Herbizarre
Lvl 16. Beat that, #635 ! (Avatar made by Okido)
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2011
- Messages
- 2,295
- Reaction score
- 575
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Henlo there ! I'd like to present to y'all my entry for the Flowering Love 2024 event ! I dedicate this fic to my late mother, who used to be a hairdresser in her youth.
This is a shipping fic about Colza & Arezu, aka "FloricultureShipping". Credits to LunaTyger for proof-reading this. Enjoy the read !
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
In Jubilife Village, the denizens are living a happy life after the festival following the events of Mount Coronet. The children are playing near the water bank alongside small Pokémons, while the adults are taking their time browsing through the numerous items brought by the various merchants on Floaro Main Street. At the First-Rate Hairdresser, a young teen with a newly coiffed white ponytail exits the house, followed by a woman with carmine red hair. "Thank you, Lady Arezu. You're a lifesaver for giving me this haircut that early !", Rei says, bowing in respect. "Anytime, fella ! Now, don't wait any longer and go have your date with that Akari girl. Good luck !", Arezu replies, waving goodbye as the Galaxy Corps teen runs off to the Village's entrance. The warden readjusts her hair before sitting on her usual spot next to the salon. "Ah, I miss being as young as these kids, full of energy and all", Arezu starts thinking. She tilts her head slightly. "Although, I'm not quite old just yet. I still got plenty of time ahead of me ! Now, to wait for another customer", she finishes thinking.
For about half a hour, Arezu waits patiently for a new customer to check the salon, to no avail. The warden's face gradually shows impatience, but she does her best to hide it in front of the passing children who wave good morning at her. Edith, seeing the warden resting her head on her hands from the window, exits the salon and checks on Arezu. "Dear, you are getting impatient again", she says kindly. The warden turns to Edith. "I know... Time is a harsh master, but I gotta respect it if I wanna avoid ruffling Its temporal whiskers. Still, waiting for a long time is so boring...", Arezu laments, getting up and stretching a bit. The older woman smiles. "Why don't you go for a walk around the village ? If any customer comes in, I can do their haircut in your stead", Edith suggests.The warden shifts her eyes to the side, then moments later scratches the back of her head, embarrassed. "I... didn't think about doing that, Edith. I'll try to make the most of it, so don't worry if I don't come back too soon", Arezu replies. Thinking on where to go, she decides to head east first, and after saying 'see you soon' at Edith, the warden begins strolling on Floara Main Street. She waves at the many merchants in the long alley, and stops briefly at Anthe's Clothier shop to discuss about which clothes would go best with specific hairstyles. Afterwards, she visits the pasture, seeing the many Pokémon Rei has caught in the line of work. Arezu is charmed by a Glameow sitting on the fence and ponders about getting one for herself.
Leaving the pasture, the warden then comes across Dorian, the Security Corps with two Buizels of different sizes at his side and eventually, she reaches the farm field to the west led by Colza. Upon arriving, Arezu is intrigued by the way the farmers are working with a handful of Pokémon. She approaches the leader. "Good morning ! It seems you guys got your hands full here", she greets everyone. Colza turns around to see the warden. He blinks twice at her before speaking up. "Oh, good morning... Arezu, isn't it ? What brings you here ?", the Captain asks, scratching his beard. "I wanted to see what Jubilife Village has to offer besides the main street, and seeing these crops reminded me of the Diamond Clan settlement's crop farms. I did my share of tilling myself, but admittedly I wasn't too strong back then", Arezu reminisces. Colza nods. "I see. Working on a farm makes us appreciate what the land has to offer. I'm happy to know these values are passed down in your clan", he follows with a smile. The warden asks if there's anything she can do to help at the farm. Colza says they already have a lot of workers but he appreciates her willingness to help out.
A bit dejected, she turns around and sees a bunch of small tree pots on a table and is intrigued. "What are those little trees ?", she asks, approaching the pots to get a better look. "Those are bonsai trees. We were supposed to give them to all our divisions as gifts, but we have little experience in the trimming department", Colza replies, following her soon after. Observing the bonsais, Arezu places her hand on the leaves of one of them. "These leaves are soft, as if I am brushing a client's hair...", she starts before her eyes widens. "That's it ! I can assist y'all by giving these bonsais killer haircuts while you guys focus on the crops, if you'd like !", she continues excitedly. Colzais a bit surprised at the suggestion. "You... Would do that for us ? We don't have much to reward you with if you go through with this task", he asks for confirmation. The warden nods athim. "Don't worry about the reward. Think of this as my way to thank the Galaxy Team for helping out during the Crimson Mirelands crisis a while back", Arezu replies with a smile. Colza takes a few seconds to continue.
"That's very kind of you, Lady Arezu. In this case, go right ahead. You will need to use the pruning shears sitting on the side to cut the bigger branches. Take all the time you need", he says, pointing at the gardening tool. "Gotcha ! Spending our time wisely is the Diamond Clan's specialty ! And for those little branches, I'll be using my personal scissors", Arezu continues while taking a pair of scissors with wrappings around the blades out of her vest. At that statement, one of the Pokémons tilling the crops turns around with a confused look. Colza notices. "Oh, she wasn't talking about you, Scizor. Carry on", he says with amusement in his voice. Arezu holds a chuckle and apologizes for the misunderstanding. The Pokémon nods and goes back to work. Picking up the shears, the warden realizes how heavier it is compared to regular scissors. She twists her hand left and right to check how she should position herself for the trimming. "I think I'm good to go, sir. I'll see you once I'm done", Arezu ends, ready to tackle the task.
A hour later, the Agriculture Corps takes their morning break. Colza uses that time to check on Arezu's progress on the trimming task, and he sees the warden concentrated on doing the last touch ups with her scissors. Half a minute later, she steps back and wraps the scissor's blades before putting them back in her pocket. "That took longer than I thought. But I'm liking those last touches", she says to herself, smiling. She turns around and starts to walk at the same time, only to see Colza right in front of her. She yelps in surprise, in turn surprising him. "Oh, sorry about that, I should have announced my presence first", he says apologetically. "No no, I'm a dummy for trying to walk before seeing what's behind me", Arezu replies, taking the blame instead. They stare at each other for a few seconds before chuckling together.
