The Wild Area. The vibrant, sprawling meadows.
Marie was camping by the shores of Lake Axewell with her partner, her Moon Form Eevee.
Skilled and efficient, she pitched her single-person tent with ease. Tugging slightly at the collar of her peach-colored dress, she let out a small sigh it was a bit warm after all that effort.
"Let's take a short break, Eve."
"Eevee (Sure thing, Marie.)"
Sitting on the grassy lakeside, Marie rested her chin on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs, watching the Pokémon that occasionally surfaced from the lake. Her thoughts drifted in silence.
"Eevee? (Something on your mind?)"
Eevee placed her front paws gently on Marie's thigh and tilted her head up in concern, softly licking Marie's chin.
"Thanks. I'm fine just zoning out a bit."
Marie wrapped her arms around her little angel. After evolving into her Moon Form, Eevee had developed a cooler and more aloof aura, but toward Marie, she remained full of warmth and attachment.
It was like she had transformed from an adorable little sister into a dependable big sister.
"Ee~ (I'm here.)"
She nuzzled Marie's tummy with her forehead before curling up on her lap, ears twitching now and then to stay alert for any nearby movement.
Marie could understand Pokémon language not through study, but through a gift she'd had since birth. From the moment she opened her eyes in this world, the first thing she understood wasn't her parents' voices, but the soothing blessing of a nearby Blissey.
It had been over ten years since she was reborn into the world of Pokémon. Yes, Marie was not originally from this place she had reincarnated from another world, memories and all.
In her past life, Pokémon had only existed as a global entertainment franchise. But here, they were real an inseparable part of daily life, coexisting with humans all over the world.
Maybe it had something to do with her transmigration, but Marie possessed a few... let's call them "gifts." Understanding Pokémon language was one of them. As for the rest, she still wasn't sure if they were just coincidences or something more.
Since registering as a Pokémon Trainer last year and receiving her first partner Eevee from her brother, Marie had often taken the train to the Wild Area for training.
Being able to communicate directly with Pokémon made a world of difference. Take right now, for example being able to safely camp by Lake Axewell was no accident.
Most Pokémon weren't unreasonable. As long as you communicated sincerely and offered something in return, their kindness could be earned.
After a while, Marie patted Eevee's soft belly and smiled.
"Time to get lunch started. Then it's back to training."
"Ee? (Do we get some Sweet Honey today?)"
"Not sure yet. The Combees haven't returned, so we might not make it in time for lunch."
"…Eevee. (They should've been back by now.)"
"Maybe their queen flew off a bit farther this time."
Marie stroked her chin thoughtfully. She had become familiar with a nearby swarm of Combees led by a Vespiquen.
Their first meeting had been awkward Marie had unknowingly stumbled into their sleeping cluster one night. It had taken a lot of Pokéblocks to soothe their cranky moods.
Ever since then, whenever she visited, she'd trade Pokéblocks made specifically for Bug- and Flying-type Pokémon for their delicious Sweet Honey.
Though the honey hadn't arrived yet, she couldn't just go hungry waiting.
Marie stood up, dusted off the wrinkles in her skirt, and adjusted her black leather jacket. Then she walked over to her simple camp kitchen.
In the wild, the easiest meals to cook were curry or stew. Gather berries and mushrooms from the area, add some potatoes or other ingredients she'd brought, throw in a curry cube and voilà, a delicious lunch.
Since she was hoping for honey, today's curry leaned toward the sweeter side.
She took out a box of her specially-made flavor-enhancing Pokéblocks, crushed a sweet one, and added it to the pot with chopped vegetables and mushrooms. Once the lid was on, all she had to do was wait.
For convenience in the wild, Marie had designed these multi-flavor Pokéblocks using what she learned from her own energy block studies. They didn't offer much benefit to Pokémon, but they worked wonders for flavor.
They became so popular that they turned into a specialty product in Spikeford Town.
Marie smiled, looking at the label that read "For Flavor Use Only," then carefully put the box away. She reached for Eevee's personal Pokéblocks next.
These, unlike the food Pokéblocks, were packed with nutrients and benefits for Pokémon but didn't taste very good. So she had made them with intentionally plain flavors, allowing her to mix them into daily meals without overwhelming the taste.
She crouched down to check the fire and gently petted Eevee's head. No matter how many times she did it, the soft, short fur was always addictive.
But just as Marie was getting lost in the comfort of petting her Pokémon, Eevee suddenly swatted her hand away, crouched low, and glared toward the nearby woods. Dark energy began to pulse around her.
"Eevee! (Careful! Someone's coming!)"
"A person? Another Trainer?"
Rustle... rustle...
From the underbrush emerged a girl, her hair tangled with grass and twigs.
"Aha! I knew it, Sobble! I told you I smelled someone cooking over here!"
Her gray cardigan and pink skirt were covered in bits of leaves, but she didn't care. She was too busy hugging the trembling Pokémon in her arms with excitement.
"Yaaa~ (Mhm!)"
Marie recognized the Pokémon Sobble. A Water-type, and one of the starter Pokémon recently introduced by the Galar Pokémon League in an effort to follow other regions' systems.
Known for their gentle temperament and solid potential, Sobble were still rare, as the League was only beginning to breed and distribute them. Only a few had been given to promising new Trainers by veteran League members.
Marie could have gotten one through her brother, but she had declined. Not because of anything dramatic her brother specialized in Dark-types, and Marie had no reason to start with a different one just for variety.
Of course, given the time and effort she'd spent studying under her brother, Marie could train any type effectively.
Putting those thoughts aside, Marie looked at the flustered short-haired girl. She didn't seem like a threat, so Marie cleared her throat politely.
"Ahem..."
"Ah! I'm so sorry I-I mean, excuse me! I just... um..."
The girl waved her hands frantically, completely flustered and unable to form a proper sentence.
Gurgle-growl-
Her stomach interrupted the moment with a loud, undeniable rumble. She froze.
Then, as if in total surrender, she squatted down and covered her stomach, ears turning a bright, embarrassed pink.
Marie exchanged a glance with Eevee, then let out a small chuckle. She walked over with a few Sitrus Berries and gently knelt beside the girl.
"Yaaa- (Wait, don't come near me!)"
Sobble had clearly inherited its shy nature. It darted behind the girl, peeking out with just half its face visible and trembling.
"Pfft... Here. Have some berries to tide you over. Lunch's still cooking."
"Huh?"
The girl slowly looked up, still clutching her face, her large, watery eyes fixed on Marie with a pitiful stare that matched her Pokémon's almost exactly.
"Go ahead. Eat."
Marie pushed the berries toward her. The girl didn't hesitate she grabbed them and began munching away, stuffing one after another into her mouth. She even shared a couple with Sobble.
"Mm... thank you!"
Marie stroked Eve's head with a small smile as she watched the two devour the fruit.
"Swallow before you speak."
"Mm-hmm-hmm!"
The girl nodded so vigorously her hat flew off and nearly sent Sobble flying too.
After finishing the berries, she finally stood and smiled brightly at Marie, offering her hand.
"Thanks so much! I'm Yuri. You're really kind!"
"I'm Marie. It's just a few berries. No need to thank me. There are more over there."
"No no no! Those trees are impossible to pick from! Every single one's guarded by a Pokémon, right Sobble? We got chased by a super mean bunny!"
"Yaaa- (It was terrifying, QAQ)"
"Pfft... Sounds like you had a rough time."
Marie couldn't help but chuckle. Each berry tree in the wild was essentially community property for the Pokémon living nearby. Some were territorial, while others shared.
Either way, they weren't free for humans to take without offering something in return.
Marie had just learned how to coexist and barter with them.