After a solid thirty minutes of making deals, Isolde was kind enough to show Ethan around her own ranch. While smaller than his back in the forest, Honeydew Ranch was arguably much more beautiful and very well established.
The deal they arrived at was a simple one—Ethan would trade his berries for some of Isolde’s honey. At first, Ethan had been surprised at the amount offered for trade. For a hundred berries of assorted varieties to be determined on a case by case basis, he’d received a whole freaking barrel of honey. Normally, if a businessman was getting an obviously good deal, they wouldn’t question it.
Sadly, Ethan wasn’t a very good businessman.
After a few probing questions, Ethan quickly learned that when the bees making the honey were a solid four hundred times larger than what his mental references were, they made a lot more honey than he’d imagined. So, spending what amounted to roughly a hundred and fifty dollars on a barrel of honey was a ‘fair price’. He even got to pick out his own barrel from in the cellar beneath the expansive farmhouse!
When Isolde led him out back to showcase her land, Ethan followed along asking questions along the way. Ralts had been quiet and observing, not intruding or participating in any of the conversations. Emolga was flying around with a big bunch of busy bees, simply having fun. They chased each other in the air playing a game of tag which Emolga was winning.
Before he got to inspect the area, a sturdy and firm coil wrapped around his ankle. Then, with a suction force like a wet-vac being pressed against his skin, it latched on. Slowly, Ethan paused and leaned over to inspect his newfound passenger, finding the most adorable little horizon-blue pokemon.
“Don’t mind, Philly. He likes every stranger that makes their way here.” Isolde commented, having noticed his pause. She trudged over and stood behind the tiny little Phanpy, who had begun sniffing his leg and flapping his big’ol ears, and waited with her hands on her hips. Philly the Phanpy, having felt her gaze, slowly unraveled his small and stout trunk and stopped his probing.
“Phaaaaannnnnnnnn” Philly tooted his trunk like an elephant from earth, making a sound far louder than anything his size should be capable of.
“Go on, git! Go to your parents.” Isolde ordered—not cruelly, but with mirth.
After another small toot, Philly trudged down the nearby concrete steps and wandered over to a pair of Donphan who were watching from a nearby water trough. A water hose was affixed to the trough and kept the water filled to the brim, yet when one of the Donphan drank, the water inside lowered nearly instantly to the bottom. It appeared that the water hose never stopped, and when it overflowed, created a nice and moist pit of mud for the elephant family to enjoy. Phanpy did a little hop to the pit of mud, squealing with glee as he rejoined his family.
Ethan took out his phone. “You mind if I take some pictures?” He asked Isolde.
“Go ahead, but follow along. I’m getting too old to be standing for too long.” Isolde replied, snorting at her own self-deprecating jest.
Phanpy - The Long Nose Pokemon: Phanpy is a playful and social pokemon that thrives near riverbanks and watering holes. Its trunk is not only strong but also sensitive, allowing it to spray water with surprising precision. Phanpy often rolls in mud to keep its skin cool and to protect itself from harsh sunlight. Though small, it is sturdy and can carry objects much heavier than itself, often helping its herd by moving stones or clearing paths.
Trainer Alert: Phanpy are friendly when young, but they are fiercely protective of their herd. Approaching one too closely may cause the whole group to charge in defense.
Donphan - The Armor Pokemon: Donphan’s thick hide is nearly impervious to attacks, and its massive curled tusks are capable of splitting boulders. When threatened, Donphan curls into a ball and charges with devastating force, creating tremors strong enough to crack stone. It is highly territorial, and fights between rival Donphan can reshape the landscape. Despite their aggression in the wild, Donphan are deeply loyal to trainers who earn their trust, often serving as dependable mounts and protectors of land.
Trainer Alert: Wild Donphan should never be provoked. Once it begins to roll, it will not stop until the perceived threat is utterly crushed. Travelers are advised to give them wide space when journeying near foothills or grasslands.
“Yeah, that sounds accurate.” Isolde commented flatly, having heard his PocketDex spew out the information.
As Isolde led Ethan around her ranch, he drew comparisons between what hers was like and what Berry Falls could be. It was readily apparent that Honeydew Ranch had been in operation for generations. Everywhere he looked, he could see projects, pokemon, and large swaths of farmland—similar to his own berry fields—all set up with tools, pokemon helpers, and care.
