The tournament was in full swing.
Although the skill levels of the competitors varied, everyone was battling with all their might, delivering one passionate and thrilling match after another for the audience.
News of the tournament seemed to have spread throughout Twinleaf and Sandgem Town. Large groups of people began to arrive from both towns.
Seeing the crowd at the Breeding House grow larger and larger, Officer Jenny had no choice but to call her cousin from Sandgem Town to help maintain order.
Nurse Joy also called her own Sandgem counterpart.
The stalls on the sidelines began to fill up with people, all looking at the various specialties the people of Twinleaf had brought.
Snacks, Pokémon merchandise, food...
They would buy some snacks and then return to the arena, eating as they watched the battles.
Shana, sitting at the side, watched the crowd, her bright eyes darting around.
She looked at the Petilil and the others, then nodded.
She nimbly hopped off the chair next to Victor and ran into the Breeding House with the Petilil, Mime Jr., and Gothita.
In the kitchen was a large quantity of Cat's Ear crisps, Golden Fruit Sticks, and spicy strips that she had asked Victor to make that morning.
She then ran to "borrow" a small jar of honey from the Vespiquen.
The Vespiquen looked at Shana, at her big, sparkling eyes, and the "just a little bit" gesture she was making with her hands, which was getting smaller and smaller.
It turned around, brought out a jar of honey for her, and even helped her carry it to the kitchen.
Shana thanked it profusely.
She then divided the snacks into small individual bags and mixed a few cups of honey water.
She put the snacks in the small shoulder bag Victor had given her, and Mime Jr. and the others followed behind her, carrying the honey water.
She poked her head out the door and saw that Victor was engrossed in the match on the stage.
She looked down at the little heads beside her and nodded.
They snuck into the crowd.
"Excuse me, big brother. Would you like some snacks or honey water to watch the match? They're really good!"
A fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy was intently watching the battle when he suddenly felt a light tug on his clothes. He frowned, looking down, ready to refuse.
He was met with the sight of a little girl with silver hair in buns, bright, cute eyes, and a lovely princess dress. She had a small bag slung over her shoulder and was looking up at him with anticipation.
He subconsciously nodded.
"Great! Then would you like Cat's Ears, Golden Fruit Sticks, or spicy strips?" Shana asked happily, digging into her bag.
"Which... which one is the best?"
"They're all delicious! The spicy strips are spicy, the Cat's Ears are savory, and the Golden Fruit Sticks are sweet."
"Then I'll have the Golden Fruit Sticks."
"Okay~"
Shana handed him a bag, then continued to smile at him.
"Would you like some honey water, big brother?"
The boy nodded.
"Mime Jr.~" Mime Jr. handed him a cup of honey water.
Shana then held out her small hand. The boy took out some money and asked the price.
"Six hundred!"
She gave the boy his change.
Then, she led her little followers to the next person.
She was busy for a while. Some people bought snacks, others didn't. One person, annoyed at being interrupted, even scolded her.
But she didn't get angry. She just made a funny face at him and moved on to the next person.
Only this time, she didn't tug on people's clothes, but just gave them a light tap with her finger.
Victor heard the Staravia's cry and looked up. The Staravia, perched in a tree, gestured towards the crowd.
He focused his gaze and saw the Petilil, Gothita, Vulpix, and Tinkerbell weaving through the people, holding cups of honey water.
Mime Jr. ran back to the Breeding House, then ran back out with more cups.
He looked more closely and saw Shana, with her little bag, asking people one by one.
He stood up and walked into the crowd.
Shana was looking at the clothes of the person in front of her. They looked so familiar, as if she had just seen them this morning.
She looked up and saw a familiar face looking at her kindly.
"Hehe, hi, uncle! Would you like some Cat's Ears, Golden Fruit Sticks, or... spicy-strips-strips-strips-ah-ah—"
Shana was suddenly hoisted into the air, slung over Victor's shoulder as he walked out of the crowd.
