[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie would have thought that moving away from her home region and her entire family would've meant that she'd be free of the obligation to go gift-shopping for the holidays at the end of the year. After renouncing her beloved family, who would she even buy presents for, anyway? Yet, the red-haired smith surprised herself by not only having made some dear friends and valued customers in Hoenn this past year, but also being enough of a stickler for tradition to actually want to brave the holiday rush to send those friends and customers some small but thoughtful gifts in thanks for helping her establish a new life in a new and very chaotic region.

She'd found several good gifts at the famed Lilycove Department Store, but there were still a few people for which she hadn't found or thought of the perfect gift just yet. Now, after delivering an order of custom-made steak knives to a foodie client, Aurelie decided to spend a few hours at the Slateport Mall. Flushed and ebullient from the generous payment and tip that she'd received, she found herself actually looking forward to splurging on gifts for friends—and maybe getting a treat for herself too.

With list in hand, Aurelie decided to let inspiration come to her and simply wandered through the mall, looking from store to store to see what caught her fancy. Her first foray was to a chocolatier, whose window display was lavish with tempting confections beautifully presented in soft, sensuous lighting, all the better to invite drooling onlookers within. Despite her best efforts, Aurelie succumbed and bought two boxes of chocolate truffles, one to give as a gift and one to take home with her. (And hopefully, she wouldn't immediately finish off the entire box in a single sitting.)

The store next door was a rare book store, which Aurelie entered with intrigued curiosity but not much confidence. After all, how many people in her life needed a first edition of ancient Paldaean fables in iambic verse, bound in hand-tooled calfskin leather? And yet, she actually found a few lovely surprises among the dusty shelves that she couldn't help but snatch up: a historical travelogue written by a famous Galarian explorer, followed by a book of folklore and mythology with intricate hand-inked drawings.

Aurelie left the rare books store feeling quite satisfied with herself for finding some unique presents in an unexpected place. Holding a pair of shopping bags, she walked past the wide glass doors of a glittery beauty products store selling expensive cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and perfumes. A pair of laughing, chattering women barreled past her into the store, and Aurelie swore under her breath as she had to dodge out of their way.

"Ugh! Excuse me," she exclaimed as she found herself bumping into someone else approaching the beauty store. "Sorry about that—wait a moment." Aurelie faltered as she looked up at the person she'd just run into.

"Zev? Is that you? she blurted out. She looked from him to the beauty retailer and back again in puzzlement. With vast understatement, Aurelie declared, "I didn't expect to run into you here. How are you doing?"

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]As always, Aurelie internally marveled and shivered at the contrast between Zev's suave, friendly civilian persona and ruthless, brutal Rocket identity. The latter would never smile at her, ask how she was doing, and notice that she was gift shopping, but the former wouldn't buy as many knives from her either. It made interacting with him...complicated, to say the least, as she struggled and usually failed to reconcile the two very different men in her mind.

For now, she smiled and nodded back a little tentatively. "Indeed, you've caught me in the middle of some last-minute holiday shopping," the red-haired smith admitted. "Maybe if I'd gotten started a little earlier, I wouldn't have to deal with all of, well, that." She nodded at their busy surroundings, filled with people rapidly streaming past.

When Zev asked for her help with his shopping and indicated his destination to be the beauty products store, the only reason that Aurelie's jaw didn’t drop all the way to the floor was solely because of the limitations of human anatomy. She was certainly shocked enough that, if she were a cartoon character, her eyes would have bugged out several feet from her face. The idea of stone-cold killer Zev shopping for holiday gifts was surprising enough, but women's beauty products? Oh, my.

"I...sure, I'd be happy to help," she faltered, looking back and forth from the beauty products store to Zev's face. A sudden grin broke across her face as she commented, "I suppose I could see a man like you feeling..." She gestured vaguely. "A little lost at sea, maybe, in a store like that."

She let him lead the way inside the shop, idly wondering if she might find a gift for someone else in the store as well. Unfortunately, Aurelie didn't think she knew anyone who'd appreciate cosmetics or hair products as a holiday present. She couldn't help wondering who Zev was buying a gift for who did appreciate those things.

