"Woof?"
Arcanine tilted its head slightly, golden eyes flickering with uncertainty. Gary's expression had changed the moment he saw the village ahead, and Arcanine—sensitive to its Trainer's emotions—instantly realized something was off. The scent trail it had been following felt… strange. Familiar, yet misleading.
Arcanine hesitated, its paws slowing.
"Go in," Gary said calmly. "Let's see exactly what you've found."
Gary wasn't in a hurry. If the scent of Gracidea had led Arcanine here, then something—or someone—inside the village must be releasing it. Whether it was flowers, pollen, or something else entirely, he wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.
Arcanine gave a short bark of acknowledgement.
"Woof."
The two entered the village together, Gary swinging down from Arcanine's back and walking beside it. The moment they stepped past the wooden boundary sign, the atmosphere changed.
The village was small—very small.
Only a handful of houses lined the stone-paved road, their roofs sloping gently, windows glowing faintly in the afternoon light. The air was cool and clean, carrying the faint scent of soil and flowers. It was peaceful, the kind of place where time seemed to slow down.
Villagers stopped what they were doing.
Some paused while sweeping their doorsteps. Others looked up from flowerbeds or baskets of herbs. Their gazes all fell on Gary—and then on Arcanine.
Outsiders rarely came here.
Gary noticed the looks but didn't react. He calmly observed the village instead. It was ordinary in structure, but the flowerbeds everywhere immediately stood out. Almost every house had flowers growing nearby—some vibrant, some strange, some clearly rare.
"Just like the records said," Gary thought. "A village sustained by flowers."
This was Floaroma Village, a settlement famous not for its size or wealth, but for its unique climate. Situated between glacial winds and temperate airflows, it allowed many rare flowers to grow here—flowers that couldn't survive anywhere else in Sinnoh.
Flowers were the village's lifeblood.
"Woof…"
Arcanine suddenly stopped.
Gary halted as well and followed Arcanine's gaze.
In front of them stood a flower shop.
The storefront was modest, but the display outside was impressive. Pots, baskets, and wooden racks were filled with all kinds of flowers—some common, others rare, and a few Gary recognized immediately.
Among them—
Gracidea.
Even though these flowers had bloomed last year, their petals still retained a soft luster, their fragrance gentle yet unmistakable.
"That explains it," Gary murmured.
No wonder Arcanine had been led here. The concentration of Gracidea scent around this shop was strong enough to confuse even a trained tracker.
Just then, the door creaked open.
A young girl stepped out, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked to be in her early teens, her expression polite but curious.
"Um… hello," she said. "Are you here to buy flowers?"
"Yes," Gary replied simply. "Do you sell Gracidea?"
The girl blinked, then nodded quickly.
"Yes, we do—but…" She hesitated, her brows knitting together slightly. "Are you sure you want it?"
Gary raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
He already had an idea of what she meant, but he wanted to hear it directly.
"Well…" the girl said honestly, "the Gracidea we're selling right now bloomed last year. The new ones won't open for a little while yet. The fragrance is weaker, and it's not as… fresh."
She clearly didn't want to deceive customers.
Gary appreciated that.
"That's fine," he said. "How much is one?"
The girl relaxed slightly. "Then… I'll give you a discount. Five hundred Pokédollar per flower."
Gary paused—just for a fraction of a second.
"…That's expensive?"
He had never been one to buy flowers. Five hundred Pokédollar for a single bloom was more expensive than most luxury roses in larger cities. Then again, Gracidea wasn't an ordinary flower.
Rare flowers always came with rare prices.
"Give me ten," Gary said calmly.
The girl's eyes widened.
"Ten?! A-all right!" she said hurriedly. "Would you like them made into a flower basket?"
Gracidea symbolized gratitude. Normally, people bought them to visit patients, elders, or long-lost friends. Flower baskets were the standard presentation.
"Yes," Gary replied. "That would be fine."
He took out five thousand Pokédollar in cash and handed it over.
Remote villages like this didn't rely on electronic payments yet. Cash was still the norm.
"Please have a seat," the girl said politely. "I'll prepare it right away."
Gary entered the shop, Arcanine lying down obediently near the doorway. The girl moved quickly, trimming grass, arranging the flowers carefully, and weaving them into a neat basket. Her movements were practiced and gentle—clearly someone who'd done this many times.
Within minutes, she handed the basket to Gary.
"Please take good care of it," she said. "With this temperature, it won't wilt for at least ten days."
"Thank you," Gary replied.
With the Gracidea secured, Gary spent the rest of the afternoon resting at the village's small Pokémon Center. He waited patiently, conserving his energy.
Because he knew—
Shaymin moved at night.
The sun dipped below the horizon.
Darkness spread across the plains outside Floaroma Village.
After dinner, Gary left the village once more. He mounted Arcanine, holding the Gracidea flower basket in one hand and a high-powered flashlight in the other.
They headed toward a nearby water source.
Shaymin didn't just hide at night—it also needed to drink. Searching near streams and rivers significantly increased the chances of an encounter.
Arcanine had already confirmed that the village itself was no longer the source of interest. Once outside the village, it began actively searching again, nose low to the ground.
They ran.
Fast.
Arcanine's endurance was terrifying. A Pokémon capable of running ten thousand kilometers in a single day barely seemed to tire. Even at night, it could cover five thousand kilometers with ease.
The distance between Floaroma Village and Pastoria City was far less than that.
"One night is enough," Gary thought confidently.
About a thousand kilometers into the search, Arcanine slowed.
Its ears twitched.
Its nose lifted.
"Woof…"
Gary straightened. "You found something?"
Arcanine sniffed the air carefully, then let out a low growl.
"Rrr… woof."
"Follow the scent," Gary said.
Arcanine immediately changed direction, veering toward a forest to the north. This time, it moved slowly, cautiously, every step deliberate.
Gary's heartbeat quickened.
He knew Shaymin's habits well. Without that knowledge, finding it would have been nearly impossible.
Then—
BOOM!!
A dull explosion echoed through the night.
Gary frowned.
"That was close."
He couldn't see smoke in the darkness, but the sound was unmistakable.
"Let's check it out."
Arcanine surged forward.
Moments later, they reached a forest clearing.
Gary's eyes narrowed.
The trees were broken—ripped out from the roots. The ground was scorched bare, not a single blade of grass remaining. It looked as if something had detonated directly from the earth itself.
"These traces…"
Gary didn't hesitate.
"Shaymin."
When Shaymin migrated, obstacles meant nothing. Even in its Land Forme, it could use Seed Flare, a move powerful enough to obliterate anything in its path.
"Woof."
Arcanine caught the scent again and bolted north.
Gary switched on the flashlight to its highest setting.
A powerful beam of light flooded the area—turning night into day.
The grass ahead rustled violently.
Then—
Several small figures emerged.
Gary's breath caught.
Above their heads, clear and unmistakable, floated lines of information.
[LV50 Shaymin | Champion]
[LV50 Shaymin | Champion]
[LV65 Shaymin | Quasi Legendary]
[LV65 Shaymin | Legendary]
[LV70 Shaymin | Legendary]
[LV75 Shaymin | Legendary]
Six Shaymin.
All together.
Three with Champion-level potential.
Three with true Legendary potential.
Gary stood frozen for a moment, eyes wide—not in fear, but in shock.