Leafeon &Co. Explore Hoenn

[yip9]

Aster the Leafeon read legends of the great and fascinating wonders of the Hoenn region in books and she loved to hear her trainer's tales of his exploits there. The little girl of a Leafeon yearned to visit the place and see for herself, but she couldn't go alone. She was the sort of Pokemon that flourished in the company of friends. Plus, all sightseeing trips were better if you had a guide. So she asked her friend Ellsia the Lapras to scrawl a fine message and post it on the community bulletin board:

Let's take a journey through Hoenn together. A Leafeon who will add sunshine to your day and a Lapras who will transport you across the watery region are looking for traveling companions. A special bonus of items will be paid to a competent guide. Please contact Aster at

Twinkle Star clan
Eon nobility
Local nest 9001 Pikameters north-east of the center of the Pokemon world

Aster was the optimistic sort, but figured she would have to wait a while. Imagine her surprise when just two days later the Leafeon saw an Espeon and a Glameow outside her window. She immediately ran out the door to meet them.

'Hi, I'm Aster! It's so nice to meet you,' she greeted them. 'You're here to pick me up for a journey through Hoenn, right?'

 

[SkittishHeart]

"Paws, would you hurry up? Our, uhh, client is waiting!" Sunset, an adolescent Espeon, yelled at the young Glameow who was busy cleaning her body. They've been partners for as long as she can remember, but nothing has changed with the other feline -- still selfish and, well, sometimes just downright annoying. Following what seemed like hours, Paws finally stopped with polishing herself.

"There, I'm done." She stood up and shook her body without messing up the fur. "Happy?" Paws respects Sunset a lot; she even looks up to her, as the Espeon is smart and a skilled battler. Then again, she can be rather bossy, especially when it comes to missions.

"Whatever." The lavender feline rolled her eyes. "Let's just go. Aster, if I remember correctly, is the one we'll be escorting to the Hoenn region. She's a Leafeon." After making sure her friend was ready, she put the necessary things into her small bag before using Psychic to place it on her back, with the two straps around her forelegs, just like how a human looks like with a backpack.

It's been two days since they saw the request on that bulletin board; taking it sounded quite hard, as they've never explored a whole region before. Sunset was unsure about it, while Paws eagerly semi-forced her to accept it, saying that it's going to be fun. The Espeon wasn't sure if the Glameow was really after having a good time, or the reward. But she pondered whether they'd help out or not, eventually choosing the former. So now here they were, walking towards the Leafeon's place. It didn't take too long until they arrived. As a sign of respect, they knocked at the door then sat patiently in front of it, waiting for the Grass-type Eeveelution. Soon enough, the Leafeon came out of the door.

"Hi, I'm Aster! It's so nice to meet you. You're here to pick me up for a journey through Hoenn, right?"

"Good day, ma'am," Sunset uttered with a smile. "My name is Sunset. Yes, my partner and I are here to be your guide to the Hoenn region."

"Hello! I'm Paws!" the Glameow cheered as soon as her Espeon comrade finished. "Nice to meet you, miss Aster!" She grinned childishly.

 

[yip9]

'Yay!' cheered Aster. 'Let's leave at once. I'm all packed, not that there was much to pack.' Aster mentally double-checked the stuff she was bringing: a wreath of Lum Berries to cure status problems, a link for the Aquaradar that her Vaporeon mommy would use to contact her once in a while, and a rather undetailed map. Aster figured her guides would have much better equipment, but it always helped to have a back-up in case of emergency. She didn't see the need to bring berries other than the rare Lum because according to the storybooks Hoenn was full of berry bushes. One could find them on every other route. By similar logic, Aster didn't bring food because as a Leafeon she replenished her energy by photosynthesis. That was everything, except- 'Oh, please wait, I have to call Ellsia. She's the advertised Lapras.'

Ellsia was Surfing on Cloud Lake, her favorite body of water near the Twinkle Star clan's residence. She was responsible for carrying Aster's parcel and her personal supply of canned Magikarp and dried berries. Unlike her friend the Leafeon, the Lapras couldn't live on absorbed sunlight, thus she needed a stock of food in storage until their party found a reliable source of sustenance. Ellsia was a little troubled because she knew there was something very important to bring. She puzzled and puzzled until her puzzler was sore, but she simply couldn't recall it. When she heard the local Chimecho's wind chime signalling her that Aster was ready to leave with her traveling companions, she closed her eyes and showed an open-mouthed smile. 'This is going to be a great trip. I can tell already. Our teammates will have whatever it is I need but can't remember to bring.' The Lapras sprang out of the water and landed at Aster's doorstep, a Pikameter away from her guides.