"I'm going to guess that you're not here because you suddenly developed a deep passion for nail polish or exfoliating cream," she ventured. "Can I ask who the lucky lady is that you're buying for? Or lucky fellow, perhaps?"

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]"Wow, she sounds like an impressive lady," Aurelie exclaimed sincerely as Zev described the recipient of his gift. The red-haired smith supposed she could see a woman being interested in the assassin's good looks and charming civilian persona, but judging from the regularity of their dinners, Zev must be just as interested in her, if he was making that much effort. She must be quite something, Aurelie thought speculatively, and probably smoking hot on top of it all.

Aloud, she asked lightly, "Hmm, so how long have you two been dating? And an astrobiologist—does that mean she studies aliens? Or at least, whether aliens exist?"

She let out a soft "ooooh" of approval as they approached the perfume aisle, lined on both sides with warmly lit shelves holding shimmering boxes, elegant glass bottles, and delicate crystal phials filled with a wide variety of fragrances. Most of the shelves also provided samples in tiny spritzers or packets that you could pull apart to get a whiff of the perfume on sale. Mercifully, the aisle only had one or two other people browsing on the far end, so it wasn't nearly as crowded or noisy as the rest of the store.

"Oh, perfume! That's a really nice choice for a gift," she opined, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Every time she uses it, she'll be sure to think of you. But you'll have to be careful to pick something that really suits her and that she'll like, or else it'll just sit in the back of a drawer somewhere forever."

Pursing her lips, she looked about the shelves, wondering if she should buy a perfume for herself as well. She had the one, a bright and sensual perfume blending tart raspberry and pomegranate with jasmine and patchouli that she usually wore for parties and dates, but it wasn't a scent that worked well for everyday use. And she certainly didn't want to go through life smelling like she favored eau du métal en feu, that was for sure!

Wandering toward a particular set of shelves, Aurelie idly picked up an ivory-colored sample perfume strip and peeled it open to sniff its contents. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when the warm, spicy, almost bakery-esque aromas of cinnamon and vanilla wafted up to greet her. She found herself taking another sniff without even meaning to. It smelled, she realized, a little like a Kalosian bakery, making her think of cookies and pastries baking in an oven, filling a kitchen with the promise of sweet, buttery indulgence.

She looked at the box that the perfume strip corresponded to, furrowing her brow in thought. "I'm liking like this one, but I don't know if I'd recommend it as a gift for your lady friend, unless she really likes bakeries. What about…" Aurelie reached out for another perfume strip at random, this one a deep emerald-green color with bold golden lettering. "This one?" she suggested, offering it to Zev to sniff.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]As he described his relationship with Nenet, the astrobiologist who had apparently captured his interest, Aurelie narrowed her eye at Zev appraisingly, especially when he denied that they were dating. At that, she turned around to face him and tilted her head to one side questioningly. "So, let me get this straight," the red-haired smith said, a hint of skepticism audible in her tone.

"You meet up with Nenet every week or every other week for dinner," Aurelie continued. "Though evidently, you don't talk much about work when you meet." Or probably talk much at all, perhaps, she thought privately, the corner of her mouth curling up in a faint smirk. Or at least talking is secondary to the other interactions they have together.

She went on, "And you like Nenet enough to be buying her a special gift for the holidays. And not just any gift either, but a gift as romantic and intimate as perfume. And your voice gets a little softer when you're talking about her."

Her smirk broadened into a grin as she raised an eyebrow at Zev. "Not that I'd push you to attach labels to anything in your private life, but it rather sounds to me like the two of you are dating. But obviously, that's between you and her."

With that, Aurelie shrugged and nodded toward the box of eau de parfum in Zev's hands. "Anyway, glad to see that you liked that perfume." When he complimented the choice and her nose, the red-haired smith smiled cheerfully and shrugged, repressing a shudder at the convincing-sounding warmth and sincerity of his laugh. "We're lucky that the first sample you sniffed turned out to be perfect for your lady friend."

Glancing down the sample strip of perfume she was still holding, Aurelie briefly took another whiff of the scent of cinnamon and vanilla with a pleased little sigh. This time, she detected a faint, refreshing after-note—aftertaste, maybe? Who knew what perfumes called it?—of citrus, reminiscent of mandarin oranges, which added a welcome hint of brightness to the spicy, comforting scent. Nodding decisively, she too reached out to grab a box of eau de cologne.

