The Lumiose Gallery.
This was the most artistically rich sanctuary in the entire Pokémon world.
Countless masterpieces were displayed in frames or cases, presented to countless viewers from the present and future as proof of the artists' existence.
In a corridor on the first floor, Brassius from Paldea was intently admiring one of the paintings.
"So that's how it is. Just as the legends say, no matter what angle you view 'The Smile of Jynx' from, it always feels like her gaze is following you."
Brassius, whose green, starfish-like hair swayed as he bowed his head in contemplation, occasionally offered a critique.
"It perfectly captures the expressions and psychology of the Pokémon at the time, as if transcending time and space. Art truly is a magical thing."
"Don't you agree, Sudowoodo?"
"Sudowoodo!"
Beside him, Sudowoodo, also observing the painting, nodded repeatedly, clearly appreciating the masterpiece before them.
"I see. So you think the paint used must have been very special? That's certainly possible."
Brassius nodded, seemingly having no trouble communicating with his Sudowoodo.
"Then let's keep moving forward and take this opportunity to study the creative styles of other artists!"
"What a pity we can't take photos—I'd love to show Hassel these wonderful works…"
As a man who had dedicated his life to embracing nature and pursuing art as his sole passion, Brassius felt incredibly fortunate.
Not only had he found a close friend in Paldea, Hassel, with whom he could discuss artistic aesthetics, but even his Pokémon were artistic masters.
And this year, it seemed he was especially lucky.
In previous years, his long leave requests had been outright rejected by Chairman Geeta, leaving him no time to travel and forcing his artistic pursuits to stagnate.
Though understandable—Paldea was indeed short-handed at the moment—he still couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
But just at the tail end of last year, when he submitted his application again with a hopeful mindset, it miraculously got approved! Not only that, Chairman Geeta even granted him a full year of leave!
With the weight of being an 'Eight Gym' leader lifted, Brassius finally had a chance to relax.
His goal was to tour all nine regions within a year, absorb the best of various artistic styles, and reignite his creative inspiration!
With this in mind, Brassius's first stop was the Lumiose Gallery, the pinnacle of artistic achievement.
One of his sculptures was displayed here as well.
"Let It Go: Sunflora"
Though it had been a fleeting moment of inspiration, even now he doubted he could replicate its brilliance. But being able to enter the "Hall of Fame" of the art festival with this piece was enough to make Brassius proud.
However, to reach new heights, he still had to work harder.
A faint smile appeared on Brassius's lips as he and Sudowoodo continued forward.
As they rounded a corner, Brassius noticed a Sylveon walking toward him.
Just like in Paldea, the boundaries between humans and Pokémon in the Kalos region weren't rigid, so seeing a lone Sylveon in the gallery was perfectly normal.
Still, its appearance piqued Brassius's curiosity.
This Sylveon moved briskly, its ribbons wrapped around several sheets of paper. It passed by him and quickly headed upstairs.
Clearly, it was familiar with the gallery—a small critter, perhaps a critic or artist like his Sudowoodo.
And…
Because Master Smeargle had temporarily retreated to focus on creating again, the second floor of the gallery wasn't open to the public. Only those or Pokémon invited by the master could enter.
So this Sylveon must be very close to Master Smeargle—it was likely a master in its own right!
Curious, Brassius exchanged a glance with Sudowoodo, and they immediately decided their next move—
Quietly follow it! This might be a chance to witness something even more exciting!
If he could see the works of two masters in person, it would be worth the price of death itself!
…
"Veeee!"
When Sylveon reached the second floor, it looked up at the caution tape and immediately showed a confused expression.
Had Master Smeargle already left?
Should it still go in…?
Just as Sylveon hesitated, a familiar-looking elderly man happened to pass by and immediately noticed it.
"You are…?"
After pondering for a moment, the curator quickly recalled its identity.
"Ah, it's you!"
That Eevee that suddenly appeared at the gallery back then!
Though it had evolved into Sylveon, the curator still recognized it and smiled warmly.
"We owe you so much. Thanks to you, Master Smeargle picked up his brush again. On behalf of the Lumiose Gallery and all admirers of masterworks, I thank you."
"Sylvee?!! Σヽ(Д;)"
W-what did I do?
Facing the curator's bow, Sylveon looked bewildered and quickly used its free ribbon to help him up.
"If it's you, I'm sure Master Smeargle would be delighted to see you again."
The elderly man's eyes brimmed with kindness. He removed the caution tape blocking Sylveon's path and gestured for it to enter.
"The master is in the central exhibition hall, searching for inspiration. Please go ahead."
"Sylveon!"
Sylveon politely nodded to the curator, then gracefully hopped up the steps and entered the second floor of the gallery.
Watching its retreating figure, the curator smiled kindly and shuffled off in another direction.
Once he disappeared around the corner, Brassius and Sudowoodo, who had been hiding on the stairs, finally peeked out.
"That Sylveon is truly a master. Though I don't know its works, anyone treated with such high regard by the curator must be an esteemed guest of the Lumiose Gallery."
"Sudowoodo!"
Brassius's resolve grew stronger, and Sudowoodo agreed as well.
These two artistic companions now had only one thought—
Sneak in quietly. If they could learn even a little from Master Sylveon and Master Smeargle, it would be worth it!
Meanwhile, Sylveon, walking briskly into the exhibition hall, soon met its "mentor."
Master Smeargle, who resided in the Lumiose Gallery.
"Smear…?"
At that moment, the master was holding his tail as a brush, sketching vibrant lines on the canvas.
Sylveon didn't disturb him, patiently waiting nearby.
As expected of a master—the paint dripping from his tail could change colors at will.
The resulting artwork was seamless, as if born naturally.