"It's alright. I was coming to see how you handled the bonsais and...", Colza says, stopping mid-sentence to see the little trees all perfectly trimmed, with no branches hovering outside the pot's diameter. "... And that's a jolly good job you did there. You have my humble thanks for helping us, Lady Arezu", he continues appreciatively. Arezu scratches the back of her head. "You're welcome", she simply replies with subtle timidity. "I mean it ! I've never seen such a precise result before ! These bonsais are more than ready to be gifted to my coworkers ! You've earned a reward, is there anything you'd like us to grow ?", Colza asks happily. Arezu thinks for a moment. "Well, if you really insist... Just surprise me !", she replies mischievously. The Captain is taken off-guard by that response. "Oh... Well, I'll see what we can do. I'll pass by to hand over your gift once we have it", he continues. "Deal ! I'll be seeing you around... Uh... Snip! I forgot to ask for your name earlier !", the warden exclaims. The Galaxy member also realizes this. "Where are my manners... My name is Colza. See you around, and thanks again for your help", he answers.
As they part ways, Arezu notices a few clients waiting outside the salon and walks faster to get there to take them in for their haircuts. And after a hour or so, the last client has their haircut taken care of. The warden sighs in relief. "Sorry I didn't come back earlier Edith... I got sidetracked during my tour around the village...", Arezu says a bit sorrowfully. Edith simply smiles. "Do not fret, my dear. The clients know how to value time", the older lady reassures the other. Then they discuss what Arezu had been doing in the village over a spot of tea. Edith is pleased to find out the warden enjoyed trimming the Agriculture Corps's bonsais earlier, though the way Arezu describes her conversations with Colza intrigues the older lady. "It seemed you had pleasant conversations with him, dear", she says with a smile. "I know right ? Although, I feel fuzzy inside whenever I think back to his compliments. I guess he really liked the way I trimmed those little trees", Arezu responds with slight embarrassment in her voice. Edith quickly figures out what's going on and lets out a soft chuckle. "From what I heard, the Agriculture Corps don't often get help from others since they have already everything under control. Your help must have been greatly appreciated", Edith continues. After more time passes, the warden turns around and spots another customer waiting at the salon's door. "Right, we have to get back to work. Let's do this !", Arezu says enthusiastically as she gets up and greets the customer inside.
Later on in the evening, she is preparing to head back at the Diamond Clan's settlement and encounters Rei, who's very happy to tell her the date with Akari went very well. She gives the teen a thumbs up and wishes him a good rest before going off on her own. The next day, Arezu is alone to manage the hairdressing salon and can only ponder what type of gift Colza would bring her. The warden's curiosity grows as time goes on, and she is becoming increasingly impatient. At times, Arezu can see Colza from afar, working with the rest of the Agriculture Corps harder than usual. Arezu waves her hand at him a few times whenever he glances in her direction, but he is too focused on his work to notice her. She takes a deep breath. "Why are you being impatient, Arezu ? Hesaid he's gonna visit once he's got your gift !", she thinks to herself to quell her impatience a bit.
She then gets a visit from Rei and Mai regarding the Massive Mass Outbreaks occurring all over Hisui, which refocuses the warden's mind somewhat. After discussing the matter in the salon for half an hour, Mai tells Rei to go ahead without her, so she can speak with Arezu. "Is everything alright, Arezu ? You kept glancing at the door the whole time with a worried look", the black-haired warden asks her clan sister. The latter blinks inreaction. "You saw that ?", she asks, a bit surprised. "Of course. You weren't exactly stealthy about it", Mai replies. Arezu looks away for a second before speaking again. "I'm... Just waiting for someone, that's all. And for some reason I'm getting impatient about it, even though whatever gift he is going to bring will take some time to grow", the red-haired warden elaborates. Mai is a bit surprised at the answer. She then gets closer and nudges Arezu's shoulder while giving her a teasing look. "I didn't know you've got a boyfriend, bringing you gifts and all. Well done, sister", she says. At that statement, the red-haired warden's face starts blushing rapidly. She then puts on her hoodie and turns away in embarrassment. "N-No! I- I- I only helped him with s- something important yesterday, and he- he's thinking about paying me back with a gift, th-that's all !", she says, completely flustered. Mai laughes at the hasty answer.
"My my, you reacted like Adaman when I asked him about him and Lady Irida's relationship after the festival was over", the black-haired warden says. Arezu turns slightly towards Mai, still blushing in embarrassment. "I-I'm serious, Mai. Besides, I'm content as I am. I don't... I don't need anyone in my life right now", the red-haired warden replies defensively. Mai smirks. "Suuure. I won't bother you too much with that, then. Only time will tell whether what you said turns out to be true or not. See you around, Arezu", she responds back, waving at her clan sister on her way out of the salon. After the door closes, the latter looks up at the ceiling. "Thankfully Edith was not around to witness this...", she thinks before pouring a bit of water on her face to cool down.
Unbeknowst to her, Colza has finished the harvest earlier than he and the Agriculture Corps usually do. As a result, he's taken the time to deliver all the bonsais to the other Galaxy Team's Corps. Later in the early evening, as Arezu is locking the salon's door, she hears a voice calling out to her from behind. She turns around, and sees Colza waving at her. "Good evening, Colza. How are you ?", Arezu greets the captain. "I'm doing well, thank you. We finished building up the crops's next harvest, so our gift to you should be ready tommorrow morning", Colza replies with a smile. The warden readjusts her hair. "I... I see. That was quick !", she continues. "Indeed, we worked harder than usual so we could deliver the bonsais you've trimmed yesterday. Thanks to you, we have to count on two hands how many times Captain Cyllene has smiled at work", the Corps member jokes. Arezu puts her hand over a mouth to hold a chuckle. "She's really that serious in herline of work, isn't she ?", the warden asks, to which Colza simply nods, looking at the Galaxy Team building's entrance in case someone is eavesdropping on them. The red-haired lady briefly stares at the man's beard and quickly snaps herself out of it.
"Is there anything you need ? For haircuts, you'll have to wait tommorrow, I just closed the salon", Arezu asks, putting the door's key in her pocket. Colza simply brings forth his satchel and looks through it for a few seconds. He then pulls up a handful of light red flowers with six petals and gives them to her. He only realizes after the fact how forward he was in that gesture and gets a bit flustered. "I... I picked these flowers for you... As a token of my personal gratitude", Colza says softly. The warden is taken aback by the gift. She stares at the flowers for a moment, at a loss for words and blushing all the while. She looks at him. "Are these...", Arezu shyly starts. "Gracidea flowers. I... After the bonsai deliveries, I went on a walk around the Obsidian Fieldlands. I was told by a young Diamond Clan member about the Floaro Gardens, which had its flower field blooming with all these gracidea so... I plucked a few of them thinking we could try to make them grow in our crops", Colza starts explaining. He pauses for a bit before continuing. "But then, I thought about you and how you came to help us on your own volition. How... How impeccable the bonsai trimming was and how you took your task seriously yet with the kind of positive energy I haven't felt in a long time", he continues, stammering in places.
