The Sheng Chenghua Flower Shop stood quietly along Route 104, between Petalburg Woods and Rustboro City.
It was famous throughout the Hoenn region for its lush flowers and high-quality berries.
The shop had originally been carefully run by the parents of the three sisters. However, those two extremely "free-spirited" adults decided—using the excuse that their eldest daughter was already an adult—to shamelessly step back as hands-off managers. They dumped the entire responsibility of the flower shop onto their daughters and promptly set off on a journey around the world to chase their own dreams.
When Alex first heard this story from the eldest sister, several thick black lines immediately slid down his forehead.
What unbelievably big-hearted parents…
The three sisters who ran the shop were the eldest sister Tenko, the second sister Reiko, and the youngest sister Shoko.
At the moment, Alex was carefully lifting a blooming potted plant. His gaze passed over the flower racks and landed on Tenko, who was standing at the counter, greeting customers with a gentle smile.
"Sister Tenko, where should I put this?"
"Just move it to the sunny area in the backyard. Sorry for the trouble," Tenko replied softly, still giving an apologetic smile to the waiting customer.
Tenko had smooth, dark-blue hair that reached her shoulders. Gentle and quiet by nature, she was always polite and meticulous in her dealings, making her easy to approach.
She doted on her two younger sisters with motherly care, yet when it came to disciplining the mischievous Shoko, her authority was absolute and unquestionable.
Passing through the back door of the shop, an open backyard came into view. Not only were countless flowers carefully cultivated here, but there was also a thriving Berry field.
In the distance, a clear freshwater lake shimmered amid the greenery—a favorite watering spot for nearby wild Pokémon.
Alex happened to spot the second sister, Reiko, holding an orange-yellow Psyduck-shaped watering can, leisurely sprinkling water over the flower beds.
He set the pot down and waved cheerfully.
"Sister Reiko!"
"Yo! Little Alex finally showed up! You're a bit late today~" Reiko strode over the moment she heard him.
She casually slung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. The strength was so overwhelming that Alex nearly lost his breath.
Reiko had neat, refreshing short cyan hair and an overall cool vibe. She spoke and acted decisively, with a laid-back, free-spirited personality.
"Sister Reiko, that grip is way too strong. You should go train with the Fighting-type Elite Bruno sometime," Alex joked.
Before he could finish, Reiko tightened her arm around his neck.
"Ow—ow—ow! That hurts! I was wrong! I surrender!" Alex immediately begged.
Only then did Reiko let go.
"Hmph. I don't want to turn into a big muscular woman."
"That's right! If you train until you look like a female Machamp, Sister Reiko will never find a boyfriend!"
A small girl with two bright red buns suddenly jumped out from behind the flowers and shouted.
It was the youngest sister, Shoko—lively, boisterous, and completely unfiltered.
The thing Alex found hardest to deal with was that Shoko had a habit of "falling in love at first sight" with men she considered mature and reliable—and unfortunately, Alex often became her lock-on target.
In her own words: "I admire serious and hardworking people the most!"
"Sho—ko!!!"
Reiko instantly exploded. She lunged forward and grabbed Shoko's ear with pinpoint accuracy. Her roar shook the air like an Exploud using Hyper Voice.
Alex watched the two sisters devolve into chaos, the black lines on his forehead growing darker.
Until—
"You two! That's enough! You're disturbing the customers!"
Tenko's voice wasn't loud, but it carried unquestionable authority. The two instantly froze as if someone had hit pause, lowering their heads and apologizing in unison.
After scolding them, Tenko turned back to Alex with her usual gentleness.
"It's almost noon. At this pace, the watering won't be finished in time. Alex, could you go to the lake and ask those little ones to help?"
"No problem, Sister Tenko!" Alex replied readily and headed toward the shimmering lake.
Sunlight scattered like gold across the water. Alex stopped at the shore, raised two fingers to his lips, and blew a clear, melodic whistle with a distinctive rhythm.
The sound echoed across the lake.
The calm surface stirred, and patches of emerald green leaves popped up one after another. Beneath them, round black eyes slowly emerged.
They were Lotad—the Water Weed Pokémon.
Lotad lived in clean, clear waters and resembled aquatic plants. They often gathered in high-quality ponds and lakes, forming floating green carpets on the surface.
This pristine lake was one of the key reasons the flower shop had been built here.
"Lotad, I'll be counting on you again today," Alex said with a smile.
"Cha-bo?"
One leading Lotad tilted its head, let out a cheerful cry, and hopped onto land, revealing its light-blue round body and stubby legs.
Soon, the others followed, forming a messy line as they bounced after Alex toward the backyard.
---
Warm sunlight bathed the flower beds and Berry fields.
The Lotad lined up in position, standing on tiptoe and raising their leaf-covered heads toward the sky.
Their flat, duck-like mouths opened slightly as they condensed Water-type energy—compressing, stabilizing, and firing!
Countless Water Gun attacks crisscrossed in midair, weaving a glittering net of water that burst into fine droplets, evenly sprinkling the flowers and berries below.
Tiny rainbows shimmered in the sunlight.
Alex watched patiently, until his gaze was drawn to one particular Lotad.
While the others enjoyed the cool mist, this one had climbed onto a flat rock alone. It sprawled out comfortably, eyes half-closed, the leaf on its head unfurling as if greedily absorbing the warmth of the sun.
"That one… it wasn't born in our lake," Tenko said softly, having come to call Alex for lunch.
"It came down from the back mountain last year. It's a bit different, but it gets along well with the others."
Alex looked thoughtfully at the sun-bathing Lotad, curiosity stirring in his heart.
Before he could think further—
"Hey! Hurry up!"
Shoko came charging over like a cannonball, grabbed Alex's wrist, and dragged him toward the shop.
"If we're late, Sister Tenko's Oran Berry pies will all get eaten by Second Sister alone!" she shouted.
---
Lunch passed in cheerful praise of Tenko's cooking.
Besides running the shop, she was also a master of Berry cuisine. Her homemade Berry pies—golden and crisp on the outside, sweet-and-tangy within—were irresistible.
In the Pokémon world, Berries were magical plants unlike anything on Earth. They absorbed elemental energy just like Pokémon, producing fruits with unique forms and effects.
Each region had its own uses:
Hoenn made Pokéblocks
Sinnoh crafted Poffins
Kanto refined Berry medicine
Kalos produced fertilizers
Alola used Berry dyes
Galar perfected Curry
Berries were the bridge between human life and Pokémon raising—and the reason Alex chose to work here.
As for the deeper reason—
That afternoon, Alex returned alone to the lakeside and grasped the Relicanth-shaped pendant at his chest.
Where its eyes should have been were two embedded orbs:
One pale blue, cold and precise like a frozen lake.
One soft pink, glowing dreamily like a deep-sea pearl.
Without warning—
The pink orb lit up.
Buzz…
The air vibrated subtly. Space itself seemed to loosen.
And on the distant rock, the Lotad froze in shock:
!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ
The human who had been standing there—
vanished.