Soon, the simple coloring was complete, and Smeargle put down his tail, snapping out of his artistic trance.
Then, turning his head, he saw Sylveon gazing at him expectantly.
"Smear?"
Smeargle was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized.
So it was that Eevee that accidentally wandered into his creative space two months ago?
It had already evolved…
Gazing at the four ribbons sprouting from Sylveon's head and neck bows, Smeargle couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
Compared to the Eevee from before, its current form was clearly better suited for creation. The coordination of its four ribbons might not be inferior to his own tail, which was naturally suited for painting!
At the same time, he quickly noticed the thin sheets of paper wrapped in Sylveon's ribbons.
"Vee!"
Master, master! I've drawn a few pieces recently that I think are pretty good!
Sylveon let out a sharp cry, seemingly inviting Master Smeargle to critique its work.
"Smear?"
Smeargle was momentarily stunned, then reached out to take the papers handed to him by Sylveon's ribbons.
Though teaching Eevee to sketch had been unintentional, it seemed this Sylveon had remembered it all along.
In a sense, he could consider himself its guide on the artistic path.
Thinking this, Smeargle's gaze softened.
Though Sylveon might not know, it was precisely after encountering the pure-hearted Eevee that he regained the desire to paint.
Now, thanks to Sylveon, he could once again stand at the forefront of the art world, surpassing even his former self.
If that was the case, then as its teacher, he would offer a professional critique as a token of gratitude!
Having made his decision, Smeargle quickly turned his attention to the two works painted by Sylveon.
Then, he froze.
It wasn't that Sylveon's talent for painting was extraordinary—after all, as a master, Smeargle had seen no shortage of geniuses in the art world.
Sylveon's paintings were in a simple, realistic style. While it was clear it loved painting, bluntly speaking, they lacked any distinct features.
Of course, that was only regarding its technique.
The biggest feature of these two paintings was undoubtedly Sylveon's choice of subject…
The first was a massive bear exuding a terrifying aura, its fur standing on end. Its piercing gaze sent a shiver down Smeargle's spine, causing him to instinctively look away.
It looked so real…
Smeargle glanced again at the painting in his hands. Besides the terrifying bear, the surrounding scenery also seemed strange.
Why was the bear surrounded by what looked like dynamic red mist, and why was the moon blood-red? It gave off an ominous feeling.
Alarm bells rang in Smeargle's mind, and he prepared to look away.
But just as he blinked, he suddenly realized the scenery around him had changed.
The cold, white interior of the building had vanished, replaced by silent, dark grasslands.
Red moonlight poured down from the sky, and the mist rising from the nearby lake had turned into a chilling scarlet.
"Smear?!"
Smeargle was stunned.
What was this?!
How had he entered the world of Sylveon's painting just by looking at it?
Did painting possess such magical power?
Questions crashed down like boulders, making Smeargle's brain sluggish.
Then came the final question—
If he had entered this painting, then the terrifying bear depicted should be nearby, right?
At this thought, Smeargle unconsciously swallowed.
Suddenly, he felt a chill behind him and instinctively turned around.
Standing there was a massive bear, its body mostly encased in hard gray mud, staring at him with mismatched eyes.
"Roar!"
The bear opened its massive jaws, and the crimson moonlight instantly transformed into streams of energy, converging into the red disk atop its head.
A violent force exploded, causing Smeargle to instinctively close his eyes. His heart raced to its limit.
If struck by this attack, he would surely die!
"Syl?"
The sound of Sylveon's confused voice snapped Smeargle back to reality.
He was once again in the familiar, opulent exhibition hall, as if everything had been an illusion.
If not for the sweat soaking his back, Smeargle might have believed it.
"Smear…"
Smeargle's expression became incredibly complex as he instinctively wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
No…
There was definitely something wrong with Sylveon's paintings!
Pulling the viewer into the world of the painting—was that something a mere sketch could achieve?
Had art advanced to this level? How had he, a pioneer in the field, not known about this?
Smeargle sighed and looked at Sylveon, who was gazing at him expectantly.
"Smear…"
He quickly shook his head and returned both paintings to Sylveon.
There was no need to look at the second one—he feared his fragile heart couldn't handle it.
Though he didn't know where Sylveon had learned this painting technique, one thing was clear:
Other people or Pokémon couldn't possibly replicate it—it was Sylveon's exclusive secret!
Compared to Sylveon, he, the so-called master, seemed to hold the title in name only…
Child, you're invincible. Why don't you become the master?
"Buuii?"
Watching Smeargle, who had lowered his head and sighed, Sylveon's previously excited mood was doused like water on a flame, instantly dampened.
So even that giant bear wasn't enough to impress Master Smeargle?
As expected of Master Smeargle. Perhaps it would only be satisfied if I painted that dragon soaring through the sky…
Sylveon thought to itself.
…
After Sylveon's visit to the Lumiose Gallery, Master Smeargle, who had recently returned to the forefront of the art world, quickly announced he needed a temporary break to further hone his painting skills.
For this reason, Master Smeargle declined Brassius's request to meet.
But Brassius, who had witnessed (or rather, spied on) Smeargle's interaction with Sylveon, understood.
"So that Sylveon is also a master-level artist, huh? Just one painting was enough to help Master Smeargle break through his bottleneck and find a new direction for his creations!"
"Sudowoodo!"
Brassius looked at his Sudowoodo. These two soul-resonant companions now shared one thought—
"If only we could find that Master Sylveon. Even learning a tiny bit from it would be amazing!"
Neither Aiden nor Sylveon, who had returned home, knew anything about what had happened in the Kalos region.
This long-awaited trip had deeply impacted Sylveon—
It had already made up its mind: it would draw that perfect dragon!
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