'Yay, Ellsia's here,' yipped Aster. 'My guides, this is the nice free sea transport Pokemon; she's called Ellsia. Ellsia, this Espeon is Sunset and this Glameow is Paws. I think they're professional guides and they'll take us through the Hoenn region.'

Ellsia bowed her long neck to Sunset and again to Paws, then gave them an open-mouthed smile. 'Nice to meet you,' she said.

'Please take good care of us,' said a beaming Aster. 'We're off to see the wizard! Please lead the way.'

 

[SkittishHeart]

As Sunset eagerly waited for Aster to finish everything she had to do, she imagined what it would be like in the Hoenn region; they'd most probably make friends with other Pokemon, but coming across a bad guy also seemed very likely. When that happens, they have to make sure to protect their client at all cost; dying is out of the question, though, since she didn't want to leave Aster in a foreign place. Then again, she could easily teleport them away to safety if need be. She would've gone further with her thoughts if only Paws hadn't suddenly pounced on her tail. Normally, she'd bellow something like, "Ow!" and then scold the Glameow; this time, however, Sunset mentally shouted the word and let her be, not wanting to be rude in front of the fellow Eeveelution. Once we return home, she'll definitely get a sermon from me. That is, if she remembers it by then. Paws, who seemed like she read the Espeon's mind, felt shivers down her spine. She knew what it meant -- Sunset's rather... irritated. There was no one to blame but herself for it, but the swishing forked tail of the Espeon was so tempting that she had surrendered to her playful instinct. She whispered a sorry to the slightly-older Pokemon, hoping she'd accept the apology. Sunset didn't give an answer and it was because she didn't hear it, though Paws thought otherwise.

Meeting the Lapras lightened up the mood, though, and Paws was thankful for that.

"Nice to meet you, too!" she cheered after Sunset smiled and nodded at Ellsia. "Shall we-"

"-move along, everyone?" Sunset finished for Paws before smirking at the younger Pokemon. "I'm ready to take the trip!" She started to get going.

 

[yip9]

Aster giggled at watching Paws play with with Sunset's tail. Aster didn't notice Sunset's displeasure and Paws' quiet remorse. The little Leafeon happily skipped after her Espeon guide. Ellsia's usual method of travel was very convenient for herself. She would summon a thin layer of water and Surf atop it, similar to how a hovercraft moves on a thin layer of air. Aster had hung out with Ellsia long enough that she was used to this bit of water underfoot, but Ellsia wasn't sure how the two new feline Pokemon would react to it. So she started to waddle along and asked, 'Sunset, Paws, do you two mind a little water by your paws as we travel? While we travel on land, it's much more convenient for me to skim along a thin current of water than to flap my flippers and hop along behind you.'

Aster smiled upon hearing her friend's request. She wondered how another Eeveelution and a Catty Pokemon would like a tad of water passing by their paws whenever their party traveled on land. 'Please be honest,' Aster exhorted her guides. 'We don't want to cause you discomfort. Ellsia's really flexible. Right, Ellsia?'

Ellsia nodded her assent and beamed her favorite open-mouthed smile, relishing the compliment. Honestly, though, Aster was right. Ellsia didn't mind the extra exercise. It would help her work off the calories from a lifestyle of constant grazing on fish, berries, and any other tasty treats at hand.

 

[SkittishHeart]

((Sorry for the late post; I went to different places yesterday and got home by 1:30 in the morning.))

What in the world was that? Paws asked in her head, looking a little stunned after Sunset's smirk. If she remembers correctly, the Espeon hadn't really given her that kind of smug smile. Something must be up. But the concern was quickly replaced by excitement when the Lapras indirectly said they'd be surfing on land. The gray feline-like Pokemon has always loved playing with water; whenever she sees a large-enough body of that liquid, there's, like, a ninety-five percent for her to run towards it, jump, and then pull off a cannonball style of diving. The only time she'd resist swimming is when the weather's cold. "I absolutely don't!" she cheerfully declared with a childlike grin, twirling her swirly tail to make it appear similar to a dancing ribbon. "Oh, oh! Can I take a dip on the wave that you'll be sending out? Is that possible?" The Glameow was practically jumping up and down from exhilaration when she was inquiring, stopping just when she noticed Sunset's quietness. Paws gave her friend a gentle tap on the shoulder before whispering, "Hey, is something wrong?"