The warden is touched by these words and shows him the biggest smile she can muster. "You didn't have to... Thank you so very much, Colza", Arezu says softly. The captain scratches the back of his head, trying to keep eye contact as best as he can. "You're welcome, Lady Are-",he starts saying. "Oh, you can drop the lady part. Just call me Arezu", the warden replies, speaking out of turn. Colza blinks twice. "Alright... Arezu", the man finishes. They stare at each other for a good while before they realize some of the villagers are staring at them. Arezu breaks the silence. "R-Right, I need to get back to Edith's house to give back the keys. I-I'll be seeing you 'morrow, Colza !", she says, panicking a bit and putting on her hoodie before leaving in a haste, much to the captain's mild amusement and confusion. Once out of sight, she takes off her hoodie and takes a deep breath. "W-What's happening to me ? Why am I getting so shy around him !?", she thinks, utterly confused by her own feelings. Arezu looks at the gracidea flowers and stares at them for a few seconds. "I mean... I did ask you to surprise me after all...", the warden follows with a faint smile. She drops by Edith's house and returns the salon's key to her before going to the Diamond Clan settlement. On her way out, she hears the Jubilife citizens gossiping about her interaction with Colza, making her feel embarrassed even more than she already is.
The next day, Arezu arrives at the village with a lot of apprehension. She keeps a straight face when the children pass by to say good morning, and Anthe of the Clothier store compliments the cute flower in the warden's hair. As tempted as she is to put on her hoodie to hide her face, Arezu resists the urge and enters the hairdressing salon rather hastily. She takes a deep breath and greets Edith as she closes the door. The warden notices the older lady was not alone. "Good morning, dear. Captain Colza was waiting for you", she says cheerfully, pointing to the man who was sitting in a nearby chair. Arezu waves at him. "Good morning, Colza. How are you since yesterday ?", she says with a grin. "I've been doing great, thank you. I've come with the Agriculture Corps's collective gift to you. I considered waiting for you outside, but the reaction you had when you left made me rethink that, so here I am instead", Colza replies. The warden shifts her eyes to the side, then back to him. "Yes...Sorry about that. I was having so many emotions at once. It's not like me to get so nervous, y'know ?", she says sheepishly.
"Oh, do not worry about that", Colza reassures her. He then gets up from the chair and picks up the satchel on his belt, this time more full than yesterday. From it, he pulls up a set of herbal medicines, both whole and ground down. "Here. We've initially brought these medicinal herbs from overseas and grew them yesterday so Pesselle of the Medical Corps could use them. But we ended up with spare herbs, so we're giving these to you, Arezu", Colza explains. The warden puts her hand over her mouth in shock. "These herbs... They are so pretty ! But... Why medicinal herbs ? I don't feel ill or anything", Arezu asks, curious about the nature of the gift. Colza then looks at her in the eyes. "When you left the crops the first time, I couldn't help but notice you were using a bit more strength in your left leg than your right. Then I remembered you had an injury during the crisis in the Crimson Mirelands a while back. I know you've healed by now, but leg pain is not something to dismiss so easily. Think of these herbs as precautions for the future", the captain elaborates calmly.
For a few seconds, there was silence. Arezu, moved by the gesture, is at a loss for words. "Not only did you give me those gracideas yesterday, which I shared with Lady Lilligant this morning, and now this... I swear, you're spoiling me at this point ! Thank you, thank you so darn much, Colza", the warden says, containing her happiness. Colza scratches the back of his head in response. "You're welcome, Arezu. I just- We just want the best for... For...", he replies, fumbling over his words. The red-haired lady raises an eyebrow. "Hang on...", she starts, giving a mischievous stare at Colza. "That slip up just now, all these gifts and that attention you're giving me... It feels like you're trying to get me to swoon over you, am I right ?", the warden finishes asking while smiling playfully.
Colza blushes a bit at the question."Well, um...", he stammers. He looks at Edith, who's been observing their interaction the whole time with a sincere smile. He turns back to Arezu. "How about we discuss this during lunch at the Wallflower ? I do not want to get in the way of your work", Colza says, dodging her question. The red-haired lady sighs quietly. "Sure, why not. But you won't be avoiding this, mister !", Arezu replies perkily. The captain awkwardly bids farewell to the two women and as he's about to exit the salon, he turns around to point out how cute Arezu looks with the gracidea flower in her hair. The warden blushes a red brighter than her hair, and hasn't got time to answer him before he left. Edith speaks up. "That was very adorable to witness. This reminds me of my first date with my Sarapo. He has always been a sweetheart, even 60 years later...", the older lady reminisces. To her surprise, Arezu doesn't respond. She then sees the younger lady adjusting the gracidea in her hair with a blissful smile on her face. "Let's start our work, shall we ?", the warden asks with kindness. Edith nods slowly as they greet their first client of the day.
The time for lunch eventually comes, and Arezu has difficulties containing her excitement as she walks towards the Wallflower restaurant. Sure enough, she finds Colza, discussing with Beni for a bit. "A set of potato mochis for two, coming right up", the latter says as he goes into the kitchen, letting the two persons sit at a table. Colza and Arezu exchange timid looks, not saying anything for a while until Beni comes back with the meal. They thank him as he leaves. The warden speaks up. "So. About what the question I asked you earlier...", she starts, her voice sounding tender. Colza scratches the back of his head. "Straight to the point, I see. Very well, I suppose I should come clean. The truth is that... I've come to like you. A lot, actually. When you showed up at our crops the first time, I was simply... Stunned. Stunned by your grace and energy. Of course I kept a professional face throughout our interactions then, but the more we spoke, the more I realized there was more than just admiration for you, and after you left the crops the first time... All I wanted was to see you again. To feel that positive energy of yours. That's what gave me the courage to plant all these medicinal herbs at a fast pace to then take the time to get the gracideas for you yesterday", he explains in length with a kind yet serious voice.
Arezu listens on, eating a mochi all the while. The more he speaks, the more charmed she gets, to the point where she stops eating to listen to him. Colza takes a deep breath. "I know this is somewhat too soon since we've known each other for a few days now... But I'd really love to go out with you sometimes, if you'd like", he proposes. Arezu ponders the idea for a bit before responding. "Do you wanna watch the sunset with me at the beach tonight ? After we finish our work ?",the warden suggests while blushing. The captain is surprised to hear this response. "You don't mind ? Even if it's been only a few days since you've helped us with the bonsais ?", he asks with genuine curiousness. Arezu puts her hand on her chin. "Remember when I said 'spending our time wisely is the Diamond Clan's specialty' back then ? Well, I want to wisely spend my time with the man who's been making me so serene these days", she replies with a soft voice. Colza's heart skips a beat at that statement. In response, he simply smiles, nods and starts eating the food before it gets cold. The warden holds a chuckle at that reaction before resuming eating the meal. After lunch is done, they part ways slowly, telling each other to meet up at the south of Canala Avenue.
