Dropped roses, perhaps a fleeting display of emotion on Elisabeth Fiorelli's part? So subtle and from such a distance as to be almost unnoticed. While Barnaby perceived her momentary lapse, he did not comment on it. Instead he replied to her wistful remark on the beauty of the rainbow-hued garden that had just blossomed for them to see.

"Truly," Barnaby agreed. "A botanic marvel." He breathed out, his voice lightened by the awe-inspiring scene. His head craned to and fro as he took in the verdant fields before him, though he ultimately settled on the two Gracideas at his feet. "Look here, Elisa... What on earth..."

Near the remarkable hibiscuses, small flowers and vines wrapped around the newly unearthed stones like dendritic vices, pointing Barnaby's attention to the question materializing at their topmost edges.

TO WHOM ARE YOU THANKFUL?

This was absurd. In what extraordinary event had they now become entangled? To be fair, it didn't seem such a dangerous thing, perhaps, and yet part of him felt an uneasy suspicion towards the whole affair.

Another part of him, though, was exceedingly curious. Especially when it came to the question engraved on the ivory stone, apparently waiting for his response.

Gratitude had never been a sentiment that came naturally to a man like BARNABY FINCH. His was a bold hubris, an unwavering confidence, unfettered by the honest recognition of others.

Barnaby wasn't ignorant, though. He knew that his success came partially from his station and recognized his familial privilege, took advantage of it even, but did not feel thankful toward the members of his family.

He held little affection for his father, mother, elder brother, nor even their distant relations. Their dynamic had always been one of business - an exchange of goods and services, of strict direction and met expectations. No, he was not grateful toward those that had a hand in his upbringing.

Who, then, if not his family? Friends? While he had many pleasant acquaintances and several friends, many had been left behind in dear Kalos and, unfortunately, distance had taken a toll on those relationships. Here, in Hoenn, he had only a few that lived up to such a title in his mind, most of which had been met through his ties to ROCKET.

Barnaby had struck through their hard exteriors and eventually become pleasant with Izydor Baranowski and Summer Atreides, budding friendships that he did truly enjoy.

Although it had been some time since he'd seen Felix Gallagher, he still thought fondly of the bodyguard and wished him well in whatever pursuits kept him busy.

Elisabeth Fiorelli was a newer friendship, but one he felt himself innately drawn to for some reason. She, too, had been prickly toward him at first... and yet she cultivated an air around her that seemed to simultaneously calm and exhilarate him. Perhaps it was why he so often found himself in her garden, such as today.

Then there was him. An acquaintance met by chance in a space filled with flowers much like the ones surrounding Barnaby now. Over the months since their initial meeting friendship had bloomed between them. There was undeniable affection and care there, beneath their flashing wit and teasing banter. Laughter and smiles came easily in his company. He was someone that BARNABY FINCH knew he could rely on. Someone that had given glimpses of himself during his weakest moments... and who stirred peculiar emotions in the pit of Barnaby's chest. One of these emotions, without a doubt, was gratitude.

Removing the knife that he kept hidden on his person at all times, Barnaby etched the following name into the white stone face before passing the instrument to Elisabeth for her own use:

Martín del Mar

Elisabeth Fiorelli

GRACIDEA EVENT

☉

With his response now carved forever into the strange, magical stone, Barnaby handed his knife over for Elisa to whittle her response into her own alabaster rock.

Whose name would she choose?

After hearing her bitter laugh upon only reading the question, Barnaby was certainly curious of her answer. He did not press, though, nor try to interrupt her musings. The gravity of this event and its spectacular circumstances weighed enough on Barnaby to curb his usual puckish remarks.

He did, however, think about whether or not Elisa was thankful for him. To Barnaby's credit, he had admitted as much to her at their impromptu riverside picnic - at her prompting, no less! He was grateful for their friendship... but would she return the same sentiment?

It appeared he would not have to wait long to find out. He watched as her chosen name was carved into stone, knowing just from the first letter that... it was not his name etched there, but another's.

Georgette Bluebottle. The name whispered at his memory, eliciting hazy images of a young, pale-haired woman amidst bountiful berry bushes... but the recollection was tenuous at best. Barnaby couldn't quite place why the name sounded familiar, and certainly didn't connect that he'd actually met Gigi once before.

Even if he'd tried harder to remember, he wouldn't have had time. As soon as the last letter was etched into Elisabeth's stone and the pair took hold of their uprooted Gracideas, the flowered field around them began changing once again.

Petals detached from their receptacles and swirled through the air - although not in a haphazard fashion. Instead, the thousands of petals started to merge into what could only be described as a floral bridge beginning from their stones and ascending high into the sky and through the cloud-line above.

Innately, Barnaby knew that they needed to hurry if they were to continue on this fantastical adventure. The Gracidea, now carefully cradled in his hands, through some clandestine power seemed to beckon him to act. Once again the absurdity of this entire ordeal crossed Barnaby's mind, but not in a reproachful way; in truth, this was an utter delight. Dizzyingly beautiful and whimsically fun.