"You know how I am with water..." the Espeon answered in a low voice, audible enough for merely the two of them. "I can't swim, plus a fish Pokemon may come out of it..." The thought of a certain incident in the past made her quiver. Not wanting to keep Aster and Ellsia waiting, though, she turned to them. "I'm sorry, but unlike my companion, I'm not very fond of surfing or anything that has to do with water... Well, except drinking, yet that's not the point." She briefly bowed her head apologetically. "However, I can use Psychic to levitate myself above you guys. Or I can just walk. Don't worry about me; I'll be able to keep a close gap between me and Ms. Ellsia." Sunset offered a small, bright smile.

 

[yip9]

(Don't sweat it. I usually only reply once a day. Please understand if I miss a day once in a while too.)

Ellsia burst out laughing on hearing Paws' excited reply and observing Paws' reaction to her request. The idea of a Catty Pokemon who likes to play with water amused her. 'Sure, I can make the layer of water thick enough to swim in,' the Lapras offered. 'It's simple to restrain the width of the wave so you don't have to walk too far apart from me,' she added for Sunset's benefit.

'I can swim okay, but it gets tiring,' commented Aster, 'so I'll take turns riding on Ellsia's shell and walking beside Ms. Sunset.' Being a daughter of the Eon nobility, Aster picked up on the difference between Paws' childish style and Sunset's more restrained demeanor and decided the Espeon should be addressed as an elder while the Glameow could be treated like an equal. Nevertheless, Aster took after her father, a commoner who had married into the Eon nobility, so she had a tendency to slip up and treat her betters as her pals. It would be interesting to see how her guides would react to this.

If Aster's guides were familiar with Hoenn, they would have noticed that the party was now on Route 101 between Littleroot Town and Oldale Town. Three Poochyena and an Aron ran up to meet them. 'Welcome to Hoenn,' a Poochyena greeted them.
'We're the Hoenn Welcoming Committee,' a second Poochyena informed them.
'This shouldn't be too hard,' a third Poochyena commented.
'If you're the professional guides you claim to be, your victory is assured. If you can't even beat us, we recommend you go home,' the Aron, a bit more long-winded than his wolfy pals, encouraged the visitors to Hoenn. The Poochyena charged them, sniffers at the ready, breath bated, and teeth bare. The Aron looped around and arranged things so the newcomers to Hoenn were surrounded on four sides.

 

[SkittishHeart]

(Thank you. Yes, no worries about that.)

The Espeon and the Glameow had no idea regarding which of them or what was being laughed at; the latter just tilted her head to the right while the former blushed a little, feeling rather embarrassed. Sunset really wished to know why Aster was cackling, but decided to live with the question forever. As for Paws, her mind already got attracted by the Lapras' wonderful answer to her query. The younger feline was, unsurprisingly, overjoyed with the fact that she can travel through the wave; and her swimming alongside Ellsia would be a fun experience.

"This is so going to be fuuun~!" Paws cried enthusiastically, patiently waiting for the Lapras to make the water current. "Thank you, Miss Ellsia!" The sides of her lips seem to have been glued upwards; they won't return to their original position.

"I, too, thank you, ma'am, for being so considerate." Sunset smiled shortly yet sweetly at Ellsia before shifting her attention to Aster, who just called her 'Miss.' "Um..." she started, wanting to tell the Leafeon to not address her with it. She doesn't look that old, does she? Even Paws goes by merely her name without any sort of honorifics. "I don't want to be rude or anything, but... please don't entitle me with 'Miss'; Sunset is enough for me." Feeling another blush on her cheeks, she bowed down once more.

---

The journey to the Hoenn region was quite tiring yet so memorable and filled with happiness; Paws eventually became somewhat weary of swimming, so she took the rest of the trip on Ellsia's back, napping. Sunset, on the other hand, pushed herself to continue walking just so she could avoid the water. Of course they went on breaks, but the long travel made her paws sore.

And to be challenged by random Poochyena plus Aron was not a good welcome, nor did it help Sunset feel better.

The Sun Pokemon got into a fighting stance. "Aster, Ellsia... Paws and I will protect you. Please stay behind us." She nodded at her Glameow friend, who immediately jumped down and positioned herself beside the Espeon.

"Some welcoming this is," Paws said in a tone that wasn't childish nor happy as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Guys, if you know what's best for you, leave us alone; we're all exhausted. Exhaustion plus this equals a very angry Sunset." Paws showed her sharp claws, ready for battle in case the enemies attack.

