After resting for a while, Hazel and Grove took Cole to select Sunflora and Sunkern.
The golden field had looked spectacular from afar, but up close, the massive clusters of gathered Sunflora were even more breathtaking.
Thousands of Sunflora stood in neat rows, their heads turned toward the sun, eyes closed in blissful enjoyment of their sunbath. They remained undisturbed as the group approached.
Under Hazel and Grove's careful guidance, Cole selected one hundred Sunflora and fifty Sunkern.
Since none of them had Poké Balls, he called home and had Machamp bring a truck to transport them.
The group was so large that Machamp needed two trips to bring all the Sunflora and Sunkern back to Mt. Ascendant.
Before departing, Cole reassured Hazel and Grove: "I'll take good care of them, please don't worry."
Grove nodded contentedly, "That's good, we trust you."
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
When Cole arrived home, he found a bright sun hanging over Mt. Ascendant. The weather had cleared, the heavy clouds completely gone.
Near the yard at the mountaintop, one hundred Sunflora and fifty Sunkern stood in neat rows in an open space, facing the sun in unison as rainbow-colored halos emanated from their bodies.
At first glance, Cole might have mistaken them for a field of planted sunflowers. The Sunflora, lost in their sunbathing and perfectly still, truly resembled their floral counterparts.
Seeing the Sunflora settling well into their new environment, he returned home and released all the Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
Brionne darted off immediately with its friends to tend to their struggling livestreaming business.
Chikorita, sun-starved from the long rainy spell, eagerly pulled Larvitar and Carbink outside to play in the sunshine.
Heliolisk also planned to enjoy some sunbathing on its usual big rock. The long rainy spell had drained its energy, making it feel like its battery was running low.
But just as it settled on the rock, it noticed the nearby group of Sunflora, surrounded by dazzling, almost blinding halos of abundant solar energy.
Drawn to the energy, Heliolisk hopped down and crept toward the Sunflora. It slipped among them, opened its frill, and mimicked their sun-bathing posture.
Its skin color matched the Sunflora's flower discs so perfectly that it became nearly invisible among the golden petals.
When Sunflora gather together, they absorb vast amounts of solar energy through their flower discs. Unable to contain it all, some energy disperses outward — creating the special halos Cole and Heliolisk had noticed.
The clever gecko used its frill to collect this excess solar energy, converting it into electricity.
Soon, golden electrical currents flickered across Heliolisk's body, but among the equally golden flower discs, they remained well-hidden.
Small currents occasionally sparked onto the surrounding Sunflora.
Being Grass-type Pokémon resistant to electricity, the mild currents didn't bother the Sunflora. Instead, they found the tingling sensation pleasant — like a gentle massage.
The Sunflora unconsciously drifted closer to Heliolisk, making the hidden gecko even more difficult to spot.
Heliolisk remained there, pretending to be one of them, until sunset.
That night, Daisy didn't return until dark, but Cole was used to this by now.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
Early the next morning, Heliolisk again disguised itself as a Sunflora and slipped into the group to absorb solar energy.
Cole spent the morning working in the orchard. With clear skies overhead, the berry trees' flowers were blooming beautifully, lifting his spirits.
Near noon, just as he planned to head home for lunch, he heard someone calling out.
"Cole!"
"Hey~ Cole!!!"
After squinting into the distance, Cole spotted Diantha at his front door, wearing a white dress and waving enthusiastically.
He ran over, surprised, "Why did you sneak over without telling me?"
Diantha grinned, "To surprise you!"
Since becoming Mabel's apprentice, she had been dividing her time between Pomace Mountain and the film crew, balancing special training with filming.
Only now, with the film crew's schedule lightening up, had she found time to visit Cole — especially after her previous visit was cut short by Mabel's test.
"How's life as the Champion's disciple?" Cole teased.
At that, Diantha launched into her complaints. Juggling filming and training was exhausting, and Mabel was a strict teacher who criticized her sharply at the smallest sign of slacking.