"Looks like we both found what we came for," she said lightly. "Let's pay for our things and get out of this madhouse before some saleslady wanders by and tries to sell you lipstick, Zev. Or tries to give you a full-face makeover!"

Chuckling at the image, Aurelie set off at a brisk walk toward the checkout counter, her bags swinging jauntily from her arms. All around them, the hubbub of women trying on and buying beauty products, as well as sales associates recommending different sizes, colors, and options, continued to increase to a near-deafening level. In the wall of sound created by continuous chattering, bottles opening, lids and covers clicking, and feet clacking back and forth, the red-haired smith missed the sudden gasps and shrieks of alarm coming from one corner of the store.

As they approached the cashier to buy their perfumes, she certainly missed the rapid blur of movement of a mischievous Pokemon swirling closer and closer around the line of people at the checkout counter, knocking things over on shelves and swiping bags left and right.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie couldn't resist a smug little nod when Zev not only listened to her but actually even admitted that she might be right: He and the mysterious astrobiologist Nenet were actually dating. Amusingly, the concept seemed to surprise and perplex him as much as it had Aurelie. After having watched and helped him stab people to death and bury their corpses, she had a hard time picturing the assassin doing typical date-like things or romantically courting someone. She rather doubted that was why Zev was surprised, though.

Having made her case, though, she henceforth just made lighthearted small talk with Zev and the cashier as each of them paid for their purchases. Though it felt good to treat herself to new perfume, Aurelie was already starting to think about gift ideas for the other people on her holiday shopping list. Thus distracted, it was no wonder she was taken completely aback when two sudden blurs of purple suddenly sped past her and Zev, sweeping the shopping bags of new perfume right out of their hands.

In the blink of an eye, the two thieving Pokemon zipped away into the crowd outside the beauty products store. Zev, of course, burst instantly into action, in a way that Aurelie recognized all too well. A familiar glint lit his eyes and the muscles rippled along his jaw as he swore and ran after the Purrloins, pulling out a Poke Ball. Aurelie, meanwhile, stood there slack-jawed and stunned, not comprehending how or why they'd just gotten robbed.

What the hell just happened? she thought, staring dumbly and shaking her stinging hand. What the absolute hell even was that?

Only when other shoppers ran up behind her, yelling that they'd also been stolen from, did Aurelie come to her senses. She shook off her daze and hurried after Zev, who had already cornered the two hissing Purrloins next to a row of potted poinsettias. As people started to gather closer to watch the Pokemon battle, Aurelie had to push and maneuver her way through the crowd.

"Oh, come on, please let me through," she grunted, narrowly missing stepping on someone's foot. "I want to get my perfume back! Those two stole from me too! Please let me through!"

Once she'd pushed her way to the front row, the red-haired smith reached for her own Poke Balls. Her mind was a blank as she tried to remember types and matchups, while the two Purrloins surrounded Zev's Heracross and swiped at him with wicked claws. Much less confidently than Zev had, she released her Scizor and directed him toward the ongoing battle.

"Help out that Heracross, please!" Aurelie instructed her Pokemon, pointing to the Purrloins apprehensively. As the red-hued Bug Pokemon obligingly launched himself into the battle, his steely pincers raised, she cast an apologetic smile in Zev's direction. "Sorry for taking so long. Any chance we can ask nicely and get the Purrloins to give back our things?"

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Watching Zev's Pokemon and the two Purrloins battling each other in the middle of the mall, Aurelie sighed and shook her head ruefully. "Seems like a diplomatic solution is off the table for now," she quipped, letting out a long sigh as she eyed the pair of thieving Purrloins. "I guess that perfume you bought was so irresistible, even devious cat Pokemon can't help but want it!"

Turning to her Pokemon, she instructed him in a low voice, "Use FALSE SWIPE on that one." The red-haired smith nodded to the Purrloin who had caused Zev's Pokemon to flinch and was still holding one of the shopping bags in its mouth by the handle.