 

[yip9]

Sadly for the Poochyena, Paws' words were too late. The poochies were already in the middle of their charge when Sunset and Paws spoke. They didn't fear the Espeon because of their dark immunity to psychic. Ellsia waddled in between her guides who were now her protectors. Aster hopped atop Ellsia's shell and cheered, 'Go Sunset! Go Paws! Show those wolfies how much we belong in Hoenn!' In her vibrant encouragement, Aster accidentally used Helping Hand on Paws, boosting the power of the Glameow's next attack move. Two of the Poochyena attempted to show off their classification as Bite Pokemon by trying to Bite Sunset, while the third risked a good Tackle and the Aron pounded away with Headbutt.

 

[SkittishHeart]

"Wrong move, little fools."

For a moment there, Paws saw a nasty smirk on Sunset's face; this made her quite scared, but she decided to focus on battling one of the Poochyena and the Aron. The Espeon, who easily dodged the Bite attack of the Pooches, slammed her tail into one of them before sending out stars from her mouth. Without giving the other the chance to retaliate, she made the red gem on her head glow with a white hue then fired a rainbow-colored beam at it. Being a Bug-type move, the Signal Beam is sure to induce a hell of pain for the small wolf-like creature. After her assaults, she sat down, waiting if they'd still fight with her. "Let's see. I may be a Psychic Pokemon, but that doesn't mean I can't have moves under other types." She licked one of her fore-paws, swishing her tail tauntingly.

The Glameow, subsequent to having Helping Hand used on her, felt somewhat stronger; she was going to use Hone Claws, but she didn't want to waste the power that Miss Aster gave her. I'll be thanking her later. Her claws then began to shine with a white glow as they grew longer and sharper. While she sacrificed to be hit by the Poochyena, Paws stopped the Aron from Headbutting her with the use of Fury Swipes; she scratched the face of the Iron Armor Pokemon countless times. Knowing it wouldn't be enough to defeat it, the gray feline dug underground, timing when she'll strike.

 

[yip9]

'My stars,' breathed Aster in awe. 'Sunset is incredible. How in Shaymin's name did she dodge two attacks plus use three moves in one turn? Sunset used Swift, Signal Beam, and what could be Tail Whip or Iron Tail. Not even Sabrina can do that.' Sabrina, who was Aster's friend and ally, was a Vulpix with a reputation as an incredibly cheap fighter, although in reality she didn't break the rules, but rather fought intelligently. For example, once when battling a Flareon and a Pikachu, Sabrina spun around to dissipate the Pikachu's Thunderbolt, then dropped the Flareon with Return.

'Paws is pretty reliable too,' judged Ellsia with her trademark open-mouthed smile. 'Just look at her swipe away at that poor silvery Pokemon. They really don't know what's good for them. It looks like Paws is about to strike with Dig next.'

'Egad!' barked the receiver of Sunset's tail and star attacks.
'They're tough,' added the Signal Beamed poochy, whimpering a little in discomfort.
'Nice job, newcomers,' said the scratched-up Aron approvingly. 'Move out, boys.'
'Welcome to Hoenn!' yelled the final member of the Hoenn Welcoming Committee as the foursome took flight, using their Run Away to get away while the getting was good.

'Yay, we win!' yipped Aster. 'Sunset and Paws, you two are amazing. You really know how to win Pokemon matches. It was four versus two and you had the added burden of guarding us and you still kicked their sorry tails. You're stellar guides. In your paws, this will be a safe and fun adventure,' Aster said confidently.

'Thank you so much,' said Ellsia with a smile, dipping her long Lapras neck in a bow to Sunset. She didn't bow to Paws because the Glameow was still underground. 'You can come out now, Paws,' she said with a giggle. Ellsia looked forward to a full meal and a nice long rest after the exhausting journey to Hoenn and she suspected her guides felt the same.

 

[SkittishHeart]

Sunset managed to hear Aster's compliment -- at least to her it was. Seeing that the group of Basic Pokemon are still recovering from the attacks lashed out on them, she turned to the Leafeon, stood up on her hind legs, and then bowed similar to how a gentleman would. "Thank you for that, Miss Aster." The tone of her voice sounded so formal and almost devilish that it didn't seem like it came from her at all. "It was no sweat." She smiled smugly. "Of course, it's all about great reflexes, amazing speed, and the mind to outsmart foolish Pokemon." The Espeon then pointed at the "welcoming committee". "Just like those cowards." With a final smirk, her body softened up like jelly then she lied on her stomach with her legs sprawled lazily. Subsequently, a growl was heard. "Excuse me about that, my clients. The battle took a lot from me... Oh, and, thank you for the wonderful words, madams. I'm pretty sure the other kitty heard you, too, so expect a number of 'thank you's from her." She smiled weakly. PAAAWWSS... FEED MEEE.

