As they admired the scenery along the way, Xia You told Chloe about the various Pokémon they encountered on the road.
Although Chloe had rarely interacted with Pokémon before, she was very clever, and often, Xia You only had to mention something in passing for her to remember it firmly.
And so, she went from knowing nothing to having a partial understanding.
The two of them leisurely made their way to the outskirts of Celadon City. They had originally planned to skirt the city and continue west, but unexpectedly ran into someone they knew when they reached the fields outside it.
She was a pretty girl of eighteen or nineteen, with short black hair and an elegant furisode.
From her back, her clothing, and her quiet grace alone, Xia You had already recognized her.
It was none other than Erika, the Gym Leader of the Celadon Gym!
At that moment, Erika had an Eevee beside her and a basket set nearby. She was crouching beside a patch of flowers, holding scissors and a trowel, seemingly trimming something.
As they approached, the Eevee spotted Xia You and Chloe and gave a few wary cries.
Hearing the sound, Erika turned to look and was also very surprised to see Xia You.
Before she could speak, Xia You exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Erika? What a coincidence! What are you doing here?"
Erika stood up and looked at him with bright eyes, her voice as gentle as ever.
"I came here to gather some flowers to take back to the Gym and cultivate. Where are you headed?"
Gathering flowers?
Xia You first understood, then remembered that besides being a Gym Leader and a perfume shop owner, she was also a flower arranger.
"At this time of year, naturally, I'm heading to the Indigo Plateau