Selena arrives at one of the acclaimed Slateport greenhouses, but she is not there to sample their berries. Still, the owner thinks it's in their best interest to give the Lilycove Gym Leader and Vantage CEO a try at their produce, especially considering the expansion at one of the largest cities in the region. The pinkette is kind to decline, but the next minute proves how persuasive they can be, when she finds herself with a bunch of enthusiasts listening to the gardener explaining how it is the best season for their fruits.

“I'm pretty sure they already want us to pick berries we want to try. There's a group for winter harvests and those that are all-year long.”

She beams at the boy who is looking all flustered. They are interrupted when the gardener begins to approach them, his eyes focused on the pinkette.

“Hello, Ms. Desmarais! I hope you're enjoying this tour. Have you already decided which group you'll be joining?”

His attention is grabbed by the boy who's probably looks more flushed now. “Oh, are you with him, too?”

MISSION: BERRY PATCH KIDS

Cogimo Shimaru

Great. Not only Cogimo ended up bothering someone who was here for a completely different reason, but it also seemed they were important. If the hot-neighbor-gardener attitude was anything to go by. And that brought him to his second issue, the gardener WAS BACK and he was LOOKING AT COGIMO. The boy could feel the blood pumping in his face, as well as, getting embarrassingly hot under his collar.[break]"Ummm...I...That is...University...I will go to the winter berries, thank you!" And Shimaru was off to the berry patch as if his life depended on it.[break]
Once there it didn't take long before he got the grasp of where everything was placed, as well as, how he should do it. This, for sure, wasn't the first time picking berries, even if usually it had been done in one of the huge fields his family owned. But as he started to work Cogimo wondered if the girl from before was anyone important. It seemed so, but Cogimo had always a tendency to live in his own bubble and successfully ignoring everything that happened outside of it. This train of thought, though, didn't last long before bright light erupted from his backpack and Boink, the ferroseed, appeared on the ground. Just...Laying there.[break]"I should really get those pokeballs checked." The boy muttered before smiling at the pokemon, petting his metal shell. "Hey buddy! Got bored, hmmm? Well...Doubt you can help, but, if no one says anything to us, you can stay." The boy exhaled before getting back to work.

Selena Desmarais

“Well, I guess I'll be joining him.”

She beams before immediately waddling away from the gardener, hoping she will not be bugged about trying to taste some of their berries. All she wants is to get some information about how the business is thriving despite the aftermath of war manifesting in a lot of industries. Selena is sure that she's been clear with the interview brief, but the owner sure is persistent in getting on her good side.

The pinkette arrives at the other room where a different staff is giving them instructions on how to pick the berries.

“If you like him, you shouldn't have run in the first place.”

She speaks behind the boy who seems to be at a careful distance from the rest of the people. As they arrive late, they have the pleasure to be out of earshot and enjoy the isolation of doing the picking.

MISSION: BERRY PATCH KIDS

Cogimo Shimaru

It seems he had got the attention of the pink-haired girl as not even ten minutes later she arrived, with commentary that made his face blossom into a red mess. Somewhere in the background, Boink made a sound. Cogimo glared at the metal seed before, with a tight-lipped smile, speaking to the girl.[break]"Hahaha, I wouldn't say like. He's just attractive and I'm not that good with functioning around attractive guys. If possible, I try to avoid them just because of all the messy situation it has got me in." The boy put some berries in the food crates before continuing speaking. If she was here might as well try making friends.[break]"I'm Cogimo, by the way. He's..." He pointed in the direction of the Ferroseed, "Boink. I think he isn't used to be inside a pokeball for so long and has been getting out on his own, recently. That, or maybe all of my pokeballs are broken." The student chuckled as the object of his conversation made a displeased noise.[break]"That guy was sure dedicated to talking with you, though. Are you sure you weren't the one who just got flirted with?"

