Under the guidance of Hall Master Lavaridge.
Sister Xiangfen sets off towards Gyms with lower requirements.
[You hear Hall Master Lavaridge say that a newly established Mauville City lies to the east, attracting people from all around the world who are eagerly heading there.]
Being eager to set off indeed.
But Sister Xiangfen dives into the forest again, commencing her work of healing and helping.
This time, she gained an additional assistant—Bellossom. Although their time together was short, it cooperated well with Roselia, one binding people with Parasitic Seed while the other anesthetized them with Hypnotic Powder.
It flowed smoothly and effortlessly.
Sometimes, during treatment, some not-so-friendly wild Pokémon passing by would be defeated swiftly by the two. Neither Ursaring nor Aggron stood a chance.
Partly because of Sister Xiangfen's well-trained Blue Talent, as a Pokémon Doctor and Essence developer, she's also an excellent Pokémon Breeder.
In addition, Roselia itself belongs to the Shili Slope Sword God, and Bellossom as a wild Pokémon evolving to its final form is no slouch. Various reasons contribute to their considerable battle strength—a fact evident when encountered by other Trainers.
These days, there's no rule that meeting eyes is the signal to battle, but considering her lack of battle experience, Sister Xiangfen proactively approaches unknown Trainers for "guidance."
[You defeated the passing Shorts Boy, and your Pokémon grew stronger.]
[You defeated the passing Climbing Gentleman, and your Pokémon grew stronger.]
A string of victories led Sister Xiangfen to discover.
Eh?
My Pokémon are quite strong?
"After all, a Trainer is a Trainer, not a conductor," Baimu muttered to himself.
The composition of Pokémon's combat strength greatly depends on daily nurturing. Although command during battle plays a decisive role, both complement each other. If one is weak, the other can compensate, ensuring combat effectiveness.
Therefore, while Sister Xiangfen is somewhat inexperienced in battles, her Pokémon have a solid foundation and are obedient, only lacking battle experience.
Evidently, she knows this, hence her active engagement in battles with unfamiliar Trainers.
And at this point, her Appearance Reflects the Heart talent seemed to come into play.
This time she captured a Masquerain, originally a Surskit fighting Lombre for territory.
It accidentally evolved, then got hit by the latter's Water Gun, causing its wings and antennae to absorb a lot of water, making them too heavy for flight, and it fell into the lake.
Sister Xiangfen initially paid no mind, until she noticed it hadn't resurfaced, realizing that after evolving, Masquerain couldn't move freely underwater. She quickly jumped into the lake to rescue the drowning Masquerain.
[You've won Masquerain's gratitude, and it hopes to stay with you.]
[You've gained Masquerain, adding to your journey companions.]
Masquerain…
Frankly speaking, Baimu found it somewhat eerie, not because of its antennae, but its real eyes were rather strange, though it could pass as cute, right?
At least Surskit is very cute.
Sister Xiangfen appeared particularly happy because the secretions of Masquerain also carried fragrance, which could be used for essence-making.
Currently, she mainly relies on collecting secretions or body fluids from her three Pokémon in the team, blending them with various herbs to develop corresponding essences. Though the experimental conditions were not like at home, she gained insights into many herbs of different years and more wild Pokémon.
Her practical experience increased significantly.
In Baimu's view, essence has substantial benefits for Pokémon nurturing. For instance, Pokémon's combat abilities fluctuate with moods, and moods change with the environment.
Although Roselia and Bellossom enjoy sunbathing, overly intense sunshine can make them lethargic. At those times, Sister Xiangfen merely needs to open some essence in a shaded spot, and they'll soon become vibrant again.
An opponent who remains lively is formidable in battles.
Finally.
After crossing a high mountain, Mauville City appeared at the frame's end.
[You've arrived in Mauville City, and the thriving atmosphere fills you with excitement, meeting Pokémon from other regions makes you equally thrilled.]
[You engage with those Trainers and recommend the essence you created.]
Sister Xiangfen, with her gentle demeanor and bright face, quickly gained many Trainers' approval.
The newly established Mauville City has naturally attracted numerous outsiders to build together, and they're generally friendly types, fitting Sister Xiangfen like a fish in water.
While interacting with various Pokémon, the founder of Mauville City appeared.
[You've met one of the founders of Mauville City, Gym Leader Tie Xuan, this young man warmly invites you to tour around.]
Tie Xuan!
Baimu blinked and noticed that young Tie Xuan also had white hair, somewhat reminiscent of a rocker.
Though compared to those with colorful hair recently seen, it doesn't seem much.
[You requested to challenge the Gym to Tie Xuan, and Tie Xuan agreed.]
The first Gym challenge commenced grandly.
Just as Hall Master Lavaridge stated, Tie Xuan's side required only two Pokémon for battles, Sister Xiangfen decisively chose Roselia and Bellossom, obtaining the first badge easily.
This surprised Tie Xuan greatly.
But after the Gym battle, Sister Xiangfen didn't leave immediately, instead remaining in Mauville City for some time, working as a Pokémon Doctor and nurse.
The "nurse" title came from others, mainly due to her outstanding essence that cured anything from loss of appetite to poor sleep quality—and at a very low price.
Trainers came constantly carrying different Pokémon.
During this time, a Trainer grateful to her gifted her a Stone of Light, who came from Sinnoh, indicating that Roselia could evolutionarily progress using it.
Curious, Sister Xiangfen promptly tried it.
[Your Roselia evolved into Roserade]
The transformation of Pokémon thrilled Sister Xiangfen, but more so, the essence crafted from Roserade's nectar exhibited many beneficial effects compared to before.
This confirmed her belief that embarking on this journey was indeed a wise decision.
Not long after.
Sister Xiangfen set off for the next Gym location—Kaina City.
Undeniably, this was a Gym Baimu was unfamiliar with, so he checked his phone, only to discover it had closed over twenty years ago, becoming an era's relic.
He didn't recognize the Gym Leader either, a strange man.
"Seems there are lots of Gyms I don't know," Baimu thought to himself.