Aroma Lady's method of searching for wild Pokémon was quite unique.
It was through this opportunity that Kashiwagi learned from the text why she was always able to find injured Pokémon.
For one, during her past herb-gathering trips, she frequently discovered various wild Pokémon nests.
Occasionally, injured Pokémon would even stumble upon her to scavenge resources, allowing her to accumulate a wealth of experience.
Secondly, she relied on her "God-tier" nose—a sense of smell capable of easily identifying hundreds of herbs and distinguishing the subtlest nuances in floral essences. It was sharp enough to pick up the specific scent lingering on an injured Pokémon.
Thus, when she stepped into the forest, she didn't need to do anything extra.
[You begin using your sense of smell to search for nearby wild Pokémon.]
"What kind of nose is that? A Divine Snout?"
Kashiwagi quipped.
He didn't underestimate the combat prowess of Aroma Lady and Roselia.
After all, their previous medical rescue efforts had already proven quite a bit.
To his surprise, however, Aroma Lady discovered many wild Pokémon, yet each time she simply paused to watch them for a moment before moving on.
Was she not satisfied?
The simulator provided the answer.
[You see those Pokémon soaking contentedly in the hot springs, free and easy without a care or ailment in the world. You simply cannot find it in your heart to disturb their peace. You decide to move on.]
The forests near Lavaridge Town were dotted with numerous open-air hot springs. Wild Pokémon loved frequenting them because, just as the local advertisements claimed, they were a panacea for a hundred ailments.
Seeing Aroma Lady watch a Pokémon walk toward the springs without intercepting it, Kashiwagi knew this was the effect of her [Kind-hearted] talent.
It looked like it would be difficult for Aroma Lady to catch Pokémon through normal means.
She'd likely have to rely on them being gifted to her, or the Pokémon joining of their own volition—
Wait.
Face Reflects the Heart!
He suddenly remembered that talent.
If he recalled correctly, the description said it would attract Pokémon matching her "beauty level."
Just how high was Aroma Lady's beauty stat?
Kashiwagi studied her pixelated face for a while.
...
It was impossible to tell from the sprites, but he figured it couldn't be bad... probably.
As he was pondering, Aroma Lady walked out of the forest looking dejected, a speech bubble full of tangled scribbles floating over her head. Even the Roselia by her side seemed to be in a foul mood.
But before the scene could transition off-screen, an exclamation mark suddenly popped up at the edge of the forest.
Immediately after, a Bellossom came running out, clutching a pale pink glass bottle in its hands as it scurried over to Aroma Lady's side.
[You see Bellossom holding the essence you crafted and realize belatedly that you dropped it. You are filled with gratitude toward the Pokémon.]
Aroma Lady took the essence from Bellossom, then pulled another bottle from her bag and opened it.
[To repay Bellossom, you show it your latest achievement. The refreshing fragrance is so enchanting that Bellossom cannot help but begin to dance.]
This!
This is it!
Kashiwagi's eyes widened. Seeing Bellossom finish its dance, and Aroma Lady clap her hands before turning to leave—only for the former to hurriedly chase after her—he couldn't help but blurt out,
"Holy crap!"
The "Face Reflects the Heart" talent procures results fast!
The system jumped in to assert its presence.
[You realize that Bellossom seems to want to follow you. You are pleasantly surprised, never imagining that your essences could have such an effect.]
No, it's not the essence!
It's because of your face!
Kashiwagi gripped his teacup, his heart racing.
A Bellossom... "Beauty"... it seemed the verdict on Aroma Lady's appearance was finally in.
With looks capable of making a Bellossom throw itself at her, he was confident that her future Pokémon wouldn't be "ugly" either.
Still, another Grass-type...
Watching Aroma Lady joyfully catch the Bellossom, Kashiwagi felt a pang of worry for her.
How was she going to beat a Fire-type Gym with two Grass-types?
She was exactly one Pokémon short; he hoped her next teammate would be something that could counter Fire.
[You return to Lavaridge Town and share the good news of your new companion with your friend. Your friend is initially delighted, but upon hearing that you were turned away at the Lavaridge Gym, they fly into a towering rage.]
On screen, Aroma Lady returned to town and shared the news.
Her friend was happy at first, but then a string of cross-shaped "anger" icons appeared in a speech bubble.
The friend dragged Aroma Lady straight to the Lavaridge Gym, kicked the doors open, and caught the Gym Leader right in the middle of training.
[You listen as your friend furiously scolds the Lavaridge Gym Leader. Only then do you learn they are childhood friends. Your friend had mentioned you long ago and demanded the Leader look out for you.]
Childhood friends—
Kashiwagi looked closely at the hair color of Aroma Lady's friend. It was a dark red.
Wait, so Flannery's hair color was inherited from her grandmother?
The simulator continued its output.
The Lavaridge Gym Leader had naturally heard the request from his childhood friend, but he was a stiff, by-the-books traditionalist.
He insisted that requiring three Pokémon was already the bare minimum. For anyone else, he'd require at least five Badges before allowing a challenge.
An acquaintance?
Even an acquaintance got no special treatment.
His deadpan, serious demeanor made "Grandma Flannery" practically steam at the ears.
Aroma Lady stepped in just in time to play the peacemaker.
[You soothe your friend and apologize to the Gym Leader, explaining that you simply wanted to see a Pokémon that isn't native to the Hoenn region.]
Fortunately, the Lavaridge Gym Leader was stern, not stupid. Hearing Aroma Lady's words, he invited her to see the Pokémon in question—a Darumaka from the Unova region.
In Aroma Lady's era, "Unova" was a very distant concept. Especially for someone like her, who rarely left home and focused on research, an unfamiliar Pokémon was incredibly exciting.
Seeing her excitedly pull out various jars and bottles, the Gym Leader initially thought she was up to no good.
But he soon realized she was actually blending an essence to make the Darumaka feel comfortable.
[You share your dream with the Lavaridge Gym Leader: to create an essence that appeals to all Pokémon.]
The Gym Leader watched for a while before suggesting she challenge the Gyms and enter the Pokémon League. The League gathered Trainers from all over Hoenn and even the world; there, she could see a vast variety of different Pokémon.
[Hearing that you could see Pokémon from across the globe, your heart—already set on traveling—begins to boil with excitement. You make your decision without a moment's hesitation.]
Aroma Lady's impulsive decision worried Grandma Flannery, who wasn't sure if her friend actually cared about Pokémon battling.
Through the simulator, Kashiwagi learned that at this time, Pokémon battling hadn't yet taken the world by storm. Even the Hoenn League was only on its fifth iteration.
Aroma Lady, however, told them not to underestimate her. Her journey to challenge the Gyms was officially set, driven by the motivation to see more Pokémon and create the ultimate universal essence.
"So this was all a prologue? It's a bit on the long side..."
Kashiwagi shifted into a more comfortable position.
Even so, the Lavaridge Gym Leader refused to budge, maintaining the three-Pokémon minimum.
However, he did tip her off that Gyms in other cities might not have such high requirements.