Paws' ears, too, caught the positive comment of the Lapras. She blushed at it, as she doesn't receive praises that much, probably because her specie has the reputation to be conceited. This Glameow knows she's nowhere near that and wishes for everyone to be aware of it, yet she decided to simply stay quiet -- they would have to see it for their selves. The commotion above the ground snapped her back to reality, and the thought of those Poochyena and Aron fleeing made her chuckle a bit. "Sunset must have really given them a good beating." Then suddenly, the cheerful mood disappeared. Speaking of which, I wonder if she turned into her demonic side again... That Espeon... she really needs to know how to keep her cool. The moment the Lapras told her to come out, Paws had already emerged from the hole. The first thing she noticed was her friend. It appears that she didn't fully succumb to the darkness. She sighed in relief before looking at the Leafeon and the Lapras, who both appeared unharmed. "I'm glad we managed to protect you two." She grinned childishly. "And I must thank you for the things you said about us; they gave me a warm feeling. I'm happy that you're comfortable with us. Thank you once again." Paws sauntered towards Sunset, straightened out her tail and picked up the Espeon with it prior to looping it around her. "Oh, um, I should tell you guys that this isn't hurting Sunset; I usually do this whenever she gets too weary to even walk. We're used to it." She offered a polite smile. "Shall we head to the nearest Pokemon Center or house that would let us rest as well as give us food, now?"

"Yes, Paws," the Sun Pokemon butted in, acting like they were the only ones in the area, "we should be going now... I sho hungwy..."

"Such a moody feline. I apologize for this." The lavender cat-resembling creature was currently being embarrassing right now that it's making the Catty Pokemon blush so hard.

 

[yip9]

Aster giggled cutely, amused at the thought of the incredible Sunset addressing her as 'miss' and 'madam' when Sunset herself requested not to be addressed with a title. It was as if the Espeon knew that the Leafeon were the heiress of a clan of Eon nobility. Aster thought her mommy's formality was stuffy and so couldn't help giggling at another Eon's version of it. It was pretty impressive that Sunset could stand up on her hind legs and bow. Aster's daddy could do that because as a Jolteon his legs were strong enough for Double Kick, but no other Eevee family members she knew could. With her great reflexes, amazing speed, and sharp mind, Sunset would surely be the perfect guardian during their travels. Aster wasn't sure if the Hoenn Welcoming Committee were foolish cowards. Her tutors had taught her it was wise to fight and run away so one could live to fight another day. Aster liked the thought of being tested to see whether they would be safe against the basic wild Pokemon of Hoenn and she was pleased with the result. Her guides had passed with flying colors, just like a Ho-oh was said to look. It was similarly cute and funny that the Espeon referred to herself and the Glameow as kitties.

Aster's look changed to one of worry when she saw Sunset virtually collapse on the ground. Sunset was powerful, but apparently she wasn't invincible. All cows eat grass. That was a definite advantage to being a Leafeon. 'Yup,' Aster answered Paws when the Glameow emerged from beneath. 'We're fine and dandy. You're welcome. It's fun being with you two. Even Ellsia likes it.' Aster was awed once more. These guides of hers just kept getting bigger in her eyes. First it was Sunset's incredible battle prowess and now Paws had a tail as strong and flexible as an Ivysaur's vine. 'Don't worry, most of the Pokemon I know get hungry too,' Aster continued with a giggle. 'Right, Ellsia?'

'Right,' agreed Ellsia in a low voice, her stomach growling like an Eevee trying to destroy its opponent's attack stat. 'Let's go at once. Um, you do know where the nearest hospitable place is, right?' She laughed nervously. 'Aster and I don't know anything about this area, remember?'

 

[SkittishHeart]

"Hey, Paws, why did Miss Ellsia want to find a hospital?" Sunset asked in a quiet tone with her eyes close, apparently having her mind quite in a daze due to hunger. "Did something happen?"

The other feline couldn't help but chuckle a little at the silly question. "No, Sunset; she said hospitable place -- hos-pi-ta-ble," she answered in a whisper. "Now get some rest; I'll be looking for somewhere we could get food from."