In the evening, Colza and Arezu find each other after greeting Dorian and his two Buizels on the way out of the village. Then, they walk towards the location of the Prelude Beach. They spot Taggart, the host of the Balloon mini-game. The warden notes how cute the Drifloon lookalikes are. Soon after, they arrive at the small shoreline, seeing the sun about to enter its sunset state. Without realizing it, they take each other's hand and walk towards the pier, sitting on the edge together soon afterwards. When they see the sun in the horizon, Colza speaks up. "I didn't realize the shoreline faced the sunset. I do not know if the builders of this pier were aware of this, but I'm happy for it", he notes calmly. In response, Arezu simply puts her head next to Colza's shoulder, breathing slowly. The captain realizes this and stops speaking to hear the waves quietly rustling against the shoreline alongside her.
Time passes as the couple watches the sunset. The warden shifts her gaze towards Colza's eyes. As they cross their gazes, she slowly passes her hand on his beard. "It's as soft as it looks", she comments. "Good, that means I won't need you to be my barber", he says with a sly smile, prompting Arezu to laugh for a bit. Then they stare at each other for a bit before they exchange a brief kiss. "I love you, Arezu", Colza says tenderly. "Love you too, Colza", she replies, closing her eyes for a bit. Unbeknowst to them, Rei and Akari were observing the couple from afar as to not disturb them. "I told you there was something good happening between the two of them", Rei whispers cheerfully. "I'm sure you made them copy our idea somehow", Akari replies, giving Rei a sarcastic yet playful look. Both couples enjoy the rest of the sunset before night falls. For the first time in a long while, Arezu decides to stay in Jubilife Village at Colza's home for the night, rather than going back to the Diamond Clan settlement and a few months later, they become engaged to one another.
A few years later, Colza walks through the Crimson Mirelands alongside a small boy wearing a straw hat and dark-blue clothing. They avoid the dangerous paths as they eventually arrive at the Diamond Clan settlement. The little boy has never seen so many unknown people before and hides behind Colza. Adaman greets them both and tilts his head to look at the child, but the latter looks away. "Don't worry, Bocha. He is family", the Captain reassures his son. Adaman smiles and kneels down to the boy's eye level. "So you are Bocha. Arezu told me many good things about you. Nice to meet ya, little sprout", the young man says quietly. Bocha slowly turns his gaze at Adaman and nods timidly at the Diamond Clan leader, making him smile more. He stands up to meet Colza's gaze. "She wasn't kidding when she said he was extremely shy", Adaman comments. "Bocha is a very passive boy, so we're taking our time introducing him to new things", Colza replies, putting his hand on his son's head, rocking it left and right gently. He then asks where Arezu is, to which Adaman points to Brava Arena, the resting location of Lady Lilligant. As they part ways, Bocha takes one more look at the Diamond Clan leader and waves bashfully at him before running to his father on the way out of the settlement.
"You did very well for your first time here, Bocha. Now, let's go see Mama", he says, taking the boy's hand. A few minutes later, they arrive at the stairs leading up to the arena, and as soon as Bocha spots Arezu ,he runs up to her with enthusiasm. The warden hears him call for her, and she opens up her arms and hugs him tight. "Hello my little Pumpkaboo ! It's so good to see you, Bocha !" Arezu says with happiness and she gives Bocha a kiss on the cheek. She then picks him up and walks towards Colza, closing in for a lengthy family hug. Arezu sets Bocha down and kneels down tolook at her son. "I missed you so much. Like I promised you, we'll see the Lady of the Ridge and soon, we will be living in Jubilife together" she says with a smile. Colza tilts his head slightly. "Your successor's training is done, it seems", he chimes in with a smile. Arezu doesn't respond right away and instead, turns to a small hill and makes a few sounds. A few seconds later, a Purugly comes up running to the family. She then asks Bocha to play with the Pokémon in the mean time. After the boy goes up the hill with the Tiger Cat Pokémon, she locks eyes with Colza, showing him a rather tired look.
"Yes, Medi's taking up the warden role tommorrow. Now that I have y'all, I can't afford to go back and forth between the settlement and the village anymore... Adaman is understanding of my situation, but it pains me to even think of leaving the Diamond Clan behind, y'know ? I'm glad this ordeal is finally over...", she replies to him with exhaustion in her voice, putting her head beneath Colza's chin for comfort. He puts on her hoodie and hugs her tightly. After a minute, the couple then looks at their child playfully bouncing around with Purugly. Arezu smiles again. "It wasn't an easy choice but... But I know I made the right decision in wanting to be with you and our baby boy", she continues with tenderness in her eyes. The couple joins up with Bocha, who decided to make Purugly wear his straw hat. The Pokémon shakes it off, much to his parents's amusement. Arezu ruffles her son's reddish orange hair and strokes the singular black bang at the center of his head. Soon after, Lady Lilligant makes an appearence infront of them and does her daily dancing, mesmerizing the little boy in the process. When she's done, the Noble Pokémon bows to everyone and tilts her head at the little newcomer, putting her right leaf arm next to her face.
To his parents's surprise, Bocha doesn't hide behind them and even approaches Lilligant slowly. They stare at each other for a few seconds. The Noble Pokémon looks at the couple, then back at the boy. Arezu approaches the kid and places her hands on his shoulders. "Did you like Lilligant's dancing ?" she asks him tenderly. He nods slowly, still amazed by the performance. The Pokémon makes a pleased sound. A few seconds later, Arezu gestures Colza to come closer as she looks at the Noble Pokémon. "Lilligant... As promised, I wouldn't leave before introducing you to my family. This won't be goodbye forever... I'll come back from time to time so we can dance together again. But for now... T-Thank you. Thank you for everything, Milady. Be good with Medi, okay ? I'll miss you... My f-friend", the ex-warden tells Lilligant, holding back her tears. The Pokémon makes a soft sound and gently pats Arezu's head with her leaf arm, making the latter chuckle a bit. The family bows down to Lilligant before parting ways and, seeing his mother's small tears, Bocha asks her to carry him so he can hug her and make her feel better. She thanks him and kisses him on the forehead. Colza takes Arezu's free hand while Purugly runs alongside of the family and together, they walk back in Jubilife Village, settling down for good.
