An Evolutionary Idea (Anyone)

'Thanks, Summer and,' the Jigglypuff paused, 'What was your name, Mr. Charmander? I'm Renee. I'm sure my Pikachu will like the Nanab Muffins.'

'Sweet stuff,' said the Charmeleon. 'Now be a good puff and heave these back to our stand with your almighty Strength.'

'No thanks,' Renee declined. 'I'd rather not delay our shopping. Let's carry and eat them on the way. So, what lovely items can be perused at this festival, Summer? Please lead the way.'

"Oh, I'm Collin...nice to meet you?" The Charmander didn't have much of a chance to reply before Summer was excitedly chattering over him and attempting to lead Renee away. Collin made up his mind to question Ben while he had the chance, deferring his position as the stand watcher to Rolly so he could question the Charmeleon, though it was hard to hear him over Summer's obnoxious excitement.

"Well there's all sorts of evolutionary items, of course! A Jigglypuff needs a moonstone right? Well that doesn't matter. There's all sorts of interesting little knickknacks; there's stuff from these really weird other regions too! So what are you selling at your stand? Just mint berry pies? They smell good!"

'Nice to meet you, Collin,' said the Charmeleon. 'Call me Ben. What's your connection to Summer and Rolly? I'm Renee's brother.'

'Thank you,' cheered Renee. 'I like the smell too. It's almost as good as this Mint Berry pastry of yours. We're also selling Thunderstones of a most exquisite quality. I'm sure one would suit Rolly perfectly. Speaking of other regions, I don't think Shinx are from Kanto or Johto. Have you traveled to the lands beyond?'

One sizeable stand bore a title board that read 'Bulbasaur's Bonanza.' Ben shot a little fireball at the 'O' and a Bulbasaur popped into view. 'What do you want?' it snapped. It noticed the potential customers seemed to be talking with one another, so it Bided its time.

(O for the days when Bide was a TM.)

"Johto? Kanto? Is that where we are then..." Summer shook her shoulders in a makeshift shrug. "I don't know where we are half the time. We travel all over the place."

"Oh, they're the team. Rolly is our leader. This is my community service... kind of. I was a thief~" Collin explained half-heartedly. He kindly obliged the Bulbasaur while Summer and Renee were busy chatting away the years.

"Ah yes... what kinds of things do you sell here?" inquired Collin politely.

'Really?' asked Renee excitedly. 'That's so cool! Would you mind telling me the tale of one of your journeys?'

'Er, sorry,' apologized the Bulbasaur, reminded of his manners by Collin's politeness. 'Business has been bad today. Here's the menu.'

All types of status cure berries: Psncureberry, Pecha Berry, Przcureberry, Cheri Berry, Mint Berry, Chesto Berry, Bitter Berry, Persim Berry, Burnt Berry, Aspear Berry, Ice Berry, Rawst Berry, Miracle Berry, Lum Berry

Leaf collection: Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf, Razor Leaf, Magical Leaf, Chikorita Leaf, Tropius Leaf

For legendary visits: Eon Ticket, Old Sea Chart, Azure Flute, Rainbow Wing, Silver Wing

Various TMs that vary by day, stop by every day and if you're lucky we'll have what you need

Straight from Mount Yipyip: sproingweed, sweetyipellet, baiyou, wendan, icemelon, snowflora

Fish, fish, fishy: salmon, earthworms, tuna, neon damselfish, kingfisher, seagull, yellowspot emperor, bluelined snapper, marbled grouper

What part of vegetarian don't you understand?: soft tofu, dried tofu, stinky tofu, lots o' beans, magical trevor, green greens, emerald cake

If this doesn't satisfy you, speak with proprietor and we'll work something out.

Summer rambled on with details involving the most recent exploits of the team, revolving about the rescue of a Delibird that was being held for ransom by Sneasel bandits. "... I don't know why, but Collin was the one who pulled us into this mission, shouldn't Charmanders hate the cold? Either way after we got there..."

"This Old Sea Chart sounds interesting..." Collin mumbled to no one in particular. Of course, Collin thought, it couldn't be genuine, but he wouldn't voice this aloud in the company of their salesman. "Also... what's a... Perz...? Cure berry?"

‘Please go on,’ said Renee eagerly. ‘This is really exciting. You’re quite the bard.’