Sunset didn't reply anymore; she immediately drifted off to slumber land as soon as she realized everybody's okay. This gave Paws the chance to answer the Lapras' query. "Um, honestly, Sunset and I have no idea about the geography of this place, yet don't be alarmed; this Espeon taught as well as trained me to search for food by trusting my nose and such." When she said that out loud, it made her think that she's like a dog in some way. That doesn't matter to her, though, because she really just wants to be of help to everyone. "Truth be told, I didn't even want to learn that stuff, but now I'm grateful to her." The Glameow turned to their clients and flashed a cheery smile before walking. "Without further ado, let's go." And then she marched off.

Paws may not be aware of where they exactly were, but she continued to walk, taking the lead and making sure they wouldn't get lost. A number of patches of grass can be seen in almost every spot in the area; she knew some Pokemon were hiding in them. She did see a few raccoon-like Pokemon, however, with brown and white bristled fur -- the colors alternating, making the coat have some sort of a zigzag pattern. The Glameow was simply amazed by the uniqueness of this creature. I wonder what their specie is, she thought. Well, I guess I'll know someday. Following where her nose would take her, Paws eventually arrived in a small town. There weren't a lot of houses, yet there was a Pokemon Center on the other side. "Miss Aster, Miss Ellsia, see that tall building with a red roof? It may not be apparent from the angle we're viewing, but there's also a Pokeball on the top center of that structure. Oh, um, anyway, I'm sure you know it's a Pokemon Center, so I really... shouldn't... be... saying... this..." The sudden realization made her feel somewhat embarrassed, so she decided to hush up and just head to the place where she knows they'd get good food and maybe even a Poke-bed to sleep on.

 

[yip9]

Aster unsuccessfully tried to hide her disappointment upon hearing Paws' reply. Aster thought her peerless guides would have travelled Hoenn before or if this were their first trip they would have at least done some research and brought a detailed map. Aster supposed if they got lost her rough map would only provide minimal help. It showed that about half of Hoenn's area was sea and a few major landmarks such as mountains and rivers were indicated. Aster decided to keep her hopes up. All the Pokemon here would certainly be as nice as the Hoenn Welcoming Committee and the humans would surely be as nice as her trainer. They would be glad to direct her and her companions to the next berry bush or the nearest town. 'Thank you, Paws,' Aster said with a bright smile in return, as she hopped on Ellsia's shell and they hover-Surfed following the Espeon-toting Glameow. Aster noticed the new zigzag-patterned Pokemon too and wondered if they would be fun to play with. 'That's a very nice red-roofed building,' Aster said on hearing Paws' point out the place once they arrived in town. 'It looks like home.'

'Welcome to the Pokemon Center,' the cheery voice of a pink-haired lady in a nurse's outfit greeted them. 'Oh? Pokemon without a trainer?' she said in slight surprise. 'It is brave of you to come here. Let me see, you don't seem to be injured.' The nurse took a closer look at Sunset. 'Even your Espeon looks just fine, although exhausted. A good night's rest should be the proper treatment. Here, please feast on this grade A Pokefeed before you turn in.' The nurse led them to a room with four Poke-beds and laid out a meal suited to feline and elasmosaurus-like Pokemon. 'If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ring,' she added before leaving them to rest in relative privacy.

'Yay! Fish!' cheered Ellsia, very happy to see her portion was just what she had been craving. After a moment of happy laughter at the sight, the Lapras began to wolf down her dinner. It was nice to have something other than the chameleon's dish. One could only eat the air, promise-crammed, for so long. Ellsia briefly thought about Hoenn having Magikarp too, for she clearly recognized this as her staple protein. Most of her thoughts were concerned with stuffing her big Lapras stomach.

'I hope you girls don't mind a little sunshine to brighten the dinner,' Aster said prior to performing Sunny Day. Even though they were indoors, a warm yellow light filled the room and enabled the Leafeon to eat via photosynthesis. 'Don't worry, the sunlight will fade by the time we're ready for bed,' she added.