This is a shipping fic about Colza & Arezu, aka "FloricultureShipping". Credits to LunaTyger for proof-reading this. Enjoy the read !
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
In Jubilife Village, the denizens are living a happy life after the festival following the events of Mount Coronet. The children are playing near the water bank alongside small Pokémons, while the adults are taking their time browsing through the numerous items brought by the various merchants on Floaro Main Street. At the First-Rate Hairdresser, a young teen with a newly coiffed white ponytail exits the house, followed by a woman with carmine red hair. "Thank you, Lady Arezu. You're a lifesaver for giving me this haircut that early !", Rei says, bowing in respect. "Anytime, fella ! Now, don't wait any longer and go have your date with that Akari girl. Good luck !", Arezu replies, waving goodbye as the Galaxy Corps teen runs off to the Village's entrance. The warden readjusts her hair before sitting on her usual spot next to the salon. "Ah, I miss being as young as these kids, full of energy and all", Arezu starts thinking. She tilts her head slightly. "Although, I'm not quite old just yet. I still got plenty of time ahead of me ! Now, to wait for another customer", she finishes thinking.
For about half a hour, Arezu waits patiently for a new customer to check the salon, to no avail. The warden's face gradually shows impatience, but she does her best to hide it in front of the passing children who wave good morning at her. Edith, seeing the warden resting her head on her hands from the window, exits the salon and checks on Arezu. "Dear, you are getting impatient again", she says kindly. The warden turns to Edith. "I know... Time is a harsh master, but I gotta respect it if I wanna avoid ruffling Its temporal whiskers. Still, waiting for a long time is so boring...", Arezu laments, getting up and stretching a bit. The older woman smiles. "Why don't you go for a walk around the village ? If any customer comes in, I can do their haircut in your stead", Edith suggests.The warden shifts her eyes to the side, then moments later scratches the back of her head, embarrassed. "I... didn't think about doing that, Edith. I'll try to make the most of it, so don't worry if I don't come back too soon", Arezu replies. Thinking on where to go, she decides to head east first, and after saying 'see you soon' at Edith, the warden begins strolling on Floara Main Street. She waves at the many merchants in the long alley, and stops briefly at Anthe's Clothier shop to discuss about which clothes would go best with specific hairstyles. Afterwards, she visits the pasture, seeing the many Pokémon Rei has caught in the line of work. Arezu is charmed by a Glameow sitting on the fence and ponders about getting one for herself.
Leaving the pasture, the warden then comes across Dorian, the Security Corps with two Buizels of different sizes at his side and eventually, she reaches the farm field to the west led by Colza. Upon arriving, Arezu is intrigued by the way the farmers are working with a handful of Pokémon. She approaches the leader. "Good morning ! It seems you guys got your hands full here", she greets everyone. Colza turns around to see the warden. He blinks twice at her before speaking up. "Oh, good morning... Arezu, isn't it ? What brings you here ?", the Captain asks, scratching his beard. "I wanted to see what Jubilife Village has to offer besides the main street, and seeing these crops reminded me of the Diamond Clan settlement's crop farms. I did my share of tilling myself, but admittedly I wasn't too strong back then", Arezu reminisces. Colza nods. "I see. Working on a farm makes us appreciate what the land has to offer. I'm happy to know these values are passed down in your clan", he follows with a smile. The warden asks if there's anything she can do to help at the farm. Colza says they already have a lot of workers but he appreciates her willingness to help out.
A bit dejected, she turns around and sees a bunch of small tree pots on a table and is intrigued. "What are those little trees ?", she asks, approaching the pots to get a better look. "Those are bonsai trees. We were supposed to give them to all our divisions as gifts, but we have little experience in the trimming department", Colza replies, following her soon after. Observing the bonsais, Arezu places her hand on the leaves of one of them. "These leaves are soft, as if I am brushing a client's hair...", she starts before her eyes widens. "That's it ! I can assist y'all by giving these bonsais killer haircuts while you guys focus on the crops, if you'd like !", she continues excitedly. Colzais a bit surprised at the suggestion. "You... Would do that for us ? We don't have much to reward you with if you go through with this task", he asks for confirmation. The warden nods athim. "Don't worry about the reward. Think of this as my way to thank the Galaxy Team for helping out during the Crimson Mirelands crisis a while back", Arezu replies with a smile. Colza takes a few seconds to continue.
"That's very kind of you, Lady Arezu. In this case, go right ahead. You will need to use the pruning shears sitting on the side to cut the bigger branches. Take all the time you need", he says, pointing at the gardening tool. "Gotcha ! Spending our time wisely is the Diamond Clan's specialty ! And for those little branches, I'll be using my personal scissors", Arezu continues while taking a pair of scissors with wrappings around the blades out of her vest. At that statement, one of the Pokémons tilling the crops turns around with a confused look. Colza notices. "Oh, she wasn't talking about you, Scizor. Carry on", he says with amusement in his voice. Arezu holds a chuckle and apologizes for the misunderstanding. The Pokémon nods and goes back to work. Picking up the shears, the warden realizes how heavier it is compared to regular scissors. She twists her hand left and right to check how she should position herself for the trimming. "I think I'm good to go, sir. I'll see you once I'm done", Arezu ends, ready to tackle the task.
A hour later, the Agriculture Corps takes their morning break. Colza uses that time to check on Arezu's progress on the trimming task, and he sees the warden concentrated on doing the last touch ups with her scissors. Half a minute later, she steps back and wraps the scissor's blades before putting them back in her pocket. "That took longer than I thought. But I'm liking those last touches", she says to herself, smiling. She turns around and starts to walk at the same time, only to see Colza right in front of her. She yelps in surprise, in turn surprising him. "Oh, sorry about that, I should have announced my presence first", he says apologetically. "No no, I'm a dummy for trying to walk before seeing what's behind me", Arezu replies, taking the blame instead. They stare at each other for a few seconds before chuckling together.