Now comfortable with Cole, Diantha spoke freely, laughing and complaining just like any ordinary young girl.
He invited her to stay for lunch and gave her a tour of the orchard in the afternoon before seeing her off from Mt. Ascendant at dusk.
The half-day of rest at Cole's place renewed Diantha's determination as she headed back to her training and film shooting.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
Meanwhile, in a forest far from Mt. Ascendant, as sunset approached, Daisy showed no sign of heading home. She was engaged in combat with a Trevenant.
Dense leafy trees formed a thick canopy that blocked all sunlight from this dark forest. As evening drew near, the atmosphere grew increasingly ghostly.
The forest's eerie ambiance wasn't solely due to the lighting — it was home to a group of Ghost-type Phantump and Trevenant. These spectral Pokémon were the forest's sole inhabitants and its undisputed masters.
The leader Trevenant, an exceptionally powerful Pokémon, kept the Phantump safe under its protection, allowing them to thrive peacefully in this domain.
When Daisy and Captain Talonflame first discovered this place, a group of Phantump surrounded them, treating them as unwelcome intruders.
After defeating these Phantump and their guardians, Daisy faced the leader Trevenant in an intense duel.
In a classic tale of rivals-turned-friends, once the misunderstanding cleared, Daisy and the leader Trevenant formed a strong bond.
Since then, Daisy frequently visited to spar with the leader Trevenant and brought treats for the forest's Phantump, who came to see her as a magical presence in their realm.
Today marked another of their friendly duels, with the Phantump audience split evenly — half cheering for their leader, half for Daisy.
"Treve~"
With a thunderous roar, Trevenant lunged at her, its massive claws extended.
Daisy maintained her composure. In an instant, her form shimmered, and ten perfect copies materialized around Trevenant, encircling it completely.
Her intense battle training had paid off — she now wielded Double Team and Teleport with masterful precision.
Since Teleport drained too much energy, she mainly relied on Double Team, saving the other move for critical moments.
The leader Trevenant, with its rich battle experience, wouldn't fall easily for Double Team tricks. Suddenly, bluish flames materialized around its body.
✲ Will-O-Wisp ✲
The leader Trevenant swept its massive hand, sending the Will-O-Wisp floating swiftly toward all the Gardevoir copies. Each of Daisy's shadows vanished at the flame's touch.
Before the Will-O-Wisp could reach the real Daisy, she raised one hand, her eyes flashing purple, and froze the flame mid-air.
With a forceful swing of her arm, she used Psychic Power to redirect the Will-O-Wisp back at the leader Trevenant. Being hit by its own Will-O-Wisp would be humiliating and cost it the Phantump's respect.
"Phan~ Phan~" — Go leader! Go leader!
"Phan~ Phan~" — Go Sister Daisy! Go Sister Daisy!
...
With equal cheers from both sides, leader Trevenant, unwilling to lose face before its subordinates, let out a roar and struck with dark energy glowing from its massive claws.
The Will-O-Wisp shattered under the Shadow Claw's strike. Then Trevenant's body began growing larger and taller, its aura intensifying.
Using Growth, the already towering Trevenant grew even more massive — now Daisy appeared no bigger than its palm.
"Phan~ Phan~" Boss is mighty! Boss is mighty!
The leader Trevenant's supporters among the Phantump cheered excitedly at its increasing size.
Not to be outdone, Daisy's supporting Phantump shouted:
"Phan~ Phan~ Phan~" — Sister Daisy, don't be scared, go for it!
Through the cheers, a massive green hammer materialized in leader Trevenant's hand. It raised the weapon high and brought it crashing down toward Daisy.
This was Wood Hammer, a powerful physical Grass-type move that came with a drawback — when the opponent took damage, the user suffered recoil damage as well.
BOOM!
When the hammer came down, the ground shook and the forest trembled.
However, Daisy had evaded Wood Hammer completely. Where the hammer dissolved into green energy, only a large crater remained — with no trace of her.
