The next morning, it was nearly noon by the time Marie finally stirred from her sleep. She had stayed up far too late the night before.
"Mm…"
Squinting as she sat up, she noticed the curtains had been neatly drawn most likely Yi-chan's doing.
Turning her head, she saw the Pokémon gathered by the table, nibbling on some bread and Pokéblocks.
"Ah… good morning, everyone."
"Yii~ (Good morning, Marie-chan. You slept in, so I found something for everyone to eat.)"
Hearing Yi-chan's dependable response, Marie nodded in appreciation, then glanced beside her at Yuri, who was still sound asleep.
As Marie sat up, the blanket slipped off, revealing Yuri's childish sleepwear and the smooth expanse of her skin. Her short hair was tousled into a wild mess from tossing and turning on the pillow.
Sensing the loss of the blanket, Yuri wriggled deeper into it, burying her head without the slightest intention of waking up.
"…I never really noticed before, but… hers are even smaller than mine."
Marie couldn't help but compare, idly cupping her own chest as she looked at the familiar sleepwear one she herself had worn in the past.
She quietly slipped out of bed and padded barefoot into the bathroom. Once she had washed up and changed, Marie returned and walked over to the Pokémon.
She knelt down to ruffle Yi-chan's and Sil's heads, then reached out to pick up a sweet Pokéblock, popping it into her mouth.
Crunch. Crunch.
The crispy texture and sweet fruity flavor filled her mouth, waking her up almost instantly.
"Mmm not bad. What do you all think? Is the flavor okay? Anything you want me to adjust?"
After all, Pokéblocks were concentrated nutritional supplements made from Berries. Unless specially enhanced with added ingredients, most were edible by humans too just not particularly beneficial.
Marie hadn't had high hopes for her homemade blocks in terms of taste, but Pokémon, like people, had their own preferences. Now that she had more partners to look after, she was starting to consider tailoring the recipes to match their tastes.
Sometimes they snacked on Pokéblocks between meals, and Marie didn't want her Pokémon eating something they disliked.
Listening carefully to her team's feedback, she nodded as she typed their thoughts and her own ideas into her Rotom Phone.
They would probably be staying in Turffield for a while, and without the pressure of traveling, she finally had time to focus on small experiments like this.
Once she'd saved her notes, Marie looked up at the group and said, "I'm heading out to grab something to eat. Anyone want to come along? Or do you want to stay here until Yuri wakes up?"
"Yii~ (I'll stay with Yuri.)"
"Chrr… (I'll stay too…)"
Marie nodded at Sobble and Applin. The two timid little ones weren't likely to go anywhere without Yuri anyway.
Cottonee, on the other hand, was eager to explore after being cooped up indoors all night.
Sil had just finished eating and was too lazy to move, so Yi-chan offered to stay behind and watch over everyone.
Xiao Zuo and Xiao You, excited for a walk, bounced over enthusiastically, and Barù had no choice but to come along too.
Marie scribbled a quick note and left it on the coffee table.
"Alright, I'm heading out now. I'll be back soon, so take care of the place, okay?"
After a round of reminders that were probably a bit too thorough, she finally led the group outside.
After checking in with the front desk downstairs, she stepped out into the streets of Turffield.
Aside from the prominent Gym building, most of the town's architecture was fairly modest. From any street corner, you could see rolling hills and open fields in the distance.
The streets were lively with a mix of Trainers and tourists.
Aside from the draw of the Gym Challenge, Turffield's southern edge near Route 4 was home to a stone forest and a mysterious, ancient geoglyph. The stone pillars carved with depictions believed to represent over a dozen Pokémon types and the massive, unmarked ground painting continued to attract visitors from across the region.
Some even claimed treasures had once been unearthed beneath the stones.
Marie didn't know much about the stone carvings, but she did understand the symbolism behind the geoglyph. And she was sure the League higher-ups knew even more.
Honestly, Sonia could probably find out everything she needed through Professor Magnolia's connections. If she poked around League HQ, she might learn more than she ever could by traveling.
But then again...
Professor Magnolia's specialty was Dynamax, and Marie doubted that someone as busy as Chairman Rose juggling both the League and his corporate responsibilities had time to research Galar's ancient history personally.
So how did Rose learn the secrets of Dynamax in the first place?
There had to be a more interesting reason. Perhaps one that forced Sonia to travel alone, chasing clues across Galar in search of the truth.
Marie didn't dwell on the matter. Whether her thoughts leaned toward trust or suspicion, she knew making assumptions was dangerous.
"Yo, isn't that Marie? You're out alone today?"
A sudden voice interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, Marie spotted Hop, who had somehow managed to walk right up to her unnoticed.
"Morning, Hop. We got in really late last night. Yuri's still sleeping."
"Ahahaha, tough journey, huh? Then I guess you haven't gone to book a Gym challenge yet?"
"No, we're planning to go this afternoon. We'll probably have to wait a few days for our turn anyway."
"You should definitely get in line soon. I just made my reservation, and they scheduled me a whole week out."
"Thanks for the tip. I'll take Yuri over after lunch."
"Heh, no problem. Catch you later, Marie!"
Hop gave his usual cheerful wave and jogged off down the street.
Marie resumed her stroll with her Pokémon in tow. There was no rush whether they stayed a few days or more, the Gym wasn't going anywhere.
"Nya~! (Marie! I wanna eat that!)"
Xiao Zuo floated onto her shoulder and gently tapped her cheek with his tail, pointing his head toward a small food stall on the roadside.
"Alright, let's go. I'm hungry too."
Marie nodded and led the group into the shop.