 

[SkittishHeart]

"It's no problem, mademoiselle," Paws answered cheerfully while still walking, hoping the little French word would amuse their clients even just a tad bit. She heard that back when she was still a lone Glameow travelling the wild streets of Sinnoh, in some café at the Resort Area. She was treated nicely by the owner there, but the customers were disgusted with her because she was in a rather messy state. That was the first time she got humiliated, so that incident never left her memory container. Ever since then, Paws tried to always look her best, especially after meeting Sunset -- who recruited her, saying she saw potential in her. Being the Espeon's apprentice wasn't very easy nor was it extremely tough, maybe somewhere in between; Sunset made Paws train for a number of hours a day so that the gray kitty would get strong as well as prepared for pretty much anything life throws at them. Being the childish one, Paws was always bored to death with the training, but she kept on doing it anyway due to her wanting to please the slightly older feline.

The embarrassing event also gave Paws a reason to not trust every human she sees, but the nice lady she came to know as Nurse Joy was an exception. The first time she met her, the Glameow knew this person can be reliable. She found it weird, though, when the nurse didn't ask her to lay Sunset down on the floor or somewhere comfortable for the Espeon before checking her health and such. Well, she would have done it even without command, actually; she just didn't expect the checkup to be that early. Then again, she wouldn't complain about anything; Joy made sure her friend was okay. That was enough for her.

As soon as they entered the room given to them, Paws released the sleeping Espeon from the grasp of her tail. After a split second, Sunset's eyes popped open then she went over to a food bowl that no one has claimed yet and started gobbling her meal. The Glameow simply smiled at her buddy and nodded politely at the Leafeon before eating her own food.

 

[yip9]

Aster yawned as the sunlight faded. Self-sufficiency was yummy. What wonders and surprises awaited them on the next day? She couldn't wait to find out. If you want tomorrow to come, the best way to speed it is to sleep for the night. 'Good night, mademoiselle,' Aster said to her friends, giggling at the fun of copying Paws' French. The Leafeon yawned again, curled up on a fluffy Poke-bed, and drifted off to dreamland.

It seemed to Ellsia that Aster was always giggling about something. That was part of what made her such a nice friend. It's great to spread cheer in a world that often lacks it. 'That really was good fish,' said Ellsia with an open-mouthed smile. 'I hope you two enjoyed your meals too. Thanks for bringing us here. You really have a nose for delicious edibles. I hope you don't mind if I swim to Never-never Land. That's my term for the voyage of dreams. You'll never have to grow up there. Good night, ladies.' Ellsia hopped atop a Pokemon-suited water bed and patronized Mr. Sandman.

Mid-morning the next day, once they had all woken up and eaten breakfast, Aster got a bright idea. 'Please come with me, everyone,' she requested, taking the lead and hoping the others would follow. Ellsia followed her outside and found her pointing at a sign. 'It says we're in Oldale Town, where things start off scarce,' Aster announced. 'That means there's probably little to harm us,' she concluded with her characteristic optimism. 'Weak Pokemon and trainers added to helpful guides at the beginning should be the order of the day, just like in Sinnoh's Sandgem. I forget if Sandgem is a town or city, but there everyone's green: young and new.' Aster started giggling out of nowhere and Ellsia wondered if the wind were getting to her leaves. 'Does it really matter if we don't know where we're going? We don't have a goal here, we just want to explore Hoenn and get the full experience. Eekay eekay go go jump!' Aster yipped, doing a victory dance.

 

[SkittishHeart]

For both Sunset and Paws, nothing could ever be better than homemade Poke-food; they've been living on whatever berries they'd find in the wild and the snacks that some Trainers gave them. They could just stay at the Pokemon Center for the rest of their lives, but they're adventurers; settling on one place is not their thing. Now that they have other companions, though, they have to make sure they're well fed, so Sunset brought some of the juiciest berries in Sinnoh, in case Aster or Ellsia becomes hungry. Although they know the former can feed from sunlight, it's still a must for them to pack extra food... actually, only the Espeon did that, since the Glameow was never used to bringing anything -- she depended on the Sun Pokemon.

After chowing time, Sunset reverted to her usual self: serious, alert, mature. She wanted to ask Paws what happened before she fell asleep because she can hardly remember anything, but the gray kitty was already dozing off; carrying a Pokemon heavier than her took a lot of effort and energy. They did manage to catch their clients' "Good night," and they offered their own. Now that she's the remaining Pokemon awake in their room, she decided to guard everyone for a while. Eventually, she followed Paws to the world of sleep.

--

"Sunset, Sunset, wake up! It's SUNRISE!" The last thing Sunset wished to hear early in the morning is the old joke of her Glameow friend. She can't even recall the first time Paws cracked that stupid punch line.

Groaning, the Espeon got up and yawned. "I'm up now, okay? And would you stop using that... ugh. Never mind." She turned her attention to the Leafeon and the Lapras, who were already awake as well. "Good morning, madams. I do hope you slept well last night." She smiled.

