The thought of someone abandoning such a happy, nice toad was saddening. However, his croak was enough to rid her spirit of any heaviness.

“Of course. Who couldn’t help such a face.”

She swam over closer to look the Pokemon in the eyes and offer a warm smile.

“You found yourself a really good friend, didn’t you, Albert?”

“Oh. You should.” She smiled, still sort of weakly, but the warmth was there. “It’s lots of fun.”

The warmth of the cup in her hands was comforting.

“Not for me, no. I got a little distracted, maybe.”

Another sip, and a tired sigh. Another nap when she got home, maybe. That sounded nice. It had been a very long afternoon.

Ellie paddled more on her back, briefly watching something fly overhead—a bird, or maybe a dragon of some kind.

“She followed me; whenever I was in the water.”

“I was in the water a lot.”

Another stroke of arms, and she turned to look at him again.

“How long have you had Albert?”

She surfaced away from them, spinning to rest on her bast, only to get hit in the face with a splash of water. A shake of her head, and she wiped with a wrist, giggling, unoffended.

“Feels really nice!”

Looking back to shore, she decided on something.

“Babies! Will you let out Milotic, please?”

The two flies buzzed, watching her a moment, and then going to work at her bag. Soon, the same serpent that had been on the beach before that afternoon appeared in the water with them again. She cooed serenely. The ocean was nice, but lakes were her home.

She dove deeper, disappearing to explore.

Ellie looked over to Darren from where she treaded water.

“I found Milotic as a Feebas in a lake when I was at camp once, as a kid.” She explained.

“They wouldn’t let me keep her, cause I was too little… but she wanted to be with me, so I went back at night and got her anyways.”

Maybe not the right thing to tell a ranger, but Ellie wasn’t good at lying, and stories just sort of spilled out.

She watched him for a long moment, and then looked out the window again, watching some kind of small bug buzzing around on the other side of the glass.

Sipping the coffee, she looked back again.

Diving.

“Pretty often. Multiple times a week, usually. I like being in the water. Why?”

“Aw, that’s really good and sweet of you. I’m sure Frillish will appreciate it so much.” Her eyes went back to it in the water. She liked happy stories.

Ellie had decided she’d also liked Sam from their first interaction. He seemed gentle, somehow, despite the mischief of his Pokemon. Similarly, he was kind, despite the depths of despair in which he lived. Or, perhaps he didn’t see it that way. She was increasingly curious about how he understood things.

Things like, what about the afterlife? Was there such a thing?

She smiled at Sam again warmly. “I’ll bet it sticks around that spot of water in Mt. Pyre just to see you. You’ll have a lifelong friend.”

---

Ellie watched the Politoed leap into the water with a smile.

Excited to follow it, she too undressed. She had changed out of her swimwear from before, replaced with modest, light pink undergarments which she bared freely and without hesitation. They would be underwater soon, anyways.

She looked over to Darren, who seemed ready as well.

“Yeah! Let’s go.”

Wading in a few feet, she then dove right in rather skillfully, the long stroke of legs and arms carrying her gracefully through the water under the surface.

When he left, her eyes traveled the room, rolling past a dozen light blue shoulders and towards a window.

Upon the doctor’s return, the cup was taken. Her arm felt heavy, she noted. Ellie didn’t like this sort of feeling. To be sedated, or whatever was happening.

She sipped, and it was a little bitter, but she decided it was probably hers. People typically did not understand when she told them ‘lots’.

“It’s perfect. Thanks.”

When the foliage and difficult-to-traverse terrain had leveled out and parted, before them was a gorgeous, sparkling lake. Cutiefly and Ribombee flew out ahead, as soon as they’d make it from the dangerous weeds.

“It’s beautiful!” Ellie gushed, and ran after them, giggling at their happy dances through the air. They stopped short of the edge—all three. The flies knew well enough not to go over fish territory. Ellie, on the other hand, was already thinking about a dip.

“We should go for a swim!”

They had some tough—or, cute acts to follow. Everyone had been charming—although she hadn’t been entirely sold on the Claydol, despite Zac Ramsay ’s illuminating presentation. All boxes were indeed checked, though. Then, there was a prince, and a particularly adorable mouse with equally adorable headbands to charm the judges…

No matter. Eliora was confident in the little egg poking out of her folded arms. She carried it carefully up the steps, hugging it close, until they were centerstage, from where she beamed down at the audience and the judges. Finally, she gripped hands on either side of the egg and held it up.

“Come on out, Togepi!”

’Preee!’

It sprang out from the cracks in its shell—two feet, small hands held out wide to present itself, tiny facial features carved with utter amusement at its own trick. Tada! Surely, no one had known it was there before. Togepi was a master of stealth.

“We have some cute competition, but we’re still confident, right?”

There was another joyful squeal in return.

“Togepi may not have the biggest head, or eyes, but she is pretty huggable.” Ellie held the small fairy-type closer, pressing it against her cheek for a moment. “They say that Togepi has the power to make people happy! If you’re kind to them, they store that kindness away, and turn it into joy for others when they’re close.”

Her smile puffed her cheeks with pride.

“And this little one really loves to play peek-a-boo! We think that's pretty cute, don't we Togepi?”

The Togepi made sounds and wiggled its stubby arms about before withdrawing into its shell again. A few moments, and it sprang back out with the same enthusiasm as before. It was a star, and it was shining bright; basking in the applause and awe it had inspired.

“That's all for us, for now! Thank you!”

Just like that, they were friends. This came as no surprise. Ellie had never struggled to make them. She had offered lots of people tea, and received plenty of smiles for it.

Ellie lived on smiles and sweet things.

“Ooh~ I like surprises.”

She unscrewed the lid from her jar and took a sip. Soon, though, it was replaced and screwed tight, and put away into her bag. They went into very tall grass, and she walked a little closer to the ranger.

“Come here, babies!” she called to her flies. “Stay close!”

“Of course. It's the least I can do to thank you for a fun adventure.”

Her voice was ever-pleasant and grateful that he appreciated her offering.

The Nanab berry tea interested him. Maybe he had trouble sleeping sometimes, too?

“I could make you some, you know.”

It was an offer to see him again. She liked Darren so far, save for the nearly drowning several birds earlier that afternoon. He hadn’t seemed to have meant to do much harm, and he had been saving baby turtles.

Almost there.

Her gaze followed Albert’s gesture.

“Where are we going, exactly?”