Following her instructions, the red, insectile Pokemon rushed toward the indicated Purrloin. Before the Scizor had even raised its steely pincers to strike, however, the devious feline Pokemon was already prepared for its attack. Arching its back aggressively and puffing up its dark-purple tail until it looked like a bottle brush, the Purrloin swiftly unleashed a preemptive SUCKER PUNCH that sent the Scizor staggering backward.

Taken off guard by the unexpected move, the Scizor nevertheless managed to recover from his surprise in a moment and gamely followed Aurelie's instructions. The Bug-type Pokemon struck the Purrloin with a sweeping, yet restrained slash aimed at avoiding its weak points or vital areas. The Purrloin reeled and let out an indignant yowl but didn't drop the bag in its mouth, much to her relief. Like Zev, she hadn't wanted to knock out the Pokemon completely and risk smashing the delicate bottles of perfume that they had made off with.

Advancing toward the Purrloin, Aurelie leveled as ominous a one-eyed glare at it as she could manage. Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and called out loudly and pointedly to her Scizor, "All right, get ready to use X-SCISSOR next." Dutifully, the Bug-type Pokemon strode forward next to her and raised its pincers into a threatening X-shaped stance.

She laid a hand on the Scizor's steel-clad shoulder to signal that he should wait to attack, before turning back to the Purrloin. Then she pointed to the bag hanging from the Purrloin's mouth with one finger and then pointed to the ground beneath. I hope the Purrloin gets the message, Aurelie thought. Drop the bag, or else you'll be dropped by the next attack.

Having no experience with Pokemon battles, she had no idea if this was how people normally handled them, or if they just simply fought until one of the Pokemon fainted. But she certainly hoped that the Purrloins would simply yield up the bags without more of a fight. This was already much more of a fuss than she'd ever anticipated having to deal with over something as simple as buying new perfume. She put her other hand on her hip and narrowed her eye at the Purrloins, waiting to see how they would react.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]Aurelie breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief as Zev's Heracross cleverly managed to recover his shopping bah, while the Purrloin she was confronting finally chose the path of discretion over valor and dropped her shopping bag to the ground. Strange though it sounded, the Purrloin seemed like it had understood her when she'd issued her ultimatum, or at least it'd responded to her almost the same way her own Pokemon did. It intrigued Aurelie.

When Zev politely asked about her purchase, Aurelie's eye widened. She quickly dug through the bag until she found the bottle of perfume, thankfully intact. "Everything's okay, thank Arceus," she reported, miming wiping her brow in relief.

"Glad to see your gift survived as well," the red-haired smith added, glancing toward the bag in Zev's hands, which appeared free of broken glass shards or spilled perfume. "Otherwise, that would've been a not-very-merry holiday for you and your gi—"

She stopped herself just in time before saying "girlfriend". The thought that he and Nenet might actually be dating had taken Zev aback enough as it was. No need to throw him further off equilibrium by saying the G-word before he was ready to say it himself.

"Your, uh, gift recipient, Nenet," Aurelie finished lamely, the corner of her mouth lifting upward in a smirk. "Now you get to share the heroic story of how you not only bought her perfume but went through all manner of trials and tribulations fending off two dastardly thieving Purrloins who tried to steal it from you! I bet she'll be impressed by that."

In the distance, they heard another outcry of outraged shoppers screaming in sudden surprise and anger, followed by the tinkle of shattering glass and the thud of falling shelves. Aurelie turned her head toward the source of the sounds and saw a pair of mall cops pushing through the crowds toward a boutique selling crystalline ornaments, good-luck charms, and other novelties. When she squinted, she could just make out a slender purple form leap atop a table and swiftly knock the contents onto the ground.

Without even meaning to, Aurelie found herself reaching for an empty Poke Ball in her coat pocket. That Purrloin, she thought, at once annoyed and slightly, reluctantly impressed, certainly has a gift for chaos. It was definitely intriguing. Shaking her head to herself, she turned back toward Zev.

"Looks like those Purrloins are still causing trouble," Aurelie chuckled. "I'm going to go see if I can, uh...help out the mall security. Right. Yes, help them out. Good luck with the rest of your shopping, Zev! I hope Nenet loves that perfume."

And she turned around and hurried toward the boutique under attack, seeking once more to corner the troublemaking Purrloins, save the holiday again, and maybe try to give herself a little extra gift for the holidays along the way.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT