A parasol lady and her Roselia; a preschooler tugging along a cloud of pastel balloons; a psychic shuffling tarot cards. Finn rested his chin on his hand, stirring his Mega Punch Latte as his eyes drifted across the crowd lazily. You see all kinds in cities as big as Mauville.

Some sounds reeled Finn's focus back into the cafe - shuffling steps and a soft clinking of steel on porcelain. Curious, he turned around to meet the young lady from the counter smiling cheerfully, a plate of creamy cake in hand. Finn was about to tell her she'd made a mistake when she introduced herself with bouncy enthusiasm, telling him she'd brought him the cake for free.

Finn usually wore his face with a stoic weight, but everyone brightens up with the offer of free cake. Caught off guard by this kind gesture, Finn couldn't help but return Ayana's cheerfulness by breaking into a grin. "Please, let me pay for this," he offered, reaching into his duffel bag for his wallet. He'd never take anything for free.

"No, please - you have a beautiful cafe, and I'd love to support you. This cake looks deli-OOF!"

Finn's world tossed itself around. Someone on some kind of speedy mount sped past the open window, snagging Finn's wallet and bags before spraying him with something gummy and rapidly stiffening. Now, Finn's hand was empty, his face was streaked with Alcremie frosting, and he was stuck to his chair with Spider Web.

Finn's carefree, chirpy grin plunged and darkened way beyond his usual mien; he now wore the decisive wrath of a fighter.

"Dammit!" Finn bulged against the nasty threads binding him. His brows blazed and his eyes spat daggers at the thief zooming down the little road.

Ayana Takahashi

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Note: I am very okay with Finn and his Pokemon getting knocked about as long as they don't lose limbs or die!

As Finn struggled against the sticky bands that strapped him to his chair, Alcremie frosting dripped down his face. Oh, damn. This was good. 

But snap back to reality - the thieving bastard was zooming off with Finn's bag and his shopping!

Combining Ayana's strength with his own, Finn burst out from the Spider Web before it congealed any further. He shook off stray threads and a sugar petal as Ayana pulled him out onto the street, the thief still within eye's reach. 

"You know, a Gengar-run cafe could really take off." 

From the way Ayana reacted so sharply, and how she calmly but decisively told Finn that she'd make sure he got his things back, the young swordsman wondered if there was more to her than she let on. People didn't just acquire this degree of rugged confidence. You had to be forged in the heat of experience. Finn nodded briskly in response. He respected her already. He would typically have pursued the thief alone, but he felt good about accepting Ayana's partnership. 

"Hang on!" Finn tore out a Pokeball from inside his jacket and released Beidou, his Kirlia. Beidou's red horns quivered, picking up the intensity of the moment, and his own stance shifted to match it. "Bring us to the junction we bought the shoes at!" Beidou nodded firmly and wrapped the three of them in a radiant purple aura, and they vanished! Beidou used Teleport! 

Shoppers screamed and dispersed as Finn, Ayana and Beidou exploded onto the junction - right as the thief zoomed past on his scooter. "Hey! Stop there, you Grimerfist!" Finn shouted, dashing after them like a Jolteon.

Ayana Takahashi

Finn was fast, but not fast enough to catch up with a scooter. He roared as he turned the corner in hot pursuit, his mind honed like a blazing dagger. As distance yawned between them, Finn's heart began to slip. 

Then, Ayana released a curious creature - an exotic Voltorb that had also recently started sprouting in Finn's woods - that sprayed Leech Seeds all over the scooter. Ropey vines unfurled and knotted up all throughout the motorcycle's machinery, bringing the vehicle to a screeching, tumbling halt. If Finn could, he'd turn round to pump his fist in the air with thanks - but the thief was good! As the scooter flipped off the road, he leaped off it, light as a leaf, with his bounty in hand! 

The chase continued; but this time, he was on foot. Finn snarled as his legs pounded the road. He was trained to run and leap amongst the gigantic roots of Fortree's undergrowth - this was nothing! They wove in and out of a crowd, but Finn was gaining ground. 

"Stop him!" Finn roared, throwing out a Pokeball to summon his friend Dafutou the Scyther. The green monster screeched and slashed through the air above them, landing far ahead and cutting off the thief's path. He was cornered - for now. 

As he sealed off his end of the path, Finn's mind sped back to Ayana. Would she be okay? 

Of course she would be. She probably hasn't even revealed her true strength yet. Finn almost looked forward to her joining him just to see what else she could do.

Ayana Takahashi

On one side, Dafutou brandished his arm-swords fiercely in the air. On the other side, Finn crept in like a Mightyena out for blood. The thief tried sticking his hand into his shirt to retrieve a Pokeball, but Dafutou hissed and released a terrible buzz from his bristling wings so loud and violent that its sheer sound made the criminal retch. Seizing the chance, Finn prowled up to him and socked him across the jaw.

"I don't even need my swords to deal with someone like you."

Finn's punch landed like a bomb strike. The thief was down for the count - for now.

Brushing the sweat off his spiky green fringe, Finn picked up his bags as Dafutou settled down beside him. "Thanks, buddy." He rubbed the Scyther's snout with his elbow, and the creature growled appreciatively in return. Catching his breath, Finn looked around him, the crowd tightening and dispersing - it was over. Where was Ayana now?

Beidou teleported before him, his eyes wide with urgency. Finn's stomach dropped. He'd hate to have pulled Ayana into this. She was a good and strong person but this need not have been her fight to settle.

"Let's go."

With another burst of lavender light, the world spun around Finn and his team, and they rematerialised beside Ayana on the roof. The wind in his hair told Finn about their height. Ayana faced off against two brutish thugs, a Musharna floating in a pink haze ahead of her. Her face had totally transformed from her friendly cafe persona; Finn knew the look of someone accustomed to force.

Finn threw his bags to the side.

"Dafutou, you're up." The Scyther answered the call with a harsh hiss.

Responding in kind, the two grunts summoned a Liepard and Golbat.

"Tsk. Dying on your girlfriend's behalf?"

Finn snarled.

"We're not the ones dying today. Go!" Dafutou lashed out in a blast of slashing wind, his scythes glowing insect green. Scyther used X-Scissor on Liepard!

As the battle started, Finn glanced towards Ayana. He realised he did not know who she really was at all.

Ayana Takahashi