Breakfast seemed to come and go fast, as the next thing they know, they were already outside of the Pokemon Center.

Oldale Town, huh? Sounds like the 'ale' part was merely added to hide the town's oldness. Paws chuckled at her own silly thought. Although she had no idea about what Aster said after she read the written words on the sign, she intently listened, knowing that if she didn't, it would be truly disrespectful.

"All right, then, Miss Aster," Sunset started when the Leafeon finished with her decision, amused at her fellow Eeveelution's enthusiasm and actually wondering what 'eekay' means, "ready to go now?" She also looked at the Lapras to see if their clients were in an agreement.

 

[yip9]

'Just a moment,' said Aster hurriedly, and she ran off. Oldale really was a small town and it just took her two minutes to run around it and loop back to the town's sign where her companions were waiting. Aster was an active little leafy girl. In addition to her Pokemon training she took a gymnastics class in Veeschool, a school for youngsters of Eevee &Co. As a result of this she had no need to gasp for breath when informing her friends, 'We can go North or West to new places or back South from where we came to see if there's anything interesting there. The East is completely blocked by trees. There simply isn't a route to be seen to the East. So let's go!' Aster noticed Sunset looking at Ellsia for confirmation. 'We should leave now and it's best to follow our guides wherever they lead us. Right, Ellsia?'

'Right!' agreed the Lapras enthusiastically. 'Paws, would you please use your sniffer to make your best guess at which route has the tastiest berries?'

Aster burst out laughing in a wild crazy laugh. 'You're always looking for something to eat, Ellsia. We just had breakfast, remember?' It didn't even occur to the kind-hearted Leafeon to make a jab about the Transport Pokemon's weight and big belly.

'It would just be a light snack,' said the Lapras. 'Besides, we need to refill my storage sack. At least half of the dried berries I brought from home have been eaten.' Something occurred to Ellsia and she continued, 'But to refill a storage sack we'd have to harvest most berries we came across. Let's just eat a few to taste and leave the rest for Pokemon who need them.'

'Any direction is fine to start with, so let's go with your suggestion,' Aster agreed. 'Please lead the way, Paws.' The Verdant Pokemon started to skip circles around her watery friend while waiting for her kitty friend to sniff out the sweet scent of Hoenn berries.

 

[SkittishHeart]

Sunset and Paws watched the Leafeon saunter around the whole area without even breaking a sweat. The Glameow was even more amazed because she thought no one would be as energetic as her -- actually, Aster seemed more lively than she is. The Espeon, on the other hand, was simply glad she wasn't a trouble-maker like Paws... not that she's really complaining with the gray kitty's childish behavior; it, in fact, entertains her... sometimes. Yeah, just sometimes, Sunset repeated in her head. She was going to suggest 'West' to Aster because she herself can catch a faint scent of yummy berries from there, but decided to not speak after hearing the Lapras' request -- which was somewhat odd to her. How in the world did they know about Paws' sniffing ability? Something really did happen when I was practically knocked out. I'll ask that little Glameow later; right now, I want to see if she has mastered what I taught her. Sunset looked at her companion with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Aww, I wanted to go South to discover the raccoony's specie. Clients come first, though, and we'll probably encounter those Pokemon again in another route. Paws shook her head to get the thoughts out of her mind; she needs to focus on guiding the Leafeon along with the Lapras. "Sure thing, Madams!" She then stood on all fours, ready to do her job. "Excuse me for a while." The Glameow smiled politely before she let her snout touch the ground, and then she started moving towards North. After a few minutes, she headed to the part that was leading to the west. It took her a tad longer there, since her nose picked up the aroma of her most favored berry, tempting her to immediately move on. Resisting successfully, she sprinted back to the rest of the group. "Information on the berries complete, Miss Aster and Miss Ellsia," she began excitedly. "Somewhere in the north lie two different berries: Leppa and Cheri. The former is anything but dry, while the latter is simply spicy. Another two distinct berries are located in the western area. These are Pecha, which is very sweet as well as my personal favorite; and Oran -- the berry that is said to help heal wounds or something. Moreover, it has the combination of all flavors: spicy, dry, sour, bitter, aaaand sweet." Paws finally ceased talking then went on to try catching her breath. She rarely speaks... informatively long, so she was still getting used to it. But anyway, she was utterly thankful that she recognized the food she smelled, or else she wouldn't have anything to say about them.