The farmland was the most eye-catching, as instead of farming traditional crops or berries, Isolde and whoever else lived on Honeydew cultivated flowers. These fields of flowers were unlike those in the surrounding plains. Instead of a mix-match of types and colors, they carefully farmed specific breeds of flowers by color and type. Within the fields of flowers, Combee hovered about, collecting pollen with their massive bodies to bring back to their hives, which must have been within the small boundary of Eterna Forest bordering the ranch itself, judging by where the busy bees flew.
Up and tucked alongside the back of the farmhouse, a large contraption of gleaming steel containers, pipes, and valves were installed in what Ethan could only assume was some production of alcohol. He took a moment to ask a question once Isolde finished her explanation on how it worked. “Do you make a specific brand of alcohol?”
“That we do,” Isolde answered, wandering over to a nearby wooden beer-barrel to gesture towards the lid.
Ethan scooted over and read the burnt-branded text.
★ HONEYDEW RANCH ★
AMBER BLOOM
MEAD
---------------------------------
Batch No. 1174 225L
Fill Date: 13 NOV, 2002
ABV: 12%
“They ferment in these steel containers before being stored in the barrels.” Isolde walked off, seemingly finished with this part of the tour.
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As Ethan followed along, she asked him a question. “So, are you actually here for some Combee or are you some secret inspection agent? Don’t think I didn’t notice your tag-alongs by the gate.”
Ethan turned his head as they were just exiting out from behind the farmhouse and spotted the two interpol agents who’d been trailing him standing just on the inside of the white gate leading up to the home. “I’m not some secret inspector. There was a commotion in town yesterday involving Team Rocket and they have reason to believe that I was a target.”
“Pah! Team Rocket!” Isolde scoffed, completely uncaring about how dangerous they were as an organization. He blinked when he heard the utter contempt in her voice as she said their name. “The real threat is that poacher girl here in Sinnoh. We don’t have time to spend on the crimes of other regions. We can help them when we’re all sorted. Cynthia did us proud with stopping them Galactic pricks, but until ‘Hunter whatever the fuck’ is gone, then I don’t see a point unless they’re fully trying to move in.”
Ethan’s footsteps crawled to a stop as he registered Isolde’s words. Ralts stood from her spot on his shoulder and grabbed a strand of his hair to swing herself in front of his face, concern evident in her psychic voice. “Ethan…? What’s wrong?”
Now, as an avid player of the pokemon games, Ethan knew quite a bit about pokemon from before the times of Sun and Moon. That said, he wasn’t all too familiar with anime, manga, or movies. While not completely ignorant, he still wasn’t nearly as well versed in their lore, but what he did know were mostly the important bits, or those scenes that stuck with him emotionally as a kid. Back when he watched the pokemon show, TiVo was a brand new thing. His family didn’t jump on that bandwagon until it was commonplace.
But, he knew who Hunter J was. Hunter J was one of the most diabolical villains from the pokemon series and one of the only people in the anime to ever murder someone on the screen of a children’s TV show. She’s ruthless, psychopathic, and a cold-blooded murderer of pokemon, humans, and probably even children.
Without noticing Ethan’s discomfort, Isolde carried on. “She nabbed one of my friend’s Gardevoirs not too long ago. Was a right mess.”
Jolted out of his thoughts from her voice, Ethan hurried his feet to catch back up to the elderly woman. “Yeah… She’s the most wanted criminal for a reason.”
“Well,” Isdole started as she began walking into the very edge of Eterna Forest, following along the trail of flying Combees. “You best be careful too. You said you were a Move Tutor and Breeder? She’ll probably know about you. Shit, she probably sells to Team Rocket! That must be why they were about and after you!” She let out an audible click of her tongue as she ducked under a small branch. “Bastards. The whole lot o’em.”
After another minutes of following the Combee, Isolde paused and turned towards him. Her posture and stern glare indicated that she was about to lay down some ground rules. “You approach when I say you can approach. If Vespiquen doesn’t want to see you, then you don’t. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.” She waited a second, before finishing. “Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Good.” Isolde turned and started back on her way. “If they get agitated, you leave slowly the same way we came. They can and will swarm. Follow me and keep close.”
After another ten seconds of following along, the gentle hum of fluttering wings and the buzzing of busy bees grew and grew into a crescendo of sound. Ralts had sat back down on his shoulder, her body leaning forward in curiosity and anticipation on what they were about to see.
Within a small—very small—clearing, about fifteen feet in diameter, a giant hive consisting of interlocked Combee bodies was in full construction. Like Legos, their hexagonal bodies were stacked on top of one another to create a massive square hive. The entrance and exit to the hive opened and closed on a whim, as the Combee creating the invisible doorway fluttered away, only for some of its kin to take its place a second later.
