Hulbury was a seaside port town, bustling with life thanks to its open waterways and the railway that ran through Galar. Modern department stores stood alongside traditional street markets, creating a unique blend of the old and new.
And one of Hulbury's biggest draws? Cheap, fresh seafood plentiful and irresistible.
"Mari~ Mari~ Let's go get something to eat! I'm starving!"
Yuri clung to Marie's hand as they wandered through town. Hulbury, though thriving, had its urban sprawl limited by the nearby Wild Area. It couldn't expand too far and still had to maintain a buffer from the surrounding nature. Because of that, it had yet to graduate from being called a "town." Otherwise, given its status as a port hub, Hulbury could have easily become Hulbury City by now.
They had even extended the town by reclaiming some land from the sea, most notably for the construction of the Hulbury Stadium.
That stadium was built right on top of an offshore energy point, with an entire foundation laid near the coast to make it possible.
"Hold on, let me book a table at that Seaside Pavilion restaurant first. Who knows how long the wait is."
"Oooh!"
The moment she heard that, Yuri eagerly leaned over, resting her chin on Marie's shoulder to peek at her phone screen.
"Whoa… it's completely booked out!"
"Yeah. I'll just get in line and see what happens."
Marie didn't have high hopes. That place was ridiculously popular, and it wasn't clear whether they'd even get a spot before leaving town.
After putting her phone away, Marie gently pushed Yuri's cheek off her shoulder and said,
"Wanna go check out the market Hop told us about? Might find some street food there."
"Yes! Let's go!"
Marie nodded and glanced at Sirfetch'd, who was trailing beside them. The streets were a bit crowded, so both she and Yuri had returned their other Pokémon to their balls. Only Sirfetch'd remained by their side, curiously observing the urban scenery.
"What about you, Sirfetch'd? Want to rest first or grab a bite to eat?"
"Quack! (Let's eat first.)"
He glanced at Yuri and, unsurprisingly, chose the option she was clearly hoping for.
"Thanks! Then let's head for the market."
For Pokémon like Sirfetch'd, who had just come out of the Pokémon Center, it didn't matter much where they went. Nurse Joy's treatment had been impeccable, and with it nearly time for lunch, all the Pokémon were in high spirits especially after being fed a nutritious meal specifically formulated for their species.
They were in way better shape than their two trainers, who hadn't eaten a thing yet.
As for Hop, he'd dashed off the moment they stepped out of the Pokémon Center. Yuri was used to that by now and didn't bother stopping him. He always showed up again eventually when it was time to battle.
"By the way, Yuri, do you even like seafood?"
Marie suddenly thought to ask this as they approached the market.
Spikemuth, being close to the sea, had seafood regularly on the dinner table, but Ballonlea where Yuri was from was a landlocked town deep in the woods. It was possible she hadn't had much experience with seafood at all.
"Hmm... I'm not sure. I think I had it once when I was little, but I don't really remember what it tasted like."
Yuri tilted her head thoughtfully, trying to recall. Marie gave a knowing sigh.
"In that case, let's just buy one portion. If you end up not liking it, I'll eat the rest."
"Really? Thanks~!"
Beaming, Yuri stood on tiptoe and threw her arms around Marie, rubbing her cheek against hers twice before Marie, blushing faintly, gently pushed her off.
"...Cut it out and let's just go already."
Marie never quite knew how to deal with Yuri in moments like this. After living and traveling together for a while, she had grown used to a lot of her quirks but being used to it didn't mean she was immune.
Especially when Yuri pulled things like that at night before bed… or during bath time...
By now, Marie had trained herself to the point where, even if some suspicious thoughts started drifting into her mind, her face could remain calm and unbothered.
Hand in hand, they walked into the marketplace. It had been around for many years, and despite the rise of modern supermarkets, this market had never faded away.
Thanks to the steady stream of travelers, these kinds of traditional, local shopping districts continued to thrive, packed with character and charm. Hulbury, being the second stop for Gym challengers, had become even livelier than usual.
Two petite girls slipped into the bustling crowd and were soon swept up in the atmosphere. The only thing that drew any real attention was the Sirfetch'd following behind them.
"Mmm Marie, look! They're selling incense over there!"
Mouth full, Yuri pointed with the skewer in her hand toward a stall giving off a swirl of fragrant scents.
Incense, when crafted with the right ingredients, could be used as items to boost a Pokémon's stats or powers. Marie was familiar with the concept. She had even tried to study them once.
But they were far too complicated to make on her own, and with her schedule, she had shelved the idea for now.
She handed Sirfetch'd a piece of food he had been eyeing, then looked over toward the stall, interested.
"Want to check it out?"
"Mmmph mmhmm!"
Yuri was too busy chewing to speak and could only puff out her cheeks and nod eagerly. With sauce and oil smeared at the corners of her mouth, she looked a bit ridiculous.
Just then, the Poké Ball on Marie's belt belonging to Barrik suddenly popped open.
Two Dreepy shot out together, swooping in and snatching one of the grilled fish skewers straight out of Yuri's hands.
"Hey! You two! You can't just pop out and steal food!"
Yuri swallowed what was in her mouth and lightly tapped each of them on the head with her now-empty skewer. But given Dreepy's famously hard heads, the taps didn't do much of anything.
"nya!! (That's so unfair, Marie! We want yummy food too!)"
"nyanya!! (Yeah, totally unfair!)"
Xiao Zuo and Xiao You perched on their respective trainer's shoulders, loudly voicing their righteous indignation at being left out.
Marie handed Yuri a napkin to wipe her mouth, then lightly flicked Xiao Zuo's head.
"You two already had a full meal at the Pokémon Center, remember? Keep eating like this and you'll pop."
"nya~ (Can't help it! The smells made me hungry again!)"
"Then stay put on our shoulders. If there's something you want to eat, tell us don't go flying off on your own. Got it?"
"nya! (Okay!)"
"nya~ (Hee hee~)"
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