The morning sun in Floaroma Town didn't just rise; it announced itself. The light was filtered through the sheer volume of pollen and floral scents in the air, creating a golden, hazy glow that poured through our hotel window.
After the adrenaline of the Contest finals, the four of us had collapsed into a collective heap of exhaustion. I was sprawled across the bed, one leg hanging off the edge, while my Pokémon had claimed various patches of the duvet as their own.
Floette was the first to stir. The rising temperature on her green leaves acted like a biological alarm clock. She rubbed her eyes with her tiny nubs and let out a soft yawn.
"Floe~... (Ugh, my stomach is yelling at me...)"
She was hungry. And when Floette was hungry, the world needed to know about it. She glanced at the bedside clock—we were thirty minutes past the usual breakfast time. She looked at me, still snoring lightly, and then at the flower she always carried. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.
Floette hovered over my face and began to rhythmically brush the soft petals of her flower across my nose.
In my dream, I was walking through a field of tall grass that kept tickling my face. I swatted at it in my sleep, rolling over and burying my face in the pillow.
"Floe~ Floe~! (Hey! Wake up!)" Floette huffed. She flew around to the other side of the bed, targeted my nostrils again, and gave them a vigorous tickle.
"Ah... ah... A-CHOO!"
I sneezed with such force that I nearly rolled off the bed. The sound was like a starter pistol. Sylveon, who had snuck back into the bed at some point during the night, jumped up with her ribbons flared in a defensive stance. Even Togepi, tucked safely inside his shell, wobbled dangerously on the pillow.
"What? Who? Is it a Team Galactic raid?" I stammered, blinking rapidly as I tried to figure out where I was.
"Fly-ah! (What was that noise?!)" Sylveon chirped, looking around for an intruder.
"Toge-pri... (Yawn...)" Togepi muttered, barely opening one eye.
I finally focused my vision. Floette was hovering right in front of my nose, holding her flower like a tiny weapon and wearing a very expectant expression.
"Floette... really?" I groaned, wiping my eyes. "It's barely seven. Can't a Champion get some beauty sleep?"
"Floe~! (Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Move it, Chef!)"
"Alright, alright. I'm going," I sighed, dragging myself out of the blankets. I looked at the black lines under my eyes in the mirror and realized that being a "Champion" mostly just meant I was now a full-time caterer for three very demanding roommates.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
The familiar sound of the kitchen knife echoed through the small kitchenette of the hotel room. I prepped a heavy breakfast: extra nectar for the high-energy Floette, a sour-berry blend for the victorious Sylveon, and some softened cubes for Togepi.
The moment the bowls hit the table, Floette was a blur. She dived headfirst into her food, her little body practically vibrating with joy. Sylveon was more dignified, using a ribbon to gently pull Togepi's chair closer to the table before she began her own meal.
"I'm planning to go for a stroll through the town today," I said, sipping my coffee. "We've spent the last few days buried in the Contest Hall. I think we deserve a look at the actual scenery. What do you guys think?"
"Fly-ah! Fly-ah! (Yes! Finally! I want to see the gardens!)" Sylveon cried out. She had been stuck in "training mode" for so long she was practically itching for a walk.
"Poké-wing! (I want to go where Mama goes!)" Togepi added.
Floette didn't speak—her mouth was too full of Mango Berry—but she raised one tiny hand in a thumbs-up while continuing to feast.
"It's settled then. Give me twenty minutes to tidy up."
Floaroma Town was even more beautiful when you weren't rushing to a registration desk. The entire town was a living tapestry. There were gardens dedicated to Berries, gardens for specific colors, and even a "Honey Path" where the scent was so sweet it felt like you could taste the air.
Floette was in heaven. Every time we passed a new flower bed, she would zip over to inspect the petals, whispering to the local blossoms like an old friend. I ended up spending a small fortune at the local seed shop, buying rare variants to ship back to my greenhouse at the lab.
"What about you two?" I asked, looking at Togepi in my arms and Sylveon at my heels. "Anything catching your eye? A new ribbon? A toy?"