It was a beautiful yet chaotic display of coordination.
Isolde quickly motioned for him to stop, yet she continued onwards, approaching without missing a step. Soon enough, all the Combee around noticed them, and the background buzz of activity fluctuated in some unheard conversation. When the entry way to the hive changed again, another form surged through the opening. This new arrival was the expected Vespiquen, who was… quite frightening in her appearance.
Without a word of communication, all of the Combee fluttering about joined the body-hive, creating a towering fortress with their bodies, fit for a fierce defence.
From his distance, Ethan couldn’t make out the words Isolde was saying, but it was fairly obvious that she was informing Vespiquen of his arrival and that he was looking for some Combee of his own for a separate hive. As they talked, he snapped a quick photo of this once in a lifetime scene.
He wisely muted his phone as the PocketDex spewed out information.
Combee - The Tiny Bee Pokemon: Combee live in swarms that function as a single organized unit, gathering nectar and pollen to sustain their hive. Their three faces communicate constantly with soft buzzing patterns, allowing them to coordinate flight with surprising precision. When threatened, Combee form defensive clusters, creating a protective barrier around their queen. While they appear harmless individually, a disturbed swarm can sting relentlessly until the danger retreats.
Trainer Alert: Combee are fiercely loyal to their Vespiquen. Disturbing flowers or honeycombs near a hive risks provoking the entire swarm, which may attack in overwhelming numbers.
Vespiquen - The Beehive Pokemon: Vespiquen serves as both leader and guardian of her hive, commanding Combee with a mixture of pheromones and wingbeats. She produces a sweet, resinous substance that nourishes her swarm and strengthens their honeycombs, making the hive a nearly impenetrable fortress. In battle, Vespiquen directs her Combee like soldiers, issuing precise orders to attack, defend, or heal. Her presence ensures the stability of the colony, and her loss often leads to its collapse.
Trainer Alert: A Vespiquen will treat any intrusion near her hive as a direct threat. Trainers are strongly cautioned never to battle one in the wild, as she will summon her entire swarm to defend her with ruthless efficiency.
Not a moment after reading through the information, Isolde wandered back over towards him with a not so subtle frown. “Not a good day for visitors. Back we go.”
Not wanting to argue, as what he had seen was special in and of itself, Ethan spared the mighty Vespiquen one final glance. Vespiquen's smoldering, cautious, red eyes were locked onto him, waiting for him to leave, and her maw chittered and clenched open and closed in agitation.
A bead of sweat pooled on his brow as he made his way away, following Isolde back towards her home. “That was pretty intense. I thought it’d be a little smoother of an experience.”
“Hah!” Isolde chuffed. “That was a great meeting for a stranger. I assumed that it'd end in violence. Vespiquen aren’t known for being kind and loving. She was also a bit aggravated, as she was using both of her abilities to frighten you.”
“Both? I’m surprised she knows more than one. Knowing both is quite rare.” Ethan commented, spotting Emolga riding on top of a Combee right as they exited the forest. “Emolga! Leave that poor Combee alone!”
Emolga, hearing his voice, swooped off Combee's head and yawned as she glided down unsteadily towards him. Without a word, he recalled her back into her pokeball, as she was obviously tuckered out from today’s excitement. “Sorry about that. She’s still young.”
“Don’t worry about it. Does the hive members some good to have some individuality.” Isolde led them back inside her home, then sat straight down into a very cushioned recliner. Ethan took a seat on the nearby couch as she carried on. “Unnerve and Pressure. Keeps most common annoyances away from the hive. For every new hive, I spend the time teaching them how to use both. The effort pays itself off in no time at all—Less problems all around.”
That made perfect sense to Ethan. If some random pokemon wanted to start some trouble and suddenly felt both unnerved and pressured, they have second thoughts. “Well, maybe in a few years you’ll need me to take over teaching them. You are getting pretty up there in age.”
The sudden silence that filled the room made Ethan instantly regret trying to make that joke, but Isolde gaffawed and laughed after a second or two. She had obviously let him cook under the pressure. “Maybe. Maybe.” She gave him a solid once over. “Not many have the balls to joke about with me. So, maybe you deserve a chance in the future.”
“Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I need a nap.” Isolde said, and Ethan picked up the unsaid request.
“I have some more things to do in town as well. It was great to meet you, Isolde” Ethan stood. “I’ll be buying some more of your honey in the future for sure. I have two Teddiursa who are going to go bananas when I get back home.”
“Pleasure was mine. Be safe out there, Mr. Reed.”
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