Selena Desmarais

Selena forgot the last time she became a real mess because of a very attractive guy... or girl. It is not like she is desensitized with appearences alone but because she finds attraction more recently with the interaction she has with the person. And so while there is something that makes her want to understand what the boy is saying, she just finds herself smiling upon his confession.

“I'm Selena.” She nods at the ferroseed who seems to be enjoying its stay outside of its capsule. “Some pokemons are really like that. After all, they are social creatures who don't want to be imprisoned in their shelters.”

Just like most of her pokemons, especially the hounds, don't want to be inside their balls. And so she needs the wide space in her gym so Raijin, Lucifer, and Raphael can run all they want.

“Ha,” she huffs a chuckle. “He's only flirting because he's asked to. Though I wouldn't mind an eyecandy hitting on me too.”

MISSION: BERRY PATCH KIDS

Cogimo Shimaru

Cogimo grumbled an agreement, for a moment putting a bigger focus on a particular berry plant that seemed to have first signs of rot. At the same time, the boy also had a nagging thought that the pink-haired girl's name seemed familiar. At least, heard before. Did he maybe knew any other Selenas and just had forgotten? Cogimo wouldn't put it past him. His attention, though, was really brought back when she started to discuss pokemon.[break]"Oh, believe me, I know exactly how social pokemons are. My parents run something of a shelter slash farm thing. Growing up in a place like that it's one of the first things you learn. Especially, when other pokemon moms try to constantly steal you out from your crib." The young student laughed, remembering how much fun he had with that as a child.[break]"Do you have any pokemon on your own?"

Selena Desmarais

Memories from the Desmarais Manor in Camphrier, Kalos surge inside her head. She cannot agree more as it is also the same experience she's had with her pokemons, albeit the shelter and vineyard is probably much larger than what he imagines.

“Our family owns a leash of fennekins at our chateau. I also have one which has already evolved into a delphox.”

And more than that, she has already caught a few more fennekins and braixens during her stay in Hoenn, together with bunch of other pokemons, and even an island deity for that manner.

All the volunteers stop whatever they're doing when the gardener from the previous room enters with a basket full of year-long berries the other group has picked from their trees. The rest of the other group's members follow his lead to help them do the picking and finish on time.

“Oh, looks like we're pressed for time. Maybe I should also try and help you now.”

And the moment she wears the gloves and helps Cogimo Shimaru, the gardener smiles and approaches them.

MISSION: BERRY PATCH KIDS

Cogimo Shimaru

As always, it was a delight discussing pokemon, especially, those he hasn't encountered yet. Fennekins were one of the more popular species, easy to care for, and all in all beautiful. Not many got abandoned and those that were...Well, usually a new trainer was found before they even managed to reach the Shimaru's farm. When he now thought about it, the boy wasn't sure if he even knew how their evolutionary line looked beyond the starting form.[break]
As he was about to ask if she had any pictures she could show he too noticed the influx of people coming in from the other room. That, unfortunately, also meant that the gardener from before was approaching both again. The man's attention was mainly on the girl, both talking about something Cogimo didn't try listening in, as he was now set on doing his job as efficiently, as possible. Only when they were about to part did he remember the plant rot, stopping the gardener before he left. The boy mumbled what he had noticed, bowed to both the gardener and pink-haired girl, and sprinted away as he saw his class already about to leave. If he stumbled on air...Well, there was no proof to that.

Selena Desmarais

“I'm sorry to further disappoint you. It's just that, the Vantage's priorities right now is not about taking advertisements. We're kind of satisfied with the amount of sponsorships we're getting right now.”

There is worry in her face, afraid that she is trying to tell this decision to someone who supposedly has no power to decide for the welfare of this industry.

“You know what, if you really want to get partners, maybe you can try calling my dad. He's big into these kinds of things.”

And as soon as she finishes talking with the gardener, she realizes the boy is already gone. She huffs a chuckle, remember what he says before about attractive men and everything. Selena wonders when will she see him again, hopefully that time, he has already overcome his jitters.

MISSION: BERRY PATCH KIDS

Cogimo Shimaru