"Ha!" A loud bark of laughter escaped his lips as the bridge completed its construction. "I think we're meant to ascend!" That much was obvious. Shifting the Gracidea to one hand, he removed a Safari Ball from his coat and released Reine, his newly evolved RAPIDASH, into the patch of flowers beside him.

With remarkable nimbleness, Barnaby vaulted onto his horse's back one-armed, leaving the magical hibiscus in his hand unscathed. Keeping their time in mind, he then immediately offered his free hand for Elisabeth Fiorelli to take. "Come, Elisa! We have to hurry before all of this disappears!"

Once she was suitably settled behind him on Reine, he'd urge the RAPIDASH forward and toward the floral bridge. The horse was hesitant to step across the threshold between solid ground and petals at first, but once she discovered they wouldn't immediately fall through seemed to accept the absurdity of the situation just as her master had.

With a few clucks of Barnaby's tongue she moved ever-faster, using her innate AGILITY to speed higher and higher into the sky.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

GRACIDEA EVENT

☉

Theirs was a marvelous ride up into the skyline - one dripped in sparkling dust and accented by the excited wicker of their mount, with wind whipping at their backs. Barnaby found the experience exhilarating, although it was over in what seemed like mere moments.

The flowered trail broke above the clouds and found them cresting over the last remaining feet before hitting level ground once again. A cursory glance showed that the small island that greeted them was devoid of any manmade structures; in fact, the only thing present were garden beds - some rife with blossoming Gracidea, some not.

Barnaby idly wondered if these flowers were the only thing of note here. His thought was quickly answered by the suspicious movement of several somethings in the bushes.

Nimbly dismounting from Reine, he'd offer Elisabeth Fiorelli a hand to help her alight as well, if she chose to take it. If not it was of little consequence; he knew her to be fiercely independent, after all, and not in need of his help. Call it chivalry or gross curiosity, but Barnaby felt motivated to offer nonetheless.

Once they'd both found solid footing, he'd turn his attention back to the garden before recalling his RAPIDASH and releasing another of his Pokémon.

The unusually-colored ODDISH that appeared sashayed jovially in a circle around Elisa in particular, it's expression one of unmistakable glee. Could the fantastical energy surrounding this Gracidea garden be the cause of such a display? Perhaps, although the little Grass-type was normally rather even-tempered to begin with.

"Perhaps this will lure out whatever is hiding," Barnaby gestured to the shifting undergrowth. "Sweet Scent, toward the leaves there." He instructed the ODDISH, who was still dancing around Elisa's feet. The order caused her to pause mid-step, but within a second or two she had righted herself. The crown of long, bright green leaves along her head quivered gently and, soon enough, an undeniably fragrant scent began wafting toward the garden.

Just then, from within the throng of vegetation an elongated snout - piercing white in color - poked out, waggling slightly to take in the luscious aroma.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

GRACIDEA EVENT

☉

With Elisabeth Fiorelli's and Reed's help, it seemed their plan to lure the creatures out went off without a hitch.

Taking her cue, Barnaby knelt down beside Elisa with an outstretched arm, beckoning for the mystery creature to disclose itself. Slowly, the white snout emerged from the undergrowth to reveal an unusual flowered hedgehog, swathed in green grassy filaments with two Gracideas adorning either temple.

Actually, several unusual flowered hedgehogs. Now, Barnaby wasn't very well-versed in Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, and this included the likes of SHAYMIN, so he wasn't immediately aware of just how rare this encounter was. But, given the fantastical circumstances that brought them here to this garden, he could surmise as much.

"Well hello, little one," He cooed reassuringly, offering an open palm for the one that approached him to sniff. "Cute things, aren't they, Elisa?"

It seemed another of the peculiar Pokémon was intrigued by Elisabeth, while the others in the group held back from greeting the pair of humans. The two SHAYMIN that did, however, quickly warmed up to them and even urged the ROCKETs toward a starkly barren patch of the garden.

Their little clawed paws scratched at the loose soil before they scuttled over and used their snouts to point at the uprooted Gracidea flowers in either humans' hand. Their request was fairly obvious, so Barnaby set to work on planting his own Gracidea. There was no way he was getting his hands dirty, though.

From his coat he pulled yet another Poké Ball, this time calling upon a certain pony who had a penchant for digging up the fields in her pasture. She'd be perfect for this. Julep the MUDBRAY appeared in a flash of red light, nickering her delight at being released. Barnaby gave her forelock a little scritch before he motioned to an area of open soil.

"Here, little love. Dig just enough for me to plant this flower." Julep eyed the Gracidea for a moment or two then, after a a small excited buck, she began pawing at the earth using Rototiller.

In no time at all a suitable hole was dug, leaving Barnaby with the simple task of carefully lowering the Gracidea to its news home. Grudgingly, he used his hands to sweep the disturbed soil back around the hibiscus, making sure it was securely in place within the garden.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

GRACIDEA EVENT

☉