"Phan~ Phan~" — Boss, behind you, behind you!
The Phantump's warning came as Daisy used Teleport to materialize in the air behind Trevenant.
Before Trevenant could fully turn, a scorching pillar of crimson fire engulfed its vision.
✲ Mystical Fire ✲
Being a Grass-type Pokémon, Trevenant was vulnerable to fire. It let out a cry of pain and crashed to the ground with a "THUD".
The Phantump gasped at the sight.
Yet as Trevenant fell, its eyes blazed with black light. Suddenly, Daisy's expression twisted in agony as excruciating pain coursed through her body, sending her plummeting from the sky.
True to its ghostly nature, Trevenant had cleverly used its fall to execute Pain Split, draining away most of Daisy's energy.
As their boss rose again, some Phantump leaped and danced with joy, while Daisy's supporters drooped in disappointment.
Daisy quickly steadied herself with Psychic Power and circled Trevenant in the air. Unable to match her speed and agility, Trevenant stood its ground and used Ingrain.
Its tree-like feet grew longer and thicker, burrowing deep into the earth. Drawing power from the ground, its injuries began to heal — though the energy drained from Daisy through Pain Split hadn't fully restored it.
Daisy unleashed Double Team once more, and instantly more than ten Gardevoir surrounded Leader Trevenant, each tracing circles in the air.
Mystical Fire activated. After watching Mismagius use the move countless times during their sea voyage, Daisy had mastered it herself.
She launched more than ten flames simultaneously, engulfing Leader Trevenant in a sea of fire. Most were illusions from Double Team — only the flames directly wrapping around Trevenant were real, not quite forming a true inferno.
When no cry came from within the flames, Daisy's brow furrowed.
"Phan~ Phan~" — Behind you, behind you!
The Phantump supporting Daisy cried out in warning.
Her heart leaped and she tried to dodge, but too late. Trevenant materialized from nowhere and struck her with one massive claw.
Leader Trevenant had been hiding Phantom Force all along! In all their previous matches, it had never revealed this move. Using Phantom Force's ghostly properties, it had easily escaped the fire.
The old are truly wiser!
Daisy slammed into a large tree with a cry of pain. The Phantump rushed to her, chirping with worry.
"Garde~ Garde~" — I'm fine, don't worry!
She quickly took flight and cast Heal Pulse, barely managing to stabilize her injuries.
"Kekeke!!!"
Seeing Daisy's disadvantage, Leader Trevenant let out a villainous laugh — truly embracing its Ghost-type nature.
Annoyed by its underhanded tactics, Daisy quickly surrounded herself with layers of Light Screen and Reflect.
But just as her shields formed, countless vines suddenly sprouted and grew from her body.
"Kekeke!!!"
Trevenant laughed triumphantly — it had secretly planted Leech Seed on her earlier.
"Garde!!!"
Daisy let out a painful groan as the vines drained her energy and transferred it to Trevenant. Seeing their boss gain the upper hand, the Phantump supporting Leader Trevenant began imitating its villainous laugh.
"Kekeke~"
"Kekeke~~"
...
The forest's eerie atmosphere reached its peak — any other Pokémon would have fled in terror by now. It was clear why only Trevenant and Phantump called this place home.
The Phantump supporting Daisy grew upset at their companions' gloating. Their criticism quickly escalated into a brawl, with both teams bumping, slapping, and rolling on the ground.
The dark forest descended into chaos.
Only Captain Talonflame remained calm, perched on a treetop watching the scene unfold.
Yet the Phantump's disorder did nothing to interrupt the duel between Daisy and Trevenant.
As the vines drained her energy more rapidly, Daisy knew she had to act fast. After losing to Leader Trevenant so many times recently, she was determined to win at least once today.
She raised her hand to trace circles in the air, preparing to use Mystical Fire — Fire-type moves were always effective against Grass-types.
Then inspiration struck.
Fire... fire... fire...
