cQK.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/9/93/Bag_Pok%C3%A9_Ball_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
Pokeball x1![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/c/ca/Bag_Great_Ball_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
Greatball x1![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/moomoomilk.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
Moomoo Milk x3
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/C0UbntM.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/normal/dottler.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/normal/shellder.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/normal/tranquill.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/normal/inkay.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/E8jWPjT.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/cb3dWtg.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/5StZzMx.jpeg "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/TBTktaW.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/xyani/spewpa.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/xyani/caterpie.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/burmy-sandy.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.pkparaiso.com/imagenes/espada_escudo/sprites/animados-bordeados/snom.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani-shiny/joltik.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/d/d7/Bag_B2W2_Xtransceiver_f_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/pxfM8nW.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/NSavm0q.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/a/a1/Bag_Pass_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/aC554Zq.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/1/13/Bag_Claw_Fossil_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/e/ed/Bag_Potion_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/d/d6/Bag_Never-Melt_Ice_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/v0c5AVT.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/OT4YjK2.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/8BjT92R.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/8SfRhAo.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/e/ee/Bag_Seal_Case_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://imgur.com/hh6V22Y.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/YRsgWNI.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/4vJHmlX.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/YA31iYJ.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/YZpIuhg.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/xwRHti0.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/LaWw5gF.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/pPFf4hP.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/CdDdPeg.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/vvX4SYM.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/TI1pkCY.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/IjutbcG.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/9/93/Bag_Poké_Ball_Sprite.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/bvpl171.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/9BWGspi.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/n0fbrhr.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/OG9eWue.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/AwVOode.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/ULPfXFh.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/778550238851760148/804272451550183474/image0.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/060.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/116.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/309.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/046.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/4f327Eu.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/I21jbsU.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/gxE68Xn.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/V0rdwME.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/P3eIxGT.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/AoS4f62.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/SC6xEPp.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/yG0GXZM.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/O1L56zA.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/wpeJQpl.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/3EsdQ19.png?1 "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/uGlnspu.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/sbuSddx.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/potion.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/antidote.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/waterstone.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/mysticwater.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/q4x7nvr.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://blog.stylishwedd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Paper-Lanterns-Wedding-Reception-Decor-For-Barn-Weddings.jpg "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/804397871910617100/807711329946304522/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/gMXtKY4.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/Of3bboZ.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/2KtIBQK.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/cfuFxhd.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/FddeHBi.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/63AelYW.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/frtogDz.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/NzveqrN.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/lYq0wgp.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/726603073740472330/770877224458256414/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/726603073740472330/806389346890022952/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/726603073740472330/807030838608134164/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/726603073740472330/807039010303377408/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/726603073740472330/807334520239292516/unknown.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/669-y.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/077-g.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/adventureguide.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/palpad.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/sprites/oldcharm.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/jCdrL6K.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/0dXRBSs.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/vDcH46y.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/torchic.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/swinub.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/milcery.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/iBk7Gr5.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/cnqIZNp.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/royQzgi.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/R35Qnzq.jpeg "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.imgur.com/KEHwfYC.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/torracat.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/treecko.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/swablu.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/vulpix.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/sprites/ani/comfey.gif "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/honedge.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/magikarp.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/noibat.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://i.postimg.cc/J0WrYrTT/ignace.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]")
![Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]](https://img.pokemondb.net/sprites/sword-shield/icon/tyrunt.png "Pokémon Spear [M] [IC]"){kind=icon}