May 4th — Floaroma Town
Floaroma Town was a small town wrapped in flowers.
Wherever you looked, blooms of every color swayed gently in the breeze, and the air carried their sweetness with every breath.
"dar~~"
Drakloak was immediately captivated by the endless sea of flowers stretching out around them.
"Lucario, come on out!"
Lucario appeared — and promptly sneezed.
Achoo!
Wayne glanced over. You alright?
Lucario shook his head with a slightly pained expression. "Lucario."
(Too much pollen. I need a moment to adjust.)
It was simply a matter of an overly sensitive nose. Wayne and Steven had no such trouble, but for Lucario it was a different story.
Lucario took the lead as the group moved forward, while Dragapult and Drakloak flanked them from above — one to the left, one to the right.
An elderly woman appeared on the path ahead. She walked with the help of a wooden cane, wore round glasses, and smiled warmly as she spotted them.
"My, what rare guests."
Both Wayne and Steven stopped at the same moment.
"Hello. My name is Steven."
"Hello. I'm Wayne."
They introduced themselves one after the other.
The old woman clearly hadn't recognized either of them.
"Shaymin~"
The elderly woman — Honey, as she was known around town — adjusted her glasses, her eyes brightening with quiet surprise behind the thick lenses. "Is this... Shaymin?"
Wayne nodded. "Yes. I found Shaymin injured a little while back and looked after it. I wanted to bring it home for a visit."
He also had another reason for coming. Gracidia flowers grew here in abundance, and they were exactly what Shaymin needed to shift between its Land Forme and Sky Forme. In its Land Forme, Shaymin made for a gentle and endearing companion. In its Sky Forme, it was something else entirely — swift, powerful, and awe-inspiring.
Grandma Honey's expression warmed considerably. "Oh my goodness — this old woman simply must thank you properly!"
Wayne glanced at Steven with a look that said, what do we do?
Steven gave a quiet nod. "Perhaps we could sit down for a little while."
Steven genuinely enjoyed conversations with older people. Over the years, he had learned a great deal of regional lore from them — including the rumors about the Mirror Cave in Kalos, which an elderly woman had first told him about.
"Then we'll take you up on that offer, if we're not imposing."
"Not at all! Please, come in!"
The courtyard was just as full of flowers as the rest of the town, their fragrance drifting pleasantly through the air. The moment Shaymin stepped inside, the blooms seemed to stand a little taller and glow a little brighter.
Only Grandma Honey appeared to live in the house. The place was tidy but quiet, with little sign of anyone else's presence.
After showing them to their seats, Grandma Honey disappeared inside to put the kettle on.
"You absolutely must try the flower tea — fresh flowers from right here in Floaroma Town, with just enough sweetness to bring out the flavor. It's a perfect match!"
Wayne's interest was immediately sparked. If it was as good as she made it sound, it might be worth learning how to prepare it properly.
"Here you go, Shaymin. And for you too, Lucario."
(Thank you.)
(Thank you...)
Grandma Honey had also prepared food for Metagross and Arcanine, who had settled at the courtyard gate like a pair of patient sentinels.
"Aroo!"
"Meta!"
In front of Wayne sat a small cup of pale purple tea, its delicate floral scent curling up with the steam.
[ A cup of sweet Celeste flower tea — the pale purple bloom of Floaroma Town. ]
It was Wayne's first time trying a herbal tea like this. He took a careful sip.
Not that he needed to be particularly careful. With Appraisal at Intermediate rank, he could identify the composition of anything he consumed — no poison would slip past him unnoticed.
The first impression was a clean, sweet floral note. Then came a faint grassiness underneath, lingering and mild, with a gentle sweetness that built slowly and didn't overstay its welcome. The different layers of sweetness wove together in a way that made the whole cup feel cohesive and satisfying.
It was, simply put, delicious. Something like this would be especially welcome in the depths of winter.
With Jubilife City so close to Floaroma Town, sourcing the ingredients regularly would be no trouble at all.
