Ace and Ralts turned around, only to discover that a little girl, who looked to be five or six years old, had appeared behind them.
The girl wore overalls with her hands in the front pockets. She looked at Ace and Ralts, giving them a sly smile. "Big brother, it looks like you're looking for the legendary Shaymin."
"Why do you say that?" Ace asked, a smile on his face.
"Because you're not the first people to come looking for Gracidea flowers." The little girl explained, "There was another group who came looking for the flowers, too. I secretly overheard them talking about a Pokémon called Shaymin. And now it looks like you want to pick Gracidea flowers as well, which means you must also be looking for Shaymin."
Ace paused for a moment and then instantly thought of Yanase, the person he had bumped into earlier. From what the little girl said, Yanase's group must have been targeting Shaymin, likely hoping to find the lost Rayquaza.
"Big brother, you haven't answered me yet. Are you looking for Shaymin too?" The little girl asked, her eyes occasionally glancing at Ralts.
Ace noticed this and understood the girl's little plan.
"Yes, I am looking for Shaymin," Ace said, crouching down to look her directly in the eye. "One of my Pokémon is sick and only Shaymin can cure it. Do you know where Shaymin is? If you tell me where to find it, I'll do anything for you!"
Looking at Ace's sincere gaze, the little girl was taken aback for a moment. She instinctively looked away before speaking. "I can tell you where to find Shaymin, but I have a condition."
"What is it?" Ace pressed on. "As long as it can cure my Pokémon, I promise I'll do it!"
"Really?!" The little girl's face lit up with an excited smile. She quickly said, "It shouldn't be a difficult condition for a big brother like you."
Ace nodded, gesturing for her to continue.
"I want you to help me catch a Pokémon. Can you do that?" The little girl glanced at Ralts again, a hint of envy in her eyes.
Just as I thought...Ace sighed silently. The little girl's condition was exactly what he had expected.
Obtaining a starter Pokémon was incredibly difficult for ordinary families. The girl's frequent glances at Ralts weren't because she wanted Ralts itself; she was simply envious that Ace had a Pokémon of his own and was able to be a trainer.
"I accept your condition. But..." Ace held up one finger. "You are not allowed to deceive me, and I must find Shaymin. If I don't find Shaymin, then I will take the Pokémon back. How does that sound?"
The little girl considered Ace's words for a moment before nodding. "Okay. But I don't know the exact day Shaymin will come. I can only tell you the general time and the place where it has appeared before."
"It's a deal!" Ace nodded. From her words, it was clear that the little girl had genuinely seen Shaymin. She just hadn't known its name before and had only confirmed its identity after hearing the other people's description.
After making the deal, Ace learned the little girl's name.
Her name was Xiao Xun, and she was the daughter of a local flower farmer. In her free time, besides taking care of the flowers, her favorite thing to do was to play in the Flower Garden.
As for Shaymin, Xiao Xun had only seen it twice, both times around the same time of year, one year apart. As Ace had guessed, Xiao Xun didn't know what kind of Pokémon Shaymin was at first. She only learned about its existence when she overheard the purpose of Yanase's group.
Xiao Xun had actually offered the same deal to Yanase's group. However, the researchers hadn't believed her and had simply ignored her. Xiao Xun didn't give up. Instead, she came to the Gracidea flowers every day, hoping to meet someone else looking for Shaymin to propose her deal again.
Evidently, Xiao Xun's wait was over. Ace was willing to make the trade and help her catch her very first Pokémon.
"This is it!" Xiao Xun led Ace to the edge of a forest, pointing at a tree. "That guy lives in the tree hollow on that tree. I wanted to catch it, but I couldn't..."
Ace followed her gaze. He saw a large tree with a massive hollow in its trunk. As if sensing someone was approaching, a small white head peeked out of the hollow, observing the surroundings.
"A Pachirisu." Ace immediately recognized the squirrel-like Pokémon.
"This is simple. But since this is the Pokémon you want, you should be the one to catch it." Ace handed Xiao Xun an empty Poké Ball and then sent out Victreebel, giving it a look that said, 'Listen to her for now.'
"Me?" Xiao Xun blinked, looking at the empty Poké Ball in her hand and the Victreebel in front of her. She swallowed and said, "I'll try. Vine... Vine Whip."
Victreebel gave Ace a sorrowful look. This little guy? Are you sure you want me to take care of something so weak?
But Ace gave Victreebel a pointed look, and the Pokémon reluctantly obeyed. Its long, slender vines shot out like lightning toward the Pachirisu in the tree hollow.
Pachirisu sensed the danger and bristled in alarm, quickly fleeing its home.
The next moment, the Vine Whip pierced clean through the tree hollow, leaving a hole straight through the trunk.
After escaping to the bottom of the tree, Pachirisu looked at its ruined home and became enraged. It glared fiercely at Xiao Xun and Victreebel, but then turned and ran away without a second thought. There was simply too large of a gap in power. If it didn't run now, it would be too late!
"Victreebel, don't let it get away! Use Vine Whip and grab it!" Xiao Xun yelled as she saw Pachirisu run.
Victreebel rolled its eyes and with a flick of its vines, it bound the escaping Pachirisu.
Pachirisu struggled desperately, sending out a bolt of electricity to attack Victreebel's vines, but it was no use.
Unable to struggle any longer, Pachirisu was tied up like a bundle and lifted in front of Xiao Xun.
"Hehe! That's what you get for throwing a fruit pit at me last time! Get in there!" Xiao Xun giggled at the hog-tied Pachirisu. She took out the empty Poké Ball and shoved it right in Pachirisu's face.