"It's alright. I was coming to see how you handled the bonsais and...", Colza says, stopping mid-sentence to see the little trees all perfectly trimmed, with no branches hovering outside the pot's diameter. "... And that's a jolly good job you did there. You have my humble thanks for helping us, Lady Arezu", he continues appreciatively. Arezu scratches the back of her head. "You're welcome", she simply replies with subtle timidity. "I mean it ! I've never seen such a precise result before ! These bonsais are more than ready to be gifted to my coworkers ! You've earned a reward, is there anything you'd like us to grow ?", Colza asks happily. Arezu thinks for a moment. "Well, if you really insist... Just surprise me !", she replies mischievously. The Captain is taken off-guard by that response. "Oh... Well, I'll see what we can do. I'll pass by to hand over your gift once we have it", he continues. "Deal ! I'll be seeing you around... Uh... Snip! I forgot to ask for your name earlier !", the warden exclaims. The Galaxy member also realizes this. "Where are my manners... My name is Colza. See you around, and thanks again for your help", he answers.
As they part ways, Arezu notices a few clients waiting outside the salon and walks faster to get there to take them in for their haircuts. And after a hour or so, the last client has their haircut taken care of. The warden sighs in relief. "Sorry I didn't come back earlier Edith... I got sidetracked during my tour around the village...", Arezu says a bit sorrowfully. Edith simply smiles. "Do not fret, my dear. The clients know how to value time", the older lady reassures the other. Then they discuss what Arezu had been doing in the village over a spot of tea. Edith is pleased to find out the warden enjoyed trimming the Agriculture Corps's bonsais earlier, though the way Arezu describes her conversations with Colza intrigues the older lady. "It seemed you had pleasant conversations with him, dear", she says with a smile. "I know right ? Although, I feel fuzzy inside whenever I think back to his compliments. I guess he really liked the way I trimmed those little trees", Arezu responds with slight embarrassment in her voice. Edith quickly figures out what's going on and lets out a soft chuckle. "From what I heard, the Agriculture Corps don't often get help from others since they have already everything under control. Your help must have been greatly appreciated", Edith continues. After more time passes, the warden turns around and spots another customer waiting at the salon's door. "Right, we have to get back to work. Let's do this !", Arezu says enthusiastically as she gets up and greets the customer inside.
Later on in the evening, she is preparing to head back at the Diamond Clan's settlement and encounters Rei, who's very happy to tell her the date with Akari went very well. She gives the teen a thumbs up and wishes him a good rest before going off on her own. The next day, Arezu is alone to manage the hairdressing salon and can only ponder what type of gift Colza would bring her. The warden's curiosity grows as time goes on, and she is becoming increasingly impatient. At times, Arezu can see Colza from afar, working with the rest of the Agriculture Corps harder than usual. Arezu waves her hand at him a few times whenever he glances in her direction, but he is too focused on his work to notice her. She takes a deep breath. "Why are you being impatient, Arezu ? Hesaid he's gonna visit once he's got your gift !", she thinks to herself to quell her impatience a bit.
She then gets a visit from Rei and Mai regarding the Massive Mass Outbreaks occurring all over Hisui, which refocuses the warden's mind somewhat. After discussing the matter in the salon for half an hour, Mai tells Rei to go ahead without her, so she can speak with Arezu. "Is everything alright, Arezu ? You kept glancing at the door the whole time with a worried look", the black-haired warden asks her clan sister. The latter blinks inreaction. "You saw that ?", she asks, a bit surprised. "Of course. You weren't exactly stealthy about it", Mai replies. Arezu looks away for a second before speaking again. "I'm... Just waiting for someone, that's all. And for some reason I'm getting impatient about it, even though whatever gift he is going to bring will take some time to grow", the red-haired warden elaborates. Mai is a bit surprised at the answer. She then gets closer and nudges Arezu's shoulder while giving her a teasing look. "I didn't know you've got a boyfriend, bringing you gifts and all. Well done, sister", she says. At that statement, the red-haired warden's face starts blushing rapidly. She then puts on her hoodie and turns away in embarrassment. "N-No! I- I- I only helped him with s- something important yesterday, and he- he's thinking about paying me back with a gift, th-that's all !", she says, completely flustered. Mai laughes at the hasty answer.
"My my, you reacted like Adaman when I asked him about him and Lady Irida's relationship after the festival was over", the black-haired warden says. Arezu turns slightly towards Mai, still blushing in embarrassment. "I-I'm serious, Mai. Besides, I'm content as I am. I don't... I don't need anyone in my life right now", the red-haired warden replies defensively. Mai smirks. "Suuure. I won't bother you too much with that, then. Only time will tell whether what you said turns out to be true or not. See you around, Arezu", she responds back, waving at her clan sister on her way out of the salon. After the door closes, the latter looks up at the ceiling. "Thankfully Edith was not around to witness this...", she thinks before pouring a bit of water on her face to cool down.
Unbeknowst to her, Colza has finished the harvest earlier than he and the Agriculture Corps usually do. As a result, he's taken the time to deliver all the bonsais to the other Galaxy Team's Corps. Later in the early evening, as Arezu is locking the salon's door, she hears a voice calling out to her from behind. She turns around, and sees Colza waving at her. "Good evening, Colza. How are you ?", Arezu greets the captain. "I'm doing well, thank you. We finished building up the crops's next harvest, so our gift to you should be ready tommorrow morning", Colza replies with a smile. The warden readjusts her hair. "I... I see. That was quick !", she continues. "Indeed, we worked harder than usual so we could deliver the bonsais you've trimmed yesterday. Thanks to you, we have to count on two hands how many times Captain Cyllene has smiled at work", the Corps member jokes. Arezu puts her hand over a mouth to hold a chuckle. "She's really that serious in herline of work, isn't she ?", the warden asks, to which Colza simply nods, looking at the Galaxy Team building's entrance in case someone is eavesdropping on them. The red-haired lady briefly stares at the man's beard and quickly snaps herself out of it.
"Is there anything you need ? For haircuts, you'll have to wait tommorrow, I just closed the salon", Arezu asks, putting the door's key in her pocket. Colza simply brings forth his satchel and looks through it for a few seconds. He then pulls up a handful of light red flowers with six petals and gives them to her. He only realizes after the fact how forward he was in that gesture and gets a bit flustered. "I... I picked these flowers for you... As a token of my personal gratitude", Colza says softly. The warden is taken aback by the gift. She stares at the flowers for a moment, at a loss for words and blushing all the while. She looks at him. "Are these...", Arezu shyly starts. "Gracidea flowers. I... After the bonsai deliveries, I went on a walk around the Obsidian Fieldlands. I was told by a young Diamond Clan member about the Floaro Gardens, which had its flower field blooming with all these gracidea so... I plucked a few of them thinking we could try to make them grow in our crops", Colza starts explaining. He pauses for a bit before continuing. "But then, I thought about you and how you came to help us on your own volition. How... How impeccable the bonsai trimming was and how you took your task seriously yet with the kind of positive energy I haven't felt in a long time", he continues, stammering in places.
