By the lakeside.
The Calligrapher gazed out over the waters of Lake Verity, her brush hovering over the paper, unable to make a single mark.
Despite her grand artistic visions, she felt stagnant. Without catching a glimpse of the Lake Guardian's true form, she couldn't grasp the "essence" she needed. Her characters were starting to look increasingly erratic.
What should I do?
Feeling lost, she set her brush down and began to wander aimlessly around the lake's perimeter.
During her stroll, she stumbled upon a peculiar tree. It had a brownish trunk and two stiff branches, with six green spherical objects—half-leaf, half-fruit—clinging to the tips. Its bizarre appearance intrigued her.
She quickly realized its true identity, Sudowoodo.
It was a "Mimicry Pokémon" that disguised itself as a tree to avoid being attacked. It could fool a fool, but it couldn't hide from someone with sharp perception.
[You are fascinated by Sudowoodo. You decide to catch it because it reminds you of your past self—no matter how much it pretends, it isn't a real tree, no matter how perfect the imitation, it isn't your own calligraphy.]
She sent out Smeargle, and with very little effort, the capture was successful.
[You received Sudowoodo! Your traveling party has grown.]
With this, only one slot remained in her team. Kashiwagi was curious to see who would fill it.
Having caught Sudowoodo, the Calligrapher's mood improved significantly. Returning to the lakeside, she composed a calligraphic scroll based on the legends of Lake Verity. She still wasn't entirely satisfied, but she felt she was finally carving out her own path.
As she critiqued her work, she noticed Smeargle, who was supposed to be grinding ink was staring blankly at the lake, lost in thought. She walked over to its side.
[Seeing Smeargle habitually clutching its tail, you realize it's time to have a heart-to-heart.]
[You apologize to Smeargle. The sudden apology flusters the Pokémon, but you explain that you were once too obsessed with your own writing, ignoring its feelings and never considering what it truly wanted.]
[You say that during this journey, you've often seen it doodling in the air or on the ground, yet it never truly acted on its passion. You admit you were the one holding it back.]
[You recall the first day of your journey, when Smeargle drew with the children in the plaza to encourage you. You regret not paying enough attention back then.]
[You tell Smeargle that since you have found your path, it should also move toward its own desires. From the Gym battles, you saw its love for painting. You cannot and will not deny it the right to paint anymore, just grinding ink for you is a waste of its talent.]
[You embrace Smeargle as it weeps with joy. Seeing its happiness fills you with delight.]
On the screen, the Calligrapher and her Smeargle hugged tightly. The intimacy of the scene made Kashiwagi instinctively hug the Deino sitting beside him.
As he suspected, Smeargle was the one looking at Mime Jr. with envy. Mime Jr. was moving toward becoming a master of mime, while Smeargle had suppressed its urge to paint just to support its trainer. If it truly loved calligraphy, why had it never written a single word throughout the journey? It was simply making a sacrifice for her.
The Calligrapher had finally realized this, and Smeargle was set free.
As they embraced, a soft pink glow erupted from the center of Lake Verity. Suddenly, a small, ethereal Pokémon appeared before the Calligrapher, only to vanish an instant later, leaving her with a startled exclamation mark over her head.
It was Mesprit. The Calligrapher's intense display of emotion had summoned the "Being of Emotion" itself.
As if touched by divine inspiration, she poured all her newfound feelings into a poem praising Mesprit. A calligraphic scroll shimmering with a golden light in the simulation was born.
[You are extremely satisfied with this scroll and decide it will be your entry for the competition.]
Meanwhile, Smeargle used the Calligrapher's paper to paint a beautiful scene of Mesprit floating over the lake. Unfortunately, the paper wasn't meant for painting, and the pigments bled out quickly. Fortunately, the Calligrapher took a photo of the work and resolved to buy Smeargle professional art supplies.
----
Leaving Lake Verity, the Calligrapher traveled north to Eterna City.
Here, she experienced the fading traces of ancient history. At the Eterna Historical Museum, she viewed models of the Space-Time Towers and mythic artifacts like the Adamant Orb. She even found stone tablets inscribed with ancient script. These ancient vibrations deepened her understanding of her art.
[Knowing you have gained new insight, you decide to challenge the Gym.]
She faced the Grass-type specialist, Gardenia. She won the battle, but Gardenia—having apparently heard rumors—begged for a piece of her calligraphy. This put the Calligrapher in a bind. What should she write? "Grass"? "Eterna"?
Ultimately, she decided to transcribe an ancient tablet from the museum in her own style as a gift for Gardenia. Kashiwagi thought he saw a line of text flash over Gardenia's head for a split second:
"I got more words than the others! I win!"
What the heck? Kashiwagi twitched his lips. Is there a group chat for Sinnoh Gym Leaders just like the one in Kalos?
After the challenge, she went to her family villa in Eterna City. She handed the Lake Verity scroll to her butler to be sent to Hearthome City for the competition. While there, she picked up her next companion.
[You received Bellossom, your childhood playmate! Your traveling party has grown.]
At first, Kashiwagi didn't understand why she needed a Bellossom. But later, when they set up camp, the picture became clear. The Calligrapher would write, Smeargle would paint, Mime Jr. would perform, and Luxray would nap. Meanwhile, Altaria would provide a loud, melodious song, and Bellossom would dance to the music.
A full production crew? Kashiwagi realized this girl knew how to live.
Unfortunately, her luck didn't hold for the next leg of the trip. After trekking through snow-covered forests to reach the mysterious Lake Acuity, Uxie—the Being of Knowledge refused to show itself. Though disappointed, she still left a scroll praising Uxie while Smeargle painted the frozen landscape.
When they finally arrived in Snowpoint City, the city itself gave them an unexpected surprise: Diamond Dust. This rare natural phenomenon turned the falling snow into glittering, star-like ice crystals.
Moved to tears by the beauty, the Calligrapher didn't wait for Gym Leader Candice to ask; she proactively presented her with a scroll featuring the character for "Winter" (冬). It was a "Winter" that captured the falling crystals—cold, yet enchanting, as if glowing with divine light.
Looking at this work, the Calligrapher knew she was halfway to her destination. And as if in perfect sync, Mime Jr. finally mastered Mimic and evolved into Mr. Mime.
They were one step closer to their future.