Remembering Trevenant's earlier Will-O-Wisp, lotus-like blue flames materialized around Daisy.
She had spontaneously learned Will-O-Wisp!
More ghostly blue flames appeared around her, lending her beautiful face an otherworldly, fearsome aspect.
Under her psychic control, the Will-O-Wisps surged toward Trevenant. Soon it was engulfed in flames, as if the ancient tree had burst into ethereal bloom.
The Will-O-Wisp's burning effect left Trevenant in a weakened state, halving the power of its physical attacks — its primary form of offense.
The burning flames were painful, and Leader Trevenant angrily raised its hand to strike Daisy with Shadow Claw.
"Some friend, hitting so hard!"
Daisy: "Like you've been gentle with me? What happened to being besties?"
The friendship boat had capsized just like that.
Both Pokémon were losing energy — Daisy from Leech Seed and Trevenant from its burned state. However, since Leech Seed transferred Daisy's energy to Trevenant, the leader still held the advantage.
To defeat it, Daisy decided to go all out. Her eyes burst with intense purple light, and in that instant, Trevenant felt as if it had sunk into a swamp, its movements becoming extremely difficult.
She had released all her Psychic Power at once just to restrain it for a moment.
With a wave of her finger, a large ring of fire appeared before her. A thick pillar of flame shot through the ring, instantly engulfing Trevenant. This time, with her Psychic Power holding it in place, Trevenant couldn't escape using Phantom Force.
But victory wasn't that simple.
At the last moment, Trevenant's eyes burst with intense black light — not Pain Split this time, but Destiny Bond.
It wailed and fell in the flames, and in that same instant, Daisy's eyes closed as Destiny Bond took effect.
Seeing both Pokémon fall simultaneously, the arguing Phantump fell silent.
Captain Talonflame swooped down from the tree and gestured for a Phantump to bring Daisy's bag. They took out several berries to feed both fallen Pokémon.
The Grade A berries worked immediately, and soon both regained consciousness.
Daisy looked at Trevenant and sighed deeply, "Ah~ I lost again..."
Captain Talonflame glanced at the darkening sky and urged her to hurry home.
But Trevenant turned to Daisy, "If you're not in a hurry to get home, I'll take you somewhere nice."
"Somewhere nice?" Daisy's eyes lit up with interest.
"You'll see when we get there." Trevenant said mysteriously.
Daisy turned to Captain Talonflame, "Why don't you head back without me? I'll stay here for the night."
"Stay for the night?" Captain Talonflame's eyes widened in disbelief, "Are you sure? The boss will scold you."
"He dares to scold me?" Daisy shouted with feigned bravado, "Who's the parent and who's the child here? How dare he scold me! The world's turned upside down!"
Leader Trevenant nodded vigorously, "That's the spirit! Being a mother is just like being a leader — you must have authority!"
Though it had never been a mother.
"Mm-hmm~" Daisy nodded enthusiastically, embracing this logic.
Captain Talonflame gave her a pointed look and said, "Fine, do whatever you want. It's not my business."
Then it flew away.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
When Captain Talonflame returned to Mt. Ascendant, night had fallen, and Cole and the others had been waiting for Daisy to come home for dinner.
As time passed without her return, Cole grew restless, pacing back and forth while muttering.
"Could something have happened?"
"Bri~ Brio~" — No way, Daisy is too strong for that.
Brionne comforted him.
"No, I need to go check."
As Cole headed outside, he had barely reached the courtyard when a Fletchinder rushed in, calling out urgently.
"Cole, Cole, the Captain asked me to tell you that Daisy won't be coming back tonight — she's staying in the forest!"
"What???" Cole shouted, "Not coming back? What's going on?"
"I don't know." Fletchinder shook its head, "The Captain just told me to relay the message."
"Where's your Captain? I need to ask what's going on." Cole strode toward the door.
Fletchinder hurried after him, replying, "In the dormitory!"
✲✲✲
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