Under the guidance of the Lavaridge Gym Leader, Aroma Lady set out toward a Gym with more lenient requirements.
[You hear from the Lavaridge Gym Leader that a newly established city called Mauville lies to the east. ]
[People from all walks of life are flocking there, and you set off, eager to see it for yourself.]
"Eager" might have been an understatement, but the moment Aroma Lady stepped into the forest, she slipped right back into her routine of medical rescue work.
This time, she had a new assistant: Bellossom.
Despite their short time together, it coordinated perfectly with Roselia.
One would bind the target with Leech Seed, while the other would subdue them with Sleep Powder.
It was a smooth, effortless operation.
Occasionally, they encountered less-than-friendly wild Pokémon during their treatments.
Whether it was a Ursaring or an Aggron, the duo would strike back boldly and defeat them.
They were surprisingly formidable.
Part of this was naturally due to Aroma Lady's Blue-tier [Nurturing] talent.
While she was a doctor and an essence researcher, she was also an exceptional Pokémon Breeder.
Furthermore, Roselia was already a "hidden master" in its own right, and since Bellossom had reached its final evolution in the wild, it was no slouch either.
These factors combined to give them high combat power—a fact that became evident whenever they crossed paths with other Trainers.
In this era, the rule that "locking eyes means a battle" didn't seem to exist yet.
However, knowing she lacked a foundation in competitive battling, Aroma Lady proactively approached any stranger she met to "ask for guidance."
[You defeated a passing Youngster; your Pokémon have grown.]
[You defeated a passing Hiker; your Pokémon have grown.]
After a string of victories, Aroma Lady made a realization.
Wait... are my Pokémon actually pretty strong?
"After all, a Trainer is a 'trainer,' not just a 'conductor,'" Kashiwagi quipped to himself.
A huge part of a Pokémon's combat strength lies in daily care and nurturing.
While battle commands are decisive, the two aspects complement each other. If one is slightly weaker, the other can compensate to maintain overall strength.
Thus, while Aroma Lady was still "green" in terms of tactical command, her Pokémon had a solid foundation and were incredibly obedient.
All she lacked was experience.
She clearly understood this, as she continued to actively seek battles with strangers. During this time, the [Face Reflects the Heart] talent seemed to trigger once again.
This time, she "recruited" a Masquerain.
When she first encountered it, it was still a Surskit fighting for territory with a Lombre. In the heat of the moment, it evolved, but was then struck by the opponent's Water Gun.
Its wings and antennae absorbed too much water, becoming too heavy to fly, and it plummeted into the lake.
Aroma Lady didn't think much of it at first, until she noticed it wasn't surfacing.
Realizing that Masquerain loses its ability to move freely underwater after evolving, she dove into the lake and pulled the drowning Pokémon to safety.
[You have earned Masquerain's gratitude; it wishes to stay by your side.]
[You obtained Masquerain. Your traveling party has grown!]
Masquerain, huh...
To be honest, Kashiwagi found them a bit eerie—not because of the antennae, but because their "real" eyes were quite strange.
But he supposed they fell into the "cute" category?
At least Surskit was adorable.
Aroma Lady, however, was thrilled. Masquerain's secretions also carried a distinct fragrance that could be used for her essences.
Currently, her research relied on collecting nectar and secretions from her three Pokémon, mixing them with various herbs.
Although her "field lab" wasn't as well-equipped as her home, the trade-off was gaining access to rare herbs and a wider variety of wild Pokémon.
Her practical experience was skyrocketing.
From Kashiwagi's perspective, these essences provided a significant boost to Pokémon husbandry.
A Pokémon's performance fluctuates with its mood, and its mood is dictated by the environment. While Roselia and Bellossom loved the sun, overly harsh sunlight would eventually leave them lethargic.
At such times, Aroma Lady only had to find a shady spot and open a bottle of her essence; before long, they would be bursting with energy again.
A rival who is always at peak vitality is a terrifying prospect in battle.
Finally, after crossing a high mountain range, Mauville City appeared on the horizon.
[You arrive in Mauville City. The atmosphere of burgeoning growth fills you with excitement, and the sight of Pokémon from other regions makes your heart race.]
[You interact with the local Trainers and recommend the fragrances you've crafted.]
With her gentle temperament and striking looks, Aroma Lady quickly became a favorite among the local Trainers.
Mauville was a city of pioneers, attracting outsiders to build it from the ground up, so the population was generally friendly. Aroma Lady was like a fish in water.
And while she was busy studying various Pokémon, the founder of Mauville City appeared.
[You meet one of the founders of Mauville City, the Gym Leader Wattson.]
[This young man warmly invites you to take a tour of the city.]
Wattson!
Kashiwagi blinked.
He realized that even in his youth, Wattson had white hair.
It looked a bit "punk," but compared to the neon-colored hair he'd seen recently, it was actually quite tame.
[You request a Gym battle with Wattson; Wattson accepts.]
Her first official Gym challenge began in earnest. Just as the Lavaridge Leader had said, Wattson only required two Pokémon for a battle.
Aroma Lady unhesitatingly chose Roselia and Bellossom, and she walked away with her first Badge with relative ease.
Wattson was thoroughly impressed.
However, after winning her Badge, Aroma Lady didn't leave immediately. She stayed in Mauville for a while longer, working as a Pokémon Doctor and "Nurse".
The latter was a title the locals gave her because her essences were simply too effective—they could cure everything from loss of appetite to poor sleep quality—and her prices were incredibly low.
A never-ending stream of Trainers brought their Pokémon to her door every day.
During this time, a grateful Trainer from the Sinnoh region gave her a gift: a Shiny Stone.
They explained that Roselia could evolve once more using this stone.
Intrigued by the prospect, Aroma Lady tried it immediately.
[Your Roselia evolved into Roserade!]
The transformation left Aroma Lady overjoyed, but she was even more excited to find that the nectar from Roserade's flowers possessed even more beneficial properties than before.
This confirmed her belief: leaving home to travel was absolutely the right choice.
Shortly after, Aroma Lady set out for her next destination: SlateportCity.
This was a Gym Kashiwagi knew nothing about. He looked it up on his phone and discovered that the Slateport Gym had closed over twenty years ago—a literal relic of the past.
He didn't recognize the Gym Leader either; it was just a strange man.
"Looks like I'm going to see a lot of Gyms I never knew existed," Kashiwagi thought.