"I really love this tea."
Grandma Honey's smile widened at that.
"Do you? Then please, take some with you when you go."
"Thank you very much."
There was no rush to discuss a proper arrangement — Wayne could talk it over with his grandfather and father when he got back. Negotiating prices wasn't something he was particularly skilled at anyway. That was best left to his mother.
As they sipped their tea, Grandma Honey settled into her chair and began telling them the legend of Floaroma Town.
"Don't let the flowers fool you," she said. "It wasn't always like this."
Long, long ago — so the legend went — Floaroma Town was nothing but barren, windswept wasteland. Not a single plant could take root there.
Wayne, Steven, Lucario, and Shaymin all listened quietly as Grandma Honey's voice carried them back through the generations.
"Our ancestors tried everything. They planted seeds, they tended the soil, they tried again and again — and every time, without fail, the plants withered and died."
"It seemed as though nothing could grow there. Nothing at all."
"And so the people began to pray. They prayed to the heavens, they prayed to the Legendary Pokémon — they begged for a miracle."
"And then, one day, Shaymin appeared."
"When the people looked around, they found that every withered plant had come back to life. The hillsides and the fields — all of it — had burst into bloom overnight."
"To the north of Floaroma Town, the entire hillside is covered in flowers of every color, even now. It looks like something from a dream."
"And all of it — every last petal — came from Shaymin."
"That is the legend we have passed down here in Floaroma Town, from one generation to the next."
It also explained, without any further words needed, why Grandma Honey had warmed to them so quickly the moment she realized Wayne had rescued Shaymin. In Floaroma Town, anyone who had helped Shaymin — or been recognized by it — was treated as an honored guest.
Wayne smiled and looked down at the small Pokémon in his lap. "You really are something special, aren't you, Shaymin."
"Waynie~" (ﾉ∇︎〃)
Shaymin ducked its head, the white fur around its face flushing faintly.
"Won't you stay for lunch?"
Wayne and Steven exchanged a glance. Steven's look said everything: She's been so generous with us. We can't say no.
Wayne turned back to Grandma Honey. "Of course — but why don't I be the one to cook?"
The old woman looked startled. "You cook? My, my — fewer and fewer young people know how these days."
Wayne laughed. "I'm a professional Pokémon Chef, actually."
Grandma Honey let out a delighted chuckle. "Well then, this old woman has quite something to look forward to."
"Let's take Shaymin up to the northern flower field first, then we'll stop for ingredients on the way back."
"Of course, of course. Go on ahead."
After leaving Grandma Honey's house, Wayne and Steven made their way to the Floaroma Town police station.
Following the incident involving Shaymin, the northern flower fields were now under regular police patrol, and visitors were required to have an escort. Wayne and Steven could easily have pulled some strings — they both had connections — but it was always simpler to do things by the book.
"It's been a while, Officer Jenny."
"Not for me it hasn't! I watched your match live just yesterday!"
The Officer Jenny stationed in Floaroma Town was young and lively, and she made no effort to hide her enthusiasm.
"Mr. Steven! I'm a fan — would you be willing to sign an autograph?"
"Me too, please!"
Steven smiled. "Of course."
The two of them found themselves holding an unplanned autograph session right there in the station. The officers who received their signatures left looking thoroughly pleased with themselves.
The local Officer Jenny turned to Wayne with a grin. "Weren't you supposed to be training in seclusion to perfect your cooking? Have you mastered it yet?"
"Not quite. Still plenty of practice ahead."
"Fair enough. Anyway — how's Floaroma Town doing?"
Officer Jenny's expression shifted to something more serious.
"Since the Pokémon hunter incident involving Shaymin, we've increased our patrol presence significantly. So far, there's been no sign of them returning."
"We'd like to visit the northern flower fields," Wayne said. "We'll need an escort."
Officer Jenny made up her mind on the spot.
"I'll go with you myself."