The warden is touched by these words and shows him the biggest smile she can muster. "You didn't have to... Thank you so very much, Colza", Arezu says softly. The captain scratches the back of his head, trying to keep eye contact as best as he can. "You're welcome, Lady Are-",he starts saying. "Oh, you can drop the lady part. Just call me Arezu", the warden replies, speaking out of turn. Colza blinks twice. "Alright... Arezu", the man finishes. They stare at each other for a good while before they realize some of the villagers are staring at them. Arezu breaks the silence. "R-Right, I need to get back to Edith's house to give back the keys. I-I'll be seeing you 'morrow, Colza !", she says, panicking a bit and putting on her hoodie before leaving in a haste, much to the captain's mild amusement and confusion. Once out of sight, she takes off her hoodie and takes a deep breath. "W-What's happening to me ? Why am I getting so shy around him !?", she thinks, utterly confused by her own feelings. Arezu looks at the gracidea flowers and stares at them for a few seconds. "I mean... I did ask you to surprise me after all...", the warden follows with a faint smile. She drops by Edith's house and returns the salon's key to her before going to the Diamond Clan settlement. On her way out, she hears the Jubilife citizens gossiping about her interaction with Colza, making her feel embarrassed even more than she already is.
The next day, Arezu arrives at the village with a lot of apprehension. She keeps a straight face when the children pass by to say good morning, and Anthe of the Clothier store compliments the cute flower in the warden's hair. As tempted as she is to put on her hoodie to hide her face, Arezu resists the urge and enters the hairdressing salon rather hastily. She takes a deep breath and greets Edith as she closes the door. The warden notices the older lady was not alone. "Good morning, dear. Captain Colza was waiting for you", she says cheerfully, pointing to the man who was sitting in a nearby chair. Arezu waves at him. "Good morning, Colza. How are you since yesterday ?", she says with a grin. "I've been doing great, thank you. I've come with the Agriculture Corps's collective gift to you. I considered waiting for you outside, but the reaction you had when you left made me rethink that, so here I am instead", Colza replies. The warden shifts her eyes to the side, then back to him. "Yes...Sorry about that. I was having so many emotions at once. It's not like me to get so nervous, y'know ?", she says sheepishly.
"Oh, do not worry about that", Colza reassures her. He then gets up from the chair and picks up the satchel on his belt, this time more full than yesterday. From it, he pulls up a set of herbal medicines, both whole and ground down. "Here. We've initially brought these medicinal herbs from overseas and grew them yesterday so Pesselle of the Medical Corps could use them. But we ended up with spare herbs, so we're giving these to you, Arezu", Colza explains. The warden puts her hand over her mouth in shock. "These herbs... They are so pretty ! But... Why medicinal herbs ? I don't feel ill or anything", Arezu asks, curious about the nature of the gift. Colza then looks at her in the eyes. "When you left the crops the first time, I couldn't help but notice you were using a bit more strength in your left leg than your right. Then I remembered you had an injury during the crisis in the Crimson Mirelands a while back. I know you've healed by now, but leg pain is not something to dismiss so easily. Think of these herbs as precautions for the future", the captain elaborates calmly.
For a few seconds, there was silence. Arezu, moved by the gesture, is at a loss for words. "Not only did you give me those gracideas yesterday, which I shared with Lady Lilligant this morning, and now this... I swear, you're spoiling me at this point ! Thank you, thank you so darn much, Colza", the warden says, containing her happiness. Colza scratches the back of his head in response. "You're welcome, Arezu. I just- We just want the best for... For...", he replies, fumbling over his words. The red-haired lady raises an eyebrow. "Hang on...", she starts, giving a mischievous stare at Colza. "That slip up just now, all these gifts and that attention you're giving me... It feels like you're trying to get me to swoon over you, am I right ?", the warden finishes asking while smiling playfully.
Colza blushes a bit at the question."Well, um...", he stammers. He looks at Edith, who's been observing their interaction the whole time with a sincere smile. He turns back to Arezu. "How about we discuss this during lunch at the Wallflower ? I do not want to get in the way of your work", Colza says, dodging her question. The red-haired lady sighs quietly. "Sure, why not. But you won't be avoiding this, mister !", Arezu replies perkily. The captain awkwardly bids farewell to the two women and as he's about to exit the salon, he turns around to point out how cute Arezu looks with the gracidea flower in her hair. The warden blushes a red brighter than her hair, and hasn't got time to answer him before he left. Edith speaks up. "That was very adorable to witness. This reminds me of my first date with my Sarapo. He has always been a sweetheart, even 60 years later...", the older lady reminisces. To her surprise, Arezu doesn't respond. She then sees the younger lady adjusting the gracidea in her hair with a blissful smile on her face. "Let's start our work, shall we ?", the warden asks with kindness. Edith nods slowly as they greet their first client of the day.
The time for lunch eventually comes, and Arezu has difficulties containing her excitement as she walks towards the Wallflower restaurant. Sure enough, she finds Colza, discussing with Beni for a bit. "A set of potato mochis for two, coming right up", the latter says as he goes into the kitchen, letting the two persons sit at a table. Colza and Arezu exchange timid looks, not saying anything for a while until Beni comes back with the meal. They thank him as he leaves. The warden speaks up. "So. About what the question I asked you earlier...", she starts, her voice sounding tender. Colza scratches the back of his head. "Straight to the point, I see. Very well, I suppose I should come clean. The truth is that... I've come to like you. A lot, actually. When you showed up at our crops the first time, I was simply... Stunned. Stunned by your grace and energy. Of course I kept a professional face throughout our interactions then, but the more we spoke, the more I realized there was more than just admiration for you, and after you left the crops the first time... All I wanted was to see you again. To feel that positive energy of yours. That's what gave me the courage to plant all these medicinal herbs at a fast pace to then take the time to get the gracideas for you yesterday", he explains in length with a kind yet serious voice.
Arezu listens on, eating a mochi all the while. The more he speaks, the more charmed she gets, to the point where she stops eating to listen to him. Colza takes a deep breath. "I know this is somewhat too soon since we've known each other for a few days now... But I'd really love to go out with you sometimes, if you'd like", he proposes. Arezu ponders the idea for a bit before responding. "Do you wanna watch the sunset with me at the beach tonight ? After we finish our work ?",the warden suggests while blushing. The captain is surprised to hear this response. "You don't mind ? Even if it's been only a few days since you've helped us with the bonsais ?", he asks with genuine curiousness. Arezu puts her hand on her chin. "Remember when I said 'spending our time wisely is the Diamond Clan's specialty' back then ? Well, I want to wisely spend my time with the man who's been making me so serene these days", she replies with a soft voice. Colza's heart skips a beat at that statement. In response, he simply smiles, nods and starts eating the food before it gets cold. The warden holds a chuckle at that reaction before resuming eating the meal. After lunch is done, they part ways slowly, telling each other to meet up at the south of Canala Avenue.