She struggled on his shoulder, but eventually gave up.
He carried her to an empty spot and set her down, staring at her, slightly angry.
"Didn't I tell you? You're not allowed to run into the crowd to sell snacks."
He had been wondering why there were still snacks in the kitchen and why Shana had asked him to make so many that morning.
So, it was all premeditated.
Shana looked down, pouting, her face a picture of grievance.
Seeing this, Victor's heart softened, but he gritted his teeth and held firm.
"You need to understand your situation. What if—"
"I'm all better now."
"What?" Victor hadn't heard her quiet mumble.
"Uncle, I'm all better now!" she said, louder this time.
"I can deliver the herbal tea by myself, and I can talk to people in a crowd. I'm not scared anymore!"
"But—"
"I have Tinkerbell, Petilil, and the others with me. I'm not alone. And look, I'm not afraid of strangers anymore. I can talk to them just fine. See! This is what we earned."
She took the money she had made from her small bag and held it out to Victor.
Victor looked at the money in her small hands, an unnameable emotion welling up in his chest.
"Please trust me, uncle. I want to do things for you, too. Trust me and Tinkerbell and the others, okay?"
"Uncle~"
Seeing that Victor was no longer angry, Shana put the money back in her bag and started to shake his hand back and forth.
Her Chingling, the Petilil, Mime Jr., Gothita, and Vulpix all gathered around, pleading her case.
"You're really..." Victor shook his head helplessly.
Then he nodded.
"You have to be careful. If anything happens, you call me or Dali and the others, you hear?"
"I know!"
Without looking back, Shana led her Pokémon and dove back into the crowd.
Victor thought for a moment, then went back to the kitchen.
When Shana returned after selling out her bag, she found that the snacks had already been packaged into small bags and placed on the counter, along with freshly poured cups of honey water.
Victor poked his head out of the kitchen.
Shana ran and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, uncle!"
Mwah!
She gave him a kiss on the cheek, then dumped the money from her bag into the counter drawer, refilled her bag with snacks, and ran back outside.
Watching her little legs run, Victor shouted after her, "Be careful! Don't fall!"
"I won't~" her voice floated back on the wind.
Victor facepalmed, but then he smiled.
"Dali, you take Erli and Sanli and follow them."
"Machoke!" The three Machoke gave him a thumbs-up.
...
In the crowd.
"Hey, brother, give me the money. You didn't give me enough."
"Are you telling me this little bit of stuff costs that much?"
Shana looked at the four men in front of her, her little face puffed out with anger.
Uncle worked hard to make these snacks! They're delicious! And the honey water, the Vespiquen and the Combee worked so hard to make it, and uncle and Gengar get scolded by the Vespiquen every time they go to get it! How can you say it's expensive?!
"Scram, scram. Or else don't blame me for not being nice, little girl~"
The four men laughed.
Tears of anger welled up in Shana's eyes.
The bystanders, seeing the situation, nervously shuffled back, clearing a small space around them.
"Machoke?"
"Machoke?"
"Machoke?"
"Arf?"
Hearing the sounds, the four men's laughter died. They turned around.
Three Machoke were cracking their knuckles.
An Arcanine was in a low crouch, growling at them.
And behind them, a Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Electivire, and Blastoise were all staring at them.
In a nearby tree, a Staravia and a Vespiquen were watching.
And on the tournament stage, a pair of crimson eyes was also fixed on them.
This... this was...
One of the men quickly turned back to Shana.
She stood there, her cheeks puffed out, and held out her small hand.
"Give! Me! The! Money!"
He frantically fumbled for the money and paid the difference.
They were then grabbed by the Machoke, bundled up, and dragged in front of Officer Jenny.
The bystanders couldn't help but shake their heads.
Kids these days. So reckless.
Didn't they see that several powerful Pokémon have been watching that little girl from the very beginning? And they still dared to not pay?
Tch. Serves them right.
The bystanders then turned their attention back to the tournament.
...
Get 10 chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"