The Bulbasaur overheard Collin’s mumbling. ‘The Old Sea Chart? If you show it to Mr. Briney, who lives in a shack west of Petalburg City in Hoenn, he’ll take you on a voyage to Faraway Island, the only legitimate place to catch a Mew. A Przcureberry cures paralysis. It’s a relic of the original Johto berries, along with Psncurebery, Mint Berry, Bitter Berry, Burnt Berry, Ice Berry, and Miracle Berry. Come to think of it, why don’t I sell non-status curing berries from old Johto to round out my collection? Maybe if my sales would go up,’ he trailed off.

"Er... what?" The Bulbasaur had left Collin thoroughly confused when it was done speaking, all this talk of catching Mews and Mister Briney and this Hoenn region. "What about this Silver wing then? And since when is a Seagull a fish?"

Summer continued on eagerly; she was getting even more wrapped up in Renee in her story, which led to blasphemous amounts of exaggeration. "And then Rolly went all Discharge and nailed them all! There was electricity everywhere! He took out all of them, but then some got back up! But Collin has this fire-type advantage and he let out this ginormous flamethrower that melted the whole mountain!"

'Really?' exclaimed the Bulbasaur in surprise, 'A seagull isn't a fish? Oh well, I sell them anyway. They're especially fresh this time of year. Would you like one?' Seeking a potential business opportunity, the monster/plant delayed answering Collin's other questions.

'I have no idea what tuna fish is,' inserted Ben, 'but it sounds tasty. I'd like to try some. Will you take a Mint Berry pie in return?'

'Hmm,' hmmed the Seed specimen. 'Return would be a nice addition to my TM collection.'

The Flame specimen rephrased his offer. 'I mean, will a pie baked with Mint Berries serve as payment?'

'Sounds like a deal,' agreed the Bulbasaur, exchanging pie for fish and eagerly waiting for Collin to decide his purchase.

'That's rad,' cheered Renee, 'how'd you folks get so good? And how did you avoid drowning with an entire mountain of ice melting? Can you Surf U.S.A.?'

Collin grimaced and kept silent while Ben attempted a transaction. The Bulbasaur was just so...Unique. He snapped to attention when he noticed that the Bulbasaur was waiting on him and nodded his head. "Er... Sorry. Just nothing that interests me."

Meanwhile Summer's story started crossing into the stupid. "AND THEN A WAILORD ATE US! But don't worry! Rolly shocked that thing all the way to heck and we escaped!"

(Sorry, I was gone for forever!)

'Ah, more's the pity,' commented the Bulbasaur in reply to Collin, although it didn't seem upset.

Renee finally caught on that Summer was spinning a grand yarn. 'Interesting,' she said a bit testily. 'I'll have to share this classic tale with my Igglybuff.'

Ben test-tasted his bartered tuna fish. 'It's pretty good,' he complimented the trader. 'Sister, want to try some of this?'

Renee hopped next to her brother and grabbed off a fourth of his fish. 'Why don't you share the rest with our pals, as a way of apologizing to them for the fight earlier?'

Ben nodded and split the remainder of the fish in thirds, offering a third to Summer and Collin.

(Don't worry; I'm just glad you're back.)

"I don't really eat fish, but thanks." Collin gave a quick twist of his head, leaving things at that.

"Collin, if you don't eat anything besides sweets you're going to get sick."

"So? Anyway, why don't we go have a look at that other stand?" Collin trotted off before he could be berated further by Summer, taking quick interest in what looked like an ageing music box.

(Well.. .You see, I got eaten by this Wailord, but don't worry. I got better.)

'Ah yes, you like the ageing music box?' called out the vendor, an aged aged man a-sitting on a gate. 'It's the finest of my antiques. Other interesting curios, which you may or may not have interest in, include a Big Pearl, Tiny Mushrooms, Stardust, a Star Piece, and a pristine copy of Through the Looking Glass. They're all reasonably priced, and no, I don't want a Mint Berry pie.'

'Aww,' said Renee, jokingly upset that someone didn't relish her confection.

'I suppose you'd take a Thunderstone?' offered Ben.

'What's that?' asked the aged aged man. 'It sounds like something a Ruin Maniac would dig up. I don't like the look of it.'

The char-puff siblings turned to the Shinx and Eevee to see their responses to the situation.