In the evening, Colza and Arezu find each other after greeting Dorian and his two Buizels on the way out of the village. Then, they walk towards the location of the Prelude Beach. They spot Taggart, the host of the Balloon mini-game. The warden notes how cute the Drifloon lookalikes are. Soon after, they arrive at the small shoreline, seeing the sun about to enter its sunset state. Without realizing it, they take each other's hand and walk towards the pier, sitting on the edge together soon afterwards. When they see the sun in the horizon, Colza speaks up. "I didn't realize the shoreline faced the sunset. I do not know if the builders of this pier were aware of this, but I'm happy for it", he notes calmly. In response, Arezu simply puts her head next to Colza's shoulder, breathing slowly. The captain realizes this and stops speaking to hear the waves quietly rustling against the shoreline alongside her.
Time passes as the couple watches the sunset. The warden shifts her gaze towards Colza's eyes. As they cross their gazes, she slowly passes her hand on his beard. "It's as soft as it looks", she comments. "Good, that means I won't need you to be my barber", he says with a sly smile, prompting Arezu to laugh for a bit. Then they stare at each other for a bit before they exchange a brief kiss. "I love you, Arezu", Colza says tenderly. "Love you too, Colza", she replies, closing her eyes for a bit. Unbeknowst to them, Rei and Akari were observing the couple from afar as to not disturb them. "I told you there was something good happening between the two of them", Rei whispers cheerfully. "I'm sure you made them copy our idea somehow", Akari replies, giving Rei a sarcastic yet playful look. Both couples enjoy the rest of the sunset before night falls. For the first time in a long while, Arezu decides to stay in Jubilife Village at Colza's home for the night, rather than going back to the Diamond Clan settlement and a few months later, they become engaged to one another.
A few years later, Colza walks through the Crimson Mirelands alongside a small boy wearing a straw hat and dark-blue clothing. They avoid the dangerous paths as they eventually arrive at the Diamond Clan settlement. The little boy has never seen so many unknown people before and hides behind Colza. Adaman greets them both and tilts his head to look at the child, but the latter looks away. "Don't worry, Bocha. He is family", the Captain reassures his son. Adaman smiles and kneels down to the boy's eye level. "So you are Bocha. Arezu told me many good things about you. Nice to meet ya, little sprout", the young man says quietly. Bocha slowly turns his gaze at Adaman and nods timidly at the Diamond Clan leader, making him smile more. He stands up to meet Colza's gaze. "She wasn't kidding when she said he was extremely shy", Adaman comments. "Bocha is a very passive boy, so we're taking our time introducing him to new things", Colza replies, putting his hand on his son's head, rocking it left and right gently. He then asks where Arezu is, to which Adaman points to Brava Arena, the resting location of Lady Lilligant. As they part ways, Bocha takes one more look at the Diamond Clan leader and waves bashfully at him before running to his father on the way out of the settlement.
"You did very well for your first time here, Bocha. Now, let's go see Mama", he says, taking the boy's hand. A few minutes later, they arrive at the stairs leading up to the arena, and as soon as Bocha spots Arezu ,he runs up to her with enthusiasm. The warden hears him call for her, and she opens up her arms and hugs him tight. "Hello my little Pumpkaboo ! It's so good to see you, Bocha !" Arezu says with happiness and she gives Bocha a kiss on the cheek. She then picks him up and walks towards Colza, closing in for a lengthy family hug. Arezu sets Bocha down and kneels down tolook at her son. "I missed you so much. Like I promised you, we'll see the Lady of the Ridge and soon, we will be living in Jubilife together" she says with a smile. Colza tilts his head slightly. "Your successor's training is done, it seems", he chimes in with a smile. Arezu doesn't respond right away and instead, turns to a small hill and makes a few sounds. A few seconds later, a Purugly comes up running to the family. She then asks Bocha to play with the Pokémon in the mean time. After the boy goes up the hill with the Tiger Cat Pokémon, she locks eyes with Colza, showing him a rather tired look.
"Yes, Medi's taking up the warden role tommorrow. Now that I have y'all, I can't afford to go back and forth between the settlement and the village anymore... Adaman is understanding of my situation, but it pains me to even think of leaving the Diamond Clan behind, y'know ? I'm glad this ordeal is finally over...", she replies to him with exhaustion in her voice, putting her head beneath Colza's chin for comfort. He puts on her hoodie and hugs her tightly. After a minute, the couple then looks at their child playfully bouncing around with Purugly. Arezu smiles again. "It wasn't an easy choice but... But I know I made the right decision in wanting to be with you and our baby boy", she continues with tenderness in her eyes. The couple joins up with Bocha, who decided to make Purugly wear his straw hat. The Pokémon shakes it off, much to his parents's amusement. Arezu ruffles her son's reddish orange hair and strokes the singular black bang at the center of his head. Soon after, Lady Lilligant makes an appearence infront of them and does her daily dancing, mesmerizing the little boy in the process. When she's done, the Noble Pokémon bows to everyone and tilts her head at the little newcomer, putting her right leaf arm next to her face.
To his parents's surprise, Bocha doesn't hide behind them and even approaches Lilligant slowly. They stare at each other for a few seconds. The Noble Pokémon looks at the couple, then back at the boy. Arezu approaches the kid and places her hands on his shoulders. "Did you like Lilligant's dancing ?" she asks him tenderly. He nods slowly, still amazed by the performance. The Pokémon makes a pleased sound. A few seconds later, Arezu gestures Colza to come closer as she looks at the Noble Pokémon. "Lilligant... As promised, I wouldn't leave before introducing you to my family. This won't be goodbye forever... I'll come back from time to time so we can dance together again. But for now... T-Thank you. Thank you for everything, Milady. Be good with Medi, okay ? I'll miss you... My f-friend", the ex-warden tells Lilligant, holding back her tears. The Pokémon makes a soft sound and gently pats Arezu's head with her leaf arm, making the latter chuckle a bit. The family bows down to Lilligant before parting ways and, seeing his mother's small tears, Bocha asks her to carry him so he can hug her and make her feel better. She thanks him and kisses him on the forehead. Colza takes Arezu's free hand while Purugly runs alongside of the family and together, they walk back in Jubilife Village, settling down for good.