Sylveon shook her head, her ribbons brushing against my leg. "Fly-ah. (I'm happy just walking.)"
"Toge~. (Mama already bought the best things.)" Togepi added, patting my arm.
We wandered toward the outskirts of the town, where the managed gardens gave way to wilder flower fields that stretched toward the Eterna Forest. It was peaceful, until a high-pitched voice broke the silence.
"Wait! I know you! You're the Floaroma Champion!"
I turned around. Usually, I could blend in—my "Aura Suit" and the way I styled my hair for the stage were pretty different from my casual traveler look. But standing there was a little girl, maybe six or seven years old, with striking blue hair tied in a neat style. She was wearing a pretty white-and-blue dress and was running toward us with a look of pure awe.
"Hello there," I said, smiling as she skidded to a stop. Something about her looked incredibly familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. "Is there something I can help you with, little sister?"
The girl's face turned bright red. She looked at her feet, twisting her dress shyly. "Um... I think you're really amazing, big brother. Your Contest was... it wasn't like the ones on TV. It was like a story. It was so beautiful."
She suddenly pulled an autograph board from behind her back. "Could I... could I have an autograph? You're the first Champion I've ever met! Well, besides my mom."
"Of course," I laughed, taking the board and the pen she offered. "That's very kind of you. Are you here alone? It's a big town for a little girl."
"Oh, no! I'm here with my mom. We're on vacation," she chirped. "My mom used to be a Top Coordinator, you know! She's way better than you—no offense—but she says she's 'retired' now. We just happened to see your match yesterday!"
"A Top Coordinator's daughter, huh? No wonder you have good taste," I teased, starting to sign the board. "I'll write a message for you. What's your name, kiddo?"
"D-Dawn! My name is Dawn!" she said, her voice full of excitement.
My hand froze. The pen left a heavy ink blot on the board. Lillie? Blue hair? Mom is a retired Top Coordinator? I took a deep breath and finished the signature, writing: To Dawn— Keep blooming! — Julian.
"There you go, Dawn. A special one just for you."
"Thank you!" she beamed, clutching the board to her chest.
"Dawn! Honestly, you shouldn't run off like that. You're bothering the poor man."
A woman approached us, dressed in a simple but elegant sun-dress. She had the same blue hair and a sharp, intelligent spark in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm her mother, Aya. She tends to get a bit carried away when she sees someone she admires."
"It's no trouble at all, Aya," I said, waving it off. "She's a charming kid. And she tells me you're a Top Coordinator? It's an honor."
Aya gave me a meaningful, knowing smile. "I've seen your work, Julian. You have a very... unique way of communicating with your Pokémon. It's rare."
"Would you like to take a photo with us, Dawn?" I asked, wanting to capture this moment. I pulled my camera from my bag. "It would be a great addition to my travel log."
"Can I, Mom? Can I?" Dawn jumped up and down.
"Go ahead," Aya laughed, taking the camera from me. "It's not every day you get a photo with a rising star."
I squatted down so I was at Dawn's level. Togepi was in my arms, and Floette had settled onto my head like a living hat. Sylveon, however, was being uncharacteristically shy. She pressed herself against my leg, her ribbons wrapped tightly around my arm.
"Fly-ah... (Julian, she's staring... hide me...)"
"It's okay, Sylveon," I whispered, petting her ears. "She just thinks you're pretty."
"She's so cute!" Dawn squealed, leaning in to get a better look at Sylveon. Sylveon retreated an inch, peeking out from behind my knee.
"Alright, everyone look at the lens!" Aya called out. "One... two... three... Say Cheese!"
Click!
The camera captured the perfect moment. The background was a riot of Floaroma flowers. In the center stood a blue-haired girl with a wide, toothy grin, her hand resting on my shoulder. I was smiling back at her, a bit of a "big brother" look on my face.
On my head, Floette looked like she was about to fall asleep again; in my lap, Togepi was waving at the camera; and at my side, Sylveon was looking up at me instead of the lens, her ribbons entwined with my wrist as if to say don't let go.